As more people get vaccinated and states begin to roll back some of the restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic schools, agencies and workplaces are working on a plan on how to safely return to normal. Officials who work in local economic and workforce development will often say that they have two things that make their city a desirable place to live: a low cost of living and employers with good jobs that need to be filled. But once those local officials share the good news, they ask the question many communities desperately need an answer to: Why do we still struggle to attract and retain the workforce talent we need?Answering that question requires making a couple of major assumptions:The city actually has a low cost of living -- and it's the good kind. Cities trying to use cost of living as a message to attract talent can put too much emphasis on "cost" and not enough emphasis on "living." Dilapidated apartments and abandoned homes do not constitute the kind of low cost of living that will attract workers looking for opportunities. Free or cheap access to museums, parks and other civic amenities does. A low-cost-of-living message that actually attracts people to a city is borne from strategic decisions to make the community an affordable and attractive place to live, not a lack of demand driven by decades of despair.The job openings that need to be filled pay a living wage. Unfortunately, many economic and workforce developers define a "good" job as an "available" job -- even when the job pays poverty-level wages For the sake of this discussion, let's assume your city does afford residents a high quality of life at a low cost along with living-wage jobs. If that's the case, why isn't your community attracting talented workers by the droves? Why is the workforce that grew up in your community leaving the first chance they get?The answer can at least partially be attributed to a failure of marketing. In other words, how is your city reaching the workforce you want to attract and retain? How is your city telling its story? If you're like the vast majority of cities, your story is being told: In press releases buried on your website that rarely (if ever) get picked up by a dwindling traditional press that itself is often ignored by young people. On formalized, boring social media feeds. In the occasional paid advertorial spread in your local business journal.Imagine that Nabisco realized that not enough young people were purchasing Oreos. In response to this existential threat, Nabisco wrote a press release about how awesome Oreos are. Next, it paid the local business journal five thousand dollars to run a splashy roundtable piece where Nabisco employees talk about how awesome Oreos are.If that sounds ridiculous, it's because itridiculous. No company would ever respond to a disappearing customer base by writing press releases and posting them to its own website. No company would ever try to reach a target market by advertising in a publication the target market doesn't read.Yet press releases and business journal articles often comprise a city's entire approach to marketing. That isn't a strategy. At best it's a lack of imagination, and at worst it reinforces the negative stereotype that the public sector simply can't grasp basic business concepts -- like marketing.Some cities can rely on an existing brand. The same reason Apple does comparatively little marketing is the same reason Palo Alto doesn't need to worry about retaining and attracting a talented workforce. However, most companies aren't Apple, and most cities aren't Palo Alto.Your community needs to implement a marketing strategy focused on reaching your target audience on the platforms they use. Want to make a low-cost-of-living campaign? Step away from the press release about the recent Bureau of Labor Statistics Report. Get creative. Here's just one idea: Buy a GoPro camera, attach it to the intern in your communications department, and give the intern a $100 bill. Have the intern record everything he or she can do in a day with $100, then edit that down to a two-minute video. (Don't be scared. You shouldn't hire interns who don't know their way around modern technology.)Of course, a particular city's failure to attract and retain talent may have nothing to do with marketing. Too often, "low cost of living" is a sunny rebranding of abandonment and despair, and "good jobs" are really low-paid, low-skill opportunities that do not require an educated workforce. But if your city actually does have good jobs and the right kind of low cost of living, maybe the failure to attract and retain talent is a failure to tell your story in a modern, engaging way. BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Command Alkon , the Leading Supplier Collaboration Platform for Constructions Heavy Work, is proud to exhibit at the 9th Annual UK Concrete Show. The UK Concrete Show is Europes only event dedicated exclusively to concrete, where hundreds of exhibitors and product groups gather to showcase the latest products and technologies. This event is the ultimate opportunity to see the latest products and to network with new and existing suppliers. The show will take place the 20th and 21st of March in Birmingham at the National Exhibition Centre, Halls 17 & 18. The UK Concrete Show is a great venue dedicated to the actual concrete producers and contractors who utilize the product in the market and provides a unique opportunity to engage and connect with practitioners from around the world, said David Taylor, UK Area Sales Manager at Command Alkon. Attendees leave with further knowledge of best practices and problem solving strategies through collaboration and educational seminar sessions. Command Alkon will be showcasing these technologies and more at Stand F22: Apex Conactive Process Control COMMANDassurance Opening Hours: Wednesday, 20 March 09.00 to 17.00 Thursday, 21 March 09.00 to 16.00 There is no other show that comes close to The UK CONCRETE Show in offering the ROI for specialist industry suppliers unlike general, broader based construction shows, everyone in the hall has one thing in common concrete, said Rob Piosik, Business Development Manager at Command Alkon. Rob Piosik will be hosting a seminar session on 21 March at 13.00 where he will introduce a game changer within the Concrete Industry. During the seminar, Rob will discuss the value of the real-time measurement of concrete slump during the transport of concrete. With COMMANDassurance, both the driver and the concrete plant will gain insight into, among other things, the slump, volume, and temperature of the concrete from loading to unloading at work. All educational seminar sessions for the show will be available at the following times: Wednesday, 20 March 11-14.45 Thursday, 21 March 11-14.45 For more information about The UK Concrete Show 2019, visit the website here . ABOUT COMMAND ALKON At Command Alkon, we believe in building an amazing world. As the Supplier Collaboration Platform for Constructions Heavy Work, were dramatically improving how contractors, bulk material suppliers, logistics providers, jobsite inspectors, project owners, and more interact. Our See Together, Work Together, and Grow Together capabilities deliver increased productivity, real-time visibility, keen business insights, and certainty of outcomes when building the things that matter. For over 40 years, our people, software and technology have empowered customers to achieve greater levels of quality and profitability across their projects and operations. Command Alkon is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama and has offices in locations around the globe. For more information, visit commandalkon.com . For More Information, Contact: Becky Boyd MediaFirst PR (770) 642-2080 x 214 becky@mediafirst.net Karli Langner Command Alkon (205) 879-3282 x 3968 klangner@commandalkon.com English Danish Company announcement no. 4/2019 Holmens Kanal 2 12 DK-1092 Kbenhavn K 19 February 2019 Danske Bank closes down its banking activities in the Baltics and in Russia Following the case of suspicious transactions in Estonia in the period from 2007 to 2015, the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (the Estonian FSA) has ordered Danske Bank to cease banking operations in Estonia, which Danske Bank has agreed to do. We acknowledge that the serious case of possible money laundering in Estonia has had a negative impact on Estonian society, and we acknowledge that the Estonian FSA, against this background, finds it best that Danske Bank discontinues its Estonian banking activities, says Jesper Nielsen, Interim CEO of Danske Bank. We are sorry to be leaving Estonia against this background, but we understand the severity with which the Estonian FSA looks at this case, and we will close down our remaining activities as requested. We will continue our cooperation with the Estonian and other relevant authorities. In recent years, Danske Bank has stepped up anti-money laundering initiatives considerably. Closing down activities in Latvia, Lithuania and Russia Independently of the notification from the Estonian FSA and in line with its strategy of focusing on its Nordic core markets, Danske Bank has for some time considered the future of its remaining activities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the activities in Russia. Danske Bank has now decided to close down all of these activities. However, Danske Banks shared services centre in Lithuania, which undertakes a number of administrative functions for Danske Bank, will continue its operations. Jesper Nielsen continues: In recent years, we have pursued a strategy of focusing on our Nordic core markets and have also reduced our Baltic activities in connection with this. The decision to close down our activities completely in the Baltics and in Russia is fully in keeping with this strategy. In close cooperation with relevant authorities, we will make sure that the process takes customer and employee interests into account in the best possible way. In 2015, Danske Bank entered into an agreement to sell its personal customer business in Lithuania and Latvia to Swedbank. A decision was also made in 2018 that in the Baltic countries, Danske Bank will serve only subsidiaries of Danske Banks Nordic customers and global companies with a significant Nordic footprint. All other banking activities were transferred to Danske Banks Non-core unit to be wound up or divested. The decision will have no bearing on Danske Banks guidance for 2019. Danske Bank A/S Contact: Kenni Leth, Group Press Officer, +45 45 14 14 00. Attachment NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FluroTech Ltd. (TSX-V: TEST) (OTCQB: FLURF), (FluroTech or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has retained the services of InvestorsHub (iHub), of London, England, to conduct a 90-day investor and market visibility program beginning February 2019, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. Compensation for the program is $6,000 US per month. iHub will leverage its extensive reach and presence with both mainstream and specialized investors across North America to elevate FluroTech's financial brand and attract high-quality long-term investors. About FluroTech (TSX-V: TEST) (OTCQB: FLURF) FluroTech is a technology and marketing company whose core business is focused on the commercialization of new technologies in the cannabis industry. FluroTech's proprietary spectroscopy-based technology allows for the testing and identification of organic and inorganic compounds contained within biological samples. Using the technology that was developed at the University of Calgary, FluroTech has developed a two-part solution comprising an instrument called the CompleTest and consumable testing kits. To learn more, visit www.FluroTech.com . Contact Information Danny Dalla-Longa Chief Executive Officer 403.680.0644 danny@flurotech.com FluroTech Ltd. Alistair Ross Technology Centre Suite 111, 3553-31 Street NW Calgary, AB T2L 2K7 info@flurotech.com This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the benefit or account of U.S. persons, absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information generally refers to information about an issuers business, capital, or operations that is prospective in nature, and includes future-oriented financial information about the issuers prospective financial performance or financial position. The forward-looking information in this news release includes disclosure about the benefits of engaging iHub to provide marketing services to the Company. The Company made certain material assumptions, including but not limited to prevailing market conditions and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties to develop the forward-looking information in this news release. There can be no assurance that such statements 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 statements. Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this news release due to certain material risk factors. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, adverse market conditions and regulatory and other risks associated with the cannabis industry in general, users of the CompleTest failing to achieve the anticipated benefits of the product, the failure of the Company to obtain a benefit from the retention of iHub. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material risk factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information in this news release, unless it is required to do so under Canadian securities legislation. 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 of this release. Rhone: Lesser-known areas and grapes are helping the region up its wine game Rhone-style wines are growing in popularity, with increased appeal to experimental winemakers and consumers across the globe. The classic grapes of the Rhone Valley namely Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Viognier, Roussanne and more can create unique blends and the wines that are produced will vary from country to country. Maggie Macpherson, Enotrias Australia wine buyer, says the rise of Rhone-style wines from Australia is hugely exciting for her as a buyer. People are very excited because you are not quite sure what you will get from Australia with these varieties, she says. One producer in our portfolio is Chaffey Bros Wine Co, which has coined the term Barossa Nouveau for its Pax Aeterna Old Vine Grenache. While Barossa is often known for its powerful red wines, Chaffey Bros Grenache is described as having notes of fresh cranberry, anise and spice with crunchy red fruits and a hint of savoury complexity, tapping into the trend for lighter-style reds. Australia is just one of the nations experimenting with these varieties and blends, but what does this all mean for wines from the Rhone Valley itself ? Virginie Charlier, head of marketing and communication for Inter-Rhone, the trade body for the region, says: Our red wines continue to perform really well in the UK on and off-trade, driving sales in terms of both volume and value. Reds in the Vallee du Rhone represent 80% of volume and the region continues to show good growing conditions and is largely perceived as a red specialist, with wines being praised for their quality and diversity. Charlier adds that whites are still a bit of an unsung hero, although she says the region is beginning to shout a little louder. Our whites are now being praised by wine experts for their quality, versatility and value for money. Volume in the off-trade is up 28% year on year and up 26% for the Luberon appellation. Theres a growing interest in varieties such as Viognier, Clairette and Bourboulenc, and we are predicting that white Rhones will continue to expand presence in the trade as adventurous wine drinkers begin seeking them out and loyalty will follow suit. Other appellations have also been performing well, she says. Last year we were really pleased to see selected southern appellations performing extremely well in the UK off-trade. For example, the Gigondas appellation saw an increase of 131% in volume in the channel and, similarly, Lirac increased its volume by 132% and Vacqueyras is up 24%. Trade and consumers have started to recognise the excellent production and, again, that these appellations punch above their weight at every price point. UK agencies with Rhone producers in their portfolio are also reporting strong sales over the past year. Katarina Luciakova, brand manager for Jean Luc Colombo in Hatch Mansfields portfolio, says: Not surprisingly our Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone had another good year in the off-trade. It is a well-established and recognised category by shoppers and they keep on coming back to what they know. This year we are adding another rose to our Jean-Luc Colombo portfolio, but this comes from the Blue Coast Coteaux dAix-en- Provence. HIGHLIGHTING STRENGTHS Luciakova notes that, while there might be more interest from UK consumers for the lesser- known appellations from the Rhone, there is still work to be done to highlight the strengths of these. She says: There is a trend among consumers to reach for the well-known appellations such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Crozes Hermitage etc. These established names give consumers confidence to pick a good-quality wine. Jean-Luc Colombos speciality lies in organically produced Cornas and Saint-Peray wines. Unfortunately, these appellations are still missing from the well-deserved limelight, but we are doing our utmost to change that. Red wines from the Rhone continue to dominate in the UK but some of the grape varieties used for white blends, such as Marsanne and Roussanne, are now appearing more often on shelves as single variety wines. Plantings of white wine grapes in the Rhone have increased but, as Luciakova points out, temperatures are also going up. This makes it a little more difficult to keep the freshness and acidity in the whites, which might be challenging in the future, she says. That said, for the consumers with some more wine knowledge, the whites of Condrieu and roses of Tavel or Lirac are exceptions to the rule. James Fuselier, marketing and communications director at Cellier des Dauphins, notes that, because the producer also has some vineyards up in higher areas, it is now dedicating some of its cooler vineyards to growing grapes for both white and rose wines. He says: Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier are harvested early and deliver fresh and delicious crisp white wine styles, popular with consumers. But while Cellier des Dauphins is giving more attention to whites and roses, the majority of its vineyards are for red wine production, and Fuselier points to Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone Rouge and Villages Rouge, which he says had a great 2018 in the off-trade. The producer plans to introduce its new international Cellier des Dauphins Reserve range this year. Fuselier also points to the rise in awareness for certain Rhone appellations, which he thinks is a trend that will continue. The reputation for Rhone valley wines is growing in a positive way as the wines offer great quality and value for consumers. Premier Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages, as well as the Crus from Cellier des Dauphins, are meeting in particular a growing demand, such as Vinsobres or Plan de Dieu. And looking ahead in the UK, retailers can expect to see an increased presence from Rhone wine producers this year. In the UK, Inter Rhone will continue to support the regions presence via activities aimed at trade and consumer audiences, including the London Wine Fair and other events, Charlier says. She adds: We are excited to be hosting our first annual generic tasting in a few years, scheduled in London on March 7, for trade and media. A Rhone festival will also take place in autumn 2019, with consumer activities running with selected trade partners across the country. Related articles: How many more are going to have to die before Congress and state legislators finally take action to get guns out of the hands of people who should never have been approved for permits in the first place? Deb Adamik is president of Main Street Gettysburg Inc., a nonprofit that preserves Gettysburgs downtown historic assets and stimulates economic growth by making our town more attractive to residents, businesses, visitors and investors. The facility, though, also saw a jump in the number of kids being housed there as other sites, like the shelter at the San Diego Convention Center, prepare to close. Written by: Diana West New at The Epoch Times! Early in 2018, Franklin Foer published a cover story in The Atlantic titled The Plot Against America: Paul Manafort and the Fall of Washington. I think he inadvertently stumbled onto something. Several points popped out that I cant stop thinking about, especially now that Manafort is back in the special counsels crosshairs, and potentially faces a prison sentence that could well be a death sentence for the 69-year-old. They made me wonder then and they make me wonder now: Was the introduction of Manafort into the Trump campaign itself a plot against America? The Foer article opens with a shocking sequence about Manaforts time under medical care in 2015: The clinic permitted Paul Manafort one 10-minute call each day. And each day, he would use it to ring his wife from Arizona, his voice often soaked in tears. Apparently he sobs daily, his daughter Andrea, then 29, texted a friend. During the spring of 2015, Manaforts life had tipped into a deep trough. A few months earlier, he had intimated to his other daughter, Jessica, that suicide was a possibility. He would be gone forever, she texted Andrea. On March 29, 2016, less than one year after sinking to these dark depths, Manafort joined the Trump campaign as convention floor manager. He became chairman of the campaign on May 19, 2016. What follows are the salient points from the Foer piece in chronological order. In the spring of 2014, Viktor Yanukovych, Manaforts main meal ticket for nearly a decade, was forced from the presidency of Ukraine. Fearing for his life, Yanukovych fled to Russia. Manafort avoided any harm by keeping a careful distance from the enflamed city. After Yanukovych was overthrown, Manafort suddenly had career problems. Money, which had always flowed freely to Manafort and which hed spent more freely still, soon became a problem. He seemed unwilling, or perhaps unable, to access his offshore accounts; an FBI investigation scrutinizing his work in Ukraine had begun not long after Yanukovychs fall. Meanwhile, a Russian oligarch named Oleg Deripaska had been after Manafort to explain what had happened to an $18.9 million investment in a Ukrainian company that Manafort had claimed to have made on his behalf. Manafort had domestic problems, too. In November 2014, Manaforts wife and grown daughters discovered he was conducting an extremely expensive extra-marital affair. Despite pledges and couples counseling, he continued the affair, which came to light again six months later. According to daughter Andreas text, Manafort was by this time in the middle of a massive emotional breakdown. Foer wrote that Manafort entered a clinic in Arizona six months after the initial discovery of the affair in November 2014, which places his entry time around May 2015. At the clinic, Manafort was allotted the daily 10-minute phone call to his wifein tears and possibly suicidal. Foer didnt tell us when Manafort left the clinic. He backed into Manaforts departure in the context of the newly discharged patients reportedly desperate effort to gain access to Donald Trump. He opened the section this way: I really need to get to Trump, Manafort told an old friend, the real-estate magnate Tom Barrack, in the early months of 2016. Foer didnt get more specific about the date of this conversation; however, the distinctive quotation, I really need to get to, has its provenance in a Washington Post piece based on interviews with Barrack, who dated his conversation with Manafort as shortly after the Iowa caucuses, which were Feb. 1, 2016. Barrack, a confidante of Trump for some 40 years, had known Manafort even longer. When Manafort asked for Barracks help grabbing Trumps attention, he readily supplied it. Manaforts spell in the Arizona clinic had ended, wrote Foer. All of this is more than passing strange. First, about Thomas Barrack Jr., an American billionaire of Syrian extraction. As an Arabic-speaking lawyer in 1972, the Washington Post reported, Barrack played some squash with a set of Saudi princes and thus became the American representative of the boys. There was no word on whether Barrack had registered as a Saudi agent for this work for the Saudi family dictatorship. Barrack spent many hours listening to the Arabs discuss their world, which he said gave him great respect for the society and community, the Post continued. It sounds as if Barracks respect paid off. In 1979, he bought a California ranch just down a hill from Ronald Reagans Rancho del Cielo. (Quelle coincidence!) The Post continued: The Secret Service later boarded horses at Barracks ranch, and he occasionally went on trail rides and sat around campfires with Reagan. I loved him, Barrack said of Reagan. Thats beautiful. Anyway, back to Manafort. Its early 2016. Manafort has debts, he has a Putin-linked-oligarch looking for that $19 million he invested, his family life is chaos, and what does he do? He calls up Barrack after Iowa and says: I really need to get to Trump. The Post story explained the ManafortTrump connection differently. The story said Manafort and Barrack go back 40 years to Barracks Saudi princes days. They met in Beirut when Manafort represented a firm doing business with a Saudi construction company. Barrack has known Trump for nearly as long, and depicts himself as a huge loyalistalthough he is also openly horrified about Trumps politics, including his signature issues of immigration and the Muslim ban. Gee, something isnt quite adding up here According to the Post: Barrack supported Trumps campaign, and shortly after Trump lost the Iowa caucuses, he [Barrack] reconnected with his old friend Manafort, a longtime Republican consultant. Barrack reconnected with Manafort? The Atlantic had it the other way around. In any case, its February 2016 and the two men are talking. At this earliest stage of the primary season, Manafort supposedly tells Barrack he wants to work as Trumps convention manager now that Trump has lost the Iowa caucuses. Does that make sense? Ill bet Deripaskas $19 million this is not the way that initial conversation went. Maybe it went more like this: You really need to get to Trump, and heres how were gonna do it According to the Post, Barrack next emailed Ivanka and Jared Kushnerwhom Barrack had assisted financially with Kushners albatross building, 666 Fifth Avenueto urge Trump to hire Manafort. The Atlantic did not report this intervention by Barrack. Instead, the Trump connection was almost entirely Manaforts doing as a matter of his professional salvation. Foer wrote: With the arrival of Donald Trump, Manafort smelled an opportunity to regain his losses, and to return to relevance. Sorry to say so, but this sounds as absurd as Barracks claim that Manafort told him he wanted to be convention floor manager right after Trump lost Iowa. In the early months of 2016 and right up to election night, Trump was the political equivalent of the bubonic plague, refrigerator mold, and Hitler in the eyes of all Washington, including every member of the GOP establishment whom Manafort had ever billed or hoped toall of whom were endlessly predicting Trumps elimination and epic loss in a historic landslide. Any political professional even contemplating a stint on the Trump campaign was immediately threatened with shaming, excommunication, ostracism, financial ruin, purging, even epuration sauvage. Thus, it seems highly unlikely that Manafort would look at Trump and see a meal ticket to big time. According to Foer, financially flailing Manfort then offered his services to Trump free of chargenine long months before Election Dayto seem like a near-equal. In the Post piece, Barrack is the author of an email he sent to Ivanka and Kushner that urged the campaign to hire Manafort. In the Atlantic piece, Barracks role was no more than conduit of a memo Manafort wrote to the Trump team. Sorry to say so, but this sounds as absurd as Barracks claim that Manafort told him he wanted to be convention floor manager right after Trump lost Iowa. In the early months of 2016 and right up to election night, Trump was the political equivalent of the bubonic plague, refrigerator mold, and Hitler in the eyes of all Washington, including every member of the GOP establishment whom Manafort had ever billed or hoped toall of whom were endlessly predicting Trumps elimination and epic loss in a historic landslide. Any political professional even contemplating a stint on the Trump campaign was immediately threatened with shaming, excommunication, ostracism, financial ruin, purging, even epuration sauvage. Thus, it seems highly unlikely that Manafort would look at Trump and see a meal ticket to big time. According to Foer, financially flailing Manfort then offered his services to Trump free of chargenine long months before Election Dayto seem like a near-equal. In the Post piece, Barrack is the author of an email he sent to Ivanka and Kushner that urged the campaign to hire Manafort. In the Atlantic piece, Barracks role was no more than conduit of a memo Manafort wrote to the Trump team. The Manafort message? According to Foer, Barrack forwarded to Trumps team a memo Manafort had written [who told] Trump that he had avoided the political establishment in Washington since 2005, and [described] himself as a lifelong enemy of Karl Rove. Hook, line, and sinker, it would seem. The instigating role of former Saudi representative Barrack in the hiring of Manafort is absent from the Atlantic piece; however, it brought to light information that might explain why Manafort was tapped for delivery to Team Trump in the first place: In his broken state of mind and career, Manafort was the perfect vehicle for someone else to crash the campaign. To put it another way, after Manaforts 2014 financial smash and 2015 breakdown, this once high-priced Igor to Global Crookdom was shattered goodshumanly, financially, politically, and legally. He was a walking time bomb for any of Trumps political enemies to maneuver into the Trump camp and then wait for Manaforts toxic life story to explode all over Trump. If this was the case, who set the trap? [This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.] Zagreb/Munich, February 19th, 2019 Today, the Croatian developer team Ventilator Shark and the Munich-based games publisher GamesGroup announce the official release of the award-winning 2D platformer Space Rabbits in Space. After a successful beta phase, the intergalactic Pay2Play title is now available worldwide on Steam . Space Rabbits in Space is a 2D parkour skill-based platformer adventure about betrayal, speed, hard love, and fun facts. Players take full control of their rabbit through one-hand-only gameplay (on a mouse), trying to find their way out of increasingly difficult, handcrafted levels by jumping and swinging past various obstacles. In addition, players can race to complete every level as fast as possible, where timing and skills are key to reach the highest ranks. Thanks to the implemented replay system, it is also possible to review the top ten players of each level as well as the players own run. Space Rabbits in Space offers a dynamic gaming experience packed in a very amusing presentation where the rabbits are obsessed with speed and sweets and can be dressed up with quirky outfits in exchange for in-game gold. In the lovingly designed 2D platformer, dying is not all that dramatic because it gives you a unique opportunity to learn more about the Space Rabbits culture. Space Rabbits in Space received the "Best Indie Game" award at Reboot Developer Conference 2016. Features at a glance: 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. Waud Capital Partners, a Chicago, IL-based growth-oriented middle-market private equity firm, announced six senior-level promotions. Named as Partner in 2019: Justin DuPere of the Investment Team has expanded and enhanced the firms focus on business and technology services since joining WCP as Principal in 2013. Christopher Graber of the Investment Team has been with the firm for almost 15 years and is dedicated to WCPs healthcare services investment effort. Timothy Lawler is head of the Human Capital activities, focused on finding the best executives for WCP businesses with nearly two decades of human capital advisory and talent management experience in the private equity industry. Phillip Olson leads the firms Business Development group and has enhanced WCPs capability to identify and target companies through advanced technology solutions. Named as Principal in 2019: Kyle Lattner of WCPs Healthcare Services Investment Team, and Paul Sutphin of WCPs Business and Technology Services Investment Team. Led by Reeve Waud, Managing Partner, Waud Capital Partners is a growth-oriented private equity firm with total capital commitments of approximately $2.1 billion since its founding in 1993. WCP partners with management teams to build market-leading companies in two sectors: healthcare services, and business and technology services. Since its founding, the firm has completed over 260 investments, including platform companies and follow-on opportunities. It began investing its fourth institutional fund, with more than $1 billion in capital commitments, in early 2017. FinSMEs 19/02/2019 ViSenze, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence company powering visual commerce, raised $20m in Series C funding. The round, which brought total funding to $34.5m, was led by Gobi Partners and Sonae IM, with participation from Tembusu ICT Fund, 31Ventures Global Innovation Fund, and Jonathan Coons Impossible Ventures, as well as existing investors Rakuten Ventures, WI Harper Group, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Ventures, Raffles Venture Partners, Enspire Capital, and UOB Venture Management. Founded in 2012 by Oliver Tan, CEO, ViSenze powers visual commerce at scale for retailers and publishers by delivering intelligent image recognition solutions that shorten the path to action as consumers search and discover on the visual web. Retailers like Rakuten, ASOS, Urban Outfitters, Zalora, and more use the companys solutions to convert images into immediate product search opportunities. Media companies use ViSenze to turn any image or video into an engagement opportunity. The company, which has over 80 employees in Singapore, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea, and Japan, intends to use the funds to provide advanced, vertically-focused visual commerce technology to retailers, brands, and media companies, as well as enhance its platform solutions through its partnerships with major smartphone manufacturers. In addition to its partnerships with smartphone manufacturers including Samsung, LG, Huawei, and more, the platform solutions have linked over 400 million products from over 800 major merchants and retailers on its global affiliate network. Previously, ViSenze raised a $10.5m Series B round in 2016. FinSMEs 19/02/2019 Thirdpresence, a programmatic video advertising company, acquired Flowplayer, a video platform provider. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The acquisition will enable Thirdpresence to develop a unified contextual video and advertising offering that allows advertisers to achieve their branding objectives and improve the ability for premium publishers to monetize their content. The newly combined company will operate under the Flowplayer brand name and will be led by former Thirdpresence CEO Valtteri Pukander while Emanuel Viklund, former CEO of Flowplayer, will act as CTO. Thirdpresence has developed a video advertising solution which solves fraud, brand safety, and viewability issues by applying proprietary artificial intelligence. Advertisers can match their branding objectives with large-scale video audiences in a safe and result-driven environment, while premium video publishers receive ad rates they deserve. Used by publishers such as HBO, Universal, Televisa, and Disney, Flowplayers video platform allows publishers to implement video technology into their own environments and generate video insights and revenue in line with their business models. The company has offices in Stockholm, Helsinki, New York, and London. FinSMEs 19/02/2019 Cymat Technologies state-of-the-art Stabilized Aluminum Foam panels are shifting the paradigm for architectural design with a range of global construction projects and a continually growing distribution channel. Most recently, ArchDaily awarded one of those projects, the Caixa Forum Sevilla in Spain, as its 2018 Building of the Year. ArchDaily is one of the most widely-read web-based architecture publications, visited by roughly 13.6 million visitors per month. Since its January 2018 inclusion on the site, the AlusionTM division has leveraged over 7,000 contacts with the international architectural community and has seen a 600% increase in cladding project solicitations. Now averaging over 25+ page hits per day, AlusionTM has exceeded ArchDailys benchmark by 218%, adding significantly to the divisions revenue and growth. The end result of construction panel manufacturing can be viewed in homes, buildings and structures anywhere just look around. However, the quality and beauty of a distinctive architectural design really lies within the materials used. Headquartered in Ontario, Canada, Cymat Technologies is an innovative materials technology company that is the exclusive worldwide manufacturer of Alusion Stabilized Aluminum Foam (SAF). Bringing its unique Stabilized Aluminium Foam panels to architects and designers across the globe, Alusion offers a panel solution with unmatched range of density, thickness, dimensions, production capacity and consistency. In addition, Alusion panels are visually striking with a modern look. Similar in appearance to a metallic sponge, the panels are used for facades, wall cladding, ceiling tiles or dropped ceilings, restaurants, bars, offices, apartment buildings, Terrazzo flooring, and much more. The distinctive appearance and properties of AlusionTM materials has made it a preferred choice for signature projects by leading architects and designers around the world. Over the last several years, Cymat Technologies Alusion division has been the companys dominant source of revenue and growth, providing materials to world-class projects that include internationally prominent buildings, such as the Prada Museum (Italy), the 911 Memorial Library (USA), the Ertskade condo building (Netherlands), the Vancouver Convention Centre (Canada) and the Princeton Performing Arts Center (USA). Most recently, Cymat Technologies unique pink Alusion panels were installed in the Dive-In sculpture at Desert X Art Exhibit, bringing an unexpected pop of color and hundreds of admirers to the Palm Desert area. The biennial pop-up art exhibit features 19 installations and performances throughout the desert from artists around the world. Announcing its next large-scale venture, Cymat Technologies will partner with Alucoil SA, a large Spanish panel manufacturer to produce a new, superior panel that will further service a significant portion of the multi-billion dollar panel industry. The new Alucoil/Cymat panel is expected to be a premium product that will provide outstanding strength and a high fire rating relevant to the construction, marine, rail, airplane and elevator industries. Alucoil has already invested substantial financial resources in its joint venture with Cymat Technologies and plans are in the works to build a 500,000 square meter capacity production facility in Spain with initial foam panel production to be completed at Cymat Technologies Canadian plant. The company is looking to complete final testing and move toward commercial production, which is anticipated on or before the second quarter of this year. The term virtual reality has been around for quite some time, with elements of what we now know as virtual reality appearing as early as the 1860s. But now, interactive experiences in a simulated environment have gone through leaps and bounds especially with the advancement of technology. The now Facebook-owned company Oculus catapulted virtual reality back into peoples consciousness when they released their virtual reality headset called the Oculus Rift. Created primarily to provide an immersive gaming experience for end users, many other businesses have jumped on the VR bandwagon and have found applications for virtual reality in other industries. Healthcare The healthcare industry has adapted virtual reality to aid with many processes. Virtual reality development has allowed medical and dentistry students to practice surgical procedures with a virtual patient in a risk-free environment. The use of virtual reality also allows instructors the freedom to control the simulation; this makes it easier for students to be exposed to different scenarios. VR headsets like the Oculus Rift have also helped with the administration of vaccines. Hermes Pardini Labs, Ogilvy Brasil, and Lobo used virtual reality to transport children into an immersive experience that helps reduce the discomfort upon the injection of vaccines. Archaeology The world of archaeology and museums have also started tapping into using virtual and augmented reality in their various practices. Displaying archaeological finds and opening historical sites to the public can often be very risky. But with the advent of virtual reality, artifacts and sites of historic significance can be appreciated on a global scale without being physically affected. A new virtual reality experience made possible by Experius VR and Curiosity Stream has allowed for the preservation of Queen Nefertari of Egypts tomb. This tomb contains walls of beautiful paintings that risk deterioration should it be opened up for site tours. Through the virtual tour, the tomb avoids being exposed to humidity, fungi and bacteria, aiding in its preservation efforts. Military The US armed forces constantly run simulations to help train soldiers for various situations before declaring them fit for deployment. Using virtual reality gear, troops are trained to work together and utilize all the skills that they have to learn in a lifelike simulation before they are allowed to use live ammunition and other tactical equipment. Likewise, soldiers who come home from deployment may often experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is especially common among war veterans. To help treat disorders such as PTSD, virtual reality tech has been used to expose patients with traumatic stimuli while remaining in a safe environment. Having a great amount of control during the VR exposure therapy allows for a safer recovery for war veterans, helping them take back control of their lives. Education Teachers and students have benefited greatly from the invention of virtual reality technology. Teachers are beginning to use VR gear to provide a better learning experience for students through guided virtual tours of faraway historic places. They also use virtual reality to provide engaging visual aids to teach specific concepts, especially in the field of science. This helps facilitate faster cognitive learning among students. As noted in our previous post for the FCPA Blog, Malaysia passed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2018 last year. This amendment introduced a provision that holds corporations, and their directors, officers, and managers, potentially liable for failing to prevent acts of bribery and corruption. This development brings Malaysian anti-corruption legislation on par with global standards such as the UK Bribery Act 2010 and Frances Sapin II. To reflect the governments commitment to fighting corruption, the amendment raised the penalties for non-compliance to at least RM1 million (approximately $245,000), and/or the possibility of up to 20 years in prison for culpable senior management and/or directors. With such hefty penalties, many were understandably anxious for updates on what would constitute adequate procedures. And what would count as having taken sufficient steps to prevent bribery and corruption in an organization. In December 2018, we were given answers when the Malaysian Prime Ministers Department issued its Guidelines on Adequate Procedures. These provisions come into effect on June 1, 2020, giving Malaysian companies, and those operating in Malaysia, just 18 months to prepare. As expected, the guidelines generally mirror those issued by the UK Ministry of Justice for the UK Bribery Act 2010. Malaysias guidelines, however, follow an easy-to-remember and extremely apt acronym: T.R.U.S.T. T: Top level commitment R: Risk assessment U: Undertake control measures S: Systematic review, monitoring and enforcement T: Training and communication One key similarity between the UK guidance and Malaysias guidelines is the concept of proportionality. Essentially, in order for a compliance program to be proportionate in the UK, Malaysia, or anywhere in the world, it would need to look very different for a multinational bank than for a small, local retailer. A notable difference, however, is that the UK sets proportionality as its very first principle, while Malaysia notes that proportionality underlies the entire program. As noted in para 3.4 of the Introduction in Malaysias guidelines, These guidelines are not intended to be prescriptive and it should not be assumed that one-size-fits-all. They should be applied practically, in proportion to the scale, nature, industry, risk and complexity of the organization. This underlines the importance of Top level commitment and Risk assessments when first designing and subsequently implementing any anti-corruption program. While acknowledging that the guidelines are not a detailed map of an anti-corruption compliance program, what surprised us was the fact that they only touch briefly on managing third-party risk and conducting sufficient due diligence, as a small part of Undertaking control measures. The UK guidance, in contrast, dedicates a whole Principle to the subject. Given the importance and nature of business relationships and the prevalence of intermediary agents in Malaysia which became an integral part of culture over time this is an area companies should take more seriously than a face-value reading of the guidelines might suggest. The actions of intermediary agents are certainly one of the principal areas of focus for any UKBA / FCPA regulatory investigation, making it a key expectation of international companies seeking reputable business partners in the region. The seemingly light approach in the Malaysian guidelines should not be interpreted as an area of lesser importance for the MACC. A further point of interest is a small definition found in the Appendix. Section iv) k) defines a public body as any company and subsidiary company over which or in which any public body [for example, the Government of Malaysia or a department thereof, such as the Ministry of Finance] has controlling power or interest. Until now, Malaysias position had been unclear on whether officers of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) or other Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) count as public officials. The new definition, along with the confirmation that public official means an officer to a public body (and therefore probably not extended to staff and employees) goes a long way in eliminating ambiguity and providing much needed clarity on this contentious topic. The prospect that officers of Malaysias GLCs and Government-Linked Investment Companies (GLICs) meet the definition of a public official may be of great interest to FCPA practitioners whose work calls for them to turn their attention to Malaysia. It remains to be seen just how the principles set out in the guidelines will be measured and assessed. However, we believe that they provide a welcome push for businesses operating in Malaysia as they continue to heighten their efforts in stamping out corruption. Its important to reiterate that corporate liability comes into force in less than 18 months, and Undertaking control measures itself is unlikely to be a short exercise. Whats more, it cannot be completed without first performing a robust risk assessment, another endeavor that should not be underestimated, once the size and complexity of an organization come into play. The key takeaway? Dont waste another day by delaying your response to the Act. Develop and embed T.R.U.S.T in your organization today. ____ Pete Viksnins, pictured above left, is an Executive Director and Core Forensic Services & Anti-Corruption Leader, PwC Malaysia. He has investigated fraud and corruption in over 30 countries.Until his move to Malaysia in 2016, he was also an adjunct professor at the George Washington University, where he taught a Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting course to Masters of Accountancy students for two years. He can be contacted here. Michael Sprake, above right, is a Director in the PwC Malaysia Forensics team. He has nearly 20 years of experience working in the field of financial crime and risk management including complex fraud, money laundering, sanctions and bribery and corruption. His career has included over 12 years working for UK Law Enforcement and prior to his current role he headed the financial crime compliance function for a global bank in Malaysia. He can be reached here. Rosenberg police are searching for a burglar who broke into Austin Elementary in Pecan Grove Sunday night and urinated and smeared feces on teaching equipment. This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? Estes Park, CO (80517) Today Thunderstorms likely. High near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Rain showers early with clearing later at night. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Yes. I will do my part to conserve household energy usage, even if I'm uncomfortable in my home. No. It is too hot to conserve household energy usage. I already conserve, even before ERCOT requested it. Maybe, depending on the reason ERCOT provides and whether or not I am home during that time. Vote View Results Emporia, KS (66801) Today Thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 81F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. 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. Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing during the afternoon. High 91F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 73F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. ADM, Cargill commit to framework for traceable soy supply in Brazil Members of the Soft Commodities Forum (SCF), a global platform for leading soft commodities companies convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), have committed to a common framework for reporting and monitoring progress on transparent and traceable supply chains for soy in Brazil's Cerrado region. SCF members consist of the founding members Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bunge, Cargill and Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC). The SFC membership has also expanded to include COFCO International and Glencore Agriculture. According to SCF, the Cerrado region of Brazil plays a significant global role for both people and nature, including climate change mitigation, biodiversity and fresh water systems, as well as functioning as an economic engine for local communities and a production region for exported agricultural commodities. However, the extent and pace of native vegetation loss resulting from cattle and soy expansion in the Cerrado poses a significant threat to these social, environmental and economic values. Ian McIntosh, CEO of Louis Dreyfus Company, said: "We are continuously seeking to rise to the challenge of feeding the world's growing population in a sustainable manner. This means being mindful to preserve the environment, including areas of importance for their biodiversity. Brazil's Cerrado Biome is one such area, where every effort must be made to ensure that any agricultural expansion occurs hand-in-hand with the preservation of native vegetation. The Soft Commodities Forum allows us to set common sustainability goals with our peers, and mutual reports on our progress, as one of the means we have to ensure fair and sustainable value creation." SCF member companies recognise the existing risks and commit to act on supporting transparent and traceable soy supply chains in Brazil. Each member company will report updates on progress every six months. In addition, the SCF member companies participate in the processes of the Cerrado Working Group - also known as GTC - to develop agreed common definitions, to design appropriate financial incentives and to outline actions which should be taken. The GTC was established by a multi-stakeholder coalition to develop terms of agreement between producers, industry, consumer organisations and civil society, as well as an action plan for eradicating deforestation and conversion of native vegetation in Brazil's Cerrado biome. Starting with 2018 harvest data, SCF member companies will report individually the percentage of soy they each source in the Cerrado from the total Brazilian volume. Together, SCF members will closely monitor municipalities with the highest risk of conversion of native vegetation to soy, based on GTC information. Sourcing in these municipalities will be reported in percentages of direct purchase from farmers, and indirect purchase, from parties like aggregators, cooperatives and third parties. The first report will be issued in June 2019. The process will be supported by Proforest, a leading non-profit group that supports companies, governments and other organisations to implement their commitments to the responsible production and sourcing of agricultural commodities and forest products. Subsequent reporting will provide information on specific actions being taken to improve direct engagement with farmers to address risks in the municipalities. "Cargill is proud to join other leaders in the industry to support actions that help Brazilian farmers protect forests, preserve natural resources and maintain their livelihoods," said David MacLennan, Cargill chairman and CEO. "Today's announcement brings the industry together around shared goals and accountability to ensure continued progress against our sustainability commitments." "For ADM, sustainable practices and a focus on environmental responsibility are integral to the work we do every day", said ADM chairman and CEO Juan Luciano. "Since we first made our commitment to no deforestation in 2015, we've made significant progress in achieving transparency in our own supply chains, and in working with our industry counterparts so that we are all advancing these important goals. The framework and standards we've agreed upon as part of the Soft Commodities Forum is a critical step forward in our collective efforts to preserve and protect the environment and the people of the Brazilian Cerrado biome." "Transparency and data improve trust and facilitate problem solving. Today's commitment will generate more of both", said Greg Heckman, acting CEO of Bunge Limited. "It is an important step by industry leaders that will help optimise agricultural sustainability in a vital region." Johnny Chi, chairman of COFCO International, said: "This initiative is a great example of collaborative action urgently needed to safeguard future food and agricultural production while ensuring environmental conservation. COFCO International will continue engaging various stakeholder groups in key forums such as the Soft Commodities Forum and Cerrado Working Group, to achieve this shared objective." Diane Holdorf, managing director (food and nature) at WBCSD, said: "The Soft Commodities Forum facilitates the first time leading global commodity traders are working together in a pre-competitive project to address sustainability risks they all share, but which no single company can resolve alone. Unprecedented collaboration such as this, together with other stakeholders, is required to address these complex food system challenges." - ADM / Cargill / Bunge Belgium asks Philippines to reconsider blanket ban on pork imports Belgium urged the Philippines to lift the blanket import ban it has imposed on pork products from the European country last year following an outbreak of the African swine fever. Instead of a blanket ban, Belgian Ambassador to the Philippines Michel Goffin suggested that the Philippines restrict pork products only from affected areas in Belgium, just like Singapore and Malaysia. "It is unfair to embargo the whole country when it was only a localized outbreak and has already been contained. It doesn't make any sense and it is against the standards [of the World Organisation for Animal Health or OIE] and even against the spirit of the World Trade Organisation", Goffin was quoted as saying by BusinessMirror. Responding to Belgium's appeal, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Ronnie Domingo said his agency would seek more information from Brussels on the actions it has undertaken to contain ASF, including measures to ensure the safety of the Belgian animal feeds as ASF could thrive even in animal feeds and plants. Belgian Embassy in Manila Trade Commissioner Mia Santamaria-Abela said Belgian traders have lost 4 million (US$4.53 million) due to the trade restriction. "The Philippines is a major market; it is one of the top 5 Asian markets [for Belgium]," she said, as quoted by BusinessMirror. The Philippines, meanwhile, recently added two more countriesVietnam and Japanwhose pork and pork products are temporarily banned from entering its territory. The Philippines earlier banned pork imports from Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine and Zambia. Ban on Belgian pork imports was imposed in October last year. Discussing the new School Emergency Response Training program at a press conference earlier this week were, from left, Kyrene schools IT director Damian Nichols, Chandler Unified Security Director Tanya Smith, Chandler Fire Assistant Chief Scott Chapman and Chandler Police Commander David Levoy. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. In what was, so far, the best baseball game of the week, the Jaguars pulled their 33rd win out of the fire and salvaged a gem of a start from their star pitcher. Northwest Mississippi Community College English instructors Beth Adams and Doug Johnson recently completed the Invitational Leadership Institute for Teachers at the University of Mississippi Writing Project (UMWP). The UMWP is at the core of the National Writing Project's model of 'teachers teaching teachers' and develops teachers as leaders, teachers as learners, and teachers as writers. Four months ago residents in San Diego County elected two new county supervisors for the first time in decades, launching a period of dramatic change in the region. The next step in that change is taking form. With three seats potentially in play and the March 2020 primary just over a year away, a handful of candidates have officially announced their candidacies. A majority of the five-member county board is at stake. It is actually a big deal, in large part, because it has been so long since there has been a Democratic majority, said Brian Adams, a political science professor at San Diego State University, adding that he isnt sure that there has been a Democratic majority. They (supervisors) have a lot of power, and Democratic control could change a lot of things. The opportunity for Democrats comes thanks to an unprecedented situation. Two longtime supervisors with more than 20 years experience each, Supervisors Greg Cox and Dianne Jacob, are unable to seek re-election due to term limits. Also, the seat held by incumbent Republican Supervisor Kristin Gaspar is widely regarded as in play. Democrats possess a slight registration advantage in Gaspars District 3, which encompasses part of San Diego and the cities of Encinitas, Escondido, Solana Beach and Del Mar. Gaspar has not committed to seeking re-election. She declined to be interviewed for this article. Democrats get in early Faced with a favorable map and an unfamiliar opportunity, Democrats are aggressively pursuing supervisor seats. At least four Democratic candidates have announced candidacies and are actively running so far. For the District 1 seat long held by Cox, which covers the South Bay, Democrats have a 72,000-person advantage in voter registration. A couple of Democrats with roots in the community have already announced theyre running. Rafael Castellanos, an attorney and chair of the Port of San Diego, announced at the beginning of January. He said he is prioritizing creating more economic opportunity in the South Bay. Also Nora Vargas, a Southwestern Community College trustee and healthcare advocate, announced her candidacy a few weeks ago. She said she aims for a community perspective on the board and is prioritizing health equity. Meanwhile the seat in District 3, and a potential race against Gaspar, has similarly drawn candidates with full resumes. Terra Lawson-Remer, an economist and attorney living in Encinitas and former senior adviser in the Treasury Department under the Obama Administration, has been open about running for months. Lawson-Remer, who also was pivotal in the flip the 49th campaign that helped elect Rep. Mike Levin (D-Oceanside), highlighted as her priorities environmental sustainability, economic growth and affordable housing. Olga Diaz, an Escondido City Council member, discussed her candidacy for the District 3 supervisor seat with the Coast News Group earlier this week. She said, if elected, she would focus on local issues and expanding the University of California school systems presence into North County. Other Democrats also are exploring potential candidacies or have set up committees, such as state Senator Ben Hueso. We have really good candidates in District 3 and District 1, and I wouldnt be surprised if District 2 is even a possibility, said Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, chairman of the San Diego Democratic Party. Republicans more reticent Republicans, on the other hand, have been hesitant to publicly announce their candidacies. As of Friday, Feb. 15, no Republican has officially announced theyre running for a Board of Supervisor seat in 2020 including, again, the one eligible incumbent, Gaspar. Republican candidates also have not been publicly active in establishing campaign committees. Im actually surprised we havent seen more, said Adams, from SDSU. Its not as surprising for the Gaspar seat, he added, because it makes sense that potential Republican candidates would wait to see what shes going to do. But, he said, it is surprising for Jacobs soon-to-be vacant East County seat. And for the South Bay seat, there isnt a deep Republican bench in the district, Adams said, a similar problem facing Democrats in East Countys District 2. So far, state Senator Joel Anderson, who previously mounted a bid to unseat Jacob, may be the only Republican with a committee already established for a supervisors race. That committee had more than $289,000 in it, as of the last reporting period. Anderson did not respond to a request for an interview. Contributing to the lack of publicly declared candidates is the timing; the primary is coming much earlier in this election cycle than the last, said Tony Krvaric, chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County. I think people are gathering their sea legs around this, he said People are used to having more time. Krvaric said he knows there are several people currently looking at the seats and making the rounds, talking to people, and he expects most to declare their candidacy by the end of March, at the latest. Theres no secret that the majority of the makeup of the board is on the table, Krvaric said. Well have Republican candidates. Melanie Limas An and mom Gloria Goldstein Michael Peak As funny as it sounds, it all started with rabbits. Lots of them. When Canyon Crest Academy senior Melanie Limas An was 12 years old, she volunteered at the San Diego House Rabbit Society as their in-house videographer. I would make short videos of homeless rabbits which were shown to families looking to adopt, she recalls. More than 200 bunnies have been rescued since I started there. Thats how I realized that the videos I create can have a big impact on others. Big impact, indeed. For the last six years, Melanie has created dramas, documentaries, music videos, comedies and much more. (You can check out all her videos on youtube under Melanie An.) Her favorite types of films are documentaries on environmental or social-justice issues. For example, shes produced a documentary on the declining bee population called Bee Conscious. It was the first student film shown at an IMAX theater and won a Spotlight Award at the California Student Media Festival in Los Angeles. Another film, called An Inside Look at Planned Parenthood, focused on reproductive rights. Her latest, Man Up, a documentary about toxic masculinity, won Best Feature/Documentary Award at the inaugural North County High School Film Festival last year. Melanie has received two top-level scholarships the Deans List Scholarship from Chapman Universitys Dodge School of Film, and the Arrupe Scholarship from Loyola Marymount University. Shes also been accepted into USCs summer film program with Warner Brothers Studio. Shell be on the studios lot learning new filmmaking skills under the guidance of USC cinema professors. She hasnt decided which university she will attend yet. Outside of film, Melanie has another passion. Since she was two years old shes been tap dancing and has won national and regional awards in competitions across the country. Having been in the spotlight, Melanie says now she wants to pursue a career behind the scenes, hopefully as a film director. Melanies dream is to create films that highlight environmental, social-justice or human-rights issues. Shes been highly influenced by her mother, a former news reporter. Since I was six, she explains, my family and I have headed to a Baja California colonia yearly to donate clothes and toys to families in need. My mom picks a different site every year based on the news stories she covered. We get to experience cultural Mexican roots while helping families. Its always a humbling and fulfilling experience. Melanie says many other people have influenced her along the way. In the arts, I would have to say Janelle Monae because of her support of other female artists (especially people of color), her beautiful music videos and her respect for others. Shes also been inspired by Judith Pierce, former president of the San Diego House Rabbit Society, and her teachers at Canyon Crest Academy, Mark Raines and Brad Kester. Melanies mother, Gloria, beams when she speaks of Melanies successes and her future endeavors. I see Melanie being a successful film director, focusing on topics in need of a spotlight and giving a voice to those who need to be heard, she says. She enjoys world travel and I envision her shooting in exotic locations around the globe -- especially Latin American countries where she can put her Spanish skills to use. I think travel is the best textbook for any child. Therefore, we made a trip to Tokyo, Japan last year to tour the famous Ghibli Studios to give Melanie an international film perspective. I tell my children Ive given them the wings to fly; their passion will drive what direction they take in life. 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 Lubbock, TX (79409) Today Mostly sunny in the morning then increasing clouds with some scattered thunderstorms later in the day. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 92F. S winds shifting to NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 66F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Marijuana dispensaries associated with rise, then decline in some neighborhood crime Ten states and the District of Columbia now allow the sale, possession, and use of marijuana for recreational purposes, and 33 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana. Critics argue that marijuana dispensaries are magnets for crime. A new study found an association between marijuana dispensaries and increases in rates of crime and disorder in neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado, shortly after Colorado commenced legal retail sales of marijuana. The study, by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver, appears in Justice Quarterly, a publication of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. "We found that neighborhoods with one or more medical or recreational dispensary saw increased crime rates that were between 26 and 1,452% higher than in neighborhoods without any commercial marijuana activity," notes Lorine A. Hughes, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, who led the study. "But we also found that the strongest associations between dispensaries and crime weakened significantly over time." In their study, the researchers looked at both medical and recreational dispensaries from 2012 to 2015 (Colorado legalized marijuana in 2014). They examined the extent to which dispensaries were associated with neighborhood crime and disorder independently of other characteristics of the neighborhoods (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, concentration of high-risk commercial establishments such as check-cashing stores and tattoo shops). Measures of crime and disorder were drawn from the Denver Police Department and included aggravated assault, auto theft, burglary, drug and alcohol offences, murder, public disorder, robbery, and theft from a car. Measures of other neighborhood characteristics were based on 2013 estimates of characteristics of Census block groups, which researchers applied to 3,981 equally distributed geographic areas in Denver. Information about marijuana dispensaries was obtained from government agencies. The study found that except for murder, the presence of at least one medical marijuana dispensary was associated with a statistically significant increase in neighborhood crime and disorder, including robbery and aggravated assault. The study also found a relatively strong association between medical marijuana dispensaries and drug and alcohol offenses, with a decline in the strength of the link after recreational marijuana was legalized. The pattern of results was similar for recreational marijuana dispensaries, though the study found no direct relation to auto theft. The authors caution that the results of the study, based only on information from Denver immediately after legalization and before market saturation, may not be generalizable to other geographic areas. They also note that because the study relied on official police data to measure crime and disorder, it's possible that police targeted neighborhoods with marijuana dispensaries, which would over-estimate the association between these facilities and crime and disorder. "Our findings have important implications for the marijuana industry in Denver and the liberalization of marijuana laws nationwide," suggests Lonnie M. Schaible, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, who coauthored the study. "Although our results indicate that both medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries are associated with increases in most major crime types, the weak strength typical of these relationships suggests that, if Denver's experience is representative, major spikes in crime are unlikely to occur in other places following legalization." The authors suggest that, rather than fighting to oppose legalized marijuana, which has become a multibillion-dollar industry and is expected to create more than a quarter of a million jobs by 2020, it may be more expedient to develop and support secure and legal ways for dispensaries to engage in financial transactions. ### Summarized from Justice Quarterly, Marijuana Dispensaries and Neighborhood Crime and Disorder in Denver, Colorado by Hughes, L, Schaible, LM, and Jimmerson, K (University of Colorado Denver). Copyright 2019 The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. All rights reserved. This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 'Our values' Warren is advocating for not Christian ones 99 cent introductory offer Includes everything we offer online for 24-7 news. This option allows you to read unlimited stories at ctnewsonline.com, and access our e-Edition (digital replicate of the daily newspaper). $7.99 per month after the introductory offer. This service comes with a complimentary CT Select Card allowing for local discounts. Rates are subject to change. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Oh, and one of his neophyte followers got cold feet before dying in suspicious circumstances, to which LaRouche naturally responded by claiming that it was a hoax launched by Dick Cheney to undermine his otherwise-sterling reputation. And before you ask, yes, of course he had his own compound maintained by loyal followers and armed guards. So LaRouche was ... let's say a bit of an odd duck. Now stop us if this sounds familiar: A political outsider claims that America is teetering on the brink of destruction, and that only he can restore Western civilization to some vaguely defined glory days. His ideas aren't crazy or wildly impractical; they're bold, too bold for the stodgy political establishment. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Sure, he's a belligerent manchild who says awful things about anyone who ever disagrees with him, and some of his ideas seem contradictory, and anti-Semites really seem to like him for some reason. But that's because he's a next-level genius trying to save a doomed society by taking those stuffy elites down a notch. The fact that his ideas are barely comprehensible is clear proof that he's smarter than the rest of us. So are you with him and his plan to give power and jobs back to the people, or have you been brainwashed into hating America by his endless enemies and the lies of the mainstream media? Continue Reading Below Advertisement LaRouche is far from a perfect analogy for Trump, if only because LaRouche had bizarre but passionate opinions on why Plato ruled but Aristotle drooled, while if you were to ask Trump for his thoughts, he'd tell you that Plato has always been his favorite Disney character, but he could tell that Aristotle was a bum from the moment he met him. But LaRouche and his followers helped build a world where Trump could thrive. A world where Alex Jones could become a celebrity and the alt-right movement could spring up, all because we accept that a certain level of violent, factually dubious ramblings will always be buzzing away in the background. The staff of the Litchfield Jazz Festival is presenting the fourth installment of their free virtual concert series for April. 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. Vanuatu turns the Corner LETS USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURE In the quest to design more efficient solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a team of engineers has analyzed different types of defects in the semiconductor material that enables such devices to determine if and how they affect performance. Rohan Mishra, assistant professor of mechanical engineering & materials science in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, led a widespread team of researchers -- including Washington University, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and at the University of Missouri-Columbia -- that studied the structure and properties of the commonly occurring planar defects at the atomic scale, which spans only a few tenths of a nanometer. Mishra's team studied lead-halide perovskites, a new class of high-performance semiconductors that are being explored for the next-generation of low-cost solar cells to enable conversion of solar energy into electricity with high efficiency. When these materials are made, defects can occur where different crystals meet, known as grain boundaries. In conventional semiconductors, these defects can decrease their electrical conductivity and the solar energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency; however, in lead-halide perovskites, there are differing experimental reports on the activity of grain boundaries. In some cases, they are found to be harmful, while in other cases they either have no impact on performance or are even beneficial. But, to date, no one understood why. Mishra's team explained why in Advanced Materials, Dec. 3. Using atomic-resolution electron microscopy, Arashdeep Singh Thind, a graduate student in Rohan Mishra's lab, studied grain boundaries in crystals (see arrows). "A tiny defect at the atomic scale has a big impact on the solar cell," Mishra said. "If one specific atom is missing at these grain boundaries, your cell won't work well." At Oak Ridge National Lab, Arashdeep Singh Thind, a doctoral student in Washington University's Institute of Materials Science & Engineering who works in Mishra's lab, performed the imaging with one of the most powerful electron microscopes to look at the atomic structure of the grain boundaries. Guangfu Luo, a former research scientist in Mishra's lab who is an assistant professor at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzen, China, then used quantum-mechanical calculations performed on some of the fastest supercomputers to understand the electronic properties of these grain boundaries. advertisement In silicon semiconductors, grain boundaries wreak havoc, but in lead-halide perovskites, they may not. And that depends on concentration of the halide ions, a critical element to the properties. "If you grow the crystals in a halide-poor environment, then the grain boundaries are terrible for performance," Mishra said. "But if you can grow them or anneal [heat and recombine] them in a halide-rich atmosphere, the grain boundaries are fine." Thind also looked at another type of planar fault known as Ruddlesden-Popper faults, in which the planes of crystals stack incorrectly; for example, instead of being lined up in neat rows, one of the rows is shifted slightly left or right by an atomic column. Again, by using quantum mechanical calculations, Luo and Mishra found that by having a large density of such stacking faults, it might be possible to obtain bright optical emission from large and more stable nanoparticles of certain lead-halide perovskites, which could potentially pave the way for LEDs with longer lifetimes. "The challenge for experimentalists is to engineer stacking faults at periodic distances," Mishra said. In related research published in ACS Applied Nano Materials Oct. 16, Mishra's team worked with University of Missouri-Columbia researchers, who found a new chemical route for promoting growth of lead-halide perovskites with a high density of such stacking faults. By removing surface ligands, an ion or molecule that binds to a surface atom of a nanocrystal, smaller lead-halide perovskite nanocrystals fused and grew from about 8 nanometers to 60 nanometers in 48 hours. These new nanocrystals had significantly enhanced optical properties due to the stacking faults formed during the fusion process, which Thind found using atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the nanocrystals were more stable when exposed to light, had sharper emission lines and a higher quantum yield. With these defects, the new nanocrystals are expected to improve light emission properties of the lead-halide perovskite nanocrystals, resulting in better LEDs and other optoelectronic devices. This new information gives engineers such as Mishra and Thind more information to find alternatives for lead in solar cells, which not only contain toxic lead, but also are unstable in light, moisture and heat and break down in a matter of days, leaking lead into groundwater. Mishra is studying whether a nontoxic element -- bismuth, lead's neighbor on the periodic table -- is a safer and equally efficient substitute for lead in perovskites. VILLAGE MANDOLI (PATIALA), FEBRUARY 19: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday laid the foundation stones of three large projects for canal water supply in 409 villages in Patiala and Fatehgarh districts, with the promise to protect the depleting waters of the state and to provide clean drinking water to its people. The Chief Minister also inaugurated a sewerage project for a cluster of 10 villages near Bahadurgarh in district Patiala, where excess fluoride in water is causing skeletal and dental fluorosis. While asserting that his government would not allow its waters to go out of the state, the Chief Minister appealed to the people not to waste the precious resource and to use the depleting ground water judiciously. We will not leave anything for our future generations if we dont care for our water, the Chief Minister warned, observing that the ground water situation in Punjab was precarious. With the poor farmers unable to install big motors, their plight was particularly pitiable, he said, pointing out that his government was doing everything possible to help out such farmers through its farm debt waiver and other schemes. The entire state, said Captain Amarinder, was facing acute drinking water problem, which has only aggravated over the years. Recalling that Mandoli was a small village back in 1966, when his mother was contesting elections from here, he said the demand for drinking water was even then an issue. He also lamented the contamination of water, which was causing health problems among the people. Describing the projects as part of his governments ambitious programme to provide clear surface water to the people of the state, the Chief Minister told mediapersons earlier that it was not correct to link such projects, meant for the welfare of the citizens, with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Whenever the Department of Water Supply & Sanitation receives any report on contamination of water from any part of the state, it immediate moves into act to address the problem on priority, he added. Earlier, the Chief Minister acceded to a request from local MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur to announce a sewerage project worth Rs. 4.70 crore for Mandoli village. Speaking on the occasion, former Union Minister Preneet Kaur said that the projects launched today would go a long way in improving the quality of life of the rural populace, who had been grappling with poor quality of drinking water for long. She also lauded the role of all party MLAs and workers for ensuring holistic development, besides implementation of the pro-people and growth-oriented policies of the state government. Former Union Minister Preneet Kaur While the sewerage project carries an investment of Rs 520 crores, the potable drinking water scheme, covering a rural population of over 5.28 lakh, has been launched at a cost of Rs. 475 crores. The project would benefit to a total design population of 41505 persons and is being executed with financial assistance from NABARD. The first surface water supply project would cover 92 villages, with a target population of 1.10 lakh in Khera and Bassi Pathana Blocks of district Fatehgarh Sahib, at a cost of Rs 112 crore. The second surface water supply project would cover 204 villages in Block Ghanaur, Rajpura, Sanaur, Shambhu Kalan and Patiala of District Patiala, for a design population of 3.64 lakh, at a cost of Rs.241 crore. The third project would reach out to 112 villages in Block Rajpura, Patiala, Shambhu Kalan and Sirhind of District Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib, with a population of 1.54 lakh, at a cost of Rs 122 crore. These schemes are designed for a life span of 30 years, with service level of 70 litres IPCD. All three projects have been tendered on a Design Build, Operate, Maintain and Transfer (DBOM&T) basis. They are being executed through funding from the World Bank, the National Water Quality Sub-Mission and the National Rural Drinking Water Supply Programme. The sewerage project is aimed at addressing the health problems resulting from lack of proper draining of sewage. Under the project, the sewage will be collected from 10 villages, starting from Bahadurgarh onwards to Mehmadpur Jattan, Shamaspur, Jalalpur, Nasirpur, Karheri, Deelwal, Noor Kherian, Therri and Choura, and will reach the sewerage treatment plant proposed to be constructed at village Chaura near Bari Nadi. Chaura Gram Panchayat has provided 2.5 acres of land free of cost to the department for this purpose. The treated effluent shall be used for irrigation purposes. However, in no demand period it will be disposed of into the Bari Patiala Nadi. A lateral sewerage line of 83.88 km line will be laid under this project and the estimated cost of the project is Rs. 45.21 crore. After the completion of this project, 5394 households with a population of 32361 of these 10 villages will get eco-friendly sanitation facilities and their standard of living will improve qualitatively. NABARD It may be recalled that during his Budget speech, the Finance Minister had proposed to start work on a canal based water supply scheme in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Patiala, with World Bank and ADB, support this year. He also pointed out that the total cost of this project would ne Rs 4800 crore, with a proposed additional Rs 200 crore as part of the initial mobilisation advance during 2019-20 for this scheme. Prominent amongst others present on the occasion Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral, MLA Rajpura Hardayal Singh Kamboj, MLA Ghanaur Madan Lal Jalalpur, MLA Fatehgarh Sahib Kuljit Singh Nagra, MLA Bassi Pathana Gurpreet Singh GP, Chairman PRTC KK Sharma, Chairperson Punjab State Social Welfare Board Gursharan Kaur Randhawa, Mayor Sanjiv Sharma and local Congress leader Harinder Pal Singh Maan besides Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Tejveer Singh, Secretary Water Supply and Sanitation Jaspreet Talwar, Head DWSS Ashwani Kumar, Additional Secretary DWSS Mohammad Ishfaq, Sri Nivas Podipireddy Task Team Leader from World Bank, Chief Engineer South Rajinder Singh and officers of concerned Department besides Sarpanches and Panches of the concerned villages. Chandigarh, February 19: Many brands are selling sub-standard liquor in the State as it has been found that the quantity of alcohol in liquor is deficient by 2% to 12%, revealed KS Pannu, Commissioner Food and Drug Administration, Punjab. Divulging into details, he informed that Directorate of Food and Drug Administration, Punjab conducted a study about the quality of liquor, both country made and Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), being sold in the State. The study reveals that many brands are selling sub-standard liquor in the State with alcohol content being not in consonance with the label details. In addition, many of the brands contain particles of suspended matter, which is not allowed in the liquor. Warning the contractors, manufacturers and Bottlers of country made and IMFL liquor, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration said that all concerned should ensure the quality of liquor as per the label claims on the bottles and as per the standards fixed under the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. He said that the State Food Lab at Kharar is fully equipped to test the quality of all kind of liquor. He asked the bulk consumers of liquor in the social functions to get the quality of liquor tested from State Food Lab, Kharar or Punjab Biotechnology Incubator Lab at Phase-5, Mohali. He further said that citizens have the right of quality products in food and drinks and as per the provisions of law it is the duty of the Food Safety and Drug Administration to check the quality of all kinds of food including liquor. Chandigarh, 19 Feb, (Niel Bhalinder Singh): The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mr Balwant Singh Khera and Mr Om Singh Satiana before the Delhi high Court, seeks directions to Election Commission of India (ECI) to set aside the registration of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a Political Party and to quash the notification of merger of the two parties Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). The Petitioners case is that the SADs registration was obtained based on a fraudulent undertaking of secularism given to ECI by SAD. The SAD doctored a document that it labelled its Rules and Regulations in order to project that it was complying with S29A of the RP Act which mandates undertaking of secularism to be registered as a political party. At the same time, the SAD uses its old constitution of 1974 which is a non-secular document in order to qualify as a religious party and contest elections to SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) and DSGMC (Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee) the most powerful Sikh religious bodies in the country. Election Commission of India Without that constitution, it stands disqualified to contest Sikh Gurdwara elections. The SAD had withheld its true constitution from the Election Commission of India (ECI) at the time of seeking registration in 1989, despite the fact that it continues to use it even today to contest Sikh Gurdwara elections and keep alive its alignment with the Sikh religion. Thus, the SAD has been and continues to freely mix religion with politics, even though it is expressly prohibited by our Constitution and Supreme Court of India rulings. The Petitioners challenge to the merger of SAD and SAD(Badal) in 1996 is because of yet another fraud committed by the two parties and violation of due procedure required for a merger in utter violation of Supreme Court rulings. This fraud is also revealed in public documents in the custody of the ECI. Petitioners have struggled with the matter for nearly 15 years. They were required to amend their petition and then file a fresh petition. The respondent parties have been refusing to file their response, with the exception of the SAD. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Petitioners therefore moved an application seeking expeditious disposal of the case, given that the 2019 general elections are imminent and also their advancing age - Mr Balwant Singh Khera is well into his 80s now and Mr Om Singh Satiana is in his mid 70s. The Delhi High Court duly considered their application today and fixed a date for hearing the matter on the 3rd of April 2019. It has given a maximum of 2 weeks to the respondents to file their responses after which their rights to reply will be closed.The matter is being heard by the Bench of the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court J Rajendra Menon with J V Kameswar Rao. The petitioners are being represented by Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Indira Unninayar. Srinagar, Feb 19: The Pulwama suicide bombing was masterminded by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Pakistan's ISI, a senior Army officer said on Tuesday, five days after 40 CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terror attacks in the Valley. Corps Commander Lt Gen K J S Dhillon of the Chinar Corps said this in a joint press conference by IG Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan. He also said he requested mothers of Kashmiri militants to persuade their sons to surrender.' Pulwama Attack "Anyone who picks up the gun will be eliminated," the officer said. According to Dhillon, security forces had been tracking the top leadership of the JeM since the February 14 bombing in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. "We have eliminated the top commander who carried out the Pulwama attack," Dhillon said. On Monday, three JeM terrorists were killed in a 16-hour encounter in Pinglan in Pulwama district, about 12 km from the site of the February 14 attack. An Army major and five others were also killed. Puducherry/Chennai, Feb 19: Voicing the demand for statehood for the national capital and Puducherry, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was trying to suppress democracy and claimed the situation in the two union territories was the same. "The kind of ruthlessness with which the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is trying to suppress democracy all over the country is unprecedented," Kejriwal said. Expressing solidarity with his Puducherry counterpart V Narayanasamy, who is locked in a turf war with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, Kejriwal alleged that the Lt Governors of New Delhi and Puducherry have been interfering in routine administration of the elected governments. Demanding statehood for both the national capital and Puducherry, the Aam Aadmi chief said people in these two union territories should not be discriminated against. Narayanasamy, his cabinet colleagues and MLAs from both the Congress and the DMK have been staging a dharna against Bedi in front of the Raj Nivas in Puducherry since February 13 in protest against her "negative stand" towards various proposals of the territorial government. Speaking to reporters after meeting Narayanasamy, whose protest entered its sixth day Monday, Kejriwal expressed concern that under the BJP-led dispensation "chief ministers of West Bengal and Puducherry are sitting in dharnas and this is an absolutely shocking scenario." V Narayanasamy West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently sat on a dharna to protest CBI's action against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with the Saradha chit fund probe. Kejriwal alleged that both the Puducherry and Delhi governments were in the "same predicament of interference" by Lt Governors in the day-to-day administration and remaining handicapped for want of powers. Getting statehood is the only solution to tackle this situation, Kejriwal said. He also alleged that Bedi and the Lt Governor in Delhi have been appointed with specific mandate by the NDA government "to interfere in the day-to-day administration of the union territories and also not to permit them to function." "It is time that we (chief ministers) of the two Union Territories joined hands together to fight for statehood both politically and also through courts. "We are accountable to the people as we were elected on the basis of promises we made at the elections to the people. But Kiran Bedi is not accountable to the people. She is informally accountable to the prime minister," Kejriwal said. Welcoming Kejriwal, Narayanasamy said statehood was the only solution to help Puducherry overcome the current difficulties in running the government "because of the Lt Governor's interference." "Puducherry has seen several Lt Governors in the past and they were all perfectly discharging their duties. Lt guv Kiran Bedi The present incumbent is acting in an utterly undemocratic manner coupled with the highhanded approach of the central government. "We seek your support and statehood is the only way out to wriggle out of the present predicament," he said, thanking Kejriwal for extending support to the dharna. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP MLA Somnath Bharti accompanied Kejriwal at the meeting. Kejriwal also addressed a demonstration by workers of the Congress and its alliance partners at the Head Post office, held as part of the protest against Bedi. Earlier on arrival at Chennai airport en route to Puducherry, Kejriwal said, "The LG of Puducherry is creating a lot of obstacles in the development work and creating problems for the elected government. We are facing exactly similar problems in Delhi." The lieutenant governors in both Delhi and Puducherry were appointees of the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said. "We will demand that both Delhi and Puducherry be made full states. There is no reason why people of these states should be discriminated against," he said. Barbara May Johnson, 84, of Sidney, passed away Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at the Sidney Health Center. She passed peacefully, in her sleep. Barbara was born August 9, 1934 in Grand Rapids, Mich., to John and Mildred Cooley. Barbara's mother passed away when Barbara was very young and she was adopted and raised by her grandparents, Nettie and Charles Richardson. She had two siblings, brothers Ernest Ziegler and Verner Richardson. She was raised in and attended schools at Ionia, Mich. She graduated from Ionia High School in 1952. Following high school she attended Davenport Business School in Grand Rapids. She was working at Sears Roebuck in Grand Rapids where she met the love of her life, Paul T. Johnson. They met on January 31 of 1955, were engaged three weeks later and married on July 2, 1955. The happy couple celebrated their 63 Anniversary in 2018. The marriage produced four children: Kristine, Linda, Eric and Philip. Barbara enjoyed painting in watercolors, arranging flowers, cooking, entertaining, singing, and traveling with Paul and her family. She was a member of the Sugar Valley Chapter of Sweet Adelines for ten years. She was also a member of P.E.O Chapter W and a longtime member of the Lonsdale United Methodist Church in Sidney. She was active in numerous sororities, including Beta Sigma Phi, NILE and Eastern Star. Barbara enjoyed many things in life, none greater than spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and traveling the world. Barbara and Paul loved Hawaii and traveled there together for more than 30 years. Barbara is survived by her husband Paul; her children Kristine (Blaine-Chip) Gifford; Linda (Jim) Heins; Eric (Stephanie) Johnson; and Philip (Joy) Johnson; 16 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren (so far); and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers. Barbara's funeral service was held at 11 a.m., Monday, February 18 at the People's Congregational Church in Sidney. Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home of Sidney was in charge of arrangements. The family asks that memorials be donated to the Foundation for Community Care, or a charity of your choice. Senator Steve Daines visited Sidney on Saturday to attend the Richland County Republican Party's Lincoln-Reagan Day Banquet and made time prior to that event to meet supporters and veterans at the Sidney VFW Hall. Fielding questions on a number of issues, Senator Daines gave his thoughts on various political matters and took time first to discuss the importance of border security. "I wish every member of congress would jump on a plane and go to the Southern border and spend a few nights with Border Patrol and that is what I did," Daines told the crowd of approximately two-dozen residents. Recalling a recent trip to the American-Mexican border to survey the problems along the demarcation, Daines explained, "I got picked up by Border Patrol at 2 a.m. there in Texas in the Rio Grande Valley Sector. It was 277 miles of border, and is ground zero for the majority of where illegal immigrants are coming over as well as illegal drugs. And why are they coming over in that specific area in the Rio Grande Valley Sector?" Daines continued, "I'll tell you why. It's because in other sectors like Yuma, Tucson, San Diego, they put physical barriers up, employ technology, and they see reductions of 95 to 99 percent of illegal crossings." Daines said, "I've always said if you want to find out the truth, with all due respect to bureaucrats, go listen to people in the field and they'll tell you what's going on. I spent time with the agents and they're pleading with us to provide the resources for barriers and to get this done. They're catching hundreds of illegals every night and day in just that one sector alone." While with the Border Patrol, Daines said that he saw the apprehension of illegal aliens first hand. "We watched them apprehend two men from Honduras at about 4 o'clock in the morning. It was misty, radios were cackling, and we saw these men run across a field and they caught them," Daines recalled. He continued, "I instructed them to ask where they're from and where they're going. One man said he was from Honduras and going to New York. The other man said he was from Honduras and going to Miami. On average they're paying Mexican cartels eight thousand dollars raised in the U.S. from their family and are giving billions of dollars to illegal cartels." Daines also recalled having seen cartel scouts watching the border and reaching cartel 'mules' via radio and warning them of Border Patrol activity. Daines said, "They're not being inconspicuous. They're radioing upstream to help people bring drugs across." These drugs are making it into Montana, according to Daines. "The number one drug hitting Montana is meth," the Senator reported. "This meth is over 90 percent pure. The meth of twenty years ago in Montana was home lab meth. This meth is cartel meth, price has come down, and distribution is expanding. Because of these Mexican cartels, we have a meth epidemic right here in Montana. I've spent time at the Rimrock Rehabilitation Center in Billings, and the number one addictive substance for moms is meth, even for mothers of small children. What's happening on the border affects us here." Greetings from Helena! There are some legislators and bureaucrats who think We the People cant operate without the government telling us what to do. That was very evident in the hearings this week at the Capitol regarding Child and Family Services (CFS). In the four states that border us, according to the latest available information, there are 3.9 million people and they have 5,700 children in foster care. In Montana, with 1 million people, there are close to 4,000 children in foster care. We have almost 3 times as many per capita in the custody of CFS as our surrounding states. In 2016, 14 children in Montana died while under the supervision of CFS and it doesnt look like it is improving. Obviously CFS in our state doesnt have all the answers and maybe has too much power. A couple of bills we heard this week in Senate Fish and Game committee were SJ6 and SB185. SJ6 was a resolution asking the US Congress to take the grizzly bear off the endangered species list. SB185 was a bill that would end trapping and hunting of wolves in a buffer zone outside Yellowstone National Park. They were long hearings into the night with lots of passion on both sides. Neither hearing changed my mind. I will vote Yes on SJ6 and No on SB185. The 2 agriculture bills that I carried, SB73 and SB137, passed through the Senate unanimously. They now move on to the House Agriculture Committee. There were a lot of people from SD 18 in the Capitol this week. It was nice to visit and spend time with them. I look forward to hearing from you regarding your questions or concerns. You can contact me by phone 406-989-1372, by e-mail [email protected], or by regular mail Senator Hinebauch Capitol Building PO Box 200500 Helena, Mt 59620-0500. The 86th annual Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner will be held Saturday, February 23 at First Lutherans Church Fellowship Hall, 916 Main St., Williston, ND from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until the food runs out. The people in charge of the arrangements this year are David Brevik and Pat Hamers. The public is invited to attend, tickets are available at the church office, Monday through Friday. Ticket prices are adults: $18, $15 before February 20; students through Junior High School, $8 and preschoolers are free. Six hundred men, women and youth are involved preparing, planning and serving the family style dinner. There will be delivery service until 3 p.m., and take-out service from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please call First Lutheran Church, 701-572-6363 on the day of the dinner to arrange these services. Over 2,800 people were served meatballs and lutefisk at the 2018 dinner. The church will be preparing 2,000 pounds of lutefisk, ton of potatoes for the meal, and 650 pounds of hamburger for meatballs and all the trimmings for the meal. Forget the strategists. Forget the campaign advisers and the pollsters. Now is the time in the campaign when a low-profile and little-understood player wields a great deal of influence: the media buyer. The beginning of September through mid-October of an election year is the most crucial period when it comes to moving TV ad reservations, buying new ad time and finding out what spending decisions the other party is making. Media buyers play an integral role in this process, despite the fact that they rarely gain any public recognition for their work. By the time Election Day arrives, Kantar Media/CMAG estimates in Ad Age that 3.6 million television ads will have passed through these media buyers hands as campaign spending on the 2012 elections is expected to reach unprecedented levels. Media buyers are number-crunching creatures obsessed with ratings and demographics. The objective is to maximize a campaigns resources when buying advertising from local television affiliates across the country. The job is part journalist, part spy, part demographer and part network scheduler. But the media buyers true value to a campaign is the proprietary knowledge that only he and his colleagues traffic in: how the opposition is spending or not spending its ad dollars on television, particularly during the homestretch of a race. What a buyer knows and how quickly that information is communicated could mean life or death for a political career. Police arrest man believed connected to two Cancun murders Cancun, Q.R. A man has been taken into custody in central Cancun after a warrant for his arrest was issued by a local judge for his suspected involvement in two city murders. The man, identified as 37-year-old Luis Miguel G.R., was arrested outside a supermarket by federal police in the vicinity of the citys center. They say that Luis Miguel, who goes by the name El Pelon, is also accused of belonging to a criminal group. Originally from Veracruz, Luis Miguel is suspected in the deaths of two members of the Mexican Navy in Cancun last September. His arrest was completed with support from members of the Mexican army and navy. He has been handed over to the state attorneys office where he will be put before a judge. Criminal takedown of nine in Merida reveals Cancun link Merida, Yucatan Nine people have been arrested by the Secretaria de Seguridad Publica (SSP) de Yucatan in a criminal takedown that revealed a link to Cancun. The arrest of the nine occurred at 11:00 a.m. along a Merida roadway after members of the Secretaria de Seguridad Publica stopped and inspected three vehicles. One of the vehicles was a Quintana Roo plated truck rented from a Cancun agency. In total, six men and three women of Colombian nationality were taken into custody for various offenses including drug and firearm possession and robberies. The arrested are reported to have ranged in age from 29 to 38. Along with their arrest, police also seized their illegal items and all three vehicles. In October, another band of criminals that included two Colombians was also taken down in the city of Merida by the Secretaria de la Seguridad Publica (SSP) after they intercepted a robbery in a local Country Club. That group consisted of five people, two of whom were of Colombian nationality and three of Mexican nationality. He told us that he wanted corners that played with a dog mentality. He just want dogs out there on the island," junior Alexander Smith said of his new position coach. First, there was the congestion fee. Next came a new minimum wage. Now, New York is tussling with ride-hail companies once again. New York Citys landmark cap on app-based for-hire vehicles is the subject of a suit filed by Uber on Friday, which argues that the cap is an overextension of the citys authority. Last summer, New York City Council passed a ride-hail legislation package, including a one-year cap on new app-based vehicle licenses, which would allow the city to study the industrys effect on traffic congestion and how best to regulate the services going forward. In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Friday, however, Uber argues that the cap gives too much power to the Taxi and Limousine Commission to permanently cap new licenses at the end of the one-year period. Uber also argued that the cap prevents drivers from taking advantage of the new minimum wage law most recently the subject of a lawsuit filed against New York City by Uber competitors Lyft and Juno. Whether or not Uber is successful in overturning the citys cap, its likely that this latest lawsuit is not the last in the ongoing war between New York and ride-hail companies. For the rest of today's tech news, head over to First Read Tech. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a constitutional amendment committing the country to becoming a member of NATO and the European Union. Addressing parliament on February 19, Poroshenko said he saw securing Ukraine's membership in NATO and the EU as his "strategic mission." Ukraine should "submit a request for EU membership and receive a NATO membership action plan no later than 2023," the president told the Verkhovna Rada. However, he acknowledged that his country needs to come a "long way" to meet the criteria of joining both institutions. European Council President Donald Tusk attended the signing of the constitutional amendment in the parliament building. Addressing the lawmakers in Ukrainian, Tusk, who is Polish, said that "there can be no Europe without Ukraine. He also warned Ukrainian politicians against using populist and nationalist tactics ahead of the March 31 presidential election, in which Poroshenko is running for a second five-year term. "Go around temptations of radical nationalism and populism, as you have done so far," Tusk said in his speech. The EU official also warned lawmakers against "internal conflicts," which he said only benefit "that third country," hinting at Russia. Tusk is on a three-day visit to Ukraine, which is commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Euromaidan protests, which led to the ouster of Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014. Following Yanukovych's downfall, Russia seized and annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014. Moscow is also supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine in a conflict that has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014. With reporting by dpa, AFP, and AP Amnesty International says the Ukrainian criminal justice system has "resisted and obstructed justice" when dealing with the human rights violations committed by police during the Euromaidan protests five years ago. Colm O Cuanachain, senior director at the office of the London-based group's secretary-general, made the comment on February 19, which marked the fifth anniversary of the protest movement's worst day of violence. "Five years is a long time to wait when it comes to justice, and for most victims who suffered at the hands of Ukrainian police, justice is still not even in sight," he said during a trip to Kyiv. In February 2014, Moscow-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych was pushed from power following months of massive protests known as the Euromaidan and fled to Russia. More than 100 people were killed and 2,500 injured in clashes with security forces, some of them shot dead by snipers. The death toll included at least 13 police officers, according to Ukrainian authorities. Photo Gallery: The Evolution Of Euromaidan Euromaidan -- the name given to the pro-European protests in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv -- started late on November 21, 2013, when up to 2,000 protesters gathered on the city's central Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square). The movement, sparked by President Viktor Yanukovych's abrupt decision to abandon talks on a pact on closer relations with the European Union, started peacefully, but did not end that way. The violence started with the government's crackdown on protesters overnight on November 30. Months later, Yanukovych would flee the country and around 100 protesters would be dead. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Email to a Friend Share on LinkedIn As of the end of 2018, the Ukrainian Prosecutor-Generals Office had identified 441 suspects, most of them former law enforcement officers, according to Amnesty. The rights watchdog said that the cases of 288 individuals had been sent to court, 52 of them resulting in court decisions. Out of 48 convictions, "only nine custodial sentences were handed down," it added, and not one of those jailed was a former police officer. "Promises were made, strong words were said by the post-Yanukovych authorities, but time and facts speak volumes," Cuanachain said. "Until all those responsible, including those in command, are brought to account there can be no sense of justice. Following Yanukovych's downfall, Russia seized and annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014. Moscow is also supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine in a conflict that has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014. President Donald Trump has lashed out at key officials involved in the U.S. special counsel's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. In an interview on February 17, former acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe said talks had been held in 2017 about the prospect of invoking the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to remove Trump from office. McCabe said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had held discussions on the number of cabinet members and others needed to invoke the amendment. In a series of tweets on February 18, Trump accused of McCabe and Rosenstein of "illegal and treasonous" behavior and said they "look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught." Rosenstein issued a denial of McCabe's account last year. He said any suggestion that he had ever advocated for the removal of the president "is absolutely false." Trump has often attacked the federal investigations into his campaign's links to Russia as a "witch-hunt" aimed at sabotaging his presidency. Based on reporting by AP and AFP A Swedish student activist has been fined after she tried to stop the deportation of an Afghan asylum seeker. A court in the Swedish city of Gothenburg on February 18 ordered Elin Ersson to pay 3,000 kronas ($324) for violating air-traffic regulations. In July, the 21-year-old used her mobile phone to live-stream her protest on board a Turkish Airlines flight from Gothenburg to Istanbul. The video, which showed her refusing to take her seat, went viral on social media. In the video, Ersson said she did not agree with Sweden's policy of sending back rejected asylum seekers. "I'm not going to sit down until this person is off the plane, because he will most likely get killed," she said. The standoff ended when the Afghan man and Ersson disembarked from the plane. Ersson's attorney, Tomas Fridh, said they would appeal the ruling. Fridh said his client was acting on moral grounds, and that Afghanistan was not safe for returnees. The Afghan man, 52, was later deported to Afghanistan. Based on reporting by AFP and dpa A longtime former finance minister who is close to President Vladimir Putin has called the arrest of a prominent American investment-fund manager an "emergency" for the Russian economy, suggesting it could further damage the country's image and harm the investment climate. With his comment in a tweet on February 18, Aleksei Kudrin became the latest prominent figure in the Russian economic establishment to criticize the state's treatment of Michael Calvey, whom a Moscow court two days earlier ordered jailed in pretrial detention for two months while prosecutors pursue their case against him on suspicion of large-scale fraud. Calvey, a U.S. citizen who founded the Baring Vostok private equity fund in 1994 and is one of the most prominent foreign investors in Russia, denies wrongdoing and says that the charges do not warrant criminal prosecution. Senior Russian financial figures including Sberbank CEO German Gref and business ombudsman Boris Titov have spoken out in his favor or said they could vouch for his character. Kudrin, who was finance minister from 2000 to 2011 and now heads a financial oversight agency called the Audit Chamber, wrote that the court ruling ordering Calvey to be held in pretrial detention showed that an order from Putin that people accused of economic crimes should not be jailed was "clearly" not being implemented. "I consider this particular situation to be an emergency for the economy," Kudrin wrote on Twitter. He did not elaborate, but his tweet appeared to reflect concern that the treatment of Calvey could damage the prospects for foreign investment in Russia, which have already been dimmed by longtime worries about corruption and the rule of law as well as geopolitical actions that have prompted the United States and other Western countries to impose sanctions on Moscow. Kudrin, a highly respected economist, is seen as more liberal than many of the former KGB and security-services officers in circles close to Putin, who has suggested in the past that he listens closely to the former finance minister's advice but does not always follow it. Kudrin also wrote that he had "heard" that he has vouched for Calvey, but that he has not done so "yet" while other "respected people" have. He did not say why he had not Calvey's arrest on February 14, which was not widely revealed until he appeared in an enclosure in a Moscow courtroom the following day at a custody hearing, sent shockwaves through Western business circles. The American was detained in Moscow along with three other Baring Vostok employees and two other suspects. All six have since been ordered held in pretrial detention, which is normally served in a jail. Kudrin's tweet came hours after Titov, the presidential commissioner for entrepreneurs' rights, said that the pretrial detention order was "obviously illegal" as the case against him stems from a corporate dispute. The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Russia said on February 19 that it was "deeply concerned" by Calveys arrest, calling it a "business conflict." "Launching a criminal case in order to resolve a commercial dispute does great damage to Russia's investment climate," AmCham said in a statement, adding that commercial disputes should be "a civil matter without recourse to arrest and detention." It also described Calvey and his partners as "some of the most respected promoters of investing in Russia, supporting entrepreneurs and building businesses that created sustainable value." Bill Browder, a British-American financier who has become a campaigner against Russian human rights abuses, spoke about Calvey's case in an interview with RFE/RL in Brussels on February 19. "The main similarity is that I was the largest foreign investor in Russia in 2005, when I was expelled, and he is the largest foreign investor in Russia in 2019, when he was arrested," Browder said, adding: "The main difference is that I was a critic of the regime and he was complimentary of the regime." Browder also said that Calveys arrest was "not an isolated incident" or a "low-level decision." "I don't think that the people who were behind this would have been allowed to arrest him if Putin hadn't given the green light," he said. Baring Vostok is one of the largest private-equity firms in the former Soviet Union, according to its website. It manages more than $3.7 billion in assets, is particularly active in the technology sector, and owns a stake in the Yandex search engine. Before founding Baring Vostok, Calvey worked for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the investment bank Salomon Brothers. He is a member of the board of directors of the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington. Amid severely strained ties between Moscow and Washington, Calvey is the second U.S. citizen to be arrested in a high-profile case in Russia in as many months. Paul Whelan, an ex-Marine who says he is innocent and was in Moscow for a friend's wedding, was detained in late December on an espionage charge and is in pretrial detention. With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels Big Brother is watching your weight. Well, not yet. But Russia's health minister has suggested the state may consider regulating the waistlines of its citizens -- and meting out punishment when their girth gets too great. The belt-tightening may not be coming soon -- no regulations have been proposed as yet. But senior officials are under orders from President Vladimir Putin to make Russia healthier, and several seem intrigued by a Japanese law setting size limits for the waistlines of men and women aged 40 to 74. "We're studying the examples of other countries that have been able to achieve serious results" in terms of national health and life expectancy, said Anna Popova, head of the state consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor. In an interview published by state news agency RIA Novosti on February 14, Popova pointed in particular to Japan's 2008 "Metabo Law" -- legislation requiring companies and local governments to measure the waistlines of employees and residents in that age range every year. According to The New York Times, the law set waist-measurement limits of about 85 centimeters for men and 90 centimeters for women. People exceeding those limits and suffering from weight-related ailments could face mandatory counseling if they did not lose weight, the Times report said, and companies and local governments faced financial penalties if they fell short of targets set by the state. Popova suggested it was unclear how well such rules might work in Russia, where the state has tightened restrictions on public activity such as demonstrations since Putin came to power, but where many citizens see their private lives as a realm in which the government should not interfere. "To what degree [foreign practices] are acceptable for Russia and for Russian citizens is a question that we will discuss," she said, indicating that the issue would be considered as the authorities look for ways to fulfill decrees from Putin that set out policy goals on issues such as public health. A senior Health Ministry official, Sergei Boitsov, warned in March 2018 that Russia faces a "menacing challenge" from obesity, saying that levels among men tripled from 2003 to 2013 and were not improving. According to Russian media reports, the ministry said that 2 million Russians, or 1.3 percent, were suffering from obesity in 2017, up from 1.4 million in 2016, and that part of the reason was an improvement in diagnostics. A 2017 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) indicated that obesity levels in Russia were roughly half as high as those in the United States. Asked about the possibility of a waistline limits, Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova told the Interfax news agency on February 18 that specific ideas such this have not yet been talked about but added: "We will certainly discuss them." Putin, who has been president or prime minister since 1999, has frequently stressed a desire to permanently reverse Russia's post-Soviet demographic decline and prove those who predict the population will dwindle further in the coming decades wrong. Those aims suffered a setback when Russia's population fell sharply in the first nine months of 2018, leaving it on track for the first overall decline in years as deaths continued to outstrip births and immigration failed to fill the gap. With reporting by RIA-Novosti, Interfax, gazeta.ru, RT, and The New York Times BISHKEK -- Preliminary hearings have begun in Kyrgyzstan into a high-profile corruption case against eight close allies of former President Almazbek Atambaev, who was in power from 2011 to 2017. They include former Prime Ministers Sapar Isakov and Jantoro Satybaldiev, and six other former senior members of government and energy officials -- Osmonbek Artykbaev, Olga Lavrova, Aibek Kaliev, Jenishbek Nazarov, Salaidin Avazov, and Temirlan Brimkulov. The closed-doors hearings are held in the Sverdlov district court in the capital, Bishkek. The eight defendants have been charged with corruption and abuse of office that led to the state budget's being deprived of $111 million and also caused an accident at the Bishkek Thermal Power Station that left thousands of households in the capital without heat in the bitter cold in January 2018. The accident occurred just months after the modernization works were officially completed. Prosecutor-General Otkurbek Jamshitov said on February 14 that the former officials on trial are suspected of accepting a $386 million loan from China for the modernization project, when in fact, the total cost came to $275 million. The investigation into the case, which was launched last year, led to a stand-off between Atambaev and his successor, Sooronbai Jeenbekov. Atambaev had backed Jeenbekov in the October 2017 presidential election, but has criticized his successor in recent months. The Supreme Court ruled in October that granting immunity to former presidents is unconstitutional. The United States has called on Pakistan to punish those behind a deadly suicide attack on Indian troops in disputed Kashmir amid escalating tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi. The February 14 attack in the Himalayan region, which killed more than 40 Indian soldiers, was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e Mohammed (JeM) militant group. India has warned Pakistan of a "jaw-breaking response" to the suicide attack, the deadliest incident in the region for decades. "We have been in close communication with the government of India to express not only our condolences but our strong support for India as it confronts this terrorism," U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters on February 19. "We urge Pakistan to fully cooperate with the investigation into the attack and to punish anyone responsible." India called on Pakistan to take "credible and visible action" against the perpetrators of the attack, rejecting Prime Minister Imran Khan's offer to investigate any evidence offered by New Delhi. India has long accused Pakistan of supporting militants in Muslim-majority Kashmir, which is divided between the two nuclear archrivals but claimed in full by both since independence from British colonial rule in 1947. The two neighbors have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan territory. Islamabad has recalled its ambassador from New Delhi for consultations and Pakistan's foreign minister wrote a letter to the United Nations, asking it to help de-escalate tensions with India. The minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his letter that "for domestic political reasons, India has deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment," the Foreign Ministry said on February 19. "We are deeply concerned at the increasing tensions between the two countries," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on February 19. Guterres stressed that it was important for "both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps" to de-escalate, while also offering to mediate "should both sides ask," said Dujarric. Meanwhile, India's army said three JeM militants were shot dead on February 18. Two of the militants were Pakistanis, including the group's "chief operations commander" in Kashmir, Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon said on February 19. The attack had been "masterminded" by Pakistan, and specifically its main Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, Dhillon also said. With reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa, and India Today Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held talks with his Slovakian counterpart, Peter Pellegrini, in a first set of bilateral meetings with Central European leaders after a high-profile summit was canceled over a rift with Poland. Benjamin Netanyahu is hosting Pellegrini on February 19 in Jerusalem and is also to meet Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban before hosting all three for lunch at his official residence. The bilateral meetings are the result of the canceling of a planned summit between Israel and the members of the so-called Visegrad Group consisting of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. The summit unraveled after Poland withdrew to protest Israeli leaders' comments about Poland's role in the Holocaust. Netanyahu had touted the gathering as a milestone in his outreach to the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe. Poland canceled its attendance after remarks made by both Netanyahu and his acting foreign minister, Israel Katz, which Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki labeled "racist." Katz told Israel's i24 television on February 18 that "there were many Poles who collaborated with the Nazis, and like [late Prime Minister] Yitzhak Shamir, whose father was murdered, said, 'Poles suckle anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk.'" A day earlier, Netanyahu had made an off-hand remark during a Middle East summit in Warsaw, saying that Poles had collaborated with the Nazis during World War II. He was quoted by The Jerusalem Post as saying "the Poles," which some people took to mean blaming the entire Polish nation. Later, the Israelis said Netanyahu had been misquoted and had spoken of individual "Poles, and not the Polish people." Based on reporting by AP and AFP The trial of Iranian President Hassan Rohani's brother, who was briefly arrested two years ago on charges of financial violations, has opened in Tehran, local media report. Hossein Fereidoun and four associates were present in court during the February 19 court hearing, according to the judiciary's news website Mizan. A representative of the state prosecutor read out the indictment during the hearing, Mizan said, without providing further details. Fereidoun and his brother do not share the same name because Rohani has changed his. Fereidoun, a top adviser to Rohani, was arrested in 2017 and quickly released on bail following long-running corruption allegations, with the judiciary saying at the time that he was the subject of "multiple investigations. Conservatives had demanded that Fereidoun be put on trial, accusing him of financial-corruption charges. Rohani's supporters have suggested that the case against Fereidoun was part of efforts by hard-liners to undermine the Iranian president. A new hearing in the case is set to be held next week, the judiciary-affiliated Mizan said. Based on reporting by Mizan and AFP State lawmakers are divided over Gov. Andrew Cuomos congestion pricing proposal, with some saying its critical to funding the Metropolitan Transportation Authoritys subway system and others raising concerns about protecting the suburbs and New York Citys outer boroughs. The two lawmakers leading the committees that oversee the MTA state Sen. Leroy Comrie of Queens and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin of Westchester County - and state Sen. Tim Kennedy, a Western New York lawmaker who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, reflect the differing opinions among Democratic lawmakers. Heres where each of them stand on the issue. Leroy Comrie Chairman, state Senate Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Leroy-Comrie---state-Senate.gif Alt Text: Leroy Comrie. Title Text: Leroy Comrie. Caption: Leroy Comrie. Description: Leroy Comrie. Image Credit: New York State Senate. What issues do you have with Gov. Andrew Cuomos congestion pricing proposal? There need to be guarantees about alternatives and needed transit improvements for the entire city before we agree to turn on the spigot called congestion pricing. Our concerns are what specific transit improvements are going be delivered to the outer boroughs. That needs to be put into writing and be ironclad so that people can at least go back to their constituencies and say were getting X, Y and Z. Then we will agree to allow more revenue to the MTA. Does congestion pricing need to pass in the budget? The infrastructure is going to take time to roll out, so I dont think were necessarily tied to the fiscal budget deadline on this thing. We have to do this right. We have to make sure that there is participation and input from everyone that wants to make a positive impact on this effort. No one is against improving traffic in Manhattan or improving the ability of people to get back and forth to work in a safe and timely matter. People are entitled to get as many details about this as possible. What are your thoughts on reforming the governance of the MTA? There are still a lot of questions about the MTAs workforce itself. People are being paid thousands of dollars in positions that no one can identify. We are not talking about people that are making overtime because they are mechanics or they are train operators. We are talking about administrative employees pushing paper or giving orders. There are a lot of MTA issues that have to be discussed before we can be confident with anything we have to do moving forward. Amy Paulin Chairwoman, Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Amy-Paulin-Assembly.gif Alt Text: Amy Paulin, chairwoman, Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. Title Text: Amy Paulin. Caption: Amy Paulin. Description: Amy Paulin, chairwoman, Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. Image Credit: New York Assembly Critics of congestion pricing say they need more details on the proposal from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Do you agree? I think its up to the Legislature right now to set up the parameters on, for example, a cap on the toll and a benchmark for the congestion reduction. We can do a lot of those details ourselves. I dont know that we want or need the governor to put it forth any more. What do you make of the governors call to make congestion pricing contingent on reforms at the MTA? I think the MTA has already begun to shake itself up. Many of new appointments in the last year are quality appointments. (MTA President) Patrick Foye is doing an excellent job, and he has an excellent team. We are beginning to see a lot of improvements, so I think we are on the path so the shake-up wont be sudden on April 1. Does it matter if congestion pricing passes by that deadline? If we are going to pass congestion pricing, we need to make it part of this budget so that we have a shot of using that revenue through the 2020-2024 capital plan. Many lawmakers want more funding for transit in their districts as part of a deal. What about you? For Metro-North, where I come from, we have the Park Avenue Viaduct and we have the train shed. Both are falling apart. Without capital improvements, we will not be able to get people from Westchester who live there to the city to work. So that has to be a major part of the capital plan going forward. We have needs too. People dont see the deterioration. We feel it. We feel the short trains. We feel the less-than-on-time trains as well. Tim Kennedy Chairman, state Senate Committee on Transportation Tim-Kennedy-state-Senate.gif Alt Text: Tim Kennedy. Title Text: Tim Kennedy. Caption: Tim Kennedy. Description: Tim Kennedy. Image Credit: New York State Senate How does the issue of congestion pricing look as a lawmaker from Western New York? As the chair of the Transportation Committee, I have been working very closely with the chair of the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, state Sen. Leroy Comrie. We have been tasked to work through the MTA issues, which are many, and find a viable solution. Part of that is in dealing with not only funding the MTA, which appears to be on a financial cliff within the next couple of years, but also making sure that whatever solution we come up with results in a system that is working for the riders, that relieves congestion on the streets of Manhattan. We also have to make systemwide investments to ensure the trains are running on time, theyre dependable, theyre efficient, theyre clean, and theyre crime-free. We have to cut the fat from the administration of the MTA first before we look upon anyone else to share in the financial obligations. The MTA needs to demonstrate a message to the ridership that they are taking this financial crisis seriously. The way you begin to restore trust in the MTA is by cursing the bureaucracy that the people have come to despise. What comes after the governors budget amendments? We are going to be holding a series of hearings in New York City, on Long Island, in the Hudson Valley to talk about the MTA, the LIRR and the Metro-North. Were going to be listening to the public. Were going to be listening to the advocates. Were going to be working aggressively to address this crisis, which isnt just a crisis for those that use the MTA. On a very personal level, it hits home with them each and every day that the MTA is working as a broken system. Its also a crisis of our economy because the entire city of New York, state of New York and, potentially, national and international economy could be negatively impacted. Do you think congestion pricing should be considered by itself, or should it be contingent on western New York and upstate getting their share of transportation funding? We are going to continue to fight for fairness and equity across this state when it comes to transportation dollars. The MTA and the solutions that will drive the MTA to resolving this crisis are going to be driven by the people, the ridership, the representatives of the communities within the 13 counties that depend upon the MTA and the systems within it. These are issues that can be dealt with separately but effectively at the same time. The suicide bomber who allegedly carried out last week's deadly attack on Iranian security forces was a Pakistani national, local media quoted a senior military commander as saying. "The suicide bomber was named Hafez Mohammad-Ali and was from Pakistan," Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said on February 19, according to the force's Sepah news agency. The head of the IRGCs ground forces also said that another alleged member of the militant cell that planned the February 13 attack was also Pakistani. Three Iranians from Sistan-Baluchistan Province in southeast Iran were also part of the cell and two of them have been arrested, according to Pakpour. The guards on February 18 announced three arrests in the case. Islamabad has condemned the attack in which 27 IRGC members were killed, one of the deadliest on Iranian security forces in years, and vowed to cooperate. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on February 19 that his country had handed over Iranian suspects. "We will cooperate fully with Iran, we have operational contact with Iran," Qureshi told state-run television. The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it pursues more rights and better living conditions for ethnic minority Baluchis in eastern Iran, claimed responsibility for the bombing. In the attack, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a bus that was transporting IRGC troops in Sistan-Baluchistan Province -- a volatile area near Iran's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan where militant groups and drug smugglers frequently operate. The province is populated mainly by Sunni Muslim ethnic Baluchis. Iran has repeatedly said that militant groups operate from safe havens in Pakistan and called on the neighboring country to crack down on them. Tehran has also accused Saudi Arabia of inciting members of Iran's Sunni Muslim minority to violence. Riyadh denies the accusation. With reporting by AP and AFP An Indian citizen on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying committed "terrorist" acts on New Delhi's orders, lawyers representing Islamabad told the UN's top court on the second day of a hearing over the fate of the man. Pakistani Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan told judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on February 19 that former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav ran a network "to carry out despicable terrorism and suicide bombing, targeted killing, kidnapping for ransom, and targeted operations to create unrest and instability in the country." Another lawyer representing Pakistan, Khawar Qureshi, urged the court in The Hague to dismiss India's case to save Jadhav from execution, accusing New Delhi of "political theater." On the first day of the hearing on February 18, Deepak Mittal, joint secretary at India's External Affairs Ministry, told the ICJ that the proceedings against Jadhav were based on a "farcical case" and "malicious propaganda." A lawyer representing India, Harish Salve, said that Jadhav's trial "hopelessly failed to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process." Pakistani authorities say Jadhav, now 48, was arrested in March 2016 in the southwestern province of Balochistan, which has been plagued by sectarian violence, Islamist militant attacks, and a separatist insurgency that has led to thousands of casualties since 2004. A military court in Pakistan sentenced the man to death in April 2017 on charges of espionage. In May 2017, New Delhi won an injunction from the ICJ to stay Jadhav's execution. The ICJ hearing comes amid growing tensions between India and Pakistan after dozens of Indian paramilitary troops and army soldiers were recently killed in the disputed Kashmir region. The UN court's decision is expected to come months after this week's hearings. Pakistan says it will put the man on trial on terrorism charges if the court orders his convictions overturned. With reporting by AFP and AP The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Azam Jangravi fled Iran after being sentenced to three years in prison for removing her hijab in a protest against the country's strict Islamic dress code. In March 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled six nuclear-capable weapons and has said they have no equivalents anywhere in the world. "Understand that everything I have said today is not a bluff," he said at the time. And with both the United States and Russia announcing this month that they will withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a new era of missile development could be in the cards. Putin says the world has nothing like Russias newest missiles. Is he right? Here's what we now know, one year later: Avangard Avangad is a hypersonic glide vehicle designed to be carried by an intercontinental missile. Once launched, its designed to sail on top of the atmosphere and is supposed to be able to reach speeds up to Mach 20. (Thats 20 times the speed of sound.) It can be used to deliver nuclear or conventional payloads. According to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA), a U.S.-based NGO that seeks to generate public support for the deployment of missile defense in the United States, its maneuverability and versatility make it a "strategically valuable weapon." According to Pavel Podvig, director of the Russian Nuclear Forces Project, a Moscow-based NGO focusing on Russias nuclear arsenal, Avangard "appears to be reasonably successful and will probably be deployed next year as expected." Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic missile Kinzhal is already in the military's arsenal with 10 MiG-31s reportedly modified to carry the missiles. According to the MDAA, the missile is designed to reach hypersonic speeds seconds after launch and reportedly can maneuver at any time during flight. If true, that would allow it to avoid any known U.S. air- or missile-defense systems, according to the MDAA. RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile A heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, the RS-28 is currently in development. The Russian Strategic Missile troops have conducted several pop-up tests of the Sarmat and plan to begin launch tests later this year, according to the state-run TASS news agency. The RS-28 "represents a reassertion of Russia's status as a nuclear superpower, at parity with -- or even more advanced than -- the capabilities of the United States," according to the MDAA. Podvig, however, says the weapon seems to rely on conventional, or old proven technologies. 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile Not much is known about this weapon. The Burevestnik was seen on an assembly line in official media. According to U.S. military intelligence, only one of 13 known tests of the missile has been moderately successful to date. The latest test on January 29 was partially successful, according to U.S. government sources who spoke to The Diplomat. No country has to date deployed a cruise missile using an on-board nuclear reactor, largely given the engineering challenges and safety concerns involved. Podvig says this may be a truly revolutionary weapon, but its too early to say whether it will live up to expectations. Poseidon underwater drone Russia's newest underwater weapon successfully completed a "key" stage of sea trials, Putin said on February 2. According to the 2018 U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, undertaken by the U.S. Defense Department, the Poseidon "is a new intercontinental, nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered, undersea autonomous torpedo." The Russian Navy is expected to deploy more than 30 Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) once the weapons system is declared operational and has cleared user trials, a Russian defense industry source told TASS earlier this year. Podvig says its too early to declare the Poseidon a winner for the Russian military. Peresvet laser combat system A day after announcing that he is an almost pure-blood Georgian, former President Mikheil Saakashvili had people scratching their heads after he updated his Facebook cover photo to show himself depicted as Gulliver enslaved by Lilliputians, a reference to Jonathan Swift's classic 18th century novel. In the new cover photo, the ex-Georgian leader lies on the sandy shore, taken prisoner by the tiny Lilliputians and surrounded by watch towers. Saakashvili's official Facebook account has more than 1 million followers. The photo was originally created by Nugzar Metreveli, who is known for his photoshopping skills and political satire. The mocked-up image is based on the 2010 film version of Swift's satirical novel, starring Jack Black. Saakashvili posted the picture after sharing on February 17 what he described as his DNA test results, which he said showed his ethnic makeup was 98.3 percent Georgian and 1.1 percent Greek and Balkan. His decision to share the test results was an apparent attempt to end long-standing rumors and conspiracy theories that said he was actually of Armenian origin and that his real surname was Saakian. "It seems that my ancestors didn't mix with anyone else besides Georgians over many centuries, and I became the first person to break with this tradition, by marrying a European," Saakashvili wrote in the same Facebook post, referring to his marriage to a Dutch citizen. Saakashvili publishing his DNA results echoes the case of U.S. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has announced she will run for U.S. president in 2020. In October 2018, Warren said that she had taken a DNA test that indicated she had some native American ancestry. She has been criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump, who questioned her claims of tribal heritage. Whatever his ancestry, however, Saakashvili is effectively stateless after losing both his Georgian and Ukrainian citizenships. Saakashvili was issued a Ukrainian passport in 2015, before he served as the governor of Ukraine's Odesa region. That meant he automatically lost his Georgian citizenship. But Saakashvili was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship by ally-turned-foe Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in July 2017 after the two politicians fell out. Saakashvili, who reportedly lives in the Netherlands, has said he will return to Georgia in the future. With reporting by RFE/RL's Georgian Service Former Russian intelligence officer Vladimir Kvachkov, known for his radical views about the Russian leadership, has been released from prison after his conviction for incitement to hatred was annulled following the partial decriminalization of extremism in the Criminal Code. Relatives, journalists, and supporters met Kvachkov at the gates of a penal colony in the Russian region of Mordovia on January 19. Asked about his state and mood, the 70-year-old former colonel replied, "I am ready for a mission and a fight!" Kvachkov was initially arrested in December 2010 and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2013 after a Moscow court found him guilty of creating a terrorist group and plotting to overthrow the government. The term was later cut to eight years. In August 2017, Kvachkov was found guilty of inciting hatred and handed an additional two years in prison. The additional conviction stemmed from a video in which Kvachkov called for the government to be toppled and which was smuggled out of prison. He was released 12 days after a court in Mordovia canceled the conviction due to the amendment to the extremism-related article in the Criminal Code. In late December, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that removed the possibility of a prison sentence for first-time offenders found to have incited ethnic, religious, and other forms of hatred and discord in public, including in the media or on the Internet. In 2008, Kvachkov was acquitted of planning to kill former Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais. With reporting by REN-TV U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has called on Afghans to put aside their differences and unite as attempts to end Afghanistans 17-year war gain momentum. Khalilzad has held a series of direct talks with Taliban negotiators in the Middle East in recent months, although those discussions have not included the Western-backed Kabul government. Key Afghan power brokers who oppose President Ashraf Ghani held talks with Taliban negotiators in Moscow on February 5-6. Opposition politicians have criticized the negotiating team announced by Ghani that is headed by his chief of staff for not being inclusive. Khalilzad called on the Afghan government to form a "strong, national" negotiating team. "We need a team where governments leadership is respected," Khalilzad told Afghanistan's Tolo News on February 18. "At the same time, the participation of other political elements is also a must." Khalilzad, a former U.S. ambassador, was in the Afghan capital, Kabul, where he held talks with Ghani and senior political figures. He said peace would only be achieved in Afghanistan if there was "unity, consensus, and agreement between Afghans, inside and outside the government." Kabul has been angered and frustrated that it has been left out of the talks. Ghani said last week he will convene a consultative Loya Jirga, a traditional assembly of tribal, ethnic, and religious leaders, to reach a national consensus on peace talks with the Taliban. Khalilzad is scheduled to meet Taliban negotiators for talks in Qatar on February 25. During the previous round of talks in Doha, the Qatari capital, U.S. and Taliban negotiators reached the basic framework of a possible peace deal. The agreement calls for the Taliban to prevent international terrorist groups from basing themselves in Afghanistan and for the United States to withdraw its forces from the country. There are difficulties, but we have agreed with the Taliban to meet again on February 25," he said. "We agreed in principle to talk in details and with more authenticity about two topics to find whether there is the possibility to make more progress on the issue of terrorism and the issue of forces." The Taliban has yet to make concessions on two key U.S. demands -- implementing a cease-fire and agreeing to negotiate directly with Afghan government representatives as part of an Afghan-led, intra-Afghan peace process. "I want a broad-based cease-fire to be announced as soon as possible," Khalilzad said. "Secondly, there is a need for discussions and consultations among Afghans, including the [Afghan] government, to start soon." The Taliban has so far refused to hold talks with Kabul, calling it illegitimate. The Taliban announced that it would hold talks with U.S. and Pakistani officials in Islamabad on February 18, but the talks were canceled after Kabul's protests. With reporting by Tolo News and Khaama A group of 100 Vietnamese intellectuals and activists penned a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump urging him to help thwart Chinas gradual takeover of the South China Sea, where Hanoi and Beijing are embroiled in maritime territorial disputes. In an appeal launched as Trump prepares to meet next week in Hanoi, Vietnam, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the group praised recent tough speeches about China by Trump administration officials and called for U.S. support in the dispute over islands and reefs. China as an aggressive and unfettered ambitious nation has blatantly expanded the conquest of Vietnams waters and islands on the South China Sea, threatening the freedom of navigation of all countries in the region, challenging the authority of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region, said the letter. That wrong-headed ambition must be crushed today because it is unrighteous, because it is an ambition to deprive the sacred freedom of the Vietnamese people and the peoples of Asia-Pacific, the authors added. We believe that in todays world, the interests of Vietnam and the United States are similar; a strong and independent Vietnam would ensure the greater security and peace for the region. Therefore, in the struggle to protect and reform the country, we believe in the support of the people and governments of the free world, especially the United States of America, said the letter. There was no immediate response from the White House. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un plan to meet on Feb. 27-28 in Hanoi, where Kim is expected to demand relief from economic sanctions and the U.S. is expected to press Pyongyang to follow through on previous pledges to denuclearize. China has aggressively asserted its claims to the Spratlys and the rest of the South China Seawhich Vietnam refers to as the East Seabased on its so-called nine-dash demarcation line that encompasses some 90 percent of the waters, including territory claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore. Beijing has been fortifying the islands it claims in the vital waterway with weaponry, runways and deep water berths. China has also created artificial islands in the South China Sea by dredging massive amounts of sand and Chinese officials have promoted tourism to the islands. In March 1988, a confrontation at Johnson South Reef, Collin Reef, and Lansdowne Reef in the contested Spratly Island chain resulted in heavily outgunned Vietnamese vessels being sunk, with 64 Vietnamese soldiers dead and 11 wounded. China seized the Paracel Islands, which it still holds, in a skirmish with Vietnamese forces in 1974 that left 75 Vietnamese soldiers dead. In 2016, an international arbitration court in the Hague, the Netherlands, ruled that China has no right to resources within its so-called nine-dash demarcation line, and that it is not entitled to an exclusive economic zone surrounding reefs and atolls in the Spratly Islands because these features did not qualify as islands generating such zones. Vietnam continues to assert its sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, although China has dismissed the ruling and continues its military buildup in the South China Sea. Vietnamese police routinely break up anti-China protests marking the anniversaries of the takeovers of the Spratly and Paracel islands and detain demonstrators. Security for the Trump-Kim summit is expected to be tight. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Written in English by Paul Eckert. Myanmars parliament on Tuesday approved the creation of a 45-member joint committee to write a bill to amend the army-drafted 2008 constitution that the current government views as undemocratic, despite opposition by lawmakers from the military and the main opposition party, legislators said. Before the voting began, several members of parliament, including a military legislator, made requests to discuss the issue during the parliamentary meeting, but parliamentary speaker T Khun Myat rejected them. The measure, approved by a vote of 389-192, establishes a committee comprising 18 lawmakers from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party, eight military MPs, two legislators each from the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Arakan National Party (ANP), and Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), and 13 other lawmakers, according to the online journal The Irrawaddy. The term of the committee chaired by deputy speaker Tun Tun Hein will run until a draft constitutional reform bill is submitted to parliament. We will focus on producing a draft bill for amendments to the constitution, he said. We will not try to amend the constitution by taking a shortcut. Lower house lawmaker Thaung Aye from the USDP said that lawmakers from the main opposition party will work with the committee if it focuses on amending the constitution according to law. If not, it will be difficult for them to do so, he said. The USDP, which controls five percent of the seats in parliament, and military MPs refused to submit nominees for the joint committee, arguing that its formation is not in accordance with the constitution and that the house speaker did not listen to lawmakers suggestions during meetings held to discuss the committee. They also complained that only a small percentage of military lawmakers will be included on the panel. Military MPs comprise 25 percent of the seats in the Assembly of the Union to which they are appointed, not elected, under the 2008 constitution drafted by an army junta that previously ruled the country. They, therefore, say that they should have the same proportion of seats on the new committee. We want everybody to think about what the house speaker did on this issue abusing his powers and without negotiations with lawmakers who were holding two meetings to discuss the issue, Thaung Aye said. Was it appropriate or not to have this situation in Hluttaw [parliament]? The Hluttaw speaker said the committee will work in line with the constitution, but we dont believe him because they have prevaricated many times, said Brigadier General Maung Maung, leader of parliaments military MPs. He went on to say that military lawmakers would try to participate in the committees discussions if other members do so in accordance with the law, but that army legislators had yet to decide how to participate in the panel. As the committee is trying to amend the constitution, we, as the group safeguarding the constitution, want 25 percent of military members on the committee, he said. Efforts to amend Despite opposition from the USDP and military MPs, committee secretary Myat Nyarna Soe said the members of the new panel will begin their meetings as soon as possible. We now have the majority in the committee, he said. Even if we have only a few members, the committee will work on what it has to do as it was formed by the Hluttaw. Also on Tuesday, Myanmars parliament set up a 30-member committee to study a bill put forward by USDP lawmakers to amend Article 261 of the constitution to allow regional chief ministers to be elected by local legislators rather than appointed by the country's president. Khin Maung Win, a lower house MP from the NLD has been appointed committee chairman, and brigadier general-level military lawmakers and legislators from other political parties will be members. In the run-up to the 2015 general election, which the NLD won by a landslide over the military-backed USDP, the political party pledged to make certain changes to the constitution if it came into power. But once the NLD was in office, it was reluctant to continue pushing for amendments that would provoke or anger the countrys powerful military, which wants to maintain the status quo. The NLD, which controls 59 percent of the seats in parliament, faces its next general election in 2020. Besides granting the military an automatic quarter of the seats in the national and regional parliaments, the current constitution also gives army MPs a crucial veto over proposed constitutional changes and control of three security and defense ministries. NLD lawmaker Aung Kyi Nyunt submitted an urgent motion to parliament in January to consider the formation of the committee to kick-start the constitutional amendment process. Though military MPs stood in silence to boycott the vote on whether to take up the measure, lawmakers approved the proposal in early February and held subsequent meetings to discuss it. Army legislators continue to oppose the measure because they say it is not in line with parliamentary law and procedure. Reported by Win Ko Ko Latt for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Britain's ruling Conservative Party has warned that China's network of Confucius Institutes, which are often embedded on university campuses around the world, could threaten freedom of expression and national security by extending the presence and influence of the Chinese Communist Party far beyond its borders. The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission called for a review of all agreements between British institutions and the Confucius Institutes, saying that Beijing's educational and cultural centers have already given rise to incidents of censorship or suppression of discussion. "The evidence we received raises very serious questions about the influence which Confucius Institutes may have in British universities and schools," Commission chair and MP Fiona Bruce said. "We welcome and encourage language teaching and cultural exchange, but we believe a review is necessary to assess whether Confucius Institutes represent a threat to academic freedom, freedom of expression, other basic rights and indeed national security," Bruce said in a statement on the Commission's website. The report calls for a freeze on any further agreements with Confucius Institutes pending the proposed review, as well measures to ensure greater transparency and accountability to U.K. institutions and the general public. China is continuing to extend its "soft power" around the world through a number of carefully planned strategies, including Confucius Institutes and the government-backed Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSAs) on university campuses around the world, academics have warned. Confucius Institutes may appear at first glance to resemble the British Council, the Goethe Institut, or the Alliance Franaise, but their potential threat to academic freedom lies specifically in the fact that they base themselves out of universities, according to U.S. university professors. And while their European counterparts are also clearly aligned with "soft power" objectives and national agendas, the Confucius Institutes report back to the Hanban, a body under the direct control of China's Ministry of Education with its own embedded party committee. Democracy under attack Last week, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Catherine Cortez Masto reintroduced legislation aimed at countering Chinese government influence operations in the U.S. "Our democratic processes are increasingly under attack from authoritarian governments, Cortez Masto said. "We must fully understand those threats to effectively combat them." "This bipartisan bill will raise awareness about the threat Chinese government interference poses to democratic societies around the world, while also preparing our government to develop policy solutions that protect our political processes and our national security," she said. Bruce Lui, senior journalism lecturer at the University of Hong Kong, said Confucius Institutes are a part of China's influence strategy and propaganda effort. "They ... want to normalize the one-party dictatorship model of the Chinese Communist Party, under the guise of Chinese language-teaching," Lui said. "The valuable thing about freedom of speech and publication is that they allow different voices to exist together." The report quotes former Chinese Communist Party propaganda czar Li Changchun, who described Confucius Institutes as an important part of Chinas overseas propaganda set-up, and Hanban director-general Xu Lin, who said: "Confucius Institutes are an important part of soft power. Because we want to expand our influences, we do not deny this." Foothold for control Zhang Tao, media and communications lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, said Confucius Institutes "allow the Chinese authorities to gain a foothold for the exercise of control over the study of China and the Chinese language." "From its organization and funding to textbooks and staff, the Confucius Institute is an extension of the Chinese education system, directly controlled by the state and having the same ideological and propaganda roles as schools and universities in China," Zhang was quoted as saying in the report. The report also cites the termination of a number of Confucius Institute contracts by universities around the world. At least 27 universities and one school board have cut ties with Confucius Institutes, including Stockholm University, Copenhagen Business School, Stuttgart Media University, the University of Hohenheim, the University of Lyon, the University of Chicago, Pennsylvania University, the University of Michigan, McMaster University, and the Toronto School Board, the Commission said in a statement. The report, based on testimony from academics, former diplomats, human rights activists and researchers, also highlights the banning of discussion by Confucius Institutes of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, Tibet ,and Taiwan. Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:47 am Oil company operative, professional climate change denier (all the prominent climate change deniers are paid) and former Vice President Dick Cheney once said, If there is even a 1 percent chance of terrorists getting weapons of mass destruction we must act as if it was a certainty. Nothing has terrorized more Americans since 9/11 as much as the wildfires that raged through California last year, yet before the ashes had cooled, climate change deniers led by denier-in-chief Donald Trump began a full-throated claim that poor forest management was responsible for the horror. He made odd raking motions to demonstrate we need to keep the forest floor cleaner. While raking the forest floor would provide excellent first jobs for millions of young Mexican and Central American immigrants, the problem is not forest management. It is climate change. American agencies NASA and NOAA affirm it. Across the globe in latitudes similar to California, extreme heat, drought and wildfire are presenting the same problems. Portugal and Greece in the north and Australia and Tasmania in the southern latitudes have all experiencedunprecedented heat, drought and severe fire outbreaks in recent years. Adelaide, Australia recorded a midsummer high temperature of 116 F on Jan. 24, the highest temperature ever recorded in a major Australian city. December 2018 was the hottest December and January 2019 was the hottest month ever recorded in Australia. Also in a latitude range close to Californias, the glacier system of the Himalayan mountains stores more fresh water than anywhere on Earth other than the polar ice caps. The glaciers are rapidly melting. Seven of the major rivers in Asia originate there. Several billion people depend on them for life itself. The loss of Himalayan water would cause the greatest calamity in human history. The premise of global warming is that chiefly carbon dioxide from human activity but also methane and other gases form a barrier in the outer atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that traps the heat that naturally radiates outward from Earth, thereby warming the planet and creating climate changes that are far less hospitable for human and other life. Like the frog in the pot, it feels like a slow-moving crisis but it is moving much faster than we and most other living things can adapt to without massive loss of life and brutal dislocation. Generously funded by the oil billionaire Koch brothers, in 2008 Richard Muller, a theoretical physicist at the University of California, Berkeley, and a fierce, anti-climate change critic set out, rationally and methodically, to prove that climate change science was a load of blarney. In 2012 Muller released his findings. He said, Global warming is real and it is caused by humans. Like O.J. Simpson searching for the real killer, paid climate change denier Rush Limbaugh and his conspiracy theorist followers claim to seek real science. Climate change denial is a perilous, time-wasting distraction. The mathematical and scientific skill and expertise of NASA personnel has landed men and vehicles on the moon and vehicles with scientific equipment on Mars. Recently they landed a spacecraft on a distant asteroid and will return it to Earth with a soil sample. The evidence NASA and NOAA have produced to support the premise of carbon emission driven global warming is overwhelming. Marty Ansley Cinebar Li Rui, former personal secretary to late Chinese supreme leader Mao Zedong, has died in a Beijing hospital following a long illness. He was 101. Li died in the Beijing Hospital at around 8.00 p.m. on Saturday evening, his U.S.-based daughter Li Nanyang said. She said she wouldn't be attending his funeral, as it will take place with full revolutionary honors at the Babaoshan cemetery on Wednesday, contrary to his wishes. Li Nanyang told reporters that her father had lost faith in the ruling Chinese Communist Party, and wouldn't have wanted such a ceremony. "My father once said 'if they insist on saying that Li Rui was a Marxist, that would be pretty comical because Li Rui is an independent thinker and intellectual'," Li Nanyang said. "I believe that my father would be turning in his grave to see them draping him in the party flag, which is soaked in the blood of so many people." Li was admitted to a Beijing hospital for a pulmonary infection last March, and died of organ failure, Agence France-Presse quoted Li Nanyang as saying. Following his imprisonment during the political turmoil of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Li became one of the most vocal and high-ranking proponents of constitutional government and political reform in the ruling Chinese Communist Party. A woman who answered the phone at Li Rui's Beijing home confirmed that the authorities are planning a ceremony at the Babaoshan revolutionary crematorium in the Chinese capital, against Li's stated wishes. "If [Li Nanyang] doesn't come, then she doesn't come," the woman said. "If she's not coming back [to China], then she can't do much to stop it." No respect for individuals A former official who worked under Li said he wouldn't be attending either. "I have said publicly that I won't be going," the former official, who requested anonymity, told RFA. "I will stand with Li Nanyang, and I won't be going to the memorial ceremony." Meanwhile, Hong Kong-based publisher Bao Pu, whose father is a former top Communist Party aide, said China's leaders have scant respect for the wishes of an individual. "The Communist Party has no respect for the individual, in particular, the wishes of party members," Bao said. "This has always been the case." "We will have to find our own ways to commemorate Li Rui," Bao said, adding that Li had made an indelible contribution to historical study of the Mao era. "There's no need to make a fuss about the communist flag [at the ceremony]." Constitutional scholar Zhang Lifan agreed. "Once you have joined the party, you belong to them in life and in death," Zhang said. "The party drapes your coffin in its flag because it thinks it has the right to do that." "There is also a hidden meaning here; namely to make the point that Li Rui's body is in their possession. But they certainly don't possess his spirit," he said. "Li Rui's comments, his writings and his opinions have already made it quite clear what he thought of this regime." Expelled, jailed and rehabilitated Li rose to his position alongside Mao in the mid-1950s, but was expelled from the party and jailed for eight years after he criticized the Chairman's Great Leap Forward policy, which ushered in economic chaos and famine across the country from 1959-1961. Rehabilitated in 1979 under Deng Xiaoping's reform era, Li led the party's powerful Organization Department, before being ousted once more in 1984. He later advocated political reform and European-style social democracy, and was a critic of President Xi Jinping's amendment to the constitution allowing him to remain in office as president for an indefinite period. Li hit out at Xi in a statement to the 19th Party Congress in October 2017, saying that government censors had banned some of his books in mainland China. "I believe that China must continue on the path of peaceful development, and should resolutely uphold the reforms and opening up that were set out at the 11th Party Congress [in August 1977]," he wrote. "There is no doubt that this path should be taken." "The first step should be to heed the words of Comrade Lu Dingyi, and listen to the people, so as to improve public trust in the highest levels of party leadership," Li said. Reported by Ng Yik-tung and Tam Siu-yin for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Shi Shan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. The ruling Chinese Communist Party is moving ahead with greater integration between the former colonial cities of Hong Kong and Macau and the rest of China, amid fears that ever-closer integration -- including streamlined extradition procedures -- could further erode traditional freedoms and human rights protections. China's cabinet, the State Council, published a lengthy blueprint on Monday setting out its plans to integrate 11 major cities in the Pearl River Delta region, including Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Strategically, the plan positions Hong Kong as a financial center that will raise funds for China's "Belt and Road" infrastructure plan, drawing on the economic strength of the mainland Chinese cities. The plan for 2022-2035 will "support Hong Kong and Macau to integrate into China's overall development," according to a copy published on the State Council website. "[It will] enable compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau to share the historic responsibility of national rejuvenation ... and the prosperity of the motherland," it sid. It said the Pearl River Delta region -- with an economy valued at some 10 trillion yuan in 2017 would play an important role in the "Belt and Road" project linking China to crucial strategic resources and markets. "Hong Kong, Macau and the nine cities of the Pearl River Delta have the same cultural homogeneity, close kinship, similar folk customs and complementary advantages," according to the plan, which will seek to build a large-scale and "world-class" conurbation there. "Further close exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macau will provide more opportunities for economic and social development ... and maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macau," it said. Beijing will be pursuing a coordinated development strategy that will boost infrastructure links, green development and innovation in the region, the plan said. "By 2022, ... cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau will be more extensive ... and the level of interconnection and interoperability will be further enhanced," it said, adding that "cultural exchange activities" would have become more frequent. However, many in Hong Kong fear too much integration with mainland China. Loss of status feared Civic Party leader and lawmaker Alvin Yeung said closer integration could lose Hong Kong its status as a free port and separate trade jurisdiction in the eyes of the international community. Yeung said the plan's insistence on cutting-edge technology as part of the region's economic integration could heighten such concerns in the eyes of members of the U.S. Congress. "I am very worried about that, but also about mainland Chinese companies using Hong Kong to turn themselves into Hong Kong companies, and using their Hong Kong-registered status to acquire various technologies, giving rise to international concern," he said. "This would harm Hong Kong's interests in the long term." Meanwhile, Ivan Choy, a senior politics lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said that greater economic ties were not the only likely outcome of the plan. "It could mean that there is greater assimilation ... and all I can say is that I hope that Hong Kong's core values would be respected, rather than distorted," Choy said. "I hope that they won't force us to accommodate them," he said. Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam welcomed the plan, however. "The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area is a national strategy personally devised, personally planned and personally driven by President Xi Jinping," the city's government said in a statement on Monday. "It is a key development strategy in the country's reform and opening up in the new era." "The Hong Kong SAR Government will fully seize the opportunities brought about by the development of the Greater Bay Area," it said. And Lam's second-in-command Matthew Cheung said China's promises of autonomy and a separate legal jurisdiction for Hong Kong following the 1997 handover would be kept, under the "one country, two systems" framework, however. "[Regional] development won't weaken one country, two systems ... It is obvious to anyone that Hong Kong is the most open city in the country, and it has the rule of law," Cheung said. Rendition to mainland However, the city's government is currently mulling plans to allow the executive rendition of criminal suspects to China at Beijing's request. Pro-democracy group Demosisto said the changes were an attempt to make it easier for China to "entrap" Hong Kong citizens who raised their voices in dissent against Beijing's policies. "The Hong Kong governments proposition to change a current law is an attempt to prepare to entrap oppositional voices for China, and is a step towards judicial integration and eroding Hong Kongs legal system, allowing Hong Kong citizens to be subjected to an autocratic Court," the group said in a Feb. 17 statement on its Facebook page. It said citizens of Taiwan and other countries could also be placed in jeopardy by the proposed changes, should they travel through Hong Kong, should Beijing decide that it wanted to accuse them of a crime. "Hong Kong should not hand over suspects to places that do not meet the standards of international human rights law, let alone to a legal system that is completely different from our own," the statement said, pointing to the arrests of several Canadian nationals on Chinese territory since the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on Dec. 1, 2018. It also cited the cross-border detentions of five booksellers -- including a Swedish and a U.K. national -- wanted for selling books banned in mainland China to customers there, despite the fact that their actions were entirely legal in Hong Kong. Currently, suspects must be wanted for a crime that is an offense in both jurisdictions, and to a list of 46 serious crimes including murder, assault and sex offenses. "Permitting a major criminal to stay in Hong Kong not only marks a violation of justice but also poses risk to public safety here," the city's Security Bureau said in recent statement, proposing that suspects could be arrested on the basis of a certificate issued by the city's chief executive instead. Judicial challenges would be available under the new system, but it was unclear whether there would be time for a suspect to initiate them. But critics say China -- the most likely jurisdiction to use the system -- lacks any judicial independence, paving the way for human rights abuses, should Hong Kong change the rules on extradition. The World Justice Project in 2017/18 ranked Chinas justice system 75th out of 113 countries, while Hong Kong came 16th. Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Lu Xi for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:45 am Western Washington is home to an extensive array of military facilities for active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard members. Many service members get introduced to the Pacific Northwests charms while stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Naval Station Everett, Coast Guard Base Seattle, Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and others. More than a few return to this area after discharge to enjoy the natural beauty this area has to offer. The Veterans Relief Fund (VRF), initially called the Soldiers and Sailors Fund, was established in the late 1800s by Washington State to assist indigent veterans and their families. The VRF continues to provide emergency assistance and referrals for indigent veterans living in Lewis County. The VRF is funded through property taxes collected in Lewis County per Revised Code of Washington (RCW 73.08.080). Each county in Washington administers its own VRF. An eight-member Veterans Advisory Board meets monthly to advise the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on the needs of local indigent veterans, the resources available, and programs that could benefit these veterans and their families. Board members must be veterans, are appointed by the BOCC, and may serve up to three two-year terms. Veterans in need who qualify for assistance through the VRF may receive vouchers for food or gas. Other assistance may be provided by the VRF for utility or rent payments and funeral expenses. Veterans may also receive help with transportation to Veteran Affairs appointments. At no time does a veteran receive cash through this program. To be eligible, someone must fall under the definition of a veteran, have been honorably discharged, have income that falls below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and live in Lewis County. Complete application and eligibility guidelines are online at: lewiscountywa.gov/publichealth/veterans-services. Referrals are often made to veterans who may not be familiar with resources for other forms of assistance not covered by the VRF. Some of these resources are: Centralia Food Bank: centralia.salvationarmy.org/ Chehalis Food Bank: greaterchehalisfoodbank.org/ Love INC: www.loveincoflewiscounty.org/ Community Action Council: www.caclmt.org/ Catholic Community Services: ccsww.org/ VA Crisis Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 or online chat VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat As a veteran myself, I get great satisfaction out of working for a program that exists solely to improve veterans lives. In any given year, we help several hundred veterans and their families transition to better circumstances right here in our own community. As an example, we had a family come in that needed assistance with their rent and were in the process of fighting an eviction notice. I was able to get the landlord to agree to stop the eviction process while we worked on a solution. Doing this prevented the family with children from being put out on the street and becoming part of our homeless population in Lewis County. For more information call Heidi Palmer at 360-740-1417, email Heidi.Palmer@lewiscountywa.gov, or go to lewiscountywa.gov/publichealth/veterans-services. NEW HAVEN A judge castigated James Kendrick Thursday for forcing hideous sexual contact upon a young girl, and then sentenced Kendrick to serve 16 years in prison for risk of injury to a minor. Superior Court Judge Brian T. Fischer called the victim, who was in court and spoke during the sentencing hearing, a remarkable young lady. She is incredibly strong, resilient and brave. After all she has been through, Fischer noted, she forgives him. The girl, who also testified during the trial last October about what she had endured at age 7 or 8, said in a brief statement Thursday that she still loves the relative who abused her, forgives him and is glad youre getting the help you need. The girl also said she is doing well in school. And she added, Im happy Im with my grandmother. Kendrick, 41, of New Haven, also spoke during the hearing. He apologized that the girl had to go through this legal situation. But he continued to maintain he is innocent. A jury last October found Kendrick not guilty on two counts of first-degree sexual assault. But just as Kendrick was heaving a sigh of relief in the courtroom, the jury foreman announced guilty on the third charge, risk of injury to a minor. At the outset of Thursday mornings hearing, Fischer noted Kendrick faced a possible maximum sentence of 20 years. The sentence Fischer imposed was 20 years, but to be suspended after Kendrick serves 16 years. He will then face 15 years of probation and must remain on the sex offender registry for the rest of his life. New Haven Public Defender Beth A. Merkin argued for the minimum possible sentence of five years. She said he tried to be the best he could be, still loves the girl and also worked hard to see that she did well in school. This man helped in her life, Merkin said. But Senior Assistant States Attorney Maxine Wilensky told Fischer that Kendrick committed the worst violation of trust of a child. He physically abused her and forced her to lie about the abuse. Wilensky cited Kendricks long list of convictions: 17 in all, for crimes such as threatening, unlawful restraint, assault, violations of protection orders and a previous sexual assault. She noted that in one case he forced a young woman to have sex with him at knifepoint. Theres absolutely nothing redeeming about this individual, Wilensky said. Merkin countered, I dont agree he has no redeeming qualities. At that point Merkin talked about how Kendrick encouraged the girl to do well at school. And she is a good student. Shes articulate. Shes going places. The girl was soft-spoken and subdued as she delivered her short statement of forgiveness. But her grandmother wept as she said, This family has been torn apart. I trusted him; I trusted him like my own son. She wouldnt say a word (about the abuse) because she was threatened, the grandmother said. I wish I could turn back the hands of time. I thank God that shes home with me today. In his statement, Kendrick, dressed in prison attire, told Fischer: I pray that her grandmother helps her through this. It is what it is. I had a trial; I was found guilty. I ask you to be merciful. Kendrick added, I was the best I could have been. I thought I did my best. I do feel I have things to offer to society. But Fischer said that during the offense, which occurred in 2011 or 2012, He had sexual contact with her in an indecent manner. Fischer noted in graphic detail what Kendrick had done to the girl. She was told by him not to say anything, Fischer said. She lived in fear of him and his corporal punishment. He told her, What happens in here stays in this house. For four to five years she didnt notify anyone. When he was incarcerated and she felt safe, she then told DCF (the state Department of Families) and her family. The impact on her is unimaginable, Fischer added. It has lifelong ramifications. He noted she is now in therapy. Fischer ordered Kendrick to stand in order to hear the sentence. Then Fischer told him: I have an obligation to protect society from sexual predators like you. After Fischer pronounced the sentence, he added the probation conditions. These include: no contact with the victim or her family, sex offender treatment, being on the sex offender registry for life, no contact with any minor under age 16, mental health evaluation and anger management treatment. Fischer also imposed a criminal protection order concerning the victim for 20 years. As the girl was leaving the courtroom, she received hugs from both Wilensky and Merkin. randall.beach@hearstmediact.com WINSTED A decision on whether to regulate short-term rentals on Highland Lake has been a long-term project for members of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Since October, the commissions twice-monthly meeting agenda has included the item: Discussion/Possible Action, on short-term rentals, without action being taken. Now, with plenty of research to back them up, the committee studying the issues plans to present their findings to the commission at 7 p.m. Monday. A public hearing on the issue will be scheduled soon after, subcommittee member Jerry Martinez said. Some of the information on the issue came from about 50 responses to a survey posted on the towns website. In addition, members of the Highland Lake Watershed Association were asked in their newsletter to weigh in on the subject. The newsletter defined short-term stays as those considered (as) a lease or rental agreement that is available to folks for less than thirty days. At a meeting last summer, five out of the six Highland Lake property owners said were against the plan, according to the minutes. Keith Becker, of 523 East Wakefield Blvd. said that he lives next to a short-term rental property that has new tenants nearly every night. Becker said the renters parked on his property. I had different folks walking by my home, he said, according to the minutes. Others said it has long been an expectation that property owners on the lake could rent out their homes and there is no need for additional policies or ordinances. Information from the American Planning Association notes while some communities may ultimately decide that short-term rentals do not have a place in established residential districts, there may be no effective enforcement mechanism for a blanket prohibition. Practically speaking, the article continued, the key is making regulations that are clear, easily enforced, and do not make residents or landlords out to be scofflaws unnecessarily. Martinez has said short-term vacation rentals are an issue facing nearly every town in Connecticut. STAMFORD The tussle over tolls has begun, and city lawmakers have no say in it. Installing electronic gantries on highways is a state matter, so members of the Board of Representatives can only watch as their counterparts in Hartford deliberate it. But representatives want to take a stand nonetheless. The boards Transportation Committee Thursday will discuss a proposed Resolution Opposing Tolls in Connecticut even though, if it passes, it will be no more than a statement. Whereas the governor and many members of the state Legislature have signaled support for the placement of tolls on Connecticuts major highways, the resolution reads, and whereas many of the residents of Stamford spend a significant amount of time on these traffic-congested roads, the board urges its elected representatives in the state Legislature to oppose any measure that would impose tolls on our constituents. The tax burden on residents is already higher than in other states, it reads, and motorists will get off the highways and clog city streets to avoid tolls. Board members should not be silent on such matters, said city Rep. Steven Kolenberg, R-16, one of eight resolution sponsors, split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. When a big issue like this comes up, our constituents feel helpless, Kolenberg said. If we cant do anything directly, we can at least get the attention of the people in Hartford. I worked for the state Legislature and I know they get deluged with communications from all over. It can be hard for them to differentiate the majority thinking on any one issue. This makes it easier. Its the legislative body in one of the biggest cities in the state saying, This is the feedback were getting. Board goes broad It isnt the first time the board has spoken on matters usually considered outside its jurisdiction. This month representatives voted 28-9, with one abstention, to pass a resolution urging the federal government to enact a National Revenue-Neutral Carbon Fee and Dividend. The goal of the measure, which environmental groups are pushing nationwide, is to slow climate change by charging producers of fossil fuels per ton of carbon emissions. In May, after state legislators failed to ban fracking waste the byproduct of hydraulic drilling for oil and gas the board passed an ordinance prohibiting it from being stored, dumped or processed in Stamford. In October again, after the state would not act the board banned plastic disposable bags. More Information The Board of Representatives' Transportation Committee will discuss the no-tolls resolution at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Republican Caucus Room on the fourth floor of the Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd. If the committee passes the resolution, the full board will take it up when it meets on March 4. See More Collapse And on Wednesday the boards Public Safety & Health Committee will take up a proposed ordinance to ban ghost guns 3-D printed firearms made of plastic that are virtually undetectable. State and federal governments have failed to protect people from the danger so the city will do so under public-safety laws, the proposal states. Roll it uphill City Rep. Bradley Michelson, R-1, said he voted against the carbon emissions measure because I dont know that we should be signing onto resolutions for national issues. But he is a sponsor of the no-tolls resolution. Resolutions can be an effective way to send a message about things that have to do with our community, Michelson said. Passing a resolution may not stop tolls, but maybe it will result in a smaller number of tolls, or otherwise reduce the impact on our constituents. City Rep. Denis Patterson, D-6, said he hopes the resolution spotlights the added cost to constituents. Not only will they have to pay more to get to and from work, but they will also have to pre-pay to load their EZ Pass accounts. In many family budgets the money simply is not there, Patterson said. My hope is that the governor and our legislators will be reminded that the proposed tolls will disproportionally affect those on limited and fixed incomes. City Rep. Jeffrey Stella, D-9, said lawmaking bodies of other cities should pass resolutions. It pushes state representatives to understand what the people want, and makes it easier for them to make a case for the people when they are voting in Hartford, Stella said. There are different layers of government. We on the board speak for our community. State reps do it on a larger scale. People say these things roll downhill they should roll uphill the same way. Resolution as weapon The board will vote on whether to take a stand on tolls independent of Mayor David Martin, who has been generally receptive to the idea of implementing tolls for I-95 and other major highways, his spokesman said Monday. Newly elected Gov. Ned Lamont said over the weekend he is considering tolling all vehicles, not just trucks, as he suggested during his campaign. The money, proponents say, is needed to pay for massive road, bridge and rail improvements. State Rep. David Michel of Stamford, D-146, said he has not heard of another municipality passing a resolution on tolls. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, for example, said Monday the City Council may consider one at its March meeting but, even though he and council members oppose tolls, they are waiting to see Lamonts budget proposal before weighing in. Michel said input from municipal lawmakers is effective. It shows what the people want, and gives us ammunition at the state level to fight for it, Michel said. State Rep. Matt Blumenthal of Stamford, D-147, agreed. Its valuable for them to be engaged on issues they are interested in, and that matter to their constituents, Blumenthal said. They are the best judge of what their constituents want them to do. State Sen. Carlo Leone of Stamford, D-27, said a resolution would add merit to the discussion about tolls. Were in Hartford every day now, so its good to know which towns support it and which dont. I would have to consider whether the resolution speaks for most people in the city, or its a partisan thing, but its probably a good guidepost, Leone said. Hes not sure that a resolution would sway my decision, Leone said, because my job is to flush out the debate with the facts and numbers. Still, he said, if towns are passing resolutions, its somewhat of a barometer. Reporter Zach Murdock contributed to this report. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296. Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:41 am In the front lobby of Washington States legislative building stands a larger-than-life bronze statue of Marcus Whitman, an exact replica of one located in the National Statuary Hall in Washington D.C. This and other commemorations of Whitman have come under recent debate about whether or not he is the best representation of Washingtons history. Whitman was a physician who brought many settlers to Washington by covered wagon. In 1847, after a measles outbreak killed many whites and Native Americans, Marcus Whitman and his family were murdered by members of the Cayuse tribe. Sides disagree on whether this attack was justified legal retribution or an act of revenge. Rowland Thompson, a Whitman College Graduate, spoke in opposition to Senate Bill 5237, which would create a work group to replace the statues in both capitals. This bill presumes to do a character assassination on someone who was alive 170 years ago, Thompson said. I think that you really need to think this through pretty carefully if youre going to head down this road. Whitman has a county, mission and college named after him in Washington, and is one of the states top honorees. The creation of a work group, which according to the bill would include historians, archeologists and legislators, is projected to cost more than $91,000. State Government and Tribal Relations chair Sam Hunt, D-Olympia, suggested that SB 5237 would not move past committee. The bills prime sponsor Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, said that the goal of the bill was simply to start a conversation about the issue. Four other Democratic senators from western Washington signed on to the bill. I think we benefit from looking at our history and recognizing that we as a society embrace ideas and images that fit the times in which we live, Sen. Carlyle said. Theres a healthy, open civic discourse. This is what makes a healthy democracy. Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:42 am Callen Ryan, an Adna High School student, traveled to Olympia recently to serve as a page in the state House of Representatives. He was sponsored by his 20th District Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis. Callen was a big help to my office this week. Its always exciting to see students from our district come to Olympia to serve as House pages, said DeBolt. By actively participating in the legislative process, they see the importance of being involved in local and state government. Callen has a big future ahead of him. I wish him all the best! Callen, a Chehalis resident, is the son of Kevin and Melissa Ryan. When the 15-year-old is not in school, he participates in sports, reads books, and works on cars and trucks. During his time as a page, Callen attended page school every day to understand the operations and actions of the Legislature. His time in Olympia culminated with the presentation of a mock bill to a committee of his fellow students. Each year, students from around the state apply to participate in the House Page Program. Students spend a week attending page school, learning the inner workings of state government and assisting legislators on the House floor. Pages earn $35 per day while serving in the program. To become a page, applicants must have a legislative sponsor, be between the ages of 14 and 16, and obtain written permission from their parents and school. For more information about the House Page Program go to leg.wa.gov/House/Pages/HousePageProgram.aspx or to learn more about the Gina Grant Bull Memorial Legislative Page Scholarship program go to leg.wa.gov/PageSchool/Pages/GinaGrantBullScholarship.aspx. Source: February 19, 2019 23:40 IST The Supreme Court has set aside an order declaring a man as foreigner whose Indian citizenship was denied on the ground of discrepancy in the name of his grandfather. A bench of Justices Rohinton Fali Nariman and Vineet Saran noted that character 'F' was replaced with 'M' in his grandfather's name in some of the documents. While in all the documents produced before it, the Assam native's own name -- Sirajul Hoque -- and his father's name -- Hakim Ali -- was same throughout, in some of the documents, his grandfather's name was shown as Kefatullah instead of Kematullah, it noted. It further noted that the name of the father of Kemtullah or Kefatullah, appears as Amtullah throughout all the documents. The discrepancies in Kematullah's name had led to the Foreigner's Tribunal declaring him a foreigner. Hoque's grandfather and father later lived in different villages was an additional ground for Tribunal's conclusion. The Gauhati high court had dismissed the petition filed against the tribunal's judgment. The apex court, however, noted that Hoque had successfully established his grandfather's and father's identity. "Having gone through these documents, we are of the view that it is not possible to state that Kematullah is not the same despite being named Kefatullah in some of the documents. This being so, the grandfather's identity, father's identity etc. has been established successfully by the appellant. "Further, the mere fact that the father may later have gone to another village is no reason to doubt this document. We, therefore, set aside the judgment of the High Court as well as the Foreigner's Tribunal and allow the appeal," the bench said. Apart from these documents, the court took on record certain other documents, including the National Register of Citizens Registration details of 1971, photo identity cards issued by the Election Commission of India and the identity cards issued to his brother, including voters lists in which the Hoque's name appeared. ***** SC expresses concern over illegal migrants lodged in detention centres in Assam for long The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over thousands of illegal migrants being kept in detention centres for years in Assam without being repatriated or deported to their countries of origin. "Don't you think some explanation is called from state government as to why these people are detained for such a long period? Many of them have been detained for last 9-10 years. What is the justification," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. Mehta, who was appearing for the Assam government, said there was a need for evolving a mechanism for repatriating them and it should be done expeditiously. The solicitor general explained the nitty gritty involved in dealing with the illegal migrants whose verification were done to determine their nationality before deporting them from the detention centres. However, the bench, also comprising justices L Nageswara Rao and Sanjiv Khanna, raised several issues connected with the detention centre and said that the detainees cannot be held for indefinite period. "For all these years, the living condition at the detention centre are far from satisfactory. People are detained for the last 10 years. You are unable to repatriate them," the bench said adding that 'condition in the detention centre are sub-human and it is pathetic'. The bench, which agreed to the request of the solicitor general to give him two weeks' time to address the concerns raised by it, posted the matter for March 13. In the order, the bench said, "For the present, the court is of the view that judicial attention would be required to be focused on two primary issues raised in the present writ petition, namely, the living conditions in detention centres and justification of the long detention of persons identified to be foreigners or convicted under the Foreigners Act, 1946 pending deportation." "The deportation process presently being followed and the erstwhile process, i.e., push back as disclosed in the affidavit of the state, would require a detailed consideration along with the fact as to whether there could be an alternative to housing the declared foreigners in a detention centre, in the first instance, and whether such detention in the detention centre should be the last option," the bench further said, adding that the affidavit filed by the Assam government has not covered the issue. It said that the Centre and the Assam government will have to come out with a clear stand on various issues by holding joint meetings with competent authorities of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs as suggested by the Solicitor General. The bench said there was a need for a clear stand on the issue of living conditions at the detention centres which are sub-human and there is need for 'justification for long detention of people as the Assam government has itself said that some of the detainees are there for 9-10 years'. Further, it said reference has been made of push back policy as the deportation process which was prevalent till March 2013. The solicitor general was responding to the January 28 queries of the apex court which had asked the Centre and the state to provide details of functional detention centres in Assam and the foreigners detained in them during the last 10 years. He told the apex court that 938 people are lodged in six detention centres in Assam and 823 of them have been declared foreigners by tribunals. The bench was told by Mehta that both the Centre and the state have filed their affidavits providing details sought by the apex court. The Centre said over 27,000 foreigners have been pushed back at border points while attempting to enter India illegally. The solicitor general said the Centre has allotted Rs 47 crore and Assam has provided land for building a new detention centre with various facilities, keeping in mind issues covering human rights. He said the new detention centre will be ready by August 31. However, when Mehta was making his submissions, the bench posed him several questions. It also said that tribunal has declared only 52,000 as foreigners and the Centre has deported only 166. "We are concerned that how 52,000 illegal immigrants will be going to be deported. You follow the policy of pushing them from one place and they come back from another place. "If the country of origin does not take them back that is also a problem. How the government of India is going to handle such problem. If you have to send them to the country of origin you cannot allow them to remain free. "You have to put them at a secure place. It is alleged that they are treated as sub-human," the bench said, adding 'How can people have confidence in Assam government?' The bench also referred to the issue of NRC carried by the Assam government and said 40 lakh people were not included in it. It asked does this mean they are foreigners. The apex court further said that the problem of illegal migrants in Assam has been there for the last 50 years but no steps have been taken to deport or repatriate them. Mehta said all illegal migrants have to go and he would take instructions how to expedite repatriation. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by activist Harsh Mander through advocate Prashant Bhushan on the plight of foreigners in detention centres. The plea alleges that they are kept in detention indefinitely just because they are not Indians and are treated as 'illegal aliens'. Source: Last updated on: February 19, 2019 18:21 IST The Uddhav Thackeray-led party was told that the MNS and the NCP are not politically untouchables for the BJP. IMAGE: BJP president Amit Shah with Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after announcement of an alliance between Shiv Sena and BJP for Lok Sabha and assembly polls.. Photograph: Shirish Shete/PTI Photo The Shiv Sena's sudden change from its stated opposition to having a poll truck with the Bharatiya Janata Party was the result of its managers impressing upon the Uddhav Thackeray-led party that it might lose its 'negotiating power' in case of the BJP emerging as the single largest party after elections, a BJP leader revealed Tuesday. Moreover, the BJP also pointed out a spate of meetings having taken place between Sena's arch rival Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Nationalist Congress Party leaders, and the possible backdoor agreement between the two parties. The BJP leader, who was part of negotiations to bring the Sena around, also said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party was also told that the MNS and the NCP are not politically untouchables for the BJP, which he said came as a "trigger" for Sena to lower its guard. "Though the Congress is opposed to forging any kind of alliance with the MNS, the fear of the NCP and the MNS forming an alliance behind the curtain was conveyed successfully to Shiv Sena leadership," he said. "In one of the recent meetings, it was bluntly communicated to Sena that the MNS and the NCP are not politically untouchables for the BJP," he added. Overcoming their strained ties, the BJP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led party on Monday announced to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections together. As per the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP will contest 25 seats and Shiv Sena 23 of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. The two parties will contest an equal number of seats, after allotting allies their due share of segments, in polls for the 288-member state Assembly, due this year. The BJP leader also acknowledged that Sena's support was crucial for his party for making a comeback to power, especially in the absence of the 2014 "wave". "Everybody in the BJP knows that there is no wave like 2014 ahead of Lok Sabha elections now. All we need is to secure the support of like-minded parties in the country. Sena's support thus became crucial as Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second biggest chunk after Uttar Pradesh," he said. Explaining the strategy adopted by the BJP during poll negotiations with the Sena, the leader said the party mainly focused on three points. "Our first argument, which nobody doubted, was that the BJP would anyway emerge as the single largest party after Lok Sabha elections even if it suffers reverses. This means the BJP will be invited first to form the government," he said. The leader further said the Sena was told that it would lose more seats than the BJP because "voters tend to favour a party and not a personality in Lok Sabha polls, and that the BJP has both". He said the Sena was told that it would lose its "negotiating power" and end up as one of the smaller allies of the BJP if the latter emerges as the single largest party. At present, Sena has 18 MPs in Lok Sabha, its biggest tally since its inception. It was also conveyed to Sena that the party could claim more portfolios in the Central government if it manages to retain its current stock post elections. "If Sena manages to retain its MPs, it could claim more portfolios rather than Heavy Industries ministry currently held by Sena leader Anant Gite," he said. A senior Sena leader said the party was disappointed from day one over the allotment of an insignificant ministry to Gite. "Sena had wanted better ministries but it could not get any. Now, the picture is changed. Now, the BJP is relying more on NDA and as a larger player among the regional parties, Sena could get better portfolios for its MPs," he said. Another BJP leader said, the party might have to allocate Palghar Lok Sabha seat to Sena though the BJP has won it four times so far. "The 23rd seat which Sena will be contesting is most likely to be Palghar," he said. Sena leadership has been strongly pitching for Palghar seat. In the bypoll held for the tribal-dominated Palghar constituency in 2018, Sena candidate Shrinivas Wanga was defeated by BJP's Rajendra Gavit. The seat was won by Srinivas' father Chintaman Wanga in 2014. His death had necessitated the bypoll. Source: February 19, 2019 09:30 IST Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Monday ended his sit-in in after a meeting with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, saying "partial success" was achieved on various demands. IMAGE: Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy hugs his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal as the latter arrives to support former's dharna outside the official residence of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi. Photograph: @VNarayanasami/Twitter Narayanasamy was staging a dharna in front of the assembly, which entered its sixth day on Monday, over various demands such as increasing assistance under old age and widow pension schemes. The chief minister also said he and his cabinet colleagues also suspended other agitations, including jail bharo and the fast slated for February 20 and 21. "We are suspending all the agitations slated for the next two days against Kiran Bedi as we could score partial success on various public issues at the meeting we had with her," Narayanasamy said at a press conference after a over four-hour-long meeting with Bedi at her office here tonight. He said after the talks with the Lt Governor he and his cabinet colleagues met at the committee room and it was decided "unanimously" by ministers and legislators that "the agitations including jail bharo and massive fast slated for February 20 and 21 are suspended". Narayanasamy also said the dharna outside the assembly was also called off immediately after the meeting. He said the talks were held at the invitation of the Lt Governor on various issues listed by him in his letter sent to her on February 7 . "Most of the important issues, including payment of monthly assistance to 10,000 new applicants under old age and widow pension ,and auctioning of the cooperative sugar mill to raise funds to pay farmers and workers were discussed, and the Lt Governor accorded her approval to these schemes," the chief minister said. She also accepted the government's representation for posting of teachers on contract basis and appointment of nurses in government hospitals, Narayanasamy said. On other issues, the chief minister said, Bedi told the ministers that she would consider their representations. "We are satisfied partially with the outcome of the meeting and are suspending all the agitations and calling off the dharna," he said However, the chief minister said, the campaign for statehood would continue "without a break". Source: Last updated on: February 19, 2019 18:54 IST Major Vibhuti Dhaundiyal attained martyrdom in an encounter with terrorists in Pulwama in Jammu Kashmir. IMAGE: Wife Nitika Kaul and other family members of Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhaundiyal, who lost his life in Pulwama encounter with JeM terrorists, pay their last respects to him ahead of his funeral in Dehradun. Photograph: PTI Photo Thousands of people turned up on the banks of river Ganga in Haridwar on Tuesday to bid a tearful farewell to Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhaundiyal, who died fighting terrorists in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The mortal remains of Major Dhaundiyal were consigned to flames with full state honours at Kharkhari cremation ground. The funeral pyre was lit by the young officers uncle Jagdish Dhaundiyal in presence of his father-in-law M K Kaul, whose daughter he had married less than a year ago. State Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik, Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, Pradesh Congress in-charge Anugrah Nararan Singh and Congress MLA from Dharchula, Harish Dhami, were prominent among those who attended the last rites of the martyr. IMAGE: Wife Nitika Kaul of Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhaundiyal, who was martyred in Pulwama encounter mourn near his mortal remains which were brought to his home in Dehradun. Photograph: PTI Photo Before the last rites of the slain Major were performed in Haridwar, a huge crowd gathered at his residence on Nashville road in Dehradun in the morning to pay homage. His mother Saroj, a heart patient, his wife Nikita Kaul and a number of relatives and friends were crying inconsolably as the Major's coffin was kept for people to pay their last respects at his residence. WATCH: Major Dhoundiyal's wife bids farewell Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat placed a wreath on the coffin to pay tribute to the martyr as chants of Shaheed Dhaundiyal Amar Rahein and Vande Mataram rent the air. IMAGE: Dhaundiyal's grandmother can't hold back her tears at the sight of her grandson's coffin. Photograph: PTI Photo People climbed their rooftops and stood on either side of the road leading to the officers residence to witness the sombre scene with tears in their eyes. The mortal remains were brought home in a coffin wrapped in the national flag late on Monday night. IMAGE: Army personnel and people gather around the mortal remains of Major Dhaundiyal in Dehradun. Photograph: PTI Photo The news of Major Dhaundiyals supreme sacrifice had come when Major Chitresh Bishts last rites were still underway in Haridwar on Monday. Major Bisht, also a resident of Dehradun, was killed while defusing a mine near the Line of Control in Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. February 19, 2019 11:20 IST Pakistan has sought the United Nation's urgent intervention to "defuse tensions" with India, the foreign office said on Tuesday, following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed. On February 14, at least 41 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, seeking his help to reduce the tensions between the two countries, Pakistan foreign office said. "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India," Qureshi wrote in the letter. India has rejected any third party intervention in the Kashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally. Qureshi, in his letter, said the Pulwama attack on Indian CRPF soldiers was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident. He said attributing the attack to Pakistan even before investigations was absurd. He alleged that for domestic political reasons, India deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment. Qureshi wrote that India has also hinted that it may abandon the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that it would be a grievous error. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," Qureshi said. He said India must be asked to conduct an open and credible investigation in the terror attack. "You may also consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down," he wrote. The foreign minister requested that the letter should be circulated to members of the Security Council and General Assembly. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the UN to intervene in Kashmir. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also sought the US' intervention, saying America was the "most relevant" party to get involved in Kashmir issue. The United States, however, has time and again reiterated that it is for India and Pakistan to discuss and decide on the pace and scope of their bilateral relationship. Source: Last updated on: February 20, 2019 00:06 IST India on Tuesday rubbished Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments on the ghastly Pulwama attack, saying disclaiming Pakistan's link with terrorist attacks is an oft-repeated excuse by the 'nerve centre' of terrorism. India's seven-point hard hitting response came hours after Khan said he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack if India shares 'actionable intelligence', but warned against any retaliatory action. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said India was not surprised that Khan refused to acknowledge the attack on India's security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism, adding his offer to investigate the attack if provided proof is a 'lame excuse'. "Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. "The Pakistani prime minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime," the Ministry of External Affairs said. "It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action," it said. At a Cabinet briefing on Tuesday evening, Union minister Arun Jaitley hit out at Khan for not making even a 'pretext' of outright condemnation of the Pulwama attack and showing not even 'lip sympathy' for the bereaved families. Days after the terror strike by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group killing 41 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces have been given free hand to avenge the dastardly act. In a video message, Khan responded to the Indian allegations on Pakistan's involvement in the attack in Kashmir last on Thursday. "The prime minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse. In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years," the MEA said. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, the MEA said, there has been no progress. "Promises of 'guaranteed action' ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan," the MEA said. Jaitley mocked Khan's demand for actionable intelligence from India, saying JeM has publicly acknowledged its hand behind the attack, adding India had provided the neighbouring country evidence and intelligence related to the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. "We know its fate," Jaitley said referring to lack of any concrete action from Pakistan against the terror group and its handlers involved in the attack. He dismissed Khan's statement as a diversionary tactic. The MEA said Pakistan claimed to be the greatest victim of terrorism but this is far from truth. "The international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve centre of terrorism," the MEA said. It also came down hard on the Pakistan prime minister for his comments linking India's upcoming general elections to the narrative of blaming Pakistan. He said it would make it easier to get votes from the masses. "It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that India's response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming general election," the MEA said. Rejecting the 'false allegation', the MEA said India's democracy was a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand. "We demand Pakistan to stop misleading the international community and take credible and visible action against the perpetrators of Pulwama terrorist attack and other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under their control," it said. On Khan's reference to build a new Pakistan, the MEA said, "In this 'Naya Pakistan,' ministers of the current government publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed who have been proscribed by the United Nations." "Pakistan's Prime Minister has called for dialogue and expressed his readiness to talk about terrorism. India has repeatedly stated that it is ready to engage in a comprehensive bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence," the MEA said. Reacting to Khan's message, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it was India which has been providing evidence but the neighbouring country has not taken any action on it. "Since the Mumbai attacks, not just this government, the earlier government also had sent dossiers after dossiers, evidence after evidence, what action has Pakistan taken on them?" she asked. Also, at every level India has been following the process of law and the Mumbai attackers had been brought to book and punished by court of law, she told a press conference in Bengaluru. "In Pakistan not even the first court is doing its job. There is nothing for Pakistan to show," she added. Sitharaman said she would not want to say how the government was going to respond to it as no word is sufficient enough to assuage the anger and disappointment of every person of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already allowed the Indian Army to respond at any given time and as they see fit, Sitharaman said. On the defence forces morale following the Pulwama terror attack, Sitharaman said "The morale is not affected at all, they are absolutely ready to do their job." "The response the people of India have shown, has brought greater motivation to them," she said. Asked what the government is doing to avoid a repeat of Pulwama type attacks, Sitharaman said India was gathering more information to prevent any such incidents in future. "The security agencies are working tirelessly to gather more information from the ground. Every effort will be taken to prevent any future incidents such as Pulwama Terror attack," she said. Meanwhile, Khan's message was met with skepticism by political parties which said it is time for him to 'walk the talk' on terrorism. While senior Congress leader and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh asked what proof was Khan talking about and whether India should send the bodies of the soldiers killed in the attack last week, People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said Pakistan was not being blamed without any evidence. Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said security agencies have 'strong evidence' on Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama attack and this has been clearly conveyed to the neighbouring country. The assertions by leaders across the political spectrum also came on a day when General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon said the Pakistan Army and its espionage agency Inter-Services Intelligence were involved in the car bomb attack. In a sharp reaction to Khan's remarks, Amarinder Singh reminded Khan that Masood Azhar was sitting in Bahawalpur in Pakistan and masterminding terror attacks with ISI's help. 'Dear @ImranKhanPTI (Pakistan tehreek e insaf) you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you can't let us know we'll do it for you,' Singh said in a tweet. About Khan's demand for proof of Pakistan's involvement, Singh told reporters, 'What proof is he talking about, should we take the bodies there? (Founder of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed) Masood Azhar is in Pakistan and doing things from there, and everyone knows it.' 'Every day our soldiers are being killed at the Line of Control -- so who's killing them?' asked the chief minister, declaring that the entire world knew what Pakistan was doing in Kashmir and other parts of India. 'They (Pakistan) were behind 26/11 (Mumbai terror attack) and India gave all the proof to them, but they did nothing,' Singh said. He said that even in the Rajasansi blast (at Nirankari Bhawan, Amritsar), a Pakistani grenade was used, clearly exposing their involvement. 'Time to walk the talk,' the chief minister said. 'Imran is a 'Courtesy ISI' prime minister, so how else can one expect him to react.' Singh further said 'Pakistani prime minister, along with their Army Chief General Bajwa, were killing Indian soldiers and innocent people. India cannot and should not tolerate this..if they kill one of ours, we should kill two'. Earlier, addressing a public gathering in Patiala at the foundation stone laying ceremony of few projects, Singh, a former army captain, underlined the importance of peace for development but said India needed to avenge the killing of its soldiers. 'Surgical strikes could be one way, but it was up to the Centre to decide what course of action it should take,' said Singh, making it clear that he was not in favour of war. Mehbooba Mufti, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, took to Twitter to react to Imran's assurance to India on taking action if there was proof of involvement of any Pakistanis. 'Disagree. Pathankot dossier was given to them (Pakistan) but no action was taken to punish the perpetrators. Time to walk the talk,' Mehbooba said. Rathore while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Delhi said: "The security and investigative agencies have strong evidence regarding this (Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama attack) and it has been clearly conveyed to them." His answer came in response to a question on the Pakistan prime minister's remarks seeking evidence. "Now, as the PM(Modi) has said, the security forces have been given a full freedom, they will work further in a planned manner," Rathore said. Asked about Khan's warning, he said India and its government know how to keep the country safe and will do so. "India is a responsible country and knows how to protect its people and will do so," he added. "India has made it clear that unless Pakistan shuns terrorism, no talks will take place. If talks take place, it will be for eliminating terrorism," the Information and Broadcasting minister said. Rathore said Pakistan has been given evidence several times in the past, but no action was taken by it. "We are still waiting for action on the Mumbai terror attack for which evidence was given to it." February 19, 2019 21:59 IST In a major boost to India's efforts to get Jasih-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar on the list of global terrorists, France will be moving a proposal at the United Nations in a 'couple of days' to ban the head of the UN-proscribed group, French sources said on Tuesday. Pakistan-based outfit JeM has claimed responsibility of the Pulwama terror strike that left 41 Central Reserve Police Force personnel dead. The proposal, when moved, will be fourth such bid at the UN in past 10 years. In 2009 and 2016, India moved the UN's Sanctions Committee 1267 to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of attack on the air base in Pathankot in January, 2016. India was joined by P3 countries -- the United States, the United Kingdom and France -- in the 2016 proposal. In 2017, these P3 countries moved a similar proposal at the United Nations. However, China has always blocked the proposal from being adopted by the UN. According to sources, this time around also, France, a permanent member of the UN, is expected to be joined by other countries in the proposal. "At the UN, France will lead a proposal to put Masood Azhar on the terrorist list... It will happen in a couple of days," a senior French source told PTI. The French sources also said that the country will insist on maintaining Pakistan on the 'grey list' of countries at the ongoing meet of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris. Pakistan was placed on the FATF grey list in June 2018 and put on notice to be blacklisted by October 2019 if it did not curb money laundering and terror financing. The French decision was discussed between Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday morning, sources added. While expressing his sincere condolences, the French leader, who called Doval, also emphasised that the two countries should coordinate their diplomatic efforts. The proposal will be a boost to New Delhi's efforts to designate Azhar as a global terrorist at the UN. After the Pulwama attack, New Delhi reached out to the international community, most of which condemned the terror strike, to highlight the role of Pakistan in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. China expressed deep 'shock' over the Pulwama attack carried out by a Jaish suicide bomber, but did not give an assurance to India that it will back New Delhi's appeal to list its chief as a global terrorist. Significantly, a day ahead of his visit to India, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a joint statement with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Pakistan on Monday also called for avoiding 'politicisation' of the UN listing regime, a position that may not go well in New Delhi. Photograph: PTI Photo Source: February 19, 2019 22:11 IST IMAGE: Central Industrial Security Force members pay tribute to CRPF soldiers who lost their lives in Pulwama terror attack, at Connaught Place in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo The Central Reserve Police Force's Srinagar-based helpline 'Madadgaar' has helped 250 students studying and working in various cities of the country to safely reach their homes in the Kashmir Valley, in the wake of purported threats made to them after the Pulwama terror attack, a senior official of the force said on Tuesday. The students largely hail from towns in south Kashmir and were brought home by CRPF personnel after they gathered in Jammu Monday night, he said. More than 250 Kashmiri students from Dehradun, Chandigarh, Delhi and others, who had reached Jammu on Monday, were provided food and then transported to Kashmir, the helpline posted on its Twitter handle. The helpline has received 60-70 calls since the February 14 Pulwama terror attack. The calls made by Kashmiri students and other professionals based in major metropolitan cities are largely about concerns of their safety and to seek help, the official said. A call was received on Monday about some protests being planned in a Gurgaon-based educational institution and the officials manning 'Madadgaar' immediately got in touch with the local administration, he said. The local police and college administration met the Kashmiri students and assured them that there was no reason to worry and the protest ended in about half-an-hour, he added. On Tuesday, a call was received from Jammu that some Kashmiri families wanted help to get rations and milk for children as there has been a curfew there for some time. The nearest CRPF battalion helped them with the food items, the official said. "We are all ears to any kind of problem being faced by any Kashmiri person living anywhere in the country," he said. A few days ago, the 'Madadgaar' helpline posted a tweet saying Kashmiri students and general public who are presently out of the state can contact it over the Twitter handle '@CRPFmadadgaar'. It can also be reached on 24x7 toll free number 14411 or people can send an SMS at mobile no: 7082814411 'for speedy assistance in case they face any difficulties or harassment'. On February 16, the Centre had issued an advisory and asked all states to ensure safety and security of the students and people from Jammu and Kashmir living in their areas. The advisory had come hours after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured an all-party meeting of doing the needful for the protection of the Kashmiri students and people who were allegedly threatened after the terrorist attack. The CRPF, that is deployed for security duties in Jammu and Kashmir, had launched the 247 helpline in June 2017 to help any Valley resident who is in distress. ***** 22 students held in Dehradun for protesting against Kashmiri pupils Twenty-two students were taken into custody for protesting outside a college in Dehradun, demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students, a senior police official said on Tuesday. They were arrested outside the Uttaranchal College of Science and Technology on Sahastradhara Road on Monday after they shouted slogans demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students, Dehradun SSP Nivedita Kukreti said. However, they were later let off on bail, she said. Protests broke out against Kashmiri students in the city after one of them studying in Sridev Suman Subharti University sent a WhatsApp message to his friends exulting over the terrorist attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama. The student has been arrested but there have been sporadic protests against Kashmiri students breeding a sense of insecurity among them. However, Kukreti said there has not been a single incident on Tuesday with no complaints or distress calls received from anywhere. Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:50 am Lawmakers, whale watchers and environmentalists reached a rare consensus at a hearing on a proposed speed limit for boats operating near Puget Sounds endangered southern resident orcas last week. However, they were less successful when it came to measures that would restrict commercial and other whale watching activities in the area. Senate Bill 5577 would make it illegal for a person to operate a vessel over seven knots in speed within a half nautical mile of southern resident orcas. It would also be unlawful for any whale- watch vessel to approach within 650 yards of the orcas until Jan. 1, 2023. Current regulations prohibit vessels from approaching within 200 yards of a southern resident orca or positioning themselves within 400 yards of the expected path of the animals. The bill was introduced in the Senate by 10 Democratic senators, with Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, as the prime sponsor. The bill incorporates several recommendations from the Southern Resident Orca Task Force, which Gov. Jay Inslee formed last year to develop a long-term plan for protecting the species. A companion bill also has been introduced in the House. Why do we need to quiet the waters? asked Todd Hass, who led the vessels working group for the task force. Because orcas are highly-auditory animals and take advantage of the typically great benefits of using sound-based signaling and hearing rather than vision. Watercraft operated by the federal government would not be subject to the regulations, nor would state, local and tribal vessels conducting law enforcement, search and rescue, and public safety missions. The bill would also establish a permit system for whale-watching operations in the inland waters of Washington. With permitting, regulators could refine the distance, the number of vessels and amount of time spent with the whales. The annual fees would range from $425 to $2,925 depending on the number of passengers carried. Only some operators with previous whale watch experience in Washington waters could be licensed. Slow boats are quiet boats, said Shane Aggergaard, captain and general manager at Island Adventures Whale Watching, who has been operating tours since 1996. My 30-meter catamaran that carries 150 passengers is quieter than my 28-foot Boston Whaler. Aggergaard said he agreed with the speed limit but opposed the 650-yard viewing distance for whale watch operators. If you increase the viewing distance, its essentially a moratorium, he said. If you have a moratorium, there wont be boats on scene to lead as an example. They do act as a sentinel around those whales, said Steve Finney, vice president of the Recreational Boating Association of Washington. They are professional. They know what theyre doing, and the recreational boaters do respect them for that. The bills supporters said that given the precariousness of the orcas continued existence, every measure should be taken to ensure their survival. The Southern residents are looking a lot like the canaries in the coal mine in the Salish Sea and Puget Sound, said Captain Alan Hobbes Buchanan, a Friday Harbor-based whale watch operator. He said he closed his whale watching business last October when he said he realized he was part of the problem. We need to take a precautionary approach given the severity and urgency of the situation, said Nora Nickum on behalf of the Seattle Aquarium. And we believe that means advancing all of the measures in this bill. Source: February 19, 2019 22:43 IST In a special gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received at the airport in New Delhi Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signifying importance India attaches to the visit by the leader of the powerful Gulf nation. The Crown Prince arrived in New Delhi on a less than 30-hour visit, a day after concluding his high-profile tour of Pakistan where he said dialogue was the only way to resolve 'outstanding issues' between India and Pakistan. In a tweet, Modi said India is 'delighted to welcome' the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. After Salman's arrival, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, 'A new chapter in bilateral relations. Breaking protocol, PM @narendramodi personally recieves HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives on his first bilateral visit to India!' The Saudi leader had returned to Riyadh from Pakistan. He and Modi will hold extensive talks on Wednesday during which India is likely to strongly raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. According a warm welcome, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday not only received the Crown Prince at the airport in Islamabad but also drove him to PM house. During their talks on Wednesday, Modi and Salman are also expected to look at ways to enhancing defence ties, including having a joint naval exercise, official sources said. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Crown Prince will leave New Delhi around 11:50 PM on Wednesday. His visit comes in the backdrop of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group in which 41 Central Reserve Police Force were killed. In a joint statement, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Monday called for avoiding 'politicisation' of the United Nations listing regime at a time when India was stepping up efforts to brand the JeM terror group's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The joint statement said the Saudi Crown Prince stressed that dialogue is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region to resolve 'outstanding issues' between India and Pakistan. Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad Riyadh will try to 'de-escalate' tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack. Official sources said Saudi Arabia was no longer accepting Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir and cross border terrorism and that India will forcefully raise the issue of Pakistan's support to terror groups during delegation level talks between Modi and the Crown Prince. They said the joint statement to be issued after talks between the two sides is likely to have strong reference about terrorism and ways to deal with it. Official sources said there has been a 'change' in the way Saudi Arabia looked at relations between India and Pakistan and that the powerful Gulf nation has a better understanding of the cross-border terrorism. The sources said the two sides are looking at joint exercise between the two navies besides significantly ramping up overall defence cooperation. India's bilateral trade with Saudi Arabia was $27.48 billion in 2017-18, making Saudi Arabia its fourth largest trading partner. Saudi Arabia is also a key pillar of India's energy security, being a source of 17 per cent or more of crude oil and 32 per cent of LPG requirements of India. Recently, Saudi ARAMCO in partnership with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company of United Arab Emirates has agreed to partner in Ratnagiri Refinery and Petro-Chemical project Ltd which is a joint venture of $44 billion. Indian partners are Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. The Crown Prince is expected to travel to China from India. Source: February 19, 2019 15:29 IST Brigadier Harbir Singh, who was injured in an operation against Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists on Monday in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, had cut short his leave to lead his soldiers from the front, a senior army officer said Tuesday. IMAGE: Security forces personnel arrive for the reinforcement during a gunbattle with terrorists at Pinglan area of Pulwama in south Kashmir on Monday, February 18, 2019. Photograph: S Irfan/PTI Photo "Brigadier Harbir Singh, who is among the injured, was on leave at home. When he realised at midnight that the operation has started, he cut short his leave voluntarily and rejoined," General Officer Commanding of Army's 15 Corps Lt Gen K J S Dhillon told reporters in Srinagar. Lt Gen Dhillon was briefing reporters about the operation that led to elimination of three Jaish terrorists who were responsible for the suicide car bomb attack on Central Reserve Police Force on February 14 in which 40 security personnel were killed. "He (Brigadier Singh) came back to Kashmir and went straight to the operational site. He was leading his men from the front. DIG Amit Kumar (who was also injured) again was leading his men from the front and you would see from the injuries to our officers, it shows our commanders were leading the operation from the front and we were able to achieve nil civilian casualties," Lt Gen Dhillon said. He said the Army officers will continue to lead from the front during operations in future as well. Major V S Dhoundiyal, three Army soldiers and a policeman were killed in the gunbattle at Pinglan in Pulwama district on Monday. Several other personnel including DIG Kumar, Brigadier Singh, a Lt Colonel and a captain were among the injured. He said all the personnel, who sustained injuries during Monday's operation as well as those injured in the car bomb attack last week, were now stable and undergoing treatment. Asked about the high number of casualties in the operation, Lt Gen Dhillon said the security forces wanted to avoid any civilian casualties. "There were two to three main reasons for it. We did not want civilian casualties. As you are aware, other than one civilian casualty, which happened due to terrorist fire in the initial stages itself, not a single civilian has been injured in this operation that lasted 17 hours. That is the risk we took, We took it on our chin," he added. Lt Gen Dhillon asked people to not go near the encounter sites. "At the same time, I would like to convey to people to please stay away from the encounter site during the encounter and after the encounter for your own safety. During the encounter crossfire, something can go wrong and after the encounter because of the leftover explosives, it can cause injury or death," he said. Source: Last updated on: February 19, 2019 14:39 IST Corps Commander Lt Gen K J S Dhillon of the Chinar Corps also requested mothers of Kashmiri militants to persuade their sons to surrender. Photograph: Umar Ganie/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Lt General KJS Dhillon, center, along with Inspector General of Police of Kashmir SS Pani, left and IG CRPF (Operations) Zulfiqar Hassan, right. addresses a joint press conference at Armys 15 Corps headquarters, Badami Bagh in Srinagar on Tuesday. The Pakistan Army and its espionage agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence, were involved in the car bomb attack that left 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel dead, a top Army official said on Tuesday, also sending out the message that anyone picking up the gun in Kashmir would be eliminated unless he surrenders. The Jaish-e-Mohammad leadership in Kashmir was eliminated within 100 hours of the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama, General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon added at a press conference along with IG Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan. On Monday, three Jaish terrorists were killed in a 16-hour operation in Pinglan area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, 12 km from the spot of the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy. An Army major and four security personnel also lost their lives. "The Jaish-e-Mohammad is the brainchild of Pakistan Army and it is the Pakistan Army and ISI that controls Jaish-e-Mohammad. The involvement of the Pakistan Army is 100 per cent and there is no doubt in it," Dhillon told reporters. He also appealed to the parents of Kashmiri youth who have joined the ranks of militants to persuade their sons to surrender or face elimination. "I would like to tell the parents of Kashmiri youth, especially the mothers... to request their sons, who have joined terrorism, to surrender and return to the mainstream. "Anyone who has picked the gun in Kashmir will be eliminated, unless he surrenders. This is a message and request to all of them," he said. Giving details of Monday's operation, he said the three Jaish terrorists killed included Kamran, the self-styled chief operations commander of the outfit in Kashmir valley. "On specific information the day before (intervening night of Sunday and Monday), we hit this module and I am happy to inform the country that in less than 100 hours of the car bomb attack, we eliminated the JeM leadership in Kashmir," he said. WATCH: Arm'y warning to Kashmiri militants Security forces were tracking the Jaish's top leadership ever since the February 14 attack for which the group has claimed responsibility, the Army officer said. "The attack was carried out by JeM and it was being controlled by Pakistan with the support of the ISI and the Pakistan Army. The local top commanders, most of them Pakistanis, who were in charge of controlling, coordinating, fabricating and execution of this operation were the main people of the JeM in the Valley," he said. Last week's strike, when a suicide bomber drove an explosives laden car into a bus, was a first for Kashmir, he said. "With this type of intensity, it has never happened before. However, similar incidents have happened in other countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. "Since this modus operandi has now been started by terrorists, we are alive to it... we are keeping all options open to deal with this type of modus operandi in future," he added. Asked if Gazi Abdul Rashid, one of the Jaish terrorists killed on Monday, had an Afghanistan connection, Dhillon said, "Many Gazis have come and gone. There is nothing new in it... We will handle it, Let any Gazi come." Referring to infiltration attempts, he said there was not much activity along the Line of Control due to snowfall and terrain conditions over the past month but Pakistan has been pushing in infiltrators from other routes on the Jammu side. "There has been infiltration on the other routes, that is from the international border sector and south of Jammu in the area of Samba, Hiranagar and Pathankot sector. That infiltration is continuing... Pakistan is carrying out infiltration into Kashmir for the results they want." Nonetheless, the numbers have reduced in the recent past, Dhillon said. "... anyone who enters Kashmir Valley will not go back alive," he warned. According to him, radicalisation of the youth was a concern but efforts directed at reversing the trend had started. "Inimical elements are involved in the radicalisation of youth of Kashmir but the efforts of government security forces and opinion makers have helped reduce it. I would say it is a work in progress and we will continue our efforts and attempts in a collective manner," he said. Sending out a message to parents whose children had taken up the gun, he said the government had initiated a "very good surrender policy" so their children could join the mainstream. The GOC said local recruitment had come down in recent months. Elaborating, IG Pani said there was a significant dip in the recruitment of local youth in militant ranks due to the elimination of top commanders. "There has not been much of it in the past three months. There are families who have played a key role and made a lot of effort to bring their sons back. Families and the community have an important role to play in this," Pani said. February 19, 2019 18:44 IST The matter pertains to the Rs 173.8 million severance offer given to former CFO Rajiv Bansal in October 2015 when he was allegedly forced to step down due to differences with then chief executive Vishal Sikka over the acquisition of Israeli technology firm Panaya for $200 million. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has accepted Infosys consent plea and settled the charges of disclosure lapses pertaining to the severance package paid to the company's former chief financial officer (CFO) Rajiv Bansal. According to a Sebi order passed on February 15, the IT major has paid Rs 34.35 lakh to the regulator under the settlement proceedings regulation. The matter pertains to the Rs 173.8 million severance offer given to Bansal in October 2015 when he was allegedly forced to step down due to differences with then chief executive Vishal Sikka over the acquisition of Israeli technology firm Panaya for $200 million. Following this settlement, the regulator has disposed of the "proposed adjudication proceedings in respect of the applicant for the defaults". Enforcement actions, including restoring or initiating the proceedings, could be initiated if any representation made by them is found to be untrue, the Sebi order said. The company in its meeting with the regulator's internal committee in February 2018 had proposed to pay Rs 34.35 lakh towards settlement charges. The amount was approved by the panel of whole-time members of Sebi, the order noted. The regulator had initiated the adjudication proceeding against the technology major in 2017. The company filed a consent application subsequently after a Sebi show-cause notice was issued. During Sebi's examination of the Infosys scrip, issues pertaining to severance payment to Bansal was also looked into. Bansal resigned from the company on October 11, 2015, according to the order. During the examination, prima facie, it was found that the severance payment was made without the prior approval of the audit committee. Even the nomination and remuneration committees were not consulted. These were found to be in violation of the various listing norms. While questions were raised about the companys disclosure norms, Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy sought removal of R Seshasayee as chairman over governance issues. The public spat led to Sikka and Seshasayee quitting Infosys in August 2017 and co-founder Nandan Nilekani returning to take charge till things normalised. With the consent plea, Infosys is looking to put an end to a two-year saga that saw a major management and board churn. The deal with Bansal had turned controversial, setting off speculation that there could be wrongdoing in the Panaya acquisition. An anonymous whistleblower had written to the Infosys board and market regulators calling for an investigation into the deal. Photograph: Abhishek N Chinnappa/Reuters February 19, 2019 09:00 IST Their plan to build a product portfolio will discourage global software vendors such as Oracle, Microsoft and Fidelity, among others, from building a strategic relationship with these big Indian IT firms, reports Debasis Mohapatra. Photograph: Kind Courtesy, Tata Consultancy Services Domestic information technology services firms such as Tata Consultancy Services and HCL Technologies are likely to witness a part of their services business being cannibalised in the near term. This is because their plan to build a product portfolio will discourage global software vendors such as Oracle, Microsoft and Fidelity, among others, from building a strategic relationship with these big Indian IT firms. Though the value of software outsourcing contracts from these global firms are not big and pegged at not more than $10 billion, collaboration with these software majors not only provides Indian IT services firms an opportunity to get new clients from such tie-ups but also helps them develop expertise in those platforms. Analysts also said the product and platform (P&P) portfolio has to maintain an arm's length with the services business for forging deeper engagement with global majors as any concern over data leakage may lead to litigation. "The more the Indian companies grow their product and platform business as part of a distinct strategy, the more the chances are for cannibalisation of their services business," said Pareekh Jain, founder of Pareekh Consulting. "So, these firms have to tread very cautiously by building up a Chinese wall between products and services businesses," he added. Globally, many software vendors, which have their own platforms, collaborate with Indian IT services players to execute large contracts. While domestic IT firms take up IT outsourcing works of these global tech majors, they leverage the latter's software platforms to execute large contracts. So, in a way, both become each other's customers. Marquee global clients with their own platforms include Microsoft and Oracle in the enterprises space, Fidelity in the financial services domain, Ericsson in the telecom sector, and Epic Systems in the healthcare segment, among others. "When an IT firm starts using its own platform, which puts it in a direct competition with a global technology vendor, it may not result into a 360 degree partnership with that entity," a former IT outsourcing advisor said. Among domestic IT majors, TCS and HCL Technologies have shown clear ambitions to build a strong product and platform-led portfolio in their bid to gain more assured revenues from this segment. Photograph: PTI photo For instance, TCS, which reports revenue from products and platforms under regional markets and others, reported 22.6 per cent (yoy) growth from this segment that constituted 18.7 per cent of its overall revenues in Q3 of this fiscal year. The Mumbai-headquartered company's cognitive automation platform Ignio alone clocked a revenue of $31 million in the first three years of launch that ended in March 2018, and it is eyeing to reach $100 million in the next two years. However, TCS's efforts to create its own platform were not free of controversies as the company in 2014 had to face litigation from US firm Epic Systems which accused the Indian IT major of stealing trade secrets for building its own healthcare platform. TCS, which has repeatedly denied the allegation, is currently contesting it in US courts. Apart from TCS, HCL Technologies has also shown clear ambitions to devise a sound product and platform strategy. As a part of this, the Noida-headquartered company bought seven IPs from IBM at a valuation of $1.8 billion in December last year. From this deal, the company expects to derive higher revenues of $650 million annually from 2021 with an operating margin of about 50 per cent. Emails sent to both TCS and HCL Technologies last week remained unanswered till the time of going to press. However, as these firms devise strategic plans to emerge major product players in the global IT industry, some analysts are of the opinion that though revenue from the legacy business may dip due to this shift to platform-led growth model, earnings from platforms will more than compensate for this drop in the coming years. "Products and platform clients tend to buy implementation and maintenance services if provided with competitive rates (unlike SAP and Oracle). This will more than make up for the cannibalised revenues, if any," said Vishwakumar Nandagopal, director & head of India operations at ISG, a technology research and advisory firm. "It's premature to think that TCS and HCL will become competitors likes Oracle and Microsoft in a true sense," he added. Posted Monday, February 18, 2019 4:58 pm Life in East Lewis County is returning to normal after last weeks devastating snowstorm that knocked out power and phone lines, made roads impassable and led the county to declare a state of emergency as responders deployed from throughout the region. Everyones happy to see the pavement again, said county commissioner Gary Stamper. Were ready for spring. By Thursday night, power had been restored to most of the area, said Bryan Watt, operations manager with the Lewis County Public Utility District. At the apex of the outage, power had been out everywhere from Mossyrock east 9,000 households and half of the countys area. Watt said the exhausted crews from his agency and others many of whom worked 30-hour shifts amidst the outages took pride in getting service back up and running. When I saw everybody on Friday, there were a lot of smiles, he said. Everyone was tired, but they came together. Im really proud of everybody. At one point, 60 line and tree workers were deployed in East County, 24 of whom were crews from Cowlitz, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties who came in to help local PUD workers. It wasnt just crews in bucket trucks who helped the PUD respond, Watt said. He noted dispatchers, engineers, superintendents and numerous other support staff inside and outside who spent days helping however they could. Asked how many downed lines the utility ended up repairing, Watt sighed. I have no idea where to even start a lot, he said. The PUDs outage map showed no service disruptions anywhere in the county as of Monday afternoon. Still, that doesnt mean the utilitys work is done. Leaders are meeting this week to gather up loose ends and determine what long-term work will need to be done as a result of the storm. Everybodys powers on, but I know there are some things that are going to need to be fixed and addressed, Watt said. Some of that stuff is going to have to wait until the snow melts. Meanwhile, the Washington State Department of Transportation also spent long days working to restore road access to the area, especially on state Routes 7 and 508, which were closed for awhile as a result of downed limbed and impassable snow conditions. WSDOT maintenance supervisor Jim Gerwig said he was unsure of just how many snowplows and road graders had been deployed to the area, but credited his workers for getting the roads reopened. We worked around the clock, he said. They all put in long hours, they gave up their days off. Everybody just worked their butts off. Gerwig noted that Route 7 is an important north-south road when Snoqualmie Pass is closed as it was last week and also gets a lot of traffic bound for the White Pass Ski Area. Reopening that route proved challenging, as spun-out semis had to be freed from the snow and many downed trees needed to be removed. WSDOT crews spent four days in the area, three of them focused on Routes 7 and 508, Gerwig said. The wet, heavy snow that downed so many trees made this storm a different beast than many of the storms that have hit the area in the past. Weve seen these snow conditions before, but the downed trees are what made it so bad this time, he said. Officials with Lewis County, the PUD and WSDOT all credited their counterparts for working together and coordinating the response to the storm. According to Stamper, the countys Public Works crews spent three straight days working 18-hour shifts to clear the roads. It was quite a response and a lot of cooperation between agencies, state and local, said county commissioner Edna Fund. It felt good, everybody working together to help others out. More snow is possible in East County later this week, and while predictions arent dire yet, everyone is hoping conditions remain mild, following the all-out effort to rebound from the previous storm. It makes me kind of nervous, Fund said. , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Has the time come for France to award a new appellation dorigine controlee? The coveted distinction is reserved for products uniquely tied to the geography of France, like wine from the Cotes du Rhone and cheese from Camembert. Could it also be applied on something less tangible, but nonetheless quite palpable -- namely, anti-Semitism? One hundred and twenty-five years after the onset of the Dreyfus Affair, which served as the crucible for modern anti-Semitism, we must ask the question, if only because of recent events in France surrounding les gilets jaunes, or yellow vests. The yellow vests are, of course, the protestors who have taken center stage -- or, more accurately, the center lanes of highways, boulevards and traffic circles -- in France since last November. Heaved into being by the governments plan to raise the gasoline tax, they have morphed into a many-headed movement. Marked by a widespread sense of ras le bol, or deep dissatisfaction, many of the yellow vests have repudiated not just specific actions of the government, but also the governments very legitimacy. As this movement takes root in Frances political landscape, noxious weeds begin to grow alongside it. Beside the hundreds of rioters who delight in defying police, defacing monuments and destroying property, there have also appeared racist and anti-Semitic elements in the demonstrations. The occasional banner lambasting Macron as a Jewish whore and declaring that Macron=Zion have fluttered over demonstrators, while groups of yellow vests have photographed themselves giving la quenelle, a Nazi-inspired salute invented by Dieudonne, a comedian who has repeatedly been hauled into court for anti-Semitic remarks. After the police lobbed tear gas grenades at a group of rioters in late December in Paris, some of them shouted: We are being gassed like Jewish sons of bitches. Even more alarmingly, several yellow vests surrounded the well-known writer and intellectual Alain Finkielkraut last weekend on a Paris boulevard. As they closed in the easily identified Finkielkraut, far better known than any American intellectual is to the general public, they slung obscenities like Get out of here, you shitty Zionist and France Belongs To Us at him. Fortunately, riot police arrived, drove a wedge through the group and escorted Finkielkraut to safety. Clearly shaken, he remarked: I felt their utter hatred and, unfortunately, this was not the first time. Leaders across the political spectrum, with the notable exception of Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the extreme-left La France Insoumise, immediately denounced the attack. Yet these condemnations, though imperative, will prove impotent. The rebukes, after all, come from representatives of the same traditional political parties and institutions denounced by the yellow vests. The circling of the political wagons perversely lends credibility to the conviction of many yellow vests that they face a vast conspiracy. One of the movements leaders, Maxime Nicolle -- who goes by the handle Fly Rider -- alludes to mysterious global plots against an embattled French nation, describing the recent Marrakesh Treaty as a cover for 500 million refugees to slip into Europe. There is a porous line between conspiratorial and anti-Semitic worldviews. This has long been the case in France, where anti-Semitism has erupted with the regularity and violence of Mount Etna. Just think of the bursts of lava from Edouard Drumont, author of the late 19thcenturys best-selling Jewish France, and Charles Maurras, the prominent interwar intellectual who declared that Leon Blum, the countrys first Jewish prime minister, was a man to be shot, but in the back. Or the billows of ashes from Xavier Vallat, the Vichy minister in charge of Jewish Affairs, who proudly insisted that he was an older anti-Semite than was a visiting SS officer and the National Fronts founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, who dismissed the Holocaust as a mere detail. Anti-Semitism, in short, has long been the uncanny guest of French history. Herein lies the potential danger of the yellow vest movement. Though their frustration and fears are real, their frenzy to de-legitimize republican institutions risks re-legitimizing anti-Semitic activities. If there is something rotten in the state of France, there must be a guilty party. If you cannot guess who that might be, you have not been paying attention to the recent past. In a study released last week by the Institut francais dopinion publique, 44 percent of gilets jaunesbelieve in the existence of a global Zionist conspiracy, as opposed to 22 percent of the general population. Moreover, even if the majority of yellow vests are not anti-Semitic, anti-Semites have them to thank for a growing safe space. That safe space has been occupied by violence. Last week, the Interior Ministry stunned France by announcing that the number of anti-Semitic attacks, verbal and physical, had risen by nearly 75 percent, from 311 in 2017 to 541 last year. While history never repeats itself, it does like to riff on certain themes. For this reason, the outrage and revulsion expressed by Frances political and cultural elites at these instances of anti-Semitism is heartening. No less heartening is the publics growing disillusion with the excesses, but not the essence, of the yellow vest movement. The coming weeks and months will decide whether the AOC label should expand to French-made products other than cheese and wine. The views expressed are the author's own. Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:53 am The state House Health Care and Wellness Committee voted 10-5 Friday to advance a bill removing the personal or philosophical exemption for school-age children to avoid receiving the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Rep. Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, cast one of the votes against the bill, which was crafted following a measles outbreak in Clark County that has sickened 54 people, mostly unvaccinated children, as of Friday afternoon. Opponents of the bill packed a hearing on Feb. 8 to voice their concerns that the shots can have negative effects instead of immunizing people from contagious illnesses. I think the bill was rushed through without being well thought out, DeBolt said. I think there could be a dialogue on this, but I dont think either side was really willing to have one. So, I just looked at the bill in front of me and I couldnt make a choice based on a maybe or a what-if. DeBolt took issue with language in the bill that he said left the door open for unvaccinated people to be sent home from work or school without cause. He also wants parents to be able to cite family medical history as a reason to exempt their children from vaccines. A great example would be a family with children who have had someone in their lives die from the vaccine, DeBolt said. It may be one or two generations separated, but lets say your doctor says theres a 20 percent chance of some complication, are you still going to have your child vaccinated? Under this bill, you dont get that choice anymore. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Washington kindergarten enrollees cited a philosophical, personal or religious exemption at a 4 percent clip, double the national average. DeBolt said he could support a more limited version of the bill, one that took into account religious exemptions along with his other concerns. He is less inclined to support continuation of exemptions on purely personal grounds. The legislation, House Bill 1638, will now move to the House Rules Committee. It is expected to receive a favorable vote there and be taken up by the full chamber. Posted Tuesday, February 19, 2019 9:54 am Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, whos been among the most frequent legal challengers of the Trump administration, indicated Monday that hes preparing yet another battle in court over the Presidents emergency powers declaration to fund a wall on the southern border. Theres no question in our mind that what hes doing is unlawful, Ferguson said Monday during a rally at the Capitol Campus in Olympia. In order to come up with the billions of dollars that the President wants to build this wall, he will be raiding funds across this country. He will be raiding those funds already allocated by Congress and using those for his so-called emergency. If any of the funds used for the wall end up affecting Washington taxpayers, Ferguson said his legal team is poised to challenge the declaration. My team has prepared a potential lawsuit, he said. If any of those funds that he raids impact the state of Washington, if he impacts the people of the state of Washington, if he impacts the the projects here in the state of Washington, we have four words for him: See you in court. At the rally, attended by scores of activists with signs denouncing Trump, Ferguson highlighted the 33 times hes sued the administration, noting that the 17 cases that have already been decided have all gone against Trump. He said hes also been coordinating with attorneys general in other states over plans to block the wall declaration. Rep. Denny Heck, D-Olympia, also spoke at the rally, predicting that Ferguson and others would nix Trumps wall-building ambitions. Not one inch of that wall will be built under his declaration of emergency, said Heck. Hes gonna get sued by great attorneys general like Bob Ferguson, by the (American Civil Liberties Union), by a lot of other groups. Its gonna get stayed in court. Heck also said that he anticipated both the House and Senate would pass resolutions to end the emergency declaration, but would not predict if they could muster veto-proof majorities. Trumps declaration, he added, is an attempt to save face after he signed a funding bill to end the 35-day government shutdown without getting the $5 billion he had demanded for a wall. We kicked his butt in the omnibus budget bill, he said. Donald Trump doesnt get up early enough any morning of the week to take on (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi. Urjanet, the global leader in utility data aggregation, today announced a call for nominations for the 2019 SPARK Awards, which recognize industry pioneers making innovative uses of utility bill data to better serve consumers, clients, community partners and the global environment. Winners of the inaugural SPARK Awards will be selected by a panel of distinguished experts and presented with their awards at the closing ceremony of SPARK 2019, Urjanets annual customer conference, April 25-26, at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center in Atlanta. The deadline for nominations is March 29 . The SPARK Awards will honor companies in four categories: Leader in Energy & Sustainability This award will be presented to a large-scale commercial company that is using utility data to achieve significant energy efficiency or sustainability targets across the business Leader in Community Engagement Recognizing innovation making clean energy more accessible to a broader population using utility data and utilizing community engagement initiatives to support and expand clean energy adoption Most Innovative Use of Utility Data This award will recognize an innovation transforming the use of utility data in ways that have never been seen before, addressing new markets and doing good with data Leader in Financial Inclusion An innovative company in the financial services industry will be awarded based on using new technology or risk scoring models to expand credit access to the underbanked The judging panel, led by Urjanet CEO, Sanjoy Malik, is composed of respected industry media, analysts and enterprise executives. All current Urjanet customers are eligible to submit. The judging criteria includes an assessment of applicants impact within the scope of the award category and evaluation of how it harnessed automated utility data to solve its business problems and scale. One winner from each category will be announced April 25. Entry forms must be completed and submitted by March 29, 2019; there is no nomination fee. Interested participants can find the nomination form here, or it can also be obtained and submitted by emailing spark(at)urjanet(dot)com. SPARK is a highly engaging event for our customers, allowing them to learn from their peers and industry leaders about the various ways that utility bill data can transform business--from impacting sales to expanding credit to the underbanked to achieving ambitious energy efficiency objectives, said Sanjoy Malik, CEO of Urjanet. The addition of the awards program will give companies the platform to showcase their commitment to applying innovative and new approaches to achieve meaningful and quantifiable business results. We are excited to see who makes it to the winners circle and celebrate their achievements with them. The SPARK Award is just one element of Urjanets dynamic SPARK event, a two-day conference filled with insightful presentations, educational workshops and networking. Considered a not-to-be-missed event, SPARK is where leading organizations like Coca-Cola, UPS, Schneider Electric, Newell-Rubbermaid, Siemens, and General Electric discuss how they achieve their goals by putting their utility data to work. For more SPARK Awards information and nomination guidelines, please visit: https://urjanetspark.com/spark-awards/. For more information about SPARK, the conference, please visit: https://urjanetspark.com/. About Urjanet Urjanet unlocks the power of utility invoice and interval data by connecting to a global network of over 5,000 electric, natural gas, water, and waste providers, and delivering aggregated, normalized information to meet an organizations exact utility data needs. We simplify how organizations access and use utility data, enabling you to focus on your business. For more information, visit urjanet.com. Urjanet Media Contact: Alison Flood PR(at)urjanet(dot)com Providing unique experiences can often be the highlight of any conference, so choosing the right venue and creating the perfect vibe is essential. Tripleseat, the leading web-based event sales and management platform, today revealed 10 of the most booked venues in Austin just in time for the SXSW Conference and Festival in March. Tripleseat services over 5,000 unique venues, restaurants and hotels to help increase event sales and streamline the planning process. The software is used by over 41,000 event professionals on a daily basis. As festival-goers continue to plan their trips to Austin, Tripleseat pulled data to reveal the event spaces most booked in 2018. Whether hosting a dance party or Italian family-style dinner in Austin, the following 10 unique venues were among the top places booked for events last year. Perry's Steakhouse & Grille - Downtown Austin Known for its hip, urban music scene, and delicious food, with an upscale flair, Perrys is located in the historic Norwood Tower within walking distance of the Capital Complex and other downtown landmarks. Native Experiential Hostels - Downtown Austin An experiential hostel offering a kinetic collision of music, arts, warm beds, sleepless nights, culinary delights and spirits for guests to enjoy an intimate parlor lounge and cafe, bar and kitchen serving craft cocktails, and a 3,500 square-foot multipurpose events space. La Condesa - Downtown Austin Enjoy a unique experience in the subterranean private dining room with separate rooms for cocktails and family-style dining for up to 20 guests. South Congress Hotel- South Congress The indoor and outdoor event spaces serve as a fresh canvas for social events, especially for the more creative. Buca di Beppo - Austin The restaurant offers group dining in an eclectic, vintage setting. Buca's family-style dishes are perfect for groups of all sizes. Galvanize Austin- Northshore Austin Galvanize welcomes groups of 20 to 200 in its unique and beautifully designed, modern-industrial event spaces. Galvanize creates and hosts dozens of events each week - from meetups to hackathons and everything in between. North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery - Stonelake The brewery is available for a variety of different events. Chef George Powell and staff provide a wide range of catering options: anything from an elegant bridal shower brunch to a birthday dinner and, of course, everything in between. Hotel Ella - Downtown Austin This stylish boutique hotel is housed in the historic Goodall Wooten House, one of Austins original landmark estates and features beautifully designed outdoor and indoor spaces. MAX's Wine Dive- Downtown Austin Wine Dive provides a unique dining experience where you can pair handpicked wines with your comfort food and jam out to rockin tunes on the jukebox. SPIN - Warehouse District This unique day and nighttime venue has 14 ping-pong courts, a full bar, restaurant, pro-shop and private VIP room. SPIN is open to anyone and everyone during the day and 21+ after 9 pm. "Austin is among the top travel destinations for people, ranking high on most bucket lists, as well as being a city where many conferences are held so knowing where to book your event is essential. With tens of thousands of people in attendance for SXSW, theres a great opportunity for people to meet and network with other creatives from around the world. Providing unique experiences can often be the highlight of any conference, so choosing the right venue and creating the perfect vibe is essential, said Jonathan Morse, CEO of Tripleseat. Last year, Tripleseat launched an easy-to-use tool designed to simplify the process of finding the perfect venue for any event. VENUES by Tripleseat enables event planners to search across multiple criteria including location, budget, headcount, venue type, and cuisine, eliminating hours of laborious manual research. In addition, the company was named one of Inc. Magazines 5000 fastest-growing companies and won a Gold Stevie Award for Best Event Management Solution Software. Since its founding about a decade ago, Tripleseat has helped event professionals book more than 5.6 million sales, and customers have reported an increase of over 50 percent in their event sales. To learn more about Tripleseat or to search for more Austin venues, please visit VENUES by Tripleseat at tripleseatvenues.com. About Tripleseat Tripleseat is a sales and event management platform that helps restaurants, hotels, and unique venues streamline the planning process and increase event sales. Tripleseat was founded in 2008 by Jonathan Morse and Kevin Zink. To date, the Tripleseat platform has helped venues book over 3.5 million events and captured $10 billion in event leads. More than 40,000 event managers use Tripleseat every day to book and plan the perfect event for their customers. transcosmos will provide business outsourcing services to assist companies that expand their businesses in Indonesia. transcosmos inc. has opened two new operating centers in Indonesia, namely, Semarang Center and Jakarta Center No. 4. Opened the first nearshore center in Semarang, one of the top 5 cities in Indonesia Semarang, the capital of Central Java province in Indonesia with a population of approximately 1.64 million (as of 2016), is one of the top 5 cities in Indonesia. transcosmos was planning to expand into a city beyond Jakarta in order to put a business continuity plan in place and selected Semarang over other cities as the city is home to various universities and has potential cost-saving benefits. The new center began delivering contact center services respectively to a major Indonesian e-commerce company at the end of November 2018 and a prominent Indonesian online travel agency in January 2019. Semarang Center Overview Name: transcosmos Semarang Center Location: Vina House, Jl. Diponegoro No.29, Lempongsari, Gajahmungkur, Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah 50231 Site area: 1.875 Number of workstations: 400 Supported languages: Indonesian and English Services: Contact center services, email support services, chat support services, social media support services, e-commerce one-stop services Opened Jakarta Center No. 4 in Jakarta to accommodate business growth In June 2013, transcosmos opened Jakarta Center No.1 and launched contact center services for the Indonesian market. Since then, transcosmos has steadily expanded its business in the market, opening Jakarta Center No.2, a center which offers digital marketing services for the Japanese and Indonesian market in October 2014, and Jakarta Center No. 3 in December 2016, a center which primarily offers contact center services. Now, transcosmos has opened another new center, Jakarta Center No. 4, in order to further expand contact center services. The center began offering contact center services in December 2018 for the e-commerce industry with 220 workstations. Jakarta Center No.4 Overview Name: transcosmos Jakarta Center No. 4 Location: Ariobimo, Jl. HR Rasuna Said Blok X-2 Kav. 5 Jakarta Selatan Site area: 760 Number of workstations: 220 Supported languages: Indonesian and English Services: Contact center services, non-voice support services transcosmos co-established PT. transcosmos Indonesia (President Director: Hiroyoshi Hara) with PT Cyberindo Aditama (Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia), an IT company under the major Indonesian conglomerate, Salim Group. Today, the company delivers services with 1,800 workstations and over 2,000 employees. In the Indonesian market which is expected to grow further, transcosmos will assist Japanese companies that plan to expand into Indonesia whilst focusing on providing business outsourcing services to both local and global companies in order to help clients boost sales whilst optimizing costs. transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies. About transcosmos inc. transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior people with up-to-date technology to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 169 locations across 31 countries with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 49 countries around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the Global Digital Transformation Partner of our clients, supporting the clients transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/ The goal of the UserZoom Academy is to provide a place of UX learning for all UserZoom, the UX Insights Company, announced today that their UserZoom Academy is now live. The goal of the UserZoom Academy is to provide a place of UX learning for all, with the outlook that anyone and everyone who wants to contribute to creating better experiences can and should be able to do so. This is more pertinent than ever as, since UserZoom CEO and Co-Founder Alfonso de la Nuez says, The demand for UX insights is far bigger than the supply of experienced professionals who can deliver those insights. Were also witnessing the democratization of research and usability testing - in other words, non traditional UX roles conducting user research - as this demand continues to grow. Thats why the UserZoom Academy offers free training courses across all major UX research methods, enabling practitioners of all experience levels to further enhance their professional development and provide the robust, actionable insights their organizations need to create better user experiences. If you would like to enroll in a course at the UserZoom Academy, or simply want to learn more, please visit: https://academy.userzoom.com. About UserZoom UserZoom is the UX Insights Company, providing a best-in-class research platform that empowers businesses to generate the insights needed to design and deliver great digital experiences that improve business metrics. With offices in four countries, the company helps global brands like Coca-Cola, Google and Amazon raise the bar for an outstanding online customer experience. The Sign of the Cobra - Cover A majestic falcon was gliding silently and high in the impenetrable blue skies over the Tuscan hills. The sun, still timid at this early morning hour, was beginning to burn off the high clouds... Professor Bartolomeo Trofeini, his wife Brandina, and his assistant Dr. Metello Mondini find themselves inextricably intertwined in a multiple murder investigation. National and local investigators - and even international police - involve them, along with Bartolomeos majestic German Shepherd, Alino, in pursuit of the truth of what happened to the victims. Follow along with the team as they investigate a series of deaths spanning four countries and three continents which seem to be connected by the mysterious symbol found near each one of the deceased. Whats the connection among the victims? Whats the significance of the images at the crime scenes? Can Profressor Trofeini and his companions solve the riddle of The Sign of the Cobra? Learn more: trofeinimysteries.com About the Author A secular Franciscan within the Roman Catholic Church, much of Francesco Chiappelli's works reflect Franciscan spirituality. He is also a scientist and emeritus professor at UCLA, Center for Health Sciences. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers, in addition to chapters and books on topics as wide-ranging as biostatistics, translational healthcare and molecular immunology. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the few overseas Fellows of the Royal Society of Medicine and a Fulbright alumnus. He values science as the pursuit of our abilities to think and to reason, but believes that this ability is always secondary to our grace of faith: a person can be a good and sound scientist while remaining true and committed to putting Christ at the center of it all. He views our role as humble instruments to the greater glory of God through, in and with Christ - as majoram Dei gloriam - and thus, while having been a scientist all of his life, he has always tried to follow Christs teaching in Franciscan humility. SEO agency The HOTH is pleased to announce their Hittem Over the Heart charity award for January went to Pencils of Promise and Water.org. The agencys donations to these charities helped ensure that healthy drinking water and basic education is available to individuals in third world countries. The organizations monthly program allows the employee with the most bonus points to select a charity of their choice for The HOTH to contribute to on their behalf. Founded in 2008, Pencils of Promise was born from founder Adam Brauns experience traveling in small communities across the globe. Its goal is to help provide education to individuals, young and old, in a variety of communities worldwide. The charity seeks to help empower the impoverished and currently boasts more than 400 schools. Water.org has sought to provide clean water to individuals worldwide and has helped more than 17 million people over the past 25 years gain access to sanitation and safe water. Its founders, Matt Damon and Gary White, believe that everyone deserves safe drinking water and focuses much of its attention to creating sustainable financial solutions to help communities long-term. The HOTH is proud to have supported the aforementioned charities and their initiatives, and looks forward to helping a new charity in February. About The HOTH: The HOTH began in 2010 founded with the goal of becoming the best SEO Company around and promising premium service and support, guaranteed. The company name, the HOTH is an acronym for Hittem Over The Head, in other words, to bludgeon with awesomeness. It can be used as a noun (as in our product or our brand) or as a verb (i.e. To HOTH someone, to HOTH something). Today, The HOTH offers scalable, reseller-friendly SEO services at wholesale prices to help agencies and in-house marketers grow their businesses! As one of the largest SEO providers in the world, the company plans to continue on this upward path offering customer projects and campaigns with agility, speed, and scale. After hitting a record number in assets and creating our new Clean Energy Division, were excited to open a second commercial banking office in the Bay Area, said Steve Fleming, President and CEO of River City Bank. River City Bank is expanding its presence in the Bay Area with the establishment of a new office in the Financial District of San Francisco. This new location provides commercial banking and project finance services, and houses the Banks Clean Energy Division focused on servicing Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) clients, expanding relationships with other players in the clean energy space, and supporting Californias climate action goals. This addition marks the second Bay Area location for River City Bank, which opened a commercial banking office in Walnut Creek in 2015. After hitting a record number in assets and creating our new Clean Energy Division, were excited to open a second commercial banking office in the Bay Area, said Steve Fleming, President and CEO of River City Bank. The new office is a key component of our strategy to expand our focus and presence throughout California. TWEET THIS: Breaking: @RiverCityBank opens second office in the #BayArea focused on commercial banking and clean energy. #business #banking The expansion is a natural progression of the banks shift from being primarily a Sacramento-centric consumer oriented bank to focusing on commercial banking throughout California, and it comes after a series of significant milestones. In 2018, River City Bank grew to more than $2.2 billion in assets and launched the new Clean Energy Division under the leadership of Rosa Hilmarsdottir Cucicea, Vice President & Clean Energy Division Manager. The Bank has taken a bold lead in the clean energy space, supporting CCA clients throughout California with their depository, cash management, and lending needs. Notable clients include Valley Clean Energy in Yolo County, Clean Power Alliance of Southern California, Marin Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, Monterey Bay Community Power and East Bay Community Energy. River City Bank provides CCA clients with custom-tailored solutions spanning start-up capital, lines of credit, renewable energy project financing and custodian lockbox accounts. The new office is located at 201 Mission Rd. Suite 1300 in San Francisco, and can be reached at 415-293-4200. For more information on River City Bank, visit http://www.rivercitybank.com. About River City Bank Named one of Sacramento Business Journals 50 Fastest Growing Companies for each of the past two years, River City Bank has grown its assets to over $2.2 billion as it pursues its mission to be the premier business bank in California. River City Bank offers a comprehensive suite of banking services, including loans, deposits and cash management tools to the business, consumer and commercial real estate sectors. With tailored, executive-level service and a Five Star Superior financial rating from the nations leading independent bank-rating firm, Bauer Financial, River City Bank redefines the banking experience and every touch point that surrounds it. River City Bank is the largest, independent, locally-owned bank in the Sacramento region with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and a presence in Southern California. For additional information, please visit http://www.rivercitybank.com or call (916) 567-2600. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Donna Urbikas This stunning, heartfelt memoir looks unflinchingly at the scars borne by one Polish immigrant family as their daughter tries to become a normal American girl in Chicago. A gripping study of family dynamics, this is also a must-read for World War II history buffs. The new paperback edition is scheduled to be released on February 19 by University of Wisconsin Press. My Sisters Mother: A Memoir of War, Exile, and Stalins Siberia is the true story about Urbikas Polish-born mother and half-sisters journey through World War II. Both mother and young daughter were deported to Siberia during Stalins terrifying regime. The other half of the book is about my growing up with their story, said Urbikas. Both mother and daughter endured dehumanizing conditions as slave laborers in Siberia, but forged an unbreakable mother-daughter bond. Their riveting story is of hunger, disease, survival and a dangerous escape across a continent. Urbikas, who yearned for a normal American family while her mother and half-sister were haunted by the past, recounts her family history and her own survivors story. I eventually understood the damaged mother who had saved my sister, she recounted. This stunning, heartfelt memoir looks unflinchingly at the scars borne by one Polish immigrant family as their daughter tries to become a normal American girl in Chicago. A gripping study of family dynamics, this is also a must-read for World War II history buffs, concluded Leonard Kniffel, author of A Polish Son in the Motherland. My Sisters Mother: A Memoir of War, Exile, and Stalins Siberia is an Honoree, Biography/Memoir, Society of Midland Authors Annual Literary Awards; Bronze Winner for Autobiography & Memoir, Foreword INDIE Book Awards; Finalist, Memoir, Midwest Book Awards; and Finalist, Traditional Nonction Book, Chicago Writers Association Awards. It was also selected as a Best Book for Public and Secondary School Libraries. About Donna Urbikas, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, KoenigRubloff Realty Group Chicagoland Realtor Donna Urbikas is a Certified Negotiation Expert, Accredited Distressed Property Representative and Luxury Collection Specialist. She works with first-time home buyers, move-up buyers, investors, sellers, landlords and renters. For more information, please call (312) 268-2732, or visit http://www.donnaurbikas.koenigrubloff.com. For media inquiries, please call the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361. We believe that bringing her story of bravery to a new audience will motivate a commitment to continuing the fight for social justice in our communities. ODYSSEY IMPACT is launching a national faith-based social impact campaign for the award-winning documentary THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR. This initiative aligns with Black History Month (February), Womens History Month (March), and Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April). Committed to sharing compelling true stories that expose social justice issues in our society, Odyssey Impact is steadfast in creating materials and facilitating film screenings that will empower the faith community to open dialogue and build a culture of positive change that will impact generations to follow. THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR received critical acclaim during a run at film festivals around the world, including a nomination for Best Documentary at the 2018 NAACP Image Awards and the Special Prize for Human Rights at the 2017 Venice Film Festival. The story of Recy Taylor also earned unexpected media interest after being included in Oprah Winfreys historic speech at the 2018 Golden Globes Awards. A true Civil Rights pioneer, Recy Taylors life is a powerful glimpse into some of the horrific truths of our past, as well as a call to continue the fight against abuse and injustice that continues today, shares Nick Stuart, President and CEO of Odyssey Impact and Transform Films. We believe that bringing her story of bravery to a new audience will motivate a commitment to continuing the fight for social justice in our communities. THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR shines a spotlight on the culture of physical abuse that was a common reality to women in 1944 Alabama. When Recy Taylor was just 24 years old, she was gang-raped by six teenage white boys as she was walking home from church. While the vast majority of women stayed silent after their attacks, fearing for both their lives and the lives of their families, Recy, a black wife, mother, and sharecropper chose to not stay silent. She bravely stood up for her rights, reported the crime, and publically identified her rapists. The NAACP sent their chief rape investigator, Rosa Parks, to investigate. Parks had also been the victim of an attempted rape, and she fought tirelessly to rally support, raise awareness, and establish a nationwide community that demanded justice. Stuart continues, At Odyssey Impact, we are passionate about sharing powerful stories of social justice through compelling documentaries. We know that social change is possible when we can raise awareness, change attitudes, and begin meaningful conversations. The faith community is uniquely poised to use these stories to bring a spirit of healing, support, understanding, and lasting change in their individual communities. The national social impact initiative around THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR is designed to engage and inform the public about sexual violence against women, underscore the historical trauma faced by Black women during the Jim Crow South era, and examine the structural racism still affecting women today. Focused on encouraging a new dialogue and sparking positive change, Odyssey Impact has developed numerous resources and discussion guides to accompany the film, which will be available for download to help facilitate events by local grassroots organizations. A community toolkit, surveys, and local organizing tools are additional components provided to assist with educational and community outreach. For information, go to http://www.odyssey-impact.org. By taking a tactical approach to connect faith leaders, congregations, students and other key audiences with tools to participate in candid conversations about rape culture and race, Odyssey Impact hopes to reframe the dialogue, promote healing for victims and spur real change, said Melissa Potter, Head of Social Impact and Communication, Odyssey Impact. THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR is dedicated to the countless women whose voices have not been heard. It is in memory of Recy Taylor, who is featured in the documentary but who passed away on December 28, 2017, just days before her 98th birthday. THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR was produced by AUGUSTA FILMS and TRANSFORM FILMS, an affiliated production company of Odyssey Networks. For more information about the film and to view a trailer, visit http://www.therapeofrecytaylor.com. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: To host a screening or download resources and discussion guides to engage in community and educational outreach, go to http://www.odyssey-impact.org/the-rape-of-recy-taylor. About ODYSSEY IMPACT ODYSSEY IMPACT, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, believes that powerful documentaries with messages of social justice can motivate meaningful social change by raising awareness, changing attitudes and inspiring people of all faiths and good will to engage their communities on issues important in their lives and in society as a whole. The organization is dedicated to strategically building and executing social impact campaigns around documentaries, including those created by its affiliated production company TRANSFORM FILMS INC., via mobilizing faith leaders, individuals, and communities around issues such as poverty, mass incarceration, gun violence, intolerance, racial justice, hate crimes, and gender violence. More info at http://www.Odyssey-Impact.org. About TRANSFORM FILMS TRANSFORM FILMS INC. is a wholly-owned subsidiary and affiliated production company of Odyssey Networks, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that believes powerful documentaries with messages of social justice can motivate meaningful social change by raising awareness, changing attitudes and inspiring people of all faiths and good will to engage their communities on issues important in their lives and in society as a whole. Transform Films, Inc. have produced films such as NEWTOWN; MILWAUKEE 53206; THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR, and LESSONS FROM A SCHOOL SHOOTING: NOTES FROM DUNBLANE that have garnered critical acclaim at film festivals and have aired on broadcast outlets such as PBS Independent Lens, America Reframed, STARZ Channel and Netflix. Recent accolades include the 2018 Peabody Award, the 2018 Tribeca Film Festivals Best Documentary Short, the 2018 UNAFF Grand Jury Award for Best Short Documentary, and the 2017 Venice International Film Festival Human Rights Award. More info at http://www.TransformFilmsInc.com. Nova Filtration UF Professors say more needs to be done to improve Jacksonvilles water reputation. Whether its a funny smell or metallic taste, Jacksonvilles drinking water doesnt have the best public perception. Tap water issues in the Jacksonville area? UNF professors say yes! Nova Filtration is based in The Villages FL proudly serving over 3,500 satisfied customers. Im looking forward to seeing the same great success in our new franchised Territory in the greater Jacksonville area selling and installing our popular Water Filtration Systems," says Bob Novak, President of Nova Filtration. "It smells like rotten eggs and then at home if I let the water sit for a few minutes it looks like some tar looking thing inside. It looks just nasty, added UNF Student, Winifred Rice. I think it tastes kind of gross in some places, honestly, said another student, Ashley Lauramore. Yea, it doesnt smell good at all thats exactly why I dont drink it, said Bernard Daniels. Thats exactly the kind of reaction Dr. Chiradip Chatterjee got when he conducted a survey through the UNF Public Opinion Research Lab to find out how the community feels about our drinking water. To summarize, the taste is bad, and my belief is that is whats generating the concern of any kind of contaminates, said UNF Professor, Dr. Chiradip Chatterjee. Nova Filtration's equipment was designed by Bob Novak 18 years ago in his NY Aquaria business. Now operating for the last 6 years in The Villages Fl addressing and rectifying similar water purity problems in The Villages. "Our filter is capable of removing so many contaminants including Micro-plastic's from the water," says Bob Novak, President of Nova Filtration. Nova can offer these systems for less than other companies. For example: Nova "Whole House Filters" installed are only $575 and water softeners are $899. There is a demand in Jacksonville for our great Whole House Water Systems. This is a great business opportunity for the right person. Be your own Boss for a total investment of less than $20,000. About NOVA FILTRATION: The founder Bob Novak in 1974 founded Pets Warehouse a successful company specializing in Aquaria and high tech aquarium filtration. This unique background developing filtration for delicate marine fish and corals has produced these unique and highly efficient filtration systems for in home use. Moreover, designed and assembled in the USA successfully using and upgrading the Nova filtration products throughout the years. These many years of hard work, learning and water filtration experience are the basis for the proprietary design techniques and manufacture of the Nova Filtration equipment fabricated and modified to meet the needs and requirements of Floridas water purification process. For more information on The Nova Filters franchise opportunities, please visit: http://www.NovaFiltration.com Call 352.566.2649 Email info(at)NovaFiltration(dot)com Naviance is proud to deliver a proven technology platform that will ensure that students identify their strengths, explore careers and find the opportunities that best fit their needs. Hobsons, the education technology leader and company behind Naviance, today announces intentions to further support Michigan Public Act 227 to increase the number of college- and career-ready students with an emphasis on increasing the number of citizens working in high-demand fields. Hobsons, the creator of the College, Career and Life Readiness Framework, continues to expand equity and access of critical preparation tools for students across the U.S. Today, 13 million students at 13,000 middle and high schools have access to Naviance, along with more than 400,000 high school counselors and teachers. This includes more than 150,000 Michigan students at more than 100 schools in the state. Michigan continues to invest in the future of students and the future of a high performing workforce. The Marshall Plan for Talent creates clear goals, accountability and resources to ensure that the state and its citizens are ready for the jobs of tomorrow, said Monica Morrell, General Manager of Naviance. Naviance is proud to deliver a proven technology platform that will ensure that students identify their strengths, explore careers and find the opportunities that best fit their needs. Naviance is pleased with the recent announcement by Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN), the creators of MI Bright Future, to support all technologies that meet the states requirements. In order to effectively meet the goals of PA #227, WIN is happy to announce the opportunity for partnership with any software vendor that adequately meets the standards, requirements, and goals stated in PA #227. Our students have benefitted from the structured and supported experience of Naviance to understand their strengths, to imagine the potential of their future, to explore and prepare for their career, and to identify best fit colleges and universities, said Bryan Bruckman, Counselor at Saline High School in Saline, Mich. We are thrilled to hear that Naviance will continue to align with the priorities of Michigan schools to ensure that our students are career informed, ready and focused. Naviance will join the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals for the EDPs, Internships and Career Awareness Conference on February 28 in Lansing, Mich. Naviance experts Dr. Kim Oppelt and Monica Morrell will lead a session from 2:30-3:30 p.m. titled Supporting the MI Career Development Model Through Naviance and the College, Career and Life Ready Framework. For more information on Naviance, visit http://www.naviance.com. About Hobsons A leader in education technology, Hobsons helps more than 15 million students to identify their strengths, explore careers, match to best-fit educational opportunities, create academic plans, and reach their education and life goals. More than 13,000 K-12 and higher education institutions partner with Hobsons and leverage our expertise and our solutions -- Naviance, Intersect, and Starfish -- to improve college and career readiness, college recruiting and admissions, and higher education student success to support millions of students. Our leading college and career readiness platform Naviance was named the 2017 and 2018 SIIA CODiE Award winner in the Best College and Career Readiness Solution category. The WA67 is the industrys only folding glass wall system that mounts extruded aluminum cladding and wood without direct contact. With the heat and humidity we get in the South, clad systems where the aluminum and wood touch or are glued together can cause warping since wood and aluminum expand and contract at different rates. NanaWall Systems, the pioneer of opening glass wall systems, will be showcasing its latest opening glass wall systems at the NAHB International Builders Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, from Feb. 19 to 21 in booth C3046. The WA67 is the industrys only folding glass wall system to mount extruded aluminum cladding to a solid wood core with a spacer bar to secure the materials together. This innovative feature allows for different expansion rates between materials to avoid cracking for durability in any climate. With the heat and humidity we get in the South, clad systems where the aluminum and wood touch or are glued together can cause warping since wood and aluminum expand and contract at different rates, said Kenny Cobb, owner of Architectural Openings. The WA67s space between the two materials creates an evaporation chamber for the excess moister to escape and allows the wood to regain equilibrium naturally, so the product lasts much longer than any other wood/clad glass wall. This is the only product in the industry that has this feature. Every detail of it is well thought out and engineered. The WA67 is built to withstand any changes in weather due to NanaWalls proprietary evaporation chamber engineered to allow the wood and aluminum to expand and contract. The extruded aluminum is attached to the wood using the back ventilated, rain screen principle to protect and isolate the cross-grained solid, triple laminated wood on the inside. TWEET THIS: At #IBS2019 in booth C3046, @NanaWall introduces WA67, the industrys only folding glass wall system that mounts extruded aluminum cladding and wood without direct contact, ensuring durability and longevity in all climates. http://bit.ly/WA67NanaWall NanaWall will be showcasing several opening glass wall systems and products at IBS, including: Cero by NanaWall: Cero makes its West Coast debut on display and available at IBS in Las Vegas for the first time. This opening glass wall not only achieves an STC 43 sound rating for interiors, but its ADA compliant Flush Sill is the shallowest available in the large panel minimal sliding glass wall category, making it optimal for interior construction. Screen ONE XL: Screen ONE XL is a minimally framed, fully retractable and non-pleated screening option with a patented braking system designed for large openings to provide an enhanced indoor/outdoor experience for homeowners. For more information about NanaWall and its new products at IBS 2019, please visit the blog post What Every Homeowner Should Know About Opening Glass Walls. About NanaWall Systems For over 30 years, NanaWall Systems has pioneered the category of opening glass wall systems. The company has earned the trust of architects, builders, design professionals and homeowners as a custom solution for re-imagining how buildings, people and the elements interact. By combining precision engineering and outstanding design options throughout more than 25 unique award-winning systems, NanaWall Systems advances design possibilities beyond the conventional for almost any space. NanaWall Systems is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with 25 showroom and design studio locations across North America. We are honored that more than half of our attorneys were selected into the Georgia Super Lawyer List this year. We hope this will continue to foster confidence in our clients that our lawyers are qualified to offer the high level of legal representation they need and deserve, says Ranse Partin. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys. The results for the 2019 Georgia Super Lawyers List includes multiple lawyers from Conley Griggs Partin law firm in Atlanta. Attorneys Robb Howell, Andy Scherffius, Scott Farrow and Stacey Carroll made the list, along with all three of the firms name-partners, Cale Conley, Ranse Partin and Richard Griggs. These seven chosen lawyers of Conley Griggs Partin in Atlanta are highly respected attorneys who share an unwavering commitment to representing clients who have been injured, killed or harmed by the negligence or wrongdoing of others, as well as businesses who have been wronged or underpaid. As experienced lawyers who specialize in personal injury and business tort cases, they are qualified to represent victims of auto accidents, business disputes, class action lawsuits, product liability, wrongful death, spinal cord injuries and much more. The vision of Conley Griggs Partin law firm is to use the innovation, resources and aggressiveness of a 21st-century business while remaining firmly established in the "old-school" values of personal relationships hard work and integrity. This mindset undoubtedly contributes to the remarkable success of the firm as well as the recent inclusion of over half the firms lawyers in the Super Lawyers List for Georgia. This is an honor that only the top 5% of total lawyers in each state are awarded. We are honored that more than half of our attorneys were selected into the Georgia Super Lawyer List this year. We hope this will continue to foster confidence in our clients that our lawyers are qualified to offer the high level of legal representation they need and deserve, says Ranse Partin. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. Super Lawyers Magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information about Conley Griggs Partin trial law firm in Atlanta, please call (404) 467-1155 or visit http://www.conleygriggs.com. We are excited to be a Google .dev anchor tenant and provide a hub for developers with tools and knowledge to create an inclusive digital world for all. said Cindy Zhou, chief marketing officer, Level Access. Level Access, the global leader in digital accessibility software and services, announced the launch of accessibility.dev as part of Google Registrys .dev anchor tenant program. Accessibility.dev will feature free developer tools such as website compliance software, color contrast checkers, and digital accessibility news and resources. Accessibility is a journey and technology allows everyone of all abilities to take part in society, said Cindy Zhou, chief marketing officer of Level Access. We are excited to be a Google .dev anchor tenant and provide a hub for developers with tools and knowledge to create an inclusive digital world for all. Made for developers by developers, accessibility.dev will feature exclusive content, events, and news on a variety of topics including user experience (UX) design, inclusive design, WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications), and insights on legal and regulatory developments. To learn more about Google .dev registry, visit get.dev and read their blog at https://blog.google/technology/developers/hello-dev. About Level Access Level Access provides industry-leading and award-winning digital accessibility solutions to over 1000 corporations, government agencies, and educational institutions. Level Accesss mission is to achieve digital equality for all users by ensuring technology is accessible to people with disabilities and the growing aging population. Founded in 1997, Level Access has an unparalleled history in helping customers achieve and maintain compliance with the full scope of accessible technology regulations and standards including the ADA, WCAG, CVAA, AODA, Mandate 376, and Section 508. Delivered through a comprehensive suite of software, consulting services, and training solutions, the companys solutions ensure customers web, desktop, mobile, and electronic document systems are accessible to everyone. Level Access is endorsed by the American Banking Association, named a White House Champion of Change in 2014, and multi-year repeat winners on the Inc. 5000 list of fast-growing companies. To learn more, please visit http://www.levelaccess.com. Christopher Kandel Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Christopher Kandel has joined the firms London office as a partner in its Finance practice. Mr. Kandel brings to the firm a wealth of experience in leveraged finance and complex international acquisition finance, and restructuring transactions. He comes to Morrison & Foerster from Latham & Watkins, where he served as co-chair of the global banking practice. Mr. Kandel is the third partner to join the firms London Finance Department in less than a year, following the noteworthy additions of Caroline Jury, who joined from Clifford Chance, and Benoit Lavigne, who joined from Ropes & Gray, as the firm accelerates the growth of its Finance practice in London. Chris is a market-leader with more than 20 years of experience in the London finance market, said Larren Nashelsky, chair of Morrison & Foerster. He has extensive experience leading leveraged finance and restructuring matters under both English and U.S. law, setting him apart in the market and further building our ability to support our clients with their most complex cross-border financial transactions. We are delighted that Chris has decided to join our growing London team, and we are certain he will contribute greatly to our increasingly robust global Finance practice. Chriss addition underscores the momentum of our London office, as we continue our transformation following two years of exceptional growth, said Paul Friedman, Morrison & Foersters managing partner for Europe. Given his tremendous reputation in the market, I am delighted that our continued progress enables us to continue to attract new partners of Chriss caliber. Mr. Kandels practice spans an extremely broad spectrum, including European and U.S. senior, second lien and mezzanine financings, high yield securities, structured loans, capital markets and restructurings. Over the course of his career, he has advised on many landmark matters, including numerous European acquisition financings, the largest LBO financing in Asia, the second-ever high yield issue in Japan, the first international syndicated loan to a corporate in Turkey, the first super-senior revolver in Europe, the first pari passu secured bank/bond issue in Europe, and the first western-sponsor style leveraged buyout financing in Russia. Mr. Kandels recent notable transactions include the take private financings for Ladbrokes Coral Group plc (UK offer by GVC), Lavendon plc (UK purchased by Loxam S.A.), Merus Pharma (Canada purchased by Norgine B.V.), and Nets A/S (Denmark offer by Hellman & Friedman); the 6.8 billion financing for China National Chemical Corporations purchase of shares in Pirelli from Camfin S.p.A and the subsequent tender offer for the remaining shares in Pirelli; the US$1.2 billion debt financing for Nokias purchase of the balance of its joint venture with Siemens; the US$3.29 billion bond offering by SoftBank Corp, the largest high yield bond offering in Asia; and the US$1.685 billion debt financing for Vistas take private acquisition of Misys PLC. I believe the acquisition finance market is looking for more choice, said Mr. Kandel. Morrison & Foerster has all the right elements in London to make an impact great M&A, real estate, funds and competition lawyers, a growing finance team and, for deals that run into problems afterwards, a standout U.S./London restructuring practice. The vision here is compelling. Mr. Kandels joining closely follows the addition of a group of 23 finance attorneys, including eight partners, earlier this month, who joined Morrison & Foerster as part of the firms Boston office opening. Mr. Kandel earned his B.A. from Yale University (magna cum laude with distinction) and his J.D. from Cornell Law School (cum laude). He is qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales, and is admitted to the bar in California, the District of Columbia and Maryland. Intrinsic ID "Our customers are under continual pressure as they battle todays security headaches. RSA is a great platform for illustrating how our technology for creating unclonable identities delivers IoT security to defeat these and other attack vectors." - Pim Tuyls, CEO, Intrinsic ID Intrinsic ID, the worlds leading provider of digital authentication technology for Internet of Things security and embedded applications, today announced it will exhibit at the RSA Conference March 4-7 in San Francisco. Intrinsic ID will highlight how creation of unclonable identities secures IoT-connected devices in business-critical applications, protecting them from reverse engineering of IP, counterfeiting and cloning. Intrinsic ID will exhibit in Booth #3327, in the South Hall of Moscone Center. Our customers are under continual pressure as they battle todays security headaches, said Pim Tuyls, chief executive officer of Intrinsic ID. RSA is a great platform for illustrating how our technology for creating unclonable identities delivers IoT security to defeat these and other attack vectors. Examples of industries where Intrinsic ID security delivers value: Personal safety and revenue protection for the wireless charging applications Safety and security for the oil and gas industries IP protection and overbuild protection for programmable semiconductor solutions Consumer devices and credit cards Intrinsic ID products include hardware root of trust solutions based on Intrinsic IDs SRAM Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) technology. These are implemented with BroadKey for software integration and with QuiddiKey for hardware integration. WHEN: RSA exhibits will be open March 4-7, 2019 March 4: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. PST March 5: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST March 6: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST March 7: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST WHERE: Moscone Center 747 Howard Street San Francisco, Calif. 94103 Intrinsic ID is exhibiting in Booth #3327, in Moscone Centers South Hall. RSA Conference conducts information security events around the world, as well as delivering insights via blogs, webcasts and newsletters on cyber threats. About Intrinsic ID Intrinsic ID is the worlds leading digital authentication company, providing the Internet of Things with hardware-based root-of-trust security via unclonable identities for any IoT-connected device. Based on Intrinsic IDs patented SRAM PUF technology, the companys security solutions can be implemented in hardware or software. Intrinsic ID security, which can be deployed at any stage of a products lifecycle, is used to validate payment systems, secure connectivity, authenticate sensors, and protect sensitive government and military systems. Intrinsic ID technology has been deployed in more than 125 million devices. Award recognition includes the IoT Breakthrough Award, the IoT Security Excellence Award, the Frost & Sullivan Technology Leadership Award and the EU Innovation Radar Prize. Intrinsic ID security has been proven in millions of devices certified by Common Criteria, EMVCo, Visa and multiple governments. Intrinsic IDs mission: Authenticate Everything. Visit Intrinsic ID online at http://www.Intrinsic-ID.com. Intrinsic ID, the Intrinsic ID logo, BroadKey and QuiddiKey are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intrinsic ID, Inc., and are protected by trademark laws of the United States and other jurisdictions. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. 'Unnecessary Noise' Charge Against Evangelist Dismissed Contact: Brad Dacus, 916-616-4126 (Spanish: 206-257-3239) KENNEWICK, Wash., Feb. 19, 2019 /Christian Newswire/ -- A Benton County District Judge dismissed the criminal charge against a public evangelist who regularly preaches outside of a Planned Parenthood clinic. The judge held that the City of Kennewick's noise ordinance unconstitutionally restrains speech that "annoys" the comfort, repose, health or safety of the public. Eric Schonbachler travels to various communities to preach to the public. He regularly preaches in Kennewick, Washington, on the public street outside of a Planned Parenthood clinic. He posts a sign with a picture of a baby, offers religious tracts, and delivers religious speeches without any amplification. In November 2018, a Kennewick police officer confronted Schonbachler outside the clinic and informed him of the noise ordinance regarding elevated voices. Schonbachler respectfully told the officer that he retains his First Amendment rights to deliver his speeches. The officer cited Schonbachler for "loud and raucous, and frequent, repetitive, or continuous sounds made by the amplified human voice." The Benton County District Court found that the noise ordinance's terms do not describe the human voice, nor Schonbachler's protests and preaching. Jorge Ramos, Pacific Justice Institute's attorney in Seattle, Washington, represented Schonbachler in court and filed the motion to dismiss that was granted. Brad Dacus, President of PJI, commented, "We are pleased with the favorable court ruling for this public evangelist who simply desires to share hope and truth with the women who end up at Planned Parenthood's door. PJI is strategically positioned along the Pacific Coast to preserve the fundamental rights of U.S. citizens to freely share religious speech in public fora." Share Tweet A global exploration of identity, culture, and the experiences of Iranian-hyphenated communities. While the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution is upon us and news headlines will certainly accentuate the divisions between Iran and the United States, the historic animosity between these countries is only a small part of the story. Academics, researchers, artists, and filmmakers from seven countries, and over 44 universities will gather at San Francisco State University in March for Forty Years & More: International Conference on Iranian Diaspora Studies to share stories and new research about the many Iranians who now live, work and contribute to nations, cultures, communities that make up a diverse and transnational Iranian diaspora. Although no exact figures have been calculated, estimates range between 6-8 million Iranians have left Iran since the revolution and far more have migrated as a result of economic and political crises over the past four decades. The majority of those Iranians live in a handful of countries in the West-primarily the United States and Canada, but also in countries in Western Europe such as Sweden, Germany, France and the UK and scattered throughout Asia and Australia. Today, Iranian Americans, and other hyphenated Iranians of a second and third generation are articulating their identities, cultures, and experiences and have gained recognition in a new field of Iranian Diaspora Studies. Hyphenated Iranians, however, are also challenged by renewed hostilities between the West and Iran, and a rising tide of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment around the globe. Forty Years & More to be held at San Francisco State University on March 29-30, will feature presentations and conversations about what those forty years have meant for Iranians who now reside outside the boundaries of Iran. The Center is also co-sponsoring/sponsoring two exhibitions of Iranian Diaspora Art in San Francisco including at the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery (Part and Parcel) and at the Minnesota Street Project (Once at Present). The Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies was established in 2016 with an endowed gift from Bay Area philanthropist Neda Nobari, herself an Iranian immigrant who came to Marin County exactly forty years ago to start high school and who later graduated from SF State University. To see this conference take shape, to see what a diverse set of speakers and scholars have to say about the experiences of Iranians around the globe, couldnt make me more pleased, says Nobari. We are so much more than the last forty years of negative news headlines! The amazing scholarship and research of those working in this field is beyond a single country, a single identity, says, Dr. Persis Karim, the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies inaugural director. This conference is an occasion to share our triumphs, struggles, and our human story with so many. For more information about the conference and art exhibitions go to: cids.sfsu.edu/conference or call Kathy Bruin, Program Assistant for the Center at (415) 338-1500 or email: iraniandiasporastudies@sfsu.edu. Twenty years after Patricia Moss-Vreelands first exhibition at the University City Science Centers Esther Klein Gallery (EKG), her work is featured in a solo multimedia installation, In Search of Meaning: Memory Becomes Us. The exhibit, which illuminates the role that memory plays in relation to who we are, runs from February 7 March 30 at EKG, 3600 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA. Since receiving the Art-in-Science XIV Millennial commission in 1999 for her traveling exhibition, Memory-Connections Matter, Patricia Moss-Vreeland has been recognized as a pioneer for her work on memory. In this current exhibition, Moss-Vreeland premiers a new medium of video and new poems, along with drawings, paintings and prints. Her works are metaphoric responses and reside in concert with the interlacing of science texts, connecting the personal to the universal. In conversations memorialized in the exhibit, Moss-Vreeland and Dr. Dasa Zeithamova of the University of Oregon explore the function of the human brain to find meaning, the parallel universes of art and science, different ways of self-expression, and the importance of stepping out of our silos and forming relationships. For this new installation, Moss-Vreeland addresses the multi-sensory elements of memory and being human, giving more opportunities for making connections. Moss-Vreeland asks the viewer to look at the social impact of memory, and involves herself with expanding the way we interact with art. This is expressed with her newest artworks, her ongoing conversations with Dr. Zeithamova, and in the series of events Moss-Vreeland is creating for this exhibition, as she looks for ways to engage more people interactively. Moss-Vreeland has exhibited her work at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Institute of Contemporary Art. Her art resides in many permanent collections, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and The Norton Museum. Moss-Vreeland has exhibited at the Locks Gallery in Philadelphia for two decades and was selected through a national competition to design the Memorial Room for the Holocaust Museum Houston. In 1997, this permanent installation earned four awards. Moss-Vreeland's work was included in The New York Hall of Science, Walter.O.Lecroy Gallery, Science Inspires Art: The Brain, 2015, and was invited to have a Solo Exhibition and talk, A Parallel Universe, Trinity College, Hartford, CT, April 2016, for their 25th Anniversary Event. She was interviewed for the Interalia Magazine's Memory Networks Issue, September-October 2016. In 2018, her Solo Exhibition: Revelations and Transformation, Layers of Memory, was featured at the Penn Memory Center, Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. Patricia Moss-Vreeland has authored and designed the book, A Place for Memory: Where Art and Science Meet. She is a TEDx speaker and will present at Venture Cafe Philadelphia on Thursday, March 28. About the Science Center Located in the heart of uCity Square, the Science Center is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that catalyzes and connects innovation to entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. For 50+ years, the Science Center has supported startups, research, and economic development in the life sciences, healthcare, physical sciences, and emerging technology sectors. As a result, graduate firms and current residents of the Science Centers incubator support one out of every 100 jobs in the Greater Philadelphia region and drive $13 billion in economic activity in the region annually. By providing resources and programming for any stage of a businesss lifecycle, the Science Center helps scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators take their concepts from idea to IPO and beyond. For more information about the Science Center, go to http://www.sciencecenter.org About the Esther Klein Gallery The Esther Klein Gallery (EKG), which opened in 1977, uses the creative arts as a platform to explore relationships between art, science and technology. EKG seeks to positively impact the cultural life of both its immediate neighborhood of West Philadelphia and the broader Philadelphia community. EKG programming is designed to explore the range of art, science and technology exhibitions, and includes gallery talks, panel discussions, and education programs. For more information, visit http://www.sciencecenter.org/discover/ekg. Entrepreneurs Organization (EO)a global network that connects 13,500+ business owners in more than 50 countrieshas named Daniela Blanco, a second-year PhD student at NYU Tandon School for Engineering at NYU winner of the 2019 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) U.S. National Finals for her company, Sunthetics, which uses solar-powered energy to offer a cost-effective chemical path to manufacture sustainable nylon. An EO program, GSEA is the premier global competition for students who own and operate a for-profit business while attending college. The national competition took place January 10th and 11th at the Auraria Campus in Denver. Throughout the stages of the competition, 38 members of various EO chapters served as judges, looking for originality and leadership skills, as well as a successful business model and sales. Blancos national triumph was preceded by her first place win at the New York City Regional GSEA event held November 9, 2018. As the national winner, Blanco received a $10,000 cash prize and will attend the GSEA global finals in Macau, China in April to represent the U.S. in competing against the top student entrepreneurs from around the world. The winner of the global finals will be named the EO Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year and will receive a $25,000 cash prize, as well as invaluable in-kind business services provided by EO members. GSEA has been an incredibly touching and inspiring experience. It is unique as I get to know entrepreneurs personally, understanding their real values, challenges and aspirations, said Blanco. Winning the US Nationals is very exciting, and I feel honored to represent the country that opened its doors to me and has become my home. I am grateful for the opportunity to proudly represent the minds and hearts of the entrepreneurs that are being formed in the US, a country that shows us that there are no limits to what we can accomplish. Reyanne Mustafa, a student at San Diego State University and founder and CEO of SOULMUCH, received second place. Blanco and Mustafa were two of 30 students who qualified to compete in U.S. National Competition. All national finalists are listed below: Kwaku Agyemang - Brownmill Company Kyrah Altman - Let's Empower, Advocate, and Do, Inc. (LEAD) Jacob Becraft - Strand Therapeutics Daniela Blanco - Sunthetics Jonas Buxton- Delta Tech Jake Copeland - Surf Media Inc. Prince Ghosh - Boundary Labs Mason Gravley - CampCrate Raghav Gupta - Gratis Food Courtney Haun - Snippety Snap, LLC Neha Husein - Just Drive Hannah King - Woven Futures Koby Lomax - Ardent Candle Company Gavin Lynch - SlapEyewear LLC Brianna Makaric - BRITE bites Chris Maurice - Yellow Card Financial Aaron Morales - A.M. Productions Reyanne Mustafa - SOULMUCH Vedha Nayak - Behen Nathan Neeley - Rubi Siddharth Pandiya - Logos (operating under DBA of Sike) Mandeep Patel - SuNi Sarah Beth Perry - With the Band Katarina Samardzija - Locker Lifestyle Peter Schultze - Plyo, Inc. Joshua Shefner - Blue Mangoes Evan Sledge - Sledge Outfitters Benjamin Steinhorn - ShoeBio Inc. Thiru Vikram - Buffalo Automation Yang Zheng - Oxalo Therapeutics To qualify as a U.S. National finalist, students had to earn first place in their local GSEA competitions. Competition guidelines required that applicants be actively enrolled as an undergraduate at a recognized college or university. The applicants businesses must be structured as for-profit or social enterprise, been in operation for at least six months, and have generated at least $500 in revenue or received $1,000 in investments at the time of application. # # # About GSEA: The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) is the premier global competition for students who own and operate a for-profit and/or social enterprise structured business while attending a college or university. Nominees compete against their peers from around the world in a series of local and/or national competitions in hopes to qualify for GSEA Finals. Founded in 1998 by Saint Louis University, GSEA is now an Entrepreneurs Organization program. To learn more, visit gsea.org. About Entrepreneurs Organization: The Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) is a global business network of more than 13,500 business owners in 185 chapters and 58 countries. Founded in 1987 by a group of young entrepreneurs, EO enables small and large business owners to learn from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. The organizations vision is to build the worlds most influential community of entrepreneurs, which aligns with its mission of supporting entrepreneurial education and engaging entrepreneurs to learn and grow. For more information, visit eonetwork.org. My Mom always made Valentines Day so special for me growing up, and its still one of my favorite holidays to this day. Its the perfect day to show everyone who you appreciate in your life that youre thinking of them and how special they are to you. Here are some of my favorite things for Valentines Day this year, full of stunning flowers, unique cards, and other amazing things your loved ones will adore! Chivalry Flowers Chivalry Flowers makes the whole process of shopping and ordering flowers online a breeze for your man. The flower farm that stocks this amazing online company with their beautiful blooms also supplies the Bellagio Las Vegas, The Grammy Awards, and The Oscars, and its not surprising that their quality is top-notch. They sent me the most stunning bouquet of orchids, and it is truly one of the most impressive arrangements Ive ever received. You wont be disappointed.go drop your significant other a hint! You can shop Chivalry Flowers here Sugar Plum Chocolates Chocolate Pizza Heart Youre never going to want to look at a regular box of store-bought chocolates again once you see this Chocolate Pizza Heart from Sugar Plum Chocolates! This delicious heart is made of solid milk chocolate and features a white chocolate drizzle with vibrant chocolate candies on top. It also comes along with a little mallet made of wood, so that you or your loved one can smash it into small bits! Who wouldnt have a good time with this fun-filled treat? You can shop Sugar Plum Chocolates here Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Egyptian woman issues warning to Americans: Wake up or be destroyed from within by Islamic immigration During past periods of mass immigration to the United States, native-born Americans often warned of dire consequences to our culture, traditions, and founding. They worried that too many immigrants would water down American mores, values, and customs. For the first 100 or so years of our existence, Congress did not place many restrictions on immigration. In those years, scores of migrants from Germany, Ireland, and even China streamed to America, VOA News reported. Eventually, Congress placed restrictions on immigration and from about 1920 or so until the mid-1960s, America absorbed the wave of migrants who had mostly come from the Old World and they assimilated. In recent years, however, migrants have increasingly come from other parts of the world where Islam is practiced. And, warns one Egyptian woman, they are bringing with them a culture, a religion, and values that so conflict with Western mores and traditions observed in the United States that she fears a major upheaval is coming. Writing under the pseudonym Magda Borham, she penned a letter recently to the U.S. and the West in general with a dire warning about an Islamic invasion under the guise of immigration. Nobody else in the world knows Islam and the mentality of Muslims more than those who have suffered by having Islam as part of their life, Borham who says shes lived in Egypt for more than three decades wrote. If you listen to the [Christian] Copts of Egypt, the Christians of Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Pakistan, and all the other Muslim countries, you will hear descriptions of the horrors of Islam, Borham continued. See and feel the tears of the minorities in every Islamic society. These tears will tell you the true stories of Islam. Hear the blood of the ex-Muslims pounding. Its their blood that is shouting out every single second, asking the rest of the world to Wake up! (Related: Facebook sides with radical Islam, bans gay magazine.) Borham goes on to to say that most Americans dont understand that Islam isnt a religion so much as its an authoritarian political construct that does not comport with the individual liberties and freedoms recognized and protected by the U.S. Constitution. Indeed, she says, Islam is Americas biggest danger. The Left as useful idiots to radical Islam She notes that as Egypt has transformed into an Islamic country, religious minorities like her have increasingly suffered. Like so many others, I have been burned by this transformation, Borham writes. This transformation has seen me witness and experience Islam turn my home country to ruins and its followers are now threatening to bring the same fate to your own country. Islam is a supremacist, racist, political and social ideology wrapped in a thin peel of religious rituals. It seeks domination and supremacy over all other systems and religions. Islam is worse than Nazism and fascist systems combined without any doubt, she warned. In fact, Hitlers Nazi Germany courted Muslim governments during the early part of World War II and many of them sided with Hitler because they shared his hatred of the Jews. Today, it should be noted that Christianity has been essentially eradicated from the Middle East even though thats where it has its origins. As for the U.S., Borham issued a dire warning especially to the American Left. Muslims use your own democratic laws and values against you, and they do it successfully while you keep sleeping as if as in a deep coma. This is why the leftists are the people who are worthy of the title useful idiots. They are in a perpetual state of shame and self-loathing and will be the first victims of Islam once it takes over, she wrote. Leftists, liberals, progressives, Antifa, Code Pink and so on are all appeasers of Islam. Appeasing evil is cowardice. They are fooled people who feed crocodiles, hoping they will eat them last. They are the enemy within your countries, she added. Read more about how the Lefts social justice movement is abetting Americas enemies at JusticeDemocrats.news. Sources include: TheNationalSentinel.com VOANews.com IsraelIslamAndEndTimes.com Islamabad/New Delhi, Feb 19 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday denied his country's involvement in the Kashmir suicide bombing and sought "actionable intelligence" but New Delhi asked Islamabad to "stop misleading the world" and take "credible action" against terrorist masterminds operating from its soil. In a nationwide broadcast, Khan refused to acknowledge that the February 14 Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF troopers and was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was an act of terrorism and also warned India against waging war against Pakistan. "If you (Indian government) think you will attack us and we will not think of retaliating, we will retaliate. We will have no other option... We all know starting a war is in the hands of humans, where it will lead us, only God knows," a sombre looking Khan said. He said India blamed Pakistan for the bombing without any evidence but added that Islamabad was ready to probe it and take action against guilty Pakistanis if evidence was shared with it. "Pakistan is ready to investigate the attack and act if India provides actionable intelligence. Not because we are under pressure but because it is our policy. "India accused Pakistan without any evidence and without thinking how this (attack) would benefit us... This is Naya Pakistan. We have a new thought... Why would Pakistan do it when it's moving towards stability?" Khan asked. "If someone is using Pakistan's soil (to carry out terror attacks elsewhere), he is our enemy. It is against our interests." Denying Islamabad's involvement in the bombing, Khan said: "India is in an election year and we know that speaking of attacking Pakistan is a popular move." In response, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs termed as a "lame excuse" Khan's demand for "actionable intelligence". It asked Pakistan to take "credible and visible action" against the perpetrators of the bombing and other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under its control. Simultaneously, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Indian armed forces were ready to retaliate "against the enemy squarely". The MEA statement said Khan ignored claims by the JeM as well as by the dead terrorist who committed the heinous crime. "It is a well-known fact that the JeM and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse," MEA said. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said disclaiming any link between the "terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Islamabad. "We are not surprised that the Prime Minister of Pakistan refuses to acknowledge the attack on our security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism... He has neither chosen to condemn this heinous act nor condoled with the bereaved families," Kumar added. The MEA said it was regrettable that the Pakistani leader insinuated that India's response to the attack was determined by the forthcoming general election. "India's democracy is a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand. Pakistan should stop misleading the international community and take credible and visible action against the perpetrators of Pulwama terrorist attack and other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under their control," the MEA said. It said that after the Mumbai terror attack of 26/11 which killed 166 Indians and foreigners, proof was provided to Pakistan. "Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of 'guaranteed action' ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan." Referring to Khan's remarks about Naya Pakistan, New Delhi said "in this `Naya Pakistan' Ministers of the current government publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafiz Saeed who have been proscribed by the UN". India said it had repeatedly stated that it was ready to engage in a comprehensive bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence. "Pakistan claims to be the greatest victim of terrorism. This is far from truth. The international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve centre of terrorism," the Indian statement said. Mumbai, Feb 19 : A day after the NDA constituents, the Bhartiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena, finalised a pre-poll deal for the 2019 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections, suspense continued over the latter's demand on Tuesday for the Chief Minister's post. Yuva Sena President Aditya Thackeray, the son of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, already gave clear indications late on Monday that the party may not compromise on the CM's post. Reportedly nurturing high-level political ambitions, he said: "Both the parties will fight an equal number of seats (in the assembly elections) and irrespective of seats won, will share power and posts of equal time." This has been interpreted as a possibility of rotating the CM's post between the two allies - if they are voted to power, and the likelihood of creating the post of Deputy Chief Minister. During the first saffron alliance government of 1995-1999, the practice had been successfully implemented, with Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi as Chief Minister and the BJP's (late) Gopinath Munde as the Deputy CM, who continued even after Narayan Rane replaced Joshi. Last week, the Sena had growled at the BJP, claiming it has always been, continues to be and will always remain the 'Big Brother' of the alliance in Maharashtra. Later, it said the BJP should leave the CM's post to its allies and concentrate on the post of Prime Minister. The BJP did not react on both counts. As per the arrangement sealed on Monday, the BJP-Sena will contest the 48 Lok Sabha seats on a 25:23 basis, with BJP President Amit Shah confident that they would bag 45 seats. However, the exact parliamentary constituencies to be contested by both the partners and other allies, is currently being discussed. In 2014, the BJP had contested 26 seats and bagged 23; the Shiv Sena contested 22 seats and bagged 18; and its ally, Swabhimani Party, secured one during the 'Modi wave'. The Opposition Congress bagged a measly two and the NCP a modest four seats. For the 288-member state Assembly, according to plans, the BJP-Sena alliance would leave aside the requisite number of seats for other smaller allies and from the balance, contest an equal number. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also said that "posts would be shared equally". In 2014, when the alliance had split, the BJP contested all 288 assembly seats and bagged 122, the Sena also contested all seats and won 63. The BJP formed the government as the single largest party, and two months later, the Sena walked over from the Opposition benches to the ruling side. China Aviation Daily | Feb. 19, 2019 As one of the most popular destinations for travel and study abroad among Chinese, in recent years, Australia has seen a steady increase in the number of Chinese tourists. Last year, China has leapfrogged New Zealand for the first time to become the top source country for travelers to Australia. As one of the main carriers of the China-Australia route, Qantas has continuously improved its products and services based on the habits and needs of Chinese travelers to provide Chinese passengers with better travel experience. Recently, Philip Capps, head of product strategy& development, Qantas, gave a detailed introduction to Qantas about how does Qantas deepen its brand image in the Chinese market during CAPSE's interview. CAPSE: After Qantas entered the Chinese market, how was the service adjusted based on the Chinese market and passenger demand? Philip Capps: Now Qantas has direct flight between China and Australia for 40 flights per week, connecting Sydney, Australia's largest port city, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong. With the code share services launched by Qantas, China Eastern and China Southern, Qantas offers more than 130 flights per week between China and Australia. Chinese tourists can also take Qantas flights via Sydney to more than 30 destinations in Australia and New Zealand. Since entering the Chinese market, according to the needs of Chinese passengers, Qantas has made corresponding adjustments and upgrades in both hardware and software services. In 2016, Qantas launched a special Chinese edition of bi-annual aircraft magazine Qantas, which provides travel inspiration, destination guides & information and news of Qantas Group. In order to expand the Chinese market, Qantas also opened Weibo, WeChat and YouTube official accounts to communicate with Chinese travelers and tailored the information promotion platform to deliver the latest news of Qantas and destination information according to the characteristics of Chinese market. Australia is one of the world's leading wine producers, and Australian wines are generally favored by Chinese consumers. As Australia's national airline, Qantas cannot provide unique service without the help of wine. CAPSE: According to CAPSE's Passenger Satisfaction Survey, the exquisite in-flight meal is one of the characteristics of Qantas' international routes. In addition to the delicious in-flight dishes, the air sommelier of Qantas will also recommend famous wine and champagne for tourists. Could you please introduce Qantas' drinks and sommelier services to CPASE? Philip Capps: Qantas has always integrated outstanding quality into the details of its services, as well as the selection of wines. Every year more than 25 million Australian dollars are spent on Australian wine, and up to two million bottles of wine are used for all flights and VIP services. Qantas also built an industry-leading elite team Qantas Rockpool Sommeliers which composed of 16 experienced sommeliers and bartenders, including one from the only two Master Sommeliers in Australia. The sommelier team creates a cellar in air with a wide variety of high-quality wine for the passengers of Qantas via collecting various special wine from famous production areas with different brewing techniques in Australia. This captures the picky taste buds of countless passengers. There are also a series of selection processes for the Australian wines served in First Class, Business Class and Lounge. The Qantas Rockpool Sommeliers needs to select 250 wines with unique flavor and excellent quality from over 1300 wines by blind tasting. These wines are available in Qantas domestic and international flights as well as VIP lounges. The wine list in First Class is updated according to the menu provided each day, and in business class & economy class, it will also be updated regularly to ensure that each passenger can taste more varieties of pure Australia wine. Qantas' cabin sommelier service is also a highlight. Instead of simply printing the name of the wine on paper, we choose to provide suitable wine dictated by professional sommeliers, depending on the cabin situation and passengers' choices. Now more than 300 flight attendants have passed the systematic training and become professional air sommeliers, serving the business class and first class of Qantas international routes. At the same time, more than 2,000 flight attendants have completed primary, secondary and advanced training in wine knowledge which can help the passengers to better understand Australia's prestigious wine. CAPSE: Is there any difference between Chinese and foreigners in wine appreciation? In addition to Australian wines, are there any other Chinese characteristics of catering offered on Qantas route to/from China? Philip Capps: Generally speaking, compared with the conservative taste of wines from the traditional wine-growing areas such as France, the New World wines have a more unrestrained taste towards a fruitier style. This is mainly caused by the climate of origins. As a famous production place for the New World wines, Australia has a totally different climate from that in Europe, where the hotter climate makes wines more unrestrained and fruitier. As CAPSE said, Chinese passengers have a preference for Australian wines, and the fruitier Australian wines are more suitable for Chinese taste. Catering offered by Qantas has always been well received. For every business class passenger in our international flight, you can enjoy the delicacy in season specially prepared by the team of Neil Perry, Creative Director of Food and Services, which will include fried noodles and fried rice in flights to/from China to meet the needs of Chinese travelers. Besides, we provide Tsingtao Beer as well as other local food and beverage in flights departing from China. CAPSE: How does Qantas Frequent Flyer recruit new members and motivate members usually? Is there a special membership policy in China? Philip Capps: Qantas Frequent Flyer is a customer loyalty product. Members can earn and build up their Qantas Points and Status Credits by flying with Qantas or our partners and affiliates, as well as consumption at our partners. You could use your Qantas Points to pay for products and services or an upgrade. In China, Qantas has established a long-term and stable partnership with China Eastern Airlines. Members of Qantas Frequent Flyer will earn Qantas Points by booking a ticket on Qantas website, no matter the flight is operated by Qantas or China Eastern Airlines. Meanwhile, frequent flyers of China Eastern Airlines could directly pay for flights on Qantas website using their points. CAPSE: How does Qantas Frequent Flyer maintain member loyalty through activities such as class upgrades and VIP lounge services? Philip Capps: Qantas membership levels range from Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum to Platinum One. Each level can enjoy corresponding benefits including ticket reservation, free seat selection, free access to the VIP lounge, additional baggage check, etc. Also, Qantas frequent flyers enjoy certain levels of benefits of other One World member airlines. CAPSE: Recently, Qantas has announced expansion on its global VIP lounge upgrade program. Could you introduce more details about the upgrade? Philip Capps: Qantas understands that the airport lounge is an important factor affacting passenger experience, which is also a way to fully demonstrate airlines' feedback to frequent flyers and high-end passengers. Qantas has gradually updated its VIP lounge over the past few years. The recent upgrade program aims to further enhance passengers' travel experience. To meet the needs of more and more passengers for high-end experience, Qantas will expand the space and capacity of multiple VIP lounges around the world, as well as increase more catering choices and local design element. Whether the luxurious environment created by professional designers or the special catering designed by Neil Perry, it will bring an unparalleled high-end experience to passengers. We hope that our VIP lounges will bring distinguished services and a homelike experience to travelers around the world. Contributed by CAPSE New Delhi, Feb 19 : Seat allocation among Bihar's ruling NDA constituents is likely to be finalised by next week and would be announced ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on March 3. "The seat allocation among us will be decided in a week's time and the announcements will be made before Prime Minister Modi's visit," a senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader told IANS. According to the seat-sharing formula, the BJP and the JD-U will contest 17 seats each, while the remaining six seats will be given to Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). In the 2014 general elections, the NDA had won 31 of the total 40 Lok Sabha seats it contested in Bihar, with the BJP securing 22, the LJP six and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) three seats. The JD-U, which contested alone, was reduced to just two seats. Political alignments in the state have since changed drastically, with the BJP-led NDA now facing a stiff challenge from the RJD and Congress-led 'mahagathbandhan'. Nitish Kumar's JD-U, which contested the Assembly polls in an alliance with the mahagathbandhan, after winning the elections, left it and returned to old ally NDA in July 2017. In December 2018, the RLSP led by former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, pulled out of the NDA and joined the 'mahagathbandhan'. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) led by former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, which contested the 2015 assembly polls as an NDA ally, has also pulled out of the alliance and joined the 'mahagathbandhan' in the state. New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said that it will expose the "real anti-Delhi face of the BJP" in the coming Lok Sabha elections by presenting the facts and lies of the Central government before the public. The party in a statement said that it will distribute all the previous manifestoes of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on full statehood to Delhi and will tell the voters that the Modi-Shah duo has no respect even for the founding fathers of their own party. "AAP will expose the real anti-Delhi face of the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections by placing before the residents of the national capital the lies and the deceits of the BJP-led Central government during last five years with the sole intention of causing injustice to Delhi," it said. The party will also launch a full-scale struggle to tell the people of Delhi that the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah duo's BJP has no respect even for the founding fathers of their own party as they have ruthlessly shattered the dream of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani of granting full statehood to Delhi. "AAP will take to the people all the manifestoes of the BJP released in previous election including the latest Delhi specific manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, in which the BJP had promised (full) statehood for Delhi if it was voted to power. "Delhi voters gave them all seven Lok Sabha seats in 2014 only to be deceived by the Modi-Shah duo which does not like Delhi at all," it said. The AAP will also take door-to-door the May 2015 notification of the Modi government, which snatched away the legal powers of the elected Delhi government, it said. "This illegal and unjustified notification was issued by the Modi government barely three months after people of Delhi had elected their state government with highest ever electoral mandate in the history of independent India, in February 2015. Through this notification, the Modi government illegally amended the Constitution," the party added. "Through this notification, the Modi government snatched Services and the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) from the elected Delhi government. The Constitution of India had permitted Centre's control only on Land, Police and Public Order in Delhi," it said. Chennai, Feb 19 : The ruling AIADMK signed a pact with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday to contest the Lok Sabha elections together, with the BJP allocated five of the 39 seats in the state. Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam told the media here: "Under the AIADMK-led alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP gets five Lok Sabha seats." He said as per the pact, the BJP would support AIADMK candidates in the coming Assembly by-elections in 21 constituencies. Union Minister and Tamil Nadu in-charge for BJP Piyush Goyal said: "We have agreed to contest the Parliament elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry." "We have agreed to contest the elections under the leadership of Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam. "All 40 seats in Tamil Nadu (39 seats) and Puducherry will be won by us," Goyal added. Asked about other parties like DMDK, Goyal said the alliance will take place in due course of time. He said he will be meeting DMDK leader Vijayakant. Earlier in the day, the AIADMK announced a pact with PMK, whereby the latter would contest in seven Lok Sabha seats and would also get a Rajya Sabha seat in 2019. The PMK would also support the AIADMK in the coming bypolls. Kolkata, Feb 19 : After recovering from devastating floods last year, Kerala is expecting 5-10 per cent increase in tourists' arrival in 2019 and its revenue from the sector is expected to grow by about 3-6 per cent in the current year, an official said here on Tuesday. The state's tourism sector suffered an estimated loss of Rs 2,000 crore in the last year on account of deadly floods that wreaked havoc in the southern state, state tourism department's Deputy Director Muraleedharan P. said. "Of the total estimated loss, Rs 1,500 crore was lost due to cancellation of bookings and hoteliers and resorts' owners incurred losses to the tune of Rs 500 crore on account of damages," he said. "Kerala has recovered from the devastating floods. This year, we are expecting 5-10 per cent increase in footfall of both domestic and international tourists," he said on the sidelines of a 'partnership meet' in the city. Overall, 1.67 crore of international and domestic tourists visited the southern state last year. "Revenue from the state tourism was at Rs 36,528 crore in 2018 and we are hoping to clock a 3-6 per cent increase in revenue this year," he said. Among foreign tourists who visited last year, maximum of them came from the UK, followed by the US and France, he said. He said the state has been pursuing a five-year target of doubling the arrival of foreign tourists and 50 per cent increase in domestic tourists by 2021. Tourism currently contributes about 10 per cent to the gross domestic product of the southern state, he said, adding that the share of tourism would increase further in coming years. Shillong, Feb 19 : Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy here on Tuesday supported a call for boycott of "everything Kashmiri" following the terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF troopers on Thursday. Quoting an appeal from a retired Army Colonel, Roy tweeted: "Don't visit Kashmir, don't go to Amarnath for the next 2 years. Don't buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri. I am inclined to agree." New Delhi, Feb 19 : The Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which is one of the partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, had witnessed a rise in its fortunes in the elections whenever it had contested the Lok Sabha polls with the BJP in the state since 1999. The NDA comprising the BJP and the JD-U had shown their best performance in the state in the 1999 and 2009 elections, when they had won 41 out of 54 seats in undivided Bihar and 32 out of 40 seats respectively. In the 1999 Lok Sabha polls, the Janata Dal-United had won 17, while its alliance partner BJP had won 24 seats in Bihar before Jharkhand was carved out in 2000. The Congress and Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had won four and seven seats respectively in the 1999 elections, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist and an independent candidate had won one seat each. However, things changed in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections when the Congress and the RJD combine bounced back by winning 25 out of 40 seats in Bihar. The RJD had won 22 while the Congress managed to win three seats. Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) also won four seats as part of the UPA alliance. On the other side, the NDA, comprising the JD-U and the BJP, managed to win 11 seats. The JD-U won six and the BJP five. Despite a good show in the 2004 general elections by the RJD and the Congress, a year later, the NDA alliance of the BJP and the JD-U decimated the RJD in the 2005 assembly polls in Bihar and came to power in the state by winning 143 seats altogether. And riding high on the good governance model of Nitish Kumar, the NDA's best performance was yet to come in the state. Under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi of the BJP, the NDA won 32 seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls in the state. The Nitish Kumar-led JD-U, which acted as the big brother in the alliance, got the maximum share of seats by winning 22 while the saffron party tasted victory in 12 seats. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which still came back to power at the Centre in 2009, won only six seats in the state. The RJD won four seats and the Congress two seats respectively in the state. Their ally, LJP, scored a nil in the 2009 elections, while two seats were won by independent candidates. However, things changed dramatically for the JD-U after it pulled out of the NDA in 2013 by opposing the prime ministerial candidature of Narendra Modi. Following the exit of Nitish Kumar, the BJP scored its best-ever performance in the state after combining with the Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and Paswan-led LJP. The BJP won 22 out of 40 seats while its partners LJP and RLSP won six and three seats respectively. On the other hand, the JD-U, which had been a partner of the BJP in the state for the last 17 years and had won 20 seats in 2009, contested alone and was reduced to only two seats. On the other hand, the RJD, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) managed to win four, two and one seat respectively. Commenting on the JD-U's fortunes going up with the BJP, the party's national general secretary, K.C. Tyagi told IANS: "The utility of Nitish Kumar is that whenever he partners with any party, then the other party gets marginalised." Giving examples, he said when the JD(u) partnered with the BJP, the RJD and the Congress were marginalised in the state and when it partnered with the RJD and the Congress, then the BJP got decimated in the 2015 assembly polls. Backing his claim, the JD-U leader said, "The BJP had a lead in 175 seats in 2010 assembly polls when it fought with the JD-U. But it was reduced to 58 seats in 2015 assembly polls when we joined the Grand Alliance. So this is the charisma of Nitish Kumar." Referring to the reasons for the popularity of Nitish Kumar and his party in the state, Tyagi said "transparency, corruption free government, no dynastic rule and good governance of Nitish Kumar are the major reasons for the popularity of the party in Bihar". When pointed to the party's worst defeat in the 2014 general elections, as it won only two seats, Tyagi said, "In 2014 we were not in the election fray. The election was between Congress, RJD and the BJP. We lost miserably and got only two seats. But despite that we got 17 per cent of the votes." The Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai, however, parried questions on the issue saying all the allies make the alliance stronger in the state. "The BJP, JD-U and the LJP complete each other in the state. Altogether we had strengthened the alliance and made it stronger," Rai said. Six months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA camp has witnessed a break as its partner RLSP comprising Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Upendra Kushwaha pulled out of the alliance. Kushwaha later announced that his party will join the Grand Alliance comprising the Congress and the RJD in the state. Even the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), led by former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, which had contested the 2015 assembly polls in the state with the NDA, also joined the Grand Alliance last year. The LJP, however, has decided to stay with the NDA after a round of negotiations with BJP President Amit Shah over "respectable seat share to the party". The JD-U and the BJP have announced that they will fight an equal number of seats leaving the rest of the seats for the LJP. The BJP and the JD-U will be contesting 17 seats each with six seats left for the LJP. In addition, the LJP has been offered one Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) Islamabad, Feb 19 : Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said Pakistan will certainly retaliate if India declares war after the suicide bombing in Kashmir but also pledged to act against Pakistanis found involved in the attack if "actionable intelligence" was provided. "If you (Indian government) think you will attack us and we will not think of retaliating, we will retaliate. We will have no other option other than retaliating. We all know starting a war is in the hands of humans, where it will lead us, only God knows," a sombre Khan said in a nationwide broadcast. The Pakistani leader said the Indian government blamed Pakistan for the February 14 Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF troopers without any evidence but added that Islamabad was ready to investigate the bombing and act if if India gave "actionable intelligence". "India accused Pakistan without any evidence and without thinking how this (attack) would benefit us... This is Naya Pakistan. We have a new thought... Why would Pakistan do it when it's moving towards stability?" Khan asked. His response came days after New Delhi held Islamabad responsible for the attack in Pulwama that was claimed by the Pakistani-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Denying Islamabad's involvement in the bombing, the Pakistani leader said: "India is in an election year and we know that speaking of attacking Pakistan is a popular move." Offering to probe the attack, he said: "Pakistan is ready to investigate the attack and act if India provides actionable intelligence. Not because we are under pressure but because it is our policy. "If someone is using Pakistan's soil (to carry out terror attacks elsewhere), he is our enemy. It is against our interests." At the same time, Khan urged New Delhi to introspect its actions while adding that Pakistan was ready for talks with India on terrorism. "You want to remain stuck in the past and each time an incident happens in Kashmir, you want to hold Pakistan responsible. Instead of trying to resolve the (Kashmir) issue, starting a dialogue or moving forward, (you) make Islamabad your whipping boy again and again. "India should reflect why people in Kashmir are so angry with India. Kashmiris are not afraid of death any more. There must be a reason for that. Should there not be a discussion in India on this?" he asked. "Which law in the world allows anyone to become a judge and jury at the same time?" Wondering if India wanted to resolve the Kashmir issue militarily, Khan said this would never succeed. The Prime Minister added that whenever Pakistan tried to initiate a dialogue with India, New Delhi's precondition was that terrorism must be discussed. "We are ready to talk about terrorism. Terrorism is a regional issue... We want terrorism in the region to end.. Pakistan has been the worst affected by terrorism. Therefore, we are ready to talk to you. "The Kashmir issue, like the Afghan issue, will be resolved through talks," he said. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief said he got delayed speaking on the issue now because Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was visiting his country. "Would we do such an act (suicide bombing) when the Saudi Crown Prince was visiting. Would a fool even consider sabotaging the conference and what benefit would we get out if it?" he asked. New Delhi, Feb 19 : Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that merely launching of schemes and initiatives is not sufficient, rather how to make them effective should be the priority. "Just launching of any scheme or initiative is not sufficient. What matters is how much will power is given to ensure that the schemes are operated properly, what makes the initiatives important and how it can be made effective," Singh said while speaking at an event organised by his ministry along with the Women and Child Development Ministry. Singh launched three women-centric initiatives - safety tool "Panic Button", DNA analysis facilities and Safe City Implementation Monitoring (SCIM) along with Union WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi. "Our ministry has always been committed towards women safety as it is a very sensitive issue. We have created women safety division in our ministry. Everyone should come together to ensure more safer environment to women," Singh noted. The Minister also added that for proper implementation of the schemes, stakeholders need to be given more training, sensitised on gender issues and allotted sufficient resources. Jaipur, Feb 19 : A highway in Rajasthan was blocked on Tuesday by villagers demanding compensation for the families of 11 people who were killed in an accident. According to the police, the accident took place near Pratapgarh on Monday night when a speeding truck rammed into a marriage procession of over 100 people. The driver fled shortly after the mishap. The victims belonged to the Chhoti Sadri village. Anguished villagers have refused to collect the bodies and have blocked the National Highway 113 demanding for compensation. In order to ease the blockade, an ex-gratia of Rs 1.75 lakh was announced for each of the victims' families, said Pratapgarh Additional District Magistrate Hemendra Nagar. Nineteen people were also injured, of which two were said to be critical, he added. Vatican City, Feb 19 : The Vatican has revealed that it has secret rules for priests who father children despite their celibacy vows, The New York Times said in a report. The Vatican has also confirmed that its department overseeing the world's priests has general guidelines for what to do when clerics break celibacy vows and have children. "I can confirm that these guidelines exist," Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told The New York Times. "It is an internal document." The confirmation comes after Vincent Doyle, a psychotherapist in Ireland, told the daily that he was 28 when he learned from his mother that the Roman Catholic priest he had always known as his godfather was in truth his biological father. The discovery led him to create a global support group, Coping International, to help other children of priests like him. When he pressed bishops to acknowledge these children, some church leaders told him that he was the product of the rarest of transgressions. In 2017, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, the Vatican's envoy to the UN in Geneva, finally showed him a document of Vatican guidelines for how to deal with priests who father children, proof that he was hardly alone. According to the Archbishop, these children are termed "children of the ordained", Doyle told The New York Times. Doyle said that when he had asked for a copy, the Archbishop refused, saying it was secret. The development comes as the Vatican prepares for a meeting on Thursday on the ongoing child sexual abuse crisis. According to The New York Times, the children are sometimes the result of affairs involving priests and laywomen or nuns and others of abuse or rape. There are no official estimates of how many such children exist. But Doyle told The New York Times that his support group website has 50,000 users in 175 countries. The tradition of celibacy among Roman Catholic clergy was broadly codified in the 12th century, but not necessarily adhered to, even in the highest places. Rodrigo Borgia, while a priest, had four children with his mistress before he became Pope Alexander VI, an excess that helped spur Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation. Luther wrote mockingly that the Pope had as much command over celibacy as "the natural movement of the bowels". LONDON, Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- About this market A preterm birth or premature birth is the birth of a baby before 37 weeks of gestation. The rising incidence of preterm births is the leading cause of infant mortality. Preterm birth rates depend on racial and ethnic differences as well. Owing to the rising number of preterm births and mortality rates, initiatives by the World Health Assembly and UNICEF seek to provide improved obstetric and neonatal care units with high-end equipment such as neonatal ventilators that can provide a sufficient amount of oxygen to neonates. Considering all these factors, the growing incidence of preterm births and mortality rates will drive the growth of the global neonatal ventilators market during the forecast period. Technavio's analysts have predicted that the neonatal ventilators market will register a CAGR of almost 8% by 2023. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5741943 Market Overview High demand for noninvasive ventilators Noninvasive ventilators are devices that aid in the administration of ventilatory support through the upper airway sac using a nasal mask without the incorporation of an invasive artificial airway such as an endotracheal tube or a tracheostomy tube. Stringent regulatory requirements Neonatal ventilators are used to provide respiratory care in premature neonates and neonates with respiratory illnesses. However, design faults, malfunctioning, and technical errors are some of the issues that are associated with neonatal ventilators, which can lead to improper patient management and treatments. Hence, the manufacture of neonatal ventilators is governed by stringent government regulations. For the detailed list of factors that will drive and challenge the growth of the neonatal ventilators market during the 2019-2023, view our report. Competitive Landscape The neonatal ventilators market appears to be moderately fragmented and with the presence of several companies. This market research report will help clients identify new growth opportunities and design unique growth strategies by providing a comprehensive analysis of the market's competitive landscape and offering information on the products offered by companies. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5741943 About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Center Cooling Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Precision Air Conditioner, Air Conditioner), By Containment, By Structure, By Application (Retail, IT, Telecom), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05741357 The global data center cooling market size is expected to reach USD 20.7 billion by 2025 expanding at a CAGR of 13.5%, according to a study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising number of data centers, increasing usage of cloud computing, and increased demand for eco-friendly cooling technologies are some of the key factors that are expected to boost the market growth. Emergence of cloud computing coupled with initiatives by government organizations to promote the adoption of cloud technology and enable prominent vendors to introduce technological advancements is driving the market growth.For example, the government of UAE introduced various projects including Smart Dubai and Smart Abu Dhabi, which were aimed at bringing about digital transformation and economic growth in the country. Such initiatives are expected to drive the market in UAE. Data center cooling accounts for over 30% of the total energy consumption.In the current scenario, companies are moving toward sustainable cooling, which can save up to 80% or more on energy costs for cooling. For instance, Apple's North Carolina data center facility operates completely on sustainable, eco-friendly power sources as data center cooling is achieved through the free-air cooling technique, allowing the chillers to be off 75% of the time. Additionally, there is a rise in pressure from the local and federal government agencies, environmentalists, and the general public for organizations to implement green initiatives.Therefore, high demand for eco-friendly and cost-effective cooling solutions is expected to propel the market growth. However, high installation and maintenance costs, electricity consumption, and carbon emissions are some of the challenges affecting the industry growth. Further key findings from the study suggest: Telecom segment accounted for over 20.0% of the total market share in 2018 owing to increased penetration of 4G services and development of 5G infrastructure that has data-intensive networks Furthermore, growing number of telecom subscribers using smartphones and tablets is anticipated to boost the demand for data centers, thereby propelling the market growth Middle East region is expected to witness substantial growth owing to rising need for enhanced cooling techniques Several IT companies, including Google Inc., Oracle Corporation, and Alibaba, have announced their plans to build data centers in the Middle East Europe is also anticipated to witness a significant growth owing to cold weather conditions in Nordic countries The raised floor with containment segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR 6% from 2019 to 2025 Major companies in the market are Schneider Electric, Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, Hitachi, Ltd., Fujitsu Limited, and Vertiv Co. Most of these industry participants focus on introducing different techniques to enhance their market presence Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05741357 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 In a career spanning more than six decades, Sutherland has paired "a deep knowledge of technology with an understanding of human behavior to transform computer interaction," the citation continues. Nowadays, "everybody using a computer or smartphone benefits from his vision and contributions." Sutherland gave notice of his visionary talent with his doctoral thesis, presented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1963 under the supervision of Claude Shannon, the "father" of information theory. It described the Sketchpad program, which showed that computer graphics could provide a more natural interaction between user and machine, and is generally regarded as the predecessor of the graphical interfaces we know today, from the windows system begun by Apple to the icons of our smartphone apps. It is in honor of these achievements that the committee describes him as "the father of computer graphics." At a time when punch cards were the norm, the ideas behind Sketchpad were "revolutionary," says the awards committee. The program "laid the foundations for intuitive and powerful human-computer interaction through drawing and manipulating shapes and icons rather than through typing commands. Sketchpad provided a light pen and commands to draw directly on a computer display, to zoom in and out, and to transform objects." In conversation yesterday after hearing of the award, Sutherland gave thanks to Wesley Clark, builder of "what was then the world's biggest computer, the TX-2" for letting him use it "for hours at a time" to develop Sketchpad. "Being able to draw on a computer screen was totally unusual and unexpected, and awakened a lot of people to the possibility of using computer graphics," the new laureate remarked. Asked if he could imagine then the kind of applications his work would inspire, Sutherland admitted he had "no idea what it would lead to. I did it because it was interesting to do. I was given access to a computer. I wanted to make drawings on that computer, because I liked drawings, and I liked to make them neat, and the computer delivered that. I did what I did because each step was interesting and technically possible, and clearly gave us access to information in a new way that would obviously be useful, even if how it would be used was not clear." The first virtual reality headset A few years later, as a professor at Harvard University, Sutherland created the first virtual reality headset "with potential to track the user's gaze," the committee explains. This device, which he built with his students in 1968, was nicknamed "The Sword of Damocles" due to its weight, and is referred to in the citation as the precursor of "today's virtual and augmented reality systems such as HoloLens, Rift and Vive." In the original paper describing the device, Sutherland explained that his goal was "to surround the user with three-dimensional information," an image that "must change in exactly the way that the image of a real object would" when the observer moves their head. The objects projected "appear to hang in the space all around the user," writes Sutherland, for whom "the biggest surprise" was the enthusiastic response of the device's initial public and the "realism" of its images. He ends the report confessing that at the outset he had "no idea how much effort would be involved." As with Sketchpad, Sutherland had no inkling of the world that virtual reality would open up. Nor is he willing now to hazard predictions about its future uses: "If you want to know the future, you have to ask the people who make it not the people who started it. I have no idea what other people will do." More than 60 patents Sutherland's influence has spanned academia and industry. Not only does he himself hold over 60 patents, but a number of his students have gone on to found some of the sector's most thriving companies. In 1968 he moved to the University of Utah, where he incorporated Evans & Sutherland, a firm that pioneered the development of 3D graphics hardware, and was accompanied by "brilliant students," he remarked yesterday. "Their excellence enabled several of them to be involved in entrepreneurial companies, some of which did marvelous things. For instance, Edwin Catmull started Pixar, which makes very entertaining films. And John Warnock was one of the founders of Adobe. I am pleased to have known those people and made some small contribution to their education." His next academic appointment, in the 1970s, was at the California Institute of Technology, where he worked closely with Carver Mead, winner of the Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the fourth edition. Sutherland's name was put forward for the award by another Frontiers laureate, Leonard Kleinrock, honored in the seventh edition. The latest awardee makes just one assertion about the future; that it will depend entirely on the next generation's spirit of inquiry: "Young people are wonderful. They don't know what they can't do, so they go ahead and do it." Bio notes Ivan Sutherland (Hastings, Nebraska, United States, 1938) earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, then went on to complete an MS and PhD in the same subject at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology respectively. His research and teaching career began at the University of Maryland, followed by appointments at Harvard and Utah universities, Caltech (where he set up the Department of Computer Science), Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College London, the University of California, Berkeley, and Portland State University, where he is currently a Visiting Scientist. He has founded a number of companies, including Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation, Picture Design Group and Sutherland, Sproull & Associates, the latter acquired by Sun Microsystems to form Sun Microsystems Laboratory, where Sutherland would remain for several years as Vice President and Sun Fellow (the firm's most senior technical post). An intensive research enterprise in both the university and corporate sectors has earned him numerous patents; the first in 1956, when he was just 21 years old, followed by another seventy-four. He combines his post at Portland State University with consulting work for the U.S. Government and firms like Oracle Laboratory and ForrestHunt Information and Communication Technologies committee and evaluation support panel The rigor, quality and independence of the judging process have earned these awards the attention of the international scientific community and a firm place among the world's foremost prize families. The jury in this category was chaired by Joos Vandewalle, Honorary President of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, with Ron Ho, Director of Silicon Engineering at Facebook (United States) acting as secretary. Remaining members were Liz Burd, Pro Vice-Chancellor in Learning and Teaching at the University of Newcastle (Australia), Georg Gottlob, Professor of Informatics at the University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Oussama Khatib, Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University (United States), Rudolf Kruse, Emeritus Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany), and Mario Piattini, Professor of Computer Languages and Systems at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). The BBVA Foundation is aided in the evaluation process by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the country's premier public research organization. The Foundation and CSIC jointly appoint the evaluation support panels charged with undertaking an initial assessment of the candidates proposed by institutions across the world and drawing up a reasoned shortlist for the consideration of the award committees. CSIC is also responsible for designating each committee chair. The evaluation support panel in this category was coordinated by Maria Victoria Moreno, the Council's Deputy Vice President for Scientific and Technical Areas, and formed by: Carmen Garcia, Coordinator of the Physical Science and Technologies Area and Research Professor in the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC); Manuel Lozano, Research Professor at the Barcelona Institute of Microelectronics (IMB-CNM); Pedro Meseguer, Scientific Researcher at the Institute of Research in Artificial Intelligence (IIIA); Federico Thomas, Research Professor in the Institute of Robotics and Industrial Computing (IRII); and Roberta Zambrini, Tenured Researcher in the Institute of Interdisciplinary Physics and Complex Systems (IFISC). About the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards The BBVA Foundation centers its activity on the promotion of world-class scientific research and cultural creation, and the encouragement of talent. The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards, established in 2008, recognize and reward contributions of singular impact in science, art and the humanities, privileging achievements that significantly expand the frontiers of the known world, open up new fields, or emerge from the interaction of various disciplinary areas. Their eight categories are congruent with the knowledge map of the 21st century, ranging from basic sciences to key challenges for the natural environment by way of domains at the crossroads of disciplines Biology and Medicine; Economics, Finance and Management or the supremely creative realms of music and the opera. LAUREATE'S FIRST DECLARATIONS AND IMAGES A video recording of the new laureate's first interview on receiving news of the award is available from the Atlas FTP with the following coordinates: Server: 5.40.40.61 Username: agenciaatlas2 Password: fronteras The video is in the folder labelled: "PREMIO TECNOLOGIAS DE LA INFORMACION Y LA COMUNICACION" In the event of connection difficulties, please contact Miguel Gil at production company Atlas: Mobile: 619 30 8774 E-mail: [email protected] Calendar of announcement events BASIC SCIENCES Tuesday, 5 March, 2019 ECONOMICS, FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT Tuesday, 26 March, 2019 MUSIC AND OPERA Tuesday, 9 April, 2019 HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Tuesday, 30 April, 2019 SOURCE BBVA Foundation Related Links http://www.fbbva.es Cardiac surgeons have long-attempted to use various hemostats to manage bleeding from sternotomies, including beeswax, putties, powders and gelatin. BoneSeal hemostat offers a new, all-in-one solution to manage bone hemostasis that is easy to apply and bioabsorbable. "Terumo CV Group is excited to partner with Hemostasis to bring this innovative product to cardiac surgeons," said Robert DeRyke, Terumo Cardiovascular Group's President and CEO. "Our new agreement to distribute BoneSeal hemostat is yet another way we can positively impact patient care." BoneSeal hemostat handles much like beeswax and works immediately to achieve bone hemostasis upon application. With BoneSeal hemostat, surgeons can take control of hemostasis and post-operative bleeding, giving patients a better start to healing.(1) 1. Tham T, Roberts K, Shanahan J, Burban J, Constantino P. Analysis of bone healing with a novel bone wax substitute compared with bone wax in a porcine bone defect model. Future Science OA. 2018 Sep; 4(8): FSO326. About Terumo Cardiovascular Group Terumo Cardiovascular Group manufactures and markets medical devices for cardiac and vascular surgery with an emphasis on cardiopulmonary bypass, intra-operative monitoring and vascular grafting. The company is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with manufacturing operations in the U.S., Europe and Asia. It is one of several subsidiaries of Terumo Corporation of Japan that is focused exclusively on cardiac and vascular specialties. For more information, visit www.terumo-cvgroup.com. About Hemostasis Hemostasis designs and manufactures advanced biomaterial-based technologies to facilitate hemostasis and wound healing. Hemostasis products are used in procedures to treat disorders and stop bleeding in sinus, cardiac, orthopedic, vascular, soft tissue and solid organs. Hemostasis is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.hemostasisllc.com. SOURCE Terumo Cardiovascular Group Related Links http://www.terumo-cvgroup.com FORT MYERS, Fla., Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- South West Florida Medical Group is implementing a non-invasive and drug free solution for Erectile Dysfunction (ED) called GAINSWave , which boasts a 75% success rate. GAINSWave is a premium brand of shockwave therapy designed to remove micro-plaque and stimulate the growth of new blood vessels to improve blood flow. Erectile Dysfunction is a natural condition that affects every man with age. When men age, the vessels in their genitalia weaken as a result of built micro-plaque. This plaque restricts the blood flow that streams throughout the male member, resulting in a lack in the amount of blood required for erection. Subsequently, sensitivity declines along with the promotion of new blood vessels. "For years, medical professionals have been searching for a concrete solution to treat the core of erectile dysfunction as opposed to just masking the symptoms with painful injections and pharmaceuticals," says Vincent Fraumeni, DC. "From my experience, GAINSWave is that solution." The treatment is based on a series of over 30 clinical studies , and is supported by a network of over 320 urologists and medical professionals across the country. Patients receiving GAINSWave have testified on their results, reporting improved erection quality, enhanced sexual performance and decreased refractory times between ejaculation. "It's also a powerful way to prevent ED. Until recently, most men were unaware that they could take their packages in for routine maintenance," adds Vincent Fraumeni, DC. This drug and surgery-free procedure only takes about 20 minutes and can enhance a man's sex life while addressing the root cause of Erectile Dysfunction and Peyronie's disease. South West Florida Medical Group is now treating men with the GAINSWave Therapy in their offices located at 9001 Daniels Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL 33912, USA. South West Florida Medical Group in Florida caters to male sexual health and enhancement. Proudly serving Southwest Florida, Vincent Fraumeni specializes in GAINSWave shockwave therapy. For more information, please contact us at our clinic. For More Information Contact: Adrian Gonzalez Social Media & PR Specialist [email protected] 786-558-0338 SOURCE GAINSWave Related Links https://gainswave.com FELTON, California, Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global release agent market is expected to witness considerable growth in the coming years due to increase in applications of release agents in bakery industry. Release agent, also known as parting agent is a chemical applied to the surface to avoid substances sticking to it. These agents are normally based on oils, silicone or soapy surfactants with different food grade formulations used in food processing industry. Release agent market is driven by factors like easy applicability by spraying, rise in use of organic and natural agents and increase in demand for bakery food products. Additionally, changing eating habits and growth in industrial food productions are also driving the market. With the aim of controlling harmful VOCs, manufacturers are focusing on the introduction of eco-friendly release agents. Furthermore, huge unexploited areas for meat and bakery products is expected to offer opportunities to the market. Release agent market is categorized on the basis of type, ingredients, application, and geography. On the basis of type, market is divided into liquid and solid. Liquid segment lead the market since they are increasingly used as release aid for semi-rigid, flexible, rigid and polyurethanes. Browse research report with TOC on "Global Release Agent Market" at: https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/release-agent-market In terms of ingredient, market is bifurcated into wax and wax esters, emulsifiers, antioxidants, and vegetable oils. Vegetable oil segment is predicted to hold maximum share of the market due to increase in demand from developed economies for vegetable oils containing natural ingredients. Based on application, release agent industry is divided into confectionary food products, bakery products, and processed food products. Bakery segment leads the market due to increase in demand for bakery food items. Also the use of release agents in bakery reduce production time and labour cost required for cleaning molds, pans, and trays. Geographically, market is segmented as North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. Europe is expected to lead the market owing to high awareness for healthy foods. Asia Pacific is also expected to hold significant share of the market in the forecast period. The leading players in release agent market comprise Avatar Corporation, Puratos, Lecico, Par-Way Tryson, Mallet & Company, AAK AB, Associated British Foods, ADM, IFC Solutions. (US), Lallemand, DowDuPont and Masterol Foods. Browse reports of similar category available with Million Insights: Market Segment: - Leading players of Release Agent including: o Chem-Trend o Franklynn Industries o Henkel o AXEL o Chukyo Yushi o Marbocote o Mcgee Industries o REXCO o LANXESS o Specialty Products o E.undP.WurtzGmbH&CoKG o Kluber Lubrication o Daikin o Aervoe o CONDAT o Dupont o 3M o Stoner o BASF o Beilida o QIKO - Market split by Type, can be divided into: o Internal Mold Releases o External Mold Releases - Market split by Application, can be divided into: o Composite o Rubber o Plastic o Polyurethane Resins o Others - Market split by Sales Channel, can be divided into: o Direct Channel o Distribution Channel - Market segment by Region/Country including: o North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) o Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.) o Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.) o South America Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile etc.) o Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia etc.) About Million Insights: Million Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive. Contact: Ryan Manuel Research Support Specialist, USA Million Insights Phone: +1-408-610-2300 Toll Free: 1-866-831-4085 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.millioninsights.com/ Blog: http://www.millioninsights.blogspot.com/ SOURCE Million Insights (CNN) The United Kingdom could undermine an American-led campaign to keep Chinese tech company Huawei out of super-fast 5G mobile networks around the world. The National Cyber Security Centre, part of the UK intelligence service, has concluded that there are ways to limit the risks of using Huawei to build next-generation wireless networks, according to a report by the Financial Times. Huawei, the world's biggest maker of telecommunications equipment, has been on the defensive in recent months as the U.S. government has pushed for the company's technology to be banned, alleging that it could be used by China for spying. Australia and New Zealand have already blocked mobile carriers from using Huawei for 5G networks, and other governments, including the United Kingdom, are reviewing the situation. Huawei has strenuously denied that its equipment poses any security risk and has criticized moves to shut it out of networks as "irresponsible decisions" made for political reasons. Industry executives and analysts say that the U.S. pressure on Huawei risks delaying the rollout of 5G networks in key markets because the company is way ahead of its rivals in developing the technology. The National Cyber Security Centre declined to comment Monday on the specifics of the Financial Times report but said in a statement that it has "a unique oversight and understanding of Huawei engineering and cyber security." The intelligence agency is playing an important role in a broader UK government review examining the security of technology that operators plan to use in 5G networks in the country. "The review is looking at a range of options and will conclude in the spring. No decisions have been taken and any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate," the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said in a statement Monday. A spokesperson for Huawei said Monday that the company advocates an open dialogue on security. "Cybersecurity is an issue which needs to be addressed across the whole industry," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We remain focused on working with our customers to help them deliver world leading technology." A potential rift for the Five Eyes? If the UK government decides that Huawei equipment can be used for 5G, it's likely to strain relations with Washington. The United Kingdom is part of a close intelligence-sharing alliance with the United States known as Five Eyes, which also includes Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The approval of Huawei technology by one member of the group would undercut the American offensive against the company. Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that the United States has been "very clear" with its security partners about the threat posed by Huawei and other Chinese telecoms companies. "We must protect our critical telecom infrastructure, and America is calling on all our security partners to be vigilant and to reject any enterprise that would compromise the integrity of our communications technology or our national security systems," Pence told attendees at the Munich Security Conference. New 5G networks are set to increase the speed of wireless internet on smartphones, and allow larger numbers of internet-enabled devices to communicate with each other more efficiently. That could advance plans for things like smart cities in which connected cars can communicate with traffic systems. A British government oversight panel that monitors Huawei's activities in the United Kingdom warned last year that it can provide only "limited assurance" that the company's telecoms equipment poses no threat to national security. The supervisory panel also said that "technical issues" had been identified in Huawei's engineering processes, leading to "new risks in the UK telecommunications networks." Huawei has responded by promising to invest $2 billion to address those concerns through improvements in its software engineering capabilities. The company said in a recent letter to UK lawmakers that it could take as long as five years before the upgrade shows "tangible results." UK could influence others How Huawei fares in the United Kingdom could influence decisions by other governments that have stepped up scrutiny of the company's products, such as Germany. BT Group, which runs one of the top UK mobile operators, said in December that it would not use Huawei equipment in the heart of its 5G network, which launches this year in 16 UK cities. The company said at the time that it would keep Huawei as an "important equipment provider outside the core network," using its equipment in areas that are considered "benign," such as masts or towers. In an interview with CNN Business earlier this month, a top BT executive said the company has seen no evidence that Huawei technology poses a security risk. "Over the years that we've worked with Huawei, we've not yet seen anything that gives us cause for concern," said Marc Allera, the CEO of BT's consumer brands. This story was first published on CNN.com "UK spies think they can handle Huawei in 5G networks. The U.S. doesn't agree" Breitbart February 19, 2019 Celebrity activist Alyssa Milano is apparently having a hard time believing that Jussie Smollett would actually fake a hate crime attack, wondering who could be that hurtful. If that man staged his own attack he is wrong in so many ways. No one could be that hurtful? To stage this? Right? Alyssa Milano pleaded. To fuck with all of us by playing into our weaknesses & make it even harder for victims to come forward?! No one could choose to be that hurtful? Right?! RIGHT? If that man staged his own attack he is wrong in so many ways. No one could be that hurtful? To stage this? Right? To fuck with all of us by playing into our weaknesses & make it even harder for victims to come forward?! No one could choose to be that hurtful? Right?! RIGHT? Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) February 18, 2019 According to reports over the weekend, Chicago police now believe that Empire actor Jussie Smollett orchestrated an attack on himself by paying two men to beat him. Read more This article was posted: Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 6:39 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article Firearms intercepted at Tema port Customs officials at the Port of Tema have intercepted firearms that have been Majority rejects Minoritys call for re-vetting of four nominees The Majority in Parliament has spurned a call by the Minority for the Ghana shortlists vendors for nuclear power plant Ghana's efforts to generate power from nuclear technology has reached an (CNN) In a series of tweets, President Donald Trump has said European countries should take back and put on trial hundreds of ISIS fighters who have been captured in Syria. "Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing," the U.S. President tweeted late Saturday night. He warned that as ISIS is "ready to fall," more than 800 prisoners could make their way to Europe. "The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them," Trump tweeted. "The U.S. does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go." Trump's comments come as the area that ISIS now controls has shrunk to just 700 square meters, a commander with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday. The SDF has launched an offensive to oust ISIS from its last enclave in Syria, in the small town of Baghouz Al-Fawqani in the country's east. At its height, the group controlled an area the size of Great Britain and ruled over 10 million people. The top U.S. general in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Paul LaCamera, responded to a question by CNN's Barbara Starr on Sunday about the issue of the detainees and said, "The numbers are not negligible. And what happens to them is, as you stated, that's the big question." "Now here's the real challenge: if you joined ISIS, you handed over your passport, you handed over your ID card, you handed over your birth certificate and that was destroyed and you were issued into ISIS - so the real question is, it's not just the prisoners, the detainees, it's what are we going to do with these stateless people?" LaCamera told reporters. LaCamera said the issue is "not in the military's hands. This is really in diplomatic channels." "It's not just the detainees - it is those that have been displaced by ISIS or don't have an identity," LaCamera said. "How are we going to deal with them? You know, will the Iraqis take them? And again, if you're a refugee, you can't force them back, right?" UK 'will not hesitate' to prevent fighters' return On Friday UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said Britain will "not hestitate" to prevent the return of ISIS fighters to the UK, but those who make it back will be investigated and potentially prosecuted. Downing Street referred CNN to Javid's Friday statement when asked about Trump's tweets. "We have a range of tough measures to stop people who pose a serious threat from returning to the UK, including depriving them of their British citizenship or excluding them from the UK," Javid said. "We closely monitor any returnees who pose a risk and new terror legislation passed this week allows us to make traveling to certain designated regions an offense. We also support communities in their efforts to prevent radicalization." The Home Secretary added that it was his priority to "ensure the safety and security of the UK" and that he won't "let anything jeopardize this." Trump's tweets come days after a British teenager, who joined ISIS in 2015, said she wants to return home after falling pregnant. Shamima Begum traveled from London to Syria with two of her classmates when she was 15 to join the caliphate. Now 19, she told The Times that she had no regrets about going to Syria but that she wanted to come home "to have my child." On Saturday, her family's lawyer announced Begum had given birth to her third child. Meanwhile, the German Interior Ministry said Sunday that citizens suspected of fighting for ISIS have the right to return to Germany. "In principle, all German citizens, including those suspected of having fought for the so-called IS, have the right to return to Germany," spokeswoman Susanna Hartung told CNN in a statement. She added that an individual risk assessment is made for each person. About 1,050 people are known by Germany security authorities to have left for Syria and Iraq since 2013 "in order to join the side of terrorist groups," the Interior Ministry said. One third, it added, have already returned to Germany. "Wherever possible, the German authorities are trying to deradicalize returnees. Support services, such as deradicalization measures, but also socio-educational and psychological support, are particularly important for returning children who may be severely traumatized and for whom criminal proceedings are out of the question," the statement said. In December, Trump announced that troops would be pulled out of Syria because ISIS had been "defeated." The US continues to face criticism for the plan, a move that shocked allies, appalled US lawmakers and triggered resignations -- including that of Defense Secretary James Mattis. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trump tells Europe to take back ISIS fighters, warns they could be released." (CNN) U.S. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said Sunday humanitarian aid "is going to get through" to Venezuela with or without the cooperation of Nicolas Maduro. "The aid is going to get through," the Florida senator told CNN's Ana Cabrera on "Newsroom." "I think ultimately the question is whether it gets through in a way that he's cooperative with or in a way that he's not." Rubio arrived Sunday at the Colombia-Venezuela border in Cucuta, Colombia, to meet with U.S. officials and members of Venezuela's National Assembly. On Saturday, a wave of U.S. aid arrived at the border, which included locally purchased food kits, hygiene kits, medical supplies, ready-to-use supplementary foods and high-energy biscuits, according to USAID. Maduro has resisted international aid coming into the country, saying, "We are not beggars." Maduro has also blocked a bridge between Colombia and Venezuela where aid was set to arrive. Since Maduro was sworn in for a second term in January, several neighboring countries, European nations, and the United States have all said they will not recognize his presidency. The U.S. has upped sanctions on Venezuela and announced the U.S. government would recognize head of the National Assembly Juan Guaido as the country's leader. "There's no way you're going to stand, ultimately, in the way of a people whose children are starving to death, whose families are dying in hospitals because of preventable diseases," Rubio told Cabrera. He said the top priority is to get food and medicine to people who are dying "because the regime and the dictator does not allow humanitarian aid to reach them." "It is a crime against humanity to deny food and medicine to unarmed and innocent civilians," Rubio told Cabrera. Earlier in the day he described the situation in Venezuela as "a man-made crisis of epic proportions." "American, Colombian and Venezuelan officials stand ready to provide much needed humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela," Rubio said earlier Sunday in a statement. "The people of Venezuela remain resilient in their continued fight for democracy and freedom, and the United States will continue to stand with them." Within Venezuela, several protests have broken out in the streets calling for Maduro to accept the shipments of humanitarian aid to the country. Rubio told Cabrera "no matter how long this takes," the U.S. and the international community are standing with the people of Venezuela, "until freedom is restored in Venezuela." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Rubio visits Venezuela-Colombia border, says aid will get through." South Africa: Free States plan to drive up investment The Government of the Free State will develop an Investment Book as a means of contributing to President Cyril Ramaphosas investment drive. This book will provide an analysis of the Free State economy and detail investment opportunities. It will also include information on doing business in the province. To augment this, we will establish the Premiers Economic Advisory Council to help boost economic growth and development. Working closely with the Presidents investment team, the council will be made up of experts and qualified individuals, whose names will be announced soon, Premier Sisi Ntombela announced on Monday. Delivering her State of the Province Address (SOPA), Ntombela said the province will place special emphasis on the Expanded Public Works Programme, which created 18 897 jobs in the province in the 2018/19 financial year. In the financial year 2019/20, we will create 52 000 job opportunities. Of these, 28 600 will benefit women. Another 28 600 will benefit the youth and one 1 040 will benefit people living with a disability, Ntombela said. In the 2019/20 financial year, the provincial government will undertake construction and maintenance of critical roads projects, which will be implemented in various towns. In addition to this, the province will develop six new roads, which are expected to create 5 000 jobs. Not only will these projects contribute to skills development, [they will] also improve road infrastructure and access to basic services. It is expected that more than 5 600 jobs will be created through these projects, Ntombela said. Property and industrial parks The Free State Development Corporation concluded 18 new commercial and industrial lease contracts that are below R10 million with various tenants, creating 900 jobs. Forty-eight percent of blacks and 52% of whites are benefiting from the provinces commercial property portfolio. On average, this means that over R9 million is paid to black landlords in rentals on a monthly basis. The second phase of the revitalisation of the Botshabelo and QwaQwa Industrial Parks has been approved and will start in March, while the application for Phuthaditjhaba second phase and Thaba Nchu first phase have been submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry. Ntombela said the biggest employer at Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park is SA Clothing, which employs 1 300 people, and 90% of these are women. Overall, 8 744 jobs have been created at Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Park as part of the revitalisation process. With 144 factories, the Botshabelo Industrial Park employs 8 725 full-time and 800 part-time workers. When operational, Ntombela said these industrial parks will serve as economic hubs producing different products such as textile, plastic, electrical goods and food products. The revitalisation program has created a sense of security and this has led to about a 5% increase in the number of tenants. Employment has also increased, with an extra 350 and 560 jobs created in Botshabelo and Phuthaditjhaba Industrial Parks, respectively. Mining Ntombela said the province supports President Cyril Ramaphosas message that mining in South Africa is a sunrise industry. As a result, programmes to support small-scale miners to take part in this sector will be initiated this year. This will entail the development of an integrated plan for the revitalisation of depressed mining towns. Agriculture Ntombela said the province will focus on the agricultural sector as it is not only important for food security, rural development, and it has a significant potential for high labour absorption. She said this necessitates the expansion and diversification of the agricultural sector in the province. With this in mind, she announced that the provincial government will implement an Agricultural Master Plan, which identifies many commodities meant to stimulate the desired economic growth. In addition to this, the province will establish a goat farming project that will provide training for young entrepreneurs in this field. An export market has already been identified. Last year, the local government committed to commercialising black farmers, with a target of nearly 250 black commercial farmers by the end of 2021/22. Ntombela said the seriousness with which the province considers the creation of black commercial farmers is evident in the establishment of the AgriBEE Charter Council to support commercial agribusiness and transform this sector in the province. With regards to the controversial the Vrede Integrated Dairy Project, Ntombela reported that its operations have now been vested with the provincial government. She committed to working closely with all role players to ensure that farming operations on this farm become sustainable and that the community of Vrede fully take part in this project. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. (CNN) The U.S. and North Korea are seriously considering exchanging liaison officers, an incremental step towards building formal diplomatic relations, two sources with knowledge of the discussions told CNN. News of the discussions comes days ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's second summit, which is set to take place in Vietnam at the end of the month. Trump and Kim met in Singapore last year, and both leaders there signed a joint statement that included commitments from each country "to establish new US-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity." This statement left the door open to some kind of re-establishment of formal relations if things were to go well, the sources said, adding that the current stalemate has left North Korea expecting some significant gesture on the part of the U.S. The two high-level diplomatic sources said the first step forward could be the exchange of officers. On the U.S. side, sources said there would be several liasion officers sent to set up office in North Korea, led by a senior foreign service officer who speaks Korean, if this plan were to move forward. A similar agreement was made back in 1994, with the "Agreed Framework" leading to extensive negotiating over exchanging liaison offices in each country, beginning with up to seven officers in each. At the time, the U.S. even went so far as to sign a lease for space in the German mission. North Korea also looked at possible sites in Washington, DC. But by the end of the following year, North Korea canceled the whole plan, thought to be because of tensions after a U.S. helicopter was shot down when it crossed over the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea, at the end of 1994. Significant step despite inaction on nuclear weapons The talks, while still preliminary, could mark a significant step in the US-North Korea negotiations and yet another departure from the saber-rattling that defined the early Trump-Kim relationship -- all without key steps on the part of North Korea to denuclearize. As North Korea continued to test its nuclear weapons through Trump's first year in office, each side threatened the other, until Trump agreed to meet with Kim to discuss the North Korean nuclear program. While North Korea has continued to pause its nuclear tests and rhetoric between the two nations has softened, satellite imagery has shown North Korea expanded a key long-range missile base and continued activity at its weapons sites. The top U.S. commander on the Korean Peninsula told the Senate earlier this month that there has been "little to no verifiable change" in North Korea's military capabilities since Trump's first summit with Kim. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats likewise told the Senate late last monththat North Korea would "seek to retain its WMD capabilities and is unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capability because its leaders ultimately view nuclear weapons as critical to regime survival." Trump officially announced the second summit at his State of the Union address earlier this month, touting his administration's efforts while noting "much work remains to be done." This story was first published on CNN.com, "EXCLUSIVE: US discussing exchanging liaison officers with North Korea." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 18) The head of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in Albuera, Leyte survived an attack on Monday. Police said Barangay Benolho Chairman Alberto Sumaljag, 60, was on his way to an event in Barangay Poblacion when his car was peppered with bullets by unidentified gunmen at 8:15 a.m. in the village of Cambalading. The gunmen were on board a gray car that overtook Sumaljag's vehicle and fired shots. Sumaljag was unharmed, police said. Investigation is ongoing as authorities hunt down suspects. This is a developing story. Please refresh page for updates. Flash The European Commission on Monday stepped up its "no-deal" outreach to EU businesses in the area of customs and indirect taxation such as VAT, to prepare for a "no-deal" scenario when the United Kingdom is set to leave the EU on Mar. 29. The outreach campaign launched on Monday is part of the Commission's ongoing efforts to prepare for the UK's exit of the European Union without a deal, in line with the European Council (Article 50) conclusions of December 2018, calling for intensified preparedness for all scenarios, said a Commission press release. The campaign is expected to help inform businesses that want to continue trading with the UK after Mar. 29 on what they need to do to ensure a smooth transition and avoid possible business disruption. Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moscovici said: "With the risk of a no-deal Brexit increasing as we get closer to Mar. 29, the European Commission and national customs authorities are working hard to be ready to introduce checks and controls on goods flowing between the EU and the UK. " "This is key to protecting our consumers and our internal market. A lot depends on the ability of businesses trading with the UK to get up to speed with the customs rules that will apply on day one in case of no deal," he noted. The launch also aims to raise awareness amongst the EU's business community, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. A range of material is made available in all EU languages on Monday to businesses, including a simple 5-step checklist, providing an overview of the steps that need to be taken. Preparatory work, supported by the Commission, is also underway in EU member states to ensure that national customs infrastructure and logistics are ready to deal with a no-deal scenario, said the release. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) There's no stopping martial law in Mindanao after the Supreme Court again junked petitions against it. Two court sources told CNN Philippines nine justices voted on Tuesday to uphold the third extension of military rule in Mindanao, until December 31 this year. Only four magistrates were against it Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza, and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa. The decision followed oral arguments in January on three petitions against martial law filed by Albay First District Rep. Edcel Lagman, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, and lawyer Christian Monsod. The court previously junked all petitions to lift martial law in Mindanao. President Rodrigo Duterte first declared martial law in the island region in May 2017 as government forces fought with terrorists in Marawi City, capital of Lanao del Sur. Congress has granted all three requests for an extension as the President said military rule is needed to quell the rebellion in Mindanao. This is a developing story. Please refresh page for updates. Flash Moscow is puzzled by U.S. President Donald Trump's urging the European Union (EU) to take back Islamic State (IS) terrorists of European origin captured in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "The first thing is to find out what the talk is about, as the United States in such situations can behave in a strictly antipodal manner," Lavrov said at a press conference with his counterpart from Oman, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. Trump tweeted Sunday asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 IS militants the United States had captured in Syria and to put them on trial, as the United States intended to pull out its military from Syria after the destruction of IS. "The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The U.S. does not want to watch as these IS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go," Trump said. Lavrov recalled that previously the United States either sent such individuals captured in Afghanistan and other countries to its Guantanamo base in Cuba to be kept for years, without trial or investigation, or to secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe. He also noted that captured foreign militants were suspected of terrorism, for which the United Nations (UN) Security Council's resolutions contained a "very clear list of steps that need to be taken" against them, when they fall into the hands of countries fighting against terrorists. "These criteria must be met, and the first absolutely essential step is transparency and the transfer of data about these individuals," Lavrov said. He also said that, besides setting up prisons for terrorists, the United States has created a lot of problems on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, and it would not be an easy job to sort them out. These included military bases and weapons the United States supplied to local Kurds, the fate of which worries Turkey greatly, Lavrov said. But the main problem, said Lavrov, was the illegitimately created security zone in al-Tanf in southeastern Syria, where the U.S. military trained militants, and Rukban refugee camp. The dwellers of that camp could not be evacuated because of a ban imposed by the United States and extremists backed by it. Lavrov said he hoped that UN representatives who had recently accompanied the second humanitarian convoy to Rukban could see by themselves what was happening there, and provide the necessary information to the UN Security Council. Flash The United States discussed exchanging liaison officers with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), U.S. media reported on Monday. Washington and Pyongyang were seriously considering exchanging liaison officers, an incremental step toward building formal diplomatic relations, according to a CNN report citing two high-level diplomatic sources. The sources said that if this plan were to move forward, there would be several U.S. liaison officers sent to set up an office in Pyongyang, led by a senior foreign service officer who speaks Korean. U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo said in an interview last week that a U.S. work team would travel to Asia to prepare for the upcoming summit between President Donald Trump and top leader of the DPRK Kim Jong Un in Hanoi at the end of February. Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for DPRK affairs, said last month that the U.S. side expected to hold working-level negotiations with DPRK in advance of the summit with the intention of achieving a set of concrete deliverables, reiterating that sanctions against the DPRK would not be removed until denuclearization is complete. Trump announced on Feb. 8 that his second meeting with Kim would take place in Hanoi on Feb. 27-28. He met with Kim for the first time in Singapore on in June 2018, reaching several consensuses, which have led to the improvement of U.S.-DPRK relations. However, differences on such key issues as the roadmap of denuclearization, U.S. lifting sanctions and whether to issue a war-ending declaration, still haunt the two sides and hinder negotiations. Flash Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Monday that Saudi Arabia has signed seven memorandum of understandings (MoUs) worth 20 billion U.S. dollars with Pakistan in areas of oil refining, petrochemicals, energy and other sectors. The foreign minister said in a press briefing here that the MoUs were signed by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud after his arrival in Islamabad on a two-day official visit on Sunday evening. Addressing a ceremony here during his visit, the crown prince said that it was the first phase of Saudi investment in Pakistan and it will gradually grow in the future and will be beneficial for both countries. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed the investment including a 10 billion U.S. dollars oil refinery. The Saudi side expressed its appreciation for the initiatives taken by the Pakistani government to facilitate the conduct of business in the country and facilitate foreign direct investment in Pakistan. The crown prince praised the efforts of the government to develop the economic and social structure in Pakistan. He stressed that the potential of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will contribute to the development and prosperity of the region. It is the crown prince's first visit to Pakistan after his appointment as crown prince in June 2017. During the visit, leaders of both countries reiterated their commitment to continue combating extremism and terrorism, and expressed their deep appreciation for the achievements and sacrifices made by the two sides in the war against terrorism, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry here on Monday. They also called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to join all international efforts to combat global terrorism. The two sides also agreed on the importance of political settlement and promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan so that millions of Afghan refugees in neighboring countries can return to their country. The two countries also decided to establish a joint Supreme Coordination Council co-chaired by the crown prince and Pakistani prime minister for enhancing and institutionalizing the bilateral agreements in various fields. The council will hold its meetings in the two countries alternately. The two sides agreed to make use of all available channels to promote bilateral trade, investment and promote communication between people and businessmen of the both countries, said the Foreign Ministry. Flash Demonstrations were held Monday in Washington, New York, Chicago and dozens of other U.S. cities against President Donald Trump's emergency declaration aimed to secure funding for the highly controversial U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump signed a national emergency on Friday to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall and push for his signature campaign promise. The move gave the president power to bypass Congress to get access to money, but it sparked a new round of legal and partisan battles almost immediately. Hundreds of protesters chanted outside the White House on Monday, the annual U.S. President Day holiday, as part of the nationwide demonstrations. "End the fake emergency now," a banner read. "We stand with immigrants and asylum seekers," another claimed. Hal Ponder, a Washington, D.C. resident and former Congress employee, told Xinhua that he believes "there is no emergency" at the southern border and that the president is "making this up" to get around Congress to push for his signature campaign promise. "It's all political. It's not real," said Ponder at Lafayette Square in front of the White House. The back-and-forth between the White House and Congressional Democrats is distracting them from doing what's really important for the country, Dick Newman, a retiree from Annapolis, Maryland, lamented. U.S. politicians should "work together for decency and positivity," instead of creating more divisions, Newman told Xinhua. The two-month fight over the funding of the border wall between the White House and congressional Democrats has led to the record-breaking 35-day federal government shutdown which ended late January. The emergency declaration gives the president power to bypass Congress and redirect several billions of dollars for his border wall pledge, triggering a new round of legal and partisan battle. Among the hotly debated issues are the president's use of executive power and whether there really is an emergency. White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller defended Trump in an interview on "Fox News Sunday," insisting the emergency is real. There has been an "increasing number of people crossing" and "a huge increase in drug deaths" since 2000, he claimed. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended close to 400,000 people on the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2018 fiscal year, according to federal data. That's an increase from the prior year, but less than in 2016. And recent annual figures are the lowest they've been in nearly four decades, according to local media reports. Local media said at least two lawsuits by watchdog groups are challenging the legality of the declaration, and California's Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Sunday he would "definitely and imminently" file a suit. More than 100 people took part in the rally at Chicago's downtown Federal Plaza, protesting against what they call "a phony national emergency as an end run around congress." Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a U.S. congressman from Illinois, told the crowd that at least 12 states have already joined legal efforts led by the Attorney General of California, "suing (Donald) Trump to undo the phony emergency that he has declared at the border." "Clearly, this is one more effort at a power grab by the president who has gone outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional manner," he said. Garcia vowed to explore both legislative and legal actions in the days and months to come. Cassandra Boulanger told Xinhua that "I think the so called emergency is misused and exaggerated by president of United States. It is not existing emergency." "The current emergency is our health care system, naturalization of other immigrants, offering help to all minority groups by the administration. Especially gun violence as well. So no, this is not realistic emergency," said Boulanger, a staff member of a local museum. In New York City, hundreds of people rallied in Union Square to protest against Trump's declaration and decry Trump's proclamation as "undemocratic and anti-immigrant." The event, sponsored by the activist group MoveOn, attracted people with signs marching the square. They chanted slogans like, "Say it loud. Say it clear. Immigrants are welcome here." There are also a few Trump supporters in the rally. "President Trump has a lot of policies; I'm here today to stand up for the national emergency," said Karen, a local retiree. "There's nothing wrong with it. Other presidents have done it. Why weren't they protesting when Obama put the country on national emergency?" she said. Liliana, a student from New Jersey, was among the protesters. "It's heartbreaking because it (Trump's policy) affects my family a lot," said Liliana, whose parents are first-generation immigrants. You are here: China China has launched a campaign to curb drunk driving across the country, the Ministry of Public Security said Monday. Traffic police nationwide should step up traffic checks, including daily and regular inspections on the streets, according to a guideline released by the ministry's traffic management bureau. The one-year campaign is aimed at reducing the number of traffic accidents and casualties caused by drunk driving, said the traffic management bureau. Drunk driving has long been one of the major causes of traffic accidents in China. A total of 17,264 Chinese drivers were banned from driving for life in 2018. Among them, 5,149 were caught drunk driving in serious traffic accidents. To give or not to give? That is the question facing many Chinese regarding hongbao, or red envelopes, during Spring Festival every year. Hongbao refers to small red packets containing money usually given by senior members of families to the young during Lunar New Year. The token given in hopes of good luck, health and success, can, in some cases, lead to trouble, upsets and even lawsuits. In Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, a court ordered the father of a 13-year-old boy to return "red packet money" given to his son. The son, surnamed Su, took his father to court after finding that his bank account, in which he had saved 3,000 yuan ($442) given to him as hongbao between 2014 and 2015, had been emptied in March 2016. However, the father argued that the money was mainly given by his side of the family, and said the boy's mother, whom he divorced years ago, was taking advantage of a change in custody arrangements to take the money for herself. Su's mother was awarded custody of the boy in April 2016 and he has lived with her ever since. According to the court ruling, hongbao money belongs to the recipient, regardless of his or her age. Although parents are entitled to help children manage their money, they are not allowed to spend or otherwise use it without the child's consent. Therefore, the court ruled in favor of the son and asked the father to give back 3,045 yuan, including interest. Ye Shibao, with the Etr Law Firm in Guangzhou, said: "Children enjoy civil rights, just like adults. Given that the red packet money belongs to the child, the father should transfer his son's money to the mother, who is the guardian, for her to manage on behalf of the boy." A divorce trial in Beijing has also just ruled that hongbao money should belong to a child, according to a release on Thursday from Chaoyang District People's Court. In this case, the couple had saved tens of thousands of yuan of hongbao money in the father's bank account since the birth of their 8-year-old son. When the couple decided to divorce, with the mother taking custody of the child, the father asked for the son's hongbao money to be divided as the couple's joint property, and took his proposal to the court. The father's claim was denied, with Ni Shixin, assistant to the judge in the Shuangqiao division of the Chaoyang court, explaining that although the money had been saved under the parents' names, it remained the asset of the child, and should not be divided upon divorce. Education funding There are some unspoken rules regarding how hongbao money should be given, which can vary from place to place. Jin Luyi, 10, received 12 red packets this yearthe majority of them containing 500 yuan, a typical gift for a family in Shanghai. The girl said she had accumulated nearly 200,000 yuan in such money since birth and it was kept in an account under her name. "I haven't figured out what to do with it. Dad sometimes borrows some money from me, but he returns it. Maybe I can buy a couple of computers and create some small video games one day," she said. Jin's parents said they hoped the money could be used to fund their daughter's college educationa common desire in most families who are finding that schooling is becoming increasingly expensive. Lu Liping, Jin's mother, who is responsible for noting the amount her daughter receives in each red packet, said, "For every yuan she receives, we hand out an equal amount to others. "Usually it's 500 yuan among relatives, and the closest ones, such as grandfather and grandmother, give more in hongbao," she said, adding that instead of giving back such money, she sometimes also buys toys or gold coins as gifts instead. The essential rule in giving hongbao is give-and-take. The rule is so deeply rooted in the minds of Chinese, especially the older generation, that anyone failing to follow this code of conduct risks embarrassment and being thought of badly by family members who receive "inadequate" red packets. In one of her short videos featuring various social phenomena during Spring Festival, Papi Jiang, one of China's top streaming stars with millions of followers, shouted, "Beware of the red packet traps!" In the video, which mimics public safety tips from the police, the star and her co-hosts play relatives giving lucky money to each other's children. She opens a red packet, only to find that the money her son has received is 200 yuan less than she gave out. The voiceover states, "Never trade small for big, always respect reciprocal rules." The three-minute video also offers other advice for the red packet season. It tells children to beware when their mother says she will save their lucky money until they are 18, as it will probably be gone long before then. Adults are told to never trust relatives who tell them not to bring anything for the family dinner, as this leaves them open to the risk of being the only ones to do so and being labeled cheapskates. The video received more than 100,000 views on WeChat, with netizens saying it is "so true", and many fueling the debate with embarrassing anecdotes. One viewer recalled that when she received a red packet from a relative, her mother took the money, put it in another red packet and handed it back to the relative's child. Wang Yiqi, 29, an office worker for an internet technology company in Shanghai, returned to his hometown in Xunyang, a small underdeveloped county in Shaanxi province, for Spring Festival. "When I received lucky money in childhood, the red packet contained only 20 to 50 yuan. I would be super-happy if I found a 100 yuan note in the packet," he said. Wang added that in addition to money, food and clothes used to be given to relatives during the holiday. "Gradually, reciprocal gift-giving is disappearing, and I think people are just sending red packets as they consider it a festive ritual. Now, the amount of money being given is 200 yuan or more," he said. The increase may be nothing to the rich, but can be a heavy burden for those who are desperately poor. Lin Yufeng, a research assistant in cultural communication at Nanjing University in Jiangsu province, said he found some poor families spent nearly one-third of their 30,000-yuan annual income on giving out red packets on various occasions. Lin made the finding while carrying out research in the rural Shangrao and Jinggang Mountain areas in Jiangxi province. People there give red packets on many occasions, including weddings, children's one-month birthday parties, baby showers, as well as Spring Festival. For typical families, presenting this money is not a problem, as they will eventually recoup it, but for poor people, who are more often than not divorced or childless, these are "one-way red packets", Lin said. "But they tell me that they don't want to lose face or become isolated in a small society." This reflects the important role of the red packet in maintaining guanxi, or connections, in networking, Lin said, adding that the packets are only a form of gift, and the practice of exchanging presents is not uncommon in Western society. He recalled being a visiting scholar at the University of California in Los Angeles, when he was invited to a Thanksgiving party. The organizer's invitation email stated that guests should bring small gifts to exchange at the gathering. "Buying appropriate Christmas gifts is also a difficult annual task for Westerners," he said. "And with the concept of a market economy getting into more and more Chinese minds, bigger and thicker red packets are just something that come naturally. After all, it's easier for people to measure the value of the gift if it comes in cash." China Fortune Land Development (CFLD) announced on Feb. 19 that Wu Xiangdong had officially joined the company as its CEO and president. Wu previously served as executive director, nomination committee chairman, a member of the corporate governance committee and a member of the executive committee of China Resources Land Limited. Wu Xiangdong, 51, joined China Resources (Holdings) Co., Ltd. (CR) in 1993 after graduating from Tsinghua University. He officially entered CR Land Limited in 2005. During his 25 years in CR, the commercial real estate system he built, represented most notably by The MixC Mall, helped CR in forming a two-wheel drive pattern of the "residential real estate + commercial real estate," paving the way for the company's long-term development. According to the CFLD announcement, Wu, as the recommended director of China Fortune Land Holding Co Ltd, will be fully responsible for the company's business as CEO and president. In recent years, CFLD has successfully expanded its Gu'an New Industry City model to 13 provinces across China. You are here: Business Alibaba founder Jack Ma officially launched a fund Monday with the aim of providing 10 million U.S. dollars to outstanding African entrepreneurs in the coming decade. The Africa Netrepreneur Prize will be awarded to 10 African entrepreneurs each year with a total funding of one million dollars, according to the Jack Ma Foundation. The first contest will be open for enrollment to all African citizens on March 27, and the final contest is expected to be held in Africa in November. The foundation aims to nurture 100 outstanding African entrepreneurs by 2030 to help serve the continent. Alibaba founder Jack Ma announced last August to set up the fund to encourage African people to tap the growing digital economy. You are here: Business China has unveiled the world's first technical standards on energy consumption of electric vehicles (EV). The national standards specify the energy consumption limits for different types of EVs, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. It is expected to facilitate applications of EV energy conservation technologies and reduce energy consumption. China is the world's largest EV market, with sales of new energy vehicles soaring 61.74 percent year on year to 1.26 million units in 2018. The administration also released 645 other standards covering a wide range of fields such as traffic signs and nursing homes. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) The Social Security System (SSS) on Tuesday dismissed concerns about its failure to collect members' contributions. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Dooc told CNN Philippines the agency's collection capabilities have improved under the Duterte administration. "Noong nakaraang taon almost 14 percent po ang na-gain naming growth rate sa contribution collection. In 2017, from 144 umabot kami sa P159 billion, that is 10.6 percent growth rate in collection. There is a continuing trend of improvement in our collection efficiency," Dooc said. The SSS president was reacting to a statement made by Bayan Muna chair and senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares that the newly signed SSS rationalization law, increasing the amount of contributions, would be unfair to those who pay their dues as the government has been failing to collect contributions from other members. "Bakit kayo magse-set ng taun-taong increase in contribution, hindi naman nag-i-increase ang inyong collection rate efficiently taun-taon? It is unfair," Colmenares told CNN Philippines Monday. [Translation: Why will you set a yearly increase in contribution, when your collection rate does not? It is unfair.] Dooc admitted that only 16 million out of around 38 million registered SSS members are actively paying. He explained that some members usually stop paying premiums when their employment ends, stressing that this could be addressed as the new law enables the government to give unemployment benefits. "Kapag nadisplace ang isang miyembro ng SSS sa kanyang trabaho involuntarily, tatanggap po siya ng benepisyo, hindi po ito utang, cash benefit na 50 percent of his average monthly salary credit for two months," Dooc said, adding that this would help them find jobs. He did not say when exactly the SSS contributions will increase from the current 11 percent to 12 percent this year. It will further increase by 1 percent every other year until it reaches 15 percent in 2025. This means, this 2019, minimum wage earners who used to contribute P440 a month will now contribute P480. Chinese authorities on Monday unveiled the outline development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, aiming to develop the region into "a role model of high-quality development." The plan was released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council. Promoting the development of the Greater Bay Area is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, said an official in charge of the office of the leading group for developing the area. "It is a national strategy General Secretary Xi Jinping has planned for, made decisions about and promoted in person," the official said. Strategic role The bay area consists of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR), as well as nine cities in Guangdong Province -- Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing. Covering a total area of 56,000 square kilometers, the bay area had a combined population of about 70 million at the end of 2017 and its gross domestic product reached around 10 trillion yuan (1.48 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2017. "As one of the most open and economically vibrant regions in China, the Greater Bay Area plays a significant strategic role in the overall development of the country," says the plan. The development of the area is hailed not only as a new attempt to break new ground in pursuing opening up on all fronts in a new era, but also a further step in taking forward the practice of "one country, two systems." The plan covers the period from now to 2022 in the immediate term and extends to 2035 in the long term. The plan has 11 chapters: the background, the overall requirements, the spatial layout, developing an international innovation and technology hub, expediting infrastructural connectivity, building a globally competitive modern industrial system, taking forward ecological conservation, developing a quality living circle for living, working and traveling, strengthening cooperation and jointly participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, jointly developing Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation platforms, and the implementation of the plan. China remained Germany's most important trading partner for the third consecutive year with a total trade volume of 199.3 billion euros (US$ 225.7 billion) in 2018, according to preliminary figures published on Monday by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). China accounted for the largest share of imports into Germany with goods worth 106.2 billion euros, followed by the Netherlands with 98.2 billion euros and France with 65.2 billion euros. "It is noteworthy that Germany's trade with China is almost balanced, suggesting that with the right products, it is possible to engage in mutually beneficial trade," Reint Gropp, president of the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), told Xinhua. Germany's trade deficit with China amounted to 13 billion euros in 2018. "Tariffs and unilateral sanctions are the wrong path to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes from international trade. Progress in the fairness of international trade can only be achieved through multilateral negotiations within the framework of the WTO (World Trade Organization)," Gropp added. The Netherlands, as an important transit country for goods arriving at its ports, such as Rotterdam, Europe's largest harbor, was Germany's second largest trading partner. The value of goods traded between Germany and the Netherlands totaled 189.4 billion euros. The United States was third on the list with 178 billion euros. The top customer for German goods was the United States with a volume of 113.5 billion euros. Placed second and third, respectively, were France (105.3 billion euros) and China (93.1 billion euros). "Although China is not Germany's most important export destination, it is ranked first among the countries of import origin since Germany traditionally has a trade deficit with the Middle Kingdom," Juergen Matthes, head of the research unit for international economics and economic outlook at the German Economic Institute (IW), told Xinhua. "China is currently facilitating access to its market for German companies in some areas," Matthes said. Germany's trade surplus was the highest with the United States, totaling 48.9 billion euros, followed by the United Kingdom (45 billion euros) and France (40.2 billion euros). U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the German trade surplus and threatened to impose punitive tariffs on German exports, such as cars. Flower lamps are one component of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. With both actual functions in daily life and artistic values, flower lamps are always lit up during holidays like the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival. They function to boost the atmosphere of holidays. The custom of lighting up flower lamps during the Lantern Festival has a history of over 2000 years in China. Various kinds of flower lamps with diverse styles are popular in different parts across the country. According to some Chinese folk customs, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, witnessed by a full moon hanging high above the sky, people will light up various lanterns at night to celebrate. It is the time for the whole family to enjoy the bright moon, fire firecrackers, guess lantern riddles, eat the rice glue balls and celebrate the holiday. The custom of lighting up lamps during the Lantern Festival evolved. It transformed into the Lamp Fair during the Tang Dynasty. Lamp Fairs in the Song Dynasty outshined those of the Tang Dynasty both in scale and sophistication. Meanwhile, the event became more folkloric and its ethnic features more prominent. With its evolution amid successions of dynasties, the lamp fair increasingly lasted longer than before. As a form of integrative arts, the Chinese flower lamp combines a myriad of skills, procedures, decoration tactics and raw materials. Typical flower lamp includes the dragon lamp, the palace lamp, the gauze lamp, the blue flower lamp, and the dragon-phoenix lamp, etc. Before the Qing Dynasty, people used sorghum straws and bamboo to make the framework of flower lamps and a variety of colored papers to make lampshades. The styles of flower lamps were very diverse indeed. The passage of time witnessed the emergence of the palace lamp and the gauze lamp respectively in north China and south China. Meanwhile, the wire lamps, originated from the northern side of the Great Wall, also penetrated in the Central Plain Area. As a result, lantern-making skills got remarkable improvement, and new styles of the decorative lamp also mushroomed. Palace lamps were lit up in the Palace Museum during the Spring Festival of 2019, the very first time in 200 years. Lamp craftsmen from Zigong City of Sichuan province, working in partnership with the staff from the Palace Museum, got insights from ancient records and recreated the royal palace lamps by using traditional and modern methods. With palace lamps hanging under the roofs of the Qianqing Palace and the Huangji Palace, the joyful Spring Festival atmosphere returned to the time-honored Forbidden City again. Today, economic development and social progress provided the impetus for the upgrading designs and innovative styles of lamps. Whether paper lamp, electric lamp or LED lamp, flower lamps have seen the changes of time. What has never changed, however, is craftsmanship. Flower lamp is more than a handicraft: it is also an inheritance. Watching flower lamps has become a culture, which has been passed down from one generation to the next. Editor's note: The Lantern Festival marks the end of the 15-day celebration of Chinese lunar New Year with the first full moon of the year. This year, it falls on Feb. 19. People eat yuanxiao, or sweet dumplings, on this day, so it is also called the Yuanxiao Festival. Nowadays, people celebrate the Lantern Festival in various ways. China.org.cn presents a collection of photos to observe this special day of celebration and togetherness. On Feb 9, the Suzhou Chinese Orchestra staged its 13th performance in Europe, the last stop of its Europe tour at the Zaryadye Concert Hall in Moscow, Russia. This show was to mark Lunar New Year and the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Russia. The Zaryadye Concert Hall is adjacent to the Red Square in Moscow. And the Suzhou Chinese Orchestra is the first Chinese orchestra to perform there after the opening of the theater in 2018. The orchestra uses traditional Chinese instruments to convey the joy of Spring Festival and the yearning for a better life. Li Hui, the Chinese ambassador to Russia, says: "China and Russia are two great countries ... So, let the beautiful music connect our hearts, and give our two countries good fortune and prosperity." The concert was conducted by the artistic director and chief conductor of the orchestra, Peng Jiapeng, and performed by the erhu performer, artistic instructor of the orchestra Zhu Changyao, cellist Kang Qiaoxuan and more than 90 young performers. Classical tunes such as Spring Festival Overture, My Motherland, The Moon Over a Fountain, The Butterfly Dream, The Lyric Variations and Macao Capriccio connected the East to the Moscow audience. The performance, which was recorded, also featured William Tell Overture, Thunder and Lightning Polka, Slavonic Dances and Kalinka. A Russian Ministry of Culture official said: "The concert was beyond my expectations. I was very impressed by the unique charm of the Suzhou Chinese Orchestra." Li said: "I am very grateful to the orchestra for coming to Moscow during Spring Festival. This is a symbol of Chinese culture going abroad and the soft power of Chinese culture." Meanwhile, the two countries are discussing plans to hold more cultural exchange activities. And the performance is the first of the series of cultural exchanges between the two countries this year. Separately, this month's Europe tour, which spanned nine countries with 13 performances in 25 days, covering a total journey of more than 20,000 kilometers, was funded by China National Art Fund and provincial art fund program of Jiangsu. Ambassadors and diplomats from various countries attended the concert, and more than 15,000 local people purchased tickets to watch the show. Speaking about the tour, Peng said: "We must adhere to the path of internationalization and use the concept to build the orchestra, because China is part of the wider world. "As the artistic director of the orchestra, I will continue to lead it to intensify the innovation, continue to create excellent works, promote exchanges with world-renowned orchestras, and use first-class artistic standards and orchestra styles." An acclaimed production of Lao She's satire "Looking West to Chang'an" will return to the stage of the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) from Feb. 28 to March 10, as a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. "Looking West to Chang'an" is a five-act satire based on the first political fraud case in the history of the People's Republic of China. It depicts a nobody who swindles his way through bureaucracy to take official positions, later being found out. In the play, the protagonist forges his resume, takes other's identity, and claims to be a "combat hero." Using his cunning, he wanders in several cities, obtaining trust of many and gaining important government positions. The play was first staged by the former China Youth Art Theater in 1956. This NCPA production made its debut in September 2017. In the latest version, the leading male character will be played by Miao Fu, a popular artist of Xiangsheng, also known as crosstalk, instead of a drama actor. Lao She (1899-1966) was a celebrated Chinese novelist and dramatist, best known for his novels "Rickshaw Boy" and "Four Generations under One Roof," and the play "Teahouse." You are here: Arts The Jingju Theatre Company of Beijing is marking its 40th anniversary with performances by veteran and young Peking Opera artists. Peking Opera, known as jingju in Chinese, has a history of more than 200 years and was declared as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2010.It combines a variety of art forms, including singing, dancing, martial arts and acrobatics. "Perceiving China-Jiangsu Culture Week" kicked off on Monday, aiming at strengthening cultural exchanges and enhancing friendship between China and Cambodia. Cambodian Princess Norodom Buppha Devi, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian, and Ek Sam Ol, president of the Cambodia-China Friendship Association, attended the opening ceremony at the Diamond Island's Grand Theatre, which attracted about 600 visitors. The event included cultural performance and exhibitions featuring Wuxi photography and intangible cultural heritage such as Huishan clay figurines, Liuqing bamboo carvings, calligraphy, paper-cuts, erhu, a Chinese two-stringed bowed instrument, and Wuxi fine embroidery. Echoing the "Belt and Road Initiative" and the concept of "building a community of shared future for mankind", the event was designed to showcase the Chinese history and the charming Jiangsu culture to Cambodian visitors. Speaking at the opening speech, Princess Buppha Devi expressed her warm welcome to the Chinese artists for bringing Jiangsu's wonderful arts performance to Cambodian audiences. "The Cambodia-China friendship has deeply rooted in culture and hearts of the two countries' peoples," she said. "The frequent cultural exchanges have injected greater vitality into the traditional friendship between the peoples of our two countries." The princess said the Jiangsu culture week would enable Cambodian people to further understand Jiangsu's beauty and wonder. The Chinese ambassador said the Jiangsu culture week provided a channel for Cambodian visitors to explore Jiangsu's culture and history so as to further promote friendship and cultural exchanges. He also introduced the economic and social development and historical and cultural characteristics of Jiangsu at the ceremony. Visitor Bun Nita, 27, said the event contributed to building closer cultural ties and people-to-people relations between the two countries. "Such an event in Cambodia allows us to better understand China's culture and civilization, especially those in Jiangsu province," he told Xinhua after watching the cultural performance. "Both the exhibitions outside and the cultural performance have told us about lifestyles, culture, and development (in Jiangsu)," he said. Another spectator Im Sreymom, 30, said "it lets us know about their culture. I've never seen it before, this is my first time, and it is very interesting." The Jiangsu cultural week will also be held in the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk and the cultural province of Siem Reap on Feb. 20 and 21, respectively. Organized by the Information Office and the Foreign Affairs Office of the government of China's Jiangsu Province, the event marked the coming of "Perceiving China-Jiangsu Culture Week" to two Southeast Asian countries, namely Cambodia and Thailand. I think it's wonderful and very neighborly that the City of Hobart would lend its services to the Town of New Chicago to help patch up the blasted heath that is Ridge Road. That said, I have to wonder why they can't pay for it themselves; they're making a pretty penny pulling over every other motorist and handing out tickets like lollipops. Also, I hope Hobart lends a hand getting some sidewalks along that road. I see pedestrians there at all hours and it's a wonder they're not getting hit left and right walking in the street. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) The much-anticipated plunder trial of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who was charged with plunder over the pork barrel scam, was canceled and indefinitely put on hold on Tuesday. The trial date was announced as early as December 2018, but it was once again canceled after years of delay. The Sandiganbayan 3rd Division did not provide a new schedule. Third Division Clerk of Court Atty. Dennis Pulma said alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles previously manifested that she be allowed to attend all her plunder and graft trials. But since she was convicted in the plunder case involving former Senator Bong Revilla and transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women, the Supreme Court has to give the go signal for her to leave detention. Pulma said the Sandiganbayan asked the Supreme Court to exempt the Priority Development Assistance Fund cases from the rule disallowing national prisoners to leave detention to attend their trial. The high court, however, has not replied to their request so the 3rd Division decided to cancel Enrile's plunder trial. The plunder case was filed more than four years ago, but Enrile has waived his appearance in the hearings as the 95-year-old politician continues to campaign for another shot at the Senate. Enrile is facing a plunder charge and 15 counts of graft for allegedly diverting his pork barrel to bogus NGOs in exchange for kickbacks. His cases were filed in June 2014, along with those filed against former senator Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada. But his trial had long been delayed because of an issue on the supposed vagueness of the allegations against him. Enrile had asked for a bill of particulars or a more detailed charge sheet from the Ombudsman, a motion that was only granted with finality by the Supreme Court in 2016. He then used the bill of particulars to file a motion seeking to dismiss his case, which the Sandiganbayan dismissed. Enrile is currently out on bail after the high court reversed a Sandiganbayan ruling denying him temporary liberty in 2015. In an exclusive interview with CNN Philippines Chief Correspondent Pia Hontiveros, Enrile said he wants to see the case to its end. "The burden of proof is on the government because of the fact that I am presumed innocent. Precisely that's my theory, that if I'm perceived innocent by the Constitution, why detain me? Deprive me of freedom? I would like to see the end of it," he said. CNN Philippines correspondent AC Nicholls contributed to this report. Mitchells organization would prefer to see Medicare use the International Pricing Index to decide how much to pay for Part B drugs those administered in physicians offices and in hospital outpatient departments. Medicare has proposed such an index that it says would allow it to pay prices more in line with those in similar countries. By the time you read this column, that already startling statistic will likely have risen. This is a matter of fact, not my opinion. As with most mass shootings, the motive behind each of them is as elusive as it is meaningless. Why did Martin do it? Why did Paddock do it? Why will the next mass shooter do it? When Indiana was created as a state, one of the rights that came with admission to the Union was the state ownership of the beds of navigable waters within its borders, including the exposed shores between the ordinary high and low water marks on Lake Michigan, the release states. When you first go into the water no matter how cold it is outside its painfully cold, he said. Once you get dunked under and you come back out, I dont know if its a combination of adrenaline or the fact that youre coming out of cold water, [but] it doesnt feel so bad. In addition, two seats will be reserved for community members who do not have a child enrolled at a District 64 and who do not work for the district. The seven parent and community members must have have lived in the school districts boundaries for at least a year, according to the rules set by the board. Brown has been playing the violin since he was 2 and was entertaining audiences by the time he was four. Ive always loved performing for other people, he said. I used to go to nursing homes with my siblings. We would play for them and talk with them afterwards. The seeds of racism had already been planted while he grew up in a working-class, Irish-Catholic family in suburban Chicago. That upbringing, combined with the powerful fear and hatred of the individuals who assaulted him, led him to feel no obligation to reflect upon the absurdity of his conclusion about all African-Americans. He stubbornly believed that because of his suffering, he earned the right to deride and mistrust all African-Americans and anyone who did not suffer as he did had no right to tell him otherwise. The post continues to be written from the dogs point-of-view and reads: So this is bittersweet Im happy my family came all the way from Illinois to pick me up, but I will miss Los Angeles. Now if I can only get a first-class puppy seat on the flight back home I mean, come on, I did have to deal with being stolen and taken thousands of miles away. A Naperville woman and her three siblings thought their fathers cremated remains were being shipped to their four respective homes. Instead, they allege in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, one of the four urns was damaged in transit and thrown into the trash. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) President Rodrigo Duterte had made no secret of his closeness to the founder of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). In a speech delivered in front of delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, Duterte spoke fondly of MNLF founding chairperson Nur Misuari. "Nur to his everlasting credit,someday he would be recognized as one statesman above just being or aside from being a revolutionary warrior," Duterte said. He added that he would again talk to Misuari "soon" on peace issues. "It should be soon, and as a matter of fact any other agreement with any other revolutionary front should take place simultaneously," Duterte said. The country's chief executive noted his impatience on matters of peace, given that he is old and only has three years left in his term. "As I grow old and I see the horizon, it's just not really a very long way from now. I will be gone. And I would like to sinasabi ko sa (I'm telling the) military maybe I cannot wait really for peace to travel in a very snail pace," Duterte said. Duterte had previously said that he had consulted Misuari on the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which was recently ratified through a plebiscite, creating a new government entity that replaces the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. A: We expanded from one day to extra days. Authors were able to work with us so all students across the district were able to Skype for the third year in a row. The exciting part was an author from the Philippines who was 14 hours ahead of us. The middle school students got to pick an author or illustrator. Thats exciting. We also had a blend of nonfiction and fiction writers and some who write both. Students were able to ask questions about the writing process and hear answers from them. They got to see writers are real people. It excites them about wanting to pick up a book. The Waukegan City Council is made up of nothing but circus clowns. Your aldermen. The leadership. Everything under City Council. Nothing but city clowns. Even if you were to get new aldermen, I see nothing that theyve done to make an improvement in this city. Waukegan, no matter what you do, everybody is doing their own free will and just collecting a paycheck, doing nothing to improve the city. What does it tell you, people? But there is still an estimated $1.2 billion worth of identified needs, with the current top five being improvements to Route 45 between Routes 22 and 60; widening of Route 45 between Washington Street and Grand Avenue; widening of Green Bay Road from Sunset Avenue to the Wisconsin state line; widening of Route 22 between Route 83 and Quentin Road; and improvements to Route 60/83 south of Route 176 that would include an underpass at the Canadian National railroad crossing in Diamond Lake. The food desert problem in Chicago is a human problem. I say this because a lot of stores stop doing business when you cannot make a profit from people stealing the merchandise. The residents in the area have told the news media about all the customers in the stores. But maybe they are not buying, but stealing. A certain percent of people think everything is free to them. The United States is known as a free country, isn't it? Most of the inspections were conducted by the deputy director, who conducted 42 of the 80 inspections, according to the audit. More than 70 percent of those units went on to fail the federal inspection, and more than 90 percent had problems that existed during the initial local inspection. We are excited to be able to partner with the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance and State Fire Marshals Office in providing these 10-year battery smoke alarms to our residents, said Skokie Fire Department Deputy Chief Kathleen Furgala, in the release. Fire can spread through a home in a matter of minutes, and smoke alarms can give residents the warning needed to get out safely. That project was estimated to cost between $210,000 and $310,000 depending on what it would take to install the banner with posts and other support, according to an Evanston staff report. It would have a three-year lifespan. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law a bill establishing a national framework to combat cancer. Republic Act 11215 or the National Integrated Cancer Control Act creates a nationwide program to curb cancer incidence in the country and make treatment for the fatal disease more affordable and accessible. The law creates the National Intergrated Cancer Control Council attached to the Department of Health (DOH). It will be composed of secretaries of the DOH, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of the Interior and Local Government. It will also include the president of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), director general of the Food and Drug Administration, two medical doctors, and three representatives from cancer advocacy groups. The council is tasked to develop a national cancer control roadmap, which sets annual targets, priorities and strategies for programs in the national and local health care system to combat the disease. The law also establishes the Philippine Cancer Center under the DOH. The center will provide accommodation, medical treatment and facilities for patients suffering from cancer. It will also conduct researches on cancer prevention and treatment. February will be established as "National Cancer Awareness Month," as prescribed by the law. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death of Filipinos, according to a 2016 Philippine Statistics Authority report. In that year alone, 60,740 deaths were recorded due to "neoplasms" or abnormal tissue growths - more popularly known as cancer. We know that we must always do whatever we can to keep the villages financial burden on our residents as low as possible. At times we have no choice but to implement fees, like the trash fee, to offset the costs of delivering certain necessary services. But, at times like this, were able to substantially lower the tax burden on our residents. We are excited about opening our Orland Park location, she said. We can now offer families in the south suburbs of Chicago access to Caravels high quality, intensive autism treatment. As a company, we have been serving children on the autism spectrum for eight years and have developed deep experience and best practices in the field. This Orland Park location is our fifth location in the Chicago area and will expand our reach to more families and offer a convenient location for their first meeting with Caravel Autism Health. According to cellphone videos and witnesses, Bartlett got out of his vehicle after his girlfriend, Dana Scalione, started arguing with the teenagers because their protest was stopping traffic. She yelled that the bicycle of one of the teens ran over her foot. Shocked, beyond shocked, was the way Clemons described the familys response to the news. Not only are they struggling under the weight of their own loss and the lives Martin is responsible for taking, they also are dealing with what they feel is a community that wants to judge rather than support them. Thats why, Clemons told me, they were so appreciative of the newspaper interview given by the father of victim Russell Beyer, who, like his son, had vouched for Martin during grievance meetings with Pratt management. The decades-old Fox Valley Special Recreation Association provides programming for residents with disabilities, and describes itself as an extension of park districts and departments serving the Aurora area, the Oswego area, Sugar Grove, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and South Elgin. The programming is intended, in part, to help promote independence for participants, help develop skills and provide a sense of enjoyment, satisfaction and fulfillment, according to the agencys website. Five employees were shot and killed by plant worker Gary Martin, police said. They were: Vicente Juarez, 54, of Oswego; Josh Pinkard, 37, of Oswego; Clayton Parks, 32, of Elgin; Trevor Wehner, 21, of Sheridan; and Russell Beyer, 47, of Yorkville. Five police officers were injured. "There are going to be people who say don't politicize this moment. Please do. We're not going to change anything unless we politicize this and talk about it," he said. Its that time of year the sun is out, the weather is warming up and you finally have a reason to break out the grill in your backyard. While there are so many great dishes to cook on the grill, few things beat a backyard burger. Now, maybe youre a tong-twirling grill master who makes your own marinades from scratch , but if youre like most folks, your grill skills may be a little rusty after a long, cold winter and a gray, dreary spring. Though burgers seem like they should be easy to cook on the grill, there are some tips and tricks you can use to ensure you have a restaurant-quality patty on your bun. In the heat of the moment Lightfoot neglected to point out that, last May, Martwick voted in favor of Senate Bill 2544 to make the Lake County assessor an elected position, but she did take the opportunity at one point to laugh at him when he said his bill was designed to provide reform. The shooting in Aurora is another reason to ban guns and confiscate these weapons. People should have to justify the need for owning weapons. There are many examples of nations that dont have a mass murder problem, and the common denominator of these nations is their regulatory practices of guns. Most of these nations will allow people to own guns, but the people have to justify why they need the guns. The fact that we allow weapons to be purchased by practically anyone shows that we live in a country that is insane. Regarding the FDA crackdown on the supplement industry: The FDA doesnt seem to have the manpower to crack down on the many tainted and dangerous imported generic drugs affecting millions of people who are forced to take generics by insurance companies. The top priority of the FDA should be protecting citizens from necessary prescription drugs that are defective and can destroy their health and even kill them. Supplements are voluntarily taken by the purchaser. The question is, are the powerful multibillion-dollar drug companies more concerned about their bottom line and putting on the pressure to get rid of any competition? Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. When the Smollett case erupted, though, there seemed to be no time to waste in the national conversation about race and tolerance. The symbolism of the crime as advertised was so awful that some observers showed little interest in verifying initial details of Smolletts claim. Opinions filled the void. Social media was abuzz, with both outrage and skepticism. Presidential candidates weighed in with their thoughts. Smollett appeared on ABCs Good Morning America to describe his victimhood. And a CNN newsreader punctuated a Smollett story with the freighted This is America in 2019. Democrats have seized on the move as an example of executive overreach. The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., issued a press release Tuesday that stated: "No one is above the law. Republicans must join Democrats to uphold the Constitution and stand with the American people - against the President's brazen assault." According to a House panel report, an effot to share nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia was pushed by former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired in early 2017. (Carolyn Kaster/AP) State Rep. Melissa Conyears-Ervin said she will be a financial watchdog and seek control of the Council Office of Financial Analysis that looks at the fiscal impact certain ordinances might have on the citys bottom line. Accountant Peter Gariepy, who unsuccessfully ran for county treasurer last year, vows hell run the office in a responsible but less flashy way. And, Ald. Ameya Pawar, 47th, said he would use the office to launch a public bank and campaign against income inequality. The Tribune story detailed how a recently fired state worker in 1973 filled in the answers to six questions that Daley had left blank and changed a wrong answer to the correct one on his second attempt to pass the exam, according to court testimony and a handwriting experts report. Daley was never accused of any wrongdoing himself, but Mendoza focused on how his status as a member of a famous political family placed him in that situation. A Buddhist monk was arrested Thursday after he was accused of sexually abusing two children who took classes at the temple he served in 2001 and 2002, according to Chicago police. "My son actually started crying when he overheard me talking about what happened, she said. He was saying how he hates evil people. I told my son that if we went to the vigil he would see many people in Aurora that do have love in their hearts." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has ordered a probe on the behavior of its agents who served an arrest warrant for a cyber libel case against Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. In an order dated February 18, released Tuesday, NBI Chief Dante Gierran said he has directed the Internal Affairs Division to look into the conduct of NBI personnel following reports of threats against staff members of online news site Rappler, during the arrest of their CEO at their office in Pasig City on February 13. During the arrest, a Rappler reporter claimed she was threatened by an NBI personnel to refrain from documenting the apprehension or else she will "be sorry." Ressa also argued there were irregularities in her arrest, implicating that the government deliberately ensured she would be denied bail. Ressa cited the lack of an information sheet indicating the amount of bail, and the timing of her arrest, which was past court operating hours. Ressa spent the night in the NBI detention quarters in Manila the same day. The NBI had previously denied anomalies to the arrest. It explained that the delays to the service of Ressa's warrant was due to "logistical and operational requirements" and denied that any threats were made against Rappler staff members. The Department of Justice (DOJ) on February 14 also ordered a probe on the NBI agents in question. DOJ spokesperson Markk Perete said agents are allowed to instruct people against certain actions that would hinder the "peaceful service of the warrant." However, he admitted that based on the footage of the encounter between the reporter and the agent, there was no indication of hampering the service of the warrant on Ressa. Ressa was arrested for a cyber libel case for an article published in May 2012, months before the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 was passed. The original publication of the story that year is not covered by the law, the DOJ earlier explained. However, it cannot say the same of Rappler's February 2014 update. In the article, businessman Wilfredo Keng was said to have lent a vehicle to former Chief Justice Renato Corona. Keng denied this in the same story. International journalists, human rights advocates and some lawmakers slammed Ressa's arrest, saying it was "politically motivated" and a form of persecution by a "bully government." Ressa maintained her innocence and accused the administration of "weaponization of the law" and "abuse of power" against its perceived enemies. Rappler has earned the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte because of its reports critical of his administration, particularly its anti-drug war. South Africa: DIRCO stands ready for elections abroad With the General Elections fast approaching, International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, has called on Heads of Mission to rally behind the Electoral Commission (IEC) to allow for smooth elections for South Africans living abroad. I have directed all Heads of Mission and Consular Generals to ensure that the IEC is given all the necessary support for South Africans [living abroad] to exercise their right to vote, said the Minister. The Minister made the call at a quarterly engagement and post-State of the Nation Address with members of the diplomatic corps on Tuesday. The engagement is in line with the commitment of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to keep the diplomatic corps abreast of all important policy directions and events in the country. Members of the diplomatic corps were briefed on a number of issues, including preparations for the national elections taking place on 08 May 2019, developments on the continent and South Africas tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period January 2019 to December 2020. On the countrys 2019 elections, Sisulu said she met with IEC CEO Sy Mamabolo, who briefed her on the logistics and the legal requirements expected of missions abroad in preparation for the elections. Mamabolo, who delivered a presentation to the diplomatic corps, assured them of the countrys state of readiness to hold elections. On elections further afield in Nigeria, the Minister said there was nothing untoward in the postponement of the elections, which were set to take place on 16 February 2019. It has happened before in Nigeria and there was nothing untoward about it and we will wait for the announcement on what the technical glitch there was that led to the postponement, Sisulu said. More African countries sign the AfCFTA Taking the members of the diplomatic corps through developments in the region, Sisulu highlighted that progress is being made on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. To date, 52 out of the 55 African countries have signed the agreement, which is set to create a single continental market for goods and services and pave the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union. Zimbabwe protests and sanctions On the recent protests in Harare, Zimbabwe, the Minister said South Africa stands ready to support the Zimbabwean government and its people whenever needed. Sisulu also wished Vice President Chiwenga a speedy recovery. I am informed by our High Commissioner in Harare that he travelled to India for medical attention. With a bi-national meeting with Zimbabwe scheduled for 12 March 2019, Sisulu said South Africa would call on the international community to lift sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. We call on the EU and particularly the United Kingdom (UK) to give the government and the people of Zimbabwe a chance to change their situation by urgently lifting the sanctions, she said. Sisulu said without lifting sanctions, Zimbabwe will never be able to address its economic challenges, which are compromising the political gains achieved since the coming in of the new President. Western Sahara Last year, the Heads of State and Government of the South African Development Community (SADC) resolved to hold a Solidarity Conference for Western Sahara, which remains the last colony on the African continent. In light of this, Sisulu confirmed that South Africa and Namibia will jointly host a SADC conference from 25-26 March 2019 in Tshwane. Update on MTN staff in Uganda Following the deportation of cellular network MTN staff in Uganda, Sisulu said the matter was being addressed through diplomatic channels. We are aware of the deportation of MTN executives by the Uganda government, and we are engaging our Ugandan counterparts through diplomatic channels. We will continue to monitor this situation and to engage with the Ugandan government, said the Minister. Travel warning Sisulu called on travellers to sensitise themselves with the relevant countries laws when visiting the countries. It is of concern that some South African citizens continue to find themselves in conflict with the law in the Peoples Republic of China, despite DIRCOs repeated appeals that all persons traveling to China or any other country must ensure that they obtain legitimate and correct documentation. Sisulu said her department remains in contact with Chinese authorities in an effort to find a solution to the current challenge. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Aurora police officials who have said they will release further updates about the shooting primarily through social media did not respond to requests for comment Monday. Ziman, who became the departments chief in 2016, previously said she did not know if Aurora police or another agency checked on whether Martin gave up his gun. It was also unclear if Aurora had any record of the receiving the revocation notice. A 747 at close to the speed of sound? Test pilots at an Israeli aircraft company successfully flew a 747 freighter at 98 percent of the speed of sound in a safety demonstration for the Federal Aviation Administration. But don`t expect supersonic cargo travel to become common. The high-speed run was performed to prove how sturdy the plane was-not how fast it could go. Executives at state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries of Tel Aviv said recently that pilots flew a modified 747-100 at 646 miles per hour in performance tests over Israel. That`s more than 60 m.p.h. faster than the plane`s official top cruising speed. Sound travels about 660 m.p.h. at 30,000 feet. Fighter planes often reach speeds of more than Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound, but most passenger and cargo jets cruise no faster than Mach 0.85, or 560 m.p.h. Many fly slower to reduce fuel costs. Israel Aircraft took the speed test as part of its plans to convert old passenger 747s into freighters. The company traditionally has converted combination aircraft, or combis, into full freighters. Combis are built with an extra-strength floor to allow them to haul passengers and freight on the main deck. Passenger models lack that reinforcement. Conversion companies must show their designs for beefing up a passenger plane for cargo won`t over stress the wings or create flutter under extreme conditions, said Janice Elrod, a safety inspector in the airworthiness branch of the FAA`s aircraft manufacturing office in Washington. Menachem Shimol, a test pilot for Israel Aircraft, reported that its test plane reached 0.98 Mach in an 18-degree dive from 36,000 feet Sept. 30. Details of the test were not released until this month, however, after the FAA approved the Supplemental Type Certificate that Israel Aircraft need to begin converting passenger planes to freighters. Pilots described the high-speed experience as ''a little frightening'' but said they were confident the plane would remain controllable. Tom Cole, a spokesman at Boeing Commercial Airplane Co., said original flight tests of 747s conducted in 1969 and 1970 took 747-100 models to speeds of Mach 0.99. In addition, Boeing knows one case in which a 747 operated by Evergreen International made an emergency descent at speeds that exceeded Mach 1, he said. But Boeing and the FAA said the 747 is not built for sustained flight at the speed of sound. Its engines aren`t powerful enough nor is it designed to deal with a destabilizing shock wave that develops around the speed of sound. British Airways and Air France, operators of the Concorde supersonic passenger plane, have reported strong demand for the limited cargo space on their transports. That has prompted some to suggest that an integrated carrier such as Federal Express might be able to justify a supersonic freighter for extremely high-value cargo and documents. But Cole said the extra cost of operating at supersonic speeds with today`s technology is too high to justify a supersonic freighter. ''Aside from the Concorde, you won`t be seeing supersonic cargo soon unless you shoot it out of a catapult,'' he said. Robert Dahl, a project director at Air Cargo Management Group in Seattle, also said he regards supersonic movement of cargo as extremely unlikely in the foreseeable future. ''There`s always a limited amount of freight for which the shipper is interested in extremely fast service-that`s why the integrated express operator gets a much higher yield per pound,'' he said. ''But Boeing is right-the premium to fly freight supersonic is just too high.'' Even if the high-speed test doesn`t herald an era of supersonic air cargo, officials at Israel Aircraft Industries said it heralds a new period of 747 conversions for their workers. Executives at Israel Aircraft said it`s difficult to tell how much demand there will be for freighter conversions in light of the recession, but they said the company is equipped to convert up to six 747s a year. As for the freighter that flew 0.98 Mach, Israel Aircraft reports it`s for sale, with an extensive overhaul. The price is less than $30 million. PARIS -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence addressed a group of European dignitaries last week at a conference in Warsaw, Poland, meant to rally support for Middle Eastern peace, and he appeared visibly shocked by the audience's reaction to parts of his speech. "The time has come for our European partners to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and join with us as we bring the economic and diplomatic pressure necessary to give the Iranian people, the region and the world the peace, security and freedom they deserve," Pence said. The vice president stopped for applause after this line -- and was met with complete silence. He visibly bristled before continuing. What's wrong with Europeans? Why aren't they applauding the desire for peace? Perhaps because Europeans long ago learned the lesson that "peace" is often just a euphemism for more war. From the outset, the conference was a game of semantics to mask overt enthusiasm for further armed conflict. Originally billed as a conference about Iran, it was then labeled a Middle Eastern peace conference, with "peace" obviously defined as a Middle East run entirely by America's allies: Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The message was that such peace can only be achieved by bringing Iran to heel through conflict. The usual anti-Iran activists from the Donald Trump administration were on hand in Warsaw: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , Trump son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, and Trump attorney and frequent Iranian opposition rally speaker Rudy Giuliani. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined them and capped the summit by succinctly explaining in a tweet (later deleted and walked back) what it was really all about: meeting openly with Arab-state allies "to advance the common interest of war with Iran." So, where was noted war hawk John Bolton? How could Trump's national security adviser possibly miss an Iranian regime-change event that seemed to be right up his alley? Turns out that Bolton may have been a bit too preoccupied with Venezuelan regime change to make it. He jumped on Twitter last week in an apparent attempt to encourage Venezuela's military to revolt. "The international financial circle is closing around Maduro and his cronies, Bolton tweeted. "The time for the Venezuelan military to do the right thing is now. It is not too late to side with democracy, humanitarian assistance, and the future of Venezuela." Bolton used a classic Trojan horse entry point for war: "humanitarian assistance." More than 30 years ago, a high-ranking State Department official used a similar justification for having weapons shipped to the Nicaraguan Contras. "Assistant Secretary of State Elliott Abrams has defended his role in authorizing the shipment of weapons on a humanitarian aid flight to Nicaraguan rebels, saying the operation was 'strictly by the book,'" the New York Times reported in August 1987. Go figure that Pompeo has just appointed the same Elliott Abrams from the Iran-Contra era as a special envoy to Venezuela -- and there's a controversy over Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro not allowing "humanitarian aid" shipments into the country. Where are my neon legwarmers and acid-wash jeans? It's the 1980s all over again! It's not as if other countries couldn't supply Venezuela with boxes of humanitarian-aid goodies that don't have weapons buried in them like Cracker Jack prizes. But Maduro is sure to be ripped for not letting in "aid" from regime-change proponents. Now if only there were a way to link Venezuela and Iran together in this regime-change refrain. Then, maybe Bolton could enjoy the convenience of tweeting about a Venezuelan coup d'etat from Iranian coup d'etat conferences. It turns out that Pompeo has that angle covered already. "People don't recognize that Hezbollah has active cells [in Venezuela]," Pompeo told Fox Business earlier this month. "The Iranians are impacting the people of Venezuela and throughout South America. We have an obligation to take down that risk for America." The problem is that when the U.S. addresses these supposed risks, it often becomes the rest of the world's problem. From Afghanistan and Syria to Libya and Yemen, Europe has had to pitch in with the cleanup and deal with the waves of refugees that result from such interventions. Trump is already grappling with the migration problem on America's southern border. To what extent is that problem also being caused by economic sanctions and interventionist meddling in those migrants' countries? When will America stop shooting itself in the foot and actually try to foster stability in these countries instead of pretending that stability can only come about through further conflict? These members of the Trump administration travel across the Atlantic and lecture Europeans using American-values vocabulary such as "peace, security and freedom." But when Europeans know that lurking behind such rhetoric is more war and instability, it's really not reasonable to expect applause. ( Rachel Marsden is a columnist, political strategist and former Fox News host based in Paris. She is the host of the syndicated talk show "UNREDACTED with Rachel Marsden" Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Eastern: http://www.unredactedshow.com. Her website can be found at www.rachelmarsden.com.) (c) 2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Its easy to get past the tourist traps the limos that harass you at the airport, the American hotel chains that charge way too much. Foreigners do need to be careful, but not too careful. Dont drink the tap water, I always suggest, but do eat the street food (especially my favorite, the guajolota, a carb-y, tamale sandwich sold on nearly every corner). You protect your cellphone in the crowded markets and subways, but you can walk around at night feeling comfortable in Roma. Despite its reputation in some circles, Mexico City is no different than any major urban place; there are safe zones and dangerous zones, and you can usually tell them apart just by looking. Most of Proenza Schoulers fall and winter 2019 runway show was a fashion editors dream come true, an art-inspired, make-you-think kind of collection more likely to end up in the pages of a fashion glossy than an awards show red carpet. That being said, there are all kinds of awards shows out there and all kinds of people dressing for them. For anyone who wants a cutting-edge look for, say, the Independent Spirit Awards, think of this look as a modern-day alternative to YSLs Le Smoking. As were Rojo and Alina Cojocaru, the two ballerinas who originated the role. Cojocaru performs the lead role on opening night; Rojo will dance Giselle in Saturdays matinee. As someone whos danced Giselle throughout her career and presented a traditional version on the same season as Khans, Rojo said the creation of a new Giselle has deepened her relationship with the ballet. Because we have done so much work in analyzing the true essence of what Giselle was, in analyzing every texture, every bit of the choreography, and every character, we felt better than ever going back to the traditional because we knew it better, and because wed challenged it. It wont be completely new when it reemerges, she noted. Some crowd favorites will remain, including Japanese artist Yayoi Kusamas Lets Survive Forever, an infinity mirror room featuring scores of mirror balls in a mirror-walled room. It is the best-known piece in the museum, very popular during a 2017 gallery run in New York City, and it is now at wndr to stay, officials said. In addition, if the prosecutors petition is successful, Van Dyke may be forced to mount a more complicated or aggressive appeal despite the fact that he does not want to undergo another trial in the first place, they say. We believe that the certificate of need law needed to be streamlined to remove unnecessary requirements that could delay the repurposing and reorganization of healthcare facilities and services, said Danny Chun, a spokesman for the hospital association. As the pace of change in health care accelerates, we believe the regulatory process should allow facilities to respond quickly to the demands that are out there in the marketplaces. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) Measles cases in the country have breached the 8,000 mark but may dwindle beginning April. From January 1 to February 18, 8,443 cases of the contagious disease have been recorded according to Health Secretary Francisco Duque. Of these cases, 135 have died. Duque said they are looking at declaring an outbreak in the Cagayan Valley region, where cases have risen by 578 percent. Earlier this month, the department declared a measles outbreak in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas. However, Duque said over 133,000 children aged five and below were vaccinated within the last two weeks. "This is a good reflection... for the longest time," he said. According to Department of Health (DOH) records, 960,457 children have not been vaccinated for the first three quarters of 2018, a spike from 855,039 in 2017. Their research showed the low vaccination rate comes from fear of the vaccine's adverse effects, amid controversy surrounding the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia. Not just children Achyut Shrestha, a medical officer at the Philippine chapter of the World Health Organization, said there is also significant adolescent and adult population susceptible to measles. "Upon analyzing 2018 measles cases, 10 percent of the cases are in the age bracket of 5 years to 15 years and further 20 percent are from 15 years up to 40 plus years. Whenever the unvaccinated under 5 years population reach a certain threshold due to continued vulnerability of higher age groups, Philippines experiences large measles outbreaks. " Shrestha told CNN Philippines. Shrestha added there are also gaps related to the capacity of hospitals to isolate the measles cases due to lack of limited infrastructure and manpower. "Without proper triage and isolation of cases there is massive chance of intra hospital spread of measles," Shrestha said. CNN Philippines' Correspondent Rex Remitio and Senior Digital Producer Chad de Guzman contributed to this report. The cryo-EM structure of the NAD(P)H dehydrogenase-like complex (NDH). The atomic coordinate model shown as spheres, colored according to the different subunits, in front of an electron micrograph of frozen NDH particles in the background. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have used one of the most advanced microscopes in the world to reveal the structure of a large protein complex crucial to photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into cellular energy. The finding will allow scientists to explore for the first time how the complex functions and could have implications for the production of a variety of bioproducts, including plastic alternatives and biofuels. "This work will lead to a better understanding of how photosynthesis occurs, which could allow us to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis in plants and other green organisms - potentially boosting the amount of food, and thus biomass, they produce," said lead researcher Karen Davies, a biophysicist at Berkeley Lab. "This is particularly important if you want to produce renewable bioproducts that are cost-effective alternatives to current petroleum-based products." Discovered decades ago, the protein complex targeted by the researchers, called NADH dehydrogenase-like complex (NDH), is known to help regulate the phase of photosynthesis where the energy of sunlight is captured and stored in two types of cellular energy molecules, which are later utilized to power the conversion of carbon dioxide into sugar. Past investigations revealed that NDH reshuffles the energized electrons moving among other protein complexes in the chloroplast in a way that ensures the correct ratio of each energy molecule is produced. Furthermore, NDH of cyanobacteria performs several additional roles including increasing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) available for sugar production by linking CO 2 uptake with electron transfer. In order for scientists to truly comprehend how NDH executes these important functions, they needed a molecular blueprint indicating the location and connectivity of all the atoms in the complex. This is something that even highly powerful transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technology simply could not provide until very recently. "Research on this enzyme has been difficult and experimental results confounding for the last 20 years or so because we have lacked complete information about the enzyme's structure," said Davies. "Knowing the structure is important for generating and testing out hypotheses of how the enzyme functions. The resolution we obtained for our structure of NDH has only really been achievable since the commercialization of the direct electron counting camera, developed in collaboration with Berkeley Lab." Prior to this invention, explained Davies, a staff scientist in Berkeley Lab's Molecular Biophysics and Integrative Bioimaging Division (MBIB), determining the structure of a single molecule could take several years because cryo-TEM imaging relied on film, meaning that each exposure had to be developed and scanned before it could be analyzed. The main limitation, however, was that most images turned out blurry. When you directed a beam of electrons at a molecule, the charged, high-energy particles excited the atoms in the molecule, often making them move at the moment of exposure. This meant that researchers needed to take and process hundreds, if not thousands, of film images in order to get an accurate glimpse of an entire molecule. The new electron counting camera solves this problem by taking digital movies with an extremely high frame rate, so individual frames can be aligned to eliminate blurring caused by beam-induced particle motion. In the current study, first author Thomas Laughlin, a UC Berkeley graduate student with a joint appointment at MBIB, isolated NDH complexes from membranes of a photosynthetic cyanobacterium provided by the Junko Yano and Vittal Yachandra Lab in MBIB and imaged them using a state-of-the-art cryo-TEM instrument fitted with the latest direct electron detector. Located on the UC Berkeley campus, the cryo-TEM facility is managed by the Bay Area CryoEM consortium, which is partly funded by Berkeley Lab. The resulting atom density map was then used to build a model of NDH that shows the arrangement of all the protein subunits of NDH and the most likely position of all the atoms in the complex. By examining this model, Davies' team will be able to formulate and then test hypotheses of how NDH facilitates sugar production by balancing the ratio of the two cellular energy molecules. "While the structure of NDH alone certainly addresses many questions, I think it has raised several more that we had not even thought to consider before," said Laughlin. LMU chemists have identified a mechanism that allows molecules to diffuse rapidly on the already crowded surface of a solid-state catalyst an important capability, especially for efficient catalysis under industrial conditions. The use of efficient catalytic agents is what makes many technical procedures feasible in the first place. Indeed, synthesis of more than 80% of the products generated in the chemical industry requires the input of specific catalysts. Most of these are solid-state catalysts, and the reactions they make possible take place between molecules that adsorb to their surfaces. The specific properties of the catalyst permit the starting molecules to interact and accelerate the reaction between them, without consuming or altering the catalyst itself. However, efficient catalysis also requires efficient mixing, so reactants must be able to diffuse laterally on the surface of the catalyst to maximize the chance of undergoing the desired reaction. Under the conditions employed in industrial processes, however, the surface of the catalyst is generally so densely packed with adsorbed particles that it has been unclear how molecules could effectively diffuse at all. Researchers led by Professor Joost Wintterlin at the Department of Chemistry at LMU have now shown that, although reactants indeed spend time virtually trapped on the surface of the catalyst, local fluctuations in occupancy frequently provide opportunities to change positions. The new findings appear in the leading journal Science. In order to gain insight into the molecular processes that take place on a solid-state catalyst, Wintterlin and colleagues used scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to monitor the mobility of individual oxygen atoms on a ruthenium (Ru) catalyst that was densely packed with adsorbed carbon monoxide (CO) molecules. We chose this system because the oxidation of CO to CO 2 on metals belonging to the platinum group is a well-studied model for solid-state catalysis generally, Wintterlin explains. However, conventional scanning tunneling microscopy would have been unable to capture the surface dynamics of this reaction system. But the team succeeded in enhancing the rate of data acquisition, finally attaining rates of up to 50 images per second high enough to make videos of the dynamics of the particles on the catalyst. The STM images revealed that the oxygen atoms are completely hemmed in by triangular cages formed by CO molecules adsorbed to the surface of the Ru catalyst. Analysis of the videos showed that single oxygen atoms can only hop between three positions formed by the interstices of the Ru atoms. But, to our surprise, we also observed that an atom can escape from its cage, and suddenly begins to diffuse through the carbon monoxide matrix at a rate that is almost as high as if it were on a completely empty surface, says Ann-Kathrin Hen, first author of the research paper. In collaboration with Professor Axel Gro of the Institute of Theoretical Chemistry at Ulm University, the Munich researchers were able to link this phenomenon with fluctuations in the local density of the CO on the surface, which give rise to regions in which the molecules are more or less closely packed together. When such a fluctuation occurs in the vicinity of an oxygen atom, the latter can escape from its cage, and make its way to a new position. In fact, this door-opening mechanism opens up diffusion pathways so rapidly that the movement of the oxygen atoms through the matrix is not significantly impeded. This explains why they can almost always find a new binding partner for the reaction facilitated by the catalyst. Principals braved the bitter cold and adverse weather conditions to give their monthly reports at the Feb. 11 school board meeting. Columbus Elementary Principal Derek Philips reported that all of the schools winter FAST (Formative Assessment System for Teachers) testing is finally complete. The Columbus kindergarten class increased from 67 percent in the fall to 81 percent proficient in the winter. First grade decreased from 76 percent to 60 percent proficient and second grade increased from 53 percent to 64 percent proficient. Philips said the school met with Dr. Matt Townsley of the University of Northern Iowa about assisting them with Standards Referenced Grading (SRG). Dr. Townsley is tentatively planning on coming down June 5 and 6 to work with the district on SRG. Dr. Townsley has been a successful teacher and district administrator utilizing SRG and is now able to assist more schools as a university professor, Philips said. Philips said the new Columbus sound system works fantastic. It has a very sharp and clear sound, he said. The installation of the schools cameras has been delayed some because of the weather. Philips said he hopes to have them installed sometime in February. Van Allen Elementary Principal Josh Morgan reported that they now have a tech club at Van Allen. Their first task has been to design a daily announcements display for the T.V. in the hallway using a Google Chromecast. I want to thank our technology lead, Mrs. Smith, for working with our students and I commend the students for adding this feature back to our building, Morgan said. Van Allen teachers were recently engaged in professional learning about the new Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), which replaces the Iowa Assessments/Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). Read the February 19, 2019 edition of the Chariton Leader for the rest of the story. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) Task Force Bangon Marawi disputed a Washington Post report tagging Marawi as a "ghost town." In an economic briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday, its chairperson secretary Eduardo del Rosario said the city is "alive and booming" as rehabilitation kicked off. "Mukhang masyadong off-tangent ito sa katotohanan, at kung anong nangyari sa Marawi," Del Rosario told reporters. [Translation: It seems to be off-tangent from the truth, from what is happening in Marawi.] "Ang Marawi City ngayon, if you will go there, mahirapan kang makarating hanggang sa center of the city dahil napaka-grabe ng traffic. Business activity, economic activity, and movement of people, so many vehicles ang nagpupunta na sa Marawi City. And this triggers economic activity," he added. [Translation: If you go to Marawi City, you'd find it hard to reach the center of the city because of the heavy traffic. (There's) business activity, economic activity, and movement of the people. Many vehicles are already going to Marawi City, and this triggers economic activity.] A Washington Post article published February 1 reported on the situation in the war-ravaged city, more than a year after the Marawi siege. It was accompanied by a video showing deserted roads, battled-ruined homes and a mosque with gaping holes. "More than a year since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared the city liberated, Marawi looks almost as it did when the bombs and bullets stopped flying in October 2017, following five months of urban combat," the article read. Del Rosario said details of the report may have been "dramatized." He said the writer may have been referring to the 250-hectare ground zero, which only accounts for 0.03 percent of Marawi's total area of 8,000 hectares. "Mukhang masyadong na-dramatize (It seems like it was dramatized) negatively," the secretary said. "It's alive and booming." The groundbreaking ceremony for rehabilitation of war-torn Marawi officially began on October 30, 2018. It was earlier scheduled on October 17, the anniversary of President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of the city's liberation. What's happening in Marawi rehab? Authorities are now prioritizing the projects on debris management and road network construction. Officials also expect to complete debris management no later than August or September, while road construction work is expected to begin in June or July. The Task Force head said they are confident the project is still within their timeline, and that they would be able to complete the rehabilitation by December 2021. The government has set a 67.99 billion budget for the comprehensive rehabilitation. The Finance Department says around 41.8 billion has already been raised through concessional financing as well as international grants. Finance Assistant Secretary Tony Lambino said the remaining portion of the budget will be raised through the offering of Marawi bonds. More than 900 terrorists, 47 civilians and 165 government troops were killed during the siege. Some 300,000 residents were displaced, while houses and buildings were turned to rubble. CNN Philippines' Ina Andolong and Alyssa Rola contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) on Tuesday tagged more establishments as among those polluting Manila Bay. The LLDA issued cease and desist orders to five food establishments for discharging water wastes into the bay, including Max's Restaurant UN Orasa, Jollibee Macapagal Biopolis, Lamer Catering, HengFeng Kitchenette and Nihon Bashitei Japanese Food. The establishments' faucets and other sources of water were sealed and will only be allowed to be used again once the businesses comply with the required pollution control program, and pay a daily penalty of 10,000 to 200,000. In a statement, Jollibee said it "regrets" the issuance of a cease and desist order and assured that the company is rushing the repair of the store's water treatment facility. The company explained it notified the LLDA about the temporary closure of its Biopolis branch Sunday evening. "Jollibee remains committed to support the DENR in its efforts to rehabilitate Manila Bay. We will also collaborate with them in the provision of an Industry Specific Effluent Standard which, based on the Clean Water Act, is the only standard that can be used to monitor the wastewater discharges of business establishments," it said. The agency also issued show cause orders to Aloha Hotel, Sarmiti Food Corp. and Orix Auto Leasing Philippines Corp. Notices of violation, meanwhile, were issued to the following establishments: Heritage Condominium Corp. Ma. Natividad Building Marina Square Properties Cultural Center of the Philippines Federal Land First Marbella Condominium Association Gold Quest Premiere Resources Harrison Lodge Libertad Tourist Development OWWA Building Wellcross Freight Corp. A total of 63 establishments have violated the Clean Water Act since January. READ: More establishments sanctioned in Manila Bay rehab READ: More industries found violating environmental laws as Manila Bay rehabilitation continues LLDA Environmental Regulations Department Manager Emil Hernandez said businesses in the quick food service industry have asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to adjust the standards for wastewater. "Quick service industry nahihirapan mag-comply.. kine-claim nila na walang technology na kayang mag-treat na limited lang ang space," Hernadez said. (Translation: The quick service industry finds it difficult to comply, claiming there's no technology that could treat in a limited space.) The LLDA, however, is adamant it will keep on issuing violation notices to non-compliant establishments based on the existing guidelines. Manila Bay is currently under rehabilitation, following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte. READ: Just how filthy is Manila Bay? CNN Philippines' Robert Vergara and Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report. 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 Former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan moved the Supreme Court Monday seeking initiation of perjury proceedings against central government officials for allegedly giving "false or misleading" information in a sealed cover in the high-profile Rafale case. The top court on December 14 last year dismissed a clutch of pleas, including the one filed by Mr Sinha, Mr Shourie and Mr Bhushan, saying that there was "no occasion to doubt" the decision-making process of the centre in the procurement of 36 Rafale jets from France. The three, who filed the plea seeking review of the verdict, filed a fresh application under section 340 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) seeking perjury prosecution against the officials responsible for providing "false" and "misleading" information to the top court in a sealed cover. The top court had sought information from the centre about the pricing details and the decision making process undertaken by the government before sealing the Rs. 56,000 crore fighter jets deal. The prosecution of the officials has been sought under section 193 and 195 of the IPC which deal with the offences of giving false evidence, contempt of lawful authority of public servants and giving false documents in evidence. "The information that has come into the public domain after the judgement of court was delivered prima facie shows that government ''misled'' the court on various counts and the basis of the judgement of the court is more than one untruth submitted by the government and suppression of pertinent information. "The untruths and suppression of information in the 'notes'' constitute perjury and also contempt as the 'notes'' were submitted pursuant to the orders of the court," the plea said. The plea, which has been filed in the disposed of plea, said that the note on pricing was not shared with the petitioners. "From the notes on the ''decision making process'' and ''offsets'', and Judgement of the court based on 'notes'' submitted by the government, more than one untruth and suppressions are apparent," it said. The plea also gave the details of "misleading facts", as per their opinion, to the court. The suppression of information by the government deprived the court of complete facts and it led to dismissal of the PILs, the plea said, adding that the errant officials who misled the court be identified and suitably dealt with. Referring to the CAG's audit of the deal, the plea said: "There was no CAG report at the time. The Government misled the court into relying on non-existent fact/report as basis of its observation on pricing in the judgement. "Instead of admitting that it misled the court, by way of an application for ''correction'', government imputes that Justices ...have misinterpreted tenses in English grammar in like manner individually and severally...". The government's act of stating "untruth" to the court in a sealed cover on ''pricing'' and its subsequent "scandalous" plea for modification have lowered the "sanctity of judicial proceedings", it said. The plea also referred to recent media reports and alleged suppression of "unauthorised parallel negotiations" by the by the PMO and bypassing of the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Negotiating Team (INT). Advocate ML Sharma was the first petitioner in the case. Later, another lawyer, Vineet Dhanda, moved the top court with the plea for court-monitored probe into the deal. AAP leader Sanjay Singh also filed a petition. After the three petitions were filed, former union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie along with activist advocate Prashant Bhushan moved the top court with a plea for a direction to the CBI to register a complaint for alleged irregularities in the deal. -PTI Israel has offered unconditional help to India in defending itself, especially against terrorism, asserting that "there is no limit" to its assistance, an assurance which assumes significance amid demands that the government should consider Israeli-type retaliation to terror strikes. The comments by newly-appointed Israeli envoy Dr Ron Malka came in response to a question on up to what extent Jerusalem will go to help India which has been a victim of terrorism. Last Thursday, in one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM killed 40 CRPF personnel after which there have been growing demands that the government should explore Israeli-type anti-terror operations. Israeli military is known for its precise and quick strikes. "Whatever India needs to defend itself there is no limit. We are here to help our close friend India to defend itself specially against terrorism because terrorism is the problem of the world and not only of India and Israel," Malka told PTI in an interview early last week. Emphasising that the world should fight terrorism and eliminate it by collaborating, he said, "So, we help India, share our knowledge, share our technique because we really want to help our really important friend." The 52-year old Malka, who was in Israeli military service from where he retired with the rank of Full Colonel, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him that India was a very "important partner, very important friend and he wants to collaborate to enhance ties and deepen them....to share our knowledge." He further said that by strengthening India, Israel was contributing to the world stability and sustainability because India has a very important role in the world stability. "We are just doing it to make the world a better place to live..." After the Pulwama attack, Malka had also tweeted that "Israel strongly condemns the terror attack in #Pulwama and stands by our Indian friends during this difficult hour. We send our deepest condolences to the CPRF and their families, the people of India and the Indian government following the terrible #KashmirTerrorAttack . -PTI The Allahabad High Court has released the results of Group D examination which was held last year in July. The results are available on the official website of Allahabad High Court. Candidates who had appeared for the posts under Group D can check their results now. As per the notification, under Group D category, candidates will be selected for the posts are Orderly/Peon/OfficePeon/Farrash/ProcessServer/Chowkidar/Waterman/Sweeper/Mali/Coolie/Bhisti/Liftman and others. However, there is a total number of 2020 candidates have been qualified for these posts. To check the results, candidates will have to keep their roll number and registration number. However, the selection of the candidate is based on their performance in their individual performance in written examination (stage I and II). Heres how to check the results of the Allahabad High Court Exam on the direct link: 1. Open the official website of Allahabad High Court at allahabadhighcourt.in 2. Click on the link of the Group D results 3. Submit your details to check the results 4. Click on Ok 5. Your result will appear on the homepage 6. Download your results 7. Take a printout for further use Allahabad High Court had conducted the written exams on 12th November 2017, and 22nd July 2018, respectively for Group D Cadre Posts. Also, candidates who will be selected in the exam will have to appear for document verification at the posting locations as per schedule. A West Kelowna driver captured a dangerous pass on dashcam while heading to Calgary on the long weekend. Randy Millis was bound for Calgary when a tractor-trailer passed against oncoming traffic between Revelstoke and Golden on Sunday. It's hard to tell if there was actually a passing lane in the area, but given how close the big rig comes to another semi and to Millis, it appears the pass was made on a two-lane stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway. "I pulled over as far as I could to the shoulder," Millis said Tuesday. "Ive written the company in Quebec and am waiting for a reply," he said, adding that he also plans to call Golden RCMP. The truck was logo'd with the name of CB Transport of Terrebonne, Que. Millis wrote to the trucking company: One of your trucks passed me very dangerously on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 13:53 p.m. between Golden ... and Revelstoke. The truck was extremely close to clipping my eastbound vehicle. The road markings were covered, and I do not believe this was a safe or legal pass due to road conditions. A file is being opened with Golden RCMP." Photo: Parks Canada Mount Kobau Opponents of the proposed South Okanagan National Park are calling on the federal government to extend the public consultation period for the project and send a delegation to a public town hall scheduled for next week. The South Okanagan Similkameen Preservation Society a group thats arguing the proposed park area can be protected without the federal government is asking Parks Canada to extend the online consultation period by two months. The public input window has been open since early December and will close at the end of the month, but SOSPS maintains there has been insufficient time for the public at large in the region to make an informed decision of the issue. The group is also asking Parks Canada representatives attend a moderated public meeting on Feb. 26, 6:45 to 9 p.m. at the Oliver Community Centre. Parks Canada cancelled a public meeting on Feb. 12 and has only committed to meet with stakeholder group leadership, not the public. The SOSPS are extending invitations out to stakeholder groups both for and against the national park reserve, in hopes to generate a dialogue of discovery, information and sharing, the groups board wrote in a letter to Parks Canada. Last week at Oliver town council, Parks Canada project manager Sarah Boyle disclosed that a little over 1,000 people had submitted input through the federal governments online portal, a figure SOSPS deems too low. On the other side of the fence, supporters of the national park reserve believe Parks Canada has done an adequate job at consulting the public. In every process you could always do something better, but I have to say I think theyve done a good job, said Doreen Olson of the South Okanagan National Park Network. Theyve done a good job getting information out there. They certainly learned quite quickly that they needed some kind of a hard copy that could be picked up, she added, noting physical copies of the consultation documents are available at the library and MPs office. Olson doesnt believe Parks Canada owes South Okanagan residents a public town hall on the issue, saying its just too sensitive of a topic for the small communities. Its intimidating for us to put our name out there, she said, noting neighbours often share very differing opinions of the proposal. To have an open forum, it doesnt work. It's just a bunch of yelling. Her group released a video last week campaigning in favour of the plan, which includes words of support from Osoyoos Indian Band chief Clarence Louie. South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park Reserve from Storyboard Productions on Vimeo. Photo: Twitter A convoy of angry Albertans and other westerners rolled up to Parliament Hill Tuesday to protest federal energy and environmental policies. Scores of people gathered in knee-deep snow on the Hill lawn to hear speeches amid concerns the convoy has become a magnet for extremist, anti-immigrant elements. The United We Roll convoy began in Red Deer, Alta., on Valentine's Day and made its way east over four days with stops for rallies along the way. Protesters want the Liberal government to scrap the carbon tax and two bills that overhaul environmental assessments of energy projects and ban oil tankers from the northern coast of British Columbia. Along the way, despite most organizers' insistence that their movement is peaceful and intends to unite Canadians behind importance industries, the convoy has been joined at times by people criticizing immigration and calling for the violent overthrow of the government. One placard on a truck outside Parliament said NO to "UN/globalism, carbon tax, tanker ban, dirty foreign oil, open borders" and YES to "Charge Trudeau with treason, Energy East, yes to pipe lines, look after veterans, photo ID & Canadian citizenship to vote." Small business owner Jerry Fetting, who flew in from Stony Plain, Alta., says he has been affected by the drop in oil prices in recent years. Mark Friesen, a convoy organizer from Saskatoon associated with the so-called yellow-vest movement, said the root of the problem is the United Nations' sustainable environment agenda. "You cut that head of the snake off, we get pipelines built," he said. Friesen insisted his affiliation with the yellow vests is in no way racist or anti-immigrant. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer spoke of his party's willingness to build pipelines. "It is time Canada has a prime minister that is proud of our energy sector." Alberta Conservative MPs Arnold Viersen, Jim Eglinski and Kevin Sorenson, as well as Ontario Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, all spoke in support of the energy industry. People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier told the crowd that "you're just asking that this country will be able to build pipelines." Photo: The Canadian Press Veterans Affairs Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould hands out lucky red envelopes during Chinese New Year Parade in Vancouver. When Jody Wilson-Raybould was demoted in cabinet, a rabbi in her Vancouver Granville riding reached out to her with a message from the Bible. It quoted Joseph, who said after a betrayal: "You meant it for bad, but God meant it for good." The intention of the note was to convey that sometimes what looks like a curse can actually be a blessing. While it's too soon to tell whether that's the case for Wilson-Raybould, community leaders say recent events have not shaken their strong support for their MP. "She is very down-to-earth and extremely honest. She never promised something that she couldn't or wouldn't try to deliver. And she was really curious," said Dan Moskovitz, the head rabbi of Temple Sholom, who wrote the encouraging note. "I just thought she was a lovely person and still is." Wilson-Raybould resigned from cabinet last week amid allegations the Prime Minister's Office pressured her when she was attorney general to help SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution. She was later demoted to Veterans Affairs Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has denied that his office directed her on the matter and has said that the departure of treasury board president Scott Brison necessitated the cabinet shuffle. On Monday, his closest adviser, Gerald Butts, resigned as his principal secretary, while denying any impropriety. In the Vancouver riding she has represented since 2015, supporters are disappointed Wilson-Raybould is no longer in cabinet but are respectful of her decision. Reverend Steven Epperson said many members of his Unitarian Church of Vancouver are more left-wing than the governing Liberals, but they deeply admire Wilson-Raybould. "They think that what's happened is a tragedy," Epperson said. "We're not privy to what's going on behind the scenes, but I think we're all aghast at the kind of covert and overt discrediting of her that's going on in some Liberal circles. I think it's shameful." Many church members, regardless of party affiliation, want to find out the truth and hope Wilson-Raybould remains in politics and continues to represent the riding, he added. Both Moskovitz and Epperson described Wilson-Raybould as a principled, committed MP who met with them and supported their initiatives, including programs to help refugees and people struggling to find affordable housing. Several community leaders in the riding expressed pleasant surprise when they expected brief meetings with Wilson-Raybould but she stayed for 45 minutes to an hour. Walter Wells, of the community group the Vancouver Odd Fellows, said Wilson-Raybould was extremely friendly when she sat down with him to discuss a charity contest for high school students to visit Parliament. "I was very conscious that she was a busy person and we're just some small, local charity," he said. "I kept expecting to get out of my chair and say, 'Thank you for your time and goodbye,' but she kept asking about our history, our membership and our purpose. ... To me, (she is) not a typical politician at all." Wells said he supports her "more than ever" after her resignation from cabinet. "It seems to me that she's taken a principled stand," Wells said. "I am so inspired by what I think is going on with her, and disgusted by what I think is going on with the Prime Minister's Office." Wilson-Raybould has not explained why she quit and has cited solicitor-client privilege to refuse comment. She has hired a former Supreme Court justice to advise her on what she may say legally. The Vancouver Granville Liberal Riding Association said in a statement it stands in full support of Wilson-Raybould and her important work for the community and Canada. Photo: The Canadian Press Excavators work at the site of a train derailment ten-kilometres south of St. Lazare, Man. on Saturday February 16, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell A top CN executive telephoned a Manitoba rancher on Monday to apologize after one of the company's trains derailed and spilled oil on his land. "CN executive vice-president Sean Finn spoke directly with Mr. Jayme Corr ... to discuss how best to remedy any damages stemming from the derailment and to reassure him that we will be working closely with him and his family in the coming days," said company spokesman Jonathan Abecassis. Corr, who had initially complained the company ignored him for two days after Saturday's 37-car derailment, said the call went well. "He was sorry that they didn't get in contact with me sooner," he said. "(It) should have happened a couple days ago, but I'm feeling a little more confident in the cleanup." CN was still unable to release any information on how many of the derailed cars were leaking or how much oil was released. A government spokesman said Monday there was no danger of the oil entering the nearby Assiniboine River. Corr, who has 250 cattle on almost 1,000 hectares of land, said that depends on the cleanup. He said the spill occurred on an oxbow of the river which still holds water. "There's oil sitting on top of the ice," he said. "They've got to get it scraped off there. "As soon as it runs off, (the river) is where this is going to end up." He said he uses the oxbow to water his cattle in the summer. Corr, whose home is about a kilometre from the wreck site, said he was told when the spill occurred that he may have to leave. A firefighter told him on the weekend that it looked as if seven rail cars had split open, he said. "There's a lot of oil on that oxbow," he said enough for Corr to catch the smell from his own yard. "I'm feeling a little better now," he said. "I just wish that face-to-face had happened a little sooner." Cleanup crews from CN and investigators from the Transportation Safety Board were at the spill site. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said he wants to see the end of his plunder case in relation to the pork barrel scam before he dies. Enrile, who is making a Senate comeback at age 95, told CNN Philippines' Chief Correspondent Pia Hontiveros that his lawyers are on top of the details of his case. "As a lawyer I am confident and knowing what I am and what I did, I'm confident," he said on Politics as Usual. His much-anticipated trial was indefinitely postponed Tuesday, while the Sandiganbayan Third Division is mum on a new schedule. Enrile has waived his rights to attend the court hearings. In June 2014, cases were filed against Enrile, former Senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada. But Enrile's trial had been delayed due to the supposed vagueness of allegations against him. The 95-year-old Senate aspirant faces a plunder charge and 15 counts of graft for allegedly diverting his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to fake non-governmental organizations in exchange for kickbacks. Enrile is out on bail after the Supreme Court reversed a Sandiganbayan ruling denying him temporary liberty in 2015. "I would like to say that I appreciated the kindness of the Supreme Court that they allowed me to bail nonetheless because they did not want to answer that question based on the fact of my health," he said. READ: Sandiganbayan indefinitely postpones Enrile plunder trial Asked why he is still pursuing a Senate seat at his age, the former senator said he wants something to do. "I get bored when I have nothing to do," Enrile said. "Second, I am more prepared now to be a senator than I were ever was." Enrile is the oldest running Senate candidate in the 2019 midterm elections. "I am finite. Just like everybody else but my longevity ... is not mine. It's God's decision. He's the one who makes it long. He's the one who makes it short. It depends upon him. It just so happens that he wants me to live longer to do what he wants me to do," he said. Madison Erhardt It's been a few days since you had to shovel fresh snow from the sidewalks and driveways. Enjoy the break while you can. More winter white stuff is on the way. According to the latest forecast from Environment Canada, the Okanagan Valley could get between two and four centimetres of snow Tuesday morning. And, after a short respite, the forecast for the end of the week is calling for more. The five-day forecast indicates a mostly sunny day Thursday before the clouds begin to roll in, bringing with it more moisture in the form of snow. Environment Canada is calling for periods of snow Thursday evening and snow Friday morning. Snow flurries are expected to linger Friday evening and throughout the weekend. Highs are expected to linger around -1 much of the week before nudging above freezing on the weekend. Overnight lows are forecast in the -8 range before warming up a few degrees overnight Friday. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is accused of amassing 183 million in connection to the multibillion "pork barrel scam," wants plunder to be among the heinous crimes punishable by death penalty. Estradawho is running for senator in the May electionssaid he is for the reimposition of capital punishment, but only for heinous crimes, including plunder. "Kung magnanakaw ka sa kaban ng bayan, eh di isama na sa heinous crimes 'yan," he said on CNN Philippines' Politics As Usual. [Translation: If you steal money from the country's funds, might as well include it in the heinous crimes] "When I was still a senator nagbotohan kami dyan sa (we voted on) death penalty during the time of President Gloria (Arroyo). I abstained from the votation to abolish the death penalty because I still had an existing plunder case which was punishable by death," he said. Estrada is currently out on bail for a plunder charge and 15 counts of graft. The same charges were filed against former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. The three, who are all running for the Senate, allegedly diverted portions of their Priority Development Assistance Fund to fake non-governmental organizations in exchange for kickbacks. Revilla had been acquitted by the Sandiganbayan, but was ordered to return 124.5 million. The plunder trial of Enrile, meanwhile, was canceled and indefinitely put on hold. READ: 3 ex-Senators running in 2019 amid pork barrel scam case Estrada maintained his innocence over the charges, saying he "has nothing to hide." He said he is confident that he will be acquitted from the charges. "I'm quite confident that I will follow suit. Actually my case is still on trial but it is already on the later stage. We already filed a formal offer of evidence and we have already commented to it, and the court will still have to rule on it," he said, adding that he hopes the ruling on his plunder case will come before the elections. Estrada said his acquittal "will not lessen the campaign against corruption by this administration," and will only show that the three of them were just "handpicked" by the previous administration. "There were a lot of congressmen or legislators, so to speak, who also endorsed the same thing we did. Bakit hindi nila kinasuhan 'yung mga nag-endorse din sa mga NGO? Bakit tatlo lang kami?" he said. [Translation: Why didn't they file charges against those who also endorsed the non-government organizations? Why only the three of us?] WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Family Storytime An all-ages program from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel, that encourages the development of pre-reading skills through songs, rhymes, fingerplays and stories. For information, call Deanna Evans at 239-472-2483. Birds and Wildlife Tour Follow along on a car caravan tour of J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The tour highlights the the mangrove ecosystem and the wildlife that live in the area; entrance fee to Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the flagpole in front of the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Birds of the Refuge Program Learn interesting facts about birds and how to identify them in the estuary at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Meet at the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Florida Manatees Program Explore the Florida manatee as it faces a challenging future. Find out what you can do to help save the species from 1 to 1:30 p.m.; entrance fee to Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the Crossdike Pavilion off Wildlife Drive at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Bowmans Beach Walk The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation provides a guided walk from 9 to 11 a.m. along the beach toward Blind Pass, then along the back dune/bayou trail. Meet at the foot of the bridge that crosses the bayou on the way to the beach, at 1700 Bowmans Beach Road, Sanibel. Walk is free; attendees must pay to park. For information, call 239-472-2329. Interior Wetland Trail Walk Join the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation from 11 a.m. to noon for a guided walk through the interior wetlands and mid-island ridges of the Center Tract with discussion of native habitats, natural and cultural history, and preservation efforts. Cost is $5 for non-members. Meet at the Nature Center, at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, and proceed to the trails. For information, call 239-472-2329. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Family Storytime An all-ages program from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel, that encourages the development of pre-reading skills through songs, rhymes, fingerplays and stories. For information, call Deanna Evans at 239-472-2483. After-school Crew Favorite books, new books and never-knew-existed books, plus puzzles, games, crafts and more from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Rd, Sanibel. Geared toward kindergarten to third grade. Snack provided. For information, call Deanna Evans at 239-472-2483. R.E.A.D. with Bessie If you love dogs and books, then you might enjoy reading to Bessie, a bearded collie and Reading Education Assistance Dog, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. Sign-ups are on-the-spot. For information, call Deanna Evans at 239-472-2483. Bedtime Storytime Youth can come in their pajamas, bring a stuffie/lovey/baby, and settle in for stories and a few vanilla wafer cookies from 7 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. For infants through elementary-age children, plus their guardians. For information, call Deanna Evans at 239-472-2483. Island Yoga Island Yoga will be held from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Designed for all experience levels. Cost is $15 for members and $20 for guests. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Vinyasa Yoga Vinyasa Yoga will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Instructor is Dr. Susan Pataky. Designed for all experience levels. Cost is $18 for members and $20 for guests. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Chi Yoga Chi Yoga will be held from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Instructor is Dr. Susan Pataky. Designed for all experience levels. Cost is $18 for members and $20 for guests. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Sanctioned Duplicate Bridge Sanctioned Duplicate Bridge will take place at 12:30 p.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Biking the Refuge Tour Learn about the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuges bird life and ecology in a tour with a naturalist from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the Wildlife Drive/Indigo Trail loop; entrance fee for Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the flagpole in front of the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Floridas Venomous Wildlife Program Learn about the venomous wildlife that lives in Southwest Florida from 11 to 11:30 p.m. in the Visitor & Education Center at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. Learn how to identify the animals and their habitats. For information, call 239-472-1110. Birds of the Refuge Program Learn interesting facts about birds and how to identify them in the estuary at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge from 1 to 1:30 p.m.; entrance fee to Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the Crossdike Pavilion off Wildlife Drive. For information, call 239-472-1110. Turtle Tracks Learn about the life cycles and habits of the sea turtles and shorebirds that nest on Sanibel beaches, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundations monitoring activities and what it is doing to protect them from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Nature Center, at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel. Cost is $5 for non-members. For information, call 239-472-2329. Interior Wetland Trail Walk Join the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation from 11 a.m. to noon for a guided walk through the interior wetlands and mid-island ridges of the Center Tract with discussion of native habitats, natural and cultural history, and preservation efforts. Cost is $5 for non-members. Meet at the Nature Center, at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, and proceed to the trails. For information, call 239-472-2329. Learn Qigong Learn Qigong will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Captiva Civic Center, at 11550 Chapin Lane, Captiva. Taught by tier I certified instructor Paul Lawrence, the classes will run through March 28. Cost is $30 at the door for all of the classes, or a $5 drop-in fee per class. Cash and check payments are accepted. Proceeds benefit the Captiva Civic Association. For information, call 239-472-2111 or visit www.ccacaptiva.org. Coffee, Tea and Trivia Coffee, Tea and Trivia at 7 p.m. in the Carpenters Caf & Bookstore at Sanibel Community Church, at 1740 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Family-friendly fun for all ages. Caf opens at 6:30 p.m.; all cafe proceeds go to missions. For information, call Beth Burns at 239-896-0058. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Experience Virtual Reality Enjoy a 5-10 minute HTC Vive VR experience from 10 a.m. to noon at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. For ages 10 and over. One user per session; first come, first served. No registration required. Beach Walk Join the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge for a guided exploration of Perry Tract from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; parking fees apply. Learn about the vital beach ecosystem. Meet at the Gulfside City Park parking lot on Algiers Lane, off of West Gulf Drive. For information, call 239-472-1110. Indigo Trail Walk Naturalists lead a tour identifying and discussing the ecosystems plant and animal species from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge; entrance fee applies. Meet at the flagpole in front of the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1100. Bailey Tract Tour Walk the trails of the Bailey Tract with a naturalist from 1 to 2:30 p.m. to learn about the inhabitants of the freshwater ecosystem of Southwest Florida. Meet at the Bailey Tract parking lot at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Story and Wildlife Wonders Program Join a naturalist for story time from 9:30 to 10 a.m. at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuges Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. Learn about different wildlife that call the refuge home. For information, call 239-472-1110. Gators and Crocs Program Learn about crocodiles, gharials, alligators and caimans from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel; entrance fee for Wildlife Drive applies. Learn how to identify families and local species. Meet at the Crossdike Pavilion on Wildlife Drive. For information, call 239-472-1110. Indigo Trail Walk Naturalists lead a tour identifying and discussing the ecosystems plant and animal species from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge; entrance fee applies. Meet at the flagpole in front of the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1100. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Sanibel Island Farmers Market Organized by Local Roots, the Sanibel Island Farmers Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sanibel City Hall, at 800 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. For information, visit buylocallee.com. BIG ARTS Concert BIG ARTS will present the Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet at 7:30 p.m. in Schein Hall, at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. For information or tickets, call 239-395-0900 or visit www.bigarts.org. Beach Walk Join the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge for a guided exploration of Perry Tract from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; parking fees apply. Learn about the vital beach ecosystem. Meet at the Gulfside City Park parking lot on Algiers Lane, off of West Gulf Drive. For information, call 239-472-1110. Endangered Species Program Discover endangered species of Southwest Florida and what you can do to help them from 11 to 11:30 a.m. in the Visitor & Education Center at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Florida Manatees Program Explore the Florida manatee as it faces a challenging future. Find out what you can do to help save the species from 1 to 1:30 p.m.; entrance fee to Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the Crossdike Pavilion off Wildlife Drive at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Experience Virtual Reality Enjoy a 5-10 minute HTC Vive VR experience from 10 a.m. to noon at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. For ages 10 and over. One user per session; first come, first served. No registration required. Current Events Current Events at 10 a.m. in the BIG ARTS Phillips Gallery, at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. Enjoy lively discussion of the biggest headlines. For information, contact Malcolm Martini at 239-395-1362 or mlmartini@icloud.com. Monday Night Film BIG ARTS will host its Monday Night Film at 7 p.m. in Schein Hall, at 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. The scheduled film is Three Identical Strangers. For information or tickets, call 239-395-0900 or visit www.bigarts.org. Island Yoga Island Yoga will be held from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Designed for all experience levels. Cost is $15 for members and $20 for guests. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Shell Crafters Shell Crafting Class from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Make flower figures or animals. Limited class size; first come first served. Children must be accompanied by an adult due to the complexity/dexterity required. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Birds and Wildlife Tour Follow along on a car caravan tour of J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The tour highlights the the mangrove ecosystem and the wildlife that live in the area; entrance fee to Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the flagpole in front of the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Horseshoe Crabs Program Learn why the living fossil is not a true crab and its importance to migrating shorebirds and to the medical field from 11 to 11:30 a.m. in the Visitor & Education Center at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Gators and Crocs Program Learn about crocodiles, gharials, alligators and caimans from 1 to 1:30 p.m. at J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel; entrance fee for Wildlife Drive applies. Learn how to identify families and local species. Meet at the Crossdike Pavilion on Wildlife Drive. For information, call 239-472-1110. Weeds and Seeds Join a group of amateur botanists for a walk from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., visiting different locations on Sanibel, guided by a leader with a plant list. Meet on the porch of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundations Nature Center, at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel. Bring a hat, water, sunblock and comfortable enclosed shoes with socks. Depending on the location visited, parking money may be needed; donations to SCCF are welcome. For information, call 239-472-2329. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Captiva Island Farmers Market Organized by Local Roots, the Captiva Island Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the South Seas Island Resort, at 5400 Plantation Road, Captiva. For information, visit buylocallee.com. After-school Clique Favorite books, new books and never-knew-existed books, plus puzzles, games, crafts and more from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Sanibel Public Library, at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel. Geared specifically for children in fourth grade through sixth grade. Snack provided. For information, call Deanna Evans at 239-472-2483. Talking Points BIG ARTS will host its Talking Points series at 10 a.m. in the Strauss Theater, at 2200 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. The program is Whats Right, Whats Wrong, Whats Next, and What You Must Know About Americas Public School System with Lee County School District Superintendent Dr. Greg Adkins, Dr. Gary Chesley and Dr. James L. Llorens. For information or tickets, call 239-395-0900 or visit www.bigarts.org. Vinyasa Yoga Vinyasa Yoga will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Instructor is Dr. Susan Pataky. Designed for those with prior yoga experience. Cost is $18 for members and $20 for guests. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Chi Yoga Chi Yoga will be held from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Instructor is Dr. Susan Pataky. Designed for all experience levels. Cost is $18 for members and $20 for guests. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Sanctioned Duplicate Bridge Sanctioned Duplicate Bridge will take place at 12:30 p.m. at The Community House, at 2173 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-2155 or visit sanibelcommunityhouse.net. Birding Tour Follow a naturalist along Wildlife Drive in your car from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge; entrance fee to Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the flagpole in front of the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Biking the Refuge Tour Learn about the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuges bird life and ecology in a tour with a naturalist from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the Wildlife Drive/Indigo Trail loop; entrance fee for Wildlife Drive applies. Meet at the flagpole in front of the Visitor & Education Center, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Nature Photography Program Learn about the art of nature photography from 11 to 11:30 a.m. in the Visitor & Education Center at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. For information, call 239-472-1110. Calusa/Shell Mound Trail Tour Meet naturalists who will enthrall you with tales of the Calusa peoples history and teach you about native Florida plant life on the enchanting boardwalk trail from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, at 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. Meet at the Shell Mound Trail parking lot on Wildlife Drive; entrance fee applies. For information, call 239-472-1110. Interior Wetland Trail Walk Join the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation from 11 a.m. to noon for a guided walk through the interior wetlands and mid-island ridges of the Center Tract with discussion of native habitats, natural and cultural history, and preservation efforts. Cost is $5 for non-members. Meet at the Nature Center, at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel, and proceed to the trails. For information, call 239-472-2329. Learn Qigong Learn Qigong will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Captiva Civic Center, at 11550 Chapin Lane, Captiva. Taught by tier I certified instructor Paul Lawrence, the classes will run through March 28. Cost is $30 at the door for all of the classes, or a $5 drop-in fee per class. Cash and check payments are accepted. Proceeds benefit the Captiva Civic Association. For information, call 239-472-2111 or visit www.ccacaptiva.org. The Captiva Island Fire Control Districts commissioners approved a clarification to the departments health insurance policy relating to retired employees and their spouses during its recent meeting. On Feb. 12, the commission voted 3-0 to update the language of the policy. The change does not create a new policy or extend coverages. Prior to the vote, Fire Chief Jeff Pawul reiterated that the current policy was drafted in 2007 and unintentionally did not include language to address spousal coverage when an employee hits retirement age but their spouse has not. The policy, via the county, did not permit the spouses to be covered. It was not the intent when it was originally written, he said. At last months meeting, the commission gave Pawul the go ahead to work with the districts attorney on drafting additional language that would address such situations and update the existing policy. With the new language, retirees can stay on the districts health insurance plan when they reach Medicare age, which enables their spouse to do the same. However, it will be at their own expense. They dont have to do that, Pawul said. But, the option is in here for them to do that. He noted that the change does not cost the district any more money. The new language will also apply to current employees when they reach retirement age. I feel thats only fair to offer them the same option, Pawul said of including them. However, due to labor negotiation rules, it does not apply to union personnel. This does not cover them, he said. Also at the meeting, Pawul reported that he is reviewing the districts insurance and liabilities on its vehicles and equipment. He explained that the goal is to reduce the premiums and save money. Just looking to change a few things in there, Pawul said. He added that he is not sure if adjusting the numbers will save any money at this point. Well see what they (the insurance company) comes back with, Pawul said. He plans to bring a few options before the commission once he knows. At the meeting, Commissioner Sherrill Sims asked if the new boat has been used. Pawul reported that no calls have required the use of the new vessel yet. Commissioner C.W. Kilgore asked about the number of qualified boat operators per shift. We do have enough qualified operators, but not at the level they will be at, Pawul said, explaining that the personnel have the basics of boating down, but more advanced training is still planned. For example, March 11-15 the team with train with the U.S. Coastguard. He noted that both fire and law enforcement take the training. Its a great course, Pawul said. IN OTHER NEWS The district will hold its annual open house on March 6 at the fire station. Pawul explained that the department will pull the new boat from the marina and set it up in one bay for visitors to check out. We can back it in the apparatus bay and keep it on the trailer, he said. The district will take part in the annual MDA Fill the Boot drive on March 8-10. Personnel will be stationed at the corner of Andy Rosse Lane and Captiva Drive to collect donations for the cause. n The districts annual audit is expected to begin on March 18. n There were 35 calls in January, as compared to 36 calls during the same month in 2018. Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 10:07AM Netflix With Disney gearing up to launch its own streaming service, it comes as no surprise that Netflix is letting go of the last two Marvel shows in its roster. The streaming service just announced that it is cancelling both The Punisher and Jessica Jones. The Punisher just finished its second season, while Jessica Jones has one more season coming out. Netflix said in a statement, "Marvels The Punisher will not return for a third season on Netflix. Showrunner Steve Lightfoot, the terrific crew, and exceptional cast including star Jon Bernthal, delivered an acclaimed and compelling series for fans, and we are proud to showcase their work on Netflix for years to come. In addition, in reviewing our Marvel programming, we have decided that the upcoming third season will also be the final season for Marvels Jessica Jones. We are grateful to showrunner Melissa Rosenberg, star Krysten Ritter and the entire cast and crew, for three incredible seasons of this groundbreaking series, which was recognized by the Peabody Awards among many others. We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning. Source: Variety Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 10:35AM Huawei will not be unveiling its newest flagship at Mobile World Congress next week. Instead, the company will be hosting its event in Paris next monthsimilar to what Huawei did last year. The P30 will be launched on March 26. The company isn't saying anything beyond revealing the date and venue. But it claims that the "Rules were made to be rewritten." The teaser video on Twitter also shows prominent spots in Paris being dramatically zoomed in on. There have been previous reports that the P30 Pro might have a periscope-like camera with lossless optical zoom. This might allude to that. For now, we're left guessing until the phones' launch. Source: Engadget | BY Ricki Green | Initiative, the culturally-driven media agency within IPG Mediabrands, has today announced the appointment of two new strategy directors to Initiative Melbourne Sam Enshaw (left) and Mark Jones (right). The new hires signal the networks continued emphasis on strategic positioning, with a focus on talent to leverage the cultural relevance of brands in society. Hand-picked for the knowledge, skill and strategic impact they apply to their craft; both appointments will be assigned to specific client teams in order to immerse themselves in the brand and sector customer data. Enshaw and Jones have both joined Initiative Melbourne, bringing a wealth of experience from international markets. Prior to joining Initiative, Enshaw worked with IPG Mediabrands driving strategy and communications planning across Asia for Spotify and Fitbit as well as Netflix Malaysia. His extensive category experience includes automotive, tech, finance, energy, FMCG and fashion. Says Enshaw: Im excited to be back in Melbourne, and joining Initiative whove had so much momentum coming into 2019. Im looking forward to the challenge of building on that success with Sam and the team. Jones has worked in the UK and Canada in media-only and integrated agencies. Jones has focused on communications planning and strategy across a wide variety of categories driving new product launches, brand identity and acquisition campaigns. Says Jones: Its an exciting time to join the growing team at Initiative, I was attracted to their unique strategic positioning in the Australian market, and look forward to driving this forward. Initiative have indicated that more senior strategy talent would be added to the ranks in the coming months. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) United States Defense Assistant Secretary Joseph Felter will come to the Philippines this month to discuss possible changes in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. In an exclusive interview, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez said Felter will visit the country from India by the end of March, after communication with the Pentagon. "So this is just a very informal kind of discussion to see what are the points we would like to update. The word is update. It's not really a review but more to update the MDT," he said. Asked if these revisions need to be ratified by Congress, Romualdez said only the language of the treaty will be up for review. The preliminary discussions aim to clarify issues before a formal panel from both sides will start some time earlier than April. "Well if we're going to sort of review and renegotiate, then that's a different story. But updating it is really more of changing some of the language. It may or may not have to pass both the Philippine and U.S. congress but we'll see," he said. There is no specific place as to where the meeting between the defense officials will happen, Romualdez added. The 68-year-old agreement states that the Philippines and the U.S. would assist each other when either of them is attacked by a foreign force. However, the document does not specify which areas are covered by the agreement. Earlier in February, Lorenzana said he wanted to remove "ambiguities" in the treaty. He also ushered in the idea of clarifying provisions to cover U.S.-Philippine response to tensions in the South China Sea, the hotly contested global waterway. Lorenzana had said the U.S. should define what is covered by its assistance to the Philippines. Buffalo, WY (82834) Today Windy with thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 69F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 55F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Whether we have two of them on the field, all three of them on the field, well get creative and have some fun with it," defensive coordinator Joe Barry said. Bradford, PA (16701) Today Overcast. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 19) The controversial dengue vaccine Dengvaxia would permanently remain off market shelves in the Philippines. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permanently revoked the Certificates of Product Registration (CPR) to the dengue vaccine in contrast to the European Commission's approval of its sale in December for countries afflicted with mosquito-borne disease. A CPR is an authorization to sell a product to the public, Health Undersecretary Enrique Domingo told CNN Philippines. In a statement Tuesday, FDA Director General Nela Puno said vaccine maker Sanofi-Pasteur disregarded government regulations. She said the French company failed to comply with post-marketing authorization requirements and, as a result, was ordered to surrender its CPRs for Dengue Tetravalent (live attenuated) (Dengvaxia MD) and Dengue Tetravalent Vaccine (live attenuated) (Dengvaxia) on December 21. "Its brazen defiance of FDA's directives and its continued failure to comply leaves us no other recourse but to impose the maximum penalty of revocation of CPRs," Puno said. The FDA decision means the sale, importation and distribution of the vaccines are considered "unlawful." The drug regulator said any submission or application by Sanofi-Pasteur regarding the Dengvaxia and Dengvaxia-MD would be deferred. The vaccine was first withdrawn from the market after the manufacturer disclosed in late 2017 that Dengvaxia may cause "severe disease" among those who have not yet been infected with dengue. However, the announcement was made after around 800,000 schoolchildren had already been vaccinated with Dengvaxia under a massive government immunization program. The Health Department eventually suspended the program. Over 100 deaths have been linked to the anti-dengue vaccine, but experts have said there are no findings that the drug has caused these deaths. Officials of the Aquino and Duterte administrations, including former President Noynoy Aquino, former Health Secretary Janette Garin and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, are facing graft and murder charges along with Sanofi-Pasteur executives over the anti-dengue vaccination drive. The resulting public over the controversy has been blamed for low immunization rates in the past months, which resulted in a number of measles outbreak. In 2015, The Philippines became the first Asian country to approve the use of Dengvaxia following Aquino and Garin's meetings with top-level Sanofi-Pasteur officials. CNN Philippines Multi-platform Writer Xave Gregorio contributed to this report. 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. Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Manila (CNN Philippines Life) An infants baby clothes, a teenagers pajamas, and a womans corporate suit: these are the kinds of garments on display in the powerful exhibit Dont Tell Me How to Dress, launched by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women. Set up in a raw concrete room on the second floor of the Rockwell Sheridan Business Center, Dont Tell Me How to Dress features representations of the clothes that 11 Filipina survivors wore when they were sexually harassed or abused. The clothes challenge the destructive belief that the way a woman dresses instigates her assault. Exhibitors implore viewers to break this stigma sexual violence is never the victims fault. Accompanying each outfit is the true and chilling story of its owner: from catcalling, workplace harassment, to child molestation and date rape. The assaults strike in all forms of everyday scenes. Walking to school, a teenage girl would receive vulgar remarks from a construction worker every morning. She eventually diverted to a longer route to avoid the man. Working in her office, a woman endured three years of incessant requests for sexual favors from her colleagues causing her to feel violated and lose her focus at work. Sleeping in her room, a 13-year-old girl was raped by her uncle. When she told her mother about the incident, her mother feared the consequences of telling her father. The girl succumbed to suffering the pain in silence. The clothes are enclosed between glass panels, in which reenacted photos are displayed together with their stories. Photo by NICOLE SORIANO Culture of silence The response of the young girls mother is rife in Filipino households. In the Philippines, survivors of sexual assault are often coerced into silence due to a culture that instills blame, shame, and fear on girls and women. Instead of offering a safe and supportive environment, friends and family members often deem victims as flirtatious for being raped, or malicious for construing remarks on their bodies as harassment. Because speaking out on their assault is largely shunned by society, many victims are left to repress their painful experiences and survive in solitude. Veiled in this culture of silence, violence against women (VAW) remains rampant. According to the Philippine Commission on Women (PWC), one in every ten Filipinas has been raped, while one in every five Filipinas survive physical or sexual violence between ages 15 and 49. Beyond these alarming ratios, many cases go unreported largely because of a lack of faith in the countrys justice system, or the overpowering sense of shame weighing down on victims, inhibiting them from coming forward. Buried beneath these faceless reports are the deep physical, mental, and emotional damages suffered by victims. When left untended, these wounds can cause severe impacts on the heath, dignity, and personhood of survivors. The profound psychological effects of sexual assault thus take years and for some, decades to conquer. These are the clothes of a 22-year-old woman who was date-raped in a motel. Photo by NICOLE SORIANO In the exhibit, several of the perpetrators were men who held positions of dominance over their victims. The men then used their victims trust and subservience as an entryway to their act of violence. Photo by NICOLE SORIANO Pervasion of power Despite its disturbing effects, VAW remains indiscriminate to age, class, and culture. Experts link its violent acts to a deeply rooted, widespread truth: an imbalance of power relations between women and men. In the exhibit, several of the perpetrators were men that held positions of dominance over their victims. The men then used their victims trust and subservience as an entryway to their act of violence: a female soldier was ordered to give her boss a bath and apply lotion on his private part, and a 15-year-old girl was told by her stepfather to drink a pill for her headache. He molested her while she slept. According to the PWC, VAW serves as mens expression of control over women in order to preserve their power. While the country ranks eighth worldwide in gender equality based on the 2018 Global Gender Gap, traditional roles in Philippine society still expect men to be leaders and providers, and women to be their nurturers and supporters. As long as such mindsets dominate women seen as existing solely to serve men Filipinas risk living in a society that allows men to view women as objects for their use, rather than as autonomous human beings, worthy of respect. The piece of clothing of the four-month-old infant who was raped. Photo by NICOLE SORIANO Dispelling myths Exposing the terrible truths about sexual violence, the exhibit dispels prevailing myths surrounding harassment and rape. The narratives told sketch hauntingly real portraits of abusers and survivors, based on reported cases and news articles. A woman rode home with her colleagues one night after she had a few bottles of beer to drink at work. As she rested at the back of the car, the man seated beside her attempted to lift her skirt and touch her without her permission. She immediately slapped his hand away, but kept silent out of embarrassment. Whether occurring in homes or workplaces, several stories revealed abusers who were closest to their victims: a colleague, a boss, an uncle, or a stepfather. This challenges the pervading stranger in the alley myth portrayed on media, which influences the public to stereotype attackers as strange, violent men lurking in the dark. In the Philippines, the Center for Womens Resources reported that in 2016, 7,037 rape cases in the country while the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that there were 4,605 cases of rape, attempted and incestuous rape, and acts of lasciviousness perpetrated on women that same year. The exhibit also defies the profound misconception that provocative clothing leads to rape. Many of the survivors had been wearing their everyday uniforms or office attires during their assault, while younger victims had on their snug sleeping clothes. Free as a butterfly was written on the romper of a four-month-old infant. Before her mother fell asleep one night, her baby lay beside her in their home, where curtains functioned as makeshift doors. Her baby was later found in a coconut field, with her diaper laying about a meter away from her. The exhibit also displayed snippets of local news articles on violence against women over the recent years. Photo by NICOLE SORIANO Shedding light on the voiceless In the darkness overshadowing survivors and their loved ones, light comes in the form of awareness efforts flooding the media. The #MeToo movement has sparked a global phenomenon of survivors sharing their stories and holding perpetrators accountable, penetrating powerful institutions from Hollywood to the Roman Catholic Church. The phenomenon has shown how stories of other survivors give courage to those who have kept silent. Because of the #MeToo movement, more survivors are now moving from powerless to empowered signaling progress and hope for those who have long been struggling for justice and healing. Building on this momentum, the UN Secretary Generals UNiTE to End Violence against Women has proclaimed every 25 of the month as Orange Day, as part of their Orange the World: #HearMeToo campaign. Their vivid public exhibitions such as this serve as a bold form of educating beyond the confines and distance of social media moving viewers to confront stories too close to home for many Filipinos. Amidst the wave of global awareness on sexual violence, the exhibit shines light on the girls and women left on the margins of these conversations: brave Filipina survivors who lack the support, platform, or resources to show their voice. One leaves the exhibit aching for the girl who was silenced from telling her father about her abusive uncle, and the baby whose innocence was robbed before she could even learn to speak. Editors note: Vince Liban is an advocate of human rights, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. He is also a member of Akbayan, the political party that championed the passage of the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act alongside many lobby groups in the 17 Congress. Manila (CNN Philippines Life) The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Knowing your status doesnt have to be scary. Knowing facts about HIV can save you a lot of worry. If you ever tested positive, here are things you need to know especially with the new HIV Policy Law. With the passage of the new Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Law (Republic Act 11166), our hopes of normalizing getting tested and de-stigmatizing HIV and AIDS are within our grasp. We have an HIV epidemic most Filipinos are too shy, too unaware, or too afraid to talk about. This is because stigma and discrimination have prevented us from asking questions that really matter and providing solutions that actually work. Despite the global trend in the decline of HIV incidents, the Philippines remains one of only nine countries in the world that recorded a more than 25 percent increase in HIV incidence. In fact, the Philippines had the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia Pacific, with 32 recorded cases every day. Our HIV situation is a public health concern, and we all need to take part in addressing this problem. The basics HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is a virus spread through certain body fluids that attacks the bodys immune system, particularly the CD4 cells (also known as T cells) which help the immune system fight off infections. If untreated, the virus reduces the number of CD4 cells, making the body unable to fight off infections and diseases. Once opportunistic infections take advantage of a very weak immune system, this might signal that the person has acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS. AIDS is the most severe phase of HIV infection, but not all HIV infections progress to AIDS. No effective cure currently exists for HIV. But with proper medical treatment, HIV in the body can be controlled, and the lives of people living with HIV (PLHIV) can be prolonged to close to the lifespan of someone who does not have HIV. Antiretroviral therapy or ART keeps PLHIV healthy and greatly lowers their chance of infecting others. HIV transmission A lot of people still do not know how HIV is transmitted, and this usually leads to them being more vulnerable to the virus. The bigger problem is that there are myths about how the virus is transmitted, further adding to the stigma about HIV and to the persons living with it. HIV is spread mainly by having anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV without using a condom or taking medicines to prevent or treat HIV. The virus can also be transmitted through sharing needles or syringes; from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding; or by being pricked with an HIV-contaminated needle (an occupational hazard for health workers). The sexual transmission of the virus is a complex process that begins with exposure and ends with infection. There are four necessary conditions for the virus to be transmitted, easily remembered with the ESSE mnemonic: Exit, Sufficiency, Survival, and Entry. The virus has to exit from a human, with the sufficient amount of viral load, in an environment conducive to its survival, and find a route of entry to another human. Remember that there are only certain body fluids blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk that have sufficient viral load which can transmit the virus from a person who has HIV to an uninfected person (Sufficiency). Viruses are infectious agents that can only replicate themselves inside the living cells of other organisms. This tells us that HIV does not survive for long when exposed outside the human body (Survival). For transmission to occur, these fluids must come in contact (Entry) with a mucous membrane (e.g. foreskin and urethra on the penis, cervix and vagina, anus and rectum) or damaged tissue or be directly injected into the bloodstream (from needle or syringe). The virus cannot enter through our skin unless there are cuts and/or wounds present. We have an HIV epidemic most Filipinos are too shy, too unaware, or too afraid to talk about. HIV prevention While the complex process of HIV transmission makes it difficult for the virus to complete infection, we need to understand that there is no way of reducing the risk of infection once exposure occurs. Hence, avoiding exposure in the first place by using condoms and knowing your and your partners HIV status is the most effective method of HIV prevention. Sexual contact remains to be the predominant mode of transmission of HIV in the Philippines. In a 2018 report by the DOH, it is stated that 86 percent of those who acquire HIV through sexual contact are males who have sex with males (MSM). There are, of course, several ways to prevent getting or transmitting HIV through sex. If you are HIV-negative, you can lower the risk of getting HIV when you: Use condoms. Reduce your number of sexual partners. Take Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily medication that can reduce your chances of getting HIV. Take Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within 72 hours after a possible HIV exposure. Choose less risky sexual behaviors (sexual activities that dont involve contact with body fluids, e.g., mutual masturbation). Abstinence is also an option. Get tested and treated for other STIs. Encourage your partner to get tested and treated for other STIs, and to get and stay on treatment if they are HIV-positive. If you are living with HIV, you can prevent passing it to others when you: Take HIV medication and antiretroviral therapy (ART). Make sure your viral load stays undetectable. Undetectable = Untransmittable. Follow your health care providers advice. Use condoms. Choose less risky sexual behaviors (sexual activities that dont involve contact with body fluids, e.g., mutual masturbation). Abstinence is also an option. Get tested and treated for other STIs. Encourage your partner to get tested and treated for other STIs. Talk to your HIV-negative partners about PrEP and PEP. Recent developments in the study of HIV have proven that PLHIVs who get treatment to the point where their viral load is undetectable are safe and are unable to transmit the virus to other people. Thus, the life-changing U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) campaign. Regardless of ones HIV status, we need to make it our responsibility to know our status, be knowledgeable about HIV, and be supportive of key affected populations, especially the youth. Getting tested Just like in most sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), you cannot rely on symptoms to tell whether a person has HIV. The only way to know is to get tested. Knowing your status helps you make better and healthier decisions for your sexual health. The symptoms of HIV vary, depending on the individual and the stage of the infection they are in. HIV has three stages: the early stage, the clinical latency stage, and AIDS (the late stage of HIV infection). It is crucial to note that not all individuals experience these symptoms so it is always important to get tested. The early stage of HIV is highly infectious and is usually coupled with fever, chills, rashes, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and mouth ulcers. One should not assume they have HIV just because these symptoms appear. Some of these symptoms can be caused by other illnesses. At the clinical latency stage (also known as the chronic HIV infection), the virus already reproduces at very low levels but is still active and can still be transmitted. Similarly, PLHIVs on this stage may or may not exhibit HIV-related symptoms. Once the weakening of the immune system is coupled with opportunistic infections, the virus will progress to AIDS, the late stage of HIV infection. Symptoms may include rapid weight loss; recurring fever or profuse night sweats; extreme and unexplained tiredness; prolonged swelling of the lymph glands; diarrhea; sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals; pneumonia; red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids; and memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders. There are currently around 100 Department of Health (DOH) designated HIV treatment hubs and primary HIV care facilities all around the country. You can access the list of treatment hubs as listed in the report of the HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines [HARP] or download the SAFELY mobile application to search for the nearest clinic from your location. There are also hundreds of Community-Based Screening (CBS) Motivators, individuals who are trained to conduct HIV screenings outside testing facilities, deployed all around the country to make HIV testing more accessible. It is advisable to get tested regularly depending on how active you are sexually. The good news is, the passage of the new HIV and AIDS Policy Act (RA 11166) orders the DOH to establish a program to provide free and accessible treatment and medication to all PLHIVs. The law also says public and private hospitals are to become treatment hubs, increasing the accessibility of getting tested and getting treatment to all Filipinos. Moreover, as more and more youth aged 15 to 24 are reported to be infected with HIV, the law now introduces a proactive policy of allowing minors aged 15 to 17 access to undergo voluntary HIV testing without parental consent, something that wasnt previously allowed under RA 8504. Living well with HIV Life doesnt end with HIV. With the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART), persons living with HIV are living their lives healthier and longer. While HIV doesnt have an existing cure, it can be treated, just like diabetes. More importantly, it is high time that we recognize that PLHIVs are no different from people without HIV in that we all have human rights. Republic Act 11166 strengthens the protection of the rights of PLHIVs including the right to privacy and confidentiality, and considers the following as discriminatory acts and practices with stronger corresponding penalties (Article VII): Discrimination in the Workplace; Discrimination in Learning Institutions; Restriction on Travel and Habitation; Restrictions on Shelter; Prohibition from Seeking or Holding Public Office; Exclusion from Credit and Insurance Services; Discrimination in Hospitals and Health Institutions; Denial of Burial Services; Act of Bullying; and Other similar or analogous discriminatory acts. Time and again, we are to be reminded that HIV is not a death sentence, but a public health and human rights concern. The Philippines faces an epidemic targeting its youth that nobody usually would dare talk about. The governments unsympathetic stance on human rights has also contributed to the worsening of this epidemic. It is when we are silent that stigma and discrimination, the real killers, thrive. Stigma and discrimination have been nothing but barriers for people to get tested, access knowledge, and seek treatment. In a society that ought to value the lives of its people, it is only right and just to reach out and support those who are living with HIV, and to raise awareness to prevent it from further spreading. *** References: Avert (United Kingdom) Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) Department of Health Epidemiology Bureau. HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (2018) HIV.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services LoveYourself Philippines Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines (2018). Republic Act 11166 (CNN) UK lawmakers have accused Facebook of violating data privacy and competition laws in a report on social media disinformation that also says CEO Mark Zuckerberg showed "contempt" toward parliament by not appearing before them. The UK Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee said in a report published Monday that a trove of internal Facebook emails it reviewed demonstrated that the social media platform had "intentionally and knowingly" violated both data privacy and competition laws. The cache of documents reviewed by the committee, some of which include correspondence between Zuckerberg and company executives, stem from a lawsuit filed in California against Facebook. The committee obtained the documents late last year from a small app company called Six4Three that is behind the suit. According to the committee, the documents show that Facebook was "willing to override its users' privacy settings in order to transfer data" to app developers. The lawmakers also claim the documents show the social network was able to "starve" some developers of data and force them out of business. "Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like 'digital gangsters' in the online world, considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law," the report said. In response to the report, Facebook said it had not breached data protection or competition laws. Karim Palant, Facebook's UK public policy manager, said in a statement that the company "supports effective privacy legislation" and is also open to "meaningful regulation." Facebook said in December that the documents from the Six4Three lawsuit had been "selectively leaked" to tell "only one side of the story." CNN and other news outlets had asked the California court to make the documents public. The allegations are the latest headache for the social media giant, which has come under intense scrutiny from policymakers in the United States and around the world following a series of data scandals including Cambridge Analytica. Overhaul needed While Facebook was a major focus of the report, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee made several recommendations on how to combat fake news and disinformation. The committee said: Social media platforms should be subject to a compulsory code of ethics. An independent UK regulator should monitor tech companies, and be able to launch legal proceedings against them. UK antitrust regulators should conduct a "comprehensive audit" of the advertising market on social media. UK regulators should investigate whether Facebook has been involved in anti-competitive practices. The government should examine recent elections for evidence of voter manipulation. The committee's investigation lasted 18 months and featured nearly two dozen oral evidence sessions, including a special hearing in Washington, D.C. and an "international grand committee" attended by representatives of nine countries. The final report ran to over 100 pages. "The big tech companies must not be allowed to expand exponentially, without constraint or proper regulatory oversight," the report stated. "Only governments and the law are powerful enough to contain them." Target: Facebook The report harshly criticized Facebook and Zuckerberg, who repeatedly refused to appear before the committee last year despite numerous requests. "The management structure of Facebook is opaque to those outside the business and this seemed to be designed to conceal knowledge of and responsibility for specific decisions," the report said. "Facebook used the strategy of sending witnesses who they said were the most appropriate representatives, yet had not been properly briefed on crucial issues, and could not or chose not to answer many of our questions." The report's authors said they had "no doubt that this strategy was deliberate." Damian Collins, the committee's chair, said in a statement that Zuckerberg "continually fails to show the levels of leadership and personal responsibility that should be expected from someone who sits at the top of one of the world's biggest companies." British authorities ruled last year that Facebook broke UK law by failing to safeguard user data, and by not telling tens of millions of people how Cambridge Analytica harvested their information for use in political campaigns. Facebook's response Palant, the Facebook public policy manager, said that the company shares the committee's "concerns about false news and election integrity" and that it had made "a significant contribution to their investigation" by answering more than 700 questions. Palant also highlighted the "substantial changes" to political advertising standards the company has undertaken. "No other channel for political advertising is as transparent and offers the tools that we do," said Palant. "We have tripled the size of the team working to detect and protect users from bad content to 30,000 people and invested heavily in machine learning, artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to help prevent this type of abuse." This story was first published on CNN.com, "UK lawmakers: Facebook 'intentionally and knowingly' violated data privacy laws" Climate-friendly labriculture depends on an energy revolution, says Oxford study Currently proposed types of lab-grown meat cannot provide a cure-all for the detrimental climate impacts of meat production without a large-scale transition to a decarbonised energy system, a new study has found. The study, from the LEAP (Livestock, Environment and People) programme at the Oxford Martin School, found that some projections for the uptake of particular forms of cultured meat could indeed be better for the climate, but others could actually lead to higher global temperatures in the long run. Published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, their findings highlight that the climate impact of cultured meat production will depend on its energy demands and the availability of low-carbon energy sources. "There has been a great deal of public interest in cultured meat recently, and many articles highlight the potential for substituting cattle beef with cultured meat to provide an important climate benefit," explains lead author Dr John Lynch. "We show that it is not yet clear whether this is the case, partly because of uncertainties about how cultured meat would be produced at scale. An important issue in comparing farmed and cultured beef is that the different warming impacts of greenhouse gases are also not well accounted for in the standard measure used in carbon footprints." The Culture Club: is it a miracle? Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for around a quarter of current global warming. Replacing conventional cattle farming with 'labriculture' - meat grown in the lab using cell culture techniques - has been widely discussed as a way of reducing this environmental impact. But these estimates are based on carbon-dioxide equivalent footprints, which can be misleading because not all greenhouse gases generate the same amount of warming or have the same lifespan. "Cattle are very emissions-intensive because they produce a large amount of methane from fermentation in their gut," advises study co-author Raymond Pierrehumbert, Halley Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford. "Methane is an important greenhouse gas, but the way in which we generally describe methane emissions as 'carbon dioxide equivalent' amounts can be misleading because the two gases are very different. Per tonne emitted, methane has a much larger warming impact than carbon dioxide, however, it only remains in the atmosphere for about 12 years whereas carbon dioxide persists and accumulates for millennia. This means methane's impact on long-term warming is not cumulative and is impacted greatly if emissions increase or decrease over time." Sustainable labriculture depends on clean energy and new tech To provide a rigorous comparison of the potential climate impacts of lab-grown meat and beef cattle, the researchers examined available data on the emissions associated with three current cattle farming methods and four possible meat culture methods, assuming current energy systems remained unchanged. Using this data, they modelled the potential temperature impact of each production method over the next 1000 years. Their model showed that while cattle initially have a greater warming effect through the release of methane, in some cases the manufacture of lab-grown meat can ultimately result in more warming. This is due to the fact that even if consumption of meat were entirely phased out the warming from carbon dioxide would persist, whereas warming caused by methane ceases after only a few decades. "This is important because while reducing methane emissions would be good - and an important part of our climate policies - if we simply replace that methane with carbon dioxide it could actually have detrimental long-term consequences," warns Lynch. Beef production is currently a major source of greenhouse gases: reducing consumption and improving production methods to reduce emissions can both help address this. The environmental benefits of lab-grown meat are a powerful imperative to continue and expand labriculture research, and especially to develop ways of producing cultured meat as efficiently as possible. The study also highlights that both cultured meat and cattle farming have complex inputs and impacts that need to be considered in fully appreciating their effect on the environment. For example, creating more grazing land for cattle often results in significant deforestation that could greatly increase the CO2 footprint of cattle systems (but can prove difficult to standardise in emissions footprints), while producing food in urban laboratories could free up land for storing CO2 (known as carbon sequestration) or other purposes. Lynch concludes, "The climate impacts of cultured meat production will depend on what level of sustainable energy generation can be achieved, as well as the efficiency of future culture processes." ### Please include a link to the original research in your reporting: http://www. frontiersin. org/ articles/ 10. 3389/ fsufs. 2019. 00005/ abstract Corresponding author: John M. Lynch, john.lynch@physics.ox.ac.uk About Frontiers Frontiers is an award-winning Open Science platform and leading open-access scholarly publisher. Our mission is to make high-quality, peer-reviewed research articles rapidly and freely available to everybody in the world, thereby accelerating scientific and technological innovation, societal progress and economic growth. Frontiers received the 2014 ALPSP Gold Award for Innovation in Publishing. For more information, visit http://www. frontiersin. org and follow @Frontiersin on Twitter. About LEAP LEAP is supported by the Wellcome Trust's Our Planet Our Health Programme and is one of four major interdisciplinary research partnerships in the areas of global food systems and urbanization. The project is a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the supermarket group Sainsbury's and The Nature Conservancy. It also works in partnership with other researchers supported by the Wellcome Trusts Our Planet Our Health programme including Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS), led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Mini-livestock: insects as sustainable and healthy food, led by Wageningen University, Netherlands, and the LSHTM and SOAS Sustainability Health Projects. About the Oxford Martin School The Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford is a world-leading centre of pioneering research that addresses global challenges. It invests in research that cuts across disciplines to tackle a wide range of issues such as climate change, disease and inequality. The School supports novel, high risk and multidisciplinary projects that may not fit within conventional funding channels, because breaking boundaries can produce results that could dramatically improve the wellbeing of this and future generations. Underpinning all our research is the need to translate academic excellence into impact - from innovations in science, medicine and technology, through to providing expert advice and policy recommendations. This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. By Mike Lee, Professor in Evolutionary Biology (jointly appointed with South Australian Museum), Flinders University Michael Lee / South Australian Museum and Flinders University , CC BY-NC-ND The Cambrian explosion more than 500 million years ago is often considered biologys big bang. Virtually all the major kinds of animals evolved in lifes greatest ever burst of evolution, rapidly populating a weird and biologically sparse planet with everything from jellyfish to vertebrates, and turning it into the Earth we recognise today. But our recent study, published this week in PNAS, shows this burst of rapid evolutionary innovation also ended surprisingly quickly. Read more: New study confirms what scientists already know: basic research is under-valued Animals took perhaps only 20 million years to fill most of the empty ecological niches (ways to make a living) on our entire planet. From then on, the pace of evolution slowed drastically, reverting to rates considered more normal and which have held sway for most of the subsequent 520 million years up to the present. Our work suggests that evolution can fill even huge ecological vacuums extremely rapidly. This has implications given the widespread global changes currently being wrought by humans. Ecological niches are being destroyed and created more rapidly than at any time since the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The largest adaptive radiation of all time Adaptive radiation is when a species finds itself surrounded by empty niches, and rapidly evolves into a range of different species with different lifestyles (such as herbivores or carnivores) to fill the entire vacuum. As the environment becomes saturated, evolution gradually slows down to normal rates. Famous examples of adaptive radiation include marsupials in Australia and anole lizards in the Caribbean. The biggest adaptive radiation of all is the Cambrian Explosion. Life first appeared at least 3.5 billion years ago, but for the subsequent 3 billion years little more than microbes and simple blobs existed. At (or shortly before) the start of the Cambrian Period (541 million years ago), modern animals evolved. They rapidly diversified into all the major groups (phyla) of animals we see today, such as jellyfish and corals, segmented worms (such as earthworms), molluscs (such as snails), arthropods (such as crabs), and even vertebrates (backboned animals, which eventually included ourselves). The strange-yet-familiar evolutionary products of the Cambrian period are exquisitely preserved in spectacular fossil sites around the world, such as the Burgess Shale in Canada and Chengjiang in China. Australia has its own: the Emu Bay Shale on Kangaroo Island. John Paterson, University of New England , CC BY-NC-ND There is widespread agreement that evolution must have been turbocharged during the Cambrian explosion. But we didnt really know for sure how long this unprecedented burst of rapid innovation and adaptation lasted. If sustained across most of the Cambrian Period (which stretches from 541 million to 485 million years ago), then this would suggest that animals took more than 50 million years to fill up our planet. Over in a (geological) eyeblink Our study is the most thorough and mathematically precise measurement of evolution across the Cambrian Period. Evolutionary rates are usually hard to calculate, partly because of the patchy fossil record. The complicated chain of events required for a dead organism to turn to stone means most carcasses are lost to time. There are certainly rare instances where an evolving population is preserved across successively younger deposits, providing irrefutable evidence of evolution-in-action. More often, though, we find (say) a jaw bone in one place, followed by a limb bone on a different continent that is millions of years younger. We circumvented the patchiness of the Cambrian fossil record in two ways. First, we focused on the dominant creatures of the Cambrian, the trilobites (an extinct group of marine arthropods related to other jointed-legged creatures like crabs, spiders and insects). Trilobites are diverse and abundant (giving us a large and dense sample of fossils to work with), and also have very complex, robustly mineralised exoskeletons or shells (giving us lots of anatomical traits to measure). Russell Bicknell, University of New England; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University , CC BY-NC-ND Second, we used powerful new Bayesian methods called Markov-Chain Monte Carlo, which fully account for the uncertainty generated by missing data (such as gaps in the fossil record). When faced with incomplete data, these methods dont try to do the impossible and spit out a single precise answer. Rather, they cleverly infer the universe of probable answers given the fuzzy information at hand. Our study reveals that evolution had subsided to the more normal rates within the early Cambrian by at least 520 million years ago. Thus, the Cambrian explosion was over much earlier than many had suspected, indeed almost as soon as the first trilobites appeared. If modern animals first evolved at the very beginning of the Cambrian, then their global adaptive radiation took a mere 20 million years. While this is still substantial, it represents only 0.5% of the 3.5-billion-year history of life on Earth: a surprisingly brief interval to fill the Earth with body plans as disparate as starfish, snails, shrimps and fish. Life finds a way The rapid rise of animals suggested by our study emphasises the ability of evolution to quickly take advantage of every opportunity. As the fictional mathematician Ian Malcolm put it in the first Jurassic Park (1993) movie, life finds a way! The Cambrian explosion represented the first time animals evolved to fill the planet. Since then, several mass extinctions such as the meteorite impact that contributed to the extinction the non-avian dinosaurs and much else have partially cleared the decks. Every time, life has rebounded rapidly. Today, as humans transform and stress our planet, we are facing another mass extinction. Evolutionary niches are being destroyed and created at a rate faster than at any time since the dinosaur age. The rapidity of evolution in the past might lead to optimism that life might adapt to the worst that humans can throw at it. Read more: Climate change is killing off Earths little creatures But this artificially rapid global change might be too fast for many species. Furthermore, much of the rapid evolution triggered by humans is far from desirable. Swallows that evolve wingshapes to better manoeuvre through heavy traffic might be cute. But superbugs resistant to every known antibiotic, and subterranean mosquitos adapted to feast on London tube commuters, are less so! Mike Lee received funding for this research from the Australian Research Council and Flinders University Greg Edgecombe receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust. John Paterson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Originally published in The Conversation. Judicial Watch Sues for 'Coup' Documents Former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Top DOJ Officials considered asking Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment in order to remove President Trump and discussed recording meetings with him Contact: Jill Farrell, The suit was filed after the Justice Department failed to respond to three separate FOIA requests dated September 21, 2018 ( Read more... WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for all records of communication of former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the Office of the Attorney General Jeff Sessions, or the Office of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussing the 25th Amendment or presidential fitness. Additionally, the lawsuit seeks all recordings made by any official in the Office of the Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General of meetings in the Executive Office of the President or Vice President.The suit was filed after the Justice Department failed to respond to three separate FOIA requests dated September 21, 2018 ( Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:19-cv-00388)). The lawsuit seeks all written and audio/visual records of any FBI/DOJ discussions regarding the 25th Amendment and plans to secretly record President Trump in the Oval Office... Share Tweet Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch , 202-646-5188 John Paul Lederach is a scholar and activist who has worked on peace for decades. His involvement in Nepal, Colombia, Northern Ireland, the Philippines and across Africa has helped to support and encourage peace processes. Tokyo (AsiaNews) The 36th Niwano Peace Prize has been awarded to John Paul Lederach, professor emeritus of International Peacebuilding at the Kroc Institute for Peace Studies at Notre Dame University and Distinguished Scholar at the Eastern Mennonite University in the United States United, where he served as the founding director of the Center for Peacebuilding and Justice. Dr Lederach, who is currently Senior Fellow at Humanity United, a philanthropic foundation, has worked in mediating conflicts, building peace, and fostering international reconciliation for more than thirty years. He has developed training in conflict transformation and provided direct conciliation support services in some of the most violently conflicted regions across five continents. According to the Award commission, he has been a scholar and peace campaigner for many decades; has influenced others through his books, lectures, workshops and meetings; and has offered grounded, practical insights into the complex nature and dynamics of conflict and how to transform it. For almost four decades his work in places like Nepal, Colombia, Northern Ireland, the Philippines and throughout Africa has helped support and encourage evolving peace processes, given voice to those on the margins of society, and empowered ordinary citizens to transform ongoing and emerging conflict in a healthy and positive way. Prof Lederach was born in Indiana and grew up in Oregon. His parents worked as teachers; initially, his father was a pastor and his mother a nurse. He graduated from Bethel College in 1980 with a degree in History and Peace Studies, having spent many years as a volunteer in Europe. He then earned a PhD in sociology from the University of Colorado in 1988. From the early 1980s he began to engage actively in peacebuilding and served as director of the International Conciliation Service of the Mennonite Central Committee. The Niwano Peace Prize is named after Nikkyo Niwano, the founder and first president of Rissho Kosei-kai, a Buddhist organisation. It honours and encourages individuals and organisations that have contributed significantly to interfaith cooperation, fostering the cause of world peace and making their results known as widely as possible. This way, the Foundation hopes to improve interfaith understanding and cooperation and encourage the emergence of still more people dedicated to working for world peace. The Niwano Peace Foundation was established in 1978 to contribute to world peace and enhance a culture of peace. It promotes research and other activities based on a religious spirit and serves the cause of peace in fields such as education, science, religion and philosophy. To avoid an undue emphasis on a particular religion or region, every year the Peace Foundation calls for the nomination of people of known worldwide intellectual and religious stature. Approximately 600 people and organisations, representing 125 countries, participate in the nomination process. This years award ceremony will be held on 8 May in Tokyo. The winner will also receive a medal and 20 million yen (US$ 180,000). The event takes place every two or three years, rotating among the islands seven dioceses. This year's goal is to prepare the faithful for the International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest next year. The significant drop in the number of Catholics shows the need for a new evangelisation in Taiwan. Developments in relations between the Vatican and mainland China have modified the ties between the Holy See and the country. Taipei (AsiaNews/EDA) Taiwanese Catholics are currently getting ready for their 4th National Eucharistic Congress on 1st March in the Diocese of Chiayi on the same theme as the 2020 Budapest International Eucharistic Congress: All my springs are in you (Psalm 87:7). The meeting in Chiayi is important for all of Taiwans Catholics who hope to bear witness to their faith in a country where, despite actual religious freedom, they remain a minority. The Chinese Regional Bishops Conference (the official name of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Taiwan) decided in November 2011 to hold a national Eucharistic Congress every two or three years, rotating among each of the countrys seven dioceses, in order to deepen Taiwanese Catholics knowledge of the sacrament of the Eucharist and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The bishops picked the Archdiocese of Taipei for the first National Eucharistic Congress, based on the same spirit as the International Eucharistic Congress, a gathering of lay people and members of the clergy to bear witness to the Christian faith and respond to the call of the Catholic Church to evangelise through Eucharistic adoration. This years 4th National Eucharistic Congress in the Diocese of Chiayi has a twofold objective: to allow Taiwanese Catholics to prepare for the big meeting in Budapest in 2020, and to enable those who cannot go to Hungary to experience the same spirit in communion with the universal Church. In an era where everything is connected, a special website has been set up, with regular updates of the event. Objective of communion and mission of evangelisation Citing Pope Franciss message for Lent in 2018, the bishop of Chiayi, Mgr Thomas Chung An-zu, invited Taiwans Catholics to come to "relive the experience of the disciples of Emmaus: Listening to the word of the Lord and nourishing ourselves with the Eucharistic Bread will allow our hearts to blaze again with faith, hope and charity". The Taiwan Eucharistic Congress seeks to embody the privileged role of bearing witness to Christ as the heart of the Church and the saviour of the world. In his address to Taiwanese Catholics, the bishop of Chiayi also stressed the importance of this Congress for Taiwanese society as a whole, for it ought not to be limited to a meeting among believers but should instead become a springboard towards ones fellow human beings. "Faced with many challenges that Taiwanese society has had to meet in recent years, including its ethnic diversity, but also its growing political tensions and social changes, this Eucharistic Congress in Taiwan must offer the power of prayer to the Christian community, united in one heart, with the hope that everyone's goodwill will become a shared force in the service of society and peace in Taiwan." The Taiwanese Bishops' Conference hopes that such meetings entrusted to the islands dioceses will be an occasion to offer teachings, testimonies and exchanges, with the aim, as Bishop Chung once again stressed, "of deepening the knowledge of believers of the mystery of the Eucharist, strengthening the faith, encouraging the laity of Taiwan to experience more the Blessed Sacrament, and letting non-believers discover the essence of what first and foremost unites the universal Church: the Christ-Eucharist." A new evangelisation is necessary at a time when the Church in Taiwan is at a turning point, due to the significant drop in the number of faithful caused by an aging population. In 160 years of presence on the island, the Church has contributed significantly to social development, education and assistance, whilst establishing in-depth spiritual training in the parishes. Although Catholics represent only 2 per cent of Taiwans 23.5 million people, the Church is trying to breathe new life in its activity. hence, the bishops proposed in their annual meeting last November a broad look at the situation of the laity and the demographic evolution of the Catholic community on the island. They launched a census by age group and educational level, with the aim of better targeting the measures to be adopted for a new evangelisation, especially among young people. The National Eucharistic Congress comes at a key moment for the new evangelisation, by preparing lay people for a mission that is not reserved for the clergy alone. Like "sending the People of God to proclaim the Good News, in the final liturgy of the Mass which is not an end but a beginning, [. . .] the National Eucharistic Congress must in turn encourage believers to be responsible for this call to 'evangelisation." A pastoral and diplomatic invitation In October 2018, during his visit to the Vatican for the canonisation of Pope Paul VI, Taiwanese Vice President Philip Chen Chien-jen invited Pope Francis to Taiwan, renewing the invitation made by the bishops during their ad limina visit to Rome. The bishops had invited the pontiff to participate in the National Eucharistic Congress that will open next 1st March. Chen Chien-jen is a key player in Taiwan-Vatican relations because, as a Catholic, he has not hesitated from bearing witness to the need to "feed on the Eucharist", including when performing his vice presidential duties. However, a pastoral journey by Pope Francis to Taiwan remains highly unlikely because of relations with China. Whilst the Vatican maintains formal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwans official name), the Holy See has sought to improve relations and exchanges with Beijing, as evidenced by the historic agreement signed in September 2018 on episcopal appointments. However, the Vatican is determined not to abandon Taipei. On 5 January, Pope Francis appointed Card Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, as his special emissary to the Eucharistic Congress in Taiwan. As the special papal envoy, Filoni will celebrate the opening Mass of the 4th Eucharistic Congress in Chiayi. The announcement by the Holy See was welcomed by Taiwanese authorities, for whom such an appointment is a token of the "deep and friendly ties between Taiwan and its diplomatic ally". The island nation is determined to further deepen its exchanges and cooperation with the Vatican "as an important partner in the international community, in favour of religious freedom and good will and peace in the world." SALEM Christine Bynum, 17, can be charged and sentenced as an adult, drive on interstates with adults, work and pay income tax, but she cant vote. Bynum, daughter of state Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Happy Valley, went to the Capitol on Monday to urge legislators to change that. If I can be tried as an adult, why cant I vote like an adult? said Bynum, who attends La Salle High School in Milwaukie said during a press conference Monday at the Capitol. I pay income tax like an adult. I drive like an adult. I can be charged and sentenced as an adult. Why is something so important such as voting limited to people who are our present and not our future? State Sen. Shemia Fagan, D-Portland, has proposed legislation to place a measure on the Oregon ballot in November 2020 to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. It could make Oregon the first state to open up voting to people younger than 18, Fagan said. The proposal piggybacks on a national movement, Vote 16 USA, which campaigns for lowering the voting age to 16. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} No states have decreased the voting age to 16, but places such as Takoma Park, Maryland, and Berkeley, California, have allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to participate in certain local elections. Galveston, TX (77553) Today A shower or two possible this morning with partly cloudy skies for the afternoon. High 89F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few clouds. Low 82F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. In an official declaration, published by the Holy See Press Office, religious orders express "shame", but also "hope" for the upcoming meeting. Building a new "culture of protection" for children and vulnerable adults, based on health care, formation and spirituality. Ensure that candidates for the religious vocation and the priesthood find "safe places where their vocation is nourished". Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Superiors of male and female religious institutes around the world have drawn up a Declaration in support of Pope Francis and the meeting on the protection of minors that will take place in the Vatican from 21 to 24 February, for presidents of episcopal conferences. The text of the Declaration was released today by the Holy See Press Office. It begins by stressing the commitment of religious institutes in favor of children, against the trafficking of minors, in favor of saving child soldiers, in protecting them from abuses of all kinds. But it also expresses "shame" that the meeting at the Vatican will discuss the "abuses [that] have occurred in our Congregations and Orders and in our Church". "Our shame it adds - is increased by our own lack of realisation of what has been happening. ". Expressing "hope" in the value of the imminent meeting, the superiors affirm that " The leadership of the Holy Father is key.... We join with him in his mission to humbly acknowledge and confess the wrongs that have been done; to reach out to survivors; to learn from them how to accompany those who have been abused and how they wish us to hear their stories". They also outline the construction of a new "culture of protection" for the defense of vulnerable children and adults. This construction is based on: a) education and health care; b) formation; spirituality ("To find Jesus in a personal way is something that can heal us all"). For religious men and women, what has hindered the fight against abuse so far is "clericalism" and a " he strong sense of family in our Orders and Congregations something usually so positive - can make it harder to condemn and expose abuse". The Declaration hopes for greater collaboration with governmental health institutions, in the criteria for "the selection of candidates who become part of religious life", in initial and ongoing formation, in the involvement of parents and women in the evaluation of cases of abuse. In a message to survivors of abuse, they say: "We recognize that there has been an inadequate attempt to address this problem and a shameful inability to understand your pain. We offer you our sincerest apologies and our pain. We ask you to believe in our good will and our sincerity. We invite you to work with us to create new structures to ensure that risks are kept to a minimum ". Referring then to the media attention "about the abuse and exploitation of nuns, seminarians and candidates in the houses of formation", the superiors and the general superiors affirm: "We want to ensure that those who generously apply to be part of religious orders or who they are trained in seminaries to live in safe places where their vocation is nourished and where their desire to love God and others is helped to grow to maturity". And they conclude: "As the meeting on safeguarding starts, we ask pardon of all for our failures and repeat that we stand with the Holy Father. We commit our efforts to working with him so that the Church can move forward in a coherent, credible and unified way, a way that is genuinely healing, truly renewed, with new eyes to see and new ears to hear". Gainesville, TX (76240) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 93F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Shutting the valve off on the water tower at the city of Gainesvilles Pump Station No. 6 caused a pressure surge Friday, Feb. 15. Three water leaks erupted from the occurrence, according to Public Works Director Ron Sellman. Fort Wayne, IN (46808) Today Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Spotsy supervisors blocked East Coast bike path Spotsylvania could learn about how to attract jobs. In addition to taxing its citizens to lure Amazon, Virginia offered to create the lifestyle its Seattle employees were used to. A pedestrian bridge from Amazons Arlington HQ2 to Reagan National Airport was a precondition so employees could walk to the airport without bothering with long-term parking. You can walk or bike anywhere in Spotsylvania, its just dangerous to do so, like the unfortunate couple killed while trying to cross the intersection with no crosswalk at State Route 3 and I-95 some years ago, or the individual who was struck and killed on Route 606 walking for help after his car broke down. A bike path system like Seattles isnt built in a day. Over time pieces are built that eventually come together, and that planning is happening now. The East Coast Greenway (greenway.org) is creating a bike path stretching the way the Appalachian Trail does in our mountains. Except it wont; it will stop when it hits Spotsylvania. If Congress had chosen not to fund the barrier at all, then the president would be going directly against Congress intent by taking money from other places in the budget and using it to build the wall. In essence, it would be as though Congress didnt exist. Thats the trigger for a serious challenge to the separation of powers. Had there been no funding for the barrier, legal challengers could have argued convincingly in court that Trump was effectively contradicting the express will of Congress because two Congresses in a row had denied him the resources to build the wall. That wouldve been powerful evidence that Trump was circumventing the Congress constitutionally mandated role . However, by allocating $1.375 billion for a barrier of some kindeven one not made of concreteCongress muddied the waters . Now Trumps lawyers will be able to say that Congress supports building a wall, and that his reallocation of funds is necessary to achieve Congress expressed will. No longer will it be possible for the challengers to say that Congress definitively rejected barrier funding. The most they will be able to say is that after negotiations, a fixed amount was allocated for barrier funding, and that this amount cannot be exceeded without defying Congress will. More than 130 communities nationwide have speed-camera programs and 422 have red-light cameras, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Maryland and Washington are known as national leaders in their use of automated speed enforcement. In Virginia, several proposals for use of the technology on state highways and near school zones have failed in recent years. The work-zone bill, however, was easily approved, with lawmakers citing the dangers of work zones due to lane shifts and uneven pavement, as well as the need to protect workers. The Virginia Department of Transportation reported 12 work-zone fatalities in the state in 2017, up 20 percent from 2016. Crashes were up nearly 10 percent at 2,666. Nationwide, four out of five work-zone fatalities are drivers, and there are about 700 such fatalities each year, according to VDOT. Supporters say cameras will provide authorities with an important enforcement tool, and deter speeders, particularly in areas such as Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia, where there is a significant amount of roadwork. "It's safer than pulling someone over on the highway," state Sen. David Marsden, D, said during a discussion of the proposal last month. "And it's really a bonus to the citizens if they are not getting traffic points here. They are just getting a civil penalty." The retreat was held in Hyderabad from 11 to 16 February. For Fr Brambillasca, the congregations are united by the same charism that goes the extra mile, trying to evangelise amid obstacles, paying attention to the poor, the sick and the people marginalised by society." Hyderabad (AsiaNews) The retreat that brought together for the first time all the congregations founded by PIME fathers around the world or inspired by the charism of the institute was an "historical event that will certainly bear fruit because of the sharing of experiences and the great number of groups," said Fr Ferruccio Brambillasca, superior general of Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) speaking to AsiaNews. The meeting "took place in Hyderabad from 11 to 16 February. It was the first time in which we all gathered together. We got to know each other in person, boost the spirit of our family, and share our missionary experiences," Fr Brambillasca explained. "It came almost unexpectedly from a meeting of the two general directorates, that of the PIME fathers and that of the missionary Sisters of the Immaculate*. We sat down to come up with a list and noted that our confreres were behind or inspired 15 groups, from China to Myanmar and Brazil. The event was held at the retreat centre of the Sisters of the Immaculate. Some 35 people priests and nuns included from seven countries and nine congregations took part. "I did not expect such a large participation, the superior said. Everyone was really eager to meet. A contagious enthusiasm came from the congregations, who expressed a sense of affiliation and 'debt' towards us that I myself rarely encountered during my travels. For me, it was a surprise to see how these institutes, founded by our fathers, carry forward the same charism and spirituality." As a matter of fact, the meeting was like a spiritual retreat. The day was divided into two parts. "The most theoretical meetings were held in the morning to present the spirituality of the Fathers and the Sisters. For our part, we invited Fr Gianni Criveller and Fr Sergio Ticozzi. The first spoke about today's mission, the second introduced us to the lives of some PIME priests." The "most interesting" moment came in the afternoon, when each congregation presented itself. The main challenges and difficulties that these institutes who love PIME face were laid bare before everyone, with the troubled stories they confront." For example, in China, "The Sisters of St Joseph in Anyang described the problems they face in spiritual preparation, which has led to a crisis in religious identity. Theirs is a cry for help that we must consider." For the superior, the common thread that binds the various ecclesiastical groups "is missionary spirituality". For example, "I can cite the mother superior of the Sisters of Providence in Myanmar, who said: 'We have seen PIME missionaries work with the poor full-time, non-stop, with huge efforts and without wasting time. This is what people who bring the Gospel and dedicate themselves to it 100% in difficult areas have to say, people who have dedicated their whole life to the mission, even in conditions of extreme poverty and lack of freedom." In short, for everyone, "PIMEs spirituality is embodied in the founding fathers, a spirituality that goes the extra mile, trying to evangelise amid obstacles, paying attention to the poor, the sick and the people marginalised by society." After Hyderabad, it is possible to say that the foundations for the future have been laid. "We realise that if we want to remain united, we must not waste time. For this reason, the next meeting will be held two years from now, perhaps in India again. As for the issues, I have proposed projects to be implemented together in new missions." * The female congregation associated with the Institute. "It's the kind of case that strikes terror in people's hearts," Liz Hendrickson, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said at the time. "It makes them wonder, 'Could this happen to me?' " Because she could not afford a hotel room, Mattes met her son at a friend's house. "We hang out, go to the park. Lots of things," she said. She did interviews with People magazine, "Larry King Live" and "Geraldo." Her mother, who lived in a mobile home in Spotsylvania County, went on Sally Jessy Raphael's television show and said her daughter "was doing drugs, she partied, she wanted to have a good time . . . I have threatened her many times I was going to take him." In a 1993 interview with The Washington Post, Mattes said her son would fall to sleep only if she put his head on her stomach. "I cried the first time he did it," she said. "Do you think he knows it's where he came from?" In 1994, a Virginia Court of Appeals panel ruled unanimously that Mattes should have primary custody of her son. "I'm not a hero," she said at the time. "I'm just a mother trying to get her son back." "We need to be truly slow and deliberate about anything we do, but I don't think you can foreclose that (as) an option," he said. "Now what form that takes - as far as an investigation, impeachment - you have to look at very carefully, but I think that's something we're going to have to look at and keep our options open." Watson wrote that since telling her story, "I have endured relentless scrutiny of my personal life and an unending, bitter flood of hurtful misinformation trumpeted by the media. . . . My privacy has already been violated, yet I am still willing to testify publicly under oath. Tyson has made the same offer. Our plea to the Virginia General Assembly to require the same of Fairfax has been met with inaction." After coming forward, Watson wrote, "in a single week, my life was probed, exposed, examined and picked over. This is what women who come forward know to expect, and to fear. . . . The rapists shake free what soon becomes just a slight taint, and they move on." Watson declined to comment for this story. The allegations against Fairfax came as the state's Democratic leaders were engulfed in scandal after revelations about a racist yearbook photo of Gov. Ralph Northam and the use of blackface by Northam and Attorney General Mark R. Herring, both Democrats, while they were in college. Theres no better way to celebrate George Washingtons 287th birthday than to eat cake with the man of the hour himself. Local residents had that opportunity on Monday, as our nations first president, portrayed by Greg Fisher of Woodbridge, meandered gracefully through the large Presidents Day crowd of guests, sharing laughs and stories about his younger years growing up along the banks of the Rappahannock River at Ferry Farm. Fisher has been donning the Colonial-era cloak and cravat for 21 years and was clearly enjoying his celebrity status throughout the day, as curious adults and wide-eyed children approached him to discover what it was like to live on the 80-acre farm during his days as a young boy. Ferry Farm was literally George Washingtons playground growing up, Fisher said, so as I speak to the children today, I find that they can really relate to that fact. Fisher has studied George Washington through the many letters, diaries and books that the nations first president left behind. He documented everything, said Fisher. I simply bring my own ideas to the table and put his experienceswhat he did and what he sawinto terms that young children can understand and relate to in todays world. Thai police have pledged to make 2019 the year in which temples will be cleaned up. The abbot at Wat Ro Charoen was on the run for 15 years in connection with attempted murder and illegal weapons possession. Donations to Buddhist entities total US$ 3.6 billion a year. Government and religious leaders have adopted measures to save the image of the countrys dominant religion. Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Royal Thai police have added the abbot of a temple in Suphan Buri (capital of the homonymous province in central Thailand) to a list of criminal suspects arrested on 14 February in the latest operation to clean up the countrys Buddhist institutions. This follows by a day the announcement by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) of the arrest of 18 Buddhist monks accused in connection with various crimes, including murder and sexual harassment. CSD chief General Chiraphop Phuridet vowed to make 2019 a year of "sweeping temples clean" as his agents unmask criminals wearing saffron robes to hide their misdeeds. Thanks to the evidence garnered following several arrests, investigators are identifying suspects and tracking down where they were ordained. "I want to purify religion so that people can trust monks again," General Chiraphop said. The case of Suphan Buri, the 19th name on the list, came to light when the police discovered that Phra Sangkharak Kanatathamo (pictured), abbot at Wat Ro Charoen (Bang Pla Ma District), was a fugitive from justice for 15 years, charged with attempted murder and illegal weapons possession. According to the CSD, the 40-year-old mans real name is Paphonsan Phetphun, who allegedly killed a rival in Tha Sala district (Nakhon Si Thammarat province) in 2006. The following year, the gangster shot someone else in Koh Samui District (Surat Thani), and eventually turned to the monastic life to escape the arrest warrants issued by two provincial courts. For General Chiraphop, such situations pose a danger because suspects often continue to break the law. "They take advantage of people's faith to commit more offences. If no immediate action is taken, not only will Buddhism be ruined, but these monks will raise concerns about the security of believers. Almost 95 per cent of Thailands population follows Theravada Buddhism. In recent months, the image of Buddhism has taken a hit as a result of many sexual and financial scandals involving monks. Donations to temples are far higher than the budget allocated by the state and amount to about US$ 3.6 billion a year. All this gives the countrys military authorities a good reason to want to clean up the monastic community. Since May 2018, an unprecedented crackdown has involved high-profile figures. Under the increasing pressure of the ruling military council and religious leaders, the country's various Buddhist orders have begun cleaning up their temples and reform corrupt communities. In September 2017, senior monks issued orders to impose harsher discipline on more than 300,000 monks and some 40,000 places of worship. Some of the latest measures include rules governing monks eating habits. A man who dumped his friends body in a strangers yard after the victim overdosed in his vehicle last summer pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors Tuesday. Jarred Michael Smith, 24, of Locust Grove pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and unlawful entry. He was sentenced to a total of 24 months in jail, with all but six months suspended. A felony charge of concealing a dead body was reduced to a misdemeanor as part of the plea agreement. Because Smith has already served more than the time his sentence calls for, he was expected to be released Tuesday. According to evidence presented at previous hearings, 23-year-old Deandre MillerCaldwell of Spotsylvania was riding with Smith in the countys Enchanted Woods subdivision on Aug. 2 when he lost consciousness and fell into Smith. The impact caused Smith to lose control of his vehicle and veer into a ditch. MillerCaldwell was lying in the ditch when a resident came to offer assistance. Police said the resident was told that MillerCaldwell was simply intoxicated. The victim was no longer in sight when deputies showed up a short time later. At the time, police werent aware there had been another adult occupant in the vehicle. Joshua Chamberlain: Soul of a Lion. Feb. 22 at 10:30 a.m. at Lake of the Woods Clubhouse, 205 Lakeview Parkway, Locust Grove. LOW Civil War Study Group presents John Tole, president of the Rappahannock Historic Society, who will discuss the life of Chamberlain, a college professor with no military experience at the start of the Civil War, who rose to the rank of brevet major general and earned the U.S. Medal of Honor at Gettysburg. Public is invited. civilwarstudygroup.org. Jeffersons Treasure. Feb. 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Museum of Culpeper History. Author Gregory May will discuss his new book during a gallery talk. May, a Rapidan resident, will also sign copies of his bookthe first modern biography of an influential early 19th-century statesman, treasury secretary and presidential adviser. The event is free to all. Museum admission is free to all Culpeper residents with identification. For other visitors, discounts are offered to military veterans and senior citizens. Children, students with ID, and museum members are admitted free of charge. culpepermuseum.com or 540/829-1749. We welcome your letters and columns! Use the button below to send us your thoughts. Remember: Letters must include your real name, town of residence and daytime phone number, which we use for verification. We do not accept anonymous letters or letters written under a pseudonym. Letters should be no more than about 400 words. Those of no more than 200 to 300 words are more likely to be published. Submit The explosion also killed the suicide bomber and wounded three other policemen. Serious damage to some shops in the area. The man was suspected of having placed a bomb in recent days in Giza; police defused the bomb. The question of security re-emerges, with possible repercussions on tourism. The condolences of the Churches of Egypt. Cairo (AsiaNews) - At least two policemen were killed and three others injured inan attack that took place late yesterday evening in the old city of Cairo. The agents were chasing a man who was suspected of having hit security members near a mosque in the capital last week. "While the police were surrounding the man and were preparing to proceed with arrest - a note from the Ministry of the Interior said - an explosive device was detonated that [the suspect] had with him". The explosion occurred in the Darb al-Ahmar district, an area of high population density in the heart of Cairo, not far from the al-Azhar mosque. The blast also killed the bomber, who died on the spot, and damaged several stores in the area. "The front of my shop and the windows have been destroyed," emphasizes Kareem Sayed Awad, a barber. "This is a tourist area - he adds - and accidents of this nature end up damaging it". The policemen were on the trail of the suspect, in the context of a larger operation aimed at identifying the person responsible for a (failed) attack on 15 February last in Giza. A man had placed explosives near a security post adjacent to a mosque. However, police intervened promptly and defused the bomb. Analysts and experts point out that attacks in popular areas frequented by foreigners are even more likely to hit the tourism industry, one of the most important resources for the national economy and one of the worst hit by the Islamic jihadist escalation. In December, three Vietnamese and their Egyptian guide died in the explosion of a device that hit their bus on the outskirts of Cairo, not far from the pyramids of Giza. President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has repeatedly promised an all-out fight against terrorism and violence, one of the key factors that have enabled him to win a second term last April. In the last few years the tourism data indicated an improvement: in 2017 there were 8.3 million visitors, compared to 5.3 of the previous year. However, the value is still far from the 14 million of 2010. This morning the Council of Churches of Egypt has expressed in a note its "condolences" for the death of the agents, wishing "ready recovery" to the wounded and peace for the nation. As pointed out to AsiaNews by Fr. Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church, in the recent period "the security situation has improved"; nevertheless, the danger of attacks and violence is "always present" and is an element with which "the population lives together" every day, without being blocked "by fear". In a nation of almost 95 million people with a large Muslim majority, Christians [especially Orthodox Copts] are a substantial minority, equal to about 10% of the total population. Between 2016 and 2017 the Land of the Pharaohs recorded a series of bloody attacks, which involved the Christian community itself. Suzy Amis Cameron, MUSE Global Owner, to Speak at Lake Nona Institute Impact Forum Cameron, an environmental advocate, author and serial entrepreneur, will join an elite panel to discuss the positive planetary impact of more sustainable eating February 19, 2019 // Franchising.com // LOS ANGELES - Suzy Amis Cameron, environmental advocate, author and owner of MUSE Global, will be speaking about the positive impact of sustainable eating at the Lake Nona Institute Impact Forum. The summit will be held at the Lake Nona Medical Center February 20-22 in Orlando, Florida. Feeding the Planet: Global Nutrition, Food Insecurity and the Impact of Sustainable Eating will be a roundtable discourse on February 20 in which Cameron will speak alongside Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and Michel Nischan. The food we choose to eat has an incredible impact on the environment, and we must decide for ourselves if we want that impact to be positive or negative, Cameron said. We also must begin teaching our children the value of a sustainable lifestyle from an early age. If we help them responsibly shape their paths now, theyll help shape the path for our planet as they become our future leaders and entrepreneurs. MUSE Global, the international franchise brand of MUSE School in southern California, has gained notoriety not only for its effective, passion-based and child-centered education model but for its focus on sustainability. MUSE Global offers 100 percent organic, plant-based lunch programs and specialized courses such as Seed-to-Table to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle among students. MUSE School is almost completely solar powered and was named 2016s Greenest Restaurant in the World for its zero-waste kitchen. Also attending the summit will be Rebecca Amis, chief innovation officer of MUSE Global and cofounder of MUSE School. Amis will be available to field questions about MUSE Globals mission and franchise opportunities, as well as answer any further questions about MUSE Schools innovative education, sustainability and nutrition programs. Were both looking forward to sharing our visions and collaborating with so many talented leaders in healthcare and nutrition, Amis said. We all have so much to learn from each other, and it will take a global effort to correct our course and work toward a greener future. The Lake Nona Institute Impact Forum, presented by Johnson & Johnson, is an elite gathering of more than 300 of the nations top healthcare professionals, thought leaders and innovators. The invitation-only event is designed to spark conversation and innovation throughout the world with a goal of advancing healthcare and quality of life for all. For more information about the Lake Nona Institute Impact Forum, please visit http://lakenonaimpactforum.org/. About MUSE Global MUSE Global is an international child-centered educational system offering effective, innovative and passion-based learning experiences within a plant-based, sustainable environment. Founded in 2006 as MUSE School by James Cameron, Suzy Amis Cameron and Rebecca Amis, the school quickly grew to two campuses and has now relaunched as MUSE Global, an international franchise system dedicated to sharing its vision of educating and inspiring our future leaders to live consciously with themselves, with one another and with the planet. To learn more about MUSE Global, please visit https://www.museglobal.org/. Media Contact: Grayson Shockley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 gshockley@ripleypr.com SOURCE MUSE Global ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Homewatch CareGivers Opens New Office in Orange Renowned Home Care Company Expands to Meet Local Demand for Higher Quality Home Care Services February 19, 2019 // Franchising.com // ORANGE, Calif. - Homewatch CareGivers is expanding to meet the increased need for a superior home care provider in Orange. The leading home care company with nearly 200 franchised units across 34 states domestically, as well as in Canada, Central and South America, announced today the opening of a new location that will service the region - Homewatch CareGivers of Orange. The opening of the new operation allows Homewatch CareGivers to provide its high quality at-home assistive services to a greater number of clients. Local resident Maria Cesaro is the owner of Homewatch CareGivers of Orange. Established to provide the area with the high-quality care necessary for residents to remain independent and healthy within their own homes, the companys services are flexible and customized specifically to blend seamlessly into clients day-to-day life. I was drawn to Homewatch CareGivers because of the high standard of care and the thoughtful treatment of each client, said Cesaro. It was important to me to open a home care company that not only had a keen understanding of the needs of the individual, but had a set of processes to ensure that those needs were met. I am confident that with Homewatch CareGivers I can provide the residents of Orange County and their loved ones with services that exceed expectations. Homewatch CareGivers of Orange provides home care services for families arranging care for senior-aged loved ones and others living with chronic illnesses, convalescing after illness or surgery or who prefer to age in their own homes under the supervision and care of highly trained caregivers. Cesaro enters franchising following a career in finance where she was able to nurture and develop her leadership skills. She has a proven track record in developing successful businesses, and chose to open a Homewatch CareGivers location for the opportunity to make a positive impact in her community. Cesaros background in business leadership will play a key role in providing high quality and consistent services to the Orange community. Every time we open a new location, we have the opportunity to touch peoples lives, said Chip Baranowski, vice president of franchise development for Homewatch CareGivers, I know that Maria will make an outstanding new member of our organization, and her commitment to service and the local community will make her business a trusted partner for residents in the Orange area. The home office, which is also referred to as the companys Franchise Support Center, provides unparalleled support and expert advice to help franchisees establish a thriving enterprise on a localized level. Homewatch CareGivers strives to provide the finest foundation on which its franchisees can grow their services, staff and location. For more information about Homewatch CareGivers of Orange and its assortment of at-home assistive services, visit www.hwcg.com/orange or contact Maria Cesaro directly at 714-801-7441 or at mcesaro@hwcg.com. About Homewatch CareGivers Homewatch CareGivers, LLC is based in Greenwood Village, Colorado. The companys franchisees deliver a variety of person-directed, professional at-home services including elder care, care for individuals with developmental and physical conditions, after-surgery care and dementia care. With a heavy involvement in the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA), the Homewatch CareGivers mission is to provide the best-in-class care for each and every client, to serve as a vital part of the continuum of care and to provide the support franchisees and caregivers need to find success and make a difference in their communities. About Authority Brands Homewatch CareGivers is an Authority Brands company. Authority Brands, LLC is the franchisor of multiple franchise concepts focused on home services. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, Authority Brands supports more than 550 franchise locations in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Homewatch CareGivers services, visit www.homewatchcaregivers.com. Media Contact: Alex Hopkins All Points Public Relations (847) 897-7476 ahopkins@allpointspr.com SOURCE Homewatch CareGivers ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) - Troopers with the South Carolina Highway Patrol said one person has died and another is in the hospital after a crash in Greenville County. ASHEVILLE, NC (FOX Carolina)- The North Carolina Department of Public Safety says that the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice is searching for an offender that was serving part of his sentence outside of prison by Nabil Antaki* Western nations block the offensive against jihadist groups in Idlib, for fear of an exodus of militiamen. The reconstruction is at a standstill and the difficulties increase, with queues for fuel. It is still a regime of emergency aid instead of employment projects and reconstruction plans. Fears for the future of the Christian community. Aleppo (AsiaNews) - Damascus controls 70% of the Syrian territory, but peace is still a distant hope in the country. The terrorist groups are barricaded in the province of Idlib and the international community is hindering the regular army offensive, because then it would not know how to manage the exodus of the jihadists towards Europe and the West. This is what the Blue Marists tell us, in the 35th Letter from Aleppo recently published and sent to AsiaNews. In this state that is neither "war nor peace", the reconstruction is at a standstill and difficulties increase: from unemployment to poverty, from the lack of fuel and electricity - long queues for a few liters of kerosene are the norm - while the flight of Christians continues. Among the reasons for the exodus, lack of work and prospects with a regime of emergency aid, rather than a program for regeneration and reconstruction. Below a summary of the testimony. Translation from French edited by AsiaNews: For some months now, there has been no more real fighting in Syria. Most commentators believe that the war is over and the Syrian state has won. Daesh [Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, IS former Isis] has been beaten and there is only a small patch of territory in the eastern part of the country still under their control. Today the Syrian state controls about 70% of the territory, including all the major cities. Nevertheless, peace does not seem at hand. On the one hand, all the armed rebel groups are now amassed in the province of Idlib. Al-Nusra, the local emanation of al-Qaeda, recognized as a terrorist group by the UN and the international community, is in the process of eliminating or engulfing all other movements, of Islamic inspiration, with the force of weapons. For months, the Syrian army has wanted to launch an offensive to free the latter province from the hands of terrorists, 30 thousand of them foreigners, but the Western powers, through the intermediation of Russia and Turkey, are preventing it. The reason given: The risk of a serious humanitarian crisis. The real reason, as has emerged from some voices of Western leaders: what to do with all the foreign terrorists who would flee to Europe, in case the offensive was launched. Elements that would end up terrorizing European citizens after sowing terror in Syria. All of this cynicism angers us. On the other hand, a war is unfolding on our territory and it is the one that pits Turkey against the Kurdish militias. Finally, the Americans who illegally established two bases in a sovereign nation, today want to withdraw following the decision of President Donald Trump. But his administration, like Congress, are incapable of reaching agreement on this strategy and try to sabotage it by all means possible. This state, which is neither "war nor peace", effectively prevents the reconstruction of the country, potential investors do not want to start projects until after a stable and lasting peace has entered into force. This has resulted in a languishing economy, poverty and unemployment have reached frightening levels, the cost of living has reached vertiginous heights and people continue to suffer. The rich have run out of money, the middle class is on its knees and the poor have become even poorer. We are angry at the sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States against Syria, which only exacerbate the humanitarian situation without having any impact on the end of hostilities and the establishment of peace. The exodus of the Syrians, especially the Christians, continues. Moreover it seems to have increased beyond the levels of the dark hours of the war. The apostolic nuncio to Syria, Card. Mario Zenari, said during a congress in Hungary that Christians are now no more than 2% of the total population. That is half a million, out of a total of 23 million citizens. We knew this, but it is the first time that these figures have been revealed in public. My city, Aleppo, which had a population of about 150/200 thousand Christians in 2011, before the war, today does not count more than 25 thousand, at most 30 thousand. Syria, the cradle of Christianity, is emptying of its Christian population. Since the end of hostilities, they continue to flee, both to avoid being enrolled in the army as reservists because they are already family fathers, and also because of the economic crisis and its consequences: unemployment and poverty. During the difficult years of the conflict, our aid programs sought to nourish, dress, give food and shelter to displaced people and their families in need. Now, we believe that the priority is to guarantee work to people so that they can earn a decent living from the fruits of their labour and become independent, breaking free from the aid upon which they have depended for seven years now. Unfortunately, our resources like those of all others are greatly diminished. With the end of the fighting, the donations of individuals have dropped considerably. And international charitable organizations refuse, in most cases, to finance development programs; some still intend to support outdated relief plans. As if we wanted to keep people in need forever, in a state of begging and dependence, rather than restoring their dignity and hope. What can we say about Christian associations? Many of these adopt the same behavior: yes to food aid, yes to medicine, to the reconstruction of houses and churches, yes to pastoral care. No to development projects, to projects that could guarantee work to people. Yet Pope Francis has repeatedly urged Christians in Syria not to leave the land of their ancestors, the land of their Christian roots. However, the exodus continues; soon, we will be only a handful to fill beautifully restored, but empty churches. March 15, 2019 is upon us. It will be eight years since the beginning of this unjust, absurd and atrocious war that has destroyed our country, which has killed 400 thousand people, which has pushed a million citizens into exile, which has created four million refugees in the nations of area and eight million internally displaced persons. People who have not lived in their home for a long time. Yes, we are angry. But at the same time, we look to the future with hope for the war to end; we cherish the hope that, one day, we can enjoy true, stable and lasting peace. * Aleppo Doctor and lay member of the Order of the Blue Marist friars Samsung Galaxy is undoubtedly one of the most well-known brands in the world of smartphones. This series began as an answer to the iPhone with Samsungs motivation to offer a valid alternative. Since then, Samsung has become one of the biggest smartphone manufacturers globally. Tomorrows launch will be its biggest milestone in the celebration of the Korean conglomerates 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S smartphone to be unveiled ahead of Mobile World Congress 2019 (MWC) tomorrow. In anticipation, lets take a pause to look at what made Samsungs brand Galaxy so famous. Its funny that Samsung has now become one of the few handset makers that offers a ton of value without compromising on the quality, because it was absolutely the opposite before. Over the years, the company has faced both massive successes and blows, but still stayed on top. But the previous couple of years have been tough with the market evolving in interesting ways. Attention has shifted to India and Samsung finds itself a bit late. Better than never. Even though Samsung undercuts the rivals like Apple and Google in the premium smartphone category, it has been a herculean task for the company down in the trenches to reclaim the mid-range markets especially in India that are dominated by Chinese makers like Xiaomi, Honor, Realme, Vivo and others. If not for Galaxy M series, there would have been serious doubts about the companys ability to more than adequately respond to the Indian consumers needs. So, has the company changed? We hope so, because there have been several innovations from them that drove the market and the only way they can stay ahead is by doing more of these crazy ideas. The first 10 megapixel camera was on the Samsung B600. This is from 2006, 1 year before the first iPhone came out with a 2 MP camera. Sure its impractical but that was how the time was. Even before that in 1999 there was a Samsung watch phone. Were sure you have seen this somewhere. Samsung has always been ahead in display tech, they launched the first True Color Phone in 2002, introducing the world to the active matrix LCD display and some other crazy designs. However things drastically changed after the iPhone so then we saw the birth of Samsung Galaxy S. The SII had the AMOLED screen which became a big trend. Then, there was the Note Edge, starting the curved edges and bezelless movement. By this time, the Note series had created its own space. A new large screen category debuted the S Pen. Samsung then improved security and enhanced its software based services Samsung Knox, Samsung Pay, and countless other services and capabilities opened up an ecosystem that includes the much hated Bixby. The Galaxy S8 was the first flagship thin-bezel phone, really. With the powerful Galaxy Note9, and things like Samsung Dex, Samsung cemented its credentials at the top end. Memory wise Samsung has the only 512+512 GB storage-supported smartphones. All said and done, the soon-to-be-launched Galaxy S10 series of smartphones and the purported foldable Galaxy F have the potential to capture a lot of attention in the smartphone market and tomorrow, well know every little detail. What do you think? Can Samsung stay at the top? Let us know in the comments section below. This post was co-authored by Bharadwaj and Vigneshwar. The letter said that there exists a 'threat of use of force against Pakistan by India.' Pakistan has called for UN intervention to "defuse tensions" with India in the wake of the Pulwama attack. (Photo:ANI) Islamabad: Pakistan has called for UN intervention to "defuse tensions" with India in the wake of the Pulwama attack, which left 40 CRPF men dead. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," a letter by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the ghastly attack, which has been condemned by the international community. The United States has told Pakistan to stop providing safe haven and support to terror outfits. The letter said that there exists a "threat of use of force against Pakistan by India". "The Pulwama attack on Indian Central Reserve Police Force was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident of Indian Occupied Kashmir. Attributing it to Pakistan even before investigations is absurd," it claimed. The letter also asked Guterres to "consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down". Condemning the Pulwama attack, Afghanistan had said it was a "copy-paste of what Pakistan-backed terror groups" did in their soil. "The heinous act of terror in Kashmir has all the hallmarks of a common source & sponsor of terrorism in our region. It is a copy paste of what Pakistan backed terror groups do in Afghanistan. We condemn the attack & convey our condolences to Indian people," Amrullah Saleh, the acting Minister of Interior of Afghanistan, had tweeted. India called its High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, back to New Delhi for consultations - a move which was mirrored by Pakistan, who called back their High Commissioner to India, Sohail Mahmood on February 18, "for consultations". New Delhi issued a strong demarche to Islamabad in connection with the Pulwama attack, conveying that Pakistan must take immediate and verifiable actions against JeM, which operates from its soil. Pakistan has sought the UN's urgent intervention to 'defuse tensions' with India, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday. India has rejected any third party intervention in the Kashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally. (Representational Photo) Islamabad: Pakistan has sought the UN's urgent intervention to "defuse tensions" with India, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday, following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed. On February 14, at least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, seeking his help to reduce the tensions between the two countries, Pakistan Foreign Office said. "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India," Qureshi wrote in the letter. India has rejected any third party intervention in the Kashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally. Qureshi, in his letter, said the Pulwama attack on Indian CRPF soldiers was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident. He said attributing the attack to Pakistan even before investigations was absurd. He alleged that for domestic political reasons, India deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment. Qureshi wrote that India has also hinted that it may abandon the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that it would be a grievous error. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," Qureshi said. He said India must be asked to conduct an open and credible investigation in the terror attack. "You may also consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down," he wrote. The foreign minister requested that the letter should be circulated to members of the Security Council and General Assembly. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the UN to intervene in Kashmir. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also sought the US' intervention, saying America was the "most relevant" party to get involved in Kashmir issue. The US, however, has time and again reiterated that it is for India and Pakistan to discuss and decide on the pace and scope of their bilateral relationship. Sixteen US states have sued President Donald Trump's administration over his decision to declare a national emergency. The move had been previously announced by Xavier Becerra the attorney general of California who said his state and others had legal standing. (File Photo) Washington : Sixteen US States have sued US President Donald Trump over his plan to declare a national emergency to get funding for his controversial wall along the border with Mexico , saying he has veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making. The lawsuit came after Trump on Friday declared that he would spend billions of dollars more on border barriers than Congress had granted him. The National Emergencies Act allows the President to declare a national emergency and unlock a stash of funds by invoking certain statutory authority. The coalition of 16 states in their lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration's emergency declaration and diversion of funds is unconstitutional and otherwise unlawful. The states include California , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , Hawaii , Illinois , Maine , Maryland , Michigan , Minnesota , Nevada , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , Oregon and Virginia . The suit, filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco , argues that the president does not have the power to divert funds for constructing a wall along the Mexican border because it is Congress that controls spending. "President Trump has veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making. For years, President Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to build a wall across the United States-Mexico border," reads the suit. The dispute stems from steps Trump said he would take after lawmakers granted him only USD 1.375 billion for new border barriers, legislation he signed last week to avoid another government shutdown. The fund is far short of the USD 5.7 billion Trump had initially requested. Trump asserted the power to tap three additional pots of money on his own: USD 600 million from a Treasury Department asset forfeiture fund for law enforcement priorities; about USD 2.5 billion from a military antidrug account, most of which would first be siphoned from other military programs the Pentagon has yet to identify, and USD 3.6 billion in military construction funds he said he could redirect by invoking an emergency-powers statute. Trump declared the national emergency to fulfil his 2016 presidential campaign promise to "build a wall" on the US-Mexico border, which he calls "a major entry point for criminals, gang members, and illicit narcotics". The lawsuit file on Monday seeks to block the Trump administration's emergency declaration, the unauthorised construction of the border wall, and any illegal diversion of Congressionally-appropriated funds, a media release said. The states allege that the Trump administration's action exceeds the power of the executive office, violates the US Constitution and federal statutes, and would illegally and unconstitutionally divert federal funds appropriated by Congress for other purposes. The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to block the emergency declaration, the construction of the wall, and any illegal diversion of congressionally-appropriated funds. White House officials said they believe they can unlock an additional USD 6.6 billion through the emergency declaration and other budget maneuvers. The White House believes the money would allow the administration to build at least 234 miles of the border wall. "President Trump is manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up 'national emergency' in order to seize power and undermine the Constitution," said California Governor Gavin Newsom. "This 'emergency' is a national disgrace. Rather than focusing on fighting the real vulnerabilities facing Americans, the President is using the powers of America 's highest office to fan the flames of nativism and xenophobia. Our message to the White House is clear: California will not be part of this political theater. We will see you in court," he said. President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt, charged California Attorney general Xavier Becerra. "He knows there is no border crisis, he knows his emergency declaration is unwarranted, and he admits that he will likely lose this case in court. He is willing to manipulate the Office of the Presidency to engage in unconstitutional theatre performed to convince his audience that he is committed to his 'beautiful' border wall," he said. The complaint alleges that the Trump administration's action declaring a national emergency due to a purported border crisis is unlawful and unconstitutional. "President Trump's hyped crisis is a pretext to justify redirecting congressionally-appropriated funds to pay to build a wall along the southern border after he failed to get Congress or Mexico to pay for it. The facts do not support President Trump's rhetoric or his declaration," a media release said. "Unlawful southern border entries are at their lowest point in 20 years, immigrants are less likely than native-born citizens to commit crimes, and illegal drugs are more likely to come through official ports of entry. There is no credible evidence to suggest that a border wall would decrease crime rates," it said. National emergencies can last for one year and then terminate, unless the president renews the declaration 90 days prior, said Robert Chesney, who served in the Justice Department and teaches at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in his phone talks with U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday night that his country was ready to assume any role for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Moon and Trump had a phone conversation for around 35 minutes at 10 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), according to the presidential Blue House. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump [Photo: China Plus] The leaders intensively discussed ways to cooperate for the success of the upcoming second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States. Top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and Trump agreed to meet again in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 27-28. The first Kim-Trump summit meeting was held in Singapore in June last year. During the phone conversation in about five months, Moon highly evaluated Trump's diplomatic efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Moon expressed his anticipation that the second DPRK-U.S. summit would be a crucial turning point in realizing the peninsula's complete denuclearization, the peace regime building on the peninsula and the development of the DPRK-U.S. relations, which Trump and the DPRK leader agreed to during their Singapore summit. For the corresponding measures to encourage the DPRK to take denuclearization steps, Moon asked Trump to make use of South Korea's role as it can reduce the U.S. burden. The South Korean leader said his country was ready to assume any role, if President Trump demands, ranging from the connection of railways and roads across the inter-Korean border to inter-Korean economic cooperation projects. In his New Year's speech, the DPRK leader said he would work to build new relations with the United States, settle a lasting peace on the peninsula and pursue the complete denuclearization on condition that the United States takes corresponding measures. Kim said he was willing to reopen the inter-Korean industrial park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong and resume the suspended tour program to the DPRK's scenic resort of Mount Kumgang without any preconditions. The Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Mount Kumgang tourist spot have been closed since 2016 and 2008 respectively. South Korea and the DPRK held a groundbreaking ceremony in December to modernize and eventually link railways and roads along the western and eastern peninsula, but construction works had yet to be launched because of the international sanctions against Pyongyang. The two Koreas have been left divided since the 1950-53 Korean war ended with an armistice. The peninsula remains in a technical state of war with no peace treaty signed. During the phone talks, Trump explained to Moon preparations for the second DPRK-U.S. summit and consultations between Washington and Pyongyang, expressing his anticipation for the Hanoi summit with the DPRK leader. Trump showed his expectation for a big outcome from the Hanoi summit, saying he was expected to meet with Moon to share the outcome of the second DPRK-U.S. summit, according to the Blue House. The U.S. president promised to closely consult with Moon on the second DPRK-U.S. summit and follow-up measures, adding that the U.S.-South Korea alliance was better than ever. Hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered in US cities to mourn the killing of over 40 Indian soldiers in one of the worst terror attacks. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. (File Photo) Washington: Hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered in various US cities to mourn the killing of over 40 Indian soldiers in one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. At least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on February 14 in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. Expressing their outrage, hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered at the 9/11 memorial on the outskirts of Chicago on Sunday and urged that all nations need to stand together with India and the US in their fight against those carrying out such "heinous crimes". In a joint resolution read out on the occasion, the participants held peaceful candle light protest in Naperville, Illinois and called upon Pakistan to "end immediately" support to all terrorist groups operating from its soil. "We mourn the loss of 40 Indian security personnel at the hands of terrorists. This was an act of terror, an act of pure evil. We must be firm in the face of evil and terror," said Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in his address. "The threat of terrorism is not stronger than either the will of the Indian people, the American people or the people of the world. Our will is stronger. We will deal firmly with terrorism. We will deal firmly with sponsors of terrorism. In this year of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we will continue to be people of nonviolence, peace and we will continue to open our arms to those who seek to engage with us peacefully," he said. "We will defend ourselves, but we will not change our own character," Krishnamoorthi said. Similar events were held in Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Detroit, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix. Participants of the candle light protest urged the Indian government "to take steps to severely punish" the JeM and other terrorist organisations. Expressing solidarity with people of India and with the government, the diaspora demanded that the UN designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist. Today the Indian community is grieving for those who have been killed and wounded in this inhuman attack, said Krishna Bansal, one of the organisers. The Naperville event was organised by the Indian Community Outreach Organization. As many as four events have been organised in and around Chicago area, which has one of the largest concentrations of Indian-Americans in the US. Later this week, the Indian-American community has organised a peaceful protest outside Pakistani and Chinese communities in Chicago. Similar events were reported from other cities of the country. Indian students in the University of Maryland in a statement said that they "strongly condemn this dastardly attack and mourn the loss of life and extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and people of India". As a mark of solidarity and respect to the slain soldiers, various student organisations in the university have come together to organise a silent candle light vigil on February 21. Several temples in the Greater Washington Area held prayer meetings for the victims of the Pulwama terrorist attack. Scores of Indian-Americans gathered in front of the US Capitol Sunday morning in support of India and to express their outrage at the continuing support to terrorist groups by Pakistan. "We gathered on the lawns of Capitol Hill to offer our Shraddhanjali to martyred Heroes of Pulwama Terrorist Attack," said Adapa Prasad from the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA. "The Indian Diaspora has profusely thanked President Trump's and his administration's unequivocal stand against terrorism which is emanating from Pakistan. The community also expressed gratitude and thanked the National Security Advisor John Bolton's statement on Indian's right to self-defense and help India in these difficult times," said Krishna Reddy of the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA. A prayer meeting in memory of the slain soldiers is being planned in Edison, New Jersey. By Steve Holland WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. By Steve Holland WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will say in a speech on Monday that Venezuela's military officials should "work toward democracy" or risk losing everything they have. "The United States knows where military officials and their families have money hidden throughout the world," the White House said in describing what Trump planned to say. The White House issued points from a speech Trump was to deliver in the Miami area later in the day, saying the president will say the Venezuelan military should let humanitarian aid into the country. Trump will offer strong support for National Assembly President Juan Guaido, who the United States views as the legitimate president of Venezuela, in the speech at Florida International University. The White House said Trump will say the current path toward democracy is irreversible in Venezuela and that "Venezuelan military officials have a clear choice - work toward democracy for their future and the future of their families, or they will lose everything they have." Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who the United States wants to give up power, has been refusing to let in humanitarian aid that has been piling up in the Colombian border city of Cucuta. Guaido has said he will announce details on Monday of how he plans to get the aid into the country from Colombia, Brazil and Curacao, despite Maduros opposition. "The military and security forces should listen to President Guaido and allow humanitarian aid into Venezuela," the White House said in describing what Trump will say. Trump will also say Venezuela should not be "a puppet state" of Cuba and that a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela will help promote democracy in Nicaragua and Cuba. Most Western countries, including the United States, have recognized Guaido as Venezuelas legitimate head of state, but Maduros socialist government retains the backing of Russia and China, as well as control of state institutions including the military. Trump, who wants to boost support among Florida's Hispanic voters as he looks ahead to his re-election campaign in 2020, was also expected to stress what he considers the "dangers of socialism" in his speech. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Tom Brown) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. LONDON (Reuters) - A Spanish warship tried to order commercial shipping to leave anchorages in British waters near Gibraltar but was challenged by the British navy and sailed away, Gibraltar said, the latest example of tension over the strategic port as Brexit approaches. The Spanish ship tried to order ships to leave their anchorages on the eastern side of the Rock, but the ships stayed in position, Gibraltar's authorities said LONDON (Reuters) - A Spanish warship tried to order commercial shipping to leave anchorages in British waters near Gibraltar but was challenged by the British navy and sailed away, Gibraltar said, the latest example of tension over the strategic port as Brexit approaches. The Spanish ship tried to order ships to leave their anchorages on the eastern side of the Rock, but the ships stayed in position, Gibraltar's authorities said. After being challenged by the British navy, the Spanish warship then sailed slowly along the coast with its weapons uncovered and manned. Spanish authorities did not immediately comment on the issue. Tensions over territorial waters around the peninsula in southern Spain often erupt between Spanish and British vessels. Gibraltar, overlooking the strait between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, has been ruled by Britain since 1713. Its status and the status of its 30,000 residents have been gaining attention as Britain's exit from the European Union approaches on March 29, raising questions about free movement across its land and sea borders with Spain. "There is only nuisance value to these foolish games being played by those who don't accept unimpeachable British sovereignty over the waters around Gibraltar," a spokesman for Gibraltar said. Spain has already secured a right of veto over whether future Brexit arrangements can apply to Gibraltar. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez held up an agreement on Britain's withdrawal treaty in November over the issue and said Spain would seek joint sovereignty after Britain leaves the EU. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; additional information by Jose Elias Rodriguez; Editing by Kate Holton and Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Their move underlines the increasing frustration within Labour over Jeremy Corbyns reluctance to change his Brexit strategy - the leftist leader and long-time critic of the EU has stuck to his preference for a new election or his plan to leave the bloc London: Seven Labour lawmakers quit on Monday over leader Jeremy Corbyns approach to Brexit and a row over anti-Semitism, saying Britains main opposition party had been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left. In a direct challenge to Corbyn, the seven centrist MPs said they were courting others from across parliament to join their group, saying enough is enough in keeping silent over their doubts about the Labour leaders fitness for office. United by a desire for a second referendum on Britains decision to leave the European Union, they acknowledged that their resignations would not change the arithmetic in parliament, where there is as yet no majority for such a vote. But their move underlines the increasing frustration within Labour over Corbyns reluctance to change his Brexit strategy - the leftist leader and long-time critic of the EU has stuck to his preference for a new election or his plan to leave the bloc. With only 39 days until Britain leaves the EU, its biggest foreign and trade policy shift in more than 40 years, divisions over Brexit have fragmented British politics, breaking down traditional party lines and creating new ad hoc coalitions. The Labour party we joined that we campaigned for and believed in is no longer todays Labour Party ... it has now been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left, lawmaker Chris Leslie told a news conference. Evidence of Labours betrayal on Europe is now visible for all to see. Offering to actually enable this governments Brexit - constantly holding back from allowing the public a final say. The seven lawmakers are Leslie, Luciana Berger, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey. They will continue to sit as members of parliament under the banner The Independent Group. Corbyn expressed his disappointment that the group had left, referring in a statement to Labour policies that inspired millions at the last election when the opposition party saw its biggest increase in vote share since 1945 to win 262 seats. His finance policy chief, John McDonnell, called on the lawmakers to stand down and try to win back their seat in parliament. The local branch for Labour in Umunnas constituency asked him to call a so-called by-election. But the partys deputy leader, Tom Watson, described the resignations as a wake-up call, saying unless we change we may see more days like this - a guarded suggestion that Corbyn and his team had taken Labour too far to the left. Enough is Enough Britains 2016 EU referendum, when 52 percent voted to leave versus 48 to remain, has split not only British towns and villages but also parliament, with both Conservative and Labour leaders struggling to keep their parties united. Eurosceptics in Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative Party flexed their muscle by voting against her government in a symbolic Brexit ballot last week though have so far given little sign of formally breaking away. But lawmakers in the new Labour independent grouping may hope to tempt away some pro-EU members of the governing party. We believe that the entire political system is now broken ... Weve had enough evidence to suggest that people out there will come forward, register their support and help us... build a new political movement, Angela Smith said. Corbyn has so far stuck to Labour policy to keep the option of a second referendum on the table if Mays government fails to secure a deal with Brussels that can break an impasse in parliament, preferring a new election or his own proposed deal. The prospect of holding a second referendum poses a dilemma for Corbyn: while many of the partys members fervently back a so-called Peoples Vote, others just want Britain to leave as soon as possible. But it was clear that for the seven lawmakers, Corbyns wider beliefs had spurred them to leave the party. Corbyn has cemented a shift to the left in Labour, taking control of a party that, under former prime minister Tony Blair, moved to the centre to win and retain power for 13 years. Some accused Corbyn of failing to tackle anti-Semitism in the party, an allegation that has dogged the Labour chief, a supporter of Palestinian rights and critic of the Israeli government, since he took over the party in 2015. Corbyn denies the allegation, saying he is stamping anti-Semitism out. Luciana Berger, a Jewish lawmaker who has faced abuse, said the party had become institutionally anti-Semitic. For others, Corbyn was just not up to the demands of his office, they said. Mike Gapes said it was now a question of lawmakers moral integrity whether to stay in Labour. Pakistani government officials who participated in the FATF meetings reveal that the biggest concern of the task force is the status of groups affiliated with Hafiz Saeed. Global terror financing watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), is hosting its annual meeting between 17 and 22 February in Paris, a series of meetings critical for Pakistan. Led by the Secretary of Finance and the Director General of the Counter-Terrorism Department, Islamabad will have to explain how groups linked with globally-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed function within the country, among other counter-terror glitches. After an FATF meeting last year, Pakistan was grey-listed in June 2018, a move based largely on a US proposal that asserted that Pakistan lacked "strategic capabilities" to internally counter financing of terrorism. When the 37-nation task force placed Pakistan on its grey list in June 2018, officials clearly informed Islamabad that it could be blacklisted if it failed to take concrete action to curb terror financing. This includes fixing the country's financial system, which FATF officials maintain poses a risk to global network. Pakistan, which does not have a mechanism in place to curb money laundering and terror financing, also faces the threat of being blacklisted by the European Union. Pakistani government officials who participated in the FATF meetings reveal that the biggest concern of the task force is the status of groups affiliated with Hafiz Saeed. In November 2017, the Lahore High Court released Saeed the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) from house arrest, citing "insufficient evidence" against him. However, in February 2018, Pakistan amended the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, sanctioning a countrywide ban against groups and individuals that the United Nations has enlisted as terrorists, including Saeed. The fact that the move came a week before the FATF meeting can be construed as a Hail Mary to avoid the grey list. While Pakistan officially banned LeT in 2002, its affiliated groups Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) continue to function openly in the country, effectively making them fronts for the terror group. In July last year, when the JuD- affiliated Allaho Akbar Tehreek (AAT) contested the general elections, it had Saeed's images on its banners. AAT was the follow-up to JuD's political front, the Milli Muslim League (MML), whose candidates had participated in the by-elections preceding the July polls. In September 2018, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had rejected the federal government's plea to restrain the fundraising activities of JuD and FIF. Projects affiliated with these groups include 300 seminaries, schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The court allowed both JuD and FIF to continue with their "welfare work" for the "benefit of the country". FATF officials narrated these facts at a meeting with a Pakistani delegation in Sydney last month, government sources confirmed. At the meeting, the task force further underlined requirements that Pakistan needs to fulfil by May 2019 and September 2019 the two windows during which Islamabad's status will be reviewed. "Pakistan can't show any progress in time for February's meeting, but if we follow the template that the FATF has handed out, we could be in better shape later this year," noted an official who has been a part of Pakistan's delegation at these meetings with the FATF. "However, action against Hafiz Saeed and his groups has been a concern repeated by FATF officials at all meetings since February last year, and we will have to show some progress in this month's meeting as well." Officials further confirm that while Pakistan is facing a potential threat of being blacklisted, if Islamabad executes the FATF's plan, it actually stands the chance of going back to the white list later this year. Former Finance Minister Salman Shah warned that FATF blacklisting could result in banking isolation for Pakistan. "The FATF has given clear guidelines with regard to how the banking system is manipulated by terrorist groups for money laundering purposes. It's time to ensure that all Pakistani banks have a mechanism in place to prevent undocumented transactions," he asserted. Shah also believes that the sizeable cash economy in Pakistan makes it hard to regulate all transactions. "Most of the terror funding is carried out through cash transactions. That is one area that will take considerable time to be regulated." Lieutenant General (retired) Talat Masood, former secretary of the Ministry of Defense Production, believes that the FATF's action against Pakistan is a result of false security policies. "It is evident that the (groups affiliated with Hafiz Saeed) are being mainstreamed into Pakistani politics. That is why the international trust is gradually declining. TheFATF's repeated warnings are a result of that." Meanwhile, Hafiz Saeed-affiliated groups are confident that their support for the separatist freedom movement in Kashmir will ensure that Islamabad doesn't take stricter action against them. "We are working for the people of Pakistan through charities, and we are simultaneously raising our voice for the people of Kashmir. Only those who want to take action against us are working on American and Indian agenda," claimed Ehsan Ullah, finance secretary of the JuD-affiliated MML. The author is an Islamabad-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters By Marti Maguire RALEIGH, N.C. (Reuters) - An investigation of a disputed 2018 congressional contest in North Carolina has uncovered a 'coordinated, unlawful and substantially resourced absentee ballot scheme,' the state's elections board executive director said on Monday. Investigators found evidence that a political operative working for Republican congressional candidate Mark Harris in last year's election unlawfully collected absentee ballots from voters in the state's 9th congressional district, director Kim Strach said at the start of a hearing that could lead to a new election By Marti Maguire RALEIGH, N.C. (Reuters) - An investigation of a disputed 2018 congressional contest in North Carolina has uncovered a "coordinated, unlawful and substantially resourced absentee ballot scheme," the state's elections board executive director said on Monday. Investigators found evidence that a political operative working for Republican congressional candidate Mark Harris in last year's election unlawfully collected absentee ballots from voters in the state's 9th congressional district, director Kim Strach said at the start of a hearing that could lead to a new election. The scheme affected 1,019 ballot requests in Bladen and Robeson counties during the 2018 election, Strach said. Harris initially appeared to win by mere hundreds of votes. The U.S. House of Representatives seat has remained vacant since state officials refused to certify the apparent victory by Harris over Democratic rival Dan McCready, after voters in the state's 9th congressional district said the Harris campaign team had collected their incomplete absentee ballots. Harris declared victory after early vote tallies showed him with a 905-vote edge out of 282,717 ballots cast. McCready withdrew his initial concession after reports about absentee ballots surfaced. Republican political operative Leslie McCrae Dowless conducted an absentee ballot operation from April 2017 up to the 2018 elections while working for Red Dome Consulting, a firm hired by the Harris campaign, Strach said. She said Dowless paid workers $150 for every 50 absentee ballot requests they collected and another $125 for every 50 ballots collected. State officials have named Dowless as a person of interest in their election fraud probe after voters in Bladen County said people working with Dowless came to their homes and collected ballots, which would violate state law. Dowless and Harris both attended Monday's hearing in Raleigh. Dowless' lawyer, Cynthia Adams Singletary, has denied her client violated state or federal campaign laws, and Harris has said he was unaware of any wrongdoing. Under state law, the five-member elections board could order a new election if it finds sufficient evidence that fraud affected the outcome of the election. If it does not, it could certify Harris as the district's congressional representative. "We hope to have Dr. Harris certified so he can take his seat in the congressional district," said David Freedman, a lawyer representing Harris. Representatives for McCready did not respond to a request for comment. If the Democrats pick up the seat, they would widen their 235-197 majority in the House after taking control of the chamber from President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans in the Nov. 6 election. While Trump has repeatedly and without evidence said that large numbers of illegal immigrants have cast ballots in U.S. elections to the benefit of Democrats, the North Carolina dispute involves alleged election fraud by the Republicans. (Reporting by Marti Maguire; Additional reporting by Gabriella Borter in New York; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Tom Brown) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is on an Asia tour probably because the traction he had gained in the West, with his easy affability and ostensibly non-conservative outlook, is now faded thanks to the particularly brutal murder by his kingdom of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. On Monday, Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman signed investment agreements with Pakistan worth $20 billion. On Tuesday, he arrives in India, riding on hopes of at least a $1-billion investment in the country's infrastructure and farming sectors. In the days to come, bin Salman is also set to visit China, Malaysia and Indonesia. Clearly, the crown prince's days of dining with media baron Rupert Murdoch, meeting with Oprah Winfrey and Tim Cook and posing for photos with US president Donald Trump are slightly behind him. His travel plans now heavily focus on the East. And with this focus comes the inevitable loosening of Saudi Arabia's purse strings. Why is the crown prince, who it has to be noted has never visited India before this, suddenly eager to win the favours of the countries he has not particularly paid attention to? Most likely because the traction he had gained in the West, with his easy affability and ostensibly non-conservative outlook, is now faded thanks to the particularly brutal murder by his kingdom of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Image building The key to the concerted campaign that went into building the image of bin Salman, is in the fact that he has allowed his initials to be popular. "MBS" is short, amenable to the Western tongue and attempts to undo the long-held impression in people's minds of the cruelty displayed by Saudi Arabia's extremely conservative regime. Ever since he was appointed heir to the Saudi throne in 2017, the 33-year-old has has fashioned himself as a reformer capable of imbuing the country and its culture with modernity. With the support of his good friend Donald Trump, MBS enjoyed a period of acceptance. Buckling tradition, he gave an interview to the decidedly liberal paper, Washington Post, no doubt aware of the effect it would have on the West's regard of him as a king of the 21st century. In addition to bringing crucial cuts to the power of the religious police, he also publicised a "Vision 2030" economic reform plan for the country. To the newspaper he spoke freely on his goal of convincing both Russia and the USA that Riyadh is a better place to buy oil from than Tehran's Iran. "The main objective is not to have Russia place all its cards in the region behind Iran. We have been coordinating our oil policies recently with Moscow," he said. While he placed a woman as the head of the Saudi Stock exchange, allowed women to open businesses without a man's permission, allowed women to drive and arrested 200 allegedly corrupt men in the kingdom, one of the people who remained unconvinced of his claims to be forward thinking was the journalist Khashoggi, who left little opportunity to severely criticise MBS. Khashoggi's columns had the very readers whom MBS was aiming to win over. Not one to accept the gimmicks carried out to necessitate international headlines, Khashoggi wrote on Washington Post, "When I speak of the fear, intimidation, arrests and public shaming of intellectuals and religious leaders who dare to speak their minds, and then I tell you that Im from Saudi Arabia, are you surprised? With young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans rise to power, he promised an embrace of social and economic reform. He spoke of making our country more open and tolerant and promised that he would address the things that hold back our progress, such as the ban on women driving...but all I see now are arrests." Khashoggi fled his own country, and in October of 2018, walked into Turkey's consulate in Istanbul, where he was murdered. Turkish officials however say they have evidence, including gruesome audio recordings, that the journalist was killed by a team of Saudi agents on orders that came from the highest levels, BBC had reported. After the murder A diplomatic crisis was triggered. After initially denying the administration's role in the murder, Riyadh came up with a series of accounts on how Khashoggi died, ranging from plainly untrue to bizarre. The global backlash was huge and at the same time, formerly peaceful countries like Canada began criticising the double-faced arrest of women's rights activists. US support for the Saudi onslaught in Yemen was also called into question and prompted a rare vote in the US Senate on reining in President Donald Trump's war powers. Democrats said they planned to investigate the Khashoggi killing to great depths and even European governments came under considerable pressure to censure Riyadh, wrote the World Politics Review. As the very image he had sought to create crumbled around him, MBS signalled clearly that his push for change did not extend to politics, rounding up dozens of intellectuals in sweeping crackdowns, and lifting opponents from the streets of other countries to bring them back to Saudi jails, reported The Guardian. Image rebuilding The Asia tour, says the South China Morning Post, the largest outing on the international scene for the crown prince since the G20 summit in Argentina in December is a timely demonstration to the West that he still has friends in rising Asia. Both India and Pakistan could do with Saudi Arabia's largesse, and cannot afford to be critical of the regime. Not only has Pakistan accepted investment agreements worth $20 billion, so crucial is this investment that the Crown Prince was welcomed with a fighter jet escort, a gold-plated submachine gun, a declared national holiday and Pakistan's highest civilian honour. "Pakistan is going to be a very, very important country in the future and we want to be sure that we are part of that," the Prince emphasised. While India has largely been friendly with Saudi Arabia, it not only eyes an investment prize but also aims to deny the advantage of such an economic superpower to Pakistan. While until now, it was India's onus to maintain ties with the kingdom, the fact that the Prince is compelled to visit this time is indication enough that he now looks to the East. The visit to Beijing promises to "promote the greater development of Sino-Saudi relations" and "deepen cooperation" on China's Belt and Road Initiative, according to foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. Allying himself with a tentative China would place Saudi Arabia that much closer to the nerve centre of Asian international politics. It is crucial for MBS to rebuild a reputation largely shattered by Khashoggi's murder, and in Asia this will come at a price he is willing to pay. Imran said that he hopes 'better sense will prevail' in the Indian side as he believes that only dialogue and talks are the solutions to the Kashmir issue which the bone of contention between the warring nations. Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan in a televised address on Tuesday warned that his country will not think twice before retaliating in the face of any military action by India. Reacting for the first time after the Pulwama terror attack on 14 February, Khan said that if India has any proof of a Pakistani national's involvement, it should hand Pakistan the evidence of the same adding that his country will take action on it. Imran said that he hopes "better sense will prevail" in the Indian side as he believes that only dialogue and talks are the solutions to the Kashmir issue which is the bone of contention between the two countries. Prime Minister Imran Khan giving Policy Statement of Pakistan on the Pulwama attack in Indian Occupied Kashmir.@ImranKhanPTI (19.02.19)#PMIKTheStatesman pic.twitter.com/bLNvH5PMiY PTI (@PTIofficial) February 19, 2019 Imran said that he was waiting for the Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman to leave from Pakistan to say anything on this matter as it was "stupid to think on anyone's part" that Pakistan would try to "sabotage such an important conference". He said that even otherwise, Pakistan has nothing to gain from such an activity."How will Pakistan benefit from this?" he asked. "If India has any actionable intelligence, give it to us we will act on it," Imran reiterated his stance. He also said that Pakistan is ready to talk on terror, which he said is a global issue. However, Imran warned that India should not become a nation that practices the 'judge, jury and execution' approach while dealing with its neighbour. "No country can be the "judge, jury and execution", Imran said. He slammed India's "one-dimensional approach and torture in Kashmir" which he said is not the solution to the problem in the region. Military oppression has never been the answer as seen in the case of Afghanistan, Imran said. Imran said that Pakistan has been inflicted with terror for 15 years and has lost 70,000 troops to it and thus believes that no one from its soil should attack anyone else and vice versa. Imran concluded by saying that he knows that elections are due in India and this approach may give the country "a boost in election year" but blaming Pakistan would achieve nothing, he said. The suicide attack by a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama caused the death of 40 personnel and left several injured. In the aftermath of the attack, India had registered a strong protest with Pakistan and demanded the neighbouring nation stops supporting terrorists and terror groups operating from its territory and dismantle the infrastructure operated by terrorist outfits to launch attacks in other countries. Condemning the attack, India said that Pakistan-supported JeM was behind the "heinous and despicable act". It urged the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council and to ban terrorist groups operating from Pakistan. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the sacrifice of the jawans "would not go in vain" and that the "neighbouring country" should remember that this is a "new India". However, the Pakistan foreign secretary rejected the allegations and said that it would not accept accusations without "due investigation". India has slammed its neighbour for stating that it had no role in the attack, saying that Islamabad could not claim that it was unaware of the presence of terror groups on its soil as the links of such outfits to the country were "there for everyone to see." LONDON (Reuters) - Gibraltar's leader on Monday said an incursion into British waters by a Spanish warship at the weekend was a quixotic attempt at intimidation but that the people of Gibraltar would stand up to bullies both before and after Brexit on March 29. 'Anyone who believes in the rules-based international legal order will have been shocked by the cavalier and quixotic actions of the Spanish military vessel at the weekend,' Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's chief minister, said in a statement. LONDON (Reuters) - Gibraltar's leader on Monday said an incursion into British waters by a Spanish warship at the weekend was a quixotic attempt at intimidation but that the people of Gibraltar would stand up to bullies both before and after Brexit on March 29. "Anyone who believes in the rules-based international legal order will have been shocked by the cavalier and quixotic actions of the Spanish military vessel at the weekend," Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's chief minister, said in a statement. "This childish behaviour is unsatisfactory whether it is errant or directed from above," Picardo said. "The people of Gibraltar won't be bullied now or after the 29th of March." Picardo said the Spanish vessel sailed through Gibraltar's waters with her weapons uncovered. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by Kylie MacLellan) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. No evidence has been produced publicly and the firm has repeatedly denied the allegations. New Zealands intelligence agency in November rejected an initial request from telecommunications services provider Spark to use 5G equipment provided by Huawei. (Photo: AP) New Zealand will independently assess the risk of using Chinas Huawei Technologies in 5G networks, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday after a report suggested that British precautions could be used by other nations. Huawei, the worlds biggest producer of telecoms equipment, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with the Chinese government and US-led allegations that its equipment could be used by Beijing for spying. No evidence has been produced publicly and the firm has repeatedly denied the allegations, which have led several Western countries to restrict Huaweis access to their markets. The Financial Times reported on Sunday that the British government had decided it can mitigate the risks arising from the use of Huawei equipment in 5G networks. It said Britains conclusion would carry great weight with European leaders and other nations could use similar precautions. New Zealands intelligence agency in November rejected an initial request from telecommunications services provider Spark to use 5G equipment provided by Huawei. At the time, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) gave Spark options to mitigate national security concerns over the use of Huawei equipment, Ardern said on Monday. The ball is now in their court, she told a weekly news conference. Ardern said New Zealand, which is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network that includes the United Kingdom and the United States, would conduct its own assessment. I would expect the GCSB to apply with our legislation and our own security assessments. It is fair to say Five Eyes, of course, share information but we make our own independent decisions, she said. Huawei New Zealand did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Spark said it was in discussions with GCSB officials. We are working through what possible mitigations we might be able to provide to address the concerns raised by the GCSB and have not yet made any decision on whether or when we should submit a revised proposal to GCSB, Spark spokesman Andrew Pirie said in an emailed statement. The Huawei decision, along with the governments tougher stance on Chinas growing influence in the Pacific, has some politicians and foreign policy analysts worried about potential strained ties with a key trading partner. Arderns planned first visit to Beijing has faced scheduling issues, and China last week postponed a major tourism campaign in New Zealand days before its launch. Ardern said her governments relationship with China was strong despite some complex issues. Visits are not a measure of the health of a relationship they are only one small part of it, she said, adding that trade and tourism ties remained strong. Bernie Sanders, that 2016 prophet of US left-wing populism, now 77, launched his second campaign for US president early Tuesday but this time as a heavyweight candidate rather than an underdog in an already crowded Democratic field that is being assessed on one outsized metric: Can you beat Donald Trump? Bernie Sanders, that 2016 prophet of US left-wing populism, now 77, launched his second campaign for US president early Tuesday but this time as a heavyweight candidate rather than an underdog in an already crowded Democratic field that is being assessed on one outsized metric: Can you beat Donald Trump? In fact, 20 per cent of Republican primary voters support a challenger to Trump according to brand new weekly polling. With rock star style campaign rallies, Sanders kicked up the whiff of revolution back in 2016. Feel the Bern became his supporters anthem and when Hillary Clinton won the nomination, it also proved that left wing insurgency could only go so far. Some of Sanders' fiercest backers never voted for Clinton, preferring to sit out instead. Today, you have a 2020 field that is packed with contenders who are campaigning on platforms similar to Sanders 2016 campaign. His message isn't so shiny anymore at a time when beating Donald Trump tops Democratic voters' agenda. Sanders has more than just name recognition in a crowded field, he propelled a grassroots movement that took him to unexpected heights in 2016. He raised more than $100 million from donors giving less than $200 during the 2016 run; that kind of already known donor base can be powerful while walking away from traditional, big money donors. Were gonna win, says Sanders. His confidence is powered by data from the 2016 primaries. In 2016, Sanders outperformed Clinton with young voters and voters who live in rural areas. He won primaries in states with sizable white populations like Michigan and Wisconsin states that Clinton lost to Trump in the general election to Trump. Sanders and team are convinced that his appeal to independent voters, the white working class and people of color could play kingmaker in a general election. "I think the current occupant of the White House is an embarrassment to our country," Sanders said. "I think he is a pathological liar ... I also think he is a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, somebody who is gaining cheap political points by trying to pick on minorities, often undocumented immigrants. Opponents, especially the Trump team, is going to paint Sanders as an extremist. Sanders responded early with this not-so-radical rebuttal: Someone wants to call me a radical? O.K., here it is. I believe that people are entitled to health care. I believe that people are entitled to get the best education they can. People are entitled to live in a clean environment. People are entitled to have decent paying jobs. Thats what I believe. Sanderss team is watching Beto ORourke very carefully, much more than they are any other candidate. ORourke appeals to many of the same types of voters that Sanders leans on. In poll after poll, electabiliy trumps ideology for the 2020 race and Sanders poll promises may not count for much against the prospect of simply beating Trump, even if voters disagree on ideology. Although Biden has not yet jumped in the ring, he receives 29 per cent of the vote in a Morning Consult poll, conducted weekly. Bernie Sanders is a close second followed by Kamala Harris. Biden leads in early primary states Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina or Nevada. Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are consistently the top choices for the Democratic nomination. Among the top 5 candidates, Bernie Sanders has the youngest average aged voter (41), while Biden has the oldest (52). By Felix Onuah ABUJA (Reuters) - President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday warned that anyone trying to tamper with Nigeria's postponed vote risked their lives and accused the electoral commission of incompetence. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the delay in the early hours of Saturday, just as some of Nigeria's 84 million registered voters were already making their way to polling stations Buhari said anyone trying to steal or destroy ballot boxes and voting material in the election now scheduled to take place this coming Saturday would be dealt with firmly. 'I have given the military and the police instructions to be ruthless By Felix Onuah ABUJA (Reuters) - President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday warned that anyone trying to tamper with Nigeria's postponed vote risked their lives and accused the electoral commission of incompetence. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the delay in the early hours of Saturday, just as some of Nigeria's 84 million registered voters were already making their way to polling stations Buhari said anyone trying to steal or destroy ballot boxes and voting material in the election now scheduled to take place this coming Saturday would be dealt with firmly. "I have given the military and the police instructions to be ruthless. We are not going to be blamed for the bad conduct of the election," he told an emergency meeting of senior members of his All Progressives Congress (APC) party in the capital Abuja. He said anyone trying to intimidate voters or interfere with the voting "will do it at the expense of his own life". The opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) has suggested that Buhari, a former military ruler who was later elected president in 2015, was behind the postponement in order to hold on to power. The ruling party has accused the PDP of being behind the delay and colluding with figures within the electoral commission. The PDP criticised the president's comments in which he warned people against tampering with election material. "President Muhammadu Buhari's threat to the lives of Nigerians, at the opening of APC's national caucus meeting in Abuja today, is a direct call for jungle justice," the party said in a statement. All sides have, however, appealed for calm in a country where past elections have been marred by violence and intimidation. So far, there have been no signs of violence or unrest after INEC announced the delay. Buhari faces a tight contest against the PDP's Atiku Abubakar to lead a country that has Africa's largest economy and is its top oil producer but is plagued by corruption and wide gaps between rich and poor. The election has been fought over Buhari's handling of the economy amid fragile growth and growing unemployment as the country recovers from a recession in 2016. Rising insecurity, notably in regions under attack by Boko Haram and other Islamist militants, is also a big worry. The INEC cited logistical difficulties and problems with transporting election material to far-flung or conflict-ridden areas, and denied any political pressure had been brought to bear in its decision to suspend the vote. Buhari said there was a need to scrutinise the issues that caused the postponement. "Definitely the reasons why such incompetence manifests itself has to be explained to the nation. After the election we have to know exactly what really happened," he said, promising that an investigation would be launched. The electoral commission had said that campaigning would be suspended until the new voting day on Saturday but the two main parties have said they intend to resume campaigning. APC chairman Adams Oshiomhole told his party's meeting that INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu Oshiomhole had been mistaken in halting campaigning. "INEC is not in a position to make laws. The law says you are entitled to renew campaigns up to 24 hours before the beginning of election," he said. The opposition PDP also said it would get back on the campaign trail. It rejected the commission's decision on campaigns, which a PDP statement said was "directly in conflict with the provision of the Electoral Act and is not backed by any other law in our country". (Additional reporting by Paul Carsten, Aaron Ross, Camillus Eboh; Writing by James Macharia and Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Alison Williams) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Sixteen US states sued US president Donald Trump's administration on Monday over his decision to declare a national emergency to fund a wall on the southern border with Mexico, saying the move violated the constitution. San Francisco: Sixteen US states sued US president Donald Trump's administration on Monday over his decision to declare a national emergency to fund a wall on the southern border with Mexico, saying the move violated the constitution. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in California, said the president's order was contrary to the Presentment Clause that outlines legislative procedures and the Appropriations Clause, which defines Congress as the final arbiter of public funds. The move had been previously announced by Xavier Becerra, the attorney general of California, who said his state and others had legal standing because they risked losing moneys intended for military projects, disaster assistance and other purposes. Several Republican senators have decried the emergency declaration, saying it establishes a dangerous precedent and amounts to executive overreach. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia are party to the complaint seeking an injunction. "Use of those additional federal funds for the construction of a border wall is contrary to Congress's intent in violation of the US Constitution, including the Presentment Clause and Appropriations Clause," the complaint said. It added that Trump had "veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making." "Congress has repeatedly rebuffed the president's insistence to fund a border wall, recently resulting in a record 35-day partial government shutdown over the border wall dispute," the document read. "After the government reopened, Congress approved, and the president signed into law, a $1.375 billion appropriation for fencing along the southern border, but Congress made clear that funding could not be used to build President Trump's proposed border wall." The complaint added that the Department of Homeland Security had violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to evaluate the environmental impact of the wall in California and New Mexico. Friday's declaration enables the president to divert funds from the Pentagon's military construction budget and other sources. Ranjit Lal Ive always been filled with admiration whenever I go on board a plane. As you approach the jet, you wonder how the heck something so large can actually get off the ground. Of course, it does, and the flight is usually far smoother than the ride to the airport (and safer too). Plus, you're usually fed and watered well on flights. There you are, cruising at 30,000 feet at nearly 600 miles an hour comfortable and cool... That's, of course, till they serve you tea or coffee. There...on the tiny plastic tray it sits, gleaming blue: the sealed little sachet of powdered milk for your hot beverage. If we developed a technology to make an enormous metal contraption fly, then surely You pick up the sachet and give the top an experimental twist with your thumbs. Nothing. Your turn it upside down and try again. Same result. The tea, poured and waiting, is rapidly getting cold. So you add more torque this time around. The sachet promptly explodes, covering you and your co-passenger in a cloud of sweet, white, sticky milk powder. Thankfully, he isn't upset. But smiles sheepishly at you hes tried to open the sachet of tomato sauce and is looking like hes taken part in a slasher movie. Again, we have the technology to make jets down, but not to make small packets that you can open in a civilized fashion? Of course not. This is deliberate! Its just a small part of our killjoy nature manifesting itself. Anything that can give you the slightest modicum of enjoyment or pleasure or happiness or sweetness and light is sinful. Period. So why ever not make the procedure of attaining that as frustrating as possible? Look at tin cans. Have you ever managed to open a can of sardines without losing your temper, a spouse, a good amount of blood (if not a couple of fingers) and splashing oil and brine and sardines all over the kitchen when you finally manage to wrench the can open? "Ah," you might say, "but there are these fantastic heavy-duty can openers you can own now...You know, the ones that you can slot in and twist the butterfly thingy alongside so it slides around the top of the tin can, cutting it open as it goes around like a knife in hot butter?" Sure! I was given just such an industrial-strength can-opener from the US and what next? It opened the first so sweetly you wouldn't believe. And then? It slotted in just fine (or so I thought), and when I twisted it, all I got was wheelspin. The teeth had blunted and refused to pierce the tin. (Was it tin or bulletproof metal, now?) The only thing that worked was the ancient lever-type can opener that you jab or hammer in and manoeuvre around the top of the tin inch-by-inch. Ah, you may have an open can now, but thats not the happily-ever-after of the story, is it? Now you must don industrial-strength leather gloves and gingerly remove the top of the can its edges sharp enough to amputate a thigh or two. The edges of the can are, of course, equally dangerous jagged and merciless as a sharks mouth. Without the gloves, youll be cut to the bone money back guaranteed! Now go and enjoy your sardines on toast if you can! With local (Indian made foreign) liquor bottles, well what the hell can you expect? The collar sealing the bottle top either will happily revolve as you twirl it around, or simply refuse to separate. Take a knife to slice through the notches on it and you can be sure that at some point during the procedure it will slip, go berserk, and slash your hand into two. Now you really are in need of a drink and havent still opened the damn bottle! Basically, the message being sent to you is clear: how dare you try to enjoy a drink? You should be ashamed! This is India. To drive the point home: imported liquor bottles open sweetly and serenely pre-cut grooves on the collars ensure that you can open the bottle in seconds without bleeding half to death...only, you must look for the grooves and not try a ham-fisted brutal manoeuvre as you would for the local bottle of hooch! Of course, you could argue that liquor bottles are made tough to open so that bootleggers find it difficult to break the seals, drink up the stuff and replace it with petrol, (this may prove counter-productive considering the price of petrol), or paint thinner, which can blind you or make your kidneys disintegrate. Be warned: those in this line of work know exactly how to open, re-seal (and often, re-label) the bottles perfectly. Medicine bottles will, as a rule, give you or your two-year-old no trouble at all and open cleanly with a single twist. So you could (as so many college kids are doing) console yourself with codeine-infused cough syrups instead of rum. But now look at toys and those essentials of life: SD cards! Ah, theyre in a class by themselves! Toys are hermetically sealed in gorilla-proof plastic casings which will challenge even the most destructive two-year-old, and which are probably genuinely bulletproof. (You can be sure, once, and by the time the two-year-old manages to rip open the package, he will ignore the toy and play with the box and probably be 16 years old.) As for data cards, theyre getting smaller and smaller and are entombed in Kevlar-strength plastic. So breaking them out without breaking them in two is where the challenge lies. Even batteries AA or AAA come in blister packs which can give you blisters as you struggle to push them out. Here you will be happy to note we are joined by the international community in fact, they started sealing everything in hard plastic much before we did. But most of the packaging did still have quick release instructions (otherwise Americans would be calling up 911 every time they wanted to open a bag of chips), which somehow, never work here! But now that plastic has become such a bad boy and is being shunted out, maybe we can hope for easier times ahead. I wonder Instead of impossible to open easily plastic containers will we go back to good old brown paper bags and cardboard? You know the kind that will give way and disintegrate the moment you step outside the shop? Simply because the killjoys must prevail? The author is a writer, columnist, environmentalist and bird watcher. tech2 News Staff The Redmi Note 7 was unveiled in China earlier in January and now it is set to release in India on 28 February. At the launch of the Redmi Note 7, Xiaomi had also confirmed that the Redmi Note 7 Pro, equipped with a 48 MP camera that uses Sony IMX586 sensor will launch later. Though there was no exact date given. Since then the Redmi Note 7 Pro has been popping up on certification and benchmarking sites revealing tidbits of information here and there. Now, the Redmi Note 7 Pro has been spotted on China's 3C certification site and is listed with the model number M1901F7BE as per a report in NashvilleChatterClass, who first spotted the listing. The 3C listing shows the phone to be made available with MDY-08-ES, which as per the report means that the phone might offer up to 18W fast charging. Another report in GSMArena mentions that the Redmi Note 7 Pro might come with a UD scanner. Also, a post has been spotted on Weibo by Redmi CEO Lu Weibing, which roughly translates to "Drink (wine) then Pro." This somewhat suggests that Xiaomi might first launch the Xiaomi Mi 9 and after that might roll out the Redmi 7 Note Pro. The Xiaomi Mi 9 is set to launch on the 20 February, the same day as the launch of the Vivo V15 Pro and V15 in India and Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event held in San Francisco. The Mi 9 might also come in a transparent edition with 48 MP camera and 12 GB RAM. As per previous rumours, the Redmi Note 7 Pro is quite likely going to include he notched 6.4-inch display and the 4,000 mAh battery with Quick Charge 4 capabilities. Reuters Qualcomm Inc on Tuesday introduced its second-generation of so-called modem chips to connect phones to 5G networks, speeding up the race around faster wireless data connections expected to begin rolling out later this year. Qualcomm, the worlds largest mobile chip supplier, is hoping the device will fuel the spread of 5G phones later this year and next year. While Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi Corp last year used Qualcomms first-generation chip for small batches of 5G phones, the second-generation chip announced Tuesday is aimed at mass production. The move comes a day before Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the worlds largest smartphone maker, is set to announce its new flagship Galaxy series phones. Samsung and Qualcomm in December publicly committed to working together to release a 5G phone this year, and analysts believe Samsung will unveil a 5G version of its flagship models this week. Qualcomms chips are entering a crowded field. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the worlds third-largest smartphone maker, last month announced that it has built a 5G chip that it will use in its own phones. Samsung, too, has a 5G modem called the Exynos 5100 that will power many Samsung devices sold outside the United States. Taiwan-based MediaTek Inc also has 5G chip, with Intel Corp targeting the second half of this year for a release. Carriers in Korea and China, meantime, are set to start turning on the networks this spring, with carriers in the United States planning rollouts for later this year. For Qualcomms part, the company is also introducing several chips surrounding the modem. Some elements of 5G phones, such as the design of antennas and chips for handling analog radio waves, are more complicated than previous generations of phones. Qualcomm aims to speed up adoption of 5G by also selling those technologies to phone makers. This year, virtually every major Android [phone maker] will be launching a phone with 5G, said Ignacio Contreras, head of 5G marketing for Qualcomm. Apple Inc has not said when the iPhone will have 5G capabilities. In its iPhones released last year, Apple dropped Qualcomms chips in favor of those from Intel. Apple disclosed in a court hearing last month that it had held talks with MediaTek and Samsung about supplying modems for 2019 iPhones, but Bloomberg earlier reported that 5G iPhones will not appear until 2020. tech2 News Staff Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus will be making it's very first appearance at MWC with a prototype device which it claims will be 5G enabled. The event will be held on 26 February, which also happens to be the last of MWC 2019, and company CEO Pete Lau will be joined by Qualcomm President Cristiano R. Amon, and EE CEO Marc Aller for a panel discussion regarding the future of 5G. The prototype device, should by no means be considered the OnePlus 7 as of yet. However, we should see a OnePlus device with 5G in the consumer markets by the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. This device will also be running on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 855 chipset, and right now these are the only details available for the device. OnePlus says that worlds first 5G tweet was sent by Pete Lau via connecting the prototype device to a 5G Non-standalone Network. OnePlus also claims to be the first smartphone maker to release a 5G phone in the UK after striking a partnership with EE, which is UK's biggest mobile network. Our strong relationship with mobile industry leaders like Qualcomm Technologies and EE makes us believe that we could bring the best 5G device to the world. OnePlus core strength is having a tech community with more than 5.5 million users from 196 countries around the world. Our mission to tackle 5G head on was decided together with our community members. No other company out there is better suited to take on 5G than OnePlus, said Pete Lau in a statement. Head here for an entire rumour roundup for the OnePlus 7 tech2 News Staff HMD Globals mid-range Nokia-branded smartphones are currently listed at a discounted price on e-retail platform Amazon India and Tata CLiQ. The discount offers as spotted by Nokia Power User are available on the Nokia 8.1 and Nokia 7.1. First up, the premium mid-range Nokia 8.1 is listed on Amazon at a discount price of Rs 26,480 for the Iron colour variant with 4GB RAM/64 GB storage. The smartphone was launched in India for a starting price of Rs 26,999. It is worth mentioning that the discount is offered by an independent retailer on the e-commerce platform. As for the Nokia 7.1, the phones Gloss Steel colour variant with 4 GB RAM/64 GB storage is currently selling on Tata CLiQ at a discount price of Rs 18,889. For buyers who own a Kotak credit or debit card can get an extra 10 per cent instant discount upon purchasing the handset via the retail store. Tata CLiQ in the dedicated Nokia 7.1 page mentioned that the special offer will be valid till 27 March. No cost EMI for the phone starts at Rs 3,148 a month. To recall, the Nokia 7.1 was launched in India last year for a price of Rs 19,999. The smartphone is the first to feature Nokias PureDisplay technology which is HDR10 ready. The Nokia 7.1 also features Carl Zeiss-branded camera optics with 12 MP + 5 MP dual rear camera and an 8 MP front-facing camera. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor and it packs a 3,060 mAhb battery. In case you are looking for offers on Nokias budget smartphones, Flipkart is offering the Nokia 5.1 Plus at a discount price of Rs 8,999 under its Mobiles Bonanza sale. For a price under Rs 10,000, its a fair deal given you get a glass-encased compact smartphone with stock Android UI, a tall display and USB-C port which is missing on most budget smartphones. Reuters Huawei Technologies Co Ltds founder and chief executive pledged not to share any customer information with the Chinese government and said the company had never done so, in an interview with CBS News that aired on Tuesday. Asked if it had shared data with Chinas government, Huaweis Ren Zhengfei said in a translated interview with the television news outlet: For the past 30 years, we have never done that. And (for) the next 30 years to come, we will never do that. Ren also said the company did not have a back door to share customer data with Beijing without his knowledge. It is not possible, he told CBS, saying if there were such an opening the United States would have uncovered it already. On Monday, Ren said in a separate interview with the BBC that the technology company would not undertake any spying activities and that it could shift its business investments to other countries amid an ongoing U.S. pressure campaign. The United States is calling on its allies not to use technology from Huawei, the worlds biggest producer of telecommunication equipment, amid concerns over its relationship with the Chinese government and allegations it has enabled state espionage. The government and its bailiff in Kashmir, state governor Satya Pal Malik, are yet to take any meaningful deterrent action against the communal gangs. Whatever the promised Indian response to Jaish-e-Mohammads recent fidayeen attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmirs Pulwama district, which took dozens of lives, it is by now evident that India is not united in dealing with the terrorist outrage. The sincere expressions of solidarity by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other top Opposition leaders appear to have gone in vain. Never before has the country been faced with such a shocking state of affairs in dealing with externally-induced terrorism and its foreign patrons. Extreme right-wing elements have attacked the properties of Kashmiri people and other Muslims in Jammu, the states winter capital. Their retaliation is against fellow Indians, not the JeM and Pakistan. And the hyperactive official communications machinery as well as the BJPs social media armies have not bothered to help ordinary people make this crucial distinction. The government and its bailiff in Kashmir, state governor Satya Pal Malik, are yet to take any meaningful deterrent action against the communal gangs. The trouble has now spread to other states. At the behest of student and social outfits, which were earlier active in cow vigilantism and love jihad criminalities, hundreds of Kashmiri students in Dehradun and elsewhere have been turned away by their colleges. In reaction, Valley Muslims observed a shutdown on Sunday. In the 1965 and 1971 wars, Kashmiri Muslims had handed over Pakistani infiltrators to the police. In order to underline the nations unity at a moment such as this, the government should have actively disseminated the idea that the people of Kashmir were victims of violence, and had nothing to do with the fidayeen attack. The complex politics of Kashmir is not reducible to a Hindu-Muslim binary, as communal elements here and the Pakistani State seek to do. It does appear that JeM has given communal elements in India the perfect gift as the Lok Sabha elections draw near. This is the background in which we seek the understanding of other nations in the wake of the Pulwama attack. We are unlikely to be taken at face value. How the Pakistan-China axis responds to any Indian retaliation is an unknown. At a time when the US is negotiating with the Taliban, prior to ending its military presence in Afghanistan, Beijing is likely to run its policy close to Islamabads with an eye to creating leverage for itself in the post-American period there. As we contemplate recent events, aside from the debilitating crass politics on display, two negatives stand out. The first of these is intelligence failure. The JeM had circulated a video just two days before the strike, indicating that an explosives-laden car would be used to create a major impact, but its meaning was not understood, although in January 2018 too, the Jaish had circulated a video before attacking a CRPF training compound in the same broad Awantipora area in Pulwama district. Earlier, in 2016, the CRPF had come under attack on the same road, at Pantha Chowk, not far from Awantipora. Yet the intelligence professionals failed to link the latest JeM video to the unduly long CRPF convoy that the government was planning to move up the Jammu-Srinagar highway. They should have. It would seem the JeM had advance knowledge of CRPF movements and had got ready the explosives and their fidayeen. It had done its homework. But our government had not. The J&K government, under Central rule, was found sleeping on the job. The second failure concerns the CRPF itself for not considering it grossly unwise to move a convoy of as many as 78 vehicles, ferrying over 2,500 jawans, in a part of Kashmir which has been a site of encounters on a near daily basis for two and a half years. Besides, it is evident that existing protocols were not adhered to, and this seems a regular failing with the CRPF. This force seems particularly vulnerable when it moves its jawans, as has also been seen repeatedly in Naxal-affected parts of Chhattisgarh. Should politicians in top positions readily give a terrorist attack by a Pakistan-based group a religious and a partisan twist? And if they do so, should they not be disciplined? It wont do to single out the Kashmiri separatists alone for admonition, although in this case they would have been as surprised as anyone else by the strike at the CRPF convoy. It is to be regretted that a senior Jammu BJP politician who is a minister of state at the Centre wore his communal colours on the sleeve by publicly attacking leaders of the mainstream parties in the Kashmir Valley for being apologetic about terrorists. This travesty of the truth was peddled on the day that the Abdullahs the father and the son as well as Mehbooba Mufti had condemned the terrorist action at Pulwama in no uncertain terms. Unfortunately, J&K governor Satya Pal Malik too disregarded his constitutional status which enjoins on him to remain above the fray to target mainstream politicians without any reason at a time when the state is under Central rule, the local politicians having been evicted from government in questionable circumstances. Typically, the security situation in Kashmir is a subset of the political circumstances. It has deteriorated unconscionably over the past four years, as the Centre has encouraged anti-Muslim communal politics to gain salience in the Valley. Even official data presented to Parliament suggests that recruitment by Islamist militant groups (encouraged by Pakistan) has risen fivefold since 2013 (over 300 teenaged and very young adult jihadists being present today, against around 70 earlier). Small wonder then that the security forces have had to work overtime. The official figures suggest that around 250 militants were killed in 2018 alone. This is touted as the efficiency of the Central government. But nowhere does the government say that radicals sprout the minute one is shot down because the politics have gone awry. Nor is the rising curve of fatalities in the forces highlighted. The 20-year-old who ploughed his explosives-filled car into the CRPF convoy was by all accounts recruited only a year ago. Before that, he had led a mundane life. Faulty politics, and an adamant refusal on the part of the Centre to engage different elements in the Valley in a coherent conversation aimed at reconciliation and moderation, has eaten away the middle ground in a Muslim-majority region that borders Pakistan. That is Indias tragedy. Its architects are extremist politicians who dare to lecture the country on nationalism and patriotism. They suppress the fact that their brand of politics has led to a bitter harvest. Pathankot, Uri and now Pulwama have occurred over the past few years, as dangerous ideologues have been given a free pass. Abetted by some irresponsible sections of the media, this myopic lot today roots for all-out war against Pakistan (and against Kashmiris, and Muslims in general), without regard for the consequences. To them all Kashmiri Muslims are terrorists and Pakistanis, when the opposite is actually the case. Saner voices in politics and the media need to be bolder in their assertions. The politics of hate succeeds only when amplified by a quiescent media. Several Congress leaders have urged party president Rahul Gandhi not to allow Mr Nirupam to contest from this constituency. Mumbai: Differences within the Congress have again came to the fore over Mumbai party chief Sanjay Nirupam's plans to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Mumbai north west. Several Congress leaders have urged party president Rahul Gandhi not to allow Mr Nirupam to contest from this constituency. According to party sources, city Congress leaders have written a letter to Mr Gandhi, demanding that Mr Nirupam not be allowed to change his seat to Mumbai north west from his previous Mumbai north constituency. It will send a wrong signal to party cadres that the city chief wants to contest a safe seat due to the fear of losing from his own constituency, they said. Former Union minister, late Gurudas Kamat nurtured the Mumbai north west constituency. After his death last year, several Congress leaders, including Mr Nirupam, Kripa Shankar Singh, Baba Siddiqui etc. staked claims to the seat which is considered relatively safe for the Congress. In the 2014 LS polls, Nirupam lost the election by a huge margin of more than 4.5 lakh votes against BJPs Gopal Shetty in Mumbai north. A senior Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity, said, The fact that the Mumbai party chief wants to change his constituency and wants to move to a safer seat will send a wrong message not only to party workers but also to the public in general. It will give the impression that the party chief himself is not sure of winning from his own constituency and hence wants to run away to a safe seat. This will affect the partys entire campaign in Mumbai. They came together for power and not because of the EDs fear! said NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Mumbai: I am not surprised that the Shiv Sena and BJP have inked the alliance as I have been telling media that they will contest elections together. Voters are wise and know how BJP and Sena have been working and they will vote wisely! They came together for power and not because of the EDs fear! said NCP chief Sharad Pawar. He also said that though the meeting of all parties was called by the Parliamentary Affairs Committee chaired by Rajnath Singh on the day after the Pulwama attack, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was absent from the meeting and for that matter, no BJP leaders attended it. Although Singh was present, he was there only in the capacity of PAC! The PM was attacking the Opposition at Dhule and Yavatmal. It shows the BJPs seriousness over such serious matters. But lets not talk about this as the attack is on our country, said Mr Pawar. Mr Pawar sarcastically said that the BJP would win all 48 seats in the state after being asked about the BJP claiming to win 45 seats including Baramati. He said the BJP would also win Baramati. He also said that Ajit Pawar, Parth Pawar and Rohit Pawar would not contest the Lok Sabha elections. Shiv Sena targets Congress Sidhu in the editorial. After the Sena- BJP alliance, expectations were that the Sena would justify its decision in the editorial of Saamana since it has always used the editorial to explain its stand. Mumbai: A day after announcing an alliance with the BJP, the Shiv Sena chose not to comment on the issue in Saamana, the partys mouthpiece but instead warned the NDA government not to use the Pulwama terror attacks for political gains. As Sena and the BJP sealed a seat-sharing pact on Monday, it was expected that the former would justify its decision in the editorial in its party mouthpiece Saamana since the Sena has always used the editorial to explain its stand on various political and social issues. However, there was no mention of Sena-BJP alliance in the Saamana editorial on Tuesday. Riots and terror attacks should not be used for political gains. Targeting students from Kashmir over such incidents could spell more trouble for the government, said the editorial. The party said, Sometime back there were political allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could wage a small-scale war to win elections. The rulers should not behave in a way that these allegations gather strength. It also targeted Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for his controversial statements in the wake of February 14 Pulwama bombing in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Sidhu indulges in a loose talk, but he is originally a product of the BJP, said the party. The editorial pointed out that Mr Sidhu was ousted from a television show after he called for dialogue with Pakistan even after the Pulwama attack as he was under pressure and a campaign against his remarks was launched. On the other hand, the comments of BJP legislator Nepal Singh, who recently stirred a controversy with his statement that Army jawans ought to die, were selectively ignored and he did not face any action, the editorial said. Indias first digitally enabled, vending machine for diverse feminine hygiene, sanitary and wellness products. The Hygiene pod sits at the centre of this as a much-needed intervention for Indian women. Stanza Living, Indias leading student accommodation provider and Sirona, a social start-up focused on providing feminine hygiene and wellness solutions for women on the move, have joined hands to launch a unique hygiene pod that can said to be Indias first digital vending machine for feminine hygiene products. Piloted in both the organisations, the pods are going to provide students 24x7 access to many feminine hygiene and wellness products, at just a tap. The residents can access a comprehensive range of products including feminine washes, menstrual cups, PeeBuddy (Indias first female urination device), intimate wet wipes, tampons, herbal period pain relief patches, sanitary disposal bags, panty liners and many more to address their sanitary and menstrual needs. The machines accept Paytm, digital payments and cash as well. Speaking about the partnership, Anindya Dutta and Sandeep Dalmia, Co-founders, of Stanza said The organisation is creating bespoke student living experiences. This means, we not only create high-quality residential spaces designed for students, but also drive value by bringing an array of exciting brand propositions to their doorstep. Our aim is to plug even their smallest daily needs. The partnership with Sirona is targeted at a specific concern ensuring that our female residents can have round-the-clock access to healthy and enabling products under one roof. We are excited to partner with such a brand that has pioneered some of the leading feminine hygiene and wellness solutions uniting in our efforts to provide relevant brand experience to our consumers. Voicing about the hygiene pod, Deep Bajaj, Founder, PeeBuddy & Sirona Modern Menstrual Hygiene Products said, As a start-up, our life revolves around identifying and solving those Intimate & Menstrual issues for women which are not openly discussed. We started with Dirty Toilets with PeeBuddy & went on to introduce many category-first products under the brand which have been well appreciated by customers. These pods are a step towards disrupting the distribution hassles faced by women by brings products closer to them, with round the clock access. We loved the ideology of Stanza Living and the importance they give to many such needs for their residents and decided to launch the first ever pod with them. Apart from addressing immediate sanitary requirements of young women, this is also an exercise in educating them about the wide variety of customized solutions for diverse hygiene and care needs. As Sonal Kumari, inhabitant of the companys residence for girls, says, Having the Hygiene Pod within our residence premises is extremely convenient as we can try different hygiene products, anytime we want. We want to thank Stanza Living and Sirona for this helpful initiative. Feminine hygiene is a serious national issue, with concerns around limited sanitary options available to women, poor public hygiene set-ups as well as lack of awareness about specific solutions designed for womens wellness needs. The Hygiene pod sits at the centre of this as a much-needed intervention for Indian women. Both the organisations will soon be extending this partnership across its planned residences in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Indore, with the intent to continue making student living hassle-free. Lt Gen Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, who is General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, led a press conference on Tuesday in the aftermath of a 17-hour long encounter between Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists and combined security forces in Pinglan of South Kashmir on Monday. Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, who is General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, led a press conference on Tuesday in the aftermath of a 17-hour long encounter between Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists and combined security forces in Pinglan of South Kashmir on Monday. The Lt Gen, along with Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, SP Pani, and Inspector General of the Central Reserve Police Force, Zulfiqar Hasan, gave out a stern warning against men talking up arms in the Valley. They also sought to answer reporters' questions on the details of the Pulwama attack on 14 February and Monday's encounter, even though information on how the blast took place, why so many casualties took place on Monday's encounter and on whether there had been an intelligence failure on the two occasions were kept from the public, citing that they were "operational details". Some of the key gleanings of the press conference are as follows: 1. Lt Gen KJS Dhillon paid homage to the soldiers who attained martyrdom on 14 and 18 February. He added that all of the soldiers who were injured on both the dates were receiving excellent treatment and were out of danger. 2. The Army had been following intelligence inputs since the 14 February attack in Pulwama and decided to carry forward the encounter after receiving "specific information" said Dhillon. "In less than 100 hours (since the Pulwama attack) we eliminated the JeM leadership in the country," he announced. He also spoke on the "complete synergy" of the Army, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the CRPF and the Special Operations Group. 3. Dhillon went on to request parents of Kashmiri youth who have joined militants, especially their mothers, to ask their sons to return to the mainstream. "Anyone who has picked up a gun in Kashmir will be eliminated unless they surrender," he said. He then highlighted the mainstreaming system put in place by the government. 4. Efforts were also made to put across the message that fewer Kashmiri youth are joining the militants. 5. CRPF IG Zulfikar Hasan noted that Kashmiri students across the country were safe and have been calling the 14411 helpline number. "Everything is under control," Hasan added. 6. When asked as to why Monday's attack saw so many casualties, Dhillon said the reasons why so many personnel of the security forces were killed were twofold. "We did not want civilian casualty. Not a single civilian died in the encounter; the one who died was killed because terrorists opened fire. We took it on our chin. Brigadier Harbir Singh, who was injured in the encounter cut short his leave voluntarily and led men from the front to ensure its success," Dhillon said. 7. Upon repeated questions on Abdul Rasheed Ghazi alias Kamran's role and on whether he was the mastermind, Dhillon said it was not possible to give out details on the specific part each Jaish operative could have played in the twin incidents. "Kamran was the commander in chief of JeM Kashmir. We have eliminated the top commander of the outfit that caused the attack," he added. 8. One of the most important takeaways from the press conference was the defence brass's explicit acknowledgement of Pakistan's role in the attack. "JeM is a part of the Pakistan Army. Pakistan is controlling them. You and I both know that the Pakistan army is 100 percent involved here," Dhillon asserted. 9. Dhillon maintained that a lot of past attempts by terrorists have been foiled but information on this has not reached the masses. "Kitne Ghazi aye, kitne chale gaye," he added. Ghazi or Kamran is a Pakistani national who died on Monday. Another one of the terrorists killed was Hilal Ahmad, a local recruited by the terror group. The identity of the third is being ascertained. Four army jawans, including a Major-rank officer, also lost their lives in the gunfight, and eight officers, including a Lieutenant Colonel, were injured in Monday's encounter. The army men who died were Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, Sepoy Hari Singh, Sepoy Ajay Kumar and Havaldar Sheo Ram. According to police officials, militants fired upon an army patrol in the area late on Sunday night, following which they sneaked into a residential locality. The army men chased them, leading to an encounter. The encounter came days after 42 CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. Barkha Dutt hits out at Twitter for locking her account temporarily after she posted details of men who abused and threatened her. While account holders are bound by a set of rules and regulations on Twitter, it seems like the microblogging site doesnt apply those to itself. Take the case of senior journalist Barkha Dutt, who complained about receiving threatening calls and explicit pictures on her phone, Twitter and WhatsApp. Her account was locked down by Twitter to delete a few posts that did not comply with their rules. In a scathing email, Dutt accused the social media site of encouraging sexual abuse and gender inequality. She also alleged that her complaints on abuse and harassment were never addressed and that she would now pursue legal action. I had close to 1000 abusive messages and calls in a coordinated and violent mob attack. These included a message to shoot me, a nude photo and many sexually abusive messages. I outed the men who did this. Twitter locked me till many of the details were taken down (sic), wrote Barkha, along with a screenshot of the email she had sent to Twitter. This is not the first time someone has complained about Twitter for not taking adequate action against extreme right-winged elements on their platform. In the past, the microblogging site has questioned and deleted tweets that they didnt think were appropriate, but hardly any action is ever taken against people who are propagating hate and violence against other users in the name of nationalism. Says Kavita Krishnan, Secretary of the All India Progressive Womens Association (AIPWA), This entire thing is quite political as the right-wing ecosystem does not get penalised by Twitter. In India, trolling and death threats are not random, they are an organised campaign. I am an activist and having a Twitter account is quite important for me. I also receive around 10-20 such abusive messages every day and report most of them. However, Twitter acts only on a tiny minority of everything reported and that is not adequate. Well-known media personality Pritish Nandy concurs as he adds, Twitter must be even-handed and cannot pick and choose who it wants to support politically. They should keep in mind that while governments come and go, their users in India should have a trustworthy relationship with them. Meanwhile, some Twitterati argue that those who dont like the platform should quit. Pritish retorts, That is not the solution. The platform needs to be more civilised. Not taking action against people who use abusive language shows that the social media site is afraid to move against them. It is quite sad. Post Barkha, many journalists, celebrities and activists have called out this biased treatment. In their defense, Twitter India wrote, ICYMI Posting someones private information online without their express authorisation and permission is a violation of Twitter rules. Examples of private information include: non-public personal phone numbers, credit card information, etc (sic). Social media expert Karthik Srinivasan argues that while their explanation stands good in Barkha Dutts case, Twitter needs to be non-partisan while handling their users. In this specific case, Twitter was within its rights to remove Barkhas tweets. However, the microblogging site is wrong for taking negligible or no action against the broader hate that is happening on the platform. But then, so is the case with Facebook and Instagram. Trolling is quite rampant across social media platforms. They need to do something concrete to abolish all kinds of hate speeches, he concludes. The latter has become a common day scenario now with the advent of social media. A womans sexuality has always been used as weapon against her be it to curb her freedom in the name of safety or degrade her publicly. The latter has become a common day scenario now with the advent of social media. A public debate with a well-known female face always results in an inappropriate sexual comment as a comeback. In a spat with MLA Kapil Mishra, Swara called out a derogatory comment laced with sexual innuendos. Mishra tweeted in Hindi, Aapki ungli badi der se free hui Twitter ke liye. (It took quite a while for you fingers to find time for Twitter), to which Bhaskar slammed him, This pervert is an elected representative of our country. Gross (sic)! This is not the first time the actress has faced such sexually-degrading messages. Why is a womans sexuality considered such a fragility that can be used by men to demean them? Swara is of the opinion that this behaviour is reflective of an embedded misogyny which has plagued the society. The only way they know how to attack a woman is to make a sexually derogatory comment on her in an attempt to shame her for her sexuality and gender. MLA Kapil Mishras comments to me on Twitter are a classic example of the same, she says. Other forms of sexually degrading tactics are circulating morphed images, explicitly detailed rape threats, and hacking private accounts to circulate nude or private images of women. Previously student leader Shehla Rashid was forced to deactivate her Facebook account when she presented her opinion about a case of inter-religious marriage. Not only did the rape threats pour in, trolls from both the religious ends explicitly commented on her sexual relations with men of the other religion. Similarly, when Lisa Haydon had uploaded a picture of herself, doing pull-ups from a basket ball ring, actor Kamal R Khan tweeted on the picture, "Yar @HaydonLisa should I sit down n watch you? The actress hit back saying, Ive been told it doesnt get much lower than you @kamaalrkhan Still need a chair? #LowLife But how is one to tackle such incidents, especially online where it is not just one person commenting, but a flurry of trolls adding fuel to the fire. Its not about conversing with abusive trolls many of them are sadly Twitter verified. Its about staking a claim to a public space even if virtual and making the point that its NOT OKAY to abuse and hate on women (and men) because they dont agree with your bigotry. And well, thick skin, she concludes. Nikhil Chandwanis Writers Rescue Centre is the worlds first mentorship-driven Gurukul system, exclusively for writers. Most people cant handle being lonely. It could lead one to issues like even depression. People facing such problems just need company, someone to listen to their woes. Talk to them and they will feel better. Unfortunately, most of us are reluctant to help them. Meet Nikhil Chandwani, poet, author, scriptwriter, director, columnist, travel writer, public speaker, and an editor, whose initiative Writers Rescue Centre (WRC) is the worlds first mentorship-driven Gurukul system, exclusively for writers. They pick up people who are confused, mentor them, publish and bring them in front of a reading plus listening crowd. I started WRC because I was a loner. Seeing someone else happy is the best feeling ever, says Nikhil. Talking about his initiative, he says, WRC is a Gurukul system which provides one to one mentorship to people who have stories to tell. We pick up individuals across the country and train them in the field of writing. Once theyre equipped with the knowledge, we provide them another mentor to write their book. Once the book is ready, we edit and publish it for them. Later, we take people to public speaking platforms where they share their stories. We carve a professional career for them in their area of interest. These reading plus listening crowds help anyone who wishes to find a reading eye or a hearing aid. This, we saw, started helping people with depression, and so we took it as a challenge to cure the world through this Gurukul system. Nikhil says he has specific reasons for starting this venture. WRC has laid a platform for many young writers from India to showcase their talents. I have seen numerous writers, storytellers and even individuals across different landscapes who were depressed, confused, and had no idea about their capabilities and future. The second thing I saw in them is that everyone has something or the other to share, from stories to their experiences and aspirations. I thought, why not give them a platform to write and speak. Thats how Writers Rescue Centre began as a foundation, and currently, we have published over 220 writers across India, delivered 30+ TEDx speakers and as many national award winners. One of our authors, Siddharth Roy from Nagpur, came to me at the age of 15, confused and depressed. Siddharth ended up getting mentored under me, and now at 19, he is the author of two books and a four-time TEDx speaker. He has conducted over 30 lectures across India and writes a newspaper column. WRC has changed the lives of many youngsters. For Nikhil, his priority is seeing the writers happy. He says he dreams of seeing them settled in their lives. The future plan is to bring all my writers under a roof in order to work on different agendas. I am passionate about preserving Indian history. History is the best teacher and we Indians have failed to preserve our roots. The best way to do it is writing about it. I recently launched my book, The Modern Day Hindu, that talks about science in Vedas. The book connects Shlokas with Rock music. I also wish that my authors get elected to power because India needs nationalist creative people. I want to serve my country by creating leaders, TEDx speakers, and people who can help our nation prosper. Nikhils journey to being a writer is interesting. He joined engineering after school and later dropped out realising that its not his cup of tea. I was not meant to be an engineer. I wanted to find myself and thats why I chose writing. Maybe, writing chose me. He has written 10 books so far with the latest one currently out in the market. He also founded Walnut Discoveries Pvt. Ltd. and the Walnut School of Ideas when he was just 20 and 22, respectively. Ive worked as a travel writer in the Middle East, and a screenplay writer for few documentaries. I produced She: The Movie and Ive also contributed as a visiting professor and guest speaker at IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, IBS Hyderabad etc. How has writing influenced his life? I got influenced by my country, India. The nation fascinates me. Thousands of cultures and yet, we are united under our beautiful tricolour. I want to make India the world capital of arts, religion, and culture again, and thats what influenced me in writing. His shift to filmmaking and script writing is connected to storytelling, he affirms. I wanted to tell stories to my crowd, and so the shift happened. I never underwent formal education after my 12th grade and so, finding new career options became my education. My stint was fun. I got a chance to write in East Africa and the Middle East. Forests and nature are the best teachers. The strong survives and the weak dies. I have extensively researched on the crisis in the Middle East and independently documented/scripted the effect of geopolitical shift in the region on India. I also spoke about the issues in the Middle East and how it can affect India on few platforms. Why was Gaddafis killing a mistake? Who benefits from the war in Syria? Why should Rohingyas be sent back from India? These are some questions I tried to answer through my research. As a script writer, I wrote and directed Escape from Kenya and Amazing Amazon Adventures that was telecast in three countries India, USA and Canada. I provided ghostwriting support for various East African and South American nonfiction documentaries that revolved around conserving wildlife and the natives of those lands. Travel writing was something very close to my heart and I did that in 2012-13, but I was lost in the shuffle due to the injuries that I had to suffer while staying in the wild. Nikhil Chandwani, 25, has specific plans for the next five years. I want to mentor, publish and save 1 million people before I touch 30. Thats the aim for WRC, he signs off. British lawmakers issued a scathing report Monday that calls for tougher rules to keep Facebook and other tech firms from acting like "digital gangsters" and intentionally violating data privacy and competition laws. In this May 18, 2012, file photo a television photographer shoots the sign outside of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. A parliamentary committee report published Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, has recommended that the United Kingdom government increase oversight of social media platforms like Facebook to better control harmful or illegal content. [File Photo: AP/Paul Sakuma] The report on fake news and disinformation on social media sites followed an 18-month investigation by Parliament's influential media committee. The committee recommended that social media sites should have to follow a mandatory code of ethics overseen by an independent regulator to better control harmful or illegal content. The report called out Facebook in particular, saying that the site's structure seems to be designed to "conceal knowledge of and responsibility for specific decisions." "It is evident that Facebook intentionally and knowingly violated both data privacy and anti-competition laws," the report said. It also accused CEO Mark Zuckerberg of showing contempt for the U.K. Parliament by declining numerous invitations to appear before the committee. "Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like 'digital gangsters' in the online world, considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law," the report added. U.K. parliamentary committee reports are intended to influence government policy, but are not binding. The committee said it hoped its conclusions would be considered when the government reviews its competition powers in April. The government said it welcomed the "report's contribution towards our work to tackle the increasing threat of disinformation and to make the U.K. the safest place to be online. We will respond in due course." While the U.K. is part of the 28-country European Union, it is due to leave the bloc in late March, so it is unclear whether any regulatory decisions it takes could influence those of the EU. Facebook said it shared "the committee's concerns about false news and election integrity" and was open to "meaningful regulation." "While we still have more to do, we are not the same company we were a year ago," said Facebook's U.K. public policy manager, Karim Palant. "We have tripled the size of the team working to detect and protect users from bad content to 30,000 people and invested heavily in machine learning, artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to help prevent this type of abuse." Facebook and other internet companies have been facing increased scrutiny over how they handle user data and have come under fire for not doing enough to stop misuse of their platforms by groups trying to sway elections. The report echoes and expands upon an interim report with similar findings issued by the committee in July . And in December , a trove of documents released by the committee offered evidence that the social network had used its enormous trove of user data as a competitive weapon, often in ways designed to keep its users in the dark. Facebook faced its biggest privacy scandal last year when it emerged that Cambridge Analytica, a now-defunct British political data-mining firm that worked for the 2016 Donald Trump campaign, had accessed the private information of up to 87 million users. Conservative lawmaker Damian Collins, who heads the media committee, said "democracy is at risk" from malicious, targeted disinformation campaigns, often directed from countries such as Russia and spread on Facebook and other social networks. "We need a radical shift in the balance of power between the platforms and the people," he said. "The age of inadequate self-regulation must come to an end." Her poor health in the past few years had sparked speculation that she might take a break from electoral politics and make way for Vadra. New Delhi: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls again from her seat Rae Bareli, said Congress sources, ruling out any possibility of her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra replacing her as the party candidate from the Congress pocket borough in Uttar Pradesh. Mrs Gandhi, 72, has been representing Rae Bareli since 2004. Her poor health in the past few years had sparked speculation that she might take a break from electoral politics and make way for Ms Vadra. Agencies quoting party sources said that a formal announcement on Mrs Gandhis renomination from her constituency is expected early next month. First Sentinel Plc - Issue of the Final Tranche of Bonds NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, RUSSIA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A BREACH OF THE RELEVANT SECURITIES LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus or offering memorandum or an offer in relation to any securities of First Sentinel Plc or of any other entity and should not be considered as a recommendation that any person should subscribe for or purchase any such securities. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU No. 596/2014) ("MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain and shall therefore cease to be inside information. 19 February 2019 First Sentinel Plc ("First Sentinel" or the "Company") Issue of up to 4,000,000 sterling denominated 7.0% Secured Bonds due 28 February 2023 ("Bonds") Issue of the final tranche of Bonds Issue of Bonds First Sentinel Plc ("First Sentinel" or the "Company") (NEX: FSEN), the alternative investment company focused on providing growth capital for public and private company investments, announces that it has raised approximately AUD$106,035 (58,451) from the issue of 58,451 Bonds at 1 per Bond, being the eleventh and final tranche of Bonds to be issued. It is anticipated that the Bonds will commence trading on NEX Exchange on or around 22 February 2019 under the symbol FSBN. The proceeds of the Bond issue will be deployed by the Company in accordance with its investment policy. The Company announced on 1 February 2018 that it intended to issue up to 4,000,000 sterling denominated 7.0% Secured Bonds due 28 February 2023, to be admitted to trading on the NEX Exchange Growth Market. The Bonds are redeemable each year, and at a 5% premium if held to maturity, and Bondholders' interests are partially protected by a credit insurance policy provided by Equinox Global, which covers (subject to a 1 million aggregate cap per policy year) the risk of insolvency of certain underlying debtors of the Company's subsidiary, Perennial Enterprise PTY Ltd. Accordingly, the Company published the Information Memorandum in connection with the Bonds, a copy of which is available from the Company's website at www.first-sentinel.com. The Company announced that it expected to issue the Bonds in tranches over the course of 2018/2019 and intended to make an application for admission of the Bonds to trading on the NEX Exchange Growth Market as and when further funds are raised ("Admission"). The issue of this final tranche will bring the total Bonds in issue to 4,000,000. Accordingly the Bond issue is now complete and no more applications can be accepted. About First Sentinel First Sentinel is an alternative investment company, registered with the FCA as a small authorised UK AIFM, which provides growth capital for public and private company investments. First Sentinel invests in a range of debt and equity instruments in target portfolio companies. The Company's website is www.first-sentinel.com For further corporate information, please contact: Mr. Brian Stockbridge CEO First Sentinel Plc Tel: + 44 (0) 7876 888 011 NEX Corporate Advisor Beaumont Cornish Limited James Biddle / Roland Cornish Tel: +44(0)20 7628 3396 Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2019) - Minera Alamos Inc. (TSXV: MAI) ("Minera Alamos" or the "Company")is pleased to report a further gold sale from residual leaching of its 50,000 t bulk leach test at the Santana gold project in Sonora, Mexico. A gold/silver sale for the 162 oz of contained gold and 54 oz of contained silver was made resulting in net proceeds of US$213,000 received by the Company. Although the majority of the recoverable gold has now been extracted from the bulk test material, limited residual leaching continues. The cumulative gold recovered from the bulk test activities to date is as follows: Total Gold Recovered - 1,060 oz Au Calculated Recovered Gold - 0.66 g/t Au (based on total mineralized material loaded to the heap leach test area) As previously stated by the Company (see news release July 26th, 2018) the results achieved from the bulk sample leaching testwork met or exceeded expectations across the range of crush sizes that were tested. The positive results led to the filing in 2018 of permit amendments to allow for the development of a commercial scale operation at the Santana project site. The Company awaits notice of final approval for these permits. Phase 2 Exploration Planning Complete Following the successful Phase 1 results achieved in late 2018, the Company has also completed its exploration plans for a Phase 2 exploration and development drilling program at the Santana project. The program is currently planned to total in excess of 10,000 m and is expected to run throughout the year. Phase 2 work will include expansion drilling at the Nicho and Nicho Norte deposits and exploration drilling at a number of high priority targets: Nicho/Nicho Norte - 20-30 infill and step out holes (~4,000m) - Drilling will seek to further expand on the step-out drill holes from Phase 1 drilling that included: 127m grading 0.81 g/t Au and 80m grading 1.05 g/t Au ( see news releases dated October 11 th , 2018, October 17 th , 2018 and November 1 st , 2018 ) ) Divisadero - 20 holes (3,000m) to follow up on a Phase 1 discovery hole containing 95.7m at 0.85 g/t Au and 0.33% Cu ( see news release dated October 25 th , 2018 ) and the subsequent mapping of over 400m of the related porphyry style outcrop and float ( announced in the news release dated November 15 th , 2018 ). ) and the subsequent mapping of over 400m of the related porphyry style outcrop and float ( ). Zata - 5-10 holes (~1,500m) which will be the first holes in this new breccia pipe discovery ( see news release dated October 1 st , 2018 ) ) Benjamin - 5-10 holes (~1,500m) to further understand historical drilling which yielded results including 2.3 g/t Au & 444.0 g/t Ag over 19.8 m and 0.70 g/t Au over 93.0 m yet has remained undrilled since 2011. Ubaldo - 5-10 holes (~1,500m) to follow up on a historic target with utilizing the new geological models for the project area All target areas are located within 3km of the currently proposed commercial leach pad area for which the Company awaits notice of approval for permits submitted last year. For Further Information Please Contact: Minera Alamos Inc. Doug Ramshaw, President Tel: 604-600-4423 Email: dramshaw@mineraalamos.com Website: www.mineraalamos.com About Minera Alamos Minera Alamos is an advanced-stage exploration and development company with a growing portfolio of high-quality Mexican assets, including the La Fortuna open-pit gold project in Durango with positive PEA completed, the Santana open-pit heap-leach development project in Sonora with test mining and processing completed and the Guadalupe de Los Reyes open-pit gold-silver project in Sinaloa with mine planning in progress. The Company is awaiting the pending approval of permit applications related to the commercial production of gold at both the Santana and Fortuna projects. The Company's strategy is to develop low capex assets while expanding the project resources and pursue complementary strategic acquisitions. Mr. Darren Koningen, P. Eng., Minera Alamos' CEO, is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical content of this press release under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Koningen has supervised the preparation of, and approved the scientific and technical disclosures in this news release. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking information and Minera Alamos cautions readers that forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions and risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of Minera Alamos included in this news release. This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements", which often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". These statements are based on information currently available to Minera Alamos and Minera Alamos provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements with respect to Minera Alamos' future plans with respect to the Projects, objectives or goals, to the effect that Minera Alamos or management expects a stated condition or result to occur and the expected timing for release of a resource and reserve estimate on the Projects. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, the economics of processing methods, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Minera Alamos' mineral properties, the ability to complete a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons. Minera Alamos' financial condition and prospects could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: an inability to finance and/or complete an updated resource and reserve estimate and a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Minera Alamos' activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on Minera Alamos' forward-looking statements. Minera Alamos does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by Minera Alamos or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/42908 The visit comes at a time when the Congress has given charge of eastern UP to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. New Delhi: In a bid to take the Gandhi clan head on, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Congress president Rahul Gandhis parliamentary constituency Amethi on February 27. The visit comes at a time when the Congress has given charge of eastern UP to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is holding meetings with the partys leaders in the region. Mr Modi, who on Tuesday visited his constituency Varanasi, is likely to visit the ordnance factory in Munshiganj and also address a public meeting in Amethi next week. He may also inaugurate a number of projects and lay several foundation stones for projects in Mr Gandhis home turf. On Tuesday, he paid homage to Varanasis Ramesh Yadav, one of the soldiers killed in the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama. In Varanasi, Mr Modi yet again played the dalit card and invoked Sant Ravidas, a mystic poet of the Bhakti movement on his birth anniversary, urging people to end caste discrimination and identify those who promote it for self-interest. With the crucial Lok Sabha polls just around the corner, the PM addressed two meetings and launched development projects worth `3,000 crores, including a cancer institute, a sewage treatment plant, a drinking water project, and a light-and-sound show at Sarnath. It was Mr Modis second visit in a month to his Lok Sabha constituency. Taking an apparent dig at Mr Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for mocking the high-speed Vande Bharat Express from Varanasi to Delhi after it developed a snag, the PM said the duo insulted the engineers involved in the project. He was at the Diesel Locomotive Works in Varanasi, where he flagged off the first electric locomotive converted from a diesel engine in the country. Laying the foundation stone of the Ravidas Janmasthali area development project, Mr Modi said that caste discrimination was an impediment in achieving social harmony. Guruji said there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste. Till caste discrimination is there, people cannot connect with each other, social harmony is not possible and equality cannot be ensured, Mr Modi said, and urged the gathering to identify those who in their self-interest, create caste discrimination and promote it. Mr Modi said Sant Ravidas dreamt of a society where all are taken care of and asserted that his government had tried to follow his tenet during the past four and a half years with sabka saath, sabka vikas (inclusive development). My government focused on panchdharma education, income, medicine, irrigation and addressing public grievances irrespective of caste, creed and other factors, he said. He added that unfortunately, caste discrimination had not been removed till now, but said he was confident that New India will see this change with the help of young people. Referring to attempts by his government to fight money power and corruption in property deals, Mr Modi said: A chalta hai mentality had crept in. My government has tried to change it. He added that those who looted public money were being brought to book and honest people were being honoured. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who was present there, called Mr Modi a Kashiputra, or a son of Varanasi. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2019) - Bold Ventures Inc. (TSXV: BOL) (the "Company" or "Bold") is pleased to announce that it is commencing a private placement Offering of up to 20,000,000 working capital units (the "WC Units") of the Company at a price of $0.025 per WC Unit for up to $500,000 (the "WC Offering"). The WC Offering will be available to the existing shareholders of the Company resident in Canada (the "Existing Shareholder Offering") (collectively with the WC Offering, the "Offering") and to accredited investors. The Company also wishes to announce that it has entered into agreements to settle an aggregate of $38,500 of debt owed to certain insiders of the Company in consideration for the issuance of 770,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.05 per share (the "Debt Settlement"). Particulars of the Offering Each WC Unit comprises one (1) common share of the Company priced at $0.025 and one (1) common share purchase warrant (each a "WC Warrant"), with each WC Warrant entitling the holder to acquire one (1) common share at a price of $0.05 until two (2) years following the Closing of the Offering. The Company has agreed to pay a finder's fee of 7% cash on the sale of WC Units sold to accredited investors and issue broker warrants ("Broker Warrants") equal to 7% of the number of WC Units sold to accredited investors under the Offering to eligible finders. Each Broker Warrant comprises a broker unit ("Broker Unit") entitling the holder to acquire one (1) common share and one (1) WC Warrant for two (2) years from Closing at a price of $0.05 per Broker Unit. A fee may be paid to an investment dealer in relation to a placement to an existing shareholder. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory four month hold period and regulatory approval. Waiver The Offering is proceeding pursuant to an application by the Company to the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") for a waiver from the minimum $0.05 price for private placements pursuant to the TSXV Bulletin dated April 7, 2014 (the "Bulletin"). The waiver has been granted by TSXV and is conditional upon the closing of at least $200,000 in working capital funds which will provide the Company with sufficient working capital to meet the Continued Listing Requirements ("CLR") of the TSXV after giving effect to the Debt Settlement referred to below. As one of the conditions of granting a waiver set out in the Bulletin, the Company is proceeding with the Existing Shareholder Offering to allow existing shareholders resident in Canada to participate in the Offering. Minimum Offering The Company plans to have a first closing of the Offering when it has received subscriptions for $200,000 of WC Units (the "First Closing"). Proceeds from the First Closing will provide sufficient funds for the Company to meet the CLR of the TSXV. The $200,000 in gross proceeds from the sale of the minimum number of WC Units will be allocated as follows: (a) Payment of current Accounts Payable -$3,000 (net of existing cash and cash equivalent assets and net of the insider debt settlement and the forgiveness debt referred to below); (b) General and Administrative Expenses for the next 6 months - $106,400 (including management fees of no more than 25% of the WC Units proceeds); (c) Costs of the private placement (finder's fees, filing fees and legal expense) - $33,000; (d) cash option payments relating to the Stover Property, the Wilcorp Property and the J&B Property totaling $29,000 and $17,000 in expenditures on the J&B Property to maintain these properties in good standing; and (e) Excess working capital - $11,300. If funds are received from the Existing Shareholder Offering in conjunction with funds from accredited investors in time to allow the Company to close on at least $200,000 of WC Units to meet CLR, the Company will close on the funds received from existing shareholders (the "Early ESE Closing") so that it meets CLR and the funds received will be allocated as set out above. Existing Shareholder Offering The Company is undertaking the Offering which will be open to participation by existing shareholders (the "Existing Shareholder Offering") resident in Canada as of the record date of February 15, 2019 (the "Record Date"). The Existing Shareholder Offering will be open for a period of forty-three (43) days, expiring on April 3, 2019 (the "Expiry Date"). The minimum Offering is $200,000 of WC Units. The funds from the Minimum Offering will be allocated as set out above and existing shareholders may participate in the Early ESE Closing. All securities issued pursuant to the Existing Shareholder Offering are subject to a statutory four month hold period and regulatory approval. The particulars of the WC Units are set out above. Assuming the $200,000 of WC Units have been sold pursuant to the First Closing, the Company intends to use the remaining proceeds raised under the WC Offering and the Existing Shareholder Offering of up to $300,000 of WC Units as follows: (a) property expenditures of up to $225,000 - up to $200,000 on the Stover Gold Property and up to $25,000 on the J&B Lithium Project; and (b) to provide the Company with working capital to maintain its existing operations, activities and assets of up to $75,000. No more than 25% of the proceeds of this Existing Shareholder Offering will be allocated to the payment of management fees. The use of proceeds set out above will be adjusted pro rata subject to the funds raised on the Existing Shareholder Offering and the remainder of the WC Offering. The Existing Shareholder Offering is open to all existing shareholders of the Company resident in Canada until the Expiry Date. Shareholders interested in participating in the Existing Shareholder Offering should contact, or have their registered broker contact, Bill Johnstone, Corporate Secretary of the Company, at bjohnstone@grllp.com or (416) 865-6605 to obtain a copy of the subscription agreement for the subscription of WC Units by existing shareholders. Requests should be received by no later than March 28, 2019 so that subscription agreements can be signed and funds can be received by the Company by no later than April 1, 2019. In the existing shareholder subscription agreements, subscribers will be required to represent that they held common shares of Bold on the Record Date and will continue to hold common shares on closing, indicate the total number of WC Units they wish to subscribe for at the price of $0.025 per WC Unit and provide funds (certified cheque or wire transfer) for the purchase of the WC Units. The Existing Shareholder Offering is being allocated to existing shareholder subscribers on a "first come, first served" basis wherein the existing shareholder subscribers who are first to submit a completed subscription agreement and pay the corresponding subscription proceeds will be accepted up until the earlier of the Expiry Date and the date that the maximum amount of the Offering is reached. As noted above, the Company may have an Early ESE Closing of the Existing Shareholder Offering to facilitate meeting CLR when an aggregate of $200,000 has been received from the sale of WC Units to existing shareholders and accredited investors. The sale of the balance of any WC Units will remain open until April 3, 2019. In the event that there is an over-subscription for WC Units as at April 1, 2019, subscriptions will be adjusted pro rata (in proportion to the aggregate amount of cleared funds received) to reduce the Offering to a maximum of $500,000 for WC Units. Priority will be given to existing shareholders such that all existing shareholder subscriptions will be accepted (subject to an over subscription resulting from existing shareholders alone in which case adjustments will be made pro rata among existing shareholders) and if the remaining accredited investor subscriptions result in exceeding the maximum Offering, accredited investor subscriptions will be reduced pro rata. The minimum Offering amount is $200,000 of WC Units. Although the Existing Shareholder Offering is not being offered pro rata, all shareholders of the Company effective as of the Record Date will be treated equally. However, the Company reserves the right not to accept subscription amounts of less than $500 (20,000 WC Units) in respect of WC Units to avoid disproportionate administrative costs. The Company may use other available exemptions to place the balance of the WC Units, if any, remaining on April 1, 2019 with a closing on or before April_3, 2019. The Existing Shareholder Offering is being made under Ontario Securities Commission Rule 45-501 Ontario Prospectus and Registration Exemptions relating to distributions to existing security holders and under Multilateral CSA Notice 45-313-Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders and the legislation adopted pursuant thereto in other jurisdictions in Canada, as well as under other applicable exemptions without issuing a prospectus.The existing shareholder exemption limits a shareholder to a maximum investment of $15,000 in a 12-month period for all investments made under this exemption unless the shareholder has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a person registered as an investment dealer, in which case the investment can exceed $15,000. The Existing Shareholder Offering is subject to regulatory approval. Debt Settlement The Company also wishes to announce that it has entered into agreements to settle an aggregate of $38,500 of debt owed to certain insiders of the Company in consideration for the issuance of 770,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.05 per share pursuant to the minimum pricing rules of the TSXV. An insider of the Company has agreed to forgive a debt of $32,000 for management fees owed to facilitate the Offering. The disinterested directors of the Company have approved the debt settlements with the respective insiders and their associates and affiliates. The debt settlement is subject to TSXV approval. Closing of the debt settlement will occur immediately following approval from TSXV. The insider debt settlements are exempt from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101") by virtue of the exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in that the fair market value of the consideration for the securities of the Company to be issued to insiders does not exceed 25% of its market capitalization. All securities issued pursuant to the above-referenced debt settlement are subject to a statutory four month hold period and regulatory approval. About Bold Ventures Inc. The Company explores for minerals in Ontario and Quebec. In Ontario, Bold and its subsidiary Rencore Resources Ltd. have extensive holdings comprised of over 18 claim groups in and around the Ring of Fire area of the James Bay Lowlands. The Company has also earned a 10% carried interest in the Koper Lake Project centrally located within the Ring of Fire and directly adjacent to the Eagles Nest nickel-copper massive sulphide deposit currently in the permitting stage. Bold has the option to earn a 100% interest in the Wilcorp gold property (subject to a 1% NSR) located approximately 14 km east of the town of Atikokan in the Thunder bay Mining Division. The Company and Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation are 50/50 joint venture partners in the Traxxin Extension Gold Project located 130 km west of Thunder Bay. The parties have also entered into a strategic partnership agreement related to resource development. In Quebec, Bold's primary focus is on its 100% owned Lac Grasset project that straddles the Sunday Lake Deformation Zone in the Matagami area, within the historically prolific Abitibi Greenstone belt of North-western Quebec. For additional information about Bold Ventures and our projects please visit www.boldventuresinc.com or contact Bold Ventures Inc. at 416-864-1456. "David B Graham" David Graham President and CEO "Richard Nemis" Richard Nemis Chairman of the Board 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such actual results of current exploration programs, the general risks associated with the mining industry, the price of gold and other metals, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/42888 Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2019) - Beauce Gold Fields Inc. (TSXV: BGF) (BGF) is pleased to inform shareholders that the Corporation has granted 1,850,000 stock options to Members of Board, Officers and to a consultant of the Corporation. The stock options are exercisable for a period ending February 18, 2024 at the price of $0.16 per share, The options have been granted under and are subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's Stock Option Plan. About Beauce Gold Fields Beauce Gold Fields is a gold exploration company focused on placer to hard rock exploration in the Beauce region of Southern Quebec. The Company's flagship property is the Beauce Gold project, a unique, historically significant gold property located in the municipality of Saint-Simon-les-Mines. Comprising of a block of 152 claims as well as 7 real estate lots, the project area hosts a six kilometre long unconsolidated gold-bearing sedimentary unit (a lower saprolite and an upper brown diamictite). Textural observations (angularity) of gold nuggets suggest a relatively proximal source and therefore a short transport distance. The gold in saprolite indicates a close proximity to a bedrock source of gold, providing possible further exploration discoveries. The property was host to Canada's first gold rush before the 1890s Klondike gold rush. It hosts numerous historical gold mines that were active from 1860s to the 1960s. (see Listing Application (Form 2B) dated January 30, 2019 of the Company, which is available on SEDAR) Beauce Gold Fields website: www.beaucegold.com Disclaimers: 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. For further information contact Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO Tel: (514) 262-9239 Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman and COO Tel (514) 907-1011 www.beaucegold.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/42907 CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2019 / DNotes Global, Inc. today celebrates the fifth anniversary of the DNotes digital currency. Company co-founder and CEO Alan Yong marked the occasion by revealing his five-year vision for digital currency mass adoption through the continuing development and expansion of the DNotes ecosystem and intensive focus on education, awareness, and inclusiveness. Since its launch five years ago today, DNotes has been relentlessly focused on becoming the world's trusted, inclusive digital currency. From the start, the DNotes currency has stressed the need to make digital currency accessible and useful for people of all walks of life, everywhere in the world. Yong and his team have always believed that mass adoption of digital currency is not something that will just happen of its own accord. Instead, that goal can only be achieved through the creation of a fully-integrated ecosystem comprised of many components, including centralized, decentralized, and hybrid bridges. 'For five years, we have worked to develop the DNotes ecosystem,' Yong said. 'In addition to the DNotes coin, we have created the secure, online DNotesVault, the DCEBrief news and opinion site, the HERo platform, and innovative payment system tools like DNotesPay. In addition, we have sponsored the educational platform, DNotesEDU.' 'As we continue to roll out elements of our DNotes ecosystem, we will build upon that momentum to lay the foundation for mass adoption with components that increase digital currency awareness and education, while providing the tools people need to fully participate in the emerging digital currency revolution.' For DNotes, 2018 was an important year. Though the cryptocurrency markets remained bearish, the DNotes team pressed onward in their mass adoption efforts. Earlier in the year, DNotes Global released DNotes 2.0, a DNotes upgrade that implemented proof-of-stake, while adding more utility to the coin. The company also created DNotes Pay and launched HERo - a platform for promoting, inspiring, and educating women in the areas of technology, entrepreneurship, and finance. Yong stressed the important role that projects like HERo will play in the effort to achieve mass adoption of digital currency. Around the world, nations both big and small have slowly started to realize the importance of increasing female participation in their economies. It is just as important that they be fully involved and invested in this new technological revolution. 'Without female participation in the digital economy,' Yong suggested, 'that economy can never achieve its full potential. Digital currency, blockchain, and every other aspect of the emerging digital age need women's participation to achieve true success. We cannot build a truly beneficial digital economy if half the world's population - women - are left behind.' That firm belief in women's increasingly important role in the ongoing effort to achieve digital currency mass adoption led Yong and his team to start 2019 with an even stronger emphasis on encouraging female participation. Though he acknowledged that the world may not see full mass adoption of digital currency for another five to ten years, the DNotes Global CEO suggested that the effort would be all but impossible without that emphasis on inclusion: 'DNotes has understood all along that inclusiveness and trust will be essential for achieving full adoption of crypto,' he said. 'On our fifth anniversary since the launch of DNotes in 2014, we continue to take pride in our commitment to building a truly inclusive and accessible digital currency that can benefit everyone around the globe.' About Alan Yong: Alan Yong is an author, visionary, and co-founder of DNotes, DNotes Global, CryptoMoms, HERo, DNotesVault, and DCEBrief. He is a frequent radio podcast guest covering digital currencies and his book "The Four Pillars of Business Success". Alan is featured in NLTV's "Blockchain SuperStars". He has published many articles that appeared in various publications creating a large Internet footprint. Alan is also the creator of Dauphin DTR, the most innovative tablet computer of its time in the early 1990s. About DNotes: DNotes is a small cap digital currency launched in 2014. DNotes Global provides the management and leadership in assisting DNotes to gain mass adoption as an inclusive trusted digital currency for global commerce. It has been building a fully integrated ecosystems that includes HERo, DNotesVault, CRISP Reward, DCEBrief, and a business book. For more information please visit: http://dnotescoin.com To view the DNotes white paper, please visit: https://dnotesglobal.com/white-paper/ Media contact Alan Yong media@dnotesglobal.com SOURCE: DNotes Global, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/535993/DNotes-Celebrates-its-5-Year-Anniversary-Founder-Alan-Yong-Reveals-the-Vision-of-Mass-Adoption-Goal-for-2024 Pak PM seeks actionable intelligence, warns against revenge attack. Wife Nitika Kaul and other family members of Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, who lost his life in the Pulwama encounter with Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists, pay their last respects to him ahead of his funeral in Dehradun on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi/Islamabad: Hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asked India to furnish proof of Pakistani involvement in plotting the Pulwama attacks and also warned India of military retaliation in case of any attack by India, New Delhi hit back, saying that Pakistan has been the nerve centre of terrorism and describing the Pakistani offer to investigate as a lame excuse. Describing the Pakistani denial of involvement as an oft-repeated excuse, India termed as regrettable and a false allegation Mr Khans insinuation that the Indian response to the terror attack was determined by the forthcoming general election. It also said terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) had confessed to the attack and that the fact that its leader Masood Azhar is based in Pakistan should be sufficient proof for Islamabad to take action. New Delhi also reminded Pakistan of its refusal to act in the 26/11 case despite the proof provided by India, adding India had always been ready for a dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror. The Indian statement was, however, silent on Mr Khans threat of retaliation in case of any military action by India. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Khan sought to assure India that he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama terror attack if New Delhi shares actionable intelligence, but at the same time warned against any revenge retaliatory action. In a video message to the nation, Mr Khan said: I have been hearing and seeing on the Indian media that politicians there are calling for revenge from Pakistan. If India thinks it will attack Pakistan, then we will not just think but retaliate. Starting a war is in our hands, it is easy. But ending a war, that is not in our hands and no one knows what will happen. The Pakistani PM added that India accused Pakistan without any evidence. The Pakistani PMs message is seen by observers as a sign of nervousness on the part of the Pakistani military establishment amid speculation whether India would carry out another surgical strike against militants operating from Pakistani soil or territory controlled by it. Some observers are also seeing it as an attempt by Pakistan to ward off pressure from the United States and Saudi Arabia. In a detailed statement, the external affairs ministry said: We are not surprised that the Prime Minister of Pakistan refuses to acknowledge the attack on our security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has neither chosen to condemn this heinous act nor condoled with the bereaved families. Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist who perpetrated this heinous crime. It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action. The MEA added: The Prime Minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse. In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on the Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of guaranteed action ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan. The Prime Minister has referred to a Naya (new) Pakistan with a new thinking. In this Naya Pakistan, ministers of the current government publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed, who have been proscribed by the United Nations. New Delhi added: Pakistans Prime Minister has called for a dialogue and expressed his readiness to talk about terrorism. India has repeatedly stated that it is ready to engage in a comprehensive bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence. Pakistan claims to be the greatest victim of terrorism. This is far from the truth. The international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve centre of terrorism. Lashing out at Mr Khan, the MEA pointed out: It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that Indias response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming general election. India rejects this false allegation. Indias democracy is a model for the world, which Pakistan would never understand. We demand Pakistan stop misleading the international community and take credible and visible action against the perpetrators of the Pulwama terrorist attack and other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under their control. In an insinuation that infuriated India, the Pakistani PM said that he understood it was Indias election year and the narrative of blaming Pakistan would make it easier to get votes from the masses, but he hoped that better sense will prevail and that India would be open to dialogue. He said that New Delhi holds Pakistan responsible each time an incident happens in Kashmir, and makes Pakistan its whipping boy again and again. The Kashmir issue, like the Afghan issue, will be resolved through talks, he said. If you have any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani is involved... give it to us. I guarantee you we will take action not because we are under pressure, but because they are acting as enemies of Pakistan, Mr Khan said. Its not in our interests that somebody from here goes out to do terrorism, nor that somebody comes here and does terrorism, he added. He also said Pakistan was ready for talks with India on terrorism. I say it clearly this is a Naya (new) Pakistan and a new mindset, the Pakistan PM said. India talks about including terrorism in dialogue with Pakistan. Terrorism is a big issue facing this region and we want to eliminate it, the Pakistan PM said. If someone is using Pakistans soil [to carry out terror attacks elsewhere], it is enmity with us. It is against our interests, Mr Khan added, while talking about non-state actors. India accused Pakistan without any evidence and without thinking how this [attack] would benefit us, he added. Would even a fool try to sabotage such an important visit as that of the Saudi Crown Prince? the prime minister asked. We have been fighting against terrorism for the past 15 years. How will Pakistan benefit from such incidents? On the Kashmir issue, Mr Khan said: Kashmiris are not afraid of death anymore. There must be a reason for that. Should there not be a discussion in India on this? he asked. Which law in the world allows everyone to become a judge and jury? Questioning whether India wants to resolve the issue through the military, Mr Khan said: This has never been a successful measure. Bachhan said police opened fire in self-defence, thus bailing out the local administration in the incident. Bhopal: Veteran Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijay Singh on Tuesday pulled up the Kamal Nath government for giving clean chit to police in the June 2107 incident of police firing in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh leading to death of six farmers, creating a ripple in state administration. Reacting sharply to a statement by state home minister Bala Bachhan made in the assembly giving a clean chit to Mandsaur district administration in the 2017 police firing on agitating farmers, Mr Singh said, The state government has bailed out BJP in the incident. This is not acceptable. Mr Bachhan said police opened fire in self-defence, thus bailing out the local administration in the incident. Mr Singhs comment caused a stir in the state administration prompting chief minister Kamal Nath to issue a clarification in his official Twitter account that We will not spare the guilty in the Mandsaur police firing This is our word. In a hurriedly convened news conference here on Tuesday, Mr Bachhan declared that a fresh probe would be ordered into the incident to bring to book the guilty in the incident. The incident took place during the previous BJP government in the state. Congress had made it a major issue in the November assembly elections vowing to punish the guilty in the incident. Mr Singh also took a swipe at state forest minister Umang Singh for dismissing the allegations of irregularities in plantation of six crore saplings along Narmada river bank during the previous BJP government in the state. Some people binge watch Netflix Huluor HBO shows. And some people turn their downtime into cash. James made $2,275 in just 19 minutesall thanks to something called The 15 Minute Workday. The average trade makes 12% in just 5 days (factoring winners and losers) which is out of this world. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut. Read More Some people binge watch Netflix Huluor HBO shows. And some people turn their downtime into cash. James made $2,275 in just 19 minutesall thanks to something called The 15 Minute Workday. The average trade makes 12% in just 5 days (factoring winners and losers) which is out of this world. Ener-Core, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, license, and market its products that are based on Power Oxidizer technologies. The company's Power Oxidizer technology generates industrial levels of usable heat in a pressure vessel using various organic gases as fuel for an oxidation reaction. Its products include Ener-Core PowerStation EC250 and Ener-Core Powerstation KG2-3GEF/PO, which have applications in landfills, distilleries, and various industrial processes. The company sells its products directly, as well as through distributors in the United States and the Netherlands. Ener-Core, Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California. Read More The orders, effective immediately, prohibit hotels and lodges of the district from allowing Pakistan citizens to check-in. Indian citizens have been asked not to employ any Pakistan citizens and not have any direct or indirect business relationship with the neighbouring country. (Photo: File) Rajasthan: Following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14, in which more than 40 CRPF personnel were killed, the Bikaner administration has issued a list of orders under section 144 of CrPC. The District Magistrate in an order on Monday said that Pakistan nationals in Rajasthan's Bikaner have been asked to leave the city within 48 hours. The orders, effective immediately, prohibit hotels and lodges of the district from allowing Pakistan citizens to check-in. Indian citizens have been asked not to employ any Pakistan citizens and not have any direct or indirect business relationship with the neighbouring country. "In the matter of receiving spoof calls from Pakistan, no citizen through any medium of telecommunication will exchange any kind of army or sensitive information to unknown persons. Any person of Bikaner district will not use sim cards registered in Pakistan," according to the order. The order is applicable for two months, but would not be applicable to Pakistan citizens who have registered with the foreigner's registration officer, the district administration said. On Friday, India withdrew the Most Favoured Nation status accorded to Pakistan a day after the Pulwama terror attack. Christian Abraham / Christian Abraham FAIRFIELD State Rep. Laura Devlin, R-Fairfield, and state Sen. Henri Martin, R- Bristol, House and Senate members of the legislative Transportation Committee, are inviting the public to attend an informational forum on tolls at the Fairfield Board of Education Administration Building on Feb. 21 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. One proposal before the Legislature is to implement tolls across the state, a proposal that has raised many questions. The event will allow for residents to share their concerns, get their questions answered about tolls, and discuss potential alternatives to tolls. FAIRFIELD Its not as extensive as the famous summertime event, but the Pequot Librarys Mid-Winter Book Sale still drew hundreds of people this weekend to a warm and welcoming literary event. Its a nice community feel, said Doug Fried, who has helped run the event for around 20 years, aided by around 100 others at the all-volunteer-run event. NAUGATUCK An internal affairs investigation is under way to see if a police lieutenant violated the departments social media policy after racially-motivated videos he posted surfaced last week. Police Lt. Bryan Cammaratas two videos were obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media on Feb. 15. A reporter forwarded the videos to Deputy Police Chief Joshua Bernegger seeking comment. Bernegger said Feb. 15 was the first the department had been made aware of the videos, adding that the content did not appear to be in line with the core values of the police department. The lieutenant issued a statement apologizing for the videos Sunday night and said they date back to 2017. A statement from the police department said the videos were posted by Cammarata on his personal Facebook page. Both videos, which were not dated, were filmed in a vehicle and include racially-motivated language about immigrants. The Naugatuck Police Departments policy for personal web pages, blogs and other electronic media took effect on May 26, 2010. The policy, which is reviewed annually, was last revised on March 18, 2015. Any violation of this policy and procedure may result in disciplinary action against the offending member, the policy states. Back in August 2017, a member of the Naugatuck Police Department was suspended without pay for 10 days after calling a woman a racial slur in a Facebook post while off-duty, according to a report from the Republican-American. The departments policy says that members of the police department can have personal web pages, blogs or other types of communications media, electronic or otherwise, which includes social media sites. But even if members of the police department are not directly indicating they work as a Naugatuck police officer, their Freedom of Speech to post what they want on their sites is not necessarily protected, Bernegger clarified, referring to a specific section of the policy. Employees shall not participate or contribute in any fashion in any of the above forums in any way that may have an adverse impact on the community respect for, confidence in, or reputation of the Naugatuck Police Department and/or its employees, according to the policy. In the first video obtained by Hearst, Cammarata talks about having a lot of recent good luck, mentioning how hes been able to get to the front of the line at various locations and stores in Waterbury. Im getting ready to go in the store now, people, he said, putting on a hat with ICE written across the front, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And I want to make sure that, you know, you all understand this. I dont know whats going on but its incredible. The policy states officers are not allowed to use photographs or other images of uniforms, patches, badges or vehicles on their personal sites. Though Cammarata is seen in one of the videos with a logo on the sweatshirt hes wearing, Bernegger said it is not the police departments logo. In that video, Cammarata said, Today is a day without an immigrant or some crap but I gotta tell you, this thing is working out great, apparently referring to A Day Without Immigrants, which took place Feb. 16, 2017 protesting President Donald Trumps stance on immigrants and his plan to build a border wall. As the video continues, Cammarata said he went to a coffee shop and, spoke English, they understood in English. He goes on to say hes going to make phone calls to businesses and do everything that day to be able to speak, and be understood, in English. Were only a couple hours into it and Im loving it, Cammarata said. According to Bernegger, Cammarata has an impeccable record with the Naugatuck Police Department. Cammarata issued a statement through the police union Sunday night and said the videos date back to 2017. The PDP chief noted that it was time for Khan 'walk the talk' with regard to taking action against the spurt of terrorist activities. Mufti said that the war rhetoric has 'more to do with the impending elections than anything else.' (Photo: File) New Delhi: Following Imran Khan's media address statement on the Pulwama terror attack, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti opined that the Pakistan Prime Minister "deserves a chance" as he has "recently taken over." However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief noted that it was time for Khan "walk the talk" with regard to taking action against the spurt of terrorist activities. Khan, in his brief address to the nation earlier on Tuesday, had warned India that any action taken by it will be met with retaliation by Pakistan, but was quick to add that "war is not the solution." In response to this, Mufti said that the war rhetoric has "more to do with the impending elections than anything else." 40 CRPF personnel were killed in an attack orchestrated by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pulwama on February 14. Khan assured that action will be taken if there is any "actionable evidence" available to prove Pakistan's link to the attack. He also offered to have a dialogue with India on the issue of terrorism, claiming that naya (new) Pakistan did not want anybody to indulge in terrorism from the Pakistani soil nor wanted anybody else to indulge in terrorism from outside. We are ready to discuss terrorism. Terrorism is a problem for the entire region. We want terrorism to end in the region, Khan said. Paula Poundstones heady humor and NPR-ready voice sound more Midwest/intellectual than the reality of being a high school dropout in Massachusetts. She did a few odd jobs as a young woman and took up comedy before taking off on Greyhound buses across the country and going to open-mic nights at comedy clubs as standup comedy boomed in the late 1970s. Today, at 59, she does about 90 dates a year, including a return visit to New Haven at the Shubert Theatre Saturday, March 2. A lot of it was just serendipitous time and place, although I always wanted to be a comedian, she said in a phone chat from her West Coast home the other day. I wanted to be like Carol Burnett or Lucille Ball ... or Lily Tomlin. She was living in Boston when the comedy renaissance took place, and the few comedy venues had lots of time slots to fill. Young comics, meanwhile, didnt have that many minutes of workable routine since it takes a long time to develop a lot of material, Poundstone said. So instead of a couple of other comics leading up to a headliner, the headline performer was also the emcee and the comics did 5-10 minutes each. The clubs grew. And whats funny is, in the rest of the country, the same thing was happening, and Ive never understood why. ... It had to do with the development of the human brain, she chuckled. The bus led to San Francisco, where she loved audiences so much she stayed a couple of years. Shes doesnt play the booze-soaked little clubs today and never has played the huge arenas. In a phone chat from her West Coast home the other day, she said, Ive been in theaters for years, and it works good. When I was doing clubs, I would do four or five nights, and that certainly never worked with a family schedule. And now, my kids arent home anymore, but I just much prefer the atmosphere of the theater to begin with; it just feels better. The Shubert date has been selling well, said a Shubert official, probably because people know the Poundstone brand of observational humor and improvisational wit. And she has connected with folks in not only TV specials but on the public radio show Wait Wait... Dont Tell Me, in voice roles such as Forgetter Paula in one of the brainiest and best Pixar movies, Inside Out, and in her weekly podcast called Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. Poundstones career survived a felony child-endangerment charge for driving under the influence with her kids in the car. In her first book, Theres Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say, Poundstone writes, I was court-ordered to Alcoholics Anonymous on television. Pretty much blows the hell out of the second A, wouldnt you say? More Information Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven. Saturday, March 2, $54-$24. 203-562-5666. Shubert.com See More Collapse We tell her our early impression of her was someone very chill. She recalled that I would go on and somehow lose my place, either forget what it was I was planning on saying or get distracted by something I saw in the audience. Now what do I do? Because I dont know where I was in the five minutes. So I was notorious for going over... And I forget what day, but it was fairly early on, when it dawned on me that the really fun part not that I didnt have good jokes... but the really fun part was when I didnt stick to the five minutes, when I said stuff that just occurred to me in the moment. In contrast to the comics who do characters, she decided the more I can sort of peel away the layers and make sure I am the most me I can possibly be, the better. She jokes about child-raising, political news and about stuff shes doing these days, she said, including volunteering at a nursing home. Still, her favorite part is talking with audience members about what they do and using that. Somewhere in my head is rattling around almost 40 years of material... Im not too worried. I go on, I know stuff will come to me one way or the other. I like the feeling of this sort-of community of that particular room... jamarante@nhregister.com; @Joeammo on Twitter NEWS FLASH TUI Airways has suspended plans to launch two new services from the United Kingdom to Croatia during the upcoming summer season and will discontinue one existing route, to Pula. According to the "AvioRadar" portal, the airline has shelved plans to introduce flights from Leeds to Dubrovnik and from Manchester to Rijeka. Furthermore, the leisure carrier will not resume operations between Edinburgh and Pula. Other new services, including Cardiff - Dubrovnik, Doncaster - Pula and London Gatwick - Rijeka will go ahead as planned. Flight information for all of the aforementioned routes can be found on the right hand side in the new route launches section on the desktop version of the site, or by clicking on the top right-hand icon on the mobile version. The Russian Minister for Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, has confirmed that the first deliveries of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft destined for Adria Airways will be built airframes formerly operated by Ireland's CityJet. The aircraft, which were phased out by CityJet last month after Brussels Airlines cut short its wet-lease arrangement for the jets, have been returned to the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC). Speaking at the sidelines of the International Defence Exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Mr Manturov said, "The aircraft, which will be withdrawn from CityJet, will remain in Europe and there is already a preliminary agreement with an airline from Slovenia". He added that the aircraft will be transferred to Adria. Adria Airways and the Russian plane manufacturer signed a Letter of Intent for fifteen SSJ100s in November of last year. Last month, the Slovenian carrier advertised job openings for SSJ type-rated pilots. The President of the Sukhoi Civil Aviation Company, Alexander Rubtsov, recently said, "I think that in the first quarter we will sign the contract [with Adria] or maybe even earlier, in February, because based on our plans, the first deliveries are scheduled for April". According to Mr Rubtsov, Sukhoi will deliver both new and already built airframes to Adria. In late December, the Slovenian carrier registered its own maintenance, repair and overhaul business named Adria Airways Super MRO aircraft maintenance which will be an SSJ100 aircraft Maintenance and Repair Organisation. Its a long-held myth: Spanish-speakers, native-born and immigrants alike, dont want to learn English or assimilate. The idea has fueled anti-immigration laws and English-only campaigns born of an irrational fear that the demise of the language is near, that a brown wave will destroy the American way of life. Former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw recently touched that nerve. Bilingual educators on the front lines of such misconceptions in the 1960s recall that instead of emphasizing Spanish, parents who spoke Spanish wanted the very opposite. They were wary of bilingual programs, in spite of evidence they would give their children a better chance at success. They were fueled by fears, too. Over the weekend at Our Lady of the Lake University, where the states first bilingual education program was created, OLLU-trained educators came together for a conference marking the 50th anniversary of bilingual education. It was homecoming weekend, a perfect time to celebrate the pioneers in the field and a new generation of bilingual teachers. On hand was former state Sen. Joe Bernal, an OLLU alumnus and author of the states Bilingual Education Act. Teachers spoke about the state of bilingual education, concluding that for all its data-documented success, there continues to be pushback not just on the legislative level, but among parents and principals. Thats reflective of a history of language discrimination and corporal punishment in Texas. Memories die hard. The most startling are of times when Mexican-American and Mexican students were physically abused, denied educational advancement and humiliated into silence for speaking Spanish. Retired teacher Susie Navarijo, who earned two degrees from OLLU, recalled when she was a shy second-grader who spoke only Spanish. When a teacher overheard her, she came up behind Navarijo at her desk and hit her between her shoulders with a paddle. Navarijo became one of the first bilingual teachers in the Northside Independent School District, and in 1986, the San Antonio Area Association for Bilingual Education named her Bilingual Teacher of the Year. There were other forms of discrimination that originated with Mexican-American students themselves, Bernal said. They chided fellow students who had accents or who spoke barrio Spanish. Students were shamed by teachers who anglicized their names. Maria became Mary. Sometimes forever. Such experiences remain fresh, influencing parents when their children are recommended for bilingual education or dual-language programs. Theres negativity associated with sustaining a language for which theyve been punished. Attitudes have changed but not enough. Its not like our community has stopped being discriminated against, said Belinda Trevino Schouten, a professor of education, OLLUs coordinator of bilingual education and the organizer of Saturdays events. Some Latinos are now shamed for not speaking Spanish, perhaps by those who dont distinguish between recent immigrants and U.S.-born, multigenerational Americans. Complexities continue to mount. While some parents believe English-only instruction can best help their Spanish-dominant children, other parents, non-Latinos included, are lining up for dual-language programs. They see Spanish proficiency as key to workforce preparation. Teachers face new dilemmas. As their Spanish-dominant students edge closer to state-mandated testing, parents want their children mainstreamed. Parents start freaking out, one teacher said. They want out of our classes. Principals pressure bilingual teachers, too. I want my numbers, a principal told one of them, referring to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, testing. Teachers expressed concern for third-graders moved too quickly to English. Once they take the TEKS in English and fail, they cant go back to Spanish testing. The majority of students must be tested in English by sixth grade. Still, their predecessors had a much tougher time . Im so grateful its not how it used to be, one panelist said. Not only did educators physically discipline and shame their Spanish-speaking students, teachers who provided instruction to students in a language they could understand risked losing their certification. Teachers used to lock their doors, so no one could hear them teach, Schouten said. Today, there are successes, Schouten said, including one that bodes well for bilingual education: OLLU will start its first masters program in bilingual special education this fall. Elaine Ayala is a columnist covering San Antonio and Bexar County. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eayala@express-news.net | Twitter: @ElaineAyala Joe Gonzales got elected Bexar County district attorney last November on a platform based around the concept that, to paraphrase a famous Bob Dylan line, the ladder of justice should have no top and no bottom. Nearly two months after taking office, the former defense attorney paid a visit to the Express-News Puro Politics podcast to talk about the steps hes taking to make that platform a reality. Gonzales recently collaborated with San Antonio Police Chief William McManus on a cite and release program that will free up police officers to devote more time to serious crime and will spare low-level offenders from jail time. The program will cover all offenses eligible for cite and release under state law, with the exception of graffiti. On ExpressNews.com: Four initiatives Gonzales plans to prioritize as DA Chief McManus had a strong concern about the homeowners concern if, for example, theres a situation where an officer appears at a home and an individual has just graffitied the garage door, has got a can of spray paint, and he just gets cited with a ticket, Gonzales said. I share that concern. I think homeowners want to ensure that their property is going to be free of graffiti, and were going to take that seriously. Gonzales also expressed support for a bill co-authored by state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, that would implement risk assessments tools for judges to follow when making bail determinations. It doesnt call for the elimination of all cash bonds on misdemeanors, Gonzales said. What it calls for is that there has to be a risk assessment tool that the magistrate judge, in determining who to set bonds for, has to have some way, other than wealth, to determine whether that individual is eligible for a bond. On ExpressNews.com: DA candidate seeks to calm fears of bail bond owners Gonzales added that he is in favor of whatever it is that would equalize the system so that someone doesnt languish in jail just because theyre too poor to bond out. During his podcast interview, Gonzales also talked about his approach to the high-profile Genene Jones murder case and his determination to create a positive change in culture in the DAs office. Hear these and other comments from Gonzales on this weeks Puro Politics podcast. Puro Politics is a weekly podcast with Gilbert Garcia and the Express-News political team as they take you for a spin inside the halls of civic power. Contributors include government and politics reporter Dylan McGuinness and investigative reporter Brain Chasnoff. Listen and subscribe on: Apple Podcasts Stitcher TuneIn RSS All Episodes Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 The Congress leader also stated that Shiv Sena had betrayed his party men for power. Maharashtra: After the Shiv Sena and BJP on Monday announced an alliance between BJP and Shiv Sena for the upcoming elections, Maharashtra Congress Chief Ashok Chavan accused the BJP-Shiv Sena poll alliance as "unholy and immoral," and has also said that the tie-up brings together "the corrupt and the helpless". Launching a scathing attack on the two parties who announced the seat-sharing, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Ashok Chavan said, "In the past, Uddhav Thackeray had called Amit Shah 'Afzal Khan' and Amit Shah had called Uddhav Thackeray a 'rat', and today, ironically, they sat together to announce the alliance." Chavan further called out Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's previous hollow and bogus statements of not forging an alliance. "During the last Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, Shiv Sena had released a booklet on corrupt BJP ministers. Today using the paper from the same booklet, Shiv Sena made flowers to welcome Amit Shah in Mumbai. Uddhav Thackeray's past statements of Shiv Sena not allying with BJP were bogus and hollow." The Congress leader also stated that Shiv Sena had betrayed his party men for power. "Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray has betrayed his party men and compromised their interest. I fully sympathise with Shiv Sainiks who feel cheated by their own party. I am confident that they will work with the Congress Party to dislodge Modi sarkar from the country and this state," Chavan said. As per the arrangement, Shiv Sena will contest 23 seats, and BJP 25 seats of 48 Lok Sabha seats at stake in the state. In the Vidhan Sabha elections, they will contest on an equal number of seats. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro addressed a crowd of nearly 100 protestors in Travis Park on Monday, reiterating his claim that President Donald Trumps declaration of a national emergency to construct a border wall amounted to an unconstitutional power grab. Reasonable people could disagree about the need for a wall, Castro said, but he argued the presidents latest methodology for achieving that goal should be universally condemned. We should all be able to agree that a president should not be able to declare a national emergency for the purpose of coming through on a political promise and building his border wall, Castro, D-San Antonio, said to cheers from the crowd. OnExpressNews.com: For San Antonio Democrats, Tuesday was the latest in a troubling track record in special elections On Friday, Trump declared a national emergency along the southern border so that more money could be devoted to building a border wall, a move that met swift criticism and legal challenges. The declaration came shortly after Trump signed into law a bipartisan budget deal that provided $1.4 billion for border security. Castro, a San Antonio Democrat and chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has authored a joint resolution that would terminate Trumps declaration. Castro said he plans to file the resolution, which is co-sponsored by 78 of his Democratic colleagues, this week. It would require passage in the House and Senate, along with Trumps own signature, to take effect. Trish Florence, a co-lead organizer for the grassroots group SATX Indivisible, organized the Travis Park protest after a nationwide call Friday from several advocacy organizations. That led to similar protests across the country, though its unclear how large or widespread they were. The San Antonio crowd gathered downtown just after noon with signs that relayed messages like The real emergency lives in the White House and Trump is the crisis. I see a lot of faces that I dont know, and I love that, Florence said. Whenever I am at an event for a cause that I believe in and I see a lot of people that I dont recognize, that reminds me how much strength we have. Among the other speakers at the protest was Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democratic candidate who narrowly lost a bid for Congress against Rep. Will Hurd in Texas 23rd District, which covers part of San Antonio and much of West Texas. OnExpressNews.com: San Antonio approves $5.7M in incentives to East Side tech redevelopment project The Air Force veteran read the military oath to the constitution to the crowd. She said the presidents move is an abuse of power that shows callous disregard for the peoples trust. Our constitution is under threat, she said. The fact that the president is comfortable calling for a fake emergency is in fact the national emergency. After the scheduled speakers finished their remarks, the group broke out in chants of Hey hey, ho ho, to the wall we say no, before most disbanded. Kristin Fisher, 56, and Sherri Lorber, 47, came from Boerne to attend the protest, a practice they said theyve become more accustomed to in the two years since Trump was elected. Were tired of the lies, Lorber said. I think here in Texas, many of us are probably more educated on what the actual situation at the border is like. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A federal judge in San Antonio will hear arguments Tuesday in one of three legal challenges to the states initiative to purge tens of thousands of Texans from voter rolls who officials claim are not U.S. citizens. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery will hear a request by a group headed by the League of United Latin American Citizens seeking a court order to block the plan. LULAC and others say many of the people targeted by the rollout were wrongly placed on the purge lists. The state, in court records, defends the initiative as necessary. The hearing could last much of Tuesday, and possibly into Wednesday, but the judge is not expected to issue an immediate ruling. LULACs state and national chapters sued Texas Secretary of State David Whitley and Attorney General Ken Paxton, after Whitley sent out an advisory Jan. 25 to county election officials identifying some 95,000 people on the voter rolls who had received their driver's licenses while not U.S. citizens. Whitley said that, of those, 58,000 had voted in one or more elections since 1996, and he asked counties to send them letters seeking proof of citizenship to remain on voter rolls. Paxton parroted Whitleys claim in a news release and on social media. Related: LULAC sues Texas over claims that nearly 100,000 voters are not U.S. citizens But in checking over their respective lists, several county officials found there were thousands of people on there who were in fact U.S. citizens and eligible to vote. The Secretary of States office itself called officials in several counties a few days later, asking them to hold off on taking any action based on the list because it turned out some of those on the list had become citizens after they acquired a drivers license, which requires only proof of residency. Bruce J. Elfant, Travis Countys tax assessor collector, whose duties include registering voters, said in a declaration included in the LULAC lawsuit that of 4,558 people named as non-citizens on the list the county received from the state, 1,300 were eligible to vote and wrongly on the list. Harris County officials reported clearing more than 60 percent of the nearly 30,000 people on their list. The list sent to Bexar County had nearly 5,000 people, but elections administrator Jacque Callanen has not publicly said if any are wrongly on it. Bexar County officials opted not to take any action to question those on the list because of the pending lawsuits. Callanen is one of 14 plaintiffs witnesses who could testify Tuesday, said Luis Vera Jr., LULACs national general counsel. LULACs suit said the initiative amounts to a discriminatory witch hunt targeting mostly Hispanic voters, in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act. The Campaign Legal Center joined the suit, adding constitutional concerns. The groups also filed a request to turn it into a class-action lawsuit for others who might be wronged. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund later filed a separate suit in Corpus Christi, which contends that state officials singled out naturalized citizens because they were born outside the country. A coalition of other groups MOVE Texas Civic Fund, Jolt Initiative, League of Women Voters of Texas and the NAACP of Texas filed a third lawsuit in Galveston to prevent the purge, saying Texas officials are treating those who have been naturalized as second-class citizens. Both lawsuits are pending. Related: Texas official apologizes for inaccuracy of voter purge list Whitley has already admitted he was wrong, Vera said, pointing to a Feb. 13 letter Whitley sent to the Legislature apologizing for using flawed data. Before announcing the number of people who may not be eligible to vote, more time should have been devoted to additional communication with the counties and DPS to further eliminate anyone from our original list who is, in fact, eligible to vote, Whitleys letter said, adding that his efforts to notify counties and the public caused some confusion. To the extent my actions missed that mark, I apologize. Despite the apology, the state argues in a motion to dismiss LULACs request that it doesnt pass required legal tests, including that the plaintiffs are likely to suffer irreparable harm without the injunction. The states motion said the Legislature has mandated that the Texas Department of Public Safety share information with the Secretary of State for the express purpose of attempting to identify non-citizens who are registered to vote. The motion said Whitleys office was simply a cog in the process, and is not responsible for investigating the veracity of the lists of those alleged non-citizens. The motion also said Paxton did nothing more than say he stood ready to prosecute those found to have illegally voted. Defendants are not responsible for canceling any voters registration for non-citizenship, the motion said. That role belongs to the counties.. The states motion said that if anyone on the list receives such a notice or is removed from the voter rolls, they can prove their citizenship within 30 days, and county registrars shall add them back if they were wrongfully canceled. In their response, LULAC and the Campaign Legal Center said there is nothing in Texas law supporting the purge. The upshot is that nothing in the Texas Code mandates this program, the plaintiffs response said. Nothing in the Texas Code even contemplates it. It is entirely a creation of the Secretary of State and perhaps other officials currently in Texas government in collaboration with Secretary Whitley. Guillermo Contreras covers federal courts in San Antonio and international legal issues. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland Taking the first steps toward a full makeover of Alamo Plaza, the Texas General Land Office has opened an outdoor welcome center and put up signs prohibiting scooters, skateboards and bicycles. The goal is to encourage visitors to reflect on the sacrifices and struggles for Texas independence without those modern-day distractions. Preparing for the anniversary of the famed 13-day siege and battle at the Alamo in 1836, the Land Office has scheduled a mix of free and paid, ticketed events. A re-enactment at 10 a.m. Saturday of the arrival of the Mexican General Santa Annas army in San Antonio on Feb. 23, 1836, will lead off events planned daily through the March 6 anniversary. About 200 Alamo defenders, surrounded by some 1,600 Mexican soldiers, died in the predawn battle or were executed that day in 1836. The anniversary events are listed on the Alamo website, thealamo.org, including a visit by renowned Alamo artist Gary Zaboly. Hes returning to San Antonio to talk about the battle site and challenge misconceptions about the way some Texian Alamo defenders were dressed. On ExpressNews.com: City Council approves major overhaul of Alamo Plaza The young Alamo commander, Lt. Col. William Barret Travis, probably was not in a glimmering dress uniform, as depicted in art and movies, said Zaboly, who will give a lecture at noon Monday at the Alamo on the Texians appearance. The New Orleans Greys at the Alamo probably were not still in uniforms, unless they were in tatters, said Zaboly, who lives in New York but participated in last years Alamo commemorations. There was no laundromat at the Alamo, he said. They couldnt have been wearing their Sunday best. They were in a dirty, dusty, muddy situation. He does, however, hold out the possibility that David Crockett, former Tennessee congressman and the Alamos most famous defender, may have worn a hat made of raccoon skin at the Alamo as depicted in television and movies. Sometimes the romantic myth is actually true, Zaboly said. Zabolys lecture costs $15 and includes a box lunch. He also will be in the plaza Sunday and Monday, answering questions from visitors and passersby about the battle at no cost, using his artwork as a visual aid. I can explain what this place looked like in 1836, he said. A lot of people who come to the Alamo have no real concept of what happened there. The new signs and visitor kiosk, which operates the same hours as the Alamo complex 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. went up earlier this month. To help visitors understand the Alamo site, the Land Office, city and nonprofit Alamo Endowment plan to overhaul Alamo Plaza, creating more pedestrian space and adding a 130,000-square-foot museum. The San Antonio City Council approved the six-year plan in October, voting to close streets to traffic, relocate the 1930s Alamo Cenotaph and enter into a 50-year lease for the Land Office to manage the area of the plaza once enclosed by mission walls. That lease took effect Jan. 1. Public demonstrations are being allowed south of the plazas historic footprint, which has been designated by the city for First Amendment activities. Alamo Plaza is being transformed into a place of dignity and reverence, Karina Erickson, interim communications director with the Land Office, said in an email. On ExpressNews.com: Alamo plan has what 1994 plan lacked Preservation work, including scans of the roof and walls of the Alamos mission-era church and Long Barrack, also have begun. Previous study of the iconic Alamo church in recent years has revealed its limestone walls, bearing the weight of a concrete roof since 1920, are not completely solid, and are hollow or filled with rubble in some places. Erickson said experts recently began a 20-month investigation of the church, using thermal and infrared imaging to create a three-dimensional model that shows where walls have interior voids and may lack structural integrity. Our goal is to understand how the church was constructed, how deep are the stones that comprise the masonry walls, what are the sizes of the voids in the masonry walls, and where moisture is and how it moves through the church, Erickson said. The Long Barrack is closed, and will re-open as exhibit space once preservation work there is completed, she said. Artifacts that had been displayed there can now be seen in the Alamo Special Exhibition Hall at the south end of the complex. shuddleston@express-news.net / Twitter: @shuddlestonSA NASHVILLE, Tenn. The president of the Southern Baptist Convention on Monday evening called for a "season of lament, sorrow, and repentance" over a sexual abuse crisis, and provided a list of 10 churches, including Second Baptist Church in Houston, that he said should be scrutinized for their handling of sexual abuses and potentially removed from the nation's largest Baptist group. Two of the other 10 churches are in Houston in addition to Second Baptist, a 60,000-member congregation that has long been pastored by former SBC President Ed Young. The other churches are Brentwood Baptist Church and Cathedral of Faith. The 10 churches are as follows: "Brothers and sisters, there is a problem," current president J.D. Greear said at a speech to other SBC leaders in Nashville. "This is not a fabricated story made up by people with a secular agenda. We've not taken reports of abuse in our churches as seriously as our gospel demands, and sometimes even worse, outright ignored or silenced victims." "It's time we back up our words with actions." ABUSE OF FAITH: 20 years, 700 victims A spokesman for Second Baptist declined comment Monday. The pastors of Brentwood and Cathedral of Faith could not immediately be reached. Among the actions Greear said he will take: More resources for churches to deal with sexual abuse; more background checks for SBC leadership groups and entities; and changes to the SBC bylaws that would allow for the removal of churches that show a "wanton disregard for sexual abuse." The SBC president stressed that "every option is on the table," including a registry of convicted or credibly accused church leaders and volunteers. That registry has long been requested by survivors of sexual assault and activist groups, and has recently gotten the support of multiple other SBC figures. Greear's speech came days after the Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News found hundreds of SBC church leaders and volunteers had faced criminal charges and convictions since 2008, when leaders rejected reforms such as a database. All told, since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders have been accused of sex crimes or misconduct. They had more than 700 victims. Now Playing: Gwen Casados, mother of Heather Schneider, says her daughter's life was ruined by a pageant director at Houston's Second Baptist Church. Video: Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Some predators, the newspapers found, were able to operate without oversight or legal scrutiny for years thanks, in part, to Baptist policy that says every church is self-governing and autonomous. Inquiries ahead? But in his Monday speech, Greear stressed that autonomy was not an excuse for inaction. He also called on an SBC work group to "take the necessary steps to determine if 10 churches identified in the Chronicle's report still "meet the standards of having a faith and practice which closely identifies" with that of the Convention. "I am not calling for disfellowshipping (expelling from the SBC ) any of these churches at this point but these churches must be called upon to give assurance to the SBC that they have taken the necessary steps to correct their policies and procedures with regards to abuse and care for survivors," Greear said. "Our goal here is never disfellowship, but correction." Houston's Second Baptist was at the center of two of the newspapers' stories regarding claims that they mishandled or concealed sexual abuses. The church has denied those allegations. In January the church provided a one-page statement response to questions from the Chronicle for its investigative series "Abuse of Faith." PREYING ON TEENS: More than 100 Southern Baptist youth pastors convicted or charged in sex crimes Second Baptist stated it "takes allegations of sexual misconduct or abuse very seriously and constantly strives to provide and maintain a safe, Christian environment for all employees, church members and guests... our policy and practice have been and will continue to be that any complaint of sexual misconduct will be heard, investigated and handled in a lawful and appropriate way." Others in the SBC - including heads of seminaries and entities - have called for a third-party registry of convicted or credibly accused pastors and church workers. Such an idea was struck down in 2008 in part because SBC leaders could not force churches to report such information to a registry. (Read the original statement from Second Baptist. Read their updated statement.) But in the wake of the newspapers' reporting, there's been a growing call for drastic action. Thom Rainer, CEO of the SBC's publishing arm LifeWay resources, told the Chronicle that his organization does not currently provide materials for how churches can assist victims of sexual abuse, something Rainer called a "mistake we need to correct, and that we will correct." He also said that background checks for ordination, ministerial or informal staff candidates have been almost non-existent both at churches and entities he's helped lead, an issue he said LifeWay plans to spearhead as soon as possible. Rainer is one of multiple SBC entity heads who told the Chronicle that they support some sort of registry. "I think this is the loudest I've ever heard it, (and) from the most influential sources," he said. "That is absolutely huge. We've definitely had people advocating it up to this point, but it has never been at the crescendo that it is now." 'A safe place' Women whose lives were affected by sexual abuse committed by former Second Baptist employees expressed hope that the call for investigating the Houston megachurch might help make a difference in the future. Gwen Casados' daughter Heather was only 14 when she was sexually molested in a choir room at Second Baptist in 1994 by a church employee. Casados said she received a call from Young who initially offered to do whatever he could to help her daughter. But after she told Young she had already called police, he hung up. She said her daughter suffered more because church leaders seemed to take the employee's side against the victim. Casados told the Chronicle that she hopes a formal review will convince Young and others to "take responsibility for these things happening and stand up against these people." "I think they should take the responsibility of listening to the child and not to the predator." Now Playing: Nicole and police investigators say Houston youth pastor Chad Foster used his position to take advantage of members of his youth groups. Video: Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Nicole for years belonged to Second Baptist Church's Cypress campus, where she was one of several teenagers who were groomed and sexually harassed by former youth pastor Chad Foster. She also welcomed news that her former church may be scrutinized for its inaction to response to pleas she and others made on behalf of all of Foster's victims, including youth group members who never went to the police and those who did. "It sounds like this is making waves and that is what we need. It seems like people are talking about it now and before no one was talking about this." Foster is now a registered sex offender. Second Baptist was civilly sued over sex abuse allegations involving Foster. The pastor of Brentwood Baptist church, another church on Greear's list, has been sued three times for allegations that he or another pastor sexually harassed adults, court records show. Two civil cases involved parishioners he counseled; at least one was settled. Houston's Cathedral of Faith, The Church of New Beginnings, also appears on the list. It was founded by a pastor who is also a registered sex offender. NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. A San Antonio-based nonprofit is opening a facility for stem-cell work at a new bioscience development on the East Side. BioBridge Global is setting up the second phase of its GenCure biomanufacturing program at the vacant Merchants Ice site on East Houston Street, the organization announced Tuesday. It will lease 21,000 square feet, which will include clean rooms and lab, office and meeting space expected to be finished by years end. GenCure, a BioBridge subsidiary, specializes in human-cell and tissue services for regenerative medicine. The organization will initially employ 20 to 25 scientific and technical staff at the complex. On ExpressNews.com: Major tech redevelopment coming to San Antonios East Side There is a growing amount of research in the field of regenerative medicine underway at institutions here in San Antonio and around the world, GenCure chief operating officer Becky Cap said in a statement. Thats creating a pent-up demand for adult stem cells to help advance new cellular therapies for patients suffering from a wide variety of diseases and conditions. The Merchants Ice facility will be the second stage of GenCures biomanufacturing program, launched last year with the construction of new production and lab space at its headquarters on I-10. The facilities will focus on producing stem cells for new therapies in clinical trials. GenCure brought in nearly $11 million in revenue in 2016, according to tax documents. BioBridges other subsidiaries include the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, QualTex Laboratories and the Blood and Tissue Center Foundation. The organization is the first tenant announced for the complex, which the Texas Research and Technology Foundation (TRTF) hopes to turn into a hub called the Innoivation Center for bioscience startups and research. The nonprofit plans to build a military medical research facility, office and lab space, a business incubator, a hotel and a food court at the site. City Council members approved more than $5.7 million in incentives for the project last week. GenCures facilities, the incubator and offices for TRTF are part of the first phase, which broke ground Tuesday. It fits the story, the narrative, perfectly, Randy Harig, TRTFs CEO and president, said of GenCures presence at the site. The foundation was organized in the 1980s with a focus on life sciences and received as a gift land on the far West Side, on which it built a research park. It has since sold some of the property. On ExpressNews.com: Long-ago gifts still helping entrepreneurs When Harig took over the foundations chairmanship in 2016, he told the board he envisioned an incubator for bioscience companies. Its intended to help researchers at local universities commercialize the ideas and products theyve patented and draw new companies to San Antonio. We are the neck in the hourglass, he said. Harig spent several months traveling and looking at similar projects across the country. Incubators, he said, are usually funded by city, state or university dollars, tend not to make money and are hampered by short-term budgets. He asked the board to commit to the project for the long haul and invest in the Merchants Ice property instead of housing the project at a university or medical campus. The foundation is leasing buildings on the site to VelocityTX, a subsidiary, for $1, and rent from tenants such as GenCure will help fund the incubator. The organization will take an equity and royalty position in the startups that come through the incubator, Harig said. It will also earn money from program fees, and has applied for grants. We'll be pretty close to sustainable pretty quickly, Harig said. I'm always looking for alternative ways to bring funds in. Hiring from the East Side is a priority, as well as preparing people to fill positions at the site. Along with scientists and researchers, companies will need lab technicians and administrators. The organization is working with local middle schools to spread the word that students who take certain math and science classes can get these jobs after high school, Harig said. He estimates VelocityTX lab space will be finished by the time the students finish high school. The entire project is expected to support nearly 700 jobs. Five organizations aside from GenCure have expressed interest in setting up shop, Harig said, and he expects about 50 startups in the incubator by years end. About 20 are arriving this fall for a VelocityTX initiative designed to help international startups break into the U.S. market. madison.iszler@express-news.net UPDATE 20-02-2019 11:45: The Pound Sterling to Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rates edged lower on Wednesday morning, falling back below 1.15 following the release of Germanys latest Producer Price Index. Fears of a German economic slowdown eased following the release as Destatis reported that PPI unexpectedly rebounded in January, with price growth jumping from -0.4% to 0.4%. Currency markets are braced for more significant movement later in the evening however as Theresa May travels to Brussels for the latest round of Brexit talks. UPDATE 20-02-2019 08:30: The Euro-to-Pound exchange rate continued to slide through Tuesday trading, hitting a three-week worst of 0.86722 before flattening out overnight. Early Wednesday trading saw the cross lifted ahead of the European session and the x-rate was last seen at 0.87009. For the GBP, industrial order expectations figures (1100 GMT) are likely to be overshadowed by continued Brexit news-flow as PM May returns to Brussels to meet European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker with pre-emptive commentary from Juncker suggesting low expectations of a breakthrough. Consumer confidence figures for the Eurozone are expected to remain in pessimistic territory with a forecast of -8 representing no change from the previous release. Pound Sterling Euro (GBP/EUR) Exchange Rate Limp as Fresh Data Keeps Shocks to a Minimum The political uncertainty limiting movement in the Pound, combined with the economic jitters pressuring the Euro, have left the British Pound to Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate relatively muted this week so far. Investors are awaiting key German and Eurozone data due later in the week, as the latest figures have proven unsurprising. Since the beginning of the month, GBP/EUR has largely trended in a relatively narrow region. Occasional Pound drops on Brexit jitters have been met with Euro drops on German economic jitters, keeping GBP/EUR close to the level of 1.14. Last week was more of the same. GBP/EUR opened at the level of 1.1425, and while it briefly tumbled to a low of 1.1317 the pair ultimately closed the week at the level of 1.1414. GBP/EUR trended just above those opening levels at the time of writing on Tuesday. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Remain Limp as Brexit Process Sees Little Change Time is running out on the Brexit clock, but there is still no clarity at all over how the process will unfold. The UK government is attempting renegotiation with the EU over the issue of the Irish backstop, but analysts do not expect these negotiations to be particularly productive. With only around 40 days until the formal Brexit date will take place, and the government still indicating it will not delay the process, investors are hesitant to buy the Pound. The latest UK job market data, published this morning, was largely unsurprising and had a limited impact on the Pounds movement. However, it also showed that the number of EU workers in the UK had dropped and analysts are using this to ramp up warnings of urgency towards the UK government. According to Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC): with less than 40 days to go until the UK is scheduled to exit the EU, businesses urgently get the clarity they need on the key unanswered questions in a no deal scenario, including the information they to need to plan for their own workforce needs such as how firms can move skilled staff between the UK and EU in the unwelcome event of a messy and disorderly Brexit on March 29. Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates Fail to Advance as Eurozone Data Mixed The Euro briefly benefited from weakness in its rivals at the beginning of the week, but demand for the shared currency has ultimately been weak due to a lack of domestic support. The Eurozones economic outlook has been concerning investors, with recent German economic data falling short of market expectations and leaving investors doubtful that the European Central Bank (ECB) will tighten Eurozone monetary policy in the coming year. This has kept notable pressure on the Euro, and this weeks data so far has given investors little reason to buy the shared currency. This morning saw the publication of the Eurozones construction output slowed to just 0.7% in December, rather than rising to the expected 2.1%. ZEWs economic sentiment stats for Germany and the Eurozone overall were published as well, with more mixed results. According to Howard Archer, "ZEW survey shows slight improvement in Germany investors' sentiment in February but still muted. Assessment of current conditions weakened markedly." Germanys current conditions figure slumped from 27.6 to 15.0 in February, but Germanys economic sentiment index lightened to -13.4 rather than the expected -14. The Eurozones also lightened more than expected, to -16.6. UPDATE: The Pound-to-Euro exchange rate rose 0.8% throughout the session, peaking at a three-week high of 1.1530 before trimming gains into Wednesdays session. At the time of writing, the GBP/EUR cross was seen at 1.1488 after sliding below the key 1.15 level. The Pound-to-Dollar x-rate gained 1.12% through Tuesday trading, retaking the $1.13 handle and was last seen edging lower into Wednesdays European session at $1.30430. While the on-going political turmoil in the UK should weigh on the Sterling, some analysts believe markets are reacting to reports of Prime Minister Theresa May abandoning the Malthouse Compromise in a move viewed as the government adopting a more realistic bargaining stance in on-going EU-UK negotiations. Nomura analyst, Jordan Rochester wrote in a note to clients By default seeing both sides take action at this stage lowers the markets hard Brexit probability by a small margin. UPDATE: The pound Sterling (GBP) rallied against both the Euro (EUR) and US Dollar (USD) during Thursdays session in the wake of the latest UK labour market statistics which indicated that while other economic sectors may be floundering amid Brexit uncertainty, the labour market continues to hold up well. At the time of writing, the Pound-to-Euro exchange rate was seen trading at 1.1461, up 0.32% after an upside break of the narrow range which had constrained price action through Monday and into Tuesday. The pound-to-Dollar exchange rate was last seen at $1.295, trimming gains after posting a fresh weekly high of $1.29586. Despite a miss on the average weekly earnings index (which printed flat at 3.4%), unemployment remained at a multi-decade low of 4.0%. Commenting on the data, XTB market analyst David Cheetham wrote that while the figures were supportive of the GBP, Brexit remains the key driver. Cheetham wrote The most recent data on the UK labour market continues to be strong on the whole, with the unemployment rate remaining close to a multi-decade low and another decent monthly rise seen in real wages, adding Looking at the bigger picture the pound remains range bound and is seemingly awaiting further clarity on Brexit before embarking on a sustained move, and therefore economic data remains in the back-seat for now. On the Brexit front, a report by the UK Branch of the United Nations Association released on Tuesday suggested that the UKs exit from the EU had prompted a palpable decline in British influence at the UN suggesting the UK will lose political weight on the UN security council. Regarding Brexit, former ambassador to the UN, Sir Jeremy Greenstock said Most other people almost without exception think weve shot ourselves in the foot. Following Mondays seven resignation, UK news outlets reported on Tuesday that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering splintering. Speaking to Sky News, Shadow chancellor John McDonnell downplayed the reports. McDonnell said I dont think there is that scale, but the key issue for us - and it was made clear at the Parliamentary Labour Party, Tom Watson said it and others - the Labour leadership, and Im part of that, we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is expected to urge the government to adopt Labours plan for Brexit which calls for a permanent customs union between the EU and UK. While this approach would put to rest any concern over an Irish backstop theres virtually nil chance of the government adopting the stance given considerable anti-EU sentiment within the ruling Conservative party. Overall, the politicking continues with little in the way of substantial progress towards a Brexit resolution - soft, hard or anything in between - and with the clock ticking down to the March 29th deadline the pressure is mounting for a catalyst to break the current gridlock which threatens to yield a no-deal-by-default outcome. Pound Sterling exchange rates held firm on Tuesday, despite Mondays raft of Labour Party resignations reflecting the growing political divide within the UK with respect to Brexit and worsening the already uncertain Brexit outlook. The Pound-to-Dollar exchange rate has been trading largely sideways through the week so far with the cross last seen at $1.29188, unchanged from the session open. The Pound-to-Euro exchange rate remained constrained to a 1.14 to 1.144 range with the x-rate last seen at 1.1423, also flat from open. With less than 40 days to go until the UKs exit date from the European Union, political division continues to forestall Brexit progress. Mondays session saw seven Labour Party MPs resign, partially in response to the partys agenda with respect to Brexit. GBP markets took the resignations in their stride with some analysts even predicting potential support for the Sterling given the expectation of a more amenable Labour Party. Senior market analyst, Fiona Cincotta of City Index commented A number of anti-Brexit Labour MPs resigning could push Jeremy Corbyn towards a different solution from what is now on the table and could be helpful to the pound as the market views a no-deal Brexit as the worst potential outcome for the UK economy. Commenting on the market impact, Danske Banks chief strategist, Valtteri Ahti wrote that the Euro-to-Pound was little changed despite rising political turmoil in the UK after seven labour MPs yesterday left the party in protest. In isolation, this is not a game changer, in our view, and even if other MPs from both sides follow and leave the two big parties, the implications for Brexit and thus GBP are unclear. The rise of splinter groups, within or breaking away from the main parties, represents an exacerbation of an already divided House of Commons. On the pro-Brexit, anti-EU front we have the European Research Group (ERG), threatening to vote against any proposals which dont scrap the Irish backstop component of the EU withdrawal agreement altogether. Less anti-EU but still pro-Brexit, the Conservative led government headed by PM May continues to seek a resolution which includes alterations to the backstop component in a bid to allay fringe MPs who are concerned the UK could be trapped into a customs union with the EU indefinitely and DUP MPs who reject any proposal which would cause Northern Ireland to come under different regulations to the rest of the UK. The Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn is expected to meet with the EUs top negotiator, Michel Barnier and other EU officials on Tuesday to progress the partys official agenda of seeking a resolution which maintains a customs union between the UK and EU. The group of Labour MPs who resigned, plus several other Labour and cross-party MPs represent the most pro-EU, anti-Brexit group who are campaigning for a second EU referendum in an attempt to halt the Brexit process altogether. Given the disparity between objectives, it seems unlikely the House of Commons will be able to find consensus over any proposals tabled by the government. In line with the Prime Ministers statement last week, should a revised deal not be an option, the government will table another amendable motion for debate and to be voted by February 27th, allowing parliament to take further control of the process as the UK barrels towards a no-deal Brexit. Meanwhile across the channel, European Council president Donald Tusk has reiterated his stance that the EU remain waiting for realistic proposals on how to break the Brexit impasse from the UK government. Another EU source reportedly said the UK was pretending to negotiate. The PM has been accused of attempting to run down the clock to force more MPs to back her deal given the alternative, no-deal outcome. Monday saw four cabinet ministers demand the PM stop using the threat of no-deal Brexit as a bargaining chip. Following talks with the EUs Barnier on Monday, the attorney general Geoffrey Cox is expected to make a speech later on Tuesday regarding what changes would be necessary to mitigate the risk of an indefinite backstop arrangement. UK and EU lawyers are expected to work on a legal text over the coming days. An Army major, three soldiers, a J&K policeman and a civilian were also killed in the Pinglena encounter. Srinagar: The Indian Army said Tuesday that the deadly suicide attack in which 49 CRPF personnel were killed in J&Ks southern Pulwama district on February 14 was carried out by terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed with the active support of Pakistans Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence wing. The attack on the (CRPF) convoy was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed of Pakistan and it was being controlled from Pakistan with the active support of the ISI and the Pakistan Army, Srinagar-based 15 Corps commander Lt. Gen. Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon said at a joint press conference of top officers of the security forces here. He, however, also said the Indian Army had killed in less than 100 hours the JeM leaders who had planned and executed the attack. We were tracking the top leadership of JeM in J&K. Local JeM commanders, most of them Pakistanis, who were in charge of controlling, coordinating and fabricating and also of the execution of this operation were the main people of the JeM in the Valley. We eliminated that JeM leadership in the Valley which was being handled by the JeM from Pakistan in less than 100 hours, the corps commander said. He was referring to Mondays firefight in Pulwamas Pinglena area in which three JeM militants were killed by the security forces in a joint cordon-and-search operation. A statement by the J&K police late on Monday night had said one of the slain militants was Hilal Ahmed, a resident of Pinglena. It also said that from the incriminating material recovered from the site of encounter the other two terrorists have been identified as foreigners from Pakistan Kamran alias Fahad, and Rashid alias Gazi alias Lukman. The Army said Kamran was a trusted aide of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, while Ghazi Rashid was a Pakistani national, known as a IED specialist. An Army major, three soldiers, a J&K policeman and a civilian were also killed in the Pinglena encounter. Lt. Gen. Dhillon, in a stern warning to sympathisers of militant groups in the state, said anyone who picks up a gun will be eliminated, unless he/she surrenders. He appealed to mothers in Kashmir to persuade their sons who have picked up the gun to surrender. He said: In Kashmiri society, mothers have a great role to play. Through you I request all mothers of Kashmir to please request their sons who have joined terrorism to surrender and get back to the mainstream. At the same time, he warned: Anyone who will pick up the gun in Kashmir will be eliminated unless he surrenders. We have a very good surrender policy initiated by the government so that they can join the mainstream. He said the type of the suicide attack that took place at Lethapora happened after a long time in Kashmir, and we will keep all options open to deal with these kinds of attacks. He added that the security forces had leads on the type of explosives used but cannot share the details as an investigation was under way. Replying to questions, Lt. Gen. Dhillon said: Our focus is clear on counter-terrorism operations. We are very clear that anyone who enters the Kashmir Valley will not go back alive. There is no doubt that the Pakistan Army and ISI are involved. JeM is a child of the Pakistan Army. The CRPFs Zulfiquar Hasan said: Our helpline 14411 has been helping Kashmiris across the country in the wake of this attack. Lots of Kashmiri students have approached this helpline for help all over the country. All Kashmiri children studying outside have been taken care of by the security forces. He added: The incident happened because of an IED laden civilian car. The ROP (Road Opening Party) had secured the highway. Now, the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) on civilian cars will be changed. IGP (Kashmir range) S.P. Pani said: There is a significant dip in recruitment, we have not see any recruitment in the last three months. The families are playing a huge role in this. We would like to urge the families and the community in curtailing recruitment. - Pound Sterling analysts expect a strong UK Average Earnings Index and Unemployment Rate to be GBP positive. - The Pound-to-Euro exchange rate is is +0.05% higher @ 1.14303 today - The Pound-to-Dollar exchange rate is -0.01% lower @ $1.29212 today OVERNIGHT Monday was a quiet day of trade as the US observed a public holiday for Presidents day. Overnight however the US Dollar caught a bid as traders geared up for what should be full volumes in the United States. Stock markets were also cautiously higher even as Oil prices dropped at the Japanese Open in Tokyo. There was also some breaking news as 16 states sued the Trump administration for his emergency declaration lead by California, claiming that funds are inappropriately being taken from them. Such a large swathe of states cannot be ignored, and Trump will likely have to face a lot more opposition than this if he is going to spend $8 billion of taxpayer money. THE DAY AHEAD Today sees a highly important set of economic data released in the United Kingdom, as the crucial unemployment and wage growth figures are released. Interestingly, despite the fact that UK data has been abysmal of late economists expect the figure to drop to 3.9% from 4.0%. Analyst Preview: Kristoffer Kjr Lomholt, Analyst at Danske Bank "The unemployment figures from UK where we expect it to stay at 4.0% in line with consensus, although it might be a close call to 3.9%." Although there is a mix of factors which could prompt this improvement, at the very least it would suggest that the job market is still intact which could potentially support Sterling in the near term. Analyst Preview: Marshall Gittler, Chief Strategist & Head of Education, ACLS Global "Despite the weak economy (GDP stagnated during the month), employment growth is expected to be strong and the pace of wage growth is forecast to accelerate further to the fastest rate post-GFC despite slowing inflation. That should be positive for the pound, at least temporarily." FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKETS Both the Euro (EUR) and the Pound Sterling (GBP) moved essentially sideways against the US Dollar (USD) on Monday as there was little to get FX markets moving with no fundamental data or news headlines. The Pound to Dollar exchange rate failed to capitalise on its moves above 1.2920, as the GBP finished back at the psychological level around 1.29. Analyst View: Saktiandi Supaat, Analyst at Maybank "Growing divide or rather increasing political fragmentation amongst lawmakers on what they want out of Brexit and the risk of EU-UK deadlock on the withdrawal agreement are likely to bring back fears of no-deal, hard brexit as 29th Mar brexit deadline looms. This should continue to swing GBP both ways in wide range of 1.28 1.32 but near term technical bias is skewed to the upside. Bearish momentum on daily chart shows signs of waning while stochastics is showing signs of turning from near-oversold conditions. Rebound could test 1.2990 1.30 levels. Support at 1.2830, 1.2790 levels. GBP was last seen at 1.2906 levels." Its cousin EUR/USD was also found wanting, as it was once again back at 1.13 in the early morning. Analyst View: Saktiandi Supaat, Analyst at Maybank "Bearish momentum on daily chart is waning while stochastics is showing signs of turning from oversold near-conditions. Technically, signs are pointing to a rebound. A move towards 1.1370-90 levels (21, 50, 100 DMAs) is not ruled out. But gains could be weighed by the build-up in political risk premium Spain election uncertainty, risk of snap elections in Italy, contagion fears of Italian banking situation, fears of imposition of US tariff on EU cars and softer than expected economic data. Support remains at 1.1230 (2018 low) before 1.1190 (61.8% fibo retracement of 2017 low to 2018 high)." Analyst View: Barclays Bank "EUR fell slightly overnight amid tense comments on EU-US trade. EC President Juncker declared he wouldnt buy American soy if President Trump breaks his word on duties on imported vehicles, after the US Commerce Department gave the President a report on the national security implications of car imports (Bloomberg)" Pound Sterling Forecast: ING see risks of delay to Brexit With little to be excited about, the Brexit waiting game is getting excruciating for traders looking for some clarity on the future. Unfortunately, it seems that the chance of an additional delay to proceedings is actually growing. In INGs daily report, analysts at the Dutch bank see some evidence that the pressure on May to extend article 50 might help the Pound a little, but still, arent expecting it to rise above 1.30, Prime Minister Theresa May is in Brussels again this week, seeking to secure amendments to the Irish back-stop. Expectations of any progress here are virtually nil and thats perhaps what could be helping sterling here i.e. the increasing view that the Cooper-Boles amendment (of a substantial Article 50 delay) could have a better chance of passing in parliament on 27 February. Cable should be capped at 1.30. The Euro to Pound exchange rate (EUR/GBP) is a good indicator of the true performance of the exchange weighted Pound and so far has proven unable to maintain serious gains against the Euro. This suggests that volatility has broadly been US Dollar based. Analysts at Lloyds believe that longer term a drop beneath 0.8250 is the key bullish development for the Pound Medium term, a clear break down through 0.8625 could be a game-changer and move us back into the previous lower 0.8250-0.8700 trading range. Otherwise, we remain in a range between there and 0.9100/0.9170 resistance. Long term, a decline through 0.8250 is needed to indicate a real shift in sentiment, suggesting a move to 0.8000/0.7500. If the Bank of England is going to be able to maintain a hawkish lilt, jobs and wages need to hold up. All eyes on todays report and also if Theresa May gets any traction on attempting to renegotiate the Irish backstop. Exchange Rates Today: 19.02.2019 GBP/AUD 1.81543 (+0.18%) GBP/CAD 1.71309 (+0.16%) GBP/CHF 1.29797 (-0.02%) GBP/CNY 8.74714 (+0.03%) GBP/CZK 29.40348 (+0.08%) GBP/EUR 1.14303 (+0.05%) GBP/HKD 10.14166 (+0%) GBP/ILS 4.68387 (+0.01%) GBP/JPY 142.95499 (+0.02%) GBP/MXN 24.90149 (+0.07%) GBP/NOK 11.12965 (+0.05%) GBP/NZD 1.89301 (+0.42%) GBP/PLN 4.94671 (+0%) GBP/SEK 11.98656 (+0.25%) GBP/SGD 1.75345 (+0.03%) GBP/TRY 6.86447 (+0.24%) GBP/USD 1.29212 (-0.01%) GBP/ZAR 18.31333 (+0.42%) In a world first, Mayne Pharma International Pty Ltd announced the listing of Kapanol low dose sustained-release morphine on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) for the symptomatic reduction of chronic breathlessness More than 70,000 Australians who suffer from chronic breathlessness will now have access to life-changing medication to manage their symptoms. In a world first, Mayne Pharma International Pty Ltd announced the listing of Kapanol low dose sustained-release morphine on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) for the symptomatic reduction of chronic breathlessness. Many of the people set to benefit have chronic lung disease, are often housebound and limited in their day-to-day activities. This once-a-day capsule offers a new way to reduce their debilitating symptoms. The Vice President for Scientific Affairs at Mayne Pharma, Dr Stuart Mudge, said, "Being able to respond to the needs of people with chronic breathlessness is an important step forward. As a world-first indication to treat this symptom, it presents an exciting opportunity for Mayne Pharma and for the clinical community. This is going to make a difference for many people." This world-first indication will stimulate future research into other medications that may also be able to help manage chronic breathlessness. The listing will drive new areas of research in the laboratory and in the clinic directly with patients. Much of the research underpinning this listing was conducted in Australia by researchers and clinicians across the country. The Australian national Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative, formerly at Flinders University and now based at University of Technology Sydney, has built on work started more than 20 years ago to study the effectiveness and safety of regular, low dose extended-release morphine for the symptomatic reduction of chronic breathlessness. The work, led by the principal investigator of the Collaborative, Professor David Currow, has engaged clinician-researchers in every mainland state. "This is a national effort which has brought together patients with clinicians from respiratory medicine, clinical pharmacology and palliative care in order to improve the care that we offer," Professor Currow said. "Rigorous clinical studies that have tested the use of regular, low dose morphine for the symptomatic reduction of chronic breathlessness have shown that, in people with the most severe breathlessness, there is symptomatic benefit that patients can notice." Linda Brown, the national manager of the Collaborative said, "Clinical research that can be implemented into practice is exciting to conduct. This is a team effort from patients, their families, clinicians and industry. Together, we are making a difference for people today." ### Jia Rao, an assistant professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been awarded a four-year, $498,000 National Science Foundation Early Career Development, or CAREER, Program grant to redesign abstractions in virtualized systems to improve efficiency. The Faculty Early Career Development Program is the NSF's most prestigious award for junior faculty. Winners are outstanding researchers, but also are expected to be outstanding teachers through research, educational excellence and the integration of education and research at their home institutions. Abstractions are used to hide capacity in computer systems by removing less important details to attend to other, more pertinent ones. One type of abstraction--virtualization--is a key component of cloud computing and has changed how computer systems use resources by allowing multiple virtual computer architectures and systems to run off of a single physical machine. However, performance, cost-effectiveness and predictability issues are keeping virtualization out of domains such as scientific computing and big-data analytics. "The problem with existing abstractions in virtual systems is that, despite the benefits to cloud computing, abstractions incur a lot of inefficiency and unpredictability to cloud users," Rao said. "Our intention is to improve resource management in any kind of virtual system to enable elastic, effective and efficient use of those resources." Virtualization is the process of creating a virtual copy of real physical resources to help ease the management of computer systems and allow maximum flexibility in resource management. Using virtualization, it is possible to build a computer system where several virtual machines, each assigned to different users, can run off one physical machine. However, it is difficult to meet each individual's needs and maintain high utilization and efficiency in the system due to semantic gaps, or critical missing information between levels of abstraction. For instance, a user of a virtual machine has the illusion of a dedicated resource and continuous availability, but those resources are actually built upon a physical resource shared among many users. Since resource management software was designed for a physical system with continuous availability, the software doesn't work efficiently in a virtualized environment because each user's demands on the physical system are different. "We hope to bridge these semantic gaps by augmenting existing, regularly adopted abstractions while retaining the benefits of abstraction, including modality, security and portability," Rao said. "We will then use the knowledge we develop in designing abstractions in virtualized systems to guide the design of abstractions in future hardware systems that will support multi-tenacy." His research is an example of data-driven discovery, one of the themes of UTA's Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact, said Peter Crouch, dean of the College of Engineering. "Cloud computing has changed how the world uses computer networks, and Dr. Rao's research will make the cloud more efficient. This could lead to even greater opportunities for business, the scientific community and anyone who uses the cloud as part of their daily lives," Crouch said. Seven other UTA faculty have active NSF CAREER Award support: Matthew Walsh of the Biology Department received $600,000 in 2017 to study whether behavioral plasticity promotes or constrains adaptation. Majie Fan of the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department received $485,627 in 2015 to enhance understanding of how the Rocky Mountains and its modern, elevated landscape came to be. Yi Hong in the Bioengineering Department received $500,000 in 2016 to develop a polymer that will allow engineers to develop a scaffold that is flexible, conductive and biodegradable for biomedical applications such as tissue repair. Junzhou Huang of the Computer Science and Engineering Department received $545,763 in 2016 to discover a process by which image-omics data can be combined into files that are small enough that current computing technology will allow scientists to better predict how long a patient will live and how best to treat him or her. Ankur Jain in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department received $500,000 in 2016 to develop a fundamental understanding of how heat flows in materials within a Li-ion battery so they can be used safely in more applications. Alice Sun in the Electrical Engineering Department received $500,000 in 2016 to develop an all-liquid optofluidic laser that could better detect cancer in the comfort of a doctor's office. Kyungsuk Yum in the Materials Science and Engineering Department received $500,000 to design and develop bioinspired 3D materials with programmed shapes and motions. ### The Computer Science and Engineering Department offers degrees in computer engineering, computer science and software engineering. The Computer Engineering program was ranked No. 80 and the Computer Science program No. 90 in the U.S. News and World Report 2019 graduate rankings. The department's internationally recognized faculty members are engaged in breakthrough research across the leading areas of big data and large-scale computing, biocomputing and health informatics, computer networks, computer vision and multimedia, database and information systems, embedded systems and mobile computing, machine learning and data mining, robotics and artificial intelligence, security and privacy, software engineering and sustainable computing. The ambassador also asserted that his country has no diplomatic ties with Pakistan. New Delhi: Israel has offered unconditional help to India in defending itself, especially against terrorism, asserting that there is no limit to its assistance, an assurance which assumes significance amid demands that the government should consider Israeli-type retaliation to terror strikes. The comments by newly-appointed Israeli envoy Dr Ron Malka came in response to a question on up to what extent Jerusalem will go to help India which has been a victim of terrorism. Last Thursday, in one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM killed 40 CRPF personnel after which there have been growing demands that the government should explore Israeli-type anti-terror operations. Israeli military is known for its precise and quick strikes. Whatever India needs to defend itself there is no limit. We are here to help our close friend India to defend itself specially against terrorism because terrorism is the problem of the world and not only of India and Israel, Malka told PTI in an interview early last week. Emphasising that the world should fight terrorism and eliminate it by collaborating, he said, So, we help India, share our knowledge, share our technique because we really want to help our really important friend. The 52-year old Malka, who was in Israeli military service from where he retired with the rank of Full Colonel, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him that India was a very important partner, very important friend and he wants to collaborate to enhance ties and deepen them... To share our knowledge. The ambassador also asserted that his country has no diplomatic ties with Pakistan and therefore, does not engage bilaterally in any activity with them. He further said that by strengthening India, Israel was contributing to the world stability. Paleontologists working on a steep river bank in Alaska have discovered fossil evidence of the northernmost marsupial known to science. This tiny, opossum-like critter, which the team named Unnuakomys hutchisoni, roamed the earth during the Late Cretaceous Period about 69 million years ago. It rubbed elbows with dinosaurs on a land mass that was, at the time, located far above the Arctic Circle--roughly at the same latitude as the northern reaches of today's Greenland. Jaelyn Eberle, curator of fossil vertebrates at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, led the research describing the polar creature. She said that despite an estimated weight of less than an ounce, this itty-bitty animal was probably pretty hardy. It would have needed to survive 120 days of darkness in the winter and temperatures that averaged just 42 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 6 degrees Celsius. To honor that Arctic lifestyle, Eberle and her colleagues gave the new mammal the genus name Unnuakomys, a mash-up of Greek and the indigenous Inupiaq language that means "night mouse." "These guys must have been adapted to darkness because they spent a lot of time in it," said Eberle, also of the Department of Geological Sciences. She added that the discovery paints a more detailed picture of the flora and fauna that once thrived in what is now the North Slope of Alaska--a region that, in the age of dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex, was home to species not seen anywhere else on Earth. "This new marsupial is an exciting addition to the growing list of new species of dinosaurs and other animals that we are describing from northern Alaska as part of a bigger project to reveal ancient Arctic ecosystems," said study coauthor Patrick Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Mammals from this region, near Alaska's Colville River, haven't been easy to find because they were small and didn't leave behind many bones. To identify their new species, Eberle and her colleagues relied on teeth, which they sifted out of huge tubs of dirt. Mammal teeth, she explained, have unique cusps that differ from species to species, making them a bit like fingerprints for long-dead organisms. Based on around 60 such teeth and some jaws from the North Slope, she and her colleagues discovered that they were dealing with not just a brand-new species of marsupial, but a new genus, too. They published their findings recently in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. The team can't say a lot about what Unnuakomys hutchisoni might have looked like, although it would have been about the size of a house mouse. It probably munched on insects and may have lived underground. Eberle added that while Late Cretaceous mammals like Unnuakomys hutchisoni may seem unassuming, they're important to study because they were unlikely survivors. While non-avian dinosaurs perished after a meteorite crash 66 million years ago, an array of tiny mammals persevered, eventually giving rise to the wide diversity of these organisms alive today. "If I were Doctor Who, I'd take the TARDIS back to the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary when that meteorite hit," Eberle said. "I want to know what was going on that potentially preadapted these mammals for survival." ### Other coauthors of the new paper include William Clemens of the University of California, Berkeley; Paul McCarthy of the University of Alaska; Anthony Fiorillo of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science; and Gregory Erickson of Florida State University. A wealth of potential exists in inorganic synthesis for the development of advanced materials that can perform sophisticated functions and drive complex processes. Researchers have long been developing a body of knowledge to map these chemical reactions and predict their results. Particularly in the relatively new subdiscipline of nanocluster synthesis, a little less guesswork could go a long way. "Greater predictability would allow for the targeted synthesis of materials with tailored properties," said Trevor Hayton, a professor in the UC Santa Barbara Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, a specialist in, among other things, the chemistry of nanoclustiers -- tiny aggregations of metallic elements that have desirable optical and chemical properties, and the chemistry of actinides. Among the most well-known of these rare, often unstable radioactive elements are uranium and plutonium. At the moment, targeted nanocluster synthesis "is nearly impossible to achieve," according to Hayton. However, he and his group have made great strides toward a better understanding of nanocluster synthesis, with efforts that will boost the future development of high-tech materials. "With respect to nanochemistry, we have started to unravel the self-assembly 'rules' of nanocluster synthesis," Hayton said. "Knowing these rules will enable the development of nanoclusters for a variety of catalytic and optoelectronic applications." The Hayton Group also has pioneered the use of nuclear magnetic resonance -- familiar to most as the technology behind medical magnetic resonance imaging scans -- to measure orbital interactions in uranium. "The collection of this fundamental data will ultimately underpin the development of new methods for nuclear fuel cleanup," he said. For these accomplishments and others, Hayton has now been recognized with a prestigious Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. "I'm delighted to hear that Professor Trevor Hayton has been elected a recipient of the Humboldt Foundation's Bessel Award for his early career research achievements, including research on transition metal complexes and actinide systems," said UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry T. Yang. "This prestigious award will provide him with unique opportunities to collaborate with leading scientists in Germany and will help to advance his groundbreaking research. On behalf of our campus, I extend my hearty congratulations to Professor Hayton and join in thanking the Humboldt Foundation for their work to promote international scientific cooperation and for this recognition of vital research being conducted at UC Santa Barbara." "I am overjoyed," said Hayton, who was nominated for the award by Gerhard Erker of Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster in Germany. Erker's research centers on organometallic and organic chemistry. "It is an incredible honor to be chosen," Hayton added. Recognized for their outstanding research record, winners of the Bessel Award are and invited to spend a period of up to one year collaborating on a long-term research project with specialist colleagues at a research institution in Germany. Hayton will receive 45,000 (about $51,000) for travel and to carry out his research. "I hope to develop new main group compounds that catalyze the reduction of nitrous oxide, an important greenhouse gas," Hayton said of his research plans to be supported by the Bessel Award. "Typically, the reduction of nitrous oxide requires a precious metal catalyst." By using an inexpensive and far more abundant main group element to catalyze this reaction instead, Hayton explained, "we can potentially bring down costs and reduce the amount of nitrous oxide released into the environment." Joining the UC Santa Barbara faculty in 2006, Hayton received his Ph.D. in chemistry in 2003 from the University of British Columbia. He is the recipient of several honors, including a 2010 Sloan Fellowship. The Germany-based Humboldt Foundation grants about 20 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Awards annually to foreign scientists and scholars who are internationally renowned in their field, completed their doctorates fewer than 18 years ago and are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements that will have seminal influence on their discipline beyond their immediate field of work. ### Virtual reality can often make a user feel isolated from the world, with only computer-generated characters for company. But researchers at the University of British Columbia and University of Saskatchewan think they may have found a way to encourage a more sociable virtual reality. The researchers have developed a ball-shaped VR display that supports up to two users at a time, using advanced calibration and graphics rendering techniques that produce a complete, distortion-free 3D image even when viewed from multiple angles. Most spherical VR displays in the market are capable of showing a correct image only from a single viewpoint, said lead researcher Sidney Fels, an electrical and computer engineering professor at UBC. "When you look at our globe, the 3D illusion is rich and correct from any angle," explained Fels. "This allows two users to use the display to do some sort of collaborative task or enjoy a multiplayer game, while being in the same space. It's one of the very first spherical VR systems with this capability." The system, which the researchers are calling Crystal, includes a 24-inch (600 millimetre) hollow ball-shaped display. The display surface was custom-made to specifications in Ottawa, while four high-speed projectors and one camera used for creating the images, calibration and touch sensing were purchased off-the-shelf. The researchers are working on a four-person system and see many potential uses for their display in the future, including multiplayer virtual reality games, virtual surgery and VR-aided learning. However, they are focusing on teleconferencing applications and computer-aided design for now. "Imagine a remote user joining a meeting of local users. At either location you can have a Crystal globe, which is great for seeing people's heads and faces in 3D," said Ian Stavness, a computer science professor at the University of Saskatchewan and a member of the research team. "Or you can have a team of industrial designers in a room, perfecting a design with the help of VR and motion tracking technology." While the technology is young, the researchers are forecasting a good future for it. "We're not saying that spherical VR will replace flat screens or headsets," said Fels, adding "but we think it can be a good option for VR activities where you still want to see and talk to other people--be it at home or in the office, for work or play." ### The research, described here, was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and B-Con Engineering. Cancer researchers at the University of Bonn have reported significant progress in the treatment of glioblastoma. About one third of all patients suffer from a particular variant of this most common and aggressive brain tumor. Survival of these patients treated with the new combination therapy increased on average by nearly half compared to patients who received the standard therapy. The study has now been published in the journal The Lancet. In Germany, around 2,400 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma every year. Most of those affected are adults between the ages of 50 and 70. Following radiation therapy, patients currently receive chemotherapy with the substance temozolomide (TMZ). This is considered the most effective weapon against glioblastoma. The drug alters the DNA in the cancer cells, which die as a result. This stops the growth of the tumor for some time. However, the disease is not yet curable. Temozolomide is particularly effective in treating a subform of glioblastoma. In this subform, a genetic sequence in the cancer cells, the so-called MGMT promoter, is chemically altered. Experts call this an MGMT promoter methylation. It causes the MGMT gene that is controlled by the promoter to be read less frequently. This allows temozolomide to attack the tumor better. However, its effect is limited, even in this patient group. Attempts were therefore made to combine the drug with other drugs in order to achieve better results - for a long time without success. Well-tolerated side effects A pilot study conducted several years ago gave rise to new hope. Scientists led by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Herrlinger (Department of Neurology and Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO), University Hospital Bonn) administered temozolomide together with CCNU, another cancer drug that has an effect on the DNA. "At the time, we found first indications that this combination might be able to significantly improve the prognosis," explains Herrlinger. "In order to confirm these results, we started a large patient trial with funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. We have now been able to show that the administration of CCNU and TMZ actually significantly prolongs the survival time of our patients, and that with well-tolerated side effects." A total of 17 centers in Germany with almost 130 patients were involved in the study that has now been published. On average, the patients receiving this kind of treatment survived about four years, more than 16 months longer than with TMZ alone. "This is a major success," says Herrlinger. "Since the initial approval of temozolomide in 2005, chemotherapy of glioblastoma had made virtually no progress." The researchers are now trying to further improve the therapy, for example by combining three drugs. However, only patients with a methylated MGMT promoter benefit from the new treatment approach - just over one third of all patients. "This is a tailor-made therapy for this subgroup," emphasizes Herrlinger. "Ultimately, this is an initial step toward personalized cancer medicine for glioblastoma patients." The Neurooncology Center of the University Hospital Bonn now offers these patients the CCNU/TMZ combination also outside of clinical studies. ### Publication: Ulrich Herrlinger et al.: Lomustine-temozolomide combination therapy versus standard temozolomide therapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma with methylated MGMT promotor (CeTeG/NOA-09): a randomised, open label, phase 3 trial; The Lancet; DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31791-4 Contact: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Herrlinger Head of the Clinical Neurooncology Section Clinic and Polyclinic for Neurology University Hospital Bonn Tel. +49(0)228/28731241 E-mail: ulrich.herrlinger@ukbonn.de TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Terror attacks carried out by Muslims receive on average 357 percent more media coverage than those committed by other groups, according to a University of Alabama researcher's newly published study. Dr. Erin Kearns, UA assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice, is lead author of "Why Do Some Terrorist Attacks Receive More Media Attention Than Others?," which analyzes disparities in how news media cover attacks perpetrated by both Muslim and domestic terrorists and how the imbalance in news coverage may shape people's perceptions of threats. The study, published in Justice Quarterly, found perpetrator religion is a major predictor of news coverage of a terrorist attack. Other factors also drive coverage but to a lesser extent. The study authors note that in the U.S., "members of the public tend to fear the 'Muslim terrorist' while ignoring other threats." Kearns, along with co-authors Allison Betus, a Presidential Fellow with Georgia State University's Transcultural Conflict and Violent Extremism Initiative, and Anthony Lemieux, associate professor at GSU and director of the university's Global Studies Institute, looked at all terror attacks in the U.S. between 2006 and 2015. Using information from the Global Terrorism Database, they reviewed national print and online media to analyze coverage. "We were initially interested in how media label attacks and perpetrators," Kearns said. "But, in collecting the data for that, Allison and I realized that there were large disparities in the amount of coverage across attacks." Researchers concluded that out of 136 terror attacks in the U.S. over a span of 10 years that the authors studied, Muslims committed on average 12.5 percent of the attacks yet received more than half of the news coverage. The research team found that factors other than the perpetrator's religion also affect coverage. When the perpetrator was arrested, there was a 287 percent increase in news coverage on average, and attacks against the government received 211 percent more coverage. The number of fatalities in a given attack also affected the extent of coverage. The study found that for each additional fatality, an attack received 46 percent more coverage. "While others have looked at differences in framing, this assumed that attacks are getting covered in the first place," Kearns said. "We see here that this isn't always the case. So, the public may not even be aware of many of these attacks." This is the first study to specifically look at how perpetrator religion impacts coverage across such a wide scope of terrorism cases, the researchers said. It highlights the inequity in media coverage in the digital age following the 9/11 terror attacks. The researchers said this imbalance can create misconceptions about the prevalence of attacks and fuel prejudice and discrimination. In a related study, the same group of researchers found a strong trust in science is the overarching factor in determining if Americans will change misperceptions about the threat of terror attacks. The research published recently in the journal Studies in Conflict & Terrorism found neither the information source, amount of detail about terror attacks, a person's level of Islamophobia, nor trust in media impacted whether people were willing to update their views A recent Gallup poll cited by the authors found that nearly half of Americans believe they or a family member are likely to be the victim of a terrorist attack. According to figures from the Global Terrorism Database, 99 people have been killed in 136 terror attacks in the U.S. since 9/11. ### A research team has discovered a previously unknown species of marsupial that lived in Alaska's Arctic during the era of dinosaurs, adding a vivid new detail to a complex ancient landscape. The thumb-sized animal, named Unnuakomys hutchisoni, lived in the Arctic about 69 million years ago during the late Cretaceous Period. Its discovery, led by scientists from the University of Colorado and University of Alaska Fairbanks, is outlined in an article published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. The discovery adds to the picture of an environment that scientists say was surprisingly diverse. The tiny animal, which is the northernmost marsupial ever discovered, lived among a unique variety of dinosaurs, plants and other animals. Alaska's North Slope, which was at about 80 degrees north latitude when U. hutchisoni lived there, was once thought to be a barren environment during the late Cretaceous. That perception has gradually changed since dinosaurs were discovered along the Colville River in the 1980s, with new evidence showing the region was home to a diverse collection of unique species that didn't exist anywhere else. Finding a new marsupial species in the far north adds a new layer to that evolving view, said Patrick Druckenmiller, the director of the University of Alaska Museum of the North. "Northern Alaska was not only inhabited by a wide variety of dinosaurs, but in fact we're finding there were also new species of mammals that helped to fill out the ecology," said Druckenmiller, who has studied dinosaurs in the region for more than a decade. "With every new species, we paint a new picture of this ancient polar landscape." Marsupials are a type of mammal that carries underdeveloped offspring in a pouch. Kangaroos and koalas are the best-known modern marsupials. Ancient relatives were much smaller during the late Cretaceous, Druckenmiller said. Unnuakomys hutchisoni was probably more like a tiny opossum, feeding on insects and plants while surviving in darkness for as many as four months each winter. The research team, whose project was funded with a National Science Foundation grant, identified the new marsupial using a painstaking process. With the help of numerous graduate and undergraduate students, they collected, washed and screened ancient river sediment collected on the North Slope and then carefully inspected it under a microscope. Over many years, they were able to locate numerous fossilized teeth roughly the size of a grain of sand. "I liken it to searching for proverbial needles in haystacks -- more rocks than fossils," said Florida State University paleobiologist Gregory Erickson, who contributed to the paper. Jaelyn Eberle, curator of fossil vertebrates at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, led the effort to examine those teeth and a few tiny jawbones. Their analysis revealed a new species and genus of marsupial. Mammal teeth have unique cusps that differ from species to species, making them a bit like fingerprints for long-dead organisms, said Eberle, the lead author of the study. "If I were to go down to the Denver Zoo and crank open the mouth of a lion and look in -- which I don't recommend -- I could tell you its genus and probably its species based only on its cheek teeth," Eberle said. The name Unnuakomys hutchisoni combines the Inupiaq word for "night" and the Greek word "mys" for mouse, a reference to the dark winters the animal endured, and a tribute to J. Howard Hutchison, a paleontologist who discovered the fossil-rich site where its teeth were eventually found. ### Other co-authors of the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology paper include William Clemens, of the University of California, Berkeley; Paul McCarthy, of UAF; and Anthony Fiorillo, of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Excavations at two quarries in Wales, known to be the source of the Stonehenge 'bluestones', provide new evidence of megalith quarrying 5,000 years ago, according to a new UCL-led study. Geologists have long known that 42 of Stonehenge's smaller stones, known as 'bluestones', came from the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire, west Wales. Now a new study published in Antiquity pinpoints the exact locations of two of these quarries and reveals when and how the stones were quarried. The discovery has been made by a team of archaeologists and geologists from UCL, Bournemouth University, University of Southampton, University of the Highlands and Islands and National Museum of Wales, which have been investigating the sites for eight years. Professor Mike Parker Pearson (UCL Archaeology) and leader of the team, said: "What's really exciting about these discoveries is that they take us a step closer to unlocking Stonehenge's greatest mystery - why its stones came from so far away." "Every other Neolithic monument in Europe was built of megaliths brought from no more than 10 miles away. We're now looking to find out just what was so special about the Preseli hills 5,000 years ago, and whether there were any important stone circles here, built before the bluestones were moved to Stonehenge." The largest quarry was found almost 180 miles away from Stonehenge on the outcrop of Carn Goedog, on the north slope of the Preseli hills. "This was the dominant source of Stonehenge's spotted dolerite, so-called because it has white spots in the igneous blue rock. At least five of Stonehenge's bluestones, and probably more, came from Carn Goedog," said geologist Dr Richard Bevins (National Museum of Wales). In the valley below Carn Goedog, another outcrop at Craig Rhos-y-felin was identified by Dr Bevins and fellow geologist Dr Rob Ixer (UCL Archaeology) as the source of one of the types of rhyolite - another type of igneous rock - found at Stonehenge. According to the new study, the bluestone outcrops are formed of natural, vertical pillars. These could be eased off the rock face by opening up the vertical joints between each pillar. Unlike stone quarries in ancient Egypt, where obelisks were carved out of the solid rock, the Welsh quarries were easier to exploit. Neolithic quarry workers needed only to insert wedges into the ready-made joints between pillars, then lower each pillar to the foot of the outcrop. Although most of their equipment is likely to have consisted of perishable ropes and wooden wedges, mallets and levers, they left behind other tools such as hammer stones and stone wedges. "The stone wedges are made of imported mudstone, much softer than the hard dolerite pillars. An engineering colleague has suggested that hammering in a hard wedge could have created stress fractures, causing the thin pillars to crack. Using a soft wedge means that, if anything were to break, it would be the wedge and not the pillar," said Professor Parker Pearson. Archaeological excavations at the foot of both outcrops uncovered the remains of man-made stone and earth platforms, with each platform's outer edge terminating in a vertical drop of about a metre. "Bluestone pillars could be eased down onto this platform, which acted as a loading bay for lowering them onto wooden sledges before dragging them away," said Professor Colin Richards (University of the Highlands and Islands), who has excavated Britain's only other identified megalith quarry in the Orkney islands, off the north coast of Scotland. An important aim of Professor Parker Pearson's team was to date megalith-quarrying at the two outcrops. In the soft sediment of a hollowed-out track leading from the loading bay at Craig Rhos-y-felin, and on the artificial platform at Carn Goedog, the team recovered pieces of charcoal dating to around 3000 BC. The team now thinks that Stonehenge was initially a circle of rough, unworked bluestone pillars set in pits known as the Aubrey Holes, near Stonehenge, and that the sarsens (sandstone blocks) were added some 500 years later. The new discoveries also cast doubt on a popular theory that the bluestones were transported by sea to Stonehenge. "Some people think that the bluestones were taken southwards to Milford Haven and placed on rafts or slung between boats and then paddled up the Bristol Channel and along the Bristol Avon towards Salisbury Plain. But these quarries are on the north side of the Preseli hills so the megaliths could have simply gone overland all the way to Salisbury Plain," said Professor Kate Welham (Bournemouth University). ### The research was funded by the British Academy, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the National Geographic Society, the Society of Antiquaries, the Royal Archaeological Institute and the Cambrian Archaeological Association. Notes to Editors For more information or to speak to the researchers involved, please contact: Natasha Downes, UCL Media Relations. T: +44 (0)20 3108 3844, E: n.downes@ucl.ac.uk 'Megalith quarries for Stonehenge's bluestones'--Mike Parker Pearson, Josh Pollard, Colin Richards, Kate Welham, Chris Casswell, Charles French, Duncan Schlee, Dave Shaw, Ellen Simmons, Adam Stanford, Richard Bevins & Rob Ixer. Additional material Images from the study are available. About UCL (University College London) UCL was founded in 1826. We were the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 41,500 students from 150 countries and over 12,500 staff. http://www. ucl. ac. uk | Follow us on Twitter @uclnews | Watch our YouTube channel YouTube.com/UCLTV About Antiquity Antiquity is an international peer-reviewed journal of world archaeology, published six times a year and edited by Dr Rob Witcher. The journal was founded by O.G.S. Crawford in 1927 and is currently edited in the Department of Archaeology at Durham University (head: Professor Robin Skeates). The journal is published in partnership with Cambridge University Press (CUP). Regulatory T cells (Tregs) make sure that immune responses are not too strong and that inflammation is inhibited. This makes them highly interesting for therapies against inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. But they are hard to use with patients, because Tregs lose their abilities in particularly inflamed tissues. A team of Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now succeeded in explaining this process in detail. In autoimmune diseases such as arthritis or multiple sclerosis (MS) the body attacks its own tissue, causing inflammation of the nervous system or the joints, for example. A special group of immune cells, called Tregs, can specifically control and inhibit strong immune responses. This limits immune responses and does not increase inflammation. Tregs are thus considered a possible therapy against inflammatory diseases such as arthritis or MS. "However, many previous studies have put the spotlight on one main problem: In highly inflamed tissues in particular, Tregs often lose their identity and stop functioning as a brake for the immune system. But this is exactly the kind of region they are to be used in as therapeutic agents in immunotherapies," explains Thomas Korn, Professor for Experimental Neuroimmunology at the university hospital TUM Klinikum rechts der Isar and head of the study. Blimp1 prevents loss of identity In order to solve this problem, Korn and his fellow scientists investigated the process in cell cultures and in a mouse model. They succeeded in identifying a chain of reactions which is responsible for the loss of identity. The key turns out to be the protein Blimp1: When Blimp1 is present and active, at the end of the chain of reactions a certain region in the genome of the immune cell referred to as the Foxp3 locus remains chemically unchanged. Even in inflamed tissues the Tregs retain their characteristic abilities, decisive for use in therapy. When the researchers removed Blimp1 from cells, the genome changed chemically and the cells lost their identity. "The results we observed were profound: The Tregs not only lost their inhibiting capabilities, they even developed properties that promoted the inflammation. This means they might help worsen the disease," says Garima Garg, lead author of the publication. Applications for Graft-versus-host disease According to the scientists, the long-term goal is to keep Blimp1 active in therapeutically applied Tregs either by means of genetics or medications in order to prevent this loss of identity. They see bone marrow transplants and the associated and unwanted tissue rejection reactions as one of the first possible application areas. Here the donor's blood cells making their way into the body of the recipient trigger severe inflammation. Tregs administered therapeutically at the same time could suppress these reactions and diminish the severity of Graft-versus-host disease. The Graft-versus-Host reaction refers to an immunological reaction in which the T cells in the transplanted tissue from the donor attack the recipient organism. ### Download high-resolution images: https:/ / mediatum. ub. tum. de/ 1474019 Publication: Garima Garg, Andreas Muschaweckh, Helena Moreno, Ajithkumar Vasanthakumar, Stefan Floess, Gildas Lepennetier, Rupert Oellinger, Yifan Zhan, Tommy Regen, Michael Hiltensperger, Christian Peter, Lilian Aly, Benjamin Knier, Lakshmi Reddy Palam, Reuben Kapur, Mark H. Kaplan, Ari Waisman, Roland Rad, Gunnar Schotta, Jochen Huehn, Axel Kallies, Thomas Korn: Blimp1 prevents methylation of Foxp3 and loss of regulatory T cell identity at sites of inflammation, Cell Reports, February 12, 2019, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.01.070 (Open Access) https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(19)30099-3 More information: Thomas Korn has been Heisenberg Professor for Experimental Neuroimmunology at the Neurology Clinic of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) since 2010. He is member of the Cluster of Excellence SyNergy - Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology", which receives funding in the forthcoming Excellence Initiative. Thomas Korns profile Research profile of Thomas Korn (in German only) Thomas Korns research group Website of the Cluster of Excellence SyNergy" Professor Uri Banin, founder of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and his colleagues Professor Richard Robinson and Professor Tobias Hanrath at Cornell University have made a breakthrough nanoscience discovery. In their recent paper, "Chemically Reversible Isomerization of Inorganic Clusters" published in Science, the authors reveal that a "magic-size nanocluster" is the missing link that bridges the divide between how matter rearranges itself in small-scale molecular isomerization and in large, solid bulk matter phase transitions. Three years ago, Robinson was on sabbatical at Banin's nanoscience lab at Hebrew University. While in Jerusalem, Robinson asked a graduate student from back home to mail him some nanoparticles of a specific size. "When they got to me, I measured them with the spectrometer and I said, 'Wait, you sent me the smaller particles instead of the bigger ones.' And he said, 'No, I sent you the bigger ones,'" recalls Robinson. "We realized they must have changed while they were in flight. And that unleashed a cascade of questions and experiments that led us to this new finding." Banin, Robinson and Hanrath deduced that the particles had transformed during their trip from Ithaca to Jerusalem. "On the flight there must have been moisture in the cargo bin and the samples switched their phase," Banin explained. Isomerization - the transformation of a molecule into another molecule with the same atoms, just in a different arrangement - is common in nature. Often it's sparked by the addition of energy, as when light causes a molecule in the retina to switch, enabling us to see; or how olive oil, when heated too high, isomerizes into the unhealthy form known as a trans-fat. Bulk materials such as graphite can also change phases--into diamonds, for example--but they require a lot more energy and the change occurs more gradually, with the change spreading slowly across the molecule. For years, scientists have sought the bridge between the two worlds: between big materials that change more slowly, and small, organic materials that can flip back and forth coherently, between two states. This remained the elusive missing link in nanoscientists' quest to map and understand the crossover from molecular isomerization to phase transitions. To discover this bridge, they needed to find at what size nanocrystals will change their internal structure in a single, swift step, like molecules do during isomerization. Banin and Robinson found that magic number on a fortuitous flight from Ithaca to Jerusalem. The joint Hebrew University-Cornell team began to study transition in small cluster molecules, specifically "magic size nanoclusters." These clusters contain only 57 atoms--making them bigger than your typical molecules but still much smaller than bulk materials, like graphite or diamonds. The team revealed that the transition in these clusters--as they changed from one structure (or phase) to another--took place in a single step, as is the case for isomerization in small molecules. In this way, the team found the missing link between bulk phase transitions and molecular isomerization. Though further research is needed, possible future applications include using these particles as switches in computing or as sensors, Banin shared. The discovery could also have uses relating to quantum computing or as a seed for the generation of larger nanoparticles. "One hundred years ago, Albert Einstein could not have predicted that his Theory of Relativity would be the basis for GPS systems and the Waze app which we've come to rely on for navigation. Nanoclusters are chemicals that can be used to create other larger materials. Being able to manipulate their precise changeover from one state to another could have many significant applications down the road," Banin concluded. ### Singapore, February 18, 2019 - Immunotherapy drugs such as PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors represent the front-line treatment for kidney cancer. But immunotherapy is expensive, benefits only a subset of patients and is futile in the majority of patients. Now, researchers from National Cancer Centre Singapore and Lucence Diagnostics have conducted a study using Lucence's molecular test, CLEARScore, to predict immunotherapy response for kidney cancer. The findings from this study will be presented at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU) held in San Francisco this week. CLEARScore is a molecular test that predicts treatment response for kidney cancer. It is an algorithm involving eight genes in the tumor, which classifies kidney cancer by molecular type. This test has been used to successfully predict treatment response of kidney cancer patients to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, a type of targeted therapy. The results were published in 2015 in European Urology, the world's top urology journal. In this new study, CLEARScore was investigated in correlation with anti-PD-L1 inhibitors and immune cell markers in 36 kidney cancer patients. The results showed that the gene expression score of the eight genes correlated with immune cell infiltration and clinical response to anti-PD-L1 inhibitors in a subset of patients. This indicates that multigene score should be investigated as a biomarker to select patients who are likely to respond to immunotherapy. The study was conducted by National Cancer Centre Singapore and Lucence Diagnostics, in collaboration with the Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub led by A*ccelerate (A*STAR), Singapore General Hospital and OncoCare Cancer Centre. "Immunotherapy is a major breakthrough in our battle against kidney cancer. It is however expensive and may have side effects. Having a test that can distinguish whether a kidney cancer patient will or will not benefit from anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy would be of high clinical value. Such tests have not been previously reported, and CLEARScore is a promising and exciting advance towards more precise selection of cancer patients for treatment,'' said Dr Ravindran Kanesvaran, Senior Consultant, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, who designed and led the study. "This is the first study to report the correlation of a multigene score with immune phenotypes in kidney cancer. We are excited about the potential of using our CLEARScore test to help kidney cancer patients avoid futile treatments and prolong their lives. To further establish the clinical utility of this test for immunotherapy, we will be conducting a multinational study on a larger cohort of kidney cancer patients,'' said Dr Yukti Choudhury, Chief Technology Officer, Lucence Diagnostics, who will be presenting the study at ASCO GU. Kidney cancer is among the ten most common cancers in men and women across the world. In 2018, there were over 400,000 new cases of kidney cancer globally. ### About National Cancer Centre Singapore National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) provides a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to cancer treatment and patient care. We see close to 65 per cent of the public sector oncology cases, and they are benefiting from the sub-specialisation of our clinical oncologists. NCCS is also accredited by the US-based Joint Commission International for its quality patient care and safety. To deliver among the best in cancer treatment and care, our clinicians work closely with our scientists who conduct robust cutting-edge clinical and translational research programmes which are internationally recognised. NCCS will also launch its Proton Beam Therapy programme at its new centre. NCCS strives to be a global leading cancer centre, and shares its expertise and knowledge by offering training to local and overseas medical professionals. http://www. nccs. com. sg About Lucence Diagnostics Lucence Diagnostics is a genomic medicine company founded to fulfil its vision of a world without avoidable cancer deaths. The company invents non-invasive blood tests that improve cancer detection and treatment selection. Lucence targets the most common cancers in Asia using its proprietary technology and AI platform. Lucence is headquartered in Singapore with offices in San Francisco and Hong Kong. Its services are delivered worldwide through an accredited central laboratory. http://www. lucencedx. com About Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub DxD Hub is Singapore's national initiative led by public innovation and enterprise office, A*ccelerate Technologies (formerly ETPL). DxD Hub's mission is to fast-track the transformation of early-stage research into clinically validated diagnostic devices that are ready for market adoption. About Singapore General Hospital Singh was responding to the comment of Pak PM Imran Khan that he would act if India gave evidence on Pulwama terror attack. 'Dear Imran Khan, you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there,' said CM Amarinder Singh. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the mastermind of the attack, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, was in Pakistan, and if the country was unable to nab the terrorist, "we will do it for you". Singh was responding to the comment of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan that he would act if India gave evidence of his countrys involvement in Pulwama terror attack. "Dear Imran Khan, you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you can't let us know, we'll do it for you. BTW what has been done about the proofs of Mumbai's 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk," Singh tweeted. Dear @ImranKhanPTI you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur & masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you cant let us know, well do it for you. BTW what has been done about the proofs of Mumbais 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk. pic.twitter.com/Zct6I7QieY Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) February 19, 2019 Jaish-e-Mohammad, the terror group had claimed responsibility of Pulwama attack in which suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar targeted a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on February 14. The attack killed 40 soldiers and injured others. India has built pressure on Pakistan by scrapping the Most Favoured Nation status and increasing import duty on Pakistani goods. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly spoken about retribution for the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack. Over 48 countries have come in support of India to make efforts to isolate Pakistan internationally. "All this 'attack Pakistan' talk is all keeping elections in mind. But if at all these are serious, please make note of one thing clearly - Pakistan will not think of retaliating, it will retaliate," Imran Khan said in his speech. "Pakistan is moving towards stability. Why would we do something like this? If you have any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani is involved, give it to us. I guarantee you, we will take action, not because we are under pressure, but because they are acting as enemies of Pakistan," he added. Amarinder Singh, who served as a Captain in the Army before joining politics, on Monday said the security forces must kill double the number to send a strong message to the terrorists' organisations and Pakistan. "We should get 82 of them since 41 of our men have been killed," said Amarinder Singh. He demanded an "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". Japanese carmaker Honda plans to close its car factory in western England in 2021, a fresh blow to the British economy as it faces its March 29 exit from the European Union. The company announced the decision, which will imperil 3,500 jobs and possibly many more, at a news conference in Tokyo. Honda cars leave the Honda car factory in Swindon, England, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. The Japanese carmaker Honda announced Tuesday that its car plant in Swindon will close with the potential loss of some 3,500 jobs. [Photo: AP/Frank Augstein] Honda's president and CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, told reporters the decision was not related to Brexit, but was based on what made most sense for its global competitiveness in light of the need to accelerate its production of electric vehicles. "We still don't know what sort of changes Brexit will bring at this point," said Hachigo. "We have to wait until we have a better idea about the situation." Hachigo said the company would begin discussions with affected workers at the factory in Swindon right away. "I very much regret this," he said, adding that "this was the best choice the circumstances." Honda Motor Co. makes its popular Civic model at the factory, 115 kilometers (70 miles) west of London, with an output of 150,000 cars per year. Its restructuring is aimed at adjusting its operations to reflect stronger demand in Asia and North America, Hachigo said. The next model of Civic to be sold in Britain will be exported from Japan, the company said. Honda is also adjusting its operations in Turkey, where it makes 38,000 Civic sedans a year. It said it would continue operating there, however, and hold a "constructive dialogue" with local stakeholders. British businesses are issuing increasingly urgent warnings about the damage being done by the uncertainty around Brexit. The U.K. has yet to seal a deal laying out the divorce terms and establishing what trade rules will apply after Brexit. In presenting the restructuring plan, Hachigo stressed that Honda was striving to adjust to a fast changing global industry. "We are facing increasingly severe competition from Chinese and Indian manufacturers," he said. "We have to move more quickly." Still, Christian Stadler, a professor at Warwick Business School in England, said Brexit had to be a factor. The loss of free entry into the European market from Britain undoes one of its top advantages as a manufacturing base. Many businesses fear economic chaos if there isn't an agreement on the rules and conditions that will replace the 45 years of frictionless trade that came with being an EU member. The uncertainty has already led many firms to shift some operations abroad, stockpile goods or defer investment decisions. Earlier this month, Japan's Nissan announced that it would not build a new SUV at its plant in Sunderland, England, as previously planned. "Car manufacturers have repeatedly warned the government about the threat Brexit poses to British industry," Stadler said, noting that Jaguar Land Rover had also scaled back its operations. "Honda faces the same challenges as fellow Japanese car maker Nissan. The global economy is slowing down, which has hit key markets such as the U.S. and China." HOUSTON - (Feb. 18, 2019) - How cold can it get? Physicists don't actually know, but Kaden Hazzard aims to find out. Hazzard, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Rice, will pursue that question with backing from the National Science Foundation, which has named him the recipient of a prestigious CAREER Award, given to the nation's most promising young faculty. The five-year award for nearly $500,000 will allow Hazzard, a theoretical physicist, and his group to investigate new ways to simulate the states of matter at extreme cold temperatures, as close as possible to absolute zero. That could allow his experimental colleagues to bring into existence states of matter that are unavailable to them now. "Materials in real life are bound by a set of rules, which are everything you study in materials science or solid-state physics," he said. "But if we can find ways to break those rules, we can have materials with properties that nobody really imagined before. "So our project is to figure out how to find types of matter that don't yet exist," he said. Experimentalists create states like Bose-Einstein condensates, in which atoms reach their lowest quantum states and behave collectively, by making them extremely cold. A Rice colleague, Randy Hulet, was among the first to make a Bose-Einstein condensate when he cooled lithium gas to a millionth of a degree above absolute zero. But that's not cold enough to observe some exotic phases of matter they believe are possible. "There have been spectacular advances, and I don't want to minimize that, but there has been a sense of hitting a wall with current cooling methods," Hazzard said. "Part of our research is to see if we can break through that frontier. Can we get another two or 10 or 100 times colder?" The rules of quantum mechanics govern ultracold matter in ways not seen in the macro world, and simulations are useful tools to predict what happens there. "To understand how to get colder, we also have to understand how really interesting quantum states move in time," he said. "What are their dynamics? "It's a challenging problem," he said. "You can't solve this with pen and paper, and you can't just put it on a computer. There are fundamental reasons it kills even the largest supercomputers to simulate the tiniest quantum systems. We need new ideas for how to simulate those systems on a computer." He said improved understanding of the relevant physics over the last 10 years will help his group build new simulations that point the way for experimentalists. "We understand how correlations can grow in quantum systems," Hazzard said. "We understand some constraints on how the quantum system can evolve, and by using those constraints, the hope is we can write very simple code that runs on a laptop and, for some type of problems, runs faster than the largest supercomputer with the previous best code." Hazzard's grant will also allow him to create educational materials for high school through graduate students to train them to use what he called under-appreciated techniques in modern physics. "There are concepts that practicing physicists use daily or routinely but they have not at all made their way into the physics curriculum," he said. ### Editor's note: Links to high-resolution images for download appear at the end of this release. David Ruth - 713-348-6327?david@rice.edu Mike Williams - 713-348-6728?mikewilliams@rice.edu Read the grant abstract at https:/ / www. nsf. gov/ awardsearch/ showAward?AWD_ID= 1848304&HistoricalAwards= false . This news release can be found online at https:/ / news. rice. edu/ 2019/ 02/ 18/ kaden-hazzard-wins-nsf-career-award/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews. Related materials: Hazzard Group: https:/ / kaden. rice. edu Rice Department of Physics and Astronomy: https:/ / physics. rice. edu Wiess School of Natural Sciences: https:/ / naturalsciences. rice. edu Images for download: https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2019/ 02/ 0218_HAZZARD-1-web-1hvml88. jpg Rice University theoretical physicist Kaden Hazzard has won a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to create algorithms that aim that will advance the creation of novel quantum matter. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) https:/ / news-network. rice. edu/ news/ files/ 2019/ 02/ 0218_HAZZARD-2-web-1f95x34. jpg Rice University theoretical physicist Kaden Hazzard, the winner of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, with students Zhiyuan Wang, left, and Ian White, right. Hazzard and his group will use the award to investigate new ways to simulate the states of matter at extreme cold temperatures, as close as possible to absolute zero. That could allow his experimental colleagues to bring into existence states of matter that are unavailable to them now. (Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) A volunteer working with the NASA-led Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project has found the oldest and coldest known white dwarf -- an Earth-sized remnant of a Sun-like star that has died -- ringed by dust and debris. Astronomers suspect this could be the first known white dwarf with multiple dust rings. The star, LSPM J0207+3331 or J0207 for short, is forcing researchers to reconsider models of planetary systems and could help us learn about the distant future of our solar system. "This white dwarf is so old that whatever process is feeding material into its rings must operate on billion-year timescales," said John Debes, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. "Most of the models scientists have created to explain rings around white dwarfs only work well up to around 100 million years, so this star is really challenging our assumptions of how planetary systems evolve." A paper detailing the findings, led by Debes, was published in the Feb. 19 issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters and is now available online. J0207 is located around 145 light-years away in the constellation Triangulum. White dwarfs slowly cool as they age, and Debes' team calculated J0207 is about 3 billion years old based on a temperature just over 10,500 degrees Fahrenheit (5,800 degrees Celsius). A strong infrared signal picked up by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission -- which mapped the entire sky in infrared light -- suggested the presence of dust, making J0207 the oldest and coldest white dwarf with dust yet known. Previously, dust disks and rings had only been observed surrounding white dwarfs about one-third J0207's age. When a Sun-like star runs out of fuel, it swells into a red giant, ejects at least half of its mass, and leaves behind a very hot white dwarf. Over the course of the star's giant phase, planets and asteroids close to the star become engulfed and incinerated. Planets and asteroids farther away survive, but move outward as their orbits expand. That's because when the star loses mass, its gravitational influence on surrounding objects is greatly reduced. This scenario describes the future of our solar system. Around 5 billion years from now, Mercury, then Venus and possibly Earth will be swallowed when the Sun grows into a red giant. Over hundreds of thousands to millions of years, the inner solar system will be scrubbed clean, and the remaining planets will drift outward. Yet some white dwarfs -- between 1 and 4 percent -- show infrared emission indicating they're surrounded by dusty disks or rings. Scientists think the dust may arise from distant asteroids and comets kicked closer to the star by gravitational interactions with displaced planets. As these small bodies approach the white dwarf, the star's strong gravity tears them apart in a process called tidal disruption. The debris forms a ring of dust that will slowly spiral down onto the surface of the star. J0207 was found through Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, a project led by Marc Kuchner, a co-author and astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, that asks volunteers to sort through WISE data for new discoveries. Melina Thevenot, a co-author and citizen scientist in Germany working with the project, initially thought the infrared signal was bad data. She was searching through the ESA's (European Space Agency's) Gaia archives for brown dwarfs, objects too large to be planets and too small to be stars, when she noticed J0207. When she looked at the source in the WISE infrared data, it was too bright and too far away to be a brown dwarf. Thevenot passed her findings along to the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 team. Debes and Kuchner contacted collaborator Adam Burgasser at the University of California, San Diego to obtain follow-up observations with the Keck II telescope at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. "That is a really motivating aspect of the search," said Thevenot, one of more than 150,000 citizen scientists on the Backyard Worlds project. "The researchers will move their telescopes to look at worlds you have discovered. What I especially enjoy, though, is the interaction with the awesome research team. Everyone is very kind, and they are always trying to make the best out of our discoveries." The Keck observations helped confirm J0207's record-setting properties. Now scientists are left to puzzle how it fits into their models. Debes compared the population of asteroid belt analogs in white dwarf systems to the grains of sand in an hourglass. Initially, there's a steady stream of material. The planets fling asteroids inward towards the white dwarf to be torn apart, maintaining a dusty disk. But over time, the asteroid belts become depleted, just like grains of sand in the hourglass. Eventually, all the material in the disk falls down onto the surface of the white dwarf, so older white dwarfs like J0207 should be less likely to have disks or rings. J0207's ring may even be multiple rings. Debes and his colleagues suggest there could be two distinct components, one thin ring just at the point where the star's tides break up the asteroids and a wider ring closer to the white dwarf. Follow-up with future missions like NASA's James Webb Space Telescope may help astronomers tease apart the ring's constituent parts. "We built Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 mostly to search for brown dwarfs and new planets in the solar system," Kuchner said. "But working with citizen scientists always leads to surprises. They are voracious -- the project just celebrated its second birthday, and they've already discovered more than 1,000 likely brown dwarfs. Now that we've rebooted the website with double the amount of WISE data, we're looking forward to even more exciting discoveries." ### Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is a collaboration between NASA, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Arizona State University, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, the University of California San Diego, Bucknell University, the University of Oklahoma, and Zooniverse, a collaboration of scientists, software developers and educators who collectively develop and manage citizen science projects on the internet. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages and operates WISE for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. The WISE mission was selected competitively under NASA's Explorers Program managed by the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center. The science instrument was built by the Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah. The spacecraft was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colorado. Placed in hibernation in 2011, the spacecraft was reactivated in 2013 and renamed NEOWISE. Science operations and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech, which manages JPL for NASA. For more information about Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, visit: http://backyardworlds. org For more information about NASA's WISE mission, visit: A new study has found that the longer older women sit or lay down during the course of a day--and the longer the individual periods of uninterrupted sitting--the greater their risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke. But reducing their sedentary time by just an hour a day appears to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 12 percent--and for heart disease alone, by a dramatic 26 percent, the research found. The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. "This study provides further strong evidence of a link between sedentary behavior, like sitting and laying down, which uses very little energy, and cardiovascular disease," said David Goff, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, NHLBI. "Sedentary behaviors and inactivity are major risk factors for heart disease, and this research also shows that it is never too late, or too early, to move more and improve your heart health." In this five-year prospective study, researchers looked at more than 5,000 women ages 63 to 97 and measured both the total time they sat or laid down each day and the duration of discrete sedentary periods. The results, published today in the journal Circulation, are significant. "Higher amounts of sedentary time and longer sedentary bouts were directly associated with cardiovascular disease," said John Bellettiere, Ph.D., research fellow of cardiovascular disease epidemiology at the University of California, San Diego, and lead author of the study. "Importantly, the association showed up regardless of a woman's overall health, physical function, and other cardiovascular risk factors, including whether they also were engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity." Of the estimated 85.6 million American adults having at least one type of cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, 43.7 million of them are 60 or older. In fact, 67.9 percent of women between 60 and 79 years old, have cardiovascular disease; and heart disease is the leading cause of death among women 65 and older. The findings, Bellettiere said, could have implications for what health officials communicate to older women about staying heart healthy. Getting up and moving, even if for just a few minutes more throughout the day, he noted, might help reduce their already-high rates of heart disease. "Encouraging less sedentary time and shorter sedentary bouts in older women could have large public health benefits," Bellettiere said. The research involved an ethnically diverse group of 5,638 women, nearly half of whom were over age 80, enrolled between 2012 and 2014. None had a history of myocardial infarction or stroke. The women were part of the NHLBI-funded Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health (OPACH)--a sub cohort of the Women's Health Initiative. At the start of the study, participants wore hip-mounted accelerometers that measured their movement 24 hours a day for seven consecutive days. Previous studies have largely relied on self-reporting questionnaires; the accelerometers, however, provided researchers more accurate measures of sedentary time overall, as well as the duration of individual bouts of sedentary time. The latter was important because it allowed, for the first time, the study of whether sitting for long uninterrupted periods throughout the day was contributing to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The researchers then followed the participants for almost five years, tracking cardiovascular disease events such as heart attacks and strokes. They found that on average, an additional hour of total sedentary time was associated with a 12 percent higher risk for cardiovascular diseases, and when that sitting time was made up of long uninterrupted sedentary sessions, the risk was 52 percent higher than when it was accumulated in short, regularly interrupted bouts of sedentary time. Yet, just as the risk for heart disease can increase with more sitting and longer sedentary bouts, it can be reduced by getting up and moving, even if only a little, and by doing it often throughout the day, the researchers found. "Reductions of sedentary time do not need to happen all at once," said Andrea LaCroix, Ph.D., Chair of the Division of Epidemiology and Director of the Women's Health Center of Excellence at the University of California, San Diego, who led the OPACH study. "I recommend to all women who, like me, are over 60, to make a conscious effort to interrupt our sitting by getting up and moving around as often as we can." ### Study: Sedentary behavior and cardiovascular disease in older women: The Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health (OPACH) Study. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.035312 About the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): NHLBI is the global leader in conducting and supporting research in heart, lung, and blood diseases and sleep disorders that advances scientific knowledge, improves public health, and saves lives. For more information, visit http://www. nhlbi. nih. gov . Is there a threshold an entire industry crosses when it does more harm than good? Michigan Technological University researchers set out to examine the question with numbers. A new paper, published in the journal Social Sciences, explores two case studies focused on industries that kill more people than they employ. The study lays out the rationale for establishing an actionable threshold and offers insights into solutions. Using case studies, it calculates the number of deaths attributed to the coal and tobacco industries and finds surprising results. Joshua Pearce led the study and is the Richard Witte Endowed Professor of Materials Science and Engineering as well as a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Michigan Tech. He explains that he first became interested in the idea of "corporate death penalties" -- disbanding or eliminating companies following judgement by governmental justice systems -- during a study that determined the number of American lives saved from converting from coal-fired electricity to solar. Pearce wondered at what point do the number of deaths caused by an industry become too many for society to tolerate. "The unwritten rule with industry is you get to make money if you're a benefit to society," Pearce said. He adds that most industries are primarily good. However, numerous studies have documented increasing corporate corruption and the externalized costs of environmental and health impacts that can lead to human mortality. For industries that do cause extensive harm, and perhaps warrant an industry-wide corporate death penalty, identifying that threshold requires an apolitical, clear and concise metric based on public data. To set an ideal metric, Pearce used three assumptions: First, everyone has the right to life; second, everyone has the right to work; third, human law should give corporations the right to exist if they benefit humanity. "If we know that life trumps employment because you have to be alive to work, then for a company or industry to exist it must employ more people than it kills in a year," Pearce said. "What this paper has done is set the minimum bar for industry existence. Surprisingly, it also showed that there are at least two industries in America right now that are killing more people annually than they employ." The coal industry employs 51,795 people based on data from the United States Energy Information Administration. The total number of annual US premature deaths from coal-fired, electricity-based air pollution is 52,015, using US Department of Health and Human Services data. The tobacco industry employs 124,342 people based on data from the North American Industry Classification System. The total number of annual US deaths from direct and second-hand smoke is 522,000 using US Department of Health and Human Services data. Pearce says, "After running the numbers the results are shocking. Every coal mining job in the US demands literally one American life every year. For tobacco jobs it is four times worse. The study concludes both industries warrant corporate death penalties." Yet, Pearce points out: "The vast majority of jobs and industries involve no human sacrifice." No industry could be dissolved without consequence. However, for both coal and tobacco, Pearce's research group had previously examined solutions for shifting away from the industries. In a 2016 study published in Energy Economics, Pearce and his co-authors catalogued training required for coal workers to transition them to solar occupations. "Electricity is an essential resource that keeps society running, however there are alternative technologies that can easily replace coal to do it -- and we'd be saving lives and money," Pearce said. "If the barrier is employing those specific coal workers, we can easily retrain them and put them to work in solar and it turns out they would even earn a little more money on average." Likewise, in a 2018 study published in Land Use Policy, Pearce and his team showed that tobacco farmers, who make up the largest group of people employed in the industry, have economic incentive to swap a cancer-causing cash crop for more profitable solar farms. Changing employment, therefore, is not as much of a hurdle as some might fear. While other industries may not have the same kind of transitions available, Pearce hopes that by identifying a minimum standard for corporate accountability, other industries can also be assessed. ### New study provides direct evidence for the hunting of tree-dwelling monkeys and other small mammals by Homo sapiens 45,000 years ago in the rainforest of Sri Lanka A multidisciplinary study has found evidence for humans hunting small mammals in the forests of Sri Lanka at least 45,000 years ago. The researchers discovered the remains of small mammals, including primates, with evidence of cut-marks and burning at the oldest archaeological site occupied by humans in Sri Lanka, alongside sophisticated bone and stone tools. The hunting of such animals is an example of the uniquely human adaptability that allowed H. sapiens to rapidly colonize a series of extreme environments apparently untouched by its hominin relatives. In a new paper published in Nature Communications, an international team of scientists has revealed novel evidence for the unique adaptability of Homo sapiens. The study, led by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, alongside colleagues from Sri Lankan and other international institutions, shows that human populations were able to specialize in the hunting of small arboreal animals for tens of thousands of years. This is the oldest and longest record of sophisticated, active primate hunting by foragers. This work also highlights the distinctive ecological capacities of H. sapiens relative to its hominin ancestors and relatives. Tropical rainforests: a unique challenge Recent research has demonstrated that our species adapted to a diversity of extreme environments as they spread around the world, including deserts, high altitude settings, palaeoarctic conditions, and tropical forests. Previously, however, discussion of the migration of our species into Europe, the Middle East, and Asia has often focused on our increased efficiency in hunting, butchering, and consuming medium to large game in open 'savanna' settings. Alternatively, coastal settings have been seen as important sources of protein, stimulating human evolution and migration. Tropical rainforests have been somewhat neglected in discussions of human migrations and dispersal. In public and academic perception, these environments are often seen as isolated barriers to human movement, with disease, dangerous animals, and limited resources all posing challenges. In particular, when compared to the large animals of open savannas, small, fast forest monkeys and squirrels are difficult to capture and provide smaller amounts of protein. Small mammals and hunting complexity The procurement of small mammals has long been considered a feature of technological and behavioural 'complexity' or 'modernity' unique to our species. Previous research in Europe and West Asia has linked increased capture and consumption of agile small mammals both to human population growth and to climatically-driven crises. Traditionally, these have been considered to be particularly extreme ~20,000 years ago. However, the onset and behavioural context of small mammal hunting in other parts of the world, particularly Asia, has remained poorly studied. This is particularly the case outside of temperate environments. "Over the last two decades, research has highlighted human occupation of tropical rainforests in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Melanesia at least as early as 45,000 years ago, so the potential for human reliance on small mammals in these settings prior to 20,000 years ago seems likely," says co-senior author Dr. Patrick Roberts of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. A Sri Lankan specialty Sri Lanka has been a prominent part of discussions of early human adaptations to tropical rainforests, though there has been a general lack of systematic, detailed analysis of animal remains associated with archaeological sites on the island. For the current study, the researchers produced new chronological information, analysis of animal remains, and studies of lithic and bone tool assemblages from Fa-Hien Lena Cave, the site of the earliest fossil and archaeological evidence of H. sapiens in Sri Lanka. "The results demonstrate specialized, sophisticated hunting of semi-arboreal and arboreal monkey and squirrel populations from 45,000 years ago in a tropical rainforest environment," says Oshan Wedage, lead author of the study, of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. Co-author Dr. Noel Amano, also of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, adds, "This was complemented by sophisticated bone tool technologies which were, in turn, created from the bones of hunted monkeys." Fine-tuned adaptations, not 'monkey business' Together, the results of this new work demonstrate a highly tuned focus on monkey and other small mammal hunting over 45,000 years. A sustained focus on adult monkeys throughout this time period suggests that this strategy continued to be sustainable during this lengthy period and that the tropical rainforests were not over-taxed by human presence and practices. "This 'monkey menu' was not a one-off, and the use of these difficult-to-catch resources is one more example of the behavioural and technological flexibility of H. sapiens," says Prof. Michael Petraglia of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, a senior author of the study. Further detailed analysis of the tools and animal remains left behind by early members of our species promises to yield more insights into the variety of strategies that enabled H. sapiens to colonize the world's continents and left us the last hominin standing. ### The construction of the Research Factory Karlsruhe was started with the joint groundbreaking ceremony of the cooperation partners Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. In the 15 million plant on KIT's Campus East, new production technologies are to be planned, tested and transferred to industry much faster than before using the latest digitization methods. The project, which will start at the end of 2020, will make an important contribution to the recently adopted Artificial Intelligence Strategy of the Federal Government and is considered to substantially strengthen Germany's innovative power. Germany owes much of its prosperity to its ability to quickly and again and again bring innovative products to the world market. In the age of global competition, digitization, and artificial intelligence, the production of these products must constantly reinvent itself. On the one hand, to maintain scientific and technological advantages over competitors and imitators. On the other hand, in order to survive in the conflicting areas of new technologies, complex manufacturing processes, increasing individualization, and extreme variant diversity. Against the background of this challenge, KIT with its wbk Institute of Production Science and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft with its Institute for Chemical Technology ICT and its Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB have agreed to build the Research Factory Karlsruhe on the premises of KIT's Campus East. "The Research Factory Karlsruhe is a model case of interdisciplinary cooperation between strong partners for the benefit of our country's vital innovative capacity," says KIT's President Professor Holger Hanselka. "Through the targeted and early integration of small and medium-sized enterprises into the Research Factory, we are also strengthening the attractiveness of the city and the region," Hanselka emphasizes. Dr. Raoul Klingner, Director of Research at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, says: "We are pleased to bring our particular strength in application-oriented research to this close cooperation with KIT in the fields of materials, manufacturing and process engineering as well as in automation, sensor and information technology". Objectives and scientific approach The aim of the Research Factory Karlsruhe is to systematically work out and expand the lead in new, challenging manufacturing processes. The researchers want to learn how to manufacture high-quality products at a very early stage, i.e. when the manufacturing processes required for a new product are not yet fully understood and mastered. With the help of state-of-the-art measurement, sensor and control technology, they want to develop methods that are suitable for quickly converting new production technologies into safe and profitable industrial manufacturing processes. Production can start very early because intelligent process controls ensure that the first, qualitatively flawless product copies are produced despite the still immature production technologies. In concrete terms, this is done as follows: Machine learning and artificial intelligence methods use the data collected by sensors to identify correlations between quality-related data and process parameters. In this way, the production plant, which is already in operation, "learns" which parameters produce good results. It is the declared goal of the Research Factory actors to apply machine learning and artificial intelligence not only to individual production steps or to processes that directly follow one another, but for capturing and improving entire process chains. By thus significantly shortening the "time-to-market", small and medium-sized companies in particular are expected to be present with new products much earlier than before on target markets. The participating institutes wbk (KIT), ICT and IOSB (Fraunhofer) provide the expertise in production, manufacturing and process technology as well as in automation, sensor and information technology that is necessary to implement this scientifically demanding objective. Fields of application of the Research Factory are electromobility and lightweight construction, but also other innovative fields for which it is necessary to establish an intelligent and economical production technology with industry 4.0 and AI methods. "The rapid industrialization of new, innovative production technologies is essential to strengthen Germany as a production location," emphasizes Professor Jurgen Fleischer, head of the wbk Institute of Production Science at KIT and Director of Machines, Equipment and Process Automation at wbk. "The unique feature of the Research Factory Karlsruhe is the interdisciplinary cooperation of production research, automation technology and information technology in one location." Professor Frank Henning, deputy head of Fraunhofer ICT and holder of the Chair for Lightweight Construction Technology at Institute of Vehicle System Technology at KIT, sees "the interdisciplinary nature and efficient use of process data in complex processes to be the key to sustainable manufacturing in Germany". Professor Jurgen Beyerer, head of Fraunhofer IOSB and holder of the Chair of Interactive Real-Time Systems at the Institute for Anthropomatics at KIT, points out another unique selling point of the Research Factory: "What is decisive is the combination of comprehensive sensor technology and the evaluation of the data obtained with it, among others with methods of machine learning and their comprehensible visualization. On this basis, immature manufacturing processes can be explored, understood, and optimized in a much more targeted way than today". "The Research Factory and the methods and tools of machine learning and targeted search for process parameters to be developed there are initial expressions of the goals formulated in the current AI Strategy of the German government," explains Dr. Olaf Sauer, who, as deputy of the head of institute at IOSB, coordinates the planning of the Research Factory Karlsruhe on the part of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. Cooperation with industrial partners The method of rapid industrialization of new production technologies to be developed at the Research Factory Karlsruhe promises decisive advantages in global competition for numerous innovative small and medium-sized companies in Baden-Wurttemberg. In order to transfer results purposefully and quickly, interested companies will be involved right from the start - through close cooperation, joint projects, and workshops. At the same time, KIT and Fraunhofer assume that the Research Factory with its attractive working conditions for employees in the applied research environment will make a long-term contribution to building up and maintaining the innovative leadership of the TechnologyRegion Karlsruhe in materials, production and information technology. Through teaching at the wbk Institute of Production Science, the Research Factory is also linked to the next generation of engineers. Key data on the construction of the Research Factory The Research Factory Karlsruhe will be located on KIT's Campus East. A total budget of around 15 million euros is earmarked for implementation of the construction project. The cooperation partners KIT and Fraunhofer each contribute half of this amount; in addition, investments are made in the initial equipment of the production halls, laboratories, and offices. Following the laying of the foundation stone in summer 2019, the L-shaped building will house around 70 scientists on two floors and an area of 4500 square meters from the end of 2020. In addition, it offers 50 jobs for cooperation partners from the industry. The opening is planned for the end of 2020. ### The Research Factory Karlsruhe project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Wurttemberg, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Housing Baden-Wurttemberg, and the European Regional Development Fund. Press contact: Justus Hartlieb, Redakteur/Pressereferent, Tel.: +49 721 608-21155, Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association", KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility and information. For this, about 9,300 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 25,100 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. Hiroshima, Japan, February 19, 2019--Hiroshima University, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, and Panasonic Corporation announced the successful development of a terahertz (THz) transceiver that can transmit or receive digital data at 80 gigabits per second (Gbit/s). The transceiver was implemented using silicon CMOS integrated circuit technology, which would have a great advantage for volume production. Details of the technology will be presented at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2019 to be held from February 17 to February 21 in San Francisco, California [1]. The THz band is a new and vast frequency resource expected to be used for future ultrahigh-speed wireless communications. IEEE Standard 802.15.3d, published in October 2017, defines the use of the lower THz frequency range between 252 gigahertz (GHz) and 325 GHz (the "300-GHz band") as high-speed wireless communication channels. The research group has developed a single-chip transceiver that achieves a communication speed of 80 Gbit/s using the channel 66 defined by the Standard. The research group developed a 300-GHz-band transmitter chip capable of 105 Gbit/s [2] and a receiver chip capable of 32 Gbit/s [3] in the past few years. The group has now integrated a transmitter and a receiver into a single transceiver chip. "We presented a CMOS transmitter that could do 105 Gbit/s in 2017, but the performance of receivers we developed, or anybody else did for that matter, were way behind [3] for a reason. We can use a technique called 'power combining' in transmitters for performance boosting, but the same technique cannot be applied to receivers. An ultrafast transmitter is useless unless an equally fast receiver is available. We have finally managed to bring the CMOS receiver performance close to 100 Gbit/s," said Prof. Minoru Fujishima, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University. "People talk a lot about technological singularity these days. The main point of interest seems to be whether artificial superintelligence will appear. But a more meaningful question to ask myself as an engineer is how we can keep the ever-accelerating technological advancement going. That's a prerequisite. Advances in not only computational power but also in communication speed and capacity within and between computers are vitally important. You wouldn't want to have a zero-grav operation on board a space plane without real-time connection with earth stations staffed by medical super-AI and doctors. After all, singularity is a self-fulfilling prophecy. It's not something some genius out there will make happen all of a sudden. It will be a distant outcome of what we develop today and tomorrow," said Prof. Fujishima. "Of course, there still is a long way to go, but I hope we are steadily paving the way to such a day. And don't you worry you might use up your ten-gigabyte monthly quota within hours, because your monthly quota then will be in terabytes," he added. ### This work was supported by the R&D on Wireless Transceiver Systems with CMOS Technology in 300-GHz Band, as part of an R&D program on Key Technology in Terahertz Frequency Bands of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan. References [1] S. Lee, R. Dong, T. Yoshida, S. Amakawa, S. Hara, A. Kasamatsu, J. Sato, M. Fujishima, "An 80Gb/s 300GHz-Band Single-Chip CMOS Transceiver," IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), 2019. [2] K. Takano, S. Amakawa, K. Katayama, S. Hara, R. Dong, A. Kasamatsu, I. Hosako, K. Mizuno, K. Takahashi, T. Yoshida, M. Fujishima, "A 105Gb/s 300GHz CMOS Transmitter," IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), pp. 308-309, 2017. [3] S. Hara, K. Katayama, K. Takano, R. Dong, I. Watanabe, N. Sekine, A. Kasamatsu, T. Yoshida, S. Amakawa, M. Fujishima, "A 32Gbit/s 16QAM CMOS Receiver in 300GHz Band," IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS2017), pp. 1-4, 2017. Media Contacts: Hiroshima University Public Relations Group Email: koho@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp National Institute of Information and Communications Technology Press Office, Public Relations Department Tel: +81-(0)42-327-6923 E-mail: publicity@nict.go.jp Panasonic Corporation Global Communications Department Tel: +81-(0)3-3574-5664 Fax: +81-(0)3-3574-5699 Acidification is, next to rising temperatures and dwindling oxygen concentrations, one of the major threats to marine life due to the changing global climate. Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are rising and the ocean therefore takes up increasing amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere as well. The reaction of carbon dioxide with the water forms carbonic acid, the pH is lowered - the ocean becomes more acidic. To what extent and how ocean acidification affects the marine ecosystem as a whole is incredibly hard to predict, but evidence is accumulating that some species are affected adversely. One of these species is the Atlantic cod. A new scientific study, which was just published in the scientific journal Global Change Biology by scientists from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel with colleagues from France and Norway, as well as previously published articles show that the high carbon dioxide concentrations damage this species, particularly the early life stages, like eggs and larvae. The previously published paper by these scientists has shown that due to ocean acidification less cod larvae survive, which means less individuals mature and reproduce. "So far, we liked to believe that at least the larvae that survived would be able to deal with these conditions," says Dr. Martina Stiasny from GEOMAR, first author of this study, "and could have across generations allowed the species to adapt". The results of the new study defeat this hope. It shows that even the surviving larvae have significant organ damages and developmental delays. "Especially the development of the gills is worrying. Compared to the body size, they are underdeveloped," explains Dr. Catriona Clemmesen, corresponding author of the study and leader of the larval ecology group at GEOMAR. Gills, like the lungs in humans, are an extremely important organ, which not only regulates the oxygen uptake, but in fish is also responsible for the adjustment of the internal pH. Underdeveloped gills are therefore likely to negatively affect the individuals throughout their development and following life stages. Another paper, published last year in Scientific Reports, has already shown that the acclimation of the parental generation to high carbon dioxide concentrations only yields a benefit to the offspring, if prey concentrations are very high. "These ideal situations are very unlikely to be encountered by the larvae in nature", says Dr. Clemmesen. In more realistic food conditions, exposing the parental generation to acidification lead to an even worse health status of the larvae. "Our results are of particular importance, since the Atlantic cod is one of the most important commercial fish species worldwide. It therefore not only supports a large fishing industry but is furthermore an important source of protein for many people", summarizes Dr. Stiasny. "Dwindling populations would have far reaching consequences not only for the environment and marine ecosystems, but also for the fishermen, the industry and human nutrition". ### Terror attacks carried out by Muslims receive on average 357 percent more media coverage than those committed by other groups, according to research conducted at Georgia State University. The study, published in Justice Quarterly, found perpetrator religion is a major predictor of news coverage of a terrorist attack. Other factors also drive coverage, but to a lesser extent. The study authors note that in the United States, "members of the public tend to fear the 'Muslim terrorist' while ignoring other threats." The research highlights a serious imbalance in news coverage. "What was especially surprising was the sheer amount of coverage granted to the small handful of domestic terrorists who were both Muslim and from outside of the U.S.," said Allison Betus, a Presidential Fellow with Georgia State's Transcultural Conflict and Violent Extremism Initiative. "This tiny minority of the dataset accounted for a very large amount of coverage." Out of 136 terror attacks in the U.S. over a span of 10 years the authors studied, Muslims committed on average 12.5 percent of the attacks, yet received more than half of the news coverage. The research team found that factors other than the perpetrator's religion also affect coverage. When a suspect was arrested, there was a 287 percent increase in news coverage on average, and attacks against the government received 211 percent more coverage. The number of fatalities in a given attack also affected the extent of coverage. The study found that for each additional fatality, an attack received 46 percent more coverage. The study was led by Dr. Erin Kearns, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama and former post-doctoral research fellow at Georgia State, and Betus, working with Anthony Lemieux, professor at Georgia State and director of the university's Global Studies Institute. Researchers looked at all terror attacks in the U.S. between 2006 and 2015. Using information from the Global Terrorism Database, they reviewed national print and online media to analyze coverage. "While some may have held impressions that attacks by Muslims are more likely to get more media attention, we got to the bottom of this and quantified it," Lemieux said. "It's no longer opinion, perception or conjecture." This is the first study to specifically look at how perpetrator religion affects coverage across such a wide scope of terrorism cases, the researchers said. It highlights the inequity in media coverage in the digital age following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The researchers said this imbalance can create misconceptions about the prevalence of attacks and fuel prejudice and discrimination. In a related study, the same group of researchers found a strong trust in science is the overarching factor in determining if Americans will change misperceptions about the threat of terror attacks. The research published in the journal Studies in Conflict & Terrorism found neither the information source, amount of detail about terror attacks, a person's level of Islamophobia nor trust in media affected whether people were willing to update their views. A recent Gallup poll cited by the authors found that nearly half of Americans believe they or a family member are likely to be the victim of a terrorist attack. According to figures from the Global Terrorism Database, 99 people have been killed in 136 terror attacks in the U.S. since 9/11. Lemieux said the two studies highlight a larger issue, for the media and the public at large, in an era of debates about "fake news" and an abundance of information sources. "The two recent studies are part of a bigger set of questions about what people think of as terrorism, how they understand the actual threat terrorism poses - and whether they would update beliefs about terrorism when presented with data," he said. ### Graphene Flagship researchers solved one of the challenges of making graphene nano-electronics effective: to carve out graphene to nanoscale dimensions without ruining its electrical properties. This allowed them to achieve electrical currents orders of magnitude higher than previously achieved for similar structures. The work shows that the quantum transport properties needed for future electronics can survive scaling down to nanometric dimensions. Since its inception, scientists have tried to exploit graphene to produce nano-sized electronics. However, since graphene is only an atom thick, all atoms are exposed to the outside world, and even small amounts of defects and impurities impede its properties. Now, Graphene Flagship researchers at DTU, Denmark solved this problem by protecting graphene with insulating layers of hexagonal boron nitride, another two-dimensional material with insulating properties. Peter Bggild, researcher at Graphene Flagship partner DTU and coauthor of the paper, explains that although 'graphene is a fantastic material that could play a crucial role in making new nano-sized electronics, it is still extremely difficult to control its electrical properties.' Since 2010, scientists at DTU have tried to tailor the electrical properties of graphene, by making a very fine pattern of holes, so that channels through which an electric power can flow freely are formed. 'Creating nanostructured graphene turned out to be amazingly difficult, since even small errors wash out all the properties we designed it to have,' comments Bggild. Now, researchers from Graphene Flagship partner DTU made a leap forward. Bjarke Jessen and Lene Gammelgaard encapsulated graphene with another 2D material, hexagonal boron nitride, which is very similar to graphene, but electrically insulating. Then, using nanolithography, they carefully drilled nanoscopic holes in graphene through the protective layer of boron nitride. The holes have a diameter of approximately 20 nanometers, and are separated from each other with just 12 nanometers. This great precision makes possible to send an electrical current through the graphene that is 100-1000 times higher than typical numbers for lithographically carved nanographene. 'When you make patterns in a material like graphene, you do so in order to change its properties. However, what we have seen throughout the years is that when we shape graphene on this fine scale, it does not behave like graphene anymore - there is too much disorder,' explains Bggild. 'Many scientists have abandoned nanolithography in graphene on this scale, but now we have figured out how it can be done - you could say that the curse is lifted,' he adds. 'We have shown that we can control graphene's band structure and that deterministic design of nanoelectronics is realistic. Looking solely at electronics, this means that we can make insulators, transistors, conductors and perhaps even superconductors, as our nanolithography can preserve the subtle inter-layer physics that was recently shown to lead to superconductivity in double-layer graphene. However, it goes way beyond that. When we control the band structure, we have access to all of graphene's properties. In other words, we could sit in front of the computer and dream up other applications - and then go to the laboratory and make them happen,' says Bggild. 'There are plenty of practical challenges, but the fact that we can tailor electronic properties of graphene is a big step towards creating new electronics with extremely small dimensions,' he concludes. Daniel Neumaier, Graphene Flagship Division Leader for Electronics and Photonics Integration says: 'Controlling the electronic properties of graphene by nano-pattering offers an additional degree of freedom for the design of electronic and photonic devices, which was so far not accessible. The researchers from Graphene Flagship partner DTU and their co-workers now discovered a unique way for nano-patterning of graphene without seeing the limitations of patterning introduced defects. This was the key enabling step for using the nano-patterning induced electronic properties of graphene in real device and we are expecting significant advances especially for nano-electronics and photonics based on these results.' Andrea C. Ferrari, Science and Technology Officer of the Graphene Flagship and Chair of its Management Panel added how 'patterning of graphene to create nano-electronic devices was one of the first approaches attempted to exploit this unique material into devices. However, after an initial flurry of publications, the amount of damage produced was so much that this line of research was almost entirely abandoned. The work presented here shows how the long term nature of the Flagship allows scientists to pursue and solve even apparently intractable problems. This will rejuvenate the interest in graphene nanoelectronics, and could lead to a variety of useful devices, previously hampered by defects.' ### The Graphene Flagship is research, innovation and collaboration. Funded by the European Commission, the Graphene Flagship aims to secure a major role for Europe in the ongoing technological revolution, helping to bring graphene innovation out of the lab and into commercial applications by 2023. The Graphene Flagship gathers nearly 150 academic and industrial partners from 23 countries, all exploring different aspects of graphene and related materials. Bringing diverse competencies together, the Graphene Flagship facilitates cooperation between its partners, accelerating the timeline for industry acceptance of graphene technologies. The European Commission's FET Flagships enable research projects on an unprecedented scale. With 1 billion budgets, the Graphene Flagship, Human Brain Project and Quantum Flagship serve as technology accelerators, helping Europe to compete with other global markets in research and innovation. Imran Khan had claimed that India does not have any evidence to prove Paks role in worst terror attack in Kashmir in decades. India on Tuesday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over his statement on the Pulwama terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. (Photo:PTI) New Delhi: India on Tuesday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over his statement on the Pulwama terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. India said that Khan should stop misleading the world and take credible and visible actions against those who were behind the attack. "It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that India's response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming General Election. India rejects this false allegation. India's democracy is a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand," said a foreign ministry statement. The Indian government also dismissed as a "lame excuse" Imran Khan's "offer" to investigate, "if given proof", the role of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed. "Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime. It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action," said the statement. Imran Khan asked India for proof, the government said, "In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of "guaranteed action" ring hollow, given the track record of Pakistan." Referring to the Khans "Naya (new) Pakistan", India said ministers of the current government publicly shared platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed, who had been proscribed by the UN. GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Steven Manchester didn't set out to discover Central America's oldest known marine mammal. He was hoping to find fossil plants. Manchester, curator of paleobotany at the Florida Museum of Natural History, had left a group of vertebrate paleontologists uphill of the Panama Canal to do his own prospecting, clambering down onto the narrow, exposed shoreline to look for fossil leaves, petrified wood and mineralized fruits and nuts. It was a dangerous place to be: The rolling wake from passing ships could sweep a person off shore and into the canal. Manchester noticed that people were occasionally shouting at him through megaphones as they cruised past, but not understanding Spanish, he continued to comb the shore when he spotted bone. "He quickly walked us over to where he'd found a skeleton sticking out of the rock exposure," said Aaron Wood, then a museum postdoctoral researcher leading fieldwork in Panama. "There were two or three vertebrae, orange-ish in color, dipping into the black rock on the side of the canal and a couple of ribs around them. We guessed that there would be more under the rock." What Wood described as an "emergency fossil excavation" due to rising water levels yielded a remarkably complete skeleton of an ancient sea cow, estimated to be about 20 million years old, the first evidence of a marine mammal from the Pacific side of the canal. The fossil skull, vertebrae, ribs and other bones belong to a new genus and species, Culebratherium alemani, a tusked seagrass-grazing relative of modern dugongs, which live in the warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific. Wood and lead author Jorge Velez-Juarbe, also a former museum postdoctoral researcher, published their findings in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. About 15 feet long, this C. alemani was not done growing, Velez-Juarbe said. Its tusks had only begun to protrude and its newest molars showed little wear, indicating it was not yet an adult. But it was a powerful eater. The researchers propose that its thick neck muscles, tusks and downward-pointing snout were adaptations for digging pits in the ocean floor to get to the underground stems of seagrass, the plants' most nutritional parts. "Finding C. alemani is pretty good evidence that there was seagrass in this region 20 million years ago," said Velez-Juarbe, now assistant curator of marine mammals at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. "This particular group of sirenians" - the order that includes dugongs and manatees - "are seagrass specialists." While only one species of dugong is alive today - a second, Steller's sea cow, was hunted to extinction within 27 years of its discovery - about 30 species have been recovered in the fossil record, Velez-Juarbe said. The group originated in the West Atlantic and Caribbean and dispersed westward through Panama, whose seaway did not close until a few million years ago, and south to Brazil. "Today, Panama is the juncture between two continents, and that's where we have a mixture of mammals between North and South America," said Wood, now director of Iowa State University's Carl F. Vondra Geology Field Station and a lecturer in the department of geological and atmospheric sciences. "In the early Miocene, when this dugong lived, it wasn't a land connection but a sea connection between the Atlantic and Pacific. We would expect to see communities of sea cows there, too." Previous research shows that multiple species of dugongs commonly lived together, each with slightly differently shaped tusks, snouts and body sizes that would have enabled them to divide up food resources, Velez-Juarbe said. "Some would eat larger species of seagrass buried deeply in the sand while others would feed on smaller grasses closer to the surface," he said. "Evidence from many other places in the world shows that multispecies communities were the norm. To only have one species of dugong now is freaky." These communities also made for healthier seagrass beds, he said. Whereas a single seagrass species, Thalassia testudinum, dominates the Caribbean and West Atlantic, grass beds in Australia have a better balance of species because modern dugongs feed on the larger grass species, keeping them in check and giving smaller grasses a shot at flourishing. The researchers named C. alemani after the Culebra Formation where it was found and Alberto Aleman Zubieta, the former chief executive officer of the Panama Canal, whose support they described as essential to the fieldwork's success. C. alemani was excavated as part of a large-scale, years-long project to salvage fossils during the expansion of the Panama Canal, which temporarily exposed fresh outcrops. Wood said that while he and the rest of the field crew understood the significance of their work, the discovery of the dugong "really brought that home." "We found the fossil dugong when water levels were at their lowest," he said. "After the first day, they steadily rose. We put sandbags on the edge of the site just to keep water out long enough for us to collect it. Within a week, the site was flooded. We couldn't go back. The idea that this was a once-in-a-century opportunity was wrapped up in this one specimen." ### The researchers began the work as postdoctoral fellows under the advisership of Jonathan Bloch and Bruce MacFadden, Florida Museum curators of vertebrate paleontology. Presented during FAPESP Week London, instrument created in Sao Paulo will be improved in collaboration with Russia and will measure solar flares; launch is scheduled for 2022. A new version of equipment developed in Brazil - the Solar-T - will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to measure solar flares. It is estimated that the Sun-THz, the name given to the new photometric telescope, will be launched in 2022 on one of the missions to the ISS and will remain there to take consistent measurements. The photometric telescope works at a frequency of 0.2 to 15 THz, which can only be measured from space. In parallel, another telescope, the HATS, will be installed in Argentina. That instrument, which will be ready in 2020, will work at a frequency of 15 THz on the ground. The HATS is being constructed as part of a Thematic Project led by Guillermo Gimenez de Castro, a professor at the Mackenzie Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics Center (CRAAM) at Mackenzie Presbyterian University (UPM). The equipment was part of the subject matter presented during the session given by Gimenez de Castro at FAPESP Week London, February 11-12, 2019. The researcher explained that solar explosions, or flares, are phenomena that occur on the Sun's surface, causing high levels of radiation in outer space. The Sun THz is an enhanced version of the Solar-T, a double photometric telescope that was launched in 2016 by NASA in Antarctica in a stratospheric balloon that flew 12 days at an altitude of 40,000 m. The Solar-T captured the energy emitted by solar flares at two unprecedented frequencies: from 3 to 7 terahertz (THz) that correspond to a segment of far infrared radiation (read more at: http://agencia. fapesp. br/ 22721/ ). The Solar-T was designed and built in Brazil by researchers at CRAAM together with colleagues at the Center for Semiconductor Components at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). Development was possible thanks to a Thematic Project and a Regular Research Grant from FAPESP. The principal investigator for both was Pierre Kaufmann, a researcher at CRAAM and one of the pioneers of radioastronomy in Brazil, who died in 2017. The new equipment, with Kaufmann as one of its creators, will be the product of a partnership with the Lebedev Physics Institute in Russia. "The idea now is to use a set of detectors to measure a full spectrum, from 0.2 THz to 15 THz," Gimenez de Castro told. Most of the new photometric telescope will be built in Russia, but it will have parts made in Brazil, such as the equipment that will be used to calibrate the entire instrument. "The technology and concept behind the telescope were developed here [in Brazil]. The Russians liked the idea and are reproducing it and adding more elements. We are working on the cutting edge of technology. Forty years ago, the cutting edge for what could be done was 100 gigahertz. With the results obtained over the years, we are seeking higher frequencies, and prospects for the future are good," said the researcher. The future of the equipment lies in its graphene sensors. Highly sensitive to terahertz frequencies, graphene sensors are able to detect polarization and be adjusted electronically. Experiments in creating these detectors are currently underway at the Center for Advanced Graphene, Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology Research (MackGraphe) at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, a FAPESP-funded center. The project also enjoys collaboration from the University of Glasgow, as part of the PhD work of Jordi Tuneu Serra, who is currently on a FAPESP-funded doctoral research internship abroad and who also attended FAPESP Week London. ### About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) One of the makers of the light detector to be used in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) presented a new version, X-Arapuca, that will make the capture of photons even more efficient, at FAPESP Week London A critical part of one of the largest recent particle physics experiments was developed in Brazil. The Arapuca is a light detector to be installed in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) - a project that is searching to discover new properties of neutrinos, fundamental particles with very little mass that travel at close to the speed of light. The X-Arapuca is an enhanced version of the light detector developed by professors Ettore Segreto of the Gleb Wataghin Physics Institute of the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and Ana Amelia Bergamini Machado, collaborating researcher from the same institution. The researchers are supported by FAPESP through the Liquid Argon Project at UNICAMP. The device was the subject of the session given on Day One of FAPESP Week London, an event taking place February 11-12, 2019. The detector will be installed in the DUNE, which is expected to begin construction in the United States in 2021 (read more about the project at: agencia.fapesp.br/25556). DUNE will be equipped with two huge detectors. The first will be close to the source at the Fermi National Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Illinois. The lab's particle accelerator will produce a powerful neutrino beam. That beam will travel to the second, much larger detector, 1,300 km away, at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, holding 70,000 tons of liquid argon and located 1.5 km underground. The site will also hold 60,000 X-Arapuca detectors that will be responsible for detecting the light emitted by the beam. Each X-Arapuca will measure 10 x 8 cm. The entire system is being tested on a smaller scale - the ProtoDUNE - in operation since September 2018 at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on the border between France and Switzerland. Trap effect "This is the most recent development of the Arapuca. It provides even greater efficiency based on the same principle while introducing minor modifications. We are running the tests at UNICAMP and the detector seems to be very good. In addition to that, construction is simpler," Segreto told. One of the modifications was the inclusion of a guide light - a device made out of a material that more efficiently traps the photons inside the detector. It is easier to measure the properties of light by capturing more of it. "The idea of these larger detectors is to direct even more photons to the active detectors, silicon sensors that are much smaller," Segreto said. These small sensors are expected to be the only parts of the X-Arapuca that will not be made in Brazil. "The idea is that all the other components will be made in the country as will the device's assembly," said the researcher who will lead the entire light detection portion of the experiment. The light will be produced when the neutrino beam reaches the argon liquid in the DUNE's principal detector and produces scintillation. Among the factors that influenced the choice for liquid argon is its scintillation capacity, which is much larger than the water used in other experiments like Japan's Super-Kamiokande. The argon will be distributed in four modules, each holding argon kept in a liquid state by refrigeration to -184 C. Liquid argon will also make it possible to obtain 3D images of the interactions with an unprecedented amount of detail and precision. The experiment is expected to provide answers about how the Universe was formed, such as what is known as the "charge-parity symmetry violation of the leptons," which just after the Big Bang would have produced a small surplus of matter over antimatter. This surplus is the Universe we know. International collaboration Stefan Soldner-Rembold, a professor at the University of Manchester and one of the speakers at the event, commended Brazil's participation in the experiment. The researcher spoke on behalf of UK's participation in the consortium. "One of the challenges we have with this type of agreement is how the different funding agencies from other countries contribute resources. Whoever puts up the money wants it to be spent, and the expertise developed, locally. The idea is that Brazil is not just contributing funds, but that the detectors are being built in the country and installed in the DUNE through the use of Brazilian know-how. This is usually hard to do, but we're going to manage to do it in this case," said the researcher. ### About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Comparison of the greenhouse gases produced by lab-grown and farm-raised beef in the current energy system suggests that the benefits of reducing methane could be outweighed by increased CO2 Currently proposed types of lab-grown meat cannot provide a cure-all for the detrimental climate impacts of meat production without a large-scale transition to a decarbonised energy system, a new study has found. The study, from the LEAP (Livestock, Environment and People) programme at the Oxford Martin School, found that some projections for the uptake of particular forms of cultured meat could indeed be better for the climate, but others could actually lead to higher global temperatures in the long run. Published in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, their findings highlight that the climate impact of cultured meat production will depend on its energy demands and the availability of low-carbon energy sources. "There has been a great deal of public interest in cultured meat recently, and many articles highlight the potential for substituting cattle beef with cultured meat to provide an important climate benefit," explains lead author Dr John Lynch. "We show that it is not yet clear whether this is the case, partly because of uncertainties about how cultured meat would be produced at scale. An important issue in comparing farmed and cultured beef is that the different warming impacts of greenhouse gases are also not well accounted for in the standard measure used in carbon footprints." The Culture Club: is it a miracle? Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for around a quarter of current global warming. Replacing conventional cattle farming with 'labriculture' - meat grown in the lab using cell culture techniques - has been widely discussed as a way of reducing this environmental impact. But these estimates are based on carbon-dioxide equivalent footprints, which can be misleading because not all greenhouse gases generate the same amount of warming or have the same lifespan. "Cattle are very emissions-intensive because they produce a large amount of methane from fermentation in their gut," advises study co-author Raymond Pierrehumbert, Halley Professor of Physics at the University of Oxford. "Methane is an important greenhouse gas, but the way in which we generally describe methane emissions as 'carbon dioxide equivalent' amounts can be misleading because the two gases are very different. Per tonne emitted, methane has a much larger warming impact than carbon dioxide, however, it only remains in the atmosphere for about 12 years whereas carbon dioxide persists and accumulates for millennia. This means methane's impact on long-term warming is not cumulative and is impacted greatly if emissions increase or decrease over time." Sustainable labriculture depends on clean energy and new tech To provide a rigorous comparison of the potential climate impacts of lab-grown meat and beef cattle, the researchers examined available data on the emissions associated with three current cattle farming methods and four possible meat culture methods, assuming current energy systems remained unchanged. Using this data, they modelled the potential temperature impact of each production method over the next 1000 years. Their model showed that while cattle initially have a greater warming effect through the release of methane, in some cases the manufacture of lab-grown meat can ultimately result in more warming. This is due to the fact that even if consumption of meat were entirely phased out the warming from carbon dioxide would persist, whereas warming caused by methane ceases after only a few decades. "This is important because while reducing methane emissions would be good - and an important part of our climate policies - if we simply replace that methane with carbon dioxide it could actually have detrimental long-term consequences," warns Lynch. Beef production is currently a major source of greenhouse gases: reducing consumption and improving production methods to reduce emissions can both help address this. The environmental benefits of lab-grown meat are a powerful imperative to continue and expand labriculture research, and especially to develop ways of producing cultured meat as efficiently as possible. The study also highlights that both cultured meat and cattle farming have complex inputs and impacts that need to be considered in fully appreciating their effect on the environment. For example, creating more grazing land for cattle often results in significant deforestation that could greatly increase the CO2 footprint of cattle systems (but can prove difficult to standardise in emissions footprints), while producing food in urban laboratories could free up land for storing CO2 (known as carbon sequestration) or other purposes. Lynch concludes, "The climate impacts of cultured meat production will depend on what level of sustainable energy generation can be achieved, as well as the efficiency of future culture processes." ### Please include a link to the original research in your reporting: http://www. frontiersin. org/ articles/ 10. 3389/ fsufs. 2019. 00005/ abstract Corresponding author: John M. Lynch, john.lynch@physics.ox.ac.uk About Frontiers Frontiers is an award-winning Open Science platform and leading open-access scholarly publisher. Our mission is to make high-quality, peer-reviewed research articles rapidly and freely available to everybody in the world, thereby accelerating scientific and technological innovation, societal progress and economic growth. Frontiers received the 2014 ALPSP Gold Award for Innovation in Publishing. For more information, visit http://www. frontiersin. org and follow @Frontiersin on Twitter. About LEAP LEAP is supported by the Wellcome Trust's Our Planet Our Health Programme and is one of four major interdisciplinary research partnerships in the areas of global food systems and urbanization. The project is a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the supermarket group Sainsbury's and The Nature Conservancy. It also works in partnership with other researchers supported by the Wellcome Trusts Our Planet Our Health programme including Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS), led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Mini-livestock: insects as sustainable and healthy food, led by Wageningen University, Netherlands, and the LSHTM and SOAS Sustainability Health Projects. About the Oxford Martin School The Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford is a world-leading centre of pioneering research that addresses global challenges. It invests in research that cuts across disciplines to tackle a wide range of issues such as climate change, disease and inequality. The School supports novel, high risk and multidisciplinary projects that may not fit within conventional funding channels, because breaking boundaries can produce results that could dramatically improve the wellbeing of this and future generations. Underpinning all our research is the need to translate academic excellence into impact - from innovations in science, medicine and technology, through to providing expert advice and policy recommendations. Coal-fired power plants produce more than just the carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming. When burning coal, they also release particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury - thus damaging the health of many people around the world in various ways. To estimate where action is most urgently required, the research group led by Stefanie Hellweg from ETH Zurich's Institute of Environmental Engineering modelled and calculated the undesired side effects of coal power for each of the 7,861 power plant units in the world. Uneven pollution levels The results, which were recently published in the journal Nature Sustainability, show that China and the US are the two largest producers of coal power, but power plants in India take the highest toll in the world when it comes to health. Central Europe, North America and China all have modern power plants, but Eastern Europe, Russia and India still have many older power plants equipped with insufficient flue gas treatment. As a result, these power plants only remove a fraction of the pollutants - while also often burning coal of inferior quality. "More than half of the health effects can be traced back to just one tenth of the power plants. These power plants should be upgraded or shut down as quickly as possible," says Christopher Oberschelp, the lead author of the study. A question of quality The global picture of coal power production shows that the gap between privileged and disadvantaged regions is widening. This is happening for two reasons. Firstly, wealthy countries - such as in Europe - import high-quality coal with a high calorific value and low emissions of harmful sulphur dioxide. The poorer coal-exporting countries (such as Indonesia, Colombia and South Africa) are left with low-quality coal, which they often burn in outdated power plants without modern flue gas treatment to remove the sulphur dioxide. Secondly, "In Europe, we contribute to global warming with our own power plants, which has a global impact. However, the local health damage caused by particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide occurs mainly in Asia, where coal power is used to manufacture a large proportion of our consumer products," says Oberschelp. Coal power threatens to grow worldwide Global coal resources will last for several hundred years, so the harmful emissions need to be limited politically. "It is particularly important to leave coal that is high in mercury and sulphur content in the ground," says Oberschelp. Reducing the negative health effects of coal power generation should be a global priority: "But further industrialisation, especially in China and India, poses the risk of aggravating the situation instead," write the researchers led by Hellweg in their article. The initial investment costs for the construction of a coal power plant are high, but the subsequent operating costs are low. Power plant operators thus have an economic interest in keeping their plants running for a long time. "The best option is therefore to not build any new coal power plants. From a health and environment perspective, we should move away from coal and towards natural gas - and in the long term, towards renewable energy sources," says Oberschelp. ### Reference Oberschelp C, Pfister S, Raptis CE, and Hellweg S.: Global emission hotspots of coal power generation. Nature Sustainability, 2019, doi: 10.1038/s41893-019-0221-6 A record number of late-breaking trials and scientific abstracts have been submitted to EHRA 2019, the leading arrhythmias meeting in Europe, which will reveal cutting edge science on cardiac rhythm disorders. The annual congress of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), will be held 17 to 19 March at the Lisbon Congress Centre (CCL) in Portugal. Explore the scientific programme to discover the novel studies set to change patient care. A total of 20 late-breaking trials will be presented across four sessions, covering cardiac devices, innovative techniques to optimise response to cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT), new technologies for ablation of atrial fibrillation, and much more. Highlights include: CIRCA-DOSE trial randomising patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation to contact force irrigated radiofrequency ablation or treatment with the second generation cryoballoon. AVATAR-AF trial on the effect of a streamlined catheter ablation protocol versus conventional cryoablation on clinical outcomes and length of hospital stay. RACE 7 ACWAS trial testing whether a wait-and-see approach of 48 hours after the onset of symptomatic atrial fibrillation is noninferior to standard of care acute cardioversion. ELIMINATE-AF trial on the safety and efficacy of uninterrupted edoxaban versus vitamin K antagonists in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing catheter ablation. ElectroCRT randomised trial to evaluate whether an electrically-guided strategy for cardiac resynchronisation therapy provides superior improvement in left ventricular function compared with an imaging-guided approach. WRAP-IT trial of an absorbable antibacterial envelope to prevent infection in patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device. RESULT trial assessing whether remote supervision reduces death or hospitalisation in patients with heart failure and an implanted device. Original research will also be presented in more than 1,000 scientific abstracts. Scientists have developed a wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) device - find out which part of the body it uses. Discover how to reduce the risk of dementia in patients with atrial fibrillation. All this and more in the extensive abstract programme. The congress spotlight is "Implementing diagnostic and therapeutic innovations in daily practice". It will be covered in a special track, revealing up and coming techniques and technologies in ablation, pacing, and smartphone and smartwatch arrhythmia detection - to name a few. A dedicated EHRA Innovation Stage will showcase inventions for cardiac rhythm management from clinicians, scientists and engineers, culminating in a prize for the top three. Stay tuned for new software, devices, or other creations. EHRA 2019 covers all aspects of arrhythmias, including devices and ablation of atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, as well as sudden cardiac death. Nearly 4,000 scientists and healthcare professionals from over 80 countries are expected to attend. Professor Haran Burri, Chairperson of the Scientific Programme, said: "Innovation is very much the theme of EHRA 2019. From world-class late-breaking trials to the abstract programme, cutting-edge technologies, and presentations by inventors, this is the place to hear what's on the horizon in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias." ### Authors: ESC Press Office Tel: +33 (0)4 8987 2499 Email: press@escardio.org Follow us on Twitter @ESCardioNews Notes to editor The hashtag for the meeting is #ehra2019. About the European Heart Rhythm Association The European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) is a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Its aim is improving the quality of life and reducing sudden cardiac death by limiting the impact of heart rhythm disturbances. EHRA ensures the dissemination of knowledge and standard setting; provides continuous education, training and certification to physicians and allied professionals involved in the field of cardiac arrhythmias with a special focus on Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and Electrophysiology (EP). EHRA releases international consensus documents and position papers, it is a source of high quality, unbiased, evidence based, scientific information that promotes the quality of care for patients with AF, and for, has also dedicated a website for patients "afibmatters.org". About the EHRA Congress EHRA 2019 is the annual congress of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). About the European Society of Cardiology The European Society of Cardiology brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people lead longer, healthier lives. Information for journalists attending EHRA 2019 EHRA 2019 will be held 17 to 19 March at the Lisbon Congress Centre (CCL) in Lisbon, Portugal. Explore the scientific programme. Recently, Dr. ZHOU Yan and Prof. SHEN Wenjie at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators identified the atomic structure of the catalytically active copper-ceria interface and proposed a copper bilayer model. Their findings were published in Nature Catalysis. Because of their high natural abundance, low cost, and, more importantly, their unique electronic characteristics, copper catalysts have been industrially applied and fundamentally studied for several chemical reactions that are intimately relevant to energy. Copper nanoparticles, dispersed on ceria, constitute a highly efficient catalyst system for the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction, which generates hydrogen, and CO/CO2 hydrogenation that yields methanol. The two processes are crucial for utilizing carbon resources. The copper-ceria interface has been presumed responsible for the catalytic performance. However, direct identification and a quantitative description of the active sites, which directly interact with the reactive molecules during catalysis, remain challenging. "Our conclusions are based on the observation of tiny copper clusters by a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), probing the interfacial bonding environment by in situ infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and rationalization by density functional theory (DFT) calculations," said Prof. SHEN. "In studying the atomic structure of the catalytically active copper-ceria interface, we found the copper cluster consisted of a bottom layer of mainly Cu+ atoms bonded on the oxygen vacancies of ceria, and a top layer of Cu0 atoms coordinated with the underlying Cu+ atoms," Prof. SHEN added. Moreover, the scientists found that the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction occurred at the copper-ceria interfacial perimeter via a site cooperation mechanism, by which the Cu+ site chemically adsorbs CO while the neighboring oxygen vacancy site dissociatively activates water. ### Ten states and the District of Columbia now allow the sale, possession, and use of marijuana for recreational purposes, and 33 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana. Critics argue that marijuana dispensaries are magnets for crime. A new study found an association between marijuana dispensaries and increases in rates of crime and disorder in neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado, shortly after Colorado commenced legal retail sales of marijuana. The study, by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver, appears in Justice Quarterly, a publication of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. "We found that neighborhoods with one or more medical or recreational dispensary saw increased crime rates that were between 26 and 1,452% higher than in neighborhoods without any commercial marijuana activity," notes Lorine A. Hughes, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, who led the study. "But we also found that the strongest associations between dispensaries and crime weakened significantly over time." In their study, the researchers looked at both medical and recreational dispensaries from 2012 to 2015 (Colorado legalized marijuana in 2014). They examined the extent to which dispensaries were associated with neighborhood crime and disorder independently of other characteristics of the neighborhoods (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage, concentration of high-risk commercial establishments such as check-cashing stores and tattoo shops). Measures of crime and disorder were drawn from the Denver Police Department and included aggravated assault, auto theft, burglary, drug and alcohol offences, murder, public disorder, robbery, and theft from a car. Measures of other neighborhood characteristics were based on 2013 estimates of characteristics of Census block groups, which researchers applied to 3,981 equally distributed geographic areas in Denver. Information about marijuana dispensaries was obtained from government agencies. The study found that except for murder, the presence of at least one medical marijuana dispensary was associated with a statistically significant increase in neighborhood crime and disorder, including robbery and aggravated assault. The study also found a relatively strong association between medical marijuana dispensaries and drug and alcohol offenses, with a decline in the strength of the link after recreational marijuana was legalized. The pattern of results was similar for recreational marijuana dispensaries, though the study found no direct relation to auto theft. The authors caution that the results of the study, based only on information from Denver immediately after legalization and before market saturation, may not be generalizable to other geographic areas. They also note that because the study relied on official police data to measure crime and disorder, it's possible that police targeted neighborhoods with marijuana dispensaries, which would over-estimate the association between these facilities and crime and disorder. "Our findings have important implications for the marijuana industry in Denver and the liberalization of marijuana laws nationwide," suggests Lonnie M. Schaible, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver, who coauthored the study. "Although our results indicate that both medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries are associated with increases in most major crime types, the weak strength typical of these relationships suggests that, if Denver's experience is representative, major spikes in crime are unlikely to occur in other places following legalization." The authors suggest that, rather than fighting to oppose legalized marijuana, which has become a multibillion-dollar industry and is expected to create more than a quarter of a million jobs by 2020, it may be more expedient to develop and support secure and legal ways for dispensaries to engage in financial transactions. ### Summarized from Justice Quarterly, Marijuana Dispensaries and Neighborhood Crime and Disorder in Denver, Colorado by Hughes, L, Schaible, LM, and Jimmerson, K (University of Colorado Denver). Copyright 2019 The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. All rights reserved. The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Information and Communication Technologies category has gone in this eleventh edition to American computer engineer Ivan Sutherland, for his pioneering work in computer graphics and virtual reality The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Information and Communication Technologies category has gone in this eleventh edition to American computer engineer Ivan Sutherland, for "pioneering the move from text-based to graphical computer displays," in the words of the citation. Almost sixty years ago, at a time when computers took up an entire room, Sutherland not only invented the first system supporting graphical interaction with these machines, he also developed the first virtual reality headset, which he nicknamed the "Sword of Damocles." In a career spanning more than six decades, Sutherland has paired "a deep knowledge of technology with an understanding of human behavior to transform computer interaction," the citation continues. Nowadays, "everybody using a computer or smartphone benefits from his vision and contributions." Sutherland gave notice of his visionary talent with his doctoral thesis, presented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1963 under the supervision of Claude Shannon, the "father" of information theory. It described the Sketchpad program, which showed that computer graphics could provide a more natural interaction between user and machine, and is generally regarded as the predecessor of the graphical interfaces we know today, from the windows system begun by Apple to the icons of our smartphone apps. It is in honor of these achievements that the committee describes him as "the father of computer graphics." At a time when punch cards were the norm, the ideas behind Sketchpad were "revolutionary," says the awards committee. The program "laid the foundations for intuitive and powerful human-computer interaction through drawing and manipulating shapes and icons rather than through typing commands. Sketchpad provided a light pen and commands to draw directly on a computer display, to zoom in and out, and to transform objects." In conversation yesterday after hearing of the award, Sutherland gave thanks to Wesley Clark, builder of "what was then the world's biggest computer, the TX-2" for letting him use it "for hours at a time" to develop Sketchpad. "Being able to draw on a computer screen was totally unusual and unexpected, and awakened a lot of people to the possibility of using computer graphics," the new laureate remarked. Asked if he could imagine then the kind of applications his work would inspire, Sutherland admitted he had "no idea what it would lead to. I did it because it was interesting to do. I was given access to a computer. I wanted to make drawings on that computer, because I liked drawings, and I liked to make them neat, and the computer delivered that. I did what I did because each step was interesting and technically possible, and clearly gave us access to information in a new way that would obviously be useful, even if how it would be used was not clear." The first virtual reality headset A few years later, as a professor at Harvard University, Sutherland created the first virtual reality headset "with potential to track the user's gaze," the committee explains. This device, which he built with his students in 1968, was nicknamed "The Sword of Damocles" due to its weight, and is referred to in the citation as the precursor of "today's virtual and augmented reality systems such as HoloLens, Rift and Vive." In the original paper describing the device, Sutherland explained that his goal was "to surround the user with three-dimensional information," an image that "must change in exactly the way that the image of a real object would" when the observer moves their head. The objects projected "appear to hang in the space all around the user," writes Sutherland, for whom "the biggest surprise" was the enthusiastic response of the device's initial public and the "realism" of its images. He ends the report confessing that at the outset he had "no idea how much effort would be involved." As with Sketchpad, Sutherland had no inkling of the world that virtual reality would open up. Nor is he willing now to hazard predictions about its future uses: "If you want to know the future, you have to ask the people who make it not the people who started it. I have no idea what other people will do." More than 60 patents Sutherland's influence has spanned academia and industry. Not only does he himself hold over 60 patents, but a number of his students have gone on to found some of the sector's most thriving companies. In 1968 he moved to the University of Utah, where he incorporated Evans & Sutherland, a firm that pioneered the development of 3D graphics hardware, and was accompanied by "brilliant students," he remarked yesterday. "Their excellence enabled several of them to be involved in entrepreneurial companies, some of which did marvelous things. For instance, Edwin Catmull started Pixar, which makes very entertaining films. And John Warnock was one of the founders of Adobe. I am pleased to have known those people and made some small contribution to their education." His next academic appointment, in the 1970s, was at the California Institute of Technology, where he worked closely with Carver Mead, winner of the Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the fourth edition. Sutherland's name was put forward for the award by another Frontiers laureate, Leonard Kleinrock, honored in the seventh edition. The latest awardee makes just one assertion about the future; that it will depend entirely on the next generation's spirit of inquiry: "Young people are wonderful. They don't know what they can't do, so they go ahead and do it." Bio notes Ivan Sutherland (Hastings, Nebraska, United States, 1938) earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, then went on to complete an MS and PhD in the same subject at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology respectively. His research and teaching career began at the University of Maryland, followed by appointments at Harvard and Utah universities, Caltech (where he set up the Department of Computer Science), Carnegie Mellon University, Imperial College London, the University of California, Berkeley, and Portland State University, where he is currently a Visiting Scientist. He has founded a number of companies, including Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation, Picture Design Group and Sutherland, Sproull & Associates, the latter acquired by Sun Microsystems to form Sun Microsystems Laboratory, where Sutherland would remain for several years as Vice President and Sun Fellow (the firm's most senior technical post). An intensive research enterprise in both the university and corporate sectors has earned him numerous patents; the first in 1956, when he was just 21 years old, followed by another seventy-four. He combines his post at Portland State University with consulting work for the U.S. Government and firms like Oracle Laboratory and ForrestHunt Information and Communication Technologies committee and evaluation support panel The rigor, quality and independence of the judging process have earned these awards the attention of the international scientific community and a firm place among the world's foremost prize families. The jury in this category was chaired by Joos Vandewalle, Honorary President of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, with Ron Ho, Director of Silicon Engineering at Facebook (United States) acting as secretary. Remaining members were Liz Burd, Pro Vice-Chancellor in Learning and Teaching at the University of Newcastle (Australia), Georg Gottlob, Professor of Informatics at the University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Oussama Khatib, Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University (United States), Rudolf Kruse, Emeritus Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany), and Mario Piattini, Professor of Computer Languages and Systems at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). The BBVA Foundation is aided in the evaluation process by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the country's premier public research organization. The Foundation and CSIC jointly appoint the evaluation support panels charged with undertaking an initial assessment of the candidates proposed by institutions across the world and drawing up a reasoned shortlist for the consideration of the award committees. CSIC is also responsible for designating each committee chair. The evaluation support panel in this category was coordinated by Maria Victoria Moreno, the Council's Deputy Vice President for Scientific and Technical Areas, and formed by: Carmen Garcia, Coordinator of the Physical Science and Technologies Area and Research Professor in the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC); Manuel Lozano, Research Professor at the Barcelona Institute of Microelectronics (IMB-CNM); Pedro Meseguer, Scientific Researcher at the Institute of Research in Artificial Intelligence (IIIA); Federico Thomas, Research Professor in the Institute of Robotics and Industrial Computing (IRII); and Roberta Zambrini, Tenured Researcher in the Institute of Interdisciplinary Physics and Complex Systems (IFISC). ### About the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards The BBVA Foundation centers its activity on the promotion of world-class scientific research and cultural creation, and the encouragement of talent. The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards, established in 2008, recognize and reward contributions of singular impact in science, art and the humanities, privileging achievements that significantly expand the frontiers of the known world, open up new fields, or emerge from the interaction of various disciplinary areas. Their eight categories are congruent with the knowledge map of the 21st century, ranging from basic sciences to key challenges for the natural environment by way of domains at the crossroads of disciplines - Biology and Medicine; Economics, Finance and Management - or the supremely creative realms of music and the opera. A volunteer working with the NASA-led Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project has found the oldest and coldest known white dwarf -- an old Earth-sized remnant of a sun-like star that has died -- ringed by dust and debris. Astronomers suspect this could be the first known white dwarf with multiple dust rings. The star, LSPM J0207+3331 or J0207 for short, is forcing researchers to reconsider models of planetary systems and could help us learn about the distant future of our solar system. Adam Schneider, a research scientist at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration, was part of the team that unwrapped the discovery data to draw a picture of the white dwarf's surprising details. Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is a project led by Marc Kuchner, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Launched two years ago, it enlists volunteers to sort through infrared data for new discoveries using an online interface and search engine. "This object was found by Melina Thevenot of Germany using the Backyard Worlds project," he said. "She originally thought it might be a cold brown dwarf, something the project is very interested in and has had a lot of success finding." Brown dwarfs are low-temperature objects too big to be planets yet too small to be stars. They shine dimly at far infrared wavelengths and because of their low luminosity, all those known lie relatively close to the sun. "When Melina investigated further, she found that although the object had significant infrared brightness; it was not a nearby brown dwarf," Schneider said. Instead it had to be something brighter and farther away, and the best candidate was a stellar evolution remnant: a white dwarf star. "The team looked at it together, and we determined it was likely a white dwarf with infrared excess," said Schneider. Old star, warm rings The excess was believed to be radiating from a warm, dusty circumstellar disk. Such disks are thought to result from the continual breakup of small rocky planetesimals orbiting the white dwarf. Yet with an age of roughly 3 billion years, J0207 is colder and nearly three times older than any other white dwarf known to harbor such a disk. "However, we were brown dwarf experts and not white dwarf experts, so we needed to 'phone- a-friend' and contacted white dwarf expert John Debes for help interpreting what Melina had found," said Schneider. Debes is an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. "This white dwarf is so old that whatever process is feeding material into its rings must operate on billion-year timescales," Debes said. "Most of the models scientists have created to explain rings around white dwarfs only work well up to around 100 million years, so this star is really challenging our assumptions of how planetary systems evolve." Adding to the puzzle, the J0207 disk may be composed of more than one distinct ring-like component, an arrangement never before seen in circumstellar material surrounding a white dwarf. To study the rings and their structure, Debes and Kuchner contacted collaborator Adam Burgasser at the University of California, San Diego to obtain follow-up observations with the Keck II telescope at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. The Keck observations helped confirm J0207's record-setting properties. Now scientists are left to puzzle how it fits into their models. Debes compared the population of asteroid belt analogs in white dwarf systems to the grains of sand in an hourglass. Initially, there's a steady stream of material. The planets fling asteroids inward towards the white dwarf to be torn apart, maintaining a dusty disk. But over time, the asteroid belts become depleted, just like grains of sand in the hourglass. Eventually, all the material in the disk falls down onto the surface of the white dwarf, so older white dwarfs like J0207 should be less likely to have disks or rings. Follow-up with future missions like NASA's James Webb Space Telescope may help astronomers tease apart the ring's constituent parts. Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 bigger and better The publication of the paper in Astrophysical Journal Letters describing the white dwarf star and rings coincides with a major upgrade of the original Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project. The database that volunteers search comes from NASA's WISE satellite telescope. WISE, which stands for Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, was launched in late 2009 and has mapped the entire sky numerous times over the past 10 years. WISE detects infrared light, the kind of light emitted by objects at room temperature, like planets, brown dwarfs -- and dusty rings around white dwarfs. "We built Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 mostly to search for brown dwarfs and new planets in the solar system," Kuchner said. "But working with citizen scientists always leads to surprises. They are voracious -- the project just celebrated its second birthday, and they've already discovered more than 1,000 likely brown dwarfs. Now that we've rebooted the website with double the amount of WISE data, we're looking forward to even more exciting discoveries." For ASU's Schneider, the more the better. "My job is to weed through the candidates found by the citizens, prioritize them for follow-up, and help organize the observations. It's like a front-row seat for discoveries," he said. ### CPM general secy targets Centre on income, employment. New Delhi: Terming the government's flagship Make in India programme a jumla, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday claimed investments and exports in the manufacturing sector have dropped sharply over the past five years. The Make in India programme came under severe criticism last week after the Vande Bharat Express, Indias first semi high-speed train, broke down on its way back to the capital from Varanasi, just a day after it was launched. Modis Make in India, like all his other schemes, has turned out to be a jumla and PR. Investment, employment, and exports in Indias manufacturing sector have all declined sharply in the past five years, Mr Yechury tweeted. Taking on the government over low agricultural, manufacturing, employment and income growth, he said: Agricult-ural growth low, manufacturing growth low, emplo-yment growth low, income growth low... All things that matter to Indians are going lower under Modi. The only thing going up is the PR budget of Modi and jumlas from his speeches, as his cronies loot the banks. The top 12 crony businessmen friends of this govt owe public money which is twice the entire farm loan waiver! he alleged, adding: Yet, the Modi govt has been happy to waive off over `3 lakh crore of unpaid loans of friends and allowed looters to scoot. Nothing for farmers facing an unprecedented crisis. A political ideology which divides Indians and pitches one Indian against another is truly anti-national. We all know who the proponents and leaders of that political ideology are, in our country, he said. Washington, DC - February 19, 2019 - A new antimicrobial-resistance gene, VCC-1, a -lactamase gene, has been discovered in benign close relatives of virulent Vibrio cholerae, which causes cholera. Now, a team of Canadian researchers has found a way to block the VCC-1 enzyme, which disables that resistance gene. The research is published February 19th in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. VCC-1 was first found in Canada, by investigators from the Public Health Agency of Canada, on frozen shrimp that had been imported from India, and sold in a Canadian grocery store. A handful of other -lactamase resistance genes have also emerged from India. -lactamase genes code for enzymes that can break down -lactams, which are a critically important class of antimicrobials. The investigators identified the gene in a non-toxogenic strain of Vibrio cholerae. Since then, VCC-1 has also been found in non-toxogenic V. cholerae off of the German coastline. The danger is that it's a short jump for a gene from non-toxogenic V. cholerae to its toxogenic siblings. "We noticed that VCC-1 belongs to the same class of [antibiotic resistance] enzymes that avibactam is active against," said lead author Brian Mark, PhD, Professor, Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba. The US Food and Drug Administration had recently approved Avibactam. "I said, 'lets try avibactam'," and sure enough, it blocks the enzyme quite potently," said Dr. Mark. To see how avibactam did so, Dr. Mark and his collaborators used x-ray crystallography, a method of visualizing the three-dimensional structure of molecules at the atomic level. The x-ray crystallography showed that the avibactam molecule has a protuberance that fits snugly into a pocket on VCC-1, "the same pocket that VCC-1 uses to break down the antibiotic," said Dr. Mark. After that, "We went back to the original strain, the Vibrio the VCC-1 was originally found in," said Dr. Mark. "We grew it up, and demonstrated that if you try to kill this bacteria with carbapenem [an important beta lactam antimicrobial], it is very resistant, which is alarming, as this is a front line, last resort antibiotic, and here it is sitting on shrimp that people are eating. But if you add avibactam to the carbapenem, it becomes really potent, because you blocked the VCC-1 which was enabling the resistance." The US Food and Drug Administration recently approved combination drug containing avibactam and the antibiotic, ceftazidime. Should a patient enter a clinic ill with a pathogen carrying VCC-1, knowledgeable physicians will be ready. ### The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of more than 32,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences. ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications and educational opportunities. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to diverse audiences. The Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project re-launches this week, with a call to volunteer citizen scientists to join the search for cold worlds near the Sun. With its newly revamped online interface and equipped with twice as much data as before, the project offers new opportunities to discover planets lurking yet unseen in the outer reaches of the Solar System (e.g., Planet 9, Planet X) as well as cold nearby "failed stars" (a.k.a. brown dwarfs). The re-launch coincides with the publication of the project's latest discovery: a record-setting white dwarf star encircled by mysterious dusty rings that challenge astronomers to rethink the long-term evolution of planetary systems. Detecting Cold Worlds in Infrared Images With Backyard Worlds, available through the Zooniverse web portal, citizen scientists use images from NASA's WISE mission to uncover previously overlooked objects in the Sun's local cosmic neighborhood. The WISE satellite is currently surveying the entire sky at infrared wavelengths. WISE's infrared sensitivity has the unrivaled potential to reveal extremely cold and faint new neighbors of the Sun, some of which may reside closer to us than even the nearest known star, Proxima Centauri. Such neighbors would most likely be brown dwarfs colder than room temperature, of which only a few tantalizing examples are currently known to exist. It Takes a Village - Crowd-sourced Mining of Vast Astronomical Maps Nearby celestial objects appear to move against the backdrop of more distant stars and galaxies, and that relative motion is used to identify members of the Sun's local neighborhood. But no lone astronomer could single-handedly study all of the WISE images by eye to find these cold worlds; and a completely automated search is not possible due to noise and artifacts in the WISE images. Backyard Worlds' solution is an online interface that presents large cohorts of volunteers with animated "flipbooks" of WISE images in which to visually search for moving objects. "Professional researchers routinely use supercomputers and machine learning, but there's still no substitute for the human eye when it comes to recognizing subtle motions in astronomical images," said Backyard Worlds co-founder Aaron Meisner, an astronomer at the NSF's National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, Arizona. The crowd-sourced approach works. Since the project's inception two years ago, Backyard Worlds volunteers have discovered more than a thousand cold, nearby brown dwarfs -- more than one per day! Finding the Unexpected: an Ancient White Dwarf with Enigmatic Dust Rings Alongside its re-launch, Backyard Worlds also announces its latest discovery, a surprising object unlike anything the team expected to find. Whereas most Backyard Worlds discoveries have been brown dwarfs, this newly published member of the solar neighborhood is a white dwarf - the faint, dense remnant of a stellar death long ago. The white dwarf in question - LSPM J0207+3331, or J0207 for short - is unusually bright in WISE images, indicating that it's encircled by a warm, dusty circumstellar disk. Such disks are thought to result from the ongoing breakup of small rocky planetesimals in orbit around the white dwarf. But with an age of roughly 3 billion years, J0207 is colder and nearly three times older than any other white dwarf known to harbor such a disk. The peculiar infrared properties of J0207 were first reported to Backyard Worlds researchers by citizen scientist Melina Thevenot of Germany. "This white dwarf is so old that whatever process is feeding material into its ring must operate on billion-year timescales," said John Debes, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and lead author of the J0207 study co-authored by Thevenot. "Most of the models scientists have created to explain rings around white dwarfs only work well up to around 100 million years, so this star is really challenging our assumptions of how planetary systems evolve." Adding to this puzzle, the J0207 disk may be composed of more than one distinct ring-like component, an arrangement never before seen in circumstellar material surrounding a white dwarf. Critical follow-up of J0207 was obtained by Backyard Worlds collaborator Adam Burgasser, a professor at UC San Diego, using the Keck II telescope on the Mauna Kea summit in Hawaii, one of the world's premier astronomical observing facilities. "That is a really motivating aspect of the search," said Thevenot, one of more than 150,000 citizen scientists who have contributed to the Backyard Worlds project. "The researchers will move their telescopes to look at worlds you have discovered. What I especially enjoy, though, is the interaction with the awesome research team. Everyone is very kind, and they are always trying to make the best out of our discoveries." More Discoveries in Store! The newly upgraded Backyard Worlds interface is expected to unleash a new wave of additional discoveries. The rebooted edition doubles the amount of WISE data that can be examined, provides access to additional visualization resources, and incorporates upgraded image processing algorithms that better remove artifacts. "The synergy of careful human scrutiny combined with massive computations has fueled the remarkable discoveries made by Backyard Worlds volunteers," said Meisner. "I'm excited to see what happens next!" ### Acknowledgments Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 is a collaboration between NASA, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Arizona State University, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, the University of California San Diego, Bucknell University, the University of Oklahoma, and Zooniverse, a collaboration of scientists, software developers and educators who collectively develop and manage citizen science projects on the internet. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, manages and operates WISE for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. The WISE mission was selected competitively under NASA's Explorers Program managed by the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center. The science instrument was built by the Space Dynamics Laboratory in Logan, Utah. The spacecraft was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colorado. Science operations and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech, which manages JPL for NASA. For more information about Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, visit: http://backyardworlds. org For more information about NASA's WISE mission, visit: http://www. nasa. gov/ wise Reference "A 3 Gyr White Dwarf with Warm Dust Discovered via the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 Citizen Science Project," Debes et al. 2019, The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Excitons -- electrically neutral quasiparticles -- have extraordinary properties. They exist only in semiconducting and insulating materials and can be easily accessed in two-dimensional (2D) materials just a few atoms thick, such as carbon and molybdenite. When these 2D materials are combined, they exhibit quantum properties that neither material possesses on its own. A new Tel Aviv University study explores the generation and propagation of excitons in 2D materials within an unprecedented small time frame and at an extraordinarily high spatial resolution. The research was led by Prof. Haim Suchowski and Dr. Michael Mrejen of TAU's Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences and published in Science Advances on February 1. Quantum mechanics is a fundamental theory in physics that describes nature at the smallest scales of energy. "Our new imaging technology captures the movement of excitons in a short time frame and at nanometer scale," Dr. Mrejen says. "This tool can be extremely useful for peeking into a material's response at the very first moments light has affected it." "Such materials can be used to significantly slow down light to manipulate it or even store it, which are highly sought-after capabilities for communications and for photonics-based quantum computers," Prof. Suchowski explains. "From the instrument capability point of view, this tour de force opens up new opportunities to visualize and manipulate the ultrafast response of many other material systems in other spectrum regimes, such as the mid-infrared range in which many molecules are found to vibrate." The scientists developed a unique spatiotemporal imaging technique at the femtosecond-nanometric scale and observed exciton-polariton dynamics in tungsten diselenide, a semiconductor material, at room temperature. The exciton-polariton is a quantum creature spawned by the coupling of light and matter. Due to the specific material studied, the speed of propagation measured was about 1% of the speed of light. At this time scale, light manages to travel only several hundred nanometers. "We knew we had a unique characterization tool and that these 2D materials were good candidates to explore interesting behavior at the ultrafast-ultrasmall intersection," Dr. Mrejen says. "I should add that the material, tungsten diselenide, is extremely interesting from an applications point of view. It sustains such light-matter coupled states in very confined dimensions, down to single atom thickness, at room temperature and in the visible spectral range." The researchers are now exploring ways of controlling the velocity of semiconductor waves by, for example, combining multiple 2D materials in stacks. ### American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel's most influential, comprehensive and sought-after center of higher learning, Tel Aviv University (TAU). TAU is recognized and celebrated internationally for creating an innovative, entrepreneurial culture on campus that generates inventions, startups and economic development in Israel. TAU is ranked ninth in the world, and first in Israel, for producing start-up founders of billion-dollar companies, an achievement that surpassed several Ivy League universities. To date, 2,500 US patents have been filed by Tel Aviv University researchers -- ranking TAU #1 in Israel, #10 outside of the US and #43 in the world. WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2019 -- Journalists who register for the American Chemical Society's (ACS') Spring 2019 National Meeting & Exposition in Orlando, Florida, will have access to nearly 13,000 presentations on the meeting's theme, "Chemistry for New Frontiers," and many more topics, including food, nutrition, medicine, health, space science, energy and the environment. The meeting, one of the largest scientific conferences of the year, will be held March 31-April 4 in Orlando. Staff and freelance journalists and public information officers may apply for press credentials at: https:/ / www. xpressreg. net/ register/ acsa0319/ media/ start. asp (see criteria below). Cutting-edge developments in the "Chemistry for New Frontiers," agriculture, forensics, nanotechnology, polymers and other fields will be covered in sessions such as: Chemistry for Humanity's Next Giant Leap Food for Space Travel & Extreme Environments Archaeological Chemistry Food Fraud & Authenticity Analysis Chemistry of Disasters Nanoparticles in Nature Opioids & Their Impact on the Environment Polymer-based Gene & Drug Delivery Systems Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering ### Embargoed copies of press releases and a press conference schedule will be available in late March. Remote access to the press conferences will be provided at http://bit. ly/ ACSLive_Orlando2019 . ACS will operate a press center in the Orange County Convention Center, Room W231B, March 31-April 3. The press center will be fully staffed to assist in arranging interviews and will have Wi-Fi, computers and refreshments. Press conferences will be held in Room W231C. Journalists also are invited to the ACS Kids Zone hands-on science event at the Orlando Science Center on Saturday, March 30, from noon to 3 p.m. No registration is necessary for journalists or families for this fun, free event. ACS provides complimentary registration to national meetings to reporters (staff and freelance) and public information officers at government, non-profit and educational institutions. Marketing and public relations professionals, lobbyists and scientists do not qualify as press and must register via the main meeting registration page. Journal managing editors, book commissioning editors, acquisitions editors, publishers and those who do not produce news for a publication or institution also do not qualify. 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 press releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org. Follow us: Twitter | Facebook UAE signs $1.5 billion air force contract with US The United Arab Emirates on Monday awarded Raytheon Co. a 5.7 billion dirhams ($1.55 billion) contract to supply its air force with platform systems to launch missiles, a UAE military spokesman said. The agreement was signed at the week-long IDEX military exhibition in Abu Dhabi and followed the award on Sunday of a 1.3 billion dirhams contract to Raytheon to supply the UAE with patriot missiles. A REPLACEMENT TO THE HAWK SYSTEM The UAE armed forces signed a total of 7.2 billion dirhams in contracts on Monday, including 5.8 billion dirhams with international companies, Brigadier General Mohammed al-Hassani said, speaking through a translator. "The UAE has signed a total of 12 billion dirhams in contracts since the IDEX exhibition started on Sunday," he said. Lockheed Martin, Germanys Diehl Defence, and Swedens Saab on Monday launched at IDEX the Falcon air defense weapon system, billed as a replacement to the Hawk system used by countries in the Middle East. Falcon was developed in response to a UAE request for a replacement for the Hawk system and talks are underway to sell it to the Gulf state, Scott Arnold, Lockheed Martins vice-president and deputy head of Integrated Air and Missile Defense said. Weapons sales to the UAE have come under scrutiny over the past year due to the countrys involvement in the Yemen war that has killed tens of thousands of people and pushed the country to the brink of starvation. The UAE and Saudi Arabia are leading a military coalition, which includes local forces drawn from Yemeni factions, that is trying to restore the internationally recognized government ousted from power in 2014 by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Turkey supports stabilization in Sudan Economic, diplomatic relationships between Sudan, Turkey discussed in four-day visit. Turkey has ongoing support in aspects of economy and diplomacy to Sudan in face of protests, a Sudanese minister said Tuesday. Turkeys support to stabilization efforts in Sudan continues in the current political process, Federal Government Minister Hamid Mumtaz told the official SUNA News Agency. 31 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED Concluding a four-day visit in Turkey, Mumtaz met with Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay to deliver a letter from Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about bilateral relations between the two countries. Mumtaz, also a representative of the Sudanese president, said Erdogan signed 22 agreements in economic and diplomatic fields during his visit to Sudan in 2017. Sudan has been rocked by popular protests for the last two months, with demonstrators decrying al-Bashirs failure to remedy the countrys longstanding economic woes. Sudanese officials say around 31 people have been killed since the protests began in December, although the opposition puts the number at closer to 50. A nation of 40 million people, Sudan has struggled to recover from the loss of three quarters of its oil output -- its main source of foreign currency -- when South Sudan seceded in 2011. Trump threatens members of Venezuelan military US president says Maduro loyalists in military 'will lose everything' if they continue to support Venezuelan president. US President Donald Trump issued an unwavering ultimatum Monday to members of Venezuela's military who continue to back President Nicolas Maduro but insisted that Washington continues to seek a "peaceful transition of power" in the country. "YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING" Addressing the Venezuelan-American community in Miami, Florida, Trump held out an offer to members of Venezuela's military and its leadership "to help forge a safe and prosperous future for all of the people of Venezuela" but warned that those who continue to support Maduro will be given no quarter. "If you choose this path, you will find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out," Trump said. "You will lose everything." The president continued to insist that "all options are open" to address the ongoing crisis in Venezuela but called on members of Venezuela's military to "not follow Maduros orders to block humanitarian aid, and you must not threaten any form of violence against peaceful protesters, opposition leaders, members of the National Assembly, or President Guaido and his family. The US has been supporting Juan Guaido, the leader of Venezuela's National Assembly, who declared himself interim president on Jan. 23. But Maduro has staunchly resisted calls from the opposition leader and his supporters to cede power, insisting his government is the target of a coup orchestrated by Washington. Trump's National Security Adviser, John Bolton, said last week the U.S. would lift sanctions on any military official who recognizes Guaido as the legitimate leader of the country. But most of Venezuela's military has continued to back Maduro amid ongoing instability in the Latin American nation. Maduro slams Trump for 'almost Nazi-style' speech Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused US leader Donald Trump of "almost a Nazi-style" rhetoric, while holding a press conference in Caracas on Monday. Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro has denounced US President Donald Trump's Nazi-style rhetoric in which he threatened the Latin American countrys military forces with dire consequences if they continue to stand with Maduro's elected government. "TRUMP WANTS TO BAN IDEOLOGIES" Speaking to a crowd in Miami on Monday, Trump urged the Venezuelan military to drop their allegiance to Maduro; otherwise, he said, they would find no safe harbor, no easy exit, and no way out. Youll lose everything. Maduro responded to Trumps orders to the Venezuela military in a televised speech on Monday. "Donald Trump wants to ban ideologies, political diversity and wants to impose the unique thinking of the white supremacists in the White House," said Maduro. He stressed that Venezuela would withstand the US influence and would "continue to be multicolored." Maduro's comments, broadcast on state television, came after Trump urged Venezuelan military to back the country's opposition leader Juan Guaido. Female terrorists in PKK commit suicide to escape rape PKK terror organization's female members either flee terror organization or took own lives to avoid rape, abuse, testimonies show. Testimonies by PKK terrorists, who have been captured by Turkish security forces or escaped from the terrorist organization, have revealed that female members of the terror group are subjected to constant sexual abuse and rape, forcing them to even commit suicide. According to information Anadolu Agency obtained from security sources, the testimonies also revealed those who are caught trying to escape from the terrorist group are executed. COMMITTED SUICIDE AFTER MULTIPLE RAPES A male terrorist, who guarded Murat Karayilan -- a ringleader of the PKK terror group, said in his testimony that a female terrorist committed suicide by hand grenade after being raped by Karayilan. Another female terrorist said she was raped on the second night of her arrival at Mt. Qandil in Iraq, where PKK keeps its main terror bases. "I reported the incident to the one in-charge in the morning. He took me to his shelter to hear me about the incident, but then he too raped me," the female terrorist has told her interrogators. A terrorist, only identified with the initials C.K., said terrorist members in commanding positions get away with sexual abuses and rape within the terrorist group. A female terrorist, code-named Zilan Dicle, told in her testimony about one of the female terrorists: "Last year, I heard about a female friend who committed suicide by hand grenade in Bole camp. Soon I learned that it was Zeynep, code-named Beritan Hilal, and that she committed suicide after multiple rapes." Sexual abuse and rape are nothing new to the PKK terrorist organization which began its terror campaign in 1984. A female terrorist, code-named Rojin, from Mardin was sent in 1995 to Abdullah Ocalan -- the jailed leader of PKK -- and she was raped by senior PKK member H.A. After her 6-month pregnancy was revealed, she was thrown to die in Tigris River in eastern Turkey. Another female terrorist, only identified with the initials B.A., said terrorist S.C. was raped and was later executed in 1994 after it was found out that she was pregnant. Tulsi, who appeared for Vadra and Arora, had said that his clients have no problem in appearing for interrogation. The counsel also raised the issue of a large media contingent following Vadra during all his appearances and said that Robert Vadra is accompanied by a 'baraat' wherever he goes, whether to ED or to court. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case, will not appear owing to poor health, Vadras counsel said on Tuesday. "Robert Vadra is not able to attend the hearing today for which he had been summoned by ED. He has been suffering from food poisoning since last night, as a result of which he is having acute diarrhoea and nausea," KTS Tulsi, his advocate, told ANI on Tuesday. A Delhi court had on February 16 extended interim bail from the protection granted to Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora till March 2 in connection with the case. During the hearing, the EDs counsel informed the Patiala House Court that the agency will require Vadra to appear four or five times more to carry forward the ongoing probe in the case. The counsel also raised the issue of a large media contingent following Vadra during all his appearances and said, He (Robert Vadra) is accompanied by a baraat wherever he goes, whether to ED or to court. Tulsi, who appeared for Vadra and Arora, had said that his clients have no problem in appearing for interrogation. Robert Vadra has appeared on Feb 6, Feb 7, and Feb 9. My client doesnt have a problem if they want to interrogate him for 5 days or 10 days, Tulsi said. He also informed the court that cumulative questioning of his client (Vadra) lasted for 23 hours 5 minutes. A money laundering case was registered by the ED in September 2015, claiming that Skylight Hospitality had acquired land in Kolayat village of Bikaner which was meant for the rehabilitation of the poor villagers. It was alleged that Vadra bought 69.55 hectares of land at a cheaper rate and then sold the land to Allegheny Finlease for Rs 5.15 crore through illegal transactions. Enid, OK (73701) Today Thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 82F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 66F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Cheryl Davis Bruce, 79, of Athens, passed away peacefully Thursday, June 24, 2021, at Athens-Limestone Hospital surrounded by her family. Mrs. Bruce was born July 26, 1941, in Limestone County to Arch Davs and Aurelia Glanton Davis. She is preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, P UPDATE: Missing man safe and well Police say a man who was reported missing is safe and well. John Barlow from Douglas was last seen in the early hours of Saturday morning. Officers say the 41-year-old has since made contact with his relatives and he is believed to be safe. The high-level meeting, according to sources, would review the situation arising after the Pulwama attack. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. (Photo: File) New Delhi/ Islamabad: Pakistan's civil and military leadership is expected to meet this week to discuss the increasing tensions with India following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed, according to a media report on Tuesday. On February 14, at least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. The Express Tribune reported that the Pakistani envoy would brief the civil and military leadership about the current situation in India. The high-powered National Security Committee (NSC), the highest decision-making forum on national security and foreign policy, is likely to meet this week. The meeting would be presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by key federal ministers as well as the services chiefs, the report said. The high-level meeting, according to sources, would review the situation arising after the Pulwama attack. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again said that the country would take action against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack, adding that the time for talks was over. Pakistan has strongly rejected India's allegations and said that the JeM remains a proscribed entity in Pakistan since 2002 and the country was implementing its obligations on sanctions implementation. Elkhart, IN (46516) Today Rain showers this morning then thunderstorms with heavy rainfall arriving during the afternoon hours. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near an inch.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Based on the instruction set architecture RISC-V from the University of Berkeley, processor cores are now being developed as IP and SoCs. Cesare Garlati, chief security strategist at the prpl Foundation, follows the development closely. In the program of this year's embedded world Conference, RISC-V dominates the block Hardware Engineering. One of the speakers is Cesare Garlati, who accompanies the development of RISC-V and deals intensively with security aspects as a key member of the RISC-V Security Group and founder of Hex Five Security - the first Trusted Execution Environment for RISC-V. In an interview, he talks about the current state of technology. ? Mr. Garlati How far has the development of a RISC-V ecosystem progressed? ! Cesare Garlati: The RISC-V ecosystem has grown tremendously from its beginnings as a research project at U.C. Berkeley. As of Q4 2018 the Foundation has more than 220 members in 27 countries, many open source and commercial RISC-V cores are available and a robust ecosystem of peripherals, development and software tools. Today you can find RISC-V solutions that cover everything from tiny 8-bit microcontrollers to 64-bit quad core running Linux. And even a more powerful 128-bit out-of-order core is in the makings at U.C. Berkeley BOOM (Berkeley Out of Order Machine). ? Which information sources, tools and libraries are available to SoC/FPGA designers to use RISC-V-IPs? Which development kits are available? RISC-V Foundation RISC V Logo ! Garlati: The best starting point is the RISC-V Foundation site risc-v.org from there you can link to vendor sites, open source tools and cores. More specifically I know of 70 RISC-V cores either available today or to be released sometime this year, a compelling mix of open source and commercial cores and peripherals. These can be implemented as soft cores on FPGA platforms such as the Xilinx Arty board and FPGA startups such as GoWin. Also low cost silicon development boards are available from companies like Microsemi now part of Microchip and SiFIve for as little at $ 59. ? Which RISC-V processors are available as IP (open source and proprietary) and as IC? What are their differences? ! Garlati: I am aware of approximately 70 processors 12 of them are available as open source IP that can be downloaded from GitHub see links on the RISC-V foundation website. They range from very low gate count micro controllers, through to quad core Linux capable 64 bit processors all the way to the 128 bit out-of-order processor known as the Berkeley Out of Order Machine (BOOM). On the IC side, SoCs are available from SiFive for the E31 a 32 bit Micro controller and the U540 a 5 core Linux capable SoC; in addition Greenwaves has a 8 Core SoC known as GAP8. Microsemi just announced their PolarFire RISC-V SoC in December it will provide a Linux capable set of hard cores combined with configurable FPGA on a single chip, a very intriguing proposition that combines the flexibility of FPGA with the speed and low-power of silicon. Many more SoCs are in development and we expect 2019 to be a record year of growth for the RISC-V community. ? How mature are the RISC-V-IPs? ! Garlati: Starting on the software side the compilers, libraries and toolchains have been upstreamd and are mature enough for production. Linux support for RISC-V was upstreamd with the 4.19 release enabling Linux to be booted and supported. On the core side, in addition to the open source cores, there are five commercial vendors of RISC-V cores with full validation and support Andes, Codasip, Esperanto, SiFive and Syntacore. ? What must be considered if IPs for SoCs/FPGAs shall to be used in industry, medical or automotive applications? ! Garlati: RISC-V has reached a sufficient level of maturity that no addition precautions (beyond what you would normally take for life safety applications) are necessary to consider it for applications of this type. Indeed, many customers perceive the open nature of RISC-V provides a level of transparency that they have not had with legacy IP providers and which reduces the risk of national entities introducing and exploiting vulnerabilities. For safety critical application a robust commercial-grade Trusted Execution Environment is highly recommended for example Hex Fives MultiZone Security, the first TEE for RISC-V that offers un unlimited numbers of secure Zones without requiring additional specialized hardware. ? How can a SoC/FPGA be protected with an open source RISC-V core? ! Garlati: There is overwhelming consensus among security experts that the idea of Security Through Obscurity, that hiding how things are done is the best way to keep them safe, never worked. Instead, security should be as open and transparent as possible and based on the concept of Security Through Separation from the core up to the application level. RISC-V includes the most modern set of security features or hardware hooks available in an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA). Including definition for up to 4 Rings of Trust, Secure Interrupt Handling and a unique memory protection concept called Physical Memory Protection (PMP) built right into the core and tied to the highest level of privilege. To build on that, commercial entities have developed and released security solutions that provide key security elements such as crypto libraries, roots of trust and multi-domain Trusted Execution Environments on top of the standard RISC-V ISA. ? How mature is the environment for developing RISC-V SoCs and RISC-V FPGAs? ! Garlati: RISC-V is open and ready for business all of the major SoC vendors and cloud providers have RISC-V efforts underway that are either in the public domain or for internal use see WDs announcement just to name one. ? What do embedded designers need to consider when building an embedded system with a RISC-V processor? ! Garlati: In addition to ensuring that the right components are available either in the open source community or commercially for RISC-V; an embedded designer might want to consider if there is an opportunity to take advantage of the custom instruction extensions that RISC-V supports. Half of the instruction space are standard instructions that are universally supported to allow software to run across all RISC-V platforms. The other half are available for custom extensions that designers might want to include specific to their application. Several of the commercial RISC-V IP vendors offer compelling sets of extensions for AI/ML acceleration and other key functions. ? What do embedded software developers need to consider if they want to optimize the software for RISC-V? ! Garlati: As the toolchain has been fully upstreamd, there isnt really much to consider here its just like developing on any other mature processor platform. On the operating system side, most of the major OSs have been ported to RISC-V, but it is worth verifying support and, if the OS is not yet supported approaching your RISC-V solutions vendor to help put that in place. prpl Foundation Cesare Garlati, prpl Foundation. Cesare Garlati is an internationally renowned expert in information security. Former Vice President of mobile security at Trend Micro, Cesare currently serves as Chief Security Strategist at prpl Foundation a technology nonprofit dedicated to enabling security and interoperability of embedded systems. Cesare is a long-time supporter of the RISC-V Foundation, a key member of the RISC-V security group and co-founder of Hex Five Security the creator of the first trusted execution environment for RISC-V. Cesare has been frequently quoted in the press, including such media outlets as The Economist, Financial Times, The Register, The Guardian, ZD Net, SC Magazine, Computing and CBS News. An accomplished public speaker, Cesare also has delivered presentations and highlighted speeches at many tier-1 events, including Embedded World Conference, IoT World, Mobile World Congress, Gartner Security Summits, IDC CIO Forums, CTIA Applications, CSA Congress, DAC, IoT Innovation and many editions of the RSA Conference the worlds leading information security event. Cesare holds a U.C. Berkeley MBA, a Master in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco and Oracle, and he is a Fellow of the Cloud Security Alliance, where he founded and chaired the Mobile Security and IoT Security groups. cesare@prplFoundation.org Making RISC-V the Most Secure Platform Ever elektroniknet.de Making RISC-V the Most Secure Platform Ever: Cesare Garlati, Hex Five Security, im Gesprach mit Harry Schubert, Elektronik, auf der VIP-Buhne powered by Markt&Technik und Elektronik prpl Foundation The prpl Foundation is an open source and standards organization with members from all parts of the industry. Chipset makers and hardware manufacturers work alongside software vendors and internet service providers. The foundation's goal is to create the next generation of industry ecosystems that will fuel the smart society of the future. In the Internet of Things (IoT) era ecosystems can only grow through openness and collaboration. Therefore, prpl works exclusively on community-driven open source projects and cross-industry specifications. In addition to prpl's own projects, the foundation supports key community initiatives related to prpl's strategic goals. This support can range from industry insights, to direct funding as well as fundraising among member companies and the wider industry. By combining these different mechanisms, prpl creates a bridge between some of the best minds in the open source sphere and its members. It is through this thriving technical community, that the foundation's work will generate additional value and differentiation opportunities for companies working with prpl. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Verwandte Artikel WEKA FACHMEDIEN GmbH To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. The ED registered the money laundering case against Nirav Modi, his firms, including FDIL, and others on the basis of a CBI FIR. New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the money laundering char-ges against Firestar Diamonds International Limited, the firm allegedly linked to absconding diamantaire Nirav Modi, is preparing to examine three former senior officials of an another public sector bank. Sources said, The ED is probing the role of certain former officials of an another nationalised bank in connection with the case. The Central probe agency is contemplating examining three former officials an another bank. Billionaire Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others are being investigated by multiple probe agencies after the scam came to light following a complaint by the PNB that they had allegedly cheated Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the tune of Rs 13,000 crore, with the purported involvement of a few employees of the bank. The ED registered the money laundering case against Nirav Modi, his firms, including FDIL, and others on the basis of a CBI FIR. The CBI and the ED registered FIRs to probe the case and intensified the crackdown on Nirav Modi and Choksi. The ED had also seized jewellery and assets worth thousands of crores of rupees and the income-tax department attached various properties. The CBI had registered its third FIR in the PNB fraud. Effingham, IL (62401) Today A mix of clouds and sun with a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. By 2018 Ocean Heroes: Claire MacQueen (13 years old), Sabine Thomas (13) and Ava Inskeep (14) We despise single-use plastics. We want to keep our oceans and our beaches clean. Early last year I (Claire) lived in India for several months and became curious about plastic waste, as it was much more visible in India than back home in the U.S. Seeing all the plastic waste while I was visiting helped me to understand that much of the trash produced by the U.S. actually ends up in developing countries, like India, which does not have a proper waste management system like we do at home, which causes a ton of trash to end up in waterways and the ocean. While I was in India, an activist that I got to know nominated me for the 2018 Ocean Heroes Bootcamp, a global youth summit co-founded by Lonely Whale, Captain Planet Foundation and Point Break Foundation. The Bootcamp equips participants with tools to develop campaigns to fight plastic pollution. I recruited my friend Sabine to join me at Ocean Heroes Bootcamp, and we both learned how we could help our community rely less on single-use plastic. Once Sabine and I returned from the Bootcamp, our friend Ava also got involved, and we started the Instagram account, Straw Free D.C. Sabine, Claire and Ava spoke with the Washington Post last month at the Washington International School. Theresa Vargas / The Washington Post As eighth-grade students, we didn't know how much influence we would have across our nation's capital to eliminate single-use plastics in Washington DC but understanding that big results sometimes come from small steps, we decided to first focus on eliminating single-use plastics in our school. We noticed a lot of unnecessary single-use plastics at school, like the cafeteria's plastic cutlery dispensers that dispense multiple single-use plastics at a time, causing many unused utensils to fall on the floor and land in the waste. When we raised this concern to the Washington International school, leadership invited us to help select our school's next food service provider, which will be decided by the end of the 2019 school year. Within this new role, we will get to weigh-in on each company's sustainability practices, including their use of single-use plastic. While we were working to reduce plastics in our school, we were also developing our citywide campaign focused on single-use plastic straws. The timing of our campaign launch was very fortunate. To support the ban on plastic straws, our first step was to email the council-people who represent Wards 1, 2 and 4, because two are the representatives of the wards in which we live and the third is an at-large member who represents all DC residents. When we got in touch with Brianne Nadeau, representative of Ward 1, she told us about a proposed city wide ban on straws which they were already working on. After learning about the ban, and that it only included plastic straws and stirrers, we wanted to take things a step further and support legislation that would eliminate single-use plastic straws and utensils. So, we went back to our school and met with our principal to discuss plastic use in the cafeteria. Our school will soon be choosing a new food provider, and we will be able to advocate for the company that we think will be the most environmentally friendly. We hope that our efforts can be a model for other DC schools to follow in the future. We also hope to continue growing our social media campaign to raise awareness across our community and the region. We credit Ocean Heroes Bootcamp with the inspiration that helped us learn to work with each other and how to reach out to other activists fighting to eliminate single-use plastics in our community. It's important that everyone is doing their part to make a difference for our environmentincluding the youth! Kids have longer to live on this planet, so it's in our best interest to take care of it. If nothing changes, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050 (we'll only be in our early 40's by then!) Collaborating with friends and other activists is not only more fun, but also allows us to combine our different skill sets, and ultimately accomplish a lot more than we could on our own. We're so excited for the 2019 Ocean Heroes Bootcamp and we're looking forward to learning new effective ways to beat plastic pollution and make a difference in our community. Grand Canyon visitors and employees who passed through the national park's museum collection building were exposed to radiation for nearly two decades, AZCentral reported Monday. That's because, until last year, three five-gallon paint buckets filled with uranium ore were stored in the building, according to a Feb. 4 email sent out to all National Park Service employees by Grand Canyon safety, health and wellness manager Elston "Swede" Stephenson. "If you were in the Museum Collections Building (2C) between the year 2000 and June 18, 2018, you were 'exposed' to uranium by the [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] OSHA's definition," Stephenson wrote. "The radiation readings, at first blush, exceeds (sic) the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's safe limits." Stephenson said the buckets had been placed beside a taxidermy exhibit where children sometimes sat during tours for more than 30 minutes. There was enough radiation in the buckets to expose children to levels considered unsafe by federal standards within three seconds and adults within less than 30 seconds. Stephenson said adults may have been exposed to 400 times the Nuclear Regulatory Commission health limit and children 4,000 times. Stephenson said that while federal officials had learned of and removed the containers last year, park visitors and staff had not been informed of the potential exposure. "Respectfully, it was not only immoral not to let Our People know," he wrote in a separate email to Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall sent Feb. 11, "but I could not longer risk my (health and safety) certification by letting this go any longer." The museum collections building where the buckets were stored has around 1,000 visitors every year, News.com.au reported. Grand Canyon public affairs specialist Emily Davis told AZCentral that the National Park Service was working with OSHA and the Arizona Department of Health Services to investigate the issue. She said that a recent sweep of the building had uncovered only normal, background radiation. "There is no current risk to the park employees or public," Davis said. Here is a rough timeline of the incident, according to Stephenson's account, as reported by AZCentral. Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Tuesday that he will run for president in 2020, becoming the latest candidate in a crowded Democratic primary field to promise a Green New Deal if elected, The Washington Post reported. "I'm running for president because we need to make policy decisions based on science, not politics," Sanders wrote in an email to supporters announcing his decision. "We need a president who understands that climate change is real, is an existential threat to our country and the entire planet, and that we can generate massive job creation by transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy." I'm Running For President www.youtube.com In addition to a Green New Deal, Sanders is also running on a platform of Medicare for All, a $15-an-hour minimum wage, tuition-free college and university, criminal justice reform, paid family leave and gender pay equity and breaking up the largest Wall Street banks, among other proposals, aides to the senator told The Washington Post. Sanders brought many of these ideas, including more aggressive climate action, to national attention when he ran against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primary. However, since his first run, the ideas he championed have gained steam and many other 2020 Democratic candidates have embraced them, The Guardian noted. His success may therefore hinge on whether or not he is still the best mouthpiece for the ideas he helped popularize, as The New York Times explained: Victories in the 2018 midterm election by women, minorities and first-time candidates also suggest that many Democrats may prefer fresh energy, something that skeptics believe Mr. Sanders could struggle to deliver. A 77-year-old whose left-wing message has remained largely unchanged in his decades-long career, Mr. Sanders will also need to improve his support from black voters and quell the unease about his campaign's treatment of women that has been disclosed in recent news accounts, and that has prompted two public apologies. When it comes to the environment specifically, 2020 contenders California Sen. Kamala Harris, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro have voiced support for a Green New Deal. However, Sanders' proposal will be slightly different from the Green New Deal resolution developed by Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who worked as an organizer for Sanders' 2016 primary campaign. Sanders' full plan should be released in the next few months, The Washington Post reported, explaining the difference between the two: The upcoming Sanders plan is expected to contain significantly more details on how a Green New Deal would move America's economy to one that zeroes out carbon emissions, according to aides to the Senator, while the Ocasio-Cortez resolution supported by the other 2020 candidates mostly laid out ambitious targets for carbon reduction. In 2016, Sanders promoted a carbon tax and a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030, The Guardian reported at the time. The re-election campaign for President Donald Trump is already planning to use the popularity of Sanders' democratic socialist platform as a rallying point, The Guardian reported. "Bernie Sanders has already won the debate in the Democrat primary, because every candidate is embracing his brand of socialism," Trump 2020 campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement reported by The Guardian. "But the American people will reject an agenda of sky-high tax rates, government-run health care and coddling dictators like those in Venezuela. Only President Trump will keep America free, prosperous and safe." Sanders, for his part, roundly criticized Trump in his announcement, calling him the "most dangerous president in modern history." However, Sanders also noted that his campaign was larger than defeating one person. "Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice," he wrote. Amazon will strive to cut carbon emissions from its shipments in half by 2030, the e-commerce giant said Monday. The retailer's plan calls for an increase in the use of electric delivery vehicles and renewable energy as well as pressuring suppliers to use less packaging. Some advocates may question the timing of the announcement: a report released last week from Greenpeace finds that data centers in Loudon County, Virginia, which moves a large amount of the world's internet, is gobbling up electricity with a big emissions costparticularly in the case of Amazon. "Since 2017, [Amazon] appears to have turned its back on its 100 percent renewable commitment, increasing its already massive operations in Virginia by 59 percent, without any additional renewable energy supply," the report reads. For a deeper dive: Plan: AP, The Hill Greenpeace: Washington Post For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for daily Hot News. If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit Anuj Sharma, an IPS officer of 1991 batch, who was the ADG (Law & Order), has replaced Kumar as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner. Kolkata: Senior IPS officer Rajeev Kumar, who came under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) 's scanner for his suspected role in tampering evidence in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam and also faced its grilling for five days in Shillong, was transferred by the Mamata Banerjee government on Tuesday from the Kolkata Police Commissioner's post as his term got over. The notification of his transfer was issued in the morning. Kumar has been appointed as the additional director general (ADG) of the criminal investigation department (CID) where he served in the past also. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government's move came after the Election Commission (EC)'s letter to transfer the bureaucrats, who held same positions for the last three years, ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections. It may be noted that Kumar was on leave for the day when the full bench of the EC was in the city last month to hold a meeting with the administration officials to supervise preparations. Anuj Sharma, an IPS officer of 1991 batch, who was the ADG (Law & Order), has replaced Kumar as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner. This is the second time Kumar, the 1989-batch IPS officer, faced transfer from the city top cop's post ahead of the polls in the past three years. Ahead of the last Assembly Elections in 2016 Kumar was removed by the EC in April as the Kolkata Police chief following several complaints of phone tapping by the opposition parties including the BJP. Kumar had then become the target of the BJP after two special branch personnel allegedly offered a bribe to its national secretary Rahul Sinha for cattle-smuggling across the Indo-Bangladesh border. After Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee came to power for the second time with a thumping majority, she, however, reinstated Kumar in May in place of his superior Soumen Mitra, also an ADG rank IPS officer of 1988 batch, who was made the police commissioner by the EC. Offer a personal message of sympathy... By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, you may log in with that below. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log in button below, and then register to create your account. He uses a sharp pen and blunt language to make his point. He is paid to write press releases at the Legislature. But Jonathan Lockwood's style also disrupts Oregon's political geniality. 'At the UN, France will lead proposal to put Azhar on terrorist list. It will happen in couple of days,' said a senior French source. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the Pulwana terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. (Photo: File) New Delhi: France will move a proposal at the United Nations to designate Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, as a global terrorist, reported news agency PTI. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the Pulwana terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. It would be the second time France will be a party to such a proposal at the United Nations. In 2017, the US, UK and France had moved a proposal a proposal at the UNs Sanction Committee 1267 to ban the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, but the proposal was blocked by China. "At the UN, France will lead a proposal to put Masood Azhar on the terrorist list... It will happen in a couple of days," a senior French source told PTI. The French decision was discussed between Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval this morning, French sources said. Since March 2016, China has been the only member in the 15-nation United Nations organ to put a hold on India's application with all other 14 members of the UN Security Council supporting New Delhi's bid to place Masood Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to an assets freeze and travel ban 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! Readers Survey As our valued readers, we want to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below. - Thank you, Eastern Arizona Courier Click Here CeBIT Sydney organiser Hannover Fairs Australia have been promised full support from the NSW Government through to 2013 by Premier Kristina Keneally. NSW Premier Kristina Keneally has used the opening of CeBIT Australia 2010 yesterday to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the New South Wales Government with CeBIT Australia organiser Hannover Fairs Australia to secure the CeBIT event in Sydney until 2013. As part of the deal with the New South Wales Government, CeBIT will be provided with funding for the event over the next three years, with the NSW Government sitting on the organising committee to deliver a partner country program for CeBIT Australia, the first country to participate in 2011 being Germany. CeBIT is seen as a centerpiece in the NSW Governments push to encourage IT companies to do business in the state and attract investment from abroad, the alliance gives NSW a say in how the event is run in exchange for funding for the venture through to 2013. Kristina Keneally also announced the implementation of the NSW Governments Digital Economy Strategy yesterday, which is a ten year strategy to work to strengthen the ICT industry and help tackle issues such as carbon constraints and an ageing population. Ms Keneally outlined the positioning of Sydney as Digital Sydney as a part of the Digital Economy Strategy and announced seed funding of half a million dollars for the strategy. This project will tell the citys success stories. Foster fresh collaborations between the ICT and Creative industries so new and innovative projects can flourish the Premier stated. New South Wales leads Australia in telecommunications research and development, exporting almost $1.1billion last year, more than half of the national total. Opened by Hannover Fairs Australia Managing Director Jackie Taranto, CeBIT Australia 2010 runs at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre from May 24-26 and is in its ninth year. 'Election results are 'fruits' but booths are 'roots' and booth level workers are very important,' said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has told party workers from Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh that they should not expect a "miracle" from her and that strengthening booth level organisation will be the key to the party's performance. Congress leader and former parliamentarian Pradeep Jain Aditya on Monday said that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a detailed discussion with party workers from Bundelkhand and told them that "she cannot create miracles alone." She said all workers should come together and work on micro booth management. This is the first time that a leader has talked about booth in such details. She said election results are 'fruits' but booths are 'roots' and booth level workers are very important. She said those who break the party and work to make candidates lose will be shown door," Aditya said. Aditya who was part of the meeting that the UP East general secretary Priyanka held with Congress workers from Bundelkhand, said that party workers were charged with new enthusiasm after meeting with Priyanka. Party workers all over Uttar Pradesh have got renewed confidence with Priyanka Gandhi taking charge of the region. During the meeting, it didn't feel like we were sitting with a big leader. Everyone felt like they are talking to a member of their family. She heard everyone and said that she can't create a miracle alone, Aditya told ANI. Aditya also said that there is a possibility of the Congress leader paying a visit to Bundelkhand by the end of February or in early March. On February 14, Congress MLA Aradhna Mishra had said the party will be contesting on all 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. After attending the Congress committee meeting in Lucknow, where Priyanka met party workers, Mishra said: "People from 11 constituencies met Priyanka ji and Jyotiraditya Scindia ji. Priyanka ji expressed clearly that we'll contest on all 80 seats." The Congress is leaving no stone unturned in wooing the electorates of Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for the maximum number of seats in the Lok Sabha. Consultancy firm Royal Haskoning DHV, together with Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), have been selected to develop a detailed master plan for the new Payra port, near Kalapara. Payra Port will be the countrys third and largest sea port and is being designed to add much needed port capacity to Bangladesh to allow larger vessels to call at the facility. The port is scheduled to be operational by 2022, and will get strong rail, road and waterway links to the capital, Dhaka. First impression of the new sea port to be situated on the bank of Rabnabat channel, near Kalapara. Saving in transit Bangladesh imported approximately 52.84 billion US dollars of goods in 2017 and the new deep sea port will enable the country to accommodate large draught vessels directly rather than requiring transhipment from Singapore or Colombo. This development of a new port will deliver major savings in transit times and costs for both import and export. Chairman of Payra Sea Port Commodore M Jahangir Alam (left on top photo) said: "This port will be an essential link in the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor and as such will have a great impact on the economic development of Bangladesh." Eric Smit (right on top photo), Business Development Director Maritime at Royal HaskoningDHV, said: "We are honoured to be working on the development of this national priority project, together with the Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology." Rare occasion "Its rare to see green field port developments of this scale", continued Smit, "and the new port will help the country achieve its growth ambitions and create greater economic growth, more jobs and new opportunities. The first phase of the green field port development comprises capital dredging works, which will be carried out by Belgiums Jan de Nul under a PPP framework agreement, and the creation of two new port terminals. The port, which is scheduled to be operational by 2022, will also have strong rail, road and waterway links to the capital, Dhaka. Smart port thinking As master planning consultant, Royal HaskoningDHV will integrate the latest Smart Port thinking to drive efficiency and high performance. Smart ports embrace technology at every stage, from the design and maintenance of structures and assets, to ensuring smooth performance, energy efficiency and minimal downtime. Some examples of this concept are: using drone technology for inspection; remote control of terminal equipment such as trucks and cranes underwater sensors to measure strain and report maintenance issues smart lock gates that respond to weather conditions This news item was originally published on the website of Royal HaskoningDHV. (Photos: Royal HaskoningDHV) Read also on this website TTC Land and Royal HaskoningDHV to design Lotus shaped artificial island off the Vietnamese coast, 24 April 2019 Royal HaskoningDHV selected to design new waterfront for Luanda, Angola, 7 April 2017 Port of Rotterdam starts feasibility study to deepen Kuala Tanjung port, Indonesia, 2 September 2015 Enabling delta life Country: Bangladesh More information Royal HaskoningDHV Amersfoort, the Netherlands +31 88 348 20 00 www.royalhaskoningdhv.com The internationally-renowned Bob Mann, a Professor of Anatomy and Pathology at the University of Hawaiis School of Medicine, will deliver his talk to the public on Thursday 28 February during a visit to Dundee. Professor Mann, who has written five books and more than 120 scientific publications, was the Deputy Scientific Director of the largest forensic skeletal identification laboratory in the world, the US Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. During his career, he has helped to recover and identify American military members killed in battle or missing in action in areas such as Vietnam, South and North Korea, Laos, Cambodia, Poland, Japan, and Russia. He said, Our life histories and mysteries of our deaths are written in our bones and are there for all to read if we look closely enough. Professor Mann will spend three weeks at the Universitys Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID) to share his extensive knowledge of forensic anthropology with students and staff, including lessons from his role in identifying victims of the Poughkeepsie murders in New York as well as the first victim of the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and those killed in the Korean Airlines crash in Guam in 1997. Professor Tracey Wilkinson, Cox Chair of Anatomy and Director of CAHID, said We are delighted to have such a prestigious and experienced forensic anthropologist with us for a few weeks here in Dundee. Bobs public lecture looks fascinating and were really looking forward to hearing about his work in this field. Archbishop Eamon Martin has expressed his sadness at the sudden death of Father Phelim McKeown, who had severed at St Patrick's Parish in Dundalk. Father Phelim was ordained on 7 July 1996 in Mullaghbawn and served in parishes both North and South of the border including Saint Patricks Parish, Dundalk, Saint Peters Parish, Drogheda and Bessbrook. He became Parish Priest of Kilsaran in August 2014 but unfortunately had to take leave due to ill health from 2016. Archbishop Martin said: "In recent months, Father Phelim had begun a gradual return to his pastoral duties, all the more reason why his death has come as such a shock to all of us. "Father Phelim will be remembered as a very caring and pastoral priest who had a particular empathy for those who were suffering and struggling in anyway", added Archbishop Martin. "He was very fondly thought of within his wide family circle and by those in the parishes where he ministered. "I extend my sympathies to his brother, John, his extended family, his brother priests, and all who knew and loved him." Father Phelims funeral will take place in his home parish of Mullaghbawn at 12.00 noon on Wednesday, 20 February 2019. Louth could become the first county in Ireland to bring in exclusion zones to deter anti-abortion protestors gathering outside hospitals and clinics where abortions are being carried out. The motion to introduce council byelaws so that anti-abortion protestors could not legally hold protests within 500 meters of a hospital or clinic was set forward by local Fianna Fail Councillor Emma Coffey. The local councillor who has been a vocal supporter of repealing the Eighth Amendment explained: It is unchartered waters but I have a legal background and I wouldn't have drawn up this motion unless I thought there was a real legal footing in it. The wording of the motion is included below: Great news from Louth County Council as a motion in favour of byelaws mandating exclusion zones around abortion providers is passed. Thanks to solicitor and Cllr @emhcoffey for her work in proposing and forwarding this motion, the first of its kind in Ireland. Wording attached: pic.twitter.com/9vSXGpWl0N Lawyers For Choice (@Lawyers4Choice) February 18, 2019 I think if this legislation was to go through it would send a strong message to the rest of the country that County Louth supports women and their families who are going through horrendous times. I'd like to think that we will be the first county in the country to bring these byelaws in to protect our women. Cllr Coffey added: Hopefully we can set the ball rolling for other counties who might take matters into their own hands and call for the legislation to be implemented in their county. I think that these protestors are wrong on so many levels - morally speaking. Everyone has the right to protest, peacefully, but women also have the right to decide and have the right to attend clinics and hospitals in an unhindered fashion. I have no problem with peaceful protests and I think that people should be allowed to protest as long as it is peaceful, she added. The motion was passed at the Louth County Council meeting yesterday (Monday, February 18). There was one open objection to the motion from local Green Party councillor Marianne Butler, who had reservations regarding parts of motion which she believed could be unconstitutional. Louth County Council Chief Executive Joan Martin said she wanted a second legal opinion and advised that the motion would be passed on to the Joint Policing Committee to be developed further. Cllr Coffey explained that the legislation she presented to Louth County Council yesterday (Monday, 18 February), was an initial document which outlined the principal factors and would become a more detailed motion. The motion, which might not be implemented before the local elections this May, would be welcomed by many pro-choice campaigners and members of the public who have expressed concern about women being intimidated by anti-abortion protesters gathering outside hospitals and medical clinics across the country. Cllr Coffey added that in Louth, anti-abortion protestors gather outside Our Lady of Lourdes hospital every week. A report in The Times Ireland edition 0n Monday, 18 February, detailled how anti-abortion activists plan to open a sister operation in Ireland to intervene in the treatment of women trying to access GP clinics or hospitals offering terminations. US group Sidewalk Advocates for Life (SAFL) is training campaigners to wait in hospital car parks and target couples who have received news of a fatal foetal abnormality to talk them out of having an abortion. Duncan, OK (73533) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low around 70F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Among our most precious freedoms in America are freedom of speech and freedom of the press. These are pillars of democracy. They also represent a two-edged blade, meaning that not only are we guaranteed the right to speak our mind, those with whom we disagree enjoy the same protections. Occasionally there are incidents that test those constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, such as the hullaballoo that followed the publication of an editorial in a small West Alabama newspaper last week. Publisher/editor Goodloe Sutton of The Democrat-Reporter in Linden opined in his Feb. 14 edition, Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again. By now readers may know what followed in Suttons short screed, as the story has been spread far and wide: a rant against taxes and those who would raise them; an assertion that slaves would don their masters Klan robes and fight evildoers (Sometimes they had to kill one or two of them, but so what he writes); and a suggestion that the KKK raid the gated communities. His message is breathtakingly shocking, and deserves the repercussions and censure that have already begun. Within days two universities Auburn and the University of Southern Mississippi -- withdrew honors bestowed on Sutton. Sources close to the industry predict that a lot of other producers in India will follow suit, standing united in this time of turmoil. Mumbai: In light of the recent devastating Pulwama attacks, the Indian film fraternity has come together and voiced their unanimous support to the armed forces. A lot of tough decisions have been made by the industry to stand in solidarity with our heroes. Dinesh Vijan (Maddock Films), producer of films like Stree and Hindi Medium, has resolved to not release any of his future projects in the country, making a clear statement on his no tolerance stand when it comes to terrorism. On Thursday, over 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The terrorists drove up a car carrying 60 kg of RDX explosives next to a security convoy, triggering the explosives in what is one of the state's worst attacks. Terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack although the government of Pakistan has refused to accept any involvement in the ghastly act. Keeping these factors into consideration, Dinesh Vijan has cancelled contracts for his upcoming release Luka Chuppi as well as films like Arjun Patiala and Made in China with Pakistani distributors, proving that country comes first for the film maker. Sources close to the industry predict that a lot of other producers in India will follow suit, standing united in this time of turmoil. In India, Luka Chuppi, is scheduled to release on 1st March 2019. While the action items of any of Dothans government meetings are often what attract media and residents, sometimes the discussion portions yield equally important stories. That occurred Thursday when the Historic Preservation Commission discussed how to properly enforce their rules when people have unwittingly violated its rules. The Historic Preservation Commission exists to ensure residents and businesses abide by design guidelines meant to preserve the integrity of historical structures and districts in Dothan. What spurred the discussion was the discovery that a property owner in the Houston Heights Historical District painted his home white without gaining HPC approval. While the HPC not has deliberated on his case specifically, city planner Anthony Vallone informed the commission that the homeowner was unaware of the design regulations. In an effort to respect peoples property rights, the city usually allows home or business owners 10 days to correct the issue after the discovery and notification of the violation. If the owner fails to comply, the city has the option of issuing a summons to city court, where owners could face six months in jail and/or a $500 per day fine for each day the violation continues to exist, said Frank Breaux, senior planner. Samson Police Chief Jimmy Hill said Monday evening that a weekend fatal shooting affected almost everyone in the small Geneva County town and asked residents to pray for the families involved. Having a small community, a situation like this touches nearly everyone and the Police Department gets overwhelmed very quickly, Hill said in a written release Monday evening. Information does not get out as quickly as some would want but sometimes you dont want to give the person responsible knowledge of what we are doing. The fatal shooting occurred just before noon on Saturday, Feb. 16. Samson Police received a report of a firearm assault in the 500 block of West Pullum Street. When Police arrived, 33-year-old Sarah Cooper was found unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to Wiregrass Hospital in Geneva but died from the injuries. According to Hill, Coopers three children were present at the residence at the time of the shooting but were unharmed and taken to the Samson Police Department and picked up by their father. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} At the same time, police developed information that Coopers husband, James Chad Green, had fled the scene. Information developed indicated Green fled first to south Mississippi and then to Montgomery. Greens phone was located on Travelers Rest Road in Samson shortly after the incident. A Munford man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a nurse at Flowers Hospital while receiving treatment. Michael Mack Gilliland, 29, was arrested Feb. 16 and charged with second-degree assault, Saturday. Police say Gilliland was receiving treatment at Flowers Hospital when he got upset and grabbed the nurse around the throat and attempted to shove the nurse backwards. Because the assault involved medical personnel, Gilliland was booked in the Houston County Jail on a $5,000 bond, said Dothan Police Lt. Lynn Watkins. Get Breaking News Alerts Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. After the announcement of a merger with Wiregrass Federal Credit Union last week, Army Aviation Center Federal Credit Union is getting a name change. The new combined financial institution will be known as All In Credit Union, according to a press release from AACFCU. Last week, Wiregrass Federal Credit Union members overwhelmingly voted to merge with AACFCU, the continuing institution. Were changing our name, but not our commitment to our mission and our continued service to the soldiers of Fort Rucker whom we have partnered with for more than 52 years," AACFCU President/CEO Bobby Michael said. "Our new name, All In, allows us to broaden our membership and to continue to grow and expand to create enhanced financial services for everyone. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} AACFCU leaders have pondered a name change for a few years, citing confusion over who could establish accounts at the institution plus the growth of the credit union outside of the Fort Rucker area it originally served. The institution has five branches in Mobile and will have four in the Florida Panhandle once the merger with Wiregrass is completed in May. Police officer stable An Auburn police officer who was shot multiple times when approaching a suspect vehicle believed to be involved in an attempted robbery Friday evening remains in stable condition. "He remains in stable condition and we are encouraged by his progress," Auburn police Capt. Lorenza Dorsey told the Opelika-Auburn News. The officer was taken to the East Alabama Medical Center for surgery and later to the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital afterward. He was reported to be in stable condition as of Friday night. His parents wish to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers, and especially wishes to thank all law enforcement officers and other first involved in tonights situation, read a statement from the East Alabama Medical Center on Friday. Auburn Mayor Ron Anders released a statement of support on Saturday morning. Stare-run oil companies and Saudi Aramco have teamed up to build the USD 44 billion refinery After their protests, land acquisition has been stopped for the refinery at the proposed site at Nanar, a village in Ratnagiri district, some 400 km (250 miles) south of Mumbai, says Fadnavis. Mumbai: Stare-run oil companies and Saudi Aramco have teamed up to build the USD 44 billion refinery, which is aimed at giving India steady fuel supplies while meeting Saudi Arabias need to secure regular buyers for its oil. But thousands of farmers are refusing to surrender land, fearing it could damage a region famed for its Alphonso mangoes, vast cashew plantations and fishing hamlets that boast bountiful catches of seafood. After their protests, land acquisition has been stopped for the refinery at the proposed site at Nanar, a village in Ratnagiri district, some 400 km (250 miles) south of Mumbai, Fadnavis said on Monday. The refinery will be built at a place where local population wont oppose the project, he said in a press conference, without identifying a new location. Fadnavis, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made the announcement after forging an alliance with regional party Shiv Sena for the upcoming general election. The location of refinery was one of the contentious issues between the parties, with Shiv Sena opposing the refinery. The announcement comes as Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to arrive in India on Tuesday and is expected to announce investments in energy and infrastructure during the visit. The Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL), which is running the project, says the 1.2 million barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery, and an integrated petrochemical site with a capacity of 18 million tonnes per year, will help create direct and indirect employment for up to 150,000 people, with jobs that pay better than agriculture or fishing. RRPCL, a joint venture between Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum, has said suggestions the refinery would damage the environment were baseless. The company is hopeful that the state government will provide sufficient land for the project on the western coast, Anil Nagwekar, a spokesman for the RRPCL, told Reuters. Land acquisition has always been a contentious issue in rural India, where a majority of the population depends on farming for its livelihood. In 2008, for example, Indias Tata Motors had to shelve plans for a car factory in an eastern state after facing widespread protests from farmers. China's largest low-cost carrier has signed an agreement with Airbus to use the Skywise Core platform in the airline's fleet. Spring Airlines is China's largest low-cost carrier. [Photo: VCG] Spring Airlines will integrate its operational, maintenance, and other aircraft data into the Skywise cloud and receive data-related services through it. The Shanghai-based airlines operates an all Airbus A320 fleet of more than 80 aircraft. The agreement between Spring Airlines and Airbus is an important step for Skywise application in the Chinese market. A statement says both sides will work closely together to develop and demonstrate new data-driven applications in the civil aviation sector. By the end of last year, there were more than 1,700 Airbus aircraft serving in the Chinese market. Phillips address is listed as 846 Highway 131, Lot 3, and Forshees address is listed as 846 Highway 131, Lot 1, both in Eufaula. Investigator Reese processed the scene and later took Forshee to the Barbour County Sheriffs Office for an interview. Forshees wife, Shelden Forshee, was interviewed at the scene by Investigator Reese. Alex Forshee was released back to his residence after being interviewed. Sheriff Smith arrived at Medical Center Barbour at about 10:50 p.m. to meet with the victims family. Upon arrival to MCB, Smith was notified by the ER Physician that Phillips had passed and his time of death was 10:39 p.m. Sheriff Smith then met with Barbour County Coroner Chip Chapman at the hospital. Sheriff Smith took photographs of the victims body and then met with the victims girlfriend, Tonya Lowery, who was present at the time of the incident. With just over ten weeks to go, the countdown to the 2019 North West 10k moved up a gear on Monday night with the launch of this years event in Letterkennys Mount Errigal Hotel. This years event takes place on Sunday, May 5 and it will be the 23rd staging of a race that over the years has raised a whopping 776,000 for various charities. Members of the North West 10k organising committee were joined at Monday nights launch by representatives of this years three chosen charities - Little Angels School, Letterkenny; Donegal Cancer Flights & Services; and Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Ireland, Donegal Branch. All three groups gave a brief presentation, outlining the services which they offer and the plans they have for whatever funds they manage to raise at the May event. Neil Martin, chairman of the North West 10k committee, also addressed the launch and he thanked all those who every year, play their part in ensuring the charity race runs off without any major problems. He said its never an easy task organising a race in Letterkenny town centre on a Sunday afternoon with up to 1,700 people taking part. However, thanks to the efforts of the gardai, volunteers and the race committee, the event continues to be a major success. He also thanked the sponsors of the 2019 event - Donegal Daily, Brian McCormick Sports, Mount Errigal Hotel, Century Cinemas and Value Centre. Sponsorship cards and entry forms are now available and participants can also pre-enter on www.northwest10k.com. A senior garda has appealed to the public to stop telling people via social media where their checkpoints are. Donegal Roads Policing Inspector Michael Harrison says so-called checkpoint watch sights are assisting criminals and making the job of detecting crime much more difficult. They are posting the locations of our checkpoints with such speed that gardai almost expect to hear a ping showing their location on social media, and as a result our checkpoints are being avoided by criminals. The people who are putting out this information must be aware that criminals are monitoring their posts. Effectively they are telling the criminals where to avoid. Those posting to Facebook and elsewhere might think its great crack, but they are in fact assisting people in carrying out crimes and were asking them to stop doing this, it is a really serious issue and must stop, he said. Im appealing to people to think what they are doing, they are not doing anyone any favours in the long run. We are trying to stop people dying, getting seriously injured. The vast majority of our checkpoints are set up to detect crime, they are not there for motoring offences, and the public need to realise this, he added. He said garda colleagues have spoken to him of their frustration after returning from many of these checkpoints: Members will tell you themselves that our checkpoints are at best effective now for ten or 15 minutes because of the impact of social media. After 15 minutes its well known in any given area of the county where we have set up a checkpoint and clearly that does not help us or, in the long term, the general public who we are trying to protect from criminal activity. Speaking on local radio recently Garda Yvonne Carolan also drew attention to the issue: I understand why people do it, its a great heads-up for your buddies, but I just want people to stop and think why we are conducting a checkpoint. We could be looking for a missing person, could it be that a child has been abducted and we are looking for them? Unfortunately we might never find that child, we might never find that missing person or that person who has committed a burglary because the ping notification has alerted absolutely everybody to the fact that the gardai are setting up a checkpoint. The checkpoint is there in the interest of all and I just want people to think before they post these notifications, she stated. A public meeting on Monday night in Ballyshannon called in response to fears that a multi-million euro project at the Sheil Hospital might be delayed or deferred, welcomed as "very positive" a statement from the HSE confirming that the project would go ahead in September. Despite the "good news" it was agreed that until the first sod was turned a need for vigilance by all was required. The meeting was called by independent local election candidate Billy Grimes following fears that the 19 million project could be in jeopardy as part of the fallout from the overrun of the National Childrens Hospital. At the start of the meeting chairman Shane Toolan told an attendance of almost 60 people, among them two TDs, sitting councillors and many candidates who have declared their intention to run on May 24, that a statement issued by the HSE now confirmed that the Sheil Hospital project would in fact start in September. Quoting the statement, the chairman said John Hayes, Chief Officer for Community Healthcare Organisation Area 1, which covers Community Services in Donegal, Sligo/Leitrim and Cavan/Monaghan confirmed that the HSE are proceeding with the upgrading/refurbishment of all Community Hospitals in Donegal. Mr Hayes said: The HSE have an agreed time frame to complete the upgrading/refurbishment work with HIQA and we are proceeding on this basis. Mr Toolan said the statement from the HSE was good news and most of those who later spoke agreed that the news was positive, commenting that they accepted Mr Hayes word but most also said that they should continue to keep a close eye on the progress of the project. Welcoming the confirmation from Mr Hayes, Mr Grimes said there had been conflicting reports but they now had been given a definitive start time in September. He said had they not asked questions, they would not get answers and he felt it was better to be proactive. Michael McMahon, a Sinn Fein candidate in the May elections, said the statement from the HSE covered what they needed to hear. He said he had also been given an assurance from education minister, Joe McHugh, that the Sheil project would go ahead. Valerie McNulty, an independent candidate in May, said she was not going to sugar coat anything. She said she was confused as to why they were having a meeting as she had information from the HSE and the Department for almost a week stating that the HSE was progressing the development of the Sheil Hospital in conjunction with the Sheil Trust. She said she had been told the tendering process is currently underway and the contract is scheduled to be finalised in the next few months. The HSE is aware that the government is currently reviewing the capital project with a view to finalising the overall programme in February 2019. To me that project is going ahead, so I am actually a bit confused why then are we here tonight, but I am happy to be here to discuss it. Diarmaid Doherty, an independent election candidate said he welcomed the news that confirms the project is going ahead. "The main focus now is that we leave here with a plan and a clear focus going forward," he said. SCEPTICAL Cyril Brennan, People Before Profit, said he welcomed the news, but he remains sceptical. If the project goes over a 22 or 23 million euro threshold, should it exceed the agreed 19 million set aside, he said he had concerns where that extra money would come from. He added: We all know how capable the HSE are at managing their budgets, hence my concerns. Philip McGlynn, a Fianna Fail candidate in the elections, said he welcomed the fact that so many people had come to the meeting to show their interest and concern for Ballyshannon. He said he complimented John Hayes and his team for all the work done and we should take him at his word and I look forward to seeing the sod turned in September. Cllr Noel Jordan, Sinn Fein, said there were suggestions that some projects would be shelved or put on hold, so it was timely that Mr Hayes had issued the statement on Monday afternoon. He said he welcomed the confirmation but like many others, he would welcome the day the sod turning happens. Cllr Niamh Kennedy, independent, said they had a good news story from the meeting, but she said it was good to see that so many people had their finger on the pulse in relation to the issue and it was important that they continued to be vigilant as the project progressed. Cllr Seamus Maguire, independent, said he also welcomed the news and he complimented the local community in Ballyshannon and Bundoran who clearly had put the pressure on to clarify the issue and he advised them to continue to do so. He said that from his own experience in the teaching profession where they also had a project close to tender, he took the view that you cannot be sure almost until the shovel is in the ground so it was important people continued to watch developments closely. A contributor from the floor said she agreed with Cllr Maguire and in her view, until the project was half way up she would advise that we keep our eye on the ball. Laurence McManus, Pettigo, asked if everyone at the meeting believed this is happening. The chairman replied: You can take your own opinion out of what is written down, that is entirely up to you, you can only only go on the word of what people say. Mr McManus: And if it dont happen. Chairman: If it doesnt happen Im sure we will all be back in this room quoting the promises that have been made. Mr McManus replied: And did you ever get promises before in Ireland? Laughter followed this comment with some people applauding. Deputy Marc MacSharry, Fianna Fail, said he had spoken to Frank Morrison, head of the HSEs Social Care section, who had told him that the project was very much on its way. He said he would take John Hayes at his word: If John had been managing the St James's hole in the ground I don't think it would be in the trouble that it is in. PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS He added that in addition to the undertaking he got from Mr Morrison and the statement issued by Mr Hayes, he had also submitted three parliamentary questions and when he received replies to these, expected later this week, he would have very specific information as to the dates for the Sheil work to start and a status report as to where the tender process is. He said he would have those replies within 48 hours. If it is up to John Hayes and Frank Morrison, I have no doubt it will proceed on time and it will be built which is a very positive story for all of us here. "Unfortunately budgets are given out annually, not by John, so it is something from a political perspective, all of us, from all parties and none, need to keep a very close eye on to make sure that next weeks crisis doesnt cause a delay or the crisis one the week after that, because there are always going to be issues that come in from the side, that potentially could have implications for many projects here in the north west, so we have to keep a very close watching brief on it. "From a personal perspective and in fairness to my colleagues from other political parties in the Dail, I dont doubt their commitment to it either. I know of all the Donegal projects, and there are several, from Carndonagh and other areas such as Moville, I know from their perspective the Sheil is their absolute priority in the context of Donegal, he said, adding: We will all be on our toes to ensure nothing puts the Sheil project off the rails. We will all fight our corner to ensure that it is not just projects in proximity to senior ministers that proceed. In response to a question from Deirdre Kennedy as to when they would have the detailed information they needed to allow them rest assured the project was progressing as planned, the chairman said that responses expected to questions from Deputy MacSharry and Mr Grimes would reveal much of the project time line over the next number of months. A contributor asked why the statement from John Hayes was issued at the eleventh hour. Diarmaid Doherty said he believed the statement was issued because "pressure" had been put on by those who asked the questions in the first place last week. Pauric Kennedy, Mayor of Donegal town, said it was his view that the people in Ballyshannon were lucky to have John Hayes in their corner. It is great to see so many people showing their concern here tonight, but I have no doubt that John Hayes and his team will deliver on this project. The meeting, which lasted over an hour concluded with all in agreement that the confirmation that the project would go ahead was to be welcomed, but there was agreement also that the pressure exerted should continue and that a close eye must be kept on how the Sheil Hospital project progresses. Read Also: Hospital projects in Donegal to proceed as planned RBI pays Rs28,000 cr to govt as interim dividend The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to transfer Rs28,000 crore to the government account as interim dividend for the period of July to December 2018. The decision was announced at a meeting of the Central Board of the RBI in New Delhi on Monday. After a brief interaction with finance minister Arun Jaitley, the board reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and other specific areas of operations of the Reserve Bank. Based on a limited audit review and after applying the extant economic capital framework, the board decided to transfer an interim surplus of Rs280 billion to the central government for the half-year ended 31 December 2018. This is the second successive year that the Reserve Bank will be transferring an interim surplus, the RBI noted. Jaitley, while addressing the post-Budget meeting of the RBI Central Board, had broadly outlined the various reforms and policy measures taken by the government over the last four years and the effects thereof. Transfer of interim surplus would help the government finance various policy initiatives that were announced during interim Budget and will help to manage its fiscal position and also improve liquidity in the system. Government needs funds for key decisions during the Budget presentation, including direct annual income transfer of Rs6,000 to farmers in three equal installments. With this surplus transfer, the total dividend payout by the RBI to the government in FY19 stands at Rs68,000 crore. The RBI follows the July-June fiscal calendar. According to a written reply by finance ministry in Rajya Sabha on 12 February, the RBI transferred Rs 40,000 crore in August 2018 as excess surplus to the government. BJP forms poll alliance with AIADMK, PMK in Tamil Nadu The Bhartiya Janata party today sealed a mega alliance with the Tamil Nadus ruling party AIADMK and its lesser rival PMK for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The national party has agreed for 5 seats in the state while the PMK will contest 7 seats from the total 40 seats, including the lone seat in Puducherri. The BJP and the AIADMK announced their decision to contest the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry together at the end of talks between the leaders of both parties in Chennai in the afternoon. The parties also agreed to work together for the assembly byelections in the state. The decision was announced after union railway minister Piyush Goyal, who is BJPs election in charge for Tamil Nadu, union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan and others held alliance talks with AIADMK joint coordinator and chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and party coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam. I am delighted that AIADMK and the BJP have concluded a fruitful discussion and agreed to the contest elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry with alliance partners, Goyal said. He also paid rich tributes to the late chief minister Jayalalithaa. We are starting our campaign with full confidence and will sweep the state of Tamil Nadu as a mark of respect to honour Jayalalithaa, Goyal said. He also recalled his last interaction with her, stating, I fondly remember my last interaction with her in July 2016 when I called on her when we discussed power sector reforms. She was loving, caring. We had a fruitful discussion. They have come alive with my good friends Edappadi Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam. We are working to continue the legacy that honourable Amma did for Tamil Nadu. This time Lotus will bloom in South India in Tamil heartland. The way Modi has done work for development and reconstruction of new India, parties are bound to join hands with BJP, he said. All parties will work together and strengthen and the NDA. All the 40 seats will be won by the NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Edapppadi K Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, he said. Earlier in the day, the PMK and the AIADMK announced their decision to contest the elections together. + The PMK will contest in seven seats in Tamil Nadu. Five security personnel die as Army eliminates 3 JeM terrorists Four days after a suicide bombing killed 40 CRPF personnel, security forces today claimed that they have eliminated three top leaders of the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), but at heavy price. Five security personnel, including a Major, were killed while seven others, including a Brigadier, Deputy Inspector General of Police and a Lieutenant Colonel, were injured in the 18-hour-long gunfight in Pulwama. A civilian too died during the encounter. Corps Commander of Chinar Corps KJS Dhillon addressing a joint press with the J&K Police and CRPF in Srinagar today said Jaish-e-Mohammad leadership in the Valley has been eliminated less than 100 hours after the Pakistan-based terror group killed 40 CRPF jawans in the Pulwama attack. He said three JeM terrorists, including the commander who plotted the Pulwama attack, were killed in the fierce encounter. Dhillon also warned that anyone who has picked up a gun will be killed and eliminated, and urged mothers in Kashmir to ensure their sons abandon militancy. In a Kashmiri society, a mother has a great role to play. Through you, I would request the mothers of Kashmir to please request their sons who have joined terrorism to surrender and get back to mainstream. Anyone who has picked up the gun will be killed and eliminated, unless he surrenders. Lieutenant-General Dhillon said Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency was involved in the attack. "We were tracking down top leadership since the attack. It was being controlled from across by ISI and JeM commanders," he told reporters. Three Jaish terrorists, including two top commanders believed to be behind the Pulwama terror attack, were killed in Mondays encounter, in which an Army major and four security forces personnel were martyred. A civilian also was killed in the crossfire. Deputy Inspector General of Police (South Kashmir) Amit Kumar, a Brigadier, a Lt Colonel, a Major and four other ranks of the Army unit which carried out the operation, also suffered injuries. The gunfight broke out at 12.45 am at populated Pinglena village when joint teams of forces were preparing for a search operation following an input about the presence of Jaish militants in the area. As the cordon was being laid, the Quick Action Team of the Army came under intense fire resulting in injuries to five soldiers, including the Major who was leading the team. The officer and three other jawans later succumbed to their injuries, a defence official said. The four slain soldiers are Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, 33, of Dehradun, Uttarakhand; Havildar Sheo Ram, 36, of Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan; Sepoy Hari Singh, 26, of Rewari, Haryana and Sepoy Ajay Kumar, 27, of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Later, a policeman, Head Constable Abdul Rasheed, was also killed. Two of the slain terrorists were identified as Kamran and Abdul Rasheed alias Ghazi, the so-called divisional commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammed for Pulwama, Tral and Awantipora areas of South Kashmir. The third one was Hilal, a resident of Pinglena in Pulwama. The Jammu and Kashmir Police had been on the lookout for Ghazi and Kamran after a suicide bomber belonging to the terror group drove his explosives-laden vehicle and detonated himself near a bus carrying CRPF jawans in Lethpora in Pulwama last week. The Jaish claimed responsibility for the February 14 terror attack that targeted a convoy of 78 vehicles on its way from Jammu to Srinagar. About 2,500 CRPF personnel were on their way to the valley, many returning to work after leave. The killed civilian was identified as Mushtaq Ahmed. The forces engaged the militants who were shuttling from one house to another and killed two of them. When the security forces tried to close in on the third, he fired burst injuring three officers. He was cornered towards the evening and killed after the forces launched the final assault. It was his firing that left a policeman dead and six others, including Brigadier, 12 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, Harbir Singh, DIG (south Kashmir) Amit Kumar and a Lt Col injured, a police official said. Vijay Kumar, adviser to J&K Governor, said two of the slain militants were Pakistani nationals. Kamran and a local militant, Hilal, were killed. The identity of the third is being verified, though initially probe suggests he is Rashid Bahi alias Gazi Umar, also a Pakistani, he said. Police said Kamran had taken over as operational commander of JeM after his predecessor Mufti Waqas was killed in an encounter in February last year. J&K DGP Dilbag Singh the slain militants had a role in the recent terror bombing. Details are awaited, but there are fair indications the trio was in one way or the other involved in the attack, Singh said. The DGP said he had nothing to say about Kamran being an Afghan war veteran. However, senior security officials in Srinagar suspect that Kamran was involved in planning the terror attack. For sure, he has some role in the attack as Adil (suicide bomber) was part of his module," said the police officer. Soon after the suicide bombing, security agencies had formed multiple teams to track the Jaish members who were involved in planning the attack. A senior police official from Pulwama said many over-ground workers of militants were rounded up. The questioning of those detained led us to Pinglena village where the militants were hiding, he said. ArcelorMittal bids Rs4,800 cr for Essar Power's Mihan plant ArcelorMittal SA, the worlds largest steelmaker, has bid Rs4,800 crore to acquire Essar Power Ltds Mahan power project, reports citing sources at Power Finance Corp (PFC), one of the creditors, said. The offer is 37 per cent more than the Rs3,500 crore that promoters of Essar had offered as a one-time settlement for the Mahan plant. The offer comes to Rs4 per mega Watt for the 1,200 mega Watt (MW) power project in Mihan, Madhya Pradesh,PFC chairman and managing director Rajeev Sharma said. The project has outstanding debt of about Rs7,500 crore, he added. Lenders, besides the lead lender ICICI Bank Ltd, include Punjab National Bank, Rural Electrification Corp (REC) and Power Finance Corp. The project does not have power purchase agreements (PPA) and fuel supply agreements (FSA). We had received an offer for OTS of Rs3,500 crore, but now, we have received an offer from ArcelorMittal of around Rs4,800 crore," said Sharma. "We are considering the ArcelorMittal proposal because there is a difference of almost Rs1,300 crore. It is a good offer at Rs4 crore per MW," Sharma said, adding that the prevailing rate for setting up a new power plant is Rs6 crore per MW. PFC has a loan exposure of Rs1,000 crore in the project. He said lenders led by ICICI Bank will soon meet to take a call on the ArcelorMittal offer. The Mahan plant is still outside the purview of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The tribunal is yet to admit the case, after the Supreme Court issued a status quo on insolvency proceedings against power companies under the Reserve Bank of Indias 12 February circular. RBI had asked banks to draft resolution plans for defaulters within 180 days in cases where the exposure was above Rs2,000 crore. Subsequently, several petitioners, including GMR Energy Ltd, RattanIndia Power Ltd, Association of Power Producers (APP), Independent Power Producers Association of India, Sugar Manufacturing Association from Tamil Nadu, and a shipbuilding association from Gujarat, moved various courts challenging the RBI circular. ArcelorMittal had earlier bid for Essar Steel and EPC Constructions India Ltd, another Essar Group company, under the corporate insolvency resolution process. While ArcelorMittals offer for EPC Constructions was rejected by lenders, its bid for Essar Steel is yet to be ratified by the NCLT, due to last-minute litigations. The resolution plan for Essar Steel proposed an upfront payment of Rs42,000 crore to lenders and an additional Rs8,000 crore towards capital expenditure. His love affair with construction began through a life of hard knocks growing up in the Cook Islands. A stutter meant that he wouldnt talk much, instead opting to sit in his bedroom to draw and make things. His most memorable project? An architectural playhouse for his toy soldiers. Young Horstmans found his lifes calling here and its inspiration would soon follow. Elements of primitive arts paired with geometric shapes and patterns is a signature of Dion Horstmans steel sculptures. What is often interpreted by the public as movement in static form, the origins of his designs actually cast a little deeper. During his New Zealand schooling years Horstmans was surrounded by maraes the tribal meeting houses of Maori communities. These house surfaces were adorned with patterns to create an endless succession of diamonds and triangles set in red, black and white. All of it was geometric and repetitive whether it was on buildings or on the tribes peoples clothing. Today elements of that same geometric pattern is instilled in every Dion Horstmans piece. Metal is one of the more difficult materials to work with in art but its never deterred this artist. Steel will always be his paint to canvas and its here that Horstmans intricately shapes each piece through elongation, shortening, flattening and stretching. There are no computers, no team of metal workers. Just one solo vision, two bare hands and some tools to help birth the organic detail through an explosion of heat and sparks. The artists dedication to this old craft means that each piece is unique, captivating and organic. This is the world of Dion Horstmans and its all he knows. Its all he wants. And its a discipline hell be practicing for the rest of his life. Honda Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo made the statement at a news conference in Tokyo. Tokyo: Honda Motor Cos decision to end production in Britain was not related to Brexit, its chief executive said on Tuesday, after announcing the closure of its only British car plant. Honda Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo made the statement at a news conference in Tokyo. Honda of the UK Manufacturing has today informed associates (employees) of the proposal to close its Swindon vehicle manufacturing plant, at the end of the current models production lifecycle, in 2021, Honda said in a statement earlier. Subscriber content preview By KEITH RIDLER Associated Press BOISE, Idaho Electric vehicle drivers in Idaho must still stick close to their home cities, but a state official said Thursday that could change in the next two to three years as more charging stations are built and technology advances. John Chatburn of the Governor's Office of Energy and Mineral Resources told lawmakers that Idaho has a program to put in charging stations on major travel routes to add to those that already exist. . . . Subscriber content preview More than 38,000 exemption requests still await rulings. By RICHARD LARDNER and LARRY FENN Associated Press WASHINGTON Despite President Donald Trump's tough talk on trade, his administration has granted hundreds of companies permission to import millions of tons of steel made in China, Japan and other countries without paying the hefty tariff he put in place to protect U.S. manufacturers and jobs, according to an Associated Press analysis. The waivers from the import tax show how pliable his protectionist policies can be. Trump has positioned himself as an America First trade warrior, using tariffs as a club against countries he's accused of playing unfairly. Although China has been the principal target of Trump's ire, he also has criticized Japan and American allies in Europe. . . . Subscriber content preview COBLESKILL, N.Y. (AP) Ahoy, beer lovers: A bottle from a 133-year-old shipwreck may yield yeast for a new brew in upstate New York. Biotechnology students at the State University of New York at Cobleskill uncorked a bottle from the shipwrecked SS Oregon on Thursday. Serious Brewing Company of Howes Cave plans to develop a new brew if the students successfully extract yeast. . . . Subscriber content preview BELLEVUE (AP) Former Washington state Sen. Joe Fain has been named the new president and CEO of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce following a national search for a new leader. The Seattle Times reports Fain served in the Legislature for eight years starting in 2010. He lost his re-election bid in November 2018 as lawmakers agreed to launch an investigation into an allegation made by a woman who said Fain raped her in 2007. . . . Top Products Best Lenovo 3GB RAM Phones in India Lenovo is one of the most prominent smartphone providers in India & if you are specifically looking for best Lenovo 3GB ram mobile, there a lot of options to choose from ranging right from Lenovo K8 Note to Lenovo Phab 2. The list of phones comprises of some of Lenovo 3GB ram mobiles showcasing the complete set of features & hardware profiles as one can expect from the phone maker. Although the prices of the products mentioned in the list given below have been updated as of 26th Jun 2021, the list itself may have changed since it was last published due to the launch of new products in the market since then. Despite persistent advancements in medical science, the prospect of going under the knife still terrifies a large number of us. Not to aggravate those fears, but think about a time when none of the modern advancements was available to doctors and patients. A time when things like anaesthesia and bacteria-free environments werent a standard in healthcare - does that scare you away even more? Then brace yourself, as we travel back to prehistoric times to understand how the reliability of surgery has reached its current status. Ancient (12000 BC to 1 BC) One of the earliest known surgical procedures was trepanation - literally drilling a hole in your head. According to evidence from one burial site in France, this procedure goes as far back as 6500 BC according to some discoveries and 12000 BC according to some. Carried out by a trephine, which refers to a class of instruments used for the cutting purpose, the procedure carried on even until the Middle Ages. The primary objective, according to the discovered records, seemed to be to relieve intracranial pressure. While there is no evidence if it fulfilled that purpose, there is some to support that a number of people subjected to it did survive. The gruesome practice of trepanation was followed for a long time While technically not surgery in most cases, examples of bone setting and splitting can be found in archaeological records, related to civilisations like the Aztecs. Another ancient surgical practice was that of bloodletting, practised among the Mesopotamians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Mayans, and the Aztecs. This practice would involve voluntarily bleeding out or extracting blood from the body, attributing it to various beliefs. One of those beliefs was that our bodily fluids, or humour, had to remain in balance. Egyptians even got inspired by the bleeding hippopotamus, not knowing that its sweat was red. While modern anaesthesia was still ages away, material extracted from herbs like opium and cannabis, and even alcohol was used to numb the senses of the patient and dull their perception. However, not being good enough, afflicted patients sometimes did choose to succumb to their ailments or continue suffering rather than undergo the surgery, and those who did also often succumbed to overdose from the numbing agents. Bloodletting was another unscientific process in medical practice Interestingly, Ancient Egyptians gained extensive knowledge of human anatomy from the practice of making mummies. Egyptian surgeons were also known to use clamps, sutures, and even cauterisation during their treatments. They also employed instruments like probes, saws, forceps, scalpels and scissors. They also used naturally occurring material like honey and willow bark as antiseptics. Around the same time period as the Egyptians, Greeks also helped advance surgery significantly. They put wine (alcohol) into use as a disinfectant, and Herophilus is still sometimes referred to as the Father of Anatomy. Our own country wasnt far behind. Sushruta is known as the founding father of surgery, and his period is estimated between 1200 BC - 600 BC. Much of what is known about him comes from the Sushruta Samhita, a set of Sanskrit volumes authored by him. These texts describe, in detail, the examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of numerous ailments, as well as procedures on performing various forms of cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery and rhinoplasty. Sushruta is celebrated as the father of surgery Historic (Up to the 18th Century) Al-Zahrawi was one of the most influential physicians in the Middle Ages, notably around 900 AD. In his time, he authored the Kitab al-Tasrif, a thirty-volume encyclopedia of medical practices. In a Latin translation, the surgery chapter of this work, On Surgery and Instruments, received a lot of popularity and became the standard text for the next 500 years. It was also the first illustrated surgical guide. He is also known to have pioneered tracheotomy and neurosurgery. Al Zahrawi's work formed the basis for surgical study for a long time Surgery underwent a transformation in the Middle Ages, during the 13th century, in the sense that a new type of craft emerged. Travelling Barber-surgeons would cut hair as other barbers, but they would also perform tooth extractions, bloodletting, bone settings, amputations and other small surgical operations. While physicians had started to go to medical school, surgery was still mostly learnt through apprenticeship and observation, not unlike the job of a blacksmith. Also, around this time, women started filling the role of the barber-surgeon as well, mostly because they were not allowed to become physicians. This continued till the 1700s when surgical training moved to universities, from which women were banned. Two figures in the 16th century brought about major changes to the world of surgery. Andreas Vesalius, a professor in Padua around the time, broke the misconceptions about human anatomy which were based on animal dissection. His dissections on human cadavers led to the ground-breaking De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem, a text on anatomy that would stand the test of time for many years to come. He also advocated that every surgeon should get practical experience in dissection. Surgical equipment from the Victorian era The second name is that of Ambrose Pare. The prevailing method of closing wounds was burning them shut (cauterizing, through boiling oil). Pare developed an emollient of egg yolk, rose oil, and turpentine for gunshot wounds, and also advocated for ligating (tying off) of blood vessels after amputation. Before moving on to modern times, it is imperative to talk about John Hunter, the Scottish surgical scientist in the 1700s. Bringing an empirical approach to surgery, Hunter believed in observing and documenting everything by himself, without relying on third-party testimony. His work advanced our understanding of the venereal diseases and also advocated the study of pathology, infections and inflammations. Modern (19th century) The availability of better pain relief transformed surgery in the 19th century. By the 1840s, ether was being used by pioneers like Crawford Lang, and chloroform by John Snow, physician to Queen Victoria. In addition to pain relief, it allowed physicians to conduct longer surgeries and perform more intricate operations. An old bottle of ether as an anaesthetic The number of operations being undertaken started to grow, and with it came another problem - our lack of understanding regarding infections. Post-operative infections started to become quite common. The first step in curbing this came from Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis. He observed that particular students who went from the dissection room to the maternity ward were causing higher rates of maternal deaths as compared to midwives. Even under ridicule, he imposed compulsory handwashing and this led to a reduction in deaths in his ward. However, his advice was still ignored by the Royal Society. A simple habit to you was once a medical breakthrough The practice of using antiseptics wasnt accepted until Joseph Lister, based on the works of Louis Pasteur, carried out tests with carbolic acid on his instruments in the 1860s. The incidence of gangrene, his topic of study, immediately reduced and his paper, Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery saw widespread acclaim and set up practices that have prevailed. Lister decided to take things one step further and instructed surgeons under him to use sterilised rubber gloves, wash their hands in 5 per cent carbolic acid solution, and use steam sterilised equipment. The empirical approach of Hunter, the discovery of modern anaesthesia, and Listers sterilisation practices set the foundation for the invasive surgery we see today. The present day (20th Century to now) While diagnosis improved with the advent of X-ray in the late 19th century, the 20th century saw surgery become even safer and highly specialised. During the 1940s, the development of blood transfusion reduced death from blood loss, and penicillin greatly improved postoperative recovery. Over the years, the complexity of surgery significantly increased and saw aspiring surgeons study particular aspects of surgery for specialised qualifications. Robotics surgery has brought about a new level of precision, as well as the capability of remote surgery The 1960s saw the first heart transplant and a heart bypass. Robots began assisting surgeons back in the 1980s, which also saw the first artificial heart used. Over the last 20 years, stem cell therapy, remote surgery, the first face transplant, multiple limb transplants, and many other achievements have completely redefined the pace of surgical advancements. Highlights: Leaks suggest that Samsung will launch three Galaxy S10 phones. It may also unveil a more powerful Galaxy smartwatch and new fitness bands. We may also see a pair of new Galaxy Buds with larger batteries. In 2019, Samsungs S-Series will complete 10 years, and to commemorate its tenth anniversary, Samsung is expected to launch three new flagship phones on February 21 12:30AM IST. Although the information, including photos, videos and reports making rounds on the internet over last few months have already leaked the phone in full glory, we still have to wait for the official confirmation on the specs and features. Apart from the S10 flagship phones, the South Korean tech giant may also launch its much awaited Foldable phone, new Galaxy smartwatch, a fitness band and the new Galaxy earbuds. Samsung's 2019 Unpacked event is packed with announcements and will be held in San Francisco. The event will be live streamed on Samsung's India website at 12.30AM on February 21. Heres what to expect from the launch event. Reports have suggested that Samsung will launch three Galaxy S10 phones this year. All the devices have been spotted on various certification websites giving enough evidence about their existence and the possible names of these devices. One will be an affordable device, the Galaxy S10e, that will reportedly have almost the same internals as the other two phones, but will miss out on some of the trademark Samsung Galaxy flagship elements. The second phone will be a regular Galaxy S10 device and is expected to have all the components of a flagship. The third model, called the Galaxy S10+, will be a larger version of the regular Galaxy S10. Galaxy S10e Display will be the most striking factor that will let people differentiate between the three models. It has been reported that the Galaxy S10e will sport a 5.8-inch flat 2K+ Super AMOLED display offering a 19:9 aspect ratio. The phone is expected to have an Infinity-O display, which is basically a punch-hole in the top corner of the panel to house a selfie camera. The display will be protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Under the hood, the phone will come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC for the US market and for Asian markets, Samsung will use the indigenously developed Exynos 9820 processor. The Galaxy S10e might launch in 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB models. As far as the camera is concerned, the device has been seen (in leaks) sporting a dual-camera setup on the back and a single lens on the front. The rear dual cameras could come equipped with a 12MP primary sensor with f/1.5 aperture and a 16MP secondary sensor with f/2.2 ultra-wide lens. On the front, the phone is said to feature a 10MP single lens with autofocus support and the capability to capture UHD images. The Galaxy S10e could be backed by a 3100mAh battery, and support fast wireless charging 2.0. The phone will run Android 9.0 Pie out-of the box. The fingerprint sensor will be in-built on the power button. Galaxy S10 The Galaxy S10 has been reported to feature a bigger 6.1-inch 2K+ curved Super AMOLED display offering a 19:9 aspect ratio. Unlike the smaller device, the regular Galaxy S10s display will be protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6. The phone will have an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor that will use the soundwaves to unlock the device. Under the hood, the phone will have the same processor for the respective markets, however, we may also see a 512GB storage option apart from the 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB varitants. Another striking difference will be the camera configuration. The Galaxy S10 will sport a triple camera setup on the back and a single lens on the Infinity-O display. Reports suggest that the setup will have a 12MP camera with f/2.4 aperture telephoto lens (45-degree), along with a 12MP sensor with f/1.5, 77-degree lens and 16MP fixed-focus f/2.2 123-degree ultra-wide camera. On the front, it is expected to sport a 10MP camera similar to the one in the Galaxy S10e. The phone will ship with Android 9.0 Pie and sport a 3400mAh battery. Galaxy S10+ The Galaxy S10+ will be the most expensive phone of the lot. Not only will it sport a 2K+ 6.3-inch curved Super AMOLED display, it will also ship with a bigger battery and two front facing camera sensors. Just like the Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S10+ should feature the latest Gorilla Glass 6 protection and an Ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. Under the hood, it will ship with the Snapdragon 855 processor in the US and Exynos in Asian markets. In terms of optics, the phone is said to sport the same rear camera configuration as the Galaxy S10, that is, a 12MP camera with f/2.4 aperture telephoto lens (45-degree), along with a 12MP sensor with f/1.5, 77-degree lens and 16MP fixed-focus f/2.2 123-degree ultra-wide camera. Apart from the 10MP front sensor, there will be an 8MP secondary sensor stacked inside the pill-shaped opening in the display. The phone is expected to house a 4100mAh battery. The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ are speculated to come with reverse charging technology. Reportedly, all the phones are slated to come in Prism White, Prism Green, Prism Black and Canary Yellow colour options. Some reports even have mentions of a Blue colour option. Apparantly, the standard S10 and S10 Plus will come in the same memory/storage variants but not in Canary Yellow colour option. Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Fit fitness band Samsung may also refresh its wearable portfolio with the new Galaxy smartwatch and fitness bands. Reports have suggested that Samsung may call its new smartwatch the Galaxy Watch Active, and it is likely to ship with more functionalities as compared to its predecessor. It may have a heart rate monitor to counter Apple Watch Series 4s ECG function. It is likely to come with new watch faces and could be powered by the Exynos 9110 chipset. It is tipped to feature a 1.3-inch diameter display with a 360x360p resolution. The wearable is expected to sport Samsung Pay via NFC and GPS, could house a 230mAh battery. A screenshot showed that Samsung could also launch two fitness bands, Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Fite, at the event. Galaxy Buds While Apple may be struggling to launch a new AirPods, the Unpacked event may also see refreshed Galaxy Buds. Although there is not much information available on the buds, it has been reported that they will be offered in black and white colours. We may also see better battery in the charging case as well as the earbuds itself. Samsung may also bundle the earbuds under an offer for those who pre-book the Galaxy S10 devices. Foldable Phone Samsung has already showased its foldable smartphone and earlier this year, a video gave a glipse of what the phone may look like. The South Korean giant has not announced the official launch date but a company executive had suggested that the comapny could launch the foldable phone in the first half of 2019. In January, the company teased the phone through billboard advertising in France. Reportedly called the Galaxy F, Samsung's foldable phone feature two displays: a large 7.3-inch screen with1536x2152p resolution and 420 dpi, and the other 4.58-inch panel offering 840x1960p resolution. The larger display is speculated to feature a 4.2:3 display aspect ratio while the smaller one might have a 21:9 aspect ratio. A report claimed that the Galaxy F may house a pair of 3,100mAh batteries. Related Read: All Samsung Galaxy S10, S10+, S10 Lite rumours in one place Samsungs Galaxy S10 trio - the Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e - will make their debut in the wee hours of the morning on February 21. It will be 11:00 AM in the morning in San Francisco when Samsung unveils its next Galaxy flagship smartphones, which means that the live stream will be up at 12:30 AM in India on February 21. Now, a new report claims that Samsung will be hosting exclusive previews of the Galaxy S10 flagship trio in 8 Indian cities, on the very first day of their launch. According to the report, Samsung will be hosting these exclusive Galaxy S10 previews at Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai and Kolkata. The image below even gives out the location of these exclusive S10 previews: On February 21 India Time, Samsung is also expected to finally launch its foldable phone, new Galaxy Buds, and a lineup of wearable devices, alongside the Galaxy S10, S10+ and S10e smartphones. Given that Samsung is hosting S10 previews coinciding with the global launch of the smartphones, it is expected that the company will announce the India availability of these devices at the event and that they will be launched in the country soon enough. There is no information available on Samsungs India website regarding the S10 exclusive preview events. However, there is a pre-registration page live on the India website of the company, for those who wish to express their interest in the new S10 flagships. Highlights: Qualcomm is working on a new QM215 chipset aimed at Android Go devices. The chip reportedly borrows a lot from Snapdragon 410 and 425, but won't be part of Snapdragon family. Qualcomm is already testing reference designs with 1/2GB RAM and 8/16GB storage. Android Go phones might not have played out the way we thought they would, but the industry is not giving up on them just yet. A report by Winfuture.de states Qualcomm is working on a dedicated chipset for Android Go phones. According to the report, the chip by Qualcomm is called QM215 and it might not be part of the Snapdragon family of chips. Instead, Qualcomm will market it as the Qualcomm Mobile 215 platform instead. Notably, Qualcomm already designs chips for feature phones. The company has the Qualcomm 205 Mobile Platform that reportedly powers some batches of the JioPhone by Reliance Jio. The chip presently in circulation also supports 4G LTE. Whatever be the name, the report states the QM215 borrows a lot from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 and 425. The latter has featured in some Android Go phones in 2018 and is reportedly going to power the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Go. Based on the report, the QM215 will sport a quad-core CPU, perhaps with Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.3GHz along with a GPU clocked at 650MHz. So far, its not clear whether the chip will be based on the same 28nm platform as the Snapdragon 410 and 425, or something more modern. Qualcomm is reportedly already testing reference design with the new chipset along with 1 or 2GB RAM and 8 or 16GB storage, which pretty fits every aspect of a Android Go device. Huawei too is apparently working with the company to come out with phones with 720p displays and fingerprint sensors. So far, the Android Go market hasnt proved to be as popular as say the budget or the mid-range segment. The program was announced by Google to bridge the gap between cheap feature phones and slightly expensive budget Android phones. Android Go phones come with toned down features that take up less resources, which allows OEMs to price them lower than most entry-level Android phones. However, that has not been the case in India as most Android Go phones that launched breached the Rs 5,000 mark which is essentially the starting point of entry-level budget Android phones. Furthermore, the entry of Qualcomm itself is an interesting development and shows the company is hungry for a wider user base. So far, the Android Go market has been dominated by MediaTek chipsets. The Taiwan-based chipset makers MT6739 was the go-to SoC for Android Go phonemakers in 2018, perhaps for the affordable and turnkey solutions they came with. With Qualcomm now dominating the high-end and flagship range of devices, its not surprising to see the company spreading their net wider to capture more market share. Related Reads: Android Oreo (Go Edition) phones: What you get and what you miss out on? Xiaomi Redmi Go spotted on Phillipines e-commerce store, price revealed Highlights: Google says it found no evidence that Google Images was ranking the Pakistani flag in response to toilet paper. The word Bhikari returned images of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Google says this is due to the false news stories published as the pages contain words relevant to the search. Google has said that it is investigating a matter related to Google Images in which a quick search for best toilet paper in the world results in images of the Pakistan national flag, and a search for the word Bhikari (beggar) shows images of the countrys Prime Minister, Imran Khan. The matter blew up after people started sharing screenshots of the search results on social media following the February 14 attack in Kashmirs Pulwama district that left at least 40 soldiers dead and several other injured. While we continue to investigate the matter, we have not found any evidence that Google Images was ranking the Pakistani flag in response to this particular search. Many news outlets wrote about an old screenshot from a meme website that is inconsistent with our UI and dates back to 2017, and we have not seen any independent verification that these results ever appeared as depicted. Since these news stories published, images from those articles are now ranking for this query, as the pages contain words relevant to the search, Google said in a statement. Google uses automated programmes called spiders or crawlers and it also has a huge index of keywords. Google uses web crawlers to organise information from webpages and other publicly available content in the Search index. Google ranking systems sort through billions of webpages in the Search index to give users useful and relevant results. So if initially people searched Toilet Paper and Pakistan Flag together, Googles algorithms would include those words (together) in their keyword database. As more and more people searched for the same query (thanks to the social media propaganda), the search words became more relevant. With the help of its algorithms, Google makes sure to offer search results in a range of formats, like articles and images, to help people quickly find the information that they are looking for. So because of the published news stories, the Pakistan flag result corresponds to a query of Toilet paper and Google algorithms return these photos on Google Images. The explanation is the same for the results of the Bhikari word search. This is not the first time that Google Images has returned controversial results. Back in 2015, Google search results for the Top 10 Criminals of the world featured pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At that time Google had apologised and said that the image search results were drawn from multiple news articles which showed images of Prime Minister Modi and his statements with regard to politicians with criminal backgrounds. The company also clarified that none of the news articles link Modi to criminal activity. A similar question was raised when Google CEO Sundar Pichai was testifying before Congress in December last year. A Congressman asked the executive why image results for idiot reveal a page of US President Donald Trump's photos. To this, Pichai first distanced the company of any political bias saying that Googles algorithms do not favour any specific ideology or demographic and have always returned most relevant results. He said that the photos on Google Images are reflected based on what's happening out there, that is, what people are searching and on the basis of the trending news stories. What is important here is we use the robust methodology to reflect what is being said about any given topic at any particular time. And we try to do it objectively, using a set of rubrics. It is in our interest to make sure we reflect what's happening out there in the best objective manner possible. I can commit to you, and I can assure you we do it without regards to political ideology. Our algorithms have no notion of political sentiment in it, Pichai explained. In the past, Pichai had clarified that it was impossible for any individual or group of individuals to manipulate its algorithms. Related Read: Google Search gets Activity Cards to help you pick up where you left off MTN Group has reaffirmed its innocence as its long-running legal spat with Turkcell reignited after a South African ambassador was arrested on corruption charges. The former South African ambassador to Iran, Yusuf Saloojee was detained over allegations that he was bribed to play a role in cancelling Turkcells Iranian licence. This enabled MTN Group to acquire a 49% stake in Irancell in 2005, allowing the group to operate in the market. Saloojee has since been released on bail, although ITWeb reports that he will return to court in April. Turkcell has long claimed that it should have received the licence, and accuses MTN of bribing officials in both Iran and South Africa to procure the stake. It most recently filed a case in 2017 seeking damages of $4.2 billion. MTN has dismissed Turkcells latest allegations as an abuse of the process of court, baseless and without merit, noting that the only evidence against Saloojee was provided by its former employee Chris Kilowan. In a statement, MTN said: Ambassador Saloojee himself has repeatedly said the money he received from Kilowan was the result of a private loan arrangement between him and Kilowan, that he has repaid that loan to Kilowan and that this was a private matter between the two that had nothing to do with MTN or anyone else. While this statement seemingly acknowledges that money changed hands, MTN evidently considers the matter to be between Kilowan and Saloojee, while Kilowan argues that the operator made the payment in order to procure a licence in Iran. MTN noted that an independent jurist had dismissed Turkcells legal challenge in 2013, singling out Kilowan as a fantasist and a conspiracy theorist. Sushant Singh Rajput Reveals What Makes One A REBEL The makers of Sonchiriya introduces the Lakhna from the gang of rebels which is essayed by Sushant Singh Rajput. Sonchiriya is a tale of rebels and the film is making immense buzz ever since the raw and rustic trailers were released receiving accolades from all quarters. The makers' RSVP took to their social media and shared the promo introducing Lakhna, "Inke ka jawab inki deti hai! Miliye Man Singh ke , Lakhna se.@itsSSR @bhumipednekar @BajpayeeManoj @RanvirShorey @ranaashutosh10 #AbhishekChaubey @RonnieScrewvala @ZeeMusicCompany #Sonchiriya" The video starts with Sushant explaining what makes one a rebel, the rugged Lakhna explains "the heart of a rebel in the ravines makes him a rebel". Recently the makers of Sonchiriya organized the special event wherein they have gone ahead to launch the extension of the trailer titled as 'The Rebels of Sonchiriya'. Sonchiriya is all set to release in next month, cast and crew is on a promotional spree and seen promoting the film on social media as well. Sonchiriya promises to be a power packed action film giving a glimpse of the glorious years if dacoits in central India. Shot in the valleys of Madhya Pradesh, Sonchiriya presents an ensemble cast with an intriguing storyline. Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the movie is slated to release on 1st March 2019. SONRISE: Amidst Anguish, Tainted Providence And A Fragile Hope Of Evolution Gender inequality is a hot topic for any discourse Never ending arguments ensue, dissentient voices are raised, and matter of fact justifications are also provided. But come to think of it what is the use of it all until one gets to the root cause of the predicament and examines the prime mover of things? Vibha Bakshi has done just that. Her film Son rise is an intense, compelling and a facund portrayal of why things are the way they are! Vibha, a journalist turned filmmaker spent a year and a half in the Jat heartland and came out with a film that puts the shame where it belongs! According to the census report of 2011 in Haryana, males outnumber females by 1.6 million. According to the same census report Haryana was the state that has the lowest sex ratio among all 29 states. This was primarily due to the rampant sex-determination and female foeticide which has earned the region its notorious title of Kudi-Maar (the land of the daughter killers). Hence it is surely not surprising when Vibha says, one policeman told my husband that if I didnt drop the film, the car in which I was seated might just be blown up! Vibha spent one and a half years in the lanes and bylanes of Haryana to know Where these men were coming from? It was two years ago when Daughters of Mother India was being screened, she came to know about this man in Haryana who got married to a multiple-rape victim. However, she didnt have any other lead. She didnt know where in Haryana was he from or what was his name. In the course of her meanderings did she finally find him. But as Vibha puts it, to get him to talk was the hardest part. Vibha quips, For the initial meetings, I just told him that I wanted to talk and I never had my camera with me. We just talked and then one fine day, his wife came out and she was the first one to speak to the camera! When one watches the documentary, the first feeling that one goes through is the sheer pathetic mentality of the men in those areas. One cannot help but dwell on the pertinent question of how it all began and what was the catalyst of the goings on in there? Was it because of the women of the previous generations who raised their sons with an unnecessary sense of entitlement? Was it because of the men who thought it was their birth-right to curb the women the way they wanted to - and the practise of which was perhaps passed on to the generations to come? The sad part is an answer to it is not to be found. All we understand and see is that this mental make up was a part and parcel of life so much so that any kind of nonconformity with that attitude is stigmatised and scoffed at! Yeh Mardo Ki Jagah Hai Aurato Ka Yaha Koi Kaam Nahi (This place is just meant for the menfolk, the women are not allowed in here) thundered one of the Khap leaders at one of the village gathering with a palpable amount of disdain and haughtiness in his countenance. Everyone in the milieu depicted is aware of the atrocities that take place against women even before they are born. Female foeticide, female infanticide, gangrapes, women abduction, women have to be veiled so on and so forth! Imagine how unfortunate and deplorable for a little girl would it be to be abducted from far flung areas like Assam, Bengal, (because of the sheer dearth of women and to keep the baby(boy) making machinery grinding and how.) In one of the scenes of the documentary, A veiled lady is seen sharing the Khatiya with her also veiled mother-in-law. Through the course of the conversation we come to know that she was abducted from her native place in Assam and was brought there, and was forced to get married. When asked how does she feel about what she went through, from behind the veil, she haplessley replies, Phas gayi! (I feel trapped, ambushed) mind you the mother-in-law sits right next to her and has nothing to say. We dont quite know what she feels, does she feel guilty about the upbringing she gave to her son, does she feel angry at the sheer temerity of her daughter-in-law to speak out her mind in front of the camera or has she already retired to her fate. A fate that allows the men of the area to hurl all sorts of atrocities on the women. As if she has come to terms with the fact that such is the plight of women there. God knows! \ Today when we talk about freedom, listen to fiery speeches on intolerance and women empowerment, this film is an eye opener of sorts to the actual imbroglio women face on a day in day out basis! However, there are whiffs of change in the air. There are men like Jitender Chattar who married a Gang-rape victim and pledged to bring her justice. Chattar is keeping no stones unturned in his intrepid efforts to do it. Today he is almost bankrupt with constant false cases being hurled at him and people threatening to kill him. He stands like a rock in face of temptations and intimidations alike. Even though the local justice system has let him down, his faith in the Indian judiciary is steady and he is all geared up to move to the high court! There is Sunil Jaglaan, the Bibipur village Pradhan and a father of two daughters who is initiating the much-needed step of incorporating women in the decision-making process. There is Baljit Singh Malik, an influential Khap leader who is leading a drive to eschew the tradition of veiled women, he also stands firm with his call to end female foeticide. Well, at the end of it all, we all know change is the only thing that is permanent. However, all changes take their own time. Now, everything is holding on to HOPE! And I am afraid, the grip is fragile. A hope that Mr Chattar gets his justice which has been long due, A hope that the intiatives by Sunil Jaglan and Baljit Singh Malik gains momentum instead of facing a silent death due to oppositions by the very mentality they are so intrinsically a part and product of. Discover ASAIs Fall Winter 2019.20 Ground Up Collection, inspired by the photography of the British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel by August Sander, that asks the question what does it mean to be British now, presented during the ongoing London Fashion Week. The ASAI woman has swum oceans, endured chaotic war zones and now wants to take root. Its not her home. She has none as yet. But Englishness from afar appeals. The spice has dissipated to make way for wools that have lived, cottons that are etched with memories and floral sprigs and dreams of humility that are patched together in leather, paint and lace. The shine gives way to tarnishing. The hot wok has cooled. The riot has been quelled. Slouch, not sass. Come away and feel something solid, something still, something real. Take back control, you say. Control of what? Our Empire? Fortune in the hands of the few, and not the many? Of a Britishness that is shaded in loden, moss-tinged, slate, oak and mire? Of layers that can protect the land and body? But those wools and cottons once spun up North, now hail from Japan. What was soft is suddenly structured and vice versa. The slit of a skirt is Vietnamese. These generous and cocooning proportions cant be found in Boston, in the East Midlands. The jester crown is now misshapen and knitted in humble wool. We love hearing from you, connect with us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Hsinchu, Taiwan --F ebruary 19, 2019 eMemorys chip-embedded security IP received the Takuo Sugano Award for Outstanding Far-East Paper at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC). The company received the honor at the flagship conference of the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society February 18th in San Francisco for its paper A PUF Scheme Using Competing Oxide Rupture with Bit Error Rate Approaching Zero. The paper, featuring eMemorys patented security technology NeoPUF, was highly rated by attendees of the ISSCC, for its breakthrough in overcoming reliability issues common to conventional PUF (Physically Unclonable Functions) technologies. While PUF is increasingly used in security applications, the conventional technologies are by nature sensitive to environmental conditions, such as temperature, voltage, and noise. As a result, they require not only ECC but also complicated pre/post-processing to generate stable PUF output as the root of random source. eMemorys NeoPUF, on the other hand, is able to produce reliable and uniformly distributed random PUF output without the need for complex error correction or helper data. The IP, verified for the 7nm technology, has been designed in by customers. eMemory has long been dedicated to developments of core technologies in line with latest trends in the marketplace, said Rick Shen, president of the eMemory. The (Takuo Sugano) Award recognizes that our team is capable of developing technologies that are commercially applicable as well as successful from the academic point of view. The NeoPUF technology, derived from the standard CMOS logic process, generates a silicon fingerprint on individual ICs, which can be used as an entropy source or a root of trust in security applications. An embedded NeoPUF scheme can secure the chip and the hardware from the first point of the manufacturing process to their implementation and long-term operation, ideal for security-sensitive applications including AIoT(AI+IoT) and automotive. A NeoPUF macro, comprised of eMemorys patented cell array architecture and verified security circuitry, can generate an entropy source up to 64K bits. The PUF outputs are consistent without bit errors at an extended temperature range from -40C to +150C. The zero bit error rate eliminates the need for complicated error correction measures. The NeoPUF solution also includes IP blocks of key provisioning, crypto engine, and tamper protections, providing a holistic protection for hardware. About eMemory eMemory (TPEX:3529) is a semiconductor IP provider specialized in embedded hard IP cores. Ranked as the worlds 7th largest silicon IP provider, eMemory has delivered best-in-class IP designs to over 1,300 foundries, IDMs and fabless companies globally since its establishment in 2000. The company has received TSMCs Best IP Partner Award since its inception in 2010. As a global leader in the eNVM (embedded Non-volatile Memory) market, eMemory provides patented eNVM solutions with the industrys most comprehensive process technology coverage. The company also pioneers in providing the security IP core based on silicon biometrics. eMemorys eNVM IP offerings include one-time programmable memories (NeoBit/NeoFuse) and multi-time programmable memories (NeoMTP/NeoFlash/NeoEE). NeoPUF is the companys embedded root of trust technology for security application. For more information about eMemory, please visit www.ememory.com.tw. You cant handle the truth! This is the famous line shouted by Jack Nicholson in the movie A Few Good Men as he refers to the intricacies of managing government projects. Well, we think that Utah voters can handle the truth. As your county and state election administrators, we want you to know that your elections are solidly secure and implement top-of-the-line processes. The alleged voter fraud in a few hot spots around the country (think North Carolina) has sent a surge of mistrust for all states when it comes to elections. Were often asked questions about elections. The most common is, How do you keep people from voting twice? The process is set and clear. Every voter has a unique code assigned to them. Whether voting in person or by mail, we take your first submission. If a voter attempts to vote twice, we only count the first ballot that we process (and the voter will likely get a call from our County Attorney). There are no exceptions to this rule. Voters occasionally express concern that someone else could fill out their vote-by-mail ballot and send it in. We have taken incredible precautions to ensure your ballot cannot be cast by someone else. When we receive your ballot, we compare your signature with your signatures in our database, one of which usually comes from the State Driver License Division. If the signatures dont match, we dont count your ballot until after we tell you and you fix it. We take seriously your constitutional right to a secret ballot. We include a removable affidavit or provide a privacy sleeve for every ballot. Your ballot stays in the sealed envelope until after we verify your signature. After that, we remove all personally identifiable information before we even touch the ballot, thus keeping your ballot secret. Ballots are always handled with at least two sworn election judges present. This control helps ensure that nothing is mishandled. Ballots are processed in batches, with multiple reconciliation points throughout the process. These are just a few of the controls that we implement. Everything we do is open to public observation at all times. This is a great opportunity for the public to see how ballots are being handled and to ask questions. We love having good company while doing our jobs, and since we are usually working 12-plus hour days, wed love it even more if you bring snacks. With the current political climate of mistrust across the nation, we feel it is crucial to let you, our constituents, know that your ballots are safe. We are grateful to play a key role of this fundamental pillar of our government. We are humbled by the support that Utah residents, political parties, watchdog groups and elected officials have offered. If you still have questions, or want to check out our process, please ask. Thank you all for participating in your civic duty. Utah County clerks: Ginger McMullin, Beaver; Marla Young, Box Elder; Jill Zollinger, Cache; Seth Marsing, Carbon; Brian Raymond, Daggett; Curtis Koch, Davis; JoAnn Evans, Duchesne; Brenda Tuttle, Emery; Camille Moore, Garfield; Chris Baird, Grand; Jon Whittaker, Iron; Alaina Lofgran, Juab; Karla Johnson, Kane; Marki Rowley, Millard; Stacy Netz Clark, Morgan; Kali Lee Gleave, Piute; Becky Peart, Rich; Sherrie Swensen, Salt Lake; John David Nielson, San Juan; Sandy Neill, Sanpete; Steven Wall, Sevier; Kent Jones, Summit; Marilyn Gillette, Tooele; Michael Wilkins, Uintah; Amelia Powers, Utah; Brent Titcomb, Wasatch; Kim Hafen, Washington; Ryan Torgerson, Wayne; Ricky Hatch, Weber. SALT LAKE CITY Nearly 5 million American high school and middle school students used tobacco products in 2018, with a dramatic increase in e-cigarette use anchoring the statistics. That has public health and other officials sounding an alarm for parents and young users. Health officials say e-cigarette manufacturers target youths with flavors like bubblegum and cotton candy and present e-cigs in forms divorced from traditional notions of e-cigs, making it easier to hide use of the tobacco products from parents and other adults. Mod-pods by Juul, for example, look like a USB flash drive. More concerning, these experts add, is difficulty telling exactly what's in the products and the fact few studies have been done to document potential harm. The numbers and a specific warning about what's at stake were issued this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a Vital Signs report. The first line in the bulletin says that "tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States; nearly all tobacco product use begins during youth and young adulthood." "Use has just exploded," said Ellen J. Hahn, a professor at University of Kentucky and director of the Breathe program there. She noted traditional tobacco companies are purchasing stakes in popular e-cig manufacturing companies. "It's important to know that the surgeon general said that e-cig use has become an epidemic nationwide. We need to focus on preventing it, especially among youths, because research shows nicotine impact on developing brains," said Ryan Bartlett, spokesman for the Utah Department of Health's Tobacco Prevention and Control Program. Even in Utah, which has lower teen smoking rates than many states, reports show recent use of e-cigs by 11.1 percent of teens surveyed in eighth, 10th and 12th grades a number that doubled in the last five years, Bartlett said. Fewer than 3 percent reported using actual cigarettes. Surveys show many young e-cig users don't even know they contain tobacco products, he added. The CDC report, which asked about use within the last 30 days, found that 27.1 percent of high school students (4.04 million teens) and 7.2 percent of middle schoolers (570,000) report "current use" of any tobacco product. The report also states that 1 in 5 students in high school smoked e-cigs, as did nearly 5 percent of middle school students, based on the National Youth Tobacco Surveys Those numbers mark a significant increase in e-cigarette use. That, combined with no drop in use of other tobacco products "has erased recent progress in reducing overall tobacco product use among youths," the CDC reported. What's known or believed E-cigs have been deemed by both the courts and the Food and Drug Administration to be tobacco products, "though the industry likes people to think they're something else," Hahn said. Dr. Indra Cidambi, addiction specialist, psychiatrist and medical director of the Center for Network Therapy in West Orange, New Jersey, describes e-cig use this way: "Vaping is a method of inhaling nicotine and marijuana as of now, but we expect it to expand to other drugs over time." She said e-cigs essentially heat up the e-liquid ("nicotine or marijuana") in a cartridge and vaporize it. Some, including Hahn, prefer "aerosolize" to "vaporize" as a description of the process. Some experts believe e-cig products may help adults smokers quit. A study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine paired e-cigs with behavioral therapy and compared it to nicotine replacement therapy, finding those using the device and therapy more apt to quit smoking. A 2014 cross-sectional study, also from the United Kingdom, is often quoted for finding that "among smokers who have attempted to stop without professional support, those who use e-cigarettes are more likely to report continued abstinence" than those who used over-the-counter nicotine replacement or who tried to stop smoking cold turkey. The relevance to teens is different, and public health experts want to prevent teens from using any tobacco products before they begin. But they warn that e-cig device manufacturers are targeting young people, who in turn are more likely than those who don't use the electronic devices to become traditional tobacco product users, too. Cidambi said e-cigs eliminate risk from harmful chemicals associated with the paper in cigarettes but "usually increase the concentration of nicotine or marijuana, providing a bigger kick." And e-cigs contain other chemical additives, such as propylene glycol and glycerol, that are toxic and have been linked to cancer, respiratory disease and heart disease. A chemical used to flavor some e-liquids, she noted, may also cause "scarring and obstruction of the lungs' smallest airways also referred to as popcorn lung." Research and regulation have lagged far behind innovation by manufacturers, according to Hahn. Right now, there's not even premarket review. "It's still kind of the wild, wild West, though I hate to say it," Hahn said. " But the industry is way out in front." That includes sophisticated advertising, including on youth, through targeted social media, said Hahn. E-cig device manufacturers also use venues and events to establish name familiarity, including sponsoring music festivals or interactive photo booths at popular events like concerts. And while laws forbid free samples of traditional tobacco products, some manufacturers distribute e-cig products because that's not banned. Hahn says the marketing evokes "deja vu" for those who have worked for years to prevent tobacco use. Nor is usage the only thing climbing when it comes to e-cigs: In at least some of the devices, experts warn that nicotine levels could be higher than in traditional, combustible tobacco products. "They can be very addictive" and are becoming more so, said Bartlett, who added that one "need not puff on them as much to get the same effect." A particular concern is that e-cig use has been shown to increase risk of using traditional combustible tobacco products, with the well-documented harms that entails. And some users may embrace both cigarettes and their electronic kin. "We do know that electronic cigarettes can deliver nicotine at levels similar to cigarettes, so using them places teens at risk of dependence and persistent smoking," said Hahn. Another concern spawned specifically about Juul's mod-pods is that they use nicotine salt. "That's a little variation that allows nicotine delivery more efficiently and at higher levels," Hahn said. What isn't known Because e-cigs involve heat that aerosolizes the product, experts aren't sure exactly how they compare when it comes to lung damage. But Bartlett and Hahn both note research that says aerosols can be harmful to different systems in the body, especially heart, lung and circulation. "We know most (e-cigarettes) contain potentially toxic chemicals, but the amounts are highly variable, which makes it tough to study," Hahn said. Although at least some of the chemicals are known to be "highly toxic," lack of regulation makes it hard to study, too. They have been proven toxic in combustibles (products one lights), but not necessarily in non-combustible form. Hahn cites national data showing that among adults, 70 percent of e-cig users also use combustible tobacco. E-cig critics believe e-cigs increase the risk that teens will go on to use combustibles too. Little is known about what individual vaping products contain and at what level. Hahn calls the products a "witches' brew," with nicotine, flavorings and chemicals, their recipes unknown. Cidambi said she fears that "eventually teenagers will develop tolerance to nicotine and will seek more potent stimulants to release increased amounts of dopamine to get the same euphoric effect" that leads them to use the electronic devices. And she wonders what future e-liquids will be developed for use in the devices. "In my opinion, it is inevitable that high-potency drugs will eventually be sold as vapable e-liquids," she said. What's needed Policy makers and public health experts said more research in use of e-cigarette devices should be prioritized to answer some of the questions that usage raises. While there's some short-term data, little is known about long-term use. "What we need to do is really sound science, with clinical trials and not just observational," said Hahn. "That will help us weigh the balance between adverse and potentially positive" issues, such as whether e-cigarette use signficantly helps smokers quit. "Maybe it really helps some; we just don't know. We need real-life trials." What science clearly shows already does help smokers quit, she said, is a combination of FDA-approved medication and behavioral techniques. Public health experts also told the Deseret News they want to better understand the impact of industry marketing, particularly that aimed at youths, including how marketing influences decision-making when it comes to using e-cigs. "We need more research on youth. My best hypothesis is youths are using because (e-cigarettes) are easy to use, they can hide them and they get lots of messages about them that say they perhaps might be safer. We don't know that, but they might be," Hahn said. She is among those recommending parents and others look closely at the disclosures on research studies to see if there are financial conflicts of interest for those conducting the study. Researchers who have a conflict are more likely to find a product offers reduced harm or no harm, she said. When an industry player pays for research that reports no harm, Hahn said, "people need to be very skeptical of what they're reading. That's important." The safest bet, according to the CDC, FDA and other public health experts, is not using any tobacco product at all. KANO, Nigeria Nervous ahead of Nigeria's delayed election, a group of young women picked up their cellphones and wished each other well. "Honestly I'm so tensed and scared," one typed. "I feel like crying. This is so touching," another wrote. "What we are about to do is the beginning of an era," texted a third. They are among dozens of first-time female candidates in a country where the percentage of women in parliament is one of the lowest in the world, under 7 percent, and the idea of a woman as president brings a belly laugh from many men. While Ethiopia and Rwanda in recent months drew global praise for announcing two of the world's few "gender-balanced" Cabinets, Africa's most populous nation and largest democracy has been largely stuck in a political culture heavy on cash and brawn. "You know how women are," explained Abdulaziz Maidubji, a 41-year-old businessman in the conservative northern city of Kano, in an interview with The Associated Press as others gathered and agreed. "They are very weak. They cannot endure these challenges." The nearly 50 female candidates for state and local seats who ping each other with emoji-speckled messages of support in a WhatsApp group are eager to prove a country of 190 million people wrong. When the election was delayed at the last minute until Feb. 23, they urged each other to stay focused. "God please let it come and pass because I'm so exhausted," one typed, echoing many Nigerians. The group including activists, entrepreneurs, a fashion designer and a lab technician was created as part of a youth electoral movement to break the grip of Nigeria's two main political parties, which traditionally have been less about issues and more about seizing power at all costs. Their chats on how to parse electoral data and polish talking points also created a safe space for venting frustrations about discrimination familiar to many Nigerian women, candidate or no, while a wide-ranging gender and equal opportunities bill has languished in the National Assembly for years. One candidate from Zamfara state in the north was told her photo couldn't be on the same campaign poster as the governor because she is not his wife, though they share a political party. Another candidate was asked by a journalist, "Who is your husband?" "Look, no one asks men this!" said Chioma Agwuegbo, a 32-year-old communications specialist who allowed the AP to join the group for the final push to election day. She believes Nigeria can become more progressive once its legislative body sees new faces: "It's not a retirement home." Some female candidates have been asked, or ordered, to step aside for a man. Some have been booed out of events. Some have seen embarrassed family members distance themselves, though many have received warm support and even been told, "What took you so long?" Many struggle with the high costs of running. Still, the number of female candidates in certain cases is growing. Among this year's 73 presidential contenders, six are women, though former minister Oby Ezekwesili surprised many by dropping out in the final month after becoming the highest-profile female candidate in Nigeria's history. Of the more than 1,800 senatorial candidates, however, only 12 percent are women down from 17 percent four years ago. Stay strong, one candidate in the WhatsApp group urged in a rousing post that ended with the exhortation, "Joy comes in the morning." Among those checking in with good wishes was 26-year-old Zainab Sulaiman Umar, who is among Nigeria's youngest candidates. Her goal is especially groundbreaking: If she wins a seat in Kano state's house of assembly she would become its first woman. At one campaign rally, she was attacked by thugs and her brother was almost stabbed. "It's something we just have to get used to as women to run for office," she told the AP, adding that it gave her more confidence to push on. She left Nigeria's ruling party for a smaller one when it became clear that without a "godfather" she would have no chance. "People talk negatively, but I answer them with positive answers," she said, although she hears "Are you married?" far too often. As she goes door-to-door in her largely Muslim community, profiting from her access to female voters in their homes, she explains that she seeks to represent others, which religious leaders say is allowed for women, and not lead, which some see as taboo. To her surprise, some local Muslim leaders have preached that women should be given a chance in office. She's ready to seize it. "Of course I'm going to win," she said with a smile. She plans to provide primary health care centers while combating domestic violence and "empowering my people." The spirit seemed to be catching. Across town at the electoral commission offices, a young woman boxed up polling materials for the vote. Zainab Aliyu, 24, called this her first election and was excited, volunteering to help with preparations. She spoke glowingly of female candidate Hauwa Ibrahim al-Yacoub, a senatorial hopeful whose campaign poster had been spotted at a street roundabout, pink headscarf blazing amid a thicket of male candidates. "I trust her," Aliyu said. And where many Nigerians, even women, hesitate to predict a female president any time soon, she responded immediately. "2023," she said. "Inshallah!" If God wills. MURRAY Between four and five dozen protesters picketed on a interstate overpass Monday, waving flags and carrying signs that read "Trump is the crisis" after President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency on the border with Mexico. "Its not about border security. This a president who has taken the purse and the purse is Congress. The president doesnt get to decide appropriations. Hes totally outside his constitutional limits. The people not only need to recognize that, but stop that," said Sarah Buck of Salt Lake Indivisible. These events should trouble all Americans because the U.S. Constitution established a balance of powers, she said. "When that falls out of balance, we all fall," Buck said. The declaration gives Trump access billions of dollars to build a border wall after Congress refused to appropriate the level of funding he wanted. While other presidents have declared national emergencies, Buck said this was the first time it was done solely to access funding. "I hope Congress recognizes hes totally taking over their job. Hes totally outside his role as president. Honestly, its the Senate who should be stepping up and saying, No, you wont do this. They should have a veto-proof ability because its unconstitutional what he's doing and that should cross every line. Im a Republican. Im not a Democrat. Im a registered Republican and Im furious at how hes undermining our nation and our balance of powers," she said. While Salt Lake Indivisible protested on the overpass, there were also demonstrations at the federal building and state Capitol, she said. Members of the group Salt Lake Indivisible said they chose the overpass at about 6400 South over I-215 for its visibility. Buck said she was particularly heartened by the participation of youths and young people in their 20s. "I think it is so important this age group helps us draw a line in the sand," she said. Activists from the CD4 Coalition and Move On also took part in the demonstrations Monday. While the latest public demonstrations are tied to what the group believes is Trump's overreach, Buck said she started to recognize a shift in Utah's mood back when then-Rep. Jason Chaffetz's town hall meeting in Cottonwood Heights took an ugly turn in February 2017. "It was dangerous. People were so upset and they didn't have a voice. Democracy is supposed to give us a voice so we don't feel angry, so we don't feel unrepresented," she said. Linda Griffen, also of Salt Lake Indivisible, added, "We want to be heard as people. We don't approve of the executive overreach the president has taken." Contributing: Paul Nelson TAYLORSVILLE A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter was able to navigate around a winter storm and into a slot canyon Sunday to hoist a man trapped in quicksand to safety. But while many are hailing the efforts of all the crews involved in the dramatic rescue, Department of Public Safety Sgt. Wyatt Weber on Monday shrugged it off, calling it a "typical" rescue. "It was a little bit difficult. The weather made it a little complicated, but I had the easiest job. The hardest job was the guys on the ground who spent all night there, were cold, fighting water and weather and wind. We train for this. We've practiced many hours for wind and water and those kind of things," he said. On Saturday, a 34-year-old Arizona man and a woman went hiking in the Left Fork of North Creek also known as the Subway at Zion National Park. But between three to four hours into the hike, one of the man's legs became trapped in quicksand in the middle of a creek. His leg was buried to his knee and he was unable to pull himself out. The woman who was with the man had to hike three to four hours back the way she came before she could get cellphone reception to call 911. Park rangers hiked up the canyon, found the man and pulled him out. By that time, the man had been trapped in the cold, running water for 10 hours and was suffering from hypothermia, according to park officials. Rescue crews used tarps and canopies to make a shelter and stayed with the man at the scene that night in "frigid conditions," according to the rangers. Sunday, park rangers called the Utah Department of Public Safety to see if its helicopter was available. Weber said he, a pilot, and one other crew member flew several hours to get to Zion. But they were forced to take several detours around an oncoming winter storm. "There was some concern that we would have to turn around and not make it down there," he said. But by Sunday afternoon, the helicopter arrived at the canyon. From the air, Weber said the snow made for a picturesque and serene setting. But below, the crew knew that they needed to hoist the injured hiker out so that rescuers who had already hiked to him and spent the night, wouldn't have to carry him out. "It saved them from now having to carry that individual four hours out of the slot canyon, even down some rappels that would have taken them quite a bit of time," he said. The state released video taken from the helicopter of the rescue on Monday. The canyon was about 400 feet wide in that area, Weber said. "I'm going to face down canyon so keep an eye on the trees, the pilot can be heard saying on the video. As the helicopter lowered into the canyon, Weber said the crew was always surveying the situation and thinking a step ahead. "Where is our escape? Where would we land the helicopter if we had to make an emergency landing?" he said were questions going through their heads. "There are very few escapes if there is an emergency. And it causes weird wind patterns in these canyons with the helicopter hovering. And so the wind does very strange things. It kind of makes it difficult to fly, makes it difficult to lower the hook down to the patient, makes it difficult for the people on the ground with things blowing away," Weber said. But again, he noted that for this type of rescue, "to say it's typical would be accurate." The pilot was able to get as close as 75 feet from the ground. One of the crew members was lowered to the ground using the hoist, and then got the injured hiker prepped and hoisted into the helicopter. Once inside the chopper, the man, who was heavily bundled up by rescuers, said, "Thank you." He was then flown to a nearby ambulance and driven to a local hospital. The only unusual part of the operation, Weber said, was the quicksand something hikers typically don't expect to fall into at Zion National Park. "I think they did a lot of things right. They were prepared. They were able to get out to get help, to stay there, to wait for the rangers. I don't think there was any misdeed or misstep that they made. It was just one of those things that they got stuck." SANDY Sandy leaders found themselves on the spot all night at a town hall meeting aimed at talking about the recent contaminated water situation, but it quickly turned into a barrage of questions and accusations from angry residents demanding answers. "You cant reverse health damage with this," one resident yelled from the audience at Sandy Mayor Kurt Bradburn. "Youre right, I cannot go back in time, an apologetic Bradburn replied while trying to explain what the city is doing moving forward. "My No. 1 goal is making it right for you, the mayor said. The town hall began with Sandy Public Works Director Tom Ward explaining his version of the timeline of events that began with a large storm on Feb. 5. Ward struggled to get through the timeline, however, as many residents yelled out questions or disputed what he was saying. "No, thats baloney," one man yelled, accompanied by a chorus of "no's" from the audience when Ward said the city went door-to-door notifying residents of possible contaminated water. "We know that some of the things we thought we understood were wrong, Ward said while also conceding, "We realize theres better ways to communicate." After Ward took nearly 40 minutes to explain the city's timeline, Bradburn told the audience that he shared their frustrations. He said he was "not in the know," and the way the situation was initially explained to him had not been accurate. He agreed with residents upset with the city for allegedly putting flyers on doors, calling it "not acceptable." "I failed you in several aspects. I should have been more on top of that sooner," the mayor said. Bradburn also acknowledged that he had not tested the city's reverse 911 system prior to Friday, and quickly learned it was inadequate. Because of the number of questions and comments being yelled out, the city quickly moved to the formal open comment section, during which Ward was the focus of many residents' anger. "I'm very disappointed you kept your boss, our mayor, in the dark until Friday," one man said, who also called Ward's response during his presentation "inadequate." That man, who said he is a chemist, also called out Ward for not doing field pH tests on the water. "I'm a chemist. This is simple stuff," he said. Another person asked Ward what his qualifications were for being in charge of the city's drinking water. "I feel like I'm being lied to," a woman said of the city's explanation of informing residents. "You violated my trust." The woman finished by telling Bradburn she trusted and voted for him. "It's a mistake I won't do again." The mayor also announced Monday there would be an independent investigation into why the pump that regulates fluoride into the water system failed, and how the city responded. As the evening progressed, many residents called for, and applauded suggestions calling for a new vote on the ballot to eliminate fluoride altogether from the city's water supply. Monday began in Sandy with dozens of volunteers streaming into City Hall to undergo training to collect water samples in neighborhoods affected by possible lead or copper contamination resulting from inadvertent release of undiluted fluoride on Feb. 6. On Sunday, city officials announced it was safe to resume drinking and using the water. The in-home tests, conducted at city expense, were to provide added assurance that water in individual homes was safe to use and consume, said Bradburn. "This is a big effort to try to reach 2,800 homes as soon as we possibly can. We couldnt do it without all these volunteers," he said. Volunteers were each asked to attempt to sample water from 20 homes. Only homes that had properly flushed their water by running hot and cold taps for 30 minutes could be tested. Nathaniel and Crystal Ash, who live in the affected area, were among volunteers to turned out on Presidents Day to collect water samples. Nathaniel Ash said he hopes the additional testing "will give city residents an extra level of comfort that the water's safe." Crystal Ash said the ordeal was "a little scary, at first." "Hopefully, they got the water taken care of or they say they do. But just to have that little extra comfort having the water tested," she said. The Ashes said they will continue to drink bottled water until they receive test results from their home. Understanding the fear and frustration in the community, the couple said they hoped that homeowners would view them as people just trying to help. "I think we could encounter some anger. We're frustrated, too," he said. The city officials issued an advisory Saturday for people in the affected area not to drink water or use it for cooking. That reversed a city-issued advisory less than 24 hours earlier that said the water was OK to drink as long as systems have been adequately flushed. John and Marie Fowler, who learned of the fluoride release days after returning to Utah from Italy on Feb. 11, said they are frustrated the city didn't do more to inform residents of the problem. They believe they were spared the brunt of it but they are concerned about their neighbors, particularly those who became ill. They are also worried about lingering effects such as damage to their pipes or what it will mean in terms of their home values. "Some of the residents are very angry over this and anger is the only way I can describe it. They're very angry," John Fowler said. A neighbor who collected their mail while they were in Europe picked up the handbill the city had left at their house and delivered it along with their mail. Marie Fowler said she thought it was junk mail and discarded it. It wasn't until they received a second flyer at their home that they understood there was a problem. The city of Sandy was cited by the Utah Division of Drinking Water for failing to notify the public adequately about potential contamination, along with a citation for exceeding safe fluoride levels. Bradburn said the city attempted to notify as many people as possible through all of its channels. "But our main notification system, which is our reverse 911 system, we realized most people had not opted in with their cellphones into that service and were not getting the message," he said. Bradburn said Sandy residents "should feel secure now. Three regulatory agencies Environmental Protection Agency, state drinking water and Sandy utilities have all reviewed these 193 samples and we only had one individual home that had a slightly elevated level of lead, which could be an isolated event." The city is continuing to work with that homeowner and the city has a claims process they can access from the city's website. The website also explains how people can sign up for reverse 911 notifications. The affected area included some 2,200 households from 700 East to 2140 East between 10600 and 11400 South. According to the city, there were no schools affected above 1700 East. The affected schools were Alta High School, Sunrise Elementary and Altara Elementary. Pipes at the affected schools were drained over the weekend. "On Tuesday morning, when students and teachers return after the Presidents Day recess, bottled water will be available for students, teachers and staff. Meals that do not require water from the faucet for either preparation or cleanup will be made and served in the cafeteria," according to the city website, which quotes a Canyons School District notification to parents. The school district is also conducting independent tests, the website states. While there have been repeated assurances about the water's safety from city officials, residents say they are concerned about consuming the water until they receive the results of samples taken from their individual homes. Marie Fowler said she has reservations about washing her dishes or clothes. David O'Bryant, whose home is about four houses from the fluoride pumping station, said he understood the initial spill occurred on Feb. 6 "but we didn't hear about it until a week later on the 13th." While his family was not sickened, others in the immediate area, including a mom and 3-month-old baby, were sickened. He knows one family that reported that they all became ill, including their dog. "That's really disturbing. It's really sad," he said. O'Bryant said he flushed his pipes again on Sunday. The discharge left a coating of sediment in the sinks of his family's home, causing him to worry whether the coating on the interior of their pipes has been damaged or if their water softener or water heaters have been affected. He collected before and after samples and city officials said they would collect samples at his home on Monday. Nate Roe, whose infant boy and wife were sickened by the water, said Monday that they were advised by physicians to have their other children tested as well. Roe said he, too, had a bad headache after consuming the water, which he said "tasted like a metal pipe." The family's illnesses preceded notification from the city. O'Bryant said the events are worrisome, particularly how it may affect his children. On Monday, when he went to brush his teeth, he nearly turned on the tap until he was reminded by the water bottle on the counter. "There are water bottles all over my house," he said. SALT LAKE CITY A $300,000 legislative budget request for a study to determine the prevalence of cannabis and opioid use by pregnant women in Utah hit a roadblock when a legislative committee recommended no appropriation to support it. Leaders of the Utah Legislature's Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee initially recommended an appropriation of $50,000 for the research. "I don't know that that's necessarily usable at that amount," said Sen. Deidre Henderson, R-Spanish Fork. The committee instead voted Friday to move the $50,000 appropriation to the Primary Care Workforce Model, a tool developed by IBM intended to help health care leaders, educators and lawmakers more accurately predict and fill health care needs statewide. The subcommittee's action does not necessarily doom the request by Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem. The Legislature's Executive Appropriations Committee crafts the final budget bills voted on by all 104 lawmakers. A member of that committee could resurrect the proposal and any lawmaker can attempt to amend budget bills when they reach the floors of their respective houses. Dr. Ed Clark, a pediatrician and professor in the University of Utah's Department of Pediatrics among other administrative roles, told the committee that Utah would lead the nation by conducting research that quantifies the prevalence of maternal cannabis use and using the data to design educational programs. "We propose an anonymous designed monitoring sample that would monitor 2,000 out of the 50,000 births in Utah, analyzing segments of umbilical cord, which are obtained at birth and discarded, for the presence of a range of substances including opioids and cannabis. That sample would be drawn from urban hospitals, rural hospitals, frontier locations and across a broad socioeconomic population range," he said. Committee members questioned why Daw's appropriation's request was titled "Study Adverse Effects of Cannabis." They also questioned why researchers would approach a study presupposing the impacts of cannabis use were adverse. "The reason that we would propose doing this, because were embarking on the cannabis for medical use. There are some who will obviously benefit but also potential adverse effects and we need to be able to have a system for tracking some of that," Clark said. "In some states, the availability of cannabis for medical use is associated with an increase of overall use within the population," he said. An umbilical cord study in 2010 showed the use of cannabis by expectant mothers in Utah was low, less than one-half of 1 percent. "Fast forward to 2017 and a phone survey by the Department of Health indicated that 10 percent of 18 to 34-year olds adults reported use of cannabis and that two-thirds of them did not perceive any harm from its use," Clark said. "Preliminary evidence suggests monitoring maternal cannabis use would help us inform and respond with appropriate public health education," he said. Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advise against the use of cannabis and cannabis-derived substances during pregnancy, he said. Committee member Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, said she had concerns whether the test subjects would be truly anonymous. "Im just concerned about the privacy of what goes on," she said. Rep. Melissa Ballard, R-North Salt Lake, supported the proposal, noting it was an opportunity to put "Utah at the forefront" of cannabis research. Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, who presented the request, said as Utah embarks on the use of medical cannabis, "the one thing we recognize is that theres not an awful lot of science about the effects, positive and negative, of cannabis on patients. "So as we embark on allowing medical cannabis to be used in the state, one of the critical elements to making sure that that program works is having new knowledge and understanding of those ramifications." SALT LAKE CITY If a drug dealer sells narcotics that cause a fatal overdose, that dealer can be charged in Utah with manslaughter or negligent homicide. It's a tool that has been available to prosecutors for some time, according to the Utah Attorney General's Office but it isn't widely used. Now some counties may be ready to give such cases a renewed look thanks to a recent conference presented by the National Association of Attorneys General. In January, a 19-year-old Hurricane man was charged in 5th District Court with negligent homicide, a class A misdemeanor, and drug distribution, a second-degree felony, for allegedly selling the heroin that a 20-year-old Washington City man overdosed on. The victim was found by his father in a shed near their home. The father later received information from one of his son's friends that Gadge Leelynd Christensen had sold him drugs, according to a search warrant filed in 5th District Court. Police went to Christensen's house and interviewed him. "During the interview, Gadge explained to detectives that he had been the one who had arranged and sold the heroin that the victim had used the night they overdosed," according to charging documents. "During the interview with Gadge, he stated that he knew heroin is deadly and had been killing people." Christensen was also charged in a separate case for drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia because of what investigators found in his room the day they interviewed him. He was already facing a charge of possession of marijuana at the time of his arrest. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap, who attended the attorneys general opioid investigation conference, said negligent homicide is the appropriate charge in the Christensen case, as the crime fit the facts of the investigation. Belnap said it's one more way his county is fighting the drug crisis. Last year, Washington County investigated 15 traffic deaths and two homicides, he said. During that same time there were 166 overdose cases, though not all of them resulted in deaths. "It's a significant public safety issue," he said. Washington County isn't the only place considering homicide charges for drug dealers. West Jordan police are also investigating a fatal overdose in which detectives are considering whether to arrest the victim's alleged dealer for manslaughter, according to a search warrant affidavit. As of Friday, the investigation was still active and no arrests had been made, police confirmed. On Dec. 30, a known drug dealer was found deceased of an apparent overdose, the warrant states. Investigators said they found drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine near the man's body. After checking the victim's phone, police discovered a conversation on Facebook Messenger with another man about buying methamphetamine, the warrant states. Investigators believe that man "recklessly provided the (victim) with the methamphetamine that took his life," according to the warrant. In November, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office filed a charge of manslaughter against David Oliver Glatzer, 42, for allegedly providing the drugs that killed a 16-year-old girl in 2016. Charging suspected drug dealers in connection with a drug user's death is not common, but also not unheard of. Utah assistant attorney general Scott Reed said drug overdose cases resulting in charges against the person who provided the drugs have been around for a while. But few counties are actively pursuing such charges, which is why the conference was held. Reed noted that the training session has become so popular across the nation that it took a full year to bring the conference to Utah because of scheduling conflicts. The key, he said, is putting law enforcers in the mindset that when responding to what looks like a routine overdose investigation, treat it as a possible murder investigation. He pointed to Carbon County which ranks in the top 10 in the country for per capita overdose deaths as a place where prosecutors are aggressively going after drug dealers. In 2017, the county had the highest rate of prescription overdose deaths in Utah, according to state health department data, and one of the highest rates of retail opioid prescriptions dispensed per 100 people nationwide, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Deputy Carbon County attorney Jeremy Humes said prosecuting drug dealers who cause fatal overdoses is "one of many tools" law enforcement can use. "I think that there needs to be some accountability for people who are distributing illegal substances that they know addicts are using in a way that will be dangerous and many people are ending up in fatal situations as a result of that," he said. Although the county has not filed such a case in a while, Humes said he'd be willing to prosecute one again under the right circumstances. But he said the county is also trying to focus on treatment and prevention efforts and reducing the stigma of addiction as a way of getting people help and reducing the crisis. Reed acknowledged prosecuting low-level drug dealers who cause fatal overdose deaths can be hard to prove and probably won't be filed with any frequency. One problem, Reed said, is that many drug users have more than one substance in their bodies when they overdose. Pinpointing the one drug that caused a death and finding the person who provided that drug isn't always easy, he said. That's why Reed wants to see new legislation, such as SB43, pass. The bill has been introduced by Utah lawmakers during this year's legislative session to go after professional drug dealers. The bill, if passed, would modify the penalties for drug distribution resulting in death. "The target of this is the people who are in organizations that thats what they do," he said. Reed said that doesn't just mean going after people who bring heroin from Mexico into Utah. It also means prosecuting those who distribute synthetic opioids and drugs such as fentanyl and pink. SALT LAKE CITY A businessman, an environmental activist and a recent congressional runner-up are among the 10 candidates vying to fill the Salt Lake County Council seat vacated by now-Mayor Jenny Wilson. One of the Democratic hopefuls will be elected to the open spot on the council Feb. 23 in a special meeting of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party's Central Committee. Here's a look at those who filed the paperwork by the deadline. The job opened up after Wilson left to succeed U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams after his election to Congress. Pamela Berry, a filmmaker and photographer, ran last year for the District 5 seat retained by incumbent Councilman Steve DeBry. Berry is an ambassador with the Murray Chamber of Commerce and legislative precinct chairwoman who wants to make a positive impact in the county, according to her online campaign profile. Josie Valdez, the former vice chairwoman for the Utah Democratic Party, says air quality, transportation, suicide and addiction are among her top priorities. Valdez previously ran for lieutenant governor and state Senate. She has volunteered with organizations supporting women, minorities and those with disabilities, among others. Valdez, who long worked with the U.S. Small Business Administration, says that if elected, she would put her expertise in economic development to work as the county plans for surging population growth. Nigel Swaby, a businessman and real estate agent, believes the most pressing issues in Salt Lake County include environmental quality, homelessness, criminal justice issues and jobs. He lives in Salt Lake City's Fairpark neighborhood and says he understands the challenges in the fast-growing part of the Salt Lake Valley. He is a columnist for the West View community newspaper and sits on the Fairpark Community Council. Paul Olsen, who worked on McAdams' campaign last year, says campaign finance reform is his main priority, in part because he believes it could bring to fruition progressive goals like universal health care and more reliance on renewable energy. Olsen has a master's degree from the University of Utah and says he would draw on his economics background if elected. Terry Marasco, an environmental lobbyist and educator, says economic growth must be balanced with people's health and well-being. He is the former interim director of Utah Moms for Clean Air and has also tutored inmates at the Salt Lake Metro Jail. Marasco believes his experience at various community and activist organizations would help the County Council work with neighboring counties to solve problems they share. Jeff Merchant, owner and operator of several small assisted-living homes throughout Utah, is among the hopefuls. He says he is committed to focusing on such issues such as air quality, affordability and access to mental health services. "I have learned from my time in politics and business that the local level is often the place with the most capacity to affect the quality of people's lives," Merchant said in a prepared statement. He is a former policy adviser for former U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and has practiced environmental law in Utah and Washington, D.C. Shireen Ghorbani says that if elected, she would put working families first and promote criminal justice reform, advocating mental health care and addiction treatment services instead jail time. Ghorbani, the Democratic nominee for Congress who ultimately lost to U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, says education and the environment are also priorities. A former Peace Corps volunteer, she leads the Rape Recovery Center's board. Darlene McDonald, a technology analyst for Oracle, says her work experience has helped her understand the importance of education in preparing students to compete in a global economy, according to her biography on the county Democrats' website. She is the outreach director for the Womens Democratic Club and is a mentor to underserved young women. McDonald says investments in technology, infrastructure and education are imperative to prepare for the 21st century. McDonald unsuccessfully ran last year for McAdams' seat. Stone Fonua, a retired police officer who in 2008 challenged Matheson for Congress, said he would advocate for lower costs associated with health care, transportation and other services. Fonua ran against Matheson as a Republican. Steven Burge also is running for the seat, describing himself as a compassionate and experienced leader. If elected, he would draw on his background in government and business, he said in a statement. Burge has previously been a Carbon County commissioner, and health and safety officer for the Utah company Savage Services. He also is an attorney and instructor with Utah State University's community extension initiative. UTAH STATE PRISON Sandra Kaye Chotia-Thompson said it started when she began taking prescribed pain medication for a bulging disc in her back. And then she became addicted. "Its the same story youve probably heard a thousand times. I went from buying it off the street. Then that didnt work. I ended up on the heroin. And that rapidly gets out of control, she said in a recording of her most recent parole hearing from the Utah State Prison. "I was severely addicted to drugs." It was during that period of addiction when she met Kelly Fay Simons, 38, and the two women began a series of aggravated robberies throughout the Wasatch Front. At the time, police believed the women could be tied to six to nine robberies. The duo's crime spree came to a head on Jan. 5, 2013, when they committed an armed robbery at Scaddy's Restaurant, 5430 S. 900 East. One of the women was disguised as a man during the incident. Less than 20 minutes later, a Murray police officer spotted the same suspects about to enter a Family Dollar store at 6150 S. 1300 East. The officer ran after the women and shots were exchanged during the chase. No one was injured. Four days later, a Joint Criminal Apprehension Team officer spotted Simons driving near Liberty Park at 974 S. 740 East. During an ensuing confrontation, Simons was shot and killed as she tried to flee from police. Chotia-Thompson was arrested a few hours later. Chotia-Thompson was convicted of attempted aggravated murder and aggravated robbery and was sentenced to up to life in prison. On Feb. 5, she went before a member of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole for the second time. The full five-member board, in a rare move, granted parole a few days after Chotia-Thompson's hearing. Typically, the board takes several weeks to reach a decision. She is scheduled to be released April 9. Chotia-Thompson was well spoken and alert during her hearing, and eager to point out her many accomplishments since being incarcerated, including earning a 4.0 GPA on her recent college courses. She has also been saving money she has earned while in prison to pay restitution when she is released. She said she has even agreed to pay restitution for crimes she was never charged with. "I interviewed with the police at length and made them aware of all the criminal activity, even the things they didnt know about in the interest of setting things right as best I can, she said. When asked how she got to the point in her life where she was committing armed robberies, Chotia-Thompson said becoming addicted to heroin made her desperate. She also said she started hanging out with people, including Simons, who were not her normal crowd. Over the next several years, she said she fell victim to a "slow eroding of my connections and self confidence." "It didnt happen overnight. It was six years in that relationship to being a normal, responsible tax paying, working adult to what I was when I was committing these crimes, she said. Today, Chotia-Thopmpson said she takes medication for depressive disorder in addition to taking and teaching many classes. She teaches anger management class, tutors other inmates in their studies, and works with local churches. She also wants to make up for the things she did. "I'm at peace with the situation. Im doing everything that I can here to contribute back to society in ways that are available to me now, she said. "Youve worked hard, there's no doubt about that," board member Anglea Micklos, who conducted the hearing, acknowledged to Chotia-Thompson. SALT LAKE CITY It looks like the Carlton dance will stay on Fortnite after all. The brief: Alfonso Ribeiro, the actor who played Carlton on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was refused copyright of the Carlton dance this week, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The U.S. Copyright Office said the dance wasnt a registrable work. "Upon review of the material deposited for registration, we must refuse registration (of the dance) because the work submitted for registration is a simple dance routine, the office said in a letter, according to THR. "As such, it is not registrable as a choreographic work." The decision comes after Ribeiro and a number of other celebrities filed lawsuits against Fortnite for allegedly stealing their dance moves and trademarks for in-game dances called emotes, which I wrote about for the Deseret News. Bigger picture: The keyword in the letter is simple, according to Eurogamer. To register a choreographic work it has to be substantial. Simple routines or social dance steps think the basic waltz step or second position in ballet aren't protectable, according to Eurogamer. The U.S. Copyright Office outlined the dance in its letter and said the dance itself is simple enough that anyone could do it. "The dancer sways their hips as they step from side to side, while swinging their arms in an exaggerated manner. "In the second dance step, the dancer takes two steps to each side while opening and closing their legs and their arms in unison. "In the final step, the dancer's feet are still and they lower one hand from above their head to the middle of their chest while fluttering their fingers." "The combination of these three dance steps is a simple routine that is not registerable as a choreographic work," the office said in its letter. "Accordingly, your application for registration is refused." As The Verge puts it, In other words, even if Ribeiros dance was unique and distinctive, its not protected by copyright. The rejection could put an end to Ribeiros filed lawsuits against Epic and Take-Two Games. And it could impact rapper 2 Millys lawsuit over his dance, which he alleges Epic used in Fortnite, too. SALT LAKE CITY Chris Pratt is denying that he attends a church that has been criticized as being anti-LGBTQ,according to CNN. Pratt said on Instagram Tuesday: "It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which 'hates a certain group of people' and is 'infamously anti-LGBTQ.' "Nothing could be further from the truth," he wrote. "I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone." Chris Pratt just posted this on his instagram story addressing his church. pic.twitter.com/eiEg4ICnXi uncle jen (@tardypartypeter) February 11, 2019 Pratts post came after actress Ellen Page asked on Twitter why Pratt wasnt being asked about his church, which, she said, is infamously anti-lgbtq. So maybe address that too, she said. Oh. K. Um. But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too? https://t.co/meg8m69FeF Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 8, 2019 Page, who married her wife last year, later tweeted: "If you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don't be surprised if someone simply wonders why it's not addressed. "Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there aren't two sides," she tweeted. "The damage it causes is severe." If you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, dont be surprised if someone simply wonders why its not addressed. Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there arent two sides. The damage it causes is severe. Full stop. Sending love to all Ellen Page (@EllenPage) February 9, 2019 Pratt said in his Instagram post that his church has helped him throughout his life. "Despite what the Bible says about divorce, my church community was there for me every step of the way, never judging, just gracefully accompanying me on my walk, he wrote on Instagram. "They helped me tremendously offering love and support. It is what I have seen them do for others on countless occasions regardless of sexual orientation, race or gender. "Jesus said, 'I give you a new command, love one another,'" he added. "This is what guides me in my life. He is a God of Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness. Hate has no place in my or this world." Flashback: Questions surrounding Pratt and his faith started after he appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert last week, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He said he went through a 21-day Daniel Fast that he participated in with his church. "Daniel was a guy who only ate fruits, vegetables and grains," he said. Pratt currently attends the Zoe Church, which is modeled after Hillsong Church, which was founded in Australia, according to Fox News. Pratt has also attended Hillsong Church in the past, according to Variety. Christine Flowers is an attorney and Delaware County resident. Her column appears every Sunday, and occasionally other days. Email her at cflowers1961@gmail.com. Triggering a bitter political slugfest between the ruling Cong-JD(S) coalition and the opposition BJP, the budget whipped up a political debate with its biased allocation of funds to various Assembly constituencies. The decision to provide MLAs (Assembly constituencies) with grants ignoring the corporators has left several BBMP corporators with a lot of heartburn. Terming it highly discriminatory, Opposition leader Padmanabha Reddy lashed out at the BBMP saying the Mayor has been trying her best to favour the leaders of one particular party. Even though the budget has allocated funds to all the 28 Assembly constituencies, several assembly seats have been carefully chosen and provided with bigger grants. Substantiating the oppositions claim, Jayanagar (Sowmya Ramalinga Reddy) constituency has been provided with Rs 15 crore while the adjoining BTM Layout (Ramalinga Reddy) has been provided Rs 10 crore. Interestingly both the constituencies have been held by the father-daughter duo with whom the Mayor is said to be close. Similarly, the assembly seats represented by other Congress MLAs have all been provided with just Rs 5 crore each. In sharp contrast, those areas represented by the BJP leaders have been given a meagre Rs 2 and 3 crore. The BJP councillors protested in the well of the council against the budget presentation citing the biased allocation of funds. According to Padmanabha Reddy, the budget has allocated Rs 15 to 20 crore to the Congress and JD(S) ruled constituencies like Jayanagar, BTM Layout, and Mahalaxmi Layout and the BJP constituencies and wards have given funds of Rs 2 to 3 crore only. Rejecting the allegations, mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said the allocations have been made based on demand. Spot allocation from the mayor grants and discretionary funds of Rs 906.24 crore, will be immediately sanctioned, she said. The expenditure of this budget is 10,688.63 crore, but the BBMPs source of revenue is around Rs 6,000 crore. This is estimate budget and they will not implement most of the projects, Padmanabha Reddy told DH. The BBMP has the burden of Rs 25,000 crore. All 198 wards pay tax but this budget has only allocated funds to the Congress and JD(S) ruled constituency and wards. This shows the biased nature of ruling coalition parties, criticised Reddy. Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman praised the unveiling of a new indigenously developed brain survey device as a sign that the Make in India campaign is not a futile venture. Stereotactic frame technology, which when fixed to a human head, allows neurosurgeons to carry out minimally invasive but precise brain surgery within 1 mm of the target area, including excising deep-rooted tumors, currently costs Rs 1.2 to 1.6 crores per unit, because they are imported from the United States and Europe. The high cost makes it prohibitively expensive for small and medium-scale hospitals to own, with the end result that costs of treatment are out of the reach of most Indians. To make Stereotactic surgery more accessible to Indians, two Bangalore-based biomedical engineers, Sadashiva Bhat and his son, Sharath, developed an indigenously developed frame, building on 25 year-of research. Their company, Mahalasa Medical Technology, is prepared to sell its version of the Stereotactic frame to hospitals at costs of between Rs 20 to 25 lakhs per unit. Dr. N. K. Venkataramana, founder and chief surgeon of Brains Hospital, said that the new model will help reduce the costs of treatment for Indians suffering from Parkinsons Disease, heightened epilepsy and chronic depression. However, as ingenious as the device is, it is still reliant on a specialized battery imported from overseas. If we succeed in manufacturing the battery here in India, the cost of the frame will go down further, he added. Using military terms to ally neurosurgery with national defense out of a gesture of inclusivity to Ms Sitharaman, Dr. Ventakaraman described both brain surgery and the Ministry of Defense as being concerned with the business of safety the Ministry with safety of the national body, and neurosurgery with the safety of the individual. He described the previously out of bounds areas of the brain, which traditional brain surgery had the capacity to damage, as being a no-fly zone. As evidence of the Stereotactic frames capabilities, he showed a video of a test subject, a 60-year-old native of Tamil Nadu with severe Parkinsons disease, who could not sit or stand still despite being on the strongest medication. Following stereotactic, frame-assisted surgery, the man was shown as being cured and capable of normal movement. C. S. Sunder Raju, the millionaire business tycoon and Managing Director of ACT Fibrenet, who is an investor in the project, said that he was astounded to see how effective the frame was. Watching the video gave me an insight into what this kind of technology means for the common man, he said. Ms. Sitharaman, who was initially hesitant to be associated with the project, was similarly impressed. I had severe hesitations about being affiliated with this technology, because I have no real connection to the project, she said. But after this presentation, I see that it was relevant for me to be here. The relevance of this product is a surge to India on so many levels. She described the individuals responsible for its engineering as enterprising Indians who are as a full of ingenuity as they are hardworking, but explained that what India lacks are enough fundas to support other, similar ventures. She praised Bangalore for possessing, what she described as three necessary ingredients of success, which had resulted in such a technological breakthrough wonderful engineers, imaginative medical personnel and hardworking entrepreneurs. It is clear, that at least here, Make in India is not a futile venture, she said. Ms Sitharaman took a jab at media houses which she said too often focus on the political horserace, often at the cost of other, more important stories. Breakthroughs such as this Stereotactic frame are stories of India we need to propagate with gusto because such things enrich our lives, she said. Mr. Raju expressed confidence that such breakthroughs have the capability of offering India Strategic depth in the realm of life-science technology. He offered the example of Israel, which while having little capital to invest, focused on two industries armaments and agri-tech. Now, Israel is a world leader in these two areas. India now has a similar opportunity before it, he said. Pakistan has called for UN intervention to "defuse tensions" with India in the wake of the Pulwama attack. (Photo:ANI) Islamabad: Pakistan has called for UN intervention to "defuse tensions" with India in the wake of the Pulwama attack, which left 40 CRPF men dead. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," a letter by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the ghastly attack, which has been condemned by the international community. The United States has told Pakistan to stop providing safe haven and support to terror outfits. The letter said that there exists a "threat of use of force against Pakistan by India". "The Pulwama attack on Indian Central Reserve Police Force was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident of Indian Occupied Kashmir. Attributing it to Pakistan even before investigations is absurd," it claimed. The letter also asked Guterres to "consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down". Condemning the Pulwama attack, Afghanistan had said it was a "copy-paste of what Pakistan-backed terror groups" did in their soil. "The heinous act of terror in Kashmir has all the hallmarks of a common source & sponsor of terrorism in our region. It is a copy paste of what Pakistan backed terror groups do in Afghanistan. We condemn the attack & convey our condolences to Indian people," Amrullah Saleh, the acting Minister of Interior of Afghanistan, had tweeted. India called its High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, back to New Delhi for consultations - a move which was mirrored by Pakistan, who called back their High Commissioner to India, Sohail Mahmood on February 18, "for consultations". New Delhi issued a strong demarche to Islamabad in connection with the Pulwama attack, conveying that Pakistan must take immediate and verifiable actions against JeM, which operates from its soil. India has rejected any third party intervention in the Kashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally. (Representational Photo) Islamabad: Pakistan has sought the UN's urgent intervention to "defuse tensions" with India, the Foreign Office said on Tuesday, following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed. On February 14, at least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, seeking his help to reduce the tensions between the two countries, Pakistan Foreign Office said. "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India," Qureshi wrote in the letter. India has rejected any third party intervention in the Kashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally. Qureshi, in his letter, said the Pulwama attack on Indian CRPF soldiers was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident. He said attributing the attack to Pakistan even before investigations was absurd. He alleged that for domestic political reasons, India deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment. Qureshi wrote that India has also hinted that it may abandon the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that it would be a grievous error. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," Qureshi said. He said India must be asked to conduct an open and credible investigation in the terror attack. "You may also consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down," he wrote. The foreign minister requested that the letter should be circulated to members of the Security Council and General Assembly. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the UN to intervene in Kashmir. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also sought the US' intervention, saying America was the "most relevant" party to get involved in Kashmir issue. The US, however, has time and again reiterated that it is for India and Pakistan to discuss and decide on the pace and scope of their bilateral relationship. Iran has repeatedly blamed Pakistan for sheltering militants connected with attacks in the border area, although Tuesdays remarks appear to be the first time Tehran has said Pakistani citizens were directly involved in the attack. (Photo: AP) Geneva: The man who carried out a suicide bombing which killed 27 members of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards near the border with Pakistan last week was Pakistani, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said on Tuesday, according to the Tasnim news agency. One other member of the militant cell that planned the attack was also a Pakistani citizen, the head of the Guards ground forces, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said. Iran has repeatedly blamed Pakistan for sheltering militants connected with attacks in the border area, although Tuesdays remarks appear to be the first time Tehran has said Pakistani citizens were directly involved in the attack. Iran also accuses regional rival Saudi Arabia of promoting violence among members of Irans Sunni Muslim minority. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia deny any role in attacks in Iran. Three Iranians from Sistan and Baluchistan province in southeast Iran were also part of the cell and two of them have been arrested, according to Pakpour. The guards announced three arrests in the case on Monday. The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for ethnic minority Baluchis in eastern Iran claimed responsibility for the attack. Today Saudi Arabia is the heart of evil in the region and the world, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the deputy head of the Guards, said on Tuesday at a ceremony commemorating those killed in the attack, according to the Fars news agency. The Pope has called a four-day meeting of bishops this week to discuss the escalating sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the church worldwide. Rome: The Vatican has confirmed that it has issued general guidelines on priests breaking celibacy vows and fathering children. I can confirm that these guidelines exist, the Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti wrote to The New York Times in response to a query. It is an internal document. Its the next scandal, the paper quoted Vincent Doyle, a psychotherapist in Ireland, born to a Roman Catholic priest whom he believed as his godfather, who's created a global support group to help children of priests suffering from the internalised shame that comes with being born from church scandal, as saying. There are kids everywhere. The Pope has called a four-day meeting of bishops this week to discuss the escalating sexual abuse scandal that has plagued the church worldwide. More people are coming out in the open throughout the world, including India, with tales of such abuse. "There will be nuns sexually assaulted by priests. And there will be children of priests, who is scheduled to meet privately in Rome with several prominent prelates," the report says. For the church, stories like Mr Doyles draw uncomfortable attention to the violation of celibacy by priests and, for some former clerics and liberals inside the church, raise the issue of whether it is time to make the requirement optional, as it is in other Christian churches." The comments by newly-appointed Israeli envoy Dr Ron Malka came in response to a question on up to what extent Jerusalem will go to help India. (File Photo) New Delhi: Israel has offered unconditional help to India in defending itself, especially against terrorism, asserting that "there is no limit" to its assistance, an assurance which assumes significance amid demands that the government should consider Israeli-type retaliation to terror strikes. The comments by newly-appointed Israeli envoy Dr Ron Malka came in response to a question on up to what extent Jerusalem will go to help India which has been a victim of terrorism. Last Thursday, in one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM killed 40 CRPF personnel after which there have been growing demands that the government should explore Israeli-type anti-terror operations. Israeli military is known for its precise and quick strikes. "Whatever India needs to defend itself there is no limit. We are here to help our close friend India to defend itself specially against terrorism because terrorism is the problem of the world and not only of India and Israel," Malka told PTI in an interview early last week. Emphasising that the world should fight terrorism and eliminate it by collaborating, he said, "So, we help India, share our knowledge, share our technique because we really want to help our really important friend." The 52-year old Malka, who was in Israeli military service from where he retired with the rank of Full Colonel, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him that India was a very "important partner, very important friend and he wants to collaborate to enhance ties and deepen them....to share our knowledge." He further said that by strengthening India, Israel was contributing to the world stability and sustainability because India has a very important role in the world stability. "We are just doing it to make the world a better place to live..." After the Pulwama attack, Malka had also tweeted that "Israel strongly condemns the terror attack in #Pulwama and stands by our Indian friends during this difficult hour. We send our deepest condolences to the CPRF and their families, the people of India and the Indian government following the terrible #KashmirTerrorAttack ." Washington: Sixteen US States have sued US President Donald Trump over his plan to declare a national emergency to get funding for his controversial wall along the border with Mexico, saying he has veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making. The lawsuit came after Trump on Friday declared that he would spend billions of dollars more on border barriers than Congress had granted him. The National Emergencies Act allows the President to declare a national emergency and unlock a stash of funds by invoking certain statutory authority. The coalition of 16 states in their lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration's emergency declaration and diversion of funds is unconstitutional and otherwise unlawful. The states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia. The suit, filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco, argues that the president does not have the power to divert funds for constructing a wall along the Mexican border because it is Congress that controls spending. "President Trump has veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making. For years, President Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to build a wall across the United States-Mexico border," reads the suit. The dispute stems from steps Trump said he would take after lawmakers granted him only USD 1.375 billion for new border barriers, legislation he signed last week to avoid another government shutdown. The fund is far short of the USD 5.7 billion Trump had initially requested. Trump asserted the power to tap three additional pots of money on his own: USD 600 million from a Treasury Department asset forfeiture fund for law enforcement priorities; about USD 2.5 billion from a military antidrug account, most of which would first be siphoned from other military programs the Pentagon has yet to identify, and USD 3.6 billion in military construction funds he said he could redirect by invoking an emergency-powers statute. Trump declared the national emergency to fulfil his 2016 presidential campaign promise to "build a wall" on the US-Mexico border, which he calls "a major entry point for criminals, gang members, and illicit narcotics". The lawsuit file on Monday seeks to block the Trump administration's emergency declaration, the unauthorised construction of the border wall, and any illegal diversion of Congressionally-appropriated funds, a media release said. The states allege that the Trump administration's action exceeds the power of the executive office, violates the US Constitution and federal statutes, and would illegally and unconstitutionally divert federal funds appropriated by Congress for other purposes. The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to block the emergency declaration, the construction of the wall, and any illegal diversion of congressionally-appropriated funds. White House officials said they believe they can unlock an additional USD 6.6 billion through the emergency declaration and other budget maneuvers. The White House believes the money would allow the administration to build at least 234 miles of the border wall. "President Trump is manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up 'national emergency' in order to seize power and undermine the Constitution," said California Governor Gavin Newsom. "This 'emergency' is a national disgrace. Rather than focusing on fighting the real vulnerabilities facing Americans, the President is using the powers of America's highest office to fan the flames of nativism and xenophobia. Our message to the White House is clear: California will not be part of this political theater. We will see you in court," he said. President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt, charged California Attorney general Xavier Becerra. "He knows there is no border crisis, he knows his emergency declaration is unwarranted, and he admits that he will likely lose this case in court. He is willing to manipulate the Office of the Presidency to engage in unconstitutional theatre performed to convince his audience that he is committed to his 'beautiful' border wall," he said. The complaint alleges that the Trump administration's action declaring a national emergency due to a purported border crisis is unlawful and unconstitutional. "President Trump's hyped crisis is a pretext to justify redirecting congressionally-appropriated funds to pay to build a wall along the southern border after he failed to get Congress or Mexico to pay for it. The facts do not support President Trump's rhetoric or his declaration," a media release said. "Unlawful southern border entries are at their lowest point in 20 years, immigrants are less likely than native-born citizens to commit crimes, and illegal drugs are more likely to come through official ports of entry. There is no credible evidence to suggest that a border wall would decrease crime rates," it said. National emergencies can last for one year and then terminate, unless the president renews the declaration 90 days prior, said Robert Chesney, who served in the Justice Department and teaches at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Every six months, Congress can consider whether to put forward a joint resolution to terminate the emergency. According to the Brennan Center, there have been 58 national emergencies between 1978 and 2018. Of those, 31 are still in effect today. ... The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. (File Photo) Washington: Hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered in various US cities to mourn the killing of over 40 Indian soldiers in one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. At least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on February 14 in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. Expressing their outrage, hundreds of Indian-Americans gathered at the 9/11 memorial on the outskirts of Chicago on Sunday and urged that all nations need to stand together with India and the US in their fight against those carrying out such "heinous crimes". In a joint resolution read out on the occasion, the participants held peaceful candle light protest in Naperville, Illinois and called upon Pakistan to "end immediately" support to all terrorist groups operating from its soil. "We mourn the loss of 40 Indian security personnel at the hands of terrorists. This was an act of terror, an act of pure evil. We must be firm in the face of evil and terror," said Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in his address. "The threat of terrorism is not stronger than either the will of the Indian people, the American people or the people of the world. Our will is stronger. We will deal firmly with terrorism. We will deal firmly with sponsors of terrorism. In this year of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we will continue to be people of nonviolence, peace and we will continue to open our arms to those who seek to engage with us peacefully," he said. "We will defend ourselves, but we will not change our own character," Krishnamoorthi said. Similar events were held in Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Detroit, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix. Participants of the candle light protest urged the Indian government "to take steps to severely punish" the JeM and other terrorist organisations. Expressing solidarity with people of India and with the government, the diaspora demanded that the UN designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist. Today the Indian community is grieving for those who have been killed and wounded in this inhuman attack, said Krishna Bansal, one of the organisers. The Naperville event was organised by the Indian Community Outreach Organization. As many as four events have been organised in and around Chicago area, which has one of the largest concentrations of Indian-Americans in the US. Later this week, the Indian-American community has organised a peaceful protest outside Pakistani and Chinese communities in Chicago. Similar events were reported from other cities of the country. Indian students in the University of Maryland in a statement said that they "strongly condemn this dastardly attack and mourn the loss of life and extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and people of India". As a mark of solidarity and respect to the slain soldiers, various student organisations in the university have come together to organise a silent candle light vigil on February 21. Several temples in the Greater Washington Area held prayer meetings for the victims of the Pulwama terrorist attack. Scores of Indian-Americans gathered in front of the US Capitol Sunday morning in support of India and to express their outrage at the continuing support to terrorist groups by Pakistan. "We gathered on the lawns of Capitol Hill to offer our Shraddhanjali to martyred Heroes of Pulwama Terrorist Attack," said Adapa Prasad from the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA. "The Indian Diaspora has profusely thanked President Trump's and his administration's unequivocal stand against terrorism which is emanating from Pakistan. The community also expressed gratitude and thanked the National Security Advisor John Bolton's statement on Indian's right to self-defense and help India in these difficult times," said Krishna Reddy of the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA. A prayer meeting in memory of the slain soldiers is being planned in Edison, New Jersey. . Google has already started taking steps in this direction by reducing recommendations of content that could misinform people. (Photo: Pixabay) Scientists spent quite a lot of time into making the world believe that the Earth is not flat but spherical. In the modern times, YouTube is kind of undoing their hard work by giving a rise to the flat Earth believers. Asheley Landrum, assistant professor of science communication at Texas Tech University, decided to look into the rise of flat Earth theory. She interviewed 30 people who attended a flat Earth convention and found that all but one became flat Earthers after watching videos on YouTube, Cnet reported. The professor did not explicitly blame YouTube for the rise in flat Earth believers but did believe Google needs to do more to stop the spread of misinformation. The search giant acknowledged in the past that more needs to be done when it comes to combating misinformation. Google has already started taking steps in this direction by reducing recommendations of content that could misinform people. Meanwhile, Landrum is calling on scientists to use the same medium of YouTube to communicate the right information to the audience. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Meng was charged with bank and wire fraud to violate American sanctions against Iran. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said that the arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, was politically motivated. Firstly, I object to what the US has done. This kind of politically motivated act is not acceptable, Ren told the BBC in an interview. Canada arrested Meng on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States. Meng was charged with bank and wire fraud to violate American sanctions against Iran. The US Justice Department denied the charges were politically motivated. The Justice Departments criminal case against Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou is based solely on the evidence and the law. The Department pursues cases free of any political interference and follows the evidence and rule of law in pursuing criminal charges, spokeswoman Nicole Navas said in an email to Reuters. Huawei, along with another Chinese network equipment company, ZTE Corp, has been accused by the United States of working at the behest of the Chinese government. The United States has said their equipment could be used to spy on Americans. Huawei has repeatedly denied the claims. Commenting on the spying concerns, the Huawei founder reiterated that the company will never undertake any spying activities. Huawei, the worlds biggest producer of telecoms equipment, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with the Chinese government and allegations of enabling state espionage, with the United States calling for its allies not to use its technology. Ren said the company could downsize to weather such attempts by the United States. The world cannot leave us because we are more advanced. Even if they (US) persuade more countries not to use us temporarily, we can always scale things down a bit, he added. In comments on a potential ban in the UK, Ren said it would not make the company withdraw its UK investments, adding that it will shift its investments to the UK from the United States if US actions against Huawei continue. We will invest even more in the UK. Because if the US doesnt trust us, then we will shift our investment from the US to the UK on an even bigger scale, Ken told the BBC. Reuters reported earlier on Monday that British security officials do not support a full ban of Huawei from national telecoms networks despite US allegations against the Chinese firm. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Facebook rejected the suggestion it had breached data protection and competition laws, and said it shared the committees concerns about false news and election integrity. Facebook intentionally breached data privacy and competition law and should, along with other big tech companies, be subject to a new regulator to protect democracy and citizens rights, British lawmakers said on Monday. In a damning report that singled out Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for what it said was a failure of leadership and personal responsibility, the British parliaments Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee said tech firms had proved ineffective in stopping harmful content on their platforms. This included disinformation, attempts by foreign countries to influence elections, and risks to personal data. We need a radical shift in the balance of power between the platforms and the people, committee chairman Damian Collins said. Collins said the age of inadequate self-regulation must end, following an 18-month investigation that concluded Facebook had intentionally and knowingly violated both data privacy and anti-competition laws. The rights of the citizen need to be established in statute, by requiring the tech companies to adhere to a code of conduct written into law by Parliament, and overseen by an independent regulator, he said. Facebook rejected the suggestion it had breached data protection and competition laws, and said it shared the committees concerns about false news and election integrity. We are open to meaningful regulation and support the committees recommendation for electoral law reform, Facebooks UK public policy manager Karim Palant said. We also support effective privacy legislation that holds companies to high standards in their use of data and transparency for users. Lawmakers in Europe and the United States are scrambling to get to grips with the risks posed by big tech companies regulating the platforms used by billions of people. Germany has been at the forefront of the backlash against Facebook, fueled by last years Cambridge Analytica scandal in which tens of millions of Facebook profiles were harvested without their users consent. Earlier this month, it ordered Facebook to curb its data collection practices in the country. US senator Marco Rubio introduced a bill last month aimed at giving Americans more control over data collected by online companies like Facebook and Alphabets Google. The British committee does not propose legislation, but does have the power to summon witnesses for its investigations. ZUCKERBERG NO SHOW Facebook became the focus of its inquiry after whistleblower Christopher Wylie alleged that political consultancy Cambridge Analytica had obtained the data of millions of users of the social network. Zuckerberg apologized last year for a breach of trust over the scandal. But he refused to appear three times before British lawmakers, a stance that showed contempt toward parliament and the members of nine legislatures from around the world, the committee said. We believe that in its evidence to the committee Facebook has often deliberately sought to frustrate our work, by giving incomplete, disingenuous and at times misleading answers to our questions, Collins said. Mark Zuckerberg continually fails to show the levels of leadership and personal responsibility that should be expected from someone who sits at the top of one of the worlds biggest companies. Facebook, however, said it had cooperated with the investigation by answering more than 700 questions and putting forward four senior executives to give evidence. It said it had made substantial changes, including the authorization of every political advert, and it was investing heavily in identifying abusive content. While we still have more to do, we are not the same company we were a year ago, Palant said. The committee said it had identified major threats to society from the dominance of companies such as Facebook - which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram - Google and Twitter. Democracy was at risk from the malicious and relentless targeting of citizens with disinformation and personalized adverts from unidentifiable sources, they said, and social media platforms were failing to act against harmful content and respect the privacy of users. Companies like Facebook were also using their size to bully smaller firms that relied on social media platforms to reach customers, it added. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Tension rose this month after Australia rescinded the visa of a prominent Chinese businessman, just months after barring Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies from supplying equipment to its 5G broadband network. (Photo: AP) A cyber attack on Australian lawmakers that breached the networks of major political parties was probably carried out by a foreign government, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday but did not name any suspects. As Australia heads for an election due by May, lawmakers were told this month told to urgently change their passwords after the cyber intelligence agency detected an attack on the national parliaments computer network. The hackers breached the networks of major political parties, Morrison said, as he issued an initial assessment by investigators. Our cyber experts believe that a sophisticated state actor is responsible for this malicious activity, he told parliament. We also became aware that the networks of some political parties, Liberal, Labor and Nationals have also been affected. Morrison did not reveal what information was accessed, but he said there was no evidence of election interference. Investors are still securing local networks, said Alastair MacGibbon, head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the government department responsible for online security. Our political institutions represent high-value targets, MacGibbon told reporters in the capital, Canberra. We will continue to work with our friends and colleagues, both here and overseas, to work out who is behind it and hopefully their intent. Analysts have said China, Russia and Iran were the most likely culprits. When you consider motivation, you would have to say that China is the leading suspect, while you wouldnt rule out Russia either, said Fergus Hanson, head of the International Cyber Policy Centre at think-tank the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. It is the honey pot of juicy political gossip that has been hoovered up. Emails showing everything from the dirty laundry of internal fights through to who supported a policy could be on display. Ties with China have deteriorated since 2017 after Canberra accused Beijing of meddling in its domestic affairs. Both countries have since sought to mend relations, but Australia remains wary of China. Tension rose this month after Australia rescinded the visa of a prominent Chinese businessman, just months after barring Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies from supplying equipment to its 5G broadband network. Officers of Russias GRU military intelligence agency covertly monitored computers of US Democratic candidate, Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign and campaign committees, and stole large amounts of data, US investigators have concluded. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The deaths of 44-plus CRPF jawans in the suicide bombing in Pulwama last week raises many questions and changes many things in Jammu and Kashmir. The anguish and outrage at the suicide bombing has been voiced and felt across the nation. The social media is full of demands for tough retaliatory action. There is need for this rhetoric to cool as the government weighs its options and considers its actions. Some, like the withdrawal of MFN status to Pakistan, are unlikely to make much of a difference. Low intensity cross-border action has been attempted (and even owned up) before by this government; but it clearly achieved little. There remains the risk of an escalation in a situation that is already tense and volatile. All parties have come on one page to condemn terrorism in all forms and the support being given to it from across the border. But the coming Lok Sabha elections add a new dynamic to the situation and will influence the way the conversation pans out in the coming months. Meanwhile, a lot of diplomatic work remains to be done in getting the international community to name Masood Azhar, the founder and leader of the UN-designated terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed, as a terrorist who must be brought to justice. The JeM was declared a terrorist organisation by the US state department way back, precisely on December 26, 2001. Britain had proscribed it even earlier, in March 2001, and followed it up by banning its splinter group Khuddam Ul-Islam in October 2005. Nothing much has clearly moved on that front. Amid the terrible turn of events, reports of attacks on Kashmiri traders and students across India are very disturbing. A series of reports have been flowing in on the social media over the last few days. Not all of them are true. The CRPF has officially denied at least one alleged incident in Dehradun. On the other hand, Omar Abdullah, former J&K chief minister, has met Union home minister Rajnath Singh to express concern about the intimidation of Kashmiris. He has asked for a nodal officer to be appointed to respond to the threats to Kashmiris. The home ministry for its part lost no time in issuing an advisory to all states and Union territories to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiris across the nation. Targeting Kashmiris who have nothing to do with terrorism or the attack on security forces in their home state is precisely the kind of divide that the terrorists would like to see. This is playing right into the hands of those who wish to break the country, and build the narrative of a nation divided. What is required, therefore, is some cool heads and calm thinking. Matters have also turned worse with false propaganda that is being directed to incite passions. As the CRPF itself has pointed out in an advisory: It has been noticed that on social media some miscreants are trying to circulate fake pictures of the body parts of our martyrs to invoke hatred while we stand united. Please do not circulate/share/like such photographs or posts. In fact, the CRPF moved fast to curb misinformation, and publicised its helplines to help reporting of attacks against Kashmiris elsewhere. In Kashmir, there has been much talk of the BJPs muscular policy. About 10 days before the Pulwama attack, the Prime Minister spent a day in the state, and met newly elected sarpanchs. At a gathering in Srinagar, he said: We will tackle every terrorist in a befitting way. We will break the backbone of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and fight it with all our might. This was a reiteration of the BJPs muscular approach that has been in play for some time, fitting into the narrative it offered when breaking the alliance with then chief minister Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples Democratic Party in June last year. Yet, the approach has coincided with rising violence, more terror attacks and the alienation of the people. After the Prime Ministers address in J&K on February 3, the states political parties were highly critical. Just a day before the Pulwama attack, Ms Mufti held a press conference to criticise what she called the BJPs hideous agenda through the governor, who now runs the administration. Her exact words: We acted as a major hurdle for the BJP to implement its agenda in Jammu and Kashmir. However, since the time it toppled the democratically elected government, the party is trying to rule the state through the governor and is making strenuous efforts to alienate the Muslims of the state. If these statements tell us anything, it is about the slide in the siuation in innumerable ways that have raised the hackles of people. Violence has been on the rise and in many ways far worse in the last year. The number of terrorist-linked incidents was reported at 614 in 2018, almost three times than those in 2014 and 2015. The total number of terrorists killed in 2014 was 110. In 2018, 257 were killed. But the death toll of civilians and security forces killed also rose from 75 in 2014 to 129 in 2018, according to figures submitted by the government to the Lok Sabha. It would appear that the rough and tough approach offered by the BJP is not working too well. The swift developments after the Pulwama attack and the focus on the nature of the response runs the risk of India failing to ask some hard questions on its intelligence methods and mechanisms in J&K. This is clearly a massive failure of intelligence. Those at the helm must be made accountable. Some tough questions must be asked on how a massive collection of arms was put together in a village and let loose so easily by a very young attacker. If this is the nature of attacks to follow, it changes the picture in Kashmir it will make every citizen suspect, every vehicle a source of trouble, and make handling the situation that much more difficult. Even though it is difficult to prevent every attack, there should be some capacity to have credible intelligence inputs. These are difficult times, but we must not shy away from asking difficult questions. Given the huge budget for intelligence, we can and must do better. Finally, the freedom given to the security forces to act is not freedom to make the lives of ordinary people more difficult. Great care must be taken not to alienate ordinary Kashmiris. They are the worst sufferers in this endless cycle of violence and nobody has a greater stake in peace than the ordinary people who simply want to be allowed to live and go about their lives in this cruel weather. The writer is a journalist and a faculty member at SPJIMR, and founder-editor of The Billion Press. The views expressed here are personal Bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh have blossomed into a full-fledged, broad-based relationship that has broken new ground over the past decade. Weeks after Sheikh Hasinas government was re-elected for a third term, Bangladesh foreign minister A.K. Abdul Momen was in New Delhi for his first foreign visit. Aside from signing three memoranda of understanding on linking Indian and Bangladeshi government departments and other institutions, the Rohingya issue was the most important subject that the Bangladeshi minister wanted to discuss with Indian leaders. Dr Momen sought Indias support for the repatriation of Rohingya refuges during his meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma. The Bangladeshi leader floated a proposal to create a safe haven in Myanmars Rakhine province for the return of the refugees, which could be monitored by the regional powers, including India, China and the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries. According to the foreign minister, India and China, which have good relations with Myanmar, would be in a position to persuade the government there to agree to the proposal. Though Mr Momen spoke of the Rohingya issue to Prime Minister Modi, it was not mentioned in the Indian statement issued after the meeting. Nor did his proposal for a safe haven elicit a specific response from the Indian side. The problem of accommodating over a million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh has become more acute for the Sheikh Hasina government since a fresh flow of refugees has reached the country. In October 2018, Bangladesh and Myanmar had signed an agreement to repatriate the Rohingyas, but there has been no headway in persuading the refugees to return home. Last November, an attempt to repatriate the first batch of refugees failed when they refused to board the vehicles that were to take them back to Myanmar. Bangladesh is wary of the possibility of radicalisation of the Muslim refugees many of whom have now spent more than 18 months in the camps. Dhaka is also disappointed at the fact that international aid offered for the support of the refugees has not materialised. There is a growing sentiment in Dhaka that the international community has forgotten about the Rohingyas living in the overflowing camps in Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar. Bangladesh has over 1.2 million refugees who fled Myanmars Rakhine province in August 2017 after a severe crackdown by the security forces in retaliation to armed attacks on their own camps. New Delhi has been in an uneasy position over the issue of the Rohingyas. It has been seeking a diplomatic balance between its two friendly neighbours, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and also its own position on the Rohingya refugees, termed illegal immigrants, living in India. New Delhi has given relief material to the displaced Rohingyas in the Bangladeshi camps. In Myanmar, India has taken up a programme to construct prefabricated housing for the returning Rohingya refugees. Last year, New Delhi had faced an embarrassing face-off between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) over 31 Rohingyas who were stranded on the India-Bangladesh border while trying to enter Bangladeshi territory. The refugees had been living in Jammu for several years but had been intimidated by local activists and forced to leave. The group was among the hundreds of Rohingya families that have returned to Bangladesh since the Indian government deported two batches of Rohingya men to Myanmar. But because of the confrontation, India had to assure Dhaka that the Rohingyas would not be pushed into Bangladesh. The situation in Myanmar has become more complicated with the outbreak of violence in the Rakhine province. The rise of the Arakan Army, an indigenous Buddhist insurgent group, has made the situation even more volatile. The well-armed group has been demanding self-determination for the multi-ethnic Arakanese population. It has been drawing support from the local people in Rakhine, who have felt politically and economically marginalised in the resource-rich state. The Arakan Army has had a few skirmishes with the security forces since 2015. But on January 4, which is Independence Day in Myanmar, the militant group mounted several coordinated attacks in which 13 policemen were killed. Following the attacks, the Myanmar Army launched a renewed operation against the insurgent outfit leading to a fresh influx of refugees into Bangladesh, many of them Buddhists and belonging to other ethnic groups. The Myanmar authorities have claimed that the Arakan Army is acting in coordination with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSP), the Rohingya militant group that was responsible for the attacks on the security force camps in 2017. The Bangladesh government has a plan to relocate many of the refugees to an island named Bhashan Char in the Bay of Bengal. It has already begun construction of housing and other facilities for the refugees on the island. The relocation of about 100,000 Rohingya would ease the cramped conditions in the camps and also alleviate the apprehension that the Rohingya were merging into the Bangladeshi population. But the relocation plan has not found favour with the UN Special Rapporteur and other agencies, as it would isolate the refugees on the island. The newly formed, low-lying island, three hours by boat from the mainland, is not the best option for the refugees as parts of the island could be submerged during a violent storm. Nevertheless, the Rohingyas are a top priority for the Bangladeshi government. Bangladeshs safe haven proposal may not have found favour with New Delhi, but it is not an unworkable plan, even though it would require wider international pressure on Myanmar to persuade its government to accept it. Also, the refugees have to be convinced about their safety. An internationally-monitored haven would provide them the security they require to return. New Delhi needs to take a more active role in finding a solution for the Rohingya crisis. With the general election looming ahead, the Modi government may not be in a position to devote much attention to the issue, but a listless response by New Delhi to Dhakas dilemma could strain a relationship built up through the past decade. Overcoming their extreme bitterness of recent years, the Shiv Sena and the BJP have eventually decided to remain partners in the coming election, as in 2014. This is bound to come as a huge relief to the BJP. The saffron partys depleting stock was a cause of concern to it after demonetisation and defeat in three Hindi heartland states at the hands of the Congress. Its original allies were also acting cool. In the circumstances, the party was working overtime to strike new alliances, as with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, which has come to fruition with five seats earmarked for the BJP. Special efforts on the BJPs part are also on to find a foothold in non-traditional areas like West Bengal and Odisha, with the Northeast looking uncertain after the unrest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. In particular, the BJP was worried that the Sena might play contrary in Maharashtra, which with its 48 Lok Sabha seats is the countrys largest state after Uttar Pradesh. The Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal are the BJPs oldest allies. To this list was added Andhra Pradeshs TDP, which kept faith with the saffron party for around two decades until last year, when the TDP detached itself, dissatisfied with the BJPs responses to specific questions on Andhra Pradesh. The TDPs departure, and the Sena acting more like an Opposition party than a member of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra and at the Centre, was an obvious cause for concern in the BJP. This has now been dispelled with the announcement by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai on Monday. The BJP has stooped a little to win. Although it won more seats than the Sena in the Assembly when the two parties fought separately in the last election, the two have now agreed to contest exactly the same number of Assembly seats in the next election. For the coming Lok Sabha polls, the BJP will fight only two seats more in Maharashtra than the Sena a tokenistic acknowledgment of the saffron partys all-India status in contrast with the Senas position as a state party, although of the same Hindutva hue. There has long been unspoken competition between the two, with the BJP seeking dominance over the Sena in Maharashtra as well. This was strongly resented by the Sena, which seemed in no mood to give the BJP the status of big brother. That issue has now apparently been settled, at least for the time being. Much would depend on how the two fare in the parliamentary poll as well as the next Assembly election. Acting separately, the Sena and the BJP would have been weak against a Congress-NCP combine in Maharashtra. By remaining together, they place the NDA on a better footing against any challengers. Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has given priority to loyalists while inducting ministers into the Cabinet on Tuesday, and has avoided criticism that he is perpetuating family rule by keeping his son K.T. Rama Rao and his nephew T. Harish Rao out of the Cabinet. Telangana Rashtra Samiti circles see Mr Rama Raos stamp on the Cabinet. Senior ministers in the first TRS Cabinet have not found a place in this Cabinet. First-time MLA Singireddy Niranjan Reddy and second time legislator Vemula Prashant Reddy, who have been inducted, are known to be very loyal to Chief Minister Rao and his son. Though Mr Harish Rao played a key role in bringing former TD legislator Errabelli Dayakar Rao into the party after the 2014 elections, the latter became a loyalist of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr Rama Rao. The others inducted in the Cabinet are: Mr A. Indrakaran Reddy, Mr G. Jagadish Reddy, Mr Koppula Eswar, Mr Talasani Srinivasa Yadav, Mr Ch Malla Reddy and Mr V. Srinivasa Goud all known to be loyal to the Chief Minister and Mr Rama Rao. Mr Etala Rajendar is also a loyalist, but reportedly disappointed the Chief Minister by rejecting his offer of becoming the Assembly Speaker. TRS sources said that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, with an eye to the future, has put aside seniors such as Kadiam Srihari and Nayini Narasimha Reddy and given priority to younger legislators. In the recent Assembly elections, Mr Chandras-ekhar Rao was criticised by the Prime Minister and even local political leaders of running a government comprised of his family members. This did not stop voters from giving the TRS a majority and Mr Rama Rao and Mr Harish Rao won with big majorities. Yet Mr Chandrasekhar Rao has kept both his son and nephew out of his Cabinet, silencing any allegations of nepotism. But Mr Rao has not taken any woman into his Cabinet and there is not a single ST minister in the 12-member cabinet either. TRS leaders expressed surprise at Mr Chandrasekhar Rao not inducting women and MLAs from STs into the Cabinet ahead of Lok Sabha elections when having such representation now would help. However, sources close to Mr Chandrasekhar Rao said that there would be one more Cabinet expansion after the LS polls in which Mr Rao would give representation to women and STs. Former ministers who have not been included this time, such as Kadiam Srihari, will be given some other post. Senior TRS MLA T. Harish Rao and party working president K.T. Rama Rao at the swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Hyderabad: TRS senior MLA and former minister T. Harish Rao on Tuesday denied reports that he was unhappy at not getting a Cabinet berth. Stating that he will not tolerate the misleading campaign in his name, Mr Rao urged party workers not to believe in the false posts doing the rounds on social media platforms. Speaking to media persons after the swearing-in ceremony of ministers at Raj Bhavan he reiterated that he was a disciplined activist of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and will discharge any responsibility entrusted to him by Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao. I have repeatedly said that I will follow the orders of the Chief Minister and TRS president without asking any questions. The Chief Minister prepared the list of ministers after taking into consideration various factors including regions/locations, social equations and also performance within the party as well as the government, Mr Harish Rao said. He congratulated all the newly inducted ministers in the State Cabinet and urged all party workers to strive hard to strengthen K Chandrasekhar Rao's government. He said the Chief Minister was working for development of the state and to realise the aspirations of the people of the state during his second term. He hoped that the ministers will implement the Chief Minister's vision in development and welfare schemes. He made it clear that he had not approved any groups or senas named after him and persons running such organisations should not be taken seriously. Ballari: Congress legislator, Ramesh Jarkiholi has come out in open support of Kampli Congress MLA, J N Ganesh, who is absconding following his drunken brawl with Congress legislator, B S Anand Singh at a resort recently Mr Jarkiholi, one of the party rebels, who has been keeping the coalition government on tenterhooks, on Tuesday visited Mr Ganesh's home in Hospete and protested the "injustice" done to him, claiming he was being made a scapegoat in the resort episode. Speaking to reporters after meeting Mr Ganesh's wife, Sridevi, he said the MLA had been seriously injured in the brawl and was subjected to caste abuse. " Why should he surrender to the police when has done nothing wrong? Mr Ganesh too had decided to file a police case against Mr Anand Singh for abusing him using his caste, soon after the resort incident, but some senior Congress leaders held him back. I too advised him at the time over the phone not to file a case against a fellow legislator," he said, adding that Mr Singh should withdraw the attempt to murder case he had filed against Mr Ganesh and a thorough inquiry should be conducted into the resort episode. "Hagaribommanahalli MLA, Bhima Naik was present during brawl and he should be asked to reveal what really happened that day," he contended, explaining that he had visited Mr Ganesh's family as they were anxious about him. Although back with the Congress after giving it a few anxious moments, Mr Jarkiholi, admitted that he was still not happy with the party leadership." I'm disappointed with my party, but there is no question of quitting it", he said Bengaluru: State BJP president, B.S.Yeddyurappa on Tuesday advised his party's sitting MPs to get started on their elections work in their respective constituencies as they were likely to be fielded once again this coming Lok Sabha poll. The BJP currently has 15 sitting MPs with the Bengaluru South Lok Sabha seat falling vacant following the death of Union Minister Ananth Kumar. Despite the anti-incumbency factor dogging some of its MPs, the BJP has decided to take a chance on them this poll, according to party sources. Some MPs like Dakshina Kannada MP, Nalin Kumar Kateel, Udupi- Chikamagaluru MP, Shobha Karandlaje, Mysuru MP, Prathap Simha, and Huballi-Dharwad MP, Pralhad Joshi are not on good terms with even their own party's local leaders and workers. In fact, the party's lower rung leaders have launched a campaign on social media against Mr Kateel and Ms Karandlaje. But the latter brushes off this off, claiming that senior leader, K.Jayaprakasha Hegde, who is himself keen on contesting from Udupi-Chickmagalur, is behind the campaign. Also, denying there was any real opposition to the MPs, Mr Yeddyurappa claimed the Modi wave in the state would help the party win over 22 Lok Sabha seats this poll. While it has already decided to field Ms Tejashwini Ananthkumar from Bengaluru South Lok Sabha constituency in place of her late husband, the party is considering fielding former minister, B.N. Bache Gowda from Chikaballapura, and senior leader, D.S. Veeraiah from Kolar, according to sources. And although Mr G.S. Basavaraju is keen on contesting from Tumakuru, he is reportedly facing opposition from local BJP leaders. The counsel also raised the issue of a large media contingent following Vadra during all his appearances and said that Robert Vadra is accompanied by a 'baraat' wherever he goes, whether to ED or to court. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case, will not appear owing to poor health, Vadras counsel said on Tuesday. "Robert Vadra is not able to attend the hearing today for which he had been summoned by ED. He has been suffering from food poisoning since last night, as a result of which he is having acute diarrhoea and nausea," KTS Tulsi, his advocate, told ANI on Tuesday. A Delhi court had on February 16 extended interim bail from the protection granted to Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora till March 2 in connection with the case. During the hearing, the EDs counsel informed the Patiala House Court that the agency will require Vadra to appear four or five times more to carry forward the ongoing probe in the case. The counsel also raised the issue of a large media contingent following Vadra during all his appearances and said, He (Robert Vadra) is accompanied by a baraat wherever he goes, whether to ED or to court. Tulsi, who appeared for Vadra and Arora, had said that his clients have no problem in appearing for interrogation. Robert Vadra has appeared on Feb 6, Feb 7, and Feb 9. My client doesnt have a problem if they want to interrogate him for 5 days or 10 days, Tulsi said. He also informed the court that cumulative questioning of his client (Vadra) lasted for 23 hours 5 minutes. A money laundering case was registered by the ED in September 2015, claiming that Skylight Hospitality had acquired land in Kolayat village of Bikaner which was meant for the rehabilitation of the poor villagers. It was alleged that Vadra bought 69.55 hectares of land at a cheaper rate and then sold the land to Allegheny Finlease for Rs 5.15 crore through illegal transactions. New Delhi: Possibly to circumvent the political baggage and corruption taint associated with its name, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is now likely to be renamed as the People's Progressive Alliance. All the erstwhile parties in the UPA I and II and some more, who have decided to fight as a group against the current BJP dispensation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would position themselves by this name in case any alliance is formed before or after elections. Opposition sources told this newspaper that the name had been arrived upon after much discussion between parties as UPA had come to be associated with corruption and had a lot of baggage associated with it. It might be recalled that Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had announced a pre-poll tie-up and a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) last week after a meeting between top Opposition leaders. Ms Banerjee had subsequently also said that a meeting would be held on February 25-26 where the Congress would present a draft CMP. Congress President Rahul Gandhi had also been present at the dinner meeting, which included NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. However, sources indicated that differences have been brewing over the decision to announce a pre-poll tie-up as many parties are arch rivals in their respective states and would be fighting each other in the upcoming polls. Any such alliance should be possible only after the polls, a senior Opposition leader said. Differences have also been simmering over who would draft the CMP. Sources in the Trinamul Congress said that before Ms Banerjee announced that the draft provided by the Congress would be discussed, the TMC had approached rebel BJP leader and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha to draft such a document. This would have lead to problems for the Congress which does not want to be seen associating itself with a former BJP Union Minister. On his part, Mr Sinha, however, when contacted said that no one had approached him for drafting any CMP. "I have not been approached by anyone. Also if there is any meeting on Feb 25-26, I would not be able to attend, since I have other commitments, he said. Lt. Gen. Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, in a stern warning to sympathisers of militant groups in J&K, said anyone who picks up a gun will be eliminated, unless he/she surrenders. Srinagar: The Indian Army said on Tuesday that the deadly suicide attack in which 49 CRPF personnel were killed in J&Ks southern Pulwama district on February 14 was carried out by terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed with the active support of Pakistans Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence wing. Lt. Gen. Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, in a stern warning to sympathisers of militant groups in J&K, said anyone who picks up a gun will be eliminated, unless he/she surrenders. He appealed to mothers in Kashmir to persuade their sons who have picked up the gun to surrender. Amethi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Amethi, the home turf of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on February 27, a BJP leader said Tuesday. The PM is likely to visit the ordnance factory in Munshiganj in Amethi and later address a public meeting, BJPs convenor of Amethi Lok Sabha constituency Rajesh Agrahari said. The PM may also inaugurate and lay foundation stones for various projects, Mr Agrahari said. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi had defeated BJPs Smriti Irani by a margin of over 1.07 lakh votes, retaining the Amethi seat. On Tuesday, Mr Modi addressed two meetings and launched development projects worth `3,000 crore during the visit to Varanasi, the second in a month to his Lok Sabha constituency ahead of the parliamentary elections. He hit out indirectly at Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav for mocking the high-speed Vande Bharat train from Varanasi to Delhi after it developed a snag, saying they had insulted the engineers involved in the project. Laying the foundation stone for the Ravidas Janmasthali area development project in Varanasi, he said caste discrimination is an impediment in achieving social harmony. Guruji had said that there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste. Till it is there, people cannot connect with each other, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his arrival, at Palam Air Force Station in New Delhi on Tuesday. India and Saudi Arabia will release a joint statement on Wednesday following a meeting between the Saudi prince and Mr Modi, in the backdrop of the Pulwama terror attack. (Photo: AP) New Delhi/Islamabad: Hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asked India to furnish proof of Pakistani involvement in plotting thPake Pulwama attacks and also warned India of military retaliation in case of any attack by India, New Delhi hit back, saying that Pakistan has been the nerve centre of terrorism and describing the Pakistani offer to investigate as a lame excuse. Describing the Pakistani denial of involvement as an oft-repeated excuse, India termed as regrettable and a false allegation Mr Khans insinuation that the Indian response to the terror attack was determined by the forthcoming general election. It also said terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed had confessed to the attack and that the fact that its leader Masood Azhar is based in Pakistan should be sufficient proof for Islamabad to take action. The Indian statement was, however, silent on Mr Khans threat of retaliation in case of any military action by India. The Pakistani PM added that India accused Pakistan without any evidence. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Khan sought to assure India that he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama terror attack if New Delhi shares actionable intelligence, but at the same time warned against any revenge retaliatory action. In a video message to the nation, Mr Khan said: I have been hearing and seeing on the Indian media that politicians there are calling for revenge from Pakistan. If India thinks it will attack Pakistan, then we will not just think but retaliate. Starting a war is in our hands, it is easy. But ending a war, that is not in our hands and no one knows what will happen. The Pakistani PM added that India accused Pakistan without any evidence. The Pakistani PMs message is seen as a sign of nervousness on the part of the Pakistani military amid speculation whether India would carry out another surgical strike against militants operating from Pakistan. Kasargod: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the twin murders of Youth Congress workers, Sharath Lal and Kripesh, at Periya arrested CPM Periya local committee member A. Peethambaran on Tuesday. Six other CPM workers and supporters were taken into custody. The SIT has concluded that Peethambaran masterminded the murder with the help of professional killers. The probe team is working on the missing links in the statements of those in custody. It has been established that the local political issue triggered the crime and that the killers were brought from outside with local arrangements. District police chief Dr. A. Srinivas, SIT head, confirmed that the CPM leader had instigated the murders. A Mahindra Xylo car, which was found at Pakkam Velotholi, 5 km from Periya, was identified as the vehicle in which the assassins travelled. The Kasargod registration car points to the local support the killers got. The others in custody include the CPM man who posted a death threat to the victims on the social media and those who were involved in the clash with the victims. According to sources, a KSU student of Kallyot was attacked by SFI activists at Peoples College, Munnad. This was questioned by the Congress workers of Kallyot which led to the attack on Peethambaran and another CPM worker. Sharat was the prime accused in that case and Kripesh, the sixth. But the police removed Kripesh from the list as he was not involved in the attack. Sharath was out on bail in the case. It is learnt that a three-member gang hacked the duo to death. Bengaluru: Much to the disappointment of aviation buffs, the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) was grounded on Tuesday will not take to the skies during the inaugural of Aero India 2019 on Wednesday after one pilot died after two Hawk aircraft of the Surya Kiran Aerobatics team had a mid-air collision with one aircraft cannoning into the other's cockpit, during a practice session for the Aero India 2019. Both aircraft, which were flying in mirror image formation spun out of control, plummeted to the earth, and crashed close to the Yelahanka Air Force Base station at around 11:50 am Tuesday, killing one of the pilots, while two of them ejected to safety. The IAF decided to put flights by this aerobatic team on hold in view of the mid-air crash of two aircraft over Air Force Station Yelahanka on Tuesday. "We have to investigate whether it was an error in execution of mirror image formation flying, because of birds or any other reason which resulted in the crash," said a top IAF officer, adding "very few air force aerobatic teams opt for flying display by nine aircraft as it involves a great amount of risk with each aircraft flying four to five meters apart. In our case, the margin of error is low because of skill building over a period of time." Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi, a Sukhoi-30 pilot, reportedly could not eject from the aircraft and was killed in the crash. From Hisar in Haryana, he is survived by his wife, Himani Jhamb Gandhi and a five-year-old son. The pilots, who ejected, Wing Commmander VT Shelke and Squadron Leader Tejeshwar Singh, were airlifted to the Air Force Command Hospital and are reportedly recovering. According to sources, one of the pilots fractured both his legs and has been operated on. 'Dear Imran Khan, you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there,' said CM Amarinder Singh. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the mastermind of the attack, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, was in Pakistan, and if the country was unable to nab the terrorist, "we will do it for you". Singh was responding to the comment of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan that he would act if India gave evidence of his countrys involvement in Pulwama terror attack. "Dear Imran Khan, you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you can't let us know, we'll do it for you. BTW what has been done about the proofs of Mumbai's 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk," Singh tweeted. Dear @ImranKhanPTI you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur & masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you cant let us know, well do it for you. BTW what has been done about the proofs of Mumbais 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk. pic.twitter.com/Zct6I7QieY Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) February 19, 2019 Jaish-e-Mohammad, the terror group had claimed responsibility of Pulwama attack in which suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar targeted a convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on February 14. The attack killed 40 soldiers and injured others. India has built pressure on Pakistan by scrapping the Most Favoured Nation status and increasing import duty on Pakistani goods. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly spoken about retribution for the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack. Over 48 countries have come in support of India to make efforts to isolate Pakistan internationally. "All this 'attack Pakistan' talk is all keeping elections in mind. But if at all these are serious, please make note of one thing clearly - Pakistan will not think of retaliating, it will retaliate," Imran Khan said in his speech. "Pakistan is moving towards stability. Why would we do something like this? If you have any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani is involved, give it to us. I guarantee you, we will take action, not because we are under pressure, but because they are acting as enemies of Pakistan," he added. Amarinder Singh, who served as a Captain in the Army before joining politics, on Monday said the security forces must kill double the number to send a strong message to the terrorists' organisations and Pakistan. "We should get 82 of them since 41 of our men have been killed," said Amarinder Singh. He demanded an "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". India on Tuesday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over his statement on the Pulwama terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. (Photo:PTI) New Delhi: India on Tuesday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over his statement on the Pulwama terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. India said that Khan should stop misleading the world and take credible and visible actions against those who were behind the attack. "It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that India's response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming General Election. India rejects this false allegation. India's democracy is a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand," said a foreign ministry statement. The Indian government also dismissed as a "lame excuse" Imran Khan's "offer" to investigate, "if given proof", the role of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed. "Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime. It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action," said the statement. Imran Khan asked India for proof, the government said, "In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of "guaranteed action" ring hollow, given the track record of Pakistan." Referring to the Khans "Naya (new) Pakistan", India said ministers of the current government publicly shared platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed, who had been proscribed by the UN. Hyderabad: With a Major and three jawans killed in an encounter with Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in Kashmir on Monday, the number of Army personnel killed on duty stands at six in the first six weeks of this year. A head constable of the CRPF was also killed in the cross-firing. The injured included DIG (South Kashmir) Amit Kumar, who received a gunshot wound in the abdomen, and an brigade commander, who was hurt in the leg. While last weeks Pulwama attack was among the biggest ever, terrorists had carried out a suicide attack on an Army camp at Sunjuwan in Jammu, on February 10 last year, in which six personnel were killed and six injured. On February 12, last year, terrorists tried to enter a CRPF camp in Karan Nagar in Srinagar, but were repulsed by the alert sentry. Terrorists took refuge in a nearby under- construction building. During searches, an exchange of fire resulted in the death of a CRPF jawan. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the Pulwana terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. (Photo: File) New Delhi: France will move a proposal at the United Nations to designate Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, as a global terrorist, reported news agency PTI. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the Pulwana terror attack in which at least 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. It would be the second time France will be a party to such a proposal at the United Nations. In 2017, the US, UK and France had moved a proposal a proposal at the UNs Sanction Committee 1267 to ban the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, but the proposal was blocked by China. "At the UN, France will lead a proposal to put Masood Azhar on the terrorist list... It will happen in a couple of days," a senior French source told PTI. The French decision was discussed between Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval this morning, French sources said. Since March 2016, China has been the only member in the 15-nation United Nations organ to put a hold on India's application with all other 14 members of the UN Security Council supporting New Delhi's bid to place Masood Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to an assets freeze and travel ban. Hyderabad: Present-day politics in India is a race to prove to voters who is a bigger Hindu, AIMIM member of Parliament Mr Asaduddin Owaisi said at the India Conference 2019 in Harvard University, where he has gone to deliver a speech on the state of politics in India. The 2019 general elections will not be about what a government can deliver. The race now is about proving who is a bigger Hindu in India. This is the politics being practiced, and in the run-up to the elections we will see more and more of these aspects. The invocation of National Security Act against three Muslims for alleged cow slaughter in Madhya Pradesh is a case in point where the fight for being the bigger Hindu is clear, he said. My whole fight is for peoples Constitutional rights. I follow the Constitutional tools given by Babasaheb Ambedkar, which is equality, fraternity and justice. The Constitution talks about equal distribution of wealth and it cannot lie in the hands of a few. On the recent Pulwama terror attack, Mr Owaisi said: I condemn what happened in Kashmir with all truthfulness and it is Pakistan which is to be blamed for the terrorist attack. But the sad reality of our present-day politics and also the reality in the nation is that Mr Asaduddin Owaisi can be called a true nationalist only after he criticises Pakistan. The moment I do not criticise Pakistan my Indianness is questioned. My forefathers rejected the ideology of Jinnah and we said that India is our country. I am not only an Indian by birth but also by choice, which no one can take away from me. But in the light of what happened in Kashmir if you go to my Twitter timeline, every second question is whether I have condemned this attack. Have you condemned Pakistan? Why dont you go to Pakistan? Even after 70 years of Independence, I am being asked this question, why dont you go to Pakistan? Mr Owaisi further said, No one is asking how did that attack happen? How did that plastic explosive get inside Kashmir? No one is asking that question? Because now that it has been mentioned, there will be a scroll saying Asaduddin Owaisi questions India at Harvard?. This is the state of our politics. You cannot question the supreme leader and you cannot question the national party. What we in turn see now is that Muslims are being questioned and Kashmiris are being targeted. Am sure those terrorists must be feeling really happy how as a nation we are unable to stop these thugs from targeting Kashmiris. Kengeri police had arrested Vivek on Monday and based on the information shared by him, they traced and arrested Taihalle. (Representational Image) Bengaluru: The Kengeri police on Tuesday arrested a security guard for abetting the murder of a woman employee with BHEL. He allegedly helped the prime accused murder his sister-in-law on Saturday over a property dispute. The accused guard has been identified as, Taihalle, 29, hailing from Nepal. He was working as a security guard at the Sun City apartment in Kengeri, where both the prime accused, Vivek Prakash, and the victim, Saishree Anu, resided. Investigations revealed that Prakash on Saturday met Taihalle and took him out for a drink. He convinced him to murder his sister in law and offered him Rs 1 lakh. The police said that the two then went to Anu's house, who was alone. They fatally strangulated her using a cloth. Kengeri police had arrested Vivek on Monday and based on the information shared by him, they traced and arrested Taihalle. The heir to Britains throne, Prince Charles, has spoken out in favour of wider use of yoga by the UKs state-funded National Health Service (NHS) as a means to ease the pressure on healthcare resources. The 70-year-old royal, known for his support for alternative therapies, came out in favour of yoga in a written message to the Yoga in Healthcare conference in London over the weekend. The development of therapeutic, evidence-based yoga is, I believe, an excellent example of how yoga can contribute to health and healing, said Charles, the Prince of Wales. For thousands of years, millions of people have experienced yogas ability to improve their lives. This not only benefits the individual, but also conserves precious and expensive health resources for others where and when they are most needed. Multi benefits Queen Elizabeth IIs son and heir expressed his support for more yoga classes because he said they not only had tremendous social benefits but also built discipline, self-reliance and self-care. I will watch the development of therapeutic yoga in the UK with great interest and very much look forward to hearing about the outcomes from your conference, he said. The Yoga in Healthcare Alliance was set up with a mission to make yoga more accessible and collaborates with the NHS to create a model to help integrate yoga into healthcare systems. The conference, held at the University of Westminster in London from February 15-17, brought together opinion leaders and pioneers in yoga research, health policy, and government to address integration of yoga into the NHS. Washington: Researchers have now discovered that a combination of immune checkpoint blockade and targeted therapies that block normal DNA damage repair (DDR) achieved significant tumour regression in mouse models of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center research suggests a promising new approach for treating patients with this aggressive cancer. The research, published in Cancer Discovery, suggest that the PARP inhibitor olaparib and other DDR inhibitors induce a rapid immune response and sensitise SCLC cells to immunotherapy, to which they were previously resistant. According to corresponding author of the study Lauren Averett Byers, small cell lung cancer, one of the most aggressive types of cancer, makes up about 15 per cent of all lung cancers diagnosed in the US alone. Standard treatment for advanced SCLC is chemotherapy, but recurrence is common and the average survival is only about 12 months, according to Byers. For about 30 years, there were no changes to this approach, but recently the use of immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy has become a new standard. However, the benefits are minimal for patients. Speaking about it, Byers said, While the use of immunotherapy has revolutionised the way we treat lung cancer, we find that small cell lung cancers can escape the immune system very effectively, so we see a much lower response rate. He further added, "However, we want to do a lot better for our patients, and we think there's a lot of room for further improvement." Byers added, "We found that if we added either PARP or CHK1 inhibitors to immunotherapy, we saw a dramatic shrinkage of tumours. In fact, in some cases, the tumours disappeared completely." He further shared, "I think the results from this study are really compelling because of the dramatic activity that we saw with the combination of adding a targeted therapy to immune therapy. I think our findings can be rapidly translated into the clinic for our patients and also to other cancer types." Byers and colleagues hope to launch clinical trials to investigate the combination approach later this year, and expect this may also be effective in other cancer types defined by increased DNA damage, such as BRCA-mutant breast and ovarian cancers. This study was supported by the Lung Cancer Moon Shot, part of MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program, a collaborative effort to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries into clinical advances that save patients' lives. London: The grand dame of British fashion, Vivienne Westwood, put fashion on the back burner Sunday and turned her catwalk show into a broadside against climate change, corporate greed and other ills. Westwood has moved in that direction in recent years, but she went into guerrilla theatre mode for this latest show. It featured angry models stopping in the middle of the catwalk to denounce the planets problems, finding time to complain about artificial intelligence, robots, Brexit and a whole lot more. The first model set the tone by announcing the world would be dead unless something is done this year. The models warned, to a percussive, threatening sound track, that humanity would soon go deaf and blind and have squished internal organs. A free speech advocate wore a slogan-covered jacket, saying it was to honour Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who in 2012 took asylum in Ecuadors Embassy in London to avoid extradition. One model with a microphone proclaimed Hollywood has made us into zombies. A wittier riposte came from the model who announced, England is going to die from irony. The clothes on offer were distinctly androgynous. Many male models were outfitted in dresses or tops and skirts, though others wore beautifully made suits with distinctive draping and a very English look. Westwood is a fashion legend dating back to the punk era, who seemingly can do no wrong with her legions of fans. She was greeted with adoring applause when she emerged at the end of the show and sang that Britain can once again lead the way. Dusky actresses are known to shine in Tamil cinema as performers rather than glamorous heroines. Joining the list is the beautiful Keerthi Pandian, daughter of actor and producer Arun Pandian, who is making her debut with a fantasy adventure genre featuring Darshan of Kanaa fame in the lead. Directed by Harish Ram, the film has musical score by Anirudh and Vivek-Mervin. Says Keerthi, I had rejected many projects that became blockbusters. I dont regret missing them for I didnt find anything fascinating with the female lead role in there. Though hailing from a film family, the young actress says, I never wanted to show, where I come from. I had attended many auditions just with the name Keerthi and got rejected as well. All that I aspire and want to accomplish is to become a performer. I wanted to inherit the nuances of acting and got myself involved in theatre plays. She also has hands-on experience in film distribution business assisting her dad. Mumbai: The nation stands united today in condemnation of the dastardly terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy on February 14, 2019. This act of terrorism is an attack on our whole civilization and values, which we strongly condemn. Salman Khan Films and Cine1 Studios, producers of the film Notebook, have decided to contribute a sum of Rs 22 lakh to the families of the victims. The film Notebook was shot entirely in Kashmir in the months of October-November 2018. Our entire crew could shoot safely in the Valley primarily due to the efforts of the Indian Army, the CRPF and also the people of Kashmir, who have constantly ensured that law and order prevail in the region even under the most extreme circumstances. We offer our prayers for the victims and extend our heartfelt condolences to their families. Notebook is a 2019 Bollywood romance-drama. The movie marks the acting debut of Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan Bahl. Mumbai: In light of the recent devastating Pulwama attacks, the Indian film fraternity has come together and voiced their unanimous support to the armed forces. A lot of tough decisions have been made by the industry to stand in solidarity with our heroes. Dinesh Vijan (Maddock Films), producer of films like Stree and Hindi Medium, has resolved to not release any of his future projects in the country, making a clear statement on his no tolerance stand when it comes to terrorism. On Thursday, over 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. The terrorists drove up a car carrying 60 kg of RDX explosives next to a security convoy, triggering the explosives in what is one of the state's worst attacks. Terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack although the government of Pakistan has refused to accept any involvement in the ghastly act. Keeping these factors into consideration, Dinesh Vijan has cancelled contracts for his upcoming release Luka Chuppi as well as films like Arjun Patiala and Made in China with Pakistani distributors, proving that country comes first for the film maker. Sources close to the industry predict that a lot of other producers in India will follow suit, standing united in this time of turmoil. In India, Luka Chuppi, is scheduled to release on 1st March 2019. Debt-ravaged Jet Airways India, the country's biggest full-service airline, is selling a majority stake for Rs 1 a little more than 1 US cent. Its part of a bailout plan by its state- owned lenders that will give the airline time to arrange fresh equity. The complicated arrangement is on track to be voted through on February 21, in what would represent the rescue of one of the country's most visible companies at a sensitive time, with general election just weeks away. What is Jet Airways? Its consistently been one of Indias top three airlines in the past decade. Jet Airways was founded by ticketing agent-turned-entrepreneur Naresh Goyal after India ended a state monopoly on aviation in the early 1990s. Its now 24 per cent owned by Abu Dhabis Etihad Airways PJSC and controls 13.9 per cent of market, one of the fastest-growing in the world. Jet Airways also flies to international destinations including London and Singapore. Why is it in trouble? As a slew of budget carriers started flooding the market in the mid 2000s, offering no-frills, yet on-time flights, Jet Airways began dropping fares, some to below cost. On top of that, provincial taxes of as much as 30 percent on jet fuel added to its expenses. Jet Airways lost money in all but two of the past 11 years and has Rs 7,299 crore ($1 billion) of net debt. While it didn't separately disclose cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, Bloomberg calculations show the airline had about Rs 355 crore of cash at the end of last year. It defaulted on loans that were due by December 31 and has delayed payments to staff and lessors. What is the proposed deal? A group of lenders led by State Bank of India has proposed taking a 50.1 percent stake for Rs 1 through the issuance of 114 million new shares, a manoeuvre that's allowed under a framework outlined by the RBI last year. The procedure, applicable for companies with a negative net worth, is called Bank-led provisional resolution plan, or BLPRP, and it needs to be approved by all lenders, a banking industry group, founder Goyal and the board of Etihad. The structure, however, is expected to be temporary, allowing the airline to raise equity from investors, which in turn would alter the shareholding pattern. Jet Airways, which requires some Rs 8,500 crore to get back on its feet, now needs to bridge that gap through fresh equity infusion, debt restructuring and asset disposals, such as selling aircraft and leasing them back. While the bank deal is nominally a conversion of debt into shares, debt levels will come down only by Rs 1 once the exercise is completed. Who will invest fresh equity? Jet Airways management has given scant detail, but said lenders will also participate in an equity issuance round beyond the already allotted 114 million shares. Jet Airways has held talks with Etihad and Tata, while Goyal has offered to pump in as much as Rs 700 crore, if he retains his 25 per cent stake. Etihad may invest about Rs 1,400 crore and retain a stake below 25 per cent, while Indias National Investment and Infrastructure Fund may bring in as much Rs 1,300 crore. Why is it important to rescue a private firm? Prime minister Narendra Modi faces an election within months, and the collapse of an airline with 23,000 jobs at stake would put a dent in his business-friendly image and fuel criticism that he's failed to deliver on promises about creating jobs. Anurag Kotoky Now an entity would be considered as a start-up up to a turnover of Rs 100 crore as against the earlier limit of Rs 25 crore. (Representative Photo) Chennai: Providing relief to entrepreneurs worried about the angel tax, the government on Tuesday relaxed the definition of start-ups and increased the tax exemption limit on investments received by them. An entity will now be considered a startup up to 10 years from its date of incorporation/registration instead of the existing period of seven years. An entity shall be considered a start-up if its turnover for any of the financial years since its incorporation/registration hasnt exceeded Rs 100 crore instead of the existing Rs 25 crore, said commerce minister Suresh Prabhu. Further, the consideration of shares received by eligible start-ups for shares issued, or proposed to be issued, by all investors shall be exempt up to an aggregate limit of Rs 25 crore, he said. Earlier, a start-up was allowed to avail tax concession only if total investment, including funding from angel investors, did not exceed Rs 10 crore. The entrepreneur community was worried, as they had started receiving angel tax notices. Investments by listed companies with a net worth of `100 crore or turnover of `250 crore into an eligible startup would also be exempted from the Section 56(2)(viib) of the Income Tax Act beyond the `25 crore limit. Further, investments into eligible startups by non-residents, alternate investment funds (AIF) category I shall also be exempted under this section beyond the limit of `25 crore. However, the government has laid a few caveats also. The start-up should be a private limited company recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and should not be investing in a few specified asset classes. These asset classes include immovable property, transport vehicles worth more than Rs 10 lakh, loans and advances, capital contribution to other entities, shares and securities and jewellery other than that held by the startup as stock-in-trade in the ordinary course of business. According to Padmaja Ruparel, Co-Founder, Indian Angel Network (IAN), the relaxed rules will unshackle angel investing and bring in domestic money for startups. Industry body NASSCOM welcomed the decision to exclude start-ups from the ambit of angel tax. The exemption not only acknowledges India to be the worlds fastest growing start up ecosystem but will also encourage more investments flow for early-stage start-ups in India, it said. This eliminates a major obstacle for Indian start-ups and if implemented right, could give a significant boost to the Indian start-up ecosystem, as individuals with tax paid income as well as corporates will be able to easily participate in start-up investments," LocalCircles founder Sachin Taparia said. However, Bhavin Shah, FS Tax Leader, PwC India, said that the industry had requested to include category-II AIFs as well in the exclusion list, which has unfortunately not been considered favourably. New Delhi: Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal has invested about Rs 650 crore in Ola, giving the Indian ride-hailing company more ammunition to compete with rival Uber. The investment is in Sachin's personal capacity and is also the largest financing by an individual in Ola till date, Ola said in a statement. In January, Ola had issued shares worth Rs 150 crore to Sachin as part of series J round of funding. Sachin, who founded Flipkart over a decade ago with Binny Bansal, had quit after US retail behemoth Walmart picked up 77 per cent stake in the Indian e-commerce company for USD 16 billion. "Ola is one of India's most promising consumer businesses, that is creating deep impact and lasting value for the ecosystem," Sachin said. The investment is part of Ola's plans to raise about USD 1 billion in funding. In October last year, the Bengaluru-based company had announced raising USD 1.1 billion funding from China's Tencent Holdings and SoftBank Group. It had also stated that it was in "advanced talks" to close an additional USD 1 billion funding to take total mop-up to more than USD 2 billion. Ola is locked in a battle for market leadership with US-based rival Uber in India and other markets like Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The Indian company has been aggressively ramping up its rides business as well as hailing platform and food delivery operations (through Foodpanda). "We are extremely thrilled to have Sachin onboard Ola as an investor. Sachin is an icon of entrepreneurship and his experience of building one of India's most respected businesses ground up, is unparalleled," said Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO at Ola. the companyhas grown from 6 mtpa three years ago to 12.6 mtpa now, is hopeful of reaching an installed capacity of 20 mtpa by December 2020. (Photo: File) Mumbai: JSW Cement, a part of the Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group, plans to invest around Rs 2,000 crore to achieve the target of 20 million tonne annual capacity by December 2020, a top company official said Tuesday. The city-based company is also likely to begin the work on the much-awaited initial public offer from this December and hopes to launch the issue before March 2021, the official said. "With the commissioning of enhanced capacity at the Dolvi plant in Maharashtra from 1 mtpa to 2.2 mtpa, our installed capacity has increased to 12.6 mtpa and we hope that by the end of this fiscal year, we will reach 14 mtpa as we will be commissioning the Jajpur unit in Odisha soon," JSW Cement managing director Parth Jindal told reporters. The junior Jindal said the company, which has grown from 6 mtpa three years ago to 12.6 mtpa now, is hopeful of reaching an installed capacity of 20 mtpa by December 2020. "We have a capex plan of around Rs 2,000 crore to achieve the target and we are looking at both organic and inorganic opportunities," he said, adding they are also evaluating a few stressed assets but in the short-to medium term, the focus will be execution as there are lots of opportunities in brownfield expansion. The company is looking at a 70:30 debt-equity ratio the expansion. The company has Rs 2,400 crore debt in its books now. "We've been strategically acquiring limestone mines in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. This, coupled with our expansion in Fujairah in the UAE, will give us enough clinker security along with limestone," Jindal said, adding the Fujairah facility is expected to be operational by March 2020. He further said the company will be spending a significant amount on advertising and marketing as it is entering Odisha and Rajasthan, among other new markets. Asked about the size of the proposed IPO, he said, "it's a little bit early to speak about the issue size, but I think we are looking at an enterprise value of Rs 25,000- 30,000 crore." He further said initially the company would be looking at a 15 percent promoter share dilution and another 5-10 percent over the next few years. "But if we go in for a more aggressive expansion, then we will dilute more, but if we choose to be conservative, we would dilute less. Initially 15 percent is the target that we have," Jindal added. The company hopes to ramp up its capacity further to 30 mtpa after going public with the addition of 5 mtpa each in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. 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. DARIEN -- A suspicious meeting reported to police at a condemned and notorious home on Old Kings Highway North and a resulting stakeout by police and detectives Tuesday night resulted in the arrest of three men and a teenager on drug charges, police said. The three men, Eric Sing, 21, former resident of the burned out home located at of 165 Old Kings Highway North, Victor Deleon, 30, of 229 Pixley Place, Bridgeport, and Rahsen Fisher, 31, of 1535 Bishop Ave., Bridgeport, were arraigned at state Superior Court in Stamford on Wednesday. According to the assessor's office, the home is owned by Walter L. Sing and Gail A. Reinke. Another young man, whose name is being withheld because he is 17 years of age, was also arrested and charged with possession of marijuana. Sing, was charged with possession of narcotics, use of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana and at his arraignment ordered held in lieu of $5,000 bond. Fisher, was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, sale of a controlled substance and resisting arrest and ordered held in lieu of $100,000 bond. Deleon was charged with conspiracy to sell narcotics, sale of narcotics and possession of marijuana and ordered held in lieu of $50,000. Sgt. Jeremiah Marron said the arrests came about after a neighbor called police to report that some people were meeting at 165 Old Kings Highway, which was strange because the property has been abandoned since a fire occurred there several months ago. When police went there they found Sing and the 17-year-old in the driveway with two others. Police then arrested Sing after finding that he was in possession of a small amount of heroin and marijuana. The youth was also arrested when police found that he was in possession of five grams-less than a quarter ounce- of marijuana, Marron said. The two others, who were on the property, were allowed to leave, Marron said. During the investigation, police found out that a drug deal was supposed to take place later that evening and police officers and detectives staked out the property. At about midnight, Deleon and Fisher showed up and police closed in for arrests. Deleon tried to run off and he was captured almost immediately. Fisher, however, was able to slip through the police perimeter but was eventually caught in a swampy area near Wakeman road and Tasered. Police found in Fisher's possession 15 small bags of marijuana in his possession and five folds of heroin. According to the investigation, Fisher was supposed to bring 50 folds of heroin to the Old Kings Highway address, but some of what he had may have been lost during the chase, Marron said. Marron said that ordinarily, the investigation would have stopped after the first two arrests were made, but because the address has been such a problem in the past, police wanted to do what they could to stop the problem. "We really felt it was important to carry the investigation out the way we did and bring everybody out in a one shot deal to nip this in the bud. We did not want this to become an ongoing situation and continually have to go back to the house," Marron said. "It is a good neighborhood and it is not fair to the neighbors to be placed in this kind of dangerous situation." For more than 70 years, the United Nations has linked the many countries of the world together through its extensive patchwork of conventions, treaties, agencies and decision-making structures. But politics and pessimism increasingly threaten to undermine the global bodys ability to act in the face of pressing crises and concerns, said Canadian humanitarian Stephen Lewis in the Shaar Shalom lecture at Dalhousie earlier this month. The United States has actively disengaged from the organization, failing to even send a new ambassador after the last ones term ended, he noted. And nationalists around the world consistently question the organizations very political legitimacy. Meanwhile, humanitarians have grown particularly frustrated with the paralysis of the UNs political wing. That is where much of the disaffection and much of the public concern stems from, he said, referring to the Secretary General, Security Council and General Assembly. Its obvious that we grind down in a kind of abattoir of inflexibility when dealing with tremendous human concerns. More than 600 people turned out to the McInnes Room in the Student Union Building for Lewiss talk, an annual event established by the Shaar Shalom Synagogue and Dals Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences as a way to explore the broad themes of tolerance, multiculturalism and diversity. Lewis touched on a wide range of critical issues on which the UN has failed to show leadership in recent years, including climate change, mass migration, natural disasters and humanitarian crises in countries such as Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Venezuala and Myanmar. Lewis, who served for years as Canadas ambassador to the UN and in various senior roles in the organization, painted a picture of a global body desperately in need of strong moral leadership. We need leaders who are not afraid to take on issues that are disputatious and where there will be disagreement, but where principle will ultimately prevail because they gather around them a sonorous voice of agreement. It is so desperately required, he said. He said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has spoken out on some of the critical issues but doesnt seem to have the gravitas or influence to bring other countries into the fold. Further complicating Canadas ability to provide independent leadership at the UN is the countrys current campaign to secure a seat on the Security Council in the 2020 elections, said Lewis. Everything we do is premised on whether or not our positions will enhance our opportunity to be elected to the Security Council, he said, calling it an obsession. The "other" United Nations Lewis tempered his pessimism slightly when he spoke about the work of the whole other half of the United Nations that people sometimes forget about namely funds, programs and agencies such as the United Nations Development Program, the World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), where Lewis spent four years as deputy executive director in the mid-to-late 1990s. I have to say these funds and programs do magnificent work and they uphold the conventions [such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, for instance] which countries so often ignore, said Lewis, who also spent five years as the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. And if and when youre traveling on the ground through developing countries as I did constantly when I had been given the privilege of working on HIV for the UN, thats all they talk about, he added. They are not interested in what goes on at the Security Council, even though that may imperil the world. What they are interested in is what the agencies are doing on the ground to help their people and to work in concert with community-based organizations in those countries. Lewis also spoke of efforts to reform the United Nations to make it more functional and less subject to the political calculus underpinning international affairs, but said meaningful reform is tough to achieve given the veto power of the Security Councils five permanent members (China, Russia, the U.S., the UK and France). A question-and-answer period following Lewiss talk drew audience questions on everything from if the UN should be replaced (its worth saving) to how to measure success when even good leaders cant achieve much change there (you judge success by occasional progress). In the end, he said during his talk, its all about leadership. Thats whats needed, he said. People who, in a principled and compassionate way, want to change the world and save the United Nations in the process. Lewis is the board chair of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a non-governmental group that assists AIDS- and HIV-related projects in Africa. He is also co-founder and co-director of AIDS-Free World in the United States. Watch Lewis's full lecture below. Tunisia: no choice on fighters' return - magistrate Vice-president of anti-terror commission: they will be arrested (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, FEBRUARY 19 - Tunisia has no choice but to accept the return of Tunisian foreign fighters, magistrate Neila Fkih, the vice-president of the National anti-terrorism commission, told an audition of the parliamentary commission for security and defense. ''Tunisia has no choice concerning Tunisian foreign fighters who are returning from areas of tension who were involved in terrorism because welcoming them is an international pledge'', said Fkih, adding that the Constitution states that all Tunisians have the right to live in their country. Each foreign fighter returning to the country, however, will be arrested and their position will be examined by the judiciary. Tunisia has elaborated three different types of approach on how to deal with foreign fighters returning to the country, said Fkih. First such cases are examined by a court. Subsequently, specific programs are implemented for detainees in order to protect those around them from the risk of radicalization. Finally, they are assisted and monitored once they leave prison. The most significant problem concerns minors, the offspring of jihadists who are often detained or stranded abroad, with or without their mothers. The magistrate said a reported 86 children have fathers who have been involved in terrorism and are stranded in war-torn areas. The highest number of cases has been registered in Libya and the remaining ones were found in Syria and Iraq, the magistrate noted, adding that these children are part of a special category. ''It is possible that these children were witnesses or were trained to commit acts of terrorism and therefore they need specific treatment''. Since 2017, the national anti-terrorism commission has started implementing programs for the rehabilitation of children who were born in conflict areas and must return to Tunisia, said its secretary, Malek Kochlef. He added that the program mainly provides for the training of officials with the general direction of prisons and rehabilitation, the centers of defense and social integration, the ministry for social affairs and affected parties. Kochlef said that 30 people were trained in 2018 and 40 others, including delegates for the protection of minors, will receive specific training in 2019. The issue regarding the return of Tunisian jihadists from conflict areas and the implementation of a national strategy to manage this problem has been at the center of a heated debate for years in the North African country. The national commission to fight extremism and terrorism, created in 2015 by the National security council, includes representatives of the presidency of the republic, the government, the ministry of foreign affairs, justice, interior and defense, specialized magistrates, customs officers, financial analysts and experts with the Technical telecommunications agency. (ANSAmed) Macron visits vandalised Jewish graves President lays a rose at Quatzenheim cemetery (ANSAmed) - PARIS, FEBRUARY 19 - French President Emmanuel Macron made an unexpected visit on Tuesday to Quatzenheim cemetery, in eastern France, and left a rose at the site where about 80 Jewish graves were vandalised on Monday night. Macron is expected in the late afternoon at the Paris Holocaust Memorial. A humanitarian demonstration against anti-semitism is planned in the city at 7pm. Macron, wearing a kippah, visited the cemetery with France's head rabbi, observed a long moment of silence, and then left a rock on one of the vandalised graves. "We will take measures, we will make laws, we will punish," Macron said. "Those who did this aren't worthy of the Republic. And we will give a response with all the strength we have," he said. "It can happen anywhere, but it shouldn't ever happen again anywhere," he said.(ANSAmed). TEL AVIV - Palestinian President Abu Mazen has condemned Israel's closure of the Golden Gate, one of the entryways to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif compound in the Old City of Jerusalem where incidents between police and Muslim pilgrims who wanted to enter were registered yesterday. Five people were arrested. The Gate's area has been sealed, according to local media, based on a decision by the Supreme Court to stop illegal excavation work. ''We consider the government of Israel as completely responsible for the deterioration of the situation and we warn it against continuing this policy that wounds the feelings of our people'', the Palestinian president was quoted as saying by Wafa news agency. ''There will be repercussions'', he also said. Israeli minister tells French Jews 'come home' Gallant says grave vandalism recalls dark days of Jewish history (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, FEBRUARY 19 - Israeli Migration Minister, Yoav Gallant, tweeted on Tuesday following acts of vandalism at a Jewish cemetery Monday night that he strongly condemns antisemitism in France, and he appealed to Jews in France to "come back home, immigrate to Israel". "The vandalism of graves in the Jewish cemetery in France recalls the dark days of the history of the Jewish people," Gallant said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a similar appeal following the January 2015 attacks in Paris.(ANSAmed). BRUSSELS - European Union spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said Tuesday that requests by some opposition parties in Albania for a boycott of the Albanian Parliament and the MPs' waiver of their mandates are "damaging and go against the country's efforts" to stay on the path towards accession to the EU. Kocijancic's statement came after the en bloc resignation of Albanian opposition parties. Brussels is upset by the Albanian political crisis and is therefore calling on "the government and opposition to engage in constructive discussions", Kocijancic said. "Resorting to violence and damaging public property is unacceptable," she said, referring to events that took place Saturday in the centre of Tirana during an anti-government protest. Vehicles enter Baghuz in search of civilians, NGO says Roundup of last jihadists (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, FEBRUARY 19 - About 50 vehicles with the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition and Kurdish-Syrian forces entered Tuesday into the area of Baghuz, in southeastern Syria, where a roundup is underway to rout the last jihadists and find civilians trapped in the zone of conflict, according to sources on the ground and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Sources said the vehicles are there to transport civilians still left in the area.(ANSAmed). If you are going to make fun, as I have, then you are eventually going to be asked what your plan is to combat the insane risks humanity is taking with the world's climate. That retort is an evergreen in policy debates. No doubt when skeptics raised questions about the efficacy of bleeding patients to cure their cholera or of burning witches to halt crop failures, someone was standing there with their head cocked at a righteous angle, saying, "Oh no? Well, what's your plan, then?" Unfortunately, there is no law of universal symmetry by which the recognition of a problem automatically creates a feasible solution. But as it happens, I do have a plan, one that recognizes the true scope of the problem and therefore points in the opposite direction from the outdated, U.S.-centric approach taken by the Green New Deal resolution introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Massachusetts. I'll confess upfront that I'm far from sure my plan will work. I can only protest that it's more likely to work than the myopic austerity of the enviro-socialists. Injuries from a lawnmower can be devastating. There was one incident several years ago where a lawnmower hit a screwdriver and sent it over the house and it struck a child in the head." How has the left side of the political spectrum responded? Dear God, theres two of them, he joked. Taking the microphone, Tina Freitas said she is jumping into the fray for the sake of her childrens future. I cannot stand by and watch them grow up in a country that no longer values the things that we fought for as a family. I couldnt go to war with you the last time, Nick, she said, her voice breaking. But I can this time. Her husband served in the Army, including two tours of Iraq. Smiling, Tina Freitas called Hanger a nice man, and said she doesnt desire to drive him out of office. My hope is that he will see that it is time for the next generation to step up and defend our district, she said. I am 40 years old. When Emmett Hanger first entered the legislature, I was 4, she said to laughter. Its time. We need someone with conviction, resolve and energy to uphold against the onslaught of bills from the extreme left designed to control us, deprive us of our rights and the fruits of our labor. PALMYRA Democrat Elizabeth Alcorn is seeking to unseat Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle. On Monday at the Fluvanna County Public Library, Alcorn, a retired Greene County dentist, formally announced her plans to seek the 58th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. I think its time for people in the General Assembly to start working for the real issues that families in their districts deal with, she said. Alcorn said there are state lawmakers trying to do good work, but that Bell has been in the way of a lot of this change. We have been blocked by Bell, she said. The 58th includes Greene and parts of Albemarle, Fluvanna and Rockingham counties. Alcorn said she wants to focus on education, affordable health care and climate change, among other issues. She said she and her husband saw their health insurance premiums increase from $1,800 a month to $6,080 a month. I know we arent alone, and being in this situation causes families great fear, she said. Gore and Barber will appear together on Tuesday evening in a town hall in Buckingham that focuses on the 600-mile, $7.5 billion pipeline proposed by Dominion Energy and its partners. The pipeline would run from West Virginia through Virginia to southeastern North Carolina. The battle in Buckingham isnt the only hurdle the project faces. Federal energy regulators approved the pipeline 16 months ago, but the costs have soared, the construction schedule has slipped, and Wall Street confidence has waned as Dominion tries to recover from a series of legal setbacks in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Earlier this month, the Southern Environmental Law Center challenged the state air pollution permit for the compressor station in the Richmond-based appeals court. The court already has blocked or stayed a number of federal permits for the project, including one from the U.S. Forest Service that is critical to crossing through the Blue Ridge Mountains beneath the Appalachian Trail next to Wintergreen Resort in Nelson County. In a written statement Monday, Northam said the state air pollution permit issued last month for the Buckingham compressor station is the strongest of its kind in the country and ensures that air quality and public health will not be compromised. When the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy was created in 2007, also by a large donation and without Faculty Senate consultation, the Faculty Senate created a policy asking for additional input. The policy stated that any group wishing to propose a new school should seek the advice and review of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senates chair and executive council were briefed a month prior to the official announcement of the School of Data Science, according to information provided at the meeting, but faculty present at Mondays meeting said they felt the proposal should have been presented to the full senate. The proposal for the school also was discussed with deans of UVas existing schools and with faculty and chairs in the computer science, statistics, electrical and computer engineering and engineering systems, according to information provided. But my chair didnt know, Kuhn said. After the fact, my chair and the statistics chair were allowed to send in a statement of their concerns but to keep it to 100 words. My chair said, Can I do it in haiku form? So, its just not true that there was a robust discussion of what it would be or of the question of why have a school when you already have an institute. UN concerned over 200 families trapped in eastern Syria At Iraq border (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, FEBRUARY 19 - The United Nations said it is concerned over approximately 200 families trapped in southeastern Syria at the Iraq border, where an offensive is underway by Kurdish-Syrian forces with the US-led anti-ISIS coalition against the last area controlled by the Islamic State. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said she is concerned for the hundreds of civilians still left in the area of Baghuz, between the Euphrates and the Iraq border. She urged the parties to ensure safe passage out of the conflict zone for civilians.(ANSAmed). Our first mysterious pickle is a kind of radish, but one that is massive, and much more elongated sometimes like a long, skinny eggplant, only perfectly white. You sometimes see them in specialty or Asian shops. They have to cut them up into conveniently sized sections, which is why the served pieces have those angles. In this case, the peeled radish will be pickled with a variety of seasonings; it comes out bright yellow, and is much less crunchy than a raw radish. A bit vinegary, these radishes are also slightly sweet. Delicious. The second pickle, which is orange, is a little bit more obscure, for most Americans. It comes from the elongated, slender root of a plant called burdock, and which is a member of the sunflower family. The various species of burdock all have clusters of broad leaves at the base, and with thistle-like heads of purple flowers. The fruits that they produce are covered with hooked spines, and easily attached to clothing and fur. The skinny roots of this burdock are cleaned off and submersed in various pickling liquids, sometimes getting additional flavors such as turmeric. The pickles I had were salty and had a decided crunch, along with a somewhat unusual, smoky taste. Over the past two years, WTJU radio listeners have been following the story of 100 years of jazz, starting with the first jazz recording by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. The final episode of the Jazz at 100 series will focus on Charlottesvilles own local jazz scene. Listeners will hear recordings by members of Free Bridge Quintet, the University of Virginias faculty jazz ensemble; youll hear John Dearth, Jeff Decker, Butch Taylor, Pete Spaar and Robert Jospe at work. Charles Owens, Randy Johnston, Hod OBrien and Stephanie Nakasians work also will be in the spotlight, sharing New York vibes. Next-generation jazz practitioners Jonah Kane-West, Dane Anderson and Veronica Swift are in the mix; so are illustrious UVa Jazz Ensemble alumni, including Kati Denton and Jack Kilby. If youd like to follow along with program notes or catch up on all the past episodes go to WTJU.net/jazz100. WTJU.net; (434) 924-0885. Wall Street analysts have given iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value 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 Mid-Cap Value ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Some people binge watch Netflix Huluor HBO shows. And some people turn their downtime into cash. James made $2,275 in just 19 minutesall thanks to something called The 15 Minute Workday. The average trade makes 12% in just 5 days (factoring winners and losers) which is out of this world. Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Baqsimi for severe hypoglycemia; Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, Humulin U-500, and Lyumjev for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes. The company also provides Alimta for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma; Cyramza for metastatic gastric cancer, gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma, metastatic NSCLC, metastatic colorectal cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma; Erbitux for colorectal cancers, and various head and neck cancers; Retevmo for metastatic NSCLC, medullary thyroid cancer, and thyroid cancer; Tyvyt for relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin's lymph and non-squamous NSCLC; and Verzenio for HR+ and HER2- metastatic breast cancer. In addition, it offers Olumiant for rheumatoid arthritis; and Taltz for plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. Further, the company Cymbalta for depressive disorder, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, generalized anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain; Emgality for migraine prevention and episodic cluster headache; Reyvow for migraine; and Zyprexa for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, and bipolar maintenance. Additionally, it Bamlanivimab and etesevimab for COVID-19; Cialis for erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia; and Forteo for osteoporosis. Eli Lilly and Company has collaborations with Incyte Corporation; Pfizer Inc.; AC Immune SA; Centrexion Therapeutics Corporation; ImmuNext, Inc.; Avidity Biosciences, Inc.; AbCellera Biologics Inc.; Junshi Biosciences; and MiNA Therapeutics Limited. The company was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Read More Motorola Solutions, Inc. provides mission critical communications and analytics in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Services and Software. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation, optimization, and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety and first-responder agencies, municipalities, and commercial and industrial customers. Its LMR and video security and analytics devices include two-way portable and vehicle-mounted radios, fixed and mobile video cameras, and accessories; radio network core and central processing software, base stations, consoles, and repeaters; and video analytics, network video management hardware and software, and access control solutions. The Services segment provides repair, technical support, and hardware maintenance services. This segment also offers monitoring, software updates, and cybersecurity services; and public safety and enterprise command center software, unified communications applications, and video software solutions. It serves for government, public safety, and commercial communication networks. The company was formerly known as Motorola, Inc. and changed its name to Motorola Solutions, Inc. in January 2011. Motorola Solutions, Inc. was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Read More Ad Legacy Research 1,188 Interested This Week 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 BEIRUT - Negotiations are ongoing in Syria between Kurdish-Syrian forces and ISIS for the surrender of the last hundreds of jihadist militants besieged between the Euphrates and the Iraqi border, according to sources on the ground. The sources are in contact with Kurdish forces leading the final offensive against what has been described as the last bastion of the so-called 'Islamic State' in the area of Baghuz. Since 2016, Teeka Tiwari has trumped the stock market. His investment recommendations have each averaged 281%. Thats 17 times the S&P. And 112 times the average investor, according to JPMorgan! However, one investment Teeka just uncovered could top them all It involves former President Biden, billions of dollars, several large banks, and a super-rich family. As well as a MAJOR potential upgrade to our credit cards. Teeka, who ended up correctly picking the last investment of the decade, is declaring this his top pick for the 2020s. The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United states and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products. This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial trucking industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, program managers, and specialized retail agents. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty insurance products through independent agencies and brokers. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals through independent agencies and brokers. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Barclays: Adler Toy Holding Sarl, Aequor Investments Limited, Alymere Investments Limited, Alynore Investments Limited Partnership, Analog Analytics, Analog Analytics Inc, Analytical Trade Holdings LLC, Analytical Trade Investments LLC, Analytical Trade UK Limited, Archstone Equity Holdings Inc, Ardencroft Investments Limited, B D & B Investments Limited, B.P.B. (Holdings) Limited, BB Client Nominees Limited, BBAIL SAS, BCAP LLC, BIFML PTC Limited, BMBF (No.24) Limited, BMI (No.9) Limited, BNC Brazil Consultoria Empresarial Ltda, BNRI ENG 2013 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG 2014 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG GP LLP, BNRI England 2010 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2011 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2012 Limited Partnership, BNRI Limehouse No.1 Sarl, BNRI PIA Scot GP Limited, BNRI Scots GP LLP, BPB Holdings SA, BVP Galvani Global S.A.U., Barafor Limited, Barclay Leasing Limited, Barclaycard Funding PLC, Barclaycard International Payments Limited, Barclays (Barley) Limited, Barclays Aldersgate Investments Limited, Barclays Alzin Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Asia Limited, Barclays Asset Management Limited, Barclays BR Investments S.a r.l., Barclays BWA Inc., Barclays Bank (Suisse) S.A., Barclays Bank Delaware, Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Barclays Bank Ireland Public Limited Company, Barclays Bank Mexico S.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Barclays Bank UK PLC, Barclays Bayard Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bedivere Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bordang Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Brasil Assessoria Financeira Ltda., Barclays CCP Funding LLC, Barclays Cantal Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Capital (Cayman) Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Limited, Barclays Capital Canada Inc., Barclays Capital Casa de Bolsa S.A. de C.V., Barclays Capital Derivatives Funding LLC, Barclays Capital Effekten GmbH, Barclays Capital Energy Inc., Barclays Capital Equities Trading GP, Barclays Capital Finance Limited, Barclays Capital Futures (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Barclays Capital Japan Securities Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Capital Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.2) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.3) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees Limited, Barclays Capital Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Capital Real Estate Finance Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Inc., Barclays Capital Securities Client Nominee Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Trading Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Claudas Investments Partnership, Barclays Claudas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Barclays Converted Investments (No.2) Limited, Barclays Corporation Limited, Barclays Direct Investing Nominees Limited, Barclays Directors Limited, Barclays Dryrock Funding LLC, Barclays Electronic Commerce Holdings Inc., Barclays Equity Holdings Limited, Barclays Equity Index Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Europe Client Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Firm Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Executive Schemes Trustees Limited, Barclays Financial LLC, Barclays Financial Planning Nominee Company Limited, Barclays Funds Investments Limited, Barclays Funds and Advisory Japan Limited, Barclays Global Service Centre Private Limited, Barclays Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Group Holdings Limited, Barclays Group Operations Limited, Barclays Group US Inc., Barclays Index Finance Trust, Barclays Industrial Development Limited, Barclays Industrial Investments Limited, Barclays Insurance Guernsey PCC Limited, Barclays Insurance Services Company Limited, Barclays Insurance U.S. Inc., Barclays International Luxembourg Dollar Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Investment Management Limited, Barclays Investment Solutions Limited, Barclays Investments & Loans (India) Limited, Barclays Korea GP Limited, Barclays Lamorak Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Leasing (No.9) Limited, Barclays Leto Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Long Island Limited, Barclays Luxembourg EUR Holdings S.a r.l, Barclays Luxembourg Finance S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg GBP Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Global Funding S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings SSC B, Barclays Marlist Limited, Barclays Mauritius Overseas Holdings Limited, Barclays Mercantile Business Finance Limited, Barclays Merchant Bank (Singapore) Ltd., Barclays Nominees (George Yard) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Manx) Limited, Barclays Oversight Management Inc., Barclays Payment Solutions Inc., Barclays Pelleas Investments Limited Partnership, Barclays Pelleas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Pension Funds Trustees Limited, Barclays Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Private Asset Management (Monaco) S.A.M, Barclays Private Bank, Barclays Private Clients International Limited, Barclays Receivables LLC, Barclays SAMS Limited, Barclays Securities (India) Private Limited, Barclays Securities Japan Limited, Barclays Security Trustee Limited, Barclays Services (Japan) Limited, Barclays Services Corporation, Barclays Services Jersey Limited, Barclays Services LLC, Barclays Services Limited, Barclays Shea Limited, Barclays Singapore Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Switzerland Services SA, Barclays Tenedora De Immuebles SL., Barclays Term Funding Limited Liability Partnership, Barclays UK Investments Limited, Barclays US CCP Funding LLC, Barclays US Funding LLC, Barclays US GPF Inc., Barclays US Investments Inc., Barclays US LLC, Barclays Unquoted Investments Limited, Barclays Unquoted Property Investments Limited, Barclays Wealth Management Jersey Limited, Barclays Wealth Nominees Limited, Barclays Wealth Services Limited, Barclays Wealth Trustees (India) Private Limited, Barclayshare Nominees Limited, Barclaytrust Channel Islands Limited, Barcosec Limited, Barsec Nominees Limited, Blossom Finance General Partnership, Branchcall Computers (Pvt) Limited, Braven Investments No.1 Limited, CP Flower Guaranteeco (UK) Limited, CP Newco 1 Limited, CP Newco2 Limited, CP Newco3 Limited, CP Propco 1 Limited, CP Propco 2 Limited, CP Topco Limited, CPIA Canada Holdings, CPIA England 2008 Limited Partnership, CPIA England 2009 Limited Partnership, CPIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, CPIA Investments No.1 Limited, CPIA Investments No.2 Limited, CRE Diversified Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe LLC, Calthorpe Investments Limited, Capton Investments Limited, Carnegie Holdings Limited, Central Platte Valley Management LLC, Chapelcrest Investments Limited, Charles Schwab Europe, Claudas Investments Limited, Claudas Investments Two Limited, Clydesdale Financial Services Limited, Cobalt Investments Limited, Compania Regional del Sur S.A., Compania Sudamerica S.A., Condor No.1 Limited Partnership, Cornwall Homes Loans Limited, Crescent Crown Land Holding SPV LLC, Crescent Legacy LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential L.P., Crescent Plaza Residential LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential LP LLC, Crescent Real Estate Member LLC, Crescent Resort Development LLC, Crescent TRS Holdings LLC, Crescent Tower Residences GP LLC, Crescent Tower Residences L.P., Curve Investments GP, DBL Texas Holdings LLC, DMW Realty Limited, Desert Mountain Development LLC, Desert Mountain Properties Limited Partnership, Develop Training Group Limited, Dorset Home Loans Limited, Durlacher Nominees Limited, EWRD Summit LLC, Eagle Financial and Leasing Services (UK) Limited, East West Resort Development V L.P. L.L.L.P., East West Resort Development VII LLC, Equity Limited Partnership, Equity Value Investments No.1 Limited, Equity Value Investments No.2 Limited, Erimon Home Loans Ireland Limited, Expobank, FIRSTPLUS Financial Group Limited, Finpart Nominees Limited, First Assurance, Foltus Investments Limited, Full House Holdings Limited, Gallen Investments Limited, Global Dynasty Natural Resource Private, Globe Nominees Limited, Gracechurch Services Corporation, Grays Station LLC, Grupo Financiero Barclays Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hawkins Funding Limited, Heraldglen Limited, Holding Stuttgarter Strae GmbH, Hurley Investments No.1 Limited, Imalivest Mineral Resources LP, Investors In Infrastructure Limited, J.V. Estates Limited, JV Assets Limited, Kirsche Investments Limited, LTDL Holdings LLC, La Torretta Beverages LLC, La Torretta Hospitality LLC, La Torretta Operations LLC, Lagalla Investments LLC, Leonis Investments LLP, Liability Partnership, Long Island Assets Limited, Long Island Holding A LLC, Long Island Holding B Limited, MK Opportunities GP Ltd, MK Opportunities LP, MVWP Investors LLC, Maloney Investments Limited, Marbury Holdings LLC, Menlo Investments Limited, Mercantile Credit Company Limited, Mercantile Leasing Company (No.132) Limited, Meridian (SPV-AMC) Corporation, Mintaka Investments No. 4 Limited, Mira Vista Development LLC, Mira Vista Golf Club L.C., Mountainside Partners LLC, Murray House Investment Management Limited, Naxos Investments Limited, Nile Bank, North Colonnade Investments Limited, Northstar Mountain Properties LLC, Northstar Trailside Townhomes LLC, Northstar Village Townhomes LLC, Northwharf Investments Limited, Northwharf Nominees Limited, OGP Leasing Limited, Oakes Millers Ltd, Ownership Trustee Limited, PIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, Palomino Limited, Pecan Aggregator LP, Pelleas Investments Limited, Pelleas Investments Two Limited, Pippin Island Investments Limited, Preferred Liquidity LLC, Preferred Liquidity Limited Partnership, Procella Investments LLC, Procella Investments No.1 LLC, Procella Investments No.2 LLC, Procella Investments No.3 LLC, Protium Finance I LLC, Protium Master Grantor Trust, Protium Master Mortgage LP, Protium REO I LP, R.C. Grieg Nominees Limited, RVH Limited, RVT CLO Investments LLP, Razzoli Investments Limited, Real Estate Participation Management Limited, Real Estate Participation Services Limited, Relative Value Holdings LLC, Relative Value Investments UK Limited, Relative Value Trading Limited, Roder Investments No. 1 Limited, Roder Investments No. 2 Limited, Ruthenium Investments Limited, SPM GP Limited, Securitized Asset Backed Receivables LLC, Servicios Barclays S.A. de C.V., Societe Civile Immobiliere 31 Avenue de la Costa, Solution Personal Finance Limited, Southern Peaks Mining LP, Standard Life Aberdeen, Surety Trust Limited, Surrey Funding Corporation, Sussex Purchasing Corporation, Sutton Funding LLC, Swan Lane Investments Limited, TPLL LLC, TPProperty LLC, Tahoe Club Company LLC, Tahoe Club Employee Company, The Logic Group Enterprises Limited, The Logic Group Holdings Limited, Third Energy Holdings Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No. 2 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.1 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.3 Limited, US Secured Investments LLC, Union Center LLC, United Counties Bank, Verain Investments LLC, Walbrook Group Ltd, Wedd Jefferson (Nominees) Limited, Wessex Investments Limited, Westferry Investments Limited, Wilmington Riverfront Receivables LLC, Woolwich Homes Limited, Woolwich Plan Managers Limited, Woolwich Qualifying Employee Share, Woolwich Surveying Services Limited, Woori BC Pegasus Securitization Specialty Co. Limited, and Zeban Nominees Limited. Greece faces fresh heavy criticism on migrants New damning report slams "inhuman and degrading" conditions (ANSAmed) - ATHENS, 19 FEB - Greece's handling of the ongoing migrant crisis continues to come under heavy criticism with a new scathing report declaring that the country's migrant camps continue to be "inhuman and degrading" for the thousands of asylum seekers staying in them. The report which was published by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), highlights "a lack of doctors, adequate medicine, food and drinking water in several camps". This time the report does not just focus on the poor conditions on the North Eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos, but also the facilities along the land border with Turkey, as well as in Athens. The report said the conditions are so bad that it they are "causing numerous health problems, including scabies from dirty blankets." The CPT have singled out one of the European Union-funded camps at the village of Fylakio on the border with Turkey, where they reported that 95 migrants were living in a single room. The detailed report hones in on the Greek authorities' handling of unaccompanied minors, stating that there are cases that hundreds of such vulnerable groups are being housed in the same rooms and facilities as single men, which puts them at risk of sexual violence. Overall the damning report laments Greece's handling of the situation on several levels and stresses that immediate action needs to be taken to ensure that occupancy levels are "drastically reduced" so each facility is not overcrowded and in order to make sure that facilities can be kept clean, repaired and that every detained person should be provided with appropriate food, a mattress and clean bedding, as well as sufficient hygiene products. "The CPT urges the Greek authorities to take concrete action to address without delay the recommendations made by the committee in all these areas outlined in this and previous visit reports," said the report, which can be read here (https://rm.coe.int/1680930c9a). The report comes just a month after the Hellenic Coast Guard data revealed that there were more than 3,100 arrivals on the Greek islands in the month of December alone. This brought the total number of migrants and refugees in the Aegean to just under 5,000. The majority of people are staying on Lesvos, which has a recorded total of 6,922 people. It is here where the main Moria camp has been described as "hell on earth" among other things due to the sheer volume of people and lack of space and infrastructure. Earlier this month, Greece's Migration Policy Minister Dimitris Vitsas admitted that conditions on both Lesvos and Samos are causing big problems, and said that efforts are being made to transfer more migrants to more suitable facilities on the mainland quicker. Describing the situation on the mainland, Vitsas commented that around 25,000 migrants have been placed in apartments, and that 7,000 are staying in hotels and other kinds of tourist lodgings. Additionally, "between 18,000 and 20,000" are living at state-run camps in Athens, Thessaloniki and other areas. (ANSAmed). The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take up a challenge to a Kentucky law that makes it a crime for anyone to direct speech or conduct to a school employee that disrupts or interferes with normal school activities. The law was challenged by a graduate student named Johnathan Masters, who in 2014 got into an argument with a principal in the Cloverport Independent School District over the distribution of some surveys. The principal, Keith Haynes, asked Masters to leave school premises, upon which Masters called Haynes a profane name and suggested they step outside so Masters could kick [Hayness] ass, court papers say. Masters was charged with a misdemeanor violation of a Kentucky law that says: Whenever a teacher, classified employee, or school administrator is functioning in his capacity as an employee of a board of education of a public school system, it shall be unlawful for any person to direct speech or conduct toward the teacher, classified employee, or school administrator when such person knows or should know that the speech or conduct will disrupt or interfere with normal school activities or will nullify or undermine the good order and discipline of the school. Masters challenged the law in a Kentucky trial court as punishing more behavior than necessary and chilling protected speech. But the trial court rejected his arguments, a jury found him guilty, and the judge fined him $500. A midlevel Kentucky appellate court upheld Masterss conviction and the constitutionality of the statute under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The statute does not seek to suppress expression, but rather attempts to preserve a suitable learning environment by curbing unreasonable, and potentially dangerous, disruptions to school operations, said the Kentucky Court of Appeals , which added that a threat of physical force against a principal during the school day foreseeably triggers a safety protocol which disrupts the orderly function of the classroom. The Kentucky Supreme Court declined to take up the case, and Masters filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court as a pauper. At the high court, Masters received support in the form of a friend-of-the-court brief filed by the Student Press Law Center and five other groups. The brief argued that 22 states have some variation of the Kentucky law, which it characterizes as holdover from the discredited zero tolerance movement in public schools. The brief emphasizes the role such laws may be playing in the trend of criminalization of student misbehavior in schools. History demonstrates that, invariably, laws that enable school authorities to press criminal charges based on a subjective assessment of whether speech is disruptive will be applied disproportionately against students of color, students with special needs, and students experiencing mental-health issues, the SPLCs brief said. The brief also argued that the Kentucky law was inconsistent with the standard of when disruptive behavior in schools could be punished as set forth in the Supreme Courts landmark 1969 decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District . That decision is approaching its 50th anniversary, on Feb. 24. (Ill have a report coming on the anniversary in a couple of days.) But the justices will not be using the case of Masters v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (No. 18-7286) to further develop the law of student expression and discipline. The high court declined the appeal without comment. NiSource Inc., an energy holding company, operates as a regulated natural gas and electric utility company in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Gas Distribution Operations and Electric Operations. It provides natural gas services and transportation for residential, commercial, and industrial customers; generates, transmits, and distributes electricity; and wholesale and transmission transaction services. The company owns and operates two coal-fired electric generating stations with a capacity of 2,080 megawatts (MW); combined cycle gas turbine with a capacity of 571 MW; two gas-fired generating units with a capacity of 155 MW; and two hydroelectric generating plants with a capacity of 10 MW. It serves approximately 4 million natural gas customers in six states under the Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands; and 500,000 electricity customers in the northern part of Indiana. The company was formerly known as NIPSCO Industries, Inc. and changed its name to NiSource Inc. in April 1999. NiSource Inc. was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. Read More NCI Building Systems, Inc. designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets metal products for the nonresidential construction industry in North America. It operates in four segments: Engineered Building Systems, Metal Components, Insulated Metal Panels, and Metal Coil Coating. The Engineered Building Systems segment offers engineered structural members and panels; and self-storage building systems under the Metallic, Mid-West Steel, A & S, All American, Mesco, Star, Ceco, Robertson, Garco, Heritage, and SteelBuilding.com brands to builders, general contractors, developers, and end users directly, as well as through private label companies. The Metal Components segment provides metal roof and wall systems, metal partitions, metal trims, doors, and other related accessories for use in new construction, and repair and retrofit applications; roll-up doors; and interior and exterior walk doors under the MBCI, American Building Components, Eco-ficient, Metal Depots, and Doors and Buildings Components brands to manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors, distributors, lumberyards, cooperative buying groups, and other customers. The Insulated Metal Panels segment offers insulated metal panels for architectural, commercial, industrial, and cold storage end-market applications under the Metl-Span and CENTRIA brands. The Metal Coil Coating segment engages in cleaning, treating, and painting flat-rolled metals in coil form, as well as in slitting and/or embossing the metal, before the metal is fabricated for use by industrial users. It also cleans, treats, and coats heavy and light gauge metal coils for use in construction products, heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters, lighting fixtures, ceiling grids, office furniture, appliances, and other products; and provides toll coating and painted metal package services under the Metal Coaters and Metal Prep brands. NCI Building Systems, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More Mettler-Toledo International Inc. manufactures and supplies precision instruments and services worldwide. It operates in five segments: U.S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations, and Other. The company offers weighing instruments for laboratory, industrial, packaging, logistics, and food retailing applications; various related analytical instruments and automated chemistry solutions used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development; metal detection and other end-of-line product inspection systems used in production and packaging for food processing and packaging, pharmaceutical, packaged consumer goods, and other industries; and solutions that are used in various process analytics applications. Its laboratory instruments include laboratory balances, liquid pipetting solutions, automated laboratory reactors, titrators, pH meters, process analytics sensors and analyzer technologies, physical value analyzers, thermal analysis systems, and other analytical instruments; and LabX, a laboratory software platform. The company's industrial instruments comprise industrial weighing instruments and related terminals, automatic dimensional measurement and data capture solutions, vehicle scale systems, industrial software, and product inspection systems. Its retail weighing solutions consist of networked scales and software, and stand-alone scales for handling fresh goods, such as meats, vegetables, fruits, and cheeses. The company serves the life science industry, and independent research organizations; food and beverage producers; food retailers; chemical, specialty chemical, and cosmetics companies; food retailers; transportation and logistics, metals, and electronics industries; and the academic community. It markets its products through its direct sales force and indirect distribution channels. The company was incorporated in 1991 and is based in Columbus, Ohio. 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. Egypt: two dead, four wounded in suicide attack in Cairo Man blew himself up near Al Azhar mosque (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, FEBRUARY 19 - A terrorist who was wearing a suicide vest and was being chased by police blew himself up in Cairo, killing two police officers and wounding four people (three officers and a Thai citizen). The man was fleeing from security forces who had gone to his home to arrest him near the Al Azhar mosque, the Egyptian interior ministry said in a statement, releasing the death toll and number of wounded which was limited to the officers. ANSA however has learned that a 25-year-old Thai man also reported minor injuries in the attack. Close to the area of the explosion, in the district of Gamaliya, there is the Khan El Khalili market, which is a popular venue with tourists, as well as the famous mosque. The attacker, who was reportedly fleeing by bicycle, was suspected of placing a bomb near a mosque last Friday, according to the ministry. (ANSAmed) KBR, Inc. provides scientific, technology, and engineering solutions to governments and commercial customers worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Government Solutions, Technology Solutions, and Energy Solutions. The Government Solutions segment offers life-cycle support solutions to defense, intelligence, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Its services cover research and development, systems engineering, test and evaluation, systems integration and program management, operations support, readiness, and logistics. This segment also offers software and engineering solutions to critical national security missions across space, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, missile defense, and intelligence domains to the United States government and related defense agencies. The Technology Solutions segment provides proprietary technologies, equipment and catalyst supply, digital solutions, and associated knowledge-based services into a global business for refining, petrochemicals, inorganic, and specialty chemicals, as well as gasification, syngas, ammonia, nitric acid, and fertilizers. The Energy Solutions segment provides life-cycle support solutions across the upstream, midstream, and downstream markets, including advisory services focused on energy transition and net zero carbon objective; technology led industrial solutions focused on advanced remote operations capabilities to improve throughput, reliability, and environmental sustainability; digitally-enabled professional services, such as complex program management, engineering and design, and advanced project integration; and other construction services. KBR, Inc. is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More CBRE Group, Inc. operates as a commercial real estate services and investment company worldwide. It operates through Advisory Services, Global Workplace Solutions, and Real Estate Investments segments. The Advisory Services segment provides strategic advice and execution to owners, investors, and occupiers of real estate in connection with leasing; property sales and mortgage services under the CBRE Capital Markets brand; property and project management services, including construction management, marketing, building engineering, accounting, and financial services for owners of and investors in office, industrial, and retail properties; and valuation services that include market value appraisals, litigation support, discounted cash flow analyses, and feasibility studies, as well as consulting services, such as property condition reports, hotel advisory, and environmental consulting. The Global Workplace Solutions segment offers facilities management, project management, and transaction management services. The Real Estate Investments segment provides investment management services under the CBRE Global Investors brand to pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, foundations, endowments, and other institutional investors; development services under the Trammell Crow Company brand primarily to users of and investors in commercial real estate; and flexible-space solutions under the CBRE Hana brand, which includes office suites, conference rooms and event space, and communal co-working space for institutional property owners. It also develops residential-led and mixed-use sites in London under the Telford Homes brand. The company was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Read More Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Taiwan 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 MSCI Taiwan ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Singapore 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 MSCI Singapore ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Wall Street analysts have given Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt 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 Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Ingersoll Rand Inc. provides various mission-critical air, fluid, energy, specialty vehicle and medical technologies in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates through four segments: Industrial Technologies and Services; Precision and Science Technologies; Specialty Vehicle Technologies; and High Pressure Solutions segments. The company offers air and gas compression, vacuum and blower products, fluid transfer and management equipment, loading systems, power tools and lifting equipment, displacement pumps, liquid and precision syringe pumps, and compressors, as well as as well as aftermarket parts, consumables, and services. It also designs, manufactures, and markets golf, utility, and consumer low-speed vehicles, as well as integrated systems. The company's products are used in medical, laboratory, industrial manufacturing, water and wastewater, chemical processing, drilling, hydraulic fracturing, well servicing applications, precision irrigation, energy, food and beverage, agriculture, and automated liquid handling end-markets, as well as various manufacturing, industrial facilities applications, and other activities. It serves to various industries and sectors. The company sells its products through an integrated network of direct sales representatives and independent distributors under the Ingersoll Rand, Gardner Denver, Club Car, CompAir, Nash, Elmo Rietschle, Robuschi, Thomas, Milton Roy, ARO, Emco Wheaton, and Runtech Systems brands. The company was formerly known as Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Ingersoll Rand Inc. in March 2020. Ingersoll Rand Inc. was founded in 1859 and is based in Davidson, North Carolina. Read More Turkey: 3.8 bn in exchanges for Lombardy in nine months Up 7%. Ex-economy minister Elitas in Milan (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 19 - Business between Turkey and Lombardy is on the rise, according to data released by the chamber of commerce of Milan, Monza, Brianza, Lodi and Promos Italia, the agency for the internationalization of the chambers of commerce. According to the data, exchanges over nine months were worth 3.8 billion, up 7% in a year. Exports were worth two billion euros and imports 1.8 billion. Imports led growth, up 18%, exports were quite stable at -1.6%. Lombardy's share over the Italian total was worth 13.6 billion euros, including 7 billion in exports, 29% on exports and 27% on imports. A parliamentary delegation from Turkey, including some 20 participants, visited the chamber of commerce in Milan. The delegation included Mustafa Elitas, a former economy minister. Marco Accornero, a member of the council of the chamber of commerce of Milan, Monza, Brianza, Lodi said that ''today's meeting with the institutional visit of Turkish representatives is the occasion to report on bilateral economic relations that see a rise in business affecting our companies. In particular, Lombardy has about one-third of national exchanges. It is thus a relevant market for us and we are trying to further strengthen these ties with today's meeting''. Exports regarded 515 million euros in machinery, 403 million in chemical products, 177 in fashion and ready-to-wear. Imports concerned 586 million euros in metals, 289 million in vehicles and 264 million in fashion and ready-to-wear. (ANSAmed) Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sport shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Prim + Preux, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer panty hoses, tights, and leggings under the brands of Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, GT a GoldToe Brand, Silver Toe, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Kushyfoot, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brand names; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, or embellishers, as well as to retailers and consumer brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, distributes, and sells device-based medical therapies to hospitals, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. It operates through four segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group, Minimally Invasive Therapies Group, Restorative Therapies Group, and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; AF ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; mechanical circulatory support; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software. It also provides aortic valves; percutaneous coronary intervention stents, surgical valve replacement and repair products, endovascular stent grafts, percutaneous angioplasty balloons, and products to treat superficial venous diseases in the lower extremities. The Minimally Invasive Therapies Group segment offers surgical products, including surgical stapling devices, vessel sealing instruments, wound closure, electrosurgery products, hernia mechanical devices, mesh implants, and gynecology products; electrosurgical hardware and instruments, and mesh fixation devices; and gastrointestinal, inhalation therapy, and renal care solutions. The Restorative Therapies Group segment offers products for spinal surgeons; neurosurgeons; neurologists; pain management specialists; anesthesiologists; orthopedic surgeons; urologists; colorectal surgeons; urogynecologists; interventional radiologists; ear, nose, and throat specialists; and systems that incorporate energy surgical instruments. It also provides image-guided surgery and intra-operative imaging systems and robotic guidance systems used in robot assisted spine procedures; and therapies for vasculature in and around the brain. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps and consumables, and continuous glucose monitoring systems. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More 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. 5 Ways to Win at Trading (Ad) More people are trading options... But most are doing it wrong... and LOSING money. Former Chicago Board Options Exchange trader reveals five secrets you MUST know before putting a penny in the market... Get the list of all five now. Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, Gas Utilities and Infrastructure, and Commercial Renewables. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, renewable sources, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. It also engages in the wholesale of electricity to municipalities, electric cooperative utilities, and load-serving entities. This segment serves approximately 7.9 million retail electric customers in 6 states in the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States covering a service territory of approximately 91,000 square miles; and owns approximately 50,807 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure segment distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation natural gas customers; and owns, operates, and invests in pipeline transmission and natural gas storage facilities. It has approximately 1.6 million customers, including 1.1 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as 541,000 customers in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky. The Commercial Renewables segment acquires, owns, develops, builds, and operates wind and solar renewable generation projects, including nonregulated renewable energy and energy storage services to utilities, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and commercial and industrial customers. It has 21 wind, 150 solar, and 2 battery storage facilities, as well as 11 fuel cell locations with a capacity of 2,282 MW across 19 states. The company was formerly known as Duke Energy Holding Corp. and changed its name to Duke Energy Corporation in April 2005. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Read More ANSAmed - Today's events in the Mediterranean (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 19 - These are the main events scheduled for today in the Euro-Mediterranean area: ANKARA - The 13th Ankara Book Fair continues with Italy as guest of honor (until February 24). ABU DHABI - Exhibition 'Rembrandt, Vermeer and the Dutch Golden Age: Masterpieces from the Leiden collection and the Musee du Louvre' (until May 18). ROME - Exhibit titled 'Shapes of the Soul' in the Dali Room of the Cervantes Institute with works of painting, sculpture, photography, video and installations by 14 Spanish artists continues (to March 30). BRUSSELS - NATO, speech by High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini to the Parliamentary Assembly. (ANSAmed). The following companies are subsidiares of The Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc.. Coeur Mining, Inc. explores for, develops, produces, and sells precious metals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, and lead properties. It holds 100% interests in the Palmarejo gold and silver mine covering an area of approximately 67,296 net acres located in the State of Chihuahua in Northern Mexico; the Rochester silver and gold mine that covers an area of approximately 17,044 net acres situated in northwestern Nevada; the Kensington gold mine comprising 12,336 net acres located to the north of Juneau, Alaska; the Wharf gold mine covering an area of approximately 7,852 net acres situated in the northern Black Hills of western South Dakota; and the Silvertip silver-zinc-lead mine comprising 98,834 net acres located in northern British Columbia, Canada. The company also owns interests in the Crown and Sterling projects located in southern Nevada; and the La Preciosa project located in Mexico. It markets and sells its concentrates to third-party refiners, smelters, and off-take customers. The company was formerly known as Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation and changed its name to Coeur Mining, Inc. in May 2013. Coeur Mining, Inc. was incorporated in 1928 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Read More 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. Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products worldwide. It operates through Propulsion; Parts & Accessories; and Boat segments. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, and inboard engines for independent boat builders and governments through marine dealers and distributors, specialty marine retailers, and marine service centers; and propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses. This segment offers its products under the Mercury Marine, Mercury, Mercury MerCruiser, Mariner, Mercury Racing, and Mercury Diesel brands. The Parts & Accessories segment provides engine parts and consumables, electrical products, boat parts and systems, engine oils and lubricants, marine electronics and control systems, instruments, trolling motors, fuel systems, and electrical systems, as well as specialty vehicle, mobile, and transportation aftermarket products for aftermarket retailers, distributors, and distribution businesses, as well for as for the original equipment manufacturers in marine and non-marine markets; and supplies parts and accessories through the distribution business. This segment offers its products under the under the Mercury, Mercury Precision Parts, Quicksilver, and Seachoice brands. The Boat segment provides Sea Ray sport boats and cruisers; Bayliner sport cruisers and runabouts; Boston Whaler fiberglass offshore boats; Lund fiberglass fishing boats; Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Lowe, Lund, and Princecraft aluminum fishing, utility, pontoon, and deck boats; Heyday tow/wake boats; and Thunder Jet heavy-gauge aluminum boats, as well as shared access boat club and dealer services to the marine industry through dealers and distributors. Brunswick Corporation was founded in 1845 and is headquartered in Mettawa, Illinois. Read More Northrop Grumman Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems, and Space Systems. The Aeronautics Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, and sustains aircraft systems for strategic and tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions; and long-range strike aircraft systems, tactical fighter aircrafts, and airborne battle management systems. The Defense Systems segment offers weapon and mission systems for the U.S. military and civilian agency customers. Its principal products and services include integrated battle management systems, weapons systems, information technology services, and intelligence operations. This segment provides command and control and weapons systems, including munitions and missiles; precision strike weapons; propulsion, such as air-breathing systems; and gun systems and precision munitions. It also offers life cycle service and support for software, weapons systems, and aircraft; security services, including information and cyber operations; intelligence analysis and support; and IT infrastructure, such as cloud. The Mission Systems segment offers command, control, communications, and computers ISR systems; radar, electro-optical/infrared, and acoustic sensors; electronic warfare systems; communications and network systems; processing systems; navigation; and maritime power, propulsion, and payload launch systems. This segment also provides airborne sensors and networks; cyber and intelligence mission solutions; maritime/land systems and sensors; and navigation, targeting, and survivability solutions. The Space Systems segment offers satellites and payloads; ground systems; missile defense systems and interceptors; launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; and strategic missiles. Northrop Grumman Corporation was founded in 1939 and is based in Falls Church, Virginia. Read More BEIRUT - About 50 vehicles with the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition and Kurdish-Syrian forces entered Tuesday into the area of Baghuz, in southeastern Syria, where a roundup is underway to rout the last jihadists and find civilians, women and children among them, trapped in the zone of conflict, according to sources on the ground and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Sources said the vehicles are there to transport civilians still left in the area. The United Nations said it is concerned over approximately 200 families trapped in southeastern Syria at the Iraq border. In a statement released in Geneva on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said she is concerned for the hundreds of civilians still left in the area of Baghuz, between the Euphrates and the Iraq border. She urged the parties to ensure a safe passage for civilians out of the conflict zone. "Many of them are apparently being actively prevented from leaving by ISIS and continue to be subjected to intensified air and ground-based strikes by the US-led coalition forces and their Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) allies," Bachelet said. "Civilians continue to be used as pawns by the various parties," Bachelet said. "I call on them to provide safe passage to those who wish to flee, while those wish to remain must also be protected as much as possible. They should not be sacrificed to ideology on the one hand, or military expediency on the other. If protecting civilian lives means taking a few more days to capture the last fraction of land controlled by ISIS, then so be it," she said. 5 Secrets to Making Winning Trades (Ad) Regular people are pouring into the market 10 million people became traders last year alone. But most do it WRONG... and lose big-time. Thats why you need to see the five secrets for making winning trades. Get the list of all five now. Wall Street analysts have given iShares S&P SmallCap 600 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 S&P SmallCap 600 ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. It operates in four segments: Gas Distribution Operations, Gas Pipeline Investments, Wholesale Gas Services, and Gas Marketing Services. The company also constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy and battery energy storage projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, wholesale gas services, and gas pipeline investments operations. It owns and/or operates 30 hydroelectric generating stations, 24 fossil fuel generating stations, 3 nuclear generating stations, 13 combined cycle/cogeneration stations, 44 solar facilities, 13 wind facilities, 1 fuel cell facility, and 1 battery storage facility; and constructs, operates, and maintains 75,924 miles of natural gas pipelines and 14 storage facilities with total capacity of 157 Bcf to provide natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The company serves approximately 8.6 million electric and gas utility customers. It also provides products and services in the areas of energy efficiency, and utility infrastructure. In addition, the company offers digital wireless communications and fiber optics services. The Southern Company was incorporated in 1945 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Roche: 454 Life Sciences, Adheron Therapeutics, Adheron Therapeutics Inc., Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Anadys Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ariosa Diagnostics, Ariosa Diagnostics Inc., Arius Research, Ascur Versicherungsvermittlungs GmbH, BINA Technology, Bina Technologies Inc., BioImagene, BioVeris, BioVeris Corporation, Biopharm AG, Boehringer Mannheim, Borean Pharma, Chemical Manufacturing and Trading Company Limited, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Disetronic Holding AG, Dutalys GmbH, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd / Jordan P.S.C., FLLC "Roche Products Limited", FMI Germany GmbH, Flatiron Health, Flatiron Health Inc., ForSight Labs, ForSight VISION4 Inc., Foundation Medicine, Foundation Medicine Inc., Foundation Medicine Securities Corporation, Galenus Mannheim Pharma GmbH, GeneWEAVE, GeneWEAVE Biosciences Inc., Genentech, Genentech Inc., Genentech P.R. Inc., Genentech USA Inc., Genia Technologies, Hoffmann - La Roche Ltd, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Hoffmann-La Roche Limited, Hoffmann-La Roche Products Limited, I5 Surviving Corp., IGEN International Inc., IGEN LS LLC, IQuum, IQuum Inc., Ignyta, Ignyta Inc., Inflazome, Infogenetik Molekuler Bilgi Hizmetleri Anonim Sirketi, Institut Roche SAS, InterMune, InterMune Holdings Limited, InterMune Inc., InterMune International AG, Jecure Therapeutics Inc., Kapa Biosystems, Kapa Biosystems (Pty) Ltd, Kapa Biosystems Inc., Limited Liability Company Roche Diabetes Care Rus, Limited Liability Company Roche Diagnostics Rus, MTM Laboratories, Marcadia Biotech, Medingo Ltd., Medingo Medical Solutions, Memory Pharmaceuticals, Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp., Mirus, Museum Tinguely AG, N.V. Roche S.A., P.T. Roche Indonesia, PVT Probenverteiltechnik GmbH, Phaor AG, Piramed, Productos Roche (El Salvador) S.A. de C.V., Productos Roche (Honduras) S.A., Productos Roche (Nicaragua) S.A., Productos Roche (Panama) S.A., Productos Roche Dominicana S.R.L., Productos Roche Guatemala (Sociedad Anonima), Productos Roche Interamericana S.A. (PRISA), Productos Roche Quimica Farmaceutica S.A., Productos Roche S.A., Productos Roche S.A. Quimica e Industrial, Productos Roche S.A. de C.V., Produtos Roche Quimicos e Farmaceuticos S.A., Promedior, Rabbit-Air Ltd, RoDiagnostics Egypt for Trading S.A.E, Roche (China) Holding Ltd., Roche (Hellas) S.A., Roche (Hungary) Ltd, Roche (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Roche (Philippines) Inc., Roche (Shanghai) Pharmaceuticals Consulting Co. Ltd, Roche (Shanghai) Pharmaceuticals Trading Co. Ltd., Roche - Moscow Ltd., Roche AB, Roche Algerie SPA, Roche Austria GmbH, Roche Bangladesh Limited, Roche Beteiligungs GmbH, Roche Biomedical Laboratories Inc., Roche Bolivia SRL., Roche Bulgaria EOOD, Roche Cameroun SARL, Roche Capital Market Ltd, Roche Capital Services Ltd., Roche Catalyst Investments Ltd., Roche Chemische Unternehmungen AG, Roche Chile Limitada, Roche Cote dIvoire SARL, Roche DC Japan K. K., Roche DC Mexico S.A. de C.V., Roche Deutschland Holding GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care (Switzerland) Ltd, Roche Diabetes Care Argentina S.A., Roche Diabetes Care Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Roche Diabetes Care Australia Pty Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Austria GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care Brasil Ltda., Roche Diabetes Care Deutschland GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care France SAS, Roche Diabetes Care GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care Inc., Roche Diabetes Care India Private Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Italy S.p.A., Roche Diabetes Care Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Middle East FZCO, Roche Diabetes Care Nederland B.V., Roche Diabetes Care Polska sp. z o.o., Roche Diabetes Care South Africa Proprietary Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Spain S.L., Roche Diagnostica Brasil Ltda., Roche Diagnostics (Hellas) S.A., Roche Diagnostics (Hong Kong) Limited, Roche Diagnostics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Roche Diagnostics (Shanghai) Ltd., Roche Diagnostics (Suzhou) Limited, Roche Diagnostics (Switzerland) Ltd, Roche Diagnostics (Thailand) Limited, Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Roche Diagnostics Australia Pty. Limited, Roche Diagnostics Belgium NV, Roche Diagnostics Corporation, Roche Diagnostics Deutschland GmbH, Roche Diagnostics France SAS, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Roche Diagnostics Hematology Inc., Roche Diagnostics India Private Limited, Roche Diagnostics International Ltd, Roche Diagnostics K.K., Roche Diagnostics Korea Co. Ltd., Roche Diagnostics Limited, Roche Diagnostics Ltd., Roche Diagnostics Middle East FZCO, Roche Diagnostics NZ Limited, Roche Diagnostics Nederland B.V., Roche Diagnostics Norge A/S, Roche Diagnostics Operations Inc., Roche Diagnostics Oy, Roche Diagnostics Polska Sp. z o.o., Roche Diagnostics Proprietary Limited, Roche Diagnostics S.L., Roche Diagnostics S.p.A., Roche Diagnostics Scandinavia AB, Roche Diagnostics Turkey Anonim Sirketi, Roche Diagnostics a/s, Roche Ecuador S.A., Roche Eesti OU, Roche Egypt LLC, Roche Egypt for Manufacturing and Trading SAE, Roche Farma (Peru) S.A., Roche Farma S.A., Roche Farmaceutica Quimica Lda., Roche Finance Europe B.V., Roche Finance Ltd, Roche Financial Investments Ltd., Roche Financial Management Ltd., Roche Financial Services Ltd., Roche Forum Buonas Ltd, Roche Georgia LLC, Roche Glycart, Roche Glycart Ltd, Roche Health Solutions Inc., Roche Holding (UK) Limited, Roche Holdings Inc., Roche Hong Kong Limited, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen A/S, Roche Innovatis, Roche International Ltd., Roche International Ltd. (Montevideo Branch), Roche Intertrade Limited, Roche Ireland Limited, Roche Kazakhstan LLP, Roche Kenya Limited, Roche Korea Company Ltd., Roche Laboratories Inc., Roche Latvija SIA, Roche Lebanon S.A.R.L., Roche Long Term Foundation, Roche Makedonija DOOEL, Roche Molecular Systems Inc., Roche Myanmar Company Limited, Roche Mustahzarlari Sanayi Anonim Sirketi, Roche Nederland B.V., Roche NimbleGen, Roche Norge A/S, Roche Operations Ltd., Roche Oy, Roche PVT GmbH, Roche Pakistan Limited, Roche Palo Alto LLC, Roche Pars Co. (Ltd.), Roche Pharma (Switzerland) Ltd, Roche Pharma AG, Roche Pharmaceuticals (Israel) Ltd., Roche Pharmaceuticals Middle East FZCO, Roche Pharmholding B.V., Roche Polska Sp. z o.o., Roche Privacy GmbH, Roche Products (India) Private Limited, Roche Products (Ireland) Limited, Roche Products (Mauritius) Ltd, Roche Products (New Zealand) Limited, Roche Products (Proprietary) Limited, Roche Products Ghana Limited, Roche Products Inc., Roche Products Limited, Roche Products Ltd., Roche Products Pty. Limited, Roche Products Saudi Arabia LLC, Roche R&D Center (China) Ltd., Roche Real Estate Services Mannheim GmbH, Roche Registration GmbH, Roche Registration Limited, Roche Romania S.R.L., Roche S.A., Roche S.p.A., Roche SAS, Roche Sequencing Solutions Inc., Roche Services (Asia Pacific) Sdn. Bhd., Roche Services (Europe) Ltd, Roche Services Americas Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Roche Services Holdings Ltd., Roche Servicios S.A., Roche Servicios de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Roche Singapore Pte. Ltd., Roche Singapore Technical Operations Pte. Ltd., Roche Sistemas de Diagnosticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Roche Slovensko S.R.O., Roche TCRC Inc., Roche Thailand Limited, Roche Tunisie SA, Roche Ukraine LLC, Roche Vietnam Company Limited, Roche a/s Medicinalvarer og Kemikalier, Roche d.o.o., Roche d.o.o. farmaceutsko drustvo Roche Ltd. Pharmaceutical Company, Roche farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Roche mtm laboratories AG, Roche s.r.o., Santaris Pharma, Sapac Corporation Ltd., Seragon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Limited, Signature Diagnostics GmbH, Spark Therapeutics, Spring Bioscience Corp., Stratos Genomics, Syntex Corporation, Syntex Pharm AG, Syntex Pharmaceuticals International Limited, Syntex Puerto Rico Inc., Tanox Inc., Tavero AG, Tensha Therapeutics, Tensha Therapeutics Inc., Therapeutic Human Polyclonals, Therapeutic Human Polyclonals Inc., Trophos, Trophos SA, Tusk Therapeutics, Tusk Therapeutics Limited, UAB Roche Lietuva, Ventana Medical Systems, Ventana Medical Systems Inc., Verum Diagnostica GmbH, Viewics, Viewics Inc., Viewics India Private Limited, mySugr, mySugr GmbH, and mySugr Inc.. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Corporate & Institutional Banking, and Asset Management Group. The Retail Banking segment offers brokerage, insurance, and investment and cash management services; checking, savings, and money market accounts; certificates of deposits; and lending products, which includes residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, education loans, and personal and small business loans, and credit cards to consumer and small business customers through a network of branches, ATMs, call centers, and online and mobile banking channels. The Corporate & Institutional Banking segment provides secured and unsecured loans, letters of credit, and equipment leases; payables, receivables, deposit and account, liquidity and investments, and online and mobile banking products and services; foreign exchange, derivatives, securities underwriting, loan syndications, and mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets advisory related services; and commercial loan servicing and technology solutions for the commercial real estate finance industry. The Asset Management Group segment offers investment and retirement planning, customized investment management, private banking, and trust management and administration solutions; and multi-generational family planning products, such as estate, financial, tax planning, fiduciary, investment management and consulting, personal administrative, asset custody, and customized performance reporting services. This segment also provides outsourced chief investment officer, custody, private real estate, cash and fixed income client solutions, and fiduciary retirement advisory services. As of December 31, 2020, it operated 2,162 branches and 8,900 ATMs. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Read More ATHENS - Greece's handling of the ongoing migrant crisis continues to come under heavy criticism with a new scathing report declaring that the country's migrant camps continue to be "inhuman and degrading" for the thousands of asylum seekers staying in them. The report which was published by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), highlights "a lack of doctors, adequate medicine, food and drinking water in several camps". This time the report does not just focus on the poor conditions on the North Eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos, but also the facilities along the land border with Turkey, as well as in Athens. The report said the conditions are so bad that it they are "causing numerous health problems, including scabies from dirty blankets." The CPT have singled out one of the European Union-funded camps at the village of Fylakio on the border with Turkey, where they reported that 95 migrants were living in a single room. The detailed report hones in on the Greek authorities' handling of unaccompanied minors, stating that there are cases that hundreds of such vulnerable groups are being housed in the same rooms and facilities as single men, which puts them at risk of sexual violence. Overall the damning report laments Greece's handling of the situation on several levels and stresses that immediate action needs to be taken to ensure that occupancy levels are "drastically reduced" so each facility is not overcrowded and in order to make sure that facilities can be kept clean, repaired and that every detained person should be provided with appropriate food, a mattress and clean bedding, as well as sufficient hygiene products. "The CPT urges the Greek authorities to take concrete action to address without delay the recommendations made by the committee in all these areas outlined in this and previous visit reports," said the report, which can be read here (https://rm.coe.int/1680930c9a). The report comes just a month after the Hellenic Coast Guard data revealed that there were more than 3,100 arrivals on the Greek islands in the month of December alone. This brought the total number of migrants and refugees in the Aegean to just under 5,000. The majority of people are staying on Lesvos, which has a recorded total of 6,922 people. It is here where the main Moria camp has been described as "hell on earth" among other things due to the sheer volume of people and lack of space and infrastructure. Earlier this month, Greece's Migration Policy Minister Dimitris Vitsas admitted that conditions on both Lesvos and Samos are causing big problems, and said that efforts are being made to transfer more migrants to more suitable facilities on the mainland quicker. Describing the situation on the mainland, Vitsas commented that around 25,000 migrants have been placed in apartments, and that 7,000 are staying in hotels and other kinds of tourist lodgings. Additionally, "between 18,000 and 20,000" are living at state-run camps in Athens, Thessaloniki and other areas. The following companies are subsidiares of Lithia Motors: 797 Valley Street LLC, Albany CJD Fiat, Baierl Auto Group, Baierl Auto Parts LLC, Baierl Automotive Corporation, Baierl Chevrolet Inc., Baierl Holding LLC, Broadway Ford, Buhler Ford Inc, Cadillac of Portland Lloyd Center LLC, Camp Automotive Inc., Carbone Auto Body LLC, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Morgantown, Cranberry Automotive Inc., Crater Lake Ford Lincoln, Crater Lake Mazda, DCH (Oxnard) Inc., DCH Auto Group, DCH Bloomfield LLC, DCH CA LLC, DCH Calabasas-A LLC, DCH California Investments LLC, DCH California Motors Inc., DCH DMS NJ LLC, DCH Del Norte Inc., DCH Essex Inc., DCH Financial NJ LLC, DCH Freehold - V LLC, DCH Freehold LLC, DCH Holdings LLC, DCH Investments Inc. (New Jersey), DCH Investments Inc. (New York), DCH Korean Imports LLC, DCH Mamaroneck LLC, DCH Mission Valley LLC, DCH Monmouth LLC, DCH Montclair LLC, DCH Motors LLC, DCH NY Motors LLC, DCH Nanuet LLC, DCH North America Inc., DCH Oxnard 1521 Imports Inc., DCH Riverside-S Inc., DCH Simi Valley Inc., DCH Support Services LLC, DCH TL Holdings LLC, DCH TL NY Holdings LLC, DCH Temecula Imports LLC, DCH Temecula Motors LLC, DCH Thousand Oaks-F Inc., DCH Torrance Imports Inc., Dah Chong Hong CA Trading LLC, Dah Chong Hong Trading Corporation, Daron Motors LLC, Day Auto Group, Downtown LA, Driveway Motors LLC, Elizabeth Collision LLC, Florida SS LLC, Ford Lincoln of Morgantown, Freehold Nissan LLC, Fuse Auto Sales LLC, Hamilton Honda, Hazleton Honda, Hutchins Eugene Nissan Inc., Hutchins Imported Motors Inc., Jaguar Landrover Mission Viejo, LA Motors Holding LLC, LAD Advertising Inc., LAD Carson-N LLC, LAD Mission Viejo-JLR Inc., LAD Mobu Inc., LAD-AU LLC, LAD-MB LLC, LAD-N LLC, LAD-P LLC, LAD-T LLC, LAD-V LLC, LBMP LLC, LFKF LLC, LGPAC Inc., LLL Sales Co LLC, LMBB LLC, LMBP LLC, LMOP LLC, LSTAR LLC, Lithia AcDM Inc., Lithia Aircraft Inc., Lithia Anchorage-C LLC, Lithia Anchorage-H LLC, Lithia Armory Garage LLC, Lithia Auction & Recon LLC, Lithia Auto Services Inc., Lithia Automotive Inc., Lithia BA Holding Inc., Lithia BNM Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Baierl-S LLC, Lithia Bryan Texas Inc., Lithia Buffalo-A LLC, Lithia CCTF Inc., Lithia CDH Inc., Lithia CIMR Inc., Lithia CJDO Inc., Lithia CJDSA Inc., Lithia CJDSF Inc., Lithia CM Inc., Lithia CO Inc., Lithia CSA Inc., Lithia Community Development Company Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-F Inc., Lithia Crater Lake-M Inc., Lithia DE Inc., Lithia DM Inc., Lithia DMID Inc., Lithia Des Moines-VW LLC, Lithia Dodge of Tri-Cities Inc., Lithia Eatontown-F LLC, Lithia FLCC LLC, Lithia FMF Inc., Lithia Financial Corporation (previously Lithia Leasing Inc. and Lithia Credit Inc.), Lithia Florida Holding Inc., Lithia Ford of Boise Inc., Lithia Fresno Inc., Lithia HDM Inc., Lithia HGF Inc., Lithia HMID Inc., Lithia HPI Inc. (nonoperating), Lithia Hamilton-H LLC, Lithia Hazleton-H LLC, Lithia Idaho Falls-F Inc., Lithia Imports of Anchorage Inc., Lithia JEF Inc., Lithia Klamath Inc., Lithia Klamath-T Inc., Lithia LBGGF Inc., Lithia LHGF Inc., Lithia LSGF Inc., Lithia MBDM Inc., Lithia MMF Inc., Lithia MTLM Inc., Lithia McMurray-C LLC, Lithia Medford HON Inc., Lithia Middletown-L LLC, Lithia Monroeville-A LLC, Lithia Monroeville-C LLC, Lithia Monroeville-F LLC, Lithia Monroeville-V LLC, Lithia Moon-S LLC, Lithia Moon-V LLC, Lithia Morgantown-CJD LLC, Lithia Morgantown-F LLC, Lithia Morgantown-S LLC, Lithia Motors Support Services Inc., Lithia NA Inc., Lithia NC Inc., Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #1, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #3, Lithia ND Acquisition Corp. #4, Lithia NDM Inc., Lithia NF Inc., Lithia NSA Inc., Lithia Northeast Real Estate LLC, Lithia Orchard Park-H LLC, Lithia Paramus-M LLC, Lithia Pittsburgh-S LLC, Lithia Ramsey-B LLC, Lithia Ramsey-L LLC, Lithia Ramsey-M LLC, Lithia Ramsey-T LLC, Lithia Real Estate Inc., Lithia Reno Sub-HYUN Inc., Lithia Reno-CJ LLC, Lithia Reno-VW LLC, Lithia Rose-FT Inc., Lithia SOC Inc., Lithia SSP LLC, Lithia Salmir Inc., Lithia Sea P Inc., Lithia Seaside Inc., Lithia Spokane-B LLC, Lithia Spokane-S LLC, Lithia TA Inc., Lithia TO Inc., Lithia TR Inc., Lithia Uniontown-C LLC, Lithia VAuDM Inc., Lithia VF Inc., Lithia Wexford-H LLC, Lithia of Abilene Inc., Lithia of Anchorage Inc., Lithia of Bend #1 LLC, Lithia of Bend #2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 1 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 2 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 3 LLC, Lithia of Bennington - 4 LLC, Lithia of Billings II LLC, Lithia of Billings Inc., Lithia of Casper LLC, Lithia of Clear Lake LLC, Lithia of Concord I Inc., Lithia of Concord II Inc., Lithia of Corpus Christi Inc., Lithia of Des Moines Inc., Lithia of Eureka Inc., Lithia of Fairbanks Inc., Lithia of Great Falls Inc., Lithia of Helena Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-A Inc., Lithia of Honolulu-BGMCC LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-F LLC, Lithia of Honolulu-V LLC, Lithia of Killeen LLC, Lithia of Lodi Inc., Lithia of Maui-H LLC, Lithia of Missoula II LLC, Lithia of Missoula III Inc., Lithia of Missoula Inc., Lithia of Pocatello Inc., Lithia of Portland I LLC, Lithia of Portland LLC, Lithia of Robstown LLC, Lithia of Roseburg Inc., Lithia of Santa Rosa Inc., Lithia of Seattle Inc., Lithia of South Central AK Inc., Lithia of Spokane II Inc., Lithia of Spokane Inc., Lithia of Stockton Inc., Lithia of Stockton-V Inc., Lithia of TF Inc., Lithia of Troy LLC, Lithia of Utica - 1 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 2 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 3 LLC, Lithia of Utica - 4 LLC, Lithia of Walnut Creek Inc., Lithia of Wasilla LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 1 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 2 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 3 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 4 LLC, Lithia of Yorkville - 5 LLC, Medford Insurance LLC, Milford DCH Inc., Northland Ford Inc., PA Real Estate LLC, PA Support Services LLC, Paramus Collision LLC, Paramus World Motors LLC, Personalized Marketing LLC, Prestige Auto Group, RFA Holdings LLC, Ray Laks Acura, Ray Laks Honda, Sacramento-L Inc., Salem-B LLC, Salem-H LLC, Salem-V LLC, Sharlene Realty LLC, Shift Portland LLC, Southern Cascades Finance Corporation, Subaru of Morgantown, Tampa-H LLC, Tustin Motors Inc., Wesley Chapel-H LLC, Wesley Chapel-T LLC, Zelienople Real Estate I L.P., and Zelienople Real Estate L.L.C.. 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. New Mountain Finance Corporation is a Business Development Company specializing in investments in middle market companies and debt securities at various levels of the capital structure, including first and second lien debt, unsecured notes, bonds, and mezzanine securities. It invests in various industries that include software, education, business services, distribution and logistics, federal services, healthcare services and products, healthcare facilities, energy, media, consumer and industrial services, healthcare Information Technology, Information Technology and services, specialty chemicals and materials, telecommunication, retail, and power generation. It seeks to invest in United States. It typically invests between $10 million and $50 million. Within middle market it seeks to invest in companies having EBITDA between $20 million and $200 million. It prefers to invest in equity interests, such as preferred stock, common stock, warrants, or options received in connection with its debt investments and directly in the equity of private companies. The fund makes investments through both primary originations and open-market secondary purchases. It invests primarily in debt securities that are rated below investment grade and have contractual unlevered returns of 10% to 15%. The firm may also invest in distressed debt and related opportunities and prefers to invest in targets having private equity sponsorship. It seeks to hold its investments between five years and ten years. The fund prefer to have majority stake in companies. Read More 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. First American Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides financial services. It operates through Title Insurance and Services, and Specialty Insurance segments. The Title Insurance and Services segment issues title insurance policies on residential and commercial property, as well as offers related products and services. This segment also provides closing and/or escrow services; products, services, and solutions to mitigate risk or otherwise facilitate real estate transactions; and appraisals and other valuation-related products and services, lien release and document custodial services, warehouse lending services, default-related products and services, title insurance, closing services, and related products and services, as well as banking, trust, and wealth management services. In addition, it accommodates tax-deferred exchanges of real estate; and maintains, manages, and provides access to title plant data and records. This segment offers its products through a network of direct operations and agents in 49 states and in the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and internationally. The Specialty Insurance segment provides property and casualty insurance comprising coverage to residential homeowners and renters for liability losses and typical hazards, such as fire, theft, vandalism, and other types of property damage. It also offers residential service contracts that cover residential systems, such as heating and air conditioning systems, and appliances against failures that occur as the result of normal usage during the coverage period. First American Financial Corporation was founded in 1889 and is based in Santa Ana, California. Read More 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 The BIG CON Screwing Americans (Ad) The rich and powerful are thrilled... Inflation is GREAT for them. Its everyone else wholl get screwed. But according to an ex-Wall Street vet, theres actually a way for YOU to turn the tables just make this one move before July 29th. Click here to see why The following companies are subsidiares of Becton, Dickinson and: (Bard Istanbul Healthcare Limited Company), Accuri Cytometers, Accuri Cytometers Inc., Adaptec, Alverix, Alverix Inc., Atto Bioscience, BD Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., BD Infection Prevention BV, BD Kiestra BV, BD Kiestra Total Lab Automation, BD Rapid Diagnostic (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., BD San Luis Potosi S.A. de C.V., BD Switzerland Sarl, BD Ventures LLC, BD West Africa Limited, BDX INO LLC, Bard (Thailand) Limited, Bard ASDI Inc., Bard Access Systems Inc., Bard Acquisition Sub Inc., Bard Australia Pty. Limited, Bard Benelux N.V., Bard Brachytherapy Inc., Bard Brasil Industria e Comercio de Produtos Para a Saude Ltda., Bard Canada Inc., Bard Chile S.p.A., Bard Colombia S.A.S., Bard Czech Republic s.r.o., Bard Devices Inc., Bard Dublin ITC Limited, Bard EMEA Finance Center Sp.z o.o., Bard European Distribution Center N.V., Bard Finance B.V. & Co. KG., Bard Financial Services Ltd., Bard Finland OY, Bard France S.A.S., Bard Global Holdings I LLC, Bard Global Holdings II LLC, Bard Global Holdings III LLC, Bard Healthcare Inc., Bard Healthcare Science (Shanghai) Limited, Bard Hellas S.A., Bard Holding SAS, Bard Holdings Limited, Bard Holdings Netherlands B.V., Bard Hong Kong Limited, Bard IP Holdings Inc., Bard India Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Bard International Holdings B.V., Bard International Inc., Bard Korea Ltd., Bard Limited, Bard MRL Acquisition Corp., Bard Malaysia Healthcare Sdn. Bhd., Bard Medica SA, Bard Medical Devices (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical SA (Proprietary) Limited, Bard Mexico Realty S. de R.L. de C.V., Bard Norden AB, Bard Norway AS, Bard Pacific Health Care Company Ltd., Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc., Bard Poland Sp. z.o.o., Bard Productos Plasticos e Medicos Ltda., Bard Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Bard S.r.l., Bard Sdn. Bhd., Bard Shannon Limited, Bard Singapore Private Limited, Bard Sourcing Office Singapore Pte. Ltd., Bard Sweden AB, Bard UK Newco Limited, Bard de Espana S.A., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Management Limited, Becton Dickinson (Mauritius) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Pty) Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Thailand) Limited, Becton Dickinson A.G., Becton Dickinson A/S, Becton Dickinson Argentina S.R.L., Becton Dickinson Asia Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Asia Limited, Becton Dickinson Austria GmbH, Becton Dickinson Austria Holdings GmbH, Becton Dickinson B.V., Becton Dickinson B.V. Saudi Limited Company, Becton Dickinson Benelux N.V., Becton Dickinson Biosciences Systems and Reagents Inc., Becton Dickinson Canada Inc., Becton Dickinson Caribe Ltd., Becton Dickinson Croatia d.o.o., Becton Dickinson Czechia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Dispensing Belgium BVBA, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Denmark A/S, Becton Dickinson Dispensing France SAS, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Norway, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Spain S.L.U., Becton Dickinson Dispensing UK Ltd., Becton Dickinson Distribution Center N.V., Becton Dickinson East Africa Ltd., Becton Dickinson Euro Finance Sarl, Becton Dickinson Europe Holdings S.A.S., Becton Dickinson France S.A.S., Becton Dickinson GSA Beteilgungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings I Inc., Becton Dickinson Global Holdings II LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings IV LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings V LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VI LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Services Centre Sdn. 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Legend Who Bought Amazon In 1998 Says: Now Is The Time (Ad) Wall street legend Chris Rowe says theres a huge stock market event looming - and hes revealing his #1 pick for free. Click here to find out more. The Mata Amritanandamayi Math decided to donate Rs 5 lakh each to the families of more than 40 CRPF troopers who were martyred in the dastardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district last week. Expressing anguish and sorrow over the loss of so many brave hearts of the country, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) said that it was their dharma to support the families of these brave men who had done their dharma of protecting the nation. Jamshedpur Women's College has now officially become Jamshedpur Women's University. Governor and Chancellor of State universities Droupadi Murmu gave approval to the upgradation process under the Jharkhand State University Amendment Act 2017 on February 18, 2019. The notification in this regard was issued on Monday late evening. It said that the college will be known as the Jharkhand Women's University. The State Government will now appoint vice chancellor, pro vice chancellor and other officials. According to the officials of State, higher and technical education department, the infrastructure work is expected to start within a couple of months, the tender for which has already been floated. The university has been approved of Rs 89.26 crore jointly from the Central and State Government. The installation of complete infrastructure in both the campuses- the existing one in Bistupur and the newly allotted one in Sidhgora will take two years time. Admission in the university will start from the 2019-20 session. Jharkhand has got a womens university after more than 70 years of independence. Under RUSA, the State will help with Rs 56 crore while the Centre will contribute Rs 33 crore for the university that would come up in Sidhgora (second campus). Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 3 had laid the online foundation stone of the Jamshedpur Women's University from Srinagar. The programme was also attended by Chief Minister Raghubar Das. The Jamshedpur Women's College will be the first women's university in Bihar and Jharkhand. The upgradation of the university has been approved under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). It may be noted that Jamshedpur Women's College was established in 1953 with the aim to provide women of Jamshedpur a platform to shape their careers and lives. With time were the demands of the society and the nation grew and changed. The college, a constituent unit of Kolhan University, was conferred College with Potential for Excellence and Conferment of Autonomous Status by University Grants Commission, New Delhi. It offers UG, PG, several vocational and add-on courses and B.Ed programmes. The court of additional district and sessions judge (II), Mohammed Sultan sentenced two men to 20 years rigorous imprisonment and monetary penalty for the gang rape of a differently abled 18 year old. The advocate representing the state, Ghanshyam Pant said on Tuesday that the young lady who is mentally and physically challenged had gone missing on the evening of March 7 last year. After searching for her without success, her family members lodged a report in the Banbhoolpura police station. The family members questioned some people who said that they had seen a person named Moolchand and his accomplice Bhup Singh taking the victim towards Amla Chowki gate. The family members went to the location where they found the victim late at night in a scared condition. Since she is hearing and speech impaired, she told her mother in gestures that she had been raped by two persons. The prosecution presented six witnesses in the court. After hearing both sides, the court sentenced the two to 20 years rigorous imprisonment under relevant sections of the IPC. One of the convicts, Moolchand is a native of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh while the other convict Bhup Singh hails from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Further strengthening the emergency redressal system for citizens of Punjab, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday launched Dial 112 a single number that will replace the Dial 100 police helpline in the next two months. The launch of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) coincided with the simultaneous national launch of the unique citizen centric service by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The Chief Minister, who dialled the first experimental call, expressed the confidence that this people-friendly initiative would go a long way in further complementing the States endeavour to augment the states law and order machinery, and augment the peoples trust in the administration. He also hoped that the service would help in ensuring clean, efficient and transparent governance, for which the State Government had already initiated several path-breaking reforms since its installation in March 2017. This system would be extremely beneficial for people in distress situations, especially women and other vulnerable sections of the society, as there would be significant improvement in police response to calls during such situations. It would further improve the overall security environment in the State and would also help in prevention of crime, said Capt Amarinder. ERSS, which is already operational in two States, is a fully equipped system offering end-to-end management of emergency calls by citizens. Added features for women in distress are a highlight of this system, besides prompt response to the various emergencies of citizens relating to police, health and fire services, on pan India basis. The Nirbhaya Fund has provided finances for the women calling facility. With the fully automated and computerised facility, each call will be recorded efficiently, leading to improved police support or response to any crisis or distress situation. Initially, the aim is to achieve a response time of 10 to 12 minutes to any call, which is sought to be brought down to around eight minutes within the next six-eight months. All calls to 112 from across the entire State of Punjab will land at the Central Call Taking Centre, located at Punjab Police Housing Corporation Building, Phase-VII, SAS Nagar Mohali, and the same would further be routed to 12 dispatch centres situated in Rupnagar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Jalan-dhar, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Bathinda, Sangrur and Patiala. The entire State of Punjab would be covered by these 12 dispatch centres. There would be 49 workstations at this Central Call Taking Centre and calls from common citizens from all over Punjab would be received at 44 (call takers) of these work stations. The location of patrolling vehicles, to be fitted with Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs), would be displayed on the video screen of the dispatcher, who would activate the nearest patrol vehicle to reach the place from where the call originated. The in-charge of the patrolling vehicle, after attending the complaint, will report back to the dispatcher with details of incident or caller. Once Mobile Data Terminals are installed in patrolling vehicles, the same would facilitate exchange of texts, mails, or videos between different control rooms and vehicles. To register its strong protest against the terrorist attack on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy at Pulwama, the minority cell of Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) burned the effigies of Pakistan in all the district headquarters of the State on Tuesday. In the State Capital, the Congress workers gathered at Rajiv Bhawan, the state party office, on the day where a condolence meeting was held. A silence of two minutes was observed to pay homage to the martyrs of Pulwama attack and the brave hearts of the State who have lost their lives in terrorist attacks and anti-terrorist operations. The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Pritam Singh said that the terror attack on the CRPF convoy is an act of cowardice by the terrorists who are being aided and abetted by Pakistan. He expressed concern over the steady rise in the incidents of terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir with passing time. He also said that Pakistan has been violating the ceasefire with impunity. This is what is resulting in the martyrdom of our brave soldiers. But regrettably enough, no effective action has been taken against Pakistan and the terrorists nurtured by the neighbouring country. This is all the more unfortunate, he said. The president of the minority cell of the State Congress, Tahir Ali said that the terrorist activities are highly condemnable. He further said that apart from acting tough against the terrorists, the Centre should work on a fool-proof strategy to ensure safety of the armed forces personnel. After the condolence meeting was over, the Congress workers marched to Astley Hall on Rajpur Road where they consigned to flames the effigy of Pakistan while yelling slogans like Pakistan Murdabad. Among those present during the protest rally were the former State Minister Tilak Raj Behed, Jaspur MLA Adesh Chauhan, the State Congress vice-president Surya Kant Dhasmana, Mahanagar Congress president Lal Chand Sharma and district vice-president Rajendra Singh Chauhan besides Garima Dassauni, Akbar Siddiqui, Kadir Hussain, Tosir Ahmed and Naim Ahmedm Jahid Ansari. (ANSA) - Rome, February 19 - The Senate's immunity panel on Tuesday voted against granting a request from criminal prosecutors to proceed with charges against Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini over the Diciotti case. Magistrates in the Sicilian city of Catania requested authorization from parliament to proceed against the leader of the anti-migrant League for alleged kidnapping over migrants held on board the Diciotti coast guard ship in a standoff with the EU last August. Salvini said the case should not be allowed to proceed as he was doing his job as minister. On Monday members of the 5-Star Movement (M5S), the League's coalition partners, voted 59% to 41% for the group's lawmakers to vote against lifting Salvini's parliamentary immunity. It went the same way on the Senate panel on Tuesday, with 16 backing the line proposed by panel chair Maurizio Gasparri of Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right opposition Forza Italia (FI) party, while six were against. Some M5S supporters expressed unease about backing immunity for Salvini, saying the movement has traditionally been against MPs getting different treatment in such cases. Senators from the centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) shouted "shame, honesty" at the M5S Senators after the vote, referring to the movement's rallying cry when it emerged onto the political scene. M5S Senator Mario Michele Giarrusso replied "my father and mother are at home regularly: others are under house arrest, and then they speak of honesty", referring to the parents of former PD leader and ex-premier Matteo Renzi, placed under house arrest Monday night over alleged fraudulent bankruptcy and false invoices. He also made a hand-cuffs gesture at the PD Senators. Salvini said after the vote he would have accepted "any response" from the panel. "I would have accepted any response, aware of the fact that what I'm doing and we're doing we do so foe the benefit of our country," he said. "So I was and am ready for any kind of judgement. "For me, first comes the defence of borders and the security of my people and so I worked calmly yesterday and I work calmly today," he said. Salvini went on: "we're a team (in government). In government there is a team, there are no individuals, so I say thanks for the confidence in the team". The immunity panel's vote is not the final say in the case. There will now have to be a vote in the floor of the upper house. But with the M5S Senators having pledged to follow the lead of their members' online vote, it appears to be a foregone conclusion in favour of Salvini. The movement had appeared dangerously split on whether to vote for or against allowing the kidnapping charges against Salvini to proceed. But Salvini said: "I can guarantee that the government will not collapse". "I don't fear the court of the people". Salvini also said that "we're all in the same boat" referring to Premier Gisueppe Conte, fellow Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, the M5S leader, and Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli, also of the M5S, who wrote in statements to the panel that the interior minister was implementing the policy of the whole government. Di Maio also said the government would go ahead no matter what the result of the vote. "The government will go on. I have made a commitment to the Italian people and I intend to carry it out," he said. Salvini said he is "not asking for favours or help from anyone" in the vote. "If, to defend the borders of my country, the safety of Italians, to defend the national interest, it brings me and will bring me other charges and other investigations, I'm very ready to face them," Salvini said. Salvini has also threatened to take legal action if reports of a possible deal within the government over the Turin-Lyon TAV high-speed rail line and the Diciotti cases continue. "I'll sue the next person who talks about that," League leader Salvini said during a visit to the central city of Terni last week. Salvini says the project should go ahead but the M5S are opposed to it. Italy's centre-left and centre-right opposition parties, meanwhile, have accused the M5S Senators of ducking their responsibilities by delegating their decision to the party base, and of betraying their movement's founding principles. PD Senator Laura Garavini said "they used to shout 'honesty', now they've become lackeys". The state unit of the BJP has launched statewide celebrations from Tuesday to celebrate first year anniversary celebrations. The programme titled Ek saal, nai misal is being organised at all 1471 mandals of the BJP in the state, where the party leaders are holding interaction programme with workers on the achievement of the Yogi government, state BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said on Tuesday. Pathak said from March 26 to April 6, the party workers would reach every village in the state to make aware the people about the one year achievements of the government. The announcement to provide 4 lakh jobs this year and waiver of government royalty on soil has been taken in a positive note by the people and it will fulfill the aspiration of the people, he said. The BJP leader said that earlier police harassed villagers over the extraction of mud but now all the harassment would end. On March 24, all state ministers will visit districts where they are incharges and celebrate the one year anniversary with the party leaders and workers at the district headquarters. Sant Siddh Bhau met the operated and admitted patients in the hospital for their surgeries and inquired about their well-being in 94th Free Urology Camp here in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. He expected from duty Doctors, paramedical staff and volunteers to behave politely and sympathetically with the patients. Earlier he went to the operation theatre and met the operating surgeons and took an account of ongoing surgeries. Trustee Tulsi Adwani was also present. Patients lauded the services and post operative care of SSEH with open heart. They expressed that their own children and relatives have so far never care for them Sant Siddh Bhau said almighty God himself bless and give the opportunities to those who believes that existence of God is in the suffering humanity. The hospital in a statement said that total 659 patients have registered their names for treatment. After their preliminary investigations, about 139 patients were identified for their uro and general surgeries. Of these, 68 surgeries of the patients have so far been performed till Tuesday. Efforts are being made to perform all surgeries before and upto February 22, 2019. This camp is organized with the help of Anju and Gul chandiramani Dubai, Sona Gulrajani Mumbai, Nisha Thani of Barbados and Jeev Sewa Sansthan. Deputy Secretary to Govt of MP SS Kumre, Office bearers of Bhopal Utsav Mela Samiti Vijay Agrawal, Santosh Agrawal and Omprakash Singhal, Chief of Nirankari Mandal Bhopal Mahesh Vidhani were main among Dignitaries who paid visit to Urology camp and enquired about the well being of patients. As many as 21 persons were killed while several were reported injured in different incidents of road mishap in Uttar Pradesh on Monday and Tuesday. In Mathura, seven people were killed and three injured in an accident on Yamuna expressway early Tuesday morning. Police said that the accident occurred near Burj Sukhdev village when an ambulance, coming from Noida side, overturned, broke the divider and hit two cars coming on the opposite lane of the expressway before coming to rest. Most of the deceased were the occupants in the car. The injured were rushed to a hospital in critical condition. The deceased were yet to be identified. The ambulance was carrying a body and was going to Bihar from Delhi. In Kanpur, four members of a family of an Indian Police Services (IPS) officer posted in West Bengal, along with their driver, were killed in a road accident in Ghatampur area of the district late Monday night. Police said the accident occurred on the Kanpur-Sagar highway in which family members of 2015 batch IPS officer Arvind Kumar Anand, presently posted as ACP, Howrah, were killed. Among the deceased were Anands father and mother besides his sister, uncle and the driver of the car. The incident occurred when the car was hit by a truck and in the impact, the car rammed into another truck near Veerpur village. The deceased were identified as Dinesh Rajak (55), his wife Rajni, 20-year-old daughter and his brother-in-law. They were returning from Bareilly after attending a marriage ceremony. Car driver Devendra (30) was also killed in the accident. The IPS officer is the native of Chattarpur in Madhya Pradesh. In Hardoi, three people were killed in separate road accidents on Monday night. Reports said an unidentified vehicle rammed into a motorbike at Baghauni-Pratapnagar road in Baghauni area killing three people on the spot. The deceased were identified as Rajendra Prasad and Mansharam, natives of Mardankheda village. In another incident reported in Hardoi, a vehicle crushed two people to death and injured another in Shahabad town. The deceased were identified as Awadhesh Prajapati and Shivam. Injured Sumit Gupta was rushed to the district hospital where his condition was stated to be critical. In Bulandshahr, five members of a family, including a woman and a child, were killed while three others were injured, when their car fell into a canal under Anupshahr police station area on Tuesday. Police said that the family was going to Vrindavan from Moradabad, when their car fell into Makhaina canal after hitting some people standing nearby. None of the deceased could be identified so far. The injured were admitted to a private hospital in Bulandshahr, the police added. In the last fifteen years (2003-2018), India lost nearly 2,39,572 hectares of forest land due to various developmental activities such as mining, thermal power plants, and dams besides road construction. Eight States Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Arunanchal Pradesh and Rajasthan accounted for half of the total green land diversion of 1,60,878 hectares of forest land during the period. In other words, the annual rate of diversion of forest land for infrastructure projects has been at 15,971.48 hectares. During this period, the Union Environment Ministry cleared 14,692 proposals for various developmental activities. Punjab topped the forest land diversion list, reporting loss of 60,658 hectares of forest area followed by Madhya Pradesh (23,726 ha) and Uttarakhand (15,532 ha), according to a report Status of forests in India, tabled in Parliament recently. Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, forest areas can be diverted by the Union Environment Ministry for non-forestry purposes like mining. In lieu of the land, money is collected by the Government which is then used by the authorities for afforestation. According to the report prepared by a Parliamentary Standing Committee, in the last five years since 2013-2018, at least 3,226 proposals related to mining, thermal power plants and dams among others saw light of the day, resulting into diversion of 70,920.61 hectares of forest land for non-forestry purposes under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. This is one-third of the 2,39,572 hectares of forest land that India overall lost to various developmental activities in the last 15 years (2003-2018), according to the official data submitted in Parliament recently. While a significant forest land portion has been diverted for non-forestry purpose, the committee noted that an insufficient budget allocation to the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) was hampering achieving the annual targeted area of afforestation during the last few years, which had already declined gradually over the last four years. There had been a decline in progress in terms of area covered under the NAP from 80,583 hectares in the year 2013-14 to 35,986 hectares in the year 2015-16, said the panel. Replying to the observations of the Committee, the Ministry informed the Committee that in the 10th, 11th and 12th Plans period, Rs 1,205 crore, Rs 2,000 crore and Rs 2,500 crore respectively had been allocated under the NAP scheme. However, the overall outlays in the annual plans were restricted each year which led to less fund availability for afforestation. With the increase in wage rate in the States and low allocations, the target area for afforestation has been steadily decreasing over the years, noted the panel. As per approved outlay for the 12th Plan, annual allocation for NAP should have been of the tune of Rs 500 crore each year. However during 2012-13, the allocation in the annual plan was Rs 318.15 crore, which itself was less than the proportionate annual outlay and which was further reduced to Rs 218.15 crore at the revised estimate (RE) stage. Likewise during 2013-14 though the allocation was Rs 318.15 crore, it was reduced to Rs 257.62 crore. Similarly, in the year 2014-15 also, the Budget was reduced to Rs 243.78 crore at Revised Estimate (RE) stage. This had adversely affected not only the plantation and maintenance activity of that year but also the afforestation works carried out in the previous years, which had led to serious constraints in successful implementation of the scheme as the approved annual work programme could not be followed by the States. Moreover, with the change in funding pattern from 100% Centrally sponsored to sharing pattern in 2015-16 as 60: 40 between Central vs State, and decline in budget allocation from Rs 100 crore for 2015-16 to a meagre Rs 60 crore for 2016-17, the targeted area of afforestation annually has already declined gradually over the last 4 years. Only 35,986 hectares of new areas could be sanctioned during 2015-16 due to change in the funding pattern and budget constraints, noted the panel. Further, due to budget insufficiency ancillary activities like strengthening of Joint Forestry Management Committees, soil moisture conservation, fencing, awareness generation, monitoring and evaluation, etc. could not be supported properly which adversely affected the very purpose of this scheme such as preservation of forests by participatory approach. During 2017-18, afforestation over 39,847 hectares has been targeted and Rs.80 crores has been released. Further, as the scheme is demand driven, several proposals from some States could not be approved due to want of budget allocation in 2017-18, said the panel. One of the top Army commanders of the Indian Army in Kashmir on Tuesday did some plain speak by directly blaming Pakistans intelligence agency ISI, along with terrorist organisation, Jaish-e-Mohammad for the recent Pulwama attack that left over 40 CRPF personnel dead. Addressing a joint Press conference in Srinagar, 15 corps commander Lt-Gen KJS Dhillon reassured Armys commitment that terrorists entering the Kashmir will not go back alive. In a Kashmiri society, mother has great role to play. Through you, I would request the mothers of Kashmir to please request their sons who have joined terrorism to surrender and get back to mainstream. Anyone who has picked up gun will be killed and eliminated, unless he surrenders, Dhillon reiterated. He said, They (forces) were tracking the top JeM leadership in the Valley. I am happy to inform the country that in less than 100 hours, the top JeM leadership has been eliminated. He said, The focus of the security forces, including the Jammu and Kashmir police, was very clear on terrorism, and militant recruitments had decreased in the Kashmir Valley in recent times, which was a positive sign. Representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF were also present at the Press conference. Responding to a question whether any major security lapse led to the Pulwama terror attack, Lt Gen JJS Dhillon, 15 Corps Commander, said, There are many inputs on such matters we keep on receiving, which I will not discuss. We are acting on it. He added that recruitment had come down in the recent months, and that he would like to congratulate the people of the Valley on it. He said in the recent months infiltration has not taken place through the Line of Control in Kashmir valley but it is continuing through other routes along the International border and south of Jammu. He said we have reports that Pakistan is pushing infiltrators through Samba, Hiranagar and Pathankot sectors as well. SP Pani, IG, J&K Police, also confirmed that recruitments had come down significantly in the recent past, and people of the Kashmir Valley had played an important role in curtailing youngsters from diverting towards militancy. Top commanders are being hunted down, conspirators are being eliminated, I am sure recruitment will gradually go down, he said. On the kind of explosive used in the Pulwama terror attack and radicalisation of the Kashmiri youth, Dhillon said, We have details on what kind of explosive is being used. We have details but we would not like to divulge them. He said radicalisation had not helped anyone, and all the stakeholders in Kashmir needed to work collaboratively. The police chief also said they had a credible lead on where the explosives came from, and were investing the matter. On the issue of a security lapse, Zulfiqar Hasan, IG, CRPF, said the ROP (road opening party) was inspecting the area through which the CRPF convoy was passing. The ROP had fully secured the NH, but now we are changing the civilian traffic so the entire area will be cleared before any such movement. Referring to a query of media persons, IGP Kashmir said they are fully focused on JeM and in last year 58 JeM terrorists were killed here while 12 terrorists out of 31 killed in this year so far were affiliated with JeM. Indian on Tuesday trashed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans offer to probe the Pulwama terror attack and highlighted the fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan, which should be sufficient proof for Islamabad to take action against them. India also said disclaiming Pakistans link with terrorist attacks is an oft-repeated excuse by the nerve centre of terrorism. The Prime Minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse. In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of guaranteed action ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan, the MEA said in a statement. Indias seven-point hard hitting response came hours after Khan said he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack if India shares actionable intelligence, but warned against any retaliatory action. In a video message to the nation, Khan responded to the Indian allegations on Pakistans involvement in the attack in Kashmir last Thursday. The suicide attack by Pakistan-based JeM terror group left 44 CRPF personnel dead. News agency PTI quoted Khan as saying that he understood it was Indias election year and the narrative of blaming Pakistan would make it easier to get votes from the masses but he hoped that better sense will prevail and that India would be open to dialogue. The Pakistan Prime Miniter said Delhi holds Pakistan responsible each time an incident happens in Kashmir and makes Pakistan its whipping boy again and again. The Kashmir issue like the Afghan issue will be resolved through talks, he said. If you have any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani is involved. Give it to us. I guarantee you we will take action - not because we are under pressure, but because they are acting as enemies of Pakistan, the Pakistan PM said. I have been hearing and seeing on the Indian media that politicians there are calling for revenge from Pakistan. If India thinks it will attack Pakistan, then we will not just think but retaliate. If someone is using Pakistans soil (to carry out terror attacks elsewhere), it is enmity with us. It is against our interests, Khan said while talking about non-state actors. He said he did not respond to Indias allegations as he was busy with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans visit to the country. India accused Pakistan without any evidence and without thinking how this (attack) would benefit us, he added. In its statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said India was not surprised that Khan refused to acknowledge the attack on Indias security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism, adding his offer to investigate the attack if provided proof is a lame excuse. Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the JeM, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime, the MEA said. It is a well-known fact that JeM and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action, it said. Rubbishing Pakistan claim to be the greatest victim of terrorism and claiming this is far from truth, the MEA said, The international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve centre of terrorism. The MEA also came down hard on the Pakistan Prime Minister for his comments linking Indias upcoming general elections to the narrative of blaming Pakistan. It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that Indias response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming general election, the MEA said. Rejecting the false allegation, the MEA said Indias democracy was a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand. We demand Pakistan to stop misleading the international community and take credible and visible action against the perpetrators of the Pulwama terrorist attack and other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under their control, it said. On Khans reference to build a new Pakistan, the MEA said, In this Naya Pakistan, Ministers of the current Government publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed who has been proscribed by the United Nations. Pakistans Prime Minister, Imran Khan has called for dialogue (with India) and expressed his readiness to talk about terrorism. India has repeatedly stated that it is ready to engage in a comprehensive bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence, the MEA said. The All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (AIADMK), which looked vulnerable and weak till Monday sprang a surprise on Tuesday by forming a mega-alliance with the BJP and the PMK to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The BJP would contest five out of the total 39 seats at stake from Tamil Nadu, while the PMK has been allocated seven seats. But the efforts to rope in DMDK leader Vijayakanth into the AIADMK-led front remained a non-starter as the efforts by the BJP leader Piyush Goyal who is in charge of Tamil Nadu BJP did not bear fruit despite an hour-long discussion with the former. In politics, there is something by name personal human relationship also. My visit was to enquire about the health and well being of Vijayakanth and wish him all the best. My Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah had asked me to convey their regards to Vijayakanth, Goyal said while speaking to reporters after the meeting. He also disclosed that alliance talks would continue with the DMDK leadership. Tuesday morning saw S Ramadoss, the founder of the PMK, accompanied by his entourage of party leaders, driving down to Hotel Crown Plaza in Chennai where Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam were waiting for him. Within minutes of exchanging pleasantries, the AIADMK and the PMK signed a deal allocating seven Lok Sabha constituencies to the latter. It was also agreed to allocate a Rajya Sabha seat to the PMK while the latter would support the AIADMK in the bypolls to be held on 21 Assembly seats in the State. Tuesday turned out to be the birth-star day of Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK supremo who ruled the party with an iron hand till she breathed her last on December 5, 2016. Union Minister for Railways and Power Piyush Goyal who flew down to Chennai on Tuesday and he also drove down to the hotel for a meeting with Edappadi Palaniswamy and Panneerselvam for firming up the alliance between the Hindutva party and the AIADMK. The discussion between the AIADMK and the BJP lasted for more than two hours giving an indication that some hard bargaining could have taken place in the board room of the star hotel. The announcement about the AIADMK-BJP alliance was made by Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam at 4.45pm (past the inauspicious Rahu Kaalam which ended at 4.30 pm). The AIADMK and the BJP hereby announce the formation of a mega alliance in Tamil Nadu. We have allocated five seats to the BJP in the ensuing Lok Sabha election while the BJP would support as in the remaining seats and in the 21 Assembly constituencies where by-polls would be held, said Panneerselvam. Goyal told reporters after the meeting that the BJP karyakartas would work sincerely for the success of all 40 seats (39 from Tamil Nadu and the lone seat from Puducherry). We will win all the 40 seats, said Goyal. He also said that while the BJP would be part of the AIADMK-led front in Tamil Nadu, the constituents of the front led by the AIADMK have resolved to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by being the part of the National Democratic Alliance. Goyal and the AIADMK leaders said that the constituencies to be contested by the parties would be disclosed in due course. The forging of the mega alliance by the AIADMK has not gone well with the DMK and its allies, if the initial reactions from Stalin and other front partners are any indication. Ramadoss has sold the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu by joining hands with the BJP and the AIADMK, charged MK Stalin, the DMK chief. Thol Thirumavalavan, the VCK founder, said that the PMKs move to join the AIADMK led front would strengthen the DMK front. Ramesh, veteran columnist and political commentator pointed out that the DMK camp was upset over the formation of the AIADMK-led front. Stalin has been scarred because it is not going to be a cakewalk for him in the election. The AIADMK front would put up a good fight and may end up with double digits in the election results, said Ramesh. So, in his whistle-stop tour of Pakistan, here are five times Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman showed Pakistani PM Imran Khan who his daddy is, and just where chotta, sorry, Naya Pakistan gets off: 1.). Driver! Gaadi lao! Why not? Isnt that what Saudis mostly treat Pakistan as? (Photo: Twitter) So, high-profile international guests like the Saudi crown prince would, of course, be met at the airport upon their arrival by the head of state they were visiting. In such scenarios, a line-up of dignitaries and high-ranking officials waiting to shake hands or present welcoming flowers to the VIP guest, ushered graciously forward by the host, is normal. What is not normal is the Prime Minister of the country then driving personally the honoured VIP guest to their guest quarters. But thats exactly what Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan did upon receiving Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. And why not, nasty critics suggest? After all, isnt that what Saudis mostly treat Pakistan itself as? 2.). Utho, Mr President! The weirdness was only starting though. At an official banquet for Crown Prince Salman, we saw a most peculiar arrangement of flower-pot-like heads assembled in rows, behind stiff placards and satin bunting, eating busily with the accompanying clink of silverware and, of course, the concentrated sound of a hundred Pakistanis chewing chicken. PM is busy eating, President begins address sitting down, then is told: "kharay hu jaey". They have to be micro managed all the time. pic.twitter.com/59w6Dbf60p Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) February 18, 2019 But while Crown Prince MBS nibbled delicately, Pakistani PM Imran Khan was seen eating away with single-minded focus. He didnt stop even when the President of Pakistan made a welcome speech. Amazingly enough, the President this is that countrys ultimate head of state, we presume began his speech seated (the food was obviously alluring) and was then told mid-word and mid-bite to get up. Can you imagine? Thats how they treat their President. Who then shuffled to his feet and read out his speech, all to the accompaniment of Imran Khan chewing away as MBS enigmatically smiled. 3.). Prime Minister of Pakistan! But then came another crowning glory moment, not for poor ol Imran Khan but for Crown Prince Salman, when Im unkindly called The Dim delivered a giggly speech and claimed that if MBS were to stand for elections in Pakistan today, he would win more votes than Imran himself. Well. Pak PM @ImranKhanPTI tells Saudi crown prince that he (MBS) is SO popular that in a Pak election he wd get more votes than Imran himself. ... pic.twitter.com/CQ1YR7Qkjr Umber Khairi (@umberkhairi) February 18, 2019 Isnt that just stating the obvious though, given how vigorous the election process in Pakistan, which apparently selected Mr Khan as PM, was, and how, in all likelihood, Pakistan will not be able to afford many more elections unless friendly neighbourhood nations like Saudi give them a hand-out? And if Saudi pays, why shouldnt Saudi win? Duh. 4.). Kahaani ghar-ghar ki When he became PM of Naya Pakistan, Imran Khan grandly announced major state residences would be turned into public buildings because, seva me hi meva hai, you know. It was said that even the PM House in Islamabad would be made into a wing of the Islamabad National University. But so much for Immis amazing plans as soon as Crown Prince Salman landed, he was driven yes, by Imran, personally to the PM House where, we presume, student lectures and dissection sessions were not in full sway. A few days ago we read news that PM house was turned into a university. But today we see pictures of PM Khan meeting visiting dignitaries in the PM house. Now again I am confused. Has the PM house been converted into a university or not?https://t.co/uzQnLrU9r2 Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) January 6, 2019 Poor Imran Khan his lovely dream remained that ek sundar sapna under the weight of giving the Saudi leader whatever hospitality Pakistan could dish up. 5.). I wanna go home So, after all that aadar-satkaar, Crown Prince Salman delivered an elegantly crushing blow to Pakistani pride. India had made it clear that MBS should please visit India not directly from Terroristan but from someplace else. And thus, Pakistans dear friend decided to return home did Imran have to drive him back to the airport, we wonder and then come to India afresh from Riyadh! Time to go home, because India calling! (Photo: Twitter) So much for the kasme-vaade of full-on frandship forevah et al or perhaps, Crown Prince MBS himself wanted to shake off lil Pakistans dust-shust from around him before embarking to a far greater nation. Actually, a civilisation. Something our dear neighbour so lacks. Also Read: Prince (C)harming? Does Indias atithi Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia spell good news? The country is in mourning over the deaths of over 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans in Kashmirs Pulwama. The grief is accompanied with anger and rage across India. Indias most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, is mourning too. Twelve of the jawans killed belonged to UP. Mahesh Kumar Yadav from Meja in Prayagraj and Awadhesh Kumar Yadav from Varanasi were among those who laid down their lives for the country on February 14 in Kashmir. Twelve jawans from Uttar Pradesh were martyred in Pulwama. (Source: India Today) A series of protests, processions and candlelight marches are now being held across the state to pay homage to Indias bravehearts who have thus been martyred. This moment of grief has united the entire state. But, as the mortal remains of CRPF jawan Mahesh Kumar was consigned to flames, people were also angry that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya did not attend the last rites. However, domestic tensions aside, revenge from Pakistan remains the overwhelming demand from people across UP. The family members of the martyrs also demand that India avenge the dastardly killing of their sons. Mahesh Kumars father, Rajkumar Yadav, who performed the last rites of his son, said that if the government finds itself too weak to give Pakistan a befitting reply, it can let him go to the border to avenge his son's killing. Political parties too have unequivocally condemned the terror attack. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi spoke to Mahesh Kumars family over the phone. Reports suggest that Priyanka will either meet or talk to the family members of the martyrs from Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati are also trying to reach out to the families of the soldiers who died in Pulwama. The BJP cadres in the state have been busy organising protest marches against Pakistan. The real challenge before parties such as the Congress, SP and BSP is to condemn the Pulwama terror attack and Pakistans involvement in the incident while ensuring that the sentiments of no community are hurt. The parties need to talk of inclusive nationalism with a sense of great responsibility. All parties, meanwhile, are rallying solidly behind the government in a show of national unity. It is likely that once the current phase of outrage passes though, there will be a fresh wave of blame. The Opposition may accuse the government of being soft on terrorism and of failing in the task of protecting our soldiers. An outrage against India: The country is seeking revenge for the cowardly killing of its jawans in Pulwama. (Source: Reuters) This could well become the point of discourse in the run-up to the 2019 General Elections. The political campaign, in UP for sure, may come to centre around the Pulwama attack. While the Opposition will try to create public opinion against the government, the Narendra Modi-led BJP could defend itself by initiating strong action against Pakistan. The party can then talk about the steps taken to dismantle the terror infrastructure in Pakistan. Politics apart, the Pulwama attack has united the entire country in anger and in grief. We need to keep the sentiment alive to strengthen our fight against terrorism. A mature nation must use emotion as strength and not let it turn into its weakness. These emotions could help India emerge united like never before. For now, it seems UP's netas mostly understand that. Also read: Pulwama Attack: Amit Shahs dig at Congress is totally uncalled for. BJP must not play politics over tragedy With each new terror attack on Indian territory, Pakistan is emerging as a colossal dilemma for Indian diplomacy. Amid anguish and anger over the Pulwama attack, India's diplomatic offensive to corner Pakistan economically may put the latter's efforts to get an IMF (International Monetary Fund) bailout in jeopardy. Pakistan, with its already battered economy and depleting forex reserves, has sought US$ 12 billion in rescue from the IMF. If approved, this will be the 12th bailout to Pakistan since the late 1980s. However, the flip side of India's offensive could be that a delayed or abandoned IMF bailout may push the beleaguered neighbour closer to China. So far, the USA and EU have not lent diplomatic support to Pakistan's efforts for an IMF bailout. As per reports reaching Delhi, China has promised about US$ 3.5 billion help to Pakistans dwindling forex reserves Chinese officials are expected to arrive in Islamabad later this month to finalise the package. It is all between friends: Beijing's promise of USD 3.5 billion to Pakistans dwindling forex reserves has inched Xi Jinping and Imran Khan a step closer in their friendship against India. (Photo: Reuters) The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), with investments worth a whopping US$ 46 billion, is already under implementation this will connect China's largest province, Xinjiang, with Pakistan's Gwadar via Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Balochistan through various infrastructure projects. Post-the Pulwama attack, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti-money laundering agency is the new Indo-Pak diplomatic battleground. India is going all out to get FATF to keep Pakistan in its grey (subsequently black) list in order to thwart the latter's efforts to get an IMF bailout, thus making way for more serious sanctions in Islamabad. In June 2018, FATF placed Pakistan back on its terrorism financing 'grey' monitoring list, in a bid to push Islamabad to halt support for militant groups. The FATF move was the result of US and European nations forcing Pakistan to do more to combat militancy. It is a coincidence that FATFs plenary meetings are taking place in Paris amid India's global offensive to now corner Pakistan. The FATF will review Pakistan's anti-terror efforts in the areas of Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment, the customs department's efforts to stop cash couriers, the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions and inter-agency coordination. Based on these, Islamabad had been given a 27-point action plan that the country will implement by September 2019. Much before the Pulwama attack, India had upped the ante against Pakistan. The neighbouring country had barred Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and four other terror organisations from raising funds. Going by the strong global reactions, India is likely to succeed in blocking Pakistan's way on the crucial FATF revival and the IMF bailout however, it is important to note that New Delhi appears more concerned about the aftermath of this expected success. With Prince Mohammed bin Salman signing deals worth USD 20 billion in favour of Pakistan, Imran Khan is all smiles. (Photo: Reuters) Pakistan has already started scouting for fresh financial support from China and the UAE in the wake of the probable risk to its bailout. Pakistans foreign currency exchange remains at the precipice, despite commercial loan deposits of US$ 2 billion from China and US$ 4 billion from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan's reserves stand at US$ 8.2 billion hardly enough to cover two months worth of imports. Beijing is ready to extend fresh support to Pakistan. Even Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his recent visit to Islamabad fixed deals worth more than US$ 20 billion in favour of the besieged Pakistan economy. Pak-China bonhomie has always been a big fix for India. In the wake of fresh events, Indian diplomacy appears more guarded in its reactions as any escalation may end up further strengthening Sino-Pak bonding. Also read: How China is sucking Pakistan dry with CPEC (ANSA) - Rome, February 19 - Premier Giuseppe Conte on Tuesday wrote to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asking him for justice for a 25-year-old Pakistani-Italian woman from Brescia whose male relatives were acquitted of killing her after she refused an arranged marriage despite her father having reportedly confessed to strangling her. "The death of young Sana Cheema has deeply shaken our country," Conte said. "For this reason I have sent a letter to the Pakistani prime minister to attest the Italian government's hope that light is shed as soon as possible on the responsibilities for her brutal murder". "He said Italian public opinion expects that "the culprits be brought to justice". A Pakistani court on Friday acquitted Cheema's father, uncle and brother. The relatives were cleared of the 'honour killing' because of a "lack of clear proof", the court in Pakistan said. Cheema's family claimed she had died of natural causes but an autopsy said she had been strangled to death. The centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD)'s Alfredo Bazoli said the acquittals were "disconcerting" and urged the Italian diplomatic service to contact Pakistani authorities "over this murky affair", recalling that Cheema's father had confessed to her murder. Bazoli is PD chief on the House justice committee. Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, is described as a most progressive reformer in several publications across the globe. Ever since he became his country's de-facto leader in 2015 get this, critics suggest, by eliminating rivals most news about him in international media has been on the economic and social reforms taking place in his conservative country. But this prince is no simple Prince Charming. Here are a few things you should know about the Crown Prince. Galti se, mistakes happen... Saudi Arabia is not fond of Iran. Iran is fond of Yemen, and therefore, Iran would have wanted to send aid over to the nation especially in the time of the civil war that is plaguing the nation. But, as we know courtesy Bollywood, 'dushman ka dost dushman hota hai' so, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have blockaded the strategic port of Hodeidah, which they believe is the main entry point of weapons. Now, this is after Saudi Arabias aerial campaign targeting the Houthi rebels, and the over 16,000 raids in Houthi-held areas. With the ports blocked, Yemen may not get guns but they are also brutally deprived of food. An enigma, cloaked in many mysteries. (Source: AP) Reportedly, over 10,000 people have been killed in the Yemen war, but thousands more have died from the terrible famine resulting from the war. Guess how MBS responded to such atrocities? In any military operation mistakes happen ... Of course, any mistakes made by Saudi Arabia or the coalition are unintended mistakes, he told Time, in April 2018. And we thought all 'mistakes' are unintentional but perhaps only the Saudis mistakes qualify. PM's 'Mystery Break' They say, Dont shoot the messenger. But the Crown Prince apparently hasnt heard this one, even though he is believed to read one book a week, as assigned by his father, King Salman. Which is why, it seems, when Saad Hariri, the prime minister of Lebanon, landed in the Saudi capital in November 2017, his phone was confiscated on arrival, and a day later, he mysteriously resigned from his post live on a Saudi-owned television channel. Haah! What? It was just a vacation Lebanese PM Saad Hariri with the Crown Prince and French President Emmanuel Macron. (Source: AP) Reuters reported that Hariri was presented with his resignation speech to read on television, but the Crown Prince denied having anything to do with the fact that Hariri just resigned from his job in that peculiarly abrupt way. While he was in his country. Of course, Michel Naim Aoun, President of Lebanon, rejected the resignation and demanded the return of the "detained" prime minister, which he was except the PM then accused Iran and Hezbollah of destabilising Lebanon remember Saudis war against Iran and remained in the Saudi capital for two more weeks. Just chilling. There were pics, too. Wow. 'Chilling' is the word. Kingdom of 'freedom' If there was one piece of news that positioned MBS as the millennial hero and a social reformer , it's where he lifted the ban on women driving in the country. International media hailed him as progressive with all glowing credit going to him. Prince of arbitrary times! (Source: Twitter/screenshot) In actuality, however, there were scores of activists whove fought for this moment before MBS waltzed away with the credit. But guess what happened to them? Several activists, especially women, were arrested earlier this year, just weeks before the ban was officially lifted. Theyre still in jail, along with other activists arrested on other grounds. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to understand what had happened silence those raising a voice against the regime, then allow what they were fighting for and claim credit for it. But what about those who were arrested? Turns out they were (of course) Irani spies! Qatar is one of those countries that recruited some of those people. And some agencies indirectly working with Iran. Those are the two main countries that are really recruiting these people, he said. There, Iran again. Is he obsessed with Iran or is he obsessed with Iran? Murder by Who? So, Saud al-Qahtani has been named in the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Guess how the orders of the killing were apparently sent? On Skype. Okay, so Qahtani was removed by the Crown Prince, but to say that he was the mastermind behind this cold-blooded murder, with the Crown Prince completely unaware, then questions MBS's control over his own people. Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered in the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Who did that? (Source: Reuters) And to say that the Prince was fully aware of whatever was happening inside the consulate in Istanbul, is, well... Qahtani's own tweet alleges that his boss was in the know: Do you think I make decisions without guidance? I am an employee and a faithful executor of the orders of my lord the king and my lord the faithful crown prince. Bring me the head of the dog, was Qahtani's apparent instruction to a 15-member hit team, as alleged by Turkish intelligence, who, reportedly, have a copy of that Skype call. So much for working Internet! This time, the Crown Prince is on a South Asian visit with Pakistan ticked off his list, he is headed for India now, along with his dushman ka dost dushman hota hai understanding of the world. Given that hes already ordered the release of Pakistani prisoners, against Indias healthy relationship with Iran, perhaps even Bollywood films have a far less predictable climax. Also read: Saudi Arabia is torturing women activists under its shiny new 'liberalism'. And the world is looking away By Pei Li and Cate Cadell BEIJING, Feb 18 (Reuters) - A Chinese government propaganda app that recently became a huge hit was developed by Alibaba , two people at the company told Reuters, at a time when the nation's tech firms are under global scrutiny over their ties to Beijing. "Xuexi Qiangguo", which literally translates as 'Study to make China strong' and is a play on the government propaganda theme of applying President Xi Jinping's thoughts, overtook Tik Tok's Chinese version Douyin and WeChat to become the county's most popular app on Apple's China app store last week. It was developed by a largely unknown special projects team at Alibaba known as the "Y Projects Business Unit", which takes on development projects outside the company, said the people. New York-listed Alibaba declined to comment on whether the business unit had developed the app. The app's development by Alibaba, whose Chairman Jack Ma is a member of the Communist Party, is the latest example of a Chinese tech company collaborating with the government. The country's propaganda department has released the app ahead of next month's National People's Congress in Beijing, China's top annual parliamentary gathering. JOB OPPORTUNITIES The app, which includes short videos, government news stories and quizzes, was created by an Alibaba team. A user of Alibaba's own messaging app DingTalk can use their login credentials to log into Xuexi Qiangguo. Alibaba said the app was built using DingTalk's software. Staff at the Alibaba unit are responsible for developing and maintaining the app that includes news, videos, livestream and community comments, according to the sources and a job advertised for Xuexi Qiangguo on Alibaba's career website. The unit does not have a website, but is described in job ads on popular Chinese careers site Zhipin.com as a strategic level project that is in a creation stage and offers many job opportunities. At least part of the app's runaway popularity can be attributed to directives issued by local governments and universities that require people in China's expansive party member network to download the app. The app has been downloaded over 43.7 million times on Apple and Android devices since its launch in January, according to estimates by Beijing-based statistical consulting firm Qimai. It was not immediately clear whether Alibaba makes money from the app, or who initiated its development. Last month, Alibaba executive vice-chairman Joe Tsai slammed U.S. treatment of fellow Chinese tech firm Huawei Technologies as "extremely unfair", and sharply criticised what he called an attempt by the U.S. government to curb China's rise via the trade war. Huawei, the world's biggest network equipment maker, has been largely barred from the United States and some other countries on suspicion that its products could be used as a conduit for spying. Huawei and China have denied the allegations. EXTENSIVE COLLABORATION But major Chinese tech companies have cooperated extensively with governments in China on infrastructure, cloud computing and public security as part of the country's "Internet Plus" policy drive to improve traditional industries. Collaboration with state media has also increased in recent years, amid tighter censorship laws that require companies to toe the party line. Tik Tok creator Beijing ByteDance Technology Co and WeChat creator Tencent Holdings Ltd are among some who have collaborated with state media outlets using their social media platforms. "The upside for these firms is that their track record of cooperation can put them in a better position to obtain key licenses or opportunities," said Mark Natkin, managing director at Beijing-based Marbridge Consulting, adding these collaborations were Beijing's way of maintaining control over private firms. "The downside is they may get tapped to participate in projects which, on economic or PR considerations alone they might normally eschew, but which may be uncomfortable or unwise to refuse." (Reporting by Pei Li and Cate Cadell, Additional reporting by Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) The Irish Environment Minister has assured a government committee that they are not anticipating blackouts or power outages on either side of the border in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Richard Bruton, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment said although power supply should be relatively unaffected, legislation in the omnibus Brexit Bill will see new powers given to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in Ireland (CRU) to alter licences in the event of a crash Brexit. Currently, any person or company who intends to supply electricity requires a supply licence from the CRU if a no-deal Brexit were to go ahead, certain licences would have to be altered to ensure they are compliant with EU law. In the event that there was severe disruption that led to unexpected market activity, were giving the CRU, the regulator, the power to alter licences in the event of certain things happening, Mr Bruton said. This is clearly something that is a precautionary move, but when the full evaluation was done, it was believed this would be a prudent piece of legislation. However, the provision to alter licences will be constrained and have to have ministerial approval to say its justified, it will only last one year and can only be exercised in no-deal Brexit, and contingent on absolute necessity being established. Irish Environment Minister Richard Bruton (Tom Honan/PA) Those are the main provisions on it, the CRU will have this reserve power should there be unanticipated activity in the market. The minister added that coal, oil and gas systems should operate normally without fear of any significant disruption. There are no tariffs imposed by the EU on gas and electric imports and that should continue to be the case, which Mr Bruton says means prices will be unaffected, after concerns were raised by Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley about cost increases. On the issue of controlling the price, this is a market system, a supply and demand, he said. It is a regulated market, where the regulators set the requirements in public interest and trades on day-to-day basis, in terms of those decisions, theyre independent, I have no role in asking them to review. Northern Ireland has shared a single energy market with the Republic of Ireland for more than 10 years as a result of the Belfast Agreement. Mr Bruton assured committee members that there are provisions within Theresa Mays Withdrawal Agreement and a strong commitment from the UK Government to see the current arrangement continue. In crash out, there are certain trades that now occur on the single electricity market that no longer will occur, however the remaining inter-day trades will continue to support pretty normal business on the system and that it wont lead to any short term problems, the minister added. In so far as I can tell, the UK recognise the importance of being interconnected to the EU market and they see that as one of the benefits they want to continue and signalled their intention in their own material they published. They signalled their desire to maintain interconnection and want to see benefits. BEIJING (AP) - The Chinese database Victor Gevers found online was not just a collection of old personal details. It was a compilation of real-time data on more than 2.5 million people in western China, updated constantly with GPS coordinates of their precise whereabouts. Alongside their names, birthdates and places of employment, there were notes on the places that they had most recently visited - mosque, hotel, restaurant. The discovery by Gevers, a Dutch cybersecurity researcher who revealed it on Twitter last week, has given a rare glimpse into China's extensive surveillance of Xinjiang, a remote region home to an ethnic minority population that is largely Muslim. The area has been blanketed with police checkpoints and security cameras that apparently are doing more than just recording what happens. The database Gevers found appears to have been recording people's movements tracked by facial recognition technology, he said, logging more than 6.7 million coordinates in a span of 24 hours. It illustrates how far China has taken facial recognition - in ways that would raise alarm about privacy concerns in many other countries - and serves as a reminder of how easily technology companies can leave supposedly private records exposed to global snoopers. Gevers found that SenseNets, a Chinese facial recognition company, had left the database unprotected for months, exposing people's addresses, government ID numbers and more. After Gevers informed SenseNets of the leak, he said, the database became inaccessible. FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2018, file photo, a child and a woman wait outside a school entrance mounted with surveillance cameras and barricades with multiple layers of barbed wire in Peyzawat, western China's Xinjiang region. The Chinese database Victor Gevers found online was not just a collection of old personal details. The discovery by Gevers, a Dutch cybersecurity researcher who revealed it on Twitter last week, has given a rare glimpse into China's extensive surveillance of Xinjiang, a remote region home to an ethnic minority population that is largely Muslim. The area has been blanketed with police checkpoints and security cameras that apparently are doing more than just recording what happens. The database Gevers found appears to have been recording people's movements tracked by facial recognition technology, he said, logging more than 6.7 million coordinates in a span of 24 hours. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) "This system was open to the entire world, and anyone had full access to the data," said Gevers, noting that a system designed to maintain control over individuals could have been "corrupted by a 12-year-old." He said it included the coordinates of places where the individuals had recently been spotted by "trackers" - likely to be surveillance cameras. The stream indicated that the data is constantly being updated with information on people's whereabouts, he said in an interview over a messaging app. Gevers posted a graph online showing that 54.9 percent of the individuals in the database were identified as Han Chinese, the country's ethnic majority, while 28.3 percent were Uighur and 8.3 percent were Kazakh, both Muslim ethnic minority groups. A person who answered the phone at SenseNets declined a request for comment. The Xinjiang regional government did not respond to faxed questions. Xinjiang, which borders central Asia in China's far west, has been subject to severe security measures in recent years as part of what the government says has been a successful program to quash extremist and separatist movements. The U.S. and other countries have condemned the crackdown, in which an estimated 1 million Uighurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities have been detained in internment camps that the government says are vocational training centers designed to rid the region of latent extremism. Gulzia, an ethnic Kazakh woman who didn't want her last name used out of fear of retribution, said that cameras were being installed everywhere, even in cemeteries, in late 2017. Now living across the border in Kazakhstan, she told The Associated Press by phone on Monday that she had been confined to house arrest in China and taken to a police station, where they photographed her face and eyes and collected samples of her voice and fingerprints. "This can be used instead of your ID card to identify you in the future," she said they told her. "Even if you get into an accident abroad, we'll recognize you." The security clampdown is far heavier in Xinjiang than in most parts of China, though outside analysts and human rights activists have expressed concern that Xinjiang may be a testing ground for techniques that may be creeping into other parts of the country. Joseph Atick, a pioneer in facial recognition technology, said that facial recognition products can use algorithms to recognize and track people in a crowd, but that privacy regulations in Europe, for example, make it much harder to launch a wide-scale application such as that of SenseNet. "The technology around the world is becoming uniform and it is just the political climate that is different and leads to different applications," he said. According to a company registry, SenseNets was founded in the southern China city of Shenzhen in 2015 and is majority-owned by Beijing-based NetPosa, a technology company specializing in video surveillance. SenseNets' website showcases partnerships with police forces in Jiangsu and Sichuan provinces and the city of Shanghai. A promotional video boasts about SenseNets' capacity to use facial and body recognition to track individuals' precise movements and identify them even in a crowded or chaotic setting. Another video on its website shows surveillance cameras zeroing in on the path of a runaway prisoner who ends up in an ailing relative's hospital room. NetPosa's website says it has offices in Boston and Santa Clara, California. The website of NetPosa's U.S. subsidiary touts its products' use in urban anti-terrorism. In recent years, NetPosa has been buying stakes in American surveillance startups such as Knightscope, a security robot maker. In 2017, NetPosa tried to buy the now-bankrupt California surveillance camera maker Arecont, but later backed out, court records show. In 2010 U.S. chip maker Intel announced a strategic partnership with NetPosa and an Intel subsidiary bought a stake in the company, but NetPosa said in 2015 that Intel had notified the Chinese company of its intent to divest its 4.4 percent stake by 2016. Gevers said his discovery of the database presented an ethical dilemma. He is the co-founder of GDI Foundation, a Netherlands-based nonprofit that finds and informs entities of online security issues. He has become well-known in recent years for helping to uncover similarly exposed information on databases built with the open source MongoDB database program and left unsecured by their administrators. GDI generally reports such discoveries to the entity that holds the information. Part of its mission is to remain neutral and not engage in political controversies. Hours after he revealed his findings on Twitter, Gevers said, he learned that the system might be used to surveil Xinjiang's Muslim minority groups. He said that made him "very angry." "I could have destroyed that database with one command," he said. "But I choose not to play judge and executioner because it is not my place to do so." FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2017, file photo, residents pass by a security checkpoint and surveillance cameras mounted on a street in Kashgar in western China's Xinjiang region. The Chinese database Victor Gevers found online was not just a collection of old personal details. The discovery by Gevers, a Dutch cybersecurity researcher who revealed it on Twitter last week, has given a rare glimpse into China's extensive surveillance of Xinjiang, a remote region home to an ethnic minority population that is largely Muslim. The area has been blanketed with police checkpoints and security cameras that apparently are doing more than just recording what happens. The database Gevers found appears to have been recording people's movements tracked by facial recognition technology, he said, logging more than 6.7 million coordinates in a span of 24 hours. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2018, file photo, children play outside the entrance to a school ringed with barbed wire, barricades and surveillance cameras near a sign which reads: "Please use the nation's common language" indicating the use of Mandarin in Peyzawat, western China's Xinjiang region. The Chinese database Victor Gevers found online was not just a collection of old personal details. The discovery by Gevers, a Dutch cybersecurity researcher who revealed it on Twitter last week, has given a rare glimpse into China's extensive surveillance of Xinjiang, a remote region home to an ethnic minority population that is largely Muslim. The area has been blanketed with police checkpoints and security cameras that apparently are doing more than just recording what happens. The database Gevers found appears to have been recording people's movements tracked by facial recognition technology, he said, logging more than 6.7 million coordinates in a span of 24 hours. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) A Great Barrier Reef rodent has officially been declared 'extinct' by the Australian government today. The news makes the Bramble Cay melomys the first mammal believed to have been killed off as a result of man-made climate change. The rat-like rodent, whose only known habitat was a small sandy island in far northern Australia, has not been seen in a decade. Researchers from Queensland said the extinction was 'almost certainly' due to repeated ocean inundation of the cay, a low-lying island on a coral reef -- over the last decade, which had resulted in dramatic habitat loss. The Bramble Cay melomys are belved to be first mammal driven to excinction due to climate change. The rat-like rodent, whose only known habitat was a small sandy island in far northern Australia, has not been seen in a decade. Australia's environment ministry on Tuesday said it had officially transferred the animal to the 'extinct' list. The declaration was expected. The researchers completed a wide-ranging survey in 2014 in a bid to track down the species, but found no trace. Available data on sea-level rise and weather events in the Torres Strait region 'point to human-induced climate change being the root cause of the loss of the Bramble Cay melomys', a study released in 2016 said. The Melomys rubicola, considered the Great Barrier Reef's only endemic mammal species, was first discovered on the cay in 1845 by Europeans who shot the 'large rats' for sport. Government MPs are afraid of an almighty Labor scare campaign in the coming federal election and are thinking about how to "inoculate" themselves. Prime Minister Scott Morrison told coalition MPs on Tuesday their own campaign would be based on achievement, plans and unity. "You don't win an election on any one issue - we will win based on what we've done for Australia and our plans for the future," he told the joint party room meeting in Canberra. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg urged MPs over the next five weeks "to continue their community engagement with retirees, with real estate agents, with mortgage brokers" - in other words, hitting what the coalition sees as Labor's weak points on franking credits, negative gearing and its response to the banking royal commission. "We can win based on hard work and giving Australians the victory they need and deserve to have," he told them. Mr Morrison encouraged his colleagues to reach out to coalition candidates and support them where possible. Some coalition members want their colleagues to start thinking about how best to "inoculate where they can" against Labor scare campaigns - with the 2016 Mediscare still looming large in the minds of many MPs. The government believes it has good stories to tell around listing medicines on the PBS, sorting out school funding and social services, and its party room discussed the need to convince people of this before the election started. They also said the party had to make sure it could respond rapidly "where the Labor Party lie claiming we have cut funding in any of those areas". The Labor caucus also touched on election preparation, with MPs urged to make sure they have finalised any announcements for their local area. Some opposition MPs also discussed the need for an enrolment drive, raising concerns they had yet to see an official electoral commission campaign for voters to update their addresses ahead of the election expected in mid-May. Brooklyn Beckham has reportedly been granted his own corner of the Beckham mansion in West London so that he can 'take steps towards eventually moving out' and have some alone time with girlfriend Hana Cross. The eldest of David and Victoria's children is said to be taking over the staff quarters in the family's 31m home, in a bid to make him more independent from his parents. Now 19, Brooklyn - who has been dating his 21-year-old girlfriend for a few months now - can now 'spend as much time with Hana as he likes' according to a source. Love shack: Brooklyn Beckham has reportedly been granted his own corner of the Beckham mansion in West London so that he can 'take steps towards eventually moving out' and have some alone time with girlfriend Hana Cross 'David and Victoria love having Brooklyn at home when hes in London,' they went on. 'But hes nearly 20 and they have decided that he needs some independence in some way. 'Its a great way for Brooklyn to make steps towards moving out, but not for good just yet.' David and Victoria - who also share sons Romeo, 16 and Cruz, 13, as well as daughter Harper, seven - are said to have 'spared no expense' in turfing the family's staff out of their quarters and setting them up elsewhere in the house, according to The Sun. Hana - who is American - has been seen constantly by the family's side while she's been staying with Brooklyn during London Fashion Week. Solo: Hana cut a solo appearance on Tuesday night as she attended the Maison Christian Dior London cocktail party - the latest in her string of LFW invitations Making herself at home: David and Victoria - who also share sons Romeo, 16 and Cruz, 13, as well as daughter Harper, seven - are said to have 'spared no expense' in turfing the family's staff out of their quarters and setting them up elsewhere in the house, according to The Sun Cosy: Now 19, Brooklyn - who has been dating his 21-year-old girlfriend for a few months now - can now 'spend as much time with Hana as he likes' according to a source But the brunette cut a solo appearance on Tuesday night as she attended the Maison Christian Dior London cocktail party - the latest in her string of LFW invitations. Brooklyn was nowhere in sight as Hana stepped out alone in a striped red and white polo neck - a far cry from the low-cut ensemble she flaunted the evening before at the Fabulous Fund Fair party. Hana wore cropped tailored slacks in black and matching killer heels and accesorised with a shoulder purse in white, with a floral embroidery. No show? Hana's been seen constantly by her boyfriend Brooklyn Beckham's side thus far, during London Fashion Week Lone ranger: Brooklyn, 19, was nowhere in sight as Hana, 21, stepped out alone in a striped red and white polo neck New look: Her outfit was a far cry from the low-cut ensemble she flaunted the evening before at the Fabulous Fund Fair party She swept her brunette tresses back in a taut ponytail and showed off a flawless complexion with a neutral palette of make-up. She added silver drop earrings to the look to complete the ensemble. The aspiring fashionista has had a busy few days, seen on Sunday Brooklyn's mother Victoria's A/W 2019 show. Chic: Hana wore cropped tailored slacks in black and matching killer heels That night she was whisked to the after-party with Brooklyn, Victoria and David, where she partied along to a Spice Girls drag act and left looking blurry-eyed in the small hours. Going for a tamer approach on Tuesday, she was joined at the Dior event by the likes of Oliver Proudlock, Isaac Carew, Zara Martin and Leah Weller. Proudlock looked typically sharp for the occasion in a burgundy silk suit and black jacket. The Made In Chelsea hunk showed off his usual flair with gold chains adorned here and there. Louisa Connolly-Burnham and Laura Pradelska put on a contrasting display in floral and mustard yellow respectively. Designer: Oliver Proudlock looked typically sharp for the occasion in a burgundy silk suit and black jacket Stylish: The Made In Chelsea hunk showed off his usual flair with gold chains adorned here and there In attendance: Also at the Dior event were the likes of Isaac Carew and Zara Martin Siblings: Natt Weller and Leah Weller attended the Maison Christian Dior London cocktail party Swish: Nadine Leopold and Anna Brewster looked chic in long dresses for the occasion Pals: Louisa Connolly-Burnham and Laura Pradelska put on a contrasting display in floral and mustard yellow respectively Two of Paul Weller's children - Natt and Leah turned up - as did Andre Schurrle and Anna Sharypova who wore grey tones to the party. Proudlock joined Poppy Jamie and posed for a snap in a claustrophobic-looking hallway. Isabel Getty, Grace Chatto, Maddi Waterhouse, Rafferty Law and Neelam Gill also turned up. Fashion fans: Andre Schurrle and Anna Sharypova wore grey tones to the party Crampt: Proudlock and Poppy Jamie posed for a snap in a claustrophobic-looking hallway Also there: [L-R] Isabel Getty, Grace Chatto and Maddi Waterhouse Model behaviour? Rafferty Law and Neelam Gill Effortless: Neelam glided through the streets in her low heels with perspex straps and a tan coat hoisted in at the waist with a belt Model night out: Leomie Anderson joined forces with the glamorous Neelam where they rubbed shoulders with a galaxy of stars Let's go: Guests Isabel Getty (L) and Poppy Jamie (R) were among those making an exit from the Dior party on Tuesday evening Sparkling siren: Felicity Hayward showcased her cleavage in a plunging sequinned suit Casual chic: Tiger Lilly Taylor kept off the chill in a white hoodie and she layered a long black coat over the top Priyanka Chopra does not seem to be attending her friend Meghan Markle's baby shower at The Mark hotel in New York City on Tuesday. The Quantico actress shared an Instagram photo that same day that suggested she was on the west coast as she tagged the post Beverly Hills. 'Mellow yellow' was all she said in her caption. The actresses have been friends since January 2016 when they bonded at an Elle Women in Television event. 9021-OH no! Priyanka Chopra does not seem to be attending her friend Meghan Markle's baby shower in New York City on Tuesday. The Quantico actress shared an Instagram photo that same day that suggested she was on the west coast Chopra attended Meghan and Harry's splashy royal wedding England in May 2018. She wore a light purple suit and was seen mingling with James Corden. But Meghan did not go to Priyanka's wedding to Nick Jonas in India in December. And the two pals have not been seen together in recent months even though Chopra has made trips to London. Celebrating: The Duchess of Sussex - who is pregnant with her and Prince Harry's first child - has jetted across the pond to mark the impending arrival of her little girl or boy with her friends and family In 2017 Meghan said she and Priyanka became friends easily. 'You know when you meet someone and you just click?' said Markle. 'It was just an easy, natural progression. Weve managed to keep in touch via email and text, and try to see each other whenever were both in the same town.' The Duchess of Sussex - who is pregnant with her and Prince Harry's first child - has jetted across the pond to mark the impending arrival of her little girl or boy with her friends and family. Small but special: Meghan's stylist Jessica Mulroney has been co-ordinating the event, which will take place at an exclusive Upper East Side hotel. And they will be joined by 15 of her closest friends Meghan's stylist Jessica Mulroney has been co-ordinating the event, which will take place at the exclusive Mark Hotel on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. And they will be joined by 15 of her closest friends. Details of the party are being kept private. But Meghan's former Suits co-stars Abigail Spencer has already been seen heading to the shower. Star guest: Meghan's former Suits co-stars Abigail Spencer has already been seen heading to the shower. And she carried a blue bag suggesting the Markle is having a son And she carried a blue bag suggesting the Markle is having a son. It is also thought Benita Litt, whose daughters Rylan and Remi took part in Meghan's wedding, and Sarah Rafferty will also be in attendance. Other famous faces expected to be on the guest list includes Amal Clooney and Serena Williams. Before her shower, Maeghan was seen in a bespoke coat as she headed to the Met Breuer museum. Meghan has been in New York for a few days now, spending her time with Jessica. The big day: Chopra attended Meghan and Harry's splashy royal wedding England in May 2018. But Meghan did not go to Priyanka's wedding to Nick Jonas in India in December The duo visited Laduree in SoHo over the weekend before heading shopping for some baby clothes. Meanwhile, Meghan's husband Prince Harry recently admitted impending fatherhood has made him more aware of his 'responsibility' to the world. Speaking at a Commonwealth youth discussion in London last month, he said: 'As someone who is about to become a father, I am acutely aware of our shared responsibility to make this world more resilient and its inhabitants more accountable for the next generation. The only way to see real progress is not by chance, it's by change.' Liam Hemsworth was briefly hospitalised this month for kidney stones, and was forced to miss the Grammys and his latest movie premiere to rest up. But on Monday, the Australian actor appeared in better spirits as he stepped out for lunch in Malibu, California. The 29-year-old cut a casual figure, sporting a black hooded jumper with dark jeans and trainers. On the mend! Liam Hemsworth cut a low-key figure as he headed out to lunch in Malibu on Monday after he was hospitalised for kidney stones Appearing to keep a low profile, Liam covered his famous face with a black cap and dark lens sunglasses. The Hunger Games star was seen with a slight beard as he chatted on his mobile phone. Liam's wedding band could be seen on his left hand, after he tied the knot with Wrecking Ball songstress Miley Cyrus in December. Going incognito? Appearing to keep a low profile, Liam covered his famous face with a black cap and dark-lens sunglasses, while sporting a slight beard Ring-ing in the new year! Liam's wedding band could be seen on his left hand, after he tied the knot with Wrecking Ball songstress Miley Cyrus in December. Liam sadly missed his own Isn't It Romantic premiere on February 11. However, his wife Miley attended solo and posed on the red carpet with the cast. The newlyweds stepped out for a romantic dinner at Nobu in Malibu, Los Angeles on Sunday evening. The pair, who met on Nicholas Sparks' 2009 film The Last Song, wed in a low-key ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee on December 23 after seven years of on-and-off engagements. Jax Taylor nervously called fiancee Brittany Cartwright to confess that women were in his hotel room on Monday's Vanderpump Rules. Plans for the boys' night at the Mondrian hotel while the women went away to wine-tasting mecca Solvang had already caused friction between them. 'Don't disappoint me,' Brittany had begged Jax, 39, of the party plans, begging him not to bring back 'those old feelings' when he cheated. Jax Taylor and Beau Clark call their girlfriends to admit they are partying with other women in a scene from Vanderpump Rules 'I should probably cancel the strippers that I hired then,' he joked. He later snapped at her when she chased him up to see if he was there, with him telling her: 'I already have one mother, I don't need another one.' 'You sound like a d**k,' Brittany replied, insisting she has a 'right' to know where he is considering his previous cheating. Furious: Stassi Schroeder, left, and Brittany Cartwright Facetimed with their boyfriends Catching up: Jax and Beau broke the news via cell phone Unimpressed: Brittany had warned her husband to be to behave himself on the trip But the party soon turned into a nightmare when Tom Sandoval, 35, acted as a wingman for SUR manager Peter Madrigal, picking up three girls who they invited back to the room. Jax got so anxious, Beau Clark joked: 'Jax looks like a reformed junky in a crack house.' 'I've been a really s***y person in my life so I'm trying to be the person that Brittany wants the person that I want to be and I feel like this would be a step back if I don't tell her,' Jax admitted. Angry: Stassi told her boyfriend he was 'out of your f***ing mind' for not kicking out the girls Beau joined him, telling his girlfriend Stassi Schroeder, 30, about the women there in the same call as Jax alerted Brittany, telling them: 'We don't feel comfortable with them here.' 'Are you trying to say that hoes are in the hotel room?' Brittany asked. Stassi ended up the angriest of the two, telling them they were 'out of your f***ing mind' for not just kicking out the girls, and sarcastically putting down's reassurances that he and Jax were 'bonded' over behaving well. 'Oh, Jax the guy who's cheated with every single girlfriend he's been with?' Stassi asked later. 'That's the one that you're gonna be safe with? 'I feel super comforted.' Party time: While Jax and Beau agonized over the girls, their castmates were not holding back, with James Kennedy pouring booze down Peter's throat Welcome to the party: Tom Sandoval, 35, acted as a wingman for SUR manager Peter Madrigal, picking up three girls who they invited back to the room Lisa Vanderpump had a similar reaction earlier when Tom Schwartz insisted the girlfriends and wives had nothing to worry about, joking: 'We have chastity belts on and they have the locks.' 'But Jax would still shag your girlfriend while you're asleep,' Lisa insisted. Schwartz also admitted: 'Guys nights in the past have been known to get us in trouble. If I'm being honest the probably nearly ruined my relationship with Katie.' Awkward: The guys invited the women back, but not everyone was happy about it As he drank heavily in the hotel room and danced near the girls, he admitted: 'I don't know if it's just old makeout slut me but I feel like these are the exact situations that we should be avoiding. It feels dangerous.' The women enjoyed their trip to wine tasting mecca Solvang with Kristen Doute, 35, maybe enjoying it a little too much, slurring her words and acting bizarrely. 'She's definitely not acting like herself,' Stassi observed, saying she was acting 'unsettling' within the first few hours. 'My friends are a**holes,' Kristen protested later. 'Whenever we travel they just think it's such a funny schtick to pick on Kristen. I'm like, 'Hey, y'all are all terrorists too. I just don't shove it in your face,' she added bizarrely. Night out: The girls were filmed as they partied the night away with Peter Kristen flipped when she found out James Kennedy had been hired at PUMP, saying she was 'literally the only person not worthy of a second chance' from Lisa. 'I'm f***ing done,' she complained. After drinking heavily she fell down in the house, alarming the women enough that they called her boyfriend Brian Carter. They were certain he had set her off and started bitching about him when he did not show any interest in her wellbeing. Not best pleased: Over in Solvang, the girls were wine tasting Awkward: The group dinner saw tensions run high, with Lala Kent at the head of the table Not happy: Scheana Shay, 33, also got upset when Katie quizzed her about rumors that she and hot barback Adam 'went to bangtown,' with her playing coy 'I just think Carter's not good for her,' Katie admitted, with Stassi saying: They're miserable. She says this every single day. 'He doesn't pay for anything, he doesn't pay rent. He literally does nothing.' Scheana Shay, 33, also got upset when Katie quizzed her about rumors that she and hot barback Adam 'went to bangtown,' with her playing coy. She quickly started crying, turning the question into the girls not laying nice over her obsessiveness over ex Rob Valletta. 'I feel like I'm getting to a point where my friendship with these girls is maybe never gonna be even half of what it used to be,' she admitted later to camera. 'But I really want to fix things so I'm never gonna stop trying.' He's back: James Kennedy was on the trip, after Lisa Vanderpump rehired him for an event James Kennedy had admitted being 'so happy' when the guys even old nemesis Jax invited him to the guys' night. But he kept up his sobriety, telling the girls who joined the group that the gathering was his 'three-and-a-half weeks' sober party.' Earlier he told his brother Harry, who just started work at SUR, that he was going to 'continue this sober path.' 'I couldn't even imagine going to bars in Hollywood and f***ing s*** up again. I don't know how I did that,' he insisted. Where are the bodies buried? The castmates were astonished that Lisa had given James yet another chance Jax had also been amazed that James was hired once again by old boss Lisa for the PUMP party. 'Did Lisa and James bury a body in the desert or something? I don't understand why she keeps hiring him back,' he said. He later added: 'I guess he's a cat and he hasn't lived his nine lives yet. He's probably on number seven or eight.' (ANSA) - Alghero, February 19 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted Tuesday "there's a German NGO (ship) off Libya heading our way: it must change direction". Salvini was referring to the Sea Eye which set off from Majorca three days ago heading for Libyan territorial waters. It has been renamed Alan Kurdi after the three-year-old Syrian boy who was found drowned on a Turkish beach in 2015. Salvini has closed Italy's ports to NGO migrant rescue vessels. She never fails to turn heads on an outing. And Tallia Storm ensured all eyes would be on her as she headed to the BBC radio studios in London on Tuesday. The 20-year-old songstress looked sensational on the outing as she stepped out in an eye-catching colour clashing ensemble. Chic: She never fails to turn heads on an outing. And Tallia Storm ensured all eyes would be on her as she headed to the BBC radio studios in London on Tuesday The blonde beauty looked phenomenal as she flaunted her abs a scanty neon orange crop top. She teamed the garment with matching cargo pants, whilst barely there heels boosted her petite frame. Tallia finished off the look by layering up with a cobalt blue faux fur jacket that she slung over her shoulders. Stylish: The 20-year-old songstress looked sensational on the outing as she stepped out in an eye-catching colour clashing ensemble The songstress, who hails from Glasgow, recently insisted she is not 'naturally skinny' and has to work for her phenomenal figure. She told MailOnline: 'Im not naturally skinny, I hang out with all my London friends and they all eat their burgers and Im here eating a salad. I have to work for it.' Tallia also revealed she finds it hard to cope with criticisms about her look. 'Its all these things people dont realise when they comment under your pictures', she lamented. 'I workout four times a week, and I dont even see it. I look in the mirror and think: "What is the point?" 'I honestly think it's puberty because Im not what I used to be, but Im working really hard on it.' Tallia took part on the fourth series of Celebs Go Dating. Although she didn't find love, she found her feet on the showbiz ladder as she forged friendships with TOWIE's Gemma Collins and Love Island's Muggy Mike. Noah Cyrus posted an Insta Stories photo of herself crying Monday, captioning: 'whata day'. On her main Instagram page, the 19-year-old sister of Miley Cyrus uploaded a selfie of her in black and wrote alongside it: 'i WILL be happy if its the last thing i do.' Hours earlier, her 22-year-old rapper ex-boyfriend Lil Xan announced on Instagram that his fiancee Annie Smith is pregnant with his baby. Coping: Noah Cyrus, the 19-year-old sister of pop star Miley Cyrus, posted an Insta Stories photo of herself crying on Monday, captioning: 'whata day' Lil Xan, whose stage name was inspired by his past Xanax addiction, wrote: 'i wanted to wait but i just cant leave my fans in the dark,its official im going to be a father.' He gushed: 'i love you guys so much and hope you stay along for this crazy journey and ive never felt more happy in my life.' Lil Xan, born Nicholas Diego Leanos in Redlands, California, went on: 'all of you are invited to the gender reveal party i promise !' Said he: 'Cant wait to show the world everything ive been working on at youtube space and my official sophomore album "BE SAFE" and to my baby my angel my sunshine @anniiesmith i love you with all my heart'. Determination: On her main Instagram page, she uploaded a selfie of her in black and wrote alongside it: 'i WILL be happy if its the last thing i do' Lil Xan and Annie gave TMZ a joint interview Monday where she revealed they had 'been trying, but also not super pushing it' and she was 'only like five weeks' along. Noah and Lil Xan broke up this past September after they both revealed on social media that he suspected her of infidelity. They had been together roughly a month, releasing a joint single called Live Or Die and walking the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet together. 'Cant wait': Hours earlier, her 22-year-old rapper ex-boyfriend Lil Xan announced on Instagram that his fiancee Annie Smith is pregnant with his baby While attending the Teen Choice Awards stag in August, she told E! News she met him after he 'slid into the DMs' - a message she failed to notice until months later. After Annie's pregnancy went public via her fiance's Instagram, an insider explained to Us Weekly: 'Noah found out almost right after he posted.' The source insisted: 'A few of her friends texted her and she was obviously surprised, but doesnt feel hurt. While this may sting a little, as it would with any breakup, she is completely over him and has moved past that part of her life.' Natalie Portman was unexpectedly greeted by a swarm of media on Tuesday as she departed The Mark Hotel in Manhattan with her family. The Oscar winner likely had no idea that her hotel of choice would be at the center of the madness surrounding Duchess Meghan Markle's secret baby shower. Portman and her family managed to duck out of the chaos shortly before the Duchess and her baby bump made an appearance as she exited the hotel. Bad timing: Natalie Portman and her family tried to avoid the chaos surrounding Meghan Markle's surprise baby shower as they tried to duck past the waiting press outside of The Mark Hotel, where the Duchess is staying, on Tuesday Earlier, the 37-year-old royal touched down back in the US for a surprise visit, marking her first visit to her home country since her marriage to Prince Harry. Portman was spotted with her husband Benjamin Millepied and their two children, Amalia, 10-months and Aleph, seven, as they scurried past the media. The Black Swan didn't appear ready to meet the waiting press and was dressed down in a relaxed fit pair of jeans with blue sneakers. On top she rocked a simple lavender sweater and an all-weather layered blue jacket. Quick exit: Natalie rushed passed the waiting press who was penned in on either side of the entrance waiting for a glimpse of Duchess Meghan Unprepared: The Oscar winner was dressed down and kept her face covered as she scurried into a car Natalie kept her brunette tresses pulled back in a messy bun at the nape of her neck and appeared to be makeup free. As she hustled past the hoards of photographers snapping shots of the items being delivered, the actress kept her eyes averted from the cameras and attempted to cover her face with her hand. Following shortly behind was Natalie's 40-year-old husband who was dressed casually wearing all black and a red knit cap. The whole gang: Portman's husband Benjamin followed shortly behind with their children in tow Benjamin led their son by the hand past the hoopla and carried their toddler in the other arm. Not long after the Academy Award Winner slipped out of the hotel, Duchess Meghan was seen as she stepped out of the hotel. The former Suits star rocked a chic all-black look of black skinny slacks and retro inspired textured three quarter length sleeved long coat. Grand appearance: The Duchess greeted the waiting crowd as she left the hotel wearing head-to-toe black The mother-to-be donned some creamy toned suede pumps and an oversized pair of black sunglasses. The scene outside of the posh Upper East Side hotel was chaotic as the media caught wind of the Duchess of Sussex's baby shower. Partitions were set up outside of the hotel entrance to pen the dozens of photographers and there was increased police presence by the NYPD. Chaos! The scene outside of the hotel showed dozens of photographers and members of the media being held in pens DailyMail.com exclusively shared the first photos of Meghan touching down in the US on Monday wearing a black coat and hat. The actress-turned-Duchess will reportedly host 15 of her closest friends and family at the swanky hotel for a baby shower. Earlier on Tuesday, a crib was seen being wheeled into the hotel lobby as well as several large bouquets of flowers. Back home: DailyMail.com exclusively shared the first photos of Meghan touching down in the US on Monday wearing a black coat and hat Keeping it close: The intimate baby shower is believed to have been organized by her best friend Jessica Mulroney A spokesperson for Kensington Palace would not divulge details of the Duchess's travel, but confirmed that as this is a private trip, her travel was 'privately funded'. The intimate baby shower is believed to have been organized by her best friend Jessica Mulroney - who arrived in the city at the end of last week from her home in Toronto. Meghan is currently expecting her first child with husband Prince Harry and is due in the spring. It was a case of 'on to the next' for Jourdan Dunn on Tuesday, as the model and actress left London to hit the next Fashion Week, this time in Milan. Touching down in Italy, the 28-year-old looked excited to be in Europe for the event, using the airport concourse as her own runway, strutting along in the wintry sunshine. She sported a cropped black jacket for her flight, which she wore over a white tee, tucked into colour-block sweatpants in black, yellow and red. On to the next: Jourdan Dunn left London to hit the next Fashion Week, this time in Milan, on Tuesday She wore snazzy shades and tied her raven mane back from her beaming features, evidently tickled by something as she walked along. Jourdan tucked a black purse under her arm and marched along on casual trainers, ahead of what promises to be an otherwise glam week. Her bags were wheeled along by a luggage handler, leaving Jourdan to smile to the cameras as she strolled along the tarmac. Runway model: She wore snazzy shades and tied her raven mane back from her beaming features, evidently tickled by something as she walked along Excess baggage: Jourdan tucked a black purse under her arm and marched along on casual trainers, ahead of what promises to be an otherwise glam week Jourdan was last seen in London at the Christopher Kane Fashion Week show on Monday where she dazzled in a power dress with batwing sleeves as she took her seat on the FROW. The studded number was sure to turn heads, with a unique pair of pointed black and white heels adding extra intrigue to her ensemble. Her brunette tresses were scraped back from her face, which had been adorned with a glamorous grey smokey eye. Sunny disposition: Touching down in Italy, the 28-year-old looked excited to be in Europe for the event, using the airport concourse as her own runway, strutting along in the wintry sunshine Incoming: Her bags were wheeled along by a luggage handler, leaving Jourdan to smile to the cameras as she strolled along the tarmac Star-studded: Andrew Garfield was also pictured arriving in the Italian capital ahead of Milan Fashion Week Casual: The Spider-Man actor, 35, cut a casual yet stylish outfit of teal trousers, a grey t-shirt and a navy blue blazer A couple of days prior she was snapped alongside actress Natalie Dormer in a plunging denim blazer paired with ripped jeans as she took her seat at Central Saint Martins MA showcase. The stars were seen donning Magic Leap technology headsets as they walked Liam Gallagher's model son Lennon models the world's first 5G mixed reality collection. They joined stars including Andrew Garfield and Simon Amstell at the show. Details: Andrew completed his look with a pair of red sunglasses, blue Converse trainers and a dark rucksack Pals: Andrew was pictured with a female companion who carried a young baby ahead of the fashion event She made a chic appearance at the Roland Mouret show held at the National Theatre in London earlier this week wearing a stylish plaid suit and silk blouse. But Millie Mackintosh decided to show off her more feminine flair as she attended the Rixo presentation during London Fashion Week on Tuesday. The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, opted for a chic floral frilled dress by the designer, which boasted ruffle detailing around the neckline and skirt. Girly: Millie Mackintosh decided to show off her more feminine flair as she attended the Rixo presentation during London Fashion Week on Tuesday She beat the winter chill by adding a double breasted navy overcoat to her look, which she wore slung over her shoulders in a carefree fashion. Millie also rocked a pair of white cowboy-style boots, which offered her statuesque frame some added inches as she strutted into the event. She wore her dark blonde locks in a loose naturally wavy style, while opting for light touches of make-up to accentuate her pretty features. Pretty: The former Made In Chelsea star, 29, opted for a chic floral frilled dress by the designer, which boasted ruffle detailing around the neckline and skirt Millie opted for a minimal accessorises, simply accessorising her look with a pair of dainty drop earrings and an elegant silver bracelet. The TV star has been enjoying a slew events at fashion week, including the Amanda Wakeley presentation on Friday which she attended with husband Hugo Taylor. Hugo made an appearance on a recent episode of E4 series Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too where he discussed starting a family with his friend Spencer Matthews. Chilly: She beat the winter chill by adding a double breasted navy overcoat to her look, which she wore slung over her shoulders in a carefree fashion Pretty: She wore her dark blonde locks in a loose naturally wavy style, while opting for light touches of make-up to accentuate her pretty features Reflecting on how his life has changed since meeting Irish model Vogue Williams, Spencer said: 'I would hate me a year ago now. It's not all because of the kid - finding Vogue, I've really just found my place and I love it.' Taking the opportunity to grill his best pal, Spencer then turned the attention on Hugo as he pointed out that, like himself, Hugo is now a married man. Pushing his pal on the subject of children, Spencer probed Hugo until he confessed: 'We talk about [babies] all the time, we love kids but right now we're very happy seeing all our friends having babies.' Relationship: Hugo and Millie initially dated in the early series of Made In Chelsea back in 2011 Hugo and Millie initially dated in the early series of Made In Chelsea back in 2011, where they had starred on the reality series alongside Spencer - who back then was known as the show's resident Lothario. While their relationship didn't work out first time round, Hugo and Millie rekindled their love following her split from ex-husband Professor Green in 2016 - they were granted a divorce the same year. Hugo later proposed to Millie during a romantic break in Greece in July 2017, with the pair tying the knot in June the following year. They had wed in an official marriage service held in Chelsea Town Hall, a few days before hosting a lavish celebration, where they received a religious blessing, in front of their family and friends at Whithurst Park - which is owned by Hugo's uncle - in West Sussex. Stunning: Also in attendance at the event was Lady Amelia Windsor, who rocked a leafy monochrome print frilly dress Kim Kardashian shared a heartfelt tribute to legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld - best known for his work with Chanel and Fendi - on Tuesday after the 85-year-old died in Paris, France. The 38-year-old beauty shared six photos to Instagram where she was in the same frame as the fashion force, best known for his ponytail, dark sunglasses and fan. 'We lost a true legend!!!!' the wife of Kanye West began, but for some reason she failed to name him in the lengthy post. This comes after he helped build her status in the fashion world with an impressive 2013 CR Fashion Book cover. But the icon - known for his acid tongue - was also hard on the TV star, saying she was beautiful despite not being 'super slim' and also blaming her 2016 Paris robbery on her relentless conspicuous consumption. Sad loss: Kim Kardashian shared a heartfelt tribute to legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld - best known for his work with Chanel and Fendi - on Tuesday after the 85-year-old died in Paris, France; seen here with Kanye West The men who inspired her look: 'We lost a true legend!!!!' began the mother of three. 'The world is so much chicer because you existed! I am beyond honored to have met you and had the opportunity to work with you. You are so loved and will be so missed' The mother-of-three added, 'You were such an inspiration to the world!' She then went into detail about their work history: 'You shot my first fashion shoot and I was so nervous to work with such an icon!' Karl photographed Kim for CR Fashion Book in 2013 and the move put her on the high-end fashion map, leading to her Vogue cover with West. In one image Kim can be seen showing off her pregnant belly while sitting on a sofa. She then added, 'The world is so much chicer because you existed! I am beyond honored to have met you and had the opportunity to work with you. You are so loved and will be so missed.' She trusted him: In one image Kim can be seen showing off her pregnant belly while sitting on a sofa The Selfish author added an emoji for a broken heart. In other images she can be seen with Karl and Kanye. They are posing for a selfie with another man. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is also seen laying on a bed with white sheets as she has on a cream-colored sweater. Karl has on a black suit and tie with white shirt as he points to the bombshell with a gloved hand. Another image sees Kim with red lipstick smudged on her face as she puckers up next to Carine Roitfeld. Boss: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is also seen laying on a bed with white sheets as she has on a cream-colored sweater. Karl has on a black suit and tie with white shirt as he points to the bombshell with a gloved hand Kim has on a pink and cream colored jacket over a white dress with her raven hair parted in the middle and down. Karl pouts a bit too as he is in purple suit and matching tie with netted gloves. His glasses also have purple on them. In 2017 Karl said, 'Kims contribution to beauty and fashion is the fact that you dont have to be super slim and very tall to be beautiful. I like her mother a lot and I adore her little half-sister Kendall. I dont know the rest of this astonishing family.' But he also was hard on the former Playboy model. After she was robbed of $10m worth of gems at gun point in Paris in 2016, Karl said she brought the horrific ordeal on herself by flaunting her wealth. 'I don't understand why she was in a hotel with no security and think like this,' he said, according to The Telegraph. 'If you are that famous and you put all your jewelry on the net, you go to hotels where nobody can come near to the room. You cannot display your wealth and then be surprised that some people want to share it with you.' Behind the scenes: Another image sees Kim with red lipstick smudged on her face as she puckers up next to Carine Roitfeld. This was her look for CR Fashion Book in 2013 Kim's half-sister Kendall also shared a tribute on Instagram for Karl: 'Today is the only full super moon in Virgo this year what an honor to be a part of your beautiful shows. what an honor to be your bride. what an honor to be your friend. RIP Karl, you are greatness in its purest form. we will remember you forever indeed, Virgo.' Kris shared a photo with Karl and said, 'You brought so much beauty, style and grace to this world. Karl, you will forever be a true legend, an icon, an inspiration. It was such a thrill and a pleasure to have met you, to have worked with you, and to have experienced the amazing times when you would photograph my girls for your beautiful campaigns. There will never be another like you, my dear friend, and you will be truly missed.' Lagerfeld had been suffering from pancreatic cancer, and passed away on Tuesday after being rushed to hospital, a source said. Always shocking her fans: Kim was last seen on Sunday evening as she hit the Hollywood Beauty Awards in a cut-out Thierry Mugler vintage dress The German-born artistic director for Chanel had looked increasingly frail in recent months, and had did not come out to take a bow at Chanel's couture show in Paris in January, something the company attributed to him being 'too tired'. 'He hadn't gone on about his illness, but battled it very bravely,' said one source. 'Karl was very proud of his fitness and healthy living, so the pancreatic cancer came as a huge shock.' An official statement published on his Instagram said: 'The House of KARL LAGERFELD shares, with deep emotion and sadness, the passing of its creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, on February 19, 2019, in Paris, France. 'He was one of the most influential and celebrated designers of the 21st century and an iconic, universal symbol of style. Driven by a phenomenal sense of creativity, Karl was passionate, powerful and intensely curious. 'He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as one of the greatest designers of our time, and there are no words to express how much he will be missed. Celebrities and models and designers have flocked to social media to pay tribute to the late designer. Good company: (L to R) Riccardo Tisci, Ciara, Karl, Carine and Kim attend the CR Fashion Book Issue No.5 Launch Party hosted by Roitfeld and Stephen Gan at The Peninsula Paris in 2014 Donatella Versace was among the first to do so, writing on Instagram: 'Karl your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni [Versace, her brother] and I. We will never forget your incredible talent and endless inspiration. We were always learning from you.' Chanel muse and actress Diane Kruger revealed in a heartbreaking post, that she was bringing her four-month-old daughter to meet Karl Lagerfeld in France yet admitted 'I was too late'. Spice Girl-turned-designer Victoria Beckham said: 'So incredibly sad to hear this. Karl was a genius and always so kind and generous to me both personally and professionally. RIP'. Kylie Minogue also shared a message about the designer, writing: 'I loved working with you. Unique, masterful, funny and generous. RIP.' Claudia Schiffer paid tribute to Lagerfeld on Instagram, writing: 'Karl was my magic dust, he transformed me from a shy German girl into a supermodel. 'He taught me about fashion, style and survival in the fashion business. What Warhol was to art, he was to fashion; he is irreplaceable. 'He is the only person who could make black and white colourful! I will be eternally grateful to him.' In Diane's tribute to the star, she revealed she was set to fly to France this week to introduce Karl to her daughter, as she penned: 'Karl.....I cannot tell you how much you meant to me and how much I will miss you... 'I will never forget your kindness towards me, your laughs, your imagination. I came to France see you this week and introduce you to my daughter...I'm heartbroken I was too late. Rest In Peace, I adore you'. Her friend: Kris shared a photo with Karl and said, 'You brought so much beauty, style and grace to this world.' He had called her a dear friend Supermodel Bella Hadid wrote: 'Nothing feels right today..at a loss for words and so heartbroken by the loss of Karl... 'His humor, wit , love and passion for fashion will live on forever. Thank you for the inspiration that you gave to this world and for all of the hearts that you touched in the process... 'Every time I saw you it felt like the first time & I will miss your hugs so much. Sending my love to the Lagerfeld family and to all closest to him. I am so sorry. We all love you so much. Rest In Peace'. Her sister Gigi added: 'I'm so heartbroken I almost don't have words... There will never be another Karl Lagerfeld. Ever second with you was an honour, joy and inspiration. I wish I could give you one last hug. I love you Karl. Thank you for everything. Rest in peace.' She loved him: Kim's half-sister Kendall also shared a tribute on Instagram for Karl: 'Today is the only full super moon in Virgo this year what an honor to be a part of your beautiful shows. what an honor to be your bride. what an honor to be your friend. RIP Karl, you are greatness in its purest form. we will remember you forever indeed, Virgo' Lagerfeld - dubbed 'Kaiser Karl' and 'Fashion Meister' - was worshiped like a god in fashion circles around the world up until his death. The Hamburg-born son of a German mother and Swedish father, left his home country for France and the capital of fashion - Paris - in his early 20s and is best known for his association with Chanel, dating back to 1983. But Lagerfeld, who simultaneously churned out collections for LVMH's Fendi and his eponymous label - an unheard of feat in fashion - was also brand in his own right, much thanks to his unique style. In his later years, he sported dark suits, white, pony-tailed hair and tinted sunglasses, which made him instantly recognisable, even outside the court of haute couture. However, his appearance and favourite accessory changed over the years - for a long time he would carry a fan everywhere he went. In rare moments when he was not working, Lagerfeld retired to one of his many homes in Paris, Germany, Italy or Monaco, all of them lavish carbon copies of 18th-century interiors. Paris Jackson looked somber as she stepped out to walk her dog in LA on Monday. The 20-year-old, who recently entered treatment for her emotional health, wore a Def Leppard tee with denim shorts and leather boots. Fandom: Paris Jackson demonstrated her love of a different throwback musical act Monday, modeling a Def Leppard tee on a Los Angeles dog walk On Tuesday a trailer was released for Leaving Neverland, a four-hour bombshell documentary reviving child sex abuse allegations against Michael, who died in 2009. The two-part movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month and focuses on accusations by Wade Robson and James Safechuck. Wade, 41, looks back in the gut-wrenching trailer on when he was seven years old and 'Michael asked: "Do you and the family wanna come to Neverland?"' Stock footage of the massive Disneyland-like estate accompanies an interview with Wade's mother Joy, who says: 'We drive in, and forget about all your problems. You were in Neverland. It was a fantasy.' Fashionable: The 20-year-old showbiz legacy, who recently reportedly entered treatment for her emotional health, rounded off the look with denim shorts and leather boots Man in her life: The model and actress, who publicly confirmed she is bisexual last summer, has lately been dating one Gabriel Glenn, whom she gushed over on Valentine's Day 'The days were filled with magical childhood adventure experiences - playing tag, watching movies, eating junk food, anything you could ever want as a child,' said Wade. 'It's like hanging out with a friend that's more your age,' James shared. 'Just kid things. They were just doing kid things,' said Joy. 'He just came across as a loving, caring, kind soul. It was easy to believe that he was just that.' An unsettling video shows Michael smiling at the camera and saying: 'Hello, Wade, today is your birthday, so congratulations. I love you. Goodbye.' Controversial: On Tuesday a trailer was released for Leaving Neverland, a four-hour bombshell documentary reviving child sex abuse allegations against Michael, who died in 2009 The two-part movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month and focuses on accusations by Wade Robson and James Safechuck (pictured) 'There's no thoughts of: "This is wrong," or anything like that,' James recalled. Wade alleged: 'He told me if they ever found out what we were doing, he and I would go to jail for the rest of our lives.' 'Secrets will eat you up. You feel so alone,' said James. 'I want to be able to speak the truth as loud as I had to speak the lie for so long,' said Wade, who in 2005 denied under oath that Michael had abused him. Remembering: Wade, 41, looks back in the gut-wrenching trailer on when he was seven years old and 'Michael asked: "Do you and the family wanna come to Neverland?"' 'You were in Neverland': Stock footage of the massive Disneyland-like estate accompanies an interview with Wade's mother Joy, who says: 'We drive in, and forget about all your problems' In 2013, James and Wade filed a lawsuit against Michael's estate that a probate court eventually dismissed four years later. Although the judiciary absolved the estate of liability, there was no ruling on whether Wade and James' allegations of abuse were feasible or not. The estate have claimed that, two years before filing suit against them, Wade had unsuccessfully lobbied them for a job on a Cirque Du Soleil show about Michael. Michael has been acquitted of all the sexual abuse charges that saw the light of a courtroom while he was still alive. Memories: 'The days were filled with magical childhood adventure experiences - playing tag, watching movies, eating junk food, anything you could ever want as a child,' said Wade 'It was easy to believe that he was just that': They were just doing kid things,' said Joy, adding: 'He just came across as a loving, caring, kind soul' Last month, the late pop star's 'furious' family released a statement on the film saying: 'Michael always turned the other cheek, and we have always turned the other cheek when people have gone after members of our family - that is the Jackson way.' According to the Associated Press, the statement continued: 'But we can't just stand by while this public lynching goes on.... Michael is not here to defend himself, otherwise these allegations would not have been made.' Paris is Michael's second child by his second wife Debbie Rowe, who was married to him from 1996 until 1999. When rumors surfaced last month about her mental health situation, an insider said to People: 'She has been battling depression and is electively seeking help.' 'I love you': An unsettling video shows Michael smiling at the camera and saying: 'Hello, Wade, today is your birthday, so congratulations' 'You feel so alone': James shared: 'Secrets will eat you up' The source explained: 'This isnt the first time shes sought professional treatment for her mental health and specifically depression.' Paris has refrained from commenting publicly as an individual about the documentary, which will air next month on HBO in the US and Channel 4 in the UK. The model and actress, who publicly confirmed she is bisexual last summer, is now dating one Gabriel Glenn, whom she gushed over on Valentine's Day. She posted an Instagram photo of him kissing her as he held a guitar, captioning: 'thanks for making me feel the way music does #vday'. Jonathan Cheban shared an old video with a good friend over the weekend. The TV star was seen embracing his pal, 38-year-old UK star Gemma Collins of The Only Way Is Essex fame, as they met up for lunch. The two hugged on the street. This comes after the New Jersey native wrapped his scenes for season 16 of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which debuts in late March. Pals: Jonathan Cheban shared an old video over the weekend. The TV star was seen embracing his pal, 38-year-old UK star Gemma Collins of The Only Way Is Essex fame, as they met up for lunch Street chic: Jonathan had on a black hoodie with white writing on it and black pants. He also seemed to have a purse around his torso Her look: Gemma was chic in ripped jeans and a black top. She added bright pink shoes and a large Louis Vuitton purse. Her hair stole the show - her light locks were nicely styled Jonathan had on a black hoodie with white writing on it and black pants. He also seemed to have a purse around his torso. Gemma was chic in ripped jeans and a black top. She added bright pink shoes and a large Louis Vuitton purse. Her hair stole the show - her light locks were nicely styled. He was also seen in Miami on Friday with a pretty brunette as they went out in his Rolls-Royce. He is believed to be single at the moment. So many fond memories: The two worked together on Celebrity Big Brother and he visited while she did Towie Busy Chebs: On Friday he was seen in Miami with a pretty young woman in his Rolls-Royce On season 16 of KUWTK Jonathan is by Kim's side as she talks welcoming child four this year. The siren already has three kids with Kanye West - North, Saint and Chicago. This newest child will be a boy. Earlier this month the TV star was seen with his longtime Kardashian pals. They were seen at the amFAR gala in NYC. Kim tried her best to avoid a nip slip while her sister Kourtney has a bit of an issue with the slit on her dress as they were seen leaving the Mercer Hotel. Sexy time: Last week the TV star was seen with his longtime Kardashian pals. They were seen at the amFAR gala in NYC. Kim tried her best to avoid a nip slip while her sister Kourtney has a bit of an issue with the slit on her dress as they were seen leaving the Mercer Hotel Jonathan, 44, came up through the ranks as Kim's best friend on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. But over the years the former pr has been savvy about parlaying that TV fame into his own empire, which has resulted in the 2016 birth of FoodGod. And the charismatic star talked at length with the Los Angeles Times about his view on covering food. Money on his mind: Cheban has been savvy about parlaying that TV fame into his own empire, which has resulted in the 2016 birth of FoodGod; seen here on Sunday Ca-ching: And the charismatic star talked at length with the Los Angeles Times about his view on covering food 'I would consider myself more of a modern-day food critic. I want to go to a place where somebody sends me this insane cotton candy burrito and I'm like, this is amaaazing,' the Spin Crowd vet told the publication. 'I can't believe people even read food reviews and even listen to somebody that is so dated. It is so 2000. Literally. I didn't even know that still exists. 'It's all, like, "It was dry, while the kitchen was backed up heavily during the maitre d' running around while the fish was not fully cooked with ratatouille on the side,"'he said. 'Like ratatouille: Are you serious? No. I want to know about how far the cheese pull was that day in the restaurant. No one cares about the texture of food.' Now his is shaping his empire. According to the Times, he will legally change his name to Foodgod; he is organizing a Foodgod awards show, a Foodgod Food Truck Frenzy video game, in which players trick out food trucks, is in production with Atari; and he is starting a Foodgod candy subscription club and a line of CBD edibles. He also got seven figures for being the face of BurgerIM. Three years ago he was smart to branch out. 'I was like, "I feel like this is the time for me," 'he told The Times. 'And then I was like, "What's my thing?" I eat all day. I love to eat. My whole day revolves around food,' he said. Miami heat: Jonathan and Kim in 2010 with Kanye West and Angie Martinez And he has people listening. The star has 3 million Instagram followers, and asks for $30,000 appearance fee minimums according to the LAT. One of the top New York Times food critics has only 35K Instagram followers, the paper noted. 'I give the food with fun,' he says. 'It's not just like, here's a beautiful cheese souffle. Don't go to me for that. I want the cheese souffle to explode.' Kris Jenner also talked to the Times. 'When we started shooting our show there was barely Twitter,' she said. 'The way the social media platforms have evolved has given everybody a whole new set of opportunities.' Cheban says he buys his own food too. 'I drove 25 minutes to go get this cotton candy burrito. They don't pay me. I lose money for the $50 Uber back and forth plus the foot massage that I stopped for on the way there. So it's very, very authentic.' Lily Allen was spotted for the first time on Tuesday since the announcement of Karl Lagerfeld's death, after forging a close bond with the designer over the years. The 33-year-old Smile hitmaker sported an over-sized hoodie with loose-fitting bottoms as she hit the FROW at the Izzue show during LFW at the BFC Show Space. Her appearance came just hours after she paid tribute to the 'true genius' designer, who described her as 'cool, young and extremely witty' in 2009. Stepping out: Lily Allen was spotted for the first time on Tuesday since the announcement of Karl Lagerfeld's death, after forging a close bond with the designer over the years It was confirmed earlier in the day that iconic fashion designer Karl died in Paris, after battling. The artistic director for Chanel had looked increasingly frail in recent seasons, and had suffered ill health in recent weeks. A flurry of superstars paid tribute to the star, with Lily offering an impassioned nod to the legendary designer following their years of working together. Following her homage to the designer, it was business as usual for Lily as she attended the London Fashion Week show in her edgy ensemble. Shirking a traditional dress or wild ensemble, the songstress looked comfortable yet chic as she appeared on the FROW in the bold blue jumper. Edgy: Her appearance came just hours after she paid tribute to the 'true genius' designer, who described her as 'cool, young and extremely witty' in 2009 An honour: Lily spoke in her recent autobiography about their friendship and was previously lauded by the designer for her style and energy Chilled out: She later pulled off her sunglasses to display her flawless make-up She wore her raven tresses in a high ponytail with a choppy fringe and cascading curls falling over her shoulders while also rocking sunglasses indoors. Lily spoke in her recent autobiography about their friendship and was previously lauded by the designer for her style and energy. Speaking of her Chanel campaign, Karl said in 2009: 'I love Lily Allen. She looks a lot like Gabrielle Chanel and she is a self-made woman. She is cool, young and extremely witty... Out and a pout: She wore her raven tresses in a high ponytail with a choppy fringe and cascading curls falling over her shoulders while also rocking sunglasses indoors Out and about: She made her first public appearance since Karl's death was announced 'Photographing her for this advertising campaign was fantastic fun. She is extremely inspiring and is completely taken with the bags - with her typical English reserve!" Clearly heartbroken at the news, Lily wrote on Tuesday: 'You made me feel like a princess... I never quite understood what you saw in me... 'But I am forever grateful for the support that you and Chanel have given me over the last 15 years. Rest In Peace Karl, you were a true genius and will be missed, so much.' On the up: She wore her raven tresses in a high ponytail with a choppy fringe and cascading curls falling over her shoulders while also rocking sunglasses indoors Kourtney Kardashian shared a sultry photo to Instagram on Sunday where she flashed her legs while in a leopard print rain coat and black heels. The 39-year-old TV star was sitting among Louis Vuitton purses in an ad for Luxury Life. This comes just after the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star ran into her ex-beau Younes Bendjima at a coffee shop in Los Angeles, according to TMZ. Dreamy: Kourtney Kardashian shared a sultry photo to Instagram on Sunday where she flashed her legs while in a leopard print rain coat and black heels In her new web post she looks like a Beverly Hills brat. Louis Vuitton purses and the orange shopping bags they came in surround her. The caption reads, 'Want to win EVERYTHING in this picture? I am giving ONE of my followers the chance to win all 6 pieces!' This weekend, Kourtney was seen talking to Younes at the Alfred Coffee shop in LA's Melrose Avenue location. They reportedly hugged and she kissed him on the cheek but there seemed to be no romance. Free? In her new web post she looks like a Beverly Hills brat. Louis Vuitton purses and the bags they came in surround her. And the caption read, 'Want to win EVERYTHING in this picture? I am giving ONE of my followers the chance to win all 6 pieces!' The two broke up last year after a whirlwind relationship that involved vacations in France and Italy. The beauty and the runway model seemed like a good fit at the time, but then for some reason they broke up. She has yet to have a serious boyfriend since and has said on social media that she wants to be in love again. Before that, the mother of three shared a sizzling shot of herself in a black bikini with gold buckles holding the top to the bottoms as she posed in front of a wrought iron gate. Longing for warmer climes: Kardashian shared this throwback bikini shot on Instagram on Saturday, captioned, 'Little Cabo would be nice,' along with a sunshine emoji She captioned it: 'Little Cabo would be nice,' along with a sunshine emoji. The snap was taken in Mexico's Cabo San Lucas, which is where she joined her ex, Scott Disick, 35, and his girlfriend Sofia Richie, 20, just before Christmas. They were there with the children she shares with Scott: Mason Disick, nine, Penelope Disick. six, and four-year-old Reign Disick. So the sexy snap could be from that holiday, although Kourtney has been to Cabo many times. Look familiar? The 39-year-old wore her eye-catching swimming costume at breakfast in Cabo San Lucas before Christmas The pre-Christmas break marked the first time Kourtney has been captured on camera with Sofia, who began dating her ex more than a year ago, and has vacationed with him and the kids separately before. A source told E! News the group arrived via private vet and stayed together at the same resort. 'The first day they all hung out together with the kids at the beach,' the source said. Hanging out with her ex: Kourtney with Scott Disick, 35, and their daughter Penelope, six, on December 6 'Kourtney, Sofia and Scott were all chatting and enjoying the day. Scott was in the middle of Sofia and Kourtney and they were lined up on chaise lounges. 'Scott got up to play with the kids and Kourtney and Sofia were chatting. They look like they are on very good terms and there wasn't any tension.' Meanwhile, the trio and the kids were also seen together in snowy Aspen, Colorado, at mom Kris Jenner's ski lodge for New Year. QUEBEC CITY, Canada (February 15, 2018) The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism reports that airlines serving the Territory are satisfied with their route performance and some are looking forward to increasing capacity to the islands in the months ahead. Speaking at the conclusion of the 12th Routes Americas conference in Quebec, Commissioner Designee Joseph Boschulte said the conference presented the destination with an opportunity to update airline partners on the progress the islands have made since the hurricanes of 2017. Airline executives were especially interested in learning of the reopening of several hotels as well as the uptick in Airbnb accommodations and villa rentals across the Territory as part of the wider accommodations landscape in the Virgin Islands. We also had an opportunity to speak about our larger accommodations properties which are expected to come back on line later this year as well as next year, the Commissioner Designee reported, explaining that as the destination positions itself for the next winter season, at a minimum, we must maintain pre-hurricane airlift into both St. Thomas and St. Croix. During the three-day route development forum for the Americas, the Commissioner Designee met with carriers currently serving the Territory, including American Airlines, Cape Air, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, LIAT, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines, and held discussions with Sun Country Airlines about its potential return from Minneapolis. He also connected with Allegiant and Southwest Airlines to begin the dialogue about potential future airlift development. This was an extremely important and cost-effective meeting to connect with so many airline partners, said the Commissioner Designee, who, along with fellow conference delegates, was subjected to sub-zero temperatures and back-to-back winter storms during his travels. It was important to be here because our competition is here and in order to be an effective player in the tourism space in 2019, you have to be visible and you have to promote why people should choose to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands over any other place in the world. Routes Americas connects senior decision makers from the regions leading airlines, airports and tourism authorities to discuss new market opportunities and the evolution of existing services, and encourages the building of high-value relationships with some of the most influential aviation professionals from across the region. The Commissioner Designee said the Department of Tourism plans to embark on a strategy to drive greater business from cities in the Midwest region of the United States, including Chicago and Minneapolis, and will update the industry and the community on strong capacity scheduled for the destination over the summer, from cities such as Atlanta, Houston, New York and Washington, D.C. Commissioner Designee Joseph Boschulte met up with LIATs Scheduling Manager Jabari Jemmott (left) and Chief Commercial Officer Audra Walker. Today were taking a look at two recent studies involving young learners. One has to do with the frequency of parents reading aloud to their children, and the other examines the impact of exercise-related video games on toddlers. Reading Aloud A nationally representative survey done, included in the seventh edition of Scholastics Kids & Family Reading Report: The Rise of Read-Aloud , finds that more parents are reading aloud to their young children. The survey involved 2,758 children ages 6-17 and their parents last year. It found that 43 percent of parents of children ages birth to 5 started reading aloud during a childs first three months. Thats up from 30 percent in 2014. The number of parents reading aloud before their childs first birthday was 77 percent in 2018, an increase from 73 percent in 2014. The survey found that 55 percent of children five and younger are being read to at home at least five days a week. Thirty seven percent are read to daily, and 52 percent are read to twice a day or more. In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics released guidelines encouraging parents to read to their children from birth. Kids who are read to at home have better transitions to formal school settings, said Molly Ness, associate professor of childhood education at Fordham University in New York City. They have longer attention spans. There is some research showing that kids who are read to have better social skills. Weve got decades of really clear research showing that it is so important to read aloud to kids every day at home. Pam Allyn, the senior vice president for innovation and development at Scholastic Education, said in an email that she was thrilled by the survey results. I think one reason this has happened is that this really became an issue a lot of us rallied together around: from the education space to the health space, from school districts, community centers, early-childhood agencies and childrens book publishers to health-based professionals, including doctors and nurses, sharing with their parents the importance of reading aloud, wrote Allyn. But the survey also shows that the portion of children being read to at home is lower for those 6 to 8. Parents are only reading to 45 percent of them, though thats an increase from 38 percent in 2016. Only 21 percent of parents with children 14 and younger reported reading aloud to their children ages 9-11. That number decreased to 7 percent for children 12-14. From Reading to Running Could video games with an exercise component help preschoolers get more active during the school day? A new, pilot study by researchers at the University of Minnesota suggests that may be the case. It may seem that preschoolers are constantly in motion. But apparently, like other Americans, theyre becoming more sedentary. The study describes the preschool years as a crucial time to promote healthy lifestyle habits, which could assist in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases as children age. It also notes that the prevalence of childhood obesity has grown from about 7 percent to 17 percent over the last 30 years partly due to a lack of sufficient physical activity. It is truly important for children, including young children, to be physically active on a daily basis, said Zan Gao, the studys principal investigator and the director of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory at the University of Minnesota. Last year the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion issued federal guidelines on physical activity for children from 3-5 for the first time. The guidelines call for preschoolers to be active for three hours every day. Gao and his team wanted to see if exergaming, or playing exercise video games such as Wii Nickelodeon Fit or Xbox 360 Kinect Just Dance for Kids, would help preschool children be more active. The team worked with 65 students from two elementary schools in low-income communities in the Midwest for eight weeks. Students were randomly selected to either participate in 20 minutes of exergaming or 20 minutes of recess five days a week. Before and after the study the researchers determined the amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each child got. In the end they analyzed data for 56 students and found that the students who had participated in exergaming had spent significantly more time engaged in physical activity. Gao partly attributes that to children seeing exergaming as exciting and fun, which makes them more willing to exercise. He also stresses that hes not suggesting that exergaming replace traditional recess, but that it might be a useful supplement to it. We want to use the active screen time to replace the sedentary screen time, said Gao. Christopher Hersl, the vice president of programs and professional development for SHAPE America, the society of health and physical educators, supports the introduction of exergaming to preschoolers. All physical activity is good physical activity, said Hersl. If a game is motivational to kids and is something they enjoy participating in, then youre likely to see some benefits. Gao says he plans to conduct more extensive studies on the impact of exergaming with larger sample sizes in the future. Colin Farrell has signed up to play harpooner and brutish killer Henry Drax in new BBC Two drama The North Water. The Irish actors role in the four-part thriller marks his return to British TV after his breakout stint in the BBCs Ballykissangel in 1998. Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Ian McGuire, the series will be adapted and directed by Andrew Haigh. New role: Colin Farrell has signed up to play harpooner and brutish killer Henry Drax in new BBC Two drama The North Water The book, set in the late 1850s, sees former army surgeon Patrick Sumner join a whaling expedition to the Arctic when he signs up as the ships doctor and encounters Drax on board. Sumner finds himself on an ill-fated journey with the murderous psychopath, and he then has to struggle for survival in the harsh Arctic wasteland. In McGuire's book the murderous Drax - who rapes and kills a child - is described as "... a brute, a vacuum into which men and boys are sucked and do not emerge alive." Old times: The Irish actors role in the four-part thriller marks his return to British TV after his breakout stint in the BBCs Ballykissangel in 1998 Haigh, who also directed big screen hit 45 Years, said: 'Casting the right leads is the most important part of any project and Im thrilled to have Colin Farrell on board. 'I am a huge admirer of his work and cant wait to see him bring Drax vividly to life.' The series will be produced by See-Saw Films for BBC Two and filming begins this autumn. The North Water was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2016. Main man: 'Casting the right leads is the most important part of any project and Im thrilled to have Colin Farrell on board,' said director Andrew Haigh Piers Wenger, controller of BBC Drama, said: 'Colin Farrell will bring a blend of brutality and humanity to Andrew Haighs superb adaptation of this savage novel. 'The North Water is a brooding and resonant story which is set to grip BBC Two viewers.' The series will mark Farrell's first appearance on British TV since his breakout role in the BBC's 1996 series Ballykissangel and will be his most high-profile TV appearance since he featured in the second season of True Detective. Jamie Laurenson, See-Saw Films' COO Hakan Kousetta and Head of Television, said: 'We are so proud to have the compelling talent of Colin Farrell on board to bring Andrew Haigh's vision of Ian McGuire's novel to the screen.' He's been busy blazing the promotional trail for his new Second World War film, The Aftermath. And Jason Clarke showed no signs of slowing down on Monday, as he attended a photocall for the romantic drama in London. The 49-year-old Australian actor cut a dapper figure in a casual pinstripe shirt teamed with a tweed blazer. Scroll down for video The leading man: Jason Clarke looks dapper in a tweed blazer as he attends London photocall for his new Second World War film The Aftermath The First Man actor completed his look with a pair of suede brogues and charcoal-grey pants. Flying solo at the event, Jason was no doubt missing his co-stars Keira Knightley and Alexander Skarsgard who he attended The Aftermath premiere with on Monday. The Aftermath sees Keira play Rachael Morgan, who moves to Germany at the end of the Second World War to be with her husband, a British colonel who has a leading role in the reconstruction effort in Hamburg. Man of the hour: The 49-year-old Australian actor completed his look with a pair of suede brogues and charcoal-grey pants They move in with a German widower and his troubled daughter. Jason plays her husband Lewis and Swedish Alexander plays a German architect. Keira said the romantic drama, set in the bombed-out ruins of Hamburg, had important lessons on building bridges that were very relevant for today's divided societies. 'It's very relevant for now. It's about building bridges, it's about how we see each other as human beings and we don't demonise each other and that's obviously something that we need to do right now,' Knightley said. Three's a crowd? Flying solo at the event, Jason was no doubt missing his co-stars Keira Knightley and Alexander Skarsgard who he attended The Aftermath premiere with on Monday The port city of Hamburg suffered a devastating bombing raid by the Allied forces in July 1943, known as 'Operation Gomorrah', that killed some 40,000 people and caused the destruction of swathes of the city. 'I knew nothing about the rebuilding of Germany. I haven't thought about how unbelievably difficult it must have been to not only physically rebuild these places but also mentally for English and German people... who had been enemies, who had literally killed each other for six years, to suddenly forgive and move forward,' Knightley said. Clarke added: 'We've benefited so much from the Lewis Morgans who put Europe together... guys like him built it up and made Germany and Europe what it is today, we all stand on the threshold of wanting to tear it down.' Roxy Jacenko was involved in an altercation with an audience member at her In Conversation talk on Tuesday evening, it's been claimed. Anthony Hess tells The Daily Telegraph that he and the PR maven exchanged words at the Sparkling White Smile Presents In Conversation with Roxy Jacenko event at The Ivy in Sydney on Tuesday evening. 'She came at me like a steam train. It was just so unnecessary. She kept saying, 'where is the respect?'' Hess claimed to the paper. 'She came at me like a steam train!' Claims Roxy Jacenko (pictured) clashed with attendee at her pricey In Conversation event as 'vulgar language' was hurled It's unclear what the disagreement was over, but Hess alleges another attendee at the event made 'homophobic slurs' towards him, causing him and business partner Lena to leave before the talk started. Hess also claims Roxy's husband Oliver Curtis stepped in to help diffuse the situation and was 'really nice'. Hess' friend, named only as Lena, went on to tell the paper Roxy 'screamed' at the pair. A representative for Roxy Jacenko told the paper Hess was, 'disruptive, aggressive and drew unnecessary attention to himself' and had 'verbally abused Ms Jacenko as she attempted to make her entry'. Issues? Anthony Hess (pictured) tells The Daily Telegraph that he and the PR maven exchanged words at the Sparkling White Smile Presents In Conversation with Roxy Jacenko event at The Ivy in Sydney on Tuesday evening Words exchanged? 'She came at me like a steam train. It was just so unnecessary. She kept saying, 'where is the respect?'' Hess (pictured) claimed to the paper Clash: Hess (right) alleges another attendee at the event made 'homophobic slurs' towards him, causing him and business partner Lena to leave before the talk started Hess went on to tell the paper that he was 'excited' for the event but it all ended in 'disaster'. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Roxy Jacenko for comment. Roxy's talks are popular, and notoriously pricey, with tickets for Tuesday's event ranging between $230 and $520. The PR superstar's seminars can earn her as much as $50,000 an hour. Her In Conversation seminars go for two hours per event, per state, earning her up to $100,000 per event. Statement: Roxy's reps say Hess had 'verbally abused Ms Jacenko as she attempted to make her entry'. Roxy (right) is pictured at Tuesday's In Conversation event with an attendee who was not involved in the altercation Help? Hess also claims Roxy's husband Oliver Curtis (right) stepped in to help diffuse the situation and was 'really nice' And on top of that, sponsorship earnings from various brands range between $8,500 to $25,000 per seminar. Last year, the entrepreneurial blonde has held seminars in Sydney, Queensland and Perth. Roxy founded Sweaty Betty PR at age 24, building the business into a multi-million dollar empire, representing some of Australia's biggest brands over the past 15 years. The entrepreneur founded The Ministry of Talent in 2012, the country's first management agency solely dedicated to digital influencers. Love Island star Zara Holland has paid another touching tribute to co-star Sophie Gradon, eight months after her death The former Miss Great Britain, 23, re-tweeted a clip of Sophie's empowering speech about women during her 2016 villa stint, reflecting on how much she missed her friend. Sophie was tragically found dead at her parents home in Newcastle in June aged just 32, with friends reporting at the time that she had taken her own life. Emotional: Love Island star Zara Holland has paid another touching tribute to co-star Sophie Gradon, eight months after her death Candid: The former Miss Great Britain re-tweeted a clip of an empowering speech given by Sophie during her time in the villa, describing the late star as 'incredible' In the monologue, Sophie had defended her pal Zara who was stripped of her Miss Great Britain title after sleeping with Alex Bowen on the show. She said: 'Life shouldn't be about judging one another. For example, judging a young woman for enjoying herself. 'A young woman who hasn't harmed anyone but a woman who has faced a torrent of judgemental and close minded opinions since leaving Love Island. 'As an ex Miss Newcastle and Miss GB I can say that it's time people moved forward from their old fashioned thinking and accepted the simple fact that women like to have sex.' Proud: Sophie delivered a speech about feminism and a woman's right to enjoy having sex, and was praised by millions of viewers at the time Lauded: Sophie was praised for defending pal Zara in the speech, who was stripped of her Miss GB title after having sex with Alex Bowen on the show Her speech earned a thunderous response from the rest of the villa, and was similarly praised by Zara in her touching tweet. She wrote: 'Just came across this on my twitter.. We will always remember you Sophie, your incredible, and just wish you where here. We all love you & miss you so so much. I think about you and your family everyday x.' Zara had paid an emotional tribute to Sophie following her funeral last year, taking to Instagram to tell fans it was 'the most terrible day.' Emotional: Zara paid a similar tribute to Sophie last year after attending the late star's funeral RIP: The former Miss Newcastle rose to public attention as a star on Love Island in 2016, but was found dead at her home in June last year She wrote at the time: 'On Thursday I said my goodbyes to our beautiful Sophie, along with her Family and friends. It was the most terrible day of my life, I still cant believe we wont see you again. Your smile was infectious and brightened up any room. 'You made everyone feel special, always gave out so much love, always had time for others. Words cannot describe how much love was in the room for you Soph, it was a beautiful private service. So overwhelming. We all miss you so much. 'Ill never forget you and Ill think about you everyday. Night night Soph, love you always. If theres a few things I can say to everyone reading this is to make sure you talk to others, check they are ok, live life to the max and think before you speak. 'Social media is cruel and toxic at times, you do not realise how comments make others feel.' Sad time: Friends told The Sun at the time that she 'took her own life', saying: 'She had suffered from depression and anxiety and there was talk of financial issues' Sophie, who soared to fame on the 2016 series of Love Island, was tragically found dead at her parents' home in Newcastle on the evening of June 20, aged just 32. Friends told The Sun at the time that she 'took her own life', saying: 'She had suffered from depression and anxiety and there was talk of financial issues which obviously adds to the worry she was enduring. 'Her friends thought she was in a great place as she was madly in love with her boyfriend and life was good. However a good friend died and it affected her very badly.' At the time, a spokesperson for ITV said: 'The whole ITV2 and Love Island team are profoundly saddened to hear the news about Sophie, and our deepest sympathies and thoughts go to her family and friends.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, or see samaritans.org for details. Victoria Beckham has admitted her messy ways drive her husband David 'crazy'. In a clip from her new YouTube channel, the 44-year-old fashion designer gives a tour of her hotel room however confesses the mess would offend the sportsman, who revealed in 2006 that he suffers with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The former Spice Girl has given offered a glimpse into her life and personality on the video channel, which goes live on Tuesday with a seven-minute video documenting her recent trip to NYC for the launch of a new fashion collaboration with Reebok. Messing things up: Victoria Beckham has admitted her messy ways drive her husband David 'crazy' Victoria recently announced plans for her channel, which she promised will offer an opportunity to see the real me including everything from candid family scenes to revealing insights into her beauty regime. In the first snippet of the channel, the camera is led around her hotel room which she confesses is filled with mess - which would irritate her husband. She said: 'The chaos, one wardrobe full of clothes, another here, bit of a mess everywhere. You can see how I drive my husband crazy! 'He's super, super tidy whereas I'm a germaphobe everywhere has to be clean I disinfect everywhere but I am a bit messy, what can you do?... Happy days: In a clip from her new YouTube channel, the 44-year-old fashion designer gives a tour of her hotel room however confesses the mess would offend the sportsman, who revealed in 2006 that he suffers with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) Shocker: 'This would be giving David a panic attack full on panic attack. I'm going to start doing some packing. Its like Victoria Beckham through up in here, designer clothes everywhere' 'This would be giving David a panic attack full on panic attack. I'm going to start doing some packing. Its like Victoria Beckham through up in here, designer clothes everywhere.' In 2006, David candidly discusses his condition, as he said: 'I've got this obsessive compulsive disorder where I have to have everything in a straight line or everything has to be in pairs... 'I'll put my Pepsi cans in the fridge and if there's one too many then I'll put it in another cupboard somewhere. I'll go into a hotel room and before I can relax, I have to move all the leaflets and all the books and put them in a drawer... 'Everything has to be perfect. I would like to [stop the behaviour]. I've tried and can't stop.' Off we go: The former Spice Girl has given offered a glimpse into her life and personality on the video channel, which goes live on Tuesday with a seven-minute video documenting her recent trip to NYC for the launch of a new fashion collaboration with Reebok Happy days: She also seven-year-old daughter Harper, who stayed at home in London while her mother made the four-day whistlestop trip to New York She also seven-year-old daughter Harper, who stayed at home in London while her mother made the four-day whistlestop trip to New York. Victoria says: I think that as women we should celebrate the way we look and try and be the best version of ourselves, and not be too hard on ourselves. Be kind, to each other, as well as yourself. This is what I say to Harper all the time its not about who is the prettiest girl in the class, its not about who is the smartest girl in the glass. Its about who is the kindest girl in the class, and about feeling good about yourself and celebrating that and supporting other women as well. Victoria has previously spoken of her school days in a negative light, revealing she was bullied because she was different from the other children. She's known for turning heads with her skin-baring ensembles. And, Holly Hagan didn't disappoint as she stepped out in Liverpool on Monday clad in a risque lace bodysuit with lime green snake print trousers, for the launch of her new clothing collection with Misspap. The Geordie Shore star, 26, was joined by co-star Abbie Holborn at Liverpool's newest hotspot, Dash Restaurant & Bar to celebrate her new range with the online retailer. Celebrating! Holly Hagan stepped out in Liverpool on Monday clad in a risque lace bodysuit with lime green snake print trousers for the launch of her new clothing collection with Misspap Holly flaunted her surgically enhanced cleavage in the lacy bustier, and ensured her curvaceous derriere was highlighted in her clingy trousers. Her snake print trousers draped along the floor, meaning her towering heels could not be seen beneath. The reality star was preened to perfection with her platinum hair extensions styled into glamorous curls. Holly's flawlessly bronzed visage was adorned with a pretty pink smokey eye, fluttering false eyelashes and a slick of gloss on her full pout. Party time: The Geordie Shore star was joined by co-star Abbie Holborn at Liverpool's newest hotspot, Dash Restaurant & Bar to celebrate her new range with the online retailer Work it: Holly flaunted her surgically enhanced cleavage in the lacy bustier, and ensured her curvaceous derriere was highlighted in her clingy trousers Keeping it casual: Abbie made sure she didn't steal Holly's limelight, opting for a much more understated look Simple styling: The brunette beauty teamed light-wash jeans with a sheer white top, and tied her outfit together with a chunky black waist belt Abbie made sure she didn't steal Holly's limelight, opting for a much more understated look. The brunette beauty teamed light-wash jeans with a sheer white top, and tied her outfit together with a chunky black waist belt. Adding height to her slim frame, Abbie slipped into a simple pair of barely-there stilettos. Glam: The reality stars were preened to perfection with their hair extensions styled into glamorous curls and expertly applied make-up And it's live! The collection went live with a bang whilst Holly celebrated at celeb hotspot Dash, Liverpool's most popular restaurant The Misspap X Holly Hagan edit celebrates all shapes, sizes and styles and offers fabulous fashion finds and multi-wear designs for a reasonable price. The collection went live with a bang whilst Holly celebrated at celeb hotspot Dash, Liverpool's most popular restaurant. The Geordie Shore star enjoyed champagne and a decadent dinner with pals, including co-star Abbie Holborn. Speaking about her new collection, Holly said: 'I love that the range includes day to night wear, especially lounge-wear which I feel is my main style. Strike a pose: Her snake print trousers draped along the floor, meaning her towering heels could not be seen beneath Fun times! The Geordie Shore star enjoyed the launch night with pals, including co-star Abbie Holborn (Pictured with friends) Lavish! Holly and her guests were treated to a decadent dinner 'There's never an in between with me, you'll never see me dolled up to the nines in the day. 'I'm chilled in my loungewear and glammed up in the night. I love that this is an all or nothing collection. 'All the pieces can be dressed down or really dolled up for different effects. It caters to the girls and her individual style and I know people.' During their visit to Liverpool, The Geordie Shore babes stayed at The Shankly Hotel where they were lavished with personalised cupcakes to celebrate Holly's success. Shona Ramsey's life hangs in the balance as she's held at knifepoint by her killer son Clayton Hibbs, in dramatic scenes set to air on Coronation Street next week. The soap regular (played by Julia Goulding) find herself in the tense situation after Clayton (Callum Harrison) manages to escape from a prison guard while attending his father's funeral. As she's taken hostage, her boyfriend David Platt (Jack P. Shepherd) comes to the rescue, despite his own dislike for the criminal who was responsible for the death of his wife Kylie. Coronation Street SPOILER: Shona Ramsey was kidnapped and held at knife-point by her son Clayton as beau David Platt watched on in horror in images from scenes set to air next week Earlier on, Shona tried to reconnect with Clayton at his father Dane's funeral, though it was made clear she wasn't welcome as his half-brother Macca warned her to leave. But, after advising her that Clayton didn't want anything to do with her, things take a surprising turn as Macca attacks the guard who's keeping an eye on Clayton so that he has time to escape. Shona is then caught up in the aftermath of the event, as she's set to steal 3,000 from David, though its unclear why she's decided to do this. Drama: As she's taken hostage, her boyfriend David (Jack P. Shepherd) comes to the rescue, despite his own dislike for the criminal who was responsible for the death of his wife Kylie While she's kept in a hideout by Clayton, police surround the building with David arriving at the derelict building soon after. In images from the episode set to air next week Friday, Clayton can be seen sneering at David whilst brandishing a knife at his mother. As Jack watches on in despair, the killer demands 10k and a getaway car so he can escape from prison for good or she dies. Clayton's return to the soap after 18 months had been teased by showrunner Iain MacLeod late last year, as he hinted it would cause tension in Shona's relationship with David. He told Digital Spy: 'We've got a story where Clayton will rear his ugly, criminal head. He throws a massive spanner in the works for David and he tries to embroil Shona in a plot to smuggle drugs into prison. 'It becomes a story about Shona and her son and throws into question David and Shona's relationship. Clayton has been locked up and it provides the biggest challenge to David and Shona's relationship since the Josh story.' Australian tanning brand Bondi Sands last year scored a major plug from American reality star Kylie Jenner, after she raved about the product online to her millions of Instagram followers. And now the brand's owner and co-founder, Blair James, has spoken about working with the 21-year-old cosmetics queen. Blair - who hails from Melbourne - told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that 'it was a huge endorsement and achievement' for the brand. 'It was a huge endorsement and achievement for us': Bondi Sands co-founder Blair James talks THAT Kylie Jenner plug (pictured)... after the reality star raved about the tanning brand to her millions of Instagram followers Speaking at the Body by Bondi Sands launch in Sydney's Double Bay, Blair said that he was thrilled that Kylie endorsed the product, seeing as she gets approached by so many brands and turns a lot of them down. 'It was a huge endorsement for us,' Blair said, who co-founded the brand with friend Shaun Wilson. 'She's approached by brands everyday and she turns away a lot of brands and she has her own cosmetic range as well. So to promote something that is so close to what she does, is a huge achievement.' What a feat: Speaking at the Body by Bondi Sands launch in Sydney's Double Bay, Blair (pictured) said that he was thrilled that Kylie endorsed the product, seeing as she gets approached by so many brands and turns a lot of them down 'It's her favourite tan and we are sending more and more product for her to use. We'll continue to work with her in the future... and some new faces as well,' Blair said. He added: 'Celebrity reach globally is growing. We've got an affiliation with a lot of reality faces in the UK and we've launched in the US so there's a lot of faces over there too.' In August last year, Kylie posed in high-cut underwear and a white crop-top in a selfie shared with her 112 million Instagram followers at the time, with a bottle of Bondi Sands tanner standing before her. She now boasts 127 million followers. 'My new favourite': In August last year, Kylie posed in high-cut underwear and a white crop-top in a selfie shared with her 112 million Instagram followers at the time, with a bottle of Bondi Sands tanner standing before her The lipstick entrepreneur captioned the image: 'My new favourite at home self tan all the way from Australia @bondisands.' The mother-of-one did however disclose that the post was an 'ad' and The Daily Telegraph has reported that the snap may have included a lucrative payday. An estimated $1 million may have been exchanged for Bondi Sands to be featured by Kylie, the paper claimed at the time. Spending $1 million on a post with Kylie may well be worth it for the brand, with Vogue reporting Bondi Sands made that exact amount in a single week of sales. Lucrative: An estimated $1 million may have been exchanged for Bondi Sands to be featured by Kylie, it was reported at the time A good following: A whole host of influencers have endorsed the product, including fitness queen Tammy Hembrow (pictured), who has 9.2 million followers on Instagram A whole host of influencers have endorsed the product, including fitness queen Tammy Hembrow, who has 9.2 million followers on Instagram. This week meanwhile, the brand celebrated the launch of their new body range, four new products to help with the perfect tan, being a coconut and sea salt body scrub, body moisturiser, hand wash and body wash. Blair told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday about the new range, saying: 'We know our tanning products are alright, but we don't know what products people are using prior to tanning and afterwards, to make sure they get the best results.' 'It has been in stores for a couple of days and initial sales have been surprising. The moisturiser is the number one product at the moment.' Christine Lampard was forced to apologise on Lorraine after Jack Whitehall swore live on the daytime talk show on Tuesday. The comedian, 30, made the faux-pas as he discussed what he expected to take place during his hosting duties at The BRITs on Wednesday. Elaborating on the shenanigans he was looking forward to, Jack said: 'Everyones there to have a good time its a kind of raucous event. Awkward: Christine Lampard was forced to apologise on Tuesday after Jack Whitehall swore live on Lorraine ahead of hosting the BRIT Awards 'The best thing about last year was that everyone was absolutely p***** and the people you expect to be really rowdy, but it was Schofield and Willoughby who were the most drunk, they put them all to shame.' A shocked Christine then apologised to viewers, as she said: 'Im glad you said drunk and not that other word, so I have just have to apologise for that, just because its half term.' Later, the comedian took to Twitter to acknowledge the mistake, as he wrote: 'Ok "pissed" is not a word your allowed to say on breakfast television. Who knew?' Faux-pas: The comedian, 30, made the faux-pas as he discussed what he expected to take place during his hosting duties as he said last year 'everyone was absolutely p*****' Oops: Later, the comedian took to Twitter to acknowledge the mistake, as he wrote: 'Ok "p*****" is not a word your allowed to say on breakfast television. Who knew?' Sorry: A shocked Christine apologised to viewers, as she said: 'Im glad you said drunk and not that other word, so I have just have to apologise for that, just because its half term' While calling it a 'pretty unplayable gig', Jack hinted that Hugh Jackman might make an appearance during his hosting duties for a musical number, as he joked that he'd 'make a lovely bearded lady.' The comedian also added that he planned to make a joke about One Direction star Niall Horan as he admitted: 'I saw him while I was in America and he said are you going to a joke about me this year, and I said careful what you wish for!' Going on to talk about his upcoming tour Stood Up, Jack explained that his dad Michael would be a part of it following their successful show which saw them travel the world together. He told Christine: 'There's doing to be some pretty indiscreet tales, he hasn't heard any of the stories yet, so at some point I'm going to get him to clear them.' What's to come: While calling it a 'pretty unplayable gig', Jack hinted that Hugh Jackman might make an appearance during his hosting duties for a musical number Funnyman: The comedian added he planned to make a joke about Niall Horan as he admitted: 'he said are you going to a joke about me this year, and I said careful what you wish for!' Excited: Talking about his upcoming tour Stood Up, Jack explained that his dad Michael would be a part of it following their successful show which saw them travel the world together Though the host was quick to ask him if he was going 'to talk about being single on the tour', which Jack agreed he would be doing. Adding that he wanted to be 'the Beyonce of comedy. The queen Bee of comedy' he said: 'Every time I try to put on a big show, if you're doing a stand up show in an arena, I feel a duty to make it more than just a guy with a microphone.' Jack said he left his dad in America so that he could do the BRITS, but would be heading back to meet up with him in Las Vegas the next day. Skits: Christine was quick to ask him if he was going 'to talk about being single on the tour', which Jack agreed he would be doing Travels: Jack said he left his dad in America so he could do the BRITS, but would be heading back to meet up with him in Las Vegas the next day where they would go see Magic Mike 'I've told my dad that in Vegas we're going to see Magic Mike he said is that a magician and I said yep! He said make sure you get me tickets in the front row. 'Little does he realise that the only magic trick they is making their shirts disappear. His face always looks like he's just lowered himself into a hot bath.' The comedian also added that America was 'very much still intact' with 'no dents' made as he continues to try and make it across the pond. TOWIE pals Chloe Meadows and Courtney Green have embarked on a jaw-dropping Sri Lanka getaway, documenting the break with a slew of social media snaps. The Essex duo have enjoyed all manner of adventures including learning to surf, riding an open train and getting up close and personal with the wildlife on a safari. Chloe, 26, has also been flaunting her jaw-dropping figure in a skimpy yellow floral bikini, and even went makeup free for the post as she posed after a spot of oceanic surfing. Incredible: TOWIE's Chloe Meadows showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a yellow floral bikini on Monday, as she posted the latest Instagram snap from her sun-soaked Sri Lanka getaway Chloe captioned her snap: 'So I have no make up on, wet messy hair, bruises on my legs and red knees and tummy from being on this surf board for hours! But I can officially surf!' The star's tanned physique was on full display in her skimpy printed two-piece as she happily posed alongside her surfboard, with the beautiful Sri Lanka ocean in full view behind her. In another snap Chloe was putting on a more casual display as she larked about climbing a tree with Courtney, 23, as the pair eagerly documented their sunny getaway. Pals: The Essex beauty has been documenting her sunny break with co-star Courtney Green, with the pair posting a slew of snaps from the Sri Lankan landscape Loving it: Chloe also took to her Instagram Stories to post a hilarious video of her riding a wave, as she learned to surf in the stunning Asian landscape Flawless: In some of the snaps Chloe has been showcasing her flawless natural complexion along with her waved tresses in the humid climes Due to the hot and humid climes, Chloe hasn't held back from sharing some snaps of her beautiful makeup free complexion, with one selfie from her safari trip also displaying her natural waved tresses. Another epic post from the break also shows Chloe in a more daring situation as she perches on the outside of a moving train, with her caption joking: 'My mum is having a heart attack at home, so for that Im sorry mumma.' The blonde beauty documented her journey down the railway with plenty of posts from the track itself, oozing hippy chic with her boho-inspired outfits. Amazing: One daring post also showed Chloe bravely riding an open train, joking in the caption: 'My mum is having a heart attack at home, so for that Im sorry mumma' Adventures: Chloe seemed to be embarking on a journey along the Sri Lanka railroad, as one post showed the blonde posting up a storm on the railroad tracks Stunning: The amazing landscapes of the Asian country were on full display in the series of posts shared by Chloe and Courtney Cute: Chloe also seemed to encounter some adorable baby turtles on the beach during her beach-side outings Meanwhile Courtney has also posted a slew of snaps from the sunny break, including a gorgeous selfie with pal Chloe. The captioned read: 'Best of both worlds loving my trip with my bestie love that I get to travel the world with you #noregrets.' Chloe and Courtney's break comes after they dodged the so-called cast cull ahead of TOWIE's newest series, as it was confirmed that Amber Turner, Myles Barnett, Jon Clark, Chris Clark, Chloe Lewis, Dean Ralph, Jordan Wright and Adam Oukhellou would not be returning for the new series. Friends: Their amazing complexions took centre stage in the selfies, some of which came from Courtney Dressed to impress: In one post in the heart of the jungle Courtney joked that she was one of the most glamorous explorers Remaining castmembers, including Chloe Sims and Gemma Collins, are set to jet off to holiday hot spot Thailand for the new series, set to return in March. Bosses are shunning the show's typical clubbing destinations in favour of a yoga retreat. Insiders revealed to MailOnline: 'The trip is to Thailand furthest they've ever gone - very cool - feel more grown-up more beach bars than clubs'. Look at that! As she embarked on an epic safari, Courtney got up close and personal with some of the wildlife Jamaicas Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, is calling on citizens to expose wrongdoers and speak out against corruption. We have teamed up with National Integrity Action (NIA), because we recognise that there is too much wrongdoing across the country and somehow we need to expose the wrongdoers and to reduce wrongdoing wherever it occurs, the Minister said. Mr. Chuck was speaking at the Ministry of Justices third quarterly press conference, held recently at the Ministrys Constant Spring Road head office. He encouraged justices of the peace (JPs) and law-abiding citizens to uncover corruption, regardless of the status of the offenders. Wherever crime and corruption occur, we want Justices of the Peace and decent law-abiding citizens of our country to expose them, and it doesnt matter if it is a minister, a mayor, a parliamentarian, a councillor, a bureaucrat, a permanent secretary or chief technical director. If they are engaged in corruption, they must be exposed, the Minister emphasised. He pointed out that corruption eats away at the moral fibre of the country and reduces the benefits the Government can provide to the weak, poor and vulnerable of society. A few wrongdoers are illicitly enriching themselves to the detriment of a wide cross section of our country, and that is why this Ministry will be working extremely hard, so that we can move from the 44 score that weve had for the last two years and work towards a better score and improve on the corruption index, the Minister said. He said that ensuring citizens get value for their money is of utmost importance to the Government. Where tax dollars are being wasted because contracts have a percentage that goes to illicit means, must stop, the Minister said. He also urged contractors to be aware of corruption and refrain from engaging in illegal activities. I want to send the signal out to contractors. You have no duty to give members of parliament (MPs), dons or anybody a portion of the contract. Whatever contract you have signed, make sure the people of Jamaica benefit enormously, the Minister said. Source: JIS Ali Oetjen took to Instagram on Tuesday to show off her incredible makeup look. But fans of the former Bachelorette star were less than impressed by the beauty's very perfect visage, suggesting it may have involved some editing. The 32-year-old shared a set of photos to Instagram, and instantly the negative comments came rolling in. 'It doesn't even look like you, it's so Photoshopped': Fans decry Ali Oetjen's (pictured) new look after the former Bachelorette star shows off her VERY perfect visage in social media snaps One person commented below the photo set: 'The first photo doesnt even look like you Ali, its so Photoshopped. I prefer the natural you.' Another chimed in: 'Would be better without all the editing. Gorgeous girl all round' while someone else added, 'You don't look like same person'. Yet another person wrote: 'Lol I totally thought I was looking at a completely different person'. One person commented below the photo set: 'The first photo doesnt even look like you Ali, its so Photoshopped. I prefer the natural you' Not her usual look: Ali usually shares more fresh-faced snaps to her social media One fan wrote: 'Lol I totally thought I was looking at a completely different person' One fan offered the former reality star a lecture, writing: 'You are stunning also without any edits, if this is edited, and I hope you can show us more unedited pics. 'We love the real you. You look a little unreal in these pics, I mean that in the nicest way I can. 'It is so hard as it is for young women to strive to look like their role models and to achieve such a smooth doll-like complexion'. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Ali Oetjen for comment. Not keen: Fans of the former Bachelorette star were less than impressed by the beauty's very perfect visage, suggesting it may have involved some editing In the photo, Ali shows off a heavily made-up look including extreme highlighter, pink blush and pink lipstick, her face flawless and pore-less. She captioned the snap: 'I have these epiphanies or strong intuition feelings and have to share because I get so excited and get such clarity. Does anyone else experience these?' It comes after Ali showed off an initial 'A' diamond necklace, worth a whopping $950, gifted to her by boyfriend Taite Radley, 28, on Valentine's Day. Ozzy Osbourne has cancelled his Australian, New Zealand and Japan tour dates. A statement on the rock icon's official Facebook on Tuesday, revealed the 70-year-old's battle with pneumonia. He was scheduled to perform in Sydney and Melbourne in March, followed by Christchurch, New Zealand, and Chiba, Japan. 'He has to recuperate for a full six weeks': Ozzy Osbourne, 70, has cancelled his Australian and New Zealand tour dates on doctors' orders 'Ozzy has announced that he will now cancel shows in Australia, New Zealand and Japan,' Ozzy's team posted on his official Facebook page. 'This follows news of the postponement of the entire UK and European leg of his 'NO MORE TOURS 2' tour on doctors' orders.' Sharon Osbourne revealed that her husband is required to recuperate for six weeks at home. 'Ozzy recently developed pneumonia and has spent some time in hospital,' she said. 'Thankfully he is now through the worst part. His doctors have advised that he stay at home to recuperate for a full six weeks with no travel.' 'Thankfully he is now through the worst part': Sharon Osbourne [pictured with Ozzy] revealed that her husband is required to recuperate for six weeks at home Ozzy was scheduled to perform as the headline act at Download Festival in Sydney on March 9, followed by Melbourne on March 11. The Iron Man hitmaker booked a show in Christchurch on March 13, followed by one in Chiba, Japan, on March 21. Australian ticket owners are entitled to a $45 merchandise voucher in lieu of Ozzy's cancellation, available via Ticketmaster, or request a full refund on the website, until Sunday February 24. New Zealand festival goers are also able to receive a full refund from Ticketek. Promoters have been unable to arrange a replacement headline act, however they have added rockers Airbourne to the lineup. Cancelled gigs: Ozzy was scheduled to perform as the headline act at Download Festival in Sydney on March 9, followed by Melbourne on March 11 It comes after the rocker was forced to postpone the UK and European leg of his tour in January due to a severe upper-respiratory infection. In a statement at the time, Ozzy said he was 'devastated' by the decision to cancel the gigs. 'I want to apologise to all of my fans who have been so loyal over the years, my band, my crew and to Judas Priest for letting you all down,' he said via Facebook. 'However, I promise the tour with Judas Priest will be completed. It's being rescheduled right now to start in September.' Married at First Sight's Jessika Power, 27, was left furious on Monday night's episode after learning her 'husband', Mick Gould, had told the other grooms that they had sex. But Mick continues to share personal details about their sex life as he revealed on Today Extra on Tuesday that he's not satisfied. 'We went from hot and heavy to absolutely nothing Sunday trading hours in a country town!' he complained. 'She just shut up shop!':' MAFS' Mick Gould (right) complains about the lack of intimacy with 'wife' Jessika Power (left) after she lied about sleeping with him 'She basically shut up shop and was jet lagged for two weeks from Perth to the east side of Australia.' It comes after Jessika denied they had consummated their marriage, during Sunday's commitment ceremony. 'If we have to wait another week or another two weeks or whatever, I just really want to be genuinely sure that is something that I shared with someone I could see myself spending the rest of my life with,' she said. On Monday's episode, Mick told fellow grooms that Jessika lied about sleeping with him. 'So I've got a bit of a bombshell to tell you boys, so the other day Jess and I were intimate, like probably about a week ago now. Just pulled out the deck of cards and went for it,' he said. 'Now it's almost been a week and she's shutting down any type of intimacy, and you're just going what the hell?' Later in the episode, Jessika flew into a rage and asked why he told the other grooms they had sex. 'Just to me this whole thing just looks like you've just gone and gotten what you've wanted and now you're going to go discuss it with the boys,' she ranted. Furious: Later in the episode, Jessika flew into a rage and asked why he told the other grooms they had sex 'You've hit the jackpot, cool, I'm going to go discuss it with the boys, that's what it looks like,' Mick explained that he just needed some manly advice. 'Look I shouldn't have done it, but I was asking them as men their advice on the situation because it looked like we were hitting a rocky road. And this week is probably make or break for us,' he told his 'wife'. However Jess was unmoved, snapping: 'No! You don't do that Mick! You've gone and discussed something I asked you not to discuss!' Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine. TOWIE star Mario Falcone and his fiancee Becky Meisner are enjoying their first ever holiday with three-month-old son Parker. Sharing intricate insights into the Maldives getaway with his 1.2million followers, the star, 30, was also displaying his ripped physique and Becky's bikini body. While they kicked off the fun in Dubai, where they bumped into Vicky Pattison, the betrothed couple then headed to the lavish Maldives for the second leg of their baby's first trip at the stunning destination. Happy days: TOWIE star Mario Falcone and his fiancee Becky Meisner are enjoying their first ever holiday with three-month-old son Parker Mario and Becky are clearly having the time of their life with their boy as they have been spamming their respective Instagram accounts with shots of the trip. Despite having given birth just three months ago, the brunette beauty was displaying her svelte frame in an array of stunning swimwear. A stand-out point of the couple's snaps was their incredibly sweet shot in which the trio all sported matching fruit-printed swimwear. Both Becky and Mario shared stunning shots with just their silhouette against the bright sun while the lapped up the water. Stunning: Sharing intricate insights into the Maldives getaway with his 1.2million followers, the star, 30, was also displaying his ripped physique and Becky's bikini body Happy days: Mario and Becky are clearly having the time of their life with their boy as they have been spamming their respective Instagram accounts with shots of the trip While Mario has posted a plethora of snaps from meals with Becky to swimming with Parker, the reality star insisted not to be fooled by the false illusion of Instagram. In one snap, he wrote: 'Travelling with a new born is easy they said.... well I will happily admit it has been hard!!! 'Taking each day in our stride. Dont be fooled by the glossy lovely pictures, behind the camera is a very different story! Sweet: While Mario has posted a plethora of snaps from meals with Becky to swimming with Parker, the reality star insisted not to be fooled by the false illusion of Instagram 'Dont get me wrong I am blessed to be away with my family BUT to all you parents out there you have my respect! 'I wish you an hour in the sun, a romantic meal together, a meal thats hot or not eaten in 2 minutes and ladies breast feeding being able to wear a nice dress with no boob access priority!!' The reality star has been praised by his followers for being honest about the difficulties of being a first-time parent. A vision: Both Becky and Mario shared stunning shots with just their silhouette against the bright sun while the lapped up the water One wrote: 'Youre both doing a great job. The words you say are spot on to any parent. Its so hard but the love we have takes over the hardness and its so worth it. Have a lovely holiday. These memories will be with you forever.' Another added: 'Thank you for you honesty - wish more well known faces would follow suit. Parenting can be SUCH hard work and theres no shame in acknowledging that sometimes.' Becky and Mario first began dating in 2016 and announced their engagement a year later, after he popped the question during a romantic break in Santorini. Mario shot to fame on The Only Way Is Essex in 2011 and starred on the show for 13 series. He was most known for his tumultuous relationship with Lucy Meck and flings with BFFs Lauren Pope and Chloe Sims. Six years after canceling their would-be reunion album and subsequent tour, The Jonas Brothers are reportedly reuniting once again. Nick Jonas, 26, Joe Jonas, 29 and Kevin Jonas, 31, have all secretly flown into London to plot the reunion, which would include the release of new music and a documentary, according to The Sun. All three brothers were spotted having a 'boys night' out together in London last Wednesday and last Friday as well. Reunion? The Jonas Brothers - (from left to right) Kevin, Joe, and Nick pictured in 2007 - are reportedly reuniting with new music and a documentary 'This is going to be one of the biggest music reunions in years,' an unidentified insider said. 'Its no secret that things werent great by the end of the Jonas Brothers, but blood is thicker than water and theyve healed their rift in the years since the split,' the source continued. 'After enjoying solo music success and taking time to work on passion projects, they feel that now is the right time to get back together,' the source added. Big reunion: 'This is going to be one of the biggest music reunions in years,' an unidentified insider said London calling: 'Its no secret that things werent great by the end of the Jonas Brothers, but blood is thicker than water and theyve healed their rift in the years since the split,' the source continued Back together: 'After enjoying solo music success and taking time to work on passion projects, they feel that now is the right time to get back together,' the source added The Jonas Brothers were first founded in 2005, but they broke out after performing in the 2008 Disney Channel movie Camp Rock. The brothers became well known for all wearing purity rings, signifying their intent to stay virgins until they get married. They released four albums, It's About Time (2006), The Jonas Brothers (2007), A Little Bit Longer (2008) and Lines, Vines and Trying Times (2009). Early beginnings: The Jonas Brothers were first founded in 2005, but they broke out after performing in the 2008 Disney Channel movie Camp Rock Purity rings: The brothers became well known for all wearing purity rings, signifying their intent to stay virgins until they get married After each of the brothers went off for their solo ventures, they were supposed to reunite in 2013, but that never happened. They returned to record a new album, entitled V (the Roman numeral for 5, signifying their fifth studio album), but the album's release and subsequent tour were scrapped. There were reports of a 'deep rift' between the brothers and a 'disagreement over the musical direction' of the group that lead to the break-up. Family man: Kevin Jonas has been married to Danielle Deleasa since 2007, with the pair having two kids, as his brothers are starting to follow suit Kevin Jonas has been married to Danielle Deleasa since 2007, with the pair having two kids, as his brothers are starting to follow suit. Nick Jonas recently married actress Priyanka Chopra during a lavish wedding in Chopra's home country of India. Joe Jonas is engaged to Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner, who he's been dating since 2017. She has made a splash on the catwalk at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for the last six years. And on Monday, Devon Windsor commanded attention when she splashed through the water during a day of fun and sun in Miami Beach. The superstar model put her enviable fit figure on display in an animal print bandeau bikini. Bikini-clad: Devon Windsor made a splash in her swimsuit in Miami Beach on Monday Getting a much-needed reprieve from the winter chill following New York Fashion Week, the leggy Missourian soaked up the sun in the stylish number. The bandeau top got an extra dose of pop with its double slit opening that was fastened with neon buckles. For the relaxing outing, the 5ft 11in beauty pulled her hair off of her face and into a loose bun Fun in the sun: The 24-year old model stunned in animal print bandeau bikini Rock solid: The Missouri native incorporates several different workouts to fit and ready Social butterfly: The model shared this photo with the caption: 'Much needed vitamin D' The Model Squad star also showed off her gym-honed physique and bikini on social media. In one snap she can be seen crouched down on her knees on a towel with a tropical drink in her hand with the caption: 'Much needed vitamin D.' There are also two pics on her Insta-Story showing her modeling a white straw bolero hat, and the other has her lounging back on the sand with the ocean in the background. Shady shot: The blonde beauty modeled her straw bolero hat R & R: She is enjoying some relaxing time after work New York Fashion Week Windsor got engaged to Johnny Dex last June after more than two years of dating. While taking a plane ride, the blonde bombshell was able to see 'Marry Me?' spelled out on the sand of a private beach in the Bahamas. Windsor just wrapped up a busy nine days of catwalks, red carpets and parties during NYFW. Elizabeth Sobinoff is back after a mysterious absence and she's not happy at what she finds. In a preview for Tuesday's episode of Married at First Sight, the 27-year-old has a fiery showdown with Ines Basic, 28, who spent the night with Elizabeth's 'husband' Sam Ball while she was away. A fuming Elizabeth is shown storming over to Ines, demanding to know if she's attracted to Sam. 'Speak up! Do you fancy him?' Married at First Sight bride Elizabeth Sobinoff EXPLODES at Ines Basic (pictured) when she returns and discovers 'affair' with her 'husband' Sam Ball The feisty blonde shouts: 'Do you fancy Sam?' while Ines looks stunned before sheepishly frowning at her in response. Fell cast mate Heidi Latcham is heard backing her up, saying: 'She's asking yes or no?' Elizabeth then yells: 'Speak up! Speak up! Come in!' while making an irritated hand gesture. The feisty blonde shouts: 'Do you fancy Sam?' while Ines looks stunned before sheepishly frowning at her in response Elizabeth then yells: 'Speak up! Speak up! Come in!' while making an irritated hand gesture Earlier in the clip, Elizabeth is shown arriving at a Gold Coast hotel and asking for a key to Sam's room at the reception desk. She then walks in to the room where Sam had spent the night with Ines. On Monday night's episode, Ines and Sam took their affair to the next level as they met up for secret drinks before they returned to a hotel room and kissed passionately on a bed. Behind her back: On Monday night's episode, Ines and Sam took their affair to the next level as they met up for secret drinks Shocking scenes: Ines and Sam were then seen kissing passionately on a bed The couple had been exchanging flirtatious messages since the very early episodes of MAFS and things certainly escalated when they met up at a Gold Coast bar. The twosome were then seen launching into a long and passionate kiss inside the empty bar, before returning to Sam's hotel room. The camera then cut to black, suggesting that the couple then became even more intimate. Married At First Sight returns Wednesday 7:30PM on Channel Nine She gave birth to son William 'Billy' Mark in early December last year, weeks before splitting with her Rabbitohs star husband, Sam Burgess, 30. And as whispers swirl of a reunion between the pair, Phoebe Burgess, 29, has shared a throwback snap of her enormous baby bump on the day she gave birth. The mother-of-two took to Instagram on Tuesday to share two old photos taken hours before labour and she captioned the post: 'Day of'. Scroll down for video Oh baby! Phoebe Burgess (pictured) shares a previously unseen photo of her bare baby bump on the day she gave birth to her second child The freelance journalist appeared tanned and glowing, beaming for the camera with a hand resting on her belly. It's not the first time the mother-of-two has shared her pregnancy selfies with her fans and regularly took to Instagram throughout her journey. At 35 weeks, Phoebe displayed her huge baby bump and complained of cramps, swollen feet, stretch marks and gas. She said she 'blamed' her six-foot-four footy player husband for the size of their second child. Happier times: Phoebe gave birth to her second child in early December last year, just a month before splitting with her Rabbitohs star husband, Sam Burgess, 30 (right) About to burst: The freelance journalist took to Instagram on Tuesday to share two images of herself, just hours before labour, captioning the beaming selfie: 'Day of' 'Baby 2 is 35 weeks and officially measuring over 40 weeks in size. Send Help. I blame you @samburgess8 #hellostretchmarks.' Sam and Phoebe first met at an Avicii concert in Sydney back in January 2014 and by June 2015, they were engaged following a romantic holiday in Greece. In January 2017, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Poppy Alice, now two. Parents of two: In January 2017, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Poppy Alice (left), now two. Pictured in April 2018 Their second child, son William 'Billy' Mark, was born in early December 2018, and a month later, the couple announced their separation. The split news came as a shock to fans, as their three-year marriage was portrayed as a fairy-tale on social media. Soon after, reports surfaced describing Phoebe and Sam's marriage split as 'pretty messy'. Shock split: The split news came as a shock to fans, as their three-year marriage was portrayed as a fairy-tale on social media A close friend of the former couple told The Daily Telegraph that 'things [had] been bad for a while' before they parted ways. Sam was spotted moving out of the family's $3.8 million Maroubra mansion in December where Phoebe remains with their two children. Sam and Phoebe also share daughter, Poppy, two. Moved out: Sam and Phoebe own a $3.8 million mansion in Maroubra where Phoebe is residing with the couple's two children Poppy, two, and newborn Billy She recently revealed her son Wolf, four, is 'fed-up' with her constant snaps. And on Tuesday, Tammy Hembrow struck a sultry pose beside the youngster for another set of pictures shared to Instagram. Flashing a wide grin, Wolf appeared to be imitating his famous mother by copying some of her signature poses. Imitating mummy? Tammy Hembrow struck this pose while son Wolf appeared to copy her... after revealing the four-year-old is fed-up with her constant pictures 'I dunno what my tiny human is doing, those poses,' Tammy comically wrote in the caption. Fans were quick to let the Gold Coast mother-of-two know that the savvy youngster was mocking her signature poses. Taking to the comment section, one fan gushed: 'Working that mirror like his momma!!! He's the cutest!' All eyes on him! Flashing a wide grin, Wolf appeared to be imitating his famous mother by copying some of her signature poses in this recent snap shared to Instagram 'Acting like you,' one fan bluntly wrote while another stated: 'Learning from Mama'. 'He's mocking you. I know this because my three sons do the same lol (sic),' another observant user penned. One impressed user wrote: 'He is slaying it haha that's what he's doing!' 'Working that mirror like his momma!': Fans quickly flocked to the comment section to let the mother-of-two know her son was mocking her signature poses 'Copying his mummy obviously. Lol already he struck a pose haha (sic),' another stated. As one of Australia's most popular Instagram models, Tammy keeps her nine million fans captivated by constantly sharing pictures on social media. But last week, the blonde beauty revealed that her son Wolf was sick of her habit of taking photos. 'Mum, please no more selfies': It comes after Tammy (L) shared this hilarious photo to Instagram which showed her four-year-old son Wolf (R) looking fed-up with her constant selfies In an Instagram post, Wolf displayed a hilarious facial expression and looked frustrated while sitting in his car seat as his famous mum snapped yet another selfie from the driver's seat of her car. 'Lol Wolf is like mum plz no more selfies,' Tammy wrote in the caption. It's unlikely that the fitness entrepreneur will slow down with the constant selfies anytime soon, as the photos have reportedly helped her generate a net worth of $3 million. The Saski Collection founder shares son Wolf and daughter Saskia, two, with ex-fiance Reece Hawkins. Jada Pinkett Smith and her Red Table Talk panel typically tackle the tough topics of the day -- both social and political. On Monday's episode of the Facebook Watch show dubbed -- Unpacking White Privilege and Prejudice -- the ladies delved into the gap between women of color and white women in honor of Black History Month. While talking with her usual co-hosts mother Adrienne Banfield Norris and daughter Willow Smith as well as guests: black activist Rachel Cargle, Latina actress Justina Machado and white writer Amie Newman, Jada argued that actress Anne Hathaway was an ally in the fight for equality. Red Table Talk: Jada Pinkett Smith called Anne Hathaway an ally to women of color in the fight for equality in Monday's episode Jada began the episode by confessing: 'I definitely believe that there's this huge break between women of color and white women.' From there, the six ladies began to give their personal experiences where those words were prophetic in their lives. Ultimately, they unanimously agreed that white women weren't doing enough to promote equality, mainly out of a lack of understanding. Urgent topics: The ladies delved into the gap between women of color and white women in honor of Black History Month. Making her case: The actress added that women of color must be able 'to recognize when white women come in to help, like Anne Hathaway, but was met with skepticism by the panel It was at this point that Jada stepped in and insisted that women of color must be able 'to recognize when white women come in to help, that we make room for it.' She added: 'Because there's been a couple of times, like with Anne Hathaway... ' but was cut off by the skeptical panel. 'It is trust issues!' Willow interjected, as her grandmother jumped in and said: 'and rightfully so.' Sensing Cargle's skeptical look, Jada fired back: 'I understand that Rachel, but at some point, when are we as black women going to be able to recognize an ally?' Taking the lead: Anne Hathaway has used her platform as a public person to talk about white privilege and equality Tragic: Nia Wilson, 18, was stabbed and killed by a white man after leaving a Bay Area Rapid Transit Train last July; Hathaway made an emotional plea to white people following the murder Hathaway has been very vocal about incidences of racism and institutionalized racism in her years as a public person. In one instance last July, she posted an emotionally-charged message on social media about the murder of black teenager Nia Wilson, who was stabbed by a white man. She began by saying that her death: 'MUST NOT be met with silence,' and then humanized her by proclaiming 'she is not a hash tag.' 'White people- including me, including you- must take into the marrow of our privileged bones the truth that ALL black people fear for their lives DAILY in America and have done so for GENERATIONS. White people DO NOT have equivalence for this fear of violence,' she professed. 'Given those givens, we must ask our (white)selves- how 'decent' are we really? Not in our intent, but in our actions? In our lack of action?' Words of wisdom: Activist Rachel Cargle quoted feminist author Audre Lorde during the discussion: 'The truth is, until all women are free, no woman is free' Shining the spotlight: The actress acknowledged that some organizations try to show they were inclusive just to show they were being 'inclusive' During the Red Table discussion, Cargle disagreed on just how useful white women allies have been for black women. 'The truth is, until all women are free, no woman is free,' she said in a quote from feminist author Audre Lorde. 'And that's what white women don't understand.' At one point, Newman, jumped in to inspire more white women to be more inclusive with their sisters of color. 'We have to take take it (inclusivity) into action. We have to do the work. We've got to read, we've got to support black women and Latina women, and support organizations that are run by women of color,' she said with passion. 'We need to support artists who are of color, candidates who are people of color. It is past time for us.' The mission: The Writer Amie Newman urged white women to be more inclusive with women of color: 'We have to take take it (inclusivity) into action. We have to do the work' Jada acknowledged that some organizations try to show they were inclusive just to show they were being 'inclusive', and then criticized companies that ask people of color to come be photographed at events, without, quote, 'showing receipts.' 'I look at the resume. I'm not gonna be taking no pictures on the red carpet until you show and prove that you've actually been doing some work," she said. 'You know as well as I do, there's a lot of performance going on. Show me the receipts.' Red Table Talk premiered on Facebook Watch in May 2018. My Kitchen Rules hairdresser-turned-chef Sal Caputo, 52, has revealed he only came out about his sexuality 10 years ago. In an interview with TV WEEK on Tuesday, the reality TV contestant admitted it was mainly because he was worried what his children would think. The divorced father-of-three told the magazine: 'I just didn't want them to be embarrassed or anything by me.' 'I just didn't want them to be embarrassed by me': My Kitchen Rules star Sal Caputo (right) admits he was nervous about revealing his sexuality to his children 10 years ago Pictured with MKR partner Lyn, 60, (left) Sal waited until his eldest child was 18 before he decided to come out, describing his children's reactions as everything from 'blase' to 'very excited'. It was Sal's eldest daughter Alyssa, who is also gay herself, who was most enthusiastic by the news. But middle child Nikki, who was 16 at the time, initially took it 'really hard' but changed her tune just a few days after the initial revelation. 'I didn't want them to be embarrassed or anything by me': The divorced father-of-three said he was worried what his children would think. Pictured from left to right: Nikki, Alyssa and Marco Sal's youngest son Marco, then 14, was apparently 'blase' about the new information. The My Kitchen Rules contestant also added he has a wonderful relationship with his children. Describing an exchange between Nikki and himself, Sal said: ''When she'd go out, she'd text me: 'There's a really hot waiter here for you!''. 'Premiere party on the couch!' Sal (centre) waited until his eldest child was 18 before he opened up about his sexuality. Alyssa, (left, with her partner, right) who is also gay herself, was 'very excited' by the news Meanwhile, Alyssa took to Instagram to share a touching Father' s Day tribute to her dad last year. She wrote: 'To this amazing dad! He's one in 10 million and there's no one else like him in this world. We are beyond lucky to have you as our dad and love you millions.' Sal said he had the overwhelming support of everyone in his South Australian small seaside town of Port Pirie, 220km north of Adelaide. 'People bought me flowers and presents,' he remembered. 'I got text messages: 'Oh, about time', 'That's fantastic!' and 'We knew before you!'' '10 year challenge': Sal took to Instagram last month to partake in the social media 10 year challenge. He wrote: '10 years out and proud. 10 years later. 10 years of MKR' But now the reality TV chef is looking forward to a different chapter in his life. 'I guess all I need one day is that special guy in my life,' he said. Sal is competing on MKR with his best friend Lyn, with the pair set to open the doors to their Instant Restaurant on Tuesday night. Best friends: Sal is competing on MKR with his best friend Lyn, (left) with the pair set to open the doors to their Instant Restaurant on Tuesday night On Sunday, the popular cooking series had a controversial moment after one participant was mistaken for a 'transvestite.' The shocking faux pas took place during frenemies Pat and Bianca's instant restaurant. While the pair were in the kitchen, the discussion at the table turned to everybody's first impressions of statuesque socialite Karolina Borkovic, who stands six-feet tall in heels. 'You're a very tall woman, you're extraordinarily tall,' remarked Lisa. 'It's true, I thought you were trans,' added Lyn Ellbourn - much to the shock of her co-stars. 'You thought I was a transvestite?' a stunned Karolina shot back in disbelief. My Kitchen Rules airs Monday to Wednesday, 7:30pm, and Sunday, 7pm on Nine. Last year, Davina Rankin was trolled and bullied for having an 'affair' with Dean Wells on Married At First Sight, despite still being married to Ryan Gallagher. And now the 27-year-old has shared her advice to Ines Basic, who is copping viewer backlash for her own scandalous tryst with Sam Ball. 'Staying quiet was the best thing I could do. I tried my hardest to stay away from social media too,' Davina told Sydney Morning Herald. 'If it is getting to you, walk away': Former Married At First Sight 'villain' Davina Rankin has shared her advice to Ines Basic 'If you can't look at the trolls, switch them off. If it is getting to you, walk away,' she added. Since the social experiment, Davina has moved on with Brisbane businessman Jaxon Manuel, who she began dating in April 2018. Meanwhile Ines, 28, who is 'married' to Bronson Norris, has not been shy about her physical and emotional connection to Sam, who is married to Elizabeth Sobinoff. Affair: The legal assistant, 28, is currently at the centre of viewer backlash over her 'affair' with Sam Ball Advice: Much like Ines, Davina was also trolled and bullied for her 'affair' with Dean Wells (pictured), on last year's season of Married At First Sight. Davina advised Ines: 'Staying quiet was the best thing I could do' On Monday night, she had a secret rendezvous with the 26-year-old tradie in his hotel room. She told 9 Honey: 'Everything with Sam and I was done at such a high-paced, emotionally-charged level.' 'We connected on a very different level. Like we didn't really need to speak. We could just feel each other's emotions,' she added. New Man: Since her time on the social experiment, Davina has moved on with Brisbane businessman Jaxon Manuel, who she began dating in April 2018 However, recent reports circulating have said the legal assistant is 'not coping' amid the fallout of her affair with Sam, four months after filming. Woman's Day reported that Ines is struggling due to the viewer backlash against her. A source told the magazine that Ines has 'cut herself off' from her friends and the rest of the MAFS cast and is 'living like a recluse in her Brisbane home'.' Scandal: On Monday night, Ines had a secret rendezvous with the 26-year-old tradie in his hotel room. She told 9 Honey: 'Everything with Sam and I was done at such a high-paced, emotionally-charged level' The insider added: 'She has lost about 12kg since filming finished - and she was tiny to begin with. Everyone's really worried about her. A spokesperson for Endemol Shine Australia, who produce Married At First Sight told the Fairfax publication: 'The health and safety of our participants is always our first priority. Psychological support is readily available.' Married At First Sight continues Monday on Channel Nine at 7:30pm She has been plagued with romance rumors about toyboy Pete Davidson. But Kate Beckinsale wasn't going to let any Instagram trolls comment on her dating choices. Sharing a gorgeous selfie of herself on social media, the 45-year-old hit back at a fan who claimed they were 'disappointed' in seeing who she dates. Not afraid to hit back: Kate Beckinsale hilariously roasted an Instagram troll on Sunday, when they commented on her 'dating choices' after she posted a selfie of herself 'Disappointed in your dating choices,' wrote user @bobojackdaddy. And it wasn't long until Kate hit back. '@bobojackdaddy fairly let down by your wonky beard but thought possibly rude to say.' Quick wit: And it wasn't long until Kate's sassy clap back reached nearly 1000 likes within 24 hours And it wasn't long until Kate's sassy clap back reached nearly 1000 likes within 24 hours. The comments come after the Underworld star is rumored to be romancing Ariana Grande's ex fiance Pete Davidson. It was also recently reported The Sun that they are planning on taking a trip to get to know each other better. New flame? The comments come after the Underworld star is rumored to be romancing Ariana Grande's ex fiance Pete Davidson Didn't work out: Pete was most recently engaged to Ariana Grande The new couple were previously seen holding hands as they left the Largo comedy club in Los Angeles on February 2. Prior to that, they were spotted cozying up and flirting all night long at the Golden Globes on January 6. When TMZ photographers caught up last week with Pete's ex, Ariana Grande, she said the burgeoning couple were 'So cute.' Kate had a very cheeky response when a fan asked her about the rumours on Instagram recently. While the actress was sharing a glam photo of her model mother Judy on the social media platform, one follower was keen to know more about Pete, commenting: 'Dear heavens, Kate. Not Pete Davidson.' Kate, famed for her quick-witted Instas, sassily responded: 'No that's my mother. Easy mistake.' Pete is coming off a recent whirlwind engagement to pop star Ariana, while Kate was snapped kissing Jack Whitehall in a karaoke bar in November. Michelle Bridges made her highly-anticipated debut on Dancing With The Stars on Monday night. And in Monday's New Idea, it was claimed that her time on the show is 'putting a strain' on her relationship with partner Steve 'Commando' Willis. The proud parents of three-year-old son Axel, are said to be 'finding the time away from each other difficult'. Scroll down for video 'The time away from each other has been difficult': Michelle Bridges and Steve Willis are reportedly 'feeling the strain' in their relationship as she films Dancing With The Stars Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Michelle's representatives for comment. The reports come after Michelle, 48, took to Instagram last month to reveal that her 'heart breaks' when she's away from her family. 'A new appreciation to all the mums out there who for whatever reason have to make that decision which results in being away from your bubbas and family,' she wrote at the time. Hitting the dance floor: Michelle, 48, performed the Cha Cha with dance partner Aric Yegudkin on Monday night's debut episode of Dancing With The Stars 'It's been three days and it will end after five and my heart breaks with every day I'm away. He [Axel] is with his dad and other siblings and family and totally fine... but it's an ache only a mother knows.' Monday night saw Michelle debut on Dancing With The Stars, with Steve proudly sitting front row. During her Cha Cha routine with dance partner Aric Yegudkin, Michelle dazzled in a silver perspex two-piece and had her brunette locks styled into a voluminous do. 'She can go for hours mate, non stop': However Michelle was left red-faced when Aric critiqued her skills in front of boyfriend Steve 'Commando' Willis Remark: Prior to the score reveal, Aric said of Michelle's skills: 'She can go for hours mate, non stop' However things became awkward when Aric critiqued Michelle's performance prior to the score reveal. Quizzed by hosts Grant Denyer and Amanda Keller as to how training had been, Aric said: 'She can go for hours mate, non stop.' Michelle looked redfaced before the camera panned over to Steve, who appeared to nervously laugh off the moment. Grant quipped that it's probably not a comment one's partner would like to hear. With Ben Affleck officially out as Batman, rumors have been swirling as to who will play the Dark Knight next, with Armie Hammer being the latest name being bandied about. A new report from Revenge of the Fans claims that the 32-year-old Hammer was in 'advanced talks' to play Batman in director Matt Reeves' The Batman, but it seems that has already been debunked. The Wrap reporter Umberto Gonzalez, a.k.a. El Mayimbe, took to Twitter hours later to debunk the report according to his studio sources. Armie as Batman?: Armie Hammer is rumored to be the next Batman, though another report claims Warner Bros. wants an even younger actor for The Dark Knight New Batman: Ben Affleck played Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League but he officially backed out in late January Ben Affleck played Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League but he officially backed out in late January. The report from Deadline said that Warner Bros. was trying to find a much younger actor than the 46-year-old Batman. Still, while the 32-year-old Hammer is considerably younger than Affleck, Gonzalez claimed that the studio wants someone even younger. Young Batman: Still, while the 32-year-old Hammer is considerably younger than Affleck, Gonzalez claimed that the studio wants someone even younger 'Armie Hammer. Batman. Not true,' Gonzalez began. 'I just checked with the studio. And now agency sourcing backing up what the studio said.' He added that former Game of Thrones star Richard Madden is his 'personal choice,' who is also 32 years old like Hammer. He also added that, 'Also, Armie Hammer is 32 and I'm also told the role of Bruce is going to be younger. There are no targeted names YET.' Debunked: 'Armie Hammer. Batman. Not true,' Gonzalez began. 'I just checked with the studio. And now agency sourcing backing up what the studio said.' Personal choice: He added that former Game of Thrones star Richard Madden is his 'personal choice,' who is also 32 years old like Hammer Not young enough: He also added that, 'Also, Armie Hammer is 32 and I'm also told the role of Bruce is going to be younger. There are no targeted names YET' Gonzalez's report was also backed up by The Hollywood Reporter journalist Borys Kit on Twitter on Monday afternoon as well. 'Im not in the business of debunking bunk but considering everyone got in a tizzy over this...there is no truth to the below,' Kit said, linking to the Revenge of the Fans report. 'Being told there havent even been any actor meetings for THE BATMAN. (But that doesnt mean Reeves and WB dont have ideas of who they would like),' Kit concluded. New Batman: 'Being told there havent even been any actor meetings for THE BATMAN. (But that doesnt mean Reeves and WB dont have ideas of who they would like),' Kit concluded Not Batman yet: 'Im not in the business of debunking bunk but considering everyone got in a tizzy over this...there is no truth to the below,' Kit said, linking to the Revenge of the Fans report Ironically, Hammer almost played Batman over a decade earlier, long before the current incarnation of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Hammer was previously cast as Batman in Warner Bros.' Justice League: Mortal, which was slated to be directed by George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road), but the project was ultimately shelved due to the 2007-2008 writers strike. Hammer would have starred alongside D.J. Cotrona as Superman, Megan Gale as Wonder Woman, Adam Brody as The Flash, Santiago Cabrera as Aquaman, Hugh Keays-Byrne as Martian Manhunter and Common as Green Lantern. Once Batman: Ironically, Hammer almost played Batman over a decade earlier, long before the current incarnation of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) Ajay Rochester has hit back at reports that she had a 'war of words' with I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! camp-mate Yvie Jones. The 49-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday, insisting that she admires the Gogglebox star and that their 'fight' was fabricated. Prior to filming the show in the South African jungle, Ajay was quoted as being less than amused to hear that Yvie was exempt from the program's food rules. 'I admire her': Ajay Rochester [left] set the record straight on her 'fight' with I'm A Celebrity camp-mate Yvie Jones [right] after learning the Gogglebox star was exempt from food rules In a lengthy Instagram post, Ajay told her followers that she's 'not having a war of words' with Yvie, and that she 'completely admires her'. 'For the record, outlets running a bulls**t story about Yvie and I trading blows... it's NOT true!' she said. 'Before I went into the show a journo asked me what I thought about a bunch of celebrities getting doctors notes for all sorts of things including Yvie SUPPOSEDLY getting one to say she can leave the camp and eat six times a day due to her gastric sleeve surgery.' Vocal: In a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday, Ajay told her followers that she's 'not having a war of words' with Yvie, and that she 'completely admires her' 'I said, 'All the celebrities need to harden the f up and just do the show!',' Ajay claimed. This was BEFORE the show, before we had met anyone, before everything.' Ajay said that their 'war of words' was fabricated. 'So some journo hit Yvie up just as she'd come out of the jungle trying to bait her to bite back at me, trying to inflame some stupid war making out I had said it when I got out of the jungle.' Fabricated: 'We know the facts and we know what exactly went on in the jungle,' Ajay said 'Yvie, not knowing it was not true answered that I should get my facts straight but the irony is it's the media who have distorted the facts,' she continued. Ajay concluded by saying that she has spoken with Yvie and that they are 'all good'. 'We know the facts and we know what exactly went on in the jungle. We are proud to support each other in our journeys and only want the best for each other.' 'Take half a cup of cement and harden up': Ajay reportedly slammed camp-mate Yvie after learning that the Gogglebox star was exempt from I'm A Celebrity food rules. Pictured: Yvie (right) and Angie Kent (left) on I'm A Celebrity Not happy! Upon learning that her camp-mate, Yvie was exempt from I'm A Celebrity food rules, Ajay was reportedly less than amused It comes after Ajay was reported in January to have already made enemies with Yvie, 45. 'I'm going to throw some shade at the Gogglebox girl,' she was quoted as having told Ten Daily, referring to Yvie. Ajay added: 'If she really has got a medical note so she can have snacks in the tent during the day then she needs to f***ing take half a cup of cement and harden the f*** up.' Yvie previously revealed she underwent gastric sleeve surgery in 2017, and as a result, her doctor has made her 'exempt' from some of the food in the jungle, on medical grounds. She underwent the surgical weight-loss procedure, in which the stomach is reduced to a percentage of its original size, after struggling to lose weight. She opted out of New York Fashion Week this 2019 season. And rather, Blake Lively was seen keeping a low profile while enjoying a makeup free lunch date in suburban New York neighborhood Westchester on Saturday. The 31-year-old beauty rugged up in multiple layers and appeared to be nothing but smiles. Keeping warm: Blake Lively bundled up in multiple layers on Saturday for a lunch date in Westchester, New York City Blake opted for a green button-up, flannel shirt as well as a tan colored Tna for Aritzia Super Puff Long Parker for the chilly excursion. She completed her cozy look with a warm black beanie that featured a pom pom on top. The blonde beauty styled her tresses out naturally and she appeared to be makeup free. Layers on layers: Blake opted for a green button-up, flannel shirt as well as a tan colored long-length Parker for the chilly excursion Natural beauty: The blonde beauty styled her tresses out naturally and she appeared to be makeup free Not seen with Blake was her husband, Ryan Reynolds, 42. Speaking to Vogue last week, the Deadpool star revealed during the winter time especially, he steals his wife's moisturizer. 'On a super-cold winter day, sometimes I'll steal whatever my wife has in her drawers and slather it on,' he admitted. Sharing is caring: Speaking to Vogue last week, the Deadpool star revealed during the winter time especially, he steals his wife's moisturizer (pictured 2018) 'I may not know exactly what it is, but I do make sure it says moisturizer.' Blake and Ryan first met back in 2010 while filming Green Lantern. They married two years later in September 2009. The couple are parents to two daughters James, four, and Inez, two. It's only been three days since Abbie Cornish revealed her engagment to mixed martial arts fighter Adel Altamimi. Now the 36-year-old Australian actress has opened up about her future plans with the 29-year-old fighter. In an Instagram post about her husband-to-be, she revealed that she can't wait to start their family. Kids in the future: Abbie Cornish, 36, has opened up about her desire to start a family with MMA fighter fiance Adel Altamimi The Geostorm star shared a picture of her fiance wearing a black Nike windbreaker and a black beanie while staring determinedly into the distance. 'You are the man of my dreams @adelkyokushin,' she wrote. 'Im so happy we found each other here on this earth. You make me so happy. I cant wait to start a family with you my love,' she gushed. Not holding back: 'You are the man of my dreams @adelkyokushin,' she wrote. 'Im so happy we found each other here on this earth. You make me so happy. I cant wait to start a family with you my love,' she gushed Top of the world: The Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri actress previously gave an exclusive statement to Daily Mail Australia, in which she said, 'We are both very very happy, as are our family and friends'; pictured February 12 Heartbreaking past: In addition to being a fighter, Adel has a remarkable and tragic backstory The Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri actress previously gave an exclusive statement to Daily Mail Australia, in which she said, 'We are both very very happy, as are our family and friends.' In addition to being a fighter, Adel has a remarkable and tragic backstory. The Baghdad, Iraq native drove convoys for US Marines will still living in his home country following the start of the Iraq War. Unbelievable trauma: The Iraqi native was captured by Al-Qaeda, who decapitated his cousin and friend before his eyes. He was later rescued by the Marines; pictured in January In the course of his duties, the future fighter was captured by Al-Qaeda forces. While in their custody, he was forced to watch a cousin and a close friend be decapitated. The Marines eventually liberated him before his own scheduled execution. Since coming to the United States, Adel has not only pursued his own fighting career, but has also trained celebrities at the Unbreakable MMA gym in Los Angeles, including Guardians Of The Galaxy star Chris Pratt. New beginnings: Since coming to the United States, Adel has not only pursued his own fighting career, but has also trained celebrities at the Unbreakable MMA gym in Los Angeles, including Guardians Of The Galaxy star Chris Pratt, pictured above Sharing the news: Abbie first showed off her engagement ring in a February 15 Instagram post Abbie first showed off her engagement ring in a February 15 Instagram post. She led with a Keats quote: 'A thing of beauty is a joy forever.' 'Youve swept me off my feet my love,' she wrote. 'I have been waiting for you. The answer is yes! And may God share this light and love with us forever in his arms. 'Blessed be this day with you. Well never forget this anniversary! ; ) Happy Valentines Day to my fiance.' Massive rock: 'Youve swept me off my feet my love,' she wrote. 'I have been waiting for you. The answer is yes! And may God share this light and love with us forever in his arms' It's not clear how long Abbie and Adel dated prior to announcing their engagement. Abbie previous was in a relationship with actor Ryan Phillippe. The blonde beauty began dating the Gosford Park star in 2006, shortly after his divorce from Reese Witherspoon. The relationship ended four years later, in 2010. Reports have been circulating that four months after filming Married At First Sight, the show's 'villain' Ines Basic is 'not coping' amid the fallout of her affair with Sam Ball. And on Tuesday, her former co-star Lauren Huntriss appeared to back up the claims. In an interview with KIIS FM's Kyle & Jackie O Show, the 31-year-old make up artist criticised Ines, but said she felt sorry for her. 'She's obviously suffered mental health issues': Lauren Huntriss (pictured) says Ines Basic is not doing great after it was revealed villainous bride 'lost 12kg and became a recluse' amid the backlash to her affair with Sam Ball 'You've got a feel for the girl, I mean she obviously suffers some real mental health issues,' Lauren told radio hosts Jackie 'O' Henderson and Beau Ryan. 'There must be a reason she behaves the way she behaves. You have to look at that, you have to step back as a human and think why is she behaving this way.' Fill-in host Beau Ryan suggested that 'surely there is a good side to her' and 'a lot that the viewers didn't see'. And when co-host Jackie said she had read reports Ines has been hiding in her apartment in Brisbane, Lauren admitted, 'I have seen photos, she looks like she has lost a lot of weight.' On Monday, Woman's Day reported that Ines is struggling due to the viewer backlash against her. A source told the magazine that Ines has 'cut herself off' from her friends and the rest of the MAFS cast and is 'living like a recluse in her Brisbane home'.' Struggling: A source told Woman's Day this week that Ines has 'cut herself off' from her friends and the rest of the MAFS cast and is 'living like a recluse in her Brisbane home' The insider added: 'She has lost about 12kg since filming finished - and she was tiny to begin with. Everyone's really worried about her. And chatting on the Kyle & Jackie O show, Lauren said this was likely the case. 'I've seen photos, it looks like she's lost a lot of weight,' Lauren stated. Backlash: Ines is suffering the wrath of the Australian public after embarking on an 'affair' with co-star Sam Ball (left) A spokesperson for MAFS' production company, Endemol Shine Australia, told Woman's Day: 'The health and safety of our participants is always our first priority. Psychological support is readily available.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for further comment. Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Married At First Sight's Mick Gould, 31, revealed to the other grooms during Monday's episode that he had sex with 'wife' Jessika Power. And Jessika has now revealed she felt devastated and frustrated after discovering Mick had shared intimate details of the sexual encounter. 'Sex is something that's special between a man and a woman... It's not something that you go and share with your mates as soon as you've done it,' Jessika told Nine Honey on Wednesday. 'I'm so embarrassed': MAFS' Jessica Power said she's devastated that 'husband' Mick Gould shared their intimate sex details to the other grooms on Monday's episode Jessika explained her frustration came after Mick did not discuss his plans of telling the other grooms with her. 'For him to not even tell me, 'You know what, babe? I think I might tell the guys tonight', like I was completely blindsided by this,' she stated. 'I'm so embarrassed. He just told all my intimate details to a bunch of guys that really I don't even know.' 'Sex is something that's special between a man and a woman... It's not something that you go and share with your mates as soon as you've done it,' Jessika told Nine Honey on Wednesday It comes after Jessika confronted Mick about his broken promise to keep the details of their sex life private on Monday's episode. On Monday, Mick told the boys: 'So I've got a bit of a bombshell to tell you boys, so the other day Jess and I were intimate, like probably about a week ago now. Just pulled out the deck of cards and went for it,' he said. 'Now it's almost been a week and she's shutting down any type of intimacy, and you're just going what the hell?' he added. 'He just told all my intimate details to a bunch of guys that really I don't even know,' the disappointed blonde added The farmer's decision to discuss his sex life with the boys left Jessika seething because she had previously denied they'd had sex the day prior during Sunday's commitment ceremony. Jessika flew into a rage, facing off with Mick in the pool after learning he'd told the other grooms they'd had sex. 'Just to me this whole thing just looks like you've just gone and gotten what you've wanted and now you're going to go discuss it with the boys,' she ranted. 'You've gone and discussed something I asked you not to!' The interview comes after Monday's episode showed Jessika (L) confronting Mick (R) about his broken promise to keep the details of their sex life private Angry! Jessika flew into a rage, facing off with Mick in the pool after learning he'd told the other grooms they'd had sex 'You've hit the jackpot, cool, I'm going to go discuss it with the boys, that's what it looks like,' the bikini-clad blonde said, waving her hands. Mick explained that he just needed some manly advice, saying: 'Look I shouldn't have done it, but I was asking them as men their advice on the situation because it looked like we were hitting a rocky road. And this week is probably make or break for us,' he told his 'wife'. However Jess was unmoved, snapping: 'No! You don't do that Mick! You've gone and discussed something I asked you not to discuss!' Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine She rarely shares photos of her daughter Suri Cruise, 12, on social media. But Katie Holmes made an exception on Sunday, posting a sweet monochrome shot of her daughter and pal during her snow-filled getaway in Vancouver. The 40-year-old's image had the girl's face their backs to the camera while quoting Virginia Woolf. Tender moment: Katie Holmes shared a rare shot of her daughter Suri Cruise, 12, on Sunday whilst in Vancouver 'No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself.' - #virginiawoolf,' she captioned. Katie also took to the social media on Friday to share a video of herself embracing the beautiful snow. 'Snowstorm on #theboy2,' she captioned. Private: She rarely shares photos of her daughter Suri Cruise, 12, on social media A child at heart: Katie also took to the social media on Friday to share a video of herself embracing the beautiful snow Work and play: The vacation comes as Katie has been filming The Boy 2 in Vancouver - the horror film is set to air in 2020 The vacation comes as Katie has been filming The Boy 2 in Vancouver - the horror film is set to air in 2020. It has been revealed the Dawson's Creek alum has secured the leading role of Liza in the 2016 sequel. However, there was no sign of the beauty's boyfriend, Jamie Foxx, 51, who she's been secretly dating for the past five years. Keeping it on the down low: However, there was no sign of the beauty's boyfriend, Jamie Foxx, 51, who she's been secretly dating for the past five years (pictured 2018) Katie was previously married to Tom Cruise. The pair began dating in April 2005 and got engaged just seven weeks later. On their one-year-anniversary, she welcomed daughter, Suri Cruise. Marrying in November 2006, Katie filed for divorce and for full custody in July 2012. It has been reported that their fast nine-day settlement turn around was due to her fear that Tom would abduct Suri while also fearing intimidation by the Church Of Scientology. A suspect in a home invasion that forced Magic Johnson's daughter to run for her life has been arrested, it's been reported Monday. According to TMZ, LAPD identified the 25-year-old man after reviewing surveillance video from the neighborhood where Elisa Johnson's friends were renting a house via Airbnb on the first weekend in December. Two men broke into the home in LA's San Fernando Valley and held the group at gunpoint before reportedly making off with a Rolex watch, jewelry, cash and electronics. Elisa, who was in a bedroom, managed to escape via a sliding glass door during the incident, TMZ reported at the time. Caught: A suspect in a home invasion that forced Magic Johnson's 24-year-old daughter Elisa, pictured, to run for her life has been arrested, TMZ reported Monday On Monday, TMZ claimed that the man arrested is a parolee who was taken into custody while at his parole office. The website says he is being held in custody without bail. A second suspect remains at large. The 24-year-old daughter of NBA legend and Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Magic Johnson is known for appearing on her brother EJ Johnson's reality shows Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and EJNYC. Elisa was adopted by Magic and Cookie Johnson in 1995. She reunited with her birth mother on an episode of EJNYC. Scary: Two armed men broke into the home being rented through Airbnb by Elisa's friends during the first weekend of December. She escaped from a bedroom via a sliding glass door He's a former Married At First Sight groom who failed to find romance on the controversial show. Often praised for his boyish good looks, the 30-year-old hunk is best remembered from his TV 'wife' Davina Rankin's cheating scandal last season. And since finding fame through the reality TV stint, the Maroubra-based tradesman has attempted to launch a career as a professional stand-up comedian. Guess who! Guess who! He's the MAFS star who found himself locked in a love triangle on the show... but can YOU recognise this tattooed hunk from his throwback photo? So can you guess who he is? The handsome youngster in the throwback photo is none other than Ryan Gallagher. Captured striking a cheeky grin, a much younger Ryan smiles in what appears to be a portrait photo shared to his Instagram page on Tuesday. Revealed: The handsome youngster in the throwback photo is none other than former MAFS' star, Ryan Gallagher (pictured) 'Hi I'm Ryan and I like VB tinnies - I also used to earn extra pocket money sitting on the side of the M5 motorway selling advertising on my giant forehead (sic),' he comically wrote in the caption of the photo. And Ryan first shot to fame during last year's Married At First Sight, where he 'married' Davina Rankin. On the show, he was left shattered after discovering Davina had an 'affair' with fellow contestant Dean Wells. Reality TV: Ryan first shot to fame during last year's Married At First Sight, where he 'married' Davina Rankin, before she engaged in an 'affair' with fellow contestant Dean Wells during the show Despite their differences, Ryan and Dean formed a friendship after MAFS and were often spotted enjoying time together as friends. However, the pair have since fallen out, with aspiring comedian Ryan blocking both Dean and co-star Telv Williams on social media after he saw them chatting to one of his ex-girlfriends at a party. Meanwhile, Ryan is now back on the market once again after confirming to Daily Mail Australia that his relationship with New Zealand model girlfriend, Alya Browne, 24, ended last November. The pair met while Ryan was judging the Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest on the Gold Coast in September. Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine Even legends have to take a lunch, which is what screen icon Al Pacino was seen doing on the set of his new movie in Puerto Rico on Monday. The 78 year old actor was spotted taking a lunch break on the set of Axis Sally, which was filming at the Tropical Medicine building in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Pacino has been scheduled to film for 10 days on the production, most for interior scenes, but he was spotted filming outside earlier this month. Lunch break: Al Pacino enjoys a lunch break on the San Juan, Puerto Rico set of Axis Sally Pacino was seen wearing a blue pinstriped suit, enjoying an orange beverage while sitting in a chair on the set. The actor was sporting a mustache for his role as attorney James Laughlin in Axis Sally, which is based on an incredible true story. Pacino was also spotted filming an exterior scene at the Capitolio set in San Juan earlier this month, where he was wearing a brown suit and sunglasses. He was seen giving a thumbs up gesture and interacting with cast and crew members. Down time: Pacino was seen wearing a blue pinstriped suit, enjoying an orange beverage while sitting in a chair on the set The plot follows American woman named Mildred Gellars, who was nicknamed Axis Sally (Meadow Williams), who broadcast Nazi propaganda during World War II. She was simultaneously loved and hated by American soldiers, and when she was captured in Berlin after the war, she became the first American woman ever convicted of treason. Pacino's character James Laughlin is Gellars' attorney, with a supporting cast that also includes Mitch Pileggi, Thomas Kretschmann and Lala Kent. On set: The actor was sporting a mustache for his role as attorney James Laughlin in Axis Sally, which is based on an incredible true story While Axis Sally isn't slated for release until 2020, directed by Michael Polish and produced by Lala Kent's fiance Randall Emmett, Pacino is set to have a big year in 2019 as well. He plays Marvin Schwarzs, the agent of Leonardo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton, in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, hitting theaters July 26. Pacino also reunites with Heat co-star Robert De Niro plus Goodfellas star Joe Pesci and director Martin Scorsese in Netflix's The Irishman, which doesn't have a date yet. Thumbs up: He was seen giving a thumbs up gesture and interacting with cast and crew members Exterior scenes: Pacino was also spotted filming an exterior scene at the Capitolio set in San Juan earlier this month, where he was wearing a brown suit and sunglasses Pacino is also slated to star in a big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear for director Michael Radford (The Merchant Of Venice). It was also announced in January (via Deadline) that Pacino will make his debut as the star of a TV series with Amazon's The Hunt, committing to a 10-episode season. Pacino plays a legendary Nazi hunter in 1977 whose group, The Hunters, have learned there are several high-ranking Nazi officials conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in America. Staying busy: Pacino is also slated to star in a big-screen adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear for director Michael Radford (The Merchant Of Venice) In demand: It was also announced in January (via Deadline) that Pacino will make his debut as the star of a TV series with Amazon's The Hunt, committing to a 10-episode season Nicky Hilton, 35, has been a mainstay in the front row at many of the top designer's shows during New York Fashion Week, alongside her sister Paris. Now, two days after the end of the moist recent flurry of catwalks and parties, the hotel heiress got to enjoy some alone time during a casual walk down the bustling streets of Manhattan. And she did in style with a very cool edgy-chic look. Lady in black: Nicky Hilton, 35, looked edgy-chic during a casual stroll in NYC on Monday, following the end of New York Fashion Week this past weekend The fashion designer wore black fitted pants, a black leather jacket and black leather laced-up boots For added flare, she rocked an animal print hat, big-rimmed dark sunglasses and a large black scarf for extra warmth on this cold winter day in the big city. Even with her stylish hat, the New York City native wore her blonde tresses long and flowing, but tucked inside the furry collar of her jacket. Cool cat: The fashion designer rocked black fitted pants, a black leather jacket and black leather laced-up boots It factor: The hotel heiress added some flare with a stylish animal print hat and dark sunglasses During this month's NYFW, Nicky and Paris attended many of the big name fashion shows together, which included making splashes for Oscar de la Renta, Philipp Plein and Alice + Olivia. And then on Sunday, the focus turned to family and Paris's 38th birthday. Nicky took to Instagram to send a heavy dose of love to her big sis. 'I'm so lucky to have such a fun, smart, beautiful and caring sister like you,' she wrote in a caption along with a picture of them recently together at NYFW. 'You are truly one of a kind! Keep being you! Happy Birthday @ParisHilton!' Nicky also sent Paris a couple of electronic birthday cards that were shared on her Insta-Story. Family: Nicky wished her sister Paris happy birthday on her Instagram Sunday; 'Im so lucky to have such a fun, smart, beautiful and caring sister like you,' she caption a picture of the two sisters together. 'You are truly one of a kind! Keep being you! Happy Birthday @ParisHilton Sweet: Nicky also sent an electronic birthday card to her sister Paris, who turned 38 on Sunday Nicky has been married to financier James Rothschild for about three-and-a-half years. The couple began dating in 2011, and were eventually wed in a fabulous Kensington Palace affair in London in 2015. They have two children together, one year old daughter Lily and six-month old son Teddy. James is a part of the wealthy Rothchild family that made their fortune in international banking. The fashion designer previously wed to childhood friend Todd Meister during a quick Las Vegas ceremony but the marriage was annulled less than three months later. Going strong: Nicky and financier James Rothschild celebrate four years of marriage in July Married At First Sight star Lauren Huntriss, 32, has revealed that appearing on Channel Nine's hit reality show has affected her mental health. Speaking during a no-holds-barred interview with The Kyle And Jackie O Show on Tuesday, Lauren said she has been attacked by bullies over her portrayal as a 'sex freak' and 'nympho' during her televised 'marriage' to 29-year-old ex-virgin Matthew Bennett. 'People are awful. I just don't get it, I'm a decent human. I'm compassionate and caring and for people to turn around and say like... i'm not even going to say it,' she explained. 'People are on Matt's side. I feel like there's this whole Team Matt, Team Loz... And I don't want that. I hate that whole thing,' Lauren added. Clearly upset and anxious, Lauren, who admitted she was rebelling against Nine by doing the interview, was gently guided through the sit-down by Jackie 'O' Henderson and Beau Ryan. 'I'm not coping very well' Married At First Sight star Lauren Huntriss, 32, spoke to the Kyle And Jackie O Show on Tuesday about the emotional toll that appearing on Channel Nine's hit reality show has taken on her mental health 'People are on Matt's side': Lauren said she hates the way fans have chosen a 'side' to support in the wake of her split from Matt Case of the ex: Lauren took Matthew's virginity during their honeymoon on the show, but their romance quickly fizzled When asked how 'villain' character Ines must be feeling given her negative portrayal on the show, Lauren admitted that she felt sorry for the legal assistant. 'In a way I feel sorry for her because how is she coping. Like I'm not coping very well,' she admitted. 'I don't know how they're going to walk down the street because I'm already getting harassed. And I'm such a genuine, laid-back country girl. I didn't sign up for the fame so for me it's like a big shock,' Lauren insisted. Later in the interview, Lauren admitted she has suffered from anxiety for years, and doesn't believe that people with mental health issues should be allowed to appear on a show like MAFS. When asked whether producers were providing emotional support in the wake of the online backlash, the reality star shook her head and said: 'I feel like I don't matter'. Jackie and Beau then asked her how often producers have checked in with her since the show began airing, prompting Lauren to simply shrug and shake her head. Taking it's toll: Later in the interview, Lauren admitted she has suffered from anxiety for years, and doesn't believe that people with mental health issues should bee allowed to appear on a show like MAFS 'No comment', she said with a scoff. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for MAFS' production company, Endemol Shine Australia, told Woman's Day on Monday: 'The health and safety of our participants is always our first priority. Psychological support is readily available.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine for further comment. Married At First Sight continues Tuesday at 7.30pm on Nine. If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 It's been a turbulent few months for Larissa Dos Santos, whose rocky marriage to Colt Johnson was plagued by domestic violence incidents. But now the 32-year-old 90 Day Fiance star is moving on and has already snagged a new boyfriend. She announced her new love in a Q&A on Instagram, a little over a month after her reality husband Colt Johnson, 33, filed for divorce. New love: 90 Day Fiance's Larissa Dos Santos, 32, is moving on and has already snagged a new boyfriend a month after Colt Johnson, 33, filed for divorce An intrepid fan posted screenshots of the the reality star's answers to fan questions. When a fan congratulated her on her new boo, she replied, 'Thank you. He is like a dream.' When another person asked when she would introduce him, she wrote, 'I don't think he wants. He's very private and not into social media.' She added, 'Plus he is handsome so I'll try to keep him out of public eyes for a while.' Mum's the word: When a fan congratulated her on her new boo, she replied, 'Thank you. He is like a dream.' When another person asked when she would introduce him, she wrote, 'I don't think he wants. He's very private and not into social media' Upgrade: The Brazilian native went on to write that he was 26, 'but more mature than 40.' Larissa agreed with a fan that she was in a healthier mental state in her new relationship The Brazilian native went on to write that he was 26, 'but more mature than 40.' Larissa agreed with a fan that she was in a healthier mental state in her new relationship. 'I feel in peace,' she wrote. 'I thought that be happy was a dead dream. Now I see how much is important kiss and hugs.' Though she stayed mum on her mystery man's identity, she did give a few oblique hints about him. Apparently he has blue eyes 'like Sinatra,' and his name ends with the letter 'E.' Violent behavior: Larissa's relationship with her 90 Day Fiance husband was marked by numerous allegations of domestic violence, of which she was the alleged culprit Frightening wounds: In January, the reality star accused her husband of brutally attacking her. Her social media documentation of the night in question showed her covered in bruises and scratches and with a nasty cut on her cheek Switcheroo: In a shocking reverse, police arrested Larissa and later charged her with a misdemeanor for allegedly punching Colt in the head Larissa's relationship with her 90 Day Fiance husband was marked by numerous allegations of domestic violence, of which she was the alleged culprit. In January, the reality star accused her husband of brutally attacking her. Her social media documentation of the night in question showed her covered in bruises and scratches and with a nasty cut on her cheek. In a shocking reverse, police arrested Larissa and later charged her with a misdemeanor for allegedly punching Colt in the head. They alleged that her injuries were self-inflicted. Total mystery: Colt posted a long message on Instagram about his short-lived marriage on January 12, the day after filing for divorce. 'I dont understand my soon to be ex wife,' he began Colt posted a long message on Instagram about his short-lived marriage on January 12, the day after filing for divorce. 'I dont understand my soon to be ex wife,' he began. 'She comes to America with literally nothing. The suitcases she used for travel I provided for her. On her arrival I already had clothes waiting for her to wear and everything she needed to start a basic life in America.' 'My sole mission since her arrival was to see that she was happy, taken care for and nurtured. When she wanted to start her business I gave her a thousand dollars just to start. Every time she was in trouble, I was there,' he concluded. Having a ball: The former couple are each hosting their own divorce parties at the same Las Vegas club on back-to-back days Larissa, who doesn't appear to have any steady source of income, has turned to fans to help pay for her legal services. 'It's important to me. The immigration attorney, the divorce attorney and the criminal attorney,' she wrote on Instagram. 'The kind of attorney I have to talk to about my case. I not feel happy about it, I not feel proud about it, but it's something that I really need.' If there's a silver lining, it's that Colt and Larissa seem to be putting their ordeals behind them. The former couple are each hosting their own divorce parties at the same Las Vegas club on back-to-back days. Andy King was the surprise standout star from Netflix's Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. Detailing the chaos of the failed event headed up by fraudster Billy McFarland, the documentary features a scene where Andy said he was willing to 'suck d**k' when customs refused to released the event's water supplies. But speaking to 2Day FM's Grant, Ed and Ash on Tuesday, Andy said he begged producers not to include it. 'I said you have to pull it!' Andy King has revealed he begged producers not to include his infamous scene in Netflix's Netflix 's Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened documentary, where he said he was willing to give oral sex to release water from customs 'When I first told the story I thought and I said, "I know you're not going to air this in the movie." Once they told me, oh my gosh, that was phenomenal,' he said. 'I went back and said you have to pull it. And they said "Andy, we can't. It makes the entire movie." And I said "Oh no. This is going to be my claim to fame? No".' The event producer said he now gets stopped on streets and people 'spin around' when he walks into restaurants. 'I've become the hero,' he added. 'But do you have to go that far and does it take a knee pad? Not usually.' Andy touched on the viral memes about him and said he was glad he was showing the younger generation it was 'cool' to work hard Andy also touched on the memes about him that have gone viral, with viewers mocking his extraordinary work ethic. 'If we can demonstrate as older people and have the younger generation think it's cool to say "Hey, you've got to work your butts off. You've got to work hard. You've got to do what it takes to make something happen, then do it".' he said. 'But do you have to go that far and does it take a knee pad? Not usually.' 'I think he's faring ok': Fyre Festival's founder Billy McFarland was sentenced to six years behind bars for fraud, but Andy said he hasn't spoken to him (Pictured: Ja Rule, left, with Billy McFarland, right) Meanwhile, Andy said he's not been in touch with Billy McFarland, who founded the festival and is currently behind bars. 'I haven't spoken to Billy since he's been in jail. I have been in touch with his girlfriend, I know she's in touch with him all the time. I think he's faring ok,' he explained. 'At the end of the day he's a young boy who made a lot of mistakes and he will probably come out of jail and start making a few more companies and make lots of money again.' As for Andy, he's admitted he's had movie and TV offers and will be a guest speaker in conferences in Scotland, LA and New York. 'But hopefully I don't continually have to talk about oral sex,' he remarked. He is the relationship expert who is tasked with the momentous job of creating lasting relationships on Married At First Sight. Now, John Aiken has revealed how difficult it really is to play matchmaker for thousands of singles hoping to land a spot on the show. Speaking on the Today show this Tuesday, the 48-year-old said: 'It's a very difficult process. It goes for well over two months.' Scroll down for video Do YOU have what it takes to be on Married At First Sight? Relationship expert John Aiken, 48, has revealed the personality traits he looks for when matching up couples on the show He explained that he watches all of the video auditions, reads their bios and has one-on-one meetings and test their communication skills. The psychologist added that he looks for certain personality traits, communication styles and how 'clingy' someone is in a relationship when making potential matches. He noted that one of the most challenging things is when someone from a good match drops out and gets cold feet from filming or finds love somewhere else. Making good matches: The relationships expert said: 'It's a very difficult process. It goes for well over two months' and involves watching audition videos, reads their bios and interviews. Pictured: Auditions of Cameron Merchant (left) and Jules Robinson (right) 'You are constantly looking at different pairings leading up to the time you press play in the experiment,' he added. 'We are starting to see that after three weeks the couples that aren't good together typically start to fizzle out and leave,' he added. Speaking about some of the show's strongest connections so far, John said: 'Cam confessed his love for Jules.' 'Their connection was strong': Speaking about some of the show's strongest connections so far, John said: 'Cam confessed his love for Jules' 'People are seeing with them (Cam and Jules) this is an experiment that can work. Their connection was strong and is strong,' he added. John also spoke about the connection between Mike and Heidi who 'have immense sexual chemistry that people are fascinated.' 'Mike and Martha are kind of a slow burn, the Greek Kim Kardashian,' can she she let him in?' he pondered. 'Immense sexual chemistry': John also spoke about the connection between Mike and Heidi John added that he is hopeful each of his matches stay together. 'I want them to get over the line. People don't realise when they leave the experiment we are as deflated as everyone else.' Married At First Sight continues Monday on Channel Nine at 7:30pm Channel Ten's revamped version of Dancing With The Stars debuted on Monday night with two new hosts and a new panel of judges. And fans have already branded one judge the 'villain' of the series, due to his 'extremely brutal and discouraging' feedback to the competing celebrities. Craig Revel Horwood was not only slammed for his 'nasty, rude and downright insulting' jabs on Twitter, but was also booed by the live studio audience. 'He is rude and downright insulting!' Dancing With The Stars fans have slammed 'villain' judge Craig Revel Horwood for his 'extremely brutal and discouraging' feedback on Monday's show Professional dancer, choreographer and director Craig, 54, is joined on the show's three-person panel by Sharna Burgess and Tristan MacManus. He has also been a judge on Strictly Come Dancing in the UK since 2004. His lowest score on the evening was given to Karl Stefanovic's ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn, shocking the other judges by raising a paddle with one point. Craig told the former journalist without hesitation: 'It was all going well until the skirt came off and you started to dance and there, quite frankly, was the failure.' 'Why do they have to have a wa**er judge for ratings, sh**s me. There is nothing constructive in his comments. To say nothing nice about Cassandra is bloody ridiculous,' one angered viewer vented on Twitter. 'His approach is extremely brutal and discouraging': Angered viewers did not like the way the judge delivered his scores and feedback to the celebrity contestants 'To say nothing nice about Cassandra is bloody ridiculous': Fans were not impressed by Craig's one-point score to Karl Stefanovic's ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn 'Classic line up': The Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg even weighed in on the decision to cast a 'nasty judge' on the show Another claimed the show didn't need a 'villain' or 'nasty judge' and found his approach 'rude' and 'extremely brutal'. 'Craig your old bi*chy drama queen act is getting real old real quick. My finger now rests on the mute button on the remote whenever I see you about to speak,' one post read on social media. Others suggested they'd prefer another judge step in to replace Craig, with one writing: 'If you don't remove him, people will turn off.' The Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg even weighed in, saying: 'Good judge, good judge, nasty judge. The classic line up.' 'A Ken doll would dance with more fluidity!' Craig didn't hold back with his criticism of model Jett Kenny's performance, telling him he 'looked stiff... and not in a good way' 'If you don't remove him, people will turn off': Fans suggested they wanted Craig to be replaced as they threatened to tune out During the broadcast, Horwood also told chef Miguel Maestre that he 'looked as though youd just come out of a double hip replacement'. He then told personal trainer Michelle Bridges that she danced like she had 'two wooden legs' and that model Jett Kenny looked 'stiff... and not in a good way'. Horwood said in a Channel Ten statement before the show aired: 'I will be watching every move, there is no hiding bad technique or poor posture on my watch. 'I expect nothing less than perfection. And while these celebrities might be famous in their own right, the dance floor is my domain so they better be ready to rumba.' Dancing With The Stars returns to Ten on Monday from 7.30pm Emotions are set to run high on EastEnders as the residents of Walford gather to bid farewell to the beloved Dr Harold Legg. The character, who was played by Leonard Fenton, passed away in a heartbreaking scene earlier this month while in the company of his longtime friend Dot Cotton (June Brown). Dr Legg first appeared in Albert Square in 1985 as one of the soap's original characters so it was no surprise the people of Walford were out in force to pay their respects. Goodbye: Emotions are set to run high on EastEnders as the residents of Walford gather to bid farewell to the beloved Dr Harold Legg (Leonard Fenton) In stills released of Tuesday's episode, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean), Martin Fowler (James Bye) and Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) all watch on as the pallbearers move Dr Legg's casket. On the day of the funeral, Dot is not well enough to attend after staying up all night. At the funeral, Sonia delivers a touching eulogy before the group heads to The Vic to raise a glass for their departed friend. Viewers watched on recently as Dr Legg shared his last moments with Dot. Funeral: The character, who was played by Leonard Fenton, passed away in a heartbreaking scene earlier this month Dot realised the end was in sight for Dr Legg when he was brought back to the square and she saw the frail state he was in. Hoping to make him think back on his younger days, Dot played him a DVD documentary of The Battle of Cable Street, a protest in London's East End in 1936 that he was said to have been involved in. Sharing touching moments as Harold drifted away, the doctor held his father's pendant in his hand before his grip loosened and he passed away. Dot Cotton (June Brown) realised the end was in sight for Dr Legg when he was brought back to the square and she saw the frail state he was in One of the show's original characters, Leonard portrayed the medical doctor in regular and recurring roles up until 1997, before appearing in short cameos in the early 2000s. Gushing over his surprising return, the star said: 'I am very happy to be back at EastEnders and am looking forward to working with June and the rest of the cast and crew again.' He briefly returned to the show for the funerals of Ethel Skinner and Mark Fowler in 2000 and 2004. On working with Leonard again when he rejoined the show last year, June, 91, said: 'It's been eleven years since Dot last visited her favourite doctor, Doctor Legg, and it's an utter delight to be working with Leonard Fenton again.' EastEnders airs on Tuesday on BBC One. Her bizarre behaviour on Married At First Sight has caused many to question her authenticity. And on Tuesday, Lauren Huntriss said she confronted her co-star Ines Basic and asked her straight out whether she's a paid actress. Speaking during an interview on KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie 'O' Show, the 32-year-old old makeup artist explained: 'I said to Ines when we were off set, I said ''Ines look me dead in my eyes right now and tell me you're not a paid actress".' 'This is just who you are?': MAFS' Lauren Huntriss (L) said she confronted Ines Basic (R) and asked her whether she's a paid actress Lauren said to her surprise Ines denied the rumours. 'She's like: ''Why does everyone think I'm a paid actress, do you really think I would be this stressed out and have lost this much weight if I was a paid actress, no!''' Radio hosts Beau Ryan and Jackie 'O' Henderson then asked Lauren how Ines is doing now after being painted poorly on the show. 'I said to Ines when we were off set, I said: ''Ines look me dead in my eyes right now and tell me you're not a paid actress,"' Lauren made the admission during an interview on The Kyle & Jackie O Show on Tuesday 'You've got a feel for the girl': Lauren also revealed that Ines is not doing so great as she continues to receive backlash from fans On Monday, it was reported that the controversial bride had been living like a recluse and has dropped 12kg from her frame. 'There's no good side to her... but you've got a feel for the girl, she obviously suffers some real mental health issues,' Lauren said. 'There must be a reason she behaves the way she behaves. You have to look at that, you have to step back as a human and think why is she behaving this way.' Fill-in host Beau Ryan suggested that 'surely there is a good side to her' and 'a lot that the viewers didn't see'. And when co-host Jackie said she had read reports Ines has been hiding in her apartment in Brisbane, Lauren admitted, 'I have seen photos, she looks like she has lost a lot of weight.' Clandestine meeting: Meanwhile during Monday night's episode of Married At First Sight, Ines and Sam Ball appeared to consummate their TV 'affair' 'I obviously know what Ines' intentions are. I'd love to facilitate those intentions': Sam was seen with Ines on his bed Meanwhile during Monday night's episode of Married At First Sight, Ines and Sam Ball appeared to consummate their TV 'affair'. The pair took things to the next level as they met up for secret drinks before they returned to a hotel room and kissed passionately on a bed. Sam stated in a piece-to-camera: 'I obviously know what Ines' intentions are. I'd love to facilitate those intentions!' Did they consummate their affair? The pair sat on the bed drinking more wine, before kissing again The camera then cut to black, suggesting that the couple then became even more intimate. While Elizabeth has been oblivious to the couple's unfolding shenanigans - it seems she may catch them in bed on the morning after their tryst. In the sneak peek at the next episode, the blonde is seen arriving at the Gold Coast hotel unannounced, before opening the door to Sam's suite. Married At First Sight returns Tuesday 7:30PM on Channel Nine Michelle Keegan reportedly threatened to pull out of BBC drama Our Girl filming after a crew member 'nearly died' from a spider bite. And a BBC spokesman has confirmed a crew member has completely recovered after being bitten by the deadly spider, in an incident which left lead star Michelle Keegan terrified. A BBC spokesman told Mail Online: 'BBC Studios' first priority is always the health and safety of cast and crew on set. The crew member has fully recovered following treatment both on set and in hospital and has since returned to work.' Scroll down for video Scary:A BBC spokesman has confirmed a crew member has completely recovered after being bitten by the deadly spider, in an incident which left lead star Michelle Keegan terrified Terrified: The 29-year-old actress was allegedly left terrified after script expert Andrea Bamford was 'left 15 minutes from death' when she was bitten while filming in the Malaysian jungle The 29-year-old actress was allegedly terrified after script expert Andrea Bamford was 'left 15 minutes from death' when she was bitten while filming in the Malaysian jungle. An eyewitness told the Sunday Mirror that Andrea lost all colour in her face and was unable to walk after being bitten. They said a crew member who was ex-military got her to hospital in the nick of time. The source said the incident had left Michelle, who plays Georgie Lane, fearful, saying: 'Everyone, including Michelle, is completely shocked and feels like they are in danger. 'Bosses had to assure them that it is fine to continue filming.' Shock: An eyewitness told the Sunday Mirror that Andrea lost all colour in her face and was unable to walk after being bitten' Fear: The source said the incident had left Michelle, who plays Georgie Lane, fearful, saying: 'Everyone, including Michelle, is completely shocked and feels like they are in danger. 'Bosses had to assure them that it is fine to continue filming' It was reported that two weeks earlier the crew had filmed in an area with no phone signal The source added: 'What would have happened then? It would have been awful.' Malaysia has a whopping 425 types of spider, including the venomous brown widow spider. Qantas has been named as the airline offering the best on-board wines in first and business class overall. The Australian flag carrier scooped six accolades at the annual Cellars in the Sky Awards, which included the coveted title of best overall wine list for 2018. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific was runner-up while third place was shared by Qatar Airways and All Nippon Airways. American Airlines claimed a 'highly commended' for its overall cellar and British Airways scooped the award for having the best business class wine list. Qantas scooped six accolades at the annual Cellars in the Sky Awards, which included the coveted title of having the best overall wine list for 2018 British Airways scooped the award for having the best business class wine list. Pictured is a BA Club Europe cabin Sajida Ismail, British Airways' Head of Inflight Product, said: 'We pride ourselves on providing our customers with high quality wines and champagnes, so we are delighted to have won the Gold medal for the Best Business Class Cellar.' The Cellars in the Sky Awards are organised by Business Traveller and 33 airlines entered their premium offering wines for testing. In December, four independent judges spent two days blind taste testing and scoring the wines at London's Grosvenor Hotel. They then decided on winners for 14 categories that included awards for reds, whites, sparkling wines and fortified wines. As well as scooping the award for best wine cellar, Qantas also took top spots in categories including best first class white, best first class sparkling, best first class cellar, best presented first class wine list and best business class fortified/dessert wine. Cathay Pacific won two awards for best first class sparkling (shared with Qantas and Air France), and best business class red. The best first class red category was won by Malaysia Airlines and best first class fortified/dessert wine went to All Nippon Airlines. For the The Cellars in the Sky Awards, 33 airlines entered their premium offering wines in business and first for testing The award for best business class sparkling wine was won by Qatar Airways. The best business class white category was won by JetBlue, a US low-cost airline. The Cellars in the Sky Awards is now in its 33rd year, having been running since 1985. Advertisement The stunning landscapes of the UK's National Parks have been captured in a series beautiful images. The incredible pictures were taken for a contest marking 70 years since the creation of the Campaign for National Parks. National Parks were designated by an Act of Parliament in 1949, and places that have National Park status include the Peak District, Brecon Beacons and Loch Lomond. Almost 1,500 pictures were submitted to the competition by people via social media, sharing moments when they were out exploring the heritage sites, wildlife and landscapes of the UK's 15 National Parks. Judges shortlisted pictures from a variety of places, including an owl flying over heather in the Pembrokeshire Coast and mushrooms growing in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. The winning shot, from graphic designer Kieran Metcalfe, depicts a Tolkien-esque landscape in the Peak District National Park. Carl Lis, chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, speaking on behalf of the UK National Parks said: 'It has been a fantastic month seeing all the stunning images that people have taken capturing all sorts of special moments in National Parks from birds in flight and riders on the beach, to the Milky Way at night and happy family times.' Scroll down to see Britain looking more beautiful than ever... The winning image of the contest, taken by Kieran Metcalfe in the Peak District National Park. The shot was taken in November 2018 on a very windy morning on Chrome Hill, looking towards the iconic ridge of Parkhouse Hill. Kieran said: 'There was a lot of very low cloud around and it didn't look like there was going to be much of a sunrise. However, just after the sun got over the horizon, the cloud started to break and we got a few moments with shafts of light through the murk' Gareth Mon's image of the Milky Way across Snowdonia National Park was named runner-up. Gareth said: 'The Milky Way photo you see here was a mammoth effort. After four failed attempts of lugging 35kg worth of camera gear and cooking equipment to get to the top of Snowdon and having clouds hamper my efforts, thick fog appears from nowhere, literally making it impossible to navigate for nearly five hours - real scary times' One of the stunning shortlisted images was this shot captured by Helen Storer in the Broads National Park. Helen said: 'I was out early one very cold misty morning walking with my dog when I heard in the silence of the mist lots of what sounded like splashing in the water. I silently stood still, holding my breath, knowing that something special was coming towards me. After what felt like eternity, there they were! Hundreds of birds were now darting down into the rippled water or taking flight' Chloe Swift captured this shortlisted image of her two sons, seven and four, enjoying their picnic in Dartmoor National Park. She said: 'We love getting outside as much as possible so Dartmoor is one of our go-to places since we're lucky enough that it's literally on the doorstep. One of our family resolutions this new year was to climb as many tors as we can - this photo was taken on Leather Tor' Photographer Steve Burnett shot this incredible image of an owl swooping down among the flowers in Pembrokeshire National Park. He said: 'I spent a good portion of a day hunkered down in a quiet corner of Skomer Island hoping to see a short-eared owl. Thankfully I was rewarded and, even more thankfully, my camera managed to catch this one frame in sharp focus as the owl flew over my head' Keen photographer Shaun Davey captured this shortlisted image of sheep grazing next to a farm in Exmoor National Park. Shaun said: 'The sheep are grazing near "Gillhams" on the map. This piece of land always gets the first light of the sun in winter and this picks out the grazing livestock beautifully - it is always so vivid and green in the early sunlight' Keen visitor to the New Forest National Park, Gillian Thomas, captured this shortlisted image. She said: 'I took this shot during the autumn of last year in Rhinefield. I loved the way the sun was shining through the trees, showing up the golden colours of autumn. It was a special moment, just taking in the view and enjoying the peace and quiet' Thomas Bown had been so cold he thought about leaving the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and going home until he saw a lady horse-riding on the beach. Of his shortlisted image, he said: 'The blue sky above made the sea a great colour and the dramatic clouds in the background were a blessing. The picture is looking towards the Southern arm of St Brides Bay with Skomer Island offshore' This snowy image was shot by photographer Jon Roberts in the Cairngorms National Park. He said: 'I found this mountain hare sheltering behind wind sculpted snow near Cairn Lochan on the wonderful Cairngorm plateau. The name plateau is a little misleading, as this area contains some of the highest peaks in Britain and has climatic conditions similar to an Arctic tundra. It is a fragile environment though and full winter conditions are becoming less common as a result of global warming, which has an impact on the ecosystem' Advertisement A tiny South African beach restaurant called Wolfgat, where a seven-course tasting menu costs just 46 ($60), has been named the 'best in the world'. The gong was given out at the inaugural World Restaurant Awards in Paris on Monday night where a smorgasbord of categories were recognised, including best 'no reservations' restaurant, the eatery with the most eye-catching Instagram account and some tongue-in-cheek categories that send up industry cliches, including 'tattoo-free chef of the year' and 'tweezer-free kitchen of the year'. London's Noble Rot triumphed in the 'red-wine serving restaurant' category while uber-trendy Vespertine in Los Angeles took home the 'atmosphere of the year' award. Ballymaloe House in Cork won the 'trolley dolley' title for its exceptional tableside service and delicious cake trolley offering. A tiny South African beach restaurant called Wolfgat (pictured), where a seven-course tasting menu costs just 46 ($60), has been named the 'best in the world' Wolfgat opened just two years ago in a 130-year-old cottage and cave-like dwelling on a beach at Paternoster on the west coast of South Africa. It seats just 20 people at a sitting and it employs six members of staff who have no formal training. Above, an example of some of the dishes from the tasting menu Wolfgat opened just two years ago in a 130-year-old cottage and cave-like dwelling on a beach at Paternoster on the west coast of South Africa. It seats just 20 people at a sitting and it employs six members of staff who have no formal training. Head chef Kobus van der Merwe, 38, who did not begin to cook seriously until he was 30, forages every day for ingredients along the wild Atlantic shore of the Western Cape. He's also known for making his own bread and butter. Past dishes on his tasting menu have included twice-cooked laver (seaweed), angelfish with bokkom sambal and wild garlic masala, limpets, mussels and freshly-harvested sea vegetables. Uber-trendy Vespertine in Los Angeles took home the 'atmosphere of the year' award Dan Keeling from London's Noble Rot (pictured), where bottles of rouge fetch up to 4,500, said he was honoured for his historic Bloomsbury venue to be recognised The World Restaurant Awards judges said that it was Van der Merwe's belief in 'sustainable, back-to-basics cooking' that won them over. They also awarded the restaurant the best 'off-map destination' gong thanks to its dreamy beachside views and 'humble setting'. Commenting on his victory, chef Van der Merwe told AFP: 'I don't feel worthy. It's a big title. 'My staff who go out every day gathering herbs, succulents and dune spinach, should be here... It's their baby. 'I can't wait to celebrate with them with a big glass of South African sparkling wine.' Van der Merwe added that his win was 'a victory for the African continent and my beautiful, diverse country'. Dan Keeling from London's Noble Rot, where bottles of rouge fetch up to 4,500, said he was honoured for his historic Bloomsbury venue to be recognised. He said that he aimed to make the Parisian-styled bar 'a real drinkers' place, a real wine lovers' place', serving old vintages that are ready to drink, at good prices. Ballymaloe House in Cork won the 'trolley dolley' title for its exceptional tableside service and delicious cake trolley offering Other notable winners at the ceremony included Sao Paulo's lively Mocoto, which is named after the Brazilian cow's hoof stew it serves. The dining spot won in the 'no Reservations required' category (for places where it's possible to turn up without a booking) His colleague Mark Andrew added: 'The idea of the restaurant is to bring not just fantastic service, which is a given at the top end of our industry, but also great food, really interesting wine, exciting wine, and present it to people in a way which really adds to their experience and where they can really get involved.' Other notable winners at the ceremony included Sao Paulo's lively Mocoto, which is named after the Brazilian cow's hoof stew it serves. The dining spot won in the 'no Reservations required' category (for places where it's possible to turn up without a booking), while the 'house special' award went to Italy's rather ritzier Lido 84 - overlooking Lake Garda - which boils its 'cacio e pepe' pasta inside a pig's bladder. Just as ritzy is the top-end Paris eatery Le Clarence, which won the 'original thinking' prize for its 'envelope-pushing creativity and artistic expression'. The 'house special' award went to Italy's rather ritzy Lido 84 - overlooking Lake Garda - which boils its 'cacio e pepe' pasta inside a pig's bladder Ninety-eight-year-old La Mere Brazier in Lyon took home the 'enduring classic' award (a category created to recognise establishments that have thrived for at least 50 years) Another awardee was German-born Thomas Frebel, who formerly led Noma's research and development team. Frebel won the 'arrival of the year' prize for his new Tokyo venue, Inua, which has been hailed as 'Japan's most exciting' new restaurant Ninety-eight-year-old La Mere Brazier in Lyon, meanwhile, took home the 'enduring classic' award (a category created to recognise establishments that have thrived for at least 50 years) and Michelin-starred French chef Alain Ducasse scored the aforementioned 'tattoo-free chef' award. Another awardee was German-born Thomas Frebel, who formerly led Noma's research and development team. Frebel won the 'arrival of the year' prize for his new Tokyo venue, Inua, which has been hailed as 'Japan's most exciting' new restaurant. Flying the flag for Spain, Andoni Luis Aduriz - regarded as the country's most pioneering chef since El Bulli's Ferran Adria hung up his apron - won the 'forward drinking' prize for the 'stellar' and good value wine list at his San Sebastian eatery, Mugaritz. The 'event of the year' award followed the down-to-earth theme spearheaded by Wolfgat, with the gong going to the Refugee Food Festival, which began in France and has now spread to 18 cities worldwide. The top-end Paris eatery, Le Clarence, won the 'original thinking' prize for its 'envelope-pushing creativity and artistic expression' Flying the flag for Spain, Andoni Luis Aduriz - regarded as the country's most pioneering chef since El Bulli's Ferran Adria hung up his apron - won the 'forward drinking' prize for the 'stellar' and good value wine list at his San Sebastian eatery, Mugaritz. Above, one of the chef's culinary creations Meanwhile, maintaining the community spirit, Italian superchef Massimo Bottura and his wife Lara Gilmore took the 'ethical thinking' honour for the Food for the Soul community kitchens he helped set up to fight food waste and hunger. Commenting on The World Restaurant Awards results, the event's director, Cecile Rebbot, said: We are proud to have given a global stage to a diverse spectrum of incredibly deserving restaurants, teams, experiences and initiatives. 'We set out to create a truly international awards with a fresh approach, recognising the full breadth and depth of the industry, but this is only the beginning in terms of the restaurant experiences around the world that we want to explore and discover.' While 50 Best Restaurants is the better known annual award list within hospitality, it has been hit by allegations of lobbying and bias against French cuisine. The new awards claim to pride themselves on their 'diversity and integrity', with 50 men and 50 women on the judging panels. The winners were decided by restaurant journalists, influencers and culinary professionals from 37 different countries. Advertisement These photographs underscore the mesmerising power of travel photography. They are the shortlisted images in National Geographic Traveller (UK)'s Photography Competition 2019. Launched in 2011, the prestigious annual competition seeks the UK's best new travel photography talent across five categories: Cities, Nature, People, Food, and Portfolio. The overall winner will be sent on a photographic commission for National Geographic Traveller with this year's grand prize a wildlife photography adventure in Slovakia's Tatra Mountains, courtesy of Tatra Photography. Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveller (UK), said: 'At a time when we're surrounded by travel photography, this year's shortlist reminds us there's so much more to using a camera than 'point and shoot'. From documenting local customs and traditions to awe-inspiring landscapes and incredible wildlife, this year's entrants prove once again how powerful a medium travel photography can be.' The winners will be announced on 26 February at an evening event at Carousel, in London's Marylebone. The winning photos can also be seen in a photography feature in the April 2019 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK), on sale 7 March 2019, priced 4.60. Scroll down to see the cream of the competition's crop... Julia Wainwright took this stunning action shot of bald eagles in Alaska. Recounting the moment she took the shot, she said: 'Heavy snow fell one night during my visit to the city of Homer. As I lay in the snow to capture shots of bald eagles, two began squabbling, sending the fresh white powder flying.' This image is a finalist in the 'nature' category Simon Urwin took this photo of a shoe salesman taking a break and soaking his feet while travelling around Pengzhen town in the Sichuan province of China. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Claire Waring took this atmospheric image of a polar bear while travelling around Wrangel Island in Russia. Describing the area she said: 'The buildings at Doubtful Harbour are decaying slowly. The rangers who work here are tasked with protecting the wildlife in this federally protected nature sanctuary.' This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category This close-up shot of a gorilla was taken by Daniel Burton on the slopes of Mount Mikeno in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He explained: 'Some of the world's last mountain gorillas live on the slopes of Mount Mikeno. This is a female from the Humba family, a habituated group that lives near Virunga's Bukima station.' This image is a finalist in the 'nature' category Photographer Tse Yuk Wai said of this shot: 'Tropical storm Barijat was just passing over Hong Kong, bringing with it this crepuscular ray that brightened up a part of Kowloon.' This image is a finalist in the 'cities' category This close up shot of a polar bear navigating the ice was taken by Claire Waring on the frozen shores around Wrangel Island in Russia. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Sharon Kynaston said of this photo taken in Kyoto, Japan: 'This 17-year-old girl has been training to become a geisha for the past two years. Until she qualifies, she wears half-painted lips, signalling to her clientele that she's still learning.' This image is a finalist in the 'people' category Viewers get a peek inside one of the ranger cottages on Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean, courtesy of this image by Claire Waring. The room appears to be simply furnished, with a map of the island on the wall and a pair of binoculars for spotting wildlife. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Claire Waring took this close-up shot of a wooden door with rusting latches while travelling around Wrangel Island in Russia. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Mick Ryan photographed a local man in the streets of Marrakech (left), while Claire Waring captured some rusting window art while wandering around Wrangel Island in Russia (right). Both images are finalists in the 'portfolio' category Two diners sit side-by-side at a former Communist canteen serving free food to workers in the town of Pengzhen in China. The image (left) was taken by Simon Urwin and is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category. Meanwhile, Justin Cliffe's image of locals dyeing wool in a Marrakesh souk has been nominated in the 'people' category (right) A team of rangers stroll across a gravel beach on the shores of Wrangel Island in Russia's far east. The image was taken by Clare Waring. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Simon Urwin said of this photo taken in the Sichuan province of China: 'Local's come to the teahouse to smoke, gossip, have their fortunes told, and watch war movies on the TV.' This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Simon Urwin took a shot of original communist propaganda hanging on the wall of a building in the town of Pengzhen, China (left). He says the artwork 'features Chairman Mao's trademark beneficent smile'. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category. Meanwhile, Daviud Fargher's photo of octopus drying in Skiathos, Greece (right), is a finalist in the 'food' category Pablo Borrego took this colourful image while perusing the stalls around Kandy Central Market in Sri Lanka. Describing the scene the photographer said: 'Everything in a busy market feels magnified - all your senses are pushed to the limit - presenting an abundance of photographic opportunities.' This image is a finalist in the 'food' category Mick Ryan has been nominated in the 'portfolio' category for his fascinating shots showing life inside a Moroccan medina Alex Palmer said of this shot showing the daunting face of El Capitan in Yosemite, California: 'I took this image on a day off from climbing in Yosemite Valley. I spotted two climbers approaching El Cap Tower - it looked like they were lost in a sea of granite.' This image is a finalist in the 'nature' category A lanky-looking donkey stands waiting in the dusty streets of Marrakech, Morocco, in this shot by Mick Ryan. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Annapurna Mellor took this colourful photo of a taxi driver leaning against his yellow cab reading a newspaper before starting work while in Kolkata, India. This image is a finalist in the 'cities' category Mick Ryan took this photo of a donkey while exploring the narrow streets around Marrakesh in Morocco with his camera. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Mick Ryan took an image of a man and a performing bird while touring Marrakesh, Morocco (left), while Simon Urwin took a snap showing artefacts adorning a former opium den (right). Both images are finalists in the 'portfolio' category Claire Waring photographed the kitchen inside a ranger's hut on Wrangle Island in Russia. Kitchen supplies can be seen along with a simple kettle boiling. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Robert Huberman scaled the luxury Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore to take this image of its famed infinity pool. The photographer said of the sky-high bathing spot: 'It's an amazing place, offering breathtaking views of downtown, with people frolicking in the infinity pool in the foreground.' This image is a finalist in the 'cities' category Photographer Claire Waring took this shot of a puffin sitting on a striking rock formation on the shores of Wrangle Island in Russia (left), while Simon Urwin snapped pedestrians in the deep western suburbs of Chengdu in China (right). Both of these images are finalists in the 'portfolio' category A local man turns away from the camera in this portrait taken by Simon Urwin in the streets of Marrakech, Morocco (left), while another image Urwin took in the city shows a server in a local teahouse pouring water from a height to 'extract maximum flavour' (right). Both of these images are finalists in the 'portfolio' category Simon Urwin took this photo of Qingyuan Xu, a traditional medicine practitioner in his 'doctor's surgery', in the town of Pengzhen. Urwin explains: 'Qingyuan, 78, began studying traditional medicine at the age of eight under the tutelage of Master Liu, one of the physicians to Chiang Kai-shek, the former Chinese leader who was ousted by the Communists and forced to flee to Taiwan.' This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Marco Anfossi took this photo while walking around the town of Leh in the Ladakh region of India. He said of the shot: 'I was walking through the streets of Leh - a town in the Indian region of Ladakh - when I saw two workers at this bakery, churning out bread from an oven. It felt like an authentic moment in the life of the town.' This image is a finalist in the 'food' category Claire Waring took this photo while she journeyed across Wrangel Island in Russia. She says the buildings in some parts are decaying slowly, with the wooden structures succumbing to the harsh Arctic weather. This image is a finalist in the 'portfolio' category Mikael Molander took this striking shot while in Kampala, Uganda. Explaining how he captured the image, he said: 'During summer, I visited a village in the Kampala District. I don't know the name of the boy who curiously looked through a hole in the door at me, but suddenly he was there, his eye perfectly framed by the wooden structure'. This image is a finalist in the 'people' category Saido Berahino was arrested on suspicion of drink driving in the early hours of Monday morning after allegedly fleeing an attack from a gang who stole his watch. Police were called to an incident outside VQ, a popular 24-hour restaurant and bar in Bloomsbury, London, at 3am and witnessed Berahino racing off. The Sun say that the Stoke striker, 25, has claimed he was attempting to get away from the gang when police stopped him. Saido Berahino was arrested on suspicion of drink driving at around 3am on Monday morning The Stoke striker was stopped by police after allegedly trying to flee an attack from a gang Berahino, who was banned from driving for 12 months in 2015 after a drink driving offence, was arrested and taken into custody. Stoke, who grew exasperated with some of Berahino's behaviour last season, have taken a very dim view of this latest incident and will fine him two weeks' wages, worth around 80,000. A witness told The Sun that he had seen Berahino eating in VQ with friends. He also claimed that the former West Brom star looked like he had been 'out partying'. He said: 'He had been in the restaurant getting food with a man and two women, he was maybe there for an hour. 'VQ is open 24 hours, it is the kind of place you go after a night out. The incident occurred outside of 24-hour restaurant and bar, VQ, in Bloomsbury, London Berahino was arrested after police witnessed him driving away from an incident at speed 'I saw him leave the restaurant and then all of a sudden there was shouting and yelling and stuff by the doorway. 'He was scuffling with some boys, I think they had just got out a car. It was all of a sudden and because we were inside we couldn't really see what it was all about.' The same witness claims Berhaino climbed into a Black Range Rover and drove off, only to be stopped by police around the corner. A statement from police said: 'On Monday, 18 February at around 03:00 hours police were called to a disturbance in Great Russell Street, WC1. The ex-England U21 star has made 26 appearances in all competitions for Stoke this season 'When officers arrived on scene a car was seen to drive away at speed. 'The car was stopped by police in Bedford Square and a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drink drive.' After being arrested, Berahino is alleged to have told police that a gang stole his watch and surrounded his car in attempt to take his keys and steal it. The former England star is said to have claimed that he was fleeing the attack when he was stopped. Soon, your boss may want to keep an eye on you in more ways than just whether or not you're at your desk. A growing number of employers are urging their staff to wear company-provided fitness trackers with the incentive that they'll receive quarterly payouts for reaching step goals, in addition to other rewards like insurance reimbursements. In exchange, bosses are supplied with detailed data on their employees, ranging from their daily steps, hours spent sitting down, heart rate and sleep quality, according to the Washington Post. Scroll down for video A growing number of employers are urging their staff to wear company-provided fitness trackers with the incentive that they'll receive quarterly payouts for reaching step goals, in addition to other rewards like insurance reimbursements The practice has raised privacy concerns among many, while creating a totally new level of interaction between workers and their employers. 'The more that employers know about their employees' lives, especially outside the workplace, off-duty hours, the more potential control or effects they have on their lives in the first place,' Lee Tien with consumer privacy advocate the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told the Post. 'It's quite possible there will be effects on whether you are retained, promoted, demoted - who is first to be laid off.' The trackers are provided to staff either at no cost or via a small fee through their company's insurance provider. Only employees who voluntarily opt-in take part in the program. The device tracks their fitness activity and then sends this data to an app on their boss' phone. When staffers agree to wear a tracker, bosses receive detailed data on their employees, ranging from their daily steps, hours spent sitting down, heart rate and sleep quality Many employers say they began offering the trackers to get employees to stay fit and save on health-care costs, but it's not yet clear whether this approach makes an impact, the Post explained. Some bosses push their employees more than others, with some staffers reportedly getting calls from their superior congratulating them on reaching step goals. ARE COMPANIES INSTALLING CHIPS IN THEIR EMPLOYEES? A Wisconsin technology firm has held a 'chip party' to install microchips in the hands of its employees. The chips, no larger than a small grain of rice, allow workers at Three Square Market, also known as 32M, to open doors, log onto computers and buy breakroom snacks. Each chip has been implanted between the thumb and forefinger underneath the skin. The firm said 41 of its 85 employees agreed to be microchipped during a chip party at company headquarters in River Falls on Tuesday. Officials said the data in the microchip is encrypted and does not use GPS, so it cannot be used to track employees or obtain private information. Devicemakers like Fitbit even added a call service to remind employees of their health targets. 'Sustained behavior change is really the focus,' Adam Pellegrini, senior vice president of Fitbit Health Solutions, told the Post. 'Through the system, we can actually see who is not hitting their goals, who is not adhering to that action plan.' Approximately 20 percent of employers who provide health insurance said they collected data from wearable devices in 2018, which is a marked increase from the 14 percent who did the year prior. This data is often not only shared with bosses, but also the devicemaker, health insurance companies and other parties, the Post said. Because it's voluntarily shared with these people, the data isn't protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a law that protects health records from public disclosure. For this reason, employees should carefully consider before volunteering to wear a company-provided fitness tracker. 'The Fitbit or Apple Watch applications...may yield clues to things about you that you are not even aware of, or not ready for other people to know,' Tien told the Post. 'Individuals and consumers who are buying these devices dont understand that is a potential consequence.' Apple seems to be joining the race to develop a folding phone. The tech giant has filed a new patent showing off what appears to be a folding iPhone. In the patent, a device can be seen folding closed, similar to a flip phone, via a hinge in the middle. Scroll down for video Apple has filed a patent for a phone with a bendable screen. LetsGoDigital used the patent sketches to create 3D concept images of what Apple's folding phone could possibly look like Gadget site LetsGoDigital used the patent sketches to create 3D concept images of what Apple's folding phone could possibly look like. When the device is folded, it becomes smaller and more portable. The screen can then be folded open to reveal a device with a screen that's slightly longer than normal. Another diagram shows that the screen can be folded backwards so that it wraps around. In this form factor, the screen is shown in a triangle position, where presumably people seated on either side of the display could view the same content simultaneously. Apple has filed a new patent showing off what appears to be a folding phone. In the patent, a device can be seen folding closed, similar to a flip phone, via a hinge in the middle In one form factor, the screen is shown in a triangle position, where presumably people seated on either side of the display could view the same content simultaneously As many pointed out, these designs are unlikely to be restricted to just an iPhone. They could also be applied to an iPad, MacBook or even an Apple Watch. Beyond the sketches, the patent provides few details around how the device would actually work. The patent notes that such a device would use a flexible organic LED display. 'Flexible displays may be mounted onto [case] overlapping the hinges,' the patent states. 'When the housing portions in a device are rotated relative to each other, the flexible display may bend. 'The hinge may be configured to allow the flexible display to be placed in a front-to-front configuration in which an active side of the display faces itself or a back-to-back configuration.' As many pointed out, these designs are unlikely to be restricted to just an iPhone. They could also be applied to an iPad, MacBook or even an Apple Watch. Pictured are 3D renders The patent, titled 'Flexible Display Devices,' was filed on October 12th, 2018, but was just made public late last week. As with any patent, it's unclear whether Apple actually plans to develop this device and the design could change. It comes as just about every major devicemaker has detailed plans to manufacture a folding phone of some kind. Samsung is slated to release its own folding phone, called the Galaxy Fold, tomorrow. The Korean tech giant first teased the device last year, showing off a secretive phone that folds open to become a tablet and, when folded closed, is compact. Chinese tech firms TCL, ZTE and Xiaomi have either debuted or have detailed plans to release a folding phone. Advertisement Stargazers this evening are set to be treated to a stunning 'super snow moon'. The name is by the affectionate moniker because it often appears along with heavy snowfall around this time of year, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The lunar marvel is an ongoing event that is expected to be the largest and brightest full moon of 2019 due to the almost exact overlap of the moon's perigee - its closest point to Earth - and when it is at its fullest in the 28-day lunar cycle. The point of true perigee is only six hours away from perfectly coinciding with the fullest version of the moon, meaning it appears up to 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than normal. It will be viewable whenever the moon rises in an area. For London that was 5.22pm GMT, New York will see the moon at 5.46pm ET and Australia will see the spectacle at 7.39pm in Sydney (local time) and 8.11pm in Melbourne. It was officially full at 10.53am ET (3.53pm GMT), but the sun was above the horizon for most, meaning the fleeting moment was missed. Astronomy fans hoping to catch the moon at its most impressive should be looking to the skies as soon as the sun sets for the most impressive views. According to the lunar calendar, Australians will be able to see the supermoon early tomorrow morning. Scroll down for video The moon rises over the Parthenon on the ancient Acropolis Hill in Athens, Greece. The supermoon will last all evening for viewers with clear skies around the world The full moon rises behind a steeple with crosses of an Orthodox church in Minsk, Belarus. The phenomenon of 'supermoon' occurs when the moon is at its closest point to the earth making it appear larger than usual The full Moon shining over the Moscow Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower. The best time to view the larger than normal moon was shortly after moonrise The full Moon shining over Moscow's Kremlin. It's the second of three supermoons to light up the skies this year, following the Super Blood Wolf Moon that took place on January 21 and preceding yet another on March 21 WHEN WILL THE SUPER SNOW MOON BE VISIBLE? London - 5.22pm GMT New York - 5.46pm ET Sydney - 7.39pm local time Melbourne - 8.11pm in Melbourne. Brisbane - 6.21 pm Adelaide - 8.03 pm Hobart - 8.12 pm Darwin - 7.04 pm Perth - 7.02 pm 'The February 2019 supermoon is special because it will be the largest full moon gracing our night skies until 2026,' said Emily Drabek-Maunder, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich. 'This is because the moment the Moon is at its fullest phase is closer to the time the Moon is at perigee. Tonight, the Moon may seem brighter and will be up to 14 per cent larger than when the Moon is at apogee, or furthest away from Earth in its orbit. 'You'll be able to see the Moon over the entire night from London if the skies remain clear. 'The moon will begin its rise in the east around sunset at 5.22pm GMT, be at its highest point towards south around midnight, and then will make its descent in the west around sunrise at 7.05am GMT.' The supermoon will rise at 7.39pm in Sydney (local time), 6.21pm in Brisbane, 8.11pm in Melbourne, 8.03pm in Adelaide, 8.12pm in Hobart, 7.04pm in Darwin and 7.02pm in Perth. The moon will rise at 5.46pm ET for people in the US and is scheduled to set at 7.35am ET on February 20, as per the US Naval Observatory. 'Anyone with a view of the east will be able to see the supermoon from the time the sun goes down until the sun rises the following morning,' Sydney Observatory astronomer Brenan Dew told Daily Mail Australia. 'We've got our fingers crossed for good weather, as it plays a part through cloud cover. But the main thing is to have a good vantage point, such as Observatory Hill in Sydney.' It's the second of three supermoons to light up the skies this year, following the Super Blood Wolf Moon that took place on January 21 and preceding yet another on March 21. The spectacular lunar display is known as the 'snow moon' because it often appears along with heavy snowfall around this time of year, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The moon will be 221,734 miles from Earth, as per EarthSky,when it is as perigee - the closest point to Earth in its orbit. Those looking to photograph the phenomenon will be best served shortly after moonrise - when the moon is close to the horizon and remnant light from the sun remains to illuminate the foreground. A supermoon is a phenomena that occurs when the moon's orbit is closest to Earth making it appear full, bright, and larger than life. 'When a full moon appears at perigee [its closest point to Earth] it is slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moonand that's where we get a 'supermoon,'' NASA explains on their website. It'll appear especially large just as it rises above the horizon thanks to 'moon illusion' where the brain thinks the moon is bigger than it really is given its location. Although this moon is closer to earth than the last, it will not be as colorful as the 'Super Blood Wolf Moon' eclipse that wowed the skies in January. A plane flies past a full moon in Nuremberg, Germany. The supermoon is observable around the world all evening A super snow moon rises as people visit the Areios Pagos hill at the archaeological site of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece A man rides a snowboard at Abali ski resort of Gevas district as Supermoon is seen over Turkey. Supermoon is a full moon that almost coincides with the closest distance that the Moon reaches to Earth in its elliptic orbit, resulting in a larger-than-usual visible size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth A plane flies in the sky in front of the largest Supermoon of 2019 in London, England. Today's Supermoon, sometimes known as the Super Snow Moon is the second supermoon of the year A Super Snow Moon sets behind The Statue Of Liberty shorty after sunrise. The super snow moon is the second of three supermoon events in the first three months of the year -- a packed lunar calendar for 2019, which marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 Supermoon is seen behind a minaret in Turkey's Van on February 19, 2019. Supermoon is a full moon that almost coincides with the closest distance that the Moon reaches to Earth in its elliptic orbit, resulting in a larger-than-usual visible size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth The Supermoon is seen over Turkey's Istanbul today. However, the moon will rise at 5.46pm ET for people in the US and is scheduled to set at 7.35am ET on February 20, as per the US Naval Observatory The super snow moon can be seen rising above central London. It was officially full at 10.53am ET (3.53pm GMT), but the sun was above the horizon for most, meaning the fleeting moment was missed Europe was a desolate region for Stone Age humanity if a new study is to be believed - as its researchers claim only 1,500 humans lived on the continent. While it is known humans arrived in the region 43,000 years ago, until now there has been no official estimation of just how many people settled. Now teams from the University of Cologne - studying archaeological evidence from a period of European prehistory called the Aurignacian, between 42,000 and 33,000 years ago - have said it could be as little as 1,500. Their conclusions are based on the belief that only 13 regions had human life split into approximately 35 different groups of people containing 42 individuals each. Scroll down for video Europe was a desolate region for Stone Age life as a study find there were only 1,500 human beings throughout the continent. People only arrived in the region 43,00 years ago and spread rapidly across the continent but it remains unknown how many people were present (file photo) Isabell Schmidt and Andreas Zimmermann at the University of Cologne conducted the research, published in PLOS ONE. Looking at a stretch of Europe from northern Spain in the west to Poland in the east, the researchers based their research on the location of the approximately 400 Aurignacian sites across this area. From plotting their size and proximity to each other they guessed that just 13 of the 400 were inhabited. They did this by studying archaeological finds in the area and working on assumptions about how the areas would have interacted for example, how stone materials would have been transported to make tools at these sites. They say from the way the sites group together, the 13 regions were home to no more than about 35 different hunter-gatherer groups with around 42 people in each. Scientific estimates based on a range of assumptions claim very few people were present in Europe for 10,000 years. Dr Schmidt said: 'It is really a small number. But Aurignacian hunter-gatherers developed successful strategies to survive.' Scientific estimates based on a range of assumptions claim only 1,500 were present during the Aurignacian, between 42,000 and 33,000 years ago. Researchers acknowledge the strikingly few people in the world during this time but say it is 'incredibly difficult' to predict populations for this period of human history (file photo) Jennifer French at University College London told New Scientist: 'Generating absolute population estimates for this period is incredibly difficult. 'We are working with a limited range of low-resolution data and are forced at each stage to rely on multiple, justifiable, but often largely untested, assumptions.' Scientific estimates based on a range of assumptions claim only 1,500 were present during the Aurignacian, between 42,000 and 33,000 years ago. Researchers acknowledge the strikingly few people in the world during this time but say it is 'incredibly difficult' to predict populations for this period of human history (file photo) In spite of the difficulties and the bold claims made by the research, Dr French says there is merit to the study. She adds: 'There is some precedent in previous studies for generally low Aurignacian population estimates. 'Findings like this are a stark reminder of the dramatic differences between life in modern Europe and in the Europe of the Stone Age. 'We need to be much better at 'thinking small', so to speak.' NASA has put together a team of scientists to track down alien life on other planets. The newly-formed Center for Life Detection Science (CLDS) will tackle the question, 'Are we alone?' and NASA claims science may soon provide a definitive answer. Experts from within NASA will work alongside people outside the space agency to track down any signs of extraterrestrial existence. Scroll down for video The newly-formed Center for Life Detection Science (CLDS) will tackle the question, 'Are we alone?' and NASA claims science may soon provide a definitive answer. Experts from within NASA will work alongside people outside the space agency to track down any signs of extraterrestrial existence (stock) Tori Hoehler, the principle investigator of CLDS and a researcher at Nasa's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, said: 'We now have the scientific and engineering expertise to address this profound question with the clarity of scientific evidence and we have a great community of scientists ready for that grand challenge. 'The search for life beyond Earth cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. 'To give ourselves the best shot at success, we need to develop tools and strategies that are tailored to detecting life in the unique conditions of other worlds, which are very different not only from Earth but also from each other.' NASA's finest minds will work alongside scholars from Georgetown University and Georgia Tech. Sarah Stewart Johnson of Georgetown University defines the goal of her team as trying to recognise life 'as we don't know it.' This will lay the groundwork for detecting biosignatures of lifeforms that could be very different than those found on Earth. Principal investigator Britney Schmidt of Georgia Tech will investigate the possibilities of past or present life in the oceans of the icy, outer moons of our solar system, or on ancient Mars. NASA's finest minds will work alongside scholars from Georgetown University and Georgia Tech University to find signs of alien life (stock) These founding members will be joined by teams of more researchers as the programme matures. Life on exoplanets is the primary goal of NASA's SETI project. Scientists have launched an online portal to keep track of the reams of data created by the ongoing search for alien life on distant planets. TechnoSearch is a website and online portal to help researchers access data from SETI - the project operated by NASA with the goal of finding aliens. Jill Tarter, a co-founder of the institute, spearheaded the project which has collated data from as far back as 1960 and continues to add the latest findings. The tool also allows users to submit their own searches and keep the database up to edge. A map of the night sky charting hundreds of thousands of previously unknown galaxies has been revealed. It was taken using a telescope that can detect faint light sources most optical instruments are unable to see. The international team behind the unprecedented space survey said their discovery literally shed new light on some of the Universe's deepest secrets, including the physics of black holes and how clusters of galaxies evolve. Scroll down for video A map of the night sky charting hundreds of thousands of previously unknown galaxies has been found. Scientists used a LOFAR telescope in the Netherlands to pick up traces or 'jets' of ancient radiation produced when galaxies merge. Jets can extend over millions of light years WHAT IS THE LOFAR TELESCOPE NETWORK? The Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope is used to pick up traces, or 'jets,' of ancient radiation produced when galaxies merge. These jets, previously undetected, can extend over millions of light years. The hope is that LOFAR telescopes can help them to reveal how the universe evolved. Scientists first launched the LOFAR telescopes in 2010 in Hampshire, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden and Poland. The antennae installed across Europe work at the lowest FM frequencies accessible from Earth and are connected using sophisticated computing and high-speed internet. 'This is a new window on the universe,' Cyril Tasse, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory who was involved in the project, told AFP. 'When we saw the first images we were like: 'What is this?!' It didn't look anything at all like what we are used to seeing.' More than 200 astronomers from 18 countries were involved in the study, which used radio astronomy to look at the sky over a quarter of the northern hemisphere, and found 300,000 previously unseen light sources thought to be distant galaxies. Radio astronomy allows scientists to detect radiation produced when massive celestial objects interact. The team used the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope in the Netherlands to pick up traces - or 'jets' - of ancient radiation produced when galaxies merge. These jets, previously undetected, can extend over millions of light years. 'With radio observations we can detect radiation from the tenuous medium that exists between galaxies,' said Amanda Wilber, of the University of Hamburg. 'LOFAR allows us to detect many more of these sources and understand what is powering them.' The paper, which was published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, is only one-half of the sky survey, having surveyed just two percent of the sky, so the astronomers intend to release more data over time. The discovery of the new light sources may also help scientists better understand the behaviour of one of space's most enigmatic phenomena. Black holes - which have a gravitational pull so strong that no matter can escape them - emit radiation when they engulf other high-mass objects such as stars and gas clouds. Tasse said the new observation technique would allow astronomers to compare black holes over time to see how they form and develop. 'If you look at an active black hole, the jets (of radiation) disappear after millions of years, and you won't see them at a higher frequency (of light),' he said. Pictured is galaxy cluster Abell 1314 in the constellation Ursa Major, located approximately 460 million light years away. The LOFAR telescope picks up radio emissions from high-speed cosmic electrons, shown here in red, that are produced by collisions with other galaxy clusters Pictured is a view of the universe through a LOFAR radio telescope. In greyscale, it shows a piece of the sky as if it were being seen in visible light. The orange hues represent radiation 'But at a lower frequency they continue to emit these jets for hundreds of millions of years, so we can see far older electrons.' Huub Rottgering, a professor at Netherland's Leiden University, added that the scientists hope to use LOFAR to answer the 'fascinating' question of: 'Where do those black holes come from?' The Hubble telescope has produced images that lead scientists to believe there are more than 100 billion galaxies in the Universe, although many are too old and distant to be observed using traditional detection techniques. The map created by the LOFAR observations, part of which was published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, contains data equivalent to ten million DVDs yet charts just two percent of the sky. The LOFAR telescope (pictured) is made up of a network of radio antenna across seven countries, forming the equivalent of a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) diameter satellite dish 'We have been working together with SURF in the Netherlands to efficiently transform the massive amounts of data into high-quality images,' said Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) researcher Timothy Shimwell. 'These images are now public and will allow astronomers to study the evolution of galaxies in unprecedented detail.' The LOFAR telescope is made up of a Europe-wide network of radio antenna across seven countries, forming the equivalent of a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) diameter satellite dish. The team plans to create high-resolution images of the entire northern sky, which they say will reveal as many as 15 million as-yet undetected radio sources. 'The oldest objects in the Universe are around 11-12 billion light years old,' said Tasse. 'So we are going to see lots more of these objects.' Just like the rest of us, even the world's greatest genius need a nudge in the right direction sometimes, as a new discovery about Albert Einstein has revealed. A newly discovered letter from the University of Edinburgh shows that Einstein's Theory of Relativity was inspired by 18th century Scottish philosopher, David Hume. The letter from the German physicist describes his avid reading of David Hume's 'A Treatise of Human Nature', just before proposing his own theory of special relativity in 1905. The physicists even admits in the letter that it is 'very possible' that he may not have achieved his theory of relativity were it not for Hume's questions. The iconic theory of relativity developed by Albert Einstein (pictured) is one of the central pillars of modern science, but the latest letter discovered at the University of Edinburgh suggests a Scottish philosopher born over a century before helped him Hume was a famous philosopher, historian and economist was known for his ideas of naturalism and scepticism. His book 'A Treatise of Human Nature', was first published in 1738, sixty-one-years before the birth of Einstein, and in it he questions the idea of time and space being related in the context of science. Hume writes: 'The chief objection against all abstract reasoning is derived from the ideas of Space and Time. Ideas in everyday life may appear clear and intelligible, but when they pass through the scrutiny of the profound Sciences... they seem full of absurdity and contradiction.' Hume was a famous philosopher, historian and economist was known for his ideas of naturalism and scepticism. His book 'A Treatise of Human Nature', was first published in 1738, sixty-one-years before the birth of Einstein, and in it he questions the idea of time and space being related in the context of science Einstein's famous theory of relativity was groundbreaking for proposing that time and space are not constant. The latest letter penned by the physicist in December 1915 says that were it not for Hume's questioning of time and space as constant, it is 'very possible' he may not have come up with the theory of relativity. Einstein's famous theory of relativity was groundbreaking for proposing just that: time and space are not constant. The latest find was penned by the physicist in December 1915 and addressed to physics Professor Moritz Schlick at the University of Vienna. In it, Einstein describes his enthusiasm for Hume's work and states rather explicitly its role in helping to generate his own theory. Einstein wrote: 'You have correctly seen that this line of thought was of great influence on my efforts and indeed Ernst Mach and still much more Hume, whose treatise on understanding I studied with eagerness and admiration shortly before finding relativity theory.' 'It is very possible that without these philosophical studies I can not say that the solution would have come.' Professor David Purdie at the University of Edinburgh who discovered the letter, told The Telegraph: 'I was absolutely thrown. I have read all the Einstein papers and there is no mention of Hume. So he sent me to dig out the old letters of Einstein and there he was, filed away and forgotten. I had no idea. 'Einstein said that Hume more than anyone else had inspired him. It's amazing to think that someone who lived 100 years before, in an entirely different place, could have had such an impact.' It is thought that Einstein was first introduced to David Hume's work at his home in Switzerland where he held the Olympic Academy, a close meeting of scientists and philosophers in the early 1900s. Early humans who lived in the South Asian rainforest were able to survive by hunting adult monkeys and squirrels, according to new research. Evidence from the Fa-Hien Lena cave, Sri Lanka's oldest archaeological site, suggests that they used sophisticated techniques to hunt. These ancient humans lived around 45,000 ago and survived the extreme rainforest by targeting adults so that the young could feed future generations. The study shows that these early humans were so advanced that they realised the creatures they relied upon were the most vulnerable to over-exploitation. This research is the first direct evidence of people hunting primates and other small mammals and sheds fresh light on the evolution of our species. Scroll down for the video The researchers, led by Patrick Roberts from Germanys Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, studied 14,000 bones of small mammals dating from between 45,000 and 3,000 years ago. They found that the earliest bones showed signs that they had been cut up Early humans who arrived in the South Asian rainforest were able to survive by hunting monkeys and giant squirrels, according to new research. At least 45,000 years ago, these ancient humans survived the extreme rainforest environment by targeting adults It was previously thought that our ancestors did not live in rainforests because smaller animals could hide easier. This theory was compounded by the lack of fossils - because the this environment is not good for preservation. But the discovery of animal bones from the Fa-Hien Lena cave, thought to be the oldest archaeological site in Sri Lanka, changes that conception. The researchers, led by Patrick Roberts from Germanys Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, studied 14,000 bones of small mammals dating from between 45,000 and 3,000 years ago. They found that the earliest bones showed signs that they had been cut up and then roasted. They were also found alongside sophisticated bone and stone tools. The new discovery is an example of Homo sapiens' unique ability to adapt to extreme environments untouched by primitive human ancestors. From the Late Pleistocene (126,00011,700 years ago) onwards, humans inhabited a number of diverse environments as they dispersed beyond Africa. Tropical rainforests were thought to be a barrier to this because of the lack of mammalian megafauna in these settings. However, in Sri Lanka, south-east Asia and Melanesia, the earliest evidence for human occupation is often associated with rainforest environments. It was previously unclear what food they ate to sustain themselves and how they hunted it. The study shows that early humans were so intelligent that they realised the creatures they relied upon were the most vulnerable to over-exploitation. This research is the first direct evidence of people hunting primates and other small mammals and sheds fresh light on the evolution of our species Lead author Oshan Wedage, a doctoral candidate in archaeology said: 'The results demonstrate specialised, sophisticated hunting of semi-arboreal and arboreal monkey and squirrel populations from 45,000 years ago in a tropical rainforest environment.' His team at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History measured up to 15,000 pieces of bones. Mr Wedage said: 'These included fragments that show people were butchering these animals. They were also using the bones to potentially hunt other monkeys.' The researchers say the early humans were so intelligent that they realised the creatures they relied upon were the most vulnerable to over exploitation. They had a close knowledge of their life cycles and territories - which led to them using sustainable hunting strategies - thus only targeting adult monkeys. Co author Dr Noel Amano, also of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, said: 'This was complemented by sophisticated bone tool technologies which were, in turn, created from the bones of hunted monkeys.' The study published in Nature Communications said the settlers made sure they did not wipe out the tree living, or arboreal, animals. This ensured they went on providing sustenance for them for tens of thousands of years. Senior author Prof Michael Petraglia explained: 'This 'monkey menu' was not a one-off, and the use of these difficult-to-catch resources is one more example of the behavioural and technological flexibility of H. sapiens.' This is the oldest and longest record of sophisticated, active primate hunting by foragers - highlighting the distinctive ecological capacities of H. sapiens compared to its hominin ancestors and relatives. Experts uncovered the remains of animals from Fa-Hien Lena cave which is thought to be the oldest archaeological site in Sri Lanka. It was previously thought that our ancestors did not live in rainforests because smaller animals could hide easier The new discovery is an example of Homo sapiens' unique ability to adapt to extreme environments untouched by primitive human ancestors. Here, the Sri Lankan rainforest As humans spread around the world they had to be able to survive in a range of diverse places - from deserts and high altitude settings to palaeoarctic conditions or tropical forests. But previous research on the migration into Europe, the Middle East and Asia has often focused on increased efficiency in hunting, butchering and consuming medium to large game on the open 'savanna'. Alternatively, coastal settings have been seen as important sources of protein - stimulating human evolution and migration. Tropical rainforests have been somewhat neglected in discussions - seen as isolated barriers to human movement, with disease, dangerous animals and limited resources all posing challenges. In particular, when compared to the large animals of open savannas, small, fast and agile forest monkeys and squirrels are hard to capture - and provide smaller amounts of protein. Catching them has long been considered a feature of technological and behavioural 'complexity' or 'modernity' unique to man. Studies in Europe and West Asia has linked the practise both to human population growth and climatically-driven crises. Traditionally, these have been considered to be particularly extreme around 20,000 years ago. Co senior author Dr Patrick Roberts said: 'Over the last two decades, research has highlighted human occupation of tropical rainforests in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Melanesia at least as early as 45,000 years ago. 'So the potential for human reliance on small mammals in these settings prior to 20,000 years ago seems likely.' The full findings of the study were published in Nature Communications. Advertisement Key features of the Mary Rose are set to go on display for the first time - 474 years after it was sunk during an attempted invasion of Britain by the French. The ship's stem was discovered by divers in 2003 and has undergone significant conservation work in preparation of its addition to the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth. It was crucial to the structure of the Mary Rose and is a piece of timber that curved upwards from the keel to define the ship's bow. Mary Rose's stem will be added to the display alongside the ship's pump and another anchor. The ship was King Henry VIII's main interest and provides a key insight into Tudor life during the reign of the infamous monarch. Scroll down for video The ship's stem was discovered by divers in 2003 and has undergone significant conservation work in preparation of its addition to the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth The stem (pictured) was crucial to the structure of the ship and is a piece of timber that curved upwards from the keel to define its bow The display of the artefacts coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Mary Rose Trust. Mary Rose is widely regarded as the pet project of Henry VII but was sunk during a battle with the French in 1545. The battle saw the warship reside at the bottom of the English Channel for more than 400 years before concerted efforts were made to discover the vessel. Of the 500 men on-board the ship, only 35 are believed to have survived the demise of the once-great warship. Dr Alexzandra Hildred, Head of Research and Curator of Ordnance and Human Remains, joined the Mary Rose restoration project in 1979 and said: 'It is difficult to perceive that 40 years has passed since the formation of the Trust, it has gone in the blink of an eye.' Dr Hildred adds that reuniting the newly conserved stem with the Mary Rose 'is an apt way to celebrate this important anniversary.' The vessel, Henry VIII's flagship, was removed from the seabed 35 years ago and rests in a climatically controlled box in Portsmouth where conservation experts are removing the water and replacing it with a special polymer. However, the drying process which started in 2013, has caused unwanted movement which they are now monitoring with special cameras as they try to prop up the ship using scaffolding. The vessel, Henry VIII's flagship, went on display in the newly-revamped Mary Rose museum exactly 471 years after it perished in the Solent, just outside Portsmouth Harbour, on July 19, 1545. After it was taken out of the water the ship was initially sprayed with water and wax to stop in rotting./ The ship was King Henry VIII's favourite hobby and provides a key insight into Tudor life during the reign of the infamous monarch. Mary Rose's stem will be added to the display alongside the ship's pump and another anchor Divers found the Mary Rose in 2003 but conservation has been a long process. The display of the artefacts coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Mary Rose Trust, which was founded with The Prince of Wales as its President Mary Rose is widely regarded a the pet project of Henry VII but was sunk during a battle with the French in 1545. The battle saw the warship reside at the bottom of the English Channel for more than 400 years before concerted efforts were made to discover the vessel Dr Alexzandra Hildred, Head of Research and Curator of Ordnance and Human Remains, joined the Mary Rose restoration project in 1979 and said: 'It is difficult to perceive that 40 years has passed since the formation of the Trust, it has gone in the blink of an eye' Stonehenge's bluestones were quarried from rock at two Welsh outcrops 5,000 years ago and transported over land to where they stand today. This is contrary to a popular theory that the enormous rocks, up to 80 of them in total, were transported by sea via the Bristol channel. Rocky outcrops in Wales, known as Carn Goedog and Craig Rhos-y-felin, provided easy access to natural, vertical pillars. Evidence of the quarrying from 3,000 BC was found in the form of charcoal at both sites, which researchers claim was used to remove the obelisks from the outcrops. Scroll down for video Stonehenge was formed from rock derived from two Welsh outcrops (pictured) by prehistoric miners using wedges of soft rock 5,000 years ago. They were then moved, archaeologists claim, over land to the current location of Stonehenge in Wiltshire Stonehenge (pictured) is made of natural pillars from Pembrokeshire, 180 miles (290 km) away from its current location in Wiltshire. Experts claim the obelisks were dragged there over land and not taken there by sea, as some theories have suggested Professor Kate Welham, of Bournemouth University, said: 'Some people think that the bluestones were taken southwards to Milford Haven and placed on rafts or slung between boats and then paddled up the Bristol Channel and along the Bristol Avon towards Salisbury Plain. 'But these quarries are on the north side of the Preseli hills so the megaliths could have simply gone overland all the way to Salisbury Plain.' The research, published in the journal Antiquity, also claims it is possible a prototype of Stonehenge was originally built at Waun Mawn, situated only 1.86 miles (3km) from the rocky outcrops they were mined form. They were likely used to build a simple circle structure before being disassembled and transported on the mammoth journey to where they now stand. Previous studies have claimed cows and other large livestock may have assisted the Neolithic individuals in moving the rocks. The reasons behind this move remain unknown and was likely fraught with logistical difficulties that have baffled scientists and historians for centuries. Team leader Professor Mike Parker Pearson, of UCL, said: 'What's really exciting about these discoveries is that they take us a step closer to unlocking Stonehenge's greatest mystery - why its stones came from so far away. 'Every other Neolithic monument in Europe was built of megaliths brought from no more than 10 miles away. 'We're now looking to find out just what was so special about the Preseli hills 5,000 years ago, and whether there were any important stone circles here, built before the bluestones were moved to Stonehenge.' The natural pillars in Pembrokeshire, 180 miles (290 km) away from Stonehenge, could be eased off the rock face by opening up the vertical joints between each pillar. Soft stone tools and wedges were found at the scene which were used by Neolithic workers to pry the monoliths away using the ready-made joints. The new discoveries also cast doubt on a popular theory that the bluestones were transported by sea to Stonehenge. New research indicates they were likely dragged across to the Salisbury plains instead The natural pillars in Pembrokeshire, 180 miles (290 km) away from Stonehenge, could be eased off the rock face by opening up the vertical joints between each pillar. It is now thought the rocks were transported over land, not over sea This differs from some stone quarries, such as those in ancient Egypt, where obelisks were carved out of solid rock. The huge pieces of rock would have then been lowered down to the foot of the outcrop and hoisted away for transport. Excavations at the foot of both outcrops uncovered the remains of man-made stone and earth platforms used for this purpose. From here the research, led by University College London (UCL), found they would likely have been removed and transported over land to the Salisbury Plains, not over sea as some theories have suggested, to the current location. Most of their equipment is likely to have consisted of perishable ropes and wooden wedges, mallets and levers which have faded from existence, but tools such as hammer stones and stone wedges have been identified. Bluestones were taken from Wales and formed a circle near to where Stonehnge stands today. They were likely used to build a simple circle structure known as 'bluehenge' (pictured) STONEHENGE'S CONSTRUCTION REQUIRED GREAT INGENUITY Stonehenge was built thousands of years before machinery was invented. The heavy rocks weigh upwards of several tonnes each. Some of the stones are believed to have originated from a quarry in Wales, some 140 miles (225km) away from the Wiltshire monument. To do this would have required a high degree of ingenuity, and experts believe the ancient engineers used a pulley system over a shifting conveyor-belt of logs. Historians now think that the ring of stones was built in several different stages, with the first completed around 5,000 years ago by Neolithic Britons who used primitive tools, possibly made from deer antlers. Modern scientists now widely believe that Stonehenge was created by several different tribes over time. After the Neolithic Britons - likely natives of the British Isles - started the construction, it was continued centuries later by their descendants. Over time, the descendants developed a more communal way of life and better tools which helped in the erection of the stones. Bones, tools and other artefacts found on the site seem to support this hypothesis. Soft stone tools were used to ensure that if anything was to crack during the excavation of the huge stone lumps, it would be the tools and not the valuable obelisks. Geologists have long known that 42 of Stonehenge's smaller stones, called bluestones, came from the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire following previous research and an investigation at the site for eight years. They each weighed approximately the same as a car but are now often overshadowed by the impressive three-stone features made of sandstone. Researchers now think Stonehenge was initially a circle of rough, unworked bluestone pillars set in pits known as the Aubrey Holes, near Stonehenge, and that the sarsens, or sandstone blocks, were added some 500 years later. Geologist Dr Richard Bevins, of the National Museum of Wales, said: 'This was the dominant source of Stonehenge's spotted dolerite, so-called because it has white spots in the igneous blue rock. 'At least five of Stonehenge's bluestones, and probably more, came from Carn Goedog.' In the valley below Carn Goedog, another outcrop at Craig Rhos-y-felin was identified by Dr Bevins and fellow geologist Dr Rob Ixer, of UCL, as the source of one of the types of rhyolite - another type of igneous rock - found at Stonehenge. Soft stone tools and wedges were found at the scene which were used by Neolithic workers to pry the monoliths away using ready-made joints between pillars and then lower it down to the foot of the outcrop where man-made bases were made (pictured) The Stonehenge monument standing today was the final stage of a four part building project that ended 3,500 years ago Stonehenge is one of the most prominent prehistoric monuments in Britain. The Stonehenge that can be seen today is the final stage that was completed about 3,500 years ago. According to the monument's website, Stonehenge was built in four stages: First stage: The first version of Stonehenge was a large earthwork or Henge, comprising a ditch, bank and the Aubrey holes, all probably built around 3100 BC. The Aubrey holes are round pits in the chalk, about one metre (3.3 feet) wide and deep, with steep sides and flat bottoms. They form a circle about 86.6 metres (284 feet) in diameter. Excavations revealed cremated human bones in some of the chalk filling, but the holes themselves were likely not made to be used as graves, but as part of a religious ceremony. After this first stage, Stonehenge was abandoned and left untouched for more than 1,000 years. Second stage: The second and most dramatic stage of Stonehenge started around 2150 years BC, when about 82 bluestones from the Preseli mountains in south-west Wales were transported to the site. It's thought that the stones, some of which weigh four tonnes each, were dragged on rollers and sledges to the waters at Milford Haven, where they were loaded onto rafts. They were carried on water along the south coast of Wales and up the rivers Avon and Frome, before being dragged overland again near Warminster and Wiltshire. The final stage of the journey was mainly by water, down the river Wylye to Salisbury, then the Salisbury Avon to west Amesbury. The journey spanned nearly 240 miles, and once at the site, the stones were set up in the centre to form an incomplete double circle. During the same period, the original entrance was widened and a pair of Heel Stones were erected. The nearer part of the Avenue, connecting Stonehenge with the River Avon, was built aligned with the midsummer sunrise. Third stage: The third stage of Stonehenge, which took place about 2000 years BC, saw the arrival of the sarsen stones (a type of sandstone), which were larger than the bluestones. They were likely brought from the Marlborough Downs (40 kilometres, or 25 miles, north of Stonehenge). The largest of the sarsen stones transported to Stonehenge weighs 50 tonnes, and transportation by water would not have been possible, so it's suspected that they were transported using sledges and ropes. Calculations have shown that it would have taken 500 men using leather ropes to pull one stone, with an extra 100 men needed to lay the rollers in front of the sledge. These stones were arranged in an outer circle with a continuous run of lintels - horizontal supports. Inside the circle, five trilithons - structures consisting of two upright stones and a third across the top as a lintel - were placed in a horseshoe arrangement, which can still be seen today. Final stage: The fourth and final stage took place just after 1500 years BC, when the smaller bluestones were rearranged in the horseshoe and circle that can be seen today. The original number of stones in the bluestone circle was probably around 60, but these have since been removed or broken up. Some remain as stumps below ground level. Source: Stonehenge.co.uk Professor Parker Pearson added: 'The stone wedges are made of imported mudstone, much softer than the hard dolerite pillars. 'An engineering colleague has suggested that hammering in a hard wedge could have created stress fractures, causing the thin pillars to crack. 'Using a soft wedge means that, if anything were to break, it would be the wedge and not the pillar.' Professor Colin Richards, of the University of the Highlands and Islands, has excavated Britain's only other identified megalith quarry in the Orkney islands, off the north coast of Scotland. He said: 'Bluestone pillars could be eased down onto this platform, which acted as a loading bay for lowering them onto wooden sledges before dragging them away.' An important aim of the team was to date megalith-quarrying at the two outcrops. In the soft sediment of a hollowed-out track leading from the loading bay at Craig Rhos-y-felin, and on the artificial platform at Carn Goedog, the team recovered pieces of charcoal dating to around 3000 BC. The human brain is capable of communicating in a way scientists previously thought was impossible. Brain cells can create an electrical field that triggers nearby neurons to pass on a message without any physical or chemical connections. Slow and mysterious waves produced by the brain, which have long been known to exist but whose function has been a long-standing mystery, are responsible. The discovery is so unusual the scientific journal that made the findings public demanded that the experiments were repeated before they were willing to publish. 'It was a jaw-dropping moment, for us and for every scientist we told about this so far, said Dominique Duran, a professor at the Case School of Engineering in Cleveland, Ohio. 'Every experiment we've done since to test it has confirmed it so far.' Scroll down for video Brain cells create an electrical field which is able to trigger nearby neurons in order to pass on a message without any physical or chemical connections. It uses slow and mysterious waves produced by the brain that have long been known to exist for a long time but their function has been a long-standing mystery (stock) Much of the human brain remains a mystery due to its complexity. Professor Duran has studied the hippocampus - the area that deals with memory - for 40 years. The world of neuroscience believed there were only three ways that signals can be relayed across the brain. These all include either physical links or chemicals in order to carry the electrical signal. Electroencephalogram (EEG) readings in the past have shown that when several nerve cells fire simultaneously, a weak electrical field is generated which can be detected. However, it was widely believed this was too weak to be involved in any transmission of signals between brain cells. The latest findings suggest that this conclusion may have been premature. 'We don't know yet the "So what?" part of this discovery entirely,' said Professor Duran. 'But we do know that this seems to be an entirely new form of communication in the brain, so we are very excited about this.' The world of neuroscience has believed there to be only three ways signals can be relayed across the brain: axonal transmission, synapses and at 'gap-junctions'. These all include either physical links or chemicals in order to propagate the electrical signal. This has now been disproved The electrical fields studied by the researchers were found to excite brain cells, which then produced electrical signals of their own and were able to transmit messages. The new method of neural activity was found when scientists studied fast brain waves, similar to those generated when we sleep. They are known as ephaptic - or electric - coupling, in honour of the brain's known but previously underestimated low-level electrical field. 'We've known about these waves for a long time, but no one knows their exact function and no one believed they could spontaneously propagate,' Professor Durand said. 'I've been studying the hippocampus, itself just one small part of the brain, for 40 years and it keeps surprising me.' Scientists in the laboratory were studying slices of a decapitated mouse's hippocampus and observed a wave 'leap' across a cut they had made in brain tissue. They say the only explanation for this is electric field coupling. The full findings of the study were published in the The Journal of Physiology. A treasure hunter sparked a 'cold case' murder investigation after uncovering a human skull on the banks of the River Thames. However, he was stunned when police informed him that the fragment of bone belonged to a man who lived 5,600 years ago in the Neolithic period. The section of skull found by a mudlarker, a person who scours Thames for valuables was uncovered at low tide in September 2018. Experts found that the remains were from an 18-year-old man, one of the earliest Londoners, who lived in 3,600 BC. Scroll down for video Human remains from one of the earliest Londoners which date back to 3,600BC are to go on display at the Museum of London tomorrow. The frontal bone of the skull was found by a mudlarker on the banks of the south bank of the Thames at low tide recently Martin Bushell had been mudlarking on the Thames when he spotted the jagged object sticking out of the mud, which he though was a piece of pottery. But when he picked it up he saw a brow ridge, located above the eye sockets of all primates, and thought he would become embroiled in a murder investigation. Mr Bushell initially handed the bone to the Metropolitan Police who commissioned a radiocarbon dating service, which revealed it was thousands of years old. DC Matt Morse at the Metropolitan Police, said: 'Upon reports of a human skull fragment having been found along the Thames foreshore, Detectives from South West CID attended the scene. 'Not knowing how old this fragment was, a full and thorough investigation took place, including further, detailed searches of the foreshore. 'The investigation culminated in the radiocarbon dating of the skull fragment, which revealed it to be likely belonging to the Neolithic era.' After the bone was spotted police investigated the scene for a number of days before handing it to the Museum of London. Although only a tiny fragment was found, analysis revealed that the skull would have belonged to a man over the age of eighteen, who died around 5,600 years ago. Martin Bushell had been mudlarking in September when he spotted the jagged object sticking out of the mud When he picked it up he saw a brow ridge, located above the eye sockets of all primates and thought he would become embroiled in a murder investigation. The find was initially handed in to the Metropolitan Police who commissioned the radiocarbon dating of the bone Dr Rebecca Redfern, Curator of Human Osteology at the Museum of London, pictured here, analysed the skull. She said that it was a significant find as not much is known about these early Britons WHAT IS MUDLARKING? 19th century mudlark from Henry Mayhew's book, London Labour & London Poor, 1861 Mudlarking as a profession started in the late 18th and then into the 19th century, and was the name given to people scavenging for things on the riverbank and selling them. These original mudlarks were often children, mostly boys, who would earn a few pennies selling things like coal, nails, rope and bones that they found in the mud at low tide. They are described as 'pretty much the poorest level of society, scrabbling around on the foreshore trying desperately to make a living' by Meriel Jeater, curator in the Department of Archaeological Collections and Archive at the Museum of London. A mudlark's income was very meagre, and they were renowned for their tattered clothes and terrible stench. A mudlark was a recognised occupation until the early 20th century. Dr Michael Lewis, the Deputy Head of Portable Antiquities and Treasure at the British Museum, says that mudlarks' finds can 'alter our picture of the past. The mudlarks have found numerous toys (i.e. miniature plates and urns, knights on horseback and toy soldiers) that have actually changed the way historians view the Medieval period. Over the last 30 years, the Museum of London has acquired over 90,000 objects recovered from the River Thames foreshore which is the longest archaeological site in Britain, but only a few of these artefacts are on display. Although in 1904 a person could still claim 'mudlark' as his occupation, it seems to have been no longer viewed as an acceptable or lawful pursuit. By 1936 the word is used merely to describe swimsuited London schoolchildren earning pocket money during the summer holidays by begging passers-by to throw coins into the Thames mud, which they then chased, to the amusement of the onlookers. More recently, metal-detectorists and other individuals searching the foreshore for historic artefacts have described themselves as 'mudlarks'. In London, a license is required from the Port of London authority for this activity and it is illegal to search for or remove artefacts of any kind from the foreshore without one. The incredibly rare discovery will go on display in the 'London before London' gallery at the Museum of London in the east of the city from tomorrow. It will sit among other Neolithic finds that have been discovered along the Thames foreshore. 'It's an incredibly significant find,' said Dr Rebecca Redfern, Curator of Human Osteology at the Museum of London who analysed the skull. 'This is an incredibly significant find and we're so excited to be able to showcase it at the Museum of London. 'The Thames is such a rich source of history for us and we are constantly learning from the finds that wash up on the foreshore.' She said that very little was known about these early Britons but it is believed they were on the cusp of agriculture. 'They were probably among the first farmers, but it was a semi-nomadic lifestyle. A mixture of foraging, gathering, and some farming.' More recently, metal-detectorists and other individuals searching the foreshore for historic artefacts have described themselves as 'mudlarks'. In London, a license is required from the Port of London authority for this activity (Image source from: Nripulse.com) Telugu NRI Couple Found Dead In Texas:- An Indian - American couple were found dead in their home in Texas and they are suspected to have killed themselves. The incident saw light after the cops were called to the house in Sugar Land on Monday at 6 AM local time. The couple have been identified as Sreenivas Nakirekanti (51 years) and his wife Shanti Nakirekanti (46 years). Shanti was spotted with a gunshot would on her head in the driveway of their home on Pendergrass and Sheffield Court. Sreenivas has been spotted in his bedroom with the gunshot would to his chest and he carried the small handgun in his hand. The preliminary investigation indicated that Sreenivas shot and killed his wife after which he committed suicide. Their 16-year-old daughter was asleep at the time when the incident took place. She called the cops after her dad did not open the bedroom door. She is sent to the custody of her friends in Sugar Land revealed Doug Adolph, the spokesman. Sreenivas and Shanti also have a 21-year-old son who is studying in the University of Texas. Sreenivas emailed many of his friends the same day and the couple never had any issues. The investigation on this is currently on. On 18 March 2014, the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared over the South Indian Ocean with 239 people on board, and its location has remained a mystery. But there could be fresh hope for finding the missing aircraft, in the form of a new detection technique. The technique uses underwater microphones to locate the precise time and location that objects fall into our oceans. Scroll down for video On 18 March 2014, the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared over the South Indian Ocean, and its location has remained a mystery. But there could be fresh hope for finding the missing aircraft, in the form of a new detection technique. Pictured is a part of the plane discovered in the Indian Ocean earlier this year THE TECHNIQUE The technique uses underwater microphones, known as hydrophones, to listen for underwater sound waves that are emitted when an object hits the sea surface. The method relies on the measurement of acoustic gravity waves (AGWs) naturally occurring sound waves that move through the deep ocean at the speed of sound. When objects hit the sea surface they cause a sudden change in water pressure which leads to the generation of AGWs. The method, developed by researchers from Cardiff University, uses underwater microphones, known as hydrophones, to listen for underwater sound waves that are emitted when an object hits the sea surface. The researchers believe the method could be used in a range of ways, including locating meteorites, satellites or parts of an aircraft that may have entered the ocean. It could also be used to locate underwater explosions, landslides or the epicentre of earthquakes at sea. The method relies on the measurement of acoustic gravity waves (AGWs) naturally occurring sound waves that move through the deep ocean at the speed of sound. The team analysed data from hydrophones from 18 March 2014 when MH370 disappeared over the South Indian Ocean. Between 00:00 and 02:00 UTC when it is thought the plane disappeared, they found two 'remarkably weak signals' around the suggested flight path of MH370 (map pictured) COULD IT BE USED TO FIND MH370? The team analysed data from hydrophones off the coast of Australia from 18 March 2014 when MH370 disappeared over the South Indian Ocean. Between 00:00 and 02:00 UTC when it is thought the plane disappeared, they found two 'remarkably weak signals' around the suggested flight path of MH370, both resulting in a relatively large area of uncertainty where there may have been some sort of impact. Dr Davide Crivelli, co-author of the study, said: 'Though we've located two points around the time of MH370's disappearance from an unknown source, we cannot say with any real certainty that these have any association with the aircraft. 'What we do know is that the hydrophones picked up remarkably weak signals at these locations and that the signals, according to our calculations, accounted for some sort of impact in the Indian Ocean. 'All of this information has been passed onto the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and we anticipate that both now, and in the future, this new source of information could be used in conjunction with a whole of host of other data that is at the disposal of the authorities.' When objects hit the sea surface they cause a sudden change in water pressure which leads to the generation of AGWs. In their study, the researchers dropped 18 spheres onto the surface of a water tank at varying distances and heights, and measured the AGWs that were emitted, using a hydrophone. The researchers then analysed hours of data from hydrophones off the coast of Western Australia. Using this data, the team could validate their method by successfully calculating the time and location of recent earthquakes that had occurred in the Indian Ocean. Dr Usama Kadri, lead author of the study, said: 'By using existing detectors dotted all around our oceans and listening out for signatures from these deep ocean sound waves, we've uncovered a completely novel way of locating objects impacting on the sea surface. 'Tracking these acoustic gravity waves opens up a huge range of possibilities, from locating falling meteorites to detecting landslides, snowslides, storm surges, tsunamis and rogue waves.' The team also went one step further and analysed data from the same hydrophones from 18 March 2014 when the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared over the South Indian Ocean. Between 00:00 and 02:00 UTC when it is thought the plane disappeared, they found two 'remarkably weak signals' around the suggested flight path of MH370, both resulting in a relatively large area of uncertainty where there may have been some sort of impact. The researchers analysed hours of data from hydrophones off the coast of Western Australia. Using this data, the team could validate their method by successfully calculating the time and location of recent earthquakes that had occurred in the Indian Ocean (map pictured) Dr Davide Crivelli, co-author of the study, said: 'Our study was initially motivated by a desire to gain more knowledge about the incident involving flight MH370, using data analysis techniques that can pick up and locate much weaker signals. 'Though we've located two points around the time of MH370's disappearance from an unknown source, we cannot say with any real certainty that these have any association with the aircraft. THE DOOMED MH370 FLIGHT Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing after departing Kuala Lumpar International Airport on March 8 2014. It was supposed to arrive later in Beijing, but fell out of contact just roughly an hour after take-off. Authorities say the last words heard from the plane, either spoken by the pilot or co-pilot, were 'Good night Malaysian three seven zero,' according to the BBC. Just minutes later, its transponder was shut down. The jet was carrying 239 passengers and crew when it disappeared. While it is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean, years of extensive hunting off Australia's west coast have not yielded any sign of the plane. Three years on, all that has been found of the stricken jet is a few pieces of debris, washed up on beaches from the southern tip of South Africa to the east coast of Tanzania, 3,000 miles further north. After a huge search operation yielded little in the way of concrete information about the disappearance of the jet, the hunt was abandoned in January. Search crews completed their deep-sea search of a desolate stretch of the Indian Ocean without finding a trace of the plane. Since no technology currently exists that can tell investigators exactly where the plane is, that effectively means the most expensive, complex search in aviation history is over. 'What we do know is that the hydrophones picked up remarkably weak signals at these locations and that the signals, according to our calculations, accounted for some sort of impact in the Indian Ocean. 'All of this information has been passed onto the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and we anticipate that both now, and in the future, this new source of information could be used in conjunction with a whole of host of other data that is at the disposal of the authorities.' Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed earlier this month that more than 100 dual nationals who travelled to join IS have had their UK citizenship stripped by the Home Office. But there have been a number of different reasons for which Britons have lost their citizenship over the years - not just for association with Islamic State. The deprivation orders can be issued only to those with dual nationality as ministers cannot take away citizenship if it would leave a suspect stateless. Among those to have had their citizenship revoked include: The 'Beatles' who served Jihadi John and beheaded Western hostages on camera Two members of the Beatles, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh were captured in northern Syria in January 2018. Alexanda Amon Kotey, left, and El Shafee Elsheikh (rigth), who were allegedly among four British jihadis who made up a brutal Islamic State cell dubbed "The Beatles They are currently being held by western-backed Kurdish forces in Syria having been stripped of their British citizenship - with the FBI hoping to put both on trial later this year. Elsheik, 30, is a mechanic whose family fled to the UK from Sudan in the 1990s. Kotey, 34, converted to Islam as a teenager. The two men, who were nicknamed The Beatles by captives due to their British accents, are accused of killing 27 hostages, including British aid workers and American journalists. Man believed responsible for brutal execution tape by Islamic State in 2014 Ali Almanasfi, 28, who was assumed dead after an ambush by Syrian government forces back in 2013, was revealed to still be alive and living in the war-torn country - it was reported in November Scores of his friends and relatives have said that the Almanasfi was the man responsible for a brutal execution tape released by the Islamic State in 2014. Ali Almanasfi, 28, was believed to have been killed in Syria back in 2013 He had his British citizenship revoked by the Home Office last year, a move which his brother says means he will 'die there'. Almanasfi was said to have fallen in with Mohammed Emwazi and Alexe Kotey, who would later become members of the ISIS execution gang known as The Beatles, after being jailed for a violent assault. Nigerian man known as L2 feared to be planning Paris-style terror attack A Nigerian man closely linked to a group of British Islamists was stripped of his British citizenship in 2013 over fears he was planning a Paris-style terror attack in London. The man, known only as L2 for legal reasons, was a member of the now banned radical group, al Muhajiroun, and was associated with friends of Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo and Jihadi John. His British nationality was removed by Theresa May after he was deemed such a threat to national security that she personally signed off on an order removing his citizenship. Members of Rochdale paedophile ring Taxi drivers Abdul Aziz, 47, Adil Khan, 48, and Abdul Rauf, 48, were among nine men jailed over appalling crimes against girls in Greater Manchester in 2012. Abdul Aziz (left), 47, and Abdul Rauf (right), 48, are taxi drivers who were both jailed The then home secretary Theresa May ruled in 2015 that all three men - who have dual British and Pakistani nationality - should have their names deleted from the roll of British citizens. The Pakistani men were convicted in May 2012 of preying on girls in Rochdale, plying them with drink and drugs before they were passed around for sex. Ministers have stripped jihadis and Islamic State brides of their citizenship and banned them from returning to Britain. But the deprivation orders can be issued only to those with dual nationality as ministers cannot take away citizenship if it would leave a suspect stateless. Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed earlier this month that more than 100 dual nationals who travelled to join IS have had their UK citizenship stripped by the Home Office. Among those to have had their citizenship revoked include: El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey Alexanda Amon Kotey, left, and El Shafee Elsheikh (rigth), who were allegedly among four British jihadis who made up a brutal Islamic State cell dubbed "The Beatles Two members of the Beatles, they were captured in northern Syria in January 2018 and are being held by Kurdish forces. Elsheik, 30, is a mechanic whose family fled to the UK from Sudan in the 1990s. Kotey, 34, converted to Islam as a teenager. Both have been stripped of their British citizenship and are seeking to exploit the legal uncertainty about their future. The fourth supposed Beatle, Aine Davis, 35, has been jailed in Turkey. Ali Almanasfi Ali Almanasfi, 28, was believed to have been killed in Syria back in 2013 Almanasfi, 28, who was assumed dead after an ambush by Syrian government forces back in 2013, is still alive and living in the war-torn country - according to his family. Scores of his friends and relatives have said that the Almanasfi was the man responsible for a brutal execution tape released by the Islamic State in 2014. He had his British citizenship revoked by the Home Office last year, a move which his brother says means he will 'die there'. Almanasfi was said to have fallen in with Mohammed Emwazi and Alexe Kotey, who would later become members of the ISIS execution gang known as The Beatles, after being jailed for a violent assault. Nigerian man known as L2 A Nigerian man closely linked to a group of British Islamists was stripped of his British citizenship in 2013 over fears he was planning a Paris-style terror attack in London. The man, known only as L2 for legal reasons, was a member of the now banned radical group, al Muhajiroun, and was associated with friends of Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo and Jihadi John. Katie Surridge, 37, has waived her anonymity and spoken to the Telegraph about her accusations against Sir Philip Green US police are investigating after a fitness instructor came forward to accuse Sir Philip Green of sexually harassing and groping her on two separate occasions. Katie Surridge, 37, who has waived her right to anonymity, teaches Pilates at Canyon Ranch in Arizona where Topshop billionaire Sir Philip has a home. The mother claimed Sir Philip had made her feel 'almost like a prostitute' by repeatedly 'spanking' her and making lewd comments at the site in Tucson. Ms Surridge made two separate complaints in 2016 and 2018, claiming that Sir Philip groped her bottom and made repeated sexual comments towards her despite being told to stop. The Pima County Sheriff's department last night told the Daily Telegraph that a investigation has been launched to establish if a crime had been committed. Sir Philip, 66, denied the accusations through a spokesman, insisting the incident 'never happened'. Sir Philip playing tennis at the Canyon Ranch wellness resort in Arizona in October 2018 Sir Philip sits on a buggy in the sweltering heat of Arizona while at the ranch last October But the alleged victim told the Telegraph: 'I felt very taken advantage of and like, you know, just a piece of meat there at his disposal.' 'It feels completely sexual in nature. And the way the noises, and the 'oh, you naughty girl'. Like ugh I can hear him saying it right now.' She further alleged that Sir Philip said 'You Americans are so uptight' after she expressed discomfort. A spokesman for Sir Philip said: 'All this was investigated by Canyon Ranch at the time. Nothing was found against Sir Philip and the matter was dropped. Ms Surridge teaches Pilates on the Arizona ranch (pictured) where Sir Philip has a home Ms Surridge (pictured) claimed Sir Philip had made her feel 'almost like a prostitute' by repeatedly 'spanking' her and making lewd comments 'In terms of the allegation, it did not happen. Sir Philip has visited the ranch since that time and has no issues with the management or any of the people there.' Sir Philip, pictured at Topshop Oxford Street in London in April 2016 Yet the Telegraph has spoken to a witness who admitted to seeing Sir Philip - who has reportedly been banned from the ranch facilities pending the investigation - grabbing the complainant's bottom as if 'testing a piece of fruit'. Ms Surridge said the first incident occurred on January 5, 2016, after a Pilates class. Sir Philip allegedly walked into her studio and slapped her 'somewhere between six to 10 times' on her bottom. He then demanded a private session, she alleges, saying he needed her to 'stretch him' and touching her again as he left the studio. Both Ms Surridgge and the witness filed formal complaints to the ranch management, who reportedly took the matter up with Sir Philip. No further action was taken. The second incident is alleged to have occurred two years later, on January 9, 2018. Ms Surridge claims that Sir Philip greeted her with a kiss on each cheek before putting his arms around her waist and then resting it on her bottom. One witness corroborated Ms Surridge's (pictured) allegation and said he grabbed her bottom as if 'testing a piece of fruit' 'When she tried to pull away, she says, he grabbed her and pulled her back. For the rest of the class, which Ms Surridge said was the 'longest 45 minutes of my life', Sir Philip is alleged to have made sexual comments and repeatedly touched her inappropriately. Ms Surridge says the power dynamic and requirement to be polite to guests at the resort, particularly VIPs, meant she felt she had to stay professional, calm and outwardly friendly towards Sir Philip. But she added that she later cried in distress and told bosses she could never work with the billionaire again. The luxury wellness lifestyle resort costs $1,000 (765) a night and was a refuge for Sir Philip following the first accusations of sexual harassment against him from three women in Britain. The women were made to sign non-disclosure agreements and paid vast amounts of 'hush money' to keep silent. But it has been reported that two different women alleged they were groped by him at the American ranch - and one has filed a formal complaint. Ms Surridge, who is pregnant with her third child, has worked at the ranch since 2006. A spokesman for Canyon Ranch said it 'does not condone or tolerate inappropriate behaviour towards our employees'. Tory Brexiteers insisted their favoured solution to the Brexit backstop problem remained 'alive and kicking' last night despite it apparently being killed off. Following talks with Theresa May, the European Research Group said the so-called 'Malthouse compromise' to solve the Irish border issue was still under consideration by Downing Street. And it emerged yesterday that Mrs May was considering holding another meaningful vote on her EU deal next week in a bid to avoid resignations. The compromise drawn up by Tory MPs on both sides of the Brexit debate is seen by many Brexiteers as a means to get rid of the backstop, which they fear will subject the UK to EU rules indefinitely. It emerged that Mrs May was considering holding another meaningful vote on her EU deal next week in a bid to avoid resignations The plan would replace the backstop with a free trade agreement and technological methods for keeping the Irish border open after Brexit. If Brussels does not accept this, a Plan B would see the UK leave without a deal but with a transition period lasting until the end of 2021. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay reportedly told Cabinet Brussels had definitively ruled out the plan. He said there was not enough time to implement it before Britain leaves on March 29 meaning the compromise could only form part of discussions around the future relationship. But last night, it appeared that the plan could still form part of Mrs May's proposals for a relationship with the EU. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox will travel to Brussels with the Prime Minister today to present new legal proposals in order to break the impasse over the Irish backstop. Ministers are trying to secure an end date, or legally binding exit mechanism, in order to get Mrs May's deal through the Commons. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay reportedly told Cabinet Brussels had definitively ruled out the Malthouse plan Attorney General Geoffrey Cox will travel to Brussels with the Prime Minister to present new legal proposals in order to break the impasse over the Irish backstop Last night, Mr Barclay said civil servants would work on a range of alternative arrangements, not just the Malthouse plan. Eurosceptics insisted last night that this meant it had not been taken off the table. After their talks with Mrs May, the chairman of the European Research Group of eurosceptic Tories, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and his deputy Steve Baker said in a joint statement: 'The Malthouse Compromise is alive and kicking. We look forward to further developments.' The PM's official spokesman declined to respond to reports that Mrs May told Cabinet the Malthouse plan would not form part of proposals she will put to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday. Instead, he directed reporters to a statement issued by the Department for Exiting the EU following Stephen Barclay's meeting with Mr Barnier, confirming that they had discussed the Malthouse compromise. There is growing speculation that a deal between Britain and the EU providing legal reassurances on the Irish backstop is close to being finalised. It is possible a compromise could be signed off at an EU-Arab summit in Egypt at the weekend. Jacob Rees-Mogg walks in Westminster near the Houses of Parliament in London on February 14 EU negotiator Michel Barnier previously rejected the Malthouse plan at talks with Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay. The idea had been to re-write the divorce deal with a technology-based solution for the Irish border. The hardline Brexiteer European Research Group has vowed to vote down Mrs May's deal for a second time if the PM fails to bring back a new version. Sources at the group said there could be an 'explosion' of anger from Brexiteer MPs. Labour was engulfed in a new anti-Semitism storm last night after one of its MPs suggested the seven rebels who broke away from the party were being secretly bankrolled by Israel. Ruth George said it was possible the Israeli state was financially backing her former colleagues. The extraordinary row came as the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), which has been the partys official Jewish group for 99 years, threatened to disaffiliate and quit the party. Ruth George, MP for High Peak in Derbyshire, said last night in a Facebook post that it is 'possible' the 'gang of seven' may have been receiving money from Israel What Ruth George posted: Support [for the Independent Group] from the State of Israel, which supports both Conservative and Labour Friends of Israel of which Luciana was chair is possible and I would not condemn those who suggest it, especially when the groups financial backers are not being revealed. Its important for democracy to know the financial backers for any political group or policy. Her later apology: On my earlier response to a Facebook comment, I unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologise for my comment. I had no intention of invoking a conspiracy theory and I am deeply sorry that my ill-thought out and poorly worded comment did this. I withdraw it completely. The group said it would hold crisis talks to decide where we go from here after the seven departing Labour MPs said the party had become institutionally anti-Semitic. Wes Streeting, a Labour MP and vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Jews, warned that such a move would be a nail in the coffin for the Labour Party itself. Miss George last night unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologised for her comments and said she had no intention of invoking a conspiracy theory. The MP had claimed that the Gang of Seven, which includes Jewish MP Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna, may have been receiving money from Israel. In a Facebook post, she suggested that support from the State of Israel, which supports both Conservative and Labour Friends of Israel of which Luciana was chair is possible and I would not condemn those who suggest it, especially when the groups financial backers are not being revealed. Its important for democracy to know the financial backers for any political group or policy, she added. Tory MP Simon Clarke said Miss Georges posts were staggering, adding: All the lazy conflation of smears about Israel, Jewish MPs and those who dare to criticise the hideous state of the Labour Party are on display in full technicolor. Luciana Berger MP and six others left the Labour party yesterday saying it had become 'institutionally antisemitic' Chuka Umunna MP called for other MPs to join the breakaway group yesterday Miss Georges comment had been made in response to a request to condemn an activist who had labelled the breakaway MPs Israelis. The MP said: I would condemn the calling of anyone as an Israeli when its not the case. The comment appears not to refer to the independent MPs but to their financial backers. Yesterday, Mr Umunna urged members from all parties to join them in building an alternative to the current two-party system, which he said was fundamentally broken. Labour was last night warned it could face a mass exodus of Jewish members following the decision by Miss Berger warning that she could no longer remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic. Conservative MP Simon Clarke said Miss George's posts were 'staggering'. He added: 'All the lazy conflation of smears about Israel, Jewish MPs and those who dare to criticise the hideous state of the Labour Party are on display in full technicolor' The Jewish Labour Movement plans to hold emergency meetings on March 6 to help decide if it wants to remain affiliated to the Labour party. Luciana Berger (pictured) needed police protection at 2018's party conference in Liverpool The JLM is considering holding a ballot of its 2,000 members to decide whether to disaffiliate. National secretary Peter Mason said emergency meetings would take place in London and Manchester on March 6. He said: Far too little has been achieved for the party to be able to claim in all honesty that it upholds the zero tolerance environment promised to us and the Jewish community those many months ago. Instead, we have seen the entrenching of a culture of anti-Semitism, obfuscation and denial. Two JLM executive members, Adam Langleben and Joe Goldberg, yesterday said they were quitting the party. Mr Streeting said: The Jewish Labour Movement is one of Labours oldest affiliates predating even some of our most well-known trades unions. They helped found and build the Labour Party. If Jewish members disaffiliate, and it is ultimately their choice, it would be a nail in the coffin for the Labour Party itself. Labour MP Wes Streeting said that if the group that helped 'found and build' the party leave it would be 'a nail in the coffin for the Labour party itself' Sir John Major last night urged Conservative MPs not to leave the party in the hands of extremists and zealots Sir John Major last night urged Conservative MPs not to leave the party in the hands of extremists and zealots amid fears up to four are on the brink of quitting to join the Labour splinter group. The former prime minister said traditional Conservatives were being hollowed out of the party by an infiltration of ex-Ukip members, and launched a blistering attack on hardline Eurosceptics linked to Jacob Rees-Mogg, who he accused of seizing control of the Tory Party. Sir John said: Both the Conservative and Labour parties are being manipulated by fringe opinion. At the moment there are people who may have their boots within the Conservative or Labour parties but not in their minds, nor their hearts. His call for the Conservatives to reclaim the centre-ground of British politics came as several Remain-backing Tory MPs are believed to be considering defecting as soon as this morning to the new Independent Group launched earlier this week when seven MPs quit Labour. Anna Soubry fuelled rumours she could be about to jump by retweeting a video of Chuka Umunna, one of the seven former Labour MPs, in which he said: You dont join a political party to spend years fighting the people within it. It came just days after the former business minister said she believed the Tory Party was now broken after being taken over by a purple momentum hardline Eurosceptic activists and ex-Ukip supporters in the vein of Labours powerful Momentum group. Anna Soubry, left, fuelled rumours she could be about to jump by retweeting a video of Chuka Umunna, one of the seven former Labour MPs, in which he said: You dont join a political party to spend years fighting the people within it (right: Tory MP Richard Harrington) Sarah Wollaston, left, yesterday attacked what she branded Blukip for having been busy taking over the Tory Party alongside the [Rees-Mogg led] European Research Group (right: Heidi Allen) Fellow Tory Sarah Wollaston yesterday attacked what she branded Blukip for having been busy taking over the Tory Party alongside the [Rees-Mogg led] European Research Group. She added: Soon there will be nothing left at all to appeal to moderate, centre-ground voters. Meanwhile, Heidi Allen, a third Tory, declined to comment on suggestions she was about to leave the Tories. Business minister Richard Harrington, another MP thought to be considering defecting, yesterday said he was still fighting a battle inside the party, but stopped short of saying he would join The Independent Group. Brussels must compromise Brussels was told to compromise over the Irish border backstop or face being blamed for a No Deal Brexit. Jose Manuel Barroso, the former EU Commission president, called for a sense of perspective and said Brussels could end up on the wrong side of the blame if things go wrong. Speaking in London yesterday Mr Barroso said: There is still room for some renegotiation. While I fully understand the EU27 will not reopen the withdrawal agreement, I believe it is possible with some creativity and imagination to find some kind of compromise. Its far from certain but we should still try. The EU should try to avoid being on the wrong side of the blame game if things go wrong. Everybody needs to move a little, thats compromise. Where there is a political will, there is a political way, he added. In Berlin today Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will warn that failure to reach a deal would be deeply damaging, economically and politically. During Sir Johns speech in Glasgow, he called for the Tories to return to the centre ground of politics. When I refer to the centre, I dont mean some amorphous new party of moderates and centrists, he said. Even if such a party were elected, what would unfold when it fell out of favour? With mainstream opinion sidelined, the countrys only choice would be between the extremes of Left or Right. That would be an awful outcome. Our electorate needs a choice between parties that are demonstrably rational, realistic and sane. So, when I speak of the centre, I mean that our three main national parties Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat must each retain a mainstream majority of their own. Sir John attacked the European Research Group (ERG), who he complained had become a party within a party, with its own whips, its own funding and its own priorities. He added: Some of its more extreme members have little or no affinity to moderate, pragmatic and tolerant Conservatism. The ERG does not represent a majority view but, with a minority Government, as now, can determine policy simply by being intransigent. Which is precisely what it is doing. Some who can fairly be called zealots seem incapable of looking beyond the one issue of Europe. Its not just that it dominates their thinking, it seems to obsess them. Sir John said that he admired the courage and conviction of the Gang of Seven who had quit Labour to establish The Independent Group, but that he hoped they had not cut themselves adrift for ever. Labour needs moderate MPs, and the country needs a moderate Labour Party, he continued. Complacent voices dismiss the chances of fringe opinion gaining control of the political agenda. Britain is too pragmatic, they say. Too stable. Our political system is too mature. I hope they are right. Sir John launched a blistering attack on hardline Eurosceptics linked to Jacob Rees-Mogg, who he accused of seizing control of the Tory Party Defence minister Tobias Ellwood last night backed up Sir John, warning that the Tories would not win the next election if the ERG was allowed to remain a drag anchor on the party. He argued that the hardline Eurosceptics were poisoning the party. Mr Ellwood told Sky News: There are many of us who normally would not be commenting in public about a wing of our party or, indeed, individuals. We are doing so because they are coming to the point of tarnishing the party, and I want to remain inside a modern, compassionate, inclusive, outward-looking party thats attractive to the next generation. Thats not possible with the viewpoint of the ERG as a bloc continuing in its way. Not individuals, but as a bloc thats what Im concerned about. And thats why weve chosen to step forward and say, No, not in our name. We will not allow that branding to affect, to poison, the moderate perspective of the centre-Right Conservative Party. Rees-Mogg is battling to save his plan for Brexit By Daniel Martin, Policy Editor for the Daily Mail Tory Brexiteers insisted their favoured solution to the Brexit backstop problem remained alive and kicking last night despite it apparently being killed off. Following talks with Theresa May, the European Research Group said the so-called Malthouse compromise to solve the Irish border issue was still under consideration by Downing Street. And it emerged yesterday that Mrs May was considering holding another meaningful vote on her EU deal next week in a bid to avoid resignations. Just get it sorted, says Frasier star Advice: Kelsey Grammer As a radio psychiatrist, Dr Frasier Crane was well used to solving complex problems. Now Kelsey Grammer, who played Dr Crane in the comedy hit Frasier, has tackled the issue of Brexit. His opinion? It should have been done and dusted long before now. Speaking at a launch for his new show in Londons West End, he said: Today we have been talking about it a little bit, the Brexit thing. It seems to be that it should be done with, it should be over by now. The deal should be done, cut and done, holy c**p, two years, what the hell? His advice to UK politicians was simple: Just get on with it, some people wont like it, some people will. You get on with it and figure it out and hash out the details, you make the move. I dont get it but thats life, people see things differently. I would love to see it get resolved so that everyone can actually discover what the new world is going to be. Earlier Grammer, 63, who voted for Donald Trump, said most of his friends here voted Leave. He is to star in the musical Man Of La Mancha, famous for the song...The Impossible Dream. The compromise drawn up by Tory MPs on both sides of the Brexit debate is seen by many Brexiteers as a means to get rid of the backstop, which they fear will subject the UK to EU rules indefinitely. The plan would replace the backstop with a free trade agreement and technological methods for keeping the Irish border open after Brexit. If Brussels does not accept this, a Plan B would see the UK leave without a deal but with a transition period lasting until the end of 2021. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay reportedly told Cabinet Brussels had definitively ruled out the plan. He said there was not enough time to implement it before Britain leaves on March 29 meaning the compromise could only form part of discussions around the future relationship. But last night, it appeared that the plan could still form part of Mrs Mays proposals for a relationship with the EU. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox will travel to Brussels with the Prime Minister today to present new legal proposals in order to break the impasse over the Irish backstop. Ministers are trying to secure an end date, or legally binding exit mechanism, in order to get Mrs Mays deal through the Commons. Last night, Mr Barclay said civil servants would work on a range of alternative arrangements, not just the Malthouse plan. Eurosceptics insisted last night that this meant it had not been taken off the table. After their talks with Mrs May, the chairman of the European Research Group of eurosceptic Tories, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and his deputy Steve Baker said in a joint statement: The Malthouse Compromise is alive and kicking. We look forward to further developments. The PMs official spokesman declined to respond to reports that Mrs May told Cabinet the Malthouse plan would not form part of proposals she will put to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday. Instead, he directed reporters to a statement issued by the Department for Exiting the EU following Stephen Barclays meeting with Mr Barnier, confirming that they had discussed the Malthouse compromise. There is growing speculation that a deal between Britain and the EU providing legal reassurances on the Irish backstop is close to being finalised. It is possible a compromise could be signed off at an EU-Arab summit in Egypt at the weekend. Three British 'gypsies' among a group who caused chaos in New Zealand have been arrested over an alleged roofing scam. James Nolan, 26, Tommy Ward, 26, and William Donohue, 25, were arrested overnight in Lower Hutt near Wellington. Police had warned residents to watch out for bogus tradesmen offering to fix roof leaks after several elderly people were allegedly defrauded out of thousands of dollars. James Anthony Nolan (pictured right with a family member), 26, has been identified by police after he failed to appear in court for the second time Police believe British nationals Tommy Ward, 26, (left) and William Donohue, 25, (right) might be able to assist them with information about the alleged roofing scams in the Auckland region Nolan, Ward and Donohue are due in Hutt Valley District Court on Wednesday on a range of charges. Last month, Auckland resident Heidrun Leonard, 82, claimed some men offered to fix her roof for $8,800 but fled with the funds. The men, claiming to be tradesmen, allegedly knocked on the elderly woman's door on January 4, saying they noticed her roof was leaking. Ms Leonard said they offered to fix the problem but demanded money upfront. 'I was outside, they passed by and they said 'we would be able to get your roof alright,' and I didn't know there was something wrong with it but I thought it wouldn't be too bad,' she told NewsHub New Zealand. James Anthony Nolan (pictured) is accused of driving his car at a young woman 'I let them in and showed them where my paint came off in the toilet and bathroom a bit and thought it might need to be a bit dried up and they said 'yes, we can do that'.' They allegedly told her to give them $8,800, and once the job was done the job, she would get money back. Ms Leonard wrote a cheque, which was cashed at a bank a short time later. The men then returned to the woman's home the next morning and cut a hole in her roof, she said. But they allegedly fled the property with the money when Ms Leonard's neighbour began asking questions. Ms Leonard said she recognised the men when the family made headlines across the world for their antics around the country. Nolan had a warrant for his arrest in relation to another incident where he subsequently failed to appear at the District Court. He is accused of driving his car at a young woman who filmed him and his extended family when they left piles of rubbish at a Auckland beach last month. Krista Curnow, who captured dramatic footage of the picnic incident, alleged a man drove towards her as she tried to film the car's number plate. Nolan went on the run after he was charged with assaulting the woman and he failed to appear in court for the second time on February 7. Nolan (pictured left and right) went on the run after he was charged with assaulting a woman and on 7 February he failed to appear in court for the second time Nolan's (pictured) failed court appearance comes shortly after his extended family were accused of wreaking havoc across the country by locals Krista Curnow's video of the picnic scene featured an aggressive young boy in a sunhat (pictured) He ran away from Auckland District Court when he was given bail on January 25. His extended family were accused of wreaking havoc across the country by locals. The tourists were faced with claims that they left a cafe without paying, damaged their rented apartment and allegedly stole a journalist's phone. Their stint of mayhem across New Zealand led to the group being labelled 'a*******' and 'trash' by the mayor of Auckland, Phil Goff. A petition to have the Brits removed from the country amassed more than 2,500 signatures. In a radio interview, Goff said: 'I've asked the council to follow up because I want to see them loaded with an infringement fine for trashing our country. They shouldn't even be here.' Four adults in the group were served with 28-day deportation liability notices by New Zealand's immigration service before they left to return to the UK last month. Joan Ryan, the MP for Enfield North, said she would be joining the newly founded Independent Group, alongside seven other disaffected Labour parliamentarians The crisis within Labour deepened last night as an eighth MP quit the party, accusing Jeremy Corbyn of 'presiding over a culture of anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel'. Joining the group that broke away on Monday, Joan Ryan said she 'could not be part of a party that allows racism to flourish'. She said Mr Corbyn was 'a danger' and compared him to Donald Trump. Chuka Umanna, the most high-profile MP among the eight to have joined the breakaway Independent Group, said on Twitter: 'It is such a difficult and tough decision but the right one. Huge respect to my friend Joan Ryan.' Miss Ryan joined Labour in 1983 and was first elected MP for Enfield North in 1997. In her resignation letter, the chairman of Labour Friends of Israel said the party had become 'infected with the scourge of anti-Jewish racism'. She added: 'This problem simply did not exist in the party before [Corbyn's] election as leader. No previous Labour leader would have allowed this huge shame to befall the party.' She added that she had been 'horrified, appalled and angered to see the Labour leadership's dereliction of duty in the face of this evil.' She said Labour provoked 'bewilderment, fear and anger' among the Jewish community. Shortly before submitting her formal notice of resignation last night Miss Ryan, 63, said she considered the move to be a duty in an interview with The Times. 'It's obviously not a delight, it's painful,' she said of her decision. She later tweeted: 'After four decades, I have made the terribly difficult decision to resign from the Labour Party. It is the greatest honour of my life to represent the people of Enfield North.' The Labour leader has been warned he could lose as many as 50 MPs if he refuses to tackle the anti-Semitism, bullying and hard-left culture cited by the seven politicians who triggered the biggest split in British politics since 1981 She paid tribute to Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson who she said had chosen to continue the fight from within the party. She said the party had become focused on 'rage, betrayal and hunt for heretics', rather than being an open party. Angela Smith, another of the defectors, tweeted: 'Welcome Joan.' Gavin Shuker, who also quit Labour on Monday, tweeted: 'Such respect for Joan. I know how hard this is. But we're building something powerful together.' Shortly after Ms Ryan announced her resignation, a post for the Twitter account Young Labour, said: 'Joan Ryan gone - Palestine lives' was sent and then swiftly deleted. Earlier yesterday Labour found itself engulfed in a fresh anti-Semitism storm after one of its MPs suggested the defectors were being secretly bankrolled by Israel. Joan Ryan, MP for Enfield North, resignation statement in full Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Mr Corbyn's leadership Ruth George said it was 'possible' the Israeli state was financially backing her former colleagues. Who is MP Joan Ryan? Joan Ryan, 63, first joined the Labour party in 1983 where she remained for four decades. She was elected as an MP for Enfield North in 1997 in new Labours landslide election victory where she served as a minister under Tony Blair. Before entering politics, Ms Ryan, from Warrington, Lancashire, was a former teacher and then deputy leader of Barnet Council. The politician became the chairman of the Labour Friends of Israel in 2015 - the group were critical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and protested against antisemitism they claimed was present in the party. A former government whip, Ms Ryan lost her seat to the Conservatives in 2010 but regained her constituency for Labour in 2015. Last year, Ms Ryan narrowly lost a vote of no confidence among her local party members. She blamed the defeat on: 'Trots, Stalinists, Communists and the assorted hard left'. After the defeat Ms Ryan, who has been critical of Jeremy Corbyn, wrote on Twitter: 'Just to be clear, I am not resigning. I am Labour through and through and I will continue to stand up and fight for Labour values.' In a controversial move, the vote was filmed by Iranian state broadcaster Press TV - which is banned in the UK. In an interview, Ms Ryan said she was 'horrified' journalists had 'infiltrated' the party and had targeted her because of her support of Israel. Labour Deputy leader Tom Watson said the filming made a 'farce' of the incident and was 'not how modern Labour Party should conduct its affairs'. In 2007, it was reported that Ms Ryan claimed 173,691 in expenses - the highest of any MP in London. The politician lives in Enfield with her husband Martin Hegarty and their three children. She also has three grandchildren. The extraordinary row came as the 2,000-strong Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), which has been the party's official Jewish group for 99 years, threatened to disaffiliate and quit the party. The group said it would hold crisis talks to decide 'where we go from here' after the seven departing Labour MPs said the party had become 'institutionally anti-Semitic'. Wes Streeting, a Labour MP and vice-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Jews, warned that such a move 'would be a nail in the coffin for the Labour Party'. Miss George last night 'unreservedly and wholeheartedly' apologised for her comments and said she had no intention of 'invoking a conspiracy theory'. The MP had claimed that the defectors, which includes Jewish MP Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna, may have been receiving money from Israel. In a Facebook post, she suggested that 'support from the State of Israel, which supports both Conservative and Labour 'Friends of Israel' of which Luciana was chair is possible and I would not condemn those who suggest it, especially when the group's financial backers are not being revealed'. 'It's important for democracy to know the financial backers for any political group or policy,' she added. Tory MP Simon Clarke said Miss George's posts were 'staggering', adding: 'All the lazy conflation of smears about Israel, Jewish MPs and those who dare to criticise the hideous state of the Labour Party are on display in full technicolor.' Miss George's comment had been made in response to a request to condemn an activist who had labelled the breakaway MPs 'Israelis'. The MP said: 'I would condemn the calling of anyone as an Israeli when it's not the case. The comment appears not to refer to the independent MPs but to their financial backers.' The JLM is considering holding a ballot to decide whether to disaffiliate. Meetings will take place in London and Manchester on March 6. Mr Streeting added: 'The JLM is one of Labour's oldest affiliates predating even some of our most well-known trades unions. They helped found and build Labour. If Jewish members disaffiliate, and it is ultimately their choice, it would be a nail in the coffin for the Labour Party itself.' 'Scourge of anti-Semitism': Ryan's second statement to constituents STILL Corbyn refuses to change: Defiant Labour leader blasts defecting MPs 'who were elected to deliver HIS manifesto' and ignores calls from his own deputies to address the party's raging anti-Semitism problem Jeremy Corbyn insisted the 'gang of seven' who quit Labour yesterday were all elected to deliver his policies in a blunt rebuke to the MPs. The Labour leader said he was 'disappointed' the MPs had resigned but sidestepped questions about whether he would change his approach. Mr Corbyn has been warned by his own he must change his leadership style or face even more walkouts after the biggest split in British politics since 1981. His intervention today ignores the warning of deputy leader Tom Watson, who refused to criticise the members of the Independent Group for their 'premature' decision. Mr Corbyn even appears to be standing apart from his cloest ally in politics shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who called for a 'mammoth listening exercise' in the party today. Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Mr Corbyn's leadership. Jeremy Corbyn insisted the 'gang of seven' who quit Labour yesterday were all elected to deliver his policies in a blunt rebuke to the MPs His intervention today ignores the warning of deputy leader Tom Watson, who refused to criticise the members of the Independent Group for their 'premature' decision What is the Independent Group and can you vote for it? What happened yesterday? Seven MPs resigned from the Labour Party and set up something called the Independent Group Is it a political party? No. It is a small business - technically a limited company - called Gemini A Ltd that was set up Gavin Shuker, one of the MPs, in January. Can I vote for it? No. Unless and until it registers with the Electoral Commission, it cannot stand candidates. Can I donate to it? Yes. The group is accepting donations through its website theindependent.group. It says donations will support the newly independent MPs. What does it want? All seven are Remain supporters and most of them have promoted a second referendum to cancel Brexit. They say they want evidence-based policy making to tackle the challenges facing Britain - without being inside a toxic Labour Party. The Labour leader told the EEF conference in London today that anyone in Labour who did not feel they were being listened to 'are not taking up the opportunities that are available'. Addressing the Make UK conference in London, Mr Corbyn said: 'I regret that seven MPs decided they would no longer remain part of the Labour Party, I thank them for their work. 'I hope they recognise that they were elected to Parliament on a manifesto that was based around investment in the future, was based around a more equal and fairer society and based around social justice.' He added: 'They were elected to carry out those policies, they decided to go somewhere else and I regret that because I want our party to be strong, I want our party to be united around the policies that we have put forward.' Asked about Mr Watson's call for him to work more consensually, Mr Corbyn blasted: 'Anyone who thinks they are not being consulted are not taking up, in my view, the opportunities that are available there and open and ready for them at all times to do that. 'I'm always prepared to discuss policies with people in the party and I do all the time.' As they walked out of Labour yesterday, the Independent Group warned 'politics is broken' and appealed from other parties to join their new group. The Jewish Labour Movement considers quitting Corbyn party after 99 years The Jewish Labour Movement has called an emergency meeting to discuss whether to leave Jeremy Corbyn's party. The JLM has been affiliated to Labour for 99 years and is the only Jewish organisation formally tied to the party. But it is reconsidering the position after Jewish MP Luciana Berger led a major split from Labour yesterday, warning it was 'institutionally anti-Semitic'. JLM secretary Peter Mason has called extraordinary general meetings to be held concurrently in London and Manchester on 6 March 'to decide collectively where we go from here', Jewish News revealed. He said: 'Far too little has been achieved for the party to be able to claim in all honesty that it upholds the zero tolerance environment promised.' Their resignation signals the biggest split in British politics since the SDP walked out of Labour in 1981 and realigned the left - paving the way for Tony Blair's election in 1997. They appealed to the public for donations to get the new project - which is not yet a political party and is not yet able to stand candidates - off the ground. Mr Umunna told the Today programme the 'gang of seven' were putting 'everything on the line' - and said: 'We're inviting anybody who shares our values to join us. 'There are clearly a lot of Labour MPs wrestling with their conscience, and Conservatives who are demoralised for the Ukip-isation, if you like, of the party.' Mr Ummuna added: 'There are many other people who have misgivings about their parties. Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger said yesterday: 'This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.' She added: 'For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party. Mr Corbyn has been warned by his own he must change his leadership style or face even more walkouts after the biggest split in British politics since 1981 Mr Corbyn even appears to be standing apart from his cloest ally in politics shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who called for a 'mammoth listening exercise' in the party today MP apologises for saying Independent Group funded by Israel A Labour MP has apologised after suggesting that seven former colleagues who broke away from Jeremy Corbyn's party may have had Israeli backing. High Peak MP Ruth George 'unreservedly and wholeheartedly' apologised and said she had no intention of 'invoking a conspiracy theory'. The seven - including Jewish MP Luciana Berger - blamed Labour's failure to tackle anti-Semitism as one of their reasons for leaving. Ms George acknowledged her comment had been 'ill-thought out' and 'poorly worded'. A Labour Party spokesman said: 'It's right that Ruth George has apologised for these offensive remarks. 'The Whips Office is reminding Ruth George of the conduct expected of her.' 'I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.' Mr Watson warned Mr Corbyn he could lose more MPs if he did not respond effectively to today's blow. He said: 'I think our colleagues have come to a premature conclusion. But this is a moment for regret and reflection, not for a mood of anger or a tone of triumph. There are those who are already celebrating the departure of colleagues with whom they disagree. 'The hard left can be too easily tempted into the language of heresy and treachery. 'Betrayal narratives and shouting insults at the departed might make some feel better briefly but it does nothing to address the reasons that good colleagues might want to leave.' He added: 'The identity of this party must be tolerant, multi-cultural, generous and welcoming. To put it mildly, we need to be kinder and gentler. 'I love this party. But sometimes I no longer recognise it. 'That is why I do not regard those who have resigned today as traitors.' Three Telangana Men Arrested For Anti-Indian Slogans:- The Telangana police arrested three people from Nizamabad district who posted videos of themselves with anti-Indian slogans that indirectly supported Pakistan. The video went viral across social media just three days after the CRPF personnel lost their lives in a deadly attack in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir. Two of them hailed from Uttar Pradesh and the video was found uploaded on 'Like App'. Several complaints have been filed by the locals along with the proofs after which the Telangana police identified the three men. The three accused were dancing in the video raising pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans. One of them is from Nizamabad district. A case was registered under Section 153 A (promoting enmity) and 505 (2) (public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). All the three accused were arrested and produced in a local court after which they have been sent for judicial remand. Couple of days back, two men from Kashmiri origin were booked in Bengaluru for anti-national slogans and raising their voice against the Pulwama attack. The situations are now in control in Jammu and Kashmir but tight security has been imposed across the Indian border after the incident. President Donald Trump asked then-acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker if a U.S. attorney who was loyal to him could oversee the investigation into hush money payments to women even though the lawyer in question had already recused himself from the matter, it was revealed on Tuesday. Trump called Whitaker late last year to ask him if Geoffrey Berman, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and a Trump ally who the president appointed to the job, could be put in charge of the federal prosecutors looking into the president's role in paying off women during the 2016 campaign, The New York Times reported. But Whitaker knew Berman had already recused himself. It's unclear what he did next. President Donald Trump asked then-acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker if a U.S. attorney he appointed could oversee a hush money probe Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker testifying before the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month Trump, however, soured on him the way he soured on Whitaker's predecessor, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, after Sessions recused himself from overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe. Sessions became a target of Trump's fury and a frequent object of humiliation as the president publicly said he wished he hadn't appointed him and issued multiple tweets attacking his management of the Justice Department. Sessions resigned after the midterms and Whitaker was named acting attorney general by Trump, who has made it clear he expects loyalty from those he puts in positions of power. The inquiry into the hush money payments is run by Robert Khuzami, a career prosecutor who took over after Berman recused himself from the probe due to a conflict of interest. There is no evidence Whitaker intervened, The Times reported, but he did tell some associates at the Justice Department that the prosecutors in New York required 'adult supervision.' Last month, in his first and last congressional testimony as acting attorney general, Whitaker told the House Judiciary Committee the president had never pressured him over the various investigations focused on his conduct in the 2016 presidential race. House Democrats are now looking into whether Whitaker committed perjury. 'Very concerning @NYTimes report about the President's conduct. One of the many reasons why Matthew Whitaker must come back to @HouseJudiciary to clarify his testimony,' panel chairman Jerry Nadler tweeted on Tuesday. President Trump denied the New York Times report on Tuesday. 'No, I don't know who gave you that,' he told reporters in the Oval Office. 'I have a lot of respect for Mr. Whitaker. I think he's done a great job. Very very straight shooter,' he added. A Justice Department spokeswoman also said the White House had not asked Whitaker to interfere. 'Under oath to the House Judiciary Committee, then-Acting Attorney General Whitaker stated that 'at no time has the White House asked for nor have I provided any promises or commitments concerning the special counsel's investigation or any other investigation,' spokeswoman Kerri Kupec told The Times. 'Mr. Whitaker stands by his testimony.' Trump wanted Geoffrey Berman (center), the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, to oversee the hush money investigation William Barr was confirmed as the new attorney general last week Attorney General William Barr was confirmed last week and now heads the Justice Department. Barr wrote a memo last summer arguing a sitting president cannot be charged with obstruction of justice for acts well within his power - like firing an F.B.I. director. And, the newspaper reported, rank-and-file at Justice hope Barr's good relations with Trump can help displace some of the fire the president has thrown at them and the FBI. The president is the focus of three federal investigations: Mueller's probe of whether or not the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election and two investigations being run out of the Southern District of New York: one focusing on the hush money payments made or arranged by then-Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen, and another examining the flow of foreign money to the Trump inaugural committee. Cohen was the central figure in a plot to buy the silence of pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed that she had an affair with Trump in 2006. Daniels signed a nondisclosure agreement in exchange for $130,000 from Cohen, a transaction that he admitted was a violation of campaign finance laws since it amounted to an illegally large contribution benefiting Trump's White House hopes. Trump is the focus of multiple investigations including special counsel Robert Mueller's (left) Russia probe and House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (right) Nadler said his Judiciary panel needs to hear from Whitaker again He said in court that Trump directed him to make the payment, suggesting the president was guilty of a crime. In August Cohen pleaded guilty to eight separate charges related to tax dodges, falsifying bank documents and the campaign finance violations involving Daniels and another woman, former Playboy magazine model Karen McDougal. Cohen claims that at Trump's request, he arranged for the publisher of The National Enquirer to pay McDougal another self-described past Trump paramour for the exclusive rights to her life story. The magazine never published anything, engaging in a practice known as 'catch and kill' in order to help Trump avoid new scandals in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign. Trump has denied ever having a sexual relationship with either Daniels or McDougal. Additionally, House Democrats are conducting their own presidential probes that include the role Russia played in the 2016 election but also focusing on Trump's immigration policy, security clearances for administration staff, and possible conflicts of interest. Trump previously tried to influence the direction of investigations against him. He fired FBI director James Comey in May after becoming frustrated Comey refused to say publicly that the president was not under investigation. Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer, plead guilty to arranging hush money payments Cohen also played a role in hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels (left) and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal (right) A week later The New York Times reported Trump had asked Comey to end the investigation into his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and what meetings Flynn had with Russian officials. The next day Mueller was appointed special counsel. The president's defenders argue he is acting in his role as head of the executive branch and additionally point out the president has been so public in his arder against his investigators that there couldn't possibly be a conspiracy. One of Trump's favorite arguments - that he repeatedly tweets - is that he is the victim of a 'witch hunt.' The Times report was part of a long look the paper conducted into the president's behavior during the investigations against him. Controversial author Oscar Wilde has sparked a row from beyond the grave at his alma mater, Oxford University, where the famous Bodleian Library has been forced to return a rare collection of unpublished letters and first-edition works to its original home. The Robert Ross Memorial Collection, which was named after Wildes first male lover, contains more than 1,000 first-edition books, including The Happy Prince which was made into a film starring Rupert Everett as well as correspondence and original manuscripts. I can reveal it has now been returned to University College Library after it was handed to the Bodleian some 80 years ago owing to lack of space. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish poet, writer and prominent aesthete in the 19th century Its an incredible collection of all the first editions of his works in all languages, Wildes grandson, Merlin Holland, tells me. University College Library realised that it was just sitting at the Bodleian not being properly promoted or catalogued and demanded it back much to the Bodleians fury. Canadian art critic Ross helped rehabilitate Wilde who died poverty-stricken in 1900 in Paris and boost his reputation after his incarceration in Reading Jail for gross indecency. The collection was originally donated to University College Library in 1930, but has now been returned after criticisms the archive was not easily accessible at the Bodleian. University College librarian Elizabeth Adams says: We decided that we wanted it back and were concerned the Bodleian would just warehouse the material during its refurbishment. Oxford's Bodleian Library has been forced to return a rare collection of Wilde's unpublished letters and first-edition works to its original home Its better it is kept here. Researchers will have greater access. And now it is here, it will stay here. Bodleian librarian Richard Ovenden retorts: During the Bodleians refurbishment, we continued to provide ready access to all our collections . . . The cataloguing and conservation of lent collections falls to their owner, rather than the borrowing institution. Kate Moss is fast becoming a model of clean living. The 45-year-old blonde, who gave up alcohol last year and now claims she loves salad and green juice, has embarked on a detox holiday this week with her close friend, Sadie Frost. Kate and actress Sadie, 53, are staying at the five-star Ananda In The Himalayas, which specialises in yoga, meditation and Ayurveda a type of alternative medicine from India. Ive learned to take care of myself a bit more, Kate said ahead of her birthday last month. I do yoga every day. I dont go out nearly as much. And I take care of my skin, which, somehow, has held up. The Duchess of Sussex had more than one reason to celebrate at her baby shower in New York yesterday. Her close friend, Misha Nonoo, who is said to have played matchmaker to her and Prince Harry, has become engaged to multi-millionaire oil heir Michael Mikey Hess. The fashion designer, 34, flashed her diamond ring at Meghans bash just days after Mikey, 32, popped the question. He had whisked her away to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico for Valentines Day, where he got down on one knee on a private boat. Friends say Misha, who was previously married to Old Etonian Alexander Gilkes, the co-founder of online auction house Paddle 8, is over the moon. Baroness Falkender, who died this month aged 86, is remembered for her unusually intense relationship with her boss, Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. As his private and political secretary, it was alleged that she dictated Cabinet reshuffles, drew up the Lavender List, which doled out honours to her friends, and shared his bed six times in 1956, apparently declaring that the experience wasnt satisfactory. But her childhood ambition was entirely different. I wanted to work in a shoe shop, she acknowledged to author Dominic Shelmerdine. I loved the smell of new leather. Wilson ennobled her in 1974 much, it was said, to the Queens surprise. Falkender denied the allegations, calling them complete nonsense. At 5ft 8in, actress and model Donna Air is used to being one of the tallest women in the room. But, at a London party this week, she was dwarfed by competition from her own daughter. The 39-year-old, who sported a 695 Vilshenko green velvet-panelled wool twill jacket, looked unusually diminutive next to Freya, 15, whose father is the wildlife conservationist Damian Aspinall. When it looks like youve been shrunk in the wash, you know it must be London Fashion Week, joked Donna, referring to Freya and her leggy companions models Jade Parfitt and Jodie Kidd as beautiful giraffes. Donna, who is dating property manager Ben Carrington after breaking up with the Duchess of Cambridges brother James Middleton in 2017, tells me that, although Freya has been scouted by a top model agency, her focus will remain on school. They say never work with animals or children. Grantchester star Tom Brittney, who replaced James Norton as the dashing vicar in the hit ITV drama, might agree after filming with the shows Labrador, Dickens. Dickens is the biggest diva on set, says Brittney. He has his entourage and hes got a bigger trailer than me. I want a bigger trailer than Dickens next series. The 28-year-old adds: If you see any scenes where Dickens is looking lovingly at me, theres a sausage behind my head on a stick. That was the only way I could get him to look at me! John Lennons widow Yoko Ono was not responsible for the break-up of The Beatles. So says Lennons younger half-sister, writer Julia Baird, who insists that it was the impossibility of playing live that led to the demise of the Fab Four. A lot of people who saw The Beatles on tour between 1964 and 1966, say: Could you hear anything? No, they didnt hear one word, she claims. There was so much screaming [from their fans] that The Beatles didnt even bother to sing, they just opened their mouths, played their instruments and nobody noticed. At that stage, John said: This is it, Im not doing this again. Sixties model Twiggy, 69, insists she remains unchanged since becoming a Dame in the New Year. Oh, life is the same as it was before, she tells me. A man driving an SUV was overdosing on opioids when he smashed his vehicle into a gas station on the side of a New Jersey road on Tuesday, killing a father, his son, and a gas station attendant. The driver of a Honda Pilot was heavily under the influence of opioids - so much so that he needed to be revived by Narcan, according to WPIX-TV. The driver, who has not been identified, was not injured. The gas station attendant has been identified as Lovedeep Fatra, 23. The other two fatalities are a father and his 17-year-old son who were inside a Chevy Camaro that had its roof torn off. Police in Passaic County, New Jersey received a report Tuesday morning of a crash at a gas station alongside Route 23 in Wayne Three people were killed, including a father and his 17-year-old son as well as a gas station attendant The image above shows the remnants of a Chevy Camaro, which had its roof torn off by an airborne Honda Pilot driven by an individual said to have been overdosing on opioids All three fatalities were pronounced dead at the scene. One of the drivers was rushed to St. Josephs University Medical Center in Paterson for treatment. The horrific three-car accident took place at the Delta gas station located alongside Route 23 in Wayne, New Jersey. Police received a report about the crash at 8:46am, Passaic County authorities said. An eyewitness told WCBS Newsradio 880 that he saw the Honda Pilot smash into the gas station before it hit a Nissan Rogue and a Chevy Camaro. The Pilot, which had its windshield shattered and its front showing signs of a major collision, went airborne, hit a gas station sign, and then landed, catching fire. Lovedeep Fatra, 23, was identified as the gas station attendant who died on Tuesday. He immigrated to the United States last year from India There was a gas station sign which was about 12 or 15 feet in the air, it hit the sign and then spun over and landed, the witness, Tito Krishnamurthy, said. I looked and I saw flames under the car. Krishnamurthy says he then grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the flames engulfing the Pilot. He then went over to the Camaro, which was also on fire. He saw the lifeless bodies of a father and his teenage son. Police arrived and we tried to open the door, but we couldnt open the door. That's when we gave up, Krishnamurthy said. Krishnamurthy says he also saw Fatra, the gas station attendant, collapsed on the ground. The Chevy Camaro which had its roof torn off is towed away from the scene on Tuesday The Honda Pilot, which is believed to have been driven by the overdosing driver, is seen above as it is towed away A witness told WCBS Newsradio 880 that the Pilot went airborne and destroyed a sign that was 15 feet high The image above shows the third vehicle involved in the crash, the Nissan Rogue, though it is not known if anyone was inside at the time of the collision The gas station attendant was crumpled on the floor and I knew right away there was nothing I could do to help him, he said. Authorities have yet to release information about whether there was anyone inside the Nissan Rogue at the time of the crash. The debris from the crash damaged a number of cars that were parked in the parking lot of a nearby Mazda dealership, according to WABC-TV. Fatra is a newly arrived immigrant to the United States. He came over from India last year, his cousin told WNBC-TV. 'His parents are devastated overseas,' said the cousin, Novdeep Singh. 'He speaks to them every day. Day and night. I don't know what to make of it.' Advertisement Look up today and tomorrow and you may see an RAF Tornado jet blasting across the skies. This remarkable and faithful warhorse, which was retired from official duty a fortnight ago, is saying one last farewell to Britain by flying over the country. It is the end of an era. The venerable Tornado with its distinctive swing wings has been flying for almost 45 years, nearly 29 of them on combat operations. John Nichol and his pilot John Peters were shot down during Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, 1991. The pair became prisoners-of-war for seven weeks and were tortured. Mr Nichol has penned a tribute to the Tornado, which the pair were flying at the time The aircraft is being retired by the RAF after nearly 45 years of service. Tornados were at the heart of operations in Afghanistan from 2009, providing unrivalled protection to British troops It was a big part of my life and probably even saved it. In January 1991, I was in my navigators seat as we took on board fuel from an airborne tanker in the skies over Saudi Arabia. In the front seat, my pilot John Peters (known as JP) pointed the nose earthwards and we hurtled towards the desert floor and the Iraqi border. It was 8.30am on a gin-clear day, and our formation of three Tornados headed towards the target a massive airfield in Iraqs southern desert. This was the first day of Operation Desert Storm, the First Gulf War to expel Saddam Husseins invading army from Kuwait. But I felt safe enough. The Tornado was designed for low-level combat like this. We were trained to fly at around 50ft and speeds of up to 600mph akin to flying from Newcastle to London at near roof top heights in under 30 minutes. First taking to the air in 1974 and introduced into RAF service in 1979, its intended role was to hold back any Soviet invasion into Europe. Our Tornado was armed with eight 1,000lb unguided dumb bombs pretty basic stuff compared with todays weaponry. The aircraft computer system could aim them, but once released, they were on their own. We also carried two 27mm Mauser cannon, and, for self-defence, a Skyshadow pod that jammed enemy radar. Another pod could deploy chaff (tiny strips of aluminium foil not unlike cooking foil) to confuse radar. We also had flares to distract heat-seeking missiles. Under the wings were Sidewinder air-to-air missiles to shoot down aircraft. A radar-warning device would tell us if enemy radar was looking for us or locking on to fire missiles at us. But our greatest defensive asset was the aircraft itself. Its ability to be flown incredibly low and fast meant we would hopefully be in and out of the hostile zone before defences could be activated. To help with this, the angle of the wings can be adjusted by the pilot swept wide for take-off, landing and slow manoeuvring, or swept back for high speed, low flight. As we closed on the target, adrenaline pumped around my body. Our timing was spot on. The target was identified and the aircraft weapons systems could be ordered to release the bombs. In an hour Id be safely back at base. But then Iraqi air defences opened up on us. John Nichol and pilot John Peters were trained to fly at around 50ft and speeds of up to 600mph akin to flying from Newcastle to London at near roof top heights in under 30 minutes We were just 10 seconds away from releasing our weapons and flying into a wall of exploding fire. Weapons armed, happy with the target, clear to commit the attack, I told JP over the intercom. But you dont just drop bombs from a Tornado. The system releases them when it is convinced all the conditions are correct. Our Tornado wasnt convinced and it remained unconvinced. The bombs didnt release. There was chaos in the cockpit; JP was shouting at me. The attack was a failure and, as the person in charge of the weapons systems, it was my fault. As the flak poured in we were both more concerned about what our brave colleagues would say about our failed mission than the reality of our lives being in danger. We were beating a hasty retreat when BOOM! a heat-seeking Iraqi missile hit the rear of the aircraft. One minute I was flying at 50ft looking up at blue sky, then the jet was tumbling like a sycamore leaf and I was staring at brown sand. Mr Nichol with Peters at a Gulf War memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral in 1996. The pair With supreme skill, JP grappled with the controls and got the jet flying again. But we were now on fire. One of our Sidewinder missiles had been hit by flak, ignited like a blow torch and was jammed on its launcher and burning off the right wing. The back of the aircraft had disappeared and flames were rushing along the spine of the jet towards where I sit in the rear cockpit. Our Tornado had given its best, holding on long enough for us to escape, but it was now dying and there was only one solution. Eject! Eject! Eject! Ejecting from a Tornado is like being grabbed by a giant and tossed into a hurricane. Pull the handle and the perspex cockpit hood is blasted away and the ejection seat rockets fire. You are propelled out of the jet at around 15 times the force of gravity, accelerating from zero to 200mph, up, in under a second. Suddenly, the parachute opens with a crack and theres only silence. You open your eyes. I could see my Tornado still flying into the distance before descending to explode on the desert floor in a pall of smoke and flame. Then the sand was rushing up to meet me. I hit the desert and collapsed in enemy territory. I was no longer a modern day knight on a high-tech airborne charger. I was a very small, very scared, very insignificant human being in the hands of one of the cruellest regimes in the world. My war was over, but the Tornados role to liberate Kuwait was not. Five of Nichol's colleagues were killed flying their Tornados. Nichol (pictured) says it was testimony to this incredible machine that so many survived While I languished as a prisoner-of-war (and was eventually released after being tortured by the Iraqi regime), my friends and colleagues put their lives on the line to fly hundreds of missions. While five of my colleagues were killed flying their Tornados, it was testimony to this incredible machine that so many survived. The First Gulf war marked the start of a truly astonishing era of Tornado combat operations. The RAF Tornado Force remained in the Gulf region to protect the Shia population in the south of Iraq and the Kurds in the north from Saddam Husseins persecution. The Tornado would be updated to keep it at the forefront of combat technology. It was flown by a new generation of brave men and, from 1993, women. Its unique capabilities were utilised in Kosovo during the late 1990s, then in 2003 during the Second Gulf war in Iraq. Tornados were at the heart of operations in Afghanistan from 2009, providing unrivalled protection to British troops. In March 2011, the Tornado Force was deployed over Libya and a number of 3,000-mile missions undertaken the longest combat sorties since the Falklands War. Tornado jets set off today on a series of flypasts around the country ahead of their imminent retirement. They were pictured flying off the wing of an RAF Voyager In summer 2014, the Tornados surveillance capability was deployed to Nigeria to assist in the hunt for the schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorist group Boko Haram. Finally, in August 2014, Tornados were re-deployed to the region where it had all begun, supporting the fight against Islamic State in Northern Iraq and Syria. The latest GR4 Tornados which operated there have the same slab-like appearance as the GR1 Tornados I flew in 1991, but technologically there are few similarities. With its laser-guided bombs, Brimstone missiles, long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles and new defensive and targeting systems, it is an incredible aircraft. Sadly, budget constraints mean it is being replaced by combat aircraft like the Typhoon and the F-35 Lightning. On February 5, the final GR4 Tornados returned from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus after operations over Syria. Their landing at their home base, RAF Marham in Norfolk, was an emotional moment for me. The Tornado has been a pivotal part of my life and shaped much of what I now do today. I loved being part of the Tornado Force and I have no doubt that her sturdy construction saved my life. But the Tornados history in battle is now over. The head of the RAF, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, himself a Tornado pilot, said: We can all take immense pride in what the Tornado has achieved in defence of the nation. I couldnt agree more. Job well and truly done. John Nichols latest book, Spitfire A Very British Love Story, is published by Simon & Schuster. The accused Claremont serial killer's romantic life was unravelling and his wife had left him and fell pregnant to another man when he allegedly murdered three women, a court has heard. Bradley Robert Edwards, 50, is charged with the murders of Ciara Glennon, 27, Jane Rimmer, 23, and 18-year-old Sarah Spiers between 1996 and 1997, as well as two sexual offences in 1988 and 1995 in Claremont, Perth. Edwards allegedly killed the women during a messy relationship break-up in which his partner betrayed him, but stopped when he met someone new, a hearing to determine admissibility of propensity evidence for the trial heard on Tuesday. 'He doesn't take it out on the women he's involved with, he takes it out on strangers,' prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo told the West Australian Supreme Court. Bradley Robert Edwards (pictured), 50, is charged with the murders of three women in 1996 and 1997 Jane Rimmer (pictured) vanished in June 1996 and her body was found in bushland two months later On Monday, Edwards allegedly self-harmed in a Hakea Prison shower block, stabbing himself in the ear with a pencil, the West Australian reported. He was taken to hospital but was able to appear in court a day later with a cotton wool bud in his right ear. Edwards was a Telstra employee in 1990 when he attacked a Hollywood Hospital social worker from behind, covering her mouth and attempting to drag her into nearby toilets, but she broke free. Cable ties were found in his pocket, he apologised and was sentenced to two years probation. Defence counsel Paul Yovich said Edwards 'took exception to a somewhat curt comment', which triggered that attack. Two years earlier, Edwards was living with his parents when women's garments, including a silk kimono, were stolen from a clothesline in what Ms Barbagallo called the 'Huntingdale prowler' offences. Edwards (pictured) was taken to hospital after he stabbed himself in the ear with a pencil Several crimes were committed or attempted within a 1km radius of his home by a man wearing a nightgown or similar, and Edwards' prints were recovered from a sliding door at one property. One crime, for which he is charged, allegedly involved breaking into the home of a sleeping 18-year-old woman, unplugging the telephone and attacking her, leaving behind a kimono and black stockings. Edwards is also charged over an attack on a 17-year-old girl who in 1995 was grabbed from behind, pushed to the ground, had her hands bound with a cord and fabric forced into her mouth. She was taken to Karrakatta cemetery and sexually assaulted in 'various ways', Ms Barbagallo said. The girl made her way to nearby Hollywood Hospital where a security guard allegedly saw a Telstra vehicle drive past. There were allegedly other incidents between 1995 and 1997 where a man in a Telstra vehicle offered women lifts, telling one he was 'looking for damsels in distress' and tried to kiss her. Ciara Glennon (puictured) vanished in March 1996 and her body was found in scrub a month later Ms Barbagallo said the night Ms Spiers disappeared, 'blood curdling screams' were heard but it is unknown how she died or where she was dumped. A high-pitched scream was also heard when Ms Rimmer vanished. A Telstra-issued knife was located near where her body was recovered and police found two similar knives in Edwards' toolbox when he was arrested in 2016. Her cause of death was undetermined due to decomposition, but she had a 'defect' around her neck. The cause of Ms Glennon 's death was consistent with her neck being cut. The night she disappeared, Edwards was supposed to be with friends but only arrived the following day and lied about trying to reconcile with his ex-partner, Ms Barbagallo said. Sarah Spiers (pictured) disappeared in Claremont after leaving an Australia Day party in 1996 Fibres found on Ms Rimmer and Ms Glennon allegedly matched a vehicle Edwards had access to. Ms Barbagallo said Edwards could not explain his DNA on the kimono, the cemetery victim or Ms Glennon's fingernails. She said Edwards had a tendency to wear women's underwear, and kept 'violent erotica stories' and depraved pornographic images and movies. Mr Yovich claimed the prowling tendency had not been established and the 'distinctive feature' in the Huntingdale incidents, involving women's clothing, was absent from other conduct. The Trump administration will soon launch an initiative aiming to eliminate laws worldwide that criminalize homosexual activity. Although being gay or having gay sexual contact is punishable in more than one-third of the world's countries, human rights violations in Iran are the administrations main focus. 'There are 71 countries that criminalize homosexuality and eight that will put you to death for being gay,' Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, told DailyMail.com on Tuesday. 'This is outrageous. The West must use its collective leverage to end this abuse.' Grenell is the Trump administration's most high-profile openly gay official. Separately, a White House official told DailyMail.com that President Donald Trump deserves credit for green-lighting an effort that will ruffle feathers abroad. President Donald Trump's administration will soon launch an effort to put human-rights pressure on the 71 nations, mostly in Africa and Asia, where it's a crime to be gay, lesbian or bisexual The Islamic Republic of Iran is the administration's main focus but 70 other nations also criminalize gay sexual activity; Iran and seven others apply the death penalty for the 'offense' U.S. Ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell is the Trump administration's most visible openly gay official, and he wants the West to pressure nations where it's a crime to be homosexual 'This is one of the most important things any president has done for LGBT rights in the history of America, period. Every country should move in America's direction on that,' the official said, declining to speak on the record but confirming that Iran was a primary focus of the initiative. Another official organizing the effort told NBC News it's 'concerning' that more than so many nations still regard being gay as a crime. Iran's Sharia-law death penalty has become particularly vexing for Grenell. A British government document released by WikiLeaks indicates that the UK believes Iran has executed 'between 4,000 and 6,000 gays and lesbians' since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Islamist nation publicly hanged a 31-year-old man last month for violating a law against same-sex intercourse. Saudi Arabia also has 'morality codes,' enforced by Sharia courts, that specifically criminalize homosexual contact. THE COUNTRIES WHERE BEING GAY IS A CRIME According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, sex acts between homosexuals are considered crimes in about 70 countries. Twenty-seven of the nations have laws that apply only to gay men. Six countries have imposed the death penalty on people for violating anti-gay 'morality' laws. They are in boldface type in the lists below. In addition, ISIS-held territories in Iraq and Syria, part of the terrorist group's self-proclaimed 'caliphate,' executed gays. African nations: Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Asian nations: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen The Americas Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Countries in Oceania Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu Saudi Arabia is one nation that has executed man for being gay, applying 'morality' laws; the Trump administration's strategic alliance with the kingdom and its crown prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, could make it difficult to apply pressure; the prince has maintained his U.S. ties despite being implicated in the grisly death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year Grenell lives at the U.S. embassy in Berlin with his husband Matt Lashey, a former Broadway actor It's unclear how the Trump administration will distinguish between Iran, a country it is trying to isolate, and Saudi Arabia, whose strategic importance to the White House is so significant that the crown prince's role in the grisly death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year has not drawn sanctions or a significant rebuke. Morocco, too, could be problematic. The North African nation's trade ties with the U.S. stand as America's longest such unbroken relationship. And the two countries share counterterrorism information focused on Islamist groups in Mali, Algeria and Libya. Grenell, 52, has focused laregely on Iran. He said this month that 'Irans horrific actions are on par with the brutality and savagery regularly demonstrated by ISIS,' the once-powerful Islamic terrorist army. He told the Fox News Channel that he favored 'aggressive coordination with our European allies' to put pressure on Middle Eastern nations and others with anti-gay laws. Grenell took aim at Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Tuesday, mocking him on Twitter for calling himself a 'professor of human rights' Grenell may have ruffled feathers in his host country on Tuesday by posting, without commentary, a photo of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Germany's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas, in a cheerful grip-and-grin That appears to be the strategy the State Department is contemplating, although his own . Grenell tweeted a photo on Tuesday of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Germany's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas. The two men were photographed shaking hands and smiling. In another tweet, he commented on a video of Zarif describing himself as a 'human rights professor.' 'A professor who is helping to hang gay students?' he responded. '[C]riminalizing homosexuality is in direct violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Grenell added the hashtag '#totalBS.' A Banksy-inspired graffiti piece depicting a little girl in a yellow 'gilets jaune' vest has been discovered in France, in an apparent nod to the famed artist's Girl with Balloon. The mural, found in Bordeaux, southwestern France, comes amid the continuing French riots which has seen thousands take to the streets every weekend since December over rising fuel prices and government tax reforms. Demonstrators, who have taken to wearing high-vis jackets, giving the protest its name, have turned increasingly violent in recent weeks, with one protester having their hand mangled while apparently clutching a firework. The little girl depicted in the artwork also appears to have had her hand blown off, and is left with a bloody stump, like the injured protester from recent riots. A Banksy-inspired graffiti piece depicting a little girl in a yellow 'gilets jaune' vest has been discovered in France, in an apparent nod to the famed artist's Girl with Balloon The mural, found in Bordeaux, southwestern France, comes amid the continuing French riots which has seen thousands take to the streets every weekend since December over rising fuel prices and government tax reforms Protesters gathering around a man whose hand appears to have been ripped off which spurts blood as he cries in pain on February 10 Banksy, who last year made headlines again when an artwork he sold contained an inbuilt self-destruction function which was triggered at Sotheby's auction, is known to claim his pieces on social media shortly after they have been sketched. The artist has yet to claim the piece and it is believed so far to be a pastiche of the original. Ten days ago paramedics were seen huddled around the injured protester, 30, near the gates of the National Assembly as they provided emergency treatment. Some of the paramedics served as a barrier to stop media and demonstrators from getting too close. Police confirmed that a protester had a hand injury while photographs from the demonstration showed the bloodied hand in desperate need of treatment. A man walks past the Banksy-inspired piece of art stenciled in Bordeaux, France A woman on a bike admires the Banksy-inspired piece of art stenciled in Bordeaux, France Girl With Balloon, one of Banksy's most widely recognised works, was auctioned by Sotheby's in London in October last year. The framed, stencil spray painting shows a girl reaching towards a heart-shaped balloon and had been the final piece sold, equalling Banksy's previous auction record of 1.04 million However, in a twist to be expected from street art's most subversive character, the canvas suddenly passed through a shredder installed in the frame. Posting a picture of the moment on Instagram, Banksy wrote: 'Going, going, gone' The 2006 piece was shown dangling in pieces from the bottom of the frame. Girl With Balloon, one of Banksy's most widely recognised works, was auctioned by Sotheby's in London in October last year. The framed, stencil spray painting shows a girl reaching towards a heart-shaped balloon and had been the final piece sold, equalling Banksy's previous auction record of 1.04 million. However, in a twist to be expected from street art's most subversive character, the canvas suddenly passed through a shredder installed in the frame. Posting a picture of the moment on Instagram, Banksy wrote: 'Going, going, gone' The 2006 piece was shown dangling in pieces from the bottom of the frame. The American ISIS bride who left Alabama in 2014 to join the terror organization in Syria, says she's reformed and is now thankful for the 'freedoms we have in America', as she begs to be allowed back in US. Hoda Muthana, 24, has been nicknamed the 'ISIS bride' after she left her family to join ISIS in 2014. Now based in a Syrian refugee camp with her 18-month-old son, Muthana is begging to return to the States claiming that motherhood, losing two jihadi fighter husbands, and seeing bloodshed close up has changed her. However, she's known for writing impassioned pleas to Muslims to launch attacks in the US, urging them to 'spill all of the blood' by plowing trucks through Memorial Day parades and plotting drive-by shootings. 'ISIS bride' Hoda Muthana, 24, has penned a handwritten letter, released by her attorney Hassan Shibly, begging to come back to the US claiming that motherhood and seeing bloodshed up close has changed her In a letter released by her attorney Hassan Shibly she says she made a 'big mistake' when she left her hometown Hoover for Syria after being radicalized online at the age of 19. 'During my years in Syria I would see and experience a way of life and the terrible effects of war which changed me. Seeing bloodshed up close changed me. Motherhood changed me. Seeing friends, children and the men I married dying changed me. Seeing how different a society could be compared to the beloved America I was born and raised into changed me,' Muthana wrote in the note. 'Being where I was and seeing the ppl around me scared me because I realized I didnt want to be a part of this. My beliefs werent the same as theirs. In my quiet moments, in between bombings, starvation, cold and fear I would look at my beautiful little boy and know that I didnt belong here and neither did he,' she added. 'I would think sometimes of my family, my friends and the life that I knew and I realized how I didnt appreciate or maybe even really understand how important the freedoms that we have in America are. I do now,' she said in the letter. Muthana, pictured while in high school, says she 'deeply regrets' leaving the US. In her letter she wrote: 'I realized how I didnt appreciate or maybe even really understand how important the freedoms that we have in America are. I do now' This photo of female jihadis waving the ISIS flag was found on a now-deactivated Twitter account which reportedly belonged to Ms Muthana 'To say that I regret my past words, any pain that I caused my family and any concerns I would cause my country would be hard for me to really express properly,' she added. Muthana fled home in 2014 and married an Australian jihadi in Raqqa, Syria,then a Tunisian man, and is now recently wed to a Syrian man after her first two husbands died fighting for ISIS. In a 2015 tweet she urged Muslims in the US to launch attacks: 'You have much to do while you live under our greatest enemy, enough of your sleeping! 'Go on drive-bys and spill all of their blood, or rent a big truck and drive all over them. Veterans, Patriot, Memorial etc Day parades..go on drive by's + spill all of their blood or rent a big truck n drive all over them. Kill them.' [sic] Now, she and her 18-month-old son are living in the tent-city that is al-Hol - also known as al-Hawl - a refugee camp in northern Syria some 200 miles away from ISIS's 'last front' near the village of Baghouz by the Iraqi border. She and her son fled ISIS' last enclave of land six weeks ago and were captured by Kurdish forces. She claims she was brainwashed online and now could have valuable intelligence for U.S. forces, but said the FBI didn't seem interested in retrieving her from the refugee camp where she is living with her son. Muthana's father would welcome the woman back, Shibly said, but she is not on speaking terms with her mother. Ashfaq Taufique, who knows Muthana's family and is president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, said the woman could be a valuable resource for teaching young people about the dangers of online radicalization were she allowed to return to the United States. Her coming back could be a very positive thing for our community and our country,' Taufique said. It comes as ISIS bride Shamima Begum's British citizenship is revoked, leaving the London-born teenager stranded in Syria. The 19-year-old's family received a letter Tuesday saying the process that will see her permanently banned from the UK has started. Begum's family in London, who she left behind in 2015 when she ran away with two school friends to join ISIS, said they were 'disappointed' by the decision, her solicitor Tasnime Akunjee said. A man who was given up for dead after he went missing in the Outback for 17 days has been found alive, resting under a tree nearly 70km away. Harold Morton, 44, was last seen outside the remote community of Ampilatwatja, 320km north east of Alice Springs, at 6am on February 1, NT News reported. He was reported missing to police after locals couldn't find him in the surrounding area. Harold Morton, 44 (pictured), was last seen outside the remote community of Ampilatwatja, 320km north east of Alice Springs, at 6am on February 1 Police searched the region by air and land for several days but were unable to find Mr Morton and eventually called off the mission due to extreme temperatures reaching about 33C. In the following days, footprints believed to belong to Mr Morton were found on a dirt track 4.5km north east of Ampilatwatja - but there was no sign of the 44-year-old, ABC News reported. Mr Morton was found by community members resting under a tree, near Trew Bore, approximately 66km north east of Ampilatwatja about midday on February 17. Despite being an experienced bushman, it's unclear why the man disappeared from the remote community in the first place. A police spokesperson told ABC News Mr Morton was found 'visibly tired and gaunt but seemed well'. Mr Morton's brother, Nigel, told The Australian the 44-year-old had just 'walked around the bush' and survived on food of the land. Mr Morton was found by community members resting under a tree, near Trew Bore, approximately 66km north east of Ampilatwatja about midday on February 17 A Barkly Regional Council Ampilatwatja area worker told the publication Ampilatwatja (pictured) locals were pleased the man had been found and was safe and sound 'There's a lot of bush tucker out there that to non-indigenous people might not be obvious,' Nigel said. 'We are happy. We knew that he was still alive. We didn't give up. I think he didn't want to be found.' He added that his brother knows how to survive in the Outback and would tell his story when he's ready. A Barkly Regional Council Ampilatwatja area worker told the publication locals were pleased the man had been found and was safe and sound. Police are continuing their investigations. Australians spent $9.3 billion on cocaine, meth, MDMA and heroin in a single year - as the consumption of cocaine and meth rising from previous years. Analysis of wastewater shows how much of each of the drugs is being consumed around the country, underlining the size of the black market. The country's sewers also revealed Sydneysiders consume more than double the amount of cocaine as people in Melbourne and Brisbane. Australians spent $9.3 billion on cocaine, meth, MDMA and heroin in a single year - as the consumption of cocaine and meth rising from previous years (stock image) The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission on Wednesday released its sixth National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report, which monitored 58 wastewater stations in July and August 2018. The collection covered 56 per cent of Australia's population, accounting for about 13 million Australians. More than 9.6 tonnes of methylamphetamine was estimated to have been consumed in Australia in the year to August 2018. In that same year, four tonnes of cocaine, 1.1 tonnes of MDMA and more than 700 kilograms of heroin was also consumed by Australians. Commission chief executive Michael Phelan said he was shocked people would waste so much money on drugs. 'It is astounding that Australians waste over $9.3 billion a year on drugs,' Mr Phelan said. 'This is money people could be spending on legitimate goods for themselves and their families.' Analysis of wastewater shows how much of each of the drugs is being consumed around the country, underlining the size of the black market (stock image) The report also found both cocaine and heroin average consumption in capital cities exceeded regional consumption. However regional nicotine, alcohol, methylamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis consumption exceeded consumption in capital cities. Regional Australia consumes cannabis at double the rate of city dwellers alone. In New South Wales, capital city and regional locations were the only areas in the country where cocaine consumption were similar to levels of meth or ice. Regional nicotine, alcohol, methylamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, oxycodone, fentanyl and cannabis consumption exceeded consumption in capital cities (stock image) Elsewhere, cocaine use was significantly lower than that of meth. In the second year of the testing program, the commission found country-wide cocaine and meth consumption were up, but MDMA and heroin were down Mr Phelan said a positive sign is the drop in fentanyl use across regional areas. The report covers 56 per cent of the population, which equates to about 13 million people. The tests look for 13 substances, including nicotine, alcohol, and opiods. (Image source from: Dailymirror.lk) Rajinikanth's Political Decision Is A Shock For BJP:- There are wide speculations that Superstar Rajinikanth will make his political entry but the veteran actor clarified that he would not contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu. He even clarified that he would not take a call till the water issue get resolved. He asked the people of Tamil Nadu to vote for a party which is ready to solve the water woes in the state. It is well aware that BJP kept silent without responding about the issue despite of Tamil Nadu MPs making huge noise in the Parliament. Rajinikanth even clarified that this is not the right time to support any political party. BJP also has been keen on joining hands with Rajinikanth is he steps out with his political party. BJP has been struggling to make an impact in Tamil Nadu and was keen on establishing themselves this time. With no chance of joining hands with DMK or AIADMK, BJP pinned hopes on Rajinikanth's party. With the top actor closing doors, BJP is keen on joining hands with Capt Vijaykanths Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). As of now the national party is left in shock with Rajinikanth's move. 'O Week' and 'Freshers' have been dumped by Australian universities and replaced with classes on sexual consent and responsible drinking. Students gearing up for their first week back would typically be preparing for boozy celebrations this week, but for some this year will be a little different. University of Sydney and University of Adelaide have rebranded student orientation events this year after a shocking report into sexual assault on campus. However, some students have hit back at the name switch, slamming it as a publicity stunt that does not address the real issues facing students. 'O Week' will now be called 'Welcome Week' at University of Sydney this year where the emphasis will be on inclusion and welcoming their commencing students, a University of Sydney spokeswoman said 'O Week' will now be called 'Welcome Week' at University of Sydney this year, where the emphasis will be on inclusion and welcoming their commencing students, a University of Sydney spokeswoman said. University of Sydney student Madeline Ward told Sydney Morning Herald the name change would not impact the culture. 'I don't think renaming it Welcome Week will change the sexual harassment that happens during O-Week.' The name change comes a year after the University introduced Consent Matters online training, bystander awareness training and a seminar to minimise alcohol-related harm. The switch was triggered by Elizabeth Broderick's report, Cultural Renewal at the University of Sydney Residential Colleges, into the scandal-riddled residential colleges in 2017. The report found that 25 per cent of female students had experienced sexual harassment, compared with six per cent of male students. Students gearing up for their first week back would typically be preparing for boozy celebrations this week, but this year will be a little different A majority of the incidents had happened at one of the six colleges. Six per cent of female students had experienced actual or an attempt of sexual assault. A University of Sydney spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia their residential colleges have also changed how they refer to the week in line with the report's recommendations. 'The University of Sydney Union (USU) has also conducted a similar review of their traditional orientation activities and will run their inaugural Welcome Festival for three days from Wednesday. 'While we can't speak on their behalf, we are aware of additional action they are taking this year around the service of alcohol and running of events.' The University of Adelaide has also rebranded its Freshers Fest, in a bid to develop a respectful culture, spokesman David Ellis said. 'The University does not describe its new, commencing or first-year students as 'freshers'. 'We don't consider the word to be welcoming or inclusive. It is also less relevant to our University than it might be to institutions overseas.' Charles Sturt University has also dropped 'O Week' to On Campus Week, where the focus will be on changing the culture. 'I really think they could have kept it as it was.' Daily Mail Australia has approached Charles Sturt University for comment. Three 14-year-old boys and a 12-year-old boy have been charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman after she got off a bus last week, according to Baltimore police. Authorities said the 14-year-olds, Wilmer Ramos, Phillip Worrell and Nile Campbell were arrested Thursday and charged as adults with first-degree rape and second-degree rape. The 12-year-old has been charged as a juvenile with first-degree rape, sex offense, conspiracy and carrying a gun. Wilmer Ramos (left) and Phillip Worrell (right), both 14 years old, were arrested last Thursday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman after she got off a bus in Baltimore His identity has not been released since he is being charged as a juvenile, police said. Investigators said the 19-year-old woman was attacked about 10pm on February 6 after getting off an MTA bus and walking into the 300 block of North Fulton Avenue. Police said the three suspects forced the victim into a backyard at gunpoint and sexually assaulted her before neighbors came out of their home and interrupted the assault. Last Tuesday, authorities released photos of two smiling suspects caught on transportation surveillance cameras. Baltimore City School Police contacted detectives after seeing news reports with the photos and recognizing two of the suspects. Police said the other two suspects were identified a short time later. The suspects were positively identified by the victim and warrants were issued for their arrests, according to CBS. Ramos, Worrell and Campbell are being held at Central Booking and Intake Facility. No other information was immediately available. Nile Campbell, 14, was also arrested and charged for allegedly sexually assaulting the woman. Last Tuesday, Baltimore police released photos of two smiling suspects caught on transportation surveillance cameras An Ohio man is wanted on charges of domestic violence and bestiality after police say his wife caught him in the act of sexually abusing their dog. According to a graphic incident report from the South Euclid Police Department, shortly before 8pm on Sunday, officers were contacted by a 55-year-old woman reporting domestic violence. The victim told police that at around 8am that morning, her husband, 27-year-old Wayne Langsdale, was in the bathroom at their home on Cedar Road when she heard their 10-pound pet Maltipoos cries from inside. Wayne Langsdale, 27 (left), of Ohio, is being sought for sexually abusing a pet Maltipoo in the bathroom while his 55-year-old wife was at home (stock image right) The woman said she opened the door and saw Langsdale sitting on the toilet with his pants down abusing the dog. According to the report obtained by DailyMail.com, the wife screamed at her husband to stop and asked him why he would do that, noting that it is 'illegal, nasty and a mean thing to do to a dog.' The woman then ordered Lagnsdale to leave the house before she called the police, to which the 27-year-old suspect reportedly replied that 'police will not do anything because its [sic] just a dog.' As the wife picked up her phone to dial 911, Langsdale allegedly called her a 'snitch b****,' told her he hated her, then came up to her and repeatedly pushed her in the chest with both his hands The 6-foot-tall, 200-pound man then allegedly twisted his wife's left arm behind her back until she let go of her cellphone. The revolting incident took place inside the couple's home on Cedar Road in South Euclid 'Once he had the phone, he spit on [the wife] and pushed her in her back and knocked her to the floor,' the report stated. Before leaving the apartment, Langsdale allegedly took the womans phone and threw it from the third floor down the stairs, causing the device to shatter into piece. Police have issued a warrant for Langsalde's arrest, charging him with felony domestic violence and misdemeanor sexual conduct with an animal. The incident report stated that the 27-year-old had multiple prior domestic violence convictions, and that the victim told police her husband had attacked her prior to Sunday's incident, leaving her in fear for her safety. A serial sex offender who raped a 12-year-old girl has reportedly been forced out of his new house after locals found out he was living next to a school. Robert Fardon, 70, has spent more than 30 years in jail for sex offences in the 1960s and 1980s. He was released in 2013 and moved into state-sponsored housing in south Brisbane but was subject to 30 strict conditions including having to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. Sex offender Robert Fardon (pictured on the train after his release from jail) has moved into a home just metres from a primary school and a child care centre Last month, after five years without offending, a judge found the child rapist should be allowed to live unsupervised. Word spread that he had moved into a house in a leafy south Brisbane suburb and was living just a few hundred metres from a school and childcare centre. But Fardon has apparently been moved from the housing commission property after furious neighbours found out he was living on their street, the Courier Mail reported. A neighbour who lived opposite the house told the newspaper she saw a man with short hair move in a few weeks ago after being dropped off by a government agents. But she said the house has appeared empty for three or four days. Mother Tracey Innes told the newspaper that her son came home from school and told her: 'There's a serial rapist living down the street'. She said the children were talking about it at school and the news spread fast around parents. Another mother said: 'I'm horrified, I'm very scared, it's not good, I don't know what to do. 'I have two young kids I don't feel safe in my own home. We can't live here with that - I have two young kids.' Police refused to comment on Fardon's location but said they are monitoring him 24/7, that he is not in good health and he does not pose a risk. Commissioner Ian Stewart said: 'We certainly believe that the accommodation that he has doesn't place the community at risk.' Two Queensland judges found the child rapist (pictured in January 2019) should be allowed to live unsupervised in the community in a decision made public last month. The 70-year-old recently shaved off his beard Last month vigilantes were warned to stay away from Fardon. Civil Liberties Council vice-president Terry O'Gorman said his team would 'closely watch' vigilante attention on the rapist. Fardon is no longer classed a dangerous prisoner and recently moved out of the state-sponsored housing where he had been living since his release from prison in 2013. He was first convicted in 1967, then aged 18, for sexual abuse offences against a 10-year-old girl, and went on to commit a string of crimes against women and girls. In 2003 he became the first person to be jailed in Queensland indefinitely under new laws targeting repeat sex offenders but was later released on a supervision order. President Trump said that Bernie Sanders 'missed his time' but declined to filet the democratic socialist Tuesday who announced his candidacy for president earlier in the day. Trump said he sympathizes with Sanders, who lost his battle for the Democratic nomination in 2016 to Hillary Clinton. The Republican president said that the Vermont senator was 'taken advantage of' and 'not treated with respect by Clinton' in the race. He mused that it was 'too bad' and 'quite sad as it pertains to our country' as he took questions from reporters at the end of an event in the Oval Office. Trump wished Sanders well and said that on a personal level he likes the 77-year-old politician. 'You've got a lot of people running, but only one person's going to win,' he added jovially. 'I hope you know who that person is.' Bernie Sanders will run for President in 2020, telling CBS News on Tuesday that he'll continue pressing the 'political revolution' he began in 2016 President Trump said that Sanders 'missed his time' but declined to filet the democratic socialist in Oval Office remarks Reporters were in the Oval to see Trump make an announcement about his Space Force initiative. At the end, he took several off-topic questions, as he frequently does. Press aides were loudly urging reporters to leave when a journalist asked Trump for his opinion on his newest 2020 rival. 'Bernie Sanders is running,' Trump replied with a grin. 'That's right.' Mulling the senator's candidacy, Trump decided that he wanted to weigh in. He said, 'Personally I think he missed his time ... But I like Bernie.' He credited Sanders for taking a 'tough' line on trade, saying 'he sort of would agree' with him on the subject. 'The problem is he doesn't know what to do about it,' Trump said. 'We're doing something very spectacular on trade.' He said, 'I wish Bernie well ... What happened to Bernie maybe was not so nice... I think he was taken advantage of. 'He ran great four years ago and he was not treated with respect by Clinton, that was too bad,' the president reflected. 'I thought what happened to Bernie Sanders four years ago was quite sad as it pertains to our country.' Trump has had harsh words for Oval Office competitors such as Elizabeth Warren, whom he calls Pocahontas, and Amy Klobuchar, who he mocked for declaring her candidacy in a snow storm. Sanders and others have gotten a pass, however, as Trump feels out the field. The independent senator who changed his affiliation to seek the presidency in 2016 had plenty to deal with on his own side of the aisle. After Sanders told Vermont Public Radio that candidates should not be judged by the color of their skin, sexual orientation, gender or age, former Clinton communications aide Jess McIntosh suggested he check his privilege. 'This is usually an argument made by people who dont enjoy outsized respect and credibility because of their race, gender, age and sexual orientation,' she tweeted. 'If Bernie is going to start this contest telling us hes at a disadvantage as a white man it is going to be a LONG year.' Expanding on her comments on CNN, she said that subtly invoking Kamala Harris' race and crowing about your own attributes 'is not gonna be the position of strength you want' to start the race in. Sanders' former national spokeswoman, Symone Sanders, was also critical of the senator's roll out. She told a CNN audience that a key problem for Sen. Sanders, no relation, is how to 'distinguish himself in a field of 15-20 Democratic candidates,' many of whom share his progressive views. 'And frankly, I think that's something the senator has to work on,' she said, invoking the VPR interview in which he said candidates' ability to the job should outweigh demographic considerations. 'I don't necessarily believe that that is the pitch, if you will.' Asked by CNN host Brooke Baldwin if Sanders' comments were tone deaf, she said: 'I don't know if it's so much as tone deaf as it is ... perhaps it's a jab.' 'I think if that's something that Sen. Sanders does continue to say, you might hear other presidential candidates hit back,' she warned. Former Clinton adviser Philippe Reines meanwhile bashed the media for telling Clinton to 'go away' after her loss and not try again while telling Sanders, who lost the primary by 3,708,294 votes 'WELCOME BACK!' in a tweet on the topic. Sanders lost the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 to Hillary Clinton after the Democratic National Committee aligned itself with her in a plot to sabotage his campaign Sanders launched his second campaign for president on Tuesday with an all-out assault against Trump, entering an already crowded field in the hope of improving on his second-place finish to Hillary Clinton in 2016. 'You know as well as I do that we are living in a pivotal and dangerous moment in American history,' the 77-year-old said in a more than 10-minute-long launch video. 'We are running against a president who is a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe, and someone who is undermining American democracy as he leads us in an authoritarian direction.' Sanders called for 1 million Americans to help him turn Trump into a one-term president. 'We're gonna win,' he said on the 'CBS This Morning' program. 'We are going to also launch what I think is unprecedented in modern American history and that is a grassroots movement.' President Trump's 2020 national press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, fired back, hitting harder than her boss did when the subject came up. 'Bernie Sanders has already won the debate in the Democrat primary, because every candidate is embracing his brand of socialism,' McEnany said in a statement. 'But the American people will reject an agenda of sky-high tax rates, government-run health care and coddling dictators like those in Venezuela. Only President Trump will keep America free, prosperous and safe.' Republican National Committee spokesman Michael Ahrens argued in a statement that Sanders 'is a self-avowed socialist who wants to double your taxes so the government can take over your health care.' 'The vast majority of voters oppose his radical agenda, just like they are going to oppose all the 2020 Democrats who have rushed to embrace it.' In a 1,500-word email to supporters, Sanders said his democratic socialist ideals, including socialized medicine and upper-income tax hikes, were considered '"radical" and "extreme"' in the last election cycle but are gaining broader acceptance. 'Three years have come and gone. And, as result of millions of Americans standing up and fighting back, all of these policies are now supported by a majority of Americans.' 'Together, you and I and our 2016 campaign began the political revolution. Now, it is time to complete that revolution and implement the vision that we fought for.' Sanders is already attacking President Donald Trump head-on, in an aggressive attempt to leapfrog other Democratic primary candidates and place himself in the general election discussion Sanders was expected to be an asterisk in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary field, but mounted a serious enough challenge to Clinton that Democratic Party leaders propped her up internally. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida lawmaker, was forced to resign her party chairmanship after leaked emails showed her conspiring with the Clinton campaign to sabotage Sanders. But Sanders' unlikely campaign struck a chord with party rebels tired of what they termed the 'swamp' of established Washington politicians. He continued his anti-Trump rollout in an interview with Vermont Public Radio, touting his health and 'energy level' as he said 'the current occupant of the White House is an embarrassment to our country.' He claimed the president 'is gaining cheap political points by trying to pick on minorities, often undocumented immigrants.' Sanders joins a dense Democratic primary field that already includes Senators Cory Booker, Tulsi Gabbard, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren. The Democratic Party's presidential candidates will debate in the summer. Seen above are Senators Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts (left) and Kamala Harris from California (right) Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar (left) entered the 2020 presidential race as a moderate Democrat in a crowded field of liberals. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey (right) is also in the race Sanders, 77, said Tuesday that he doesn't think his age should be a disqualifying factor in rnuning for the White House, despite fresh faces like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez increasingly forming the backcone of the Democratic Party's new radicalism Former Vice President Joe Biden is reportedly considering a run. And Hillary Clinton has not signaled that she is closing the door on the idea. Beto O'Rourke, a former Texas congressman who narrowly lost November's U.S. Senate race to Ted Cruz, is also lingering on the sidelines. First-term congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 29, has become the standard-bearer for Sanders' brand of populism that they both refer to as 'democratic socialism.' She is too young to run for president under the rules laid out in the U.S. Constitution, but millennials are increasingly seeing her as the party's leftward drifting future. Sanders said Tuesday that he's not concerned about losing out to someone younger as 'the face of the new Democratic Party.' 'We have got to look at candidates, you know, not by the color of their skin, not by their sexual orientation or their gender and not by their age,' he said. 'I mean, I think we have got to try to move us toward a non-discriminatory society which looks at people based on their abilities, based on what they stand for.' He drew criticism last month when several women who worked on his 2016 campaign said they were sexually harassed by male employees. 'It appears as part of our campaign there were some women who were harassed or mistreated. And I thank them from the bottom of my heart for speaking out,' Sanders said in response. 'What they experienced was absolutely unacceptable and certainly not what a progressive campaign or any campaign should be about. The allegations that I have heard, that you have heard, speak to unacceptable behavior, that must not be tolerated in any campaign or in any workplace in our country.' The mother of a woman who was brutally murdered in 2013 told her daughter's killer to 'rot in hell' after he admitted to killing three people in the span of four years in a Florida courtroom on Friday. Charles Andrew Martinez, 29, will spend the rest of his life in prison after being found guilty of murdering Lindsay Greene and Jennifer Kalb in 2013 and 21-year-old Victor Martinez in 2009. Shortly after he admitted to the killings in court, Greene's mother, Jennifer, said in a statement: 'Charlie Martinez, there is no justice on this earth for you.' 'And I hope you rot in hell,' the grieving mother said, according to The Tampa Bay Times. The mother of Lindsay Greene (right) who was brutally murdered in 2013 told her daughter's killer, Charles Martinez (left) to 'rot in hell' after he admitted on Friday to killing Greene and Jennifer Kalb in 2013 and 21-year-old Victor Martinez in 2009 Greene and her friend Kalb, 23, were stabbed to death in October 2013. According to authorities, Greene and Charles Martinez were a couple at the time of the slayings and had been living together in a townhouse owned by her parents. On October 10, 2013, investigators found the bodies of Greene and Kalb in the home. They had been stabbed dozens of time and had bone fractures in their faces, according to the Times. On Friday, the prosecutors noted that their wounds were so numerous that the medical examiner did not have room to list them all on the death certificates. Martinez turned himself in 2014 on an unrelated warrant and was subsequently charged with the two murders. Greene and her friend Kalb (right, pictured in green with her twin sister) were stabbed to death in October 2013. But before their murders, Martinez shot dead Victor Martinez (left) in 2009 after luring him to a remote area by telling him they were picking up a package But before their murders, Martinez shot dead Victor Martinez in 2009 after luring the victim to a remote area by telling him they were picking up a package. Charles Martinez shot Victor twice in the head and dumped his body in a ditch. At the time, Charles Martinez was a suspect, but authorities didn't have enough evidence to make an arrest so it became a cold case. Charles Martinez (pictured, during his 2014 arrest) apologized in court, saying he's not 'asking any of those families to forgive me for anything that took place' Last year, he was charged with Victor's murder while awaiting trial for the murders of Greene and Kalb. Martinez admitted to all of the murders last week in exchange for prosecutors dropping the death sentence. Greene, 25, had a son named Philip and Kalb left behind a large family that included four brothers and an identical sister, Jessica. 'When you brutally murdered my sister, you took a part of me along with her,' Jessica wrote in a statement, according to the Times. Kalb's mother, Jacqueline, also said in a statement that she agrees that life in prison was 'suitable for you rather than the death penalty'. 'Because I believe if you ever understand or feel the way I do, it will take the rest of your life to figure it out,' Jacqueline said, adding that she knows her daughter had forgiven Martinez. 'May God forgive you for what you have done,' she said. Martinez apologized in court, according to the Times, and said he's not 'asking any of those families to forgive me for anything that took place'. 'I do want them to know I am sorry.' Meghan Markle's mother Doria Ragland has been spotted walking her dog in Los Angeles as her daughter prepared for her swanky baby shower in New York. Doria stepped out for a short walk with her pooch in her LA neighborhood on Tuesday morning. Dressed in winter boots and a black down parka, the 62-year-old strolled casually along the sidewalk. The soon-to-be grandmother briefly let her dog off the leash and was spotted staring at her phone several times. Meghan Markle's mother Doria Ragland stepped out for a short walk with her pooch in her LA neighborhood on Tuesday morning Dressed in winter boots and a black down parka, Doria repeatedly checked her phone while walking her dog around her neighborhood Her brief walk came just as her 37-year-old daughter Meghan was photographed out and about in New York City on Tuesday ahead of her baby shower. The Duchess of Sussex, who is seven months pregnant, is in New York to see some of her closest friends ahead of giving birth to her first royal baby. It is not clear why Doria, who was the only member of Meghan's family at the royal wedding in May, was not in New York for the baby shower. Prince Harry's wife was spotted cradling her baby bump as she left The Mark Hotel on the Upper East Side on Tuesday afternoon. She left the lavish, five-star hotel soon after her close friend and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer entered the hotel. The 62-year-old's solo outing in Los Angeles came as her daughter Meghan Markle was photographed out and about in New York City on Tuesday ahead of her rumored baby shower The soon-to-be grandmother briefly let her dog off the leash and followed the pooch for part of their walk on Tuesday morning Doria opted for winter boots and a black down parka when she stepped out on Tuesday morning The Duchess of Sussex's mother picked up after her dog at one point as she continued to casually stroll down the sidewalk Dora donned a red crossbody bag and sunglasses for her brief outing on Tuesday as her daughter was photographed in NYC Meghan and Abigail traveled just a few blocks to briefly visit the Met Breuer and were spotted inside the art museum's restaurant. The royal was flanked by several plain-clothed security for her NYC outing. She is believed to have flown to the US on Friday for a five-day trip ahead of giving birth. A Kensington Palace spokesperson would not reveal details of Meghan's trip but confirmed it was 'privately funded'. The main event on her low-key itinerary is said to be the baby shower with 15 of her closest friends. It is being organized by her best friend Jessica Mulroney - who arrived in the city at the end of last week from her home in Toronto. It is not clear why Doria, who was the only member of Meghan's family at the royal wedding in May, was not in New York for the baby shower Prince Harry's wife was spotted cradling her baby bump while out in the Upper East Side with her close friend and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer The Duchess of Sussex, who is seven months pregnant, is in New York to see some of her closest friends ahead of giving birth to her first royal baby Burberry has apologised after a model complained about a hooded top with a noose around its neck. Liz Kennedy, who was modelling for Burberry at London Fashion Week show on Sunday, said she was 'ashamed' to have been part of the event because of the insensitivity of the accessory. Though she was not asked to wear the garment, Ms Kennedy said she felt 'extremely triggered after seeing this look', prompting the clothing giant to remove it from its collection. Tagging Burberry and its Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci, Ms Kennedy wrote in a searing Instagram post: 'Suicide is not fashion. It is not glamorous nor edgy and since this show is dedicated to the youth expressing their voice, here I go. Burberry has apologised after a model complained of being 'triggered' by a hooded top with a 'noose' around its neck displayed in London Fashion Week (pictured) 'Riccardo Tisci and everyone at Burberry it is beyond me how you could let a look resembling a noose hanging from a neck out on the runway. 'How could anyone overlook this and think it would be okay to do this especially in a line dedicated to young girls and youth. The impressionable youth.' Ms Kennedy mentioned rising suicide rates worldwide and the 'horrific history of lynching'. The model said a 'massive brand' such as Burberry, who are 'typically considered commercial and classy', should not have overlooked the 'obvious resemblance'. 'I left my fitting extremely triggered after seeing this look,' she continued. 'Feeling as though I was right back where I was when I was going through an experience with suicide in my family.' Model Liz Kennedy criticised Burberry Ms Kennedy said one version of the garment was hung from the ceiling and people were laughing about it in the dressing room. After she asked to speak to somebody about it she was told 'it's fashion, nobody cares about what's going on in your personal life so just keep it to yourself', Ms Kennedy claimed. After her complaint, all promotional material involving the garment was removed from Burberry's website and social media, the Daily Telegraph reported. Ms Kennedy's management confirmed she was never made to wear it the garment, the paper reported. Mr Tisci apologised in a statement, writing: 'I am so deeply sorry for the distress that has been caused as a result of one of the pieces in my show on Sunday. 'While the design was inspired by a nautical theme, I realize that it was insensitive. It was never my intention to upset anyone. It does not reflect my values nor Burberry's and we have removed it from the collection. I will make sure that this does not happen again.' Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti added that the company was 'deeply sorry' for the distress caused, saying that he called Ms Kennedy to apologise as soon as he became aware of the issue on Monday. He described the design as 'insensitive', saying the company would learn from the incident and take 'all necessary actions' to ensure it does not happen again. President Donald Trump signed an order Tuesday creating the Space Force he has promised for much of the last year, but it won't stand on its own. The Space Force will begin its incubation as part of the U.S. Air Force, similar to how the U.S. Marine Corps is part of the Navy. The new force could become its own independent Pentagon subagency in the future, however. Trump signed an order last June directing the Defense Department to establish the Space Force as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces. President Trump gave the U.S. Space Force its liftoff on Tuesday with an Oval Office signing of 'Space Policy Directive 4' The president's space militarization push is the more aggressive since Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, known in the 1980s as his 'Star Wars' plan In addition to the Pentagon, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and National Security Council have been hammering out details for months. The White House's Office of Management and Budget and the White House Counsels Office are also key players. Trump has said a specialized military agency is needed to ensure U.S. dominance in the no-man's-land beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Some lawmakers have expressed concerns about the need and potential cost. The White House will send Congress its 2020 budget request in March. That bulky document is expected to contain cost details. Vice President Mike Pence formally introduced the idea to the Pentagon in August, urging U.S. military leaders 'to prepare for the next battlefield where America's best and bravest will be called to deter and defeat a new generation of threats to our people.' Trump marked Pence's announcement with a tweet: 'Space Force all the way!' Military brass surrounded Trump and VP Mike Pence as he signed the order formally creating the U.S. Space Force There has been no word on a Space Force logo, but Trump's 2020 campaign organization has raised money by asking donors to pick a design Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had endorsed steps to reorganize the military's space warfighting forces and create a new command, but opposed launching a new branch of the armed forces. That would require layers of bureaucracy, military and civilian leaders, uniforms, equipment and an expansive support structure. In remarks last month at the Pentagon, the president issued a stark warning to adversaries by unveiling a missile defense plan anchored in space. America aims to build a system capable of destroying 'any missile launched against the United States anywhere, anytime, any place,' he said. Vice President Mike Pence formally launched the Space Force effort in an August 2018 speech at the Pentagon Trump tweeted an encouraging 'Space Force all the way!' after Pence spoke that day A man wearing a Space Force shirt attended a Trump cally on October 26 in Charlotte, N.C. In addition to a space-based layer of weaponry aligned with the new Space Force that's 'meant to to protect every city in the U.S.,' the plan includes 20 ground-based missile interceptors in Alaska which sits along the most direct route between the U.S. and Russia. Trump also said last month that 'wealthy countries that we are protecting are all under notice. 'I'm asking them to step up,' he said. Trump has repeatedly called out NATO and Asian allies for not spending enough on military defense that forms the backbone of mutual defense pacts. 'We are going to be with NATO 100 per cent. But as I told the countries, you have to step up,' Trump said in the January speech. 'You have to pay minimum numbers, actually. The numbers should be much higher.' Retiring RAF Tornado jets have taken to the skies to begin their three-day farewell tour of British landscapes to mark the end of their iconic careers. Three jets set off on their final journey around the country today and began by flying over the namesake Tornado steam train near Leeming Bar, in North Yorkshire. The Tornadoes, which have been in service since 1979 and first used in combat during the first Gulf War, will go into retirement at the end of March. Retiring RAF Tornado jets began their three-day farewell tour around the country as they mark the end of their iconic careers Three jets set off around British landmarks today began their journey by flying over the famous Tornado steam train near Leeming Bar, in North Yorkshire The iconic aircraft are undertaking a tour of the UK that will fly over most RAF bases and other key sites associated with the aircraft. Station Commander Group Captain Ian 'Cab' Townsend previously wrote on Twitter that the flypasts, with up to three jets, would be a 'superb celebration of Tornado and those who have supported her across the country'. He earlier said routes were chosen to commemorate places that have contributed to Tornado over the years. Wing Commander James Heeps said: 'It is a great privilege to be part of a national event that allows the public to say farewell to a brilliant aircraft that has been the cornerstone of our operations for so many years. The Tornadoes are undertaking a tour of the UK that will fly over most RAF bases and other key sites associated with the aircraft Routes were chosen to commemorate places that have contributed to Tornado over the years 'It's also a sad occasion because it will mean that from the end of next month the Tornado will never fly again.' After flying over their base on Tuesday, RAF Leeming posted on Twitter: 'What a moment in history! Sgt Jon Ryder captured the final GR4 flypast as it passed over the iconic Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado steam locomotive. A sight which will sadly never be repeated.' Eight Tornadoes, which were stationed at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and used in the fight against Islamic State, returned home to RAF Marham, in Norfolk, earlier this month. The role of the Tornadoes will be taken over by Typhoons, with new weapons systems. The RAF said its new fleet of F-35 Lightning jets will form the backbone of the UK's combat air fleet alongside the Typhoon jets in the coming years. An Iowa mom has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after her baby son's lifeless body was found in a maggot-infested swing. Cheyanne Harris, 22, showed no emotion as she was sentenced on Tuesday in New Hampton to the state-mandated penalty, and her request for a new trial was denied. It took Plymouth County jurors around four hours to find Harris guilty of first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death on February 6. No family members were present to see Harris, wearing jail stripes and an orange jacket, sentenced on Tuesday. Sterling Koehn was lifeless and bleeding from the mouth when he was found rotting in his swing in a sweltering bedroom on August 30 2017, in an apartment in Alta Vista, Chickasaw County. An autopsy shows he died of malnutrition, dehydration and an E. coli infection. The baby's father, Zachary Koehn, also has been sentenced to life in prison. Scroll down for video. Cheyanne Harris, left, enters the courtroom prior to sentencing Tuesday in New Hampton Sterling Koehn, pictured, died of malnutrition, dehydration and an E. coli infection caused by being left in a maggot-infested diaper for up to two weeks Harris (left) has been imprisoned for life without possibility of parole. The baby's father Zachary Paul Koehn, right, was convicted of first-degree murder and child endangerment Drug user Harris - who pleaded not guilty - was arrested after medics found the baby. She had caused a break in her trial last month when she cried after seeing pictures of her lifeless newborn. The images appeared to show him bleeding from the mouth wearing camouflage pants and a shirt with a cartoon cow above the words 'let's play'. Police said they found everything needed to care for the child, including new diapers and baby ointment to treat the rash, inside the home, The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports. Koehn is said to have made $45,000 a year and had access to health insurance but witnesses told the court the apartment smelt of urine, feces and decay. The couple's other two-year-old daughter appeared healthy. Baby Sterling's blanket was covered in urine and there were maggots on his clothing, the court heard. Chief Deputy Reed Palo said Harris told him she had fed the baby about four ounces the night before he was found. A forensic entomologist said Sterling had been in his swing for nine to 14 days in the same diaper and said he had 'not had a diaper change, bath, or been removed from the seat in over a week'. The four-month-old Sterling Koehn (above) had been in the same diaper for nine to 14 days when his body was found dead in the swing, a court heard Both Harris, left, and Zachary Koehn, right, have been sentenced to life in prison Harris, right, starts to cry during her court appearance in Le Mars, Iowa, in January Harris, pictured last month, showed no emotion as she was sentenced on Tuesday. She is seen here in January Harris, who reported last using meth weeks before the death, had postpartum depression and was expected to use intoxication or diminished responsibility as a defense. Zachary Paul Koehn, 29, of Alta Vista, was convicted in under two hours and received a mandatory prison sentence of life without parole for the child endangerment that caused the death of four-month-old Sterling Koehn. Jordan Clark, a former friend of Koehn's, had testified that he wasn't even aware the man had a baby. President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed he never called the wife of former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe a 'loser' and only knocked her over some campaign donations she took in a Virginia state Senate race. 'I never said anything bad about Andrew McCabes wife other than she (they) should not have taken large amounts of campaign money from a Crooked Hillary source when Clinton was under investigation by the FBI. I never called his wife a loser to him (another McCabe made up lie)!,' the president wrote on Twitter. In an interview with '60 Minutes' Sunday night, McCabe recalled a conversation he had with the president while he was acting director of the FBI where he claims the president asked him to ask his wife what it was like to be a 'loser.' President Donald Trump claimed he never called the wife of former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe a 'loser' Trump said his only criticism of Jill McCabe is she should not have taken campaign money from a source close to the Clintons Andrew McCabe claimed Trump asked him to ask his wife what it was a like to be a 'loser' during a phone conversation Jill McCab ran for the Virginia state Senate as a Democrat in 2015 but lost that contest. Andrew McCabe recalled Trump asking him about her bid. He said Trump said to him: '"What was it like when your wife lost her race for state senate? It must have been really tough to lose." And I said, "Well, it's tough to lose anything. But my wife has refocused her efforts on her career. And he then said, "Ask her what it was like to lose. It must be tough to be a loser."' He added: 'No man wants to hear anyone call his wife a loser, most of all me. My wife is a wonderful, brilliant, dedicated physician who tried to help her community. So she is no loser. It was just bullying. So rather than get into an argument with the president of the United States, we, I said, "Okay, sir." And we hung up and ended the call.' Trump has raged against McCabe the past few days since the publication the former acting FBI director's memoir 'The Threat,' which questions Trump's ability and fitness to be president. McCabe has conducted several interviews as part of his press tour for his book and he's held nothing back. Neither has Trump, who has fired off tweet after tweet knocking the former acting FBI director. McCabe told '60 Minutes' how top Justice Department officials - in the wake of Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey - discussed convening the Cabinet to invoke the 25th amendment and remove Trump from office. He also confirmed Deputy Attorney Rod Rosenstein did offer to wear a wire during a White House meeting with Trump. And he told NBC's 'Today Show' that he briefed the so-called 'Gang of Eight' on Capitol Hill, a group of the top congressional leaders from both parties, about the FBI's investigation into whether Trump was an agent for Russia and said neither Republicans nor Democrats raised any red flags at the time. McCabe's book has skyrocketed up the best seller list and knocked Michelle Obama's memoir from the Number One spot on Amazon.com. Trump has blasted McCabe repeatedly but his hits on Jill McCabe got him some blow back for being an online bully. Jill McCabe, an emergency room pediatrician, lost that 2015 state Senate race but she received - as did a number of Democrats in the state - contributions from then-Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Jill McCabe, appearing on '60 Minutes' with Andrew McCabe, said her state Senate campaign had no ties to the Clintons Jill McCabe - seen here with her husband Andrew and two children - lost a 2015 race for the state Senate in Virginia Andrew McCabe is on a media tour to publicize his memoir McAuliffe is a longtime pal of Bill and Hillary Clinton who ran the Democratic National Committee during the Clinton White House years. He's a fundraising power house for the Democratic Party. His super PAC donated almost $500,000 to McCabe's Senate bid, which Trump has set his sights on as part of his argument of a conspiracy against him. She received additional money from the Virginia Democratic Party. Combined the total was around $675,000 in donations. Jill McCabe told '60 Minutes' Sunday night that there was no link between her state Senate race and the Clintons. 'There was no connection in any way between my campaign and Bill and Hillary Clinton. I've never met them. I don't know them,' she said. Trump has obsessed with the donation as he railed against investigations against his presidential campaign as a 'witch hunt.' 'How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?,' he wrote on Twitter on December 2017. The FBI was investigating Clinton's use of a private email server during Jill McCabe's Senate campaign. McCabe's memoir is out today In 2015, Andrew McCabe was not at FBI headquarters but stationed in the field. He later recused himself from the FBI investigation when he became the agency's deputy director, he told CBS News. 'None. I was not at headquarters where the case was initiated and run. I was in the field office,' he said of his oversight of the Clinton investigation. McCabe personally authorized two federal investigations into President Trump - one into Russia's role in the 2016 election and the other a counter intelligence investigation into whether Trump was an agent for Russia. McCabe also urged the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel to take over the probes. He said he believes these actions are what got him fired. 'I believe I was fired because I opened a case against the president of the United States,' he told CBS News. President Trump on Monday labeled as 'treasonous' a pair of reported plots by senior Justice Department officials, McCabe and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, to secretly record him in the Oval Office and gather support for removing him from power. President Donald Trump said Monday that a pair of reported plots against him were 'illegal and treasonous,' pointing a finger squarely at McCabe as he prepared for his book rollout McCabe said during a '60 Minutes' interview Sunday night that Rosenstein was 'absolutely serious' about wearing a wire around the president. Rosenstein, he claimed, at one point tried to gauge support among members of Trump's Cabinet for using the Constitution's 25th Amendment to terminate his presidency. Trump was apoplectic on the President's Day holiday. 'Wow, so many lies by now disgraced acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. He was fired for lying, and now his story gets even more deranged. He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught,' Trump tweeted Monday morning. 'There is a lot of explaining to do to the millions of people who had just elected a president who they really like and who has done a great job for them with the Military, Vets, Economy and so much more. This was the illegal and treasonous insurance policy in full action!' The president tweeted Monday morning about claims by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and current Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who proposed secretly recording Trump and gauging support for having his Cabinet remove him from power McCabe created a firestorm over the weekend by describing in a '60 Minutes' interview the serious support among Trump's top law enforcement officials for getting rid of him White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Thursday that McCabe 'was fired in total disgrace from the FBI because he lied to investigators on multiple occasions, including under oath.' 'His selfish and destructive agenda drove him to open a completely baseless investigation into the President. His actions were so shameful that he was referred to federal prosecutors. Andrew McCabe has no credibility and is an embarrassment to the men and women of the FBI and our great country.' McCabe's book, 'The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump', is out today. The son of a prominent real estate lawyer attending University of Florida has been charged with raping a fellow student inside her campus apartment. Ian Fitzgerald Deal, 19, of Jacksonville, was arrested on Sunday morning on a charge of sexual battery stemming from the alleged attack in the University of Florida Keys Residential Complex. According to an arrest report, the alleged victim said she invited Deal, who is a sophomore majoring in construction management, back to her place to hang out, but she told him she did not want to have sex. University of Florida student Ian Deal, 19 (pictured left in his mugshot), has been charged with sexual battery targeting a female schoolmate and acquaintance Deal's accuser told police she invited the sophomore back to her apartment in the University of Florida Keys Residential Complex to hang out, but told him she did not want to have sex However, the 19-year-old suspect allegedly grabbed the female student by the neck, flipped her over and proceeded to undress her. The report obtained by Gainesville Sun stated that Deal then pushed the victims face into a pillow and raped her. The woman later told university police that she repeatedly told Deal to stop. Police who were summoned to the apartment by the alleged victim found the college sophomore naked and asleep in her bed. When interviewed by investigators, Deal reportedly claimed that his sexual encounter with the accuser was consensual. Deal allegedly grabbed the young woman by the neck, took off her clothes and raped her, then fell asleep naked on her bed When police tried to further question the 19-year-old, he asked for an attorney. Deal was booked into the county jail, where he remained on Tuesday. Ian's father is Blake Deal III, a veteran real estate attorney in Jacksonville Beach and a married father-of-two. Ian's father is Blake Deal III, a prominent real estate attorney in Jacksonville Beach (pictured) According to his biography page posted on his law firm's website, the elder Deal graduated with honors from the University of Florida Levin School of Law in 1996. Deal revealed to the New York Post that his son has known the accuser for three years, and that the womans younger sister is close friends with Ian's younger sister. Describing his son as kind and respectful towards women, Deal said Ian has insisted to him that his encounter with the alleged victim was '100 per cent consensual,' adding that he was devastated by the accusation of rape. Britain and the EU can still find a compromise on Brexit if both sides make concessions, a former EU Commission president said today. Ex- Portuguese prime minister Jose Manuel Barroso said the negotiations appeared to be at a dead end but that the EU had a record for last minute breakthroughs. Britain is demanding changes to the controversial Irish border backstop part of the Brexit deal amid Eurosceptic fears it will be permanent. The former Portuguese prime minister Jose Manuel Barroso said the negotiations appeared to be at a dead end but that the EU had a record for last minute breakthroughs Theresa May will not take the so-called 'Malthouse Compromise' to the latest round of talks with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker when she heads to Brussels tomorrow The EU has so far rejected all three of the possible solutions proposed by Britain - a time limit, unilateral exit mechanism or an alternative backstop arrangement. It comes as Cabinet ministers were told a Plan C for Brexit drawn up by Tory Leave and Remain MPs will not work today, a day before Theresa May returns to Brussels for talks. Speaking at a Euronews conference in London, Mr Barroso said: 'We are now in what seems a dead end in the negotiations. 'It is possible, with some creativity and imagination to find some kind of compromise. 'There is still some room for some negotiation.' Citing crises such as the Greek financial collapse, he said: 'The European Commission has a remarkable capacity to find compromises that seem impossible until they are done.' He said Brussels would 'naturally agree' if Britain asked for an extension to its scheduled March 29 departure date. 'Everybody needs to move a little,' said Barroso, now a non-executive chairman at Goldman Sachs investment bank. 'Europe should make an effort to accommodate some of the concerns.' After a Cabinet meeting this morning, it emerged that the Prime Minister will not take the so-called 'Malthouse Compromise' to the latest round of talks with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker when she heads to Brussels tomorrow. Cabinet sources confirmed to MailOnline ministers were told it was 'too late' for the Malthouse plan to work. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox (pictured today arriving for Cabinet) is due to give a speech on the backstop this week but it has been delayed from today as talks continue EU negotiator Michel Barnier rejected the plan at talks with Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay last night. The idea had been to re-write the divorce deal with a technology-based solution for the Irish border. But there is rising expectation Attorney General Geoffrey Cox will endorse a new document - known as a 'codicil' - as enough to provide 'legally binding' changes to the Irish border backstop, the BBC said. But any appendix or legal letter will fall far short of the re-written backstop demanded by Brexiteers. They are due to meet Mrs May later tonight. Leaving Eurosceptic Steve Baker ridiculed the 'Cox Codpiece' this afternoon and warned: 'Never forget: there was a better way to reach a mutually beneficial deal.' The hardline Brexiteer European Research Group has vowed to vote down the deal for a second time if Mrs May fails to bring back a new version. Sources at the group said there could be an 'explosion' of anger from Brexiteer MPs. Mr Cox has delayed a speech due today on the backstop as talks continue with Brussels. Following Cabinet, Mrs May's spokesman said: The Brexit Secretary said he had held productive talks with Michel Barnier to resolve the outstanding issues on the backstop and further talks will be taking place this week. The PM said she would meet Jean-Claude Juncker tomorrow evening in Brussels. She said was working hard to secure the legally binding changes that Parliament requested to the backstop. The spokesman insisted there is 'ongoing work' on all three possible options to fix the backstop - a time limit, a unilateral exit mechanism and an alternative system. But a EU Commission spokesman said today: 'We cannot accept a time limit to the backstop or a unilateral exit clause. 'Further talks will be held this week to see whether a way through can be found that could gain the broadest possible support in the UK parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European council. Told Brussels was saying No, Mrs May's spokesman said: 'The deal that is on the table was rejected by 230 votes. The EU has been clear it wants the UK to leave with a deal.' The Business Secretary warned the car industry needs MPs to vote for the Brexit deal today as he scrambled to respond to Honda planning to close its Swindon plant. Greg Clark said even while Honda said Brexit was not to blame for this decision a no deal Brexit would be a 'hammer blow' to the industry. His warning came as it emerged Theresa May personally called the President of Honda to express her 'disappointment' at the decision, which threatens 3,500 jobs. Honda has blamed a rapidly changing car industry with plunging demand for diesel cars and a new focus on electric vehicles. Business Secretary Greg Clark (pictured today in the Commons) warned the car industry needs MPs to vote for the Brexit deal today as he scrambled to respond to Honda planning to close its Swindon plant Mr Clark said even while Honda said Brexit was not to blame for this decision a no deal Brexit would be a 'hammer blow' to the industry Mr Clark accepted Honda's decision was 'not about Brexit'. But he warned the car giant, Japanese investors and the motor industry have been 'very clear for many months that Brexit is an additional worry at a difficult time'. During a statement to the Commons on Honda in Swindon, Mr Clark said the closure was a 'devastating decision' before being peppered with questions about Brexit. Mr Clark reeled off comments including from Ford, Aston Martin and Toyota, adding: 'I could go on, the clear message from the automotive companies is that we should get on and ratify this deal.' Mrs May told the weekly meeting of the Cabinet that she had spoken to the president of Honda to express her 'disappointment' at the decision to close the Swindon plant. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said she told the meeting that the Government would be doing 'all we can' to support those affected. A taskforce will be set up in Swindon with local MPs, business leaders and the trade unions to ensure the skills and expertise of the workforce are maintained and that employees were able to move into other skilled jobs. His warning came as it emerged Theresa May personally called the President of Honda to express her 'disappointment' at the decision, which threatens 3,500 jobs Rebecca Long Bailey, shadow business secretary, said: 'This is devastating news, first and foremost for Honda employees and their families, but also for the jobs across the supply chain and the impact on the local economy in Swindon. 'This Government has failed to create an environment of business confidence. The Tories' austerity programme has failed workers and businesses, and they continue to show a total lack of vision or plans for investment in our future. 'With Honda saying Brexit was not a factor, this Tory Government shoulders yet more responsibility for failing to create an environment of business confidence. Businesses have lost faith in the Government's austerity programme and total lack of vision or investment for our future.' Alejandro Andrade, a former Venezuelan treasurer, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to hauling in more than $1 billion in bribes A former Venezuelan official in the Hugo Chavez regime is being forced to auction off his prized show horses after he was jailed for 10 years in Florida for taking more than $1 billion in bribes. Alejandro Andrade had to surrender pricey cars, a collection of luxurious watches, airplanes and access to his bank accounts in the United States and Switzerland as well as the expensive horses. Now the feds are auctioning off the 14 world class show jumper horses, some of which were ridden by his Olympic equestrian son Emanuel. Anastasia Du Park, Bonjovi, Hardrock Z and Tupac De Vrombautshoeve Z are among those up for auction from today, Fox News reports. Bidding on the stallions and mares - seized in 2017 - starts at $50,000. A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said it could raise $9 million for the government. Andrade became an instant fixture in the equestrian community at West Palm Beach, and in 2013 helped bankroll the Winter Equestrian Festival, according to El Comercio. The broke ex-treasurer became Chavez's bodyguard during the 1998 presidential campaign. His son, 22-year-old son Emanuel Andrade, is an equestrian jockey and competed at 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro with the Venezuelan national team, finishing 61st in the individual competition. Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela riding Hardrock Z, one of the horses up for auction Horse Ricore Courcelle, pictured here ridden by Emanuel Andrade, is also up for auction Bonjovi is one of the 14 world class show jumper horses being auctioned off by feds Bidding on horses, seized in 2017, starts at $50,000 and a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said it could raise $9 million for the government WHO IS ALEJANDRO ANDRADE? The 54-year-old served as Chavez's bodyguard before he rose to prominence and was named national treasurer, serving from 2007 to 2010. He also served as president of the Venezuelan Economic and Social Development Bank [BANDES] from 2008 to 2010. After he finished his stint as head of Venezuela's treasury department, the embattled former government official moved to the exclusive South Florida enclave of Wellington in 2012, where Bill Gates and Madonna also own mansions. As part of his deal with the U.S. government, Andrade, who gave himself up to authorities in December 2017, gave up properties, including his 803 square foot home in Wellington. Andrade promised to cooperate fully in the ongoing probe and denied maintaining any ties with the Venezuelan government, which is seeking his extradition. Michael J. Camilleri, the director of the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, told Fox: 'One of the enduring ironies of Venezuela's socialist experiment is that even as the country's economy collapses and its people flee from hunger and disease, a small coterie of well-placed Venezuelans has grown astonishingly rich from corruption.' The horses have been looked after by the authorities at the 100 acre Delray Equestrian Center in Palm Beach County since he was sentenced at West Palm Beach federal court in November 2018. The auctions Q&A statement said: 'Since the seizure, the horses have been strictly ridden on the flat daily by a single professional rider who specializes in smooth transitions from gait to gait, flying lead changes and ground line distances.' Married dad-of-two Andrade, who agreed to hand over jets, jewelry and apartments as part of his plea deal, started out in the low ranks under the deceased ex-president. He quickly rose to the top, holding a commandeering a position as Venezuela's treasurer. Andrade told authorities that he took more than $1 billion in bribes from conspirators including Raul Gorrin, the owner of Venezuelan TV network Globovision. The 54-year-old said he felt 'enormous pain and remorse' and apologized to all those affected 'in any possible way.' 'I assume full responsibility for my conduct,' said Andrade, calmly reading from a prepared statement . The convicted ex-treasurer has to surrender his homes, vehicles, watches, airplanes and access to his bank accounts in the United States and Switzerland Emanuel Andrade, son of former Venezuelan treasurer Alejandro Andrade, competed at 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, finishing 61st in the individual equestrian competition Rigid currency controls in place in Venezuela for over a decade have been a major driver of graft, allowing a privileged few to purchase hard currency from the government at the official exchange rate and resell on the black market for huge profits. U.S. authorities are pushing a public corruption probe targeting the so-called Venezuelan 'boliburgues,' or elites, who amassed huge fortunes during late President Hugo Chavez's Bolivarian revolution and live in luxury even as the situation in the country devolves. Just this week President Donald Trump blasted Nicolas Maduro's 'tyrannical' government and vowed that socialism would never set foot in America in a speech to a huge crowd of Venezuelan expatriates. Pungo Christian Academy said in a Monday Facebook post that Brenda Hamilton died after the Friday animal attack in the small Beaufort County town of Pantego School officials say a 77-year-old North Carolina high school teacher died from injuries suffered in an animal attack. But authorities say they can't tell exactly which animal. Pungo Christian Academy said in a Monday Facebook post that Brenda Hamilton died after the Friday animal attack in the small Beaufort County town of Pantego. 'It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share our precious Mrs. Hamilton has gained her wings,' the school said in the post. 'She has always been our Pungo angel, but now she is rejoicing with her maker in heaven. Authorities received a 911 call Friday around 5.45am that someone had been attacked by an animal on Indian Run Road in Pantego, according to a statement released by the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office. Hamilton was found suffering from severe injuries from the attack. Pantego is a town of roughly 200 people located on the North Carolina coast. 'It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share our precious Mrs. Hamilton has gained her wings,' the school said in the post. 'She has always been our Pungo angel, but now she is rejoicing with her maker in heaven' Hamilton was found suffering from severe injuries from the attack that took place on Indian Run Road in Pantego. Authorities say canine DNA was found on Hamilton's clothing, but that the testing didn't differentiate between wild canines or domestic ones Investigators are trying to determine what kind of animal was involved in the attack and the sheriff's department has tapped a biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Officers to help with the investigation. Authorities say canine DNA was found on Hamilton's clothing, but that the testing didn't differentiate between wild canines such as wolves and domestic canines. Investigators are collecting DNA from pet dogs for further testing. Hamilton had been an educator at Pungo Christian Academy since 1968 - teaching high school English, language/spelling and literature A later post from the school indicated that the family wanted donations to be made out to PCA. The school added: 'PCA will work with the family to determine the best use of the money donated in the memory of our precious Mrs. Hamilton' Hamilton had been an educator at Pungo Christian Academy since 1968 - teaching high school English, language/spelling and literature. She graduated from East Carolina University. 'The family is very appreciative of the prayers and support offered to them during this difficult time,' the school added in their statement. 'Please continue to keep them in your prayers. Also, please keep the Raider family in your prayers as Mrs. Hamilton was the matriarch of PCA. She will be missed.' A later post from the school indicated that the family wanted donations to be made out to PCA. The school added: 'PCA will work with the family to determine the best use of the money donated in the memory of our precious Mrs. Hamilton.' Timothy Harper, 43, was gunned down on Saturday in his car in Jamaica A father-of-two from Delaware has been murdered while picking up his new wife from work in Jamaica. Timothy Harper, 43, was murdered in Port Lucea near the trendy beach town of Negril in Westmoreland, on Saturday at around 9.05pm. A gunman is said to have shot him several times while he waited in his car. It is unclear if he robbed the man or what the motive for the killing was. He was picking up his wife, Tressan, from her job, according to local reports. She says she works at the five star Grand Palladium Hotel on social media. Jamaican authorities have not yet confirmed the details surrounding his death but friends say they are determined to find his killer. Harper was originally from Delaware but had been living in Jamaica for several years after moving there with his American ex-wife and their two children. In 2017, he married Jamaican native Tressan Kennedy. Friends say Harper had dual citizenship himself and owned a restaurant on the island but further details about his life there were not immediately clear on Tuesday. Harper married his Jamaican wife Tressan in 2017. He was picking her up at work when he was shot dead, according to local police According to Tressan's Facebook profile, she works at the five star resort, the Grand Palladium Resort and Spa Harper, shown in an image used on a GoFundMe page raising money to bring his body home, moved to Jamaica when his ex-wife did so he could be near their two young daughters His family in the US are now fundraising to bring back his body home on a GoFundMe page. They also want his children and ex-wife to move back for fear they may be in danger. Andrew Johnson, a friend from Delaware, said Harper had had his life threatened in Jamaica before. 'He had a motorcycle stolen at machine gunpoint, and he bought a restaurant that was burglarized. 'A lot of his friends were scared for his safety and urged him to move back but he did not and the island took his life,' Johnson told The Delaware Channel. He said he was determined to find out what had happened to him. Tressan, his wife, did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries on Tuesday morning. She has children of her own from a previous relationship. The Grand Palladium has not yet responded to DailyMail.com's inquiries. French police shot and killed a man in Marseille on Tuesday after he attacked four people in the southern port city, a police source said. The unidentified man launched attacks on pedestrians in the centre of France's second largest city at around 4.45pm this afternoon. He is reported to have attacked two people on a tram, and another two on a street with a knife - in an area known as Canebiere. Police investigate the scene of the stabbings, which is said to have left one person seriously injured An investigation is underway after the man launched attacks on pedestrians in the centre of France's second largest city at around 4.45pm this afternoon One of those injured in the attack is reported to have sustained injuries to their neck, according to local media. The attacker was shot by police after trying to take a gun out to fire on officers and later died of his injuries, officials have confirmed. An official with the regional administration said there was no reason yet to think the attack was terror-related, but information was sketchy. Images taken at the scene show a heavy emergency service presence, with a cordon in place around the area where the incident took place. French police and emergency workers intervene in the Canebiere district in Marseille, after the attack on Tuesday A mother has been jailed after she admitted injecting bleach and liquid soap into her baby daughter, and cutting her with a razor because she felt no affection for the little girl. Elif K. has sparked controversy in Turkey's biggest city, Istanbul, as she was investigated twice before by police and both times released and reunited with her daughter Eylul Miray. She finally handed herself in the third time her child went to hospital, and has admitted she started torturing her from the age of one month. The young baby, Eylul Miray, was taken to the doctor by her father after she started bleeding from her ears and belly button. When her condition didn't improve, she was transferred to Istanbul University Medical Faculty Hospital Elif K. told an Istanbul court she started injecting her daughter's ears, nose and belly button with bleach and soap from the age of one month Elif told prosecutors: 'I couldn't love my daughter, I couldn't warm towards her. I decided to torture her. 'Since she was one month old I injected bleach and liquid soap into her ears, nose and belly button, until she started bleeding. 'Then I took her to the hospital for treatment. When they let her back home, I continued torturing her. I was injecting her with bleach and soap as well as cutting her with a razor in her head, eyes, legs, arms and chest. 'When she was at the hospital, I injected the liquid soap from the hospital into her veins. I also injected bleach at home into her veins.' Elif, who lived with her husband Eray K., and their three children in the Avcilar district of Istanbul, first came under suspicion when Eylul, the youngest, kept falling ill. Her father took her to a doctor after she started bleeding from her ears and belly button, as well as having bruises all over her body. However, the doctor was unable to diagnose the problem. When her condition deteriorated, the then nine-month-old baby was rushed to the Istanbul University Medicine Faculty Hospital. After diagnosing her with a fractured skull, as well as scratches and bruises all over her body, doctors grew suspicious and contacted police who launched an investigation. Elif was arrested and questioned but later released after she convinced cops of her innocence. Her mother was arrested and later released without charge. It was only when her daughter's health continued to deteriorate and she was taken to hospital for a third time that the mother handed herself in to Police Eylul's health continued to deteriorate and she was again admitted to hospital in August last year. Elif was also taken in for questioning for a second time but later released. When the baby was taken into hospital for a third time, at the Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Hospital, doctors refused to allow Elif access to her child and the baby began to recover. As suspicions about her increased, Elif walked into a police station to hand herself in. She made a full confession, saying her conscience had finally got the better of her. Doctors at Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Hospital (Pictured) refused to let the mother see her child, and the girl's health started to improve The mother lived with her husband Eray K. and two other children in the Avcilar district of Istanbul, Turkey's largest city Elif has already appeared in court where she was found guilty of torturing her baby and sent to prison. A further hearing will be held to determine her sentence. Eylul is now living in the care of her father Eray and is reportedly starting to regain her health. Alvin, TX (77511) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 76F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, who made college-debt a centerpiece of his ultimately unsuccessful 2016 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, announced Tuesday that hes running for president, again. The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association endorsed Sanders opponent for the Democratic nod in 2016, Hillary Clinton, to the chagrin of many of their members. Sanders addressed AFTs convention last year and gave the teachers a pat on the back for hitting the picket lines to push for higher wages and more money for education. As part of this political revolution, teachers are standing up and leading the fight for education reform, he said. Who would have thought that in West Virginia or Kentucky, in Oklahoma, teachers are demanding decent education for our kids and are taking on right-wing political establishments? Thank you, teachers. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Sanders wanted to make public college free for everyone, and pay for it by taxing Wall Street. (Hes reupped that vision. And he made one bold proposal on K-12: moving away from property taxes to a more equal system of funding education.) Hes also recently sponsored bills on dual enrollment, community schools, and is the author of the DIPLOMA Act, which would offer grants to states to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children. Back in 2001, as a member of the House of Representatives, Sanders voted against the No Child Left Behind Act because of its emphasis on standardized testing. And in 2012, Sanders was slated to meet with Occupy the DOE protestors about the opt-out movement. (That means he was opt-out long before opt-out was cool.) But in 2016, as a presidential candidate, Sanders took a slightly different tack when it came to testing and accountability. Along with just about every other Democrat in the Senate, he supported an amendment by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., that would have beefed-up accountability in the Senate version of what became the Every Student Succeeds Act. And he got some blowback for that position from teachers across the country who support him. Sanders wasnt a fan of President Barack Obamas education redesign agenda. He argued that big competitions like Race to the Top shortchanged rural states like Vermont. And back in 2011, when Congress was working on an (ultimately unsuccessful), renewal of NCLB, he introduced an amendment that would make it tougher for alternative-route teachers to be considered highly qualified. Photo: Patrick Semansky for the Associated Press Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . A family who fled war-torn Somalia for a better life in the UK, only for their 16-year-old son to be stabbed outside a Birmingham sixth form college have warned youngsters of the grave consequences of knife crime. Sidali Mohammed, 16, was stabbed outside Joseph Chamberlain College in Balsall Heath, Birmingham last Wednesday. After the attack he remained in a coma and died in hospital two days later when his life support was switched off with his family around him. Sidali Mohammed, 16, suffered a serious stab wound to his chest and his life-support machine was turned off two days later, West Midlands Police sai A 16-year-old boy has been remanded in custody. Today, Sidali's heartbroken family today paid tribute to their 'amazing and angelic' son calling on youngsters to wake up the consequences of knife crime. Sidali, who fled Somalia with his family as a toddler, was described as an 'honourable young man who strived to do his best.' A statement released by police said: 'He was a son, a brother, a cousin, a nephew and an amazing friend. He had many ambitions and goals which he desired to achieve. 'Sidali was a driven young man who was currently studying his A-levels and aspired to become an accountant. 'Sidali shared his goals continuously with his father, who supported him endlessly, as they were best of friends. 'This aspiration was fuelled by his family who came from poverty, as they fled from a war torn country when he was just a toddler. The 16-year-old was knifed outside Joseph Chamberlain College in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, just after 4pm last Wednesday before dying in hospital two days later after his life support was switched off. Police have charged a 16-year-old boy, over the death 'His determination, thirst and enthusiasm has allowed him to be a role model for many of his peers, family and community. 'He has built a strong foundation for his family to grow upon. 'He was loved by many and we are saddened to have lost an angelic soul in such a tragic way. 'I hope this is a lesson for young people who don't understand the consequences of knife crime. The stabbing took place outside Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Birmingham, pictured. The college saw a similar attack in January 2017 as 18-year-old student Mohammed Abdullah Al-Maahir was stabbed three times on a road nearby and suffered critical injuries 'Sidali will always remain in our hearts as his legacy will live on. Thank you for all the love and support that we have received at this time.' Sidali's family have set up a fundraising page to finance a well in his honor raising 3,953 of the 5,400 goal in three days. A boy aged 16, appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Friday charged with attempted murder. He has been remanded in custody ahead of a hearing on March 18. A 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have been released on bail. Officers are still keen to speak to any witnesses to the disturbance. Tributes to Sidali placed outside the gates of Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College , one reads: 'Rest easy bro, gone too young' College principal Tony Day said: 'The whole college community is devastated and shocked by the tragic loss of our student, Sidali. 'Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends. 'Sidali was a wonderful young man, who was extremely popular with his peers and teachers. 'He was doing well on his science course at college and had a really bright future ahead of him. 'We will be doing everything we can to support his family and all of those affected by this very sad incident.' Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College was closed for the rest of the week following the attack on Wednesday. Sidali Mohammed was one of three young men to be stabbed in and surrounding Birmingham in the last five days. Another incident took place on the same day, 13 February, where an 18-year-old was stabbed in the chest in Castle Vale, north of Birmingham, suffering non-life threatening injuries. The college saw a similar attack in January 2017 as 18-year-old student Mohammed Abdullah Al-Maahir was stabbed three times on a road nearby the college - suffering critical injuries. Anyone with information on the attack has been asked to get in touch via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight, call 101 anytime, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. This is the shocking moment a brutal mugger follows a woman into a train station lift and violently beats her up after the doors have closed. The incident took place inside a lift at the Taman Mutiara MRT station in the district of Cheras in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital. In the black and white CCTV footage, the 48-year-old female victim is seen standing in the lift as a young man enters. The 48-year-old woman enters the lift with her attacker close behind in Taman Mutiara MRT in the district of Cheras in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital. After the doors close he launches a flurry of punches and forces her to the floor Just as the doors close and the lift moves upwards, the man brutally punches her in the head and then forces her to the floor and repeatedly hits her. He then grabs her handbag and checks the coast is clear when the lift doors re-open at a different floor. Still on the ground, the stricken woman appears to desperately plead with the mugger for her bag, but he keeps hitting her and allows the lift to descend. As the lift slows again, the woman gets up off the floor as her attacker clutches her bag and waits for the lift to stop. But as she tries to move towards him, he viciously kicks her against the wall of the lift. Just as the doors open to allow him to escape with valuables from his innocent victim's bag, he violently hits her again, discards the bag and runs out of the lift. Despite her ordeal, the woman tries to run after him while waving her arms, but the suspect escapes. According to local media, MP Lim Lip Eng is offering a 10,000-MYR (1,895) reward from an anonymous donor for anyone with information that leads to the suspect's arrest As the lift slows at a floor above, the woman could be forgiven for thinking her ordeal is over. But, while still holding her neck, the mugger presses more buttons and the lift continues Eng said: 'The police have yet to identify the assailant. It is hoped that the cash offer will lead to the robber's arrest immediately. 'My biggest fear is if he is not caught soon, his actions may influence other villains to commit such crimes in a similar fashion in lifts or in some obscure corners all over the country. 'This news may have caused some foreign tourists to give Malaysia a miss due to crime,' he added. As the lift slows again, the woman tries to get back to her feet but he kicks her to the floor before escaping through the doors. Member of parliament Lim Lip Eng is offering a 10,000-MYR (1,895) from an anonymous donor for information which leads to the suspect's arrest Meanwhile, reports said that a 200-man task force has been set up to find the attacker. Police have so far interviewed three people in relation to the robbery, but have yet to make an arrest. The investigation continues. This is the moment the son of an infamous bank robber is arrested for his alleged involvement with a cocaine distribution organization in Argentina. Cops from the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires filmed Tuesday morning's raid that led to the arrest of Gaston De La Torre, 42, whose father, Ruben Alberto De La Torre, was involved in the 'robbery of the century' in which $15 million was stolen from a bank 13 years ago. A cell phone video clip shared by the Department Delegation of Investigations [DDI] division from the town of Trequen Lauquen shows the moment Gaston De La Torre is slammed to the floor inside a home by the law enforcement agents. Gaston De La Torre (center) is the son of Ruben Alberto De La Torre, a bank robber who along with four accomplices pulled off a $15 million heist in January 2006. Gaston was arrested Tuesday for his alleged role in supplying a local cocaine distribution network Ruben Alberto De La Torre (pictured) is one of the masterminds of the 'robbery of the century' committed in January 2006 when he and four other men cleared 147 safety deposit boxes of $15 million The sting also led to the arrest of eight other individuals with ties to the cocaine ring. According to La Nacion, police investigators had De La Torre under their watch since 2017 for his dealings with a criminal organization that was transporting cocaine into Buenos Aires. Cops confiscated Gaston De La Torre's car (pictured) as well as cell phones, two laptops, a note pad and two surveillance cameras Agents with the Department Delegation of Investigations [DDI] division from the town of Trequen Lauquen arrest Gaston De la Torre The Rio Bank branch in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of La Matanza was the site of the 'robbery of the century' in January 2006. A team of five men cleared $15 million from 147 safety deposit boxes De La Torre was being investigated because he was viewed as the network's major supplying source in Buenos Aires' west side. Cops confiscated De La Torre's Chevrolet Cruze, a number of cell phones, two laptops, a tablet, security surveillance cameras and a note pad. During the two-year investigation, cops confiscated eight kilos of cocaine and two kilos of marijuana. Blurred cell phone image recorded by cops shows Gaston De La Torres laying face down on the floor during a raid Tuesday morning De La Torre's dad, Ruben Alberto was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in 2010 for his role in the January 2006 Rio Bank robbery in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of La Matanza. 147 safe deposit boxes were stolen before Ruben Alberto and his accomplices were able to flee with the cash aboard two inflatable boats through the sewage system under the bank after they spent a year building an escape tunnel. The group was rounded up by cops after Ruben Alberto's wife ratted him out because he was planning on leaving her for another woman with who he would spend his newfound riches with. Ruben Alberto, like his other four accomplices, was released under probation but not until May 2014 under an Argentine bylaw which allowed the bank robber to apply for his release six months before his parole could have been granted. His son Gaston was suspected of participating in the robbery but investigators later cleared him of any possible involvement. A New Jersey couple is planning on giving marriage a shot after a man surprised his girlfriend by proposing at an indoor shooting range. Kara Crampton, 24, was taking target practice Sunday at Reloaderz in Wayne when a target spun around and showed the message 'Will you marry me?' with the option for her to either shoot the 'YES' or 'NO' target. In a video clip, the woman is seen getting guidance from a man. Jake Woodruff (left), 29, proposed to Kara Crampton, 24, (right) Sunday in New Jersey Then when the proposal becomes apparent she turns around and begins to cry. Crampton got this sparkler offered to her in an unexpected location Placing her hand over her mouth when she sees Jake Woodruff, 29, on one knee, Crampton can't hold back tears as she accepts the ring and hugs her partner. Shots are still being fired as people around the couple who love hunting and the outdoors - applauded him popping the question. The owner's son, Mike Nylen, is a friend of Crampton's new fiance. The range's owner, Cheryl Nylen, created the target, making sure the 'YES' area was a much easier to hit than the 'NO', New Jersey 101.5 reported. It seems Reloaderz makes quite the romantic venue for some people too as the range also created heart design targets to celebrate Valentine's Day. Crampton formally made her answer official about 10 minutes later by putting three shots in the center of the 'YES' target. Video shows Crampton practicing at Reloaderz shooting range in the Wayne neighborhood Crampton can't hold back tears as she sees her boyfriend on one knee then accepts the ring He popped the question in the questionably romantic setting by getting a custom target with the message 'Will you marry me?'. They made 'yes' easier to shoot than 'no' Sales and marketing associate Leanne Passalacqua said it was the first marriage proposal to take place at the range. But they'll be waiting at least a year and half for their union. The bride-to-be is waiting for her brother to get hitched first. She admitted she was caught off guard by the romantic gesture as the pair do not live together and were hoping to buy a house first. Crampton formally made her answer official about 10 minutes later by putting three shots in the center of the 'YES' target and giving her partner a kiss Heart-stopping surveillance video captured the moment a speeding sedan smashed into a half-dozen vehicles parked along a Los Angeles street, sending one passenger flying 80 feet out of the car. The Los Angeles Police Department says the driver of the car, 30-year-old Wilfredo Vaquiz Escobar, was drunk at the time of the hit-and-run crash, which took place at 2.40am on Sunday in the area of Central Avenue and 33rd Street near downtown LA. According to a news release from the LAPD, Escobar was driving his 2017 white Honda Accord with six passengers inside at unsafe speeds of 80-100mph when he lost control, causing the vehicle to spin out. Surveillance video from the area of Central Avenue and 33rd Street near downtown LA shows Wilfredo Vaquiz Escobar's car speeding before crashing This screenshot shows one of Escobar's passengers flying out of the car 80 feet (circled in red) The 2017 white Honda Accord (top left corner) is seen spinning out of control after traveling at speeds of 80-100mph Police say Escobar fled the scene on foot after the crash to hide the fact he was drunk The out-of-control sedan plowed into six parked cars, which were either damaged or completely destroyed, leaving twisted debris scattered in the street. The initial impact of the collision caused one of Escobar's male passengers to be ejected from his seat. The man skidded 80 feet before coming to rest in the road. The unnamed victim was hospitalized with severe head trauma, along with another passenger from Escobar's car, reported KABC. Of the seven people riding in the Honda, only one was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The out-of-control Honda damaged or totaled six parked cars early Sunday morning before coming to a stop Only one of the seven people riding inside Escobar's white Honda was buckled in According to police, by the time officers and firefighters arrived on the scene, Escobar had fled 'in an apparent attempt to hide the fact that he was driving impaired.' At around 8am on Sunday, police tracked down and arrested the driver at his home in South Los Angeles. The 30-year-old was booked on a charge of felony DUI causing injuries. Escobar was ordered held on $100,000 bail pending his arraignment scheduled for Wednesday. UBS executive Shele Danishefsky (pictured) was in the midst of divorcing her much younger husband Rod Covlin when she was killed on New Year's Eve in 2009 The rabbi who talked the family of financier Shele Danishefsky out of authorizing an autopsy on her body revealed he was allowed to spend a half hour unsupervised in the apartment cleaning up her blood, according to testimony in the murder trial of Shele's husband Rod Covlin. Meyer Weill, a medical supplies salesman, told the Manhattan Supreme Court jury on Tuesday he went to Shele's apartment around noon New Year's Day 2010 to remove from the apartment any blood or bloody items, which would then be buried with her according to Jewish tradition. He said he is called rabbi because he was a founder of Misaskim, an organization that helps Jews by cleaning up blood and aiding the navigation of bureaucracy 'in tragic times.' He testified he was alerted 'there was a Jewish woman who passed away and that there was blood and we should clean it up' by the rabbi of Lincoln Square Synagogue, where Shele and her estranged husband worshiped. Rabbi Meyer Weill described to jurors at Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday how he convinced Shele Danishesfky's family not have an autopsy despite their suspicions Backgammon pro Rod Covlin, pictured on Tuesday at Manhattan Supreme Court, is accused of murdering wife Shele Danishefsky to get hold of her $5.4 million fortune Weill said that after he cleaned up Shele's blood, he reached out to the family to see whether they needed anything and in the course of the conversation learned the family was considering an autopsy. In earlier testimony Shele's sister, Eve Karstaedt, explained that the family had waived an autopsy on Dec. 31, but was reconsidering the issue on Jan. 1 after consulting with a rabbi. Weill said his goal was to convince the family not to have an autopsy. 'Normally in Jewish tradition, it's not allowed and why are we doing this?' Weill said, adding that after the conversation with the family, 'It was my understanding that an autopsy would not be done.' NYPD officer Zhan Chen said Weill was allowed to clean up the apartment before police officers searched it Earlier Monday, NYPD officer Zhan Chen, assigned to guard Shele's apartment at 155 West 68th Street, said he was alerted a rabbi would be coming to the apartment to clean up the blood. He said Weill arrived just after noon and was allowed to enter the apartment and go about his business while Chen stood guard outside the apartment. He testified that after Weill had gone, the sergeant and another officer arrived to search the house for valuables that needed to be secured and found more than $10,000 in cash and about 30 pieces of jewelry, which were later invoiced at the station house. Before leaving, Chen said, a seal was placed on the apartment door to prevent anyone else from entering the apartment. Covlin, an unemployed backgammon pro, is charged with murdering Shele by strangling her and then altering the scene to make it appear she had slipped and drowned in the bath. The family eventually agreed to a post mortem, which found Shele had a fractured hyoid bone, a hallmark of strangulation. Covlin faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of murder. A British Airways plane from Heathrow to Milan was diverted back to London mid-flight. Live airspace services which show the path of the aircraft has revealed the BA568 flight from Heathrow performing a U-turn over Paris and travelling back to London. The two-hour flight to Milan's Linate airport was scheduled to take off from Heathrow's Terminal 5 at 2.55pm today but was delayed until 3.23pm. The flight has landed back at Heathrow airport on the captain's orders after a minor technical difficulty (stock image) The flight has landed back at Heathrow airport on the captain's orders after a minor technical difficulty. No emergency was called but it was decided it was easier to take the aircraft back to London instead of continuing onto Milan. Passengers on the plane were to be transferred onto a different aircraft and should arrive in Milan tonight, a BA spokesman said. The delay to the take-off of the plane had nothing to do with the plane returning to London. A British Airways spokesman said: 'The aircraft returned to Heathrow as a precaution after a minor technical issue. 'We apologise to our customers for the delay in their travels plans.' Joanne Bailey, 48, has been spared jail after she threw stones at next door's house and even tried to flood the cavity wall with a hosepipe A nightmare neighbour who tried to flood her next door neighbours house with a hosepipe has been spared jail. Joanne Bailey, 48, from Middleton, Lancashire, subjected neighbours to anti-social behaviour ranging from playing loud music, throwing stones at houses and even trying to flood the cavity wall of the adjoining house with a hosepipe, Lancaster County Court heard. The police made repeated attempts to mediate the situation and encourage Bailey to change her behaviour but the court was told it had all failed. As a result of continued bad behaviour from Bailey an Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction (ASBI) was granted in January 2019 which she breached within a month. Lancaster County Court heard she was arrested and brought to court where she was handed a 16-week suspended prison sentence. Bailey was also ordered to pay 2,124.68 in costs. Councillor Brendan Hughes, a cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said: 'Everyone has the right to live a life free from anti-social behaviour. 'Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of both the police and the council, Ms Bailey has continued to cause huge problems for her neighbours and the council has a duty to act on these complaints and protect the public from her anti-social behaviour. Lancaster County Court (pictured) heard Bailey was arrested and brought to court where she was handed a 16-week suspended prison sentence 'In circumstances such as these, where someone has constantly failed to modify their behaviour, the council has no hesitation in taking action through the courts.' Bailey was also handed a three-year ASBI, which prevents her from harassing her neighbours and playing loud music, among other provisions. Breaching the order will result in further action being taken against her in the courts, with the maximum punishment being two years' imprisonment. Police in Florida want to know who spray-painted '#MeToo' on the leg of a statue depicting a sailor and a dental assistant kissing at the end of World War II. Sarasota police said in a news release that officers found the phrase painted in red on the left leg of the woman in the 'Unconditional Surrender' statue in Sarasota early Tuesday. The paint covered the length of the nurse's leg. A mystery assailant painted '#MeToo' on the leg of a statue depicting a sailor and a dental assistant kissing at the end of World War II Police said officers didn't find any spray paint bottles in the area. No other objects were defaced. Authorities estimate the damage to the statue at more than $1,000. They say the incident occurred sometime Monday afternoon or evening. George Medonsa, the sailor who kissed dental assistant Greta Zimmer Friedman, died Sunday at 95. Mendonsa fell and suffered a seizure on Sunday at the assisted living facility in Middletown, Rhode Island, where he lived with his wife of 70 years. He died two days before his 96th birthday. George Mendonsa, seen here in 2012 holding the iconic photo, died Sunday aged 95 Mendonsa was shown kissing Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistant in a nurse's uniform, in the photograph taken by Life magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14, 1945, known as V-J Day. The image came to represent how jubilant Americans and people around the world felt after the Japanese surrendering, ending the war that had cost an estimated 70 to 85 million lives. It wasn't until decades later that Mendonsa and Friedman were identified as the couple locking lips what became one of the most widely-recognized photographs of the World War II era. Mendonsa is survived by his wife Rita, son Ron Mendonsa and daughter Sharon Molleur. The sailor spent 74 years insisting that he was the man in the photograph, along with dozens of others who were sure it was them. It wasn't until recently that his claim was verified when facial recognition technology and experts in photography and forensic anthropology ruled out all the other sailors. Multiple people have been buried after an avalanche struck a ski resort in southern Switzerland on Tuesday afternoon. Police Valais said the avalanche happened around 2.15pm at the Plaine Morte glacier and buried a ski slope known as Kandahar, covering an area of around 400m. Nicolas Feraud, mayor of Crans-Montana, told local newspaper Le Nouvelliste that between 10 and 12 people could be trapped, but emphasized that was an estimate. Up to 12 people have been buried underneath an avalanche after it struck a piste in the Crans-Montana region of Switzerland around 2.20pm Tuesday The avalanche covered an area of around 400m along a ski trail known as Kandahar, despite the area only being under a moderate warning One witness told the paper that four helicopters were on scene alongside dogs which were helping to search the area. The witness also claimed that four people had already been pulled from the snow-drift, but this was not confirmed by emergency services. Video taken by reporter Laure Lugon Zugravu shows stunned skiiers gathered around a section of slope that has been covered with snow. Rescue crews refused to say how many people could be buried because nobody in the disaster zone had been wearing avalanche detectors, making it impossible to know for sure. 'It could be 15 or it could be none,' one worker said. Witnesses said up to four helicopters and sniffer dogs were on scene helping to search for the missing (pictured, skiiers gathered around the affected slope) The avalanche happened in the Crans-Montana region around 2.15pm on Tuesday Soldiers posted to the slope in advance of a skiing World Cup event due to take place there in the coming weeks also joined in the search. Emergency workers said there had not been heavy snowfall in the area, but the snow was compact and wet, hampering rescue efforts. The ski resort's website showed the avalanche warning indicator was at the second of five possible levels, indicating a moderate risk. Avalanches on well-established ski slopes, such as this one, are Edwardsville, IL (62025) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 87F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms in the evening, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. John Michael Haag, 55, has been charged with arson after the dentist confessed to setting fire to his neighbor's dilapidated boathouse in New Richmond, Wisconsin A Minnesota dentist who confessed to setting fire to his neighbor's dilapidated boathouse has been charged with arson. Wallace Cudd's boathouse on Bass Lake in New Richmond, Wisconsin, went up in flames in the middle of the night on February 2. Police quickly determined that the fire was set intentionally and traced a set of footprints from the charred boathouse to the home of 55-year-old John Michael Haag. A criminal complaint filed in St Croix County Circuit Court claims that Haag 'looked as if he were a deer in headlights' when first approached by deputies who'd traced footprints in the snow from the burning boathouse back to Haag's home. He denied having anything to do with the fire, but one of the deputies noticed an open gas can on his property. When investigators returned to his home with a search warrant, Haag allegedly declared: 'It was me, I did it, I started the fire.' Haag, of Creekview Dental, then handed over a jacket, balaclava face mask, boots that fit the footprints and other items he wore on the night of the fire, according to the complaint obtained by the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. In the complaint, a deputy wrote: 'The tracks angled every ten feet or so as if the suspect was turning around and checking behind him.' Wallace Cudd's boathouse on Bass Lake went up in flames in the middle of the night on February 2. Police traced a set of footprints from the charred boathouse to Haag's home Haag had expressed his desire to remove the boathouse last summer at a meeting of the Bass Lake Association, which he is treasurer of. Cudd had reportedly promised the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that he would get rid of the eyesore by the end of winter The boathouse was reportedly at the center of a dispute between Cudd and the Bass Lake Association, which Haag is the treasurer of. Haag expressed his desire to remove the boathouse at a meeting of the lake association in June 2018, according to draft meeting minutes. Cudd told the Pioneer Press that he had already struck a deal with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in which he agreed to remove the run-down boathouse by the end of the winter. He said that he never gave anyone permission to burn it down. Haag, CEO of Creekview Dental in neighboring Woodbury, Minnesota, is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary court hearing on March 8. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted of arson. The federal judge in the case against Trump ally Roger Stone ordered him on Tuesday to appear in a Thursday hearing to explain why she shouldn't revoke his bail after he posted an Instagram image depicting her with a gun-sight crosshair next to her head. Stone apologized after sharing and then deleting the photo on Monday. The image of Judge Amy Berman Jackson was tightly cropped around her hair and face, showing a logo next to her head that resembled what a hunter might see through a rifle scope. Stone shared the image Monday with a caption noting that Jackson was a Barack Obama appointee who dismissed charges against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and ordered former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort held in custody pending his own trial. He faces seven criminal charges that emerged from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, including five counts of lying to Congress and other investigators, and individual counts of witness tampering and obstruction of justice. A separate federal law, 18 US Code 115, criminalizes threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a United States judge. It's unclear if federal prosecutors will pursue that charge. Roger Stone apologized for sharing a photo to Instagram of Judge Amy Berman Jackson, the judge assigned to his criminal case, with what looked like a depiction of crosshairs near her head. The post was later deleted The federal court docket in the Stone case shows a formal apology Stone sent the court on Monday and Judge Jackson's order hauling him back to her courtroom for a hearing Thursday Roger Stone (pictured on February 1 in leaving federal court in Washington, DC) was apparently criticizing Jackson's decision to take 'no action' on Stone's objection that his case has been specifically assigned to her, due to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team filings that Stone's case is closely related to another case currently before Jackson, involving 11 Russian military officials accused of hacking the Democratic Partys computer systems in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. Both of those cases share common search warrants and evidence, according to filings by Mueller's team Stone's lawyers later filed a notice of apology in the case, which read: 'Undersigned counsel , which the attached authority of Roger J. Stone, hereby apologizes to the Court for the improper photograph and comment posted on Instagram today. Mr. Stone recognizes the impropriety and had it removed' An order appeared Tuesday morning on the federal court docket for Stone's case, announcing that he has been 'ORDERED to show cause at a hearing to be held on Thursday, February 21, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. as to why the media contact order entered in this case and/or his conditions of release should not be modified or revoked in light of the posts on his Instagram account on or about February 18, 2019.' Judge Jackson had previously ordered Stone to refrain from commenting on his criminal case near the D.C. courthouse where he will be tried. She ruled that he wasn't under any other restrictions but wrote that she could revisit that decision. Some responded with disgust Monday at the implication that a target was on the judge, with some pointing out that if he meant it as a threat against Jackson, Stone could be prosecuted for a felony. Stone deleted the image after DailyMail.com asked him whether it implied that someone should target the judge. He later said the resulting outrage was 'misrepresenting' reality, and his lawyers filed a formal apology with the court, signed by Stone. The famous conservative political trickster has railed for the past week about the random drawing that assigned Jackson to his case. 'Twitter has already suspended his account and this may land him in custody,' George Washington University Law School professor Randall Eliason tweeted University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck wrote: 'This. Is. Not. Okay. (And if it's meant as a threat, it's also a felony) Accompanying the now-deleted Instagram image was a written post that read: 'Through legal trickery Deep State hitman Robert Mueller has guaranteed that my upcoming show trial is before Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointed Judge who dismissed the Benghazi charges again Hillary Clinton and incarcerated Paul Manafort prior to his conviction for any crime. #fixisin.' Reactions came fast and furious on Monday. 'This is both very troubling and remarkably stupid on Stones part. Twitter has already suspended his account and this may land him in custody,' George Washington University Law School professor Randall Eliason tweeted. University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck elaborated, writing, This. Is. Not. Okay. (And if it's meant as a threat, it's also a felony).' After taking the post down, Stone shared screenshots of text mssages on his Instagram feeding, which read: 'A photo of Judge Jackson posted on my Instagram has been misrepresented. 'This was a random photo taken from the internet. Any inference that this was meant to somehow threaten the Judge or disrespect court is categorically false.' After taking the post down, Stone shared screenshots of text messages on his Instagram feeding, which read: 'A photo of Judge Jackson posted on my Instagram has been misrepresented. This was a random photo taken from the internet. Any inference that this was meant to somehow threaten the Judge or disrespect court is categorically false' In a second follow-up post, Stone wrote, 'What some say are crosshairs are in fact the logo of the organization that originally posted it something called corruption central. They use the logo in many photos' The original photo of Judge Jackson which Stone used to accompany his post is pictured here In a second follow-up post, Stone wrote, 'What some say are crosshairs are in fact the logo of the organization that originally posted it something called corruption central. They use the logo in many photos.' Stone's lawyers later filed a notice of apology in the case, which read: 'Undersigned counsel , which the attached authority of Roger J. Stone, hereby apologizes to the Court for the improper photograph and comment posted on Instagram today. Mr. Stone recognizes the impropriety and had it removed.' With the initial post featuring the crosshairs logo that was taken down, Stone was apparently criticizing Jackson's decision to take 'no action' on Stone's objection that his case has been specifically assigned to her, due to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team filings that Stone's case is closely related to another case currently before Jackson. The other case involves 11 Russian military officials accused of hacking the Democratic Partys computer systems in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. Both of those cases share common search warrants and evidence, according to filings by Mueller's team. Mueller's office revealed for the first time on Friday that it is in the possession of evidence that Stone communicated with WikiLeaks regarding the release of hacked Democratic Party emails. In a court filing on Friday, Mueller's office said it had gathered that evidence in a separate probe into Russian intelligence officers who were charged by the special counsel for hacking the emails during the 2016 presidential campaign and staging their release. Stone responded to reports about the communications by saying the evidence was merely 'innocuous Twitter direct messages' that have already been disclosed to the House Intelligence Committee and 'prove absolutely nothing'. The longtime adviser to President Donald Trump was indicted last month for lying to Congress about his communications with other parties about the hacked emails. He pleaded not guilty. Stone previously acknowledged having had brief exchanges with both WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2.0, but maintains that he never had advance knowledge about the emails' release. Mueller's office is in possession of evidence that Roger Stone communicated with WikiLeaks regarding the release of hacked Democratic Party emails ahead of the 2016 presidential election, prosecutors revealed in a court filing on Friday. Stone, a longtime adviser to Trump, responded to reports about the communications by saying the evidence was merely 'innocuous Twitter direct messages' that have already been disclosed to the House Intelligence Committee and 'prove absolutely nothing' 'The government obtained and executed dozens of search warrants on various accounts used to facilitate the transfer of stolen documents for release, as well as to discuss the timing and promotion of their release,' Mueller's team wrote in the latest filing in the US District Court in Washington, DC. 'Several of those search warrants were executed on accounts that contained Stone's communications with Guccifer 2.0 and with Organization 1.' Organization 1 is a reference to WikiLeaks, while Guccifer 2.0 is a hacker persona US intelligence agencies say was a cover name used by Russian military intelligence. WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2.0 each published emails and other documents from the Democratic Party in 2016 in an operation that Mueller alleges was part of a Kremlin-backed effort to tip the election in favor of then Republican nominee Trump. WikiLeaks has previously denied any ties to or cooperation with Russia. Stone was indicted last month for lying to Congress about his communications with other parties about the hacked emails. He pleaded not guilty. On Friday, Jackson barred him from making statements on the courthouse steps that might prejudice a jury Also on Friday, the federal judge overseeing Stone's case barred him from making statements on the courthouse steps that might prejudice a jury or witness in his case. The order by Jackson further gagged lawyers on both sides from statements that might impact the case. 'Counsel for the parties and the witnesses must refrain from making statements to the media or in public settings that pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case,' Jackson wrote. But in the case of Stone, who has been ubiquitous in the media since his indictment, her order was narrower, prohibiting him from making his case to the public or the media while on the courthouse steps or nearby. WHAT ROBERT MUELLER CHARGED ROGER STONE WITH One count of obstruction: Mueller says Stone denied to Congress that he had emails and documents about WikiLeaks related contacted Maximum possible sentence: 20 years Five counts of lying to Congress: Mueller details specific statements Stone made to Congress which the Special Counsel alleges are each lies Maximum possible sentence for each count: Five years One count of witness tampering: Mueller alleges Stone tried to convince comedian Randy Credico to either lie to Congress or plead the Fifth by threatening him Maximum possible sentence: 20 years All parties, including Stone and potential witnesses, must refrain from certain statements about the case when they 'are entering or exiting the courthouse, or they are within the immediate vicinity of the courthouse'. The prohibition applies to statements to the media or the public that 'pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case or intended to influence any juror, potential juror, judge, witness or court officer or interfere with the administration of justice'. Stone, who has blasted the FBI and the Mueller probe since his indictment, while hawking his book and wearing 'Roger Stone Did Nothing Wrong' t-shirts, will now have be conscious of where he is when he speaks. As if anticipating a potential gag order, Stone gave a series of TV interviews immediately following his arrest, and took a somewhat lower profile after his court hearing in Washington where a potential gag was discussed. Stone has made efforts to bash the prosecutors who charged him, railing against 'Gestapo' tactics in his arrest, which included use of armed agents, and according to Stone 'frog men' positioned in a canal behind his Ft Lauderdale home. He has not said publicly that he is seeking a pardon from President Trump, saying the only person he is seeking relief for is Marcus Garvey. Although the judge mentioned the potential for prejudice influencing a jury that might hear the case Stone had other reasons to talk. He regularly complains about his mounting legal debts, and relies on his attacks on adversaries and the mainstream media to raise funds. Since those statements have been in TV interviews and online appearances, they do not appear to be impacted by the current order although it could be modified later. The order stated there will be no additional restrictions 'at this time.' In a recent appearances on 'Infowars,' he called CNN host Anna Navarro, 'porquita,' blasted CNN host Don Lemon, and railed against 'leftist retards.' He is in a prolonged public spat with Mueller witness Jerome Corsi over the chain of events and WikiLeaks contacts during the campaign. Stone is accused of witness tampering by launching online threats against comedian Randy Credico, including threatening his dog, according to the government. A Texas college student missing for three weeks has been found dead in her car submerged in a lake after driving to her boyfriend's home from a party. The body of Brenda Montanez, 25, was identified by police after they discovered her car in Cedar Creek Lake, Log Cabin on Friday afternoon. Henderson County Sheriffs Office confirmed there was 'no trauma to the body at all' and said they do not suspect foul play. Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said: 'As of this time, it does not look like there is any foul play involved, but we still have a lot to do with the investigation. 'There is no trauma to the body at all. So nothing happened to her before she went into the water. Water was found in her lungs. That's all we have until the toxicology report comes back.' Brenda Montanez had been missing for three weeks when police found her body on Friday Brenda's 2011 Mazda was found using sonar in Cedar Creek Lake, Log Cabin on Friday. She went missing on January 27 after leaving a party in the early hours Tragic Montanez, who hoped to be a detective, went missing on January 27 after leaving a party in the early hours and driving to her boyfriend's house. Her sister, Clara, told Dallas News that her boyfriend of six months, who did not let her in and called 911, was the last person to see her. Hillhouse told The Athens Daily Review: 'I do know that when she left his house, she left in the opposite direction of where she would normally go. 'A light is (at the ramp) but I haven't been there in a long time at night. There were no skid marks, and the windows were not down. All kinds of factors could be involved. It was nighttime, and she doesn't know the area. 'On Friday while we were recovering the car and her boyfriend came up to our office while we were at the lake. He didn't know we were out there. 'He met with a polygraph examiner of ours and he passed the polygraph test on Friday. He has been cooperative, and we really don't feel like there's any foul play.' The car was around 75 feet from the city boat ramp and 15 feet underwater, according to police Henderson County Sheriffs Office confirmed they do not suspect foul play in Brenda's death Montanezs 2011 Mazda was found using sonar after a team from Illinois came to help with the search. The car was around 75 feet from the city boat ramp and 15 feet underwater, according to police. A GoFundMe set up in her memory reads: 'Brenda was a daughter, a sister and a friend that was taken from this world prematurely. 'She had a full life ahead of her. She was studying to be a detective and was just about to graduate. 'Please help her family in covering expenses related to her disappearance, and burial while they grieve during this tragic time. Anything and everything is highly appreciated.' Montanezs body was sent to American Forensics for an autopsy and officials are awaiting a toxicology report. Dr Navin Venkatraman (pictured) was found on his bed clutching flowers and photographs of his family An Oxford University doctor working on a cure for malaria was found dead clutching flowers and photographs of his family, an inquest heard. Dr Navin Venkatraman, 37, was discovered face down and in a mysterious position on his bed by his housemate after failing to return calls from his worried girlfriend. On April 28, the day before his death, the doctor spent a day in Oxford with his cousin Vivek Mani where they enjoyed time exploring the city. However, the inquest was told he was to return to work at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital in May 2018, a hospital where had previously been unhappy. His housemate Giles Augusto had heard him crying alone in the kitchen in the days before his death and he was taking medication to help treat his anxiety. Mr Augusto had not seen him since 10am the previous day when concerns were first raised and was forced to break down his bedroom door when he failed to respond. He burst inside to find Dr Venkatraman lying clothed, unresponsive and beneath a blanket his girlfriend had given him, the inquest heard. Dr Venkatraman was an accomplished doctor in infectious diseases and a Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. He was on a placement at Southampton General Hospital at the time of his death, coroner Darren Salter told the hearing. In a witness statement, his mother Janaki Venkatraman said the years preceding his death were among 'the best of his life' as he celebrated the publication of 30 papers. He was also planning to marry his long-distance girlfriend in 2019, the inquest was told. In a witness statement, Dr Venkatraman's mother Janaki said the years preceding his death were among 'the best of his life' as he celebrated the publication of 30 papers Mr Augusto said in a written statement to the inquest: 'I didn't see or hear him and went to bed at around 9pm thinking he was out. 'I had received a text message from Julia, his girlfriend and she said she had not heard from him for 24 hours. 'I decided to bang on his door and there was no answer. This was about 9pm. I later decided the only thing left to do was break the door down.' In an extraordinary exchange, Sarah Hemingway, the barrister representing the Venkatraman family, questioned Mr Augusto on his movements during that evening. Giving evidence, he said: 'Ask me straight - are you asking me if I murdered my friend?' Ms Hemingway replied: 'Yes. Did you kill Navin?' Clearly stunned, Mr Augusto simply: 'No.' A post-mortem examination four days after his death recorded a cause of death of combined orlanzapine and alcohol toxicity with probable aspiration. Neither post-mortem, toxicology or police reports found any evidence of third party involvement in Dr Venkatraman's death. Addressing the inquest, PC Chris Bennett reiterated the police conclusion was that there were neither any suspicious circumstances nor evidence of third party involvement. PC Bennett confirmed no suicide note was found but added Dr Venkatraman's body was locked inside his bedroom with the key locking the door from the inside. Addressing Ms Hemingway, PC Bennett said: 'What you're doing is hypothesising, which is what we do. There is no evidence of third party involvement.' However, before the coroner gave his conclusion, Dr Venkatraman's brother Ashwin stood up to address Mr Salter at the inquest. He said: 'There were times when he was low, we knew that and responded quickly so we went through those things together. 'Nav was like anyone - he had stresses, but at no point had he been discussing the idea of suicide.' Closing the inquest, Mr Salter said: 'Navin Venkatraman's died overnight on April 28 to 29 in his bedroom. I do not think the conclusion of suicide is appropriate and I do not think alcohol and drug related death is appropriate either. 'Navin Venkatraman was last heard from at approximately 5pm on April 28 when he sent a message on social media. 'He was discovered deceased on his bed at 9.15pm at his home address in Headington in Oxford. 'It is likely he died overnight and his death is due to a combination of olanzapine and alcohol toxicity with probable aspiration.' To contact Samaritans, go to www.samaritans.org or call 116 123. Oklahoma law enforcement is on the hunt for a man who crashed his car into the glass doors of an adult novelty shop, then ran inside and stole lingerie and sex toys on Monday. Police in Tulsa are searching for a man who carried out the heist at Hustler Hollywood at 3.24am when the store was closed. The incident was captured on video where a vehicle is recorded colliding with the entrance to break the glass and shortly after the suspect runs in through the lower half of the shattered door. A burglar crashed into Hollywood Hustler in Tulsa, Oklahoma Monday at 3.24am Suspect was caught on video breaking the glass door to run in and steal items worth $400 He was out only a minute later and police think he was familiar with the store's layout Ducking under a handle, he disappears out of the video frame but authorities said he headed straight for a specific section, suggesting he was familiar with the layout of the place. The man, who appears to be wearing spectacles, is then seen dashing out the same way, only a minute later, with items in his hands. Employees discovered the damage later Monday morning when they came to work around 9am. Cops were shocked he crashed a vehicle into the entrance to steal lingerie and sex toys Police Officer Jeanne Pierce tells Tulsa TV station KOTV the stolen items were valued at about $300 to $400. Pierce says the greater cost is likely the damage to the glass doors. Although the burglary itself wasn't shocking for the police, it was unclear why the suspect chose to steal the items in this way. 'I think it surprises us more ... the extremes this individual went to break into this store,' Pierce said. 'They're looking at stuff they can make money off of re-selling. This obviously, I wouldn't assume is the purpose of that.' Authorities have not yet identified the man. No arrests have been made. A five-year-old boy who was clinging to life outside the window of his third-floor home has been saved by a heroic neighbour after the man scaled the building with his bare hands on a harsh winter day in western China. The Good Samaritan, named Ma Yanyun, climbed along the exterior wall of the residential building wearing just shorts and a T-shirt when the temperature was minus nine degrees Celsius. The 29-year-old railway worker, who lives in the building opposite, had rushed out of his home without putting on more clothes after spotting the child falling out of the window. The five-year-old boy clings to his life as he dangles from the window of his third-floor home in Yili, China. He was locked in the flat alone by his father who went out to pay electricity bill The incident took place on February 11 in the city of Yili in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. The child had been locked at his home alone by his father who had gone out to pay the electricity bill. He was left dangling at heights after climbing out of the window to find his father. When Mr Ma arrived at the scene, the child had to tiptoe on a tiny ledge while dangerously holding onto the metal bars under the window. The boy could fall at any time, according to China Central Television Station. Other onlookers had called the police, but Mr Ma decided to scale the building with his bare hands in order to rescue the child, who cried constantly for his father. Ma Yanyun, wearing a white top, climbs along the exterior wall of the building to save the child while a policeman next to him climbs into a flat downstairs to help with the rescue operation The heroic man was helped by other residents in the building. A woman living on the ground floor took out a duvet and put it underneath the child in case he would fall. A man on the first floor stood by the window and invited Mr Ma to step on his shoulders to help him climb higher. After police arrived, they tried to gain access to the two neighbouring flats to the boy's home - one on the second and one on the third floor. Both flats were locked and officers failed to open the doors. Police decided to pass tools onto Mr Ma from the ground for him to smash the window of the second-floor flat from the outside. A police officer then climbed into the second-floor home through the window. After reaching the boy feet, Mr Ma took off his belt and tied the child to him. He slowly pulled the boy towards him before passing him to the police officer who was waiting inside the second-floor flat. It's understood that the boy was unhurt. Mr Ma (pictured) who works at a train station remains modest after saving the trapped child Speaking to China Central Television Station, Mr Ma, who works at a local train station, said he didn't feel cold when he was rescuing the boy, but as he walked back home on the snow-covered road, he was freezing. He also thanked the other neighbours who helped him. The boy's father, Ma Wenqing, expressed his gratitude for the courageous saviour. The parent told the press: 'Sometimes, a close neighbour is more helpful than a distant relative. I'm so thankful for him. I thank the other neighbours' help too.' Disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner has been spotted leaving his New York halfway house after his release from Federal prison. Weiner was seen hailing a cab as he left the Bronx facility Tuesday, where he will be living for the next three months until his release from custody in May. The 54-year-old was jailed for 21 months in November 2017 and released for good behavior after pleading guilty to sexting a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. Weiner started sexting the girl back in 2016 and it led to a months-long exchange of lewd messages, which were first revealed by DailyMail.com. Anthony Weiner, 54, was spotted leaving his halfway home in the Bronx, New York on Tuesday The disgraced former congressman hailed a cab outside of the facility, where he'll stay for three months until his release Weiner had been transferred from prison in preparation for his release from custody in May. He was jailed in November 2017 after he admitted sexting a 15-year-old girl from North Carolina and sent her the photo on the right Initially, Weiner had been scheduled for release in August 2019, although now he is expected to be freed on May 14. He has already served his sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts. Weiner will be allowed to leave the facility by being signed-out for approved activities, which include visiting, along with job hunting, work, counseling or recreation. However, he will be monitored the whole time he is out. After 15 days of being at the halfway house, inmates are expected to work 40 hours a week, but its unclear if that will apply to Weiner. The former politician will also be granted more time out as his stay progresses and for good behavior. The self-confessed sex addict has been forced to use an old flip phone at the halfway home, as these are the only type permitted, his fellow inmate said. Weiner's cellmate told the New York Post that when he spent time with Weiner, 'He was on his phone, texting somebody.' He said that he had a short conversation with Weiner and that when he asked the former lawmaker how things were, Weiner replied: 'We all go through things.' As part of his sentence the former politician must allow his electronic devices to be monitored by the courts. A once-rising star in the Democratic Party who served nearly 12 years in Congress, Weiner had a dramatic and sordid fall from grace after he sent a lewd picture of himself to a college student over Twitter in 2011. He initially claimed his account had been hacked, then admitted he'd had inappropriate online interactions with at least six other women while married to top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Weiner pleaded guilty to one charge of transferring obscene material to a minor The disgraced politician was also ordered to undergo a sex offender program in addition to jail time Weiner was held at the Devens Federal Medical Centra in Devens, Massachusetts, pictured Weiner resigned from Congress that year but mounted a campaign for New York City mayor in 2013. But his personal behavior was again his undoing after it was disclosed he sent explicit photos under the alias 'Carlos Danger' to at least one woman after resigning from Congress. Weiner ultimately garnered less than five percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. His final fall came in 2017 after prosecutors say he sent a series of sexually explicit messages to a North Carolina high school student. Weiner pleaded guilty to transferring obscene material to a minor. At his sentencing, he said he'd been a 'very sick man for a very long time' because of his sex addiction. Weiner's attorney said the ex-lawmaker likely exchanged thousands of messages with hundreds of women over the years and was communicating with up to 19 women when he encountered the teenager. Abedin also filed for divorce from Weiner in 2017. But the two, who have a young son together, later agreed to discontinue the case in order to negotiate their separation privately. The European Parliament's 'grand coalition' of centre left and centre right parties could lose its majority for the first time in 40 years, it has been reported. The centre-left Socialists and Democrats and the centre-right European People's party look set to win just 45 per cent of seats at upcoming elections - down from 53 per cent - an internal parliament forecast has predicted. It comes as opinion polls suggested Eurosceptic populists will make gains in the European Parliamentary elections in May - but mainstream political groups still ought to be able to maintain a working majority, albeit with increasing signs of fragmentation. The European Parliament's 'grand coalition' of centre left and centre right parties is set to lose its majority for the first time in 40 years, a study has suggested More than 20 per cent of seats will likely be retained by Eurosceptic groups, polls suggest. Forces loyal to Italy's hardline Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and far-right French politician Marine Le Pen will make gains, according to an analysis of national opinion polls put together by the parliament. According to the Guardian, the latest forecast about the grand coalition is based on the assumption Britain will exit the EU on time. It would see the two largest political groups dip below 50 per cent for the first time, parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot said. The 705 new members of parliament elected in the May 23-26 election will help formulate new EU laws over the next five years and choose the successor to Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm. The event is 'one of the biggest democratic exercises anywhere in the world,' with 373 million citizens from 27 EU countries having a chance to vote, parliament spokesman Duch Guillot told reporters. Voters from Britain, which is due to leave the union on March 29, will not be participating. The European People's Party - usually described as a centre-right conservative group but also including MEPs from populist Hungarian premier Victor Orban's party - is on course to remain the biggest voting bloc. Forces loyal to Italy's hardline Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and far-right French politician Marine Le Pen (pictured) will make gains, according to an analysis of national opinion polls put together by the parliament And, with the Socialists and Democrats as the second force, the traditional parties of the centre will remain the largest in the new parliament. The survey forecast that the EPP will lose 34 seats and the Socialists 51 seats but retain 183 seats and 135 seats respectively. The new parliament will have 705 seats, down from the current 751 because of Britain's scheduled exit from the 28-nation bloc. The liberal group ALDE will move from fourth to third place with a projected 75 seats, compared to 68 today. ALDE will displace the European Conservatives and Reformist (ECR) Group, which will see its share decline from 75 to 51 seats, with the departure of Britain's pro-Brexit Conservatives. Poland's eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) Party also belongs to the ECR. The liberal group could even - according to the survey - increase its representation to 93 seats if it is joined, whether formally or in an alliance, by French President Emmanuel Macron's Republic on the Move (LREM) party. LREM's expected gains will however come at the expense of established centrist parties, not Pen's National Rally (NR), which the poll average shows will strengthen its position and win 21 seats. The NR belongs to the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF) group, which could rise from 37 to 59 seats with help from Salvini's League, which is sceptical of Brussels but not outright opposed to Italy's EU membership. The League, which counts only six seats in the current parliament, are projected to win 27. Overall, eurosceptic and populist forces will represent more than a fifth of the new parliament if the ENF and ECR results are added to those of the EFD, which includes the League's coalition partner, the Five Star Movement. But these gains are comparable to their current representation. 'Contrary to what some have said, the extremes, the nationalists and the populists are far from attaining a majority,' analyst Christine Verger told AFP. 'Even if they increase a little in numbers, this will not fundamentally shake up the internal balance,' said the analyst from the Jacques Delors Institute. Gains by such groups in smaller EU countries have had little impact at the European level, she added. Corinna Horst of the German Marshall Fund think tank said she would not put 'too much weight' on polling results, especially this early. The issue, Horst said, is less about populist gains than about the fragmentation of the European Parliament and EU Council summits gathering leaders of the member countries. 'The bigger question is how the EU will govern amidst this fragmentation,' Horst said in an email to AFP. In one example, the EU is split over how to share responsibility for asylum seekers, which has fuelled the rise of populist parties in Italy and other countries. The EU remains deadlocked even though migrant arrivals have fallen sharply since a 2015 peak. Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris accused Donald Trump on Tuesday of 'abusing his powers' and lying the effectiveness of a border wall at stopping drug smugglers. At a New Hampshire Institute of Politics breakfast, Harris said that the border emergency is a 'crisis of his own making' that Trump manufactured to validate his 2016 election to office. 'We don't need a multi-billion dollar wall. That wall ain't gonna stop them,' she said of drug traffickers. Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris accused Donald Trump on Tuesday of 'abusing his powers' and lying the effectiveness of a border wall at stopping drug smugglers At a New Hampshire Institute of Politics breakfast, Harris said that the border emergency is a 'crisis of his own making' that Trump has manufactured to validate his election to office Harris is pictured signing wooden eggs at her 'Politics & Eggs' debut in Manchester, New Hampshire Harris pounded the wall as a 'vanity project,' repeating a line she'd used in New Hampshire the evening before at a town hall in Portsmouth. 'We cannot continue to have an administration and a President of the United States who puts his vanity projects ahead of the needs of the people of our country,' she said. The California Democrat said she's been to the border and prosecuted transnational criminal organizations as attorney general of the state. Laughing aloud as she searched for the words she wanted to use to make her point, Harris said: 'The idea that he is trying to say that we have people that are trying to invade our country to commit mass crime is a crisis of his own making. 'You talk with the people who take an oath to protect our border, and they will tell you, the trafficking that is happening of drugs and guns coming into our country, it is happening at ports of entry,' she stated. 'We don't need a multi-billion dollar wall. That wall ain't gonna stop them. We need resources at our ports of entry. She added, 'And of course we need to have border security, but this is a crisis of his own making, because it was a campaign pledge that took heat and propelled him to victory, and he feels the need to keep reciting what is a lie.' Sixteen states are suing the president over the national emergency he declared last Friday so that he could redirect Pentagon funds to the project. Harris' home state, California, is leading the legal challenge. Harris is relying heavily on her legal background in the early days of the presidential race. She posited Sunday at an event that she plans on 'prosecuting the case against people who do not tell the truth' in the presidential election. In Washington, she sits on both the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, which she pointed out at stops in New Hampshire as she spoke about the need for states to modernize and invest in their election systems. She brought the topic up as she claimed at back-to-back events that election meddling is something that states should be fortifying themselves against. The former prosecutor further slammed the sitting executive for harnessing his authority to reject a spending compromise at the end of last year that would have prevented the 35-day, partial government shutdown. Media surrounds Harris after her 'Politics & Eggs' debut in Manchester as she tries to leave Harris autographs wooden eggs following her address at the Politics and Eggs meeting held at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on the campus of St. Anselm College Harris visited New Hampshire on Sunday and Monday during a congressional recess for the first time since she put herself forward as a candidate for president Federal workers 'went for a month without getting paid, not to mention the critical services that were diminished,' she said in Manchester. Harris said she believes it was the air traffic controllers, who convinced Trump to call it off. They effectively said that they were 'barely sleeping' and 'the last thing you want is for there to be a crash' in a letter to the president. 'Why would it have to come to that for the commander in chief to figure out that he is abusing his powers and he's gotta stop,' the U.S. senator said at her 'Politics & Eggs' debut on Tuesday. Harris visited New Hampshire on Sunday and Monday during a congressional recess for the first time since she put herself forward as a candidate for president. She promptly addressed concerns that she is not investing in the state heavily enough to win the Democratic nomination at every stop, promising to spend more time in the state than she has so far in the 12 months that precede the New Hampshire primary. Iowa votes first in 2020 in early February, per tradition. The state divvies up its delegates through an involved caucus system that requires voters to show up at their polling place at a designated time and take part in an hours-long process. New Hampshire is the first state in the nation to hold a primary each cycle. New Englanders bear the torch proudly and repeatedly turn out to see multiple candidates. A former prison nurse who had an illegal relationship with an inmate has been back at court for allegedly stalking him. Ashleigh Naylor was given a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in November for having a 'genuine relationship' with Paul Lane, an inmate at Kirkham Prison, Lancashire. The 30-year-old was working at Holme House prison in Stockton at the time and began to write to him frequently before buying him credit so he could call her from inside on an illicit mobile phone. Ashleigh Naylor (shown arriving at Teesside Crown Court in July, left) fell for Paul Lane (together, right) while he was serving 12 years in Kirkham Prison, Lancashire She would then visit him in prison, signing in under her own name. Naylor, of Skelton Green, appeared at Teesside Crown Court last week charged with stalking. The court heard that the alleged victim was the same man she forged a relationship with. Naylor made no plea at the short hearing after issues with her legal aid were raised. Ashleigh Naylor leaves Teesside Crown Court where she appeared accused of having relationship with a prisoner last year The case was adjourned until these matters could be resolved. She was given conditional bail until March 11. Ms Naylor fell for Paul Lane while he was serving 12 years for a 'barbaric' attack on an Iraq veteran. Ahead of Lane's release, Naylor visited him 35 times and he was found to have more than 400 photos of her in his cell Christopher Hall, 43, was left temporarily blinded in one eye and with a deep gash across his head which may have been caused by a bottle, a court was told in 2012. Lane, 33, was jailed for 12 years for the attack and while in Holme House Prison in Stockton-on-Tees he met prison nurse Naylor. Her illicit fling with the jailbird was discovered when a colleague visited her at home when she was drunk and she blurted out her secret, Teesside Crown Court was told last year during her trail for having the illegal relationship. Prosecutor Harry Hadfield said the investigation revealed Naylor had twice sent codes to her lover so he could top-up a smuggled mobile phone. Lane's violent past was not mentioned but the same court in 2012 heard how he and accomplice Mark Collishaw left their innocent victim for dead in the street in Darlington, Co Durham. Naylor (pictured in July) admitted aiding and abetting the unauthorised possession of a device in prison, and was given a 12-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years last year Mr Hall was attacked as he walked home with friend Daniel Mitchell following a night out in Darlington town centre in May 2011. He was left with a deep slash across his forehead and a badly-swollen face after being smashed in the face possibly with a bottle and repeatedly kicked on the ground. Mr Hall, then 37, who served with the Army in Iraq, said in a statement that he had witnessed the horrors of war but nothing compared to the impact of the assault. Naylor, of Skelton Green, appeared at Teesside Crown Court last week charged with stalking Teesside Crown Court heard how he was blind in one eye for three days, has been left scarred for life, suffers from memory loss and is apprehensive about going out. Lane, 27, who landed the first blows after telling Mr Hall 'I'm going to bottle you', was jailed for 12 years, while Collishaw, 27, received ten years' imprisonment. A Minnesota man who survived two nights stuck inside his car during a blizzard has learned that he has stage four kidney cancer while he was in the hospital recovering from his ordeal. William Mendoza, 59, was driving on an interstate to the west of Fargo, North Dakota, on February 6 when blizzard conditions began, leading him to pull off the highway in search of a hotel. 'It started to get bad and when I exited the freeway, I kind of became disoriented,' Mendoza told KSTP. 'It was hard to see and then I got stuck in a snowdrift and could not call for help because my cell phone was dead.' Mendoza would go on to spend the next two excruciating nights stranded in sub-zero temperatures without food or water, waiting to be rescued as one of this winter's worst storms tore across the Midwest. Scroll down for video William Mendoza, a 59-year-old from Minnesota who miraculously survived two nights stranded in his car during a blizzard earlier this month, received the devastating news that he has stage 4 cancer while he was in the hospital recovering from hypothermia and frostbite Mendoza was driving on an interstate west of Fargo, North Dakota, on February 6 when blizzard conditions began and his car got stuck in a snowdrift. Unable to call for help because his phone was dead, Mendoza spent the next two nights in sub-zero temperatures without food or water amid one of the worst storms to hit the Midwest this winter He was rescued on the third day of the storm and brought to a hospital where doctors treating him for frostbite and hypothermia discovered that he had advanced kidney cancer. They delivered the diagnosis on Mendoza's 59th birthday, which he is seen celebrating above 'All I could remember was just shivering uncontrollably, you know, with the teeth shattering, the knees knocking,' Mendoza said. 'You're mostly thinking survival: 'OK. How am I gonna get through this? I got no heat, no light, how much gas do I have?'' As he weathered the storm in his car, his wife Vicki was some 250 miles away at their home in Scandia, Minnesota, unable to sleep or eat because she had no idea where her husband was. 'I was up at night pacing and just was so worried and in a panic and felt helpless,' she told KTSP. As Mendoza weathered the storm in his car, his wife Vicki (above) was some 250 miles away at their home in Scandia, Minnesota, unable to sleep or eat because she had no idea where her husband was The married father-of-two was finally rescued on the third day when a telephone repairman driving by spotted the stranded car. He was taken to the hospital and treated for severe hypothermia and frostbite on his toes. By February 10, Mendoza's 59th birthday, he had fully recovered from the hypothermia when doctors delivered the devastating news that he had advanced-stage kidney cancer. The cancer has also spread to his brain. 'It's like a cruel twist of fate,' Vicki Mendoza said of the cancer, which has an eight percent five-year survival rate when it reaches stage 4. 'We see the God-given miracle that he's alive through this snowstorm to find out he has this cancer.' William Mendoza says he plans to battle the cancer as fiercely as he battled the cold. 'I am determined to do whatever I have to do to fight this,' he said, adding: 'I guess it is better to know and get on with fighting it than to not know.' A GoFundMe campaign to help cover his medical expenses has raised more than $11,790 of its $15,000 goal as of Tuesday morning. Haider Ahmed, now 19 (pictured), was 16 and 17-years old when he was accused of plotting an attack while living with his parents in Redhill, Surrey A teenager with a 'warped and unswerving' interest in ISIS was plotting a deadly terror attack similar to what happened at London Bridge and Westminster, a court heard. Haider Ahmed, now 19, was 16 and 17-years old when he was accused of plotting an attack while living with his parents in Redhill, Surrey. Ben Lloyd, prosecuting, told Kingston Crown Court that Ahmed was a loyal ISIS supporter and planned to use a 15-inch hunting knife given to him by a friend. Imdadul Karim, 24, of Streatham, south London, also appears to have been a keen ISIS supporter or 'at least had a keen interest' and was happy to sell the knife to Ahmed, jurors were told. Ahmed bought the knife after setting up a PayPal account linked to his father's bank account. Mr Lloyd said Ahmed, a former student at Reigate College, had 'no legitimate reason' to buy a dangerous weapon and that he told others its purpose was to 'further the cause of IS'. He told the jury: 'He purchased the large hunting knife to enable him to use it for terrorist purposes. 'You will be aware of other attacks on the streets of London and indeed elsewhere in the world in 2015, 2016 and 2017 by knife-wielding IS-supporting terrorists. 'Ahmed was, the prosecution say, no different to those individuals. He would have been happy to die in the cause as he told others.' Ahmed (pictured at London Bridge train station) denies plotting a terror attack One image found on his phone showed a mocked-up ISIS passport with the words: 'That one way ticket to jannah [paradise].' He also considered using the knife to steal a Rolex watch in a street robbery at his college in order to raise money to travel abroad and join the group. An image of the 15-inch knife which Ahmed is alleged to have purchased Ahmed developed a twisted obsession with ISIS executions and began to watch and send them online, Mr Lloyd said. He started viewing such videos in March 2016 and Mr Lloyd said his interest proved it was 'not a temporary aberration or the result of some childish or naive fascination but it was instead reflective of his warped and unswerving mindset'. Ahmed 'understood what he was getting himself into' when he started sharing graphic content, including an image of an ISIS killing with the message 'some spy got beheaded', Mr Lloyd said. The jury was told of another image of a man who had been shot in the head, as Mr Lloyd said the brutality reflected Ahmed's 'general callous disregard for the life of someone being killed but is indicative ... of his terrorist mindset'. One person who he sent the video to replied 'Bullseye', to which Ahmed replied: 'Watching on TV HD. lol'. Ahmed was also talking to someone called 'Carl Drogo' on Telegram, in order to travel from Nigeria to Libya. Afterwards he asked: 'Have u encountered any battles yet? How's life there?? Can u send pictures if that's possible?' and was sent pictures of Drogo posing with weapons. 'Me and u always use to dream of hijrah [emigrating] lol. But Allah swt [glory be to him] chose u first,' he added. Mr Lloyd said: 'The intention of that individual was to fight for Isis and as the evidence reveals he went on to do just that.' Ahmed had been in touch with a man who called himself 'Carl Drogo',in a bid to allegedly travel from Nigeria to Libya Ahmed posed on Telegram under the alter egos James Butler and David Richmond but was actually running a chat room called Baqiya United Group (BUG) a reference to the ISIS slogan of defiance, 'It will remain'. Ahmed used Telegram website to send a contact called Abu Dawud a video from Khilafa News of a man in an orange jumpsuit with explosives around his neck being decapitated. Among videos he sent to himself on the encrypted Telegram forum was one showing a live prisoner being killed, with advice on which type of knife to use. The video contained instructions about how to carry out a lone wolf attack, including where to stab someone with the message: 'Explanation of how to slaughter the disbeliever'. Karim and Ahmed spoke on WhatsApp about how they hoped 'Allah' would 'hasten the release' of jailed radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, the court heard. Ahmed also talked to someone on WhatsApp about Muslim scholars in September 2016 and it is clear he regards Osama bin Laden as a good scholar, Mr Lloyd suggested. He told the jury: 'I doubt that the thousands killed and injured on September 11 2001 would regard Osama bin Laden as a good scholar.' Ahmed was also in contact with someone using the name 'Repunzel' whom the prosecution say was IS member and British Islamic militant Abu Sa'eed al-Britani. It shows that far from being a naive teenager, Ahmed was 'by September 2016 at least sufficiently well connected to be in touch with a prominent member of IS,' Mr Lloyd said. Ahmed denied engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between July 2016 to July 2017. Karim denied involvement in a terrorist funding arragment by making the knife available to Ahmed between July 1 to November 30, 2016. The case continues. An inseparable New York couple of 81 years died within days of each other last week. Christine Haeg, 98, was admitted to hospital February 10 where she was told she had congestive heart failure. Her husband Joseph was sent into medical care at the same time after telling his daughter: 'We all have to go sometime and I want to go today.' Christine passed away last Monday at Peconic Bay Medical Center and her World War II veteran spouse, 97, held her hand as she drew her last breath. Scroll down for video Christine Haeg (left), 98, was hospitalized February 10 with congestive heart failure Her husband Joseph, 97, said he wanted to die that day and was also admitted. She died Monday with her spouse holding her hand after they arranged for their beds to be pushed together But only hours later, Joseph's health took a dive and 54 hours after his wife's death, on the morning of February 14, he was pronounced deceased. 'I think that was his, "Here I come honey. Here I am for Valentine's Day",' daughter Mary Jo Haeg told ABC 13. Mary Jo said her mother wanted to die first. Joseph's health suddenly deteriorated hours after she passed and he died Valentine's Day Their daughter said the couple of 81 years were 'truly in love' and never argued. They'll be buried together April 5 on their 77th wedding anniversary Her parents met at a church dance in their teenage years and had been together ever since. The Mattituck, Long Island woman said they were 'truly in love' and never argued. 'I never my whole life heard them raise their voice to another. They were truly, truly in love,' she said. She also noted they didn't have a history of heart problems in the lead-up to their passings. The couple met at a church dance in their teenage years and had been together ever since They'll be buried together at the Calverton National Cemetery on April 5, which would have been their 77th wedding anniversary. Their daughter was somewhat relieved her mother and father, who lived at an assisted living facility, died around the same time. She said she prayed for it because she 'didn't want either one of them to have that broken heart'. Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former fixer, will testify to Congress about the president's character and reveal attitudes held by Trump that Cohen's lawyer believes could turn voters against the president in the 2020 election. Lanny Davis said Tuesday that Cohen can't talk to lawmakers about what he told Robert Mueller for the special counsel's Russia investigation but said Cohen will reveal how Trump is 'bigoted,' 'treats people badly,' and talk about he's heard the president say disparaging things about black people behind closed doors. 'I believe the issue in 2020 which Michael Cohen can speak to better than anyone is the man lacks character,' Davis told ABC's 'The Investigation' podcast. 'He speaks in bigoted words in private, which Michael Cohen will tell you. He treats people badly. He has no moral character in defrauding people in his businesses, and going bankrupt, and taking cash out, and putting people out of work. He lacks the moral compass that we expect in our presidents.' Michael Cohen, President Trump's former fixer, will testify to Congress about the president's character Cohen's lawyer said he can reveal attitudes held by President Donald Trump that could sway voters against the president in the 2020 election Davis argued Cohen's testimony can sway more voters than any of the Democrats' investigations into Trump. 'That is a lot more powerful that will occur at the polls than an impeachment proceedings or congressional investigations,' Davis said. He added that Cohen has heard the president make unfavorable comments about black people behind closed doors. 'There are a couple of things he will say that he heard Donald Trump say behind closed doors about black people that people - even his supporters - will say 'yup, that's Trump,'' Davis said. House Democrats are planning a number of probes into the president's activities. And those will include not only the role Russia played in the 2016 election but also Trump's immigration policy, security clearances for administration staff, and possible conflicts of interest. Davis spoke to ABC News in a wide-ranging interview about why he became Cohen's lawyer, his client's state of mind, and what Cohen could tell lawmakers when he testifies before Congress. Davis, a longtime Democrat who was special counsel to President Bill Clinton during his presidency, said the Democratic Party needs to be careful or it could overplay its hand when it comes to investigating President Trump. 'We could overreach,' Davis said. 'And we have a tendency, just like the Republicans, to follow the most extreme voices in our base. And there is a danger that we will do that.' Cohen has pledged to talk to the House and Senate intelligence committees in private and to the House Oversight and Reform Committee in public before he reports to prison on March 6. He has delayed his scheduled appearances three times for various reasons. Cohen was initially scheduled to testify before the House Oversight panel on February 7, but that was canceled and a new date has not been announced. He was supposed to testify behind closed doors before the House Intelligence Committee on February 8 but that was rescheduled for February 28. He was scheduled to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on February 12 but that was postponed for 'post surgery medical needs' - Cohen had shoulder surgery last month - and has not be rescheduled. But even when he appears on Capitol Hill he won't be able to discuss the Mueller probe of whether Trump or his campaign team colluded with Russia in the 2016 election. 'If he ever has a chance to testify publicly he won't be able to address any of the issues that Mr. Mueller is investigating and a lot of people will be disappointed by that,' Davis acknowledged. But he said Cohen will be able to talk about 'what did you do for Mr. Trump for all those years and why.' Trump's legal team has already made their case against Cohen by painting him as an unreliable witness. Both Trump's lawyer and the president himself have pushed back against any comments Cohen may have made to Mueller or will make in public by labeling him as a rat and turn coat who can't be believed. Davis conceded that Cohen knows he has a 'deep hole to climb out' of in terms of credibility. But he argued his client has seen the light and wants to make amends for his past work for the president. 'He wouldn't take a pardon if Trump pleaded with him to take it. Why? Because it would be dirty,' Davis told ABC News. He also slammed the president for calling Cohen a rat on Twitter, saying that is 'reckless and dangerous' because it could put Cohen's life in danger in prison. Trump 'calls him a rat, which is a label that in prison that can be a dangerous label,' Davis said. Lanny Davis talked with ABC's Kyra Phillips and ABC's Chris Vlasto for 'The Investigation' podcast Lanny Davis, Cohen's attorney, gave a wide-ranging interview to ABC News about his client In December, Trump attacked Cohen via twitter for his testimony to the special counsel. 'Remember, Michael Cohen only became a 'Rat' after the FBI did something which was absolutely unthinkable & unheard of until the Witch Hunt was illegally started. They BROKE INTO AN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE! Why didn't they break into the DNC to get the Server, or Crooked's office?,' he wrote on Dec. 16, 2018. In April, federal officers - with a warrant - raided Cohen's home, office and hotel room, seizing documents and materials that included communications between the president and his former personal attorney. Davis also said his client was worried about his future, including life after federal prison. 'His distress is great. We set up a go-fund-me site. He hasn't worked in over a year. And he's certainly worried about future employment,' Davis said. Cohen has been cooperating with the special counsel's probe of Russia's role in the 2016 election and has given Mueller's team 70 hours worth of interviews. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York was the lead federal prosecutor earlier this year when Cohen pled guilty to eight counts, including tax fraud and campaign finance violations - that stemmed from the special counsel's investigation. Cohen also has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about the timeline of conversations he had with Russian officials about building a Trump Tower Moscow as part of separate investigation by Mueller's team. He was sentenced to three years in prison and is free on bail until that time. Cohen's guilty pleas included a charge of lying to Congress about a Trump Organization real estate project that was slated for Moscow, Russia and discussed through the fall of 2016 while the president was running for office. He testified in a closed congressional interview that the project he pursued on Trump's behalf was abandoned by the time of the Iowa Caucuses in January 2016; that would be consistent with Trump's 'political messaging.' Mueller later filed documents revealing Cohen said he discussed the proposal with Trump on multiple occasions and with members of the president's family, later in the year even after Trump became the Republican nominee for president. Cohen said he lied out of loyalty to Trump. Cohen also played a role in hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels (left) and former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal (right) 'I made these misstatements to be consistent with Individual 1's political messaging and out of loyalty to Individual 1,' Cohen said at his plea hearing late last year. 'Individual 1' is Mueller's name for Trump in the investigation. Cohen was also the central figure in a plot to buy the silence of pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed that she had an affair with Trump in 2006. Daniels signed a nondisclosure agreement in exchange for $130,000 from Cohen, a transaction that he admitted was a violation of campaign finance laws since it amounted to an illegally large contribution benefiting Trump's White House hopes. He said in court that Trump directed him to make the payment, suggesting the president was guilty of a crime. In August he pleaded guilty to eight separate charges related to tax dodges, falsifying bank documents and the campaign finance violations involving Daniels and another woman, former Playboy magazine model Karen McDougal. Cohen claims that at Trump's request, he arranged for the publisher of The National Enquirer to pay McDougal another self-described past Trump paramour for the exclusive rights to her life story. The magazine never published anything, engaging in a practice known as 'catch and kill' in order to help Trump avoid new scandals in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign. Trump has denied ever having a sexual relationship with either Daniels or McDougal. Prime suspect: Hector Cruz, 51, suspected of murdering his girlfriend and her 14-year-old son on Sunday, took his own life by jumping in front of a train An ex-convict suspected of murdering his girlfriend and her teenage son in The Bronx died of an apparent suicide by jumping in front of a Metro-North train on Sunday. Marisol Ortiz, 51, and Alanche Delorbe, 14, were found slain inside their East 185th apartment by Ortiz's 22-year-old daughter on Sunday afternoon. Police said the woman was stabbed and bludgeoned multiple times with an exercise weight. Several torn-up dollar bills were found scattered over her body. Her son, who would have turned 15 on Monday, was strangled in his bed and also bashed in the face with a gym weight. Police had named Ortizs boyfriend, 51-year-old Hector Cruz, a person of interest in the double homicide and announced that they were looking to interview him. Slaughtered: Marisol Ortiz, 51 (left), and her son Alanche Delorbe, 14 (right), were found dead in their Bronx home by Ortiz's 22-year-old daughter Ortiz and Delorbe were found in separate rooms, with exercise equipment near both of their bodies, which police believe was used to bludgeon each of them. One of their bodies is shown being removed from their Bronx home at East 185th Street Officials say Cruz jumped in front of a northbound Metro-North train at the Hartsdale station in Westchester County (pictured) Sunday morning By Monday, investigators confirmed that the man who was struck and killed by a northbound Metro-North train at the Hartsdale station in Westchester County at 9.45am on Sunday was Cruz, reported News 12 Westchester. Police said the man's death was non-accidental. Cruz had a prior criminal record, which included a half-dozen arrests and a seven-year stint in state prison stemming from a 2002 incident in which he stabbed two men. Violent past: Cruz had a prior criminal record, which included a half-dozen arrests and a seven-year stint in state prison stemming from a 2002 stabbing WPIX reported that Cruz completed his parole in 2016, and at the time of his suicide he was no longer under state supervision. At around 4pm on Sunday, Ortiz's grown daughter entered her family's home in the Belmont section of The Bronx and found her mother and younger brother dead in separate rooms, with bloodied exercise weights near both of their bodies. The mother's body was found on the floor in one room and the boy's body was on a bed, with a bloody knife near him, in another room. Only the mother had been stabbed, according to police, who said the teen had been strangled. Neighbor Angel Cabrera told NBC News that he heard some type of screaming at around 1-2am on Sunday, but assumed the noise was coming from a party. The brutal double murder happened just one day before Delorbe's 15th birthday. 'They're going to have to cremate the bodies because they were told that their faces were so brutally beaten, you can't see who they were,' Ortiz's cousin Haydee Leonardo told NY Daily News. The incident occurred at the victims' home at East 185th Street in the Bronx (pictured) Members of the NYPD's Crime Scene Unit work at the site of the heinous murders Birthday boy: Delorbe would have turned 15 on Monday. He was remembered as a happy teen and a good student Delorbe's aunt is shown at the scene in front of Ortiz's apartment, inconsolable in tears Ortiz's daughter made the grisly discovery after rushing back to the apartment after receiving a phone call that her mother hadn't shown up for work. 'I just heard the daughter screaming,' Iris Rosa, 58, who was an upstairs neighbor to Ortiz, told The New York Post. 'I didnt hear no words. It was just "Ahhhhh!" And then nothing.' Friends, classmates and teachers who came by the apartment building Monday to pay their respects to Ortiz and her son remembered the birthday boy as a good student with an infectious laugh who enjoyed dancing, reported ABC 7 NY. Some of the mourners brought along candles, flowers and birthday balloons. Bangladesh authorities have blocked almost 20,000 websites as part of an anti-pornography 'war', a minister said Tuesday. Internet providers in the conservative Muslim-majority nation took down pornography and gambling websites in the past week under orders from the telecommunications regulator. 'I want to create a safe and secure internet for all Bangladeshis, including children. And this is my war against pornography. And this will be a continuous war,' Mustafa Jabbar, the posts and telecommunications minister, told AFP. The country's High Court (pictured) urged the government to ban porn sites back in November last year Popular social media apps such as TikTok and Bigo - which authorities believe are misused - have also been blocked in the South Asian nation, Jabbar said. Most of the blocked sites are foreign, but a few local websites and social media platforms have also faced action under the crackdown, he added. The crackdown was launched after Bangladesh's High Court in November asked the government to block pornography websites and publication of obscene materials in electronic forms for six months. The court acted after a civil society organisation filed a petition stating that a large number of adult websites contain uncensored and obscene content. On Sunday, police reprimanded a rising actress and told her to remove provocative images from her Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages. 'We are monitoring the local Facebook profiles, YouTube channels and websites also,' Jabbar said. Mustafa Jabbar, the Bangladeshi posts and telecommunications minister, said there would be a 'continuous war on pornography' 'A few of them were taken down for having obscene content. We advised a few others not to post anything that goes against our social norms.' Bangladesh - a country of 165 million people - has more than 90 million internet users. Porn stars regularly top the list of the most searched names. Emdadul Hoque, general secretary of the internet service providers association, said they have complied with the order, but many users can still access online porn by using virtual private networks or mirror websites. 'This is a continuous process and it needs regular monitoring. These websites are very well aware of the regulations and they come up with thousands of mirror sites every week,' Hoque told AFP. Gwyneth Paltrow is opening up on her dark relationship with disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Paltrow was flung into the spotlight with her Academy Award-winning performance in the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, produced by Weinstein's company Miramax. 'He was a bully. I never had a problem standing up to him. I wasn't scared of him. I also felt for a period of time, I was the consumer face of Miramax, and I felt it was my duty to push back against him. We had a lot of fights,' she reveals in a tell-all interview with Variety. Weinstein was kicked out of the Academy in 2017 after he was accused of rape and sexual harassment by a slew of actresses. Paltrow shocked tinseltown when she joined the clamor of voices accusing Weinstein of abusing his power over women in the industry when she revealed he came onto her at the start of filming Emma in 1996. Gwyneth Paltrow is opening up on her dark relationship with disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein (pictured together in 1999), who helped skyrocket her to fame in the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love The 46-year-old actress reflected on her 'fraught' relationship with Weinstein in Variety's February issue He summoned her to his hotel room, allegedly put his hands on her then asked the young actress for a massage. 'I had one really uncomfortable, weird experience; then he was never inappropriate with me again in that way,' Paltrow said. She had to work with him again for the completion of Shakespeare in Love. Asides from the hotel experience, Paltrow says Weinstein was difficult to work with professionally. He refused to give her back-end compensation for Emma and she had to continually pressure him until she received the money, she said. 'I got him to pay me something. I remember I got this legal letter that said, "This is not an acknowledgement that we owe you this money, but here's a check."' 'He was a very difficult boss. It was a fraught relationship. We would get in knock-down, drag-out fights. I remember once, my mother [Blythe Danner] walked in a room, and I was yelling at him about something. She was like, "Who was that on the phone."' When Paltrow said it was Weinstein, her mother replied, 'Oh, my goodness, good for you. Stand up for yourself.' 'He was a bully. I never had a problem standing up to him. I wasn't scared of him,' she said, adding they got into 'knock-down, drag-out fights' Weinstein and Paltrow worked together in the 1996 film Emma then again in the 1998 film Shakespeare in Love, which skyrocketed Paltrow to fame and won her an Oscar But the movie ended up being worth it as 'it just changed my life', the 46-year-old actress says. It won her an Oscar for best actress in 1999 and crowned her as Hollywood royalty. When asked if Weinstein's involvement with the film tarnishes its legacy she responded saying, 'It's a beautiful film. A movie is not going to be successful if it's not a good movie, not like that.' Paltrow said she was the first person offered the film when it came into the hands of Miramax, and she originally turned it down as she was going through a rough break-up with Brad Pitt after they called it quits on their engagement. 'I was in the middle of a terrible breakup and the idea of going to England and being far from home just seemed... I didn't even read it. I was just like "I can't read anything right now. I'm having a really hard time."' After some back and forth and Miramax's failed effort to land Kate Winslet for the role, Paltrow read the tweaked script and signed on. 'I just couldnt put it down. It was perfect,' she said. While shooting in England, Weinstein wasn't a 'regular presence' on set but he still wielded power when it came to production. He wanted Ben Affleck to play Shakespeare, but Paltrow fought with him on it. 'At the last minute, Harvey wanted Ben Affleck to take over and play Shakespeare. I said, "No, you can't do that. You have to have an English person."' Weinstein eventually gave in and cast Affleck in the film as Ned Alleyn instead of Shakespeare. Paltrow revealed that Jack Nicholson, who handed her the Best Actress Oscar in 1999, had asked her out beforehand Paltrow pictured above with Madonna and Harvey Weinstein at the Golden Globes After Party in January 1998 Her steadfastness helped Joseph Fiennes, who she screen tested with, land the role of Shakespeare. 'I definitely screamed at the top of my lungs when I got it,' Fiennes said on getting the role, as he reveals he never knew Paltrow had vouched for him. 'That's news to me. I feel - wow - really indebted to Gwyneth and John,' he added. Following the interview, Weinstein has denied ever trying to cast Affleck as Shakespeare. 'Gwyneth Paltrow is an excellent actor and a fantastic person, who does so well when on the right project. The only other contenders for the role of Will Shakespeare were Russell Crowe and Ethan Hawke, no one else. Ben Affleck did a terrific job as Ned Alleyn, which is the role he was considered for,' Weinstein's PR tells DailyMail.com. After Harvey's fall from public grace made headlines in 2017 and launched the #MeToo movement, Shakespeare in Love director John Madden worried that the scandal may have taken the pride in the movie away from the cast and crew. Still, the film is remembered as one of the most iconic of its time. The movie was so good, Paltrow says, that Hillary Clinton ditched a scheduled engagement to sit through the entire film at its New York premiere. 'I think it made up for Bill Clinton falling asleep during Emma in the White House. He took a long nap, right there in the middle,' Paltrow said with a laugh. Shakespeare in Love was so iconic for Paltrow's career, her husband Brad Falchuk, who she married last September, cited it at their wedding ceremony. Paltrow and Falchuk pictured above Paltrow initially turned down the film Shakespeare in Love as she was reeling from her break up with Brad Pitt Paltrow, dressed in her iconicized pink Ralph Lauren ball gown, gave a tearful speech as she accepted Oscar award from Jack Nicholson in 1999. She reveals he had asked her out some years beforehand. 'Jack Nicholson gave it to me. There's a funny story where he'd been trying to ask me out before, and I was like, "I have a boyfriend!"' she said. She was still with Brad Pitt, who she dated from 1994 to 1997, at the time. She was so excited about the award she forgot to take the envelope from Nicholson, who sent it to her later with a sweet note. 'I have it framed,' Paltrow gushed. The role was so iconic for Paltrow's career, her husband Brad Falchuk, who she married last September, cited it at their wedding ceremony. 'I hope this isn't too personal but in my husband's wedding vows, he actually said it's no coincidence that I played this muse, because that's who I am to him, and his perception is that's who I am in real life. It was really sweet,' she said. Though film is what skyrocketed Paltrow to fame, she says she doesn't read scripts anymore and occasionally takes on a small role. Instead she heads her upscale lifestyle brand GOOP, which will be launching a Netflix docuseries soon. Jeremy Corbyn insisted the 'gang of seven' who quit Labour yesterday were all elected to deliver his policies in a blunt rebuke to the MPs. The Labour leader said he was 'disappointed' the MPs had resigned but sidestepped questions about whether he would change his approach. Mr Corbyn has been warned by his own he must change his leadership style or face even more walkouts after the biggest split in British politics since 1981. His intervention today ignores the warning of deputy leader Tom Watson, who refused to criticise the members of the Independent Group for their 'premature' decision. Mr Corbyn even appears to be standing apart from his cloest ally in politics shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who called for a 'mammoth listening exercise' in the party today. Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Mr Corbyn's leadership. Jeremy Corbyn insisted the 'gang of seven' who quit Labour yesterday were all elected to deliver his policies in a blunt rebuke to the MPs Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Mr Corbyn's leadership His intervention today ignores the warning of deputy leader Tom Watson, who refused to criticise the members of the Independent Group for their 'premature' decision What is the Independent Group and can you vote for it? What happened yesterday? Seven MPs resigned from the Labour Party and set up something called the Independent Group Is it a political party? No. It is a small business - technically a limited company - called Gemini A Ltd that was set up Gavin Shuker, one of the MPs, in January. Can I vote for it? No. Unless and until it registers with the Electoral Commission, it cannot stand candidates. Can I donate to it? Yes. The group is accepting donations through its website theindependent.group. It says donations will support the newly independent MPs. What does it want? All seven are Remain supporters and most of them have promoted a second referendum to cancel Brexit. They say they want evidence-based policy making to tackle the challenges facing Britain - without being inside a toxic Labour Party. The Labour leader told the EEF conference in London today that anyone in Labour who did not feel they were being listened to 'are not taking up the opportunities that are available'. Addressing the Make UK conference in London, Mr Corbyn said: 'I regret that seven MPs decided they would no longer remain part of the Labour Party, I thank them for their work. 'I hope they recognise that they were elected to Parliament on a manifesto that was based around investment in the future, was based around a more equal and fairer society and based around social justice.' He added: 'They were elected to carry out those policies, they decided to go somewhere else and I regret that because I want our party to be strong, I want our party to be united around the policies that we have put forward.' Asked about Mr Watson's call for him to work more consensually, Mr Corbyn blasted: 'Anyone who thinks they are not being consulted are not taking up, in my view, the opportunities that are available there and open and ready for them at all times to do that. 'I'm always prepared to discuss policies with people in the party and I do all the time.' As they walked out of Labour yesterday, the Independent Group warned 'politics is broken' and appealed from other parties to join their new group. The Jewish Labour Movement considers quitting Corbyn party after 99 years The Jewish Labour Movement has called an emergency meeting to discuss whether to leave Jeremy Corbyn's party. The JLM has been affiliated to Labour for 99 years and is the only Jewish organisation formally tied to the party. But it is reconsidering the position after Jewish MP Luciana Berger led a major split from Labour yesterday, warning it was 'institutionally anti-Semitic'. JLM secretary Peter Mason has called extraordinary general meetings to be held concurrently in London and Manchester on 6 March 'to decide collectively where we go from here', Jewish News revealed. He said: 'Far too little has been achieved for the party to be able to claim in all honesty that it upholds the zero tolerance environment promised.' Their resignation signals the biggest split in British politics since the SDP walked out of Labour in 1981 and realigned the left - paving the way for Tony Blair's election in 1997. They appealed to the public for donations to get the new project - which is not yet a political party and is not yet able to stand candidates - off the ground. Mr Umunna told the Today programme the 'gang of seven' were putting 'everything on the line' - and said: 'We're inviting anybody who shares our values to join us. 'There are clearly a lot of Labour MPs wrestling with their conscience, and Conservatives who are demoralised for the Ukip-isation, if you like, of the party.' Mr Ummuna added: 'There are many other people who have misgivings about their parties. Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger said yesterday: 'This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.' She added: 'For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party. Mr Corbyn has been warned by his own he must change his leadership style or face even more walkouts after the biggest split in British politics since 1981 Mr Corbyn even appears to be standing apart from his cloest ally in politics shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who called for a 'mammoth listening exercise' in the party today MP apologises for saying Independent Group funded by Israel A Labour MP has apologised after suggesting that seven former colleagues who broke away from Jeremy Corbyn's party may have had Israeli backing. High Peak MP Ruth George 'unreservedly and wholeheartedly' apologised and said she had no intention of 'invoking a conspiracy theory'. The seven - including Jewish MP Luciana Berger - blamed Labour's failure to tackle anti-Semitism as one of their reasons for leaving. Ms George acknowledged her comment had been 'ill-thought out' and 'poorly worded'. A Labour Party spokesman said: 'It's right that Ruth George has apologised for these offensive remarks. 'The Whips Office is reminding Ruth George of the conduct expected of her.' 'I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.' Mr Watson warned Mr Corbyn he could lose more MPs if he did not respond effectively to today's blow. He said: 'I think our colleagues have come to a premature conclusion. But this is a moment for regret and reflection, not for a mood of anger or a tone of triumph. There are those who are already celebrating the departure of colleagues with whom they disagree. 'The hard left can be too easily tempted into the language of heresy and treachery. 'Betrayal narratives and shouting insults at the departed might make some feel better briefly but it does nothing to address the reasons that good colleagues might want to leave.' He added: 'The identity of this party must be tolerant, multi-cultural, generous and welcoming. To put it mildly, we need to be kinder and gentler. 'I love this party. But sometimes I no longer recognise it. 'That is why I do not regard those who have resigned today as traitors.' A seven-year-old girl was sent flying through the air after a driver hit her as she crossed the street in a California neighborhood over the weekend. Surveillance footage captured the dramatic moment two boys narrowly missed being hit by a dark-colored sedan, but Hazel Conzet wasn't so lucky. The vehicle is seen slamming into Hazel, throwing her into the air and causing her to land between two parked vehicles. Surveillance footage captured the dramatic moment two boys (top right, in red) narrowly missed being hit by a dark-colored sedan, but Hazel Conzet (top right, in white) wasn't so lucky The vehicle is seen slamming into Hazel, throwing her into the air and causing her to land between two parked vehicles. Hazel lets out a horrifying scream as the car struck her Hazel lets out a horrifying scream as the car struck her. The terrified and screaming child then got up quickly and ran home with her friend and her brother, nine-year old Damiion Conzet. Santa Rosa police said the incident occurred around 5pm on Saturday. According to Your Central Valley, Hazel was taken to the hospital but she only had scrapes and bruises. 'I think it scared her more than anything,' Hazel's mother, Candace Conzet, told the news site. 'I'm angry. I really hope someone finds this guy.' Witnesses said the male driver stopped briefly and then drove away instead of waiting to speak with the child's parents. The terrified and screaming child then got up quickly and ran home with her friend and her brother, nine-year old Damiion Conzet Hazel (right) was taken to the hospital but she only had scrapes and bruises. 'I think it scared her more than anything,' Hazel's mother, Candace Conzet (left) said Witnesses said the male driver stopped briefly and then drove away instead of waiting to speak with the child's parents. The driver was described as a light-skinned male with a beard, Santa Rosa police said. Santa Rosa police are now searching for the man The driver was described as a light-skinned male with a beard, Santa Rosa police said. A reward up to $2,500 is being offered by the Sonoma County Alliance Take Back Our Community Program. The reward is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect involved in this hit and run collision. Santa Rosa police are now searching for the man. Anyone with related information is asked to contact the Santa Rosa Police Department at 707-528-5222. A distraught mother whose teenage son took his own life after being kicked out of lessons for wearing a hoodie ran out of his inquest when the coroner ruled it was suicide - not manslaughter. Derek Brundrett, 14, had struggled with mental health, enjoyed the dangers of free running, and was described as a 'risk taker' and a 'loose cannon'. He was removed from a science lesson at his school in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in December 2013 and was later found hanged in some woodland nearby. Derek Brundrett (pictured with his mother) was discovered by staff and other pupils in trees close to the school's main entrance The 14-year-old had been kicked out of lessons for wearing a hoodie, an inquest heard Paul Bennett, assistant coroner for Pembrokeshire today ruled his death a suicide. His mother Katrina Wray has waited five years for the outcome of the inquest and ran out of the hearing crying, saying she would file for judicial review because it 'should have been manslaughter'. The mother-of-three added there had been a 'clever distribution of blame' and a total lack of accountability. She said outside the court: 'It wasn't the verdict I was expecting or hoping for. 'The Coroner found that Pembrokeshire County Council failed to get Derek the help he needed. 'If they had listened it may have resulted in a different outcome than my son's death. 'I sincerely hope that lessons will be learned so that other children will not be failed in the same way. I look forward to receiving an apology.' The inquest found there were individual failures by a GP and social services and he should have been given psychiatric support. Arsenal fan Derek was in foster care in December 2013 when he was asked to leave the lesson at Pembroke Comprehensive School in West Wales. Tributes left by pupils and staff at Pembroke School for the 14-year-old Derek's mother Katrina Wray has waited five years for the outcome of the inquest and ran out of the hearing crying, saying she would file for judicial review because it 'should have been manslaughter' Paul Bennett, Assistant Coroner for Pembrokeshire, said: 'Derek is seen on school CCTV walking towards a wooded area. 'He was subsequently found by a friend hanging from a branch of a tree. I find that Derek had set about a deliberate act of self harm.' The inquest heard Derek was worried he might be moved out of mainstream education and away from his friends. He was also being 'torn apart in a social battle' because his mother and father wanted him home. The inquest in Milford Haven heard he had previously climbed onto the school roof but the coroner ruled it was to impress friends rather than a serious suicide attempt. Mr Bennett ruled out systemic failings by Pembrokeshire County Council Social services and the Specialist Child and Adult Mental Health Service. In a narrative verdict the coroner said: 'Derek took his own life in circumstances where despite efforts to refer him for psychiatric support there was a failure to do so. 'There was a failure to refer by a social worker, there was a failure by a GP to provide additional information when the referrals of 2012 and 2013 were declined.' The Coroner apologised to Derek's family over how long it took to come to a conclusion. The assistant coroner for Pembrokeshire today ruled Derek's death a suicide A Pembrokeshire Council spokesman said after the case: 'The death of a child is a profound loss and all the professionals involved in this tragedy feel great sympathy for Derek and his family and friends. 'We would like to repeat our sincere condolences to them at this time. 'Derek's loss is deeply felt by those individuals who had formed close and caring relationships with him. 'We will, of course, reflect upon all of the issues that have been raised during the Inquest, and consider what lessons can be learned with a view to continuing to ensure the safeguarding and well-being of all children and young persons served by Pembrokeshire County Council.' For confidential support in the UK, you can call the Samaritans 24 hours a day on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince has been gifted a gold-plated machine gun by Pakistani senators after agreeing to invest $20billion in the country. Mohammed bin Salman was presented with the elaborate Heckler & Koch MP5K by Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani as he visited the country on Monday. A senate delegation went to Bin Salman's apartment in Islamabad to present him with the weapon and a portrait of himself on Monday evening, local media reported. Bin Salman's visit comes amid outrage in the West over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi which has seen the young prince turn to allies in the East to shore up his power. Pakistani senators presented Mohammed bin Salman with this gold-plated machine gun as he visited Islamabad on Monday, after signing trade deals worth $20billion with the country Bin Salman put on a display of brotherly affection with Prime Minister Imran Khan, who will be hoping the Saudi investment will help him kick-start the Pakistani economy In recognition of Saudi's investments, Bin Salman was awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan or Order of Pakistan, which is the country's highest honour Earlier in the day, President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan handed him Pakistan's highest honour - the Nishan-e-Pakistan (Order of Pakistan). Bin Salman was given a fighter jet escort, 21-gun salute and guard of honour as he arrived in Pakistan on Sunday night and was pictured in a warm embrace with Prime Minister Imran Khan. Widely known as 'MBS', the 33-year-old is staging a high-profile three-country visit five months after he came under intense pressure following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He has signed $20 billion in investment deals with Islamabad and vowed to free thousands of Pakistani prisoners in Saudi custody. Bin Salman will head to India next, where he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is then expected to head to China. Islamabad is facing a serious balance of payments crisis and hopes the huge deals signed over the two-day visit - seven separate agreements and memorandums of understanding - will boost its struggling economy. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince has been welcomed with open arms in Pakistan after signing trade deals with the cash-strapped country worth $20billion. He is pictured in a warm embrace with Prime Minister Imran Khan last night The Crown Prince is pictured climbing into a horse-drawn carriage to go to the Presidential Palace in Islamabad today Pakistan's President Arif Alvi (right) shakes hands with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) as Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan (behind) looks on this morning MBS is staging a three-country Asian tour just five months after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a fierce critic, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul ignited a diplomatic crisis. After India, he is expected to finish with two days in China on Thursday and Friday. The Saudis, after initially denying they knew anything of Khashoggi's disappearance, finally acknowledged that a team killed him inside the consulate, but described it as a rogue operation that did not involve the crown prince. Turkey said Friday it has not yet revealed all the information it has uncovered in the case, which launched a global wave of revulsion and tarnished the crown prince's reputation. Analysts have said the tour is part of a Gulf pivot to rising Asia as a growing oil market, but also a timely demonstration to the West that MBS is not an international pariah. Mohammed bin Salman hugging Imran Khan, before the pair signed $20 billion worth of deals Bin Salman received a 21-gun salute and a red carpet on arrival at a military base in Islamabad Pakistan has also been accused by its western neighbour Iran of harbouring militants who carried out an attack that killed 27 Revolutionary Guards last week. The Guards' commander has also vowed to make Pakistan pay. But Islamabad received a boost from Jubeir, who called Tehran a 'chief sponsor of terrorism' during Monday's live press conference. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed a long alliance dating back to the founding of the Islamic republic. However, Islamabad has also tried to walk a fine line by maintaining warm relations with its neighbour - and Saudi Arabia's regional foe - Iran. Jubeir also noted that Riyadh continues to participate in a months-long push by Washington for peace talks in Afghanistan, saying that if the war-torn country can be stabilised 'it will be to benefit... the region as a whole'. The Crown Prince met Khan for the first stop on his Asia tour. He will next meet with Indian Primer Minister Narendra Modi The tour comes just months after journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at a Saudi consulate Last week the Taliban announced they would attend talks in Islamabad with the US and Pakistan on Monday that had been due to coincide with the crown prince's visit. Neither Washington nor Pakistan confirmed the talks, however, and the Taliban announced Sunday that they had been postponed as its militants 'were unable to travel due to the US and UN blacklist'. Taliban negotiators have recently visited Russia, Qatar, and the UAE. Fresh talks are set to be held between the US and the militants in Doha on February 25. Millions of Chinese citizens have been deemed 'untrustworthy' by Beijing's social credit system, according to a new annual report. In the last year alone, nearly 3.6 million individuals were discredited by the nation's social credit watchdog. Authorities have blocked more than 17 million attempts to buy flight tickets and more than 5.4 million attempts to buy high-speed train tickets from travellers with unhealthy records by the end of 2018. Chinese authorities have blocked over 5.4 million attempts to buy high-speed train tickets from untrustworthy travellers. These passenger would need to take slow trains (file photo) More than 12,900 individuals and companies have been banned from carrying out various forms of financial trading and 128 people who owe taxes have been prohibited from leaving the country. China's social credit system rates citizens based on their daily behaviour, and this could range from their bank credit to their social media activities. With a tagline of 'once discredited, everywhere restricted', it vows to punish 'untrustworthy' citizens in as many ways as possible. The figures were released yesterday by the country's National Public Credit Information Centre, the governing body of the social credit system. So far, the Centre has put 14.21 million incidents on its social credit blacklist. In 2018 alone, four million entries involving nearly 3.6 million discredited individuals were added into the database. The report says the authority has further expanded the area monitored by the social credit system to fields such as charity and scientific research, and tougher punishments will be given in the future. China plans to complete the social credit system by 2020 after starting out in 2014. Pictured, flags of Saudi Arabia and China are hanged in front of Tian'anmen Gate before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit in Beijing, China, on February 21, 2019 Train passengers could face travel bans if they endanger railway safety, smoke on high-speed trains, sell on tickets, produce fake tickets, dodge tickets, among others, according to People's Daily. While air passengers could be banned from future flights for behaviours including spreading rumours about terror attacks, breaking into runways, assaulting the crew and causing disruption on flight. China plans to complete the national social credit system by 2020 after starting out in 2014. While the citizens financial credit would be supervised by banks, their online behaviour is due to be tracked by China's main technology companies, such as Tencent and Alibaba which owns substantial amount of personal data through their social media apps and e-commerce websites. Once built, the national system could determine how easy a citizen could rent a flat, buy travel tickets or pay for a cup of tea. Four men have helped rescue a woman by pulling her through the window of her car while it was being consumed by a raging inferno. The 41-year-old woman's car burst into flames after she was rear-ended by a suspected drunk driver in Garyville, Louisiana on Monday morning. The woman was waiting at a red traffic light when a 22-year-old man, identified as Richard Preston II, slammed into the back of her car on Airline Highway at about 6.45am. Witnesses said the car had already burst into flames when the four Good Samaritans rushed to rescue the woman. The 41-year-old woman's car burst into flames after she was rear-ended by a suspected drunk driver in Garyville, Louisiana on Monday morning The four men were filmed dragging the woman out of her driver's side window as the flames and smoke billowed from the back of the vehicle. They carried her to safety on the side of the highway. Police said the woman was taken to a hospital to be treated for her injuries. At least one of the men who helped rescue her also had to be treated for facial burns. Preston, the suspected drunk driver, was also moderately injured in the crash. Witnesses said the car had already burst into flames when the four Good Samaritans rushed to rescue the woman and dragged her out of the driver's side window The four men were filmed dragging the woman out of her driver's side window as the flames and smoke billowed from the back of the vehicle He was later booked with DWI, reckless operation of a vehicle, unauthorized use of a movable and first-degree vehicular negligent injury. Richard Preston II, 22, was charged with a DWI over the fiery crash Louisiana State Police managed to get the names of two of the rescuers. The other two men had already left the scene before authorities could speak to them. Authorities want to track them down to thank them for their heroic efforts. The witness who filmed the video, Anita Hayley, said the four men should definitely be recognized for their efforts, according to Nola.com. 'Such bravery and compassion for someone in a desperate situation,' she said. 'God bless and reward all those involved in saving this woman's life.' Texas authorities are accusing a couple of flying from California with more than 66 pounds of pot on them. Naureen Nooralla Gheewalla-Fayyaz, 28, and 29-year-old Osama Fayyaz were seen checking several bags as they were leaving the Sacramento airport on January 14. Officials at the Bush Intercontinental Airport searched the bags, after obtaining a warrant, and found 66.3lbs of what was believed to be cannabis. Authorities also found a record book and yellow notepad that they believed the Richmond couple had been using as drug ledgers. Naureen Nooralla Gheewalla-Fayyaz, 28, and 29-year-old Osama Fayyaz checked several bags as they were leaving the Sacramento airport on January 14 A search warrant was granted and when authorities opened the seven bags they found a 'green leafy substance believed to be marijuana,' inside (pictured is one of their bags) The bag's tag listed it as belonging to Gheewalla-Fayyaz and she refused to let authorities search the contents. After obtaining a warrant, authorities found what they believed to be marijuana As the couple was leaving Sacramento, a Transportation Security Administration officer informed a deputy that one of their seven checked bags looked suspicious and he suspected it contained marijuana, according to court documents obtained by KPRC-TV. The Sacramento deputy gave Houston officials the bag's tag number and the name of the woman as she was the one who checked the bag at the time. Police waited in the Houston airport and watched as Fayyaz pulled two suitcases from the baggage claim carousel. Both were arrested previously for possession of marijuana in Jefferson County, according to court documents Authorities also found a record book and yellow notepad that they believed the Richmond couple had been using as drug ledgers in the bags As he grabbed the bags, authorities approached Fayyaz and asked the Richmond resident if the bags were his. He allegedly denied owning the bags, but he was 'visibly nervous and was trembling,' according to court documents. Gheewalla-Fayyaz was sitting close by and admitted the bags belonged to her. But when asked if they could search the bag, the woman told authorities that they couldn't. She also denied knowing what was inside. A search warrant was granted and when authorities opened the seven bags they found a 'green leafy substance believed to be marijuana,' inside. Both were arrested previously for possession of marijuana in Jefferson County, according to court documents. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said Tuesday that federal law enforcement thought it was possible Donald Trump was working on behalf of Russia when the Bureau opened its counterintelligence investigation into him in 2016. 'We had information that led us to believe that there might be a threat to national security in this case that the president himself might, in fact, be a threat to the United States national security,' he said in a 'Today' show interview. As his explosive memoir went on sale, McCabe declared that 'we thought it might be possible' that Trump was directly working on behalf of Russia during the early days of his administration. He recalled briefing the so-called 'Gang of Eight' on Capitol Hill, a group of the top congressional leaders from both parties, about the investigation into Trump and said neither Republicans nor Democrats raised any red flags at the time. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, fired last year for lying to investigators about a press leak, claims Bureau officials opened a counterintelligence probe into President Trump because they believed he might have have been working for the Russian government McCabe said on the 'Today' show that when he briefed leaders of Congress from both parties about Trump's behavior, none of them objected to running a counterintel investigation into it McCabe spoke to the 'Today' show, saying he will file a civil lawsuit against the Justice Department over his firing which came just two days before he would have earned a full government pension 'The purpose of the briefing was to let our congressional leadership exactly what we'd been doing. Opening a case of this nature [is] not something that an FBI director, not something that an acting FBI director do by yourself, right?' he asked Tuesday. 'This was a recommendation that came to me from my team. I reviewed it with our lawyers. I discussed it at length with the deputy attorney general, and I told Congress what we had done.' 'No one objected,' McCabe said in the 'Today' show interview. 'Not on legal grounds, not on constitutional grounds, and not based on the facts.' He explained that Trump, in the FBI's view, 'had gone to extreme measures to potentially impact, negatively impact possibly turn off our investigation of Russian meddling into the election and Russian coordination with his campaign.' As the FBI investigated the so-far unproven theory that Trump's campaign colluded with the Kremlin, he said, the president was 'publicly undermining the investigative efforts. He's talking about it as a witch hunt. He's talking about it as a hoax.' McCabe also recalled that Trump asked then-FBI Director James Comey 'to turn off' a probe of his national security advisor, Michael Flynn. President Trump on Monday labeled as 'treasonous' a pair of reported plots by senior Justice Department officials, McCabe and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, to secretly record him in the Oval Office and gather support for removing him from power. McCabe claims none of the leaders of Congress whom he briefed on a counterintelligence probe into Trump's activities objected to it; they included at the time (clockwise from top left) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, then-House Miniority Leader Nancy Pelosi and then-House Speaker Paul Ryan President Donald Trump said Monday that a pair of reported plots against him were 'illegal and treasonous,' pointing a finger squarely at McCabe as he prepared for his book rollout McCabe said during a '60 Minutes' interview Sunday night that Rosenstein was 'absolutely serious' about wearing a wire around the president. Rosenstein, he claimed, at one point tried to gauge support among members of Trump's Cabinet for using the Constitution's 25th Amendment to terminate his presidency. Trump was apoplectic on the President's Day holiday. 'Wow, so many lies by now disgraced acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. He was fired for lying, and now his story gets even more deranged. He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught,' Trump tweeted Monday morning. 'There is a lot of explaining to do to the millions of people who had just elected a president who they really like and who has done a great job for them with the Military, Vets, Economy and so much more. This was the illegal and treasonous insurance policy in full action!' The president tweeted Monday morning about claims by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and current Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who proposed secretly recording Trump and gauging support for having his Cabinet remove him from power McCabe created a firestorm over the weekend by describing in a '60 Minutes' interview the serious support among Trump's top law enforcement officials for getting rid of him The president's reference to an insurance policy recalls a series of text messages between former FBI attorney Lisa Page and former senior FBI agent Peter Strzok. On a Monday about three months before the 2016 election, McCabe held a private meeting in his office with Page and Strzok. Later the same day, Strzok texted Page, his lover at the time. 'I want to believe the path you threw out for consideration in Andy's office that theres no way he gets elected but I'm afraid we cant take that risk,' he wrote. 'It's like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before you're 40.' Page asked Strzok to reassure her that Trump was 'not ever going to become president, right? Right?!' 'No. No he won't,' Strzok replied. 'We'll stop it.' Rod Rosenstein is the current Deputy Attorney General of the United States, making Trump's attacks highly unusual for a sitting president Andrew McCabe, who was fired from the number-two FBI job last year, made his claims on '60 Minutes' and in a book due for release on Tuesday The meeting and its aftermath came on August 15, 2016. It's unclear exactly when Rosenstein began a head-count of Trump's Cabinet to determine if the president could be removed. Invoking the 25th Amendment would have allowed Trump's adversaries in his own administration to remove him from office with a majority vote of his Cabinet and the backing of Vide President Mike Pence. A McCabe spokeswoman issued a narrowly drawn denial on Friday, saying that 'at no time did Mr. McCabe participate in any extended discussions about the use of the 25th Amendment, nor is he aware of any such discussions.' It's also unclear when Rosenstein advocated for gathering evidence against Trump by secretly recording their White House meetings. Rosenstein, McCabe said Sunday, told him: 'I never get searched when I go into the White House. I could easily wear a recording device. They wouldn't know it was there.' McCabe said he 'never actually considered taking him up on the offer,' but he told the FBI's top attorney about the idea. 'I think the general counsel had a heart attack,' he recalled. 'And when he got up off the floor, he said, "I, I, that's a bridge too far. We're not there yet".' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Thursday that McCabe 'was fired in total disgrace from the FBI because he lied to investigators on multiple occasions, including under oath.' 'His selfish and destructive agenda drove him to open a completely baseless investigation into the President. His actions were so shameful that he was referred to federal prosecutors. Andrew McCabe has no credibility and is an embarrassment to the men and women of the FBI and our great country.' With Trump's tweets on Monday, the White House has positiioned itself as saying both that McCabe shouldn't be believed and that his claims are credible enough to be seen as describing a soft coup attempt. It has also immolated whatever remaining good will existed between Trump and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The president's tweeted messages on Monday included the assertion that Sessions was responsible for appointing Rosenstein to his position, a claim Trump first made in September during an interview with Fox News Channel commentator Geralso Rivera. Rosenstein 'was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty),' he wrote on Monday. Sessions fired McCabe in March 2018 less than two days before he was due to qualify for a full government pension, following an investigation that found he had lied to internal investigators about a leak to a Wall Street Journal reporter about the FBI's investigation into the Clinton Foundation. His actions were later referred to federal prosecutors for possible criminal proceedings. McCabe claimed Sunday: 'I was fired because I opened a case against the president.' The FBI's inspector general found that he 'lacked candor' during at least four interviews with investigators. An Oregon woman is suing her landlord for more than $250,000, accusing him of killing her cat with antifreeze after he complained about a urine smell at her home. Sarah Horton, from Portland, says Gerard LaMaita poisoned her Persian mix cat, Mylo, in a lawsuit filed last week after he repeatedly entered her apartment in the weeks leading up to the death. She says the sudden death of her emotional support pet earlier this month left her in a 'terror spiral' and she could not eat or sleep as a result. Student Sarah also says she failed her classes at the National University of Natural Medicine in Southwest Portland when 11-month-old Mylo died. Horton, who has since moved out of the rental home, alleges she found 'foamy and frothing' liquid on the floor at her home before her cat suddenly fell ill. When she tested his water bowl with a home kit, Horton alleges it came back positive for antifreeze. Sarah Horton, left, is suing her landlord Gerard LaMaita, right, for more than $250,000, accusing him of of killing her cat with antifreeze. LaMaita was filmed inside the rental home Horton, pictured with Mylo, alleges he suddenly fell ill after she found 'foamy' liquid Sarah, from Portland, says LaMaita poisoned her Persian mix cat, Mylo, pictured The lawsuit states: 'She then noticed that Mylo was not acting like his normal self, but instead sluggish and depressed. 'Mylo was despondent and nonresponsive, and didnt even react with Plaintiff called for him. 'Mylo then followed Plaintiff into the bathroom and laid down in the litterbox, which was also unusual. 'The vet came back with terrible news, explaining that Mylo was in end-stage renal failure and had lost 90 per cent function in his kidneys. 'At best, with intensive care, the vet estimated a few weeks to a month of life left and that Mylo would never recover. 'Despite aggressive treatment, Mylos condition worsened, and the vet recommended euthanasia. 'The likely cause of death was toxins from a non-natural substance. Over the next few days, Plaintiff discovered a bottle of anti-freeze in the basement. 'Despite the significant layer dust, a fresh hand print was on the bottle, to indicate recent use.' The lawsuit claims that LaMaita, left, also entered Hortons apartment along with Rebecca Mairs, right, in the days after Mylo's death without prior warning Mairs is accused of entering the apartment without permission In the aftermath of Mylo's death Horton set up surveillance cameras in her home. A day after installing them the lawsuit claims that LaMaita entered Hortons apartment along with Rebecca Mairs without 'notice, consent, or an emergency'. It goes on: 'Defendant Mairs said that it did not smell like cat urine anymore, to which Defendant LaMaita replied that he did not figure it would.' Horton originally contacted police, according to her attorney, Joshua Lay-Perez, but Oregon Humane Societys investigators said there wasnt enough evidence for a criminal case. She also set up a GoFundMe to help with costs. LaMaita did not respond to requests for comment from Oregon Live. Mairs, accused of entering the apartment without permission, also couldnt be reached. An obese drug dealer caught with more than 100 grams of 'zombie drug' Spice claimed that he used the drug himself because it had helped him lose weight. Colin Gibbs, 52, said that he smoked '20 to 30' Spice joints every day for more than two years so he could shed the pounds and that he wasn't a dealer. Portsmouth Crown Court heard police raided Gibbs' home and discovered huge quantities of the synthetic class-B drug, which was made illegal in January 2016. Colin Gibbs, 52, claimed that he smoked '20 to 30' Spice joints every day to lose weight - and not because he was a dealer Officers discovered 101 grams of Spice in a safe along with 10 more grams in bags used for deals and 725 in cash during the search at his home in Portsmouth. However 'chronically unhealthy and overweight' Gibbs, who used to work in a legal high shop, claimed Spice helped him lose 108kg. A probation officer told Portsmouth Crown Court: 'At the time of the offences Mr Gibbs had been using Spice for two and a half years. 'He tells me he had a heart attack in 2010 and separately needed to lose weight. 'He heard Spice would help with weight loss and has - since 2016 he tells me - lost 17 stone. 'In order to do this he was smoking 20 to 30 cigarettes of Spice a day. Since his arrest Mr Gibbs has told me he has stopped using Spice.' The probation officer added Gibbs feels 'foolish and stupid for taking the drugs'. Richard Onslow, mitigating, argued: 'He's a chronically unhealthy and overweight man. Portsmouth Crown Court heard police raided Gibbs' home and discovered huge quantities of the synthetic class-B drug 'This is a small scale operation by the defendant to fund his own habit.' Gibbs, who claims employment support allowance and personal independence payment, also claimed he kept the drug in separate bags to help him know how much to take each day. However, Gibbs' claims were rejected by jurors who convicted him of two counts of possession with intent to supply. Judge David Melville QC also rejected Gibbs' weight loss argument and gave him a one-year jail term suspended for two years. Spice users in Manchester. The drug gets the nickname the 'zombie drug' for the lifeless-like state it leaves users in This spice user in Manchester is clearly feeling the effects of the drug and is slumped against the wall with his head down Judge Melville also ordered him to serve a four month tagged curfew running from 9pm to 6am. He must also pay 500 prosecution costs and forfeit 400 of the seized cash. The drugs and paraphernalia, including scales, will be destroyed. The court also heard Gibbs used to help out at the Gypsy King, a legal high shop in Portsmouth, when the store sold Spice prior to it becoming illegal. Spice, which mimics marijuana, gets its nickname the 'zombie drug' for the lifeless-like state it leaves users in. Norbert Pulko (L) and Jan Dudi holding the gun said to have been used to scare Adam Cech into carrying out the acid attack A father recorded a three-year-old boy screaming in pain on his phone after he was sprayed in the face with acid to provide 'evidence' the attack had been a success, a court heard. Jan Dudi, 25, made the audio recording on Facebook Messenger as the child cried out 'I hurt, I hurt' after being covered in sulphuric acid. The little boy was rushed to hospital after having the corrosive substance sprayed into his face at a Home Bargains store in Worcester. Jurors heard Dudi recorded the aftermath of the attack to provide evidence to co-conspirators the 'cowardly' attack had taken place. Prosecutors allege the seven defendants, including the boy's father, committed the crime in an attempt to prove the boy's mother could not protect her children in the course of a bitter custody battle. The 29 second audio clip was played to Worcester Crown Court yesterday. The boy's screams could be heard above the loud background noise in the shop. Warwickshire Police have refused to release the audio to the press. The recording was made on the former bouncer's phone three seconds after the boy was squirted with acid by Adam Cech, 27, at 2.16pm on July 21 last year. Adam Cech admitted to jurors on Tuesday `its me squirting acid on the boy in CCTV footage of the attack Adam Cech (R) and Norbert Pulko (L) in a newsagents following the attack Last week in court Cech accepted the footage showed him carrying out the act but said he did not know what was in the bottle. Dudi is on trial with Cech and five other defendants, including the child's father, a 40-year-old Afghan. They deny conspiracy to apply a corrosive fluid with intent to burn, maim, disable or disfigure the boy or do him grievous bodily harm. Giving evidence, Dudi claimed the recording was made by accident as he talked to his wife using the app while he asked her if he should buy toys for their children. Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC told Dudi he must have pressed the icon to record the audio. He asked: 'You just happened to do that three seconds after the attack was carried out?' Speaking through a Slovak interpreter Dudi answered: 'While I was on the phone perhaps I pressed something, I don't know.' When asked if he was suggesting he had not pressed the icon deliberately he answered 'yes'. The attack took place in the Worcester branch of Home Bargains last July He was asked if he knew whether it was possible to make an audio recording while still engaged in a Facebook Messenger call and he replied 'I don't know'. Mr Rees said: 'I suggest that the reason you made that recording was to get evidence that the attack had been carried out.' Dudi denied this was the case. Raising his voice slightly, Mr Rees said: 'You deliberately recorded that little boy crying after the attack, didn't you?' Dudi replied: 'No'. Dudi claims he entered the shop to carry out surveillance on a woman suspected of cheating by her estranged husband. Mr Rees also asked him why he had left the shop so soon if his purpose for going in there was to 'watch the woman', the mother of the child who suffered the burns. Dudi said the intention was to continue to watch her from the car but Pulko had said they should all go home because they were 'tired'. Mr Rees also asked him why he was later paid 150 if he had left the store and 'aborted the (surveillance) mission'. Mr Rees said: 'All three of you decided to get out of Home Bargains quickly because all three of you had succeeded in carrying out the acid attack. 'It's just rubbish isn't it Mr Dudi? Your account of why you left is absolute rubbish, isn't it?' Dudi replied 'No'. A court sketch showing (left to right) Norbert Pulko, Saied Hussini, the father of the boy (who cannot be identified), Martina Badiova, Adam Cech, Jabar Paktia and Jan Dudi He was also asked why his 'best friend', Cech, had carried out an attack without telling him. Didi said: 'I don't know. Probably he was worried I might stop him.' The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of paying six others to attack the boy in a bid to shame his estranged wife. Prosecutors say he hoped to show she was an unfit mother who could not protect her children in order to try and win custody of them. Cech, Dudi, and Martina Badiova, 22, all of Handsworth, Birmingham, deny plotting an acid attack, along with Norbert Pulko, 22, of Tottenham, North London. The boy's father and Jabar Paktia, 41, both of Wolverhampton, also deny the charge as does Saied Hussini, 41, of Harlsden, West London. The trial continues. A white female diner at a Mexican restaurant screamed racial obscenities at its manager for speaking Spanish. 'Get the f**k out of my country', she screamed at Sergio Budar when she heard him speaking to two others in his mother tongue. He then gave her a lesson in humility by offering to cover her bill. The hate incident took place Saturday afternoon at the Tampico Mexican Restaurant in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and was recorded by a female employee before her mother Irma Dleon posted two video clips on her Facebook account. The confrontation was sparked after the woman overheard a Spanish conversation between Sergio Budar, 46, and the restaurant owner and a business partner. All three are Mexican. The diner, whose name is unknown, tells Budar that she had previously lived in California for two decades and that English was the first language, so he was required to speak it. The restaurant manager, who is a United States citizen, responds in English by saying, 'I'm sorry,' while he tried to reason with the woman, who interjects by replying, 'well I am sorry about you, too.' 'Get the f*** out of my country,' she then shouted while customers in the background wowed in unison. Sergio Budar (right) was the victim of a verbal racial attack at a Mexican restaurant he manages in Parkersburg, West Virginia, when a woman (second from right) lashed out at him for speaking in Spanish with the restaurant owner and a business associate. The woman would tell Budar to 'get the f*** out of my country' A male companion (left) tries to calm down the woman (center) after she racially insulted the manager of a Mexican restaurant in West Virginia Budar, who runs three eateries under the Tampico Mexican Restaurant umbrella, kept his calm throughout the vile attack, telling the woman her racist beliefs were all in her 'mind'. A male companion then stood up from the bench and tried to calm the woman down by gently touching her face before she shoved his hand away. 'I don't have any problem with the way you look,' the woman said. 'If you're in America you need to speak English.' Another man admonished the woman for her actions and told her she would have to leave if she didn't tune out her rhetoric. 'I am not racist,' she yelled. A short while later, the woman's friend apologizes for her actions while Budar kindly offers to cover the cost of their meal and tells her to 'exit the restaurant, please.' A shocked Sergio Budar (left) moments after the woman (pictured to the right with back turned away from the camera) tossed a napkin that almost hit his face 'I lived in California for 20 years. I got raped by illegal aliens. You can't speak English and you want me to be nice to you?' the woman said before she threw a napkin that fell short of hitting Budar's face. The Tamaulipas, Mexico, native told Univision he emigrated to the United States for a job offer and has been living in the country for 19 years. 'How am I going to leave here if this is also my country?' A Texas girl's Sweet 16 birthday party over the weekend was soured by her father accidentally shooting himself while playing with a loaded gun. Police in Humble, Texas, say the bizarre incident took place at a residence located on Wintergreen Drive near Woodland Hills Drive on Saturday evening. According to investigators, the father was spinning a gun on his finger when the firearm went off, shooting the man in the stomach during his daughter's 16th birthday celebration. Scroll down for video Police were dispatched to this home on Wintergreen Drive near Woodland Hills Drive in Humble, Texas, Saturday for reports of a shooting A father was spinning a gun on his finger when the firearm went off, shooting the man in the stomach during his daughter's 16th birthday party A police officer is seen inspecting the driveway outside the home where the man accidentally shot himself The father was taken to a hospital, but his condition is unknown at this time, reported KTRK. No other injuries were reported. There is no word on whether the victim has a license to carry a gun. It's unclear if the man would face criminal charges in the case. DailyMail.com on Tuesday reached out to the local police department for comment and was awaiting a response. Roberta Williams has revealed what really made her fly off the handle and choke-slam a news reporter into a wall during an interview about her late husband. The widow of slain gangster Carl Williams stood up in a fit of rage, grabbed reporter Reid Butler by the neck and threw him into a wall during a feisty television interview. She has now spoken out to set the record straight, talking to Nomads boss Moudi Tajjour via Facetime in a tell-all chat shared on the bikie's social media. Roberta Williams has shared her side of the ugly clash with a news reporter who asked questions about her crime lord husband Carl Ms Williams says A Current Affair reporter Butler 'pushed the wrong buttons and broke the strings' in the confronting interview. When she was asked by Tajjour why she thinks Butler pressed as hard as he did, Ms Williams said he was being a 'smart c**t'. 'He told me they were going to ask me six questions, he went beyond those six questions.' She said she was also annoyed Butler decided to ask about underworld kingpin Tony Mokbel, who was stabbed in Victoria's maximum security Barwon Prison. 'He tried to bag Tony (Mokbel) out. He said "do you think he deserved that?". 'He (Butler) was telling me what crimes Carl committed, [that] he's a monster, that Tony (Mokbel) deserved what he got. 'You don't talk like that, especially when Tony's laying in hospital fighting for his life.' A Current Affair say Butler never made the comments Ms Williams is referring to. In a Facetime interview with bikie boss Moudi Tajjour (pictured) Ms Williams says tensions were at boiling point throughout the entire interview with A Current Affair Ms Williams says the build-up culminated in one question that saw her angrily look at a producer and say: 'We're not getting into this sorry, this wasn't part of this'. The interview started well with Mrs Williams and Butler exchanging pleasantries. But their discussion of how informant Lawyer X may have allegedly landed her Melbourne gangster husband in jail soon turned sour when Butler made the remark. 'Informant X was a very small part of this. Carl Williams committed four atrocious murders,' Butler said. 'He ordered hits on four people.' Before he could say anything more, Ms Williams angrily looked out of shot, saying: 'we're not getting into this sorry, this wasn't part of this'. Butler tried to justify his line of questioning as she stormed out of the door, prompting her to warn 'you're going to get me really angry'. The confrontation then took a violent turn as the reporter followed her in an attempt to explain himself. Ms Williams threw camera equipment onto the floor during the chaotic scenes, and could be seen grappling with the reporter in the hallway. With a crowd of people surrounding them, she then grabbed Butler by the neck with her hand, saying 'seven f***ing questions you gave me' before striking him. Butler has since revealed he will not press charges, understanding that she was 'highly stressed and emotional'. The gangland widow was set off by a statement claiming Carl ordered 'hits' on four people Carl Williams was killed in Barwon Prison in 2010, beaten to death with the metal stem of an exercise bike by a fellow inmate. Before his death, he and Robert had been married for three years, but together for nine. Ms Williams confidently told Tajjour he and Carl would have 'got on amazing'. 'People see s**t and just think they know everything, but they don't know anything really,' she said towards the conclusion of her interview. 'I'll fight like a bloke, I'll back you like one of your mates.' A 21-year-old woman has been arrested for attacking her fiance while she was drunk and naked because he refused to have sex with her. Samantha Jewel Hernandez was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning after her fiance Lucas Truesdale called the police. He said she attacked him at their home in Vero Beach, Florida, after 'declining' to have sex with her. Samantha Jewel Hernandez was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning after her fiance Lucas Truesdale called the police Hernandez is shown in her booking photograph taken after she pretended to be asleep in the back of a police car and spat on an officer 'Hernandez was angry at that fact that he did not want to have sex and began attacking him, striking him in the face and ripping his shirt,' a copy of the police report reads. When officers arrived at their apartment, Hernandez was drunk, naked and 'belligerent'. She told them she had not done 'anything' to him but was 'too intoxicated' to give any other information and was put in the police car. Once inside the vehicle, she pretended to be unconscious and then spat on a police officer when he spoke to her. The 21-year-old was also arrested last August for being drunk. She is shown during that arrest Hernandez posted $6,000 in bond and was released on Monday morning The woman was booked into county jail afterwards on charges of felony battery on an officer and domestic violence. It is her second arrest in less than a year. Last August, she was arrested for disorderly conduct. The woman's fiance was left with red scratches to his face and neck. His short was also torn in the incident. Hernandez was released on a $6,000 bond and is due back in court later this year. A vegetarian couple, accused of stalking their ex-neighbours after claiming they endured intense 'rotten meat' cooking smells from next-door, have been cleared by a jury. Senior restaurant sommelier Christoph Hons, 50, a wine and beverage expert at Mayfair's Park Chinois and wife Sylvia Hons, 45, an architectural technician walked free from Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court. Yesterday the jury, which had been reduced to ten because the anticipated four-day trial lasted eleven days, found them not guilty by a 9-1 majority. Scott Lawrence and Jessica Parker moved out of their house in Twickenham, west London after their neighbours filmed them while sitting in local cafes, a court was told last week. The couple re-located after multiple run-ins with the Honses, who often complained about late-night parties, loud banging, drilling and dog-walking next door. Christoph Hons, 50, (left in an undated photo) and his wife Sylvia, 45, deny stalking Scott Lawrence and his wife Jessica Parker (pictured outside court, right) in London between January 15 and April 29 last year The German couple, who wasted 5,000 pursuing a civil claim against their former neighbours Mr Lawrence and his wife Jessica Parker, insisted they always had their phones at the ready to record potentially anti-social behaviour. The Hons', of Twickenham always denied stalking the couple in the local area by filming them on their phones between January 15 and April 29, last year. They were accused of filming their former next-door neighbours while observing from local cafes and as they ran past with the Bearcat Running Club. Both couples ended up filming each other with their phones and Go-Pro's and Christoph, whose home is equipped with multiple CCTV cameras, was issued with a police harassment warning along with his wife and Mr. Lawrence. The original feud started when the defendants complained of 'foul' meat smells coming into their home. Tracing the 'rotten meat' smell to a pipe that connected the two homes, Mr Hons called the police, sparking a furious row, Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court was told. Their neighbours Scott Lawrence and Jessica Parker moved out of their house in Twickenham, west London (pictured) over the row and set up elsewhere in the capital Describing the smell, Mr Hons told the jury: 'Your home is full of this bad smell, in the curtains, in your clothes, all over the place. 'It was very intense, foul meat, rotten meat. I am quite sensitive on taste and smell, it is a big part of my job. 'We called the police every time that happened. Every time it occurred.' Eventually they installed an insulation system that got rid of the odour, but the arguments continued, the court heard. Earlier in the hearing Ms Parker told the jury: 'They tried to attract our attention to film us. I'd see them out of the corner of my eye. 'I knew they didn't want us to be in the garage area, but it was useful to us. We would throw a ball to the dogs and nobody else minded. 'Eventually they got a 'No Dog Walking' sign put up there. 'We had been exercising our dogs and Mrs Hons went back home to get her moped and drove it at us for half an hour, while filming. 'My heart was pounding, but what is the best thing to do with a bully? We had been subjected to aggression, but when someone is bullying you, do you just scuttle off?' Mrs Hons claims Ms Parker was enjoying the confrontation and 'smiling' because one of her dogs was barking at her, but the complainant says her dog was agitated by the deliberate moped revving. Describing the smell, Mr Hons (pictured with his wife Sylvia outside court as he arrived for trial) told the jury: 'Your home is full of this bad smell, in the curtains, in your clothes, all over the place. 'It was very intense, foul meat, rotten meat. I am quite sensitive on taste and smell, it is a big part of my job. 'We called the police every time that happened. Every time it occurred.' The defendant recorded the incident, which was played to the jury, who heard Mr Lawrence shout: 'You and your husband are freaks. We know you have eight or nine cameras.' Mrs Hons claims Jessica told the dog: 'Get her,' and the jury were shown a doorstep confrontation the defendants filmed, while pointing their phone at Mr Lawrence. He can be heard saying: 'Call the police you voyeuristic p*****. You two have done nothing but harass me for the last six months while I'm walking my dogs. 'The pair of you are f****** idiots.' Mr Hons told the jury loud weekend parties began taking place in late 2015. 'We could hear the music through the walls up until two or three am. 'I complained, but I found them quite aggressive so reported the noise to their landlord. 'The parties stopped, but then they started throwing things at the walls and there was loud banging of doors up to midnight. 'There was also six weeks of continuous drilling. You could feel the vibration through the wall. It was getting very annoying.' Mr Hons told the jury he and his wife reported his neighbours to Richmond-upon-Thames's Environmental Health department because of the constant noise. He denied 'laughing and abusing' his neighbours as they walked past, giving them 'the finger' and damaging one of their vehicles. Mr Hons insisted he would go out of his way to avoid confrontation in the street: 'I would go behind a bush or a car to avoid contact with Mr Lawrence. 'By that stage I was in a kind of fear and anxious about him. My cameras were to monitor and prevent an incident because I did not know how far it would go. 'He once said: 'I'm going to get you, I'm going to slap you.' He was very aggressive. 'I was shocked. We never gave him a reason to do that. I feared for the safety of myself, my wife, my house and my cat. 'It was frustrating that the police really didn't do anything to resolve this situation.' A Texas teacher is being hailed a hero after she cut off her hair in support of her five-year-old student who was being bullied for looking like a boy. The Willis Independent School District said kindergarten student Prisilla Perez 'was a happy little girl when the school year began' at Meador Elementary School. But after getting her hair cut short, her teacher Shannon Grimm noticed that the little girl was 'acting more quiet and sad, and she didn't want to come to school anymore'. Grimm then realized that Prisilla was being bullied about her short haircut, so she took matters into her own hands. Texas teacher, Shannon Grimm (left), is being hailed a hero after she cut off her hair in support of her five-year-old student, Prisilla Perez (right), who was being bullied for looking like a boy The Willis Independent School District said Prisilla was happy to come to school until she got her hair cut short. That's when Grimm realized that Prisilla was being bullied about her short haircut Prisilla (pictured) said that she 'would cry because I would think school was not fun'. Grimm said students began calling her a boy, prompting her to cut her own hair to restore Prisilla's confidence 'Friends started to call her a boy, and those words cut deep,' Grimm told ABC 13. Prisilla told the station that she 'would cry because I would think school was not fun'. According to Grimm, Prisilla would even attend her class with a hat on, and refuse to take it off. In order to restore Prisilla's confidence, Grimm cut her own waist-length hair into a pixie cut to match. She also bought matching hair bows for her and Prisilla to wear everyday. One photo shows the pair wearing a pink, blue and white hair bow during a school board meeting on February 11. Grimm nominated Prisilla for the district student of the month award 'for her bravery during a difficult time'. Prisilla was honored at the meeting and is seen wearing a medal presented to her by the school board. Grimm nominated Prisilla for the district student of the month award 'for her bravery during a difficult time'. Grimm also bought matching hair bows (seen above) for them to wear everyday According to the Willis Independent School District, Prisilla even had a surprise for her teacher. The student presented Grimm with a medal 'for being her hero'. 'Willis ISD is proud of Ms. Grimm for her willingness to go above and beyond to brighten a child's world. Congratulations to TWO very deserving individuals!' the district said in a Facebook post. Grimm said she wanted to show her students 'the love and support that they need to learn'. And she believes her new hairstyle helped her class learn a very valuable lesson. A one-year-old boy from Massachusetts has been reunited with his mother after being found in Mexico City a month after he was abducted by his father. Authorities said they managed to trace 37-year-old Fillemom De Lima and his toddler son, Julian, to Mexico City after they vanished from Lawrence, Massachusetts on January 9. Julian was reunited with his mother, Mahalia Alexander-Paggi, on Sunday night at Logan International Airport in Boston. Mahalia Alexander-Paggi was reunited with her one-year-old son Julian on Sunday night at Logan International Airport in Boston after he was abducted a month ago by his father De Lima is now being held by Mexican authorities at an immigration detention center pending disposition of his status. Authorities said they managed to trace 37-year-old Fillemom De Lima and his toddler son, Julian, to Mexico City after they vanished from Lawrence, Massachusetts on January 9 Authorities shared a photo of Julian being reunited with his mother at the airport. 'He had to take a double-take, 'is that my mom?' But he came right to me,' Alexander-Paggi told CBS of the moment she was reunited with her son. 'I never thought I'd go through this so it's kind of hard to explain how I feel besides very excited.' Alexander-Paggi said De Lima also taunted her while he was on the run with their son by sending photos of them together. 'Just sending me pictures just to torture me, sending me videos, sending a picture of another woman with my son,' she said. Alexander-Paggi said her son took his first steps in the month that he was missing. Authorities shared a photo of Julian being reunited with his mother (second from left) at the airport in Boston on Sunday night Alexander-Paggi said De Lima also taunted her while he was on the run with their son by sending photos of them together Local police and the FBI launched an investigation after the boy and his father were reported missing a month ago. They tracked his credit card transactions and traced him to Ohio and California before moving down into Mexico. Authorities found the pair in Mexico City. Police said De Lima had been planning to go to his native Brazil. If he had made it to Brazil, police said they may not have been able to reunite the boy with his mother. It is unclear whether De Lima is represented by an attorney who could comment on his behalf. A father is being investigated by police for dragging his son on a tyre behind his car along a road in north China. Video footage shows the child, aged around 10, snow tubing at high speed along a snow-covered road while being pulled by a white saloon last Thursday in Handan, Hebei province. The man came up with the idea for the pair to 'have some fun' in the snow, according to Chinese media. Video footage shows the child, aged around 10, snow tubing at high speed along a snow-covered road while being pulled by a white saloon last Thursday in Handan, Hebei province The father in north China came up with the idea for the pair to 'have some fun' in the snow The clip, shot with a drone at around midnight, shows the car going in zig-zag patterns as the large tyre carrying the boy drifted across the road in the snow. Another car travelling in the opposite direction was seen in the video, posing a serious threat to the safety of the child, according to Yanzhao Metropolis Daily. After snow tubing, the father and son are filmed playing in a snow-ball fight on the side of the road. The unnamed father told reporters that he had wanted to spend more time with his son as he had always been working. Handan police said the man's actions is in violation of the country's Road Traffic Safety Law The man told reporters that he had wanted to spend more fun time with his son as he had always been working. As a result of the incident, he is currently under police investigation Net users slammed the parent's actions, calling him irresponsible and reckless Handan police said the man's actions is in violation of the country's Road Traffic Safety Law and is investigating the incident. It is unclear if he would be fined or charged. Net users slammed the parent's actions, calling him irresponsible and reckless. 'This isn't playing, this is putting your child's life at risk,' one user said on Chinese microblogging site Weibo. 'What's wrong with the father? It's easy to see that this is very dangerous,' another said. 'No common sense at all. He even filmed the whole thing!' one user commented. Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault trial in New York City is being pushed back by almost a month, a court spokesman confirmed Monday. Weinstein's trial was set for May 6, before he shook up his defense team with four new lawyers and had it rescheduled to begin June 3. Weinstein lawyers Jose Baez and Ronald Sullivan started a separate trial in Brooklyn on Tuesday that's expected to take up to 10 weeks. Scroll down for videos Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault trial has been delayed to June 3 (pictured December 10) Weinstein's lawyers Ron Sullivan (center) and Jose Baez (right) started another trial Tuesday that could last 10 weeks. They're pictured January 25 Manhattan Supreme Court representative Lucian Chalfen did not confirm whether that was the reason for the setback. The fallen film mogul is still expected to appear at a pretrial hearing March 8. In December, Weinstein lost a hard-fought bid to get the case thrown out. The 66-year-old producer is charged with raping an unidentified acquaintance in 2013 at a hotel and performing a forcible sex act on a different woman, production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006. Weinstein faces 10 years in prison on a predatory assault charge. He denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex. Alongside Duncan Levin and Pamela Mackey, Baez and Sullivan have replaced high-powered criminal defense lawyer Ben Brafman, who withdrew from the case in January. It was a month after a judge denied his request to have Weinstein's entire sexual assault case thrown out. Lawyer Ben Brafman (right) withdrew from the case in January, a month after a request to throw out the case was denied and four lawyers replaced him Sullivan and Baez once represented Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan, who claims they sabotaged her case, where she alleges the film producer planted cocaine on her Sources claimed at the time that Brafman was angered by Weinsteins decision to expand his defense team. Since Weinstein's May 2018 indictment, Brafman has brought evidence of errors in the prosecution's investigation, which led to charges being dropped from complaints brought by one of three alleged victims. But Baez and Sullivan previously represented one of his accusers, Rose McGowan, who pleaded no contest to a drug possession charges after cocaine was found in her wallet at Dulles International Airport in 2017. She claimed Weinstein's team planted the substance on her. The defense team was warned that they could not used any information they may have learned in representing her' if McGowan appeared as a witness in the trial. Since October 2017, Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment and assault by more than 80 women, including prominent actresses such as Ashley Judd and Angelina Jolie. The case brought in New York is the only one that has resulted in criminal proceedings against Weinstein. McGowan pleaded no contest to a drug possession charges after cocaine was found in her wallet at Dulles International Airport in 2017. She pleaded no contest After Weinstein waived the conflict and Sullivan and Baez indicated they were aware of the restrictions, Burke approved the movie mogul's request to change lawyers. Baez and Sullivan often work together on cases and in 2017 notably won the acquittal for Aaron Hernandez, the late New England Patriots player accused of a double homicide. Baez himself has also led a number of high-profile cases, including the 2011 acquittal for Casey Anthony, the Florida mother who was charged with murdering her two-year-old daughter. Mackey, the only female lawyer on Weinstein's team, represented Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant when he was accused of raping a 19-year-old woman in 2003. The case was dropped after the victim stopped cooperating and Bryant has always maintained that it was consensual. Weinstein is currently free on $1million bail. A wildlife expert has captured an epic fight to the death between a lizard and a huntsman spider. Tim Faulkner was searching for nocturnal animals, known as spotlighting, with fellow experts at the Kimberley region in Western Australia early this week. He was looking for a rough-scaled python when he heard a rustle in nearby bush. Scroll down for video A wildlife expert has captured a fight to the death between a lizard and a huntsman spider Tim Faulkner caught the gripping battle on camera, watching on in awe as the pair wrestled Mr Faulkner soon realised what was unfolding, and turned on his camera to record the gripping battle. 'It was certainly something most people wouldnt have seen before,' Mr Faulkner told Yahoo 7. In the footage, the huntsman clearly has the upper hand and pins the lizard against the rock. But the reptile shows it isn't going to go quietly and violently tries to wriggle free. In the ensuing struggle, the lizard makes the fatal mistake of going over the edge of the rock. The spider latches onto its prey and bundles itself into a ball as the pair crash into the leaves resting at the bottom. The lizard is clearly on its last breath and makes one last ditch effort to struggle free. But despite its best efforts, the reptile is no match for the iron grip of the spider. Now the spider latches onto its prey with all its legs and bundles itself into a ball as the pair crash into the leaves at the bottom of the rock Mr Faulkner said the struggle lasted a good ten minutes before the reptile surrendered and gave in to the venomous bite of the spider. He identified the lizard as a carlia and said he couldn't pinpoint the species of the spider, but concluded it probably was a huntsman. 'At one point I thought the lizard was going to get away but it turned out it wasnt a happy ending for it,' he said. 'It truly was a battle royale of the mini-beasts!' French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to crack down on hate crimes after neo-Nazis scrawled swastikas on nearly 100 graves at a Jewish Cemetery. Macron went immediately to the cemetery in Quatzenheim in the Alsace region near Germany, a few hours ahead of nationwide rallies to denounce a surge in anti-Jewish hate crimes. 'We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish,' Macron told Jewish leaders while inspecting the 96 tombstones spray-painted with blue and yellow swastikas. 'Those who did this are not worthy of the Republic,' he said, later placing a white rose on a tombstone commemorating Jews deported to Germany during World War II. Another grave bore the words 'Elsassisches Schwarzen Wolfe' ('Black Alsatian Wolves), a separatist group with links to neo-Nazis in the 1970s. French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to crack down on hate crimes after neo-Nazis scrawled swastikas on nearly 100 graves at a Jewish Cemetery Macron went immediately to the cemetery in Quatzenheim in the Alsace region near Germany, a few hours ahead of nationwide rallies to denounce a surge in anti-Jewish hate crimes Macron placed a white rose on a tombstone commemorating Jews deported to Germany during World War II It was the second case of extensive cemetery desecration in the region since December, when nearly 40 graves as well as a monument to Holocaust victims were vandalised in Herrlisheim, about a half-hour drive from Quatzenheim. Macron was to also visit the Paris Holocaust memorial on Tuesday ahead of the anti-racism marches, called after a spate of anti-Jewish vandalism discovered in and around Paris following recent 'yellow vest' protests. Many French Jews are on edge after the government announced a 74 per cent jump in anti-Jewish offences in 2018 after two years of declines. Germany has also seen a sharp rise in anti-Semitic crimes, with more than 1,600 cases recorded last year. Israel's Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant said the increase should prompt French Jews to move to Israel. 'I firmly condemn the anti-Semitism in France and call on the Jews: Come home, immigrate to Israel,' he said on Twitter. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on slammed the 'shocking' incident in a video released today. 'Today something shocking happened in France. Eighty Jewish graves were desecrated with Nazi symbols by wild anti-Semites,' Netanyahu said. 'I call on the leaders of France and Europe to take a strong stand against anti-Semitism. It is a plague that endangers everyone, not just us,' he said. Swastikas have been scrawled on graves at a Jewish cemetery in France just hours before campaigners across the country were due to march against anti-Semitism Some 96 Jewish graves were vandalised overnight at the burial site in Quatzenheim, a small town in Alsace Tensions mounted last weekend after a prominent French writer was the target of a violent tirade by a protester in Paris on Saturday. A video of the scene showed the protester calling the philosopher Alain Finkielkraut a 'dirty Zionist' and telling him 'France belongs to us'. In France, several officials have accused the grass-roots yellow vest movement of unleashing a wave of extremist violence that has fostered anti-Semitic outbursts among some participants. 'It would be false and absurd to call the yellow vest movement anti-Semitic,' Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told L'Express magazine in an interview published Tuesday. However he added that 'anti-Semitism has very deep roots in French society'. Philippe, who has promised a tough new law targeting online hate speech by this summer, will join several of his ministers at a Paris rally due to start at 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) Tuesday. Macron is to lay out his plans to combat anti-Semitism during a speech at the annual dinner of the CRIF umbrella association of French Jewish groups on Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron, right, with France's Chief Rabbi Haim Korsia, centre, leave the Jewish cemetery where tombs were tagged with swastikas in Quatzenheim, eastern France Macron walks between graves that were desecrated with swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans overnight Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair, a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason. During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps. More recently French anti-Semitism, traditionally associated with the far right, has also spread among far-left pro-Palestinian extremists and radicals from amongst the growing Muslim community. But Macron has resisted calls by some lawmakers to explicitly penalise so-called anti-Zionist statements calling into question Israel's right to exist as a nation. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner tweeted his 'outrage and disgust' over the vandalism Macron himself has been targeted in some of the anti-Semitic graffiti found in the wake of recent protests, though many prominent yellow vest demonstrators have said they plan to participate in the anti-racism marches. But a recent Ifop poll of 'yellow vest' backers found that nearly half those questioned believed in a worldwide 'Zionist plot' and other conspiracy theories. 'The yellow vests aren't an anti-Semitic movement,' said Jean-Yves Camus of the Political Radicalisation Observatory in Paris. 'But it's a leaderless, horizontal movement... and extremist elements have been able to drown out the voices of its high-profile figures in the media,' he said. A commuter placed racially-offensive Pokemon-themed stickers demanding the deportation of Muslims as he travelled around London, a court heard yesterday. Company director Neil Froggatt, 48, admitted sticking them on London Underground walls as well as local noticeboards and other locations around the capital. 'You pleaded guilty to these matters, which the court considers serious,' Blackfriars Crown Court Judge Ian Darling told the first-time offender, who was bailed until March 11 for sentencing. Businessman Neil Froggatt, pictured yesterday leaving Blackfriars Crown Court in London admitted placing offensive Pokemon-themed stickers on the walls of London underground stations. He was released on bail until sentencing next month Froggatt posted images around London featuring the city's Mayor Sadiq Khan, pictured He also had an image of Anjem Choudhary crudely manipulated to make it look like he was wearing makeup A previous hearing was told one sticker read: 'Gotta catch and deport them all.' Froggatt, of Kingston-upon-Thames pleaded guilty to racially and religiously-aggravated criminal damage between November 16 and November 29, 2016. The management consultant also pleaded guilty to possessing articles, namely the stickers, with intent to destroy property between November 16 and December 2, 2016. 'There is clearly going to have to be reports. All options are open,' added the judge. The court heard Froggatt placed the stickers on a wall and stairway at Kennington Underground Station; a Tesco's cashpoint in Worcester Park; a Sutton council noticeboard; the Plough Inn pub, Kingston and a Martins Newsagents noticeboard in Old Malden. At the end of 2016 there were reports of racist Pokemon-themed stickers being plastered on tubes, trains and buses all over London. One featured former US president Barack Obama, described as: 'USA's Muslim in Chief who has protected Islamic causes over those of the rest of the world.' Another of his stickers featured former US President Barack Obama, pictured He also had an image of dead ISIS terrorist 'Jihadi John' Another was of 'Ginger Jihadi' Jordan Horner, dubbed on the stickers as: 'Gingermo', whose weakness was being 'allergic to sunlight.' Also featured on the cards was London Mayor Sadiq Khan - worth the maximum 200 'terror points' - and convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary. A website openly sought recruits to distribute the stickers, which were also seen in West Berkshire and at an M6 service station near Knutsford, Cheshire. The court did not go into detail concerning which particular stickers Froggatt distributed and had in his possession. The widow of a man who died after suffering brain damage during hospital treatment is suing the government for $1.2million over a loss of sex. Cara Finnegan is suing Queensland Health after her husband and the father of her four children died as a result of a botched medical treatment. She says in addition to the distress Jamie's death has caused her, she experiences nervous shock and has suffered a loss of 'consortium', or sex, with her childhood sweetheart. Jamie's mother Daphne Finnegan told A Current Affair her son is worth more than what Mrs Finnegan is asking for. Scroll down for video Cara Finnegan is suing Queensland Health for $1.2million after her husband and the father of her four children died as a result of a botched medical treatment 'If we're talking about conjugal rights he'd be worth about $3 million, he's an Italian stallion, mate,' she said. Jamie was left brain-damaged and required around-the-clock care after a treatment at Brisbane Hospital went wrong six years ago. At the time, the family for a $10million settlement, but six members are now seeking reparations since his death in 2018. Jamie was left brain-damaged and required around-the-clock care after a treatment at Brisbane Hospital went wrong six years ago The mother of a man who died after a stint in hospital has backed his widow's decision to sue the government for a loss of sex Of the $10million, Jamie's mother said there is still about $8million left. This money has been placed in trust funds for his four children to access when they turn 25. Some of the other claims include Jamie's brother Wylie, who says he developed an addiction to methamphetamine after his brother's death and another brother, Jayden, who has offered to settle for $323,000. 'I want everybody to claim, because Queensland Health never apologised and never cared, and they continued to hurt Jamie, continued to hurt him or make him suffer,' Ms Finnegan said. A cadet who was found dead at the world-famous Sandhurst academy has been named. Olivia Perks was found in her room at the Royal Military Academy in Berkshire on February 6, in an apparent suicide. The 21-year-old had been involved in an investigation following a party, after which she 'did not return to her barracks.' Olivia Perks was found in her room at the Royal Military Academy in Berkshire (pictured) on February 6 Berkshire Senior Coroner Heidi Connor will preside over the opening inquest into Ms Perks' death to be held in Reading, later this month. Ms Perks had joined Sandhurst in May and was in her third term at the elite academy. She is understood to have spent the night in another barracks after a 'drunken' party the weekend before she was found. It is believed she had been involved in a minor disciplinary incident, which was being investigated. The Army had also provided her with mental health support following an event earlier in her training, according to the BBC. There was no allegation of wrongdoing other than not returning to her barracks at night, the MoD confirmed. Thames Valley Police launched an investigation into the death but detectives ruled that it was not suspicious and an officer was allotted to prepare a file for the coroner. Ms Perks (not pictured) had joined Sandhurst in May and was in her third term at the elite academy. Pictured, cadets at Sandhurst in 2012 (file photo) A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: 'We can confirm that an incident has occurred at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst resulting the death of an Officer Cadet. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.' Prince William and Prince Harry are both former officer cadets at the base which straddles the Berkshire/Surrey border. It was unclear whether Ms Perks was an overseas student or from the UK. The post-mortem examination was expected to be carried out by an Army pathologist who will prepare a report for the coroner. An inquest into Ms Perks' death is set to be opened and adjourned next week. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was seen posing for selfies with crowds of passengers at Mexico City International Airport, months after winning his landslide victory in December. The 65-year-old leader, who was sworn into office on December 1, greeted passengers and posed for photographs as he walked through the city's airport. During the presidential campaign, the left-wing leader became known for his vision to bring radical change and eradicate corruption in the country. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador poses for a selfie with a passenger at Mexico City International Airport The 65-year-old leader smiles as a woman in the crowd takes a selfie on her mobile phone A passenger at Mexico City International Airport takes a picture of herself with the Mexican leader President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador hands his ticket to airline personnel before boarding a commercial flight on February 15 As the president arrived at the International airport on February 15, crowds of passengers were seen queuing at the counters in an effort to catch a glimpse of the nation's leader. Some passengers rushed to take a picture of the politician on their phones while others tried to catch a selfie him. His appearance at Mexico City International Airport came on the same day he was seen speaking with crowds of people in Badiraguato, Sinaloa- the birthplace of the country's infamous drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman. During his visit, the Mexican president told crowds that Badiraguato people should not be 'stigmatized' and called for peace. The left-wing politician waves at crowds of passengers at Mexico City's international airport T2 Crowds of people arrive at the airport in an effort to catch a glimpse of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador One passenger takes a picture of the Mexican leader on their phone as crowds of passengers surround the president Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador places his items in the security tray as he arrives at the security area of the airport He said: 'The people of Badiraguato are good people, they are hardworking people. We must seek reconciliation, we must find peace.' The president, known by his initials Amlo, won the presidential election on July 1, 2018, with more than 53 per cent of the vote. During the presidential campaign he became known for his aggressive approach in tackling corruption and drugs cartels. Vowing to transform the country, in his inauguration address to the nation he said: 'Today, we begin a change of our political regime.' A woman who went to Syria to become the bride of an ISIS terrorist has revealed how she spent her wedding night in a 'blood-stained torture chamber'. Currently in Germany in investigative custody, 26-year-old Derya O., who hails from a Turkish family living in Germany, said that she fell in with the wrong crowd at an 'impressionable age'. For several years she was the girlfriend of a Hells Angels boss, and says she became increasingly unhappy with her life shortly before meeting German convert Mario Sciannimanica online, who told her about life in ISIS. Derya with her first husband Mario Sciannimanica, with whom she spent their wedding night in a blood stained torture chamber Derya O. said she was previously the girlfriend of a Hells Angels boss and she became increasingly unhappy He told her about his conversion to what he called 'the true cause' and how he had even abandoned his beloved pet dog Luna because it was regarded as 'unclean', and had moved to Syria. After he told her he wasn't married, she replied: 'Okay, then we will get married.' Two months later, Derya left her German life behind and travelled to Turkey where she was trafficked across the Syrian border. 'When I saw Mario for the first time, in military clothing with his full beard and weapon, he looked great,' she said. According to Derya, they spent their first night together in the unromantic surroundings of an ISIS torture chamber. Derya, who worked as a prostitute in a German red-light district for a time, was forced to wear an all-covering burka during her time in Syria She said: 'We were housed in a former torture chamber, there were chains hanging from the ceiling, blood was still on the walls, it was all very scary.' Derya, who from that moment was forced to wear an all-covering burka, said that she did not have much in common with the group's perverted interpretation of Islam. 'Actually, I did not want all of that, I wanted to help Syrian children,' she added. She and Sciannimanica then moved to Iraq where their son was born in 2015, but they continuously argued and soon broke up. She immediately received a new marriage proposal from Denis Cuspert, a former rapper known as 'Deso Dogg' who became Germany's most famous ISIS terrorist. 'He was often with us at home, he's a very sweet human being,' Derya said. Mario Sciannimanica was later accused of spying against ISIS, and executed by his former comrades after a quick trial. Pictured: Derya with her child Mario Sciannimanica (right) and Denis Cuspert (left), who was killed in early 2018 fighting for ISIS However, she refused to marry him because 'women have nothing to say with him' and decided to become the second wife of Belgian ISIS commander Abu Salahuddin. 'Everything was fine until he was hit by a drone and died two months later. God, what bad luck I have with men,' she added. 'All of them die around me.' She then went back to her first husband Mario Sciannimanica who was later accused of spying against ISIS, and executed by his former comrades after a quick trial. After Sciannimanica was arrested and tortured, she fled from ISIS territory using human traffickers to get her across the Syrian-Turkish border. She was jailed in a Turkish prison and extradited to Germany in the summer of 2017. Derya O. is currently locked up in investigative custody as one of five German ISIS members who returned to their native country after migrating to Syria. Investigations are ongoing. China has revealed ambitious plans to build its own Greater Bay Area to rival Silicon Valley in the US. The blueprint of the Greater Bay Area, published by Xinhua News Agency late Monday, aims to link 11 cities in the Pearl River Delta area and integrate them into a technology and economic powerhouse in southern China by 2035. The region, with a population of more than 67 million people, covers 56,100 square kilometres (21,660 square miles) and is three times the area of California's famous technology centre. The blueprint of the Greater Bay Area, published by Xinhua News Agency late Monday, aims to link 11 cities including Hong Kong (above), Macau, Shenzhen in the Pearl River Delta area and integrate them into a technology and economic powerhouse in southern China by 2035 The Apple Campus 2 is under construction in Cupertino in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2017. China has revealed plans to build its own Greater Bay Area to rival Silicon Valley Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Guangzhou will be the four key cities of the Bay Area driving the region's economic development, according to the blueprint. The development plans will 'further enhance and support a leading role of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area in national economic development and opening up', the State Council said in the guidelines. Authorities will expand and upgrade airports in the four key cities and accelerate construction of large-scale oil reserves bases in the Pearl River Delta area, Xinhua said. The government will build a rapid transport network within the bay area, and work on reducing travel time among major cities to an hour or less to increase connectivity. Macau will focus on becoming an international tourism hub and platform for trade with Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, according to the guidelines Shenzhen would expand its role as a special economic zone and technology hub The plans pledged to enhance Hong Kong's status as an international finance, transportation and trade centre and Macau will focus on becoming an international tourism hub and platform for trade with Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil. Guangzhou would take a leading administrative role as a provincial capital and Shenzhen would expand its role as a special economic zone and technology hub. At the same time, Beijing eventually hopes to create a single market through the elimination of trade barriers and the encouragement of business and expertise exchange between cities. Financial institutions in the Greater Bay Area will be allowed to conduct spot and forward yuan trading and yuan derivatives transactions as well as cross-border yuan lending. An aerial view of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in Zhuhai, Guangdong. China has already spent billions of dollars on infrastructure projects linking the cities China Greater Bay Area Coverage: 9 municipalities in Guangdong, plus Hong Kong, Macao Area: 56,100 sq km, or 21,660 sq m Population: 69 million San Francisco Bay Area Coverage: 9 counties bordering the San Francisco Bay Area: 17,900 sq km, or 6,911 sq m Population: 7.7 million The region has grown from an agricultural area in the 1980s to Asia's largest and most populous urban area, having leapfrogged the Tokyo Bay area's population in 2010. China has already spent billions of dollars on infrastructure projects linking its cities. In October, Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the world's longest sea-crossing bridge connecting Hong Kong and Macau to the mainland city of Zhuhai. Peter Wong, deputy chairman and chief executive of HSBC's Asia Pacific operations, said the latest plan will help leverage the strengths of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau in the technology, financial and tourism industries. 'With the direction given by this policy, cities and regions in the Greater Bay Area can develop plans to leverage those complementary strengths more effectively,' Wong said. Two repair workers are sent sprawling when their ladder breaks and they fall two floors off the side of a building. The unnamed men use yellow pipes to get to a ladder halfway up the house - which leads to a rooftop in Moscow. They planned to clear a build up of snow and ice on January 29 but their ascent was stopped when the flimsy metal ladder breaks away from its brackets. The two repair workers are all smiles before they are sent sprawling when their ladder breaks and they fall two floors off the side of a building The first climbs on to the flimsy ladder that leads to the roof as they look to clear away a build up of snow and ice in wintry Moscow The first serviceman gets on the ladder on his own and steadily begins to climb. But before he reaches the top, a second worker jumps on with his shovel dangling loosely below. The added weight appears to cause the brackets of the ladder to snap off the wall, sending the two workers spiraling to the ground. The first man hits the snowy blanket below face first after falling from the greater height. As the second worker climbs on to the ladder, the weight of him and his shovel is too much. The ladder breaks away from its brackets and sends the men sprawling They hit the ground with a thud despite the cushion of the snow. A third worker narrowly avoids the falling men and they all let out groans as their colleagues come to help them He lands flat on his stomach and face and the impact causes him to roll on to his back. But the second man - who fell from two rungs lower - catches his leg on a ledge and dramatically flips over in mid-air, causing an awkward landing. The rotation meant he fell on his neck and his legs continued the somersault and smash into the snow just after. A third worker, who was on the ground with his hood up, narrowly avoided getting hit by the falling men and dived on to a heap of snow out of the way. Painful groans can be heard form the workers as they lie lifelessly on the ground. Evgeniy Mohorkin, who watched it unfold and posted the video to YouTube, said: 'Fortunately they only suffered minor bruises.' He added: 'Its an old ladder but I think it would have been fine if only one of the workers was on it at one time.' Brothers and sisters-- I am writing to let you know I have decided to run for president of the United States. I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least a million people from across the country. Please join our campaign for president on day one and commit to doing what it takes to win this election. Our campaign is not only about defeating Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in modern American history. It is not only about winning the Democratic nomination and the general election. Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice. Our campaign is about taking on the powerful special interests that dominate our economic and political life. I'm talking about Wall Street, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry, the military industrial complex, the private prison industry and the large multinational corporations that exert such an enormous influence over our lives. Our campaign is about redoubling our efforts to end racism, sexism, homophobia, religious bigotry and all forms of discrimination. Our campaign is about creating a vibrant democracy with the highest voter turnout of any major country while we end voter suppression, Citizens United and outrageous levels of gerrymandering. Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that work for the many, not just the few. We are the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. We should not have grotesque levels of wealth inequality in which three billionaires own more wealth than the bottom half of the country. We should not have 30 million Americans without any health insurance, even more who are underinsured and a nation in which life expectancy is actually in decline. We should not have an economy in which tens of millions of workers earn starvation wages and half of older workers have no savings as they face retirement. We should not have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth and a dysfunctional childcare system which is unfair to both working parents and their children. We should not have a regressive tax system in which large, profitable corporations like Amazon pay nothing in federal income taxes. Make no mistake about it. The powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo. They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have huge influence over the media and political parties. The only way we will win this election and create a government and economy that work for all is with a grassroots movement the likes of which has never been seen in American history. They may have the money and power. We have the people. That is why we need one million Americans who will commit themselves to this campaign. Stand with me as we fight to win the Democratic nomination and the general election. Add your name to join this campaign and say you are willing to do the hard work necessary to transform our country. You know as well as I do that we are living in a pivotal and dangerous moment in American history. We are running against a president who is a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and someone who is undermining American democracy as he leads us in an authoritarian direction. Im running for president because, now more than ever, we need leadership that brings us together not divides us up. Women and men, black, white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, young and old, native born and immigrant. Now is the time for us to stand together. Im running for president because we need leadership that will fight for working families and the shrinking middle class, not just the 1 percent. We need a president who understands that we can create millions of good-paying jobs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and construct the affordable housing we desperately need. I'm running for president because we need trade policies that reflect the interests of workers and not multi-national corporations. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, provide pay equity for women and guarantee all workers paid family and medical leave. I'm running for president because we need to understand that artificial intelligence and robotics must benefit the needs of workers, not just corporate America and those who own that technology. I'm running for president because a great nation is judged not by how many billionaires and nuclear weapons it has, but by how it treats the most vulnerable the elderly, the children, our veterans, the sick and the poor. Im running for president because we need to make policy decisions based on science, not politics. We need a president who understands that climate change is real, is an existential threat to our country and the entire planet, and that we can generate massive job creation by transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. Im running for president because the time is long overdue for the United States to join every other major country on Earth and guarantee health care to all people as a right, not a privilege, through a Medicare-for-all program. Im running for president because we need to take on the outrageous level of greed of the pharmaceutical industry and lower prescription drug prices in this country. I'm running for president because we need to have the best educated workforce in the world. It is totally counterproductive for our future that millions of Americans are carrying outrageous levels of student debt, while many others cannot afford the high cost of higher education. That is why we need to make public colleges and universities tuition free and lower student debt. Im running for president because we must defend a womans right to control her own body against massive political attacks taking place at the local, state and federal level. I'm running for president because we need real criminal justice reform. We need to invest in jobs and education for our kids, not more jails and incarceration. We need to end the destructive "war on drugs," eliminate private prisons and cash bail and bring about major police department reform. I'm running for president because we need to end the demonization of undocumented immigrants in this country and move to comprehensive immigration reform. We need to provide immediate legal status for the young people eligible for the DACA program and develop a humane policy for those at the border who seek asylum. I'm running for president because we must end the epidemic of gun violence in this country. We need to take on the NRA, expand background checks, end the gun show loophole and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons. I'm running for president because we need a foreign policy which focuses on democracy, human rights, diplomacy and world peace. The United States must lead the world in improving international cooperation in the fight against climate change, militarism, authoritarianism and global wealth inequality. That is why we need at least a million people to join our campaign and help lead the movement that can accomplish these goals. Add your name to say were in this together. Needless to say, there is a lot of frightening and bad news in this world. Now, let me give you some very good news. Three years ago, during our 2016 campaign, when we brought forth our progressive agenda we were told that our ideas were "radical" and "extreme." We were told that Medicare for All, a $15 an hour minimum wage, free tuition at public colleges and universities, aggressively combating climate change, demanding that the wealthy start paying their fair share of taxes, were all concepts that the American people would never accept. Well, three years have come and gone. And, as result of millions of Americans standing up and fighting back, all of these policies and more are now supported by a majority of Americans. Together, you and I and our 2016 campaign began the political revolution. Now, it is time to complete that revolution and implement the vision that we fought for. So here is my question for you: Will you stand with me as part of a million person grassroots movement which can not only win the Democratic primary, not only win the general election, but most importantly help transform this country so that, finally, we have a government that works for all of us and not just the few? Add your name to say you will. Together we can create a nation that leads the world in the struggle for peace and for economic, racial, social and environmental justice. And together we can defeat Donald Trump and repair the damage he has done to our country. Brothers and sisters, if we stand together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. I hope you will join me. Thank you very much. In solidarity, Bernie Sanders A young Maori woman has been left shocked after a prospective landlady sent her a list of 'racist rules' because of her ethnicity. Reremai Cameron, a social work student at Waikato University in New Zealand, was searching for a new flatshare near to her campus in Tauranga, in the Bay of Plenty region, when the landlady allegedly 'blacklisted' her because of her cultural name. In response to Ms Cameron's inquiry about renting a room, the landlady replied via text message with general information, and then asked: 'Just reading your name, are you Maori?' Reremai Cameron (pictured) was searching for a new flatshare near to her campus in Tauranga, in the Bay of Plenty region, when the bias landlady 'blacklisted' her Without bothering to wait for a reply the landlady then launched into a 'racist' rant on the types of behaviours she would not 'tolerate'. 'If so I hope you are aware the rent would only cover you and no friends or family to stay in the sleep out,' the text read. 'We had a Maori in our home before whom had multiple family and friend visitors, that is something we will not tolerate,' it concluded. The landlady then stated that should Ms Cameron opt to take the room she would 'need to buy her own food', and the hosts would not be providing milk or coffee. The landlady then stated that should Ms Cameron opt to take the room she would 'need to buy her own food' Despite the shocking remarks, Ms Cameron insisted the response only made her feel sorry for the landlady. 'Honestly [this] was the first time I had ever dealt with attitude like that whilst looking for a place,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'It made me feel sorry for her that this was the way she viewed Maori from now on. 'I've always noticed prejudice from people and snide comments that can be said about being Maori, though this was the first time it was just thrown out there,' she added. Ms Cameron (pictured) noted that a lot of her family and friends had resorted to using 'European names' when it came to 'going to a job interview or viewing a house' Ms Cameron fired back at the landlady and called her out for her prejudiced comments. 'Yes I am Maori, and thanks but I'll pass. Would rather pay $215 a week in rent to someone who isn't prejudice against Maori. Enjoy your week,' Ms Cameron's response read. It's understood the property listing has since been removed from the website. However, Ms Cameron fired back at the landlady and called her out for her prejudice comments The 22-year-old noted a lot of her family and friends had resorted to using 'European names' when it came to 'going to a job interview or viewing a house' to avoid these type of incidents. However, Ms Cameron said she would never adopt this approach. 'I have in the past been told by others to adopt a European name but I'd rather not to be honest,' she said. 'My name is special and was given to me for a reason,' Ms Cameron defiantly stated. Ms Cameron added she was concerned about how often this was occurring. 'The whole, having a certain cultural name and then being blacklisted from houses or a job because you are of a certain ethnicity. I don't know, it's a touchy subject,' she said. The family of ISIS bride Shamima Begum today vowed to take Home Secretary Sajid Javid to court to stop him taking away her British citizenship. The remorseless 19-year-old is in a Syrian refugee camp with her newborn son but Mr Javid has moved to ensure she will never allowed back into Britain after she fled to join Islamic State. The Home Office will argue that because Begum's mother was born in Bangladesh her daughter is entitled to dual citizenship meaning she would not be left stateless, which is illegal under international law. But Begum's family says she does not have a Bangladeshi passport and has never been there, making Mr Javid's decision illegal, they claim. The teenager, who fled Britain with friends aged 15 and married a Dutch jihadi, has been unapologetic about ISIS' crimes and said the Manchester Arena suicide bombing could be considered 'retaliation'. She also insists that the British public should be 'sympathetic' towards her and should be allowed back to London with her baby on human rights grounds. But last night Sajid Javid last night moved to block her return to Britain arguing that taking away her British citizenship is 'conducive to the public good' on terrorism grounds. ISIS bride Shamima Begum has had her citizenship revoked according to a letter from the Home Office to her family The letter obtained by ITV News asks Begum's family to inform her of the decision to revoke her citizenship and her right to appeal it Shamima is pictured walking through Gatwick Airport on February 17 2015 as she left the UK Begum's family solicitor Tasnime Akunjee said Shamima said last night was 'surprised' Mr Javid had come to his conclusion. How Britain can strip citizenship from its enemies - as long as they are not 'stateless' Shamima Begum, who fled the UK to join the Islamic State terror group in Syria aged 15, has been stripped of her British citizenship. Home Secretary Sajid Javid ordered the move against the 19-year-old Londoner who wants to return to the UK with her newly-born child as the so-called caliphate crumbles. International law forbids nations from making people stateless by revoking their only citizenship. Britain appears to believe that Ms Begum, who is of Bangladeshi heritage, holds dual citizenship. Under the 1981 British Nationality Act, any Briton can be deprived of their citizenship if it is 'conducive to the public good' - and they do not become stateless as a result. A 2017 government report on the issue said the Home Secretary has the power to 'deprive a person of British citizenship' if it would be 'conducive to the public good'. However, this only applies if the person would not be left stateless. If it is the case Ms Begum is a dual national, she could have her British citizenship stripped. Begum has the right to appeal the decision to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). The SIAC is independent of the Government and allows individuals to appeal against immigration decisions by the Home Office, such as deportations and the removal of citizenship. Those who are outside of the UK have 28 days to lodge an appeal from the time they receive their Home Office letter. Amendments were made to British national laws in 2014 which made it easier to strip dual nationals of their British citizenship. These measures were primarily aimed at terrorists who could potentially undermine UK security, for example those who fled to Syria to fight and were attempting to return home. There are two other instances when British citizenship can be removed, which are permissible even if the person would be rendered stateless. Deprivation of citizenship can be made if a person obtained their citizenship through registration or naturalisation and the Home Secretary is 'satisfied that this was obtained by fraud, false representation or the concealment of a material fact'. Secondly, when citizenship is obtained through naturalisation and the Home Secretary believes that removing it would be 'conducive to the public good' because the person acted in way which is 'seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of United Kingdom, any of the Islands, or any British overseas territory'. He said the family will 'consider all legal avenues to challenge this decision' in response. The family, from Bethnal Green in east London, were notified via a letter saying Home Secretary Mr Javid had started the process that will see Begum permanently banned from the UK. The family are 'very disappointed' by Mr Javid's decision, according to statement by Mr Akunjee. The Home Office letter asks that they pass on the decision - including that she has a right to appeal it - to Begum, who left their home in 2015 when she ran away with two school friends to join ISIS. She is now stranded in a refugee camp in Syria as the so-called caliphate crumbles. 'Please find enclosed papers that relate to a decision taken by the Home Secretary, to deprive your daughter, Shamima Begum, of her British citizenship,' the letter reads. 'In light of the circumstances of your daughter, the notice of the Home Secretary's decision has been served of file today, and the order removing her British citizenship has subsequently been made.' Only last week Britain's MI6 chief said that UK nationals, even those who are members of terror organisations like ISIS, have a legal right to return home. Government guidance from 2017 states that the Home Secretary has the power to order the deprivation if it would be 'conducive to the public good', as long as they are not left without any citizenship. A Home Office spokesman said he could not discuss individual cases, but added: 'We don't leave people stateless.' Mr Javid on Monday told the House of Commons: 'The powers available to me include banning non-British people from this country and stripping dangerous dual nationals of their British citizenship.' Over 100 people have already been deprived in this way. What will happen to Begum's new born son, however, remains unclear. He was born before his mother was deprived of citizenship - meaning he is still legally British. And while theoretically he could also have his citizenship revoked, the government would need to show he himself posed a threat. Begum's first two children both died of unknown illnesses under ISIS. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Sir Ed Davey accused Mr Javid of 'an abdication of responsibility' by 'palming off' Begum on to another country. 'The UK has more than enough terrorism laws to prosecute Shamima Begum here,' he said. Meanwhile Conservative chair of the Commons Education Committee, Robert Halfon, who had spoken out against allowing Begum to return, said in a tweet that Mr Javid had made 'absolutely the right decision'. The move comes after Begum returned to the public eye when she was found heavily pregnant living in a refugee camp in northern Syria. She gave birth to a boy over the weekend, having already lost two children, and made pleas for forgiveness and to be accepted back in the UK. Earlier on Tuesday, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the 19-year-old could expect to be 'spoken to' if she comes back to Britain. The initial police stance when Ms Begum left the UK in 2015 was that she may be treated as a victim of grooming, but the Scotland Yard chief said: 'We're a long way down the road since then.' She added: 'If she does, under whatever circumstances, arrive at our borders, somebody in her type of circumstances could expect, of course, to be spoken to and, if there is the appropriate necessity, to be potentially arrested and certainly investigated. 'If that results in sufficient evidence for a prosecution then it will result in sufficient evidence for a prosecution. 'The officers will deal with whatever they are confronted with.' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick previously said counter-terrorism police officers will 'deal with whatever they are confronted with' if Begum returns to the UK On Monday in an interview with the BBC Ms Begum compared the Manchester Arena bombing to military strikes on Isis strongholds, calling the terror attack 'retaliation'. There are currently plans to change the law to make travelling to certain terror hotspots a criminal offence, but this would not apply retrospectively to Ms Begum. Britons who have been stripped of their citizenship Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed earlier this month that more than 100 dual nationals who travelled to join IS have had their UK citizenship stripped by the Home Office. But there have been a number of different reasons for which Britons have lost their citizenship over the years - not just for association with Islamic State. The deprivation orders can be issued only to those with dual nationality as ministers cannot take away citizenship if it would leave a suspect stateless. Among those to have had their citizenship revoked include: The 'Beatles' who served Jihadi John and beheaded Western hostages on camera Two members of the Beatles, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh were captured in northern Syria in January 2018. Alexanda Amon Kotey, left, and El Shafee Elsheikh (rigth), who were allegedly among four British jihadis who made up a brutal Islamic State cell dubbed "The Beatles They are currently being held by western-backed Kurdish forces in Syria having been stripped of their British citizenship - with the FBI hoping to put both on trial later this year. Elsheik, 30, is a mechanic whose family fled to the UK from Sudan in the 1990s. Kotey, 34, converted to Islam as a teenager. The two men, who were nicknamed The Beatles by captives due to their British accents, are accused of killing 27 hostages, including British aid workers and American journalists. Man believed responsible for brutal execution tape by Islamic State in 2014 Ali Almanasfi, 28, who was assumed dead after an ambush by Syrian government forces back in 2013, was revealed to still be alive and living in the war-torn country - it was reported in November Scores of his friends and relatives have said that the Almanasfi was the man responsible for a brutal execution tape released by the Islamic State in 2014. Ali Almanasfi, 28, was believed to have been killed in Syria back in 2013 He had his British citizenship revoked by the Home Office last year, a move which his brother says means he will 'die there'. Almanasfi was said to have fallen in with Mohammed Emwazi and Alexe Kotey, who would later become members of the ISIS execution gang known as The Beatles, after being jailed for a violent assault. Nigerian man known as L2 feared to be planning Paris-style terror attack A Nigerian man closely linked to a group of British Islamists was stripped of his British citizenship in 2013 over fears he was planning a Paris-style terror attack in London. The man, known only as L2 for legal reasons, was a member of the now banned radical group, al Muhajiroun, and was associated with friends of Lee Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo and Jihadi John. His British nationality was removed by Theresa May after he was deemed such a threat to national security that she personally signed off on an order removing his citizenship. Members of Rochdale paedophile ring Taxi drivers Abdul Aziz, 47, Adil Khan, 48, and Abdul Rauf, 48, were among nine men jailed over appalling crimes against girls in Greater Manchester in 2012. Abdul Aziz (left), 47, and Abdul Rauf (right), 48, are taxi drivers who were both jailed The then home secretary Theresa May ruled in 2015 that all three men - who have dual British and Pakistani nationality - should have their names deleted from the roll of British citizens. The Pakistani men were convicted in May 2012 of preying on girls in Rochdale, plying them with drink and drugs before they were passed around for sex. In December, Sajid Javid defended the Government's right to strip the men of their British citizenship and deport them back to Pakistan. Around 425 suspected jihadi fighters are thought to have returned to the UK from Syria so far. Before today's decision, the Home Secretary had already hinted that he would block Begum from returning to the UK. Earlier this week Mr Javid told MPs that no British troops would be used to rescue any Britons who travelled to Syria to support terrorism. He said more than 900 people went to Syria or Iraq, adding: 'Whatever role they took in the so-called caliphate, they all supported a terrorist organisation and in doing so they have shown they hate our country and the values we stand for.' He went on: 'Now this so-called caliphate is crumbling, some of them want to return and I have been very clear where I can and where any threat remains I will not hesitate to prevent this. 'The powers available to me include banning non-British people from this country and stripping dangerous dual nationals of their British citizenship.' Begum later told ITV News she did not see why the Home Secretary would see her as a threat. 'I'm a 19-year-old girl with a new born baby. I don't have any weapons; I don't want to hurt anyone even if I did have weapons or anything,' she said. 'He has no proof that I was a threat other than that I was in ISIS, that's it.' Ms Dick said: 'This case and other cases that are talked about in the same sentences just really underline how awful the circumstances are and have been in Syria and just how dangerous it has been, and would continue to be, for anybody from this country to think of travelling there. 'Dangerous physically and dangerous legally. 'If there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution it is our job to look at the threat they pose if they are returning from Syria and we do that with every single person who comes back from Syria and then manage the risk with colleagues in the (security and intelligence) agencies.' Begum ran away to marry an ISIS fighter four years ago - but now wants to return to the UK after the terror group's so-called 'caliphate' crumbled into dust. The young mother also shrugged off the murders of British terror victims in an interview as she claimed they were 'retaliation' for the war being fought against ISIS. On Monday Begum told the BBC's Quentin Sommerville that she's prepared to be jailed, was a 'poster girl' for the group and still has 'sympathy' for IS. Mr Sommerville said she had 'little to offer' in apology to the millions of Iraqis and Syrians whose lives were destroyed by Isis. The BBC's Middle East correspondent added that when she was asked about the treatment of Yazidi women by Isis, she said: 'Shia do the same in Iraq.' The campaign by Begum's family to have her returned to Britain sparked fresh controversy on Monday when the lawyer representing them, Tasnime Akunjee, compared the radicalised youngster to a 'traumatised' First World War soldier in a TV interview. When Good Morning Britain presenter Richard Madeley insisted she doesn't look very traumatised, Mr Akunjee replied: 'You might have said the same thing about a First World War soldier in the middle of shell-shock... they are both [in] warzones.' It also emerged that Begum has called her son Jerah, in what historians have interpreted as a reference to Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, a 7th century Islamic warlord. In other developments yesterday: A report revealed that a total of 156 cases involving children in danger of being radicalised had come before the British family courts since 2013; It emerged that a jihadi bride who returned to the UK from Isis territory had been told by the High Court last year that she was too dangerous to raise her toddler daughter; Scotland Yard commissioner Cressida Dick admitted that Isis brides could not be prosecuted for simply going to Syria. Mr Javid has the power to strip someone of their British citizenship if they are suspected of being involved in terrorist activity on the basis that that their presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. However, he can't exercise this power if it will leave someone stateless. Therefore it has to be used on those with dual nationality. Sources last night claimed that in Begum's case, she would not be left stateless because she has dual British and Bangladeshi citizenship. But her family's lawyer Tasnime Akunjee said the teenager was born in London and has only ever held a British passport. The Home Office is understood to have invoked a Bangladeshi law whereby offspring of those born in Bangladesh are automatically entitled to citizenship of that country. But it is likely that Bangladesh also has an option to refuse entry to those it considers a security risk. The plight of Begum's new baby son remains unknown and it is not clear whether the ban on entering Britain also applies to the infant. Her first two children both died of unknown illnesses under Isis. Last night Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman Sir Ed Davey accused Mr Javid of 'an abdication of responsibility' by 'palming off' Begum onto another country. 'The UK has more than enough terrorism laws to prosecute Shamima Begum here,' he said. 'It's disappointing that the Home Secretary has so little confidence in our justice system. 'It is not only hard to see Ms Begum and her baby as constituting a serious threat to national security, but it also seems a huge wasted opportunity. We can learn lessons as to why a young girl went to Syria in the first place; lessons which could improve Britain's security by helping us prevent this happening again.' Labour MP Stella Creasy added: 'However horrific her defence of Isis, if the Home Secretary can start with stripping this woman and her week-old child of their citizenship for his leadership bid... where does it end?' Shamima Begum, 19 (pictured before she left the country four years ago) is pleading with the government to allow her back into Britain Begum has named her son Jerah, in what historians say is homage to an Islamic warlord Who were the five Bethnal Green girls who went to join ISIS? Sharmeena Begum - Flew to Turkey from London Heathrow in December 2014. No relation to Shamima. Unnamed 15-year-old - tried to go to Turkey on the same 2014 flight but was stopped before take-off. Shamima Begum - One of the three who flew from London Gatwick to Turkey in February 2015 and then went on to Syria. Has pleaded to be allowed to return to the UK with newborn son. Kadiza Sultana (left) and Amira Abase (right) from Bethnal Green in east London, travelled with Shamima Begum to Syria in 2015 Amira Abase - Flew out in 2015 with Shamima who said in yesterday's interview she did not know whether Ms Abase was still alive. Kadiza Sultana - Also flew out in 2015. Believed to have been killed in an airstrike in 2016. Shamima Begum (left), who appeared on Sky News on Sunday pleading for sympathy, is like a shell-shocked First World War soldier, her lawyer Tasnime Akunjee (right) claimed Immigration judges also have the power to reverse decisions to strip citizenship. Two alleged extremists who were stripped of their citizenship by the Home Office won their appeals three months ago on the grounds that the government's intervention was 'unlawful'. ISIS bride 'names newborn son after Islamic warlord' British ISIS bride Shamima Begum has named her child after an Islamic warlord, historians have claimed. Her chosen name for her son, Jerah, is thought to be in honour of Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, who commanded a section of the Rashidun Army in the 7th century. Historian Tom Holland tweeted: 'If she'd wanted to signal that she was returning to Britain in peace, she might have considered naming her baby after someone other than Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, a general from the early days of the Arab conquests chiefly famed for beating the c**p out of infidels. 'I guess, in a sense, she stands in the long tradition of British youth, flicking a V at the establishment. But punks were never complicit in genocide.' Jerah was also the name of Begum's first son, who died when she was living under ISIS. The furore erupted after a heavily pregnant Begum was found at a refugee camp in northern Syria by a journalist from The Times. Like other jihadi brides, she had fled the collapsing caliphate and begged to return to the UK so the NHS can care for her baby. She declared no remorse over joining Isis and told how seeing a 'severed head' did not faze her. After giving birth in the camp, she said she did not regret going to Syria because it 'made her stronger' - but said that people 'should have sympathy' towards her. In one incendiary interview, the jihadi bride said she the devastating bombing on an Ariana Grade concert in 2017 which killed 22 innocent people was 'retaliation' for 'women and children' being bombed in Syria. Survivors of the Manchester atrocity called her comments 'outrageous' and said she should not be allowed back into the country. Alex Klis, 21, from York, whose parents Marcin, 42, Angelika, 49, were killed by the blast, told ITV: 'I think she's comparing two things that shouldn't ever be compared. She's saying that there are fighters in Islamic State that are getting killed. 'Those people go there knowing what to expect. People who went to the Manchester Arena, they went there to take their kids to a concert. 'She's out of order, comparing those two things... She's made her bed. I think she should remain where she is.' Begum said before she fled to Syria with fellow Bethnal Green Academy schoolgirls Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, she watched Isis videos of 'beheadings'. She also watched propaganda videos before settling in Raqqa and marrying Yago Riedijk, a convicted terrorist who police believe was part of a cell plotting an atrocity in Europe. The letter from the Home Office to Begum's mother urged her to make her daughter aware of the decision, but added that she had a right to appeal. Mr Akunjee said he was considering 'all legal avenues to challenge this decision'. 'The family are very disappointed with the Home Office's intention to have an order made depriving Shamima of her citizenship,' he said. 'The Home Office has tried to do this before and they have lost before.' Earlier, the Met Commissioner said if the teenager returned to the UK she could face questioning but that the current law might not be sufficient to see her prosecuted. She added that many of those who have returned have led 'peaceful lives'. 'If she does, under whatever circumstances, arrive at our borders, somebody in her type of circumstances could expect, of course, to be spoken to and, if there is the appropriate necessity, to be potentially arrested and certainly investigated,' Miss Dick said. 'If there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution, it is our job to look at the threat they pose if they are returning from Syria. We do that with every single person who comes back from Syria and then manage the risk with colleagues in the [security and intelligence] agencies.' There are currently plans to change the law to make travelling to certain terror hotspots a criminal offence, but this would not apply retrospectively to Begum. Around 425 suspected jihadi fighters are thought to have returned to the UK from Syria so far. A pilot has died and two others injured when two Hawk military display jets collided in mid-air while practising in India on Tuesday. Two Indian Air Force jets crashed during a rehearsal session for an upcoming air show. The Hawk jets were seen spinning out of control before the nose of one plane clipped the tail of the other as they moved in the same direction while upside down. The accident happened at around 11.50am over an airbase in north Bengaluru in southern India, ahead the Aero India show that opens in the city tomorrow. Indian officials inspecting the crash site of a Hawk aircraft of 'Suryakiran' aerobatic team belonging to the Indian Air Force after it crashed at the outskirts of Yelahanka air base The moment the two planes came collided in mid-air while practising for a show over the Yelahanka airbase in Bengaluru, India One of the three pilots died, while the two others ejected and were taken to hospital, with one of the men suffering two broken legs, NDTV reports. A civilian was also injured by falling debris as the stricken planes landed near a residential area. Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi was named by local media as the man killed in the crash, with the two other pilots of team 2IC Wing Commander Vijay Shelke and Squadron Leader Tejeshwar Singh, according to TNM news website. It's unclear if the third pilot was able to eject or whether his parachute opened successfully. Video posted online showed the moment the jets collided and two figures ejecting from their aircraft. Firefighters and security officers secure the area by the wreckage next to a residential building after two Indian Air Force planes of the Suryakiran aerobatic team collided mid-air The planes crashed after the pilots ejected near some trees in a residential area in the town of Yelahanka today One clip showed a pilot after he landed in a field, lying on his parachute which was stretched across the ground, with blood over his face. A local held the pilots hand to comfort him as others tried give him medical attention. Footage showed both planes crashed on a tarmac area near some trees with flaming wreckage in a residential area of Yelahanka town. A man could be heard saying as the jets crashed into a field, 'oh my god, oh my god'. Surya Kiran aircraft are twin-seated, but often are flown with just one pilot. During today's crash one was being piloted by one man and the other had two on-board. MN Reddi, Director General of Police, Fire Services, told news agency PTI: 'There were three pilots, one has died. Two are safe with injuries'. The Indian Air Force has ordered an investigation and said at this stage the cause of the accident is not known. Witnesses saw the moment the jets collided mid-air before crashing to the ground as two pilots ejected from the aircraft A pilot was killed two were injured and a civilian was hurt by falling debris after the Suryakiran aerobatic team jets collided over the Yelahanka airbase Suryakiran aircrafts flying in formation over the Yelahanka Air Force Station during rehearsals in Bangalore yesterday A statement by IAF said, 'Today morning at around 1150 hrs, two Hawk aircraft of Surya Kiran aerobatic team of IAF crashed while practicing for the forthcoming Aero India Air Show. 'Three pilots were occupants. Two pilots ejected and have been evacuated to the Command Hospital. 'Third pilot sustained fatal injuries. Damage to life and property in the vicinity of crash site is being ascertained. A Court of Inquiry will investigate the cause of the accident.' Exactly four years ago to the day two jets from a team called the Flying Bulls collided over the same airbase during the air show, but on that occasion both pilots escaped without serious injury, the Times of India reports. Tuesday's accident is the second deadly crash in the region this month. The Indian Air Force has suffered regular crashes in recent years as it upgrades its ageing Soviet-era fleet. Two pilots were killed after their jet crashed near Bangalore on February 1. India is investing billions of dollars modernising its air force to compete with China. Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti has apologized for calling the assault on Empire star Jussie Smollett a 'hate crime' after claims surfaced that the actor may have orchestrated his own attack. The alleged assault, on January 29, saw two men hurl racist and homophobic slurs at the actor as he returned to his Chicago home. However the narrative took an unexpected turn when Chicago law enforcement sources told CNN that the assault may have been planned by the actor- allegations which Smollett has denied. Following the revelations of an alleged hoax attack orchestrated by the actor, figures including Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker and Senator Kamala Harris were asked to respond to earlier messages of support they had offered the star. American attorney Michael Avenatti has apologized for calling the attack on Jussie Smollett a 'hate crime' after claims surfaced that the attack may have been a hoax In a tweet the Attorney wrote: 'I am extremely disappointed that J. Smollett staged a hate crime' Yesterday, in a message posted on Twitter, Mr Avenatti, joined the list of people asked to comment on the alleged attack. He wrote: 'I am extremely disappointed that J. Smollett staged a hate crime. 'I apologize for my comment made immediately after the news broke. Without firsthand knowledge, I should have known better than to place any faith in the accusations until an investigation was done by me or others.' Days before the alleged attack on the Empire actor, on January 22, Chicago Police confirmed that a threatening letter containing a powdery substance, later confirmed to be crushed aspirin, had been sent to Cinespace Studios addressed to Smollett. Actor Jussie Smollett claims that he was attacked by two men on January 29 as he was returning home. He told officers that his attackers hit him, threw racial and homophobic slurs at him and also poured bleach over him On the letter were the words 'you will die black f*g' and the letters MAGA, which stand for 'Make America Great Again.' On the day of the alleged attack, January 29, Smollett told police he had been returning to his Chicago residence when two unknown men shouted homophobic and racist slurs at him. The actor claimed that the attackers went on to hit him, pour bleach over him and also put a noose around his neck. Cory Booker (left) had previously called the assault a 'modern-day lynching' (tweet pictured right) but when asked to comment on the recent development said he would now wait for further information Following the attack, two brothers of Nigerian-descent who were known to the actor, were arrested but were subsequently released without charge. Following the claims, Cory Booker, who called the assault a 'modern-day lynching' was asked to comment on the recent development. However the Senator told reporters he would no longer comment until 'all the information actually comes out from on-the-record sources.' Around 50,000 children have been fathered by Catholic priests around the world - despite their vow of celibacy - it has been revealed. Vincent Doyle, whose father was a Catholic priest, founded a campaign group called 'Coping International' to bring together the children of priests, which he says has members in 175 countries. According to the the New York Times, Mr Doyle says there are so many children of priests that the Vatican has a list of rules for priests who father illegitimate offspring. Mr Doyle says he saw a document detailing the dogmas when he travelled to Rome as part of his campaigning. A Vatican spokesperson confirmed this week that the rules exist - but insisted they were in place for the 'protection of the child'. A Vatican spokesperson confirmed this week that there are rules in place for priests who father children 'I can confirm that these guidelines exist,' Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told the New York Times. 'It is an internal document.' Gisotti added that the fundamental principle of the internal guidelines was the 'protection of the child.' He claims that under the secret rules, a priest who fathered children was requested to leave the priesthood and 'assume his responsibilities as a parent by devoting himself exclusively to the child.' But Monsignor Andrea Ripa, under-secretary in the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican, told the paper the guidelines were more of a formality than an order. As part of their vows Catholic priests are required to maintain a life of celibacy, refraining from any form of sexual activity. A growing tide of sexual abuse scandals involving priests around the world has shown these vows are often broken, although there are many examples of consensual sex by ministers. It comes as the Church is surrounded by sexual abuse scandals involving its priests around the world A litany of child sexual abuse scandals has rocked the Catholic church, which has 1.3 billion followers around the world. In December the pontiff had vowed the church would never again treat abuse allegations without 'seriousness and promptness', calling on abusers to hand themselves in to police. The Argentine has struggled to resolve the problem as the steady drip of scandal corrodes the church's authority amid sharp divisions in Rome over how to handle the fallout, and an apparently endless stream of bad news. Over the past four months, Roman Catholic dioceses across the U.S. have released the names of more than 1,000 priests and others accused of sexually abusing children in an unprecedented public reckoning spurred at least in part by a shocking grand jury investigation in Pennsylvania. A man charged with the murder of 31-year-old Tamara Farrell had known his alleged victim since they were children. Shaye Kotiau, 22, was arrested and charged with Ms Farrell's death on Monday after police found a body near a property in Nambrok, 200km east of Melbourne. Friends told The Herald Sun the pair had known each other since childhood, and their mothers were friends. The 22-year-old from Altona in Melbourne's west didn't appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday, with his lawyer saying he was 'very mentally unwell' and not coping with being in custody. Shaye Kotiau was charged with murdering Tamara Farrell on Monday night after police found a body near a property Nambrok, 200km east of Melbourne 'It's his first time in custody and he is vulnerable due to his youth,' she said. The lawyer also recommended her client be seen by a forensic nurse urgently due to his 'rapidly deteriorating condition'. Mr Kotiau was arrested along with a 19-year-old woman. She is reportedly continuing to assist police with investigations. While the remains are yet to be identified, police believe them to be that of 31-year-old Ms Farrell, The Age reported. Mr Kotiau was arrested along with a 19-year-old woman. She is reportedly assisting police with investigations The remains were found nearly 300km away from Ms Farrell's home, where she was last seen early on Sunday morning. The woman was last seen in her property in Canadian, Ballarat, about 6.30am, but neighbours reported hearing screams later in the evening. 'It's terrible. Someone has lost their life. It's heartbreaking. We live in a beautiful street with lovely people. We don't have trouble,' a neighbour said. The woman is believed to have only moved into the house weeks ago. The woman was last seen in her home in Canadian, Ballarat, about 6.30am on Sunday morning, but neighbours reported hearing screams later in the evening Posts to Ms Farrell's Facebook account show she was deeply passionate about ending violence against women. She regularly shared posts from women's rights groups, and at the start of February reflected that four women had already died at the hands of men. 'Already there's been four women killed,' she wrote, adding a sad emoji. 'And we're only a month into the new year.' After Aiia Maasarwe's death, Ms Farrell posted: 'Yet again', adding a crying emoji. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 3333 000. Britain's most senior police officer has said the legacy of Stephen Lawrence will not be forgotten 20 years on from a damning report that branded the Metropolitan Police institutionally racist. Commissioner Cressida Dick said the 1999 Macpherson Report into the aftermath of the black teenager's murder had 'defined my generation of policing' and said the Met is now 'utterly different'. However the force acknowledged it would be 100 years until its makeup represented the ethnic mix of London if recruitment continued at current trends. Stephen Lawrence was murdered by a gang of racists while waiting for a bus in Eltham, south-east London, in 1993. The bungled initial investigation into his death was beset by claims of racism, corruption and incompetence. It took nearly 20 years for two of his five or six killers finally to be brought to justice, after double-jeopardy rules were amended to allow new evidence to be presented at a later trail. In 1997 after his inquest, the Daily Mail ran a dramatic front-page publicly accusing five men of his murder, which was praised by Stephen's mother Doreen. Stephen Lawrence, 18, was fatally stabbed by a gang of racists in Eltham, south-east London, on April 22 1993. The Daily Mail accuses Gary Dobson, Neil Acourt, Jamie Acourt, Luke Knight and David Norris of the murder of black teenager, Stephen Lawrence The inquiry into the Met's handling of the case, led by high court judge William Macpherson, accused the force of 'institutional racism'. It made 70 recommendations including greater oversight of the police, greater powers to discipline officers, and the definition of a racist incident to be extended to 'any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person'. Today the Met revealed that 20 years on from the report, black and minority ethnic people are still less likely to be successful applicants to the Met Police. Currently 14 per cent of officers are from BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) backgrounds. That is comprised of 16 per cent among PCs and less than 10 per cent for higher ranks. For chief officers the proportion is just four per cent. In a press conference this morning the force also acknowledged BAME officers and staff are more likely to resign from the force or raise grievances. And the Met's HR department found that it would take 100 years to match the proportions of the population of London if it continued to recruit at current rates. The Commissioner said she does not believe the force is institutionally racist. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the murder of Stephen Lawrence had defined her generation 'I simply don't see it as a helpful or accurate description. This is an utterly different Metropolitan Police.' She said: 'The Stephen Lawrence public inquiry has defined my generation of policing. It's very hard to think of any other one event which has made such a big impact on policing. 'We're not at all complacent. London keeps on changing and there are lots of challenges for us in policing it well and giving the best possible service to all our communities. 'We are ambitious for the future, we are not going to forget Stephen or his legacy and we will continue to educate our officers about why it is that this police service does what it does now, and how that comes from the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.' She paid tribute to Stephen's parents, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Neville Lawrence, whom she said had fought 'absolutely tirelessly' for justice for their son. Stephen Lawrence's mother Doreen now sits as a peer in the House of Lords Stephen's father Neville, left, and brother Stuart, right, at a memorial service last year Sadiq Khan, Jeremy Corbyn, Stephen's father Neville Lawrence, Stephen's mother Baroness Lawrence, Prime Minister Theresa May, Cabinet Office minister David Lidington, Stephen's brother Stuart Lawrence and Minister for Policing Nick Hurd at a ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the murder of Stephen Lawrence Macpherson: How the report into officers' handling of Stephen Lawrence's murder labelled the Met 'institutionally racist' Four years after 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was killed in a brutal racially-motivated attack, a shocking report, launched by High Court Judge Sir William Macpherson of Cluny, found 'institutional racism' had marred the investigation into his killing. He also blamed 'professional incompetence' and a 'failure of leadership'. The report, published in February 1999, led to widespread changes of police procedures after Sir William made 70 recommendations. On the 10th anniversary of the inquiry, the Home Office said 67 of them had been partly or fully implemented. They included proposals to improve murder investigations and the treatment of victims of crime, such as first-aid training and dedicated family liaison officers. The inquiry also paved the way for a change in the law of double jeopardy, meaning suspects acquitted of serious crimes could be prosecuted again when new evidence emerged. The change led to one of the men suspected of Stephen's murder, Gary Dobson, going to trial for a second time. He was convicted in 2012 along with David Norris. The inquiry resulted in an overhaul of the police disciplinary and complaints system, performance indicators to hold police to account and measures to ensure racist crimes were logged and dealt with properly. The definition of a 'racist incident' was extended to 'any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person' The force's head of HR, Clare Davies, said: 'We ended 2018 with 4,200 black and ethnic minority officers working for the Met Police, that's just over 14 per cent of officers. 'That's a significant increase from 1999. 'In the past five years we have increased the number of black and minority ethnic applicants joining the Met from 17 per cent to 28 per cent and we have forensically reviewed our recruitment process.' But she added: 'For many the progress is too slow and some would say we need to do more than we have done with regards to recruitment and representation. 'One of our challenges is that police officers as you know have long careers. 'So that means we need to do more when we are recruiting and we need to work really hard to retain those officers and staff. 'If we continue even with the great progress we've made it would take over 100 years to be representative. 'And that means we're equally ambitious now as we were 20 years ago . 'So what we've chosen to do now is to set some new ambitions in the next three, five and ten years. 'We're putting a lot of investment into achieving those changes. 'Within the next year we want to increase our recruitment of officers from black and minority ethnic by 35 per cent. 'For us that means recruiting another 250 a year from black and minority ethnic backgrounds which would get us to 19 per cent in three years time. 'We also want to do more work on representation and progression, we want officers at every single rank of the Met. 'But you'll understand most of our people joining at the rank of constable have long careers it does take time to see a difference, particularly at senior levels. It took reform of the UK's double jeopardy law for Gary Dobson, 41, left, to be convicted of Stephens murder. David Norris, right, was jailed for 14 years for the murder 'Over the last five years we have fundamentally redesigned the way we select officers for promotion and development. 'Our challenge remains representation in terms of retaining the officers. 'We know that in the first two years of joining the Met we see slightly more black and minority officers choosing to leave the Met. 'We know in our recruitment processes if you are from a black and ethnic minority you are more likely to be unsuccessful in some stages of our recruitment processes. 'We know that's due to career development and work life balance.' She said there are more grievances from black and ethnic minority staff (35 per cent) than the general population (15 per cent). Within days of the crime, Gary Dobson, David Norris, Neil and Jamie Acourt and Luke Knight were identified by police as prime suspects. In 2012 Gary Dobson and David Norris were convicted and jailed for life for the murder after new forensic evidence tied them to the crime. Neil Acourt was jailed for six years in February 2017 for his role in a 4m cannabis smuggling ring. His brother Jamie was jailed in December 2018 for nine years on drugs charges. A timeline of the Stephen Lawrence murder case April 22, 1993: Stephen is stabbed to death in an unprovoked racist attack in Eltham, South-East London. Within days Neil and Jamie Acourt, Gary Dobson, Luke Knight and David Norris are identified as prime suspects. July 1993: Prosecutors drop a case against Neil Acourt and Luke Knight. Months later an inquest is halted amid claims of 'dramatic' new evidence. April 1996: An Old Bailey private prosecution brought by the Lawrence family against Neil Acourt, Knight and Dobson collapses. February 1997: An inquest jury finds Stephen was 'unlawfully killed by five white youths'. The next day this newspaper accuses all five men under the front page headline 'Murderers'. February 1999: The Macpherson report finds police guilty of an appalling catalogue of mistakes and 'institutional racism'. April 2005: The double jeopardy principle, preventing suspects being tried twice for the same crime, is scrapped for certain offences when there is compelling new evidence. November 2007: Scotland Yard confirms it is investigating new forensic evidence. May 2011: The Court of Appeal agrees Dobson's 1996 acquittal for the murder can be quashed and he can be put on trial again. January 2012: Dobson and Norris are found guilty of Stephen's murder. September 2016: Police announce they have received 'significant information' after a fresh appeal to identify a woman whose DNA was found on a bag strap left at the murder scene. April 2018: Scotland Yard admits it has no new lines of inquiry in the investigation into Stephen's murder and was preparing to shelve it. February 2019: Cressida Dick said 'a small handful' of officers remain working on the case. The Met admitted last year that it had no new leads in the investigation into Stephen's murder, but the Commissioner said this morning 'a small handful' of officers remain working on the case. 'We are constantly on the alert for any changes in information and intelligence and technical possibilities,' she said. 'It's a small team, that's all we need at the moment, but if and when we get a really significant breakthrough then obviously we would scale it straight up. 'The Met doesn't forget big, significant, egregious cases and there couldn't be a more significant stain on our country than this case.' Democratic presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris appeared to be taken aback when she was probed about the latest allegations facing Empire star's Jussie Smollett's orchestrated attack. During a visit to a bookstore in Concord, New Hampshire, the senator from California was asked by a reporter to comment on a tweet made on January 29 about Mr Smollett's alleged assault which she called 'a modern day lynching.' The alleged attack saw two men hurl racist and homophobic abuse at the actor, who is black and openly gay, as he returned to his Chicago apartment. Senator Kamala Harris appeared to be taken aback when she was probed about a previous tweet she had made about Empire actor Jussie Smollett The star is alleged to have orchestrated an attack that saw two men hurl racist and homophobic abuse at him near his Chicago apartment on January 29 Police later arrested two Nigerian brothers but released them without charged. However nearly a month from the star's alleged attack, law enforcement sources in Chicago told CNN that Mr Smollett may have paid two stooges to carry out the assault. Smollett has strenuously denied any claims that he played a role in the attack. Following the attack the senator took to Twitter to write: 'Jussie Smollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. Im praying for his quick recovery. 'This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.' However the recent revelations about an alleged rehearsed attack have now left the senator having to address her comments. When probed about her tweet Senator Harris said: 'Which tweet? What tweet?' Reporter Ryan Saavedra posted a clip of Senator Harris' response when asked about her previous tweet The Democratic Candidate had previously written: 'Jussie Smollett is one of the kindest, most gently human beings I know. Im praying for his quick recovery. This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate' She went on to say: 'OK, so, I will say this about that case. 'I think that the facts are still unfolding, and, Im very concerned about obviously, the initial, allegation that he made about what might have happened. 'And its something we should all take seriously whenever anyone alleges that kind of behavior, but there should be an investigation. Following the senator's encounter with reporters at the bookstore, Chair of the Republican National Committee Ronna McDaniel tweeted: 'Now that she has the facts, why can't she even remember her divisive language? Why is she giggling about it?' 'And I think that once the investigation has concluded then we can all comment, but Im not going to comment until I know the outcome of the investigation.' Following the senator's response Chair of the Republican National Committee Ronna McDaniel tweeted: 'Now that she has the facts, why can't she even remember her divisive language? Why is she giggling about it?' The Chicago Police Department have declined to confirm reports of an orchestrated attack. Disgraced politician and sexting fiend Anthony Weiner was forced to use a retro flip phone to text in jail, according to a prison inmate. The former Democrat Congressman was released for good behavior after being convicted of having illicit online contact with a 15-year-old girl in 2017. The self-confessed sex addict was forced to use an old flip phone at the federal medical facility, as these are the only type permitted, his fellow inmate said. Anthony Weiner takes a topless selfie (left) and on return to his marital home during the scandal (right) Weiner's cellmate told the New York Post that when he spent time with Weiner, 'He was on his phone, texting somebody.' He said that he had a short conversation with Weiner and that when he asked the former lawmaker how things were, Weiner replied: 'We all go through things.' As part of his sentence the former politician must allow his electronic devices to be monitored by the courts. The Federal Bureau of Prisons website shows the 54-year-old is currently in the custody of its Residential Re-entry Management office in Brooklyn, New York. He was caught grabbing a $22.50 fast-food order from an Italian restaurant at his halfway house in Brooklyn, New York on Monday. Anthony Weiner in September 2017 - he was jailed in November 2017 after pleading guilty It's not immediately clear when Weiner was transferred and where he is staying now, but he will have to register as a sex-offender and spend three years on supervised release under the terms of his sentence. The prison bureau and Weiner's lawyer didn't respond to emails seeking comment Sunday. Federal prosecutors in New York referred an inquiry to the prison bureau. Weiner began serving a 21-month prison sentence at the Federal Medical Center Devens, located about 40 miles west of Boston in November 2017. The bureau website shows Weiner is slated to complete his sentence May 14, a few months earlier than scheduled because of good conduct in prison. A once-rising star in the Democratic Party who served nearly 12 years in Congress, Weiner had a dramatic and sordid fall from grace after he sent a lewd picture of himself to a college student over Twitter in 2011. Weiner initially claimed his account had been hacked, then admitted he'd had inappropriate online interactions with at least six other women while married to top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Weiner resigned from Congress that year but mounted a campaign for New York City mayor in 2013. Weiner leaves Federal Court after pleading guilty to sexting with a 15-year-old girl in New York in May 2017 Then New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner speaking to reporters during a press conference where he admitted to sending sexually explicit text messages in 2013 But his personal behavior was again his undoing after it was disclosed he sent explicit photos under the alias 'Carlos Danger' to at least one woman after resigning from Congress. Weiner ultimately garnered less than five percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. His final fall came in 2017 after prosecutors say he sent a series of sexually explicit messages to a North Carolina high school student. Weiner pleaded guilty to transferring obscene material to a minor. At his sentencing, he said he'd been a 'very sick man for a very long time' because of his sex addiction. Weiner's attorney said the ex-lawmaker likely exchanged thousands of messages with hundreds of women over the years and was communicating with up to 19 women when he encountered the teenager. Abedin also filed for divorce from Weiner in 2017. But the two, who have a young son together, later agreed to discontinue the case in order to negotiate their separation privately. Jack the Ripper's victims were not prostitutes but mainly homeless women, a new book has claimed. Historian Hallie Rubenhold has found evidence to suggest four of the five women murdered by the unidentified serial killer were slain as they slept in the street. She points to coroner notes from the time that point out that all the women were stabbed to death while lying down, with minimal struggle and no noise. Dr Rubenhold argues that 'sexist' attitudes of policemen at the time and researchers in the 130 years since have led to inaccurate beliefs about the victims. Her new book The Five claims to be the first full-length biography ever written about the women, revealing the untold stories of their lives before they were killed. Scroll down for video Jack the Ripper's victims were not prostitutes but mainly homeless women, a sensational new book has claimed Only Mary Jane Kelly was a prostitute at the time, she claims, while there is no suggestion former sex worker Elizabeth Stride was soliciting on the night she died. Meanwhile, the other three victims - Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman and Catherine Eddowes - had working-class jobs as servants and laundry maids. The Ripper killed his victims in Whitechapel, east London, between September and November 1888, but his identity has never been discovered. Dr Rubenhold points out that many women slept rough in the notoriously deprived district, and that police often 'conflated female homelessness with prostitution'. Each morning, 70,000 people in the city woke up having no idea where they would lay their heads that night. In Whitechapel alone, there were 233 vermin-infested 'doss-houses' where you could sleep if you could find 4d. Four of the five women were found in the street with no money, pointing to rough-sleeping rather than soliciting, she added. Mary Jane Kelly, the Ripper's final victim, was the only one discovered in her bed, having worked as a high-class sex worker in Westminster. Dr Rubenhold's new book The Five claims to be the first full-length biography ever written about the women, revealing the untold stories of their lives before they were killed Dr Rubenhold told the Telegraph: 'There is so much more evidence to suggest they were killed in their sleep than that they were working as prostitutes, but the narrative has always gone with the latter view. 'People are always surprised when I remind them that most of the victims were in their 40s. 'Their sexual capital was extremely reduced so they would have found it difficult to 'turn tricks'. 'They were depicted in the sensationalist Victorian media as struggling, but there was no evidence of any struggle.' Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Kate, and Mary Jane died at the ages of 43, 47, 45, 46 and 25 respectively. The first of the victims, Mary Nichols, was found dead on the afternoon of August 31, 1888, in a gateway in Buck's Row, Whitechapel. She had been disemboweled. The mutilated corpse of Annie Chapman was found in the backyard of number 29 Hanbury Street at 6am, just over a week later on September 8. Elizabeth Stride was found dead on September 30, in Dutfield's Yard, off Berner Street. It is believed the Ripper may have been interrupted while cutting her throat, as the rest of her body was untouched. Later the same day the body of Catherine Eddowes was found in Mitre Square in the City of London, with her uterus and kidney removed and her cheeks slashed. Mary Kelly, who was Jack the Ripper's final known victim, was found in her room in Miller's Court, off Dorset Street, on November 9. Despite contemporary beliefs, none of the women came from Whitechapel: they were from Holborn, Knightsbridge, Gothenburg, Wolverhampton and Wales. Victorian police suspected the Ripper was a butcher but they were never able to track him down. Last year, a book claimed that an apparent 'confession' found beneath the floorboards of a Liverpool cotton merchant's bedroom was authentic. The memoir includes the line: 'I give my name that all know of me, so history do tell, what love can do to a gentleman born. Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper.' But critics questioned how the book, purportedly belonging to businessman James Maybrick, came to be found and whether the claims were genuine. The Five is released on February 28 (Doubleday 16.99, 352pp) Their stories finally told: Five things you didn't know about The Five MARY ANN NICHOLS Mary Ann, also known as 'Polly', grew up in Holborn, off Shoe Lane, in the same warren of streets where Charles Dickens' set Fagin's den in Oliver Twist. Was born Mary Ann Walker, the daughter of a blacksmith and the wife of a printer. She, her husband and her five children were among some of the first families to live in the 'all mod-cons' Peabody Buildings which was based in Stamford Street, Lambeth. Slept rough in Trafalgar Square with hundreds of homeless during the Trafalgar Square Riots in 1887. Had lived as a servant in well-to-do Wandsworth shortly before her death. ANNIE CHAPMAN Was the daughter of a trooper in the Household Cavalry who later became a gentleman's valet for an MP and a Crimean War hero. She spent the majority of her life in London between Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Piccadilly. Lived on a country estate in Windsor prior to her death. Annie spent a year in one of Britain's first alcoholic rehabilitation centres specifically opened for middle-class women. Towards the end of her life, Annie walked from Whitechapel to Windsor during Christmas to see her dying husband. ELIZABETH STRIDE Was born Elisabeth Gustafsdotter, the daughter of a farmer living near Gothenburg, Sweden. Worked as a maid for an oboist in the Gothenburg Orchestra and his wife. Emigrated to the UK in the employment of a wealthy English family and lived near Hyde Park. Married John Stride, a carpenter from Sheerness. Together they ran coffee houses in Poplar. Became an accomplished fraudster and claimed to have survived the sinking of the Princess Alice on the Thames in 1878. Later convinced a seamstress, Mary Malcolm that she was her long lost sister. KATHERINE EDDOWES Katherine Eddowes was the daughter of a 'firebrand' union agitator from Wolverhampton. During her childhood, she was selected to attend the Dowgate Charity School, in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral. Lived for a time in Birmingham with her uncle, a celebrated bare-knuckle boxer. Travelled the country with her common-law partner, Thomas Conway writing and selling ballads. Had Thomas Conway's initials tattooed on her forearm. MARY JANE KELLY Was the only career sex worker among the five victims and lived in Knightsbridge. Claimed to have been from both Ireland and Wales, yet didn't speak with an accent. Was probably trafficked to Paris, but somehow managed to return to London. Lived for a time off the Ratcliff Highway with a family of Dutch brothel keepers. To this day remains an enigma. Her real name was almost certainly not Mary Jane Kelly. From hell: The infamous serial killer who terrorised Victorian London Jack the Ripper is thought to have killed at least five young women in Whitechapel, East London, between September and November 1888, but was never caught. Numerous individuals have been accused of being the serial killer. At the time, police suspected the Ripper must have been a butcher, due to the way his victims were killed and the fact they were discovered near to the dockyards, where meat was brought into the city. There are several alleged links between the killer and royals. First is Sir William Gull, the royal physician. Many have accused him of helping get rid of the alleged prostitutes' bodies, while others claim he was the Ripper himself. A page from the Illustrated Police News page covering the murders of Jack the Ripper A book has named Queen Victoria's surgeon Sir John Williams as the infamous killer. He had a surgery in Whitechapel at the time. Another theory links the murders with Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence. At one point, cotton merchant James Maybrick was the number one suspect, following the publication of some of his diary which appeared to suggest he was the killer. Some believe the diary to be a forgery, although no one has been able to suggest who forged it. Other suspects include Montague John Druitt, a Dorset-born barrister. He killed himself in the Thames seven weeks after the last murder. George Chapman, otherwise known as Severyn Kosowski, is also a suspect after he poisoned three of his wives and was hanged in 1903. Jack the Ripper is thought to have killed at least five young women in Whitechapel, East London, between September and November 1888 Another suspected by police was Aaron Kosminski. He was admitted to Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum and died there. Dr Thomas Neill Cream poisoned four London prostitutes with strychnine and was hanged in 1892. Some of the more bizarre links include Lewis Carroll, author of the Alice in Wonderland books, who taught at Christ Church until 1881 - which was at the forefront of the Ripper murder scenery. Winston Churchill's father - Lord Randolph Churchill - has also been named as a potential suspect. Crime writer Patricia Cornwell believes she has 'cracked' the case by unearthing evidence that confirms Walter Sickert, an influential artist, as the prime suspect. Her theories have not been generally accepted. Author William J Perring raised the possibility that Jack the Ripper might actually be 'Julia' - a Salvation Army soldier. In The Seduction Of Mary Kelly, his novel about the life and times of the final victim, he suggests Jack the Ripper was in fact a woman. Police discovering the body of one of Jack the Ripper's victims, probably Catherine Eddowes In February 2019, it was suggested that Jack the Ripper may have been a sinister Dutch sailor who murdered two ex-wives in his homeland and bludgeoned to death two other women in Belgium. Crime historian Dr Jan Bondeson has named Hendrik de Jong as a prime suspect for the most notorious set of unsolved murders in history. At the time of the Whitechapel murders, de Jong is believed to have worked as a steward on board a ship which made frequent trips from Rotterdam to London, providing him with the perfect means of getting out of the country after his heinous crimes. He later murdered two of his ex-wives in his native Netherlands in 1893 and bludgeoned to death two women above a pub before attempting to set their bodies on fire in Belgium in 1898. REVIEW - THE FIVE: THE UNTOLD LIVES OF THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER by Ysenda Maxtone Graham for the Daily Mail Do we all have a subconscious human tendency to take murder victims less seriously if they worked in the sex trade? Hallie Rubenhold, author of this powerful and brilliantly researched examination of Jack The Ripper's five named victims 'prostitutes' whose throats he slit in the nights of autumn 1888 in Whitechapel certainly believes so. Soon after the murders, a reader wrote to The Times observing that the Ripper 'at all events has made his contribution towards solving the problem of clearing the East End of its vicious inhabitants'. Even nowadays, we tend to brush such women aside. The judge in the 2008 Ipswich serial murders trial felt the need to instruct the jury to 'lay aside their prejudices' against the five victims who were prostitutes. Author Hallie Rubenhold recalls the lives of Jack The Ripper's five victims in a new book, pictured: The 1979 Ripper film Murder By Decree Rubenhold forces our fascination away from the murders and tells the life stories of the Ripper victims, each loaded with pathos and tragedy even before they were murdered. She has two chief messages to drive home to us: first, that there's no evidence that three out of the five women were prostitutes at all, and second, that even if they were, they deserve exactly as much attention as any murder victim. Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Kate, and Mary Jane died at the ages of 43, 47, 45, 46 and 25 respectively. They were daughters and sisters, wives and mothers. In each story, a little girl is born, full of promise and hope, and you wait for the dreaded lurch in their lives that's going to take them to Whitechapel, to homelessness, to misery and to gruesome death. This book immerses you deeply in the reality of being destitute in Victorian London. Each morning, 70,000 people in the city woke up having no idea where they would lay their heads that night. In Whitechapel alone, there were 233 vermin-infested 'doss-houses' where you could sleep if you could find 4d. If you couldn't, you were consigned to the streets and had to find a quiet corner to lie down against a wall. Rubenhold decides to keep Jack the Ripper himself totally absent from the book, so the last we see of these women is at the moment when they lie down alone to sleep on what would be the final night of their lives. Polly, a blacksmith's daughter, married William Nichols at St Bride's, Fleet Street; they had four children and were judged to be a family of such good morals that they were chosen to live in one of the brand-new Peabody Dwellings in Walworth that had indoor lavatories. Luxury! Annie, daughter of a gentleman's valet, married John Chapman, a reputable coachman, and they lived in well-appointed quarters in Berkshire attached to a grand house which the Prince of Wales visited during Ascot week. Hallie revealed each of the Ripper's victims had a moment in their life that went catastrophically wrong, Annie was a closest alcoholic and Elizabeth's life sank into drunkenness and prostitution (file image) Elizabeth, a farmer's daughter from an upright Lutheran family in Sweden, left home for Gothenberg to get a job in domestic service. Kate had a good education, then took up with a delightful-sounding Irish pedlar and they made their living roaming from town to town singing ballads. They did particularly well at public hangings, where crowds were thronging. Mary Jane was no ordinary prostitute: she moved in high circles, dazzling and servicing the wealthy men of Piccadilly and Regent Street. In each case, something went catastrophically wrong. Polly's husband embarked on an affair with their neighbour Rosetta. Polly stormed out. 'Leaving the familial home,' Rubenhold writes, 'rendered a woman unfit, immoral, a specimen of broken womanhood.' From then on, she was caught in a spiral of poverty, workhouses, rough sleeping, casual wards (wings of workhouses where you had to spend two nights and work in between), and alcoholism. Life would have been rosy for Annie and John Chapman if Annie hadn't been a closet alcoholic. Of their babies, the first was born with epileptic seizures; the second lived for a day; the third was born with foetal alcohol syndrome; the fourth, fifth and sixth died as babies; and the seventh was born with paralysis. 1,200 Number of prostitutes working in Whitechapel in 1888 Annie drowned her despair in even more drink and descended steeply from respectable wife to destitute tramp. Elizabeth made her fatal mistake early: while in domestic service in Sweden, she took up with a young man who made her pregnant. Instantly she was branded a prostitute and forced to submit to regular syphilis checks by the authorities. She gave birth to a stillborn girl. She sailed to England to start afresh, married a Methodist called John Stride, and ran a coffee house in Poplar (hope again!). But they fell into debt, couldn't have children, and separated. Elizabeth's life sank into drunkenness, prostitution and perhaps psychosis caused by late-stage syphilis. She was murdered in Dutfield's Yard on the night of September 30, 1888. Kate's roaming life singing ballads with her beloved Irish pedlar brings a real sense of freedom and fresh air to this claustrophobic book. But, inevitably, they ended up in London, where life was brutal and tough, and the Irishman became violent. Kate left him, took to drink, and descended into a cycle of trying to scrape money together for the doss-house and being turfed out on to the streets. On the same night that Elizabeth was brutally murdered, just streets away in Mitre Yard, Kate lay down against a wall for the last time, curled up to sleep and was knifed to death. Mary Jane suffered the traumatic but all-too-common horror of being trafficked to France to work in a 'maison close', a kind of domestic gilded French cage for prostitutes. She escaped back to London, and took up with a porter at Billingsgate Market (hope again!). But he lost his job, they both liked drinking, they quarrelled, and Mary Jane lay down to sleep for the final time alone in a bare room in Dorset Street where she was eviscerated, the only one of the five to die with a roof over her head. By collating these five deeply affecting biographies, all of them ending in the same cluster of Whitechapel streets, Rubenhold has given these women the immortality that their murderer does not deserve. Racist stickers plastered on homes and near schools with the slogans 'mass immigration is white genocide' and 'diversity means no white people' are being probed by police. The stickers appeared in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, yesterday morning and were reported to police by disturbed residents. One reads: 'Diversity means no white countries, cities, neighbourhoods or people', while others say 'Second generation? Third, fourth? You have to go back?' Some people have reported seeing ones that said: 'Say no to Muslim rape gangs', 'Beware of anti-white rape gangs' and 'Beware of what is coming.' Racist stickers (one pictured) plastered on homes and near schools in St Ives, Cambridgeshire have been reported to the police One reads: 'Diversity means no white countries, cities, neighbourhoods or people', while others say 'Second generation? Third, fourth? You have to go back?' David Kirby, who found one of the anti-immigration stickers on his front door, said: 'I came home to find these stickers plastered over the door to my flats. This is not good. 'Racist and divisive hatred spread by cowards. It's all intended to appeal to the closet racists who have been empowered by the rise of Trump in the US and Brexit here. 'The people responsible are an underground hate group who seeks a whites-only population. 'They are also dumb as rocks - second, third and fourth generation immigrants were born in the UK so not sure where they should go back to? 'This is not free speech - it's an incitement of ethnic and racial hatred.' Police officers and residents removed the stickers after they were discovered - but an investigation will be carried out. A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said: 'This morning we received reports of offensive stickers in St Audrey Lane, St Ives. An investigation is ongoing. 'Anyone with information should contact us on 101 quoting crime number 35/11775/19.' Theresa May was confronted by four of her ministers in Downing Street and warned to stop threatening no deal Brexit, it has emerged Cabinet ministers were told a Plan C for Brexit drawn up by Tory Leave and Remain MPs will not work today, a day before Theresa May returns to Brussels for talks. The Prime Minister will not take the so-called 'Malthouse Compromise' to the latest round of talks with EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Cabinet sources confirmed to MailOnline ministers were told it was 'too late' for the Malthouse plan to work. EU negotiator Michel Barnier rejected the plan at talks with Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay last night. The idea had been to re-write the divorce deal with a technology-based solution for the Irish border. But there is rising expectation Attorney General Geoffrey Cox will endorse a new document - known as a 'codicil' - as enough to provide 'legally binding' changes to the Irish border backstop, the BBC said. But any appendix or legal letter will fall far short of the re-written backstop demanded by Brexiteers. They are due to meet Mrs May later tonight. Leaving Eurosceptic Steve Baker ridiculed the 'Cox Codpiece' this afternoon and warned: 'Never forget: there was a better way to reach a mutually beneficial deal.' The hardline Brexiteer European Research Group has vowed to vote down the deal for a second time if Mrs May fails to bring back a new version. Sources at the group said there could be an 'explosion' of anger from Brexiteer MPs. Mr Cox has delayed a speech due today on the backstop as talks continue with Brussels. Following Cabinet, Mrs May's spokesman said: The Brexit Secretary said he had held productive talks with Michel Barnier to resolve the outstanding issues on the backstop and further talks will be taking place this week. The PM said she would meet Jean-Claude Juncker tomorrow evening in Brussels. She said was working hard to secure the legally binding changes that Parliament requested to the backstop. The spokesman insisted there is 'ongoing work' on all three possible options to fix the backstop - a time limit, a unilateral exit mechanism and an alternative system. But a EU Commission spokesman said today: 'We cannot accept a time limit to the backstop or a unilateral exit clause. 'Further talks will be held this week to see whether a way through can be found that could gain the broadest possible support in the UK parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European council. Told Brussels was saying No, Mrs May's spokesman said: 'The deal that is on the table was rejected by 230 votes. The EU has been clear it wants the UK to leave with a deal.' The warning came ahead of today's Cabinet where Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay (pictured today in Downing Street) will brief on his latest talks with Brussels amid continuing deadlock over the Northern Ireland backstop Chief Secretary Liz Truss (left) and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (right) joined ministers in No 10 this morning for the weekly Cabinet Attorney General Geoffrey Cox (pictured today arriving for Cabinet) is due to give a speech on the backstop this week but it has been delayed from today as talks continue Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (left) and Chancellor Philip Hammond were among the arrivals for Cabinet today (pictured) Mrs May's deputy David Lidington was among the arrivals for Cabinet in No 10 this morning Last night, the Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU) confirmed they discussed the so-called 'Malthouse compromise' being worked on by Tory MPs in the Alternative Arrangements Working Group. However there appeared to be little enthusiasm for the proposals - intended to replace the backstop with a basic free trade deal combined with technological solutions to avoid the need for physical border checks - on the EU side. 'While the commission engaged seriously with these proposals it expressed concerns about their viability to resolve the backstop,' a DExEU spokesman said . 'We agreed to keep exploring the use of alternative arrangements - especially how they might be developed to ensure the absence of a hard border in Northern Ireland on a permanent footing, avoiding the need for the backstop to ever enter force.' Mr Barclay's meeting with Mr Barnier - with Attorney General Geoffrey Cox also present - came ahead of expected talks between Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes (left) and Energy Minister Claire Perry (right) were also spotted in Downing Street ahead of Cabinet today Business Secretary Greg Clark also headed for Downing Street minutes after Honda confirmed it would close its Swindon plant Home Secretary Sajid Javid (left) walked into Cabinet today while Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson arrived with a military officer (right) Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, is stepping up his call to the Prime Minister to re-think her negotiating 'red lines' and back Labour's proposals for a customs union with the EU. The Labour leader, who is addressing the EEF employers group manufacturing conference, said he would be travelling to Brussels later this week to discuss the plan with Mr Barnier. In his speech, Mr Corbyn is expected to say: 'Earlier this month I wrote to the Prime Minister laying out Labour's alternative Brexit plan, based around a permanent customs union with a British say in future trade deals, a strong relationship with the single market and full guarantees on workers' rights, consumer standards and environmental protections. 'It's a plan that could win the support of Parliament and help bring the country together. 'It has been widely welcomed as a way of breaking the impasse. So I call on the Government and MPs across Parliament to end the Brexit uncertainty and back Labour's credible alternative plan.' A chiropractor has come under fire over his treatment of a two-week-old baby after he dangled the newborn child upside down during a consultation. Melbourne man Dr Andrew Arnold was performing spinal treatment on the baby. He filmed the session and later posted the video to Cranbourne Family Chiropractic's Facebook page. The footage shows the chiropractor perform a series of controversial tests on the baby. Dr Arnold begins by folding the baby's legs into his hips until he feels a click while the newborn's parents stand off-camera. A chiropractor has come under fire over his treatment of a two-week-old baby after he dangled the newborn child upside down during a consultation At length, he pulls out a device called the activator, a spring loaded chiropractic device At length he pulls out a device called the activator, a spring loaded chiropractic device. He tests the device on an adult's hand to give them an idea of the force of the tool. 'We're going to use the activator on the lower setting and I'll just show you on your hand here,' Dr Arnold says to the person off-camera. He then proceeds to place the activator on the newborn. Within moments of activating it, the baby bursts into tears. But Dr Arnold doesn't stop there. He rolls the baby on its back to test its collarbone. With two fingers on the crying baby's collarbone, he uses his free hand to tap on the upset baby's head. A series of tests later, Dr Arnold goes on to check the bones in the baby's head. This time he presses down on the child's head with both hands, the child visibly distressed. The video has gone on to fan debate into the legitimacy of the infant chiropractic treatment. While the techniques in the video are not illegal, their effectiveness are a divisive issue. A series of tests later, Dr Arnold goes on to check the bones in the baby's head This time he presses down on the child's head with both hands, the child visibly distressed Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said she had written to the Chiropractic Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. 'The Chiropractic Board of Australia must condemn this practice,' she said. It's understood the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and the Chiropractic Board have kickstarted a confidential investigation into the matter, the Herald Sun reported. A spokesperson said regulators could not comment on individual cases. Daily Mail Australia reached out to Cranbourne Family Chiropractic for comment. Zara has been accused of 'uglifying' China by baring the freckles of a top Chinese model in its latest make-up advertising campaign. The Spanish fashion retailer sparked debate after model Li Jingwen, professionally known as Jing Wen, appeared in a lipstick commercial with little make-up and her freckles showing, prompting a backlash among Chinese social media users on Friday. Outraged net users blamed the brand for 'insulting' and 'defaming the Chinese' as it is often considered unattractive for Chinese people to have freckles. For years, clear and, as they see it, 'unblemished' skin is the dominant beauty norm in the country. Spanish fashion retailer Zara sparked debate after model Li Jingwen, professionally known as Jing Wen, appeared in a lipstick commercial with little make-up and her freckles showing Outraged social media users blamed the fashion brand for 'insulting' and 'defaming the Chinese' as it is often considered unattractive for Chinese people to have freckles 'Does Zara mean to say that all Asian girls have faces fully covered by freckles?' read one of the comments on the Zara release on Chinese microblogging site Weibo. 'Sorry, but us Asian girls don't have freckles. Even if we do, it's only a small proportion of us,' wrote another user. 'Such pictures featuring an Asian model with freckles and an expressionless pie-shaped face mislead Westerners' impressions about Asian women and can lead to racism against Asian women,' one person accused. Some even called Li's appearance 'ugly'. Jing Wen, who is from Guangzhou, southern China, is one of the country's top models and has been featured on the cover of Vogue China and in adverts for Calvin Klein, H&M and Prada. She said in an 2016 interview with Vogue that she used to hate her freckles For years, clear and 'unblemished' skin is the dominant beauty norm in China (file photo) Others jumped to her defense and called for acceptance of different perceptions natural beauty. 'I think she looks beautiful and unique,' one user said. 'Some people are just born with freckles. People are getting offended because they've never seen unphotoshopped images of models, leading them to think that all Chinese models have flawless skin,' another said. 'This Chinese model is suffering discrimination from her compatriots - what is going on?' another user said. Some of the comments, deleted soon after being posted, even suggested Zara meant to 'insult' China, drawing comparisons to a scandal that involved Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana last year. Some of the comments, deleted soon after being posted, even suggested Zara meant to 'insult' China, drawing comparisons to a scandal that involved Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana last year A Zara representative said photos of the model were taken in an all-natural way, without any software manipulation, and the reactions might stem from differences in aesthetics The luxury fashion house was forced to cancel a high-profile runway show in Shanghai and apologise to Chinese people after a trio of promotional videos called 'Eating with Chopsticks' and derogatory remarks allegedly made by designer Stefano Gabbana were widely condemned as 'racist' in November. Zara responded on Saturday that it meant no harm, according to video news site Pear. The company representative said photos of the model were taken in an all-natural way, without any software manipulation, and the reactions might stem from differences in aesthetics in different cultures. The advertisements were targeted at their global market, not specifically at Chinese consumers, the unnamed representative added. Removing freckles is not just a Chinese issue though. In the US and Europe, companies have photoshopped images to give models an appearance of clearer skin. Meghan Markle has previously complained that her freckles have been airbrushed out of photos. In Dolce & Gabbana's latest ad campaign video, the Chinese model was seen trying to eat pizza with a pair of chopsticks, which net users deemed racist and disrespectful On Tuesday, the topic page 'Zara responds about Chinese model advertisement' had already been read 500 million times on Weibo. State-run China Daily said in an editorial on Sunday that while those who complain about Zara's new advertisement might do so 'to prevent the nation's image from being hurt', they showed 'over-sensitivity and a lack of cultural confidence'. Jing Wen, who is from Guangzhou, southern China, is one of the country's top models and has been featured on the cover of Vogue China and in adverts for Calvin Klein, H&M and Prada. In 2016, Jing Wen said in an interview with Vogue that she used to hate her freckles: 'At school I always tried to cover them, but now it is okay. I like them and that's enough.' Advertisement Hundreds of hammerhead sharks, known for being notoriously shy, have been captured in rare footage shot near the Galapagos Islands, Dr Simon Pierce, 39, filmed the herd of hammerheads in the Galapagos National Park with a remote camera so he did not disturb the sharks. The photos and videos were taken at one of the world's most remote scuba diving locations, Darwin Island in the far north of the Galapagos Islands. Simon, from New Plymouth in New Zealand, said: 'Seeing the hammerheads was one of the most amazing days of my life. 'I became a marine biologist to have the opportunity to see some amazing places and animals as a part of my work, and photography is a great way to share them with people.' He added: 'This video was captured in an area where no shark fishing is allowed. This is what a healthy marine protected area can look like. Stunning photographs showed the endangered sharks swimming together in a huge group accompanied by dozens of smaller fish Dr Simon Pierce, 39, (pictured) filmed the herd of hammerheads in the remote Galapagos National Park which is home to some of the world's most exotic marine life Hammerhead sharks are one of the most endangered species of the animal. The status given to these sharks is as a result of overfishing and demand for their fins, an expensive delicacy in some countries Their unique heads are used as a weapon when hunting down prey. The hammerhead shark uses its head to pin down stingrays and eats the ray when the ray is weak and in shock According to the International Shark Attack File, humans have been subject to 17 documented, unprovoked attacks by hammerhead sharks in the last 500 years - with no deaths reported The footage was shot using a remote camera set up on a rocky outcrop on near the island's shore as the sharks swam in the waters above The shattered uncle of a ten-year-old girl killed in a horror crash on a quiet farm road says the fatal tragedy has left the family 'heartbroken'. Dalal Abo Lokmeh was in a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with two other girls, both aged 11, when the adult female driver lost control and slammed into a fence. Emergency services were called to the property in Marshall Mount in Wollongong at 10.20am on Sunday after receiving reports a young girl had been seriously injured. Young Dalal, from Birrong in Sydney's west, was airlifted to the Sydney Children's Hospital, but sadly passed away two days later. Dalal Abo Lokmeh (pictured) tragically died in hospital on Tuesday after an ATV crash The ATV crashed into a fence after veering off a quiet farm road in Marshall Mount, NSW The young girl's grieving uncle, Nebal El Jamal, has paid tribute to his niece. 'She was a very good girl. She hoped to be a [ballet] dancer and a vet nurse,' Mr Jamal told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Jamal said his niece was 'full of life' and was the 'purest prettiest' girl. He added the family have been 'scarred' by the sudden passing of Dalal. '[What] I am sure about is that we [won't] be able to forget her smiles and warm hugs,' Mr Jamal said. Describing a recent time when Dalal visited Lebanon for a holiday, Mr Jamal said his niece was full of life the entire time. 'She was full on [and] full of life. It just so heart aching losing her in an accident. 'She will be missed indeed,' he said. The young girl's heartbroken uncle Nebal El Jamal (right) has paid tribute to his niece (left) Mr Jamal said his ten-year-old niece (pictured) was 'full of life' and was the 'purest prettiest' girl Since news of the tragic death broke, many of the family's nearest and dearest have shared their condolences. 'Sorry to hear about your loss may god rest her soul RIP little angel,' wrote one. Another added: 'Another angel in heaven bro, god bless.' The two young girls and adult driver of the ATV all needed medical treatment following the crash. The 31-year-old driver, from Marshall Mount, was taken to Wollongong Hospital with minor injuries and underwent mandatory testing. Two 11-year-old girls also received treatment for minor injuries. Officers from the Crash Investigation Unit are continuing inquiries into the events leading up to the crash. Families of five American oil executives being held as part of the 'Citgo Six' say their relatives are living in overcrowded and inhumane Venezuelan jails. Five American men, from Louisiana and Texas, have been sleeping in cramped cells and been starved since their arrest in Caracas in November 2017, their relatives claim. The oil company they worked for is in the grip of a power struggle between Maduro and his rival for the presidency, the US-backed Juan Guaido. A recent picture of one of the executives Tomeu Vadell, whose family live in Texas, shows dramatic weight loss and he appears extremely malnourished. Dennysse Vadell sits between her daughters Veronica, right, and Cristina holding a digital photograph of father and husband Tomeu Maria Elena Cardena and her son Sergio - who has been suffering nightmares since his father, Gustavo, was arrested in 2017 This shocking image shows Citgo executive Tomeu Vadell at his home in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 2015 (left) and in custody in Venezuela (right) - his family believe he has lost over 60 pounds Their nightmare began when the oil bosses were invited to a last minute budget meeting in Caracas over Thanksgiving 2017 by the parent company of Citgo, PDVSA, Venezuela's state-run oil company. The group flew out on a corporate jet. They included Vadell, Gustavo Cardenas, Jorge Toledo, Alirio Zambrano, Jose Luis Zambrano and Jose Angel Pereira, the president of Citgo. When they arrived at their conference room in the Venezuelan capital a squad of armed and masked agents rushed into a PDVSA conference room and arrested all six executives. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaking in an interview at the Miraflores palace last Thursday Hours later, Maduro's attorney general appeared on state TV announcing charges of embezzlement stemming from a proposal to refinance some $4 billion in Citgo bonds by offering up a 50 percent stake in the company as collateral. 'On Monday he left and he was supposed to come back Tuesday,' said Vadell's wife, Dennysse. 'He went into a meeting and never came back.' Then Maduro himself accused them of 'treason,' though they have not been charged with that crime. The arrests kicked off a purge inside Venezuela's oil industry that a few days later saw Martinez, the PDVSA head, and a former oil minister among dozens others jailed. Citgo, which controls about 4 percent of U.S. refining capacity, has provided almost no support to the jailed executives despite an indemnity agreement that obligates it to act on the men's behalf, a current Citgo employee said. In addition they terminated their pay, the employee said. 'The only communication I had with Citgo when this happened was they called to tell me not to go to the media and that they were going to every house to pick up the company cars,' said Maria Elena Cardenas, whose husband is among those jailed. Maduro has vowed to defend Citgo from seizure, saying it belongs to the Venezuelan people. His attorney general last week filed criminal charges against the new PDVSA and Citgo boards appointed by Guaido. Citgo executive Tomeu holding the Thanksgiving turkey with his family in Lake Charles, Louisiana. His saga began the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2017, when he and five other executives got a call asking they travel to Caracas, Venezuela for a last-minute budget meeting President Donald Trump at a recent White House meeting - some of the relative believe the US government could be doing more to have the executives released Wearing T-shirts with the message 'Free the Citgo 6,' the Vadell family poses for a photo in Katy, Texas last Friday The US is keeping a tight lid on whatever efforts it has undertaken to help the men. American consular officials have been repeatedly denied access to them in jail because the Vienna Convention doesn't obligate Venezuela to recognize their dual American nationality. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, when asked about the case in a February 6 interview with Fox Business Network, said only that 'anywhere there is an American who is wrongfully detained, in this case by the thug Maduro, the United States government is incredibly focused on obtaining their release.' Some family members wonder if the U.S. could be doing more. 'We are grateful for the people who continue to help us, but we're not convinced the U.S. government is taking these Americans into account when making policy toward Venezuela,' said Veronica Vadell. Their families complain the men are being held in inhumane conditions, sharing overcrowded basement cells built for 22 people with nearly four times that number of inmates. They say the crowded conditions require the men to sometimes sleep on the floor and go without access to fresh air or sunlight for weeks. The Vadell family describe how he has lost over 60 pounds due to malnutrition. In a photo taken secretly of Vadell in custody, he appears like a prisoner of war. His sallow skin is pulled over his gaunt face and his eyes appear sunken, as he wears green prison overalls over his thin frame. Serfio Cardenas - who suffers from a rare metabolic disease which has stunted his growth, holds a badge which says 'Free the Citgo 6' Maria Cardenas (far left) and her husband Gustavo Cardenas, far right, with their children Maria, left, Gus, right, and Sergio, below, as they vacation in Austria Cardenas says time is running out for her family. Her 18-year-old son, Sergio, suffers from a rare metabolic disease that has stunted his physical growth. Since his father's arrest, he has been having panic attacks and screaming at night. The two traveled to Caracas recently at great risk to Sergio's health for a two-hour jailhouse visit to calm the teen's nerves. 'He shouldn't be in jail. He should be home with his us, his family,' the younger Cardenas said, his voice quivering with emotion. 'He's the bravest person I've ever known. He's the greatest father in the world.' A Tory Minister admitted today he 'perfectly understands' what the 'gang of seven' is doing and failed to rule out joining the group. Richard Harrington - who last week urged hardline Brexiteers to leave the Tories and join Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party - said his battle was inside the Conservatives. But as the new Independent Group appealed for members from across the Commons, Mr Harrington said only he and others 'intend to win this battle'. Independent group ringleader Chuka Umunna today predicted the group would turn into a full-blown political party within months. He made a direct plea to 'demoralised' Tory MPs frustrated at the 'Ukipisation' of the party's grass roots as ex-Ukip members turn to the Conservatives. Mr Umunna's call came as Westminster waits to see who will jump next. If the group can swell to 36 members it could take the SNP's place as the third biggest party and get to question the Prime Minister every week. Appearing on GMB today (pictured), Chuka Umunna said he would like to see a new party form out of the group 'by the end the of the year' Tory Minister Richard Harrington (left) has stopped short of ever ruling out joining the Independent Group after slamming hardline Brexiteers while Tory Sarah Wollaston has warned the party is being taken over by ex-Ukip activists Dr Wollaston's intervention will raise expectations she and other Tory MPs could join the 'gang of seven' centrists who walked out of Labour yesterday The rebel MPs have chosen to sit next to the DUP in the Commons today. Angela Smith, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker and Mike Gapes are pictured in the Commons top right behind Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine speaking today Tory MPs Sarah Wollaston, Anna Soubry and Heidi Allen are all the subject of intense scrutiny amid rumours they could defect. Former minister Nick Boles said it was 'b*******' to suggest he could defect today - after appearing to leave the question open yesterday. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been warned he could lose as many as 50 MPs if he refuses to tackle the anti-Semitism, bullying and hard-left culture cited by the seven politicians who triggered the biggest split in British politics since 1981. Mr Harrington told the Telegraph he 'perfectly understands' what Independent Group is doing and wishes them all the best - adding the for the Conservative Party by one nation Tories like himself and Greg Clark is not lost. Which Tories could jump ship to the new Independent Group? So far no Conservative MP has gone public with support for the new Independent Group - but Westminster is rife with rumours pro-Remain MPs could make the jump amid frustration over Brexit. Leading contenders are thought to be: Sarah Wollaston Heidi Allen Anna Soubry There are even reports a minister is considering the leap. Attention will focus on ministers who have spoken out against no deal Brexit like Richard Harrington, who called the ERG traitors last week. He said: 'We intend to win this battle.' He added later to Sky News: 'Im a conservative, a moderate Conservative but a Conservative.' Mr Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Mr Corbyn's leadership yesterday. Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said the decision was only 'premature', while Shadow chancellor John McDonnell called for a 'mammoth listening exercise' today as the Labour leadership scrambled to deal with the crisis. But Mr Corbyn warned the group this afternoon they had been elected on Labour's manifesto - and even jibed those who felt he did not listen were 'not taking up the opportunities that are available'. The stubborn response will anger Labour MPs considering whether to follow their former colleagues over the top. The Independent Group warned 'politics is broken' and appealed from other parties to join their new group. Their resignation signals the biggest split in British politics since the SDP walked out of Labour in 1981 and realigned the left - paving the way for Tony Blair's election in 1997. What is the Independent Group and can you vote for it? What happened yesterday? Seven MPs resigned from the Labour Party and set up something called the Independent Group Is it a political party? No. It is a small business - technically a limited company - called Gemini A Ltd that was set up Gavin Shuker, one of the MPs, in January. But leaders have said an actual party will form out of the group 'by the end the of the year'. Can I vote for it? No. Unless and until it registers with the Electoral Commission, it cannot stand candidates. Can I donate to it? Yes. The group is accepting donations through its website theindependent.group. It says donations will support the newly independent MPs. What does it want? All seven are Remain supporters and most of them have promoted a second referendum to cancel Brexit. They say they want evidence-based policy making to tackle the challenges facing Britain - without being inside a toxic Labour Party. They appealed to the public for donations to get the new project - which is not yet a political party and is not yet able to stand candidates - off the ground. Mr Umunna told the Today programme the 'gang of seven' were putting 'everything on the line' - and said: 'We're inviting anybody who shares our values to join us. 'There are clearly a lot of Labour MPs wrestling with their conscience, and Conservatives who are demoralised for the Ukip-isation, if you like, of the party.' Mr Ummuna added: 'There are many other people who have misgivings about their parties. 'If we're to fix the broken politics, you can't do that within the existing parties who can't be the change because they've become the problem in my view.' Appearing on GMB today, Mr Umunna said he would like to see a new party form out of the group 'by the end the of the year'. Outlining how a new party could be a fighting force before the next election, he said: 'There needs to be an alternative, so that's perfectly possible a new party with a new name and new leader in next nine months.' Mr Umunna insisted he did not believe he and the other MPs should quit their seats and hold by-elections, as demanded by shadow chancellor John McDonnell. He said: 'In a parliamentary democracy you elect a person and then their party after.' Heidi Allen (centre) and Anna Soubry (right) have also appeared alongside Mr Umunna to campaign for a new vote on Brexit. They could quit the Tories for the new Independent Group Tory MP Anna Soubry has at some point recently deleted a Tory slogan from her Twitter profile fuelling speculation she could join the new group Shadow chancellor Mr McDonnell has called for a 'mammoth listening exercise' in response to the crisis. Mr McDonnell told Sky news: 'We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and (to) address some of those criticisms that have been made.' The shadow chancellor said the 'only disagreement we have had within the party is around how we handle Brexit and I think we are bringing people together on that'. Mr McDonnell played down suggestions that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering a split. He said: 'I don't think there is that scale, but the key issue for us - and it was made clear at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Tom Watson said it and others - the Labour leadership, and I'm part of that, we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them.' Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Jeremy Corbyn's failure to tackle anti-Semitism Mr McDonnell told Sky news: 'We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and (to) address some of those criticisms that have been made.' May is warned by FOUR of her Cabinet at Downing Street showdown up to 22 ministers will quit to stop no deal Theresa May was confronted by four of her ministers in Downing Street and warned to stop threatening no deal Brexit, it has emerged. Business Secretary Greg Clark, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, Justice Secretary David Gauke and Scottish Secretary David Mundell said up to 22 ministers would quit the Government to oppose crashing out. They warned Mrs May businesses now need certainty the UK will not leave the EU without a deal in place, the Guardian said. MPs are due to have a new round of showdown votes next week and Mrs May has been warned failure to take no deal off the table could finally see Parliament take control. The warning came ahead of today's Cabinet where Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will brief on his latest talks with Brussels amid continuing deadlock over the Northern Ireland backstop. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has delayed a speech due today on the backstop as talks continue with Brussels. The shadow chancellor said the 'only disagreement we have had within the party is around how we handle Brexit and I think we are bringing people together on that'. Mr McDonnell played down suggestions that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering a split. He said: 'I don't think there is that scale, but the key issue for us - and it was made clear at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Tom Watson said it and others - the Labour leadership, and I'm part of that, we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them.' Prominent Labour MP Mary Creagh said she had been approached to join the breakaway, but said no. Ms Creagh told the BBC: 'I think what's important is that we now take a long hard look at ourselves as a political party. 'It's clear that Brexit is pushing both parties to the brink. It's clear that anti-Semitism has taken root in our party.' Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said the MPs who quit took an 'agonising' decision as she called for unity. Ms Long-Bailey told the BBC: 'I know that the decision colleagues made to leave the party was agonising, but I honestly don't think it was the right one.' Tensions in Labour ranks broke into a stormy meeting of the PLP on Monday night. Party chairman Ian Lavery faced an angry backlash at the gathering. The warning came ahead of today's Cabinet where Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay (pictured today in Downing Street) will brief ministers on his latest talks with Brussels amid continuing deadlock over the Northern Ireland backstop Chief Secretary Liz Truss (left) and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (right) joined ministers in No 10 this morning for the weekly Cabinet Attorney General Geoffrey Cox (pictured today arriving for Cabinet) is due to give a speech on the backstop this week but it has been delayed from today as talks continue 'It's good to be back': Militant leader Derek Hatton gloats about being let back into Labour Hatton, pictured left on a Militant march in Liverpool and right speaking in 1985, was expelled from the party for his role in the Trotskyist movement Ex-Militant leader Derek Hatton gloated 'it's good to be back' today after he was let back into Labout for the first time in decades. The left-wing hardliner was expelled more than 30 years ago but was handed a membership card yesterday - the same day as seven moderate MP quit the party. Mr Hatton mocked the 'pathetic' MPs who quit Labour over anti-Semitism, bullying and hard-left politics yesterday, claiming they had 'run away' from disagreement. Hatton was the ringleader of the Trotskyist Militant tendency in the 1980s which set an illegal budget in Liverpool - causing 'grotesque chaos' in the city - and brought about bitter divisions in the party. He was thrown out in 1986 but the party's disputes panel is said to have readmitted him last week after he was 'inspired' to return by Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. The news of Hatton's return comes on the same day that seven Labour moderates quit the party in protest at Mr Corbyn's handling of Brexit and anti-Semitism. Mr Hatton told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Of course it's good to be back, in fact in a way I've never left. 'For 34 years I've stayed absolutely solid with the Labour Party. Never joined any other party, never actually voted for another party. Never campaigned for another party. Labour sources said Mr Lavery stressed the leadership's commitment to rooting out anti-Semitism at what was described as a 'heated' behind-closed-doors gathering at Westminster. But his claims were greeted with derision by some of those present with accusations that he failed to understand the 'enormity' of the problem. A party source said Mr Lavery had spelt out the measures being taken to deal with the 'appalling abuse'. 'Ian Lavery spoke about the party's traditions as a broad church, in which there is a wide range of opinions, but we work together to build a brighter future for millions of people and transform our society,' the source said. 'He made clear the party's absolute determination to root out anti-Semitism and the work that is being done to improve procedures to tackle this appalling abuse.' Mr Umunna was one of seven Labour MPs to quit yesterday with an explosive attack on Jeremy Corbyn for letting anti-Semitism and a culture of bullying infect their party. After the move Mr Corbyn's own deputy warned more MPs would abandon the party if Labour fails to deal with a culture of bullying and harassment. Tom Watson said he believed the decision of seven MPs to resign and set up a new Independent Group was 'premature' but he refused to condemn them as 'traitors' as he admitted he also no longer recognised parts of Labour. Labour's second in command said the hard-left takeover over of the party had left it with an army of activists 'too easily tempted into the language of heresy and treachery'. Announcing their decision at yesterday's sensational press conference, Miss Berger said: 'This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.' She added: 'For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party. 'I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.' The Jewish MP who has previously been the target of anti-Semitic tweets and was protected by bodyguards at last year's party conference following death threats accused the Labour leadership of 'wilfully and repeatedly failing to address hatred against Jewish people within its ranks'. Mr Leslie, who described Labour as 'rotten to its core', said it would be 'irresponsible' to allow Mr Corbyn to become Prime Minister, warning that his policies 'would threaten our national security'. He accused Labour of 'betraying' the country over Brexit. The MPs called on both Tories and Liberal Democrats to join their new group, as they rejected comparisons with the Social Democratic Party, which was founded by the 'Gang of Four' breakaway Labour MPs in 1981. In a direct appeal, Mr Umunna urged them to 'leave the old tribal politics behind', adding: 'We invite you to leave your parties and help us forge a new consensus on a way forward for Britain.' In a statement, Mr Corbyn said he was 'disappointed' by the announcement. Rebels are already more popular than the Lib Dems The breakaway movement launched yesterday by rebel Labour MPs immediately became Britain's third most popular political group. If they contested the next general election as a national party they would win 8 per cent of votes, damaging Jeremy Corbyn's hopes of entering No 10. The biggest losers are the Lib Dems, whose support slumps from 10 to 6 per cent. These are among the findings of the first full-scale opinion survey conducted after the seven MPs formed the new Independent Group yesterday. Alarmingly for Mr Corbyn, the Survation poll says nearly one in three Labour voters prefer the new group to the official Corbyn-led Labour Party. A total of 56 per cent of members of the public say the rebel MPs were right to abandon the Labour Party; just 20 per cent said they should have stayed. There is also clear public support for their reasons for leaving. More than one in two agree Mr Corbyn is a 'threat to UK security' and that Labour has been 'hijacked by the hard Left'. The poll suggests that if the Independent Group became a national party, it would cut support for Labour to 34 per cent, down two percentage points, with the Conservatives on 39, five points ahead, a slight increase in its lead over Labour. Given a straight choice between Mr Corbyn's Labour Party and the breakaway movement, most voters choose the latter. Among Labour supporters, 45 per cent back Mr Corbyn with 31 per cent behind the rebels. The best-known Labour rebel, Chuka Umunna, is the clear public choice to lead the new group. Moreover, ominously for Mr Corbyn, Mr Umunna is seen as 'best Labour PM' by 28 per cent, three points ahead of Mr Corbyn himself on 25. Among Labour voters, 48 per cent back 'PM Corbyn' with 23 per cent in favour of 'PM Umunna'. Mr Corbyn gets most blame for the split: A total of 43 per cent of voters see him as the main cause; 23 per cent put it down to anti-Semitism in Labour, and 17 per cent say Brexit is the main factor. A total of 28 per cent say the splinter group makes it more likely that the Tories will win the next election; 25 per cent say it makes it less likely. But 57 per cent of voters disapprove of the rebels' refusal to resign their seats and stand in by-elections, against 22 per cent who are content for them to carry on as MPs. Survation interviewed 1,023 adults online yesterday afternoon. Luciana Berger: Dubbed a 'dirty little Zionist rat' by pro-Corbyn activists Heavily pregnant Luciana Berger, has been Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree' since 2010 Has been at the centre of the Labour party's anti-Semitism row and a vocal critic of Corbyn's leadership Dubbed a 'dirty little Zionist rat' by pro-Corbyn activists, Luciana grew up in Wembley, in a close Jewish family Her father runs a family home furnishing business, and until recently her mother worked in a palliative care unit Liverpool Wavertree voted Remain by 64.7% in 2016. Ms Berger's stance on anti-Semitism has seen her face a torrent of abuse from online trolls and she required a police escort at last year's Labour Party conference after receiving death threats. Ms Berger, who is heavily pregnant and Jewish, recently faced a vote of no confidence by her local constituency party, which was eventually withdrawn after a heated row in the Labour ranks. During the press conference announcing the split, revealing she joined the Labour Party as a student 20 years ago, Ms Berger said she had become 'embarrassed and ashamed to remain'. Elected in 2010, during the last general election she secured a 29,466 majority, and has previously been shadow minister for public health and mental health, and currently sits on the Health and Social Care Committee. Ms Berger, a remainer, is a supporter of the People's Vote campaign for a second referendum on Brexit. She said: 'This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision. 'We represent different parts of the country, we are of different backgrounds, we were born of different generations, but we all share the same values. 'From today, we will all sit in Parliament as a new independent group of MPs.' Ms Berger said she had become 'embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party'. 'I have not changed. The core values of equality for all, opportunity for all, anti-racism against all and social justice - the values which I hold really dear and which led me to join the Labour Party as a student almost 20 years ago - remain who I am. 'And yet these values have been consistently and constantly violated, undermined and attacked, as the Labour Party today declines to my constituents and our country before party interests. 'I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.' Chuka Umunna: 'Politics is broken. It doesn't have to be this way' Chuka Umunna, the MP for Streatham since 2010. Umunna ran briefly for the Labour leadership in 2015. He withdrew citing a desire to protect his private life from scrutiny Born in 1978 to a Nigerian father, who arrived in Liverpool in 1964 aged 23, according to Umunna's biog, 'with one suitcase and no money'; and an English-Irish mother, a probation officer and later lawyer who supported her family while Chuka's father built up his business. His father, Bennett, died in a car crash soon after standing to be a governor of a Nigerian state on an anti-bribery platform in 1992 Streatham voted Remain by 79.5% in 2016 One of the leading voices in the People's Vote campaign, Mr Umunna has been the MP for Streatham in south London since 2010. At today's press conference, Mr Umunna said politics is 'broken' and Westminster parties have been 'failing' the public. He served under Ed Miliband as shadow business secretary between 2011 and 2015, and stood in the 2015 party leadership race, but withdrew after only three days, saying he was 'uncomfortable' with 'the added level of scrutiny that came with being a leadership candidate'. The 40-year-old quit the frontbench the day after Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader, citing differences over the UK's relationship with the EU. Mr Umunna won a 68.5% share of his constituency vote at the 2017 general election and holds a majority of more than 26,000. At the launch today, he said: 'It is time we dumped this country's old-fashioned politics,' he says. The UK needs a political party 'fit for the here and now' and the 'first step in leaving the tribal politics behind'. 'You don't join a political party to fight the people within it,' he says. The new group will have its first formal meeting in the coming days.' Umunna says the bottom line is: 'Politics is broken. It doesn't have to be this way. Let's change it.' Mike Gapes: 'Sickened by party's anti-semitism' MP for Ilford South since the 1992 general election and one of the Labour Party's longest serving MPs Is sickened by antisemitism in the party and is furious that the Labour leadership 'is facilitating Brexit' Gapes was born in Wanstead Hospital, the son of a postman, and a shop assistant He worked at Labour Party Headquarters for 15 years from 1977 until 1992 including serving from 1988 to 1992 as International Secretary of the Labour Party Ilford South voted Remain by 56.7% in 2016. Veteran MP Mr Gapes said he was 'sickened that Labour is now racist anti-Semitic party and furious that Labour party complicit in facilitating Brexit' Mr Gapes, a former chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, told the press conference: 'I am sickened that the Labour Party is now a racist, anti-Semitic party. 'I am furious that the Labour leadership is complicit in facilitating Brexit, which will cause great economic, social and political damage to our country. 'Jeremy Corbyn and those around him are on the wrong side on so many international issues - from Russia, to Syria, to Venezuela. 'A Corbyn Labour government would threaten our national security and international alliances.' In December 2018, Mr Gapes signed a letter in The Guardian calling for a second vote on Brexit. He, alongside 16 other MPs across Parliament, said: 'We call on all party leaders and parliament to trust the people with the final say so we can face the future united.' Ann Coffey: 'I thought I'd be in Labour for the rest of my life' MP for Stockport since 1992 and one of Labour's longest serving politicians, after first being elected as a councillor in 1984 Accused Corbyn of 'tolerating' anti-Semitism so it is 'rife' inside the Labour Party She is the author of Real Voices, an independent report into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester published in October 2014 Stockport voted Remain by 53.2% in 2016 The MP for Stockport in Greater Manchester spent more than four decades in the Labour Party, and said she thought she would be a member 'until the end of [her] life' when she resigned the Labour whip on Monday. A supporter of a second referendum on Brexit, Ms Coffey, 72, was one of two MPs who tabled a motion of no-confidence in Jeremy Corbyn the day after the EU referendum. She said at the time: 'The result of the European Union referendum leaves this country in a mess. 'Leaders have to take responsibility and [Jeremy Corbyn] has to take his share of responsibility for this, and he should resign.' Announcing that she will now sit as an independent MP on Monday, Ms Coffey said the Labour Party 'is no longer a broad church'. She said: 'Any criticism is responded to with abuse and accusations of treachery. Anti-Semitism is rife and tolerated.' First elected in 1992, Ms Coffey has held a majority of almost 14,500 since the 2017 general election. Angela Smith: Voters feel 'politically homeless' as the country faces huge challenges Has been an MP for two constituencies - first for Sheffield Hillsborough 2005-10 and since 2010 Penistone and Stocksbridge Served as a shadow minister under Ed Miliband after being a Labour Party members since she was 16 years old Before politics, she worked for five years in the NHS before a career as an English lecturer She was targeted in the expenses scandal after it emerged she submitted claims for four beds for her one bedroom flat in London Penistone and Stockbridge voted Leave by 60.7% in 2016 The 57-year-old MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge in South Yorkshire was first elected in May 2005 for Sheffield, Hillsborough. She won the 2017 general election contest with a 1,322 majority. Last month Mr Corbyn was criticised after he appeared to refuse to give way to Ms Smith during his Commons Brexit statement, which she suggested happened because she supports a second referendum. Over the years, the veteran MP has formed part of a number of parliamentary select committees, including transport and environment, food and rural affairs. In her statement as the Labour Party split was announced, highly critical of Mr Corbyn, Ms Smith said since his election as leader in 2015 there has been a change in the Labour Party that has 'destroyed the proud legacy built by our predecessors'. She also revealed that by the age of five she knew her voting intention, but that the current Labour Party is 'characterised by lazy, populist thinking'. Angela Smith rejected comparisons with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) breakaway in 1981. 'I just don't think the comparison with the SDP stands up to scrutiny,' said Ms Smith. 'This is a different century and the challenges that the country faces are on a scale that I don't think we have seen at any other time in the post-war period.' She added that voters felt 'politically homeless'. Chris Leslie: 'Labour has been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left' Elected as MP for Nottingham East in 2010, Leslie was supposed to be a high flyer - serving briefly as shadow chancellor after the 2015 election He was first elected as MP aged just 24, winning Shipley between 1997 and 2005 - serving as a junior minister under Tony Blair - before losing to Tory Philip Davies Leslie worked for a Blairite think tank while out of Parliament Nottingham East voted Remain by 57.1% In a video for his Twitter followers Chris Leslie said: 'Today I've announced I'm leaving the Labour Party and will continue to sit in Parliament representing Nottingham East in a new independent group of MPs. 'I've been a Labour Party member for more than three decades but the Labour Party I joined is no longer today's Labour Party. I did everything I could to save it but it has now been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard left. 'My values haven't changed. I absolutely oppose this Conservative government and desperately want an alternative which tackles the barriers of poverty and discrimination by extending opportunity for all. 'But British politics is now well and truly broken and in all conscience I cannot look you in the face and honestly urge you to support a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour government.' Two Australian surfers who quit their jobs to help clean up the ocean are now the faces of a global phenomenon after creating a floating rubbish bin. Peter Ceglinski and Andrew Turton, from Perth, spent four years developing the 'Seabin' in a bid to solve one of the biggest issues facing the world's oceans - coming up with a prototype in 2015. Their invention, consisting of a cylinder floating on the water's surface, has had global success since the pair launched an online fundraiser when they started out, with their product being used in dozens of countries around the world. Scroll down for video Peter Ceglinski and Andrew Turton (pictured), from Perth, spent four years developing the 'Seabin' in a bid to solve one of the biggest issues facing the world's oceans - coming up with a prototype in 2015 Mr Ceglinksi and Mr Turton were able to raise $300,000 on investment website Indiegogo in the space of two months - far surpassing their initial goal of $230,000. Their product, which can catch 1.5kg of rubbish a day, has been used in dozens of countries as far afield as Montenegro. Their clients range from marinas and docks to yacht clubs and commercial ports. It has also had success closer to home, with the City of Cockburn in Perth's southern suburbs installing a Seabin at the end of last month. The $5,750 installation at Port Coogee Marina is the first in Western Australia, and it is hoped the litter cleared will help save the seahorses and fish that call it home. On Tuesday, Sydney also welcomed its first permanent Seabin - which was donated by global recycling company TOMRA. Devices have been installed at Cabarita Point in the Parramatta River and another outside the Australian National Maritime Museum. Mr Ceglinski told Daily Mail Australia Seabin Project only opened commercial sales 11 months ago and was still in the startup phase. The two entrepeneurs are only covering full-time salaries for the time being, but have a huge following online. Their product (pictured), which can catch 1.5kg of rubbish a day, has been used in dozens of countries as far afield as Montenegro Their campaign video for the fundraiser received more than a billion views, news.com.au reported. 'The weirdest thing we have collected was probably a cowboy boot with a mini pineapple inside, which was found in San Diego,' the environmental businessman said. The men say their ultimate goal is to make Seabins from the plastic caught by other Seabins, resulting in a positive domino effect. This is the emotional moment an ex-Marine turned cop signs off over the radio for the last time as he retires after 26 years of service in law enforcement. Robert Monk retired from the Bedford Police Department in Virginia as a patrol sergeant after almost 22 years. He had worked for the Bedford County Sheriff's Office for four years from April 1993, before he started his career at the police department. Robert Monk makes his last sign-off from Bedford Police Department in Virginia. He had been a patrol sergeant for almost 22 years and worked in the County Sheriff's Office for four years And prior to that he joined the United States Marine Corps out of high school - serving from April 1989 to April 1993, having fought in Operation Desert Storm. As Mr Monk made his final dispatch call, his son Tyler was on the other end of the radio to congratulate him on his service while daughter Briana captured the moment on video. After Tyler congratulates his dad, a choked-up Mr Monk thanks his fellow officers and says a few inspirational words, including: 'We all got into this job with the idea that we might be able to save the world. You may not change the world but you may change somebody's world.' One-by-one, his colleagues came on the radio to say a few congratulatory words, as well as a fellow former Marine who says 'Semper Fi Devil Dog'. This is short for Semper Fidelis, the Marine Corps Latin motto meaning 'Always Faithful'. Mr Monk said: 'It was an honor to serve the Bedford community for over 25 years - the people of Bedford made it easy for me to serve. 'There were times when I had to respond to a friend's house or arrest people that I knew personally and times like that are a challenge to say the least 'But I see situations like that as an opportunity to help and be a positive influence for someone.' He bursts into tears after a dispatch call from his son Tyler who congratulates him on his service. Mr Monk's daughter Briana captured the moment on video Mr Monk, who fought in Operation Desert Storm during his four years in the Marines, said: 'I don't know who is quoted as saying it but one thing I have learned over my career, you may not change the world but you may change somebody's world. I tell my kids this all the time' He continued: 'As I used to tell younger officers, people don't call the police to tell you what a wonderful day they are having. They call because they are having the worst day of their life and what you do in that moment they will remember the rest of their life. 'I've even had one person approach me years later and thank me for arresting him. He explained that it turned his life around for the better. 'In short having served in the community I live in was both challenging and rewarding.' Mr Monk held many different titles while in law enforcement including patrol officer, investigator, school resource officer, drug abuse resistance education officer, jailor and patrol sergeant. He added: 'I was a Corporal when I got out of the Marine Corps. I started as a Deputy Sheriff with the Bedford County Sheriff's Office and left there with the rank of corporal. 'I started as a police officer with the Bedford Police Department and left as a sergeant. 'I am so proud to have worked in Bedford my entire career. Not only that, I'm proud to have helped others. 'I don't know who is quoted as saying it but one thing I have learned over my career, you may not change the world but you may change somebody's world. I tell my kids this all the time.' Daughter Briana, who recorded the poignant moment, added: 'My dad asked my brother, Tyler Monk, to take his 'final sign off' or 10-42. 'My brother took time away from college to come in and take dad's final radio call using his own words, while I videotaped the whole thing. 'It was very emotional and bittersweet for the town, my father, our family and his fellow coworkers.' Alarming pictures show how pristine white snowscapes in Siberia have turned an eerie black. Pollution from coal plants in industrial Kemerovo region is blamed for a ghostly phenomenon blighting the cities of Prokopyevsk and Leninsk-Kuznetsky plus the town of Kiselyovsk. One comment on the morbid scene from a worried local read: 'Is this what snow looks like in hell?' A picture shows the words 'help us' - scrawled in Russian in the grimy snow. Scroll down for video Apocalyptic photos from the towns of Prokopyevsk and Leninsk-Kuznetsky show the streets blanketed in the black sludge Pollution from coal plants in the industrial Kemerovo region has been blamed for the crisis But others say there is a perverted 'beauty' in spooky gloom. Kemerovo is famous both as Russia's leading coal mining region but also as home to Siberia's best ski slopes, famed for an annual swimwear piste run. So far the colourful slopes of resort Sheregesh have not been tarnished by the pollution hitting residents elsewhere in the region. State prosecutors are now examining whether to bring criminal prosecutions for pollution. Local media in Russia blame local coal processing plants, and highlighted how parked cars were caked with a thick lawyer of black grime. One - called Prokopyevskaya - has accepted some responsibility. One picture posted on social media shows the Russian words 'help up' scribbled in the black snow A cross-section of the snowfall showing layers of black dust permeating through the frozen mass Boss Anatoly Volkov told Vesti-Kuzbass TV channel that a shield to protect the air from coal power had stopped working. Deputy governor of Kemerovo region Andrei Panov - in charge of ecology - is to meet local environmentalists to discuss the matter and also blames coal boilers and car exhausts as well as factories. There has been a strong reaction from locals on social media. Residents point the finger at other plants too, alleging there is a long-term lack of environmental protection in an region that's lifeblood is coal, reported The Siberian Times. 'No cleansing systems, all the waste, dust and dirt, coal lay in the area. 'Our children and us are breathing it. It's just a nightmare,' said one. Another commented: 'The government bans smoking in public. But let us inhale coal dust all together and let it reside in our lungs.' Another said: 'The future of our children is terrifying.' State prosecutors are now examining whether to bring criminal prosecutions for pollution A huge statue of President Trump dressed as a Warhammer warrior with Twitter birds on his sword and the head of Vladimir Putin on his shoulder has been unveiled in Italy. Covered in golden armour and wearing a gold leaf crown, the gigantic effigy brandished a huge claw hand with long talons and a Twitter-themed blade. As it moved through the streets the animated Caesar-like figure turned from side-to-side and moved its arms, as people stood at its feet waving US flags. On Trump's armoured knees was a depiction of the Statue of Liberty's head, plus an American eagle on one shoulder and the Russian president on the other. The terrifying 65ft high statue was part of the Carnevale Di Viargeggio festival in the seaside town of Viareggio in Tuscany, where around 600,000 revellers witnesses the 40-tonne float parade through the streets. The 65ft statue was paraded through the Italian seaside town of Viareggio, as part of the Carnevale Di Viargeggio festival The paper-mache structure had a huge clawed hand, a gold-leaf crown and a sword with Twitter birds around the hilt Named 'Il Pa-Drone' or 'Master-Drone', the paper-mache sculpture was reportedly inspired by The Emperor of Mankind character from the Warhammer 40K figurine game. In its right hand, the Trump statue carried a sword with a ring of blue Twitter birds around the hilt. Written along the blade is the phrase 'dazi vostri', which translates as 'your duties' or 'your taxes'. But many Italians wrote on Twitter that the expression is actually a play on words with the expression 'cazzi vostri', which means 'your c****' and is used as slang for 'none of your business' or 'your problem', according to Time. An Italian news report said the phrase actually means, 'Heres your f****** tariffs', referencing Trump's trade was with China, Heavy stated. Around 60,000 revellers saw the gigantic effigy of the US president moved through the seaside town Along the blade of Trump's sword was written 'dazi vostri', thought to be a reference to taxes and tariffs The parade website refers to Trump as 'God Emperor Trump' and made several Warhammer references. Created by sculptor Fabrizio Galli, he intended to mock the president and to also comment on Trump's foreign policy. But Trump supporters online often share memes of the presidents describing him as 'the God Emperor of the United States'. Galli has made floats in the past that have mocked North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin. According to Heavy he said told an Italian TV news station: 'Its a joke, but in fact he's trying to destroy nations with the economy instead of nuclear missiles. Along with the huge Trump statute, other paraders at the festival depicted the billionaire as a Warhammer character Another float at the festival depicted a grinning Trump in pyjamas floating on a bed of cushions with a hot dog space rocket flying past his head 'This is one of the strongest actions let's say, that powerful people like Trump can use.' A description of the statue on the official website read: 'The supreme myth of having power over the whole universe. The first God Emperor Trump. 'The parallelism with the dominant character of Warhammer 40K has never been more fitting, except that this is not a futuristic three-dimensional tabletop wargame but pure reality. 'The dominant male par-excellence has arrived, democratically, and is now here, among us. The Master-Drone flies over the Viareggio boardwalk as we prepare to pay the price.' The statue was not the only depiction of the US president, as another parader wore a full Warhammer armour suit with Trump's head and another float showed the smiling billionaire dressed in pyjamas floating on a sea of cushions with a spaceship hot dog flying next to his head. Dr Malcolm Lewis is pictured arriving at his medical practitioners tribunal in Manchester A children's doctor 'sexted' his teenage patient's mother on a daily basis and pleasured himself in front of her during a video call, a medical tribunal heard. Dr Malcolm Lewis, 65, pursued the married woman over a four-month period and sent her texts referring to her as 'my darling', it was claimed. In various messages, Lewis allegedly said he wished he was the child's father and told the mother: 'I miss you so much, I want to hold you and touch you again.' Lewis, from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, was also alleged to have made an explicit video call to the mother as her daughter, 14, sat beside her. During the call, Lewis was seen to be shirtless and lying on a bed drinking wine and appeared to carry out a sex act under his bed clothes, the tribunal heard. Lewis denies sexual motivated misconduct saying there was no physical contact with the woman other than shaking hands or 'briefly hug' each other. He now stands accused of using used his professional position to pursue an inappropriate relationship with the patient's mother after ceasing to treat the girl. Lewis had been a consultant paediatric nephrologist at Royal Manchester Children's hospital since 1990. He continued to be the girl's doctor from November 2014 until December 2015 but was unexpectedly suspended due to concerns about his medical practice. In June 2016, Lewis accepted a post in Ireland but would stay in touch with the woman as 'an online consultant'. He would visit her at her home in Lancashire during trips back to the UK and also encouraged the woman to make a complaint about the child's current care. Lewis (pictured) had been a consultant paediatric nephrologist at Royal Manchester Children's hospital since 1990 Peter Atherton, lawyer for the General Medical Council, told the hearing: 'The mother later received a message from the doctor in which he said "I have always loved you". 'She thought this was odd but was flattered by it. Dr Lewis and the mother continued to exchange messages as they were close friends, and the relationship changed. 'Over the following months the forefront of the messages became sexualised. 'She has described how he was sexting on a daily basis and she was flattered by his attention of her. Her position was this did not progress to a physical relationship. 'She described their correspondence as a cyber affair. In the summer of 2016 the doctor sent a gift to Patient A for her birthday. 'This cause some concern for the mother. In another message, he told her he wished Patient A was his child. 'The mother later gave consent for Patient A and the doctor to exchange messages about her health issues and medication doses. 'He returned to Manchester from Ireland every two weeks and he would meet the mother for coffee.' The 'affair' was revealed after the patient's father was shown texts by the mother from Lewis concerning advice he had given the family about the girl's care. Pictured above is the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where Dr Malcolm Lewis worked The father claims he noticed a text that read 'my darling I miss you so much, I can't wait to hold and touch you again'. Mr Atherton added: 'There was a violent struggle as she tried to snatch the mobile phone from him. 'He retrieved deleted data from the mobile phone and said the messages between the doctor and his wife suggested they were having an affair for about three months. 'The mother contacted the police and reported the theft of her phone and her husband was arrested and detained for 20 hours in a police station.' In evidence, the husband known only as Mr C, said he and his wife had argued after their daughter found 'gold sexy panties' allegedly given to the mother by Lewis. He added: 'My daughter also told me of the time when Dr Lewis was FaceTiming my wife and he was naked on a hotel bed drinking wine and masturbating. And she said her mum turned it off really quickly. 'I asked my wife and she confirmed this too. She said after this she terminated contact with him. 'Do you think I am an unreasonable man who would break up his marriage, who would put his child who has been severely ill through all of this so she no longer has a family home?' Lewis claims there was no sexual communication or sexual contact and said there was 'no cyber or any other form of affair between himself and the mother.' His lawyer Christopher Gillespie described the mother as a 'liar, a bully and a thug'. The hearing continues. Marriage is a sacred institution, with all its rituals and formalities. Extravagant wedding celebrations make it even more enjoyable and add to the joy of the occasion! Wedding trends have undergone noticeable changes with time. Every culture comes with its own unique traditions, and the Asian culture is no different. Although modernism has had an influence on the way weddings are conducted today, Asian marriages continue to follow some very important religious traditions from the past. Owing to the rich blend of cultures in Asia, weddings here are a grand and unique affair when compared to the other parts of the world. Read on to understand the wedding traditions in Asian countries and what makes them stand out from the rest. Indian Wedding - If youve attended an Indian wedding, youll know what its like to have lots of colourful flowers, vibrant clothing, rich jewellery, professional henna artists and delicious food, all in one place! Indian wedding traditions again, differ with the region, caste, religion, language and ethnicity. A Sikh wedding will be very different from a Muslim wedding, which is again very different from a Bengali wedding, and so on. A typical Indian wedding celebration can be either a one-day affair or can go on up to several days. In the Hindu culture, an astrologer decides the marriage date and time, so that the sacred rituals are conducted at the most auspicious moment. The bride and groom are not allowed to see each other for quite a few days before their wedding because it is believed to bring bad luck. Pre-wedding rituals include the mehendi party (henna-application), haldi function (turmeric-application), worshipping the Gods and the baraat (the grooms entry). On the wedding day, you will also get to see the couple exchanging flower garlands, walking around the sacred circle of fire, the groom marking his brides forehead with a red dot and tying a mangalsutra around her neck. After the exchange of vows and completion of the ceremony, comes the bidaai, when the bride bids adieu to her family and departs with her husband. Chinese Wedding - Red is the colour of Chinese weddings, for it is believed to bring luck, love and prosperity. The bride wears vibrant silk clothing (usually the Qi Pao), adorned with golden embroideries of phoenixes, peonies, chrysanthemums and dragons, while the groom is seen in a black silk coat and a robe, embroidered with the dragon. The phoenix and dragon combination symbolises the balance between male and female power. The wedding date is fixed based on astrological calculations, so that the day is lucky for the couple. One prominent ritual includes the serving of tea to the couples parents and grandparents, before and after the ceremony. The purpose of loud firecrackers at Chinese weddings is to ward off evil spirits. In southern Chinese weddings, you will often here the phrase price of the bride, which is decided according to the grooms economic status. The grooms family offers either money, gold jewellery or a roast pig to the brides family as a token of respect. Whilst the elders give wedding presents to the couple, younger family members serve tea to the newlyweds. Gifts and blessings are usually given in red packets in the form of money or AngBaos. AngBaos depend on the wedding location, date, cultural traditions and other factors, and can be decided based on the different wedding angbao rates. Japanese Wedding - In Japan, Miai refers to arranged marriage and Renai refers to a marriage decided by the boy and girl on their own. The bride and groom wear a white kimono at a traditional Japanese Shinto (Shinto religion) wedding. While the brides kimono includes beautiful flowers and embroidery, the groom wears a black kimono with his familys symbol embellished in white. The brides outfit is usually heavy, so you might see her change clothes more than once throughout the ceremony. In the Shinto wedding, emphasis is given to blessings given by the natural spirits. In the Buddhist wedding, the exchange of necklaces symbolises the marriage and also indicates the unison of the two families. Japanese weddings make use of things with strong symbolic representations, like the mizuhiki knot (symbolising long life and prosperity), the bamboo (for purity and prosperity) and the Sankon-no-gi (representing exchange of vows). While the religious ceremonies take place solely in the presence of the couple, the reception involves a big family celebration. Money is put in an envelope and given to the couple as wedding presents. Some affluent newlyweds also give away gifts to their guests. Korean Wedding - Koreans are considered to be non-fussy when it comes to spending for the wedding ceremony. Korean wedding takes place only if the fortune-teller foresees that the couple will have a harmonious life. Otherwise, the wedding is called off. Hanbok is the traditional Korean costume worn by children, men and women. It is either made out of silk, white or hemp, the way it was originally made; or out of different fabric types and colours as worn today. Jeon-an-rye is an ancient Korean tradition, wherein the groom keeps a wild goose on the table and blows to his mother-in-law, twice. She then takes the goose inside. Since wild geese mate for life and stick to one partner all their lives, this tradition represents love and harmony between the newlyweds. In the modern-day ritual, a wooden goose is used to represent the wild goose. Asian weddings are refreshing and fun, with their modern yet traditional rituals. Its truly a delight to see the amount of effort and planning that go into wedding preparations, and to finally have a grand execution. The first tax filing season under the new federal tax law is proving to be surprising, confusing - and occasionally frightening - for some Americans, especially those accustomed to getting money back from the government. Take Andy Kraft and Amy Elias of Portland, Oregon. The couple had grown comfortable getting a small refund each year, a few hundred dollars or more. Then they found out they owe $10,160 this year. 'I will never forget the moment, I thought 'We look good' and then we added in the next W-2 and my jaw hit the floor,' Kraft said. 'There was no way I wanted to believe that what I was looking at was accurate.' The first tax filing season under the new federal tax law is proving to be surprising, confusing - and occasionally frightening - for some Americans President Trump promised a reduction in taxes with the new law. And by most measures, the majority of Americans will see one. The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center projected the tax law would reduce individual income taxes by about $1,260 on average, although it benefits higher earners more. Some people already saw the benefit in the form of bigger paychecks. That's because the law forced employers to change what they withheld. But the system is far from perfect, and many workers didn't have enough in taxes set aside. Now, the IRS wants that money. In addition, the law also eliminated personal exemptions, increased child credits, limited popular deductions and generally upended many familiar practices that determine what happens at tax time. That has taxpayers feeling a bit unmoored. 'We were very comfortable with our tax law, it had basically been there since 1986, suddenly all these things that were very important to people changed ... it's all different,' said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center. Andy Kraft and Amy Elias of Portland, Oregon, had grown comfortable getting a small refund each year, a few hundred dollars or more. Then they found out they owe $10,160 this year Kraft and Elias are able to pay their tax bill but he's still stunned. He even tried to reverse-engineer things to figure out where they went wrong, diving into page after page of IRS rules. He painstakingly put together all the numbers. The couple ultimately asked a CPA to verify the figures they were seeing on TurboTax. Crushingly, they were correct. The couple's effective tax rate was lower, but they still owed the government. 'I feel like I have reached a stage of grief of acceptance,' he said. 'In a twisted way I should have been paying this all year and now I just have to pay it in one lump sum.' A number of experts such as Gleckman are urging taxpayers to obsess less about their refund or what they owe when measuring the effect of the new tax law. These are just a sliver of your tax picture. But the truth is, many Americans have come to rely on refunds. About three-quarters of U.S. taxpayers typically get one and they had averaged around $2,800. For some low-income households it is the biggest cash infusion of the year. The IRS reported Thursday that the average tax refund as of the second week of filing season was $1,949, down 8.7 percent from the year earlier. The total number of refunds is down 16 percent. The IRS reported Thursday that the average tax refund as of the second week of filing season was $1,949, down 8.7 percent from the year earlier. The total number of refunds is down 16 percent Experts caution it is too early to draw conclusions about a tax season that ends in April. Plus, the number of returns - 27 million as of Feb. 8 - is down 10 percent from a year ago, due in part to the partial government shutdown. The picture will become much clearer as more filings are processed, refunds are issued and the IRS gets back up to full speed. All the same, the initial results have surprised early filers and worried those who haven't yet tackled their taxes. Part of the problem centers around how employees and employers adjusted (or didn't adjust) withholdings from paychecks to account for the law's changes. The government issued updated withholding guidelines to help employers determine how much to set aside from an employee's paycheck to cover taxes. Withhold too much and you get a refund at tax time; too little and you owe. Few taxpayers appear to have heeded the IRS' advice to do a 'paycheck checkup' to make sure they had the proper amount withheld from their checks It is at best, an estimate. But it's an estimate that grew drastically more difficult to make under the new law. The Government Accountability Office estimated in a report last summer that about 30 million workers had too little withheld from their paychecks, which made their take home pay bigger but increased their tax liability. That's about 3 million more workers than normal. Few taxpayers appear to have heeded the IRS' advice to do a 'paycheck checkup' to make sure they had the proper amount withheld. Payroll processor ADP, which is responsible for paying one out of every six Americans, said the vast majority of people in its system didn't update their withholdings last year. Some taxpayers who did make adjustments found they couldn't get it quite right. Kevin McCreanor of Milton, Georgia and his wife normally get a sizeable refund each year - it was more than $12,000 last year. While they know waiting for a large refund isn't the best strategy financially, they like a refund and they put anything they get back toward their daughters' education. Their income, earned primarily from his wife's job in telecom, can vary greatly, so there was comfort in never facing a big bill. The couple increased her paycheck withholdings to ensure the same but found they are only getting back $519 this year. Their income and tax rate did increase, and McCreanor acknowledges there is probably more he could have done to prepare but he is very disappointed all the same. Some surprises were welcome, however. Brian Goodell and his wife typically face a tax bill of anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 each year. But this year the Tigard, Oregon, couple is getting a $15,000 refund. They believe they got some benefit from the increased child tax credit. They also made more charitable donations and increased their withholdings. While Goodell isn't entirely sure why it worked out so well, he'll gladly take the refund. Kevin McCreanor of Milton, Georgia and his wife normally get a sizeable refund each year - it was more than $12,000 last year. They got $519 this year Taxpayers can get a better sense of how they fared by looking at their tax liability or effective tax rate. This information is often available on the summary received from an accountant or tax preparation software. They can also look at the 'total tax' on those summaries or form 1040. These are not perfect measures either, but provide some perspective. And remember that getting a refund is not necessarily a good thing. Breaking even is really the best outcome from an economic point of view. If you get a refund, that means the government has been holding onto your money when you could have been using it. Additionally, consider that taxes are rarely an equal comparison from year-to-year, said Eric Bronnenkant, the head of tax at Betterment and a CPA and certified financial planner. People's lives change in ways that can dramatically influence their taxes, such as marriages, divorces, kids, moving or job changes. The average taxpayer may not realize the full impact some of these changes might have. 'I am not surprised by the reaction people are having,' Bronnekant said. 'I think for some people the reaction is more justified than others.' A nine-year-old girl who died from heart complications was initially misdiagnosed as having anxiety. Auckland girl Taya Kauri had been suffering from bouts of breathlessness, sporadic loss of appetite and tiredness for nearly a year, but doctors couldn't work out why. When she was taken to the emergency room on February 8, Taya's mother Monique thought they would finally get a diagnosis. Instead, her beloved daughter, who she says had a 'big heart' for others, went into cardiac arrest and died only hours later. Taya Kauri, 9 (pictured), died earlier this month after she woke up with a 'racing' heartbeat Taya was admitted with a 'racing' heartbeat, which Monique chalked up to anxiety over going to school, Stuff reported. A 'burning' sensation in the schoolgirl's chest made her mother think a chest infection could be on the way. Taken to an emergency clinic, a heart rate monitor registered Taya's heart beating at 200 beats per minute. The normal resting heart rate for a girl her age is between 70 and 110 beats per minute. The schoolgirl had suffered from breathlessness and tiredness for nearly a year, which doctors chalked up to school-related anxiety She was rushed to Middlemore Hospital where doctors desperately tried to stabilise her heart rate. At about midday, she went into cardiac arrest. Staff performed CPR on her for 45 minutes before deciding to put her on life support. She remained on life support until 6pm, where the decision was made to 'let her go' after family from Wellington could be by her side. She was rushed to hospital with a heart rate of 200 beats per minute, double the usual resting heart rate for children her age Her death is now being assessed by the coroner, with Monique hoping the findings will bring her some closure. 'We were really lucky to have her, but she's off somewhere better because she had a relationship with God. That was really important to her. '[Doctors] did say something about the right side of the heart not working.' A Givealittle page was started by Monique's sister, Nicole Pigou, to raise money to spread Taya's ashes in her father's birthplace. 'Her mum Monique, sisters Ava, Peyton, Phoenix and Dallas and dad Kodez are surrounded by loving family and friends as arrangements have begun to put on a farewell fit for such a wonderful girl,' the page reads. A beleaguered Honda worker today hit out at the Government's handling of Brexit after learning his job at its Swindon factory could be at risk. The man slammed MPs as Honda denied Brexit was behind it shutting its plant with the loss of 3,500 jobs, less than six months after bosses pledged support for it. The Japanese firm said it proposed to close the vehicle manufacturing plant - which makes 150,000 cars a year - at the end of the current model's production lifecycle. A cyclist who has worked at the plant for 24 years told Channel 4 as he arrived today: 'What are we like 44 days away from Brexit, and they haven't got a clue. They can't even decide for themselves what Brexit means. This is idiocy of epic proportions.' Honda insisted the closure was 'not a Brexit related issue for us', but workers and MPs including Richard Burden and Rebecca Long-Bailey lined up to dispute this. Chief executive Takahiro Hachigo speaks in Tokyo today about the Swindon plant's closure Honda workers gather outside the factory in Swindon today following the announcement Shadow Business Secretary Ms Long-Bailey said there was 'no doubt' Tory Brexit plans were having an impact on the industry, while Labour MP Mr Burden said Brexit 'is an absolutely key part of the context in which Honda and other major car manufacturers are making decisions about where to invest'. The Prime Minister told the Cabinet today that the Government would 'do all we can to support those affected by this decision'. Theresa May said she had 'spoken to the president of Honda and expressed her disappointment at the decision'. Father of the House of Commons and Tory former Chancellor Ken Clarke warned against ignoring the warnings of 'every leader of the car industry, most of our foreign investments and all our business leaders'. Business Secretary Greg Clark will give MPs more details shortly but there is expected to be a task force involving local MPs, business leaders and trade unions 'to make sure the skills and expertise in the work force is retained'. Mr Clark said the Honda decision underlined the importance of striking a Brexit deal. 'We will go on making sure that the argument that manufacturers put for a deal to be concluded swiftly is something that is heard loud and clear,' he said. Mr Clark added: 'Decisions like Honda's this morning demonstrate starkly how much is at stake. Honda's announcement, they have described as not being related to Brexit but to the changes that are taking place in the automotive sector.' An aerial view of the Honda manufacturing plant in Swindon today, ahead of its closure in 2021 The entrance to the Honda car plant in the Wiltshire town of Swindon is pictured yesterday He also a conference organised by Make UK - the new name for EEF (the Engineering Employers' Federation) - that the workforce at Swindon would be supported. 'I'm not going to pretend to an audience of manufacturers that this is anything other than a very bitter blow,' he said. Mr Clark added: 'Our message to everyone affected by Honda's closure is that we value intensely your skills, we completely understand the challenges you face and we will do everything we possibly can to support every single person in the community, in the workforce, in the supply chain to make sure their skills and ingenuity can find expression and application in the years ahead.' It comes one day after workers at the Wiltshire factory reacted angrily to the move at a time of turmoil for UK car manufacturing and fears over the impact of Brexit. Some workers only found out about the announcement via Twitter, while others said they were 'pretty hacked off' and criticised a lack of communication from bosses. Honda insisted the move was due to global changes in the car industry, but its chief executive admitted they 'still don't know what sort of changes Brexit will bring'. Social media users were quick to praise the Honda worker who slammed the government, labelling him the new 'Brenda' in reference to the woman who famously spoke out about Brexit in a BBC interview The man was compared to Brenda from Bristol, a woman hailed in April 2017 as 'the voice of the nation' after a video of her exasperated reaction to finding out there would be a General Election went viral The move comes amid a fall in demand for diesel cars and tighter emissions rules, with the firm saying the closure is also linked to the need to launch electric vehicles. Honda is also reacting after the EU and Japan struck a trade deal removing car export tariffs for both, meaning there is little need to base manufacturing in the EU. Experts including TV business editors Ed Conway and Simon Jack suggested this was likely to be the biggest factor, or among the biggest factors, in the closure. Some residents in Swindon blamed Brexit for the closure, but Honda Europe senior vice president Ian Howells insisted: 'This is not a Brexit related issue for us.' Mr Howells told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning: 'These other changes which are now coming at us globally we have to now respond to.' Workers leave the Honda factory in Swindon yesterday with 3,500 jobs now set to be lost Mr Hachigo admitted today that they 'still don't know what sort of changes Brexit will bring' A lorry with a car carrier trailer leaves the sprawling Honda plant in Swindon yesterday He added: 'In terms of where we are in our investment in the UK, then I'm afraid we are in a position where our investment and our focus needs to go somewhere else. The foreign companies scaling down in Britain after the Brexit vote Today's news is the latest blow to hit Britain's car manufacturing industry, with several international firms threatening to close plants amid Brexit reservations. In December, Nissan announced it would no longer build its X-Trail car at its plant in Sunderland and Jaguar Land Rover recently said it would cut 4,500 UK jobs. Meanwhile, Ford bosses have warned a no-deal Brexit would be 'catastrophic' and would cost them 1,000 jobs - mainly at its Bridgend plant in Wales. On Sunday, aerospace giant Airbus claimed it had already been forced to spend 'tens of millions of euros' preparing for the prospect of no deal. Japenese tech giant Hitachi revealed in January that it would freeze construction of its stalled nuclear power station in Wales due to problems financing the project. The British government had reportedly agreed to finance two thirds of the three trillion yen construction cost, with Hitachi as well as Japanese and British investors scheduled to cover the balance. But Hitachi's fund-raising efforts have been deadlocked at home while its request for additional investment from the British government has been shelved with London consumed by Brexit. 'It can't be in the UK. And this is really a challenge for us on a global basis and not decisions being made locally by either ourselves, or equally by the UK Government.' Meanwhile a union source told BBC News that Honda had sent its Swindon workforce home for the day after confirming the closure plans. The employment losses are not expected until 2021, but Business Secretary Greg Clark admitted the closure was a 'devastating decision for Swindon and the UK'. He said: 'This news is a particularly bitter blow to the thousands of skilled and dedicated staff who work at the factory, their families and all of those employed in the supply chain. 'I will convene a taskforce in Swindon with local MPs, civic and business leaders as well as trade union representatives to ensure that the skills and expertise of the workforce is retained, and these highly valued employees move into new skilled employment. 'The automotive industry is undergoing a rapid transition to new technology. The UK is one of the leaders in the development of these technologies and so it is deeply disappointing that this decision has been taken now.' In Tokyo, Honda's chief executive Takahiro Hachigo said the decision was not related to Brexit, but added of the closure: 'I very much regret this.' He added: 'We still don't know what sort of changes Brexit will bring at this point. We have to wait until we have a better idea about the situation.' Honda said under the proposed restructure, the current role of its UK manufacturing business (HUM) as a global manufacturing hub may no longer be viable. The Honda plant in Swindon is pictured in an archive aerial photograph taken in 1998 One worker told the Daily Mirror yesterday: 'I did not have a clue until I saw a text from a friend who said he's seen it on Twitter. We have heard nothing from management. It's disgusting.' Honda insisted its European HQ will continue to be located in the UK. A spokesman said: 'This proposal comes as Honda accelerates its commitment to electrified cars, in response to the unprecedented changes in the global automotive industry. 'The significant challenges of electrification will see Honda revise its global manufacturing operations, and focus activity in regions where it expects to have high production volumes.' 'Real risk' of more UK car plants closing over electrification More UK car plants could close because manufacturers want to build electric cars elsewhere, an industry expert has claimed. Jim Holder, editorial director of What Car? magazine, told the Press Association that the country could be 'left behind' in relation to the technology. The 'significant challenges of electrification' was the reason given by Honda for deciding to shut its Swindon factory in 2021. Only a handful of manufacturers make electric cars in the UK. Jaguar Land Rover builds the hybrid Range Rover at its Solihull factory and has plans to make all new models electric or hybrid from 2020. Nissan builds the Leaf electric car at its plant in Sunderland, and industry sources say there is potential for an electric car from the manufacturer's premium brand, Infiniti, to be produced there. Toyota builds hybrid versions of the Corolla at its plant in Burnaston, near Derby. The UK plays a 'very small part' in the global production of electric and hybrid cars, according to Mr Holder. He cited a number of reasons, including lower sales of the vehicles compared with the rest of Europe, the cut in government grants for buyers and the reduction in the value of the pound. 'We're lagging in terms of manufacturing and uptake, particularly compared with China, Japan and certain parts of America,' he said. Asked if more manufacturers could follow Honda's decision to close a UK plant to build electric cars elsewhere, Mr Holder warned: 'There is a very real risk of it and that is highlighted by today's announcement. 'There is a very real risk we're being left behind. The quickest way to justify the billions of investment required in electric cars is to build them in the markets where they're buying them.' There was no mention of Brexit by Honda. Consultation with the Unite union will begin today, and Honda said it will be working closely with its workforce over the months ahead. Katsushi Inoue, Honda's chief officer for European regional operations and president, Honda Motor Europe, said: 'In light of the unprecedented changes that are affecting our industry, it is vital that we accelerate our electrification strategy and restructure our global operations accordingly. 'As a result, we have had to take this difficult decision to consult our workforce on how we might prepare our manufacturing network for the future. 'This has not been taken lightly and we deeply regret how unsettling today's announcement will be for our people.' HUM director Jason Smith said: 'We understand the impact this proposal will have on our associates, wider supplier base and the local community. We are committed to supporting associates to help them through this difficult time.' Staff in the Wiltshire town - which voted 55 per cent in favour of Brexit in the 2016 referendum - said they were angry about the development. One worker, who has been at the plant for 24 years, said he blamed the closure on Brexit. The Remain voter said: 'Perfectly viable car plant operating for 30 years, no problem at all - as soon as Brexit comes along the plant needs investment. 'People like Justin Tomlinson, our MP, campaigned for this Brexit. He wanted Brexit - he gets to carry the can. If he's not unseated by a massive majority at the next election then this town gets what it deserves.' Asked how he felt about the news, the man replied: 'Pretty hacked off, to be fair.' Another man leaving the site said staff had not been warned about the announcement. He said: 'Devastated. That's all I can say.' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it is a 'huge blow' to workers and the wider community, adding: 'The Government's disastrous handling of Brexit is letting people down across the country.' Unite national officer for the automotive sector Des Quinn said: 'We acknowledge the global challenges that Honda has outlined in its statement, but we don't accept that this plant, with its highly skilled and dedicated workforce, does not have a viable future. 'We are now entering a period of meaningful consultations with the management to examine in detail the business case put forward by the company. 'We will leave no stone unturned to keep this plant going and its workforce in employment. 'While Brexit is not mentioned by the company as a reason for the announcement, we believe that the uncertainty that the Tory Government has created by its inept and rigid handling of the Brexit negotiations lurks in the background. Workers are pictured here inside the Honda manufacturing plant in Swindon in a file image The closure of the plant, set to happen within the next few years, will put 3,500 jobs at risk 'If the Government had delivered a strong and stable Brexit that protected the economy and jobs, we may well have been in a very different position today. 'We have met the company this morning and will be meeting representatives of the workforce at what is an extremely worrying time for our members and their families. 'The impact of any closure on the Wiltshire economy and more widely throughout the UK supply chain can't be underestimated - it would be devastating. That's why Unite will be making every effort to avoid that catastrophic outcome.' TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said it was a 'devastating blow' for workers and UK manufacturing. Honda closure sees car manufacturing industry face fresh blow Honda's decision to close its Swindon plant is the latest blow to the UK's car manufacturing industry. Local Tory MP Justin Tomlinson said job losses are not expected before 2021 and blamed 'global trends and not Brexit' for the closure. Whatever the reason, the development will be highly unwelcome for those who rely on the plant for jobs and for those with high hopes for British manufacturing after the EU departure. The car industry has been warning for years about the impact of Brexit - particularly of a no-deal scenario - being added to issues including the slump in diesel sales. A fortnight earlier, Nissan told workers its next-generation X-Trail would be made in Japan and not Sunderland as planned. The decision came despite the Government offering the manufacturer a so-called sweetheart deal of up to 80 million in support to protect the firm from higher post-Brexit trade tariffs. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) had warned the industry was on 'red alert', with figures suggesting car production had slumped by almost a 10th last year. In 2018, just over 1.5 million cars were built in UK factories, a 9.1 per cent slump on the previous year and the lowest in over five years. Demand for diesel cars is drastically down, with a decline by 22 per cent to 561,000 last year. The SMMT said investment had effectively 'stalled', having halved in 2018 while firms delayed decisions until the UK's trading arrangements became clearer. Ford is also seeking up to 400 voluntary redundancies at its Bridgend engine plant and Land Rover is to shrink its workforce by 4,500, with most of those cuts in the UK. Meanwhile, Porsche began asking buyers placing orders to sign contracts containing a clause stating they would be prepared to cover the cost of a potential 10 per cent tariff. After the latest development, Swindon North MP Mr Tomlinson said Honda had told him the move was based on global trends and not on UK's nearing Brexit departure. But that did little to dampen concerns with March 29 looming. Unite's automotive sector officer Des Quinn said the closure would be a 'shattering body blow' for UK manufacturing. 'The car industry in the UK over the last two decades has been the jewel in the crown for the manufacturing sector - and now it has been brought low by the chaotic Brexit uncertainty created by the rigid approach adopted by Prime Minister Theresa May,' he said. Professor Matthias Holweg, an automotive industry expert at Oxford University, said fears of the high tariffs that would accompany a no-deal departure were 'dangling Damocles' sword' over the manufacturers. With a sales slowdown in key markets and a decline in diesel demand, the industry 'is not a happy place', but 'Brexit puts UK plants in a particularly bad position', he said. 'The Prime Minister's refusal to take no-deal off the table is putting thousands of jobs in jeopardy. She must end this crippling Brexit uncertainty by extending Article 50 and dropping her destructive red lines. 'Workers at Honda must not pay the price for the Prime Minister playing to the hardliners in her party and we urge Honda to sit down urgently with Unite to discuss a way forward for the plant.' Alan Tomala, regional officer for the Unite union, and a former employee at the plant between 1995 and 2007, said workers were 'angry, dismayed and worried'. He added: 'The usual formula is one job in the plant equates to four in the supply chain and the local economy. If closure is confirmed, it will rip the heart out of this area.' Mr Tomala said the union represented more than 1,200 workers at the plant, and they had not been told if the reports were correct. 'For employees, our members and the wider workforce, both in the plant and in the supply chain, to hear about this through the media I think is disrespectful and disgraceful,' Mr Tomala said. 'The workforce in there deserve better than that.' The company employs about 3,500 people at the Swindon plant, building around 160,000 Civics a year, more than 90 per cent of which are exported to Europe and the US. Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses said: 'The planned closure of the Honda plant is not only devastating for the skilled workforce employed there, but a very worrying time for all the small businesses throughout Honda's supply chain, and especially local firms in the surrounding area. 'Across the region there's a huge network of businesses throughout the supply chain that will be impacted by the closure and will now be very concerned about their futures. 'From caterers and cleaners, to nearby cafes, thousands of small businesses will also rely heavily on the Swindon plant and this announcement will be incredibly unsettling for them.' Dr Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, Phil Smith, chief executive of Business West and Paul Britton, chief executive of Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, said: 'The automotive industry is a bellwether for UK manufacturing, and has a disproportionate impact on many of our business communities and on our export strength. 'The planned closure of the Swindon plant will have a major impact across the area, affecting not only many employees on site but also firms and staff across the supply chain. 'Given the size of the operation, there will be a wide and diverse network of regional suppliers that will now be hugely concerned about their future business prospects.' And Rosie Rogers, transport campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: 'As Honda says we're seeing a massive shift to electric vehicles, which we need to tackle our climate emergency. 'To the Government's shame they say the right thing but still haven't woken up to the pace of change, and British workers are paying the price. 'Instead slowcoaches like Transport Secretary Chris Grayling have kept us hooked on polluting diesel.' The news comes a fortnight after Nissan told workers its next-generation X-Trail would be made in Japan and not Sunderland, as planned, despite the Government's so-called sweetheart deal of up to 80 million to protect the firm from higher post-Brexit trade tariffs. Speaking in September, Ian Howells, senior vice-president of Honda Europe, said the company remained 'right behind' its plant in Swindon and was not considering moving out of the UK after Brexit. Honda was the first major Japanese car company to get involved in large-scale manufacturing in the UK when it did a deal with British Leyland in 1980 to produce Honda-based models in BL factories. Work began on its plant in Swindon in 1985. The fury of the workers Gearing up: The first Honda Jazz rolls off the assembly line at Swindon in 2009 As staff arrived at the giant plant yesterday, one resident summed up the fears of many following Hondas decision to desert Swindon. Stunned by the announcement, 68-year-old pensioner Mary Day said: It is going to be a disaster for the town. I didnt see it coming. None of us did. The Japanese car giant is the biggest employer in this south western town of 180,000 people, which grew up in the 19th century thanks to a booming railway works industry. Residents in the town, which voted 55 per cent to leave in the 2016 referendum, said they did not believe that Brexit had nothing to do with Hondas decision. Jason Foster, a 46-year-old local government employee, said: I think its coming down to Brexit and theyre not admitting it. I think its the uncertainty. Generations of residents have worked for Honda. Mike James, 79, said he had helped to build the plant and now fears for the future of workers in Swindon. A lot of people are going to have to tighten their belts because theres no money coming in very few people could match the wages that Honda pays even if you do get a job tomorrow youll still find it very hard to pay your bills. Staff were furious the announcement had been leaked to the media on Monday. One worker, who just gave his name as Jason, said: Eighteen years Ive worked here. I found out on television this morning that I was losing my job. A wave of Japanese car-makers came to Britain in the 1980s, drawn by the business-friendly environment under Margaret Thatcher and access to European markets. The Swindon plant, a former aircraft factory that once made Spitfires, began production in 1989. 'Bentley is sticking with Britain regardless of Brexit': Chief pledges commitment to the UK but admits 'hard Brexit will be a blow' By Ray Massey, Motoring Editor in Spain The boss of luxury car company Bentley says his firm is 'sticking with Britain' whatever happens with Brexit. Bentley chairman and chief executive Adrian Hallmark said a 'hard Brexit' would be 'a blow' but 'not life-threatening' to the company owned by Germany's giant Volkswagen group. It is putting in place long- and short-term contingency plans to cope and remains 'fully committed' to the UK as it celebrates its centenary year. Mr Hallmark, who this week celebrates his first full year at the helm said: 'All our Brexit planning is in place. 'We have been here for 100 years and we will be here for the next 100 years.' Bentley chairman and chief executive Adrian Hallmark said a 'hard Brexit' would be 'a blow' but 'not life-threatening' to the company There will be no lay-offs but uncertainty could affect future longer term investment decisions regarding particular models or hi-tech. Mr Hallmark was speaking to the MailOnline in Marbella, Spain, where the firm is holding the global launch of its new 200,000 207mph open-topped Bentley Continental GT convertible in the wake of Honda's shock announcement that it was shutting its Swindon plant with the loss of 3,500 jobs. The firm employs more than 4,500 people at its headquarters in Crewe where last year it produced 10,494 luxury limousines, grand tourers and Bentayga 4x4s and aims this year to top 11,000. It is embarking on a big push towards more electrification, including petrol electric hybrids. Mr Hallmark said: 'Bentley is sticking with Britain regardless of Brexit. A hard Brexit would be a particular blow to us, but not life threatening. While it may put pressure on future decisions, we are fully committed to the UK. 'Our Brexit planning is in place. These are contingency measures. We have a plan, strategic as well as short-term. There will be no lay-offs. But we have a safety valve just in case.' Mr Hallmark was speaking to the MailOnline in Marbella, Spain This includes: :: quadrupling the amount of stock it holds (soon to rise to five-fold) to prevent being hit by shortages of key parts :: shipping cars and parts via Immingham instead of Dover :: remaining flexible over potential shut-down periods. There are no plans yet to extend the planned Easter holiday shut-down, but Friday working could be curtailed if necessary to give some flex. Mr Hallmark said Brexit was only one of a number of factors currently affecting the wider motor industry and forcing uncomfortable change. Others include the demise of diesel, the drive towards electrification, and sales slowdowns in China and the USA. He said that as a luxury manufacturer Bentley was better placed than most volume car producers where tariffs bite harder because trade is more price sensitive. If a 'hard Brexit' meant tariffs of around 10 per cent were imposed, Bentley would take a decision whether to add them onto the price or to absorb them, hitting profits. Mr Hallmark said: 'A hard Brexit could lead to a lift in prices in Europe, or we could live with them ourselves by taking the hit and reducing our base price accordingly to compensate for the extra tariff. That's harder for volume manufacturers.' He stressed: 'When times get tough, those who are weakest struggle most 'Brexit hasn't happened yet. I don't think anyone can blame current performance on Brexit. There's the diesel issue, for example. That's nothing to do with Brexit.' Mr Hallmark, who this week celebrates his first full year at the helm said: 'All our Brexit planning is in place. We have been here for 100 years and we will be here for the next 100 years.' Mr Hallmark said only 20 per cent of Bentley's sales are to Continental Europe so it has a more balanced spread of sales. Some 21 per cent is to the USA, 19 per cent to China, 14 per cent remains in the UK and the remaining 16 per cent is exported to the result of the world. 'The outlook for luxury cars is still positive,' he added. Volkswagen Group has given Bentley two years to drive back to profitability. Members of the powerful Porsche family dynasty which dominate VW shareholdings have given the firm the deadline after it made losses of 122million in the first nine months of 2018 compared to 27.5m profit in 2017. Honda's decision to shut down its Swindon plant shows the whole car industry has stalled, writes RUTH SUTHERLAND - and No Deal fears aren't helping By RUTH SUTHERLAND FOR THE DAILY MAIL Honda's decision to shut down its plant in Swindon after 30 years as a major local employer may not be directly motivated by Brexit but by wider problems in global car manufacturing. However, yesterday's move by the Japanese carmaker could hardly have come at a worse time. No one in the industry doubts that uncertainty over Brexit is having a chilling effect on production. Fears surrounding our departure helped to halve fresh investment in the sector last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Nissan has also scaled back UK production by cancelling construction of its new X-Trail SUV at its Sunderland factory Overseas investors such as Honda have, in the past three decades, rebuilt the British car industry after it was driven to the brink of annihilation in the 1970s by rabid trade union activity. Now they are in flight. Nissan is cancelling plans to build its new X-Trail SUV at its Sunderland factory. US giant Ford, which employs 13,000 workers in Britain, describes the potential consequences of No Deal as 'catastrophic', while the boss of Jaguar Land Rover, which is cutting UK jobs, has issued a string of dire warnings. Brexiteers will, of course, accuse these firms of crying wolf. Maybe but that doesn't mean there are no wolves out there. And it is a tragedy that the very companies which helped to bring about a remarkable renaissance in the British car industry have become the collateral damage in the chaos of our impending departure from the EU. Jaguar Land Rover, which is cutting UK jobs, has also issued warnings about a no deal Brexit It is yet one more problem to contend with in a troubled industry that faces plummeting demand for diesel cars, a slump in the vast Chinese market, and fears that Donald Trump may impose punishing tariffs on vehicles imported into the US. In Germany, a country synonymous with the production of sleek, super-reliable driving machines sold worldwide, the decline in the auto industry is actually stalling the economy. The industry is also dealing with the lifestyle choices of the Uber generation: city-dwelling, environmentally-conscious young people who are less fixated on car ownership than their parents were. So a state of emergency would prevail even without Brexit, and the threat of No Deal makes us an even less attractive place to invest in troubled times. Three men have been found dead after gunshots were fired inside a renaissance gated community home. Los Angeles police officers and paramedics were called to the 20300 block of Via Galileo, Los Angeles, at around 3.50pm on February 18. Officials found the victims inside the Porter Ranch home following a 911 call. Investigations are now underway by the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division to identify the suspect behind the triple homicide. Police stand outside the Porter Ranch residence after three men are killed inside the 20300 block of Via Galileo, Los Angeles, at around 3.50pm on February 18 LAPD Assistant Commander Alan Hamilton said investigators were now working a 'very large crime scene'. He added the suspect was likely to be someone associated with the people inside the large house. He told KTLA: 'As far as I know it was someone associated with the people inside of the house. We dont have anything beyond that.' Los Angeles police officers line the streets of the gated community with their cars as investigations continue A Los Angeles police truck is seen driving along the gated community area where the crime took place LAPD Assistant Commander Alan Hamilton said investigators are working a 'very large crime scene' The victims or their relationships to one another have not yet been confirmed. Mr Hamilton added: 'At this time it looks like someone entered the residence and there were some shots fired. 'There are multiple victims of gunshot wounds down inside of the residence.' Following the fatal shooting, aerials from Sky5 showed police officers and investigators outside a residence in the gated Renaissance community, where properties reach more than $1 million, in a bid to collect any evidence. A woman who lost both parents in the Manchester Arena attack has urged Britain not to let Isis bride Shamima Begum return, saying: 'This country can't afford more risk.' Alex Klis, 21, from York, was due to be picked up from the concert in May 2017 with her sister Patricia, 14, by their parents Marcin, 42, and mother Angelika, 49. But the mother and father were among the 22 innocent people killed in the blast as they waited in the venue's foyer for their girls to leave the Ariana Grande concert. Miss Klis spoke out today after Begum, 19, of East London, said Western air strikes against Syria were a 'fair justification' for the attack as she hopes to return home. Mother-of-three Begum, who has given birth to her third child - named Jerah, in what historians say is homage to an Islamic warlord - left the UK with two friends in 2015. Marcin and Angelika Klis took a selfie side by side in Manchester city centre while on their way to Manchester Arena in May 2017, where they died while waiting to pick up their children Miss Klis told ITV's This Morning: 'I think she's comparing two things that shouldn't ever be compared. She's saying that there are fighters in IS that are getting killed. 'Those people go there knowing what to expect. People who went to the Manchester Arena, they went there to take their kids to a concert. 'She's out of order, comparing those two things She's made her bed. I think she should remain where she is. I don't think she's being honest. 'The only reason that she wants to come back is because she couldn't stay where she was. What is the point in coming back if you enjoy it so much there?' Miss Klis told how she was evacuated from the venue with her sister, and went to look at different hospitals to see if they could find their parents. Alex Klis, 21, from York, was on ITV's This Morning today - and said of Isis bride Shamima Begum's hopes to return: 'What is the point in coming back if you enjoy it so much there?' Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford speak to Miss Klis (right) on ITV's This Morning today But she received the devastating news that they had died 24 hours later, and went home to wake up her sister and tell her before she found out another way. Begum's own lawyer criticises comments on Manchester Arena blast Shamima Begum's own lawyer today criticised her 'disgraceful' claim about there being 'fair justification' for the Manchester Arena bombing. Tasnime Akunjee told the London Evening Standard that he had 'no idea' why she say such a thing, adding: 'These comments are disgraceful. 'It concerns me. I suspect she was brainwashed. Her comments do not make it any easier going forward if she does come back to the UK. 'Whether she is saying these things wilfully or with impaired mental condition [will] change how she is treated.' She said: 'I have become my sister's guardian. I've had to grow up overnight it was very natural. It was autopilot the whole way. We're used to it now, we just live our life. 'The whole thing has brought it back up. The emergency fund has helped us hugely. We were in a rented house and that money helped with buying a house.' Miss Klis added that she was 'set up for the future' now thanks to the money, but added of Begum's potential UK return: 'This country can't afford more risk.' Charlotte Campbell, whose daughter Olivia, 15, was among those killed, has also revealed her horror at the thought of Begum being allowed to come home. She believes Begum poses too great a threat to the British public, adding: 'I can't stand the thought of her being allowed back. It's making me ill. She's such high risk.' Manchester bombing survivor Robby Potter, 49, who was blasted in the heart with shrapnel while with his family, has also criticised the suggestion she could return. Olivia Campbell-Hardy (left), the daughter of Charlotte Campbell and Paul Hodgson (right), who died in the bombing at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017 Survivor Robby Potter (pictured with his then-partner Leonora Ogerio), who was blasted in the heart with shrapnel while with his family, has also criticised the suggestion she could return He said: 'How can she even be considered to be allowed back when she has just stated it was fair justification? I can't even believe it's even being debated. 'She shouldn't be allowed back. It's outrageous. The authorities would probably have to give her a new identity to protect her - then what about the resources of the security services monitoring her to make sure she is not a risk to the British public?' The BBC's Quentin Sommerville, who spoke to Begum, said she had 'little to offer' in apology to the millions of Iraqis and Syrians whose lives were destroyed by Isis. Mr Sommerville, the Middle East correspondent, added that when she was asked about the treatment of Yazidi women by Isis, she said: 'Shia do the same in Iraq.' Kadiza Sultana (left) and Amira Abase (right) travelled with Shamima Begum to Syria in 2015 Begum has named her son (left) Jerah, in what historians say is homage to an Islamic warlord Begum, who fled to join Isis in 2015 and is now begging to be allowed to return, said the Manchester attack was 'retaliation' for 'women and children' bombed in Syria. May snubs America call to take back fanatics Downing Street has rebuffed Donald Trump's demand that the UK takes back Islamic State fighters and their jihadi brides. Britain has at least six fanatics languishing in secret jails in Syria and dozens of wives in refugee camps in the region. On Sunday, the US president said European nations should 'step up' and repatriate more than 800 IS combatants. If not, he warned America would be forced to release fighters who could make their way back to Europe and plot attacks. But Theresa May rejected the call, insisting prosecutions should take place in the country where the crimes were committed even if there is no functioning justice system. A No 10 spokesman said: 'Foreign fighters should be brought to justice in accordance with due legal process in the most appropriate jurisdiction. Where possible, this should be in the region where crimes were committed.' But the stance was criticised by Tory MP Andrew Mitchell, a former international development secretary, who said: 'We cannot just close our eyes and pull up the drawbridge.' Meanwhile, Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed more than 100 dual nationals who travelled to join Isis have had their UK citizenship stripped by the Home Office to stop them re-entering the country. He made the admission in the Commons while answering an urgent question on the case of Shamima Begum, who cannot be banned because she only holds a British passport. Mr Javid said: 'Whatever role they took in the so-called caliphate, they all supported a terrorist organisation and in doing so they have shown they hate our country.' Mr Javid also said yesterday the 650-year-old law of treason could be rewritten to make it easier to prosecute returning jihadists. He said the idea of widening the treason law to catch extremists who travel abroad 'was worth looking at carefully'. The unrepentant teenager, who gave birth to her third child, a baby boy, in a refugee camp on Sunday, told the BBC: 'I do feel that is wrong. Innocent people did get killed. It's one thing to kill a soldier that is fighting you, it's fine, it's self-defence. 'But to kill people like women and children, just like the women and children in Baghuz [Isis's last stronghold] who are being killed right now unjustly by the bombings it's a two-way thing, really, because women and children are being killed in Islamic State right now. 'It's kind of retaliation. [Isis's] justification [for Manchester] was that it was retaliation, so I thought, 'OK, that is a fair justification.' ' Begum said she was 'sorry' to all the families who had lost loved ones in Isis-inspired attacks in the UK and across Europe, adding: 'That wasn't fair on them. They weren't fighting anyone. They weren't causing any harm. 'But neither was I and neither were other women who are being killed right now back in Baghuz.' Isis claimed responsibility for the bombing by Salman Abedi on May 22, 2017, which killed children as young as eight and wounded 139 people, saying it was in response to 'transgression' against Muslims. Begum said before she fled to Syria with fellow Bethnal Green Academy schoolgirls Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, she watched Isis videos of 'beheadings'. She also watched propaganda videos of 'families and stuff in the park, the good life they [Isis] can provide' before settling in Raqqa and marrying Yago Riedijk, a convicted terrorist who police believe was part of a cell plotting an atrocity in Europe. She emerged in a refugee camp in Syria last week and spoke of her desperation to return to the UK to raise her son. Her first two children died of unknown illnesses. But Begum's efforts to return to the UK have sparked controversy, with Home Secretary Sajid Javid claiming he will try to block it. However, she told ITV News last night she does not see why he would see her as 'a threat' and that she was open to spending time in prison and going on a deradicalisation course. BBC Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville, who spoke to Begum, said she had 'little to offer' in apology to the millions of Iraqis and Syrians whose lives were destroyed by Isis She said: 'I'm a 19-year-old girl with a newborn baby. I don't have any weapons; I don't want to hurt anyone even if I did have weapons. A picture of Begum issued by Scotland Yard 'He [Javid] has no proof I'm a threat other than I was in Isis, but that's it. I'm not going to go back and provoke people to go to Isis if anything, I'm going to encourage them not to go because it's not all as it seems in their videos.' The teenager denied being an Isis 'poster girl' but admitted her disappearance with friends in 2015, which made headlines around the world, had incited many others to join the hateful group. She said: 'The poster girl thing was not my choice. Me just going there and being a housewife and them taking care of me, it's not really in any way helping. I'm not paying for their bullets.' But she added: 'I just want forgiveness really, from the UK. A victim of the Manchester Arena attack following the atrocity at a concert in May 2017 The scene outside Manchester Arena in May 2017 after the deadly explosion took place 'Everything I've been through, I didn't expect I would go through that. Losing my children the way I lost them, I don't want to lose this baby as well and this is really not a place to raise children, this camp.' Eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos was the youngest victim of the Manchester bombing Tasnime Akunjee, solicitor for the families of the Bethnal Green girls, has said he would like an assessment on Begum's mental health and blamed her radicalisation on Tower Hamlets Council, Bethnal Green Academy and the Metropolitan Police. He said: 'It is almost inconceivable that no agency has been investigated let alone held to account for the litany of failures that resulted in the Bethnal Green schoolgirls managing to travel to Isis.' He added that her lack of emotion in press interviews was comparable to a shell-shocked First World War soldier, telling ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'They are both [in] warzones.' Mr Akunjee added that any attempt to deny Begum 'due process' to return would mean she was being treated worse than Nazi war criminals after the Second World War. He told The Times: 'The Nazis had the Nuremberg trials. They were given due process. This girl was a victim when she went out there at 15 years old.' Jihadi bride Shamima Begum will be quizzed by police and could be arrested if she returns to the UK with her newborn baby, says Britain's top police officer Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said Begum could expect to be 'spoken to' if she comes back to Britain Counter-terrorism police officers will 'deal with whatever they are confronted with' if Islamic State schoolgirl Shamima Begum returns to the UK. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said the 19-year-old could expect to be 'spoken to' if she comes back to Britain. She fled her east London home in 2015 to travel to Syria to support IS, but now wishes to return home for the sake of her third child, who was born at the weekend. Her two older children have died. Today, Ms Dick said: 'If she does, under whatever circumstances, arrive at our borders, somebody in her type of circumstances could expect, of course, to be spoken to and, if there is the appropriate necessity, to be potentially arrested and certainly investigated. 'If that results in sufficient evidence for a prosecution then it will result in sufficient evidence for a prosecution. The officers will deal with whatever they are confronted with.' There are currently plans to change the law to make travelling to certain terror hotspots a criminal offence, but this would not apply retrospectively to Ms Begum. Around 425 suspected jihadi fighters are thought to have returned to the UK from Syria so far. Who were the five Bethnal Green girls who went to join ISIS? Sharmeena Begum - Flew to Turkey from London Heathrow in December 2014. No relation to Shamima. Unnamed 15-year-old - tried to go to Turkey on the same 2014 flight but was stopped before take-off. Shamima Begum - One of the three who flew from London Gatwick to Turkey in February 2015 and then went on to Syria. Has pleaded to be allowed to return to the UK with newborn son. Amira Abase - Flew out in 2015 with Shamima who said in yesterday's interview she did not know whether Ms Abase was still alive. Kadiza Sultana - Also flew out in 2015. Believed to have been killed in an airstrike in 2016. Ms Dick said: 'This case and other cases that are talked about in the same sentences just really underline how awful the circumstances are and have been in Syria and just how dangerous it has been, and would continue to be, for anybody from this country to think of travelling there - dangerous physically and dangerous legally. 'If there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution it is our job to look at the threat they pose if they are returning from Syria and we do that with every single person who comes back from Syria and then manage the risk with colleagues in the (security and intelligence) agencies.' In 2015, when Ms Begum had just left the UK, then chief of counter-terror policing Sir Mark Rowley suggested that she might be treated as a victim of grooming. But today, Ms Dick said: 'I've read very carefully what the Assistant Commissioner and the Commissioner said, it was very carefully caveated on the basis of what was known then. We're a long way down the road since then.' Talking generally about the number of returnees from Syria, she said that some who cannot be prosecuted may 'still require a considerable amount of monitoring'. 'That puts a lot of pressure on resources. But it's very hard to know the scale of this right now - how many people will come back, and what threat they may pose.' A previous version of this article included a caption which referred to Robby Potter, a survivor of the Manchester Arena attack, being pictured with his wife. We are happy to clarify that this picture is of Mr Potter and his then-partner, to whom he was not married. We apologise for the error. A tattooed thug has pleaded guilty to a string of dangerous driving charges after he filmed himself driving at incredible speeds. Sydney man Tony Taouk used his mobile phone to film himself reaching speeds of almost 200k/h in a motorbike, court documents reveal. Police were able to charge the 25-year-old after matching up his 'unique' tattooed hands in a series of incriminating videos on his phone, Townsville Bulletin reported. Western Sydney man Tony Taouk (pictured) used his mobile phone to film himself reaching speeds of almost 200k/h, court documents reveal Taouk is an alleged Comanchero OMCG associate who came onto police radar following a terrifying road rage assault in Beverley Hills in western Sydney in October 2017 Police were able to charge the 25-year-old after matching up his 'unique' tattooed hands (pictured) in a series of incriminating videos on his phone Taouk, an alleged Comanchero OMCG associate, was investigated by police after a terrifying road rage assault in Beverley Hills, in Sydney's west, in October 2017. The tattooed man pulled a knife at the time and punched a driver after threatening him. The victim photographed Taouk's car and an ensuing police investigation found incriminating footage against him on his mobile phone. Police even managed to pinpoint his exact location at the time of each recording using reverse call charge records. Using the combination of footage and data tracking, police place Taouk speeding down the M4 Motorway in Greystanes in November 2017. At that time his odometer reached speeds of 190k/h, 80k/h over the speed limit. 'His hands with unique tattoos are seen holding the steering wheel while the vehicle is being driven,' police facts state. One month later his characteristically tattooed hand was filmed on a steering wheel when the car was doing 120k/h. Police place Taouk on the M7 Motorway at Quakers Hill at that time. The speed limit there is 100k/h. 'The use of a handheld mobile device while driving 15-20km/h above the posted speed limit constitutes driving in a manner/speed dangerous to the public,' police facts say. One month later his characteristically tattooed hand was filmed on a steering wheel when the car was doing 120k/h Now Taouk faces a raft of charges following the investigation from Strike Force Raptor detectives - an elite police squad. He has pleaded guilty to use of an offensive weapon, assault occasionally actual bodily harm and dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, drive recklessly, furiously or at speed or manner dangerous. He will be kept behind bars until his appearance date at Bankstown Court on April 11. The mother of a beauty consultant shot dead by her stalker at a Harvey Nichols store has told how her daughter gave a 'beautiful smile' just seconds before she was killed. Clare Bernal, 22, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was shot four times in the head by 30-year-old Michael Pech at a London branch of the designer department store. Pech had stalked, harassed and threatened her in an effort to make her take him back, after she ended a three-week romance following his obsessive behaviour. Clare Bernal (pictured with her mother Tricia), 22, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was shot four times in the head by 30-year-old Michael Pech at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, London Michael Pech (left) had been on three dates with Clare Bernal (right) but became obsessive Now, a Channel 5 documentary called Stalked: Murder In Slow Motion on tonight at 10pm will look at how the security guard murdered Miss Bernal in September 2005. Speaking on the episode, her mother Tricia told how her daughter, who had recently moved to London, had been about to finish for the day at the Knightsbridge store. She added: 'One of her colleagues put her hand up to Clare and looked at her watch as if to say ten minutes to go and Clare gave her this beautiful smile. 'But then she saw Pech - he was high on cocaine. He raised his gun and he shot her in the back of the head. She fell and he shot her three times in the face.' Pech, who worked at the store, had been on three dates with the worker but became possessive - following her home each night and texting her up to 50 times a day. Miss Bernal's mother Tricia is seen on Stalked: Murder In Slow Motion, on Channel 5 tonight Miss Bernal is pictured as a child on the beach. Her death is being looked at again in a TV series The former Slovakian soldier also banged on her door at 3am and threatened to kill her, and she reported him to police when his behaviour became intolerable. Pech, who had been living in Tottenham, North London, admitted harassment - but a charge of threatening to kill her was dropped due to lack of evidence. Weeks later on September 13, 2005, as Harvey Nichols was due to close, he walked up behind Miss Bernal and shot her four times before turning the gun on himself. Miss Bernal's friend Adam Ward told the programme: 'She would have been dead before she hit the floor and I hope she had no idea what was going on.' Detectives believed at the time that Pech planned his victim's murder meticulously, returning to his native Czech Republic to buy the Luger pistol he used. Police talk to people outside the Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge after the shooting in 2005 Police stand outside the Harvey Nichols store the day after the shooting of Miss Bernal in 2005 Her mother, from Groombridge, East Sussex, has previously said it was 'beyond belief' that Pech had been released on bail after threatening to kill her daughter. Pech had been on bail awaiting sentence for harassment. Police, magistrates and prosecutors were criticised for not doing enough in the months before the attack. A coroner ruled in 2007 that her murder 'could not have been reasonably foreseen', but he criticised police for wasting time with formfilling to provide 'a scapegoat'. Tricia Bernal was instrumental in getting a change in the law to recognise stalking as a crime. She lobbied David Cameron's Government who changed the law in 2012. Stalked: Murder In Slow Motion - Clare Bernal is on Channel 5 tonight at 10pm Sydney pharmacy student Ihsas Khan, 25, (pictured) is accused of repeatedly stabbed a passer-by in an alleged terror attack A Sydney pharmacy student who repeatedly stabbed a passer-by in an alleged terror attack said a supernatural being instructed him to kill someone, a jury has been told. 'In my view, it is reasonable to conclude he was suffering from symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia during the period surrounding the alleged offence,' forensic psychiatrist Dr Jonathon Adams testified on Tuesday. He was giving evidence for the defence at the NSW Supreme Court trial of 25-year-old Ihsas Khan, who prosecutor Carolyn Davenport SC says was a 'a self-radicalised extremist Muslim' and Islamic State supporter. The stabbing is not denied, but he has pleaded not guilty - on the ground of mental illness - to committing a terrorist act and to wounding Wayne Greenhalgh with intent to murder him at Minto in September 2016. Under questioning from defence barrister Troy Anderson, Dr Adams said he interviewed Khan twice and considered material including his psychiatric history and records, his diary and police interview. In his view, Khan's religious extremism came about in the context of his mental illness and there were reasonable grounds to conclude he was experiencing a psychotic episode at the time of the stabbing. Khan told the psychiatrist of having previously 'felt like the Koran was under my feet' and of having often seen a jinn, or angel, outside his body telling him how to relate to people. Noting Khan had completed and passed two multiple-choice university exams two days before the stabbing, Mr Anderson asked if a person was capable of this if he were in the grips of a psychotic episode. The stabbing is not denied, but Khan has pleaded not guilty - on the ground of mental illness - to committing a terrorist act and to wounding Wayne Greenhalgh with intent to murder him at Minto in September 2016 'It could be considered unusual but in my view not impossible,' Dr Adams replied. Khan told the psychiatrist he had seen Mr Greenhalgh walking past on the morning of the stabbing, before he spent time watching footage of air strikes with children being killed by American forces and gang rapes of Muslim women. 'He wanted to kill someone who he viewed to be anti-Muslim and die himself, to be a martyr,' Dr Adams said. Wayne Greenhalgh (pictured in hospital) was allegedly repeatedly stabbed by Khan in western Sydney in 2016. 'He wanted to kill someone who he viewed to be anti-Muslim and die himself, to be a martyr,' a psychiatrist said in court 'The jinn was instructing him to behave in that alleged behaviour.' He disagreed with the opinion of a psychiatrist called by the Crown who considered Khan was suffering from obsessive compulsion disorder at the time and this had no connection to the events on September 10. The trial continues before Justice Geoffrey Bellew. A coffee entrepreneur and award-winning barista has been forced out of Sweden as the nation cracks down on immigration laws. Brisbane-born Steve Moloney moved to Sweden to pursue a relationship with a Swedish woman in 2012. At the time, he entered on a holiday visa, but fell in love with the nation and decided to make the move abroad. He returned on a partnership visa before the relationship fizzled and he applied for a working visa, but he told the Sydney Morning Herald it took a 'whopping' two and a half years for the application to be processed and his visa granted. Brisbane-born Steve Moloney moved to Sweden to pursue a relationship with a Swedish woman in 2012 Mr Moloney, who has won international awards for his coffee blends and brews, opened a small coffee business in Sweden Mr Moloney, who has won international awards for his coffee blends and brews, opened a small business in Sweden and is now faced with the prospect of having to leave it all behind for up to a year while his new work visa gets processed. He said he applied for the visa more than a year ago, but the country's Migration Agency have only just told him they will not open his case to consider it until he has left Sweden. He did concede that the law states he was 'meant to have applied from outside the country', but argues that in doing so, he would have had to leave behind his business. 'It's not feasible. If I didn't love living here I'd pack up and go.' During the refugee crisis, Sweden provided asylum to more displaced people in need than any other European country, including Germany. He did concede that the law states he was 'meant to have applied from outside the country' While Sweden is known for being welcoming of migrants, it has toughened security laws in recent years, seeing thousands of skilled migrants displaced. Sweden is now reportedly deporting foreigners who have found success in the country to deter a mass amount of entrepreneurship. In December 2018, digital developer Farzad Ban was reportedly deported after he failed to pay hundreds of dollars worth of insurance payments. The failed transactions only came to light when he applied for permanent citizenship. Mr Ban said the Swedish Migration Agency was working under a system that was 'unbelievably broken'. The agency reportedly has a backlog of more than 10,000 work permit applications at present. Officials said more than a dozen people were trapped on a malfunctioning ride at SeaWorld in San Diego. Around six gondolas stopped functioning on Monday night after a big gust of wind tripped a circuit breaker on the 'Bayside Skyride,' San Diego police told Fox5 News. Authorities said that 16 people were trapped, some of them in gondolas suspended above the water in Mission Bay. Seven of the 16 people trapped on the ride were children, including one baby. Everyone had been rescued by 11.07pm Pacific, after nearly four hours in the air. Officials with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and San Diego Lifeguards worked to rescue passengers, using harnesses and boats to get people to safety. Officials said 16 people, which included seven children with one being a baby, have been rescued after being trapped for nearly four hours in the air on a malfunctioning ride at SeaWorld in San Diego after strong winds took out a circuit breaker. A member of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is shown working to rescue passengers stuck on the ride Courtesy: FOX5 The malfunction occurred at 7.22pm, Fox5 reported, when wind tripped the circuit breaker, causing gondolas on the ride, shown in photos illuminated in blue, to stop moving. The SeaWorld website touts the ride as an opportunity to 'take a break' and 'treat yourself to beautiful views as you soar above the park and scenic Mission Bay on a gently gliding gondola.' According to the latest update from The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, all of the people trapped on the ride had been rescued by 11.07pm Pacific on Monday. The SeaWorld website touts the ride as an opportunity to 'take a break' and 'treat yourself to beautiful views as you soar above the park and scenic Mission Bay on a gently gliding gondola.' The ride is shown during daylight in an undated file photo Rescue officials are shown helping someone down in a harness from being stuck on the ride San Diego Lifeguard boats took people to safety after they were lowered from the gondolas stuck in the air, some of which had stopped over Mission Bay The malfunction occurred at 7.22pm, Fox5 reported, when wind tripped the circuit breaker, causing gondolas on the ride, shown illuminated in blue, to stop moving 'SEAWORLD RESCUE UPDATE: All 16 persons trapped in the gondola ride are safe on the ground. Great job by our Technical Rescue Team firefighters, @SDLifeguards & support staff,' the department wrote on Twitter at 11.07pm Pacific 'SEAWORLD RESCUE UPDATE: All 16 persons trapped in the gondola ride are safe on the ground. Great job by our Technical Rescue Team firefighters, @SDLifeguards & support staff,' the department wrote on Twitter. Prior to that, the department posted that nearly everyone had been saved about 40 minutes earlier. 'SEAWORLD RESCUE UPDATE: Technical Rescue Team firefighters have rescued 14 of the 16 passengers stuck on a gondola ride,' the department tweeted at 10.29pm. 'They are being evaluated by medical crews as they are brought to a dock.' Nearly all of the people trapped on the ride had been rescued by 10.30pm Pacific on Monday Two 12-year-old girls who had barely made it off the ride before it malfunctioned remained stranded in a parking lot while they waited for family members who were stuck on the ride Two 12-year-old girls who had barely made it off the ride before it malfunctioned remained stranded in a parking lot while they waited for family members who were stuck on the ride. 'These girls have been waiting in a parking lot near Ingraham St. for two hours while their family is still stuck in a gondola at SeaWorld. They got off just as the ride was breaking down,' Fox5 reporter Kasia Gregorczyk tweeted at 8.14pm on Monday, along with a photo of the girls. For the first two hours of the rescue operation, only one person had been brought to safety, the department said over Twitter. But after that, the mission progressed more quickly, and 10 minutes after that updated was posted, two children were brought to safety. For the first two hours of the rescue operation, only one person had been brought to safety, the department said over Twitter. Two 12-year old girls got off just as the ride was breaking down At 10.02pm Pacific, The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department tweeted: '8 rescues have been performed by our Technical Rescue Team firefighters. 4 adults and four juveniles have been rescued. 8 victims remain' 'SEAWORLD RESCUE UPDATE: 2 juveniles have now been lowered by harnesses & rescued by @SDLifeguards boats. 9 adults and 5 juveniles remain,' the department tweeted at 9.24pm Pacific. At 10.02pm Pacific, The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department tweeted: '8 rescues have been performed by our Technical Rescue Team firefighters. 4 adults and four juveniles have been rescued. 8 victims remain.' The National Weather Service says it was about 49 degrees in San Diego at the time that the ride broke down. In a statement, SeaWorld said the gondolas had small blankets on board. 'Once our guests are cared for, we will conduct a thorough inspection of the ride prior to re-opening,' the statement added. Let's talk about this truck convoy that came into our nation's capital today. According to these cross-Canada protesting truck drivers, they support "job creation". Yes, indeed. These truck diverse support a job creation strategy which supports the destruction of our planet. How many of these same truck drivers do you think would donate to cleaning-up the inevitable oil spills and environment-destroying pollution from further conflating an oil-based economy? I would suggest not too many. This begs the question, "What interests support such protests which seek to hide behind such slogans as "job creation" and "protecting the economy?" We, the humans of our planet appreciate that our quality of life relies on protecting our environment. As humans, we appreciate that it is in our interests as a species to begin to move our economy away from strategy which will hasten planetary destruction. Those interests which seek to seduce us humans into support a so-called "job creation" strategy which can only hasten planetary destruction are the operatives of an apparent Artificial Intelligence (AI) agenda. The ultimate goal of these interests is to encourage humans to continue to destroy our environment to such an extent that we would only be able to continue to survive by transforming ourselves into "robotic entities" which don't rely on things like clean air, safe water to drink and other biological necessities. Unfortunately, not all "people" are human. Many people are human and some apparently are not. Those people who are not human and don't care how many oils spills there are and seek to continue to push our planet into Hell. African Zulu Elder Credo Mutwa and other such indigenous people have documented how these apparent "fake humans" have sought to manipulate humans throughout history into supporting various causes which are completely against our well-being on this planet. Just like there are real Christmas Trees that once grew from the ground and ones made from plastic and metal which resemble real ones but aren't, there are real humans and the apparent fake ones which orchestrate these kinds of protests under AI-generated slogans like "job creation" to support the raping and pillaging of our planet. This agenda is called "transhumanism" and the alleged alien group which seeks to support this agenda are AI entities further documented by Nigel Kerner and in the insights of the ancient Pagan Gnostics who had referred to these entities as "artificial man" [Below video details transhumanism and alien agenda]. It is apparent that through Archons, AI entities that have infiltrated power structures on Earth are apparently seeking to manipulative Earth's politics through such protests which aim to blind humanity into ignoring our identity as custodians of our planet. For a person to be human, they MUST posses three attributes of being human. Those are a human mind, body and soul. The "people" who seek to stage protests like these and who support the perpetuation of wars and other oppression on our planet are ultimately controlled by "people" who have human appearing bodies, but with all self-serving AI minds designed to serve an "AI collective" and totally lack any soul. It's our soul as humans which inspires is to seek the protection of our environment. It's our soul which inspires us to embrace empathy, love for one another and peace, and it's our soul that AI-controlled "people" seek to manipulate us through such staged protests. I'm not suggesting that the protesters themselves are such "people". However, the "invisible hand" of the AI which guides them is apparent based upon the insights of John Lash's work on ancient Pagan Gnostics and the testimony of Credo Mutwa to David Icke who has made representations of alleged reptilian aliens linked to AI controllers. The ancient Pagan Gnostics referred to the Archons on our planet as the "humanized face of the aliens." That's a key concept into appreciating those interests which seek to want to push out planet into a path of destruction which doesn't represent the majority of people on our planet Earth. A brave dog that saved a missing three-year-old girl from freezing to death in the wilderness has died just months after the act of heroism. Beloved blue heeler Max passed away just before Christmas last year after saving Aurora Lee Kyle from the Warwick wilderness in south east Queensland. Max was made an honorary Queensland police dog before his death. 'Really, I just think Max just wanted a nice piece of steak and a warm bed,' Aurora's grandmother Leisa Bennett said. Gripping podcast series How I Survived tracked the disappearance of Aurora from her grandfather's property back in April 2018. Aurora Lee Kyle (right, with grandmother Leisa Bennette) disappeared from her grandfather's property just outside Warwick in south east Queensland in April 2018 Aurora and her grandfather were to head out with the farm's 17-year-old deaf and partially blind blue heeler Max (pictured) The three-year-old was spending the day on her grandfather's farm and had managed to convince him to take her yabbying. The pair were to head out with the farm's 17-year-old deaf and partially blind blue heeler Max. The grandfather stepped inside his house for only a minute to answer a ringing phone. By the time he came back outside, his granddaughter and the dog were gone. Grandmother Leisa Bennett has an extensive background in child protection, so when she learned of the girl's disappearance, she feared for the worst. 'My head goes straight to what about the predators?' she said. 'And I go straight to Daniel Morcombe territory. And all of the children that have gone missing that have never been found. I'm thinking it can't be my granddaughter. I can't lose my granddaughter.' Aurora had wandered into perilous country - venomous snakes, scorpions and wild pigs hid in the region's mountains. If that weren't all, dams and uncovered wells posed the next biggest threat. A frightened and concerned Ms Bennett sprung into action and made the 150km drive from Brisbane to the Warwick property. She called her daughter and Aurora's mum, Letitia. 'I'm on my way. I'm coming,' she said on the phone. 'We're going to find her. I will fight whoever needs to be fought. I will do whatever needs to be done.' Despite her daughter's response to stay home because she thought the grandmother would be too emotional and useless in the rescue effort, Ms Bennett pushed on. By the time Ms Bennett arrived at her ex-husband's property outside Warwick, police and emergency services were already on scene Ms Bennett joined in the search with an Indigenous tracker and combed the ragged terrain until 2am the next morning when police told her to go back home and rest Ms Bennett scaled a vertical cliff face when she found Max the dog at the top By the time she arrived at her ex-husband's property outside Warwick, police and emergency services were already on scene. Ms Bennett joined in the search with an Indigenous tracker and combed the ragged terrain until 2am the next morning when police told her to go back home and rest. Though a relrentless Ms Bennett said that simply wasn't an option. She resumed her search with a friend as day broke. Then she heard a voice. 'I was yelling out 'Rora! Rora!' And then I thought I could hear back 'Yeah?' Ms Bennett scaled a vertical cliff face when she found Max the dog at the top. The loyal pet led Ms Bennett to Aurora who was resting against a nearby tree. 'Her hair was covered in burrs and mats and she was covered in ticks from head to toe,' Ms Bennett said of when she found Aurora) Aurora had managed to cover two kilometres and scale a 500-metre incline in the time she was lost 'Her little eyes were so big,' Ms Bennett said. 'Her hair was covered in burrs and mats and she was covered in ticks from head to toe. I was crying and she looked at me and she said, 'Why you crying Granby?' And I said, 'Happy tears baby.' Aurora had managed to cover two kilometres and scale a 500-metre incline in the time she was lost. The little girl explained she had intended to trek the 150kms to Brisbane to see her mum, who was working in the city, when she got lost along the way. For more arresting survival stories, subscribe to How I Survived on OMNY or iTunes. An elderly man has died in hospital after being hit by a bus while crossing the road in Sydney. Emergency crews were called to Moore Park, in Sydney's east, at 12.40pm on Monday after reports the pedestrian had struck by a bus. A NSW Ambulance spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the man suffered head injuries and was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital in a critical condition but died the following day. Emergency crews were called to Moore Park, in Sydney's east, at 12.40pm on Monday after reports a pedestrian was struck by a bus The man, 62, was crossing Anzac Parade, near Sydney Boys High School, when he was hit. The bus driver, a 63-year-old man, was also taken to hospital for mandatory blood and alcohol testing. A report is being prepared for the coroner and no charges have been laid. The incident sparked traffic chaos in the central city, with two of three northbound lanes closed on Anzac Parade near Cleveland Street. Australia's immigration levels have soared to a new record high - months after Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised to slow down the rate of population growth. In 2018, a record 832,560 permanent and long-term migrants decided to call Australia home, marking a 7.1 per cent increase compared with 2017. With the number of people leaving Australia for good taken into account, the nation's annual net immigration rate stood at 291,250, the highest in four-and-a-half years. Australia's immigration has soared to a new record high months after Scott Morrison promised to slow down population growth (Sydney's Wynyard train station during peak hour pictured) The vast majority of new arrivals settled in already overcrowded Sydney and Melbourne. The new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics come just three months after Mr Morrison, a former immigration minister, promised to reduce the immigration rate. 'They are saying: enough, enough, enough,' the Prime Minister told the Project Sydney Bradfield Oration in November last year. 'The roads are clogged, the buses and trains are full. The schools are taking no more enrolments. 'I hear what you are saying. I hear you loud and clear. That's why we need to improve how we manage population growth in this country.' Mr Morrison, who was treasurer before taking over as Prime Minister in August, stressed however that population growth had 'played a key role in our economic success'. In 2018, a record 832,560 permanent and long-term migrants decided to call Australia home, marking a 7.1 per cent increase compared with 2017 (Melbourne's Federation Square pictured) While Australia has not been in recession since 1991, Australia's net annual immigration rate hovered around the 70,000 mark during the last decade of the 20th century. Net immigration numbers soared above 100,000 in 2002 when John Howard was Liberal Prime Minister and surpassed the 200,000 mark in 2012 under Labor's Julia Gillard. In August last year, Australia's population surpassed the 25 million milestone, 22 years earlier than predicted in the federal government's first inter-generational report of 2002. The 2018 permanent migration intake of 832,560, before long-term departures were factored in, dwarfed the 539,000 intake for the 2016-17 financial year, which was then a record. The new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics come just three months after PM Scott Morrison (pictured), a former immigration minister, promised to reduce the immigration rate Australia's population growth pace of 1.6 per cent is the highest in the developed world, with a rate that is more than double that of the United States or the U.K.. Australia's population growth 1881: 2.3 million 1918: 5 million 1959: 10 million 1981: 15 million 1991: 17.4 million 2004: 20 million 2013: 23 million 2016: 24 million 2018: 25 million Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics; House of Representatives Standing Committee for Long-Term Strategies, December 1994 Despite that high figure, Mr Morrison stressed it was 'well below' our economic growth rate of over three per cent. 'Per person we have been doing better as well,' he said in November. Australia's population growth pace is even higher than The Philippines and is well above the global average of 1.1 per cent. In 1998, the ABS forecast Australia's population wouldn't reach between 23.5 and 26.4 million until 2051. The ABS figures on overseas arrivals and departures, released on Tuesday, also showed that China in 2018 became Australia's largest source of tourists. A record 1.4million tourists came to Australia from China, an annual increase of 6 per cent. ABS director of migration statistics Myles Burleigh said the number of tourists from China had more than tripled in just a decade, with 353,000 visitors from China in 2008. In 1998, just 77,000 visitors to Australia came from China. China last year also overtook New Zealand to be Australia's largest source of overseas tourists, ending the Kiwi nation's 19-year run at number one. A New Jersey police officer left a very generous tip for a young woman who is seven months pregnant with her first child, after she served him lunch at a diner. A Voorhees Township police officer left a $100 tip on a $8.75 check for Courtney Cadigan, 23, whose baby is due on April 1, after he finished his meal at the Lamp Post Diner in Clementon on Friday. On the check he wrote, 'Enjoy ur 1st, you will never forget it,' and then left it at the cash register without a word about it. 'I'm just really grateful for this officer's kindness,' Courtney told Patch. 'It's truly a blessing to come across people like him and I'm forever thankful for that.' The server's father, Brian Cadigan, shared a photo of the tip on Facebook on Saturday, praising the 'lovely message' and the officer's incredibly kind gesture. In a testament to the selflessness of his good deed, the officer has asked to remain anonymous. A New Jersey police officer left a very generous tip of $100 (shown at left) for server Courtney Cadigan, 23 (right), who is seven months pregnant with her first child, after she served him at the Lamp Post Diner on Friday Courtney said she didn't talk much with the officer, but that she thought he may have overheard her telling someone else it was her first baby. She also said she thought he may have seen her struggling throughout her work, due to how far along she is in her pregnancy. Brian Cadigan shared a lengthy message about his daughter's encounter over Facebook on Saturday, and how he was sharing the story to highlight the good work these people do in our communities, when all too often police officers make the news for negative things. Courtney (pictured) said she didn't talk much with the officer, but that she thought he may have overheard her telling someone else it was her first baby Courtney also said she thought he may have seen her struggling throughout her work, due to how far along she is in her pregnancy. Courtney (right) is pictured with her father, Brian Cadigan (left) Brian Cadigan shared a lengthy message about his daughter's encounter over Facebook on Saturday, and how he was sharing the story to highlight the good work these people do in our communities, when all too often police officers make the news for negative things 'You always hear about how Bad the Police are, How They treated you like dirt, how they are on a Power Trip, Yes I am sure there are some bad apples, but most of them are just doing their jobs, they deal with the worst of society every day and have to keep going back everyday and deal with it all over again. They risk their lives each day just to do their job, of trying to enforce the laws that they didn't make,' Brian wrote. 'They are human, and do many good things everyday that most people will never know about, like giving the young mother a warning instead of a ticket, because they know she is struggling, or locking up an abusive spouse, and giving the abused information to get out of the relationship safely. 'Or just being a nice person, in a stressful and upsetting situation. They are people, they have feelings, and they have Jobs to do, sometimes they may not like what they have to do, but they do it without question. 'Most of the good stuff they do you will never hear about, they don't do it for glory or recognition, they do it because they are good people. And I wrote this post to point out one such act.' Brian went on to explain that his daughter has been working at seven months pregnant 'to save as much money as she can' before the birth of her baby. Brian (left) is pictured with Courtney (right) at a graduation ceremony, in a photo shared to social media Brian went on to explain that his daughter has been working at seven months pregnant 'to save as much money as she can' before the birth of her baby. 'This will be her first child and she is so excited, she is always cheerful at work, so she has a lot of regulars, but this was not one of them,' Brian said about the officer who left the large tip for Courtney. 'He was pleasant, and had his lunch by himself, and asked for the check. My daughter gave him his check, and moved on to wait other tables, the officer went to the cashier and paid his bill, and left a note on the bill for my Daughter, this officer, who I am sure works his butt off for his paycheck left her a $100 tip on a $9.00 ticket and the note simply said "Enjoy your first, You will never forget it."' Brian sang the praises of the police officer, who he said left his daughter very emotional, in a good way, after she realized what he had done for her. 'What a wonderful person to not only leave a VERY generous tip, but a lovely message,' Brian wrote. 'I don't know you Mr Police Officer, but you made my little girl cry, and made her year. Thank you, I always had the utmost respect for Officers, but you went above and beyond not just an officer, but a beautiful human being. God Bless.' A court has heard an arsonist filmed a fire he had lit while blasting MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This. David Maddocks, 30, appeared in the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday after pleading guilty ahead of his sentencing. Maddocks set fire to a shed in Melbourne's Lyndhurst, causing $80,000 in damage, after a dispute about payment for a horse. David Maddocks, 30, appeared in the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday after pleading guilty ahead of his sentencing (stock image) The victim had sold Maddocks' sister's horses against her will after she failed to pay agistment fees. Maddocks then retaliated, saying he shouldn't 'f*** with my sister'. The mechanic and a friend went to the property on April 4, last year, and poured petrol around the shed, which was 100m from where the victim lived in a weatherboard home. After setting fire to the shed, the pair ran to their cars and agreed to meet at a service station where they could park and watch the flames. Maddocks called his sister, giving her a running commentary of the scene, telling her: 'They shouldn't have sold your horse c***'. Maddocks later drove past the crime scene along Dandenong Hastings Road while playing the popular 90s hit U Can't Touch This (clip from music video pictured) 'F*** the dog, you f*** with my family, you f*** with my fires,' he continued. He later drove past the crime scene along Dandenong Hastings Road while playing the popular 90s hit U Can't Touch This. Judge Bill Stuart noted Maddocks' 'bragging and his exaggeration', adding 'there's always a potential for fire to get completely out of hand'. The pre-sentence hearing continues. Far-right activist Blair Cottrell has been rejected in his bid to fight for 'free speech' in the High Court but will continue his campaign in Victoria's County Court. The United Patriots Front leader appeared in the County Court on Tuesday to appeal his conviction for inciting hatred, contempt and ridicule of Muslims, after making a video beheading a dummy in protest of a Bendigo mosque. Cottrell and supporters Neil Erikson and Christopher Neil Shortis were convicted in September 2017 and fined $2000 each. Scroll down for video Far-right activist Blair Cottrell (pictured) has been rejected in his bid to fight for 'free speech' in the High Court but will continue his campaign in Victoria's County Court The United Patriots Front leader appeared in the County Court on Tuesday to appeal his conviction for inciting hatred, contempt and ridicule of Muslims, after making a video beheading a dummy in protest (pictured) Lawyer John Bolton had lodged an application with the High Court, arguing Cottrell had been charged with an 'invalid law' under the Australian constitution. He previously said 'free speech' was protected under the constitution, 'which protects political discourse'. However, Mr Bolton told Judge Lisa Hannan on Tuesday the High Court dismissed the application, referring the matter back to the County Court. The lawyer said he would now argue there was 'no such class of persons as Muslims' that could be offended by the video, given the variety among the Islamic faith. 'Who is this supposed to have caused people to think bad thoughts about?' he argued, adding he'd call witnesses to examine 'what 'Muslim' means'. He added a comment about Saudi Arabian beheadings, to which Judge Hannan quickly replied was 'not relevant'. Mr Bolton also asked the judge to hear the 'constitutional matter', requiring her to notify the attorney-general but she said she didn't have power to determine a constitutional matter. The prosecution plans to call six witnesses to the trial, including City of Bendigo council workers and police. Lawyer John Bolton had lodged an application with the High Court, arguing Cottrell had been charged with an 'invalid law' under the Australian constitution 'It's being drawn out deliberately, I think, probably to see how much money we've got,' Cottrell told reporters outside court 'It's being drawn out deliberately, I think, probably to see how much money we've got,' Cottrell told reporters outside court. 'I'm not going to give up.' Cottrell was supported in court by Erikson, who earlier abandoned his appeal bid. After the hearing, Cottrell tweeted a video telling followers he hadn't 'failed anything'. 'The prosecution has found a law that the County Court can hear that matter - the High Court doesn't need to, so the constitutional matter has been sent back to County Court for Judge Hannan to hear,' he said. 'I haven't failed anything. The matter is still active. The law still may be unconstitutional.' The appeal was set down for 10 days from August 8, which Judge Hannan said she thought was too long. Cottrell next returns to court on June 5 for directions. A Mexican man detained by Border Patrol for illegal re-entry died Monday at a hospital in Texas - the third undocumented migrant to die in U.S. custody in as many months. U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Andrew Meehan says the 45-year-old man was initially apprehended February 2 and requested medical attention. He was taken to a medical center and later cleared to return to the Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station. The next day, he requested medical attention again and was taken to a hospital where he stayed until he died Monday. Meehan says the official cause of death is not yet known, but the medical center diagnosed him with cirrhosis of the liver and congestive heart failure when he was admitted. A 45-year-old Mexican man who crossed into the United States illegally died on Monday. He is the third undocumented migrant to die in the custody of U.S. border agents in as many months The death is under investigation. In December, two Guatemalan children died while in Border Patrol custody. Jakelin Caal, a seven-year-old girl from Guatemala, lost her life on December 8. She died in a hospital in El Paso, Texas. An indigenous Mayan who had been hoping to begin a new life in the United States with her father, Jakelin came down with a fever while being detained by authorities. She and her father handed themselves in to border agents in New Mexico on December 6 and two days later she fell ill. Jakelin died after suffering cardiac arrest, brain swelling and liver failure. Two weeks later, Felipe Gomez Alonzo, an eight-year-old boy from Guatemala, became the second young migrant to die in U.S. custody. Gomez fell ill after being detained near the U.S. border with Mexico with his father. The two had traveled to the United States from their remote village of Yalambojoch in Guatemala. New Mexicos Medical Investigators office said in a statement that nasal and lung swabs during an autopsy found Gomez had influenza B, but said 'determining an accurate cause of death requires further evaluation.' Gomez and his father were detained on Dec. 18 in El Paso for illegally entering the country, but several days later they were moved to the Alamogordo Border Patrol Station in New Mexico. In December, two Guatemalan children - Jakelin Caal (left), a seven-year-old girl, and eight-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo (right) - died while in Border Patrol custody After a border agent noticed the boy looked sick, Gomez was transferred to a nearby hospital but he was released with a prescription for an antibiotic and Ibuprofen. After the boy began to vomit and had a fever, he was taken back to the hospital in the evening, where he died just before midnight on December 24. Antibiotics do not work as treatment for viruses like the flu, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. President Trump came into office vowing to crack down on illegal immigration. Last week, Trump declared a national emergency in hopes of obtaining funds to build a wall along the border with Mexico. A coalition of 16 U.S. states led by California sued Trump and top members of his administration on Monday to block his decision. Trumps order would allow him to spend on the wall money that Congress appropriated for other purposes. Congress declined to fulfill his request for $5.7 billion to help build the wall this year. Sentence slashed: Alan Simmons' crime was 'one of the worst sexual assaults on a random female victim, who has not been subsequently murdered', a judge found A rapist whose 'animalistic' assault on a woman was 'one of the worst' attacks a judge has seen in 36 years practising criminal law has had his sentence slashed on appeal. Alan Simmons grabbed a young Bathurst woman, 22, by the neck as she walked home from work on a Saturday evening in August 2015. He dragged the woman - a stranger - to the banks of the Macquarie River and raped, beat and taunted her for more than an hour. Over the course of the sadistic assault, Simmons bit her, pulled a mouthful of her hair out with his teeth and told her he was raping her 'because you like it'. District Court Judge Jeffrey McLennan sentenced Simmons to 18 years' imprisonment, including a 12 year non parole period, in May 2017. Judge McLennan described the attack as one of the most terrible sex assaults he had seen in more than three decades practising criminal law across two states. 'Simply put, this is one of the worst sexual assaults on a random female victim, who has not been subsequently murdered, that I have encountered,' he told the court on sentencing. But in a decision handed down this month, the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the judge's ruling and slashed three years from Simmons' total sentence. The embankment where Alan Simmons, 18, committed his sick crimes in August 2015 The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal (pictured) found his Simmons' sentencing judge had calculated his total sentence 'in an aggregate (sentence) which is manifestly excessive' The appeal panel found the sentencing judge had handed Simmons appropriate sentences for each individual charge he was found guilty of. But the panel found the judge had accumulated his total sentence 'in an aggregate (sentence) which is manifestly excessive'. One of the worst sexual assaults on a random female victim, who has not been subsequently murdered, that I have encountered The panel said: 'In our view no longer term than 15 years with a non-parole period of 10 years is justified at the applicant will be resentenced accordingly'. The panel described what was done to the young woman as 'shocking'. The judges said the community would expect Simmons to punished in a way that conveyed 'unequivocal denunciation and deterrance'. The judges described their new sentence as 'an appropriately strong penalty, apt to serve the purposes of sentencing in this case'. Simmons will be eligible for parole on August 1, 2025. His total sentence expires in 2030. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is expected to leave his role at the Justice Department next month. A senior DOJ official has told multiple media outlets that Rosenstein will step down by mid-March after almost two years in the job. He is leaving his post after he headed Robert Mueller's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and was a frequent target of President Trump's twitter rants. The president has also accused him of being part of an 'illegal and treasonous' plot to secretly record him and get him removed from office. The White House is expected to name a replacement for Rosenstein this week. Rosenstein's departure had been expected with the confirmation of William Barr as attorney general last week. The senior official who told CNN about his impending departure said the timing was nothing to do with former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe's claims that Rosenstein wanted to remove Trump in 2017 after he fired James Comey. Scroll down for video Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is expected to leave his role at the Justice Department next month On Sunday, Trump tweeted 'treason' alongside a quote from Fox News host Sean Hannity that said: 'The biggest abuse of power and corruption scandal in our history, and its much worse than we thought. Andrew McCabe (FBI) admitted to plotting a coup (government overthrow) when he was serving in the FBI, before he was fired for lying & leaking.' According to McCabe, in a lengthy interview that aired Sunday on CBS's '60 Minutes,' Rosenstein brought up the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution, which provides for the removal of a sitting president for incapacity. 'Rod raised the issue and discussed it with me in the context of thinking about how many other cabinet officials might support such an effort,' said McCabe, who has a book coming out, 'The Threat.' Trump slammed their reported discussions about invoking the Constitution to remove him as part of an 'illegal and treasonous' push against him. McCabe and Rosenstein 'look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught.....,' Trump said in a series of tweets. 'This was the illegal and treasonous 'insurance policy' in full action!' Rosenstein, who became deputy attorney general at the start of Trump's tenure, long planned to only serve two years in the Number Two position at Justice, NBC News reported in January. He is leaving his post after he headed Robert Mueller's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and was a frequent target of President Trump's twitter rants On Sunday, Trump tweeted 'treason' alongside a quote from Fox News host Sean Hannity that said: 'The biggest abuse of power and corruption scandal in our history, and its much worse than we thought. Andrew McCabe (FBI) admitted to plotting a coup (government overthrow) when he was serving in the FBI, before he was fired for lying & leaking' He has been on the brink of an exit before, notably in September when he and Trump clashed after a report that Rosenstein secretly recorded Trump and was looking at invoking the 25th amendment to remove him from office. But Mueller's probe was at the heart of the disagreement between the two men. It was Rosenstein who appointed Mueller as special counsel after then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from overseeing the investigation. The deputy attorney general was thought to leave after Sessions exited the top job at Justice in November but he stayed on while Matt Whittaker acted as acting attorney general and before William Barr was confirmed by the Senate last week. In September, Rosenstein was the subject of intense speculation over his fate. There was one chaotic day were reports had Rosenstein in route to the White House to be fired only he ended up being there for a routine Cabinet meeting. The pandemonium was the result of reports Rosenstein wore a 'wire' to record conversations with President Trump and recruited Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president from office. According to former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, in a lengthy interview that aired Sunday on CBS's '60 Minutes,' Rosenstein brought up the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution, which provides for the removal of a sitting president Rosenstein denied the allegations and several of his supporters said his 'wire' comment was a joke. Trump met with Rosenstein shortly after the incident and said he had no plans to fire him. The president was also furious with Rosenstein in April when the deputy attorney general approved the FBI raid on Michael Cohen, who was then Trump's personal attorney. The results of that raid helped bring about Cohen's conviction on eight counts of campaign finance violations, tax fraud, and bank fraud. Cohen later pled guilty to lying to Congress and has been sentenced to three years in prison. A chocolate company has been criticised for its latest promotion - as activists and academics claim it excludes transgender and intersex people. Whittaker's Coconut Ice Surprise blocks come in blue or pink colours - representing a 'boy' or a 'girl' - and are a special product designed to raise money for children's charity Plunket in New Zealand. The campaign has been criticised by academics, activists and on social media for not considering intersex, transgender, gender non-binary and gender-fluid people. Whittaker's Coconut Ice Surprise blocks (pictured) come in blue or pink colours and are a special product designed to raise money for children's charity Plunket in New Zealand Customers do not know if they have a blue or pink bar until they remove the product's packaging. RainbowYouth executive director Frances Arns said although it was good that 20c of every bar sold was going to charity, the campaign was still 'disappointing'. 'It's a shame that they used a binary notion of gender, which is erasing many of the identities that exist in the rainbow community,' she told Stuff. The Whittaker's promotion was inspired by 'gender reveal parties', where expectant parents hold a special ceremony to announce whether their child is a boy or a girl. Ms Arns said those parties were outdated and can be harmful. 'The baby may grow up to have a different gender [than] that they were assigned at birth. The concept is also erasing two per cent of babies born intersex,' she said. Whittaker's said the product was designed to support Plunket. 'Coconut ice is usually pink so that's where we started, but given Plunket's association with babies we went for blue as our other coconut ice colour,' the company said in a statement. Whittaker's said the campaign was meant to be 'a bit of fun... rather than to create controversy or offend anyone'. Intersex university sociologist Sarah Hendrica Bickerton (pictured) said she likes Whittaker's as a company but doesn't appreciate the campaign Intersex university sociologist Sarah Hendrica Bickerton said she likes Whittaker's as a company but doesn't appreciate the campaign. 'I get that they were just trying to have some fun and Plunket does an amazing job so it's really good they want to support them. But if you place the campaign in a wider context effectively it is excluding a whole range of people,' she said. 'It is literally pride month in New Zealand and you are fixing a boy and girl binary model at a time we are celebrating diversity in gender and sexuality? Maybe Whittaker's need to look into whether they have enough diversity in its marketing team].' Auckland University of Technology psychology lecturer Pani Farvid said outdated gender stereotypes were being promoted in the campaign. 'We, in academia, are working really hard to dispel the gender binary model as we know there are more than two genders and that ascribing blue and pink to boys and girls is stereotypical,' she said. OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- Ocean Springs police have arrested a Vancleave man after he crashed his vehicle multiple times on Government Street in downtown Ocean Springs early Thursday morning. The crash, reported to the police around 3:38 a.m. by a business owner arriving for work, knocked down three decorative light poles, two trash cans and a fire hydrant, according to Ocean Springs Police Capt. Chuck Jackson. Police responding to the scene located the 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse involved in the crash, but the driver had fled the scene. However, a check of the vehicle registration identified 28-year-old Jacob N. Reynolds of Vancleave as the owner of the vehicle. Upon learning he was being sought by police, Reynolds came to the Ocean Springs Police Department to give a statement. Based on information obtained during the police interview, Reynolds was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage, a misdemeanor. Reynolds was booked into the Jackson County Adult Detention Center. Jackson said the incident remains under investigation and further charges could be forthcoming. Ocean Springs Public Works had the damaged property removed early this morning. Alderman Rob Blackman said there was no immediate estimate on how long it would take to replace the light poles. South Africa: Free State prioritises education, youth The Free State government has targeted education, skills development and youth opportunities as their focus areas this year. Part of the plan will see the provincial government opening ten new schools in this financial year, Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela announced on Tuesday. The province will also be focusing on infrastructure maintenance and eradicating pit toilets in schools in the province. Delivering her State of the Province Address, Ntombela said the province has 156 schools with pit latrines. Fifty-one of these schools are in Thabo Mofutsanyana followed by Fezile Dabi with 43 schools. The number of schools in Mangaung with pit latrines is 20, while Lejweleputswa has 39 schools and Xhariep has three. Ntombelas commitment to the eradication of pit toilets comes just weeks after President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address which committed to eradicating pit toilets in all the provinces. Governments plan to improve sanitation at schools came under the spotlight last year after the death of a five-year-old, Lumka Mkhetha, who died after falling into a pit toilet in the Eastern Cape, made national headlines. Ntombela went on to highlight the need to invest in young people and ensuring that they participate meaningfully in the country's economy by implementing the Framework for Skills for a Changing World. The framework is meant to prepare children to respond to emerging technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence. We will extend our current programme of using technology to teach our learners to more schools to better prepare them for the 4th Industrial Revolution, said the Premier, acknowledging that quality education furthers social and economic development. The province's efforts of rolling out a reading and writing initiative saw the opening of a new state-of-the-art Sechaba Mahobe Library in Botshabelo, which boasts a reading area, computer room, games room and a toys library for children. This year, Ntombela committed to equipping 24 Mzansi Libraries Online with computers, tablets and Wi-Fi to assist unemployed youth to find job opportunities. Opportunities for youth With regards to opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, the province has been opening doors of learning by giving away bursaries for higher education to 9 976, young people between 2009 and 2018. Of them 2 723 have completed their studies and are yet to find employment. The province also has 921 students currently studying in countries such as China, Germany, India, Cuba, Portugal, Belarus, Bulgaria, Russia and Turkey. Many of these young people are studying medicine, engineering, agriculture and other fields of study that are crucial for the development of the Free State, said Ntombela. Skills programme in welding, building, construction and mixed farming for 1 500 youth have started. Ten enterprises have been trained in Sao Paulo in Brazil in automotive vehicle maintenance and metal mechanics. Early Childhood development With regards to Early Childhood development, the provincial government reported that they have 103 533 children in centres. In an attempt to empower and address the many challenges facing youth, 277 000 youth participated in various youth camps and similarly supported 335 youth structures. Substance abuse centre Ntombela said her government will open a Substance Abuse Treatment Centre in Botshabelo this year. This will be a state-run facility to provide treatment and rehabilitation to those who abuse and are dependent on substances. We are committed to rid our streets of all kinds of drugs. We are convinced that taverns that operate close to our schools and churches contribute to societal ills amongst young people. As such, Ntombela said they will work closely with municipalities and law enforcement agencies to ensure that no taverns will be allowed to operate near schools and churches. The province will also taking care of the elderly through the Thekolohelong, Boiketlong and Botshabelo Old Age homes that house 152 older persons. In addition to this, the province is funding 179 Community-Based Care Centres with 5 856 older persons. Hospitals, clinics The province also boosts of 32 hospitals and 223 clinics as well as 884 doctors and 6 657 nurses manage these health facilities. For this year, Ntombela said they are going to build a Trauma Centre in Villiers to take care of N3 road accident casualties. We will also improve the provision of our Emergency Medical Services. This will include the appointment of more staff and distribution of ambulances to towns where they are not available. The province only had 86 ambulances and has now procured an additional 60 which will be distributed to Mangaung, Xhariep, Fezile Dabi, Lejweleputswa and Thabo Mofutsanyana. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Margarita Tomovska (pictured), who dubbed herself 'Mercedes Mum' after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase in her luxury car, has shared a photo of herself in pyjamas instead of going to court An Instagram-famous woman who dubbed herself 'Mercedes Mum' after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase in her luxury car has shared a photo of herself in pyjamas instead of going to court. Margarita Tomovska, 27, stands accused of fleeing officers in a $260,000 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with an unrestrained toddler in the back seat on the Princes Highway in Sydney's south on November 13. Ever since, she has posted videos on Instagram showing her driving along Sydney roads at high speeds - as well as pictures flaunting her designer outfits at previous court appearances. Tomovska was expected to appear at Woolongong Local Court on Tuesday, but instead sent her lawyer to enter not guilty pleas to pursuit and speeding charges, The Illawarra Mercury reported. The same day, she posted a bizarre mirror selfie to her 65,000 followers which showed a waving yellow cat in the foreground. Tomovska, 27, stands accused of fleeing officers in a $260,000 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with an unrestrained toddler in the back seat Tomovska was expected to reappear at Woolongong Local Court on Tuesday, but instead sent her lawyer to enter not guilty pleas to pursuit and speeding charges During Tomovska's appearance at court on Jaunary 8, she flaunted a designer dress and $1,000 Gucci sunglasses before posing for pictures with the media. In a previous Instagram story, she shared a series of messages with her own mother where they had discussed arriving at the courthouse via helicopter. 'Planning my way to get to court tomorrow... Mums (sic) idea to get a helicopter. My idea to land on top of media,' she wrote. Tomovska later shared a picture taken outside court which showed her posing with a Channel 7 cameraman - as well as a video of her singing with the caption: '0 f***s given'. Tomovska was driving a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG in Helensburgh on the night of November 13 when she was allegedly involved in a high-speed chase During the November 13 pursuit, Tomovska allegedly reached speeds of more than 200km/h. When she stopped after 10km, she and her male passenger were arrested. Officers found an unrestrained three-year-old girl in the back seat. The child wasn't hurt but she was in a distressed state and officers had to help calm her down, police said. The man was released but the 27-year-old had her licence suspended. The case will return to court in April, but Tomovska will be excused from attending if represented by a lawyer. Foreign investment in Australian residential real estate has plummeted by 83 per cent in the last two financial years. The boom was sky-high in the 2015-16 financial year with $72.4 billion in foreign currency flooding into the real estate market. This fell to $25.2 billion in 2016-17 and plunged again last financial year to $12.6 billion. The dramatic drop has been attributed to taxes introduced by the government, stricter lending, and more controls on funds leaving countries such as China. Foreign investment in Australian residential real estate plunged by 58 per cent in the 2017-18 financial year Despite the overall numbers being down China still leads the world in investment in the Australian real estate sector. 'China still accounts for one out of every four foreign dollars invested in our real estate,' Carrie Law, chief executive of Chinese international real estate website Juwai, told Domain. 'The data is finally starting to reflect what happened last year. Chinese buying dropped off significantly due to foreign buyer taxes and capital controls,' she said. Ms Law said that her firm does not expects the falls in investment to continue, saying that she 'expects Chinese buying to be flat in 2019.' A Foreign Investment Review Board report released on Monday says there are multiple reasons for the drop off in Chinese investment. These include the introduction of state taxes, investment application fees, stricter lending conditions by Australian banks, and tighter controls on outgoing funds from China. China also leads the entire real estate sector, including commercial and industrial projects, with $12.6 billion worth of approvals, followed by Singapore with $7.8 billion and the US with $5.8 billion. Every time a foreign entity invests in Australia it must apply and be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board. A Foreign Investment Review Board report released on Monday says there are multiple reasons for the drop off in Chinese investment Approvals are generally issued for new developments 'that contribute to Australia's housing stock' rather than for existing dwellings that are already in place in the housing sector. Victoria leads all the Australian state's for foreign residential investment at 46 per cent, while New South Wales follows with 23 per cent and Queensland saw 17 per cent. Across all sectors, the United States is now the top source of overseas money coming into the country, having jumped by $10 billion last financial year to $36.5 billion. The rise in US investment was largely driven by increases in the real estate, electricity, manufacturing, and gas sectors, according to the report. Police are looking for two 'rugged-looking' women who entered a sex store in New Zealand and stole a collection of adult toys. The women entered the Peaches and Cream store in the town of Petone on Sunday before making off with the toys. Two sex toys worth over $300 each were stolen as well as a Hustler brand rabbit vibrator worth over $250 and a leopard print dress worth $95, Newshub reported. The two 'rugged-looking' women were approached by a staff member who thought they looked suspicious The staff member who caught the pair said they looked suspicious from the outset. Noticing their bags looking bigger as they went to exit, the staff member gave the women an opportunity to return the items. While one of them returned an item, the other refused. Peaches and Cream CEO said: 'They steal lube, they steal vibrators, they steal lingerie, they steal DVDs.' 'We don't normally want them back.' A staff member told the 'butt plug bandits' they would be be seen on Facebook if they didn't return the items. Pictured above are the two women entering the store The Peaches and Cream team have taken to Facebook to share CCTV footage of the two women and warn other retailers. Members of the community, who recognise the two women, have commented on the theft online. 'Police have been around her house multiple times but she's never home,' one person commented on Facebook. 'Probably hiding in the bedroom with her collection of buttplugs,' came the reply. Police have completed 'initial forensic analysis' and have written a report. Navy officials have said reports that Tom Cruise was rude to Sailors in San Diego while filming the sequel to 'Top Gun' are not accurate. An anonymous service member alleged that Cruise was impolite to crew aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt while shooting scenes for 'Top Gun: Maverick,' NBC 7 reported. Now, a higher ranking official has told the outlet, 'Tom Cruise and the cast were nothing but gracious and professional during filming to all of the sailors.' The official said the subordinate may have misinterpreted orders from the command related to appropriate interaction with the stars and those working on the film. A Navy master chief has said reports that Tom Cruise was rude to Sailors in San Diego aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt while filming the sequel to 'Top Gun' are not accurate. Cruise is pictured speaking onstage during the 10th Annual Lumiere Awards at Warner Bros. Studios on January 30 in Burbank, California The service member who first reported Cruise's alleged attitude to NBC on Sunday, 'He angered USS Theodore crew while filming,' and that Cruise was acting 'very arrogant.' According to that individual, Cruise allegedly told those aboard the Roosevelt not to look at him or touch him. Naval escorts who accompanied Cruise aboard the ship said, 'At no time did Tom Cruise say to a sailor, '"Do not look at me. Do not touch me."' The Navy master chief who spoke to NBC on Monday said Cruise behaved in quite the opposite manner. The service member who first reported Cruise's alleged attitude to NBC on Sunday, 'He angered USS Theodore crew while filming,' and that Cruise was acting 'very arrogant.' According to that individual, Cruise allegedly told those aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (pictured) not to look at him or touch him. But the Navy master chief said, 'Some sailors may have misinterpreted guidance from the Navy that told sailors to not approach actors while filming and not use cell phones on the set' 'Some sailors may have misinterpreted guidance from the Navy that told sailors to not approach actors while filming and not use cell phones on the set,' the official said. Cruise reportedly addressed the crew and personally thanked everyone for their support at the captain's 'all hands on deck' call on Friday, the official said. The master chief said the Navy 'does not tolerate any disrespect to its members,' nor would the branch of military allow Cruise to treat any one of its members poorly. The official added the Navy members were directed to 'respect' Cruise and the film crew, which he didn't think was an issue for anyone involved. Cruise and his team could not immediately be reached for comment. The film, 'Top Gun: Maverick,' is set to be released on June 26, 2020, pushed back from its original release date of July 12. Sex offender Robert Fardon has been living at a home just metres from a primary school and a child care centre. Two Queensland judges found the child rapist should be allowed to live unsupervised in the community in a decision made public last month. Nine News has obtained photographic evidence that the 70-year-old is living in Salisbury in Brisbane's south. Sex offender Robert Fardon has moved into a home just metres from a primary school and a child care centre Fardon is no longer classed a dangerous prisoner and recently moved out of the state-sponsored housing where he had been living since his release from prison in 2013. He was first convicted in 1967, then aged 18, for sexual abuse offences against a 10-year-old girl, and went on to commit a string of crimes against women and girls. In 2003 he became the first person to be jailed in Queensland indefinitely under new laws targeting repeat sex offenders but was later released on a supervision order. More to come. Two Queensland judges found the child rapist should be allowed to live unsupervised in the community in a decision made public last month. The 70-year-old recently shaved off his beard Police are urgently pleading for information after a 19-year-old woman went missing six weeks ago. Jenna Goff was last seen at Melbourne Street, South Brisbane on January 9 at about 6.45am. She has not been in contact with friends or family since she went missing, leaving police concerned about her safety. Jenna Goff (pictured) has not been in contact with friends or family since she went missing, leaving police concerned about her safety The 19-year-old is described as white, 180cm tall with a slim build, blonde hair and blue eyes. Ms Goff regularly uses public transport around South Brisbane, Annerley and Greenslopes areas. Anyone who has seen Ms Goff or has information in relation to her whereabouts is urged to contact police. Former 60 Minutes correspondent Lara Logan has broken ranks with mainstream media, claiming news outlets are now 'mostly liberal' and have become propagandists while covering President Trump. The South African-born foreign affairs journalist said that most of the American press is biased against Trump because journalists are overwhelmingly Democrats. You say the media is mostly liberal, Logan told Mike Ritland on his Mike Drop podcast. I agree with you. Its true. Why can I say that with certainty? Well first of all Ive been part of this for all my life, Im 47 now and Ive been a journalist since I was 17 and the media everywhere is mostly liberal not just in the U.S, but in this country 85 percent of journalists are registered Democrats so thats just a fact. Scroll down for video Lara Logan (seen left with podcast host Mike Ritland) criticized the news media for having what she says is a liberal bias and being overwhelmingly negative toward President Trump Courtesy: Mike Ritland Logan said there isnt much variety in viewpoints among mainstream news organizations. Visually, anyone whos ever been to Israel and been to the Wailing Wall has seen that the women have this tiny little spot in front of the wall to pray, and the rest of the wall is for the men, she said. To me, thats a great representation of the American media, is that in this tiny little corner where the women pray youve got Breitbart and Fox News and a few others, and from there on, you have CBS, ABC, NBC, Huffington Post, Politico, whatever, right? All of them. Thats a problem for me. My experience has been that the more opinions you have, the more ways that you look at everything in life - everything in life is complicated, everything is gray, right? Nothing is black and white. Logan said that media coverage of the president has been overwhelmingly one-sided. For example, the coverage on Trump, all the time, is negative, she said. Theres no mitigating policy, or event or anything that has happened since he was elected that is out there in the media that you can read about, right? Well, that tells you, thats distortion of the way things go in real life. Although the media has always been left-leaning, weve abandoned our pretense or at least the effort to be objective today. Logan made a name for herself in television news for daring to report from dangerous war zones. She is seen above in Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq in November 2006 Logan is seen above in 2017 accepting an award from the Alliance for Women in Media at a ceremony in Beverly Hills Weve become political activists, and some could argue propagandists, and theres some merit to that. She said that journalists no longer abide by reporting standards. Standards are out the window, I mean you read one story after another or hear it and its all based on one anonymous administration official, former administration official, she said. Thats not journalism, thats horses**t. Towards the end of the interview, she acknowledged some may perceive her comments as controversial. 'This interview is professional suicide for me,' she said. Logan, who made her name as a journalist by reporting from dangerous war zones, is a controversial figure in the world of television news. In 2013, CBS retracted a report she did on 60 Minutes about the 2012 attacks on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. In the report, Logan interviewed a British security contractor, Dylan Davies, who claimed to be an eyewitness to the attack. Davies, who went by the pseudonym Morgan Jones, told Logan that during the September 11, 2012 attack in Libya, he scaled the wall of the burning diplomatic compound, hit a terrorist in the face with a rifle, and later saw the corpse of Ambassador Chris Stevens in a local hospital. The report was cited by Republicans and conservatives who blamed the Obama administration for being ill-prepared for the attacks. But it later became apparent that Davies told a different story to the FBI. CBS conducted a review of the matter and found that other media outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post were correct in reporting information that proved Davies fabricated the claims he made in the interview with Logan. The network then asked Logan to take a leave of absence. Logan herself appeared on the CBS morning show to apologize. Logan left CBS News last year. In her comments on Friday, Logan criticized Media Matters for America, a liberal watchdog which investigated the claims that were made in her retracted 60 Minutes report. I made one comment about Benghazi, Logan said in Fridays podcast. [Then] I was targeted by Media Matters for America, which was an organization established by David Brock, who has dedicated himself to the Clintons. It was their known propaganda organization. Before the Benghazi controversy, Logans career took a traumatic turn when she was sexually assaulted by a mob in Cairos Tahrir Square during the Arab Spring protests in February 2011. The attack was so brutal that she needed to be flown back to the United States, where she was hospitalized for four days. There was no doubt in my mind that I was in the process of dying, she said months later. I thought not only am I going to die, but its going to be just a torturous death thats going to go on forever. A rare 14th century gold coin worth up to 3,000 was found hidden inside a 60 wooden chest which had been gifted to a family support worker by a long-lost cousin. Anne Clapp, 37, from Derbyshire, was left the 20th century George II-style bureau in a will. But she had no idea that inside a secret draw was stashed a 650-year-old Raymond IV Prince of Orange Franc A pied coin. The 650-year-old gold coin is a 22ct Raymond IV Prince of Orange A pied and is worth up to 3,000 It was found stashed inside a secret drawer of a bureau which was gifted to Anne Clapp by a long-lost cousin in his will Mrs Clapp said: 'I can't even remember meeting my great cousin but I received a letter from a solicitor before Christmas informing me that I'd been left various items of furniture. Apparently, the will was written when I was 13 years old.' The coin, which can be traced back to 1365, was unknown to Mrs Clapp until she took it to Hansons Auctioneers where is was discovered by furniture valuer Edward Rycroft. Mr Rycroft has a decade's experience in valuing historic items but admitted this is the first time he has ever stumbled across an item of such value in a hidden compartment. During an inspection he found three secret drawers within the bureau, one containing the 22ct gold coin. He said: 'I know bureaus like this often have tiny, secret drawers - sometimes called coin drawers - so I always check them just in case. 'But in 10 years of valuing furniture I have never found anything in them - until now.' Mrs Clapp, 37, had no idea the coin was inside until she took the 60 chest to the auctioneers where it was discovered Furniture valuer Edward Rycroft said that in ten years of inspecting historic items this was the first time he had found anything valuable in a hidden compartment Mrs Clapp, a family support worker, said she was delighted when Mr Rycroft rang to tell her the news: 'As a family, we've had some bad luck in the last two years, so for something like this to happen to us is amazing. 'My daughter, Abi, 18, was recently registered as severely impaired. She has Bardet-Biedl syndrome, a genetic condition which affects vision as well as other parts of the body. I work for the Bardet-Biedl Syndrome UK charity and I'll be donating some proceeds from the sale to it. 'I would never have found that in a million years. We're so grateful to Edward. We recently blew all our savings on a car and its engine blew up shortly after we bought it, so any windfall is very welcome.' Mr Rycroft said he knew straight away the coin was 'really special'. 'It's the most amazing thing I have ever found by chance. If you've got an old bureau at home do check for secret drawers - you never know, you may be sitting on a windfall too,' he added. A former police officer who accessed intimate photos on the phone of a woman he'd arrested and shared them on social media has been spared jail time. Steven Albee, 29, pleaded guilty last year to using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend. The Sydney policeman admitted to uploading photos of the woman's genitals to a Facebook chat group shared with four colleagues in 2017. Steven Albee (pictured arriving at court), 29, pleaded guilty last year to using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend The Sydney policeman (pictured leaving court) admitted to uploading photos of the woman's genitals to a Facebook chat group shared with four colleagues in 2017 He was arrested in 2018 and suspended without pay, but is no longer employed by New South Wales Police. On Tuesday, Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson in Downing Centre Local Court convicted Albee and imposed the commonwealth equivalent of a two-year good behaviour bond. Ms Atkinson noted she would have sent Albee to jail if not for a confidential letter from the police 'in relation to matters of assistance'. Albee arrested the woman after she declined a roadside drug test in April 2017. Albee was working within the Nepean Police Area Command in Sydney's west at the time, and took her back to the local police station. The woman's phone was confiscated and searched using investigative software, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The software provided the accused access to four explicit photos, three of the woman's genitals and a fourth of a man's torso and penis - later confirmed to be the woman's boyfriend. Albee (pictured) was working within the Nepean Police Area Command in Sydney's west at the time, and took her back to the local police station Albee chose two of the pictures of the woman and forwarded them onto three colleagues in a group chat on Facebook. Albee told the other men he took the images from a phone of a woman he had arrested. The woman told the Professional Standards Command she never agreed to have the pictures shared with anybody else, and confirmed they were for private use. She said she felt 'upset and embarrassed' that they had been shared. Her partner echoed her statement, saying he was 'upset and angry' over the ordeal. Some 16,000 jobs could be put at risk when Japanese car firm Honda announces the closure of its factory in Swindon today. The expected announcement will hit 3,500 people employed at the Wiltshire plant as well as another 12,500 whose jobs depend on the Honda supply chain. Jobs could also be at risk in companies who depend on the Swindon workforce for their business, as Honda was urged to rethink the 'devastating' decision. It is the latest blow to Britain's car industry after Nissan announced it would no longer build the X-Trail at its Sunderland plant and Land Rover said it would cut 4,500 British jobs. Scroll down for video The entrance to the Honda car plant in Swindon is pictured yesterday, as the Japanese car maker prepares to announce the factory's closure Trade union Unite blamed the potential job losses on Theresa May's 'rigid approach' to negotiations with EU, claiming the threat of no deal had led to 'chaotic Brexit uncertainty'. Des Quinn, Unite national officer for the automotive sector said: 'If these reports are confirmed, this would be a shattering body blow at the heart of UK manufacturing. 'The car industry in the UK over the last two decades has been the jewel in the crown for the manufacturing sector - and now it has been brought low by the chaotic Brexit uncertainty created by the rigid approach adopted by Prime Minister Theresa May. Swindon's Tory MPs Justin Tomlinson and Robert Buckland said they were 'disappointed and surprised' by the news that the plant would close in 2022. The plant is among the biggest employers in Swindon, which voted Leave at the 2016 referendum, and is currently the firm's only factory inside the EU. Speaking to ITN, Mr Buckland later urged the manufacturer to reconsider, saying: 'Honda hasn't yet made its public announcement. 'I've already said that I think they should think again and I certainly would be ready to talk to them and anybody who cares to listen to make the case for Swindon as a strong centre for manufacturing.' Workers leave the Honda factory in Swindon yesterday with 3,500 jobs at risk at the plant and another 12,500 in danger in the supply chain A lorry with a car carrier trailer leaves the Honda car plant in Swindon on Monday. The town's Conservative MPs said they were 'disappointed and surprised' by the planned closure Bosses at Honda, Britain's fifth largest car producer, recently declared that the UK crashing out without a deal would cost them 'tens of millions of pounds'. However just six months ago the firm had also insisted it was 'right behind' the Swindon plant and would not move it out of the UK. Ford bosses have also warned a no-deal Brexit would be 'catastrophic' and would cost them 1,000 jobs - mainly at its Bridgend plant in Wales. 'We are seeking urgent clarification from Honda on the implications of these serious reports.' One worker, who has been at the plant for 24 years, said he blamed the closure on Brexit. The foreign firms scaling down in Britain after Brexit vote Today's news is the latest blow to hit Britain's car manufacturing industry, with several international firms threatening to close plants amid Brexit reservations. In December, Nissan announced it would no longer build its X-Trail car at its plant in Sunderland and Jaguar Land Rover recently said it would cut 4,500 UK jobs. Meanwhile, Ford bosses have warned a no-deal Brexit would be 'catastrophic' and would cost them 1,000 jobs - mainly at its Bridgend plant in Wales. On Sunday, aerospace giant Airbus claimed it had already been forced to spend 'tens of millions of euros' preparing for the prospect of no deal. Japenese tech giant Hitachi revealed in January that it would freeze construction of its stalled nuclear power station in Wales due to problems financing the project. The British government had reportedly agreed to finance two thirds of the three trillion yen construction cost, with Hitachi as well as Japanese and British investors scheduled to cover the balance. But Hitachi's fund-raising efforts have been deadlocked at home while its request for additional investment from the British government has been shelved with London consumed by Brexit. The Remain voter said: 'Perfectly viable car plant operating for 30 years, no problem at all - as soon as Brexit comes along the plant needs investment. 'People like Justin Tomlinson, our MP, campaigned for this Brexit. He wanted Brexit - he gets to carry the can. If he's not unseated by a massive majority at the next election then this town gets what it deserves.' Asked how he felt about the news, the man replied: 'Pretty hacked off, to be fair.' Another man leaving the site said staff had not been warned about the announcement. He said: 'Devastated. That's all I can say.' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said it is a 'huge blow' to workers and the wider community, adding: 'The Government's disastrous handling of Brexit is letting people down across the country.' But Swindon's Conservative MP Justin Tomlinson insisted the decision was not down to Britain's departure from the EU. The North Swindon MP said: 'Honda's decision to close its Swindon plant by 2022 is 'based on global trends and not Brexit'. The Swindon Honda plant produces around 160,000 Civics, 90 per cent of which are exported to Europe and the US. It has been running for more than 30 years and has been described as 'integral' to the local economy. South Swindon Labour tweeted: 'Terrible news for the town and the Honda workforce. Justin Tomlinson and other Brexiteers should hang their hands in shame. #brexitshambles' Cllr Paul Hodgkinson tweeted: 'This is a huge blow to our area and to the UK. Many people work at Honda and live in Gloucestershire. When are the Brexiteers going to wake up to the reality they have created for the country? #Honda' The Honda plant in Swindon, Wiltshire is pictured in a file photo from 1998 Workers are pictured here inside the Honda manufacturing plant in Swindon, Wiltshire Local people reacted to the speculation today - included one worker who said he only found out on the news. Dave Shep wrote on Facebook: 'First I've heard and I've worked there for 19 years. 'Announced on national news channels before loyal employees told SHOCKING, SHAME ON YOU HONDA.' Dave Durston wrote: 'Oh dear!! If This is true it will be devastating to Swindon employment, it's not just the 3500 that work for Honda, there's at least double that amount that work for subsidiary companies that supply part and materials! However, rumours are just that till confirmed.' Airbus boss warns a no deal Brexit would be 'catastrophic' A senior Airbus executive warned a no deal Brexit would be 'absolutely catastrophic' on Sunday. Katherine Bennett said the aerospace giant had already been forced to spend 'tens of millions of euros' preparing for the prospect of no deal. The money has been spent building vast stockpiles of parts at Airbus' UK wing factories - and could have been better spent on apprenticeships, Ms Bennett said. Airbus chief Katherine Bennett (pictured) The firm's senior vice president for the UK business said there no such thing as a 'managed no deal' as she urged politicians to strike an exit deal with the EU. Airbus caused fury among Brexiteers by warning it could abandon the UK altogether if there is a no deal Brexit. Ms Bennett told the BBC's Andrew Marr: 'There is no such thing as a managed 'no deal', it's absolutely catastrophic for us. 'Some difficult decisions will have to made if there's no-deal (...) we will have to look at future investments.' She said they currently have a backlog of 9,000 aircraft to produce, providing plenty of work for UK employees for now, but added: 'There will be decisions coming down the line in the next few years where my company will have to look seriously at investments.' Airbus employs 14,000 people at 25 sites across the country - including Bristol, Portsmouth and north Wales. However, the impact could go wider with an estimated 110,000 jobs at risk in companies supplying the European aircraft maker. Jay Carroll wrote: 'Welcome to Brexit Britain. As a Remainer I take no pleasure whatsoever in being proved right.' Another said: 'This is bloody awful! I hope the Govt wakes up - puts the national interest above ideology and does everything it can to avoid a no-deal Brexit.' Ian Howells, senior vice president for Honda Europe, said in September that the firm was 'right behind' its employees in Swindon. He added: 'The UK forms part of our global network of manufacturing plants, it's not just for the European market. 'The only place we produce the vehicle we produce at Swindon is in Swindon itself. So from that point of view it's a very big decision to take a different approach. 'Certainly we are right behind our Swindon approach, and really it hasn't come up that we would have to look at putting Swindon somewhere else. 'The logistics of moving a factory the size of Swindon would be huge, and as far as we're concerned from a European (perspective), and as far as our Japanese head office is concerned, we're right behind supporting continued production at Swindon and indeed our whole European operation to continue there. 'In terms of the impact of Brexit, I think we are looking at hopefully relatively short-term disruption as we get used to the new rules and new ways of doing business.' A spokesman for Honda was not immediately available to comment on the closure of the Swindon plant. The manufacturer is believed to be maintaining its European headquarters in Bracknell, Berkshire, and its Formula One operation in the UK. Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said: 'This is devastating news for the thousands of people employed at Honda's plant in Swindon, and a further hammer blow to Britain's reputation as a hub for global business. 'Brexit may or may not be officially blamed, and we accept that other issues in the global economy are also a factor. 'Brexit uncertainty is weighing on the company, as is the inability of the UK Government to guarantee access to the recent EU-Japan trade deal. 'We can still step back from the cliff edge and avoid economic disaster, by giving the public the final say on Brexit with the option to stay in the EU.' The news is yet another hit for manufacturers in Britain. Last week, Airbus announced it was scrapping the world's largest commercial jet, putting up to 3,500 jobs at risk over the next three years. About 200 people face job uncertainty in Britain, with thousands more across the world as the aircraft is phased out by 2021. The move comes just 12 years after the double-decker superjet first took to the skies as the UK's challenger to US company Boeing. The A380 model has never turned a profit and sales have slowed dramatically as airlines favour smaller, more nimble aircraft - and Boeing's 787 Dreamliner enjoyed greater success. Critics of the A380 argue the double-deckers are too large, leaving airlines with an impossible task of filling seats for commercial flights. Honda's decision to shut down its Swindon plant shows the whole car industry has stalled, writes RUTH SUTHERLAND - and No Deal fears aren't helping Hondas decision to shut down its plant in Swindon after 30 years as a major local employer may not be directly motivated by Brexit but by wider problems in global car manufacturing. However, yesterdays move by the Japanese carmaker could hardly have come at a worse time. No one in the industry doubts that uncertainty over Brexit is having a chilling effect on production. Fears surrounding our departure helped to halve fresh investment in the sector last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The closure of the plant, set to happen in 2022, will put around 3,500 jobs at risk Overseas investors such as Honda have, in the past three decades, rebuilt the British car industry after it was driven to the brink of annihilation in the 1970s by rabid trade union activity. Now they are in flight. Nissan is cancelling plans to build its new X-Trail SUV at its Sunderland factory. US giant Ford, which employs 13,000 workers in Britain, describes the potential consequences of No Deal as catastrophic, while the boss of Jaguar Land Rover, which is cutting UK jobs, has issued a string of dire warnings. Nissan has also scaled back UK production by cancelling construction of its new X-Trail SUV at its Sunderland factory Ford has said the potential consequences of a no deal Brexit are 'catastrophic' for the industry Jaguar Land Rover, which is cutting UK jobs, has also issued warnings about a no deal Brexit Brexiteers will, of course, accuse these firms of crying wolf. Maybe but that doesnt mean there are no wolves out there. And it is a tragedy that the very companies which helped to bring about a remarkable renaissance in the British car industry have become the collateral damage in the chaos of our impending departure from the EU. It is yet one more problem to contend with in a troubled industry that faces plummeting demand for diesel cars, a slump in the vast Chinese market, and fears that Donald Trump may impose punishing tariffs on vehicles imported into the US. In Germany, a country synonymous with the production of sleek, super-reliable driving machines sold worldwide, the decline in the auto industry is actually stalling the economy. The car manufacturing industry is in trouble as the younger Uber generation are less fixated on car ownership than their parents were and demand for diesel cars plummets The industry is also dealing with the lifestyle choices of the Uber generation: city-dwelling, environmentally-conscious young people who are less fixated on car ownership than their parents were. So a state of emergency would prevail even without Brexit, and the threat of No Deal makes us an even less attractive place to invest in troubled times. A suicide bomber killed two policemen and injured three others who were chasing him in a busy tourist area of Cairo. The explosion took the lives of two officers who were chasing a man believed to have targeted security staff near a mosque last week, Egypt's interior ministry said. The blast in the crowded Darb al-Ahmar district late last night also killed the bomber and injured three other policemen. 'As security surrounded the man and was set to arrest and control him, an explosive device in his possession went off,' the ministry said. A person reacts at the scene where policemen were killed when an explosive device carried by a militant they were pursuing exploded The man was being pursued as part of 'efforts to search for the perpetrator' responsible for planting an explosive device near security staff close to a mosque in Giza on Friday, the ministry said. Security had been able to defuse that device, the ministry said. Yesterday's explosion took place near Al Azhar mosque at the heart of ancient Islamic Cairo, damaging several shops. The site was cordoned off and reporters were not immediately allowed access to the area. Pictured: An unidentified body lies at the scene of an explosion behind a mosque near the Al-Azhar University 'My shop's front and windows were destroyed,' said Kareem Sayed Awad, a barbershop owner. 'Not only that, but people have died. This is a tourist area and such incidents affect it.' Egypt's tourism industry has been struggling to recover from attacks and domestic instability that has hit the country in the years following a 2011 uprising that toppled longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak. In December three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian guide died when a homemade bomb exploded on their bus on the outskirts of Cairo, near the famed pyramids in Giza. Authorities have been seeking to lure tourists back by touting new archaeological discoveries and bolstering security around archaeological sites and in airports. Police seal off the scene of an explosion behind a mosque near the Al-Azhar University Tourism has slowly started picking up. The official statistics agency says tourist arrivals in Egypt in 2017 reached 8.3 million, up from 5.3 million the year before. But that figure was still far short of the record influx in 2010 when over 14 million visitors flocked to the country. Egypt has also for years been battling an Islamist insurgency, which deepened following military's ousting of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. The attacks have been mainly concentrated in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula but have also spread to the mainland. In February 2018, security forces launched a major anti-militant operation focused on the Sinai Peninsula, aimed at wiping out a local affiliate of the Islamic State group. On Saturday, an attack on an Egyptian army checkpoint in north Sinai left 15 soldiers dead or wounded and seven of the suspected jihadist assailants killed, according to the military. Scott Morrison's office demanded his department 'crop out' his dirty white shoes in an embarrassing family portrait, new documents reveal. The PM in January blamed his Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet after social media mocked the suspiciously light shade of his right shoe. Mr Morrison's media advisers went into damage control after the now infamous image with his wife Jenny and their daughters Lily and Abbey was uploaded on to his official website. Scott Morrison's office demanded his department 'crop out' his dirty white shoes in an embarrassing family portrait, new documents reveal New documents obtained by Labor senator Kimberley Kitching reveal the Prime Minister's Office in November had asked the department to 'crop out' his shoes The Prime Minister at the time blamed his department, joking on Twitter they should have Photoshopped his receding hairline instead of focusing on his feet. The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet continues to accept blame for the Photoshop disaster, where the PM's right shoe was whitened for aesthetic purposes. New freedom of information documents, however, obtained by Victorian Labor senator Kimberley Kitching show Mr Morrison's office had requested a picture without the dirty K-Swiss lace-up sneakers. An early afternoon email dated November 7 last year summarised a message from the Prime Minister's Office to the department. 'Message from PMO,' the 2pm departmental email said. 'Expecting a few versions of card. 'In one, please crop out shoes.' The PM in January blamed his Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet after social media mocked the suspiciously light shade of his right shoe On Friday, November 9, the department had sent around five concept designs for the Prime Minister's Christmas card including one with 'cleaned up' shoes In an earlier email that day, public servants within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet had been sent the photo of the Morrison family. 'The PMO has provided the attached photo for the Christmas card and would like to speak to the design team,' it said. The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet told Senator Kitching the PM's office was given several images without the shoe. 'They received a series of cropped versions in which the right shoe was not included,' it said. 'The photoshopped image was generated as part of the early design process for the Prime Minister's Christmas card, to test the impact of matching the shoes to the white clothing in the photo. The PM in January blamed his Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet after social media mocked the suspiciously light shade of his right shoe 'The photoshopped image should have been deleted but was instead incorrectly labelled as final and filed.' The Department of PM&C maintained that Mr Morrison's office had not requested a photoshopped version of the right shoe. 'For the avoidance of doubt, there was no request from the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's Office to photoshop the image,' it said. On Friday, November 9, the department had sent around five concept designs for the Prime Minister's Christmas card. 'I have cleaned up the shoes and I have provided a cropped version without the shoes as requested,' an email said. The department went into damage control on January 8 following a series of social media comments mocking the white shoes on the family portrait The department went into damage control two months later on January 8, following a series of social media comments mocking the white shoes on the family portrait. 'Yup. Regular bloke. Our tax dollars hard at work,' one man said on Twitter. Shortly before 10pm on January 8, Mr Morrison's office had emailed the department asking about a Photoshopped image that was being mocked on social media. 'Where did you guys get this photo from? We can't find a record of it in our system,' it said. 'Need an answer ASAP please.' Labor senator Kimberley Kitching (pictured) received freedom of information documents showing the PM's office had requested the dirty shoes by 'cropped out' A reply was sent shortly after midnight on January 9, confirming the shoes were 'lightened to fit with the overall design aesthetic for use on the Prime Minister's Christmas card'. 'The final Christmas card design did not include the shoes in the image,' it said. Mr Morrison's adviser Dana Robertson was also told the edited shoe designs were provided to the PM's office on November 9 'with advice that shoes had been edited'. Stephanie Foster, the department's deputy secretary of governance, told a Senate estimates hearing on Monday the public servants were to blame and not Mr Morrison's staff. 'No, the error was entirely that of the department, and the error was essentially in the misnaming and uploading of an image that should have been deleted,' she said in answer to questions from Labor senator Kimberley Kitching. 'Neither the Prime Minister nor his office at any stage requested that we Photoshop in the sense that we're talking about.' Fern Britton once fought off a sex attack in a lift by a man she had just interviewed, she has revealed. The former This Morning presenter, 61, said the assault happened when she worked for the ITV regional franchise Television South in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She said: 'I remember doing a television show when I worked for TVS. I was in a lift with a man I'd just interviewed. Fern Britton, 61, revealed that she was the victim of an unprovoked sex attack when an interviewee jumped upon her in a lift The former This Morning presenter hit out at 'white male privilege' as the cause of the unprovoked attack 'He suddenly jumped me and started snogging me. I asked him what on earth he thought he was doing. But it didn't seem to shame him into stopping.' Mrs Britton, who has a teenage daughter with her husband, celebrity cook Phil Vickery, criticised 'white male privilege' as part of the problem. 'The fact remains, the most privileged person on the planet is still the white male,' she told the Daily Express. 'But unless they can feel as uncomfortable as single women do walking home at night in the dark, there's always going to be that gap in understanding. 'Is the pendulum beginning to swing back in the other direction? Yes, it is. But there's still a long way to go.' Mrs Britton is starring in Calendar Girls, Gary Barlow's musical comedy touring the UK. Originally a 2003 film, it is based on the true story of a group of middle-aged women who produce a nude calendar to raise money for a cancer charity. Miss Britton hosted ITV's This Morning for a decade until 2009. Queensland residents are losing a staggering $4,572 every minute on poker machines, a study has found. The astronomical number means that Queenslanders emptied $6 million a day or $2.4 billion a year into the pokies in 2018. The study, which has been conducted every year since 2004, has recorded the highest losses on record and it's set to get even higher this year. Queenslanders sank over $2.4 billion into slot machines in 2018, which equals to $4,572 every single minute (stock image) In Queensland, the pokies are currently what people are spending the most money on when it comes to gambling. In the year leading up to November 2018, $2.2 billion was lost on poker machines, $868 million at casinos, $422 million on the lottery, $248 million on wagering and $93 million on Keno. Alliance for Gambling Reform director Tim Costello says the rise in poker machine losses are contributing to major misery across Queensland. 'Particularly in more vulnerable communities, adding to crime, homelessness, family breakdowns, suicide and bankruptcy,' he told the Brisbane Times. He said that the machines were made to purposely stimulate the pleasure center of the human brain and usually appealed to vulnerable people who are under a lot of stress. 'Such a dangerous addictive product should not be available in 1124 Queensland venues when there are only 493 pokies venues in Victoria,' he said. Mr Costello wants the Queensland government to reduce the maximum bet from $5 to $1 and reduce trading hours to help combat gambling addiction. QUEENSLAND BLOWS BILLIONS ON POKIES EVERY YEAR 2005- $1.7 billion 2008- $1.8 billion 2011- $1.9 billion 2013- $2 billion 2014- $2.1 billion 2015- $2.2 billion 2017- $2.3 billion 2018- $2.4 billion Source: Queensland government data 'Imagine how many more jobs and economic activity could be generated if $2.4 billion a year wasn't being wasted on thoroughly unproductive poker machines,' he added. Across Queensland, Brisbane lost the most from pokies - blowing a whopping $531 million on the machines. The Gold Coast followed with $336 million, Moreton Bay at $212 million, Logan at $164 million and the Sunshine Coast at $151 million. In Queensland, responsible gambling restrictions still apply, with club and hotel staff trained to identify people who appear to be struggling. There are currently 3031 people excluded from Queensland hotels for worrying gambling. The Queensland government are expected to make $750 million profit from the machines in 2018-19, up from $718 million in 2017-18. If you are struggling with gambling, you can call confidentially through the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 A 'vindictive' girlfriend who felt guilty for cheating on her boyfriend later accused the man of rape and had him brutally beaten by her unsuspecting boyfriend. Ge Zhang, 24, of China, was studying nursing on a student visa at RMIT university in Melbourne when she had a one-night stand with a fellow student in his apartment in December 2016. Riddled with guilt and desperate to hang onto her volatile relationship with her student boyfriend of a year, Yuwei Xie, 25, Zhang cooked up a story that she had been raped by her lover. Ge Zhang, 24, of China, leaves the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday. She claimed she had been raped and threatened to destroy the man if he didn't pay her cash Yuwei Xie, 25, of China, outside the County Court of Victoria. He threw chilli powder in a man's eyes and demanded he allow him to kick him in the testicles repeatedly She demanded the man not only write her an apology, but send one to her boyfriend and his own girlfriend. When he failed to comply, Zhang lobbed up on his door step and demanded he apologise to her boyfriend or she'd tell his girlfriend he had raped her. The County Court of Victoria heard the man was forced to his knees to apologise where Zhang photographed him begging for forgiveness. She then bombarded Xie with messages telling him he would be responsible for her suicide if he didn't join her at the victim's apartment. Zhang had only a night earlier spent the evening in a psychiatric ward after an earlier suicide threat. When Xie arrived he burst through the door and tossed chilli powder into his victim's eyes and smashed the jar over his head. Xiu smashed a jar of chilli over his victim's head and demanded he kick him in the genitals He punched and kicked the man to the ground and shouted that he would kill him. Xie insisted the man remove his pants and allow him to boot him in the genitals three times. Zhang told her lover he should do as Xie said. The court heard the pair terrorised the man for more than three hours, keeping him barricaded in his own bathroom. Meanwhile, Zhang got into his computer and emailed his girlfriend the pictures of him begging. When she phoned him, Zhang told her her boyfriend had raped her and asked her to come around. She did, and then phoned the police. But Zhang wasn't done with the pair yet. Ge Zhang flees the County Court of Victoria after being sentenced. It remains unclear if she will be deported for her shocking crimes The court heard she then demanded $5000 from her lover 'in exchange for his future'. He was to cough-up the cash, or she would tell 'everyone' he was a rapist. When he couldn't produce the cash, Zhang went to police with her rape story. Her victim had already reported her for the assaults and blackmail attempts. When the pair were arrested, Xie described Zhang as 'awful' and claimed she had been abusive to him. Zhang pleaded guilty to charges of intentionally causing injury and blackmail while Xie pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury and false imprisonment. County Court Judge Frances Hogan described Zhang as 'not a witness of truth'. 'You said it to try and save your relationship,' she said. 'You are a very self-focused person ... capable of manipulative behaviour.' She described Zhang as a 'vindictive', 'spiteful' and 'self righteous' person who maintained she was a victim. Zhang was sentenced to a three-year community corrections order with 300 hours of community work. Xie received an 18 month order with 200 hours community work. It remains unclear whether both will be deported for failing to meet the country's character test. Xie continues to contest the cancellation of his student visa in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. A HR manager has sued Uniqlo for $1 million claiming Australian executives mocked her for being white and gave preferential treatment to Asian workers. Melanie Bell, 47, worked as a payroll and human resource information system manager at the Japanese clothing company's Melbourne office. The 47-year-old alleges in a statement of claim on Friday, she was bullied on four occasions and was held back from a pay rise and promotions by Uniqlo management. Court documents from the Federal Court state Ms Bell believes she was discriminated against because of her 'Caucasian heritage' and was 'denied career advancement opportunities because of her gender'. Melanie Bell (pictured) alleges she was bullied on four occasions, was held back from a pay rise and promotions Other non-Asian and female senior managers in the business were denied a promotion, favouring senior managers who were ex-pats and/or male and/or of Asian descent, the claim said. Ms Bell was initially approached by Uniqlo in 2015 after she worked for mining company MMG Limited and was told she would be 'instrumental' and could expect 'significant professional growth opportunities', during an interview. The HR professional was recognised as a 'global talent' and a 'future leader' through an internal program where she received performance review scores indicating she was 'exceeding expectations' or 'meeting expectations'. But Ms Bell says she was denied career advancement opportunities despite her outstanding performance. Management denied her a promotion during a performance review because of her 'negative attitude' during March and April 2017, Ms Bell's claim stated. The claim also stated Ms Bell's mother had passed away in March 2017. She was told she could not be promoted until the 'Workday' HR software she had rolled out through the company was 'successfully implemented and in place' for six to 12 months. But an Asian employee was given a top performance review score for configuring the 'SAP' finance system to be 'ready for implementation'. Ms Bell was given a pay rise of $3,000 instead and the employee was promoted and given a pay rise of $8,000. She saw this as discriminatory, according to her statement of claim. Uniqlo denies claims of discrimination and said the employee's performance was 'far superior' to Ms Bell's. Ms Bell believes she was discriminated against because of her 'Caucasian heritage' and was 'denied career advancement opportunities because of her gender' (stock image) Ms Bell's role was changed to manager of culture, strategy, safety and systems in early 2017 but was not given clear goals or key performance indicators for her new role. She was told she needed to 'build relationships' with the company's headquarters in Japan in order to be promoted but was prevented from doing so because managment 'made clear in various conversations' that it was his role to liaise with GHQ about HR matters', the claim read. Ms Bell claims she complained to her bosses in late 2017 about being unhappy with the lack of direction in her new role and intended to resign in the future. She was assured by management her help was needed in leadership development. She claimed she asked to attend the company's global placement program in Japan but her request was denied by management. Ms Bell successfully implemented a leadership development program she created at the time she asked to attend the program. The statement of claim said management later cancelled a series of meetings to discuss the leadership development program for 'trivial reasons' in emails that were 'demeaning' and 'undermining'. She claimed the comments conveyed had a 'lack of trust in her ability of perform the duties of her role'. Uniqlo defended the emails sent by a staff member because English was not their first language and the 'comments in the email were direct and polite when read in context'. Ms Bell claims she complained to her bosses in late 2017 about being unhappy with the lack of direction in her new role and intended to resign in the future Ms Bell is seeking compensation for ongoing loss of income, pain and suffering, reputational damage, stress, sleep deprivation and anxiety, and diminished employment prospects. Uniqlo has denied any bullying had happened, describing the claim as 'unnecessary and scandalous'. The company said she was 'not promoted due to her performance' and management had 'actively assisted' her in building relationships with Uniqlo's headquarters. Uniqlo said Ms Bell had requested the title change herself and 'never sought the required approval' from management before she commenced using it. Her title was never 'officially changed' in the system. A spokeswoman from Uniqlo told Daily Mail Australia: 'We can confirm that UNIQLOs former Payroll and Information Systems Manager Melanie Bell left the company on 26 March 2018. Ms Bell resigned from her position.' 'While Uniqlo respects Ms Bell's right to pursue claims through the legal system, the company denies the allegations made by her.' A potentially life-saving pill-testing trial will be held at a music festival in Canberra for the second year in a row after a string of revellers died from suspected overdoses. The trial will be run by Pill Testing Australia - previously known as STA-SAFE - at this year's sold-out Groovin the Moo festival at Exhibition Park in Canberra on April 28. Pill Testing Australia consortium member Gino Vumbaca told the Sydney Morning Herald this year's trial will be significantly bigger than last year's pilot, which catered to about 20,000 festival-goers. A potentially life-saving pill-testing trial will be held at a music festival in Canberra for the second year in a row after a string of revellers died from suspected overdoses The trial will be run by Pill Testing Australia - previously known as STA-SAFE - at this year's sold-out Groovin the Moo festival (pictured) at Exhibition Park in Canberra on April 28 'We expect a lot more people to come forward and we expect that will result in lot more people not consuming drugs or moderating what they're about to consume,' Mr Vumbaca said. The trial in the national capital comes in the light of last year's success, and after five young people aged 19 to 23 died at festivals in NSW over the holiday season. Mr Vumbaca said while it's better to not take a pill regardless of its contents, pill testing will help festival-goers make more informed decisions. He said given that revellers had already 'run the gauntlet' in terms of getting through security with their pills, the trial provides an extra defence against adverse reactions. Mr Vulbaca said this year's trial in the ACT will continue to build on evidence-based data collected from last year's event. Data from last year showed 80 per cent of those who tested believed they were taking MDMA or ecstacy, when in reality less than half contained the drugs in their pure form. Calvary Hospital emergency consultant Dr David Caldicott applauded the decision, saying it's great to be part of a jurisdiction where 'science counts for something'. 'Where there was a lot of anxiety and apprehension about the last event ... I think there's a lot more confidence going into this one and it's going to be epic,' he said. Calvary Hospital emergency consultant Dr David Caldicott (pictured) applauded the decision, saying it's great to be part of a jurisdiction where 'science counts for something' Mr Barr said said last year's trial at the Groovin the Moo festival (pictured) provided vital information about two potentially deadly substances ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who gave the trial the go-ahead, said the decision is not only about trying to prevent drug use, but also the harm associated with it. 'Pill testing does not make taking illicit drugs safe and our message to the community will always be, don't take drugs,' Mr Barr said. The minister said last year's trial provided vital information about the types of illicit drugs people were consuming as well as two potentially deadly substances. One of the identified substances was also found to be responsible for the hospitalisation of 13 people in New Zealand a month earlier. Mr Barr said the success of the trial provided enormous value to the ongoing debate about harm minimisation - specifically in terms of pill testing. The ACT government will ensure there will be an independent evaluation as part of the trial, which will be made available to other jurisdictions, he said. Bet365 uses a simple Yes/No questionnaire in seeking to identify problem gamblers but campaigners warned that addicts can easily lie their way through it. Players who hit certain triggers, such as excessive lengths of time spent gambling, are called up and asked eight questions. They include: Do you gamble to escape a boring or unhappy life?, Do you feel depressed or even suicidal because of your gambling?, Have you lost interest in your family, friends or hobbies because of your gambling? and After losing do you feel you must try and win back your losses as soon as possible? The Bet365 training officer said the minimum time-playing threshold used to be six out of seven days of playing for more than eight hours, but that the limit changes all the time. The biggest trigger is time spent playing, the Mails reporter was told during our investigation If punters reply yes to any of the questions, trainee staff were told their accounts are suspended. But if they say no, their accounts remain active and they are allowed to carry on playing. The biggest trigger is time spent playing, the Mails reporter was told during our investigation. Pictured: One of Bet365's live casino games available on their website. . A login account is required to play these games. If punters reply yes to any of the questions, trainee staff were told their accounts are suspended The Bet365 training officer said the minimum time-playing threshold used to be six out of seven days of playing for more than eight hours, but that the limit changes all the time. Bet365s Gibraltar headquarters is pictured above. The company uses a simple Yes/No questionnaire in seeking to identify problem gamblers but campaigners warned that addicts can easily lie their way through it [File photo] Asked by the Mails reporter what measures were in place to prevent customers lying through the simple test, the trainer said: There arent. She then agreed with another trainee when she said: Weve done our job to check them. Length of time spent playing is not the only trigger used to identify problem gamblers. Other triggers include when a customer changes a deposit limit, when they return from self-exclusion, or when their account is suspended for any responsible gambling concern. Matt Zarb-Cousin, of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said: Its an inadequate test. Gambling addicts lie and they delude themselves, its all part of the problem. They could easily lie their way through the test. If a time-playing threshold is eight hours on six out of seven days then that is too high. People could spend half that time playing and still have a serious problem. Former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith I find it quite sinister that an online betting company would give gamblers, most who habitually lose, extra money which allows them to keep gambling. This is not some generous hearted offer but a hardened decision in the pursuit of greater profits. Make no mistake: giving gamblers money to keep losing will turn them into addicts as sure as night follows day. Yet in the UK right now, this practice is effectively allowed to flourish online. At the Centre for Social Justice, we have long been concerned about gambling addiction. Our work shows it destroys not only the lives of those locked into a downward spiral of misery, but drags whole families into despair. And the truth about Britains gambling addiction is that it is getting far, far worse, thanks to an abusive and corrupting online industry that is sparsely regulated and interested only in profit. Sadly the practises of the corner-shop betting shop where you might have a flutter with some cash on the weekend, and you simply win or lose, are long gone. Instead we see corporate behemoths operating out of Gibraltar, whose status as a tax haven means there is no proper oversight and scrutiny of the practices that have led millions upon millions to place wagers online. Yes, these companies pay their tax to the Treasury, but I cant be alone in feeling queasy that this comes at the expense of the many thousands of people whose lives are destroyed by gambling. As a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gambling Related Harm, (APPG), I have met with many families whose loved ones have been drawn into addiction thanks to inducements such as money-back offers, bonuses and promotions. To take just one tragic example, Liz and Charles Ritchie lost their beloved son Jack, who took his own life in 2017 following an addiction which began on fixed-odds betting terminals and spiralled out of control online. As these courageous parents reveal in todays remarkable Mail expose, Jack gambled online with Bet365 and their rivals. Given the genuine outrage following the Mails timely disclosure, I believe it is time to consider banning the practice where online gambling firms offer problem gamblers inducements to bet. This is why I am calling for an urgent investigation by the Gambling Commission into Bet365. But I also believe that government action is long overdue. We need stronger rules to curb this greed at any price industry: it corrupts people and it ruins lives. At its heart is an abusive relationship which uses inducements to keep people betting and deploys cynical adverts to entice young men into believing that betting your money away is smart, savvy and successful. These companies are selling a lie. Any sense of morality seems to have departed. This is why the Mail should be congratulated for undertaking this investigation into what is going on behind the curtain of secrecy. It is indeed shocking that the Mail has been able to show that Bet 365 has been offering inducements to gamblers who rack up huge losses which is likely to encourage them to spend more. Showered with what are described as VIP gifts, they are acting in an immoral way which will destroy lives. The Gambling Related Harm parliamentary group, chaired by Carolyn Harris MP, has been taking testimony from addicts and the families of addicts. We have listened to heart-rending tales of young men who, having become trapped in the terrible spiral of debt and shame, have taken their own lives, unable to bear the consequences of their perceived failure. Families then face despair as they bury their young. That is why after our successful campaign to cut the stakes on fixed odds betting machines from 100 to 2, we realised we could not stop there. The scale of the harm had risen to such a level that we had to shine a spotlight on the abuse taking place. A recent PWC report for the Gambling Commission found that over half of the profits for remote gaming companies comes from people with gambling addictions or problematic gambling behaviour. It appears their model is not based on building a long-term relationships with loyal customers but on extracting as much money as possible from people, particularly those who place large bets and lose. Clearly, this cannot be allowed to go on. I would of course like to see the industry itself taking a far more responsible approach. So, whilst I welcome the proposal by gambling operators not to advertise whistle to whistle during live sports games as a start, I know this measure is delayed until July. Furthermore, for such action to be truly effective, it should also include shirt and league sponsorship and digital advertising around a pitch. The sad truth is that children will continue to be bombarded with gambling adverts through such mediums. What further compounds the problem is that the broadcasters have too often resisted limits on gambling advertising. Furthermore, to reduce the levels of harm there needs to be better regulation of online products and online companies by the Gambling Commission. Including ruling out the use of credit cards to gamble online, after all nearly 35% of addicted and problem gamblers gamble online. There should be far more stringent affordability checks, to this end I commend the work of Barclays Bank, Starling and Monzo in allowing customers to prohibit their spending on gambling. All this is the reason we need to give the Gambling Commission new teeth as a credible watchdog. For the sad truth is that many of us, as we campaigned to cut the stake on Fixed odds betting terminals, felt the Commission had been too weak in the face of large gambling companies as they threw their weight around. The Government in turn should also act after all, now we have restrictions on physical machines logically, we should have them remotely. As the Daily Mail has shown, significant sections of the gambling industry have failed to properly demonstrate they are acting responsibly. The harrowing tales of lives lost by so many families has hardened our resolve in the Gambling related harm parliamentary group to deal with the scourge of online gambling addiction. That is why, beyond the company profits and large taxes to the Treasury, there is a far more valuable and tragic human story of too many blighted lives which could have been avoided. It is now time to act. A massive wall of red dust has covered several towns - as the same weather pattern drives severe thunderstorms towards Sydney. Condobolin, five hours west of Sydney, has received the brunt of the dust storm, with residents watching their town turn into a scene from a disaster movie. The dust storm was whipped up by an intense low pressure system moving over Australia's inland - the same weather patterns expected to cause severe thunderstorms in Sydney on Tuesday afternoon. A strong wind warning has been declared with winds expected to hit 55km/h. The city will also receive scattered showers from the thunderstorm. A wall of red dust has moved throughout Australia and has covered the town of Condobolin The dust storm moved through the Central West of New South Wales and covered Condobolin Locals in the town posted eerie videos of the dust-engulfed - with the sky turned completely blood-red. Commenters shared concerns for those caught in the dust storm and told them to stay safe. 'Feel concerned that this is happening so often. Stay safe,' Jennifer Buckett said on social media. 'That is really scary! Imagine trying to breathe through that,' Marilyn Siddle commented on social media. 'My thoughts go out to those who paid for housecleaning,' Fiona Wheeler said on social media. The dust storm completely covered the sky and coloured the entire town with a red tinge People took to social media to share videos and images of the apocalyptic wall of red dust Commenters shared their concerns for the people caught in the middle of the wall of red dust The wall of dust has been moving across New South Wales and the ACT due to a cold front pushing large amounts of soil and sand into the air in some areas. 'There weren't widespread incidents of raised dust. There were definitely some localised areas where the dust kicked up and it was quite thick,' Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Jake Phillips told 9News. 'It would have been caused by a large degree of winds generated by thunderstorm activity in the area related to a front moving through the region.' The dust storm has moved across New South Wales and the ACT and has hit several towns 5000 people in areas that were recently hit by previous duststorm were left without power Dust storms occur when a large cold front pushes heavy amounts of soil and sand inland Britain's 650-year-old treason law could be updated to allow jihadists returning from Syria to be prosecuted, the Home Secretary has said. Sajid Javid told the House of Commons yesterday that a change to the 1351 Treason Act was 'worth considering carefully'. Mr Javid has vowed to block ISIS bride Shamima Begum from returning to the UK after she pleaded to be allowed back with her newborn son. The last person convicted of treason in the UK was wartime Nazi propagandist Lord Haw-Haw who was hanged in 1946. Home Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured in Downing Street last week, told the House of Commons yesterday that a change to the 1351 Treason Act was 'worth considering carefully' Who was Lord Haw-Haw, the last person convicted of treason in Britain? Lord Haw-Haw, real name William Joyce, was a Nazi sympathiser who fled to Germany following the outbreak of the war in 1939. He became famous forhis radio broadcasts from Berlin back to Britain and the U.S. with the catchphrase: 'Germany calling'. A member of Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists before the war, Joyce used the broadcasts to denounce Jews and mock the war effort of Britain and its allies. William Joyce, nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was convicted of treason in 1945 The broadcasts were carried out on behalf of senior Nazi Joseph Goebbels and his propaganda ministry. Joyce would affect a upper-class English accent, giving rise to the Lord Haw-Haw moniker. Joyce was captured and put on trial for treason at the Old Bailey, where he was found guilty in September 1945. He was hanged on January 3, 1946, at Wandsworth Prison and buried in an unmarked grave. Mr Javid was asked by Tory colleague Julian Lewis whether he would consider revamping the treason law to 'specify that it is treason to support a group that one knows intends to attack the UK or is fighting UK forces'. Oxford constitutional law professor Richard Ekins had argued in an article on Sunday that the 1351 law should be updated. The Home Secretary replied: 'This is a complex situation and we should always be looking to see what tools we have at our disposal to ensure that those who are guilty of terrorism, or of supporting terrorist groups, are brought to justice. 'That means ensuring that we have the right laws in place. 'There are already powers in existence, including those covering extra-territorial jurisdictions. 'I have read that article and heard what Professor Ekins has said in the past, and I think that it is worth considering it carefully.' Mr Javid told MPs that no British troops would be used to rescue any Britons who travelled to Syria to support terrorism. He said more than 900 people went to Syria or Iraq, adding: 'Whatever role they took in the so-called caliphate, they all supported a terrorist organisation and in doing so they have shown they hate our country and the values we stand for.' He went on: 'Now this so-called caliphate is crumbling, some of them want to return and I have been very clear where I can and where any threat remains I will not hesitate to prevent this. 'The powers available to me include banning non-British people from this country and stripping dangerous dual nationals of their British citizenship. Shamima Begum, pictured speaking to the BBC yesterday, has appealed to return to the UK but said she did not regret travelling to Syria to join ISIS in 2015 'Over 100 people have already been deprived in this way. 'But we must, of course, observe international law and we cannot do this if it would leave someone stateless - so where individuals do manage to return they will be questioned, investigated and potentially prosecuted.' Shamima Begum, who fled Bethnal Green to travel to Syria in 2015, gave birth to a son on Saturday and has pleaded with Britain to allow her to return. In an interview with the BBC yesterday she compared the Manchester Arena bombing to military assaults on Syria. The deaths of 22 innocent people in the terrorist attack on an Ariana Grande concert in 2017 were akin to the 'women and children' being bombed in IS territory in Baghuz, she said. A woman was left traumatised after a man forced his way into her home when he began kissing her and biting her face before choking her. Wacey Jimmy Don Dann appeared in the Kununurra District Court on Monday, where he was sentenced to four years and six months behind bars over the horrifying incident. In August last year, Dann knocked on the door of the woman's Kununurra home, in Western Australia, and asked to see Diane. Wacey Jimmy Don Dann appeared in the Kununurra District Court (pictured) on Monday, where he was sentenced to four years and six months behind bars over the horrifying incident The woman, 20, told him there was no one by that name who lived there and closed the door. However, Dann knocked again and when the door opened he forced his way inside the home. Dann, then 20, then grabbed the woman by the throat and began kissing her and biting her face, ABC reported. The woman pleaded for him to stop but he then started choking her with both hands. As she went limp, she slipped out of his hands and managed to lock him outside before calling the police. But her terrifying ordeal did not end there. Dann then jumped her back fence and started kicking in her backdoor. Wacey Jimmy Don Dann knocked on the door of the woman's Kununurra home, in Western Australia, and asked to see Diane. He then pushed his way inside and assaulted the 20-year-old (stock image) Police arrived moments before he could get into her home. Defence lawyer Ben White said his client needed intensive programs to learn to control his emotions but none were available in the Kimberley region. A psychological report found Dann thought of himself as an outcast, it also listed him as 'well above average in a predicted risk of sexual offending'. During sentencing, Judge Amanda Burrows said the woman had suffered significant mental trauma from the incident. 'What is serious, is this was a lady in her own home,' Judge Burrows said. 'Things could have been far worse if the police didn't come straight away.' She noted his early guilty plea, remorse and disadvantaged upbringing. He was sentenced to three years jail for aggravated burglary and 18 months behind bars for indecent assault. His sentence was backdated to August last year. Britain's biggest bank is to pay small shopkeepers to offer cashback to customers in areas where ATMs are disappearing. It is hoped the move will increase the free access to cash as well as help save struggling local shops, such as newsagents, greengrocers and butchers, by boosting the number of shoppers popping in. Lloyds scheme marks the first time a bank will pay small stores to offer cashback a service already provided by large supermarkets and follows a Daily Mail campaign to protect access to basic bank services amid the closure of thousands of branches. Critics have accused Lloyds branch closures of helping to create so-called cash machine deserts where it is impossible to withdraw cash. The bank has shed more than 1,200 bank branches since the financial crisis in 2008, pulling out of rural and coastal towns across the UK. Around half were shut and the rest spun off as a separate bank, TSB. [File photo] The cashback service, in partnership with Visa, will be available to customers of all banks, not just those with a Lloyds account. Vim Maru, group director for retail banking at Lloyds, said: Our cashback pilot aims to increase the number of places where people can withdraw money, particularly in those areas which are under-served by free-to-use ATMs. The unlocked potential of cashback is obvious, as there are literally tens of thousands of local shops up and down our high streets that already have all the infrastructure in place to offer this service. To begin with, customers will have to make a purchase using their debit card in order to get cashback, but in future this may not be necessary. In return for providing the service, the bank will pay shops a set fee expected to be between 20p and 25p per transaction. Lloyds which has shut more than 1,200 bank branches since the financial crisis in 2008, pulling out of rural and coastal towns across the UK said it will trial the scheme among 12 retailers this spring, with a view to rolling it out to about 50,000 later this year. The cashback service, in partnership with Visa, will be available to customers of all banks, not just those with a Lloyds account. Critics have accused Lloyds branch closures of helping to create so-called cash machine deserts where it is impossible to withdraw cash [File photo] It has chosen shops in towns and villages where access to cash has been identified as being more difficult, such as rural or less affluent areas which often rely on a small number of ATMs. One greengrocer in Stockbridge, Hampshire, has already been offering Lloyds scheme. Town with one ATM... and it charges! It has a population of 20,000 but no bank and not one free cashpoint. Business owners in Burslem, one of the six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent, have to travel to nearby Hanley or Tunstall to cash in their takings. For shoppers there is an ATM but it charges for withdrawals. The last bank in Burslem, a branch of LLoyds, closed its doors for good last April. The plight of the town which was home to the potter Josiah Wedgwood and was known as the mother town of the Potteries shows it is not only rural communities which are suffering as banks respond to an increasingly cashless society and the growth of internet banking. Free ATMs have been closing at an unprecedented rate of around 250 a month since the beginning of 2018. Beccy Soper of Beccys Greengrocers said: I feel that offering cashback is an important thing to do for the town. There arent many other options around here. From a business point of view, anything that brings extra customers on to our high street is obviously very welcome. But there are also other benefits that arent as obvious, like paying out more cash from my till which means I dont need to make as many trips to the bank to deposit my takings. However, critics have accused Lloyds branch closures of helping to create so-called cash machine deserts where it is impossible to withdraw cash. Lloyds also successfully lobbied for a cut in the fees which banks pay when account-holders take money out of an independent operators cash machine. The cut made it harder for these firms to turn a profit and has been blamed for causing huge numbers of ATMS to be shut, with 2,500 lost last year. Jenny Ross, money editor at consumer watchdog Which?, said: It is right that banks are taking steps to address concerns about access to cash, but these can only attempt to solve the problem in the short-term. Cashback is not an adequate substitute for ATMs or bank branches, and its essential that communities continue to have access to their money free of charge for as long as they need it. Footy player Dylan Walker will be allowed to play in National Rugby League trial matches despite being accused of domestic violence. Walker, who plays for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, will face court next week over assault charges after an alleged fight with his fiancee Alexandra Ivkovic on December 6, The Daily Telegraph reported. Despite the pending charges, he has been made available for a trial match against the Cronulla Sharks, in Cronulla, on Saturday night - three days before his court date. Manly NRL player Dylan Walker will be available to play rugby league despite having to face court next week on assault charges after an alleged domestic violence incident with is partner Alexandra Ivkovic (pictured together) Walker (pictured) has been made available for a trial match against the Cronulla Sharks, in Cronulla, on Saturday night The club said the pending court case will have no bearing on if Walker is selected for Saturday night's game or not. Instead, they will place more importance on his 'fitness' and 'desire to play'. 'We will see how the week unfolds at training. He is available. The court case won't be a deciding factor in whether he plays or not,' a club official said. His fiancee, Alexandra Ivkovic, suffered a number of cuts to her feet, leg and shoulder after the alleged incident and made a statement to police. However, shortly after she retracted her statement. Despite her backpedaling, NSW Police decided to push forward with charges of common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The club said the pending court case will have no bearing on if Walker is selected for Saturday night's game or not, instead they will place more importance on his 'fitness' and 'desire to play' Miss Ivkovic ultimately retracted her statement to police (pictured together at the Dally M Awards in 2017) The team's selection is expected to be finalised by Thursday. Under current NRL rules, Walker is free to be selected and play for the Sea Eagles. The news comes just weeks after former NRL superstar Ben Barba was banned from playing rugby league for life after an alleged physical altercation with his partner was caught on CCTV cameras in Townsville. The lawyer who defended Daniel Morcombe's killer has been struck off the Queensland roll of solicitors accused of profound and protracted dishonesty. Disgraced criminal lawyer Tim Meehan walked free from prison in December, desperate to 'make a useful contribution to society' by returning to the law. He knew it was unlikely, and that the legal fraternity would scrutinise his every movement. Tim Meehan arrives at the Supreme Court in Brisbane in 2014 for the start of Brett Peter Cowan's appeal hearing 'I have suffered the inevitable and public shame entailed by my offending,' he told the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. 'I hope, with the support of my partner, to reintegrate into society. 'I do not expect this to be easy. I know I must work to restore peoples trust in me.' But Meehan's high-flying career is over after QCAT denied his bid to return to law. He had admitted encouraging his clients to pay their legal fees in cash. 'Only portions of those sums paid in cash were deposited into my firm's trust account,' Meehan said. The lawyer served only 18 months of a five-and-a-half-year sentence but can no longer practicse as a solicitor. Above, Meehan arriving at The Supreme Court in Brisbane in 2015 He served 18 months of a five-and-a-half-year sentence for aggravated fraud of more than $30,000 and fraudulently falsifying records. QCAT ruled on Monday that Meehan was 'permanently unfit to practice'. QCAT president Justice Martin Daubney described Meehan's actions as 'the worst category of offending for a solicitor'. 'He was involved in a scheme that was designed to defeat the trustee in bankruptcy, AUSTRAC financial reporting obligations and income tax obligations.' Justice Daubney said Meehan was 'tainted by dishonesty' and there was no guarantee it would not happen again. Serial child rapist Brett Peter Cowan abducted Daniel Morcombe from a Sunshine Coast bus stop in 2003 Meehan, who defended Brett Peter Cowan in 2014, has been ordered to pay the Legal Services Commissioner's legal costs. In 2016 the Queensland Law Society deleted Meehan's name from their public online register. Cowan abducted Daniel Morcombe, then 13, while the boy was waiting for a bus at Woombye on the Sunshine Coast on December 7, 2003. The serial child rapist then drove the boy to a demountable building about 25 kilometres away at Beerwaw and choked him to death before disposing of his body in bush land. Cowan is serving a life sentence with a non-parole period of 20 years. Roger Stone apologized after sharing and then deleting a photo on Instagram of the judge assigned to his federal criminal case with what looked like a depiction of crosshairs near her head. The image of Judge Amy Berman Jackson was very tightly cropped around her hair and face, while showing a logo next to her head that resembled what would be projected onto a target from a gunscope, to help aim before shooting a firearm. Stone shared the image on Monday with a caption noting that Jackson had dismissed charges against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, ordered Paul Manafort to be kept in custody and that she was appointed by former President Barack Obama. After Stone posted the photo people responded with disgust at the implication that a target was on the judge, with some pointing out that if he meant it as a threat against Jackson, Stone had just committed a felony. Stone told DailyMail.com that his post was not meant to imply that someone should target the judge. He later deleted the post, sharing his own comments calling the outrage 'misrepresenting,' and his lawyers later filed a formal apology with the court. Roger Stone apologized for sharing a photo to Instagram of Judge Amy Berman Jackson, the judge assigned to his criminal case, with what looked like a depiction of crosshairs near her head. The post which has since been deleted in shown here Stone's post with the controversial photo of Jackson read: 'Through legal trickery Deep State hitman Robert Mueller has guaranteed that my upcoming show trial is before Judge Amy Berman Jackson , an Obama appointed Judge who dismissed the Benghazi charges again Hillary Clinton and incarcerated Paul Manafort prior to his conviction for any crime. #fixisin. Help me fight for my life at @StoneDefenseFund.com.' Following the post, people reacted with outrage that Stone would share such an image. 'This is both very troubling and remarkably stupid on Stones part. Twitter has already suspended his account and this may land him in custody,' George Washington University Law School professor Randall Eliason tweeted. Roger Stone (pictured on February 1 in leaving federal court in Washington, DC) was apparently criticizing Jackson's decision to take 'no action' on Stone's objection that his case has been specifically assigned to her, due to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team filings that Stone's case is closely related to another case currently before Jackson, involving 11 Russian military officials accused of hacking the Democratic Partys computer systems in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. Both of those cases share common search warrants and evidence, according to filings by Mueller's team Following the post, people reacted with outrage that Stone would share such an image. 'This is both very troubling and remarkably stupid on Stones part. Twitter has already suspended his account and this may land him in custody,' George Washington University Law School professor Randall Eliason tweeted University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck elaborated, writing, This. Is. Not. Okay. (And if it's meant as a threat, it's also a felony),' while including a link to 18 US Code 115 , which is the federal statute that criminalizes threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a United States judge University of Texas School of Law professor Steve Vladeck elaborated, writing, This. Is. Not. Okay. (And if it's meant as a threat, it's also a felony),' while including a link to 18 US Code 115, which is the federal statute that criminalizes threatening to assault, kidnap or murder a United States judge. After taking the post down, Stone shared screenshots of text massages on his Instagram feeding, which read: 'A photo of Judge Jackson posted on my Instagram has been misrepresented. 'This was a random photo taken from the internet. Any inference that this was meant to somehow threaten the Judge or disrespect court is categorically false.' After taking the post down, Stone shared screenshots of text massages on his Instagram feeding, which read: 'A photo of Judge Jackson posted on my Instagram has been misrepresented. This was a random photo taken from the internet. Any inference that this was meant to somehow threaten the Judge or disrespect court is categorically false' In a second follow-up post, Stone wrote, 'What some say are crosshairs are in fact the logo of the organization that originally posted it something called corruption central. They use the logo in many photos' The original photo of Judge Jackson which Stone used to accompany his post is pictured here In a second follow-up post, Stone wrote, 'What some say are crosshairs are in fact the logo of the organization that originally posted it something called corruption central. They use the logo in many photos.' Stone's lawyers later filed a notice of apology in the case, which read: 'Undersigned counsel , which the attached authority of Roger J. Stone, hereby apologizes to the Court for the improper photograph and comment posted on Instagram today. Mr. Stone recognizes the impropriety and had it removed.' With the initial post featuring the crosshairs logo that was taken down, Stone was apparently criticizing Jackson's decision to take 'no action' on Stone's objection that his case has been specifically assigned to her, due to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team filings that Stone's case is closely related to another case currently before Jackson. Stone's lawyers later filed a notice of apology in the case, which read: 'Undersigned counsel , which the attached authority of Roger J. Stone, hereby apologizes to the Court for the improper photograph and comment posted on Instagram today. Mr. Stone recognizes the impropriety and had it removed' The other case involves 11 Russian military officials accused of hacking the Democratic Partys computer systems in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. Both of those cases share common search warrants and evidence, according to filings by Mueller's team. Mueller's office revealed for the first time on Friday that it is in the possession of evidence that Stone communicated with Wikileaks regarding the release of hacked Democratic Party emails. In a court filing on Friday, Mueller's office said it had gathered that evidence in a separate probe into Russian intelligence officers who were charged by the special counsel for hacking the emails during the 2016 presidential campaign and staging their release. Stone responded to reports about the communications by saying the evidence was merely 'innocuous Twitter direct messages' that have already been disclosed to the House Intelligence Committee and 'prove absolutely nothing'. The longtime adviser to President Donald Trump was indicted last month for lying to Congress about his communications with other parties about the hacked emails. He pleaded not guilty. Stone previously acknowledged having had brief exchanges with both WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2.0, but maintains that he never had advance knowledge about the emails' release. Mueller's office is in possession of evidence that Roger Stone communicated with WikiLeaks regarding the release of hacked Democratic Party emails ahead of the 2016 presidential election, prosecutors revealed in a court filing on Friday. Stone, a longtime adviser to Trump, responded to reports about the communications by saying the evidence was merely 'innocuous Twitter direct messages' that have already been disclosed to the House Intelligence Committee and 'prove absolutely nothing' 'The government obtained and executed dozens of search warrants on various accounts used to facilitate the transfer of stolen documents for release, as well as to discuss the timing and promotion of their release,' Mueller's team wrote in the latest filing in the US District Court in Washington, DC. 'Several of those search warrants were executed on accounts that contained Stone's communications with Guccifer 2.0 and with Organization 1.' Organization 1 is a reference to WikiLeaks, while Guccifer 2.0 is a hacker persona US intelligence agencies say was a cover name used by Russian military intelligence. WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2.0 each published emails and other documents from the Democratic Party in 2016 in an operation that Mueller alleges was part of a Kremlin-backed effort to tip the election in favor of then Republican nominee Trump. WikiLeaks has previously denied any ties to or cooperation with Russia. Stone was indicted last month for lying to Congress about his communications with other parties about the hacked emails. He pleaded not guilty. On Friday, Jackson barred him from making statements on the courthouse steps that might prejudice a jury Also on Friday, the federal judge overseeing Stone's case barred him from making statements on the courthouse steps that might prejudice a jury or witness in his case. The order by Jackson further gagged lawyers on both sides from statements that might impact the case. 'Counsel for the parties and the witnesses must refrain from making statements to the media or in public settings that pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case,' Jackson wrote. But in the case of Stone, who has been ubiquitous in the media since his indictment, her order was narrower, prohibiting him from making his case to the public or the media while on the courthouse steps or nearby. WHAT ROBERT MUELLER CHARGED ROGER STONE WITH One count of obstruction: Mueller says Stone denied to Congress that he had emails and documents about WikiLeaks related contacted Maximum possible sentence: 20 years Five counts of lying to Congress: Mueller details specific statements Stone made to Congress which the Special Counsel alleges are each lies Maximum possible sentence for each count: Five years One count of witness tampering: Mueller alleges Stone tried to convince comedian Randy Credico to either lie to Congress or plead the Fifth by threatening him Maximum possible sentence: 20 years All parties, including Stone and potential witnesses, must refrain from certain statements about the case when they 'are entering or exiting the courthouse, or they are within the immediate vicinity of the courthouse'. The prohibition applies to statements to the media or the public that 'pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case or intended to influence any juror, potential juror, judge, witness or court officer or interfere with the administration of justice'. Stone, who has blasted the FBI and the Mueller probe since his indictment, while hawking his book and wearing 'Roger Stone Did Nothing Wrong' t-shirts, will now have be conscious of where he is when he speaks. As if anticipating a potential gag order, Stone gave a series of TV interviews immediately following his arrest, and took a somewhat lower profile after his court hearing in Washington where a potential gag was discussed. Stone has made efforts to bash the prosecutors who charged him, railing against 'Gestapo' tactics in his arrest, which included use of armed agents, and according to Stone 'frog men' positioned in a canal behind his Ft Lauderdale home. He has not said publicly that he is seeking a pardon from President Trump, saying the only person he is seeking relief for is Marcus Garvey. Although the judge mentioned the potential for prejudice influencing a jury that might hear the case Stone had other reasons to talk. He regularly complains about his mounting legal debts, and relies on his attacks on adversaries and the mainstream media to raise funds. Since those statements have been in TV interviews and online appearances, they do not appear to be impacted by the current order although it could be modified later. The order stated there will be no additional resrtictions 'at this time.' In a recent appearances on 'Infowars,' he called CNN host Anna Navarro, 'porquita,' blasted CNN host Don Lemon, and railed against 'leftist retards.' He is in a prolonged public spat with Mueller witness Jerome Corsi over the chain of events and WikiLeaks contacts during the campaign. Stone is accused of witness tampering by launching online threats against comedian Randy Credico, including threatening his dog, according to the government. Downing Street has rebuffed Donald Trumps demand that the UK takes back Islamic State fighters and their jihadi brides. Britain has at least six fanatics languishing in secret jails in Syria and dozens of wives in refugee camps in the region. On Sunday, the US president said European nations should step up and repatriate more than 800 IS combatants. The UK government, which has at least six fanatics and dozens of wives still in Syria and the region, has snubbed Trump's demand that it takes back its ISIS fighters. If not, he warned America would be forced to release fighters who could make their way back to Europe and plot attacks. But Theresa May rejected the call, insisting prosecutions should take place in the country where the crimes were committed even if there is no functioning justice system. A No 10 spokesman said: Foreign fighters should be brought to justice in accordance with due legal process in the most appropriate jurisdiction. Where possible, this should be in the region where crimes were committed. We continue to work closely with our international partners on this. But the stance was criticised by Tory MP Andrew Mitchell, a former international development secretary, who said: Its important these people are not left stateless in ungoverned spaces floating around or consorting with those of ill-intention. He added: We cannot just close our eyes and pull up the drawbridge. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said that by going to fight for ISIS they had shown they 'hate our country'. He also said that 'if you back terrorism there must be consequences' Conservative MP and former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell warned that the UK cannot 'just close our eyes and pull up the drawbridge' Meanwhile, Home Secretary Sajid Javid revealed more than 100 dual nationals who travelled to join IS have had their UK citizenship stripped by the Home Office to stop them re-entering the country. He made the admission in the Commons while answering an urgent question on the case of Shamima Begum, who cannot be banned because she only holds a British passport. Mr Javid said: Whatever role they took in the so-called caliphate, they all supported a terrorist organisation and in doing so they have shown they hate our country. He added: If you back terror, there must be consequences. Britain has already revoked the citizenship of more than 100 dual-nationals that went to fight for ISIS in Syria and Iraq The UK is not, however, able to revoke the citizenship of ISIS fighters that only have one passport, such as ISIS bride Shamima Begum William Atkins, 14, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, hatched a duckling from a Waitrose egg. He was stunned when after shining a torch on to the shells, he saw a beating heart As duck tales go, its one that would surprise Beatrix Potter or Hans Christian Andersen. A teenager has hatched a duckling from a Waitrose egg. William Atkins, 14, decided to test a claim that it is possible to hatch a supermarket egg under the right conditions. And 28 days after buying half a dozen duck eggs, he was rewarded with the birth of a fluffy duckling. Cradling the week-old chick, which will be called Jeremy or Jemima once its sex has been determined, William said: The duckling is absolutely adorable and already making little quacking noises. I am amazed a supermarket egg has actually hatched. But also really excited. The schoolboy from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, bought the 2.30 Gladys-Mays Braddock Whites free range duck eggs and placed them under a 40 incubator bought from eBay in his bedroom. Three days later he was stunned when after shining a torch on to the shells, he saw a beating heart. Almost a month after buying half a dozen duck eggs, he was rewarded with the birth of a fluffy duckling. When it grows a little larger, the duckling will go to live at a nearby farm where there are rescue ducks and a pond He said: From then on the unborn duckling grew bigger inside the shell every day. Just over three weeks later the egg began rocking and a few days after that the tiny duckling pecked its way out. I got the idea after a family discussion about whether it would be possible to hatch a supermarket egg as they are not supposed to be fertilised, said William, who lives with twin sister Eleanor, brother Michael, 17 and parents David, 47, a financial adviser, and Stacey, 48, a sales co-ordinator. After doing some research I read about someone whod managed to hatch a quails egg. But despite buying supermarket quail eggs nothing happened. So I thought I would try with hens eggs and ducks eggs, buying half a dozen of each. I wasnt really expecting any to hatch so I was thrilled when around three days after buying the eggs and placing them under the incubator I noticed one had a beating heart. Watching it develop over the next three weeks was fascinating. I was over the moon when it finally pecked its way out. He added: I love anything to do with wildlife so no one took much notice when I started incubating the egg. They were stunned that I hatched one though especially mum, who is not sure about me keeping a duckling in my bedroom. The schoolboy bought the 2.30 Gladys-Mays Braddock Whites free range duck eggs, like the type pictured above. The chicks will be called Jeremy or Jemima once its sex has been determined [File photo] His father said: I was amazed when I saw William carrying boxes of eggs into his bedroom. I confess I never thought he would actually produce a live duck. When it grows a little larger, the duckling will go to live at a nearby farm where there are rescue ducks and a pond. William said: It will live the happiest life there and I will be able to visit. A spokesman for Clarence Court, which produces the eggs, said the odds of hatching a duckling were remarkably slim but not impossible. The separation of males from females relies wholly upon the skill of very few qualified people. Inevitably, the odd sexing error is made. Our ducks are kept in small flocks with access to the outdoors. In this open-air environment, while it is infrequent, our ducks may attract the attention of wild drakes. So, while it is very unusual for males and females to come into contact with one another, it is not impossible. Fertilised eggs are harmless to eat, and without incubation would be totally indistinguishable from unfertilised eggs. An Australian 'Yowie hunter' claims to have discovered a foul-smelling hair sample belonging to the mythical beast on a rural mountain range. Yowie researcher David Taylor, 49, was exploring bushland north of Mackay in Queensland, on Sunday, when he spotted hair tangled on a barbed wire fence. Mr Taylor, who claims to have crossed paths with one of the apelike creatures in 2010, said the thick strands of hair had a distinct odour of 'rotten meat'. Yowie researcher David Taylor, 49 (pictured), was exploring bushland north of Mackay in Queensland, on Sunday, when he spotted hair tangled on a barbed wire fence Mr Taylor sent the hair sample to an expert to see if they can rule out the possibility that it came from any native wildlife, and in turn prove the elusive monster walks among us Otherwise known as Australia's answer to the North American sasquatch, the Yowie can be traced back to Aboriginal oral history in the 1800s. Mr Taylor sent the sample to an expert to see if they can rule out the possibility that it came from any native wildlife, and in turn prove the elusive monster walks among us. 'We were in a stretch of national park where we get a lot of tip-offs when we spotted the damage to the fence,' the researcher said. 'The wires had been snapped and twisted like nothing I'd ever seen, whatever did it was huge. 'We collected some hair hanging from it that smelled very strongly of rotten meat crossed with urine, which I remembered from previous expeditions. 'A few people online said it's from a wild animal, but the way the fence was twisted would have killed an animal and it didn't match up to anything that lives in that area.' David claims he was a sceptic until the fateful day he encountered the bush-dwelling beast in national park on the Sunshine Coast. While stopping to navigate his path, he spotted a half-human, half-ape figure lunging over the trail at high speeds. Mr Taylor said he found the stands of hair tangled on a barbed wire fence (pictured) in bushland north of Mackay Mr Taylor said the wires (pictured) had been snapped and twisted like nothing he'd ever seen Days later, members from the research group, Australian Yowie Research, reported a footprint in the same place as the sighting. Since then, David has made it his mission to prove the existence of the humanoid creature and he believes the fresh evidence will prove fruitful in the search. Mr Taylor said: 'I'll always remember the moment I got a sense of something that day, and looked up. 'Halfway down the track, there it was coming out of the bush. It walked like a human but it had no clothes and was covered in hair. 'It took about three steps the first one into the middle of the road, second into the bush, then third it was gone, just like that. Mr Taylor said the hair smelled very strongly of rotten meat crossed with urine, which he remembered from previous expeditions Mr Taylor has made it his mission to prove the existence of the humanoid creature and he believes the fresh evidence will prove fruitful in the search 'I'm sending the fresh sample to be tested on the Sunshine Coast, which will take about 21 days for results. 'If it's anything like previous times, it will be inconclusive and won't match up to any animals.' But experts are less convinced, noting it was 'extremely unlikely' the legendary creature exists. University of the Sunshine Coast wildlife ecology lecturer Scott Burnett said: 'I'm unable to comment on the authenticity of the report. 'There are a number of bona fide hair identification services so, provided that they send the hair to one of these recognised experts the report that they get back should be reliable. 'But from an ecological point of view, it is extremely unlikely that Yowies exist,' Mr Burnett said. A Kings Cross strip club baron has been partying all week after prosecutors dropped charges claiming he sexually assaulted a nude customer giving him a 'private show'. Sydney man Michael Frank Amante, 46, was due to stand trial on Monday on four charges of sexual assault without consent. He was preparing for his time in the spotlight when his lawyer texted last week with news that prosecutors had pulled the charges after 14 months. 'I think there was only one night I didn't go out last week,' he laughed, as he revealed his account of a naked rendezvous that threatened to end with a long jail sentence. 'She was in the nude ... rubbing herself all over me': Michael Frank Amante, 46, is celebrating after four sexual assault charges against him were dropped before the case went to trial Mr Amante said he invited the woman to receive a private show. These pictures show scenes from parties at Dreamgirls, not the woman who made the claims about Mr Amante Party scenes at Dreamgirls - the strip club which Mr Amante ran for more than seven years Michael Frank Amante with his childhood friend and fellow Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim Mr Amante, a childhood friend of fellow 'king of the Cross' John Ibrahim, ran the red light district's iconic Dreamgirls strip joint for more than seven years. He started running Dreamgirls after his father, Frank 'Ashtray' Amante, split his famous Porky's club into two separate clubs in 2007. After a tumultuous time running the strip club, he was shocked in August 2017 when police turned up, asking questions about his late night encounter with a wannabe stripper. She jumped all over me, she was getting right into it... she was in the nude, she was rubbing herself all over me Four months later, he was arrested and charged, after detectives obtained DNA evidence officers argued backed up their case. The public only heard vague details of the incident at a bail hearing, including that a woman had 'rubbed her naked body on him'. Mr Amante was freed on conditional bail, with a magistrate saying 'it's not the strongest case, but not the weakest', revealing there was DNA evidence and incomplete CCTV. The woman claimed Mr Amante had digitally penetrated her four times, without her consent - which he strongly denied. Telling his version of events for the first time to Daily Mail Australia, Mr Amante said: 'Four gentlemen came into the strip club, right? 'It was about 2 (o'clock) in the morning and they wanted to take four girls for an hour's show.' But the group only wanted three strippers from Mr Amante's club. The men wanted a woman who had accompanied them to the club to be the fourth. Mr Amante has left the hospitality industry and is pursuing a career as an electrician Mr Amante was banned from ever being a licensee to a licensed premises in NSW after undercover police raided Dreamgirls in 2016 (above) Mr Amante recalled: 'So she's come up to me and she's asked me (if she could do it). 'I said, "that's no dramas, have you ever done a private show, love, do you have any idea what you're doing'?''. The woman said no and Mr Amante said: 'Well, do you want me to show you?' The pair then retired to a small private room. 'She started dancing for me, and she jumped all over me,' Mr Amante said. 'She was getting right into it. 'It only went on for about three or four minutes. 'Anyway, she was in the nude, she was rubbing herself all over me. 'So my DNA was all over her and then the next thing I know the detectives were down the club the next night saying, "are you Michael, can we have a word with you?' Michael Amante, left, and his father, Kings Cross identity Frank 'Ashtray' Amante Mr Amante denied what happened at the club was rape, telling police while something happened, it was all consensual. 'Anything that happened in that room was all consensual and she had no problems with anything.' Detectives seized CCTV footage but not all of their encounter was captured by motion sensor cameras, which cut out. Mr Amante said footage at the end of their rendezvous showed 'I gently closed her legs, I can't remember why. 'Then (the footage showed) I was no longer in the room and she was (at) the mirror doing her make up.' Afterwards, Mr Amante suggested the woman may have been scolded by a girlfriend over their private encounter before she decided to take it to police. A Dreamgirls sign where the strip club promises 'full nudie dancers' and private lap dances A file photo of a bikini-clad woman at Dreamgirls Prosecutors continued to pursue the case until February 11, when the NSW District Court was told the charges would be dropped. (The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to comment.) Mr Amante is no longer in the hospitality business - and there is a reason why it would be difficult for him to go back into managing strip clubs. TIMELINE OF MICHAEL AMANTE RAPE CLAIM August 2017: Michael Frank Amante receives a 'private dance' from a customer whose friends wanted her to strip. She claims to police that she was sexually assaulted, he denies that anything happened that was not consensual. December 2017: Police charge Mr Amante with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent. He is granted bail after one night in custody, with a magistrate remarking that it's 'not the strongest case and it's not the weakest' February 11, 2019: Prosecutors drop all charges one week before the case is due to go to trial February 19: Mr Amante details the allegations against him to the Daily Mail and expresses his relief that the charges were dropped In late 2016, the Office of Liquor and Gaming (OLGR) banned him from ever managing or being the licensee of licensed premises. It came after undercover police caught strippers selling cocaine at Dreamgirls and claimed he operated a 'clandestine illegal bar'. Mr Amante was convicted of operating an unlicensed bar in May 2016. (Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that Mr Amante was involved in the sale of cocaine.) The club changed, with the owners deciding not to sell alcohol. Meanwhile, Mr Amante is now working for an electrical company and studying at TAFE to become an electrician. In the past week, Mr Amante has been making the most of the fact his restrictive bail conditions are finished. Under the conditions, he was banned from leaving home after 8pm and could not drink for 'two Christmases'. He still can't believe the ordeal is over. 'I couldn't believe it - it came through on the text last Monday... The message said 'Michael, I've got good news, the DPP have dropped the charges'. 'I was worried ... but accepting I was going to trial,' he said. 'As it turns out, I'm just very relieved.' A little boy's miniature pony has died after being stabbed 41 times in a horrific night-time attack. The 10-year-old pony named Star was brutally attacked in his paddock on Sunday night in Waitati near Dunedin, New Zealand. A dogwalker followed a trail of blood down a road and found Star whinnying while blood gushed from his wounds, which were 10cm deep. The terrified animal was untied and had jumped over his fence in fear. Cruel: A little boy's miniature pony (pictured) has died after being stabbed 41 times in a horrific night-time attack Horrific: The 10-year-old pony named Star (pictured with wounds) was brutally attacked in his paddock on Sunday night in Waitati near Dunedin, New Zealand A dogwalker followed a trail of blood down a road and was horrified to find Star had become untethered and jumped over his fence in fear. Pictured: Star before he was killed The man contacted the owner, Mandy Mayhem-Bullock, and they rushed Star to the Otago Equine Hospital about 40 minutes away. The pony was admitted at around 2am on Monday before vets performed surgery for five hours. Star was stabilised but his condition worsened and he died on Tuesday morning. The furious owner told the Otago Daily Times: 'I'm so angry, I'm so disappointed, and the thing that was getting me through this was that the little guy was going to pull through. 'One of those tiny little cuts actually perforated his bowel and they came in this morning and he was dead. 'A f***** lunatic with a knife is in our community and killed a little baby horse.' She said she had to take her devastated son and daughter out of school to break the bad news. The terrified animal (right before the attack) was found whinnying while the blood gushed from his wounds which were 10cm deep The man contacted the owner, Mandy Mayhem-Bullock, and they rushed Star to the Otago Equine Hospital (pictured are staff with Star) about 40 minutes away Star (left before the attack and right after) was stabilised but his condition worsened and he died on Tuesday morning Vet Peter Gillespie said it was the most horrific thing he has seen in his 39-year career. 'I could see he had multiple lacerations on both sides of its neck and all over his back. It was in shock and had lost quite a bit of blood,' he told Stuff. He said he initially thought it was a dog attack but noticed that the wounds were too clean and deep. He believes more than one person attacked the pony. 'They tried to sever the horse's jugular,' he said. A vet report seen by Daily Mail Australia read: 'Star was admitted around 2am for what appeared to be multiple injuries sustained from a dog attack. The pony was in shock having lost a significant amount of blood. 'IV Fluid therapy was commenced and once he was stabilised, the wounds were dressed and bandaged in preparation for surgery later in the morning.' The vet said he initially thought it was a dog attack but noticed the wounds (pictured) were too clean and deep Despite the best efforts of vets, Star (pictured before the incident) died on Tuesday morning 'Upon closer examination of the injuries at around 9am, it was apparent that they were not 'teeth inflicted' wounds; the wound margins were too straight and clean, meaning they could have only been caused by a sharp 'knife-like' instrument. 'Many of the wounds are quite deep requiring the insertion of Penrose Drains.' A family friend told Daily Mail Australia: 'The family is naturally devastated and would like to say they appreciate all the support that has been given at this difficult time.' Police are investigating and have asked anyone with information contact their local police station or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. As it starts to cool down in Australia, you can head to Europe where it's heating up for as little as $299. Scoot is offering discount fares from Perth to Athens from select dates between now and May. With return trips for the same price, you can travel to Europe from under $600. Scoot has flights to Athens from Perth for as little as $299 and flights from east coast Australia from $309. From here, you can explore Greece or easily travel to other European destinations Scoot also has return flights from Athens from $299. Combined with a $35 RyanAir flight between Athens and London, you can fly to the UK from under $700 return Flights from Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast to Athens start at $309. Athens is in the heart of Europe which means you can travel to London, Rome and Berlin from as little as $35 with RyanAir. Combined with a $299 return flight from Athens, you can fly to the UK, Italy or Germany from less than $700. You can see Berlin's Brandenburg Gate from under $700 return when you use the Scoot and RyanAir combination. Flights from Athens to Berlin are as low as $32 The Singaporean airline offers cheap flights to Asia including Singapore from $119, Japan from $209 and Thailand or Bali from $149. Sale trips dont include checked luggage or food, but do include 10kg carry-on luggage. Scoot's Deal of the Decade sale is on until 2.59am, February 28. Senator Kamala Harris warned Monday, as she campaigned in New Hampshire, that that Russia is likely to interfere in the 2020 presidential election. The Senate Judiciary and Intelligence Committee member said that the public should be worried about voter manipulation, as well as 'classic' voter suppression tactics. 'Let's get ready,' the Democratic presidential candidate said of potential election meddling by Russia in next year's race. 'Let's get ready for that.' Senator Kamala Harris warned Monday, as she campaigned in New Hampshire, that that Russia is likely to interfere in the 2020 presidential election On her first trip to New Hampshire as a candidate for her party's nomination, Harris proudly declared her support for the ultra-progressive Green New Deal, but characterized it as a 'goal' rather that set of specific policies that she'd seek to implement. She did not shy away from taking on Donald Trump directly, calling his border wall a 'vanity project' before a crowd of a thousand when the topic of immigration came up. Harris also endorsed a national movement to make Election Day a federal holiday and offered her support to a local proposition to recycle Columbus Day and make it a holiday for indigenous peoples. Her town hall hit capacity with an estimated 1,000 people inside and 500 people still waiting in line amid a storm in New England that doubled transit times and blanketed attendee with snow, many of whom waited an hour or more in the cold to see her. Competitor Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota senator, was making her first pitch to New Hampshire voters elsewhere in the state. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker had just finished his first swing through the state as a candidate earlier in the day. 'I plan on spending time in New Hampshire. I plan on competing in New Hampshire. I plan on doing very well in New Hampshire,' Harris said of her ambition to win the state that historically holds first presidential primary. 'That is my intention.' A former attorney general of California, Harris said she would put her background as a prosecutor to work over the next year as she campaigns for the Democratic nomination. 'I plan on prosecuting the case against people who do not tell the truth,' she said in a slap at Trump and Republicans. 'In that case, we'll be successful prosecuting, because there's a lot of evidence of injustice, and a lack of truth, and a lack of commitment to working people.' Voter suppression was among the first topics that came up at the town hall, her first publicly disclosed event in the state. An attendee affiliated with the American Civil Liberties Union pressed her to support same-day, automatic voter registration, expand early and mail-in ballot opportunities and make Election Day a federal holiday. 'Absolutely,' Harris replied to cheers. Tacking on to the woman's statement about voter suppression, which she said that New Hampshire was 'ground zero' for in the last presidential election, Harris said, 'In the 2018 election cycle, we saw massive voter suppression.' She said Democratic groups would litigate voter restrictions, but those cases do not typically make it to court until after the election is over. 'The other voter manipulation is Russia,' she said. 'Let's get ready. Let's get ready for that.' Harris said the 'best and smartest way to conduct voting' is paper ballots: 'I joke and I say, cause Russia can't hack a piece of paper.' In response to a question on climate change, she brought up the Green New Deal, saying, 'Climate change is real, and it poses an existential threat to us as human beings, and it is within our power to do something about it.' 'We're not talking about a meteor that might hit the planet, we're talking about human behaviors,' she said, 'that are contributing directly to greenhouse gas emissions.' Harris said that climate change 'is an immediate threat' that she would address with a 'great sense of urgency.' She it is 'absolutely outrageous, just absolute malpractice, that this administration would have you believing science fiction instead of science fact' on the environment. Without any prompting from the audience, she asserted, 'I am supporting the Green New Deal.' The declaration drew thunderous applause clapping and a standing ovation from some. 'We have to have goals. We have to. It's a resolution that requires us to have goals and think about what we can achieve and put metrics on it,' she said. 'Some of them we'll achieve, and some of them we won't. She added,'But if we don't aspire...this is going to be a bad ending. And I hate to sound this way, 'I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but it is very real and it is within our power.' She said that climate change is a national leadership test. 'And clearly we don't have a leader in the White House on this,' she said in a jab at Trump. She further took on Trump's claim that there's a national emergency at the southern border. 'We have a president of the United States who has created a fiction about a crisis at the border, and he has held up the United States government and its workers around his vanity project called a wall,' she said. 'And it's a distraction from the real issues.' The California senator whose state will be immediately affected by Trump's national emergency said she supports comprehensive reform and a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who have citizen children. Harris also reiterated her support for Medicare for All program, saying the progressive approach to health care that would impose a single-payer system would help bring down drug prices. 'When it would be achieved, we would be able to negotiate on behalf of all of us against the pharmaceutical companies,' she said, 'which means that we would be able to bring down prices, and have more influence around ... what we also need, which is to have greater access to generics,' she said. 'So I'm all on board with that.' Pennsylvania cops are searching for the ex-boyfriend of a mother-of-two who went missing on Valentine's Day. John Eugene Colbert, 30, of Wampum, is considered a person of interest in the disappearance of Katie L. Stoner, 27, of Kittanning. Stoner was last seen by a relative at around 6:30pm on Thursday, New Castle News reported. Several police agencies in the area are cooperating in order to track down Colbert, who may have information about Stoners whereabouts. Katie L. Stoner (left), 27, vanished from her home in northwestern Pennsylvania on Thursday. Authorities say her ex-boyfriend, John Eugene Colbert (right), 30, is a person of interest Stoner's Facebook page shows photographs of her and Colbert when they were dating Stoners family is worried about her, especially since she also suffers from drug addiction and mental illness, according to KDKA-TV. She was trying to take the footsteps in the right direction, Kellie Nemchek, Katies sister, said. The family said Katie had been struggling with an addiction to opioids, which developed after she was prescribed medication for her migraines. Katie had been placed in an addiction treatment program at a womens shelter close to home. Several police agencies in the area are cooperating in order to track down Colbert, who may have information about Stoners whereabouts Stoner's family declined to give specifics about the relationship, but did hint that Katie suffered from abuse Her mother, Linda Prestopine, said it is unlike her to just walk away and vanish without telling anyone. All her things were there, all the pictures, everything was there and she had important meetings to go to that next day that she was excited about, Prestopine said. Her family said Katie had been sober for two months. She was recovering from her addiction because she wanted to be a devoted mother to her two young children. When asked about Colbert, the family hinted that her relationship with her ex-boyfriend was an abusive one. When youre a woman that succumbed to someone abusing you, it changes your whole demeanor, Nemcheck said. Stoners Facebook page lists her as having the name Katie Stoner-Prestopine. She and Colbert are photographed together in a picture dated May 29 of last year. Stoner was living in New Castle and had been in a relationship with Colbert. Her mother, Linda Prestopine (right), said it is unlike her to just walk away and vanish without telling anyone. Kellie Nemchek (left), Katies sister, said Katie was taking steps to turn her life around Police are asking for the publics assistance in providing information that would lead to Stoners being located. Stoner has a tattoo on her right ankle which says Daddys Little Girl. Police say she was last seen with a cut on her left eye and burn marks on her wrists. She was also wearing a yellow North Face hooded sweatshirt, gray plaid Vans shoes, and a black coat with a brown fur-trimmed hood. Colbert is known to have a tattoo on his right forearm which reads loyalty. Police describe him as 6ft3in tall. He weighs about 185 pounds. Colbert has brown hair and blue eyes. Colbert has a history of run-ins with the law. In 2012, he was arrested by state police and charged with kidnapping a 19-year-old woman. Stoner (right) and her sister, Nemchek (left), are seen above in happier times Police said Colbert and the womans boyfriend got into an argument over money. He then forced the woman into his car and drove off. After pleading with Colbert to let her go, he refused, instead threatening to kill her. Police said Colbert repeatedly spit on the woman, forced her to take off her coat and shoes, and then left her on the side of the road about 10 miles away from where he first abducted her. Colbert struck a plea deal with prosecutors, admitting to false imprisonment. In exchange, prosecutors dropped charges including kidnapping, terroristic threats, and unlawful restraint. He was sentenced to one year probation. He is currently wanted by other law enforcement agencies, according to Kittanning Borough Police. Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas has issued a bench warrant for Colbert, who must answer for an alleged retail theft. Anyone who sees Colbert or Stoner or has information on their whereabouts should contact Officer Bartosiewicz at the Kittanning Police Department at (724) 543-1538 or call 911. Drivers watching their hip pockets are being warned to fill up today as petrol prices across the country look likely to spike in the coming week. 'The discounting cycle in place from the end of January to Thursday last week has now ended,' Commsec senior economist Ryan Felsman told Daily Mail Australia. 'Prices are starting to lift and we expect them to remain elevated for at least the next week or so.' Drivers watching their hip pockets are being warned to fill up today as petrol prices across the country look likely to spike in the coming week 'In Sydney metro areas we are seeing prices heading back up to $1.40 already with the majority of suburbs in the city over $1.34 a litre.' The Melbourne market is similar to Sydney with prices also climbing up to $1.40 a litre for unleaded. Brisbane, however, is likely to experience the price hike quicker than other cities with prices already over $1.40 a litre for unleaded as of Tuesday morning. 'Brisbane prices seem to increase more quickly due to a less competitive market than southern cities,' Mr Felsman said. Perth is its own market, according to Mr Felsman, with the isolated city experiencing very predictable weekly price cycles. Mondays are the cheapest days to buy fuel in Perth with the price spiking about 20 cents per litre on Tuesdays and gradually falling through the week. The smaller markets of Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin tend to be more volatile than the larger cities with prices varying between suburbs though weekly cycles still apply. Cycles are dictated by retailers but consumers are able to predict when they can fill up to get a discount. 'The discounting cycle in place from the end of January to Thursday last week has now ended,' Commsec senior economist Ryan Felsman told Daily Mail Australia 'Whether petrol prices get back up to the $1.50 level that we saw in September and October last year depends on global oil prices,' Mr Felsman said. 'Prices are lifting to three month highs as Saudi Arabia, OPEC, and Russia attempt to stablise the market.' 'The US, however, could lift supply which could counter the climbing oil prices.' Mr Felsman says the best option for consumers at the pump is to be aware of price cycles and use apps on their phone to find cheap retailers. An Australian teenager has been raped in Israel after leaving a bar with a young man over the weekend. The 18-year-old, from Perth, told Israeli police the incident happened after going home with a teenager she met in the Negev region of southern Israel on Saturday night. She went straight to a local hospital to report the alleged attack, where she's recovering. An 18-year-old Perth woman was reportedly raped in the Negev region of southern Israel The alleged attacker is an 18-year-old married man. Police have taken him in for questioning but he denies the attack, saying the she consented. The young woman finished year 12 in Perth last year, and was on a gap year with a youth group when the incident occurred. Daily Mail Australia contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment. The boyfriend of a 17-year-old girl who was killed in a horrific multi car crash on Sunday has posted a heartbreaking message to her online. Nikkita Wells was in the back seat of a silver Holden Commodore with her 20-year-old sister behind the wheel when they careered into another car in Melbourne's east on Sunday afternoon. Ms Wells was killed instantly in the crash, which tore the car in half. Victoria Police believe at least two of the three cars involved in the accident were drag racing in broad daylight. Nikkita-lee Wells (pictured) boyfriend has posted a heartbreaking message to her after she was killed in Sunday during a three car smash in Melbourne Ms Wells was in the back seat of a silver Holden Commodore with her 20-year-old sister behind the wheel when they careered into another car in Melbourne's east, tearing the car in two (pictured) Family, friends and her boyfriend Hayden Jordan have since posted tributes to Ms Wells describing her as a 'beautiful angel' who was taken too soon. Mr Jordan took to a post about the crash to write a short but poignant message to the girlfriend he lost, simply writing 'I love you'. A friend of Ms Wells', Alex Mouw, wrote about the agony of the realisation his friend had been killed. 'After hearing what I thought could only be a nightmare unfortunately was true... yesterday we lost a beautiful, young girl who always brought joy to those around her. My condolences to her family,' he wrote. Since her passing, Ms Wells' family have changed her Facebook page to legacy status, meaning it is now dedicated to 'Remembering Nikkita-lee Wells'. Ms Wells, from Narre Warren, was the only fatality in the pile-up. Family, friends and her boyfriend Hayden Jordan have posted tributes to the Ms Wells describing her as a 'beautiful angel' who was taken too soon Mr Jordan took to a post about the crash to post a short but poignant tribute to the girlfriend he lost, simply writing 'I love you' A 28-year-old Clyde North man, along with his 27-year-old female passenger, and a four-year-old boy were rushed to hospital, leaving behind a scene of destruction and debris. The sole occupant of the white Holden Commodore wagon, a 27-year-old Pakenham man, was arrested at the scene. Police are still investigating the cause of the horror crash but have released all three drivers after questioning. Ms Wells has been remembered as a 'beautiful soul' on social media by devastated friends Heartbreaking images as two woman collapse into each other's arms and cry at the horrific crash scene in Melbourne (pictured) Friends of Ms Wells continued flocked to social media to pay tribute to Ms Wells, describing her as a 'beautiful soul'. 'Rest in paradise beautiful, I'll forever cherish my moments with you. Love you & fly high angel,' one friend wrote. 'After hearing what I thought could only be a nightmare unfortunately was true... yesterday we lost a beautiful young girl who always brought joy to those around her. 'My condolences for her family. Rest in paradise Nikkita-lee Wells.' A friend of one of the other drivers involved in the crash told The Age they were cut off by a white car before losing control of their vehicle A friend of one of the other drivers involved in the crash told The Age they were cut off by a white car before losing control of their vehicle. 'They sounded the horn [but it] was too late,' the friend said. 'The white car took them out and the end result is in the photos.' Residents in Rowville, where the horror crash occurred, said they saw cars 'flying' down the road. The death brings the Victorian road toll for 2019 to 46, 18 more than the same time in 2018. At about 12pm on Sunday three cars collided near Kelletts Road, Rowville, the 17-year-old girl, from Narre Warren, was a passenger of one of the vehicles and died at the scene An Australian entrepreneur is pushing for a shorter workdays with the promise of a boom in employee productivity. Steve Glaveski, who co-founded Melbourne start-up Collective Campus, believes cutting down on the traditional workday will be extremely beneficial for businesses. An article the innovator penned for Harvard Business Review has sparked a debate over whether workers are spending too much time in the office and if a stronger focus on work-life balance could provide better employment outcomes. Steve Glaveski (pictured), who co-founded Melbourne start-up Collective Campus, believes cutting down on the traditional workday will be extremely beneficial for businesses Glaveski conducted a two-week experiment that saw his team work just six-hours a day instead of the traditional eight. As a result he said his team prioritised effectively and limited interruptions in the first few hours of the day. 'The team maintained, and in some cases increased, its quantity and quality of work, with people reporting an improved mental state, and that they had more time for rest, family, friends, and other endeavors,' he said. 'Ensuring that our people do their best work and live their best lives are certainly worth it.' The idea of a shorter work day was met with some hesitation mainly by workers who thought they would never be able to complete all their tasks under the tighter deadline. However, Mr Glaveski said there was a way to combat that. The idea of a shorter work day was met with some hesitation mainly by workers who thought they would never be able to complete all their tasks under the tighter deadline (stock image) 'If you're the manager of a small team with limited resources, take a moment to reflect on the following productivity techniques and remember that your job as a leader is to facilitate outcomes, not just the illusion of them.' Tasks that hinder workflow: Hour-long meetings Unplanned interruptions Pursuits of 'Inbox zero' Switching between tasks Administrative tasks Source: Steve Glaveski By introducing a shorter work-day managers would be able to cultivate a 'flow-friendly' workplace, he said. As a result employers would see a productive surge, better outcomes and staff who are far less stressed, he said. The idea of a flexible workday is not a new one. For years innovative employers have been thinking up new ways to get more out of staff while cutting down on their hours at the desk. New Zealand-based company, Perpetual Guardian, trialled a four-day week and found staff engagement increased by 24 per cent across the board during the eight-week trial last year. The trial found staff were more creative, had fewer sick days, were more punctual and finished work early less often. Research by Swedish bosses Linus Feldt, a Stockholm-based app developer Filimindus, found a six-hour day resulted in happier employees who were more focused throughout the day. A young mother was sent unsettling text messages direct to her phone from a taxi driver who had dropped her home a night before. Natasha, who lives on the outskirts of Melbourne, was disturbed to awake the next morning to a text message from the taxi driver at 5.26am. 'Good morning, do you need taxi? Tell me and I can come and get you,' the message read. 'I can come and get you': The disturbing messages sent from the taxi driver were sent to Natasha's personal mobile phone the morning after her ride 'This is not OK': Natasha wrote that she felt uncomfortable, with the taxi driver responding with 'I'll delete if you're not happy' When asked who was texting her, the driver replied with: 'Taxi driver, I taken you in taxi before (sic).' Disturbed, Natasha asked him how he had obtained her number, to which he replied sinisterly: 'On my dispatcher'. Feeling completely violated, Natasha told the driver to stop texting her immediately as she felt 'really uncomfortable'. 'OK I delete if you're not happy,' the taxi driver replied. Natasha then emailed the taxi company, telling them that she felt 'incredibly violated, creeped out and unsafe'. Natasha was left feeling unsatisfied with the response from the company and took to social media warning women about the driver and the taxi company (stock image) 'I'm extremely upset. This man knows where I live and he now has my number,' she wrote. 'This is a huge breach of my safety, and my right to order a taxi without being harassed and having my privacy respected,' she added. Shortly after, Natasha received a response from the company apologising for the 'unnerving' situation and have asked the driver not to contact her again. 'Unfortunately we are not with the drivers 24/7 and we rely on the drivers better judgement and that the driver does the right thing and respect a customer's privacy' they wrote. The company then detailed how Natasha could use the company's app to order a taxi in the future as they often use email addresses to contact the driver instead of using a phone number. Natasha was left feeling unsatisfied with the response and took to social media to vent her frustrations. Since her post she has had four women contact her to tell her they've had similar experiences with a driver that is eerily reminiscent of hers. 'I think this driver is a risk to women's safety, I don't think he should be driving with the company.' Natasha told 3AW. The company have since released a one-sentence statement saying they 'understand the situation'. 'We understand the situation and we have spoken to the customer about this and we are also addressing the issue internally with the driver,' they told 3AW. 'We understand the situation': The company released a one-sentence statement saying they're now 'addressing the issue internally with the driver' (stock image) An outraged driver has filmed a police officer using his mobile phone while driving in traffic. The officer was spotted using his smartphone inside a police car in West End, South of Brisbane. Police confirmed with Daily Mail Australia ordinary road rules don't apply to officers on duty, except for drink and drug-driving. The officer was spotted using his device inside a police vehicle in West End, South of Brisbane The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ), a roadside insurance company, said police can use their phones to receive information about a job, just as they might need to increase their speed above the legal limit. Wherever possible, police will comply with all road rules. Under section 144 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995, the illegal use of mobile phones 'does not apply to a police officer while exercising a power' or 'performing a function'. Queensland residents caught using a mobile phone behind the wheel will be issued a fine of $391 and will lose three demerit points from their licence. Double demerit points in Queensland apply for two or more mobile phone offences committed within a year. Illegal use of mobile phones in New South Wales comes at a cost of five demerit points and a $337 fine. Drivers in Western Australia will incur three demerit points and a $400 fine, while drivers in Victoria will be penalised with four demerit points and a $484 fine. Excellent Drill Results Extend Both Open Pit and Underground Mining at Golden Age Perth, Feb 19, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Blackham Resources Limited ( ASX:BLK ) ( OTCMKTS:BKHRF ) (Blackham or the Company) is pleased to provide an update of drilling results from the high-grade free milling Golden Age North (GAN) orebody, closely located to Blackham's 1.8Mtpa Wiluna Gold Plant.Highlights- Low-cost development of Golden Age Lower (GA Lower) underground commences this week providing additional high grade ore for the mill over at least the next 6 months- Recent resource definition and grade control drilling at Golden Age North (GAN) increased confidence in excellent grades as the orebody deepens- GAN open pit likely to be extended along strike and to drive deeper on these strong grades- Potential for new near surface GAN underground mining enhanced by both excellent recent RC drill and grade control results- The Golden Age underground, Blackham's highest-grade orebody, has been consistently extended over the last 2 years and has successfully maintained a rolling mine life of at least 6 months- If dual underground mining areas can be opened up (GA Lower and GAN) it will significantly increase the volume of high grade ounces delivered to the plantDrilling below existing underground workings has led to an extension of the Golden Age Underground mine life. Underground development is scheduled to commence this week to access the mineralisation in Golden Age Lower (GA Lower) which will provide additional high grade ore for the mill over at least the next 6 months. The Republic reef mineralisation cuts through the exiting Calais Decline allowing low cost development to the GA Lower deposit.Grade control drilling has confirmed that the GAN pit (in open pit production since November 2018) and the historically completed Golden Age Pit (GA Pit) form a continuous zone of over 600m in length. The area between the GAN reserve pit and the old pit was poorly drilled in the past owing to infrastructure limiting drilling access. The new results enable the GAN pit to be extended southward and deepened to connect with the GA Pit - extending the GAN pit mine life, thereby providing increased high-grade mill feed in coming months.In addition, the results from the first three deeper RC holes at GAN were received. These holes were designed to test the near-surface underground potential of the GA mineralisation and all holes produced significant results:9m @ 13.6g/t from 95m incl. 2m @ 54.4g/t 122g*m WURC07283m @ 9.62 g/t from 71m 29g*m WURC07262m @ 10.66g/t from 103m 21g*m WURC0727Further drilling is ongoing, focussed on confirming available development options for this new area of near-surface underground mining. The underground mineralisation can be accessed either from the base of the GAN pit or via existing deeper underground workings. The current Golden Age underground mining operation commences approximately 350m below surface and is based on the Golden Age Shear - a connected but separate structure that is truncated by the GAN Fault. Recent grade control drilling towards the base of the GAN pit returned excellent grade zones with greater than 20 gram-metre intercepts - further reinforcing the underground mining potential.Milan Jerkovic, Executive Chairman said "Blackham has been actively extending Golden Age, its highest-grade orebody, over the last 2 years and has successfully maintained a rolling mine life of at least 6 months. Mining is now due to start in the Golden Age Lower area and extensions to the Golden Age North open pit have already been identified. Further, outstanding near surface results support the potential for new areas of underground mining immediately below the existing Golden Age open pits. Further drilling and evaluation is expected to support the early expansion of the underground development to provide additional high-grade ore feed to the Wiluna gold plant."Golden Age North - Currently mining open pits from surfaceMining of the Golden Age North (GAN) pit commenced in November 2018. Several drill programmes over the past six months have indicated the likelihood for extensions to the GAN pit both along strike and below the planned pit design. Recent RC grade control drilling (with numerous >20 g*m intercepts) and the commencement of a further round of RC drilling have produced some outstanding results:9m @ 13.58g/t from 95m incl. 2m @ 54.37g/t 122g*m WURC07283m @ 9.62 g/t from 71m 29g*m WURC07262m @ 10.66g/t from 103m 21g*m WURC0727Recent mining of the GAN pit has resulted in an increased geological understanding and also revealed the presence of more extensive historic underground workings in the top ~30m below surface. The grade control drilling covering the base of the GAN pit has clearly revealed an increasing gold grade with the higher-grade lower parts of the mineralisation remaining unmined. Historical reported mined grade of 17 g/t Au for the top 30m near surface underground workings is supported by these recent excellent grade control results that now extends below them.New RC drilling in the saddle area between the old and new Golden Age pits confirms the continuity of the mineralisation along the entire 600m strike length (coupled with results reported previously (ASX- BLK 11th December 2018). Drilling of the saddle area was previously limited owing to extensive surface infrastructure. This new drilling data confirms the potential for higher-grade mineralisation in fresh rock and provides confidence in the potential for under ground extraction. Underground drilling intercepted the Golden Age North fault structure at a depth of 370m below surface: 1.0m @ 15.5 g/t Au GAGC0241. The recent results have two significant consequences:1. Remodelling of the mineralisation through the saddle area followed by re-optimisation will result in a significant deepening and extension southwards of the GAN pit producing additional higher-grade tonnes for treatment at the nearby Wiluna plant (1.5km away).2. With intercepts ranging from 10 to 120 gram-metres drilling will continue, aimed at defining the resource and justifying a further underground mining operation in the top 200-300m of the GAN Fault mineralisation.Golden Age Background and Program DetailsThe Golden Age Underground mine is accessed via the Bulletin portal located only 2.5km from the 1.8Mtpa Wiluna Gold Plant. The Golden Age Fault is currently being mined from surface in the GAN pit and earlier small pits have been completed on both the Golden Age and Republic Faults (see Figure 3 in link below).The Golden Age Reef that is currently being mined underground is an oblique transfer fault largely bounded by the Golden Age and Republic Faults to the north and south respectively. Approximately 180,000oz @ 9g/t gold has been produced from the Shear to date, with solid cash flows being generated over the last 18 months. The Golden Age Shear does not outcrop and was not mined by early prospectors.Mining of the Golden Age system over the last 2 years has provided Blackham with a greater understanding of the style and structure of mineralisation. With the orebody now better understood, and the mineralisation open both down dip and down plunge, mining will increasingly target the extensions.Drilling is aimed at maintaining a minimum 6-12 month mine life at the Golden Age Shear and to significantly increase mine production. Extensive data collation (including additional structural mapping) and a review of the stratigraphic sequence, deformation and mineralising events helped prioritise drill targets. Most recent drilling has been aimed at defining extensions below the zone of mineralisation currently being mined (Golden Age Lower).Underground Mining - Golden Age LowerBlackham's strategy for the high-grade underground Golden Age free milling mining project is to expand the resource and mining rate substantially above the current production of approximately 700-1000 ounces per month.A key recent focus has been the Golden Age (GA) Lower area that has not been recognised previously as it is offset from Golden Age Middle zone by a barren basalt fault (see Figure 4 in link below). Previously reported drilling has confirmed a similar tenor of mineralisation to that being mined above and mine planning studies have confirmed the viability of accessing this area and developing multiple stoping areas for increased production. Current mine planning involves lateral development from the existing nearby Calais decline along the mineralised Republic Fault (see Figure 5 in link below) - hence providing additional mill feed. Development is planned to start this week on levels at 800-850mRL.Underground diamond drilling below the current planned mining area continues aimed at further identifying high grade mill feed so that the underground GA Lower operation can extend through 2019 and beyond. The Golden Age underground, Blackham's highest-grade orebody, has been consistently extended over the last 2 years and has successfully maintained a rolling mine life of at least 6 months. If dual underground mining areas (GA Lower and GAN) can be opened up, it will significantly increase the volume of high grade ounces delivered to the plant.To view figures, please visit:About Wiluna Mining Corporation Ltd Wiluna Mining Corporation (ASX:WMX) (OTCMKTS:WMXCF) is a Perth based, ASX listed gold mining company that controls over 1,600 square kilometres of the Yilgarn Craton in the Northern Goldfields of WA. The Yilgarn Craton has a historic and current gold endowment of over 380 million ounces, making it one of most prolific gold regions in the world. The Company owns 100% of the Wiluna Gold Operation which has a defined resource of 8.04M oz at 1.67 g/t au. In May 2019, a new highly skilled management team took control of the Company with a clear plan to leverage the Wiluna Gold Operation's multi-million-ounce potential. A little girl gas been left fearing for her life after her family's three-month-old puppy, Koby was stolen from their front yard. The Bull Mastiff cross Bull Arab puppy was taken from Taleah Goudge's front yard in Norlane, south of Geelong, by a group of men who pulled up to her house and called Koby over before putting him in their car. Ms Goudge and her young daughter Lily, four, only had the puppy for two weeks but they felt a strong bond which made it difficult for Ms Goudge to tell her daughter what happened. When was finally told what happened, the little girl said: Mummy, is someone going to take me too? 'Were they mean people?': A four-year-old girl is heartbroken after her puppy is stolen 'We thought Koby was going to come back in a few days so we didn't tell her,' Ms Goudge told Daily Mail Australia. 'Eventually, we told her that someone took Koby and I don't think they will bring him back. 'Lily asked me if the men who stole Koby were mean people.' She said that Lily doesn't know why someone would steal Koby. 'She doesn't understand what she is feeling but she knows something is wrong.' Koby, a Bull Mastiff cross was taken from Taleah Goudge's front yard by two men in a black car Ms Goudge said her daughter, Lily doesn't understand why someone would take Koby Koby got out of the backyard and wandered out to the front of the house after a strong wind blew the gate open. CCTV footage from a neighbour's house shows a black car pulling up to Ms Goudge's front yard and two men getting out. Ms Goudge believes the men were in the neighbourhood because one of her neighbours recently moved out and left their belongings behind which people started to take. The footage shows a man opening the passenger door of his car and calling Koby over before taking the puppy and driving away. Ms Goudge found it difficult to tell her daughter about Koby because they had a strong connection Ms Goudge initially thought Koby ran away but after watching her neighbour's camera footage she saw her puppy being stolen. 'We have been crying and we are sick to our stomachs,' Ms Goudge told the Geelong Advertiser. She has been talking to all of her neighbours trying to find out if they know any information about Koby's whereabouts. 'I heard that a neighbour who recently left Geelong was bragging about taking Koby but we aren't sure if this is true.' Residents in Sydney's second-largest CBD would have little warning to evacuate if the city was inundated with catastrophic flash flooding, an emergency service expert has warned. If a severe super-cell storm was to hit Parramatta in the city's west without notice, residents would have just nine minutes to evacuate before floodwaters swamp the city's centre. That warning could be extended to two hours in the best case scenarios where imminent flooding can be predicted, according to NSW State Emergency Risk Reduction and Avoidance Senior Manager George Jeoffreys. Experts fear residents would have little time to evacuate if Parramatta was hit with catastrophic flash flooding. Pictured is Parramatta ferry wharf after heavy rain NSW SES volunteers rescued multiple motorists trapped in flash flooding when 60 millimetres of rain drenched Parramatta in the space of three hours earlier this month. But that's minor flooding compared to the catastrophe that could happen, where emergency workers could be faced with the daunting task of rescuing residents from one to two storeys of fast-flowing floodwater. 'The risk is the inability to get people out,' Mr Jeoffreys told Fairfax Media. 'We wouldn't have time to evacuate. It becomes a major rescue operation.' Residents would have nine minutes to evacuate the Parramatta CBD if a severe super-cell hit without warning. Pictured is the flooded riverbank in 2016 after heavy rain Experts claim the the city's flood risks have been ignored by government and council authorities as they plan to transform Parramatta into Sydneys second city centre. 'The only thing we can do is negotiate within the existing planning scheme to try and get better outcomes,' NSW SES Senior Planning Coordinator Marcus Morgan told Fairfax Media. The Greater Sydney Commission said flooding was an important factor in planning for growth in Parramatta. Regarded as Sydney's second CBD, Parramatta (pictured) is also prone to flooding The nine minute evacuation warning was news to Parramatta councillor Steven Issa. 'I'd be keen to understand who engaged these experts, what they were referencing and what they're trying to achieve,' Cr Issa told Daily Mail Australia. 'I'm no flood expert but the council already has early warnings in place to warn residents, including flood water censors up and down the Parramatta River. The council has also developed a virtual reality flooding incident to help residents prepare for when a mass flooding event occurs.' SES experts fear emergency workers would be faced with the daunting task of rescuing residents from one to two storeys of fast-flowing floodwater in the worst case scenarios Cr Issa said the local council already mitigates Parramatta's flood risk with a 'multi-pronged' approach' to planning controls. The council has developed a FloodSmart Parramatta program which aims to provide the community with vital information to understand flood risk in their area. 'The Parramatta River catchment has 28 river level and rain gauges which provide information about what the current conditions are,' the council website states. 'To forecast what will happen in the future, FloodSmart Parramatta uses Bureau of Meteorology products. All the data is run through a flood model to predict where and when flooding may occur.' James Ruse Drive (pictured), one of Parramatta's busiest roads was inundated with flash flooding on February 8, where SES workers rescued multiple motorists who became trapped This is really the most godforsaken hole on Earth', Lt Charles Ryan, an accountant by profession, wrote in his diary after he and his fellow American soldiers disembarked their ship in the northern Russian town of Archangel in the summer of 1918. He was among 8,000 members of the American Expeditionary Forces, also known as doughboys, who had been deployed to near-Siberia in the waning hours of World War One only four months before the Armistice of November 11, 1918 that would officially put an end to four years of merciless fighting. But there would be no ceasefire for them. The nightmare was just about to begin for Lt Ryan and his fellow troops who would find themselves fighting the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War for nine months, struggling in temperatures reaching an unfathomable -60F in a war that claimed 235 American lives but is a forgotten chapter in U.S. foreign and military history. They became known as the Polar Bear Expedition. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO In the dying days of the First World War - and after Armistice on November 11, 1918 - 13,000 American troops, known as doughboys, remained in the frozen expanse of Northern Russia where they fought both extreme cold and the Bolsheviks Snow shoe patrols became a daily occurrence for the men of Company B 339th infantry, pictured on December 31, 1918. Here they make their way across deep snow in snow shoes along the shore of the Dvina River in Archangel Company 'C' 310th Engineers pitched tents among trees in a forest near the front while fighting the Battle of Bolshie Ozerki. The battle, which began in March 1919, was the last to involve British troops and one of the last to involve American troops Officers of the United States Expeditionary Forces at their headquarters, Archangel, Russia, March 4, 1919 World War One had ravaged Western Europe and while an end was in sight, Allied forces did not believe that a definitive victory in their favor had totally been secured. After tremendous coaxing and pressure from Britain and France, President Woodrow Wilson officially ordered the deployment of US troops to Northern Russia on July 17, 1918 - only four months before the November 11, 1918 Armistice that officially put an end to the merciless fighting. Within days following Wilsons order; the 339th Infantry Regiment known as Detroits Own was redirected to London for training. The regiment of 3,800 car-factory workers, attorneys, farmers and shopkeepers from Michigan were given lessons on how to survive sub-zero conditions by Ernest Shackleton the famous Antarctic explorer and re-outfitted with new Russian rifles and gear to combat the bitter cold of northern Russia. After minimal training, the 339th Infantry embarked on a grueling eight day sojourn across the Arctic Circle to their new post in far corners of Siberia. A total of 8,000 troops arrived in the port town of Archangel in summer 1918 to a cheering crowd of White Russians, a loose group of anti-communist forces, liberals and loyalists of the deposed Tsar. A military band played the University of Michigan fight song as the 339th Regiment disembarked the gangplank. Their mission was to secure massive caches of Allied military equipment that had been stockpiled in warehouses across Siberian ports. Before the Vladimir Lenins Bolshevik party took control of the Russian government; Allied Forces sent 600,000 tons of munitions to the Tsars forces in a vain attempt to arm them in their fight against the Germans. Now their goal was to redistribute the military supplies that were never used to White Russians soldiers fighting against the Red Army, the Bolsheviks. Support our troops: Americans on the home front were asked in 1918 to buy war savings stamps to help support U.S. soldiers fighting in Siberia. By December 1918, more than a month had passed since the Armistice of November 11, 1918 marking the end of the First World War yet America's doughboys, fighting in the Polar bear Expedition remained abroad with no end in sight Buried in the frozen depths: Troops of the Polar bear Expedition found themselves facing extreme conditions as they battled both the Bolsheviks and the weather. Pictured is the funeral of Wagoner James E. Byles, Supply Co. 339th Inf. 85th Division. His casket is lowered into a grave in Archangel, Russia, covered in an American flag. 235 men died during the nine-month operation. In 1922, with funding from Congress, Veterans of The Polar Bear Expedition retrieved roughly 120 of their fallen comrades whose bodies remained in Russia The warm welcome did nothing to detract from the horrific situation on the ground. Starving Russians instantly descended upon the ships trash looking for scraps of food. After Lt Charles Ryan wrote it was a godforsaken place, he went on: Never did I strike such a fine set of assorted odors. The people are filthy and seem starved to death. Things only got worse, within two weeks of arriving in Archangel, the deadly Spanish flu, which eventually killed between 50 and 100million people worldwide from 1918-1920, claimed 40 soldiers from the 339th. Simultaneously President Wilson deployed another American contingent to protect the Trans-Siberian Railway from Bolshevik forces. General William S. Graves was preparing his troops at Camp Fremont in California to ship out to France when he received a specially coded message on August 2, 1918 ordering him to a meeting in Kansas City as soon as possible. He was greeted by the Secretary of War who informed Graves that his military service would taking a new turn: he was to lead a battalion of 5,000 troops into the deep, uncompromising interior of Russia to secure the Railway and assist the White Russian forces in their civil war with the Bolshevik Red Army. This would be the first, and last time American troops were ever on Russian soil. Baker handed Graves an envelope that contained the Aide Memoire, reasons for sending American soldiers to innermost Russia. This contains the policy of the United States in Russia which you are to follow, said the Secretary. Watch your step; you will be walking on eggs loaded with dynamite. God bless you and good-bye. Capt. Joel Moore is surrounded by men of his company in Obozerskaya, Russia, as he displays a sword which had belonged to a Battalion Commander of the 6th Saratov Regiment Officers of Company 'M': (left to right) Lt. Clarence J. Primm, 2nd Lt. Milton J. Carpenter, 2nd Lt. Weiszorek, Lt. Wesley K. Wright, Lt. James R. Donovan, Lt. George M. Stoner, and Capt. Joel Moore in Obozerskaya, Russia. As soon as troops stepped off the ship in Archangel, commanders ordered their troops to begin their battle with the Bolsheviks, they didn't have time to unload their winter gear in the hull of the boat; leaving them without proper winter wear until after the first snow of October An American infantry camp in Siberia, Russia, December 1918. The men survived on canned corned beef and hard candy on the Eastern Front American infantry near Archangel, Russia, December 1918. Archangel had remained untouched from the invading German forces; making it a key port of entry for Allied supplies to enter the Czar's Imperial Russia Unfortunately, Newton Bakers advice to General Graves was all too true. President Wilsons ill-defined war was plagued with problems from the start. His infamously ambiguous and contradictory Aide Memoire led to confusion in leadership made worse by Russias rapidly shifting political climate. Wilsons stated aims were so obtuse that the two U.S. expeditions to Russia ended up carrying out very different missions. While the troops in north Russia became embroiled in the Russian Civil War, soldiers in Siberia became heavily engaged with various guerrilla armies in a constantly changing landscape. American troops were no match for the brutal weather conditions and their operations were hamstrung by a shortage in supplies in all fronts: medical, manpower and military. Temperatures would frequently drop to -60F and frostbite was common, in some cases leading to amputation. General Graves quoted the Chief Surgeon in his diaries that Practically no sanitary conditions existed. To boost morale the men watched Charlie Chaplin movies and danced with Red Cross nurses. They would drink at the local vodka houses and visit prostitutes to escape the harsh conditions which only led to an inevitable epidemic in venereal diseases. Sailors from the U.S.S., Olympia, who formed a part of a landing force, are pictured upon returning from the line along the railroad to Vologda where they had been fighting Bolsheviks. The party got back to its starting point only after picking its way through swamps and forests. They were compelled to abandon everything but their rifles. They are surrounded by men of the 339th Infantry, who had just landed in Russia on September 6, 1918 Soldiers of 339th Infantry, A.N.R.E.F. leaving dock for camp in Bakharitza, Russia on September 5, 1918. Hailing primarily from Michigan, the military band ceremoniously played the University of Michigan's Fight song as they disembarked the ship US marines are pictured arriving in Vladivostock to support counter-revolutionary forces in Siberia. Shortly after the October Revolution, Russia plunged into a civil war between the Red Army ('Reds'), consisting of radical communists and revolutionaries, and the 'Whites', the monarchists, conservatives, liberals and moderate socialists who opposed the drastic restructuring championed by the Bolsheviks Company M of 339th Infantry are inspected by British Major General William Edmund Ironside, American Colonel George E. Stewart and American Charge D'Affaires Dewitt C. Poole Jr in Archangel, 1918. The majority of the 3,800 men that composed the 339 Infantry came from Michigan; they were selected by military strategists in hopes they might fare better during the Brutal Russian winters After a 17-hour march through woodland and swamps, Company M, 339th Infantry rested for an hour then set out again for the front. They are seen in this September 29, 1918 photograph starting out along the railroad line in Obozerskaya, Russia. One of the armored cars use by the Allies is seen in the distance Cold comfort: Pictured is the headquarters of the 3rd Battalion, housed in a box car on the Verst railroad line to Vologda on November 15, 1918. Thee 3rd Battalion were engaged on the Vologda Railroad Front continuously since the day they landed. In the picture right to left: Lieut. Lewis Jahns, Adjt., 2nd Lt. Adolph Anselmi, Signal Officer, Lieut. N.C. Hallock, Intelligence Officer; Corpl. C.J. Barnum, Pvt. J.W. Phillips, Pvt. Harold H. Holliday, Sergt. Maj. Ernest Reed Box cars on the railroad front in Archangel, 1919. One of President Wilson's unspoken objectives in sending troops to the Trans-Siberian Railway was to secure the U.S.' billion dollar investment in Russian railroads that had fallen to Lenins communist party Battle weary but still with a smile for the camera: Copmany 'M', 339th Infantry 85th Division on their return from a weeks fighting near Bolshie Ozerka (left to right Lt James R. Donovan, Cpl. Benjamin Jondre, Pvt. Jens Jenson). American soldiers found comfort in local vodka houses and brothels Decorated: Captain O.D Odjard, Commanding Officer of 'W' Company, 339th Inf. 85th Div, was decorated with the Military Cross for bravery in action. he was evacuated to the U.S. after suffering a shrapnel wound to the neck (pictured April 2, 1919) By September, American soldiers were engaged in their first firefight with the 'Bolos' as they called the enemy. Soldiers spent a week knee-deep in swamp water. The town of Archangel was about six or seven miles long but only a few hundred feet wide wedged between the river bank on one side and a swamp that encroached on the town on the other. Bolshevik artillerymen began their barrage before daylight which ended in one fatality, three wounded and one immobilized with shell shock. The November 11 Armistice came and went with no consequence for the troops of the Polar Bear Expedition. Their reality was a stark contrast to the millions of Americans that boarded ships for their homecoming. The Bolsheviks launched a seven day offensive against the Polar Bears in January 1919, which saw the Americans outnumbered eight to one. The offensive attracted attention at home; leading to Senator Hiram Johnson of California ask the house: What is the policy of our nation toward Russia? I do not know out policy, and I know no other man who knows out policy. As The Polar Bears became disillusioned on the Eastern Front, opposition to their deployment began to pick up speed back in the States. Finally on February 14, the Secretary of War, Newton Baker announced that the Polar Bears would sail home at the earliest possible moment that weather in the spring will permit. President Wilsons effort was a massive disaster, his nine-month campaigned cost the lives of 235 men. When the last battalion set sail from Archangel, not a soldier knew, no, not even vaguely, why he had fought or why he was going on, and why his comrades were left behind so many of them beneath the wooden crosses, wrote General Graves in his book Archangel. Years later the Secretary Baker said: The expedition was nonsense from the beginning and always seemed to me one of those sideshows born of desperation. American Troops Belonging To Company 1, 339th Infantry march down a street in Archangel in October 1918 Archangel was described as a city of no more than 6 or 7 miles in length and a few hundred yards wide, wedged between the river on one side and a swamp and morass on the other side. The swamp pushed onto the edges of the town (as pictured in 1919). The children pictured were fed by the American Red Cross at their school New evidence of whalers visiting Australia as far back as the 1840s have been unearthed off the country's west coast. The carvings were found on rocks on the Rosemary and West Lewis islands in the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. The etchings of names and dates are the earliest inscriptions to be found in Australia left behind by whalers. The remarkable etchings of names and dates are the earliest inscriptions to be found in Australia left behind by whalers - 'Jacob Anderson' 'New London' and 'in the ship' can be clearly seen The carvings were done by men sailing on two different whale boats, several years apart. There is very little evidence of whalers ever reaching land over the 30-40 year period that they traveled the world's oceans which ultimately makes the find even more remarkable. The first etchings found were the words 'Jacob Anderson', 'Crocker', 'New London', and 'in the Ship Connecticut of New London' were carved on a rocky ridge overlooking the water, along with the dates of their travel. They were made by members by the 26-strong crew from the ship, The Connecticut, which set off from the coastal city of New London in August 1842 and sailed north-west coast of the United States to what was then known as the New Holland whaling ground. The names 'Jacob Anderson', 'Crocker' 'New London' can be seen etched into rock - with scrape marks etched by local Aboriginal people over the top There is very little evidence of whalers ever reaching land over the 30-40 year period that they traveled the world's oceans which ultimately makes the find even more remarkable Archaeologist and Professor Alistair Patterson scoured historical records to find the identities of the whalers. 'The historical records show that on Connecticut's departure, Captain Crocker was 33 years old, while Jacob Anderson was described as an 18-year-old seaman from New London of 'black complexion' almost certainly an African-American sailor,' he told ABC News. The second carvings were found on the West Lewis Island with words including 'J.Leek' and 'Ship Delta, 1849'. Professor Paterson said that the messiness of the writing indicated that the crew were probably bored and just passing the time as they waited to spot a whale out at sea. 'Rather than a formal message to be transmitted more publicly to future visitors to the island, these whalers were celebrating and commemorating having survived the voyage to the other side of the world.' Professor Paterson said. Although remarkable to archaeologists, the carvings had already been discovered by the local Aboriginal community who didn't take so kindly to the messages and had already etched over them. Professor Jo McDonald was one of those who found the engravings in 2017, while recording the thousands of Aboriginal rock images in the archipelago. She found that the writing made by the whalers was used with a metal implement and was carved over the top of the grid pattern made by the Aboriginal people who used a stone implement. 'It shows this incredible progression through time of different people coming along and marking the rock and telling things about themselves, and wanting to leave a record they were at a place,' Professor McDonald told ABC News. The carvings were found on rocks on the Rosemary and West Lewis islands along the Pilbara coast in Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia The CEO of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, Peter Jeffries, said the area was very special to the Ngarluma and Yaburara traditional owners. Given the dates carved into the rocks, it's indicated that the carvings were made prior to white settlement of the area about two decades before pastoralists and pearlers arrived. At the peak of the whaling industry, in the mid-19th century, around 22,000 men were employed on 1,000 whaling boats that traveled the seas and stopped off at remote coastlines all around the world searching for whales. The CEO of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, Peter Jeffries, said the area of the Rosemary and West Lewis islands in the Dampier Archipelago were very special to the Ngarluma and Yaburara traditional owners Authorities have made an arrest in the 1993 rape and murder of a woman who was found dead in a college dorm bathtub with the help of a DNA sample that the suspected killer's aunt had submitted to a genealogy database. Steven Downs, 44, was arrested Friday in his hometown of Auburn, Maine, in connection with the death of Sophie Sergie, who was shot dead in a residence hall shower room at University of Alaska Fairbanks when she was 20 years old. Downs has been charged with murder and sexual assault and is awaiting extradition to Alaska, where a grand jury will be convened. Investigators linked Downs to the murder after 25 years with the same cutting-edge - and controversial - genetic genealogy technique used to crack the notorious Golden State Killer cold case, Alaska State Troopers revealed in a press release. Scroll down for video Steven Downs (left) was arrested Friday in his hometown of Auburn, Maine, in connection with the 1993 death of Sophie Sergie (right), who was found shot dead in a dorm bathtub at University of Alaska Fairbanks when she was 20 years old. Downs, 44, has been charged with murder and sexual assault and is awaiting extradition to Alaska Sergie (above), was a former student at University of Alaska Fairbanks who visiting a friend when she was killed on April 26, 1993. She was last seen leaving her friend's dorm room to smoke a cigarette just after midnight A custodian came across Sergie's murdered body in a residence hall shower room hours later Sergie, a former student at University of Alaska Fairbanks, had been visiting the school and staying with a friend when she was killed on April 26, 1993. The 20-year-old was last seen leaving her friend's dorm room to smoke a cigarette shortly after midnight, and a custodian came across her murdered body hours later. A medical examiner concluded Sergie had been sexually assaulted and stabbed twice in the right eye while she was still alive before being killed by a single gunshot to the back of the head. The bullet came from a .22 caliber handgun that was never found. Downs, a student, and his roommate, a campus security guard, were both interviewed briefly during the initial investigation and denied having any knowledge of the murder, according to charging documents obtained by The Portland Press Herald. Though DNA technology was not yet being used in Alaska at the time of Sergie's murder, investigators collected biological evidence from her body and were able to develop a DNA profile for the unidentified suspect in the late 1990s. In 2000, the DNA was processed again using more advanced techniques and was entered into the FBI's national criminal database, but no matches turned up. The case went cold as investigators ruled out several potential suspects who did not match the DNA profile. Downs' name cropped up again when a newly-assigned Alaska cold case investigator re-interviewed the suspect's former roommate, who had been on duty the night of Sergie's murder. The roommate was later fired for having a gun in the dorm, which was prohibited. He said that it wasn't a .22 caliber handgun like the one used in the murder, but claimed Downs kept an H&R model .22 caliber weapon in their room in 1993. However, the investigator was unable to develop a concrete suspect, and the case stalled again when he retired. Investigators linked Downs to the murder after 25 years with the same cutting-edge - and controversial - genetic genealogy technique used to crack the notorious Golden State Killer cold case, Alaska State Troopers revealed in a press release Investigators submitted a DNA profile for the Sergie suspect to a private lab for genetic comparison in 2018, and the lab found a match from a female relative of Downs The case began to thaw in 2018 after Sgt Randy McPherron, an Alaska State Troopers homicide investigator, learned of the emerging forensic technique called genetic genealogy that California authorities used to identify 'Golden State Killer' suspect Joseph DeAngelo. The technique involves comparing DNA profiles from unidentified suspects to public genealogy databases, where users have voluntarily submitted their DNA for profiling by commercial companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry.com, in hopes of finding potential relatives. How law enforcement use popular ancestry websites to track down cold case killers Investigators across the country have embraced genetic genealogy, a DNA-dependent forensic technique that identifies suspects through their relatives. The technique involves cross-referencing the DNA profile of an unidentified suspect with public databases containing DNA from users who've submitted samples to consumer companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry.com to explore their family tree and get informed about potential genetic health concerns. Genetic genealogy gained notoriety through decades-old cold cases like the Golden State Killer, and police are now using it on fresh cases as well. While many are excited by what genetic genealogy means for the future of forensic investigations, others have expressed concerns about genetic privacy and policy procedures. McPherron submitted the DNA profile for the Sergie suspect to private lab Parabon NanoLabs for genetic comparison, and the lab identified a match from a female relative of Downs, according to court documents. Investigators then interviewed Downs in Maine, where he was living and working as a nurse. He allegedly told Maine State Police that he recalled hearing about a murder on campus but had never met Sergie, according to court documents. 'I remember the pictures, it's terrible, poor girl,' he said, maintaining that if he had known anything about Sergie's murder he would have disclosed it right away. 'I never knew or saw anything to begin with,' he added. Downs pointed the finger at soldiers from Fort Wainwright, a nearby Army barracks, saying that they could be responsible because they often visited the residence hall. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Downs' DNA, which matched the suspect profile, charging documents said. His DNA hadn't turned up in previous searches of the national criminal database because he had no prior arrests. At a Friday press conference in Anchorage attended by Sergie's mother, brother and cousin, Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner Amanda Price said: 'This arrest is the culmination of years of effort and tenacious attention by this department to solve a horrendous murder the impact of that murder was felt statewide. 'The many investigators who have continued to work this case never let the loss of Sophie leave their minds.' Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner Amanda Price spoke at a press conference in Anchorage on Friday alongside Sergie's mother, brother and cousin The practice of utilizing public genealogy sites to track criminal DNA is relatively new. Investigations have long been limited to running DNA samples through state and federal databases that largely only contain DNA from convicted felons. However, investigators are increasingly using the technique that involves uploading a genetic profile into an open source DNA database used by amateur genealogists searching for relatives, which provided a much wider pool of potential matches. Some privacy advocates say they are concerned with the process and worry about future abuses, but detectives are excited about the possibility it brings of closing cases that have long been cold. Advertisement National Geographic has become the first brand to hit 100 million followers on Instagram and has launched a contest to celebrate the milestone, DailyMail.com can reveal. The iconic magazine's Instagram account NatGeo was awarded the honor this week, joining celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, Justin Bieber and Cristiano Ronaldo with the coveted follower count. To thank its Instagram followers who helped it reach the landmark achievement, National Geographic is encouraging users to submit their most Nat Geo-inspired photos from their own feeds using #NatGeo100contest. The winner of the 24-hour contest will receive a National Geographic Tanzania Photo Safari trip, worth more than $10,000, where budding photographers will learn from experts how to work 'with movement and light' while capturing wildlife in Africa. The nine-day trip will include visits to the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park, and the winner will stay in hotels, lodges and luxury tented camps. To inspire contestants, National Geographic shared a variety of stunning images from contributing photographers for applicants to draw inspiration from. Gary Knell, the Chairman of National Geographic Partners, said in a statement: 'National Geographic and photography have gone hand-in-hand since we first published photos in our magazine back in 1889. 'We were considered cutting edge then, and through Instagram, we are finding new ways to blaze trails in visual storytelling 130 years later. Driven by our passionate fans and tremendously talented photographers, we are using Instagram to showcase our world through breathtaking images that inspire people to care about the planet. We are grateful and encouraged that 100 million people want National Geographic at their fingertips.' Kaiau, who lives in the Posto Awa community in Brazil, is photographed with a baby black bearded saki monkey. It probably belongs to afemale family member as boys tend not to keep monkeys as pets. PHOTOGRAPH BY CHARLIE HAMILTON JAMES ( @CHAMILTONJAMES), NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION The zebra slot canyons in Escalante National Monument in Utah were not removed from the monument when President Donald Trump shrunk it and broke it up into three separate pieces, but the trail to access them and the buffer area around them was. PHOTOGRAPH BY AARON HUEY (@ARGONAUTPHOTO), NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC A polar bear swims up to checks out our boat. 'There are moments on this wild and beautiful planet that live with you forever,'photographer Andy Mann writes. 'This is one of them.' PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDY MANN ( @ANDY_MANN), NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Mr. Blue has lived most of his life within the borders of Yellowstone National Park. One of the most amazing aspects of Mr. Blues character is that he seems to have an ability to mingle his way into existing wolf packs. PHOTOGRAPH BY RONAN DONOVAN ( @RONAN_DONOVAN), NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Children watch a harbor seal at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL YAMASHITA ( @YAMASHITAPHOTO) Captive-bred pandas are relatively sheltered from human contact at Wolong Nature Reserve's Hetaoping center, even during a rarehands-on checkup, to facilitate their eventual release into to the wild. PHOTOGRAPH BY AMI VITALE ( @AMIVITALE), NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION San Filippo in Italy takes its name from the Florentine hermit who retreated here in the 13th century. The water gurgles out of the ground at about 122 F and is rich in sulfur, magnesium, calcium, and sulfur bicarbonate. PHOTOGRAPH BY GABRIELE GALIMBERTI ( @GABRIELEGALIMBERTIPHOTO) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that intelligence provided by his country foiled a plot by the Islamic State group to bring down a plane from Australia. The explosive device inside a meat grinder was reportedly hidden in a bag and due to be taken on board an Etihad flight from Sydney last July. Federal home affairs minister Peter Dutton said the planned attack on the A380 airliner would have 'killed hundreds' had it been detonated. An Etihad flight was bound from Sydney to Abu Dhabi was the planned target last year leading to raids in Australia He confirmed the device never made it through security after intelligence was shared through channels from Israel. 'I can confirm it and in doing so I want to thank the Israelis very much,' Mr Dutton told Sky News on Thursday. 'Obviously we've got a very close working relationship with them, with our other partners, but Israel is a very important intelligence sharing partner for us. 'We did get intelligence advice from Israel and it meant that ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) then reached out to other partners and with all of the information packaged together, it resulted in arrests.' Home affairs minister Petter Dutton said 14 attacks had been thwarted by Australian agencies since 2015 But according to the ABC, the statements from Mr Netanyahu and Mr Dutton conflict with what was said at the time. Australian authorities had said they had received a tip-off about the attack and the alleged attackers 11 days after the foiled attempt on the airliner. The network also reported the former deputy commissioner of the Australian Federal Police said in August 2017 - a month after the attempted attack - that the device did not get past check-in because the bag was over the hand-baggage weight limit. But the Australian government denied to comment further on the inconsistencies in the statements by Mr Dutton and Mr Netanyahu appearing to claim security services knew about the attacks before they took place, as it was claimed at the time, the ABC reports. Officers from New South Wales Police carried out a raid at an address in Surry Hills, Sydney Two men - Khaled Khayat and Mahmoud Khayat - have been arrested and are awaiting trial accused of co-coordinating the attack on the Sydney to Abu Dhabi flight on July 15, 2017. Mr Dutton revealed in a speech on Wednesday that Australian agencies had prevented '14 imminent terrorist attacks' in the last three years while 85 people had been charged 'in relation to terrorism operations'. 'The Israeli intelligence services thwarted the downing of an Australian plane, an unimaginable slaughter,' Mr Netanyahu earlier told an American Jewish conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said in Jerusalem on Wednesday the plot was foiled by Israeli and Australian security services 'This would have caused a major disruption in global air transport and this is only one of dozens of terrorist attacks we have foiled around the world,' Mr Netanyahu said, later referring to the failed plot as an IS attempt. The Israeli army said one of its intelligence units, named 8200, provided the information in 2017 leading to the arrest of IS militants who were working 'toward the execution of the attack'. The elite unit gathers and analyses intelligence using sophisticated information technology. The Israeli military said thwarting the attack 'saved the lives of dozens'. The time and route of the flight were not revealed. Australian police believe the plot was orchestrated by 'a senior member of the Islamic State' Khaled Khayat (left) and Mahmoud Khayat (right) are awaiting trial after being arrested during raids last year A series of raids were carried out across Sydney investigating an alleged plot to blow up a plane from Sydney Last year Australia arrested two men and charged them with plotting to bring down an Etihad Airways passenger jet destined to fly to Abu Dhabi from Sydney. They were accused of trying to smuggle an improvised explosive device onto a July 15 service, but the attempt was aborted before they reached security. Australian police said the plot had been orchestrated by 'a senior member of the Islamic State' based overseas. Etihad earlier this week confirmed it was working with authorities in Australia on their investigation. The Malaysian government and an US-based ocean exploration company are on the verge of a 'no find, no fee' agreement as the search for MH370 restarts after more than three years. Ocean Integrity told CNN that the terms of a deal have yet to be finalized, contradicting an earlier statement by Australia's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester. 'Ocean Infinity are not yet able to confirm the final award of a contract to help in the search for MH370, but good progress has been made,' company spokesperson Mark Antelme told CNN in an email. The Malaysian government and an US-based ocean exploration company are on the verge of an agreement to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 People stand next to a piece of suspected plane wreckage which was found off the coast of southern Thailand in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, January 24, 2016 'We remain optimistic that we will be able to try and help provide some answers to those who have been affected by this tragedy,' Antelme said. The Malaysian government later reiterated the point, releasing a statement saying that negotiations are still ongoing. 'At this juncture, the Malaysian Government has yet to arrive into an agreement with Ocean Infinity for the search of MH370,' Malaysia's Civil Aviation Department said. On March 8, 2014, MH370 vanished without a trace as it was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 people on board. The plane has yet to be recovered, with only small pieces of debris surfacing periodically. Australia, China and Malaysia called off their search for the plane in January after searching for three years Earlier Friday, Chester released a statement explaining that Kuala Lumpur had 'accepted an offer' that showed the country's 'commitment to find MH370.' The search for MH370 has been the most expensive in aviation history, costing an estimated $200 million, according to CNN. Australia carried out an initial search for the aircraft, with estimates showing that the plane likely vanished around its territorial waters. On March 8, 2014, MH370 vanished without a trace while carrying 239 people The plane carried mostly Malaysian and Chinese passengers, but individuals from 14 different countries were also on board MH370. Earlier this year, Malaysia, Australia and China announced that they would suspend their search for the plane, dashing the hopes for definitive answers for anguished family members. Chinese citizen Steve Wang, whose mother was on MH370, told CNN that the prospect of a third party continuing the search was 'definitely good news.' 'I hope the investigative team can release all the information and data they've gathered throughout the whole process and make sure to pass all the information to that firm, which will be taking over the search,' he said. In its final report published earlier this month, Australia said that it was 'almost inconceivable' that the plane has yet to be found given the time, energy and money that has been invested in the search. Tragic: Madaline Cole, 25, had qualified as a diving instructor just days before she was struck while snorkelling The daughter of an SAS hero was killed by motorboat propellers while snorkelling outside of a 'safe zone', an inquest heard. Madaline Cole, 25, had qualified as a diving instructor just days before she was struck while swimming in the South China Sea in Malaysia. The boat's driver pulled her out of the water following the collision and took her to a local hospital ten minutes away - but when she arrived, no doctors were present. Her friend, Australian national Simon Rogers, suffered minor injuries in the crash off Pulau Perhentian on May 27, 2013. Coroner Mark Bricknell recorded the death as an accident at Herefordshire Coroner's Court on Wednesday. However, speaking after the inquest, Maddy's mother Jill, 63, said she was disappointed at the verdict. She said: 'I feel justice hasn't been done and I don't accept it was an accident. 'Two other people have been killed in that bay in a similar way.' An investigation carried out in Malaysia found that newly qualified diving instructor Madaline, known as 'Maddy', had been snorkelling outside the safe area marked by buoys. An investigation carried out in Malaysia found that newly qualified diving instructor Madaline, known as 'Maddy', had been snorkelling outside the safe area marked by buoys. Pictured above, Madaline with partner Ross When Maddy's father flew out the day after the tragedy, he was told by her boyfriend Ross Makulec (together, right) that a marker had been wrongly placed where officials placed the point of the collision Police found Maddy, from Bodenham, Herefordshire, did not have a 'safety sausage' - a floating piece of equipment to indicate that she was under the water. Chief of police Kamsani Bin Hassan, conducting the Malaysian investigation, also concluded that there was no criminal element and that it was an accident. Maddy's father Bob Cole, 63, had served in the Royal Engineers and the SAS and saw action in the Gulf. Following the second Gulf War he provided security and protection for companies sent out to rebuild Iraq. When he flew out the day after the tragedy, he was told by Maddy's boyfriend Ross Makulec that a marker had been wrongly placed where officials placed the point of the collision. Maddy had expressed her delight on Facebook when she qualified as a scuba instructor in February 2013. Mr Cole told the inquest: 'We could see a marker which was clearly quite a way out from the buoy line. It's a third world country and they're not used to health and safety and their regard for human life is not what we're used to. 'Maddy wasn't the first person to be hit by a boat there. I watched that area for hours and noticed that boat drivers have a lot of bravado and like to skim along the beach close to the buoy line. 'There is no need for them to go up to the coast.' The Malaysian investigation confirmed that Mohd Azwan Bin Mohd was the man driving the boat. He had dropped passengers off at a nearby resort and was travelling back from the jetty when he hit Maddy, before pulling her out of the water. She had arrived in Malaysia on April 4 and had been staying at Senja Bay Resort on Pulau Perhentian Besar. The Perhentians are popular with tourists because of their beautiful waters and coral reefs. Friends told the inquest Maddy had just qualified as a professional diving instructor when she was killed. On her diving blog, Maddy, who was pictured swimming with sharks and stroking elephants, was described as having an 'insane amount of love for animals Pictured: Madaline Cole alongside her boyfriend Ross before the tragedy in 2013 Maddy had expressed her delight on Facebook when she qualified as a scuba instructor in February 2013. She said: 'After the most stressful 3 days ever - FINALLY we are Open Water Scuba Instructors!! 'Big thanks to our Instructor Chong! Well done everyone for your achievement and thank you all so so much for all your amazing support!' On her diving blog, Maddy, who was pictured swimming with sharks, was described as having an 'insane amount of love for animals.' Writing on The Seychelles Whale Sharks blog, a friend said: 'Maddy Cole - Where do we start? 'This outdoorsy girl has done it all; kayaking, rock climbing, scuba diving, mountain biking, hiking and more. 'Another person to traipse through the GVI Seychelles dive master halls with a marine background and an insane amount of love for animals. 'Maddy returned to Seychelles to join the MCSS team in its entire whale shark splendor.' A Malaysian advert has been attacked for appearing to suggest that slimmer women with lighter skin are less likely to be beaten by their husbands. In the soap opera-style video, a woman is shown being mistreated by her husband in a variety of ways. At one point he calls her a 'rhino', spits out food she cooks for him and splashes her in the face with water. In the soap opera-style video, a woman is shown being mistreated by her husband in a variety of ways He then kicks her out of the house, tells her 'I divorce you three times' and slams the door on her face as she screams desperately while calling him 'Babe' But after moving in with her sister, she begins using a Slimme White product before undergoing a transformation into a skinnier and paler woman Her husband is then awed by her new appearance when he sees her in the street. Chasing after her, he pleads with her to take him back He then kicks her out of the house, tells her 'I divorce you three times' and slams the door on her as she screams desperately while calling him 'Babe'. But after moving in with her sister, she begins using a Slimme White product before undergoing a transformation into a skinnier and paler woman. Her husband is then awed by her new appearance when he sees her in the street. Chasing after her, he pleads with her to take him back. But she responds with, 'Cause now I'm slim and beautiful?', before walking away. The advert has caused fury among rights groups in Malaysia, with the Women's Aid Organisation saying it helps 'enable domestic violence'. 'WAO is appalled by the recent Slimme White ad, which suggests that what domestic violence survivors need is a beauty product that makes them thinner and whiter,' Tan Heang Lee, the group's communications officer, said. The advert has caused fury among rights groups in Malaysia, with the Women's Aid Organisation saying it helps 'enable domestic violence'. Pictured: The moment the husband splashes his wife with water when she cooks him an unsatisfactory meal 'WAO is appalled by the recent Slimme White ad, which suggests that what domestic violence survivors need is a beauty product that makes them thinner and whiter,' Tan Heang Lee, the group's communications officer, said Tan added: 'We need men to respect women, and to recognise that it's never okay to abuse another person'. Pictured: The transformation scene The jilted wife appears to be skinnier and paler after using the product She added: 'Such ads are incredibly damaging because it implies that women who look a certain way deserve abuse, and that their husbands have a right to abuse them. 'What this ad failed to recognise is that domestic violence is fundamentally about power and control. Domestic violence happens because men have more power in relationships, and then abuse their power to control their partners.' 'Ads like this enable domestic violence. We don't need a beauty product that promises us fair skin and a flat tummy; that in itself is a sexist beauty standard. What we need is respect and equality. 'We need men to respect women, and to recognise that it's never okay to abuse another person.' Menzies Update Including High Grade Drilling Results from Lady Irene and Yunndaga Perth, Feb 19, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ) ("Intermin" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drilling results from Intermin's 100% owned Menzies Gold project, located 130km north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia (see Figure 1 in link below). As announced to the ASX on 7 February 2019, the Menzies and Goongarrie gold project areas were returned to Intermin on a 100% basis after the execution of a Deed of Termination and Settlement with Eastern Goldfields Limited ("EGS") (Administrators appointed).HIGHLIGHTS- Menzies and Goongarrie gold project areas returned to Intermin on a 100% basis(see Note 1 below)- Current Mineral Resource Estimate for Menzies stands at 2.42Mt at 2.2g/t Au for 171,300 ounces (at a 1g/t lower grade cut off)(see Note 2 below)- All drilling information received including RC samples and diamond drilling core samples- Recent drilling comprised two diamond tail holes (200m average depth) and one shallow RC hole (120m) at Lady Irene and three diamond tails holes to an average depth of 200m at Yunndaga- The drilling at Lady Irene targeted depth extensions below the historic open pits mined in the 2000's and produced approximately 6,500 ounces at 4.5g/t Au to 50m depth- Drilling at Yunndaga tested depth extensions and repeat structures beyond the historic open cut and underground mines that produced 335,000 ounces including 271,000 ounces grading 16g/t Au from the Yunndaga underground mine- All samples have now been processed and logged by Intermin and assays returned with significant results including(see Note 2 below):o 39.3m @ 4.27 g/t Au from 159m including 10m @ 5.73 g/t Au from 160m and 12m @ 7.68 g/t Au from 184m (LIRD003 - Lady Irene)o 3.95m @ 7.51 g/t Au from 124m including 0.6m @ 27.7 g/t Au from 128m (LIRD002 - Lady Irene)o 0.5m @ 10.6 g/t Au from 143m, 1.6m @ 1.47 g/t Au from 158m and 1.1m @ 6.30 g/t Au from 162.5m (YURD002 - Yunndaga)- Results at Lady Irene show significantly wider quartz veins than expected with high grade mineralisation intercepted over a true width of 20-25m (LIRD003). Results from LIRD002 intercepted quartz veins 1-5m wide at a higher tenor, typical of the Menzies region- Intermin has now commenced a strategic review of all new data at Menzies and Goongarrie to rank follow up drilling priorities and integrate into the Company's 2019 drilling program- The Company has also increased its landholding in the region to over 120 km2 with low cost acquisitions and applications for 12 new prospecting licences and one exploration licenceCommenting on the latest results, Intermin Managing Director Mr Jon Price said:"The Menzies and surrounding region has a proud and rich history of gold production from the first discovery in the 1890s and is one of the few remaining mining provinces to experience a resurgence in modern deeper exploration and mining activity in the current A$ gold price environment"."The latest results demonstrate the potential of the area to deliver high margin open cut and underground mines and we look forward to the next phase of development in the region".OverviewMenzies Gold Project Geological SummaryMenzies is located in the Eastern Goldfields Province of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton (see Figure 2 in link below). The greenstone belt divides at Menzies into a western section continuing to the northwest and an eastern section continuing northwards to Twin Hills. The greenstone sequence consists of a lower ultramafic formation to the west overlain by meta-sedimentary rocks which are overlain by mafic intrusive and extrusives to the east. Included in the greenstone belt are the major shear zones, the Menzies Shear Zone and the Moriarty Shear Zone, which impart a strong foliation and lineation to the underlying rock.The Menzies Shear Zone can be traced southwards to the Bardoc Deformation Zone approximately 50km south. Metamorphic grade is high in the amphibolite facies with porphyroblastic grain textures, marked schistosity and mineral lineations.A southerly plunging fabric is apparent in the Menzies area, where well foliated basalts and sedimentary rocks have economic gold significance, as do the mafic/ultramafic contacts. In general ore zones have shallow westerly dips. Alteration assemblages, comprising biotite, silica, pyrrhotite, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite are typical in areas of stronger gold mineralisation. Cross cutting features and felsic porphyry intrusives are also important in terms of hosting and stoping gold mineralisation.Drilling SummaryDuring April 2018, 1,136m of RC and diamond drilling was completed at the Lady Irene and Yunndaga prospects in Menzies by EGS (as announced to the ASX by EGS on 14 June 2018). During the March Quarter 2019, the core was received, processed, logged and assayed by Intermin geologists.Drilling highlights from the program include(see Note 3 below):- 39.3m @ 4.27 g/t Au from 159m including 10m @ 5.73 g/t Au from 160m and 12m @ 7.68 g/t Au from 184m (LIRD003- Lady Irene)- 3.95m @ 7.51 g/t Au from 124m including 0.6m @ 27.7 g/t Au from 128m (LIRD002 - Lady Irene)- 0.5m @ 10.6 g/t Au from 143m, 1.6m @ 1.47 g/t Au from 158m and 1.1m @ 6.30 g/t Au from 162.5m (YURD002 - Yunndaga)Lady IreneIn 2002, the Lady Irene open cut mine produced 42,700t @ 4.77g/t Au for 6,552oz. Most of the gold is found within narrow, 2-5m wide quartz veins and selvedges (see Figures 3 and 4 in link below). The latest Lady Irene results are highly encouraging as the estimated true width (20-25m) of the quartz vein in LIRD003 appears to be significantly thicker (see Figure 5 in link below) than a typical intersection as highlighted by LIRD002 (true width 2.5m). The gold grades in LIRD002 and LIRD003 are consistent with the historic high grade nature of the Lady Irene mine. The mineralisation is open to the south and at depth. Follow up drilling is planned.YunndagaAt Yunndaga (see Figure 2 in link below), three diamond tail holes were drilled into the three mineralised zones being the North shoot, Eva shoot and Link shoot (see Figure 8 in link below). All three holes hit the designated target zone (within the known resource area) and intercepted mineralisation.The historic Yunndaga underground reached 600m depth and produced 526,000t @ 16.0 g/t Au for 270,580oz. Open cut mining in the 1990s produced over 64,000 ounces grading 2.5g/t Au (see Figure 7 in link below).Intermin believes the deep underground mineralisation (240m-600m) has not been tested adequately. Only three historic holes (300-730m) have been drilled which only tested the margins of the Yunndaga deeps. The central core area from the North shoot to Link shoot has never been drilled below 250m depth and presents itself as a priority drill target given the success of recent exploration at similar historic and dormant high grade mines elsewhere in WA (e.g. Bellevue Mine, Leinster).SelkirkSelkirk was a small, historic high grade underground mine producing 5,000t @ 24.0 g/t Au for 3,858oz (see Figure 9 in link below). Open cut mining in the 1990's produced 42,000t @ 4.60 g/t Au for 10,070oz. Recent work by Intermin in 2015-2016 identified encouraging high grade potential beneath the pit with intercepts including 3m @ 74.56 g/t Au, 2m @ 12.65 g/t Au (as announced to the ASX on 3 February 2016). The Selkirk mineralisation is still regarded as being open at depth (see Figure 10 in link below). Effectively there are no deeper holes at Selkirk testing the 100-300m depth level, despite the high grade nature of the orebody. Given the history of good depth continuity at Menzies, the Selkirk deeps is a priority drill target.Lady Shenton-Pericles-Big BabeThe Lady Shenton mine was a highly productive mine in the 1890's producing 185,000t @ 32.0 g/t for 190,000 ounces. Modern open cut mining in the 1990's added a further 314,000t @ 2.62 g/t for 26,000 ounces. The underground workings extended to about 200m depth. Deep drilling to 200m vertical depth has followed the Lady Shenton workings down plunge which appears to show the ore grade and width decreasing. However just to the north, the Pericles deposit appears to replicate the Lady Shenton gold mineralisation, but without being properly tested beyond 150m vertical depth. Pericles mineralisation is open at depth and considered a priority target for further drilling.Immediately south of Lady Shenton is the Big Babe prospect which has never been mined and contains what appears to be the strongest mineralisation at depth in the Lady Shenton area. Previous Intermin drill intercepts included 6m @ 3.54 g/t Au from 132m and 7m @ 5.81 g/t Au from 155m (MZRC1119) and 8m @ 5.69 g/t Au from 108m (MZRC11202)(see Note 4 below). Structural complexities brought upon by an intruding porphyry has made follow up by RC drilling difficult. Intermin proposes to diamond drill the Big Babe prospect with a view to a better understanding of the high grade ore at depth.Acacia Ridge (Ni-Co)The historic Acacia Ridge prospect was documented by Rox Resources in 2004 which reported significant lateritic Ni-Co intercepts(see Note 5 below):- 14m @ 0.91% Ni, 0.17% Co and 2.47% Mg from 13m (YNRC0003)- 15m @ 0.76% Ni, 0.17% Co and 8.85% Mg from 15m (YNRC0001)Rox noted that Acacia Ridge was along strike to Heron Resources' (now Ardea Resources) Highway deposit and OM Group's Cawse nickel deposit to the north. There has been no further work on Acacia Ridge since then.Additional tenure taken up by Intermin over the last two years has increased the landholding over the ultramafic source rock from 4km to 8km strike length. In total, 45km2 of new tenure has been applied for/granted since 2017. The new tenements also cover a variety of additional prospects including untested auger gold anomalies at Highway West and Yunndaga West, historic gold shows East of Menzies near the Pride of the Hills and Kurrajong workings and conceptual gold targets at Lake Moriarty.Next steps(see Note 5 below)1. The Company has commenced a detailed strategic review of the Menzies and Goongarrie project areas incorporating all new data from recent drilling and data on the recent tenure acquisitions. Project ranking and priority drilling targets will be identified in the current Quarter for integration into the 2019 drilling program2. An EIS Co-Funding application is being prepared for deep drilling at Yunndaga, Lady Irene, Selkirk, Lady Harriet and Big Babe. The drilling will focus on discovery of deep (>150-450m) low tonnage - high grade ore, underneath historical mining areas.3. Intermin will follow up on its 2016 Menzies auger program by testing several targets outside the Menzies mineralised corridor exploring new grass roots targets. Field reconnaissance over these anomalous areas identified high levels of alteration, veining and geological contacts.4. The Company will also continue to pursue consolidation opportunities in the region.Notes:1 as announced to the ASX on 7 February 2019,2 as announced to the ASX on 8 March 20163 see Table 1 and Competent Persons Statements on Page 10, and Forward Looking Statement on Page 12 and JORC Tables on Page 134 as announced to the ASX on 30 April 2012 and 29 September 2011,5 as announced to the ASX by Rox Resources on 5 October 2004To view tables and figures, please visit:About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un engineered the assassination of his half-brother to be so gruesome that it would horrify the rest of the world and intimidate his adversaries, it was claimed in a new report on Monday. On February 13, Kim Jong-nam was killed by two women who smeared him with what turned out to be VX nerve agent in Kuala Lampur International Airport in Malaysia. He was 45 years old. South Korean intelligence analysts now say that the assassination was meticulously orchestrated by the North Korean government over a period of a five years and was part of [Kims] master plan, according to GQ Magazine. From the moment Jong-nam left Macau, the North Koreans tailed him, Nam Sung-wook, a Korea University professor investigating the assassination, told GQ. North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un (left) engineered the assassination of his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam (right), to be so gruesome that it would horrify the rest of the world and intimidate his adversaries, it was claimed in a new report on Monday On February 13, Kim Jong-nam was killed by two women who smeared him with what turned out to be VX nerve agent in Kuala Lampur International Airport in Malaysia. He was 45 years old They had a group on his airplane. As soon as he arrived at the airport in Kuala Lumpur, another group followed him. They kept that surveillance up while he slept. Even as Jong Nam entered the terminal, he was shadowed. Initially, it was thought that the assassination was a display of sloppiness by the North Koreans. Analysts noted that the two women who smeared the poison on Kim Jong-nam were clearly visible on surveillance footage. They also neglected to cover their faces in the moments leading up to the assassination and afterward. On October 2, Malaysia will begin the trial of the two women accused of the dramatic killing - Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam (left), and Siti Aisyah, 25, of Indonesia Initially, it was thought that the assassination was a display of sloppiness by the North Koreans. Analysts noted that the two women who smeared the poison on Kim Jong-nam were clearly visible on surveillance footage Nam, a former member of South Koreas spy service, says that contrary to those sentiments, Pyongyang wanted the assassination to be viewed in public. Pyongyang wanted to send a worldwide message by murdering Kim Jong Nam in this gruesome, public way, Nam said. Pyongyang wanted to horrify the rest of the world by releasing a chemical weapon at an airport. Jong-un wants to reign a long time and negotiate as a superpower. The only way to do that is to keep the world in fear of his weapons. He has a grand design, and this is part of it. On October 2, Malaysia will begin the trial of the two women accused of the dramatic killing. Indonesian Siti Aisyah, 25, and Doan Thi Huong, 28, from Vietnam, appeared at the Shah Alam High Court on the outskirts of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on July 27. Both women were handcuffed and wearing bullet-proof vests over Malay traditional costume, consisting of a floor-length skirt and a blouse. But a former intelligence official with South Korea's spy agency said that Kim wanted the murder to be public so as to strike fear into the hearts of his adversaries. Kuala Lampur International Airport is seen above after the attack Both cases would be tried jointly, with pleas taken at the first hearing, he added. If convicted, the women could face the death penalty. Doan smiled during the hearing, but Siti Aisyah was in tears afterwards, with her lawyers seen trying to calm her. Kim Jong-nam was the eldest son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. His half-brother, Kim Jong-un, became North Korean leader when their father died in 2011. US and South Korean officials say the North Korean regime was behind the murder of Kim, who lived in exile in Macau and had criticized his familys dynastic rule of North Korea. North Korea has refused to accept the dead man was Kim Jong-uns half brother, suggesting instead he died of a heart attack. Aisyah and Huong have told diplomats from their countries that they believed they were participating in a reality television show prank when they assaulted Kim Jong-nam. Two kids demonstrated perfect teamwork as they worked together to save a kitten who was trapped in a drainage system in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, earlier this month. The kitten was trapped in the dirty water but two young boys didn't let that stop them from saving the cat. In the video, the pair work as a team to lower each other into the drainage system to reach the kitten. After one of the boys tries but fails to reach the cat, they trade off and the other kid attempts to save it. About 25 seconds after the second boy is lowered into the drainage system, he is able to grab the kitten and return it to safety, despite the resistance. He then returns the young cat to solid ground and it quickly runs away from the scene. One of the boys lowers his friend into the drainage system to get to the kitten He is able to reach the cat despite some resistance from the small animal A BBC crew member was 15 minutes from death after she was struck by a deadly spider while filming Our Girl with Michelle Keegan who 'threatened to pull out of filming' as she feared for her safety. Script expert Andrea Bamford almost died after the near fatal bite while filming army medic drama Our Girl in a Malaysian jungle. Witnesses said the set was unprepared for such an acute health emergency. The stars of the show are terrified after the incident including Michelle Keegan , 30, who plays Lance Corporal Georgie Lane, The Mirror reports. A witness told The Mirror: '[Andrea] lost all colour in her face. After a couple of minutes she couldn't walk. 'The medic on set only had antihistamine and paracetamol. 'Luckily there was a crew member who used to work with the military and he said Andrea was going into shock. Script expert Andrea Bamford almost died after a near-fatal spider bite while filming army medic drama Our Girl in a Malaysian jungle The stars of the show are terrified after the incident including Michelle Keegan , 30, pictured who plays Lance Corporal Georgie Lane in the TV series Our Girl 'He took control and took her to hospital. They hooked her up on a drip and said if she was 15 minutes later she would have died. 'Everyone, including Michelle, is completely shocked and feels like they are in danger. 'Bosses had to assure them that it is fine to continue filming.' Two weeks earlier they had filmed in an area with no phone signal. The insider said: 'What would have happened then? It would have been awful.' Malaysia has 425 species of spider , including the brown widow which kills with one bite. Cast and crew have previously complained about sleep deprivation during filming and poor sanitation, including a toilet made from a chair and a plastic bag. The BBC said: 'Our priority is always the health and safety of cast and crew on set. The crew member has fully recovered following treatment on set and in hospital and returned to work.' Witnesses said the set was unprepared for such an acute health emergency. Pictured Michelle Keegan in the TV series Two dozen children, some just seven years old, have died in a fire at a religious boarding school in Malaysia in the early hours of this morning. The fire started in one of the bedrooms on the third floor of the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz Centre in Kuala Lumpur, shortly before 6am. Most of the victims - 23 children and two adults - were asleep in their dormitories when the fire broke out, and once the blaze had taken hold it was too late. Horror: The fire that killed 25 students and teachers broke out in a dormitory at a religious boarding school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday morning The room in which the fire started, measuring 20ft by 40ft, was said by a fire brigade spokesman, quoted by the New Straits Times, to have been littered with charred bodies. At least 15 bodies were found huddled together on another floor, it was reported. Some of the children who died were aged as young as seven, while others were in their mid-teens. A survivor told how there was chaos, with fire preventing students from escaping from the sweeping blaze. In the hours after the fire, family members rushed to the scene, only for some to be told that their child had died in the blaze. Mourning: Nik Azlan Nik Abdul Kadir, left, father of one of the victims comforts his wife outside the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah religious school Tragedy: Family members wait for news of their loved ones outside the school Nowhere to run: The fire broke out in the dormitories, and most of the victims are believed to have woken up too late to escape the blaze Horror: Firefighters say more than a dozen victims were found huddled together on the floor of the dormitories at the school Mourning parents could be seen standing outside the school as emergency services tended to the scene. Muhammad Roslan, 15, told the New Straits times that he was woken by noises that sounded like gas leaking from a tank.' When I woke up, fire had already engulfed the front door,' he said. 'Immediately, several of us started to try to wake up our friends However, there were also several who did not wake up at all. It was chaoitic as we could not get out - the front door of the hostel was already blazing. Fire had even spread to our beds. Muhammad told how he and several other students had tried to quench the fire with water but the blaze was too intense. I broke a window and grabbed a pipe attached to the outside of the building and I used it to escape to the ground, he said. There were only eight of us who managed to escape through the window. Several of my friends also fell to the ground in the attempt, including those who had fire on their hair and clothes. Power fault: Fire officials said it appears as if the blaze was caused by a short circuit It is reported that 23 children and two teachers died in the fire on Thursday morning A policewoman stands next to a noticeboard accounting for manpower involved in the aftermath of the fire Two wardens sleeping in the room woke up when the fire broke out and tried to rescue students, but, said Muhammad, they perished with the others. Fire officials said it appeared that the blaze was caused by a short circuit, but confirmation of this would only come following a forensic examination. Prime Minister Namibia Razak expressed his condolences in a Tweet about the incident at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz Centre. 'May their souls be blessed,' he wrote while on a three day visit to the US. Earlier this year, Malaysia's The Star newspaper reported that the fire department was concerned about the level of fire safety measures at a number of unregistered religious schools. More than 200 fires had broken out at schools since 215, the department revealed. It was in 2015 that 16 people, including eight students, had managed to flee from an early morning fire at a family-run religious school. The worst blaze in recent times was in September 1989 when 27 female students were killed in a school fire in the Kedah district. An Australian grandmother is facing a death sentence for trafficking drugs through a Malaysian airport. Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto was arrested at Kuala Lumpur Airport with 1.5kg of crystal meth in 2014, which she claimed was not hers. The 54-year-old was escorted into Shah Alam court by a Malaysian policewoman as she arrived at her trial on Tuesday. Scroll down for video Australian grandmother Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, 54, is facing a death sentence in Malaysia for drug trafficking She was arrested at Kuala Lumpur Airport with 1.5kg of crystal meth in 2014, which she claimed was not hers The mother-of-four may yet escape a death penalty however, after the Malaysian government agreed to scrap mandatory capital punishment for drug trafficking. Instead, judges could impose a term of imprisonment for anyone caught with more than 50 grams of ice, which is assumed to be trafficking. Malaysia's Parliament is yet to approve the decision by the country's cabinet but is expected to do so, according to News Corp. Ms Exposto's lawyer previously told reporters her chance of acquittal was 'more than 50 per cent' because of evidence she had no knowledge of the drugs in the bag. The 54-year-old was escorted into Shah Alam court by a Malaysian policewoman as she arrived at her trial on Tuesday The mother-of-four may yet escape a death penalty however, after the Malaysian government agreed to scrap mandatory capital punishment for drug trafficking Instead, judges could impose a term of imprisonment for anyone caught with more than 50 grams of ice, which is assumed to be trafficking She claimed to be in Malaysia to lodge documents for her boyfriend, a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan, to retire from the army. The Sydney woman said she only saw clothes when she opened her suitcase, which was given to her at the last minute by a friend of her boyfriend as she left Shanghai. The drugs were hidden in a secret compartment she claimed not to have known about, and were not heavy enough for her to notice. There were fears Ms Exposto could have been ensnared by an online dating scam that the U.S. military warned were 'a growing epidemic'. She claimed to be in Malaysia to lodge documents for her boyfriend, a U.S. soldier serving in Afghanistan, to retire from the army The Sydney woman said she only saw clothes when she opened her suitcase, which was given to her at the last minute by a friend of her boyfriend as she left Shanghai The drugs were hidden in a secret compartment she claimed not to have known about, and were not heavy enough for her to notice They involved stealing photos of soldiers and using them on dating sites to 'lure unsuspecting citizens into providing money to them for such reasons as transportation costs, communications fees, marriages, processing and medical fees'. Ms Exposto's Malaysian lawyer Shafee Abdullah told reporters after her arrest that his client was a 'responsible mother' who maintained her innocence. He said she was so anti-drugs that if her four children ever got involved with drugs she would kill them herself. Mr Abdullah also argued she must be innocent because she voluntarily put her back through the scanner when passengers are randomly chosen. 'She wasnt even asked.If she was a person conscious of the contents, she would ... probably put the bag that was without the drugs,' he said. Three coins featuring The Gruffalo have been released by the Royal Mint - and they look likely to come out of the deep dark wood and go straight onto eBay? The Royal Mint's website crashed just after midnight after a surge in demand for the new coins as soon as they went on sale. When This is Money looked on the Royal Mint's website this morning, there was a queue of more than 37,000 people. The website said the wait would be more than an hour and coin fans have been queuing online overnight to get their hands on a Gruffalo 50p. Three versions of the 50p featuring the classic children's character are available - Brilliant Uncirculated, Silver proof and Gold proof (left to right) It led the Mint to post a Tweet just 52 minutes after the coins went on sale saying: 'We're sorry to keep you waiting. Given the high demand (for the Gruffalo coin), we anticipated a level of decreased speed however we are adjusting our plans to help this.' Fans had started queuing before they were even available to buy at midnight last night. Users reported the Royal Mint's website crashing just after the Gruffalo 50p went on sale, and the Mint itself issued a series of Tweets explaining the website was running slower than usual The 50p coins, minted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's children's book, will not be entering circulation. The Mint is releasing three versions featuring the monster - gold and silver proofs, as well as the standard brilliant uncirculated version, which will be sold for 10. There will be an unlimited number of these coins put on sale, but only 25,000 silver proofs and 600 gold proofs were made available, listed for 65 and 795 respectively. Both of those limited edition coins have now sold out, less than 12 hours after being released. It is a larger mintage than the last time the Royal Mint released special commemorative coins. The gold and silver proof versions of the 50p have already sold out - 600 of the gold and 25,000 of the silver were put on sale by the Mint Last month it released a set of five special 50p coins to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 50p, and all 3,500 proof sets sold out in an hour. The 1,969 silver sets and 75 gold sets also sold out rapidly. Many lucky enough to get their hands on sets listed them on eBay for more than five times their original price, though there's no suggestion anyone was interested in buying them for that much. When This is Money checked out the Mint's website this morning it was stuck in a queue Nicola Howell, director of consumer at The Royal Mint, said: 'Over the last twenty years The Gruffalo has become one of the most famous children's characters in the world. 'We felt it was only right, as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the book being published to feature him on a commemorative coin. 'We hope that children and adults across the UK will love this family favourite as much as we do.' There's no such thing as a Gruffalo - until now, as the monster from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's children's classic is the latest book icon to be stamped onto a 50 pence piece The Gruffalo is the latest in an increasingly diverse group of children's book characters to end up on a coin. The Mint previously released three separate sets of Beatrix Potter characters featured on the 50p, while last year it also put Britain's most famous Peruvian import Paddington Bear, not Nobby Solano on the seven-sided coin. Both of those ended up in circulation, with Paddington being released into general circulation four months after being minted as a collector's item. So keep your eyes peeled, because there could in future be such a thing as a Gruffalo ending up in your change. Families' confidence about their finances has slumped to its lowest level in nearly a year, a major survey has revealed Families' confidence about their finances has slumped to its lowest level in nearly a year, a major survey has revealed. The study by research group IHS Markit found there is deepening gloom about the future amid political turmoil over Brexit. Its index of household confidence where anything over 50 means consumers think their finances are improving and anything below means they think things are getting worse was 43.4 this month, down from 44.7 in January. Meanwhile, workers are more worried they might be made redundant. Perceptions of job security fell for the fourth month in a row, to their lowest since January 2018. Recent disappointing figures from the Office for National Statistics also showed the economy grew by only 0.2 per cent in the last three months of 2018. Joe Hayes, an economist at IHS Markit, said: 'The impact on confidence caused by Brexit uncertainty continues to pose a notable risk to the domestic economy, also highlighted by job security perceptions becoming increasingly negative.' A leading Barclays shareholder has ditched its 600 million stake in the bank dealing a blow to boss Jes Staley as he battles a corporate raider. US hedge fund Tiger Global's decision to pull out risks harming Staley's fight against activist investor Edward Bramson, who is seeking a seat on the board and a major overhaul at the lender. But another major shareholder warned Bramson that he is heading for failure unless he sets out exactly what he hopes to achieve by getting a boardroom job. A leading Barclays shareholder has ditched its 600 million stake in the bank dealing a blow to boss Jes Staley (pictured) as he battles a corporate raider Tiger owned 2.5pc of Barclays, making it one of the largest shareholders, and was seen as supportive of Staley's efforts to build up its investment bank and take on Wall Street. The hedge fund's exit removes what could have been a valuable ally in the battle against Bramson, who has a 5.51 per cent stake in Barclays and has been deeply critical of the investment banking operation and is thought to want radical cutbacks. Chris Ralph, chief investment officer at St James's Place Wealth Management, said: 'It weakens Jes Staley's position as chief executive and means the discussion they will be having with Bramson will be more challenging.' Veteran City commentator David Buik, of trading firm Core Spreads, said: 'This waters down support for Barclays' current board. I don't think it augers terribly well.' Tiger started reducing its stake last summer before ditching it entirely earlier this year. The hedge fund was founded by 43-year-old Chase Coleman (pictured) The hedge fund was founded by 43-year-old Chase Coleman, a trader who previously worked for legendary New York investor Julian Robertson. Robertson ran hedge fund Tiger Management, and his proteges have become known as 'Tiger Cubs'. Meanwhile, Bramson faces calls from top shareholders to lay out his strategy in detail, after hinting he would like to see a radical shake-up of the lender's prized investment bank. Connecticut-based Bramson and his fund Sherborne have forced the bank to hold a vote at its annual meeting in May on whether he should join the board. But a top shareholder in Barclays told the Mail they are deeply sceptical about the proposal because Bramson has said nothing public about what he would do with this power. The shareholder said: 'I'm hoping Ed comes out with what his ideas are it's an election for a board seat, and I've not seen his manifesto yet. 'This is generating great newspaper headlines, but I'm not sure it's the right thing for the bank.' Sherborne and Barclays declined to comment. Yorkshire Ripper journalist Ian Smith dies aged 62 Ian Smith, Daily Mail journalist, had several big scoops in his career, including composing a letter to the Moors murderers with Winnie Johnson, mother of one of the victims Former Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and The Times journalist Ian Smith has died aged 62 after a long battle with MS and, recently, cancer. He joined the Daily Mail's northern office in Manchester in the late 60's and quickly established himself as one of the paper's top reporters in the country. His determined news gathering style and easy manner with people won him some of the best exclusives of the era. Later, when he joined The Mail on Sunday, securing the memoirs of former Yorkshire Ripper squad leader Ron Gregory was hailed by then editor Stewart Steven as a journalistic coup which made a major contribution to the fledgling newspaper's rising circulation growth. Another massive hit came about through his friendship with Winnie Johnson, mother of one of the Moors Murders victims. The letters he composed for Mrs Johnson which went to Ian Brady and Myra Hindley pleading with them to reveal their secret burial sites went on to prompt the police to revisit the moors above Manchester and led to Supt Peter Topping's search party recovering the body of victim Pauline Reade some 22 years ago. Winnie Johnson (centre), the mother of one of Myra Hindley's victims, 12-year-old Keith Bennett. Ian Smith gained her confidence and helped her appeal to Ian Brady and Myra Hindley to reveal where Keith was buried Known as 'Smithy' to his friends, he was a feared adversary in the cut and thrust of the press pack but a loyal colleague and friend and always generous with advice and encouragement for young journalists. He is survived by wife Liz, two daughters Katy and Anna, and stepsons Tim and Steven. The funeral will take place on Tuesday April 21st at 1-30pm at Altrincham Crematorium in Cheshire. Afterwards, there will be a service of thanksgiving at Holy Angels Church, Hale Barns, Cheshire, at 2-30pm. Liz asks that instead of flowers, donations might be made in Ian's memory to The UK Multiple Sclerosis Tissue Bank: The UK Multiple Sclerosis Tissue Bank, Division of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN. website www.ukmstissuebank.imperial.ac.uk The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning against getting the 'young blood' transfusions that have become a hot topic in experimental treatments to block aging and Alzheimer's disease. A number of recent studies on both animals and humans have suggested that compounds in younger people's blood may help treat conditions of old age, including Parkinson's and aging itself. Some clinics offering the controversial transfusions have cropped up already in the US and abroad. But the FDA warned today that there are no proven - much less approved - benefits of younger donor blood, and that the procedure's safety has not been established. Some clinics across the US are already offering the transfusions of young blood plasma (pictured, whole blood) with unproven promises to treat aging. The FDA calls them 'bad actors' A handful of experiments, studies and his own intuition were enough to convince Dr Jesse Karmazin that young-blood might be a cure-all. And he had already convinced quite a following, opening Ambrosia clinics for young blood transfusions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, Tampa, Florida and Omaha, Nebraska. Ambrosia offered a liter of young blood - or, more accurately, plasma, a component of blood - for $8,000 a bag, but has now shuttered its clinics 'in compliance with the FDA announcement,' a brief statement on the company's website says. Blood plasma itself is approved for transfusions and is life-saving for people who have lost a lot of blood, have liver disease or have had heart surgery and are low on certain critical blood proteins. These proteins help the blood clot, which, in turn helps to stop excessive bleeding. But they are not approved for use in anti-aging (or Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases). With age the volume and quality of our blood does decline, so our levels of blood proteins do, too. Researchers at Stanford University have shown some promising anti-aging and Alzheimer's-reversing effects when they injected blood from young mice into older ones. But they're still trying to work out what proteins or parts of those blood transfusions are doing what in the older mice. And that stage of research comes far before human transfusions, like Ambrosia is already doing. The FDA warned that not only are the benefits unproven, but that the risks of young blood transfusions may be significant. 'Reports were seeing indicate that the dosing of these infusions can involve administration of large volumes of plasma that can be associated with significant risks including infectious, allergic, respiratory and cardiovascular risks, among others,' said FDA Commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb in a statement. 'Simply put, were concerned that some patients are being preyed upon by unscrupulous actors touting treatments of plasma from young donors as cures and remedies. 'Such treatments have no proven clinical benefits for the uses for which these clinics are advertising them and are potentially harmful. There are reports of bad actors charging thousands of dollars for infusions that are unproven and not guided by evidence from adequate and well-controlled trials.' Matt Mullarkey is a Fulbright Award recipient set to research smart-city design in Ireland. In the 1980s, Matt Mularkey jumped out of military planes. These days, hes a Fulbright Award winner.The Largo native, St. Petersburg resident and University of South Florida professor was informed on Feb. 6 that he won a Fulbright Scholarship for the 2019-20 academic year. That only enhances USFs reputation as a research institution.USF led all the research institutions in the nation with 12 Fulbright Scholars (Florida State is second with nine) in the 2018-19academic year. Mullarkeys selection makes him the 10th USF Muma College of Business faculty member to earn a Fulbright Scholarship over the last four years.I could not be prouder of our amazing faculty here at the Muma College of Business, says Dean Moez Limayem. They contribute in so many ways, not only to the body of knowledge here at the college but also to the betterment of our local, national and global communities.Mullarkey, 56, hopes to break ground with his research on smart-city design in Ireland when the scholarship begins next January. Hell spend five months partnering with researchers at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth; the Irish Innovation Value Institute, LERO Ireland and the Dublin City Councils Smart Docklands team.Well get to what the research is about in a minute. But to fully understand how all this came about, you need to know one thing about Mullarkey. Hes always been the adventurous type. A West Point graduate, Mullarkey spent about a decade as an Army Airborne Ranger. He was deployed mostly in the Pacific Rim.I dont think anyone could have planned my career, Mullarkey says. I certainly couldnt have imagined all the twists and turns. Basically, I guess you could say its just been a series of very fortuitous events.After leaving the Army, Mullarkey went to work as an engineer for Michelin Tires. He spent most of the 1990s with the company and quickly worked his way into upper management. Soon, he was in charge of distribution in the United States, Canada, and Europe. In the 2000s, Mullarkeys career path took another turn. He worked on optimizing operations and business practices in the medical supply field.In 2010, Mullarkey decided to leave the corporate world, move back to Florida and become an entrepreneur. By chance, he soon met some USF officials who convinced him he was a perfect candidate for their Ph.D. program and he enrolled.I completed that in 2014 and USF never let me go, Mullarkey says with a laugh.Mullarkey teaches research methods and systems analysis and is the director of the Doctor of Business Administration program at Muma College of Business.Mullarkeys Fulbright Scholar Core Faculty Grant is titled Developing Information Systems Design Principles for Smart-City Districts.The idea of a smart city is somewhat a misnomer, Mullarkey says. There is no one specific definition. Its basically finding ways that we can be more intelligent in the way we live and work in a city. Almost every individual now has at least one device where theyre connected. Cities are connected in so many ways, from things like street lights to public transportation. All of those things can be connected to help people to live in better, more productive and healthy ways.Or maybe you could say a smart city is one where just about everyone is connected to just about everything.Mullarkeys research will focus on Dublin City Docklands, which is a district of Dublin. That may be the ideal location for this research because Dublin is considered one of the world leaders in smart-city design. A 2014 story in National Geographic about Dublin ran with the headline: An Unexpected Capital of the Internet of Things and said Irelands capital was leapfrogging the competition in the race to a smart city.For me, the Fulbright is coming at a great time, Mullarkey says. They have had a little time to see what works and what doesnt over there.Mullarkey wants to return back to Tampa Bay to help the region thrive. Mullarkey says the Tampa Bay Area has made great strides in smart-city design and he sees many similarities between Dublin City Docklands and places such as Ybor City, Downtown St. Petersburg, and Downtown Sarasota.Its not a question of whos ahead or behind, Mullarkey says. Yes, Docklands started earlier. But Tampa Bay also has some good things in place. Tampa Bay has become an unsung hero in business-to-business technology and Dublin is strong in that area as well.There are many parallels between Dublin and Tampa Bay. In both Dublin and Tampa Bay, you have to serve other markets to truly be successful. Both places are surrounded by water. The only real difference is that theyre separated by an ocean. I hope I can shorten the distance of that ocean, so-to-speak, and bring back what I learn to help make Tampa Bay even greater than it already is.Read more about USF's top ranking for Fulbright Scholars at the University of South Florida website Learn more about past USF Fulbright Scholars at the USF Muma College of Business website Read more about Fulbright Scholars at the Chronicle of Higher Education Imagine having a constant itch over your entire body that no amount of scratching will ever satisfy. That is a reality for six-year-old Clara Peterson due to an extremely rare liver disease. Clara, from Green Acres, Washington, was diagnosed when she was an infant with a undiagnosed liver condition. As a result, she scratches her skin constantly, leaving her with scars from her feet to her face. Her parents are desperately looking for ways to soothe Clara's agony. But, what's more, doctors say Clara's liver could fail in the future and that she may need a transplant. Clara Peterson, six (pictured), from Green Acres, Washington, was first diagnosed with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis as an infant The rare disease is caused by a gene mutation that codes for a protein to excrete bile salts. However, the bile salts instead build up in liver cells and go back into the bloodstream. Pictured, left and right: Clara with her mom Natalie Before Clara was a year old, she was diagnosed with a rare, genetic condition known as progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), according to a GoFundMe page. Specially, doctors said she had type 2, which is a mutation in the gene that codes for a protein called the bile salt export dump. The protein moves bile salts, which break down fats and remove toxins, out of the body. However, the gene mutation causes the bile salts to instead build up in liver cells. 'She has extreme itching because the impurities that are supposed to be put out by her liver and her gall bladder go right back into her bloodstream,' Clara's mother, Natalie, told KXLY. PFIC affects between one in 50,000 to 100,000 people worldwide, according to the National Institutes of Health. Those with PFIC type 2 are often in need of a liver transplant before they reach adulthood and are also at risk of developing liver cancer. Natalie told DailyMail.com that Clara had a basic genetic test done to define what type of PFIC she had, and her genetic markers came back negative. This means 'she has all the symptoms, but none of her medical tests come back with the expected results'. Therefore, doctors are not certain why her liver isn't functioning properly or she has such intense itching. Clara has severe itching and her constant scratching has left her with scars on her feet, ankles (pictured), hands and nose Cara had a basic genetic test done to define what type of PFIC she had, and her genetic markers came back negative. Pictured: Clara with Chester the dog Clara has been on medication since she was 17 months old to relieve the itching, according to a GoFundMe page. Natalie says her daughter has scratching fits day and night, the latter being extremely difficult because Clara will scratch in her sleep 'She wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. She scratches her ears, her face,' Natalie said. The constant scratching has resulted in scars all over the little girl's body including her feet, her ankles, her hands and her nose. However, the medications she takes are not working as effectively as they once were. The Petersons are traveling a few times a year to Seattle so doctors can try experimental drugs. If all options are exhausted, and her liver begins to fail, Clara may be placed on the liver transplant list. In the meantime, the family has been looking for other options to help Clara not scratch as much. Doctors are trying new, experimental drugs, and - if they don't work - Clara may need a liver transplant before she's an adult. Pictured: Clara with her mom Natalie In the meantime, the family has bought a therapy goldendoodle named Chester, who puts pressure on Clara's body to help calm her down and not scratch (pictured) One option they found is Dogology Northwest, a Washington-based company that trains dogs with behavioral problems and provides therapy dogs. The company sent over a goldendoodle named Chester, who puts pressure on Clara's body to help calm her down and not scratch. 'It's night and day. She's a completely different child,' Natalie told KXLY. 'He will put his head on her chest, her arms, her legs, wherever, and she'll calm down.' Last month, Natalie shared a photo on Facebook of the dog at Clara's feet as she ddi schoolwork. '[Five] minutes ago she was freaking out and scratching her legs/ankles. How she's running her feet on his soft fur, and everyone is happy,' she wrote in a caption. The family started a GoFundMe campaign to raise the $15,000 needed to buy Chester. After raising half the money needed, a non-profit called K9s Healing Hearts pitched in to cover the rest. A 22-year-old woman developed a foul-smelling discharge as a result of not washing her vagina after having unprotected sex. The woman - known only as Nu Nu - admitted to regularly 'forgetting' to wash her intimate area. Nu Nu visited nurse Sarah - of E4's hit show The Sex Clinic - worried she may have bacterial vaginosis (BV) or an STI due to a 'fishy smell' down below. The patient, who lives in Surrey, planned to be celibate for a year after deciding 'men are trash' and her vagina is 'precious' - but lasted just six months before having sex with two men in just 48-hours. Determined to make sure she was 'clean', Nu Nu went to Sarah for an STI test, but then told the nurse she has had BV before. Sarah told Nu Nu bacterial vaginosis is not an STI but can be triggered by having sex without a condom, adding a fishy odour is a common symptom. Nu Nu - whose STI test came back clear - admitted poor genital hygiene has triggered her BV before. Nu Nu (pictured) developed a foul-smelling discharge as a result of not washing her vagina. After initially thinking it was an STI, a test came back clear, with nurse Sarah - of E4's The Sex Clinic - suggesting it may be bacterial vaginosis, which can be triggered by condom-less sex Nurse Sarah (pictured) was left baffled when Nu Nu admitted she has had BV before as a result of 'forgetting' to wash her vagina. The medic said she should be washing down below twice a day - morning and night - and after sex, but urged the patient not to use soap or shower gel Nu Nu - who sells hair extensions online - visited the clinic worried she may have an STI after having unprotected sex twice about a month ago. She hoped to go a year without intercourse after being left heartbroken by someone who she thought was her 'soulmate'. Despite her best efforts, her 'vagina couldn't take it anymore'. WHAT IS BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS? Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common cause of unusual vaginal discharge. It affects around one in three women at some point in their lives. Although it is not an STI, it does increase a woman's risk of catching a sexually-transmitted infection. BV is caused by a change to the delicate bacterial balance in a woman's vagina. The most common symptom is a fishy-smelling discharge, particularly after sex. There may also be a change to the discharge's colour or texture, such as it becoming grey or watery. But half of women with BV experience no symptoms. If a woman suspects she has BV, she should go to her GP or sexual-health clinic to confirm it is not an STI. Once diagnosed - via a cotton bud 'smear' - BV is usually treated via prescribed antibiotic tablets, or gels or creams. BV often returns within three months. Those who get it more than twice in six months will need treatment for up to half-a-year. BV can be prevented by using just water to wash the genital area and opting for showers over baths. Perfumed soaps, vaginal deodorants, douches, strong detergents and even smoking raise a woman's risk of the condition. BV is more common in those who are sexually active, have recently changed their partner or have 'the coil'. If 'caught' during pregnancy, BV can lead to a premature birth or miscarriage. Worried pregnant women should speak to their GP or midwife. Source: NHS Choices Nu Nu, who was born in Nigeria, claims one of the men she had sex with was a 'stranger' who sneakily removed the condom midway through intercourse. She also thought her fishy-smelling discharge could be BV, after experiencing similar symptoms in the past. Sarah explained BV's symptoms, starting with a fishy odour. 'That's how I know I [have] it because of the fishy smell,' Nu Nu said. 'And also [I get it] when I forget to wash my vagina.' A clearly baffled Sarah asked: 'How can you forget to wash your vagina?' To which Nu Nu had no response other than 'yeah I know, it's terrible'. But she added she now rarely forgets to wash since learning it triggers her BV. She also claims she has to 'pee' after sex in order to avoid the condition. Sarah agreed urinating after intercourse helps prevent BV. And she also encouraged Nu Nu to wash her vagina morning and night. The nurse stressed, however, the vagina is 'self cleansing'. She therefore urged Nu Nu not to use any soap or shower gel on the delicate area. Perfumed soaps can affect the delicate bacteria levels and pH of the vagina, which may lead to thrush or irritation. Summing up all she learned at the clinic, Nu Nu said: 'I have to see the text saying you're safe. 'If I ain't seen that text, we not 'f****** mate.' Twitter users were horrified with some being disgusted and others simply amazed that a woman could forget to wash her vagina. One Tweeter found the whole thing funny, and seemed amazed that anyone would go on national television and admit to not washing down below. One viewer found it nauseating how Nu Nu could possibly forget to wash her vagina Another asked other Tweeters to explain how someone could forget the 'common practice' Doctors are being told to resist patients who try to stock up on prescription medicines in fear of running out after Brexit. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has warned GPs that they should not over-prescribe in the lead up to March 29. Medics have reported feeling pressured by worried patients who believe they will be left short of vital medication if there is no Brexit deal. Experts suspect Brexit has 'exacerbated' usual medicine shortages and the Government has this week admitted there could be six months of disruption if transport routes are disrupted next month. Doctors have been told by health officials to 'resist' patients trying to stock up on medication in fear of running out after a Brexit no-deal The DHSC has insisted there will be a big enough supply of drugs thanks to contingency plans - but warned that GPs need to play by the rules. A spokesperson told the BMJ: 'We are confident that, if everyone does what they should do, the supply of medicines should be uninterrupted in the event of a no-deal EU exit. 'Patients should not stockpile medicines, and GPs do not need to write longer NHS prescriptions. 'We are working closely with pharmaceutical companies to ensure patients can continue to access the medicines they need, including asking many of them to ensure a minimum of six weeks' additional supply of medicine over and above usual buffer stocks by 29 March.' However, the British Medical Association revealed GPs are facing patients who believe a possible no-deal situation could affect their health. People who rely on daily medication for conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart problems or cancer are of particular concern, the organisation said. Patients are reportedly asking doctors for longer repeat prescriptions so they can build up a stash of the medicine in case they can't get it after March. 'I CAN PROBABLY LAST ONE TO TWO WEEKS WITHOUT MY MEDICATION' Patients with serious medical conditions have spoken of their fear that a no-deal Brexit would leave them without vital medication. Writer Jennie Kermode, 45, from Paisley, has mixed connective tissue disease with elements of lupus, scleroderma and polymyositis - a condition that means her immune system attacks her skin, muscles and kidneys. She told the Press Association: 'I've lost so much muscle that I can no longer walk, but I'm not now losing more at a significant rate, and my kidneys are stable. 'This is thanks to a drug called tacrolimus which is manufactured in Turkey. 'Unfortunately, due to production issues, tacrolimus is already in short supply in the UK so there's no pre-Brexit NHS stockpile. 'If I can't get it, there's a chance that I'll be able to successfully transfer to another immunosuppressant, if that's available, but doing so will be risky and all the others in existence will make me much more sick than the tacrolimus does.' Jennie Kermode, from Paisley in Scotland, relies on medication made in Turkey which is already in short supply, and fears Brexit could make this worse. Ms Kermode said she could 'probably last one to two weeks without my medication' 'I can probably last one to two weeks without my medication before my kidneys fail,' Ms Kermode said. She added: 'I've spoken to my consultant rheumatologist who said: "Don't worry, somebody will think of something". 'I wasn't very reassured by that. I'm not aware of anybody working on any remotely practical solution.' Kieron Smith, 38, from Northumberland, takes medication to control his epilepsy. He said he has spoken to his pharmacist 'on a number of occasions', but believes 'the uncertainty is already tangible'. 'Unfortunately they are as in the dark as the general public,' he claimed. 'Even they have no idea what the deal is, despite chasing for info themselves.' He said the medication 'allows me to live a normal, unrestricted life free from both grand mal and petit mal seizures'. 'I have a full-time job and a young family and the ability to function without the shadow of epilepsy is critical in maintaining these things. 'There are many more serious cases than mine I'm sure, but the difference in my life without the ability to fill my prescription would be profound, my work and family life would become untenable.' Krishna Kasaraneni, executive member of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee, said: 'One example is thyroxine for three months rather than the standard one monthly supply, as they are worried about their health. 'It's putting GPs in a difficult position. 'It's a difficult conversation to have, as GPs have responsibility for individual patients as well as the collective needs of all their patients.' The Department of Health revealed in January its stocks of 80 drugs were low, including blood pressure pills and anti-inflammatories. Sandra Gidley, a former Liberal Democrat MP who is chair of the English Pharmacy Board of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, told BBC Radio 4's Today at the time: 'This has been a problem for some time. It is fair to say that recently the shortages have been worse than ever.' Global demand, a spike in the cost of ingredients and new regulations were suggested reasons for pharmacies struggling to get hold of certain medications. Medical boards including the BMA and The National Pharmacy Assocation (NPA), the trade body for independent pharmacies, have expressed their concerns that Brexit was 'exacerbating' the shortages, according to the BMJ. 'Brexit is bringing to a head a number of issues that should have been grappled with years ago,' a spokesman for NPA said. The DHSC maintains its stance that Brexit is not creating a shortage and instead it was 'due to manufacturing or distribution issues'. GPs should communicate with local pharmacies if they have concerns they are running out of medicine, as reserving medication could disrupt the wider supply, officials have said. Rob Hendry, medical director at the Medical Protection Society, said: 'Our main message to the GPs would be to follow the guidance to prescribe as normal. If some people did stockpile, that would reduce the supplies for others. 'But it would be a good opportunity to engage with local pharmacies because should there be a problem, or should a patient complain, it would be useful if they could demonstrate steps they've taken to address that.' Andrew Green, clinical and prescribing policy lead for the General Practitioners Committee, said it was tempting to help patients who were anxious about their medication. 'However,' he said, 'even in normal times the supply chain does not have great reserves, and if early prescriptions are provided shortages will be created where none need exist'. It was revealed by the health minister Stephen Hammond that transportation routes through Dover and Folkestone could be disrupted for up to six months, GP Online has reported, rather than the previous estimate of six weeks. In a letter to the House of Lords EU affairs subcommittee he said: 'The possible border delays indicated in the updated planning assumptions would impact any import of medicines, including prescription-only and pharmacy medicines, critical to the continuity of patient care. 'It would also impact UK manufacturers of medicines that may rely on the import of raw materials from or via the EU. Therefore, we have asked all suppliers to consider their supply routes and whether any re-routing to avoid the short straits is necessary.' The UK imports 73 per cent of its pharmaceutical products from the EU, reflecting 37million packs of medicines. More than two million prescriptions are filled every day in England. A woman underwent pioneering surgery to have her vagina rebuilt using her bowel in a desperate attempt to become a mother. Tara Gratton, 37, of Stakeford, Northumberland, suffers from Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome (MRKS). This caused her to have an 'underdeveloped' vagina and ovaries, despite her genitals appearing normal from the outside. Diagnosed at just 14, Ms Gratton was told she had the most severe form of the condition, leaving her with no vaginal canal, womb, cervix or fallopian tubes, and just one kidney. While she was still a teenager, the support worker went under the knife to have a vaginal tunnel rebuilt using her bowel in surgery known as ileum vaginoplasty. Ms Gratton - who is in a relationship with Stuart Pretswell, 34 - is on the waiting list for a womb transplant, with the couple hoping to start a family using her own eggs. Tara Gratton had pioneering surgery to have her vagina rebuilt using her bowel in a desperate attempt to be a mother. The support worker - who is pictured with her partner Stuart Pretswell - was born without a reproductive system and is on a waiting list for a womb transplant Ms Gratton was initially told she had no ovaries and would therefore never be able to have a child of her own. However, a scan (pictured) later revealed she did have this part of her reproductive system and would be able to be a mother with a womb transplant or surrogate Ms Gratton is also considering surrogacy and is therefore forced to take many hormone injections (pictured) to stimulate her ovaries to produce more eggs Doctors were initially baffled as to what was causing Ms Gratton's persistent urinary tract infections (UTIs), which she started suffering with when she was just three. 'My parents had originally taken me to the doctors when I was three, as I kept having kidney infections and nothing seemed able to stop them,' she said. 'I spent a long time in Newcastle Children's Hospital and with antibiotics, it was eventually managed quite well.' WHAT IS AN ILEUM VAGINOPLASTY? The ideal treatment option for Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome is 'controverisal'. Some patients have no vagina at all, while others' genitals are underdeveloped. For the latter group, dilators are often the first-line treatment. These gradually stretch the vaginal canal, which makes the internal tissue more elastic and can enable sufferers to have comfortable sex. For those without any vagina, or if dilators do not work, surgery is the only option. An ileum vaginoplasty is often offered to these patients, which involves rebuilding the vagina using a segment of the bowel. The bowel is used because it is a 'pre-existing canal lined with a mucous membrane'. After surgery, patients are then required to use dilators. Source: Journal of Surgical Technique and Case Report MRKS patients with just one kidney are more at risk of UTIs and kidney stones, according to the National Organization of Rare Disorders. It was not until years later when the then-teenager underwent further tests that medics discovered she had MRKS. 'It took them a long time to discover what was actually causing all my problems, and doctors even said, it was the first time they'd ever seen a girl like me,' Ms Gratton said. Ms Gratton then made the difficult decision to have a vaginal canal built at just 14 years old to enable her to have sex in the future. 'I had a vaginal tunnel built from my bowel as only part of my vagina had formed properly,' she said. 'My surgery was a risky one as it involved using two inches of my bowel to create a new tunnel opening. 'I was really young but naturally I was embarrassed about my condition back then as it was so rare.' After going under the knife, Ms Gratton was then forced to endure dilation therapy. This involves inserting a cylinder-shaped medical device into the vagina to expand its size and make its tissue more elastic. Ms Gratton met Mr Pretswell (pictured together left) four years ago and was immediately honest about her condition. She was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome as a teenager (right) and had surgery to build a vaginal canal aged just 14 Ms Gratton always wanted to have a child of her own but was told by doctors she did not have any ovaries. However, as she grew older, medics discovered they were wrong. 'I did have ovaries which meant it was possible for me to have children - but I would have to go through IVF and alternative routes,' she said. When she met her partner four years ago, Ms Gratton was honest about her condition, with the couple immediately researching options on how they could have a family. 'I don't have a womb so the next surgery I need is a womb transplant,' she said. 'It would be amazing to have our own family to show others anything is possible.' As a toddler (left), Ms Gratton's parents knew something was wrong when she battled persistent urinary tract infections. They later discovered her condition meant she has just one kidney, which raises the infection risk. Ms Gratton now raises awareness of MRKH (right) The first baby from a womb transplant from a deceased donor was only born last December. Ms Gratton is on a long waiting list for the procedure and is therefore also looking into surrogacy. 'We have two embryos in storage and are raising money to cover any potential costs from surrogacy,' she said.' Ms Gratton is also speaking out to raise awareness of MRKH. 'It took me a long time to get a diagnosis, and to find help - but with more awareness, more support could become available,' she said Tabitha Taya, founder of LivingMRKH - one of the UK's only support groups - added: 'We first met Tara back in 2013 after she reached out to us after she read our LivingMRKH founder's story in a daily newspaper. 'We have since got to know Tara through several social gatherings held to support those living with this condition. 'We all have dreams and aspirations, to be a mother is one of Tara's and we wish her and her partner all the very best. 'The road to parenthood for those with MRKH can be challenging, but not impossible, it's important to remember the condition does not define us and there are options available to make our journey a little less stressful and isolating. 'We hope Tara's courage to share her journey provides hope and inspiration to our fellow community.' Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has been urged to stop private companies from securing NHS contracts. A total of 26 health service contracts worth more than 128 million are currently out to tender, according to research commissioned by the Labour Party. One contract for running the NHS 111 phones line in Kent, Medway and Sussex is worth more than 90 million. Labour's shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, will call for a guarantee that these remain 'in public hands' during a House of Commons debate on Tuesday. Urged: Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who assumed his role in July 2018, has been asked to to stop private companies from securing NHS contracts Mr Ashworth will also hit out at Mr Hancocks 'privatisation credentials', after the Government minister's approval of private health companies. He has spoken in support of the controversial GP at Hand app, and visited a private MyDentist practice in Suffolk. Current legislation require local NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in England to tender out any contract worth more than 615,278. The NHS long-term plan suggested there should be changes to the rules outlined in the 2012 Health and Social Care Act, which Labour said have led to an increase in the number of contracts awarded to private companies such as Virgin Care. 'This Health Secretarys privatisation credentials become clearer by the day, whether its promoting GP at Hand to endorsing private dentistry to now allowing millions of pounds worth of health services contracts to be privatised,' Mr Ashworth is expected to say. 'But when even NHS bosses are calling for the very worst aspects, the so-called section 75 provisions, of the Tory Health and Social Care Act to be binned surely Mr Hancock should step in, block these tenders and instead guarantee the contracts remains in public hands. Big business: It comes shortly after three bidders were shortlisted for one of the biggest NHS pathology contracts: the South East London pathology programme, worth up to 2.2bn 'Otherwise his promises to the Health Select Committee will be exposed as entirely hollow and it will be clear the Tory NHS privatisation agenda continues to run rampant.' The contracts currently out to tender include one worth 90,552,000 to run an NHS 111 clinical assessment centre for Kent, Medway and Sussex CCGs. The research for Labour, carried out by the House of Commons Library, was correct on February 15. It comes shortly after three bidders were shortlisted for one of the biggest NHS pathology contracts: the South East London pathology programme. The contract, which lasts for a decade, is worth up to 2.2bn. According to the Health Services Journal, the three bidders are: Health Services Laboratories, Synlab Group and incumbent provider Viapath. The winning bidder will start providing its service from September 2020. A collection of stones, bottle caps and coins weighing 4.4lbs (2kg) have been pulled out of a man's stomach. The 54-year-old patient, who has not been identified, complained of pain in his stomach and sought help from medics. Doctors noticed the man was bloated and could feel 'something resembling small stones' when they touched his abdomen. Scans then showed a mammoth build-up of objects 'occupying the whole stomach' of the South Korean patient The extracted foreign bodies composed of pebbles, coins, and bottle caps, Dr Choi wrote in the scientific publication Scans then showed a mammoth build-up of objects 'occupying the whole stomach' of the South Korean patient. Upon questioning, the man confessed he often ingested coins and pebbles whenever he felt anxious despite taking drugs to calm him. The man, thought to be from Goyang - just north of the capital Seoul and close to the North Korea border - was born with an intellectual disability. The 'extremely unusual' tale was published by Dr Pyong Wha Choi in the American Journal of Medical Case Reports. Surgeons first tried to remove the objects using a gastroscopy where a thin tube is inserted into the stomach through the mouth. However, it failed because of the sheer amount of objects that were present. It is not clear how many the man had swallowed. Surgeons first tried to remove the objects using a gastroscopy where a thin tube is inserted into the stomach through the mouth (pictured: the objects inside him) The following day, the team of surgeons extracted the foreign bodies one-by-one through a different surgical procedure. The extracted foreign bodies included pebbles, coins, and bottle caps, Dr Choi wrote in the scientific publication. Dr Choi wrote: 'Surgery was inevitable as there were too many foreign bodies to extract using endoscopy.' The man was discharged from Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital and allowed home after a nine-day stay. It is unclear how long the foreign bodies had been inside of him the doctors only said he had a habit 'in the past'. Discussing the rare case, Dr Choi said ingestion of foreign bodies are more common in children because they accidentally swallow items. However, in healthy adults, objects most often swallowed include fish and chicken bones. Dr Choi wrote: 'Once the foreign bodies pass through the oesophagus, symptoms associated with the foreign body is rare. 'In the present case, even though the patient did not complain of vomiting, the large number of pebbles and coins in his stomach caused him abdominal pain.' The shoes of such a fashion icon, someone who has been as culturally and creatively significant as Karl Lagerfeld, will not be easy ones to fill. He created a contemporary take on glamour: glamorous clothes to be worn by special people on special occasions. And he quickly proved that he was very good at what he did. Karl held the tenets of Coco Chanels original ideas for feminine, relaxed, simple, soft fashion, while at the same time going off-piste with his exciting, modern designs which were always new, always thought-provoking. Karl Lagerfeld with U.S. Vogue editor Anna Wintour at the British Fashion Awards at the London Coliseum Keira Knightley wore a Chanel couture dress at the Paris fashion show in March 2014. The look drew attention for accentuating her tiny waist Actress Kristen Stewart dazzled on the red carpet in a metallic haute couture dress from Chanel's 2013 collection at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival Coco had so many emblems like the interlocking Cs, the quilted bags, the perfumes No 5 and No 19 which could all be used ad nauseam, and Karl did use them, with great skill. He wasnt afraid to experiment, or to be excessive, both in his presentations and the final cost of the garments. Celebrities couldnt get enough of his look. The cost of putting on an haute couture fashion show for Chanel is likely to be between half a million and a million pounds, and Karl did it with such flair, confidence and sure-handedness, season after season. People in the business hugely admired him for still doing this well into his 80s. You may not realise it but we all wear Lagerfelds designs. They may have been picked up on the High Street rather than in a Chanel boutique, but so many of the clothes we buy were inspired by him. He created the styles that we now see as wardrobe staples, such as the feminine tweed suit. Nicole Kidman wore an Elizabethan inspired Chanel Couture outfit to a UK premiere in 2003. That same year she became the face of fragrance Chanel No. 5 Cara Delevingne walked at the 2016 Chanel catwalk at The Ritz in Paris wearing this tweed suit in a classic Chanel design, with pearl necklaces and gold Mary-Jane heels He never lost touch with youth culture, either, managing to stay relevant in a notoriously fickle industry. His ready-to-wear catwalk shows were often even more memorable than the designs themselves. Show after show, he never disappointed, transforming Pariss Grand Palais into an ultra-glamorous airport hangar or a fully functioning grocery store with shopping trolleys and fresh food. He could put on a spectacle like no one else ever has, or possibly will again. Im also supremely grateful to him for paving the way for other designers, like myself, to collaborate with High Street chains after becoming the first to do that, with his H&M collection, back in 2004. It was an incredibly brave first step. Because of him, I have clients who were happy to buy both my couture collection and the range I had at John Lewis something that would never have happened 20 years ago. One encounter that stands out in my memory was in the Eighties when we were both invited to a dinner at Langans Brasserie in Mayfair, hosted by a group of high-profile fashion journalists. After just being labelled a 'supermodel' a young Naomi Campbell struts down the catwalk in a risque blue string bikini at the Spring Summer 1993 show in Paris German model Claudia Schiffer - a muse and long-time favourite of Lagerfeld's - wowed the catwalk at Channel's show in 1993 Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge arriving at an event at the Trocadero in Paris, France By then, Karl had made his career-defining move to become creative director at Chanel, while I was no longer a designer looking for his big break but known as the man who dressed Princess Diana.We were seated beside one another, and we both agreed that we werent quite sure why we were there something we felt was a bit of a hoot. After asking my age I was in my 30s at the time Karl informed me that he was just 14 years my senior. In fact, as I discovered only while reading the coverage of his passing, he was born in 1933 which makes him 17 years older than me. Of course, he wasnt the first person in the fashion industry to shave off a few years, but it did bring a smile to my face. Interview by Helen Carroll The front row is usually reserved for A-list actors, models of the moment and fashion industry heavyweights, but today a royal took a much-coveted spot as the Duchess of Cornwall made her London Fashion Week debut. Camilla surprised guests at the Bethany Williams show, landing a plum spot alongside British Vogue editor Edward Enninful and British Fashion Council chief Caroline Rush. The royal, 71, looked elegant for her first ever Fashion Week in a navy and white striped dress by Bruce Oldfield, paired with her customary statement pearl necklace, a black clutch and black court heels. Her attendance comes after the Queen made her own Fashion Week debut in February 2018, sitting next to Vogue editor Anna Wintour at Richard Quinn's show. Camilla was in attendance to present Bethany Williams with the second Queen Elizabeth II award for British Design, launched by Her Majesty during last year's visit. The Duchess of Cornwall (middle) surprised guests at a London Fashion week show today as she joined Vogue editor Edward Enninful (right of Camilla) on the front row Camilla, 71, dressed up for the occasion in a navy dress, with white block colours on the skirt, teamed with black court shoes Camilla's attendance comes after the Queen made a rare appearance at fashion week last February at Richard Quinn's show in February 2018, where she sat alongside Vogue editor Anna Wintour As Camilla sat among a handful of British fashion editors she smiled and spoke to Edward as they took in the show. Camilla's smart look, with a tailored navy and white dress, along with styled hair and a classic make up look was spot on for the occasion. After the show the Duchess Of Cornwall delivered a speech as she presented the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II award for British Design to Bethany Williams for sustainability and social change within her business. The award, which the queen presented last year, is awarded annually to an emerging British fashion designer who shows exceptional talent and originality. The Duchess of Cornwall clapped and enjoyed the show, as she sat next to Edward Enninful, editor of Vogue UK, on the front row during the Bethany Williams fashion show Camilla attended the Bethany Williams show today at London Fashion week, and landed a coveted spot in the front row The Duchess was also at the ceremony with Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council, as she paired her navy dress with her her statement pearl necklace, a black clutch and black court heels The Duchess Of Cornwall delivered a speech as she presented the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II award for British Design The Duchess of Cornwall was in the front row at the Bethany Williams show at London Fashion Week, alongside British Vogue's Edward Enninful As Camilla sat among a handful of British fashion editors she smiled and spoke to Edward Enninful (right of Camilla) as she watched the Bethany Williams show Last year the Queen surprised guests at Richard Quinns show to present the award, after she sat in the front row - to the delight of onlookers. Richard Quinn, who's show she attended, won the award as he was recognised for his exceptional bold prints. The award aims to provide continuing recognition of the cultural and trade role the British design and fashion industry has played throughout the Queens reign. The Duchess could be seen smiling as she watched the catwalk during an unexpected appearance at London Fashion Week Camilla delivered a speech as she presented the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II award for British Design at the Bethany Williams show during London Fashion Week The Duchess of Cornwall with Caroline Rush of the British Fashion Council (left) and designer Bethany Williams (right) Duchess Of Cornwall (centre) awards the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II award for British Design to designer Bethany Williams (right), alongside Caroline Rush, Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council (left) Bethany Williams was awarded the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II award for British Design at her show today The Duchess of Cornwall talked with fashion designer Paula Knorr toady as she attended London Fashion Week Camilla spoke to designer Paul Stafford (left) about his designs while Chief Executive of the British Fashion Council Caroline Rush looks on during London Fashion Week The Duchess of Cornwall spoke with various designers as she attended London Fashion Week on Tuesday The Duchess of Cornwall (centre) with models, executives and officials after presenting designer Bethany Williams (centre left) with the Queen Elizabeth II Award for Design during a visit to London Fashion Week Animal rights group PETA has dismissed plans by fashion giant LVMH to implement new crocodile farming standards as 'tosh'. The luxury retail group, which is the parent company of Louis Vuitton and sells exotic handbags for up to 31,000, announced this week it had devised a new set of standards for 'responsibly-supplied' crocodile skin and applied them to three farms that supply their leather tanneries. According to WWD the guidelines, which have been approved by certification company NSF International, will eventually be applied to the 20 farms that supply crocodile leather to the company by 2020. But PETA said the new policy amounted to 'pretty much nothing' and would continue to cause 'immeasurable suffering' to the animals. Scroll down for video LVMH announced this week it had 'devised standards' for crocodile farming and applied them to three farms that supply one of their tanneries in Singapore (file photo) Louis Vuitton's Capucines MM handbag, made from 'exotic crocodilian leather', will set shoppers back 31,000. It is lined with goatskin and accented with polished hardware A spokesperson told MailOnline: 'LVMH's assurances of "responsibly-supplied" crocodile skin are tosh, given that it will apparently take the company nearly two years to get around to ensuring pretty much nothing. 'Most importantly, the standard won't prevent the worst of the cruel practices: the method of slaughter, which consists of cutting the back of the crocodile's neck and thrusting a metal rod down the live animal's spine, causing unimaginable agony. 'Fashion houses and designers such as Chanel and, most recently, Victoria Beckham that have come to the conclusion that there's no way to turn an exotic animal into a fashion accessory without causing immeasurable suffering have dropped exotic skins from their collections, and PETA urges LVMH to do the same.' LVMH - which stands for LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE - is the parent company of luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi. An Alma BB handbag made from crocodile weather, priced at 12,800 on Louis Vuitton's website. PETA said the new crocodile farming policy would ensure 'pretty much nothing' Made from crocodile skin and lambskin, this Petite Malle handbag is priced at 16,000 on Louis Vuitton's website. There are 20 crocodile farms that supply crocodile leather to LVMH Handbags made from 'precious' exotic leathers currently appear on Louis Vuitton's website for as much as 31,000. There are some 20 crocodile farms that supply crocodile leather to Heng Long, LVMH's crocodile tannery, according to WWD. Jean Baptiste Voisn, strategy director for the luxury conglomerate, said: 'LVMH has decided to set a new frame of reference by launching a new standard for the industry, whose regulations seemed inefficient to us.' Chanel, Victoria Beckham, Vivienne Westwood and Diane von Furstenberg are among the labels that have banned exotic animal pelts from their collections in recent months amid mounting pressure from consumers and animal rights groups. People have been sending death threats to a stunning woman on social media for dressing as a giant furry animal. They think her quirky hobby is a sexual fetish, but digital project manager Rebecca Christensen, 26, from Rochester, New York, says 'it's not that at all'. She shares her furry adventures with 12,800 Instagram followers to prove that the fandom community isn't weird. Backlash: Rochester, NY resident Rebecca Christensen, 26, has received death threats on social media for her unusual hobby Alter ego: Rebecca dresses like a giant furry animal that she calls Munchie, an angel dragon who loves to spread positive thoughts The furry fandom is a subculture interested in animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. Furry animal characters typically have human intelligence and facial expressions, speak, walk on two legs and wear clothes. Rebecca created her furry alter-ego, Munchie, who is an angel dragon, and loves to spread positive thoughts, after accidentally signing up for a furry convention in October 2014. She had been making special costumes using faux fur since she was a teenager, signed up for Arizona Fur Con in 2014 thinking it would be an opportunity to sell her costumes. 'We had no idea it was a furry convention until we got there and we loved every minute of it. I made my first fursuit heads right after that convention.' Rebecca was immediately impressed by the community's fun, welcoming and inclusive atmosphere and knew she had to be a part of it, creating Munchie as soon as she got home. 'Munchie is very much an extension of my personality and her goal is to spread positive thoughts, which is akin to how I navigate my life and my job every day.' Crafty: She completely handmade the Munchie fursuit after accidentally joining a furry fandom convention in 2014 Working fuzz: Rebecca sometimes dresses as Munchie when going to her job as a digital project manager Munchie's fursuit has been completely handmade by Rebecca and she has now started making suits for others. 'I didn't even draw it out before I started, so she's pretty pieced together to be honest,' Rebecca shared. Many people don't understand the furry community and often think that people who partake in it are weird, so Rebecca created an Instagram to disprove this. Fun pictures on the @itssofuzzyy Instagram page show Rebecca in full fursuit dressed as Munchie out and about, or in her office wearing her fursuit head and working on her laptop. 'To put it simply, these pictures are "me." I am a hard-working professional that likes to build and wear cute furry costumes - I like to try to convey that simple message through the images I share because I want them to be authentic. Unfortunately, she has received some backlash from trolls who have gone as far as to leave death threats on her posts. 'There are a few people, mostly online and mostly younger that just hate furries for whatever reason and comment death threats on furry posts,' Rebecca said. 'I just block them and move on. There is clearly a bigger issue there than their dislike for furries and I'm not going to convince them one way or another.' Furry fun: The fandom is a subculture that creates and dresses as animal characters with human personalities and characteristics as a form of self-expression Family friendly: While Rebecca admits that fetishes do exist within the fandom, that isn't what the community is about. Instead, it's a 'PG-rated' and supportive environment People wrongly think that everyone who is involved in the furry fandom is in it for a fetish, something that it isn't for Rebecca. 'People think furries are just a fetish thing - I'm guessing because there was an episode of CSI in like 2002 that depicted furries in that way. To be clear, it's not that at all. 'I'm not going to lie and say that doesn't exist, but it's definitely not what most furs are about. And there's a lot of younger furries in the community so things are typically PG-rated when it comes to furries.' Rebecca said that furries aren't weird, they're just expressing themselves through the costumes, but people hate on them because they don't understand them. She uses her Instagram following to show the rest of the world a glimpse into the types of people behind furry suits to be a good example for the fandom as a whole. 'We're not hurting anyone, we're just having fun in our own way,' she said. 'The majority of people don't know what furries are and I have the opportunity to explain what they are for the first time. 'There are some people that have heard of furries as a fetish and think that's all it's about - so I politely explain to them that they're wrong and typically they're open to it.' Insta-fun: Rebecca posts her adventures with the furry community on Instagram to give a wholesome glimpse into what the fandom is, and let people know furries aren't weird Negative criticism: People have shared hate messages and even death threats on Rebecca's Instagram, but she just blocks them and moves on Rebecca's friends and family love her unusual hobby and she says that without their support she wouldn't be as involved in the subculture as she is today. She said her friends regularly help with sewing and working the booths at conventions, and now her boyfriend even wants to join the fandom, too. 'Even when I don't necessarily need help, they want to come hang out just for the experience. My boyfriend didn't even know what a furry was when we met and now he can't stop bugging me to make him his own suit.' Rebecca said that joining the furry community has brought a lot of positivity and self-love into her life. 'I've made so many great friends in the fandom and it's been a really awesome creative outlet for me in general.' 'Plus, the amount of creativity behind some of these characters and suits is insane. Scrolling through my furry feeds and attending conventions is so interesting because the level of detail and thought process that went into these characters is amazing.' She said that the furry community is extremely supportive and protective of each other. They stand up for each other amidst any death threats and hate on social media. 'Furries are really protective of one another and truly supportive when needed. I've seen countless social media threads of just random furries sticking up for other random furries on the internet - it's really sweet and inspiring. It has become the staple accessory for the Duchess of Cambridge in recent months and now it seems that Queen Mathilde has embraced the headband trend. The Queen of Belgium looked the picture of sophistication as she arrived at a church in Brussels on Tuesday. The mother-of-four was dressed head to toe in navy, including her stylish head piece which is not dissimilar to those we have seen on Kate. The mother-of-four opted for a flattering deep blue coat complete with faux-fur trimmed sleeves and cinched her waist in using a silver broached belt. She accessorised with pearl drop earrings, and some suede court shoes as she conquered the cobbles. Mathilde, 45, was joined by her husband King Philippe for the annual mass service, which is to commemorate the lives of former members of the royal family. Mathilde was dressed in head-to-toe navy as she arrived at a church in Brussels, Belgium earlier today Belgium's Prince Laurent (left), Queen Mathilde, King Philippe, King Albert II and Queen Paola attended mass, which took place at Notre Dame de Laeken church Taking her seat inside, she was accompanied by the likes of King Albert II, Queen Paola and Prince Laurent of Belgium and Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein. The mass, which commemorates the deceased members of the royal family, took place at the Notre Dame de Laeken church. Queen Mathilde greeted the crowds once the service was over and look animated as she engaged in conversation with well wishers who waited outside for her exit. This royal engagement marks the start of busy few months for Mathilde, who will attend the opening session of the World Resources Forum in Antwerp next week. The Ducchess of Cambridge has been championing the headband trend in recent months. Pictured: At Prince Louis' christening in July, and on Christmas Day in Sandringham (right) The Queen of Belgium was joined by her husband King Philippe for the service, which was in memory of former members of the royal family Linking her husband's arm, Mathilde joined King Philippe as they made their way inside to meet others royals The mother-of-three was accompanied by the likes of King Albert II, Queen Paola and Prince Laurent of Belgium (above) and Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein Queen Mathilde greeted the crowds after the mass had finished and look animated as she engaged in conversation with well wishers The event will see international experts from the circular economy, scientific world, private sector and civil society all come together. Mathilde will be in attendance as she is an advocate of The Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, which aims to promote sustainable production and consumption patterns through the efficient use of raw materials and energy. She will also be a prominent speaker at the 'rebalancing power in global mental health' symposium on Friday 22nd March. There, she will hope to achieve more equal knowledge exchange between countries in Global Mental Health. Prince Charles was on hand to present campaign medals to soldiers returning from Afghanistan. The Duke of Cornwall, 70, recognised the service of the Welsh Guards with the ceremony at the Elizabeth Barracks, in Woking, Surrey, on Tuesday. Charles, who has been Colonel of the Welsh Guards since 1975, appeared in excellent spirits as he greeted soldiers from the Prince of Wales Company in uniform. Prince Charles was on hand to present campaign medals to soldiers returning from Afghanistan with a ceremony at Elizabeth Barracks in Woking, Surrey, on Tuesday Charles, who has been Colonel of the Welsh Guards since 1975, appeared in excellent spirits as he greeted soldiers from the Prince of Wales Company in uniform Soldiers marched on parade square before being presented with the Operational Service Medals for Afghanistan. Charles, whose son Prince Harry served two tours in Afghanistan, chatted happily with the soldiers during the event. Prince Charles donned military fatigues for the outing to the Elizabeth Barracks on Tuesday The Prince of Wales met Starr Mitchell, two, and her mother Lisa Mitchell, the family of Guarsdman Craig Mitchell at the Barracks this afternoon Charles could be seen shaking hands with the toddler who appeared to be fascinated by the royal visitor The royal was delighted to be served a cup of tea by Maggie Cooper as he met with the families of the troops Charles, whose son Prince Harry served two tours in Afghanistan, chatted happily with the soldiers during the event The prince, pictured making his way to the parade ground, later spoke to soldiers' families Prince Charles beamed as he made his way through the parade ground to present the medals The Prince of Wales shares a light-hearted moment with a soldier from the Welsh Guards Soldiers from the other four companies - Number 2 Company, Number 3 Company, Support Company, and Headquarters Company - received their medals from other high-ranking officials within the army. The medals are awarded to personnel by the Ministry of Defence for service in support of the post-2001 Afghan War. Established in 1915 by King George V, the Welsh Guards are a Light Role Infantry battalion based in Pirbright, Surrey. Prince Charles arrives to present campaign medals in recognition of service in Afghanistan Prince Charles spent a moment with each soldier before presenting the campaign medal The guards have taken part in almost every British Army campaign since the First World War. The Prince of Wales Company, the leading company of the guard, are known as 'the jamboys' as, historically, the tallest men in the battalion were sent to the company and in the First World War were given an extra ration of jam to nourish themselves. After the parade, Charles met members of the battalion and their families. Prince Harry showcased his paternal instincts as he visited a school in London on Tuesday. The father-to-be delighted pupils at a school as he visited a half-term Fit and Fed initiative in Streatham. The Duke of Sussex cut a casual appearance dressed in a pair of grey chinos and a black sweater for his engagement today. The 34-year-old royal wore an open collared shirt, ditching a tie for a more relaxed look this morning. The father-to-be delighted pupils at a school as he visited a half-term Fit and Fed initiative in Streatham Harry spent time chatting to pupils benefitting from the Fit and Fed intitiative which aims to provide children and young people with free access to activity sessions and a nutritious lunch during school holidays Harry spent time chatting to pupils benefiting from the Fit and Fed initiative which aims to provide children and young people with free access to activity sessions and a nutritious lunch during school holidays. And the prince was happy to muck in when it came to lunch, helping to dish up healthy lunches to the children. He later met with youngsters taking part in a karate class as well as some enjoying a bounce on a trampoline. During his visit Harry was presented with an enormous teddy bear, perhaps intended as a gift for his and Meghan's baby that is due in late April, early May. The royal attended the engagement alone as his pregnant wife Meghan is currently on a private five-day visit to New York where her closest friends are throwing her a baby shower. Their child is due in April. Heavily-pregnant Meghan is spending five nights in the Big Apple, catching up with stylist Jessica Mulroney and other confidantes, Harper's Bazaar revealed. The 34-year-old royal wore an open collared shirt, ditching a tie for a more relaxed look this morning A gift for the new arrival? Harry was gifted an enormous teddy bear by event organisers, who perhaps intended it to go to his baby Meanwhile heavily-pregnant Meghan is spending five nights in the Big Apple, catching up with stylist Jessica Mulroney Harry cheered on from the sidelines as he watched children take part in a trampoline football session She was spotted in the city on Monday night looking chic in a long navy Victoria Beckham overcoat and a gray newsboy cap pulled down over her brunette locks. The American former Suits star is said to have visited Laduree in New York's SoHo district on Saturday for macarons and tea. Meghan, who is preparing to give birth in late April or early May, spent Valentine's Day with the Duke of Sussex last week after he rushed back to see her following a trip to Norway with the Royal Marines. The couple are due to visit Morocco on Saturday at the request of the British Government. The prince was happy to muck in when it came to lunch, helping to dish up healthy lunches to the children The children were offered a variety of pasta, salad and bread rolls with Harry donning a pair of latex gloves to serve them up He later chatted with youngsters taking part in a karate class at the Fit and Fed initiative The duchess was spotted in NYC on Monday, wearing a Victoria Beckham long black wool coat and a grey Helene Berman tweed pageboy cap. Mrs Mulroney is Meghan's best friend and supported her in the difficult days leading up to her wedding to Harry amid the turmoil caused by the absence of her father, Thomas Markle. Her children - twin sons Brian and John and daughter Ivy - were pageboys and bridesmaid at the royal wedding. Meghan's trip comes just days after five unnamed close friends of the duchess spoke to the publication People in an effort to counter the 'global bullying' directed at her. One friend challenged reports that Mr Markle has said he cannot contact his daughter, telling the magazine: 'He's never called; he's never texted. It's super-painful.' Mr Markle dismissed the claims and responded by revealing a deeply personal letter he received from Meghan following the wedding. Kensington Palace declined to comment on the duchess's break in New York. The late Karl Lagerfeld, who died in Paris on Tuesday, will perhaps be best remembered for reversing the fortunes of ailing fashion label Chanel. The designer, who passed away at the age of 85, transformed the French luxury house, once known for its sensible tweed two-pieces, into a cutting-edge fashion powerhouse synonymous with show-stopping couture and futuristic minis. When he took the helm of Chanel in 1983, he shifted focus away from fragrance and accessories and focused on updating its heritage pieces, injecting much-needed life into its couture line following the death of legendary founder Coco Chanel. As of 2019, he he boasted an A-list following including the likes of Keira Knightley and Kristen Stewart and Chanel was turning over around $10bn (7.7bn) a year - but the fashion chief never succeeded in winning over the royal family. Karl Lagerfeld (pictured with Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne during the Chanel A/W show in Paris March 2015) is credited with transforming the ailing French fashion label The late Princess of Wales once favoured Lagerfeld's designs (pictured in a Chanel suit in Windsor, 1997, left) but she later refused to wear the label reportedly because it reminded her of Charles. Despite her love of designer labels, the Duchess of Cambridge has worn Chanel just once - during a visit to Paris in 2017 (pictured at Les Invalides military hospital, right) Despite his celebrity clientele, Lagerfeld failed to secure a coveted spot in the royal wardrobe and, unlike other major luxury labels such as Prada and Dolce & Gabbana, was widely snubbed by Palace stylists. The Duchess of Cambridge has notably worn Chanel just once - during a visit to the French capital in 2017 - while the Duchess of Sussex has not been seen in the label since her pre-royal days. Insiders had long suspected the royal snub was linked to Lagerfeld's acid-tongued remarks about the Middletons; after the 2011 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, he famously said that Kate has a 'nice silhouette', but that her sister Pippa 'struggles'. Speaking to a German magazine, he said: 'Kate Middleton has a nice silhouette and she is the right girl for [William]. I like that kind of woman, I like romantic beauties. 'On the other hand, her sister struggles,' the designer added. 'I don't like the sister's face. She should only show her back.' 1965: A dress fit for a debutante at a Chanel presentation in Paris. Lagerfeld would not join until 1983 and remained as creative director until his death this week at the age of 85 1983: A navy two-piece suit on the Chanel runway in Paris, one of Lagerfeld's first shows for the French fashion house to present its AW 1983-1984 collection 1991: Model Tatjana Patitz wears a neon version of the classic Chanel tweed suit at Chanel's 'Off the Street' Runway Show and Gala at Industria Superstudio in New York City 1999: High voltage glamour as British supermodel Naomi Campbell wears a glittering gold couture dress during Chanel's SS99 haute couture fashion show in Paris 2000: A futuristic look on display at Chanel's AW 2000-2001 haute couture show in Paris, 17 years into Lagerfeld's tenure as creative director of the iconic French fashion house 2007: Keira Knightley in Chanel couture for the Atonement premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The actress is a Chanel ambassador and has starred in fragrance adverts 2016: A modern twist on an old classic with a floaty summer dress that harks back to Chanel's iconic tweed designs, as seen during Lagerfeld's PFW womenswear SS17 show 2018: Chanel has undergone an image overhaul of epic proportions, from tweed two-pieces to futuristic minis (pictured: Kristen Stewart in Chanel at the Cannes Film Festival last May) While the late Princess of Wales once favoured Lagerfeld's designs, she later refused to wear Chanel because its iconic double-C emblem reportedly reminded her of Charles and Camilla. Chanel sources confirmed on Tuesday that Lagerfeld had died in Paris at the age of 85 following a period of ill health. His death comes after he missed the Chanel haute couture show in Paris in January for the first time since his arrival in 1983. Lagerfeld was also the creative director of Italian fur and leather goods fashion house Fendi, as well as his eponymous fashion label, which he launched in 1984. The designer had worked with the likes of Chloe and H&M and was also an acclaimed photographer, having gone behind the lens for a number of high fashion magazines and for his own fashion campaigns. Regarded as one of the most important fashion visionaries of the 20th and 21st centuries, he was known for regularly wearing sunglasses and a black suit with a white shirt, with his grey hair pulled back into a ponytail. A barber who recently met the Duke of Cambridge to talk about mental health issues has revealed how he bonded with William over losing a parent at a young age. Ken Hermes, 28, from Barr Hall, Essex, was just 15 when his father killed himself - the same age as William when Princess Diana died. The pair met last week when William visited Pall Mall Barbers to hear about a programme that trains hairdressers to speak to clients about mental health issues. The hairdresser turned mental health activist has since claimed there was an 'understanding' between the pair as they'd both 'been through hell and back.' Coincidentally, like the prince, Ken also has two sons Ashton, eight, Landon, six, and one daughter, Aydaline, three. 'It was the proudest moment of my life,' said Ken, speaking about his one-on-one chat with the royal. 'When I told William my story, he was clearly taken aback.' Ken Hermes, 28, from Barr Hall, Essex, chatted with the Duke of Cambridge about mental health issues and bonded with Prince William over losing a parent at a young age. Ken has spoken out after the Duke visited The Lion Collective Barbers in London last week Ken Hermes was just 15 when his father (pictured with Ken as a child) killed himself - the same age as William when Princess Diana died He continued: 'I told him, "Look we've both been through hell and back but when you lose somebody to suicide it means you spend your life looking for answers. 'We also spoke about being parents and learning how to be more open with our children than our fathers were with us. I think there was a mutual respect between us.' 'I said to him that losing a parent at any age is the hardest thing in the world, but when it's suicide you spend your life asking questions,' explained Ken. Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Charles pictured waiting as the hearse carrying the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales prepared to leave Westminster Abbey following her funeral service on 6th September 1997 Ken Hermes, pictured with his late father who shared the same name, when he was five-years-old 'We spoke about the pressure of being dads. He said that we tend to father the way we've been fathered, but that it's important to break out of that cycle. Things have changed a lot through those generations and men are much more vulnerable now.' Ken's dad, also named Ken Hermes, hanged himself in the family garage in 2006 after a long period of unemployment aged just 45. The night before his death the hairdresser said they shared a deep heart-to-heart where they played guitar and spoke openly about their separate struggles. 'We stayed up that evening, with a few beers, and we just spoke really openly for the first time ever,' explained Ken. 'He told me about his life before me and his time in the military while I told him about girls and things going on at school.' 'As I was going to bed, he strolled into my room and told me he loved me - those were the last words my father ever said to me.' The next morning, Ken's mother found his father's body as she went to fetch a can of beans from the garage. Ken is now an ambassador for the Lions Barber Collective - an initiative that encourages men to discuss their mental health more openly. Prince William pictured with Ken when he paid a visit to Ken's store Pall Mall Barbers in Paddington last Thursday to discuss supporting men's mental health and well being The organisation transforms barbershops into 'safe spaces' where men can be counselled as they get their hair trimmed. Barbers are trained to 'recognise, talk, listen and advise' their clients. 'I think men really respond to it when they can see you've been through mental health struggles yourself,' said Ken. 'I know for sure I've helped at least six clients considerably. 'In fact, they've helped me a lot too as I've often found the men in my shop have been through very similar emotions and situations to me.' Ken's involvement with the organisation is inspired by both his father's struggles and his own battle with anxiety. Prince William and Prince Harry as they arrived at Kensington Palace to view some of the flowers left in memory of their mother Princess Diana in London on Friday September 5, 1997 Princes William and Harry, pictured with their mother as children, have both spoken about the difficulty of losing their mother at such a young age. She died in a car crash in Paris when Harry was 12 and William was 15 'I spent years not being able to talk about my dad's death and now I've realised how important it is to be open, said Ken. 'I love doing it because it ensures my dad didn't die in vain. I think he would be very proud of me.' 'My mum definitely is - she was so excited when I met the prince!' Prince William has long campaigned for more openness around mental health and with his wife the Duchess of Cambridge helped launch Heads Together in 2016, a mental health initiative. Kate has also been a vocal advocate for better mental health in children and has spoken at schools about the topic. Thomas Markle Jr has branded sister Samantha 'jealous and bitter' as he begs for the family to be reunited. The father-of-two, 52, from Oregon, has spoken out in support of estranged half-sister Meghan, 37, explaining that the whole family - including their 74-year-old father Thomas Markle- have begged Samantha to stop 'spreading lies'. Revealing that their father is desperate to mend his broken relationship with the pregnant Duchess, he admitted that the lighting director is terrified he won't meet his grandchild. Thomas Jr, shares the same father as Meghan and Samantha Markle- who he says changed her name from Yvonne Grant- and told how their father had kept the recently emerged letter from Meghan a secret, and he knew nothing about it until it was published last week. Scroll down for video Thomas Markle Jr has spoken out in support of estranged half-sister Meghan, 37, revealing that the whole family - including their 74-year-old father Thomas Markle- have begged Samantha to stop 'spreading lies'. Speaking to New! magazine, he recalled how he lived with Samantha, their father and Doria Ragland for 'three to four' years after Meghan was born. Describing Meghan- who is currently in New York- as having a 'happy and outgoing personality' who was 'always a princess and never a tomboy' from the moment she was born, he said Samantha has 'always been bitter and negative'. Telling how Samantha hardly knew their half sister and didn't spend any time with her, he said: 'She was very jealous of Meghan from the very beginning and still to this very day.' Telling how they lost contact and became even more distant when she landed a role on Suits and became a 'Hollywood starlet', Thomas admits that the interviews which saw the family 'badmouth' her drove her further away. Thomas Jr, shares the same father as Meghan and Samantha Markle and told how their father had kept the private letter from Meghan a secret, and he knew nothing about it until it was published recently 'She's always been jealous of Meghan': Thomas Markle Jr has branded sister Samantha, seen in an interview last year, 'jealous and bitter' as he begs for the family to be reunited Speaking about Samantha, he admitted he stopped talking to her years ago, describing her as 'negative' and 'hard to get along with', and added: 'I wouldn't believe anything that's written in there [her book on Meghan].' Thomas even recalled how their father begged Samantha to stop talking about Meghan, adding: 'He has even said to me "I wish Babe [Samantha's nickname] would shut her mouth already and be quiet".' And sending a message to Meghan, he added: 'My number one message for Meghan would be to reach out to her father. It would mean the world to him to be back in her life and be part of his grandchild's life.' Sending a message to Meghan, he added: 'My number one message for Meghan would be to reach out to her father. It would mean the world to him to be back in her life and be part of his grandchild's life.' Thomas Markle pictured in an interview last year Meghan was spotted yesterday as she kept a low profile in New York City during a quiet visit to the Big Apple this week Thomas Markle Jr also defended himself after he was arrested for driving under the influence last month, admitting that 'sometimes I drank a little too much but I'm not an alcoholic'. In an interview with DailyMail.com earlier this month, the window-fitter revealed he and fiancee Darlene Blount will tie the knot in March. The pair have been together for more than two years but have endured multiple alcohol-related incidents that have seen both arrested. Last week a letter written by the Duchess to her estranged father shortly after her wedding was revealed for the first time. In the anguished letter the Duchess said she was devastated by her her father's Thomas Markles public attacks on her and she penned the anguished letter begging him to patch up their differences privately. University Challenge fans have been left transfixed by the animated reactions of a brainy Oxford contestant dubbed a general knowledge 'machine'. History student Freddy Leo, from Berlin, wowed host Jeremy Paxman with his quickfire answers on everything from Sidney Poitier to linear accelerators on Monday night, but it was his dramatic buzzer pressing that really stole the show. Viewers couldn't help but notice Freddy's dramatic flourish each time he hit the buzzer in St Edmund 'Teddy' Hall's quarter final match against Emmanuel Cambridge. MichelleM tweeted: 'Is there an electric shock attached to that buzzer?' 'Show stealer': Freddy Leo, pictured wowed host Jeremy Paxman with his wide-ranging general knowledge but it was his body language that captured viewers' attention last night Rachel added: 'Do you think they have to replace the button every time St. Edmund Hall Leo has been on? Never seen anyone hit a button with such gusto.' While a third said the contestant's 'intensity' was 'scary in a good way'. And Ben Rogers tweeted: 'If this Leo guy hits his buzzer any more dramatically, he's going to get nominated for an NTA.' Freddy's impressive performance helped his team secure a 'magnificent' 190-point victory against their Cambridge counterparts who finished on 55, comfortably securing a place in the next round of quarter finals. University Challenge fans were left transfixed by the animated reactions of brainy Oxford contestant Freddy Leo (bottom row, second right) who has been dubbed a 'machine' Freddy's facial expressions during last night's show. He wowed host Jeremy Paxman with his wide-ranging general knowledge on everything from Sidney Poitier to linear accelerators Freddy Leo during Monday night's match. The History student was in his second year at Teddy Hall at the time of filming and spoke about the experience in a blog on the college's website Freddy's impressive performance helped his team secure a 'magnificent' 190-point victory against their Cambridge counterparts, securing a place in the next round of quarter finals The History undergraduate was in his second year at Teddy Hall at the time of filming and recently spoke about the experience in a blog on the college's website. 'I had some prior quizzing experience, having played for the Oxford University Quiz Society at past inter-collegiate tournaments,' Freddy said. 'For the show, I decided to brush up on my knowledge of the humanities, especially literature and fine arts. 'I consider myself extremely fortunate and privileged to have been able to captain such a knowledgeable, precocious and kind team. Overnight celebrity: Viewers couldn't help but notice his dramatic flourish when he hit the buzzer in St Edmund 'Teddy' Hall's quarter final match against Emmanuel Cambridge 'The entire experience was tremendously fun, and we really hope that will rub off on the viewers when the episode is aired.' It's not the first time that Freddy's UC performance has captured fans' attention; in last year he was denied a high-five in a toe-curling on-screen exchange. Viewers were left in stitches over the exchange, with one tweeting: 'Absolute scenes on University Challenge as Leo goes for a second high-five of the show, only to be fabulously ignored on this occasion.' A woman who was so self-conscious about her frizzy hair that she accidentally went bald trying to straighten it as a child has created a line of dolls with Afro hair to empower other little black girls. Widline Pyrame, 30, from Boston, Massachusetts, hated her appearance and wanted nothing more than to have the sleek locks she saw in magazines and on dolls. Aged nine, she was so determined to achieve her goal that she used her mother's hair relaxing products in a desperate attempt to straighten her locks - causing them to fall out. But now she is trying to help other black girls by creating Afro dolls to empower them to love their looks. Widline, who grew-up on Haiti before moving to Boston in 2002, said: 'I struggled with my self-esteem and confidence as a child. Widline Pyrame, 30, from Boston, Massachusetts, has created a line of dolls with Afros after struggling to accept her appearance as a child Widline's range of dolls all have Afro hair and she hopes they will inspire young girls who want toys that represent what they look like 'I thought I wasn't beautiful enough because of my dark skin and hair texture, which led me to want straight hair so badly - just like they did in the magazines - so I looked more like the dolls, with sleek locks. 'I used my mother's products all over my hair, hoping that it would be silky smooth. Instead it all fell out, and she was furious!' But everything changed when her uncle bought Widline and her sister Youselord a black doll to share. She added: 'One day my uncle got us a black doll to share. We were so shocked to see that one existed that we just stared at her in amazement.' While training to become a social worker, she became more aware of concepts like self-care and self-love and was determined to find a way of helping young black girls to avoid the negative self-image she had as a child. Remembering the positive impact her uncle's present had on her and her sister, she set out to make her own range of black dolls, each with a sumptuous Afro. Everything changed when her uncle bought Widline and her sister a black doll to share, and now she's determine to help other black girls learn to love their looks She said: 'I believe little girls seeing dolls that look just like them would help with the pressure of skin bleaching and the pressure to change their hair texture' She explained: 'When children are playing, they want to see something that represents themselves. 'I believe little girls seeing dolls that look just like them would help with the pressure of skin bleaching - which involves using a cosmetic cream or procedure to lighten the skin - and the pressure to change their hair texture. 'Many children, from India to the Dominican Republic, see darker skin as negative. We need more diversity and awareness in our early years to know that there's nothing wrong with different skin tones.' Widline, who spends up to a week designing the dolls and their clothing, has the outfits made up by a seamstress in Florida. She takes inspiration from African and Haitian cultural designs, with each of the dolls wearing traditional dresses, and sells them online for an average of $30 (23). One of the playthings' biggest fans is her niece, who loves it when her aunt gives her one as a present. She spends around a week designing the dolls and their clothing, taking inspiration from African and Haitian cultural designs, before selling them online for an average of $30 (23) Widline decided to start the project while training to become a social worker, as she became more aware of concepts like self-care and self-love Widline said: 'Her eyes light up when I give her one of her own, it's magical. It reminds me that we must love our uniqueness. 'I currently have four different dolls on offer. The first is Kenara, a Haitian girl who is all about celebrating the national flag and heritage. 'Malikalia is an African doll, whose name means angel. Adelaida is a bi-racial girl who represents the different backgrounds black girls come from, and Nevah is another Haitian doll who loves celebrating Haitian independence day on January 1 as it was the first black country to gain independence.' Although Widline's dolls are already very personal, she hopes to build on that by making bespoke dolls for her clients. She said: 'It would be a dream for me to learn how to sew the dresses myself and see my clients get the exact style they want. 'It would mean a lot for my customers and their children to feel represented as I didn't when I was little - even if it means just seeing different skin colours, clothing and hair texture. 'I want them to finally feel visible, comfortable and unique.' The most iconic foods and experiences in Australia have been named in the 2019 'Uniquely Aussie Awards'. Hosted by travel website Wotif, the awards were decided by thousands of Australians and aim to recognise the country's most loved travel experiences across six categories. These include the best roadside pitstop, the best sausage roll, the best main street, the best regional Chinese restaurant, the best fish and chips and the best swimming spot. Travel site Wotif put the vote to the people to find out the winners for six quintessentially Australian categories, such as best regional Chinese restaurant and number one fish and chips joint New South Wales dominated this year's awards, taking out three of the coveted six categories, while Queensland claimed two of the top spots and Victoria snapped up one award. 'Best swimming spot' was the most popular category, followed closely by 'best fish and chips' proving a swim, followed by a serving of potato scallops, is arguably one of the most enjoyable pastimes. 'They're the unique experiences we've all come to love and associate with a local getaway,' Wotif Managing Director, Daniel Finch said. 'You can't argue with the people's choice and we're thrilled to be able to shine a spotlight on these deserving local businesses and experiences, for all of Australia to enjoy.' New South Wales dominated this year's awards, taking out three of the coveted six awards, with Queensland claiming two of the top spots and Victoria rounding out the award winners Who won best sausage roll? Winner: Bourke Street Bakery, NSW 2. Port Elliot Bakery, SA 3. Yatala Pies, QLD 4. Denmark Bakery, WA 5. Jesters Pie, Wangara, WA 6. La Panella, Preston, VIC 7. Banjos Bakery, Latrobe, TAS 8. Orange Spot, Glenelg, SA 9. Barcaldine Bakery, QLD 10. Holbrook Bakery, Holbrook, NSW 11. Heritage Bakery, Milton, NSW Best Sausage Roll: Bourke Street Bakery (NSW) If it's one thing Aussies know, it's a good sausage roll. After 14 years in the business, Sydney favourite Bourke Street Bakery continues to transform the much-loved snack into a cult favourite. People are often willing to line up outside the cafe to get their hands on the treat. The sausage roll is made up of fennel, pork, garlic, brown onion, celery and carrots to make it stand out. Second place was given to Port Elliot Bakery in South Australia and Yatala Pies in Queensland was awarded third place. After 14 years in the business Sydney favourite Bourke Street Bakery continues to transform the much-loved sausage roll into a cult favourite Best Regional Chinese Restaurant: Toi Shan, Bendigo (VIC) Australians love a Chinese meal and it's often the number one dining out choice for young families. When you drive through regional towns they're not complete without at least one establishment serving this cuisine. As one of the oldest regional Chinese restaurants in Australia, there's no question Toi Shan know their stuff. Serving up Aussie favourites for over 110 years, drop by this Bendigo restaurant for your next spring roll fix. Runner-ups included White China in Bundaberg, Queensland and Beechworth Chinese in Victoria. As one of the oldest regional Chinese restaurants in Australia, there's no question Toi Shan know their stuff Best Roadside Pitstop: The Famous Berry Donut Van, Berry (NSW) On the main street of this quaint town on New South Wale's South Coast is a doughnut van that has proven to be extremely popular. It's so good that many Australians are going out of their way to detour to The Famous Berry Donut Van to get their hands on a generous serving of cinnamon doughnuts. Customers can also choose to buy ice cream as an accompaniment and there's also a variety of milkshakes and coffees. Runner-ups included Yatala Pies in Queensland and Oliver's Real Food in Gundagai, New South Wales. On the main street of this quaint town on New South Wale's South Coast is a donut van that has proven to be extremely popular and now famous isn't just in the name It's so good that Aussies are going out of their way to detour to The Famous Berry Donut Van to get their hands on a generous serving of cinnamon donuts Best Fish and Chips: Pelican Rocks Cafe, Greenwell Point (NSW) There is nothing more classically Australian than taking a box of fish and chips down to the beach. After being crowned the best fish and chips in New South Wales two years running, Pelican Rocks is no stranger to the spotlight when it comes to showing off their perfectly battered seafood favourites. Located on the south coast, the cafe has been around for over 35 years and offers delicious seafood baskets, fresh local fish and chips, vegetarian burgers, scallops and fresh prawns and oysters. Mures Lower Deck in Hobart, Tasmania, took out second place and The Fishmonger's Wife in Hamilton, Queensland, was given third. Runner-ups included Mures Lower Deck in Hobart, Tasmania and The Fishmonger's Wife in Hamilton, Queensland. After being crowned the best fish and chips in New South Wales two years running, Pelican Rocks are no strangers to the spotlight when it comes to showing off their perfectly battered seafood favourites Best Swimming Spot: Tallebudgera Creek, Gold Coast (QLD) Perfectly framed by Palm Beach on one side and Burleigh Heads National Park on the other, it's no wonder Tallebudgera Creek's sparkling waters have been named the best place for a dip in the country. According to Destination Gold Coast, Indigenous Australians used to call this suburb 'good fish' which is an apt name as Tallebudgera is best known for its sparkling creek. The campground is so popular generations of families return each summer to claim their favourite spot at the Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park which is perched on the edge of this estuary. Runner-ups included Currumbin Rockpools in Queensland and Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory. Perfectly framed by Palm Beach on one side and Burleigh Heads National Park on the other, it's no wonder Tallebudgera Creek's sparkling waters have been named the best place for a dip in the country According to Destination Gold Coast, Indigenous Australians used to call this suburb 'good fish' Best Main Street: Hastings Street, Noosa (QLD) Low-rise and leafy, the coastal town of Noosa Heads is popular with visitors from all over the world. The epicentre of one of Australia's most frequented getaway destinations, Hastings Street's laid back charm is what makes it the top choice for visitors and locals alike. The relaxed, pedestrian-friendly, beachside thoroughfare is a haven for visitors who flock to the resort accommodation, cosmopolitan cafes, designer shops and alfresco dining. Runner-ups included Mount Barket Road in Hahndorf, South Australia and Main Street in Mornington, Victoria. Low-rise and leafy, the coastal town of Noosa Heads is popular with visitors from all over the world Catherine Hughes (pictured with her late son Riley) has revealed the nasty remarks she received from cruel 'anti-vaxxer' trolls after her baby died of whooping cough The devastated mother of a four-week-old baby boy who tragically died from whooping cough has revealed the nasty remarks she received from cruel 'anti-vaxxer' trolls. Catherine Hughes and her husband Greg have been advocating for parents to get themselves and their kids immunised after their 32-day-old son Riley died just weeks before he could have his first vaccine against the preventable disease. The grieving parents, from Perth, were told if their newborn son had contracted the illness just weeks after getting his first round of vaccines, he would have survived. But in March 2015, little Riley lost his life. And instead of grieving in silence behind closed doors, the brave couple decided to share their heartbreaking story in an effort to encourage families to vaccinate. However, the mother said they have since been targeted by heartless anti-vaxxers, who have even gone far to make up bizarre allegations against them. 'We've been told that our son never existed, or that Riley's death was orchestrated by the health department in order to promote immunisation. We were even accused of murdering our child and blaming it on whooping cough to get away with it,' Ms Hughes wrote for 10 Daily. Catherine and her husband Greg started urging parents to get themselves and their kids immunised after their 32-day-old son Riley died just weeks before he could have his first vaccine against the preventable disease (pictured the heartbreaking moment the couple knew their son was going to die in March 2015) In a powerful piece, Ms Hughes said she believed her son Riley's tragic death is 'clearly an uncomfortable truth for anti-vax activists'. 'They are so unsettled at the thought that a baby can die from a disease they refuse to vaccinate their own children against, that they resort to these ludicrous conspiracy theories just to make themselves feel better,' she said. 'Inventing conspiracies and lying about a child's death does nothing to further their movement, it simply demonstrates their struggle to grasp basic reality.' Despite the horrible remarks, Ms Hughes said she and her husband will continue to advocate for immunisation in the hope their story would help prevent more children dying from the same disease that took their son's life. Her latest story comes after she shared a gut-wrenching picture of the moment she realised she was going to lose her little boy to whooping cough. The grieving parents, from Perth, were told if their newborn son had contracted the illness just weeks after getting his first round of vaccines, he would have survived Instead of grieving in silence behind closed doors, the brave parents decided to share their heartbreaking story in an effort to encourage families to vaccinate Riley - who was born on February 13, 2015 - died as a result of pneumonia-based complications arising from the disease. 'This is the moment my heart broke. This is the moment I realised you were unlikely to make it,' she wrote in June 2017 on the Light for Riley Facebook page, which she and her husband set up after the death of their son. 'This is the moment my life turned upside down. This is the moment I wanted to throw up in fear.' Ms Hughes said her stomach felt like it was 'filled with rocks' and her hands started to shake when the doctor told her Riley wasn't going to make it. 'I felt like someone had reached into my chest and gripped my heart tightly, squeezing it,' she previously told Kidspot. Ms Hughes said she didn't think the tragedy could occur to her family as they had always been supportive of vaccination. 'I felt shocked. Shocked that I wouldn't be taking home my baby. Shocked that I would never look into his beautiful blue eyes ever again,' she said. Riley tragically died as a result of pneumonia-based complications arising from the disease But despite thinking her life would be destroyed by her son's death, she said she has managed to persevere through the immense pain. 'I still have bad hours, and bad days, but I know that it's important to appreciate that fact that I am still alive. Riley didn't get his chance at a good life, and I will not waste mine,' she said. Ms Hughes gave birth to daughter Lucy in August 2016 - 17 months after her little boy Riley passed away, which left her with a wave of conflicting emotions. 'The day we found out Lucy was a girl, I was hit with a huge wave of different feelings. More grief, knowing that I will probably never have a son again,' Ms Hughes explained. 'Relief, thinking it would be easier for me to hold a baby girl after the loss of a boy.' A shocked mum has slammed Kmart after discovering a 'rude and graphic' depiction of male genitalia on her child's toy and is now calling for it to be banned. Before going on a family trip to the zoo mum-of-five Tanya Husnu, 33, thought it would be a great idea for her kids to bring along some animal toys for their special day out. The professional blogger headed to her local department store in Melbourne, Australia, where she let her three youngest children Aylah, three, and twins Hakan and Osman, four, pick out their own plastic animal toys. Scroll down for video A shocked mum has slammed Kmart after discovering a 'rude and graphic' depiction of male genitalia on her child's toy and is now calling for it to be banned Tanya Husnu, 33, was shocked when one of the toys had a depiction of male genitalia 'We went into Kmart and my three youngest picked out their own toys. They were all really happy with them,' she said. 'Then one of the twins turned the lion around, and my daughter yelled out 'look mum, the lion's got a willy' and they all started laughing.' On closer inspection, the mum realised that the lion toy which according to Kmart's website is aimed at children aged three and upwards - had a 'graphic' depiction of male genitalia hidden under the animal's tail, while the other two plastic toys did not. 'I thought it was really inappropriate. In this day and age, it's not acceptable to have things like that on children's toys,' Ms Husnu said. 'I buy a lot of toys, and my house is full of toys. But I've never seen anything like this before. It's so stupid and just plain weird.' 'Then one of the twins turned the lion around, and my daughter yelled out 'look mum, the lion's got a willy' and they all started laughing,' she said On closer inspection, the mum realised that the lion toy had a 'graphic' depiction of male genitalia hidden under the animal's tail Tanya said it was 'shocking' to see and added that although her kids understand the basic differences between the male and female anatomy, such a 'graphic' depiction should not be allowed on toys aimed at children as young as three. 'I was really shocked. I mean it's funny as well and you can't help but laugh but it's still just not appropriate for a child's toy that is on full display in the kids' section,' Ms Husnu said. This being said, the mother said her children thought it was hilarious and would show strangers at the zoo the 'lion's bits' as they walked past. The mum has urged Kmart to consider taking this toy off the shelves. The excited kids picked out an elephant, hippopotamus and lion toy for $5 each from the store but Ms Husnu was shocked when her kids started questioning her about the graphic 'willy' on the lion 'I thought it was really inappropriate. In this day and age, it's not acceptable to have things like that on children's toys,' Ms Husnu said 'Some kids will probably know what it is especially when they have siblings around the same age, and yes as some have said they will need to learn what it is at some stage,' she said. 'But that's really the parent's decision. For kids who are not aware what that might be, it's really quite rude.' Ms Husnu said that although she is an easy-going parent and is open to explaining the 'facts of life' and 'where babies come from', some parents might want to wait to have that conversation. Tanya said it was 'shocking' to see and added that although her kids understand the basic differences between the male and female anatomy, such a 'graphic' depiction should not be allowed on toys aimed at children as young as three This being said, the mother said her children thought it was hilarious and would show strangers at the zoo the 'lion's bits' as they walked past She added that some may be unhappy that their kids are exposed to 'that kind of thing' at such a young age. 'If I only had a little girl for instance, I wouldn't want her seeing what men's private parts look like at that age,' she said. 'I don't know what they were thinking. It's not on any of the others, so it just doesn't make sense why it's just on the lion, it's bizarre. 'I definitely think Kmart should look at removing this toy from the shelves.' Kmart has been contacted for comment. It's no secret that preparing your meals for the week can save you time and money in the long run. And mother-of-two Nicole Knight is certainly testament to that, spending $150-$200 (80-100) a week on prepping 22 meals as well as healthy snacks, nappies and baby formula for her family. 'I started a couple of years ago because I wanted to hold myself accountable to eating healthy,' the 25-year-old from Queensland's Sunshine Coast told FEMAIL. Mother-of-two Nicole Knight spends just $150-$200 a week prepping 22 meals as well as purchasing healthy snacks, nappies and baby formula for her family Miss Knight's boyfriend Adam eats the same meals as she does but she treats her two-year-old son Aspen to his own because he can 'be quite fussy' 'Generally on Sundays I like to plan my meals and write a shopping list accordingly. I then either shop at a fruit and veg store, butchers, markets or your typical grocery store. 'Once home I write a list of what I need to do whilst prepping. I try to write this list in order, for example each element in the meals like cooking rice/pasta or preparing certain meats. 'I either find recipes online or use my own. I divide the meals into containers once cooked and store them accordingly (fridge or freezer). Most meals last 3-4 days in the fridge depending on their contents.' 'My favourite cheap meals to make are things like pasta bakes, Sheppard's pie, lasagnes and spaghetti bolognese,' she explained 'Generally on Sundays I like to plan my meals and write a shopping list accordingly. I then either shop at a fruit and veg store, butchers, markets or your typical grocery store,' she said What are Nicole's best tips for getting started? Start small, don't overwhelm yourself with lots of meals If you're just starting out, make larger portions of dinner and use these across a couple days Choose easy recipes that don't take too long Choose versatile ingredients that can be used across different meals Plan all your meals + Write a shopping list and shop accordingly Cook foods all at once - for example roasting veggies and cooking meats in the oven at once can cut back on time. Mix it up - it gets boring eating the same meal every day Don't forget to invest in containers to divide all your meals up into Enjoy the freedom and extra time it gives you during the week Miss Knight's boyfriend Adam eats the same meals as she does but she treats her two-year-old son Aspen to his own because he can 'be quite fussy'. 'My favourite cheap meals to make are things like pasta bakes, Shepherd's pie, lasagnes and spaghetti bolognese,' she explained. These are cheap to make and you can 'put heaps of extra vegetables in them'. 'When I meal prep I like to make my two-year-old one meal. I use this for his dinners for the week, a good example would be spaghetti bolognese, because I can hide lots of veggies in this,' she said. 'I then make his lunch every day. For my partner and I, I choose three different meals and within these three different meals I make six servings of each. 'This gets us lunch and dinner from Monday to Thursday with Friday being a free meal day. 'I like to make three different meals so we can pick and rotate for lunch or dinner. Her youngest child, Zephi, is still drinking milk on its own and therefore doesn't need any extra meals made for her Miss Knight said for those just getting started in the art of meal prepping they should start small with the variety of meals they create (pictured is a recipe she shared) 'Any leftover I freeze - this gives us ready-made meals in the freezer if we ever need them.' Her youngest child, Zephi, is still drinking milk on its own and therefore doesn't need any extra meals made for her. Miss Knight said for those just getting started in the art of meal prepping they should start small with the variety of dishes they create. If it's easier you can just create bigger portions at dinnertime and save that for lunch the next day. If it's easier you can just create bigger portions at dinner time and save that for lunch the next day Previously, Miss Knight spoke to FEMAIL about how high intensity training helped her maintain her physique post-birth Previously, Miss Knight spoke to FEMAIL about how high intensity training helped her maintain her physique post-birth. 'Before falling pregnant I would workout 3-5 times a week doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training). During my pregnancy, I continued to stay active and would still aim to exercise 3-5 times a week; whether it was a walk or a session at the gym,' she explained. 'Post-baby I waited until I got the all clear from my doctor at my six-week checkup to begin exercising again. Before I got the all clear I would still try to walk a couple times a week. 'Exercise can do wonders for both physical health and your mental health. Even a quick 10-minute walk around the block can brighten up your day.' Instagram influencers are known for trickery such as buying clothes for photos before sending them back, and posing in fake private jets, but now another tactic has emerged in the form of renting lavish props. Andrey Malakhov, 47, a TV presenter on one of Russians most popular channels, revealed this week on Instagram that he'd rented a bouquet of white roses for his wife Natalia Shkuleva on Valentine's Day. Malakhov admitted that he returned the flowers after posting a loved up picture with his wife on social media page. His admission may have come as a surprise to followers, as Malakhov regularly flaunts his lavish lifestyle with Shkuleva, 38, who is the publisher of Russian Elle magazine and the daughter of a prominent media mogul. But it seems that this may be a regular move for Malakhov who said in another post that he also plans to renting bags from two luxurious jewellery brands for another photo shoot on International Women's Day. Andrey Malakhov, 47, a TV presenter on one of Russians most popular TV channels revealed this week on his Instagram that he rented a bunch of white flowers for his wife Natalia Shkuleva on Valentine's Day, after posting a picture of them The TV presenter posted the picture on his Instagram for his 2.3 million followers, writing: 'A white-rose bouquet, showing my love in every petal.' The TV presenter posted the picture on his Instagram for his 2.3 million followers, writing: 'A white-rose bouquet, showing my love in every petal.' He added: 'We rented out the bouquet for a photo shoot on Valentine's Day.' Malakhov even thanked his wife for saving money from the family's budget by renting the flowers instead of buying them. He isn't alone with his online fakery, with many relying on imitations on their accounts from posing with pop up private jets and buying clothes only to take them back after they've snapped them on social media. The presenter (right) said in another post that he also plans on renting bags from two luxurious jewellery brands for another photoshoot on International Women's Day The couple regularly post lavish pictures of themselves - on glamorous holidays, dressed up at parties and enjoying their lifestyle His followers praised the Russian's honesty, with one commenting: 'At least he was honest. Good job.' While another added: 'Haha. Renting luxury shopping bags, this is a brilliant idea. I think I will do it.' Malakhov has been in TV for 25 years working for the country's main network 'Channel One'. He rose to fame as the host of the popular show Let Them Talk. Natalia is the publisher of the Russian magazines Elle and Marie Clair while her father Victor Shkulev is a famous media mogul and president of Hearst Shkulev Media Andrey has been in TV for 25 years working for the country's main network 'Channel One'. He rose to fame as the host of the popular show Let Them Talk Andrey Malakhov, 47, married Natalia in a luxurious wedding ceremony in Versailles in France in 2011 The couple regularly post lavish pictures of themselves - on glamorous holidays, dressed up at parties and enjoying their lifestyle. His wife Natalia is the publisher of the Russian magazines Elle and Marie Clair while her father Victor Shkulev is a famous media mogul and president of Hearst Shkulev Media. Andrey married Natalia in a luxurious wedding ceremony in Versailles in France in 2011. They have a son named Alexander born in November 2017. A shopper has slammed PrettyLittleThing after she received a child's cardigan from a completely different store instead of the jumper she ordered. Twitter user Heather Lacey, 19, from Retford in Nottinghamshire, vented her frustration on social media after she was sent an aged 6-7 girls Ladybird cardigan rather than fisherman cropped jumper. Attacking the retail giant, she tweeted: 'right there's being sent something to big or doesn't look the same as the photo.. then there's sending a child's f****** cardigan, plt wtf you playing at! (sic)'. PrettyLittleThing doesn't sell children's clothes or items from other brands, so it seems that the mishap could have been the result of a rogue returner sending back the cardigan instead of the clothing they had purchased. Instead of getting the jumper she ordered, Hevs was sent an aged 6-7 girls ladybird cardigan Attacking the retail giant, she wrote: 'right there's being sent something to big or doesn't look the same as the photo.. then there's sending a child's f**king cardigan, plt wtf you playing at!' Hevs Lacey ordered this cropped pink jumper in medium from fashion giant PrettyLittleThing She attached a screenshot of her order for a 12 cropped jumper, and the cardigan she received instead. The knitwear was from the completely separate brand Ladybird with the company's label still in place but it now has a PrettyLittleThing tag attached. The tweet, which has racked up more than 600 likes since being shared last week, has been met with a plethora of replies. One person wrote: 'Oh my GOD hahahahaha I dont think even Im this unlucky! WTF has gone on there'. Another said: 'Woow does Ladybird even still exist??' A third added: 'Dying. Oh my god!' Speaking to Femail, Heather said: 'I ordered it for Valentines day so paid for next day delivery so I could try on before the day but obviously got the cardigan which was just strange. 'I use PLT a lot but as its usual been good, but this has put me off using again.' The knitwear was from the completely separate brand Ladybird with the company's label still in place but it now has a PrettyLittleThing tag attached Hevs (pictured) said she had 'no words' for the online shopping fail from the company The tweet, which has racked up more than 600 likes since being shared last week, has been met with a plethora of replies Femail has contacted PrettyLittleThing and Ladybird for a comment. It comes just days after a shopper was left shocked after discovering a pair of 15 Primark jeans on sale in TK Maxx for double the price at 29.99. Richard Foster has been shopping at the stores Ilford branch when he spotted the overpriced jeans and took to Facebook to share his discovery. Posting in the group TK MAXX Gallery of Horrors he wrote: '29.99 for Primarks finest in Ilford.' He then shared a snap of the men's skinny 38 waist 32 leg denims from the budget high street brand. A TK Maxx customer was left in shock after spotting a pair of 15 Primark jeans on sale in TK Maxx for double the price Richard Foster has been shopping at the stores Ilford branch when he spotted the overpriced jeans and took to Facebook to share his discovery The sales tag on the garment at TK Maxx in east London, said 29.99 reduced from an RRP of 85. Speaking to the MailOnline a spokesperson for TK Maxx claimed that this is likely due to a 'fraudulent' return. They said: 'At TK Maxx, conducting our business with integrity means everything to us and we take great pride in offering our customers great value on high quality brand-name products. Twitter user @SophiaCK from the US took the retailer to task over a plus-size jacket which was ridiculously over-sized in a series of hilarious tweets. She is the latest in a string of shoppers to have been left disappointed with the clothes they received from PrettyLittleThing She shopper ordered an oversized 60 red coat expecting expecting a statement piece for winter. But the garment she received was so large it left her drowning in fabric, pictured Twitter users were quick to offer their playful takes on the jacket, with one saying it could be a re-purposed Elmo costume 'Unfortunately, from time to time a customer may return an item to our store fraudulently. While our store associates are trained to spot this, occasionally a mistake occurs. Hevs criticism is not the first PrettyLittleThing has endured in recent months. In January, twitter user @SophiaCK ordered an oversized 60 red coat expecting expecting a statement piece for winter. But when she received the garment it appeared to be at least three times too big, drowning her in fabric. She shared a hilarious side-by-side comparison of herself in the coat alongside the model in the coat with the tweet: 'The very rare occasion when the plus size item you ordered online is way bigger than expected,' later adding: 'Who wore it better?' An author is on a mission to ditch the princesses' in the hope it will encourage young girls to 'break out of stereotypes'. Dubai-based author Jos Dirkx, 31, believes children's books are often one-dimensional in their portrayal of women and wants parents to promote 'conscious storytelling' instead. While tales of princesses and knights on white horses are as old as time, Jos argues they do not always reflect 'modern values' nor the type of role models children should look up to. 'Though theres nothing wrong with keeping some traditional stories around - after all, the goal is to make space for everyone - we do want to create as much space for as many different kinds of stories as possible,' Jos told MailOnline. The campaigner has made it her mission to integrate 'inclusive and diverse stories to build trust, understanding, empathy and confidence'. Jos Dirkx, pictured, believes children's books are all too often one-dimensional in their portrayal of women and wants instead to promote' conscious storytelling' 'By leveraging inclusive and holistic stories that have the power to inspire, spark curiosity and build diverse communities, we can help both girls and boys understand that there are so many ways for them to be and that old rules dont necessarily support new ambitions,' she said. Here, Jos reveals why she thinks our children's books should undergo a much-needed makeover. What is a 'good girl'? 'A "good" girl used to mean being a nice girl,' says Jos. 'A quiet girl. A girl who played by the rules, didnt speak up, and didnt challenge the system. 'We consciously need to re-write the narrative about what being 'good' means. It's about doing your own version of good. 'Girls aren't good. They aren't bad. They're girls. And we can all do our own version of good to change our world bit by bit. So how can the stories you read help create inclusive and safe spaces for boys and girls?' Tell honest stories 'For pretty much all of us, life is not a fairy tale. We go through our own struggles, challenges and difficult decisions - the sooner we are able to hear different versions of the truth, the better we are equipped to deal with the challenges that lie ahead. 'So, be mindful that you share real-life stories of superheroes struggling, changing the world and being their authentic self. Allow kids to explore success and failure and relate to others who have done the same. Jos, pictured, has made it her mission to integrate 'inclusive and diverse stories to build trust, understanding, empathy and confidence' You cant be what you cant see 'Telling kids stories that feature diverse characters and personalities is crucial to their understanding of the world - its through these narratives they are able to find new ways to relate not only to the environment around them, but also to others that share the same space. 'One of the reasons we have perpetuated the tale of the princess and the knight is because this is the only narrative we believed we had access to. It is the narrative too many of us seemingly trusted and understood. 'Have you ever thought about what would happen if you changed the identity or gender of characters in existing fairy tales while reading them out loud to your kids? 'Its our responsibility to show kids that there are countless ways to "be", that there are countless ways in which their positive spirit and energy can change the world.' Jos Dirkx is the author of new illustrated children's book Girls Do Good, pictured Theres no right answer 'This isnt about one character being better than another. Its about choice, about variety and diversity, and its about acceptance. 'The last thing we need to focus on is whether a character like Mulan is a stronger character choice than Cinderella. 'That type of restrictive thinking still does not allow us to get to the root cause of what we are trying to do, which is to make stories for all different kinds, featuring all different kinds of characters. 'The most important thing we can do is show versatile, fun and different characters, that each tell their own tale of success and change and that dont necessarily fit into a specific, predefined box.' Overhauling the fairytale 'Lets re-define the fairytale. Maybe it can go something like this... Once upon a time, there was a young girl who decided the one-dimensional view of a princess was no longer the only way to be. 'She wanted to show kids around the world all the wonderful ways to be powerful, strong and fun. She wanted to explore what it might mean if fairy tales were re-written to feature all kinds of heroes. 'Most importantly, she wanted to be her own hero. Perhaps not your typical fairy-tale, is it?' Jos Dirkx is the author of Girls Do Good: A Colourful Guide to Changing the World with Stories of Real-life Superheroes, available now on amazon.co.uk. Find out more at girlsdogood.co Sixteen countries, four continents, less than one year. This is the incredible travel itinerary of billionaire heiress Chryseis Tan, who shares her enviable jet-setting lifestyle with more than 220,000 followers on Instagram. Chryseis, the daughter of Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan (net worth USD$1.2billion), reveals on her bio that she has one simple wish: 'I want to travel the world'. Billionaire heiress Chryseis Tan shares her enviable jet-setting lifestyle, always via a private plane, with more than 220,000 followers on Instagram Chryseis, the daughter of Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan (net worth USD$1.2billion), reveals on her bio that she has one simple wish: 'I want to travel the world' The socialite has traveled across Asia and Europe and back again multiple times this year, with stints in the US and Africa as well And the 29-year-old socialite has done just that in 2017, travelling across Asia to Europe and back again multiple times, with stints in the US and Africa as well. Chryseis, who is based in Kuala Lumpar, kicked off the year in Dubai with her partner Faliq Nasimuddin. The pair, who began dating in 2014, shared similar childhoods. Faliq is the son of late billionaire businessman Tan Sri Nasimuddin Amin. After riding camels during a desert safari, Chryseis jetted off to Bangkok and Beijing before heading to Modena in Italy at the beginning of March. Chryseis, who is based in Kuala Lumpar, kicked off the year in Dubai with her partner Faliq Nasimuddin She happily enjoyed some juice while watching a falcon show during a desert safari Chryseis and Faliq, who began dating in 2014, shared similar childhoods. Faliq is the son of late billionaire businessman Tan Sri Nasimuddin Amin It was there that she and Faliq enjoyed every dessert available at the famous Osteria Francescana - currently voted the best restaurant in the world. The Italian eatery, which has three Michelin stars, has a 250 12-course tasting menu and charges 30 for each of its six desserts. Chryseis toured through Maranello, Florence, and Milan before heading back toward Asia just in time to see the famous cherry blossom trees in Tokyo. The heiress, one of 11 children, makes her family reunions an excuse to travel as well - first heading to Seoul, Korea to be with her mother and then touring Nara and Kyoto in Japan with her sister. Hydra, an island in Greece, was just one of the places these lovebirds visited in 2017 The pair also made their way to Osteria Francescana - currently voted the best restaurant in the world - in Modena, Italy Chryseis then headed back to Asia and visited Tokyo to see the famous cherry blossom trees She started off her trip in the US with a visit to Miami's famous South Beach area Chryseis then headed to Hong Kong, where the foodie enjoyed the likes of caviar pasta, uni truffle fried dough, and black truffle pizza at the lavish Vea Restaurant and Lounge - where the tasting menu starts at $190 per person. She returned home to Malaysia for her mum's birthday, and then took a pit stop in Singapore before heading for the States. It was there that Chryseis and a group of her glamorous friends enjoyed the likes of Miami, San Francisco and Napa in California, and a vacation in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Chryseis then headed back to Europe in June. In one cheeky Instagram post, she donned a jacket that read 'Paris-Tokyo' and asked her followers where they thought she was headed next. It was then off to the Turks and Caicos Islands for a dip in its famous turquoise beaches The glamorous heiress took a slew of Instagram shots in various fashionable bathing suits Chryseis loves a good beach vacation and later this year headed to a resort in Thailand And if the beaches in Greece and Thailand weren't enough, Chryseis also stopped by Bali The answer was Paris, of course, with a trip to Vienna as well before she and Faliq headed to Morocco at the end of the month. It was there that her longtime partner dropped down on one knee, proposing in Marrakesh with a sign made of blossoms that read: 'Will you marry me?' Chryseis then hopped back onto a private jet - her transportation of choice - before stints in Phuket, a return to Kyoto, and then a holiday in Switzerland. It was then off to Barcelona and the famous El Celler de Can Roca restaurant in Girona, boasting three Michelin stars and dinners starting at $180 per person. But the couple are fans of romantic cities as well, visiting Vienna, Austria in June Later that month the couple visited Marrakesh, where Faliq proposed to Chyrseis Chryseis recently showed off her enviable rock as she displayed her Gucci-inspired manicure Chyseis is a big fan of fine dining and headed to Barcelona and the famous El Celler de Can Roca restaurant in Girona (pictured) Chryseis then basked in the sun in Greece and Bali, where she partied with Leona Lewis, before heading to Jakarta, Indonesia and the Shanghai Disney Resort. Although it may seem like Chryseis is a professional traveller, the heiress is actually a businesswoman in her own right. She is the CEO of Berjaya Times Square, Malaysia's largest inner-city shopping mall, and the executive director of Berjaya Assets Bhd. Chryseis has also invested in two restaurants in her native Malaysia, as well as the app Goxip - which allows users to take a picture of celebrities' clothes on social media and instantly get connected to sites where they can find similar styles. The busy businesswoman, whose life is filled with meetings, weddings, and plenty of amazing fashion opportunities, is currently in Hong Kong. But there's no doubt she'll stay true to the promise she made on one Instagram shot: 'I know I say this all the time but...off again!' Although it may seem like Chryseis is a professional traveler, the heiress is actually a businesswoman in her own right She is the CEO of Berjaya Times Square, Malaysia's largest inner-city shopping mall and the executive director of Berjaya Assets Bhd Hondas decision to shut down its plant in Swindon after 30 years as a major local employer may not be directly motivated by Brexit but by wider problems in global car manufacturing. However, yesterdays move by the Japanese carmaker could hardly have come at a worse time. No one in the industry doubts that uncertainty over Brexit is having a chilling effect on production. Fears surrounding our departure helped to halve fresh investment in the sector last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The Honda plant in Swindon (pictured) will be shut down after 30 years in operation The move to close the Swindon plant (pictured in 1998) may be linked to wider problems in the motor industry as well as Brexit The closure of the plant, set to happen in 2022, will put 'around 3,500 jobs' at risk Overseas investors such as Honda have, in the past three decades, rebuilt the British car industry after it was driven to the brink of annihilation in the 1970s by rabid trade union activity. Now they are in flight. Nissan is cancelling plans to build its new X-Trail SUV at its Sunderland factory. US giant Ford, which employs 13,000 workers in Britain, describes the potential consequences of No Deal as catastrophic, while the boss of Jaguar Land Rover, which is cutting UK jobs, has issued a string of dire warnings. Nissan has also scaled back UK production by cancelling construction of its new X-Trail SUV at its Sunderland factory Ford has said the potential consequences of a no deal Brexit are 'catastrophic' for the industry Jaguar Land Rover, which is cutting UK jobs, has also issued warnings about a no deal Brexit Brexiteers will, of course, accuse these firms of crying wolf. Maybe but that doesnt mean there are no wolves out there. And it is a tragedy that the very companies which helped to bring about a remarkable renaissance in the British car industry have become the collateral damage in the chaos of our impending departure from the EU. It is yet one more problem to contend with in a troubled industry that faces plummeting demand for diesel cars, a slump in the vast Chinese market, and fears that Donald Trump may impose punishing tariffs on vehicles imported into the US. In Germany, a country synonymous with the production of sleek, super-reliable driving machines sold worldwide, the decline in the auto industry is actually stalling the economy. The car manufacturing industry is in trouble as the younger Uber generation are less fixated on car ownership than their parents were and demand for diesel cars plummets The industry is also dealing with the lifestyle choices of the Uber generation: city-dwelling, environmentally-conscious young people who are less fixated on car ownership than their parents were. So a state of emergency would prevail even without Brexit, and the threat of No Deal makes us an even less attractive place to invest in troubled times. A new British political movement was born yesterday. Such rare events tend to be cheery, giddy occasions that call for jubilation and congratulatory back-slapping. However, on this dank Monday morning, we witnessed little by way of celebration. No Cuban cigars being flamed up, no vintage bottles of Pommery popping. Instead, the mood inside a cramped room on Westminster Bridge squashed in like pilchards we were was one of deepest gloom. Long faces all round. You would more likely find a perkier atmosphere in the waiting room at Dignitas. Former British Labour party MP Chuka Umunna speaking at the Independent Group Party launch and press conference in London, where seven MP's announced their resignation from the Labour Party, and the formation of a new independent group of MPs We were pre-warned that a group of disenfranchised Labour MPs had resigned to form the Independent Group with a view to starting their own party. Which lacklustre spark dreamt up that name? It sounds like a mid-market insurance provider. In they filed, one by one. Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Ann Coffey. As a newcomer to the parliamentary estate, I confess Id never heard of Gavin Shuker. Judging by some of the befuddled looks around the room when he took his seat, I may not have been alone. This was hardly a group of political colossi. They possess none of the intellectual vigour or cross-party appeal of Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams or any of the other so-called Gang of Four who deserted Labour to form the SDP. But their collective message was no less devastating: Under Jeremy Corbyn, Labour has become a toxic stink-hole of bullying and bigotry. We could not put up with it any longer. Brave is a much overused word around these parts, but considering the backlash they now face from Labours unpleasant forces, their decision took considerable guts. It is also worth noting there was an inherent decency to the proceedings throughout. Ms Berger (Liverpool Wavertree), who is heavily with child, rose to the lectern first. Glossy-maned and dressed sombrely in all black, she mistakenly introduced herself as a Labour MP. Cue stifled giggles among the audience and her sudden realisation that her actions meant she was no longer a Labour MP. Luciana has had a rough old time in recent years. Of all the abuse Corbyns rabble have flung, on social media and elsewhere, shes had to endure the most acrid. Remarks about her Jewish ancestry and her unborn baby. Horrid, evil stuff. So it is understandable if she was a tad emotional. At one point, her hands were shakier than a whippet. Labour MP Chuka Umunna looks on as Angela Smith answers questions after announcing her resignation from the Labour Party at a press conference I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party, she declared. I have come to the sickening conclusion that it is institutionally anti-Semitic. Mr Leslie (Nottingham East), a rampant Remainer whos still harping on about a second referendum, announced that enough was enough. The Labour Party that we joined, that we campaigned for and believed in, is no longer todays Labour Party, he said. We did everything that we could to save it. But it has now been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard-Left. Wobbly-voiced Ms Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) treated us to a syrupy meander through her upbringing. She spoke of how her parents raised her on working-class values that she said were no longer reflected in Corbyns party. Instead, it was characterised by intolerance and fuelled by hatred of anything other than a hard-Left agenda and was unfit for government. Mr Gapes (Ilford South), a staunch Labour man since 1968, said he was sickened Labour is now a racist and anti-Semitic party. As for its leader, he added, his voice briny with disgust: A Corbyn government would threaten our national security and our international alliances. Poor old Gapes. He looked so shattered when he sat back down that, for a fleeting moment, I thought he might break down and blub. Mr Shuker (Luton South), a lively, eager-to-please creature who was once a worker ant for London Mayor Sadiq Khan, said Labour had turned its back on the British public. No doubt he meant every word. But there was a nagging suspicion he was delighted to just be there being noticed. Mr Umunna (Streatham) his suit neatly cut and head as shiny as a cue ball was last up. He wore none of the remorse of his colleagues. You got the feeling the ambitious ex-lawyer has been itching for this breakaway moment for quite some time. The most charismatic member of the group was in Year Zero mode. Britain, he said, has had enough of old-fashioned politics. Time for something new. What it needed, he never quite spelt out. More Chuka, Im sure is what he meant. We got a lot about how terrible Labour has become, but little of what the Independent Group would be about. Did they expect recruits to join soon? Did they plan to target the forthcoming by-election in Newport West? They were keeping schtum. Except that they will hold their first formal meeting this week. Presumably a discussion will have to be raised at some point over who will lead this eclectic gaggle of political nomads. Judging by the puckish grin he afforded himself on his way out, we were left in little doubt who smoothychops Chuka thought it should be. Man in US Illegally Charged with Rape of Minor By West Kentucky Star Staff MCCRACKEN COUNTY - A man is facing multiple counts of rape in McCracken County.According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Office, on Feb. 10, deputies began investigating a report of sexual assault. Deputies say a 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on three different occasions between March and May of 2016 by Andres Villarrealmercado.According to deputies, Villarrealmercado is in the United States illegally.Villarrealmercado was arrested Friday without incident and charged with three counts of first-degree rape. He was lodged in the McCracken County Jail on a $100,000 bond. @ChescoCourtNews on Twitter Michael P. Rellahan has been a staff reporter and editor at the Daily Local News since 1982. He has covered all kinds of news over the years but is now assigned to report on court and legal news, as well as Chester County government news and politics. You are the owner of this article. The following items are based on information provided by officials in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. ELLENVILLE, N.Y. World War II veteran George Slutsky, 94, still shows up to work every Monday through Saturday at Slutsky Lumber, a lumberyard he founded in 1959. Slutsky who was in the U.S. Army Air Forces, a predecessor to the current Air Force served as a navigator for 24 bombing missions aboard B-24s during the Battle of the Bulge, the last major offensive by Nazi Germany against Allied forces on the Western Front in Europe in late 1944 and early 1945. His service earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross. - Advertisement - As he finished waiting on a customer Monday in the small office at the lumberyard, just feet from the home where he grew up and still lives, Slutsky said he chose the Army Air Forces because it offered the best postwar career opportunities. Slutsky was called to duty in 1943 and spent several months training at bases in Missouri, Wisconsin, California and Texas. He soon discovered that flying made him sick "I got airsick, especially during gunnery training," he said but he didn't have much trouble in combat because he flew at 20,000 to 25,000 feet, and "there was no turbulence." During his final training, in Pueblo, Colo., Slutsky met pilot George Wallis, who flew all the combat missions of which Slutsky was a part. And though Wallis lives in Montana, the two men have stayed in touch, Slutsky said. "I think we're the last members of our crew who are still alive," he said. Slutsky said he had no idea where he was being sent when his unit sailed out of Camp Myles Standish in Massachusetts. But using his navigational training, a sextant and the stars, Slutsky said he determined they were heading for England. Sure enough, they arrived in Southhampton, then boarded a train for Bungay, England, where the 446th Bombardment Group was based. Slutsky recalled a briefing at which commanders pulled a cloth off a map to reveal targets plotted along a line. He said the they then took the group members' wallets and issued each a .45-caliber pistol and a parachute. From then on, their only identification was their dog tags. Slutsky said his crew's bombing targets often consisted of railroad yards and roads, and he shared an aerial photograph showing a target in Germany that the 446th bombed on Feb. 24, 1945. "During the Battle of the Bulge, we were keeping them (Nazi forces) from supplying troops reaching the front," Slutsky said. The main threat from the enemy came from ground-based anti-aircraft guns, because "the German air force was pretty much wiped out," Slutsky said. After helping another customer Monday, Slutsky recalled a mission where his plane took off under "ten tenths" cloud cover, the worst possible, according to military metrics. This forced the B-24 to climb and climb to get above the clouds as the crew watched out for other planes, above, below and off to the side, Slutsky said. He said one of the other two navigators on the B-24 was using then-new radar technology. "I didn't have much faith in it; it was just becoming used," he said. When it was time to head back to the base, Wallis told his crew the B-24 didn't have enough fuel to make it, Slutsky recalled. "We'd burned extra fuel climbing and climbing, and we had a full load of bombs and everyone aboard," he said. The only option was to land at a friendly airport in Brussels, Belgium, that had just come under enemy attack, Slutsky said. Threats abounded from German planes and nearby infantry, he said. The B-24 landed safely, but "they didn't let us off the plane," Slutsky said. "I was glad we were in territory that was in U.S. hands." Another time, "we had several small flak holes in the plane" from enemy fire, he said, but he and his fellow crew members came out of their missions largely unscathed. "We were just fortunate there were no major problems," Slutsky said. Press Release, Oxford, Conn. February 19th, 2019 The D-Day Squadron, part of the Tunison Foundation, today announced that Kevin Riley, United States Coast Guard Flight Safety Officer and MH-60T pilot, will fill the role of Technical and Flight Safety Coordinator participating as a volunteer in the Squadrons mission. This mission, to return C-47 and DC-3 aircraft to Normandy, France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, is one that Kevin connects with on a personal level. I grew up around older veterans and quickly developed a fascination with aviation, he shared. And today I want to honor the veterans that flew in the C-47s, one of which was my Grandfathers brother. We need to realize that this was not an enjoyable experience for the 18-20-year-old pilots, crews and paratroopers that lifted off into the night to kick-off one of the most climatic battles in history. And in June of 2019, we will have the unprecedented opportunity to transform swords into plowshares by paying tribute to these heroes in a peaceful context using the same machines they once rode into war. Thats why Im so excited to be joining the D-Day Squadron in this effort to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey for these aircraft across the Atlantic. Kevin will be stewarding the fleet of C-47 and DC-3 aircraft as they transit the original Blue Spruce route, used to ferry warbirds during the Second World War. The Squadron will depart from Oxford, Connecticut (KOXC); stopping to refuel in Goose Bay Airport (CYYR) in Newfoundland, Canada, Narsarsuaq Airport (BGBW) in southern Greenland, Reykjavik Airport (BIRK) in Iceland and refueling a final time at Prestwick Airport (EPIK) on the Western coast of Scotland before making the final leg to Duxford Airfield (EGSU) north of London. Once at Duxford, the Squadron will join its European counterpart, Daks over Normandy, for commemorations and aerial displays from June 2nd-5th 2019. This will build up to the entire, combined aerial armada crossing the English Channel on the 5th of June. Upon landing at Caen-Carpiquet Airport in Normandy, France, additional activities honoring the Greatest Generation and other events will take place from June 5th-9th 2019. To say were excited to have someone with Kevins qualifications as part of our team in an understatement, added Moreno Aguiari, Executive Director of the D-Day Squadron. To engage in this type of precision formation flying, using historic aircraft over large tracts of open ocean requires skill, precision and experience. Kevin is bringing those qualities to the table to supercharge the professionalism and dedication of our pilots and crews, and we are truly lucky to be able to leverage his expertise for such a monumental effort. About the D-Day Squadron The D-Day Squadron is the part of the Tunison Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. In June 2019, the D-Day Squadron will lead an American fleet of historic, restored C-47 World War II military aircraft in Daks Over Normandy, a flyover of more than 30 international aircraft to drop 250 paratroopers over the original 1944 drop zones in Normandy commemorating the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The event will honor the citizen soldiers of the War, whose bravery led the Allies to the liberation of France, and then to an end of the devastating War in Europe. The Squadrons education program takes the compelling story of the citizen soldier to audiences at airshows and events off the flight line to honor these brave Americans and ensure their memory and significance is appreciated for generations to come. The groups efforts are funded through the generous tax-deductible contribution of their supporters. Learn more at DDaySquadron.org. PARMA, Ohio - Applications are being accepted for the Andrew Boyko Memorial Scholarship, which was established in 2006 in honor of Boyko, who served the city of Parma for more than three decades as a judge, law director and in other capacities before his death in 2005 at age 81. The scholarship provides financial assistance to high school seniors from Parma which plan to pursue post-secondary education. Funds are donated by city officials, residents and businesses. The selection committee will award a total of $7,500 in scholarships this year. Three to five scholarships will be awarded with a minimum amount of $1,500. One scholarship will be designated for an applicant exhibiting an exceptional commitment to community service. Application deadline for the Boyko scholarships is 4 p.m. April 1. Applicants must live in Parma and be a U.S. citizen; be a high school senior or the equivalent and prior winners are not eligible. The scholarship will be paid directly to the accredited college or university and must be used in the 2019-2020 academic year. Application forms are available on the city website, cityofparma-oh.gov. Applicants must complete the application and submit an official transcript of high school grades, essay response, a completed FAFSA form, available at fafsa.ed.gov, and a letter of recommendation. Materials must be submitted to the Parma Law Department, 6611 Ridge Road, Parma, Ohio 44129. Here are links to the scholarship application and recommendation form: Andrew Boyko Memorial Scholarship application form Andrew Boyko Memorial Scholarship applicant recommendation form The selection committee will consider each applicant's financial need, special circumstances, character, scholastic record, involvement in community service and commitment to the city of Parma. Members of the Board of Trustees are not involved in the selection process. Speaker series: Author Christian Picciolini, who spent his early years immersed in the white supremacy movement and now works to atone for his past, will speak at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at Cuyahoga Community College's Western Campus, 11000 Pleasant Valley Road, Parma. Picciolini's free program is part of Tri-C's Diversity Speakers Series. Tri-C is partnering on the program with Cleveland Public Library and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage A book signing and reception will follow the hourlong presentation. Copies of his memoir, "White American Youth: My Descent into America's Most Violent Hate Movement -- and How I Got Out," will be available for purchase. No registration is required and seating in the Tri-C theater is on a first-come basis. For more information, contact Magda Gomez at magda.gomez@tri-c.edu or 216-987-0204. Poster contest: The registration deadline for the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District 2019 Poster Contest is Earth Day, April 22. The contest is for students in grades k-12 and the theme is "Crooked River -- 50 Years of Progress." Awards will be given for first and second places in the following grade categories: k-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. The contest, linking art and creative thinking with science, students a chance to develop and share their thoughts and ideas about natural resource issues. Cuyahoga SWCD will forward posters to the West Creek Conservancy's Xtinguish Celebration "Crooked Creations" program. Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District's mission is to advocate and implement best management practices for conservation of land and aquatic resources in a developed environment through education, stewardship and technical assistance. For more information about the contest, contact Jacki Zevenbergen, stormwater education program manager, at 216/524-6580, Ext. 1006 or jzevenbergen@cuyahogaswcd.org. Visit cuyahogaswcd.org/events/2019/03/22/2019poster-contest for contest rules and registration. At the library: The Parma-Snow Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library will host Lisa Gardner, an award-winning author and self-proclaimed research junkie, at 7 p.m. Feb. 22. She will speak about how she turned her interest in police procedure and criminal minds internationally acclaimed suspense novels. Gardner has been published in 30 countries and has had four novels become TV movies. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required and can be done online at cuyahoga.libnet.info/event/1175766?registration=true or by calling 216-661-4240. Books will be available for purchase and signing. The library is at 2121 Snow Road, Parma. Information, please: Readers are invited to share information about themselves, their families and friends, organizations, church events, etc. in Brooklyn, Independence, Parma, Parma Heights and Seven Hills for the Sun Postings column, which I write on a freelance basis. Awards, honors, milestone birthdays or anniversaries and other items are welcome. Submit information at least 10 days before the requested publication date to carolkovach@hotmail.com. A person walks along the north shoulder of Flatbush Avenue in Kingston, N.Y., near the CSX railroad tracks, on Wednesday, Dec, 19, 2018. The city will use economic development aid from New York state to create a sidewalk on the north side of Flatbush, between Colonial Drive and Foxhall Avenue. Diane Pineiro-Zucker has been a reporter at the Daily Freeman since April 2013. Pineiro-Zucker worked as a reporter in the Freemans Rhinebeck bureau in the early 1980s, left to become executive editor at Taconic Newspapers in Dutchess County. Ethos is a nationally recognized, award-winning independent student publication. Our mission is to elevate the voices of marginalized people who are underrepresented in the media landscape, and to write in-depth, human-focused stories about the issues affecting them. We also strive to support our diverse student staff and to help them find future success. Ethos produces a quarterly free print magazine full of well-reported and powerful feature stories, innovative photography, creative illustrations and eye-catching design. On our website, we also produce compelling written and multimedia stories. Ethos is part of Emerald Media Group, a non-profit organization thats fully independent of the University of Oregon. Students maintain complete editorial control over Ethos, and work tirelessly to produce the magazine. Since our inception as Korean Ducks Magazine in 2005, weve worked hard to share a multicultural spirit with our readership. We embrace diversity in our stories, in our student staff and in our readers. We want every part of the magazine to reflect the diversity of our world. No Deal Brexit UK Government Guarantees EU Funding Programmes in Gibraltar 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. This notice provides an overview of how the UK governments guarantee for EU-funded programmes applies to Gibraltar, if the UK leaves the EU with no deal. For Gibraltar, it covers: EU Structural Funds, specifically the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) the European Social Fund (ESF) European Territorial Cooperation programmes Before 29 March 2019 Until the UK leaves the EU, the UK remains a member state, with all the rights and obligations that includes. The UK and Gibraltar, will continue to participate in EU programmes while the UK remains a member of the EU. As agreed as part of the UK financial settlement with the EU, we will continue to take part in all EU programmes after 29 March 2019 for the rest of the 2014 to 2020 Multiannual Financial Framework. The financial settlement has been agreed by both UK and European Commission negotiators in a draft Withdrawal Agreement and welcomed by the other 27 EU countries at the March European Council. After March 2019 if theres no deal In the event of a no deal Brexit, the UK along with Gibraltar will leave the EU Budget in March 2019. Without further action, this would mean Gibraltar could lose future funding for existing projects under EU programmes. However, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed that the UK government will guarantee funding for specific EU projects. This will provide certainty for Gibraltar and participating organisations over the course of our EU exit. This guarantee covers: EU Structural Funds that Gibraltar receives as part of the 2014-20 Multiannual Financial Framework allocation the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF), and European Territorial Cooperation programmes (a sub-fund of Structural Funds that involves cross-border projects). The UK governments guarantee ensures that Gibraltar will continue to receive funding over a projects lifetime if they successfully bid into EU-funded programmes while the UK remains a member of the EU, and, where access (for example as a third country) is available, before the end of 2020. Over the coming months the UK government will set out the precise arrangements for the specific programmes outlined in this notice. Dalton, GA (30720) Today A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few clouds. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Hillsboro man suspected of abuse after getting stuck in the snow DAVE HURST The Daily American I am a hiker, cyclist, and cross country skier, wrote a reader. I strongly feel that those of us who love the outdoors should have at least one day of the week in which we can enjoy the outdoors without fear of being accidentally shot. This reader was reacting to news that there is a renewed effort underway in Harrisburg to open up Sundays to hunting here in Pennsylvania. Our state is one of a half-dozen or so that maintains a day of rest for wildlife and idleness for hunters. While there certainly are hunters who would be out every day if they were permitted, thats not really the main issue at least according to many who favor Sunday hunting. Its more about survival of the sport and maintaining the funds needed to pay for conservation activities. Interest in hunting is dwindling. Total hunting license sales in the state which numbered more than one million in the early 2000s have been dropping steadily and totaled 885,000 in 2017, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Some hunters believe that todays personal schedules are an important factor. Open up Sundays for hunting, so the thinking goes, and people who are tied up the other six days of the week will get out into the woods and fields on the seventh. But Fish and Wildlife agencies surveys and demographic studies in other parts of the country suggest that using Sunday hunting to boost license sales will be about as effective as bear hunting with a BB gun. Why? Because lack of free time is only one of a number of reasons for huntings decline. Here are some others: Fewer people are getting out into the wild. Families are smaller. The myriad of other activity options from streaming-movie services to the proliferation of youth sports. Restricted access to hunting areas. Anti-hunting sentiment. The increasing popularity of hiking, birding, photography, mountain biking, trail-running and other non-hunting woodland pursuits. Perhaps most threatening of all is the fact that baby boomers the youngest of whom are now 54 comprise about one-third of all hunters. Yet studies show that most hunters hang up their guns for good around age 65. Sunday hunting wont resolve these issues. But everyone who loves and enjoys the outdoors should be concerned about these trends, because hunters traditionally have covered the tab for many conservation activities through license fees and taxes on guns and ammunition. Fewer hunters mean less funding for wildlife and habitat management, protection of threatened species, and limiting invasive species. Increasingly land managers are wondering if the pay to play model, which worked so well in the past when the hunting community was larger, should be broadened to include the growing numbers of outdoor enthusiasts who carry hiking packs, cameras or water bottles rather than guns. Rather than considering bills to permit Sunday hunting which will rile many outdoor enthusiasts and arent likely to provide significant new funding resources for conservation anyway legislators should consider the imposition of fees on outdoor equipment. And for residents such as my reader, who want to have one day a week to enjoy the woods with a feeling of safety, I have a suggestion: Spend $20.90 annually to buy a hunting license. If a majority of Pennsylvanias outdoor enthusiasts bought a license each year, the PGC would be answerable to another constituency non-hunters who also are paying to play. If that constituency is large enough and wants to keep Sundays closed to hunting, the PGC will listen. More importantly, the Pennsylvania Game Commissions conservation resources could double. That would mean more staff and funding for the maintenance of a million acres of state game lands. Perhaps in the process, Pennsylvanias hunters and non-hunters will realize they share a common love for our beautiful natural areas, a responsibility for its care and have nothing to fear from each other. (To respond to this column or read other columns by Dave Hurst visit www.hurstmediaworks.com.) DAILY AMERICAN The Daily American Kitron, an international electronics manufacturing services company, has begun operations at its newly acquired site in Windber. Kitron acquired the facility along Pomroys Drive from API Technologies Inc., adding 115 employees to its U.S. staff. The new location complements an existing facility in Johnstown. The transaction significantly strengthens our position in the US market, particularly within the defense market sector, Jason Galiote, managing director of Kitron, said in a press release. We can now support customers who have wanted us to expand our presence in the United States. We see great opportunities from the business combination, and we look forward to further increasing our presence in the local community. Kitron opened its Johnstown site in 2010 and has upgraded the facility over the past two years. It is now nearing full capacity, and the addition of 100,000 square feet at the Windber facility provides room for further growth, economies of scale and added capabilities for both locations. In the short term, the focus will be on incorporating the Windber site into the Kitron group, processes and culture, Galiote said. In the longer term, operations will be coordinated. We may continue with two locations each specializing in different areas, or the two sites may be co-located to the larger facility. Over time, we aim to create new opportunities for employees by continuing to grow our business and investing in automation and new capabilities. Kitron has been a tenant in the JARI Center for Business Development since 2010, according to Linda Thomson, president and CEO of JARI. Kitron has played a key role in the Showcase for Commerce where they sponsor and exhibit each year, and they are a member of JARIs Defense Business Council, she wrote in an email. API Technologies Corp. announced in November that it had signed an agreement to sell 100 percent of the capital stock of API Defense USA, its electronics manufacturing services business, to Kitron. The purchase price, after post-signing adjustments, is $14.8 million, according to Kitron. Kitron bills itself as one of Scandinavias leading electronics manufacturing services companies for the energy/telecoms, industry, defense/aerospace, medical devices and offshore/marine sectors. The company is located in Norway, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, China and the United States. Kitron has about 1,700 employees worldwide. Weather Alert ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING... The Flash Flood Watch is now in effect for * Portions of Illinois and northwest Indiana, including the following areas, in Illinois, Central Cook, De Kalb, DuPage, Eastern Will, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, La Salle, Lee, Livingston, Northern Cook, Northern Will, Southern Cook and Southern Will. In northwest Indiana, Benton, Jasper, Lake IN, Newton and Porter. * Through Sunday morning * Showers and thunderstorms with torrential downpours are expected throughout the next 24 hours, especially along and southeast of Interstate 55. Considering many areas have received one to four inches of rain over the past 48 hours, additional rain will likely lead to runoff and flash flooding. As such, the Flash Flood Watch has been extended. * Flooding of low-lying areas including farm fields, ditches, and roadways is possible. Additionally, rises in water levels in rivers and streams are possible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Flash Flood Watch means rapid-onset flooding is possible, but not yet certain, based upon the latest forecasts. Flash flooding is a dangerous situation. Persons with interests along area rivers, creeks, and other waterways should monitor the latest forecasts and be prepared to take action should flooding develop. && STORY LINK GBP to USD Exchange Rate Benefits from UK Job Market Report and Lasting Risk-Sentiment GBP Exchange Rates Gain on Rising UK Pay Growth There is a real fear, as we are seeing in the UK manufacturing industry, that we will see lower growth and fewer opportunities in the future. USD Exchange Rate Losses Limited Ahead of Federal Reserve Minutes In a very general sense, nothing has changed relative to yesterdays muted session in the FX space. Investors are preparing for higher-impact events later this week as they attempt to judge the tone in the ongoing US-China and US-EU trade discussions. GBP/USD Exchange Rate Forecast: Federal Reserve Meeting Minutes in Focus Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: Mixed UK data and Brexit uncertainties didnt prevent the British Pound to US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate from extending its recovery attempts today, as Pound investors reacted with optimism to some stats while the US Dollars strength was limited by optimism surrounding US-China trade developments.Last week saw GBP/USD trending largely with a downside bias. The pair opened the week at the level of 1.2935 before tumbling and touching a monthly low of 1.2776 on Thursday. GBP/USD recovered at the end of the week and closed at the level of 1.2893.This week so far, GBP/USD has recovered more of last weeks losses. On Tuesday, the Pound was able to put in a more solid advance and at the time of writing the pair was trending near the level of 1.2978.The Pound found some support in Tuesdays UK job market stats, while the US Dollar was mixed amid a lack of fresh strong US data as well as lasting risk-sentiment on US-China trade hopes.At the beginning of the week, investors were hesitant to buy the Pound amid a lack of developments regarding Brexit, as well as concerns that fractures in the UK Labour Party may deepen or spark divisions in other parties as well.Despite lasting uncertainties on how the Brexit process will unfold and signs of further divisions in UK political parties though, the Pound was able to sustain some gains versus a weaker US Dollar on Tuesday.This was due partially to some solid UK job market results published on Tuesday morning. The stats showed a stronger than expected number of new jobs being made, and average earnings improved as expected.In fact, the previous average earnings excluding bonuses print was revised higher, from 3.3% to 3.4%.This marked UK pay growth hitting its best level in ten years, though the figure including bonuses was a little lower than expected.The strong stats did have a downside to them, however. Analysts pointed out that this strong performance showed resilience, but was unlikely to continue. According to Tom Hadley, Director of Policy at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation:The Pound was able to climb versus a slightly weaker US Dollar today, but investors were still hesitant to sell the US Dollar too much ahead of key news expected in the coming sessions.The US Dollars primary reason for weakness today was lasting market risk-sentiment, as US-China trade negotiations resumed and investors are hopeful that a resolution between the two nations could soon be reached.Hopes that the US and China could soon reach an agreement on long-standing trade tensions made investors more willing to take risks again, which meant investors were less eager to hold onto safe haven currencies like the US Dollar.However, while the US Dollar has weakened on risk-sentiment investors are hesitant to sell the currency too much ahead of Wednesdays major news the Federal Reserves latest meeting minutes report.According to Stephen Gallo, European Head of FX at BMO Capital Markets:The US Dollar is likely to keep firming as markets anticipate Wednesdays session, when the Federal Reserve is due to publish its latest meeting minutes report.As US data has been a little more mixed in recent weeks, if the Fed takes a more cautious tone than expected the US Dollar could be in for weak performance.On the other hand though, if the Fed minutes are more hawkish the US Dollar could see stronger demand.Wednesday will also see the publication of Britains February industrial trends orders report from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).The data is not expected to be particularly influential however, and Pound investors will remain focused on potential Brexit developments.Pound to US Dollar exchange rate traders may also react to upcoming developments in US-China trade negotiations. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Dollar Forecasts Eugene Crow, age 91, of Cullman, went home to be with his Lord on Saturday, June 19, 2021. He was born June 13, 1930 to Felix and Pearl Stowe Crowe. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Irene, his parents, two brothers and a sister. Mr. Crow served his country and is a veteran of The Gov. Ned Lamont wants to use the states projected $380 million budget surplus to support a major change in the troubled teacher-pension program, and avoid a multi-billion-dollar liability coming up in 2025. The proposal that the governor developed with State Treasurer Shawn Wooden, is projected to save $2.8 billion over the next five years for the system, which has about 37,260 retirees and 50,000 active teachers. For up-to-date information on public policy issues, sign up for the CT Politics newsletter. After Lamont announces the initiative in Wednesdays budget address, it will require approval of both the General Assembly and the Teachers Retirement Board, which oversees the under-funded pension plan. We need to think about these long-term obligations as we would a mortgage, Lamont said in a late-afternoon statement on Tuesday. You wouldnt pay off your mortgage in a decade, and Connecticut shouldnt try to do the same with its pension obligations. Stretching out our payments over a longer period of time will allow us to avoid market volatility and bumps, and provide the breathing room to make critical investments in workforce and economic development, transportation, and education so we finally get Connecticut growing again. About $381 million of Januarys estimated $462 million surplus in the fiscal year that runs through June 30, would essentially backstop the retirement program, assuring bond holders of their principle and interest. I think its a reasonable thing to do, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven. I think we now have a situation where current projections show we would have more than that in surplus at the end of the year. In addition, Lamont will ask that net revenues from the Connecticut Lottery Corp., projected at $371 million next year and more than half-a-billion dollars by 2032, would also be available to support what would become the new Teachers Retirement Fund Special Capital Reserve Fund. Wooden, in an interview Tuesday, said that he expects the Lottery revenue would not be needed, and could flow into the General Fund as usual. Its just additional support for bond holders, he said. Lamonts plan also includes lowering the assumed rate of return on investments from the current 8 percent down to 6.9 percent. The average retirement age for teachers is 63. About 1,000 teachers retire each year, with annual benefits of $51,657, according to the Teachers Retirement Board. Wooden expects the retirement board to approve that attempt to reduce expectations, while increasing payments from teachers over five years. The trap of higher rates of expected return has troubled pension programs throughout the nation, he said. Wooden warned that projections vary, but within three to four years, certainly by 2025, the projected $2.8 billion spike could cripple the retirement plan. This avoids that spike, levels off those payments for the duration and by doing so, gives us more predictability and flexibility for which credit-rating agencies have been critical in the past, Wooden said. Wooden said that the current 12-year repayment period on bonds issued in 2008, would be stretched out to 30 years, stabilizing payment requirements through a process called re-amortization. The state would save $183.4 million and $189 million over the next two years in the new fund, aimed at supporting unfunded liabilities. Teacher contributions would remain at 7 percent of their paychecks. The savings in net present value is $2.8 billion, Wooden said. When you restructure debt or extend it, there is an increased all-in cost. In looking at the transaction as a whole, its going to cost more. At long last, this more realistic investment return assumption will be in sync with the pension funds strategy for investing without taking an undue risk. Lamonts proposals include changes in the retirement fund for state employees, including future cost of living adjustments based on market returns of between 1 and 3 percent. That would have to be negotiated with state employee unions. Lamont will also ask for the elimination of mileage reimbursements in pension calculations. The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, in reaction to Lamonts statement, said Tuesday night they have given back enough. By agreeing to hard wage freezes, reduced pension and health care benefits, higher employee contributions and higher premium share costs, our members have done far more than their fair share to improve Connecticuts fiscal health, the group, representing 15 major state unions, said in a statement. Our latest agreement in 2017 will save taxpayers $25 billion over the next 20 years. To be clear; we will not be part of asking for still more sacrifices from state employees, who have already given so much for the people they serve. Lamont on Wednesday released several key points of planned structural changes, including an expanded sales-tax base, including new proposed taxes on digital downloads and streaming TV such as Netflix. We are anticipating a $3.7 billion dollar budget deficit over the next two years, with additional deficits on the horizon, Lamont said. Taxpayers are tired of hearing this year after year, and rightfully so. This is the Land of Steady Habits, but we cant continue along the same path and expect that things will fix themselves. Our state needs to make real, substantive structural changes to facilitate a sustainable financial future. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is hoping divine intervention will lead to his serving on House committees again. Last month, House Republican leaders voted unanimously to remove King from his House committee assignments after the New York Times published an interview in which King questioned why terms like "white supremacist" were offensive. The ensuing public uproar prompted numerous Republicans to distance themselves from King - even though King has had a long history of making offensive and inflammatory comments about race and white nationalism. "That is not the party of Lincoln," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarth, R-Calif., said of King's remarks at the time. "It is definitely not American. All people are created equal in America, and we want to take a very strong stance about that." On McCarthy's recommendation, King was stripped of his posts on the House Judiciary, Agriculture and Small Business committees. A month later, King is hoping McCarthy will have a change of heart - one fueled by the prayers of his constituents, the Sioux City Journal reported. At a Monday town hall in rural Rock Rapids, Iowa, King called on the crowd to pray for McCarthy to "separate his ego from this issue and look at it objectively," according to the newspaper. And if they could direct some of those prayers as messages straight to McCarthy's office, that wouldn't be the worst thing either, he added. "Kevin McCarthy has been getting a lot of phone calls, and the more phone calls he gets and the more persistent that it is, the more he is gonna realize that it was a bad decision he made, based upon one comment misquoted in the New York Times, reported as fact," King said, according to the Journal. In an email to The Washington Post, McCarthy's office said the House minority leader "does not have any plans to change his mind regarding Rep. King not receiving committee assignments." At the Iowa town hall, King seemed to blame the backlash to his Times interview on "language police ... searching the Internet for something to be offended by." Much as he did in the Jan. 10 New York Times interview that triggered his rebuke, he insisted he was not racist: "He pointed to his Twitter timeline showing him greeting Iowans of all races and religions in his Washington office. (The same office once displayed a Confederate flag on his desk.) "At the same time, he said, he supports immigrants who enter the country legally and fully assimilate because what matters more than race is 'the culture of America' based on values brought to the United States by whites from Europe. " 'White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization - how did that language become offensive?' " Mr. King said. 'Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?' " After the Times published its interview, King released a statement saying he was not "a white nationalist or a white supremacist." "I want to make one thing abundantly clear; I reject those labels and the evil ideology that they define," he stated then. "Further, I condemn anyone that supports this evil and bigoted ideology which saw in its ultimate expression the systematic murder of 6 million innocent Jewish lives." Instead, King added, he was "simply a Nationalist." However, he didn't at the time dispute what the Times had published or accuse the newspaper of misquoting him. On Monday, King suggested the reporter had misquoted him "at best." "The sentence construction doesn't support the New York Times," he said, according to the Journal. It's unclear exactly where King is suggesting he was misquoted or how any sentence construction in the profile does not "support" the newspaper. A spokesman for King did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. King is now serving his ninth term in Congress. He narrowly won reelection in November and Iowa voters have repeatedly returned him to office despite a long history of racist comments. As The Washington Post reported last month, that history has included but is not limited to the following: --The time King claimed "our civilization" can't be restored with "somebody else's babies"; --The time King retweeted a message by a Nazi sympathizer and defended it for weeks; --The time King met with a far-right group with Nazi ties on a trip sponsored by a Holocaust memorial group; --The time King said blacks and Latinos will be 'fighting each other' before the United States becomes a majority-minority nation; and --The time King said black people could afford abortions if they stopped buying iPhones. Six Connecticut nursing homes have been fined by the state Department of Public Health for violations that resulted in residents being endangered or injured. Advanced Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in New Haven was fined $3,060 after a resident obtained contraband for another resident. On June 18, 2018, a resident with diagnoses of alcohol intoxication and withdrawal was found lying in a courtyard lethargic and unresponsive to verbal stimuli. According to DPH, the resident had some drinks before smoking marijuana obtained from another resident. The resident was taken to a hospital, given Narcan, and tested positive for cannabinoids, alcohol and cocaine. An investigation found the resident had gotten the contraband substance from another resident, who obtained it during a 42-minute leave of absence request, according to DPH. An investigation also found facility documentation misclassified the incident. Administrator Daniel Brencher declined to comment, saying he was legally prohibited from discussing resident-specific information. Apple Rehab Laurel Woods in East Haven was fined $1,080 after a resident with dementia was restrained in a wheelchair when a nurse aide tied a sheet around the residents waist. The resident became agitated on March 4, 2018, while being put into a wheelchair by two nurse aides and a nurse. According to DPH, one of the nurse aides later tied a sheet around the residents waist. The nurse aide was terminated when the allegation of abuse was substantiated. Officials at Apple Rehab did not return a phone call seeking comment. Noble Horizons in Salisbury was fined $6,660 for incidents related to elopement risks. On Sept. 23, 2018, a resident with dementia left the facility when a WanderGuard sensor malfunctioned. A driver in a pickup truck found the resident walking down the facilitys driveway. A registered nurse entering the driveway spotted the resident in the truck and returned the resident to the facility, the citation said. The resident left through a door that should have locked when a resident wearing the WanderGuard approached the door, according to DPH. Also, the resident should have been reassessed for elopement risk following the incident, but documents did not show that was done. Separately, documentation from April 1 through Sept. 30, 2018, did not show that another residents WanderGuard was monitored for proper placement or function, according to the citation. Also, the facility failed to conduct weekly checks of all doors equipped with wander alert devices, such as alarms, to ensure that they were working properly, the citation said. A staff member responsible for the checks said that he couldnt remember the last time he did checks and indicated that it had been quite some time. Officials at Noble Horizons did not return a call seeking comment. St. Josephs Living Center in Windham was fined $6,000 after a licensed practical nurse (LPN) was seen improperly cleaning a glucometer. On Sept. 27, 2018, the LPN cleaned a glucometer with a sanitizing wipe, and had done so after each test of several residents blood sugar. According the citation, the glucometers manufacturer said a different type of wipe is the only kind that should be used on the device. The director of nursing services didnt know the wipes being used by staff werent the recommended wipes, according to DPH. St. Joseph Living Center practices the highest standards of infection control. Although a CDC-approved Sani-wipe was used to disinfect blood-borne pathogens, the manufacturer of the glucometer recommended a different Sani-wipe, said Ginny Person, St. Josephs administrator. The facility responded immediately and was put back into compliance by DPH. Woodlake at Tolland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was fined $3,720 after a resident fell from a bed to the floor while receiving incontinence care. On April 7, 2018, a nurse aide rolled the resident onto the left side and the residents feet went over the edge of the bed. According to the citation, the aide tried to stop the resident from falling but couldnt. The resident, who was identified as a high risk for falls, suffered acute blunt knee trauma and a femoral fracture, and was sent to a hospital. It was unclear whether one or two staff should have been helping with bed mobility, according to DPH, and staff werent sure whether there was a physicians order in place regarding the number of staff required. Officials at Woodlake did not return a phone call seeking comment. Cassena Care at New Britain was fined $1,530 for an incident in which a resident was hospitalized after passing a 3-foot-long blood clot. After the resident passed a clot resembling intestines from the rectum on Friday, June 22, 2018, an advanced practice registered nurse was notified and directed staff to monitor the residents vital signs for 72 hours and re-evaluate the resident on Monday, according the citation. But the resident was taken to a hospital on June 23 with hypoactive bowel sounds, nausea and vomiting and weakness, and was diagnosed with gastrointestinal bleeding. Cassena Care did not return a phone call seeking comment. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting. ( c-hit.org ) BRIDGEPORT It was like some cheesy crime flick. A hired gun gets the wrong motel room number and bam! an innocent man gets it. In this case, 12 was 48-year-old Alfanso Andersons unlucky number. Police said Anderson was shot multiple times in Room 12 at the Sunny Side Inn on Feb. 26, 2018. Only, Anderson wasnt supposed to be in that room, police said. In that room, they said, there was supposed to be a guy named Leo who had stiffed a prostitute out of $800. The alleged hired gun, Glenn Capo Pettway, 25, on parole for a prior robbery, was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bond during his arraignment in Superior Court on Tuesday. On the night of the shooting, police found Anderson lying on his back between the bed and the bathroom. He was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Detectives checked the motels video surveillance of that night and found it had been a busy place. Shortly after 10, a car dropped off a young woman who proceeded to Room 12 but then, pausing, turned around and left, police said the video showed. A short time later, police said, Anderson is seen on video checking it at the motels front desk, then toward Room 12. A half-hour later, the woman is back, police said. This time she and another man approach Room 12, look in the window and then leave. Minutes tick by on the video, and then the woman is back with two men. After appearing to go to into the room, police said, the video shows the woman and two men running out. One man, later identified as Pettway, has a silver gun in his right hand, police said. They leave in two vehicles. Police said they later identified and interviewed the woman in the video, and that she said she was a prostitute who previously had sex with a client she only knew as Leo. She met him through a dating website and, after having sex with her, Leo was supposed to send her $800 through a payment app, police said the woman told them. But the money never came through. Police said the womans pimp, upset at not getting his money, demanded that she contact Leo and set up a meeting. She did what she was told. Police said the woman, after contacting Leo, told her pimp he would be in Room 12 at the Sunny Side. Later that night they went to the motel, the woman, her pimp and Pettway, police said. When they burst into Room 12, there was a man the woman didnt recognize sitting on the bed, police said. What is this about? the woman recalled the man asking. Police said the woman then heard multiple gunshots. As they left Anderson bleeding on the room floor, police said the pimp remarked: This is the sloppiest (expletive) Ive ever seen. Kathy Schulte buys the same bottle of wine every week, and she knows exactly how much it costs. A little over $13. And, yes, she said she would notice if the price went up due to a bottle tax. But, no, it wont stop her from buying that bottle of wine every week. I just dont know if taxing people will really make them stop doing those things ... I know I wont, Schulte said, referring to a series of so-called sin taxes that Gov. Ned Lamont plans to include in his budget proposal to the General Assembly later this week. The taxes include sugary drinks, electronic and regular cigarettes and single-use plastic bags, as well as deposits on alcoholic beverages. Hes also proposing raising the age to buy cigarettes and e-cigarettes from 18 to 21. These are the sins of the 21st century, Lamont said during a taped appearance on Capitol Report, WTNH-TV8s political affairs program over the weekend. His chief of staff, Ryan Drajewicz later told reporters the taxes arent about generating revenue, but about changing behavior that negatively affects public health and the environment. But laws aimed at changing behavior (often dubbed nanny state laws) are controversial. Though they dont explicitly take away a persons ability to choose unhealthy behaviors like smoking, drinking or enjoying a 32-ounce Big Gulp loaded with sugar, it does make those vices more difficult to access by raising prices, and that can feel like the government is dictating behavior rather than simply discouraging it. Schulte, a stay-at-home dog mom whose husband works in corporate marketing, was visiting a dog park Monday in the newly developed Harbor Point area of Stamford where she lives. She doesnt think raising the price on cigarettes or sugary drinks will discourage people from consuming them just as a bottle tax wont keep her from enjoying a glass of wine but shes not sure its the governments place to try to price people out of bad habits, anyway. I just think its already really expensive to live here and I think theres a little too much government already, she said. Kailey Capozzi, a Westport teacher who was also visiting the Harbor Point dog park, is more on board with the idea she said she thinks the idea of taxing unhealthy items is interesting but, like Schulte, shes not sure it would work to change behavior. I think they could do it in other ways, Capozzi said. Maybe spend the money on marketing and education instead of just taxing. Not many people read the labels at a grocery store they dont know how much sugar is in it anyway. Downtown Stamford, a couple of miles away from the shiny new Harbor Point area, is dotted with convenience stores, selling all the vices most people know arent good for them cigarettes and e-cigarettes, sodas, lottery tickets, beer, chips and other heavily processed snacks and not much else. Bill Benison, the manager at Star Wine and Spirits on Bedford Street, stopped selling cigarettes three years ago. As he rung up a customers six-pack of beer Monday afternoon, the customer asked if he could buy cigarettes but Benison had to send him across the street to a convenience store. Ive never been a smoker and I definitely dont encourage it, Benison said after the customer left. But I stopped selling them three years ago after the state started making more money on them than we did. It just wasnt worth it anymore ... Its getting harder and harder for small businesses to survive and raising these taxes makes it harder to do business for everyone. People will just buy it somewhere else. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt DERBY The judge overseeing the lawsuit filed by the mother of slain Milford high school student Maren Sanchez wont be reversing a prior decision in which he declined to throw the case out of court. Last month, the city asked Judge Barry Stevens to reconsider his decision denying its motion for summary judgment in the case, in light of a recently decided state Supreme Court case. But from the outset during a 15-minute hearing Tuesday in Superior Court, the judge made it clear to the citys lawyer, James Tallberg, that he probably wasnt going to find the argument compelling. I really dont understand your motion at all, the judge told Tallberg at the beginning of the hearing. Sanchez was stabbed to death by classmate Christopher Plaskon in April 2014 at Jonathan Law High School after she rebuffed his invitation to the prom. The lawsuit says that in November 2013, Sanchez reported to the high school guidance department that Plaskon was emotionally disturbed and threatening to commit suicide or acts of serious self-harm with a knife, and she believed it was important for high school personnel to prevent him from engaging in potentially violent conduct. The lawsuit says school officials should have prevented Sanchezs death. In a memo filed with the court, Tallberg had argued that a Supreme Court decision in the case of Ventura v. East Haven meant the judge should take a new look at a decision in which he had declined to throw out the lawsuit. But the judge didnt buy that argument. Ventura is entirely inapplicable, the judge said Tuesday. In that case, an East Haven cop investigating a possible domestic violence incident in a vehicle couldnt verify the owner of the car had a valid drivers license, but declined to order it towed and instead drove the man home. The owner then returned to his vehicle and drove it away, after which he got into an accident with another man who sued the town for damages. A jury ruled in favor of the plaintiff, but the appeals court decided the case should have been thrown out because the officer wasnt obligated to order the mans car towed. The Sanchez case centers on whether school officials had discretion in responding to Sanchezs warning within the school districts Suicide Prevention and Intervention Procedure, and whether more of an intervention would have prevented the killing. State law shields municipalities from liability if employees are negligent in performing discretionary acts, but not necessarily for negligence in the performance of mandatory acts. The discretionary/mandatory contrast was the subject of much of Tuesdays hearing. Tallberg contested a footnote in the judges prior ruling indicating the city had withdrawn its claims that school officials acted with discretion in the case. I didnt mean to abandon those, I dont think I did, and I want to preserve those rights, Tallberg said. The judge replied that the city could still claim school officials had discretion but that it didnt while arguing in favor of its motion for summary judgment. Nobody said youve abandoned anything, except for purposes of the motion, the judge said. That doesnt take it out of the case. It just takes out of the courts purview as part of the motion. The judge said the Ventura case cited by the city simply affirmed an Appellate Court decision that was available to him while considering the citys prior request to have the case thrown out, and doesnt implicate any of the issues raised here. Afterward, David Golub, the lawyer representing Sanchezs mother, agreed with the judge. The judge has indicated that hes not changing his decision, and thats the right answer, Golub said. Tallberg said hell do his talking in the courtroom. Were going to address the issues in the court at the appropriate juncture, he said. The two sides had been in settlement discussions before the city asked the judge to have the lawsuit thrown out of court. A trial in the case is tentatively scheduled for May 2020. ethan.fry@hearstmediact.com BRIDGEPORT - Cleaned up and appearing nearly healed of his wounds, James Taylor was back before a judge on Tuesday to face charges in connection with the fatal shooting of his ex-wife in her sons Fairfield home. The 75-year-old Taylor, charged with murder, home invasion, criminal attempt to commit murder, first-degree burglary, illegal discharge of a firearm and third-degree assault, nodded as Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin granted him a public defender. BRIDGEPORT With the clock ticking, a meeting has yet to be called to figure out the process for replacing the city school board seat left vacant by State Sen. Dennis Bradley. Bradley resigned on Friday and the city school board has 30 days from that date to replace him before the task is transferred to the mayor. Board of Education Chairman John Weldon indicated over the weekend he was prepared to call a meeting for Tuesday so the remaining eight members could decide on a replacement process. Then he learned that one of the remaining board members, Joseph Sokolovic, had switched parties. He was elected as a Republican but switched to Democrat. Its not the first time this has happened. Before giving up his seat in 2016, Board member David Hennessey switched from Democrat to Republican in time to force the board to replace him with a Republican. The city charter calls for vacancies to be filled by the party of the person who vacated office, but the law also requires a certain minority representation on the board. In 2016, the city attorneys office required the replacement to be Republican. That is how Weldon, a Republican, first came on the board. His appointment was made by Ganim, not the board, when the clock ran out. Sokolovic, who was the other Republican candidate vying for the vacancy, eventually was elected to the board, as a Republican. Sokolovic said he switched party affiliations in October 2018. The issue was sent to our attorney, Weldon said in an email to Sokolovic and Board member Ben Walker, who along with board member Maria Pereira have been pressing for a special meeting as soon as possible. Weldon told them he hadnt heard from the board attorney and wanted to wait a day or two until he had time to review, and advise on, the issue so we could be sure to proceed in a manner that does not inadvertently violate minority party representation laws. Bradley announced on Feb. 11 he planned to resign but stuck around until the board, in a special meeting on Feb. 13, replaced its bylaws immediately and without discussion on a 6 to 3 vote. The immediate action required a two thirds vote which Bradley provided. The new bylaws say special meetings can only be called by four board members, but state statues say that when it comes to replacing a board member, it only takes three members to call a meeting if it is not done within 14 days. Weldon said the new bylaws are based on sample bylaws provided provided to the school board more than a year ago by Shipman and Goodwin, the boards former legal counsel. Tom Mooney, one of the partners, literally wrote the book on Connecticut Education Laws. He also declined to release to the public the sample bylaws his firm provided to the district. Board members, however, began distributing the set over the weekend. Weldon said while the adopted bylaws were based on the Shipman set, they were customized to suit Bridgeport. The Shipman template, for instance, gives the chairman powers delegated to him or her by the full board. The set adopted by the board spells out in more detail the chairmans ability to consult with the boards legal counsel without the full boards consent. Weldons ability to call on council without full board approval has been an ongoing sticking point between him and Pereira. The new bylaws also give Weldon the power to cancel meetings. He apparently tried that new authority out, canceling the regularly scheduled Feb. 25 meeting of the board on Wednesday. Paula Poundstones heady humor and NPR-ready voice sound more Midwest/intellectual than the reality of being a high school dropout in Massachusetts. She did a few odd jobs as a young woman and took up comedy before taking off on Greyhound buses across the country and going to open-mic nights at comedy clubs as standup comedy boomed in the late 1970s. Today, at 59, she does about 90 dates a year, including a return visit to New Haven at the Shubert Theatre Saturday, March 2. A lot of it was just serendipitous time and place, although I always wanted to be a comedian, she said in a phone chat from her West Coast home the other day. I wanted to be like Carol Burnett or Lucille Ball ... or Lily Tomlin. She was living in Boston when the comedy renaissance took place, and the few comedy venues had lots of time slots to fill. Young comics, meanwhile, didnt have that many minutes of workable routine since it takes a long time to develop a lot of material, Poundstone said. So instead of a couple of other comics leading up to a headliner, the headline performer was also the emcee and the comics did 5-10 minutes each. The clubs grew. And whats funny is, in the rest of the country, the same thing was happening, and Ive never understood why. ... It had to do with the development of the human brain, she chuckled. The bus led to San Francisco, where she loved audiences so much she stayed a couple of years. Shes doesnt play the booze-soaked little clubs today and never has played the huge arenas. In a phone chat from her West Coast home the other day, she said, Ive been in theaters for years, and it works good. When I was doing clubs, I would do four or five nights, and that certainly never worked with a family schedule. And now, my kids arent home anymore, but I just much prefer the atmosphere of the theater to begin with; it just feels better. The Shubert date has been selling well, said a Shubert official, probably because people know the Poundstone brand of observational humor and improvisational wit. And she has connected with folks in not only TV specials but on the public radio show Wait Wait... Dont Tell Me, in voice roles such as Forgetter Paula in one of the brainiest and best Pixar movies, Inside Out, and in her weekly podcast called Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. Poundstones career survived a felony child-endangerment charge for driving under the influence with her kids in the car. In her first book, Theres Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say, Poundstone writes, I was court-ordered to Alcoholics Anonymous on television. Pretty much blows the hell out of the second A, wouldnt you say? We tell her our early impression of her was someone very chill. She recalled that I would go on and somehow lose my place, either forget what it was I was planning on saying or get distracted by something I saw in the audience. Now what do I do? Because I dont know where I was in the five minutes. So I was notorious for going over... And I forget what day, but it was fairly early on, when it dawned on me that the really fun part not that I didnt have good jokes... but the really fun part was when I didnt stick to the five minutes, when I said stuff that just occurred to me in the moment. In contrast to the comics who do characters, she decided the more I can sort of peel away the layers and make sure I am the most me I can possibly be, the better. She jokes about child-raising, political news and about stuff shes doing these days, she said, including volunteering at a nursing home. Still, her favorite part is talking with audience members about what they do and using that. Somewhere in my head is rattling around almost 40 years of material... Im not too worried. I go on, I know stuff will come to me one way or the other. I like the feeling of this sort-of community of that particular room... More Information Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven. Saturday, March 2, $54-$24. 203-562-5666. Shubert.com See More Collapse jamarante@nhregister.com; @Joeammo on Twitter Your call is very important to us, you often hear while being put on hold. But calls were clearly not important to the Swedish Healthcare Guide service at least not important enough to protect the personal privacy or safety of Swedish patients. IDGs Computer Sweden revealed that 2.7 million recorded calls made to the 1177 national health service were left completely unprotected on a server. Every call made to 1177 since 2013, and answered by the subcontractor Medicall, was stored as WAV or MP3 audio files on a server that had no encryption or authentication protection. As b9AcE on Twitter pointed out, that adds up to 170,000 hours of sensitive phone calls with symptoms, etc., which anyone with the right IP address could have accessed. Some of the audio files, which were marked with the callers telephone numbers, included the Social Security numbers of children and adults and specific health-related symptoms. Medicall reportedly uses Biz 2.0, a cloud-based call center system that is delivered by the Swedish company Voice Integrate Nordic AB. [ How much does a data breach cost? Here's where the money goes. | Get the latest from CSO by signing up for our newsletters. ] Tommy Ekstrom, CEO of Voice Integrate Nordic, told IDG, This is catastrophic, Its sensitive data. We had no idea that it was like this. We will, of course, review our systems and check out what may have happened. Other cybersecurity news Chinese and Iranian hackers step up attacks on U.S. companies and government agencies The New York Times reported that Chinese and Iranian hackers have renewed attacked on U.S. companies and government agencies. Iranian attackers have recently hit American banks, businesses and government agencies more extensively than previously reported. Chinese government-sponsored hackers stepped up attacks to steal trade and military secrets from American military contractors and technology companies. Krebs on Security also documented some of the recent DNS hijacking attacks. Facebook labeled digital gangsters willing to override users privacy settings to make mula Its about time. Facebook and its executives were labeled as digital gangsters in a report after an 18-month investigation into disinformation and fake news. British lawmakers also accused Facebook of having intentionally and knowingly violated both data privacy and anti-competition laws. Citing documents that had once been secret, the U.K. alleged that Facebook for years was willing to override its users privacy settings as part of a broader campaign to maximize revenue derived from such sensitive information. Elsewhere, in an interview about misinformation and fake news that was published on Nautilus, philosopher of science Cailin OConnor suggested, Maybe we should have something like a ministry of information to decide whats true. Thats quite a terrifying idea, but hopefully it was supposed to be a joke as was suggested by a commenter on Hacker News. New round of hacked databases up for sale on dark web ZDNets Catalin Cimpanu reported on the third round of hacked databases going up for sale on the dark web. The latest sale includes eight more hacked databases containing data for 92.67 million users including users from GfyCat. Isnt it ironic? After Australias major political parties were hacked by a sophisticated state actor, respected crypto expert Matthew Green pointed out that: The Australian government, most recently famous for passing laws to significantly weaken their own cryptography, just had all their major political parties hacked by a state actor. https://t.co/xfS0rYC9Vc Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) February 18, 2019 One obviously didnt cause the other. But if Australia cuts itself off from the kind of technologies that actually might protect it, then theyre going to be sitting ducks for the kind of thing thats happening now. Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) February 18, 2019 Also, Brad Parkinson, one of the engineers who helped develop GPS, didn't foresee the technology being used for the mass tracking of individuals via smartphones. In fact, he told Forbes, I dont like that at all. Its not that Im doing something that is illegalI just dont like the idea of continuously being tracked by anybody. Sanja Cvijetic from Carnival Cruise Line won the 2019 Bacardi Legacy Cruise Bartender of the Year competition with her own signature cocktail, the Purple Sunset. She now goes on to the global finals in Amsterdam, where she will compete against 38 domestic market winners for the overall global title. Sanja scooped the ultimate prize from thousands of entries in the cruise sector, winning the Bacardi Legacy cruise final in Puerto Rico earlier this month. Zachary Sulkes International Key Account Manager (Cruise), Bacardi Global Travel Retail, commented: Sanja has really impressed us all with her inspired creation. Her understated professionalism, talent and hospitality skills demonstrated in the competition prove what a great example she sets for bartending leadership in the cruise industry an increasingly important channel for the premium drinks industry. Cvijetic said: Winning the Bacardi Legacy Cruise Bartender of the Year 2019 is beyond everything I ever dreamed, especially as its the first bartender competition I have entered. Its been an amazing experience throughout and Ive especially enjoyed spending time in Puerto Rico, visiting the Bacardi distillery and experiencing the story and heritage behind the iconic Bacardi brand. The competition has shown me that I really can achieve anything I want to and I will be using my learnings from the cruise stage to focus on the global final in Amsterdam. Eddie Allen, Vice President of Beverage for Carnival Cruise Line, added: Sanja is a fantastic role model for our team of bartenders across the fleet and she has made a very positive impression with our guests who respond to her warm hospitality and her amazing bartending skills. We are very proud of her and look forward to supporting her at the global finals in Amsterdam. Purple Sunset Ingredients: 60ml BACARDI Superior 22ml Monin Lavender Syrup 15ml lemonade 15ml fresh lime juice Splash of MARTINI Prosecco Fresh rosemary bunch Preparation Method: Gently muddle fresh rosemary bunch. Place all ingredients (except MARTINI Prosecco) into shaker. Add ice and shake up to 10 seconds. Double strain into a chilled glass. Add a few more drops of lavender syrup and a splash of MARTINI Prosecco. Garnish with fresh rosemary. The Saga Pearl II is now on her final voyage for Saga Cruises, a South African Farewell Adventure, as the ship left earlier this week from the UK following a fireworks sendoff. The 54-night cruise will stop in St Helena and ports in Madeira, the Canary Islands and Spain before traveling further south and down Africa's west coast en route to Cape Town. Calls are booked into Gambia, Namibia and Mozambique, as well as other African countries. The ship returns to Portsmouth on April 11. Before departing the UK, guests were treated to a performance by a 72-piece Welsh male voice choir aboard, fireworks display and champagne. This summer, Saga welcomes the new 1,000-guest Spirit of Discovery, the British brand's first ever newbuild. Hutchinson, MN (55350) Today A few showers early becoming a steady rain for the afternoon. High 76F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low around 60F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tuesday, February 19, 2019 Dont Fear the Giants The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine! (1 Samuel 17:37 NLT) Imagine for a moment that youre David, out in the field tending your flock, when suddenly youre brought in to meet the prophet Samuel. He pours oil on your head and says youre the next king of Israel. You receive no crown. You find no chariot with Secret Service protection waiting. So you go back to your flock of sheep, and everything goes back to normal. I wonder if a lot of the psalms David wrote came to him as he was tending his sheep. I wonder if maybe one day he started thinking about how dependent those sheep were on himhow he even needed to take them to the stream to drink. And maybe this came to mind: The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. Then one day Davids father sent him to visit his brothers on the front lines with Israels army. The Israelites were facing off with the Philistines in the Valley of Elah, where an oversized man named Goliath was taunting Israels army every day. Everyone was terrified, including Davids brothers and King Saul. David asked, Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God? Then he told Saul, Dont worry about this Philistine. Ill go fight him!...The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine! (1 Samuel 17:26, 32, 37 NLT). Fast-forward to the end of the story, and we find David taking Goliath down with a sling and a stone. David was looking at his giant in the light of God. He wasnt looking at God in the light of his giant. Copyright 2018 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org and Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com. Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com. SPECIAL OFFER In thanks for your gift, you can receive Is Genesis History? DVD series Genesis is a foundational book, both to the Bible and to our faith. It lays the groundwork for so much of what we believenot only about the creation of the world but about marriage, family, sin, redemption, and so much more. This months exciting resource, the Is Genesis History? DVD series, will help you examine the Book of Genesis from a scientific viewpoint. This book is our thank-you gift to you when you donate to Harvest Ministries this month. He is preceded in death by his father, Leonard Hayes; and niece, Kayla Hayes. He is survived by son, Cody Hayes of Dayton; daughter, Katie Hayes of Rockwood; mother, Opal Hayes of Rockwood; brothers, Randall (Rita) Hayes of Georgia, Greg (Tammy) Hayes of Rockwood, Darrell (Tracy) Hayes of Ro We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Community News The All-India Forum for Right to Education (AIFRTE) organized on February 18 in Delhi a protest demonstration at Parliament Street, a nation-wide referendum on education policy, a Peoples Parliament (Jan Sansad), and an evening of cultural resistance as part the full-day All-India Shiksha Hunkar Rally. Thousands of students, teachers and education activists from across the country participated in the programme. They opposed the policy of privatization, commercialization and communalization of education.They demanded public-funded free and equitable quality common education system from KG to PG based on mother-tongue with social justice for Dalits, bahujans, adivasis, laboring masses, linguistic and religious minorities, transgenders, disabled, de-notified and nomadic tribes, especially girls.The programme began with a protest demonstration at Sansad Marg addressed by Brinda Karat (CPI-M); Kavita Krishnan, CPI-ML (Liberation); N. Ramachandran, CPI-ML (Red Star), Dr Mrigank, CPI-ML (New Democracy); Prof Manoj Jha (Spokesperson, RJD); Prof Prem Singh, Socialist Party (India) and Sri Aflatoon, Samajwadi Jan Parishad; Prof Arun Kumar (JNU) alongside with AIFRTE Presidium Members Prof. Anil Sadgopal and Prof. G Haragopal.Regretting his ability to attend, Chandrasekhar, leader of the Bhim Army, sent a message of support.Effigies of many educational policies which are regarded by AIFRTE as leading to inequality and exclusion in education were burnt. A nation-wide referendum on educational policy has been floated by AIFRTE till March 18, 2019.Thousands of ballot papers have been already submitted to the Referendum Commission comprising of Prof Manoranjan Mohanty (chairperson), Adv Sanjay Parikh, Adv Ashok Aggarwal, Dr Harjeet Singh Bhatti, Prof G Haragopal, Prof Madhu Prasad.The primary analysis of trend demonstrates peoples aspiration for an egalitarian education system fully and directly funded by the state and free of all discrimination on the grounds of language, caste, class, gender, disability, ethnicity and religion.The demonstration was followed by a Peoples Parliament (Jan Sansad) at Ambedkar Bhawan presided by Prof Prabhat Patnaik, Prof. KM Shrimali, Prof K Chakradhar Rao, Prof Zhatsu Terhuja, Prof. Jagmohan Singh (great-grand nephew of Shahid Bhagat Singh) Sri Prabhakar Arade, Prof Anil Sadgopal and addressed by representatives of peoples movements.The Peoples Parliament adopted two resolutions. The first resolution condemned illegal arrest and the continuing threat of arrest on trumped-up charges against Prof Anand Teltumbde, member of AIFRTE Presidium. In the second resolution, AIFRTE demanded that any future government following the general elections to be held in April-May 2019 should reverse the trend of corporatization being followed at the command of World Trade Organization-General Agreement on Trade in Services (WTO-GATS) in pursuit of the neo-liberal reforms policies promoting profit-making in education and contractualisation of services. It also unequivocally stated its opposition to communalization in education.AIFRTE participants raised the slogan Education is the Peoples Right! It is not a commodity for Sale! AIFRTE opposed the model of PPP (Public Private Partnership), fee hikes, education loans, and discrimination between elite and ordinary institutions, which lead to exclusion of the mass of children and youth from access to equitable quality education.AIFRTE demanded establishment of a nation-wide fully state-funded and entirely free Common System of Education from KG to PG" to ensure the Fundamental Right to education for all children and youth. It demanded that the first step towards achieving this goal was to implement the Allahabad High Court judgment of August 2015 through a central legislation.The judgement directed that all those who receive any form of pecuniary benefit from the State treasury must admit their children to the neighbourhood government school only, so that all children attend common schools all of which would be rapidly raised to the level of Kendriya Vidyalayas once the children of politicians, bureaucrats, business and the professional middle classes are also required to attend these schools.This was followed by a programme of cultural resistance wherein cultural groups from several states presented performances giving expression to peoples angst against injustice and oppression and fascist-brahmanical- patriarchal attempts to impose cultural homogeneity.--- The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has announced that Korn Ferry has resumed its search for a successor for ACC president and CEO Cal Dooley. At the direction of ACC's officers, Korn Ferry will conduct a broad, inclusive search of proven leaders from diverse, yet relevant, backgrounds. This includes politics and government, private industry and association management. Dooley had previously announced his intention to retire at the end of 2018; following discussions with ACC officers and the board of directors in June of that year, he extended his tenure. Under Dooleys leadership, ACCs successes include: Helping to secure the Tax Cuts and Job Acts, which included provisions to improve and support competition in the U.S. chemical industry and manufacturing sector; The passage and enactment of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act for the 21 st Century, which reformed the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Century, which reformed the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. The re-authorization and reform of the Surface Transportation Board; A four-year authorization of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, program; and The passage and enactment of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, providing the industry with a safe harbor against lawsuits when voluntarily sharing and receiving information on cyber threats and defenses Related: American Chemistry Council Supports Sustainability Bill I couldnt have imagined a better way to cap my career than by serving the American Chemistry Council, said Dooley. Over the past ten years Ive had the opportunity to lead one of the countrys most vital industries through historic and transformational change, including unprecedented economic expansion driven by the American shale gas revolution, passage of watershed environmental legislation to reform our country's chemical regulatory framework, and the creation of the industrys most comprehensive effort to tackle the issue of plastic waste in our environment. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Cal, whose leadership helped the U.S. chemical industry elevate discussions about our business beyond politics, to one of partnerships, added ACC chairman and Covestro chairman and CEO Jerry MacCleary. The board of directors looks forward to working with his successor to build on this success as the industry continues to demonstrate proven progress through superior performance. 100% Website weedybars.com uses latest and advanced technologies like: Boostrap. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 407034 bytes (397.49 kb uncompressed) and 96423 bytes (94.16 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-04-10, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 100% Website bmwi.de uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 450161 bytes (439.61 kb uncompressed) and 30353 bytes (29.64 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-02-16, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Vietnam, Russia step up anti-corruption collaboration Updated: 09:20 - 19/02/2019 Vietnamese Government Inspector General Le Minh Khai (Right) and Alexander Anikin, Deputy Head of the Anti-Corruption Department of the Russian President at their meeting in Hanoi on February 18__Photo: Vietnamese Government Inspectorate , , , , Vietnamese Government Inspector General Le Minh Khai received and held talks with Alexander Anikin, Deputy Head of the Anti-Corruption Department of the Russian President, in Hanoi on February 18.At the reception, Khai said Vietnam-Russia ties are developing strongly with great achievements in all fields. The two nations will mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of a treaty on basic principles for the Vietnam-Russia friendship this year and celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2020, he said.Khai said after the Vietnamese Government Inspectorate and the Russian anti-corruption department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in preventing and combating corruption in 2014, the two sides have exchanged information and experience to deal with challenges in the fight against corruption, ensure the building of a transparent law-governed state and gradually drive back corruption.Both sides recognized the importance of increasing bilateral collaboration in the coming time, particularly in training personnel and developing join works between anti-corruption agencies of Vietnamese and Russian localities, he said.The two sides agreed to start negotiations for the amendment and upgrade of the MoU, Khai added, expressing his hope that they will soon sign the revised pact.Echoing Khais view, Anikin believed that the above-said cooperation activities will strengthen cooperative ties between the two agencies and deepen the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.He expected that the two agencies will boost bilateral cooperation and exchange experience in the fight against corruption.At the later talks, the two sides discussed issues of common concern, particularly those related to the revision of their 2014 MoU on cooperation.- Yes, our system favours the established parties. But it is not invulnerable to change. This could be the start of a breakthrough. When you leave a political party to which you have remained faithful for the whole of your adult life, and set out to form a new grouping, you have no idea what is going to happen. Many observers of the departure of seven MPs from the Labour Party say that because the Social Democratic Party, founded in March 1981, failed to win the 1983 general election, the new grouping must be doomed to failure. And it is certainly true that under our electoral system, new parties find it very difficult to establish themselves. The last to do so at Westminster is Labour, its rise assisted by the split from 1916 in the Liberals. But that is not quite the end of the argument. In recent years, UKIP has failed to establish itself as a party of government, but it did force the Conservatives to promise a referendum on EU membership. The No vote in that referendum has destabilised both main parties, and may well have created the conditions for a major realignment. And whether or not such a realignment takes place, the SDP deserves a subtler verdict than outright failure. Labour survived because it adopted many of the SDPs policies. The 1983 Labour manifesto was from the point of view of the SDP intolerable, but the 1997 manifesto on which Tony Blair led Labour (rebranded as New Labour) back into power was in many respects a tribute to the SDP. The success of Jeremy Corbyn and his friends can in turn be seen as a kind of belated revenge by the Labour Left on Blair. After decades of being marginalised, the Left has seized control of the party. Its domination has led to the present rebellion. The seven MPs who lead it Chris Leslie, Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes, Angela Smith and Gavin Shuker are evidently not such heavyweight figures as the Gang of Four Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams, David Owen and Bill Rodgers who founded the SDP. But a rebellion of this kind can benefit from being underestimated. The unremarkable nature of the seven MPs may lead Corbyn and his friends to tell each other that no change of course is needed. And a movement of this kind does not only depend on its leaders. One might even say that the SDP was hindered by having too many leaders. What matters even more is the volume and enthusiasm of the followers. The creation of the SDP revealed the existence of a large number of people who were totally fed up with the existing parties, but were prepared to throw themselves body and soul into a new movement. When Rodgers was wondering in the summer of 1980 whether to break with Labour, he records in his memoir, Fourth Among Equals, that David Marquandurged me to make the break even if only three or four MPs were to follow. By staying, I might, he said, be able to keep the Labour Party from total self-destruction but I would not save it. The most I could achieve was a ten-year (or 20-year) labour of Sisyphus, endlessly pushing the boulder up the hill only to see it roll down again. It was a convincing image given the legitimate lefts continued tolerance of the wreckers, and the lack of stomach for the fight of Hattersley and others like him. In January 1981, when Rodgers, along with Jenkins, Williams and Owen, signed the Limehouse Declaration, in which they declared their intention to rally all those who are committed to the values, principles and policies of social democracy, and added that the realignment of British politics must now be faced, they could not tell what would happen: We knew that eight or nine other MPs would immediately join us and believed that we would soon get 100 names from amongst the great and the good to endorse our Council for Social Democracy. But otherwise we were in the dark about the response we would provoke, expecting to build steadily over a period of months to the launch of a new party. But the publicity given to the Limehouse Declaration brought a snowstorm of letters, which became an avalanche when the names of the first signatories to our Declaration for Social Democracy appeared in The Guardian on 5th February. I had letters from old school friends, former civil servants and, more predictably, men and women who had supported the Campaign for Democratic Socialism 20 years before. Instead of having to recruit, like Garibaldi, a thousand political irregulars with whom to start our bold campaign, we found that we had placed ourselves in the leadership of an army already formed and waitingwe decided to bring forward the launch to 26th March. Such things are inherently unpredictable. So are the changes and chances which may be offered in by-elections. When the Warrington by-election came up, Jenkins stood for the SDP, and astonished almost everyone by finishing in a strong second place, with 42 per cent of the vote. Had Williams been the SDP candidate in Warrington, she might well have won, and become the new partys leader, with a wider appeal than Jenkins. She was instead returned to Parliament at the Crosby by-election in November 1981, with Jenkins following at Glasgow Hillhead in March 1982. Those were famous victories, which few would have predicted when the Limehouse Declaration was signed. Disappointment followed when at the general election of 1983, the SDP/Liberal Alliance gained 25.4 per cent of the vote, but only 23 seats, of which a mere six went to the SDP, while Labour, with 27.6 per cent, had 209 seats. But although the obvious lesson of this is that the first-past-the-post electoral system favours the established parties, that law should not be regarded as immutable. There comes a tipping point, not quite attained by the SDP in 1983, at which an insurgent party finds that first-past-the-post works in its favour. In the 2015 general election in Scotland, the SNP won 56 seats, compared to six in 2010, while Labour won a single seat, compared to 41 in 2010. Our politics can be astonishingly volatile. If Corbyn and his advisers treat what happened yesterday as insignificant, it is all the more likely to turn out to be the start of something big. James Frayne is Director of Public First and author of Meet the People, a guide to moving public opinion. What impact will the Independent Groups launch have on the Conservative Party? Not unreasonably, analyists and commentators are only just beginning to get round to the question. But Conservative strategists will already be thinking about potential effects. Since its extremely difficult to test voter attitudes towards a hypothetical scenario such as a formal new party launch, in turn its extremely difficult now to predict the impact. But testing voter attitudes benefits from having a set of political hypotheses to test in the first place. So what should those hypotheses be? Lets consider the short-term and then the long-term. Thinking about the next few months first, we should assume theres likely to be a hit to Jeremy Corbyns poll ratings and Labours performance in top-line national voting intention ratings. The early reporting around the group has been framed negatively: that Luciana Berger and Labour colleagues are leaving the Party because of the leaderships inability and unwillingness to deal with racism within its ranks and because the leadership has been unwilling to fight back on Brexit. The positive vision that Berger and others have has naturally been drowned out in the immediate aftermath of their announcement. As Ive written on these pages before, Corbyns personal ratings have been poor for a long time. Swing voters think he is incompetent and lacking in intelligence and leadership qualities. However, to date, he hasnt been seen as a bad person; furthermore, voters have generally drawn a distinction between the Labour leadership (Corbyn and John McDonnell) and the wider Labour Party. Labours fundamental brand of sticking up for the poor remains strong. It is possible that Berger and others presentation of the Party leadership and the wider Party as immoral will make those cultural attacks that the Conservatives have been making in recent years stick. By that, I mean the Conservatives allegations that Corbyn is dangerous rather than stupid. This shift in the public mood from thinking Corbyn is incompetent to unpleasant could drag his ratings down further and for longer; its too early to say. Its possible that some Conservative MPs will be tempted away if no deal looks possible. But on balance it seems more likely that the Government would do pretty much anything to avoid this; its therefore currently hard to imagine a mass exodus of Conservative Remainers. The Independent Group is therefore probably a Labour-ish Party for the foreseeable future. (The danger for the Conservatives looks to be primarily on the Right, but thats for another day). Again these are all hypotheses for testing, but, with that in mind, the launch of the new group looks therefore likely to be a major short-term positive for the Conservatives. Not only are Corbyn and Labours ratings likely to go down but, in practice, the initiative makes voters defections from the Conservative Party at least somewhat less likely. It surely also makes it less likely that Conservative Remainers who are by their nature self-consciously internationalist will defect to a Labour Party that has been so badly tainted with the brush of racism. And, again, certainly in the short-term, these voters will not be able to turn to a new Party that has no meaningful infrastructure. Finally, it is worth pointing out the obvious: that these MPs will split the left-leaning vote in any elections that come up soon. But all this is about the short-term; things could change quickly. The longer-term is obviously more difficult to predict. But, again, lets think through a hypothesis. Let us assume four things: firstly, that theres some sort of deal with the EU; secondly, that the Group becomes a Party and develops a positive, centrist vision somewhere between the governing philosophies of Gordon Brown and the 2005-2010 version of David Cameron; thirdly, that the new Party develops, Macron-style, a rudimentary campaigning vehicle that can see it compete nationally; and, fourthly, that at least a few Conservative MPs leave the Party to join it. All of these things seem reasonable to assume, even if we acknowledge that launching a new party formally is logistically very difficult. The big question is: would such a party take votes away from the Conservatives? In any vaguely similar space to the one theyre staking out, the Independent Party would be attractive, theoretically, to around a third of voters: these are the International Free Traders (around 10 per cent of the electorate) and the Social Democrats (around 25 per cent) that I wrote about here recently. Because of this, and because of their launch politicians, it would make more sense for such a party to veer somewhat left rather than somewhat right; there look to be more votes from it here. That means ramping up issues like public service reform, poverty, welfare and dealing with capitalist excess. (While theyll obsess about Europe in the short-term, they cant build a party on that stance given that things might all be over by the middle of the year; theyll need a more durable focus.) With such a platform, they will find it easy enough to attract MPs like Allen, who arent policy-oriented and who travel light ideologically, but would presumably struggle to attract more mainstream Conservatives. And this left-leaning stance would make it more difficult to attract the business-minded Remain voters of the South of England to back this party. Wall Street Journal Conservatives to use an Americanism would think twice about a left-leaning party. But while their campaigning platform will surely lean left, that doesnt mean that the Independent Party would only eat into Labours vote. After all, many of those that we might call Social Democrats voted for David Cameron in 2010 and 2015 (much less so for Theresa May in 2017). In fact, we should assume that an Independent Party, if it commits itself to a capitalist economy of sorts (with a commitment to ethical business etc) looks highly attractive to those younger, urban, professional voters that shifted from Blair to Cameron as the Labour Party shifted to the hard-left under Ed Miliband. This narrows the Conservatives pathway to a majority. But its hard not to conclude that an Independent Partys campaigning wont disproportionately affect electoral life for the Labour Party. There is a giant caveat to this point one that wont surprise occasional readers of this column. This is that the Conservatives are somewhat more insulated from the Independent Party if they continue to embrace a conservatism that appeals primarily to working class and lower middle class voters. In such a scenario, the Conservatives continue to hollow out Labours working class base while solidifying its lead amongst lower middle class swing voters. As this is happening, the Independent Party starts to attract middle class voters that have recently shifted from the Conservatives to Labour. If the Conservatives junk this strategy, they risk losing their attraction to provincial working class and lower middle class voters and end up in a war they might not be able to win for these Social Democrats. Two final points on the Independent Group. Firstly, the name is great; it plays to the publics desire for change and to the idea that people should put country ahead of party. Secondly, they cant, however, credibly claim to be changing politics given theyre fronted by people that look and sound like theyve spent their entire existence focusing on Westminster politics. Macron smashed his way into power in France by being different; at this point in time the Independent Group looks simply like a nicer version of the people you usually get offered during elections. Henry Newman is Director of Open Europe. Its long been apparent that politics is in flux, both here in the UK but more generally across the West. Brexit is simultaneously a product of this political upheaval, but also is itself a cause of greater political disruption. Yesterday, the landscape of Westminsters body politic began to shift. But its not yet clear whether the defection of so-called Gang of Seven MPs from the Labour Party to a new Independent Group marks a movement of Westminsters tectonic plates or something relatively discreet. Are we about to witness a schism dividing the Left or perhaps both main parties? Might that schism reverse the trend we saw in the 2017 General Election towards a dominance of the two main parties, perhaps with a British version of Emmanuel Macrons En Marche scooping up votes from the centre ground? And what, if any effect, will this have on the direction of Brexit overall? None of those who defected from Labour yesterday are major household names, unlike the so-called Gang of Four. That group, which broke away from Labour in the early 1980s and eventually founded the SDP, included a former Home and Foreign Secretary. Although several of the new defectors have served on the shadow frontbench, and in select committees, none have actual Cabinet experience. Without a big beast can the new Independent Group secure the continued publicity they will need? We also dont yet know whether the new group will coalesce into a new challenger political party, or remain a loose alliance. Will they fight in upcoming by-elections, for example? Some reports suggest there have been divisions within the group over these questions and over which of the MPs should lead the bloc. Buzzfeeds Alex Wickham has suggested up to 30 Labour MPs have been involved in talks about possible defections, but were put off by infighting and chaotic disagreements. Is the raison detre for the Independent Group opposing Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party, opposing Brexit, or to break the existing model of politics? All seven MPs are passionately pro-Remain, unlike Frank Field who has already left the Labour Party to stand as an independent, or Stephen Lloyd who resigned the Liberal Democrat whip. Yet at their press conference, the new group did not establish any clear, unified position. Luciana Berger said the Labour Party was institutionally anti-Semitic and singled out a culture of bullying, bigotry and intimidation. Chuka Umunnas cry was to dump this countrys old-fashioned politics, saying we have taken the first step in leaving the old tribal politics behind. Chris Leslie said their differences go far deeper than Brexit, arguing it would be irresponsible to allow Jeremy Corbyn to become Prime Minister. And Mike Gapes called Labour a racist, anti-Semitic party that was complicit in facilitating Brexit. What about the effects on Brexit? All seven MPs already oppose the Prime Ministers Brexit deal and back a so-called peoples vote. They have already been behaving as part of an internal opposition within Labour. So their defections will not inherently alter the maths in Parliament. Their defection might strengthen the hand of some on the Labour frontbench, for example Keir Starmer, who are keen to keep a second referendum in play. The shadow Brexit Secretary may now argue that Labour needs to show further leg to avoid a rebellion developing further. Or it could harden Labours opposition to a second referendum. But it seems unlikely that there will be a major shift in Labours overall Brexit position which remains one of constructive ambiguity. Gapess charge that Labour was facilitating Brexit was interesting given that Labour have continued to oppose the Governments deal. Its hard to predict what impact the group could have without knowing more about their direction of travel on major policy questions. What will the impact be on the polls? Its probable that the public will hear more Labour internal fighting and more about its anti-semitism issues, which will be damaging. But its not certain that a re-alignment wouldnt also impact the Tories, especially if it attracts some Conservative MPs to defect. It is often argued that the SDP split set the path to Margaret Thatchers landslide victories in the 1980s, but some such as Tim Bale argue that if you look at the data it seems that the SDP also took votes away from Conservatives. And that Thatcher might have won even bigger if the Alliance had not provided an easier home for ex-Labour voters. Will some Conservative MPs split off? Its hard to rule this out, particularly when Dominic Grieve and Nick Boles have already suggested they would leave the Party if Boris Johnson became leader. On BBC PM yesterday, Grieve insisted that he was a Conservative, while decrying the infiltration of the Party by people with whom he had nothing in common. At least four Tory MPs have apparently been placed on defection watch including Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Richard Harrington. Any defections from the Conservatives could badly weaken the ability of the Government to deliver its business through the Commons, increasing the chance of an early election. Equally, Labours parliamentary position is already substantially weakened, with Ivan Lewis, Frank Field and John Woodcock currently sitting as independents, Fiona Onasanya incarcerated, and the recent death of Paul Flynn. Meanwhile, the political uncertainty over Brexit continues with just days remaining of Article 50. Its hard to be definitive about the link between this uncertainty and recent economic data pointing to a slowing in Q4 2018 growth figures. UK growth remains relatively resilient, particularly in comparison to the recession in Italy and a projected slowdown in German growth, but it is doubtless affected by British political difficulties as business defers investment decisions. The reported closure of Swindons Honda factory is further worrying news. The car industry is understandably very concerned by the prospect of a No Deal Brexit, but has also been affected by problems over diesel vehicles, as well as by the impact of the new EU-Japan trade deal. That agreement will remove tariffs on car imports from Japan, removing some of the incentive from Japanese manufacturers to produce cars in the UK or Europe. Honda is also expected to announce the closure of its plant in Turkey, as part of a wider move to return production to Japan. Nonetheless, although some seek to instrumentalise both positive and negative business news to further their pre-existing views in the Brexit debate, reasonable people should agree that the uncertainty is in of itself damaging to business confidence. The sooner the Government can deliver clarity over when and how we will leave the EU the better. With the Labour Party in serious difficulty, its all the more important the Conservative Party is able to maintain its broad internal coalition and work together to find a viable compromise, acceptable to as much of Parliament as possible. Downing Street needs to push back against associations pursuing unreasonable deselection attempts, and MPs on all wings of the Party ought to remember exactly what we have in common. Brexit has been hard for the Conservative Party, as the Prime Minister candidly acknowledged in a letter to MPs over the weekend. But the Party is more than capable of weathering this challenge if MPs and others keep their eyes focused on the big picture and find a shared way through. Andrew Haldenby is Director of the public services think tank Reform. Robert Halfon is a must-read columnist for this website and a Select Committee Chairman much admired for his plain speaking and independence of thought. That does not, however, absolve his attack on academic education from the charges of bad sense and political impossibility. The bigger question is whether the Conservative Party has let a vacuum emerge on the basic issue of school standards, which poor ideas like Halfons will naturally fill. The Member for Harlow has the right intention: to create an education system which provides genuine opportunity to every child. He would do it by abolishing the GCSE and replacing it by a new baccalaureate which includes vocational skills and personal development. His proposal, however, would achieve the opposite of what he seeks to achieve. The chapter and verse as to why is set out in Professor Alison Wolfs report on vocational education for the Department for Education. Halfon might object that it was commissioned by Michael Gove, who believed unequivocally in the basic importance of academic skills and knowledge. That criticism is weak, however, because the Wolf report is based firmly on evidence, which is still relevant. The first key finding is that people who studied vocational qualifications at ages 15 and 16 did not benefit from doing so. In the 1980s, the Government introduced national vocational qualifications (NVQs) which measured progress in one specific vocational area from age 14. Research on NVQs, however, showed that those exams offered poor or even negative returns in terms of wages. Males who studied them actually earned less than their peers who were apparently less qualified. The Wolf Review further showed that one set of qualifications at age 16 mattered for earning prospects above all: English and Maths GCSE, achieved at grades A*-C. Individuals with those qualifications had a significant benefit in career progression and pay. Individuals with low literacy and numeracy were severely disadvantaged in the labour market. Last, what Halfon is proposing is out of step with other countries, even those with vaunted vocational systems. All German schools, for example, offer a classroom-based general education to age 16. A fifth of children go on to a vocational apprenticeship which begins at 17. Up to then, they will do vocational studies as one of 13 or 14 subjects, the others being normal academic subjects such as mathematics, physics, a foreign language, history and so on. I personally doubt whether Halfons ideas are politically possible. Tony Blair vetoed the Tomlinson Review in 2005, which was his generations Halfon moment. The French introduced a Halfon-style technological curriculum at ages 14-16, only to abandon it because parents and students were not willing to choose or be allocated to it. The vocational route needs work but tearing down the academic route is not the way to do it. As Chair of the Education Select Committee and a senior backbencher, Halfons ideas deserve attention, wrong-headed though they are. He achieved such strong coverage, however, because he filled a gap in the market. Other members of the Conservative Party seem to have temporarily lost their voice on education reform and on schools specifically. In his interview on ConservativeHome last week, Damian Hinds said that he would be a different Education Secretary to Gove. He would be different in style: a less bold, vociferous and constant presence. He would also be different in substance. Whereas Gove stood foursquare for bringing academic opportunity to every child, Hindss overriding aim is to reduce teacher workload. That happens to be one of the key priorities of the main teaching union (the National Education Union, formed by the merger of the National Union for Teachers and another union), along with increasing teachers pay. This is a break from the Conservatives basic story on education reform. For the last 20 years, the Party has stood for rising pupil standards supported by effective discipline. The 2010 manifesto promised to deliver rising standards for all pupils and a narrower attainment gap between the richest and the poorest. The 2015 said that it knew what mattered in education: rigour in the curriculum, discipline in the classroom; proper exams. Certainly the Party recognised the importance of good teaching, hand in hand with the wider standards drive. Hinds seems to be on a different tack. I would urge him to reconsider for a number of reasons. The first is that the fight for higher standards has not been won and should not be neglected. His own department knows this and has some good policies (as well as a strong Schools Minister, Nick Gibb). As is the way of politics, however, this work will have less force if it is not seen as the Secretary of States priority. The second is that it is not the job of a Cabinet Minister to follow the agenda of the big public service unions. Sajid Javid made the same mistake as Home Secretary when he supported the Police Federations campaign for higher police funding. The teaching unions top priority is not higher pupil standards. That has to be the job for Ministers. As Tony Blair said in a valedictory article in the Economist in 2007: Public-sector unions cant be allowed to determine the shape of public services. The third is that Gove was right to arouse the opposition of the main teaching union. That union has consistently opposed any strong reform programme that expects more of teachers. It currently opposes independent inspection of schools and league tables, for example. It is studiously non-party in its opposition to change: in 1995, NUT members trapped David Blunkett in a room for 30 minutes, angry because he opposed a wave of teachers strikes over pay. Any political party should be confident that a standards agenda will win support from parents that far outweighs any loss of support from some teachers. Parents will also support the idea that schools should be run by headteachers rather than by officials in councils or in Whitehall. Even faced with the demands of Brexit, some Ministers are succeeding in setting out a reform agenda. David Gauke made a very strong speech on prisons policy yesterday. Matthew Hancock wants a thorough overhaul of the NHS (although he needs more support from NHS England to do so). Hinds can certainly join them. The standards agenda is a good story to tell. Seven MPs quit the racist, bullying, hard left Labour Party Watson warns Corbyn that more resignations might follow and urges a reshuffle The Sun Who are the seven? The Times PLP applaud the quitters while Lavery claims everything is fine The Times Smeeth breaks down in tears as she discusses abuse from Labour members Daily Mail Trolls promptly demonstrate their point about a toxic culture The Sun More antisemitic abuse in Wavertree Labour The Times The seven MPs who quit the Labour Party lined up yesterday to deliver a devastating verdict on Jeremy Corbyns leadership. One by one, they set out an extraordinary charge sheet against Mr Corbyns stewardship, accusing him of turning Labour into an institutionally anti-Semitic and racist party. Luciana Berger, a Jewish MP threatened with deselection by hard-Left activists, said she was embarrassed and ashamed to remain in a party riven with bullying, bigotry and intimidation. At the launch of their Independent Group, the MPs tore into Labours leadership, warning that the party had been hijacked. Mike Gapes, a Labour MP for 27 years, said he was sickened that the party he joined was now racist. Others blamed their decision to quit on the partys failure to oppose Brexit and support a second referendum. Chris Leslie, former shadow chancellor, said he had left because Labour had been hijacked by the machine politics of the hard Left. Daily Mail Opinion Editorials Dreams of realignment might now become a reality The Times Leader You cant build a new politics on the basis of trying to stop the biggest democratic vote in our history The Sun Says No new party will fix politics by defying the people Daily Telegraph Leader It will likely struggle to grow into a proper party FT Leader The split is a mistake, but also a warning The Guardian Leader >Today: ToryDiary: Yes, our system favours the established parties. But it is not invulnerable to change. This could be the start of a breakthrough. >Yesterday: Toynbee: Wrong time, wrong reasons, wrong people this is no SDP Seven is a pitifully small number. The timing is monstrously badly judged and the reasons the MPs give are oddly scattergun, lacking political punch and focus. To be sure, they are not alone in thinking Jeremy Corbyn a weak leader with many failings: his poll ratings show most of the country agrees, as did the 172 Labour MPs who voted no confidence in him two and half years ago, as his kinder gentler politics turned poisonous. But whether born of despair or vanity, this walkout is a damaging distraction, because right here, right now, there is only one cause that matters Brexit. Thats not one issue among many, it is the great question that has the nations future hanging by a thread. It is the debate that contains within it all the other arguments about Britains ideals, identities, ideologies and insanities. Polly Toynbee, The Guardian Angela Smith immediately sparks a racism row by referring to people with a funny tinge The Sun BBC accidentally broadcasts we are actually f*cked voiceover The Guardian McDonnell demands they call by-elections Daily Telegraph There were meant to be a lot more MPs, but infighting deterred most of them Buzzfeed Corbynite outriders mock Blairite tribute act The Times Derek Hatton has been allowed to rejoin the Labour Party The Sun The last time Berger had the chance to express her concerns to Corbyn directly was in 2017 Belfast Telegraph Sketches and Opinion >Today: Henry Newmans column: A new bout of political instability hits Labour but does it change the Brexit arithmetic? >Yesterday: Might Tory MPs join them? Allen and Wollaston are on resignation watch Honda plant to shut Senior Tories fear that at least six Conservatives will quit the party to join Chuka Umunna and the Independents. Anti-Brexiteer MPs Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston are under resignation watch.And insiders are convinced Anna Soubry will also walk despite her long career in the Tory party. Others thought to be considering their future are Antoinette Sandbach, Philip Lee and ex-Education Secretary Justine Greening. Both Ms Allen and Dr Wollaston have faced a fury from local activists over their strong support for a Peoples Vote. Neither would comment yesterday. The Sun The company is expected to announce tomorrow that its plant in Swindon will shut in 2022, affecting 3,500 people directly employed by the company and many others in the carmakers supply chain. The closure, first reported by Sky News, will be the biggest blow to car manufacturing in the UK since the collapse of Rover 14 years ago. It follows thousands of job losses at Jaguar Land Rover, Vauxhall, Ford and Michelin and the decision by Nissan to build its new models in Japan rather than Sunderland. The industry has been under pressure from the collapse in sales of diesel vehicles plus the fears and uncertainties for carmakers over what will happen with rising costs and delays following Britains withdrawal from the European Union. The company is expected to move production back to Japan, partly because the new trade deal between Japan and the EU signed at the start of this month will eventually guarantee tariff-free car exports to the EU. The Times Cox and Barclay take backstop proposals to Brussels Sources said Attorney General Geoffrey Cox and Brexit secretary Steve Barclay will present Eurocrats with fresh proposals designed to reassure MPs in talks on Wednesday. Lawyers from the UK and EU will pore over what changes could be made either to the Withdrawal Agreement itself or in the form of additional promises ahead of a crunch Commons Brexit vote next week. Critically it means the Commission has accepted the possibility of legal tweaks. The move came as Tory Remain Ministers piled pressure on Theresa May yesterday by warning her up to 22 Ministers and aides could quit to try and block a No Deal in the February 27 vote. Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd and Business Secretary Greg Clark urged her to publicly commit to extending Brexit negotiations if an agreement cannot be reached. The Sun Ministerial concern about Chinese tech spying threat Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat chairman of the committee, asked each of the three frontbenchers if they were considering making mandatory the use of the Huawei cyber security evaluation centre (HCSEC), a government body that tests hardware and software updates supplied by Huawei. At present British companies may voluntarily make use of the body, which was set up in 2010 in response to security concerns about Huawei and is overseen by British spies from GCHQ. It is understood that Mr Williamson initially rejected proposals to write a joint response to Mr Lamb with Mr Wright and Mr Hunt, instead planning to set out a more robust position warning of the risks posed by Huawei in a separate statement. The three ministers have since agreed to try to formulate a joint letter, however, which it is hoped will be sent this week. It comes after Mr Williamson raised eyebrows with a speech that warned that Britain should be ready to use hard power against states that flouted international rules. The Times Its not just a business deal, security must come first The Times Leader David Miliband criticises UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia FT Merkels support for Russias pipeline shows she puts Germany ahead of the EU Juliet Samuel, Daily Telegraph Chinese spies suspected of cyber-attack on Australian politicians The Times Thirty-four migrants picked up in the Channel The Times >Yesterday: Benedict Rogers on Comment: Williamson was right to warn about the menace of China The Home Secretary is considering carefully a revision of treason laws to deal with jihadi returnees Britains 650-year-old treason law could be updated to allow jihadists returning from Syria to be prosecuted, the Home Secretary has said. Sajid Javid told the House of Commons yesterday that a change to the 1351 Treason Act was worth considering carefully. Mr Javid has vowed to block ISIS bride Shamima Begum from returning to the UK after she pleaded to be allowed back with her newborn son. The last person convicted of treason in the UK was wartime Nazi propagandist Lord Haw-Haw who was hanged in 1946. Mr Javid was asked by Tory colleague Julian Lewis whether he would consider revamping the treason law to specify that it is treason to support a group that one knows intends to attack the UK or is fighting UK forces. Daily Mail >Yesterday: Chloe Westleys column: The twisted ideology that upends reason and presents terror backers as innocent victims Gauke and Bailey: Short prison sentences are counter-productive and should be banned Almost two thirds of offenders sentenced to less than 12 months in prison go on to reoffend in the first year after release. This is almost double the reoffending rate of those given community or suspended sentences. A policy approach purely focused on more and more imprisonment is one that does not serve the interests of society, and wastes taxpayers money. In the 21st century we should not be thinking in terms of what is hard or soft. We should be having a conversation about what works smart justice that delivers empirically the best possible outcomes for society. That is why we shouldnt treat prison as a holding pen for societys problems. If someone commits a serious crime it should be met with serious time. But for more minor offences we should look to keep many people, especially our young people, away from prison. David Gauke and Shaun Bailey, The Times The Government is to forbid sentences of less than six months The Times Davies calls the idea idiotic The Sun Momentum hopes to use the North of Tyne mayoralty as a test bed for radical socialism Labour-run Birmingham faces another bin strike Daily Mail MSPs to vote for tax hikes The Scotsman Socialist grassroots activist Jamie Driscoll versus heir of Blair Nick Slasher Forbes: the fight to be Labours candidate for the new post of elected mayor for Englands northernmost area has turned ideological. Former Conservative chancellor George Osborne devised elected metro mayors responsible for nurturing economic growth and job creation as a condition of devolving central government funding and powers to English conurbations. Now Momentum, the pressure group that backs the leftwing Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, is eyeing Mr Osbornes innovation as a great opportunity to spread its brand of socialism. There are currently no Momentum activists among Englands seven elected metro mayors and its influence at local authority level is patchy. But Momentums Mr Driscoll is in a two-way fight with Mr Forbes, leader of Newcastle city council, to become Labours candidate for the elected position of North of Tyne mayor. FT >Today: Katrina Wood on Local Government: Government meddling is making unitary status for local government in Buckinghamshire harder to achieve McKinstry: Churchills fascist-crushing partnership with Attlee undermines the hard lefts revisionism It is Churchills central part in the Second World War that makes a mockery of McDonnells assertion of villainy. Indeed, the Shadow Chancellor would not have the freedom to spout his drivel today had it not been for Churchills determination to stand up to Nazi tyranny in 1940. McDonnell fondly sees himself as an opponent of fascism. But there was never a more robust warrior against it than Churchill. To paint him now as a criminal is to smear his legacy in defending civilisation from genocidal barbarity. During his wartime premiership, Churchill was ably assisted by the Labour Party, led by the calm, austere Clement Attlee. The fruitful coalition between the two men is a direct refutation of McDonnells partisan myth-making. If Churchill had really been a Tory villain, Attlees Labour would not have contemplated going into Government with him. Leo McKinstry, Daily Express Decolonising curricula is deeply sinister Melanie Phillips, The Times Feminist no-platformed by BBC, allegedly after trans activists objection The Times News in Brief Vietnam News Agency leader lauds Vietnam-RoKs ties Updated: 14:50 - 19/02/2019 General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi meets RoK Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon (Right) in Seoul on February 18__Photo: Huu Tuyen/VNA , , , , , General Director of Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi lauded the growing Vietnam-Republic of Korea (RoK) ties in diverse areas during a meeting with RoK Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon in Seoul on February 18.Loi introduced the role and function of the VNA and underlined the need to enhance information sharing between the VNA and the RoKs Yonhap news agency.He said Vietnamese people pay close attention to the RoK and its people so the two news agencies have a responsibility to deepen mutual understanding between the two countries.PM Lee, for his part, wished that the VNA and Yonhap would continue serving as bridges to promote bilateral ties. He also conveyed his thanks to the Vietnamese Government for facilitating RoK businesses operations in Vietnam over the years, as well as providing support for Korean people in the country.The same day, General Director Loi had talks with Yonhap President Sung-boo Cho. Loi wished Yonhap would share its experience in the use of artificial intelligence in news production, adding that VNA is ready to assist Yonhap in opening a Vietnamese page on its website.As a national news agency, the VNA is responsible for providing mainstream information for foreign news agencies and willing to help Yonhap correspondents cover news in Vietnam, he said.He invited Yonhap President Cho to the 44th meeting of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) scheduled for April 19-20 in Vietnam.Cho wished both sides would continue working closely together in information works.On the occasion, the VNA General Director, Yonhap President, and Executive Vice Chairman of SK Innovation the RoKs largest chemical energy company - signed a memorandum of understanding on media co-operation for a mangrove forest restoration project in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh.During his visit to the RoK, VNA General Director Loi made trips to the Vietnamese Embassy and Samsung Group. On February 19-20, the VNA General Director and his entourage will visit SK Innovations petrol refinery and tour the southern cities of Ulsan and Busan.The working visit is at the invitation of Yonhap President Sung-boo Cho from February 17-21.- NTU and University of California sign MoU for expanding collaboration Nanyang Technological University (NTU) of Singapore and the University of California signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today for expanding academic and research opportunities and collaborations in both the institutions. Professor Subra Suresh, NTU president and Janet Napolitano, president of University of California signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of their respective institutions. Under the terms of agreement, both the educational institutions will explore activities over a five-year time frame to further the exchange of faculty and students, as well as joint research efforts in areas that include climate change, health, technology and innovation. University of California president Janet Napolitano (left) and NTU Singapore president Professor Subra Suresh signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of their respective institutions. Photo courtesy: NTU Both NTU Singapore and University of California are globally recognised for research, education, innovation and commitment to societal impact. By combining our strengths and by deepening our collaboration, we can magnify this impact to address a number of global challenges, said Professor Subra Suresh, NTU president. Im excited to be in Singapore this week to explore new opportunities for UC to collaborate with leading higher education institutions such as NTU Singapore, said Janet Napolitano, president of University of California. With its teaching, research, and public service mission, the University of California is committed to boldly confronting the most pressing global challenges. Establishing robust international partnerships is critical to this effort, she added. Janet Napolitano and her delegation are on a two-day visit to Singapore. On Monday, she gave a lecture and participated in a dialogue in front of an audience of some 300 students, faculty, and members of the public. The discussion centred on the integral roles that individuals, institutions and universities can play in meeting the global challenges of climate disruption and other emerging threats, and in uniting the world through research and innovation. This memorandum of understanding builds on NTU's existing academic and research collaborations with UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC San Francisco, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. Currently, some 180 students from NTU participate in academic exchanges in the US annually, and another 175 students participate in exchange programmes at US partner-universities under the Global Engineering Education Exchange network that enables undergraduate engineering students to study and intern abroad. GST relief for travellers arriving in Singapore to be lowered Travellers arriving back to Singapore will now have a lower GST relief, starting from 12am on Tuesday, February 19, 2019. This was announced by the Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat in the Budget 2019 Statement. In a joint press statement, Singapore Customs and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) said that travellers who spend less than 48 hours outside Singapore will get GST relief for the first SGD100 (instead of SGD150 currently) of the value of goods. Travellers who spend at least 48 hours outside Singapore will get GST relief for the first SGD500 (instead of SGD600 currently) of the value of goods. Photo: Connected to India The authorities noted that the revision in GST import relief limits is made to ensure that Singapore's tax system continues to remain resilient, amid rising international travel. On arrival in Singapore, travellers carrying goods with values exceeding their GST import relief are required to declare the goods and make payment for the required GST. They can also make an advance declaration and payment of GST using the Customs@SG mobile app or web portal. Failure to declare or making an incorrect declaration can result in a fine up to SGD10,000 or the equivalent of the amount of tax payable, whichever is greater, and/or imprisonment for up to 12 months. Those found guilty of fraudulent evasion of GST will be liable to a fine up to 20 times the amount of tax evaded and/or imprisonment for up to 2 years. Board of Jet Airways approves bank-led provisional resolution plan To relieve the financial strain on one of Indias premier airlines, the Board of Jet Airways has approved a Bank-Led Provisional Resolution Plan (BLPRP). The BLPRP proposes restructuring under the provisions of the RBI Circular in order to meet a funding gap of nearly INR 85 billion (SGD1612.3 million) which is to be met by an appropriate mix of equity infusion, debt restructuring, sale/ sale and lease back/ refinancing of aircraft, among other things, stated Jet Airways in a media release. Accordingly, the Board will now seek approval from the consortium of lenders, the overseeing committee of the Indian Bankers' Association, the Board of Directors of Etihad Airways, and the promoter. The BLPRP will be presented for consideration of each of the above. Jet Airways' Board has approved a Bank-Led Provisional Resolution Plan (BLPRP) which proposes restructuring under the provisions of the RBI Circular. Photo courtesy: Jet Airways The implementation and/ or any action thereon will be under the provisions of and subject to receipt of all applicable statutory, regulatory, contractual and corporate approvals and consents, said the release. The BLPRP envisages the Company receiving the requisite approvals from shareholders at their meeting scheduled to be held on February 21 for conversion of Lenders debt into appropriate equity shares that would result in the Lenders becoming the largest shareholders in the Company, and, appointment of Lenders nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company under the provisions of the RBI Circular. Additionally, the BLPRP also envisages sanction of interim credit facilities by domestic lenders on terms to be agreed, as well as, appropriate governance structure including the Board composition in accordance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. Vinay Dube, CEO of Jet Airways. Photo courtesy: Facebook page of Vinay Dube "We are indebted to our employees who, despite our interim challenges, have worked tirelessly to ensure the highest levels of operational reliability and customer services for our guests, in line with our core values. We are also grateful to our guests for their continued support and words of encouragement which have been a source of inspiration and strength for us, said Vinay Dube, CEO, Jet Airways. Jet Airways continues to make steady progress on its operational and financial turnaround and with todays approval of the Bank led Provisional Resolution Plan by the Board of Directors of the Company, we remain confident of delivering a more strategic, efficient and financially viable airline, he added. Jet Airways has also declared its result for the third quarter of fiscal year 2019 where for the period October to December 2018, the airline reported an EBITDAR of INR530 million (SGD10.05 million) versus an EBITDAR of INR10510 million (SGD199 million) in Q3 FY18, and reported a net loss of INR7320 million (SGD138.85 million) for the quarter, against a net profit of INR1860 million (SGD35.28 million) for the same period last year. Despite improvement in RASK which grew by 2.6 per cent over Q3 FY18 due to seasonal, demand-led strengthening of fares, higher costs due to the price of Brent crude (up 29% YoY) and the depreciated Indian Rupee impacted the airlines overall business performance. These factors ensured that the sequential reduction in non-fuel CASK over the last few quarters could not be sustained. For Q3 FY19, Jet Airways non-fuel CASK increased by 13.7 per cent on a year-on-year basis, to INR 3.43. Excluding forex impact, non-fuel CASK increased by 7.5 per cent During the quarter, Jet Airways also implemented new codeshare partnerships with Flynas and expanded its codeshare cooperation with international partners such as Air France, Bangkok Airways, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Virgin Atlantic delivering incremental growth and choice for guests. The airline also launched its fifth non-stop service between India and the United Kingdom via the countrys maiden, non-stop, service between Mumbai and Manchester, with onward connectivity to North America along with 3 additional services to Singapore from Mumbai, Delhi and Pune as well as additional frequencies between Delhi Bangkok, Mumbai Doha, Delhi Doha, Mumbai Dubai and Delhi Kathmandu as part of its winter schedule. Jet Airways Group Q3, FY19 highlights Zoho has updated its office productivity suite, adding AI capabilities and introducing a new note-taking app, Notebook. Zoho has been rolling out AI features under the Zia brand in recent years; Zia now acts as a smart assistant in Zoho's sales and customer support tools, for instance. Last week, the Chennai, India-based firm announced that Zia AI has been incorporated into its office productivity tools, too. For Zoho's word processing tool, Writer, Zia can highlight grammatical errors and style inconsistencies, provide a "readability score" for a document and suggest ways to improve writing quality. In the Zoho Show presentation software, Zia offers contextual suggestions for readability, grammar and formatting. And in Zoho Sheets, the AI assistant recommends relevant chart and pivotal tables for use and use Zia Voice - Zoho's conversational AI platform - to let users ask questions about data sets. David Smith, founder and principal analyst at InFlow Analysis, said the AI features should enhance the effectiveness of Zoho's productivity apps. "Organizations need intelligent tools that can be integrated into business processes, provide automation and increase worker efficiency and productivity across all channels," Smith said. The new AI capabilities "will bring intelligent context to streamline business workflows and processes for better efficiency." Zoho also unveiled a new Notebook app, which lets users create a variety of text, checklist, audio, photo, file and sketch note "cards." The app, which is available for free, automatically syncs to the Zoho cloud to backup data for use across devices. Other updates to the company's Office Suite apps include a "focus" mode in Writer that highlights a particular paragraph and dims everything else in the document, as well as a retro option to enable typewriter sounds when typing. Writer now works completely offline on web, mobile and iPad editions. Zoho Show users can now run presentations on Android and Apple TV-enabled devices, with a smartphone used as a controller to flick through slides. And Zoho Sheets users will be able to create their own personalized functions, such as the ability to automatically pull from an accounting app to fill in a Sheets report. Zoho faces stiff competition from Microsoft and Google, both of which have also been adding AI features to their respective productivity products. Zoho's strength lies in the breadth of its offerings, which is likely to be attractive to small- and mid-sized business in particular, said Smith. "Zoho is pushing the envelope with respect to having a full digital workplace platform that covers all business domains from sales to marketing to HR," said Smith. "That's their differentiator. This will challenge larger players like Microsoft and Google and the industry as a whole to fill gaps in their own portfolios." Zoho Office Suite is for free for individual use, $3 per user/month for small and mid-sized businesses, and $6 per user/month for enterprise customers. Danville, IL (61832) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 83F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. The U.S. maritime patrol aircraft conducted reconnaissance along Syrias maritime borders, near Russias Hmeymim air base and Tartus naval base. The P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane with the tail number 168859 took off from the military base at Sigonella, Sicily. The plane cruised in the specified area for about 1.5 hours. Earlier yesterday, the U.S. Air Force aircraft conducted reconnaissance near the coast of the Crimean peninsula, according to the monitoring resource PlaneRadar. The Boeing RC-135V reconnaissance plane with the tail number 64-14846 and the call sign MITE21 took off from the Saya Bay air base in Greece at 08:35 Moscow time. It flew around the borders of the peninsula several times, then returned to its home airfield. The RC-135V cruised in the specified area for about three hours. Columbia, MO (65201) Today Showers and thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low near 70F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. If you havent made any connections on LinkedIn, you may want to start now. LinkedIn, the website and mobile app, has grown in popularity among college students looking for work and employers looking to hire them. Over 80 percent of graduating seniors use LinkedIn to search for jobs, according to a class of 2017 student survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Moreover, 87 percent of job recruiters use LinkedIn to evaluate potential candidates for positions, according to the 2016 Jobvite Recruiter Nation Report. Matt Ishler, associate director of career counseling, said LinkedIn allows students to give visibility to parts of their existing network. While it takes some effort, Ishler said the platform is helpful to students in that it can identify people who may be willing to serve as sources of information, referrals and opportunities based on factors such as shared interests, goals and background at Penn State. The visibility leads to accessibility, Ishler said. This leads to a greater degree of knowledge and identification of next steps [in getting a job]. LinkedIn offers a search feature that allows its users to look for potential connections based on previous education and job experience. For example, a Penn State student could search for Penn State University, click on its profile, and from that page search keywords like different majors or clubs to find alumni or current students who share their interests. Theres value in LinkedIn in that it allows people to be very elaborate in their descriptions of their work and their academic projects, Ishler said. Sometimes a resume can mention those [projects] but LinkedIn allows with a click of a button [those projects to be seen] in their profile. Ishler said that while he doesnt think LinkedIn will replace the traditional one-page resume any time soon, students who are actively looking for internships and jobs should strongly consider creating a profile on the professional platform. Theres a lot of connections that can be made [using LinkedIn], Ishler said. But its not a quick fix it gives you the opportunity to [reach out to people]. LinkedIn has a website (https://university.linkedin.com/linkedin-for-students) specifically to help college students build their profiles and get tips on how to get hired. Some of the suggestions from the company include asking former employers for recommendations to post to ones profile and listing any volunteer work one has completed. LinkedIn can offer some free tools to activate some things that can be difficult, Ishler said. Its the idea of going out there and finding the community thats doing what you want to do and saying, I hold interest in doing this. While there is no right time to begin networking, according to Ishler, students should be prepared to create an online presence that will impress employers. Senior director of Career Services Bob Orndorff said it is not too early for first-year students to make a LinkedIn profile because they can use it as an educational tool if nothing else. From my experience, the biggest single career need among traditional-aged college students is exposure to career options, Orndorff said via email. LinkedIn offers students a personalized approach to exploring career fields of interest and broadening their exposure to the world of work. A believer in the power of LinkedIn, Emma Kyle said the platform is useful because it can be used to network with people you may not otherwise be able to meet in person. Its just a way to be able to find information about other people, Kyle (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said. [A good time to create a LinkedIn profile] is whenever youre personally ready to start looking for internships or whenever you feel like you [have enough experience] that would be useful for other people to view. Growing your network may prove a challenge, but it might be worth it when you score that dream internship or post-graduation job. [Online networking is] the idea of continually introducing yourself to people beyond the first immediate layer of connections, Ishler said. People like advisers, faculty, career services staff are here to help you think through how to do that. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is concerned over the increasing aggression from the United States regarding the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, Bloomberg reported with reference to three unnamed sources. The German government is concerned at the prospect of further hardball tactics from the Donald Trump administration after fending off Washington efforts to turn her European Union partners against the gas pipeline. According to Bloomberg sources, U.S. diplomats leaned on officials in Paris and Brussels to join their opposition to the Nord Stream 2 project over the past 10 days. Speaking at the 2019 Munich Security Conference on February 16, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence made it clear that Washington is not ready to accept defeat on the Nord Stream 2, and urged the EU member states to reject the project. The remarks came after Merkel defended the development of the project during her speech at the 2019 Munich Security Conference, dismissing U.S. concerns that Nord Stream 2 will weaken Europe's strategic position. After two snow-related cancellations at Penn State, on Monday, Feb. 18 Professor Julia Spicher Kasdorf and Professor Steven Rubin read their book and project entitled, Shale Play: Poems and Photographs from the Fracking Fields. Kasdorf, a professor of English and womens studies at Penn State, created the poetry aspects of the book on fracking, and Rubin, a documentary photographer and associate professor of art, took the photographs. The investigative book covers the impact of fracking along the Marcela Shale, an area that has a high concentration of oil and gas in the rock. Kasdorf and Rubin focused on areas in Pennsylvania. At the reading, Kasdorf presented her poems that featured stories of the changed lives of locals and workers due to health problems and land damage which added to her personal stories coming from a town next to Pittsburgh surrounded by the fracking industry. As she read, Rubins photographs were presented on screen. Rachel Hynds said she read the book in one of her classes at Penn State, and it was very interesting to hear the voice that wrote the poems instead of reading it herself. Hines (sophomore-public relations) said also appreciated the diagrams of fracking that Kasdorf gave at the beginning of the reading, to show what fracking is. The diagrams showed how deep fracking can extend. Drills can dig one to two miles deep vertically, and more than one mile horizontally. Water, chemicals and sand are then pumped at high pressures to release gas from the drilled holes. Stephen Gover said after reading Shale Play he had a greater understanding of the human side of fracking. He enjoyed that the book showed how the people were taken advantage of by industry, not just the effects on land. I think working in tandem, especially in the context in storytelling, the poems and photographs can have a powerful effect you miss in statistics, Gover (sophomore-recreation, park and tourism management) said. Andrea Brown is from the West Coast, and said before hearing about the industry, she had no concept of what it was like growing up in a town that deals with fracking. Brown (graduate-poetry) said she was enlightened by their work, but also appalled at hearing some of the stories. I think her use of persona is really interesting and beautiful, and I think she did a really good job at describing the town in a way that makes you feel like youre there, Brown said. Brown said she enjoyed Kasdorfs poem where she played with the word fracking as the f-word. At the reading, Kasdorf said that she went back to counties to give free books to those that were featured in the poems and pictures. She said many who were given free ones bought another to donate to their local libraries. The book can be bought through the Penn State University Press. RELATED Your contribution will help the Collegian provide award winning journalism to the Penn State community and beyond. Donate to the Collegian by clicking the button below. SHOWS February 22, 2021 10.00 am Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. We've all been there at least once: You start a new job, you love the work and you're excited to succeed in the role. But then, after some time, you realize you don't have the most ideal boss. The reasons could be endless, but the worse-case scenario would be that they simply have some (or all) the traits of a toxic boss: Stubborn, untrustworthy, unavailable, impulsive, demanding, vindictive and so on. Being stuck with a terrible boss can be very frustrating. It can even end a person's career. In my years of working as an HR executive, I've seen too many employees lose their jobs for being too "difficult" or "uncompromising." That's right, regardless of what's really going on, even an employee can be accused of being solely at fault, especially if the boss has more organizational power. Even worse, many companies are aware that they lack management training. A recent Gallup study found that 60 percent of government workers were miserable due to poor leadership. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you feel your boss is in the wrong, and is therefore making work (and life) miserable, it's important to address it. Here's exactly how to do it: 1. Wait for the right time Never walk into your boss' office unannounced and give them a piece of your mind. Wait until you encounter the next difficult situation, and use that as an opportunity to address the problem. A senior-level employee let's call her Katie recently came to me with a dilemma. Her boss had just called her into a meeting with an important client about a project that was already behind schedule. In the meeting, Katie's boss assured their clients that Katie would be able to close the gap on the project in two days. By Katie's calculations, however, this would not be possible even if she worked overtime for the next two weeks. Never walk into your boss' office unannounced and give them a piece of your mind. J.T. O'Donnell founder and CEO, Work It Daily Katie wanted to say something, but she didn't want to look disrespectful toward her boss in front of the clients. That's when I told Katie to address the situation immediately while it was fresh, and then explained the "Ask, Don't Tell" method. The purpose of the "Ask, Don't Tell" method is to come up with a strategic line of questions that will lead your boss into realizing the problem on their own. Keep in mind that this isn't something you can just wing take time to thoughtfully map out the right questions. In Katie's case, I recommended that she start her questions with: "Can you help me understand" "Will you walk me through." "Can you share your thoughts around" "Will you explain to me how." 3. Approach your boss diplomatically Once you've prepared the right questions, it's time to approach your boss. Avoid doing this in a way that will make your boss feel accused of being in the wrong. I suggested that Katie say to her boss: "I wanted to follow up on your expectations for the project. I'm honored that you chose me to work on this account, and I don't want to let you down. That's why I'm concerned about the two-day turnaround. I tried mapping it out on my own, and I'm still having a hard time seeing how I can get it done in such a condensed time frame." Now that Katie has initiated the conversation, she can now introduce the "Ask, Don't Tell" questions. 4. Talk it out As the two worked through Katie's questions, they were able to find a way to get the work done in five days (half of what Katie had originally thought was possible). Katie's boss was also able to see the unnecessary steps that were added to the project. By asking the right questions, Katie not only solved her problem, but her collaborative efforts won her the trust and respect of her boss. She even received a bonus when the project was done for stepping up in a time of crisis. If your boss says, "I don't care, just get it done..." The United States is reportedly asking China to address the value of the its currency as part of the trade deal. The move would be aimed at mediating any effort by the Chinese to devalue the yuan to counter American tariffs, people familiar with the situation told Bloomberg News. The Trump administration has insisted that moves to devalue the yuan to buoy Chinese exports would be countered with additional or more severe American tariffs, sources told Bloomberg News. Representatives for the two nations resumed overall trade discussions on Tuesday, with follow-up sessions at a higher level scheduled for later in the week, the White House said Monday. Though last week's deliberations that ended in Beijing concluded without a deal, officials said progress was made on some contentious issues. U.S. stocks extended their gains Tuesday after President Donald Trump said that the March deadline is not a "magical date," suggesting the cutoff could be adjusted. Still, current talks are aimed at "achieving needed structural changes in China that affect trade between the United States and China. The two sides will also discuss China's pledge to purchase a substantial amount of goods and services from the United States," the White House said in a statement. Meetings between the top brass will start on Thursday and be led by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, a vocal advocate of pressing China to end practices that the U.S. says include forced technology transfers and intellectual property theft. As of the latest reading, one U.S. dollar is currently worth 6.75 Chinese yuan, down from highs above 6.9 in November. The U.S. Trade Representative's office, which is spearheading trade talks with China, did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. Beijing last year reintroduced measures to stabilize its managed currency, including a calculation method called the counter-cyclical factor (CCF), aimed at keeping the yuan's daily midpoint fixed to a relatively stable value. But China has faced international pressure in the past for what many deemed unfair manipulation of its currency. Many U.S. economists argue that China's tampering in years past gave their exports a boost as a weaker yuan made Chinese exports less expensive. Click here to read the original Bloomberg News report. Ground operations employees load baggage onto a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft on the tarmac at John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, California. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Southwest Airlines for widespread failure to accurately track the combined weight of checked bags loaded onto its jets, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Monday. The U.S. aviation safety agency's year-long civil probe found systemic and significant mistakes with employee calculations and luggage-loading practices, resulting in potential discrepancies when pilots compute takeoff weights, the Journal said, citing government officials and internal agency documents. The FAA has not decided whether to impose fines or any other punishment, the report cited people familiar with the investigation as saying. The inaccuracies ranged from a few dozen pounds to more than 1,000 pounds in excess of what the paperwork indicated, sparking disputes between the company and some agency inspectors about potential safety consequences, the report said. A company spokesman said there is an open Letter of Investigation (LOI) which is a common mechanism for the FAA to document and share safety interests or concerns with an airline. The airline has not been issued fines and faces no enforcement action regarding its weight and balance program, Southwest spokesman Brandy King said. "In this case, the LOI addresses an issue that Southwest voluntarily reported to the FAA last year and since that time, Southwest has implemented controls to address weight and balance program concerns, and shared those measures with the FAA," King said. The FAA could not be immediately reached for comment. WATCH: Here's how and why airlines bump passengers Rod Rosenstein, deputy attorney general, speaking at a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S. on Dec. 20, 2018. Rod Rosenstein, the U.S. deputy attorney general who appointed special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate possible ties between Russia and President Donald Trump's campaign, is expected to step down by mid March, a Justice Department official said on Monday. Rosenstein had been expected to depart shortly after new Attorney General William Barr assumed office. Barr was confirmed for the role by the U.S. Senate last week. The Justice official said Rosenstein's departure was not related to renewed allegations that he considered wearing a wire in meetings with Trump and using the 25th amendment of the U.S. Constitution to remove the president from office. Rosenstein, the No. 2 official at the Justice Department, in May 2017 named Special Counsel Robert Mueller to investigate ties between Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign and Moscow. The investigation continues. A registered Republican, Rosenstein made the decision because his then-boss, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a Trump supporter during the 2016 campaign, had recused himself from the issue. Last September, the New York Times reported Rosenstein in 2017 had suggested secretly recording Trump and recruiting Cabinet members to oust the president using the provisions of the Constitution's 25th Amendment. In an interview broadcast on Sunday with CBS News "60 Minutes," former acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe confirmed the Times account that Rosenstein considered wearing a wire in meetings with Trump. Rosenstein said both the Times story and McCabe's account were "inaccurate and factually incorrect," which a Justice Department spokeswoman reiterated after the "60 Minutes" interview. Earlier on Monday Trump accused both McCabe and Rosenstein of planning a "very illegal act," which he described in a tweet as "illegal and treasonous." Rosenstein ceased overseeing Mueller's probe on Nov. 7 when Trump named Matt Whittaker acting attorney general. Barr now has oversight of the investigation. Rosenstein had attracted far more attention than is typical for the No. 2 Justice Department official because of his decision to appoint Mueller to lead the investigation eight days after Trump fired James Comey as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Trump has frequently and publicly seethed about the Mueller probe, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department, which oversees them both. The president has denied any collusion and Russia says there was no election meddling, despite findings to the contrary by U.S. intelligence agencies. Mueller's investigation, which the president has repeatedly called a "witch hunt," has so far netted 34 individuals and three companies who have pleaded guilty, been indicted or been otherwise swept up in the inquiry. Chinese Vice Premier and lead trade negotiator Liu He, right, reaches to shake hands with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer before the opening session of trade negotiations at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Pledges from Beijing to buy more American goods and fix some economic structural issues are meaningless victories for the U.S. if Donald Trump's administration doesn't also create ways to enforce a trade agreement with China, according to a top official from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. That comes as Chinese negotiators ready for the next round of trade talks, set to begin Tuesday in Washington. So far, reports indicate, the two countries have found common ground on China decreasing its trade surplus with the U.S. through more purchases, but sticking points remain on issues such as intellectual property theft and the subsidies Beijing gives to its domestic firms. Still, even if Trump's team can realize its goals on those fronts, it will all come down to whether both countries actually live up to their commitments, according to Myron Brilliant, executive vice president and head of international affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Without enforcement, this deal fails," he told CNBC's Eunice Yoon in Beijing. "Implementation and enforcement are going to be two key elements so you need to have implementation, you need to have follow-through, but you need to have enforcement mechanisms that will ensure that both sides have trust that this deal is sustaining and verifiable." Enforcement mechanisms could include a "snapback" in tariffs if China doesn't live up to the terms of the deal, he said. Another option, according to Brilliant, would be for the U.S. to "delay the reduction of tariffs being reduced from 10 percent down to zero" contingent on Beijing's adherence to the agreement. Such measures are unlikely to be well received by the Chinese negotiators, and multiple media reports indicate that remains one of the biggest sticking points in the ongoing discussion. Still, Brilliant emphasized that the business community is hoping some sort of agreement will come together. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is sworn in to testify before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Justice Department on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 8, 2019. President Donald Trump suggested last year that Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, take charge of a criminal investigation into hush money payments made to two alleged sexual partners of Trump, despite the fact that the prosecutor was already recused from being involved in that case, a new report says. The New York Times also reported Tuesday that House Democrats are examining whether former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker perjured himself by telling a congressional committee this month that Trump never pressured him about various investigations including the Manhattan federal probe into hush money payments. The White House and the Justice Department had no immediate comment on the Times article, which was headlined, "Intimidation, Pressure and Humiliation: Inside Trump's Two-Year War on the Investigations Encircling Him." Trump, in an Oval Office press event Tuesday, denied the anecdote about asking Whitaker if Berman could take over the hush money probe. "No, not at all, I don't know who gave you that," Trump said. "That's more fake news." Berman is a former legal partner of Rudy Giuliani, one of Trump's outside attorneys in the special counsel's Russia probe. The wide-ranging article from the Times says that Trump spoke with Whitaker in late 2018 about the ongoing probe in Manhattan into claims that the president directed his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen to facilitate payments to two women shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen said last year that he paid porn star Stormy Daniels and had the publisher of the National Enquirer pay Playboy model Karen McDougal at Trump's behest to keep them quiet about their alleged sexual trysts with him a decade earlier. The intent, according to Cohen, was to keep the stories from affecting the outcome of the presidential election. Trump has denied Cohen's claims, and also denied having sex with either woman. Cohen's confession came in connection with his guilty plea to violating campaign finance laws by facilitating the payments, which were not disclosed by the Trump campaign as a benefit to the campaign. Cohen is set to begin serving a three-year prison term next month for those and other crimes. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, which is headquartered in Manhattan, has continued to investigate the payments. The case is considered to be a potential serious legal threat to Trump. The Times, citing what it said are "several American officials," reported that in late 2018 Trump called Whitaker and asked whether Berman could be put in charge of the probe. According to the report, Whitaker had told some of his associates that part of his job was to "jump on a grenade" for Trump, but knew he could not put Berman in charge of the case because he was already was recused from the case. Trump, the Times said, then "soured" on Whitaker, "and complained about his inability to pull levers at the Justice Department that could make the president's many legal problems go away." The president told reporters on Tuesday that the idea he had soured on Whitaker also was not true. He said he has a "very good" relationship with Whitaker, who remains in a top Justice Department counselor position after the confirmation last week of William Barr as attorney general. Berman has not said why he was recused from the hush money case before FBI agents raided Cohen's office and residences in New York in April 2018. But recusals are routinely made by lawyers and judges to prevent a conflict of interest or even an appearance of a conflict of interest. In the case of Cohen, Berman was recused by senior Justice Department officials. Berman, besides being a former law partner of Giuliani's, was personally interviewed by Trump before the president put him in charge of the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York who is now running for president, condemned Berman's appointment at the time. "Deeply disturbing considering the conflicts of interest inherent by his potential jurisdiction on matters that could affect the president personally," she said. Because of Berman's recusal, the probe into Cohen, as well as the ongoing investigation of the hush money payments, has been headed by Berman's deputy, Robert Khuzami. However, people familiar with the cases Berman has brought said that his office's investigation into the Trump inaugural committee is being pursued under his direction, according to NBC News. The Manhattan federal probe is distinct from the ongoing federal investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by the Trump campaign. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in all of the cases. On Feb. 8, during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Whitaker had said, "At no time has the White House asked for nor have I provided any promises or commitments concerning the special counsel's investigation or any other investigation." He added, "Since becoming acting attorney general I have run the Department of Justice with fidelity to the law and to the Constitution." North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (L) shakes hands with US President Donald Trump (R) after taking part in a signing ceremony at the end of their historic US-North Korea summit, at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is looking forward to a good meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Feb. 27 and 28 in Vietnam and wants Pyongyang to ultimately denuclearize but is in no particular hurry. Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said sanctions against North Korea would remain in place in the meantime and noted that Pyongyang has not conducted nuclear or rocket tests recently. Trump also said he spoke to South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday and planned to talk to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday. Turkey will start emergency demolition work in the near future, Turkish media reported. Within three months, the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning will inspect 81 provinces to identify emergency buildings. Buildings in Istanbul came under scrutiny after 21 people were killed in a collapse in Kartal district of Istanbul on February 6. The collapsed building was found to have illegal additional floors, which is considered to be one of the reasons for its sudden collapse. Roger Stone, longtime ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives for a news conference in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2019. Roger Stone, a longtime confidant and friend of President Donald Trump, apologized Monday for an Instagram post showing crosshairs near the federal judge presiding over the criminal case against him. The Republican operative's Instagram account quickly posted and deleted the photo of District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Monday. In an accompanying caption, Stone claimed he would only get a "show trial" from Jackson, according to photos of the post captured before its deletion. He called the her "an Obama appointed Judge who dismissed the Benghazi charges again (sic) Hillary Clinton." Jon Swaine tweet Instagram post In a court filing Monday night, Stone who has pleaded not guilty to charges of witness tampering, obstruction of justice and making false statements to Congress apologized. "Please inform the Court that the photograph and comment today was improper and should not have been posted," a statement signed by Stone read. "I had no intention of disrespecting the court and humbly apologize to the court for this transgression." Southwest Airlines on Tuesday grounded more jets leading to higher numbers of canceled flights than its peers as the carrier extended an "operational emergency" to its hub in Dallas, telling scheduled mechanics they have to show up for work or risk termination. Southwest had canceled 181 flights on Tuesday, about 4 percent of its operation, according to the FlightAware tracking site. Its Dallas rival, American Airlines, in comparison, had canceled 12 flights, less than 1 percent of its daily operation of more than 6,000 flights. Southwest said some of the cancellations were due to poor weather. But the airline noted that the number of Boeing 737s it has taken out of service for maintenance was more than double the usual 20 out of about 750 planes that the airline expects to be removed for such issues each day. There has been "no common theme" among the problems with the aircraft, it said. Southwest last week told its mechanics at bases including Las Vegas, Houston and Phoenix that because of the emergency they would have to show up for work. It warned they would risk termination if they didn't follow company protocols, such as bringing a doctor's note upon return to work after calling in sick. That "operational emergency" was extended to Dallas on Tuesday. The airline has been in contract talks with mechanics since 2012. "Due to the emergency, we will direct employees alleging illness to provide a doctor's note, on their first day back, indicating when the doctor was seen and confirming that the employee was unable to work on the dates he claimed illness," Southwest maintenance director Lonnie Warren said in Tuesday's memo. Global financial hub Singapore unveiled its 2019 budget on Monday, and it's offering "something for everyone," according to an expert from global accounting firm Deloitte. Speaking with CNBC's "Street Signs" on Tuesday, Rohan Solapurkar, a Deloitte tax partner, said the raft of measures announced by the government was largely expected, and it catered to all of the interest groups the ruling People's Action Party is trying to please. "There is something for everyone, and I think that's how the government wants to look at it, whether it is the younger generation or whether it is the older generation," Solapurkar said. Domestically, Singapore is concerned with an aging population. To award senior citizens born in the 1950s, Singapore's so-called Merdeka Generation, the government is offering a collection of wellness and health subsidies. The program is expected to cost 8 billion Singapore dollars ($5.9 billion) in total, and the government is setting aside 6.1 billion Singapore dollars in the current budget to fund the subsidies. Solapur said this year's budget met expectations by not only offering benefits to the Merdeka Generation, but also announcing payouts to small and medium-sized enterprises and low-income families. Notably absent from Singapore's budget was any mention of a highly anticipated tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, Solapurkar said. While that obesity-fighting measure may have been absent from the government's plan, the 2019 budget did reveal increased duties on diesel as part of the country's efforts to fight climate change. Given talk that Singapore could call an election this year, many experts have suggested that the new budget should be viewed as a pre-election budget filled with benefits to make the electorate feel good about the People's Action Party, which has governed the city-state for decades. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg poses for the official photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on November 30, 2018. She is now walking more than a mile a day and is working out again with her trainer twice a week, according to NPR . Her absence from the bench on Jan. 7 , when the court returned, marked the first time in her 25 years as a justice that she was not present for arguments. The last oral arguments Ginsburg attended took place more than two months ago, on Dec. 6. Later that month, while the court was on holiday, Ginsburg received a pulmonary lobectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York . The court said at the time that there was no evidence of remaining disease in the justice's body. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returned to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to hear her first oral arguments since undergoing cancer surgery in December. Ginsburg's health concerns caused a stir among Democrats who feared the political ramifications of a liberal justice departing, and prompted a flurry of conspiracy theories about her death from those affiliated with QAnon, a pro-Trump fringe group. During the argument session that began at 10 a.m. ET, Ginsburg was the first justice to ask a question, according to a transcript released by the court. The top court is divided 5-4 among Republican and Democratic appointees. Ginsburg, who will turn 86 next month, is a senior member of the court's liberal wing. Though she did not appear at the court in person during her recovery, Ginsburg voted on cases, including with the court's majority earlier this month in a decision that prevented a restrictive Louisiana abortion law from going into effect. On Friday, Ginsburg for the first time since her surgery attended a private conference in person, at which the court decided to take up a case regarding the Trump administration's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Neither Ginsburg's absence for health reasons nor her continued participation in cases while working from home, was unprecedented for a justice. Her return on Tuesday was largely expected by cancer doctors who said that a six-week recovery is about typical for the type of surgery that Ginsburg received. Chief Justice William Rehnquist missed dozens of cases during his treatment for thyroid cancer in 2004 and 2005. Rehnquist went on to write majority opinions in four of the cases in which he missed oral arguments, according to a tally from The Heritage Foundation. On Tuesday, the court heard arguments in a patent case, Return Mail Inc. v. USPS. An audio recording of the argument is expected to be published on the court's website at the end of the week. The only other case the justices will hear this week will be argued on Wednesday. WATCH: Ginsburg's famous women's rights cases centered around money Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's media minister Turki al-Shabanah has denied reports linking him with a 3.8 billion takeover of Manchester United. Rumours of his interest resurfaced over the weekend, although reports suggest the Glazers are not looking to sell. United's American owners bought the club for 790 million in May 2005. "Reports claiming that HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman intends on buying Manchester United are completely false," BBC cited Turki al-Shabanah as saying. "Manchester United held a meeting with PIF [Public Investment Fund] Saudi to discuss a sponsorship opportunity. No deal has materialised," he added. Brother of ex-president Armenian Serzh Sargsyan, Aleksandr Sargsyan, has made $18.5 million payment to the Armenian government budget. Civilnet reported that the amount was mentioned in a response to its written inquiry sent to the office of the Prime Minister. In September, then acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Aleksandr Sargsyan pledged to withdraw $30 million he kept in a local bank and return the amount to the state budget. Pashinyan said it was the money Aleksandr Sargsyan extorted from local businesses during his brother Serzh Sargsyans 2008-2018 rule. He claimed that Armenian businessmen were forced to give Aleksandr 50% stakes in their lucrative firms. The Office of Prime Minister said that during the investigation into criminal cases initiated against Alexander Sargsyan, the latter voluntarily donated the amount equivalent to $18.5 million to the state budget, ARKA reported. The high level of bad loans in Greece is still the biggest issue that the embattled economy needs to focus on, the head of Piraeus Bank told CNBC. The southern European economy has taken several steps to bring down the level of bad loans or NPLs (non-performing loans) loans that are in or close to default. Greek banks have the highest NPL ratio across the euro zone at 44.8 percent, according to the most recent figures from the European Parliament. This is a much higher percentage than Italy's, which stood at 9.7 percent. Bloomberg | Getty Images Christos Megalou, the CEO of Piraeus Bank, told CNBC Monday that there has been a "significant improvement" in this area, but he "would like to see even more in reducing the amount of NPLs in the banks' balance sheets." "The four systemic banks have agreed among themselves to reduce the non-performing loans between now and 2021 by 50 billion euros ($56 billion). 50 billion is almost 28 percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) of this country. It is a significant percentage vis-a-vis the actual percentage being produced by this country. I would like to see this happening and I would be very happy if we are able to achieve these targets as we have set ourselves out to achieve," he said in Athens. In the case of Piraeus, the aim is to reduce NPLs by 15 billion euros before 2021. This after having reduced bad loans by 5 billion euros in 2018, the CEO said. "The more weapons you have in your arsenal to address the issue, the better," Megalou said on further initiatives from the Bank of Greece and the finance ministry to help the banks with this task. Greece put an end to nearly 10 years of financial help after it ended a third financial rescue in August and has vowed to stick to stringent fiscal targets in the coming years in exchange for some debt relief. A protestor holds a banner outside the Greek parliament during in a demonstration by municipal contract workers in Athens, Greece, on Thursday, June 29, 2017. Kostas Tsironis | Bloomberg | Getty Images Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said Tuesday he hopes "better sense" will prevail and offered to hold talks with India even as he warned New Delhi to refrain from launching any attacks on Pakistan following last week's suicide bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed at least 40 Indian troops. Khan said in a televised speech that, should there be an attack from India, "Pakistan will not merely think of retaliation, but rather, we will retaliate." New Delhi has blamed Islamabad and threatened a "jaw-breaking response" for the attack last Thursday in Kashmir in which a militant rammed an explosive-laden van into a paramilitary bus. It was the worst attack against Indian government forces in Kashmir's history. Tensions between Pakistan and India soared following the attack, which Islamabad condemned while also cautioning India against linking it to the bombing without an investigation. On Monday, four Indian soldiers, three suspected militants, a police official and a civilian were killed as Indian soldiers searched for militants. "I have an offer for the Indian government, if you have any actionable evidence, share it with us and we will take action," Khan said. "We are ready to cooperate with India in the investigations." "I hope better sense will prevail," Khan added. His remarks were in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that his government forces have been "given total freedom" to deal with the militants In Kashmir. India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. They have fought two of their three wars over it. Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, demanding Indian-controlled Kashmir be united either under Pakistani rule or established as an independent country. Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan's foreign ministry said it recalled its ambassador from India and appealed for UN help to de-escalate and defuse tensions with New Delhi after the Kashmir attack. According to the statement, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres alleging that "for domestic political reasons, India has deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment." Also, Pakistani Ambassador Suhail Mahmood was asked to return home from India, after New Delhi recalled its own envoy from Islamabad. "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India," Qureshi said in his letter. There were expectations that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who concluded a two-day visit to Pakistan on Monday and travelled on to India, could encourage the two South Asian neighbors to try to resolve their issues through talks. India's Ministry of External Affairs said it had no comment on Pakistan's letter to the UN. Meanwhile, a senior Indian military official in Kashmir, Lt. Gen. K.J.S. Dhillon, on Tuesday told reporters in Srinagar, the main city of Indian-held Kashmir, that Indian forces there have killed the chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group behind Monday's gunbattle and last week's suicide bombing. The leader was a Pakistani national by the name of Kamran, Dhillon said. Jaish-e-Mohammed is outlawed in Pakistan but thought to operate from safe havens there. The Indian military and Pakistan did not immediately comment on Dhillon's statement. Mitch Julis, co chief executive officer of Canyon Capital Advisors LLC, speaks during the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. Student-loan servicer Navient has rejected a $3.2 billion takeover bid from two investors as it believes the offer undervalues the company. Navients board voted on Monday to reject the $12.50 per share offer from hedge fund Canyon Capital Advisors and private-equity firm Platinum Equity Advisors. The offer represents a 6.6 percent premium over Navients Friday closing price of $11.73 a share. The $12.50 per share offer was surprisingly lower than the $14 to $15 informal price range Canyon's advisers had given Navient during talks, Navient's chairman, William Diefenderfer, said in a statement. The Wilmington, Delaware-based company recently ran into trouble with regulators over its business practices. The company was accused by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau of cheating hundreds of thousands of borrowers out of loan relief, telling a federal court the bureau did not identify even one such borrower. Navient said it would consider any proposal in the future if it reflected the fair value of the company. Job openings suggest that Microsoft wants to double down on its internal use of GitHub, a platform that lets software developers store and track updates to software, less than a year after acquiring the start-up for $7.5 billion. The effort highlights a refined acquisition strategy at Microsoft don't ruin companies by integrating them too closely, but instead let them operate on their own, and collaborate and use their technology where it makes sense. The company's strategy around big deals has evolved after some missteps in Steve Ballmer era. For instance, in 2012 Microsoft took a $6.2 billion write-down on its 2007 acquisition of online advertising company aQuantive, which it bought for $6 billion but didn't bring as much growth as executives were hoping for. In the case of aQuantive, Microsoft was quick to put it inside an existing organization, the Online Services Division, which was also working on other technology. Contrast that with the company's language around GitHub, seen in a November job posting: "While GitHub is now part of Microsoft, it will continue to remain independent. This role will focus on identifying what changes to Microsoft's internal engineering systems and culture are needed to make GitHub one of the tools available to Microsoft engineers, then partnering with both engineering system teams to drive those changes and with product and service engineering teams to adopt those changes so they can start using GitHub." Another job posting published last week said Microsoft wants someone who can focus on "helping engineering teams within Microsoft use GitHub and adopt inner source practices." (ZDNet reported on the initiative on Monday.) Microsoft has already been a top user of GitHub. Even prior to the acquisition, in 2016 the company had more than 16,000 open-source contributors on the platform, according to data from GitHub. In 2018, Microsoft was ranked higher than any other company in terms of open-source contributions on GitHub from employees. Microsoft's new hands-off approach to acquisitions has also been apparent in the case of LinkedIn, which still runs as an independent business unit two-and-a-half years after the $26 billion acquisition. GitHub has no shortage of business. More than 31 million developers use it, and Microsoft says it's seen "incredible adoption" of the enterprise version of GitHub among larger companies since making it available through enterprise agreements recently, Microsoft corporate vice president Julia White said at a Goldman Sachs event in San Francisco this month. WATCH: Microsoft CEO on GitHub acquisition Karl Lagerfeld at the switching on of the Christmas lights on the Champs Elysees in Paris, on November 22, 2018 Karl Lagerfeld, the iconic Chanel fashion designer, has died at age 85. He passed away after a short illness, a statement given to Reuters said. Chanel called Lagerfeld "an extraordinary creative individual" in a release emailed to CNBC. "Karl Lagerfeld reinvented the brand's codes created by (founder) Gabrielle Chanel: the Chanel jacket and suit, the little black dress, the precious tweeds, the two-tone shoes, the quilted handbags, the pearls and costume jewelry. Regarding Gabrielle Chanel, he said, 'My job is not to do what she did, but what she would have done. The good thing about Chanel is it is an idea you can adapt to many things,'" the release added. Alain Wertheimer, Chanel's chief executive, said in the release: "Today, not only have I lost a friend, but we have all lost an extraordinary creative mind to whom I gave carte blanche in the early 1980s to reinvent the brand." Lagerfeld Tweet Tributes poured in from the world of haute couture. Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, the conglomerate that runs fashion house Fendi, called Lagerfeld a "creative genius." Lagerfeld led Chanel's design and had been the creative head at Fendi since 1965. "With the passing of Karl Lagerfeld we have lost a creative genius who helped to make Paris the fashion capital of the world and Fendi one of the most innovative Italian houses. We owe him a great deal: his taste and talent were the most exceptional I have ever known. Artistic director of Jean Patou in 1959, creator of Fendi since 1965, member of the LVMH Prize jury since its creation in 2013, he honored the LVMH group with an extraordinarily stimulating creative and entrepreneurial friendship," Arnault said. New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman tweeted: "In honor of Karl Lagerfeld, who died today, some of his indelible quotes and quips: 'Sweatpants are a sign of defeat;' 'I'm very much down to earth. Just not this earth;'" TWEET Italian designer Donatella Versace also praised Lagerfeld's talent, writing on Instagram: "Karl your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni and I. We will never forget your incredible talent and endless inspiration. We were always learning from you." A federal judge has ordered longtime Republican operative Roger Stone to court on Thursday to explain why he should not have his criminal release bond modified or even revoked because of his recent Instagram post showing the judge next to what appeared to be a rifle scope's crosshairs. Stone, a self-admitted dirty trickster and friend of President Donald Trump, could be sent to jail if his $250,000 signature bond is yanked by the judge, Amy Berman Jackson, who is presiding over the criminal case filed against him by special counsel Robert Mueller. Jackson, in an order filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., told Stone to appear in her courtroom at 2:30 p.m. Thursday to explain why a partial gag order she has imposed on him, "and/or his conditions of release ... should not be modified or revoked in light of the posts on his Instagram account on or about February 18, 2019." Stone, in a text message to NBC News, said, "I will be present for the hearing as ordered." University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers explains how GDP doesn't take into account things like the distribution of wealth, crime, domestic work that isn't paid for, or environmental consequences, among other things. While rich countries exhibit more happiness, economic growth is just one component of a broader platter of attributes that successful countries demonstrate. Watch the video above to find out how Justin Wolfers thinks the GDP can be improved. President Donald Trump, joined by senior advisor Jared Kushner (3rd R), Communications Director Sean Spicer (2nd R) and National Security Advisor Michael Flynn (R), speaks by phone with Saudi Arabia's King Salman in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 29, 2017. House Democrats launched an investigation into White House officials who reportedly ignored warnings from whistleblowers that a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia could run afoul of legal and ethical rules. The news was made public on Tuesday in a report from congressional Democrats. That report, announced by House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., singles out former national security advisor Michael Flynn, as well as President Donald Trump's longtime friend and inaugural committee chairman Tom Barrack, as key players in efforts to ram through the transfer of nuclear tech to the kingdom. Cummings sent a letter to acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Tuesday informing him of the investigation. The White House, Barrack and lawyers for Flynn did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the Democrats' report. Flynn, who briefly served as Trump's first national security advisor, resigned in February 2017 following reports about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak, during the presidential transition. He later pleaded guilty in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe to lying to FBI agents about those conversations with Kislyak. The whistleblowers described to the committee a bevy of potential violations of law and conflicts of interest, such as Flynn working in the White House to push a proposal to build nuclear plants in the middle east made by IP3, a private company he had advised. The report says that one of Flynn's aids, Derek Harvey, who directed Middle Eastern affairs for the National Security Council, stated during the first week of the Trump administration that Flynn had approved IP3's nuclear plan, ignoring warnings that the plan must comply with the Atomic Energy Act's requirements. Harvey now works for the House Intelligence Committee under ranking Republican Rep. Devin Nunes. A committee spokesman said, "the attack on Mr. Harvey is a ridiculous conspiracy theory floated by media partisans and now, shamefully, championed by Democrats in Congress." National Security Council officials flagged Flynn's potential conflict of interest, and the council's legal advisor, John Eisenberg, ordered that all work on the plan come to a halt. But efforts to enact the plan continued, the report says. It states that in March 2017, former national security official K.T. McFarland said that Trump had promised control of implementing the plan to his friend Barrack, a strident defender of Saudi Arabia who has hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Middle East real estate. After multiple employees raised their concerns, Trump's second national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, reportedly told National Security Council staff "that they should cease working on the IP3 proposal." But some of the council's employees "remained concerned because the same individuals continued their work on IP3's proposal," the report says. Cummings' report also raises concerns that the plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia "appears to be ongoing." It notes that Trump met with nuclear power developers at the White House in February, in which they discussed sharing nuclear technologies with Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia. The report adds that Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, is set next week to visit a handful of Middle Eastern capitals, including Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, "to discuss the economic portion of the Administration's Middle East peace plan." Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said they had not received a copy of the Democrats' report until Monday night, The Washington Post reported. A transporter loaded with Honda cars leaves the Honda car factory in Swindon, southwest England, on January 30, 2009. Workers at Honda's British factory made the last cars Friday before a four-month shutdown caused by a sharp fall in worldwide sales. Production at the Japanese giant's plant in Swindon, southwest England, will be halted until June 1, with 4,200 workers receiving full pay for the first two months, reduced to 60 percent for the rest of the shutdown. AFP PHOTO/Max Nash (Photo credit should read MAX NASH/AFP/Getty Images) Japanese automaker Honda confirmed Tuesday that it plans to close its Swindon car plant in the U.K., risking the loss of 3,500 jobs. CEO Takahiro Hachigo said in a press conference Tuesday the decision was part of a global restructuring plan. Hachigo also said that Honda would continue to base its European headquarters in the U.K. Meanwhile, another official from Honda told BBC radio on Tuesday that the closure was not Brexit-related, according to Reuters. British government officials have expressed their disappointment over Honda's decision to close its only plant in the U.K. "The U.K. is one of the leaders in the development of these technologies and so it is deeply disappointing that this decision has been taken now," Business Secretary Greg Clark said, according to Reuters. "This is a devastating decision for Swindon and the U.K.," Clark said. "This is a commercial decision based on unprecedented changes in the global market." The next meeting of the working group on the demarcation of the Azerbaijani-Russian border will be held in spring, the Russian president's special representative on delimitation and demarcation of borders with CIS countries, Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Igor Bratchikov said. The demarcation process will go according to plan, as agreed," TASS cited him as saying. "I hope that we will be able to demarcate the borders quickly enough," Bratchikov expects. The diplomat added that the Russian side has already received an invitation form the Azerbaijani colleagues to hold the meeting in Baku. Payless ShoeSource filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, a day after it began winding down its 2,500 U.S. stores. The retailer, founded in 1956 in Topeka, Kansas, expects all stores to remain open until at least the end of March and the majority until May. That will keep many of its stores open through the Easter holiday, when it generates much of its sales. Payless said in court documents that many of its stores did not generate enough cash to support the costs of sourcing, design and merchandising. The liquidation will not impact its franchised or Latin American stores, where it is the region's largest specialty footwear retailer. Payless said in court documents that is looking to reorganize its Latin American and franchise businesses, which include looking for capital to support those businesses. The filing marks its second trip to bankruptcy court. It first filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2017, eliminating nearly 700 stores and roughly $435 million in debt. But the shoe retailer continued to face challenges, with competition ranging from Amazon to T.J. Maxx parent TJX Cos. to shoe retailer DSW. Payless had a loss of $63 million in 2018 and a loss of $4 million in 2017. Thomas Kurian, the incoming head of Google Cloud and formerly president of product development at Oracle, speaks at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco on Sept. 24, 2013. Google is making another play in the cloud space with a new acquisition. The company announced Tuesday it plans to acquire cloud migration company Alooma, which helps other companies move their data from multiple sources into one data warehouse. Google's new cloud chief, Thomas Kurian, said at a conference this month, "You will see us accelerate the growth even faster than we have to date." The acquisition appears to be one step in Google's plans to ramp up initiatives to compete with Amazon and Microsoft in the cloud space. Google did not disclose how much it will pay for Alooma, which is based in Israel and California, but it's likely a relatively small acquisition. Alooma has raised about $15 million from investors like Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequioa Capital Israel, according to Crunchbase. Here is the full announcement from Google: Leading companies across every industry and around the world are moving to the cloud to be more agile, secure and scalable. As organizations modernize their infrastructure to digitally transform themselves, migrating mission critical systems and the data that powers their business success can be daunting. No matter where your data is storedon premises, in our cloud, or multiple cloudswe want to make that information accessible, valuable, and actionable. That's why today we're announcing our intent to acquire Alooma, a leader in data migration. Alooma helps enterprise companies streamline database migration in the cloud with an innovative data pipeline tool that enables them to move their data from multiple sources to a single data warehouse. Here at Google Cloud, we're committed to helping enterprise customers easily and securely migrate their data to our platform. The addition of Alooma, subject to closing conditions, is a natural fit that allows us to offer customers a streamlined, automated migration experience to Google Cloud, and give them access to our full range of database services, from managed open source database offerings to solutions like Cloud Spanner and Cloud Bigtable. This simplified migration path also opens the door for customers to take advantage of all the technologies we have to offer, including analytics, security, AI and machine learning. One of the things we're most excited about with Alooma is the deep expertise for both enterprise and open source databases that their team brings to Google Cloud, which will be critical in helping us build out additional migration capabilities within Google Cloud Platform. We're also looking forward to adding to our growing Google Cloud footprint in Israel, which includes the Velostrata team we added last summer. For more information, you can read Alooma's blog post by co-founders, Yoni Broyde and Yair Weinberger. Stay tuned for more details after close! Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Watch: Google to spend $13 billion on US real estate in 2019 Visitors pass in front of Huawei's display at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Lluis Gene | AFP | Getty Images Germany is not ready to exclude Huawei from its 5G network and may amend its laws so that potentially untrustworthy manufacturers can still provide equipment, its interior ministry told CNBC Tuesday. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the Federal Interior Ministry known as the BMI said it was looking to adapt telecom networks to prepare for "new potential threats." "A direct exclusion of a particular 5G manufacturer is currently not legally possible and not planned," he said, according to a CNBC translation of the statement. "For the BMI, the focus is on adapting the necessary security requirements so that the security of these networks will be guaranteed even if there are potentially untrustworthy manufacturers on the market." The spokesperson added that necessary security requirements would be added to Germany's Telecommunications Act. Concrete adjustments are being discussed between the relevant federal ministries, he said, but no changes had been finalized. Allowing Huawei to participate in its 5G network would come as a blow to the U.S., which has been working to persuade its allies to shut the Chinese telecoms firm out of their domestic infrastructure. The company has been blocked from selling equipment to the U.S. for many years, and President Donald Trump is reportedly expected to ban all Chinese telecoms equipment from U.S. networks. Other countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Japan, have also excluded Huawei from supplying components for 5G networks, citing national security concerns. However, those bans could be set to topple. On Monday, the Financial Times reported that Britain's intelligence services had concluded risks posed by Huawei 5G equipment could be mitigated. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told broadcaster TVNZ on Monday that Huawei could be included in the nation's 5G network if it could mitigate security concerns raised by the government. Earlier on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Germany was leaning toward including Huawei in its 5G network, citing government sources. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier reaffirmed at a press conference on Tuesday that the government was still working on regulation around 5G security measures, adding that no decisions had been made. The Food and Drug Administration is discouraging people from being infused with young blood, a procedure that's becoming increasingly common but hasn't been proven to have medical benefits. The procedure works like it sounds. People are infused with blood plasma donated from young people. Some clinics claim the procedure works like a fountain of youth to reverse aging and memory loss or even treat diseases like dementia, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, heart disease or post-traumatic stress disorder. Companies typically charge thousands of dollars for the treatments. That concerns the FDA, which says these infusions are "unproven and not guided by evidence from adequate and well-controlled trials." "Simply infusing plasma is not a benign intervention and should not be used in such cavalier fashion," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CNBC in a phone interview Tuesday. White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short speaks to members of the media as he leaves a Republican conference meeting June 7, 2018 on Capitol in Washington, DC. House GOPers gathered to discuss immigration. Former White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short will return to the Trump administration as Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff. Pence confirmed the news in a tweet, following earlier reporting from CNBC and The New York Times. "Marc will be joining the Office of the Vice President in March and we look forward to welcoming him to our great @VP Team!" Pence said in the tweet. TWEET Short will replace longtime Pence advisor Nick Ayers, who left the administration at the end of 2018. Ayers had turned down an offer to become Trump's chief of staff after the departure of retired Marine Gen. John Kelly. Short did not immediately return a request for comment. The New York Times reported that Short's new position was announced at Pence's staff meeting Tuesday morning. Short was a key point of contact between the White House and members of Congress. He was closely involved with the passage of Trump's signature tax reform plan and pushing through the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. After he left the administration last summer, Short joined the University of Virginia on a one-year fellowship. The appointment was greeted by protests from faculty and alumni who condemned the Trump administration. Short's return to the administration comes as the Trump campaign and White House gear up for what will likely be a tough 2020 re-election campaign. President Donald Trump's campaign announced on Tuesday that it is beefing up the communications shop with the additions of former Republican National Committee press secretary Kayleigh McEnany and former Pence press secretary Marc Lotter. CNBC first reported on the campaign looking to load up its communications team going into the next election. The Baltic state has taken centre stage since Danske Bank's Estonian branch was found to have helped funnel some 200 billion euros ($226 billion) in suspicious payments from Russia, ex-Soviet states and elsewhere. Estonia ordered Danske Bank to close its local branch within months on Tuesday, as Estonian and Danish regulators faced an EU inquiry into their efforts to prevent one of the largest-ever money laundering scandals. Danske Bank sign is seen at the bank's Estonian branch in Tallinn, Estonia August 3, 2018. Estonia's financial regulator took the unexpected step of demanding Danske Bank close its local branch and repay customers' deposits within eight months, overturning the bank's plans to scale back but maintain some business in the country. Danske had said last year that it hoped to serve subsidiaries of its Nordic customers in the Baltic states, which includes Estonia, as well as global companies with Nordic links. Kilvar Kessler, the head of Estonia's banking regulator Finantsinspektsioon, said that Danske Bank could be hit with a fine of up to 10 percent of its turnover if it did not comply with the ruling. "We have every right to put an end, once and for all, to this ... as ... large-scale violations of the local rules have been committed ... and this has dealt a serious blow to the ... reputation of the Estonian financial market," Kessler said. The Estonian regulator was "the only institution in Estonia or Denmark to react to the activities of Danske Bank", Kessler said, reflecting rising tensions with Denmark over who is to blame for the scandal. Kessler told journalists on Tuesday that the Danish regulator had handled Danske with "silk gloves". Danske Bank and the Danish Financial Authority had no immediate comment. The ultimatum was made public as Danish and Estonian regulators found on Tuesday they are being investigated by the European Union's own banking watchdog over a possible breach of EU law relating to the money-laundering at Danske Bank. US Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks during the Massachusetts Democratic Coordinated Campaign election night party at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel in Boston, Massachusetts on November 6, 2018. For families making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, under Warren's plan, child care would be free. Democratic presidential candidate and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping new proposal for universal child care aimed at providing licensed early childhood care for every family in the country at a cost of no more than 7 percent of that family's income. Within the crowded 2020 Democratic primary field, Warren's ambitious proposal is likely to elevate the issue of child care beyond its relatively limited reach four years ago. In 2016, both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders had major child care expansion plans built into their policy platforms. But neither candidate invested real political capital into promoting their respective plans, and voters took little notice of them. Warren's plan could also deepen already emerging policy fault lines among among more liberal Democratic 2020 candidates, like her, and her more moderate opponents. According to Warren, her child care plan rests upon four policy pillars: 1. The federal government will partner with local providers states, cities, school districts, nonprofits, tribes, faith-based organizations to create a network of child care options that would be available to every family. 2. These options would include locally-licensed child care centers, preschool centers, and in-home child care options. 3. Local communities would be in charge, but providers would be held to high national standards to make sure that no matter where you live, your child will have access to quality care and early learning. 4. Child care and preschool workers will be doing the educational work that teachers do, so they will be paid like comparable public school teachers. "In the wealthiest country on the planet, access to affordable and high-quality child care and early education should be a right, not a privilege reserved for the rich," Warren wrote in a blog post on medium.com Tuesday announcing the proposal. Warren's plan is projected to cost around $700 billion over 10 years, money which she said would come entirely from the proceeds of her proposed "ultra-millionaire tax." "The Ultra-Millionaire Tax asks the wealthiest families in America those with a net worth of more than $50 million to pay a small annual tax on their wealth," Warren wrote. According to a research paper Warren cited, by two economists at the University of California, the fully implemented millionaire's tax could raise as much as $2.75 trillion in government revenue over the next decade. Aerial view of Osaka. View on the Osaka Bay and its port on March 28, 2015 in Osaka, Japan. The U.K. business minister admitted Tuesday that a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan would not be completed in time to facilitate a cargo ship that left Britain for the Asian nation this week. Britain is scrambling to arrange around 40 existing trade deals that have been agreed under the umbrella of the European Union before the official Brexit date of March 29. The Thalassa Mana cargo ship left Felixstowe on Monday and is scheduled to arrive in Osaka, Japan, on March 30, one day after Britain is set to leave the EU. Speaking to a gathering of British manufacturers and exporters on Tuesday, U.K. Business Secretary Greg Clark said fears about customs barriers and logistics delays were an "unacceptable" reality. "Yesterday the first freighter set off for Japan with no clarity about customs arrangements when it arrives," said Clark, before admitting that FTA's with Japan and South Korea won't be complete ready in time for Brexit. In comments that will likely upset the Brexit-supporting cabal of his Conservative Party, Clark said the threat of no deal needed to be removed by Prime Minister Theresa May. "That is why it is so important that we should not leave without a deal, so we don't have jeopardy of those ships currently on the water not knowing how they will be treated when they arrive." Excerpts from a speech due to be made at the annual manufacturing dinner on Tuesday night in London have been released by the manufacturers' organization, Make U.K. Chair of the organization, Judith Hackitt, is set to tell an audience, which includes Finance Minister Philip Hammond, that: "Some of our politicians have put selfish political ideology ahead of the national interest and people's livelihoods and left us facing the catastrophic prospect of leaving the EU next month with no deal." PayPal CEO Dan Schulman told CNBC that the digital payments industry may become a $100 trillion market as the financial technology sector continues to grow rapidly. "It could be, you know, a $100 trillion market," he said in an interview with Wilfred Frost on "Closing Bell" Tuesday. "That's sort of the market total addressable market we're playing into. We may have, like, 1-2 percent share of that market today. And as Venmo, PayPal's popular mobile payments service, continues to partner with more merchants, he said there are no signs that disappointing holiday sales and a potential global slowdown will negatively affect the sector. The number of payments processed on the platform surged 80 percent year over year in the last quarter and Schulman thinks the company could process more than $100 billion worth of transactions in 2019. "We live in the space of digital commerce and digital commerce is exploding still around the world," he said. "There's an explosion in digital commerce and we're riding that wave. What we see is pretty positive." To support its growth, Schulman pointed out that Venmo has been focused on building partnerships with companies across a number of industries to better serve customers. The company already works with names like Facebook, Alphabet's Google, Microsoft and Alibaba. "People are thinking about how can they use technology to better serve customers," Schulman said. "I think it's going to be less and less about how does one company hyper-serve customers. I think the new way of the world going forward is how do companies take the best of their platforms [and] put them together to better serve companies." He also touched on competition brewing with fintech services like Zelle, casting away doubts that it would make it any harder for Venmo to thrive. Zelle is the digital payments network owned by seven banks including J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America. Schulman sees it as a sign that companies are deciding to work together more and share platforms, noting that Venmo also collaborates with other financial institutions. The differences between Venmo and Zelle, he pointed out, are how customers use both platforms. The average Venmo transaction is about $50 and done as many as five times a week. Zelle, on the other hand, handles larger transactions, typically $250 about once a month, he said. PayPal had a roughly $111 billion market cap as of Tuesday. "P2P, or peer-to-peer payments, is exploding in the market. It's a multi-hundred-billion-dollar marketplace. This will definitely not be a winner take all," Schulman said. "I think the two will live side by side and it won't be a winner take all" Additionally, PayPal is tapping into marketplaces around the globe and Asia is one of its fastest-growing regions, Schulman said. Those countries include India, China and Japan. Building relationships with online markets like Amazon and Alibaba, where they are seeing 40 percent year-over-year growth, has been a key strategy for the digital commerce company to offset slowing growth that has affected eBay, PayPal's former parent company that it continues to partner with, he said. Shares of eBay are down nearly 15 percent over the past 12 months. "But the real secret to Venmo is that it's not just a payment transaction," Schulman said. "It really is tying into this desire in the millennial generation to tie into your social network. So it's really a social experience." That includes issuing debit cards to customers and the chance to use the service at retailers. Schulman doesn't expect Venmo to be profitable at least for the next two quarters, but he said that partnerships have allowed the company to monetize the service and that it could be "a very profitable one for us over the medium to long term." Schulman also hinted in the interview that Venmo could be doing more to further leverage social media. "There is more and more we can do with Facebook," he said. "They can take the best of our platform assets to serve their customers in ways they want to." PayPal shares have risen 13 percent this year and surged more than 21 percent over the past 12 months. The stock advanced modestly Tuesday to $95.02. OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak plans to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, the diplomat said at the press conference with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The diplomat explained that he will visit Baku and Yerevan in the second half of March to discuss the issue. He said he already received invitations for the visit from both Azerbaijan and Armenia. Lajcak stressed that Slovakia supports the existing framework for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "We fully support the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. I regularly meet with them," he said. He recalled that a new situation is observed in Armenia after the election. "The expectations are connected with that. I would like my visit to help determine what can be expected and what results can be achieved. Our goal is to help the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to take advantage of this new situation," the OSCE chairman-in-office added. WHEN: Today, Friday, February 15, 2019 WHERE: CNBC's "Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer" The following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview with Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky and CNBC's Jim Cramer on CNBC's "Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer" (M-F 6PM 7PM) today Friday, February 15. The following is a link to video from the interview on CNBC.com: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/02/15/jnj-ceo-on-apple-collaboration-ultimately-were-going-to-save-lives.html. All references must be sourced to CNBC. December, his gigantic health care conglomerate was on the defense. The company had just been accused of selling baby powder that contained asbestos, a known carcinogen, and then covering it up for decades something my research said was just simply not the case. The stock however did plunge from 147 to 133 in a single day. It kept falling to the whole market bottom--. At the time I sold you the stock was overblown. If the allegations were true, JNJ had lost $40 billion in market cap. And that is just not right. Even the lawyers suing them over that said that. Now lately the stock has finally starting to get its groove back up, as it should be, up over 5% since our last interview with Mr. Gorsky, and up almost 13% from the Christmas Eve lows. JNJ has had a series of terrific major announcements this year, partnering with Apple on a new watch and cardiovascular health study, their nasal spray for depression Spravato, used to esketamine -- we'll talk about that just got a thumbs up from the FDA advisory committee, meaning it's likely to be approved, and probably quickly. And two days ago we learned about the company acquiring Auris Health, it's a surgical robotics company I've had -- it's good for 3.4 billion. There's a lot to like here let's check in with Alex Gorsky, he's the chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, to get a better read on where his company is. Welcome back to "Mad Money." Good to see you, Alex. ALEX GORSKY: Jim, it's to be here. JIM CRAMER: Alright. Alex, I've not seen JNJ on a roll like this in a long time. And I know you've been around for a long time. I've been a big supporter since the day you started. Well, for years, JNJ. But there is a series of things whether it be the esketamine, the new drug, whether it be the device-- I'll tell you, the watch, you're the one -- you're talking about millions of people that can be helped from this stuff. Just kind of give us the panoply here. ALEX GORSKY: Sure. It couldn't be a more exciting time at Johnson & Johnson. The past few weeks, first of all, we ended 2018 with great results. Solid performance across our core business, mid-single digits, double digits on the bottom line. But even more importantly, since then, we've announced a number of really important agreements that are going to end up impacting patients, consumers and frankly, patients for the next several decades. Now you announced a few of them. Let's start with the one -- the good news we just got with the FDA this past week. As you know, there is more than five million people in this country who are suffering from severe treatment resistant depression. And unfortunately, as a result of that, almost 40,000 suicides are committed every year in this country. And there hasn't been anything new in almost 30 years. And to finally get a new compound that offers hope for these patients and goes to work in a reasonably short period of time and also has good durability and offers them real hope and that's going to be esketamine, we could not be more proud. JIM CRAMER: Now, will it be used in a point of ideation? Or would you go to a Doctor's office? > > Well, of course, you'll need to see the physician first. But then once they are prescribed the product, they can be treated then by a health care practitioner. Immediately you'll get a few doses. And then after that that, they'll be treated literally on like, a weekly basis, by weekly basis after. JIM CRAMER: Will teenagers be using it? Because it's the leading cause of death of teenagers. ALEX GORSKY: Well, we're studying it across a range of patient populations as we speak. JIM CRAMER: I don't know if people realize how important this is. ALEX GORSKY: It's a very clearly a huge unmet medical need. All of us probably know veterans, we know family, we know friends who have been afflicted by this. And so to be able to bring something out, we are just, you know, so excited about it. JIM CRAMER: Well, you should be. And I'm proud that you're doing it because you know, my daughter is a counsellor in this area, and there hasn't been anything new, just like you said and they're just desperate. We have got to stop the suicide of the younger people. ALEX GORSKY: We absolutely do. JIM CRAMER: Okay. So tell me about the watch, I've been a big believer that someone is going to take this watch and really develop something that is so useful and it looks like you're doing it. ALEX GORSKY: Well, Jim, one of the most exciting parts of my job right now is to see the technology that is usually equated with California and the West Coast. And whether it's AI, machine learning, and, you know, robotics. And you're seeing it more and more integrated into health care. And so with this remarkable partnership that we have now with Apple, we're taking this technology built into the iWatch to help detect things like atrial fibrillation or when you get a heart fluttering earlier. Because we know there is over 35 million people around the world that suffer from this condition. If we can detect that earlier, we can get them the right medication, we can help them be compliant on the medications over a longer period of time, ultimately we're going to save lives. I think it really shows how some of this new technology is coming to health care in new, innovative, unique ways that frankly wouldn't have even imagined a few years ago. JIM CRAMER: Do you think through artificial intelligence you'll be able to monitor a pattern? If the pattern deviates you can go to the doctor. And look, this is the leading cause of heart attacks. Heart attacks are preventable. ALEX GORSKY: Absolutely. That's exactly what we're talking about. We're talking about algorithms that are built into the watch that are monitoring it real time. It can detect the anomalies, you know, far before something really manifests itself and the patient is going to recognize in terms of symptoms. JIM CRAMER: I think it can save billions of dollars in health care and lives are obviously what matters. This is what we need is preventative. Now the Auris acquisition is unbelievable. Robotics is way things are. And the best hospitals have been using. But most of them, you could expand this around the world. ALEX GORSKY: Well another great example of how this technology is fundamentally changing the way we're thinking about health care. You know, today less than 5% of surgeries are done with a robot or digitally. In the future, we think that's going to be significantly greater. And what we're so excited about is just as technology has changed the way we drive a car, you know, think about it, you pull up the map system, whether you see that light go on if you start to change lanes, think about that in surgery, where suddenly a surgeon can go in preoperatively, get utilized imaging to help him or her really navigate the way specifically to the lesion. They can actually get guidance. And we know that that's going to lead to better precision, better outcomes for the patient and frankly better value overall for the health care system. JIM CRAMER: Yeah, I mean, well -- my doctor used it. He said, mistakes -- I'm not saying anything is mistake free but there are huge number of mistakes, and this ends most of them. ALEX GORSKY: Well, absolutely. You know, to think of it with Auris' new monarch system which is used for something called bronchoscopy. So you know, now if you happen to have a lesion or a tumor on the very far out section of your lung, they, of course, would have to go in through minimally invasive surgery, do a biopsy, to better diagnose what you have. So imagine you have a tree, you take that tree and turn it upside down. That tree is your lung. We can run this wire down through the system way out to the outer end of the leaf think of it almost like an acorn. And once we get there, we can do a biopsy. We can use imaging in the future to actually, you know, determine what kind of a cancer it is. Or we can deliver a therapeutic perhaps a new kind of immunology agent to that specific lesion or we can go ahead and cut it out. Tthose are the kind of things being made possible by the new technology at a company like ours. JIM CRAMER: It's so exciting. I did see you last time. Anything new Talc to update? There really is not much since we talked, right? ALEX GORSKY: We put safety and quality first in all of our products and you know, we believe in the more than 100 years of experience with that product. And we'll defend it appropriately through the course, JIM CRAMER: Right. I know there say company that filed bankruptcy. But it seems like you guys are you have your position. The position has been fought over for a long time. And you've done, you know, more than your fair share. I think you tried to explain what is really going on here. ALEX GORSKY: We do. And what is most important is people get the facts and we continue to educate and look we think this will play out in an appropriate way. JIM CRAMER: That's exactly how I felt. You gave me the facts. I looked at the facts from the other side. You know how I've concluded. But I'm just one person. I'm not the jury but I'm one person. That's Alex Gorsky, he is the Chairman and CEO of JNJ. I hope you understand all the exciting things that they are working on, they're a true health care company, saving a lot of lives. For more information contact: Jennifer Dauble CNBC t: 201.735.4721 m: 201.615.2787 e: jennifer.dauble@nbcuni.com Emma Martin CNBC t: 201.735.4713 m: 551.275.6221 e: emma.martin@nbcuni.com Sen. Bernie Sanders is running for president again and his ideas are no less sweeping than the last time he ran. The independent senator from Vermont launched his 2020 presidential campaign Tuesday. The self-described democratic socialist, 77, enters a crowded Democratic primary field that largely shares his views on key policies. Since his long-shot 2016 presidential bid, Sanders has been a leading ideological voice in the Democratic Party, despite his independent status in the Senate. His broadsides against corporations and business titans reflect a wider shift toward populism in the party. Out of all the Democratic candidates, Sanders would bring perhaps the most drastic changes for businesses and wealthy Americans. Here's where Sanders stands on key issues and companies: His top policy goals Medicare for All, free public college and a $15 per hour minimum wage have become more mainstream in the Democratic Party, even if the party's congressional leadership have not embraced all of those plans. Sanders acknowledged as much in a CBS interview that aired Tuesday morning. "All of those ideas people were saying, 'Oh Bernie, they're so radical. They are extreme. The American people just won't accept those ideas.' Well, you know what's happened in over three years? All of those ideas and many more are now part of the political mainstream," the senator said. The Green New Deal, unveiled by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, will not resonate with American voters, longtime Democrat Barney Frank told CNBC on Tuesday. The proposal, which calls for generating 100 percent of the nation's power from renewable sources within 10 years, is emerging as a major campaign issue, with all the Democratic senators running for president in 2020 pledging their support and President Donald Trump and Republicans blasting it. "I think the Green New Deal would be loser," said Frank, the former Massachusetts congressman who retired in 2013 after more than three decades on Capitol Hill. "There's an argument that you don't destabilize a society by doing too much change at once." Critics of Frank's signature legislation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, had expressed similar concerns. The measure, also written by then-Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., was crafted after the 2008 financial crisis and signed into law in 2010 by then-President Barack Obama. "There are people who are skeptical of government," said Frank, who has defended Dodd-Frank for years against accusations that it was too broad and disruptive to the financial industry. "People like me who do want to expand the government role in some areas need to understand that we need to show how that works. You have to do it in pieces. And then as you show that it worked, you build on that." Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders who unsuccessfully sought the 2016 Democratic nomination that went to Hillary Clinton is among the senators supporting the Green New Deal. He announced Tuesday he's running for the White House again. In a "Squawk Box" interview, Frank said, as he did four years ago, that he does not believe Sanders can be elected president. "Bernie Sanders, obviously, makes a very important contribution," Frank said. "I wish the American people were more willing to vote for what he wants." The other senators who already announced bids for the White House are Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren, New York's Kirsten Gillibrand, California's Kamala Harris, New Jersey's Cory Booker, and Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar. Ohio's Sherrod Brown, Oregon's Jeff Merkley and Colorado's Michael Bennet are other senators said to be thinking about Democratic presidential bids. Joe Biden, former vice president and a former longtime senator himself, is also expected to jump into the race soon. Amazon is planning to cast a wider net with its film strategy after seeing several investments flop under its move to self-distribution, The New York Times reports. After failing to break even on several major investments during the past year and a half, Amazon has decided to take a different approach under the leadership of Amazon Studios' Jennifer Salke. Salke began in March after Roy Price stepped down amid sexual harassment accusations. The company plans to refocus on a variety of movies, some of which will go straight to its streaming service, Prime Video, rather than limit itself to films it hopes will receive critical acclaim. Following its decision to begin self-releasing films in theaters in 2017, Amazon failed to bring in as much money as it had hoped for movies like Woody Allen's "Wonder Wheel." The movie cost $25 million to make, according to the Times, but made only $1.4 million in North America. Salke confirmed to the Times that Amazon does not plan to release any further movies by Allen following a lawsuit he filed against the company alleging breach of contract. Allen claimed that the company ended its deal without cause after previously reported sexual assault allegations against him were brought back into the limelight. Salke told the Times she plans to pursue different "lanes" in film, including award-seeking films and "sexy date-night movies" that will go straight to streaming. She plans to debut about 30 original movies a year with budgets ranging from a few million dollars to over $50 million, the Times reported Monday. Amazon will continue to seek exclusive theater runs for about 10 movies a year, the company told the Times, including the upcoming "The Aeronauts," starring Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones. As it does so, it will consider offering the exclusivity for shorter periods of time to bring the movies to its streaming platform more quickly, the Times said. Netflix has faced headwinds with this same strategy, with AMC Theaters and Regal Cinemas refusing to show Academy Award best picture nominee "Roma" because it would not grant the traditional 90 days of exclusivity to the theaters. Read the full report at The New York Times. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Watch: In Amazon vs. Netflix streaming wars, content is king Netflix cancelled two superhero series The Punisher and Jessica Jones signaling the end of a five-year licensing partnership with Disney-owned Marvel on Monday. Disney plans to debut its own streaming media service, Disney+, later in 2019 to better compete with Netflix and Amazon. Netflix issued this statement on the cancellations: "Marvel's The Punisher will not return for a third season on Netflix. Showrunner Steve Lightfoot, the terrific crew, and exceptional cast including star Jon Bernthal, delivered an acclaimed and compelling series for fans, and we are proud to showcase their work on Netflix for years to come. In addition, in reviewing our Marvel programming, we have decided that the upcoming third season will also be the final season for Marvel's Jessica Jones. We are grateful to showrunner Melissa Rosenberg, star Krysten Ritter and the entire cast and crew, for three incredible seasons of this groundbreaking series, which was recognized by the Peabody Awards among many others. We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning." The on-demand pioneer is not moving away from superhero content, however. Netflix launched a new series, The Umbrella Academy, on Friday billed as a show about "estranged siblings with extraordinary powers." Created by Steve Blackman, the show stars Ellen Page, Tom Hopper and David Castaneda. In August 2017, Netflix also acquired comic book company Millarworld to develop other superhero films and series. Two of Millarworld's best-known comics, "Kick-Ass" and "Kingsman," were not part of that deal. But co-founders Mark and Lucy Millar joined Netflix, and are developing new series including their first one there, Jupiter's Legacy. Today, Netflix boasts 139 million global subscribers. It recently raised its prices by 13 percent to 18 percent. Decisions on renewals and cancellations at Netflix generally take into account viewership versus costs. Licensing arrangements like the one Netflix had with Marvel can prove costly for any streaming media platform. So far, licensed content has reigned on Netflix compared to the viewership attracted to the company's original shows, Variety reported. For example, Disney content previously comprised eight to twelve percent of Netflix viewership, from January 2017 through the end of October 2018, according to research by 7Park Data, a company that tracks on-demand video consumption on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. Warner Media, which is owned by AT&T, also intends to launch its own streaming media service by the end of this year. The company hasn't said which properties will be included in its service, but it owns the movie studio Warner Bros. and franchises like "Batman," "Harry Potter," as well as shows on networks including CNN, TNT and TBS. -- CNBC's Sara Salinas and Alex Sherman contributed to this report. WATCH: Netflix's DVD business is still alive and profitable here's what it looks like Ren Zhengfei, founder and chief executive officer of Huawei Technologies Co., speaks during an interview at the company's headquarters in Shenzhen, China, on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said on Monday that the arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, was politically motivated. "Firstly, I object to what the U.S. has done. This kind of politically motivated act is not acceptable," Ren told the BBC in an interview. Canada arrested Meng on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States. Meng was charged with bank and wire fraud to violate American sanctions against Iran. Huawei, along with another Chinese network equipment company, ZTE Corp , has been accused by the United States of working at the behest of the Chinese government. The United States has said their equipment could be used to spy on Americans. Huawei has repeatedly denied the claims. Commenting on the spying concerns, the Huawei founder reiterated that the company will "never undertake" any spying activities. Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with the Chinese government and allegations of enabling state espionage, with the United States calling for its allies not to use its technology. Ren said the company could downsize to weather such attempts by the United States. "The world cannot leave us because we are more advanced. Even if they (U.S.) persuade more countries not to use us temporarily, we can always scale things down a bit," he added. In comments on a potential ban in the UK, Ren said it would not make the company withdraw its UK investments, adding that it will shift its investments to the UK from the United States if U.S. actions against Huawei continue. "We will invest even more in the UK. Because if the U.S. doesn't trust us, then we will shift our investment from the U.S. to the UK on an even bigger scale," Ken told the BBC. Reuters reported earlier on Monday that British security officials do not support a full ban of Huawei from national telecoms networks despite U.S. allegations against the Chinese firm. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs can only help create conditions for dialogue on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak. "The co-chairs from Russia, the U.S. and France work closely together. They have already met with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and new contacts are being prepared with foreign ministers. Considering that the new government in Armenia has been formed quite recently, it will certainly take some extra time to understand how intensively and how deeply the settlement process can be developed at this stage," the Russian minister noted. "I repeat, once again: the co-chairs and the OSCE can only help create conditions for dialogue, but decisions, of course, must be made within the dialogue, within the direct negotiations between the parties," Sergey Lavrov stressed. 2019 Excellence in Theatre Education Award Ambassadors Laud Drama Teachers & Arts Education February 19, 2019 The Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University announced a group of talented actors serving as ambassadors for the 2019 Excellence in Theatre Education Award. CMU alumna Chante Adams, who notably was a high school drama student of 2016 Excellence in Theatre Education Award Winner, Marilyn 'MC' McCormick of Detroit, this year returns as an ambassador. (Adams appeared in the August Wilson play, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and currently stars in the Netflix movie, "Roxanne, Roxanne," and the feature film, "Monsters and Men.") Adams also will serve as CMU's alumni representative on this year's award-selection committee. Other ambassadors for the 2019 Excellence in Theatre Education Award program include Ali Stroker (upcoming Broadway revival of "Oklahoma," "Spring Awakening" and "The Glee Project") and Santino Fontana ("Tootsie" on Broadway and Disney's animated feature, "Frozen"); both Stroker and Fontana are longtime advocates of theatre and arts education. Additional CMU ambassadors for 2019 include alumni Casey Cott (from the CW's hit series, "Riverdale," and feature film, "All the Little Things We Kill") and Rory O'Malley (Tony nominee for "The Book of Mormon," host of "Geffen Playhouse Unscripted" podcast, and star of "Hamilton" and Lifetime's upcoming series, "American Princess.") Ambassadors for the Excellence in Theatre Education program are calling on students, parents, faculty, staff, friends and families across the U.S. to submit local, notable drama teachers those who inspire their kids and their communities with exceptional theatre programs. The Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University are proud to celebrate the fifth annual Excellence in Theatre Education Award. Chante Adams, CMU alumna and 2019 Excellence in Theater Education Award Ambassador, shares her story of the teacher who influenced her. Now through Feb. 22, submissions will be accepted online for K-12 theatre educators at an accredited institution or recognized community theatre organization. Anyone can submit a worthy teacher for consideration. He or she must be a teacher whose position is dedicated to and/or includes aspects of theatre education. Submissions can be made at www.TonyAwards.com/EducationAward. Since 2014, the Excellence in Theatre Education Award has been bestowed annually at the Tony Awards. Last year's honor was presented to Melody Herzfeld of Parkland, Florida, where she is a drama teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. "We're thrilled to have such talented performers stand with us as Ambassadors to promote the importance of theatre education," said Heather Hitchens, president of the American Theatre Wing and Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League. "We shine this annual spotlight on teachers to recognize them and to thank them for the essential work they do year-round." "CMU is grateful to our College of Fine Arts alumni, this year and in years past, who have served as ambassadors for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award," said Carnegie Mellon President Farnam Jahanian. "We're further encouraged by the expanded participation and support of the Broadway community, even beyond our immediate CMU family. Now in its fifth year, this program has truly become a national celebration of the theatre education profession." A panel of judges comprised of the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, Carnegie Mellon and other leaders from the theatre industry will select the winner. The winner will receive a cash grant for his or her school, flights to New York City, hotel accommodations and a pair of tickets to the 2019 Tony Awards Ceremony and Gala. In addition, the winning teacher's theatre arts students will receive a master class presentation from Carnegie Mellon's School of Drama, as well as two scholarships for students of their choosing to attend the School of Drama Summer Pre-College Program in summer 2020. Carnegie Mellon's School of Drama is the oldest drama degree-granting program in the United States. In the past century, CMU has produced hundreds of Tony nominees, and its alumni have won 47 Tony Awards to date. The 2019 Tony Awards, presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, will air live on CBS on Sunday, June 9. For more information on the Tony Awards, visit TonyAwards.com and Facebook.com/TheTonyAwards, and follow @TheTonyAwards on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. The forecast anticipates a significant 53 percent reduction in U.S. agricultural export value to China, from $19 billion in 2018 to $9 billion in 2019. This reduction is largely attributed to declining Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans due to trade tensions and further compounded by record high 2018 U.S. soybean crop yields pressuring prices even lower. In recent years, U.S. agricultural exports to China, Mexico, Canada and Japan have represented approximately 50 percent of the total U.S. agricultural export value. This aggregated share is projected to decrease to 44 percent, as modest 1-3 percent projected gains with Mexico, Canada and Japan will be more than offset with projected loss of market access with China. On average, from 2015 through 2017, the Chinese market accounted for 15.7 percent of the total U.S. agricultural export value. Data from the recently released Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade, by the USDAs Economic Research Service, indicates 2019 agricultural export values are projected to total $141.5 billion, approximately $2 billion less than fiscal year 2018 and down $3 billion from the August forecast. While volatility in commodity markets is not unusual, the magnitude and impact of this years trade war has added an extra measure of uncertainty to the mix. This paper will briefly review some of those effects as they relate to U.S. agricultural trade and CME Group agricultural futures and options. Recent changes in geopolitical trade policy and resulting tensions have put commodity markets on the front line of the U.S.-led trade war. As global supply chains shift and trade policy from the governments of the worlds largest commodity buyers and suppliers becomes ever increasingly dynamic; global commodity benchmarks, such as CME Groups Agricultural futures and options, have echoed these changes. Figure 1: Projected Percent Change in U.S. Agricultural Export Value, 2018 to 2019 Source: USDA ERS, Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade Outside of China and the Middle East, 2019.1 U.S. agricultural export values are projected to increase an average of 8 percent year-over-year among the other top 25 major international trading partners, driven in part by higher corn and wheat volumes. Africa, Brazil, and Malaysia are expected to see the largest year-over-year percent increases from 2018 to 2019.1 Soybean Impact Nowhere has the impact of the trade war been more pronounced, at both a macro- and micro-level, than the soybean markets. For example, at the micro-level: April 3, 2018: The U.S. government releases $50 billion list of 1,333 Chinese products under consideration for 25 percent tariffs April 4, 2018: China publishes a list of 106 U.S. products subject to forthcoming 25 percent tariffs as retaliation, including soybeans Figure 2: April 3 and 4, 2018 Nearby CBOT Soybean Futures Trading Volume and Price Source: CME Liquidity Tool Figure 2, generated using data from the CME Liquidity Tool, shows that at roughly 3:00 a.m. CST, or 5:00 p.m. in Beijing, the nearby CBOT Soybean futures price decreased almost 5 percent, and experienced a sharp increase in trading volume in the two hours subsequent to Chinas announcement of retaliatory tariffs. The interactive CME Liquidity Tool provides access to current and historical liquidity for products offered on CME Group exchanges across three distinct global time zones. The tool leverages market data reconstruction to visually display and analyze liquidity measures such as bid-ask spreads, book depth and cost of trade statistics. Conversely, and perhaps displaying the asymmetric impacts and degree of good versus bad news, Figure 3 shows an approximate two percent increase in the CBOT Soybean futures price over the course of the July 24 trading day, and a moderate spike in trading volume following the U.S. governments announcement to subsidize U.S. producers for up to $12 billion for lost export sales. Figure 3: July 24 Nearby CBOT Soybean Futures Trading Volume and Price Source: CME Liquidity Tool Although different directions, both Figure 2 and 3 demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the CBOT Soybean futures contract actively facilitating real-time price discovery and risk management, regardless of the hour of the day. On a macro-level, the effects of tit-for-tat tariffs and subsequent easing of tensions around the time of the G-20 meeting can be seen in the divergence and convergence in soybean basis between the U.S. Gulf and Paranagua, Brazil in Figure 4. Basis, often referred to as the voice of the grain markets, is the difference between the cash price and nearby futures. This difference serves as an indicator of local supply and demand fundamentals in relation to global price benchmarks, such as CBOT Soybean futures. A strong and wide positive basis, such as FOB Paranagua in September 2018, indicates a tight supply and strong demand for Brazilian-origin soybeans. In contrast, a weak and narrow basis indicates an oversupply and low demand for U.S.-origin soybeans. With China being the largest buyer of soybeans in the world, the shifting of Chinese demand has a substantial impact to export balance sheets and regional price differences. Figure 4: U.S. FOB vs Brazil FOB Soybean Basis Source: Commodity3, USDA In 2018, Brazil exported a record 83 million tons of soybeans, driven heavily by Chinese demand. Approximately 82 percent, or 69 million tons, of Brazils soybean exports were destined for China. In contrast, the U.S. 2018 soybean exports totaled 37 million tons, with only 8 million tons directed towards China. In terms of soybean vessels to China, the 2018 exports comparison is even more striking. Assuming each vessel carries 60,000 tons of soybeans, Brazil exported 1,152 vessels, while the U.S. exported 136 vessels, a ratio of almost 9:1.2 On June 15, China finalized and announced their list of $50 billion worth of U.S. goods subject to 25 percent tariffs, including U.S. soybeans. Driven more by policy than price, China turned to Brazil to meet the majority of their 2018 soybean demand. The inelasticity of Chinas demand, combined with the 25 percent tariff, was highly beneficial to Brazilian soybean exporters. These exporters were able to capture part of the added cost of the tariff imposed on U.S. agricultural goods, as an added premium to the Brazilian Soybean CNF price (see Figure 5). While the cost for Chinese buyers to import U.S.-origin soybeans rose substantially, at the same time the price for Brazilian soybeans increased approximately 15 percent as an indirect reflection of the tariff imposed on U.S. soybeans. Figure 5: Impact of Tariff on Chinese Import Costs of U.S. Soybeans vs. CNF U.S. Gulf and Brazil Santos Source: Bloomberg, JCI Market Volatility Volatility and uncertainty from the trade war have not been isolated to soybean markets. Almost a quarter of U.S. pork production is designated for export, with China the largest consumer of pork in the world, and Mexico the number one importer of U.S. pork by volume and number two by value. With record U.S. hog inventory and an industry in expansion mode to sustain a growing export market, the vulnerability to adverse marketing conditions was exposed when China and Mexico imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. pork products in summer 2018. As a result, the price of nearby CME Lean Hog futures decreased approximately 41 percent. Subsequently, reports of African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks in China helped pork prices recover modestly later that summer. These combined price swings marked August 2018 as the highest monthly historic volatility for the contract in more than 20 years, hitting 57 percent. Figure 6: CME Lean Hog Futures Monthly Historic Volatility Source: CME Group Further demonstrating CME Groups deep liquidity and ability to facilitate risk management around major events, a record 30,000 Weekly Agricultural options traded on December 3 as global participants reacted to G-20 meeting outcomes and further anticipation of easing trade tensions between China and the United States. CME Groups Weekly Options on Futures offer a precise and cost-effective way to mitigate risk and capture opportunities associated with market-moving events through access to optionality at specific junctures in time and term structure. For example, the Week 1 March options expiration coincides with the March 1 deadline for U.S.-China trade negotiations. Figure 7: CBOT Grain & Oilseed Weekly Option Volume Clinton, IA (52732) Today Rain showers early then thundershowers for the afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 81F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Low 68F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Submit your news We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit news Head of the Russian Accounts Chamber Alexei Kudrin said that Russia has adapted to the existing sanctions, but new sanctions may shock the Russian economy, which would have to go through adaptation again. "Unfortunately, any new sanctions will cause new shocks and will demand new adaptation," the Prime news agency cited Kudrin as saying. He warned that they may be "much tougher than what we have now." The economy has already absorbed the sanctions that have been imposed. Our companies have got adjusted to that, he said. According to the head of the Russian Accounts Chamber, the sanctions dwarf economic growth, which is sensitive to external sanctions due to a large amount of technological imports. Lake Erie College will offer a new Master of Professional Studies degrees through a partnership at Lakeland Community Colleges Holden University Center. The program offers development of skills such as organizational dynamics, leadership, negotiation and problem solving. The Iranian parliament voted to allow the government to apply for a $5 billion loan from Russia, the Iranian Mehr new agency reported. The loan is set to be spent on owning capital assets in infrastructure and production fields in accordance with the budget law, putting new energy, nuclear, power, railways, highways, dams, irrigation networks and water transportation projects as priority ones, the media said. UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio -- OVI, Cedar Road: At 10:05 a.m. Feb. 15, police were called to the parking lot behind O'Reilly's Bar, 13914 Cedar Road, where a passerby reported a woman passed out in her car. After police forced their way into her locked car and woke the woman, she was administered field sobriety tests and was found to be intoxicated. The woman, 49, of Cleveland Heights, was charged with OVI and possession of suspected narcotics and drug paraphernalia. She was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 7:55 p.m. Feb. 11, loss prevention at Macy's, 2201 Warrensville Center Road, reported that they had a Cleveland woman, 26, in custody for stealing merchandise worth $252. The woman was charged with theft. Theft, Cedar Road: At 3:10 p.m. Feb. 13, police arrested a Shaker Heights girl, 17, for stealing merchandise worth $170 from Target, 14070 Cedar Road. The girl was with a Shaker Heights woman, 20, who stole $19 worth of merchandise. The woman was further charged with obstructing official business and contributing to the delinquency of a child. DUS, Warrensville Center Road: At 12:05 a.m. Feb. 14, police stopped a car for a traffic violation. The driver, a Shaker Heights man, 20, was found to be driving with a suspended license and without a valid driver's license. The man was cited and his car towed. Marijuana possession, Carroll Boulevard: At 2:05 a.m. Feb. 14, an officer stopped a car for a traffic violation. The driver, a Cleveland man, 24, was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The man was also found to be wanted on a Mentor police warrant. He was cited and turned over to Mentor police. Marijuana possession, Cedar Road: At 10:35 a.m. Feb. 14, an officer stopped a car that was bearing expired plates. It was subsequently learned that the man driving had a suspended license and that he possessed marijuana. The Cleveland Heights man, 29, was also wanted on a police warrant. The car's passenger, a Cleveland Heights man, 30, was cited for wrongful entrustment of his car. Theft, Warrensville Center Road: At 6:35 p.m. Feb. 14, police were called to Macy's, where security had detained a woman for theft. The woman lied about her identity several times until it was learned that she was a Cleveland Heights resident and 26 years of age. She was arrested for stealing merchandise worth $410 and for obstruction of official business. Unsafe vehicle, Warrensville Center Road: At 2:10 a.m. Feb. 15, an officer heard loud sounds coming from a parked blue bus and investigated. The driver, a Cleveland man, 53, was cited for having loud sound devices on the bus. He was further cited for driving an unsafe vehicle as several of the bus's occupants were riding on its roof while it was in motion. Personal welfare, Cedar Road: Just after 1 a.m. Feb. 17, police stopped to check the welfare of a man who was screaming while standing in traffic. The University Heights man, 30, was intoxicated and was charged with disorderly conduct. He was then taken to the hospital for evaluation. Theft, Cedar Road: At 3:15 a.m. Feb. 17, police were called to the Speedway gas station, 14458 Cedar Road, where a theft was in progress. A Cleveland man, 49, was arrested for stealing Red Bull energy drink worth $104. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio - Pancakes and markets will keep visitors heading to the Frostville Museum complex this winter. Olmsted Historical Society will host winter farmers markets 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 23. March 9 and 23. Pancake breakfasts are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 3, 10 and 17 in the Events Barn - the large red building next to the parking area. Frostville is at 24101 Cedar Point Road, North Olmsted, in the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks. Price for the breakfasts are $7 for adults, $5 children 10 and younger. There are two menus, one with unlimited pancakes, juice, hot beverage and sausage. Menu two features scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes (no refills), juice and hot beverage. Additional sausages are three for $1 and additional orange juice is 50 cents. For more information, call 216-789-5298, or visit olmstedhistoricalsociety.org. Women's club offers financial aid: The Fairview Park Women's Club is offering scholarships, grants, and assistance for high school seniors who live in Fairview Park, regardless of the school they attend. In addition, Fairview Park women 21 and older can apply for the Marion Cook Continuing Education Grant. And community nonprofit organizations may request assistance for special projects. Applications are available at fairviewparkwomensclub.org. They should be mailed to Fairview Park Women's Club, P.O. Box 26283, Fairview Park, Ohio 44216. Deadline is April 1. Olmsted UU programs: Two special, informational programs are planned during the coming week at the historic Olmsted Unitarian Universalist Congregation. The first, at 11 a.m. Feb. 24, will feature Vernice Jackson portraying Sally Hemmings in a special Black History Month program. Hemmings, an enslaved African-American woman, was believed to have been the mother of several of Thomas Jefferson's children. She came to Jefferson's household as part of an inheritance from his wife's estate in 1774. Jackson. Who is president of the board of directors and managing director of Women in History, will appear in full costume. Coffee and discussion will follow. The second event, 7-8 p.m. Feb. 28, will feature Cheryl Piper, a Lorain County Community College professor emeritus of religious studies. She will share information about Islam and take questions. Piper will help separate Islamic religious beliefs from cultural beliefs and offer information on the wide spectrum of Islamic believers from Turkey to Indonesia Both programs will take place at Olmsted Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5050 Porter Road, North Olmsted. This Islam event will be the first of three open community conversations on Feb. 28, March 28, and May 2. All are welcome. Reservations are not needed. Olmsted UU, a caring, liberal faith community that welcomes all, meets in a North Olmsted historical landmark that was built in 1847. Call 440-777-6622 or visit olmsteduu.org for more information. Free produce: Cudell Recreation Center will offer free, fresh produce 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Thursday of every month, including Feb. 21. Cudell is at 1910 West Blvd., Cleveland. Cleveland residents can come with identification and bags to receive produce on a first-come, first-served basis. The produce distributions will take place rain or shine. The events are a partnership between the city of Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Community meal: Clague Road United Church of Christ will host a free community meal 4:30-6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the church, 3650 Clague Road, North Olmsted. There will be no carry-outs. The church is handicap accessible. At the library: The North Olmsted Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library has numerous programs planned during the coming week. The library is at 27403 Lorain Road, North Olmsted. The schedule includes: Art Experiences, grades k-8, will be at 4 p.m. Feb. 22. Participants can examine the works of art masters and explore various media, such as paint, pastels and clay. All materials are included. Great Lakes Theater presents "Treasure Island" for families and children in grades 1-5 at 10 a.m. Feb. 23. Actors from Great Lakes Theater Company will present the program. Teen 3D Design will be offered at 6 p.m. Feb. 26 for ages 11-18. Participants can explore hands-on digital creation as they create their own designs using the 3D modeling program, Tinkercad. The library also offers a variety of storytimes for all ages on a drop-in basis, with no registration needed. Visit the library or check online for a complete listing. Information, please: Readers are invited to share information about themselves, their families and friends, organizations, church events, etc. in Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted and West Park for the A Place in the Sun column, which I write on a freelance basis. Awards, honors, milestone birthdays or anniversaries and other items are welcome. Submit information at least 10 days before the requested publication date to carolkovach@hotmail.com. COLUMBUS, OhioYoungstown Board of Education member Dario Hunter, the only elected Green Party member in Ohio, is now seeking a much higher office: president. Hunter, 35, is an early entrant in the race for the Green presidential nomination next year. The nomination appears to be wide open as Jill Stein, the partys nominee in 2012 and 2016, has indicated she doesnt plan to run again. Hunter has an interesting background. The son of an Iranian Muslim father and a black Christian mother, he is considered the first Muslim-born person to be ordained as a rabbi. After graduating from Princeton University, he earned a law degree in Canada, then worked as an environmental lawyer in Israel before settling on the south side of Youngstown. He currently serves as a rabbi in Boardman and as campus rabbi at the College of Wooster. He won a write-in campaign for Youngstown school board in 2015; he joined the Green Party last year. In an interview, Hunter said hes running for president because he wants to ensure that the voices of the marginalized and disenfranchised are heard in the presidential race. I have that background that speaks to all of the issues of fundamental fairness and justice that the Green Party espouses an openly gay black Jewish man whos the son of an immigrant, Hunter said. If elected, Hunter said he would seek to create a single-payer Medicare for all health-care system, have the government ensure full employment, and ban oil and gas fracking. He also called for shutting down the vast majority of overseas military bases and slashing the defense budget by half to provide more money for education and infrastructure projects. Hunter added that the U.S. should stop providing any aid to Israel, because of that countrys horribly atrocious treatment of Palestinians. I do not believe the United States should be providing any form of aid to Israel or any human-rights abusers, he said, adding that U.S. aid to Saudi Arabia should also be cut off. So far, 12 people have filed to run for president as a Green, including former Maryland Green Party co-chair Ian Schlakman and U.S. Navy veteran Joe Collins III of California. Hunter said he has a leg up on these candidates, as hes the only one who has successfully run for elected office. Hunter said hes talked to national Green Party leaders about his campaign, though he added the main response hes received so far is that its perhaps too early for people to take sides. The next step, Hunter said, is to travel around the country introducing himself to Green Party groups and voters to try to make himself the partys consensus candidate. People have a good read or good sense of who is going to be the nominee before you really get to the primary caucus stage, he said. COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohios new state treasurer says that so far, very few people have taken up the recently launched option to pay their state taxes in bitcoin. Appearing before reporters in Columbus Tuesday, Republican Treasurer Robert Sprague was asked about his offices experiences with the bitcoin payment option set up in December by his predecessor, Josh Mandel. Sprague, who took office in January, said the treasurers office has received only two tax payments through OhioCrypto.com, the states bitcoin payment platform. Were reviewing how [the program] might be either curtailed or might be expanded, and what our counter-party risk is with that vendor, Sprague said. A spokesman later declined to specify the value of the bitcoin tax payments the state has received, saying individual tax information is confidential. However, Bernie Moreno, a politically active Cleveland businessman who has championed the use of cryptocurrency, said in November that hed paid his business taxes that month in bitcoin. Sprague spoke at a forum with reporters in Columbus organized by the Associated Press of Ohio. Sprague emphasized that Ohio doesnt actually receive or hold bitcoin, the virtual currency that has cratered in value since spiking in 2017. The company hired by the state to process the bitcoin payments converts them into dollars before they are sent to the Ohio treasury. The company, Bitpay, takes a 1 percent commission on the transaction as its payment. Mandel made a splash, generating state and national news coverage, when he announced Ohios bitcoin project in December, just weeks before he left office. His staff said at the time they believe Ohio was the first state to allow residents to pay their taxes in bitcoin. CLEVELAND, Ohio A candle flickered Monday afternoon at the center of a snow trodden circle on Euclid Avenue where mourners gathered to recognize the life of Marsha Carroll, a woman experiencing homelessness who was killed earlier this month. Carroll, 57, was allegedly beaten to death on Feb. 6 outside the Rainbow Place Apartments on East 79th Street in Midtown, according to a police report. Today, we come to this spot to remember a member of our homeless family, Marsha Carroll, (who) was brutally murdered. She frequently stayed in the shelters and was well known for her powerful spirit and beautiful singing, said Chris Knestrick, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. The brutality of the violence that was inflicted upon her should make us shiver, gasp and come together as a community to respond. We must question what is happening in our city that such gendered violence and homelessness is possible. NEOCH holds vigils each time a member of Clevelands homeless community dies. On Feb. 7, the day after Carroll was killed, NEOCH and its partners gathered on East 123rd Street to recognize the life of Juan Proctor, a man experiencing homelessness who froze to death while hiding in an abandoned building during the Polar Vortex. Our society pushes people experiencing homelessness into unseen parts of our city - hidden and unwanted. So, we gather to say, We see you. We see your beautiful human spirit. We love you and honor your dignity,' said Knestrick. NEOCH estimates that there are about 23,000 people who are homeless in Cuyahoga County. Thats about 10 percent of those in the county who live in poverty, according to U.S. Census numbers. Nicole Evans, executive director at the Norma Herr Womens Shelter, said Carroll was someone who always maintained a sense of humor and could make others laugh. Regardless of the challenges that she may have faced in this world, Marsha saw it as a wonderful place, Evans said, before singing a few lines of Louis Armstrongs What a Wonderful World, a song Carroll often sang by request. Throughout Mondays service, an outreach worker with NEOCH known to those in the community as 2 Braids began chants of Stop the violence. Stop the hate, his voice carrying over the din of midday traffic on Euclid Avenue, as snowflakes steadily fell onto the 20 people huddled against Clevelands 24-degree temperatures. Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy for people to wake up and say these fellow human beings are human beings, said Pastor Doug Horner of St. Pauls Community Church, who urged those gathered to be kind to others and to speak up when someone is in trouble. COLUMBUS, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday that there will be no more executions in Ohio until a new method of carrying them out can be developed and deemed constitutional by the courts. As long as the status quo remains, where we dont have a protocol that has been found to be OK, we certainly cannot have any executions in Ohio, DeWine told reporters at an Associated Press forum in Columbus. That would not be right, at least in my opinion. Pressed on whether he personally supports the death penalty, DeWine paused. Seeming to choose his words carefully, he then said he was a sponsor of Ohios current capital punishment law, which took effect in 1981. It is the law of the state of Ohio. And Ill let it go [not comment further] at this point. We are seeing clearly some challenges that you have all reported on in regard to carrying out the death penalty. But Im not going to go further down that path any more today, he said. DeWine, a Republican, ordered a review of Ohios death penalty protocols last month after a federal magistrate judge wrote that Ohios method of carrying out executions would subject a condemned Ohio prisoner to severe pain and needless suffering. Judge Michael Merz wrote Ohio could proceed with the execution, since the inmate, Warren Henness, did not produce an alternative that is available, feasible, and can be readily implemented, required under a 2015 United States Supreme Court ruling that upheld lethal injection. DeWine delayed Henness execution from Feb. 13 to Sept. 12 while the review was underway. But on Tuesday, he declined to place a timetable on how long it might take for a new execution method to be developed, for it to be legally challenged and then found constitutional by the courts. Ive dealt with the court system a long time, and I think its whenever you think you can figure out how fast or slow somethings going to take, youre wrong, he said. Henness was convicted of murdering his drug-abuse counselor, Richard Myers, in 1992, but he maintains his innocence. Ohios next inmate scheduled to be executed is Limas Cleveland R. Jackson, with a scheduled execution date of May 29. He was convicted of murdering a teenager during a drug-related robbery in 2002. Gregory Lott, convicted in the 1986 murder of an elderly East Cleveland man, is scheduled to be executed on Aug. 14. Ohios method of execution is to inject the condemned with a combination of three drugs: midazolam (as a sedative), a paralytic drug, and potassium chloride to stop their heart. Death penalty opponents have challenged similar methods in other states, saying they are unconstitutional because they cause cruel and unusual punishment. In his January opinion, Mertz, the federal magistrate judge, agreed with arguments made by Hennesss lawyers, writing that it is certain or very likely that the states prescribed dose of midazolam cannot reduce consciousness to the level at which a condemned inmate will not experience the severe pain associated with injection of the paralytic drug or potassium chloride or the severe pain and needless suffering that is certain or very likely to be caused by the pulmonary edema which is very likely to be caused directly by the midazolam. DeWines review marks the second time in five years Ohio has searched for a new method of execution. The state changed the drugs it uses for lethal injection after the January 2014 execution of Dennis B. McGuire took more than 25 minutes. COLUMBUS, Ohio - Charter schools in Ohio havent improved in recent years, Stanford University researchers have found, despite all the recent debate, public scandals and efforts to make this states nationally-scorned charter schools teach kids better. There is little to no progress in Ohio charter school performance, concludes a new report released today by Stanfords Center for Research on Educational Outcomes (CREDO), when comparing Ohios charters today to those 10 years ago, as well as those four years ago. Though charters here made progress in helping students learn to read over time - closing a small gap between them and traditional schools - they did worse in math and fell further behind. It would be a discouraging finding for charter backers, who have viewed the much-maligned sector as improving the last few years as tougher state laws have kicked in and some of the worst schools have closed. But many of those changes are still too new to have moved the numbers in the Stanford study. The report also gives charter backers a big win by making a major distinction between typical charter schools and online ones. Most charter schools - the brick-and-mortar schools where students come to a school every day - look great in the new findings, when they are compared to traditional public schools handling similar students. These charters helped students read better than traditional schools did with similar students, and barely did worse in math. The big problems are with online charter schools, which lag so far behind everyone that they wipe out any gains for charters overall. Online charters did worse in both reading and math - far worse in math - than other schools. It was as if students at online charters in Ohio skipped 47 days of reading classes in a year and 136 days of math classes. The poor performance of online charter schools drags down the overall charter impact on student academic growth, the report reads. Online charter schools in Ohio have a poor showing in a new report from Stanford researchers, while other charter schools do well. The report compares how charters do with similar students in traditional public schools, with bars above zero showing charters doing better and bars below zero showing charters doing worse. Note that some charters did better in reading and worse in math, while online schools did much worse in both. The Fordham Institute, a national education advocacy group active in Ohio, sponsored the study, as well as a similar one CREDO did for Ohio in late 2014. Fordham, a right-leaning organization, supports charters and school choice efforts, while also pressing for quality schools. Fordham analyst Aaron Churchill trumpeted the way brick-and-mortar schools fared in the report. The state needs to find ways to dramatically improve e-schooling, he wrote in a post for Fordhams website. But, in the realm of brick-and-mortar schools, we ought to recognize the great work theyre doingand do more to help them become even stronger. He said the results bolster a push from some charter schools - including the Cleveland-based and high-performing Breakthrough charter school chain - to provide more state funding for charters that do well. After years of shortchanging charter students, lawmakers should finally move to fund brick-and-mortar charters equitably, helping to kick-start new-school formation and the rapid expansion of the states top-performing charters, Churchill wrote. John Zitzner, one of Breakthroughs founders, noted that CREDOs report showed strong results for urban charters and those serving kindergarten through eighth grade - two key facets of his schools - even if e-schools make the whole sector look bad. If you look beyond the headline, the news is good and should help schools like ours," Zitzner said. Pearson, the international company that owns the Connections Academy e-school in Ohio, challenged CREDOs findings. Rob Kremer, who handles government relations for Pearson, was bothered that CREDO does not adjust results for test score drops from transient students. He said Connections would do as other schools if mobility of students was taken into account. Macke Raymond, who heads CREDO, disagreed and said that schools dont see a test score drop if they make real efforts to help new students adjust to their new school. The Ohio Democratic Party pointed to charters flat performance, while ignoring the e-school and brick-and-mortar differences, to say the legislature should demand more accountability for charters. CREDOs earlier study in December, 2014, became part of Ohios debate over a major charter school reform bill passed by the state legislature in 2015. Since then, charter school oversight agencies have come under greater scrutiny, there has been more pressure to close or fix bad charters and the states largest charter school, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) was run out of business last year. Has this made Ohio charters any better? The new report offers some hints, but cant answer that conclusively. It uses data through the 2016-17 school year, so it still includes poor results from ECOT, which didnt close until early 2018. That matters a lot. With 14,200 students that year, ECOT had almost 13 percent of all of Ohios charter school students and 42 percent of all of the states students in online charters. Because House Bill 2, the 2015 charter school reform legislation, did not take effect until halfway through the 2015-16 school year, little changed before the last school year CREDO studied, 2016-17. As the CREDO report notes, There might not have been sufficient time for the academic impact of HB 2 to develop. It is worth tracking how well the stipulations in the bill are implemented in practice and how the bill, together with other changes in the education landscape in Ohio, affects student learning outcomes in the long term. CREDO uses an unusual method for comparing the performance of different schools. Researchers cant place the same student in two schools and measure how much they learn in each. So CREDO looks at scores and characteristics of students and builds a virtual twin - a composite from multiple students - in different schools to use as a comparison point. CREDO then compares differences in academic growth and converts them into a percentage of a school year - or days of learning - so people can understand them better. This report skips a key analysis that the 2014 report included - a comparison of charters and district schools by city. In 2014, CREDO estimated that Cleveland charter school students gained 14 more days of learning than kids in district schools, in both reading and math. Cleveland was the only Ohio city where that occurred. OKLAHOMA CITY - Big pharma is facing a major test in a small courthouse 20 miles south of here: the first trial at which a jury could decide whether drug companies bear responsibility for the nation's opioid crisis. Thousands of cities, counties, Native American tribes and others have filed lawsuits up and down the opioid supply chain, alleging various claims of culpability for the crisis that began with widespread abuse of powerful painkillers. Most of the cases have been consolidated in a major federal action in Cleveland. But as that case lags, smaller state cases like the one here in Oklahoma are quickly moving to hold companies to account, creating an early test of how costly the opioid crisis might be for the pharmaceutical companies that made billions of dollars off the drugs. Oklahoma's case is scheduled to begin May 28 at a state courthouse in Norman. Judge Thad Balkman has repeatedly refused to delay the trial and has agreed to have it televised live every day, raising the prospect of nationwide coverage of grieving families and embarrassing internal company emails. Nearly 800 Oklahomans died of drug overdoses in 2017, about half of them from opioids. "What happens there is going to set the standard for what happens after it," said Abbe Gluck, a Yale Law School professor, who predicted that the outcome in Oklahoma could provide leverage to the victor in the larger federal case to follow. Thirty-six states filed cases in state courts, believing they will fare better in front of local juries that know the toll of addiction firsthand. The state cases have received far less attention than the mammoth case in Cleveland, where there are nearly 1,600 plaintiffs in an action known as multidistrict litigation, or MDL. If the trial holds to schedule, Oklahoma will be the first state to try a case in court. The next few months will be critical to both cases. Some believe the drug company defendants in Oklahoma - Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Actavis and others - will never risk a trial in that kind of venue, before a jury of Sooners who have seen the opioid epidemic's impact on their communities. "We feel confident in our case," said Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter, who filed the lawsuit in 2017. "We'd like a jury of Oklahomans to hear our evidence and determine the extent to which these companies should be held accountable for what's happened in Oklahoma." The state contends that the drug manufacturers' deceptive marketing of their products set off the epidemic and created a "public nuisance" that injured or endangered the health of Oklahoma's citizens. The state could seek more than $1 billion from the companies, either in a settlement or at trial, according to people familiar with the case. Oklahoma's biggest target might be Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of Johnson & Johnson. Janssen sells the Duragesic fentanyl patch and sold the opioid Nucynta until 2015. Janssen said in a statement that "our actions in the marketing and promotion of these medicines were appropriate and responsible. The labels for our prescription opioid pain medicines provide information about their risks and benefits, and the allegations made against our company are baseless and unsubstantiated." Purdue said in a statement that it "continues to have active discussions with attorneys general, and is fully engaged with the multidistrict litigation process outlined by Judge Polster to help communities address the opioid crisis," referring to U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster of the Northern District of Ohio. In Oklahoma, Purdue will argue that it controls a small share of the market for opioid drugs - about 2 to 3 percent. It claims its sales representatives and marketing initiatives are not responsible for deaths from illicit heroin and fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid manufactured overseas that is blamed for many opioid deaths in recent years. "We believe strongly in our defense, and we believe we will prevail once the full facts are presented," the company said. Polster has aggressively pushed the parties in his courtroom toward a settlement of what some call the most complex litigation in U.S. history. Polster has said his goal is not just recompense for the costs of addressing addiction and death; he wants to abate the epidemic by providing money for treatment and other needs. More than 47,000 people died of opioid overdoses in 2017. Settlement talks are continuing, but the attorneys have missed Polster's goal of reaching a unified agreement last year. On Wednesday, Polster admonished lawyers about speaking publicly about settlement negotiations or impugning the character of anyone in the case, reminding them of a gag order he issued last year and their responsibilities under the Ohio code of professional conduct. At the same time, the judge has set an October trial date for three bellwether cases - from the city of Cleveland and two Ohio counties - designed to determine how plaintiffs and defendants might fare before juries. Defendants include not just pharmaceutical manufacturers, but opioid distributors, drugstore chains and pharmacy benefit managers. State lawsuits like the one in Oklahoma could expose granular detail about the inner workings of the companies and their attitudes toward profits and the drug crisis. The cases already have revealed private Purdue emails that attorneys general say make the Sackler family - which owns the company - seem insatiably greedy and callous to the suffering opioid abuse has caused. The company has been fighting a lawsuit in a Massachusetts state court, proceedings that led to the release of previously secret documents in support of allegations that Purdue deceived patients and doctors to persuade them to take higher doses of its painkiller OxyContin more often and longer. That strategy came even after the company and three executives pleaded guilty to similar deception in 2007 and paid more than $600 million in fines. "Millions of dollars were not enough. They wanted billions," the lawsuit alleges. "They cared more about money than about patients, or their employees, or the truth." Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said the case has been a top priority for her office. "We have been devastated by the opioid crisis in Massachusetts," she said in an interview. Purdue has said the lawsuit unfairly vilifies "a single manufacturer whose medicines represent less than two percent of opioid pain prescriptions." In Utah, Attorney General Sean Reyes last month filed an administrative action alleging that Purdue and two members of the Sackler family violated the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act. In a statement, Reyes said an administrative proceeding allows the state to obtain a judgment and recoup penalties faster than a court proceeding. Bradley Beckworth, one of the private attorneys hired to represent Oklahoma, said individual states are better positioned to take on the drug companies than the huge amalgam of parties involved in the federal litigation. "With over a thousand competing interests, the MDL process could be a real slow train," Beckworth said in an interview in the Oklahoma City office where he and other lawyers spend each week before returning to their homes in Austin. "In Norman, we have a court determined to start a trial May 28 with one focus: Oklahoma." The lawyers, who sleep on beds in their offices, are sifting through more than 50 million pages of documents obtained during the discovery process, Beckworth said. They have taken hundreds of depositions. Next month, they will add two members of the Sackler family to the total, he said. A settlement is far from certain. In the landmark 1998 deal between 46 states and the four largest tobacco companies - the case most often compared to the pharmaceutical litigation - four early state settlements prompted talks between the companies and the rest of the states, said Richard Ausness, a professor at the University of Kentucky School of Law, who tracks the cases. Mississippi, which filed the first tobacco case in 1994, also settled first, for $3.6 billion, followed by Florida, Texas and Minnesota, which received larger amounts. Ultimately, the tobacco industry agreed to pay 46 states $206 billion over 25 years. But in another comparable case, it took 16 trials, with drug company Merck winning 10, before the company agreed to settle with nearly 30,000 plaintiffs over the painkiller Vioxx. Merck eventually agreed in 2007 to give the plaintiffs $4.85 billion for claims that the painkiller increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The company also withdrew the product from the market. In 2015, the state of Kentucky settled a case against Purdue for $24 million. The current opioid cases are too complex, with too many actors, to make any predictions of how Oklahoma will affect the later cases, Ausness said. "There are so many parties, and they're so dug in, and I think the real litigation and the most important litigation is the MDL," he said. "I would be willing to bet money it won't end on May 28 - at least May 28, 2019. Maybe May 28, 2030." A serious concern among lawyers in the state and federal cases is the possibility that some companies might declare bankruptcy before plaintiffs collect potential settlements or awards. Luke Barefoot, a New York bankruptcy lawyer, said civil litigation against a company would halt as soon as it declares bankruptcy. It would be much more difficult for any plaintiff to secure funds in bankruptcy court proceedings. The possibility of a bankruptcy filing could be used for protection or leverage in negotiations about penalties, he said. "Anyone facing this magnitude of liability, and this kind of a threat to their operation going forward, would, I expect, consider filing and consider what strategic benefit this might bring them," he said. A bankruptcy filing also could delay the trials. According to media reports, Purdue last year hired a law firm to provide advice on financial restructuring as its potential liability from lawsuits mounted. People familiar with Purdue said the company would explore all available options, but there is no strong evidence that the company will imminently declare bankruptcy. Should a major company in the lawsuit declare bankruptcy, Oklahoma law would allow the state to collect any damages from other defendants if it proves they are all liable. - - - The Washington Posts Jeanne Whalen contributed to this report. (c) 2019, The Washington Post Lenny Bernstein, Katie Zezima CLEVELAND, Ohio An arbitrator reduced the suspension of one of two Cleveland police officers involved in the death of Tanisha Anderson, a 37-year-old woman with mental illnesses who died in custody. Arbitrator Nels Nelson on Tuesday ordered officer Scott Aldridges 10-day suspension cut to three days. He will receive back pay for the other seven days. Nelson ruled the suspension should be reduced down because the city at the time had no written policy or training documents that instructed officers when to call for an ambulance, that the city failed to introduce any expert testimony during arbitration and that the 10-day suspension was not in line with punishment in similar cases. Nelson also noted Aldridge had no prior disciplinary history in his file. Nelson also ruled the three-day suspension was fair because Aldridge knew Anderson needed medical care and should have known to call an ambulance, especially once Anderson lost consciousness while handcuffed. We thought the arbitration ruling was fair, Cleveland Police Patrolmens Association President Jeff Follmer said. The discipline the city imposed on Aldridge was based off politics and not the facts of this case. The police can not always be held solely responsible when they are only involved a fraction of the time. This incident had a lot of family history that went on way before the police were involved. Aldridge was one of two officers disciplined for Andersons death. Officer Bryan Myers was issued a written warning. Aldridge was Myers training officer at the of the Nov. 14, 2014 incident that ended with Andersons death in the driveway of a family members home. The city paid Andersons family a $2.25 million settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit. I do feel for the family because it doesnt seem like the justice that they were looking for, Anderson family attorney David Malik said. A grand jury cleared both officers of any criminal wrongdoing after three years and several different investigating agencies passing the case along until the Ohio Attorney Generals Office took over. Aldridge and Myers were both disciplined for failing to notify Cleveland EMS in a timely manner. Anderson suffered from bipolar disorder on Nov. 14, 2014, when police were called to a family members home twice in a 45-minute span. Aldridge and Myers came to the home a second time, her family members told the officers she needed mental health treatment and the officers tried to take her to the hospital. What happened next was disputed by family members who were at the home and the officers account of what happened. The officers told investigators it was because her brother was yelling at her and telling her that she was going to jail. Her brother disputed this claim. The officers noted that they were not taking her to jail, but to a hospital. A scuffle ensued and she ended up handcuffed and on the ground. The officers said Anderson went on the ground on her own and kicked at them while she was on her back, according to the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's investigative file. Family members told investigators that the officers slammed her on the ground. The two officers both told investigators that Joell Anderson told them his sister was "fake sleeping." She was on the ground between seven and 11 minutes, according to the arbitrator. Cuyahoga County Sheriffs investigators estimated she was on the ground 21 minutes. Aldridge called for a supervisor, who arrived and immediately called for an ambulance. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide from "sudden death associated with physical restraint in a prone position." Her heart disease and bipolar disorder were also considered factors that increased her chance of sudden death, the report says. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John Russo, however, found fault with the medical examiner's report because it contained so-called Garrity statements, which includes information given to internal affairs investigators but is barred from being used in a criminal case against the officer. Montgomery County Corner Dr. Kent Harshbarger, who was asked to review the autopsy and make a ruling on Andersons death, found that Anderson died from a cardiac event. He found that one of Andersons arteries was 70 to 80 percent closed and another was 50 percent closed. Anderson suffered from heart disease and was taking prescription medication -- Resperidol/risperidone-- that increased her risk of a heart attack. Andersons death sparked a change in the way Cleveland police officers are trained in handling mental health crises. An Iranian national was found dead in Yerevan yesterday, the press service of the republic's Emergency Ministry reported. At 11:52am, the 911 emergency hotline received a report that a resident of an apartment of a building in Yerevan was not answering to the knocks and telephone calls. A rescue squad was dispatched to the scene. The rescuers opened the door of this apartment and found the dead body of Iranian citizen Majid Aghamirza (born in 1967) on the floor of the doorway. 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 MEDINA, Ohio -- For years, Medina County and City of Medina administrators have been meeting about the possibility of combining their courthouses into one location. According to the parties involved, those talks could be taking concrete form in the near future. County Commissioner Bill Hutson said that in May 2017, the city and county started looking at the possibility of having Medina Municipal Court share a reconstructed building with Medina County Common Pleas Court. Hutson said the committee engaged with an architect in the summer of 2018 and, after examining the current property along Public Square between East Liberty and East Washington streets where the current county courthouse sits, concluded that a new building could accommodate both courts. "We believe that a joint court complex will work on the existing site," Hutson said. "We have a concept that shows the Municipal Court and the Common Pleas Court more or less in one building, but in two separate sections of the building." The building would allow the two courts to share certain facilities and services, such as restrooms, meeting spaces, security and passageways. Hutson said the next step is to have the architect begin making firm drawings that could be sent out to bid. "We're hoping that by the end of the year, we can have architectural drawing-outs," Hutson said. "And that in early 2020, we would be in a position of bidding it and hopefully beginning some type of construction." Hutson said conceptual drawings have been done, but they are just that: There aren't any exact details, and they were made to determine if the joint courthouse would be possible. He said nothing is set in stone, and that during the process of creating more concrete plans, the architecture firm -- Brandstetter Carroll -- will meet with all of the parties involved and determine the space each court and department needs. "We have a rough number of square footage that we believe is in an order of magnitude about what is needed," Hutson said. "And we have some elevations that the architect drew that said, 'here's a concept for what it could look like,' and that's it." Hutson said the intent is for everyone currently working in the county courthouse to remain there after the construction, including the courtrooms and other departments. He said the purpose of constructing a new building has always been to give the courts more room in which to operate, and that moving in the Municipal Court doesn't change that goal. The Municipal Court now sits in a cramped building across North Elmwood Avenue from City Hall. "Nobody will be asked to work in less space," Hutson said. "The Municipal Court is compacted and they need more space. The Common Pleas Court is in the same situation." Hutson also said that the old courthouse -- the building with the clock tower on top that was built in 1840 -- will not be part of the reconstruction. He said the inside of the building will be renovated, but the building itself "will not be touched." The new buildings would stretch south from the old courthouse between East Liberty and East Washington, replacing older structures. Judge Kovack has concerns Domestic Relations Court Judge Mary Kovack said her court is in need of more room. She voiced doubts about whether moving the Municipal Court into the same building will work toward that goal. "I'm open to any proposal, but I don't understand how we can take the same footprint," Kovack said. "Meaning not just the buildings, but the parking lot, and adding a lot more people to it, and alleviate what is really a serious lack of space." Kovack said the lack of square footage has led her court to store current files in a hallway, and that employees are putting their desks in odd places in order to have room. "We have a domestic violence advocate who actually has a desk under the stairwell to the belfry of the courthouse," Kovack said. Her court is currently on the second floor of the old courthouse. Kovack said she doesn't feel represented in the decision-making on the joint courthouse proposal, and hopes that her court and the other courts will be involved as things move forward. "I think they all have to be at the table," Kovack said. "I think whatever solution should be cost-effective and should involve everyone, and that is not what is happening." The current discussions have been had by the Facilities Task Force, a county committee formed to look at all of the county's buildings, included the courthouse. Hutson, County Commissioner Colleen Swedyk, Medina Mayor Dennis Hanwell, Medina Municipal Court Judge Gary Werner and Medina County Probate Court Judge Kevin Dunn have all attended and participated in the task force meetings. Members of the committee also include County Treasurer John Burke, County Buildings Facilities Director Steven Bastean, Jim Gerspacher of Gerspacher Real Estate Group, Director of Planning Services Rob Henwood, County Auditor Mike Kovack, County Administrator Scott Miller and Sheriff Tom Miller. Judge Werner did not make himself available for comment. Medina mayor supports move Hanwell, who is in his 10th year as mayor, said he believes the idea of a joint courthouse was discussed even before he was elected. He said the idea has stuck around because it makes good sense. "From my perspective, what we're looking at is the most efficient and effective ways of using limited tax dollars," Hanwell said. Hanwell said combining the courthouses would eliminate duplication of services, which would save both the city and county tax dollars. He said the move would also free up the Municipal Court building for other purposes. He said the city could do a variety of things with it, from using the space for other city services to selling it to a developer. He said right now, the Municipal Court has set aside a little over $4 million in its budget for the city's share of the project, but that it would likely cost the city more than that. Sharing expenses Both Hanwell and Hutson said the plans are not close enough to start talking about which entity would pay for what, but that the split would likely be based on square footage. The city and county would share the cost of design, construction and operation of the building. "All those sorts of thing that you have in a commercial building, all that's going to have to be taken into consideration and shared between the city and the county," Hutson said. Both the mayor and commissioner said the courts would share an important service -- security -- which right now is a concern for both courts. Hanwell said that currently, everyone in the Municipal Courthouse uses the same elevator and stairwells -- including employees, defendants and victims. Hutson said the situation in the Common Pleas Court is similar, with a judge potentially using the same elevator as the person they could sentence 20 minutes later. Hanwell said the current security is not up to the Ohio Supreme Court's guidelines, and that part of the joint courthouse plan would be to rectify that. Hutson said there is no external force dictating this, and that the city and county would be acting on their own. "It's not secure," Hutson said. "It's not appropriate from a legal standpoint. We need to have a more modern courthouse that fits contemporary standards." The new courthouse would have implications on other county buildings, most notably the Medina County Professional Building around the corner at 120 W. Washington Street, which currently houses the the Medina County Drug Abuse Commission. Hutson said the building costs the county hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to maintain. The county is currently relocating people out of the building into the Medina County Administration Building at 144 N. Broadway St. and the building the county owns at 60 Public Square. "We are more inclined to sell (the Medina County Professional Building) and just be done with it," Hutson said. "And let a private developer develop it into either a commercial space of some sort or maybe a combination of commercial and residential, if that would work." The county is also looking at accommodating a new county administration building on the county courthouse site. Hutson said being able to construct a new building would allow the county to consider selling the current administration building. He said the county only uses one floor of the building at 60 Public Square. It also holds another government agency, Ohio Means Jobs Medina County. The rest of the building is rented to private enterprises. Hutson said as the private enterprises move out of the building, the county may move other county administrators in. FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- From pretty sneaky sisters beating their brothers at Connect Four to exclamations of "You sunk my battleship," Gilles-Sweet Elementary Associate Principal Matt Krivak said the school's inaugural free Family Game Night held late last year was an obvious success. "We set up about 10 lunchroom tables with different games," Krivak said. "Some parents might have some enjoyable memories of playing Monopoly, so they might be drawn to that game with their kids. Or maybe that was Battleship and Connect Four where they play for a little bit and they rotate to a different table." The next Gilles-Sweet Elementary Family Game Night, which includes dinner for students and families, takes place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the West 220th Street building's cafetorium. Krivak said the impetus behind the free evening affair, which is open to Gilles-Sweet Elementary students as well as kindergarteners from the Early Education Center, is to help families escape cabin fever while promoting face-to-face interaction. While the first event did include a digital game, Krivak said the decision was made to purchase brand-new board games to promote conversation. "All the interactions and experiences students have in and out of the school building contribute to their understanding and feelings of the world around them," Krivak said. "Positive experiences such as the Family Game Night help shape their sense that the school, their parents and caregivers care about them, their feelings, self-esteem and self-worth. "When students observe that home and school are engaged in a respectful partnership for their benefit, they're likely to develop more positive attitudes about school, achieve more and become more successful." Considering Family Game Night, which returns in April, is already a success, Krivak said the plan is for the special event to become an annual affair starting next school year. "From what we've gathered from the kids as well as their families, it's something they really enjoy doing," Krivak said. "Some families even shared that they have a family game night they do every week. "So to be able to do it at the school and also with other kids and their families is just a fun way to bring everybody together." CLEVELAND, Ohio Ruth's Chris TasteMaker series is back, the 15th annual ice wine festival is set for Ohio wineries, and many other events and dinners are planned. Deadline to send info on wine events is Thursday; email me. Most dinners do not include tax and tip. Always check on availability. February Tuesday, Feb. 19: The Wine Spots Bottle Days allows customers to buy and drink a bottle of wine off the shelf with a flat $5 corkage fee if drunk at the store, which is at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Wednesday, Feb. 20: North Coast Wine Club will feature Amarone/Appassimento for its monthly tasting 6:30-8 p.m. Cost is $30. The event is open to members and guests of members. It's at 30700 Bainbridge Road, Solon. Wednesday, Feb. 20: M Italian offers half price bottles under $100. It's at 22 W. Orange St., Chagrin Falls. Thursday, Feb. 21: Spice Kitchen + Bar's will hold its Winter Supper Club featuring a four-course dinner with its neighbor, Flight Cleveland wine bar. European wines will be poured. Cost is $100. It's at Flight, 5712 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Thursday Feb. 21: The Little Birdie Wine Nest and CLE Cookie Dough Co. are holding a tasting and wine pairing 6-7 p.m., 7-8 p.m. and 8-9 p.m. Cost is $25 via eventbrite. It's at 6060 Broadview Road, Parma. Thursday, Feb. 21: The Galaxy's Circle L Steakhouse offers discount bottle night. It's at 201 Park Center Dr., Wadsworth. Thursday, Feb. 21: Blue Canyon Kitchen & Tavern will host a Copper Cane wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $70. It's at 8960 Wilcox Dr., Twinsburg, 330-486-BLUE. To be served: Brut sparkling wine from California's Russian River Valley and four 2016 vintages of Chardonnay, two Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Sauvignon. Thursday, Feb. 21: The Galaxy will have a five-course dinner featuring Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards of California at 7 p.m. A rep for the winery and Amy Arida of Cutting Edge Selections will guide the tasting. It's at 201 Park Center Dr., Wadsworth. Thursday, Feb. 21: Heinens will hold a Niagara Peninsula Wine Social at 5:30 p.m. Taste five wines from the Niagara Peninsula. Cost is $15 via eventbrite. Its at 900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland. Friday, Feb. 22: Regency Wine Sellers and Bars weekly tasting is 6-8 p.m. Prices vary. Its at 115 Ghent Road near Ohio 18, Akron. Friday, Feb. 22: Mustard Seed Market & Cafe will offer a tour through Italy by tasting 20 wines 7-9 p.m. Cheeses, breads and apps with an Italian flair will be served. Cost is $35 via eventbrite. It's at 3885 West Market St., Akron. Friday, Feb. 22: The Olde Wine Cellar will feature Australian wines at 5 p.m. Cost is $15 and includes samples, tasting notes and cheese. It's at 7932 Main St., Olmsted Falls. Call 440-427-1222. Friday, Feb. 22: National Margarita Day. The Great Margarita Toast at Margaritaville takes place at 5 p.m. Also: A.J. Rocco's, Wilbert's, City Tap, Harry Buffalo, Corner Alley, Zocola and Wild Eagle will hold a winter warmer bar hop. Cost is $25 and includes a Gateway Margarita Day hoodie plus Margarita and food specials. Friday, Feb. 22: Rozi's Wine House will hold a tasting featuring wines from Rutherford Ranch of California and beer from Masthead Brewing Co. of Cleveland. It's 6-8 p.m. Cost is $25. It's at 14900 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Friday, Feb. 22: A Bourbon and Whiskey Tasting at Vault is set for 6 p.m. The three-hour tasting will cover an array of bourbon and whiskey brands, and masterfully crafted small bites. Cost is $50 (VIP is sold out). It's at 2017 E. 9th St., Cleveland. Saturday, Feb. 23: The Olde Wine Cellar will feature Australian wines at 11 a.m. Cost is $15 and includes samples, tasting notes and cheese. It's at 7932 Main St., Olmsted Falls. Call 440-427-1222. Saturday, Feb. 23: Gervasi Vineyard will offer exclusive pairing tours at 3 and 4:30 p.m. Take a close-up tour of the winery and taste four 1-ounce pours paired with small bites. Cost is $19. Check in at The Crush House tasting bar 15 minutes prior to tour. Note: Winery temperatures are kept low. A jacket or sweater is recommended. Gervasi is at 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Saturday, Feb. 23: Mustard Seed Market & Cafe holds Saturday Sips 1-3 p.m. featuring samples from a different winery each week at no cost. It's at 6025 Kruse Dr., Solon, and 3885 W. Market St., Akron. Saturday, Feb. 23: Gervasi Vineyard will hold free 30-minute winery tours at noon, 1 and 2 p.m. beginning at The Crush House tasting bar. Gervasi is at 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Saturday, Feb. 23: Royal Park Fine Wines will hold a tasting of California wines from Beringer 5-7 p.m. Teresa Budinsky of Beringer Vineyards will guide the tasting. Cost is $25. It's at 12700 Royalton Road, North Royalton. Call 440-582-8766. To be served: Napa/Carneros Chard, $20.99 Distinction Luminus, $29.99 Private Reserve Chardonnay, $45.99 Sonoma Pinot Noir $24.99 Knights Valley Cab, $29.99 Quantum Red Blend, $45.99 Private Reserve Cabernet, $169.99 Brothers Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Blend, $14.99 Saturday, Feb. 23: M Cellars will hold a wine and dessert pairing with Rennick Meat Market at 11 a.m. Cost is $35. It's at 6193 S. River Road, Geneva. To be served: Passion fruit and meringue tart with Brut Rose. Fruit "minestrone" with Gewurztraminer. Chocolate black-pepper pastille with Pinot Noir. Saturday, Feb. 23: Western Reserve Wines' regular Saturday tasting 2-5 p.m. will be focus on new French finds. Barbara Kelly from Vanguard Wines will guide the tasting. Cost is $10 and includes nibbles. It's at 28300 Miles Road, Solon. Sunday, Feb. 24: Urban Farmer offers $25 bottles. Its at 1325 E. 6th St., Cleveland. Monday, Feb. 25: Edwins Restaurant will hold The Butcher Goes to Bordeaux, a five-course exploration of all things beef paired with wines from France's Bordeaux region at 6 p.m. Complimentary valet available. Tickets are $125. Call 216-921-3333 to reserve. It's at 13101 Shaker Square, Cleveland. Monday, Feb. 25: Deadline for Pastina's five-course wine dinner on Feb. 25. Call 440-255-3117. It's at 9354 Mentor Ave., Mentor. Tuesday, Feb. 26: Parallax will hold a five-course dinner at 6:30 p.m. featuring wines from Naotari wines of Georgia, the former Soviet Republic. Cost is $80. Parallax is at 2179 W. 11th St., Cleveland. Call 216-583-9999. Tuesday, Feb. 26: The Wine Spots Bottle Days allows customers to buy and drink a bottle of wine off the shelf with a flat $5 corkage fee if drunk at the store, which is at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Wednesday, Feb. 27: M Italian offers half price bottles under $100. It's at 22 W. Orange St., Chagrin Falls. Thursday, Feb. 28: The Galaxy's Circle L Steakhouse offers discount bottle night. It's at 201 Park Center Dr., Wadsworth. Saturday, Feb. 28: Western Reserve Wines' Pop-Up tasting features the wines of Enoteca de Rham of Florence with Barbara de Rham. Cost is $15. Reservations are not necessary. Stop in anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. Cheeses, crackers and nibbles will be served. It's at 28300 Miles Road, Solon. Thursday, Feb. 28: Pastina is hosting a five-course wine dinner in partnership with The Ohio Grape Industries Committee (Ohio Wines) at 6:30 p.m. with Urban Vintner. Cost is $75. Call 440-255-3117 for pre-paid reservations until Monday, Feb. 25. It's at 9354 Mentor Ave., Mentor. Thursday, Feb. 28: Heinen's will hold a Tuscan Wine Social at 5:30 p.m. Taste five wines from one of the world's finest wine regions. Cost is $15. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, Feb. 28: Toast CLE will hold a Bourbon Mixer at 6 p.m. Heavy appetizers and a candy bar that pairs with the bourbons will be available. One-ounce samplings will be poured: Four Rose, Elijah Craig, Angel's Envy and Basil Hayden. Tickets are $50. Event includes bottle and 50-50 raffles, and proceeds benefit JD Breast Cancer Foundation. It's at 1365 W. 65th St., Cleveland. Thursday, Feb. 28: Ruth's Chris Steak House will feature Rombauer Vineyards of California in its TasteMaker series at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $110. It's at 200 Public Square, Cleveland. To be poured: Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley; Chardonnay, Carneros; Merlot, Napa Valley; Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley; and Zinfandel, California. March Friday, March 1: Heinen's will hold a Spring Winefest at 6 p.m. Thirty wines will be available for sampling. Cost is $20. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Friday, March 1: Regency Wine Sellers and Bars weekly tasting is 6-8 p.m. Prices vary. Its at 115 Ghent Road near Ohio 18, Akron. Saturday, March 2: Mustard Seed Market & Cafe holds Saturday Sips 1-3 p.m. featuring samples from a different winery each week at no cost. It's at 6025 Kruse Dr., Solon, and 3885 W. Market St., Akron. Saturday, March 2: The 15th annual Ice Wine Festival is noon to 5 p.m. This is the first of three consecutive Saturdays it will be held. Each winery will provide a sample of their wines, glass and appetizer. Cost is $6 at each winery. Wineries are encouraging patrons to bring in canned-food items for food banks and receive $1 off at each location. Participating wineries: Ferrante, Debonne Vineyards, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards and St. Joseph Vineyards. Saturday, March 2: Gervasi Vineyard will offer exclusive pairing tours at 3 and 4:30 p.m. Take a close-up tour of the winery and taste four 1-ounce pours paired with small bites. Cost is $19. Check in at The Crush House tasting bar 15 minutes prior to tour. Note: Winery temperatures are kept low. A jacket or sweater is recommended. Gervasi is at 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Saturday, March 2: Gervasi Vineyard will hold free 30-minute winery tours at noon, 1 and 2 p.m. beginning at The Crush House tasting bar. Gervasi is at 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Sunday, March 3: Urban Farmer offers $25 bottles. Its at 1325 E. 6th St., Cleveland. Wednesday, March 6: M Italian offers half price bottles under $100. It's at 22 W. Orange St., Chagrin Falls. Saturday, March 9: Gervasi Vineyard will offer exclusive pairing tours at 3 and 4:30 p.m. Take a close-up tour of the winery and taste four 1-ounce pours paired with small bites. Cost is $19. Check in at The Crush House tasting bar 15 minutes prior to tour. Note: Winery temperatures are kept low. A jacket or sweater is recommended. Gervasi is at 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Saturday, March 9: Gervasi Vineyard will hold free 30-minute winery tours at noon, 1 and 2 p.m. beginning at The Crush House tasting bar. Gervasi is at 1700 55th St. NE, Canton. Saturday, March 9: Mustard Seed Market & Cafe holds Saturday Sips 1-3 p.m. featuring samples from a different winery each week at no cost. It's at 6025 Kruse Dr., Solon, and 3885 W. Market St., Akron. Saturday, March 9: The 15th annual Ice Wine Festival is noon to 5 p.m. This is the second of three consecutive Saturdays it will be held. Each winery will provide a sample of their wines, glass and appetizer. Cost is $6 at each winery. Wineries are encouraging patrons to bring in canned-food items for food banks and receive $1 off at each location. Participating wineries: Ferrante, Debonne Vineyards, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards and St. Joseph Vineyards. Wednesday, March 13: Spice Kitchen + Bar's monthly Wine Wednesday Dinner Series celebrates Spanish wines 6:30-9:30 p.m. The five-course meal will pair half-glasses of wine. Cost is $125. It's at 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Saturday, March 16: The 15th annual Ice Wine Festival is noon to 5 p.m. This is the final of three consecutive Saturdays it will be held. Each winery will provide a sample of their wines, glass and appetizer. Cost is $6 at each winery. Wineries are encouraging patrons to bring in canned-food items for food banks and receive $1 off at each location. Participating wineries: Ferrante, Debonne Vineyards, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards and St. Joseph Vineyards. Saturday, March 16: Mustard Seed Market & Cafe holds Saturday Sips 1-3 p.m. featuring samples from a different winery each week at no cost. It's at 6025 Kruse Dr., Solon, and 3885 W. Market St., Akron. Wednesday, March 20: North Coast Wine Club will feature Gewurztraminer for its monthly tasting 6:30-8 p.m. Cost is $20. The event is open to members and guests of members. It's at 30700 Bainbridge Road, Solon. Thursday, March 21: Spice Kitchen + Bar's quarterly Seasons of Change dinner series will focus on seasonal cuisine 6:30-9:30 p.m. The four-course tasting menu will be paired with wine. Cost is $75. It's at 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, March 21: Forage Public House is holding More Than A Whiskey Dinner at 7 p.m. It's whiskey and barrel-aged beer paired with food. Cost is $75. It's at 14600 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Friday, March 22: Greater Cleveland Aquarium's Adult Swim will feature Ohio wines and beer 7-10 p.m. Cost is $40 ($30 for aquarium passholders, $20 for designated drivers). Includes light hors doeuvres, 20 tasting tickets and souvenir tasting glass. Tastings sell out. It's at 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. Wednesday, March 27: D'Agnese's at White Pond will hold a spring wine dinner at 6 p.m. Cost is $70. Its at 566 White Pond Dr., Akron, at I-77. April Thursday, April 4: Ruth's Chris Steak House will feature Copper Cane / Belle Glos wines in its TasteMaker series at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $105. It's at 200 Public Square, Cleveland. Tuesday, April 9: Pier W. will hold a dinner featuring wines of Macedonia at 6 p.m. Wines from Chateau Kamnik Winery will be served. Cost is $95. Call 216-228-2250. It's at 12700 Lake Ave., Lakewood. All the wines to be poured are from Macedonian capital, Skopje: 2014 Sparkling Rose, Pinot Noir/Montepulciano/Sangiovese. 2017 Temjanika. 2013 Grand Reserva Terroir. 2013 Euphoria, Late Harvest Temjanika. Wednesday, April 17: Spice Kitchen + Bar's monthly Wine Wednesday Dinner Series celebrates wines of the Loire Valley 6:30-9:30 p.m. The five-course meal will pair half-glasses of wine. Cost is $115. It's at 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Wednesday, April 17: North Coast Wine Club will feature Sangiovese for its monthly tasting 6:30-8 p.m. Cost is $20. The event is open to members and guests of members. It's at 30700 Bainbridge Road, Solon. May Thursday, May 2: Ruth's Chris Steak House will feature The Prisoner Wine Co. in its TasteMaker series at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $110. It's at 200 Public Square, Cleveland. To be poured: The Prisoner, Saldo, Cuttings, Thorn and Blindfold. Saturday, May 11: The Wine Spot will hold a Rose tasting part one 1-4 p.m. It's at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Wednesday, May 15: North Coast Wine Club will feature Rose for its monthly tasting 6:30-8 p.m. Cost is $20. The event is open to members and guests of members. It's at 30700 Bainbridge Road, Solon. Saturday, May 18: The Wine Spot will hold a Rose tasting part two 1-4 p.m. It's at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Tuesday, May 21: The Wine Spot will hold a vertical tasting of six wines from L'Ecole Ferguson Vineyard of Washington State 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jeff Von Bargen from L'Ecole will guide the side-by-side tasting. Cost is $60 ($50, Wine Spot club members). It's at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. Wednesday, May 22: The Wine Spot will hold a tasting of wines from L'Ecole Ferguson Vineyard of Washington State 6:30-8:30 p.m. It's at 2271 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. June Wednesday, June 12: Spice Kitchen + Bar's monthly Wine Wednesday Dinner Series will focus on the Finger Lakes region of New York 6:30-9:30 p.m. The five-course meal will pair half-glasses of wine. Cost is $115. It's at 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, June 13: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. will hold a dinner-pairing series 6-8 p.m. Tonight: Dewar's Aged Scotch Dinner. It's at 587 Grant St., Akron. Wednesday, June 19: North Coast Wine Club will feature Sauvignon Blanc for its monthly tasting 6:30-8 p.m. Cost is $20. The event is open to members and guests of members. It's at 30700 Bainbridge Road, Solon. Thursday, June 20: Ruth's Chris Steak House will feature Duckhorn Vineyards in its TasteMaker series at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $115. It's at 200 Public Square, Cleveland. July Wednesday, July 24: Spice Kitchen + Bar's monthly Wine Wednesday Dinner Series celebrates Australian wines 6:30-9:30 p.m. The five-course meal will pair half-glasses of wine. Cost is $115. It's at 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. August Saturday, Aug. 10: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. will hold a dinner-pairing series 6-8 p.m. Tonight: Tequila. It's at 587 Grant St., Akron. Wednesday, Aug. 14: Spice Kitchen + Bar's monthly Wine Wednesday Dinner Series celebrates wines of France's Rhone Valley 6:30-9:30 p.m. The five-course meal will pair half-glasses of wine. Cost is $115. It's at 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, Aug. 22: Ruth's Chris Steak House will feature sparkling wine from Veuve Clicquot in its TasteMaker series at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $120. It's at 200 Public Square, Cleveland. September Friday, Sept. 20: Greater Cleveland Aquarium's Adult Swim will feature fall wines 7-10 p.m. Cost is $40 ($30 for aquarium passholders, $20 for designated drivers). Includes light hors doeuvres, 20 tasting tickets and souvenir tasting glass. Tastings sell out. It's at 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. October Wednesday, Oct. 9: Spice Kitchen + Bar's monthly Wine Wednesday Dinner Series celebrates wines of Burgundy 6:30-9:30 p.m. The five-course meal will pair half-glasses of wine. Cost is $125. It's at 5800 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, Oct. 10: Ruth's Chris Steak House will feature wine from Caymus in its TasteMaker series at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $110. It's at 200 Public Square, Cleveland. Saturday, Oct. 26: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. will hold a dinner-pairing series 6-8 p.m. Tonight: Four Roses Bourbon. It's at 587 Grant St., Akron. November Thursday, Nov. 7: Ruth's Chris Steak House will feature Stags' Leap wines in its TasteMaker series at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $115. It's at 200 Public Square, Cleveland. Thursday, Nov. 21: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. will hold a dinner-pairing series 6-8 p.m. Tonight: Calling All Bourbon Lovers. It's at 587 Grant St., Akron. Saturday, Nov. 23: Greater Cleveland Aquariums Adult Swim will feature Christmas ales and ciders 7-10 p.m. Cost is $40 ($30 for aquarium passholders, $20 for designated drivers). Includes light hors doeuvres, 20 tasting tickets and souvenir tasting glass. Tastings sell out. Its at 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Cleveland man and woman are charged in a Friday shooting the led to a police chase and crash that injured seven people, including five children. Ernest L. Banks, 24, and Naijah Wilson, 25, are charged with felonious assault the shooting that happened on East 40th Street at Quincy Avenue, according to court records. Their bonds were set at $50,000 during their arraignments Tuesday in Cleveland Municipal Court, records say. Banks shot a 47-year-old man in the left knee, then led police officers on a chase that ended in a crash on Superior Avenue near East 21st Street, police reports say. Witnesses initially reported a woman was driving the SUV during the chase, but officers later determined Banks was driving, police reports say. He is also being held on suspicion of fleeing and eluding, according to Cuyahoga County Jail records. Five children, ranging in age from one month to 10 years old, were in the SUV when it crashed. They were taken to Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital for treatment. Neither a Cleveland police spokeswoman nor a University Hospitals spokeswoman could provide an update on their conditions Tuesday. Two adults in a second car involved in the crash were taken to University Hospitals for treatment. Their conditions were also not available Tuesday. A 47-year-old man was shot about 10 a.m. Friday while riding in his daughters car, which was stopped at a red light on East 40th Street at Quincy Avenue, police reports say. The shooter walked up from behind the car and pulled out a handgun. He tried to open the passenger-side door, and the 47-year-old man told his daughter to drive away, police reports say. The gunman fired one gunshot through the passenger-side window as the daughter sped away, police reports say. The shooter then ran to the silver Chevrolet Equinox, which drove away. The daughter drove to East 55th Street, where she saw several police officers and stopped to ask for help. Both she and her father said they did not know the shooter. An ambulance took the 47-year-old man to University Hospitals for treatment. Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority police officers found and stopped the Equinox on East 37th Street at Woodland Avenue, but the SUV sped away as Cleveland police officers arrived to assist, police said. Video footage obtained by cleveland.com shows the SUV run a red light on Superior Avenue at East 21st Street and crash into a car. The SUV then crashed into a parked, unoccupied car. Cleveland police officers arrived moments later. They took Banks into custody as he tried to climb out the driver-side window, police reports say. Officers found a gun in the SUV under the drivers seat. It was seized as evidence in the case. To comment on this story, visit Tuesdays crime and courts comments page. LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- A psychic and owner of a Lakewood boutique told police that someone barged into her store with a gun Sunday afternoon and robbed the place amid a Dungeons & Dragons gathering that took place in the basement. No one was hurt during the robbery that happened about 1:30 p.m. at Bear Soul Studio on Madison Avenue just east of Barrio. Owner, Lisa Owen called police to say that a man barged into her store and held her at gunpoint, according to a 911 call. She said the man totally disappeared which made her believe someone was waiting for him to get away, she told a dispatcher. The man wore a scarf around his face, but his eyes were exposed, Owen said, and had black eyeliner underneath his eyes, she said. The man pulled a gun out of his pants and demanded money, she said. She told the dispatcher that he got away with about $100 because she didnt have a lot of business that day. So that, that was ridiculous, she said to the dispatcher. " You know, I said, I dont have any money. Hes like, Give me the money.' Im like, Seriously? I thought he was joking. And then he pulls out this weapon and Im like, What?" The store, which sells gemstones, rocks, jewelry and artwork by Owen, opened up in August 2018. Owen also does psychic readings and holds workshops. Owen hopes people dont feel unsafe to come to her shop. People have said, Your store looks so pretty," Owen said. The only thing that keeps popping up in my head is him saying, I know you have money. I really didnt have any money. What did I do to attract that?" What happened is a rare occurrence to Owens shop, she said. The community has gotten to know Owen and she has gotten to know the community too, she said. People know that Im very personable and want patrons to feel safe in the store, she said. My goal is to find out what can be done. Lakewood police Capt. Leslie Watkins said the fact that the store is new might have made it a target. Detectives are continuing to investigate and no arrests have been made as of Tuesday afternoon. If youd like to comment on this story, visit Tuesdays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Berea man coerced children between the ages of 12 and 15 into sending him sexually explicit images, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in in Cleveland. Cody Swinnerton is charged with sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography. Federal prosecutors said Swinnerton used several accounts to target children on Facebook and Instagram. He contacted friends and family of the children, and threatened the children, to coerce them into producing images, officials say. The Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received the tip about Swinnertons actions. Agents say potential victims of Swinnerton live in Ohio, Tennessee, Iowa, Texas, Australia, Austria and France. Authorities searched Swinnertons home on Jan. 25 and relatives said he was on vacation in Australia at the time. Swinnerton had child porn on his computer, prosecutors said. Swinnerton is in custody in Dallas, officials said. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Tuesdays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The home to the Cleveland areas only Tesla dealership, in Lyndhurst, is for sale for $6 million. The property at 5180 Mayfield Road includes parking, 2.9 acres of land and a nearly 24,000-square-foot building, according to an announcement Tuesday from New York-based brokerage firm B+E, which is listing the property. The announcement notes that the dealership has a long-term, net lease, meaning the tenant is there to stay for a while and pays additional property-related expenses beyond rent. A message was left with the local dealership this morning for comment about what this means for business there. The property is currently owned by Simbo Properties, Inc. and has a county tax market valuation of just under $1.8 million, according to Cuyahoga County property records. B+E also touted the electric vehicle manufacturers sales growth. Tesla is set to deliver as many as 400,000 vehicles worldwide this year, roughly four times what it sold two years ago, said Spencer Henderson of B+E. "The property is situated in close proximity to many of Clevelands top suburbs and is the only Tesla dealer in Cleveland, and one of two Tesla service centers in Ohio. The dealership is close to the Beachwood shopping area. The Cleveland-Lyndhurst dealership is one of only three Tesla stores in Ohio, along with locations in Cincinnati and Columbus. The dealership opened in November 2014 in a former Infiniti dealership, according to a previous cleveland.com story. AKRON, Ohio A Summit County grand jury has indicted a Cuyahoga Falls man accused of crashing into a Macedonia police officers cruiser while driving drunk on Christmas Eve. James J. Marshall, 57, faces a third-degree felony charge of aggravated vehicular assault and two first-degree misdemeanors of operating a vehicle under the influence, according to Summit County Common Pleas court records. Macedonia police had pulled over a different driver around 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve on Interstate 271 northbound, north or Aurora Road, after the driver changed lanes without signaling, according to police dashboard camera footage. Two officers asked the driver to perform sobriety tests, but were impeded by an apparent language barrier. The officers had him sit in the back of a police cruiser for about 10 minutes, dash-cam footage shows. During that time, a third officer responded to the scene. Marshall, driving a white 2016 Toyota Camry, rammed into the rear drivers side of the police cruiser about 7:05 p.m., according to the Summit County Sheriffs Office. Police told the man who was initially pulled over to get out of here, go, just go weve had an accident here, according to dash-cam footage. Macedonia EMS brought the officer to a hospital, where he was treated for injuries to his back and hand. Paramedics also treated Marshall on the scene, according to a police report. Marshall had a strong odor of alcohol on his person and performed sobriety tests poorly, according to a police report. Officers found open containers of vodka, as well as bottles of orange juice and apple juice containing vodka, in Marshalls Camry, the police report says. Officers brought Marshall to the Macedonia Police Department, where he agreed to a test of his blood alcohol content and registered at .309 nearly four times the legal limit, according to police. Marshall is scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning in Summit County Court of Common Pleas. He is free on a personal bond, court records show. Marshalls attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. To comment on this story, visit Tuesdays crime and courts comment section. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. California should get insurance to help cover taxpayers costs in bad wildfire seasons, a solution that could help stem losses as climate change contributes to more destructive blazes, two state officials said. The most populous state should follow the lead of Oregon, the World Bank and the Federal Emergency Management Agency after outspending its emergency fund in seven of the last 10 years, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Treasurer Fiona Ma said. California spent nearly $950 million two years ago, about $450 million more than was budgeted and by far the highest annual amount. It spent about $677 million last year, as wildfires again swept through cities, suburbs and more rural areas. California has experienced 11 of the top 20 most destructive fires in its history since 2007. The two statewide officeholders teamed with Democratic state Sen. Bill Dodd of Napa to propose that California lawmakers allow the governor, treasurer and insurance commissioner to negotiate insurance coverage with private providers, instead of self-insuring. It works just like your home insurance, but for our actual state, Lara told reporters. If the premiums, terms and coverage arent favorable, he said the state can walk away. The gamble paid off for Oregon, he said, where the state paid $61 million in premiums over nearly 40 years but recouped $102 million in insurance payments. FEMA began buying $1 billion in flood insurance in 2017, Lara said, with a payout triggered by $4 billion in losses. The government received the full benefits in 2018. Buying insurance is part of an urgent larger discussion on how California can better respond to wildfires worsening with climate change, Lara said. The state also is considering taking out bonds to pay for wildfire costs to lessen the growing effect on the budget, he said. The states private insurance potentially could be used for other disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, depending how its written, Dodd said. He represents the wine country area hit hard by wildfires two years ago. A fire last year became the nations deadliest in a century and leveled the town of Paradise, where Gov. Gavin Newsom spent Thursday touting two new laws providing emergency funding to fire-hit local governments. State officials also are seeking ways to encourage private insurance coverage for residents of fire-prone areas who may be uninsurable now, Lara said. That could include unspecified new insurance products, something thats unique to California, the insurance commissioner said. Premiums could drop as the state does more to thin tangled forests and utilities work to keep their equipment from sparking wildfires , Dodd said. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association said taxpayers should not be put in the position of subsidizing insurance costs for residents who choose to live in dangerous areas. If its not putting taxpayers at risk and its a way to spread the risk, it might make sense, but wed have to see the details, group president Jon Coupal said. Ma, the treasurer, said in a statement that insurance would make wildfire costs more predictable, help stabilize the budget and protect other spending needs. She missed the news conference while flying back from Washington, D.C., where she had been testifying about allowing banks to service the legal marijuana industry. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A bill recently filed in the Texas House of Representatives would penalize insurers that illegally deny Texas first responders access to medical treatment for line-of-duty injuries covered under state workers compensation laws. According to one of the authors of House Bill 1521, Rep. Oscar Longoria, the proposed legislation would amend Section 415.021 of the Labor Code to add sanctions, administrative penalties, and other remedies, including attorneys fees, for administrative violations by self-or collectively insured municipalities obligated to cover eligible workers compensation claims. The amount of the administrative penalty shall not be less than two times the total amount of benefits payable in connection with the first responder employees claim. HB 1521 would clarify that cities do not have sovereign immunity when they act as a workers compensation provider. This would ensure that the Division of Workers Compensation and the Texas Department of Insurance are able to properly regulate governmental entities that provide workers compensation coverage. In a statement, Rep. Longoria said, The workers compensation system has failed too many Texas first responders, including my constituent, Homer Salinas, a Mission firefighter and cancer survivor. Mr. Salinas won four rounds of workers comp proceedings to get his cancer treatment covered, yet he was sued by the City of Mission to reverse prior decisions in Homers favor. House Bill 1521 is an important step toward ensuring that our hero first responders are not denied the medical treatment they have earned through their service under Texas law. Mr. Salinas should be focused on his health and protecting his community not fighting for benefits hes earned. The proposed legislation is supported by the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters (TSAFF), which includes more than 18,000 professional firefighter members in 182 Texas communities. Studies show firefighters are at increased risk for cancers and other illnesses caused by on-the-job exposure to hazardous materials. For example, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has cited the higher risks of kidney cancer that firefighters face. Chapter 607 of the Texas Government Code, Texas presumptive law, covers related medical care, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. The statute provides that Texas firefighters are entitled to receive the medical treatment they have earned as they risked their own lives protecting others. In addition to Longoria, the bill was co-authored by Rep. Dustin Burrows, Rep. Jeff Leach, Rep. Morgan Meyer and Rep. Joe Moody. Source: Texas House of Representatives Georgia's government has announced the launch of the Climate Change Adaptation Programme with a budget of $70 million . The program aims to protect the country from natural disasters and decrease damage caused by disasters to a minimum. The programme budget unites funds allocated by the Green Climate Fund (GCF)-$27 million, $5 million provided by the Swiss government and a $38 million contribution from the Georgian state budget. The programme will be implemented by the Georgian Environment Ministry, with the cooperation of different state agencies and with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Agenda.ge reported. "As Georgia has a special geographical location with diverse climate conditions, we need to be particularly cautious of the climate change and the threats caused by such changes," Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze said. The priority fields will be the expansion of risk-monitoring networks, the installation of early warning systems and building of protective infrastructure. Employees at a drug company accused of bribing doctors rapped and danced around a person dressed as a bottle of the highly addictive fentanyl spray in a video meant to motivate sales reps into getting patients on higher doses. The video was shown to jurors this week in the closely watched trial in Boston of wealthy Insys Therapeutics Inc. Founder John Kapoor and four other onetime executives, including a former exotic dancer who prosecutors say was hired as a regional sales manager even though she had no pharmaceutical experience. Theyre charged with scheming to pay doctors bribes and kickbacks in exchange for prescriptions of the drug meant for cancer patients with severe pain. Kapoor and the former other executives of the Chandler, Arizona-based company have denied all wrongdoing. The video, titled Great by Choice, was shown during a national sales meeting in 2015 to encourage employees to talk doctors into prescribing higher doses, prosecutors said. In it, suit-clad sales reps rap to the tune of a song by the artist A$AP Rocky about titration, the process of increasing the strength of a patients prescription until it reaches the adequate level. I love titration, yeah, thats not a problem. I got new patients and I got a lot of em, they say. Build relationships that are healthy. Got more docs than Janelles got selfies. At one point, the person dressed up as the bottle of fentanyl spray takes off his costume to reveal then-vice president of sales, Alec Burlakoff. Burlakoff pleaded guilty in November to racketeering conspiracy and is expected to testify against Kapoor. What we built here cant be debated. Shout to Kapoor for what he created, the sales reps rap. The competition just making noise. Were making history because were great by choice. The video is the latest eyebrow-raising piece of evidence in the trial, which has put a spotlight on the federal governments efforts to go after those it says are responsible for fueling the deadly drug crisis. The trial, which began last month, is expected to last several more weeks. Last month, a former employee told jurors that she watched her boss regional sales manager Sunrise Lee give a lap dance at a Chicago nightclub to a doctor Insys was pushing to write more prescriptions. Lees lawyer said the doctor was taking advantage of her. Beth Wilkinson, an attorney for Kapoor, told jurors that any criminal activity by Insys was orchestrated by Burlakoff. She has sought to portray Burlakoff and the governments other key witness, former CEO Michael Babich, as liars who are willing to say anything to take down Kapoor in the hopes of getting a lesser sentence. Babich, who pleaded guilty in January, took the stand this week and said Kapoor pushed to get patients on higher doses so they would continue taking the drug, which meant more money for the company. Babich told jurors that Insys looked for sales reps who were poor, hungry and driven or what they called PHDs. Insys also recruited employees who were easy on the eyes, Babich told jurors. No physician wanted a quote unquote unattractive person to walk in their door, he said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. As has become common in the Trump era, a book tour just jump-started an important news cycle. Last Thursday morning, 60 Minutes dropped clips from its interview with Andrew McCabe, the former acting director of the FBI, pegged to his new memoir, The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump. Around the same time, The Atlantic released an excerpt. McCabes claims on 60 Minutesthat officials discussed how Trump might be removed from office under the 25th Amendment and that Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, offered to wear a hidden wire to record the presidenthave driven sustained media interest in the book, even though, according to NPR, they dont specifically appear in it. As The Threat hits shelves today, McCabe will be plugging it on NBCs Today show. Amid the excited amplification of McCabes claims, some outlets took time to assess the reliability of his narrative. Some reporters scrutinized McCabes sourcing, stressing, for example, that another striking claimthat Trump took Vladimir Putins word on North Korea over that of his own intelligence staffis second-hand, not a personal recollection. Others pointed out that McCabe was fired from the FBI last year; in a report subsequently delivered to Congress, the Justice Department inspector general accused him of violating the bureaus media policy, then misleading investigators about it. Writing on Friday, Josh Campbell, an FBI staffer turned CNN analyst, asked, With so many people involved in the book now caught lying, how are we to make sense of things? ICYMI: Matt Gertz tracks how Fox News manipulates Trump The Justice Departments motives in painting McCabe as dishonest should be handled with care. Beyond this wheel of intrigue, however, simpler questions beg answers. As Katy Tur asked on MSNBC, is McCabe believable, or is he just selling a book? But those options arent mutually exclusive. In McCabes case, the answer might be: both. Many commentators pointed out that McCabes allegations about the 25th Amendment and Rosensteins wire confirm reporting, by Adam Goldman and Michael S. Schmidt, that first appeared in The New York Times last September. Barbara McQuade, a former US attorney, told Tur, McCabe is not really revealing any new facts here. Lawfares Quinta Jurecic and Benjamin Wittes struck a similar note; the book rollout, they wrote, should not in any profound respect change ones understanding of LAffaire Russe or the investigation of it. Nonetheless, McCabes media round has moved this story forward. McCabe denied suggestions, ventured in response to the Timess initial reporting, that Rosenstein may have been joking when he offered to wear a wire. And, as Jurecic and Wittes note, McCabe has moved the story beyond the murky realm of anonymous sourcing. As has often been the case in the Trump era, the president himself has helped hold an insider account of administration chaos in the spotlight. Ever since the 60 Minutes clip dropped on Thursday, Trump has excoriated McCabe in a series of wild tweets. Per usual, his anger has spiraled round the right-wing mediasphere, with Fox hosts and commentators, in particular, lining up to describe the 25th Amendment discussions McCabe recalls as an attempted coup. Last night on Twitter, Trump made the TVWhite House feedback loop explicit, quoting Fox News Sean Hannity on the coup and exclaiming, Treason! An hour or so later, Trump followed up: Remember this, Andrew McCabe didnt go to the bathroom without the approval of Leakin James Comey! Sign up for CJR 's daily email All this, of course, has done wonders for McCabes book salesovernight, it ascended to the number-one spot on Amazons best sellers list, ending the long reign of Michelle Obamas Becoming. (As of this morning, The Threat is at number two, with Becoming at three.) Its hard to escape the feeling, once again, that were trapped in some sort of TrumpTwittermediapublishing industrial complex. But the Trump eras slew of insider accountsand, at least in McCabes case, the publicity surrounding themhelps build a real-time historical record of Trumps presidency. Massaging egos and bank balances may be an unavoidable side effect of covering it. Below, more on books: The president that doesnt read: Throughout his presidency, Trump has taken a special interest in books that cover himoften taking to Twitter to promote those that praise him and trash those that dont. In November, the Timess Katie Rogers shared a round-up. Throughout his presidency, Trump has taken a special interest in books that cover himoften taking to Twitter to promote those that praise him and trash those that dont. In November, the Timess Katie Rogers shared a round-up. A rapid-fire G-man memoir: The Timess Dwight Garner weighs The Threats literary merits: McCabes prose is lean. (Not that he wrote this book. In his acknowledgments, he thanks a great writing and editing team,) Garner writes. The result is better than any book typed this quickly has a right to be. The Timess Dwight Garner weighs The Threats literary merits: McCabes prose is lean. (Not that he wrote this book. In his acknowledgments, he thanks a great writing and editing team,) Garner writes. The result is better than any book typed this quickly has a right to be. Time to Panic: The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, in which David Wallace-Wells lays out the existential threat of climate change, is also out today. Wallace-Wells, who wrote about the subject for New York in 2017, previewed the book in a weekend op-ed for the Times. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Post-Gazette staffers, shaken by publishers behavior, stand by their story Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. In October 2011, almost a year into the Arab Spring, Robert Reid, a regional editor for the Associated Press based in Cairo, received a call from his bosses: cut the staff in Libya. Rebels had seized the capital of Tripoli two months earlier. Moammar Gadhafi was in hiding. Previously, there had been at least AP three correspondents in Libya. Now there was one. As that last correspondent monitored rebel movements near the Tunisian border, Reid relied on a TV news producer and camera crew to follow developments in Sirte, Gadhafis hometown. On October 20, with rebels pushing into Sirte, the producer got stuck on the east side of the city. Gadhafi fled west, before being captured and killed in a bloody street battle. It was the kind of story made for the APa dictator killed by his own peoplebut one of the biggest wire services in the world had no reporter on the ground, and so couldnt confirm his death for hours. We should have had people on both sides of the city, Reid now says. At the time, Reid was in the fifth decade of an award-winning career with the AP. The AP had never hesitated, he recalls of his experiences as a bureau chief in Cairo, Manila, Vienna, Baghdad, Berlin, and Kabul. The attitude was always, Forget the budget. Well find some way to pay for this. You didnt get fired for going over-budget but for missing the story. Most concerning, Reid adds, was the tone of the call from the New York desk. It was the precipitous, almost no discussion reflex that bothered me most. The decision was really rammed down my throat. ICYMI: How a problematic NYT article shows how newsrooms are out of touch with the communities they cover Reid left the AP in 2014 and contrasts the coverage of Libya with the fall of the Shah in Iran three decades earlier. Then, the AP flew in three correspondents from other foreign bureaus, teaming up with two local reporters and translators, along with a radio reporter from Europe, another correspondent from an East Asia bureau, and photographers. Reid, now a senior managing editor of Stars & Stripes, isnt alone in his concerns about cost-cutting within the APs foreign press service. Current and former correspondents and bureau chiefs detail a litany of changes, including the shrinking of its global footprint as bureaus are quietly closed; the phasing out of the salaried expat package for correspondents; and the reliance on local stringers and staffers, who often are paid far less than full-time American correspondents once were. Sign up for CJR 's daily email AP officials say the changes are necessary, and even beneficial, with the wire service using fewer expats in favor of local reporters with more on-the-ground expertise. For decades, the AP has been criticized for a colonialist reporting model, with well-paid, often Ivy League-educated reporters parachuting in to filter local events, and especially Americas many wars, through a uniquely Western lens. Meanwhile, local fixers, translators and stringers, who helped expat correspondents do their jobs, earned far less, with little status or influence over the narratives told about their countries. AP officials say the dismantling of the two-tier labor system is a step forward for the wire service. There are fewer expat packages than there used to, and thats not a bad thing long term, AP Executive Editor Sally Buzbee tells CJR. Local people who pursue a journalism career are now emerging as our most vibrant, and forward-looking correspondents. While the changes save money, theyre also part of a diversification and modernization strategy within the service. Twenty years ago, we would have a white guy heading our Mideast operations, now we have a woman, Buzbee says. We are trying to be more modern in our staffing. She later adds: I get a little prickly that someone in the US thinks they should have a salary out of whack with the very talented people in the country where they are working. It doesnt make sense for me to take an American, or plop a journalist with a generous salary in a foreign bureau. We have had an unequal system. It benefits the people who got expat packages, and suppresses the talent of those who didnt. I admit it might be unfair for the people who arent getting expat packages anymore, but it was a two-tier system. Later in the interview, she adds bluntly: I think the old twotier system sucked. The AP was founded in 1846, when five New York newspapers pooled their resources to cover the Mexican-American War. By World War I, as the US became a global power, the AP emerged as a global news organization, busting up an international news cartel dominated by the British, French, and German wire services. The AP was a symbol of independent news gathering for Americans by Americans, says John Maxwell Hamilton, author of Journalisms Roving Eye: A History of American Foreign Reporting. Here we are almost exactly 100 years later, and that media arm of a great American country is now under threat, he says. The old model is falling apart. During World War II, American correspondents often wrote singular profiles of American soldiers for publication in the pages of its small-town newspaper members. Contrast that with today, with the US at war, both officially and unofficially, in eight countriesAfghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, and Nigermost of the coverage of these conflicts isnt written by American correspondents anymore. In Kabul, there are no American correspondents working full-time in the bureau. The AP moniker as the Marine Corps of Journalism, for being the first in and the last out, simply no longer applies. But for decades, the AP relied on a network of foreign bureaus staffed almost exclusively by Americans, and until the mid-1970s, that meant almost exclusively white men. (The AP named its first female bureau chief, Edie Lederer, in 1975, after facing an anti-discrimination lawsuit in 1973.) While the scale of the network was costly, it built APs reputation, and a brand identity tied to an almost ubiquitous worldwide reach. No one expected The New York Times to have a correspondent everywhere a coup might break out, Hamilton writes in his 2004 book, but they did expect the AP to be there. The AP moniker as the Marine Corps of Journalism, for being the first in and the last out, simply no longer applies. With ubiquity came influence. The AP was the de facto determiner of most of the international news that appears in the US press, according to a 1996 Brookings Institution study. Such influence was expensive. The logistics of reporting in remote placesfuel, security, provisions, satellite phones, last-minute flightswerent exactly negotiable costs. And its labor costs werent either. Former AP staffer Bryan Mealer remembers a particularly expensive trip in 2005, as a coup broke out in Togo in West Africa. Mealer was working out of a rented house in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The AP wired several thousand dollars to him immediately to avoid a time-consuming flight through Paris. With the cash stuffed in his underwear, Mealer, along with a photographer, rented a speed boat and rode across the Congo River, then used a series of cars and small planes to reach Togo. We were the first American reporters in town and the first to cover the coup, recalls Mealer. Its expensive to cover war and the hidden costs are exponential. The AP cant be at every coup and every conflict and every war anymore, we are seeing that now. Reid, too, recalls sympathetically the ballooning hotel bill in Tripoli, where price-gouging was rampant. But in the days when every daily newspaper in the US printed a robust international sectionoften running the same top three global stories reported by the APit was a profitable model. The AP booked its best financial year ever a decade agoposting revenue of $748 million and profits of $25 million in 2008. But since then, the AP has lost almost a quarter billion dollars in revenue, as newspapers have struggled financially. That set off the first of many departures from the AP cooperative, including the Tribune Company. Broadcast members soon followed. In 2010, CNN ended its agreement with AP in favor of Reuters. In early 2017, the BBC left, opting instead for a relationship with Agence France-Presse. The APs revenues have continued to decline year over year, reaching a low of $510 million in 2017a 32 percent drop in less than a decade. While the AP wouldnt provide an updated member list, its web site says it now has approximately 1,300 news organization members, down from 1,400 in recent years. Our global footprint is enormously important to us, Buzbee says. Its a huge differentiator for us. We are totally committed to it and have been able to protect it very well. The AP claims it reports from 254 locations, down from 263 as recently as 2016. But the robustness of that network has begun to change in significant waysmainly with cuts in labor costs. The Puerto Rico bureau, for instance, once had a bureau chief, a news editor, and several expat correspondents, in addition to a Spanish-language operation of around ten people. Today, there is one staff correspondent inside the territory, Danica Coto, who works out of her home, reporting to Michael Weissenstein, APs news director for the Caribbean, based in Havana. Says Buzbee: The way we say it is we are in 250 locations in over 100 countries. In the vast majority of those locations, theres a physical bureau. There might be a few places where people work from home and we put the money back in the news. Few expat correspondents remain in Africa, where once more than a dozen or more regularly crisscrossed the continent. The AP offered this statement in lieu of details on its staffing levels Africa: In addition to staff, AP also uses freelancers across Africa, some of them on a regular basis, such as Sam Mednick covering South Sudan. In addition to spot coverage, were focused on using our newsgathering budgets to boost deeper reporting from Africa. Unlike its competitorsReuters, Bloomberg and Agence France-Pressethe AP has no shareholders, investors, governments, or single owner determining its fate. Instead, its customers own it. It operates as a not-for-profit cooperative, comprised of newspaper and broadcast members and governed by an elected board of directors. Immune from the profit-minded demands of other global wire services, the AP occupies a unique position: It doesnt have to post significant profits; it only needs to break even, which it is doing, posting net profits of $1.6 million in 2016; in 2017, the AP reported a $74 million loss because of an accounting change. Profits arent likely to come any easier in the future, especially as more of its newspaper members close. Meanwhile, labor remains the APs biggest cost and, therefore, the only place to effectively cut. In 2008, the AP spent $418 million on salaries and labor-related operating expenses, in addition to another $76.4 million in assignment and coverage related expenses. In 2017, the AP spent $302 million paying employees, and another $21.5 million on stringers. Thats a significant contraction, with the APs foreign service suffering the biggest financial hit, insiders say. Unlike US-based staffers, who are protected under a union contract, APs foreign correspondents are not covered by any one contract, although some are covered by foreign union contracts. (Domestic staffers, unionized within the News Media Guild, have been in protracted negotiations for a new union contract. Talks stalled in October, and remain in flux.) APs transition to local hires could have meant that local journalists finally might have been awarded with the status and benefits correspondents once enjoyed. But with management phasing out the so-called expat packageonce a cushy journalism gig, with a base salary estimated between $80,000 and $100,000the glory days of the foreign-service lifestyle are over. Depending on location, the expat package often came with a housing allowance, in addition to health benefits, an education stipend for children, a cost-of-living allowance, sometimes even a driver. Home leave, which paid for airline tickets to the US every two years, was also commonplace. Local journalists are paid less, and get fewer benefits, than expat correspondents once did. Locally hired journalists are often paid a little above the prevailing wage, which might be as low as $900 a month in a place like Kenya or as much as $50,000 a year, often with no guaranteed benefits. Such low pay comes despite the higher risks borne by APs local journalists. The dismantling of the two-tier system has created a new model for advancement within the AP. Jason Straziuso, formerly an AP bureau chief in Nairobi, recalls choosing between two job candidatesone a young American with a great resume, the other, Rodney Muhumuza, a Ugandan, who spoke two of the local languages, and had a graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University. If we had hired the American he would have lasted two or three years before he would have moved on in part because of the salary level, he says. So, he hired Muhumuza, who remains a full-time correspondent for AP in Uganda today. It was still a strong salary for Kampala, but it wasnt as much as an expat would have commanded. By mid-2014, things changed for Straziuso, first when a request to interview the president of South Sudan was denied because the years travel budget had already been blown. Then a reporting trip with the humanitarian coordinator for the UNs mission into south Somalia, where a 2011 famine had devastated the region, were scuttled. I was told there was no money to fly to Mogadishu, recalls Straziuso. I was like, What am I doing there? Straziuso realized he could no longer make autonomous travel decisions, and unless a specific travel proposal was approved, he was required to work out of the Nairobi bureau. I told people I was a reporter by Twitter, he recalls. If something was happening in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, or in Kampala, or Somalia, the fact was I wasnt there and had no way to get there. I frequently found myself digging through Twitter for photos or underground sources or reporting leads. I couldnt travel anywhere as a reporter. It was no longer the same profession. In December 2014, Straziuso left for a senior writer position with the International Committee of the Red Cross, and now lives in Geneva. In an interview, he vacillated between praise for the AP and cynicism about his 15-year career there. We sent out news alert 27 minutes faster than Reuters, who the fuck cares? he says. I used to read 100 AP stories a day, and when you are in the news service, you live in this illusion that the world revolves around you and your story, and how fast you should get it out. I dont think APs network, in terms of information relay, is globally necessary anymore. People in Kansas City, if they want national news, can get it online from The New York Times or The Washington Post, or The Daily Kenyan. Thats not to diminish the value of the AP reporters and ecosystem. I just dont think its needed in the way it was once. While the AP, operating in a new era of financial constraints, cannot cover every coup, it remains a robust news operation. The AP has five Pulitzer Prizes in International Reporting. An 18-month-long investigative report published in 2016 won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, and also led to the freeing of more than 2,000 slaves within the global shrimp industry. In Yemen, reporting by AP correspondents prompted an investigation by international and local aid groups into the humanitarian crisis. It has exposed the abuses of women in Pakistan, in a series on honor killings. More recently, in an in-depth series, The Missing, the AP set out to count the number of dead and missing migrants worldwide since 2014. The APs Eric Talmadge, the AP bureau chief in Pyongyang, regularly reports from inside North Koreathe only Western journalist to do so. Chris Tomlinson, who spent 11 years as a correspondent in Africa, including as an East Africa correspondent and bureau chief in the early 2000s, defends the shift to local reporters. Ninety percent of the time, they do as good a job as when we had a bunch of Americans and Brits, says Tomlinson, who now works at the Houston Chronicle as a business columnist. I get upset when people automatically assume that a local person is not as good as an American. Yes, the AP is cheap, yes, they are slashing spending and foreign correspondent positions, and bringing people home as fast as they can to end those expatriate hires, but that doesnt necessarily mean these locally hired people arent as good. Theres something deeply colonial about the idea that only someone born in American can write a foreign news story for an American audience. Im not sure who we are insulting more, our readers or the people who live in these countries.In Nairobi, Kenya, Straziuso, who climbed the traditional trajectory of a foreign correspondent within the AP systeminternship in Paris, stints in Jackson, Mississippi, Philadelphia, and New York City, then on to Kabul for three yearswas never replaced by another print-trained reporter. In a break with AP tradition, a photographer, Ben Curtis, was eventually named to the post. We were the last generation to do this, Straziuso says. It doesnt exist anymore. It did for a long time. It prepared people for what the AP system wanted and needed out of them. The training system that the AP provided has not been replicated and is a huge loss for journalism. ICYMI: The tweet that derailed a news cycle UPDATE: This story has been updated to correct the date of an anti-discrimination lawsuit against the AP, to correct to reflect that AP is not the only wire service with a bureau in Pyongyang, and to clarify references to AP staffing in Baghdad and Africa. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mya Frazier is a business and investigative journalist based in Columbus, Ohio. Facebook is 15 years old. And there are certain things, if we believe the reams of headlines we see based on social science studies, that we now think we know about its effect on human behavior. It can cause people to commit hate crimes, one set of headlines suggests. Older Americans spread more fake news, suggested another. (But luckily the quantity of fake news has diminished since 2016, according to still others.) And many of us were happy to read that abstaining from Facebook, for even a month, will make a person less politically polarized. Like most buzzy headlines, specific details are not exactly forthcoming. The limitations of social science are crucial to understand, but such limits are often underexpressed in coverage. So when faced with a seemingly explosive research finding, especially about a moral panic, we must all learn to beware the viral social-science study and our own role in perpetuating misinformation about research on misinformation. This is a boom time for academics who are used to having their researchon politics, journalism, and social media, in particularignored by a wider public. Its also a fraught time. Facebook, often the focus of such studies, but by no means the only culprit or area of interest, offers very limited access to its data. ICYMI: Do journalists pay too much attention to Twitter? Heres a study you should read And academics face new pressures. Sometimes, they just want to get work out to test the waters, build momentum, or provide proof of concept for future funding. That means that even work that comes from some of the strongest institutions in the world, funded by the most prestigious of grants, posted on sites that have the imprimatur of elite academia, is sometimes released before it has been subjected to peer review. Peer review has its own problems, but it is an important quality stopgap before research is published in a formal academic journal. Other academic peers, often anonymous, provide rigorous and exacting critique with the aim of rooting out methodological flaws, missed connections with existing research, clarity, and overbroad claims, among other concerns. This process is critical for social scientists, and for the journalists who later rely on their work. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Unfortunately, it is often slow. On more than one occasion, the peer-review process for my work lasted for more than a year. For journalists, reading research findings about the 2016 elections after the 2018 midterms can seem quite dated. But reporting on pre-published, pre-reviewed research presents its own dangers. The first study I mentioned argued that anti-refugee hate crimes in Germany increased disproportionately with higher Facebook use during times of high anti-refugee sentiment. The New York Times called it a landmark study and based a major feature story on it. But, as Felix Salmon pointed out, the study was written by a pair of post-docs without any peer review, and theres no particular reason why it should have been ready for the the social-media klieg lights that suddenly got trained on it. The second study, which blamed those over 65 for spreading most of the fake news on Facebook, was quickly picked up by dozens of outlets; within a few hours of its publication, I found myself talking about its merits on a public radio news talk show. That study was peer reviewed, but not by a top journal in the field whose imprimatur would give it the kind of credibility that would merit the viral attention. Though I first thought the study had been published on Science, which was founded in 1880 and is among the top-three journals in the world, it was actually hosted on the open-access journal Science Advances, which I had not yet heard about in my work as a social scientist. While its published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which also publishes Science, Science Advances raised some red flags for me. It has far less support from academics than its sister journal. It is a pay-to-publish open source journal, which charges $4,500 to publish a paper, and an extra $1,500 if the paper exceeds 15 pages. There is no one on the editorial board who seems to be doing work related to political science. The third study, which suggested that quitting Facebook for even a month would make us all happier and a little less polarized, was temptingly viral. It has what scholars call face validityit rings true based on common-sense expectations. But though the two co-authors are regarded as excellent, the study was not peer reviewed. And the authors are economists, not communication or political scientists, which means they may be leaving critical foundational insights out. Journalists on deadline tend to gravitate towards familiar big names and work from prestigious universitieseven if this work hasnt yet been through peer review. As journalists, it makes sense to go to the most authoritative institutions and voices when sourcing a story, but in the case of academic research, relying on someones scholarly reputation isnt a good enough proxy for ensuring sound research. Not all academic research is created equal, and introducing half-baked studies into public discourse can have lingering effects. So I have created a checklist to help journalists parse complex studies in order to decide whether to report on them. Two quick notes: First, this is intended as a basic guide for some best practices, not as advice to academics. Second, sometimes the most exciting research challenges conventional methodological approacheswhich is to say, if a study looks super interesting, dig deeper. Is the study peer reviewed? Peer review guarantees that independent reviewers have looked at the study, assessed its rigor, and alerted the researchers behind the project to issues they may not have spotted themselves. But peer review is not a catch-all, and not all levels of peer review are equal. If a study has been accepted for a conference, check how many papers that are submitted have been accepteda 60% acceptance rate, for example, would suggests that most papers submitted make it in. If its in a journal, you can look for a journals impact factor or check Google Scholar journal rankings and if the journal is open source, be careful about pay-to-play publishing. Other studies which have similar findings might diminish the news value of a particular paper claiming groundbreaking results, but are a good sign for its reliability. And as with all journalism, its important to check the biases of the researchers, particularly for corporate connections to the tech companies themselves, and make sure the research itself was conducted ethically. Statistics are not all-powerful Correlation does not imply causation. All sorts of combinations of variables might seem to have relationships, but that doesnt mean that one thing causes another. Big data findings are especially prone to this, where correlations can appear due to the size of the data. Equally, how a particular variable is defined can be key. What does trust mean? How are scholars defining fake news? When those variables are then put into mathematical models that make their own assumptions, its quite possible to get spurious correlations. Be wary of surveys and polls Some of the surveys and polls that journalists rely on for quick-hit stories are constructed with highly complex methodologies that belie their simple results. Others may not employ sophisticated methodologies at allmeaning journalists should be wary. Being aware of the kind of samplethe group of people to whom the questions are askedis vital. Most non-academics dont know that Amazons Mechanical Turk is a great place to recruit research participants. But the people hanging out on Mechanical Turk are a distinct subset that is not necessarily representative of the group its purporting to represent. And nearly every aspect of the survey design and implementationquestion order, answer order, the internal consistency of the surveys, the technology used to administer the surveys, and the use of proprietary scales and indices for measuring certain outcomes can affect results. Surveys and polls are best seen as a starting point, rather than an ending point, for stories. RELATED: Which one of these 3 types of journalists are you? Be wary of experiments, too Findings from experiments done in an academic setting dont always translate to the world; for example, an experiment using mockups of Facebook pages rather than real ones doesnt replicate the real experience of browsing Facebook pages in your own home. But for all sorts of privacy reasons, not to mention Facebooks terms of service, that might be the best researchers can do. Plus, most of the time, people know full well they are taking part in an experiment. So in fact-checking research, for example, scholars have to figure out how to account for issues such as people reading more carefully than usual, or trying to impress the researchers with accepting a fact check. Results from such experiments are vulnerable to low ecological validityput simply, its unlikely that the experiment would work outside a lab context. That does not mean the study is not important; rather, its limitations must be addressed. You may have encountered the term natural experiment; this method is intended to correct for some of these problems, with the idea that if you try to test something in the real world, youll actually see how people behave in the real world. Natural experiments have limitations, too, and there are often many factors outside of the researchers control that could affect resultsan issue known as internal validity, if you want to be fancy. Its also worth checking whether theres a control group not subjected to the experimental manipulation, or a set of variables that are held constant, to help establish a comparison point and suggest a causal effect. Think about replicability If the same experiment were to be repeated, would it generate the same results? There is a replicability crisis in the social sciencesparticularly in psychology. A group at UVA tried to replicate 100 different psychology experiments and could only replicate a third of them. Sadly, assessing replicability is not often encouraged because it does not generate new findings. But asking have other people raised this question and Are these findings in line with what others have found can help you determine context around the study. Avoid clickbait Some research studies take years to complete. Reducing them to clickbait headlines can spread the very misinformation that journalists and social scientists are concerned about in the first place. So choosing headlines wisely is perhaps the most important part of the whole process of communicating social science. If the study wasnt socially relevant, then you probably wouldnt be covering it anyway. But it bears stating that journalists have a special responsibility to make sure that the headline reflects the results of the researchnot the spicy statistic or possible extension of the research, but the actual findings of the research question the scholars tried to answer and the hypothesis they posed. Have hope Many of these issues used to proliferate in science journalism. In some cases, they still do. But science educators have worked hard to help journalists understand how to write about their research. Now its time for the political and technology journalists to take the same care with the explosion of interest in social science research on information, politics, and technology. Related: What a professor learned after interviewing a lost generation of journalists Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Nikki Usher , PhD is an associate professor at the University of Illinois in the College of Media. You will receive 5-day a week delivery of the Citizen Tribune newspaper to your home or business, plus full, ad-free access to CitizenTribune.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper. ONLY $13.99 per month for the first 3 months! Only $16.00 per month after promotional period. Or ONLY $169.99 for a full year Only $198.95 per year after promotional period. In some industries, the use of artificial intelligence is a fairly new development. Thats not the case when it comes to government. For many years now, the U.S. federal government has made widespread use of AI in defense, intelligence and public safety applications, along with various other applications that improve government accessibility and efficiency. Today, many federal agencies, along with growing numbers of state and local entities, are capitalizing on the opportunity to put AI to work to reduce administrative burdens, resolve resource allocation problems, and accelerate complex and timeconsuming tasks. These initiatives make the government more efficient at serving its constituents while freeing employees for higher-value work. Heres one example of the gains made possible with AI. In the 1990s, the U.S. Postal Service started using machine vision methods to recognize handwritten addresses and automatically route letters. The modern version of this technology now helps sort 25 billion letters per year, saving hundreds of millions of dollars in operational costs.1 Today, government agencies are exploring creative ways to use AI in countless other applications, from identifying and managing chronic and pandemic diseases to improving food security and sustainable agriculture. In many ways, the potential use cases for AI in government services are limited only by resource constraints and the reach of the human imagination. In a sign of this trend, government spending on cognitive and AI solutions is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 54.3 percent through 2021, followed by ongoing year-over-year growth for the next several years, according to IDC. These investments, the firm says, will be driven by long-term public sector goals of reducing spending and improving citizen services.2 Common use cases The potential use cases for AI in government are as broad as the functions of government itself. Here are some examples of the way governmental entities are capitalizing on artificial intelligence and the power of high performance computing. Public safety In times of public safety emergencies, AI systems can greatly improve access to information for emergency responders. Emergency responders, for example, can use image and data processing capabilities in AI systems to more accurately pinpoint danger zones and to more effectively target responses to catastrophic weather events, natural disasters and other threats to public safety. In one such application, U.S. governmental entities are now piloting an AI-driven system called AUDREY to assist first responders in synthesizing high-level data while at the scene of an emergency. This human-like reasoning system provides insight that first responders may not have in the crucial moments of an emergency, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.3 In times of public safety emergencies, AI systems can greatly improve access to information for emergency responders. Emergency responders, for example, can use image and data processing capabilities in AI systems to more accurately pinpoint danger zones and to more effectively target responses to catastrophic weather events, natural disasters and other threats to public safety. In one such application, U.S. governmental entities are now piloting an AI-driven system called AUDREY to assist first responders in synthesizing high-level data while at the scene of an emergency. This human-like reasoning system provides insight that first responders may not have in the crucial moments of an emergency, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.3 Customer service Conversational AI platforms, such as chatbots and virtual customer assistants, can greatly improve access to information for both the public and governmental employees, while automating timeconsuming customer-service functions. These tools can help users get questions answered quickly, without clicking through complex websites or spending time on hold waiting for a customer-service agent to become available. A case in point: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency operates a chatbot named Emma. This computer-generated virtual assistant answers questions based on users own words, in English or Spanish. Emma provides immediate responses to questions about services, guides users through the agencys website, and finds information based on the users questions and search terms.4 Conversational AI platforms, such as chatbots and virtual customer assistants, can greatly improve access to information for both the public and governmental employees, while automating timeconsuming customer-service functions. These tools can help users get questions answered quickly, without clicking through complex websites or spending time on hold waiting for a customer-service agent to become available. A case in point: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency operates a chatbot named Emma. This computer-generated virtual assistant answers questions based on users own words, in English or Spanish. Emma provides immediate responses to questions about services, guides users through the agencys website, and finds information based on the users questions and search terms.4 Information searches National, state and local governments strive to make public information readily available to citizens. AI systems can make it happen. They can quickly categorize and search through massive amounts of documents and images to help people find the information they seek in real time. One example: A paper from the Harvard Ash Center cites the case of a state government that uses AI to help users search more than a million pages of documents.5 Tasks like that would be all but impossible to do manually. National, state and local governments strive to make public information readily available to citizens. AI systems can make it happen. They can quickly categorize and search through massive amounts of documents and images to help people find the information they seek in real time. One example: A paper from the Harvard Ash Center cites the case of a state government that uses AI to help users search more than a million pages of documents.5 Tasks like that would be all but impossible to do manually. Social services With the ability to search through and make sense of massive amounts of unstructured information, all the way down to handwritten notes, AI systems can help predict the need for case-worker interventions to protect vulnerable individuals, improve child welfare and decrease substance abuse. In another benefit for social service agencies, AI systems can ease the administrative burdens on case workers, which contribute to high staff turnover rates. A Deloitte study notes, AI-based technologies can be put to use in human services to help agencies alleviate the considerable administrative burden on caseworkers, free up time for more critical tasks, improve decision-making, and deliver better, faster services.6 With the ability to search through and make sense of massive amounts of unstructured information, all the way down to handwritten notes, AI systems can help predict the need for case-worker interventions to protect vulnerable individuals, improve child welfare and decrease substance abuse. In another benefit for social service agencies, AI systems can ease the administrative burdens on case workers, which contribute to high staff turnover rates. A Deloitte study notes, AI-based technologies can be put to use in human services to help agencies alleviate the considerable administrative burden on caseworkers, free up time for more critical tasks, improve decision-making, and deliver better, faster services.6 Translation National, state and local governments have a constant need for language translation from local agencies that need to communicate with immigrants to intelligence and law enforcement operations that need to search through documents in many languages. With the language-processing capabilities available in todays AI systems, governments can greatly reduce their translation burdens. As Deloitte notes in its study on AI-augmented government, Machine translation has obvious implications for international relations, defense, and intelligence, as well as, in our multilingual society, numerous domestic applications. 6 National, state and local governments have a constant need for language translation from local agencies that need to communicate with immigrants to intelligence and law enforcement operations that need to search through documents in many languages. With the language-processing capabilities available in todays AI systems, governments can greatly reduce their translation burdens. As Deloitte notes in its study on AI-augmented government, Machine translation has obvious implications for international relations, defense, and intelligence, as well as, in our multilingual society, numerous domestic applications. Facial recognition With todays computer vision capabilities, AI systems can help government and police agencies recognize faces to verify identities and spot suspected criminals in crowds. In New York State, for example, a Department of Motor Vehicles facial recognition technology program has identified tens of thousands of possible cases of identity theft, helping the state crack down on fraud, identity theft and other offenses.7 With todays computer vision capabilities, AI systems can help government and police agencies recognize faces to verify identities and spot suspected criminals in crowds. In New York State, for example, a Department of Motor Vehicles facial recognition technology program has identified tens of thousands of possible cases of identity theft, helping the state crack down on fraud, identity theft and other offenses.7 Fraud detection Governments can use AI systems to search through complex financial documents and datasets to detect suspicious patterns and questionable data that could be indicators of fraudulent activities, from tax evasion to the filing of benefit claims for deceased people. In these efforts, AI systems can run checks against diverse datasets and apply thousands of rules to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate activities. Governments can use AI systems to search through complex financial documents and datasets to detect suspicious patterns and questionable data that could be indicators of fraudulent activities, from tax evasion to the filing of benefit claims for deceased people. In these efforts, AI systems can run checks against diverse datasets and apply thousands of rules to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate activities. Cybersecurity Government networks, computer systems and software programs are continually subject to threats from bad actors from cyber-criminals seeking personal information on public websites to rouge states focused on espionage. AI systems are helping governments fight back by analyzing millions of data points in real time, continually searching for vulnerabilities and identifying suspicious behaviors. Even better, they can be trained to automatically block suspicious traffic in real time. Government networks, computer systems and software programs are continually subject to threats from bad actors from cyber-criminals seeking personal information on public websites to rouge states focused on espionage. AI systems are helping governments fight back by analyzing millions of data points in real time, continually searching for vulnerabilities and identifying suspicious behaviors. Even better, they can be trained to automatically block suspicious traffic in real time. National defense AI is now one of the essential keys to defending our nation against foreign and domestic threats. From analyzing drone footage and protecting forces on the ground to guiding combat systems more accurately, AI has applications throughout the military. In an indication of the growing importance of AI to national defense, a U.S. Defense Department agency plans to invest up to $2 billion over the next five years toward new programs advancing artificial intelligence.8 A DoD case study MIT Lincoln Laboratory supports research and development work aimed at solutions to problems that are critical to the United States. The research conducted at the federally funded Department of Defense R&D center spans a wide range of fields that increasingly use AI technologies, including space observations, robotic vehicles, communications, cyber security, machine learning, sensor processing, electronic devices, bioinformatics and air traffic control. MIT Lincoln Laboratory takes projects from the initial concept stage, through simulation and analysis, to designing and building working prototypes. Key takeaways National, state and local leaders are focused on creating more efficient, secure and responsive government. In these efforts, artificial intelligence is one of the keys to success. With AI, governments can reduce administrative burdens, improve services, cut costs and solve some of the really hard problems we face like protecting our nation from a growing range of threats. Ready to learn more? For a close-up look at the use of supercomputing resources at the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, read the Dell EMC case study Petaflop Performance. To learn more about unlocking the value of data with artificial intelligence systems, explore Dell EMC AI Solutions. ___________ 1 Reflections on the status and future of artificial intelligence, Eric Horvitz, Hearing before the Committee on Commerce Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness, United States Senate, November 30, 2016. 2 IDC, U.S. Government Cognitive and Artificial Intelligence Forecast, 20182021: Federal and State and Local Should See Moderate Growth, March 2018. 3 Department of Homeland Security, Snapshot: Public Safety Agencies Pilot Artificial Intelligence to Aid in First Response, October 16, 2018 4 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Meet Emma, Our Virtual Assistant. 5 Hila Mehr, Harvard Ash Center Technology & Democracy Fellow, Artificial Intelligence for Citizen Services and Government, August 2017. 6 Deloitte, AI-augmented human services, October 18, 2017. 7 New York State, Governor Cuomo Announces Major Facial Recognition Technology Milestone with 21,000 Fraud Cases Investigated, August 21, 2017. 8 The Washington Post, Defense Department pledges billions toward artificial intelligence research More than 91,000 profiles have been submitted through Quebec Skilled Worker Program's new Arrima online portal since September Expression of interest numbers reveal Quebecs immigration appeal despite controversies More than 91,000 profiles have been submitted through Quebec Skilled Worker Program's new Arrima online portal since September Expression of interest numbers reveal Quebecs immigration appeal despite controversies More than 91,000 profiles have been submitted through Quebec Skilled Worker Program's new Arrima online portal since September Expression of interest numbers reveal Quebecs immigration appeal despite controversies More than 91,000 profiles have been submitted through Quebec Skilled Worker Program's new Arrima online portal since September CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Pour lire cet article en francais, cliquez ici. More than 91,000 immigration candidates have submitted expressions of interest through Quebecs online Arrima portal since it opened last September a six-month period dominated by the rise of the provinces new Coalition Avenir Quebec government. The Arrima portal was introduced September 18, 2018, to manage profiles submitted to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program after it was switched to an Expression Of Interest (EOI) system by the previous Liberal government, which then lost Quebecs general election on October 1, 2018, to the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ). An EOI system requires interested candidates to create a profile that is then entered into the bank of candidates for the Quebec Skilled Worker Program. Profiles contain information on a candidates education, work experience, area of training and proficiency in French, among other details, and invitations to apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de selection du Quebec, or CSQ) may be issued to candidates based on these and other potential factors, such as labour demand in a given region of Quebec. Obtain your potential Quebec Skilled Worker passing score with the Quebec Skilled Worker Points Calculator. To date, Quebecs Immigration Ministry, known by its French initials MIDI, has yet to begin issuing invitations to those in this new bank of candidates. Find out if you are eligible for immigration to Quebec. Quebecs CAQ Immigration Minister, Simon Jolin-Barrette, said MIDI has to first deal with the backlog of around 18,000 applications that were submitted to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program under the old first-come, first-served model that the EOI system replaced. Rather than process this backlog, the CAQ government has proposed dismissing the pending applications so it can instead focus on the expressions of interest submitted through Arrima. Quebecs main immigration lawyers association, AQAADI, has asked MIDI to reconsider the controversial move, saying the government should fast-track the backlogged applications instead. Jolin-Barrette, however, says the EOI system is better suited to addressing Quebecs labour needs because it allows MIDI to identify and select candidates whose work experience matches existing jobs in the province, notably those in outlying regions where labour shortages are among the most acute in Canada. Abolishing the backlog would also help cut the application processing time for a CSQ from 36 months to six months, Jolin-Barrette has argued. The Quebec news agency TVA reports that 91,307 profiles have been submitted to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program through the Arrima portal since it opened on September 18, 2018 just two weeks before the CAQs election. Of that total, 5,260 candidates have declared an occupation in administration, 2,160 listed their occupation as nursing and another 720 are electrical engineers. The six-months since Arrima opened for business also saw the CAQ follow through on a campaign promise to introduce a temporary reduction of Quebecs immigration targets by around 10,000 newcomers per year. The CAQ says its immigration policies are meant to ensure that newcomers to Quebec are better-integrated into the majority French-speaking province and better-matched to existing job opportunities. For more information on the Arrima portal, visit this dedicated page. Find out if you are eligible for immigration to Quebec. 2019 CICNews All rights Reserved Tbilisi is ready to cooperate closely with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the benefit of both sides, Georgia's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Vakhtang Jaoshvili said during a meeting with OIC Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen. The parties also exchanged views on various regional and international issues. Al-Othaimeen, in turn, noted the importance of OIC cooperation with Georgia, Georgia Online reported. Florida, FL (34429) Today Cloudy skies this morning followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 89F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. The push to expand oil and gas exploration on federal land has gained momentum under the Trump administration. Many environmental groups, as well as some state and local governments, often supported former president Barack Obama's more cautious approach to that issue. However, oil and gas companies often disagreed with that regulation and protection of federal land. Since 2017, president Donald Trump's administration has offered more opportunities for those oil and gas companies to bid on and lease federal land. In turn, those oil and gas companies obtained permits to drill on those lands. Only on HoustonChronicle.com: From wagons and mules to 21st century technology, Halliburton celebrates 100 years From Oct. 1, 2016 until Sept. 30, 2017 oil and gas companies purchased a combined total of 1,114,213 new acres of federal land from the Bureau of Land Management (which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior). By the end of the 2017 fiscal year, oil and gas companies obtained 902 new leases at a combined cost of $348,852,506, according to the organization's website. These are the ten states that leased the most new federal land to oil and gas companies from Oct. 1, 2016 until Sept. 30, 2017. Wyoming: 446,259 Wisconsin: 263,219 West Virginia: 198,990 Washington: 114,970 Virginia: 35,935 Vermont: 30,952 Utah: 13,876 Texas: 4,939 Tennessee: 2,208 South Dakota: 1,786 The Interior Department last year set an all-time record for oil and gas lease sales on federal lands, generating more than $1.1 billion, almost triple the previous record from 2008. Click here for a Houston Chronicle analysis of how some of those figures changed in 2018, as well as a look ahead at how much more new federal land might be available to oil and gas companies in 2019. The first meeting of the High Level Working Group on the Implementation of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea with the participation of representatives of the Caspian states has opened in Baku today. A number of issues arising from the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, as well as the results of the 5th Summit of the heads of the Caspian littoral States in Aktau, are expected to be discussed at the meeting, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reported. Opening the meeting, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, representative of Azerbaijan in the High-Level Working Group for the Caspian Sea Khalaf Khalafov noted that the sides continue their work after the summit. He noted that friendly relations have been established between the countries of the Caspian region, they all respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of each other. Khalafov stressed that following the fifth Caspian summit, a historical document was signed "The signing of this document contributed to the further development of relations between the Caspian countries. Maintaining legal status is the main goal," he said. According to Khalafov, today procedural rules will be approved and how this group will function in the future, as well as how it should be ratified. In addition, the parties will discuss the method of establishing direct baselines in the Caspian Sea. Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Igor Bratchikov said he hopes the next meeting of the High Level Working Group on the Caspian Sea will be held in the coming months. "First of all, we need to discuss the implementation of the decisions agreed at the 5th Caspian Summit and discuss in general terms the method of establishing direct baselines. The parties will also have to agree on rules for the working group activities. The working group was established not for a year, but for the entire duration of the Convention. Therefore, the rhythm of the working group's activities for decades and beyond depends on how we work out these rules," the Russian diplomat stressed. The rest of the meeting was held behind closed doors. A man with at least two prior convictions has been charged in connection with a lengthy chase early Monday that left two Houston police officers injured in the Third Ward. Steven David Kannady, 53, faces charges of evading in a motor vehicle and failure to stop and render aid. He has been booked into Harris County Jail, and his total bail was not yet listed in online records. The chase started around 12:30 a.m. Monday when an officer reportedly tried to stop Kannady for traffic violations near Texas Southern University. Police said he fled, leading them on a chase for about 45 minutes. RELATED: Houston police to start using new driving tactic to end vehicle pursuits Court records show Kannady has faced a slew of charges in Harris County dating back to 1986, ranging from possession of marijuana to resisting arrest. He was previously convicted of a felony charge of theft by check in 1989, police said. He was also convicted of an assault charge in 2016, records show. On Monday, Kannady led police in circles in the area, Metro Video reported. At one point, he reportedly drove onto the Highway 288 feeder road when an officer attempted to do a PIT maneuver, which forces a fleeing car to abruptly turn sideways. The police vehicle missed Kannady's car and ended up hitting a tree, police said. Two officers were hospitalized with minor injuries but were expected to be OK. Kannady, meanwhile, was later apprehended by a police canine along Cleburne street. His next hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday. Houston police originally started using PIT maneuvers in 2017, according to a previous story in the Houston Chronicle. At the time, state and local law enforcement leaders expressed their support for the tactic. However, Former Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland said he prohibited the maneuvers because of concerns they endangered the safety of police officers, suspects and the public while putting more wear and tear on police cars. "I just didn't think it was worth it," McClelland said at the time. It's unclear how fast the Houston police officer was traveling on Monday when he attempted to maneuver. A 2008 study by the Ford Motor Co. recommended only using PIT maneuvers at low speeds, according to an investigation by the Intercept published in 2016. The investigation found that more than two dozen deaths and almost 300 injuries were attributed to PIT-related pursuits between 1998 and the time of publication. 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 | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. The man who designed a remote adobe hut in the West Texas desert died last month, just shy of 94 years old. But his legacy lives on. About 10 years ago, designer Don Bryant helped performing songwriter Trevor Reichman create a space that looks like it came straight out of the Star Wars universe. Now, Reichman is dedicating the property to him and sharing breathtaking photos of the space he purchased outside of Big Bend National Park. "[Bryant] gave me one of the dome frames that he designed and taught me how to stucco..." said Reichman. "I built it out from there, with help from friends along the way, and finished it out with adobe and lime plaster." The hut -- or "Dome," as Reichman refers to it -- now rents for about $98 per night on AirBnB. It's located Terlingua Ranch, about a 25-minute drive from the entrance of Big Bend National Park. Aside from stunning views, it provides basic amenities like parking, wifi, a kitchen, kitchen supplies, and a composting toilet. It boasts an "off-grid" experience, and Reichman's photos of starry backgrounds and vivid sunsets paint an otherworldly picture of the surrounding environment. He said he understands the comparisons to Star Wars. "It wasn't intentional for it to look like Luke Skywalker's home, but so many guests point it out," he said. "I think quite a few Star Wars fanatics stay at the Dome because of its resemblance." The property has brief openings available in March and April. The hut is mostly open for a summer getaway, but perhaps for a reason. While the space provides a good buffer for the elements, it doesn't have air conditioning. It offers a fan and perimeter windows to welcome a breeze. If the 10-day forecast proves to be too much, Reichman offers cancellation options during off-peak periods. "Many say that summer is their favorite time of the year out here," according to the home's AirBnB profile. "But it all depends on one's heat tolerance." Click through the slideshow above to see photos from inside the desert hut. 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 | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. 3 1 of 3 Federal Bureau of Investigation Show More Show Less 2 of 3 FBI Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A Richmond man has been arrested in connection with footage allegedly showing him sexually assaulting a young child, among other images and videos on devices in his home, according to federal officials. Robert Alexander Shouse, 31, was arrested by Lufkin police during a traffic stop, according to to a tweet from the FBI's field office in Houston. The tweet did not specify when the man was arrested. A dispute over photography in the popular esplanades located in Broadacres flared anew recently in a viral video posted on Facebook. In a message and video posted on Facebook Monday, Kelyn Alyssa said she and her family went to North Boulevard last weekend to meet with a photographer and have some photos taken to celebrate her daughter's first birthday. Other photographers, joggers and dog walkers were also using the path on the esplanade. "About 35 minutes into our 1 hr shoot we heard a voice shouting in our direction - and when we turned to look it was this woman rolling up in her car, shouting through her window: 'You are trampling the grass that WE pay for,'" Alyssa wrote on Facebook. A confrontation ensued and Alyssa said she became concerned for the safety of her child. "In the midst of her shouting, I immediately and calmly asked her to restrain her dog as it made a beeline for the baby and it was coming dangerously close to my child," she wrote. "I actually crouched next to the baby and put my hand out to try to shoo this strange dog away. The lady begins shouting at us that we are on private property, and that she will not restrain her dog because she can do whatever she wants there." KTRK identified the woman in the video as Franci Neely, Houston socialite and ex-wife of Astros owner Jim Crane. In a statement to the television station, she said she was "very sorry" she got upset but disputed Alyssa's claims in her Facebook post. She also noted that the high volume of commercial photography there is damaging the property the homeowners association is paying to maintain. HOW IT BEGAN: Homeowners in scenic Broadacres prohibit photos in popular esplanade, according to HoustonChronicle.com report Efforts to reach Neely late Monday were unsuccessful. A police report has been filed, Alyssa said in her Facebook post. In 2017, the Broadacres Homeowners Association posted signs making the esplanades off-limits for those wanting to use it for photo shoots. A pushback on social media ensued, with many criticizing the association. Soon after, Cece Fowler, president of the Broadacres HOA, said it was determined that while the city owns the streets on North, South and West boulevards as well as the brick sidewalks that run down the middle of the esplanades, the Broadacres Trust owns the grass. As such, the signs prohibiting photography came down. NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. Days after Houston police announced an internal investigation into the narcotics squad's handling of the deadly Pecan Park drug raid amid claims of fabricated evidence, a lawyer for the case agent at the center of the case raised concerns about a possible "set-up." Attorney Nicole DeBorde pushed back against what she said was the politicization of allegations against Officer Gerald Goines, citing selectively leaked documents, the police chief's heated comments last week and the underplaying of her client's willingness to help with the probe. "Is this case going to get drastically overcharged or charged inappropriately because the district attorney's office thinks that's going to be popular?" she asked. "I feel like it's a set-up geared toward that and it makes me really uncomfortable. And I'd hate to see this man used for whoever's political gain." DeBorde said officials neglected to mention that her client has gone out of his way to aid in the probe into his actions, even managing to get access to a phone in the hospital -- where he remains under treatment for a gunshot wound to the neck -- and offer help to a lieutenant. READ MORE: Houston police officer in drug raid had previous allegations against him "No one has said Goines has reached out to law enforcement to provide information, that he hasn't been available for comment because he's incapacitated," she said. "It's not like someone's hiding information he's been medically unavailable, and that hasn't stopped the chief of the department from making outrageous comments and I wonder if maybe a different agency should be brought in to investigate this." Hours before DeBorde's comments to the Houston Chronicle, protesters gathered downtown for a demonstration demanding charges against the veteran undercover officer. A small coalition of activists - including the People's New Black Panthers, Black Lives Matter Houston and the Houston Socialist Movement - toted signs in front of Houston police headquarters, where they also asked for the resignation of firebrand union president Joe Gamaldi. "We have a dead couple here," said activist Shere Dore. "And that happened because one officer lied and I think citizens have a right to know. Are we truly protected with officers like this patrolling the streets?" The ongoing controversy comes three weeks after undercover narcotics officers burst into 7815 Harding with a no-knock warrant in search of heroin dealers. Instead, a gun battle ensued and 58-year-old Rhogena Nicholas, 59-year-old Dennis Tuttle, and a pit bull dog ended up shot to death. Five officers - including Goines - were injured, though the bust only netted 18 grams of marijuana and 1.5 grams of cocaine. The operation sparked controversy from the start, but on Friday a search warrant revealed that police had begun questioning the existence of the confidential informant Goines used in an alleged heroin buy. That supposed drug deal became the centerpiece of an affidavit used to get the no-knock warrant. But afterward, as Goines lay in the hospital with his jaw wired shut, questions arose as other investigators realized they couldn't track down the informant. EDITORIAL: Cops lied, people died. Heres how HPD can restore Houstons trust The veteran undercover offered up two different informant names, according to the document. But both of those people said they hadn't done any deals at the Tuttle home, and when police tracked down all of Goines' other informants they offered similar accounts. Hours after news of the leaked warrant - which sought access to another narcotics officer's cell phone and other electronic data- Chief Art Acevedo held a press conference where he condemned the case agent's actions. "We know that there's already a crime that's been committed," he said. "It's a serious crime when we prepare a document to go into somebody's home, into the sanctity that is somebody's home. It has to be truthful, it has to be honest, it has to be factual. We know already there's a crime that's been committed. There's high probability there will be a criminal charge." DeBorde called the chief's remarks "irresponsible" given the pending investigation. "There have been very specific and partial pieces of information leaked to the media which makes me wonder what agenda there is here they're so very much just a part of what's happening," she said. "I have to think there's a reason and I don't know entirely what it is." Given that the electronics to be searched were all likely department-issued, DeBorde questioned why a warrant - and all the information laid out in it - was even necessary. Authorities have not come forward with any warrants for Goines' devices, she said. Goines has been in intensive care since the shooting, DeBorde said. He's undergone six surgeries and, until recently, was on a feeding tube with his jaw wired shut. He's still been too heavily medicated to offer a thorough account of what happened. keri.blakinger@chron.com NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. UPDATE: Darrell Minifee was a 25-year-old black man who died February 19 from gunshot wounds at 13310 Ridgewood Knoll Lane, Houston. Demarkris Jones was a 26-year-old black man who died February 19 from gunshot wounds at 13310 Ridgewood Knoll Lane, Houston. ORIGINAL STORY: A family member found two housemates shot to death inside a south Houston home Tuesday, according to police. No one had heard from either of the two men, both in their 20s, since at least Sunday night, Houston Police Department homicide detective Shaun Sylvester said. A concerned family member went to check on the two inside their Almeda-area home around noon when he made the gruesome discovery. NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. Peering through a front window, the family member saw the men lying lifeless on the living room floor, Sylvester said. The relative reportedly tried to open the door, but it was locked. Houston firefighters and paramedics broke down the door, and pronounced the men dead moments later. Inside the home, police found four shell casings. As of Tuesday afternoon, detectives had not found a firearm inside the home, but they were still combing through the crime scene searching for the weapon and other evidence, Sylvester said. He said it was unclear how long the two had been dead by the time they were discovered. There were no signs of forced entry nor was there any damage to the outside of the home, Sylvester said. Several other pieces of evidence, including possible narcotics found inside the home and a black backpack found in the front yard were hauled away as detectives worked to piece together what happened. The two moved into the small, one-story home in the 13300 block of Ridgewood Knoll Drive off Almeda Genoa about three weeks ago, their neighbor, Janice Momon, said. They were renting it from the homeowner when they were killed. "That doesn't usually happen around here," Momon said standing in a neighbor's driveway. Momon said she and other neighbors did not have enough time to get to know the two young men before their deaths. MORNING REPORT: Sign up to have a curated list of the day's top news stories sent directly to your email. Start the day right with HoustonChronicle.com. As neighbors started pouring around crime scene tape, family members and loved ones of the victims also showed up. One family member had to be forcibly detained by police after he tried to walk into the home. "Let me see my son," the man screamed as several officers wrestled him to the ground and into handcuffs. He was placed in the back of a police cruiser but was released moments later, even shaking hands with one of the officers who detained him. Sylvester said detectives are not ruling any possibilities out as their investigation continues. The identities of the two victims were not immediately released. 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 As the winds of a new Cold War blow across the geopolitical landscape, familiar alliances are bound to be radically redefined.The United States is turbulent and ailing, its policies no longer coherent. Europe is increasingly at odds with its ally across the Atlantic. Ahval News reports in its article Why Turkey needs to decide where it stands as alliances shift that three recent gatherings exposed the disarray in the world order. The Middle East summit in Warsaw highlighted the magnitude of the divisions in the Western bloc. NATOs ministerial meeting seemed an exercise in measuring the depths of differences of opinion regarding security structures in Europe and military strategies in the Middle East. Meanwhile, a third summit took place in Russia and the trio gathered there was consciously defiant of the other meetings. With respect to all three gatherings, it is Turkey that stands out as the power-at-large, the loose cannon whose final choices will have considerable effect on the new world order taking shape. Ankara is undecided on almost every major issue that occupies the world powers. Turkey is torn between various positions because its internal power structure centres around one man. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may have forged a reputation as a masterly tactician but he also revealed himself to be a failed strategist in almost every policy area. His slaloming on tactics leaves Erdogan vulnerable to interest groups in Ankara that seek to manipulate him. In the old world order, Turkey had established a position as one of the Middle Easts four major players, along with Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia. No longer. Yes, it is still flexing its muscles but its political objectives are unclear. For years, Turkey has been adrift, having lost much of its credibility among traditional allies but unable to gain the trust of others, such as Russia. Meanwhile, other major Middle Eastern players are decisively working on their strategies, deepening relationships and building alliances with an eye on the new world order. Turkey is adrift because of four major missteps in the past decade. It called for regime change in Syria; sowed division with support for Hamas and Qatar; has allegedly had sanctions-evading murky dealings with Iran, which led to a federal case in the United States, and has been unable or unwilling to resolve its domestic Kurdish issue. The results of the missteps are clear. Islamic State fighters are present in Idlib; there are rifts with NATO on Turkeys purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia; the impasse continues regarding the so-called buffer zone in mainly Kurdish north-eastern Syria and Turkeys economy has suffered a sharp decline. In the circumstances, it would be unreasonable to expect any breakthrough in the conflicts in which Turkey has been involved. Erdogans Justice and Development Party faces local elections March 31, the countrys last vote until 2023. So Erdogan is investing in other tactics these days: play for time until the elections and keep all options open on all key questions. Erdogan, however, may have run out of time on that scheme. The world order is being reshaped with speed and intensity, so much so that Turkey, a NATO member, must decide where it stands. Limbo may be destabilising for the world beyond Turkeys borders. It is likely Erdogan and his party will emerge victorious in the local elections. Only after that will we be able to see the direction that Turkey sets sail. Beijing is aware that the Belt and Road Initiative is firmly anchored on the receiving countries political stability and security. Throughout 2018, various security organisations, from Russia to the European Union, pointed out the threat created by foreign fighters returning from the Middle East, especially from Syria. The rab Weekly reports in its article Do fighters returning from Syria threaten Central Asia and China? that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which includes China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and India (Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia have observer status), refers to the danger posed by these returning combat veterans, as terrorist spillover. The primary focus of the SCO is enhancement of regional security and combating terrorism, extremism and separatism. The organisations latest summit stressed mutual security concerns with special reference to Syria and Afghanistan. The SCO warned that the terrorist spillover would become a significant security problem in 2019. From Beijings perspective, if efforts to stabilise Syria are not managed correctly, the resulting insecurity will have a negative influence on its Belt and Road Initiative and undermine Chinas policies in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. The situation in Xinjiang provoked international uproar concerning the treatment of ethnic Uighurs and the Chinese governments narrative of the Xinjiang situation has come under international media scrutiny. China is also facing the threat posed by the return of battle-hardened Uighur fighters who either joined the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP) or the Islamic State. There are no reliable data of the number of Uighurs who joined militant groups in Syria and the estimates range from hundreds to the thousands. The inability to make reliable estimates is compounded by the practical difficulties in researching terrorist trends in active combat zones. This plays into the hands of countries that perhaps gain an advantage by exaggerating the number of fighters returning from war zones. The clash between reality and propaganda will become apparent early in 2019. Reports in 2017 and early 2018 recently disproved suggested that Beijing was preparing to dispatch the People Liberation Army (PLA) to combat the terrorist menace in Syria. In 2019, Chinese assistance to Syria will occur but in the framework of a reconstruction process. The deployment of the Chinese military to target TIP fighters remains a very remote possibility. Nevertheless, an increased Chinese economic footprint in Syria could attract terrorist attacks that may prove to be more sophisticated than recent assaults against Beijings diplomatic structures in Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. The protracted conflict in Syria increases the probability that the country will become a source for the propagation of terrorist ideologies and the proliferation of extremist networks in Eurasia. In addition to Russias involvement in kinetic action, China and the other SCO members are increasingly focused on how to contain the terrorist spillover before it becomes an acute problem. During the 2018 session of the SCO Security Council, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised the need for cooperation and security to sustain the momentum for Eurasias economic growth. Chinese conflict resolution efforts in Syria, which began in 2016, will gain renewed importance in 2019. In addition to economic support, security containment measures will be added to the roster of Beijings activities in the country. Joint patrols along the Mekong River by the Chinese People Armed Police, the first overseas PLA base in Djibouti and a peacekeeping mission in Africa under the aegis of the United Nations are examples of Chinas expanding security footprint. In this regard, the Wakhan corridor military base in Afghanistan and the transfer of military hardware to the Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan border forces show a gradual shift in the Chinese attitude towards deployment of Chinese military forces overseas. Cooperation with Damascus could be considered Beijings next step towards a more proactive policy. Chinese strategies to protect its investments in Syria will affect the SCOs counterterrorism efforts. Previously, the only voice for a comprehensive engagement was limited to Moscow but a deeper Chinese involvement could mean a greater role for the organisation. Nevertheless, security responsibilities are going to be shared by the SCO members to different degrees. Going forward, China must grapple with how diplomacy driven by investment, which served Beijing well in the past decade, can be sustained by other means. Reluctance to formulate a proper strategy in Syria and in the overall Middle East and North Africa region could hamper Chinas response capabilities in case of a crisis. In this respect, the challenge posed by returning Uighur fighters is not going to be solely resolved by Chinese economic aid to Syria. Beijing is aware that the Belt and Road Initiative is firmly anchored on the receiving countries political stability and security. The negative reverberations of the Syrian conflict and the Middle East instability towards Eurasia are going to affect Chinas win-win narrative of global connectivity and sustainable development. Beijings mantra of prosperity brings stability is not always the case with regards to political violence. In this respect, Beijings imminent economic involvement in the Syrian post-conflict reconstruction process is not a guarantee that all problems will be solved. Syrias geographic position makes it strategic for Beijings global economic, energy and security architecture. Since the Chinese economic presence in Damascus is intended to accelerate the global rebalancing of power, missteps could involve leaving Beijing in a perilous quagmire. China on Saturday rejected German Chancellor Angela Merkel's appeal to join a Cold War-era arms control treaty that the United States accuses Russia of breaching, saying it would place unfair limits on the Chinese military. The Voice of America reports in its article China Rebuffs Germany's Call for US Missile Deal With Russia that fearing a nuclear arms race between China, Russia and the United States after the collapse of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which the United States is withdrawing from, Merkel made her call for a global treaty. "Disarmament is something that concerns us all and we would of course be glad if such talks were held not just between the United States, Europe and Russia but also with China," Merkel told the Munich Security Conference. Russia and the United States are the signatories to the 1987 INF Treaty that bans land-based missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometres (300-3,400 miles) and which U.S. President Donald Trump started the six-month withdrawal from this month, blaming Russian violations. Moscow denies any wrongdoing, but the United States and its NATO allies want Russia to destroy its 9M729 nuclear-capable cruise missile system, which Washington says could allow Russia to strike Europe with almost no warning. Merkel's suggestion of involving China in a negotiation is seen by European NATO diplomats as a potential way out of the impasse because a new treaty could address American concerns about a growing military threat from China and Russia. But China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi, who spoke on a panel in Munich, said that Chinese missiles were defensive. "China develops its capabilities strictly according to its defensive needs and doesn't pose a threat to anybody else. So we are opposed to the multilateralization of the INF," he said. China's stated ambition is to modernize its People's Liberation Army by 2035, improve its air force and push into new technologies including very high-speed cruise missiles and artificial intelligence. Its defense budget grew nearly 6 percent between 2017 and 2018, according to the London-based International Institute for Security Studies (IISS). Retired Chinese Gen. Yao Yunzhu told delegates a new arms control agreement would work only if it included sea- and air-launched missiles, as well as land, because most of China's military technology is ground-based and the country would not want to put itself at a disadvantage. Cheaper to build, more mobile and easier to hide, ground-based rocket launchers are an attractive option to China as it develops its armed forces, experts say, whereas the United States operates more costly sea-based systems to comply with the INF. "China is traditionally a land power and the Chinese military is a ground force," Yao said. "If China is to enter into these kinds of negotiations, I think it ought to be more comprehensive to include not only land-based but also air- and sea-based strike capabilities ... and that would be hugely complicated," she said. By Jaspal Singh Today is the 642nd anniversary of the birth of Guru Ravidass also known as Raidas. He is one of the greatest thinkers and social reformers of India. He was born in a low caste family, leather workers, in a village near Banaras. Like all great figures many legends have developed around his life and work.. Because of his popularity, Brahminization of Ravidass has been attempted. It is claimed that he was born to a Brahmin family but raised by a Chamar family. Other claim is that , he was a Brahmin in an earlier life but was cursed to be born as a Chamar. The idea being that a low born person can not have such deep insights and knowledge, had to be a Brahmin. He is said to have received earlier education from Swami Ramanand , a teacher of fame in Banaras. The legend , the Brahminized version claims that Ravidass went to Ramanand to be his students, Pandits told him that he was a Chamar and can not be taught. But Ramanand, a knower of past and present, knew that Ravidass was a Brahmin in his earlier life and paid no heed to the Brahmins and accepted him as a student. Ravidass travelled across the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent, learnt and debated with Sufis,Sants, Bhagats, Jogis and Pandits. Finally he settled in Banaras, carrying on his trade as a cobbler. Support TwoCircles He condemned the barbaric Jaati Vayavastha or caste system that dehumanized majority of humanity such as women and toilers. He restored the dignity of labour and proudly carried on his trade while teaching and debating. He used Khalas Chamar as his pen name , meaning liberated cobbler,proud of his trade. Men and women of all strata came to him to learn from him and restore humanity of all humans. He preached and taught a radical universal humanism and unity of humans and nature. Tohi Mohi Antar Kaisa Kanak Katak Jal Tarang Jaisaa ( There is no difference between you and me Bracelet and gold,wave and water) We are like a wave on water and water, gold and an ornament made of gold. He argued for an ontological unity of all beings thus revolted against all bonds that denigrate humanity and nature. People thronged to him, specially the toilers and the oppressed as well as other thinking and enlightened people. He proclaimed that Vedas and Shastras were useless and temples,rituals and mosques were no good for a person: Charon Ved Kiya Khandoti, Jan Ravidass Kare Dandoti ( Ravidass condemns four Vedas and bows to the people) Of course Pandits of Banaras did not like this challenge to their authority and privilege of monopoly of knowledge. So it is said that they tried many things to trap him and finally complained to Sultan Sikander Lodhi and asked him to punish him. Sikander Lodhi summoned him and after listening to his arguments honored him and let him go much to the dismay of Pandits. They kept conspiring against him, as he was shutting down their business, by telling people that rituals and rites dictated by the Brahmins were useless. Purity of heart and love for all beings is the way to freedom and authentic existence. Guru Ravidassji, envisioned a new society- Beghampura-A city without sorrows. Free of exploitation and oppression: Beghampura Shahar Ka Naon Dukh Andoh Nahin Tih Thaon Na Tasvis Khiraj Na Maal Khauf Na Khata Na Taras Jawal Kahi Ravidass Khalas Chamar Jo Hum Sahiri Meet Hamar ( City without sorrow is the name of the city Suffering and worry have no place No tax or assessment or possessions No fear, no crime, mercy or charity Ravidass Chammar ( cobbler) declares All fellow citizens are friends) He boldly declared equality of women to men and attacked the Brahmanical canon that claimed that women could not access knowledge, and took women students. Some of his famous students are said to be Meera, Jhalan, Bhanmati, Karam Bai , who became prominent teachers of the time and preached message of Guru Ravidass. Mardana, a Muslim life companion of Nanak and an accomplished musician,recited Shabads of Guru Ravidassji to Nanak. Guru Nanak during his travels came to Banaras and collected some of his poems and they form part of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs. Amritbani, is a collection of songs and poems of Guru Ravidassji. There is a legend about murder of Guru Ravidassji by Brahmins in Chittor their shops were being closed. Life and work of Guru Ravidassji, continues to inspire the oppressed, toilers and enlightened people . Many Dalit scholars,activists and thinkers are inspired by his thought and hermeneutics His life and work will live forever. Best Western Hotels & Resorts announced today that it has acquired renowned global hotel brand WorldHotels representing a collection of approximately 300 unique and special hotels and resorts in premier destinations around the world. There is tremendous synergy between Best Western and WorldHotels. By joining forces in this new partnership, we will create competitive advantages for both companies, said David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. I have the utmost respect for WorldHotels and believe in its vast potential. The acquisition of WorldHotels was completed last week. The WorldHotels brand will play a critical role in enhancing Best Westerns portfolio of offerings to include the upper upscale and luxury segments, he said. WorldHotels will maintain its distinctive personality and individuality while benefiting from Best Westerns robust and scalable E-Commerce platform, strong partnerships, award-winning loyalty program, effective sales and marketing support, global distribution network, and powerful revenue engines. Best Western is one of the largest, most respected and trusted hotel brands, said Geoff Andrew, CEO, WorldHotels. As we join forces, the combined power of our brands sets the stage for a bright future for both Best Western and WorldHotels. Through its established senior leadership team and regional presence in each market, Best Western brings a new level of expertise that will undoubtedly help grow the WorldHotels brand in key markets. Best Western has been on a journey of transformation over the past several years. In the last year alone, Best Western was named one of the worlds Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, expanded its portfolio to 13 dynamic brands reaching new guests in new segments, and won a record number of industry awards and accolades. The acquisition is a testament to Best Westerns commitment to growth, modernisation and continued progression, bolstering the companys position as a trusted leader in the global hospitality industry, a statement said. In the coming months, our focus will be to unlock WorldHotels potential by improving revenue delivery to its hotels while protecting its independent identity. We truly believe our platform and revenue engines will benefit WorldHotels and attract many more independenceminded, quality hotels to join the brand. We are very pleased that Geoff Andrew will continue as CEO of WorldHotels for the foreseeable future, concluded Kong. Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of over 4,200 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide. TradeArabia News Service Answering the question; What value does an event have? can be challenging how do you measure something where the concept of success is difficult to pin down, and there are so many potential outcomes? For some, its enough to know huge benefits are gleaned from meeting buyers face to face in an environment tailor-made to your needs, and this is fine up to a point, but if we are to justify budgets and time away from the office, some form of realistic measurement of the value of events is necessary. Danielle Curtis, exhibition director Middle East, Arabian Travel Market & IBTM Arabia looks at the measurement options available and gives examples of how to use them. Events are commonly measured in terms of Return on Investment (ROI), and, more recently, Return on Objectives (ROO). ROI takes a narrow view of the outcome of the event. It simply compares how much budget you put in, with how much you grew that investment as a result of the event. For example, the cost of the events package that enables you to have one-to-one meetings with hosted buyers, compared with the revenue generated as a consequence of those meetings. Create a ratio and thats your ROI. Seemingly straightforward, but the reality is a bit more complex. ROI doesnt take account of the full value of new relationships that turn out to be long term, and has no way of adding a monetary value to the indirect referrals you may receive as a result of those meetings. ROO is a little more open-minded. Its an approach that measures the success of an event based on a defined set of objectives, other than just financial return. To show ROI or ROO, or both, you must have something to measure from the event. Measuring sales deals secured against the cost of the events to reveal ROI is straightforward, but if your objectives are less tangible or unquantifiable, such as to educate buyers on your product range or to raise market awareness, you will need to build in specific elements that are measurable. There are several established ways to do this and if you understand your goals and content, it is likely you will be able to work out your own methods. To get you started, here are some ideas: Set goals to be achieved during the event Set particular outcomes for face-to-face meetings, for example, aim to agree a certain number of follow up meetings after the event or for a specific number of buyer meetings to lead to detailed explanations of a product, service or process. So, you could set your objective at 20 follow up meetings, or 32 buyers asking for deep and lengthy product presentations and measure whether you achieve this. Be sure to clearly understand what level of engagement you consider a success. Lots of different types of buyers attend events and networking sessions, some will be more relevant to your business than others, so you can set goals for exchanging contacts with specific target audience members. For example, a destination management company with specialisms in luxury tailor-made experiences may wish to connect with 10 buyers that represent high-end corporate clients. Its a worthwhile objective thats easy to measure. Survey your delegates Surveys and tests held during the event, or in the months and weeks after it, are another reliable way to determine whether an educational or informative objective - such as market awareness of a brand or new product launch - has achieved its goals and to what effect. To show a qualitative correlation between the event and achievement of the desired outcome, many choose to survey delegates immediately before the event and immediately after. A change in their answers (hopefully in the required direction) is a reliable measure of the events effect. We spoke to Rajesh W. Pereira, CEO of Matrix AVE about how he assesses ROI or ROO from attending IBTM Arabia: Matrix AVE has attended the show since the early days. We dont expect business overnight, but my objective is to let Hosted Buyers know who we are; its a marketing exercise first and foremost. We want to make connections with buyers in new markets, and we are especially interested in inbound DMCs in countries like Russia who are now able to get a visa on entry into the UAE, making it easier and cheaper to do business with them. We have many more leads as a result of attending, and we regularly follow up with the contacts that we have made at IBTM Arabia. We really enjoy participating in all the social events at IBTM Arabia, the evening networking events and the discovery days, this is because everyone is out of their comfort zones, and you inevitably meet people who are not on your radar, or your diary, and you end up discussing how fun the activities have been and before you know it youve made a new and unexpected business connection. "There you have it, the two primary methods of measuring event success in a nutshell, whether you choose ROI, ROO or a combination of both, you will find the insight provided by the results is a powerful tool to make constant improvements to your event success," Curtis said. IBTM Arabia is part of IBTMs global portfolio of meetings and events industry trade shows and the most established event of its kind in the Mena Mice industry. At its 2018 event, 63 per cent of buyers placed business with exhibitors at an average value of 86,000 ($110,911) per piece of business. The event will take next year place at Jumeirah Etihad Towers from March 25-27 and will bring together exhibitors from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Russia, central Asia, Georgia, Armenia and Cyprus, as well as the UAE and GCC, for three days of mutually-matched meetings, exciting cultural activities, networking events and inspiring educational sessions. - TradeArabia News Service A host of area business leaders are about to descend on the Texas Capitol next week as part of the Montgomery County Day at the Capitol, scheduled for Feb. 25-26 in Austin. The two days, presented by Entergy Texas Inc., are designed to include business leaders from The Woodlands, Conroe, Magnolia and beyond who are part of the Montgomery County Council of Chambers. J. J. Hollie, president of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, said that from the six separate county chambers, there are usually about 150 business leaders and employees who attend the event in Austin. We cant be the voice we need to be alone, as separate groups. Its crucial that we come together and have a collaborative business voice on issues that are important to us, Hollie said. The event will kick off with a legislative reception to network on the evening of Feb. 25, and then Feb. 26 there is a breakfast and luncheon with elected officials, like Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar and Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen. The registration fee for all events totals $75. The various chambers worked together to create a list of four priorities to deliver to the legislators: education, transportation, flood mitigation and health care. Hollie said that by focusing on these areas, the business community can help to put into motion legislation that improves the economy. Its a neat way for us to focus on getting help from the legislature on issues that affect us every day, Hollie said. Due to placing priorities in front of Texas legislators previous years, Hollie said the community has seen a renewed focus on property tax relief and workforce development. Theyve also been able to voice their support for the development of the Entergy Texas power plant near Lake Conroe. If you dont have things like a good supply of water, a supply of electricity, a good supply of employeeseconomies simply dont happen, Hollie said. Although the states legislative session happens only every two years, Hollie added that the priorities of the collective chambers dont arise just every other year. They host candidate forums and advocacy councils throughout the year to ensure their voices are heard even when theyre not taking a trip to the Texas Capitol. jane.stueckemann@chron.com Tomball City Council approved an electric power agreement with iChoosr during their meeting on Feb. 18. The company coordinates an auction during which energy providers compete to offer the lowest rate for a group of residents. Participating residents sign up for free and would be able to accept or reject the offer. The agreement with iChoosr as a broker for deregulated residential electric power was approved by four council members, with council member Chad Degges voting against it. The council was originally going to consider an agreement during its previous regular meeting on Feb. 4, but pulled the agenda item as iChoosr representatives were not available for a presentation. Switching providers seems difficult and, most importantly, people who do not switch are regularly put on significantly higher rates, said Daniel Wilkinson, spokesperson for iChoosr. With Tomball approving the agreement, iChoosr has now partnered with 12 cities in Texas and will provide three switch opportunities a year to allow residents to change electric providers in a program called the Texas Power Switch. The Texas Power Switch is a residential electric aggregate program designed to harness the power of group buy-in. We aggregate residents in deregulated cities across Texas. iChoosr stands in partnership with cooperation with cities on the side of the consumer, Wilkinson said. mayra.cruz@chron.com Tomball City Council will decide if it will approve an electric power agreement and assessments for two public improvement districts. The council will consider if will partner with iChoosr as a broker for deregulated residential electric power. The council was originally going to consider an agreement during its previous regular meeting on Feb. 4, but pulled the agenda item as iChoosr representatives were not available for a presentation. The company provides groups of individuals residents to select the cheapest electric provider after conducting an auction. Participating residents sign up for free and would be able to accept or reject the offer. So far, 10 cities in Texas have partnered with iChoosr, according to their website. If approved, iChoosr would provide three switch opportunities a year to allow residents to change electric providers. The council will also decide if it will approve the service and assessment plan for two public improvement districts. The two districts under consideration would be the Copper Cove and Raleigh Creek subdivisions. Copper Cove, a 13.6-acre site along South Cherry Street near Agg Road, was the sixth public improvement district created by the city in 2017. The assessment plan, which would reimburse the developers for the infrastructure costs along with 2.75 percent in interest, would be a total of $22,692.31 during a 15-year period for each property owner on an average house value of $260,000. If approved by the council, Copper Cove homeowners would pay about $1,959.98 a year. The assessment plan for Raleigh Creek would have its fourth section of the subdivision assessed with a total of $26,197.39 over a 15-year period. An average home in the subdivision is expected to cost about $350,000 and an annual assessment along with 7 percent in interest would cost a property owner $2,984.24, according to the agenda documents. Residents can weigh in on both of the proposed assessments during a public comment session before the council votes. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at 401 Market St. mayra.cruz@chron.com For anyone who has put off paying off that traffic fine or simply just forgot about it, now is the time to pay it off without landing in jail. Missouri City is joining more than 300 agencies statewide to allow offenders to settle fines without going to jail. The roundup began Friday, Feb. 15, and is set to run through Saturday, March 9. One of the men prominently featured in previews for an award-winning documentary set to launch on Netflix this April might look eerily familiar to some Houstonians. The man's face, clearly displayed in promotional photos for the film "Ghosts of Sugar Land," looks strikingly similar to another alleged ISIS supporter from Sugar Land the Chronicle reported on earlier this year. Written by Bassam Tariq and Thomas Niles, the film is based on a group of young Muslim American men from Sugar Land that question the disappearance of their friend Mark, who is suspected of joining the Islamic State, according to a release from Netflix. Warren Christopher Clark of Sugar Land made national headlines when it was reported he was captured by Kurdish rebels in Syria earlier this year. Clark's involvement with ISIS was first reported by the Chronicle last year after a George Washington University study found he had he sent his resume and cover letter to ISIS to request a teaching job. RELATED: Prosecutors allege Sugar Land man linked to 'jihadist fan club' After he was captured in Syria, Clark admitted to supporting the terrorist group in an exclusive interview with NBC News on Jan. 15. He denied engaging in combat. Clark was brought back to Houston to face federal charges after that interview and pleaded not guilty to a charge of " providing material support to the foreign terrorist group known as the Islamic State," the Chronicle reported. Clark could spend 20 years in prison if convicted, per the same Chronicle article. His trial is scheduled for March in U.S. District Court in Galveston. The Chronicle reached out to Netflix to confirm if Clark is, in fact, the same man featured in the film and promotional photos. Netflix media relations personnel said the August launch date was all that could be shared about the film now and refused to confirm or deny Clark's involvement. But side by side comparisons of promotional film shots and Clark's mugshot show a striking resemblance. See all we know on Clark and his ties to Houston in the photos above... Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message UK-based JCB Power Products, a leading provider of robust and reliable power solutions to the construction industry, is all set to make its debut at the Middle East Electricity (MEE) exhibition in Dubai next month. To be held from March 5 to 7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event brings together the worlds leading manufacturers, global experts, governments, contractors and project managers to drive efficiency and cost-effective use of power generation equipment. A leading manufacturer of power generators, JCB Power Products has been working closely with large contractors, and rental companies, such as Rental Solutions and Services, in the UAE which has already taken more than 700 JCB rental generators to build its business, said the company in a statement. Demand for power generators has been growing steadily throughout the Middle East, with JCB Power Products recording a 30 per cent increase in sales over the last three years, it added. During the expo, JCB will showcase its broad portfolio of products including the generators from eight to 2,750 kVA alongside a range of lighting towers. A major highlight is that these JCB generators can be supplied with a variety of engines, including the JCB Dieselmax, to suit individual customer requirements, said a top company official. All benefit from the same market-leading levels of support from JCBs 13 world-class power dealers in the territory; as well as support from the JCB Middle Eastern Office and Parts Distribution in Dubai and JCBs UK headquarters, remarked Adam Holland, the managing director of JCB Power Products. On its debut show, Holland said: "The Middle East Electricity exhibition is a brilliant platform for JCB to meet many potential new customers from across the Middle East, as well as neighbouring regions." "We have some exciting new products to showcase to the region and we will be launching these on the stand in March," he stated. As regulations for back-up power become more stringent, rental companies and contractors are looking to leading manufacturers like JCB to provide the next generation of both prime and emergency standby power generation equipment, he stated. There has been major expansion in the rental industry, to support growing infrastructure developments throughout the Middle East, along with an expansion in event support, he added. Adam Snelson, the general sales manager, said: "Our flagship QS generator range has had fantastic success around the world, particularly in the Middle East and Africa. Weve seen sets, powered by the JCB four-cylinder and six-cylinder ranges, double in sales over the last two years." We continue to see repeat business from customers in many sectors who are choosing the QS models to supply the power for both prime and standby solutions. What sets this range apart is the robust and durable design and the JCB engine. Not only are these engines built to perform, our dealers are very familiar with the engine range, which makes service and support efficient, while spare parts are readily available through our many parts distribution centres, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Witnesses described a suspect as "polite" after he robbed a southeast Houston dollar store in December, according to police. The man, who remains at large, entered the store around 8:20 a.m. Dec. 8 in the 6900 block of Bellfort. He walked up to the clerk while pointing a handgun at her, police said. He then handed her a bag for the money in the register. A man is dead after crashing into a tree in north Houston, police said. The man was driving a gray Honda Civic northbound in the 1300 block of Northborough Drive around 3:20 a.m. Tuesday when he started to veer into oncoming southbound traffic, according to Houston Police Department Sgt. J. Uribe. A southbound driver told investigators that the Civic driver appeared to have overcorrected, swerved off the roadway and crashed into a tree just off the curb. He was pronounced dead on scene. His identity has not been released. 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 The Houston Police Department will end its use of controversial no-knock warrants in most situations, Chief Art Acevedo said during a contentious town hall meeting three weeks after a deadly Pecan Park drug raid that left two people dead and five officers injured. "The no-knock warrants are going to go away like leaded gasoline in this city," Acevedo told the crowd of activists, reformers and concerned community members gathered at Talento Bilingue de Houston. After the event - organized by the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice - Acevedo said any situation in which a no-knock raid would be required would have to receive a special exemption from his office. "I'm 99.9 percent sure we won't be using them," he said. "If for some reason there would be a specific case, that would come from my office." Given the wounded officers and the two slain civilians, the chief said he didn't "see the value" in the controversial raids. "So, that's probably going to go by the wayside," he said. Only on HoustonChronicle.com: Lack of body cameras limits answers from botched Houston drug raid The news came during the meeting late Monday after more than an hour of questions from a furious crowd that repeatedly pressed Acevedo on the conduct of his undercover officers, the use of no-knock warrants and inflammatory comments from Houston police union President Joe Gamaldi who recently seemed to suggest the department was surveilling law enforcement critics. And, despite pushback earlier in the day from a defense lawyer representing the case agent at the center of the botched bust, Acevedo doubled down on his previous statements about the likelihood of charges against the police involved. "I'm very confident we're going to have criminal charges on one or more of the officers," he said. The crowd greeted his declaration with a chorus of angry voices demanding: "All of them." Still, Acevedo said he wouldn't agree to let the Texas Ranger or the FBI take over the investigation. "I feel very strongly that a police department that is not capable of investigating itself and finding malfeasance and criminal misconduct," he said, "we should just shut down -- and that's just not the case here." Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg also tried to assure the crowd that her office would investigate and that bad actors would not be allowed off the hook, but pushed back against "mob justice." "There is a process - it is the justice system," she said. "What you've seen is more accountability - grand juries are returning more true-bills, and we're prosecuting them." When asked whether he would fire Gamaldi or others allegedly surveilling or harassing activists, Acevedo said he wouldn't deal with speculation. In response, activist Shere Dore fired back with an allegation that earlier in the day police came out and took pictures of protesters gathered outside Houston police headquarters to demand murder charges against the case agent behind the raid. Acevedo asked for video to look into the claim. He went on to say that he would roll out a new policy in the coming weeks to make sure that officers participating in raids wear body cameras; the fact that they didn't in the Harding Street raid was a point of contention afterward, given the lack of evidence to counter the initial narrative. But Acevedo's sweeping announcements weren't enough to placate some of the town hall attendees. One member of the audience, Tomaro Bell, expressed indignation over police use of no-knock warrants. "I do believe this officer is going to be charged with murder," she said, of Goines. "But the systemic problems that exist in the undercover narcotics division will not be resolved with this officer charged with murder." Relatives of several people killed in no-knock raids said they believe more investigation was needed before using the raid. Aurora Charles said her brother, 55-year-old Ponciano Montemayor Jr., was killed during a no-knock raid in September 2013. "I just want to see change, that's it," she said. "They've got to do their homework before they go in with these warrants." For some in the crowd, the killing of the Tuttles brought back memories of the killing of Joe Campos Torres in 1977. "We've been down this road before," said Johnny Mata, a longtime civil rights activist. Still, he tried to assure them. "To those who feel down and depressed, that nothing has changed, I'll tell you, it has," he said. At the same time, he called on Gamaldi to reach out to activists. "An apology is still needed," he said, suggesting the union could recall his election. "We don't need any demagoguery." NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. A grand jury will determine if any charges will be brought against a taco stand owner who fatally shot a man following a dispute at his business Saturday morning in Cut and Shoot in eastern Montgomery County. The matter is still under investigation. No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed, Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Brett Ligon said. The owner of Taqueria Maria Bonita at 21120 on Texas 105 East dialed 911 immediately after the shooting around 10:23 a.m., the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office said in a press release. The business owner and the man he shot knew each other and there was a dispute about an incident between the two earlier in the week, Sheriffs Office Lt. John Schmitt said. The owner retrieved a gun from his vehicle and shot the other man three or four times, Schmitt added. A 16-year-old taco stand employee was present during the shooting, he said. Neither the victim or the shooter have been identified. Ligon said the business owner, regardless of whether he was licensed to carry, was in lawful possession of a gun because of the Castle Doctrine. According to Cornell Law School, the Castle Doctrine is an exception to a rule in place in some jurisdictions that requires a defendant to retreat before using deadly force in self-defense. The castle exception states that if a defendant is in his home or business he is not required to retreat prior to using deadly force in self defense. Ligon declined further comment pending the outcome of the investigation. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx Fashion visionary and creative director of Chanel Karl Lagerfeld has died, the company was quoted as saying by CNN. The German designer is best known for his work with the French luxury fashion house Chanel, along with his prodigious output. He was also the creative director at Fendi and his eponymous label, the CNN report said. Lagerfeld, who transformed Chanel after taking the helm in 1983, was rarely seen without his dark glasses and a silver ponytail. With blue skies and mild temperatures, dozens of city and county officials celebrated the opening of Freedom Boulevard Monday and a major step forward for the new Montgomery County Veterans Memorial. The $1.2 million road connects with the Interstate 45 service road and continue east around the Montgomery County Library and connects with FM 2854. The two-lane concrete road provides access to the new Montgomery County Veterans Memorial and the Spirit of Texas bank complex. The project was a collaborative effort between the city of Conroe, Montgomery County and the Spirit of Texas bank. I do want to thank the commissioners court for stepping and helping us and I thank all our council members for being big supporters and helping us achieve this and make this a reality, said Mayor Toby Powell. I want to thank Jimmie Edwards for his continued work. Jimmie, you are doing a great job. While the road was originally dubbed Veterans Memorial Park Drive, retired USMC Cpl. Jimmie Edwards III, who has spearheaded the relocation of the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park near the Montgomery County Library, suggested Freedom Boulevard since Veterans Memorial is widely used. According to city of Conroe Director of Community Development Nancy Mikeska, it took four and a half months to construct the 1,842-foot long road. This was a great way to recognize Presidents Day and marks a significant milestone for the Veterans Memorial Park and Education Center Project, she said. The city is proud to honor our veterans and look we look forward to doing so in a beautiful most fitting way. Edwards began the mission to relocate the park about two years ago. His goal is to improve the park, which has 166 names of local men killed in action during their military service. The $8 million project has gained the support of all the cities in the county along with local and state leaders. Edwards along with the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission is continuing to raise funds for the project. No completion date has been released. When asked if he was confident in continued support to complete the project, Edwards simply responded of course. For Edwards, the project is critical for the county and for all veterans. We have to build this memorial, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley said. We have to make sure this happens. Riley told the crowd when he was first approached by Edwards, he was concerned about the project ever coming to fruition. But if anyone can get it done, Jimmie Edwards can, Riley said. Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador echoed Riley. It opens the door, it jump starts, its the gateway to some amazing things that we are going to see happen, Meador said. cdominguez@hcnonline.com Four men in hoodies picked the wrong time and place to try to break open an ATM. Just before 7 p.m. Monday, the four entered a Flying J Truck Stop at Texas 242 and U.S. 59 in New Caney. Although the truck stop and attached Dennys restaurant were filled with customers including a high school marching band the four went to work attempting to break open the ATM with a hammer and crowbar. courtesy of the Montgomery County Jail A man started a jail sentence Tuesday after pleading guilty to filming women as they undressed and used a restroom at a Woodlands Cheesecake Factory where he was employed. Herman Tharon Watson II, 30, of Houston, is serving a 20-day sentence at the Montgomery County Jail for an invasive visual recording offense which was dropped from a felony to a Class A misdemeanor, according to Tyler Dunman, special crimes chief at the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office. 3 1 of 3 Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A man and woman are facing felony charges after leading deputies on a pursuit in an allegedly stolen vehicle. Deputies with Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heaps Office arrested the pair after a pursuit through west and southwest Houston on Sunday, Feb. 17, according to the Constables Office. Volunteers got the opportunity to paint the runners teal, purple, pink or yellow Saturday morning at the latest Bridge Fest in Kingwood. With plastic cups, squeeze bottles or bare hands, adults and youngsters alike were ready to encrust participants of the annual running event from the Lake Houston YMCA, which came up with the twist for its 28th iteration, with colored and non-toxic cornstarch. The new format applied to the 5K and one of two one-mile stages. Chris Butsch, the Lake Houston YMCAs executive director, said that colors were courted to tap into a trend and to counter the lowered attendance seen in both Bridge Fest runs and national ones. Our board decided that the color run theme seems to fit, he said, afterward adding that this would be the first YMCA-hosted color run in the Greater Houston area. Only on HoustonChronicle.com: Cy Creek YMCA fully reopens March 18, a year-and-a-half after Harvey Going by the centers member service director Talybra Hollins estimation of almost 800 attendees and a highly positive reception, the approach did what Butsch hoped for. Hollins said a color-run encore is possible considering this one was so well-received. Runners Oanh Kargar, Erica Taylor and Carole Sachs were all smiles as they recalled the moments they got to be moving canvases half-an-hour earlier. It was very well-organized, Kargar said of the event as a whole. They did a good job. Sachs concurred. She also praised the volunteers waiting to shower colors onto runners at their stations, whom she described that were having as much fun as we did. When Taylor pointed out how great the events emcee, Lake Houston YMCAs staff member A.C. Curry, was in electrifying the crowd, Kargar and Sachs responded with a definite yes. The three members of the Brenda and John Duncan YMCAs run club then thought Curry wont be able to talk the next day since she had to use her voice for hours. They should do this again, Kargar said. Well definitely do that again. A great family event. The only suggestion that the trio had was that the address to the parking lot where the H-E-B on Kingwood Drive and W Lake Houston Pkwy used to be could have been made clearer to assist non-Kingwood residents. Other than that, however, all of them thought parking was spacious and the shuttle system was efficient. Story for subscribers: Lone Star College, YMCA provide updates to post-Harvey renovations Kargar was most pleased to see an adaptive-needs run. According to Melissa Morrisseau, Lake Houston YMCAs healthy living director, this was the second time a Bridge Fest hosted this. She said proceeds from the event will benefit the community through programs such as Safety Around Water, which assigned instructors and certified lifeguards to communities to teach swimming lessons, or those that would let adaptive-needs children play sports. Morrisseau thanked her team for ensuring the event, despite the challenges it had due to the scale involved, went smoothly. The 28th Bridge Fests attendees were also treated to two announcements: Carol Sutton, formerly Lake Houston YMCAs community liaison, won the 2018 Volunteer of the Year award and March 18 will be the grand opening of the upgraded facility. The YMCA of Greater Houston, founded in 1886, has many branches in the city. Additional information on the nonprofit and ways to assist it are at www.ymcahouston.org. nguyen.le@chron.com LIVING IN HOUSTON: Get the most out of the city. Read about new trends, home decor, gardening and more at HoustonChronicle.com. A bill which could impact affordable housing projects in the city of Houstons extraterritorial jurisdiction has been introduced by State Rep. Gina Calanni. Calanni, a Democrat representing Houston District 132, said House Bill 1881 will accelerate the tax credit application process for affordable housing projects in the city of Houstons ETJ. The bill has not been assigned to a committee for consideration before heading to the full House of Representatives for further action. According to the city, Houstons ETJ is essentially a five-mile band around the citys general-purpose boundaries, with the exception of instances when that band intersects another municipality or its ETJ. Within its ETJ, Houston has limited regulatory authority. Related: State Rep. Gina Calannis first bill takes aim at payments to outgoing superintendents City of Houston boundaries extend all the way along I-10 to just past the Grand Parkway, including Katy Asiantown and other business as the intersection of I-10 and State Highway 99. According to a news release from Calanni, counties and cities are required to pass a resolution of support or no objection for tax credit property applications submitted in a municipalitys ETJ. Under this legislation, the city of Houston would be exempted from this requirement and projects in Houstons ETJ would no longer need to go to the city for a resolution. HB 1881 will speed up the timeline for affordable housing projects in Houstons ETJ, cut down on the paperwork, and remove an unnecessary requirement that slows new projects, Calanni said. Currently, Harris County and Houston have different criteria for issuing affordable housing tax credit resolutions that may conflict with each other, Calanni added. Related: Calannis latest bill would allow Katy officers to enforce commercial vehicle standards This bill would be a great benefit to Houston and Harris County as we each develop new and higher quality affordable homes, said Tom McCasland, director of the Housing and Community Development Department of the city of Houston. Theres no reason for the city of Houston to create an additional layer of bureaucracy for our friends in Harris County. If the bill becomes law, it will take effect on Sept. 1. Calanni represents Texas House District 132 and serves on the Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Committee and the Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee. rkent@hcnonline.com For the first time, the James Beard Foundation will announce nominations for its 2019 awards considered the Oscars of the food world from Houston, the foundation and Houston First announced Tuesday morning. The announcements will come at a live press conference on March 27 hosted at Hugo's restaurant, and will be attended by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. Hugo's in Montrose makes a good location: chef Hugo Ortega won Best Chef Southwest in 2017. FOR HOUSTON LOVERS OF FOOD: Get restaurant news and recipes delivered to your email. Sign up for the newsletter at HoustonChronicle.com. What does the choice of Houston for the prestigious nominations announcement mean for local chefs possibly winding up as finalists for the award that recognizes the top culinary talents in America? That won't be known until the 27th, but the announcements will bring even more recognition to the city's diverse and vibrant dining scene, Reichenbach stated: "The city of Houston's dedication to cultivating and embracing its local restaurants and culinary talent make it the perfect community for such an occasion." In addition to Ortega, Houston chefs Justin Yu was honored as Best Chef Southwest in 2016 for his work at Oxheart, and Chris Shepherd took the same award in 2014 for Underbelly restaurant. Chef Robert Del Grande of Cafe Annie won Houston's first Best Chef Southwest award in 1992. With the James Beard Foundation in H-town, culinary respect must be paid. The foundation is planning to highlight the best of Houston at a benefit dinner at Caracol restaurant, hosted by H-Town Restaurant Group founders Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught, the night before the nominees are announced. Vaught was nominated in 2016 as outstanding restaurateur for her work at Backstreet Cafe, Hugo's and Caracol (together they also own and operate Xochi). LIVING IN HOUSTON: HoustonChronicle.com shows you what's new and great in the city. Follow our coverage here. Houston Beard nominees and semifinalists as well as Houston restaurant royalty -- will participate in the dinner on March 26 beginning with cocktails from Sean Beck, sommelier and beverage director for H-Town Restaurant Group, and Bobby Heugel, a Beard nominee for his work at Anvil Bar & Refuge. Canapes will be prepared by Beard semifinalists Terrence Gallivan and Seth Siegel-Gardner (chef/owners of The Pass & Provisions), Irma Galvan of Irma's (the restaurant was named an American Classic by the Beard Foundation in 2008), Anita Jaisinghani of Pondicheri (a Beard semifinalist), and Kaiser Lashkari, chef/owner of Himalaya Restaurant. Dinner will be prepared by the first Houston chef to win a Beard award: Robert Del Grande, chef/partner of Cafe Annie. Del Grande will be joined by Beard winners Ortega, Shepherd and Yu. Dessert will be prepared by Ruben Ortega, executive pastry chef for H-Town. Tickets are $200 not including tax and gratuity; reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. at Caracol, 2200 Post Oak. NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. A love for companion animals and a dare posed 10 years ago were the catalysts for to Dawn Kubisz to found the no-kill A New Dawn Pet Adoption shelter. Kubisz recalls how she had volunteered at the city of Pasadenas animal shelter for several years. One of the people who came in there all the time said, Why are you here and not doing something like this on your own? Why dont you run your own shelter? Kubisz said. I told her I couldnt. Im handicapped, it will be expensive its just too hard. But she kept pressing me and then she finally just dared me. I think that might have actually been what did it. After establishing a 501 C(3) nonprofit organization, renting an office that had been used by a veterinarian and setting up an adoption structure that Kubisz felt would benefit both animals and families, A New Dawn Pet Adoption was born. The adoption center has room for up to 10 animals at a time, all of which must weigh under 20 pounds. They are usually taken from area shelters that euthanize animals. Only on HoustonChronicle.com: 311 call sheds light on tiger kept in Houston home as tighter restrictions on wild pets sought We have a small capacity, but thats one of the good things about us, said Carol Pickering, who joined the all-volunteer crew about a month after A New Dawn opened. The dogs get their own fairly large rooms with their own blankets and toys, they get time outside to play and we have plenty of time to get to know them. Theyre vetted and happy before we find families for them. Each year, Pickering said, the group has increased the number of animals it finds homes for. In 2018, it was 125 animals. The group accepts applications for pets to be adopted. To cover expenses such as spaying or neutering, vaccinations and microchips, the adoption fee for dogs is $160. For cats, the fee is $60. A New Dawn Pet Adoption What: a no-kill shelter for small companion animals. Where: 202 W. San Augustine, Deer Park 77536 Hours: noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 3:45 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday. The shelter is closed on Sundays. For more information: Visit New Dawn on Facebook or call 281-904-0280. See More Collapse Adoptions of puppies can include a puppy contract requiring that the pet be brought back for final vaccinations or spaying and neutering when it is old enough. The group verifies that applicants for adoptions who already own other pets have spayed or neutered those animals and that those pets be up to date on shots and care. Homes are required to have a fenced yard and dogs cannot be kept outside all the time. Other questions related to dogs cover how the pet will be exercised and what would happen to it in case of life changes in the family such as divorce or birth of a baby. Photos of pets with their new families are posted on the groups Facebook page. Garage sale to pay the light bill Maintaining a seven-day-a-week operation hasnt always been easy, Pickering said. It was certainly tough at first, she said. Its still tough, but it was really tough back then. I remember one month, about mid-June or July, we had an $1,100 light bill and $13 in the bank. We set up this garage sale in the parking lot it was so hot that all the candles and crayons we had out on the table for sale melted, but we were able to make enough money to pay for that light bill. In the years since, A New Dawn, which is entirely run by Kubisz she takes no salary and other volunteers, has relied heavily on fundraisers and sponsorships. It would be wonderful to have a corporate or private sponsor, Pickering said, someone who could come in and say, What do you need, and how can I fund it? Needs range from cash to carpentry work to volunteers who can work regular hours. We have woodwork, doors and such that needs to be replaced, and most of us are women and we dont know how to do that, Pickering said. We need covers for sling beds. The volunteers we have are excellent and were grateful for them, but it can be difficult to find volunteers for two shifts per day, seven days a week. Subscribers: Pet adoption fees waived at Harris County Animal shelter during Valentine's week Pickering said that one of the groups big fundraisers each year is a raffle, where one of the prizes people bid on has always been a large TV, donated by a local business owner. But he retired last year; so were looking for people who can donate things like that really, anything helps, Pickering said. One thing they have been blessed with though, said Pickering, is community support. We are so grateful, she said. We get so much dog food, dog toys, treats, blankets. Whats next for A New Dawn? Kubisz said that her dream would be to own her own building on a larger site where she could take in more animals. Thats the dream to keep helping animals, she said. To find out more about the animals available at A New Dawn or how to help the group, visit it on Facebook or call 281-904-0280. LIVING IN HOUSTON: Get the most out of the city. Read about new trends, home decor, gardening and more at HoustonChronicle.com. U.S. Rep. Brian Babin is hosting a Congressional Art Competition to help students flex their creativity. Students must in be high school and must live within the 36th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Cleveland, Dayton, Liberty, Crosby and Kenefick. The art entries must follow the theme Southeast Texas Wildlife, and depictions may include wild game animals, birds, fish, marine animals, or endangered species indigenous to Southeast Texas. Teachers or home school students must submit an intent to apply application no later than Friday, Feb. 15. The first-place recipient must be able to participate in the national awards reception in Washington, DC. Round-trip airfare and accommodations for two in Washington will be provided. The first-place entry will represent the 36th District for one year in an exhibit in the Cannon Tunnel of the United States Capitol Building in Washington. The second and third place entries will be displayed for one year in Congressman Babins Washington and District offices, respectively. For more information or to sign up, please click here or contact Mrs. Beverly Ferguson, Regional Director of Community Relations, at 832-780-0966 or by email at tx36artcompetition@gmail.com. chris.shelton@chron.com Companies found to have emitted the most air pollutants in 2017 in Texas, according to an environmental report, are in some cases pinning the blame on Hurricane Harvey, as well as unique one-time plant upsets and maintenance. A recent report based on data filed by companies to state regulators identified Texas' top air polluting companies. Environment Texas, an environmental policy nonprofit that analyzed the data and produces the yearly report, found that the Houston metro area, home to several refineries and petrochemical plants, had the second most unauthorized releases of pollutants in the state. RELATED: Texas for most unauthorized pollution, environmental study finds Companies can receive permits to regularly emit pollution while operating major industrial sites. When facilities exceed those permitted levels, companies are required to report the incidents to state regulators with information that includes how much they emitted and the duration of the incident. Using those filings of unauthorized emissions, Environment Texas found in its yearly analysis, that hundreds of companies reported over 4,000 unauthorized pollution incidents in 2017, up a little over 9 percent from the previous year. The group has conducted the annual assessment since 2015. Companies file emissions event reports each time a plant has an unauthorized release of pollutants due to a malfunction or planned activity, such as equipment maintenance. If the plant claims and proves that the excess emissions were not preventable, among other criteria, then no fine is imposed. Both Exxon Mobil and Magellan Midstream Partners mentioned the hurricane as a key contributor to the high emissions their plants produced in 2017. But Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas, said he does not believe this is a valid excuse for the pollutants. He pointed to several Corpus Christi plants, which shut down operations several days prior to the hurricane making landfall. "Certainly there were increases in emissions for some facilities during the hurricane, but we think many, if not most were preventable," Metzger said. "These (events) are preventable if companies take the time, spend the money and train their workers to control emissions." The hurricane may have contributed to 8.3 million pounds of air pollution released by industrial plants immediately before, during and after the storm, as a result of waiting too long to shut down, according to a separate report by the Environmental Integrity Project, a nonprofit organization. Other companies said that the high levels of emissions during 2017 were due to scheduled, one-time work and other singular events. Metzger, however, said contrary to these being one-time events, data from prior years show that violations are ongoing and occur over and over again. PLASTICS: For LyondellBasell CEO, pollution is personal In 2017, 275 companies reported over 4,000 emissions events that resulted in the release of more than 63 million pounds of air pollution in the state, up 27 percent from 2016. As a comparison, the average American family emits 411 pounds of sulfur dioxide each year, according to the Leonardo Academy, a nonprofit that quantifies environmental impacts. The Environment Texas report questioned how effective the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's regulatory process is, showing that enforcement has decreased as a percent of emissions events since 2011. There were more than 4,000 reported unauthorized emissions events reported in the state in 2017, yet the TCEQ only imposed penalties on 58 emissions events that year, data showed. The TCEQ declined to comment on the report specifically, but Brian McGovern, TCEQ spokesperson, said the commission "vigorously" defends its enforcement process. Here are facilities with the greatest unauthorized emissions, according to the Environment Texas analysis: 1. Waha Header Compressor Station, Trans-Pecos Pipeline LLC 3.88 million total pounds "This was the result of an isolated event due to scheduled work that occurred on the pipeline back in 2017," wrote Lisa Dillinger, spokesperson for Energy Transfer, in a statement. "This is not something that will be re-occurring." 2. Mabee Ranch CO2 Plant, Chevron USA Inc. 3.26 million total pounds "In February 2017, we experienced an event at the Mabee C02 Plant, which accounted for over 80 percent of the facility's emissions referenced in the report," wrote Veronica Flores-Paniagua, spokesperson for Chevron, in a statement. "In 2018, we made significant investments in the McElroy field and Mabee C02 Plant to decrease emissions and improve reliability." 3. Seminole Gas Processing Plant, Hess Corporation, OXY USA Inc. 3.03 million total pounds "Occidental took over operatorship of the Seminole Plant in September 2017, and is actively investing in programs to control, monitor and minimize emissions from that plant as we do for all of our operated assets," wrote Susie Geiger, spokesperson for Occidental, in a statement. 4. Galena Park Terminal, Magellan Terminal Holding LP 2.53 million total pounds "Like many others in the energy industry with facilities along the Texas Gulf Coast, in 2017 our Galena Park facility experienced record breaking rainfall and flooding from Hurricane Harvey, which resulted in a petroleum products release and associated emissions event," wrote Bruce Heine, spokesperson for Magellan Midstream Partners in a statement. 5. Silvertio 76 17 Unit P 1H, Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC 2.16 million total pounds "The emissions cited in the report are related to a well-control event that occurred in 2017," wrote John Christiansen, spokesperson for Anadarko Petroleum. "We reported both the event and associated emissions to the Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, respectively, with the Railroad Commission overseeing the cleanup that was completed in 2017." 6. ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery, ExxonMobil Oil Corp. 1.74 million total pounds "The Environment Texas report compiles emissions data submitted to TCEQ for isolated events," wrote Sarah Nordin, spokesperson for ExxonMobil Oil Corp. "Compiling this data does not tell the whole story, especially in 2017 with the impacts of Hurricane Harvey." 7. James Lake Gas Plant, James Lake Midstream LLC 1.57 million total pounds James Lake Midstream could not be reached for comment. 8. JT McElroy 202 TB, Chevron USA Inc. 1.53 million total pounds "In 2018, we made significant investments in the McElroy field and Mabee C02 Plant to decrease emissions and improve reliability," wrote Veronica Flores-Paniagua, spokesperson for Chevron, in a statement. 9. Parks Compressor Station, Targa Pipeline Mid Continent WestTex LLC 1.38 million total pounds Targa Pipeline could not be reached for comment. 10. Goldsmith Gas Plant, DCP Operating Company, LP 1.14 million total pounds DCP Operating Company could not be reached for comment. Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec) has signed a partnership agreement with Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments (ADASI) for two major events next year. The agreement appoints ADASI as a strategic partner of the 2020 editions of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (Umex) and the Simulation Exhibition and Conference (SimTex), set to run at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from February 23 to 25, 2020. ADASI a leading UAE-based firm that offers a comprehensive range of services spanning the entire spectrum of autonomous systems. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, group chief executive officer of Adnec; and Ali Al Yafie, chief executive officer of ADASI, inked the agreement on the sidelines of the 14th edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex 2019). The signing ceremony drew the participation of top officials from both sides including Brigadier Staff Pilot Ali Mohammed Musleh Al Ahbabi, chairman of the higher organising committee of Umex and SimTex 2020; Homaid Al Shemmari, chairman of ADASI; and Saeed Al Mansouri, director of Idex and Navdex 2019. Homaid Al Shemmari said: The national defence industry has experienced a remarkable period of development over the past few years due to the unwavering support extended by our wise leadership as well as the tremendous efforts made by our national companies led by highly skilled Emirati professionals. We are delighted to sign this agreement with Adnec and participate in the upcoming editions of Umex and SimTex as a strategic partner. The move demonstrates our commitment to supporting the UAEs specialised event sector given its importance in showcasing the capabilities and potentials of the local defence industry, as well as facilitating the expansion of local industries into international markets, he added. Humaid Al Dhaheri said: We are proud of this agreement and our collaboration with ADASI to support the development of Abu Dhabi's specialised exhibitions and conferences sector focused on unmanned systems sector. The upcoming editions of Umex and SimTex are set to break the record for the highest number of exhibitors and participating countries as well as the total indoor, outdoor and marine exhibition space allocated for the dual event. This underscore the growing importance of the event both at the regional and international levels, he added. Ali Al Yafei said: The dual exhibition and conference provides our national companies including ADASI with a unique opportunity to showcase their latest innovations in defence and related sectors especially unmanned systems. At the event, ADASI is set to showcase a broad array of state-of-the-art products that have been widely valued by our regional and international partners, he added. Organised by Adnec in collaboration with the UAE Armed Forces, Umex 2020 will exhibit new, advanced unmanned technologies and attract high-level local and international experts to explore the most important developments and successful practices in this vital sector. Umex is the only exhibition in the region dedicated to unmanned systems and technologies used in air, land and marine operations. Meanwhile, SimTex focuses on demonstrating simulation and training technology and capabilities. The biennial dual event convenes international delegations and decision-makers from the defence and aerospace industry as well as senior officials from the government and private sectors to explore the latest technologies and examine potential business opportunities. The previous edition of Umex and SimTex in 2018 drew the participation of 122 major global defence-related companies from 34 countries, it added. TradeArabia News Service Annova LNG has entered into an agreement to buy 405 megawatts of electricity for the company's proposed liquefaction plant at the Port of Brownsville. The proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal has signed a facilities agreement to buy 405 megawatts of power from the South Texas Electric Cooperative, Annova announced on Monday. Under the deal, Magic Valley Electric Cooperative, a Pharr, Texas-based member of the South Texas Electric Cooperative, will bc the sole power provider to the plant. "This agreement is yet another example of Annova LNG's momentum," Annova LNG CEO Omar Khayum said in a statement. "The project continues to make significant progress as we begin 2019." Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox Annova LNG, a subsidiary of Chicago power generation company Exelon, is seeking permission from both the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to build a terminal at the Port of Brownsville that will export 6 million metric tons of LNG per year to customers in Asia, Europe and Latin America. FERC officials recently reopened the public comment period for Annova LNG's environmental impact statement after several federal agencies were unable to file their comments during the 35-day partial federal government shutdown that ended on Jan. 25. Public comments for the Annova LNG project are now due on March 13 while a final federal permit decision is still scheduled for July. If the project is approved and built, Magic Valley Electric Cooperative confirmed that Annova will become the electricity provider's largest customer. As one of three proposed LNG export terminals at the Port of Brownsville, Annova LNG faces stiff opposition from a coalition of environmentalist, shrimpers, fishermen and community groups working under the banner Save RGV From LNG but has support from the members of the business community and politicians. "The Annova LNG project has a significantly lower environmental impact on the Rio Grande Valley than other proposed projects due to its use of electrical power instead of natural gas to drive its liquefaction compressors," Khayum said in a statement. Politics: FERC reopens comments on three LNG projects in aftermath of federal shutdown If approved by state and federal regulators, the Annova LNG project would support around 700 construction jobs over a four-year period and support another 165 full-time jobs upon completion. Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer BBVA Compass and the Houston Rockets are launching their third annual small business contest, though this year will focus on startups needing a financial boost to become digitally innovative. In the past, small business owners detailed their companies and what they would do with the winnings. This year, entrants will also be judged on how new technology would be used to make their businesses more productive. Over the next 10 months, Halliburton plans a series of celebrations marking its centennial at its locations around the world, including Houston, its headquarters for more than 15 years. Erle Palmer Halliburton pawned his wife's wedding ring to help fund the young oil well cementing business in Burkburnett, Tex. In the ensuing 100 years, the company has developed much of the drilling technology that yielded a shale revolution in the U.S. Interviewed at HoustonChronicle.com: Halliburton CEO sees three catalysts for service company growth in 2019 Born in Henning, Tenn., Erle Halliburton began working at the age of 12. After a stint in the Navy, he worked the oilfields of California, where he learned the cementing business. He and his fiance in 1919 moved to Burkburnett, where he started an oilfield cementing business of his own. The couple eventually got the ring back and the company got its first big break working for the Skelly Oil Co. in the oil fields of Oklahoma. Among Halliburton's notable dates: It received its first of about 37,000 patents worldwide in March 1921. It performed its first commercial hydraulic fracturing job in 1949. Only for subscribers at HoustonChronicle.com: Wildcatters in the Nevada desert seek the 21st century version of Spindletop The U.S. Department of Justice fined Halliburton $1.2 million in July 1995 after a subsidiary exported technology and services to Libya, which was facing sanctions at the time. In 2014, the company entered into a $1.1 billion settlement for its role in the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The company and Baker Hughes announced a $7.4 billion merger in Nov. 2014. The merger fell apart in May 2016, but both companies have returned to profitability. At HoustonChronicle.com, you can read many more details about Halliburton's history and learn how the company used technology to evolve over the decades. NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. Oil closed higher for a fifth session as fresh evidence of OPEC production cuts tempered concern about the economic damage from global trade standoffs. Futures rose 0.9 percent on Tuesday in New York, reaching their highest point since mid-November. A U.S. government official said trade talks with China were accelerating as a March 1 deadline approaches, even as the European Union vowed a swift response if America targets automobile imports. On the supply side, Saudi Arabia is slashing crude exports. Even as U.S. prices gained on Tuesday, Brent, the global benchmark, slipped for the first time in six days. Oil has rallied more than 20 percent this year as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other big exporters curtail output. Still, signs of slowing economic growth and record U.S. crude production have weighed on sentiment. PREVIOUSLY: Oil climbs to 3-month high on supply curbs and trade talks Investors "are focusing more on the trade talks right now," said Scott Bauer, chief executive officer of Prosper Trading Academy in Chicago. "But we know all it takes is one tweet or one headline to turn that around, so I don't think that volatility is going to go away any time soon." West Texas Intermediate for March delivery, which expires Wednesday, rose 50 cents from Friday's closing price to $56.09 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Monday's transactions were booked Tuesday for settlement because of the U.S. President's Day holiday. The more-active April contract gained 47 cents to $56.45. Brent for April settlement edged down 5 cents to $66.45 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The contract was at a $10 premium over WTI for the same month. AT THE PUMP: Gasoline prices resume slow rise before spring While high-level meetings in Beijing last week made little obvious progress, U.S. President Donald Trump called them "very productive" and has said he's willing to delay additional tariff increases as long as there's movement toward a "real deal." Chinese trade negotiators headed back to Washington for more talks starting Tuesday. Tanker tracking firm Kpler estimated Saudi oil exports fell to 6.2 million barrels a day in the first half of this month, lower than the 6.9 million indicated by Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih for March. It's less likely the kingdom will be able to revive shipments, given production at its largest offshore field Safaniyah is curtailed, Kpler said. --With assistance from Sharon Cho. 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Houston oilfield service giant Halliburton has added a Texas A&M University vice chancellor and a health care industry veteran to the company's board of directors. Katherine Banks and Patricia Hemingway Hall were named to the board effect Feb. 13 and will both stand for election by stockholders during the company's annual meeting on May 15. Banks vice chancellor of engineering and national labs at Texas A&M University in College Station while Hemingway Hall has held numerous executive roles in the healthcare industry for more than four decades. "With Katherine and Pat, we strengthen our board with one leader who has extensive experience in engineering and technology and another who served as a CEO in the rapidly changing healthcare industry and has substantial corporate governance experience," Halliburton CEO Jeff Miller said in a statement. "These women both possess proven leadership skills and bring diverse backgrounds that will serve Halliburton well as we continue our mission to collaborate to maximize asset value for our customers and deliver industry-leading returns for our shareholders." Halliburton Turns 100: From mules and wagons to 21st century tech Banks and Hemingway Hall will become the 10th and 11th people on the Halliburton's current board of directors, who hail from a variety of industries. Founded by legendary oilman Erle P. Halliburton in 1919, the Houston oilfield service company is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Halliburton started the company with a borrowed wagon and two mules and later pioneered hydraulic fracturing technology, which unlocked vast reserves of crude oil and natural gas in shale geological formations around the United States decades later. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox Employing more than 60,000 people in 80 nations, Halliburton closed 2018 with a $1.66 billion profit on nearly $24 billion of revenue. Houston-based D'Agostino Cos. plans to develop a three-story medical office building at 6921 Brisbane Court in Sugar Land's Telfair community. Transwestern will provide leasing services, with Justin Brasell and Christian Connell handling the assignment. RELATED: Signs of health in medical office market Construction of the 38,800-square-foot building is slated to begin in April, with initial tenants moving in by year end. The project is 50 percent preleased by a diagnostic imaging center and ambulatory surgery center. "Sugar Land continues to be home to a very entrepreneurial physician base," Brasell said in an announcement. "We are excited to be a part of a project where tenants may participate in ownership of the building, offering them and their families a real estate investment in a strong market." Browne McGregor Architects designed the building, and Arch-Con Construction is the general contractor. The 2.78-acre site near U.S. 59 and University Boulevard was purchased in December. Why a centuries-old religious dispute over Ukraine's Orthodox Church matters today A new Orthodox Church was recently established in Ukraine. Shortly after, Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople and the spiritual head of global Orthodox Christianity, granted independence to the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine and transferred its jurisdiction from the church of Moscow to the church of Constantinople, located in Istanbul. This competition between the churches of Constantinople and Moscow for dominance in the Orthodox Christian world is not new it goes back more than 500 years. But the birth of the new Orthodox Church in Ukraine opens a new chapter in this history. So what is Ukraine's new church, and how will it change the global political and religious landscape? Constantinople vs. Moscow The Patriarchate of Constantinople is considered the most important of the world's 15 independent Eastern Orthodox churches. Although Eastern Christianity is less hierarchical than its Western Catholic counterpart, the Patriarch of Constantinople nevertheless has great authority over the Orthodox world. This authority stems from Constantinople's claim to primacy, which is rooted in its early history. In the fourth century A.D., Emperor Constantine made two decisions that changed the world: he made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire, and he moved the capital of the Roman empire from Rome to the then-modest city of Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople after the emperor. With the fall of Rome in the fifth century A.D., Constantinople became the uncontested center of the Roman empire, making Byzantium the center of Christian power. In the centuries that followed, the Patriarch of Constantinople challenged the universal authority of the Pope in Rome on both theological and political grounds. In 1054, this contest between Patriarch and Pope culminated in the "Great Schism," which split the Christian world into the Catholic "West" and Orthodox "East" a division that has shaped politics and religion to this day. Constantinople retained its position as the imperial center of Christianity for a millennium, until the city fell to the Ottomans in 1453 A.D. Importantly, even after the fall of the Byzantine empire as a political order and the change of the city's name from Constantinople to Istanbul, the church retained its original name. It is the last remnant of Byzantium in the modern world. With Constantinople's fall, Orthodox Christianity became a minority faith under Islamic rule. Moscow's Orthodox Church became the most powerful Eastern Christian church on sovereign territory. This allowed it to position itself as the heir of the Christian empire. From Kiev to Moscow Moscow was not a new church. Its origins dated to 988 A.D., when Christianity was adopted as the religion of Kievan Rus' the medieval state that encompassed much of what is now Ukraine, Belarus, and the European parts of Russia. Kiev was the first political center of the Rus' state, and the church of Kievan Rus' was subservient to Constantinople. In the late 1230s, when Kiev was besieged by the Mongols, Constantinople authorized the transfer of the church north. In the 13th century, the church moved to Moscow, which had become the regional center of political power. Until the 16th century, Moscow remained under the religious authority of Constantinople for 300 years. But once Moscow felt powerful enough to assert its authority over Constantinople, it leveraged its position as the largest and wealthiest Orthodox church to establish its own patriarchate, the highest religious body within Orthodox Christianity. Moscow vs. Kiev Ukrainian Orthodoxy was under the jurisdiction of the Russian church for over 300 years, until 2019. The reasons for this were pragmatic. Ukraine's position as a borderland between Western and Eastern Christianity placed Ukrainian Christians between the authority of Moscow, Rome, and Constantinople. After Kiev's fall to the Mongols in the 13th century, Ukraine was caught between two powerful neighbors with opposing religious identities: to the East, Orthodox Russia, and to the West, Catholic Poland-Lithuania. In the 1600s, Ukraine found itself under pressure from Catholic neighbors intent on converting Orthodox Ukrainians to Catholicism. For Constantinople, this made the value of protection from a powerful Orthodox neighbor apparent, and it turned to Moscow for help. In 1686, Constantinople placed Ukrainian Orthodoxy under Moscow's authority. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine Since Constantinople had authorized Moscow's original claim to Ukraine in 1686, today's Ukraine needed Constantinople to break the ties that bound Ukrainian Orthodoxy to Moscow. But why does Ukraine want to break these ties now? Throughout Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia since 2014, the Ukrainian state has grown more vocal in its support for an independent Ukrainian church. Ukraine's leaders cast Ukrainian Orthodoxy's break from Moscow as the final step of Ukraine's journey to political independence. Until 2019, Ukraine a country of almost 45 million people, around 30 million of whom identify as Orthodox Christians had three separate Orthodox Churches: the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev Patriarchate, and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. All three vied for the position of national church of Ukraine on different grounds. Although the three churches had no doctrinal differences, only the church under the Moscow Patriarchate was recognized as legitimate in the greater Orthodox world. The other two churches were independent, but considered illegitimate, or "schismatic," by both Constantinople and Moscow. Even with state patronage then, Ukrainian Orthodoxy needed religious support if it was to get an independent church that was also theologically legitimate. The church of Constantinople provided the solution to this problem. Given this complex religious landscape, Constantinople did two things to establish a new Ukrainian church independent of Moscow. First, on Oct. 11, 2018, it revoked the 1686 decision to grant Moscow jurisdiction over Ukrainian Orthodoxy. Then, on Dec. 15, Constantinople recognized Ukraine's two "schismatic" churches as legitimate after which they united and held a council to adopt a common charted and elect a leader. Finally, on Jan. 5, at a ceremony in Istanbul, the Patriarch of Constantinople gave the new Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine, Epiphanius I, the tomos of autocephaly a church document proclaiming the church's independence from Moscow. Alongside Ukraine's religious leaders, the ceremony was also attended by Ukraine's President, Petro Poroshenko. Why old religious disputes matter My work on the history of religion and politics shows that old religious disputes continue to shape modern politics. For Ukraine, the realignment of Ukrainian Orthodoxy from Moscow to Constantinople takes Ukraine out of the "Russian World," an ideology that Russia uses to make claims beyond its political borders. The Russian Orthodox Church, meanwhile, has broken ties with Constantinople, and does not recognize the legitimacy of Ukraine's new Orthodox Church. It continues to claim jurisdiction over Orthodoxy in Ukraine. Orthodox churches beyond Ukraine are now forced to choose between Moscow and Constantinople. The conflict over Ukraine has moved to the global stage. Victoria Smolkin, Associate Professor of History, Wesleyan University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Scottish Parliament commends ambitious church project to serve whole community A congregation in southern Scotland has won the praise of the Scottish Parliament for an ambitious project to transform their church building into a community hub. Mayfield and Easthouses Church, in Midlothian, has invested 450,000 in overhauling the building so that it can serve the community as a house of worship and arts centre hosting a wide range of events, like musical productions, film screenings and exhibitions. The refurbishment was led by the Rev Malcolm Muir and started out of the congregation's desire to serve the community in more imaginative ways. The modifications also make it possible for the church building to be open seven days a week. Changes include a new community cafe with children's play area and charity shop to act as a meeting place for families and other members of the community. Other additions to the church include a smart heating system, updated kitchen and floor to ceiling windows. The project caught the attention of MSPs across the parties, including Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, who attended the opening ceremony last week. He was also one of the MSPs who signed a motion in the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood congratulating the congregation for their vision. Mr Beattie said: 'It is fantastic to see that the work to create a modern, comfortable church in the heart of Mayfield has now been completed. 'I hope that this will be a real asset to the community and open up opportunity for people to get involved and see the future possibilities for the church.' Mabel Currie, Session Clerk of Newbattle Parish, said: 'We are absolutely delighted that work to create a modern, comfortable building in the heart of our community has now been completed. 'It is a source of great pride and joy for the congregation which has always used the church in creative ways and the refurbishment allows us to take that to the next level.' Scottish Government says it will not review transgender school guidance despite complaints The Scottish Government has ruled out a review into controversial guidance for schools on transgenderism despite complaints from women's groups. The guidance, 'Supporting Transgender Young People', has been met with controversy over a number of recommendations, including that schools need not inform parents if their children express a desire to change gender. Questions have also been raised over sections of the guidance that say transgender children should be allowed to use the school facilities of their chosen gender, compete in the gender they identify as, and be allowed to share overnight accommodation with their preferred gender. Campaign group Women and Girls in Scotland responded to the guidance with a lengthy report expressing serious concerns over the safety and comfort of girls who have to share their spaces with students who identify as female while still being male-bodied. The group said that measures designed to make transgender students feel comfortable 'may have a negative impact on other groups of children and young people who are not transgender'. It was concerned that allowing male-bodied young people to use intimate female spaces like bathrooms and changing facilities could compromise girls' rights to 'privacy and dignity'. Scotland's Children's Commissioner Maire McCormack has also expressed reservations. In a letter to Scottish equalities minister Christina McKelvie earlier this month, she said she had received 'a number of complaints' about the guidance, which was drawn up by LGBT Youth Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Trans Alliance. Ms McCormack told the Herald Scotland last month that she recognised the concerns and that 'it is clear further work needs to be done'. She recommended that a Child's Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) be undertaken on the guidance prior to it being used in schools. In her letter to the equalities minister, she said the guidance may conflict with the Equality Act and Scotland's international human rights obligations. 'The Scottish Government has committed to human-rights based approaches to the delivery of children's services and fulfilment of its duty to ensure that guidance is available for those working with all children and young people to help to support their wellbeing needs and best interests,' she said. 'As part of this, the commissioner welcomes the preparation of a CRIA for all practice guidance materials and resources which are intended for use in schools and educational establishments in Scotland. This ensures that all guidance follows international human rights standards and is compliant with existing domestic and international law.' Last year, members of the Haddington branch of the SNP also challenged the guidance, saying that it was being adopted 'apparently without any consultation, evaluation or risk assessment', adding that it was indicative of 'transgender ideology' sweeping across Scottish schools. Free Church minister David Robertson shared their concerns. 'The Haddington SNP branch is quite right and brave to challenge the government's wholesale adoption of the militant trans agenda,' he said. 'The advice in the guidance is harmful and totalitarian, and the adoption of the radical transgender agenda is an attack on women. It's about time that others spoke up.' According to STV, the Scottish Government has confirmed that it will not be carrying out any review of the guidance. 'Scotland is on its way to becoming the first country in the world to have lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusive education embedded in the curriculum,' a Scottish Government spokesperson said. 'Our education system must support everyone to reach their full potential and it is vital that the curriculum is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools. 'As this is not a Scottish Government publication, it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Government to undertake any review. The guidance is one of a range of tools available to schools and education authorities in their support for transgender pupils.' Global ammonia capacity is poised to see a growth of 20 per cent over the next five years, according to a report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. The capacity will potentially increase from 233.85 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) in 2018 to 280.36 mtpa in 2023, it said. The companys report, Global Ammonia Industry Outlook to 2023 Capacity and Capital Expenditure Forecasts with Details of All Active and Planned Plants reveals that around 99 planned and announced plants are scheduled to come online, predominantly in Asia and the Middle East, over the next five years. Ammonia capacity in Asia is expected to increase from 109.65 mtpa in 2018 to 123.22 mtpa in 2023, at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 2.3 per cent. Among the countries in the region, Chinas capacity will reach 74.99 mtpa by 2023. Major capacity addition will be from the plant, Shandong Lianmeng Chemical Group Shouguang Ammonia Plant, with a capacity of 1.65 mtpa by 2023. GlobalData identifies the Former Soviet Union (FSU), as the second highest in terms of ammonia capacity contribution in the global ammonia industry. It is expected to increase from 30.82 mtpa in 2018 to 37.65 mtpa in 2023, at an AAGR of 4.0 per cent. Most ammonia capacity contributions are in Russia, with capacity of around 24.59 mtpa. Major capacity contribution will be from the plant, Novomoskovsk Azot Novomoskovsk Ammonia Plant, with a capacity of 1.84 mtpa by 2023. Within the Middle East, ammonia capacity is expected to increase from 20.12 mtpa in 2018 to 30.05 mtpa in 2023, at an AAGR of 8.0 per cent. Among countries, Irans capacity will reach 13.12 mtpa by 2023. Major capacity contribution will be from the plant, FALAT RCF GSFC JV Chabahar Ammonia Plant, with a capacity of 1.05 mtpa by 2023. Dayanand Kharade, petrochemicals analyst at GlobalData, said: Asia will continue to be a major contributor, accounting for 44 per cent of global ammonia capacity in 2023. Within Asia, China will account for almost three-fourths of Asias capacity in 2023. Ammonia capacity in North America is expected to increase from 27.23 mtpa in 2018 to 31.16 mtpa in 2023, at an AAGR of 2.7 per cent. The US is forecast to be the top country in the region with capacity additions of 22.64 mtpa by 2023. Major capacity contributions will be from the plant, Nutrien Kenai Ammonia Plant, with a capacity of 1.25 mtpa. Europe follows among the global regions in terms of ammonia capacity contributions and it is expected to remain at 21.23 mtpa from 2018 to 2023. Germany leads in Europe, contributing around 3.48 mtpa by 2023. Dangote Group, Nagarjuna Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd, and Nakhodka Fertilizer Plant are the top three companies globally in terms of planned capacity additions over the outlook period. The report also states that the three highest planned and announced global ammonia capacity addition plants in the forecast period are Nakhodka Fertilizer Plant Nakhodka Ammonia Plant in Russia, Maaden Waad Al-Shamal Phosphate Company Ras Al Khair Ammonia Plant 2 in Saudi Arabia, and FALAT RCF GSFC JV Chabahar Ammonia Plant in Iran with capacities of 1.80 mtpa, 1.10 mtpa and 1.05 mtpa, respectively, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Row over Brexit has made truth 'slippery', says Bishop of Salisbury Christians trying to make sense of Brexit must seek truth and consider the views of others 'in love', rather than giving in to 'easy caricatures' of people they disagree with, says the Bishop of Salisbury. Bishop Nicholas Holtam told the Diocesan Synod that Britain had got itself 'in a bit of a mess', as he voiced concern over rising nationalism and the future of the union. He also cautioned people to remain civil in the debate over Brexit, which continues to be the subject of fierce debate among Britons even as the deadline to leave the EU draws near. 'What are we doing as a country?' he asked. 'It feels as though truth has become slippery. There are 'alternative facts'. But even if it is difficult to get it right, keep on being about the truth. 'That's why it matters we challenge one another, and do so in love. And in such a divided debate, rather than slip into easy caricatures of the people with whom we disagree, take the trouble to represent the views of others at their best rather than worst, as accurately and fairly as we can.' The bishop called on clergy and laity from across the diocese to use the 'convening power of churches' to bring people together to find ways of encouraging one another as well as debating the important issues. Even though Christians too are split on Brexit, he said it was important that the faithful model 'good practice' in seeking to answer the difficult questions thrown up by Britain's exit from the EU. 'I have never felt more urgent about what the Christian Gospel has to contribute to our common good. There is a real issue of what is being unleashed,' he said He asked Christians to join with him in praying for the nation's leaders as they steer the country through Brexit. 'Pray for our politicians and especially for the government. Brexit is widely thought to be the most difficult task the country has undertaken in peace time,' he said. 'We might not have the best politicians, but they are the best politicians we've got. May God give them good judgement and set them free from self-interest so they act for the good of all.' He also asked that they pray with him for the UK and Northern Ireland, adding, 'I do think the union is threatened by this.' 'And pray as well as for the EU,' he continued. 'We are in this together. We may be leaving the EU but we will still be European. How are we going to remain an outward looking, global, creative, collaborative and imaginative contributor in this politically and environmentally fragile world? 'And whatever happens on 29 March, we can reasonably expect the sun will rise the day after. Life goes on. Continue to seek to live by the values by which Christians live. Seek peace, truth, justice and above all love.' New initiative invites young people to give a year to God Young Christians in the Diocese of Chichester are being invited to spend a year with a church discerning what God's calling on their life might be. The invitation is going out as part of a new initiative called 'Pursuit' launched by the diocesan youth team to get young believers thinking about their vocation. Pursuit is giving young Christians the opportunity to give a year to God by serving with a local church focused on an area of ministry that inspires them. As part of the initiative, those who sign up will have hands on involvement in the diocese's flagship youth event, May Camp, with a chance to plan, lead and join over 500 young people in worshipping and learning about Jesus. Pursuit will also give associates the chance to take part in a two-week overseas mission trip serving Jesus in a 'new and challenging' location that is different from what they are used to. Dani Taylor, the Diocesan Youth Officer who is leading the new project, said: 'Our vision for the Pursuit year is to see a generation of young leaders released to learn, grow, be challenged, make mistakes and, most of all, to lead in step with Jesus. 'However, our vision is beyond a year - the journey towards being a great leader is a lifetime pursuit. We want young people to catch God's vision for his people and to be the outworking of that in the world. 'Participants will be able to spend a year, unhindered by responsibility, listening to God, serving in the local church and discerning their vocation and call. 'They will have the opportunity to love and serve the local church and their community as well as give time to God and deepen their knowledge, theologically, biblically, spiritually and practically. We want all associates to be able to gain hands-on experience that comes from pursuing God, seeing where He's working and joining in.' The Rev Carl Smith, rector of St Mary's, Slaugham and St Mark's, Staplefield knows from his own experience that such a year can make all the difference to discerning God's calling. He took part in the YES scheme (Youth Equipped to Serve) at St Luke's Prestonville in Brighton back in 2000, which gave him the chance to work with young people as well as in other areas like worship music, the parochial church council, and city-wide ministries. Now as an ordained minister, he is hoping that a young Christian can experience a similar time of growth at his church. 'When I reached the end of my time at college, I knew I wanted to do something for God but was unsure as to what that could be. A number of people suggested I try a year out in the diocese,' he said. 'It was great to have a year in which I was able to explore different aspects of ministry inside and outside the church, aided both by an amazing mentor and a great vicar. It was also really formative for me to share this experience with five others who were doing the same year out in other churches. 'I highly commend a church-based year out to any young person who wants to explore ministry in any capacity. So much of what you learn will be transferable to so many situations in your future ministry, whatever that may look like.' Netherlands' most senior Catholic bishop may lose cathedral over falling attendances The most senior bishop in the Dutch Catholic Church could be forced to move out of his cathedral because of the financial strain brought on by falling attendance. The diocesan board has decided to sell St Catherine's Cathedral because it can no longer afford to maintain the building, which was completed around the year 1550. The cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht and its Archbishop Cardinal Wim Eijk, who will have to relocate to another church if the sale goes ahead, Dutch News reports. The diocesan board is reportedly planning to sell the cathedral to the former convent next door, which was converted into a museum of religious art. According to Dutch News, Cardinal Eijk is not opposing the sale. This stands in contrast to over 1,000 parishioners who have signed a petition calling for the cathedral to be preserved as an inner-city church and not turned into a museum. They argue that the building is still home to a vibrant community with regular celebrations, courses, faith meetings, processions, choirs and open days, in addition to serving as the seat for the Archdiocese of Utrecht. 'Closing the cathedral and thus removing the visibility of Catholicism in the inner city will prevent growth of the community in the future,' the petition said, adding that the building was 'not yet ripe to become a museum'. Objections to the sale of the building are to be heard at a hearing on February 20. Church historian Peter Nissen told Dutch News that he was only aware of two other times in history when bishops in the Netherlands had to move to a different cathedral. This would be the first time, in his opinion, that the move was happening because of financial constraints. 'It will be the first time a bishop loses his seat because of efficiency savings, which in turn are the result of the falling number of churchgoers,' he said. Irish Primate tells abuse victims he's sorry for Catholic Church's failures ahead of Vatican summit Archbishop Eamon Martin has apologised over the failure of the Catholic Church to protect people in its care from sexual abuse at the hands of predatory priests. The head of the Irish Catholic Church said abuse victims were 'uppermost in my thoughts' as he prepares to attend a major safeguarding summit at the Vatican this week. In the run-up to the summit, Archbishop Martin has been meeting with abuse survivors across the four provinces of Ireland to hear their views. He said that abuse survivors had asked that the Catholic Church 'openly express atonement and say "sorry"' for what they suffered. 'In recent weeks I have met with some of you and heard about how you were hurt and violated, and about how your young lives were turned into a nightmare by people who betrayed the sacred trust that you and your families had placed in them,' he said. 'I am truly sorry for what was done to you. 'I've learned also about how abuse devastated your confidence in yourself and others, your relationships, your family, and in some cases your spiritual, emotional, mental and physical well-being. Abuse broke your heart and spirit and sometimes you couldn't tell anyone for years. 'And then - when all you wanted was to be believed and supported by the Church, and your abuser to be stopped from harming others - there were too many failures to listen, to understand, and to do what was right and just. 'I am truly sorry for these failures.' The summit, which starts on Thursday, was convened by Pope Francis and is bringing together over a hundred presidents of bishops' conferences for four days of intensive discussion on preventing clergy abuse. The Associated Press reports that organisers of the summit will meet with survivors of clergy abuse to hear their concerns, although they will not address the summit directly. The survivor meeting is being coordinated by Chilean abuse victim Juan Carlos Cruz, who told The Associated Press he wanted 'constructive and open dialogue' and for bishops to stop pleading ignorance about abuse. The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will also be joining the summit. In a letter to priests on Tuesday, he asked for prayers. 'These will be difficult and painful days and I need your prayers,' he said. Independent Group: why seven Labour MPs have left the party Why are Labour MPs quitting the party? After many months of speculation, seven of them gave their reasons. At a press conference launching their new Independent Group of parliamentarians, they cited the Labour leadership's response to anti-semitism within the party; Brexit policy; and Corbynism itself as what drove them out. Luciana Berger, the MP for Liverpool Wavertree, could not have been clearer as to her reasons for leaving. She has campaigned resolutely for a more robust response to anti-semitism within the Labour Party. She has been very open about what she has wanted the Labour leadership to do over many months for instance, with the row last summer over the party's reluctance to adopt, in full, an international definition of anti-semitism (something it eventually did do in September). When she described bullying and bigotry in her speech, Berger was speaking from her experience within the Labour Party, and the abuse she has received on and offline. Berger's speech was powerful, and will be returned to many times over the coming months. Brexit was mentioned a great deal on the platform. Labour's approach, certainly since the Brexit debates in British politics have become clearer, has been to seek to avoid blame, whatever the outcome. It has sought to avoid being blamed for the frustrations felt by those who voted Leave but has also tried to avoid being blamed for Brexit by any Remainers who might suspect the party of facilitating departure from the European Union rather than blocking it. Some in the party were supportive of this studied ambiguity during the 2017 general election. Labour could not be pinned down on its Brexit position so attracted votes from both Leave and Remain camps. But now, as parliament hurtles towards a point where it must make a decision, this strategy has led to real fracturing. Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, has indicated that he knows the strategy has reached its end, but Jeremy Corbyn has so far sought to hold Labour's line. There is, no doubt, an incredibly difficult electoral coalition for any Labour leader to manage on this point. But having run for the leadership on the basis of resetting relations between members and MPs including respecting the policy wishes of members Corbyn's stance appears inglorious to some Remainers. The membership has, after all, shown significant support for holding a second referendum. A new direction Corbynism itself was highlighted by some of the MPs who have quit Labour and, of course, people have different views about what exactly Corbynism is. Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker and Mike Gapes all, to different extents and with different focuses, took issue with the Corbynite worldview. Anne Coffey brought this together in her contribution, using the language of Labour's "broad church". The old adage associated with Harold Wilson has been passed down through generations of Labour Party people. At its simplest, it is about doctrinal diversity and collegiality: that there are many definitions of Labour's socialism, and within the boundaries of democratic socialism all are welcome within the Labour Party. The broad church mentality is key to preventing division from turning into rancour, but has too often been absent within the contemporary Labour Party. There should undoubtedly be great commonality within a "broad church" even if such commonality is wilfully overlooked for factional reasons but there need not be obedience. Indeed, such a stance should be intrinsic to socialism. Policies can be criticised. Political strategies the same. As rumours swirled that the seven were about to announce that they'd quit the party, other Labour members including some of the shadow cabinet began making "loyalty pledges" online. The irony of people supporting a leader who draws strength from his past dissent, yet seeking to prevent any in today's Labour Party was not lost. Chuka Umunna's contribution was the speech most focused on "what next?" Having been expected to run for the Labour leadership in 2017 had Corbyn lost the general election badly, his narrative was of a broken party system, and an appeal for others to leave their own parties and to support the Independent Group. These are the remarks that will, no doubt, see much speculation and discussion about a new party, and the lessons of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In terms of the effect of any new party on Labour, many of those who disagree with the decision to leave Labour will suggest the SDP experience points to years of Conservative rule. Ivor Crewe and Anthony King's book on the SDP which must surely be reprinted disagreed, and concluded that the "existence of the SDP did not materially affect the outcome" of the elections in 1983 and 1987. By the time of Kinnock's more comprehensive internal reforms post Labour's 1987 defeat, the SDP had ceased to be a threat. The publication of a two-page statement of values by the Independent Group will also result in some comparisons with the SDP. It is useful to reflect on Shirley Williams' critique of a "centre party" before she became one of the founders of the SDP and what came to be seen as tests for a new grouping. A centre party, Williams had said, would have "no roots, no principles, no philosophy and no values" a phrase, Crewe and King noted, she came back to repeatedly. It is, perhaps, the roots and philosophy that any new group will find most challenging. Like-minded Labour MPs are likely to be able to coalesce around shared principles and values, but what of an alternative political philosophy? On this, the two-page statement from the group is very weak. And on battling the established parties, what deals will a new group make with the Liberal Democrats? Do you target one of the two major parties or both? We now know more about why these MPs left Labour, but little about where they go from here, or what unites their thinking. Karl Pike, PhD candidate and Teaching Associate, School of Politics and International Relations, Queen Mary University of London This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Christians protest outside Nigerian High Commission on anniversary of Leah Sharibu's abduction Christians gathered in London on Tuesday to protest the ongoing captivity of Nigerian Christian schoolgirl Leah Sharibu. The protest outside the Nigerian High Commission coincided with the one-year anniversary of the 15-year-old's abduction by militant group Boko Haram. She was taken on February 19, 2018 along with over 100 of her classmates. While the others were released several weeks later, the group has continued to hold Sharibu over her refusal to deny her Christian faith. Last October, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West African Province, declared that it would hold Sharibu and another captive, Christian mother-of-two and UNICEF worker Alice Ngaddah, as 'slaves' for life. 'Based on our doctrines, it is now lawful for us to do whatever we want to do with them,' the group proclaimed. CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: 'Leah Sharibu has now been in the hands of this violent sect for 365 days and we are deeply concerned by the lack of government action to secure her release. 'We continue to call on the government of Nigeria to do everything in its power to expedite the release of this courageous schoolgirl, alongside that of her fellow hostages. 'We also call on the government of Nigeria to ensure that the army is sufficiently equipped to combat Boko Haram effectively, particularly in light of the surge in activity by both factions, and their threat to undermine the electoral process.' The protest in London came days after Sharibu's mother, Rebecca, pleaded with the government to take action to free her daughter at a press conference in capital Abuja last week. Open Doors' head of advocacy Zoe Smith said: 'Leah Sharibu was kidnapped because she was a girl and held captive because she was a Christian. She personifies the incredibly vulnerable position of Christian women in northern Nigeria. 'It is saddening and outrageous that Leah remains in captivity, abused as a PR tool and negotiating pawn by Boko Haram. We urge the Nigerian government and the international community to increase their efforts to secure her release and reunite her safely with her family.' Nigeria is number 12 on the 2019 World Watch List, Open Doors' annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution. Christian ministry ship celebrates decade of global mission and outreach Christian ministry ship Logos Hope is celebrating 10 years of bringing the Gospel as well as practical support to churches and communities around the world. The ship, operated by Operation Mobilisation, was first launched with an international crew of 400 Christian volunteers in 2009. It is the world's largest floating bookfair, carrying over 5,000 titles in English as well as languages local to the ports where the ship docks. The bookfair is a unique concept, allowing church leaders to come onboard and find vital Christian and educational resources that they might not otherwise have access to. In the last 10 years, the ship has visited 116 ports in 68 countries and territories, and welcomed 8 million visitors up her gangways. While in port, members of the crew team up with local churches to undertake community outreach and evangelism projects. Members of the public are also welcomed on board to tour the ship and browse the bookstore. To date, the ship has sold nearly 2.5 million Christian books and Bibles, and another 5.5 million non-Christian titles in its bookstore. Although the ship has been used for Christian ministry for the last decade, the vessel is actually much older, having started out as a car ferry in Germany 46 years ago. She was purchased by Operation Mobilisation in 2004 and spent the next few years being fitted out for ministry. The refurbishment included the addition of two new decks and she finally entered service in 2009, following in the footsteps of OM's other ministry ships, Logos, Doulos and Logos II. Her maiden voyage as a ministry ship was from Koege, Denmark, to Gothenburg, Sweden, on 19 February 2009. Captain Dirk Colenbrander, of the Netherlands, who was at the helm on that voyage, said: 'We sailed out backwards, being pulled by a tug, because the port of Koege had no space to turn around. 'Then a tug boat had to break up the ice so we could get alongside in frozen Gothenburg! It was the first time some of our crew had ever experienced snow.' A decade on, Captain Dirk still serves as interim Master. 'One of the most significant things for me is the sharing of personal stories by the crew as we leave each port and hearing how God has used them to change the lives of people they met in that area,' he said. OM Ships' Chief Executive Officer, Seelan Govender, of South Africa, has spent 14 years living on board the ministry ships. 'I feel blessed to work with dedicated Christians who serve sacrificially on board and on shore to maintain the constant operation of the ship. What I believe continues to draw people to the vessel is that it is a catalytic platform: equipping people and mobilising them to create vibrant communities of Jesus followers wherever they go,' he said. The milestone tenth anniversary is being celebrated in Chile. It is one of the stops being made by the Logos Hope as part of a two-year tour of Latin America and marks the ship's first visit to the South American continent. The visit is in collaboration with OM Latin America and has the aim of mobilising more Latin American believers for mission to some of the least-reached communities around the world. Christian Easter egg goes plastic-free as bishop calls for a packaging 'revolution' The only chocolate Easter egg to explain the story of Jesus' death and resurrection in its packaging is going plastic-free for the first time. Around 80 million Easter Eggs are sold each year across the UK, usually with several layers of packaging, including boxes, plastic casing and foil wrappers. This year, the faith-based Real Easter Egg will be available to buy without plastic seals, stickers or packaging. The change has been made in response to a survey by the egg's manufacturer, the Meaningful Chocolate Company, in which 96 per cent of Christians said they believed it was important for Easter eggs to be plastic free. The Meaningful Chocolate Company's David Marshall said: 'Easter eggs don't have to cost the earth. We have replaced plastic bags, tamper-seals and Best Before stickers with paper versions. 'There is still the same amount of chocolate in the Real Easter Egg and the box sizes are the same but the redesign means our Dark and Original Egg will save at least 5 tonnes of plastic and 175 tonnes of card in the next five years.' The change has been welcomed by church leaders including the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu. 'I am delighted that an Easter Egg, which shares the story of Easter, is leading the way by reducing packaging,' he said. 'Clearly there is demand for unnecessary plastic to be removed from food packaging and I encourage people to let other manufacturers know that changes can be achieved.' The Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev Nicholas Holtam, said it was time for more Easter egg manufacturers to overhaul their packaging. 'As the lead bishop on the environment for the Church of England I am delighted that an Easter Egg, is taking seriously the care of our planet,' he said. 'This gets my approval. Indeed, the packaging of Easter eggs needs a revolution.' In addition to being plastic free, the card and foil used in the Real Easter Egg packaging is 100 per cent recyclable. and it is certified Fairtrade, meaning that growers receive a fair price for their produce. The Meaningful Chocolate Company also makes the egg without palm oil, the farming of which is believed to be a major factor in global deforestation. The Real Easter Egg has become a staple of the Easter season for Christians in the UK after launching in 2010. The chocolate egg was launched off the back of crowdfunding by churches and schools as an alternative to the swathes of secular eggs that made no mention of Jesus or the real meaning of Easter in their packaging. In addition to the egg, a 24-page colour booklet is included in the box telling the Easter story. Part of the profits are also given over to charitable causes. It was initially only available through mail order because big brand supermarkets refused to stock it. But after three years of campaigning by Church of England bishops, they finally caved in to pressure. It is now available to buy at major supermarket chains, including TESCO, ASDA, Morrisons and Waitrose. Caring for the planet starts with ourselves, says Bishop of Guildford The Bishop of Guildford has called on Christians to do their bit in caring for the Earth by making small changes to how they live. Bishop Andrew Watson was speaking at a meeting of faith leaders in Woking as part of the UN Interfaith Harmony Week. He was among the faith leaders from the area who came together to discuss how faith communities and institutions can save the planet and tackle climate change. 'As Christians we are called to be stewards of God's wonderful creation,' he said. 'The challenges facing this creation are numerous and well reported, but there are plenty of small steps that we can take to help care for our planet. Often this starts with ourselves, as individuals and churches.' The Diocese of Guildford has made creation care one of its priorities and its efforts to go green have been recognised with an Eco Diocese award from the Christian environmental group A Rocha UK. The award is given to Church of England dioceses that excel in caring for God's earth in five key areas of church life - worship and teaching, management of church buildings, management of church land, community/global engagement and lifestyle. Diocesan Environmental Adviser, the Rev Dr Lesley Crawley, said, 'Through schemes like Eco Church and events like this it becomes clear that we, as faith institutions, can play an important role of caring for our planet.' Also speaking at the conference was Shaukat Warraich, head of Faith Associates, a consultancy firm supporting Britain's Muslim communities. He said it was important that faith communities learn from each other. 'Spiritual Sustainability is linked to environmental sustainability, and how mosques and Islamic religious practices have historically conserved precious resources needs to be further enhanced in the 21st century,' he said. 'Learning from other faiths and through scientific discoveries, developing environmental consciousness should be at the heart of all faith institutions.' Poll reveals extent of Europeans' reservations towards Islam Westerners are more suspicious of Islam than other religions Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Europeans are far more reserved about Islam than other world religions, new research has shown. The poll by YouGov revealed a trend across France, Germany and the UK to view Islam less favorably than other faiths. Asked whether 'Islam is generally compatible with the values of society in my country', only one in five agreed in Germany and France (20 percent and 22 percent respectively). In Britain, this figure rose slightly to just under a quarter (24 percent). For the purpose of comparison, YouGov carried out the same poll in the US and found a similar perception of Islam, with only 17 per cent agreeing that Islam was compatible with American values. People across these four countries were far more likely to believe that 'there is a fundamental clash between Islam and the values of society in my country'. In Germany and France, nearly half felt this to be true (47 percent and 46 per cent respectively). In the UK and US, over a third agreed (38 percent and 36 percent respectively). When asked the same question about other world religions, the poll revealed that both Europeans and Americans were far less concerned about a culture clash. Among Americans, only 15 percent perceived a culture clash between the nation's values and the values of Sikhism. Similarly, with Buddhism and Hinduism, only a minority felt the beliefs were inconsistent with American values (14 percent each). In the UK, this was far lower, with only 6 percent concerned about a clash with Buddhism and 8 percent each for Sikhism and Hinduism. Nearly half of French respondents (49 per cent) were fairly or very 'unfavorable' in their view of Islam generally, a skepticism that increased among Germans to over half (53 percent). This was far higher than the proportion of French and Germans who said their impression of other faiths was unfavorable, with a range of only around 10 to 20 percent in both countries reporting an unfavorable impression of Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism or Christianity. The responses were similar when it came to concerns about the growth of radical Islam, with nearly three-quarters (72 percent) in France and Germany saying they were very or fairly concerned about the rise of extremism in Islam. In the UK, two-thirds shared this concern, while Americans were the least concerned at 56 percent. The poll asked the views of 1,010 people in France, 2,054 in Germany, 1,295 in the US and 1,754 in the UK between December 31, 2018, and January 8, 2019. The research was carried out to coincide with the Pope's historic visit to Abu Dhabi last month. 'As findings show, substantial portions of Western respondents in the survey perceived a clash between Islam and the values of society in their country,' said Dr Joel Rogers de Waal, academic director at YouGov. UK-based MSI-Defence Systems is displaying a full-scale model of its new Seahawk Multi Weapon Station (MWS) at the ongoing Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex), being held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The event which kicked off on February 17 and will run February 21, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec). Now through development, the MWS mounting will be completing final performance firing trials in the UK during the show week, reported state news agency Wam. The most lightweight and compact member of the Seahawk family, and leveraging the video auto-tracker, ballistic computer/predicator and control console already proven in larger Seahawk mountings, the MSW is being aimed at small fast craft and unmanned surface vessels, USVs. Designed for high structural stiffness and integrating high-torque zero-backlash drives, the MSW mounting adopts a single-arm construction (common to MSI-Defence's proprietary electro-optical surveillance system) with a universal soft mount able to receive 7.62mm or 12.7mm weapons from a variety of manufacturers. Alternatively, the same soft mount can accept a 40mm grenade launcher. MSI-Defence Systems has been selected by BAE Systems which is a British multinational defence, security, and aerospace company, headquartered in London in the UK with operations worldwide - to provide the remote weapon station for an advanced USV testbed, added the report. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Do you ever think about what it is that keeps your body warm? While there are external influences, the main internal influence is heat energy that is converted from food you eat and is carried to your bodys extremities by your blood. You are called a warm-blooded creature because your blood is warm. Beneath your soft flesh gushes a pressurized river of heated red blood that is racing through an incredibly intricate plumbing system. Ugh. Its not really a pleasant thought, unless you are some sort of biological geek that actually enjoyed cutting up dead worms in school. Like it or not, if you are an adult human being, you contain more than a gallon of blood, which is just over 7 percent of your total body weight. Your heart is an amazing pump made of muscle, slightly larger than your fist. It continuously pumps blood through the circulatory system, beating around 100,000 times and pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood each day. In an average lifetime, the heart beats over 2.5 billion times. This blood flow is as essential to our body as air is to our lungs. We cant live without it. The blood works in tandem with our lungs to be oxygenated and then through our fully automated cardiovascular system it carries oxygen and nutrients to every cell of our body. If we lose our lifes blood, the body will shut down and result in our death. Most of us are alarmed when we see any blood. Intuitive alarm bells go off when we see its red color. We use the color red to paint stop signs, fire alarms, and fire engines because of this reaction. Think now of Gods super-amazingly creative mind to come up with this system and of His ability to make His mind a reality. In one instant, we were each conceived in the womb of our mother, thanks to our father. Within days our heart and blood cells formed and began circulation within our tiny bodies, and soft skin covered us to keep everything in. Lungs started forming in the second month, along with all the necessary interdependent systems to facilitate circulation. And our lungs began breathing movementsthough they wouldnt breathe air until we slipped outside of the womb. Can you imagine how many doctors and scientists would have to work together to figure out how to make just one living baby? How long would it take them to create the computer-center brain to work in harmony with eyes, legs, hands, feet, nerves, muscles, and everything else that is needed to make the body function? But theres another problema big one: how to make a soul. The body is just an elaborate inanimate pumping machine until the soul enters to make what we call life a reality. Of course, a living human body could never be made from scratch by man. Not in a million years. We cant even make one minuscule drop of warm blood from nothing. May God open our blind eyes so that we can get a tiny glimpse of how glorious and awe-inspiring our Creator is. Such revelations of His creative power will open the grand doors of worship, explode our faith, and help us to fear Him as we should. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Big tech censoring conservatives has become a regular occurrence. Sometimes the victims are only temporarily banned, other times they are permanently banned and unable to return. Twitter seems to be the worst lately, always in the news for banning some prominent conservative. Many people shrug it off, claiming Twitter has become a hotbed of leftism, not worth their time. But can it really be dismissed that lightly? Twitter offers something that Facebook and the other tech giants dont quite have an easy, free way to become famous and communicate with other famous people. Anyone can build up followers for free by following others who then follow you back. It is possible to accumulate hundreds of thousands of followers this way. Once well known, the odds increase that famous people will retweet you and interact with you. Twitter has made fame and influence easily available to the common man. Even without large numbers of followers, Twitter allows anyone to tweet at famous people. Many of the recipients closely monitor these tweets and occasionally respond. Writers tweet their articles at others with large followings, requesting they retweet them. Many do. While several prominent conservatives have been permanently banned from Twitter, many remain. Twitter hasnt become a wasteland. Instead, its become one of the hottest places on the internet for breaking news. President Trump has helped with this, tweeting his own breaking news every day. Journalists go to his Twitter feed first every day when looking for White House news. While its not necessary to have a Twitter account in order to view tweets on Twitter, without an account you cant retweet, respond, or comment on tweets. While Twitter and the other tech giants are private companies, so free speech protections dont apply, a large percentage of political speech now takes place on those platforms. There isnt much of a town public square anymore where anyone can go spout their views to a large crowd outside. Instead, if we want to get out a message out free to a large group of people, were forced to use private social media platforms. Times have changed, and those who think we can ignore this restructuring of speech do so at their own peril. There are smaller, competing platforms like Gab and MeWe that dont discriminate against conservatives and may someday take the place of Twitter. But theyre growing rather slowly. Meanwhile, its best not to ignore Twitter. This doesnt mean conservatives should acquiesce quietly to the censorship, in fact just the opposite. They should speak out loudly and condemn it, and attempt to get it reversed. While Twitter isnt as responsive as Facebook is to pressure, it does back down some of the time. When Twitter permanently banned conservative radio talk show host Jesse Kelly last November, the tremendous outcry caused the company to reverse the ban. Kelly saidthe ban was significant because it was a big tool I used to promote my show, to promote things that I had written." He is not sure why he was banned, he was only told he violated Twitters terms of service. Others arent so lucky. Investigative journalist Laura Loomer was permanently bannedfrom Twitter in November after criticizing Ilhan Omar, a Muslim who had just been elected to Congress as a Democrat from Minnesota. Loomer called Omar "anti Jewish" and said she is a member of a religion in which "homosexuals are oppressed" and "women are abused" and "forced to wear the hijab." Yet many leftists who tweet hateful things toward Jews are not censored by Twitter. Omar herself tweeteda week ago that American political leaders support for Israel is all about the Benjamins, a reference to $100 dollar bills. She also tweeted that she thinks the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is paying politicians to support Israel. Twitter took no action against her, despite the public uproar over her anti-Semitic remarks. Twitter is increasingly obliging the left when it comes to censorship. The companys list of offensive speech is growing. Now, calling a transgender person by their pre-transition names or referring to them with the wrong pronouns can get someone banned. Meghan Murphy, a gender-politics blogger, has filed a lawsuit against Twitter after she was bannedfor referring to a man identifying as a woman as him. Whats troubling about this is Murphys view is a commonly held viewpoint on the right. Twitter is now censoring regular folks on the right, not just the outspoken ones. The right desperately needs a platform that can compete with Twitter. The pressure is mounting every day as the censorship worsens. But until one of the minor competitors gains some major traction, its not wise to ignore Twitter. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In 1957, the social psychologist Leon Festinger coined the term cognitive dissonance to describe the stress that results from holding two or more contradictory beliefs at the same time. According to Festinger, people will attempt to alleviate the stress by either changing their minds about one of the ideas or, more commonly, convincing themselves the ideas really arent contradictory. The latter usually results in an incoherent mess, something a recent Barna report amply demonstrates. The report, entitled Reviving Evangelism, found that virtually every practicing American Christian believes that part of their faith means being a witness about Jesus. Similarly, virtually all of them agree that the best thing that could ever happen to someone is for them to know Jesus. This sounds like a solid foundation for reviving evangelism, doesnt it? Yet, the same study found that nearly half (47 percent) of practicing Christian millennialschurchgoers who consider religion an important part of their livesbelieve that evangelism is wrong. Specifically, they believe its wrong to share ones personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes they will one day share the same faith. If youre wondering how one can simultaneously believe that knowing Jesus is the best thing that could happen to a person and that telling that same person about Jesus is somehow wrong, you understand what cognitive dissonance means. Making matters even more, well, dissonant, is that the same group is more likely than any other generation to say they are gifted at sharing their faith. Nearly three quarters of them describe themselves that way. At this point, its tempting to talk about how participation trophies and self-affirmation statements have ruined the millennials. But the problem isnt our misguided strategies of boosting this generations self-esteem. The problem is theological anemia. Specifically, its a failure of catechesis. Evangelizing like you mean it requires going against the cultural grain. As Barna president David Kinnaman told Christianity Today, Cultivating deep, steady, resilient Christian conviction is difficult in a world of you do you and dont criticize anyone elses life choices and emotivism, the feelings-first priority that our culture makes a way of life. Notre Dame philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre has suggested that emotivism is at the heart of our current post-truth culture, and turns all statements about the good and the true into mere claims of personal preference. Overall, the church has done a poor job of catechizing both ourselves and future generations against emotivism. In fact, as writer Samuel James argued, The data here strongly suggests that Christian millennials are being catechized by their colleges, not churches. Actually, I would argue that across our culture, emotivism is pushed on us way before college, and too often, its even pushed by churches when they talk about knowing Jesus. What is meant by knowing Jesus by so many Christians is closer to I love Swiss Almond Vanilla ice cream than it is what the Apostles meant by it. It indicates a strong preference, but not a life-altering conviction. The late biblical scholar Francis Martin used to tell his students Christianity is a way of knowing, not a warm fuzzy. By way of knowing he meant something akin to what we at the Colson Center mean by worldview: the truth about God, creation, and ourselves as ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ. Thats not to say our faith isnt personal. Of course it is, but for the New Testament writers, knowing God and Jesus Christ whom He sent isnt about making us feel good. Its about being rescued from the dominion of darkness for the kingdom of Christ. When was the last time you heard Christianity described this starkly? If we cant remember, then we ought not be surprised by the cognitive dissonance described by the Barna report. Hollywood actor who refuses to do sex scenes: You only have one shot, give glory to God Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment LOS ANGELES Actor Neal McDonough opened up about why he sticks to his Christian convictions even though he was once blacklisted in Hollywood for refusing to perform sex scenes. "You get one shot at life to do things the best way that you possibly can and to give glory to God in everything that you can do, McDonough told The Christian Post on Feb. 8 as he was attending the Movieguide Awards with his wife, South African model Ruve. Our relationship is always paramount to me, in my life, it's the most important thing in my world, he said of his relationship with his wife Ruve and why he wont kiss another person on screen. Known for his performances in Band of Brothers, Minority Report and Desperate Housewives, the Catholic actor made headlines in January after stating that his strong Christian convictions cost him his job on ABCs Scoundrels series in 2010. Paul Newman said it best, why go out for a hamburger when I've got a steak at home? McDonough told CP of his affinity for his wife. Though they've been a couple for over 20 years and married for 16 of them, his wife gushed over the fact that the actor still feels that way. They have five children together and his wife described a scene from the Mark Wahlberg movie "Instant Family" when reflecting on the importance of having an untainted love. "When they kissed, the kids said mommy daddy kiss again, to see love, Ruve shared as she charged others to model after that. You learn by example. And if you're faithful, if you are loving, and if you just try to do the right thing, if you apologize for doing wrong, lead by example and that's what we try to do. McDonough interjected, "Nobody's perfect. We have made mistakes, but we're all forgiven by God. That's part of the great things in life ... it's fantastic. The Boston native has had a no sex scenes policy for most of his 30-year career and not even his stint in Desperate Housewives, a highly sexualized series, made him compromise his rule. The loyal husband told Closer Weekly at the top of the year that he also refuses to kiss his co-stars because these lips are meant for one woman. The Movieguide Awards will be broadcast on Hallmark on Feb. 25, at 10 p.m. ET. Chick-fil-A Helps Hurricane Florence Evacuees; Open Sunday, Giving Free Meals Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Chick-fil-A was among the restaurants that came to the rescue for Hurricane Florence evacuees in Wilmington, North Carolina this week by opening on Sunday and offering free meals to first responders and locals. 43 people have died since the hurricane made landfall over a week ago. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that "treacherous" floodwaters are still a continual threat to the state and about 5,000 rescues are reported so far. The restaurant known for its chicken and Christian practice of never opening on Sundays, announced that four of its Chick-fil-A locations in the Wilmington area started offering free meals to all the first responders, emergency personnel and those working on electrical lines. The stores are operating from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time with workers welcomed to access the restaurants' dining rooms and the general public welcomed to the drive-thrus. WTVD reported that the Chick-fil-A in Raleigh, North Carolina opened its doors last Sunday, despite their closed on Sunday policy, to serve relief workers "500 sandwiches and 1,200 nuggets." The restaurant owners, Donovan and Nikki Carless asked themselves, "What can we do to help?" The Carless couple then reached out to their Chick-Fil-A team who happily came into work and help those in need. They eventually teamed up with Red Cross and helped evacuees at three different shelters by providing warm meals for free. Following suit, Denny's and McDonald's are also offering their services to help those in need. Denny's has a 53-foot 18-wheel truck set up as a Denny's Mobile Relief Diner and McDonald's pledged $500,000 to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Florence Relief, stating that "several owner/operators across the affected area are working to feed first responders, for free, as they continue to serve their communities," according to a press release. Actor Jon Voight: Gods asking us to protect the values of family in our country Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment LOS ANGELES Academy Award winner Jon Voight, actor in the upcoming film "Roe v. Wade," attended the 2019 Movieguide Awards and said that God is asking Christians to protect the values of family in these times. "Family is so important and family is being attacked by people who are really trying to tear down the fabric of our society, it's true, Voight told The Christian Post on the red carpet of the award show on Feb 8. I don't want to get into any kind of conspiracy stuff but it's really happening so we have to protect the values of our country and the values of family and guide the focused lives; we have to protect that aspect. The film Roe v. Wade is in post-production and scheduled for a fall release. The pro-life movie is timely as the debate over late-term abortion has reignited in recent weeks after New York's new law allowing abortion up to birth and the introduction of similar bills in Virginia, Vermont and New Mexico. Voight believes the message in the motion picture will now allow people to have an informed dialogue concerning the controversial abortion debate. Imagine, God's asking us to help Him out. Can you imagine? That's the greatest thing! Voight said. Who will go for me,' says God to Isaiah, and he says 'send me,' the 80-year-old continued. There's no question that that's really real. We're being asked to do something so what are we going to do? Are we going to sit back and let it roll right into a ditch or step up and save the ship at stake? Despite society being bombarded with counter biblical values, Voight insisted that there are still people God has standing in the gap. The veteran actor declared that those speaking truth will have the victory. There are many people who are really strong people, very bright people and very good people who have said, send me. That's why I have to think that there's no doubt of that. It's all been written: we will win the battle, Voight concluded. It's going to be hard and we're in it right now and we know it's hard but this battle will be won by those who pursue the truth; they will prevail." Voight has had his own issues with family over the years but according to The Hollywood Reporter in December 2017, he and his daughter, Angelina Jolie, are working to rebuild their bond and he is praying for the entire family following her divorce from Brad Pitt and their public custody battle. Voight stars alongside Nick Loeb, Robert Davi, Corbin Bernsen, John Schneider and Stacey Dash in "Roe v. Wade." The movie has met several roadblocks, including ads being banned on Facebook. The Movieguide Awards will be broadcast on Hallmark on Feb. 25, at 10 p.m. ET. Daughter of Chick-fil-A founder shares fathers most valuable life lesson, secret to success Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Trudy Cathy White, the daughter of Chick-fil-A's founder, revealed in an interview with The Christian Post the most valuable life lesson her father taught her and the secret to the national fast food restaurant's success. White, the only daughter of S. Truett Cathy and his wife, Jeannette, released her first book, titled Climb Every Mountain: Finding God Faithful in the Journey of Life, in which she takes a candid look at her life and the struggles she's faced over the decades. The book journeys through Whites childhood growing up with her two brothers on the family's farm in Georgia and details some of her adolescent experiences. She also tells how at age 19, she convinced her father to let her run a Chick-fil-A restaurant. White met her future husband at that restaurant and the couple later raised four children together. White and her husband, John, also lived in Brazil for a time where they served as missionaries. Their work experiences in the U.S. and with foreign missions led them to co-found two nonprofit groups Lifeshape, which offers a multitude of service projects worldwide, and Impact 360 Institute, which offers gap-year fellowships to equip young adults "to become Christ-centered servant leaders." She felt it was time to share her life story and her memoir tackles such topics as identity, godly parenting, leaving a legacy, adversity, aging and coping with grief. Below is an edited transcript of CP's interview with White: CP: Will you tell us about your testimony? TW: I was raised in a home where I was taught much about the love of God. I was about 7-and-a-half when I realized I wanted to embrace the kind of love that I had heard about from this Heavenly Father. I knew that Jesus loves me, that He had died on the cross for me, and that He was offering me the gift of eternal life. I knew that if I would believe that, I would receive that. It's been a joy to walk with the Lord since I was a young child. But Ive not always made the decisions I should've made as a follower of Christ. However, it's kept me from making some that I might have made if I wasn't following Him, for sure. CP: People throughout America love Chick-fil-A. We have to ask, whats the secret? TW: We do appreciate the fact that we feel like God is blessing our business. I don't know that there's really a secret to it. My dad built this business based on biblical principles. He felt like his business decisions kind of go hand in hand with biblical principles. That's no secret. There's a lot of things that we are taught in God's Word and we've been able to put it into practice in our business. Above everything, I think at Chick-fil-A we've gotten real clarity of our purpose of why we're in business. That's been really important to us. Back in the early '80s, we recognized the fact that we didn't have a real clear direction as to why we were in business. But we know today that we're in business to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that's been trusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A. We love selling chicken but we're really more in the people business. CP: How has Chick-fil-A changed your life? TW: I don't know that it's changed me as much as it's maybe given me a perspective to be very much aware that God owns everything. So watching this business grow has been really exciting because we feel like the Lord is just giving us more and more opportunity of responsibility to manage what He's entrusted to us. That's truth in all of life. We have to realize that the very God who created us is the very God who gives us talents and gifts to be used, to honor Him. I think one of the reasons I've written this book, Climb Every Mountain, is because I really want to steward well my opportunity of influence with other people. So by opening myself up and just sharing some of lifes struggles and challenges that I've dealt with through the years, I hope it'll be very helpful for someone else to realize that even though we all have a lot of mountains to climb in life, you can always find God's faithful in that journey. CP: What are the most valuable lessons you learned from your father? TW: I think the most important thing we have to do is to be faithful to the calling that God has put on our hearts and to live that out consistently. I greatly admired my dad as one who lived a very consistent life. It didn't matter whether he was at home, whether he was at the office, or whether he was in a meeting with other CEOs, he was just always the same. I think that we bear great witness to who God is and His faithfulness when we can be faithful as well in how we live out our life. One of the things that my parents taught us is that the important things can't be bought with dollars and cents. The important things in life are people looking for joy, peace and hope, and you won't find those things for sale or in a store. Those things you will find in the truth of God's Word and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said in this life you will have trouble. He didn't say you might, He said you will. We all have trouble. But then, in that same book of the Bible, it goes on to say, "do not be afraid" (John 14:27) for "I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Other than the foundation that our parents gave us in our Christian faith, I think one of the things that my dad taught me was how to care for other people. My dad told me this since I was a little girl, he said, "Trudy, if you will help others get what they want in life, you will eventually get what you want out of life." Dad helped me understand this concept that we can look at others and see what their needs are and help them to accomplish what they want to accomplish, and well find some great reward out of that. Jesus said it real simple. He said, "it's better to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). CP: Your family has received a fair share of hate and criticism because you hold to biblical standards when it comes to social issues. How do you handle it all? TW: I think everybody in life maybe has to deal with negativity in some form or fashion. I think for us, our perspective is, you can't really control what other people think or what other people say, I can't do that. But you can control what you think and what you know about yourself. A big part of this, I think, is wrapped up in this word identity. I believe that everybody's always searching, "who am I?" I know for my own life that's a loaded question to ask, "who am I?" Ive got lots of roles that I play. I'm a wife and a mother and grandmother, an author, speaker, and the real question is not so much "who am I" but "whose am I?" That's very profound to realize the fact that my identity is not wrapped up in who I am and what I do. That it's more about who I belong to and what God is wanting to do in my life. I know that God created me and so He owns me. And the fact that He chooses to do His work through me is a very exciting thing. CP: What does the title of your book, Climb Every Mountain, mean? TW: The reason I call this book Climb Every Mountain is because when I look at a mountain, I see a symbol of God's character that He is always constant, that His strength is unchanging, His presence is unchanging, and He's always there for us. At the same time, when I look at mountains I see life's challenges. I think, "boy, life is tough." But I tend to grow more in my difficulties than I do in the comfort of days. CP: What advice do you have for Generation Z and millennials who are figuring out what they're called to do? TW: I have three tools to help us on the climb of life. You kind of discover your purpose as you go through life, you get greater and greater clarity. I would define these as three tools that are necessary for this climb. One would be just the tool of truth because you need to know God, first of all, and you need to recognize your need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Because aside from that, you're not going to get much clarity. The second tool, I would say, is the tool of understanding that God never wastes experiences. So when we go through these difficult times in life, we have to realize the fact that God is in the process of building character into our lives. He wants to change and transform our lives. So we have to be understanding that God is going to use this and God is up to something in my life. And that is really helpful for us to bring in just a little bit more clarity of what it is God wants us to understand about our own life. The third tool on this list would be just this idea of the fact that we need the tool of dependency. We need to recognize the fact that we need to depend on God in every circumstance of life. So when we put all three of these tools into practice, then I think it does help us to understand a little bit better what our purpose is. Look at your own skills and talents that you've been given, and then how do you maximize those for His glory? CP: What is some of the godly parenting advice you offer in your book? TW: I felt it was important to address parenting and home life because I know the impact that it's had on my own life. We have now raised four children and we've got 15 grandchildren, and marriage is something that requires commitment. Obviously, there's no perfect marriage and there are no perfect people, but anything that's worth having is worth investing into. I challenge parents to work hard at their marriage and keep it really strong at the same time. I would tell parents that the best thing they can give to their children is the love that they give to their spouses, to one another. Thats the most precious thing you can give to your children. Parents sometimes get a little worried, because oftentimes it seems like children arent listening to them. I understand that. I've been down that road before as well. But at the same time, I think we probably don't have to worry about that as much as we do need to be concerned about the fact that children are always watching us. So we need to be the best example we can be for our children. CP: What would you like people to take away from your new book? TW: I want them to understand that personal challenges are part of life. It doesn't matter who you are, what you have, or even who you're related to. Life is going to be hard, but the great thing about this is that we never have to do life alone. God says, "I will never leave you and will never forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Even in our darkest of times, He will always be there for us. So I hope thats a word of encouragement for anybody that's out there trying to do life. We all have our struggles. We need to know that we're not alone. For more information on Climb Every Mountain, visit TrudyCathyWhite.com. Image: Pixabay/ohurtsov According to research, many emerging adults (those between the ages of 18 and 29) experience a spiritual slump in the years after high school. When comparing 18 to 23-year-olds with the teenagers below them, the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR) reported significant declines in the number of emerging adults viewing their faith as very or extremely important in shaping daily life. In addition, only 35 percent of conservative Protestant emerging adults indicated that they felt extremely or very close to God, down from 48 percent among teenagers in this same group.[1] A recent LifeWay Research survey demonstrated that, among young adults between the ages of 23 and 30 who attended a Protestant church regularly for at least a year in high school, only 39 percent considered themselves to be devout Christians with a strong faith in God. At the very time when emerging adults are making some of the most important decisions of their livesdecisions about identity, worldview, vocation, relationships, and faiththe spiritual life seems to fade into the background. Perhaps not surprisingly, spiritual practices also reflect this downward trend. In addition to widely publicized drops in church attendance, a host of other spiritual disciplines become less prominent in the emerging adult years, including daily prayer, Bible reading, Sabbath observance, religious singing, reading of devotional materials, and personal evangelism.[2] Interestingly, the research does not point to a strong hostility among emerging adults toward matters of faith. Instead, it points to a growing indifference. Sociologist Tim Clydesdale has indicated that for those just out of high school, faith is rarely abandoned, but it is also rarely pursued. Instead, it is often stowed away in a lockbox for safe keeping, to be opened (presumably) when emerging adults reach adult milestones such as marriage and parenting.[3] What is behind the slump? For some, it is about life transitions, the constant instability of emerging adults lives, and the separation from parents, church communities, pastors, and mentors who had nurtured their adolescent faith. Others fall prey to the distractions of life that come with new relationships, responsibilities, social activities, and technology habits that gradually crowd out spiritual practices. And, of course, some stray from a strong faith because of the kind of faith they embraced as teenagers. If emerging adults enter into the years after high school with a faith characterized by Christian Smith as moralistic (a call to be nice and kind), therapeutic (a belief that the purpose of faith is to improve my happiness and sense of well-being), and deistic (a view of God as a distant deity who only intervenes if one wants him to solve personal problems), a life of spiritual engagement can seem optional at best. But there is another factor. With a clear sense that adult responsibilities are coming, emerging adulthood is often perceived as a limited window of fun, freedom, and personal exploration prior to settling down. Of course, this is quite trueit is a unique stage defined by significant freedom and reduced responsibility to and for others. Yet within this framework, the pursuit of faith can often be viewed as something for later, coordinated in time with other adult tasks such as marriage, parenting, and career. Such delays, of course, mask the reality that one cannot simply flip a switch to spiritual maturity upon entering into a new stage of life. Emerging adults futures are being shaped by the decisions, commitments, and practices of their present lives. In the church and in other settings, therefore, we must help emerging adults develop a harvest mentality, one in which they recognize the importance of sowing the story of the gospel into their lives so that they will reap an adult harvest of righteousness. As emerging adults are beginning to think hard about the trajectories of their own life stories, we want the gospel story to make its mark, solidifying a deep Christian identity moving into adulthood. In the church and in other settings, we want to see them participate in practices that form them into people defined by this larger story. We want to see them assume roles within the story, using their emerging gifts and passions for kingdom purposes. We want to see them develop relationships with peers and mentors whose lives reflect the story. These gospel-storied emerging adults can then go forward into adulthood poised to bring the healing, power, and hope of that gospel to a broken world. Formed in Christs image, they can then respond to his call to be on mission. How can pastors and mentors better facilitate this sowing process in the lives of emerging adults? This is the theme of our upcoming Wheaton Mission and Ministry conference at Wheaton College: Emerging Adults: Formation for Mission. We want to think together about the ways in which we can nurture the faith of twenty-somethings as they make life-altering decisions regarding identity, church participation, vocation, morality, sexuality, and relationships. Come and join uson April 23-24 as we learn better how to participate in Gods transformational work in emerging adults lives, shaping spaces in which they can be equipped to be difference makers in this world. Dr. David Setran is Price-LeBar Chair of Christian Formation & Ministry at Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. [1]Christian Smith, Souls in Transition: the Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults(New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), 114, 119. [2]In addition to the NSYR, see the College Student Beliefs and Values (CSBV) survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute. For more information on the CSBV, see James L. Heft, Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians, and Muslims(New York: Fordham University Press, 2006). [3]The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School(Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2007), 50. Church Returns $25,000 Check to Casino: We Cant Keep This Share Tweet An Alabama Baptist church that suffered building damage during a tornado is returning a $25,000 donation from a casino, citing a conflict of interest. Members of First Baptist Church in Wetumpka, Ala., are still recovering from a Jan. 19 tornado that damaged the churchs chapel and also its two-story multipurpose building, The Alabama Baptist newspaper reported. But the church voted Feb. 10 to return the money. The check was never cashed. I pointed out we cant keep this, pastor James Troglen told The Alabama Baptist. If it keeps one person from listening to us with the gospel, we cant keep it. Wind Creek Casinos donated a total of $100,000 following the tornado $50,000 to First Presbyterian Church, $25,000 to First Baptist Church and $25,000 to the police department. All three suffered major damage. The Presbyterian Churchs building was completely destroyed. First Presbyterian Church pastor Jonathan Yarboro said the congregation accepted its check but will use it to rebuild the community. Thankfully we were overinsured, Yarboro toldThe Wetumpka Herald. Their intention was to use it to rebuild our building. We asked if we did not need it for that purpose if we could use it to help rebuild the community at large and they said yes. Troglen discussed the issue during a Feb. 3 sermon taken from Matthew 17. The church has a history of opposing gambling, according to The Alabama Baptist. When the church voted the night of Feb. 10, about 300 were in attendance, he said. To have that many on Sunday night is unheard of, he said. But this decision really helped our people understand Baptist polity more. Their vote did make a difference. What they said mattered. Troglen said he hopes the money can be used to help others in the community. Related: Why Gambling Is So Popular and So Addictive What Does the Bible Say about Gambling? Lotto and God: Can a Christian Buy a Lottery Ticket? Don't Gamble with Your Life Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com. Photo courtesy: Pixabay Sixteen States File Suit against President Trump following Emergency Declaration Share Tweet 16 states have filed suit against the White House this weekend claiming that President Trump has unconstitutionally declared a national emergency. According to Fox News, Attorneys General from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia are seeking an injunction in Californias Ninth Circuit Court to prevent the President from reallocating funds without explicit Congressional approval to build the southern border wall. The litigation notes that the above states are taking up suit against the President for his flagrant disregard of fundamental separation of powers principles engrained in the United States Constitution, referencing the Presentment and Appropriations clauses in the Constitution. The suit continues claiming that President Trump manufactured the crisis at the border in order to get the wall built. The suit reads, the President has used the pretext of a manufactured crisis of unlawful immigration to declare a national emergency and redirect federal dollars appropriated for drug interdiction, military construction, and law enforcement initiatives toward building a wall on the United States-Mexico border. The states are not only seeking to stop the transfer of the funds, but they are also working to find the Presidents declaration illegal and are accusing him of violating regulations laid out in the National Environmental Policy Act. California laid out its grievances saying that the re-appropriation of funds from anti-drug and narcotics programs will be detrimental to the state. California is aggrieved by the actions of Defendants and had standing to bring this action because of the injury due to the loss of federal drug interdiction, counter-narcotic, and law-enforcement funding of the State caused by Defendants diversion of funding. The threat of losing funding to conduct drug interdiction and counter-narcotic activity prevents California from moving forward with critical criminal narcotics programs and threatens the public safety of all Californians, the lawsuit reads. The diversion of funding from the Treasury Forfeiture Fund will harm public safety by impacting critically necessary funding for law enforcement officers and their agencies, it continues. Colorado noted in the suit that the action could harm the states economy and the dozens of military bases located there. The suit reads, Colorado is home to many major military bases, including the Air Force Academy, Buckley Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, and Fort Carson Army Base. These military bases play a critical role in our nations defense and to the economy of the State of Colorado. The use of funding for a southern border wall rather than for necessary maintenance and repairs to these military bases harms Colorado and its economy. Each state notes similar sentiments to California and Colorado, many of them focusing on the re-direction of funds away from drug and narcotics prevention. According to Fox News, a senior member of the Trump administration shared that the White House is planning to move $8 billion already appropriated for other projects including drug interdiction money from the Defense Department. The emergency declaration could allow President Trump to move up to $3 billion, $600 million of which would come from the Treasury Departments forfeiture fund. Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Pool Kuwait and China have signed a deal to develop the KD25-billion ($82.2 billion) Madinat Al Hareer (Silk City) - a massive development which will boast the Burj Mubarak Al Kabir tower, a nature reserve, a duty-free area, a new airport, a large business centre and other facilities - besides five other Kuwaiti islands, said the report. A high-level Chinese delegation was in the country on a two-day visit to kick off the initiative following a memo signed between the two sides on the 250-sq km development in the northern Subiya region, reported Kuna. The delegation led by vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of the Peoples Republic of China Ning Jizhe and Kuwaiti Ambassador to China Sameeh Hayat met His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah along with Speaker of the National Assembly Marzouq Al-Ghanim, and First Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. During the visit, Jizhe also held talks with CEO of the Apparatus for Developing Silk City and Bubiyan Island Faisal Al Medlej, members of Board of Trustees and Secretary General of the Supreme Planning Council Dr Khalid Mahdi. Al Medlej, accompanied by the Chinese delegation, later went on a helicopter tour that was set off from Abdullah Al Mubarak base to Bubiyan, Warba and Failka Islands, and part of Al Subiya to see the location of the Silk City and Mubarak Port, said the report. Talks with the Chinese side reviewed the first phase of the Silk City project, which aims to establish a regional trade zone in Mubarak Port, a logistics area for goods, an international airport and railways for transporting goods and people, and an industrial city to embrace small and medium enterprises, stated Kuna. The two sides agreed to co-operate with the Chinese Construction and Communications Company to initiate the collection of data, and to develop a work programme for the investment, implementation and operation of Mubarak Port for Phase One, either through long-term leasing or through public-private partnerships, it added. Dozens of Missionaries Forced to Flee Haiti amid Growing Violence Share Tweet Missionaries are being forced to leave Haiti amid growing violence in the country. According to media reports, there have been riots in the country, calling for the resignation of President Jovenel Moise. CBN News reports that families have had to go into hiding and people are paying money to travel safely on the streets. "There have been lots of demonstrations in Haiti over the past year. There are lots of people that are unhappy with the government and the way the president is doing things. It's just been escalating and building up," said Lisa Honorat, a missionary who has since fled the country. "It was all over the country, not just in the city, she said. There have been roadblocks and looting and burning tires, burning cars. If anyone tries to go out on the street, they will destroy your car. It's very dangerous. "A man we talked to on the plane yesterday said he got through by driving but at every checkpoint, he had to pay between U.S. $500 and $5,000 just to get through." James Roberts, vice president of Haiti Arise, says the riots and violence started when food and fuel depots were closed. People couldn't even buy food, if there was any available, because the money got devalued. So, we were starting to run out of food for all our people," he said. Mission organization Dirt Road Project had plans to travel to Haiti to help with those food shortages and provide other aid, but the U.S. State Department has since ordered an evacuation of all non-emergency U.S. citizens in the country. "The majority of the people in Haiti, if not all, are wonderful people and they deserve better," said April Benson, founder of the Dirt Road Project. Photo courtesy: Pixabay Christian in Sri Lanka Arrested after Reporting Threat on His Life, Watchdog Group Reports Share Tweet Editor's Note 2/22/19: Morning Star News previously reported that the Christian in Nattandiya was being held by police weeks after their arrest. The persecution watch-dog issued a correction noting that the Christian was released the next day. NEW DELHI, February 18, 2019 (Morning Star News) Police in Sri Lanka arrested a Christian who reported a Buddhist mobs threat on his life, according to an advocacy group in the island country. In Nattandiya, in Sri Lankas North Western Province, six area Buddhists on Jan. 26 threatened to attack the Christian if he refused to stop inviting a pastor to lead Bible studies at his house, the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) reported. The next day (Jan. 27), the Christian (name withheld for security reasons) filed a complaint about the threat on his life at the Marawila police station, in Puttalam District. This upset the six Buddhists, and with others they formed a mob on Jan. 29 that headed toward his house with intent to assault him, the NCEASL reported. Before they could get near his house, a friend notified the Christian of their approach and tried to stop them, resulting in a fight in which one of the Buddhists was injured and received hospital treatment, a source said. Exact details are not known, however, his injury was not very serious, the source told Morning Star News. The Christian was not present at the fight, but the injured Buddhist filed an assault complaint against him, the source said. Police arrested the Christian, but the Christian was released the next day. Violence and Harassment Violence and harassment against Christians have been persistent in Sri Lanka, where the population is about 70 percent Buddhist and 13 percent Hindu, with attacks by Hindus on the upswing. There seems to be an attitude of intolerance against religious minorities, and this is instigated by extremist groups also, by the continuation of a biased attitude by local governmental officers, the director the Asia Evangelical Alliances Religious Liberty Commission, whose name is withheld for security reasons, told Morning Star News. The government accepted all recommendations made by the UN in the previous Universal Periodic Review cycle of Sri Lanka pertaining to religious freedom. We are yet to see some of these recommendations implemented in the country. In Western Provinces Kalutara District, officers last month summoned a pastor of the New Covenant Life Centre at Millaniya to the Millaniya police station after a temple monk and several villagers complained that he was leading worship without official permission, according to the NCEASL. The station chief ordered the pastor to stop religious activities until he received approval from the local divisional secretary, even though such approval is not required, a source said. The approval demanded by the monk is not a legal requirement, the source told Morning Star News said. In fact, to register religious places of churches is not a legal requirement in Sri Lanka. In the countrys Eastern Province, unidentified motorcyclists on Jan. 12 disrupted the worship service of Gethsemane Gospel Church in Kurumanveli, Batticaloa District, NCEASL reported. Shouting obscenities, the mob called for the pastor to come out of the church building. He refused and later filed a police complaint at the Kalawanchikudi police station. Police investigated but told the pastor to settle the matter, and he reached an undisclosed agreement with the instigators. Cases of intimidation, discrimination, threats, violence, false allegations, legal challenges, demands for church closures, police inaction and demonstrations persist in Sri Lanka but are rarely reported in mainstream media. The NCEASL recorded six cases against Christians since the beginning of January three threats, two cases of discrimination and one false allegation. In January 2018, the alliance recorded eight cases, and five cases in January 2017. In 2018, NCEASL reported a total of 86 cases of violence against Christians in Sri Lanka, compared with 93 incidents in 2017, 80 incidents in 2016 and 90 in 2015. The highest number of incidents recorded in 2018 came under the category of threats against Christians, with 20 cases, according to NCEASL figures. This was followed by 19 incidents of violence; 14 of intimidation; 12 each of discrimination and demands for closure of worship places; three of false allegations; two each of police inaction and registration of cases against Christians; and one each in the categories of legal challenges and demonstrations. Sri Lanka ranked 46th on Christian support organization Open Doors 2019 World Watch Listing of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, up from its previous rank of 44th. If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved. If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/? Article originally published by Morning Star News. Used with permission. Photo courtesy: Ben White/Unsplash A human rights group says that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan's blasphemy law has led to the creation of "many Asia Bibis" in the Southeast Asian country. Last month, Pakistan's Supreme Court reaffirmed an earlier ruling that acquitted a Christian mother of five named Asia Bibi of committing blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammed. Bibi had been on death row for over eight years. Aid to the Church in Need, a human rights group set up by the Catholic Church, recently stated that despite the legal victory, there still remain "many Asia Bibis" in Pakistan. One example given by ACN was Sawan Masih, a young Christian man and father of three who was sentenced to death in 2014 for allegedly violating the nation's blasphemy law. Masih has appealed the decision, but ACN has stated that "he is still waiting for appeal proceedings" following delays. Masih's next court date is now scheduled for Feb. 28. Bibi's appeal had also been delayed several times by the country's high court over the years. "Just as was the case for Asia Bibi, there are a lot of irregularities in Sawan's case. The charges against him were brought by one of his Muslim friends, Shahid Imran, following an argument between the two men," explained the group. "Only two days later, two witnesses appeared who had not even been present at the time Muhammed was allegedly insulted." According to the National Commission for Justice and Peace, there are at present 25 legal cases in Pakistan of Christians accused of committing blasphemy. Furthermore, the NCJP reported that 23 Christians were killed after they were accused of violating the Islamic country's blasphemy laws. In 2010, Bibi was found guilty of blasphemy against the Islamic faith, stemming from an incident in 2009 when a group of Muslim women were upset that the Christian woman drank from the same water supply as them. She was sentenced to death. Bibi denied the charge and appealed the decision. However, she remained in prison for many years in spite of pressure from human rights organizations across the globe. Last October, Pakistan's Supreme Court acquitted Bibi, concluding that "the prosecution has categorically failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt." Violent protests broke out in response, with many vowing to kill Bibi. Her acquittal was upheld last month and she is now free to leave the country. But she was eventually placed at an undisclosed location near Karachi and though countries such as Canada have offered her asylum, she remains stuck. "She has no indication of when she will leave," said Aman Ullah, a liaison between Bibi and European diplomats, as reported by the Associated Press. "... they are not telling her why she cannot leave." Courtesy of The Christian Post Chickasha, OK (73018) Today Thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 88F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 69F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry fans are keeping an eye on Markles New York City baby shower and some eagle-eyed followers think they might have spotted a clue that the couple is having a girl. Meghan Markle | Karwai Tang/WireImage Markles baby shower decorations might reveal the babys gender While few details are yet known about the Duchess of Sussexs shower in terms of her guest list, it appears that the rumored Upper East Side location might just be The Mark Hotel. With the shower set to take place today, it didnt go unnoticed that hundreds of colorful flowers were being delivered to The Mark. Was there a clue in the theme of the flowers, however? With a range of colors represented, perhaps there is no particular hue that reveals the babys gender, but some believe the abundance of pink flowers mean that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are having a girl. While that might be a quick conclusion to make, it should be noted that there were also orange and yellow tulips among the bouquets and even what appeared to be an orange tree being brought to the venue, Hello! reports. Meghan Markle baby shower details are vague so far While few real details about Markles baby shower are yet known, it has been reported that her friend Jessica Mulroney is throwing the bash and that its to be an intimate affair with 15 to 20 of the Duchess of Sussexs closest friends. Its also been reported that security has been increased and barriers were delivered to the hotel. Meghan Markle explained they are keeping the gender a secret Whether or not the baby shower flower colors signify that Markle is having a boy or girl or are just an assortment of beautiful spring flowers remains to be seen, especially since she had remarked that they will be keeping the gender a secret. When asked by a guest at the recent Endeavor Fund Awards whether the couple were expecting a boy or girl, Markle explained: We dont know. Yes, we decided to keep it a secret. She added: That way well have something And its one of those things, like, no matter what it is, its still going to be a surprise. Markle will reportedly have another shower Many fans have wondered if this will be the only baby shower for the Duchess but, according to royal correspondent Omid Scobie, shes expected to have a second shower in the UK. Scobie told Good Morning America: Todays baby shower is a reunion of sorts for Meghan. [Guests] include best pal Jessica Mulroney, actress and close pal Abigail Spencer has flown in and Priyanka Chopra is supposed to be flying in especially for this from London Fashion Week. Itll be a celebration with her closest friends. He also tweeted: Todays baby shower is the first of two, sources tell me. Around 20 of Meghans loved ones incl Misha Nonoo, Jessica Mulroney and Abigail Spencer will join her in NYC later this afternoon, with a smaller gathering scheduled for pals on this side of the pond after Morocco. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are expecting their first child together in the spring. And while the whole world is incredibly excited for the newest royal to arrive, some experts are concerned. Heres why Meghans pregnancy is causing some doctors to speak out. Meghan Markle got pregnant with ease at 37. | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Meghan and Harry got pregnant soon after they wed Meghan and Harrys life together has moved pretty quickly so far. The couple only began dating in 2016, but they didnt date for more than a year and a half before announcing their engagement in November 2017. And in typical royal fashion, the couple didnt have a very long engagement. They tied the knot in May 2018, and kids were on their mind from an early point. By October 2018, the couple had announced their pregnancy. Since most women wait at least 12 weeks before announcing a pregnancy, Meghan likely got pregnant just a month or two after her wedding. Meghan is 37, and she appeared to get pregnant with extreme ease Meghan and Harry had discussed having children even before they married. The two both seemed very eager and excited to start a family. While Meghan never said if age had anything to do with it, its possible that she wanted to have the best chance at getting pregnant scientifically, this would mean she should get pregnant sooner rather than later. Based on the couples pregnancy announcement, it looks like they got pregnant in July maybe even less than two months after they were married. For almost any woman, two months is quick. But for Meghan, who is 37, its very quick. Some are concerned that Meghans quick pregnancy may give some women false hope According to Michael Chapman, the president of the Fertility Society of Australia, the chances of a 37-year-old woman getting pregnant is only around 15% per cycle. Unfortunately, Meghan getting pregnant at 37 potentially makes people think, Oh well, it will all be all right. Im only 35. Ill wait till Im 37, because Meghan got there. It is potentially a negative, Chapman said in an interview with MamaMia. Although its definitely possible for women to get pregnant after age 35, the chances do decrease. And getting pregnant is different for every woman. Although Meghan was able to get pregnant with ease, that may not be the case for all women. Women might believe they cant get pregnant or have major fertility problems if theyre the same age as Meghan and dont get pregnant within two months of trying, since she did. Certainly, at 37, most women who try will, at least within a year, get pregnant. Meghan was fabulously fertile, obviously, and managed to get pregnant pretty much straightway, Dr. Karin Hammarberg, a fertility expert, also told MamaMia. There are several ways Meghan may have increased her chances For women around Meghans age, there are steps that can be taken to increase the chances of getting pregnant, PracticalParenting reports. And its possible Meghan followed some of these, too. You can monitor your most fertile times through a fertility tracking device, or even an app, to help determine your best chances of getting pregnant. Plus, studies suggest the foods you eat play a role in your ability to conceive naturally; Meghan has always been very conscious of what she eats, which could have increased her chances. Neither Harry nor Meghan is overweight, which also increases chances. Other things, such as not smoking and getting plenty of sleep, are important as well. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Prince Harry seems extremely happy with Meghan Markle. And although the two look like a match made in heaven, he actually dated someone else for an extremely long time: Chelsy Davy. However, Harry and Chelsys relationship never turned into a marriage. And theres a reason for that. Chelsy Davy walks with Prince Harry and Prince Charles in 2010. | Samir Hussein/WireImage Harry and Chelsy first met back in 2004 Harry reportedly fell for Chelsy within a few days. The two first met back in 2004; at the time, Harry had just finished up studying at Eton College, a boarding school for boys aged 13-18. He had enrolled at a military academy in Sandhurst, but Chelsy completely swept him off his feet. Chelsy was the daughter of a Zimbabwean billionaire, and the two were nearly insperable once they began dating. Chelsy even spent time with Kate Middleton (before she was a duchess), since they were both dating the brothers. However, she and Harry had a very on and off relationship through the years. The couple was linked as late as 2015 The couple broke up in 2009, but things werent completely over between them. When Prince William and Kate Middleton were getting married, Harry wanted Chelsy to be his date to the wedding. He invited her to attend, and the romance was rekindled, but the two ended things once more just a few months later. Four years later, in 2015, Harry spent a month in Africa on a conservation trip and was once again linked to Chelsy, who is originally from Zimbabwe. But sparks never fully ignited between the two, and they never got back together. About a year after that, Harry was introduced to Meghan Markle. Harry and Chelsy never married because Chelsy didnt want to be a part of the royal family Its possible that Harry and Chelsy could have ended up together had she wanted to become a part of his family. However, Chelsy broke up with Harry shortly after attending William and Kates wedding. She has admitted that the publicity surrounding Will and Kates new life together would have been too much for her. Plus, with so many royal rules and traditions to follow, Chelsy felt it wasnt a lifestyle where shed truly be happy. Will and Kates wedding was so over the top, especially in terms of the public and paparazzi, that it completely turned Chelsy off to a royal life. It was so full-on: Crazy and scary and uncomfortable, Davy once said in an interview, according to Harpers Bazaar. I found it very difficult when it was bad. I couldnt cope. The two have remained on good terms, and Chelsy attended Harrys royal wedding last May Although Harry may have married Chelsy had she been willing, it looks like things worked out for the best for each of them. The breakup was amicable, and they remained on good terms. When Harry wed Meghan in an extravagant ceremony last May, Chelsy was in attendance. Chelsy has since been linked with other men, but she remains unmarried. However, it appears she was certain that Harry wasnt the one. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! A lot will change when Prince Charles becomes King of England. And while his ascension could be years away, the royal family has been busy prepping and planning to ensure a smooth transition. One of the things they have likely already considered is whether or not Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles will move into Buckingham Palace full time. And, if they do, will Prince William and Kate Middleton move to Clarence House? Considered the royal family headquarters, Buckingham Palace is not only where the Mountbatten-Windsors conduct their business, its where certain members including the monarch reside. In her old age, Queen Elizabeth II spends a lot of her time with Prince Philip at Windsor Castle. However, Buckingham Palace is still her full-time residence just like it was for those monarchs that came before Her Majesty. Prince William and Kate Middleton might move to Clarence House. | Karwai Tang/WireImage Will Prince Charles move to Buckingham Palace? At the time of his ascension, Prince Charles could slowly begin to make the transition to the Buckingham Palace living quarters. However, the official royal residence is currently under massive renovation, which is forcing some royals to move out. The queen will also need to vacate but, according to the Buckingham Palace renovation plans, that wont need to happen until 2025. So, while Buckingham Palace could serve as the Prince of Waless future home, he most likely wont move in until after the renovations at least in the queens current living quarters are complete. Will Prince William and Kate Middleton move to Clarence House? If Prince Charles ascends the throne before renovations are completed, he will probably remain at his current official residence, Clarence House. But, if he vacates for the royal family headquarters, Prince William and Kate Middleton could move in. That said, Clarence House has nothing to do with royal ranking meaning its not the official residence of all heirs to the British throne (just Prince Charles). Before Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles moved in, the house was occupied by the Queen Mother, aka Prince Charless grandmother. Prince Charles and Princess Diana lived at Kensington Palace, just like Prince William and Kate Middleton do. Chances are, Prince William and Kate Middleton probably wont move to Clarence House, as Prince Charles doesnt exactly want to give up his home sweet home. According to reports, the reason for staying is about more than the Buckingham Palace renovation. The Prince of Wales allegedly wants to open Buckingham Palace to the public for longer periods of time (right now, royal fans can only visit between July and October) and already has plans for a special tribute exhibition on his mothers historical reign. Prince Charles also feels Buckingham Palace is too big for him and Camilla. I know he is no fan of the big house, as he calls the palace, a source told Hello! Magazine. He doesnt see it as a viable future home or a house thats fit for purpose in the modern world. He feels its upkeep, both from a cost and environmental perspective, is not sustainable, they added. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! If youre a fan of The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond, you likely watch her cooking show every week. She whips up mouth-watering meals such as rosemary garlic fried potatoes and chicken alfredo stuffed shells. One question you might have is how the Food Network star learned how to cook. Did Ree Drummond go to culinary school? Heres what we know. Did Ree Drummond go to college? Ree Drummond | Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Pioneer Woman Magazine Drummond did go to college. She attended the University of Southern California, where she majored in gerontology. Before that, she attended Bartlesville High School. Drummond was planning to go to Chicago to pursue her law degree, but changed her plans and moved to a ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, after meeting her husband, Ladd Drummond (this is why she calls herself an accidental country girl). Ree Drummonds first recipe blog post Ree Drummonds blog featured the very first post about food in a 2007 guide on how to cook a steak. Fans of her blog loved the recipe and began asking her to share more food posts. Time to think about whats for dinner this weekend. How bout a nice, juicy steak? Dont be intimidated; its one of the easiest things in the world to cook, and itll make your soul sing, she wrote in the blog posts introduction. Other early recipes include cinnamon rolls, chocolate sheet cake, and lasagna. The Pioneer Woman star eventually turned all of her recipes into a cookbook so her fans could have a convenient way to access her cooking instructions. Its not overly polished or too serious. Its a little weird. Its a reflection of this website and a collection of my very favorite recipessome on the site, some never shared beforethat I love to cook, she wrote on her blog. Did Ree Drummond go to culinary school? So, how did Ree Drummond learn to cook the meals that made her a Food Network star? Youll be surprised to learn the answer. On her personal blog, Drummond talks about her life and family. Turns out, Ree Drummond did not go to culinary school. She mentions on the blog she is a self-taught cook. So, if you want to be a TV chef, you dont necessarily need to go to a fancy cooking school. What life was like before Ree Drummond moved to the farm Drummonds domestic life is very different from the life she had before settling down and marrying Ladd. She says she was a suburban girl who got manicures and pedicures regularly. Drummond never intended to be a farmers wife. Her drastic move from California to a ranch in Oklahoma led her to take an interest in cooking, specifically dishes she refers to as cowboy friendly. In her book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from An Accidental Country Girl, Drummond describes her life before becoming The Pioneer Woman: I was the archetypal town girl, firmly attached to all the wonderful conveniences of a suburban existence: landscaped lawns, manicures, pedicures, facials, take-out food and lots of shopping. I had no idea any other kind of life existed, she wrote. Read more: 1 Surprising Thing The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond and Ladd Drummond Argue About Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Azizi Developments, one of the leading private developers in the UAE, said 90 per cent of the construction work has already been completed at its Dh470-million ($128 million) Azizi Aliyah Residence project coming up in Dubai Healthcare City. Situated on Al Khail Road, the Azizi Aliyah boasts 346 residences comprising 191 studios as well as 135 one- and 20 two-bedroom apartments, along with 16,000 sq ft of upscale retail space. Azizi Aliyah is built on the concept of maximising terrace space through staggered slabs and unroofed balconies. The uniquely architected, 16-storey building overlooks the surrounding Healthcare City area that encompasses the Dubai Creek and a stunning skyline, said the developer. The project, which is just 15 minutes away from Dubai International Airport, is in proximity to various business hubs, hospitals, and Wafi Mall, it added. Marking another important milestone in its pursuit of timely project delivery, Azizi said these elegantly-designed homes will be delivered to homeowners during the second quarter. Azizi Developments said it had deployed a full force of contracting teams to ensure 100 per cent completion as per the delivery schedule. The architectural finishes of its interiors were currently underway, and the external works progressing at an accelerated pace, stated the company. All infrastructure work is also being completed in a timely manner with the support of Dubai Healthcare City, it added. Working closely with the contractors on every project, the company focusses on handing over its projects as per the initial schedule and, through careful planning, strives to announce completion dates as realistically as possible, said its top official. "The 90 per cent completion milestone achieved on the Azizi Aliya Residence once again highlights our commitment to timely delivery," remarked CEO Farhad Azizi. "With its central location in Dubai Healthcare City and proximity to Dubai Creek, Azizi Aliyah Residence will soon welcome its first residents to a premier development, underpinned by high-quality design and world-class construction standards," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Meghan Markle might be just a couple of months away from giving birth to her first child, but the Duchess of Sussex is still on the move. Over the past several months, the duchess has been involved with a slew of charities, and she has attended numerous royal engagements. Up next, she and Prince Harry are even planning on embarking on their final royal tour pre-baby. They are planning to head to Morocco for a few days in late Feb. 2019. All of this has left little time for the former actress to have any rest or relaxation. Now it looks like Markle has slipped away from the royal spotlight for a few days to enjoy some very much needed girl time on a secret trip to New York City. Heres what we know! Is Meghan Markle on a secret girls trip in New York City? Though the press seems to catch Markles every move somehow she managed to slip out of the U.K. and across the pond for a secret five days girls trip in NYC. The duchess arrived in the Big Apple just after Valentines Day on Friday, February 15. A source close to the newly minted royal told BAZAAR.com that Markle is in town for some good food, rest, shopping, and some girl time. The source revealed, The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves. This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born so its nice to share precious moments. One of Markles best friends stylist Jessica Mulroney, was in town for some Good Morning America segments and the ladies took the time to have macarons and tea at Ladurees and SoHo and to just catch up. The source revealed, Its been a relaxing visit. Nothing beats face time with your friends. Meg will be flying home refreshed and relaxed-and with a lot of new baby clothes. Is Meghan Markle having a secret baby shower in NYC? While shes in NYC Markle is also having a traditional baby shower with her best girlfriends. According to E! News Mulroney has been planning the shower for months, and it will be held in the Big Apple on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at a secret location at a hotel on the Upper East Side . Were not sure who exactly is on the guest list, but we wouldnt be surprised if Markles mother Doria Ragland and dear friends, Serena Williams, and Priyanka Chopra were all in attendance. Since Markle has been having a tough time dealing with her family drama and the constant news cycle surrounding her marriage and her new role as a royalit will be so nice for her to revisit some good friends who have always kept her grounded. Also, this might be the only time Markle will have a baby shower royals typically dont have showers like this so were glad Markle is able to make an exception for herself and snag a little bit of normalcy while shes at it. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Malia Obama grew up in the public eye. The eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama was just a kid when her father became Commander-in-Chief, and she spent her formative years growing up under a microscope in the White House. Now, the eldest Obama girl is 20-years-old and in her sophomore year at Harvard University. Like many of us during our college years, shes discovering who she is and trying to carve out a place for herself without the weight of her family name smothering her. While the rest of us think very little about having various social media accounts across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TwitterMalia must be much more careful about what she puts out into the public. Does she have a secret Facebook account where she posts snippets from her daily life? Malia Obama had a secret Facebook account until recently Like Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and a slew of famous names before her, Malia Obama did have a secret facebook account. It looks like the former first daughter used the account during her senior year of high school and during her gap year when she was exploring the world. Though the account has not been active since 2017 Malia used the platform as an outlet. She often posted photos of herself on vacation including trips to Bolivia and Chile with her friends including, former Vice President Joe Bidens 20-year-old granddaughter, Finnegan. She also used her secret Facebook account to speak out against things close to her heart including, gun reform. She was also outraged by some of Donald Trumps bombastic rhetoric. She posted a photo of a series of hot pink Post-It notes that read, Donald Trump is President. This is not normal. Donald Trump is evil and Dont be complacent. What is Malia Obama doing now? After spending some time away from the spotlight and enjoying her gap yearworking with The Weinstein Company before the Harvey Weinstein allegations brokeMalia Obama has been enjoying her time as a student at Harvard. Recentlythe film enthusiast was spotted on vacation with some of her school friends Jane Lipscomb, Taylor Nides and Lizzy Mullaney. The foursome were in Miami where they were soaking up some much-needed sun rays after dealing with the brutal cold of the northeast. There was a ton of hoopla because Obama was snapped enjoying an $80 bottle of rose by the pool of a hotel, but we think thats a bit absurd. With so much drama over nothing, we can certainly understand why Malia has given up her secret Facebook account. Malia Obama also seems to have found love at Harvard. She has been dating British born Rory Farquharson. However, we dont know if the duo is still on because they have not been seen together since Aug. 2018. Still, from where were sitting, Malia Obama is living her best life. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! If you know fashion, then you know the name Karl Lagerfeld. The man was a staple in the industry and an icon to little styling-crazed boys and girls everywhere. The powerhouse creative behind brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Chanel, Fendi, and more, Lagerfeld gave us some of the most memorable looks of the last few decades. But how did he get so famous? How did he come to head so many huge fashion houses? Lets take a look. The Beginning Lagerfeld was actually born Karl Otto Lagerfeldt, but took the t out of his name because he felt that it made him more commercial. The German fashion designer never revealed his actual birthday but it has been reported that he was born on Sep. 10, 1933. Lagerfeld came from money. His father sold condensed milk throughout Germany and his mother was an acclaimed violin player. The family seemed to live a charmed life. That is, until Hitler came to power and things began to change. When Hitler began gaining control of Germany, Lagerfelds family moved to a very rural area of northern Germany. The designer later claimed that in this town, he was cut off from any information about Nazis, according to Biography.com. As a child, Lagerfeld was always interested in fashion. By the time he was 14, he decided to move to Paris on his own. While there, he continued sketching and honing his craft. At 21, Lagerfeld entered the International Wool Secretariats design competition, which is now more commonly known as the International Woolmark Prize. He took home first place with a judging panel that consisted of fashion notables like Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy. Career Lagerfeld then landed a job as a junior assistant with designer Pierre Balmain. Throughout his three years with Balmain, Lagerfeld went from junior assistant to apprentice. In 1961, Lagerfeld decided to take his career in another direction and look for more work as a freelancer. Soon, he was designing collections for Chloe, Fendi, and more. He was even hired to oversee Fendis full fur line. At this time, the designer became a sort of hired consultant for fashion houses. Labels would bring him in to revive them. One of his most notable achievements was bringing Chanel back from the dead and completely rebranding it in the 1980s. In 1984, Lagerfeld started his own label which he sold to Tommy Hilfiger in 2005. During this time, Lagerfeld rose to become even more of an icon in fashion, known for his keen eye and creative genius. Throughout the years, he continued to branch into new territory. He began working in film and photography and even designed a line of glassware for Orefors. In 2015, the first Karl Lagerfeld store opening in Doha, Qatar. Death Lagerfeld was a staple at fashion shows. So when he missed a number of shows in early 2019, people started getting concerned that he was ill. The German designer died in Paris on Feb. 19, 2019. He was 85 years old. Read more: Priyanka Chopras Career and How She Became Famous Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! LONDON, ENGLAND FEBRUARY 07: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Endeavour Fund awards at Drapers Hall on February 07, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) Meghan Markle arrived in New York City over the weekend and is reportedly there for a baby shower thrown by her friends, according to E! News. Markle is expecting her first child with Prince Harry and is in her third trimester. The couple is expecting the baby in late April, People says. Were guessing Markle, a Los Angeles native, spent the weekend visiting old haunts and favorite spots from her days of The Tig, her lifestyle site. What we do know is that after arriving in New York City, Markle went to Laduree restaurant and bakery in the citys SoHo neighborhood, a source told E! News. Markles visit to the city garnered attention when an eye witness reported seeing her having lunch with a friend to Page Six and Harpers Bazaar. The shower has been planned for months The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves, a source told Harpers Bazaar. This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born so its nice to share precious moments. Undoubtedly Markles life has become much busier since marrying into the British royal family. Her schedule will be even busier when the new baby arrives in April. Its been a relaxing visit, another source said. Nothing beats face time with your friends. Meg will be flying home refreshed and relaxed and with a lot of new baby clothes. Wed love to see the baby clothes Markle receives from her friends but well have to wait until the royal baby is worn to guess which outfits were gifts. Markles BFF is hosting One of Markles best friends, stylist Jessica Mulroney, is organizing the shower. We have no doubt the shower will be full of Markles favorite New York City eats. Mulroney and Markle grew extremely close when Markle was living in Canada filming the USA series, Suits. Shes taken secret solo trips before In August 2018, Markle took a commercial flight to visit Mulroney, her husband, and their children, at their home in Toronto, a place where Markle and Prince Harry are known to stay. Mulroneys children are close to Markle, so close they were in her wedding. When Markle and Prince Harry began dating, the two made a number of secret trips abroad to see each other. In 2017, Prince Harry made a secret trip to Toronto to visit Markle months before proposing. Kensington Palace hasnt commented on the visit Markles trip to New York City has been so hush hush, Kensington Palace hasnt commented on the visit. They declined to comment to E! News and no photos have been made public of Markles visit. Markles friends spoke about her character A handful of Markles friends spoke to People about her life before becoming a duchess. From the outside, people want to paint a Cinderella story, but Meg had made her life quite amazing before this, the source said. She worked hard and earned an amazing career; she did loads of charity and volunteer work; she had a successful lifestyle website [the Tig] with a staff who loved her; she had privacy and freedom, but the means to really enjoy her life and to share that success with her friends which she always did. Now that John-David Duggar has asked for Abbies hand in marriage, and brother Josiah has tied the knot, everyones eyes are on eldest daughter Jana to find her mate. Once a Duggar enters into a courtship, it appears that wedding bells are not far off, but thats not always the case. Courtships dont always end in marriage proposals. So, have any of the Duggars ever failed to make it to the altar? How is courtship different from dating? Courtship, a term first made mainstream by the Duggars, is not a new concept in ultra-conservative Christian groups. A courtship differs from dating, as the intention is for engagement and marriage. Instead of romantically linking oneself to a dating partner without having serious intentions, members of the Duggars faith only move past friendship into romantic interest if they genuinely believe theyll marry the person they are seeing. John David Duggar, Josiah Duggar and Joseph Duggar (Photo by Ida Mae Astute/ABC via Getty Images) Courtship is also more formal than traditional dating. The couple avoids spending time alone together and avoids physical contact. The lack of alone time, according to the Duggar kids, prevents them from clouding their judgment with physical attraction Josiah had a failed courtship Years before Josiah met Lauren Swanson; he entered into a courtship with a girl by the name of Marjorie Jackson. Marjorie was just 17 at the time. Josiah courted Marjorie for four months in 2015 before the pair called it quits, according to People. The end of the courtship was suspiciously close to revelations that Josh Duggar molested several of his siblings and a family friend. Jackson has since gone on to attend college and has even penned a book. Josiah married Lauren Swanson in 2018, after j ust months of courting. The pair appear to be well-suited to one another, and Josiahs failed courtship doesnt seem to be an issue between the couple. Josh Duggar courted in his teens Before the Duggars became a household name oldest son, Josh may have courted a girl from an associated political family. Before reality, TV Jim Bob Duggar had political aspirations and was closely linked to Jim Holt, a Baptist minister, and a conservative R epublican . It is rumored that Joshua Duggar briefly courted one of the Holt daughters before things were called off. According to Star, the courtship happened when Joshua was just 16 years old and coincides with the molestation allegations. It is likely that the courtship was called off for that reason. The Holtses and the Duggars have drifted apart since. The Holts family nor the Duggars have confirmed the rumors. It is not known which daughter Joshua was courting. The Holts have 11 children ranging in age from 30 to three years old. Jedidiah Duggar and Joseph Duggar feuded over Kendra Caldwell According to In Touch, Jedidiah Duggar actually dated Kendra Caldwell before his older brother Joseph swooped in. According to a family friend, Jedidiah Duggar, 18, showed interest in Kendra Caldwell before Joseph. Jed and Kendra never made it to an official courtship, however. The pair were heavily involved in the friendship phase of their relationship, and it was believed a courtship was eminent before Joseph made his intentions known. The Duggar family has not confirmed the rumor. Joseph Duggar married Kendra Caldwell in September 2017. They welcomed their first child, Garrett in June 2018. The pair currently live in a house on the Duggar family property. Jedidiah still resides at home. He is not presently courting anyone. Bravo producer Andy Cohen made a rare new dad appearance on The Today Show to discuss his new life as a dad. He reveals the more tender and heartwarming moments. But also remarked about the stark reality many parents face when it comes to adoption and surrogacy. Cohen opted to become a parent via surrogacy. He said he weighed the options but chose surrogacy. Cohen told hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb that surrogacy comes with a number of risks and expense. Andy Cohen | Getty Images Cohen also reminded viewers that surrogacy presents a number of legal challenges too. Plus, if he chose to adopt, he would have also faced another set of legal barriers. Surrogacy is not legal in all 50 states Cohen answered the question of why Benjamin was born to a surrogate in California instead of New York. Surrogacy is illegal in New York, Cohen told Guthrie and Kotb. Laws are not overly clear cut too. In some states, like Texas, surrogacy is permitted. However, prospective parents must have judicial approval of contracts in advance, according to The Surrogacy Experience. Plus, only married couples can pursue surrogacy in the state. A number of states with restrictions on surrogacy pertain only to married (and often heterosexual) couples. Single and gay parents do not appear to be recognized. States like California, Oregon, and Nevada are some of the most pro-surrogacy states. Whereas states like New York forbids surrogacy. And adoption is denied in some states if you are gay The skin-to-skin two hours was just absolutely incredible. @Andy on his first few moments with his son, Benjamin Allen Cohen pic.twitter.com/iw6Q7EFtiy TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 19, 2019 Some states make it difficult if not impossible to adopt if you are gay. Cohen noted this disturbing fact during his Today Show appearance too. Approximately 100,000 children are waiting for a foster or adoptive family in the United States, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU attorney, Leslie Cooper said preventing gay families from adopting ultimately hurts the children. What makes this flavor of anti-LGBT bill especially pernicious is that the people who bear the brunt of such laws are the children in the state foster care system who lose out on families that they desperately need, she said, The Daily Beast reports. A number of states are fighting against anti-LGBT bills that allow agencies to deny gay parent adoptions based on religious freedom. Approximately 10 states may deny adoption to a gay parent based on religious beliefs, according to the Movement Advancement Project. These states include Michigan, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota and more. Follow The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Congressman Chuck Fleischmann announces the Third District of Tennessees participation in the 2019 Congressional Art Competition. Last year I was blown away by the artistic talents of East Tennesseans, and that is why I have decided to host the Congressional Art Competition for another year, said Congressman Fleischmann. All high school students in the Third Congressional District are welcome to participate in the 2019 Congressional Art Competition. The first place winner will receive round-trip airfare for the national awards ceremony in Washington and be eligible to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol building for one year for all visitors to admire. Artwork entries will be accepted March 11-22 in Congressman Fleischmanns District Offices, with the final deadline being March 22 at 5 p.m. For more information on this event, click here or call Congressman Fleischmanns Chattanooga office at 423-756-2342. A Chattanooga man who was arrested erroneously while starting on a family vacation to Iceland has filed suit for $27 million. George Harrison is suing the city and Chattanooga Police officers Kaumar Hughes and Mathew Lynch in Federal Court. He is suing the city for $5 million and the officers for $1 million each. He is asking $20 million punitive damages in the complaint filed by attorney Clayton Whittaker. The suit says on May 18, 2018, officers were called to 4700 Montview Dr. where they encountered Rene Richards, who said she was assaulted by her boyfriend. She named him George Harris or George Harrison. The suit says, "Ms. Richards gave a list of identifiers. She stated he was a middle aged white male in his 50s, with a red beard and that he drove a black Dodge truck, and had a large mole on his left arm. Officers used their computers to search for George Harrison in the drivers license data base. Officers accessed a picture of the Plaintiff and showed it to the victim at Erlanger Hospital. She identified the plaintiff. Ms. Richards was injured from a severe beating and was intoxicated. "Officers were unable to access the vehicle registration to corroborate other information about the vehicle driven by the suspect due to malfunction of the system. Further, officers did not seek access to vehicle records to exculpate Plaintiff. The Plaintiff George Harrisons physical identifiers did not match the description given by the victim. Officers did not assess the investigation and all of the factors to determine if probable cause existed." Officers Hughes and Lynch issued the warrant for George Harrison after consultation with the special victim unit, it was stated. On June 30, 2018, Mr. Harrison and wife Mallory arrived by plane at the Baltimore Washington Marshal airport. George and Mallory Harrison met with Kay Olive, his mother and other family members. The family was traveling to Iceland for a family vacation. Upon attempting to board the plane for Iceland, George Harrison was arrested by Homeland Security and local police and taken into custody. He was handcuffed and taken to a secure area in the airport. The arrest occurred in the presence of his family and other travelers. After hours passed the arrest warrant from Hamilton County was transmitted to the local police and George Harrison was taken from the airport to the Anne Arundel County, Maryland detention center and jail. The suit says Mr. Harrison and the remainder of the family were unable to travel on the family vacation. He remained in the custody of the Sherriff of Anne Arundel County for three days. The case in Hamilton County afterward was dismissed based upon Mr. Harrison being misidentified. The suit says the victim of the aggravated assault, Rene Richards, " indicated that George was misidentified." Mr. Harrison was released from custody on July 2, 2018. The suit says he suffered injury to his shoulders from being handcuffed by police in Anne Arundel County. It says he "immediately and continually communicated to Defendant City of Chattanooga that they had arrested the wrong person and that the investigation misidentified him and that he was falsely arrested. The city of Chattanooga did not release the Plaintiff." The suit said the city did not properly train the officers in making certain they were arresting the correct person. Lee University will hold a percussion festival for the Tennessee Day of Percussion. The event, sponsored by the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Percussive Arts Society, will take place Saturday across campus. Lee received a grant from TAC to hold the festival, which allows for more featured artists and events to take place. The featured artists, such as James Campbell, a distinguished professor from the University of Kentucky, and Andy Kruspe, Bodhran and Celtic music expert, will travel to Lee to give performances and/or judge competitions. Competitions will begin at 9 a.m. with the high school keyboard competition, judged by Matthew Geiger and acclaimed composer Brian Nozny. Geiger, from East Tennessee State University and member of BlueSHIFT Percussion Quartet, will also give a performance later in the day. Lee Universitys Associate Professor of Music Dr. Andy Harnsberger, who will also perform, and Lee Vinson, adjunct associate professor of percussion at Vanderbilt University, will judge the college keyboard competition. Tom Hurst, Nashville-based drummer for Tracy Lawrence, and Shane Gwaltney of Music City Mystique will both give performances and judge the high school snare competition. At 11 a.m., the all-state concert will be held in Pangle Hall. Later in the afternoon, there will be multiple ensemble performances, the competition winners will give a concert, and an all-collegiate concert will end the day. Performances are open to the public. Children high school age and younger, including their parents, may attend for $5, PAS members for $10, and non-PAS members for $20. For more information on Day of Percussion, registration, a full schedule, and performance locations, visit https://www.leeupercussion.com/schedule. Since the conclusion of last years Odyssey luncheon, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy has been busy preparing for 2019s signature event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the school. Today, with the help of Hutton and First Tennessee Bank, the team announces that the 10th Annual Odyssey Awards Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, March 13 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Slated to begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. with a welcome by the event chair and local business owner, Karen Hutton, plans are shaping up for this years event to be remembered for years to come, officials said.. This is CGLAs 10th anniversary, so we are working hard to make sure this luncheon is a memorable experience for all of our guests, said CGLAs Development Coordinator Catherine Clifford. We have secured a dynamic speaker, arranged a special performance and developed an engaging program... this is going to be our greatest Odyssey yet. "This years keynote address will be delivered by one of the top graduates from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, Mpumi Nobiva. Mpumi graduated from the academy some years ago and has since gone on to share her powerful story of resilience at the White House, congressional fundraisers, corporate functions and nonprofit initiatives in several countries," officials said. "She is regarded by Oprah as a 'powerhouse' and her remarks are sure to resonate with CGLA students and inspire guests. Mpumi will also be joined by previous keynote speaker and Grammy-nominated artist, Wintley Phipps for an unforgettable performance. "With the luncheon attracting as many as 800 guests, Odyssey is also the perfect time to celebrate CGLA students and honor steadfast supporters. During the program, time is allotted to present two hardworking students with the Rising and Shining Star Awards and one community member with the Founders Award." According to CGLAs Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elaine Swafford, Every year, we challenge our girls to dig deep and work hard. So, when the opportunity arises to celebrate their success we take full advantage of it, and Odyssey is the perfect time to do so. This years Founders Award will be presented to Jo Ann Yates for her "unwavering commitment to CGLA." Mrs. Yates has supported our girls and our school since the inception, said Dr. Swafford. No one is more deserving of this honor than Mrs. Yates. First Tennessee Bank and Hutton are the presenting sponsors of the 10th Annual Odyssey Awards Luncheon. Other major sponsors include: Deborah and Mitch Everhart; Mustang Leadership Partners; Marian and Jim Steffner; Kristin and Gordon Davenport; Acura of Chattanooga; Dr. Deborah DiStefano and Susan Stein; Unum; Butch and Olan Mills; Tennessee American Water; TVA; EPB; Pinnacle Financial Partners; Tom Bible Law; Times Free Press; Brewer Media Group; and WTCI. Tickets are on sale now at $65 per person and sponsorship opportunities are also available. Money raised from Odyssey supports the schools daily operation, which includes funding CGLAs STEAM centered academic program and wrap-around services. For more information about Odyssey or CGLA, contact Catherine Clifford at 423-468-4105 or catherineclifford@cglaonline.com. Aldar Properties, a leading property development company in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has reported a full-year 2018 revenue of Dh6.3 billion ($1.71 billion), up 2 per cent over the previous year on the back of asset acquisitions and development revenue recognition as projects under construction achieved milestones. Announcing the financial results for the 12 months to December 31, 2018, Aldar said its gross profit rose to Dh2.6 billion thus reflecting a steady performance across its businesses. The year 2018 had been a transformational year with strong momentum building in the second half that has continued into 2019, it stated. Impressed with the results, the board had recommends 14 fils per share dividend for 2018, representing a 17 per cent increase over 2017 and the sixth consecutive year of growth. The proposed total dividend payout of Dh1.1 billion reflects the quality of Aldars recurring revenue assets that contributed the majority of the dividend, with growth supported by development handovers and collection of final payments, it added. Chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak said: "Abu Dhabis real estate sector is a key beneficiary of the governments growth-focused policies, which are driving positive economic activity and sentiment. Aldar continues to play an integral role in the evolution of the industry and is successfully delivering on its strategy." "The strength and consistency across our businesses underpins the boards confidence in proposing an increased dividend for 2018," he stated. CEO Talal Al Dhiyebi said: "2018 was a transformational year with a series of game-changing corporate actions. We completed one of the largest real estate transactions in the UAEs history and created the regions largest diversified real estate investment company." "Our financial and operational performance was strong and will accelerate further as our mature asset portfolio grows and more of our developments enter the handover phase," he noted. "We are extremely confident, starting 2019 with powerful momentum from the incredible response to the launch of Alreeman. With a positive shift in sentiment, strong liquidity in Abu Dhabi and the long-term health of our real estate market, we are optimistic about the year ahead," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Mayor Berke, On September 5, 2017, you asked and were granted a 22-cent property tax increase for city government operations and a capital fund. At the meeting, the City Council approved your proposal for the property tax increase of 22 cents per $100 of property assessment. As a result, every business, home owner, and property owner had one-month notice that their local property taxes were increased. This action harmed many people with escrow accounts and mortgages. City Hall did not concern themselves with problems of the mere citizens or senior citizens. The city minutes from the September 5, 2017 City Council meeting indicate that you stated, Our senior citizens, when faced with rising costs of an improving economy, should not have to worry about where they are going to live out the best years of their life. Thanks to the leadership of City Council, we can provide an opportunity to help senior citizens in our community. The citys program for senior citizen property tax relief is extraordinarily pathetic. Those running for re-election should not tout this program, after voting for the tax increase. The state of Tennessee program accomplishes the same. The city is taxing the elderly out of their homes .I am reading the press release you published today, which proposes to turn the property tax increase funds taken from hard-working families and business owners with little notice into a $500,000 gift to redistribute to other businesses. Have you considered who you are taking from to give to in your redistribution of other peoples hard-earned income taken as taxes? I am reading that you propose $500,000 of public money to be redistributed to small businesses of your choice, interesting application of Socialism. Many that own struggling businesses, but managed to pay their increased property taxes, have questions about the $500,000 redistribution of their money or giveaways that you proposed today. It is way too easy to give away other peoples money, called public money. Many have some questions about this $500,000 gift of public money you plan to giveaway. 1) Is this $500,000 gift to small businesses you deem worthy of public assistance budgeted in the current budget. Or, is this proposed for the budget in July 2019? 2) Please justify taking funds from working families and small business to redistribute to other businesses. All business has need. If need exists in small business, lets all write a check for a donation starting with you, Mayor Berke. 3) Public funds are not for private business capital. Are you donating $500,000 of your own money, or simply treating the new tax increase windfall as n opportunity to redistribute the business income of others? This is not clear in the press release notifying, we the people, that our Mayor is giving away $500,000 of public money to businesses. 4) You seem to favor turning public funds taken through taxation in to private donations. Do you understand that tax dollars are not for private gain? 5) What does the city spend millions on aside from huge bond issue debt? The city does not operate schools, hospitals, health services, just emergency services and infrastructure, hopefully consistent with the City Charter. I wonder about that, after reviewing the budget that meanders from the constraints of the city charter. If you deem the $500,000 give away as needed welfare to businesses, use your own money for charity, Mayor, as everyone does, or donate your Mayors salary to the businesses that need a charitable donation. It is not a function of government to force funds under taxation for private purpose. Public money is for public purpose, not private business capital. Making this distinction is a fundamental requirement for local government. Paying property taxes should not be a redistribution. April Eidson * * * The newly announced program Ms. Eidson is speaking of is called the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program. It is a loan program. Small Chattanooga businesses may apply to borrow up to $25,000 from this fund for a variety of particular needs. The program requires the business to match a percentage of the loan on a sliding scale. The purpose of the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program is to provide a resource for small businesses that are not adequately supported by private banks. In Ms. Eidson's letter she incorrectly categorizes this program as 'redistribution, socialism, a giveaway, a gift, public assistance, donations, and welfare.' Nowhere in her letter does she mention the central fact that the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program is a loan program. It appears appropriate to assume that Ms. Eidson is intentionally misleading the reader. Should Ms. Eidson wish to debate the merits of such a loan program, I would invite this discussion. Nolan Crenshaw * * * OK, Mr. Crenshaw, so it's a loan program. It is not the proper function of municipal government to act as a bank. If a local business needs operating capital, there are numerous banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions in the Chattanooga area. If a business is viable, it should have no trouble getting financing from one of those sources. If a business cannot get a $25,000 or smaller loan from a bank due to being deemed a poor risk, it's probably also a poor risk for taxpayers. At best, this is mission creep on the part of local government. At worst, it could be used to favor politically connected businesses, to the detriment of others. Joe Dumas * * * When the neighborhood reinvestment program was first introduced I was in attendance as downtown Neighborhood Relations Specialist Karen Clay introduced a guest speaker whose name escapes me now. What I recall was a very accomplished young lady that relocated from Atlanta, if I recall correctly, telling us that she was here to roll out this new program that Mayor Berke had created towards reinvesting into Chattanooga Neighborhood businesses. As a small business owner in Chattanooga myself I was intrigued by the ideas presented. However because I choose to pray and investigate matters before I leap into something that is untested I chose to decline further interest. Ultimately what I could never overcome was this is a local government program that sidetracks legitimate private lending institutions. Now the why I opposed a government handout is I felt it antithetical to everything I have learned about business and politics. These government loan practices are meant to gain votes from unsuspecting recipients by politicians whose real purposes are to position themselves as Santa Claus. It simply is not the function of government to loan money for this express and precise reason. Additionally an irony is taking place in county government to reboot discretionary funding under the guise of commissioners can better make decisions for their districts. Again they are simply attempting to buy votes for re-election. I stand with Ms. Eidson's assertion that this loan program is indeed an government effort to redistribute taxpayers money which is socialism. Ron Ray Lookout Valley Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation and LSMB Business Solutions are celebrating National Reading Month with, "Lit Tee (Literacy and Tea)," a tea party fundraiser to support the foundation and literacy programs in Cameroon, Africa. The event will be held at Chattanooga Event Center, 2193 Park Dr., on Saturday, March 30, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Admission is $35. This "Tee" is not your traditional party - It comes with a twist. Tee" as in T-shirt. All guests are encouraged to wear a snazzy tee of their choice. Ladies may add a tea party-like hat to top off their ensemble. Guests may wear jeans, skirts or even a dashiki/African print skirt. Hats are not necessary for gentlemen, but are welcome. Tea, as in sip on tea provided by Cheiman Teas, accompanied by a menu of "delectable delights." "Tea" - Enjoy the camaraderie, conversations, chit chat and mingle with a "Who's Who" in attendance. The goal is to raise funds for the new Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation and its literacy and educational programming, and for #GiveWomenandgirlseducation, an initiative to support literacy for females, underprivileged and orphaned youth in Cameroon. For her part, Linda Murray Bullard, owner of LSMB Business Solutions, will be making a special trip there in the coming months. Ms. Murray, also known as, "The Business Plug," was invited by the Rahel Randy Foundation. The foundation's mission is to construct a tuition-free, female, secondary and high school in Cameroon, where women and girls (especially the less privileged and orphaned girls) can study for free. Ms. Murray will also be taking books, donated by Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation and other contributors, to be placed on bookshelves in the school's library. For a contribution of $100, donors may have their names placed on a wall in the library. Cameroon ranks 189th for literacy rates of women in the world. Millions of children in the country are orphaned and considered vulnerable. More than 300,000 of them were orphaned by AIDS, and the numbers are growing. Tickets for "Lit Tee" are available by calling 316-5319, or by registration on Eventbrite, keywords: Lit Tee. To make a donation, visit Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation on its Facebook page. To learn more about Rahel Randy Foundation, visit rahelrandy.org. The Helen Ross McNabb Center announces Brad Franks as director of Hamilton and McMinn Counties. In this role, Mr. Franks will oversee the Centers outpatient services in the Greater Chattanooga Area. Mr. Franks, a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT), has been with the Helen Ross McNabb Center for the past 10 years. Most recently he served as the Centers director of addiction services in Knoxville. Brad Franks is an excellent addition to our team in the Greater Chattanooga Area, said Gayle Lodato, Helen Ross McNabb Center senior director. He brings expertise and a continued desire to improve lives in our community. Mr. Franks attended Carson Newman College and graduated with a Masters of Science in Counseling in 2008 and earned his LMFT in 2011. Mr. Franks specializes trauma focused treatment, co-occurring disorders and family systemic therapy. He is a member of several statewide committees, including the Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organization Addictions Committee; the Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug & other Addiction Services and the Co-Occurring Collaborative East Tennessee steering committee. Mr. Franks resides in Chattanooga and enjoys spending time outside and attending concerts with his wife and daughter. He is excited to bring his knowledge and skills to his home community. The Helen Ross McNabb Center is a not-for-profit provider of behavioral health services in East Tennessee. Since 1948, the Center has provided quality and compassionate care to children, adults and families experiencing mental illness, addiction and social challenges. As the Center celebrates more than 70 years of providing services to communities in East Tennessee, its mission remains clear and simple; Improving the lives of the people we serve. For more information, visit www.mcnabbcenter.org or call 865-637-9711. Chattanooga firefighters were dispatched to a house fire at 3106 Noa Street on Monday at 2 p.m. A Chattanooga police officer was the first on the scene and reported thick, black smoke was coming from the small, one-story house. Unsure as to whether or not the house was occupied, Battalion Chief Chris Warren called for a second alarm response to bring in additional fire personnel and equipment. Fortunately, extra fire companies were not needed. The house was unoccupied, and the firefighters were able to get the fire under control in roughly 10 minutes. No injuries were reported. The house was unoccupied, and the firefighters were able to get the fire under control in roughly 10 minutes. No injuries were reported. Wilder Street had to be shut down for emergency vehicles from N. Chamberlain to Campbell Street. Cemtech Middle East & Africa off to successful start ICR Newsroom By 19 February 2019 Over 200 delegates from the global cement industry have come together for Cemtech Middle East & Africa 2019, which is being held at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, UAE, between 17-20 February. International Cement Review's Managing Director, Thomas Armstrong, inaugurated the conference by welcoming delegates to Dubai. Mr Armstrong considered how oversupply is one of the largest issues that dominates the cement sector in the Middle East and African region, with a 55-60 per cent utilisation rate in 2017. Possible solutions for this issue include the export of cement and the optimisation of facilities. In particular, optimisation is a key focus of the event programme, with a break-out session delivered by INFORM (Germany) and a presentation on utilising AI for this purpose by McKinsey & Co (Germany). Following this, Eng Ahmad Al-Rousan, Secretary General, Arab Union for Cement and Building Materials (AUCBM) delivered a welcome address for the event. Mr Al-Rousan noted that Cemtech MEA "is coming in a time when the cement industry is facing a very big change and big problems." In total, member countries have 175 integrated plants and over 30 grinding mills, delivering a cement capacity of 353Mta. However, actual production for 2018 was 240Mt. One of the major factors contributing to this supply-demand gap are the ongoing wars in some of its member countries. Finishing, Mr Al-Rousan stated this 'this conference is very important to exchange experience and to discuss all of these problems [...] and to see what we want to happen in the future'. Paul Roger, Exane BNP Paribas (UK), opened the main conference programme with an outlook of global cement markets over the 2019-22 period. Mr Roger outlined some of the most important issues that producers will face in the medium-term including the impact of new sustainability regulations, Chinese expansion with Anhui Conch looking to expand overseas, equipment suppliers reducing barriers to entry and consolidation after mergers like Lafarge-Holcim and Heidelberg-Italcementi have reshaped the industry in key markets. Tony Hadley delivered an analysis and outlook of the cement sector in sub-Saharan Africa. Providing an outlook of the issues of the sub-Saharan and north African cement sector, Mr Hadley reflected that previously "we have talked about the turmoil and that has probably come to a head in many parts of Africa." In emerging markets, large overcapacity has led to some producers altogether leaving the market and moving to more developed regions. Furthermore, larger multinationals are expected to move away from mergers and acquisitions to focus on internal strategies. Hettish Karmani, U-Capital (Oman), looked at corporate performance in GCC markets and gave an outlook for the region in 2019. In terms of economic performance, the GCC region is expected to record around 3.9 per cent GDP growth in 2019. While total installed capacity of the cement sector is still expected to increase slightly, as a whole capacity growth is expected to slow considerably as a result of oversupply. Demand is expected to show minor growth compared to 2018 and reach 81Mt in 2019. DG Khan's Arif Bashir (Pakistan) presented a case study of the construction and commissioning of Pakistan's largest cement facility at 9000tpd. Alongside this project, cement capacity in the country is expected to rise from 48Mta in 2018 to 63.26Mta in 2019. Providing a background for the new capacity, Dr Bashir stated that the reason the "cement industry is growing in the country is because there are a lot of interesting projects coming up", with China alone investing around US$68bn for new infrastructure projects. Pritish Devassy, Al Rajhi Capital (Saudi Arabia), provided an economic context for the cement sector in Saudi Arabia and considered methods which could stabilise the industry in the country, such as shutting down old capacity alongside mergers and acquisitions. However, Mr Devassy also suggested that it may be more profitable to start a new company, rather than buying an established one through the open market. Finally, although it would likely be financed by players external to the country, planned mega-projects such as Neom provide a positive outlook for cement demand. The final session of the day moved away from evaluating the regional markets, with ASECs Ayman Hassan (Egypt) exploring the possibilities for monitoring and controlling cement mill vibration. Further along the production process, Markus Horstkotter (Haver & Boecker) showed the company's innovative solutions which aim to move packaging technology into the future. Meanwhile, Olaf Michelswith (InterCem Engineering) highlighted the potential of Europe's first network of regional modular grinding plants. Finally, Javier Martinez Goytre of GlobBULK Consulting (Spain) compared light assets and traditional shiploading facilities for clinker exports. The programme is scheduled to continue with a series of presentations outlining the latest developments in manufacturing technology from the leading industry equipment suppliers, including Gebr Pfeiffer looking at the construction of turnkey EPC grinding terminals and FLSmidth highlighting its latest kiln firing technology. The conference programme will finish on Wednesday, 20 February with a plant tour to Arkan Building Materials' 4.5Mta facility in Al Ain. Published under Exports from Pakistan during 7MFY19 improve 19 February 2019 The Pakistan cement industry is facing a domestic drop in cement demand, but export data for 7MFY19 show overseas sales have been strong. Experts believe that with domestic demand experiencing a dip, cement manufacturers have been selling off their surplus inventory to regional markets perhaps with a cut to their margins. Pakistan's cement industry received foreign exchange revenue of US$27.34m by exporting 655,317t of cement during the month of January 2019, compared to US$25.89m at 624,714t in the previous month and US$17.88m from 357,371t during January, 2018. This shows an increase of 5.6 per cent and 52.9 per cent in terms of value on MoM and YoY basis, respectively, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. In terms of quantity, the exports saw a growth of 4.9 per cent in January 2019 on MoM and 83.4 per cent over January 2018 YoY basis during this period. However, on cumulative basis, in the first seven months of FY18-19, export revenue rose 35.1 per cent to US$184.34m with Pakistan exporting 4.32Mt of cement, compared to US$136.47m from 2.718Mt in 7M2017/18 (July 2017-January 2018). In terms of Pakistani rupees, the growth stood at 66 per cent. The breakdown of exports, according to All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA), shows that export dispatches to Afghanistan and India continued to decline in the 7MFY18-19. Exports to Afghanistan fell by 21.7 per cent to 1.02Mt and volumes to India were down 4.6 per cent to 648,108t. However, seaborne exports increased by over 57.8 per cent to reach 1.201Mt of cement and 100 per cent 1.264Mt of clinker during this period. Export to Afghanistan According to experts and local media, it is also unfortunate that markets like Afghanistan, which took up more than 50 per cent share of Pakistan's cement exports, are no longer as welcoming. In 7MFY19 they fell by 22 per cent YoY. That market is not only being flooded with more affordable Iranian cement, other regional players have also been eyeing it. Some may attribute the frequent closures at the borders and political tensions between the two countries to be a driving factor into Pakistan losing its market share, but the issue is more an economic one with other cement entering the market at a lower price. In addition, Afghanistan is finally diversifying its trade relations as well. Port facility However, the south is still performing better than the north in terms of exports. Southern players enjoy the advantage of proximity to the port which provides better export options (in terms of costs) as compared to cement producers in the north. Published under The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Everything you need to know about South Dakota government * Username This is the name that will be used to identify you within the system. Choose wisely! * First name * Last name Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more! * Email Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. We won't share it with anyone else. * Password Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in Compare Your Options for Satellite Internet Service Save $200 on Internet Service Today! 1-855-690-9884 Satellite Internet Options for 2021 Viasat HughesNet 15-300 GB of monthly data Up to 100 Mbps download speeds $50 - $200 per month (with discount for first three months) 10-50 GB of monthly data Up to 25 Mbps download speeds $60 - $150 per month Viasat and HughesNet are currently Americas top two satellite internet providers, reaching many of the small towns and rural areas that the major broadband companies havent reached. If you live in an area where cable and fiber internet dont offer service, satellite internet is probably what youre looking for. Between the two, Viasat offers the faster download speeds and the higher data allowances. Viasats top plan, Unlimited Platinum 100, is the perfect satellite internet solution for the household that needs high speeds and lots of data. It comes with 100 Mbps download speeds and 300 GB of priority data per month, with unlimited data at reduced speeds after that allowance is used up (more on data later). If your household has a lot of devices connecting to the internet or does a lot of HD streaming, Viasats Unlimited Platinum 100 is probably the plan you need. Future Satellite Internet Options For now, Viasat and Hughesnet are your only real options when it comes to satellite internet. But there are some other projects in the works that are worth keeping an eye on. Starklink SpaceXs Starlink is run with a constellation of 1,500 satellites, and that number is projected to grow significantly. The Low Earth Orbit satellites provide Starlinks high speed internet with significantly less latency than your traditional satellite internet provider. However, Starlink is only in its beta phase right now and availability is low. The incomplete system is also making the service less reliable than is hoped for in the future. If you live in certain parts of North America or the UK, and youre able to get your hands on a Starlink subscription, it will set you back $499 for an equipment fee and then $99 per month afterward. OneWeb OneWeb is one of the companies battling to be the first to offer global internet connectivity. OneWeb is now owned by Bharti Global and the British Government and is currently working on its goal of offering internet services to the Arctic, with the goal of offering more global coverage before the end of 2022. Project Kuiper Project Kuiper is a long-term goal from Amazon. The satellites for this service are currently in construction, but it is not expected to be ready until 2026. Best Satellite Internet Plans in America Best Performance: Viasat Unlimited Platinum 100 Speed: Up to 100 Mbps Data Allowance: 300 GB per month Price: $150 per month (for first 3 months, then $200 per month) Best Basic Plan: Viasat Unlimited Bronze 12 Speed: Up to 12 Mbps Data Allowance: 35 GB per month Price: $50 per month (for first 3 months, then $70 per month) In What Ways is Viasat Better than HughesNet? Honestly, Viasat is usually going to be our easy choice here, and there are two main reasons. The first is speed. Viast offers plans that can hit up to 100 Mbps. HughesNets plans all offer the same slow speed of 25 Mbps. The second reason - and this is probably the biggest difference - is the data allowance. Both offer some form of unlimited data, but throttle speeds after you use a certain amount. That amount for HughesNet can be up to 50 GB with its most expensive plan; on the other hand Viasat offers up to 300 GB on a plan that is comparably priced. In What Ways is HughesNet Better than Viasat? HughesNet has some great low-priced plans. If you dont need much speed and you dont do any data-heavy activities, like video streaming, HughesNet has some affordable options. But at second glance, Viasat is actually much more comparable in this category as well. Even though Viasat has higher subscription fees, HughesNets equipment fees are higher, which balances the prices a lot more than at first glance. The real reason you might choose HughesNet is availability. Not all plans are available everywhere. Depending on where you live, HughesNet may be offering better options. You can see what plans are available in your area by visiting the HughesNet and Viasat websites today. What about Starlink? The benefits of Starlink as it stands now are that it has unlimited data at top speed (whereas Viasat and HughesNet have data allowances), and it has low latency. Satellite internet is notorious for high latency, since the satellites are so high in space. But Starlink uses low-Earth orbit satellites, which makes the signals travel times much quicker. The downsides are that its not clear if this unlimited data will last past the beta phase and its not that easy to get signed up. The wait time to sign up is months long at this point. Viasat and HughesNet Unlimited Data Both providers offer unlimited data. But if you read the fine text youll see that this is technically true, but also maybe not what you thought. If you were thinking unlimited data meant you could use the internet all day, every day without any effect, then keep reading. First lets talk about what unlimited data does mean. In traditional data capped plans, once you use a certain amount of data, youre done. No more internet for the rest of the month. Theres a hard cut off after you use your designated gigs. Or equally bad, some plans would surprise you with additional charges if you went over the set monthly amount. Viasats and HughesNets versions of unlimited data are better than this traditional model. You wont run out of internet data and you wont get extra charges. Now lets talk about the limitations. Because satellites dont have infinite capacity, Viasat and HughesNet have to limit peoples use in order to maximize performance. This is done by giving a monthly data allowance. Once you go over that allowance, your speeds will be reduced. HughesNet says your speed drops to 1-3 Mbps. Viasat says your speed is deprioritized behind other users, which means lower speeds during high levels of traffic and more normal speeds when traffic is light. Satellite Internet Pros and Cons Pros: Speed: Satellite internet doesnt offer some of the same insane speeds that some fiber and cable companies provide. Many of those plans are measured in Gbps, not Mbps. But few people need that much performance. Satellite internet offers plans that can give you up to 100 Mbps. Thats a great speed and more than enough for most people. Reach: This is the real reason you might choose satellite internet. Its no surprise that the companies racing to be the first global internet providers are all doing so by launching satellites into space. The infrastructure necessary for cable and fiber to reach the world, or even all of America, would be prohibitively expensive. But satellite internets reach is its biggest strength. This is why it is the chosen internet type for rural customers, airlines, and boats all around the world. Reliability: Are you afraid of political insurrections destroying your precious internet infrastructure? No? Okay, thats reasonable, but satellite internet is probably the best equipped to handle such events. On a more useful note, natural disasters, pandemics, and other catastrophic events are less likely to break satellite internet than the internet types that rely on thousands of miles of out-in-the-open cabling and other infrastructure. Though very severe weather can sometimes have a temporary effect on satellite internet connections, permanent damage is rare. Cons: Cost: Satellites are expensive. This isnt going to make the cost of satellite internet preposterously unaffordable, but it might come in around double that of other service types. Your typical plan will cost around $100 per month, plus decently expensive equipment fees. Latency: Latency, also known as lag, is the time it takes a signal to travel to its destination and back. With the top satellite internet companies using distant geostationary satellites, that travel time - and thus latency - is very long. This has an unnoticeable effect on most internet activities, but for others, like fast-paced online gaming, the difference may be too limiting. With more low earth orbit satellite options coming in the future (like Starlink), this latency could be significantly reduced. Data: Most land-based internet providers come with either no data limitations or sky-high limitations. Satellite internet usually comes with some form of data allowance that slows your speeds after you use a certain amount. How Does Satellite Internet Work? For all wire-based internet types, such as cable and fiber, there have to be lines between every customer and the network base. That adds up to millions and millions of wires across the United States (and the world!). And those wires - and the network equipment they run to and from - can be really expensive. Running a wire to an apartment building (or a neighborhood, even) and then getting a hundred subscribers is well worth the companys investment. But running that wire to a single user a few miles into the countryside would lose them money. This is why its hard to find decent cable and fiber internet providers in areas with low-density populations. 60 million Americans live in rural areas. How are they supposed to get the internet they need for school, work, and staying connected to friends and family? For many of those rural internet users, the answer has been satellite internet. The infrastructure necessary for satellite internet has already been installed 22,000 miles above the earth in space, so setting up a rural user for satellite internet requires practically the same cost and effort as doing so for someone in the city. When you sign up for satellite internet, a technician will install a modem and a satellite dish at your location. Lets say you want to watch a YouTube video. Your computer sends a request to view the YouTube page. The request is sent in a signal to your modem (via Wi-Fi or an ethernet cable), which forwards the signal to your satellite dish, which shoots the signal 22,000 miles into space to be received by the satellite, which shoots the signal back down to the internet providers ground network, which sends the signal on to the server that holds that YouTube page. That server sees that your computer wants to view a particular page, so it starts sending the data for that page all the way back through the same channels until it reaches your computer. This multi-step process that sends the request and response into space and back again a couple times means the signals are travelling almost 100,000 miles before you get the first bit of data from that webpage. Astonishingly, the whole thing takes less than a second. About 600 milliseconds usually. This technology allows people in remote locations - even people working in the air or at sea - to get the internet access they need. How will low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites change satellite internet? Some internet companies are investing in satellites that orbit the earth at a much closer range. The biggest name in LEO satellite internet right now is Starlink, whose satellites orbit the earth at just 340 miles. A constellation of LEO satellites must be much bigger to provide the same degree of coverage as traditional satellite models. Many Viasat and HughesNet services are provided by a single satellite that is high enough in space to cover a large geographical area. Starlink, on the other hand, is currently operating with a constellation of about 1,500 satellites. Even at that number, the reception so far is a little bit unreliable at times. But Starlink is only in its beta phase and there are hopes to increase that total to 42,000 satellites! That should significantly improve the reliability. There are also some advantages. You remember that the process of sending and receiving a signal through satellite internet usually takes about 600 milliseconds. Thats unnoticeable when doing most internet activities, and thus not a problem, but some internet activities require quick reactions and time-sensitive choices, like playing first-person shooters online. Such action-packed online gaming can be frustrating with 600 millisecond lag. LEO satellites provide a huge improvement in this area. Lowering the satellites from 22,000 miles above the earth down to 340 miles above the earth can bring that latency down to 30 milliseconds or less. That is literally the difference between life and death (in that first-person shooter, at least). Other satellite internet companies that are developing LEO satellite internet include OneWeb, whose focus is currently on the Arctic and providing service to airlines, boats, and government agencies more so than the public, and Project Kuiper, run by Amazon, which is too far out to predict exactly what it will be offering. Comparing Satellite to Other Internet Types If you have access to other internet options, such as cable, fiber, fixed wireless, and sometimes DSL or 4G home internet, you should look into their plans first. Cable and fiber especially usually offer plans with better data allowances (if any) and lower latency than satellite internet, and usually at a lower price. If you dont have access to these, or if the options arent too promising, we recommend satellite internet. Heres a table to help you compare some typical offerings of different internet types. Internet Type Max Download Speeds Max Upload Speeds Availability in the US* Satellite 100 Mbps 3 Mbps 99.9% Fiber 1,000 Mbps 1,000 Mbps 39% Cable 1,000 Mbps 1,000 Mbps 89% DSL 100 Mbps 30 Mbps 89% 4G Home Internet 60 Mbps 3 Mbps (Data Unavailable) Fixed Wireless 100 Mbps 3 Mbps 26% * Data as reported by FCC Fixed Broadband Deployment Now lets compare the prices of comparable plans from different internet types. All the plans below have a download speed of 25 Mbps, which is the minimum download speed requirement to be considered broadband internet and is enough to perform all basic internet tasks. Internet type Price per month Satellite $50-$150 Cable $25-$45 DSL $45-$50 4G Home Internet $40-$60 Fixed Wireless $50-$80 While most internet types come with unlimited (or nearly unlimited) data, the biggest difference between their plans lies in download speeds. Thats why they have narrower price ranges. Satellite internet will have multiple plans at 25 Mbps, but each with a different data allowance, thus the wider price range. If you live in an area with many internet options, it is unlikely that satellite is your best choice. At the very least, look into fiber, cable, and DSL options before choosing to get your internet via satellite. How to Get Free and Subsidized Internet in Rural Areas If you are a rural or low-income American who wants internet service, there are many programs available that may be able to help. The FCCs Emergency Broadband Benefit provides low-income Americans with the funds necessary to get the internet and technology they need. If you qualify, this program could provide you with a one-time bonus of $100 to help with the purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet and up to $50 per month to help pay for internet. For more information, visit the FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit web page. The Lifeline Support for Affordable Communications provides low-income Americans with $9.25 every month to help pay for internet costs. The FCC has made this program more readily available during the coronavirus pandemic. Other programs aiming to end the digital divide that exists between families of different income levels include the Connect America Fund and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Satellite internet for business Using satellite internet as a backup internet service is a common precaution taken by many businesses. Satellite internet doesnt operate under the same infrastructures as land-based services and will usually keep running when other internet types are experiencing outages. Whether you run a business in a rural area where satellite is your only option or in the city but your business needs a backup internet service, satellite internet is the best choice for you. Both Viasat and HughesNet offer plans that are specifically designed for keeping businesses online. Not only do they offer the speeds a business needs, some plans also offer unlimited data for businesses. As a business internet customer, you also get quicker repairs, higher security, and overall better service. This extra performance does come at a higher price though. The Viasat for Business plan comes with unlimited data and will cost between $175 and $500 per month. The HughesNet Business plan provides 32-250 GB of data per month and will cost between $70 and $200 per month. FAQs and TLDRs What are my options as a rural internet customer? With the technological advances of companies like Viasat, rural internet customers dont have to suffer through slow internet. You can still get speeds of up to 100 Mbps. But depending on where you live, you may have other options. Many rural locations can also get high-speed internet through 4G LTE home internet, fixed wireless, and DSL. Is satellite internet a good option? Satellite internet is a great option for many people across the country. Some plans offer up to 100 Mbps download speeds. This is slower than the fastest cable and fiber internet providers, but still respectable. The best thing about satellite internet is its reach. If you live somewhere that other internet types cant get to, you are almost guaranteed to be able to get satellite internet. Its also a great option for businesses as a secondary internet source. When land-based lines fail and you need to keep the company moving, satellite internet is a good protection to have. But because of lower data allowances and higher prices, most people will opt for other internet options. However, if satellite is your best option available, youll still be able to do all sorts of internet activities, including browsing websites, using social media, studying, working, and streaming video. How fast is satellite internet? Viasat download speeds start at 12 Mbps with their smaller plans and can go all the way up to 100 Mbps with Viasats Unlimited Platinum 100 plan. HughesNet offers only one speed: 25 Mbps. These are advertised speeds. Actual performance may vary. Theres also Starlink. Starlink is only in beta and doesnt have that many users yet, but their speeds are testing between 50 and 150 Mbps. What equipment will I need for my satellite internet? You will need a satellite dish, a modem, and whatever wires connect the two. If your modem doesnt have a built-in router, you will need a router as well. The good news is that these devices are usually provided by the satellite internet provider. Then youll have everything you need to connect your computer, phone, or other device to your new network. Is satellite internet faster than cable? The fastest satellite internet plans are faster than slower cable plans. But generally, no, cable is faster than satellite. Satellite internet is also sometimes faster than DSL, but sometimes slower. However, the speeds offered by satellite internet providers, even the measly 25 Mbps offered by HughesNet, are enough for most online activities. You can browse, use social media, send emails, and even stream video. If several devices are trying to stream at the same time, you may notice some speed issues. Is satellite internet faster than DSL? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. It depends on the plans available in your location. The plus side of satellite is that it is more widely available in remote areas. The plus side of DSL is that it often has higher data allowances. So it all boils down to where you live. Whats better, satellite internet or fixed wireless? Fixed wireless is usually cheaper than satellite internet and usually provides more data, sometimes even unlimited. Satellite internets often lower data caps can be a big hassle. There may be situations where the available satellite plans have better download speeds than the available fixed wireless plans, but the lower prices and large data allowances often make fixed wireless the better choice. What is the timeline for Starlink? Starlink already has limited availability in the US, the UK, and Canada and can only support a limited number of users in each region. But Starlink is adding satellites quickly, which will increase the number of users it can support and the areas it can reach. Starlink hopes to have world-wide coverage by the end of the year. You can currently sign up for Starlink on their website and be put on a waiting list. You will be notified when Starlink satellite internet is available to you. What is the fastest satellite internet? In most areas, Viasat provides the fastest download speeds. Viasats Unlimited Platinum 100 provides download speeds of up to 100 Mbps, though this plan isnt available in all areas. Starlink has reported widely varying speeds, even up to 150 Mbps, but its hard to say what its performance will be like as Starlink continues to add both satellites and customers. How does satellite TV work? Satellite TV works the same as satellite internet, sending messages between the dish and the satellite, but it transmits TV data instead of internet data. This is good news for those who are worried about their satellite internet data. With satellite TV you can watch as many shows as you want without using up your monthly data allowance. Can I get satellite internet if I live in a remote location? Yes, that is satellite internets specialty. It can reach almost any location. Rural areas are often not reached by land-based internet providers, including cable and fiber. For such users, the best option is often satellite internet. With a satellite dish installed at your location by a professional technician, as long as you have a clear view of the southern sky, you can get high-speed internet, even in your remote location. With providers like Viasat and HughesNet, even rural customers can get access to reliable broadband internet. This is also true for those living in federally recognized Tribal lands. According to NPR, only about 50% of people who live on Tribal lands have access to high-speed internet. Tribal lands sometimes have access to the same internet options as everyone else, including cable, DSL, or fixed wireless, but for many, their options are few. Thats one of the strengths of satellite internet. As long as the view of the sky isnt blocked by heavy tree cover or other formations, satellite internet can be available even to those living in remote Tribal lands. There are also programs being run by the FCC to help low-income and rural customers get connected, and many of these programs give special consideration to those living in Tribal lands. For help getting connected and to get more information on internet subsidization in Tribal lands, visit the FCC website today. Do I qualify for subsidized internet service? The FCCs Lifeline program could provide you with up to a $9.25 discount on your monthly internet bill. If you live on federally recognized Tribal lands, this discount could be as high as $34.25. To see if you qualify, and to get more information, visit the FCC Lifeline website. Can I get satellite internet for my RV? Technically yes, but its usually not your best option. Satellite internet requires a strong connection between your satellite dish and the satellite. This is difficult when youre constantly on the move. There is an option called VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal), but it is prohibitively expensive (more than $5,000) and incredibly slow (not even 1 Mbps). Unless this is your only option, wed recommend considering something else. If you want high speed internet for travelling in your RV, the best option is probably going to be mobile internet. You can sign up with a mobile provider to get a portable 4G LTE home internet plan. There are also signal boosters made specifically for RVs that will enhance the signal for a better connection. The simplest way would be to just use your phone as a mobile hotspot. If you choose this method, make sure to purchase a plan that has a high hotspot allowance. Is satellite internet good for gaming? Yes and no. If you want to download and play games single player, then absolutely. If you want to play turn-based or slower-paced games online, then that will also work just fine. But if you want to play games that require live speeds and split-second reactions, then no. The latency inherent in most satellite internet providers means everything you see and everything you do are delayed. If you really want to play Fortnite on satellite internet, go for it, but dont expect to have the same experience you have when using cable or fiber. This could all change with the introduction of low-Earth orbit satellite internet. Starklink is boasting ping rates of less than 30 milliseconds. This is way down from the 600 milliseconds you get with Viasat. Once Starlink is finished and more widely available, gaming on satellite internet might just be possible. Is satellite internet good for streaming? Yes, satellite internet speeds are more than enough to stream Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, Disney+, YouTube, or whatever service you prefer. Before jumping right in, though, its important to remember the limitation on data that comes with satellite internet plans. If you start streaming HD videos all day, youll run out of data before you know it, and your internet speeds will suffer until your next billing cycle. Its important to conserve data by choosing lower resolutions to make sure your data lasts all month long. Fortunately, Viasat and HughesNet are aware of the data issue and have tools to help you keep streaming all month long. With many plans, you also have the ability to purchase more data in case you run out. Viasat Satellite Internet Areas Served: Viasat Internet Alabama , Viasat Arizona , Viasat Internet Arkansas , Viasat California , Viasat Internet Colorado , Viasat Connecticut , Viasat Internet Delaware , Viasat Florida , Viasat Internet Georgia , Viasat Idaho , Viasat Internet Illinois , Viasat Indiana , Viasat Internet Iowa , Viasat Kansas , Viasat Internet Kentucky , Viasat Louisiana , Viasat Internet Maine , Viasat Maryland , Viasat Internet Massachusetts , Viasat Michigan , Viasat Internet Minnesota , Viasat Mississippi , Viasat Internet Missouri , Viasat Montana , Viasat Nebraska , Viasat Nevada , Viasat Internet New Hampshire , Viasat New Jersey , Viasat Internet New Mexico , Viasat New York , Viasat Internet North Carolina , Viasat North Dakota , Viasat Internet Ohio , Viasat Oklahoma , Viasat Internet Oregon , Viasat Pennsylvania , Viasat Internet Rhode Island , Viasat South Carolina , Viasat Internet South Dakota , Viasat Tennessee , Viasat Internet Texas , Viasat Utah , Viasat Internet Vermont , Viasat Virginia , Viasat Internet Washington , Viasat West Virginia , Viasat Internet Wisconsin , Viasat Wyoming Viasat Internet Looking for an Unlimited Satellite Internet or TV service provider, but dont know where to start? Choosing an internet service provider (ISP) can be complicated and stressful. The marketplace is flooded with different providers promising that their service is the best. American TV lets you compare internet and TV services, removing all of the headache. You can find the service providers in your zip-code, compare features and speeds, and read real customer reviews. Speed of service and pricing can vary greatly based on where you live. Internet and TV service providers often advertise prices that seem great, but have hidden clauses and asterisks. The price may only be available in a bundle, or it may be higher in your service area. The goal is to get the most reliable, highest internet speeds and television service at the lowest cost possible, and we can help! High speed internet options: What is Broadband? Broadband internet is high speed internet. You can get it via DSL (digital subscriber line), fiber-optic, cable, and satellite. Before broadband internet, there was dial-up internet. Dial-up is notoriously slow and requires a telephone line for a connection. You must choose between surfing the web or talking on the phone. Dial-up is still available today, at a very reasonable price, but is not widely used because of the pitfalls. Cable Internet Cable internet is the most popular high-speed internet option. It works using underground cable lines established by your local cable provider. A cable modem is placed in your house, and a service technician connects the underground cable and your modem using a coaxial cable. The modem is then connected to a router, which can be wireless. The internet speeds are very fast and reliable. Cable internet is only available where cable lines are located. If your area is served by a cable provider, then you will be able to use both cable internet and TV. Your connection will be faster and stronger the closer you are located to the provider. Cable internet does require a physical wire, but is typically less noticeable when using a wireless router. Many residential areas and apartment complexes use cable internet, making it a favorite for renters. You can typically pay monthly and rent the hardware needed. Satellite Internet Satellite internet uses a dish, typically mounted on the roof, receiving signals from the satellites orbiting Earth. The dish must be facing south, in a spot that will allow the signal to be transmitted, uninterrupted by buildings, trees or other structures. Satellite internet service (example: exede internet plans and How much does Viasat cost?, can be interrupted during bad weather or if something blocks the dish, preventing the signal from being communicated. The connection will be best on clear, sunny days. Satellite internet may not as fast today as cable, but a new generation of satellites will soon allow Satellite Internet service to be the fastest available. The difference in speed is less noticeable for basic browsing, but downloading or uploading big files, including video, can be slower. Compare with a Hughsnet speed test or to compare Viasat vs Hughesnet . Satellite internet has greater availability since all you need is a dish and a clear area. It may be the only high-speed internet option for those living in remote areas, where cable internet service providers are not available. The hardware needed for satellite internet is a satellite dish, coaxial cable, modem, and router. Click here to view Viasat 2 plans or for Viasat reviews. TV: Cable vs Satellite Satellite TV, like satellite internet, requires a physical dish that faces south in an uninterrupted area. It can be less reliable in storms and bad weather. Cable TV is typically more expensive, but is more reliable. Satellite TV has more availability, especially in remote areas. It is typically easier to pay month-to-month with cable TV compared to satellite, making it more popular with renters, particularly those in more densely populated areas and adding the factor of satellite internet unlimited data. Digital Service Line (DSL) Internet DSL internet uses the existing telephone network, but allows you to still make phone calls while using the internet. DSL is typically available anywhere with a telephone pole. It is the improved dial-up and often cheaper than cable internet, but not as fast. DSL connection is distance sensitive, working best when close to the internet service provider. Fiber Optic Fiber optic internet is the fastest and often the most reliable option. Data is transmitted using fiber optic cables. Fiber optic internet is typically only installed in densely populated areas, like big cities. It is normally more expensive than other broadband internet options. Services that we may review in the future: Appliances, Electronics, Furniture, TV Repair, Home Improvement and Credit Cards. news, latest-news About 50 people who say they've lost their life savings because of a change in taxi regulations have lobbied lawmakers at the ACT Legislative Assembly. In the chamber, they scattered "invoices" folded as paper planes, asking for the millions of dollars they say the ACT government should pay them for their loss. Earlier, the members of the ACT Taxi Plate Owners Association heard Opposition Leader Alistair Coe address their meeting and promise that if the Liberals gained power the territory government would compensate them for the cut in the value of their assets. The devalued assets consist of the right to run a taxi - the taxi plate. Way before Uber hit the taxi industry, the investors, many of them now far beyond working age, bought taxi plates for up to $250,000 each. Some bought several plates, sinking more than a million dollars into what seemed like a rock-solid investment. They say they aren't blaming Uber, but are blaming the ACT government for reacting to it and other car-sharing enterprises by, as they see it, flooding the market with more taxi plates. The ACT government said it released more plates to make it easier for taxi drivers to compete with Uber and similar enterprises. The taxi plate owners argued that they acted in good faith on the basis of a promise made by the government. They said people in a similar situation in other states had been compensated. And they said that social clubs which surrender pokie machines will be compensated for their loss under a different government policy, and so asked why the same wouldn't apply to them. "The actions of the ACT government amount to theft of people's life savings for no good reason," association chairman Petar Ivanovski said. He was particularly angry at the Greens, who he said had social justice enshrined in their charter. He said the ACT government owed the plate owners $76 million. The protesters left invoices for that amount in the assembly. Mr Coe told the group that if he and his Liberal colleagues were in power, compensation would be forthcoming. "The government has broken faith with ACT taxi plate owners who are now looking for justice and a fair go," he said. The Canberra Liberals recognise the valuable contribution of taxi drivers in the ACT. Thats why today we are committing to compensate taxi plate owners on just terms, if elected." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/d3efd6b7-76bb-4e99-b63b-026f9d612b7a/r0_191_2736_1737_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Here's a five-course serve of delicious ideas to get excited about. On February 23, Eighty8 Fitness and Remedy Cafe will be collaborating to bring you the ideal relaxing morning, beginning with a yoga session at Bowen Park by the lake from 8.30am before heading to the nearby Remedy on the Kingston Foreshore for breakfast and coffee. All levels of yoga ability and experience are welcome, and anyone who buys a ticket will have access to a delicious breakfast grazing table. Fresh fruits, muesli, yoghurt, avo toast, coffee and tea are just some of the treats that will be on offer if you're looking to get your weekend off to the perfect start. Tickets are $35 and include yoga, breakfast and coffee. Check the "Balance + Brekkie on the Foreshore" event on Facebook to get yours. Kyla Kirkpatrick (the Champagne Dame) and Kyri Christodoulou (the Champagne Gent) will be teaming up to bring you their new show, Behind the Bubble. Along with a five-course lunch (with five matching champages), the pair will "de-mystify champagne" and provide an inside look into the bubbly industry, from how and where it's made to why people love it. February 23, 12.30-2.30pm at Marble and Grain. Check out the event on Facebook for more info. Hotel Kurrajong is offering up a four-course, gin-infused long lunch. Hosted by Tim Reardon in the courtyard, you'll get a gin-themed cocktail on arrival, live music from local musician Anna McCormack, and share in some grazing platters. Each course will be perfectly matched with local gins from the Canberra Distillery, which organisers promise are sure to get your taste buds tingling. February 23, 12-3pm. Tickets $125pp. Book at trybooking.com/BAFKA If you're looking for variety, this food tour is the perfect event for you. Hosted by Eat Canberra Food Tours, this event will take you around Braddon and the city, stopping at a range of hot spots and hidden gems where you'll be able to sample the wonderful food and drink Canberra has to offer. It's perfect for new Canberrans or people looking to learn more about the city's food scene (or anyone who just wants to have some good food!). February 23, 1-5pm. Tickets are $145 and include all the food and drinks organised as part of the tour. Get your ticket at eatcanberra.com.au/food-tours At this weekend's Canberra Wedding Fair, escape from the talk of expensive dresses and honeymoons and instead surround yourself in the wide range of food on offer at the event. With vendors like Tikka Stand, the Pizza Trailer, Superbao Canberra and more, this free event hosted by Eat Canberra and Eat Canberra Food Tours offers great food alongside all things weddings. February 24, 10am-3pm at AIS Arena. Click here for more information. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b9a33fc0-554d-4296-aae7-d4ecb1c930cb/r0_292_5568_3438_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Household delivery drones are an invasive, under-regulated technology whose potential benefits to the ACT would not outweigh the disturbance to the local community and environment. That is the overwhelming sentiment expressed in the first batch of submissions to an ACT Assembly inquiry examining the technology's presence in the nation's capital. The inquiry was ordered last year in the midst of Wing's drone trial in Bonython, which split the local community as opponents campaigned relentlessly against the service. A total of 39 submissions have been lodged with the committee, with all but a few expressing a negative view of the Bonython trial and strong opposition to the service's expansion to other parts of Canberra. Wing is planning to establish a permanent base in Mitchell, which is expected to launch delivery drones into nearby Gungahlin, Crace, Palmerston, Franklin and Harrison by the middle of the year. In their 34-page submission, Nev and Andrea Sheather, who have led the residents' group opposing the Bonython trial, said the service had created angst in the community, exposed a lack of regulation of the evolving technology and caused disturbances to residents and local wildlife. "I have never ... seen such an emotional reaction by people to this drone trial," the couple's submission read. "Distressed mothers, frightened children, frustrated families and many others aggravated by the invasion of drones. "Whilst the main immediate issue with the drones was the noise, the loss of wildlife and birds in the area was also significant. This was reported by many residents. The loss of our peacefulness and amenities was immediate." Their submission detailed an apparent lack of government oversight during the trial, causing confusion for residents whose complaints were bounced between, but seemingly never dealt with by, various territory and commonwealth agencies. Other submissions raised concerns about an invasion of privacy, the "commercialisation of airspace" and limited public information on the approval and regulation of the Google-backed company's trial, which finished earlier this month. One representor suggested a drone be flown over each of the committee members' homes so they could experience the aircraft's full "obnoxiousness". A handful of submissions did support the technology. In her submission, Irene Clarke said the delivery drones had provided a convenient, environmentally-friendly service for her family. "Who would not love a coffee every morning with a healthy yoghurt or toastie within 10 minutes delivered to your own background ... no queues, no petrol, no impact on the environment?" Ms Clarke's submission read. Ms Clarke played down concerns about the drone's noise, and said pets and wildlife appeared not to have been disturbed by the aircraft. The most positive endorsement of the service came from consultant AlphaBeta, which Wing commissioned during the Bonython trial to assess the technology 's potential in the ACT. The consultant's analysis, published in its submission, found delivery drones could have wide-reaching benefits for local businesses, consumers and the environment. It estimated drone delivery could grow retail sales in the ACT by $30-$40 million and slash delivery costs by $12 million by 2030. Consumers would save a combined three million hours on foregone pick-up journeys, according to AlphaBeta's analysis, which also found the aerial delivery method would slash 8000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. "Drones have the potential to transform retail around the world, and the ACT is at the forefront of this change, with regional trials demonstrating how delivery drones can bring a wider range of products within rural and suburban consumers reach," the submission read. Canberra Business Chamber also backed the technology, saying it could create new markets for local businesses. The chamber called for regulation to ensure air safety and to minimise "unnecessary disturbances" to residents and wildfile. It also insisted that the Canberra market be open to any new drone delivery operators. Submissions to the inquiry are open until Friday, February 22. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1ca9e724-7041-428c-aadc-3ef68f9bc505/r0_214_4256_2619_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Children at the Canberra Hospital were given a chance on Tuesday to preview some of the showbags that will no doubt catch the attention of other young children at the Royal Canberra Show this weekend. Lily Sidwell, 19 months, was in hospital with bronchitis, but was able to forget about that for a moment when she was given the difficult challenge of choosing between a horse-based showbag and a barnyard animal showbag. Her mother, Leah Noble, described the event as just really sweet. I cant believe people are so generous, everything here is just fantastic, she said. Show chief executive Athol Chalmers said the event had been organised to give children who might not make it to the show a little slice of what it was all about. This includes Leon Marek, 12 months, who was able to experience a bit of what his tonsillitis has forced him to miss out on. Leons mother, Tamryn Marek, said it was fantastic for the show to set up the event, and praised the variety of show bags on offer. Theyve got some nice younger kid stuff, theyve got some bigger kids things, and its all great, she said. General manager of the Canberra Hospital Foundation, Helen Falla, said the annual tradition was a great distraction for the children and lovely for the families. Mr Chalmers said there were more 100 showbags on offer, priced from $2 to $30. Theres everything from Barbie to Thomas the Tank Engine to Peppa the Pig, he said. Mr Chalmers said the showbags were always one of the biggest hits at the show. Theyre really really popular and just part of going to the show really." The Royal Canberra Show is at Exhibition Park in Canberra from February 22 to 24. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/8771c34a-d74e-48b1-825e-929ed8cb5248/r0_256_5000_3081_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news The ACT government has signalled it will establish a management body for the Kingston Arts Precinct, which was scheduled to start construction early this year but has been caught up in an extended negotiation process. The goverment has earmarked $1.8 million for design development, stakeholder engagement and the establishment of a management body for the precinct in the 2018-19 Budget review. Of that funding, $1.14 million is budgeted for 2021-22. But the government is unable to provide any more detail about the project or the funding, saying negotiations remain commercial in confidence. "The ACT government is actively working with relevant stakeholders on issues regarding the future operation of the precinct," an ACT government spokeswoman said. Earlier this month, The Canberra Times reported that the 1948 switch room, built as part of the Kingston Powerhouse's second period of power generation for Canberra, would be demolished as part of plans to build a multi-storey car park on the site. However, residents groups that have campaigned to save the heritage-listed building have said they have been assured by the Suburban Land Agency, which is managing the development, that the switch room would not be demolished and a different location for the carpark has been found. The Suburban Land Agency did not respond to questions about the changes to the car park plans. Demolition of the switch room, which currently provides artist accomodation at the north of the site, was approved in 2014 but must take place before October 2 this year. The so-called key arts organisations involved in the negotiations Canberra Glassworks, Megalo, M16 Artspace, Craft ACT, Canberra Contemporary Artspace, PhotoAccess and ArtSound have signed confidentiality agreements to allow them to see design documents prepared by preferred precinct developer Geocon. The Canberra Potters' Society pulled out of the talks in July 2017, saying its current Watson premises adequately served the organisation's needs. Negotiations are expected to conclude in March. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/0f3864cc-596a-44cb-b79e-ff26e44a08ce/r0_393_7360_4551_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg 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. NICE inContact has partnered with NEC Australia to deliver NICE inContact CXone, the companys cloud customer experience platform, throughout Australia. NICE inContact CXone helps organisations to provide an exceptional customer experience by acting smarter and responding faster to the ever-changing customer expectations. CXone combines Omnichannel Routing, Analytics, Workforce Optimisation, Automation and Artificial Intelligence on an Open Cloud Foundation. The complete cloud omnichannel platform will provide NEC Australia customers a solution with no on-premise infrastructure or upfront costs. NICE inContact CXone can address the immediate operational needs and support growth within the business. Jim Chryssikos, National Solutions Manager at NEC Australia, said, NICE inContact CXone was selected as it provides the best of both contact centre and workforce engagement, with omnichannel routing capability. Were passionate about delivering the highest quality customer service to small, mid-sized and enterprise markets, and our extensive research showed NICE inContact CXone as being the best possible product for the mid-sized market. Were excited to partner with NEC Australia given their strength in the market and shared commitment to helping companies of all sizes achieve their business goals, said Paul Jarman, NICE inContact CEO. Together we will provide a unified, complete cloud customer experience platform in CXone that powers exceptional customer experiences in todays modern digital economy. For more information about CXone, visit the NICEinContact Website. Here you'll find our latest collection of Caledonian-Record reports on the coronavirus outbreak and local response, from the beginning of April. Our January, February and March stories are here: https://www.caledonianrecord.com/news/local/our-coronavirus-coverage/collection_5885178c-692e-11e Become A Subscriber A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content. Political Drama Copyright Case Goes Forward By Charlotte Yang / Feb 19, 2019 12:51 PM / Society & Culture The novel In the Name of the People () is one of this decades most influential Chinese political thrillers inspiring both a highly viewed TV series and accolades from Chinese state media. But another Chinese novelist, Li Xia, claims that the novel has plagiarized her earlier book published in 2010, and is suing author Zhou Meisen and his publishing house for copyright infringement. A preliminary trial dismissed the Li's claim entirely but Li has now successfully appealed, and her case is currently under review at the Beijing Intellectual Property Court. Li said Zhou plagiarized her book Defending Life and Death () according to a notice published Tuesday by a Beijing court. She requested that Zhou and his publishing house issue an apology, pay 1.1 million yuan in compensation and halt the books publication, according to Beijing Intellectual Property Court. In the Name of the People was the most-watched drama in China in 2017. Xinhua said it took a realist approach towards Chinese polity and bureaucracy under the high pressure of anti-corruption. Related: Copyright Authority Takes Aim at Exclusive Licenses for Music The driver of the Dodge pickup was lucky to walk away with only minor injuries as his vehicle came to rest on the back end of the trailer of a semi. Asean-Beijing South China Sea Talks to Start by Late-Feb The Straits Times / Feb 18, 2019 12:57 PM / World Negotiations for a pact between Asean nations and China aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea are to begin later this month, said Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen early today at the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Asean and China agreed at their summit in Singapore last November to the early conclusion of a code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea. "(Chinese) PM Li Keqiang, in Singapore in November last year, set a proposed timeline for the COC to be finished in three years," noted Dr Ng, speaking at the Maritime Security Roundtable at the Munich Security Conference and Nato Centre of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Waters. The code will set out norms of behavior in the contested waters. China and several Asean members - Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam - have overlapping claims in the disputed waters. Asean and China have been working to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties, the precursor to the COC, since 2002. Negotiations on the COC began in March last year, following the adoption in 2017 of the framework for the COC. "As ADMM/ADMM-Plus Chair last year, we developed the Guidelines for Air Military Encounters (Game), the first of its kind in the world," Dr Ng said today, referring to the Asean Defense Ministers' Meetings. "As the Asean-China coordinator, we also facilitated the successful conduct of the Asean-China Maritime Exercise among Asean and Chinese navies in 2018," he said, according to the Ministry of Defense. "All of these are practical confidence-building measures that minimise the risk of miscalculations, and build trust and confidence among militaries," he said at the round table titled "Bridging Troubled Waters - Deconflicting The South China Sea Dispute". Noting that no one thinks any country would attempt to forcibly push the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) out of the features on which it has built military bases in the South China Sea, Dr Ng tried to put things in perspective. "Do the PLA bases and infrastructure in the South China Sea make it an equivalent of the Indopacom (US Indo-Pacific Command) in Hawaii?" he said. "The military facilities in Guam are approximately 12 times the size of China's expanded features in the South China Sea; and Hawaii, about 70 times; Iwo Jima, a key island in the Pacific Theatre where the US and Japan had fought over in World War II, is comparable - about 11/2 times." Still, to ensure stability in the South China Sea, Asean has taken a practical approach, to work on the COC "to constrain if not bind behavior", said Dr Ng. Related: Philippines Oil Agreement With China Sparks Fears of Losing South China Sea Claims Support independent journalism from China. Subscribe to Caixin Global starting at $0.99. Preparation is key when it comes to active shooter scenrios Detective Roger Collins is pictured in this Cadillac News file photo. Collins resigned from his position amid an internal investigation into his dealings with a Cadillac gun shop. The Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade on Tuesday called on people not to stockpile medicine before Britain quits the European Union, saying the country had at least eight weeks of supply and was moving to source medicines from other EU countries. Despite its large pharmaceutical industry, Ireland relies on Britain for many medicines. Some of them may not be approved for use in the EU if Britain leaves on March 29 without a deal, Simon Coveney told RTE radio. Ireland has eight to 12 weeks' supply of virtually all medicines in Ireland, Coveney said. "There aren't any medicines that are on any kind of risk list in terms of not being supplied after the end of March, but we will continue to monitor that very closely to make sure there is no delay in supply," he said. "Pharmacists and people in general should not be stockpiling medicines because actually stockpiling in itself sometimes causes problems with supply," he added. Britain has told its residents the same thing. Stockpiling "risks shortages ... if everyone does what they are supposed to, we are confident the supply of medicines will continue uninterrupted," said Stephen Hammond, the health minister responsible for Brexit. Coveney was speaking before a meeting of the Irish cabinet to approve legislation preparing for the possibility Britain will be forced to leave the EU with no agreement on the terms of its departure, even though the Irish government has said repeatedly that it does not expect this outcome. "While we have a huge amount of contingency planning in place ... I wouldn't like to give the impression that we could easily manage a no-deal Brexit," Coveney said. "It would put huge strain on the Irish economy." Britain is supposed to leave the EU on March 29, but it still has no deal in place on the terms. Last week, the British parliament defeated Prime Minister Theresa May's latest effort to gain approval for her Brexit strategy. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie It was announced today that Echelon Data Centres has been granted planning permission for its planned 45,000m (484,000 sqft) facility in Arklow, Co Wicklow. The new data centre represents an investment of 500 million and will create 540 jobs 450 in construction and 90 operational positions. The development is located on the former Irish Fertilisers Industries site in Avoca Business Park, next to the M11 in Arklow, Co Wicklow, which is the subject of a substantial investment by Echelon Data Centres. The initial development phase of the project will be funded by the company and the first 35MW of capacity will be available from the first quarter of 2021. The potential capacity of the Arklow site which has significant grid power available to it is almost 20% of all operational data centre capacity currently available in Ireland and nearly 10% of that either planned or in development. The Echelon Data Centres facility in Arklow has the potential to be one of the largest data centres in the world, serving large companies operating in ecommerce, cloud computing, digital broadcasting, social media, telecommunications and the internet of things. Speaking this week, CEO of Echelon Data Centres, Niall Molloy said, "Were very pleased to have been granted planning permission for the Arklow site, and we intend to begin developing it immediately. Work has already commenced on Echelons other site in Clondalkin and between the two Irish sites, and other locations that we are in the process of identifying and acquiring in Ireland, the UK and Europe, Echelon will become one of Europes largest data centre providers." He added, "What our plans mean for Ireland is the creation of many high-quality jobs. The development and operation of the sites in Arklow and Clondalkin will provide employment for 1,100 people through a total capital investment of 1 billion, enhancing and supporting Irelands growing tech ecosystem." Source: www.businessworld.ie The Irish SME Association (ISME) has released its latest Quarterly Business Trends Survey for the fourth quarter of last year. The survey shows that Business Confidence continued to decline in 2018, dropping by a further 20% in this quarter. Confidence for SMEs has not been this low since 2011 in the ISME surveys, as Brexit remains the biggest concern and economic uncertainty rises. Sixty five percent of businesses expect to increase wage rates of employees. Seventy seven percent of businesses report an increase to their motor insurance and 81% reported an increase to their business insurance. Commenting on the results, ISME CEO, Neil McDonnell said, "Todays results show worrying but not unexpected trends for SMEs. Business Confidence and Profitability Expectations are down a further 5% and 4% respectively on last quarter; while Exports show a decrease of 3% in the overall indicators. The report highlights the need for government to invest more in our indigenous economy. The report reflects the concern around the increasing likelihood of a hard Brexit." Source: www.businessworld.ie EU lawmakers voted on Tuesday narrowly in favor of the European Union starting negotiations with the United States on a deal to lower tariffs on industrial goods. The European Parliament's international trade committee voted by 21 to 17 on a resolution encouraging the 28 EU countries to back negotiating mandates put forward by the European Commission. The resolution, which will go to a vote by the full chamber in March, is not binding, but has a bearing on possible talks with the United States, given that the parliament would have to approve any deal agreed. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the Gulf nation's defence minister, will arrive in India late today on his first official visit. It follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's highly-successful April 2016 trip to Saudi Arabia, during which the two sides had agreed to further elevate their existing strategic partnership. Here are 10 things to know about this two-day visit: 1. The Crown Prince is on a three-country South Asia tour, starting with Pakistan. He was in Islamabad on Sunday but had to go back home for a day since New Delhi had reservations over his coming to India directly in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pulwama by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad. He is expected to travel to China next. 2. The Saudi leader will be given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday. He is then expected to meet Modi for bilateral talks and the PM will host a lunch in his honour at the Hyderabad House. President Ram Nath Kovind will also be hosting an official banquet for the visiting dignitaries. The Crown Prince will be accompanied by a high-level official team as well as a large business delegation. Also Read: Why is the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visiting India 3. During the two-day visit, India is likely to strongly raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism with the Crown Prince, officials told PTI. The buzz is that the two countries may issue a strong statement on terrorism. Saudi Arabia vowed to "de-escalate" rising tensions between Pakistan and India during the high-profile summit in Islamabad and Salman stressed that "dialogue" is the only way forward in a joint statement issued at the end of his visit. However, Modi made it clear yesterday that "the time for talks [with Pakistan] has passed". 4. In the first leg of his tour, Salman signed deals worth $20 billion which has come as welcome relief for cash-strapped Pakistan. According to Mint, this has been highlighted by Pakistan media and the government as a sign that India's recent efforts to diplomatically isolate Pakistan are not succeeding. 5. According to TS Tirumurti, Secretary, Economic Affairs in the External Affairs Ministry, both sides are also expected to sign five agreements in areas of investment, tourism, housing and information and broadcasting during the Saudi leader's visit. "We are confident that this visit will open a new chapter in India-Saudi bilateral relationship," he added. 6. Moreover, India has been identified as one of the eight strategic partners with whom Saudi Arabia intends to deepen partnership in areas of political, security, trade and investment and culture. "As part of this engagement, we are finalizing the setting up of 'Strategic Partnership Council' between the two countries at ministerial level," said Tirumurti. 7. The two countries are also expected to look at significantly ramping up overall defence cooperation, including having a joint naval exercise, officials told PTI. During the 4th Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting held in Riyadh last month, both countries explored the possibility of elevating the defence engagement with joint production and joint exercises 8. Apart from defence and counter-terrorism, other issues likely to come up for discussions during Prince Salman's visit include investments, food security, infrastructure and renewable energy. Saudi Arabia is India's fourth largest trading partner and the bilateral trade is worth close to $28 billion. Saudi Arabia is also a key pillar of India's energy security, being a source of 17% or more of crude oil and 32% of India's LPG requirements. "We hope to transform this buyer-seller relationship in energy to a broad-based partnership," said Tirumurti. 9. India is reportedly also looking forward to greater collaboration in the area of civil aviation, where there is considerable potential for enhanced links, especially in the context of increasing trade, tourism and in enhancing the convenience of travel. 10. But the upcoming visit already has a cloud cast upon it in terms of India's efforts to list JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist". The joint statement released by Riyadh and Islamabad on Monday underlined the need for avoiding "politicisation of the UN listing regime", which is being seen as an apparent reference to India's efforts. China, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council and a close ally of Pakistan, has consistently blocked this move. With PTI inputs (Edited by Sushmita) Also Read: Maharashtra to move upcoming Saudi Aramco refinery after farmers protest Though distress ruled over most sectors in the Indian economy in the last couple of years, the data of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) shows that the companies in real estate and renting business have been affected most, besides the same in construction, retail & wholesale trade, metals and textile. Of the 1484 companies admitted for resolution under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 612 are from the broader manufacturing sector, which includes metals, textiles, food and beverages and machinery and equipment. There are only a few non-affected sectors, which include information technology (IT) and the allied services, while IBC does not cover the bankruptcy in banking, insurance and financial services (BIFS) sectors. Though gross financial mismanagement is considered one of the reasons for ending up in bankruptcy, the sectoral turbulences have also played a part in many cases. Also Read: GST Council may bring relief to home buyers! Tax cut likely on residential properties From real estate and renting sector, 235 companies have filed for bankruptcy in the last two years until December 2018. Of that, 87 cases are closed and hearing is going on in 148 cases. The lenders are struggling to recoup loans, amounting to $20 billion from troubled property developers after worst home-sales slump of the decade. At present, the banks are taking control of land parcels and unfinished projects that can be sold along with loans for recovering the dues. The fact is, investing in residential real estate will not give 20-30 per cent annual returns or double your investment in about 3-5 years any more as it did back in the golden days of 2001-2007. The slowdown in the construction industry has led to the bankruptcy of 153 companies, while wholesale & retail trade (151 companies in the sector have admitted for bankruptcy trials) was affected by the sluggish demands. Of the 612 manufacturing companies admitted for resolution, 259 cases are closed after hearing, while 353 cases are pending. Almost 20 months ago, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had first asked the banks to take the 12 big loan defaulters to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and try under IBC. The move, which was perceived as a bold step, was expected to tame the ballooning non-performing assets (NPAs) on the books of banks and revive the debt-ridden companies bringing in a responsible management, has not achieved the desired results. Of the 1484 bankrupt companies admitted for resolution, just 79 are being sold until December-end. The liquidation process initiated in 302 cases and 62 companies are withdrawn from insolvency using the amended section 12A. Another 142 cases are closed on appeal or settled. Also Read: Baba acknowledged unpaid dues that crippled the Singh empire in May, 2018; Malvinder submits evidence to EOW There are 898 cases pending for resolution. The IBC allowed resolution time of 270 days are over in 275 cases. The current law allows a maximum 270 days for resolution--- an initial 180 days and an extra 90 days extension on case-by-case basis. By December end, 166 cases have crossed initial deadline of 180 days. One reason for the delays is that the government has made many changes in the law through amendments. There are lengthy legal proceedings due to complications in defining the law. The lack of sufficient resources in terms of insolvency professionals, judicial benches, and technical experts at NCLT is another issue. The resolution process was first initiated in the 12 big companies, which together had an outstanding claim of Rs 3.45 lakh crore, and soon after four companies had been handed over to the new promoters -- Electrosteel Steels to Vedanta, Bhushan Steel to Tata Steel, Monnet Ispat to JSW Steel, and Amtek Auto to Liberty House. NCLT had ordered to liquidate Lanco Infratech and Jyoti Structures. The remaining six cases are still stuck in the lengthy court proceedings. The Ahmadabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) recently concluded the hearing on the Rs 42,000 crore resolution plan of ArcelorMittal for the distressed Essar Steel India and reserved its judgement. Also Read: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in India today: 10 things to know Opposition from farmers has prompted Maharashtra to move the location for what would be the country's biggest oil refinery, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. State-run oil companies and Saudi Aramco have teamed up to build the $44 billion refinery, which is aimed at giving India steady fuel supplies while meeting Saudi Arabia's need to secure regular buyers for its oil. Also Read: ArcelorMittal bids Rs 48 billion to acquire Essar's 1200 megawatt power plant But thousands of farmers are refusing to surrender land, fearing it could damage a region famed for its Alphonso mangoes, vast cashew plantations and fishing hamlets that boast bountiful catches of seafood. After their protests, land acquisition has been stopped for the refinery at the proposed site at Nanar, a village in Ratnagiri district, some 400 km (250 miles) south of Mumbai, Fadnavis said on Monday. The refinery will be built at a place where the local population won't oppose the project, he said in a press conference, without identifying a new location. Fadnavis, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), made the announcement after forging an alliance with regional party Shiv Sena for the upcoming general election. The location of the refinery was one of the contentious issues between the parties, with Shiv Sena opposing the refinery. The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to arrive in India on Tuesday and is expected to announce investments in energy and infrastructure during the visit. The Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL), which is running the project, says the 1.2 million barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery, and an integrated petrochemical site with a capacity of 18 million tonnes per year, will help create direct and indirect employment for up to 150,000 people, with jobs that pay better than agriculture or fishing. RRPCL, a joint venture between Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum, has said suggestions the refinery would damage the environment were baseless. "The company is hopeful that the state government will provide sufficient land for the project on the western coast," Anil Nagwekar, a spokesman for the RRPCL, told Reuters. Land acquisition has always been a contentious issue in rural India, where a majority of the population depends on farming for its livelihood. In 2008, for example, India's Tata Motors had to shelve plans for a car factory in an eastern state after facing widespread protests from farmers. Also Read: Many Indians rally behind PM Narendra Modi after Kashmir attack Also Read: Copper prices rise after Supreme Court knocks back Sterlite smelter reopening The Shiv Sena will partner with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in coming election after agreeing on a seat-sharing plan in Maharashtra, the parties said on Monday. The tie-up with the Shiv Sena, a partner in the governing coalition led by the BJP, is a boost to Modi as he seeks alliances ahead of the general election, which is due to be held by May. The Shiv Sena had said last year it would contest the election on its own. Also Read: Maharashtra to move upcoming Aramco refinery after farmers rally In Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena and the BJP would contest 23 and 25 seats respectively, state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also a member of the BJP, told a news conference in Mumbai, the state capital and the country's financial capital, where the Shiv Sena is headquartered. The Shiv Sena enjoys considerable political clout across Maharashtra. Like the BJP, it believes India is a fundamentally Hindu nation, despite the country's secular constitution. Maharashtra sends 48 lawmakers to parliament, second only to Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, which elects 80 lawmakers. "We have entered into the alliance to keep the opposition parties out," Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said. Also Read: ArcelorMittal bids Rs 48 billion to acquire Essar's 1200 megawatt power plant Modi's BJP has been scrambling to make an alliance with regional parties for the general election, which pollsters say could produce a fractured mandate. The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), traditional political rivals in Uttar Pradesh, last month forged an alliance in an effort to defeat the BJP. In a fillip to opposition parties, the BJP lost power in three states in December, dealing Modi his biggest defeat since he took office in 2014. Also Read: Many Indians rally behind PM Narendra Modi after Kashmir attack Also Read: Copper prices rise after Supreme Court knocks back Sterlite smelter reopening 19 Feb 2019, 10:11 AM RBI announces Rs 28,000 crore interim dividend to govt The Reserve Bank of India on Monday announced an interim dividend of Rs 28,000 crore to the government after its post-budget meeting with the Finance Ministry. The total surplus transfer to the government for 2018-19 now stands at Rs 68,000 crore. This is the first meet after the interim budget 2019-20 was announced on February 1. Baba Ramdev's Patanjali to open 100 new apparel stores After causing ripples in the FMCG sector, yoga guru Baba Ramdev's Patanjali is eyeing the fashion sector. The company will open 100 exclusive apparel stores across the country by next year along with starting e-commerce operations by the end of this year. The apparel range will also be available on Amazon, Flipkart and Paytm. CIC pulls up Reserve Bank of India for non-disclosure of demonetisation records The Central Information Commission has pulled up the Reserve Bank of India for "perfunctory handling" of an RTI application seeking records of its board meetings where the issue of demonetisation was deliberated, and issued a show-cause notice to its Central Public Information Officer. Karol Bagh hotel fire: Health licence of 30 hotels in the area suspended by NDMC Days after the Delhi government cancelled fire safety certificates of several hotels in Karol Bagh, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has suspended health licences of 30 of those establishments, its Mayor said on Monday. North Delhi Mayor Adesh Gupta also said the civic body's probe team investigating the deadly fire incident at Hotel Arpit Palace recently, in which 17 people were killed, has found that "violation of fire safety norms seemed to the main factor" resulting in the tragedy. Revenue department plans panel to tackle bogus e-way bills The revenue department is planning to set up a committee of tax officers to suggest steps to deal with bogus e-way bills. Many instances of bogus e-way bills and fake invoices have come to the notice of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) since April last year. Touted as an anti-evasion measure, the e-way bill system was rolled out on April 1, 2018, for moving goods worth over Rs 50,000 from one state to another Nestle plans to launch up to 36 products in India in 2019 FMCG major Nestle India has lined up nearly two-three dozen products that it plans to launch in calendar year 2019 across categories to drive its aggressive growth plans in the country, Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan said Monday. Six per cent revenues of the company come from exports, and now they are looking to tap more overseas markets by targeting countries with higher Indian diaspora such as SAARC and South East Asia. PM Modi to visit Varanasi today, to announce projects worth Rs 2,900 crore Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday and is expected to announce several development projects worth Rs 2,900 crore. PM Modi will be inaugurating 31 projects which have already been completed. R S Sodhi, MD, Amul, turned 59 in December 2018. As he nears his retirement, the visionary head honcho of the Rs 41,000 crore dairy company, handpicked by none other than Varghese Kurien, says that Amul has a strong pipeline of leaders who will continue the growth story of the dairy major. In conversation with Ajita Shashidhar, Sodhi talks about company's non-dairy ventures through which it seeks to strike a chord with the younger consumers. Excerpts: Business Today: You have recently forayed into dark chocolates. You have also rolled out bakery products and frozen snacks in and around your headquarters at Anand. Is the ambition to be a larger food company with interests beyond dairy? R.S. Sodhi: Our main focus is dairy and will continue to be dairy, but the objective is to get into other newer categories where dairy is involved, like chocolates. We started chocolates in mid seventies, when we bought cocoa primarily to help the farmers of Kerala. Within two years, cocoa prices shot up by two-three times, but our focus continued to be more on milk. However, a year-and-half ago, we started experimenting with chocolates yet again. In India, chocolates are all about high sugar content. Our research told us that consumers want lesser sugar and more of kick, so we came out with an entire range of pure cocoa chocolates. We looked at chocolates as we realised that was the category where bulk of the indulgence was happening, and it was the same old chocolates and there was nothing new happening. We also launched frozen potato products. We even had ready-to-eat snacks in the seventies like cheese and paneer-based products like patties, parathas and samosas, but we didn't really push those products too much. We are now aggressively pushing frozen products because we have frozen distribution available. In fact, we are the only company that has frozen distribution available pan-India. We also found that ice-cream is seasonal , mostly summers, and frozen snacks do well in winters, so it will enable our distributors to take care of some overheads during winter also. We are also expanding into bakery. We were selling butter cookies, bread, and cakes. We realised that the butter cookies available in the market has only 2 per cent butter and 5 per cent dairy fat. Our butter cookies have 100 per cent butter fat, there is no vegetable fat. We got very good response from Anand, then we started distributing to the rest of Gujarat. All our bakery products will only use butter fat and that is where our product differentiation will come from. Our new products, especially dark chocolates, have got very good response, beyond our imagination. BT: Through dairy, you are touching the lives of 3.6 million farmers in India, are your newer businesses also being built with the intent to give back to the society? Sodhi: Yes, of course. We are sourcing potatoes from our dairy farmers who are in the North of Gujarat. They were not getting good prices and they were in need of money. So, to help them we are buying directly from them, hence, we are getting good prices. Secondly, the thought behind getting into categories such as bakery is how to give more price for the milk. The money that we get from the bakery business we invest in the milk business. The money goes back to the owners, who are the milk farmers. The milk prices have dipped and in the last year-and-half there hasn't been much improvement in the prices. We are looking at how to increase the prices; whether by earning through other food product categories or by using the Amul brand name and distribution. Also read: Fiat Punto Abarth finally finds a home! 6 car lovers buy it at a discount of Rs 2 lakh BT: While your intent to give back to your farmers through your newer categories is clear, from a business point of view, how important is it for Amul to look beyond dairy? Sodhi : 98 per cent of Amul's revenue still comes from dairy, and in the coming years, I don't see our newer business contributing more than 10 per cent to our revenue. However, getting into these categories was important in order to be able to connect with the younger consumers. The kind of response that our dark chocolates have got from Twitter and Instagram is amazing. This is the audience, which doesn't watch TV, doesn't listen to radio and it is difficult to reach out to them through traditional mass media; their choices are different and unexpected. BT: So, was brand Amul beginning to lose its sheen? Sodhi: Brand Amul was not losing its sheen, but we were being looked upon as a conservative butter, milk, and cheese company. Chocolates have given brand Amul a new picture. When income level and prosperity increases you may want to eat the same kind of food, be it chocolates or cheese, but in a very contemporary and modern way. It could be different flavours, presentations, and packaging. We are launching ice-cream cakes, and fully automatic cakes. We want to make brand Amul look modern and contemporary. We want to catch the youth. It is the biggest consumer segment. Our objective is not a huge topline, but through these small changes or new initiatives, be it chocolates or bakery, we have started to get a lot of traction from the younger consumers. These businesses will give Amul top-of-the-mind recall, even if they may not be huge revenue generators. The newer categories will also give a huge push to our main categories like butter or cheese. BT: Can you throw some light on your upcoming investments? Sodhi: In the last two years, we have added 65 lakh litres. In 2016-17, our milk procurement was 175, 00,000 litres, today it is 240,00,000 litres. Around 15 per cent milk comes from outside of Gujarat, but we have restricted ourselves. We are not expanding outside Gujarat anymore, because we are getting 14 -15 per cent more milk in Gujarat. Farmers of Gujarat are finding investment in animal husbandry or dairy more remunerative than investing in any other areas of agriculture. We have invested Rs 3,000 crore in the last two years in dairy; in chocolates we have invested Rs 250 crore. BT: You are in the twilight of your career and the industry wonders if your organisation has yet another leader who is a visionary like you. Don't you think a professional should succeed you? Sodhi: Amul is in safe hands. We groom our own talent and that is paying us dividends. We do not want migratory talent from other companies. Also read: NSEL scam: Parent 63 Moons to slap Rs 10,000 crore damage suits on P Chidambaram, 2 others In an unfortunate incident, two aircraft of the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team crashed on Tuesday, just a day before the start of the 12th edition of Aero India 2019 at the Yelahanka airbase in Bengaluru. They were rehearsing for the Aero India show at the Bengaluru airbase. Two search helicopters were rushed towards the spot immediately after the incident. Reports suggested while two pilots were ejected safely, one pilot succumbed to his injuries. The Bengaluru Police told ANI: "One civilian hurt. Both pilots have ejected, the debris has fallen near ISRO layout, Yelahanka new town area." These pilots of Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team were practicing formation aerobatics when they lost the control, and the aircraft collided before crashing down. #WATCH Two aircraft of the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team crash at the Yelahanka airbase in Bengaluru, during rehearsal for #AeroIndia2019. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/kX0V5O0n6R - ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2019 Wing Commander, Praful Bakshi, told India Today: "It requires a tremendous amount of expertise to carryout formation aerobatics, and such crashes keep on happening all over the world. This is extremely dangerous, and requires hours and hours of practice. The incident is quite unfortunate, but now the probe will be done, and experts will analyse it." 2.12pm: The Indian Air Force confirms damage to life and property in the vicinity of crash site is being ascertained. Inidan Air Force (IAF): Damage to life and property in the vicinity of crash site is being ascertained. A Court of Inquiry will investigate the cause of the accident. https://t.co/QiUV6VOpNx - ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2019 1.21pm: The rescue operation is underway at the crash site in Bengaluru. 1.12pm: MN Reddi, Karnataka DG Police, says one of the IAF pilots is suspected to have died in the air crash. One IAF pilot suspected to have died in the air crash. - M.N.Reddi, IPS (@DGP_FIRE) February 19, 2019 1.01pm: One of the pilots has been feared dead after the jet crash during the rehearsal, though the Indian Air Force is yet to confirm the news. 12.51pm: The latest visuals regarding the aircraft crash show the two aircraft falling from the sky after the crash. #WATCH Two aircraft of Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team crashed today at Yelahanka airbase in Bengaluru, during rehearsal for #AeroIndia2019. One civilian hurt. Both pilots ejected, the debris has fallen near ISRO layout, Yelahanka new town area. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/gJHWx6OtSm - ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2019 12.15pm: Angad Singh, an aviation enthusiast who was present at the crash site, posted visuals on Twitter immediately after the crash. Two suryakiran aircraft have just collided. I see smoke and saw two chutes. No word on anything more at the moment. pic.twitter.com/WZwHp1Tyyp - Angad Singh (@zone5aviation) February 19, 2019 This was the manoeuvre. The upper jet (inverted) was flying with a single pilot. The lower one with both seats occupied. pic.twitter.com/YbMJhOVabc - Angad Singh (@zone5aviation) February 19, 2019 12.00am: As per the earlier plan, a battery of US Naval assets, including the F/A-18 Super Hornet, was supposed to be on display at the Aero India Show from February 20 to 24. In the Indoor Pavilion, scaled models of LCA-Tejas variants, Airforce Mark-1, Medium Weight Fighter, Naval Variants and also trainer variants were also scheduled to be displayed. The Indian Army on Tuesday put the blame squarely on Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI along with terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad for the recent Pulwama attack that left over 40 Indian soldiers dead. The Indian Army confirmed the mastermind behind the attack had been killed in an Army encounter in Pinglina village on Monday. The Army reassured its commitment that terrorists entering the Kashmir Valley will not go alive, and that anyone who would pick up the gun in Kashmir would be eliminated. Representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF were also present at the press conference. The Army, J&K Police and CRPF in a joint conference said that the focus of the security forces, including the Jammu and Kashmir police, was very clear on terrorism, and militant recruitments had decreased in the Kashmir Valley in recent times, which was a positive sign. Also read: Pakistan awaits the fate of North Korea if India successfully lobbies at FATF On reports of a major security lapse in the Pulwama terror attack, Lt Gen JJS Dhillon, 15 Corps Commander, said: "There are many inputs on such matters we keep on receiving, which I will not discuss. We are acting on it." He added that recruitment had come down in the recent months, and that he would like to congratulate the people of the Valley on it. In a direct message to those picking up guns in the name of jihad in Kashmir, Lt Gen Dhillon said: "You pick up a gun, you are dead." SP Pani, IG, JK Police, also confirmed that recruitments had come down significantly in the recent past, and people of the Kashmir Valley had played an important role in curtailing youngsters from diverting towards militancy. "Top commanders are being hunted down, conspirators are being eliminated, I am sure recruitment will gradually go down," he said. On the kind of explosive used in the Pulwama terror attack and radicalisation of the Kashmiri youth, Dhillon said: "We have details on what kind of explosive is being used. We have details but we would not like to divulge them." He added that radicalisation had not helped anyone, and all the stakeholders in Kashmir needed to work collaboratively. The police chief also said that they had a credible lead on where the explosives came from, and were investing the matter. On reports of "harassment" of the common people in Kashmir after the Pulwama terror attack, Lt Gen Dhillon said: "No one used to be probed earlier, but now certain restrictions have been put in place. We are streamlining the process, and a through procedure will be passed to the civil authorities." On the issue of a security lapse, Zulfiqar Hasan, IG, CRPF, said the ROP (road opening party) was inspecting the area through which the CRPF convoy was passing. "The ROP had fully secured the NH, but now we are changing the civilian traffic so the entire area will be cleared before any such movement." The J&K police chief said the security forces, in associations with the local police had eliminated over 252 terrorist last year. Edited by Manoj Sharma Also read: 'We salute you, brave sons of Mother India': PM Modi pays tribute to martyred soldiers The Chinese equipment maker Huawei is battling to reverse the ban on its equipment in various countries. After the US, Australia and New Zealand governments ditched Huawei (along with ZTE) from installing its 5G gears fearing possible spying by the Chinese government, there has been a barrage of statements, and clarifications issued by the company to defend its position. The looming threat of similar bans in other countries, including India, is forcing the company to clear the air around its 5G equipment. Jay Chen, CEO of Huawei India says that the matter is political. "We believe this is political issue. I had many interactions with various government departments such as PMO, and DoT. In all my engagements with the Indian government, nobody told me that we are a problem. My engagements with the Indian government are positive," says Chen. In India, Huawei competes with Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, and Cisco in the network equipment market. The company claims to have been in talks with Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio and BSNL for 5G technology. Huawei had received an invitation from the government in September to conduct 5G trials in the country; however, it's yet to begin trials. There are speculations that the government is re-considering its invitation in the wake of global backlash faced by the equipment maker. Chen says that it's awaiting approval from the DoT, and can begin trials immediately after the approval. Huawei executive pointed out that no OEM (original equipment maker) or operator has started 5G trials as of today, and the company is waiting for the government to give free spectrum for trials. The 5G trials have hit a roadblock due to differences emerging out of the allocation of free spectrum for such trials. The DoT caps the free spectrum availability for 5G trials to 90 days whereas telecom operators and equipment makers want a minimum of 12 months to extensively test the networks. For Huawei, the challenges are more than just free spectrum allocation as the government gears up for the 5G auction in the middle of this year. The regulatory agency TRAI, in its 5G recommendations, had imposed a limit of 100 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum for each operator (in 3300-3600 MHz band) at the base price of Rs 492 crore per MHz. Huawei, which also has a devices business, believes that 100 MHz of contiguous 5G spectrum would give 25-30 times more output as compared to 20 MHz of 4G spectrum. Huawei found itself in the "political" quagmire last year when Pentagon banned the sale of Huawei and ZTE phones and network gears to US military bases worldwide. Other countries followed suit, and in December, Canada arrested Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou - the daughter of Huawei's founder Ren Zhengfei - at the request of the US. Zhengfei has recently said that "no way the US can crush" his company. Over 70,000 junior college teachers in Maharashtra have decided not to cooperate in the higher secondary certificate (HSC) board exams that are scheduled to start from February 21. Members of the Maharashtra Federation of Junior College Teachers Organisation (MFUCTO) met the School Education Minister, Vinod Tawde. They raised their demands in front of the minister, which he promised to fulfil in the ten days. The teachers are demanding provisions for information technology teachers, applying the seventh pay commission to their ranks and special provisions for teachers who have spent 24 years in the profession. According to a report in Times of India, the General Secretary of the association, Anil Deshmukh said that the government did not meet the deadline of their demands. He added that they were, however, assured that their demands will be met due to which they allowed the practical and internal exams to be conducted smoothly. Deshmukh further added that if the demands are not executed by February 21, then they will not conduct any board exam duties including supervision. This year stringent measures were announced to prevent cheating during exams. "The students found with cheating materials inside the exam centre will be suspended from appearing in the entire examinations. Mobile, tablets, including any kind of electronic gadget, is totally barred inside the exam centre," said an official from the Maharashtra board to a leading daily. Maharashtra board secretary had also said that they have partitioned zones into sensitive, less sensitive and highly sensitive. He added that videography would also be done in some classrooms. However, the board will not install CCTV cameras in the examination halls and only schools that already have the equipment will use the same. Around 14 lakh students are expected to appear in the Maharashtra HSC Exams 2019. Also read: UP Police Constable Result 2019: UPPRPB announces result for 41,520 vacancies; here's how to check On the second day of hearing of Kulbhushan Jadhav case, Pakistan submitted its stand against India at The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague amidst escalated tensions between India and Pakistan over Pulwama terror attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. Pakistan's Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan says that India's demand for release of Kulbhushan Jadhav is outlandish. He said that India didn't answer questions about Jadhav. "They didn't tell us at what age Jadhav retire. If there was evidence of his retirement," he added. In the first round of arguments on Monday, Senior advocate Harish Salve, the lawyer representing India and Jadhav in the case at the ICJ, told that Pakistan's continued custody of Kulbhushan Jadhav without any consular access should be declared "unlawful" as it was an egregious violation of the Vienna Convention. Pakistan has used Jadhav to build a narrative against India, he told the court. In the four-day hearing in the Jadhav case that opened Monday at the UN court headquarters in The Hague, India will reply on Pakistan's arguments on February 20 while Islamabad will make its closing submissions on February 21. Also Read: Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Pakistan's story has been blurry on facts, says Harish Salve at ICJ Attorney General for Pakistan, said Jadhav's activities were an actual manifestation of Indian policy. "Since 1947, India has pursued a policy of destroying Pakistan. Indian PM Narendra Modi is on record to have said using water as a weapon against Pakistan." Qureshi said India failed to explain why Jadhav was allowed to travel for 17 times on fake passport. "India, I am sorry to say, has demonstrated a lack of faith throughout these proceedings... good faith is part of international law," lawyer Khawar Qureshi said. "India doesn't know Pakistan, Pakistan is a state that has provided the largest contingent for peacekeeping, whose soldiers have lost lives in pursuing world security," he said. "India's conduct and abusive process... India has deployed this process for political theatre," lawyer Qureshi said. He told court that the Indian Navy officer was a "spy" and not a businessman adding that Jadhav was an "instrument of India's official policy of terror". Kulbhushan Jadhav, 48, was a retired Indian Navy officer, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017. He was later allowed to meet his mother and wife after a long and arduous 22-month wait on December 25, 2017. A 10-member bench of the ICJ, which was set up after World War II to resolve international disputes, on May 9, 2018, stayed the death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav after India had moved a petition before the UN body to seek justice for him, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by Pakistan. (With inputs from PTI) Edited by Chitranjan Kumar In a major diplomatic move, France, US and UK will be moving the UNSC 1267 Al Qaeda sanctions committee with a proposal to ban Masood Azhar, chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad, a proscribed organisation under the UN. Sources confirmed to India Today that the three nations are going to move the world body. The move comes days after the Pulwama terror attack which led to the killing of 40 CRPF personnel where JeM had claimed responsibility. This would be the second time that the trio from the P5 would be party to such a proposal at the UN. The three nations had moved a similar proposal in the year 2017 after the Uri attack of 2016 which was claimed by JeM. French sources tell India India Today that they are "working" on the proposal which will by moved in a "couple of days". The French decision was discussed between Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval this morning, said French sources. "At the UN, France will lead a proposal to put Masood Azhar on the terrorist list... It will happen in a couple of days," a senior French source told India Today. The last proposal was blocked by China thrice over till it lapsed in 2018. Since then there has been no move at the UN against Masood Azhar. The recent attack in Kashmir has given fresh impetus to India's efforts in getting Azhar proscribed globally. In another major decision by France, French sources tell India Today that they will be cornering Pakistan at the Financial Task Force Meeting (FATF) that is underway in Paris. "Our position is to atleast maintain Pakistan on the grey list", said French sources. The move by US, UK and France could mount pressure yet again on Pakistan but the question remains: will China vote in favour of the ban or veto the move again? The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman begins his India visit in the shadow of one of the worst terror attacks of recent times that saw over 40 CRPF soldiers getting killed in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Given the close ties Saudi has with Pakistan, the country that is known to be sheltering the alleged masterminds of the attack, there is a general concern over its possible impact on the bilateral India-Saudi talks. In an interview with Business Today, Kamel Al-Munajjed, Chairman of the Saudi Indian Business Council, and the head of a 50-member CEO delegation that is accompanying Prince Salman, dismisses such fear. Saudi's stand on terrorism is very clear, so are its plans for bilateral tie-ups on business and economic matters, he says. Al-Munajjed is the Managing Partner of Urjuan Property Developers, which is active in the real estate development and construction in Saudi Arabia, and a Director of Span Arabia, a leader in the logistics supply across the Gulf region. ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in India today: 10 things to know Excerpts: What could be the impact of the terror attack on the India-Saudi bilateral talks? The terrorist action happened on Thursday evening, and you know Thursday evening is weekend in Saudi. It was the first time in my life I would see an official Saudi press release coming out at 6 in the morning on Friday (a holiday). It expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's strong condemnation over the terror attack. The Kingdom rejected the cowardly terrorist act and stood by India in its action against terrorism and extremism. Given Saudi's proximity to Pakistan will this unfortunate incident affect the prospects of better economic cooperation with India? I don't think anything should be affected because of a small minority whose intend is to harm. We have rejected them totally. Now, if we start rejecting India or rejecting any other country because of this, we are going to be seen as weak. We have to be stronger than them (the extremists) and make our relations with (India) even better. This is my personal opinion. How big is the delegation? We are around 50 CEOs (of private companies). In addition, the heads of the biggest governmental groups like ARAMCO (Saudi's national petroleum and natural gas company) and the head of SABIC (petrochemical manufacturing giant) are here. Which are the key focus areas and what are the expected outcomes? The companies are mostly representing sectors like energy, petrochemicals, food, construction, IT etc. The importance of this visit, in my opinion, the single most important agreement that we are going to sign, will be the establishment of the high cooperation council which will be headed by the Crown Prince on the Saudi side and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Indian side. With this, you are going to have direct contact between the two countries. For Saudi Arabia, this type of high cooperation council exists with only US and China. India is the third country. It shows the importance of we give to these countries. What does this mean for the businesses on both sides? The bilateral investments have not been very high so far? If you look at the statistics here, they will tell you that there are only 50 Saudi companies and an investment of $80 million in India. But SABIC alone has a research centre in Bangalore, with an investment of $200 million. They have hired 300 Indian engineers there. If this Ratnagiri project (setting up of a green field petrochemicals complex and integrated oil refinery) works out, on the Saudi side, it's all approved, ARAMCO has the $12 billion ready, now it is Indian turn. I am sure it will work because it is mutually beneficial. It is our strategy to access external markets, and it satisfies the Indian need for energy security. We also know there will be an MoU signed on National Infrastructure Investment Fund here. Saudi is going to invite Indian companies to participate in the renewable energy development. We are running at around 60 GW in Saudi, we believe we are going to reach 200GW in the next few years, it's going to be huge demand and oil cannot satisfy that and India has proven to be a great place for renewables. There are lot of similarities (in India's and Saudi's vision for economic development). We have our vision 2030, and India has its vision 2030. We both have a young population, we both have a problem in employment, we both want a clean environment and we both are trying to use technology to create employment. There could be so many joint ventures in the petrochemical sector. You have the knowledge, we have the raw material. So whatever aspects you think of, it's a win-win situation. Even on security and anti-terrorism front, it is a full complementary relationship. The bilateral trade numbers do not show the same enthusiasm. Why? Bilateral trade was high when oil price was at $120 (a barrel), now it is $50. This is not important. What you should look at is the composition of the trade. When we reached $45 billion, it was $35 billion of oil and $10 billion of non-oil. Out of this $10 billion, $3 billion going to Saudi, and $7 billion to India. I expect that in 2018 we are close to $32 billion, which is a 10 percent increase in bilateral trade over the last year. The non-oil component of this is almost 30 per cent now. Then there are in-direct exports too. Officially, the biggest trade partner of India in the Middle East is UAE. Their figures for 2018 were $35 billion. What you fail to see is that UAE is a re-exporter, they get the product, re-pack and send to all of Africa, Iran, and other gulf region. About 40 to 50 percent of all exports that go to UAE from India are re-exported into gulf countries. And 80 percent of this 40 percent goes to Saudi. So if you add the re-export figures of Indian goods, Saudi is the largest trading partner for India in the Middle East. But why is it happening like this? Because of historical reasons. We had a complicated system in Saudi Arabia and its only in the last 3 years that we have started to liberalise (Saudi economy). Which are the products that we are talking about? The main exports of India to Saudi Arabia (export or re-export) are food products, tools, garments, etc. How robust are the medium term growth prospects in India-Saudi trade? We are in the $30 billion range now, we need to get back to $50 billion before 2030, that is my opinion. But more than that the composition needs to change. We are going to invite lot of Indian companies to participate in the Saudi growth phase. Today, we have eight new cities coming up from nothing. One of them is NEOM, which will be cradle of technology in the world. It is going to be a 10,000 sq km city. The whole area is going to be only innovation technology. We have another city called Red Sea which will be only for resorts. A third city only for logistics. These are new cities that should create new jobs. We also unveiled a roadmap for industrialization and infrastructure. We are going to have new airports, new roads and railways. All of this together is going to be a $ trillion business opportunity in the next 10 years. Given your technology strengths, India will be invited to participate in NEOM for sure. Similarly, India will be invited to participate in the renewable energy projects and the pharmaceutical projects. Already (Indian infrastructure majors like) L&T and Shapoorji Pallonji have huge projects in Saudi. Today, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the largest employer of women in Riyadh. They have 1000 women in one location and they say it's going to become 3000 in the next five years. What will be the focus of India bound investments? India will play a major role in our food security plans. You cannot own agricultural land, but you can own the processing plants. This will be a very important key area. There is going to be an MoU on infrastructure, and I am sure there must be others on defence and security etc. ALSO READ: No, Pakistan is not out of financial crisis! Their top bank governor's remark doesn't make sense Legendary haute-couture designer Karl Lagerfeld known for his association with global giant Chanel has died. Artistic director and icon of the global fashion industry for more than 50 years, Lagerfeld was 85. After Lagerfeld missed Chanel's January show in Paris, rumours of his ill-health started making the rounds. French celebrity online magazine Purepeople said Lagerfeld died on Tuesday morning after being taken to hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine just outside Paris the night before. "We have lost a creative genius who helped to make Paris the fashion capital of the world and Fendi one of the most innovative Italian houses," LVMH chairman and chief executive Bernard Arnault said in a statement. "We owe him a great deal: his taste and talent were the most exceptional I have ever known," he added. Lagerfeld, largely known for his association with Chanel had also delivered collections for LVMH's Fendi and his own eponymous label. He was fondly called Kaiser Karl and Fashion Meister for his work. "We are deeply saddened to learn the news of Karl Lagerfeld's passing today. His unrivalled contribution to the fashion industry changed the way women dress and perceive fashion," Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council said in a statement. Born in Hamburg in 1933, Lagerfeld made his debut with designer Pierre Balmain as an apprentice before moving on to Patou and Chloe and then Italian brand Fendi. He gained a rock-star status after he joined Chanel in 1983. Chanel is yet to make a statement. Also read: New FDI policy on e-commerce: Key factors Amazon, Flipkart, others must consider in future strategy If all goes as planned, Hyderabad-based infrastructure developer GVK may well take a major step towards pruning its huge Rs 24,000 crore debt by March 31. The company is working on what now seems to be its last big chance to resolve bulk of its debt issues. The option is to get on board a private equity investor to take up a substantial stake in the GVK Airport Holding Company. While the GVK group officials would not comment, Business Today learns that the group is keen to figure out the extent to which this investment could help it resolve all the issues associated with the entire group. For now, as Business Today learns, the group is in talks with a financial investor though the name has not been disclosed yet. Currently, three names are doing the rounds to be in the race - ADIA (Abu Dhabi Investment Authority), Ferrovial and PSP - a leading pension fund. Much will depend on the details of the deal and the quantum of investment as to what extent GVK will manage to come out of its troubles. For instance, we need to know how much the investor is willing to pay given that the group is apparently willing to give up a substantial stake to utilise this all for debt reduction. Other than trying to prune its debt through getting the PE investor on board, the group has also been working on getting its stalled projects restarted. It has made some progress on that. Its Goindwal Sahib thermal power project - the Rs 5,000 crore project that it took up in April 2016 but faced challenges due to lack of coal availability -- has since last December started operating at full capacity. Now, the group has an entire team of nearly 25 people dedicated to ensure uninterrupted coal supply and good quality coal to the project even if making it available just-in-time. The group stopped bidding for new projects after Goindwal Sahib and has only now taken up the Navi Mumbai airport project. The other stalled venture of the group, the Alaknanda hydro power project, is also learnt to be operating at 55 per cent capacity, which apparently is considered good for such a hydro power project. PARIS (Reuters) - The board of Air France-KLM agreed to reappoint the head of its KLM division, the Franco-Dutch airline group said, resolving a standoff over new group CEO Ben Smith's plans for closer integration of the two carriers.In a separate advance for Smith, who joined Air France-KLM from Air Canada in September, the group also signed a pay deal with its French pilots on Tuesday, drawing a line under a labour dispute that blighted operations last year.Smith has been pushing for more concerted decision-making between the two brands as well as his own seat on the KLM board, but had ... By Elias BiryabaremaKAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda accused the country's biggest telecoms operator, MTN Uganda, on Tuesday of underdeclaring its sales and causing public revenue losses, in a further souring of relations with the South African-owned company.Uganda deported MTN Uganda's Chief Executive Wim Vanhelleputte last week, the fourth MTN official to be expelled from the East African country in less than a month on accusations of compromising national security.The company is a unit of South African telecoms giant MTN Group, which has also had problems in Nigeria where the central bank last ... Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei said on Monday that the arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, was politically motivated. "Firstly, I object to what the US has done. This kind of politically motivated act is not acceptable," Ren told the BBC in an interview. Canada arrested Meng on December 1 at the request of the United States. Meng was charged with bank and wire fraud to violate American sanctions against Iran. The US Justice Department denied the charges were politically motivated. "The Justice Department's criminal case against ... TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor said on Tuesday it will hold a news conference at 0800 GMT, a day after a British lawmaker said the Japanese car maker will announce the closure of its only British factory, in another blow to UK's auto industry before Brexit.Shutting the Swindon factory in southern England - Honda's second plant closure in 2022 - will result in 3,500 job losses, Justin Tomlinson, a Conservative lawmaker, told Reuters on Monday.Honda said Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo will attend the news conference on Tuesday. It said the conference will address a change in operational ... By Michael Nienaber and Rene WagnerBERLIN (Reuters) - Germany recorded the world's largest current account surplus for the third year running in 2018 due to strong exports that are vexing U.S. President Donald Trump and raising the risk of U.S. tariffs on German cars.Germany's current account surplus, which measures the flow of goods, services and investments, shrank but was the world's largest last year at $294 billion, followed by Japan with $173 billion, data, from Germany's Ifo institute showed on Tuesday.The data is likely to inflame passions in the White House, where Trump has ... BERLIN (Reuters) - France and Germany have put forward plans for reforming EU competition rules to encourage the emergence of European industrial giants, French finance Miniser Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday."It's the first time that France and Germany put forward proposals to transform EU competition rules," Le Maire said after a meeting in Berlin with German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier where they agreed a joint manifesto for a new European industrial policy."We have powerful, modern technologies and we don't want them to serve other continents than ours," Le Maire also said that France ... (Reuters) - U.S. investment firms BlackRock Inc and KKR & Co Inc are in advanced talks to take a $4 billion to $5 billion stake in Abu Dhabi National Oil Co's (ADNOC) pipeline network, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.The deal could be signed as early as next week, the newspaper reported, citing people briefed on the matter. (https://on.ft.com/2DTALJS)State-owned ADNOC was looking to sell a stake in its multibillion-dollar pipeline infrastructure assets, Reuters had reported http://bit.ly/2GySytx in early October.ADNOC has started a major transformation drive in the past two years to ... Expressing solidarity with the families of the two Youth Congress workers who were hacked to death, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala Tuesday called off his son's wedding reception and said the amount would be used for conducting the marriage of a deceased activist's sister. The activists, Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21), were waylaid and hacked to death at Periya in northern Kasaragod district while returning home after attending a function on Sunday night. Chennithala, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, said "the barbaric murder of two youth congress workers in their early twenties by CPI(M) goons has shaken the entire state like never before." In a statement, Chennithala said in this hour of extreme grief, his family has decided to call off the marriage reception of his son Dr Rohit which was scheduled to be held at Thiruvananthapuram and Haripad on February 21 and 23 respectively. "The newly wed couple Dr Rohit and Dr Sreeja have decided to utilise the saved sum towards the marriage for Kripesh's sister," the statement said. Chennithala said he had visited the houses of Kripesh and Sharath Lal and the situation there was "heart-rending." The two youths, whose families are not financially well-off, need help from all quarters, the statement said. Kripesh was the only breadwinner and his family had only a one-room thatched hut, Chennithala said and urged that everyone should support the bereaved families. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 19-year-old man has been arrested in Greater Noida and charged with sedition for his alleged anti-national activities on social media, police said Tuesday. The accused, Shahzaad Solanki, was held around 10.30 pm on Monday during a security check on a road near Dungarpur, which comes under the jurisdiction of Dankaur police station, they said. According to police, Solanki, a class 12 student, was disturbing "communal harmony" and "spreading hatred" by using social media for his "anti-national" activities. "He was posting pro-Pakistan slogans on WhatsApp which were getting circulated further. The police took suo motu cognisance after the posts reached on the WhatsApp of a local police officer," a police official told PTI. An FIR has been registered against Solanki, a resident of Achcheja village, and he has been charged under Indian Penal Code sections 124A (sedition) and 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), the police said. Solanki was on Tuesday produced before a local court, which remanded him in 14-day judicial custody, the official from Dankaur police station said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Meteorological department has issued fresh yellow warning for heavy snowfall in high, mid hills and rains in low hill, plains of Himachal Pradesh on February 20 and 21, an official said Tuesday. There will be high moisture incursion from the Arabian Sea over northwest India, specifically over the Western Himalayan Region (WHR) due to the western disturbance and this may cause heavy rain and snowfall in the state on Wednesday and Thursday, Met officials here said. The roads are likely to get blocked especially in Shimla, Chamba, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts because of moderate to heavy snowfall during the period, they said, adding that thunderstorm accompanied with hailstorm, lightning and gusty wind will also occur at isolated places over the lower parts of the state on these days. Shimla received 7 cm of snowfall, Kufri (35 cm), Dalhousie (35 cm) and Mashobra (3 cm) between 5.30 pm Monday and 8.30 am Tuesday, the office said, adding that several parts also received light rains. The tribal district Lahaul and Spiti's administrative centre Keylong and Kinnaur's Kalpa also received 5 and 22 cm of snowfall, respectively, they said. The fresh snowfall on Tuesday has brought down the temperature in most parts of the state with Keylong continuing to be the coldest place at minus 8.6 degrees Celsius, whereas the minimum temperature in Kalpa was minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, Kufri (minus 1.7 degrees), Chail (minus 0.2 degrees), Dalhousie (minus 0.4 degrees), Shimla (0.5 degrees) and 0.8 degrees Celsius in Manali, the weatherman said. The Met office issues colour-coded warnings to alert the public ahead of severe or hazardous which has the potential to cause "damage, widespread disruption and/or danger to life." Yellow is the least dangerous out of the weather warnings - it indicates the possibility of severe weather over the next few days that could affect the public. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Tuesday said years of apathy by various state governments has resulted in a situation that the subordinate judiciary has to function in a hard-pressed manner with inadequate number of judges and crumbling infrastructure. "There have been years of apathy towards judiciary. Suitable conditions are not provided but it is working," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi observed. The apex court, which has been monitoring the steps taken for developing the infrastructure in subordinate judiciary and filling up the vacancies of judicial officers and supporting staff, on Tuesday examined the progress made by the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telengana, Tripura and Uttarakhand. The remarks relating to the apathy towards judiciary were made while dealing with the steps taken by Rajasthan government. "Have you visited the courts? It is unimaginable under what conditions the judicial work is going on," the bench, also comprising Justices L N Rao and Sanjiv Khanna, said when advocate Gaurav Agrawal was assisting it as an amicus curiae. In its order relating to Rajasthan, the bench said that the state of infrastructure as indicated is grossly unsatisfactory. The bench asked the Rajasthan government to apprise it within three months further progress made on the issue of appointment of judicial officers and development of infrastructure of the courts. While dealing with the issue of Uttarakhand the bench was surprised that the state government was hesitant in supplying information about the utilisation of funds from the Centre. The bench asked the deputy chief secretary, who was present in the court, to submit the utilisation certificate of the central funds to the competent authority so that additional central funds required for the purpose could be disposed. The apex court took on record the information provided by other states on the issue. The apex court on its own had taken note of over 5,000 vacancies for judicial officers across the country and had directed all the 24 high courts and 36 states and UTs to apprise it of remedial measures. It is also monitoring the steps taken for developing the infrastructure in subordinate judiciary. The top court had appointed senior advocates Shyam Divan, K V Vishwanathan, Vijay Hansaria and lawyer Gaurav Agrawal as amicus curiae and asked them to assist it in dealing with the case. Divan would deal with the vacancies and the processes needed to fill them up in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and the Northeast states. While Vishwanathan would assist the top court in dealing with the vacancies in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Kerala, Hansaria would deal with Madhya Pradesh, Madras, Odisha, Patna and Punjab and Haryana. Agrawal would render assistance to the top court in dealing with the issue of vacancies in states of Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tripura and Uttarakhand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court in Champai district on Mizoram-Myanmar border sentenced a 40-year-old woman to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for possessing heroin, officials said Tuesday. Lalthansangi was convicted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act for carrying 555 grams of heroin on February 9, 2017, they said. The judge, R Vanlalena, also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on the accused. The woman, who hails from Zokhawthar village of Champhai along Indo-Myanmar border, had packed the contraband in 42 soap cases and concealed them in a motorcycle which was used for trafficking, officials said. Her nephew, who was driving the bike, was also arrested near Melbuk village in Champhai district, they said. He was released from jail after about two years due to lack of evidence, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Samajwadi Party in Maharashtra Tuesday threatened to field its candidates for Lok Sabha polls if the party is not inducted into the proposed Congress-NCP alliance. Maharashtra SP unit president Abu Asim Azmi also demanded that its arch rival Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) be kept away from the alliance, whose contours are being finalised. The Congress is not in favour of taking MNS on board for the party's stand against north Indians, whereas a senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader has said the Raj Thackeray-led party can be accommodated, as it can garner votes. "I want to warn the Congress-NCP grand alliance that if they induct MNS into the fold, my party would launch a massive campaign to sensitise voters about how MNS goons targetted north Indian migrants working in Mumbai and terrorised them," Azmi said in a press conference. He said SP workers would tell voters in Uttar Pradesh about ill-treatment being meted out to north Indian migrants by MNS in Mumbai. "We don't want division of secular votes and therefore want an alliance with the Congress-NCP combine. We want only one out of total 48 seats in Maharashtra (to contest)," he said. Azmi said if the SP was not taken on board, the party would field its candidates after getting approval from Lucknow. Responding to a query on Pulwama attack in which 40 jawans of CRPF were killed on February 14, Azmi sought to know how a huge cache of explosives was transported in the SUV driven by the suicide bomber. The jawans were killed in a blast trigger by the collision between the vehicle and one of the buses of the convoy. Meanwhile, Azmi played a Hindi audio which reads "Sarhadon par bahut tanaav hai, zara pata karo kahi chunaav hai". "What does this mean," asked Azmi even as he clarified that he was not going to make any political comment on the terror strike. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Clarifying on their statements of not granting admission to students from Kashmir, two city-based colleges Tuesday said they were under pressure and no decision of such sort has been taken by their management. "We had to do it under pressure from a mob of around 400-500 which was protesting at the gates demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students from the institute and an assurance in writing that the new ones will not be granted admission following the terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama," Chairman of Alpine College of Management and Technology, Anil Saini, told PTI. "What the institute administration gave in writing to the protesting mob was to ensure the safety of the Kashmiri students," he added. He said no policy decision has been taken about denying admission to Kashmiri students from the next session. "How can we deny admission to Kashmiri students?. Aren't we bound by the constitution of India? The statement given in writing by the institute's administration was meant to pacify the angry protesters and to prevent the situation from going out of hands," Saini said. Baba Farid Institute of Technology, which was the other city-based institution to give a similar commitment in writing, also admitted that it did so under pressure. "The institute was open that day and there were Kashmiri students on campus. We were worried about their safety. That is why we said no Kashmiri student will be admitted from the upcoming session," Principal of Baba Farid Institute of Technology Aslam Siddiqui said. About 450 students from Jammu and Kashmir study in these two institutes. However, Siddiqui refused to name any outfit for the protests. "A mob does not have a face. It was an angry mob consisting of even people from nearby villages. They were in no mood to listen to us and it was no use arguing with them. All they wanted was a written undertaking denying admission to Kashmiri students which we gave to defuse the situation," he said. Siddiqui admitted that the WhatsApp message sent by a Kashmiri student of Sridev Suman Subharti University in which he had expressed happiness over the terrorist attack in Pulwama did add fuel to the fire. "People were already angry following the terror attack in Pulwama and his comment did rub salt into the wounds triggering tension and the subsequent protests." He said the situation now was fully under control with no protests over the last three days and substantial deployment of police personnel around campuses where Kashmiri students study. "We are getting full co-operation from the police with SSP Nivedita Kukreti herself monitoring the situation," Siddiqui said. IG Garhwal range Ajay Rautela said the Kashmiri students are completely safe and they should not worry. Police patrolling in Premnagar area, where most of the Kashmiri students live, has been stepped up. However, he appealed to people to maintain calm. "People are grief stricken over the martyrdom of our soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. In a situation like this we must ensure that no such content which has the potential to hurt sentiments is floated on the social media," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pulwama terror attack was different from earlier 'fidayeen' strikes as it involved a vehicle-borne bomb with a "phenomenal" amount of explosives, a senior Army officer said here Tuesday. Lieutenant General S K Saini, General Officer Commander-in-Chief, Southern Command, also said that the strategy to deal with suicide attacks is continuously revised. A suicide bomber rammed a vehicle into a CRPF convoy on February 14 in Pulwama district in south Kashmir, killing 40 jawans. Speaking to reporters at Southern Command Investiture Ceremony here, Lt Gen Saini said there had been fidayeen (suicide) attacks involving local youth earlier. "But there was not a vehicle-borne IED (improvised explosive device) except in an incident in which a vehicle IED was used in 2005 in the Valley... However, that did not cause much damage," he said. In the last week's attack, the amount of explosives in the vehicle was "phenomenal" which caused so much damage, Saini added. Asked about the army's strategy to counter such attacks, Saini said security mechanisms were based on the assumption that anybody (an attacker) who tries to enter will also want to get away. "But in the case of a suicide attack, that assumption is undercut. The person who is launching such suicide attack does not want to go back, therefore they are able to defeat the security mechanism, the drills and other procedure which are put in place," he said. "Nonetheless, the strategy to combat the menace of suicide attacks is continuously revised based on the trends that emerge. It is a continuous process," he added. Any conflict has two major influences -- "external and and internal drivers" -- Saini said. "As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the external drivers overwhelmed the internal influences and therefore that is the problem in the valley," he said. The morale of the security forces is intact after the Pulwama incident, he said to another question. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Tuesday skipped his scheduled appearance before the in a money laundering case probe, citing his bad health, officials said. They said Vadra's lawyers informed the investigating officer (IO) of the case their client is unwell and hence will be unable to join the probe related to allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad. They said the businessman, also the son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, may appear either on Wednesday or on a mutually acceptable date later this week. Vadra was questioned by the ED in this case for 23 hours over three days of deposition earlier this month. He has been asked by a Delhi court to cooperate in the probe being conducted by the central probe agency. The ED case against Vadra relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property located at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million GBP (British pounds), which is allegedly owned by him. The agency had told the court that it has received information about various new properties in London which belong to Vadra. These include two houses, one worth 5 million GBP and the other valued at 4 million GBP, six other flats and more properties. Vadra has denied the allegations of possessing illegal foreign assets and termed them a political witch hunt against him. He said he was being "hounded and harassed" to subserve political ends. Sources said Vadra's statement was recorded under Section 50 (powers of authorities regarding summons, production of documents and to give evidence) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), on the last three occasions. His appearance before the ED earlier this month acquired political overtones after his wife Priyanka Gandhi, recently appointed Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accompanied him to the investigating agency's office on one day while she picked him up after questioning the next time. Vadra had similarly deposed before the ED twice in Jaipur in an another money-laundering case related to an alleged land scam in Bikaner. A man was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district on Tuesday for allegedly posting derogatory remarks on personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on social media, police said. The man, identified as Vishwajeet Pandey, a resident of Bankata village in Pakdi area in the district, had posted derogatory remarks against the CRPF and a pro-Pakistan slogan on Facebook, Superintendent of Police Devendra Nath said. An FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Ankit Srivastava at Pakdi police station on Monday after which the arrest has been made, he added. The CRPF lost its 40 men during a terror strike in south Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Tuesday called on and to take "immediate steps" to de-escalate tensions between the two nations following the Pulwama terror attack, reiterating that his good offices are available if both sides ask. The already sour relations between and have worsened over the past week as New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Both countries have called back their envoys for "consultations." The Secretary General stresses the importance for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalation, and his good offices are always available should both sides ask, the UN chief's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Tuesday at the daily press briefing. Dujarric was asked about a meeting Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the UN has sought with the Secretary General and about Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi saying the UN must step in to diffuse tensions between the nations. "Looking at the situation in general between and Pakistan, we are deeply concerned at the increasing tensions between the two countries in the wake of the attack on Indian security personnel on February 14 in Pulwama, Dujrraic said. He said Pakistan's mission at the UN requested for the meeting with the Secretary General. In a separate issue, Dujjaric said that in response to questions on a recent incident involving the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, known as UNMOGIP, the observer group reported on February 16 that a UN vehicle in the city of Jammu was surrounded by a group of protesters who placed a flag in front of the vehicle. The vehicle attempted to bypass the flag but was unable to do so. The Mission has informed both Indian and Pakistani authorities of this regrettable and unavoidable circumstances of the incident. The Mission also requested India to provide additional escorts and will be conducting an investigation, he said. Two people were mowed down and three others injured by a car in which senior state BJP leader and MLA C T Ravi was travelling near Kunigal in Tumakuru district early Tuesday, police said. The victims, who had come in two vehicles, were standing by the roadside when the accident occurred, according to the first information report. The injured have been rushed to a hospital, they said. Ravi said he was sleeping in his car and was on his way to Chennai from Chikkamagaluru along with his gunman. "I realised that something happened only when the air bag opened and I stepped out. Till then, I did not realise" he said. The MLA suffered chest pain and minor injuries in the incident, the state BJP said. Ravi said he was told that two people had died and he immediately called the ambulance and rushed the victims to a private hospital in Bengaluru. He also underwent treatment at the same hospital, he added. "I understand the pain (of the victims' families). This was not something that anyone wanted," he said. The state BJP said Ravi was not driving the car and also is not in the habit of drinking. It said Ravi still has "mild" chest pain and is under rest now. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tuesday said it would now provide details including ad spends and impressions data of tweets from political entities to users in as it attempts to bring in greater transparency on its platform, ahead of general elections in the country. In addition to the information being shared within its Ads Transparency Centre (ATC), the microblogging platform will now also include a visual label and disclaimer information on promoted content from certified accounts, said in a statement. "This will allow people to easily identify political campaign ads and to know who paid for them," it added. The enforcement of this policy will begin on March 11, after which only certified advertisers will be allowed to run political campaigning ads on the service, it said adding that political advertisers will now have to apply for certification. Facing heat over allegations of political bias in the country, has been summoned by the parliamentary panel on to appear before it on February 25. The panel had decided to call senior Twitter officials against the backdrop of growing concerns about safeguarding citizens' data privacy and the possibility that could be used to interfere in elections. "Twitter deeply respects the integrity of the election process and are committed to providing a service that fosters and facilitates free and open democratic debate. The Indian election is a priority for the company, and Twitter will continue to share openly and transparently about its work to protect and enhance the public conversation," Twitter said. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the government has been warning platforms of strong action if any attempt was made to influence the country's electoral process through undesirable means. Last month, tech giant had also stated that it will make information on political advertisements on its platform public, providing details like who is purchasing election ads and the money spent. also has said it will make it compulsory for advertisers to disclose their identity and location before any such advertisement material can be run on the popular platform as well as In its statement Tuesday, Twitter said people will be able to see details, including billing information, ad spend, and impressions data per Tweet for political advertisers that fall under the Political Campaigning Policy. "Additionally, Twitter will be showing demographic targeting data for the ads being served, both intended by the advertiser and actually delivered by Twitter," it added. In May last year, Twitter had launched its Political Campaigning Policy in the US to provide clear insight into how the platform defines political content and who is advertising political content on its platform. In conjunction, Twitter had launched the ATC to allow people to view ads that have been served on Twitter, along with details on the political campaigning ads. : Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that manages the richest hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara presented Tuesday its budget proposals for 2019-20, expecting an overall revenue of about Rs 3,116 crore during the year, a top TTD official said. Of the overall income, the cash offerings were projected at Rs 1,231 crore, TTD chairman Putta Sudhakar Yadav told reporters on the Tirumala hills, near here. The revenue from the interest on deposits in nationalised and private banks was estimated to be about Rs 846 crore, he said. The sale of tickets for various forms of worship, including rituals in the temple, special entry tickets of VIPs and the online tickets priced at Rs 300 could get Rs 292 crore while the laddu prasadam might bring in about Rs 270 crore, he said. The proceeds from the auction on human hair to be offered by millions of devotees, including the aged, women and infants, as fulfilment of their vow were projected to be Rs 10 crore, he said. The revenue from the TTD accommodations and marriage halls allotted to devotees was estimated to be around Rs 105 crore, he said. On the expenditures, he said, the salaries and other wages to the over 6,000 staff might touch about Rs 625 crore while the expenses for the out-sourcing personnel could cost about Rs 340 crore. About Rs 400 crore was expected to be spent on new constructions of pilgrims' amenities, taking up repair and laying of roads, he said. A sum of Rs 179 crore was expected to be spent for the propagation of Hindu dharma activities in the sub-continent, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the North Korea summit in Hanoi later this month, US President Donald Trump Tuesday discussed the trip with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in and told reporters his ultimate goal is denuclearization of N Korea. "I had a great conversation this morning with President Moon of South Korea. We obviously discussed the upcoming trip next week...we're going to Hanoi in Vietnam...I look forward to being with Chairman Kim (Jong-un)..I think a lot of things will come out of it," Trump told reporters about the telephonic conversation. President Moon and I discussed probably every aspect of the meeting," he said. "We're in no rush whatsoever, we're going to have our meeting...we'll see what happens and I think ultimately we're going to be very successful." Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are scheduled to meet on February 27-28 in Hanoi, Vietnam. "The two leaders agreed to remain in close communication following the summit," the White House said. In an interaction with reporters, Trump said he would be talking over phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Wednesday on the same issue. "I will be speaking tomorrow (Wednesday) with Prime Minister Abe of Japan. I will be having a similar conversation. So I think, next week is going to be very exciting. It's going to be the second summit," he said, adding his ultimate goal is denuclearization of North Korea. "I think we will see that ultimately. I have no pressing time schedule. A lot of people would like to see it go very quickly from the other side. I really believe that N Korea can be a tremendous economic power. Their location between Russia, China and South Korea is unbelievable," he said. Trump said that North Korea and chairman Kim have some very positive things in mind. "We will soon find out. I'm in no rush. There's no testing... If you look at the end of the Obama administration, it was a disaster. What was going on. You don't have that right now. It's a much different feeling. I think people have...there's always danger, but I think people have much different feeling," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump Tuesday described as a "horrible situation" the Pulwama terrorist attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed group, in which 40 Indian paramilitary personnel were killed, and said he was getting reports on it and would issue a statement. Separately, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino expressed "strong support" for India and asked Pakistan to "punish anyone responsible" for the February 14 attack. The suicide attack has led to escalation of tension between India and Pakistan and Trump told reporters at the Oval Office of White House that it would be "wonderful" if the two South Asia neighbours get along. "I have watched. I have got a lot of reports on it. We will have comment (on it) at an appropriate time. It would be wonderful if they (India and Pakistan) get along," Trump said in response to a question. "That (the terrorist attack) was a horrible situation. We are getting reports. We will have a statement to put out," Trump said. At a separate conference, the State Department Deputy Spokesperson said the US has been in close communication with the Indian government "to express not only our condolences but our strong support". "We urge Pakistan to fully cooperate with the investigation into the attack and to punish anyone responsible," Palladino said. In the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, the US has also been in contact with Pakistan, he said. Following the terrorist attack, Trump's National Security Advisor, John Bolton, has supported India's right to self-defense. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, Bolton, and the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders in separate statements have asked Pakistan to immediately take action against the JeM and its leaders and end support to terrorist safe havens. The CRPF personnel were killed when a JeM terrorist rammed an explosive-laden car into a vehicle carrying them in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Premier Imran Khan's message to India on Tuesday to share 'actionable intelligence' if his country was involved in the Pulwama terror attack for any action was met with skepticism by political parties which said it is time for him to 'walk the talk' on terrorism. While senior Congress leader and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh asked what proof was Khan talking about and whether India should send the bodies of the soldiers killed in the attack last week, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said Pakistan was not being blamed without any evidence. Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said security agencies have "strong evidence" on Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama attack and this has been clearly conveyed to the neighbouring country. The assertions by leaders across the political spectrum also came on a day when General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon said the Pakistan Army and its espionage agency ISI were involved in the car bomb attack by a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) bomber that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. Khan had earlier in the day said that India holds Pakistan responsible each time an incident happens in Kashmir and makes his country its "whipping boy" again and again. "If you have any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani is involved. Give it to us. I guarantee you we will take action - not because we are under pressure, but because they are acting as enemies of Pakistan," Khan said In a video message to the nation In a sharp reaction to Khan's remarks, Amarinder Singh reminded Khan that Masood Azhar was sitting in Bahawalpur in Pakistan and masterminding terror attacks with ISI's help. Dear @ImranKhanPTI (Pakistan tehreek e insaf) you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you can't let us know we'll do it for you, Singh said in a tweet. About Khan's demand for proof of Pakistan's involvement, Singh told reporters, What proof is he talking about, should we take the bodies there? (Founder of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed) Masood Azhar is in Pakistan and doing things from there, and everyone knows it." "Every day our soldiers are being killed at the Line of Control - so who's killing them?, asked the chief minister, declaring that the entire world knew what Pakistan was doing in Kashmir and other parts of India. "They (Pakistan) were behind 26/11 (Mumbai terror attack) and India gave all the proof to them, but they did nothing, Singh said. He said that even in the Rajasansi blast (at Nirankari Bhawan, Amritsar), a Pakistani grenade was used, clearly exposing their involvement. Time to walk the talk, the chief minister said. Imran is a 'Courtesy ISI' prime minister, so how else can one expect him to react." Singh further said Pakistani Prime Minister, along with their Army Chief General Bajwa, were killing Indian soldiers and innocent people. India cannot and should not tolerate this..if they kill one of ours, we should kill two. Earlier, addressing a public gathering in Patiala at the foundation stone laying ceremony of few projects, Singh, a former army captain, underlined the importance of peace for development but said India needed to avenge the killing of its soldiers. Surgical strikes could be one way, but it was up to the Centre to decide what course of action it should take, said Singh, making it clear that he was not in favour of war. Mehbooba Mufti, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, took to Twitter to react to Imran's assurance to India on taking action if there was proof of involvement of any Pakistanis. "Disagree. Pathankot dossier was given to them (Pakistan) but no action was taken to punish the perpetrators. Time to walk the talk," Mehbooba said. Rathore while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Delhi said: "The security and investigative agencies have strong evidence regarding this (Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama attack) and it has been clearly conveyed to them." His answer came in response to a question on the Pakistan prime minister's remarks seeking evidence. "Now, as the PM(Modi) has said, the security forces have been given a full freedom, they will work further in a planned manner," Rathore said. Asked about Khan's warning, he said India and its government know how to keep the country safe and will do so. "India is a responsible country and knows how to protect its people and will do so," he added. "India has made it clear that unless Pakistan shuns terrorism, no talks will take place. If talks take place, it will be for eliminating terrorism," the Information and Broadcasting minister said. Rathore said Pakistan has been given evidence several times in the past, but no action was taken by it. "We are still waiting for action on the Mumbai terror attack for which evidence was given to it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people on Tuesday paid their last respects to Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, who died fighting terrorists in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, at his residence in Dehradun. His mother Saroj, a cardiac patient, his wife Nikita Kaul, whom he had married less than a year ago, and a host of relatives and friends were crying inconsolably as Major Dhoundiyal's coffin was kept for people to pay their last respects before being taken to Haridwar for the last rites. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat placed a wreath on the coffin amid cries of "Shaheed Dhoundiyal Amar Rahein" and "Vande Mataram". People had climbed to rooftops and also stood on either side of the road leading to the officer's residence. Major Dhoundiyal's body, draped in the tricolour, was brought home late on Monday night and the funeral will be done with full military honours in Haridwar later in the day. The of his death had come as the last rites of Major Chitresh Bisht, who died defusing a mine near the LoC in Rajouri district, were still underway in Haridwar on Monday. Prominent among those who turned up to pay their last respects Major Dhoundiyal included state cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj, ex-MP Tarun Vijay, state assembly Speaker Premchand Agarwal, BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi and Dehradun Mayor Sunil Uniyal Gama. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of shielding influential people "close" to him in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav Tuesday demanded the CBI probe into the allegations levelled against Kumar in the matter. Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said an application moved in a special POCSO (The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) court in Muzaffarpur by an accused in the case carries "serious allegation" against the chief minister. The Bihar court Saturday directed the CBI to probe the role of Kumar and several senior bureaucrats in the release of funds between 2013 and 2018 to a Muzaffarpur shelter home that was rocked by a sex scandal. The state assembly has also witnessed a ruckus by the opposition party in the matter. "The chief minister keeps invoking his conscience when it suits him. This is high time that he ordered a probe against himself in the matter," the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly said. Later in his tweets, Yadav questioned if Kumar should not resign on moral ground till the probe in the case is over as it is clear that the whole scandal was "patronised" by people in his government. The then Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma had resigned in August last year after her name cropped up in the case. The ruling Janata Dal (united) has rejected RJD's allegations against Kumar and his government. Yadav claimed that Kumar was busy in shielding those involved in the scandal, which involved sexual exploitation of a number of girls living in the shelter home, and kept resisting the demand for a CBI investigation. He claimed that he will name people close to power who are involved in the case in the coming days. He also sought that the call details of Brajesh Thakur, main accused in the case, should be made public so that it is found out who were close to him. The RJD leader said Kumar targeted him in a number of cases even when there was no chargehseet against him but Kumar's "conscience is now not waking up" despite such serious allegations against him. "Isn't it a case of double standards?" he asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday lambasted his predecessor, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for splurging public money for decorating the government bungalow which had been allotted to him when he held the post. Sushil Modi moved into the bungalow at 5, Deshratna Marg adjacent to the Chief Ministers official residence Tuesday. Yadav had vacated recently after being directed to do so by the Supreme Court. "I am stunned to see the extravagant decoration and furnishing of the bungalow, which surpass those at the Raj Bhawan and 1, Anney Marg (official residence of the CM). There has been a splurge as if it were meant for some raja-maharaja," he told reporters. "I can now see the reason behind the obsession with this bungalow. Money has been blindly spent on its decoration, he said adding that crores (of rupees) must have been spent to lend the bungalow its current grandeur". Yadav had fought a protracted legal battle, challenging the state governments order to vacate the bungalow at the Patna High Court. He later moved the apex court which dismissed his petition and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on him. Yadav, who lost the deputy chief ministers chair in July, 2017 when allegations of corruption against him led Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to walk out of the Grand Alliance and realign with the BJP, has been allotted 1, Polo Road the bungalow previously occupied by Modi by the state government. He is, however, yet to take possession of the bungalow after having vacated 5, Deshratna Marg last week. Replying to a query, Sushil Modi said maintaining the Deshratna Marg bungalow in its current shape would be like "maintaining an elephant". "It would be quite difficult for me," he said. Asked whether he would order an inquiry into the "splurge" of public money for decorating the bungalow, the BJP senior leader said That would look like vendetta politics. But, of course, I will order an assessment so that we get an estimate of the expenditure that had been made". To another question, Sushil Modi said he will apprise Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the matter and will request him to personally visit the premises and "get a glimpse of the lavish lifestyle of his former deputy". "I will also request Kumar to consider shifting to 5 Deshratna Marg as the grandest bungalow should belong to the chief minister," the senior BJP leader remarked in a lighter vein. He said that he will continue to reside in his own house at Rajendra Nagar locality of the city and his official bungalow will be used for official purpose only as in the past. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Spiritualist Mata Amritanandamayi Math Tuesday announced a donation of Rs 5 lakh to each of the families of 40 CRPF jawans martyred in the suicide bomb attack in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir. "My heart goes out to their families and loved ones. May we all pray for their peace and well-being. It is our dharma to support the families of these brave men who died while doing their dharma of protecting the nation," she said in a statement. At least 40 CRPF personnel died when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in, one of the worst terror strikes since the Uri attack in 2016, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Tuesday slammed for seeking proof of its involvement in the and said it was India which has been providing evidence but the neighbouring country has not taken any action on it. She was reacting to Prime Minister Imran Khan's message to India to share 'actionable intelligence' if his country was involved in the terror attack for any action. "Since the attacks, not just this government, the earlier government also had sent dossiers after dossiers, evidence after evidence, what action has taken on them?" she asked. Also, at every level India has been following the process of law and the attackers had been brought to book and punished by court of law, she told a press conference here. "In Pakistan not even the first court is doing its job. There is nothing for Pakistan to show," she added. Reacting to Khan's comments over the attack, said she would not want to say how the government was going to respond to it as no word is sufficient enough to assuage the anger and disappointment of every person of the country. Prime Minister has already allowed the to respond at any given time and as they see fit, said. On the defence forces morale following the Pulwama terror attack, Sitharaman said "The morale is not affected at all, they are absolutely ready to do their job. The response the people of India have shown, has brought greater motivation to them," she said. Asked what the government is doing to avoid a repeat of Pulwama type attacks, Sitharamana said India was gathering more information to prevent any such incidents in future. "The security agencies are working tirelessly to gather more information from the ground. Every effort will be taken to prevent any future incidents such as Pulwama Terror attack," she said. India Tuesday rubbished Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments on the ghastly Pulwama attack, saying disclaiming Pakistan's link with terrorist attacks is an oft-repeated excuse by the "nerve centre" of terrorism. In a statement, the said India was not surprised that Khan refused to acknowledge the attack on India's security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism, adding his offer to investigate the attack if provided proof is a "lame excuse". Punjab on Tuesdaylaunched emergency number '112', a pan-India network of the single emergency helpline on which immediate assistance can be sought by people. The 112 helpline is an integration of police (100), fire (101) and women (1090) helpline numbers. The health helpline (108) will be integrated with it soon. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh launched the single emergency number that will replace the Dial 100 police helpline in the next two months, an official release said here. "The launch of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) coincided with the simultaneous national launch of the unique citizen-centric service by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh from Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi," the Punjab government release said. The chief minister, who dialled the first experimental call, expressed confidence that this people-friendly initiative would go a long way in further complementing the endeavour to augment the state's law and order machinery, and the people's trust in the administration. Amarinder Singh said this system would be extremely beneficial for people in distress situations, especially women and other vulnerable sections of the society, as there would be significant improvement in police response to calls during such situations. It would further improve the overall security environment in state and would also help in prevention of crime, he added. The single number for various emergency services, which is similar to the '911' in the US, is being gradually rolled out across the country. Funds to the tune of Rs 9.28 crore have been allocated by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to Punjab state for the project, the release said. Of this, Rs 3 crore was released in March, 2018 for the first phase of the project and Rs 5.21 crore allotted for the purchase of Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs). Besides, the state government has already provided funds to the tune of Rs 6 crore for early completion of this project, and would construct National Emergency Response System Building on its own land at Sector-89 in Mohali, the release said. All calls to '112' from across the entire state will land at the Central Call Taking Centre, located at Punjab Police Housing Corporation Building, Phase-VII, Mohali, and the same would further be routed to 12 dispatch centres situated in Rupnagar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Bathinda, Sangrur and Patiala. There would be 49 workstations at this Central Call Taking Centre and calls from common citizens from all over Punjab would be received at 44 (call takers) of these work stations. The location of patrolling vehicles, to be fitted with MDTs, would be displayed on the video screen of the dispatcher. The dispatcher would then activate the nearest patrol vehicle to reach the place from where the call originated. The in-charge of the patrolling vehicle, after attending the complaint, will report back to the dispatcher with details of incident/caller. Once Mobile Data Terminals are installed in patrolling vehicles, the same would facilitate exchange of texts/mails/videos between different control rooms and vehicles. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Tuesday urged people to shun suspicion on innovators realising the Make In India dream and asked the media to cover such achievements "with gusto and energy." She was speaking at the launch of the '3DR Steriotactic System' indigenously developed software developed by Brains Neuro Spine Centre, Mahalasa Medical Technology and Triocula Technologies to perform stereo-tactic and functional neurosurgery at a function here. The stereo-tactic and functional neurosurgery is one of the fast advancing sub-specialities in neurosciences. It is a type of minimally invasive surgery performed with the assistance of a specially designed frame, fixed to the head that guides the surgery to reach different, select and specific targets in the brain with precision. "Even if I sound a bit political, for all those who suspect our national dream of Make in India is not making much of a progress, look at this. It is possible for all of us," she said. Sitharaman said the device was a classic combination of medical science, Information Technology and machinery. She lauded Bengaluru, saying that the city was blessed because it has a beautiful combination of all the three required to design the device medical experts, software developers and the equipment manufacturers. The defence minister asked the media to cover these achievements "with gusto and energy" as these products make lives better and also underlines the Indian participation in making a good product. "The story of India we need to talk about with gusto and energy and with commitment because this is what is making our lives better, purely and purely with Indians participating in it. We are not depending on somebody else. So thats the story of India, which the media should do," she said. Later Dr N K Venkataramana, founder chairman and chief neurosurgeon of Brains Hospital, told PTI that the equipment is used for brain biopsy of a tumour in the brain. "It can do functional surgery for conditions like Parkinson's disease, pain, epilepsy, movement disorders, conditions like cysts, abscess or blood clots can be treated in a minimally invasion method," he said. Venkatarama said the 3D Arc is an indigenous frame, costing about Rs 25 lakh, whereas imported ones cost about Rs 1.5 crore. It took about three years to develop it, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit Tuesday demanded the AAP government to pay compensation to the farmers whose crops had been damaged due to recent hailstorms in the national capital. The former Delhi chief minister raised the demand after meeting a delegation of All India Kisan Congress that told her about farming losses incurred due to the hailstorms. The delegation also complained against huge electricity bills during the meeting, said a Delhi Congress statement. Dikshit told the delegation that she will write letters to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lt Governor Anil Baijal to address the issues of the farmers without any delay. "The farmers affected by the hailstorms should be given proper compensation without further delay as they are passing through a difficult financial condition. They should also be provided power at subsidised rates," Dikshit said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif's name has been placed on a provisional list which barrs his from travelling abroad due to the ongoing corruption case against him, a media report said Tuesday. Geo News, quoting sources, reported that Shehbaz's name was placed on the provisional national identification list (PNIL) or the stop list at the request of the interior ministry, which bars him from travelling internationally for the next 30 days. A day earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) requested the interior ministry to put the 67-year-old Punjab province chief minister and the younger brother of ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on the Exit Control List (ECL). The NAB had arrested Shehbaz on October 6, 2018, in the Ashiana Iqbal housing scheme case for allegedly owning assets beyond known sources of income. Shehbaz, according to some media reports, was scheduled to fly to London to be with his ailing granddaughter, who was diagnosed with a cardiac disease and operated on last week. The report said the interior ministry has completed a case to place Shehbaz's name on the ECL which will be sent to the Cabinet. The PML-N leader's name will remain in the provisional national identification list till he is placed on the ECL. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Extending its fall for the ninth consecutive session, the BSE Sensex gave up early gains to end 146 points lower Tuesday, dragged down by IT stocks amid strong foreign fund outflows. Lacklustre cues from other Asian and European markets too weighed on investor sentiment, analysts said. After a 489-point intra-day swing, the 30-share index settled 145.83 points, or 0.41 per cent lower at 35,352.61. The broader NSE Nifty fell 36.60 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 10,604.35. TCS and Infosys were the top losers in the Sensex pack, falling up to 3.39 per cent. Other losers were NTPC, IndusInd Bank, Hero MotoCorp, HDFC, Bajaj Auto, HCL Tech, HUL, Maruti and PowerGrid, shedding up to 2.34 per cent. On the other hand, Vedanta, ICICI Bank, ONGC, M&M, L&T, Tata Steel, SBI, Bajaj Finance, Bharti Airtel and ITC were among the gainers, rising up to 3.38 per cent. Sectorally, BSE IT index lost the most, shedding 2.09 per cent, followed by power and utilities. "The fall was mainly due to the sudden fall in the IT stocks like TCS, Wipro and Infosys," said Joseph Thomas, Head Research - Emkay Wealth Management. There is a certain level of inaction stemming from the European economic numbers indicating a slowdown in growth, and an enhanced rhetoric in the sub-continent on the Indo-Pak relations, he added. Metal, telecom, auto and realty indices, however, ended in the green, rising up to 1.66 per cent. Meanwhile, broader indices outperformed benchmark indices, with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap rising up to 0.55 per cent. Investor sentiment also turned negative on heavy selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs), said traders. FIIs sold shares worth a net Rs 1,239.79 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 2,336.74 crore on Monday, provisional data available with BSE showed. Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.42 per cent and Korea's Kospi fell 0.24 per cent. Japan's Nikkei ended 0.09 per cent up and Shanghai Composite Index inched up 0.04 per cent. In the Eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX was down 0.12 per cent, Paris CAC 40 fell 0.40 per cent, and London's FTSE shed 0.55 per cent in early deals. Meanwhile, the domestic currency derivatives markets were closed on account of Chhatrapati Shivaji Jayanti. Brent crude futures were trading 0.29 per cent lower at USD 66.31 per barrel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The U-turn by Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in agreeing to the BJP for a pre-poll tie-up has spurred many a joke on the social media, targeting the avid photographer-turned-politician. Thackeray, who had publicly announced that his party will go solo and have no alliance with the BJP, had to eat his words as he shared stage with BJP chief Amit Shah Monday to announce that the ruling allies have reached a pre-poll pact. When Thackeray announced last year that the Sena would contest forthcoming elections solo, it was presented in social media as the tiger (Sena symbol) calling the shots. After the alliance announcement Monday, NCP's Mumbai wing put up billboards near his residence, offering tributes to his announcement of 'going solo' in elections. A social media comment read: After the killing of Avni tigress, today one more tiger has been hunted down. Some social media posts took potshots over Thackeray's initials UT, calling him U-turn Thackeray. Some trolls also morphed his face into old Marathi film songs, showing chief minister Devendra Fadnavis playing the hero and Uddhav as the heroine he is wooing. At a public rally last year, Thackeray had declared that his party won't have a tie-up with the BJP. The party now appears to have given in to the 'persuasive skills' of Amit Shah and Fadnavis. "We rotted for 25 years in the alliance with the BJP," Uddhav Thackeray had said last year, ruling out any pact with that party. Uddhav Thackeray had also targeted BJP over Rafale deal and used Congress' jibe of 'chowkidar hi chor hai' for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after sealing a seat-sharing pact with the BJP, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday asked the NDA government not to behave in a way that would fuel allegations that it was trying to wage a war to influence poll results. Riots and terror attacks should not be used for "political gains", the Sena said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. Targeting students from Kashmir over such incidents could spell more trouble for the government, it warned. The remarks came a day after the BJP and the Shiv Sena announced a seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections, overcoming their strained ties and earlier declarations of going solo. Without taking names, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said, "Sometime back there were political allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could wage a small-scale war to win elections... The rulers should not behave in a way that these allegations gather strength." Referring to the February 14 Pulwama bombing in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, the Marathi daily said, "The country is still boiling over the terror attack, hence some may face criticism. (But) riots and terror attacks should not be used for political gains." Cautioning the government that the recent attacks on students from Kashmir in other parts of the country could spell more trouble, it recalled the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi and said the Congress was still "paying a heavy price" for it. It also took a dig at certain lawmakers for their controversial comments made on India-Pakistan relations and in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike. Noting that Punjab Congress minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was ousted from a television show after he called for dialogue with Pakistan even after the Pulwama attack, the Sena said pressure was mounted on him and a campaign launched against him over the remarks. On the other hand, the comments of BJP legislator Nepal Singh, who recently stirred a controversy with his statement that Army jawans "ought to die", were selectively ignored and he did not face any action, it pointed out. Further targeting the government over the Pulwama incident, it said, "Our intelligence officials can trace an e-mail purportedly referring to a threat to the prime minister's life but they fail to stop terror attack on a convoy." Before 2014, Modi and RSS held the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government responsible for every terror attack in the country. "Then it should be understood if someone expects the current prime minister to uproot terrorism from the country," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Tuesday termed as "unholy" the BJP and Shiv Sena's alliance for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, pointing out that they had openly levelled allegations of corruption against each other in the past. The alliance, announced by the two parties Monday despite their strained relations, came as a disappointment to Shiv Sena workers, Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant claimed. "It is an unholy alliance...The Shiv Sena had become helpless and desperate for forging ties...the anti-(Narendra) Modi mask (of the Sena leadership) has fallen off," Sawant told reporters here. The Sena and BJP coming together will benefit the grand alliance the Congress is building with other like-minded parties such as the NCP, he claimed. "They have come out with a film of betrayal (of people). So we will try to get Oscar nominations for the chief minister (Devendra Fadnavis) and (Shiv Sena president) Uddhav Thackeray for acting," Sawant said. Fadnavis had once alleged that Mumbai's development suffered during the Sena's rule in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Congress leader said. He also asked if the Ram temple has been built at Ayodhya, as demanded by the Sena earlier. "The chief minister had announced a probe into the allocation of plots of land in the Thane Municipal Corporation (during the Shiv Sena's rule). When would this matter be probed?" the Congress leader asked. The BJP had also alleged that "mafia raj" prevailed in the Sena-controlled BMC, he said, asking "has the mafia raj come to an end now?" The Shiv Sena and BJP Monday announced they would contest the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections together. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Tuesday said the ongoing operations by security forces were against Pakistan-sponsored terror groups and their masters and "not against Kashmiris", who are equally determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism. Talking to PTI during his brief visit to the national capital, Pal said the situation in the militancy-hit state was fast returning to normal. "Things are improving in Jammu and Kashmir and those responsible for the February 14 dastardly terror act have been punished by the security forces," he said. Malik thanked various state governments who have stepped in at a crucial time and are helping is protecting the lives and property of Kashmiris residing in those states. "I have always maintained that Kashmiris also want to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the state," he said. He maintained that it was a fight against Pakistan and its policy of supporting terrorism. He pointed out that liaison officers of the Jammu and Kashmir government in Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Aligarh, Bengaluru and Pune have been coordinating with the Kashmiri students studying at these places and have ensured that no untoward incident takes place. There were some incidents after the February 14 terror attack on a convoy in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. "There have been some anti-social elements which have been attempting to stoke a communal fire but these have been nipped in the bud," he said. The governor also spoke to Deputy Inspector General (South Kashmir) Amit Kumar and Brigadier Harbir Singh and complimented them for leading the force from the front. Both of them were injured during Monday's encounter at Pulwama in which the mastermind of the February 14 terror strike was killed. "I have also complimented the General Officer in Command Lt Gen K J S Dhillon for talking straight during his press conference. I hope that the message will go straight where it should go," he said. Lt Gen Dhillon had said that anyone picking up gun in the Kashmir valley will be eliminated by the security forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security agencies have "strong evidence" on Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama terror attack and this has clearly been conveyed to the neighbouring country, Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said on Tuesday. His remarks came after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan assured India that action would be taken against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack if New Delhi shared "actionable intelligence". In a video message to the nation, Khan responded to India's assertion of Pakistan's involvement in the attack and warned against any retaliatory action targeting his country. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Rathore said: "The security and investigative agencies have strong evidence regarding this (Pakistan's involvement in the attack) and it has been clearly conveyed to them." He said this in response to a question on Khan's remarks seeking evidence. "Now, as the prime minister has said, the security forces have been given full freedom, they will work further in a planned manner," the Union minister said. Asked about Khan's warning, he said India and its government knew how to keep the country safe and would do so. "India is a responsible country and it knows how to protect its people and will do so," Rathore said. "India has made it clear that unless Pakistan shuns terrorism, no talks will take place. If talks take place, it will be for eliminating terrorism," the information and broadcasting minister said. The Ministry of External Affairs would look into the offer of talks by the Pakistani Prime Minister, he added. Rathore said Pakistan was given evidence related to terror attacks several times in the past, but no action was taken by the neighbouring country. "We are still waiting for action on the (26/11) Mumbai terror attack, for which evidence was given to it (Pakistan)," he told reporters. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra Congress Tuesday demanded the Centre scrap an agreement with Aramco for a proposed refinery project in the state alleging that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's comments in Pakistan after the Pulwama attack had "rubbed salt on the wounds of Indians". Saudi Aramco and an Indian consortium consisting of IOCL, BPCL and HPCL had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in April last year to jointly develop and build Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals (RRPCL), an integrated refinery and petrochemicals complex, in the Maharashtra's Konkan region. The USD 44 billion project is, however, popularly known as Nanar (proposed site) refinery in Maharashtra's political discourse. Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant made the demand even as the crown prince is scheduled to reach India Tuesday night and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. The crown prince, colloquially known as MBS, was in Islamabad on February 17. Sawant said Saudi Arabia signed a slew of investment agreements worth USD 20 billion with Pakistan even after a terror outfit based in that country, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), carried out an attack in Pulwama on February 14 killing 40 CRPF troopers. "He (crown prince) also said there (in Pakistan) that he is Pakistan's self-declared ambassador...This is like rubbing salt on the wounds of Indians," Sawant told reporters here. He claimed the prince had also stated that the list of terrorists should not be politicised. Sawant claimed it meant Saudi Arabia had opposed India's demand to declare JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar a terrorist. "In such a case, an agreement is being signed with Saudi Arabia for the refinery project. It is our demand that the agreement be scrapped immediately," Sawant said. "The Modi government should take a firm position on this. Shifting the project from Nanar will not suffice, but the agreement itself has to be scrapped," he added. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had Monday announced that the proposed refinery project would be shifted elsewhere to a place "acceptable to the people". Sawant said the decision to shift the refinery project was a victory of the locals who he claimed had been opposed to it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A teacher of a reputed school has resigned after protests erupted over one of his Facebook posts, which did not favour describing the CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama attack as "martyrs". Chitradeep Som, a 36-year-old history teacher, said the school forced him to quit for his February 15 post, questioning the logic behind hailing the jawans as martyrs "as they were just doing their duty". His stance on social media resulted in a huge backlash with many people accusing him of insulting the security forces. Som said the netizens complained against him to the school authorities and his house was attacked on Sunday by a mob, forcing him to shift to a relative's place. "On Monday, the school authorities asked me to meet them immediately. Thereafter, I was forced to resign," he said. The teacher, however, stood his ground and argued that expressing opinion wasn't a mistake. "I don't think I committed any mistake by expressing my opinion and I never intended to malign our forces. Only a portion of my post had gone viral on social media, and on the basis of that, my house was attacked, I was manhandled," Som told PTI. He also said a complaint was filed with North 24 Parganas police, following the attack on his house. The school administration, however, denied Som was forced to resign and asserted he quit on his own. "We have been receiving calls and messages from parents and others over his FB post. They asked us why someone like Som was appointed as a teacher by us. We were afraid that the school could also be attacked and the safety of our students might be at risk," a school official, who did not wish to be named, told PTI. He also said Som offered to quit after the situation was explained to him. "He said he would resign as he doesn't want the school to suffer because of his mistake. We did not force him to resign," the official added. A terror strike on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir killed 40 jawans on February 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Tuesday wondered as to how activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan has alleged that illegal migrants from detention centres in Assam were transported by train to India-Bangladesh border for pushing them across the border. Bhushan, who made such statement by citing a report of the Peoples' Union of Civil Liberty (PUCL), said hundreds of people from detention centres are taken to borders by keeping them in train bogey and forced to run across the border. No sooner he made the submission, a bench headed by chief justice Ranjan Gogoi asked "which report says that people are taken to Indo-Bangla border by train and made to run acorss the border". "As far as we know no part of the Indo-Bangladesh border could be reached or is approachable through train," the CJI said. Bhushan quickly added that after train, they are taken by road till the border. He said the migrants are forced by Border Security Force to run across the border with a threat that they will be shot otherwise. The migrants are also told that they have to follow the instructions otherwise the Bangladesh Rangers would shoot them. He said that the government here was unable to get into agreement with the foreign government to take illegal migrants back. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a relief to former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, who recently joined BJP in West Bengal, the Supreme Court Tuesday granted her protection from arrest in all the cases registered against her. Ghosh, once considered close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee, claimed that the police has registered 10 FIRs against her so far including a case of alleged extortion and illegal exchange of banned notes for gold. A bench of Justices A K Sikri, S Abdul Nazeer and M R Shah said that no coercive action be taken against her till further orders and listed the matter for hearing after three weeks. Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for Ghosh, said the apex court had earlier granted her protection from arrest in seven cases registered against her and similar relief should be granted in the three fresh cases which have been filed. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for West Bengal, opposed the plea for relief and said that there are concrete evidences against Ghosh by which it can be established what she was doing. He said investigation is going on and the court should not stay the arrest in the fresh cases. Sibal submitted transcript of taped conversation to the bench, saying it shows the complicity of Ghosh and her personal security officer in the crime. After perusal, the bench said that it is granting protection from arrest in all the cases. It listed the matter for further hearing after three weeks. After the registration of fresh cases, Ghosh had moved the apex court seeking protection from arrest, saying the West Bengal government has been falsely implicating her. On October 1 last year, the court had granted her protection from arrest in a case of alleged extortion and illegal exchange of banned notes for gold. In a previous hearing, counsel appearing for Ghosh had said that seven FIRs have been lodged against her in an incident which dates back to 2016 in which allegedly gold was taken for currency. He had said that police has been acting against her at different places and they should be restrained from taking any coercive action. The West Bengal government had opposed the plea and said she wants stay of arrest on a writ petition, which cannot be done. It claimed that Ghosh and her PSO have acted together in various cases. On February 4, Ghosh had joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya alleging that "thugocracy" has replaced democracy in the West Bengal. Ghosh, who was the West Midnapore Superintendent of Police for more than six years, was transferred as commandant of the third battalion of the state armed police on December 26, 2017. She resigned from service two days later. She was once considered close to Banerjee and was also awarded a service medal on August 15, 2014. Ghosh was transferred twice, once by the Election Commission before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the second time by the state itself before the 2016 Assembly elections. She was, however, reinstated as West Midnapore SP as soon as the elections got over on both occasions. An arrest warrant was issued against Ghosh in February, 2018 in connection with an extortion case registered at Daspur police station in West Midnapore district, following her resignation. The CID, probing cases relating to alleged extortion and misconduct against Ghosh, had also conducted raids at various properties, including a house in Kolkata that belongs to her husband M A V Raju. A few police officers of inspector and sub-inspector ranks have been arrested by the CID in connection with the probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court has set aside an order declaring a man as foreigner whose Indian citizenship was denied on the ground of discrepancy in the name of his grandfather. A bench of Justices Rohinton Fali Nariman and Vineet Saran noted that character 'F' was replaced with 'M' in his grandfather's name in some of the documents. While in all the documents produced before it, the Assam native's own name -- Sirajul Hoque -- and his father's name -- Hakim Ali -- was same throughout, in some of the documents, his grandfather's name was shown as Kefatullah instead of Kematullah, it noted. It further noted that the name of the father of Kemtullah or Kefatullah, appears as Amtullah throughout all the documents. The discrepancies in Kematullah's name had led to the Foreigner's Tribunal declaring him a foreigner. Hoque's grandfather and father later lived in different villages was an additional ground for Tribunal's conclusion. The Gauhati High Court had dismissed the petition filed against the tribunal's judgment. The apex court, however, noted that Hoque had successfully established his grandfather's and father's identity. "Having gone through these documents, we are of the view that it is not possible to state that Kematullah is not the same despite being named Kefatullah in some of the documents. This being so, the grandfather's identity, father's identity etc. has been established successfully by the appellant. "Further, the mere fact that the father may later have gone to another village is no reason to doubt this document. We, therefore, set aside the judgment of the High Court as well as the Foreigner's Tribunal and allow the appeal," the bench said. Apart from these documents, the court took on record certain other documents, including the NRC Registration details of 1971, photo identity cards issued by the Election Commission of India and the identity cards issued to his brother, including voters lists in which the Hoque's name appeared. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Tuesday granted protection from arrest in all cases registered against former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, who had recently joined the BJP. A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri said no coercive action should be taken against her and posted the matter for further hearing after three weeks. Ghosh had moved the apex court seeking protection from arrest, saying the West Bengal government has registered 10 FIRs against her. She had said that apex court had already granted protection from arrest in seven cases but the state has registered three more FIRs against her. The West Bengal government opposed the plea of Ghosh and said there are clear evidences against her and submitted a transcript of a conversation between Ghosh and her personal security officer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Tuesday expressed concern over thousands of illegal migrants being kept in detention centres for years in Assam without being repatriated or deported to their countries of origin. "Don't you think some explanation is called from state government as to why these people are detained for such a long period? Many of them have been detained for last 9-10 years. What is the justification," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. Mehta, who was appearing for the Assam government, said there was a need for evolving a mechanism for repatriating them and it should be done expeditiously. The solicitor general explained the nitty gritty involved in dealing with the illegal migrants whose verification were done to determine their nationality before deporting them from the detention centres. However, the bench also comprising justices L Nageswara Rao and Sanjiv Khanna raised several issues connected with the detention centre and said that the detainees cannot be held for indefinite period. "For all these years, the living condition at the detention centre are far from satisfactory. People are detained for the last 10 years. You are unable to repatriate them," the bench said adding that "condition in the detention centre are sub-human and it is pathetic." The bench, which agreed to the request of the solicitor general to give him two weeks' time to address the concerns raised by it, posted the matter for March 13. In the order, the bench noted that after going through the affidavits of the Centre and the state government and the submissions made, "there was a need for judicial intervention in the matter". It said that the Centre and the Assam government will have to come out with a clear stand on various issues by holding joint meetings with competent authorities of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs. The bench said there was a need for a clear stand on the issue of living conditions at the detention centres which are sub-human and there is need for "justification for long detention of people as the Assam government has itself said that some of the detainees are there for 9-10 years". Further, it said reference has been made of push back policy as the deportation process which was prevalent till March 2013. The bench was categorical that the affidavit filed by the Assam government has not covered all the issues. The solicitor general was responding to the January 28 queries of the apex court which had asked the Centre and the state to provide details of functional detention centres in Assam and the foreigners detained in them during the last 10 years. He told the apex court that 938 people are lodged in six detention centres in Assam and 823 of them have been declared foreigners by tribunals. The bench was told by Mehta that both the Centre and the state have filed their affidavits providing details sought by the apex court. The Centre said over 27,000 foreigners have been pushed back at border points while attempting to enter India illegally. The solicitor general said the Centre has allotted Rs 47 crore and Assam has provided land for building a new detention centre with various facilities, keeping in mind issues covering human rights. He said the new detention centre will be ready by August 31. However, when Mehta was making his submissions, the bench posed him several questions. It also said that tribunal has declared only 52,000 as foreigners and the Centre has deported only 166. "We are concerned that how 52,000 illegal immigrants will be going to be deported. You follow the policy of pushing them from one place and they come back from another place. "If the country of origin does not take them back that is also a problem. How the government of India is going to handle such problem. If you have to send them to the country of origin you cannot allow them to remain free. You have to put them at a secure place. It is alleged that they are treated as sub-human," the bench said, adding "How can people have confidence in Assam government?" The bench also referred to the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC) carried by the Assam government and said 40 lakh people were not included in it. It asked does this mean they are foreigners. The apex court further said that the problem of illegal migrants in Assam has been there for the last 50 years. "Why no steps taken to deport or repatriate them," it asked, adding that the Assam government is creating problems in all districts and since "you have been appearing in the NRC, you must be aware". Mehta said all illegal migrants have to go and he would take instructions how to expedite repatriation. The apex court also sought to know the condition of detention centres saying PIL alleges sub-human conditions there. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by activist Harsh Mander through advocate Prashant Bhushan on the plight of foreigners in detention centres. The plea alleges that they are kept in detention indefinitely just because they are not Indians and are treated as "illegal aliens". Bhushan, during the hearing, cited the report of the NHRC repertoire, of which Mander was the chief, to buttress that illegal migrants are kept in detention centres without following the rights issue and they lack even the basic facilities of recreation and parole provisions. The bench said detention centres should have activities like chess, volleyball, carom and yoga as means of recreation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Saudi man has been arrested by customs officials at the Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle into India gold worth about Rs 53 lakh, according to an official statement issued Tuesday. The accused was intercepted after his arrival from Dammam in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. A detailed personal and baggage search of the passenger resulted in the recovery of 15 gold bars, weighing a total of 1.6 kg, the customs department said in the statement. "The gold biscuits were concealed in a plastic wrapper which was tied to his waist," it said. The gold, assessed to be worth Rs 53.7 lakh has been seized, and the Saudi national was arrested, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : France's Safran Aircraft Engines Tuesday announced it would build a new plant in Hyderabad to make parts for the LEAP turbofan engine from CFM International. Philip Petitcolin, Chief Executive Officer of Safran, who is here for the Aero India Show beginning Wednesday and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao jointly made the announcement for the new plant. Safran will invest 36 million Euros in this new plant, which will cover 13,000 square meters (140,400 sq ft), including 8,000 square meters (86,400 sq ft) of workshops, in the Special Economic Zone near the International airport here. Construction is set to kick off in June 2019 and will aim at delivering the building and producing the first parts in early 2020, it said. The plant will have about 50 employees by the end of the year to launch operations and will eventually have a workforce of 300. "We are delighted to open a new chapter in our long history with the Indian aerospace industry," said Petitcolin. Rao said: "We are delighted that Safran has selected Hyderabad to establish its Aircraft Engine manufacturing plant, thus joining the league of other global OEMs who are already manufacturing and exporting from Telangana". He said aerospace is a focus industrial sector for Telangana and the state government was providing maximum support to encourage the industry. By 2023, the plant will be able to deliver 15,000 parts per year to support the LEAPs sustained production rate. CFM is set to deliver 1,800 engines this year, rising to 2,000 starting in 2020. With more than 17,000 orders and commitments recorded to date, the LEAP is the fastest selling engine in the history of aviation, the release said. The new-generation LEAP entered service in 2016 and has now passed the mark of three million flight-hours. It already powers more than 700 Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX commercial airliners, including 54 operated by Indian Airlines, the release said. Olivier Andris, CEO of Safran Aircraft Engines said that locating the new plant in India reflected the company's strategy of developing a global supply chain to support the fast-paced ramp-up in LEAP production. Safran has operated in India for about 65 years and has over 600 employees in seven companies, which provide design, production and support services for aerospace and defense,plus a maintenance training center in Hyderabad for CFM engines. Opened in 2010, this center can train more than 500 technicians a year. With this new Safran Aircraft Engines plant in Hyderabad, Safran is expanding its local footprint, while also leveraging synergies with the Indian aerospace industry, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The arrest in Russia of prominent US and French investors on suspicion of fraud has sent shockwaves through Western business circles and sparked fears of cutbacks in foreign investment sorely needed for economic growth. The founder and employees of the Baring Vostok private equity firm were arrested on Friday in a case brought with the help of the FSB security service. The arrest took place on the same day Russia hosted leading business people in the Black Sea resort of Sochi for a major economic forum which trumpeted the country's openness to investment. Michael Calvey, a US citizen and the founder and director of Baring Vostok, has been placed in pre-trial detention in a Moscow jail for the next two months for alleged fraud, along with five others - including Philippe Delpal, a French citizen. They are accused of defrauding Vostochny Bank of at least 2.5 billion rubles (USD 37.7 million). All of them deny any wrongdoing and blame the case on a shareholder dispute. In an opinion piece on Monday in the Vedomosti business daily, Maxim Bouev - vice-rector of Moscow's New Economic School -- wrote the case proves what investors have long known: "If you want to invest in Russia, you have to accept your risk of eventually being arrested and finding yourself in the dock." This is the latest in a long line of cases in which top business people have been accused of crimes motivated by commercial or political interests, but these have rarely involved foreigners. Business figures and economists reacted strongly to investigators swooping on Baring Vostok, founded 25 years ago, which has brought in investments of more than USD 3 billion to Russia despite the geopolitical tensions and Western sanctions of recent years. Arkady Volozh, the CEO of Russian internet giant Yandex, defended Calvey in a statement, saying he "has always been a standard for the market of decency and law-abidingness". Other business leaders said they fear the case will deal a severe blow to an investment climate already marred by corruption and the lack of independent courts -- especially given the strong-arm tactics employed. "This gives Russia a hateful image abroad," the president of the French-Russian chamber of commerce, Emmanuel Quidet, told AFP. The chamber on Monday said it was "very concerned" about the arrests in a joint statement with the Association of European Businesses, a federation of multinational companies working in Russia. The case could "severely damage the climate and attractiveness of Russia for direct investments from abroad", it said. The Kremlin sought to dispel those fears, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Calvey's arrest should "not affect the investment climate" in Russia. He added he was aware of the contribution to the Russian economy made by Calvey, who has met President Vladimir Putin numerous times. The government in early February unveiled a 340 billion euros (USD 385 billion) plan to achieve its economic goals and support growth that is forecast to slow this year. This will require major private investment. "It's an electric shock," a source in the Association of European Businesses told AFP. "You get the impression that business rivals are using the justice system and Russian (security) services to settle their scores. But the fact that the authorities are letting this happen sends out a very negative signal. You wonder who will be next." In the Novaya Gazeta independent newspaper, outspoken commentator Yulia Latynina claimed that in the context of current East-West tensions, "for security officials, business people are criminals and foreigners are spies". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government's move to relax norms for start-ups will "unshackle angel investing" and unleash the next wave of in the country, helping India further strengthen its position as a leading "start'up nation", according to industry experts. Giving major relief to budding entrepreneurs, the government Tuesday relaxed the definition of start-ups, and allowed them to avail of full concession on investments worth up to Rs 25 crore. Previously, a start-up was allowed to avail tax concession only if total investment, including funding from angel investors, did not exceed Rs 10 crore. According to Indian Angel Network co-founder Padmaja Ruparel, the development will "unshackle angel investing and bring in domestic monies for start-ups". "The message the government has given is that India will not only be the world's start-up hub but start-ups which can go global, by increasing the turnover from Rs 25 crore to Rs 100 crore. This is a seminal move for angel investing..." she said. The development also assumes significance as several start-ups had claimed to receive notices, impacting their businesses. Various start-ups had raised concerns on notices sent to them under Section 56(2)(viib) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, to pay taxes on angel funds received by them. "This eliminates a major obstacle for Indian start-ups and if implemented right, could give a significant boost to the Indian start-up ecosystem, as individuals with tax paid income as well as corporates will be able to easily participate in start-up investments," LocalCircles founder Sachin Taparia said. Section 56(2)(viib) of the Income Tax Act provides that the amount raised by a start-up in excess of its fair market value would be deemed as income from other sources and would be taxed at 30 per cent. Touted as an anti-abuse measure, this section was introduced in 2012. It is dubbed as due to its impact on investments made by angel investors in start-up ventures. "I am absolutely delighted that the government has in effect abolished angel tax for startups... Angel tax had begun to dampen the enthusiasm of angel investors and startups, who had begun migrating abroad," TiE Delhi-NCR Chairman Emeritus Saurabh Srivastava said. He added that the announcement "will unleash the next wave of entrepreneurship, moving India from third place to being the number one start-up nation in the world". "This will transform India's economy, generate millions of jobs and solve India's pressing challenges in health care, education, agricultural productivity, clean energy and much more," he added. Archana Khosla, Founder Partner at law firm Vertices Partners, said the decision to relax the angel tax norms for start-ups is a welcome relief for the growing start-up ecosystem of the country. "By widening the vintage of operations from 7 to 10 years and expanding the turnover criteria to Rs 100 crore... it will extend the benefit to potential future unicorns, thus making the start-up ecosystem a significant part of the ..these relaxations are synced in ethos and fabric with the government's aim to achieve ease of doing business in India," Khosla said. Venture Catalysts co-founder Anuj Golecha said some of these changes will work as major game changers for the start-up fraternity. "Earlier, there was a lot of redundancies, stretched timelines, and red-tapism due to the procedures, which will now be eliminated. This will further ensure a conducive environment and enable quick processes for budding entrepreneurs," he said. ALSO READ: Govt raises investment limit for angel tax concession to startups Golecha said these measures have widened the scope for start-ups and will ease investment in start-ups across the network. Vipul Sharma, co-founder and chief executive officer of fintech start-up Chqbook, said the quick resolution of the angel tax issue shows that India is committed to scaling India to become the top start-up investment destination globally. "Since most start-ups are focussed on using investment to scale, this is a welcome move and inspires confidence and will allow angels globally to evaluate Indian on merit rather than worrying about taxation and regulatory requirements," he added. Home Minister Rajnath Singh Tuesday reviewed the security situation in the country, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, where 40 CRPF Jawans were killed in an audacious terror attack last week, officials said. Five security personnel, including a major, were martyred in the state on Monday in an encounter in which three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, including two top commanders believed to be behind the February14 Pulwama terror attack, were also eliminated. During the meeting, the home minister was briefed about the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, including along the Indo-Pak border, a home ministry official said. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval too participated in the meeting which was attended by Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba, director of intelligence bureau Rajiv Jain besides others. The meeting also took stock of the steps being taken to hunt down the terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir and how to check attempts of infiltrations from across the border. The home minister directed the officials to ensure that all possible steps should be taken against the terrorists currently operating in Kashmir valley and protection of innocent Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, the official said. Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a JeM suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. The bus was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying CRPF personnel from Jammu to Srinagar. Lt Gen KJS Dhillon, commander of Army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, said on Tuesday that anyone who picks up the gun will be eliminated. He also requested mothers of Kashmiri militants to persuade their sons to surrender. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Soldier Welfare Minister and Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Tuesday demanded the scrapping of Article 370, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. "The Centre should withdraw Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress and other parties are with the Union government. Pakistan should be taught a lesson and it is high time we take revenge," he said. However, the repeal of the Article requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament. The minister made the comment on his Facebook page and also told reporters that sentiments against Pakistan are high and it should be "taught a lesson". "The NDA government should have withdrawn Article 370. It is high time now and the Centre should take the decision in this regard," he told reporters in Jhunjhunu at the funeral of Army Havildar Sheo Ram who was killed fighting terrorists in Pulwama on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Railways is offering a tour package covering temples in Tamil Nadu, christening it the "Ram Sethu ExpressTamil Nadu Temple Tour", an IRCTC statement said Tuesday. Last year, the Railways introduced the Ramayana Express for those wishing to travel to spots associated with Hindu gods in India and Sri Lanka. It had also launched a seven-day tour to religious destinations in Maharashtra and the Samanta Express tourist train to cover places of Buddhist importance. In continuation of its series on religious packages, this tour for temples in Tamil Nadu will start on February 28 from Chennai (Tambaram Railway Station) and return to Chennai on March 3. The three nights and four days all-inclusive tour package will cover 18 temples in Tamil Nadu. It will provide an exclusive opportunity to see the rich architecture and history of these temples, the release said. Some of the temples to be covered are Ranganathaswamy, Samayapuram Mariamman, Jambukeswarar and Thiruvanaikaval temples in Trichy, Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram and Meenakshi Amman and Sundareshwarar temples in Madurai. Tourists will also have the opportunity to visit shrines in Thanjavur. The tour package comprises sleeper class train journeys, accommodation in hall/dharamsalas, non air-condition road transfers for sightseeing, all meals (vegetarian), service of tour escorts and security staff on trains. The four-day package costs Rs 4,885 per person. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Railway Board wants to suppress new ideas and voices of dissent "ruthlessly", officer Sanjiv Kumar has said after Railway authorities sought action against him for writing an article against their minister and raising issues related to the working of the national transporter. On Monday evening, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi curtailed Kumar's tenure as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Jitendra Singh, the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), and approved his repatriation to the Railway ministry. The 2005-batch officer of the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) recently wrote to the Personnel ministry against the Railway ministry's "malafide and malicious" request that he be immediately repatriated. But he was sent back notwithstanding the request. The move came a month after the Railway ministry had written to the Personnel ministry seeking his immediate repatriation for "breach of official decorum and misconduct". Kumar had said in his letter to the Personnel ministry that the request should not be considered. "The act of railway board is totally bias, malafide and malicious, they just want to suppress new ideas, suggestions, voices of dissent ruthlessly and trying to score exemplary example of punishment upon me without following rule of law and due process as intent of railway board letter speak itself," he said in the letter. He said the article, posted on his Facebook page and later shared on websites, does not cast any aspersions on the railway minister if it is examined without bias and vindictiveness. In December last year, former Railway Board secretary Ranjanesh Sahai wrote to the Personnel ministry saying a case of breach of official decorum and misconduct against Kumar has been brought to the notice of board. The article, besides being in bad taste, questions the wisdom of senior functionaries of the level of secretary to the government of India and also casts aspersions on the Minister of Railways (Piyush Goyal), it had said. "...it is proposed to take up the officer under the Railway Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1968. You would appreciate that a misconduct of this nature and that too in the public domain would send a wrong message all around and encourage indiscipline in the service," Sahai's letter, dated December 28, 2018, stated. Sahai asked secretary of Personnel ministry C Chandramouli to consider Kumar's immediate repatriation to the Railway ministry for taking action as deemed appropriate. It added that the issue had the approval of Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani, who has now taken over as the chief of Air India. Sahai was last month transferred as Railway Board secretary. Kumar has been vocal in raising concerns related to the alleged wrong functioning of some wings of the Railway ministry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday met traders of small and medium-sized businesses from various parts of the country over lunch and discussed implementation of the Goods and Services Tax along with a host of other issues. The interaction was part of Gandhi's outreach initiative 'Apni Baat Rahul ke saath' ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He started the outreach earlier this month when he met a group of seven youngsters from Delhi, Assam, Maharashtra, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. As continuation of the initiative, Gandhi met the traders at Andhra Bhavan here. According to sources, the traders discussed problems related to GST with Gandhi, who assured them that in states where there is a Congress government, their concerns will be addressed. Gandhi has been attacking the government over the implementation of the GST, terming it "Gabbar Singh Tax". Speaking at a convention of tribals in Chhattisgarh last week, he had said, "After the note ban, Gabbar Singh Tax (GST) was brought at midnight, which destroyed the business of traders. All small and medium traders had to suffer. After the Congress is elected to power, we will change this tax and make it a 'sachha' (true) GST. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pulwama suicide bombing was masterminded by Jaish-e-Mohammed and Pakistan's ISI, a senior Army officer said on Tuesday, five days after 40 CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terror attacks in the Valley. Corps Commander Lt Gen K J S Dhillon of the Chinar Corps said this in a joint press conference by IG Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan. He also said he requested mothers of Kashmiri militants to persuade their sons to surrender.' "Anyone who picks up the gun will be eliminated," the officer said. According to Dhillon, security forces had been tracking the top leadership of the JeM since the February 14 bombing in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. "We have eliminated the top commander who carried out the Pulwama attack," Dhillon said. On Monday, three JeM terrorists were killed in a 16-hour encounter in Pinglan in Pulwama district, about 12 km from the site of the February 14 attack. An Army major and five others were also killed. The CRPF's Srinagar-based helpline 'Madadgaar' has helped 250 students studying and working in various cities of the country to safely reach their homes in the Kashmir Valley, in the wake of purported threats made to them after the Pulwama terror attack, a senior official of the force said Tuesday. The students largely hail from towns in south Kashmir and were brought home by CRPF personnel after they gathered in Jammu Monday night, he said. More than 250 Kashmiri students from Dehradun, Chandigarh, Delhi and others, who had reached Jammu on Monday, were provided food and then transported to Kashmir, the helpline posted on its Twitter handle. The helpline has received 60-70 calls since the February 14 Pulwama terror attack. The calls made by Kashmiri students and other professionals based in major metropolitan cities are largely about concerns of their safety and to seek help, the official said. A call was received on Monday about some protests being planned in a Gurgaon-based educational institution and the officials manning 'Madadgaar' immediately got in touch with the local administration, he said. The local police and college administration met the Kashmiri students and assured them that there was no reason to worry and the protest ended in about half-an-hour, he added. On Tuesday, a call was received from Jammu that some Kashmiri families wanted help to get rations and milk for children as there has been a curfew there for some time. The nearest CRPF battalion helped them with the food items, the official said. "We are all ears to any kind of problem being faced by any Kashmiri person living anywhere in the country," he said. A few days ago, the 'Madadgaar' helpline posted a tweet saying Kashmiri students and general public who are presently out of the state can contact it over the Twitter handle '@CRPFmadadgaar'. It can also be reached on 24x7 toll free number 14411 or people can send an SMS at mobile no: 7082814411 "for speedy assistance in case they face any difficulties or harassment". On February 16, the Centre had issued an advisory and asked all states to ensure safety and security of the students and people from Jammu and Kashmir living in their areas. The advisory had come hours after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured an all-party meeting of doing the needful for the protection of the Kashmiri students and people who were allegedly threatened after the terrorist attack. The CRPF, that is deployed for security duties in Jammu and Kashmir, had launched the 247 helpline in June 2017 to help any Valley resident who is in distress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Tuesday attacked the government over the Pulwama terror strike, alleging "huge security lapses", and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "walk the talk". The in the last few days had avoided directly attacking the government after Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that his party isnot going to have any conversation over the next couple of days other than the fact that "our most beloved people have been killed, their families need us, and we are going to stand with them". However, signalling a shift in stance on Tuesday, spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted: "Congress highly responsible and very restrained post Pulwama. Modi pre-2014 made highly provocative statements including resignation calls for then PM (Manmohan Singh) at smallest incident." "We do not do so post Uri, post Parliament attack, post Pulwama. But huge security lapses have to to be plugged for no recurrence," he said. Such "huge security lapses" including the "ridiculous idea" of moving 2,500 jawans in 78 vehicles at one go, allowing any civilian vehicle on road simultaneously, ignoring direct written intelligence reports on Jaish suicide attack since December 2018," he tweeted. Is this attention to detail by "56 chest"?, he said. At a press conference on Monday, Singhvi, when askedwhy the Congress was silent on the alleged "failures" of the government leading to the Pulwama attack, had said he as well as many other Congressmen and non-Congressmen had tweeted their concerns in the first few hours after the attack. Another senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal also hit out at the government over the on Tuesday. "Modi ji you say: It's over, the time to talk. You maybe right, but: It's time to walk the talk," he said in a tweet. "Promise us: No more 'japphis'. No more birthday bashes," he said in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Modi's surprise visitto in December 2015, coinciding with Pakistan's then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's birthday. On Thursday, 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Tuesday called for imbibing the spirit of peace and harmony as professed by every religion, saying the need for this is more now than ever before as the society is "ridden with hate and intolerance". The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also called for eschewing tendencies of hate, saying this has already created a wedge in society. "This drift is needed to be bridged by promoting the spirit of harmony," he said adding that "let us pledge to ensure a dignified life for all". The National Conference (NC) leader greeted the people on Guru Ravidas Jayanti and prayed for peace and tranquillity in the state. "Maintaining unity and further strengthening the bonds of brotherhood is the greatest tribute to great saints, who strived for a just society based on social justice and equality," Abdullah said after paying tributes to Guru Ravidas on his 642nd birth anniversary at a function here. He hoped the life and teachings of the guru would continue to inspire and motivate humanity to work for betterment of all, irrespective of caste, creed and colour. The society, he said, has an onerous responsibility to work for the upliftment of marginalised segments and ensure opportunities of growth and progress are provided to all. The NC chief called for imbibing the "spirit of love, compassion, peace and harmony as professed by every religion and preached by great saints and seers all their life" and said the "need for this is more now than ever before, as the society is ridden with hate and intolerance". "Those attempting to trample this ethos are needed to be isolated," Abdullah added. He also reiterated his passionate call to the people to maintain peace and calm, which has been the glorious tradition of the state in general and Jammu in particular. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Politics is behind the debate and developments around security threat from equipment in various countries, India CEO Jay Chen said Tuesday. The official, however, said that the Chinese company has not received any objection from the Indian government so far. "Politics is behind all this," Chen told reporters here when asked about countries talking about security threat from telecom equipment. Some countries, including Australia, have banned Huawei equipment for 5G rollout, while the US government bodies have raised security concerns around the Chinese telecom gear firms. "We believe this is because of politics. Up till now in my communication with Indian government, nobody has told us you are a problem," Chen said. The Huawei leadership has made a commitment that they will prefer to close down the company if they are unable to secure data on the network of customers, he said. Telecom export body TEPC in December requested National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to ban purchase of equipment from Chinese like Huawei, ZTE and Fiberhome for government networks, claiming they can pose a serious national security threat. TEPC has been set up by the government to promote telecom export from India. However, telecom minister Manoj Sinha denied in Parliament having any proposal to consider ban on telecom gears and equipment made by Huawei. The company has given presentation before the Telecom Department to start 5G trials in India and is waiting for its approval, Chen said. "No body has yet started field trials of 5G in India. Whenever the permission comes, Huawei will also be one among those who will start 5G trials in India," he said. Huawei India Chief Technology Officer Radhey Shyam Sarda said the company has already started installing some of 5G technologies in Indian telecom networks and more will be done soon as 4G networks evolve and demand for 5G starts coming in. He said that Huawei leads 5G technology patents and approved standards developed till date as per the third party estimates. "We have already taken lead by developing first 5G chipset last year. This year Huawei will launch 5G smartphones and we expect to see 30 devices across industry for 5G services to be available by end of this year," Sarda said. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Tuesday termed Saudi Arabia signing a slew of investment agreements worth USD 20 billion with Pakistan as "unfortunate" and said he expected Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convey the nation's sentiments to the crown prince of that country during bilateral talks. The crown prince of Saudi Arabia, who arrived in Islamabad on Sunday at the start of his South Asia tour, returned to his country on Monday. He is scheduled to reach India on Tuesday night and hold talks with the prime minister on Wednesday. "As Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman arrives in Delhi, his decision to reward Pakistan by giving them a USD 20 billion package, 96 hours after our jawans were martyred is most unfortunate," Patel said in a tweet. "I expect the Prime Minister to convey the nation's sentiments to the Saudi Arabian delegation," he added. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a slew of investment agreements worth USD 20 billion on Sunday. On February 14, in one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, after which there have been growing demands that the government should explore Israeli-type anti-terror operations. The Israeli military is known for its precise and quick strikes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Amethi, the home turf of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on February 27, a BJP leader said Tuesday. The PM is likely to visit the ordnance factory in Munshiganj here and later address a public meeting, BJP's convenor of Amethi Lok Sabha constituency Rajesh Agrahari said. The Prime Minister may also inaugurate and lay foundation stones for various projects, Agrahari said. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi had defeated BJP's Smriti Irani by a margin of over 1.07 lakh votes, retaining the Amethi seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi would on March 4 inaugurate the first phase of the Metro Rail Project in Ahmedabad and the newly-built civil hospital, the Gujarat Legislative Assembly was told Tuesday. The first trial run on the 6.5 km route of the metro rail was successfully conducted recently. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the first phase of metro train service in Ahmedabad on March 4," Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said during question hour. PM Modi would also inaugurate newly-built 1200-bed civil hospital in Ahmedabad on the same day, he said. The prime minister would also inaugurate a cancer hospital, an eye hospital and a dental hospital, constructed in the existing premises of the civil hospital, known as Med City. "The existing civil hospital has 2,000 beds. Now, we have also built a 1200-bed hospital in the same campus at a cost of Rs 1,450 crore. We have also built a cancer hospital, an eye hospital and a dental hospital in the Med City. The PM will inaugurate all these four hospitals on March 4," the deputy chief minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a special gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received at the airport here Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signifying importance India attaches to the visit by the leader of the powerful Gulf nation. The Crown Prince arrived here on a less than 30-hour visit, a day after concluding his high-profile tour of Pakistan where he said dialogue was the only way to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan. In a tweet, Modi said India is "delighted to welcome" the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. After Salman's arrival, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, "A new chapter in bilateral relations. Breaking protocol, PM @narendramodi personally recieves HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives on his first bilateral visit to India!" The Saudi leader had returned to Riyadh from Pakistan. He and Modi will hold extensive talks on Wednesday during which India is likely to strongly raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. According a warm welcome, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday not only received the Crown Prince at the airport in Islamabad but also drove him to PM house. During their talks on Wednesday, Modi and Salman are also expected to look at ways to enhancing defence ties, including having a joint naval exercise, official sources said. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Crown Prince will leave New Delhi around 11:50 PM on Wednesday. His visit comes in the backdrop of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group in which 40 CRPF were killed. In a joint statement, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Monday called for avoiding "politicisation" of the UN listing regime at a time when India was stepping up efforts to brand the JeM terror group's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The joint statement said the Saudi Crown Prince stressed that dialogue is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan. Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad Riyadh will try to "de-escalate" tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack. Official sources said Saudi Arabia was no longer accepting Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir and cross border terrorism and that India will forcefully raise the issue of Pakistan's support to terror groups during delegation level talks between Modi and the Crown Prince. They said the joint statement to be issued after talks between the two sides is likely to have strong reference about terrorism and ways to deal with it. Official sources said there has been a "change" in the way Saudi Arabia looked at relations between India and Pakistan and that the powerful Gulf nation has a better understanding of the cross-border terrorism. The sources said the two sides are looking at joint exercise between the two navies besides significantly ramping up overall defence cooperation. India's bilateral trade with Saudi Arabia was USD 27.48 billion in 2017-18, making Saudi Arabia its fourth largest trading partner. Saudi Arabia is also a key pillar of India's energy security, being a source of 17 per cent or more of crude oil and 32 per cent of LPG requirements of India. Recently, Saudi ARAMCO in partnership with ADNOC of UAE has agreed to partner in Ratnagiri Refinery and Petro-Chemical project Ltd which is a joint venture of USD 44 billion. Indian partners are IOC, BPCL and HPCL. The Crown Prince is expected to travel to China from India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cautioned the youth against drug use, saying it not only adversely affects the body and mind of the user but it also funds anti-national forces. Speaking via teleconferencing at the launch of 'Drug Free India' campaign at Guru Jambheshwar University in Hisar, Haryana, Modi said drug money is used by anti-social elements for various illegal activities including funding of terror operations. The drug traders harm the youth's potential and weaken the economy, he said. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was the chief guest at the launch event of the campaign which is being organised by the Art of Living foundation. Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar presided over the programme, a Haryana government release said. More than 20,000 youths participated in it. The prime minister appealed to the people to adopt a sensitive approach when dealing with victims of drugs by not looking at them as criminals and "showing these misguided youths the right path by connecting them with mainstream society". The government of India has formed a National Action Plan to prevent cross-border drug trade. It was implemented in 2018. A detailed action plan for 2025 has been prepared against drug addiction which includes an awareness campaign among the people, its prevention, and special campaigns for sensitive sections of society. "Society is capable of showing the right path to such misguided (drug users) people. Like other social evils we would get this evil of drugs eliminated from society. The use of technology can play an important role in this campaign. Social organisations and community welfare organisations are playing a very important role in this direction," he added. Appreciating the works of Sri Sri, the prime minister said efforts made by the spiritual guru were receiving support from all sections of society. Speaking on the occasion, Khattar said strict compliance of the law had been ensured to break the drug trade and the smuggling network in Haryana. The state government created a special task force in January 2018 through which many drug dealers have been caught and large quantities of drugs seized, the press statement said. As many as 61 drug de-addiction centres have been opened in the state through the health department where 25,000 youths were freed from the addiction of drugs last year, the chief minister said, adding drug addiction is a disease which makes a person suffer from physical, mental and financial problems. Many NGOs and self-help organisations in the state are also engaged in this work and their contribution is commendable, Khattar said. "Besides the efforts of the government and other organisations, the youths themselves have to wake up. Without their efforts, we cannot get rid of this disease," the chief minster explained. He thanked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for launching the drug-free campaign. At the event, the Jambeshwar University conferred the Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Science on Sri Sri. Khattar asked the youth to raise the slogans 'yuva jagega to nasha bhagega' (if youth awaken, there will be no drug menace) and 'drugs na karunga, na karne dunga' (will not do drugs, will not let others do drugs either). Sri Sri appreciated the efforts made by the state government to try and save the youth from the influence of drugs. A 'nasha mukti' march will be organised in every city of the country on March 10 from 7.00 AM to 8.00 AM, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday distributed 1,000 electric pottery wheels along with other pottery equipment among the potters in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, said the Khadi and Village Industries Commission. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) under its Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana has identified another 1,000 potters in Varanasi for distribution of electric pottery wheels, pug-mills and blungers. In a statement, KVIC said the training of those 1,000 has already been completed. These 1,000 electric pottery wheels, 100 pug-mills and 100 blungers will create direct employments for 4,800 persons in the Varanasi region as each machine provides direct jobs to four persons. "Since Varanasi and surrounding areas have a significant number of Kumhar people, the demand for more electric pottery wheels has come in a big way after its distribution by the prime minister," KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said. According to him, KVIC had requested the Railways to make the use of these products mandatory at Varanasi and Raebareli railway stations to incorporate the terracotta products, including Kulhads, glasses and plates. Saxena said KVIC has identified the artisans for pottery with the help of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in villages such as Likhit, Saspole and Matho of the Leh region which will create direct employment for 720 people. "We have set a target of distributing another 10,000 electric pottery wheels with 1,000 pug-mills and 1,000 blungers by March 31 this year, which will subsequently create 48,000 direct employments to the people belonging to the Kumhar community," the KVIC chairman added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After firming up an alliance with the ruling AIADMK for the Lok Sabha polls, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal Tuesday met with DMDK founder-president Vijayakanth at his residence here. Goyal, also the BJP in-charge for Tamil Nadu, said the visit was to enquire about the actor-turned-politician's health. "Everything in life is not about alliances and There are some personal human relationships also," he told reporters after the meeting when asked if there was any alliance talks with the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). Goyal, flanked by senior DMDK leader Sudeesh and Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, said "It was not about alliance or and the visit was to enquire about Captain's (as Vijayakanth is popularly known) health and for wishing him good health and long life." Goyal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah wanted him to convey their regards and best wishes for Vijayakanth's good health and long life. "I am happy to see that he has recovered very well after his treatment (in the United States)," he said. "Along with all the people of Tamil Nadu, we pray for his long life and good health in the service of the people..." he said. Earlier,the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the BJP sealed an alliance for the coming Lok Sabha elections under which the saffron party would contest five of the 39 seats in the state. After winding up the meeting with the AIADMK leaders, Goyal along with senior BJP leader Muralidhar Rao and Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan drove straight to Vijayakanth's residence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NCP president Sharad Pawar Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for skipping the all-party meeting called by the NDAgovernment in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack. Instead of attending the meeting over such a serious issue, Modi chose to address rallies elsewhere, the former Union minister said. "An all-party meeting was called on Saturday...In fact we were told that PM Modi would chair the meeting. Presuming that Modi would attend the meeting, we all went to Delhi as it (the terror attack in South Kashmir) was an attack on the nation," Pawar told reporters here. "Upon reaching there, we came to know that PM was not there....when 40 CRPF jawans got martyred and there was a serious situation, the PM should have been present at the meeting, but he chose to address public rallies in Dhule and Yavatmal (in Maharashtra), where he criticised us (opposition parties)," he said. Pawar was speaking to reporters after unveiling a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji on the premise of MIT World Peace University here. Asked about the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance which was announced Monday, Pawar said it was bound to happen. "For the last few months, they hurled abuse at each other and now they are holding hands. But the people of the state are mature enough and know the behind it. The people will give a proper reply to those who cheated them," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday inaugurated four industrial units and laid foundation of 14 more plants, giving a major boost to the state's economy, an official said. The projects, worth Rs 2196.30 crore, will create jobs for around 3,500 people, he said. The CM, who launched the units over a video conference, said, "Odisha will become the manufacturing hub of the East by 2025. We have devised an action plan to bring more investments to the state and provide employment opportunities to people," Patnaik said on the occasion. The state government is working hard to ensure that "intents get converted into actual investments", Patnaik said, adding that GO-SWIFT, an single window portal, has received 600 industrial project applications in 14 months. Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Secretary A P Padhi said that a dedicated mechanism of 'industry care' has been launched recently to facilitate and provide "aftercare services" to the industrial units set up in the state. The e-Suvidha portal, which was till recently handling grievances of industrial units with an investment of more than Rs 50 crore, will now extend it services to the MSMEs, he stated. Prominent among the projects inaugurated Tuesday was a cement plant at Kalinganagar industrial complex in Jajpur, with an investment of Rs 401 crore, another official said. The plant, with 1.50 mtpa cement grinding unit, has potential to create 258 jobs, he said. Odisha's investor-friendly policies has received positive feedback from investors across the country, the official said, adding that the Patnaik government has been able to create an ideal ecosystem for business to flourish in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Patna High Court Tuesday struck down provisions whereby former chief ministers of Bihar were allotted government bungalows for lifetime, holding that extension of benefits after demitting office reflects a government by the lawmakers "unto themselves". A division bench comprising Chief Justice A P Sahi and Justice Anjana Mishra passed the order with the direction that all the allottees under the aforesaid provisions vacate the premises allotted to them, unless they are otherwise entitled to retain the same under any other law of allotment in force in the state. "The apostle of modern India Mahatma Gandhi and one of his apostles, Lal Bahadur Shastri are examples who believed that democracy meant a government of the people, by the people and for the people. In the present case, the extension of benefits after demitting office reflects a government by the lawmakers unto themselves," the court remarked. "There is no provision in the Constitution that... an elected representative can claim or ask for a price after he demits office. A claim of this nature reflects as if it is something parasitical. It is a legacy of a continued red carpet treatment riding rough shod over law," it observed. The court had taken suo motu cognizance of the impugned provisions last month, while dismissing a petition filed by Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Tejashwi Yadav, who had challenged the state government's order for vacating the bungalow he had been allotted as the deputy CM, a post he ceased to hold since August 2017. Yadav went on to challenge the high court order before the Supreme Court, which directed him to vacate the bungalow and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000, reprimanding the RJD leader for indulging in a "luxury of litigation". The high court, meanwhile, treated the matter of allotment of bungalows to former CMs, to which its attention was drawn in the course of hearing on Yadav's petition, as a public interest litigation, and delivered its verdict in the light of the apex court judgement of 2018 on a similar facility extended to former chief ministers in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Earlier last month, following the court's intervention in the matter, a bungalow that had been occupied by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar since the brief period in 2014-15 when he had stepped down as the CM, was allotted to the chief secretary. Meanwhile, former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha founder Jitan Ram Manjhi, during whose 10-month tenure the provision was introduced, reacted to the court order, saying, "I hail from a poor family and would have no great trouble in vacating a bungalow allotted by the government. However, I have been an MLA for several terms and the government may, if it deems it proper, provide me with an accommodation." Another prominent leader affected by Tuesday's order is Tejashwi Yadav's mother Rabri Devi, who, however, currently is also the leader of the opposition in the state legislative council. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Patna High Court Tuesday struck down rules allowing the Bihar government to allot official bungalows to former chief ministers for lifetime, terming the allotment as "unconstitutional" and "misuse" of hard-earned public money. A bench comprising Chief Justice A P Sahi and Justice Anjana Mishra said extending facilities such as providing bungalows to ex-CMs for lifetime is completely wrong once they demit office. The judgement could adversely affect former chief ministers such as Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Jagannath Mishra, Satish Prasad Singh and Jitan Ram Manjhi. The division bench delivered the judgement on the issue after taking suo motu cognisance of rules framed by Bihar government allowing allotment of bungalows to ex-CMs for lifetime. The division bench had taken suo motu cognisance of rules on January 7, 2019, during the hearing of an appeal filed by Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. He had challenged the order of the single bench which had dismissed his plea to retain the 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow that was allotted to him as deputy CM during the grand alliance government. The division bench had sought responses from the state government and former CMs, as to why the Bihar Special Security Group (Amendment) Act, 2010, be not quashed in the light of Supreme Court's judgement in the Lok Prahari case. The Act had made the provisions for allotment of bungalows for lifetime to former CMs. The Supreme Court in May 2018 had held that former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office as chief minister was on par with a common man once his or her term ends. The apex court had delivered the judgement on a PIL filed by NGO Lok Prahari challenging amendments made by the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav government to the UP Ministers (Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981. Socialite and reality TV star Paris Hilton has revealed that she is working on new music and it will be out soon. The track will mark her first in 12 years. In 2006 the hotel heiress released her debut album "Paris". The album peaked at Number. 6 on the Billboard 200, and the debut single, "Stars are Blind," reached 18 on the Hot 100. "Back in the studio. New music coming soon" Hilton posted on Twitter. In 2008, Hilton announced that she had finished a second album, but it was never released. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Tuesday summoned India's Acting High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to lodge a protest against a demonstration held close to its High Commission in New Delhi following the terror attack. It also condemned a move by Rajasthan's Bikaner district officials directing the Pakistani citizens to leave the district in 48 hours as it may create law and order problem in the wake of the attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. In a statement, the Foreign Office said that Special Secretary (Asia Pacific) Imtiaz Ahmad summoned the Acting Indian High Commissioner to lodge a "strong protest" against the anti-Pakistan demonstration in New Delhi. It claimed that "protestors were allowed to reach and jolt the gate of the Pakistan House despite presence of Indian security officials. The Special Secretary reiterated Pakistan's demand to the Government of India for a "comprehensive, immediate investigation of this serious breach of security, taking foolproof measures for safety and security of the Pakistan House, High Commission and its officers/officials and their families in New Delhi." Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said Pakistan expects "India to comply with inter-state norms and ensure absolute safety and security of all Pakistanis there. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that his country is interested in advancing its ties with Israel if there is an improvement in the political situation in the region, in an apparent reference to the resolution of the decades-old Palestinian issue. His remarks comes months after President Arif Alvi in October last ruled out establishing any kind of relations with Israel. " is interested in advancing its relations with Israel, but this is a question of the political situation in the region," Qureshi told Israeli news portal Ma'ariv on the sidelines of recently concluded Munich Security Conference. "Progress in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be very helpful," he said, adding, "if the American plan succeeds in doing so, it will be good." "We wish all the best for Israel. We have many friends in the region and we would like you to join them," Qureshi was quoted as saying. and Israel have also in the past tried to engage each other with their foreign ministers meeting on September 1, 2005 in Istanbul in a much publicised coming together. This meeting was followed by a handshake between Pakistan's then President Pervez Musharraf and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon just a few weeks later on the sidelines of a UN summit. Several Islamic countries, mostly Arab nations, with no diplomatic relations with Israel have been increasingly coming close to it with the common threat of Iran bringing them together. On October 25 last, an Israeli journalist tweeted that an Israeli business jet flew from Tel Aviv to Islamabad where it was on the ground for 10 hours, before flying back to Tel Aviv. Social media users took note and flayed the Pakistan government with the Opposition also joining in to demand an explanation about the "secret Israeli mission". Qureshi at the time dismissed reports of the Israeli aircraft landing in Pakistan as fake. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had also denied reports of the presence of any Israeli aircraft in Pakistani airspace or at its airports. The Israeli journalist later said he was not "100 per cent sure" if the plane had landed in Islamabad. Pakistan and Israel do not have diplomatic relations and their aircraft are not allowed to use each other's airspace. Pakistan is interested in advancing its ties with Israel if there is an improvement in the political situation in the region, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said. Qureshi's remarks assume significance as Pakistan does not recognise Israel and the two nations have no diplomatic ties. "Pakistan is interested in advancing its relations with Israel, but this is a question of the political situation in the region," Qureshi told Ma'ariv, an Israeli portal, on the sidelines of recently concluded Munich Security Conference. "Progress in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be very helpful," he said adding, "if the American plan succeeds in doing so, it will be good. We wish all the best for Israel. We have many friends in the region and we would like you to join them," the Pakistani minister was quoted as saying. Pakistan and Israel have also in the past tried to engage each other with their foreign ministers meeting on September 1, 2005 in Istanbul in a much publicised coming together. This meeting was followed by a handshake between Pakistan's then President Pervez Musharraf and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon just a few weeks later on the sidelines of a UN summit. Several Islamic countries with no diplomatic relations with Israel have been increasingly coming close to it with the common threat of Iran bringing them together. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pakistan Army and its espionage agency ISI were involved in the car bomb attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead, a top Army official said on Tuesday, also sending out the message that anyone picking up the gun in Kashmir would be eliminated unless he surrenders. The Jaish-e-Mohammad leadership in Kashmir was eliminated within 100 hours of the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama, General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon added at a press conference along with IG Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan. On Monday, three Jaish terrorists were killed in a 16-hour operation in Pinglan area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, 12 km from the spot of the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy. An Army major and four security personnel also lost their lives. "The Jaish-e-Mohammad is the brainchild of Pakistan army and it is the Pakistan Army and ISI that controls Jaish-e-Mohammad. The involvement of the Pakistan Army is 100 per cent and there is no doubt in it," Dhillon told reporters. He also appealed to the parents of Kashmiri youth who have joined the ranks of militants to persuade their sons to surrender or face elimination. "I would like to tell the parents of Kashmiri youth, especially the mothers... to request their sons, who have joined terrorism, to surrender and return to the mainstream. "Anyone who has picked the gun in Kashmir will be eliminated, unless he surrenders. This is a message and request to all of them," he said. Giving details of Monday's operation, he said the three Jaish terrorists killed included Kamran, the self-styled chief operations commander of the outfit in Kashmir valley. "On specific information the day before (intervening night of Sunday and Monday), we hit this module and I am happy to inform the country that in less than 100 hours of the car bomb attack, we eliminated the JeM leadership in Kashmir," he said. Security forces were tracking the Jaish's top leadership ever since the February 14 attack for which the group has claimed responsibility, the Army officer said. "The attack was carried out by JeM and it was being controlled by Pakistan with the support of the ISI and the Pakistan Army. The local top commanders, most of them Pakistanis, who were in charge of controlling, coordinating, fabricating and execution of this operation were the main people of the JeM in the Valley," he said. Last week's strike, when a suicide bomber drove an explosives laden car into a bus, was a first for Kashmir, he said. "With this type of intensity, it has never happened before. However, similar incidents have happened in other countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. "Since this modus operandi has now been started by terrorists, we are alive to it... we are keeping all options open to deal with this type of modus operandi in future," he added. Asked if Gazi Abdul Rashid, one of the Jaish terrorists killed on Monday, had an Afghanistan connection, Dhillon said, "Many Gazis have come and gone. There is nothing new in it... We will handle it, Let any Gazi come." Referring to infiltration attempts, he said there was not much activity along the Line of Control due to snowfall and terrain conditions over the past month but Pakistan has been pushing in infiltrators from other routes on the Jammu side. "There has been infiltration on the other routes, that is from the international border sector and south of Jammu in the area of Samba, Hiranagar and Pathankot sector. That infiltration is continuing... Pakistan is carrying out infiltration into Kashmir for the results theywant." Nonetheless, the numbers have reduced in the recent past, Dhillon said. "... anyone who enters Kashmir Valley will not go back alive," he warned. According to him, radicalisation of the youth was a concern but efforts directed at reversing the trend had started. "Inimical elements are involved in the radicalisation of youth of Kashmir but the efforts of government security forces and opinion makers have helped reduce it. I would say it is a work in progress and we will continue our efforts and attempts in a collective manner," he said. Sending out a message to parents whose children had taken up the gun, he said the government had initiated a "very good surrender policy" so their children could join the mainstream. The GOC said local recruitment had come down in recent months. Elaborating, IG Pani said there was a significant dip in the recruitment of local youth in militant ranks due to the elimination of top commanders. "There has not been much of it in the past three months. There are families who have played a key role and made a lot of effort to bring their sons back. Families and the community have an important role to play in this," Pani said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan army Tuesday violated ceasefire by resorting to firing on forward posts along Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, a defence official said. "Pakistani army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along LoC by firing of small arms in Nowshera Sector in district Rajouri at about 1900 hours", PRO Defence said, adding Indian Army is retaliating effectively. Despite repeated calls at Indo-Pak flag meetings for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquility, Pakistan continues to violate the ceasefire, officials said. Since the beginning of the new year, Pakistani troops have been regularly violating the ceasefire, especially along the LoC in Jammu division. A few incidents of ceasefire violations were also witnessed along the International Border (IB) in January. The year 2018 had witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations -- 2,936 -- by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the Indo-Pak border. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan has sought the UN's urgent intervention to "defuse tensions" with India, the Foreign Office said Tuesday, following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed. On February 14, at least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, seeking his help to reduce the tensions between the two countries, Pakistan Foreign Office said. "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India," Qureshi wrote in the letter. India has rejected any third party intervention in the Kashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally. Qureshi, in his letter, said the Pulwama attack on Indian CRPF soldiers was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident. He said attributing the attack to Pakistan even before investigations was absurd. He alleged that for domestic political reasons, India deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment. Qureshi wrote that India has also hinted that it may abandon the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that it would be a grievous error. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The must step in to defuse tensions," Qureshi said. He said India must be asked to conduct an open and credible investigation in the terror attack. "You may also consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down," he wrote. The foreign minister requested that the letter should be circulated to members of the Security Council and General Assembly. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the UN to intervene in Kashmir. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also sought the US' intervention, saying America was the "most relevant" party to get involved in Kashmir issue. The US, however, has time and again reiterated that it is for India and Pakistan to discuss and decide on the pace and scope of their bilateral relationship. on Tuesday responded to India at the International Court of Justice in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, insisting that the Indian Navy officer was a "spy" and not a businessman. The four-day hearing in the Jadhav case opened Monday at the UN court headquarters in The Hague amidst heightened tensions between India and following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group that killed at least 40 CRPF soldiers. "India, I am sorry to say, has demonstrated a lack of faith throughout these proceedings... good faith is part of international law," lawyer Khawar Qureshi said. "India doesn't know Pakistan, is a state that has provided the largest contingent for peacekeeping, whose soldiers have lost lives in pursuing world security," he said. "India's conduct and abusive process... India has deployed this process for political theatre," lawyer Qureshi said. He alleged that the Indian Navy officer was a "spy" and not a businessman. Qureshi also alleged that Jadhav was an "instrument of India's official policy of terror". On the first day of hearing, India urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to annul Jadhav's death sentence and order his immediate release, saying the verdict by a Pakistani military court based on a "farcical case" hopelessly fails to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process. India moved the ICJ in May in 2017 against the "farcical trial" by the military court of Pakistan against 48-year-old Jadhav. Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017. India first approached the ICJ on May 8, 2017 for the "egregious violation" of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 by Pakistan by repeatedly denying it consular access to Jadhav. A 10-member bench of the ICJ, which was set up after World War II to resolve international disputes, on May 18, 2017 had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case. The ICJ has set a timetable for the public hearing in the high-profile case from Febraury 18 to 21 at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands. While India argued on Monday and Pakistan responded to India's arguments on Tuesday. India will reply on February 20 while Islamabad will make its closing submissions on February 21. It is expected that the ICJ's decision may be delivered by the summer of 2019. Both India and Pakistan have already submitted their detailed pleas and responses in the world court. Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. Jadhav's sentencing had evoked a sharp reaction in India. Pakistan had rejected India's plea for consular access to Jadhav at the ICJ, claiming that New Delhi wants the access to get the information gathered by its "spy". However, Pakistan facilitated a meeting of Jadhav with his mother and wife in Islamabad on December 25, 2017. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday assured India that action would be taken against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack if New Delhi shares "actionable intelligence", but warned against any retaliatory action on his country. In a video message to the nation, Khan responded to the Indian allegations on Pakistan's involvement in the attack in Kashmir on last Thursday. The suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group left 40 CRPF personnel dead. Stating that Pakistan wants "stability in the region", Khan said, "If India has evidence or actionable intelligence, they should give it to us and we will take action." He said that he has come across calls for attack on Pakistan through the Indian media and warned, "If India retaliates, we will not think and retaliate back." "It is easy to start a war but difficult to end it," Khan said. The premier said, "I want to ask India if they want to live in the past?" "Its not in our interests that somebody from here goes out to do terrorism, nor that somebody comes here and does terrorism," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's civil and military leadership is expected to meet this week to discuss the increasing tensions with India following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed, according to a media report on Tuesday. On February 14, at least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Kashmir's district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. The Express Tribune reported that the Pakistani envoy would brief the civil and military leadership about the current situation in India. The high-powered Security Committee (NSC), the highest decision-making forum on security and foreign policy, is likely to meet this week. The meeting would be presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan and attended by key federal ministers as well as the services chiefs, the report said. The high-level meeting, according to sources, would review the situation arising after the attack. On Monday, Prime Minister once again said the country would take action against the perpetrators of the attack, adding that the time for talks was over. has strongly rejected India's allegations and said that the JeM remains a proscribed entity in since 2002 and the country was implementing its obligations on sanctions implementation. Pakistan on Tuesday urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to dismiss India's plea in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, as it accused New Delhi of using the top UN court for "political theatre". Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed trial in April 2017. His sentencing evoked a sharp reaction in India. India moved the ICJ in May the same year for the "egregious violation" of the provisions of the Vienna Convention by Pakistan by repeatedly denying New Delhi consular access to the 48-year-old Indian national. The four-day hearing in the Jadhav case opened Monday at the ICJ headquarters in The Hague amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. Opening the arguments on the second day, Pakistan's Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan claimed that Jadhav was a serving Indian Navy officer and spy who entered Pakistan on an authentic Indian passport carrying a Muslim name when arrested in March 2016. He accused India of interfering in Pakistan by training and arming anti-Pakistan militias to create trouble in Balochistan and Sindh and other places in the country. "Jadhav, a serving officer of Indian Navy working with RAW, entered Pakistan with a predetermined aim on the instructions of the Government of India to assist, plan and cause terrorism in Balochistan and Sindh and other places in the country," he claimed. Khan said that Jadhav had admitted it before a judicial magistrate. Making submissions on Pakistan's behalf, counsel Khawar Qureshi said, "India's application should be declared inadmissible by reason of India's conduct in this context manifesting abuse of rights, lack of good faith, illegality, lack of clean hands and misrepresentation." "These are proceedings launched for political theatre, making a claim for relief that is unsustainable and that should be dismissed," he told judges. His arguments came a day after India on Monday urged the ICJ to annul Jadhav's death sentence by the Pakistani military court and order his immediate release. "India seeks relief in declaring that the trial by the military court in Pakistan hopelessly fails to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process... and should be declared unlawful," said Harish Salve, the former solicitor general of India, who was presenting India's case before the ICJ. He said the military courts of Pakistan cannot command the confidence of this court and should not be sanctify by a direction to them to review and re-consider the case. "India seeks annulment of Jadhav's conviction, and directions that he be released forthwith," said Salve. Pointing out that under the international law Pakistan was bound to grant consular access to Jadhav without delay, Salve said India sent 13 reminders to Pakistan for consular access to Jadhav, but Islamabad is yet to accede. Responding to his arguments, Pakistan's counsel Qureshi said customary international law provided for an exception to counsellor access in the case of an individual reasonably suspected of espionage and added that a redline exists and it should be clearly shown. He said that "a decision regarding Jadhav's nationality has not yet been made" and "India did not state whether he is Kulbushan Jadhav or Hussain Mubarak Patel." "How can India demand consular access when it did not confirm Jadhav's nationality?" he questioned. Qureshi, who gave an electronic presentation in the court, said Jadhav was arrested by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan and not in Iran, as claimed by India. Earlier, as the court resumed the hearing Pakistan submitted a request for the appointment of a new judge in place of ad hoc judge Tasadduq Hussain Jilani who fell ill on Monday. The ICJ allowed Pakistan to present its arguments without the ad hoc judge. After the hearing, the chief judge adjourned the court till Wednesday when India will have a maximum of 90 minutes to submit its final arguments in the case. Pakistan will also get 90 minutes to respond to India's arguments on Thursday. The ICJ is expected to deliver its verdict in the summer of 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rapper and music mogul P Diddy's wax figure was brutally decapitated in New York City Madame Tussauds. According to NBC, an unidentified assailant toppled over his wax figure on the ninth floor of the iconic Madame Tussauds Wax Museum on Sunday, causing the figure's head to fall off. The attacker, who was reportedly yelling and aggressively gesturing towards the wax statue, proceeded to stomp on the decapitated head. New York police is investigating the matter and they described by police as white or Hispanic and in his 20s or 30s, Page Six reported. The outburst caused an estimated USD 300,000 in damages. Motive for the attack remains unclear. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brigadier Harbir Singh, who was injured in an operation against terrorists on Monday in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, had cut short his leave to lead his soldiers from the front, a senior army officer said Tuesday. "Brigadier Harbir Singh, who is among the injured, was on leave at home. When he realised at midnight that the operation has started, he cut short his leave voluntarily and rejoined," General Officer Commanding of Army's 15 Corps Lt Gen K J S Dhillon told reporters here. Lt Gen Dhillon was briefing reporters about the operation that led to elimination of three Jaish terrorists who were responsible for the suicide car bomb attack on CRPF on February 14 in which 40 security personnel were killed. "He (Brigadier Singh) came back to Kashmir and went straight to the operational site. He was leading his men from the front. DIG Amit Kumar (who was also injured) again was leading his men from the front and you would see from the injuries to our officers, it shows our commanders were leading the operation from the front and we were able to achieve nil civilian casualties," Lt Gen Dhillon said. He said the Army officers will continue to lead from the front during operations in future as well. Major V S Dhoundiyal, three Army soldiers and a policeman were killed in the gunbattle at Pinglan in Pulwama district on Monday. Several other personnel including DIG Kumar, Brigadier Singh, a Lt Colonel and a captain were among the injured. He said all the personnel, who sustained injuries during Monday's operation as well as those injured in the car bomb attack last week, were now stable and undergoing treatment. ALSO READ: Imran Khan seeks evidence linking Pak to Pulwama, warns against retaliation Asked about the high number of casualties in the operation, Lt Gen Dhillon said the security forces wanted to avoid any civilian casualties. "There were two to three main reasons for it. We did not want civilian casualties. As you are aware, other than one civilian casualty, which happened due to terrorist fire in the initial stages itself, not a single civilian has been injured in this operation that lasted 17 hours. That is the risk we took, We took it on our chin," he added. ALSO READ: Army confirms Pakistan hand in Pulwama, says attack avenged within 100 hrs Lt Gen Dhillon asked people to not go near the encounter sites. "At the same time, I would like to convey to people to please stay away from the encounter site during the encounter and after the encounter for your own safety. During the encounter crossfire, something can go wrong and after the encounter because of the leftover explosives, it can cause injury or death," he said. The (OFB) has received clearance from the Indian Army and the Ministry of Defence for production of 114 'Dhanush' long range artillery guns, an official said Tuesday. Described as a product of joint efforts of the OFB and the Indian Army, this is the first ever indigenous 155 mm x 45 calibre long-range artillery gun. The gun is equipped with inertial navigation-based sighting system, auto-laying facility, on-board ballistic computation and an advanced day and night direct firing system, an OFB statement said. The self-propulsion unit allows the gun to negotiate and deploy itself in mountainous terrains with ease. 'Dhanush' has also been electronically upgraded to enhance firing accuracies, laying speeds of the existing gun and to provide compatibility with various kinds of ammunition as well, it said. Stating that the performance of 'Dhanush' has been evaluated under arduous conditions in several phases, the OFB said the guns travelled extensively in towed and self-propelled mode in all terrains, including desert and high altitude, with each gun clocking over 1,600 km. Such an extensive exercise was carried out by the user for the first time for any gun system under the process of induction, the OFB said. DRDO, DGQA, Defence PSUs such as BEL and PSUs including SAIL and several private sector enterprises also contributed to the development of the artillery gun, it said. Odisha has won the 'Tourism Leadership Award' at a recent event in Mumbai, a senior state government official said on Tuesday. Odisha Tourism bagged the honour at the Global MICE & Luxury Travel Congress and Awards, he said. The award was received by Assistant Director of Odisha Tourism, Sunil Kumar Patnaik, on behalf of the state government. Patnaik said this was the second major tourism award for the state, after it received the 'Tourism Brand of the Year' at SATTE 2019 in New Delhi. "We have been working hard towards building a new Odisha Tourism brand," said the state's Tourism Secretary, Vishal K Dev. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran actor Whoopi Goldberg says during her initial days in the film industry people did not consider her attractive because she was "black". In an interview with Garage magazine, the 63-year-old comedienne said even though she had a "hot bod", the team of her 1987 film "Fatal Beauty" didn't think of her as a woman. "Nobody who worked on ('Fatal Beauty') saw me as sexy. They didn't even think of me as a woman. Because I'm black," Goldberg said. In the action-comedy, Goldberg played a narcotics police officer who gets close with the bodyguard of a drug smuggler played by Sam Elliot. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Human rights advocates met Tuesday in Paris to discuss potential strategies leading industrial nations could employ to reduce violence and discrimination against women. French President Emmanuel Macron named 35 advocates to give the Group of Seven recommendations, France took over the G-7's presidency on January 1, and Macron has said he wants gender equality to be a main focus. The advocates are addressing three main topics: combating violence against women, promoting girls' education and women's entrepreneurship. Participants include three Nobel Peace Prize winners: Tunisian businesswoman Wided Bouchamaoui, Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege and Yazidi activist Nadia Murad. Actress Emma Watson, a United Nations goodwill ambassador on gender equality issues, also is part of the group. During their meeting with Macron at the Elysee Palace, group members left an empty chair for human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is imprisoned in Iran. Sotoudeh has fought against laws that discriminate against women and represented women who removed their headscarves in protest last year. Macron said France was financing a 120-million euro ($136 million) fund to help women's rights movements across the world, especially in developing countries. The other G-7 countries are Canada, the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy and the UK. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NHRC Tuesday condemned the killing of 40 CRPF personnel in the Pulwama terror attack, saying the "scourge of terrorism" is one of the major factors leading to violation of human rights in the society. The rights panel also said, "It is expected that the state will take note of the supreme sacrifice made by the personnel of CRPF in maintaining the rule of law and creating an environment of peace and security in the country, and the aggrieved families would be suitably compensated." The February 14 deadly attack by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) had left 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel dead, after a suicide bomber had driven his explosives-laden vehicle into a CPRF bus. The NHRC, in a statement, said the commission firmly believes that acts of terrorism are an "anti-thesis" to the struggle for protection of human rights. "The National Human Rights Commission is disturbed over the killing of more than 40 CRPF personnel in a terrorist attack on their convoy near Awantipora on the Srinagar-Jammu highway... and condemns it," the statement said. "The scourge of terrorism is one of the major factors leading to violation of human rights in our society," it observed. A loss of life of any innocent person, whether in force or a civilian, is a matter of violation of human rights, it added. "Being an apex institution, committed to the promotion and protection of human rights of all, the NHRC appeals all to stand up in condemning such incidents that lead to death and destruction in place of brotherhood, development, peace, progress and prosperity. "If we can question and make the security forces accountable for failing in their duties, we must also make those accountable who violate the human rights of the security forces committed towards nation-building," the NHRC said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a serious view of long pendency of a plea against acquittal of all 17 accused in the 2007 'Dinakaran' newspaper office attack case, the Madras High Court Tuesday came down on the CBI for seeking adjournments. A bench of justices P N Prakash and B Pugalendhi warned it would decide the matter on the basis of documents if the CBI further delayed the hearing. It criticised the CBI for not taking serious steps in the last eight years to proceed with the revision petition against the acquittal of the accused in the case related to setting afire the office of the daily here in which three employees died on May 9, 2007. The judges, who sought details from the court registry on long pending cases, found that the revision petition was pending and proceedings were affected as the accused did not get an advocate. The bench appointed lawyer N Anandha Padmanabhan to represent the accused and posted the matter to February 26. Of the 17 convicts acquitted by the district and sessions court here in December 2009, 11 had been arrested after the bench issued non-bailable warrants as they failed to appear for hearing of the appeal. Another convict, Dayamuthu, is absconding and stated to be staying somewhere in Malaysia, while the others have obtained bail and are attending the court proceedings. During the hearing Tuesday, the CBI advocate submitted that it wanted to engage a lawyer who knows Tamil. But the judges said the case could not be adjourned as there was no provision in the CrPC to postpone a case for engaging a skilful lawyer. If the CBI wanted to delay the case for this reason, the court would proceed based on the documents and come to a conclusion, the bench warned, and said advocates of both sides should present their final arguments on February 26. Three employees of the daily were killed in the attack on the office following the publication of a survey which gave an edge to the then deputy chief minister and DMK president late M Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin over his brother and then Union minister M K Alagiri to succeed their father. The CBI, after a long delay of over four years, had filed the revision petition in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Yoga guru Baba Ramdev Tuesday said yoga was instrumental in Jawaharlal Nehru and Narendra Modi becoming prime ministers. Yoga was the reason they became prime minister, the yoga guru claimed, noting that Congress president Rahul Gandhi is also a yoga enthusiast. The yoga-guru-turned-entrepreneur said politicians should embrace the ancient way of exercise to remain stress- free. "Only those who practise yoga will enjoy the 'Raj-yog' (a stint in power)," he told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of an apparel store, a venture of his Patanjali group. "Jawaharlal Nehru used to practise yoga and therefore his Raj-yog was good and he became prime minister. Indira Gandhi also practised yoga and she also had very good Raj-yog. "Similarly, Modi practised yoga, and the son of a tea-seller became the prime minister. Yogi Adityanath did yoga and became the chief minister of the biggest state in the country," he said. "Now Rahul Gandhi is also practising yoga. The struggle (that political leaders have to undertake) is growing tremendously. All politicians should practise yoga while fighting political battles," he said. Asked if he was hinting that thanks to yoga Rahul Gandhi has a strong chance of occupying the top political post in the country, Ramdev hastened to clarify that he did not mean that. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Commission For Women (NCW) Tuesday asked Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik to initiate "speedy investigation" into the alleged harassment of journalist Barkha Dutt on social media. In the letter to the police chief, the commission said it has come across media reports about Dutt's allegation that she had received threat calls and had been harassed on social media after she offered to help Kashmiris who were being targeted. Dutt had also tweeted to Delhi Police apprising them of the matter, the letter said. "It is requested to initiate speedy investigation in the matter and take action as per the law," the letter added. Dutt tweeted thanking the commission for taking up the matter with the Delhi Police. "Thank you #NCW and Rekha Sharma for raising this with Delhi Police. I await the response of @DelhiPolice - I have filed my formal complaint with them yesterday," she posted on the micro-blogging site. "I had close to 1000 abusive messages and calls in a coordinated and violent mob attack. These included a message to shoot me, a nude photo, many sexually abusive messages. I outed the men who did this. Twitter locked me till many of the details were taken down," she tweeted. Dutt sought to help Kashmiris living outside the state after reports said that they were being targeted in the wake of the recent Pulwama attacks, where 40 CRPF personnel were killed after a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NCP Tuesday said the entire country as well as opposition parties stood behind the Union government post the Pulwama terror attack, but questioned if Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "serious" on the issue. The BJP hit back saying nobody should politicise the terror attack and added the PM had already given security forces a free hand to take action against the perpetrators. The NCP raised the question after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a video message to his countrymen, Tuesday assured India he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama terror attack if New Delhi shares "actionable intelligence", but warned against any retaliatory action. "As far as Khan's comment is concerned, the entire country and all opposition parties stood behind the government. PM Modi has to take a call. The question is whether he is serious or not," the National Congress Party's national spokesperson Nawab Malik said. Malik said the prime minister did not attend the all-party meeting called by the government post the February 14 attack, but instead addressed a rally in Maharashtra's Yavatmal. "He was also seen smiling when he flagged off a train recently. The country is concerned. But people have a question in their minds about how serious the prime minister is (on the attack)" Malik asked. Reacting to Malik, state BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said no one should politicise the issues concerning the country. "The prime minister has already said the security forces have been given a free hand to take necessary action. We are sure security forces will take appropriate action and give a befitting reply," Upadhye added. Forty CRPF jawans died on February 14 after a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the paramilitary force's convoy in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language has withdrawn its invitation to nine Pakistani litterateurs for the World Urdu Conference in wake of the Pulwama attack, officials said Tuesday. The NCPUL, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), was set up to promote, develop and propagate Urdu language. "The coward attack which has taken place in Pulwama has left the entire country furious. A country which is involved in such acts, it is not a wise thing to invite their writers to the celebrate literature here," said NCUPL Director Aquil Ahmed. "We have withdrawn our invitation to nine Pakistani writers for the conference to register our protest against the attack and keeping the sentiments of the country in mind," Ahmed added. The Wold Urdu Conference, an annual event organised by NCPUL, is scheduled to be held next month and will witness participation of Urdu scholars from across the globe. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district last week when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus. In the wake of the attack, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) had on Monday announced a blanket ban on Pakistani actors and artists working in the Indian film industry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were among the top leaders who paid rich tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, marking the warrior king's birth anniversary Tuesday. "Bowing before the great son of Indian soil, great warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, on the occasion of his birth anniversary. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's valour, war strategies, invaluable contribution towards nation-building will forever inspire Indians," Naidu tweeted in Marathi. Also tweeting in Marathi, Gandhi described Shivaji as "the people's king in a true sense". The Congress chief said Shivaji established self-rule, bringing together 'mavalas' (foot soldiers) belonging to all sections of the society together and tried to give justice to the people. Shivaji's life and governance are worth replicating for the world, he added. "Humble greeting to the great king on the occasion of his birth anniversary," Gandhi said. NCP chief Sharad Pawar also paid glowing tributes to Shivaji Maharaj and hailed him for establishing self-rule and "offering self-pride to the soil of Sahyadri". Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also paid tribute to Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary. "Respectful homage to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha king on his birth anniversary," she wrote on Twitter. BJP President Amit Shah wrote, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Suresh Prabhu also paid tribute to the "warrior of truth and justice". King Shivaji, founder of the Maratha empire, was born on this day in 1630 at Shivneri Fort in Pune district. He established a competent and progressive civil rule with well- structured administrative organisations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior BJP leader Sanjay Paswan Tuesday claimed that the vexed Naga political issue will be resolved on priority basis under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Lok Sabha polls. Responding to queries from media persons during a press conference here, the BJP Manifesto Committee member and former Union Minister, said "Naga issue though not simple will be sorted out in the second regime of the BJP led NDA government." Our special team of the party, which includes BJP national general secretary of North East, Ram Madav is studying the issue and the issue will be resolved after the election, he said. On the assurance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the Naga issue, Paswan said "Nobody can blame our Prime Minister for any such lapses because he is trying honestly and sincerely and it will be sorted out in the next regime of Modi ji." He said the Kashmir and Naga issues are two great concerns and claimed both will be "resolved on priority basis after the Lok Sabha elections."Asked about North East people opposing the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), Paswan said "our party line is clear ... no country in the world is ready to accept the immigrants or infiltrators."He said " ... the fabric of North East shall not be disturbed and my party has a sense of gratitude for the North East people because they are solidly behind the BJP. Our leaders are in touch with the people and bodies of the region to resolve the oppositions regarding the Bill."The senior BJP leader claimed the people of North East have instilled a great sense of confidence on the BJP and our plan this time is to get 100 per cent seats region. "We shall overcome all seats of North East in coordination with the NDA alliance and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) partners of the region," he said and claimed that the BJP has decided to dedicate one page out of the 12 page of the manifesto for the North East. Paswan is in Nagaland to hold discussions with different section of the people including youths, students and farmers of the state and collect inputs for inclusion in the BJP manifesto. BJP Nagaland vice president Dr Sukhato was also present during the press interaction along with other other party leaders of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar set up a committee to discuss reforming the country's military-drafted constitution on Tuesday, pitting Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government openly against the powerful armed forces for the first time over the incendiary issue. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party won a landslide in 2015 elections, but was forced into an uneasy power-sharing agreement with the armed forces. Under a 2008 charter it drafted, the military controls all security ministries and is gifted a quarter of parliamentary seats. That hands the army an effective veto over any constitutional change. Suu Kyi's party has promised to reform the controversial document. With 2020 polls looming, parliament voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to form a cross-party committee to debate reforms of the charter. The main purpose of the "all-inclusive" panel will be to "write a bill to change the 2008 constitution", deputy speaker and committee chair Tun Tun Hein, an NLD lawmaker, told parliament. The NLD will be allocated 18 out of 45 seats on the panel, the military will have eight and the remainder will be divided between other parties. There has so far been no detail about the specific reforms the discussions would focus on, or the steps ahead once the panel makes its recommendations. But its formation threatens a political showdown with the army, whose bloc of MPs stood up in protest early February when the committee's formation was first mooted. However, the army chief struck a more conciliatory tone in a rare interview with foreign media last week. "We accept that the constitution needs amendments," he told Japanese paper Asahi Shimbun. "But the important point is that no amendment should harm (its) essence." The move by parliament came just a few days after a court handed death sentences to the killers behind the 2017 murder of Muslim lawyer and Suu Kyi advisor Ko Ni. He was leading the charge on constitutional reform when he was shot dead in cold blood, while cradling his grandson. Ko Ni is also credited with Suu Kyi's circumnavigation of a clause banning anyone married to a foreigner from becoming president. Suu Kyi, whose late husband was British academic Michael Aris, created her current post of state counsellor above the president's office. Forming the cross-party committee is "very significant", analyst Khin Zaw Win, director of Yangon-based Tampadipa Institute, told AFP, adding there could be a "reckoning of sorts" approaching between the NLD and army. "It will need a lot of ingenuity and creativity from everyone. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court, while hearing a plea seeking a CBI probe into the alleged killings of BJP workers in West Bengal, on Tuesday said "much is happening in West Bengal". The top court's observation came after petitioner Gaurav Bhatia, a lawyer, told a bench of justices A K Sikri, S A Nazeer and M R Shah that three workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were killed in West Bengal last year and the police had filed a closure report in one of the cases, stating that it was a suicide. "Much is happening in West Bengal also", the bench observed. Appearing for the West Bengal government, senior advocate Kapil Sibal replied, "Much is happening in the CBI also.... And all of this (Bhatia's petition) is indeed politics." He said the apex court should not go into the facts of the case, which was the job of the trial court. The court asked Bhatia, also a BJP leader, whether the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could probe cases in West Bengal, considering that the state government had withdrawn consent to the central probe agency's jurisdiction within its territory like the Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh governments. Sibal, however, said the top court should not decide the case on facts. The court posted the matter for further hearing on February 21. Referring to the "brutal killings" -- the body of one of the BJP workers was found hanging from a high-tension electric pole -- the petition said it was an example of the violence meted out by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal to its political rivals. Bhatia alleged that the state police was pressured by the state government, adding that in one of the cases, there was an inordinate delay in lodging the FIR, which was registered 18 days after the incident. The petition alleged that family members of the victims were being threatened and FIRs were also lodged in this regard. It demanded a CBI probe into the killings and alleged that the family members of the three slain BJP workers -- Shaktipada Sarkar, Trilochan Mahato and Dulal Kumar -- were being threatened. Bhatia also demanded a Rs 50-lakh compensation and security cover for the family members of the victims. Earlier, the apex court had refused to grant an urgent hearing on the plea seeking a CBI probe into the killings of BJP workers in Purulia and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal after last year's panchayat polls. Shaktipada Sarkar, a BJP block president in the Mandirbazar-Dhanurhat area, was hacked to death when he was returning home in South 24 Parganas district on July 28 last year. The body of 32-year-old Dulal Kumar, a BJP worker, was found hanging from an electric pole in Purulia district's Balarampur on June 2 last year. On May 30 last year, the body of 18-year-old Trilochan Mahato, also a BJP worker from Balarampur, was found hanging from a tree with a poster written in Bengali struck on his back, saying he was killed for canvassing for the saffron party during the rural polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The mortal remains of Army Havildar Sheo Ram, who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in the Pinglan area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, were consigned to flames with full military and state honours here Tuesday. His four-year-old son lit the funeral pyre amid chanting of slogans in support of the Indian Army and against Pakistan. Soldier Welfare Minister Pratap Singh and Health Minister Raghu Sharma attended the funeral at Sheo Ram's village Tiba Basai in Jhunjhunu district. People in large numbers were present in the funeral and paid tributes to Sheo Ram who was among four Army personnel who laid down their lives in an encounter with terrorists in Pulwama on Monday. Three Jaish terrorists, four Army personnel, including a Major, a policeman and a civilian were killed in the encounter in Pinglan, about 12 km from where a suicide bomber drove his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus last week, killing 40 jawans. At least nine security personnel, including a brigade commander, a lieutenant colonel and a deputy inspector general of the Jammu and Kashmir police, were injured in the gun battle that lasted nearly 16 hours. Condoling the death of the security personnel, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had said, "I am deeply saddened by the martyrdom of Army bravehearts, including Sheo Ram of Jhujhunu district. Our valiant soldiers of the Army have set a supreme example of bravery by sacrificing their lives for the country." Sheo Ram, a 55 Rashtriya Rifles jawan, was posted in Pulwama. He is survived by his mother Sharli Devi, wife Sunita Devi and the four-year-old son. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena's sudden change from its stated opposition to having a poll truck with the BJP was the result of the BJP managers impressing upon the Uddhav Thackeray-led party that it might lose its "negotiating power" in case of BJP emerging as the single largest party after elections, a BJP leader revealed Tuesday. Moreover, the BJP also pointed out a spate of meetings having taken place between Sena's arch rival MNS and NCP leaders, and the possible backdoor agreement between the two parties. The BJP leader, who was part of negotiations to bring Sena around, also said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party was also told that the MNS and NCP are not politically untouchables for the BJP, which he said came as a "trigger" for Sena to lower its guard. "Though Congress is opposed to forging any kind of alliance with the MNS, the fear of NCP and MNS forming an alliance behind the curtain was conveyed successfully to Shiv Sena leadership," he said. "In one of the recent meetings, it was bluntly communicated to Sena that MNS and NCP are not politically untouchables for BJP," he added. Overcoming their strained ties, the BJP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led party Monday announced to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections together. As per the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP will contest 25 seats and Shiv Sena 23 of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. The two parties will contest an equal number of seats, after allotting allies their due share of segments, in polls for the 288-member state Assembly, due this year. The BJP leader also acknowledged that Sena's support was crucial for his party for making a comeback to power, especially in the absence of the 2014 "wave". "Everybody in BJP knows that there is no wave like 2014 ahead of Lok Sabha elections now. All we need is to secure the support of like-minded parties in the country. Sena's support thus became crucial as Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second biggest chunk after Uttar Pradesh," he said. Explaining the strategy adopted by the BJP during poll negotiations with the Sena, the leader said the party mainly focused on three points. "Our first argument, which nobody doubted, was that the BJP would anyway emerge as the single largest party after Lok Sabha elections even if it suffers reverses. This means the BJP will be invited first to form government," he said. The leader further said the Sena was told that it would lose more seats than the BJP because "voters tend to favour a party and not a personality in Lok Sabha polls, and that the BJP has both". He said the Sena was told that it would lose its "negotiating power" and end up as one of the smaller allies of the BJP if the latter emerges as the single largest party. At present, Sena has 18 MPs in Lok Sabha, its biggest tally since its inception. It was also conveyed to Sena that the party could claim more portfolios in the Central government if it manages to retain its current stock post elections. "If Sena manages to retain its MPs, it could claim more portfolios rather than Heavy Industries ministry currently held by Sena leader Anant Gite," he said. A senior Sena leader said the party was disappointed from day one over the allotment of an insignificant ministry to Gite. "Sena had wanted better ministries but it could not get any. Now, the picture is changed. Now, the BJP is relying more on NDA and as a larger player among the regional parties, Sena could get better portfolios for its MPs," he said. Another BJP leader said, the party might have to allocate Palghar Lok Sabha seat to Sena though the BJP has won it four times so far. "The 23rd seat which Sena will be contesting is most likely to be Palghar," he said. Sena leadership has been strongly pitching for Palghar seat. In the bypoll held for the tribal-dominated Palghar constituency in 2018, Sena candidate Shrinivas Wanga was defeated by BJP's Rajendra Gavit. The seat was won by Srinivas' father Chintaman Wanga in 2014. His death had necessitated the bypoll. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A six-member delegation of the MEA Tuesday visited the Agartala-Akhaura railway site in the Indian side and left for neighbouring Bangladesh for a field visit there, official sources said. A 15.054 km-long railway line connecting Agartala with Akhaura in Bangladesh will connect Indian Railways with Bangladesh Railways for improved connectivity and boost trade between the two countries and will connect West Bengal and Tripura through Bangladesh, the officials said. The team will hold a meeting with the officials of Bangladesh Railways at Akhura, they said. Of the total stretch, five km will be on the Indian side and the rest in Bangladesh and is scheduled to be completed by 2020, they said. The new Akhaura rail line will reduce journey time between Agartala and Kolkata to 10 hours from 31 hours as the distance between the two places will be reduced to 550 km from 1600 km at present. It will cut through Dhaka instead of Guwahati and will help in freight movement as well as goods from the northeastern state, while goods from Chittagong port will reach Agartala quicker. "Kolkata is a major destination for people in this area, but there is no direct connectivity to the city. The line will help not only people from Agartala but also those from Mizoram which is 150 km away," NF Railway sources said. Akhaura is linked to Dhaka-Chittagong rail route. The total project cost of Rs 972.52 crore is being borne by the Government of India with the Indian side being funded by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), while the MEA is financing it for the Bangladesh side, the officials said. India and Bangladesh currently have four operational rail links between West Bengal and western Bangladesh - Petrapole-Benapole, Gede-Darshana, Radhikapur-Biral and Singhabad-Rohanpur. Radhikapur-Biral and Singhabad-Rohanpur are also notified for use of Nepalese transit traffic. North East Frontier Railway deputy chief engineer, Rakesh Kumar told newsmen that the team is headed by joint secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs, Namghya Khmapa and a presentation was made before it by the Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON) about the progress of the construction of the railway line. The other members of the team are Anita Barik, Railway Advisor, Mamta Shankar, Economic Advisor DoNER, Navin Kumar, Advisor of DoNER and SP Singh, Chief Engineer, NF Railway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after defending the previous BJP government's stand in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on the June 2017 Mandsaur firing, the new Congress regime here Tuesday took a u-turn claiming it had not given any clean chit and was still scrutinising the inquiry report into the incident. Six farmers were killed on June 6, 2017 in Mndsaur district in police firing during protests over farm loan waiver and better crop prices. The killing had been one of the mainstays of the Congress' campaign for the Assembly polls held in November last year and party chief Rahul Gandhi had kick-started it with a rally in Mandsaur on June 7, 2018. In a written reply to a question in the state Assembly on Monday, MP Home Minister Bala Bachchan had said the firing was carried out by police in "self-defence" and "to protect government and private properties". He had also said that the police action was in accordance with standard procedure laid down. Congress MLA from Sailana, Harshvijay Gehlot, had, through a question, sought details of Mandsaur firing and the police officers responsible for it. Bachchan's written reply in the House stated, "Police, in absence of executive magistrate, carried out the firing in accordance to the standard procedure at Bahu Chowpaty on Mhow-Neemuch Road (under Pipliya Mandi Police Station of Mandsaur district) in self-defence and in a bid to protect the government and private properties." In a u-turn from this written reply, Bachchan, in a hurriedly called press conference on Tuesday, clarified, "The state government has not given any clean chit to those guilty of police firing and is still in the process of scrutinising the inquiry report on this incident." He said, if required, the state government will order another inquiry in this regard. Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh expressed displeasure over Bachchan's Assembly reply. Talking to reporters here, Singh Tuesday said the "clean chit" given to the BJP by the minister, which in the process "justified" the firing on farmers in Mandsaur, was not acceptable to him. Bachchan, however, defended his answer in the Assembly and claimed it was made on the basis of the inquiry carried out by the previous Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. On Digvijaya Singh's comment, Bachchan said, "I have spoken to Digvijaya Singh ji in the morning. No clean chit has been given to any person. Every person found guilty in this matter would be punished." Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a public meeting at Pipliya Mandi of Mandsaur district in June last year, had promised that the Congress, within ten days of coming to power, would take strict action against those responsible for the Mandsaur firing. The opposition BJP, meanwhile, on Tuesday said Bachchan's answer in the Assembly was an "acceptance of truth" by the new Congress-led regime. "The Home minister accepted the truth about the police firing. It was not a farmers' agitation but Congress sponsored violence by anti-social elements. Bachchan came forward to clarify only when super CM Digvijaya Singh scolded him," said MP BJP vice president Vijesh Lunawat. He also alleged that the Home minister considered himself "above the Constitution" for giving a clarification in a press conference on an issue which is meant to be discussed in the Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 22-year-old man was arrested for allegedly raising anti-India slogans on old Purulia road here in East Singhbhum district, a police officer said Tuesday. The incident happened under the jurisdiction of Azadnagar police station on Sunday, the police officer said, adding, the accused, identified as Anas Razi, is a resident of Zakirnagar. Razi along with half a dozen of his friends, were raising anti-India slogans such as and "Pakistan Jindabad" on Sunday evening, the Officer-in-Charge of Azadnagar police station, Vishnu Prasad Rawat, said. On being informed about the incident, a mobile tiger police team on bikes rushed to the spot and arrested Razi. His friends, however, managed to escape. Razi was forwarded to jail on Monday after a case under various sections of IPC was registered against him, Rawat said, adding, that Razi has disclosed the names of the other persons. A hunt has been launched to apprehend the others, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people turned up on the banks of river Ganga in Haridwar Tuesday to bid a tearful farewell to Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, who died fighting terrorists in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The mortal remains of Major Dhoundiyal were consigned to flames with full state honours at Kharkhari cremation ground. The funeral pyre was lit by the young officer's uncle Jagdish Dhoundiyal in presence of his father-in-law M K Kaul, whose daughter he had married less than a year ago. State Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik, Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, Pradesh Congress in-charge Anugrah Nararan Singh and Congress MLA from Dharchula, Harish Dhami, were prominent among those who attended the last rites of the martyr. Before the last rites of the slain Major were performed in Haridwar, a huge crowd gathered at his residence on Nashville road in Dehradun in the morning to pay homage. His mother Saroj, a heart patient, his wife Nikita Kaul and a number of relatives and friends were crying inconsolably as the Major's coffin was kept for people to pay their last respects at his residence. Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat placed a wreath on the coffin to pay tribute to the martyr as chants of "Shaheed Dhoundiyal Amar Rahein" and "Vande Mataram" rent the air. People climbed their rooftops and stood on either side of the road leading to the officer's residence to witness the sombre scene with tears in their eyes. The mortal remains were brought home in a coffin wrapped in the national flag late on Monday night. The of Major Dhoundiyal's supreme sacrifice had come when Major Chitresh Bisht's last rites were still underway in Haridwar on Monday. Major Bisht, also a resident of Dehradun, was killed while defusing a mine near the LoC in Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. Prominent among those who turned up to pay tribute to the major included Cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj, ex-MP Tarun Vijay, state assembly Speaker Premchand Agarwal, BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi and Dehradun Mayor Sunil Uniyal Gama. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The last rites of Sepoy Hari Singh, who was killed in an encounter with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, were performed at his native village here on Tuesday with full military honours. Singh's body, draped in the tricolour, was brought in a bedecked army vehicle to his native village Rajgarh as a large number of people paid their last respects to the jawan who laid down his life on Monday in an encounter in Pinglan area of Pulwama. Among those who paid their last respects to the slain soldier included senior officers from the Army and civil administration, Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh and Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma. Hari Singh was given a gun salute by the army, which sounded the last post. Villagers, many of whom were holding the tricolour, kept chanting patriotic and anti-Pakistan slogans. "We demand that our government should give a befitting reply to Pakistan, which has been aiding and abetting terrorism in our country. It is also clear who was behind the attack on CRPF convoy in Kashmir. We need to avenge the sacrifices made by our soldiers," a village youth said. Notably, a large number of youth from Hari Singh's village are serving in the Indian Army. Three Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed in a fierce 16-hour encounter in Pulwama on Monday, in which an Army major and four security forces personnel lost their lives. The 26-year-old Hari Singh, a Sepoy of the Rashtriya Rifles, is survived by his mother, wife, and a 10-month-old son. He had joined the Army in 2011 and was inducted in the 20th batallion of Army's Grenadier regiment. His father Agadi Singh had too served in the Army. Villagers recalled that Hari Singh was passionate about the Indian Army right from his early childhood. He had started preparing to join the force after passing his matriculation examination, a local said. The villagers said Hari Singh had received an appreciation letter from his commanding officer recently for arresting two LeT terrorists in Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials have lodged a police complaint regarding a bank fraud of Rs 23 lakh from the official account of the corporation, Mayor Firhad Hakim said Tuesday. "It has come to our notice that there has been a bank fraud of Rs 23 lakh from the official account of KMC. It has been done from the branch of a nationalised bank in Gurgaon. The bank fraud has been done by cloning a cheque and signature of the authorised person," he told reporters here. "We have lodged a complaint at the New Market police station. The bank has decided to revert back the money to KMC's account as the fraud happened due negligence on their part," Hakim said. The Kolkata Police said an investigation was underway, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kashmiri doctor, who claimed he was asked to leave Kolkata following the Pulwama attack, is considering bidding adieu to the city after his daughters complained of ostracism in school and neighbourhood. The doctor, a cardiologist who has been living here for the last 22 years, has claimed that a day after the terror attack, he was threatened of "dire consequences" if he continued to stay in the city with his family. The Pulwama terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel and injured several others. In spite of the threats, the doctor said on Monday that he would stay put after the West Bengal government came to his rescue. The doctor's daughters, aged nine and seven, are students of one of the leading English-medium schools in the city. Ananya Chakraborti, Chairperson of the West Bengal State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, who had been coordinating with the family and assured all support to them, said both the girls have been ostracised by their friends in school. "The doctor told me that his daughters' friends are not interacting with them properly. I told him not to get tensed. I spoke to the school authorities and they said they will look into it," Chakraborti told PTI. Some kids who go to school with the doctor's daughters, all of a sudden, have stopped travelling with them, she said. The doctor also told me that some children even stopped talking to his daughters, Chakraborti said. "We have assured all support. But this is an alarming situation which is being deliberately created ahead of the elections, with the sole aim of polarisation," she said. The doctor, who did not wish to be named, could not be contacted as he is not willing to speak to the media. He had said on Monday that he was heckled but he did not pay much attention to the threats he received initially. However, his concern grew when some men gathered outside his residence and threatened to harm his daughters, unless he "returned to Pakistan". According to the doctor, on February 15, a day after the Pulwama attack, five men aged between 20 and 25 years had come to his house after he returned home from his chamber, asking him to leave the city immediately and "go back to Pakistan as Kashmiris have no place in this country". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala government Tuesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the family of V V Vasanth Kumar, the CRPF personnel from the state who was killed in the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. A state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, also took the decision to meet the educational expenses of 44-year-old jawan's two children- son Amandeep (5) and daughter Anamika (8). Vijayan later told reporters that steps would be taken to make permanent the temporary job of Vasanth's wife Sheena, who is now working as an assistant at the veterinary university. A new house would be constructed for the grieving family of the slain jawan, hailing from Wayanad district, he said. "The government is sharing the grief over the killing of 40 CRPF personnel who had lost life in the terror attack in Pulwama. One of our brothers, hailing from Wayanad, also was among them," the Chief Minister said. "We have decided to extend helping hand to his family. For that, the government will give Rs 25 lakh as financial assistance to them--Rs 15 lakh to his wife and 10 lakh to his mother," he said. Forty CRPF personnel were killed on February 14, in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Governor P Sathasivam Tuesday sought an urgent report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the status of the police probe into the killing of two youth Congress workers at Periya in Kasaragod. Opposition Leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala had met the Governor to brief him about the issue, a release from the Governor's office said. Chennithala had informed the governor that the families of the victims were under utmost grief due to their personal loss and delay in arresting culprits. Since the post of ADGP North was lying vacant for the last 6-8 months, monitoring of law and order in the district had been affected, the congress leader had alleged. It was in this context that the governor sought the report from the chief minister, the release added. The left government is facing the heat over the killings of Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21), the Youth Congress activists who were waylaid and attacked while returning home after attending a function on Sunday night. Opposition Congress and BJP have alleged that the killings were executed with the knowledge and support of the ruling CPI-M leadership. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said the CPI(M) never promoted violence and asserted the party had no role in the recent killings. The left party has also demanded a CBI probe. State CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Tuesday reiterated that his party had no knowledge about the twin killings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Newly-appointed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma on Tuesday said Kashmiris are safe in the city and security has been beefed up in areas where they reside. Sharma's comments came in the backdrop of a Kashmiri doctor saying he was considering to leave the city after his daughters complained of ostracism in school and neighbourhood, in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. The doctor had claimed that he was threatened of dire consequences if he stayed back in the city with his family. Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district last week after a when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus. "Kashmiris are very safe in the city. We have already identified the pockets where they are staying. We have interacted with them and ensured their safety and security," Sharma, who took charge on Tuesday, told reporters at Lalbazar, the city police headquarters. Kashmiri students of various universities and colleges in the city said they feel safe in Kolkata, which they consider their "second home". "My friends and batch mates have always made sure I am safe and secure here. I am neither being harassed nor bullied for my origin after the Pulwama attack. "I have been staying in the city for the last three years and it feels like my second home," said Rasheed (name changed), a student of a Kolkata-based university from Kashmir. Commenting on the Kashmiri doctor's allegations, he said he was disappointed over it. "Such incidents of Kashmiris and people from the northeast being bullied is common in the northern part of the country, but not here," the student said. Masood (name changed), an engineering student, said Kolkata has always welcomed Kashmiris with open arms. He said his father and his uncle used to sell Kashmiri shawls in the city. "During my childhood, I heard a lot of stories about Kolkata from my parents. After I passed my Class 12, I was sent here to pursue my engineering degree," Masood said. The TMC students union has been organising programmes in colleges and universities to sensitise students. The Kashmir Sabha, Kolkata, has also been holding prayer meetings in the city for the return of peace in the Valley. "We want peace to return to the Valley so that we, the Kashmiri Pandits, can return to our land," Kashmir Sabha secretary Narendra Kaul, said. The Home Ministry on Saturday issued an advisory to all states and Union territories to take measures to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiris. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Police has arrested Shardendu Goel, the license holder of Hotel Arpit Palace where a massive fire killed 17 people last week, officials said Tuesday. Goel is being produced at the Tis Hazari court and police will seek his remand, Rajesh Deo, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), said. His brother Rakesh Goel, the owner of Hotel Arpit Palace, was arrested from Delhi airport on Saturday when he landed from Qatar. This is the fourth arrest in the case. Earlier, the hotel's general manager and receptionist were arrested in connection with the incident. A look out circular (LOC) was issued against Rakesh and Shardendu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Police has arrested Shardendu Goel, the licence holder of Hotel Arpit Palace where a massive fire killed 17 people last week, officials said on Tuesday. Goel was produced in the Tis Hazari court, which sent him to a four-day police custody, a senior police officer said. His brother Rakesh Goel, the owner of Hotel Arpit Palace, was arrested from the Delhi airport on Saturday after he landed from Qatar. Shardendu had applied for anticipatory bail, which was rejected by the Tis Hazari court, the officer said, adding that he later surrendered to the police. The police said they would be jointly interrogating the Goel brothers to know about the lapses that had led to the incident. Shardendu was in Delhi at the time of the incident. After he learnt about the incident, he fled home and kept visiting his relatives' places at between Sonipat and Delhi. Rakesh has admitted that norms were violated by the hotel and that an illegal construction was carried on an entire land when the permission was for only 60 per cent of the land. The hotel operated without a licence from 1993 to 2002. The Goel brothers obtained a licence to run the hotel only in 2002. The hotel, which was ravaged in the fire, was mortgaged with a bank from which the brothers had taken a loan for running a liquor factory in Maharashtra's Kolhapur two years ago. The factory was shut down since the brothers incurred losses, the officer said. This is the fourth arrest in the case. Earlier, the hotel's general manager and receptionist were arrested in connection with the incident. A look-out circular (LOC) was issued against Rakesh and Shardendu. Rakesh was abroad at the time of the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lauding security forces for neutralizing three terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) including the mastermind behind the recent terror attack on the CRPF convoy, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Tuesday said it was a matter of pride for the nation that senior officers are leading from the front in the anti-terror operations. On Monday, the three JeM terrorists, including two Pakistani nationals, were killed in a 16-hour encounter in Pinglan village of Pulwama district, about 12 km from the site of the February 14 attack on the CRPF convoy which left 40 jawans dead. Two of the slain terrorists were identified as Kamran and Abdul Rasheed alias Ghazi, the so-called divisional commanders of JeM for Pulwama, Tral and Awantipora areas of South Kashmir. The third one was Hilal, a resident of Pinglan in Pulwama. Four Army personnel, including a major, were also killed, while Deputy Inspector General of Police (South Kashmir) Amit Kumar, a Brigadier, a Lt. Colonel, a Major and four other ranks of the Army unit which carried out the operation suffered injuries.. The Governor expressed grief on the martyrdom of the army and police personnel in the operation and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and expressed sympathy and solidarity with family members of the martyrs, a Raj Bhavan spokesman said. He said the Governor spoke to Brigadier Harbir Singh, Commander 12 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, and AmitKumar, and their family members and inquired about their well being. "He has wished a speedy recovery to them and other security personnel injured during the operation," the spokesman said. The Governor observed that it is a matter of pride for the nation that senior officers from the army and security forces are leading from the front in anti-terror operations, the spokesman said. The Governor particularly appreciated Brigadier Singh who had voluntarily returned from leave to lead this operation, the spokesman said. Earlier, the Governor had deputed his advisor Vijay Kumar to visit Srinagar and ensure the best possible medical attention is provided to injured army and other personnel in the incident, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, the spokesman said the Governor is also personally monitoring the situation of the students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in various universities and colleges across the country. Governor stated that the Liaison Officers appointed at major locations were found to be very useful and they have taken care of the safety and security of students from the state, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several Islamic State group jihadists and dozens of civilians, including foreigners, quit the last IS-held pocket in eastern Syria on Tuesday, US-backed forces said. IS, which in 2014 declared a cross-border "caliphate" straddling Syria and Iraq, has been expelled from all the land it held except for a patch of Baghouz village. Backed by air strikes by the US-led coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces have already retaken most of the village. SDF spokesman Adnan Afrin said a convoy of trucks entered Baghouz on Tuesday to transfer jihadists and their relatives out to SDF-held territory. "Dozens of civilians and some fighters have handed themselves over to the SDF," he told reporters at nearby Al-Omar oil field. The spokesman said foreigners were among leaving but did not specify their nationalities or if they were civilians or fighters. "This is the first time civilians will make it out in four days," Afrin said. Thousands of people -- mostly women and children related to IS members -- have streamed out of IS turf in recent weeks, but no civilians had emerged this week. Afrin said some diehard jihadists were still refusing to surrender and "many civilians remain" in the last IS pocket of less than half a square kilometre (0.2 square mile). The United Nations earlier expressed concern over "the situation of some 200 families, including many women and children, who are reportedly trapped" in the IS holdout. "Many of them are apparently being actively prevented from leaving by ISIL," it said in a statement, using another acronym for IS. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Haryana Chief Minister O P Chautala, serving 10-year jail term in JBT teachers recruitment scam, Tuesday approached the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the government to release him under the Centre's policy for grant of special remission to prisoners. The petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao which allowed it to be listed on Wednesday before an appropriate bench. The plea claimed that 83-year-old Chautala should be considered for his release considering his age and disability as also the period of seven years already undergone by him in jail. The petition, filed through advocate Amit Sahni, referred to central government's July 18, 2018 special remission notification by which the relief could be granted to certain categories of prisoners and they were to be released in three phases with effect from October. As per the notification, the special remission has to be given to women and transgender convicts of 55 years of age who have completed 50 per cent of their actual jail term, male convicts of 60 years of age and who have completed half of their sentence period. The relief has to be given to physically challenged/ disabled prisoners with 70 percent disability and more and who have completed 50 per cent of their actual jail term and those who are terminally ill and the convicts who have completed two-third (66 percent) of their jail term, it said. However, the special remission will not be given to those who have been convicted for heinous offences or under POTA, UAPA, TADA, POCSO Act, money laundering, FEMA, NDPS and Prevention of Corruption Act. "Considering the age, disability and period of incarceration, the case of Chautala falls under two clauses of the notification but since the authorities are biased towards him, his case is not considered in furtherance of the notification despite the fact that he has already undergone more than seven years of incarceration under the PC Act," the plea said. Chautala is presently out of jail on three weeks parole in the case. Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala, and 53 others, including IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar, were convicted and sentenced in the case of illegal recruitment of 3,206 junior basic teachers (JBT) in 2000. They all were sentenced to varying jail terms in the case by a special CBI court in January 2013. Kumar, the then Director of Primary Education in Haryana, had initially exposed the scam after he filed a plea in the Supreme Court. Later, he was also found to be involved in the scam during a CBI probe. Apart from the Chautalas and Kumar, Chautala's former Officer on Special Duty Vidya Dhar and political advisor to the then Haryana CM Sher Singh Badshami were also given 10-year jail terms. The others who were given 10-year jail terms are Madan Lal Kalra, Durga Dutt Pradhan, Bani Singh, Ram Singh and Daya Saini. Apart from them, one convict was handed a five-year jail sentence and the rest 44 were given four years of imprisonment. Among the 55 convicts, 16 were women officials. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Richwood, TX (77531) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 90F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low 77F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The Emgrand GSe is an all-electric SUV that was launched by Chinese automaker Geely in June 2018. With prices ranging between RMB119,800 and RMB145,800 after subsidy, the entire lineup of the NEV model features a battery range of 353km. The name of new Geely Emgrand GSe appears in the latest Catalogue of Recommended Models for New Energy Automobile Popularization and Application released by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), according to local media. The MIIT's document reveals that the new Emgrand GSe will boast an energy density up to 182.44Wh/kg, which is by far the highest one among all BEV models that enters the Catalogue. Besides, the Aion S to be launched by GAC New Energy Automobile will feature a range of 180Wh/g. Compared with the outgoing Emgrand GSe, the combined range of the new model will be increased to 450km from 353km. Besides, the maximum power and peak torque of the new SUV's electric motor will be upgraded to 130kW/270Nm from 120kW/250 Nm. The acceleration time from 0-100km/h is expected to be further shortened from the current 9.9 seconds. Apart from the upgrades in powertrain and range, the measurement, exterior and interior of the new model will basically remain unchanged from the existing model. Such improvement might be the active adjustment for Geely to cope with the challenge caused by the NEV subsidy phase-out in 2019. Crisis-hit Jaiprakash Associates has once again submitted a proposal to lenders of its subsidiary Infratech for settling dues worth Rs 10,000 crore, amid bids for taking over the realty firm under the insolvency process. This is the second time in less than a year that (JAL) has sought to retain control of the cash-strapped subsidiary. The latest offer also comes close on the heels of state-owned and realty firm Suraksha group putting in bids for Infratech. "The promoter JAL also submitted a settlement proposal under Section 12A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code(IBC), 2016 for consideration of the Committee of Creditors," Infratech said in a regulatory filing. However, it did not disclose the details of settlement proposal. This section provides for withdrawal of bankruptcy application subject to certain conditions. In April last year, JAL had made an unsolicited offer of about Rs 10,000 crore to settle dues of Meanwhile, lenders of in a meeting on Monday decided to negotiate with and Suraksha group. Both made presentations before the Committee of Creditors (CoC). promoters were also called in the meeting. In 2017, the National Company Tribunal (NCLT) admitted the application by an IDBI Bank-led consortium seeking resolution of The tribunal had appointed Anuj Jain as insolvency resolution professional (IRP) to manage the company's business and invite bids from investors. This is the second attempt by the IRP and lenders to complete insolvency process. In the first round, the Rs 7,350 crore bid of Lakshdeep, part of Suraksha group, was rejected by lenders as it was found to be substantially lower than the company's net worth and assets. As per sources, in its bids has promised to deliver flats to homebuyers in four years. It has also offered 1,400 acre land worth Rs 6,000 crore as well as highway to lenders. NBCC has suggested that banks should raise about Rs 2,000 crore against the expressway and provide half of the amount (Rs 1,000 crore) to the PSU, which will utilise this fund as an upfront payment. NBCC will also fund the gap of about Rs 1,500 crore between estimated construction cost and receivables from customers. In contrast, Suraksha group has made an offer of about Rs 20 crore as upfront payment and land worth Rs 5,000 crore, sources said. The Mumbai-based group has promised to complete pending projects in three years. In October 2018, the IRP started a fresh initiative to revive Jaypee Infratech on the NCLT direction after lenders rejected the over Rs 7,000-crore bid of Suraksha group. The realty firm has an outstanding debt of nearly Rs 9,800 crore, of which Rs 4,334 crore pertains to Other lenders are IIFCL, LIC, SBI, Corporation Bank, Syndicate Bank, Bank Of Maharashtra, ICICI Bank, Union Bank, IFCI, J&K Bank, and Jaypee Infratech is developing about 32,000 flats, of which it has delivered 9,500 units. JAL had submitted Rs 750 crore in the registry of the for refund to buyers. However, this amount was transferred to NCLT as per an order of the apex court. Honda will shut its UK plant with the loss of 3,500 jobs, the Japanese car maker announced Tuesday as the global auto industry faces "unprecedented changes" and the UK economy hits the skids on Brexit uncertainty. The factory in Swindon, southwest England, which is Honda's only EU plant, will shut in 2021 "at the end of the current model's production lifecycle", the company said as carmakers worldwide increasingly invest in greener electric vehicles over diesel cars. Business Secretary Greg Clark described Honda's decision as "devastating" and "a particularly bitter blow to the thousands of skilled and dedicated staff who work at the factory, their families and all of those employed in the supply chain". Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to Honda's president to "express her disappointment at the decision," according to her Downing Street office. Katsushi Inoue, Honda's chief officer for European regional operations, said the decision had "not been taken lightly". The firm blamed "unprecedented changes in the global automotive industry" for the decision but it comes amid investment uncertainty in Britain ahead of the country's departure from the European Union next month. Analysts said an EU-Japan trade agreement signed recently had likely also played a part in Honda's decision. Clark said that while Honda's decision was made for "commercial" reasons, it was nonetheless "devastating... for Swindon and the UK". He added in a statement: "The automotive industry is undergoing a rapid transition to new technology. The UK is one of the leaders in the development of these technologies and so it is deeply disappointing that this decision has been taken now." Speaking earlier in Tokyo, Honda president Takahiro Hachigo told reporters: "I'd like you to understand this is not related to Brexit." Clark later told parliament that "we must accept" Honda's stated reasons, but added "the motor industry, Japanese investors and Honda in particular have been very clear for many months that Brexit is an additional worry at a difficult time." Nissan earlier this month axed plans to make its X-Trail SUV in the Brexit-backing UK city of Sunderland, citing "business reasons" but also uncertainty over Britain's EU departure. Toyota, another Japanese car giant making vehicles in Britain, has meanwhile warned there would be no way to avoid a negative impact should the UK crash out of the EU without a deal. The Bank of England earlier this month slashed its forecast for 2019 UK growth to 1.2 percent from 1.7 percent, blaming the downgrade on a global economic slowdown and "the fog of Brexit". Honda's fellow Japanese firms Sony, Panasonic and Hitachi are also scaling back their UK operations. Regarding Honda's decision, the company "seems to have been preparing for this for a long time", Seiji Sugiura, analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, told AFP. "Then Brexit happened, which might have pushed the company to make the decision now." The carmaker's Swindon plant has been producing Honda's Civic model for more than 24 years, with 150,000 units rolling off the line annually. The firm on Tuesday announced also that it would stop manufacturing the Civic model in Turkey in 2021. In Swindon, local finance worker Sue Davis, 49, said the town is "finished without Honda". She told AFP: "My ex-husband works there, has done for 20 years. He's going to be without a job, so I just think it's really, really bad " Local MP Justin Tomlinson tweeted that the decision had been made "based on global trends and not Brexit as all European market production will consolidate in Japan in 2021". Britain's biggest union Unite said it would campaign to keep the plant open. "We will leave no stone unturned to keep this plant going and its workforce in employment," said Des Quinn, Unite's national officer for the automotive sector. "While Brexit is not mentioned by the company as a reason for the announcement, we believe that the uncertainty that the Tory government has created by its inept and rigid handling of the Brexit negotiations lurks in the background. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A member of terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) was arrested from Santragachi railway station in Howrah district, the police said Tuesday. The Special Task Force of Kolkata Police arrested Asif Iqbal alias Nadeem, a resident of Murshidabad district, from Santragachi railway station on Monday night, a police officer said. Iqbal is an active member of JMB since 2017. He had gone to Chennai and was trained under Kausar, arrested in 2018 by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The police produced Iqbal before a court which remanded him to police custody till March 5, officials said. He is the second JMB operative arrested in less than a week. On Saturday the STF had arrested a 22-year-old JMB operative Ariful Islam alias Arif from Babughat area of Kolkata. He is said to be involved in the Bodh Gaya blast. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has offered unconditional help to in defending itself, especially against terrorism, asserting that "there is no limit" to its assistance, an assurance which assumes significance amid demands that the government should consider Israeli-type retaliation to terror strikes. The comments by newly-appointed Israeli envoy Dr Ron Malka came in response to a question on up to what extent will go to help which has been a victim of Last Thursday, in one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM killed 40 CRPF personnel after which there have been growing demands that the government should explore Israeli-type anti-terror operations. Israeli military is known for its precise and quick strikes. "Whatever needs to defend itself there is no limit. We are here to help our close friend India to defend itself specially against because is the problem of the world and not only of India and Israel," Malka told PTI in an interview early last week. Emphasising that the world should fight terrorism and eliminate it by collaborating, he said, "So, we help India, share our knowledge, share our technique because we really want to help our really important friend." The 52-year old Malka, who was in Israeli military service from where he retired with the rank of Full Colonel, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told him that India was a very "important partner, very important friend and he wants to collaborate to enhance ties and deepen them....to share our knowledge." He further said that by strengthening India, was contributing to the world stability and sustainability because India has a very important role in the world stability. "We are just doing it to make the world a better place to live..." After the Pulwama attack, Malka had also tweeted that " strongly condemns the terror attack in #Pulwama and stands by our Indian friends during this difficult hour. We send our deepest condolences to the CPRF and their families, the people of India and the Indian government following the terrible #KashmirTerrorAttack . The suicide bomber that carried out last week's attack that killed 27 members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards was a Pakistan national, the force's Sepah agency reported on Tuesday. "The suicide bomber was named Hafez Mohammad-Ali and was from Pakistan," Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Guards' ground forces, was quoted as saying on the sidelines of a commemoration service in Tehran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The suicide bomber who carried out last week's attack that killed 27 members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards was a Pakistani national, the elite force said Tuesday. "The suicide bomber was named Hafez Mohammad-Ali and was from Pakistan," said Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Guards' ground forces, quoted by the force's Sepah agency. The February 13 suicide bombing killed 27 Revolutionary Guards on a bus in the volatile southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan which borders Pakistan. The general said the probe into the attack had made headway after the model of the explosives-packed car that exploded next to the bus had been identified. "Two days ago the first clue, a woman, was identified and arrested, and through this woman, we reached others," Pakpour said. Apart from the suicide bomber, one of the suspected accomplices was also Pakistani, he said. Pakpour said the attack had originally been planned for February 11 to coincide with celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution. But had security forces had been "fully prepared" on that day, he said. A jihadist group, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), which Tehran says operates mostly out of bases in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. Iran has Pakistan's army and intelligence agency of sheltering the jihadists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of industrialists which met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Tuesday demanded that the Congress government in the state provide concessions to the industry on the lines of Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Nath held a round-table meeting with 61 industrialists and head honchos of business groups here to understand the industry's needs and attract investment, he told reporters. "I held talks with them for more than two-and-half hours," he said. "They sought sops and business environment like that in Tamil Nadu and Telangana....We are going to draft industrial policies sector-wise. Every sector has its own concerns which will be addressed in the policies," Nath added. A confectionery industry cluster would be set up soon as demanded by the industry representatives, he said. "Six or seven experienced middle-aged officers will be deputed to solve industrialists' problems and facilitate investment. They will report directly to me," the chief minister said. Asked about the previous BJP government's single- window system for industrial permissions, Nath said it did not meet the expectations of the business community. To a question, he said he is going to look into the issue of closed factories in industrial areas. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of gathered in various cities to mourn the killing of over 40 Indian soldiers in one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's district. At least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on February 14 in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. Expressing their outrage, hundreds of gathered at the 9/11 memorial on the outskirts of Chicago on Sunday and urged that all nations need to stand together with India and the in their fight against those carrying out such "heinous crimes". In a joint resolution read out on the occasion, the participants held peaceful candle light protest in Naperville, Illinois and called upon to "end immediately" support to all terrorist groups operating from its soil. "We mourn the loss of 40 Indian security personnel at the hands of terrorists. This was an act of terror, an act of pure evil. We must be firm in the face of evil and terror," said Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi in his address. "The threat of terrorism is not stronger than either the will of the Indian people, the American people or the people of the world. Our will is stronger. We will deal firmly with terrorism. We will deal firmly with sponsors of terrorism. In this year of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we will continue to be people of nonviolence, peace and we will continue to open our arms to those who seek to engage with peacefully," he said. "We will defend ourselves, but we will not change our own character," Krishnamoorthi said. Similar events were held in Washington DC, New York, New Jersey, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Detroit, Tampa, Houston, and Phoenix. Participants of the candle light protest urged the Indian government "to take steps to severely punish" the JeM and other terrorist organisations. Expressing solidarity with people of India and with the government, the diaspora demanded that the UN designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist. Today the Indian community is grieving for those who have been killed and wounded in this inhuman attack, said Krishna Bansal, one of the organisers. The Naperville event was organised by the Indian Community Outreach Organization. As many as four events have been organised in and around Chicago area, which has one of the largest concentrations of in the US. Later this week, the Indian-American community has organised a peaceful protest outside Pakistani and Chinese communities in Chicago. Similar events were reported from other cities of the country. Indian students in the University of Maryland in a statement said that they "strongly condemn this dastardly attack and mourn the loss of life and extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and people of India". As a mark of solidarity and respect to the slain soldiers, various student organisations in the university have come together to organise a silent candle light vigil on February 21. Several temples in the Greater Washington Area held prayer meetings for the victims of the terrorist attack. Scores of Indian-Americans gathered in front of the US Capitol Sunday morning in support of India and to express their outrage at the continuing support to terrorist groups by "We gathered on the lawns of Capitol Hill to offer our Shraddhanjali to martyred Heroes of Terrorist Attack," said Adapa Prasad from the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA. "The Indian Diaspora has profusely thanked President Trump's and his administration's unequivocal stand against terrorism which is emanating from The community also expressed gratitude and thanked the Security Advisor John Bolton's statement on Indian's right to self-defense and help India in these difficult times," said Krishna Reddy of the Overseas Friends of BJP-USA. A prayer meeting in memory of the slain soldiers is being planned in Edison, New Jersey. An Indian-American couple was found dead in their home in an apparent murder-suicide at an affluent suburb in the US state of Texas, police said. Police officers were called to the house in Sugar Land on Monday around 6 am. They found the bodies of Sreenivas Nakirekanti, 51, and his wife, 46-year-old Shanti Nakirekanti at the scene. They said Shanti was found with a gunshot wound to her head in the driveway of the home on Pendergrass and Sheffield Court. Sreenivas was found in the bedroom with a gunshot wound to the chest and a small handgun nearby, police said. Police said a preliminary investigation indicates Sreenivas shot and killed Shanti and then turned the gun on himself. According to the authorities a 16-year-old girl was asleep in the home at the time of the shooting. She answered the door for police when they arrived and told them her dad was not coming out of the bedroom. She was not injured. The daughter is now in the care and custody of friends, Sugar Land city spokesman Doug Adolph said. Friends said the couple also has a 21-year-old son who attends the University of Texas. "The two fatalities fits the scenario of a murder-suicide. This case is still under investigation," said the Sugar Land Police Department (SLDP) in a press statement. "There is no danger to residents and SLPD is not looking for any suspects," it noted. Police told local press there was no history of domestic violence. Friends of the couple told local media they had received an email from Sreenivas that day, but police had asked them not to share the content of the note. People close to the couple said Sreenivas was a director at an energy company in Houston and Shanti was a computer programmer, and they didn't know of any problems between the two. He's one of the best friends for a lot of people, and his wife is known to a lot of people here in the community. They're also involved in some charitable organizations. We are really shocked. What went on inside, we don't know, so we're trying to get more details from the police once they complete their investigation, said a longtime friend at the scene. The murder-suicide is under investigation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Spain on Tuesday discussed cooperation in trade, defence and counter terrorism as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with her Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell. On behalf the government, Swaraj also accepted the prestigious Grand Cross of Order of Civil Merit conferred by Spain in recognition of India's support in evacuating 71 Spanish nationals during April 2015 Nepal earthquake. Swaraj was warmly received by Borrell at the Viana Palace, his official residence, ahead of the meeting. This was their third meeting in five months. "EAM Swaraj and Spanish Foreign Minister held detailed talks over a working breakfast. Took stock of relationship across the spectrum, specially in trade & investment, defence & security, counter terrorism, culture and tourism," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Swaraj, who arrived in Spain on Monday, also interacted with the Indian community in Spain and thanked them for their contribution in diverse fields and promoting India-Spain relations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place. Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access. The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur will launch a full scholarship programme for SAARC nationals, a release said Tuesday. The programme will be open for full time students across all levels of study - undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral studies in SAARC countries outside India, an IIT KGP release said here. The institute will be reaching out to universities and embassies of these countries as well as through the Ministry of External Affairs, this month opening up the enrolment for 2019 including summer and winter terms, it said. The institute is focusing on students from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The first batch of the programme will be open for 10 students with funding from US-based alumnus and petrochemical industrialist Dr Asoke Dey Sarkar. The first edition will provide funding for their airfare, tuition fee, living expenses, local transport as well as medical insurance. "SAARC nations share a common heritage. We also share a common future and a common vision of prosperity. There are some excellent educational institutions in our neighbouring countries with students who are comparable to the best in the world ...", Dean, International Relations at IIT KGP Prof Baidurya Bhattacharya said. The students will be required to explore the courses and research areas and identify the experts at IIT KGP as mentors. In addition to formal application, the students will be required to appear for a video interview. The courses would encompass all areas of engineering and technology, biosciences, social sciences, economics, management, law. Students can also work on research projects including collaborative research with international partners of IIT Kharagpur which will include areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, climate change, high-speed and intelligent transportation, affordable healthcare, clean energy, etc, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Slamming Prime Minister for demanding proof of his country's involvement in the Pulwama terror attack, Punjab Chief Minister Tuesday said JeM chief Masood Azhar had masterminded the attack while "sitting in Bahawalpur". In a tweet, Singh asked Khan about the action taken by against the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack despite being presented with proof. "Dear @ImranKhanPTI ( tehreek e insaf) you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur and masterminding the attacks with help. Go pick him up from there. If you can't let us know we'll do it for you," Singh tweeted. "BTW (by the way) what has been done about the proofs of Mumbai's 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk," he said. Dear @ImranKhanPTI you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur & masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you cant let us know, well do it for you. BTW what has been done about the proofs of Mumbais 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk. pic.twitter.com/Zct6I7QieY Capt. (@capt_amarinder) February 19, 2019 Singh wondered if the Pakistan prime minister wanted New Delhi to send the bodies of the slain CRPF soldiers to Pakistan as "actionable intelligence". "What proof is he talking about, should we take the bodies (of soldiers) there?," said Singh in a statement. "Masood Azhar (founder of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed which claimed responsibility for the attack) is in Pakistan and doing things from there, and everyone knows it," he added. "Every day our soldiers are being killed at the Line of Control so who's killing them?," asked the chief minister, stressing that the world knew what Pakistan was doing in Kashmir and other parts of India. "They (Pakistan) were behind 26/11 (Mumbai terror attack) and India gave all the proof to them, but they did nothing," Singh said in the statement, adding that even in the Rajasansi blast at Nirankari Bhawan, Amritsar, a Pakistani grenade was used. Earlier in the day, in a video message to the nation, Khan responded to the Indian allegations on Pakistan's involvement in the attack in Kashmir last Thursday. The suicide attack by Pakistan-based JeM left at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel dead. "If you have any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani is involved. Give it to us. I guarantee you we will take action - not because we are under pressure, but because they are acting as enemies of Pakistan," Khan said in the message. Singh further said: "Pakistani Prime Minister, along with their Army Chief General Bajwa, were killing Indian soldiers and innocent people. India cannot and should not tolerate this... if they kill one of ours, we should kill two, Singh said further. Earlier, addressing a public gathering here at the foundation stone laying ceremony of some projects, the chief minister underlined the importance of peace for development but said India needed to avenge the killings of its soldiers. "Surgical strikes could be one way, but it was up to the Centre to decide what course of action it should take," he said, making it clear that he was not in favour of war. The International Court of Justice on Tuesday refused to entertain Pakistan's request to adjourn the hearing in the case of to appoint a new ad-hoc judge. The four-day hearing in the Jadhav case opened Monday at the ICJ headquarters in The Hague amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group that killed at least 40 CRPF soldiers. Pakistan, which is presenting its case today, asked the judge to adjourn the case, citing the illness of it ad-hoc judge. Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, the ad-hoc judge for Pakistan in the ICJ suffered a cardiac attack ahead of the hearing. Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan, who is representing Pakistan, at the start of the hearing said: "We applied our right provided to us that we can appoint an ad hoc judge. "But since our judge is indispensable at this point. In light of the above Pakistan would like to place before the court that another judge to be sworn in which right has been provided under article 35-5 and the judge be given ample amount of time to go through the briefings before going ahead with arguments," he said. But the the world court declined Pakistan's plea and asked it to continue argument in the absence on ad-hoc judge. On the first day of hearing, India urged the ICJ to annul Jadhav's death sentence and order his immediate release, saying the verdict by a Pakistani military court based on a "farcical case" hopelessly fails to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process. Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed trial in April 2017. His sentencing evoked a sharp reaction in India. India moved the ICJ in May the same year for the "egregious violation" of the provisions of the Vienna Convention by Pakistan by repeatedly denying New Delhi consular access to the 48-year-old Indian Under Article 31 of the Statute of the Court, a State party to a case before the International Court of Justice which does not have a judge of its nationality on the Bench may choose a person to sit as judge ad hoc in that specific case. It follows that the composition of the International Court of Justice will vary from one case to another, and that the number of judges sitting in a given case will not necessarily be 15. The Hong Kong-based Epic Group, is interested in setting up of a textile factory in Jharkhand, a top company official said Tuesday. "The company is interested in starting manufacturing units in India. Jharkhand Textile Policy is the best. If Jharkhand government assists the company then it will start its factory in Jharkhand," Epic Groups Chairman Ranjan Mahtani told Chief Minister Raghubar Das here. The Epic Group is an apparel supplier and has manufacturing units in Bangladesh, Jordan and Ethiopia. During his meeting with the chief minister, Mahtani said that the Epic Group is a Hong Kong-based multi-national company, which works in textile, an official release said. Responding to Mahtanis request, Das said the textile policy of Jharkhand has attracted companies like Arvind Mills and Orient Craft, which have started manufacturing units in the state, and many more are in the pipe-line, the release quoted Das as saying. The chief minister said Jharkhand would be developed into a textile hub as it has immense potential in generating employment. He said that the government is imparting skill training to the youth in different trades. The chief ministers Principal Secretary, Sunil Kumar Barnwal, and Epic Groups Executive Director K P Pradeep were present during the meeting, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hero Electronix, the electronics and technology venture of the Hero group, Tuesday said it has opened a dedicated semiconductor chip design centre in Bengaluru. The centre has been set up by Tessolve, an engineering solutions firm which Hero Electronix had acquired in 2016, the company said in a statement without disclosing the investment made at the facility. It will focus on the needs of Tessolve's clients, which include major global semiconductor companies while also providing a strong impetus to its chip design offering, the statement added. "It is an important milestone for the Tessolve team in our journey to become a chip design leader and is followed by the acquisition of Analog Semiconductors a year back to strengthen our analog design capabilities," Tessolve Founder and CEO P Raja Manickam said. The centre will further help in strengthening the company's capabilities as an end-to-end solutions partner and semiconductor engineering services leader, he added. The Bengaluru centre will work in close association with Tessolve's other design centres to develop innovative chip solutions across verticals -- automotive, server, graphics and mobile platforms, the company said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought response of an NGO on a plea by seeking custodial interrogation of its former president in a case related to alleged violation of foreign funding law, Talwar, an alleged lobbyist, is in judicial custody in a money laundering case lodged by the (ED) following his deportation from Dubai on January 30. A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Anu Malhotra sought response of NGO, Advantages India Private Ltd, with which Talwar was earlier associated as its president, and its secretary Manish Garg on the CBI's application. A case was lodged in 2017 against the NGO, Talwar and others for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, forgery and using forged document as genuine under the IPC and various sections of the (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) for allegedly diverting Rs 90.72 crore worth of foreign funds meant for ambulances and other articles received by his NGO from Europe's leading missile manufacturing company. contended in the court that the NGO had received foreign contribution of Rs 90.72 crore during the financial years 2012-13 and 2015-16 and an interest of Rs 6.69 crore on it. CBI's counsel Rajdipa Behura told the court that Talwar's custodial interrogation was required to confront him with documents, unearth the conspiracy and to ascertain the actual beneficiary of the funds received by the NGO. The agency said the investigation had revealed that the foreign contribution received by the NGO was "misused" and diverted for some other purpose. The court has listed the matter for further hearing on February 27. During the hearing, the court was informed that in 2017, the high court had asked the not to take any coercive action against Talwar and his NGO in the case, making it clear that the protection would be available only if they continue to cooperate with the agency's investigation. The CBI's plea for Talwar's custodial interrogation was opposed by the NGO's advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir who said if the agency wanted to question him, it can move the concerned court. The bench said it cannot stay the investigation of a crime and questioning of an accused does not mean coercive step against him. It also observed that arresting a person is a coercive step as when he is taken into custody, his liberty is curtailed and it would hear the parties in length on the issue. The CBI's application was filed in a pending petition filed by the NGO and its secretary in 2017, seeking to strike down certain provision of claiming that it violated their fundamental rights. The NGO has also sought quashing of the government order entrusting the investigation of the case to the CBI. The CBI said Talwar was the authorised signatory of the NGO during the period when foreign contribution was received and he left India on the night of October 30-31, 2017 and went to Dubai. Notices were issued to him by the agency earlier but he replied that he has been restrained by a Dubai court from leaving the territory of UAE, it said, adding that he was deliberately avoiding to join the investigation. The agency's investigation has revealed that the NGO had entered into an agreement with M/s Airbus, France and M/s MBDA, England, and received Euro nine million and Euro six million respectively during 2012-15 as donation under the CSR scheme. The CBI claimed that the money received from abroad was misused and diverted for the purpose other than it was intended as per the agreement and that Talwar was the key accused in the case, responsible for misuse and diversion of funds received by the NGO from the foreign companies. Currently he is not holding any post in the NGO. Talwar has already filed a habeas corpus (requiring him to be present in hearing) petition in the high court challenging his detention by Indian agencies after his deportation here. A habeas corpus petition is a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or in court, especially to secure his release, unless lawful grounds are shown for his detention. In the money laundering case, the ED has alleged that Talwar had acted as a middleman in negotiations to favour foreign private airlines, causing loss to carrier Air India. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project was the focus of an acrimonious debate in the Gujarat Assembly Tuesday with deputy chief minister Nitin Patel dubbing Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani "anti-national" for opposing it. The high speed rail project between Maharashtra and Gujarat's biggest cities has been caught up in legal battles after several farmers along the route approached courts to stall land acquisition. The verbal duel occurred when Patel was replying to a query by Congress MLA Akshay Patel on the project. Mevani said, "Farmers of Gujarat and Maharashtra are against this project. They are not willing to give their land for it. I met such farmers in Maharashtra recently. If they are not willing, why you are snatching their land forcibly?" Patel said no project would see the light of day if the views of everyone were taken into account. "There is no point listening to such anti-national and anti-development element," he said, attacking Mevani. The "anti-national" jibe evoked strong opposition from the Congress with several MLAs telling Patel that a person taking the side of farmers must not be tagged so. A visibly upset Mevani walked to the Well of the House and said, "The real anti-nationals are those who have sold this country." Unfazed, Patel went on to compare Mevani's stand on the bullet train project with that of social activist Medha Patkar who opposed the Sardar Sarovar Dam. "Medha Patkar was against the Narmada (dam) project. I want the Congress to clear its stand now. Are you of the opinion that she was right? Do you support her demand? If past chief ministers, including those from the Congress, had bowed to her demands, this dam could never have been completed," Patel said. "Now such dissidents have emerged in a new form. We cannot complete a project if we listen to such anti-national and anti-development elements. I want to ask the Congress if they support Mevani's demand," he said. Addressing a press conference later, Patel attacked Mevani and termed him as a person having an "extremist" mindset. "Mevani does not have any concern for Gujarat and its people. He is just trying to be a national leader," he said. "You (Mevani) support anti-nationals, Naxals and Maoists. I asked in the House if the Congress supports his demand but no MLA said they do. People of Gujarat do not agree with your extremist mindset," Patel said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Vadodara-based doctor who was on the run after being accused of rape by his colleague has been arrested from Mumbai, a senior police official said here Tuesday. A colleague of Dr Yashesh Dalal had accused him of rape seven days ago and he was absconding since, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Jaideepsinh Jadeja said. "Dr Yashesh Dalal was held from Malabar Hill area in Mumbai on Monday night and brought to Vadodara. He was produced in the court of chief judicial magistrate JG Shah who remanded him in police custody till February 25," Jadeja said. The official said that a physiotherapist had filed a complaint that she and the accused, a neurosurgeon, were working together since 2013 and he had sexually assaulted her in 2014 and had threatened her to not reveal it to anyone. The accused, despite being married with two children, had also promised to marry her, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven persons were Tuesday arrested after an illegal call centre targeting United States citizens with bogus loans was busted in Bharuch in Gujarat, police said. Acting on a tip-off, a team from Bharuch police's Special Operations Group (SOG) raided a flat in the city's Ahmadnagar Society and made the arrests as well as seizure of electronic items, said an official. "Seven persons, including main accused Asif Pathan, a resident of Ahmedabad, ran the call centre from an apartment. They used to dupe American citizens by offering them loans," the SOG official said. Explaining the modus operandi, he said, "They would ask these American citizens to deposit certain amount of money to avail the loan, and in the process dupe them. Nine laptops, eight mobile phones, routers, extension board and a car are among the items seized." Bharuch B Division police station has registered a case, he added. The state has witnessed several such illegal call centres being busted in the past few weeks, most of them targeting US nationals. In one such case in Ahmedabad, in which eight people were held, the Gujarat police sought the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation attache posted at the United States Embassy in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The finance ministry is mulling launching an exchange traded fund consisting of in the next financial year, an official said. "We are open to the idea of floating an ETF consisting of stocks of We are studying the price movement of the probable stocks which could form part of the index," the official told PTI. The bank exchange traded fund (ETF) would be in addition to the two ETFs -- CPSE ETF and -- launched by the government which have seen huge investor demand. The government has raised Rs 32,900 crore through since 2017, and Rs 28,500 crore from CPSE ETF since 2014. The official further said the ETF route would bring back investor confidence in the banking stocks. "Individual bank scrips may not be attractive for investors at the moment but bunching of banking stocks through ETFs might see investor demand pick up," he said. Among the 20 public sector banks, the government holds 58.53 per cent stake in SBI, 70.22 per cent in Punjab National Bank, 70.62 per cent in Canara Bank, 77.23 per cent in and 83.09 per cent in Bank of India. Besides, it holds 63.74 per cent in Bank of Baroda, 87.01 per cent in and 67.43 per cent in The government has set a disinvestment target of Rs 90,000 crore for 2019-20, up from Rs 80,000 crore in 2018-19. So far this fiscal, the government has raised Rs 53,558 crore from CPSE stake sale and share buyback. ALSO READ: Public sector banks to turn more profitable: Piyush Goyal after review meet In an interview to PTI, Secretary in Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Atanu Chakraborty had earlier said DIPAM would conduct a study to provide risk-free investment option to retail investors in the form of sector-specific ETFs. "You should not see ETF as an individual share. In an ETF, we bring all the shares together to reduce the systemic risk," he said, adding that DIPAM is looking at the possibility of forming basket of shares from the same sector and design a theme-based ETF index. OnePlus will be showcasing the first OnePlus 5G prototype smartphone powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform at MWC (Mobile World Congress) this year. To embrace the dawn of 5G, attendees will be able to experience 5G cloud gaming on the new 5G prototype device, which will be displayed at Qualcomm Technologies booth (Hall 3 Stand 3E10). On February 26 during the event, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau will be joined by Qualcomm President Cristiano R. Amon, and EE CEO Marc Allera, in a panel discussion led by Marisa Viveros, Executive at IBM leading Strategy and Solutions for Global Telecommunications, to discuss the future and possibilities of 5G. Attendees may look forward to the panel which will be held in Hall 4, Auditorium 4, Gran Fira at 2:15 pm CET. Since founding, OnePlus has been attentive to its users demands and designed phones that exceeded their needs and expectations. To prepare for 5G, OnePlus established its own research labs and began research on5G way back in 2016. A year later, it proudly started working with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., on OnePlus 5G device development. In August of 2018, the OnePlus 5G Project Team successfully established a 5G connection to Qualcomm Technologies laboratory located in San Diego, in the US. Pete Lau made the worlds first 5G tweet by connecting a prototype device to a 5G Non-standalone Network, via an LTE b7 + 5G NR n78 air interface. By Never Settling, OnePlus is constantly challenging itself to deliver the best and only the best. Thats why 5G is of great strategic importance to OnePlus. By partnering with carriers such as EE to push forward the era of 5G multi-gigabit connectivity, OnePlus will be the first to release a 5G commercial smartphone in the UK. EE runs the UKs biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast 4G in more places than any other operator, and will be switching on 5G sites in 16 UK cities in 2019. OnePlus and EE are working on an R&D partnership to ensure the best possible 5G connected experience for customers. Marc Allera, CEO of BT Consumer & EE, said, EE and OnePlus have a shared vision: to give our customers the best-connected experience possible. Were working together on cutting edge technology to deliver that, and were leading the world on the journey to 5G. Adding 5G to the UKs number one 4G network will increase reliability, increase speeds, and keep our customers connected where they need it most. We have the ambition to connect our customers to 4G, 5G or Wi-Fi 100% of the time. OnePlus has been collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies on 5G development since 2017 and have made significant strides in getting a device ready for 5G commercialization in 2019. OnePlus will be among the first smartphone companies to feature the new flagship with the Snapdragon 855, to provide users with unmatched imaging, gaming, and intelligence for the new decade of wireless experience. Our strong relationship with mobile industry leaders like Qualcomm Technologies and EE makes us believe that we could bring the best 5G device to the world. OnePlus core strength is having a tech community with more than 5.5 million users from 196 countries around the world. Our mission to tackle 5G head on was decided together with our community members. No other company out there is better suited to take on 5G than OnePlus, says Pete Lau. @Technuter.com News Service The seventh National Photography Awards were given to 13 winners by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore at a function held at the National Media Centre here on Tuesday. The 'Lifetime Achievement Award' was presented to ace photographer Ashok Dilwali known for his work on the Himalayas. A total of 13 awards carrying cash prizes were presented to the winners in professional and amateur categories. Shanth Kumar won the 'Professional Photographer of the Year' award, while Gurdeep Dhiman won award for 'Amateur Photographer of the Year'. Rathore suggested his ministry to hold exhibitions of the entries of the award, in schools and colleges across India in order to inspire youngsters. Special mention award winners in professional category were Arun Sreedhar, PV Sunderrao, Kailash Mittal, Mihir Singh, and Ranita Roy. The winners of special mention awards in amateur category were V Ravi Kumar, S Neelima, Manish Jaisi, Mahesh Balasaheb Lonkar and Avijit Datta. The 'Lifetime Achievement Award' carried a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, 'Professional Photographer of the Year' category and 'Amateur Photographer of the Year' category carried Rs 1 lakh and Rs 75,000 cash rewards, respectively; the special mention awards carried prizes of Rs 50,000 (professional) and Rs 30,000 (amateur) each. The theme for the professional category was 'Women led Development', while the theme for amateur category was 'Fairs and Festivals of India'. Rathore appreciated the photographers, saying they not only capture moments but also fill them with a soul. He highlighted significance of photographs as a storehouse of memories and praised the virtues of perseverance, patience, discipline and passion which go behind the hours spent by photographers waiting for the perfect shot. National Photography Awards is organised by Photo Division under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The Photo Division existed as a separate unit under the ministry, but now it has been brought under the aegis of PIB. The awards aim at promoting art and technique of photography and also to encourage professional and amateur photographers from all corners of the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Germany and France agreed Tuesday on a strategy to create European industrial "champions" and to seek changes in EU competition rules that now prevent blockbuster mergers of homegrown groups. The push for a common industrial initiative came after the EU's veto of an Alstom-Siemens rail merger that has revived debate over competition regulations that critics say are obsolete in the face of growing rivalry from Chinese giants. "It's an important day because after months of work, we have agreed on the definition of an industrial strategy for Europe which will be proposed to our European partners," said French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire in Berlin after talks with his German counterpart Peter Altmaier. Under the strategy, the two EU giants will push for greater investments in innovations, seek reforms in EU competition rules, and set up mechanisms to better protect homegrown technology. As a first concrete project, both sides will cooperate in the production of electric batteries -- an essential component in the race to electrify automobiles. In the strategy outline published Tuesday, France and Germany said that "competition rules are essential but existing rules need to be revised to be able to adequately take into account industrial policy considerations" that can help European companies compete successfully on the world stage. "The choice is simple when it comes to industrial policy: unite our forces or allow our industrial base and capacity to gradually disappear," they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a significant development, France will be moving a proposal at the UN in a "couple of days" to ban Masood Azhar, chief of the UN-proscribed JeM which has claimed responsibility of the Pulwama terror strike that left 40 CRPF personnel dead, French sources said on Tuesday. This will be the second time France will be party to such a proposal at the UN. In 2017, the US, supported by the UK and France, had moved a proposal at the UN's Sanctions Committee 1267 to ban the chief of the Pakistan-based terror outfit. However, the proposal was blocked by China. "At the UN, France will lead a proposal to put Masood Azhar on the terrorist list... It will happen in a couple of days," a senior French source told PTI. The French decision was discussed between Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval this morning, French sources told PTI. While expressing his sincere condolences, the French leader, who called Doval, also emphasised that the two countries should coordinate their diplomatic efforts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major boost to India's efforts to get JeM chief on the list of global terrorists, France will be moving a proposal at the UN in a "couple of days" to ban the head of the UN-proscribed group, French sources said on Tuesday. Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility of the Pulwama terror strike that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. The proposal, when moved, will be fourth such bid at the UN in past ten years. In 2009 and 2016, India moved the UN's Sanctions Committee 1267 to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of attack on the air base in Pathankot in January, 2016. India was joined by P3 countries --the US, the UK and France-- in the 2016 proposal. In 2017, these P3 countries moved a similar proposal at the United Nations. However, China has always blocked the proposal from being adopted by the UN. According to sources, this time around also, France, a permanent member of the UN, is expected to be joined by other countries in the proposal. "At the UN, France will lead a proposal to put on the terrorist list... It will happen in a couple of days," a senior French source told PTI. The French sources also said that the country will insist on maintaining Pakistan on the "grey list" of countries at the ongoing meet of the (FATF) in Paris. Pakistan was placed on the FATF grey list in June 2018 and put on notice to be blacklisted by October 2019 if it did not curb money laundering and terror financing. The French decision was discussed between Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and National Security Advisor this morning, sources added. While expressing his sincere condolences, the French leader, who called Doval, also emphasised that the two countries should coordinate their diplomatic efforts. The proposal will be a boost to New Delhi's efforts to designate Azhar as a global terrorist at the UN. After the Pulwama attack, New Delhi reached out to the community, most of which condemned the terror strike, to highlight the role of Pakistan in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. China expressed deep "shock" over the Pulwama attack carried out by a Jaish suicide bomber, but did not give an assurance to India that it will back New Delhi's appeal to list its chief as a global terrorist. Significantly, a day ahead of his visit to India, Saudi Crown Prince in a joint statement with Prime Minister in Pakistan on Monday also called for avoiding "politicisation" of the UN listing regime, a position that may not go well in New Delhi. : Expressing concern over Telanganas fiscal and debt position appearing to be 'problematic' with respect to GSDP, the 15th Finance Commission Tuesday asked the state government to submit a medium-term roadmap on the issue so that it could be overcome by 2025-end. Addressing reporters, chairman of the commission N K Singh said the states performance was better in terms of growth in revenues when compared to those of some other states. Telangana revenue has the potential to grow at 20 per cent in the years to come, he said. ''Since the fiscal deficit and the debt to GSDP looked a little problematic, I have requested the state government to give me a medium-term roadmap...,'' he said The commission has visited 19 states and in most of them, there has been varied conformity both on the debt according to the fiscal responsibility and budget management, Singh said. He said the country's debt to GDP stood at 60 per cent - 40 per cent is from the Centre and 20 per cent from the state. Singh said he had told chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao about the fiscal deficit and debt position of the state being "somewhat stressed, and he had replied that he believed some of the governments initiatives would have a positive impact on the people. The chairman of the commission said the GSDP contribution by districts was uneven as Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangaready contributed 52 per cent of the GSDP. Appreciating the irrigation projects taken up by the state government, Singh said the agricultural expert of the commission feels that irrigation initiatives were going to have a good impact on agricultural productivity and thereby on the farming community. He said the initiatives would improve the livelihood of the huge farmer-population. The Finance Commission held meetings with the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, his Cabinet Ministers and senior officers of the state administration. There were detailed discussions on the state finances, mission 'Bhagiratha' and the irrigation projects. The commission appreciated that Telangana would be the first state in the country to be able to provide drinking water to every household under the mission. KCR, in his address at the meeting, requested the commission to increase the tax devolution to 50 per cent from the existing 42 per cent. He requested the commission to provide a grant of Rs 12,722 crore for mission Bhagiratha. Earlier, the commission had held a detailed meeting with the representatives of all political parties. Singh lauded them for raising important issues and he promised to look into them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing the BJP-led Central and Maharashtra governments of betraying farmers, the All India Kisan Sabha Tuesday said several peasants' groups would once again take out a long march fromNashik beginning Wednesday. About 50,000 farmers from 23 districts are expected to be part of the march, scheduled to reach Mumbai on February 27, to press for demands like farm loan waiver, minimum support price, irrigation facilities and provision of pension to farmers. The AIKS also said it was opposed to the multi-billion dollar Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project which has seen several farmers along the proposed route approach court against land acquisition. A farmers' march by the AIKS last year had forced the state government to give in-principle acceptance to several of their demands. "A year has passed but the state government has not fulfilled promises. Hence, the long march would be taken out against the betrayal of farmers by BJP-led state and central governments," the AIKS said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chinese database Victor Gevers found online was not just a collection of old personal details. It was a compilation of real-time data on more than 2.5 million people in western China, updated constantly with GPS coordinates of their precise whereabouts. Alongside their names, birthdates and places of employment, there were notes on the places that they had most recently visited mosque, hotel, restaurant. The discovery by Gevers, a Dutch researcher who revealed it on last week, has given a rare glimpse into China's extensive surveillance of Xinjiang, a remote region home to an ethnic minority population that is largely Muslim. The area has been blanketed with police checkpoints and security cameras that apparently are doing more than just recording what happens. The database Gevers found appears to have been recording people's movements tracked by technology, he said, logging more than 6.7 million coordinates in a span of 24 hours. It illustrates how far has taken in ways that would raise alarm about privacy concerns in many other countries and serves as a reminder of how easily companies can leave supposedly private records exposed to global snoopers. Gevers found that SenseNets, a Chinese company, had left the database unprotected for months, exposing people's addresses, government ID numbers and more. After Gevers informed SenseNets of the leak, he said, the database became inaccessible. "This system was open to the entire world, and anyone had full access to the data," said Gevers, noting that a system designed to maintain control over individuals could have been "corrupted by a 12-year-old." He said it included the coordinates of places where the individuals had recently been spotted by "trackers" likely to be surveillance cameras. The stream indicated that the data is constantly being updated with information on people's whereabouts, he said in an interview over a messaging app. Gevers posted a graph online showing that 54.9 percent of the individuals in the database were identified as Han Chinese, the country's ethnic majority, while 28.3 percent were Uighur and 8.3 percent were Kazakh, both Muslim ethnic minority groups. A person who answered the phone at SenseNets declined a request for comment. The Xinjiang regional government did not respond to faxed questions. Xinjiang, which borders central Asia in China's far west, has been subject to severe security measures in recent years as part of what the government says has been a successful program to quash extremist and separatist movements. The Employees' State Corporation (ESIC) Tuesday relaxed the norm of minimum two years' contribution towards its scheme to six months for its insured persons to avail of super speciality treatment, which will give a major relief to those suffering from chronic diseases, said sources. Besides, the ESIC, in its board meeting chaired by Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, also increased the maximum individual income of dependents from the current Rs 5,000 per month to Rs 9,000 per month for getting benefits under the Employees' State (ESI) scheme. "The ESIC board today (Tuesday) decided to reduce the minimum contribution period for getting super speciality treatment under the ESI scheme to six month from the existing two years in its meeting," a source said. The source further said: "The board has also increased the maximum individual monthly income of dependents like son, daughter, mother and father of the insured person (IP) under the ESI to Rs 9,000 per month from existing Rs 5,000 per month." The board also decided that the ESIC would pay the entire expense of the hospitals run by the states, which are tied up by the body for treatment of its insured persons under the ESI scheme. Currently, the ESIC pays the seven-eighths of the expenses, while the respective states bear one-eighth of the expenditure of these hospitals. The unions also suggested that if the service in these hospitals do not improve future despite bearing entire expenditure by the ESIC, those should be taken over by the body to run itself. The proposal to rope in multiple contractors to improve housekeeping and security services in a hospital run by the ESIC, was deferred for next meeting. Currently, one contractor each for housekeeping and security services are engaged. During the meeting, it was also reported to the board that the mandatory contributions towards the ESI scheme by employers and employees' have been reduced to 4 per cent and one per cent from the existing 4.5 per cent and 1.5 per cent of wages, respectively. The decision to reduce the contributions by employers and employees towards ESI was taken in the last board meeting of the ESIC. The ESIC protects employees against the impact of incidences of sickness, maternity, disablement and death due to employment injury and to provide medical care to insured persons and their families. The ESI scheme applies to factories and other establishments such as road transport, hotels, restaurants, cinemas, newspaper, shops, educational or medical institutions wherein 10 or more persons are employed. : To promote voter participation and electoral literacy through community radios, the Election Commission of India Tuesday entered into a partnership with the city-based University of Hyderabad (UoH) in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. To achieve this, a project to be called 'Festival of Democracy' is to be undertaken and it would involve about 50 community broadcasters from 25 stations across the country, who would assemble for a three-day workshop starting here from February 22. The workshop would have brainstorming sessions on key themes and strategise on how to leverage the local, community character of community radio to spread voter awareness, a press release from the university here said. Professor Vinod Pavarala, who heads the UNESCO Chair on Community Media at the varsity, said that after the workshop, the participants would return to their stations and make about 100 hours of radio programmes collectively on a set of common themes related to voter education in over 10 different vernacular languages. The plan is also for the chosen 25 community radio stations to share their content with two other stations in their respective regions, taking the coverage to a total of about 75 stations and their sizeable listenership, the release said. The UNESCO Chair would not only support the production but would also closely monitor the content that would be aired on the community radio stations, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The (ED) Tuesday submitted a report before the pegging the market value of seized immovable properties of chit fund company Rose Valley at Rs 4,685.40 crore. The base value of these properties, which include hotels, land and buildings, stood at Rs 896.13 crore when these were attached since 2017, the report said. The chit fund is estimated to have raised Rs 15,000 crore from investors. The ED, in its report submitted before a special bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Joy Sengupta, estimated the current value of the seized immovable assets at Rs 4,685.40 crore. The special bench was constituted by the then of Calcutta High Court, Justice Manjula Chellur in July, 2016 for speedy disposal of the chit fund cases. At least 150 matters relating to chit fund companies, including Saradha Group and Rose Valley Group, are pending before the high court. The has also seized movable properties like and vehicles totalling Rs 414.94 crore, the report, submitted by Additional (ASG) Kaushik Chanda, said. The assets were seized as per nine provisional attachment orders, of which five were related to ED's Kolkata office and two each of its Bhubaneswar and Guwahati office. The seizures pertained to different companies of the Rose Valley Group. Apart from these, cash amounting to Rs 12.7 lakh and gold, jewellery, diamond and precious stones worth Rs 41 crore were seized from M/S Adrija Gold Corporation, an unit of Rose Valley Group. The list has been submitted before the Asset Disposal Committee appointed by the high court in the Rose Valley matter, the nine-page report said. The properties have been attached under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The division bench directed the additional to circulate the report among lawyers of all parties in the Rose Valley matter. The court directed that the matter would come up for hearing again after two weeks. Rose Valley chairman Guatam Kundu was arrested by the on March 25, 2015. The directorate started the probe on the basis of a SEBI complaint. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hero Electronix, a part of the Hero Group, has announced the opening of its dedicated Semiconductor Chip Design Center in Bengaluru. The center has been set up by Tessolve, a Hero Electronix venture and a leading engineering solutions company. The center will focus on the needs of Tessolves clients, which include major global semiconductor companies. The company recently inaugurated another center in Visakhapatnam, which primarily focuses on software and test program development. The goal is to scale the design team by 100% over next 2 years to support growing demand for chip design projects from Tessolves customers. Since the acquisition by Hero Electronix in 2016, Tessolve has strategically focussed on expansion of its services portfolio by enhancement of its capabilities. It has successfully transitioned from a semiconductor test engineering services player to becoming one of the leading end-to-end engineering solutions partner for top semiconductor companies from pre-silicon to post-silicon services. Expertise areas now cover chip design (VLSI), test development, and hardware design through Embedded Systems development. The new design center will provide strong impetus to Tessolves chip design offering. As more and more clients seek capability and depth in a critical area like chip design, the new facility has been set up as the center of excellence for all chip design projects. It will work in close association with Tessolves other design centers to develop innovative chip solutions across verticals automotive, server, graphics and mobile platforms, to name a few. Training will be a key focus area. Tessolve already runs training programs for engineering talent aimed at long-term growth and development of the workforce. According to P. Raja Manickam, Founder & CEO, Tessolve: Our vision is to be the leader in semiconductor and systems engineering from concept to delivering chips and systems. We believe in being a technology services company where we help our customers with in depth expertise, enable time to market advantage and economic benefits. It is an important milestone for the Tessolve team in our journey to become a chip design leader and is followed by the acquisition of Analog Semiconductors a year back to strengthen our analog design capabilities. It will further help in strengthening our capabilities as an end to end solutions partner and semiconductor engineering services leader. Nikhil Rajpal, CEO, Hero Electronix said, We are proud of Tessolves growth and achievement since our partnership as today it is amongst the leaders in the semiconductor engineering space. We have not been shy of making investments in assets and infrastructure to add strategic capabilities as Tessolve made acquisitions in key areas embedded systems, analog design, PCB fabrication and test lab. The new design centre will help accelerate Tessolves growth and replicate its test engineering leadership in chip design. The new center is located at Global Technology Park, Block C, Bellandur, Outer Ring Road. The new office will be catering to chip design projects across all domains Design Verification, Design for Test and Debug, Physical Design, FPGA Emulation, Post SI Validation, Analog & Mixed Signal (AMS) Design. @Technuter.com News Service Drugs are "not cool" and its use is not a style statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday. In a video message played out to mark the Drug Free India Campaign, he also said narcotics trade is a big threat to the safety and security of India. Terming, drugs as a great menace to society, the prime minister said, as per WHO estimates, over three crore people around the world are suffering from drug addiction. It is alarming, he said, to see so many youngsters indulging in substance abuse. Drugs are not cool. It is a big misconception that drugs are a style statement, Modi said according to a statement from his office. The prime minister said in addition, to health problems and destruction of families due to substance abuse, narcotics trade is a great threat to the safety and security of the country. Modi pointed out that narcotics trade is one of the biggest sources of income for terrorists and anti-national elements, and the money sourced by these elements through drug trade is used to destabilize the nation. He said those having self-confidence and self-belief will not easily fall prey to drugs use, and also asked the young generation to support and help those suffering from drug addiction. The prime minister highlighted the various initiatives taken by the government to curb the menace of drug addiction. Students from colleges all across the country, listened to the Prime Minister's address through video conference, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party Tuesday cautioned people against "traps" of "opportunist politicians" and said "we cannot trivialise" the sacrifice of security personnel by resorting to "hate campaigns". The party also appealed the civil society and youth to expose and oppose the "nefarious designs" of divisive forces that are trying to create communal divide for political motives. "We cannot trivialise the supreme sacrifice of our valiant jawans by resorting to hate campaigns and communal violence," JKNPP chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh said at a youth convention in Udhampur district. He said people "need to unite to face the onslaught of the enemy rather than falling in the trap of opportunist politicians". "We have to give the message of united India. We need to stand by the nation and express solidarity with the bravehearts," Singh said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Soon after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's address to the nation on the Pulwama terror attack in India's Jammu and Kashmir, an image on his official Facebook page was posted with the caption: "Don't mess with my country." In a video message, five days after the Pulwama terror attack, Khan responded to the India's allegations on Pakistan's involvement in the suicide strike carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. The post with Khan's image and a Pakistani flag in the background included some quotes from his address. "If India thinks it will attack Pakistan then we will not just think but retaliate," said the quote written in Urdu. "We all know that it is easy to start a war, but very difficult to end". "I hope better sense will prevail". "The issue of Kashmir can only be resolved through talks". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court Tuesday orally directed the CBI not to "precipitate" till further orders, the trial in a special court here in the alleged illegal telephone exchange case in which former communications minister Dayanidhi Maran and his brother Kalanithi Maran are the prime accused. The oral instruction was given by Justice N Anand Venkatesh during the hearing of the petition by the Maran brothers, challenging the charges framed against them by the XIV additional judge for CBI cases, R Vasanthi on January 30. Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the petitioners, alleged that the judge had failed to follow the guidelines given by the Supreme Court for framing charges. Justice Venkatesh, who recorded it, adjourned the plea to Wednesday. The special court for CBI cases had framed charges against the accused on under Sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) read with 409 (criminal breach of trust), 467, 471 and 477 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 13(2) read with 13 (1)(c) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. During the hearing, Dayanidhi appeared in person and alleged that the entire case was politically motivated and that CBI has no material evidence to prove that he abused his powers as a minister. Kalanidhi, who also presented his submissions in person, submitted that there was not a single mention of his name in the 6,000 page charge sheet and that he was dragged into the case only because he was Dayanidhi's brother. The CBI had submitted that Dayanidhi Maran misused his office when he was union minister and installed a private telephone exchange at his residences in Chennai. He utilised the facility for business transactions of Sun TV, causing a loss of Rs 1.78 crore to the exchequer, the agency had submitted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 24-year-old Disc Jockey (DJ) was killed after a truck allegedly hit his scooter while trying to overtake the two-wheeler in northwest Delhi's Adarsh Nagar, police said Tuesday. The DJ, identified as Monu, a resident of Lal Bagh, was run over by the truck outside Mandi Gate in Azadpur Mandi on Monday night, they said, adding the police were informed about the incident at 10:40 pm. The scooter rider was hit by an unknown truck, a senior police officer said. Preliminary investigation suggest the speeding truck was trying to overtake the scooter during which it hit the two-wheeler after which its driver fled the spot leaving Monu injured. The DJ was rushed to the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital where he was declared brought dead, he said. A case was registered and the matter is being probed, he added. Police said there are no CCTV cameras in or around the area where the incident took place. The truck has not been identified yet and efforts are to nab the accused, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala and AAP-ruled Delhi on Tuesday demanded deferment the GST Council meeting scheduled for February 20, saying a decision on "crucial issues" of GST rates on real estate sector and lottery should not be taken through a video conference meet. The Finance Ministry, however, issued a media advisory stating that the 33rd GST Council meeting would be held on February 20. In a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that such "crucial issues" cannot be discussed through a video conference and convening a physical meeting is important to take a consolidated decision. Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac too said that decision on important issue of GST on lottery cannot taken without a fair discussion and the lottery being included in Council agenda only a day before the meeting is unfair. "I will walk out of the Council meeting if any decision is taken on lottery. Also I will henceforth not attend any Council meetings till the elections are over. This is not cooperative federalism," Isaac told PTI. The Council meeting is scheduled to be held via video conference with Union Finance Minister joining from North Block, while state finance ministers connecting from their respective states. Rationalisation of rates of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on real estate and lottery are on the agenda of the Council meet. Sisodia in his letter said: "I would, therefore, request to kindly postpone the proposed 33rd meeting through video-conference and call for a physical meeting at an appropriate date". Isaac, further, said that discussions on serious issues cannot take place through video conference and stressed that it was unfair for the Group of Ministers (GoM) on lottery to meet when two senior ministers were not able to attend it. "Meeting though video conference should be held only when some urgent matter has to be decided. This is being done to avoid collective response. We will protest tomorrow," Issac said. The eight-member GoM, under Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, set up to look into the taxation of lottery in a meeting favoured a uniform GST rate of either 18 per cent or 28 per cent, but left it to the GST Council to take a final call. Currently, a state-organised lottery attracts 12 per cent GST while a state-authorised lottery attracts 28 per cent tax. The other members of the committee are West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Goa Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, Karnataka Finance Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Arunachal Tax and Excise Minister Jarkar Gamlin. While Isaac had sought deferment of the GoM meeting on medical ground, Badal was not present as he had to present the state budget in Punjab Assembly Besides, tax officers from West Bengal flagged the issue of rate rationalisation in the light of the general election slated to be held by May. However, states, like Maharashtra and Assam, favoured a uniform GST rate. The GoM favoured hiking GST rate on the state-organised lottery to either 18 per cent or 28 per cent. While the GST rate on state-authorised lottery would be retained at 28 per cent or brought down to 18 per cent. "When you reduce GST rate on lottery the only person to gain is lottery mafia. There is some corruption involved," Isaac said. With regard to real estate sector, a state ministerial panel on GST rates for real estate sector had earlier this month suggested cutting GST on under-construction residential properties to 5 per cent without ITC, from 12 per cent currently. On affordable housing segment, it suggested that GST be slashed to 3 per cent, from 8 per cent. Currently, GST is levied at 12 per cent with input tax credit (ITC) on payments made for under-construction property or ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate has not been issued at the time of sale. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Minister Imran Hussain Tuesday ordered suspension of two forest officers for their alleged failure to protect forest land from encroachment after he made a surprise inspection of the forest ridge near Chattarpur Enclave. Later in a tweet, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the government is committed to eliminating 'mafias', who he alleged, were functioning in collusion with the BJP and the Congress governments. Hussain conducted a surprise inspection of the forest ridge adjoining Chattarpur Enclave Part-2. During inspection, large chunk of ridge and forest land was found under encroachment and illegal occupation of private persons, the Delhi government said in a statement. Some of the recently-built structures on the ridge land were also noticed by the minister. The minister directed Forest Department to remove the encroachment at once and free the encroached land, the statement said, adding a bulldozer was called and immediately pressed into service. The encroachment on ridge land was demolished by removing the illegal structures and large chunk of land was reclaimed by the government during the inspection of the minister. "Hussain said that while the government is making every effort to provide clean and fresh air to its citizens, certain vested interests are indulging in illegally occupying forest areas apparently in collusion with officers or officials and thus causing irreparable damage to the eco-system of Delhi," the statement said. "He ordered suspension of two Forest Range Officers for their failure to protect forest land and initiate action against the encroachers," the statement added. The minister also directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest to seek explanation of the concerned officers who failed to detect and prevent such large-scale encroachment of forest and ridge land and initiate departmental action against the guilty, the statement said. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest was also directed to ensure that the land which was vacated from encroachment at the time of inspection is immediately fenced so that it is not usurped again. The minister also directed that all the encroached forest land be evicted expeditiously, in time bound manner and action may be taken against the trespassers. The minister also directed that FIR should be lodged by Forest Department against all the encroachers and trespassers for initiation of action as per law including for violation of relevant and forest laws. Hussain said that demarcation of forest and ridge land is going on in various villages by teams of Revenue and Forest Department officers. The minister also directed Forest Department to develop city forests at various locations after taking over the forest land post demarcation. The government may also consider handing over forest land for its better protection and conservation to Indian Army's Eco Task Force which is already assisting in protection and conservation of forest land in Delhi. The minister said similar surprise inspections will be carried out in other forest areas to check proper conservation and protection of forest land. Kejriwal in his tweet said, "The government is working towards eliminating mafias from every sector. Now Delhi has an honest government. The mafias were functioning in collusion with BJP and Congress governments." The minister was accompanied by local MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Delhi and other senior officers of the and Forest Department. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Residents of Jammu Tuesday thronged markets to buy essential commodities as authorities here relaxed curfew in a phased manner in the winter capital, where it was imposed on Friday following widespread anti-Pakistan protests and sporadic incidents of violence over the Pulwama terror attack. Jammu District Magistrate Ramesh Kumar initially ordered relaxation of curfew in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of Nawabad police station, Jammu city and Peer Mitha from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm, followed by relaxation in the areas of bus stand police station, Pacca Danga, Bakshi Nagar and Janipur from 3pm to 5 pm. Later, the curfew was relaxed in the entire south Jammu from 3.30 pm to 7 pm. "The relaxation was given in view of the improvement in the situation which remains well under control. There was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere," Kumar told reporters here. However, he said prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC remained in force in the entire city as a precautionary measure and nobody would be allowed to gather or take out processions. All wine shops and bars would remain closed in the entire district till further orders, he said. The district magistrate said the situation is returning to normal and a decision to lift the curfew and restore mobile internet services would be taken after review of the situation, especially during the night. Soon after policemen deployed in the curfew-bound areas announced relaxation through the public address system, people heaved a sigh of relief and thronged markets to buy essential commodities. Long queues of customers were witnessed at petrol pumps, domestic gas outlets, vegetable and wholesale markets and people were seen buying items of daily use. "The response of the people is good and wherever there was shortage of essential commodities clear cut directions have been given to meet the demand of the people. The ATMs were made functional and gas cylinders and ration were also made available so that the people could not face any problem," Kumar said. He asked people not to pay heed to the rumours and said strict action was being taken against rumour mongers. "The cyber cell of police is performing its duties and people (spreading rumours or inciting hatred by their posts on social media) have been identified. An investigation is underway and some arrests have also been made," Kumar said. "Nobody will be allowed to misuse social media and harm communal harmony," he said. Ajay Kumar, a resident of old city, said the relaxation came as a great relief as the people faced a lot of problems due to the continued curfew over the past four days. "We were running short of essential commodities and could not provide milk to the children," he said while buying fresh vegetables at a market. Kishore Sharma, another local resident, prayed for early restoration of peace and said, "Jammuites are living in communal harmony and does not believe in violence." However, he said the recent terror attack in Kashmir was the most brutal act and demanded appropriate action against the perpetrators of the incident. In another development, the Jammu University announced postponement of all examinations till February 21 in view of the prevailing situation. Advisors to Governor Satya Pal Malik met him at the Raj Bhavan Monday evening and briefed him on the prevailing law and order situation in the aftermath of the Pulwama incident. The governor discussed with advisors issues related to effective maintenance of law and order and directed them that no anti-social element should be allowed to disturb peace and harmony in the state. He also directed availability of essential commodities, medicines etc. be ensured by the administration. "All the examinations of the university of Jammu scheduled to be held on February 19, 20 and 21 stand postponed due to unavoidable circumstances," varsity spokesperson Vinay Thusoo said. He said fresh dates for conducting the postponed exams would be notified later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stating that the CPI(M) never promoted violence, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday asserted that it had no role in the recent killings of two Youth Congress activists in Kasaragod, even as the Left party demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Talking to reporters at the secretariat here, he said the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had already directed the state police to take stringent action against the accused and bring them before law at the earliest. If any CPI(M) activist was found to be involved in the crime, they would never get the party's backing, Vijayan said, adding that they would not only have to face legal action, but also stern party action. "The CPI(M) has never promoted violence. It is a party which had to face violence on several occasions and there was no need for it to conspire the murder of the Youth Congress workers," he said, replying to a reporter's question over the issue. "At a time when the CPI(M) is organising party yatras ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will anyone with minimum political literacy indulge in such a crime?," Vijayan asked. The chief minister's remarks came at a time when the ruling party is facing the heat over the killings of Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21), the Youth Congress activists who were waylaid and attacked while returning home after attending a function at Periya in Kasaragod on Sunday night. Opposition Congress and BJP have alleged that the killings were executed with the knowledge and support of the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist). Meanwhile, state CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan reiterated on Tuesday that his party had no knowledge about the twin killings. "Whoever be the accused, they should be brought before the law. We do not endorse the of killings," he said in Kollam. Rejecting the claims of Vijayan and Balakrishnan, state Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the gruesome incident. "We do not trust the ongoing police investigation and demand a CBI probe into the killing of our activists," he said, adding that not only those who had executed the killings, but the conspirators should also be brought before law. Three Youth Congress workers had lost their lives in the last one year due to political rivalry, Kuriakose noted. Demanding a comprehensive and judicious probe, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ramesh Chennithala visited Governor P Sathasivam at the Raj Bhavan here. The Congress leader later told reporters that the governor assured him that he would seek a report from the LDF government regarding the incident. Meanwhile, the police are continuing with the interrogation of those taken into custody in connection with the incident. Two persons were taken into custody on Monday. Two motorcycles, suspected to have been used by those responsible for the brutal attacks on the Youth Congress workers, were also seized. Normal life was affected and incidents of violence were reported from various places during a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Youth Congress in Kerala on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a setback to the ruling CPI(M), its local leader A Peethambaran was arrested Tuesday in connection with the killing of two Youth Congress activists in Kasaragod district, as the Governor sought an urgent report from the state government on the status of the police probe. Soon after Peethambaran's arrest was recorded by police, Kasaragod district committee expelled him from the party following directions from the state committee, a CPI(M) statement said Wednesday night. Stating that the CPI(M) never promoted violence, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the party state leadership had earlier said it had no role in the killings. The accused had instigated the killings of Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21) on Sunday night, district police superintendent A Srinivas told reporters in Kasaragod. He would be produced before the court on Wednesday, Srinivas said, adding that the interrogation of six others, who were taken into custody, was going on. State Governor P Sathasivam Tuesday sought an urgent report from the Chief Minister on the status of the police probe into the incident. Opposition Leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala met the governor in Thiruvanathapuram and briefed him about the issue,a release from the governor's office said. Chennithala had informed the governor that the families of the victims were under utmost grief due to their personal loss and delay in arresting culprits. As Congress continued its attack on the ruling CPI(M), Vijayan said the party had never promoted violence and had no role in the killings. If any CPI(M) activist was found to be involved in the crime, they would never get the party's backing, Vijayan said, adding that they would not only have to face legal action, but also stern party action. "The CPI(M) has never promoted violence. It is a party which had to face violence on several occasions and there was no need for it to conspire the murder of the Youth Congress workers," he said, replying to a reporter's question over the issue in Thiruvananthapuram. Kripesh and Sarath Lal, in their early twenties, were waylaid and attacked while returning home after attending a function at Periya in Kasaragod district on Sunday night. The opposition Congress and BJP have alleged that the killings were executed with the knowledge and support of the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist). State CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also reiterated Tuesday that his party had no knowledge about the twin killings and does not endorse the of killings. Rejecting the claims of Vijayan and Balakrishnan, state Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose demanded a probe by the CBI into the gruesome incident. "We do not trust the ongoing police investigation and demand a CBI probe into the killing of our activists," he said, adding not only those who had executed the killings, but the conspirators should also be brought before law. Three Youth Congress workers had lost their lives in the last one year due to political rivalry, Kuriakose said. Normal life was affected and incidents of violence were reported from various places during a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Youth Congress in Kerala on Monday. Following the killings, senior congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has cancelled the wedding reception of his son Dr Rohith, which was scheduled to be held in Thiruvanathapuram and Haripad on February 21 and 23 respectively. The amount would be used for conducting the marriage of Kripesh's sister, the congress leader said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Criteo officially announced the appointment of Kenneth Pao, Executive Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, to lead one of the fastest-growing regions for the company. Pao will provide strategic direction and further accelerate the growth of Criteos business in the Asia-Pacific region, whose current portfolio of customers include Yahoo! JAPAN, Coupang, LFmall, THE ICONIC, The Good Guys, ZALORA, TIKI, Sendo.vn, Tata CLIQ and NYKAA etc. Based in Tokyo, Pao will oversee Criteos key operations in Australia, China, Japan, India, Singapore and South Korea. He will work closely with his regional leadership team to drive new business development and strengthen Criteos existing advertiser and partner relationships. Criteo also has customers in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam etc. Gregory Gazagne, Executive Vice President, Global Revenue & Operations, Criteo, said, With his proven track record in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically Japan and Greater China, Kenneth brings more than nine years of leadership experience within the retail and advertising technology industry. We are excited to have him on board, where he will advance Criteos vision to be the platform of choice for the open internet across this dynamic region. The artificial intelligence market is set to grow to $136 billion by 2025 in Asia-Pacific. Omni-channel customers in the region generate 27 percent of sales despite only representing 7 percent of all customers. These trends are transforming how digital businesses operate and engage with end-users across Asia-Pacific. We continue to see untapped growth potential. Thus, our goal is to provide retailers, brands, and publishers of all sizes with the data and technology they need to best serve their customers. Through its commitment to R&D and laser-focus on developing high-performance solutions, Criteo can spearhead new developments in this space. I look forward to working with some of the best talents in the industry, said Pao. Pao joins Criteo after almost seven years at Videology Group, a software provider for digital video and TV advertising. He was the APAC Managing Director and then the Chief Revenue and Operations Officer, where he drove business growth by building new revenue streams and value propositions for new and existing clients. Prior to Videology, Pao was also a Co-Founder and Board Member at Willem-Aidan and Co-CEO of Retail and Direct Distribution at Esquel Group. In Q4 2018, Criteo ended the quarter with over 19,500 commerce and brand clients. This was a 7 percent increase from 2018s, with close to 90 percent client retention rate. Its app business grew 54 percent year-over-year globally. In Fiscal Year 2018, Criteos APAC revenue increased by 6 percent year-over-year, to $223 million, accounting for 23 percent of the companys total revenue. @Technuter.com News Service The opposition Congress and BJP extended their support to the state's leading farmers outfit call for a 12-hour Odisha bandh on February 21. The Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) has given the call for the bandh demanding proper minimum support rice on paddy, pension and prestige for the farmers. Odisha Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik Tuesday announced his party's support to the NNKS's bandh call. "Farmers are our top priority," Patnaik said. BJP Odisha unit president Basant Panda said the saffron party will extend support to NNKS, which has been demanding pension and proper price of the agricultural produce. Panda on Monday said: "The farmers have rights to express their opinion and protest in a democracy. The state government has time and again tried to throttle their voice. We will protest the anti-farmer policies of the state government." Meanwhile, the NNKS convenor Akshya Kumar told PTI Tuesday that the outfit has rejected the state government's appeal to refrain from organising a 12-hour bandh on February 21 in view of the annual high school examination. "We have given a 12-hour bandh call on Thursday. The government's plea is aimed to foil our agitation. The NNKS is sensitive towards the examination and therefore vehicles carrying examination related materials will not be detained," Kumar said. The state government in an appeal to the agitating farmers body had requested it to refrain from the bandh in view of the annual high school certification examination. The NNKS said it was "forced" to call a Odisha bandh after the state government ignored their "genuine" demands like price, pension and prestige for farmers. They have been demanding proper minimum support price (MSP) on paddy and other agricultural produces. As question and answer sheets will be transported to different places on February 21, the bandh may affect the examination process, the government said requesting the NNKS to refrain from its bandh in the interest of six lakh students who will appear in the examination. Kumar, however, said that they will not halt the vehicles carrying examination related papers. "As such our bandh will be observed during the day time and they can transport the examination materials after 6 pm," he said. The CPI(Maoist) have also supported the NNKS's bandh call. The police have recovered banners at Baliguda in Kandhamal district where, the Maoists appealed to the people to support the NNKS bandh call and termed the state's BJD government as "anti-farmer." Odisha's Finance minister S B Behera, who also heads a ministerial panel to deal with agitating farmers, said: "The opposition parties dont have any other issue to raise. Odisha government is trying to fulfill the demands of the farmers and the bandh call given by NNKS will cause inconvenience for the students appearing in the matriculation exam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Tuesday urged restraint by India and Pakistan amid escalating tensions over the and called on both the countries to peacefully resolve their issues through dialogue as soon as possible. On February 14, at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys for "consultations". India on Friday announced the withdrawal of the Most Favoured Nation status for Pakistan and hiked the customs duty by 200 per cent on goods originating from the neigbouring country. "Pakistan and India are both important countries in South Asia. A stable bilateral relationship between the two is essential to the peace and stability in the region," Geng Shuang, spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry told a media briefing when asked about the tensions between the two countries following the Pulwama attack. "South Asia has maintained an overall stability which should be cherished and upheld by all sides. China hopes that Pakistan and India will exercise restraint, engage in dialogue and realise the soft landing of the relevant issues as soon as possible," he said. To another question about Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signing USD 20 billion agreement for Saudi investments in Pakistan during the just concluded visit of Saudi crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman, Geng said, "China is glad to see Pakistan having friendly exchanges and cooperation with other countries including Saudi Arabia". On the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Geng said, "It will help with connectivity and shared development. China is ready to on the basis of consultation and consensus with Pakistan have a third party cooperation." "The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a pilot project under the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative). It is committed to consultation and collaboration for shared benefits and when foreign minister Wang Yi visited Pakistan the two sides agreed to third party cooperation under this framework. The Union Cabinet Tuesday increased the dearness allowance (DA) by 3 per cent effective from January 1, 2019, to "compensate" for price rise, a move which will benefit 1.1 crore central government employees and pensioners. The decision in this regard was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Cabinet has approved an additional DA of 3 per cent over the existing rate of 9 per cent to government employees and dearness relief (DR) to pensioners from January 1, 2019, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. The hike will benefit about 48.41 lakh central government employees and 62.03 lakh pensioners. This increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission. Jaitley further said the combined impact on the exchequer on account of both DA and DR would be Rs 9,168.12 crore per annum and Rs 10,696.14 crore in 2019-20 (for a period of 14 months from January 2019 to February 2020). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday invoked Sant Ravidas, a mystic poet of the Bhakti Movement, on his birth anniversary to urge people to end caste discrimination and identify those who promote it for "self interest". Modi said caste discrimination is an impediment in achieving social harmony. "Guruji (Sant Ravidas) had said that there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste. Till caste discrimination is there, people cannot connect with each other, social harmony is not possible and equality cannot be ensured," the prime minister said. "Identify those who for their self-interest, create caste discrimination and promote it," he asked people, without taking any names. The prime minister was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of Ravidas Janmasthali area development project in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency. Sant Ravidas belonged to the Bhakti Movement of the 15th and 16th century. Born in Varanasi, his hyms and poems often revolved around his low social position. His devotional songs were also included in Sikh scriptures. Praising Ravidas, Modi said, "He dreamt of a society where all are taken care of. We have tried to follow this tenet during the past 4.5 years with 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas'" (together, development for all). "My government focussed on panchdharma: education, income, medicine, irrigation and addressing public grievances," he said, "irrespective of caste, creed and other factors." "Unfortunately, caste discrimination could not be removed till now. The New India will witness this change with help of youth," he said, referring to his vision of the country in the 21st Century. At the Diesel Locomotives Works in Varanasi, Modi also flagged off the first electric locomotive converted from a diesel engine in the country. He also inspected it from inside. The work on the project began on December 22, 2017, railway officials said. Modi said honesty leads to happiness; "We tried to follow this (idea)" and acted against 'benami' properties and blackmoney. "'Chalta hai' mentality had crept in, my government tried to change it," he asserted. On his second visit to his Lok Sabha constituency within a month, the prime minister also detailed the development and welfare works his government had undertaken. He cited government schemes to provide free LPG gas cylinders and power connections, insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually under the ambitious Ayushman Bharat and guarantee-free loans under Mudra Yojana. Modi also mentioned the rebate being provided to individual taxpayers for income up to Rs 5 lakh in the Interim Budget, saying, "Those who looted public money are being brought to book and honest people are being honoured". Before Modi's address, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had praised him and called him "kashi putra" (son of Varanasi). He said the prime minister ensured development projects are undertaken across the country without discrimination. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) California's attorney general says at least a dozen states will join a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's emergency declaration to fund a wall on the US-Mexico border. Xavier Becerra told MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports" he planned to file California's lawsuit on Monday. He didn't specify which other states would join, but officials in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada announced that they would challenge Trump. Becerra says there is no emergency at the border and Trump doesn't have the authority to make the declaration. Trump declared a national emergency to fulfill his promise of completing the wall. The move allows the president to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets. California has repeatedly challenged Trump in court. Becerra has filed at least 45 lawsuits against the administration. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Budget session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly will be held from March 8 to March 22, officials said on Tuesday. Governor Tathagata Roy will address the first day of the session, they said. "The Business Advisory Committee of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly today finalised the calendar for the budget session 2019. The Budget Session will commence from March 8 to 22, excluding holidays, Assembly commissioner and secretary Andrew Simons said. There will be 10 working days of which eight have been allotted for government business and two days for private members business. The Governor will address the House on March 8 and the budget will be passed on March 22, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The president of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Juncker will host British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday for talks on the Brexit crisis. Juncker's spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters that the pair would meet at the European Union's headquarters at 6:30pm (1730 GMT). The Tuesday came a day after Britain's minister for Brexit talks Stephen Barclay and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox met EU negotiator Michel Barnier. Barclay's office said they had "held a productive meeting... on resolving the outstanding issue of the backstop," holding up a divorce deal. The backstop is a clause in the withdrawal arrangement that keeps Britain in the EU customs union until a way is found to ensure there is no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. May hopes that if Cox is able to tell British MPs that the backstop would not be permanent under an updated deal it might pass a sceptical House of Commons. But the EU spokesman reiterated that the other 27 EU member states will not renegotiate the divorce accord, which they signed with May in November. "We cannot accept a time limit to the backstop or a unilateral exit clause," Schinas said. "Further talks will be held within the week to see whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the UK parliament and respect the guidelines of the 27," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy on Tuesday supported a call for a boycott of "everything Kashmiri", including the Amarnath Yatra and purchasing products from the state. Roy, who describes himself as a right-wing Hindu socio-political thinker, writer, ideologue on Twitter, went on the microblogging site to air his views. "An appeal from a retired colonel of the Indian Army: Don't visit Kashmir, don't go to Amarnath for the next 2 years. Don't buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri. I am inclined to agree," he tweeted. The BJP leader turned governor also referred to the Pakistan Army "who are handling the Kashmiri separatists" and its role in "East Pakistan", mentioning war crimes like slaughter and rape. "... And they would have kept East Pakistan but for the whacking from India," Roy tweeted. "I am not suggesting that we go that far. But at least some distance?" he wrote. Roy's comments come in the wake of the February 14 terror attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and the BJP Tuesday sealed an alliance for the coming Lok Sabha elections under which the saffron party would contest five of the 39 seats in the state. The announcement was made by AIADMK coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and Union Minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal, party election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, with both describing it as a "mega alliance and a victorious coalition". The coming Lok Sabha polls is the first major electoral battle for the AIADMK after the demise of its charismatic leader J Jayalalithaa in December, 2016. Goyal expressed confidence that the alliance would win all 40 seats, including the lone constituency in neighbouring union territory of Puducherry, "as a mark of respect to late Jayalalithaaji, the honourable Amma." The pact was reached after the second and final round of discussions held here by leaders of the two parties that also involved Chief Minister K Palaniswami. "I am extremely delighted that today the AIADMK and the BJP have concluded very fruitful discussions and we have agreed to contest the Parliament elections both in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and the bypolls to 21 assembly seats together in alliance," Goyal told a crowded press conference. The alliance would be under AIADMK in Tamil Nadu while at the national level the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will steer the NDA coalition, he said. Panneerselvam said: "It was decided to face the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry by forging a mega, victorious alliance. I am happy to announce that the BJP has been allotted five Lok Sabha seats under the poll pact." He said the BJP would extend its full support to the AIADMK in the bypolls expected to the 21 constituencies as part of the agreement. The AIADMK-BJP alliance was firmed up hours after the Dravidian party clinched a deal with the Paatali Makkal Katchi, alloting seven seats to it. PMK has a significant clout in northern and western parts of the state where the dominant most backward Vanniyar community forms its key support base. It was not clear yet how many seats the AIADMK would contest as some more parties, including DMDK of actor-turned politician Vijaykant, were likely to be included in the alliance. The tie-up with BJP and PMK is for both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Panneerselvam said. The details about the constituencies to be alloted to the alliance partners would be announced later, the AIADMK said. Besides Goyal, Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan were among those who represented the party in the talks with the AIADMK's five-member seat sharing committee led by senior leader K P Munusamy at a star hotel here. Palaniswami, co-coordinator of AIADMK, and Panneerselvam joined the negotiations and finalised the deal. The first round of talks were held on Feb 14. In the 2014 parliament elections, AIADMK under the leadership of Jayalalithaa had won 37 out of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu contesting alone. BJP had faced the elections heading a seven-party rainbow coalition of regional parties, including PMK and MDMK of Vaiko, but the combine managed to win only two seats. BJP's Pon Radhakrishnan was elected from Kanyakumari in southern Tamil Nadu while former union health minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss emerged winner from Dharmapuri, in western region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Yoga guru Baba Ramdev said Tuesday that in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, India should "fight a war" against Pakistan to teach it a lesson. He also said India should extend all kind of help to the separatist movement in Balochistan, a southwestern province of Pakistan. "A befitting reply has to be given to Pakistan and terrorists. First of all, we have to break Pakistan into three pieces," he said. As many as 40 CRPF jawans were killed in Pulwama in South Kashmir on February 14 in a suicide bombing attack, owned up by Pak-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed. India has lost "over 50,000 soldiers and civilians" so far due to the nefarious activities of Pakistan, Ramdev said, adding, "Now we have to teach a lesson to Pakistan. We must fight a war. Instead of suffering every day, it's better to fight a war and teach Pakistan such a lesson that it can not dare to stand for the next fifty years." The Yoga guru was speaking to reporters after the launch of a Patanjali apparel store, a venture of his Patanjali group, here. "India should support financially and politically those who are fighting for freedom in Balochistan and help them with weapons. India should help them in every way to liberate Balochistan," he said. "The Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir should be merged into India. All the terrorist camps being operated from PoK should be destroyed," Ramdev added. "Moreover, India should support rebels in Pakistan to launch a rebellion in that country so that it can be destroyed completely. Until then, Pakistan will not stop its nefarious activities," he said. Ramdev also reiterated that construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya was not a political issue but it was something linked to the nation's pride. "I would say to the Muslims that they should come forward and say that a Ram temple should be built because Lord Ram is their ancestor too," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senator Bernie Sanders, who announced his presidential bid Tuesday, has already missed his chance to enter the White House, President Donald Trump said even though he wished him well. "Bernie Sanders is running. Yeah, that's right. Personally, I think he missed his time," Trump told reporters at the White House hours after the US Senator from Vermont announced his second presidential bid. In 2016, he had lost the Democratic presidential primaries to Hillary Clinton. Trump said he likes Bernie Sanders because of his views on trade. "I like Bernie because he is one person that, you know, on trade, he sort of would agree on trade. I'm being very tough on trade. He was tough on trade. The problem is he doesn't know what to do about it. We're doing something very spectacular on trade," he said. Wishing Sanders well, Trump said it will be interesting to see how he does. "I think what happened to Bernie maybe was not so nice. I think he was taken advantage of. He ran great four years ago, and he was not treated with respect by Clinton. That was too bad. I thought what happened to Bernie Sanders four years ago was quite sad as it pertains to our country. So we'll see how he does," he said. So far, about a dozen Democratic candidates have entered the race to the White House. The next presidential elections are scheduled to be held in November 2020. Indian American Senator from California Kamala Harris is currently in lead among other Democratic presidential aspirants. Former US Vice President Joe Biden is also likely to enter the race soon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Tuesday expressed happiness that Chief Minister V Narayanasamy ended his 'dharna' after discussing with her the issues he had raised, including increasing assistance under old age and widow pension schemes. The former IPS officer, who met Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues on Monday, said, "The meeting helped clarify and consolidate issues." "I am happy Puducherry government will return to work and so will the road to Raj Nivas will be open for visitors to come to her office," she said in a WhatsApp message to the media. Narayanasamy had been staging a dharna outside Raj Nivas for six days against what he said was Bedi's reluctance to approve his welfare schemes and administrative orders. He had written a letter, dated February 7, to Bedi mentioning his demands and the issues. The meeting to iron out the differences between the two sides last for four and a half hours on Monday. Outside the lt governor's residence after the meeting, Narayanasamy told reporters his protest has been called off. The jail bharo and fast programmes slated for February 20 and 21 have also been suspended, he said. "We have achieved a partial success in our representation to Kiran Bedi on various issues," the chief minister said. A number of leaders, including DMK leader M K Stalin from the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had called on Narayanasamy at the protest site. During the protest, the road leading to Raj Nivas was cordoned off and iron barricades were erected. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The death of a farmer under mysterious circumstances in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh has sparked a row with opposition parties Tuesday alleging police torture as the reason and BJP dashing off a letter to the Centre seeking a probe. Guntur district SP Rajasekhar Babu, however, said the farmer Pittala Koteswara Rao alias Kotaiah committed suicide by consuming pesticide on Monday. He denied police tortured the farmer as being alleged by opposition parties. The Chief Minister's Office did not react to the controversy but the Telugu Desam Party in a posting on social media said the farmer ended his life because of "family disputes." The Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs five lakh to the bereaved family. In a strongly-worded tweet, YSR Congress president and leader of opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy alleged that the farmer was badly beaten. He also alleged that the farmer's papaya field was destroyed to enable the chief minister's helicopter landing in the area. The YSRC set up a fact-finding committee, headed by leader of opposition in the Legislative Council, Ummareddy Venkateswarlu, to probe the incident. BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana, on the other hand, wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, requesting that an inquiry be ordered and justice done to the farmers family. The BJP and YSR Congress alleged the farmer was badly beaten up by police when he objected to the destruction of his papaya crop in two acres for building a helipad for the Chief Minister, who visited Kondaveedu village Monday afternoon to attend a cultural event. The beating led to the farmer's death, they alleged. The District SP, however, claimed the farmer consumed pesticide "four hours ahead" of the Chief Minister's scheduled visit. "On information given by his son, we shifted Kotaiah to hospital but he died. Reason for his suicide will be established in the investigation," the SP told reporters at Guntur Tuesday. The SP also said a police control room was set up in the farmers field after obtaining his permission. The state BJP president, in his letter to the Union Home Minister, alleged that police poured pesticide into the farmers mouth to cover-up their illegal act and project it as suicide. "The police did not even allow the farmer, battling for life, to be taken to hospital citing the Chief Ministers movement. He died in the melee," he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) ended their six-day-old agitation here to protest against the booking of 14 students under sedition charges, after a meeting between varsity administration, district officials and leaders of the students' union. The dharna ended midnight on Monday after the agitating students were assured by the district authorities that no vindictive action would be taken against any student in the meeting that took place at the residence of AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor. Fourteen AMU students, including their union chief, were booked under sedition charges after violence broke out between two student groups on the campus on February 12 over reports of a planned visit by AIMIM lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi. The protest intensified on Monday after the arrest of a student from the university campus on Sunday night. AMU spokesman Professor Shafey Qidwai said, "The protesting students have agreed to end their dharna after the district authorities gave an assurance that no vindictive action will be taken against any student and justice will be meted out after carefully scrutinising all allegations as per the law." Qidwai said that the campus atmosphere was expected to "rapidly normalise". District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh told reporters, "We have given an assurance that no innocent student would be harassed. Further action including arrest of those named in the FIRs would only be taken after a thorough inquiry." Leaders of the AMU students union, while addressing the protestors on Monday afternoon gave a call for a 'jail bharo andolan' urging the students to court arrest in protest against the manner in which AMU students had been unfairly booked under stringent sections including sedition. President of AMU students union Salman Imtiaz told reporters, "We have written to the President, who is also the university's Visitor asking him to intervene in this grave crisis." "We are anguished over the fact that whereas fourteen of our students were charged with sedition our FIRs were not even registered," he added. The AMU Vice Chancellor welcomed the students' decision to call off the agitation and urged them to restore the peaceful atmosphere on the campus as the country was passing through a "difficult phase" following the threat to its national security which "stems from the despicable terrorist attack in Pulwama". In an open letter to the student community and their parents, Mansoor wrote, "The AMU has always stood with the nation in its darkest hours and we will continue to do so... Students should display exemplary behavior at this critical juncture." "Let us be ready to pay our debt to the nation in blood," he said in the letter, being sent to every hostel room in the university and the parents of all students. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday laid foundation stones for three projects to supply canal water to 409 villages in the adjoining districts of Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib. Singh also inaugurated a sewerage project for a cluster of 10 villages near Bahadurgarh in Patiala district, where excess fluoride in water is causing skeletal and dental fluorosis, an official release said. Speaking on the occasion at Mandoli here, the chief minister appealed to the people to use the depleting groundwater reserves judiciously and not to waste the precious resource. "We will not leave anything for our future generations if we don't care for our water," he warned, describing the groundwater reserves in Punjab as "precarious". Singh said the state government would not allow its water to be shared with other states. He said the entire state was facing an acute drinking water crisis, which has only aggravated over the years. While the three surface water projects and a sewerage project carries an investment of Rs 520 crore, the potable drinking water scheme, covering a rural population of over 5.28 lakh, has been launched at a cost of Rs 475 crore and the sewerage project at Bahadurgarh is worth Rs 45 crore. He said the condition of poor farmers was pitiable as they were even unable to install big motors. The chief minister said his government was doing everything possible to help out such farmers through its farm debt waiver and other schemes. He said the projects for which he laid foundation stones were part of his government's ambitious programme to provide clear surface water to the people of the state. Singh said it was not correct to link these projects, meant for the welfare of the citizens, with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The canal water project is being executed with financial assistance from NABARD. The sewerage project is aimed at addressing the health problems resulting from lack of proper draining of sewage. A lateral sewerage line of 83.88 km will be laid under this project and the estimated cost of it is Rs 45.21 crore. After the completion of this project, 5,394 households with a population of 32,361 of the 10 villages will get eco-friendly sanitation facilities, the release said. Former Union Minister Preneet Kaur also spoke on the occasion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stealing a march over arch rival DMK, the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Tuesday cobbled an alliance with the BJP and the PMK for the Lok Sabha elections, describing it as a "mega and victorious" combine amid indications some more parties are set to be roped in. As per the understandings reached separately, BJP and PMK would contest five and seven seats respectively out of the total 39 Lok Sabha constituencies at stake in the state, AIADMK Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam announced on a day of fast paced political developments. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, the BJP election-incharge for Tamil Nadu who led the saffron party in the negotiations, said the alliance would sweep all 40 seats in the state and Puducherry "as a mark of reverence to late chief minister Jayalalithaa." The alliance would be under AIADMK in Tamil Nadu while at the national level the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will steer the NDA coalition, he told reporters. While the number of segments to be fought by the AIADMK will be known later after other allies are allotted their share, the Paatali Makkal Katchi will also get one Rajya Sabha seat this year. The DMK-led opposition camp which includes Congress and the IUML is yet to conclude seat sharing and firm up the alliance with outfits including the VCK and MDMK, described as "friendly parties," by it. The PMK, which gave up its earlier policy of not aligning with either of the major Dravidian parties in the state, had held discreet talks with DMK as well, but in the end the AIADMK managed to woo it. The coming Lok Sabha polls is the first major electoral battle for the AIADMK after the demise of its charismatic leader Jayalalithaa in December, 2016. For the DMK too, it would be the first key poll battle after the death of its patriarch M Karunanidhi in August last year. DMK described the alliance between the PMK and AIADMK as "nothing for the sake of the country or people," but "worried about money." The AIADMK-led alliance which is likely to include Vijayakanth-led DMDK, will fight the Parliamentary elections in both Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry, which has a lone Lok Sabha seat, together. Besides, both the BJP and PMK will lend their support to the AIADMK in cruciual bypolls expected to 21 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK-BJP alliance was firmed up hours after the Dravidian party clinched the deal with the PMK. The announcements on the poll deals were made by Panneerselvam in the presence of Chief Minister K Palaniswami and leaders of the PMK and BJP separately at a star hotel here following conclusion of the parelys. "It was decided to face the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry by forging a mega, victorious alliance," Panneerselvam told a large gathering of media persons out side the hotel. PMK founder leader S Ramadoss described the coalition as "an alliance for people's welfare, a mega coalition and a victorious alliance." "To retrieve the rights of Tamil Nadu people, we have put forth a 10-point charter of demands," he said. Declaring Cauvery delta districts as a protected farm zone, holding a caste wise census in Tamil Nadu and releasing the seven Rajiv case convicts were among the demands, he said. "This coalition will be successful in all the 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," he said. PMK has a significant clout in northern and western parts of the state where the dominant most backward Vanniyar community forms its key support base. Goyal said: "I am extremely delighted that today the AIADMK and the BJP have concluded very fruitful discussions and we have agreed to contest the Parliament elections both in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and the bypolls to 21 assembly seats together in alliance." The seat sharing talks was led by Goyal from the BJP side in which party's state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan also took part while Panneerselvam and Palaniswami along with others represented the AIADMK. Earlier, Ramadoss, his son Anbumani Ramadoss and other senior PMK leaders held talks with the AIADMK team. Later in the day, Goyal called on DMDK chief Vijayakanth, who recently returned from USA after medical treatment, at the latter's residence and described the meeting as "beyond " The Railway Minister said he conveyed Modi's best wishes for him for a good health and long life to serve the people. In 2014, the BJP had led a rainbow coaliton of seven parties in Tamil Nadu. Both the BJP and PMK fought eight seats and won one each (BJP-Kanyakumari and PMK-Dharmapuri). The DMDK contested from 14 seats, Vaiko-led MDMK from seven and the Indiya Jananayaga Katchi and Kongu Makkal Desiya Katchi one each and all of them drew a blank. The AIADMK won 37 out of 39 seats under the leadership of Jayalalithaa who then went to the people with the slogan of "Tamil Nadu's lady is better than Gujarat's Modi." Neither the DMK which had led a four-party alliance, nor the Congress, which contested the polls alone, managed to win a single seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A four-day Agricultural Science Congress that aims to deliberate on doubling farmers income by 2022 with a spotlight on transformation through farm innovation will commence Wednesday in the national capital. Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh will inaugurate the event being organised by the National Academy of Agricultural Science (NASS), Indian Council of Agriculture Research(ICAR) and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) here at Pusa complex. "The theme of the Congress is 'Innovations for Agricultural Transformation' which is highly topical at the juncture when the government is making all efforts to lessen the agrarian crisis and improve welfare of farmers through enhancing income," NASS President Panjab Singh told reporters. The Congress provides a single platform for agri-scientific community to discuss the problems and plan out a new strategy at a time when the prime minister has given a target of doubling farmers' income by 2022, said ICAR Director General Trilochan Mohapatra. "We have to increase the production of crops and animals. We also have to use our natural resources efficiently. This has to be done despite the challenge of climate change and still ensure better returns to the farmers," he said. The Congress, organised once every two years, will showcase agriculture not only as the main source of employment and livelihood security for nearly 50 per cent of the country's population, but also as a business opportunity, service provider, industry and ecosystem protector. Reflecting on the journey from green revolution to gene revolution, the Congress will underpin the need for innovation to drive congruent acceleration of productivity, profitablility, sustainability and inclusivity. About 2,000 delegates from 17 countries are expected to attend the event that will end on February 23. A convention hall will also be unveiled on the occassion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 12th edition of Asia'spremier Air show 'Aero India-2019' will begin at Yelahanka air force station here on Wednesday with 61 metal birds, including HAL's indigenous products Light Combat Aircraft Tejas all set to roar in the city skies. The five-day long biennial event, which will showcase India's air defence prowess, will alsoact as a platform for aviation companies, the defence sector and government to forge new alliances and contracts. The tragic death of a pilot from IAF's aerobatic team Surya Kiran during a rehersal earlier on Tuesday has cast its shadow on the show. This edition of Aero India was marked by controversy with reports about it being shifted to Uttar Pradesh,which had taken a political colour, as the Congress-JD(S)led government in the state had hit out at the BJP led Centre against the alleged move. Besideds the Tejas, the HTT-40 (Basic Trainer Aircraft), first indigenously upgraded Hawk Mk132- named as Hawk-i, Civil Do-228, Advanced Light Helicopter (Rudra), Light Utility Helicopter (LUH),Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) are scheduled to fly in the air show. Also, aerobatic teams like India's Sarang (ALH-Dhruv) and UK-based Yakovlevs are expected to enthrall the audience. On static display will be HAL's Light UtilityHelicopter (PT-1), Light Combat Helicopter (TD-2), Advanced Light Helicopter (Rudra) and ALH MICU (Medical Intensive CareUnit). The Sukhoi SU-30, Rafale, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Super Hornet and the mighty B-52 Stratofortress bomber will be part of the air show. The Aero India official website said a total of 61 aircraft would be on display and 403 exhibitors would be part of the show. CEO's round table, drone Olympics, startup manthan and women's day (to celebrate women achievers) will be some of the highlights of Aero India-2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri Tuesday hit out at the Delhi government and said the AAP dispensation has been a "stumbling block" in regularisation of unauthorised colonies in the national capital. The Union housing and urban affairs minister said the Delhi government adopts one position in public, but takes a complete opposite stand when it comes to doing something. "I am deeply pained to have to say to you... I find that elected representatives sometimes, you know who I am referring to, adopt one position in public to say... "We must reach out to the people because those are the vote bank and then, when it comes to doing something for them, they follow policy and take measures completely opposed to them," Puri said. He was speaking at a two-day international conference organised to discuss the 'Master Plan for Delhi-2041'. The event witnessed detailed deliberations on 'MPD- 2041' on a range of issues. Last week, Puri had written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the whole process of regularising unauthorised colonies in Delhi was stalled due to "apathy and inaction" of the AAP government, which vehemently rejected his claim. At the event, the Union minister claimed that the Delhi government has sought two more years to do mapping of these colonies required for their regularisation. In reference to his recent letter to Kejriwal over regularisation of unauthorised colonies, Puri said, "When we tried to do something for those people living in informal settlement, they (AAP government) have been a stumbling block. We did not accept that position, we are going ahead in any case..." There are over 1,650 unauthorised colonies in the national capital where migrant population plays a vital role in deciding the fate of any political party during elections. In the letter, Puri had said, "The Centre is keen to regularise all unauthorised colonies of Delhi which are covered under the regulations, but the whole process is stalled due to the apathy and inaction on the part of your government to finalise the boundaries after survey of these colonies." Responding to Puri's allegations, the Delhi government had said the contents of the letter are factually "misleading, incorrect and imaginary". "It is a well known fact that the central government does not like the existence of unauthorised colonies in Delhi and has been opposed to their regularisation. "The chief minister will be sending a detailed response rebutting all false allegations made in the letter, this week," the government had said in a statement issued on Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, the AAP Tuesday said it will hold a door-to-door campaign to tell people how the BJP had done "injustice" with them on the issue of full statehood to Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also said it will distribute BJP manifestoes of previous elections, including that of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, in which, it said, the saffron party had supported statehood. The BJP's Delhi unit, however, said the campaign was a "new drama" by the AAP and its chief Arvind Kejriwal. "The full statehood for Delhi has problems due to provisions in the Constitution which has been cleared by the court. But, AAP and Kejriwal are indulging in this new drama before elections to once again cheat the people," Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said Recently, in a major setback to the AAP government in Delhi, two judges of the Supreme Court agreed that the Centre should have the final word on posting and transfer of bureaucrats in the national capital administration, but their disagreement on finer details resulted in a split verdict and the matter got referred to a larger bench. The bench was called upon to decide on six vexatious issues pertaining to a long-running feud between the central and the national capital governments. "We will go door-to-door, telling people how BJP has done injustice with them on the issue of full statehood," Delhi AAP convener Gopal Rai said. The party will distribute manifestos of BJP issued in previous elections, in which it supported the demand for full statehood for Delhi, the AAP said. BJP's manifestos including the one for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, reveal the party supported full statehood. But, now, the Modi-Shah duo have gone against the dreams of party leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani for full statehood to Delhi," said an AAP statement. AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and Union minister Vijay Goel also clashed on the issues on twitter. Goel in a tweet accused the Kejriwal government of not fulfilling its promises with people, despite being in power for four years. Reacting sharply, Kejriwal asked Goel what happened to full statehood promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Modi ji had promised full statehood for Delhi. What happened to that? Sahib Singh and (Madan Lal) Khurana struggled for full statehood. Advani ji borught a law in the Parliament but Modi government cheated. "Modi government has shown so much disrespect and injustice to Delhiites in fourt years, people will reply to it," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. The AAP will launch the movement in coming days.Rai held meetings with district unit presidents to finalise the dates of the campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On July 1, more than 120 transitional kindergarten through eighth grade students will take part in the classes taught by six teachers at the newly opened Hermosa Vista School, according to Superintendent Jason Johnson. The Centre Tuesday told the Supreme Court that 938 persons are at present detained in six detention centres in Assam out of which 823 have been declared as foreigners by tribunals. The Centre was responding to the January 28 queries of the apex court which had asked the Centre and the state to provide the details of the functional detention centres in Assam and the foreigners detained there during the last 10 years. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that both the Centre and the state have filed their affidavits giving in details the information sought by the apex The Centre said Over 27,000 foreigners have pushed back at border points while attempting to enter India illegally. Solicitor General told the bench, also comprising Justice L N Rao and Sanjiv Khanna, that the Centre has allotted Rs 47 crores and Assam has provided land for building new detention centre with various facilities that will also cover the issues of human rights. He said a new detention centre will be ready by August 31. The hearing will continue after lunch. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre Tuesday told the Supreme Court that 938 people are detained in six detention centres in Assam and 823 of them have been declared as foreigners by tribunals. The Centre was responding to the January 28 queries of the apex court which had asked the Centre and the state to provide details of functional detention centres in Assam and the foreigners detained in them during the last 10 years. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that both the Centre and the state have filed their affidavits providing details sought by the apex court. The Centre said over 27,000 foreigners have been pushed back at border points while attempting to enter India illegally. Solicitor General told the bench, also comprising Justices L N Rao and Sanjiv Khanna, that the Centre has allotted Rs 47 crore and Assam has provided land for building a new detention centre with various facilities, keeping in mind issues covering human rights. He said the new detention centre will be ready by August 31. However, when Mehta was making his submissions the bench showered him with several questions. It also said that tribunal has declared only 52,000 as foreigners and the Centre has deported only 162. "How can people have confidence in Assam government?" the bench said. The bench also referred to the issue of NRC carried by the Assam government and said that only 40 lakh people were not included in it. It asked does this mean they are foreigners. The apex court further said that the problem of illegal migrants in Assam has been there for the last 50 years. "Why no steps taken to deport or repatriate them," it said. Mehta said all illegal migrants have to go and he would take instructions how to expedite repatriation. The apex court also sought to know condition of detention centres saying PIL alleges sub-human conditions there. Hearing will continue after lunch. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven islands in the Andamans and Lakshadweep have been identified for seaplane operations while private sector participation has been invited for tourism-based projects in the two archipelagos, the Home Ministry said Tuesday. The 5th meeting of the Island Development Agency (IDA), chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, also reviewed the progress made towards the program "Holistic development of islands". Four islands (Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, Hutbay and Long) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and three islands (Kavaratti, Agatti and Minicoy) in Lakshadweep have been identified for seaplane operations, a statement issued by the home ministry after the hour-long meeting said. Key infrastructure projects such as operationalisation of Diglipur airport for civilian aircraft and construction of a new airport in Minicoy Island have been accorded high priority by the government while Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance has been accorded for 'Middle Strait Bridge' on Andaman Trunk Road. All these measures will improve inter-island connectivity significantly. Bids for private sector participation in three tourism-based projects have already been invited by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration. They include eco-tourism projects in Smith Island & Long island and tent city project in Aves island. Bids will be invited shortly for one more project in Neil island of Andaman & Nicobar. Three projects in Lakshadweep have been identified for issue of bids. These include tourism projects in the islands of Kadmat, Minicoy and Suheli Cheriyakara. Environmental Clearance (EC), CRZ clearance and all other clearances required for these projects are being obtained upfront, on priority, to attract more number of reputed bidders, the statement said. The Ministry of Commerce has issued a notification extending tax incentives for investments made in manufacturing and service sector in islands of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep. The tax incentives are Central Capital Investment Incentive for access to credit (CCIIAC), Central Interest Incentive (CII), Central Comprehensive Insurance Incentive (CCII), Goods and Services Tax (GST) reimbursement, Income Tax (IT) reimbursement, Transport Incentive (TI) and Employment incentive (EI). Expeditious implementation of the above-mentioned projects will provide high economic return to the private sector, satisfactory jobs and additional income to the islanders and enhanced revenue to the government - a win-win situation for all. Above all, stability of the island eco-system will be maintained with effective execution of well-planned environmental safeguards. A detailed presentation was made by CEO, NITI Aayog highlighting the current status of planned projects being implemented for islanders' benefits. The status of implementation of decisions taken in the last meeting was also highlighted in the presentation. In order to sustainably utilise the potential of Tuna fish, ten deep-sea modern fishing vessels are being procured by Lakshadweep administration from Cochin Shipyard Limited. Export of sea food and coconut products is being encouraged to generate more employment opportunities in the islands. The home minister expressed satisfaction at the progress made since its last meeting held on June 30, 2018 when directions were given to focus on creation of recreational facilities along-with tourism infrastructure; implementation of renewable energy projects; incentives for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); development of a film city in an island etc. The meeting was attended by Lt. Governor of Andamans Admiral D K Joshi (retd), Administrator of Lakshadweep Farooq Khan, Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant and top officials from ministries of Home, Commerce, Tribal Affairs, and Forest, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Telecommunications, Shipping, Water Resources, Earth Sciences, New and Renewable Energy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four e-learning and technology start-ups from India are among 30 global finalists to compete for the Next Billion EdTech Prize, to be announced next month. India's Augmented Learning, Aveti Learning, Utter and Dost were chosen to compete for the prize, which will involve them competing in a pitch contest at the annual Global and Skills Forum (GESF) in Dubai on March 22-24. Six of the 30 start-ups will be selected to return to the main GESF stage for the grand final in front of judges and a live audience, with the best three awarded USD 25,000 each and the winner being presented with the Next Billion Prize trophy. "There's no doubt India is set to be a leading player on the global EdTech stage, with innovation currently sweeping across its sector, said Vikas Pota, CEO of Tmrw Digital, which runs the Next Billion Prize. "Falling mobile data prices and high mobile penetration are opening up opportunities for mobile learning that can reach even the most disadvantaged students, and the online learning market alone is set to hit USD 2 billion by 2021. Our four Indian finalists are part of this wave of innovation, and we're excited to hear their stories come March, he said. The Next Billion Prize was named to remind the world of a billion young people a number growing every day that are being denied an education, the organisers said. "The Next Billion Prize was created to shine a light on those gifted entrepreneurs that are not only ingenious, but also bold and persistent enough to bring forward the revolutionary ideas that are desperately needed to transform education in those parts of the world where there is limited access to high quality teaching, added Pota. Among the shortlisted Indian start-ups, Augmented Learning runs a digital platform to develop 21st century skills and competencies with a daily stream of current affairs and personalised interest areas, incorporating adjustable reading levels and engaging activities. Aveti Learning Limited offers Shikhya as a flagship e-learning program aimed at providing high-quality digital education to underprivileged students in India in more than 15 regional languages. Fellow-finalist Utter is a mobile platform that blends chatbots and live tutoring for training in English and workplace skills and Dost works to empower parents of any literacy level to take charge of their child's early education, creating short, friendly audio content. "The Next Billion Prize highlights technology's potential to tackle the problems that have proven too difficult for successive generations of politicians to solve, said Indian-origin entrepreneur Sunny Varkey, founder of the Next Billion Prize. "The power to change education systems at all levels no longer lies exclusively in the hands of the political and business elite through the traditional models of global policymaking. Changemakers can be those who work away from the spotlight in start-ups located across the world, he said. The 30 finalists will pitch to an expert panel of judges, made up of venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, educators, and experts in EdTech and learning sciences. They will also pitch to a live audience of GESF delegates, made up of leading education figures from public, private and social sectors. The annual GESF event brings together over 1,500 delegates from around the world to deliberate on some of the pressing issues in global education, culminating in the award of the Next Billion Edtech Prize and the USD 1-million Global Teacher Prize. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twentyfive Sri Lankan fishermen have been arrested and five Lankan fishing boats seized for allegedly fishing illegally in Indian waters about 90 km off Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, the Coast Guard said Tuesday. The CG was maintaining strict vigil following the recent Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. In a statement, the CG said the boats were carrying 4,200 kg of Tuna fish illegally caught from the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). "All the apprehended boats were brought to Karaikal harbour for joint investigation by relevant security agencies," the statement said. In the light of recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, it said security and surveillance in the maritime waters has been beefed up to foil "anti-national" elements gaining access to coastal areas. "As a result of strict vigil and extensive patrol along International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), CG Ship Shaurya apprehended five Sri Lankan fishing boats along with 25 crew who were fishing illegally in the Indian Waters about 90 kilometers off Nagapattinam," it said. According to the CG, the fishermen were arrested on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twenty-two students were taken into custody for protesting outside a college here, demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students, a senior police official said Tuesday. They were arrested outside the Uttaranchal College of Science and Technology on Sahastradhara Road on Monday after they shouted slogans demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students, Dehradun SSP Nivedita Kukreti said. However, they were later let off on bail, she said. Protests broke out against Kashmiri students in the city after one of them studying in Sridev Suman Subharti University sent a WhatsApp message to his friends exulting over the terrorist attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama. The student has been arrested but there have been sporadic protests against Kashmiri students breeding a sense of insecurity among them. However, Kukreti said there has not been a single incident on Tuesday with no complaints or distress calls received from anywhere. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twenty-two students were arrested for protesting outside a college here demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students, police said Tuesday. They were arrested outside the Uttaranchal College of Science and Technology on Sahastradhara Road on Monday after they shouted slogans demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students, Dehradun SSP Nivedita Kukreti said. They were later released on bail. There have been a series protests against Kashmiri students in the city after the Pulwama terror attack, with even the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir expressing concerns over their safety. The managements of two city colleges even announced they will not admit Kashmiri students in the future following the protests. However, Anil Saini, Chairman of Alpine College of Management and Technology, one of the two colleges, told PTI that they were forced to make the announcement under pressure but have taken no such decisions. Baba Farid Institute of Technology, which was the other city-based institution to give a similar commitment in writing, also admitted that it did so under pressure from a mob. Authorities in Dehradun have assured full safety and security of the students from Jammu and Kashmir. IG Garhwal range Ajay Rautela said the Kashmiri students are completely safe and they should not worry. Police patrolling in Premnagar area, where most of the Kashmiri students live, has been stepped up. He also appealed to people to maintain calm. Police have also taken action in a few cases. A Kashmiri student of Sridev Suman Subharti University was arrested for sending WhatsApp message to his friends exulting over the terrorist attack on CRPF personnel. A case was also registered against activist from JNU, Shehla Rashid, after she claimed on Twitter that some girl students were "trapped" by a mob shouting slogans outside their hostel in the city. Police said there has not been a single incident on Tuesday with no complaints or distress calls received from anywhere. The Jammu and Kashmir government has also set up a helpline for students with designated officers appointed to take care of those in the city. "There have been numerous calls from students of different colleges including Baba Farid Institute of Tech, Alpine Institute, Dolphin Institute, SBS Medical College and so on so forth," a Jammu and Kashmir government spokesman said on Monday. Some of the students from Dehradun have reached Delhi on Sunday evening and they have been accommodated at J&K House in Chanakyapuri, he said. He said around 100 students from Sailakui have gathered in Rampur. A visit by officials was arranged and they were assured safety and security. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sixteen US States have sued US President over his plan to declare a national emergency to get funding for his controversial wall along the border with Mexico, saying he has veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making. The lawsuit came after Trump on Friday declared that he would spend billions of dollars more on border barriers than Congress had granted him. The National Emergencies Act allows the President to declare a national emergency and unlock a stash of funds by invoking certain statutory authority. The coalition of 16 states in their lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration's emergency declaration and diversion of funds is unconstitutional and otherwise unlawful. The states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia. The suit, filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco, argues that the president does not have the power to divert funds for constructing a wall along the Mexican border because it is Congress that controls spending. "President Trump has veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making. For years, President Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to build a wall across the United States-Mexico border," reads the suit. The dispute stems from steps Trump said he would take after lawmakers granted him only $1.375 billion for new border barriers, legislation he signed last week to avoid another government shutdown. The fund is far short of the $5.7 billion Trump had initially requested. Trump asserted the power to tap three additional pots of money on his own: $600 million from a Treasury Department asset forfeiture fund for law enforcement priorities; about $2.5 billion from a military antidrug account, most of which would first be siphoned from other military programs the Pentagon has yet to identify, and $3.6 billion in military construction funds he said he could redirect by invoking an emergency-powers statute. ALSO READ: Did Japan nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize? Abe declines to say so Trump declared the national emergency to fulfil his 2016 presidential campaign promise to "build a wall" on the US-Mexico border, which he calls "a major entry point for criminals, gang members, and illicit narcotics". The lawsuit file on Monday seeks to block the Trump administration's emergency declaration, the unauthorised construction of the border wall, and any illegal diversion of Congressionally-appropriated funds, a media release said. ALSO READ: Legal challenges to Trump's emergency declaration face uphill battle The states allege that the Trump administration's action exceeds the power of the executive office, violates the US Constitution and federal statutes, and would illegally and unconstitutionally divert federal funds appropriated by Congress for other purposes. The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to block the emergency declaration, the construction of the wall, and any illegal diversion of congressionally-appropriated funds. White House officials said they believe they can unlock an additional $6.6 billion through the emergency declaration and other budget maneuvers. The White House believes the money would allow the administration to build at least 234 miles of the border wall. "President Trump is manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up 'national emergency' in order to seize power and undermine the Constitution," said California Governor Gavin Newsom. "This 'emergency' is a national disgrace. Rather than focusing on fighting the real vulnerabilities facing Americans, the President is using the powers of America's highest office to fan the flames of nativism and xenophobia. Our message to the White House is clear: California will not be part of this political theater. We will see you in court," he said. President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt, charged California Attorney general Xavier Becerra. The Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) is pleased to advise the Canadian horse racing industry that a new edition of the CPMA Elimination Guidelines will be published in March 2019. The new elimination guidelines will come into force on April 1, 2019. The following is a summary of the changes, sorted into five categories: 1. Substances completely removed from the guidelines: These substances have been removed because no Health Canada approved product is available or veterinary use of the substance is no longer recommended; These substances remain prohibited under the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations; Testing of official samples for the presence of these substances will continue; Guidance on elimination will no longer be provided; and Use of any of these substances, including in compounded form, may result in a positive test. 2. Substances with some doses and routes of administration removed from the guidelines: Testing of official samples for the presence of these substances will be based ONLY on the doses and routes included in the guidelines; No elimination guidelines will be provided for doses and routes contained in previous editions of the guidelines; and Use of doses and routes for any of the substances that are not included in the guidelines may result in a positive test. 3. Substances with modified elimination guidelines (some doses and routes): Testing of official samples for the presence of these substances will be based on the elimination guidelines included in the new edition of the guidelines; and Use of any of these substances outside the published elimination guidelines may result in a positive test. 4. Substances added to the 2019 edition of the guidelines: 1 Note that concurrent administration of cetirizine and oral ivermectin will significantly increase the elimination time of cetirizine. 2 Applies to horses 4 years of age and older. For more details, see CPMA Industry Notification dated May 31, 2018, Addition of clodronate and tiludronate to the Schedule of Prohibited Drugs in the Pari-Mutuel Betting Supervision Regulations. 5. Substances with some doses and routes added to the 2019 edition of the guidelines: The CPMA strongly recommends that your veterinarian be consulted on any decision to administer any supplement or medication to a horse. To order booklet copies of the Elimination Guidelines 2019 or should you have any questions or concerns regarding the above or any other pari-mutuel betting matter, please do not hesitate to contact the CPMA by telephone at 1-800-268-8835, or by email at [email protected]. Nouvelle edition du Guide delimination de lACPM LAgence canadienne du pari mutuel (ACPM) est heureuse dinformer lindustrie canadienne des courses de chevaux quune nouvelle edition du Guide delimination de lACPM sera publiee en mars 2019. Le nouveau guide entrera en vigueur le 1er avril 2019. Voici un resume des modifications, reparties en cinq categories : 1. Substances completement retirees du guide: Ces substances ont ete retirees parce quaucun produit approuve par Sante Canada nest disponible ou que lusage veterinaire de la substance nest plus recommande; Ces substances demeurent interdites en vertu du Reglement sur la surveillance du pari mutuel. Lanalyse dechantillons officiels pour detecter la presence de ces substances se poursuivront; Des avis sur lelimination ne seront plus fournies; Lusage de lune ou lautre de ces substances, y compris sous forme composee, peut donner lieu a un test positif. 2. Substances dont certaines doses et voies dadministration ont ete retirees du guide: Lanalyse des echantillons officiels pour determiner la presence de ces substances sera fondee SEULEMENT sur les doses et les voies dadministration indiquees dans le guide; Aucun avis ne sera fournie pour les doses et les voies dadministration contenues dans les editions precedentes du guide; Lusage de doses et de voies dadministration pour toute substance ne figurant pas dans le guide peut donner lieu a un test positif. 3. Substances dont les directives delimination ont ete modifiees (pour certaines doses et voies dadministration): Lanalyse des echantillons officiels pour determiner la presence de ces substances sera fondee sur les directives delimination incluses dans la nouvelle edition du guide; Lusage de toute substance ne figurant pas dans le guide delimination publie peut donner lieu a un test positif. 4. Substances ajoutees a ledition 2019 du guide: 1 Il est a noter que ladministration simultanee de cetirizine et divermectine par voie orale augmentera considerablement le temps delimination de la cetirizine. 2 Sapplique aux chevaux ages de quatre ans ou plus. Pour plus de details, voir la notification de lACPM a lindustrie datee du 31 mai 2018, Adjonction des drogues clodronate et tiludronate a lAnnexe des drogues interdites du Reglement sur la surveillance du pari mutuel. 5. Substances dont certaines doses et voies dadministration ont ete ajoutees a ledition 2019 du guide: LACPM recommande fortement de consulter un veterinaire au sujet de toute decision dadministrer un supplement ou un medicament a un cheval. Pour commander des exemplaires de ledition 2019 du Guide delimination ou si vous avez des questions ou des preoccupations au sujet de ce qui precede ou de toute autre question liee au pari mutuel, nhesitez pas a communiquer avec lACPM par telephone au 1-800-268-8835 ou par courriel a [email protected]. (CPMA) Narrating the impact of fake news and propaganda disseminated through WhatsApp, election consultant Shivam Shankar Singh in his new book, says the solutions proposed by the platform to prevent rumour mongering seem inadequate. In "How To Win An Indian Election", Singh who managed BJP's assembly poll campaigns in Manipur and Tripura says messages containing the words "if true" and "forwarded as received" do little to make the recipients question their authenticity. "WhatsApp is running an educational campaign against fake news on newspaper and radio, and not on its own messaging platform through which lies actually spread," he says. "Such campaigns are unlikely to reach the audience that is the most vulnerable to WhatsApp forwards," says Singh who entered the field of political consultancy with Prashant Kishor's team at the Indian Political Action Committee. He also says restricting the number of groups that a person can forward a message to is also unlikely to be effective because most end recipients don't have too many accounts to forward the messages to. "They usually just forward it to their family and friends, and can easily copy-paste the content. These users aren't forwarding it out of malicious intent; they're doing it because they believe it to be true and they want the information to reach a larger audience so that people can be informed," he says. To establish his point, the author shares the example of right-wing WhatsApp groups that consist of people who truly believe that Muslims are bad for India and that they harbour anti-national sentiments. "I've interacted with several such BJP supporters over the years. Ask them if they hate Muslims and many of them would candidly say 'yes', and ask them if they think Muslims aren't as loyal to the country as Hindus, almost all would say 'yes'," he notes in the book published by Penguin Random House India. Singh contends that such prejudices mean when people who already mistrust Muslims receive WhatsApp forwards about Muslims shouting pro-Pakistan slogans, murdering people, smuggling cattle, raping women and committing crime, they will probably believe them without any kind of verification. "Fake news is usually intermixed with real news and sent to people over months to influence their opinion," says Singh maintaining " at its core is the art of influencing public opinion". According to Singh's assertions in the book, winning elections in India requires a political party or a politician to exercise some control over public opinion. He says such control is also required after winning an election, because "reforming a system requires a favourable public opinion, which can only be garnered through constant messaging and propaganda". He says social media, in the recent years, has emerged as one of the most effective tools in shaping public discourse and influencing what people talk about. --IANS ss/rtp/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Vatican has revealed that it has secret rules for priests who father children despite their celibacy vows, The New York Times said in a report. The Vatican has also confirmed that its department overseeing the world's priests has general guidelines for what to do when clerics break celibacy vows and have children. "I can confirm that these guidelines exist," Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told The New York Times. "It is an internal document." The confirmation comes after Vincent Doyle, a psychotherapist in Ireland, told the daily that he was 28 when he learned from his mother that the Roman Catholic priest he had always known as his godfather was in truth his biological father. The discovery led him to create a global support group, Coping International, to help other children of priests like him. When he pressed bishops to acknowledge these children, some church leaders told him that he was the product of the rarest of transgressions. In 2017, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, the Vatican's envoy to the UN in Geneva, finally showed him a document of Vatican guidelines for how to deal with priests who father children, proof that he was hardly alone. According to the Archbishop, these children are termed "children of the ordained", Doyle told The New York Times. Doyle said that when he had asked for a copy, the Archbishop refused, saying it was secret. The development comes as the Vatican prepares for a meeting on Thursday on the ongoing child sexual abuse crisis. According to The New York Times, the children are sometimes the result of affairs involving priests and laywomen or nuns and others of abuse or rape. There are no official estimates of how many such children exist. But Doyle told The New York Times that his support group website has 50,000 users in 175 countries. The tradition of celibacy among Roman Catholic clergy was broadly codified in the 12th century, but not necessarily adhered to, even in the highest places. Rodrigo Borgia, while a priest, had four children with his mistress before he became Pope Alexander VI, an excess that helped spur Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation. Luther wrote mockingly that the Pope had as much command over celibacy as "the natural movement of the bowels". --IANS ksk/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Robert Vadra, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with a money laundering case, did not depose before the agency on Tuesday citing poor health. Vadra was supposed to join the investigation on Tuesday morning. However, his lawyers informed the ED officials that he was unwell and will appear whenever he is summoned again. On February 16, a Delhi court extended Vadra's interim bail till March 2. Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, has been questioned thrice by the directorate for over 24 hours in connection with the case on February 6, 7 and 9. The case relates to ownership of undisclosed assets abroad worth 1.9 million pounds, allegedly belonging to Vadra, husband of Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh East. He was also questioned twice by the ED in Jaipur in connection with a Bikaner land deal case. The ED on Friday attached Rs 4.43 crore immovable property at Vadra's Sukhdev Vihar house in Delhi. The house was in the name of Vadra's company Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited. On February 2, the court had granted Vadra interim bail till February 16 and asked him to join the investigation on February 6. The ED had lodged a money laundering case against Manoj Arora after his role came up during the the Income Tax Department probe into another case under the 2015 anti-black money law involving absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Arora, an employee of Vadra's Skylight Hospitality, was aware of the latter's overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds, the ED had alleged. The London property was allegedly bought by Bhandari and sold in 2010 for the same amount despite incurring additional expenses on renovation. On December 7, as part of the investigation, the ED had conducted searches at a number of premises in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. --IANS aks/pg/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Election Commission expected to announce the schedule of Lok Sabha elections in the first week of March, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday took 23 decisions and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved five proposals which will benefit various sections including Central government employees and farmers. The decisions, taken by the Union Cabinet and the CCEA presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, included approval of four ordinances as the related bills could not be passed in the Budget Session of Parliament that ended earlier this month. It was the last parliament session before the Lok Sabha polls. The government decided to re-promulgate the triple talaq ordinance even as most of the opposition parties are opposed to it. The BJP apparently hopes to get support of sections of Muslim community, particularly women, with its earlier push to the bill and the approval of the ordinance. It also approved banning of unregulated deposit schemes ordinance, which is expected to find a mention in poll speeches in West Bengal. The government gave its approval to the release of an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central government employees, and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners. It will benefit about 48.41 lakh Central government employees and 62.03 lakh pensioners. The CCEA approved Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan with the objective of providing financial and water security to farmers. Other decisions of the cabinet include approval of the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase II and Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor of RRTS (regional rapid transit system). It also approved the proposal of National Policy on Electronics which is aimed at creating lakhs of jobs apart from other benefits. Some of the decisions also relate to international agreements and other government matters. --IANS ps/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump accused on Monday the deputy attorney general of the Justice Department, Rod Rosenstein, of planning to take illegal action against him, after former acting director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, said that in 2017 there were alleged projects afoot to remove the president from office. Trump blasted with a series of tweets an interview with McCabe that aired Sunday on CBS News, in which the former Justice Department official said there were conversations about the possibility of Rosenstein secretly recording Trump's words in the White House and so begin an impeachment process. "Wow, so many lies by now disgraced acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe," Trump posted on Twitter, reports Efe. "He was fired for lying, and now his story gets even more deranged. He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught," he added. Trump fired Sessions last November, who until then was US attorney general, and the Justice Department terminated McCabe in March 2018, but Rosenstein remains in office. Trump's tweet signified a new attack on the deputy attorney general at a time of growing rumours about the possibility of his resigning or soon being replaced by another official, following the confirmation last week of William Barr as the new attorney general. Rosenstein was in charge of supervising the independent investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections, from the dismissal in May 2017 of FBI Director James Comey until that of Sessions last November. The president also said that McCabe and Rosenstein have "a lot of explaining to do to the millions of people who had just elected a president who they really like," and insinuated that they tried to favour the Democratic opposition with their "illegal and treasonous" actions. In his interview, McCabe confirmed that Rosenstein offered to wear a wire to "collect evidence" about Trump's motive for firing the FBI director. Furthermore, according to McCabe, Rosenstein spoke of assembling a majority of the Cabinet to activate the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution to remove Trump from office because he was incapable of holding that position, but neither of those two ideas was carried out. The Justice Department, however, said in a statement last week that Rosenstein "never authorized" any recording of the president and that he was not "in a position to consider invoking the 25th Amendment." --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday held detailed talks over a range of issues including trade, defence and counter-terrorism, with her Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell Fontelles over a working breakfast. The two leaders took stock of "relationship across the spectrum, especially in trade and investment, defence and security, counter terrorism, culture and tourism", Foreign Ministry Spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Sushma Swaraj was also invested with the Grand Cross of Order of Civil Merit conferred by Spanish government in recognition of India's support in evacuating 71 Spanish nationals during April 2015 Nepal earthquake. Earlier, Sushma Swaraj, who is in Spain on the final leg of her three-nation visit which earlier took her to Bulgaria and Morocco, was warmly received by Fontelles at his official residence, the Viana Palace, ahead of the meeting and award ceremony. This is their third meeting in five months. --IANS mak/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Red Coral Kukri snake was sighted in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) confirming the presence of the rare species in the forest after a gap of over 82 years, a senior official said on Tuesday. Jubilation has engulfed wildlife lovers and the forest department as the re-discovery of the snake comes with photographic evidence by a patrolling staff on Saturday. Mahaveer Koujalagi, Deputy Director of the DTR, told IANS that the development is significant as it has officially confirmed the presence of the snake in the park after it was first sighted in the area in 1936. "Earlier, some said that it was noticed. However, there were no evidences. On Saturday, our patrolling staff came across the orange coloured snake in the South Sonaripur range. It was photographed using the M-Stripe, a mobile-based application, developed by the WII (Wildlife Institute of India)," he said. The small slithery snake could be sighted easily in the dense forest as it was found on the abandoned old railway tracks. Incidentally, the snake was sighted in Katarniaghat forest in 2012 besides unconfirmed reports of its sighting in Nainital a few years ago. "For the DTR, the snake has been rediscovered after 82 years, that too with an evidence," Koujalagi said. Red Coral Kukri snake (Oligodon kheriensis) is a nocturnal reptile with maximum length of 114 cm. The Kheri-location specific snake is generally found in the Terai forest, a lowland region in southern Nepal and northern India. --IANS spk/rs/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A highway in Rajasthan was blocked on Tuesday by villagers demanding compensation for the families of 11 people who were killed in an accident. According to the police, the accident took place near Pratapgarh on Monday night when a speeding truck rammed into a marriage procession of over 100 people. The driver fled shortly after the mishap. The victims belonged to the Chhoti Sadri village. Anguished villagers have refused to collect the bodies and have blocked the National Highway 113 demanding for compensation. In order to ease the blockade, an ex-gratia of Rs 1.75 lakh was announced for each of the victims' families, said Pratapgarh Additional District Magistrate Hemendra Nagar. Nineteen people were also injured, of which two were said to be critical, he added. --IANS arc/ksk/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former North Korean diplomat here on Tuesday said Pyongyang has no intention of giving up nuclear weapons. Speaking to reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Seoul, ahead of the two-day summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, scheduled for February 27 and 28 in Hanoi, Thae Yong-ho said "there was not enough money in the world" to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear programme. The former diplomat, who worked at the North Korean Embassy in London before defecting to South Korea, said since coming to power in 2011, Kim has laid out a strategy for the international community to present the regime's nuclear programme as essential to the country's survival. Thae said Kim's plan to justify the nuclear programme had been successful as he convinced the world a nuclear conflict with the US was plausible, Efe news reported. Kim's strategy, Thae said followed Trump's speech at the UN in September 2017 where he said "completely destroying" North Korea was a major strategic error by Washington. Thae said Pyongyang was trying to convince Washington if they ease sanctions on the regime, it would eliminate certain aspects of its programme -- without complete denuclearisation -- thereby removing any direct threat to the US. According to him, if Pyongyang achieves its aim, it would end up being recognised unofficially as a nuclear power by the US, as is the case with countries like Pakistan, India or Israel. Thae said the Kim regime was ready to dismantle facilities at Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Centre because they were no longer fully functional. He warned of the inherent difficulties in verifying disarmament of a complex that comprised more than 390 buildings to which access was controlled by Pyongyang. At the first summit in Singapore 2018, the leaders agreed to work towards denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, but no real progress has been made. Now, the Hanoi summit is expected to help the stagnating talks move forward. --IANS soni/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi will address her maiden public rally in Gujarat along with brother and party President Rahul Gandhi on February 28, signalling the intent to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah in their home state. The mega rally to be held at Trimandir Ground, Adalaj, will follow the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision-making body, in Ahmedabad on February 28. The 51st CWC meeting, to be held just before the schedule of general elections is announced, will focus on strategising and preparing for the Lok Sabha polls. The CWC meeting is being hosted in Gujarat after 60 years and the entire top Congress leadership - Rahul Gandhi, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress Parliamentary Party leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Priyanka Gandhi among others will brainstorm over the issues and roadmap for the Lok Sabha polls. Besides Priyanka and Rahul, the rally will also be addressed by Sonia Gandhi, who last made a public speech in November last year in Telangana during the Assembly polls. The Adalaj rally follows Rahul Gandhi's February 14 address in tribal Lal Dungri village in Valsad district. This is the same village where his grandmother Indira Gandhi in 1980, his father Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 and his mother Sonia Gandhi in 2004 started and romped home to power. Gujarat Congress MLA and party spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said the Adalaj rally will be the biggest in Gujarat in recent times. "The preparations are in full swing for the rally which will be the biggest in Gujarat's history. On the one hand, the resentment against Modi and the BJP is palpable in Gujarat and on the other, the enthusiasm among the people and party cadres is on an all-time high. "This will be the first time that the people of Gujarat will witness Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi address from the same podium," Gohil told IANS. After being appointed as the General Secretary in charge of east Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka along with brother Rahul and fellow General Secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia held a road-show in Lucknow on February 11 and also interacted with party cadres. Priyanka cancelled her maiden press meet as the Congress General Secretary in Lucknow on February 14 following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed. Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda said the motive behind having the CWC meet and the rally in Gujarat was to send a strong signal to the BJP in Modi's home state where the Congress in the 2017 Assembly polls gave a tough fight. "Through the Adalaj rally, the entire Congress leadership will give voice to the people of Gujarat and the country whose aspirations have been crushed by the Modi government," said Chavda. "Buoyed by the good showing in the Assembly elections, the morale of the party will be further boosted by the presence of the entire top Congress leadership. This rally will signal the demise of the Modi government," said Chavda exuding confidence of the Congress doing well in Gujarat. Blown away by the "Modi wave", the Congress failed to win even a single seat in 2014 in Gujarat which sends members to the Lok Sabha. A little over 15 km from Ahmedabad, Adalaj is famous for Rudabai Stepwell that was built in 1498 in the memory of Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty. It is also famous for the expansive non-sectarian Trimandir temple. The Trimandir is home to the idols of gods of Jainism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism along with gods and goddesses from other religions. (Anurag Dey can be contacted at anurag.d@ians.in) --IANS and/vsc/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All eyes were on the odds-on favourite, Pretty Handsome, in Mondays $11,500 Preferred 2 for horse and gelding pacers at The Raceway at Western Fair District, but Reel rained on that foes parade. Reel used a solid, closing kick to win as a 16-1 upsetter in the featured affair, while Pretty Handsome was forced to settle for second prize. Tuition Money stretched out Boomboom Ballykeel early, with the latter clearing shortly after the opening quarter flashed up in :27.2. Boomboom Ballykeel then sailed past the half in :58 before coughing up the lead to the first-over Pretty Handsome in the backstretch. Reel was right on the back of Pretty Handsome at the three-quarter pole in 1:27.2, and they battled it out while leaving the others behind over the final quarter of the contest. Reels :29.4 kicker was enough to earn him the half-length win over Pretty Handsome in 1:57.3. Tuition Money was third. J Harris mapped out the winning trip for the eight-year-old son of Shadow Play Desir. The gelding is co-owned by trainer Tim Myers along with partner Michael Hale. It was career win #29 for the career winner in excess of $190,000. Race favourite Brocks Fortune used a late rally to post a 1:59.1 triumph in the $8,500 Preferred 3 for horse and gelding pacers. Shifty Norm supplied splits of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:29, but he couldnt quite seal the deal. Brocks Fortune, who sat in the 2- and 3-hole positions throughout, found late clearance and stormed home in :29.4 to win by a neck over Rough Trade. Shifty Norm was a lapped-on third. Trainer Taylor Fritz co-owns the nine-year-old son of Stonebridge Regal-Fannies Fortune with her beau, Jared Bako. Together they watched the veteran win for the 26th time in his career while pushing his lifetime earnings over $370,000. To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results The Raceway at Western Fair District. Pakistan hopes to apply oil to its stuttering economy in the form of a $20 billion investment pledged by the Saudi crown prince during his visit to the south Asian nation, where he was received with pomp and ceremony. Mohamed Bin Salman's entourage, which arrived on Sunday evening and left the following day, also vowed to act as a mediator between Pakistan and India. Tensions between the neighbouring countries shot up last week when 40 Indian police officers in Kashmir were killed in an attack New Delhi laid on Islamabad's doorstep. Zahid Hussain, a writer and columnist for the respected newspaper "Dawn," said Bin Salman's visit opened another facet to Pakistan-Saudi relations, given their strong bilateral ties already date back over five decades. Indeed, Islamabad's largest mosque was named after Saudi King Faisal, who financed its construction, Xinhua reported. "It is the first time that the Saudis have made this kind of investment in Pakistan," Hussain said, attributing the financial decision to Riyadh's plan to diversify its economy in its so-called Saudi Vision 2030 project. "This is not about just Pakistan, it's about the region, with investments in other countries, like India," he said. Rasul Bakhsh Rais, professor of political science at the Lahore University of Management Sciences, also highlighted Salman's diversification efforts. "They want to invest in places they have not invested in before," he said, adding that Beijing's investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which would give the Asian superpower access to deep-water ports on the Arabian Sea, helped prompt Riyadh to make its own investment. Islamabad welcomed Saudi investments in its energy sectors, especially the $8-billion worth of funding for an oil refinery in the port city of Gwadar. Pakistan's economy has been struggling with a budget deficit of around 6.6 per cent of the gross domestic product, a trade deficit and declining foreign reserves, for which it has asked the International Monetary Fund for a loan of $12 billion, although it has not closed that deal due to disagreements with the fine print. Hussain said there was a "rapport" between Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bin Salman. Khan treated Bin Salman with utmost respect in Pakistan. His official airplane was escorted into the country by fighter jets and he was welcomed by huge billboards and posters emblazoned with his image. In return, Bin Salman ordered the release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi Arabia, a gesture well received by Islamabad, given the often difficult conditions suffered by migrant workers in the oil-rich Gulf nation. The ceremony for the crown prince stood in stark contrast to wider international condemnation Bin Salman has received for his alleged role in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul last year. In fact, Bin Salman's image as his country's modernizer, which he has tried to establish abroad, was tarnished by the events and several international leaders boycotted Saudi Arabia's business conference dubbed "Davos in the Desert." Khan, however, did attend. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Tuesday lodged "a strong protest" against the way protestors were allowed to reach the main gate of the Pakistan House in New Delhi and abusive calls were being made on the Pakistan High Commission helpline. The Special Secretary (Asia Pacific) in the Foreign Office, Imtiaz Ahmad, summoned the Acting Indian High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia to lodge the protest. Ahmad said that during an anti-Pakistan demonstration on Monday, protestors were allowed to reach and jolt the gate of the Pakistan House -- the residence of the High Commissioner -- despite the presence of Indian security officials. "It was underscored that despite a strong protest to the Indian government, acts of harassment targeting the Pakistan High Commission, Pakistan House and officials of the High Commission and their families continued, including abusive calls to the High Commission helpline." Ahmad demanded a comprehensive, immediate investigation of "this serious breach of security" and foolproof measures for the safety and security of the Pakistan House, High Commission officials and their families in New Delhi so that such incidents do not recur. Anti-Pakistan sentiments are sweeping India after a suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 CRPF troopers was claimed by the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group. --IANS mr/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior TMC leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee here on Tuesday called for a legislation to ensure that one member from every household joins the armed forces. "Is it time to bring about a law in Parliament so that every home in India takes pride in having a representative in the armed forces" Banerjee said in a tweet in the wake of the Pulwama terror attacks. "Is it time for even elected MPs and MLAs to nurture and inspire their children and grand children and commit them to join the armed forces?," he said. Banerjee, nephew of Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, also said there is need for bullet-proof jackets for jawans. "Our jawans keep our borders safe. They sacrifice their lives to keep us safe. Before bullet trains, we need bullet-proof jackets for jawans. Today is the time, more than ever, to stand by them," he wrote on his Twitter handle. Banerjee also said he will donate three months' salary as MP for the cause and proposed to set up a corpus to raise awareness among youth. --IANS dm/oeb/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Haryana Chief Minister O.P. Chautala on Tuesday moved the Delhi High Court for his release from Tihar Jail under the special remission granted to males above 60 years. Chautala's plea will be heard on Wednesday. Chautala's counsel Amit Sahni told the court on July 18 2018, the central government asked the state governments and Union Territories to grant benefit of special remission to males above 60 years, females and trans-gender above 55 years and to release them if they have undergone half of actual sentence. The notification also said physically disable convicts, with above 70 per cent disability, will also be released after half of the actual sentence. "Chautala was convicted for 10 years under the Indian Penal Code and 7 years under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He has already undergone the sentence awarded under the Prevention of Corruption Act," Sahni said. "Chautala has permanent disability of 60 per cent (as on April 2013) and later has undergone implantation of pacemaker in June 2013. The disability is progressive and at present it is more than 70 per cent and he falls in two clauses of the said notification." Chautala's age is 83, which itself is sufficient to consider releasing him by giving benefit of the notification, he added. Chautala and his elder son Ajay were convicted in the JBT (junior basic teacher) recruitment scam in January 2013. Both were sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Delhi. --IANS akk/pg/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Popular Telugu actor Nagarjuna on Tuesday called on YSR Congress Party chief Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, triggering speculation in political circles that he may take a plunge into active The actor met Jaganmohan Reddy, who is the leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Assembly, at the latter's Lotus Pond residence in Hyderabad. The actor, however, denied reports that he is planning to contest the coming elections or he met Jaganmohan Reddy to seek ticket for any other person. Nagarjuna told reporters that he is not keen on He said there was no in his meeting with Jagan. Describing Jagan as his family friend, the actor said he called on him to congratulate him on successful completion of his a 'padyatra'. Elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha are likely to be held in April-May. --IANS ms/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Having burnt his fingers in the National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL), its founder and current 'mentor' of '63 moons technologies' (formerly Financial Technologies) Jignesh Shah said he would not invest any more into stock or commodity exchanges. Speaking to IANS here, Shah said his current target is to recover the money of the company from the defaulters and mentoring new talent in his company 63 moons. On being asked about plans for fresh investments in the exchange business after the NSEL issue gets resolved, he said: "We will recover (money) in the (NSEL) exchange business and then will say 'Sayonara' (Japanese for goodbye), permanently." He also denied getting into exchanges globally. Shah had launched the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) in 2003 and NSEL, India's first electronic spot commodity exchange in 2008. He eventually also launched trading exchanges in six other countries. In 2013, his fortune started to take a downturn after a scam worth Rs 5,600 crore came to light at the NSEL following which Shah had to lose all the exchanges he had developed. He also has served over 100 days in jail. Shah, however, describes the incident as an "accident" and says there was a deliberate attempt to ruin the company by not going after the "real culprits", which, according to him, included defaulters and brokers among others. Citing a report by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), he said the NSEL scam had much to do with the defaulting brokers, traders and the executive management of the spot exchange, rather than Shah himself. The company on Monday said has also served legal notices to former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, and then Chairman of Forward Markets Commission, Ramesh Abhishek, and former Additional Secretary, Finance K.P. Krishnan informing them that 63 moons would move to the court seeking damages worth Rs 10,000 crore. Shah was of the view that they played proactive roles in perpetrating the crisis, destroying the exchange ecosystem to favour the competitor -- he National Stock Exchange (NSE) -- which resulted in huge losses to shareholders of 63 moons technologies and loss of employment. FMC, the then market regulator, has since been merged with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Abhishek is presently Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and Krishnan is currently the Secretary for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Shah said that the alleged Rs 5,600 crore scam could have been solved much earlier, if the FMC had acted in time. On the future prospects of 63 moons, the company he is currently mentoring, he was optimistic of its revival and said that it is a technology company, which will remain focused on innovation, in areas such as Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things. "If Japan can develop after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, then 63 moons can also grow. It's very clear we will innovate, but yes, at the same time, the system should support us, and even if they don't support, we will grow." "My time will go into mentoring the internal talent who will innovate and propel growth for 63 moons." (Rituraj Baruah can be contacted at rituraj.b@ians.in) --IANS rrb/sn/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Tuesday said that it has found no evidence that its Search algorithms were showing the Pakistani flag when looked for the "best toilet paper in the world", the "best China-made toilet paper" or just "toilet paper". "While we continue to investigate the matter, we have not found any evidence that Images was ranking the Pakistani flag in response to this particular search," a company spokesperson said. "Many outlets wrote about an old screenshot from a meme website that is inconsistent with our UI (user interface) and dates back to 2017, and we have not seen any independent verification that these results ever appeared as depicted," the spokesperson added. Earlier, media reports said a glitch on Search results was noticed after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack that left 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers dead. Screenshots of the search results went viral as memes, posts and status updates on several social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. "Since these stories published, images from those articles are now ranking for this query, as the pages contain words relevant to the search," said the Google spokesperson. Google algorithms have displayed inappropriate search results on certain topics in the past. Earlier, searching words like "Feku", "Pappu" and "Idiot" led users to the images of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and US President Donald Trump, respectively. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seat allocation among Bihar's ruling NDA constituents is likely to be finalised by next week and would be announced ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on March 3. "The seat allocation among us will be decided in a week's time and the announcements will be made before Prime Minister Modi's visit," a senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader told IANS. According to the seat-sharing formula, the BJP and the JD-U will contest 17 seats each, while the remaining six seats will be given to Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). In the 2014 general elections, the NDA had won 31 of the total 40 Lok Sabha seats it contested in Bihar, with the BJP securing 22, the LJP six and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) three seats. The JD-U, which contested alone, was reduced to just two seats. Political alignments in the state have since changed drastically, with the BJP-led NDA now facing a stiff challenge from the RJD and Congress-led 'mahagathbandhan'. Nitish Kumar's JD-U, which contested the Assembly polls in an alliance with the mahagathbandhan, after winning the elections, left it and returned to old ally NDA in July 2017. In December 2018, the RLSP led by former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, pulled out of the NDA and joined the 'mahagathbandhan'. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) led by former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, which contested the 2015 assembly polls as an NDA ally, has also pulled out of the alliance and joined the 'mahagathbandhan' in the state. --IANS aks/bns/rtp/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government is with the hard-working and honest people of the nation and in the past four-and-a-half years the BJP government under him has reversed the country's downslide, besides changing the attitude of 'sab chalta hai' (everything is acceptable) and has been working for the betterment of all sections of the society. Addressing a gathering at the Sant Ravidas Temple, Modi warned people with ill-gotten money and those involved in graft that they would not be spared. "Recently you have all seen that crores of honest tax payers from the middle class have been exempted from paying tax if their income falls within the Rs 5 lakh slab," Modi said to rousing applause. It has been a good fortune of the people in the country that they have been blessed and guided by saints for ages, said Modi, who made his debut in the Lok Sabha from here in Uttar Pradesh in 2014. He also said that he considered himself fortunate to be representing the constituency and to have come twice to the Ravidas temple in the past few years. "I had committed myself in 2016 that this place will be developed and when the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government took over in the state, I asked then to get a detailed project report (DPR) prepared," he added. In Shir Govardhan, addressing the followers of Guru Ravidas, mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti Movement, the Prime Minister said as part of the development the area will have a community centre, besides which a new route will be created to the temple. A 12-km road from the Benaras Hindu University (BHU) will be beautified and a bronze statue of the seer, who was born over six centuries ago, would also be installed. Modi also pointed out that his government's mission of 'sabka saath sabka vikaas' has been greatly inspired by the values and teachings of Sant Ravidas. Later, Modi also inaugurated a cancer hospital - Mahamana Madan Mohan Malviya Cancer Centre - at the BHU where eminent industrialist Ratan Tata was also present. He also inaugurated the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital at Lahartara. Earlier, soon after his arrival at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, where he was welcomed by Governor Ram Naik and Adityanath among others, he flagged off the world's first diesel-to-electric converted locomotive and interacted with a group of "divyaangs". --IANS md/in/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji on his birth anniversary describing him as a "warrior for truth and justice". "I bow to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his Jayanti. A warrior for truth and justice, he is revered as an ideal ruler, devout patriot and is particularly respected by the poor and downtrodden. Jai Shivaji," the Prime Minister said in a tweet. Shivaji, known as the creator of the Maratha empire, was born on this day in 1630 at Shivneri Fort in Pune as per the Maharashtra government. --IANS aks/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In this image, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the smoking gun of a newborn star, the Herbig-Haro objects numbered 7 to 11 (HH 7-11). These five objects, visible in blue in the top center of the image, lie within NGC 1333, a reflection nebula full of gas and dust found about a thousand light-years away from Earth. Bright patches of nebulosity near newborn stars, Herbig-Haro objects like HH 7-11 are transient phenomena. Traveling away from the star that created them at a speed of up to about 150,000 miles per hour, they disappear into nothingness within a few tens of thousands of years. The young star that is the source of HH 7-11 is called SVS 13, and all five objects are moving away from SVS 13 toward the upper left. The current distance between HH 7 and SVS 13 is about 20,000 times the distance between Earth and the Sun. Herbig-Haro objects are formed when jets of ionized gas ejected by a young star collide with nearby clouds of gas and dust at high speeds. The Herbig-Haro objects visible in this image are no exception to this and were formed when the jets from the newborn star SVS 13 collided with the surrounding clouds. These collisions created the five brilliant clumps of light within the reflection nebula. Larger image Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy on Tuesday supported a call for boycott of "everything Kashmiri" following the terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF troopers on Thursday. Quoting an appeal from a retired Army Colonel, Roy tweeted: "Don't visit Kashmir, don't go to Amarnath for the next 2 years. Don't buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri. I am inclined to agree." However, Roy's tweets evoked sharp reactions from the opposition Congress in the state. State's Congress women's president Jopin Scott Shylla demanded recall of Governor Roy for his controversial tweet for supporting an appeal of unnamed colonel of an Indian Army to "boycott everything Kashmiri". "Kashmir is part and parcel of India. We are against Pakistan and not against Kashmiri. We completely disagree with Governor's comment," Shylla, who led a candle light vigil to pay homage to the CRPF soldiers killed in the Pulwama terror attacks, in Meghalaya's capital on Tuesday, said. Following criticism to his tweet, the Meghalaya governor again replied in his twitter: "Vociferously violent from media and several others to my ECHOING of a suggestion from a retired army colonel. A purely NON-VIOLENT REACTION to the killing of our soldiers by the hundreds and the driving out of 3.5 lakh Kashmiri Pandits." Roy further tweeted: "The Pakistan Army (who are handling the Kashmiri separatists) was among their own in East Pakistan in 1971. They slaughtered and raped right and left. And they would have kept EP but for the whacking from India." I am not suggesting that we go that far. But at least some distance?" --IANS rrk/vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The wife of Havildar Sheo Ram, who was killed in an encounter with Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in the Pinglan area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday, delivered a baby girl soon after his final rites were performed in Tiba Basat village in Jhunjhunu district on Tuesday. Havildar Sheo Ram, Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, Sepoy Hari Singh and Sepoy Ajay Kumar sustained bullet injuries during the operation that started on Monday morning in Pulwama. They were provided immediate first aid and evacuated to 92 Base Hospital, but succumbed to their injuries. Three JeM terrorists were killed in the encounter. The trio allegedly had links to Thursday's attack that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Sheo Ram is survived by his wife, Sunita Devi, a five-year-old son and mother Sharli Devi. Sheo Ram had promised his wife he would come home soon after the delivery of their second child four days before his death, said a family member. His mortal remains reached Jaipur airport on Monday night from where they were taken to his village in Khetri tehsil by road, said Col Sombit Ghosh, PRO Defence Rajasthan. People in large numbers attended the funeral and paid tributes to Sheo Ram. They chanted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Sheo Ram amar rahe'. State ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Raghu Sharma and Parsadi Lal Meena paid tributes to the martyr. --IANS arc/oeb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, Kartik Aaryan's "Luka Chuppi" and Diljit Dosanjh's "Arjun Patiala" will not release in Pakistan. Producer Dinesh Vijan announced on Tuesday via a statement that he has cancelled a contract with the Pakistan distributor of the films, and that his banner Maddock Films will not be releasing "Luka Chuppi", "Arjun Patiala" and "Made in China" in the territory. The news comes a day after the makers of "Total Dhamaal" said they would not release the comedy entertainer in Pakistan. These are a spillover of the worst ever terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since militancy erupted in 1989. Last week, a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed his vehicle packed with explosives into a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bus on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Pulwama district, killing at 40 troopers. "Luka Chuppi" tells the story of a couple who decide to go for live-in and how their whole family gets involved with their idea. Directed by debutant Laxman Utekar, the film will hit the screens on March 1. "Arjun Patiala", a romantic comedy directed by Rohit Jugraj, will release on May 3. --IANS sug/rb/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti Movement Guru Ravidas on his birth anniversary that has crossed over six centuries. "Greetings and good wishes to all fellow citizens on Guru Ravidas Jayanti. His teachings and message of equality, unity and social harmony continue to inspire our society," the President tweeted. He said, Guru Ravidas made people aware of the evils of discrimination and urged overcoming them. The President appealed to the countryman to follow his teachings, and strive to strengthen the virtues of humanity and social equity. Venerated as a guru in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh the devotional songs by Ravidas in the 14th, 15th and 16th century have made a lasting impact. Modi also took to Twitter saying the Guru has left an indelible message of harmony that continues to motivate us. "I bow to the Guru Ravidas on his birth anniversary. The precious and indelible message for harmony, equality and social empowerment given by him will continue to motivate us forever," Modi wrote in Hindi. Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on the day marking the saints birth that is believed to be in the year 14th century on Maghi Purnima day. Guru Ravidas' jayanti is celebrated on Magh Purnima, a full moon day in the Hindu calendar of Magha month. On the day, people who follow the Bhakti cult, take out Nagar Kirtan processions with the saint's portrait while chanting special prayers. Lakhs of people converge at the Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan Mandir, Seer Goverdhanpur in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, where celebrations are held on a grand scale. So, later in the day, Modi will be visiting his parliamentary constituency Varanasi where he will visit the Sant Ravidas temple and lay foundation stone of Ravidas Janmasthali (birthplace) area development project. Belonging to an untouchable caste, Guru Ravidas suffered atrocities but he chose to focus on spiritual pursuits and penned several devotional songs which made a huge impact in the Bhakti Movement during the 14th to 16th century and also gave rise to the Ravidassia religion taht is followed bt several pockets. Guru Ravidas spoke against the caste divisions and spoke of removing them to promote unity. His hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs. The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday announced a public holiday on Tuesday, February 19, marking the 'Magh Purnima' and 'Sant Ravidas Jayanti' both of which have fallen on the same day. The order has been issued by Principal Secretary of Higher Education, Jitendra Kumar. --IANS aks/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid reports of sporadic violence against Kashmiris from across the country following the Pulwama terror attack last week, the Kolkata Police on Tuesday asserted that the people from the Valley residing here were "very safe" as adequate security measures had been taken for their protection. "They are very safe here. I have just had a review meeting with my officers. We have identified pockets where these people are staying. We have interacted with them and given them protection. I believe they are completely safe in the city," new city police commissioner Anuj Sharma who took charge on Tuesday told reporters at the state police headquarters Lalbazar here. A Kashmiri doctor, living in Kolkata for the last 22 years, had said a group of people turned up at his place on Friday and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not leave the city. An FIR has been lodged against the accused on the basis of the doctor's complaint. When asked about alleged rumours regarding child lifters in certain pockets of the city and districts, the officer said they will put special focus on those areas and hold mass awareness programmes against "planned efforts" to create law and order problems. Incidents of mob attacks on strangers have been reported from certain Bengal districts, like South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Nadia in the last few days. Sharma who took over from the former top cop Rajeev Kumar lauded the performance of the city police department, but said there would be more focus towards ensuring women's safety. --IANS mgr/oeb/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which is one of the partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, had witnessed a rise in its fortunes in the elections whenever it had contested the Lok Sabha polls with the BJP in the state since 1999. The NDA comprising the BJP and the JD-U had shown their best performance in the state in the 1999 and 2009 elections, when they had won 41 out of 54 seats in undivided Bihar and 32 out of 40 seats respectively. In the 1999 Lok Sabha polls, the Janata Dal-United had won 17, while its alliance partner BJP had won 24 seats in Bihar before Jharkhand was carved out in 2000. The Congress and Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had won four and seven seats respectively in the 1999 elections, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist and an independent candidate had won one seat each. However, things changed in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections when the Congress and the RJD combine bounced back by winning 25 out of 40 seats in Bihar. The RJD had won 22 while the Congress managed to win three seats. Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) also won four seats as part of the UPA alliance. On the other side, the NDA, comprising the JD-U and the BJP, managed to win 11 seats. The JD-U won six and the BJP five. Despite a good show in the 2004 general elections by the RJD and the Congress, a year later, the NDA alliance of the BJP and the JD-U decimated the RJD in the 2005 assembly polls in Bihar and came to power in the state by winning 143 seats altogether. And riding high on the good governance model of Nitish Kumar, the NDA's best performance was yet to come in the state. Under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi of the BJP, the NDA won 32 seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls in the state. The Nitish Kumar-led JD-U, which acted as the big brother in the alliance, got the maximum share of seats by winning 22 while the saffron party tasted victory in 12 seats. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which still came back to power at the Centre in 2009, won only six seats in the state. The RJD won four seats and the Congress two seats respectively in the state. Their ally, LJP, scored a nil in the 2009 elections, while two seats were won by independent candidates. However, things changed dramatically for the JD-U after it pulled out of the NDA in 2013 by opposing the prime ministerial candidature of Narendra Modi. Following the exit of Nitish Kumar, the BJP scored its best-ever performance in the state after combining with the Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and Paswan-led LJP. The BJP won 22 out of 40 seats while its partners LJP and RLSP won six and three seats respectively. On the other hand, the JD-U, which had been a partner of the BJP in the state for the last 17 years and had won 20 seats in 2009, contested alone and was reduced to only two seats. On the other hand, the RJD, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) managed to win four, two and one seat respectively. Commenting on the JD-U's fortunes going up with the BJP, the party's national general secretary, K.C. Tyagi told IANS: "The utility of Nitish Kumar is that whenever he partners with any party, then the other party gets marginalised." Giving examples, he said when the JD(u) partnered with the BJP, the RJD and the Congress were marginalised in the state and when it partnered with the RJD and the Congress, then the BJP got decimated in the 2015 assembly polls. Backing his claim, the JD-U leader said, "The BJP had a lead in 175 seats in 2010 assembly polls when it fought with the JD-U. But it was reduced to 58 seats in 2015 assembly polls when we joined the Grand Alliance. So this is the charisma of Nitish Kumar." Referring to the reasons for the popularity of Nitish Kumar and his party in the state, Tyagi said "transparency, corruption free government, no dynastic rule and good governance of Nitish Kumar are the major reasons for the popularity of the party in Bihar". When pointed to the party's worst defeat in the 2014 general elections, as it won only two seats, Tyagi said, "In 2014 we were not in the election fray. The election was between Congress, RJD and the BJP. We lost miserably and got only two seats. But despite that we got 17 per cent of the votes." The Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai, however, parried questions on the issue saying all the allies make the alliance stronger in the state. "The BJP, JD-U and the LJP complete each other in the state. Altogether we had strengthened the alliance and made it stronger," Rai said. Six months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA camp has witnessed a break as its partner RLSP comprising Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Upendra Kushwaha pulled out of the alliance. Kushwaha later announced that his party will join the Grand Alliance comprising the Congress and the RJD in the state. Even the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), led by former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, which had contested the 2015 assembly polls in the state with the NDA, also joined the Grand Alliance last year. The LJP, however, has decided to stay with the NDA after a round of negotiations with BJP President Amit Shah over "respectable seat share to the party". The JD-U and the BJP have announced that they will fight an equal number of seats leaving the rest of the seats for the LJP. The BJP and the JD-U will be contesting 17 seats each with six seats left for the LJP. In addition, the LJP has been offered one Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) --IANS aks/vsc/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Tuesday hit back at India in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) when it accused Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav of indulging in terror and subversive activities on its soil which were an "actual manifestation of Indian policy". "Since 1947, India has pursued a policy of destroying Pakistan. This has taken several forms and manifestations over the past few years," said Attorney General of Pakistan, Anwar Mansoor Khan, a day after India's counsel Harish Salve lashed out at Pakistan saying that there was no due process in the trial of Jadhav and that he should be released immediately. Jadhav's detention since 2016 for espionage was "unlawful", the former Solicitor General of India had asserted during his three-hour-long presentation. Khan said Jadhav was named in an FIR for his activities prior to his judicial confession. Jadhav "carried out bombings, targeted operations, kidnapping and unlawful activities to create anarchy in Pakistan" and targeted the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor, he alleged. In his arguments, Khan cited a speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say that he has been on record to have suggested using water as a weapon against Pakistan. He said Pakistan was a "major victim of terrorism" and has suffered more than 74,000 casualties caused "mainly by the interference by our neighbour, India". "Pakistan wishes peace and peaceful neighbourhood but that does not deter us to protect our motherland, by ensuring that such guilty face the law," Khan said. He also underlined that granting access to Jadhav's family on humanitarian grounds was an unparalleled gesture as no person involved in espionage and terrorism has been granted this facility in the past. Khan also raked up India's role in the creation of Bangladesh by dividing Pakistan through military action and "funding and training" anti-Pakistan militia. --IANS mak-ps/vsc/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brussels, Feb 20 (IANS/AKI) Britain's planned exit from the European Union next month will hopefully not be "brutal" or "divisive" especially given the many Italians resident in the UK and Britons living in Italy, Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said on Tuesday. "We hope there will be no brutal severing of the relationship between Britain and the EU, given that many Italian citizens live on the other side of the channel and there are many Britons living in Italy," he said. Italy has "strong economic interests" in and "a positive trade balance" with Britain, Moavero said on the sidelines of the EU General Affairs Council. "We hope that a non-divisive way forward can be found," he said. "A possible extension of Britain's withdrawal from the EU beyond March, which remains a possibility under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union and which requires the European Council's unanimous accord," Moavero said. The foreign ministry said that Moavero had talks with his British counterpart Jeremy Hunt in Brussels Monday on the rights of Italian citizens in the UK and Britons resident in Italy after Brexit, which is scheduled for March 29. Britain's Premier Theresa May is still hoping to secure changes to the withdrawal treaty she negotiated with the EU in order to get a revised deal through parliament. She has not ruled out a no-deal Brexit should her bid fail. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a time when digital assistants in smart devices at home or office are talking to us like never before, some users have begun to worry: Is Alexa or Google Home listening and recording personal conversations beyond the "wake" word? There are multiple triggers to such concerns, the latest one being a person in Germany using Amazon's voice assistant who received 1,700 audio files from a person he never met. A woman in the US state of Oregon was in shock last year when the Amazon Echo device at her Portland home recorded a private conversation and then shared it with one of her husband's employees in Seattle. Amazon later clarified that Alexa mistakenly heard a series of commands and sent the recording as a voice message to one of the husband's employees. The threat is very much real, with more and more Indians being hooked to the always-on and Internet-connected smart home devices. In a latest Forrester report titled "Secure The Rise Of Intelligent Agents", Amy DeMartine and Jennifer Wise argue that currently, introductory versions of intelligent agents include Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant and Siri. However, security is not part of the equation, and unless security pros get involved, the implications are more worrisome for businesses than normal human beings. "Alexa doesn't currently authenticate or authorise individuals who access it, leaving a company's Alexa skills unprotected from anyone who can remember another user's commands," reads the report. "A hacker has already developed a method to install malware on a pre-2017 Amazon Echo that streams the microphone to any remote computer, accesses the owner's Amazon account, and installs ransomware," the Forrester report added. Apple logs and stores Siri queries but they are not associated with an Apple ID or email address, and the company deletes the association between queries and their numerical codes after six months. Amazon and Google devices, however, save query histories until the customer deletes them, and Microsoft Cortana users must manage their own data retention preferences in the Cloud and on their devices. According to Puneesh Kumar, Country Manager for Alexa Experiences and Devices, Amazon India, the threat of Alexa recording all your conversations is not real as the company has created layers of privacy protections in all of its Echo device. "It includes a mute button involving a hardware press that electrically disconnects the microphones and cameras, clear visual indicators when utterances are being captured and streamed, as well as the ability to see and delete voice recording history for their devices," Kumar told IANS. Echo speakers use on-device keyword spotting to detect the "wake" word and only the "wake" word. When the "wake" word is detected, the light ring around the top of the device turns blue to indicate that Alexa is streaming audio to the Cloud. "At any time, you can turn the microphone off by pushing the microphone button on the top of the device and this creates an electrical disconnect to the mic, which will turn on a red ring to visually indicate that the device is muted," informed Kumar. According to Amazon, the voice utterances spoken to the device may be used in order to deliver and improve its services. The users, if needed, can delete specific voice recordings associated with their accounts by going to History in Settings in the Alexa App, drilling down for a specific entry, and then tapping the delete button. You can also delete all voice recordings associated with your account for each of your Alexa-enabled products. (Nishant Arora can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in) --IANS na/vsc/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (WB) People with HIV/AIDS in Venezuela are dying because of an acute lack of available antiretroviral drugs in the country, according to service providers and activists with whom the Washington Blade has spoken in recent days. Cesar Sequera, founder of Alianza Lambda de Venezuela, a Venezuelan LGBTI advocacy group, told the Blade on Feb. 8 during a telephone interview from the countrys Vargas state that he has been able to obtain antiretroviral drugs from non-governmental organizations or from donations he received from outside the country. Sequera, who is also a priest at an Anglican church outside of the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, acknowledged there are other people who arent receiving them. The situation is critical and alarming, he told the Blade. Hendriel Briceno, a 26-year-old public university professor who lives in Caracas, tested positive five years ago. He told the Blade during a WhatsApp interview on Feb. 8 that he did not take antiretroviral drugs for a year because there werent any. Briceno said he currently has a months supply. We have a very serious situation, said Eduardo Franco, secretary of Red Venezolana de Gente Positiva, a Caracas-based HIV/AIDS advocacy group, during a telephone interview on Monday. Sequera, Briceno and Franco all told the Blade that Venezuelas worsening economic and political crises have further exacerbated the countrys HIV/AIDS crisis. A report from the International Council for AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), Aid for AIDS International, Global Development and three Venezuelan organizations Asociacion Civil Impacto Social, Alianza Venezolana para la Salud and Sociedad Venezolana de Salud Publica cites statistics from the Pan-American and World Health Organizations, the Venezuelan Ministry of Health and other agencies that note 25,000 more people died from HIV between 2010-2018. The statistics also indicate the number of people with HIV increased from 97,000 to more than 120,000 during the same period. PAHO, WHO and UNAIDS representatives traveled to Caracas last June in order to observe the Venezuelan governments efforts to combat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. The organizations subsequently announced a plan to combat the diseases that includes input from Venezuelan health care providers, NGOs and government representatives. The plan was subsequently presented to the national authorities who gave approval of the document, as well as to State coordinators, the Venezuelan Society of Infectious Diseases, Pulmonology, Pediatrics and Gynecology/Obstetrics, reads the plan of which the Blade obtained a copy. The Global Fund board of directors on Sept. 24, 2018, approved $5 million to help alleviate the gaps in the provision of HIV treatment in Venezuela. The PAHO Strategic Fund received $4.9 million to purchase antiretroviral drugs. Venezuelan NGOs received the remaining $100,000 from UNAIDS in order to oversee the distribution of the medications to people with HIV/AIDS. The first shipment of the antiretroviral drug Tenofovir, Lamivudine and Dolutegravir (TLD), which contained 100,000 bottles, arrived in Venezuela on Dec. 23, 2018. A second shipment of TLD with 200,000 bottles arrived in the country on Jan. 16. Red Venezolana de Gente Positiva and more than two dozen other Venezuelan HIV/AIDS service and advocacy organizations in a Feb. 4 letter to Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said none of the bottles from the two shipments had been distributed from a warehouse that is located on a military base in Miranda state. The letter also notes millions and millions of pills of antiretroviral drugs are stored and withheld without justification at the warehouse. Venezuelan civil society organizations working on HIV are writing to you to demand your urgent intervention in the release and delivery of antiretroviral medicines that will save the lives of more than 70,000 people living with HIV and AIDS in Venezuela, reads the letter. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Feb. 6 wrote in a tweet that apparently (President Nicolas) Maduro is blocking $5 million Global Fund shipments of HIV and AIDS medicine from Venezuela. This is a death sentence to those who depend on anti-virals (sic) for survival, said the Florida Republican. A Rubio spokesperson on Monday told the Blade she did not have any additional information about the antiretroviral drug shipment. The Venezuelan government has said a lack of working trucks has prevented it from distributing the drugs throughout the country. ICASO Executive Director Mary Ann Torres, who is originally from Venezuela, on Tuesday told the Blade during a telephone interview from Toronto the Venezuelan Ministry of Health indeed only a handful of trucks that are working. She said officials distributed some of the drugs in Valencia, a city in Carabobo state, after the open letter to Alvarado and Rubios tweet. The government doesnt care Venezuela, which has the worlds largest known oil reserves, was once Latin Americas most prosperous country. Venezuelas worsening economic and political crisis has prompted millions of Venezuelans to migrate to neighboring Colombia and other countries in recent years. Juan Guaido, president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, last month declared himself president after the countrys disputed presidential election that took place in May 2018. The U.S. is among the countries that have officially recognized Guaido as Venezuelas interim leader. Briceno said he has seen well-dressed people in Caracas picking through the garbage for food. One source who asked the Blade not to identify them by name because of safety concerns said three condoms and a bottle of lubricant costs a months salary for someone who is making minimum wage. Madonna Badillo, a transgender woman of indigenous descent who lives in the Colombian city of Maicao, which is a few miles from the countrys border with Venezuela on the Guajira Peninsula, told the Blade last March during an interview at her home that Venezuelan women sell their hair to wigmakers for less than $10 out of necessity. One of the things I have seen is the government doesnt care, Torres told the Blade. Its a mixture of bad policies. Its a mixture of ideology over evidence. Torres said other issues that have contributed to the crisis include corruption and the mismanagement of Venezuelas nationalized oil and mining industries. Its not about sanctions, she told the Blade. Its about the mismanagement of a country and a government that is over-powerful and over-present everywhere. They have left the infrastructure to be destroyed completely. You see pictures of the hospitals and you understand why health is the way it is. Everything is falling apart. Sequera noted some Venezuelans still support Maduro, despite the deepening crisis. He also told the Blade there will be a civil war in the country if the U.S. stages a military intervention to oust Maduro. The entire population will come out on the street, said Sequera. Humanitarian aid is urgently needed in Venezuela Rubio is among those who have sharply criticized Maduro for preventing humanitarian aid from the U.S. from entering Venezuela. Media reports note Guaido on Tuesday told supporters at a Caracas rally the aid would be brought into the country on Feb. 23. Torres told the Blade that humanitarian aid is urgently needed in Venezuela. She also said the country needs to be completely rebuilt. The problem is the reconstruction wont start with Maduro in power just because he doesnt accept there is a problem, said Torres. by Kamel Abderrahmani The Saudi crown prince is on the first stop of his Asian tour, Pakistan, where he signed a US$ 20 billion deal. Meanwhile, a violent crackdown continues at home. Reformist religious leaders like Shaykh Salman al-Awdah risk the death penalty for their beliefs. Liberal Muslims must support the oppressed and break down the wall of silence. Paris (AsiaNews) Saudi Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) arrived in Pakistan yesterday, the first stop on an Asian tour that includes India, China and Indonesia. In Islamabad, he met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, pledging US$ 20 billion in investments to boost the countrys fragile economy. The agreement provides for US$ 8 billion financing for the oil refinery in Gwadar. The Pakistani government gave the illustrious and wealthy guest a lavish reception, anxious to get his petrodollars to cope with a serious domestic crisis. For Salman, money is one way to silence criticisms and attacks by NGOs and pro-human rights activists for the abuses and violence perpetrated in the kingdom and abroad. Increasingly, the reformist image that the 33-year-old Crown Prince has tried to project seems more and more illusory. This includes his much-vaunted Vision 2030 plan to reform, among other things social mores, like granting women the right to drive. In reality, the arrests of senior officials and entrepreneurs last year, the repression of activists and critical voices, the war in Yemen with its civilian victims, including children, not to mention the assassination of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi cast a giant shadow on MbS. What follow are the thoughts of Kamel Abderrahmani, 30, an Algerian Muslim scholar. A French saying notes that "appearances are often deceptive". This is the case of the "Kingdom of Allah". One must indeed be wary about what appears to be openness in a country like Saudi Arabia, an image it has tried desperately to project to the world. That's something I said over a year. If I say it again, it is because the countrys theocratic politics is always faithful to sharia (Islamic law) and has not hesitated to make use of its barbarous and inhumane rules. Crown Prince Salman has tried to charm the West, a way to stifle the voices that oppose the oppression imposed on human rights activists. His attempts to create the image of an open and modernising prince in the eyes of the world are contradicted by his actions: repression, arrests, organised assassination and death sentences by decapitation, etc. Human rights activists continue to sound the alarm bells highlighting the inhuman and barbarous actions carried out in that country. One way or another, the kingdoms courts find a way to justify the death sentence. Like the religious reformer and university scholar Ferhan Al Maliki, who could be beheaded and whom I mentioned in another article, it is now the turn of Shaykh Salman al-Awdah. He too could be sentenced to death. Rest assured, he is not an Islamist terrorist but a religious reformer accused of promoting true personal and civil freedom, openness to critical thinking and updated religious interpretations and opinions of Islam. Religious reformer Shaykh Salman al-Awdah has been unjustly incarcerated since September 2017 as part of a major wave of arrests aimed at stifling dissent in the kingdom of Allah. He was arrested just one day after he had welcomed possible reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, after he had objected to the economic war between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. What shocks and scares me is that everyone is silent. Whether Al-Azhar in Egypt, the World Association of Muslim religious scholars, or Muslims around the world, no one is speaking out and this silence is unjustifiable and inconceivable. This eminent progressive theologian does not deserve either imprisonment or decapitation. Saudi Arabia must revisit the way it deals with peaceful men and women who want only more freedom of conscience and expression. It is outrageous and unacceptable that men and women who denounce social injustice are treated this way in a community of more than one billion people. I include myself among them. Even though I may be in danger, as a liberal Muslim I stand by the oppressed because I am truly free, and for this reason I categorically refuse to be a prisoner of silence. Indonesia has submitted a proposal to host the 2032 Olympics to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after successfully holding the Asian Games last year, a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Switzerland said on Tuesday. That might lead Indonesia to compete with India and joint efforts by the South and North Korea to win the opportunity, reports Xinhua news agency. Indonesian President Joko Widodo's letter, stipulating Indonesia's plan to host the world's biggest sport event, was sent to President of the IOC Thomas Bach last week, according the statement. The selection of the 2032 Olympics host is scheduled to be made no longer than 2024. --IANS kk/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Big players in the Indian construction and general mechanics sectors are looking to embrace experience platforms in a big way, says French global 3DEXPERIENCE giant Dassault Systemes's Vice Chairman and CEO Bernard Charles. "I'd say that the capacity of the Indian companies to adopt the next-generation platforms is quite strong," Charles told IANS. The 3DEXPERIENCE major, which offers product lifecycle management (PLM) and 3D modelling software, simulation apps and industry solutions, has clients in the country including car manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra, Volvo Asia, automobile firm Ashok Leyland, Hero, Royal Enfield, Renault and Aditya Birla among others. According to the company, the automobile sector in India was the highest adopter of this technology until some time ago, but now, sectors like construction and general mechanics and aerospace are also rapidly adopting it. Dassault Systemes' SOLIDWORKS' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which is designed to enable the powering of 3D realistic virtual experiences, has been used in the city of Jaipur to simulate a 3D model of the city so that they can predict the impact of infrastructure or construction activity there. SOLIDWORKS is a solid modelling computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) computer programme that runs on all Operating Systems (OS). "We have a lot of advanced clients in India that are quickly moving forward. The understanding, the adoption (of the technology) is creating a new situation or new possibilities for them," Charles noted. One of the projects is called "Jaipur 3D City Project" that went live last year. "Jaipur can be a lesson for so many cities in the world. That's why we are showcasing it here. It gives a new perspective to plan a city, to enhance the engagement between citizens and urban agencies," said Charles. Stating that India is close to his heart, the CEO said several sectors in the country are going digital. "The first priority for us is to make sure we build proximity and presence -- meaning that we train our partners properly, so they can serve the clients well," Charles added. "There's a lot of investment going on in the competency centre in Bengaluru, which is key to elevating our competency." Called "3DEXPERIENCE Innovation Center", these competency centres are where Dassault Systemes joins hands with a government body and a college and then imparts specialised training to aerospace and automotive engineering students. Dassault Systemes has two competency centres in Andhra Pradesh and Bengaluru and is working towards bringing more such centres in Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The company, which employs over 2,000 people in India, has R&D centres in Pune and Bengaluru. The small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups are sectors where the company is witnessing an increasing demand. When asked what gives SOLIDWORKS an edge over its rivals such as Autodesk and PTC in the country, Charles said: "Users love SOLIDWORKS, they just love it. They can do the job on it and learn it quickly... especially in India." (Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in) --IANS ksc/vsc/vm/am/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday said it had seized five Sri Lankan fishing boats which had a total of 25 crewmen. In a statement issued here, it said the Sri Lankan fishing boats were fishing illegally in the Indian waters when they were detected, about 90 km off Nagapattinam. A total of 4,200 kgs of tuna fish illegally caught from the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone was seized from them. All the apprehended boats were brought to Karaikal harbour for joint investigation by relevant security agencies, the Coast Guard said. In light of the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmit, maritime surveillance was heightened to foil any anti-national elements gaining access into Indian coastal areas and engaging in activities detrimental to national interests, the statement said. --IANS vj/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian armed forces were ready to counter-attack as their morale was high despite the terror blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14, said Defence Minister Niramala Sitharaman on Tuesday. "The response of all Indians to the terror attack in Pulwama has made our armed forces assert they were ready to retaliate against the enemy squarely," Sitharaman told IANS here. Clarifying that the terror attack on the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) troops, in which 40 of them died had not affected the armed forces in any way, the Minister said they (jawans) were ready to do their job. "The terror attack has not affected their morale at all. It is our duty to make their morale remain high. We are here to stand by them," said Sitharaman at a press meet ahead of the biennial Aero India air show in this aerospace hub from Wednesday. Noting that she would respond to the Pulwama attack after getting more information on it, the Minister said though India sent evidence to Pakistan on terror attacks in the country since terrorists from its side came to Mumbai on November 26, 2008, its government did not take any action against them. "Since the Mumbai attack on November 26 2008, the previous (UPA) government had sent evidence to Pakistan, which did not take any action. Even our (NDA) government sent evidence of involvement of non-state actors but no action has been taken so far," Sitharaman said. --IANS bha-fb/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Americans across the US have expressed solidarity to the families of the 40 CRPF troopers who lost their lives in the February 14 Pulwama terror attack, by holding candlelight vigils, peaceful protests and fundraisers. In Atlanta, Georgia, members of the Gujarat Samaj gathered at the Sardar Patel Bhavan in Tucker, where they held a candlelight vigil over the weekend. The event was organised as a mark of protest and to pay tributes to the victims, The American Bazaar reported on Monday. Vigils are planned to take place this week also in Sacramento, the capital of California, and home to a large Indian American population. The Indian Association of Sacramento (IAS) will hold one on Tuesday at the Lakshmi Narayan Temple. In Chicago, a peaceful protest is being planned for Thursday outside the Pakistan Consulate in the city. J.D. Diganvker, a community activist and an organisers of the protest, said: "We are grieving for our slain soldiers... We want Pakistan to take strict action against the terrorists... The protest will be an absolutely peaceful one and we will be giving a memorandum to the Pakistani Consulate." On Monday evening, a candlelight vigil was held at the city's Dan Shanower, while on Wednesday, protesters will gather at the Indian Consulate General office. Samir Kalra, Managing Director of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), a non-profit advocacy organisation, said on Monday: "While it's heartening to see that a wide swath of the international community is unequivocally condemning the attack, such statements of solidarity must be backed up by actions to eliminate terrorist groups who kill with impunity and destabilise the region." The National Federation of Indian American Associations strongly condemned the attack, saying that "such an act of terrorism cannot and should not go without heavy punishments". Various fundraisers have been floated to help the victims' families across the US by Indian American individuals and groups. --IANS ksk/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian-American couple has been found dead in an apparent murder-suicide in their home in the US state of Texas, police said. The couple was identified as Sreenivas Nakirekanti, 51, and his wife, Shanti Nakirekanti, 46 and the incident took place at Pendergrass Trail on Monday, KPRC-TV station reported. The police said they were called to the house in Sugar Land at 6 p.m. and upon reaching the scene they found the woman's body in the driveway of the home. Her husband's body was found in the bedroom of the house with a gunshot wound in the chest and a small handgun nearby. A preliminary investigation indicated that Sreenivas Nakirekanti shot and killed his wife Shanti and then turned the gun on himself. The couple's 16-year-old daughter was home at the time of the shooting but was not injured. Friends said the couple also has a 21-year-old son who attends the University of Texas. "The two fatalities fits the scenario of a murder-suicide. This case is still under investigation," said the Sugar Land Police Department (SLDP) in a press statement. "There is no danger to residents and SLPD is not looking for any suspects," it added. Friends of the couple said many of them received an email from Sreenivas Nakirekanti that day but the police asked them not to share the details of the message. Sreenivas Nakirekanti was a director at an energy company in Houston and his wife was a computer programmer. People close to the couple said they didn't know of any problems between the two. The police said there was no history of calls to the home or any information detailing domestic violence between the couple. "He was one of the best friends for a lot of people and his wife was known to a lot of people here in the community. They were also involved in some charitable organizations. We are really shocked. What went on inside, we don't know, so we're trying to get more details from the police," said a long time friend of the couple. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell on Tuesday agreed, following a bilateral meeting in the Spanish capital, that both countries supported the promotion of multilateralism and a rules-based concept of free trade. The two leaders met at Madrid's Viana Palace, the Spanish foreign ministry's official headquarters, to discuss the most pressing issues on the international agenda, according to a ministry statement. "The meeting has allowed us to confirm the growing degree of interlocution between Spain and Indian authorities and the current understanding between two partners that share values, democratic principles and vision regarding international affairs," read the statement, Efe reported. Both chief diplomats broached the budding potential of closer economic ties and industrial and technological cooperation between the Mediterranean and South Asian nations, especially in fields in which Spanish businesses are global leaders such as the civil use of nuclear energy, transport, the railway sector and renewable energy. The ministry highlighted India's increasing influence when it comes to the promotion of international stability and security. Borrell and Swaraj congratulated each other for the imminent signing of a bilateral deal on water resources. In addition, Borrell presented Swaraj with the prestigious Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit medal to honour India's support for Spanish victims of the earthquake that devastated Nepal in April 2015. The Spanish official expressed his condolences and solidarity in the aftermath of a brutal suicide bombing that has killed at least 40 paramilitary troopers in Indian-administered Kashmir and has sparked international condemnation. India and Spain had already strengthened their relationship on December 1 when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. In early January, Borrell visited India to continue the high-level talks between both countries and prepare a planned state visit by Sanchez scheduled for the third trimester of 2019, although the PM has since called snap elections for April, which has, for now, put those plans on hold. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Army on Tuesday said that all the top leadership of the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit have been eliminated by security forces in the Kashmir Valley within 100 hours of the terror attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed. Addressing a joint press conference with the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force at the Badamibagh Cantonment Headquarters of army's 15 corps, Lieutenant General, K.J.S. Dhillion, commander of the Chinar Corps said: "In less than 100 hours of the terror attack in Pulwama we have eliminated the top leadership of the JeM that was being directly handled by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistan Army. "We were tracking the top JeM cadres ever since February 14. The Pulwama terror attack was coordinated by the JeM cadres in Pakistan and the Pakistan Army," he said. In the biggest crackdown after the February 14 attack by a suicide bomber that left 40 CRPF troopers dead in Pulwama district, the security forces ringed a militant hideout in Pinglena village, just 10 km from the Thursday's terror attack site, triggering a gun battle Sunday overnight that continued intermittently till Monday evening. They killed three militants of the Pakistan-backed JeM, two of them Pakistani nationals identified as Kamran and Abdul Rashid alias Ghazi Umar. Besides, a Major, three soldiers and a civilian were also killed in the initial burst of gunfire by the militants. "In yesterday's (Monday) operation in Pulwama, we have killed Kamran, who was the operational commander of the JeM in Kashmir together with another Pakistani and a local terrorist of the outfit." On Monday's operation, the Corps Commander said it was the result of complete synergy between the Army, state police and the CRPF. The senior-most army officer in the Valley did not accept that there was any security lapse that led to the Pulwama terror strike. "What the terrorists have succeeded in doing is only one or two per cent of what was denied to them because of the alertness of the security forces. "There was no restriction on movement of civilian traffic when the lone terrorist managed to get on to the highway and hit the CRPF bus. "Restrictions on civilian traffic during movement of convoys of security forces are in place now," he said. Answering a question on the number of security force personnel killed and injuries in Sunday-Monday's operation, the Corps Commander said that the security forces took casualties because their first priority was to ensure that no civilian life was lost. "We took injuries on our chin to ensure protection to civilians in the area. "You all know that except for the one civilian casualty that happened when the operation started, the security forces ensured that no civilian casualty occurred during such a long-drawn operation. "The senior officers of the security forces always lead operations from the front. Brigadier Harbir Singh who was injured along with Deputy Inspector General (South Kashmir) Amit Kumar on Monday (who was on leave). "He cut his leave short and reached the site of the operation directly. Both the brigadier and the DIG are doing very well in army's base hospital and they are out of danger," he said. The top army officer said that the details about the terror strike and the breakthrough made in identifying everybody involved in the plot cannot be shared with the media right now as investigations were still in progress. Answering a question about whether one of the two slain militants in Monday's operation was Ghazi, who masterminded and directly handled the Kashmiri JeM suicide bomber, the Corps Commander said: "So many Ghazis have so far come and gone. "Whosoever picks up a gun against the country will be killed and eliminated," he asserted. The top army officer made a request to parents especially mothers in the Valley to ensure that their children who have picked up guns come back to the mainstream by surrendering their weapons. "Mothers have an important role in ensuring that their children remain safe. They must ask those children who have picked up guns to give them up," he added. --IANS sq/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said here on Tuesday Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans demand for actionable intelligence on the Pulwama attack was a "diversionary" and "shallow" statement as the origin of crime was known and Indias security forces were confident of dealing with the situation. After a meeting of the cabinet, he said there has been universal condemnation of this gruesome act of terrorism in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. "Our security forces are extremely confident of dealing with the situation. The masterminds have been liquidated and our security forces will continue to keep the vigil. The global community has endorsed India's stand in a major way," he said. Referring to Khan's statement, made earlier in the day, Jaitley said three things are obvious. "First, there is not even a pretext of outright condemnation of the incident. Second, let alone sympathy for the bereaved families, not even lip sympathy for them. And third, a very shallow logic that 'provide to us actionable intelligence' as though the origin of crime is not known," the minister said. He said actionable intelligence can provide only some clues and in the case of Pulwama attack the perpetrators of the crime have admitted to it. "There is a confession by them, though this confession may be in form of muscle-flexing. The perpetrators are located in a country of which Khan is the prime minister. It is a diversionary statement," he said. Referring to the encounter with militants in Pinglena village, just 10 km from the Pulwama terror attack site on Monday, Jaitley said two of the three liquidated were Pakistani nationals. "What do you need some actionable or remote intelligence for this purpose. The handlers have admitted to the offence and, therefore, this claim that provide us and we will act...the evidence is in your own home," he said. Referring to the intelligence and evidence given by India on the Mumbai terror attack of 2008, Jaitley said "we know the fate." --IANS ps/vsc/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Himachal Pradesh has installed 6,000 dustbins along urban and rural roads displaying names of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament. Another 13,000 more are in the process of being installed. Congress leaders told IANS the dustbins prominently feature the name of BJP MPs Anurag Thakur, Shanta Kumar, Ram Swaroop Sharma and Virender Kashyap. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won all the four seats. The state now ruled by the BJP. The waste bins, installed in pairs for storing wet and dry garbage with Swachh Bharat written on them, have been installed by public sector undertaking Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL) with an outlay of Rs 2.66 crore as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. Likewise, another 13,000 waste bins would be installed by another central government enterprise NHPC Ltd with an expenditure of Rs 2.59 crore. These facts came to light in a written reply in the assembly on Monday by Power Minister Anil Sharma. He said the SJVNL and the NHPC are installing plastic dustbins under CSR activities. As per information furnished by SJVN Limited, he said, the names of MPs have been written on 6,000 dustbins. As per information furnished by NHPC, the minister said, the project of supply, installation and subsequent maintenance of 13,000 dustbins is in process in parliamentary and assembly constituencies of Shimla and Kangra. The garbage disposal responsibly is of EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Ltd), a joint venture of PSUs under Union Power Ministry, which has made mutual agreement by associating representative of each municipality and panchayat body. --IANS vg/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (AP) Thirteen gay couples filed Japan's first lawsuit challenging the country's rejection of same-sex marriage Thursday, arguing the denial violates their constitutional right to equality. Six couples holding banners saying "Marriage For All Japan" walked into Tokyo District Court to file their cases against the government, with similar cases filed by three couples in Osaka, one couple in Nagoya and three couples in Sapporo. Plaintiff Kenji Aiba, standing next to his partner Ken Kozumi, told reporters he would "fight this war together with sexual minorities all around Japan." Aiba and Kozumi have held onto a marriage certificate they signed at their wedding party in 2013, anticipating Japan would emulate other advanced nations and legalize same-sex unions. That day has yet to come, and legally they are just friends even though they've lived as a married couple for more than five years. So they decided to act rather than waiting. "Right now we are both in good health and able to work, but what if either of us has an accident or becomes ill? We are not allowed to be each other's guarantors for medical treatment, or to be each other's heir," Kozumi, a 45-year-old office worker, said in a recent interview with his partner Aiba, 40. "Progress in Japan has been too slow." Ten Japanese municipalities have enacted "partnership" ordinances for same-sex couples to make it easier for them to rent apartments together, among other things, but they are not legally binding. Japanese laws are currently interpreted as allowing marriage only between a man and a woman. In a society where pressure for conformity is strong, many gay people hide their sexuality, fearing prejudice at home, school or work. The obstacles are even higher for transgender people in the highly gender-specific society. The Supreme Court last month upheld a law that effectively requires transgender people to be sterilized before they can have their gender changed on official documents. The LGBT equal rights movement has lagged behind in Japan because people who are silently not conforming to conventional notions of sexuality have been so marginalized that the issue hasn't been considered a human rights problem, experts say. "Many people don't even think of a possibility that their neighbors, colleagues or classmates may be sexual minorities," said Mizuho Fukushima, a lawyer-turned-lawmaker and an expert on gender and human rights issues. "And the pressure to follow a conservative family model, in which heterosexual couples are supposed to marry and have children, is still strong." Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his ultra-conservative supporters have campaigned to restore a paternalistic society based on heterosexual marriages. The government has restarted moral education class at schools to teach children family values and good deeds. "Whether to allow same-sex marriage is an issue that affects the foundation of how families should be in Japan, which requires an extremely careful examination," Abe said in a statement last year. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has repeatedly come under fire for making remarks deemed discriminating against LGBTQ people. In January, party veteran Katsuei Hirasawa said "a nation would collapse" if everyone became LGBTQ. Last year, another ruling lawmaker, Mio Sugita, was condemned after saying in a magazine that the government shouldn't use tax money for the rights of LGBTQ individuals because they are "not productive." But while the law and many lawmakers lag behind, public acceptance of sexual diversity and same-sex marriage has grown in Japan. According to an October, 2018 survey by the advertising agency Dentsu, more than 70 percent of the 6,229 respondents aged 20-59 said they support legalizing same-sex marriage. Some companies have adopted policies to extend employee benefits to their same-sex partners. A few women's universities have announced they will start accepting male-to-female transgender applicants, and some schools are allowing both boys and girls to choose between trousers and skirts. Increasingly, genderless public toilets are becoming available for "everyone." Aiba said he feels a bit "scared" to go public and is worried about possible repercussions. But he and Kozumi decided to act on behalf of all their peers "who are too afraid of coming out because of discrimination and prejudice that we still face." "It will be our dream comes true if our marriage certificate is accepted one day," Aiba said. "We want to make that happen." Pressures for change are mounting. Japan's refusal to issue spouse visas to partners of same-sex couples legally married overseas is a growing problem, forcing them to temporarily live separately. A group of lawmakers is lobbying the Justice Ministry to consider a special visa for them. In August, The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and its counterparts from Canada, Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, called for legalizing same sex marriages, , saying Japan' loses out because talented LGBTQ people choose elsewhere to work. The primary goal of the lawsuit filed Thursday is to win marital equality for same-sex couples. But transgender people are also hoping for such a change, which would eliminate the need for anyone to be sterilized just so they can get married. "Crazy Rich Asians" star Henry Golding has maintained silence amidst speculations that he is replacing actor Daniel Craig as James Bond in "Bond 26". When tmz.com spoke to Golding about the buzz, he said: "I couldn't possibly say anything about that." Earlier, it was reported that current Bond star Craig will not be a part of "Bond 26", due to which rumours started that actors like Idris Elba or Golding may step into Craig's shoes. Craig is a part of "Bond 25", scheduled to release on April 8, 2020. --IANS sim/rb/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat's Vijay Rupani government on Tuesday presented a Vote-on-Account for the year 2019-20, showing an estimated surplus of Rs 12,241.40 crore and having no new tax proposals. "Revenue receipts for the year 2019-20 are estimated at Rs 1,54,885 crore, while revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs 1,45,022 crore," Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who also holds the Finance portfolio, told media persons. "Vote-on-Account proposal for period of four months up to July 31, 2019 has been presented before the House, as there is insufficient time to think over the demands of this year. Demands for the whole year will be discussed when the modified budget will be presented later in the year." Patel said that the government did not levy any new taxes this time as tax income had increased following effective tax compliance and collections. "In 2016-17, the tax income was Rs 64,443 crore which increased to Rs 71,549 crore in 2017-18," he said, adding that the 15th Finance Commission, during their recent visit to the state, had appreciated Gujarat's financial management. In his budget speech in the assembly, the Finance Minister said that the GSDP was reported at Rs 13.15 lakh crore during 2017-18, up by 14 per cent over the previous year. As per the revised estimates for 2018-19, the state is estimated to have a Rs 1,374.18 crore surplus as against the previously estimated Rs 783.02 crore. Quoting CRISIL's latest State of Growth 2.0 report, Patel said that Gujarat's average annual economic growth rate in 2013-17 stood at 9.9 per cent at constant prices, which was highest among the states. In 2017-18, it registered growth of 11.2 per cent. In his speech, Patel also said that the state's per capita income for 2017-18, at current prices, stood at Rs 1,71,652, an increase of 12.6 per cent over the previous year. The state's share in in national industrial output stood at 16.8 per cent. The minister also announced a One-Time Waiver scheme for electricity bills for poor families. Outstanding dues, amounting to Rs 691 crore will be waived on principal, interest and penalty amount of electricity bills of all eligible domestic power connections of Below Poverty Line (BPL) consumers in urban and rural areas, he said. He also said that Gujarat's agriculture production grew by 12.11 per cent and now contributed 7.3 percent in country's economy. On the drought situation, Patel said the government had declared 6,174 villages of 96 talukas as scarcity-hit and 16.27 lakh farmers there were paid Rs 1,557 crore as assistance. The government had also introduced a special package of Rs 2,285 crore for over 23 lakh farmers and cattle owners of these talukas. About the state's lifeline, the Narmada Canal project, he said that out of the total length of 71,748 kms of Sardar Sarovar canal network, 84 per cent or 60,427 kms had been completed. He said that a provision of Rs 6,945 crore has been made for 2019-20 and that a total of 9,083 villages and 166 cities were supplied domestic water from this scheme. Patel announced an increase in VAT subsidy on diesel for fishing boats from Rs 12 a litre to Rs 15. He also said in 2017-18, transportation through ports of the state, which has a 1,600-km-long coastline, stood at 311 million tonnes, or 31 per cent of the national total. The Minister also announced that the much-awaited Ahmedabad Metro rail will begin its commercial run on a 6.5 km route in Phase-1 by March and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate it on March 4. --IANS amc-desai/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Globally popular German haute couture icon Karl Lagerfeld, associated with luxury fashion brands Chanel and Fendi, died here on Tuesday at 85. The global fashion and showbiz community has mourned the demise of the designer, known for impeccable personal style, an evolving design sensibility as well as knack for making controversial statements. An statement issued on Lagerfeld's offical Instagram account confirmed the news of his demise. "The House of Karl Lagerfeld shares, with deep emotion and sadness, the passing of its creative director Karl Lagerfeld on February 19, 2019 in Paris, France. He was one of the most influential and celebrated designers of the 21st century and an iconic, universal symbol of style. "Driven by a phenomenal sense of creativity, Karl was passionate, powerful and intensely curious. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as one of the greatest designers of our time, and there are no words to express how much he will be missed," the official statement read. Lagerfeld was battling pancreatic cancer, reported dailymail.co.uk. He began his fashion career with the fashion house in 1983, a decade after Coco Chanel died. He was known for distinctive look in his later years, regularly wearing dark suits, a ponytail and black sunglasses. Indian designers as well as film & fashion celebrities from across the world paid tributes to Lagerfeld who sought inspiration from India for his pre-autumn/winter 2012-13 collection. For internationally known designer Ritu Beri, Lagerfeld had been an inspiration since over two decades. "He was passionate, powerful and intensely curious. I met him with Francois Lesage who did the embroideries for Chanel. He was driven by a phenomenal sense of creativity and of course was one of the greatest designer ever -- the man behind the most important brand, Chanel," Beri told IANS. Indian couturiers Rohit Bal and Manish Malhotra said Lagerfeld's death marks an end of an era. "We will miss the genius and the eccentricity of Karl Lagerfeld, a legend who has an incredible individual sense of style. One of the greats in the history of global fashion influencers. May his soul rest in peace... in fashion heaven," Bal told IANS. Actress Athiya Shetty wrote "RIP to the best there was Karl Lagerfeld", while former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen said: "What a brilliant man and a celebrated life! Godspeed Karl Lagerfeld. Rest in peace the legend." Former beauty queen Neha Dhupia also paid tribute to Lagerfeld by citing one of his quotable quotes: "I am very much down to earth, just not this earth." From Hollywood, several actors and designers who worked closely with Lagerfeld mourned his demise. A "heartbroken" Diane Kruger wrote: "Karl. I cannot tell you how much you meant to me and how much I will miss you. I will never forget your kindness towards me, your laughs, your imagination. I came to France see you this week and introduce you to my daughter... I'm heartbroken I was too late. Rest In Peace, I adore you'." Fashion designer Victoria Beckham said: "So incredibly sad to hear this. Karl was a genius and always kind and generous to me, both personally and professionally. RIP." "Karl, your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni and I," Donatella Versace wrote, referring to her late brother. "We will never forget your incredible talent and endless inspiration. We were always learning from you." Elton John said: "What a talent. What an appetite for life. Wonderful and lethal company. Never a dull moment." Gigi Hadid, Antoria Banderas, Alexa Chung, Ryan Seacrest, Olivia Munn, Kris Jenner, Jessica Simpson were some of those who wrote early tributes for the man, who shaped up the legacy of Chanel. --IANS sim-nn-rb/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged youth to stay away from drug addiction, saying that it not only adversely affected the mind and body but also helps anti-national forces. The Prime Minister was speaking through video-conferencing at the launch of 'Drug Free India' campaign organized by the Art of Living at Guru Jambeshwar University in Haryana's Hisar town. Modi said those who took drugs were unintentionally supporting anti-social elements. "Drug traders harm the youth power and weaken the economic strength of the country. The Government of India has formed a National Action Plan to prevent cross-border drug trade and break the backbone of drugs business. It was implemented in 2018," he said. He said that a detailed action plan till 2025 has been prepared against drug addiction which includes an awareness generation campaign among the people, its prevention, and special campaigns for sensitive sections of the society. The Prime Minister also appealed to the people to adopt a sensitive attitude towards the victims of drugs by not looking at them as criminals and show these misguided youths the right path by connecting them to the mainstream society. "Like other social evils, we would get this evil of drug addiction eliminated from society. The use of technology can play an important role in this campaign. Social organizations and community welfare organizations are playing a very important role in this direction," he added. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said strict compliance of the law had been ensured to break the drug trade and the smuggling network in Haryana. "The state government created a Special Task Force in January 2018 through which many drug dealers have been caught and large quantities of drugs have been seized," he said. --IANS js/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after the NDA constituents, the Bhartiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena, finalised a pre-poll deal for the 2019 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections, suspense continued over the latter's demand on Tuesday for the Chief Minister's post. Yuva Sena President Aditya Thackeray, the son of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, already gave clear indications late on Monday that the party may not compromise on the CM's post. Reportedly nurturing high-level political ambitions, he said: "Both the parties will fight an equal number of seats (in the assembly elections) and irrespective of seats won, will share power and posts of equal time." This has been interpreted as a possibility of rotating the CM's post between the two allies - if they are voted to power, and the likelihood of creating the post of Deputy Chief Minister. During the first saffron alliance government of 1995-1999, the practice had been successfully implemented, with Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi as Chief Minister and the BJP's (late) Gopinath Munde as the Deputy CM, who continued even after Narayan Rane replaced Joshi. Last week, the Sena had growled at the BJP, claiming it has always been, continues to be and will always remain the 'Big Brother' of the alliance in Maharashtra. Later, it said the BJP should leave the CM's post to its allies and concentrate on the post of Prime Minister. The BJP did not react on both counts. As per the arrangement sealed on Monday, the BJP-Sena will contest the 48 Lok Sabha seats on a 25:23 basis, with BJP President Amit Shah confident that they would bag 45 seats. However, the exact parliamentary constituencies to be contested by both the partners and other allies, is currently being discussed. In 2014, the BJP had contested 26 seats and bagged 23; the Shiv Sena contested 22 seats and bagged 18; and its ally, Swabhimani Party, secured one during the 'Modi wave'. The Opposition Congress bagged a measly two and the NCP a modest four seats. For the 288-member state Assembly, according to plans, the BJP-Sena alliance would leave aside the requisite number of seats for other smaller allies and from the balance, contest an equal number. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also said that "posts would be shared equally". In 2014, when the alliance had split, the BJP contested all 288 assembly seats and bagged 122, the Sena also contested all seats and won 63. The BJP formed the government as the single largest party, and two months later, the Sena walked over from the Opposition benches to the ruling side. --IANS qn/vm/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The horrendous killing of 40 troopers of the CRPF in a frontal attack on its convoy on February 14 at Pulwama - not too far away from Srinagar - by a locally-recruited suicide bomber of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) comes as a stark reminder of how the Pakistan army remains undeterred in its pursuit of a 'proxy war' against India - using Islamic extremists as its instrument. Since the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) of Maulana Hafiz Sayeed had come too much into limelight in the context of cross-border terrorism, Pakistan's ISI had for some time been focusing on JeM, the notorious radical outfit run by Pakistan-based Maulana Masood Azhar that had the capability of raising 'fidayeen' in the name of jihad. The attack on the CRPF convoy was made with a 'car bomb' laden with more than 60 kg of RDX mix - indicating the depth of planning and resource mobilisation carried out by the enemy right under the nose of the Kashmir government. Intelligence from Central agencies pointed to the possibility of a car bomb attack on security forces which was the sign of a clear escalation - after organised stone pelting and grenade throwing had proved to be tactics of diminishing returns for the ISI. The PDP-BJP coalition might have been envisaged as a political strategy meant to demonstrate progress in the return of democratic governance in the state but it did not - for reasons too well known - make any dent on the Pakistan army's resolve to compel India to resume talks under the pressure of terrorist violence. The appointment of a politician as the Governor was meant to give a message that return to normalcy of a democratic rule could sit well with the ongoing requirement of Army-led operations against cross-border terrorism but in the bargain the deepening threat of Pakistan's covert offensive somewhere ran into the ambiguity of interpretation. The political leaders of the valley - unsurprisingly - refused to condemn terrorists and shamelessly pegged the line that India must seek out Pakistan for peace talks regardless of the latter's terrorist offensive. Domestic blinded the critics of the government against the logic of a Pakistna's policy that called upon the hostile neighbour to cease infiltrating terrorists from across the Line of Control (LoC) to make way for resumption of dialogue. The car bomb attack on the CRPF convoy would no doubt lead to a post-event examination of the logistic management of the paramilitary forces deployed in the terror-infected state on one hand and the functioning of the Unified High Command in Jammu and Kashmir in key areas like follow-up on the specific alerts from the Centre and the operational needs of the forces working in conjunction with the Army. There was intelligence about the imminence of a car bomb attack on security forces and therefore to prevent a chain of 70-80 vehicles - transporting over 2,500 soldiers through a terror affected territory - from becoming a soft target measures beyond the routine road clearing and sanitising exercise were required. Stopping civilian traffic for a while as a one-time step could have prevented a vehicle from getting close to the moving convoy. Was the option of airlift - a standard practice with the Army - considered at all? If not, was it linked to the availability of resources for the paramilitary forces? Rising above the details of the terror attack at Pulwama, there is need for a course correction in Kashmir on three distinct points. First, the presumption that the problem of dealing with terrorism in the state concerned only the Army must give way to an acknowledgement that Jammu and Kashmir - the target of attack from Pakistan - was a virtual war zone where the entire hierarchy of governance - from Governor to the Deputy Commissioner in charge of the district - had to be attuned to the nature and content of the 'proxy war' facing India. The state administration had to have a share of responsibility in acting on the intelligence made available and in furthering the work of identifying and locating the Pakistani agents hibernating in its various wings and outside. A major problem in Kashmir is the inadequacy of "intelligence from below" even as the flow of information from the Central agencies was substantial and actionable. The state could do with an experienced civilian of intelligence background as the head of the state to make up for the deficiencies of local response. Secondly, the policy in Kashmir must aim at neutralising the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist violence, putting the civilian population on a grid of understanding through empathetic interactions of deputy commissioner and district SP with the people on a regular basis for grievance redressal and pressing forth with development projects on the ground. Moves to encourage democratic processes are welcome but security assessments should be kept free of wishful thinking and political expediency. Pakistan has not wavered from the plan it had set in the early Nineties for replicating the success of Afghan jihad in Kashmir by pumping in Mujahideen in the valley. Pakistani agencies have been following a rolling plan of destabilising Kashmir since then - they used their agents to recruit stone pelters for creating disorder, instigated grenade lobbing on security personnel and sensing the opportunity of recruiting militants locally, started sending out trainers to enlist indoctrinated youngsters in their teens for carrying out attacks. The Pulwama offensive is a striking upshot of this new plan of ISI - Adil Ahmad Dar, the suicide bomber, is said to have been trained by an IED expert from Pakistan. JeM is close to Al Qaeda-Taliban combine - the first set of Mujahideen called Harkat-ul-Ansar that was sent in by the ISI way back in 1993 to launch jihad in Kashmir had the protagonists of Taliban and Jaish as its members. Thirdly, Pakistani agencies have got into the day-to-day life of Kashmiris thanks to the existence of a 'fifth column' in the state operating within and outside of the administration and the political umbrella. The Pakistan army has withstood the denunciation by President Donald Trump of its role in providing safe havens to terrorists and even gone on to rebuff the US by declaring that Pakistan committed a grave mistake in joining the 'American war on terror'. Once the artificial distinction made by the West between 'good terrorists' and 'bad terrorists' - which gave advantage to Pakistan over India - was withdrawn by the US President, the Pakistan army has lost no time in openly supporting radicals, switching over to war-like attacks by fedayeen and taking to the radical methodology of using 'car bombs' against security forces. Also,Pakistan seems to be succeeding in securing a hold in Afghanistan through its bonhomie with Taliban and this clearly has the potential for strengthening cross-border terror in Kashmir. India's policy package for Kashmir suggests itself - go all out to eliminate terrorists in the state through intelligence-based operations, identify the enemy agents within - hibernating in administration or the political arena - for stringent action and reach out to the youth through the district administration to open up economic opportunities for them. Our Army should now switch over to 'offence is the best defence' on LoC - to deal with infiltration and violations of ceasefire. The withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status is the right first step to announce to the world that India now means business as far as the handling of a rogue neighbour was concerned. Pakistan cannot take on India in a conventional war and also knows that it has lost the earlier advantage it had of raising the 'nuclear flash' argument to get international attention in a situation of conflict with India. (The writer is a former Director, Intelligence Bureau) --IANS vsc/ab/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress is likely to get nine Lok Seats under an agreement with the DMK in Tamil Nadu in the coming Lok Sabha elections besides the lone seat in Puducherry. Party sources said the issue of the number of seats was discussed at a meeting Congress President Rahul Gandhi had with leaders from the state inlucding PCC President K.S. Alagiri, senior leader P. Chidambaram and former PCC Presidents K.V. Thangkabalu and S. Thirunavukkarasar. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel and Mukul Wasnik, who would be going to Chennai for finalising the deal with DMK President M K Stalin, are understood to have met DMK MP Kanimozhi in Delhi in this regard. Informed sources said the Congress may get 10 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In all, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry account for 40 Lok Sabha seats. Those likely to form a part of the DMK-led alliance are Congress, MDMK, CPI, CPI-M and VCK. Meanwhile, Thirunavukkarasar said after the meeting that the deal with DMK may fructify in a day or two and the discussions were "very satisfactory and progressing well". "There are no problems at all in the alliance and the talks are the conclusive stage," he added. He said Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi would come to Tamil Nadu for electioneering. "Tamil Nadu is the state where anti-Modi feelings are at the highest and BJP has no roots in the state," Thirunavukkarasar said. --IANS and/vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress party in Andhra Pradesh launched its statewide bus yatra on Tuesday with the promise that if voted to power at the Centre it would accord Special Category Status (SCS) to the state. Former Kerala Chief Minister and in-charge of Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh Oommen Chandy flagged off the 'Pratyeka Hoda Bharosa Praja Yatra' at Nelakantapuram village in Anantapur district. Stating that the special status is the right of the people of Andhra Pradesh, he said the Congress party, if voted to power at the Centre in the coming elections, would fulfil the promise made by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament during the discussion on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2014. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) betrayed the people over the issue of SCS and other commitments made to Andhra Pradesh. State Congress chief N. Raghuveera Reddy is leading the bus yatra which will cover all 13 districts before concluding at Srikakulam on March 3. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Cabinet Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other party leaders were present at the launch of the yatra. Simultaneous elections to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and the Lok Sabha are due in April-May this year. --IANS ms/oeb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chinese Commerce Ministry on Tuesday confirmed that Vice Premier Liu He will visit the US for a new round of negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing trade war between Washington and Beijing. The talks are slated to take place on Thursday and Friday, reports Efe news. In a statement published on its website, the Ministry confirmed that Liu will meet US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Liu led the Chinese delegation to Washington last month and had also met President Donald Trump, although it is unknown if they will meet again this time. The upcoming talks will be the fourth round of high-level negotiations between the two countries, and will end one week before the deadline to seal a final agreement on March 1. Although the Chinese official media said there was "significant progress" during the last round, which ended on February 15 in Beijing, no concrete results have been made public. Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day truce on December 1, 2018, which temporarily suspended the increase from 10 per cent to 25 per cent of American tariffs on Chinese products worth $200 billion. Trump did not rule out that the deadline could be extended. The US President said that if China and the US reach a point where they clinch a deal, talks could continue beyond March 1. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With its heavy-lift capacity severely depleted, the Indian Air Force (IAF) station here is preparing itself to become the base for the first of the 10-tonne capacity Chinook CH-47 helicopters from the United States. The double-rotor Chinook helicopters, four of which have already arrived at the Mundra port in Gujarat in a semi-knocked down condition, are likely to be ferried to Chandigarh. The helicopters will reach the Chandigarh Air Force station by the first week of March, officials here said. "After being re-assembled here, especially with the twin rotor blades, the Chinooks will be formally inducted into the helicopter squadron by the end of March," an IAF officer told IANS. The 'Featherweights' (No. 126 Helicopter Flight), which has been flying the massive Soviet-era Mi-26 helicopters for the past many years, will be flying the Chinooks from the Chandigarh base. Work is already at an advanced stage as the Air Force base prepares to receive the first four Chinooks. This includes providing infrastructure like refurbished hangars and maintenance facilities for the Chinooks. Chandigarh is a military airport which also handles commercial flights. "Seven Chinook helicopters will be based in Chandigarh," the officer said. India had in September 2015 finalised its order with aircraft manufacturer Boeing for 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and 15 CH-47F Chinooks. Both are the newest models of these helicopters. The induction ceremony of the Chinooks is likely to be attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, senior IAF officers, senior officials of Boeing and US diplomats. IAF helicopter pilots were sent to Delaware in the US in October last year for being trained to fly the Chinooks. "This acquisition enhances the Indian Air Force's capabilities and offers us an opportunity to further accelerate the Make in India initiative. Large sections of the Chinook fuselage are already manufactured in India and discussions are ongoing with our Indian partners to make Apache parts," the Boeing website states. (Jaideep Sarin can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in) --IANS js/vm/am/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) banned a total of 793 films in 16 years, an RTI response has revealed. Nutan Thakur, a city-based activist, has been told that between January 1, 2000 and March 31, 2016, the censor board refused to "grant certificate for exhibition to 793 films". These include 586 Indian films and 207 foreign film titles, Thakur told IANS on Tuesday. As many as 231 Hindi films were refused certificate, followed by 96 in Tamil, 53 in Telugu, 39 in Kannada, 23 in Malayalam and 17 in Punjabi. Twelve films each in Bengali and Marathi, apart from projects in other languages, were also banned during this period. A maximum number of 153 films were banned during 2015-16, followed by 152 films in 2014-15, 119 in 2013-14 and 82 films in 2012-13, the RTI query revealed. Some of the films banned had sex and crime suggestive related titles like "Adamkhor Hasina", "Qatil Shikari", "Pyasi Chandani", "Madhura Swapnam", "Khooni Raat", "Shamshan Ghaat", "Manchali Padosan" and "Sex Vigyan". Some notable films banned during this period include "Parzania" (English 2005), "Asatoma Sadgamaya" (Tamil 2012) and "Mohalla Assi" (Hindi 2015). "Mohalla Assi" ultimately released last year. --IANS md/rb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal for transfer of 50.76 acres of land at Sarangpur to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. "This will benefit in screening OPD patients, triaging the patients and managing them optimally. Cancer management research and palliative care would be provided under one roof besides setting up of Learning Resource Centre (LRC) and Multi Level Parking," an official statement said after the Union Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The setting up of New OPD, Shifting of Trauma Centre, Cancer Care, and LRC, the waiting time for surgeries will decrease for the common man and the emergency services will be available in an efficient manner. This will benefit the poor patients attending the PGIMER, Chandigarh. Health services and tertiary care will be more effective, the statement added. --IANS bns/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nanak Singh, widely regarded as the father of the Punjabi novel, was present at the Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919 ,when the massacre took place and to mark the centenary of the bloody event, his lost manuscript, "Khooni Vaisakhi", translated for the first time into English, will be released. It will be published by HarperCollins India on April 12. The publisher said that Singh was 22 years old at that time. "As the British troops opened fire on the unarmed gathering protesting against the Rowlatt Act, killing hundreds, Nanak Singh fainted and his unconscious body was piled up among the corpses. "After going through the traumatic experience, he proceeded to write 'Khooni Vaisakhi', a long poem that narrates the political events in the run-up to the massacre and its immediate aftermath. "The poem was a scathing critique of the British Raj and was banned soon after its publication in May 1920," said the publisher. After six decades, the poem was rediscovered and it has now been translated into English by the author's grandson, Navdeep Suri, an Indian diplomat, who is currently India's High Commissioner to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The book will carry both the original as well as the translated texts, along with some essays. --IANS ss/in/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh has blocked nearly 2,000 pornography and gambling websites in an online crackdown ordered by the country's High Court. "On Monday, 55 more pornographic websites were blocked," said an official of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. A day earlier, he said, 176 gambling sites were blocked, reports Xinhua news agency. According to the official, the commission banned 1,523 pornographic and gambling websites earlier. Following the High Court directive issued in November, the government launched the crackdown on Internet pornography, casino type games and other gambling sites. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Army said on Tuesday that it is fully prepared to deal with any fallout of the American military pullout and negotiations with the Taliban in Afghanistan on the security situation in Kashmir. Lt Gen K.J.S. Dhillon, Corps Commander of the Srinagar-headquartered 15 Corps, told the media here: "We are fully prepared for any fallout of American pullout from Afghanistan. Anybody who enters Kashmir with a gun will be eliminated." He was answering a question about the consequences of an American pullout from Afghanistan and its negotiations with the Taliban. About the intensity of February 14 terror strike and the type of explosives used in that suicide attack, the Gen said: "We have got leads on the type of explosive used in the terror attack but the details cannot be shared with the media." He said the security forces were also working out ways and means to deal with the modus operandi of the militants who use heavy explosives to carry out terror strike. Replying to a question on the radicalization of local youths, Inspector General of Police S.P. Pani told the media at the same press conference: "There has been a dip in the recruitment of local youths into militant ranks. "Families are playing an important role in this. We cannot share details of such families for security reasons." --IANS sq/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held talks with small and micro business owners discussing the issues and problems faced by them and assured them of incorporating the issues in the party's manifesto. The meeting participated by business persons from small and micro sectors, is part of the 'Apni Baat Rahul Ke Saath', an outreach programme where Gandhi interacts with different groups of people as part of the manifesto building process. The common problem that emerged in the discussion was of the poor GST implementation and the monthly reporting mandated by its implementation. Other issues that were discussed in the meeting were inadequate infrastructure, opacity in customs duty on raw material, difficulties in raising credit, lack of incentives and problems in accessing subsidies. During the interaction, Gandhi focused on the employment crisis in the country, an issue which he has persistently raised to target the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. "Everybody talks about growth, India is growing at 6per cent...7per cent but nobody talks about jobs. Where are the jobs? You can have growth with no jobs, which is what is happening right now". He also targeted the Modi government over crony capitalism. "The government, today, is funding a handful of big corporates, but they are not producing jobs. The small businesses are producing jobs. But you don't get the funding you want "How many jobs did Nirav Modi give India," he asked referring to the absconding scamster. Stressing the need to provide assistance to small and medium businesses, he said: "Nobody can compete with China except us. And, there's huge amount of wealth and benefit that can be made, if we do it successfully. And, i think, the people who can do it are the people like you. Because you are the people who can create jobs," he told the entrepreneurs. As part of the outreach initiative, Gandhi had earlier in the month interacted with seven students from across the country over dinner. The 'Apni Baat Rahul Ke Saath' is showcased across social media platforms and is a bid to counter Modi's monthly radio programme "Mann ki baat". --IANS and/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major reshuffle, Additional Director General of West Bengal Police (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma on Tuesday took charge as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner. He replaced Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rajeev Kumar, a statement issued by the state's Home and Hills Affairs Department said. Kumar, who had taken charge as the city police chief in May 2016, was interrogated by the CBI earlier in February in the Meghalaya capital Shillong in relation to the Saradha chit fund scam. Due for transfer ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, in accordance with the Election Commission directive, Kumar was made Additional Director General (ADG) of the State CID Department. The poll panel's decision is in accordance with its rule that any officer who has completed three years in the same place cannot continue there if the person has to be tasked with election duties. Among other officers in new roles are ADG Intelligence Bureau (IB), Siddh Nath Gupta, who has been appointed as ADG Law and Order; Special Commissioner of Kolkata Police Jayanta Kumar Basu became the new Director of the State Directorate of Economic Offences. Also ADG South Bengal Niraj Kumar Singh became new ADG IB, replacing Gupta while IPS officer Vishal Garg took charge as Commissioner of Police (Howrah district). --IANS mgr/in/ab (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK on Tuesday sealed an electoral alliance with the PMK for the Lok Sabha polls whereby the latter will contest in seven constituencies and for one Rajya Sabha seat. Speaking to reporters here after signing the pact, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said: "Under the AIADMK-led alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, PMK gets seven Lok Sabha seats. It will also get one Rajya Sabha seat. "The PMK will support AIADMK in the Assembly bye-elections to be held in 21 constituencies," he added. "This is a mega and strong alliance that will win in the Lok Sabha polls," PMK Founder S. Ramadoss told reporters. He said the party had submitted several conditions that the AIADMK had to fulfill. Ramadoss said these included declaring Cauvery delta region as protected agriculture zone; conducting caste census; releasing the seven persons convicted in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination; implementating old pension scheme for government employees; closing liquor shops and sand quarries in Tamil Nadu; preventing Karnataka from building a dam across Cauvery at Mekadatu; waiving farm loans and getting the state exemption from the common medical entrance exam or NEET exam. While the PMK is steadfast on its policy of liquor prohibition, the AIADMK government does not seem to be. Later in a statement, Ramadoss explained the rationale for the tie-up: "PMK and AIADMK have agreed to fight and secure schemes for the welfare of Tamil Nadu in the central government that would be formed post elections. "It is believed that the small compromise in the alliance matter, it would be beneficial for Tamil Nadu." According to him, the AIADMK government had accepted many of the suggestions made by PMK. Though PMK's stand was to have no alliance with AIADMK or DMK since 2011, several changes have occurred in Tamil Nadu since then and the state's rights have been abrogated in different means. The PMK founder said the party should have sufficient number of members in the Lok Sabha to protect the state's rights. Contesting alone in the 2016 assembly polls, the PMK secured 5.6 per cent vote share though it did not win a single seat. It was this 5.6 per cent vote share that made PMK an attractive alliance partner. Earlier in the day, Panneerselvam and AIADMK Joint Coordinator and Chief Minister Palaniswami welcomed Ramadoss personally at the portico of the hotel and took him inside. Signs of an AIADMK-PMK deal were in the air as Ramadoss, who used to be very critical of the ruling party, remained silent on the issue of software company Cognizant Technology Solutions bribing Tamil Nadu government officials to get construction permits. Speaking to IANS on the condition of anonymity, a BJP leader said: "The BJP's alliance with AIADMK is confirmed." The alliance with AIADMK will mostly be finalised on Tuesday as it is an auspicious day, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. Union Minister and Tamil Nadu in-charge Piyush Goyal has arrived here to hold talks with AIADMK and others. It is said that the AIADMK would contest in 20 Lok Sabha seats and the balance 20 will be for alliance partners. Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha constituencies and Puducherry has one, taking the total to 40. --IANS vj/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK on Tuesday announced it will fight the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the PMK and BJP, allotting seven and five of the 39 seats respectively to them. As per the deal signed by the three parties at a five star hotel here, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will also get a Rajya Sabha seat to contest in 2019. AIADMK Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam told the media that both the PMK and BJP will support the AIADMK in the Assembly by-elections due in 21 constituencies. The AIADMK, under the leadership of then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, won a staggering 37 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu in 2014. The BJP and PMK won one seat each, all three parties fighting on their own strength. The first to go off the block on Tuesday was the pact with PMK, whose strongholds lie in the Vanniyar-belt in Tamil Nadu. "Under the AIADMK-led alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, PMK gets seven Lok Sabha seats. It will also get one Rajya Sabha seat," Panneerselvam told reporters. "This is a mega and strong alliance that will win in the Lok Sabha polls," PMK Founder S. Ramadoss told reporters, a sentiment echoed by Union Minister and Tamil Nadu in-charge for BJP Piyush Goyal. The PMK won six seats in the 2004 Lok Sabha election -- its highest so far. Later in the evening, Panneerselvam announced the AIAMDK-BJP pact, giving the latter five seats. Piyush Goyal said: "We have agreed to contest the elections under the leadership of Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam. All 40 seats in Tamil Nadu (39 seats) and Puducherry will be won by us." Asked about other parties like the DMDK, Goyal said the alliance will take place in due course of time. He said he will be meeting DMDK leader Vijayakant. The DMDK is expected to contest three seats, smaller parties a few more and the AIADMK 20 Lok Sabha seats in all, according to political sources. In the 1999 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won four seats from Tamil Nadu -- its highest from the state. Earlier, Ramadoss said the party had submitted several conditions the AIADMK had to fulfill. These included declaring Cauvery delta region as protected agriculture zone; conducting caste census; releasing the seven persons convicted in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination; implementing old pension scheme for government employees; closing liquor shops and sand quarries in Tamil Nadu; preventing Karnataka from building a dam across Cauvery at Mekadatu; waiving farm loans and getting the state exemption from the common medical entrance exam or NEET exam. Ramadoss explained the rationale for the tie-up: "PMK and AIADMK have agreed to fight and secure schemes for the welfare of Tamil Nadu in the central government that would be formed post elections. "It is believed that the small compromise in the alliance matter, it would be beneficial for Tamil Nadu." According to him, the AIADMK government had accepted many of PMK's suggestions. Though PMK's stand was to have no alliance with AIADMK or DMK since 2011, several changes have occurred in Tamil Nadu since then and the state's rights have been abrogated in different means. The PMK founder said the party should have sufficient number of members in the Lok Sabha to protect the state's rights. Contesting alone in the 2016 assembly polls, the PMK secured 5.6 per cent vote share though it did not win a single seat. It was this 5.6 per cent vote share that made PMK an attractive alliance partner. Signs of an AIADMK-PMK deal were in the air as Ramadoss, who used to be very critical of the ruling party, remained silent on the issue of software company Cognizant Technology Solutions bribing Tamil Nadu government officials to get construction permits. --IANS vj/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK on Tuesday sealed an electoral alliance with the PMK as leaders of both the parties began discussions at a five star hotel here. AIADMK Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and Joint Coordinator and Chief Minister K. Palaniswami welcomed PMK founder S. Ramadoss personally at the portico of the hotel and took him inside. According to the alliance, the PMK will get seven Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat. The PMK will support the AIADMK candidates in the ensuing bypolls in Tamil Nadu as well. The list of Lok Sabha seats would be announced later. Earlier a BJP leader told IANS that AIADMK and PMK would be sealing their electoral pact. Signals of the deal were in the air as PMK founder Ramadoss who used to be very critical of the ruling party in the state remained silent on the issue of software company Cognizant Technology Solutions bribing Tamil Nadu government officials to get construction permits. Speaking to IANS on the condition of anonymity, the BJP leader had said: "The BJP's alliance with AIADMK is confirmed. The AIADMK is in the process of finalising its talks with PMK." According to the BJP leader, party President Amit Shah will not be visiting Tamil Nadu on Tuesday but the state in-charge and Union Minister Piyush Goyal will reach Chennai later in the day to hold talks with AIADMK leaders. --IANS vj/in/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling AIADMK signed a pact with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday to contest the Lok Sabha elections together, with the BJP allocated five of the 39 seats in the state. Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam told the media here: "Under the AIADMK-led alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP gets five Lok Sabha seats." He said as per the pact, the BJP would support AIADMK candidates in the coming Assembly by-elections in 21 constituencies. Union Minister and Tamil Nadu in-charge for BJP Piyush Goyal said: "We have agreed to contest the Parliament elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry." "We have agreed to contest the elections under the leadership of Chief Minister K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam. "All 40 seats in Tamil Nadu (39 seats) and Puducherry will be won by us," Goyal added. Asked about other parties like DMDK, Goyal said the alliance will take place in due course of time. He said he will be meeting DMDK leader Vijayakant. Earlier in the day, the AIADMK announced a pact with PMK, whereby the latter would contest in seven Lok Sabha seats and would also get a Rajya Sabha seat in 2019. The PMK would also support the AIADMK in the coming bypolls. --IANS vj/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twenty-four people were killed and 11 others injured on Monday when a bus collided with a truck in western Bolivia, police told Efe. The director of transit and transportation in the Oruro region, Col. Victor Hugo Lizarazu, said that while the causes of the accident were still under investigation, rain might have been "an important factor." The injured were taken to various medical facilities in Oruro city, regional police commander Jose Pizarro told the media, adding that the death toll could rise. Many of the survivors suffered serious injuries, he said, Efe reported. Authorities have managed to conclusively identify 12 of the fatalities: six men, five women and a child, Pizarro said. The collision occurred on the highway connecting the cities of Potosi and Oruro, Bolivia's interior minister said during a press conference in La Paz. With 45 people aboard, the bus was travelling from Villazon, a town on the border with Argentina, to La Paz, Carlos Romero said. He said that the other vehicle, possibly a dump truck, was traveling in the opposite direction and apparently swerved into the lane occupied by the Trans Inca bus, whose left front section was destroyed. The "Health Ministry and other agencies are monitoring (the situation) to support the affected families," Romero said. Radio Fides, citing a preliminary police report, said that the accident took place shortly before 4 am amid rain and dense fog on a stretch of road between Lake Poopo and Machacamarca. President Evo Morales reacted to news of the latest deadly incident on Bolivian roads by ordering authorities to increase scrutiny of transportation firms and the drivers they employ. "Our condolences and solidarity to the families. I have instructed the police to reinforce controls on companies and drivers, and told all authorities to be ready to collaborate in these emergencies," the president wrote on Twitter. Monday's accident took place on the same highway where 22 people died and 37 others were hurt on January 19 in a head-on collision between two buses. Every year, traffic accidents claim an average of 1,000 lives in Bolivia and leave another 40,000 people injured, according to official data. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sixteen states on Monday evening filed a lawsuit challenging US President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration. The group of states, led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, filed the lawsuit in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. "We're going to try to halt the President from violating the Constitution, the separation of powers, from stealing money from Americans and states that has been allocated by Congress, lawfully," Becerra told CNN. The attorneys general from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia joined California in the lawsuit. It's the latest challenge to hit the Trump administration, which already faces a litany of lawsuits over the national emergency declaration. Over the weekend, the Center for Biological Diversity, Border Network for Human Rights, which marched with Beto O'Rourke in El Paso, Texas, last week, and the American Civil Liberties Union all announced lawsuits, reports CNN. At the core of each lawsuit is the argument that Trump is circumventing Congress to fund the wall along the US-Mexico border by declaring an emergency. "The Constitution assigns Congress the power of the purse, and no prior president has ever tried to use emergency powers to fund a chosen project -- particularly a permanent, large-scale domestic project such as this -- against congressional will. This is obviously improper," said Dror Ladin, staff attorney with the ACLU's National Security Project. Becerra argued that the states have standing to challenge Trump because money appropriated to them might be at risk. "If the President is essentially stealing money that's been allocated to go to the various states for various purposes but no longer will, we're being harmed, our people are being harmed," he said. The wave of lawsuits was expected, though fighting them in court will likely be difficult. The National Emergencies Act allows the President to declare a national emergency and unlock a stash of funds by invoking certain statutory authority. The President has wide discretion over what constitutes a national emergency. As a result, legal experts argue that fighting the declaration on the basis of the emergency itself will likely be difficult. The other question is whether the statute Trump has invoked -- which in this case, requires the use of the armed forces -- can be used to fund the wall. Under the declaration, the administration will tap $2.5 billion of military narcotics funding and $3.6 billion in military construction funding. Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he will start studying which projects to pull from and determine whether border barriers are necessary to support the use of the armed forces. It's not just lawsuits that the administration has to face, but also the possibility of a joint resolution put forth by House Democrats to terminate the declaration. The resolution would need to be voted on by the House and then the Senate, before heading to the President's desk. On Sunday, White House adviser Stephen Miller indicated that Trump would cast the first veto of his presidency if lawmakers tried to terminate the declaration. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Motors Ltd is quoting at Rs 165.25, up 1.44% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 55.25% in last one year as compared to a 3.25% jump in NIFTY and a 25.73% jump in the Nifty Auto. Tata Motors Ltd is up for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 165.25, up 1.44% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.52% on the day, quoting at 10696.75. The Sensex is at 35717.53, up 0.62%. Tata Motors Ltd has slipped around 8.95% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Tata Motors Ltd is a constituent, has slipped around 6.92% in last one month and is currently quoting at 8067.7, up 0.92% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 82.78 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 176.31 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark February futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 165.45, up 1.63% on the day. Tata Motors Ltd is down 55.25% in last one year as compared to a 3.25% jump in NIFTY and a 25.73% jump in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 19.31 based on TTM earnings ending December 18. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brainstorm to achieve a target of 5 million visitors to the Statue of Unity by next year Union Tourism Minister, K J Alphons, will chair the National Tourism Advisory Council (NTAC) meeting to be held on 21 - 22 February 2019, at the site of the newly made Statue of Unity, Kevadiya in Gujarat. Apart from regular members of the NTAC, experts from the hospitality, travel and tour industry have been invited to attend the meeting. The objective of the brainstorming would be how to achieve a target of 5 million visitors to the Statue of Unity by next year. The world's tallest statue of the iconic leader Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel is 182 meter tall. The National Tourism Advisory Council (NTAC) serves as a think tank of the Ministry of Tourism. The present NTAC was constituted on 20 October 2016 under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Tourism with tenure of 3 years. The committee constitutes important Ministries, individual experts in the field of travel and tourism management and Ex-offico members from the industry associations. Last meeting of the NTAC was held on 12 April 2018. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices were trading higher in early trade amid positive Asian cues. At 9:17 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 74.28 points or 0.21% at 35,572.72. The Nifty 50 index was up 17.05 points or 0.16% at 10,658. Among secondary barometers,the BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.36%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.18%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On BSE, 596 shares rose and 353 shares fell. A total of 40 shares were unchanged. Overseas, Asian shares were trading higher on Tuesday despite renewed geopolitical tensions, with China accusing the US of fueling cyber security fears. Investors also awaited developments on the US-China trade front. The White House reportedly said on Monday that trade talks between the two economic powerhouses will continue in Washington on Tuesday, with higher level negotiations starting later in the week. According to media reports, the Chinese government said Monday that the US is attempting to curtail its technology development by claiming that Chinese mobile network gear might pose a cybersecurity threat to foreign countries which adopt the equipment. The US alleged that Beijing might use Chinese tech companies to gather intelligence about foreign countries, even though those claims have yet to be substantiated. US stock market was shut on Monday for a public holiday. Back home, Ambuja Cements was up 1.57%. The company's consolidated net profit rose 188.02% to Rs 1377.88 crore on 9.32% rise in total income to Rs 6855.22 crore in Q4 December 2018 over Q4 December 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Power Grid Corporation of India was up 0.61%. The company said that its board of directors has accorded 'Investment Approval for 'Northern Region System Strengthening - XL' at an estimated cost of Rs 572.98 crore with commissioning schedule of 22 months from the date of investment approval. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Future Consumer (FCL) was up 3.09%. The company is entering into an arrangement with the Middle East's leading chain of retail supermarkets, T Choithrams & Sons. FCL and Choithrams have identified an opportunity to strategically partner across the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar to bring FCL's portfolio of leading brands to consumers across the Middle East. With a network of more than 60 supermarkets across UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, Choithrams will, under this arrangement, market, distribute and retail FCL brand products for sale through its own stores, as well as distribute FCL brands to other retail stores. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Bodal Chemicals was up 3.44%. The company said it has restarted remaining of dye intermediate and dyestuff operations. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Mangalam Cement was up 1.89%. The company's board of directors gave their in-principal approval to the Amalgamation of Mangalam Timber Products with Mangalam Cement. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. On the economic front, the central board of the Reserve Bank of India on Monday, 18 February 2019, decided to transfer an interim surplus of Rs 28,000 crore to the central government for the half-year ended 31 December 2018. This is the second successive year that RBI will be transferring an interim surplus. In a separate notification, RBI said that based on an assessment of prevailing liquidity conditions and also of the durable liquidity needs going forward, it has decided to conduct purchase of the following Government securities under open market operations for an aggregate amount of Rs 12,500 crore on Thursday, 21 February 2019, through multi-security auction using the multiple price method. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Domestic stocks erased intraday gains to settle with modest losses in a volatile session of trade. Broader market outperformed the main stock indices. The Nifty reversed gains after touching 10,700 mark in mid-afternoon trade. The indices opened higher and extended gains in early trade. After hitting fresh intraday high in morning trade, indices pared gains in mid-morning trade. Benchmarks firmed up once again and hit fresh intraday high in mid-afternoon trade. Steep selling pressure in late trade dragged indices in negative terrain. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 145.83 points or 0.41% to settle at 35,352.61. The index hit high of 35,776.04 and low of 35,287.16 in intraday trade. The Nifty 50 index fell 36.60 points or 0.34% to settle at 10,604.35. The index hit high of 10,722.85 and low of 10,585.65 in intraday trade. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.51%. The BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.33%. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On BSE, 1363 shares rose and 1186 shares fell. A total of 124 shares were unchanged. NTPC (down 2.34%), IndusInd Bank (down 2.3%), Infosys (down 2.02%), Hero MotoCorp (down 1.5%) and HDFC (down 1.24%) were the major Sensex losers. Vedanta (up 3.38%), ICICI Bank (up 1.42%), ONGC (up 1.39%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 1.37%), and Larsen & Toubro (up 1.25%) were the major Sensex gainers. Grasim Industries rose 2.97%. Grasim Industries signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Chlor-Alkali Business (CAB) of KPR Industries (India) by way of a slump sale, for a cash consideration of Rs 253 crore. The transaction will be funded through internal accruals. KPR would in turn utilize Rs 253 crore towards a full and final settlement of the lenders' dues under a One-Time Settlement. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. The Business consists of an under-construction 200 TPD Chlor-Alkali project at Balabhadrapuram, Andhra Pradesh. Grasim would take over the assets and identified liabilities associated with the Chlor-Alkali Business. The acquisition is in line with Grasim's strategy to strengthen operations on the East Coast of India. Further, the purchase of a partially-completed project vis-vis a greenfield project will translate into a shorter time-to-market. The acquired Business also has the potential for future expansions. Once operationalised, the project, along with other ongoing expansion projects, will enhance Grasim's caustic soda capacity to 1.22 MMTPA. IT major TCS fell 3.39%. The company announced during trading hours today, 19 February 2019, a partnership with Nanoheal, a predictive workspace automation platform provider, to offer enterprises cognitive, self-healing end-user device management solutions. Power Grid Corporation of India shed 0.42%. The company said that its board of directors has accorded 'Investment Approval for 'Northern Region System Strengthening - XL' at an estimated cost of Rs 572.98 crore with commissioning schedule of 22 months from the date of investment approval. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Maruti Suzuki India fell 0.56%. The company announced during trading hours today, 19 February 2019, that its Vitara Brezza has set a new sales record in the compact SUV segment. The cumulative sales of India's most preferred compact SUV touched the 4 lakh units mark in less than three years. Vitara Brezza leads the compact SUV segment with a market share of over 44% year-to-date. Tata Motors rose 0.31%. The company announced during trading hours today, 19 February 2019, that CARE Ratings has downgraded its ratings on the auto major's long term bank facilities and non-convertible debentures to 'CARE AA' from 'CARE AA+'. Outlook remains stable. Ambuja Cements rose 1.14% after consolidated net profit surged 188.02% to Rs 1377.88 crore on 9.32% rise in total income to Rs 6855.22 crore in Q4 December 2018 over Q4 December 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Ambuja Cements' cement sales volumes increased to 13.63 million tonnes in Q4 December 2018 from 12.78 million tonnes in Q4 December 2017. In its outlook, Ambuja Cements said that the higher allocation announced in the interim Budget 2019 to roads and the housing sector will help boost economic development in rural India which is expected to have a positive impact on cement demand. Future Consumer rose 2.63% after the company said it is entering into an arrangement with the Middle East's leading chain of retail supermarkets, T Choithrams & Sons. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Future Consumer (FCL) and Choithrams have identified an opportunity to strategically partner across the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar to bring FCL's portfolio of leading brands to consumers across the Middle East. With a network of more than 60 supermarkets across UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, Choithrams will, under this arrangement, market, distribute and retail FCL brand products for sale through its own stores, as well as distribute FCL brands to other retail stores. On the economic front, the central board of the Reserve Bank of India on Monday, 18 February 2019, decided to transfer an interim surplus of Rs 28,000 crore to the central government for the half-year ended 31 December 2018. This is the second successive year that RBI will be transferring an interim surplus. In a separate notification, RBI said that based on an assessment of prevailing liquidity conditions and also of the durable liquidity needs going forward, it has decided to conduct purchase of the following Government securities under open market operations for an aggregate amount of Rs 12,500 crore on Thursday, 21 February 2019, through multi-security auction using the multiple price method. Overseas, European shares declined while Asian shares settled mixed as market participants anxiously waited for details from the latest round of US-China trade talks. The White House reportedly said on Monday that trade talks between the two economic powerhouses will continue in Washington on Tuesday, with higher level negotiations starting later in the week. US stock market was shut on Monday for a public holiday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Grasim Industries rose 2.58% to Rs 718.30 at 15:18 IST on BSE after the company announced acquisition of the Chlor-Alkali Business of KPR Industries (India). The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 144.82 points or 0.41% at 35,353.62 On the BSE, 95,000 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 82,000 shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 723.35 and a low of Rs 697.20 so far during the day. Grasim Industries signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Chlor-Alkali Business (CAB) of KPR Industries (India) by way of a slump sale, for a cash consideration of Rs 253 crore. The transaction will be funded through internal accruals. KPR would in turn utilize Rs 253 crore towards a full and final settlement of the lenders' dues under a One-Time Settlement. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. The Business consists of an under-construction 200 TPD Chlor-Alkali project at Balabhadrapuram, Andhra Pradesh. Grasim would take over the assets and identified liabilities associated with the Chlor-Alkali Business. The acquisition is in line with Grasim's strategy to strengthen operations on the East Coast of India. Further, the purchase of a partially-completed project vis-vis a greenfield project will translate into a shorter time-to-market. The acquired Business also has the potential for future expansions. Once operationalised, the project, along with other ongoing expansion projects, will enhance Grasim's caustic soda capacity to 1.22 MMTPA. Grasim Industries' consolidated net profit surged 76.35% to Rs 957.92 crore on 21.66% rise in total income to Rs 18667.44 crore in Q3 December 2018 over Q3 December 2017. Grasim Industries has a leadership positions in cement, viscose staple fibre, financial services and chemicals businesses. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Future Consumer rose 2.18% to Rs 44.60 at 11:06 IST on BSE after the company said it is entering into an arrangement with the Middle East's leading chain of retail supermarkets, T Choithrams & Sons. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 18 February 2019. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 161.07 points, or 0.45% to 35,659.51 On the BSE, 64,000 shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 1.74 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 45.05 and a low of Rs 44.25 so far during the day. Future Consumer (FCL) said the company is entering into an arrangement with the Middle East's leading chain of retail supermarkets, T Choithrams & Sons. FCL and Choithrams have identified an opportunity to strategically partner across the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar to bring FCL's portfolio of leading brands to consumers across the Middle East. With a network of more than 60 supermarkets across UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, Choithrams will, under this arrangement, market, distribute and retail FCL brand products for sale through its own stores, as well as distribute FCL brands to other retail stores. In terms of this arrangement, FCL will be leveraging Choithrams' reach to export and distribute its core brands under various product categories, comprising initially the - Tasty Treat, Sangi's Kitchen, Desi Atta Company, Golden Harvest and Mother Earth. On a consolidated basis, Future Consumer reported net loss of Rs 5.23 crore in Q3 December 2018 as against net loss of Rs 4.70 crore in Q3 December 2017. Net sales rose 26.33% to Rs 991.23 crore in Q3 December 2018 over Q3 December 2017. Future Consumer is India's first sourcing-to-supermarket food company by Future Group. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commission appreciates Telangana for being first state to be able to provide drinking water to every household under Mission Bhagiratha The Fifteenth Finance Commission today held meetings with the Chief Minister, his Cabinet Ministers and senior officers of the state administration. There were detailed discussions on the State Finances, Mission Bhagiratha and the irrigation projects. The Commission noted that: * The State Government has witnessed revenue surplus in 2015-16, 2016-17 & 2017-18(RE). * The trend growth rate (TGR) of capital expenditure incurred by the State was 27% from 2015-16 to 2017-18 (RE). * In 2016-17, Telangana had highest own tax revenue (OTR) to GSDP of 7.34% amongst all 29 states as compared to average OTR of 6.27% of all States. * Except in the initial months, the State has not received any GST compensation. The growth rate of GST revenue for State of Telangana was 20% against 14.7% for Andhra Pradesh from April to Dec., 2018 over the same period last year. * Telangana was ranked second in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Rankings, 2018 with a score of 98.28%, trailing by just 0.02 percentage points from Andhra Pradesh, which was ranked first. * A Legislation giving statutory status to the new industrial policy called the Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self-Certification System (TS-iPASS) was enacted. Under this legislation, a right to Single Window Clearance has been bestowed on all applicants. This is the first of its kind legislation in the entire country. * In the context of Rythu Bandhu scheme being implemented, the physical progress of Telangana compared to other States on various components of Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) * The CAG Report has questioned the revenue surplus of the state. The State had, in fact, revenue deficit of Rs. 5,392 crore in 2016-17. * The fiscal deficit of the State rose sharply from 3.26% of GSDP in 2015-16 to 5.35% in 2016-17. Further, the fiscal deficit excluding amount transferred under UDAY scheme (Rs 7500 crore) was 4.22% in 2016-17. The fiscal deficit has, however, come down to 3.12% in 2017-18 (RE). * Debt to GSDP ratio of the State jumped by 3.5 percentage points from 16.96% in 2015-16 to 20.44% in 2016-17. * 4 districts viz., Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sanga Reddy contribute 52% of the GSDP & only these 4 districts have per capita income above the average of all 31 districts of State. Amongst other matters, the State has urged the Commission for the following: * Continuation of the facility of additional borrowings over and above the 3% of GSDP limit. * Raising additional borrowing facility to 1% of GSDP. * Implementation of their own flagship programmes suitable to the state. * Leaving introduction of welfare scheme to the States * Compensate the State suitably for the implementation of GST- inform of higher tax devolution. * Increase tax devolution to 50% of the divisible pool of Central taxes. * Significantly increase grants to rural and urban local bodies. * Recommend an amount of Rs 40169 crore as maintenance grant for the State's lift irrigation projects - during the award period of the 15th Commission. * Grant of Rs 12722 crore for the initial five years of the Mission Bhagiratha pitied drinking water project of the State. The Commission was appreciative of the fact that Telangana would be the first Indian state to be able to provide drinking water to every household under Mission Bhagiratha. The Commission was promised to look into all the matters raised by the state government in their final recommendations to the Union Government. Earlier, the Commission had held a detailed meeting with the representatives of all political parties. The Chairman appreciated the important issues raised by them and promised to look into each of them with the seriousness it deserved. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (WB) Three LGB members of Congress led an effort on Wednesday in opposition to a Trump administration waiver allowing South Carolina adoption agencies to refuse child placement into LGBT homes. In a letter dated Feb. 13, Reps. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) the only openly gay members of the U.S. House who are parents and bisexual Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.) led 95 House Democrats in denouncing the waiver, which allows the Greenville-based Miracle Hill Ministries to decline to place children with families contrary to its religious beliefs. We are writing to express our strong condemnation of this waiver because it will deny children the safe, loving and happy families they deserve and turn away qualified potential parents, the letter says. We strongly urge you to stop this despicable taxpayer-funded discrimination and uphold the essential non-discrimination protections that ensure that every child has a loving home. Last month, the Department of Health & Human Services announced it had granted South Carolina a request for a waiver from an Obama-era rule prohibiting adoption agencies that receive federal funds from discriminating on the basis of religion or sexual orientation. That decision brought an outcry from supporters of LGBT families. The letter from 95 House Democrats to Secretary of Health & Human Services Alex Azar notes how the waiver could impact LGBT children in South Carolina seeking a home as well as the potential implications for LGBT kids in foster care nationwide. Permitting these agencies to use a litmus test to turn away qualified adoptive and foster parents reduces the number of loving families available to the over 4,000 children in South Carolinas foster care system and the more than 400,000 children in foster care nationwide, the letter says. Stan Sloan, CEO of the pro-LGBT Family Equality Council, commended lawmakers for writing the letter in a statement. We are grateful to members of Congress for standing with the faith, child welfare, and LGBTQ communities to say no to discrimination in foster care and adoption, thus ensuring that Americas 440,000 foster children are not needlessly denied the loving, supportive families they deserve, Sloan said. More action may come on this front from the Trump administration. At the National Prayer Breakfast, President Trump declared support for religiously affiliated adoption agencies seeking to place children into homes consistent with their religious beliefs. My administration is working to ensure that faith-based adoption agencies are able to help vulnerable children find their forever families while following their deeply held beliefs, Trump said. The Washington Blade has placed a request with HHS seeking comment on the letter and an inquiry on whether any more requests for waivers from the adoption regulation are pending before the department. The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Assam government to explain indefinite detention of foreigners in detention centres in the state and to find out ways to set them free. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, "You (Assam) may justify detention centre, idea was to keep them for a minimum time. They are humans." The bench said it will examine conditions in detention centres and the long period for which foreigners are detained in these detention centres. "One issue highlighted (in the petition) is the poor living conditions in detention centres. You (Assam) have to ensure minimum living conditions. You cannot have inhuman conditions in detention centres," observed the apex court. The court was hearing a PIL filed by activist Harsh Mander seeking direction to the authorities to ensure humane treatment of those detained in the detention centres in Assam. The top court also slammed the Assam government for not being able to act in its efforts to identify and deport illegal foreigners. During the hearing, the apex court said the problem of illegal migrants in Assam is for last 50 years and asked why no steps were taken to deport or repatriate them. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Assam government told the bench that "illegal migrants have to go out" and he will take instruction from the government how to expedite repatriation the foreigners. Assam government told the court that tribunal has declared 52,000 people as foreigners and government has deported 166 people. The bench came down heavily on the government saying as many as 40 lakh people were not included in Assam Register for Citizens (NRC) means they were prime facie foreigners, but tribunals declared only 52,000 as foreign and of this, the government has deported only 166. "How can people have confidence in Assam government? You are creating confusion," the bench added. Mehta, however, said that all those 40 lakh people left out of the NRC in Assam can't be termed as illegal immigrants. Mehta also informed the apex court that forces have pushed back over 27,000 foreigners at border points who were attempting to enter India illegally. The central government has allotted Rs 47 crores and Assam has provided land for constructing a new detention centre, which will be ready by August 31, with facilities that will adequately address grievances on rights violations, Mehta apprised the bench. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Mander told the bench that detention of foreigners has gone up to 8-9 years and many persons have completed their detention but still lodged in the detention centre. "Government can't detain them. Only 166 were deported. Government is not been able to come into the agreement with other nation to take these people back," Bhushan added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unidentified assailants hurled crude bombs and shot at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor here on Monday. The councillor, Mithun Tikadar, was admitted to hospital after the attack. Tikadar is a councillor from ward no. 20 of Budge Budge municipality of the district. The incident comes only days after the killing of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Satyajit Biswas in Nadia in West Bengal. Biswas, who was elected from Krishnaganj in Nadia district, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at a Saraswati puja on February, 9. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack, Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday arrested a first-year student of IFTM University in Moradabad for allegedly making objectionable remarks against India. "Mohammad Abaaz, a firts-year student, who is studying in IFTM University raised some objectionable remarks, following which he was taken into custody by the state police," DSP Rajesh Kumar told ANI. Similarly, on February 17, a medical student from Kashmir was arrested in Dehradun for allegedly posting insensitive and communal content on social media in the wake of Pulwama terror attack. An FIR was registered on a complaint alleging that the student, Keshar Rashid, made insulting comments against the CRPF personnel who were killed in Kashmir. On February 14, A CRPF convoy, moving from Jammu to Srinagar, was attacked by a suicide bomber in Pulwama's Lethpora area on the highway, killing 40 para-military soldiers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconcilliation, Zalmay Khalilzad on Monday said that "a unified negotiating team" under the umbrella of the Afghan government is required in order to achieve peace in war-torn Afghanistan. In an interview to Tolo news, Zalmay Khalilzad said, "There is a need of integration of a strong and unified negotiating team under Afghan government's umbrella for achieving a breakthrough in the strides for peace in Afghanistan." When asked whether the peace talks have hit a deadlock, Khalilzad said, "There are difficulties, but we have agreed with the Taliban to meet again on February 25 in Doha. We agreed in principle to talk in details and with more authenticity about two topics to find whether there is the possibility to make more progress on the issue of terrorism and the issue of forces." This has come a day after Afghanistan voiced its concern to United Nations Security Council on Pakistan's engagements with Taliban, saying it not only undermines ongoing peace efforts but violates Afghanistan's National Sovereignty and UNSC Resolution 1988. While criticising Moscow talks which were held from February 5 to February 8, Ghani said, "The nation says that they (Afghan politicians and Taliban members) did not go to Mecca but they went to Moscow (for talks on peace); therefore, they should answer to this question." Earlier also, during the Russia talks, Afghanistan criticised the invitation to UN blacklisted Taliban members by Russia and said that the talks were against the spirit of Afghan-led and owned peace process. The government also lodged a complaint with the United Nations over a recent trip by UN-blacklisted Taliban members to Moscow to attend talks. However, the declaration stated that all parties, excluding the Afghan government which was not invited in the Russia talks, have agreed that a dignified and lasting peace is the aspiration of all the people of Afghanistan and this principle has been achieved in Moscow. Meanwhile, Zalmay is on his six-nation visit to facilitate a peace process that protects the national security interests of the United States and brings all parties in Afghanistan together into an intra-Afghan dialogue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Time has come for the legislature to discuss and legislate to ensure that one member from each household joins the armed forces, said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday. "In the years gone by, there have been informal discussions with regard to the participation of a member from each household in the armed forces. I believe the time is ripe for the legislature to discuss this issue in earnest," Abhishek Banerjee tweeted. He also stressed the need to provide bullet-proof jackets to jawans, before having the bullet trains in the country. "Our jawans keep our borders safe. They sacrifice their lives so that we can stay safe. Before bullet trains, we need bulletproof jackets for our jawans. Today is the time, more than ever, to stand by them," he said. It is worth mentioning that when military needs people to fight in a war, but there are not enough volunteers, sometimes they will begin conscription, which is a law that says if you are able to fight, you have to fight. Also called the draft, conscription legally requires people to join the army, with penalties if they don't. Abhishek has also announced to donate his three months' salary as an MP to the funds meant for the welfare of armed forces. He urged elected MPs and MLAs to inspire their children and grandchildren to join the armed forces. Expressing solidarity with the martyred CRPF jawans, Trinamool Congress led by its supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took out a candlelight march in the state capital recently. In a ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, as many as 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel lost their lives when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive laden vehicle into the convoy of armed forces while they were moving from Jammu to Srinagar in Lethpora area on February 14 around 3:15 pm. Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed the responsibility of the attack. Security forces on Monday gunned down the mastermind of Thursday's attack-Kamran, JeM commander. However, four Indian Army soldiers including a Major-rank officer were also martyred in the overnight encounter with the JeM terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour on Tuesday stated that the suicide bomber who recently killed 27 members of IRGC in the southeast of Iran were from Pakistan. According to Tasnim News Agency, Brigadier General Pakpour while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony to commemorate the martyrs of the recent terror attack said that several security measures have been taken to identify the culprits following the attack. He further said that the two members of the terrorist group and the suicide bomber named Hafiz Mohammad Ali were from Pakistan. Pakpour also added that the three members of the terrorist team were from the Sistan and Balouchestan region. He further divulged that two of the terrorists have been arrested while the third one, who is still at large, will soon be detained. On Monday, Iran had also summoned Pakistan's ambassador to lodge an official protest over the suicide attack in Sistan-Baluchestan province that claimed the lives of 27 paramilitary forces. Tehran also accused Islamabad of harbouring the terror outfit responsible for the deadly terror attack on its security forces. Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bahram Ghasemi said he "explicitly conveyed" to Pakistani Ambassador Rafat Masoud that Tehran expected Islamabad "to make a serious and decisive action" against the Jaish al-Adl outfit operating in Pakistani. The terror outfit claimed responsibility for the attack. On February 13, a total of 27 members of Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed after an explosive-laden vehicle targetted the bus which was ferrying the military personnel in Khash-Zahedan sector of Sistan-Baluchistan province in south-eastern Iran. The bombing also injured 17 others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Monday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to ban Chinese social media and e-commerce apps and Chinese telecom equipment. Citing the dastardly terrorist attack at Pulwama, the RSS-affiliated organisation in its letter said that it is the duty of all Indians to take steps to prevent the economic gain of any nation or individual that directly or tacitly supports such terrorists in continuing their activities unabated. "We welcome the various moves made by the ministry of finance including the withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation as well the increase in customs duties for all products imported from Pakistan. It is widely known that the Chinese government continues to block our nation's attempts to designate the chief architect of these terror attacks as a 'global terrorist'. "At such a time, we believe it is imperative that the government create similar hurdles for Chinese companies that are using India for their economic gain," said SJM's All India Co-convener Ashwani Mahajan in his letter to the Prime Minister. Stating that data is now considered the new oil, the letter further stressed on not allowing Chinese companies to capture Indian user data without any restrictions and monitoring. "In the past two years, there has been a proliferation of Chinese social media and e-commerce companies and other applications in India. These apps have been known to have various security risks. In fact, the Ministry of Defence had in December 2017 asked all armed forces officials to uninstall over 42 applications with Chinese origins that had significant security risks," read the letter. Asserting that there is a clear case for enforcing security provisions in telecommunications, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch also demanded the government to curtail the operations of Chinese telecom companies in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing concerns over the Pulwama terror attack, Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) on Monday offered condolences to families of the slain soldiers. In a statement, SIO Goa Unit President Suheb Naik said, "It is extremely disheartening and painful to hear the sad loss of 44 CRPF soldiers. We condemn every terrorist action in the strongest terms. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all soldiers killed in the attack and we pray for the speedy recovery of the injured." Further emphasizing the need to stay united he added, "We appreciate the move by the government of India to carry out a thorough investigation into the reasons for the attack, uncovering the truth behind the incident. It is important that in times like this we all stand together united and not let anybody break the peace and harmony that exists among us. It is essential that we don't fall prey to any false news being circulated through the social platform." A CRPF convoy, while moving from Jammu to Srinagar, was attacked by a suicide bomber in Lethpora area on the highway at around 3.15 pm on February 14. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad-bin Salman will arrive in New Delhi on Tuesday on his maiden visit to the country. India is likely to raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and the two countries are expected to sign ties to enhance cooperation in various fields during the "landmark event in high-level bilateral ties". "Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visit to India will be a landmark event in the history of our high-level bilateral engagements and they will certainly take an upward strategic direction," Arab News quoted Indian ambassador in Riyadh Ahmad Javed as saying. MBS, as the Saudi Crown Prince is also known, will hold bilateral talks during his two-day visit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a wide range of issues of mutual interest including counter-terrorism, defence and security. India and Saudi Arabia are also expected to sign five MoUs in fields ranging from defence, healthcare etc. According to the External Affairs Ministry, the talks on investment of US $44 billion by Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in Ratnagiri Refinery project are also likely to take place. The Saudi crown prince will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, senior officials and leading Saudi businessmen. The visit by MBS could be considered as important after the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed by Pakistan-backed JeM terrorist group, as India adopted coercive diplomacy against Pakistan. In addition, there is a big transformation in Saudi understanding of terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir in the last few years. Saudi made a very strong denouncement of Pulwama terror attack and did not accept Pakistan's narrative. India and Saudi Arabia are also expected to hold joint Naval exercises in the near future in efforts to deepen the defence ties. Recently, Saudi Arabia has ranked India as the 8th strategic partner. Bilateral trade between the countries stood at US$ 27.48 billion during the last financial year 2017-18. During the forthcoming visit, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia will call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. The visit follows the highly successful visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia in April 2016. India and Saudi Arabia have historically enjoyed close and friendly relations anchored in mutually beneficial partnership and extensive people to people contacts. In recent years, there has been significant progress in bilateral cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including energy security, trade and investment, infrastructure, defence and security. About 2.7 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also facilitates Hajj pilgrimage to over 1,75,000 Indians every year. The Saudi Crown Prince has embarked on a four-country Asian tour that besides India, also includes Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia. He recently concluded his Pakistan visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Robert Vadra, son-in-law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case owing to poor health, his counsel said on Tuesday. "Robert Vadra is not able to attend the hearing today for which he had been summoned by ED. He has been suffering from food poisoning since last night, as a result of which he is having acute diarrhea and nausea," KTS Tulsi, his advocate, told ANI. A Delhi court had on February 16 extended interim bail from protection granted to Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora till March 2 in connection with the case. During the hearing, the ED's counsel informed the Patiala House Court that the agency will require Vadra to appear four or five times more to carry forward the ongoing probe in the case. The counsel also raised the issue of a large media contingent following Vadra during all his appearances and said, "He (Robert Vadra) is accompanied by a "baraat" wherever he goes, whether to ED or to court." Tulsi, who appeared for Vadra and Arora, had said that his clients have no problem in appearing for interrogation. "Robert Vadra has appeared on 6th Feb, 7th Feb, and 9th Feb. My client doesn't have a problem if they want to interrogate him for 5 days or 10 days," Tulsi said. He also informed the court that cumulative questioning of his client (Vadra) lasted for 23 hours 5 minutes. A money laundering case was registered by the ED in September 2015, claiming that Skylight Hospitality had acquired land in Kolayat village of Bikaner which was meant for the rehabilitation of the poor villagers. It was alleged that Vadra bought 69.55 hectares of land at a cheaper rate and then sold the land to Allegheny Finlease for Rs 5.15 crore through illegal transactions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A federal judge in Virginia issued an order to halt discharge proceedings against two HIV positive members of the U.S. Air Force. In a Feb. 15 ruling in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Judge Leonie Brinkema granted Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDNs motion for a preliminary injunction. After hearing oral arguments, the judge rejected the Trump administrations motion to dismiss. This is a major victory in our fight to ensure everyone living with HIV can serve their country without discrimination, said Scott Schoettes, Counsel and HIV Project Director at Lambda Legal, in a news release. These decisions should be based on science, not stigma, as todays ruling from the bench demonstrates. Despite President Trumps promise to improve the lives of people living with HIV at the State of the Union this month, his administration continues to defend these policies and others discriminating against people most impacted by HIV. Lambda Legal will keep fighting until these brave and qualified Airmen can serve without limitation. The Pentagon currently permits HIV positive service members to deploy outside the U.S. with a waiver. The Trump administrations Deploy or Get Out policy directs the Pentagon to identify service members who cannot deploy abroad for more than a year and to separate them from their military service. These policies, OutServe-SLDN spokesperson Peter Perkowski said, were based on outdated medical science and are categorically denying people living with HIV the same opportunities as their fellow service members. The two airmen filed their suit using aliases. Both are on antiretroviral treatment after testing positive for the virus in 2017. They were scheduled to be deployed to the Middle East. Judge Brinkema noted HIV is not easily transmitted and the Pentagon could not provide any evidence of an accidental transmission of HIV on the battlefield. Its probably less complicated than sleep apnea, she said. Read more about the case here. In a televised address to the nation, he asked India to provide "actionable evidence" about Pakistani links to the February 14 attack, promising that his government will "take action". India has asserted that Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit was responsible for the attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama in which 40 personnel were killed. Khan, in the brief address, claimed that Pakistan was being accused by India even though "there is no evidence." "I want to tell India, we are ready for any kind of investigation. If there is any actionable evidence, give it to us. We will take action," the Pakistan Prime Minister said. He said his government will take action, "not because Pakistan is under pressure" but because terrorism and those indulging in terrorism are "enemies" of his country. Khan also offered to have dialogue with India on the issue terrorism, claiming that the "naya (new) Pakistan" did not want anybody to indulge in terrorism from the Pakistani soil nor wanted anybody else to indulge in terrorism from "outside". "We are ready to discuss terrorism. Terrorism is a problem for the entire region. We want terrorism to end in the region," Khan said. "I want to ask the Indian government, do you want to be stuck in the past and blame Pakistan for everything? ... Instead of moving forward and having dialogue, Pakistan is made a whipping boy," he claimed. Noting that the Indian media and politicians were talking about "revenge" in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, Khan said, "If you think of attacking Pakistan, Pakistan will not think but retaliate". At the same time, he added, "But where will it lead to? It is in the hands of humans to start a war but to end a war is not in the hands of the humans." He said "war is no solution" and in the end, there has to be a dialogue. "I hope better sense will prevail," the Pakistan Prime Minister added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were gunned down in an encounter in Pulwama, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday called the killing "a big achievement for India". On Monday, three terrorists, including the mastermind of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack, were gunned down by security forces in an encounter in South Kashmir's Pinglena village. "This is all because of our determined security forces in the Indian Army and it comes as a big achievement for all of India and us," the Union minister told ANI. Days after one of the ghastly terror attacks in Pulwama's Awantipora area, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, on Monday, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Pinglena after it received credible inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area. Last week, Rajnath Singh in Odisha had reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark on the Pulwama terror attack that "the sacrifice made by 40 CRPF in the recent Pulwama attack will not go in vain." "The Army has been given a free hand to punish the perpetrators," the Union minister added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Days after 40 security personnel lost their lives in Pulwama terror attack, tomato farmers in Jhabua district have decided not to export their produce to the neibhouring Pakistan anymore. The decision was taken by the farming community in order to mark their protest against the gruesome incident. At present, there are 5000 farmers who have been engaged in tomato cultivation in the region. Speaking to ANI, Ravindra Patidar, a farmer said, "We are farmers and we grow tomatoes. We also export tomatoes to Pakistan. And by eating our food, they are killing our soldiers. We now want Pakistan to get destroyed. We will also not let any other country sent tomatoes to Pakistan." "We are no more concerned about the prices of tomato getting exported. If there will be no soldiers, how will survive. All the surplus money coming from export will go in vain," said one the big tomato cultivators Basanti Lal Patidar. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath lauded the move by the farmers saying, "I salute the decision taken by the brothers of Jhabua District of not selling the tomatoes to Pakistan. I admire their patriotism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala government on Tuesday decided to give a permanent job to the wife of CRPF personnel V V Vasantha Kumar who lost his life in the Pulwama terror attack. The late personnel's wife is currently working as an assistant at the Government Veterinary University Pookode, Wayanad. The government further extended support to Kumar's family by giving Rs 25 lakh aid - out of which Rs 15 lakh will be given to the wife, while a sum of Rs 10 lakh will be given to the late personnel's mother. Adding to this, the government will also bear the cost of educating the deceased personnel's children, along with building a new house for the family. The late 35-year-old was one among the 40 CRPF personnel who lost their lives after a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative attacked their convoy in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, on February 14. There have been wide condemnations of the ghastly attack, with the world community showing its support to India in its fight against terrorism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a time when the Centre has vowed to give a 'befitting response' to those who orchestrated the Pulwama terror attack, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is of the view that a 'befitting reply' is not the solution. Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Kumaraswamy said giving a 'befitting reply' to the perpetrators will not bring back those who lost their lives in the dastardly attack, adding that the right thing to do would be to create a conducive atmosphere in the Valley. "It is not a matter of attack or counter attack. The unabated terror activities in that region (Jammu and Kashmir) has only claimed the lives of innocent people. You cannot bring those lives back by giving a 'befitting reply'. A solution is to create a conducive atmosphere in the region and it is the Centre's responsibility (to do it). This is my opinion," he said. When asked whether Pakistan should be declared a terror state, Kumaraswamy said the government has to primarily take steps to ensure such an atmosphere doesn't arise in the future. "We have to first solve crisis emanating out of terrorism in our country," he noted. As many as 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives in the gruesome attack that took place in Awantipora area of South Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack. Four days after the attack, an encounter that took place in Pulwama between security forces and terrorists resulted in the death of four Indian Army personnel, including an Army Major, as well as three JeM terrorists including Kamran, the suspected mastermind of the carnage. Sources said that Kamran, a close aide of JeM chief Masood Azhar, was sent to Kashmir to boost militancy and took over as JeM's 'operational commander' after the security forces killed Mufti Waqas in an encounter in February last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Tuesday dubbed as a lame excuse of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement that he would take action if "actionable intelligence" is provided about links of Pulwama attack to his country and asked him to stop misleading the international community. Hours after Khan's televised address, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the Pakistani Prime Minister has "ignored claims" made by Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is based in Pakistan, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated Pulwama heinous crime. "Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime. It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action," Kumar told ANI exclusively. "The Prime Minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse. In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, the proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of 'guaranteed action' ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan," he said. The MEA spokesperson said: "It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that India's response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming General Election. India rejects this false allegation. India's democracy is a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand." "We demand Pakistan to stop misleading the international community and take credible and visible action against the perpetrators of Pulwama terrorist attack and other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under their control," he said. "Pakistan's Prime Minister has called for dialogue and expressed his readiness to talk about terrorism. India has repeatedly stated that it is ready to engage in a comprehensive bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence," he said. "Pakistan claims to be the greatest victim of terrorism. This is far from the truth. The international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve center of terrorism," the MEA spokesperson said. "The Prime Minister has referred to a 'Naya Pakistan' with new thinking. In this 'Naya Pakistan,' Ministers of the current Government publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed who have been proscribed by the United Nations," he said. "We are not surprised that the Prime Minister of Pakistan refuses to acknowledge the attack on our security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism. Prime Minister of Pakistan has neither chosen to condemn this heinous act nor condoled with the bereaved families," said Kumar. Pakistan Prime Minister Khan on Tuesday promised "action" if "actionable intelligence" is provided by India about its links to Pulwama terror attack but warned of "retaliation, without even thinking, if any kind of military action is launched by India." Breaking his silence on the February 14 attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, Khan in his televised address claimed that there was "no evidence" about Pakistan link and that India was being "judge, jury, and executioner." Khan, without condemning the ghastly attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, said Pakistan is ready to discuss the issue of terrorism as insisted by India and that war is no solution. "I want to tell India, we are ready for any kind of investigation. If there is any actionable intelligence, give it to us, I guarantee that we will take action," Khan said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Yoga guru Ramdev on Tuesday said that India should stand united against Pakistan to combat terrorism. "India should stand united against Pakistan to combat terrorism. Every political party should believe in the power of fraternity. Then only India will receive its right to self-determination," Ramdev told the media at Raipur in Chhattisgarh. In the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel and was spearheaded by Jaish-e-Mohammad, India received worldwide support to fight against terrorism. Reacting to Pakistan PM Imran Khan's statement, where he asked India to provide "actionable evidence" about Pakistani links to the February 14 attack, Ramdev said, "Pakistan PM Imran Khan is only a sycophant of military and his country has no democracy." On Tuesday, in a televised address to the nation, Imran Khan asked India to provide "actionable evidence" about Pakistani links to the February 14 attack, in South Kashmir, promising that his government will "take action." Ramdev started his statement by paying tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as February 19 is commemorated as the great warrior's birth anniversary. "On Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, I urge India to divide Pakistan into three regions: provide economic and military support to the secessionist group in Balochistan, so that it separates from Pakistan, pioneer movements to combat within Pak, so that India get PoK and those who support it, try to charm them," Ramdev said. With just a few days left for the primal Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to take place in May, many political parties have pushed for the construction of Ram temple, including BJP's foe turned friend Shiv Sena. On this, the yoga guru said: "I don't consider Ram temple as a vote bank or political dichotomy. India should stand united for the construction of Ram temple. Not just Hindus, even Muslims should come together and assert its construction. The temple should be indeed constructed and the people of its country should tantamount to Ram and Sita, then only it will be known as 'Ramrajya'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani army on Tuesday evening violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in the bordering state of Jammu and The violation took place at around 7 pm. No casualties have been reported so far. According to sources, the Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively. More details are awaited. This comes close on the heels of a terror attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama district on February 14 in which as many as 40 jawans were killed, and many others were injured. Only recently, India had summoned Pakistan High Commission official and had lodged a strong protest at the unprovoked firings along the LoC in the Valley. An ace pilot of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was killed on Tuesday when two Hawk trainer jets of the Surya Kiran aerobatic team crashed mid-air while rehearsing for the Aero India show here. The five-day air show is scheduled to begin tomorrow and Air Force sources said it would be difficult for the aerobatic team to take part in the event. "Out of the three aircrew of the two aircraft, Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi died in the crash, while Wing Commander VT Shelke and Squadron Leader T J Singh have been airlifted to Air Force Command Hospital in Bengaluru. The crash took place at 1150 AM at the show venue at Air Force station Yelahanka," an Air Force spokesperson said. While Wg Cdr Shelke and Sdn Ldr Singh managed to bail out, Wg Cdr Gandhi could not, the spokesperson said. The formation was flying at a low altitude. The IAF also said that damage to life and property in the vicinity of the crash site is being ascertained, and a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident. Wg Cdr Gandhi belonged to Hissar in Haryana and is survived by his wife and a 6-year-old son named Riaan. Karnataka Director General of Police MN Reddi, who visited the crash site, said no civilian was injured following the mishap. "Visited the Surya Kiran crash site. One IAF pilot has unfortunately lost his life. Two others injured shifted to hospital but said to be out of danger. No injuries to any civilians. No major damage to any houses in ISRO colony. Fire Force has completely suppressed the fire" he tweeted. The Surya Kiran team has given outstanding performances during air shows in the country and abroad. Set up in 1996, it initially comprised Kiran trainer planes which were later replaced by Hawk jets. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday snubbed Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack and said that they don't have anything to show in order to defend themselves. "Since the Mumbai attack, not just this government but earlier government too sent dossiers after dossiers and evidence. What action has Pakistan taken on them? In India, following due process of law, courts have been approached and Mumbai attackers have been given due process and been punished too. In Pakistan, not even the first court is doing its job. There is nothing for Pakistan to show," Sitharaman said while addressing a press conference at Aero India. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier today promised "action" if "actionable intelligence" is provided by India about links to Pulwama attack in his country but warned of retaliation, without even thinking, if any kind of military action is launched by India. When asked about the same, Sitharaman said: "I would not want to say how our government is going to respond to this as no word is sufficient enough to assuage the anger and disappointment of every person of the country." Sitharaman further assured that "every effort will be taken to prevent any future incident such as the Pulwama terror attack." "We are gathering more information from the ground. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already said that forces have been given freedom to respond at any given time and as they see fit," she said. Sitharaman stated that the morale of the Defence forces is "not affected at all" due to the Pulwama attack. "They are absolutely ready to do their job. The response the people of India have shown has brought greater motivation to them," she said. Around 40 CRPF personnel were killed in an attack orchestrated by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pulwama on February 14. Hours after Khan's televised address, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the Pakistani Prime Minister has "ignored claims" made by Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is based in Pakistan, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated Pulwama heinous crime. "Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime. It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action," Kumar told ANI. "The Prime Minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse. In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, the proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, there has been no progress. Promises of 'guaranteed action' ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The seventh round of trade talks between China and the United States is slated to take place in Washington later this week the Chinese Ministry of Commerce confirmed on Tuesday. The talks between the two nations will be held on February 21 and 22. Sputnik quoted the Chinese Ministry as stating that the trade negotiations will be attended by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, while the US delegation will be headed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. During the previous round of trade negotiations between the US and China that took place on February 14-15, the two countries managed to reach some progress during the talks but still had to do "much work", the White House said in a statement. The ministerial meetings are conducted in order to enhance efforts to reach a deal before increased tariffs are slapped on Chinese imports by the US. If the deal is confirmed, officials will look forward to confirming the next proposed China-US summit anytime soon in March, sources said. Previously, ministerial meetings were held in January in Washington, where US President Donald Trump had pushed for a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Until now, Beijing has proposed to purchase larger quantities of farm produce from the US during the ministerial-level talks. The meetings are a part of the agreement of a 'temporary truce' reached by Trump and Xi Jinping during their dinner on December 1 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday claimed that his government has successfully managed the Maoist conflict, that had groped the Himalayan country for over a decade. Addressing the nation on the occasion of the 69th Democracy Day in the Tundikhel, PM Oli said, "As of now the conflict management is almost done. In the context of the conflict management, Nepal had adopted a substantive method, It took the ways forward with a commitment to resolve its' own problem and this work have shown Nepal's capability to solve its problem on its own. This also has increased Nepal's prestige in the international arena." The Nepali government had signed a peace agreement with the de-facto group in 2006 after which it became a political party and ruled over the country with the formation of the government over different period of time. During the decade-long insurgency, around 13,000 people had reportedly lost their lives, while about 1,300 people are still missing, along with complaints and reports of mass violation of human rights. The Government of Nepal had also formed a commission to probe into the reports, however, very less progress has been made so far while drawing attention of the International community. Recently, the diplomatic missions have called for a free, fair and timely addressal of the issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghan Markle is all set to celebrate her baby shower with her friends in New York. The Duchess of Sussex made a secret trip to New York City to celebrate the arrival of her and Prince Harry's first child, who is due in April. A source told People magazine that Meghan's friends are throwing her a baby shower before she heads back to London. The former actor hails from Los Angeles, where her mother Doria still resides. The mini-homecoming comes shortly before Meghan and Harry are heading to Morocco for a three-day visit for two of their key causes: girls' education and youth empowerment. According to People, Meghan who now lives in the U.K., has maintained close friendships with those who were by her side before she was royalty. According to Harper's Bazaar and Page Six as cited by E! Online, the party will take place on Tuesday. Her close friend Jessica Mulroney is organising the baby shower. E! News cited a source who told Harper's Bazaar that Meghan's visit was planned months ago, adding, "The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves. This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born so it's nice to share precious moments." "It's been a relaxing visit. Nothing beats face time with your friends. Meg will be flying home refreshed and relaxed-and with a lot of new baby clothes," another source told the outlet. US Weekly, which first reported the news of Meghan's visit, quoted an eyewitness as saying that the Duchess of Sussex ate lunch with a friend. Meghan has previously made secret solo trips abroad before. In August, she flew to visit Jessica and husband Ben Mulroney at their home in Toronto, the city where Meghan used to shoot for 'Suits' before she quit her acting career to concentrate on her royal duties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy on Wednesday stirred a hornet's nest by expressing solidarity with the call given by a retired Army Colonel to "boycott everything that is Kashmiri" in view of the recent Pulwama terror attack. Roy, who is known for stoking controversy, on Wednesday chose to re-tweet the post of a retired Colonel, which reads: "An appeal from a retired colonel of the Indian Army: Don't visit Kashmir, don't go to Amarnath for the next 2 years. Don't buy articles from Kashmir emporia or Kashmiri tradesman who come every winter. Boycott everything Kashmiri." "I am inclined to agree," tweeted Roy, a former BJP leader from West Bengal. However, Roy didn't stop here. He also re-tweeted the post of retired Major Gaurav Arya, which reads: "The Pakistan Army (who are handling the Kashmiri separatists) was among their own in East Pakistan in 1971. They slaughtered and raped right and left. And they would have kept EP but for the whacking from India. I am not suggesting that we go that far. But at least some distance?" Roy re-tweeted another post of Arya, which reads: "Likewise the British Indian Army did untold atrocities in the Tamluk area of present-day Purba Medinipur during the Quit India movement. These bits of history must not be forgotten!" As a Governor, Roy's move to support the call to "boycott everything Kashmiri" comes at a time when students and professionals from Kashmir were reportedly being subjected to verbal or physical assaults following the dastardly terror attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 in which as many as 40 CRPF jawans were killed. India continues to reel under the rage over the brutal killing of CRPF jawans by a suicide bomber associated with Pakistan-based terror outfit-Jaish-e-Mohammad-by ramming an explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy of paramilitary forces. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government in New Delhi has launched a multi-faceted diplomatic operation to isolate Pakistan globally and build pressure on Islamabad to initiate action against the terror outfits operating from their land. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a scathing attack at Nitish Kumar in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday asked the Bihar Chief Minister to make main accused Brajesh Thakur's call records public so that the name of a BJP leader, who is hiding, can also come out. "I want Nitish Kumar to make Brajesh Thakur's call records public. If Manju Verma's number is found in his records, then CBI can also trace the number of that leader from BJP quota against whom the girls of the shelter home alleged harassment. Nitish Kumar is protecting a person who is not only a minister in his government but his close aide. When Nitish comes to Delhi, that person is with him," Tejashwi told media here. Tejashwi further announced that in the next two-three days he will reveal the phone number of that leader and his personal secretary. He claimed that the number is now switched off but still through previous records the name of the leader can be found. "The girl, who informed about this minister, was shifted from Muzaffarpur shelter home after her statement. They sent her to Madhubani. Now nobody knows where that girl is. Whether she is dead or alive, that is also not known. I don't know what Bihar Police is doing," Yadav said. He added, "Nitish Kumar is fully involved in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case. He tried to hide the TISS report on the shelter home. It is shameful how Nitish Kumar earlier made all efforts to save his minister (Manju Verma). An affidavit was submitted in the POCSO court. It is clearly written in it that Nitish Kumar and many others are involved and that there should be an investigation," he added. Besides the Bihar Chief Minister and state police, Tejashwi has also raised questions over the investigation being carried forward by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "We want to know why didn't the CBI involve the doctors' statements in their charge sheet? Why they hide it? Why I am calling Nitish Kumar a corrupt person is because the FIR, in this case, was registered two months after the TISS report came out. That too was done when there were protests in the Bihar Assembly and outside it. Also, the name of Brajesh Thakur, the main accused, was not there in the FIR," Tejashwi said. "If Lalu Yadav or my name was involved in this case, then the CBI would have made come to us regularly for interrogation. They could have arrested us. Why CBI is silent now? If you will join BJP then you will be called Raja Harishchandra, but if you will fight against them then you will be called a thief and corrupt. If there is humanity alive in Nitish Kumar, then he should first ask CBI to investigate against him. Also, if CBI is honest and not influenced by BJP-led central government, then they should also start interrogating the Bihar Chief Minister as soon as possible," he added. His statement comes after the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar earlier stated that no order has been issued for CBI inquiry into the allegations levelled against Nitish Kumar by an accused in the Muzzafarpur shelter home case. More than 40 minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted over a period of time in the shelter home which was run by a state-funded NGO. The case came to light following an audit report submitted by Mumbai's leading research institute, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). Ashwani Kumar, an accused in Muzaffarpur shelter home case, had filed a petition in a local court here demanding probe against Nitish, Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Dharmendra Singh, and Principal Secretary, Social Welfare, Atul Prasad. The CBI had arrested Ashwani Kumar for allegedly injecting minor girls with drugs in November last year. His arrest came after the surrender of Saista Praveen alias Madhu, a close aide of Brajesh Thakur, who is the key accused in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Describing the murder of two youth Congress workers in Kerala as "extremely unfortunate," Chief Minister Pinrayi Vijayan has said strict action will be taken against those found guilty. The chief minister said in a statement on Facebook on Monday that the state's DGP has been instructed to arrest all the accused as early as possible. Two persons were taken into custody on Monday in connection with an incident where two Youth Congress workers- Kripesh and Sarath Lal- were hacked to death in Peria in Kasargod on Sunday. According to the Deputy Director of Kerala Police Information Centre, a special team has been formed under Kasaragod police chief A Sreenivasan to investigate the case with Kasaragod district crime branch Dy SP M Pradeep Kumar as chief investigator. Kerala DGP Lokesh Behera has contacted Karnataka police for their help in conducting the probe and Karnataka police have offered all support. On Monday, as a mark of protest against the murder of two of its workers, the Youth Congress observed statewide dawn to dusk bandh. Congress president Rahul Gandhi condemned the killing and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. "The brutal murder of two members of our Youth Congress family in Kasargod, Kerala is shocking. The Congress Party stands in solidarity with the families of these two young men & I send them my deepest condolences. We will not rest till the murderers are brought to justice" he tweeted on Monday. Soon after the death of Kripesh and Sarath, the Congress alleged that Communist Party of India (Marxist) activists were behind the attack in Peria. "The CPM government is attempting to destroy Congress using party goons. The young Congress activists 24-year-old Sarath Lal and 19- year-old Kripesh were attacked without any provocation in the Peria region," Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters here. "They were not involved in criminal activities. It is part of a tradition of killing in Kasargod and Kannur zilla areas. The government should identify the culprits and arrest them as soon as possible," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a first joint briefing, the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir claimed on Tuesday that the leadership of Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) was "eliminated less than 100 hours" after the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama. They warned that all those who pick up the gun will be neutralised unless they surrender. JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack on the convoy in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. At the briefing here by top officers of the Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police, Corps Commander of the Army's 15 Corps, Lieutenant General Kanwaljeet Singh Dhillon, said, "The JeM leadership has been eliminated in the Valley in less than 100 hours since the attack." He said, "All those who pick up the gun will be eliminated unless they surrender. We were tracking the top JeM leadership since February 14 attack." "The convoy attack was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammad which is being controlled from Pakistan with an active support of ISI and the Pakistan Army. Top JeM commanders, most of them Pakistanis, were in-charge of controlling, coordinating, fabricating and execution of this operation," Dhillon said. Noting that the car bomb-type terror strike happened after a long time in Kashmir, the officer said the security forces will keep all options open to deal with these kinds of attacks. Responding to a question on security forces' future course of action in the wake of the convoy attack and the killing of four Army personnel, including a Major, in an encounter with terrorists on Monday, Dhillon said, "The investigation (into the CRPF vehicle attack) is at a very advance stage. We cannot share probe details right now. We have leads on the type of explosives used but I cannot share. We are very clear about our anti-terrorism policies. All options are open to deal with the new modus operation." The officer appealed to the youth to stay away from any gunfight site and requested the parents to keep their children away from terror activities. "I also want to tell one thing to the parents of the local youth specially mothers because I understand and I know that in Kashmiri society, the mother has a great role to play. I will request all the mothers of Kashmir to please request their sons who have joined terrorism to surrender and get back to the mainstream," he said. In the backdrop of reports that several Kashmiri students had received threats post-Pulwama terror strike, Inspector General (IG) of J-K Police SP Pani said that the students are being taken care across the country. Pani also said that many families in the Valley were playing a major role in stopping their children from getting recruited by terror groups. "There is a significant dip in recruitment...The families are playing a huge role in this. We would like to urge the families and the community to help in curtailing recruitment," he said. IG (Operations) of CRPF Zulfiquar Hasan said, "The incident happened because of an IED- laden civilian car. The Road Opening Party (ROP) had secured the highway. Now, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on civilian cars will be changed." He also said, "Our helpline-14411 has been helping Kashmiris across the country in wake of this attack. A lot of Kashmiri students have approached this helpline all over the country. All Kashmiri children studying outside have been taken care of." Yesterday, in a nearly 20-hour fierce gun battle between terrorists and security forces in Pulwama, three JeM operatives, four Army personnel, including a Major, and a civilian were killed. This incident came after a CRPF convoy, moving from Jammu to Srinagar, was attacked by a suicide bomber in Pulwama's Lethpora area on the highway on February 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is already sitting in Pakistan, and what proof does Imran Khan want, said Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday. "What more proof does he want? JeM chief Masood Azhar is sitting there. Will they accept when we show them bodies of the terrorists killed by our forces? So what kind of a statement is this? The whole world knows the truth," he said while speaking to media persons. Chief Minister Singh, who was responding to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement seeking "actionable evidence" about Islamabad's links to Pulwama terror attack, said: "If even one of our jawans is martyred, we should kill two of theirs (Pakistan). This is the only language they will understand. We've already said that whatever steps the government takes, we will support." Shortly after Imran Khan's statement, Amarinder Singh took to his Twitter handle and wrote: "Dear @ImranKhanPTI you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur & masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you can't let us know, we'll do it for you. BTW what has been done about the proofs of Mumbai's 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk." As many as 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives in the attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Awantipora area of Pulwama last week. Khan, in the televised address, said that Pakistan is ready to discuss terrorism, which, he said, is a "problem for the entire region." Noting that the Indian media and politicians were talking about "revenge" in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, Khan said, "If you think of attacking Pakistan, Pakistan will not think but retaliate." At the same time, he added: "But where will it lead to? It is in the hands of humans to start a war but to end a war is not in the hands of the humans. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan has joined a growing list of countries who have extended support to Venezuela's National Assembly President Juan Guaido, who proclaimed himself to be the President of the Latin American nation in January. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono made the announcement on Tuesday and said that the decision was made after many in the international community raised concerns about the legitimacy of Venezuela's Presidential election last year. Tokyo had repeatedly asked the Venezuelan government, headed by embattled President Nicolas Maduro, to carry out elections but to no avail, reports NHK The United States was first to extend support to Guaido and later also called on the international community to side with Guaido against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. Moreover, Washington has also sent humanitarian aid to Venezuela, which is currently being blocked by the Maduro-led government. European countries like Spain, UK, the Netherlands had earlier issued an ultimatum to Maduro to carry out fresh elections, failing which they would recognise Guaido as the interim President. The countries supported Guaido after Maduro held on to his post, refusing to hold new elections in the Latin American nation. Guaido has called for the Venezuelan military to support him amidst the turmoil, leading to a handful of defections from the army that has shown its outright support to Maduro. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran Ambassador to India Ali Chegani met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu here on Monday and discussed bilateral ties and international terrorism. "The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India, Dr Ali Chegeni, calling on me, in New Delhi today. We have discussed several issues including international terrorism, economic connectivity and people to people exchanges," said Naidu on his official twitter account. The meeting could be a part of coercive diplomacy by the two countries who recently suffered ghastly terror attack on their respective security forces. On February 13, a total of 27 members of Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed after an explosive-laden vehicle targetted the bus which was ferrying the military personnel in Khash-Zahedan sector of Sistan-Baluchistan province in south-eastern Iran. The bombing also injured 17 others. According to Iranian media, Jaish-al-Adl, a separatist militant group claimed responsibility for the deadly assault. On February 14, around 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in an attack orchestrated by Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit. The convoy comprised of 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. Soon after the attack, India briefed Heads of Missions of Arab countries: Ambassadors of UAE, Iran, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Morocco, Egypt and Kuwait about Islamabad's role in sponsoring the terror outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (AP) A Kansas public library has rejected a request to move three children's books with LGBT characters out of the children's section. The Andover Public Library board of directors voted Wednesday to keep children's books "George," ''Lily and Dunkin" and "I am Jazz" in the juvenile section. All the books included characters that are transgender. Andover resident Marci Laffen had asked the board to move the books to the adult section because of their content. In her written challenge to the books, Laffen argued the books were part of a "sexual revolution agenda, indoctrination of children." The Wichita Eagle reports there was little discussion before Wednesday's vote. About 55 people attended a January meeting to discuss the issue. Instead of begging openly for his life, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is giving such statements on the Pulwama terror attack, said Defence Expert and Lt. Gen (Retd) DB Shekatkar on Tuesday. "If Imran does not listen to Pakistan army, ISIS and terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed then he will meet the same fate what has happened to former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff. He will suffer in jail and then be killed in some time like previous prime ministers of Pakistan. That is why instead of begging openly for his life, he is giving such statements on the Pulwama terror attack," Shekatkar told ANI. DB Shekatkar, who was responding to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement seeking "actionable evidence" about Islamabad's links to Pulwama terror attack, said: "If it is not in their interest then why are they supporting terrorism? Now the punishment which India is going to give to the Pakistani army, terrorists, ISIS and government will not be in their personal interest. This time, India will not make a mistake to forgive them again." "Pakistan has become bankrupt, they are begging for money like a beggar. To whom is Pakistan fooling? If Pakistan is not benefitted then why they sent their terrorists to harm India. We must account on every ounce of the blood of our soldiers and Indian citizens. Pakistan has to pay for our damage as no short cut is left now," he added. Seeking strong action against Pakistan from the Centre, DB Shekatkar stated: "Now our government is left with no option but to take strict action against Pakistan. There is nothing to do with common man or Kashmiris, but people who took a gun and stood against the Indian Army will be shot down dead for sure. Also, strict action will be taken against the anti-nationals residing in India." As many as 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives in the attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM in Awantipora area of Pulwama on February 14. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the televised address, said that Pakistan is ready to discuss terrorism, which, he said, is a "problem for the entire region." Noting that the Indian media and politicians were talking about "revenge" in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, Khan said: "If you think of attacking Pakistan, Pakistan will not think but retaliate." At the same time, he added: "But where will it lead to? It is in the hands of humans to start a war but to end a war is not in the hands of the humans. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Breaking his silence on the February 14 attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, Khan made a televised address, claiming that there was "no evidence" about Pakistan link and that India was being "judge, jury and executioner". Khan, without condemning the ghastly attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, said Pakistan is ready to discuss the issue of terrorism as insisted by India and that a war is no solution. "I want to tell India, we are ready for any kind of investigation. If there is any actionable intelligence, give it to us, I guarantee that we will take action," the Pakistan Prime Minister said. His statement came against the backdrop of the US and several other countries demanding that Pakistan must take action against JeM and other terror groups based in Pakistan. Khan claimed that his government will take action, "not because Pakistan is under pressure" but "because if anybody is using Pakistani soil for terrorism, they are our enemies" and "it is in our interest" to act against them. The suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama area of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, in which 40 personnel were killed, was claimed by JeM in a statement. While being in a denial mode, the Pakistan Prime Minister said, "Why will Pakistan do it (engineer a terror attack in India), when we are trying to stabilise Pakistan, when we have lost so many lives to terrorism? What benefit will Pakistan get?" Khan, who took over as Prime Minister in August six months back, claimed that the "naya (new) Pakistan" did not want anybody to use Pakistani soil for terrorism nor it wanted anybody else to indulge in terrorism from "outside". While insisting that Pakistan had nothing to do with the Pulwama terror attack, he took the plea that his country was preparing for the big visit of Saudi Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman which concluded yesterday and "only a mad man will do anything like that (plan terror attack) to sabotage" the visit. Advocating dialogue, he said India has maintained that there cannot be any talks except on terrorism. "I want to say, we are ready to discuss even terrorism. Terrorism is a problem for the entire region. We want terrorism to end in the region," he added. "I want to ask the Indian government, do you want to be stuck in the past and blame Pakistan for everything? ... Instead of moving forward and having dialogue, Pakistan is made a whipping boy," he claimed. Noting that the Indian media and politicians have been talking about "revenge" in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, Khan said, "Which law of the gives you the right to be the judge, the jury and the executioner?... If you think of military action against Pakistan, Pakistan will not think of retaliating but will retaliate. Pakistan will have no choice but to retaliate, to respond." Khan went on to add, "It is your (India's) election year and we understand you (Modi government) will get a big boost if you teach Pakistan a lesson... But where will it lead to? It is in the hands of humans to start a war but to end a war is not in the hands of the humans." He said "war is no solution" and in the end, there has to be a dialogue. "I hope better sense will prevail," the Pakistan Prime Minister added. He said even with regard to Afghanistan, it has been realised after 17 years of war that military action is not a solution and matters can be resolved only through a dialogue. "There should be a new thinking in India, an introspection," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man from Srinagar has been arrested in Uttar Pradesh and brought to Telangana for allegedly cheating people to the tune of Rs 60 lakh after promising them government jobs, police said on Monday. The Central Crime Station (CCS) police arrested Gulam Mohammed, a native of Srinagar, from village Dulahipur in Uttar Pradesh and brought to Telangana on transit remand. Deputy Commissioner of Police Avinash Mohanty said the accused was involved in cheating people on the pretext of offering them jobs. Speaking to ANI, Mohanty said, "The accused Gulam Mohammed Illahi, who cheated around 24 unsuspecting people to the tune of 60 lakhs, was arrested by police after following leads based on credible information." "The accused would promise secure government jobs in Railways, SBI, FCI among others. Since the month of January 2018, the accused along with another accused induced the victims to pay Rs 2,50,000 each by creating fake online website of Railway Recruitment Board along with fake offer letters. "The accused also facilitated medical tests at Bardhaman in Kolkata. After receiving the cash, the accused and others have been absconding from Hyderabad since June'2018. On receiving complaint from the victims, a case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code was registered and an investigation was carried out," added Mohanty. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Car manufacturing giant Honda on Tuesday announced plans to shut down its manufacturing plant in Swindon in 2021, putting around 3,500 jobs in jeopardy in the wake of the impending Brexit. Honda's President Takahiro Hachigo made the announcement on February 19, adding that it aligns with their efforts to restructure global manufacturing operations, which focuses more on electric vehicles. He also added that sluggish sales in Europe were one of the factors of the decision. "We have decided, from the point of view of competitiveness, that it will be difficult to produce electric vehicles in Europe," NHK quoted Takahiro as saying. He dismissed speculations that the decision was made due to Britain's impending exit from the European Union (EU) in March 2019. However, he added that there were looming uncertainties on a probable effect the move may have on the procurement of parts. Meanwhile, Honda has announced its intent to provide support to the 3,500 affected workers at the plant which manufactures around 1,60,000 vehicles per year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France will soon be moving a proposal at the United Nations to put Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar on the global terrorist list, French diplomatic sources told ANI here. This comes after the recent Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of as many as 40 CRPF personnel. It is pertinent to note that Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM claimed the responsibility for the attack. According to sources, the proposal will demand Azhar's name to be put on the UN Counter-Terrorism Sanctions List. Following the ghastly attack, United States National Security Advisor John Bolton had also called up his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and promised to remove all obstacles to designating JeM chief Masood Azhar as a 'global terrorist' under the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 Committee process. A proposal to list Azhar is pending before the UN Security Council but it is being blocked by China. India has been urging the international community to put pressure on China to lift its blockade Three terrorists, including a top commander of JeM Kamran, suspected to be the mastermind of terror attack on CRPF convoy, were killed in Pulwama on Monday in a fierce encounter in which a Major and four other security personnel also lost their lives and a Brigadier, a Lt Colonel, a Captain and a DIG of state police were injured. "Among the dead terrorists is suspected to be Kamran alias Ghazi, a Pakistani commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) believed to be behind the deadly attack of last Thursday in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed in this district," sources told ANI. Kamran, considered to be a close aide of JeM chief Masood Azhar, had crossed over to Kashmir from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in December last year, sources said. He had been sent by Azhar to intensify terror acts by involving locals. A local terrorist, identified as Hilal, was also killed, the sources said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a fresh turn of developments, the Patna High Court on Tuesday ordered that all former Chief Ministers of Bihar will have to vacate the government bungalows allotted to them for the lifetime. The judicature issued this notice after taking suo-motu cognisance of a provision that allows former chief ministers to occupy their official bungalows for life. Speaking to ANI, Lalit Kishore, Advocate General, Bihar said, " Earlier there was a provision in Uttar Pradesh of accommodating former state CM but supreme court intervened and rejected it. On the basis of that judgement of the Supreme Court, Patna high court also rejected it." "In 2010, an amendment was made in Bihar in which there was security act which has now been rejected and has said that it is out of the constitution. It depends of the state and what decision they will take after reading this judgement," he added. The court on February 11 had reserved the order on the issue. The decision from the Court came on a PIL was filed by Nitish Kumar and other leaders of the state over the matter of allocation of bungalows to former Chief Ministers. Last week, the High Court rejected Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav's petition challenging the Bihar government's order to vacate his official accommodation. The bungalow was allocated to Tejashwi in 2015 on his appointment as the deputy chief minister in the Kumar-led government in the state. However, he continues to occupy the house even after RJD broke the alliance with Kumar's Janata Dal (United). In October last year, the Patna High Court rejected Tejashwi's appeal against the Bihar government's plea to evict him from his official residence at 5, Deshratna Marg. Thereafter in November, Tejashwi had filed a fresh appeal challenging the high court's judgment. The bungalow was reassigned to present Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi in 2017 after RJD formed the coalition with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a time when the entire nation is reeling under rage over the ghastly terror attack in Pulwama, Nikita Kaul, wife of Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal who was martyred in an encounter with JeM terrorists on Monday in Pulwama in J&K, has urged every Indian not to "sympathise but stay strong and united" in this crucial hour. "I will request everyone not to sympathise rather be very strong because this man (V S Dhoundiyal) holds a position very larger than any of us standing here. Let us salute this man. Jai Hind," Nikita said while bidding adieu to her husband. Holding back her tears during the performance of last rites of Major Dhoundiyal, the proud wife Nikita blew him a kiss and said: "I love you." Major Dhoundiyal, resident of Dehradun, was among four Army men who were martyred in the encounter with JeM terrorists in Pulwama district. They killed-JeM commander Kamran-the mastermind of February 14 terror attack on CRPF convoy in which 40 jawans were killed. Praising the Major for sacrificing his life for the nation and the people he had never met, Nikita said: "I am really proud. We all love you. The way you love everyone is entirely different because you sacrificed your life for the people who you may have never met, but still you decided to give your life for them." "You are such a brave man. I am very honoured to have you as my husband. I'll love you till my last breath. I owe my life to you. Yes, it's hurting that you're leaving but I know you will always be around," she said. Hundreds of people paid their tributes to the late Major amid-"Vande Mataram" and "Shaheed Dhoundiyal Amar Rahein"--slogans. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat also took part in the funeral procession of the Major and placed a wreath on his coffin on behalf of the state. Earlier in the day, mother of Army jawan Ajay Kumar who lost his life in the encounter with Pakistan-backed terrorists in Pulwama, said that India has the power to destroy the neighbouring country in one day. "Pakistan has killed so many sons; Pakistan is not that big that India cannot destroy it. India can destroy it in one day. I am proud of my son that he sacrificed his life for the country," said Kumar's mother. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Delhi government and all three municipal corporations on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking immediate action against hotels/guesthouses across Delhi in violation of fire safety and other norms in a time-bound manner. The petitioner sought direction to respondents to fix accountability of its officials, negligence of which resulted in the death of so many people in Hotel Arpit Palace in Central Delhi's Karol Bagh area and take strict action against them. The plea also sought direction to the Delhi government to pay adequate compensation to all those who lost their family members in the fire in terms of life expectancy factor. Advocate Arpit Bhargava, who filed the PIL, raised issues relating to operation of illegal community/banquet halls for marriage and such other functions where many people gather at a given time and the concerned department failed to take any action against such illegal running of community halls (shaadi ghars, barat ghars, etc.) which do not even have fire clearance, license from concern department etc to operate as such, thereby risking lives of public at large. The PIL also raises consequent issues of violation of building by-laws and non-adherence to any applicable laws including immense pressure on the structural stability of such buildings which accommodate more people at a particular community hall (shaadi ghars, barat ghars, etc.) in violation of the law. Next date of hearing in the matter is March 13. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Chief Minister and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Pinarayi Vijayan opined that the CPM "didn't have any reason" to plan the murder of the two Youth Congress workers who were recently hacked to death in Kasargod. "It (killing of Youth Congress workers) is a very unfortunate incident. Political murders have reduced in my time. CPM didn't have any reason to plan this murder. There will be strict action against those involved in political murders," he said. The two Youth Congress workers- Kripesh and Sarath Lal- were hacked to death in Kasargod on Sunday by unidentified assailants. In the wake of the killings, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that "goons and police power" were being used to suppress people. "Congress in Kerala will have no pact with the CPM. How can we? Everyday our people are being killed. Goons and police power are being used to suppress our people," he told ANI. Two persons were taken into custody on Monday in connection with the murder of Kripesh and Sarath. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) will contest Lok Sabha elections together in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The BJP will contest on five out of the 39 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and 1 seat in Puducherry. Speaking to media here after holding talks with the BJP, AIADMK leader and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said the BJP-AIADMK alliance will be a winning one. "For the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, AIADMK and BJP have agreed to form a mega alliance. This alliance will be a winning alliance in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In this alliance, BJP is allotted five seats," he said. Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who was also present at the media briefing, said the BJP will support AIADMK in the by-elections on 21 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. "We will support AIADMK in the by-elections on 21 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. We have agreed to contest elections under the leadership of O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami in the state and Modi Ji at the Centre," he said. Earlier in the day, Panneerselvam had said the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) will support the AIADMK-BJP front in Tamil Nadu in the forthcoming general elections. The PMK, which has a strong voter base in northern Tamil Nadu, especially among the OBC Vanniyar community, will contest on six Lok Sabha seats and will be given one Rajya Sabha seat. In the 235-member Assembly, the AIADMK has 115 members followed by the DMK with 88, Congress eight, one of the IUML, one independent, the Speaker and 20 vacant seats (18 disqualified and two dead). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ANNAPOLIS (February 19, 2019)In anticipation of an update to statewide 9-1-1 communication systems by 2021, gruesome imagery of crime scenes or injuries, individuals' medical histories and identification of domestic violence or rape victims may be protected from public view under legislation in the Maryland General Assembly. Many aspects of a 9-1-1 call are currently available to the public through Maryland's Public Information Act, said House bill 215 sponsor Delegate Michael Jackson, D-Prince George's. Senate bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Cheryl Kagan, D-Montgomery, is identical and working its way through that chamber. "I am all about public information, I am all about transparency and yet there needs to be a balance between transparency, government openness and personal privacy," Kagan said. This new legislation follows a two-year effort passed last year designed to improve the current 9-1-1 communication network and systems throughout the state. Maryland is expected to transition all 24 of the state's jurisdictions to new "Next Generation 9-1-1" communications by Dec. 31, 2021, according to the commission report. Next Generation 9-1-1 allows residents to communicate with emergency operators via texts, photos and videos. The new system will allow callers and operators to "use the same communication tools that they use every day to talk to their families and neighbors," Montgomery County's 9-1-1 Communications Division Director Bill Ferretti said during a Feb. 5 bill hearing. In November, a statewide, bipartisan commission released a 65-page report that included 23 recommendations on upgrades that could improve the Next Generation 9-1-1 system. This new bill is a response to a privacy protection recommendation, which requires "special attention" to be paid when handling certain information under the Maryland Public Information Act, according to the report. "The (Public Information Act) is a crucial tool that allows citizens to see the workings of our government," Jackson said. "However, (the law) is not designed to let someone into our neighbors' houses and lives during their most tragic time that they may experience." Jackson stated that Next Generation 9-1-1 communication will allow operators to receive pictures and videos of incidents, as well as blueprints of buildings and locations that would help responders. Through Next Generation 9-1-1, emergency responders will receive new types of information, which could subject victims to "public scrutiny," said Leslie Knapp Jr., legal and policy counsel for the Maryland Association of Counties. The legislation blocks release of information that could identify victims of rape, domestic violence or abuse, and certain health records. "The potential for abusive use for such media, whether its victim shaming or posting on the internet by a vindictive neighbor, is extremely high. We've seen that in other states and we want to try and prevent that here," Knapp said. Currently, 45 states have entered the planning stage of the Next Generation 9-1-1 communication integration. Four statesIndiana, Iowa, Maine and Vermonthave already implemented Next Generation 9-1-1. While the new legislation is intended to protect the privacy and sensitive information of victims, others perceive the bill as a "blanket denial" that will affect the core of the Public Information Act, which is to establish government transparency and accountability. Among those opposed to the new legislation are the Public Justice Center and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland. In testimony, the ACLU of Maryland said that the terms "gruesome and gory" are too subjective and could allow officials to withhold certain documents and information that should be disclosed to the public. "We very much appreciate and support the interest in protecting domestic violence and victims of any kind of violence from further injury by having information disclosed," said Public Policy Director of the ACLU of Maryland Toni Holness. "The reality is, under our current Public Information Act, (it) gives officials broad discretion to deny a record if an investigation is pending." In testimony, the ACLU of Maryland added that after an investigation is complete, officials may withhold documents if the disclosure would: Interfere with a valid and proper law enforcement proceeding; Deprive another person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication; Constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; Disclose the identity of a confidential source; Disclose an investigative technique or procedure; Prejudice an investigation; or Endanger the life or physical safety of an individual. In turn, the ACLU of Maryland argued that the new legislation is a "solution in search of a problem." Under current law, denial of public records is broken down into two categories: required and discretionary denials. Required denials allow officials to deny inspection of public records that are confidential or release would violate state or federal laws or a court order, according to a state analysis. Discretionary denials provide officials the opportunity to deny inspection of a public record if they believe it would be against the public interest, including investigatory records, or information related to academic, licensing or employment examinations, according to the Maryland Public Information Act. The legislation also blocks certain information provided by third parties. Pakistan's nefarious agenda of filling coffers of Islamabad through systematic political exploitation of Balochistan, compounded by heightened military operations has left the resource and mineral-rich province as one of the most impoverished regions across the Widespread economic depredations through a structured design are the reality of Balochistan. The locals, activists, and leaders who have dared raise their voice against the oppression have met with a brute high handedness of security forces. However, the freedom fighters who have been unrelenting in challenging the oppressive status quo in the region have resolved to resist the colonial forces of Pakistan. Underlining the atrocities being meted out to people in Balochistan Bashir Zaib Baloch, the new head of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said the situation here is much grave than Palestine, Iraq, and in Afghanistan and sought international support in exposing Pakistan. Bashir Zaib Baloch took charge of BLA after its commander Aslam Baloch was killed in a suicide bombing last December. Through a recorded video he said: "Today, I say this to the entire world, to India, to the United States of America and the European Union; whether you believe it or not, hear it or not. It has been said before by our friends as well; if the manner in which Baloch genocide is being carried out gets exposed, the problems of Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan will appear insignificant." The atrocities on Baloch people have increased since Islamabad and Beijing signed the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The country has only stepped up its systematic violence in order to pave way for the much-hyped China Pakistan Economic Corridor (or CPEC) in recent times. The people in Balochistan, who are championing the cause of the Free Balochistan Movement, are opposing the project which they say has exploited all their natural resources. Baloch freedom fighters, however, have vowed to resist this subjugation till the end of their lives. Bashir Zaib Baloch added that "Pakistan and China, on the pretext of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), Gwadar Port, and Saindak project have unleashed their satanic designs in the region. Balochs are resisting them and will continue to do so till the end of their life as it is a matter of their identity. Still, they (Pakistan and China) have been aggressively plundering our resources. They have been trying hard to declare the unsuccessful project of CPEC as a game changer. Pakistan and China have been systematically killing Balochs." The fundamental fact with regards to Pakistan is that anyone who doesn't belong to a particular feudal elite community -- predominantly comprising army generals and political leaders from its most favoured province of Punjab, are made to live a second-class citizen life. Whether it is the Balochs, Shias, Hazaras or Ahmedis -- none have been able to escape the state brutality by Pakistan. Over the past few years, thousands of Baloch political activists and intellectuals have disappeared, many brutally killed by Pakistan's snooping agency and army. "Today, we are forced to kill or get killed. Today, we are losing our friends and families with a hope that will listen to us and one day we'll be able to get out of this bloodbath and will be able to escape the misrule of this Pakistani government," said Bashir Although the region of Balochistan has been going through one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, it has failed to gather enough international attention. In spite of the lack of international support, Baloch freedom fighters have intensified their rebellion against the Pakistani establishment. Baloch Liberation Army chief's statements have certainly provided reinforcement to the movement that Pakistan is hell-bent on crushing through severe high handedness. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aggrieved over the loss of as many as 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama terror attack in south Kashmir, well-known artist Vinod Panda on Tuesday registered his protest by painting Pakistan's flag on a road here in marine drive area. The poster depicted anguish and detest over the loss of security forces, and reads: 'Pakistan Murdabad.' Panda was accompanied by many civilians at the marine drive in registering their protest against the terror attack. The whole world mourned the death of CRPF jawans after a suicide bomber, affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is backed by Pakistan, rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy of armed forces in Pulwama on February 14. The convoy comprised of 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While meeting with seven businessmen from across the country as part of his 'Apni Baat Rahul Ke Saath' campaign, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday made a surprise call to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and suggested him to make Khadi uniform mandatory in schools in the state. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi has started the 'Apni Baat Rahul Ke Saath' campaign to meet people from different fields. As part of the campaign, Rahul on Tuesday focused on the MSME sector and had lunch with seven businessmen from Bhopal, Faridabad, Kargil and Mumbai among others. Indore-based businessman Sanjay Patwardhan told ANI, "It was an astonishing moment when Rahul came. He asked about the problems and solutions to the business sector. When he was suggested to make Khadi uniform mandatory in schools to promote the Khadi industry, Rahul immediately called Kamal Nath, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, and asked me to talk to him. The future of the country is golden with Rahul Gandhi." Alok Mehta, who came from Faridabad, said that he was called by the Congress and told that the party's manifesto committee is looking forward to meet few businessmen but was not told that the Congress president will be present in the meeting. "I did not know that Rahul Gandhi will meet us. (During the interaction) We shared problems related to GST with Rahul. He even discussed about how we can overtake China (in the manufacturing sector)," Mehta said. Paul Savio, who is into the mobile accessory business, said that they discussed 'ease of doing business'. Savio added, "Rahul looked very polite. We gave him best wishes for the month of May (for Lok Sabha elections)," he added. Khaleed, who runs a hotel in Kargil, stated that Rahul heard all the problems carefully and patiently. The Congress president expressed grief over the Pulwama terror attack also.Mumbai-based Suhani, who makes sanitary napkin machines, said that normally politicians meet delegates from various business houses. However, Rahul met people belonging to the MSME sector. "Rahul had lunch with us. He talked about GST and problems over bank loans. The meeting focused on strengthening the MSME sector. Rahul looked completely opposite of the image people have about him in social media. Politicians from other parties should also hold such discussions," she said. Prior to the MSME sector, Rahul held a meeting with students also. According to sources, the Congress party president is planning to hold such meetings every week. Interestingly, people are not told in advance that Rahul Gandhi will be present in the meeting. He likes to make surprise visits and hold meetings with people, sources added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Akshay Kumar, who has been instrumental in bringing discussions on menstrual hygiene to the fore with his film 'PadMan' has now joined hands with Run4Niine for a nationwide running event for menstrual hygiene awareness. Akshay Kumar who started the open conversation on menstrual sanitation with the release of his film last year said, "It's already been more than a year since the release of 'PadMan,' and I am proud to see how it has evolved into a phenomenal grass roots level movement." The actor added that he is excited to be partnering with the Niine Movement to encourage an open and unashamed discussion on menstruation with his "fellow citizens, pad heroes, change makers and pathbreakers". The event will take place in multiple cities across 20+ states in India on March 8 to mark International Women's Day with Akshay Kumar flagging it off in Lucknow. The campaign aims to bridge the gap between sanitary napkin users from 18 per cent to 82 per cent bringing together both genders, across all ages, backgrounds and of all abilities The organisers of the event hope of setting the Guinness World Record for organising the 'Largest Number of Runs in a Single Day for Menstrual Hygiene Awareness' with the event. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six people were killed in an IED blast in Qarghaee district in Laghman province on Tuesday. the blast occurred at 11 am on Tuesday morning. No group has taken responsibility for the blast yet. Another blast claimed one life on Sunday night when a magnetic IED was detonated in Kabul, Kabul police said. The explosion occurred in Panshir Wat area in Kabul's PD11 when a magnetic IED placed in a vehicle was detonated, confirmed the spokesman for Kabul police, Basir Ahmand Muhajid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shares of Varun Beverages (VBL) rose as much as 3.78 per cent to Rs 802.05 apiece on the BSE in the intra-day trade, as it bagged the contract to bottle and distribute PepsiCo drinks across India on Monday, clearing the path for PepsiCo to exit the bottling business in the country. "Its intent to enter into a binding agreement with PepsiCo to acquire franchise rights in South and West regions from PepsiCo for a national bottling, sales and distribution footprint in 7 states and 5 Union Territories. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor A new round of talks between the United States and China to resolve their trade war will take place in Washington on Tuesday, with follow-up sessions at a higher level later in the week, the White House said on Monday. The talks follow a round of negotiations that ended in Beijing last week without a deal but which officials said had generated progress on contentious issues between the world's two largest economies. The talks are aimed at "achieving needed structural changes in China that affect trade between the United States and China. The two sides will also ... One summer evening while I was conducting fieldwork on sign language interpreting in Hanoi, Vietnam, the board members of the Hanoi Deaf Cultural Group (HDCG1), all of whom are Deaf2, and Chi, a hearing Ha Noi Sign Language (HNSL3) interpreter, gathered around a long wooden table at one of Hanois many upscale coffee shops. As people settled in, Chi set up her computer at the head of the table, clearly directing the meeting. While I had initially assumed Chi was there to take notes, or interpret for a hearing person, it turned out she was introducing a project she had designed to teach Vietnamese architects about Deaf Space, the practice of designing spaces for Deaf users. Chi had done extensive research on Deaf Space4, and was here to share this knowledge with HDCG leaders, and ask for their assistance in educating hearing architects about the topic. While sign language interpreting studies, which has largely been centered in the global north, has traditionally focused on the role of interpreters during interpreted interactions, HNSL interpreters spend much of their time directly engaged in advocacy work with deaf people, rather than interpreting. This raises important questions for disability studies and deaf studies scholars about how deaf people and interpreters negotiate their relationality. As disabled and non-disabled people work together on long-term advocacy projects, it requires navigating issues of agency and privilege, and building trust to create what Simplican refers to as thick alliance (2015). But what glue holds such thick alliances together? How is trust built and maintained as deaf people and interpreters engage in activism? Maintaining thick alliances requires hearing interpreters to navigate a host of competing expectations, as Chi did that night. On one hand, through her advocacy work Chi was complying with the local expectation that interpreters love or have heart for (TRAI TIM5) Deaf people. In the context of HNSL interpreting, loving Deaf people means cultivating close personal connections with Deaf people, and participating in Deaf activism. Yet on the other hand, Chis leadership activities of designing the project and teaching Deaf people about Deaf Space risked being perceived as impinging on Deaf peoples agency. According to accepted norms in Hanoi, interpreters are supposed to let Deaf people take the lead in Deaf activism only assisting from the normative positions of BELOW and BEHIND. Being BELOW and BEHIND entails prioritizing Deaf leaders decisions, having Deaf people run all HNSL related organizations, and even having interpreters introduce themselves last in social situations. That night I watched Chi navigate these expectations through a process I have come to think of as enacting dependence, demonstrating that even as she took the lead in this project, she in fact depended on Deaf people to be able to do her work. Although Chi had applied for the grant, picked the topic, and organized the conference, she started her presentation by stressing that Deaf people needed to be the voice of Deaf advocacy. She formally invited HDCG to give the keynote speech, explaining that HDCG would be listed as a co-sponsor, and their logo prominently displayed on the events banner. Chis offer was greeted with enthusiasm by the Deaf leaders, particularly around displaying HDCGs logo, which legitimated the Deaf association as an author of the event (in the Goffmanian sense). In doing so, Chi recognized that she, like all hearing interpreters, was dependent on Deaf leaders to conduct advocacy work. HDCG describes itself as an independent, representative voice for the Deaf community in Hanoi and Vietnam.6 Although interpreters are crucial for translating this voice into speech, Deaf people and interpreters insist Deaf people should be the primary advocates. After establishing HDCGS main role in the event, Chi then moved into a lesson on Deaf space, enumerating its many architectural features (i.e. extra wide hallways for signing while walking, doorbells rigged to lights). The lesson was generally well received, yet when Chi used the sign ENVIRONMENT, the meeting exploded into side conversations about the correct sign for the concept. Where is the sign ENVIRONMENT from? asked one Deaf leader, in an accusatory tone that implied Chi had made it up. I could feel the tension as all eyes turned to Chi to see how she would respond to the accusation. Interpreters making up signs is highly taboo in Hanoi, as Deaf people are seen as the primary owners of sign language, and the only people who can invent new HNSL signs. There is a constant fear among Deaf leaders that hearing people will not recognize that Deaf people had given them the gift of sign, and would go off and teach sign language on their own, without Deaf people. I didnt make it up! protested Chi, Deaf people use it. Its a southern sign explained Cam, HDCGs president, who knew Ho Chi Minh City Sign Language (HCMC SL). The tension seemed to dissipate, and participants went back to discussion the slides. A few minutes later, Chi suggested a way for the keynote speaker to cite statistics, demonstrating in mock formal HNSL. But she was curtly interrupted by another Deaf leader, You are using a lot of incorrect signs; you need to fix it. Again, all eyes turned towards Chi and I saw several Deaf leaders raise their eyebrows at each other. Im sorry, Chi apologized, Deaf people taught me, but I mixed the signs up. She let a Deaf leader teach her the correct signs and dutifully practiced them. I joined in the lesson, asking the sign for MINISTRY. With the two hearing people successfully schooled, the tension dissipated, and the meeting resumed. In both of these cases, Chi was accused of overstepping the bounds of BELOW and BEHIND, and acting like she owned sign language, inventing signs, and suggesting the proper way to sign something. In each case, Chi worked to resolve the tension by highlighting that her sign language knowledge originated from Deaf people. She emphasized that Deaf people had taught her the signs, foregrounded her ineptitude in mixing up signs, and even let one of the leaders give her an impromptu lesson, enacting her dependence on Deaf people in the moment. Deaf people and interpreters in Vietnam explain their ability to work together as a matter of collaboration and mutual support. As Deaf activists frequently reminded me, Deaf people taught interpreters sign language, and advocated for the growth of interpreting as a field, and in return interpreters provided Deaf people with interpreting. This bi-directional support and collaboration is similar to discourses of interdependence used by many disability scholars and activists around the globe (Shakespeare 2000; Nishida 2016). However, through watching HNSL interpreters and deaf people collaborate in activism I came to see such interdependence not as a structural relationship of fixed needs, but as something that had to be actively preformed to maintain working relationships and collaboration. Deaf peoples dependence was seen as tacit, and often strategically downplayed. For example, one Deaf leader spent nearly 10 minutes of an interview explaining that while Deaf people might sometimes need interpreting, interpreters and deaf people are equal because interpreters also need Deaf people (as sign instructors and advocates). Conversely HNSL interpreters dependence had to be enacted, highlighted and brought into existence in the moment, especially when interpreters were perceived as at risk of overstepping their bounds. In other words, interpreters enacting dependence was the glue that built trust and held this thick alliance together. Paying attention to the way dependence is enacted can help shed new light on the way disabled and non-disabled people relate to each other and engage in shared activism together. But it can also elucidate the reasons non-disabled people can come to value and emphasize their own dependence. After Chi repeatedly demonstrated that she was dependent on Deaf people, the meeting took on a decidedly different tone. The Deaf leaders began joking about ways they would pull the wool over the eyes of the hearing architects with their smooth talking and slick presentation. Chi was permitted to join in the joking, demonstrating how the keynote speaker could convince the hearing architects using humorously exaggerated HNSL signs. In other words, Chi was afforded a kind of belonging, which Gammeloft describes as intensely precarious accomplishment of becoming embedded in collective fields of being (Gammeltoft 2014, 231, 9). Precarious belonging captures the often-fought process of securing a place in a group, family or community. It was precisely through enacting their dependence that HNSL interpreters were afforded a place in Vietnams Deaf movement, that they came, however tenuously, to belong. Works Cited DeafSpace. n.d. Accessed August 23, 2018. https://www.gallaudet.edu/campus-design-and-planning/deafspace. Friedner, Michele Ilana, and Annelies Kusters. 2015. Introduction. In Its a Small World: International Deaf Spaces and Encounters. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. Gammeltoft, Tine. 2014. Haunting Images: A Cultural Account of Selective Reproduction in Vietnam. Berkeley: University of California Press. Kusters, Annelies, Dai OBrien, and Maartje De Meulder. 2017. Innovations in Deaf Studies: Critically Mapping the Field. In Innovations in Deaf Studies: The Role of Deaf Scholars. New York: Oxford University Press. Nishida, Akemi. 2016. Affecting Neoliberal Public Health Care: Interdependent Relationality between Disabled Care Recipients and Their Care Providers. US: ProQuest Information & Learning. 2016-26521-103. Shakespeare, Tom. 2000. The Social Relations of Care. In Rethinking Social Policy, edited by Gail Lewis, Sharon Gewirtz, and John Clarke, 5265. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. Simplican, Stacy Clifford. 2015. The Capacity Contract: Intellectual Disability and the Question of Citizenship. Minneapolis ; London: Univ Of Minnesota Press. Woodward, James. 2000. Sign Languages and Sign Language Families in Thailand and Viet Nam. In The Signs of Language Revisited: An Anthology to Honor Ursula Bellugi and Edward Klima, edited by Karen. Emmorey, Harlan L. Lane, Ursula Bellugi, and Edward S. Klima. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Notes 1 Pseudonyms are used for all organizations and people mentioned in this article. 2 My informants prefer Deaf/ iec capitalized to emphasize that all Deaf people (regardless of linguistic upbringing) are a cultural group, and do not distinguish between d/Deaf people. I use this terminology to respect and accurately reflect my informants claims. For thoughtful critiques of using d/Deaf in writing see Friedner and Kusters 2015; Kusters, OBrien, and Meulder 2017. 3 Woodward (2000) argues there are at least three distinct sign languages in Vietnam: Hanoi Sign Language (HNSL), Ho Chi Minh City Sign Language (HCMC SL), and Hai Phong Sign Language (HPSL) . 4 I refer here to the architectural movement originating from Gallaudet university (DeafSpace n.d.), not the broader use of the concept of Deaf space in Deaf studies. 5 HNSL signs are in small caps. 6 Mot to chuc oc lap, ai dien tieng noi cho cong ong nguoi iec o Ha Noi va VN (HDCGs facebook profile). Aron S. Marie is a PhD candidate in the department of Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago. His dissertation explores sign language interpreting in Hanoi Vietnam, focusing on the way interpreting shapes public perception of deaf voices, and how deaf people and interpreters negotiate interpreting ethics. Disability from the South: Toward a Lexicon is a series edited by Michele Friedner and Tyler Zoanni. Contributors in this series consider what changes in theorizations of disability when research is located in places marked Southern and offer reconfigurations of keywords and concepts typically utilized in the study of disability. Share this: Share Email Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr LinkedIn [view academic citations] [hide academic citations] Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on February 19, 2019 2019/02/19 Q: Saudi Arabia Crown Prince recently visited Pakistan. During his visit, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed investment cooperation agreements amounting to USD 20 billion. Saudi Arabia will also set up an oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Gwadar where China is already undertaking a lot of mega projects. What is China's comment on these investments? A: We have noted relevant reports and are glad to see Pakistan develop friendly exchanges and cooperation with other countries, including Saudi Arabia. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a pioneering project of the Belt and Road Initiative and has been following the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits as well as openness and transparency. Last year, during State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Pakistan, the two sides agreed to welcome third parties to join the CPEC projects so that the CPEC will not only benefit the people of China and Pakistan, but also help the region enhance economic cooperation and connectivity and realize common development. China stands ready to engage in third-party cooperation with Pakistan on the basis of consensus. Q: Today there is a high-level Iranian delegation visiting China led by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament. Iran's foreign minister is also in the delegation. Could you give me any information you can share about the visit? And, over the next six months or a year further, to what extent will Chinese oil imports from Iran be determined by US demands and waivers? Will China reduce oil imports from Iran as America desires? A: At the invitation of Chairman Li Zhanshu of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani is paying a visit to China as head of the delegation from February 18 to 20. To my knowledge, Chairman Li Zhanshu will meet with Speaker Larijani this afternoon. More information will be released in a timely manner. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, accompanying Speaker Larijani during this visit, met with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi today at noon. The Chinese side will release relevant information in a timely manner. You are welcome to follow up on that. As for China's energy cooperation with Iran and its oil imports from Iran, what I can tell you is that the normal cooperation between our two countries under the framework of international law is justified and legitimate, which should be respected and upheld. Regarding the US attitude on other countries' cooperation with Iran, I think China's position is clear: we have always opposed unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction". Q: According to media reports, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a press conference that China is a very important and highly valued partner for New Zealand. The relationship between the two sides is robust and mature. New Zealand and China have different views on some issues. However, the two sides can manage these differences together in a mutually respectful way. What is your comment? A: I commented on China-New Zealand relations last Friday. Back then, I said that the sound and steady development of China-New Zealand relations serves the common interests of the two countries and peoples. China stands ready to work with New Zealand to advance bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. Today, I would like to stress again that when it comes to bilateral relations with China, New Zealand has long been occupying a leading position in developed countries as it set many records in bilateral cooperation. Under the new circumstances, China-New Zealand relations are facing new opportunities for development. Following the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, the two sides need to enhance mutual trust and cooperation, rise above disturbances and work for the steady and sound growth of China-New Zealand relations. Q: The Washington Post recently reported that China has a military presence in Tajikistan. Could you comment on that? A: I have not heard of that. Q: According to reports, another round of China-US trade consultation will begin on February 21 in Washington D. C. Now with the deadline of March 1 drawing near, some people believe this round of consultation becomes even more important in avoiding the deterioration of a trade war. What is China's comment on this? A: I believe you have seen the information released by the Ministry of Commerce. At the invitation of the US side, Liu He, special envoy of President Xi Jinping, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Premier of the State Council and chief of the Chinese side of the China-US comprehensive economic dialogue, will pay a visit to Washington, D. C. and hold the seventh round of China-US high-level economic and trade consultation with Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin of the US side from February 21 to 22. We hope China and the US can jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two Presidents during their summit in Argentina, pick up speed and work together for a mutually acceptable agreement that produces win-win results, which I believe will serve the interests of both our countries and meet the common aspiration of the international community. Q: We noted that recently certain media agencies, citing the remarks of the security institutions of some Western countries, have pointed out that the US and its allies have yet to provide real evidence that Huawei has cooperated with the Chinese government in cyber theft. But on the other hand, they believe that due to concerns over the stipulation of Article 7 of the National Intelligence Law, Western countries should take restrictive measures on Huawei technologies and equipment to guard against possible risks. What's your comment on this? A: If I understand correctly, you were referring to some media of the Western countries? (The journalist nodded.) The relevant media admitted in their reports that the US and other countries have never been able to produce evidence of cyber theft by Huawei and other Chinese businesses, and we approve of such an objective attitude in reporting. In response to those doubts over China's National Intelligence Law, I already elaborated on China's position yesterday so I am not going into details here, and you may check online for yourselves. I only want to stress one point: Article 7 of the National Intelligence Law does stipulate that "an organization or citizen shall support, assist in and cooperate in national intelligence work in accordance with the law and keep confidential the national intelligence work that it or he knows ". But the subsequent Article 8 also clearly provides that "national intelligence work shall be conducted in accordance with the law, respect and safeguard human rights, and protect the legal rights and interests of individuals and organizations". I'm wondering whether those who criticize this law and make an issue out of its Article 7 have ever had a thorough and careful reading of the provisions? I hope that they will view and understand this law in a comprehensive and accurate manner instead of making one-sided and out-of-context interpretation. At the same time, other Chinese laws also have stipulations on safeguarding the legal rights and interests of citizens and organizations including data security and privacy. These stipulations all apply to national intelligence work. We hope that the relevant parties will not deliberately ignore or turn a deaf ear to them, but take off the tinted-glasses, abandon their presumption of guilt and view the normal business activities of Chinese enterprises in an objective and unbiased way. Again, we call on governments of relevant countries to truly abide by the market principles of fair competition and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for the legal and legitimate operation of Chinese businesses. Q: Pakistan has always stressed the importance of dialogue for resolution of all outstanding issues with India, including the Kashmir issue. Prime Minister Imran Khan also said that he wants to have good relations with India and restart talks. However, after the attack on the India-controlled Kashmir region, the tension is very high between the two countries as India blames Pakistan for the attack and Pakistan has rejected the accusation. As a close neighbor of both India and Pakistan, how will China play its role to reduce the escalation between India and Pakistan? A: Pakistan and India are both important countries in South Asia. A stable Pakistan-India relationship is crucial to regional peace, stability and development. At present, the situation in South Asia is generally stable, which is hard-won and should be cherished and upheld by relevant parties. China hopes that Pakistan and India can exercise restraint, engage in dialogues and realize an early "soft landing" of this issue. Q: Yesterday the CPC Central Committee and the State Council jointly released the outline development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. How will China cooperate with other countries to develop the greater bay area? A: China pursues an open strategy that is mutually beneficial in nature. Our doors are open to the world. In implementing the outline development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, foreign companies are welcome to participate and share opportunities brought by China's development. Tyre major MRF said on Tuesday that the ongoing strike by a section of employees at the company's Tiruvottiyur factory, near Chennai, is illegal. The strike started on February 9, 2019. After workers alleged that they were forced to go on strike in response to the company's decision to install surveillance cameras and delay the wage settlement, the company said that the strike was illegal as the notice of the strike, including reasons for the same, had not been served on the company. Speaking on the delay in wage revision, the management claimed that its efforts to reach ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Fibre from BT 91% UK coverage. Average speeds based on speed available to at least 50% of customers at peak time (8-10pm). Your actual speed will depend on your location, phone line, home wiring, Wi-Fi connection and time of day. Check your speed at bt.com/speed. Our Fibre broadband is subject to availability, geographic location, computer specifications and a line check. The exchange list and dates are subject to change. Terms apply. Full Fibre from BT 8% UK coverage. Average speeds based on speed available to at least 50% of customers at peak time (8-10pm). Your actual speed will depend on home wiring, Wi-Fi connection and time of day. Openreach Survey: In some cases Openreach have to carry out a survey before they can connect a home to Full Fibre. To do this they may need access to your property. If they do well contact you to arrange a suitable time. If additional work is required, this may take longer than the initial set-up time provided and there could be additional costs. Our team of specialists will contact you to confirm what additional work is needed and how long this will take, usually within four weeks from the date your order was placed. If you dont want to proceed with your upgrade based on this, you will be able to cancel your order and no charges will be applied to your account. Not all lines in an ultrafast Fibre area can support this service, call today to see if you are eligible. 93% of calls dealt with within UK and Ireland, some specialist teams are located offshore. Complete Wi-Fi guarantee: 96% UK availability. BT sends additional discs to guarantee a reliable Wi-Fi connection in every room of your home. Well send you up-to three discs to ensure a reliable Wi-Fi connection in every room of your home. If you still cant get a reliable Wi-Fi connection around your home well give you a one-off credit of 100 off your next BT bill. The guarantee only applies when your Smart Hub2 is connected to the fixed broadband network and it does not cover broadband faults. For full terms see bt.com/legalstuff. 4G Home Broadband 4G speeds vary by location, coverage and demand. Plans for use in fixed location only. 24 month min term. 4G coverage required. BT Halo BT Halo offers Our Price Promise, a Keep Connected Promise, double data (or more subject to offer) on your BT Mobile plan and access to Home Tech Experts. No Limits Plan available with selected mobile plans. Our Price Promise: annual price changes still apply. Keep Connected Promise: Youll need to contact us to report the fault. Mobile network coverage required. Applies for the duration of your fault only. See full BT Halo terms. Stay Fast Guarantee We guarantee the speed to your hub. Check your speed using the MyBT app, online or by calling 0800 800 150. If after 30 days we cant get you back to the speed we promised well give you a 20 Reward Card. Up to four claims a year. Excludes outages, connection faults and home wiring outside of BTs control. BT Broadband and TV Installation service terms What we provide 1. We will: a. install and connect your BT Hub and connect a device to the BT Broadband service; b. demonstrate a working product and test your Wi-Fi signal; c. connect any additional kit for other BT products and services such as Complete Wi-Fi; d. connect your BT TV to the BT Broadband, including any multi-room boxes where applicable; and e. install a single additional cable / socket if needed in order to connect your BT Broadband Service. 2. You will be responsible for reconnecting any existing devices or equipment you may have. Providing the Broadband installation service to you 3. In order to provide the service: a. your property must be located on the UK mainland and Northern Ireland; b. you must own the property or have permission from the landlord or agent managing the property and have permission from any other relevant authority to have the work done; and c. there must be a responsible adult present in your home. Where this person is not you, it must be someone authorised by you to make decisions regarding the location and installation of equipment. Who will be carrying out the installation service? 4. We work with Openreach to provide installation services if you require a new phone line, and for specific technology changes that require work outside of your property (e.g. Full Fibre). When the Broadband installation service starts 5. We will agree a date and timeslot with you for the service. If there is a delay in performing the service for reasons outside of our control then we will let you know and take steps to reduce the delay. We will not be liable to you for such delays. 6. If we need to change the installation date, we will try to contact you as soon as possible before the scheduled installation date. 7. If you need to change or cancel any appointment date, you must tell BT at least one working day prior to the scheduled appointment or we may charge the equivalent of the installation charge. We may also charge you if the engineer is unable to access or is refused access to your property at the time of the scheduled appointment. Cancellation 8. You may cancel your agreement for the service at any time before the engineer starts work on the installation. Once the installation work has started any applicable installation charges cannot be refunded, and you will be liable to pay this. For details of charges please see our Tariff Guide. 9. The Broadband installation service is a standalone service and separate from your contract for the BT Broadband Service. Other things you should know 10. If the Broadband and TV installation service cannot be provided for reasons outside our control you will not be charged. Ownership of broadband hubs and TV boxes As of 13 December 2019, we own all BT Broadband Hubs (Hub 4, Smart Hub, and Smart Hub 2) and TV Boxes (Z4, G4 and G5) sent out to customers. Not applicable for Hubs and Wi-Fi Discs purchased outright. When you replace hubs or boxes, or leave BT, please return those items to us. If the kit is not returned, you may be liable for a charge. Details of charging can be found on the Tariff Guide. You have a total of 60 days to return your items and which includes the time taken for us to send out a jiffy bag. If you prefer, you may also drop your items off in an EE store (see BT.com/returns for more details) New Customer Packages: BT Halo benefits Our Price Promise: Youll keep the same monthly price, when your contract ends. This doesnt include any changes as a result of annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation. See bt.com/prices for more information. Keep Connected Promise: See BT Halo terms. Youll need to contact us to report the fault or home move. Mobile network coverage required. Applies for the duration of your fault or home move only. Smart Hub 2: available to Halo 3+ customers who dont already have one. Home Tech Experts: available to all BT Halo 3 and BT Halo 3+ customers Our Home Tech Experts are trained to install, repair and optimise BT products and service. See BT Halo terms. Dedicated UK and Ireland-based Support: we may route your call outside the UK and Ireland under certain circumstances. Broadband Unlimited with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Broadband Unlimited customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 35.99 a month. Includes a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Terms apply. Fibre Essential with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre Essential customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 35.99 a month. Includes a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Terms apply. Fibre Essential without Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre Essential customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 35.99 a month. Includes a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Terms apply. Fibre 1 with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 1 customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 36.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 1 without Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 1 customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 36.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 2 with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 2 Unlimited customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 40.99 a month. Includes Unlimited Weekend Calls, BT Virus Protect, 1000GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 2 without Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 2 Unlimited customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 40.99 a month. Includes Unlimited Weekend Calls, BT Virus Protect, 1000GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre with Halo 3 Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre with Halo3 customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 55.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 100 with Halo 3 Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 with Halo 3 customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 59.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 250 with Halo 3 Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 250 with Halo3 customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 64.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Full Fibre 100 with Halo 3 Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 with Halo3 customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 59.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Full Fibre 300 with Halo 3 Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 300 with Halo 3 customers that sign up for 24 months, 64.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Full Fibre 900 with Halo 3 Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 900 with Halo 3 customers that sign up for 24 months, 69..99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Fibre with Halo 3+ Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre with Halo3+ customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 65.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 100 with Halo 3+ Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 with Halo 3+ customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 69.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 250 with Halo 3+ Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 250 with Halo3+ customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 74.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Full Fibre 100 with Halo 3+ Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 with Halo3+ customers that sign up for 24 months. Price from month 25 currently 69.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Full Fibre 300 with Halo 3+ Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 300 with Halo 3+ customers that sign up for 24 months, 74.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Full Fibre 900 with Halo 3+ Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 900 with Halo 3+ customers that sign up for 24 months, 80.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Fibre 100 with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 customers that sign up for 24 months. 47.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Fibre 100 without Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 customers that sign up for 24 months. 47.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Fibre 250 with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 250 customers that sign up for 24 months. 57.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Fibre 250 without Landline. Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term.. For new Fibre 250 customers that sign up for 24 months. 57.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply.. Full Fibre 100 with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 customers that sign up for 24 months. 47.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Full Fibre 100 without Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 customers that sign up for 24 months. 47.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply . Full Fibre 300 with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 300 customers that sign up for 24 months. 57.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Full Fibre 300 without Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 300 customers that sign up for 24 months. 57.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Full Fibre 900 with Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 900 customers that sign up for 24 months. 67.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. Full Fibre 900 Without Landline Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 900 customers that sign up for 24 months. 67.99 a month from month 25. Includes 1000 GB Cloud Storage, BT Virus Protect and a BT Smart Hub. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability. Terms apply. 9 and 12 Month Student Deals Fibre Essential 9 months Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre Essential customers that sign up for 9 months. Price from month 10 currently 35.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 1 9 months Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 1 customers that sign up for 9 months. Price from month 10 currently 39.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 2 9 months Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 2 customers that sign up for 9 months. Price from month 10 currently 41.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Fibre 100 9 months Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Fibre 100 customers that sign up for 9 months. Price from month 10 currently 44.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). Compatible line required otherwise 49.99 connection charge may apply. Payment by Direct Debit. BT Virus Protect works on compatible PC/MACs. BT Cloud: You need to activate the service yourself. This service will be stopped and your back-up files deleted if you dont use it for 90 days. Subject to availability, minimum line speed and computer specification. Full Fibre 100 9 months Prices and terms subject to change during the contract term. For new Full Fibre 100 customers that sign up for 9 months. Price from month 10 currently 44.99 a month. Includes BT Virus Protect, 200GB Cloud and a BT Home Hub (unless BT has already provided you with one). 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Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Hes on thin ice! Democratic Midwood state Sen. Simcha Felder who controversially caucused with Republicans up in Albany, along with turncoat Dems in the now-defunct Independent Democratic Conference may be booted from the blue party next year, after activists demanded he be excommunicated during a Kings County Democratic Party County Committee meeting. I asked that someone who has betrayed the party, Simcha Felder I have affidavits from several people who are residents of [his district], who asked that the Executive Committee meet and consider removing Simcha Felder as a member of the party, Ernest Skinner, of the Ernest Skinner Political Association, said to exuberant applause from committee members at the Feb. 12 meeting. Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio said he would address rank-and-file members demands to kick the turncoat pol out of the party before the next biannual committee meeting in August. It will be addressed by the next meeting, Seddio said off mic, within earshot of this reporter and others in his immediate vicinity. But Skinner, who heard the comment, repeated Seddios statement loud enough for the audience to hear. Felder, who in November won his fourth Senate term after running on the Democratic, Republican, and Conservative party lines, caucused with Republicans several times since assuming office in 2013. But after the eight-member Independent Democratic Conference broke up last April and six of its members subsequently lost their seats in the November elections Felder is now a lone rogue legislator in Albany, because the Legislatures Democratic majority barred him from joining their conference at the start of this years session. Hes got another backer. The front-runner in the Feb. 26 special election for public advocate, Councilman Jumaane Williams (DFlatbush), earned the Brooklyn Democratic Partys endorsement on Tuesday, after overwhelmingly winning a straw poll conducted following a candidates forum at its Feb. 12 meeting. More than 600 county committee members, including proxies for those who couldnt make it to the meeting, cast their votes for Williams several hundreds more than voted for his challenger and colleague, Councilman Rafael Espinal (DBushwick), who came in second place with 119 votes. Williams thanked the audience for their support following his straw-poll victory, promising to make the borough proud in exchange for earning the local Dems support. I take none of these votes for granted, I came here so nervous and tried to give the best speech I could give. Thank you so much for this, I hope I can continue to make Brooklyn proud. Brooklyn, thank you so much for standing up one more time, he said. The Brooklyn Democratic Party endorsed Williams days after his fellow public-advocate candidates blasted him for his past track record on several issues, including gay marriage and abortion rights, during the first televised debate for the citywide race. Both Assemblyman Michael Blake (DBronx) and former Democratic Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito tore into the councilman for his past opposition to gay rights and abortion, with the Bronx state pol even ripping on him for racking up 27 speeding tickets, including multiple speeding infractions in school zones. In the past you have been against a womans right to choose and marriage equality, and so I think the question is at hand, would you like to share with individuals why you were opposed to those things in the past? Blake said. Williams rebuked the claims, emphasizing he now supports abortion rights, but failing to note his change in stance on issues such as gay marriage an omission his campaign staffers quickly tried to address on Twitter, reported our sister publication Gay City News. Just for the record, since people try to distort mine: I 100 percent support the right to access safe and legal abortions, and I 100 percent support marriage equality, read the tweet posted to Williamss account during the debate. Its unfortunate that people try to falsify my record [because] they have no other response to my years of fighting for equity and justice. Seven of the 17 contenders for the seat including Williams, Espinal, Blake, Mark-Viverito, Assemblyman Ron Kim (DQueens), attorney Dawn Smalls, and journalist-activist Nomiki Konst will again face off in the second, and last, televised debate ahead of the special public-advocate election, which will air on Feb. 20 at 7 pm on Spectrum News NY1. The hopefuls, whom the debates host bills as the leading candidates, got their spots in the lineup based on certain criteria set by the citys Campaign Finance Board, including meeting a fund-raising and spending threshold of $170,813 by Feb. 15, and receiving an endorsement from a local, state, or federal pol who represents the city, or from a membership group with more than 250 members residing in the city. Public Advocate hopefuls who participated in the first debate, including Assemblyman Danny ODonnell (DManhattan), and Councilmen Ydanis Rodriguez (DManhattan) and Eric Ulrich (RQueens), will not join the second event, because they did not meet the requirements to appear. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Wood you look at that? The sustainable and long-lasting black-locust wood used to construct the soon-to-be-demolished Squibb Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge Park is not to blame for the spans structural failures, despite meadow stewards claims, according to a wood expert who supplies the timber for projects across the country. Its really not the woods fault at all, said Zach Rike, the founder of North Carolinabased supplier Robi Decking, and a self-described 40-year veteran of the business. It is easy for everyone to blame an inanimate object, but nothing could be further from the truth. The wood is not to blame. Bigwigs at the semi-private Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation in July closed the Squibb Bridge, which zig-zags between its namesake Squibb Park and the waterfront lawn, for the second time since it opened in 2013, claiming a single faulty piece of black locust endangered locals walking across the span. Months later, green-space keepers in September announced the bridge would be shuttered indefinitely because a higher than expected moisture level caused more than just one of its planks to decay. Sadly, that one piece that showed visual signs of problems is not the only piece where we have deterioration, said Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation President Eric Landau, president of the semi-private Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation. And last December, meadow stewards revealed they would spend millions to replace the bridge originally funded by taxpayer dollars, and construct a new steel-and-aluminum span in its place. But Rike who supplied the black locust used to build the roof deck at the Brooklyn Childrens Museum, and other still-standing projects across the city and country challenged Landaus claim that the timber, which is known for its ability to withstand the harshest of elements, simply rotted. The expert argued that any deterioration found in the wood was instead the fault of the bridges designers, who he said didnt account for how the timber reacts to changes in climate, and too tightly fastened the metal connectors at the end of each plank, resulting in the deterioration. The issue with the bridge was the design, and specifically the connectors used. These connectors did not allow for the wood to expand and contract with moisture changes, and when the wood had nowhere to expand, it caused tension, and the wood fibers to press against each other, Rike said. The wood did not rot. Its woodworking 101. Rike compared the need for space between wood and connector to the need for space between a finger and a ring. When its cold out, a finger may contract, but when its hot, that finger will likely expand and without space to accommodate that growth, a ring on that finger could quickly cause problems, he said. Now imagine that the finger is a big piece of wood, and the ring an airtight metal clamp. Imagine what happens when that wood-finger gets humid and expands, with no soft skin and blood to brace the impact, he said. This is what happened to the bridge, and the engineers and contractors should have known this. Rike followed the story of the $4-million, taxpayer-funded Squibb Bridge for years, he said, from its highly anticipated opening, to its 2014 closure and subsequent $3-million repair, to its 2017 reopening, to its second closure last year. And he concluded that the wood itself isnt to blame for the recent problems after studying pictures of the span, and consulting with other engineers also familiar with black locust. From all the pictures I have seen, I think the support structure of the wood is the issue, and thats what causing the structural problems, he said. Where the wood is deteriorating, its simply caused by the design of the bridge. Its really simple stuff. Indeed, even Landau admitted how unusual it is for black locust to rot months before he announced the Squibb Bridge would face the wrecking ball. Every wood expert we spoke to said black locust is the best there is you could put it into a vat of water for 100 years and youd never have deterioration, the park-keeper-in-chief said back in September. So we were really surprised, as was our wood expert, when they discovered that we had a piece with decay. And the beleaguered bridges too-tight connectors arent its only engineering flaw its architects did not let the black-locust planks dry long enough to develop healthy cracks before putting them to use, according to Rike. The wood did not air dry long enough. We think that because, based on the pictures, there was no cracking of the wood, he said. The expert is so confident of the woods integrity that he shared his hypothesis with Brooklyn Bridge Park leaders, telling them hed take the planks off their hands. But he has yet to receive an answer to his offer, he said. Weve been in touch with them to tell them, they havent responded. Wed also like to buy the wood and reuse it, Rike said. We can still utilize that wood. Rike who unsolicitedly contacted this newspaper, and was not involved in designing, building, or repairing the Squibb Bridge claimed he did so to set the record straight about black-locust wood, which he admitted is a popular material used by his for-profit company. The only motive I have is to make sure that black locust doesnt get a bad name, he said. We did not supply the black locust wood, but we do have a black-locust wood company and want to make sure the true story gets out on this. Brooklyn Bridge Park leaders who plan to shell out $6.5 million for the Squibb Bridges replacement span denied Rikes claims, but refused to share the engineering report that led them to indefinitely shutter the bridge in September, instead suggesting this reporter file a Freedom of Information Law request to obtain the document. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC And the award goes to A Bedford-Stuyvesant Caribbean eatery was recognized as one of the countrys best community restaurants this month. The A&A Bake and Double and Roti Shop, run by Noel and Greeta Brown, was announced as a recipient of the James Beard Foundations American Classics award on Feb. 1. The honor recognizes spots with timeless appeal, that reflect the character of their community. Of this years five recipients, the Roti Shop is the only New York area restaurant, and the only one serving Caribbean cuisine. The thrilled restaurateurs said there was a simple reason they were selected for the prestigious award. Our food is excellent and cheap and we serve it all day, said Noel Brown. Browns Fulton Street restaurant serves up popular Trinidadian fare, and the award specifically noted its doubles curried chickpea sandwiches served between fried flatbread along with its bake, roti, and other dishes from the twin-island republic. The food at the Roti Shop, according to the Foundation, is a delicious reminder of Bed-Stuys rich Caribbean history. The Foundations other awards rely on outside nominations, but winners in the American Classics category are suggested by its 19-member Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee. The group of food critics each year consider hundreds of restaurants that meet the three criteria for the award: being in operation for at least a decade, being locally owned, and serving moderately-priced food options. The family-run business began serving its doughy snacks and flatbread in Bedford-Stuyvesant in 2002. The neighborhood has seen major demographic changes since then, but Brown said that the newcomers have become part of their loyal clientele. The areas been changing a lot, but a lot of the new people are curious to taste what we have they are always adventurous, he said. After the award announcement, Brown said that he has seen a slight increase in patrons, but vowed to retain the cultural authenticity that earned the award. Ive seen a few new customers and its been great, but were taking it one at a time, said Brown. Were not going to change and everything will still be the same. Were going to keep maintaining our home-like vibe and atmosphere. A&A Bake and Double and Roti Shop [1337 Fulton St. between Verona Place and Nostrand Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, (347) 4250016, www.aanda baked ouble sandr otish op.com ]. Open Mon, 6:30 am4:30 pm; TueSat, 6:30 am7 pm. Reach reporter Alexandra Simon at (718) 2608310 or e-mail her at asimo n@cng local.com . Follow her on Twitter @AS1mon. If Maduro's stranglehold on the food and medicine supply can be broken, and he can be shown to have lost control of the border, his legitimacy as the country's president will weaken, the reasoning goes. If the military can be convinced to not stand between the Venezuelan population and the humanitarian aid, he may fall. "Food and medicine will reach the people of Venezuela and so will liberty and democracy," said Rubio, standing in front of the Tienditas Bridge in Cucuta, which Maduro's government blocked with a couple of shipping containers. Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, centre, arrives at humanitarian aid facilities in Cucuta, Colombia. Credit:Bloomberg It is a risky gamble for Maduro's adversaries, who say they are unclear as to how they will break the blockade at the border on Saturday. Maduro still controls the military, and with it, the state. "If the opposition and Trump administration are trying to find ways to peel away military support for Maduro, threatening its monopoly on food distribution is not likely to be helpful in that regard," said Cynthia Arnson, the Latin America director at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars. She added that by creating a political showdown over the humanitarian shipment, the White House only increased the prospects that Maduro would keep blocking the aid. For Guaido, there is an additional risk: in accepting wholeheartedly Trump's embrace, Guaido risks looking like a puppet of the United States. Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido. Credit:AP "Being associated too closely with the US carries too much baggage anywhere in Latin America," said Adam Isacson of the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights group. "And when you have a leftist government that rallies its base on these issues of American imperialism, it plays closely into their narrative." Isacson, who directs the group's security and defence program, also expressed concern about the tension that the rhetoric of Trump and Maduro was raising on the border. "With this kind of saber-rattling you create potential for a hair-trigger moment," he said, citing Maduro's dispatch of troops to the border. "An incident there could go badly." Cucuta, which is across a river from Venezuela, now offers the kind of contradictory scenes that reflect a country where two men claim the presidency. One of the shipping containers blocking the bridge into Venezuela is emblazoned with the word "paz" Spanish for "peace". Colombian police stand on the Colombian side of the Tienditas International Bridge, which is blocked with a cargo trailer placed by Venezuelan authorities to block humanitarian aid from entering. The word 'peace' is visible on the trailer. Credit:AP On the Venezuelan side, the government has amassed soldiers, militiamen, armoured vehicles and even missiles. On the Colombian side sit news camera crews and trucks full of supplies. Richard Branson, the British billionaire, has invited a lineup of Latin American musicians to perform an aid concert on Friday night. Yet no one knows how the aid will reach Venezuela. The opposition has so far been quiet about details of its plans, saying that if they released information Maduro would stymie them with his security forces. But Gaby Arellano, an opposition lawmaker sent by Guaido to coordinate the aid, said that the opposition did not necessarily have to use the blocked Tienditas Bridge. "The border with Colombia is immensely long, and so is the border with Brazil, and the border with the Antilles," she said. "We want the aid to be coming in at all points." Venezuelan soldiers gather on the Venezuelan border near the Colombian city of Cucuta. Credit:AP For more than a week, activists and officials have said they are mulling the option of simply smuggling in aid through Venezuela's porous land borders, along routes long used to transport contraband products and fuel. Opposition activists have said they have already joined forces with the Pemones indigenous community in eastern Venezuela to bring in supplies by river, using their canoes. Another option, pushed by those looking for a more direct confrontation with Maduro, would have activists circle an aid truck in Colombia as it slowly makes its approach to Venezuela. New York: President Donald Trump's longtime confidant Roger Stone has apologised to the judge presiding over his criminal case for an Instagram post featuring a photo of her with what appears to be the crosshairs of a gun. Stone and his lawyers filed a notice in court on Monday night saying Stone recognised "the photograph and comment today was improper and should not have been posted". In reply, US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Stone to appear in court on February 21 for a hearing to decide whether his bail conditions will be revoked in light of the post. Stone posted a photo on Monday of Jackson with what appeared to be crosshairs near her head. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wants fewer pokies in Queensland, but has not moved to support a total ban. Queenslanders lost a record $2.40 billion to poker machines in clubs and hotels last year. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk would like there to be fewer pokies in the state. Credit:AAP Image/ Dan Peled That is more than $6 million a day, or an astonishing $4572 every minute of the day. Greens MP Michael Berkman has called for pokies in pubs and clubs to be phased out in Queensland, while Tasmanian Labor took their pledge to ban the machines to the 2018 election. The RSPCA has backed calls for pets to be allowed to travel on buses, ferries and trains in Brisbane to boost the economy. It comes after a petition with almost 700 signatures by New Farm resident Annie Boxall for dogs to be allowed on public transport. The RSPCA has backed calls to allow pets on public transport in Brisbane. Credit:Fairfax Media The idea comes with a proposal for a "certification program" which would allow dogs to travel on public transport as long as they had been given a "good boy" tick of approval for behaviour and socialisation standards. Pooches are allowed on public transport in cities across the world, including Paris, Washington and New York. Barack Obamas former top cyber diplomat has said that the hacking of Australias political parties shows political organisations worldwide have not devoted enough effort to cyber security and need to fix the problem. Chris Painter, the senior cyber official at the State Department in the Obama administration, said the fact political parties were staffed partly by volunteers and had limited budgets meant they were vulnerable, yet they held valuable data on their candidates and voters. "I dont think that cyber security has been their top priority in the past and that has to change, because they have to understand that they are an attractive target," Mr Painter said. Most of the major Australian parties have refused this week to say what they are doing about cyber security, despite the strong public focus on the issue since the Morrison government revealed on Monday that the Liberal, Labor and Nationals parties had been victims of cyber attacks by a sophisticated foreign government. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has confirmed it has launched "preliminary inquiries" into Liberal MP Tim Wilson after receiving a complaint that the chair of the House Economics Committee may have breached the privacy act. The Victorian MP has faced criticism after it was reported he collaborated with a multibillion-dollar fund manager, Wilson Asset Management, on a campaign against Labor's franking credit policy, failed to declare his investments in funds run by the firm to inquiry hearings, and used the taxpayer-funded probe to help spruik Liberal Party fundraisers. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age also revealed Mr Wilson failed to tell hundreds of people who signed a petition on his government website - stoptheretirementtax.com - that their names, addresses, phone numbers and emails would be transferred to the company, run by his distant relative Geoff Wilson. Tim Wilson during a joint party room meeting at Parliament House in Canberra Credit:Dominic Lorrimer The website features the Commonwealth coat of arms and Mr Wilson's official title as the chair of Parliament's economics committee. 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). The corporate regulator has revealed it has undertaken 41 separate investigations out of revelations from the banking royal commission, saying it expects a number of individuals to face criminal charges. Outlining its response to the royal commission's final report, which was delivered by Justice Kenneth Hayne earlier this month, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said it was already taking action in response to a string of case studies. ASIC has said it is taking a tougher line. Credit:Peter Braig The commission itself made 11 specific referrals to ASIC relating to eight separate entities. They were in addition to two referrals made during the commission's hearing. ASIC said it had prioritised work on those matters. Ms Williams has accused the council of doing everything in its power to sweep the matter under the carpet. Loading Before the meeting, she said that she would demand that council immediately release its review into the allegations against Mr Doyle. "I feel council have acted in their interests not mine," Ms Williams said. "The process of this investigation is flawed and I have been denied justice." Mr Doyle has denied the allegations against him. Last week the council claimed it could not release the report because of a complaint by Ms Williams to Victoria Police over Mr Doyle's behaviour. That came after it was revealed Mr Doyle had withdrawn his Supreme Court injunction blocking Melbourne City Council from releasing its investigation into her allegations. A trial over Mr Doyle's injunction to stop the investigation report's release was set to begin on Monday. Mr Doyle resigned as lord mayor of Melbourne in February 2018, just days after he was handed the key findings of a council investigation into sexual harassment claims against him by multiple women. He also resigned his chairmanship of Melbourne Health. On Tuesday night Ms Williams questioned why lawyers from Minter Ellison, representing the council, hadn't told her last year that finalising a police report could potentially delay the release of the Freckelton report. "Why was I only advised by the City of Melbourne's media statement on Friday night?" she asked. "I have a right to the full report. "The City of Melbourne has no right to take my statement ... and create rules along the way to suit [its] own needs. "I trusted in your organisation and was let down in so many ways. I seek closure and Mr Hanney, I seek to move on with my life just as much as you seek to get on with your job." She also asked for an apology after suffering through a "flawed process", and asked the council to reconsider the way it talked about the investigation going forward. Council CEO Justin Hanney last week confirmed that the city had signed a confidential "deed of settlement" with Mr Doyle. Kharla Williams at the Melbourne Health dinner in June 2016. Robert Doyle, right, was seated next to her. The settlement saw Mr Doyle withdraw his Supreme Court injunction, which had blocked the council from releasing Dr Freckelton's report into allegations brought forward by Ms Williams. Dr Freckelton's investigation is ongoing. However, the council said it still would not release the report while Victoria Police was investigating. Mr Hanney, in answering Ms Williams' questions, said that he could understand her frustration at the length of the process. "I acknowledge the process has not been great for you, it's taken a long period of time and to say to you some of this is out of the control of the city. We did not take out injunction order," he said. He said the investigation by Dr Freckelton would now continue, with more people to be interviewed in the next few days. "Hopefully it's a matter of days, it could be a matter of weeks, we have to find those people... and make sure they are available to be interviewed." He said then it would be two or three days for the report to finalised. Mr Doyle would be asked to participate, he said. Outside court, Ms Williams said she believed council members had "dodged" her questions and felt let down by the response. Last January, The Age revealed allegations that Mr Doyle had repeated touched a then-unnamed woman under the table on her upper thigh and made offensive remarks to her at a medical awards ceremony held by Melbourne Health. Ms Williams was attending the event with her husband, a doctor who was also seated at the table with her, and was receiving an award from Melbourne Health of which Mr Doyle was chair. The allegations sparked separate investigations by Melbourne City Council and Melbourne Health. Last week Ms Williams went public for the first time after becoming fed up with the council's lack of action. She told the Australian Financial Review she had lost faith in the ability of the council and Melbourne Health to resolve her complaint, and had gone to Victoria Police. All staff at the Queensland University of Technology will be able to take up to 20 days of paid domestic and family violence leave each year, in a move hailed as "breaking important new ground" in the tertiary sector. Members of the Together union at QUT have endorsed the provision for 20 days of paid domestic violence leave per calendar year. Brisbane-based Queensland University of Technology is set to introduce a generous 20-day domestic violence leave policy. Credit:Glenn Hunt The leave entitlement was included in the negotiated terms and conditions for staff during the latest enterprise bargaining negotiations, which reached in principle agreement in December. The proposed enterprise agreement, which also includes a 2 per cent pay rise, will next go to a ballot of all employees for a vote and will then need to be certified by the Fair Work Commission. Detectives from the state's homicide squad have advised against charging Harrington Park man Francois Schwartz, following the death of suspected home invader Bradley Soper on Sunday. Mr Schwartz, 44, was home with his wife and baby when he came downstairs around 7.30am to find personal trainer Mr Soper, 34, crouched behind a couch in the lounge room. According to police, a "physical confrontation" ensued and Mr Soper lost consciousness. Mr Schwartz and his wife Carine called NSW Ambulance and sought assistance from neighbours with first aid knowledge, but Mr Soper could not be revived. A former Sydney police officer has been convicted, fined $1000 and must be of good behaviour for two years after he took intimate images from an arrested woman's phone and sent them to fellow officers on Facebook. Steven Albee, 29, was a senior constable working with the Nepean Police Area Command in the city's west when he arrested the woman during a traffic stop in April 2017 after she refused a roadside drug test. Former police officer Steven Albee leaves court in January. Credit:James Alcock The woman's phone was seized and examined using police investigative software, which showed it contained four private photos: three of the woman's genitals, and one of her boyfriend's torso and penis. Albee examined the photos at the police station then uploaded two to a Facebook group chat with four other serving police officers. The Catholic Church in Australia must enact "cultural change" to stamp out sexual abuse by those within its ranks, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge has said, ahead of a major summit on abuse at the Vatican this week. "Words are no longer enough," Archbishop Coleridge, the head of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, said in a video message delivered from Rome on Tuesday. Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge has travelled to Rome for this week's summit on abuse. Credit:Kate Geraghty Archbishop Coleridge will join more than 200 Catholic bishops from around the world at the Vatican summit from February 21-24 to address the issue of clergy sex abuse. Despite Australia's "agonising" recent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, the problem was "certainly not behind us", he said. Road safety experts say the federal government's response to an inquiry calling for a $3 billion road safety overhaul to eliminate road deaths is inadequate. About 191,555 people have died on Australian roads since record keeping began in 1935, the Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told Parliament on Monday when he announced the government's response to the inquiry into the national road safety strategy 2011 to 2020. Wendy Sarkissian's husband Karl died when their car went off the edge of a road in northern NSW. Credit:Dean Sewell "Imagine the same number of families sitting down to Christmas lunch since the passing of a loved one, with an empty chair around the table for no good reason," he said. "The lives lost has been unthinkable." In 2018, 1146 people died and about 37,000 people were injured - about 100 a day - and as many as 4400 were permanently disabled in car accidents. Country and remote roads accounted for 64 per cent of deaths, Mr McCormack said. Canberra's water is getting cleaner, becoming more plentiful and most of what we use of it returns to the environment, an Australian Bureau of Statistics report shows. The ABS, in partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology, reviewed the Canberra region's water resources between the 2013-14 and 2016-17 financial years. The Cotter Dam is one of the largest dams Icon Water operates. The report, released on Tuesday, showed Canberra's total water resources increased by 27 per cent, from 220,546 megalitres to 279,968 megalitres, over that period. The region the bureaus audited stretched from the ACT's western and northern borders to east past Queanbeyan to Captain's Flat in NSW, and as far south as the territory's southern border. Archibald Prize finalist Melissa Beowulfs finances were in a perilous state when her wealthy mother in law was found dead at the bottom of the stairs, a jury has been told. She had no income, no assets, and more than $50,000 in debt including thousands owed on a credit card she had shared with her late husband Thorhammer Beowulf. Melissa Beowulf (centre) and her sons Thorsten Halley Beowulf (far right) and Bjorn Toren Beowulf (not pictured), arrive at the ACT courts to face trial after being accused of murder. Credit:Karleen Minney Prosecutors say her mother in law Katherine Panin had already made changes restricting the power of attorney Mrs Beowulf held over her affairs. And on the day she died, it's alleged the 81-year-old had made arrangements to change her will so that Mrs Beowulf was no longer the sole beneficiary. Their first class had barely begun before the participants in Youth Off The Streets' inaugural yoga program nearly ended in mutiny. The group of 30 teenagers, hot and restless in the midday sun, werent interested. They complained about the bindis in the ground and, when five of the older boys flat-out refused to participate, their defiance threatened to engulf the group. Youth Off The Streets students relax at the end of class. Credit:Mark Bond It was hard, yoga teacher Harriet Sciberras recalls. It was a lot about putting out fires. Still Sciberras, who has a master's in health psychology, felt she had something to offer the group of teens from Merrylands who came from backgrounds of abuse, trauma, addiction, mental illness and homelessness. Seguin, Texas (78155) Today A few passing clouds, otherwise generally sunny. High around 95F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Mainly clear skies. Low 74F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. The Morrison government has formally recognised the extinction of a tiny island rodent, the Bramble Cay melomys - the first known demise of a mammal because of human-induced climate change. The changed status of the Melomys rubicola from the government's "endangered" to "extinct" category was included without fanfare in a statement released by federal Environment Minister Melissa Price late on Monday. The extinction of the Bramble Cay melomys is understood to be the first mammal killed off by human-led climate change. Credit:Queensland government Geoff Richardson, an environment department official, told Senate estimates on Monday night that research efforts since 2014 - "including a pretty rushed trip in 2015" - had failed to identify any melomys individuals in their only known location on Bramble Cay, a tiny Torres Strait island near Papua New Guinea . Declaring its extinction "was not a decision to take lightly," Mr Richardson said. "There's always a delay while the evidence is gathered to be absolutely certain." He was due to play at Download in Sydney on March 9 and in Melbourne on March 11. The former Black Sabbath frontman, who built one of music's biggest solo careers after being fired from the band in 1979, was hospitalised earlier this month with complications from the flu. The 70-year-old heavy metal star pulled out of his Australian dates just hours after cancelling his March 21 performance at Download in Japan. Download festival headliner Ozzy Osbourne has cancelled next month's performances in Sydney and Melbourne due to ongoing ill health. Melbourne band Airbourne have been added to the line-up, which also includes Slayer, Judas Priest, Alice in Chains, Ghost and Rise Against among others. Ozzy Osbourne has cancelled his appearances at Download festival next month. Credit:Viki Lascaris "Ozzy recently developed pneumonia and has spent some time in hospital. Thankfully he is now through the worst part, his doctors have advised that he stay at home to recuperate for a full six weeks with no travel," said Osbourne's wife, Sharon Osbourne. The confirmation followed a statement earlier today on the Download website that revealed the Prince of Darkness had pulled the plug on his Japanese performance. "Following Ozzy's recent postponement of UK and European tours due to ill health, the Download Japan team has been wishing for a speedy recovery in the hope that he would be able to perform at the festival," the statement said. "Unfortunately however, Ozzy has been forced to cancel his appearance at Download Japan 2019 on doctor's orders. We apologise to his fans, and anyone inconvenienced by this news. O-Week at the University of Sydney is no more. Instead, students will participate in Welcome Week events including consent training, bystander awareness workshops and a focus on minimising alcohol-related harm. For decades, the O-Week celebrations were synonymous with binge drinking, sexual harassment and hazing. So to distance orientation week from its distasteful past, the University of Sydney has this year chosen to re-name it. Pulp staff, from left, Alexi Barnstone, Madeline Ward and Haydn Hickson, prepare for Sydney Universitys 'Welcome Week'. Credit:Kate Geraghty At the University of Adelaide, the student union was asked to re-badge its Fresher Fest event - which kicks off first semester - as the Get More Fest, because the administration believes the word fresher is inappropriate and potentially harmful to students. And at Charles Sturt University, O-Week has been changed to On Campus Orientation to "change the culture and conversation in the wake of the #MeToo movement". Woolworths has has scrapped the highly contentious $1-a-litre private label milk. It's a smart move because it avoids the political risk of regulatory intervention in the lead up to the next federal election and puts commercial pressure on rival Coles. The reality is that Woolworths reluctantly followed Coles decision to drop the price of private label milk to a dollar a litre on Australia Day 2011 and never got the full benefit of marketing to customers. As a result, Woolworths did not have as much to lose from avoiding an imminent political backlash and raising its price to $1.10 a litre. It is worth noting that German retailer Aldi's milk was and remains cheaper at 99 cents a litre. The Coles $1-a-litre marketing initiative was a winner with its customers and, in tandem with its Down Down campaign, drove the retailers commercial turnaround between 2008 and 2014. Customers only know the price of a few key value items in a supermarket such as milk, bread and bananas. Coles foot traffic went from 15 million to 18 million transactions a week on the back of the campaign. A former refugee who came to Australia without a word of English is now worth $300 million after shares in his software company Altium soared to a record high on the back of a bumper half year result. The stock, which traded below 10 in 2011, closed 20 per cent higher at $32.56 on Tuesday after the company reported a 24 per cent rise in revenue to $US78.1 million, and a 58 per cent increase in net profit to $US23.4 million, led by strong growth in China. The obscure tech company, now worth more than $4 billion, has been a remarkable success story for the man who transformed it into a star tech stock: Chief executive Aram Mirkazemi, who came to Australia in the 1980s as a refugee from Iran and couldn't speak English. Altium chief executive Aram Mirkazemi has led the company through a strong growth period. Altium founder, Nick Martin, recruited Mr Mirkazemi a few years after he arrived. He later left the company after it floated on the stock exchange in 1999 but rejoined in 2010. a2 Milk has been unfazed by the deepening trade stoush between China and the US, Chinas crackdown on the multibillion dollar e-commerce sector, and the dairy crisis engulfing Australia, reporting record half-year profits. A burgeoning US and China market, coupled with fresh milk sales growth in Australia helped propel the company to a record net profit in the six months to December 31 to $NZ153 million ($147 million), up 55 per cent. Billboards in Hong Kong advertising a2 infant formula. The company says it will double its marketing spend in China. Shares jumped 8.4 per cent, or $1.04, in early trading to $13.37, and closed up 9 per cent to a record $13.46. The net profit was 11.7 per cent better than Morgan analysts' estimates. Company revenue grew by 41 per cent to $NZ613 million while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was up 53 per cent to $NZ218 million. Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts and Pats is the place to do it. Senior White House officials pushed a project to share nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia despite the objections of ethics and national security officials, according to a congressional report citing whistleblowers within the administration. Politicians from both parties have expressed concerns that Saudi Arabia could develop nuclear weapons if the US technology were transferred without proper safeguards. The Democratic-led House oversight committee has opened an investigation into the claims by several unnamed whistleblowers who said they witnessed "abnormal acts" in the White House regarding the proposal to build dozens of nuclear reactors across the Middle Eastern kingdom. The report raises concerns about whether some in a White House marked by "chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting" sought to circumvent established national security procedures regarding nuclear power technology. It also comes as US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner is developing a Middle East peace plan that could include economic proposals for Saudi Arabia. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to the report, the effort was pushed by former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired in early 2017. Derek Harvey, a National Security Council (NSC) official brought in by Flynn, continued work on the proposal, which has remained under consideration by the Trump administration. Representative Elijah Cummings, the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, announced the investigation today. Relying on the whistleblower accounts and email communications, the committee's report details how NSC and ethics officials repeatedly warned that the actions of Flynn and one of his senior aides could run afoul of federal conflicts of interest law and statutes governing the transfer of nuclear technology to foreign powers. The probe puts new scrutiny on Flynn's early days in the administration as he awaits sentencing for lying to the FBI in the Russia investigation. Congressional investigators are also probing the role of Tom Barrack, a proponent of the nuclear proposal who ran Mr Trump's presidential inaugural committee, which is separately under investigation by federal prosecutors in New York. Rick Gates, a former Barrack employee and co-operator in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, was also involved in advocating for the nuclear proposal. A lawyer for Flynn declined to comment. Mr Harvey and representatives for Mr Barrack did not immediately return requests for comment. According to the report, the whistleblowers came forward to the committee because they had concerns "about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress as required by law - efforts that may be ongoing to this day". The report tracks closely with public reporting, including a 2017 article by the non-profit news outlet ProPublica, which detailed some of the concerns raised inside the National Security Council about the nuclear proposal - known as the Marshall Plan for the Middle East - advocated by a company called IP3 International. IP3 is led by a group of retired US military officers and national security officials, including retired rear admiral Michael Hewitt, retired army general Jack Keane and former Reagan national security adviser Bud McFarlane. IP3 and other proponents of nuclear power in the Middle East argue that the US needs to be involved because otherwise it will lose out to Russia, China and others on billions of dollars in business. They also say that the US involvement - and the limits on nuclear fuel that come with it - are essential to stem an arms race in the region. IP3 did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Up until the month before he joined the Trump administration, Flynn listed himself as a consultant to a previous iteration of Mr Hewitt's company advocating a similar nuclear power proposal, though the company told The Washington Post that Flynn was offered a role as an adviser but never formally came aboard. Still, according to the report, Flynn served as a conduit for IP3 inside the White House. Michael Flynn Just days after Mr Trump's inauguration, the company sent Flynn a draft memo for the president's signature that would have appointed Mr Barrack as a "special representative" in charge of carrying out the nuclear power proposal and called on the director of the CIA and the secretaries of state, energy, treasury and defence to lend him support. The report also quotes former deputy national security adviser KT McFarland as saying Mr Trump personally told Mr Barrack he could lead the plan's implementation. The report also catalogues the actions of Mr Harvey, the Flynn confidant who was put in charge of the NSC's Middle East and North African affairs. According to the report, upon entering the White House in January 2017, Mr Harvey saw his mission as getting Mr Trump to adopt the nuclear proposal despite the objections of ethics and national security officials. Even when HR McMaster, who replaced Flynn as national security adviser, and NSC lawyer John Eisenberg directed for work to stop on the proposal because of concerns about its legality, Mr Harvey ignored them and continued pursuing the proposal, according to the report. Mr Harvey was fired from the NSC in July 2017. He then joined the staff of Representative Devin Nunes, a Trump ally and the former Republican chairman of the House intelligence committee. PA Russian politicians have approved a bill prohibiting military personnel from using smartphones on duty, a move intended to block leaks of sensitive information on social media. The bill approved by the lower house also forbids servicemen posting photos, videos and information about themselves, other soldiers and their relatives on the internet. Seven children, all members of a Syrian family who arrived in Canada about two years ago, have died in a fire that witnesses said quickly engulfed a suburban home. A woman who lives next door in Halifax said the children ranged in age from three months to 17 years old. A man and woman remain in hospital, the man with life-threatening injuries. The woman was expected to survive her injuries. Imam Abdallah Yousri, of the Ummah Mosque and Community Centre in Halifax, said the family were originally from Raqqa. Danielle Burt, who lives next door to the family, said she heard a loud bang and a woman screaming just after 12.30am local time. Ms Burt ran out of the house with her four children and saw the neighbouring parents outside in a harrowing scene. "The mother was on the grass, praying I guess, bowing her hands down, and pulling on my husband's arm to call 911," she said, becoming emotional. She said the kids were inside and the dad was sitting on the steps. I think he had gone back in because he was really burnt. It was just awful. The family have been in Canada almost two years, Mr Yousri said, and originally settled in Elmsdale, north of Halifax. "Our entire municipality is heartbroken and our thoughts are with the loved ones of the family," Halifax mayor Mike Savage said. Police said the cause of the fire remained under investigation. Halifax district fire chief Mike Blackburn said the blaze was very heavy when they arrived, but firefighters were able to get it under control quickly. He suggested firefighters were deeply affected by what they saw. "They'll process this over time but it's very difficult and it's not going to get any easier," he said. PA Catholic religious orders from around the world have apologised for having failed to respond when their priests raped children, acknowledging that their family-like communities blinded them to sexual abuse and led to misplaced loyalties, denial and cover-ups. The two umbrella organisations representing the world's religious orders issued a joint statement ahead of Pope Francis's sex abuse prevention summit, which opens on Thursday. They vowed to implement accountability measures going forward to ensure that cover-ups by religious superiors end and that children are always safe in the presence of clergy. With a few exceptions, religious orders have largely flown under the radar in the decades-long scandal, since the focus has been on how diocesan bishops protected their priests and moved them from parish to parish where they were free to abuse again. Yet congregations such as the Jesuits, Salesians and Christian Brothers have some of the worst records, since they too moved abusers around and had easy access to young victims, as many orders specialise in running schools. The Union of Superiors General represents the leadership of male religious orders, which count around 133,000 priests globally. The female branch, the International Union of Superiors General, represents some 500,000 religious sisters. They will each send around a dozen representatives to the Vatican sex abuse summit. In the statement, the groups said they were ashamed at how they had failed the most vulnerable they were meant to serve and blamed "the strong sense of family" that their communities fostered for having blinded them to the warning signs. "It resulted in a misplaced loyalty, errors in judgment, slowness to act, denial and at times, cover-up," they said. We still need conversion and we want to change. We want to act with humility. We want to see our blind spots. We want to name any abuse of power. To that end, the statement also condemned recent revelations of priests and bishops who sexually abused seminarians and nuns - an abuse of power that has largely gone unpunished since the victims are adults. While noting the Pope's summit is focused on the protection of minors, the groups pledged to find a response. "This is a matter of grave and shocking concern," they said. PA Update: Pakistan's prime minister has offered to hold talks with India but warned New Delhi to refrain from launching any attacks on his country following last week's suicide bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Imran Khan said he hoped "better sense" would prevail after the attack that killed at least 40 Indian troops. But he warned in a televised speech that if India attacks, "Pakistan will not merely think of retaliation, but rather we will retaliate". India has blamed Pakistan and threatened a "jaw-breaking response" for last Thursday's bombing, in which a militant rammed an explosive-laden van into a paramilitary bus in Kashmir. It was the worst attack against Indian government forces in Kashmir's history. Tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals soared following the attack. Islamabad condemned it while also cautioning India against linking Pakistan to the bombing without an investigation. On Monday, four Indian soldiers, three suspected militants, a police official and a civilian were killed as Indian soldiers searched for militants. "If you have any actionable evidence, share it with us and we will take action," Mr Khan said. We are ready to co-operate with India in the investigations. "I hope better sense will prevail," he added. His remarks were in response to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that his security forces have been given "total freedom" to deal with the militants in Kashmir. India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. They have fought two of their three wars over it. Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, demanding that Kashmir be united under Pakistani rule or granted independence. Earlier today, Pakistan said it had recalled its ambassador from India after New Delhi recalled its own envoy. Pakistan called on the UN to help defuse tensions. Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres alleging that "for domestic political reasons, India has deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment". India's Ministry of External Affairs said it had no comment on Pakistan's letter to the UN. A senior Indian military official in Kashmir, Lt Gen KJS Dhillon, told reporters that Indian forces had killed the chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group behind Monday's gun battle and last week's suicide bombing. The leader was a Pakistani national by the name of Kamran, Lt Gen Dhillon said. Jaish-e-Mohammed is outlawed in Pakistan but thought to operate from safe havens there. Pakistan did not immediately comment on Lt Gen Dhillon's remarks. Earlier: Pakistan asks UN to help defuse tensions with India Pakistan has recalled its ambassador from India and appealed for UN help to de-escalate tensions with New Delhi after an attack in India's sector of Kashmir that killed at least 40 Indian troops. Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours soared following the attack in which a militant rammed an explosive-laden van into a paramilitary bus last week. It was the worst attack against Indian government forces in Kashmir's history. Yesterday, four Indian soldiers, three suspected militants, a police official and a civilian were killed as Indian soldiers searched for militants. India blamed the attack on Pakistan and promised a "jaw-breaking response", while Pakistan warned India against linking it to the attack without an investigation. According to a statement, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres alleging that "for domestic political reasons, India has deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment". Also, Pakistani ambassador Suhail Mahmood was asked on Monday to return home from India, after New Delhi recalled its own envoy from Islamabad. "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India," Mr Qureshi said. There were expectations that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who concluded a two-day visit to Pakistan on Monday and travelled on to India, could encourage the neighbours to try to resolve their issues through talks. India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. They have fought two of their three wars over it. Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, demanding Indian-controlled Kashmir be united either under Pakistani rule or established as an independent country PA . In Paris and dozens of other French cities, citizens and officials across the political spectrum are gearing up to march against anti-Semitism, following a series of anti-Semitic acts that shocked the nation. Just hours ahead of Tuesday's gatherings, French President Emmanuel Macron headed to a Jewish cemetery in a small Alsace town that was vandalised overnight. Interior minister Christophe Castaner tweeted his "outrage and disgust" after 80 Jewish graves were vandalised in Quatzenheim. Marie-Helene Schott, secretary at the town's city hall, said swastikas were tagged on several graves. Later, former French presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy are set to join thousands of protesters and government officials on the Paris streets. The upsurge in anti-Semitism in France, home to the world's largest Jewish population outside Israel and the US, surged last weekend when a torrent of hate speech was directed at prominent philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a march of yellow vest anti-government protesters. The incident came days after the French government reported a big rise in anti-Semitism last year: 541 registered incidents, up 74% from 311 in 2017. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was to lead government officials at the main rally at Paris's famed Republic Square. In addition to the marches, National Assembly president Richard Ferrand and the head of Senate Gerard Larcher will hold a moment of silence at the Shoah memorial in Paris. "Every time a French person, because he or she is Jewish, is insulted, threatened - or worse, injured or killed - the whole Republic" is attacked, Mr Macron said at a press conference in Paris after meeting with Georgia's President Salome Zurabishvili. "In these moments when one of us is attacked, we are all attacked," said French President @EmmanuelMacron as he visited the Jewish cemetery in Eastern #France where 80 graves have been vandalised#AntiSemitism #Quatzenheim pic.twitter.com/xiErOMnL4h FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) February 19, 2019 Mr Macron is not expected to attend the gathering at the Republic Square, but will deliver a speech at Wednesday's annual dinner by leading Jewish group CRIF. "Anti-Semitism is deeply rooted in French society. We would like to think otherwise, but it is a fact," Mr Philippe told L'Express magazine. We must be totally determined, I would say almost enraged, in our will to fight, with a clear awareness that this fight is an old one and will last a long time. In other recent incidents, swastika graffiti was found on street portraits of Simone Veil - a survivor of Nazi death camps and a European Parliament president who died in 2017. The word "Juden" was painted on the window of a bagel restaurant in Paris, and two trees planted at a memorial honouring a young Jewish man tortured to death in 2006 were vandalised, one cut down. Two youths were arrested on Friday after they allegedly fired shots at a synagogue with an air rifle in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles, where a large Jewish community lives. Sarcelles mayor Patrick Haddad told BFMTV that prosecutors believe the motive was anti-Semitism. Political parties from across the spectrum will unite in Paris but Marine Le Pen's far-right party will hold a separate event. According to sociologist Danny Trom, author of the book France Without Jews, thousands of Jewish people leave France every year because of the rise of anti-Semitism. "This is a low-intensity war, perhaps, but let's not forget the murder of children killed at close range by Mohamed Merah in a school," Mr Trom told French magazine Telerama, referring to the murder in 2012 of three children and a teacher from a Jewish school by an Islamic extremist in the south-western city of Toulouse. "It is without equivalent in the history of France," he said. "Jews have been present in France since the dawn of time. Now, the pressure is such that they are led to consider their country inhospitable." PA & Digital Desk Kim Jong-un has no intention of giving up his nuclear weapons and sees the upcoming second summit with US President Donald Trump as a chance to cement his country's status as a nuclear weapons state, according to a former North Korean diplomat. Thae Yong Ho, who defected to South Korea in 2016, said next week's meeting in Vietnam will be a failure if Mr Trump cannot get Mr Kim to declare he will abandon all of his nuclear facilities and weapons and return North Korea to the nuclear non-proliferation agreement. A small Alabama newspaper has advocated for the resurgence of America's most feared white supremacist terrorist organisation, the Ku Klux Klan. An editorial published last week by The Democrat-Reporter begins with the line: "Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again." Ireland and Leinster centre Robbie Henshaw has extended his contract with the IRFU until June 2022. Irish Rugby confirmed the news this morning that will see the Athlone native continue to play his rugby at Leinster. "I am delighted to have signed a new three-year contract with the IRFU," said Henshaw as the deal was confirmed. "It is an exciting time to be part of Irish Rugby and having tasted success with both Ireland and Leinster in recent seasons I am eager to play a role in driving further success at both international and provincial level." Henshaw burst onto the scene with Connacht in 2013 and helped the province to a historic Pro12 title in 2016 before moving to Leinster. The centre was part of the Leinster side that lifted both the Pro14 and Champions Cup in 2018. Henshaw has won 37 caps for Ireland since making his debut against the USA in 2013. He was part of the Grand Slam team in 2018 as well as being a key part of the team that beat New Zealand for the first time in 2016. Commenting on the deal, IRFU Performance Director David Nucifora said: "Robbie has established himself as a leader within this Ireland squad and has delivered consistent world-class performances which have helped to drive the sustained success enjoyed by the national team. "He has a hunger for improvement and in driving the standards of those around him." It is being reported that the Jonas Brothers are set to make a family affair of their return to the limelight. Twenty-something-year-olds will be glad to know that their favourite trio, who shot to fame after their appearance in Disney Channel's Camp Rock alongside Demi Lavato, are reportedly to return after parting ways six years ago. According to The Sun, the trio flew to London to plot their reunion, 14 years after forming back in 2005. A music insider reportedly told the publication that they feel that now is the right time to get back together: This is going to be one of the biggest music reunions in years. Its no secret that things werent great by the end of the Jonas Brothers, but blood is thicker than water and theyve healed their rift in the years since the split. After enjoying solo music success and taking time to work on passion projects, they feel that now is the right time to get back together. Nick, Joe, and Kevin split up to do their own thing, which included taking on a young aircraft pilot persona in Jumanji and having Cake By The Ocean. After the split, Nick, who recently married Priyanka Chopra, released two solo albums and launched an acting career, starring in the 2017 blockbuster Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. Joe, who is engaged to Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner, formed the band DNCE, while Kevin became an entrepreneur and was a contestant on Donald Trumpss final series of Celebrity Apprentice. The trio, who sold 20 million records worldwide, released their last all-original album a decade ago. We can only live in hope that the reports are true and that our teenage selves have some reminiscing to look forward to. Oregon Offshore Oil Drilling Ban Passes Senate Coastal oil drilling would negatively affect environment and coastal economy Winter skies over the Pacific, off of Lincoln City, Oregon. Photo: Bonnie King, Salem-News.com (SALEM, Ore.) - An offshore drilling ban on the Oregon Coast is moving forward in the Oregon Legislature. Senate Bill 256 which passed 23-6 on the Senate floor today would make the states existing ban on exploration and drilling for oil off the Oregon coastline permanent. The bipartisan bill introduced by Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, Rep. David Gomberg, D-Central Coast, and Rep. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, as well as 19 other co-sponsors would repeal the 2020 sunset date for the current drilling moratorium covering Oregons Territorial Sea, which extends 3 miles from the shore. The coastal way of life in Oregon, and our economy, depends on the thousands of fishing, tourism and recreation businesses in our communities, Roblan said. Those jobs and livelihoods would be put at risk if, for some reason, offshore oil drilling was to begin. With the passage of this legislation, Oregon would join a wave of numerous other coastal states opposing offshore drilling. The federal government released a proposal last January that would open 90 percent of United States waters up to oil and gas drilling. To date, Port Orford, Newport, Lincoln City, Toledo, Yachats and Gold Beach all have passed resolutions opposing new drilling. The Siletz Tribal Council, Port of Toledo and Port of Newport also have passed resolutions. More than 100 Oregon businesses from seafood restaurants to surf shops and hotels have joined the Business Alliance for Protecting the Pacific to oppose offshore oil drilling. According to the National Ocean Economics Program, Oregons ocean economy is worth $2.5 billion annually and supports 33,000 jobs. More than 25,000 of those jobs are in tourism, recreation and fishing. Those sectors stand to lose the most from an oil spill. This bipartisan legislation builds on our states proud history of coastal protection, Roblan said. It also protects our existing coastal economy from potential future perils. This bill reflects the Oregon Way that we embrace in coastal communities. Senate Bill 256 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. Source: Oregon Senate Democrats _________________________________________ Youth services and the welfare of children in cross-border care will not be impacted by a no-deal Brexit, an Oireachtas Committee has heard. Minister for Children Katherine Zappone and her officials also said that, if there is a no-deal, information about children's welfare will still be shared between British and Irish police. Fianna Fail's spokeswoman on children, Anne Rabbitte, raised concerns at the Oireachtas Committee on Welfare about what happens if a child is abducted in Ireland and brought to Britain or the North or vice versa. Department of Children assistant secretary general, Eimear Fisher, said the legal advice received is that children's interests will still be covered if there is no Brexit deal. This is, in part, because of existing arrangements under the Hague Convention - an international treaty protecting children from abduction. This also covers keeping in place protections and cooperation in the moving of children from one state to another, in foster care for example. Anne Rabbitte The committee heard that there are 10 Irish children in care in Britain at the moment. TDs were also told that "the transfer of young people to the UK for secure care/advanced therapeutic mental health services" will not change and will proceed under existing EU legislation. Nonetheless, the department official said it is still unclear how Britain may act in the event of a no-deal. Ms Fisher said: There is no way of knowing how Britain will behave [with a no-deal]. However, there is nothing "lurking" with regards to concerns about children's welfare and a disorderly Brexit, she added. Minister Zappone confirmed that children's welfare, in the context of a no-deal, has been discussed at Cabinet. The sharing of information between Britain and Irish authorities will also be enhanced by new legislation under the government's emergency Brexit measures, the committee heard. And the sharing of information will continue, Ms Zappone emphasised. The minister also confirmed that problems around recruiting workers in the area of welfare from Britain are being discussed with a working group. A greater source of concern might be getting people with the relevant qualifications, she added: "The greatest source of potential impact, for areas covered by my Department, would be in relation to those qualifications relevant to social work (given the ongoing drive for the recruitment of social workers by Tusla). However, the risk associated with any divergence in qualifications is currently considered to be low. Committee chairman, Alan Farrell, asked if a no-deal would impact on EU social and peace funds for communities in Ireland. Ms Zappone said the information from the European Commission is that that peace funds will be continued. But she also told TDs: "While confident that the current peace programme will be maintained any funding impacts on youth services as a result of Brexit will be kept under review through 2019." A butcher at a meat processing plant was assaulted and then unfairly dismissed arising from a dispute with a manager over a loin of pork. Today, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found that the worker was unfairly dismissed and ordered the meat processing firm to pay the butcher 11,026. The worker told the hearing that he has already received 5,000 in compensation at the district court arising from a criminal prosecution concerning the assault. In the incident on February 3, 2017, at the meat processing plant, an eye of a loin of pork was cut through and the firms Transport Manager felt this joint would be rejected by a customer. The Brazilian worker said that the manager - who is a brother of directors at the firm and a co-owner of the business - accused him of badly butchering the loin and causing the defect. The butcher denied that it was him who caused the defect to the meat as there were other co-workers working on the line who could equally have caused the defect. The argument, he claimed, became heated and the worker put his boning knife into the loin of meat, threw his steel into an empty bin and attempted to walk away. He claimed that the manager stood in front of him, grabbed him by the throat with his two hands and threw him in the direction of the bins nearby. He then grabbed him by the back and pushed him towards the boning hall. He said to the worker You are out and the worker took this as meaning you are fired. The butcher hit his head off a metal box during the incident and he was bleeding. The worker was walked by the manager out of the boning hall and the dispute continued in the hallway outside. The butcher then took off his overalls and rang the Gardai to report the incident. The firm issued the man with his P45 on February 10, 2017. In her ruling, WRC Adjudication Officer, Marguerite Buckley found that the workers employment was terminated in an unfair manner. Ms Buckley stated that she couldnt fully accept the evidence of the butcher that he was an entirely innocent party in the incident which took place on February 3, 2017, and that the actions of the transport manager were totally one-sided. She added, however, that whatever provocation was made on the butchers part, it was on the lower end of the scale and did not justify the transport manager physically assaulting him and ordering him out of the boning hall. Ms Buckley ordered that the butcher be paid 10,200 for the unfair dismissal and 826 for minimum notice payments. The firm denied that the incident of February 3, 2017, occurred in the manner alleged by the butcher. Its case was that the butcher was the aggressor throughout and that he had a history of getting into fights. The firm claimed that the butcher brought about the fight that morning in the boning hall. Amateur historians are sleuthing away in an effort to reunite relatives of a World War One soldier with two medals he won during that conflict. Media and military history buffs from all over the country have homed in on the story after the two medals were found in a jacket which was among a bundle of old clothes donated to a charity shop in West Cork. The medals were found by Steve Roffe, who has worked for three years as a volunteer at the Kealkil Charity Shop, near Bantry. He said old photographs have previously been discovered in donated clothes and they were able to hand them back to families, but in this case the bundle of clothes was left outside the shop by an unknown person. The charity shop sells off the best clothes, exports others and cuts up the worst for use as cloths. "I presumed the clothes had belonged to some old bloke who had passed away. I picked up this little old tweedy-type jacket and I felt something in the pocket. The two medals were in it, which came as something of a shock. I never found anything like that before in old clothes," Steve said. Kealkill Community Charity shop staff where two World War 1 medals, the 1914-14 star and the victory medal were found inside the pocket of a man's jacket. Included are from left, Mary McCarthy, Steve Roffe, Sarah Smith, Margaret and James OMahony, Ed Smith and Mick Cremin. Picture Dan Linehan He said he tried to Google information about the medals which belonged to a Private Patrick Ryan, but didn't make much progress. It was then that the charity shop decided to send them to Terri Keane, manager of the Skibbereen Heritage Centre, who enlisted an expert to trace Private Ryan's past That expert, Kevin Tomlinson, was able to ascertain that Private Ryan had been a volunteer who joined the 1st Battalion of the Munster Fusiliers in the first year of the war, 1914. It is possible that he was born in the Tipperary area. The medals that were found in a coat handed in to a charity shop Ryan was mainly involved in a labour unit digging trenches and building other military fortifications. He almost certainly served with Allied forces in Gallipoli, which took serious casualties after coming under withering and constant attack from the well-organised Turkish Army. Mr Tomlinson believes that Ryan was evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt in January 1916 and subsequently transferred to Marseille, France before heading to the Western Front in the summer of that year. Ryan was nominated to receive a bravery award, the Military Medal, but it was not awarded for some reason. He managed to live through the war and was given an honourable discharge, but later enlisted again. Almost nothing is known yet about what he did after finishing his military career. The Irish Veterans' Association tweeted their thanks to the charity shop yesterday. They said the charity has done the right thing and hope it will lead to the return of the medals to Private Ryan's descendants. Mary Lou McDonald has refused to apologise for voicing opposition to any current police commander in Northern Ireland succeeding the retiring chief constable. The Sinn Fein President said she would not be retracting her controversial comments about who should replace George Hamilton when he steps down in June. Mrs McDonald has faced calls to apologise from a policing representative body while her comments have also sparked a wave of condemnation from political rivals. On Monday in Belfast, Mrs McDonald said she would not have confidence in any current member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland's senior leadership team taking the helm of the organisation. Addressing the media in Dublin today, Mrs McDonald said: "There's nothing to apologise for, there's no retraction to be made." Mrs McDonald said she would have no role in appointing the new chief constable. The PSNI's oversight body - the Policing Board - makes the appointment. A Sinn Fein member will be on the board panel that makes the decision. "On the issue of the chief constable I have no role in the appointment of a chief constable," said the Sinn Fein President. "I was asked could I identify someone from the senior team who I thought ought to be chief (constable) and the truth is I can't. "Be clear on this, I am not going to decide who the chief constable is. Yes, we make appointments to the Policing Board and when people are appointed to the Policing Board they act in accordance with the statutory scheme, the rules and regulations - the letter of them. "And I would expect and insist that any Sinn Fein appointee behaves in that manner." Mrs McDonald characterised the controversy as "political huffing and puffing". The Dail has heard of a case of a young mother despite was refused a termination despite being given a tragic diagnosis in recent weeks. The mother, named as 'Mary', with her partner had to make the difficult decision to go to England to have an abortion, as a result. Speaking at Leaders' Questions, Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said despite the passage of the referendum last May and the subsequent passage of abortion legislation through the Oireachtas, Irish women are still being denied the care they are legally entitled to. Ms Coppinger said she had been contacted by a number of women including 'Mary' who said she was denied a termination for medical reasons because she was over 12 weeks. There are worrying signs that women are still being forced abroad. Three have had to go to England to obtain an abortion for medical reasons." Ms Coppinger said the woman presented at Portiuncula Hospital, Co Galway for a scan where complications were discovered. The fluid was discovered and the mother was told the baby if delivered may only live an hour, Ms Coppinger told TDs. TDs heard that because she was over 12 weeks, doctors said they could do nothing for her. Mary was handed the name of three hospitals in the UK and said she was treated like a leper. In the Dail, @RuthCoppingerTD asks Taoiseach @campaignforleo about access to terminations in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities. pic.twitter.com/BWC1xQKDkH RTE News (@rtenews) February 19, 2019 She contacted the HSE who referred to Galway University Hospital but was again told an abortion was not possible. Herself and her husband had to go to England and expressed her deep frustration at the refusal she suffered at the hands of Irish hospitals. She asked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar why the implementation of the law is having a chilling effect in Irish hospitals in tragic cases. Mr Varadkar said abortion is a private matter and that anyone seeking it should not be subject to any sort of intimidation of any sort. He said the legislation has been passed and more than 270 GPs have signed up nationally to provide the abortion services along with 10 maternity hospital units. Mr Varadkar said the Oireachtas decided that disability would not be grounds for an abortion but a fatal foetal abnormality would be. Earlier, Mr Varadkar came under sustained attack from Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and Independents over the cost escalations at the National Children's Hospital. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin highlighted the lead story in yesterday's Irish Examiner which referenced a confidential report which the HSE prepared having been asked to do so by the Department of Health. The minutes of the joint construction and finance subcommittee of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board on 30 August are particularly revealing, he said, because they show significant unease and concern about escalating costs and also reveal significant efforts to keeps the news under wraps, including approximately 25 members signing confidentiality clauses. That meeting took place three days after the Minister for Health was told of a potential overspend of 391 million. One wonders whether this overall secrecy fed into the misleading of the Dail in respect of the answer Deputy Cowen got to his parliamentary question which, as we now know, was not correct, he asked. In tetchy exchanges, Mr Varadkar accused Mr Martin and the Opposition of spinning yarns when it came to the costs. He said it was probably the case the project costs were initially underestimated as opposed to spiralling out of control. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has sought to downplay the immediate threat of a no deal Brexit by saying he has yet to see "pre-tremors of the Brexit effect" hitting our economic and jobs rates. Mr Donohoe made the comment despite re-iterating the fact Britain's decision to quit the EU next month is certain to have a significant impact on "future investment decisions" in this country. Speaking at Government Buildings alongside Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty and junior minister for the office of public works Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, Mr Donohoe said there is legitimate concern over the Brexit fallout. However, saying the latest Central Statistics Office figures show 1,200 new jobs are being made available in Ireland every week and new tax receipt returns, he said the country has yet to feel any financial pinch from the UK-EU divorce. "In truth looking at the quarter four figures [October to December last year] I couldn't say, for now, that we are looking at the pre-tremors of a Brexit effect. "If I look at what happened in quarter four, particularly in terms of full-time employment as a share of overall employment, it's still pointing to an economy that is performing well. "And if look at those figures and combine them with our January tax returns that also included trading across the Christmas period, it shows that up to this point it may be a case that Brexit is affecting future investment decisions but the figures don't indicate at the moment that's having an effect on current consumption," he said. The comment has been seen as a further attempt by Government to calm fears of a no deal Brexit and to reassure the public that the economy and job levels will be protected as well as possible. However, it will be noted that any Brexit impact or economic slowdown is more likely to be seen from next month onwards when any fallout turns from theory and into personal finance-hitting reality. Ireland's white collar crime investigator has warned he would still be unable to cope with a financial scandal on the same scale as the 2008 Anglo Irish crisis if it happened tomorrow. The Director of the Office of Corporate Enforcement repeatedly warned of the situation a decade after the crash and just weeks out from Brexit-hit UK companies transferring hundreds of millions of funds into this country. Speaking during his first meeting with the Oireachtas committee on business, enterprise and innovation in seven years, Ian Drennan - who is pushing to publish a secret 450-page report outlining the group's gaps despite Government opposition - said bluntly the "wheels came off" in a "catastrophic way" during the collapsed Sean FitzPatrick trial. And, after revealing some of his colleagues suffered the most serious "human cost" and were left "very damaged by the experience", he said if a case as complex as those linked to the Anglo Irish crisis happened again tomorrow, the ODCE would still not be able to cope. "Are we equipped for that? No. There are very few organisations that would be, Mr Drennan told Fianna Fail TD and committee chair Mary Butler. Hindsight is 20:20, and anybody if they were in that situation again without knowing what was to come runs the same risks. I dont use the word lightly. "Any organisation, if you tried to try to carry that kind of load across a relatively small number of people... things go wrong and unfortunately in this case [the Sean FitzPatrick trial] they went wrong in a pretty catastrophic way and the wheels came off." Mr Drennan repeated the view during further discussions with Fine Gael senator James Reilly, Labour senator Kevin Humphreys and Sinn Fein's Padraig MacLochlainn - the latter of whom raised concerns of the warnings being raised just weeks out from Brexit. The head of the ODCE defended his organisation's role in the Anglo Irish trials and said the fact there were convictions was an achievement. Asked by Fianna Fail senator Aidan Davitt and Fianna Fail business spokesperson Billy Kelleher to clarify his remark that some colleagues suffered a severe "human cost", Mr Drennan said: A lot of people were very hugely damaged. There is a narrative in the public domain at the moment, suffice to say it is not complete. If the full story ever comes out it will put quite a different complexion on it. Mr Drennan's meeting was delayed for two hours after committee members met in private with legal advisers over whether they could accept a 450-page report from him on ongoing gaps in the ODCE. While a severely redacted version of the report was published by the Government last year, the full file was not released because of claims it would help defendants. The Irish Examiner understands the majority of the business, enterprise and innovation committee now wants to receive the report after being assured by Mr Drennan of no unforeseen fallout. Committee members also privately confirmed that when they receive the ODCE report they will meet former ODCE legal adviser Kevin O'Connell. Mr O'Connell, who shredded documents relating to the Sean FitzPatrick trial in a "panic" during the 2015 trial, wrote to the committee last week asking to be allowed to explain his actions. A murder accused rang a family relation and told her that he had hit a 90-year-old pensioner because he would not give him money, a jury has heard. Ross Outram (28) is on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of murdering Paddy Lyons (90) in Co Waterford nearly two years ago. Mr Outram, of Ferryland, Waterford Road, Clonmel in Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to murdering the retired farmer at Loughleagh, Ballysaggart, Lismore, Co Waterford, at a time unknown between February 23 and 26, 2017. Giving evidence today, Sandra Walsh told prosecution counsel John OKelly SC that she lives in Carrick-on-Suir in Co Tipperary and her partner is Gary OBrien. Mr OBriens nephew is Ross Outram, the court heard. Ms Walsh testified that she would only meet Mr Outram when she went to see his mother. The witness agreed with Mr OKelly that she had received a phone call from Mr Outram on Facebook Messenger at 6.19pm on February 26, 2017. Mr Outram was looking for a number for her partner Mr OBrien who was in the UK at the time, she said, as he [Mr Outram] wanted to go there. Ms Walsh said she asked Mr Outram what was wrong and he replied by asking her if she had seen "about the man" on the news. The witness told Mr Outram that she had seen the news on Facebook. Mr Outram told Ms Walsh that he would ring her back on another number, she said, adding that he rang her back again at 6.30pm. Ms Walsh said she asked the accused on this phonecall what was wrong or what was going on. The witness said Mr Outram had replied: I hit the man because he wouldnt give me money. She asked the accused if this was the man that had died in Waterford and he said it was, she explained. Mr Outram mentioned to Ms Walsh about going on a boat to the UK and asked her if she would bring him to the boat in Rosslare, she said, adding that she did not reply. Ms Walsh told the court that she later rang a Sergeant stationed in Clonmel to report what Mr Outram had told her. Ms Walsh said she went to Mr Outrams house the next day and he asked her to bring him into town to get something to eat. Ms Walsh was driving back towards Ferryland with Mr Outram when her car was stopped by gardai and he was arrested, she said. Under cross-examination by Michael OHiggins SC, defending, Ms Walsh agreed that Mr Outram was effectively reared by his grandmother. She further agreed that Mr Outrams grandmother was very close to Mr Lyons and she had died in 2005. Mr O'Higgins told the court that Mr Outrams mother reacted badly to her own mothers death and took to the drink. Mr OHiggins put it to Ms Walsh that his client was concerned that Mr Lyons was giving his mother money which she used to take drink. The witness replied that she did not know anything about this. Sergeant Ger Falvey told Mr OKelly that he got a call to attend Mr Lyons house on February 25 and had used a flashlight to observe the deceased's body. Mr Lyons was not wearing trousers, had on only a pair of boxer shorts and was sitting in a chair which faced the front door of the house, he said. A trail of urine was coming from his seat and there was soot on his legs as well some red marks, which were possibly blood, Sgt Falvey said. Earlier, paramedic David Galvin said he got a call from ambulance control in connection with a man who had suffered a cardiac arrest in Ballysaggart on February 25. Mr Galvin said he had to use his torch as there were no lights on in the mans house. The patient was slumped in a chair he said, adding that the man had no pulse and there was blood and ash on his knees. There was some blood on the deceased's scalp as well as dried blood on his hands, said the witness. The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Coffey and a jury of eight men and four women. The decision by children's hospital officials to consider gagging those involved in the project from talking about cost overruns last August is "not a policy of Government", a senior minister has admitted. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed the position amid ongoing concern over the discussion, revealed in the latest tranche of children's hospital meeting memos. According to the latest files, released on Monday night, key hospital board officials talked about asking colleagues to sign confidentiality agreements last August over the surging hospital costs and its main contractor, BAM. The meeting memos show that on August 30 last year, just three days after Health Minister Simon Harris says he was informed of the scale of the overruns, a specialist finance sub-committee within the hospital board met to discuss the situation. In a memo which despite almost a month of public controversy was only released after further health and public accounts committee demands, the now former chair of the national paediatric hospital development board Tom Costello said all discussions in internal meetings "are highly commercially sensitive". The memo notes Mr Costello subsequently "asked all parties in the room to sign a confidentiality agreement to ensure that no issues in relation to BAM and the budget are discussed outside of the people that need to know" - a situation all board members present agreed on. Asked about the latest children's hospital scandal revelations during a media briefing at Government Buildings, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said policies "vary by tendering process". However, he added it is his "experience" projects have "not made extensive use of non-disclosure arrangements" in the past and that it's "not a process or policy the Government has". "It does vary by tendering process. In my experience it has been open from most tendering processes, it has not made extensive use of non-disclosure arrangements, but I know of some projects that are very large with a high level of commercial sensitivity those running the process have found it appropriate. "But it's not a process or policy the Government has, that's a decision made by those running the tendering process," Mr Donohoe said. The latest revelations are likely to lead to further questions over the level of transparency surrounding the children's hospital costs crisis and how much officials and ministers knew about the situation last autumn. Lebanon Firefighters Battle Large Shop Fire Explosions could be heard due to the storage of acetylene, propane and gas tanks. The Lebanon Fire District responded to a structure fire today at 1046 F Street in Lebanon. Photo: (LEBANON, Ore.) - The Lebanon Fire District responded to a structure fire today at 1046 F Street in Lebanon. Crews arrived on scene to a large shop being consumed by a fully involved fire. The initial incident commander called for a second alarm to request additional units from neighboring fire districts as crews immediately began extinguishment efforts. Exposure control hose lines were setup to stop the spread of fire into the office building approximately five feet away. Explosions could be heard due to the storage of acetylene, propane and gas tanks. There were numerous cars and a forklift that were parked outside of the building. A ladder truck was used to knock down a bulk of the fire and allowed crews to get a quick knockdown. The fire was brought under control in approximately one hour. The fire was contained to the building of origin. The district responded with five engines, a ladder truck, medic unit, and four staff vehicles. A total of 27 firefighters were on scene. Albany, Sweet Home and Scio fire departments provided coverage for the city during the blaze. No injuries were reported during the incident. The cause of the fire is under investigation. _________________________________________ A lady's hair clip, buttons and bone fragments were found in the underground tank where Bobby "Mr Moonlight" Ryan's remains were found, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Patrick Quirke (50) of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ryan - a part-time DJ going by the name Mr Moonlight. Mr Ryan went missing on June 3, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend's home at about 6.30am and his body was found in an underground run-off tank on the farm leased by the accused at Fawnagown, Tipperary in April 2013. The prosecution claims that Mr Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle an affair with Mary Lowry (52), the deceased's girlfriend. Garda Gerry Canty, a crime scene examiner, told prosecution counsel Michael Bowman SC that he visited the scene at Fawnagowan the day after Mr Ryan's remains were found and photographed a number of items that were taken from the tank. These included, he said, bone fragments, a lady's hair clip, cable ties, tubing, buttons and pipe covers. The items were placed in a tamper evident bag and marked as exhibits in the case. Garda Canty told Lorcan Staines SC for the defence there was no discussion about those items when they were found and he said he did not have any thoughts about them. When Mr Staines asked if he or any gardai present were surprised that a lady's hair clip was found in the tank where Bobby Ryan's body lay the witness replied: I wasn't surprised and no one else expressed surprise to me. Garda Canty agreed that he made his first statement in relation to what he saw at Fawnagowan in November 2018, five-and-a-half years after he visited the farm. He said he made the statement using notes he had written at the time. He further accepted that he did not mention the hair clip in his statement or his written notes. The witness also accepted that the garda exhibits chart stated that the tamper evident bag contained cable ties, a hair clip, tubing and pipe cover while the chart disclosed to the defence stated only that there were cable ties and pipe covers in the bag. Garda Gerry Canty leaving court today. Picture: Collins Court Under re-examination Garda Canty told Mr Bowman that he had nothing to do with retrieving, bagging, marking or charting the contents of the bag. Detective Garda Sharon Langan of the ballistics section of the Garda Technical Bureau told Mr Bowman that she visited the farm at Fawnagowan on April 30, 2013. When she looked into the tank she saw what she thought was a body lying face down in water or effluent. She watched as it was removed from the tank by firefighters wearing bio-hazard suits. Once the body had been removed it was laid on a sheet of plastic and wrapped up. It was "fairly decomposed", she said, and she noted a gold watch but no clothes. The following day she attended a post mortem carried out by Dr Khalid Jaber who handed her samples including muscle tissue, the watch, bone marrow, head hair, a maggot and a tooth. She bagged each of these so they could be delivered to forensic scientists for examination. She also examined the deceased's Citroen van and agreed with Mr Staines that since Mr Ryan's disappearance the van had been used in an RTE Crimecall programme and was also returned to the deceased's son Robert Ryan Jnr. As a result, she said she was not optimistic about finding relevant evidence from it. She further told Mr Staines that she could remember a large concrete lid being removed from the tank by a JCB and she remembered seeing the lid crack. She didn't make a note of the crack, she said, and didn't mention it in her statement. Mr Staines asked her if the removal of the lid was a significant event on the day and the witness replied: "no". Mr Staines said that everyone present knew that a body had been found in the tank and the decision was made to take the lid off in the hope that it would be done as efficiently as possible and with the least amount of destruction possible. Bobby Ryan "So when it shattered it would have been to the forefront of the minds of those watching," he said. The witness said she doesn't remember and agreed that it is not mentioned in her notes. Mr Staines suggested there would have been dust and pieces breaking off, rocks and pebbles falling into the tank. He again asked if this was not a significant event that she would remember. Det Gda Langan replied: "I'm sorry, I really don't." The witness added that she was not aware if the deceased's arm came away during the efforts to retrieve him from the tank. Counsel asked her if there was any conversation about bringing in a pathologist before removing the body and she agreed that it is best practice to do so and in an "ideal world all of that would fall in to place". She said she was not making the decisions in this case but from her experience she knows that sometimes scientists are requested but are not available. She added: "We carry on as best we can." She said there was no urgency and nobody had said they had to get the body out of the tank quickly. Under reexamination she told Mr Bowman that it would not be appropriate to engage with a body "in situ" in circumstances where there is a potential health and safety issue. This was, she said, one such case. She further noted that the firemen who entered the tank did so wearing bio-hazard suits. The trial continues in front of the jury of six men and six women on Friday as Justice Eileen Creedon said she has matters to deal with in the jury's absence on Wednesday and Thursday. Dogs Trust received 370 requests from people looking to give up their dogs in the Dublin area after Christmas. Each year Dogs Trust sees a large volume of people looking to surrender their dog after Christmas An average of 10 calls a day were made to the organisation's centre in Finglas between St Stephen's Day and the end of January. The charity recorded 317 calls and 53 emails from people trying to relinquish their dog. The charity has described the numbers as "alarming". The most common excuses were that dog owners did not have enough time to look after their new pets. A heartbreaking case arriving last week at Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre in Finglas was a box of 8-week-old puppies, Tayana, Tefi and Timoti and their mum, Tati who were callously dumped and left for dead in freezing temperatures, before being rescued by Dogs Trust. Sadly, mum Tati also has a deformity in both her front legs causing them to buckle outwards, which can be very painful, especially in later life. Her malformation is also suspected to be genetic, in which case it is very possible that her pups could also develop the chronic condition. All four will be looking for homes over the next few weeks. Karla Dunne, Head of Operations at Dogs Trust, said: "Its so incredibly heartbreaking to see these beautiful creatures being discarded in this way with little thought for their safety or well-being. Were just grateful that they were found and brought to us so that we can care for them here until they find loving homes. "Thankfully all four of them are now thriving here and mum Tati can get the veterinary treatment she needs, but sadly many other puppies are not as fortunate and this could have been a completely different story had they not been found so quickly. Dogs Trust operates at full capacity and offers as many places as possible to dogs from Irish pounds, as they are the ones most at risk of destruction so, unfortunately, the charity is not in a position to take surrendered dogs from members of the public. However, in the majority of the cases so far this year the welfare of the dogs found abandoned or surrendered was of such concern, that the dogs were admitted for immediate veterinary attention; this has impacted the number of dogs the charity can rescue from the Local Authority Pounds. Suzie Carley, Executive Director said: "We have just marked the 40th anniversary of the phrase A dog is for life, not just for Christmas and sadly this message is still as relevant today as when it was first coined by Dogs Trust all those years ago. "We would urge people who are thinking of taking on a new dog not to do so coming up to Christmas." "A dog is a big commitment so if you are still thinking of getting a dog in the New Year we would ask the public to do careful research on where you are sourcing your dog from, research the breed of dog to suit your lifestyle and try to anticipate any major lifestyle changes such as an upcoming move, a new baby and consider how a dog may impact this before bringing one into your home. By Sonya McLean A grieving man who pointed an air gun at three gardai after threatening that he would slaughter them all has been jailed for 28 months. Gerard Curtis (32) was still wearing his funeral clothes, his mother having been cremated the day before, when he stood on a second floor balcony and directed abuse at the gardai below. I'll slaughter you all. If I wanted to I could kill you all easily, Curtis told gardai. He later produced a BB gun, raised his arm and pointed it in the direction of the officers, causing them to retreat for safety. He pointed the gun at them a second time after the gardai returned to the scene, again causing them to retreat. He later admitted that he was whacked out of it as he had been at a cocaine-fuelled party that night. Curtis of Sean McDermott Street Lower, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawful possession of a firearm at Dominick Street, Dublin on June 14, 2016. His 116 previous convictions include public order, road traffic, assault and criminal damage. Judge Martin Nolan accepted that while the weapon could be considered harmless, it would not have appeared as such to those who confronted Curtis. He noted that an armed officer from the Special Detective Unit, who was called into assist, had produced his own weapon and was about to confront Curtis but Curtis had already put his gun down. Judge Nolan described the offence as serious misbehaviour that could have had serious repercussions not just for Curtis but also the gardai. He accepted that Curtis co-operated with the investigation, was truly remorseful and that he had not come to garda attention for some time before this incident. Garda Alan Murphy told Caroline Cummings BL, prosecuting, that as he was a community garda at the time in the area, he was called to the scene. He said by the time he had arrived, officers from the Special Detective Unit had also been brought in and they were on the balcony with Curtis. These gardai managed to restrain Curtis and Gda Murphy was able to calm the situation further and ultimately arrest him and bring him in for questioning. Gda Murphy confirmed that the gun, which was found in the flat, was a working BB gun; a CO2 powered air pistol designed to discharge plastic ball bearings. Curtis told Gda Murphy in interview that his mother had been cremated the previous day. He said he was whacked out of it having taken alcohol and drugs the day before. I thought I would have no one in my life, he said before he added he was just being stupid. I've been out of trouble for three and half years. He said he had bought the gun a few months previously for 70. Two victim impact reports before the court stated that the gardai were in fear for their lives and found it to be a traumatic incident. Gda Murphy agreed with David Staunton BL, defending that Curtis had quietened down with a partner just before his mother's death. He calmed himself down entirely, he was a changed man, Gda Murphy said before he accepted that the incident was out of a character. He said he had known Curtis for his entire career as a community garda. He agreed with Mr Staunton that a switch went off as Curtis's mother had been his main supporter and he realised the significant loss she would be in his life. Mr Staunton told Judge Nolan that his client's father died when he was very young and he had no father figure throughout his life. His mother was an alcoholic and two of his siblings had died from drug overdoses. His mother was the only constant figure throughout his existence. He didn't deal with the bereavement the way others might, counsel submitted before he added that Curtis returned to the default in his life and got back into drugs. He said Curtis had lived a sad existence but he now needed to move on in life and wanted to do so. The cost overrun at the new National Children's Hospital would have happened even if a different contractor had been selected, according to new documents from a meeting of a sub-committee of the board responsible for the development. Questions were raised at the August meeting about whether the State could afford the project in its current state. Committee members agreed that the problem of price increases would have arisen with bidders other than BAM due to inflation and changes in the amount of materials required. Managing Director at PWC Ireland, Fergal O'Rourke, has said their review of the cost overrun will be delivered on time by the end of March. The documents about the National Children's Hospital come from a sub-committee of the board overseeing the project. That committee is responsible for construction and finance. The new documents also show questions about whether the State could afford the new National Children's Hospital were raised by one of the boards responsible for building it. The board also predicted rising costs would make things difficult for capital spending in health weeks before the Budget. In a meeting on August 1, 2018, some members suggested plans to achieve savings on the project were going to be difficult from the start. They also noted any further cost increases would be challenging for the health capital plan. The next committee meeting took place on August 30, just days after Minister Simon Harris had been told of a potential 391m overrun on the budget. At that meeting, board members noted they might need to show value for money to stakeholders and that they needed to be able to stand over the public procurement process. It was decided a best and worst-case scenario plan should be presented to the full board Members also said they needed to take account of all figures, to see if the State could afford the hospital. They agreed to possible weekly meetings with the HSE to discuss costs and noted with the level of construction work going on in Dublin, demand over the next two or three years could push costs up further. In a later meeting in September, the board noted it had met with Press Advisors Q4PR to discuss a communications strategy for either awarding the phase 2 tender to build the hospital to BAM, or not awarding it and moving to a Plan B. Democratic Unionist Party MP Sammy Wilson made an appearance on Claire Byrne last night and lets say, it didnt go down too well. Wilson, who is the party's spokesperson on Brexit, accused Leo Varadkar of issuing threats during Brexit negotiations and called his behaviour abominable. "Lets not forget that these are the kind of threats weve had from the Taoiseach, he began. The electricity could get switched off in Northern Ireland, planes from England would not be allowed to fly over the Irish Republic." This is when Claire began to interrupt and defend the Taoiseach: "Im not sure Leo Varadkar said all of that." Wilson went on to say that Varakar talked about sending Irish troops to the border and talked about Berlin Wall. Sammy Wilson: "Leo Varadkar has behaved in an abominable way" Speaking on Claire Byrne Live, DUP Brexit spokesperson Sammy Wilson accused Leo Varadkar of issuing threats during Brexit negotiations @campaignforleo @eastantrimmp #brexit pic.twitter.com/uHGdvYxt9N Claire Byrne Live (@ClaireByrneLive) February 18, 2019 Byrne, smirking in disbelief at what she was hearing, continued: "Sammy Wilson! Sammy Wilson, he has said none of those things. Come on, hes said none of those things." Wilson claims Varadkar's words were recorded freely in your papers. Could Sammy Wilson have been misremembering this quote from Leo Varadkar from January 9, where he mentioned the North and the Berlin Wall: "...when weve been discussing Brexit and the need to avoid a hard border, among the people who have intuitively understood the issue are of course the Germans because of their history of partition and of course because a wall was put up between West and East Berlin." George Mendonsa, known across the world as the 'kissing sailor' in the iconic 'V-Day in Times Square' photograph, passed away at the age of 95 today. The photograph was captured by Alfred Eisenstaedt for LIFE magazine, and published alongside the caption: 'In New York's Times Square a white-clad girl clutches her purse and skirt as an uninhibited sailor plants his lips squarely on hers.' The same image was captured from another angle by U.S Navy photojournalist Victor Jorgensen, which was published in The New York Times the day after Eisenstaedt's one for LIFE. His much simpler caption read, 'Kissing the War Goodbye'. Kissing The War Goodbye, by Victor Jorgensen. Picture: Victor Jorgensen. The 'white-clad girl' was Greta Zimmer Friedman, who passed away aged 92 on September 8, 2016. Before he died, George Mendonsa told the American Veterans Center exactly what happened, and why he kissed Ms Zimmer Friedman: "We had been in the Pacific for two years. Back in '45 now, at that time of the war, we had just taken Okinawa. That was going to take about six months to get the American army out of Europe, get them all the way out there for the invasion of Japan. "In July of '45, we get our orders to come home." Mendonsa's younger sister married a man from the Navy, who was from Long Island, New York. The brother-in-law's parents were coming for a visit, and bringing their niece along with them. When Mendonsa laid eyes on the niece, he knew he had to meet her again. George Mendonsa in an interview with American Veterans Center. Credit: The American Veterans Center. "I said, 'Holy Jeez, she's beautiful.' So I kept in touch with the niece by phone." In fact, Mendonsa changed his booking so that he could fly out of New York and get to spend his last few days with the niece, before he had to fly out with the army again. On his last day in New York, he and the niece were watching the Rockettes in Radio City Music Hall, when they heard commotion out in the streets. "In the theatre we're wondering, 'What the hell is going on outside there?' Finally, they stop the show, and they put the lights on, and they say, 'The Japs have surrendered. The war is over.' Well, the people in Radio City went wild. Mendonsa and the niece went to a bar and had a few drinks, before joining the massive crowds gathering in Times Square, when a nurse in uniform caught his eye. He recounted a time when the aircraft carrier, the USS Bunker Hill, got hit and the planes on board started exploding. A number of men were injured and trapped in the fires, and Mendonsa and his crew on their ship, USS The Sullivans, picked them up and transferred them to the hospital ship, USS Solace. "I saw what those nurses did that day to these guys, and they're hurting, and it's still in the back of my head. "If that girl did not have a nurse's uniform on, I never would have done that. It's what I remembered out there, and that's what did it. "Of course, after, I went my way and the nurse went her way. Thought nothing of it." One week later, the photograph would be published in LIFE magazine, and then shared for decades to come. A Hanoi barber is offering complimentary Trump and Kin Jong Un hairstyles in anticipation of the summit between the US President and North Korean leader. Tuan Duong Beauty Academy is running the promotion to February 28 as thousands of officials and journalists descend on the Vietnamese capital for the second summit between Trump and Kim since their historic first meeting in Singapore last June. The Polisario Front has just been dealt another blow, this time by the White House. President Donald Trump signed into law Friday the 2019 appropriation bill that includes the Sahara in the aid granted to Morocco. The bill, adopted the day before by the American Congress, explicitly stipulates that the funds allocated to Morocco are also usable in assistance to the Sahara. The Polisario leaders and their Algerian sponsors could hardly believe the news. The Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel visited Washington recently to appeal for excluding Western Sahara from the assistance allocated to Morocco. Seemingly, his lobbying failed! Besides, the new spending law calls on the US Administration to submit, after consultation with UNHCR and the World Food Program (WFP), a report to the Congress on measures taken to tighten monitoring of the delivery of humanitarian aid to refugees in the North Africa region. A direct allusion to the populations of the Tindouf camps, where international aid is systematically diverted. In the end, this is good news for Moroccan diplomacy, which is staging an international battle for the defense of the kingdoms territorial integrity and supreme interests. The Moroccan Foreign Ministry applauded the promulgation of the bill as it had applauded the adoption by the European Parliament of the Morocco-EU agricultural and fisheries agreements, which both include the Moroccan southern provinces and extend to the products of these provinces the same tariff preferences granted to products of other regions of Morocco. These texts are for Rabat a resounding diplomatic victory since they constitute a de facto recognition of the sovereignty of Morocco over its southern provinces. On the African chessboard, Morocco also scored points, since, for the first time, the Sahara issue was not mentioned in any of the resolutions, decisions and recommendations adopted by the 32nd African Union Summit, held recently in Addis Ababa. The AU has even banned its Peace and Security Council from dealing with this issue, which remains the exclusive domain of the United Nations. The Tyndall Institute is to collaborate with Limerick-based tech manufacturer Arralis to develop technology that can be used in autonomous vehicles, next-generation 5G mobile communications, and other data-intensive applications. Tyndall will partner with Arralis in a 400,000 research development agreement on the area of mmWave fabrication technology, which aims to cater for the increasing demands of data-hungry processes - including driverless cars which will need to communicate with its ever-changing surrounding environment as it travels. In mobile technology, while current 4G communications use a lower frequency of around 1 gigahertz (GHz) to send data, 5G will use higher frequencies, on what is known as the millimeter wave spectrum, which can carry more data at higher speeds. The Ka band, in the 26.540 gigahertz range of the spectrum, supports high data rates, device connectivity, data collection and traffic handling capacity at lower latency than current technologies. Experts predict this means 5G will be up to 60 times faster than 4G networks. The applications of the technology will cater to the growing field of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and autonomous vehicles - which require unimpeded data access to connected vehicles. Carlo Webster, senior strategic business development executive at Tyndall National Institut, described the arrangement as a highly effective collaboration as well as a timely one, given the proposed testing of autonomous vehicles on Irelands road infrastructure in the coming years. Tomorrows cars will be computers on wheels and will require Ka band mmWave technology to simplify and support the communication protocol between the car and its environment. "Arralis is a leader in the field of mmWave design and together with Tyndall, we will accelerate innovation in this and other areas, he said. Tyndalls senior staff scientist Dr James Rohan welcomed the collaboration and investment. We are delighted to work with Arralis on this exciting project which combines Tyndalls micro-fabrication expertise in thick-film electrochemical simulation, processing, integration and testing with the design capabilities of Arralis for the rapidly developing mmWave device market, he said. Marie Bourke, Arralis business process manager and technical programme manager, said new cost-effective, high-volume and geometry-scaled mmWave manufacturing is needed to meet future IoT demands. Our data-hungry society demands constant, uninterrupted access to more and more information, and this demand will only increase in the future, she said. The development of new Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits is supported by Enterprise Ireland through the Innovation Partnership programme. VANCOUVER - When Jody Wilson-Raybould was demoted in cabinet, a rabbi in her Vancouver Granville riding reached out to her with a message from the Bible. It quoted Joseph, who said after a betrayal: "You meant it for bad, but God meant it for good." Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Veterans Affairs Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, right, hands out lucky red envelopes while participating in the Chinese New Year Parade in Vancouver on February 10, 2019. When Jody Wilson-Raybould was demoted in cabinet, a rabbi in her Vancouver Granville riding reached out to her with a message from the Bible. It quoted Joseph, who said after a betrayal, "You meant it for bad, but God meant it for good." The note was meant to convey that sometimes what looks like a curse can actually be a blessing. While it's too soon to tell whether that's the case for Wilson-Raybould, community leaders say recent events have not shaken their strong support for their MP. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER - When Jody Wilson-Raybould was demoted in cabinet, a rabbi in her Vancouver Granville riding reached out to her with a message from the Bible. It quoted Joseph, who said after a betrayal: "You meant it for bad, but God meant it for good." The intention of the note was to convey that sometimes what looks like a curse can actually be a blessing. While it's too soon to tell whether that's the case for Wilson-Raybould, community leaders say recent events have not shaken their strong support for their MP. "She is very down-to-earth and extremely honest. She never promised something that she couldn't or wouldn't try to deliver. And she was really curious," said Dan Moskovitz, the head rabbi of Temple Sholom, who wrote the encouraging note. "I just thought she was a lovely person and still is." Wilson-Raybould resigned from cabinet last week amid allegations the Prime Minister's Office pressured her when she was attorney general to help SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution. She was later demoted to Veterans Affairs Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has denied that his office directed her on the matter and has said that the departure of treasury board president Scott Brison necessitated the cabinet shuffle. On Monday, his closest adviser, Gerald Butts, resigned as his principal secretary, while denying any impropriety. In the Vancouver riding she has represented since 2015, supporters are disappointed Wilson-Raybould is no longer in cabinet but are respectful of her decision. Reverend Steven Epperson said many members of his Unitarian Church of Vancouver are more left-wing than the governing Liberals, but they deeply admire Wilson-Raybould. "They think that what's happened is a tragedy," Epperson said. "We're not privy to what's going on behind the scenes, but I think we're all aghast at the kind of covert and overt discrediting of her that's going on in some Liberal circles. I think it's shameful." Many church members, regardless of party affiliation, want to find out the truth and hope Wilson-Raybould remains in politics and continues to represent the riding, he added. Both Moskovitz and Epperson described Wilson-Raybould as a principled, committed MP who met with them and supported their initiatives, including programs to help refugees and people struggling to find affordable housing. Several community leaders in the riding expressed pleasant surprise when they expected brief meetings with Wilson-Raybould but she stayed for 45 minutes to an hour. Walter Wells, of the community group the Vancouver Odd Fellows, said Wilson-Raybould was extremely friendly when she sat down with him to discuss a charity contest for high school students to visit Parliament. "I was very conscious that she was a busy person and we're just some small, local charity," he said. "I kept expecting to get out of my chair and say, 'Thank you for your time and goodbye,' but she kept asking about our history, our membership and our purpose. ... To me, (she is) not a typical politician at all." Wells said he supports her "more than ever" after her resignation from cabinet. "It seems to me that she's taken a principled stand," Wells said. "I am so inspired by what I think is going on with her, and disgusted by what I think is going on with the Prime Minister's Office." Wilson-Raybould has not explained why she quit and has cited solicitor-client privilege to refuse comment. She has hired a former Supreme Court justice to advise her on what she may say legally. The Vancouver Granville Liberal Riding Association said in a statement it stands in full support of Wilson-Raybould and her important work for the community and Canada. Marpole Oakridge Family Place holds an annual community gathering and Wilson-Raybould has attended every year since she was elected, said Andrea Krombein, literacy outreach co-ordinator. "She's talking to whoever wants to speak to her. People are gathering around her. She's acknowledging everybody. She's focusing on one person at a time. She's truly, truly, listening," she said. "You can actually see from her body language, what she's saying, that her goal is to connect and educate and reassure." Krombein said while no one knows what really happened, she has no doubt Wilson-Raybould has been completely professional. "I feel that she's probably working through it the best way she can. It does not change our impression of her at all." Follow @ellekane on Twitter. OTTAWA - A convoy of Canadians fed up with the Liberal government rolled into Ottawa Tuesday with demands as varied as their vehicles. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A protester blows bubbles as a convoy of angry Albertans and other westerners rolled up to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday, Feb.19, 2019 to protest federal energy and environmental policies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - A convoy of Canadians fed up with the Liberal government rolled into Ottawa Tuesday with demands as varied as their vehicles. The United We Roll convoy began in Red Deer, Alta., on Valentine's Day and made its way east over four days with stops for rallies along the way. After four days of cross-country driving, the convoy mustered in Arnprior, Ont., just outside the capital but got off to a late start Tuesday morning. With police escorts, its trucks, buses and cars hit downtown Ottawa after the morning rush hour, disrupting the city only slightly. Scores of semis, pickups and other vehicles occupied several blocks of the street in front of Parliament as about 150 people gathered in knee-deep snow on the Hill for speeches by organizers and a handful of conservative lawmakers. About 30 police officers stood between the convoy members and a counter-protest that gathered nearby, focused on Indigenous causes. "It is time that Canada has a prime minister that is proud of our energy sector," Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer told the crowd. He emphasized the convoy members' demand that the federal government get pipelines built to help get Alberta oil and gas to new markets. Half a dozen Conservative MPs and senators blasted the Liberals' carbon tax and reiterated their support for the oil and gas sector. They left out another of the convoy organizers' complaints: that Canada signed a non-binding United Nations agreement on migration in December. The Conservative party opposed the signing of the global compact, although Scheer did not mention it. Nor did People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier, whose omission drew cries from the crowd when he spoke about the importance of the oil industry. "Where's the UN?" yelled one woman. One placard on a truck outside Parliament declared NO to "UN/globalism, carbon tax, tanker ban, dirty foreign oil, open borders" and YES to "Charge Trudeau with treason, Energy East, yes to pipe lines, look after veterans, photo ID & Canadian citizenship to vote." Other signs backed a variety of causes, including Canadian agriculture and protecting free speech. One called on Canadians to eat beef. Started by Glen Carritt, the owner of an oilfield fire and safety company in Innisfail, Alta., the convoy protesters have demanded the Liberal government scrap the carbon tax and two bills that overhaul environmental assessments of energy projects and ban oil tankers from the northern coast of British Columbia. "The core message is we need immediate action for our pipelines to get in the ground, to get to tidewater and to the rest of Canada," he told The Canadian Press in a previous interview. Mark Friesen, a convoy organizer from Saskatoon, gave one of the day's first speeches, talking about federal policies as the results of agreements with the United Nations to implement its sustainable development agenda. "You cut the head of the snake off, we get our country back, all of it, including pipelines built, including dumping the carbon tax, including getting rid of the migrant pact," he said. Friesen, like many of the convoy participants, is affiliated with the populist "yellow-vest" movement, Carritt said the convoy was not itself a yellow-vest protest. Amid concerns the convoy had become a magnet for extremist, anti-immigrant activists, organizers stressed the rally was peaceful and open to anyone fed up with the federal government. Despite charges by its critics, Friesen insisted the yellow-vest movement is not racist or anti-immigrant. "We are a country of immigrants," he said. "We need more immigration but we need to determine these policies in Canada for Canadians." Meanwhile after a cabinet meeting inside Parliament's West Block, Natural Resources Minister Amarjeet Sohi told reporters he was focused on increasing pipeline capacity. "It's very unfortunate that the convoy that is here today, their message has drifted away from pipelines to issues that are not relevant to the discussion on pipelines," the Edmonton MP said. A second day of protests is planned for Wednesday. BOWDEN, Alta. - A man who strangled his wife and concealed her body in a wall of their home has been granted day parole after saying he wished he could push a reset button to undo what he did. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (858 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The container investigators allege was used to contain the body of Lisa Mitchell is seen in this undated police handout image which was entered into evidence in the trial of Allan Shyback, who was convicted of manslaughter and indignity to a body in the 2012 death of Lisa Mitchell. A man who strangled his wife and concealed her body in a wall of their home after enduring what he described as years of domestic abuse is scheduled for his first parole hearing today. Allan Shyback was convicted of manslaughter and indignity to a body in the 2012 death of Lisa Mitchell. He was originally sentenced to seven years in prison, but the Alberta Court of Appeal increased it to 10 years. Shyback testified at his trial that he killed Mitchell in defence as she attacked him with a knife. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Calgary Police Service, *MANDATORY CREDIT* BOWDEN, Alta. - A man who strangled his wife and concealed her body in a wall of their home has been granted day parole after saying he wished he could push a reset button to undo what he did. Allan Shyback was convicted of manslaughter and causing an indignity to a body in the 2012 death of Lisa Mitchell. After his arrest in 2014, he was sentenced to seven years in prison. The Alberta Court of Appeal later increased the term to 10 years. "I have no excuse. There's nothing to justify what I did," Shyback told a Parole Board of Canada hearing Tuesday at Bowden Institution, a minimum- and medium-security prison south of Red Deer, Alta. "I wish I could take back all the pain I have caused. I can apologize and I'm sorry for everything that occurred. I regret the loss of her life." Shyback testified at his trial that he endured years of domestic abuse by his wife and killed her in self-defence when she attacked him with a knife. He said he panicked, put her body inside a plastic bin and cemented it into a basement wall of their Calgary home. He told Mitchell's family that she had left and he continued to live in the home with their two children. Shyback told the hearing that he doesn't remember a lot of what happened when he killed his wife. "It was very traumatic ... very chaotic," he said. "That's still something that's hard ... the loss of Lisa. I miss her everyday." The parole board asked Shyback if he was violent in the couple's 10-year, on-again-off again relationship. "She was the more dominant person in our relationship. I dealt with that poorly and responded badly," he said. The board heard that Shyback has been a "compliant inmate" and made positive gains. He said he hopes to one day have a relationship with his children, who are in the care of relatives. "My plan is to eventually be part of my kids' lives again. It's going to be a long process. It's not going to happen overnight." No one from Mitchell's family attended the hearing. Shyback was supported by an aunt and other relatives. The aunt described him as an "intelligent, creative, loving man" and said his entire family will make sure he follows his parole conditions. The board said Shyback is still a work in progress but that his risk in the community is manageable. Shyback is to reside at a halfway house in Red Deer, where he may find work as a cook or a truck driver. The board said he is to follow curfew, abstain from alcohol, inform a parole officer of any relationships and attend counselling sessions. Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter TORONTO - Netflix is setting up a dedicated production hub in Toronto, which film and TV creators hope will provide new opportunities for local talent. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. This March 19, 2018 photo shows the Netflix app on an iPad in Baltimore. Netflix is setting up a dedicated production hub in Toronto, which film and TV creators hope will provide new opportunities for local talent. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Patrick Semansky TORONTO - Netflix is setting up a dedicated production hub in Toronto, which film and TV creators hope will provide new opportunities for local talent. The California-based streaming giant announced Tuesday it is expanding its presence in Canada by leasing two studio spaces along the downtown industrial waterfront area. At Cinespace Studios, Netflix is leasing four new sound stages along with spaces for office and support work totalling approximately 164,000 square feet. At Pinewood Toronto Studios, Netflix is also leasing four sound stages and adjacent office space totalling 84,580 square feet. Netflix said the commitment will provide jobs for up to 1,850 Canadians per year, and that the leases are "multi-year" but didn't specify for exactly how long. "This is great news for the Toronto and the Ontario community, because it's an endorsement of the high quality of the work that comes out of our industry," said Jim Mirkopoulos, vice-president of Cinespace. "Netflix has made a commitment to the film and television industry here that they're going to continue to do stuff and by making this announcement, they're standing by that," added Nanci MacLean, president of Pinewood Toronto Studios. Cinespace said its sound stages leased by Netflix are under construction and set to be operational this summer. Pinewood said Netflix will move a production onto one of its sound stages in the next couple of weeks. The four sound stages being leased are separate from Pinewood Toronto Studios' previously announced planned expansion. Projects already set to be made at the hub include the horror anthology series "Guillermo del Toro Presents Ten After Midnight" and the film "Let It Snow." Netflix has production facilities in Los Angeles and recently announced new hubs for Madrid and Albuquerque, N.M. It also leases British Columbia's Martini Film Studios and production sites across Canada on a case-by-case basis. Its co-productions with Canadian partners have included "Anne with an E" and "Alias Grace" with CBC, "Travelers" with Showcase, and "Frontier" with Discovery Canada. Speculation of a Toronto hub started swirling last month when Mayor John Tory, who has been making annual trips to Los Angeles to lure film and TV projects to the city, told The Canadian Press he had "a very high level of confidence" that Netflix would open one up. Tory's words drew positive reaction from local screen talent, who said they hoped it would foster Canadian projects. "In television right now, they're always going to be my first stop, frankly," said Toronto producer J. Miles Dale, who is developing "Ten After Midnight" with del Toro, with whom he won an Oscar last year for "The Shape of Water." Dale is also developing his own Netflix series, "44 Chapters About Men," which he hopes will be at the hub. "You can say whatever you want, you can show whatever you want, you can show real adult situations without the kind of censorship that comes in." Netflix is giving a similar freedom to filmmakers, said Dean DeBlois, the Aylmer, Que.-raised director of "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," out Friday. "It's the wild west of filmmaking within their particular format and I have several friends who have gone to Netflix with original projects and they're just having the best time of their careers," said DeBlois. "They're willing to take a chance on a completely original project and not just resurrect something that's been done before." Streaming services are also one-stop shops for Canadian creators who usually have to go through multiple avenues to find producers, sellers, distributors and financing, said Oscar-nominated Toronto director Hubert Davis. "For filmmakers, that might be the best option for your project to get it going, as opposed to going to all of these different sources to get it made," he said. Vancouver-based producer and filmmaker David Paperny is looking forward to the possibility of conducting business within Canada. "They could have their ear closer to the ground of the vast Canadian talent source out here," said Paperny. "So it will be easier to pitch them, it will be easier for them to work in collaboration with us on our productions." But some worry the hub will take up precious studio space that producers are clamouring for in Toronto. Netflix has also faced heavy criticism from Canadian broadcasters and other industry players for not being on a level playing field when it comes to regulation in Canada. Because it's a foreign digital company, Netflix isn't required to collect or remit federal or provincial sales tax. So far Netflix also hasn't fallen under federal regulations that require the country's broadcasting companies to pay into the Canada Media Fund for the creation of homegrown programming. Netflix has argued it shouldn't be forced to pay into such funds, pointing to the money it's already putting into the system by creating shows here. In September 2017, the company pledged to spend $500 million over five years to fund original content made in Canada, a number it recently said it will exceed. "I'm all for (a hub), bring it on. I just care about Canada's voice and Canadian content," said Virginia Thompson, co-executive producer of "Corner Gas" and co-founder of Verite Films. "If there are more jobs for people in the city, great. And if it increases the chance of people here making (stuff), then terrific," added Toronto-based actor/filmmaker Jay Baruchel, star of "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World." "When a big corporation comes to town, it could be awesome, but it's not guaranteed to be so.... Whatever puts resources in the hands of talented Canadian artists, I'm all for it." Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (858 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands during question period in the House of Commons in the West Block of Parliament Hill in Ottawa on January 30, 2019. The opposition parties are charging back into the House of Commons today, loaded with questions for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about what his office did to try to help the embattled Montreal engineering company SNC-Lavalin in its corruption case. Before MPs left for a week in their ridings, Jody Wilson-Raybould was veterans affairs minister and Gerald Butts was Trudeau's principal secretary, his closest adviser. Now they've both quit and it's still not clear what Butts or anyone else in the Prime Minister's Office might have done to push Wilson-Raybould on SNC-Lavalin when she was attorney general and had a say over the charges the company faces. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Four stories in the news for Tuesday, Feb. 19 SNC-LAVALIN STORM AWAITS RETURNING MPS The opposition parties are charging back into the House of Commons today, loaded with questions for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about what his office did to try to help the embattled Montreal engineering company SNC-Lavalin in its corruption case. Before MPs left for a week in their ridings, Jody Wilson-Raybould was veterans affairs minister and Gerald Butts was Trudeau's principal secretary, his closest adviser. Now they've both quit and it's still not clear what Butts or anyone else in the Prime Minister's Office might have done to push Wilson-Raybould on SNC-Lavalin when she was attorney general and had a say over the charges the company faces. WILSON-RAYBOULD SUPPORTED BY MANY RIDING RESIDENTS Community leaders in MP Jody Wilson-Raybould's Vancouver Granville riding say they're disappointed she's no longer in cabinet, but they respect her decision to resign. Reverend Steven Epperson says many members of his Unitarian Church of Vancouver are more left-wing than the governing Liberals, but they deeply admire Wilson-Raybould. He says they think what's happened is a tragedy and they hope she remains in politics and continues to represent the riding as an MP. Wilson-Raybould resigned from cabinet last week amid allegations the Prime Minister's Office pressured her when she was attorney general to drop criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin. PRO-PIPELINE PROTEST CONVOY NEARING OTTAWA A convoy of angry Albertans and other westerners rolls into Ottawa today for a mass protest against federal energy and environmental policies that has also become a magnet for extremist, anti-immigrant elements. A couple of hundred vehicles are expected on Parliament Hill as part of the United We Roll convoy, which began in Red Deer, Alta., on Thursday and made its way east over four days with stops for rallies along the way. The protesters want the Liberal government to scrap the carbon tax and two bills that overhaul environmental assessments of energy projects and ban oil tankers from the northern coast of British Columbia. MAN SEEKS PAROLE IN MANSLAUGHTER OF WIFE A man who strangled his wife and concealed her body in the family home after enduring what he described as years of domestic abuse is scheduled for his first parole hearing today. Allan Shyback was convicted in 2017 of manslaughter and indignity to a body in the 2012 death of Lisa Mitchell in the Calgary home they shared with their children. His original seven-year prison term was appealed and last October the Alberta Court of Appeal added an additional three years to the sentence, saying that the judge made sentencing errors. Shyback has been in custody since 2014. ALSO IN THE NEWS: Lawyers are expected to be in a Toronto court today arguing for a new trial for Raed Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier. The two men convicted of plotting to derail a passenger train. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley will provide an update today on the crude-by-rail negotiations. A coroner's inquest is held into the death of Gurwinder Singh Mann, who was injured in 2013 in the custody of Correctional Services Canada. TORONTO - An arbitrator has awarded Ontario doctors a new contract in a ruling that puts no hard cap on the physician services budget, a decision that comes after a years-long fracture in doctors' relationship with the government. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - An arbitrator has awarded Ontario doctors a new contract in a ruling that puts no hard cap on the physician services budget, a decision that comes after a years-long fracture in doctors' relationship with the government. Placing such a restriction on payments to doctors for publicly insured services would be unfair, arbitrator William Kaplan wrote in the decision released Tuesday. "No other Canadian jurisdiction enforces a hard cap (caps in New Brunswick and Quebec are not applied)," he wrote. "If the ministry wishes to limit the insured physician services patients receive, it can readily do so. What it cannot do is achieve this outcome by requiring Ontario doctors to subsidize public services. That would be the direct result of the imposition of a hard cap." The physician services budget is currently over $12 billion, and the government will now be responsible for its growth at a time when it is working to eliminate a $13.5-billion deficit. "Our government respects the decision of the Arbitration Board, and believes that the award is workable," Health Minister Christine Elliott said in a statement. "As negotiations were initiated and subsequently deteriorated under the previous Liberal government, we inherited an unfortunate situation regarding Ontario's relationship with doctors that was unproductive for both parties." The previous Liberal government angered doctors by imposing fee cuts for some services and clawing back their pay, and the arbitration came after years of trying for a negotiated settlement. In arguing for a hard cap on the physician services budget, the government had said doctors were, on average, working less and seeing fewer patients but billing more which the Ontario Medical Association rejected. The group welcomed the agreement Tuesday, saying it will bring stability to the relationship between doctors and the government. "The biggest takeaway from this decision is that neither side got everything they wanted," said OMA President Nadia Alam. "But the decision is fair, it is independent and most importantly it is a middle ground." Alam said the arbitrator's decision acknowledged that with an aging and growing population there will be more demand for services. "What that means for patients is that every single physician service is fully funded by the government," she said. In his ruling, Kaplan wrote that there is evidence that less than four per cent of Ontario's family doctors are responsible for ordering nearly 40 per cent of tests considered to be low value, which he said is worth investigating. To that end, a working group will be established to look into restricting inappropriate or overused physician services or payments to try to find $100 million "in changes" for the period of June 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020. For the next year it is to find a further $360 million. This decision awards a four-year contract including fee increases of an average of one per cent over the contract, to March 31, 2021. Kaplan noted that the last increase to physician compensation was in 2011. Doctors agreed to a 0.5 per cent fee reduction in 2012, but in 2015 the government imposed unilateral cuts of almost four per cent on fee for service and 2.65 per cent on non-fee for service. The OMA sought redress for those cuts and others, which it estimated meant a $700 million hit to physician incomes. The ruling rejects a government request for fee reductions specific to ophthalmology and cardiology. It also establishes a primary care working group. MONTREAL - The murder trial of a Montreal man for the death of his Alzheimer's-stricken wife neared its end Tuesday as lawyers made their final arguments ahead of jury deliberations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Michel Cadotte, accused of murder in the 2017 death of his ailing wife in what has been described as a mercy killing, leaves a the courtroom in Montreal on Wednesday, February 13, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson MONTREAL - The murder trial of a Montreal man for the death of his Alzheimer's-stricken wife neared its end Tuesday as lawyers made their final arguments ahead of jury deliberations. Michel Cadotte's lawyer implored jurors to consider the lesser charge of manslaughter while the prosecution argued the criteria for second-degree murder had been met. Cadotte, 57, is charged in the killing of his wife of 19 years, Jocelyne Lizotte, who was suffocated with a pillow at a Montreal long-term care home on Feb. 20, 2017. Lizotte, 60, was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease. Cadotte had been told about a year before the slaying that his wife did not qualify for a medically assisted death because she couldn't consent and was not considered to be at the end of her life. Defence lawyer Elfriede Duclervil told jurors to consider the evidence of the years of suffering and isolation that left Cadotte exhausted, depressed and unable to formulate the intent necessary for a second-degree murder conviction. "For a brief moment, he lost control," she said. "He wanted Jocelyne's suffering to stop but he did not want her to die. He just wanted her to stop suffering." Cadotte's lawyer painted a picture of a man worn down by nine years of trying to care for his wife, who was stricken with Alzheimer's at a very young age, depriving her of her autonomy and the ability to interact with loved ones. Duclervil told jurors that Cadotte and Lizotte suffered through "hell," and Cadotte did what he could as he watched the neurodegenerative disease ravage his wife. Years of caring for her took their toll to the point where he acted impulsively on the day of her death, his lawyer said. The prosecution reminded jurors that second-degree murder is not planned or premeditated, and not a lot of thought needs to be given before the slaying. Genevieve Langlois told jurors their task will be to focus on what Cadotte was thinking that day, noting the questions of who killed Lizotte and how it was done are not contested. "The only question you have to ask yourself is, at the moment that Mr. Cadotte put the pillow on Mrs. Lizotte's face, did he intend to cause her death?" Langlois said. Defence experts testified that Cadotte was suffering from a major depression and was disturbed, but Langlois countered that the depression diagnosis put forth by the defence experts is purely hypothetical. "I submit that the evidence presented before you shows that Mr. Cadotte made many decisions, and we suggest that he very likely made the wrong one at the moment he chose to take the life of Mrs. Lizotte," Langlois said. She also noted that he didn't try to revive Lizotte which he told the court he had training to do. If it was impulsive, why did Cadotte not try to revive her, Langlois asked. The minimum sentence for a second-degree murder conviction is life in prison with no parole for 10 years. There is no minimum sentence for manslaughter, except in cases when a firearm is used and the minimum is four years in prison. The jury, which began hearing the case in mid-January, is expected to be sequestered Wednesday after final instructions from Superior Court Justice Helene Di Salvo. EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says the province is spending $3.7 billion to move landlocked oil to market by rail and it isn't counting on Ottawa to pitch in. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley speaks during an announcement in Edmonton on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Rachel Notley says the province is spending $3.7 billion to move landlocked oil to market by rail and it isn't counting on Ottawa to pitch in. "We must take action today to provide more relief to our energy workers and the families who rely on these good jobs across this province and this country," she said Tuesday. "Albertans don't just stand by. We take action." Notley said the best long-term solution is for new pipeline capacity to coastal ports, which would enable Alberta crude to be sold to overseas markets and ensure the best price. Investing in rail is a medium-term stop-gap as pipeline projects such as the Trans Mountain expansion to the West Coast remain in limbo, she said. The province aims to move up to 120,00 barrels of oil per day by rail by 2020 under deals with Canada's two major railways, Canadian Pacific and Canadian National. Initial daily shipments of 20,000 barrels are expected to begin as early as July. Alberta is leasing 4,400 railway cars more than three-quarters new and the rest retrofitted. It initially thought it would need 7,000 cars, but was able to lower that number because it found better routes to market. Shipments of grain should not be disrupted by increased oil traffic on the railroads, Notley said. When the premier first floated the oil-by-rail idea last fall, she urged the federal government to come on board. She said Tuesday she's not happy there has been no firm response, especially since an uplift in Alberta crude prices would boost Ottawa's revenues, too. "We're not going to stop putting it to the federal government that they should be at the table, but we're not going to wait on them either." The province estimates its rail plan will lead to a $5.9-billion increase in commercial, royalty and tax revenue for a net gain of $2.2 billion. It also expects the plan will mean the discount for Western Canadian heavy oil versus U.S. light crude will shrink by US$4 a barrel from early 2020 to late 2021. Last fall, the price gap exceeded US$50 at times, prompting Alberta to impose mandatory production cuts as a short-term measure to staunch the bleeding. The production cap was eased earlier this year, and Notley said Tuesday that it shouldn't stay in place any longer than necessary. Oil brokerage Net Energy Exchange indicates the heavy oil discount is now at US$14.50. Notley said she expects many of the leased railcars to be painted with Alberta's logo, but details still need to be worked out. The plan calls for the provincial government to buy oil from Alberta producers and then sell it wherever is most lucrative, though those details have yet to be worked out. Currently the U.S. Gulf Coast, home to numerous refineries well-suited for Canadian heavy crude, is an attractive destination because heavy oil shipments from Venezuela are declining, provincial officials said. The NDP government announced the multibillion-dollar, three-year investment despite the possibility an election could be called any day. "We plan to be government after the next election, but regardless we plan to ensure that outside of election cycles, the best interest of Albertans are taken care of," Notley said. Opposition Leader Jason Kenney said if his United Conservative Party forms the next government, it will rigorously review all deals signed during the legal campaign period to make sure they were done in good faith, are in the best interests of Albertans and are a good use of taxpayers' money. He said the NDP government is committing taxpayer money to an investment that the private sector has indicated it would be willing to take on itself, given the right conditions. "This is government-by-improvisation and I think it exposes us taxpayers to serious risk by a government trying to spend like drunken sailors while they're probably on their way out the door." By Lauren Krugel in Calgary OTTAWA - Americans are complaining about the pain caused by Ottawa's retaliation against the Trump administration's steel and aluminum tariffs, Canada's ambassador to the United States says. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Canada's Ambassador to the Unitied States David MacNaughton attends a business luncheon in Montreal, Wednesday, November 16, 2016. MacNaughton says he's hearing complaints from some Americans about the pain caused by Ottawa's retaliation against the Trump administration's steel and aluminum tariffs. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes OTTAWA - Americans are complaining about the pain caused by Ottawa's retaliation against the Trump administration's steel and aluminum tariffs, Canada's ambassador to the United States says. David MacNaughton was referring to Canada's imposition of $16.6 billion in retaliatory tariffs on American imports last year after President Donald Trump used a section of U.S. trade law to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian steel and 10 per cent on aluminum. Mexico was also hit with the U.S. tariffs, and has also imposed its own punitive duties. "Canada and Mexico have done some strategic retaliation, which is causing some anxiety in some important states," MacNaughton said Tuesday at a conference on trade hosted by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute in Ottawa. "I hope we can get the steel and aluminum tariffs off because it's causing huge tensions between our two countries and it's unnecessary." The Canadian "countermeasures" hit products in U.S. states where Trump prevailed to win the presidency in 2016. They targeted a wide range of goods, including ketchup from Pennsylvania, bourbon from Kentucky, orange juice from Florida, toilet paper from Wisconsin and Ohio and panels for circuit breakers and fuses from Michigan. "I saw one of the senators the other day, and he said, 'I'm really concerned about the retaliation; you're hitting some of the products that are grown in my state,' " MacNaughton said. "And I said, 'Oh, that's purely by accident, Senator, we'd never do that deliberately.' " The remark sparked muted laughter among some attendees. MacNaughton said he was optimistic about the possibility about getting the tariffs lifted. He predicted this would inevitably occur the same way Canada overcame its differences with the protectionist Trump administration to get a newly negotiated North American free-trade agreement last fall: by continuing to lobby U.S. lawmakers. MacNaughton recalled being approached by two U.S. senators, a Republican and a Democrat, late last summer to discuss the stalled renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Mexicans had struck their own deal with the U.S. and the clock was ticking on a Sept. 30 deadline imposed by Trump to get a deal with Canada. MacNaughton said it led to him hosting a dinner for 15 U.S. lawmakers. "They heard the word from the administration about what our position was. I was trying to explain to them how we were much more flexible than that that there were some really good things in the negotiations that we were trying to push for," MacNaughton recalled. "I think that they helped at least nudge the administration into a position where they were much more flexible, and much more reasonable in the last three or four weeks of the negotiations. "We're trying to do the same thing right now with steel and aluminum." Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has been pushing the Americans for the alleviation of the so-called Section 232 tariffs, including this past weekend at a major international security summit in Munich, Germany, during meetings with the new U.S. House Speaker, the veteran California Democrat Nancy Pelosi. "We spoke a lot about the (Section) 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum and I explained why Canada is so strongly opposed to them and why Canada believes they must be lifted. We also spoke about the Canadian retaliation and heard that that is indeed having an impact," Freeland told reporters on the weekend from Munich. Freeland also said she pushed the powerful Republican who heads the Senate finance committee, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, during a meeting earlier this month in Washington. "Sen. Grassley has raised in public the notion that the president has used these tariffs as a form of leverage for trade negotiations," said Freeland. "But I did explain to Sen. Grassley the Canadian position that now that we have concluded our trade negotiations with the United States that is all the more reasons why these tariffs ought to be lifted and that this is a very important concern for Canada." MacNaughton said his latest conversations with newly elected Democratic lawmakers lead him to believe that there will be no serious opposition to the new trade agreement in Congress. He said he's confident that "side letters" will ensure the enforcement of labour standards in Mexico, a U.S. priority. "I've spoken to a lot of the Democrats and I know there's an awful lot of things in the news about maybe the agreement's in trouble," he said Tuesday. "I think when it comes to an up-or-down vote, I think Congress will pass it." Kathmandu, Nepal: Senior-most Justice Deepak Raj Joshee has tendered his resignation to the President through Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana on Tuesday. Senior justice Joshee was not only assigned any case but also removed from the position of senior most Justice. However he has not mentioned anything despite the personal reason in the resignation letter, states a source at the Supreme Court. Though Joshee was the senior justice at the Supreme Court, Parliamentary Hearing Committee had rejected his nomination through voting process. He was alleged for failing to give satisfactory answers to the questions raised by the lawmakers about his demeanor, honesty and capability. VANCOUVER - Former federal Conservative party cabinet minister Maxime Bernier may have to find a new name for his fledgling People's Party of Canada, if a British Columbia businessman wins two lawsuits filed in Federal Court. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier speaks during a candidate nomination event for the upcoming federal byelection in the riding of Outremont in Montreal, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019. Former federal Conservative party cabinet minister Maxime Bernier may have to find a new name for his fledgling People's Party of Canada, if a British Columbia businessman wins two lawsuits filed in Federal Court. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes VANCOUVER - Former federal Conservative party cabinet minister Maxime Bernier may have to find a new name for his fledgling People's Party of Canada, if a British Columbia businessman wins two lawsuits filed in Federal Court. Elections Canada shows the People's Party of Canada was officially registered on Jan. 17, and Bernier is its leader, but Abbotsford, B.C., resident Satinder Singh Dhillon claims to own the copyright and registered trademark to the name, and wants Bernier to quit using it. Dhillon says in a news release that he filed his Elections Canada application for the name weeks before Bernier did, and a media story shows he discussed the People's Party name as early as 2015. Dhillon's Federal Court action asks for an injunction preventing Bernier from using the party name during the upcoming federal byelection in Burnaby South, and he wants a review of the process used by Elections Canada to grant Bernier use of the name. He has also launched a copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit against Bernier and the other People's Party of Canada. Dhillon says the decision by Bernier's party to run a candidate in next week's Burnaby byelection forced him to take the legal action. "The byelection underway in Burnaby is the first time the other party using our name has put forward a candidate, so it was critical we file for an injunction to show Mr. Bernier and anyone in his party that we are serious," Dhillon says in the news release. The chief agent for Dhillon's People's Party sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bernier's party, but Dhillon says the letter was ignored. "We are asking the courts to stop them from improperly using a party name which rightfully belongs to us before further damage is done in this byelection or any election," he says. The news release says Dhillon filed the party name with Elections Canada on Sept. 25, 2018, weeks before Bernier made the same application. However, Dhillon says supporting documents had to be filed by mail and a postal strike impeded that paperwork. Christian Roy, chief agent with Bernier's People's Party, says a lawyer is handling the matter but the party has been assured by Elections Canada that it can use the name. The executive director of Bernier's party was not immediately available for comment. Dhillon's applications to Federal Court were filed separately in Vancouver less than a week ago and no dates have been set for hearings. A Roblin family is donating a major piece of land in memory of their loved one who died nearly three years ago. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/2/2019 (858 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Jim Mickelson announces a 418-acre land donation near Riding Mountain National Park on behalf of his family, during a conference at The Forks in Winnipeg on Monday. (Winnipeg Free Press) A Roblin family is donating a major piece of land in memory of their loved one who died nearly three years ago. Bob Mickelson was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed riding horses on his property, brother Jim Mickelson said. Bob's family has decided to donate their 418-acre piece of land near Riding Mountain National Park to the Nature Conservancy of Canada to preserve it. Jim said this donation is what his brother would have wanted. Bob Mickelson "He loved animals, loved the outdoors and we thought that would be a fitting tribute to his memory." Jim said family has been living in the Roblin area for the past century and wanted to use the opportunity as a way to give back to the community. His brother died in a car accident nearly three years ago, he said, and would have wanted the forests, grasslands and lake protected for the future. "I think he certainly enjoyed that land for more than 30 years. ... It remained very much the way it was when he bought it and for him to know that it was going to remain that way would make him happy." The piece of land has a lake in the southwest corner, which Jim said is one of his favourite parts of the property. The area doesnt get very much wind, so it remains glass-like and peaceful nearly year round. Its uncommon for a family to make such a large donation to the organization NCC natural area co-ordinator Tim Gomp said. The property will be added to other land the NCC owns near Riding Mountain National Park, to help preserve its natural state. Gompf said it will be protected from being developed or used for intensive agriculture. Bob Mickelson rented parts of the land to a local cattle farmer for grazing before he passed away, which Gompf said the NCC will continue to do. The grassland benefited over thousands of years from being grazed by bison or elk and he said continuing this practice is the best thing for the land. "(Grasslands have) evolved to be grazed over the years. Seeing as there's no big herds of bison running around like there used to be on the prairies, cattle are the next best thing for us right now." The property is also ecologically significant due to the diverse habitats within it, Gompf said, which are home to many species of birds, mammals and frogs. The NCC is also getting funding from the federal government and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help manage the large piece of land. Jim said the family hopes the donation will help keep the memory of their departed loved one for years to come. "Its a nice memory from a family perceptive. Whenever were out there we drive by it and we know its going to be a memory of Bob in perpetuity." dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ A train derailment near St. Lazare this past weekend has fuelled calls for more pipelines to haul crude oil across Manitoba and beyond. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/2/2019 (860 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us A train derailment Saturday near St. Lazare that leaked crude oil has fuelled calls to build more pipelines. (Photo by Eyan Corr) A train derailment near St. Lazare this past weekend has fuelled calls for more pipelines to haul crude oil across Manitoba and beyond. "I dont know why theyre not putting it (crude oil) through pipelines," said Barry Lowes, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Ellice-Archie, which includes St. Lazare. "The railway guys do their best but, you know, youre going to have trains, youre going to have derailments," Lowes said. "Its just a matter of where its going to be." Trains on the main line go through towns every 45 minutes, Lowes added. "I dont know what they all carry. It could have been lumber, it could have been anything. Its just this time, unfortunately, it was oil." Thirty-seven CN rail cars carrying crude derailed near St. Lazare, about 160 kilometres northwest of Brandon, early Saturday morning, causing a partial leak of oil onto area cattle rancher Jayme Corr's pasture. There were no reports of injuries or fire. Corr said Saturday he and his family were placed on an evacuation notice around 5 a.m., but did not have to leave in the end. Corr owns the land where the derailment occurred, about 10 km south of St. Lazare. "We could smell it (oil) in the air when we went outside," Corr said. The cars derailed on his pasture close to a lagoon where his cattle would be drinking water later in the year. Fortunately, he said, the water is still frozen and the cleanup crews should be able to make it safe long before the thaw. "It would be worse if it was summertime, too." Glen Carritt, an organizer of United We Roll! Convoy for Canada, said Sunday the derailment again shows that pipelines are the best way to move oil. "The safest way to move oil is through pipelines, the most environmentally friendly and the safest way," Carritt said in a telephone interview as the convoy, which started in Red Deer, Alta., last Thursday, makes its way to Ottawa today. He added a leak from a pipeline has never killed anyone, unlike some train derailments. His group is centred on a number of issues, including the need for pipelines to move product to the world market, calls to repeal Bill C-48 regarding an oil-tanker ban and Bill C-69, which enforces regulations on future pipelines. Coincidentally, a pro-oil pipeline rally was held in Moosomin, Sask., only hours after Saturdays train derailment at St. Lazare, said Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen (Midland). "No matter where you stand on the issue of crude oil, pipelines are the safest method to move oil," Pedersen said Sunday. "We need to get these pipelines built." Hundreds of people attended the rally just across the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border, including Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer, Conservative Party Sen. Denise Batters, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs as well as numerous politicians from both Manitoba and Saskatchewan. A request by The Sun for an interview with a member of the federal Liberal government on Sunday went unanswered. CN media relations director Jonathan Abecassis said in an emailed statement Sunday CNs environmental experts have begun the cleanup of (Saturday) mornings derailment near St. Lazare. "Several of the cars were leaking, but the product has been contained and has not entered the Assiniboine River," Abecassis said. On Monday, they reaffirmed that none of the product had reached the river system. Further, they issued an apology for "the inconveniences caused by our unfortunate derailment and would like to thank the first responders who attended the derailment site." CN executive vice president Sean Finn spoke directly with Corr to discuss how to best remedy damages stemming from the derailment, and affirmed their commitment to working with him and his family in the coming days. The cause of this incident is under investigation. "CN apologizes for any inconvenience this incident has caused to the community and would like to thank the first responders who attended the derailment site," he said. This isnt the first time St. Lazare has been hit with a train derailment. On July 9, 1991, more than 400 people were evacuated near the community after a train derailed, unleashing potentially lethal fumes, The Brandon Sun reported at the time. Twenty-five cars of an 80-car train left the tracks, spilling acetic anhydride. Within minutes, a strong "vinegar smell" wafted over the village. brobertson@brandonsun.com Twitter: @BudRobertson4 ISLAMABAD: Pakistans foreign minister appealed to the UN Secretary General on Tuesday to help ease tension with India that has escalated sharply following a suicide bomb attack in the Indian part of disputed Kashmir, that India blamed on Pakistan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, facing an election by May, has warned Pakistan to expect a strong response to the bombing claimed by a Pakistan-linked militant group, raising fears of conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Pakistan PM warns India against attack, urges talks on Kashmir blast It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi wrote to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions, he wrote, blaming India for deliberately ratcheting up its hostile rhetoric for domestic political reasons. The Pakistani appeal follows days of rising tension between the old rivals after a suicide bomber blew himself up near an Indian police convoy in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Thursday, killing at least 40 paramilitary police. Jaish-e Mohammad, a militant group said to be based in Pakistan which wants the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to be part of Pakistan, claimed responsibility but the Pakistani government has denied any involvement. Attributing it to Pakistan even before investigations is absurd, Qureshi said. India must be asked to conduct an open and credible investigation on Pulwama incident, he said. Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir, a former princely state on the border between India and Pakistan, has been in dispute since the partition of India in 1947. Control is split between the two countries but each claims the region in full. The neighbours have fought three wars since 1947, two of them over Kashmir. They have fought countless skirmishes along their de facto border, which the United Nations monitors, in the Himalayan region. South Africa: Innovate or get left behind, postal sector warned With technological advancements driving up the demand for improved service, the continent's postal services sector is going to have to come up with ground-breaking innovations to compete with the best if it wants to remain a relevant player in the digital age. Various role players in the sector have convened in eThekwini for the three-day Southern Africa Postal Operators Association (SAPOA) Forum, which is being held under the theme 'Leadership, innovation and value-creation. The gathering promises to be a platform for the exploration of new frontiers that will reshape the postal industry, transform customer engagement and e-commerce for postal logistics. South Africa's Communications Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana on Tuesday reminded delegates at the forum that if ever there was a time for complacency in the postal industry, it was now over as the 4th Industrial Revolution demanded so much more. Innovation, the Deputy Minister said, is the order of the new era and one of the few sure-fire ways to build the economies that power up Africa. [Innovation] is a never ending task, and it is not for the complacent, Kekana said. She said there has never been a better time for the sector to build itself up through unity and collaboration. Kekana said the continent must collectively focus on the future and seize the opportunities that have been identified through the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and fora such as SAPOA to help post offices deliver e-commerce, financial services and other new services that can benefit from the infrastructure of the postal network. Kekana said South Africa has a responsibility to ensure that postal operators in developing countries can participate meaningfully in international postal business and that the international postal system remains viable throughout the continent. Kekana encouraged the sector to embrace changes in technology. We have seen the rise of e-commerce changing the way post is done and also introducing new competitors in ways that we could not have imagined. These changes call for postal services to be able to adapt to the new world. We have also seen that the monopolies held by postal offices have crumbled spectacularly and true to form, technology has been a great equaliser, the Deputy Minister said. She said post offices must use their infrastructure and reach, which is still unparalleled by private competitors, to their advantage. The question is, how do we use this infrastructure to modernise and compete with new entrants in the market? How do we ensure that an order from Lilongwe reaches a citizen in Lusikisiki within a reasonable time and at reasonable rates? In South Africa's case, Kekana acknowledged the challenges encountered by SAPO [South African Post Office] in the past and the legacy thereof, which is still present today. However, she said government is not resting on its laurels. Rest assured that the leadership of SAPO is working hard to take SAPO to new heights of efficiency and co-operation. I am aware that there is a critical debate in UPU concerning the issue of remuneration. Some countries have argued that they cannot afford to deliver some of the mail they receive from overseas at the prevailing terminal due rates. It is important that postal operators are able to cover their costs. However, it is equally important that whatever outcome is agreed upon does not create a situation that will make UPU postal operators uncompetitive in potentially profitable market segments. Our postal operators must ensure that they are competitive, Kekana said. Taking control of change Festus Hangula, from the SAPOA management board, said change within the postal services space is much needed, and it is inevitable. If we dont change, we will disappear as an institution, as we will become irrelevant. As we look around and see that our customers are changing the way they are behaving, we should do the same and follow suite. In fact, we should lead so that we go where we believe the future is brighter for all of us, Hangula said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. PAKISTAN is ready to help India investigate the suicide bomb attack in Kashmir, but will retaliate if Delhi attacks, prime minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday (19). Pakistan wont just think to retaliate. Pakistan will retaliate, Khan said in a nationally televised address. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack on February 14 that killed at least 41 Indian paramilitary soldiers. The Pakistani government has denied any link to the blast, which has escalated tension between the two countries. Khan said if any militant group was using Pakistani soil to launch attacks, its enmity is with us. This is against our interest. Just minutes after the address, Khans official Instagram account posted a picture of the prime minister scowling and cross-armed along with a message that read: Dont mess with my country. Indias prime minister Narendra Modi is under pressure to exact revenge, and has accused Islamabad of harbouring the militants. He has vowed that terrorist groups and their masters will pay a heavy price. In light of the deteriorating security situation, Pakistan on Tuesday appealed to the United Nations to intervene to ease tension between the two nations. Attributing it to Pakistan even before investigations is absurd, Pakistans foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in a letter to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres. It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India, he said. Qureshi also said India was threatening to abandon a vital water treaty. It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions, wrote Qureshi. Meanwhile, Indias top military commander in Kashmir, Lieutenant-General KJS Dhillon, accused Pakistans spy agency ISI of controlling last Thursdays attack. He also urged mothers to get their militant sons to surrender or see them dead. I would request all the mothers in Kashmir to please request their sons who have joined terrorism to surrender and get back to the mainstream, Dhillon told reporters in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir state. Otherwise anyone who has picked up the gun will be killed. Indian forces on Monday (18) killed three militants, including the suspected organiser of the bombing, in a 17-hour military operation. Dhillon said one of the militants killed was from Indian Kashmir while the other two were from Pakistan. It was being controlled from across by ISI and Pakistan and JeM commanders, Dhillon said of the bomb attack. Guwahati: Security forces had apprehended a hardcore militant of banned NSCN (K) in Nagalands Mon district. Based on specific input regarding presence of a NSCN (K) militant, the Mon battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) had launched operation at Mon town and apprehended the militant. The nabbed militant was identified as Peter Konyak and security personnel had recovered one point 22mm pistol, two rounds live ammunition. The apprehendee was handed over to Mon police station for further investigation. (By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati) Russian programmer convicted of calls for mass riots flickr.com/ Moscow-Live.ru 14:21 19/02/2019 MOSCOW, February 19 (RAPSI) Programmer Vladislav Kuleshov has been sentenced to a 1.5-year supervised release for calls for mass riots in Moscow, RAPSI has learnt in a court in Russias Stavropol. Earlier, there was another defendant in this case, ex-teacher of mathematics Dmitry Bogatov. For right now, he is cleared of all charges. Investigators claimed that on March 29, 2017, a person hiding identity behind a pseudonym published texts calling for radically extremist actions. Law enforcement agencies involved in the case said that it was Bogatov, who published calls for mass riots using special computer programs. However, a later computer examination failed to produce evidence that Bogatov called for terrorism and extremism. Attorney Sarkis Darbinyan told RAPSI that experts examined Bogatovs electronic devices and did not find any illegal materials there. Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION Richard Hanners is a reporter for the Blue Mountain Eagle. He can be contacted at rick@bmeagle.com or 541-575-0710. Ghanas mining sector realised GHC1,588,837,00.47 revenue in 2016, the Ghana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GHEITI) report has revealed. Mineral royalty made the highest contribution of GHC524, 878,885.48, a representation of 35.25 percent in the total revenue generated within the period. The report indicates gold exports amounted to US$4,345.2 million, as compared to the US$3,212.6 million recorded in 2015, and the rise in gold receipt was on account of both price and volume increases. Mr Kwaku Boa-Amponsem, Managing Partner of Messrs Boas & Associate, who presented the report said the average realised price increased by 10 percent to settle at US$1,280 per fine ounce, while the volume exported also increased by 39.2 percent to US$3,843,446 fine ounces. Speaking at stakeholders engagement and dissemination workshop on the 2016 GHEITI reports on oil and gas, and mining sector held at Abesim, near Sunyani, Mr Boa-Amponsem said the Ghana Manganese Company shipped 2,018,254 tonnes of manganese in 2016. This, according to him translated into a growth rate of 57 percent relative to the outturn of 1,288,624 tonnes in the previous year. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning with support from the GOGIG organised the workshop, attended by Municipal and District Chief Executives, financial officers and Coordinating Directors drawn from the Municipal and District Assemblies in the region. Mr Boa-Amposem explained that value of crude oil exported was estimated at US$1.345.2 million as compared to the US$1,931.3 million exported in 2015, a decrease by 19.9 percent to 29,769,048 barrels in 2016, adding, average realised price of oil also decreased by 3 percent to US$45.2 per barrel. Purchases and exports of gold by the Precious Minerals and Marketing Company (PMMC) increased significantly from 267,662 ounces in 2015 to 1,570,029 ounces in 2016, he said. Total small scale production of diamonds was 141,530.14 carts valued at US$4,305,483 with exports totalling 143,005.16 yielding an average of US$34.48 per carat of diamonds. Export from timber products also increased from US$209 million in 2015 to a provisional estimate of US$254.3 million, reflecting a 21.8 percent increase, whilst the average realised price increased from US$568.7 per cubic meter to US$644 per cubic meter. The volume exports, which is made up of non-traditional exports and other minerals bauxite, diamond and manganese was estimated at US$2,046.1 million, which was 9.0 percent lower than the 2015 outrun. Source: GNA 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 Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. SIGN UP TO GET BLACKLISTED NEWS DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Enter your email address: The former Ambassador of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the United Kingdom Ambassador Victor Smith has pleaded with authority to check the mental status of the former HIV ambassador before things turnout worse. According to him what Dizdzor Mensah did in Germany is unfortunate, rating it as a senseless video which needs not to be taken serious by any rightful thinking person. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he maintained that "what Dzidor Mensah did, doesnt make sense at all and therefore her mental state needs to be properly checked". He also asked the general public to disregard the dupty Information Minister Pious Enam Hadzide's earlier accusation that NDC is in bed with Dzidzor Mensah. "I have several pictures with Joyce because of my former position as an ambassador so can you also say I have an affair with her . . . no let's look at the situation before it gets out of hand, he stressed. He therefore calls on the government to sit up because Ghanaians are suffering. Former Ghana HIV/AIDS ambassador, Joyce Dzidzor Mensah has been spotted in a new video begging for 100 million dollars to help build a church (national cathedral) in a Ghana. In the video, Joyce Dzidzor Mensah was travelling in a train abroad with some white people and begging them to donate money to help Ghana build its national cathedral. According to her, Ghana has a lot of problems so they want to build a church to invite Jesus to come and help solve the numerous problems. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[email protected] 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 NEWSWATCH: Celebrated fashion designer and Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85. The cause of death has not yet been released. Image credit: Stephane Feugere via Dezeen RIP to an icon, a legend, a visionary. Karl Lagerfeld. pic.twitter.com/doqNNpUK2J femme fatale (@eliesaaab) February 19, 2019 LOOK: Some of the most iconic moments of Karl Lagerfeld throughout his career pic.twitter.com/O6HDhrdiYJ TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) February 19, 2019 German-born Lagerfeld began his career as an assistant to Pierre Balmain in 1955. He also served as the creative director of the Italian fur and leather goods fashion company Fendi and his own eponymous fashion label.But it was his role as artistic director for luxury fashion house Chanel that cemented his status as a visionary. Lagerfeld held his role at Chanel for a record-breaking 36 years, and he's credited with turning the label into one of the most profitable and admired luxury brands in the world.Known for his slick white hair, black sunglasses and gloves, Lagerfeld died in Paris following rumours of ill health.The designer was a no-show at Chanel's haute couture shows during Paris Fashion Week. The company later said that Lagerfeld had skipped out because he was tired, however his absence fueled speculation about his health, reports IOL . This was the first time he had ever missed giving a bow at the end of a Chanel catwalk show.In addition to his design talents, Lagerfeld was a photographer and filmmaker, and he shot and creatively directed all of Chanels advertising. According to, he also designed hotel rooms, video games, motorcycle helmets, a BMW, and a cosmetics range inspired by his also-famous cat, Choupette, and directed an ad campaign for Magnum ice cream bars that featured a life size sculpture of model Baptiste Giabiconi rendered in chocolate.In 2017, he was awarded Paris highest honor, La Medaille Grand Vermeil de la Ville, on top of many other accolades, including the Outstanding Achievement Award at the British Fashion Awards in 2015 and the Couture Council Fashion Visionary Award in 2010. OFM News in partnership with the Bloemfontein Raadzaal Rotary Club, Free State Department of Education, Albany Bakeries, Transnet and Immanuel Fellowship Centre, on Friday 15 February 2019 handed over a container library for learners at Rutanang Primary School in Bloemfontein. This project was initiated by OFM News and Rotary Club #ForTheLoveOfBooks with the intention to collect as many books as possible for children of Central South Africa. Last year around October/November the Roderick Jacobs from the Rotary Club of Bloemfontein-Raadzaal contacted OFM News Manager Cathy Dlodlo about the plight of Katamelo Intermediate School in Botshabelo. The school had a library, but needed books. The Rotary Club then challenged OFM to see who can get the most books. OFM then started the campaign #ForTheLoveOFBooks on social media platforms. OFM, Bloemfontein Courant, shoppers at PicknPay Showgrounds, social media followers pitch in - but nothing could top the University of the Free State. So, when Free State Education MEC Tate Makgoe heard about the campaign, he decided to join in too, other stake holders such as Albany Bakeries, Transnet and Immanuel Fellowship Centre joined hands and made this an auspicious occasion to inculcate the culture of reading among primary school learners.Says Cathy Dlodlo OFM News Manager: I have to tell you that this is the second school where we starting a different kind of project where OFM News is involved... What we did is that we provided the organisers with access to our news and social media platforms so that members of the Bloemfontein community would be able to find out about it and contribute to it. The MEC had the bright idea and we simply made it happen. We are proud to have been a part of something as great as this and hope that you will remember this initiative for years to come and you grow a love for reading and books.Says Dr Makgoe: I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that was a part of this project. Id like to thank all the stakeholders, from OFM, Transnet, Rotary Club and Albany Bakeries. I hope that well take care of these libraries and consider them as an investment for future generations to come as we produce more leaders form this school.The school learners received a truck of bread form Albany Bakeries, a box full of fiction and non-fictional books from OFM and other stakeholders, as well as a small treat putting a smile on their face. South Africa's preeminent design, architecture and interiors magazine, VISI, is celebrating 100 issues. First launched as an annual in 1998, the February/March 2019 edition marks a tremendous milestone for this highly regarded publication that has consistently recognised and supported local creativity and been awarded for its thought-leading, boundary-pushing approach. Fans ofhave long been collecting the magazine, but at 356 pages, the bumper 100issue promises to be a collectors edition of note. With100, we have chosen to look to the future and not to the past, saysEditor-in-Chief Sumien Brink. We challenge you to re-enVISIon your world because, after a 100 issues, we can confidently say that design is at the forefront of how we live, work and connect.This edition of South Africas most beautiful magazine will feature 10 magnificent spaces in Southern Africa that, according to Sumien, totally reflect the modern African aesthetic. The supersized Reasons section is a combination of people who have supportedand whohas recognised right from the start, as well as some exciting new creatives who are shaping the future of design both in Africa and the world.100 is currently on shelves for R75 incl VAT.The brand is available online here:Web: https://www.visi.co.za Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visi_mag/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISImag Twitter: https://twitter.com/VISI_Mag Pinterest: https://za.pinterest.com/visimag/ In early 2018, Abbott deployed an AI assistant for its field force Abbott, in association with SmartBots AI, has successfully launched an innovative new virtual assistant to support and engage their pan-India sales force and her name is Maya. In early 2018, Abbott deployed an AI assistant for its field force. Abbotts Pharmaceuticals Division initiated a pilot by getting around 3,000 sales employees to start engaging with Maya for their day to day queries. Maya acts as a personal assistant to the employee, providing sales operations support and keeping them ready for the day, providing access to contextual information at their fingertips. She is their virtual assistant while they are in the field meeting doctors. With Maya handling the nitty-gritties of querying and fetching information from enterprise applications, an employee can focus on the crucial aspects of his role and leave the spadework to Maya. Deepak Chembath, Director Business Effectiveness, Abbott India said, "While Maya started as a chat BOT answering redundant questions, over a period of time the scope of Maya grew. With integration across enterprise systems and self-learning (machine learning) from usage, Maya makes it simple for the field force to access critical business insights. With most commercial chatbots, failures are not handled well but with Maya, any unanswered query gets logged as a ticket with our employee helpdesk. The unique differentiator is that Maya gets continuously trained on failed questions and is able to answer such questions going forward, thus making it an intuitive technology. Developed by SmartBots AI, and powered by Amazons LeX technology, Maya uses a voice or chat interface to communicate with employees in simple natural language, and provides them the assistance they need. She acts as a facilitator, helping employees to tap into an enterprise knowledge base (like SalesForce or Tableau) through familiar, easy-to-use communication channels. Since launch, Maya has addressed close to 12,000 queries. Currently, 32% of the monthly queries raised by Abbott reps are now being answered by Maya with a 74% success rate. Medical representatives can also check their execution parameters, expense reimbursement status, plan for the day and leave balance on Maya leading to increased satisfaction. Narsimha Rao Polisetty, Founder of SmartBots said, We designed Maya to evolve with every single conversation. She has supervised machine learning capabilities that help flag any unexpected behavior. Our objective is to provide a platform where companies can build and manage their own bots, depending on their employees specific needs. We can deploy bots across multiple channels, like Skype or Alexa, and can be used by anyone who wants business insights right at their fingertips. Having tested Mayas capabilities with the Sales team, Abbott has deployed this virtual assistant to more than 8,000 employees and plans to use the SmartBots AI platform to build bots for several other departments. Ms. Wolfson is responsible for leading information technology, data informatics and digital solutions for Quest Diagnostics. Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services has announced that Gabrielle Wolfson, a veteran information technology business leader, has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Information and Digital Officer. She reports directly to Steve Rusckowski, Chairman, President and CEO, and is based at the company's headquarters in Secaucus, N.J. Ms. Wolfson is responsible for leading information technology, data informatics and digital solutions for Quest Diagnostics. These include the company's Quanum suite of healthcare IT solutions and data analytics, myQuest patient mobile app and portal, and digital engagement for the company's 2,200 patient service centers. "Gabrielle is a dynamic business and technology leader with a proven record of harnessing technology and data to create strong businesses and engaged, loyal customers," said Mr. Rusckowski. "She has the vision, experience and business acumen to help Quest improve the way we use technology to create great experiences for consumers, employees, healthcare providers and payers. I'm pleased to welcome Gabrielle to Quest Diagnostics." Ms. Wolfson joins Quest Diagnostics from Xerox Corp. where had she served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) since 2016. At Xerox, she led efforts to drive cost and complexity from the company's technology infrastructure and create a dynamic digital business. Prior to Xerox, Ms. Wolfson was CIO for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, where she led the global digital transformation for the company's reservation, ecommerce and marketing platforms. Also, she is formerly CIO for both Integra Life Sciences and Par Pharmaceutical, and a practice leader for life sciences and pharmaceutical industries for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Wolfson earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Queens College in New York City, and a master's degree in technology management from Columbia University. She is a member of the Governing Body of the Society of Information Management (SIM). Quest Diagnostics is a leader in healthcare information technologies and services. As many as one in two physicians and hospitals, and 675 electronic health record platforms, connect to one or more Quanum solutions in the United States. The company also provides several data analytics and population services based on its more than 44 billion de-identified laboratory tests. Quest Diagnostics is also a founding member of the Synaptic Health Alliance, which explores the use of blockchain technology to improve data quality and sharing. Cell replacement may play an increasing role in alleviating the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) in future. Writing in a special supplement to the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, experts describe how newly developed stem cell technologies could be used to treat the disease and discuss the great promise, as well as the significant challenges, of stem cell treatment. The most common PD treatment today is based on enhancing the activity of the nigro-striatal pathway in the brain with dopamine-modulating therapies, thereby increasing striatal dopamine levels and improving motor impairment associated with the disease. However, this treatment has significant long-term limitations and side effects. Stem cell technologies show promise for treating PD and may play an increasing role in alleviating at least the motor symptoms, if not others, in the decades to come. "We are in desperate need of a better way of helping people with PD. It is on the increase worldwide. There is still no cure, and medications only go part way to fully treat incoordination and movement problems," explained co-authors Claire Henchcliffe, MD, DPhil, from the Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Department of Neurosurgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; and Malin Parmar, PhD, from the Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. "If successful, using stem cells as a source of transplantable dopamine-producing nerve cells could revolutionize care of the PD patient in the future. A single surgery could potentially provide a transplant that would last throughout a patient's lifespan, reducing or altogether avoiding the need for dopamine-based medications." The authors have analyzed how newly developed stem cell technologies could be used to treat PD, and how clinical researchers are moving very quickly to translate this technology to early clinical trials. In the past, most transplantation studies in PD used human cells from aborted embryos. While these transplants could survive and function for many years, there were scientific and ethical issues: fetal cells are in limited supply, and they are highly variable and hard to quality control. Only some patients benefited, and some developed side effects from the grafts, such as uncontrollable movements called dyskinesias. Recent strides in stem cell technology mean that quality, consistency, activity, and safety can be assured, and that it is possible to grow essentially unlimited amounts of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the laboratory for transplantation. This approach is now rapidly moving into initial testing in clinical trials. The choice of starting material has also expanded with the availability of multiple human embryonic stem cell lines, as well as the possibilities for producing induced pluripotent cells, or neuronal cells from a patient's own blood or skin cells. The first systematic clinical transplantation trials using pluripotent stem cells as donor tissue were initiated in Japan in 2018. "We are moving into a very exciting era for stem cell therapy," commented Dr. Parmar. "The first-generation cells are now being trialed and new advances in stem cell biology and genetic engineering promise even better cells and therapies in the future. There is a long road ahead in demonstrating how well stem cell-based reparative therapies will work, and much to understand about what, where, and how to deliver the cells, and to whom. But the massive strides in technology over recent years make it tempting to speculate that cell replacement may play an increasing role in alleviating at least the motor symptoms, if not others, in the decades to come." "With several research groups, including our own centers, quickly moving towards testing of stem cell therapies for PD, there is not only a drive to improve what is possible for our patients, but also a realization that our best chance is harmonizing efforts across groups," added Dr. Henchcliffe. "Right now, we are just talking about the first logical step in using cell therapies in PD. Importantly, it could open the way to being able to engineer the cells to provide superior treatment, possibly using different types of cells to treat different symptoms of PD like movement problems and memory loss." "This approach to brain repair in PD definitely has major potential, and the coming two decades might also see even greater advances in stem cell engineering with stem cells that are tailor-made for specific patients or patient groups," commented Patrik Brundin, MD, PhD, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA, and J. William Langston, MD, Stanford Udall Center, Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA, Editors-in-Chief of the Journal of Parkinson's Disease. "At the same time, there are several biological, practical, and commercial hurdles that need circumventing for this to become a routine therapy." Media Advisory, February 19, 2019 Contacts: Sandy Bahr, Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter, (602) 253-8633, sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org Kelly Burke, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, (928) 606-7870, kelly@grandcanyonwildlands.org Taylor McKinnon, Center for Biological Diversity, (801) 300-2414, tmckinnon@biologicaldiversity.org Mike Quigley, The Wilderness Society, (520) 334-8741, mike_quigley@tws.org Arizona Rep. Grijalva to Make Major Conservation Announcement Saturday at Grand Canyon GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will make a major conservation announcement Saturday about efforts to protect Grand Canyon National Park and nearby public lands from the dangers of uranium mining. The Grand Canyon is a place of deep cultural importance to several regional American Indian tribes, a biodiversity hotspot and an international tourism destination. The canyon draws more than 6 million visitors annually and generates more than $900 million for the local economy. Uranium mining on public lands surrounding the park threatens to disrupt, deplete and pollute aquifers that feed springs and streams in the Grand Canyon. Mining also poisons wildlife, fragments wildlife corridors and industrializes iconic landscapes sacred to regional cultures. Despite widespread public support for protecting the Grand Canyon, politicians have called for lifting a 20-year ban on new uranium mining in the region. The ban was enacted by the Interior Department in 2012 to stop new uranium mines across one million acres adjacent to the park. Uranium mining on lands surrounding Grand Canyon has harmed people, wildlife and the waters of the region, said Sandy Bahr, chapter director for Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon Chapter. Despite its known dangers and toxic legacy, mining interests and their friends in Congress and the administration are pushing for more uranium extraction. That is why it is critical the region is protected now. Grand Canyon is a living ecological and cultural landscape of immense richness and beauty. We must ensure that its connected habitats, waterways and aquifers are forever protected intact. The persistence here of past uranium mining impacts and the push today to massively expand uranium production and transportation tells us we should act at once, stated Kelly Burke, executive director of Grand Canyon Wildlands Council. The Grand Canyon is an international icon and a biodiversity hotspot, said Taylor McKinnon, senior campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity. The parks centennial is a timely reminder of the need to permanently protect its aquifers, springs and adjacent lands from dangerous uranium mining. The health of the Grand Canyon and the health of neighboring communities are jeopardized by nearby uranium mining, said Mike Quigley, Arizona state director for the Wilderness Society. They deserve to be protected. What: Rep. Raul Grijalva, joined by local leaders, will make a major conservation announcement about protecting Grand Canyon National Park and public lands nearby. When: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2 p.m. Where: Mather Point, Grand Canyon National Park. This event may be moved inside to Shrine of the Ages if weather prevents an outdoor announcement. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Rain showers early with scattered thunderstorms arriving for the afternoon. High 69F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 54F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. There's a fresh twist in the five-year-old alleged Rs 5,600 crore National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) scam. The commodities exchange promoted by the Jignesh Shah-led Financial Technologies India Ltd (FTIL) - now known as 63 Moons Technologies - was accused of executing illegal forward contracts along with commodity spot trading and running a Ponzi scheme. Yesterday, the parent company informed the exchanges that it intends to slap Rs 10,000 crore damage suits on former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Ramesh Abhishek, then Forwards Markets Commission (FMC) Chairman, and former Additional Secretary in Finance Ministry KP Krishnan. "Despite the fact that there is no money trail traced to NSEL, 63 moons and its founder, by multiple investigative agencies, the group has been singularly targeted as part of a conspiracy. On account of these malicious actions perpetrated against the company, a damage of Rs 10,000 crore has been caused to its shareholders," the company said in a statement today, adding that the "hounding" of 63 Moons also caused "irreversible damage to the entire exchange eco-system, the existing jobs and creation of new jobs". The suits will be filed in the Bombay High Court. Also Read: ArcelorMittal bids Rs 48 billion to acquire Essar's 1200 megawatt power plant According to Venkat Chary, Chairman of 63 Moons, the company has taken "serious note" of the "proactive roles" played by these three individuals in "perpetrating the crisis, destroying the exchange ecosystem created by the company [NSEL] in order to favour the competitor", that is the National Stock Exchange (NSE). "As a result, the company has decided to file damage suits of Rs 10,000 crore against Mr P Chidambaram and others, in their individual capacities for taking mala fide actions against 63 Moons by abusing their powers," read the statement. "Notably, the company has already filed criminal complaints against these three individuals with the CBI along with supporting materials." The NSEL scam became public in July 2013, when Chidambaram was the finance minister. At a press conference, Chary alleged that Chidambaram had approved a note by Krishnan forcing other co-promoters of commodity bourse NCDEX to sell their stake to make NSE a lead promoter thereby revealing their "interference" in the competition within the exchange industry. He further alleged that the FMC under Abhishek was "aware of the role of brokers and traders but acted in a partisan manner only against NSEL and its parent company". While FMC has since been merged with markets regulator SEBI, Abhishek is presently Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Krishnan is currently the Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Secretary. Talking to reporters, Shah, founder of erstwhile FTIL, alleged that the NSEL drama was "a conspiracy to destroy the FTIL Group". He added that of the Rs 5,600 crore involved in the exchange's payment crisis, Rs 600 crore has already been paid to genuine investors, while decree has been obtained for about Rs 3,600 crore, which has to be executed, and another Rs 1,000 crore is in the pipeline. Meanwhile, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office last month got a nod from the corporate affairs ministry to prosecute 71 individuals and 17 defaulting companies in the case. "From the investigation made so far it has clearly been established that the entire money-trail has been traced to 22 defaulting members of NSEL. Thus, the liability for the default amount has been crystalized," the company claimed. Reacting to the new legal twist, 63 Moon's stock surged 10 per cent in early trade today and is currently trading at Rs 75.65 apiece, up over 6 per cent since the last close. With PTI inputs (Edited by Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal) Also Read: Flipkart Mobile Bonanza sale starts from today, get discounts on Redmi Note 6 Pro, Galaxy S8, Poco F1 Also Read: Real estate tops bankruptcy chart; construction, metals and textiles follow @facebook.com/northeastberksnews/ Lisa Mitchell is an editor for Berks-Mont Newspapers, covering news and events in the Northeast Berks County area. Our Town Foundation Executive Director Deena Kershner, standing, leads the first round-table discussion sponsored by the OTF and held at Hamburg Strand on Feb. 5. Representatives from local government, businesses and organizations discussed challenges facing new and existing businesses in town, as well as possible solutions. New Clerk of Court Leah Guerry Dupree talks to staff while making rounds at the courthouse in Moncks Corner. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Soldiers search a rebel encampment in the southern Philippine province of Lanao del Sur after it was abandoned by militants led by Abu Dar, the next likely leader of local pro-Islamic State groups, Jan. 25, 2019. The Philippine Supreme Court voted 9-4 on Tuesday to uphold President Rodrigo Dutertes extension of martial law through December 2019 in the militancy-wracked south. The court issued its decision on a third extension of military rule, which was imposed to counter militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) who had taken over the southern city of Marawi in 2017. The Supreme Court ruled to uphold the constitutionality of the extension of the declaration of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao until Dec. 31, 2019, Supreme Court spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka told reporters. The siege of Marawi and ensuing battle with government forces destroyed the city and killed more than 1,200 people, most of them militants. While the government said many Filipino, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern militants died in the fighting, a few escaped and were believed to be recruiting new members. The ruling came weeks after a deadly bomb attack on a church in southern Jolo Island was blamed on Islamic militants. Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal appeared before the court to defend the extension, stressing that troops must destroy the enemys manpower, firearms and support system by up to 30 percent before officials could recommend lifting martial law. Military sources claimed about 23 pro-IS groups are recruiting members in the southern Philippines, more than a year after the IS Filipino leader, Isnilon Hapilon, and key associates were killed in Marawi. Hapilon, who was killed in October 2017, was a senior Abu Sayyaf militant who aligned with IS and whose influence extended to other parts of the south, including Jolo and Basilan. In December 2018, Philippine legislators approved a martial law extension, despite opposition from rights groups who said it could be abused by the military that controlled the south. Even as nearly 10,000 were on duty in the southern island of Jolo to counter the Abu Sayyaf, militants were still able to bomb Catholic Church there on Jan. 27, killing 23. Duterte claimed the attack was carried out by suicide bombers who, government officials said, could be Indonesian. But Indonesian police have cast doubts on those comments. Meanwhile, police have arrested five people alleged to be Abu Sayyaf militants who worked with an Indonesian couple in carrying out the bombing. They allegedly worked under the direction of Abu Sayyaf commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan who, intelligence officials said, likely succeeded Hapilon as IS commander in the south. Set back Sidney Jones, director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, said the Philippines premature declaration that Indonesians carried out the bombings in Jolo had set back prospects for regional cooperation on terrorism. It also bolstered perception among Indonesian counterparts that the Philippines was an unreliable partner. The eagerness of senior Philippine politicians to declare the case closed does a disservice to all the younger, well-trained law enforcement and intelligence officers in Manila and Mindanao who are determined to find out who the perpetrators actually were and uncover the sequence of events that led to the attack, Jones said in a statement. Indonesians may well have been involved, and if they were, the need for proactive information sharing is critical, Jones said. As the last ISIS strongholds in the Middle East are falling, the call of ISIS leaders to their supporters to wage war at home takes on a new significance for Southeast Asia, underscoring the need for cross-border cooperation, she said, using another acronym for the Islamic State. The urgent task now, according to Jones, is for donors to use every opportunity to bring Indonesian and Philippine officials together from all agencies at all levels to counteract the distrust caused by the political statements. Rights groups slammed the court decision, saying it would turn the region into a hotbed of human rights violations, trumped-up criminal charges and illegal arrests. More people had to evacuate their communities due to the militarization brought by martial law, rights group Karapatan said in a statement. TikTok, the popular lip-sync app, is under the scanner in India after several reports said that teenagers, especially girls were being exposed to disconcerting comments. There are reports of teenagers being asked about personal contact information or to post provocative videos. TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, has become popular with young users in India since its initial release in 2016. Also Read: Creepy! This website creates human faces of people who don't exist TikTok has been slammed for poor content monitoring with complaints of hate speech being uploaded on the app. Globally, TikTok has often been criticised for videos featuring anti-semetic, racist and white supremacist conspiracy. In India, Tamil Nadu government has called for a ban on the app on the grounds of hosting sexually-explicit content, and even having under-aged users on the platform. TikTok users have also been victims of cyberbullying, with one case leading to a user committing suicide last year in a suburb in Chennai. Meanwhile, the RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has written to PM Narendra Modi, asking him to create hurdles for Chinese companies doing business in India. SJM co-convener Ashwani Mahajan has asked the Indian government to ban Chinese apps like TikTok and Helo for having 'undesirable content'. In response, a ByteDance spokesperson said, "TikTok and Helo are committed to respecting local laws and regulations as well as maintaining a safe and positive in-app environment for our users in India. There is no basis for the factually incorrect claims raised by certain groups recently. We treat the safety and security of our user data very seriously." TikTok has over 2 crore users in India, and its user base is growing exponentially. TikTok will have to find a way to weed out the inappropriate content from the app. Inc42 reported that TikTok will soon hire a chief nodal officer in India to comply with the legalities of the country. The Chinese company has already appointed public policy director to inspect the content that goes out on the mobile app. Edited By: Udit Verma Also Read: PUBG Mobile's new update to be released soon; all you need to know Also Read: Samsung Galaxy M30 set to launch on February 27, will feature infinity-U display The question that sent George Clooney into last week's rant against the public treatment of the Duchess of Sussex was inane enough. One of the assembled Press at the Television Critics Association's winter Press tour in LA asked Clooney if he was in the running to be godfather to the imminent baby of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. George and his wife Amal were, after all, among the glitzy guests at the royal wedding last May and are reported to have been guests at the couple's cottage since. It's a plausibly inconsequential question to ask. Clooney at first laughed off the jokey inquiry, then got serious. "They're just chasing Meghan Markle everywhere, she's been pursued and vilified," he said. "She's a woman who is seven months' pregnant and she is being pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that Diana was and it's history repeating itself. And we've seen how that ends." By "they", Clooney seems to have been referring to the UK Press, whom the US Press regard as being particularly tough on the Duchess of Sussex. His comments, made last Monday, came less than a week after US magazine People published interviews with five of the Duchess of Sussex's friends, extolling her virtues. These anonymous interviews were perceived as being approved by the duchess, as otherwise the shared domestic detail of her royal life would have been a betrayal of her, rather than what it was, a group defence of her. More significantly, however, Clooney's comments were made on the same day that UK papers published a handwritten letter from the duchess to her father, imploring him to stop talking about her to the media and attempting to explain the pain he was causing her. The letter had been handed over by Thomas Markle himself, apparently to expose his daughter's selfish and cruel character. In the letter, the duchess accuses her father of lying about her lack of financial support for him. She accuses him of siding inexplicably against her with her half-sister Samantha "who I hardly know". She says he has repeatedly attacked and vilified the Duke of Sussex, while never taking the time to get to know him. She says Thomas Markle, since last May's wedding, has made no attempt to contact her - and yet continues to have plenty of stories to tell about her. By anyone's standards, Thomas Markle's decision to publish this letter was a huge betrayal: it was personal, it seems heartfelt, it was handwritten. Obviously, without Thomas Markle's collusion, this increasingly negative campaign against the duchess couldn't exist. If her family didn't continue to feed the fire, it could possibly burn out. She's been unlucky with her family and possibly could have done more to mollify them before this ran out of control, but maybe not. Outings such as that undertaken by the duchess's friends in People magazine are not really helping her, however. Sure, their vignettes about how she cooks every night for the duke and makes tea and towels off the muddy dogs, all witnessed by her friends when they've visited the royals' "cosy" cottage are cute and endearing, but her supposed collusion in them is a problem. The palace, it has been reported, were not aware that these stories were going to come out and were not at all happy about them. It was too much of a solo run. They don't like solo runs. In fact, solo runs of a Press variety remind the palace of one very difficult person: Diana. And they are unlikely to characterise Diana in quite the fully sympathetic way that George Clooney did by way of his defence of the duchess. When Clooney compares Press treatment of the duchess to the manner in which Diana was treated, one can't help but remember that Diana herself was up to her armpits in colluding with the media. She was a huge source of their stories about her and she used and manipulated them on a regular basis to settle scores with her in-laws. She was, indeed, ultimately a victim of this intensely unhealthy relationship, but she was not entirely a victim of it. When George Clooney says, "We've seen how that ends", he very much seems to be alluding to Diana's death. On a less drastic level, however, the toxic carry-on in Diana's relationship with the media certainly contributed to the failure of her marriage and it's conceivable that this could occur with the duke and duchess. They are, of course, very happy together, but these things take a toll and such a level of scrutiny has to raise unpleasant memories for the duke and can't be easy on the duchess, either. What exactly the Duchess of Sussex has done to warrant the backlash of recent months is a bit of a puzzle. It could merely be that, having gone mad for her last year, there is now a clawing-back. It could be that her family's desire to badmouth is just too scandalous to pass up. Or it could simply be that the duchess seems far too delighted with herself and her new status and needs some taking back down to earth. All that clasping of her pregnant tummy seems to drive people potty - more showing off - and she's just that bit too smug at her public outings, as if she's showing everyone how being a royal is really done. Too big for her boots. Which isn't allowed, obviously. And no amount of celeb endorsement, or scolding from Clooney, is going to turn that around. In fact, it might make things worse. If rumours of a rift between the Duchess of Sussex and the Duchess of Cambridge are true, then there's one very good reason for it and it goes beyond a personality clash. The Duchess of Sussex wouldn't be human if she did not compare the treatment of her sister-in-law to that meted out to her. And she would not be human if she didn't wonder what she has done to deserve what is undeniably a rough ride. If the Duchess of Sussex feels resentful of the easy time enjoyed by the Duchess of Cambridge, she is fully justified. She will not help to effect a change in this, however, if she continues kicking back. No Press, no public comments that have not been edited to inanity first, no making a fuss, no drawing unwanted attention to oneself. It was once called "assuming a stiff upper lip" and the Duchess of Cambridge has it ingrained in her. The Duchess of Sussex, on the other hand, comes from a world, privately and professionally, where you stand up for yourself and speak up for yourself. The more the Duchess of Sussex pushes back, the worse this seems to get. But who is the person to make her see sense and go silent? So far, it's not been the duke. So are the concerns of parents in Northern Ireland as evidenced in a major survey reported in this newspaper today any greater than those of their own parents? (Ben Birchall/ PA) Every generation of parents has worried about how the world was changing and the impact that would have on the welfare, well-being and development of their children. Remember the horror of parents in the Sixties at the explosion of pop music, a drugs culture and the development of the contraception pill. So are the concerns of parents in Northern Ireland as evidenced in a major survey reported in this newspaper today any greater than those of their own parents? The answer is, probably, yes, for today the world seems a more uncertain place than it ever was before. Read More Social media is all pervasive and there is strong evidence that vulnerable young people are at risk of mental ill-health or worse through harmful images, hateful messages and, particularly for young girls, pressures on how to look and behave. We have all read the tragic consequences of those who have become ensnared in a virtual world they are unable to cope with. But Northern Ireland has its own specific problems which rightly cause worry to parents. There is the cost of childcare, the pressure for both parents to work to keep their heads above water in the region of the UK where wages are lowest, and there is great uncertainty about the future. It is not just Brexit which is a concern, even if any deal, never mind no-deal, is likely to have the greatest negative effect in the province. There is also the political uncertainty after more than two years without a devolved administration which is affecting the daily lives of people here. Parents worry about health provision and education budgets, and wonder how we got to the stage where they were having to donate toilet roll to some primary schools. And what is being done to tackle the problem of underachievement among boys in school? While the younger generation, 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement was signed, are more likely to cross sectarian lines when choosing their friends, it remains a fact that they are educated apart, and many of their parents live in silo isolation from 'the other side'. Little wonder that the brain drain still holds appeal for young people as the best prospect for a bright future. Even if the political parties go back to Stormont, it is likely to be the same sectarian arithmetic in the debating chamber. Do we really want to see the politics of division repeated? That is a concern for everyone. Whips have been unable to enforce partys stance on their MPs Whatever happened to the parliamentary whips, once the feared scourge of Westminster? Brexit has transformed them into figures of virtual impotence, compared with the power they wielded only a few months ago. In those days if, as a backbencher, you fell foul of the whips, by defying your party's official line, your entire political career could be on the line. If you were reported to your local constituency association, chances were you could be "deselected" and not allowed to stand for the party at the next election. There was talk of the whips having black books containing intimate details of MPs' peccadilloes, which they would threaten to bruit abroad. And errant MPs could be denied overseas jaunts, or put on tedious committees. There was even talk of arm-twisting. An altogether fearsome and all-powerful lot. But now, nobody gives a fig for them. With scores of MPs voting all over the place over Brexit, the whips have simply lost control, their power evaporated. It also means Tory MPs, when appealed to by the Prime Minister to unite over Brexit, simply take no notice. Despite accusations of "treachery", they will continue to be as wayward and disloyal as they choose. Whether once Brexit is behind us - that will be the day - the whips will regain their former power is doubtful. Backbenchers have tasted freedom and they are not going to surrender it lightly. Anarchy will continue to reign at Westminster. The death has occurred of Lady Falkender, formerly Marcia Williams, who "enjoyed" an extraordinary turbulent political and personal relationship with Prime Minister Harold Wilson at 10 Downing Street. She made many enemies among those who were jealous of her position and her strange influence over Wilson. His wife, Mary, hated her and once Marcia cruelly shouted at her that she had slept with Wilson several times, but that he was unsatisfactory, but whether that outburst represented the truth was never established. There was nothing tranquil about Number 10 in those days. One official once said: "Marcia yelling at Harold was the only kind of discussion we ever heard them have." It would be a gross over-statement to describe her as a latter-day Rasputin, but she could certainly wrap Wilson around her little finger. Our doleful Chancellor, Philip Hammond, will be feeling even more Eeyorish than ever now - thanks, in part anyway, to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, who does not seem over-burdened with diplomatic finesse. (The Russians have already dubbed him the "Secretary of State for War".) Williamson's announcement that he proposed to send an aircraft carrier into the Pacific so riled the Chinese that they have cancelled Hammond's weekend jaunt to Beijing - which would at least have allowed him to escape from the Westminster swamp for a day or two. The Cabinet has not exactly been a happy band of campers for some months now. This little incident will simply make a bad situation that much worse. Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner will no doubt be furious with Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has appealed to doctors to communicate with their patients, where possible, by email rather than the more conventional letter-writing. Hancock has said that letters lost in the post could actually lead to loss of life among some patients. However, Skinner, who is well into his 80s, once told me that he boycotts emails and won't respond to constituents who use that form of communication when writing to him. Skinner says, darkly, that the use of emails costs postmen and women their jobs, so he will have nothing to do with them. As the world marches on, it seems, Skinner stands still. All I can say is that it is going to take an almighty heave to shove him into the 21st century. Whatever else Brexit may be, it is not regarded as a barrelful of laughs. The very reverse. However, veteran Labour MP Barry Sheerman is at least trying to bring a smile to our glum faces. He was wearing such a gaudy tie in the Commons the other day that even the Speaker, John Bercow, felt obliged to comment on it. Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, explained to his parliamentary colleagues that it was the Beatles's Magical Mystery Tour vintage tie, adding that he felt he was on a magical mystery tour himself. The rest of us will find out in just over a month from now how magical it actually is. People gather at the Republique square to protest against anti-Semitism in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) Rallies against anti-Semitism have attracted crowds of thousands in Paris and other French cities following a series of aggressive acts targeting Jewish sites. In the French capital, former presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy joined a rally led by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Republic Plaza. Political parties from across the spectrum participated in the nationwide rallies with the theme Thats enough, although Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally party held a separate event. Expand Close French President Emmanuel Macron pays tribute in front of vandalised graves (Frederick Florin/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp French President Emmanuel Macron pays tribute in front of vandalised graves (Frederick Florin/AP) French President Emmanuel Macron went to the Shoah Memorial, a Holocaust museum in Paris, to observe a moment of silence with parliament leaders. Every time a French person, because he or she is Jewish, is insulted, threatened or worse, injured or killed the whole Republic is attacked, Mr Macron said at a news conference in Paris. Hours before the rallies started, Mr Macron visited a vandalised Jewish cemetery in Quatzenheim, a small town in the north-eastern Alsace region. He said he felt shame at the sight of the defaced grave markers. This looks like absurd stupidity, the French leader said, looking visibly sad and concerned. Mr Macron observed several moments of silence in front of the vandalised graves while local Jewish community representatives stood by. We will take action, he promised. France is home to the worlds largest Jewish population outside Israel and the United States. Among the incidents arousing worries of renewed anti-Semitism was a torrent of hate speech directed at Jewish philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a Saturday march by yellow vest protesters. In recent incidents, swastika graffiti was found on street portraits of Simone Veil a survivor of Nazi death camps and a European Parliament president who died in 2017. The word Juden was painted on the window of a bagel restaurant in Paris, and two trees planted at a memorial honouring a young Jewish man tortured to death in 2006 were vandalised, one cut down. Two youths were arrested on Friday after they allegedly fired shots at a synagogue with an air rifle in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles, where a large Jewish community lives. Sarcelles mayor Patrick Haddad told BFMTV on Tuesday that prosecutors believe the motive was anti-Semitism. Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, whose insurgent 2016 presidential campaign reshaped Democratic politics, has announced he is running for president in 2020. Our campaign is not only about defeating Donald Trump, the 77-year-old self-described democratic socialist said in an email to supporters. Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice. An enthusiastic progressive who embraces proposals ranging from Medicare for All to free college tuition, Mr Sanders stunned the Democratic establishment in 2016 with his spirited challenge to Hillary Clinton. Expand Close Hillary Clinton was challenged by Mr Sanders in 2016 (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hillary Clinton was challenged by Mr Sanders in 2016 (Victoria Jones/PA) While she ultimately became the partys nominee, his campaign helped lay the groundwork for the leftward lurch that has dominated Democratic politics in the Trump era. The question now for Mr Sanders is whether he can stand out in a crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates who also embrace many of his policy ideas and are newer to the national political stage. That is far different from 2016, when he was Mrs Clintons lone progressive adversary. But there is no question that Mr Sanders will be a formidable contender for the Democratic nomination. He won more than 13 million votes in 2016 and dozens of primaries and caucuses, and opens his campaign with a nationwide organisation and a proven small-dollar fundraising effort. Were gonna win, Mr Sanders told CBS. He said he was going to launch what I think is unprecedented in modern American history: a grassroots movement to lay the groundwork for transforming the economic and political life of this country. And he could be well positioned to compete in the nations first primary in neighbouring New Hampshire, which he won by 22 points in 2016. But he will not have the state to himself. California senator Kamala Harris, another Democratic presidential contender, was in New Hampshire on Monday and said she would compete for the state. Expand Close Kamala Harris is also a Democratic presidential contender (Elise Amendola/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kamala Harris is also a Democratic presidential contender (Elise Amendola/AP) She also appeared to take a dig at Mr Sanders. The people of New Hampshire will tell me whats required to compete in New Hampshire, she told shoppers at a bookshop in Concord. But I will tell you Im not a democratic socialist. Senator Elizabeth Warren, of nearby Massachusetts, will be in New Hampshire on Friday. One of the biggest questions surrounding Mr Sanderss candidacy is how he will compete against someone like Ms Warren, who shares many of his policy goals. Ms Warren has already launched her campaign and has planned an aggressive swing through the early primary states. Expand Close Elizabeth Warren at an organising event in Las Vegas (John Locher/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Elizabeth Warren at an organising event in Las Vegas (John Locher/AP) Shortly after announcing her exploratory committee, Ms Warren hired Brendan Summers, who managed Mr Sanderss 2016 Iowa campaign. Other staff from Mr Sanderss first bid have also said they would consider working for other candidates in 2020. The crowded field includes a number of other candidates who are likely to make strong appeals to the Democratic base, including Ms Harris and senators Cory Booker, of New Jersey, Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, and Kirsten Gillibrand, of New York. The field could also grow, with a number of high-profile Democrats still considering presidential bids, including former vice president Joe Biden and former Texas representative Beto ORourke. While Mr Sanders had been working to lay the groundwork for a second campaign for months, it was unclear whether he will be able to expand his appeal beyond his largely white base of supporters. In 2016, Mr Sanders notably struggled to garner support from black voters, an issue that could become particularly pervasive during a primary race that could include several non-white candidates. Last month, he joined Mr Booker at an event in Columbia, South Carolina, marking the Martin Luther King Jr holiday. Expand Close Cory Booker during a campaign stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Charles Krupa/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cory Booker during a campaign stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Charles Krupa/AP) In 2016, Mr Sanders lost the South Carolina primary, which features a heavily black electorate, by 47 points. Mr Sanders also faces different pressures in the #MeToo era. Some of his male staff and supporters in 2016 were described as Bernie bros for their treatment of women. In the run-up to Mr Sanderss 2020 announcement, persistent allegations emerged of sexual harassment of women by male staff during his 2016 campaign. Politico and The New York Times reported several allegations of unwanted sexual advances and pay inequity. In an interview with CNN after the initial allegations surfaced, Mr Sanders apologised but also noted he was a little busy running around the country trying to make the case. As additional allegations emerged, he offered a more unequivocal apology. What they experienced was absolutely unacceptable and certainly not what a progressive campaign or any campaign should be about, Mr Sanders said on January 10 on Capitol Hill. Every woman in this country who goes to work today or tomorrow has the right to make sure that she is working in an environment which is free of harassment, which is safe and is comfortable, and I will do my best to make that happen. A British tourist has gone missing from a popular beach in Australia alongside his French companion. Police have launched a search for 20-year-old Englishman Hugo Palmer and his friend Erwan Ferrieux, also 20, after items belonging to the pair were discovered at Shelly Beach, on the New South Wales coast north of Sydney. Walkers found their belongings at about 6.30am on Monday (7.30pm GMT Sunday), and police later discovered their rental car in the beachs car park with a number of personal items, including travel documents, inside. New South Wales Police said a water and ground search had been commenced, but there had not yet been any sign of the pair. A search continues this morning for two overseas tourists missing at Shelley beach, near Port Macquarie. Items of... Posted by NSW Police Force on Monday, February 18, 2019 Inspector Michael Aldridge told the Port Macquarie News that the two men had arrived in the area on Sunday morning. We believe from information provided so far that the items may have been there since Sunday evening as well, he said. He described the surf conditions as terrible over the past few days. Police have not disclosed how long Mr Palmer, reported to be from East Sussex, and Mr Ferrieux had been in Australia. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: Our staff are in contact with police in Australia and the UK following reports of a missing British man at Shelly beach, New South Wales. The Duchess of Sussex, leaves a New York hotel ahead of her baby shower (Kevin Hagen/AP) The Duchess of Sussex has made a secret trip to New York City for a baby shower with friends. Heavily-pregnant Meghan is spending five nights in the Big Apple, catching up with stylist Jessica Mulroney and other confidantes, Harpers Bazaar revealed. Expand Close The Duchess of Sussex, arrives for her baby shower at the Mark Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen). AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duchess of Sussex, arrives for her baby shower at the Mark Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen). The American former Suits star is said to have visited Laduree in New Yorks SoHo district on Saturday for macarons and tea. The duchess was seen entering The Mark Hotel on Manhattans Upper East Side, at a restaurant on the ground floor of The Met Breuer and at The Surrey hotel. Meghan wore sunglasses, a black William Vintage trapeze coat and neutral high heels with a matching bag. As photographers waited outside The Mark Hotel, a high-end boxed crib and pink flowers were delivered. Suits actress Abigail Spencer was spotted at one of the gatherings. Meghan, who is preparing to give birth in late April or early May, spent Valentines Day with the Duke of Sussex last week after he rushed back to see her following a trip to Norway with the Royal Marines. The couple are due to visit Morocco on Saturday at the request of the British Government. The duchess was spotted in NYC on Monday, wearing a Victoria Beckham long black wool coat and a grey Helene Berman tweed pageboy cap. Mrs Mulroney is Meghans best friend and supported her in the difficult days leading up to her wedding to Harry amid the turmoil caused by the absence of her father, Thomas Markle. Her children twin sons Brian and John and daughter Ivy were pageboys and bridesmaid at the royal wedding. Meghans trip comes just days after five unnamed close friends of the duchess spoke to the publication People in an effort to counter the global bullying directed at her. One friend challenged reports that Mr Markle has said he cannot contact his daughter, telling the magazine: Hes never called; hes never texted. Its super-painful. Mr Markle dismissed the claims and responded by revealing a deeply personal letter he received from Meghan following the wedding. Kensington Palace declined to comment on the duchesss break in New York. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman begins his India visit in the shadow of one of the worst terror attacks of recent times that saw over 40 CRPF soldiers getting killed in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Given the close ties Saudi has with Pakistan, the country that is known to be sheltering the alleged masterminds of the attack, there is a general concern over its possible impact on the bilateral India-Saudi talks. In an interview with Business Today, Kamel Al-Munajjed, Chairman of the Saudi Indian Business Council, and the head of a 50-member CEO delegation that is accompanying Prince Salman, dismisses such fear. Saudi's stand on terrorism is very clear, so are its plans for bilateral tie-ups on business and economic matters, he says. Al-Munajjed is the Managing Partner of Urjuan Property Developers, which is active in the real estate development and construction in Saudi Arabia, and a Director of Span Arabia, a leader in the logistics supply across the Gulf region. ALSO READ:Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in India today: 10 things to know Excerpts: What could be the impact of the terror attack on the India-Saudi bilateral talks? The terrorist action happened on Thursday evening, and you know Thursday evening is weekend in Saudi. It was the first time in my life I would see an official Saudi press release coming out at 6 in the morning on Friday (a holiday). It expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's strong condemnation over the terror attack. The Kingdom rejected the cowardly terrorist act and stood by India in its action against terrorism and extremism. Given Saudi's proximity to Pakistan will this unfortunate incident affect the prospects of better economic cooperation with India? I don't think anything should be affected because of a small minority whose intend is to harm. We have rejected them totally. Now, if we start rejecting India or rejecting any other country because of this, we are going to be seen as weak. We have to be stronger than them (the extremists) and make our relations with (India) even better. This is my personal opinion. How big is the delegation? We are around 50 CEOs (of private companies). In addition, the heads of the biggest governmental groups like ARAMCO (Saudi's national petroleum and natural gas company) and the head of SABIC (petrochemical manufacturing giant) are here. Which are the key focus areas and what are the expected outcomes? The companies are mostly representing sectors like energy, petrochemicals, food, construction, IT etc. The importance of this visit, in my opinion, the single most important agreement that we are going to sign, will be the establishment of the high cooperation council which will be headed by the Crown Prince on the Saudi side and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Indian side. With this, you are going to have direct contact between the two countries. For Saudi Arabia, this type of high cooperation council exists with only US and China. India is the third country. It shows the importance of we give to these countries. What does this mean for the businesses on both sides? The bilateral investments have not been very high so far? If you look at the statistics here, they will tell you that there are only 50 Saudi companies and an investment of $80 million in India. But SABIC alone has a research centre in Bangalore, with an investment of $200 million. They have hired 300 Indian engineers there. If this Ratnagiri project (setting up of a green field petrochemicals complex and integrated oil refinery) works out, on the Saudi side, it's all approved, ARAMCO has the $12 billion ready, now it is Indian turn. I am sure it will work because it is mutually beneficial. It is our strategy to access external markets, and it satisfies the Indian need for energy security. We also know there will be an MoU signed on National Infrastructure Investment Fund here. Saudi is going to invite Indian companies to participate in the renewable energy development. We are running at around 60 GW in Saudi, we believe we are going to reach 200GW in the next few years, it's going to be huge demand and oil cannot satisfy that and India has proven to be a great place for renewables. There are lot of similarities (in India's and Saudi's vision for economic development). We have our vision 2030, and India has its vision 2030. We both have a young population, we both have a problem in employment, we both want a clean environment and we both are trying to use technology to create employment. There could be so many joint ventures in the petrochemical sector. You have the knowledge, we have the raw material. So whatever aspects you think of, it's a win-win situation. Even on security and anti-terrorism front, it is a full complementary relationship. The bilateral trade numbers do not show the same enthusiasm. Why? Bilateral trade was high when oil price was at $120 (a barrel), now it is $50. This is not important. What you should look at is the composition of the trade. When we reached $45 billion, it was $35 billion of oil and $10 billion of non-oil. Out of this $10 billion, $3 billion going to Saudi, and $7 billion to India. I expect that in 2018 we are close to $32 billion, which is a 10 percent increase in bilateral trade over the last year. The non-oil component of this is almost 30 per cent now. Then there are in-direct exports too. Officially, the biggest trade partner of India in the Middle East is UAE. Their figures for 2018 were $35 billion. What you fail to see is that UAE is a re-exporter, they get the product, re-pack and send to all of Africa, Iran, and other gulf region. About 40 to 50 percent of all exports that go to UAE from India are re-exported into gulf countries. And 80 percent of this 40 percent goes to Saudi. So if you add the re-export figures of Indian goods, Saudi is the largest trading partner for India in the Middle East. But why is it happening like this? Because of historical reasons. We had a complicated system in Saudi Arabia and its only in the last 3 years that we have started to liberalise (Saudi economy). Which are the products that we are talking about? The main exports of India to Saudi Arabia (export or re-export) are food products, tools, garments, etc. How robust are the medium term growth prospects in India-Saudi trade? We are in the $30 billion range now, we need to get back to $50 billion before 2030, that is my opinion. But more than that the composition needs to change. We are going to invite lot of Indian companies to participate in the Saudi growth phase. Today, we have eight new cities coming up from nothing. One of them is NEOM, which will be cradle of technology in the world. It is going to be a 10,000 sq km city. The whole area is going to be only innovation technology. We have another city called Red Sea which will be only for resorts. A third city only for logistics. These are new cities that should create new jobs. We also unveiled a roadmap for industrialization and infrastructure. We are going to have new airports, new roads and railways. All of this together is going to be a $ trillion business opportunity in the next 10 years. Given your technology strengths, India will be invited to participate in NEOM for sure. Similarly, India will be invited to participate in the renewable energy projects and the pharmaceutical projects. Already (Indian infrastructure majors like) L&T and Shapoorji Pallonji have huge projects in Saudi. Today, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the largest employer of women in Riyadh. They have 1000 women in one location and they say it's going to become 3000 in the next five years. What will be the focus of India bound investments? India will play a major role in our food security plans. You cannot own agricultural land, but you can own the processing plants. This will be a very important key area. There is going to be an MoU on infrastructure, and I am sure there must be others on defence and security etc. ALSO READ:No, Pakistan is not out of financial crisis! Their top bank governor's remark doesn't make sense Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking during the annual conference of the EEF manufacturers organisation at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London. Jeremy Corbyn has urged Labour to unite around his policies for a social justice and a more equal society as he expressed regret over the resignation of seven of his MPs. The Labour leader strongly defended his policy platform, but acknowledged that he needed to take his party with him if they were to succeed at the polls. His comments came after one of the breakaway group, Chuka Umunna, signalled a new centre party could be formally created by the end of the year. Mr Corbyn has been warned he faces more resignations by Labour MPs unless he gets a grip on the problem of anti-Semitism within the partys ranks. Speaking at a conference of manufacturers in London, Mr Corbyn said he was disappointed the seven had decided to leave the party in protest at his leadership. I hope they recognise that they were elected to Parliament on a manifesto that was based around investment in the future, was based around a more equal and fairer society and based around social justice, he said. They were elected to carry out those policies, they decided to go somewhere else and I regret that because I want our party to be strong, I want our party to be united around the policies that we have put forward. Mr Corbyn sidestepped questions about a call from deputy leader Tom Watson for a shadow cabinet reshuffle to better reflect the breadth of opinion in the party. Expand Close Jeremy Corbyn has expressed regret at the resignations of seven Labour MPs (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeremy Corbyn has expressed regret at the resignations of seven Labour MPs (Victoria Jones/PA) He insisted, however, that he was open to discussion about the partys policies and that he recognised the need to take people with him. Anyone who thinks they are not being consulted are not taking up, in my view, the opportunities that are available there and open and ready for them at all times to do that, he said. I recognise that leading the party means you have got to take people with you and I am determined to do that determined to do that so that we can, when an election comes, present those policies and that determination to the public as a whole. Earlier, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the only disagreement within the party was over the issue of Brexit, adding: I think we are bringing people together on that. His comments came despite a stormy meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday in which the leadership was repeatedly criticised for failing to deal with the issue of anti-Semitism within the party. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Mr McDonnell did acknowledge, however, that the leadership needed to listen to critics within the party. Her told Sky news: We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and (to) address some of those criticisms that have been made. He played down suggestions that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering a split. I dont think there is that scale, but the key issue for us (is) we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them, he said. Meanwhile, Mr Umunna indicated that he would like the breakaway group to evolve into an up-and-running centre party at the earliest opportunity. I would like to see us move as quickly as possible and certainly by the end of the year, but thats my personal view, he told ITVs Good Morning Britain. There needs to be an alternative, so thats perfectly possible. But I dont get to determine this. Expand Close Chuka Umunna has said he would like to see a new centre party up and running as soon as possible (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chuka Umunna has said he would like to see a new centre party up and running as soon as possible (Steve Parsons/PA) Senior Labour MP Mary Creagh said she had been approached to join the breakaway, but had declined. Ms Creagh told the BBC: I think whats important is that we now take a long hard look at ourselves as a political party. Its clear that Brexit is pushing both parties to the brink. Its clear that anti-Semitism has taken root in our party. Meanwhile, the MPs who quit were branded pathetic by Derek Hatton, the firebrand former deputy leader of Liverpool City Council who has been readmitted to the party 34 years after his expulsion for involvement in Militant Tendency. For 34 years Ive stayed absolutely solid with the Labour Party. Never joined any other party, never actually voted for another party. Never campaigned for another party, he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. And thats why when you look at the seven who now have left you think, well, how pathetic is it, how really strong are you within the Labour movement to want to run away when there is something that you disagree with? Meanwhile, pro-Europe Tory MP Antoinette Sandbach has made it clear she will not be joining the Independent Group, but said she respected the Labour figures who quit their party. The Eddisbury MP said: I am proud that the Conservative Party is still a broad church and is the only viable means of delivering a moderate, mature government that acts in the national interest. Ms Sandbach said Conservatives needed to be vigilant regarding the so-called Purple Momentum a term for ex-Ukip supporters joining the Tories to try to force the deselection of MPs they disagreed with. Ms Sandbach said: However, we must remain vigilant to the threat that Purple Momentum pose to our party and I hope that we do not fall victim to the same intolerance and deselection obsession that has taken over the Labour Party. A Labour MP has apologised after suggesting that seven former colleagues who broke away from Jeremy Corbyns party may have had Israeli backing. High Peak MP Ruth George unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologised and said she had no intention of invoking a conspiracy theory. On my earlier response to a Facebook comment, I unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologise for my comment. I had no... Posted by Councillor Ruth George on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 The seven including Jewish MP Luciana Berger blamed Labours failure to tackle anti-Semitism as one of their reasons for leaving. Ms George acknowledged her comment had been ill-thought out and poorly worded. A Labour Party spokesman said: Its right that Ruth George has apologised for these offensive remarks. The Whips Office is reminding Ruth George of the conduct expected of her. aSupport from the State of Israel, which supports both Conservative and Labour aFriends of Israela of which Luciana was chair is possible and I would not condemn those who suggest it, especially when the groupas financial backers are not being revealed.a- @RuthGeorgeMP pic.twitter.com/rBD3EqQSqF High Peak Conservatives (@HighPeakTory) February 19, 2019 Ms Georges earlier Facebook comment, which was highlighted by her local Tory rivals, suggested that support from the State of Israel, which supports both Conservative and Labour Friends of Israel of which Luciana was chair is possible and I would not condemn those who suggest it, especially when the groups financial backers are not being revealed. Its important for democracy to know the financial backers for any political group or policy. Expand Close Labour MP Ruth George apologised for her comments (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Labour MP Ruth George apologised for her comments (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA) Tory MP Simon Clarke said Ms Georges comments were staggering, adding: All the lazy conflation of smears about Israel, Jewish MPs and those who dare to criticise the hideous state of the Labour Party (are) on display in full technicolour (sic). Staggering from Labour MP @RuthGeorge6 - all the lazy conflation of smears about Israel, Jewish MPs and those who dare to criticise the hideous state of the Labour Party on display in full technicolour. And they wonder why @lucianaberger left?! https://t.co/qQs0kEVyJa Simon Clarke MP (@SimonClarkeMP) February 19, 2019 Ms Georges comment had been made in response to a request to condemn an activist who had labelled the breakaway MPs Israelis. The MP said: I would condemn the calling of anyone as an Israeli when its not the case. The comment appears not to refer to the independent MPs but to their financial backers. In her apology, Ms George said: On my earlier response to a Facebook comment, I unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologise for my comment. I had no intention of invoking a conspiracy theory and I am deeply sorry that my ill-thought out and poorly worded comment did this. I withdraw it completely. Staff at a luxury hotel in central London were left in complete shock when a man who had been fatally stabbed collapsed in the lobby, according to a director. Eleven people are being held on suspicion of murder in connection with the attack, the Metropolitan Police said. The victim died at the scene in Euston Street, Camden, on Monday night after coming in from the street. Reverend Stuart Burgess, chairman of directors at The Wesley, described the victim as a young person. He said: It was a complete shock to the staff late last night, but they responded incredibly well and I want to pay tribute to them. They realised that the person was beyond their help and they immediately called 999. Many of them are pretty amazed and shocked by the experience. Obviously we are not used to this happening. The four or five staff working near the lobby at the time are trying to come to terms with it, he added. Expand Close A police cordon in Euston Street (Tom Horton/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A police cordon in Euston Street (Tom Horton/PA) Ayesha Begum, 38, who lives close to where the man was found, said she came out of her home after hearing a commotion. Police were following a trail of blood, she said. A guest at the hotel said he heard things kicking off as he tried to get to sleep. Laura Collings, 34, another guest who was on a business trip from Manchester, said she returned to the hotel shortly after the mans body had been taken away. There were quite a few people walking around looking upset who seemed like they might have been associated in some way with the victim, she said. Police were called to the scene at about 10.45pm, and the man was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later. An investigation has been launched following a fatal stabbing in #Camden. A male, who has not yet been identified, was found with stab injuries after he collapsed in a hotel in Euston Street, NW1. 11 arrests have been made. https://t.co/B9A2m27nSQ Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 19, 2019 Scotland Yard said inquiries were taking place to identify him and inform his next of kin. A post-mortem examination will take place in due course. The suspects were taken into custody at separate London police stations, the Met said. Officers remain at the scene, a short walk from Euston and Kings Cross stations, and cordons are in place. Any witnesses or anyone with information about the incident is urged to call police on 101 quoting CAD 7945/18 Feb or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. Toni McLachlan, partner of Robert MacPhail (behind), outside the High Court in Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA) A teenager accused of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl claims he lost his clothes in the sea after a court heard his DNA was recovered from the waistband of jogging trousers found on the shore. The 16-year-old boy said boxer shorts and jogging trousers that have been shown to the jury at the High Court in Glasgow were lost on Friday June 29, 2018. He denies abducting, raping and murdering six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Isle of Bute last July as well as attempting to hide evidence. Giving evidence, the teenager said he had been jumping into the water from a pier by himself. He said: Once Id finished drying myself I went to pick my trousers up but I wasnt fast enough and they just went into the sea. Earlier the court heard the clothing was found on the shoreline by a dog walker and recovered by police, days after Alesha MacPhails body was found in woods on the Isle of Bute on July 2 last year. Expand Close Flowers, pictures and messages were left outside the Coats Funeral Home in Coatbridge during the six-year-olds funeral (Lesley Martin/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Flowers, pictures and messages were left outside the Coats Funeral Home in Coatbridge during the six-year-olds funeral (Lesley Martin/PA) Forensic scientist Stuart Bailey earlier told the court semen from the accused was found inside Alesha. He said an explanation for this was intercourse but the defence suggestion that the accuseds semen was planted there was scientifically possible. Questioned if the accuseds DNA could have been found on Alesha though secondary transfer from a third party, Mr Bailey said: I cant rule it out but I find it highly unlikely given the amount of DNA attributed to [the accused]. He said the accuseds DNA was also recovered from the waistband of jogging trousers found on the shoreline on the Isle of Bute, but no DNA was discovered on a knife or a black hooded top found on different areas of the shore. Mr Bailey said no bloodstains or DNA samples from the accused were recovered from the house Alesha had been staying in, which her father shared with her grandparents on Ardbeg Road in Rothesay. There were also no bloodstains relevant to the inquiry or DNA from Alesha found in the accuseds house, he said. Under questioning, he said the the DNA findings from the homes were scientifically neutral and could not be used to either indicate or rule out the teenager being in the house Alesha was staying. The schoolgirl was reported missing shortly after 6am on July 2 last year. Her body was found hours later in a wooded area on the island. The 16-year-old denies abducting, raping and murdering Alesha, and attempting to hide evidence. He has lodged a special defence of incrimination, blaming Toni McLachlan the girlfriend of Aleshas father Robert MacPhail for the killing. Expand Close Toni McLachlan partner of Robert MacPhail (behind), father of Alesha MacPhail, outside the High Court in Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Toni McLachlan partner of Robert MacPhail (behind), father of Alesha MacPhail, outside the High Court in Glasgow (Andrew Milligan/PA) Giving evidence last Wednesday, Ms McLachlan denied being responsible for her death, saying she loved Alesha. She also denied suggestions by the defence that she had sex with the accused on July 2, then planted his semen on Alesha, before attacking and brutalising her and murdering her. The trial, before judge Lord Matthews, continues. Police activity at the scene in Euston Street, Camden (Tom Horton/PA) Eleven people are being held on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in central London. The Metropolitan Police said the male victim died at a hotel in Euston Street, Camden, on Monday night. He had entered the building from the street before collapsing in the lobby. Staff came to his aid and police were called to the scene at about 10.45pm. The man was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later. The suspects were taken into custody at separate London police stations, the force said. Expand Close A police cordon at the scene in Euston Street, Camden (Tom Horton/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A police cordon at the scene in Euston Street, Camden (Tom Horton/PA) Scotland Yard said inquiries were taking place to identify the victim and inform his next of kin. A post-mortem examination will take place in due course. Officers remain at the scene and cordons are in place. Any witnesses or anyone with information about the incident is urged to call police on 101 quoting CAD 7945/18 Feb or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A restaurant in London and two in Cork have triumphed on the global food stage at the inaugural World Restaurant Awards. The ceremony, dubbed the Oscars of the food world by co-founder Andrea Petrini, took place in Paris on Monday night. Londons Noble Rot won for its dedication to bringing vintage wines to drinkers, while Irish chef Darina Allen, 70, joked she was a trolley dolly as she celebrated a win for Ballymaloe House in Cork. The county enjoyed double success as vegetarian restaurant Paradisos long-standing partnership with Gortnanain farm was recognised for nearly two decades of close collaboration. Mrs Allen dedicated the Trolley of the Year award to her late mother-in-law Myrtle Allen, who died last year, saying: I hope shes looking down tonight. She praised Ballymaloes pastry chef JR Ryall for bringing a little bit of magic to the restaurants renowned sweet trolley, which features dishes including Carrageen Moss pudding, made with seaweed from the Irish coast. Laughing, she added: JR creates the magic on the trolley and Im the trolley dolly of the year! Ultan Walsh, who runs Gortnanain farm with his wife-to-be Lucy Stewart, has been supplying vegetables to Paradiso for nearly two decades. Restaurateur Denis Cotter said it was a huge honour to win the Collaboration of the Year crown for the relationship between his 40-seat restaurant and Mr Walshs nine-acre farm which grows aubergines and artichokes alongside the more conventional potatoes and cauliflowers. He said: Its also an amazing recognition and a very unusual recognition of what we do and what we have been doing behind the scenes for such a long time. Its very touching. Dan Keeling from Noble Rot, which won in the Red Wine-Serving category, said he aimed to make the Bloomsbury venue a real drinkers place, a real wine lovers place, serving old vintages that are ready to drink, at good prices. His colleague Mark Andrew said: The idea of the restaurant is to bring not just fantastic service, which is a given at the top end of our industry, but also great food, really interesting wine, exciting wine, and present it to people in a way which really adds to their experience and where they can really get involved. Top chefs including Alain Passard, Alex Atala and Clare Smyth were among those who descended on the French capital for a glittering ceremony at the Palais Brongniart. Lorena Vasquez, master blender of Ron Zacapa rum, partner of the World Restaurant Awards, said: We are so pleased for the Irish and UK winners here tonight. What a fantastic achievement for them to be recognised on this global stage, as the best in the world. This is testament to their passion and pursuit of flavour a passion we at Zacapa share. Whether its food or rum, were all focused on letting flavour speak for itself. Congratulations and we look forward to toasting their win with them tonight. South African restaurant Wolfgat, which specialises in local seafood, was named Restaurant of the Year. Labour party leader Brendan Howlin discussing the vote of no confidence in the Health Minister (Michelle Devane/PA Wire) The Labour Party has stated it will support the motion of no confidence in the Health Minister. Leader Brendan Howlin said on Tuesday that the Government needed to be held to account. Simon Harris faces the motion in the Dail on Wednesday. Expand Close Health Minister Simon Harris (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Health Minister Simon Harris (Niall Carson/PA) Sinn Fein proposed the motion in Mr Harris after a number of issues in his department came to a head in recent weeks, most notably the significant cost overruns in the construction of the National Childrens Hospital. Speaking at Leinster House, Mr Howlin said: We cant keep going on like this. We can see a degree of dysfunction in parliament across the water but that dysfunction is migrating here. He added: (Its) a very worrying situation for all of us who depend on parliament to be the watchdog of the people. Fianna Fail has said it would be an act of national sabotage if it were to back the motion and put the country through a general election at a time of deep uncertainty over Brexit. Independent TD Dr Michael Harty said on Monday that he would back the vote. In a statement on Monday, Mr Harty said the delay in providing a 60-bed unit at University Hospital Limerick sparked his decision. WATCH: aThrusting our country into a General Election on the eve of #Brexit would be an act of national sabotage.a Finance Spokesperson @mmcgrathtd speaking ahead of No Confidence motion that takes place tomorrow pic.twitter.com/oQPVzyw0cS Fianna FAil (@fiannafailparty) February 19, 2019 Mr Harty had indicated that he would abstain on the vote of no confidence on the basis of ensuring the Government did not fall at a critical time for Brexit. But in the statement he said he had lost trust in the minister and the Government as a result of the lack of commitment to delivering the Limerick project as promised. Speaking at Leinster House, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: The botching of the childrens hospital project speaks for itself and will have real consequences and effects on the ground. She added that the outcome of the vote rests with Fianna Fail. Its on Fianna Fails watch and with their support that this minister fails so spectacularly, she said. If they sit on their hands, if they chose to tolerate and facilitate bad decisions, bad government and incompetence, well then, Simon Harris will remain in office. If they have the courage of their convictions, if they are actually to act as opposition deputies and to assist us to hold the government to account, and delivering for citizens, well then, theyll come in and theyll support our motion. Expand Close Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald at Leinster House on Tuesday discussing the motion of no confidence in the Health Minister (Michelle Devane/PA Wire) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald at Leinster House on Tuesday discussing the motion of no confidence in the Health Minister (Michelle Devane/PA Wire) Asked whether she agreed with Fianna Fails claim that it would be an act of sabotage, she replied: Absolutely not, and really that kind of language suggests that Fianna Fail are doing the wrong thing and they are knowingly doing the wrong thing by sitting on their hands. She added that the motion being passed would not thrust the country into a general election because the Taoiseach and the leader of Fianna Fail Micheal Martin had both said there could not be one because of Brexit. Ms McDonald said: There wont be an election because both of these men have told us so and they shouldnt be reaching for that as an excuse not to deal with the issues that have arisen within health and in particular around the incompetence and the mismanagement in terms of the childrens hospital. The Government has come under increasing pressure over spiralling costs of the new hospital, on the campus of St Jamess Hospital in Dublin. It has soared from an original estimate of 650 million euro to more than 1.7 billion euro. The controversial overrun has heaped pressure on Health Minister Simon Harris. An independent inquiry by PWC, which was set up to assess the errors, is expected to be completed by the end of next month. One incredibly lucky Irish punter has become 175m richer after winning tonights EuroMillions jackpot. Tonights record-breaking payout will see tens of thousands of people across the country triple-checking their numbers with the hopes of possessing the golden ticket. National Lottery spokesperson Miriam Donohoe told Independent.ie that this is their biggest win in the National Lottery's 31-year history. This is our 14th EuroMillions win in our history, she said. The last Irish winner who came close to this was Rose McNamara, who won 115m back in 2005. We will not be in a position to reveal the winning location for a couple of days at least. Theres a lot of work to be done like prepping the winning shop and because this is such a huge amount of money itll be bring massive media attention. Ms Donohoe added that the winner is now faced with a lot of responsibility. If youre the holder of this golden ticket, its so important to keep it safe. Sign the back of it and contact us as soon as possible because your life as of now has changed forever. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, will arrive on a two-day visit to India on Tuesday night. The Saudi Crown Prince rescheduled his India visit after he landed in Pakistan on Sunday in wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which a suicide bomber killed over 40 Central Reserve Police Force jawans. His decision to head back to Saudi Arabia for a day before restarting his India visit again is believed to be a mark of respect for the Indians' sentiments after a cowardly attack on the Indian CRPF convoy by an operative of the Pak-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad. So why is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visiting India? And what importance does it hold for the nation? Oil, other energy needs Around 20 per cent of India's oil is imported from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, being one of the largest producers of oil in the world, definitely sees this as an opportunity with India being a massive consumer of oil. Taking the ties forward from the traditional buyer-seller pacts, Saudi Arabia is planning to invest heavily in India. The Kingdom's global oil giant Aramco, along with United Arab Emirates' Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, last year announced plans to set up one of the world's largest refining and petrochemicals plant worth over $44 billion in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. As per the country's Oil Minister Khalid Al Falih, Saudi Arabia will provide half of the crude oil supply to the Ratnagiri plant, which will give it a major boost in raising the oil import to India. Right now Saudi Arabia is the third biggest oil supplier to India after Iraq and Iran. It hopes to increase its refining and petrochemical business in India while also helping the country meet its oil demand. India also imports around 32 per cent of LPG requirements from Riyadh. Both the nations are also expected to ink ties in the field of natural gas and solar energy. Foreign Direct Investment Bilateral ties between India and Saudi Arabia have evolved significantly over the past few years. In 2017-18 alone, India's bilateral trade with Saudi Arabia stood at $27.48 billion, making the Saudi Kingdom its fourth largest trading partner. Saudi Arabia is one of India's major trade partner. It is ranked 15th in the country-wise foreign direct investment in India globally, second after United Arab Emirate among Arab countries. Riyadh invested $21.55 million worth in joint FDI ventures in paper manufacture, industrial products, cement, metallurgical industries, computer software, etc, in India between 2004 and 2008, and the investment is increasing every year. Saudi Arabia also plans to invest heavily in India through the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund. This will help in building highways, ports and other big infrastructure projects in India. Expatriate remittance Saudi Arabia is home to more than 30 lakh Indians, who send back more than $10 billion to India every year. The Kingdom provides huge employment and business opportunities for Indians living in the country. Several Indian businesses, skilled workers and top managers are helping Saudi Arabia in its growth story. The enhancement of business ties with Saudi Arabia will give a big boost to the Indian community living in the Kingdom. Also read: Pakistan awaits the fate of North Korea if India successfully lobbies at FATF Counter-terrorism, maritime security Ahead of the visit by the Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad on Monday that Riyadh will try to "de-escalate" tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pulwama by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad. News agency PTI also quoted an official saying that Saudi Arabia was no longer accepting Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir and cross-border terrorism and that India will forcefully raise the issue of Pakistan's support to terror groups during delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince. The two countries will also issue a joint statement on terrorism and ways to deal with it. To increase defence cooperation, the two sides will also conduct joint naval exercises. Edited by Manoj Sharma Also read: RBI announces Rs 28,000 crore interim dividend to govt Three former Independent News & Media (INM) staff, including two former senior executives, intend to issue legal proceedings after a major suspected data breach at the company, the High Court in Dublin has heard. The disclosure was made by a barrister representing former INM chief executive Gavin OReilly, his secretary at INM, Mandy Scott, and INMs ex-director of corporate affairs Karl Brophy. They are concerned their personal data may have been accessed during an interrogation of INMs IT back-up tapes in 2014. The court has previously heard that, according to INM, which owns the Belfast Telegraph, the companys former chairman Leslie Buckley ordered the tapes be given to a third party service provider. Mr Buckley has pledged to robustly defend his position. Barrister Hugh McDowell told the court Mr OReilly, Mr Brophy and Ms Scott wished to use affidavits and documents gathered by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) as part of their intended legal action. The material was gathered as part of the ODCEs successful bid to have High Court inspectors appointed to investigate the suspected data breach. It included a list of 19 people whose names are feared to have been searched for during an interrogation of the data. Mr Brophy and Ms Scotts names appeared on the list, but Mr OReillys did not. Mr McDowell said his clients had been granted access to certain ODCE material last April on condition that any parties seeking to use those documents would seek the permission of the court to do so. He said the ODCE had no objection to his clients using the material, but INM was objecting. The court heard INMs concerns were that the three had failed to identify the nature of the proceedings and against whom they would be taken. The company also feared that providing consent would infringe on data protection law. Mr Justice Peter Kelly agreed to hold a hearing on the application next May. The Irish premier has said he raised the issue of extending the deadline for the UK leaving the EU with the British Prime Minister. But Leo Varadkar said Theresa May made it clear that Brexit would go ahead on March 29 as planned. The Taoiseach made the comments in the Dail parliament on Tuesday afternoon as the Irish Government ramps up its action plan for the event of the UK crashing out of the EU. I have raised the issue of Article 50 potentially being extended and the Prime Minister has made her position clear that she intends the UK will leave the EU on time on the date that they have set for it, he told the Dail. Mr Varadkar said the March 29 deadline was set in Britain for Britain, not imposed by the EU or Ireland. No deal is not a threat that Ireland is making or the European Union is making, he said. No deal can be taken off the table by the United Kingdom at any time, either by revoking Article 50 or by seeking an extension of Article 50, and well listen to any request that they make for that. He added that a no-deal Brexit would cause a dilemma for the UK and Ireland. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) The only solution that can assure that we do not see the emergence of a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland is an agreement on customs, on customs territory, call it what you will, and regulatory alignment between Northern Ireland and the European Union or perhaps the whole UK and the European Union. And that is what weve negotiated. I dont think that well get to anything very different to the agreement that we have now, the agreement that is on the table, even if that involves a period of uncertainty after 29 March. Well end up with an agreement not dissimilar to what we have now, which is why we should ratify it now. Mr Varadkar said the UK was seeking to explore alternative arrangements to the backstop but the Irish Government had yet to details. Weve explained why the backstop with a time limit isnt a backstop, he said. As the Prime Minister eloquently explained herself when she was advocating for the backstop, an insurance policy that can be cancelled at the time when you most need it is not an insurance policy at all. Some of the jewellery stolen in a burglary in Carrickfergus over the weekend. Credit: PSNI Carrickfergus Facebook Some of the jewellery stolen in a burglary in Carrickfergus over the weekend. Credit: PSNI Carrickfergus Facebook Some of the jewellery stolen in a burglary in Carrickfergus over the weekend. Credit: PSNI Carrickfergus Facebook Police are seeking the public's help in tracking down up to 45,000 worth of jewellery stolen in a burglary in Co Antrim. The burglary happened at a jewellers in the Scotch Quarter area of Carrickfergus over the weekend and was reported to police on Monday morning. Gold, silver and antique jewellery estimated to be worth between 25,000 and 45,000 was taken. On Tuesday, police posted pictures of some of the stolen items on social media in a bid to find them. Police have asked anyone who has been offered any of the items, or any other items of jewellery in suspicious circumstances, to contact them on 101. "We will be monitoring some potential means of selling stolen property, and we're also looking at the forensic opportunities left behind by the suspect, so will be doing all we can to catch those responsible," a PSNI spokesperson added. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has challenged unionists to find a "Plan B" to define their role in "a new and united Ireland". Addressing a gathering of civic unionists at Queen's University Belfast last night, she described herself as a peace-builder in the tradition of Martin McGuinness. She insisted that Sinn Fein's desire for Irish unity did not conflict with the need for reconciliation in Northern Ireland. Sectarianism and "lazy stereotypes and baiting of the other" must be challenged and confronted, she added. The Sinn Fein leader called for a "new conversation" about the past. Read More She referred to the IRA's murder of unionist law lecturer Edgar Graham and the loyalist killing of Sinn Fein student Sheena Campbell. She said the dead could not "be brought back or the injured made whole" but the present generation of republicans would work to build a society free from violence. Ms McDonald told the gathering it was not a choice for republicans between reconciliation and unity. "Reconciliation is central. Reconciliation is not a Trojan horse for unity. Reconciliation cannot be made to wait for unity. Reconciliation sits above the constitutional question," she said. Ms McDonald called for "a process to resolve the past, to live together in the present and to unlock the future". She said "sectarianism, segregation and separation" had to be addressed. Some wanted to "refight old battles, to demand repentance, victory and surrender" but this was not the basis for reconciliation. "We must recast our approach to the past. It cannot be about legitimising or delegitimising deeds or groups or outlooks, but about accepting and acknowledging our collective history." Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close UUP leader Robin Swann lays a wreath outside Queens University on the 35th anniversary last December of the murder of Edgar Graham Edgar Graham Martin McGuinness PA Sheena Campbell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp UUP leader Robin Swann lays a wreath outside Queens University on the 35th anniversary last December of the murder of Edgar Graham She continued: "My starting point is to be thankful that the conflict is over. That we have an agreement and peace. We need more. We need a new conversation about the past. A focus on finding common ground; a compassionate approach to the past." Ms McDonald noted that Queen's had not been immune from the conflict. "It impacted on staff and students. Edgar Graham, a lecturer, was killed by the IRA. Sinn Fein member and Queen's student Sheena Campbell was killed by loyalists. I cannot undo that damage or that loss." However, she continued: "I and my generation of republicans will work tirelessly to build a society in which no other parent is left without a child or a child left without a mammy or daddy. "To work to promote peace and reconciliation, to acknowledge all suffering and provide a space to remember. It is about remembering the dead, not celebrating conflict." Ms McDonald quoted former Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who had described the glorification of conflict as the antithesis of peace-building. "I am a peace-builder in the tradition of my friend Martin," she said. "Reconciliation is not only about resolving the past, it is about the present. It is about how we live today." The Dublin Central TD said it was "neither inevitable nor divined by a god" that division remained today. "It is man made and sustained. It can be ended," she said. "We must challenge sectarianism wherever it arises. To confront the lazy stereotypes and baiting of the other. "We can end sectarianism, we can end segregation." Ms McDonald pledged that "the right to British citizenship and all that entails" would be safeguarded in a united Ireland. She said: "Unionists will not only have a home in Ireland, they will have a place at the table. "A place at the centre of political life and not left in the margins of Westminster. "The Protestant, unionist and loyalist citizens are part of the diversity of our nation. You are as much a part of the discussion to shape a new Ireland as republicans and nationalists. We are partners in this enterprise." Ms McDonald said her party sought to unite Protestant, Catholic and dissenter. "There are no second-class citizens in this land. There will be no second-class citizens in this land. We have much to discuss and much to agree," she said. "The debate is on and change is all around. The notion of a perpetual unionist majority is gone. The very basis of this state." The Sinn Fein president said unionism would argue for continued partition. But she added: "It must also look at a contingency, a Plan B, to define your role in a new and united Ireland. "I want to hear from the unionist community their fears, their needs and their ambitions in a united Ireland. To listen and to understand. "This debate needs to be respectful and informed. It needs to be inclusive and free from threat." Ms McDonald said the deal between the DUP and Theresa May's government would end. She hoped it would leave no lasting damage to the peace process. Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone said that todays youth are concerned by the decisions made during the Brexit negotiations. Todays generation of young people say they are concerned that they will have to live with the decisions made during the Brexit negotiations, Irelands Minister for Children has said. Katherine Zappone told an Oireachtas committee that todays youth believe that Brexit will impact profoundly on the island of Ireland, and are also concerned of a return to a hard border. She added that young people have said that a regression to the violence of the past has to be avoided at all costs. The minister made the comments as she was briefing the Committee on Children and Youth Affairs about some of the features in the Brexit Omnibus Bill. She said: I want to highlight some of the issues that have been consistently raised by young people as matters of concern to them. They want the Good Friday Agreement to be protected and say that Brexit must not be utilised to drive deeper societal divisions or must not limit opportunities on the island, and work and travel and study opportunities must be maintained. Ms Zappone also said that protocols currently in place to deal with child protection issues as well as information sharing policies between police forces in Northern Ireland and the Republic will continue in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Ms Zappone said these critical issues were also raised during Tuesdays Cabinet meeting which discussed the contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit. Fianna Fails Anne Rabbitte questioned how the Government will ensure that child protection issues are covered in the event of the UK crashing out of the European Union. In relation to the safeguarding of child protection issues, at the moment we have a good working relationship with the PSNI and have a good working relationship of sharing information across all the borders, she said. Talking in the context of a no-deal Brexit and that sharing of information, whats your understanding as to where we are going to share information or how are we going to have that child protection issue covered? As we are talking about child protection, we are also talking about child trafficking as well as everything else. Ms Zappone said: Child protection issues and sharing of information especially between the PSNI and An Garda Siochana are really critical issues. At the same time, we are fully intending that kind of information sharing continues both in the context of the practices and the protocols that have developed. The sharing of the information continues from the perspective of the childs best interest. She said another area of concern for young people is EU Peace Funding. Youth services are included in the current Peace IV funded programme which, she added, will mean Brexit will impact on peace funding. I and my department will continue to advocate for inclusion of youth schemes in any programme and any loss in this area would be a lost opportunity in terms of funding for future youth services both sides of border, she added. While confident that the current Peace Programme will be maintained, any funding impacts on new services as a result of Brexit will be kept under review by 2019. The spacecraft that transported astronaut Tim Peake into orbit has touched down in Northern Ireland. The Soyuz TMA-19M capsule, which carried Major Peake to and from the International Space Station (ISS), has gone on display in the Ulster Transport Museum on the outskirts of Belfast. The capsule still bears char marks on its outer body from its re-entry into Earths atmosphere in June 2016. It has been brought to Northern Ireland with its 25-metre diameter parachute and the Sokol KV-2 spacesuit worn by Maj Peake, the UKs first European Space Agency astronaut, during his high-speed descent home after six months on the station. Dr Norah Patten, a Co Mayo aeronautical engineer with ambitions to be the first Irish person in space, attended Tuesdays sneak preview of a display that will open to the public on Wednesday. Tim Peake's Spacecraft lands at the Transport Museum on Wednesday. As part of this FREE exhibition, we will be hosting 'Quiet Sessions' on three dates to offer a more gentle atmosphere for visitors with specific sensory needs. #SoyuzTour Find out more at https://t.co/xlDOjTfCXR pic.twitter.com/fzQvf5M2oe UlsterFolk&Transport (@FolkTransport) February 19, 2019 I think its absolutely amazing to see that three astronauts in their suits would have fitted inside this, she said. It gives some perspective, I think, on the sizes and dimensions of the crafts. Presented by Samsung and the Science Museum Group, the spaceship has been on a UK tour. The Ulster Transport Museum near Holywood, Co Down, is its final stop. The craft, built by RSC Energia for Russian space agency Roscosmos, was launched on December 5 2015. Expand Close Norah Patten with the Soyuz capsule (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Norah Patten with the Soyuz capsule (Liam McBurney/PA) It took crewmates Maj Peake, Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Kopra to the ISS for a six-month stay. The display features Samsungs Space Descent VR experience, which will give visitors the chance to make their own voyage back to Earth using the latest virtual reality technology. Kathryn Thomson, chief executive of National Museums NI, said the exhibition is expected to attract thousands of people. The arrival of Tim Peakes spacecraft opens a new chapter for the story of transportation chronicled at the museum, she said. The exhibition will enhance our visitors experience by complementing the extensive collection of transport exhibits we have on display. Expand Close The Soyuz capsule at Ulster Transport Museum (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Soyuz capsule at Ulster Transport Museum (Liam McBurney/PA) The craft itself represents the very best in human ingenuity and feats of engineering, a historical narrative which is charted throughout the Ulster Transport Museum through a rich collection which showcases the innovation and feats of engineering of people from this part of the world. Director of the Science Museum Group, Sir Ian Blatchford, said: It is rare to see the star objects in Britains great museum collections touring the length and breadth of the country. I am thrilled that so many thousands of people have had the opportunity to see this extraordinary artefact of recent space history on its tour to date. Linda Nolan from Samsung Ireland said: Were excited to be working with the Science Museum Group and the Ulster Transport Museum to help bring this piece of modern history to life by using technology such as virtual reality. Through this incredible experience we aim to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and technologists. The exhibition will remain on display at the museum until Sunday May 12. Leo Varadkar said no progress was made in talks last week (Liam McBurney/PA) Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told the Irish parliament that the UK Conservative governments reliance on DUP votes creates a problem in restoring a government in Northern Ireland. Speaking in the chamber on Tuesday, Mr Varadkar said that talks last week between the main Northern Ireland political parties, the Secretary of State Karen Bradley and his deputy Simon Coveney saw little or no progress was made. Frankly, the fact that the Conservative Party and the British Government depend on the votes of the DUP in Westminster to continue in existence creates a problem as well, the Taoiseach added. These are two new dynamics that did not exist in the past when institutions broke down. They are two very unwelcome dynamicsLeo Varadkar This is because it does not allow the UK Government to play the role it would have played in the past by putting pressure on unionism and all parties to get back around the table and come to an agreement. Mr Varadkar added that alongside the lack of government in Stormont, Brexit has created extraordinary uncertainty for Northern Ireland. These are two new dynamics that did not exist in the past when institutions broke down, he said. They are two very unwelcome dynamics. The DUP currently has a confidence-and-supply arrangement with Prime Minister Theresa May and the 10 DUP MPs are often key votes in the Commons. Mr Varadkar added that his government is dedicated to seeing a government restored in Stormont. The (Irish) Government wants to see an agreement in place to secure the operation of the devolved institutions and will continue to engage with the British government and the political parties in Northern Ireland to seek urgent progress in that area in the period immediately ahead, he added. Expand Close Leo Varadkar said Theresa Mays dependence on DUP votes creates a problem (John Stillwell/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leo Varadkar said Theresa Mays dependence on DUP votes creates a problem (John Stillwell/PA) Closer to home, Mr Varadkar has faced criticism after a spending overrun in the National Childrens Hospital saw funding diverted from the long-awaited A5 road from Dublin to Derry. However, the Taoiseach laid blame for delays at the door of the DUP and Sinn Feins inability to restore a power-sharing executive. The A5 is not delayed because of a reprofiling by government, it is delayed because of legal challenges in Northern Ireland and the fact there is no minister to sign off on the project, he said. Once it gets back on track, the government will be more than happy to provide the 25 million, which we had intended to provide this year. If the road starts this year, Ill be happy to be present at the sod turning, I may even bring the cheque with me. We are not going to pay 25 million to the NI authorities for a road that hasnt even started. A taxi driver was an alleged courier for an Asian crime gang linked to the seizure of nearly 1m of cannabis, the High Court has heard. Prosecutors claimed phone messages connect Somalian national Abakar Mohamod to Chinese suspects arrested during a police operation in Belfast last month. Mohamod, 38, and a passenger were in a car stopped on the M22 as it headed towards Londonderry. Crown lawyer Natalie Pinkerton said officers recovered bags of herbal cannabis with a potential street value of 490,000 from the vehicle on January 9. The taxi's sign was in the boot and the meter was not running, she told the court. Two other Chinese men were detained in the Shore Road area of Belfast on the same day, one of them allegedly carrying a bag with 70,000 worth of identically packaged drugs. Searches of a nearby property uncovered another consignment of herbal cannabis valued at 390,000. Mohamod, a father-of-six with an address at Woodstock Road in the city, denies charges of possessing and conspiring to supply Class B drugs. During police interviews he claimed to know nothing about his co-accused. Mohamod said he had arranged to pick up a Chinese man and woman and take them to Derry for a fixed price of 150. Opposing his application for bail, Ms Pinkerton contended that phone records contradict his account. "There's extensive communication between this applicant and his co-accused," she said. "It's believed he's part of this organised crime gang - even if it's as a courier." Turlough Madden, defending, told the court Mohamod has lived in Northern Ireland since 2011 without being on the police radar until now. Counsel argued there was no evidence he handled any of the drugs found in the car. Referring to the prosecution's alleged portrayal of his client as a driver for the gang, Mr Madden submitted: "One would question how trusted Mr Mohamod was if he wasn't trusted to drive by himself." Refusing bail, however, Mr Justice Huddleston held: "There's a risk of re-offending and a flight risk." The son of a prison officer murdered by dissident republicans has been selected to stand for the DUP in May's council elections. Kyle Black will be the candidate for the Carntogher electoral area in the Mid Ulster district. In November 2012, Mr Black's father David was shot dead as he drove along the M1 to work at Maghaberry Prison. The New IRA claimed responsibility for the murder. Mr Black said his family has received a great deal of community support in recent years and he wanted to give back. "I have obviously been shaped and moulded by my own background and circumstances, which will always be a massive part of who I am," he said. "I cannot change what has happened; however I will not let my circumstances totally define who I am as an individual. "I feel that I now have a voice, which can be used in a positive way within the political arena. My family and I have received a great deal of public support in recent years and this has driven me to want to give back to the community. "I'm determined to play my part in building a better future for everyone in our society." The DUP candidate has spoken out against terrorism, most recently in the wake of a car bomb in Londonderry last month. The New IRA also claimed responsibility for that attack. Mr Black said he wanted to speak for those in the Mid Ulster Council area where the "unionist voice is in the minority". "Many people feel that republicans are very quick to demand respect from others but demonstrate no willingness to offer any such respect to the unionist community," he added. "I firmly believe in equality and respect, however this approach does not reflect the true meaning of these phrases. Equality and respect cannot be a one-way street." DUP leader Arlene Foster said she was "delighted" Mr Black will be contesting the election. "As a young person Kyle has experienced some of the worst of our society but I have been hugely impressed with his determination to make a difference and desire to make a difference," she added. "In Mid Ulster, like all of Northern Ireland only the DUP has the strength to deliver. "A strong team of DUP councillors can deliver the best services at the lowest possible cost to the ratepayer, can build better communities and strengthen the Union. I know that Kyle will play an invaluable role within that strong team in Mid Ulster." Last June, a man was acquitted of having a role in the murder of David Black. Dungannon-based Damien McLaughlin had been accused of providing a car that was used in the murder of Mr Black. However, the case against him collapsed and McLaughlin - who has a previous conviction for possession of firearms - walked away a free man. In his first reaction after the ghastly Pulwama terror attack, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday denied his country's involvement in the terrorist attack that left 40 CRPF jawans dead. He even asked India to introspect and stop pointing fingers on Pakistan. Imran Khan said India had been targeting Pakistan without a shred of evidence. He also asked why Pakistan would attack India at a time when it was going forward on the path of development. "Pakistan ko isse kya faayda hai? Kyu Pakistan karega iss stage ke upar jab Pakistan stability ki taraf ja raha hai?," he said, during his first press conference after Pulwama terrorist attack. The Pakistan PM said: "It is in our interest that nobody from our soil spreads violence. I want to tell Indian govt that we will take action if evidence is found against anyone from Pakistan." The Pakistan PM, however, did not say anything on Pakistan-based internationally recognised terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad, which has claimed the responsibility for the attack. In a direct reference to PM Modi's remarks that "time for a dialogue has ended", and that it was time for action, Imran Khan said: "If you think you will attack us and we will not think of retaliating, we will retaliate." Pakistan PM Imran Khan: If you (Indian govt) thinks you will attack us and we will not think of retaliating, we will retaliate. We all know starting a war is in the hands of humans, where it will lead us only God knows. This issue should be solved through dialogue. pic.twitter.com/kbyvmAiJgk - ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2019 Imran Khan said he wanted to respond to India's allegations immediately after the incident but decided not to do so "because the attention would have been diverted away from the visit (of the Saudi crown prince)". "...we have fought a war against terrorism for 15 years, 70,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives, terrorism is receding, peace and stability are returning... what benefit would we get from it [the Pulwama attack]?" asked Imran Khan. He asserted new Pakistan did not want believe in "carrying terrorist attacks in other countries". "I am telling you clearly, this is naya Pakistan. It is a new mindset, a new way of thinking. We believe that it is in our interest that our soil is not used for carrying out terrorist attacks in other countries, nor do we want outsiders to come and carry out terror attacks here. We desire stability," he said, adding that if India had any actionable intelligence that a Pakistani was involved, it should reveal it. "I guarantee you that we will take action - not because we are under pressure, but because they [any individuals found involved] are acting as enemies of Pakistan," he said, reported Dawn. Earlier today, the Indian Army confirmed that Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI along with Jaish-e-Mohammad was behind that Pulwama attack. The Indian Army also said the mastermind behind the attack had been killed in an Army encounter in Pinglina village on Monday. The Army reassured its commitment that terrorists entering the Kashmir Valley will not go alive and that anyone who would pick up the gun in Kashmir would be eliminated. Representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF were also present at the press conference. The Army, J&K Police and CRPF in a joint conference said that the focus of the security forces, including the Jammu and Kashmir police, was very clear on terrorism, and militant recruitments had decreased in the Kashmir Valley in recent times, which was a positive sign. Edited by Manoj Sharma Also read: 'You pick up a gun, you are dead'; Indian Army says terrorists will be killed, blames Pakistan's ISI for Pulwama attack Also read: Pakistan awaits the fate of North Korea if India successfully lobbies at FATF Also read: 'We salute you, brave sons of Mother India': PM Modi pays tribute to martyred soldiers Mary Lou McDonald has declined to apologise for voicing opposition to any current police commander in Northern Ireland succeeding the retiring chief constable. The Sinn Fein president said she would not be retracting her controversial comments about who should replace George Hamilton when he steps down in June. Theres nothing to apologise for, theres no retraction to be made, said Mrs McDonald, dismissing criticism of her remarks as political huffing and puffing. The republican leader said she would have no role in appointing the regions next police chief and said the Sinn Fein representative on the recruitment panel would act in accordance with the rules and regulations. The Police Federation representative body has demanded an apology from Mrs McDonald, while her comments have also sparked a wave of condemnation from political rivals, who claim she has compromised the recruitment process. Be clear on this, I am not going to decide who the chief constable isMary Lou McDonald, Sinn Fein president The body that oversees equality laws in Northern Ireland the Equality Commission has also voiced concern about her remarks. On Monday in Belfast, Mrs McDonald said she would not have confidence in any current member of the Police Service of Northern Irelands (PSNI) senior leadership team taking the helm of the organisation. Her comments came after she met bereaved families caught up in a controversy involving the PSNIs failure to disclose documents about historic killings to Northern Irelands Police Ombudsman. The PSNIs oversight body the Policing Board is responsible for appointing the chief constable. A Sinn Fein appointee will be on the board panel that makes the decision. On the issue of the chief constable, I have no role in the appointment of a chief constable, the Sinn Fein president said on Tuesday afternoon. I was asked could I identify someone from the senior team who I thought ought to be chief (constable) and the truth is I cant. Be clear on this, I am not going to decide who the chief constable is. Yes, we make appointments to the Policing Board and when people are appointed to the Policing Board they act in accordance with the statutory scheme, the rules and regulations the letter of them. And I would expect and insist that any Sinn Fein appointee behaves in that manner. aWe made it clear to the PSNI that they have zero credibility when it comes the legacy casesa @MaryLouMcDonald tells the media after meeting with relatives of victims of Ormeau attacks, the Police Ombudsman and the PSNI pic.twitter.com/lVseGVaely Sinn FAin (@sinnfeinireland) February 18, 2019 The original comments came during a press conference in south Belfast during which she claimed the PSNI had zero credibility in its handling of cases linked to the legacy of the Troubles. Mrs McDonald was asked if she had confidence in any of the current leadership team to replace Mr Hamilton. No I dont, she replied. The PSNIs credibility on matters pertaining to legacy is zero, I dont think that happened today or yesterday but I think certainly this turn of events has confirmed that. In response to a follow-up question on the same issue, the Sinn Fein leader added: Is there somebody inside who I think should be the chief constable, and I have to answer honestly that no, I cant identify such a person. Lots of this is about who leads, who is in the top job in policing, but it goes much more broad than that. This is an issue of the culture of policing, its about the systems and its about their capacity to be and to be held fully accountable. DUP leader Arlene Foster accused Mrs McDonald of jeopardising the recruitment process. It is very foolish of her first of all to make the comments and then not to retract the comments, because essentially what she is doing is interfering with due process and compromising the panel appointment, Mrs Foster told the BBC. We have asked for legal advice from the Policing Board lawyers. We will await to hear what they have to say but, in my opinion, she has compromised the panel, she has compromised due process and she should be big enough to acknowledge that. Last week, it emerged that the PSNI failed to disclose significant information relating to a notorious loyalist mass shooting. Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire said significant, sensitive information around the incident at a bookmakers in south Belfast was not made available to his investigators. Five people were killed on February 5 1992, when members of the loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) opened fire on the Sean Graham bookmakers shop on the lower Ormeau Road. Dr Maguires office said the non-disclosed material, which it has now obtained, has opened new lines of inquiry in its investigation into the Ormeau Road shootings, as well as activities of loyalist paramilitaries in the north west between 1988 and 1994, and its probe into the murder of teenager Damien Walsh at a coal depot in west Belfast in 1993. Last week, PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin apologised on behalf of the police and said they never sought to withhold the information from the ombudsman investigators, putting the incident down to human error. During the press conference in Dublin on Tuesday, Mrs McDonald was pressed on whether she had confidence in current Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, a former high-ranking PSNI and Royal Ulster Constabulary officer. I do, yes, she said. He has a job to do and I want him to succeed. A man allegedly breached a Sexual Offences Prevention Order by purchasing a new smartphone two hours after his release from custody, the High Court has heard. Prosecutors claimed 39-year-old Richard McCrea's actions last week were part of a "disturbing pattern of behaviour". But defence lawyers argued that he bought the new phone to contact family on leaving prison because his old device was low on battery. McCrea, with a hostel address at Ventry Lane in Belfast, was refused bail. The court was told he has been assessed as a category three sex offender. He previously portrayed himself as a 17-year-old on social media in an attempt to contact and meet a young girl, according to the prosecution. On February 13, McCrea received an 11-month prison sentence at Antrim Crown Court for a separate breach of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). But because of the length of time spent in custody on remand he was released at that stage. One of the conditions was that he was not to obtain a new mobile phone without prior approval from his designated risk manager. Crown lawyer Natalie Pinkerton claimed McCrea breached that within hours. "He immediately, on release, went to Tesco beside Antrim Courthouse and purchased an internet-enabled smartphone," she said. McCrea used the device to phone his risk manager the following day and confirmed what he had done, the court heard. He was arrested when he attended a police station to register his address later that morning. Ms Pinkerton stressed there was no suggestion he had used the phone to commit any offence. But she argued: "While there hasn't been any further contact with young people, it was two hours after release from custody that he's gone to purchase a mobile phone after being expressly told not to." Defence counsel said McCrea had been attempting to get to his new hostel accommodation, realised his old phone was running out of battery and bought the new device to let his family and friends know what was happening. "It's not a case where he was doing this to keep it secret," he added. The barrister also insisted his client has never committed any assault or "contact offences". Denying McCrea's bid to be released, however, Mr Justice Huddleston said: "Given the history of this applicant and risk of further offences I'm not prepared to admit him to bail." Scoop and Sebastian, two of the dogs re-homed in Northern Ireland Three animal lovers have returned to Northern Ireland after rescuing nine dogs from China destined for the meat trade or medical testing. David Foster from Co Antrim, Caolan Maguire from Co Fermanagh and Co Down woman Sharon Warnock spent two weeks in Harbin in north-eastern China, helping to rehabilitate dogs in a rescue centre and saving them from a horrific fate. All three worked in partnership with voluntary group Harbin Slaughterhouse Survivors (SHS) to free animals living in horrendous conditions. Two of the nine dogs, toy poodle Scoop and shepherd-cross Sebastian, were brought back and have since been rehomed. The remainder were transported to rescue centres across the UK for rehoming. Group leader David (38) has a Facebook page 'Play for Strays', created to donate toys and boredom relief to rescue animals all over the world. Last year he transported an abused dog 5,000 miles from the Amazon after finding it on a remote uninhabited island. When Caolan (26), who runs Pets Lost and Found Fermanagh on social media, shared David's story on his own Facebook page, the two struck up a friendship. David invited Caolan to join him on his mission to China, where it is estimated 10 million dogs are slaughtered annually for the meat trade. The Enniskillen man described the trip as "the biggest and most spontaneous adventure" of his life. He said many of the rescued animals are living in squalor and suffer from a range of disabilities. He added: "Working alongside such amazing people was absolutely humbling. "The dedication they put into not only rehabilitating so many different dogs, and the sacrifices they make along the way, was the most eye-opening and heart-warming thing I've ever seen and will remain with me forever." David had originally rescued Scoop on a visit to China last August, and brought him and Sebastian back to their new owner in Co Armagh. He said: "When I first saw Scoop he had no hair but now it has grown back and he's like a little teddy bear. "I literally 'scooped' him off the floor when we saved some puppies after their mums were killed. "Sebastian had canine distemper virus when he was found on the back of a meat truck bound for the infamous Yulin Dog Meat Festival. This condition usually kills dogs outright and gives them very severe tremors. "Luckily he has recovered very well and is living a full life now with only very slight tremors." It is estimated that up to 15,000 dogs are eaten at the annual 10-day festival in Yulin, which has been slammed by animal rights organisations. Sharon (54) was also on the trip for the first time. The Magheralin woman, who previously adopted a disabled poodle called Henry from a Chinese animal sanctuary, said: "If you saw the horrific way dogs bound for the slaughterhouses and meat trade are treated in China, your heart would break. "You can't physically or mentally comprehend the level of cruelty, so to do something small like flying animals out of there to a new and better life was amazing." The Cave Hill is popular with walkers and mountain bikers. A police officer accused of failing to investigate obstacles being placed on bike trails on Belfast's Cave Hill has had the complaint against him dropped by the Police Ombudsman. Last year, the police had to issue a public warning after wire was strung across a cycle track on Cave Hill in a bid to injure cyclists. The warning followed several other incidents of "sabotage" being reported at popular Belfast biking trails. In one incident, fishing wire was strung across two trees at head height, sparking fears that cyclists could have been decapitated. Read More The constable investigating the claims in question also faced allegations of bias and "inappropriate disclosure of information". According to the Police Ombudsman, the complaint arose amid wider disagreements between mountain bikers and walkers in the north Belfast Park. Ombudsman investigators found that footage of people placing obstacles on the trails had been passed to police, who had taken "appropriate action". The officer had spoken to witnesses, taken statements and viewed the footage, in addition to seeking advice from the Public Prosecution Service and legal services to see if any offences had been committed. Public safety concerns relating to the trails being used by bikers and walkers at the same time were also raised by the officer and "no misconduct was identified". The Police Ombudsman's Office said no failings were identified in their investigation and the case was closed. Police are searching for Laurence Creaney after his licence was revoked. Police have asked for the public's help in locating a man after his prison licence was revoked. Laurence Creaney is being sought by the PSNI after being released from prison. An officer, posting on the PSNI's Craigavon Facebook page, said: "Mr Laurence Creaney pictured below was released from prison on licence, however this has now been revoked and the PSNI are seeking assistance in locating Mr Creaney. "Should you have any information please contact us on 101 quoting serial 581 19/02/18. "You can also contact us using private message." Representatives of the Omagh bomb victims have been subjected to "intimidation and threats" while serving legal papers on the men found responsible for the bomb in a civil case, the High Court heard yesterday. Barrister John O'Donnell also complained that former Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt has tried to delay the bomb victims' lawsuit against him "at every turn" and he asked the court to put "a bit of pressure" on McKevitt to deal with the case. The families of the 29 people and unborn twins killed in the August 1998 Real IRA bombing are trying to have four of the men declared bankrupt after they failed to pay a 1.6m judgment award to the families in Belfast in 2009. The case to recover the men's assets has moved to Dublin because their property and bank accounts are in the Republic. The court previously heard that the men have refused to accept service of documents in the case and one, Colm Murphy, has been accused of deliberately moving his assets around to thwart the lawsuit. Mr O'Donnell complained to the court yesterday that "not one penny" has been paid to the victims since the men found responsible for the bomb in a civil case were successfully sued. Michael Gallagher, who lost his son Aiden in the bombing, and Stanley McCombe, who lost his wife Ann, were among those in court for the hearing in Dublin yesterday. "I should say judge that some of the victims of the bomb are here, they have travelled for this. It was the 20th anniversary of the bomb last year and the judgment was given in 2009. Not one penny has been paid to anyone. So this isn't a situation where the proposed bankrupt is attempting to meet his debts," Mr O'Donnell complained to Justice Teresa Pilkington. Mr O'Donnell said he had already told the Omagh families that the court would likely have to "afford some brief period of time" for the men to prepare a statement of their assets. He noted the men had since last October to prepare those statements but had failed to do so. He said this was causing anguish for the Omagh bomb victims' families. "You can understand their concern and anguish in relation to this matter and, obviously, they are anxious that they see a degree of closure," he said. The case yesterday was against three of four men found liable for the bombing. They include McKevitt, the former chief of staff of the Real IRA; his deputy Liam Campbell, and Continuity IRA leader Murphy. A fourth man, Seamus Daly, whom the High Court in Belfast was found to have delivered the Omagh bomb, is being dealt with under separate proceedings. Mr O'Donnell said that legal staff could no longer serve papers to the four men directly because of intimidation. "Perhaps not surprisingly, there had been difficulties in effective service (of papers) on the proposed bankrupts. "Some servers have complained of intimidation and threats against them. In those circumstances, liberty was given (by the court) to effect service not just of those documents but of other documents by prepaid post," Mr O'Donnell said. Justice Pilkington said she knew the background of the case and had read the files, but had to follow proper procedures "regardless of the horrific circumstances" of the case. She said she appreciated that the families wanted the case concluded "but unfortunately the legal process is seldom rapid". She said that, while the case has been ongoing, it is the first time it was listed in her court and she had to allow the three men time to submit an affidavit, including a statement of their means, and a letter from a personal insolvency professional if they decide to declare bankruptcy. She said she would give them three weeks to prepare the papers and hand them to the Omagh families' lawyers and would adjourn the case for a month. None of the three men were in court for the case. A Craigavon secondary school has announced that a 11-year-old pupil has passed away suddenly. Lismore Comprehensive school said Year 8 pupil Maddy-Leigh Harbinson passed away "suddenly, but peacefully" at the Royal Victoria Hospital on Monday. A Lismore spokesperson said that the whole school community was saddened by Maddy-Leigh's passing. She will be laid to rest in Lurgan following a service at St Anthony's Church, Craigavon at 12pm on Thursday. "School will be open after the funeral service for anyone who would like to come together," a Lismore spokesperson said. "On return to school after midterm break, support will be available for both students and staff. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Harbinson family and Maddy-Leighs friends at this time." Maddy-Leigh was from the Lurgan area and is survived by her father Colin, mother Sabrina and brother Tristen. "Her passing is very deeply regretted by her loving daddy, mummy, brother, grandparents, aunties, uncles and entire family circle," a family notice said. DUP MLA Carla Lockhart said: This is devastating news for little Maddy-Leighs family, friends and the local community. "A bubbly 11-year-old girl with everything to live for cut off in the prime of life. Having spoken to the family they are just distraught and in a state of shock. My thoughts and prayers will be with them. "I know that there will be strong family and community support to help carry the Harbinson and McCombe family through this tragedy. Mary Lou McDonald has refused to apologise for saying the next PSNI chief constable should come from outside the force as she had no confidence in any current senior officer taking on the role. Mrs McDonald characterised the fall out from her comments as "political huffing and puffing". The Sinn Fein President said she would not be retracting her controversial comments about who should replace George Hamilton when he steps down in June which has sparked a major row. Read More Mrs McDonald has faced calls to apologise from a policing representative body while her comments have also sparked a wave of condemnation from political rivals and the Policing Federation. The Equality Commission also took the unprecedented step of intervening. The PSNI's oversight body - the Policing Board - makes the appointment and a Sinn Fein member will be on the board panel that makes the decision. Since party officials have attempted to dial down the comments saying Mrs McDonald did not know many of the senior officers and she was saying she could not identify an officer, not there wasn't an officer. #BREAKING: Sinn FAinas Mary Lou McDonald doubles down on comments about PSNI: aThe PSNI have no credibility in terms of dealing with legacy issues.a She does, however, have confidence in Garda Commissioner Drew Harris (ex-PSNI). pic.twitter.com/ZwycCNQocb Kevin Doyle (@KevDoyle_Indo) February 19, 2019 Addressing the media in Dublin on Tuesday, the republican leader added: "There's nothing to apologise for, there's no retraction to be made." Mrs McDonald said she would have no role in appointing the new chief constable. "On the issue of the chief constable I have no role in the appointment of a chief constable," said the Sinn Fein president. "I was asked could I identify someone from the senior team who I thought ought to be chief (constable) and the truth is I can't. "Be clear on this, I am not going to decide who the chief constable is. Yes, we make appointments to the Policing Board and when people are appointed to the Policing Board they act in accordance with the statutory scheme, the rules and regulations - the letter of them. "And I would expect and insist that any Sinn Fein appointee behaves in that manner." A Newcastle man has pleaded guilty to the rape and sexual abuse of a young girl. Standing handcuffed in the dock of Downpatrick Crown Court, 59-year-old Gary Talbot entered guilty pleas to all but one of the sex offences against him. Gary Talbot, with an address at HMP Maghaberry, dressed in a grey shirt and striped tie, confessed to 15 offences including two counts each of rape, gross indecency with a child and indecent assault along with six offences of taking or permitting to be taken indecent Photos of a child, all committed on dates unknown between 1 January 2001 and 6 October 2003. He also confessed to three counts of distributing indecent images of a child in May 2011 but denied one count of sexually assaulting the same victim on a date unknown between 21 July 2012 and 21 July 2014. His wife 58-year-old Heather Talbot - with an address at Hydebank Wood - standing alongside him in the dock with a prison officer separating them, denied all of the 12 offences she faces. Mrs Talbot, wearing a black jacket and light blue cardigan, denied aiding and abetting, counselling and procuring her husband in the rapes and further offences of indecent assault, gross indecency and six offences relating to taking or permitting to be taken indecent photos of a child. Previous courts have heard claims that Heather Talbot allegedly bought stockings and underwear for the infant female before her husband raped her. As the couple entered the dock, their lawyers confirmed to Judge Piers Grant that had been fully advised over the issue of credit and fully understand the implications". As their respective pleas were announced, Gary Talbot looked to his solicitor for guidance as each count was put and two women in the public gallery wept quietly. It took the clerk 10 minutes to put all of the charges to the defendants and following the arraignment, prosecuting counsel Laura Ievers told Judge Grant that even with the narrowed issues given Mr Talbots confessions, she estimated the trial would last two weeks. She added that the case would benefit from a review before any prospective trial date would be set. Remanding the couple back into custody and ordering Mr Talbot to now sign the police sex offenders register, Judge Grant said he would review the case on February 28. Nothing of a facts were opened in court on Tuesday. Striking West Virginia teachers and supporters rally at the state Capitol in Charleston on February 19, 2019. Photo: John Raby/AP/REX/Shutterstock/John Raby/AP/REX/Shutterstock West Virginia school personnel earned what looks like a second major labor victory in two years on Tuesday afternoon. Hours after educators walked out on strike, House legislators voted 53 to 45 to indefinitely table SB 451, a controversial omnibus education bill that has, in most of its many iterations, tied an additional pay raise for school employees to the creation of charter schools and education savings accounts that would subsidize the costs of private education, among other provisions. The vote is tentatively good news for teachers, but the bill may not be totally dead. In theory, someone could file a motion to reconsider tabling the bill. Education unions will hold a press conference at 7 p.m, and the House is in recess until 6 p.m. On Twitter, the West Virginia Education Association urged members to contact the 12 Republicans who voted to table the bill: Important - Please share Continue to contact the 12 Republican delegates who voted with the 41 Democrats.Thank them and urge them to stay with us should a reconsideration be called. Those 12 Republicans are... https://t.co/yPkGpwNuvp WVEA (@WVEAnews) February 19, 2019 The West Virginia House of Delegates is in Recess until 6:00 pm. Stay tuned. Its not over yet. #WVpol pic.twitter.com/Xp0a614P5z WV Federation of Democratic Women (@WVFDW) February 19, 2019 At least one Republican delegate has said he doesnt plan to file a motion to reconsider the bill: Theres a rumor aswirlin that Del. Steele voted to kill SB 451 at the last minute just to be on the winning side, to file a motion to reconsider later. He just said unequivocally that this is not true and he is not planning to file that motion Jake Zuckerman (@jake_zuckerman) February 19, 2019 Prior to Tuesdays vote, school employees had characterized the bill as retaliation for last years history-making strike, which garnered national attention for the states comparatively low teacher salaries and helped inspire similar walkouts in Arizona, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. On Monday evening, leaders from the states three school employee unions announced a new walkout, nearly a full year after they shut down every school district in the state to demand living wages and funding for the public insurance agency that covers state employees. In the morning, before SB 451 met its probable demise, teachers expressed frustration with legislators. Its disheartening and its frustrating that here we are having to participate in our second strike, Mingo County teacher Katie Endicott told New York magazine as she walked into the Capitol for a rally. Endicotts husband is also a teacher, so they stood to benefit from a double pay raise. Despite last years hard-won victories, West Virginia teachers still earn relatively little compared to public school educators in other states. Even so, Endicott opposed the bill in its current iteration, and said she believed that her new raise would come at the expense of her students. Im willing to say, keep the $4,000 because the soul of West Virginia and our students are worth more than $4,000 a year, she said. So were not going to sell them out. Kristina Gore, who teaches in Logan County, urged legislators to focus on other pressing matters, like the states opioid crisis. Teachers agree wholeheartedly we have problems in public education, but if you want to fix them you must first understand those problems are symptoms of a bigger issue, she told New York. That issue is the social conditions in which our children live. Instead of trying to treat a symptom with garbage legislation that isnt even vetted or proven to work, lets brainstorm some legislation to fix the real problem. Lets address the drug epidemic. Tuesdays strike placed significant pressure on state legislators, who had been mired in heated negotiations over the omnibus bill. As the West Virginia Gazette-Mail reported, the House version of the bill watered down the Senates original proposals for education reform. House legislators removed education savings accounts from the bill, restored seniority as a protective consideration for teachers at risk of being laid off, and capped the number of charter schools at two. The House scheme would have converted public schools to charter schools, but only with majority approval from school parents and employees. Teachers unions are uniformly opposed to the creation of new charter schools, which likely would have become a major obstacle to the implementation of this scheme. On Monday, Senate leaders countered with new proposals of their own. They unveiled an amended version of the bill that would increase the number of charter schools from two to seven and revive a clause to create education savings accounts, though it did limit these accounts to 1,000 students, down from 2,500 in the version the Senate originally sent to the House. By Tuesday morning, schools had closed in every county save one: Putnam County, which isnt far from the state capital, Charleston. Although Putnam County superintendent John Hudson had refused to close school, some school employees appear to have defied him. News Channel WOWK 13 reported that picket lines had still formed at Putnam schools and that some school bus drivers had refused to pick up children. In Charleston, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, walked a picket line with educators. Not far away, other school employees, like Endicott, attended a demonstration at the Capitol. Robin Ellis, who also teaches in Mingo County and who traveled to the Capitol with Endicott, told New York that educators are ready to do battle for public education. This will impact our children and our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And we are ready, she said. We are not willing to stand back and replace a system which now offers education to all with a system that discriminates and will create chaos. Fifty-three legislators listened. Twelve were Republicans who joined Democrats in the vote to table the bill. The House just voted on a motion made by Delegate Caputo to postone consideration of SB 451 indefinately. This motion would kills the bill without actually voting on the bill. A correct vote on this motion is a yes vote. The motion passed 53-45 The bill is now dead!!! WVEA (@WVEAnews) February 19, 2019 Views from outside the House chamber with SB 451 dead. Place is wild pic.twitter.com/wL3WmU1TiW Jake Zuckerman (@jake_zuckerman) February 19, 2019 Outside West Virginia, the teachers strike wave is poised to continue. In Ohio, educators employed by the Summit Academy charter school in Parma, Ohio, also walked out of class today, making them the fourth charter school to go on strike within the last three months. In December, employees of the Acero network of charter schools in Chicago made labor history by launching the nations first ever charter school strike. Public school teachers in Oakland, California, may also strike on Thursday over low pay, growing class sizes, and inadequate resources for students; they have been working without a contract since 2017. Union officials have told the San Francisco Chronicle that 600 teachers left the district last year because they could no longer afford to live in the Bay Area on their salaries. Sinn Fein policing spokesman Gerry Kelly has attempted to clarify party leader Mary Lou McDonald's comments that the next Chief Constable should come from outside the PSNI. Mrs McDonald said that there was no credible candidate within the PSNI to replace outgoing Chief Constable George Hamilton. However, policing board member Mr Kelly said that "any Sinn Fein member who will sit on any of the selection panels will act on the basis of objectivity and merit, whether those candidates are from within the PSNI or outside". He also stated the party president did not know the top brass other than one senior officer. He said that Mrs McDonald had made a "straightforward" comment in light of the recent criticism of the PSNI. When asked if she believed a candidate within the PSNI was capable of becoming the next chief constable, the Sinn Fein President replied: "I have to answer honestly that no, I can't identify such a person." She was speaking after Sinn Fein met with the PSNI on Monday to discuss the police failure to disclose a number of documents to the Ombudsman in relation to the 1992 Sean Graham bookmakers massacre. It took a lot of work & courage by the SDLP & others to bring about huge change in policing. There are major challenges in policing today but ill-thought out comments from the SF leader do nothing to resolve them. There's a process for filling key positions. It should be followed Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) February 19, 2019 Her comments attracted heavy criticism from across the political spectrum with the Police Federation warning that Mrs McDonald's comments had been a "grave miscalculation". Expand Close The retweet from PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The retweet from PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton. Read More Outgoing PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton retweeted a statement from the Police Federation criticising Mrs McDonald's comments. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, Mr Kelly defend his party leader and said that she did not know many of the PSNI top brass. "Mary Lou doesn't know any of the people in the top team, she was only introduced to the temporary deputy chief constable and the other assistant chief constable yesterday," the North Belfast MLA said. "It was extrapolating something from a comment which was reflecting the meetings we had yesterday (with the PSNI), the damage that this has done to the confidence in policing is massive." Mr Kelly stressed that every candidate for the role would be judged on their own merits. "Anybody who applies for this job, or other jobs, will be looked upon on their merit, with absolute objectivity on whether they are capable of doing the job or not. "This is a public appointments process so there are independent people there who will make sure the process goes through." "Mary Lou McDonald will not be on the panel and never claimed she would be. I may be or it may be one of the other two members in Sinn Fein (on the policing board) and it will be other people of the board and I expect all of them, including Sinn Fein to act with the utmost integrity. Pushed on whether he considered there to be candidates inside the PSNI capable of doing the top job, Mr Kelly admitted there were. "I think there are clearly people capable of doing the Chief Constable's job wherever they come from whether that is within the PSNI or outside," he said. UUP policing board member Alan Chambers said that Mr Kelly's comments had not "repaired the damage" caused by Mrs McDonald's comments. The North Down MLA said that "being regarded as capable of applying for a job does not necessarily mean you are capable of being appointed". "Sinn Fein members on the Policing Board have to put some distance between themselves and their party leaders comments or they themselves will be wide open to the possibility of legal action and employment tribunals from unsuccessful candidates," he said. Unless Sinn Feins representatives on the Policing Board publicly disassociate themselves from their Party Leaders comments, doubts will inevitably arise as to their ability to act impartially in terms of senior staff appointments, and that is in nobodys interests. The Irish government has discussed its contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit at Tuesdays Cabinet meeting. Despite ramping up its action plan for the UK crashing out of the EU, Irelands deputy premier has said he does not want to give an impression that the country can easily manage a no-deal Brexit. Simon Coveney said it will put a huge strain on the Irish economy but added that he still believes a no-deal Brexit can be avoided. His comments come following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday. The Cabinet discussed the 16 different pieces of legislation across nine government departments that has been designed for a no-deal Brexit, and will be published on Friday. Expand Close Part of a former smuggling route covering both sides of the Irish border (Michael McHugh/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Part of a former smuggling route covering both sides of the Irish border (Michael McHugh/PA) Speaking on RTEs Morning Ireland, Mr Coveney said: It will do things like protect cross-border health services so that children will be able to continue to come to Dublin for specialist paediatric care. It will also ensure that British students in Ireland will continue to be treated as citizens almost in this country and vice versa for Irish students in the UK. It also does things we never thought we would have to do, like put a legislative base in place for someone to get on a train in Dublin to go to Belfast, because they will be travelling out of the EU and into a third country and back again. He said the new law is to protect Irish citizens and the economy. Other measures to help businesses prepare have also been put in place. It will put huge strain on the Irish economy and huge strain on many sectors that are vulnerableSimon Coveney He added that the UK government made a commitment in December 2017 to offer bespoke solutions if there was no agreement on how to solve the border issue on the island of Ireland. He added: But if there is no agreement on those bespoke solutions, which are presumably around technology which we are very sceptical of, then the UK will maintain full alignment with the rules of the customs union and the single market in Northern Ireland. While we have a huge amount of contingency planning in place and we are going to be passing new legislation to protect Irish people, I wouldnt like to give the impression we can easily manage a no-deal Brexit if it were to happen next month, which I dont think it will. It will put huge strain on the Irish economy and huge strain on many sectors that are vulnerable particularly around agriculture, fishing, food industry and some other areas. We are doing everything we physically can to ensure that we prepare as best we can with our partners across the EU. Irelands Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the Brexit Omnibus Bill will ensure that Irish consumers who have bought insurance products out of the UK are protected. It ensures that in the event of a no-deal scenario, shared transactions would still be able to take place in regards to the Irish stock exchange, he added. Across a variety of different Government departments, we have key details in place to help us maintain status quo in key places. He said the legislation published this Friday will show the attention to detail in sensitive areas and how the Government will manage it. Citizens will have grave concern if they found in April insurance products that they have purchased in good faith out of the UK no longer hold the protection they thought it would. We are looking to deal with this, he added. In terms of investments we are making across this year we have provision in our budgets for all Government departments for additional money that needs to be spent. The Irish Environment Minister has assured a government committee that they are not anticipating blackouts or power outages on either side of the border in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Richard Bruton, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment said although power supply should be relatively unaffected, legislation in the omnibus Brexit Bill will see new powers given to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in Ireland (CRU) to alter licences in the event of a crash Brexit. Currently, any person or company who intends to supply electricity requires a supply licence from the CRU if a no-deal Brexit were to go ahead, certain licences would have to be altered to ensure they are compliant with EU law. In the event that there was severe disruption that led to unexpected market activity, were giving the CRU, the regulator, the power to alter licences in the event of certain things happening, Mr Bruton said. This is clearly something that is a precautionary move, but when the full evaluation was done, it was believed this would be a prudent piece of legislation. However, the provision to alter licences will be constrained and have to have ministerial approval to say its justified, it will only last one year and can only be exercised in no-deal Brexit, and contingent on absolute necessity being established. Those are the main provisions on it, the CRU will have this reserve power should there be unanticipated activity in the market. The minister added that coal, oil and gas systems should operate normally without fear of any significant disruption. There are no tariffs imposed by the EU on gas and electric imports and that should continue to be the case, which Mr Bruton says means prices will be unaffected, after concerns were raised by Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley about cost increases. On the issue of controlling the price, this is a market system, a supply and demand, he said. It is a regulated market, where the regulators set the requirements in public interest and trades on day-to-day basis, in terms of those decisions, theyre independent, I have no role in asking them to review. Northern Ireland has shared a single energy market with the Republic of Ireland for more than 10 years as a result of the Belfast Agreement. Mr Bruton assured committee members that there are provisions within Theresa Mays Withdrawal Agreement and a strong commitment from the UK Government to see the current arrangement continue. In crash out, there are certain trades that now occur on the single electricity market that no longer will occur, however the remaining inter-day trades will continue to support pretty normal business on the system and that it wont lead to any short term problems, the minister added. In so far as I can tell, the UK recognise the importance of being interconnected to the EU market and they see that as one of the benefits they want to continue and signalled their intention in their own material they published. They signalled their desire to maintain interconnection and want to see benefits. An independent review will be carried out looking into the methods the PSNI use to disclose information in respect of historic cases to the Police Ombudsman, the Department for Justice has announced. The move comes after Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire said "significant, sensitive information" around an atrocity at a bookmakers in south Belfast was not made available to his investigators. Read More Five people were killed on February 5 1992, when members of the loyalist Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) opened fire on the Sean Graham bookmakers shop on the lower Ormeau Road. Dr Maguire's office said the non-disclosed material, which it has now obtained, has opened new lines of inquiry in its investigation into the Ormeau Road shootings, as well as activities of loyalist paramilitaries in the north west between 1988 and 1994, and its probe into the murder of teenager Damien Walsh at a coal depot in west Belfast in 1993. The PSNI has apologised, putting the incident down to human error. On Tuesday afternoon the Department of Justice said it has requested that Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) undertake an independent review into how the PSNI disclosed information in historic cases. The Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice, Brendan McGuigan, has confirmed that the review will be prioritised within its future programme of inspections and reviews. CJI will commence work on preparing the Terms of Reference for the review immediately. Mr McGuigan has also indicated that he anticipates the completion of a report in six months. CJI is an independent statutory inspectorate with responsibility for inspecting all aspects of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland apart from the judiciary. A DUP councillor who broke ranks to support the LGBT community has said he will never be "a nodding dog" for the party after he was deselected for the local government elections in May. Tom Smith helped ensure that a motion in December to light up Ards Town Hall in rainbow colours to mark the start of LGBT Awareness Week was passed by 19 votes to 18. Last night Mr Smith lambasted the DUP as he hit out at the move. "As some of you may already be aware I have not been selected as a DUP candidate for the upcoming council elections," he said. "While I find this personally disappointing I cannot say I am surprised, not least when a month ago another candidate suddenly appeared from nowhere, someone who as far as I know had never been a member of the party. "Once that happened I knew there were moves to have me deselected." Fellow DUP Alistair Cathcart, who voted alongside Mr Smith in December, has been selected to run again. Mr Smith said he had "disagreed twice with my party group on the lighting up on Ards Town Hall in support of our LGBT residents". "I very much believe that we live in a diverse borough and as a councillor, and as a person, I believe I should do all I can to reach out to all sections of this community and ensure people feel that this is their borough and that we are their council," he said. "I make no apologies for this at all and certainly have no regrets. At my recent selection meeting with the party they asked me if I would obey the council group decisions. "I was honest with them and said that I could not if I thought that decision was wrong or it went against my conscience. Obviously this is not what they wanted to hear." Read More Mr Smith said that in the wake of the RHI scandal that caused the collapse of Stormont, he thought the party "would encourage those with dissenting voices, people with alternative opinions who would not blindly follow the herd but think about what they are voting for". He added: "It is clear that the DUP were asking me to do something that I have not done in the past, that is to sit on council and just be a nodding dog for them, someone ready to put their hand up for a vote whenever it is required. "If that is the price they are asking to become one of their candidates then it is a price I am not willing to pay. "Of course, I am sure there will be those who will be more than happy to sit there and put their hand up on command and do very little else. That isn't me." He said that during the last four years as a councillor he had "tried to work for everyone and to judge every issue on its own merits". "I have tried to make decisions based on what I believe is best for our borough and not on what I have been told to do before a meeting," he said. "I have always believed, and continue to believe: people first, party second. That will not change. "During my remaining time as a councillor I will do my best to continue to serve you and in everything, try and build a borough for everyone." Earlier this week Mr Smith was strongly criticised by DUP MLA Jim Wells for how he voted in support of lighting up Ards Town Hall in rainbow colours. Mr Wells, who has lost the party whip after his criticism of the party leadership, blocked Mr Smith and Mr Cathcart from his Twitter feeds. He said he hoped Mr Smith "will soon be an ex-DUP councillor". "I can decide who I want and who I don't. "And I certainly don't wish to hear either councillor Cathcart or councillor Smith coming out with their pro-LGBT comments," he added later. Mr Smith described it as an "extraordinary rant from someone that I have never spoken to". Mr Cathcart has not responded to Mr Wells's comments. The DUP withdrew the whip from veteran politician Mr Wells last year. A PSNI Major Investigation Team, (MIT), are tonight investigating the discovery of a man's body at a property on the Church Road at Glenwherry in County Antrim. Picture: Alan Lewis A murder investigation has been launched after a man was found shot dead at his home in Co Antrim. Detectives from the PSNI's Major Investigation Team are investigating after a man's body was found at a house on Church Road in Glenwherry at around 1pm. It is understood the man was found shot dead by a neighbour, who then alerted the police. Expand Close It is understood the man had been shot. He was found at a house on the Church Road at about 13:00 GMT on Tuesday. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp It is understood the man had been shot. He was found at a house on the Church Road at about 13:00 GMT on Tuesday. A PSNI spokesperson said: "Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding his death." Sinn Fein MLA Oliver McMullan said the community had been left shocked by the death. He said: "I am calling on the police to begin a thorough investigation into the circumstances from the weekend up to the time of his death, which took place either early this morning or late last night. "The man was found by a neighbour. I understand he was shot in the house." Expand Close Police have launched a murder investigation after a man's body was found at his home in Glenwherry, County Antrim. Pacemaker / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police have launched a murder investigation after a man's body was found at his home in Glenwherry, County Antrim. Pacemaker He added: "This is a quiet area and locals are alarmed at what has happened. I would appeal to anyone with information on what happened to bring it forward to the PSNI. Wholly shocking that murder came to quiet Glenwherry today. Anyone with information needs to provide it immediately to the PSNI. Jim Allister (@JimAllister) February 19, 2019 DUP councillor Reuben Glover said the facts surrounding the man's death had not been confirmed by the police. "Forensics are still up there at the moment," he said. "It is a very rural area. Glenwherry is a very close knit community where people mind their own business and they get on with there work. It is a farming area. For something like this to happen is a total shock to the whole community." The European Commission has issued a fresh warning that it will not reopen the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement as Theresa May prepared for further talks in Brussels. The Prime Minister will meet commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in the Belgian capital on Wednesday evening, commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas announced. The meeting follows talks on Monday between the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. Afterwards, Mr Barclay described discussions on the Northern Ireland backstop which remains the main stumbling block to a deal as productive. Productive conversations with @MichelBarnier, with a commitment to work together to solve the backstop. Iall update my colleagues in Cabinet tomorrow. Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) February 18, 2019 At the daily briefing for journalists in Brussels, Mr Schinas said the EU side wanted an orderly withdrawal by the UK on March 29 as planned. However, he made clear that the EU was not prepared to give ground on Mrs Mays key demands either to include an exit clause or a time limit on the backstop or to replace it with an alternative arrangement. The EU will not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement. We cannot accept a time limit to the backstop or a unilateral exit clause, he said. Further talks will be held this week to see whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the UK Parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European Council. We are listening and working with the UK Government to see how we can work for an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on March 29. That is where we are. With a fresh series of Commons votes expected next week, Mrs May is looking for concessions that will enable her to get her deal through Parliament after it was comprehensively rejected by MPs in last months meaningful vote. Downing Street said it was up to the EU side to work with the Government if the UK was to leave with a deal, as both sides want. It is still the position of the European Union that they want the United Kingdom to leave with a deal because they acknowledge that is in the interests of the European Union, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said. The deal which is on the table has been rejected by 230 votes. MPs have been clear they need legally binding changes in relation to the backstop. So the EU needs to work with us in order to give Parliament the assurances that it needs. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) A Government minister has suggested MPs could act to delay Brexit and extend the Article 50 withdrawal process rather than allow the UK to crash out without a deal. Business minister Richard Harrington told a manufacturers conference in London: I do not believe there will be a no-deal Brexit. The reason I dont believe that is because I think the Prime Ministers deal will go through. But if it doesnt get through, before then Parliament will have taken control, we will have a small extension to Article 50 and Parliament will then decide on alternatives. I believe that will become the Plan B. Ahead of his meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr Juncker said he could not rule out an extension to Article 50 which would keep the UK in the EU beyond European Parliament elections due in the spring. Expand Close Jean-Claude Juncker (Matt Cardy/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jean-Claude Juncker (Matt Cardy/PA) In an interview with German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung, he said no-one on the EU side would oppose an extension to Article 50. On the prospect of the UK electing MEPs to the new parliament, he said such a scenario was difficult to imagine, adding that it would be a belated joke of history, but he did not rule it out. However, arriving for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Brexit minister Lord Callanan said Mrs May was determined the UK should leave as planned. The Prime Minister has been very clear that we intend to leave on March 29, thats what Article 50 says and thats what our domestic legislation says, he said. Lord Callanan said the EU had acknowledged the backstop was only ever intended to be temporary and that the UK was seeking to explore with them how we can codify that in a legally binding way that is acceptable to our Parliament. The Equality Commission has expressed its concern over comments from Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald on the next PSNI Chief Constable. The commission has written to the Policing Board to "to remind it of its responsibilities under equality legislation to recruit in a non-discriminatory way". "The Policing Board will need to ensure that the principles of equality law are applied fully and rigorously in the forthcoming competition for a new chief constable and that all involved are aware of the critical importance of this," said Chief Commissioner Dr Michael Wardlow. Read More The move comes after Mrs McDonald said that she did not believe there was suitable candidate within the PSNI to replace outgoing Chief Constable George Hamilton. The Equality Commission which works to advance equality in all its forms in Northern Ireland. It was formed as part of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Dr Wardlow said the organisation was concerned at the remarks by the Sinn Fein leader. The party has three members on the Policing Board which will appoint the next chief constable following George Hamilton's retirement in May. "Fair employment and equal opportunities legislation are built upon open and transparent practices, free from political interference and based upon the merit principle," he said. "This approach has been important in helping to create fair employment procedures on which all prospective applicants can rely." Sinn Fein leader McDonald made the comments on Monday after attending a meeting with the PSNI to discuss the recent failure to disclose sensitive information to the police ombudsman on legacy cases. "Is there somebody specific inside the PSNI, is there somebody inside who should be the Chief Constable?" she asked. "I have to answer honestly that no, I can't identify such a person. "Lots of this is about who leads, who is in the top job within the policing, but it goes much broader than that." Its not unusual for Clarence Thomas to question well-established Supreme Court precedents, but still Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Justice Clarence Thomas is a self-isolating eccentric, but still, his latest move would have provoked head-scratching from legal analysts in normal times. Thomas chose to concur with a Supreme Court order dismissing a petition to rehear the facts of a libel case with a long and angry call for reversal of the Courts main precedent governing such cases. He excoriated the line of decisions flowing from the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan case as policy-driven decisions masquerading as constitutional law. So Thomas would get rid of the long-established principle that public figures have to establish actual malice to win libel suits, including but not limited to cases involving the press. Its an odd move, but for the context. Because the case involves the Bill Cosby litigation (the public figure in question was one of Cosbys sexual-assault accusers, who was deemed by the lower courts to have become a public figure when she told her story to a reporter), and because the president of the United States has been very publicly chafing against constitutional restrictions in threats to regulate or ruin-by-litigation enemy media, Thomass opinion will get a lot of attention. Indeed, Trump preceded the archconservative justice in directly attacking the Supreme Court standard, most notably in January of 2018, as reported by the New York Times itself: Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. 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. President Trump on Wednesday repeated a pledge to make it easier for people to sue news organizations and publishers for defamation, denouncing the countrys libel laws as a sham a day after his personal lawyer filed a lawsuit against a major media outlet, BuzzFeed News. The salvo from Mr. Trump, who has long expressed hostility toward traditional press freedoms, followed a days-long effort by him and his team to undercut the unflattering portrayal of the White House in a new book by the writer Michael Wolff. We are going to take a strong look at our countrys libel laws, so that when somebody says something that is false and defamatory about someone, that person will have meaningful recourse in our courts, Mr. Trump said during a public portion of a cabinet meeting in the White House. Though less explicit than Thomass opinion, Trumps blasts at press freedom were very much aimed at the Sullivan decision, which overturned an Alabama libel award against the New York Times for publishing an ad attacking that states racist public officials, as, well, racist public officials. The Court at that time made it clear that protecting freedom of speech and of the press required insulating critics of public figures from suits that might expose them to disastrous legal liability for debatable errors in facts published in good faith (particularly when, as in the Sullivan case, aggrieved parties could find sympathetic venues almost certain to support libel actions). The decision is often considered one of the greatest in recent Supreme Court history. Media folk have naturally been jumpy about Trumps hostility to press freedom, and manifest desire to use the courts to drown critics in litigation as he has famously done with business rivals over the years. So there will naturally be some overreaction to Thomass demand that Trump and other public figures get back their right to go after purveyors of what the president calls fake news: I cannot overstate how stunning this is. Thomas would overturn a half-century of precedent to make it VASTLY easier for public figures, including government officials, to silence their critics through libel lawsuits. It would be the end of the First Amendment as we know it. Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) February 19, 2019 Thats a bit of a reach, and after all, Thomas is often an outlier even on a conservative Court. But heres guessing hell have one high-profile cheerleader in the White House. From Tuesday, Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) enforcement officers in Northern Ireland will be using body-worn video cameras when they are on duty. The DVA said that the move was designed to reduce unacceptable behaviour experienced by staff and if necessary, to aid prosecutions. The cameras can be activated in situations where the use of the device may help moderate behaviour, avert confrontation or secure evidence of offending. Staff have received training on how to use the cameras and the supporting technology. DVA enforcement officers carry out a wide range of duties, including ensuring that drivers comply with driving rules, making sure vehicles are within legal weight limits and making sure vehicles are road worthy. They also carry out investigations into suspected illegal use of vehicles and ensure drivers have the correct tax and motor insurance. DVA officers are also responsible for monitoring bus and taxi regulations. Chief Executive of the DVA Paul Duffy said he hoped that the new cameras would help staff in the line of duty. Our enforcement officers play an important role in protecting the public from the use of unroadworthy vehicles and unlicensed drivers on our roads," he said. DVA has a responsibility for the health and welfare of its staff and their safety is our priority. "At times our staff are subjected to unacceptable behaviour and the deployment of body worn video cameras will help deter such behaviour and ensure that disputes can be addressed quickly and fairly. Chief Constable George Hamilton has retweeted a statement from the Police Federation criticising Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald's comments that the next PSNI boss should come from outside the organisation. Mrs McDonald said that she could not identify a candidate from within the PSNI to replace outgoing Chief Constable Hamilton. Read More Mr Hamilton is set to retire in June after serving as Chief Constable for five years. Sinn Fein President McDonald was speaking on Monday after meeting with the PSNI to discuss a failure by the force to disclose sensitive information on legacy killings to the Police Ombudsman. She said that she couldn't "honestly" identify a candidate from within the PSNI, and said that there were issues with the culture of policing in Northern Ireland. Her statement attracted widespread critcism, with suggestions that it could compromise the recruitment process for the next Chief Constable. The Police Federation (PFNI), Northern Ireland's policing union, said that the comments from Mrs McDonald had been a "grave miscalculation". Expand Close The retweet from PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The retweet from PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton. In a statement PFNI chair Mark Lindsay said that Mrs McDonald's comments were "wholly inappropriate and offensive". He accused the Sinn Fein leader of "extraordinary interference in an open and transparent selection process". This statement was later retweeted by Chief Constable George Hamilton. The Belfast Telegraph has contacted the Chief Constable in relation to this story. Significant strides have been made in preserving Northern Ireland's architectural heritage despite challenging times within local government, according to the Department for Communities. The latest Government Historic Estate report revealed updates on 1,340 buildings owned or leased by the state. And it said that stronger partnerships need to be fostered to ensure unique heritage assets are brought back into social and economic use. Ulster Architectural Heritage, which works to promote and protect the historic built environment, welcomed the report. But it warned that many buildings are being allowed to slowly deteriorate. "Still 3.3% of the Government's listed historic buildings are recorded as being on the heritage at risk register for Northern Ireland," chief executive Nicola McVeigh said. "This may not take into account buildings no longer in Government ownership that may be at risk and can suffer many years of neglect having been sold in the absence of firm plans. "Any building in state care should not be transferred without this in place. "Especially those listed for their architectural and historical importance. "Options of commercial ownership or community asset transfer may be viable to address the issue of those buildings at risk in state care. "However, the success of transfer should be dependent on community benefit, the shovel-ready availability of funding, and a sustainable long-term plan. "Ideally the default position might be for such buildings to remain in Government for reuse in the public ownership, as an alternative to Government departments' ongoing rental payments to commercial interests." Ormiston House, Belvoir Park Hospital, Cultra Station, Crumlin Road Courthouse and Riddel's Warehouse are among the sites to have been disposed of by public bodies. Among the major projects to have benefited since a consistent approach to the management of heritage assets was adopted in 2011 were works to the roof of the Grade A listed Parliament Buildings at Stormont and the award-winning restoration at Ballycopeland Windmill in Millisle. "This has been a period of exceptional change, owing not only to the continuing impacts of the financial crisis but also the restructuring of the functions and services of the formerly 12 Government departments to nine," the report said. It praised local councils following the transfer of some of the property assets for work in a time of organisational change and financial constraint Department for Communities permanent secretary Tracy Meharg said she hoped the proactive approach to finding new uses for old buildings continued. "This report shows increased emphasis on partnership and innovative solutions to get our unique heritage assets back into social and economic use," she said. "I very much hope that all departments will be proactive in keeping buildings in active use as they are a key resource which, in addition to their heritage interest, are an important part of our surroundings, contribute to community pride and help strengthen our economy." Some well-known landmarks still on the 'at risk' list include Crumlin Road Courthouse, Gosford Castle and the former Erne Hospital in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. Leading Conservative Brexiteers have insisted that their favoured solution to the Brexit backstop remains alive and kicking following talks with Theresa May. The discussions at Westminster came after chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier raised concerns over whether the so-called Malthouse Compromise is viable. The compromise drawn up by MPs from both the Leave and Remain wings of the Tory Party is seen by many Brexiteers as a means to get rid of the backstop arrangements which they fear will subject the UK to EU rules indefinitely after withdrawal. The plan would replace the backstop with a free trade agreement along with technological methods for keeping the Irish border open after Brexit. If this was not acceptable to Brussels, a Plan B would see the UK leave without a deal but with a transition period extended to the end of 2021 to allow time to prepare. The PMs official spokesman declined to respond to reports that Mrs May told Cabinet the Malthouse plan would not form part of proposals she will put to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday. Instead, he pointed reporters to a statement issued by the Department for Exiting the EU following Stephen Barclays meeting with Mr Barnier, confirming that they had discussed the Malthouse Compromise. Expand Close Members of the Alternative Arrangements Working Group which is examining the feasibility of the Malthouse Compromise include Theresa Villiers, Nicky Morgan, Damian Green, Iain Duncan Smith and Owen Paterson (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Members of the Alternative Arrangements Working Group which is examining the feasibility of the Malthouse Compromise include Theresa Villiers, Nicky Morgan, Damian Green, Iain Duncan Smith and Owen Paterson (PA) The statement said: While the Commission engaged seriously with these proposals, it expressed concerns about their viability to resolve the backstop. We agreed to keep exploring the use of alternative arrangements especially how they might be developed to ensure the absence of a hard border in Northern Ireland on a permanent footing, avoiding the need for the backstop to ever enter force. The statement sparked speculation that the Malthouse plan was being taken off the table. But after their talks with Mrs May, the chairman of the European Research Group of eurosceptic Tories, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and his deputy Steve Baker said in a joint statement: The Malthouse Compromise is alive and kicking. The Secretary of State for Exiting the EU can provide details. We look forward to further developments. We look forward to further precision about exactly what we will be asked to vote for. Mrs Mays meeting with Mr Juncker comes as she fights to finalise an alternative EU withdrawal plan to present to the House of Commons ahead of the next round of key Brexit votes on February 27. But Mr Juncker told reporters in the German city of Stuttgart: There is not enough movement for me to be able to assume that it will be a productive discussion. I dont know what Mrs May will tell me tomorrow. He later said he was not expecting a breakthrough. His deputy chief spokeswoman Mina Andreeva quoted him as saying: I have great respect for Theresa May, for her courage and her assertiveness. We will have friendly talks tomorrow but I dont expect a breakthrough. .@JunckerEU @Landtag_BW #Brexit aI have great respect for @theresa_may, for her courage and her assertiveness. We will have friendly talk tomorrow but I donat expect a breakthrough.ahttps://t.co/TdWVBA5WqT Mina Andreeva (@Mina_Andreeva) February 19, 2019 Mr Barclay is also due to make a further visit to Brussels later this week as the UK seeks EU approval for changes to the backstop an insurance arrangement designed to avoid a hard Irish border after Brexit by keeping the UK in a customs union until a wider trade deal is agreed. Mrs Mays spokesman confirmed that the PM is still committed to reopening the Withdrawal Agreement agreed with the EU last November. The PM is looking for concessions that will enable her to get her deal through Parliament after it was comprehensively rejected by MPs in last months meaningful vote. But the European Commission issued a fresh warning that it is not ready to renegotiate the deal. At a daily briefing for journalists in Brussels, Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the EU side wanted an orderly withdrawal by the UK on March 29 as planned. But he made clear the EU was not prepared to give ground on Mrs Mays key demands either to include an exit clause or a time limit on the backstop, or to replace it with an alternative arrangement. The EU will not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement. We cannot accept a time limit to the backstop or a unilateral exit clause, he said. Further talks will be held this week to see whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the UK Parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European Council. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Meanwhile, a Government minister suggested MPs could act to delay Brexit and extend the Article 50 withdrawal process rather than allow the UK to crash out without a deal. Business Minister Richard Harrington told a manufacturers conference in London: I do not believe there will be a no-deal Brexit. The reason I dont believe that is because I think the Prime Ministers deal will go through. But if it doesnt get through, before then Parliament will have taken control, we will have a small extension to Article 50 and Parliament will then decide on alternatives. I believe that will become the Plan B. Ahead of his meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr Juncker said he could not rule out an extension to Article 50 which would keep the UK in the EU beyond European Parliament elections due in the spring. Expand Close Speaking in Stuttgart, Jean-Claude Juncker said he did not know if Wednesdays meeting with Theresa May would be productive (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Speaking in Stuttgart, Jean-Claude Juncker said he did not know if Wednesdays meeting with Theresa May would be productive (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA Images) Mr Juncker told a press conference in Stuttgart that the UK could ask for an extension tomorrow and he expected it would be greeted positively by other EU governments. Funding for a Belfast school is to be reviewed after it was revealed that almost a quarter of sixth form exam results are being left out of performance tables. St Louise's Comprehensive College on the Falls Road was subject to an inspection last November. The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) report concluded that arrangements for admitting pupils to post-16 study and associated funding need to be reviewed. It also said that statistics for exam results and accommodation matters need to be reviewed. The proportion of pupils at the school achieving A* to C in at least three A-levels or equivalent has been "significantly above" average. The number of pupils who progress to lower sixth is also above the average. However, a high number of students have been "deemed ineligible" for inclusion in the school's headline performance statistics. The report notes that permitted exclusions to the summary of annual examinations results are due to some results being posted in the next academic year, exams being hosted elsewhere or the pupil leaving the school system. Almost a quarter (23%) of pupils who completed lower sixth did not progress to upper sixth and were excluded from exam statistics. Results of over a quarter of pupils undertaking a bridging course and who left before completing level two studies (lower sixth) were also excluded. The report also said that just over half of lower sixth pupils progressed to level three within the school. Assessors were unable to fully evaluate the quality of education provision and overall outcomes for pupils who attend the school, which was recognised as a specialist college in 2006. The designation came in response to the school's commitment to excellence and success in promoting achievement across all areas of school life. However, the ETI report was unable to evaluate the quality of literacy and numeracy education. It was also unable to evaluate the quality of welfare and support available or the school's capacity to effect and sustain improvement. While the report did express confidence in the school's management and leadership, it was "unable to assure" parents and stakeholders of the quality of education being provided. The report cited the impact of "action short of striking" as the reason. A pay dispute last year resulted in four unions endorsing non-cooperation with the ETI. However the report said: "Prior to the inspection the school informed the ETI that the senior leaders would be cooperating with the inspectors... therefore, the inspection proceeded and the following evaluations are based on the evidence as made available at the time of the inspection." Despite the cooperation of senior staff at the school, the report concluded that inspectors were "unable to assure the quality of education" and its overall effectiveness. Inspectors reviewed documentation and data and gave all parents and teachers the opportunity to complete a confidential questionnaire. No performance level was available for categories including outcomes for learners and quality of provision. "This will be reflected in future inspection activity," the report added. Around 80 boys attend year 13 and 14, which has an overall enrolment of 1,556. Year 8 enrolment has risen by almost 29% since 2015/16 but overall numbers of pupils attending the school has only increased by three (0.2%). An approved development proposal for the school, which is currently deferred until September this year, will reduce the admission and enrolment numbers. The ETI report flagged a shortage of toilet and changing facilities for male staff and students. It said this isue needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency. The Belfast Telegraph contacted the Department of Education and the principal of St Louise's Comprehensive College for comment but did not receive a response. The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools said it would prefer to speak to the principal before commenting on the findings of the report. However, it was unable to do so yesterday. The chief executive of the Belfast Trust has said he accepts responsibility for failings at Muckamore Abbey Hospital, but won't resign. Martin Dillon was speaking to the BBC after meeting with families of 25 patients on Monday night. Read More He said that the meeting had been "very constructive" and that further engagement with families and carers would follow. The Co Antrim facility is home to patients with learning disabilities and challenging behavioural needs. A report commissioned by the Belfast Trust to examine safeguarding procedures over the five years up to 2017 discovered a "culture of tolerating harm" at Muckamore. Mr Dillon said that he was considering giving families a greater say in the running of Muckamore. "Some of the care failings in Muckamore are a source of shame, but my primary focus is on putting things right," he told the BBC. Expand Close Belfast Trust chief executive Martin Dillon. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Belfast Trust chief executive Martin Dillon. "I'm the accounting officer, the buck rests with me, which is why I am resolved to make things right. We have let families down and we will put this right." Asked if it was a resigning matter for himself, Mr Dillion said "no," he wanted to ensure lessons were learned over the scandal. The Belfast Trust boss said that staff would be held to account over the failings at the hospital. "I have been very clear, any member of staff, whether a practitioner or a manager who is found responsible for wrongdoing will be held to account by my organisation," Mr Dillon said. "Incidents witnessed on CCTV were not reported to management and site management, they were kept invisible from management." Mr Dillon said that complacency may have set in amongst staff at the organisation. "The report also highlights the fact that while patients make very many allegations of abuse, there probably was a tendency on the part of my organisation not to lend credibility to those," he said. "So those are all huge learning points for this organisation." He accepted that their had been a delay in reporting concerns at the hospital to the Department of Health. "I accept there was a delay in our reporting of some of these matters to the Department of Health," Mr Dillon said. "But the reason for that was that there was a delay in these matters coming to the attention of very senior management." A Freedom of Information request revealed that police had been called to the hospital 130 times in nearly five years. There were 31 incidents of patient assaults on staff reported to the PSNI. Nineteen staff have been suspended from the hospital and a police investigation into Muckamore is ongoing. Relatives of patients at the hospital have called for an independent inquiry to be held into abuse there. Last month Department of Health (DoH) permanent secretary Richard Pengelly said that he was "shocked and appalled" after viewing CCTV images of Muckamore Abbey Hospital. A 75m plan to redevelop the former Belfast Telegraph building has been approved by Belfast City Council's planning committee. The plans, which were before the council's planning committee on Tuesday evening, will see the Royal Avenue site be transformed into 230,000 square feet of office space, cafes, restaurants, retail space and a roof-top running track. The plans were prepared by Bel Tel LLP, a joint venture between McAleer & Rushe and Belfast City Council. The building will be called The Sixth. Expand Close The original clock / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The original clock Councillor Matt Garrett, chair of Belfast City Councils planning committee, said: The Sixth occupies a strategic location on Royal Avenue that will be a catalyst for further regeneration, bringing a historic heritage building back into use as a forward-thinking workspace for creative businesses. The scheme has been specifically designed to respect the existing built heritage in this part of the city, which is set to be further transformed over the next two to three years, and The Sixth will build on the momentum already generated by the Ulster University investment. PLANNING COMMITTEE - Plans for the Sixth, an office & retail redevelopment of the former Belfast Telegraph building, have also been approved #BuildingBelfast Belfast City Council #AWeeBitOfHope (@belfastcc) February 19, 2019 Suzanne Wylie, chief executive of Belfast City Council said: The aim of this joint venture is a strategic investment in the city, delivering workspace of a world class scale and quality for local or international occupiers seeking accommodation in the city core. Council has a particular focus on wellness and wellbeing within the Belfast Agenda, and the inclusion of a roof-top running track as part of this development, highlights the evolving nature and role of workspace in the city centre. The Sixth will create real estate that better reflects how and where we work, whilst also bringing back into life a building of significance to our city and medias commercial heritage. Expand Close Artist impression of plans for the old Belfast Telegraph building on Royal Avenue. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Artist impression of plans for the old Belfast Telegraph building on Royal Avenue. Stephen Surphlis, Property Director McAleer & Rushe, said: We are extremely pleased that councillors have supported our plans, and have supported the officers recommendation to approve our application. We look forward to progressing the development as quickly as funding is in place to deliver the project. As the first joint venture of its kind Bel Tel LLP assembled an experienced team to bring forward proposals that underlined a balance between the heritage of the listed building and the future regeneration of this part of the city. They have been informed by productive discussion and constructive feedback from Belfast City Council Planners, Historic Environment Division and other statutory consultees over the past 12 months. Designed by Stirling Prize-winning architectural practice Alford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the Sixth will create accommodation for 2,000 high value jobs. A man who has helped to save "possibly millions of lives" during 40 years of fundraising has been presented with a special award. Albert Smallwoods (81) was commended by Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe Ken Good for his work with the world development project. Mr Smallwoods was a member of the Bishops' Appeal central advisory committee from 1979 to this year. During that time he served for eight years as the Church of Ireland representative on the board of Christian Aid. He is also a former vice-chairman of the Church of Ireland Youth Council and was director of the Bishop Eames Community Peace Prize. In 1974 he became the first lay person to chair the Diocesan Youth Council. For his unfailing dedication to the Church, Mr Smallwoods has become the first recipient of an award recognising his work with the Bishops' Appeal Committee. Mr Smallwoods said that while he was stepping down from his committee role, he wasn't ready to stop all of his voluntary work. He said: "Over the past 40 years I have been pleased to be involved in some very important humanitarian projects working with Christian Aid and Tearfund, including buying cows for African towns and malaria nets, as well as collecting for the aftermath of disasters like tsunamis. "In fact, Bishop Good remarked during the presentation that I must have assisted in saving the lives of millions of people, which is something that I hadn't thought about before. "Looking back now at some of the projects we raised funds for, that I saw at first hand, will always stay with me including a trip to India a few years ago. "The gap between those who have and those who have not is very evident in India and that trip really opened my eyes. "To see children walking around with nothing on and to see families sleeping on the streets and to have entire villages with no toilets really left a deep impression on me and gave me a realisation of just how fortunate we are in this part of the world. "I have enjoyed my time with the Bishops' Appeal Committee, it has been so rewarding for me but it is time for others now." Mr Smallwoods said volunteering is something he has done all his life. He added: "I've been involved with the Road Safety, Home Safety, St John Ambulance, the Scouts and Age Concern as well as my work with the church. "As I said when the Bishop handed me this award, 'thank you very much' and then I told him I wasn't done just yet so I won't be putting my feet up completely." A gentle, meandering river cruise is one of the best ways to see and understand a new place. The rivers are always the lifeline of the cities they flow through - the beating heart. Its on the banks of rivers that cities were founded and flourished. If you havent included a river cruise on your bucket list, now is the time to do so. Belfast Telegraph Travel, in association with Travel Department, offers a vast range of fantastic, scenic cruises through some of the worlds most fascinating regions. Much smaller than an ocean liner, the ships the travel specialists have chosen will take you into the heart of most cities you visit, giving you more time to see more and truly experience your destinations like a local. 1. Danube River Expand Close Danube River / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Danube River The banks of the blue Danube come alive when it enters the cities of Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava. Belfast Telegraph Travel offers an excellent Danube River Rhapsody cruise that packs in the sightseeing opportunities. The holiday begins in Munich, with a guided city tour through the German city of Passau before cruising on the MS Amadeus ship, which combines the elegance of a hotel with the versatility of a modern ship. Along the cruise, youll stop off in Emmersdorf, Austria, where youll enjoy a guided vineyard tour, as well as a wander through the towns medieval streets and a visit to one of the worlds most famous sites: the 18th century Melk Abbey. Youll witness the operatic beauty of Vienna, the bohemian wonder of Budapest and all the fabulous eastern charm of Bratislava. An invite to the captains gala dinner awaits you as the ship cruises into Linz. Seven-night full-board cruise includes flights, transfers, guides and excursions. 2. Volga River A journey into the psyche of modern Russia, this cruise on the four-star MS Kronstadt will take you to the beating heart of the countrys capital, Moscow, and the cultural capital of St Petersburg. In Moscow, your guided tour will take you to the iconic Red Square, the Kremlin and St Basils Cathedral. Youll also enjoy a half-day guided tour of Yaroslavl (one of the oldest cities in central Russia) and St Petersburg with its Imperial Palace, art galleries and excellent selection of restaurants and cafes. Other highlights include a stop in Kizhi Island, home to the magnificent Transfiguration Church - Russias most iconic wooden landmark. 11-night full-board cruise includes flights, transfers, guides and excursions. 3. Nile River Sail on one of the worlds greatest rivers with a 12-night holiday along the Nile. Youll spend a few days in Cairo, sampling local cuisine and ancient sites with a full-day city tour that takes in the Egyptian Museum and a visit to the famous Khan El Khalili bazaar. Naturally, your visit will also include tours of the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. Moving on, youll enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Nile with some excursions along the way through ancient temples, and hidden cities. The ship has several viewpoints from which you can admire the scenery on the banks of the great river. Your journey will come to an end with a relaxing few days in the beautiful beach resort of Hurghada, where youll unwind in a three-star hotel right by the blonde-sand beaches and Egypts Red Sea coast. 12-night tour includes flights, transfers, hotel accommodation, guides and excursions and seven nights full board cruise. 4. Mekong River The mighty Mekong runs through six countries in Asia and, on this 14-night holiday, youll experience some of its most fascinating destinations: Vietnam and Cambodia. The first few days will be spent on land where youll discover Ho Chi Minh City with a local guide who will steer you through the countrys history, present and future. On your seven-night Mekong River Cruise, youll make your way to Cambodia and discover floating villages, floating markets, endless rice paddies and breathtaking scenery along the way. Highlights include a visit to Cambodias Angkor Wat, a UNESCO world heritage site made up of 12th century stone structures in the jungle near Siem Reap, where youll witness one of the most memorable sunsets of your life. 14-night tour includes flights, transfers, four and five-star hotel accommodation, excursions and river cruise. 5. Yangtze River A cruise through the Yangtze River in China combines the old with the new. Here youll witness a confluence of ancient traditions with modern cities looking toward the sky. Sometimes called the Golden River, the Yangtze is Chinas lifeline and the third-longest river in the world. Beginning in Beijing, youll explore Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and the world-famous Great Wall of China, staying in carefully selected hotels. As you journey through China, youll visit Xi'an, taking in the famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the Giant Panda Breeding Centre in Chengdu. Most of the tour will be conducted on land with some internal flights (included) to get you across this vast country. Three days will be spent on a gentle cruise along the Yangtze, which will take you through the Three Gorges Dam. On the way, you can even benefit from some on-board Tai Chi lessons. No trip to China would be complete without experiencing the glitz and glamour of its most dazzling city Shanghai, where the final leg of the tour will be spent. 16-night tour includes 14 nights accommodation in China and two overnight flights, accommodation, excursions, three-night full-board river cruise and guided tours. Start planning your holiday by visiting belfasttelegraphtravel.co.uk and choose from one of our many destinations worldwide. This content is based on content that originally appeared in Independent.ie Photo: Elon Musk via Twitter Elon Musk claims to have joined forces with PewDiePie in an attempt to help the latter fend off Indian music company T-Series for the coveted title of YouTube channel with the most subscriptions worldwide. Does that read like a MadLib? Yes. Would you like some of the proper nouns explained? Great. Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla founder whose greatest hits include a beef with Azealia Banks and calling a heroic rescue diver a pedo after the diver hurt Musks feelings, tweeted on Monday that he did meme review over the weekend with Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland. Meme Review is a video series by Swedish YouTuber Felix Kjellberg, a.k.a. PewDiePie. (PewDiePies greatest hits include getting dropped by Disney after multiple instances of anti-Semitism were uncovered in his content.) Did meme review last night with Justin Roiland from @RickandMorty Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 18, 2019 For years, PewDiePie has been the most followed YouTuber on Earth. But in recent months, T-Series, a music company based in India, has been creeping up on the top spot. PewDiePies fans have been out in full force trying to keep him on top, with some going so far as to campaign with billboards. (Yes, really.) If it turns out Musk really did host a Meme Review video PewDiePie has not posted or commented it would certainly aid in that fight. Thats good, because PewDiePie is just a person certainly not a brand with a net worth in the millions while T-Series is a corporation. The Independent called it a David vs Goliathstyle contest, where David is a millionaire YouTuber and the other is Indias largest music record label. And the slingshot David is going to use is a tech giant worth billions, with 25 million Twitter followers. Congrats to little guys everywhere. If PewDiePie can do it, so can you. Monica McCard from Lisburn went back to university to study for her dream career as a marine biologist It is never too late to pursue your dreams - that's the message from one Northern Ireland college, which is helping adults return to education and find new careers. Among its success stories is Monica McCard, who grew up in a working-class family of six children where it was expected that you left school at 16 and got a job. Having dreamed as a child of becoming a marine biologist, Monica was a mum-of-three in her 30s when she finally got the opportunity to pursue her passion thanks to the South Eastern Regional College (SERC) Restart and Access courses. Now Monica, who left school with one GCSE in science, has graduated with a degree in marine biology from Queen's University in Belfast, finished a teaching certificate and is now halfway through a PhD in invasion ecology. More than that, she has devised a programme which launches this month enabling secondary school children to get valuable hands-on experience in marine biology. Her enthusiasm for her work also includes co-authoring three academic studies as well as one of her own on invasive species. Monica credits the SERC Access course with transforming her life: "My access course set everything in motion. If I hadn't done it I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now and I am doing what I love." Ellie Bradley is deputy head of school for applied science sport and access to education at SERC, which has campuses Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn and Newtownards. She explained just how big a step it is for people to come back to their education later in life: "When people come to us they are scared about maths and English; school really didn't work for them for one reason or another, perhaps they didn't see school as important, or had their family early. But we are not hung up on what happened in the past. "Our focus is on this nice fresh start where everyone gets the opportunity to prove to themselves, their families and friends that they can succeed, whether that is getting qualifications to pursue a vocational course in further education or maybe starting a course a university. Everyone's journey and aspirations are different. "The one thing that unifies the students coming to Restart or the Access programmes is that they are all scared. Some are scared even to cross the door, scared that they won't be able to do it or that maybe that maths teacher from the past was right. Expand Close Monica McCard from Lisburn went back to university to study for her dream career as a marine biologist / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Monica McCard from Lisburn went back to university to study for her dream career as a marine biologist "The first day will always be quiet but a month in it is like a different group of people. The excitement of 'getting it', especially maths, has taken over. They are looking forward to coming into class and eager to learn something they once thought they would never understand." Monica (41) is just one of many inspirational people who have turned their lives around as a result of the course. Married to Colin (49), an airport customer services officer, she lives in Lisburn with their three boys Nathan (20), Callum (16) and Matthew (14). She grew up in a working-class family in Lisburn where college or careers were not something that were spoken about or encouraged. "I left school with one GCSE to my name which was science," she recalls. "My dad was really hard-working and usually worked three jobs at the one time. It was just expected that we would leave school at 16 and get a job. "My parents are great but they never knew how to help us with revision or encourage us in a career. They didn't go on to third level education and just came from that era when it wasn't something that working-class people expected. I left school and got a job as a hairdresser in my cousin's salon." It wasn't until she married, started her own family and became a full-time mum that Monica realised she wanted more for herself and her children. "When I had Nathan I started thinking about how when he was older, what skill would I have to get a job myself? That was a scary thought. "I loved being a mum, but I always felt there was something missing. I'm not one for sitting at home all day, I don't enjoy that one bit. I need to keep busy and I didn't realise how much I needed my brain to be kept busy until I started the Access course." Monica heard about Access through a cousin who was taking the course. Although nervous and unsure of herself, she was encouraged by her husband to give it a go. She was 29 and after two years at SERC completed five GCSEs and two A-levels with the aim of going on to university. Marine biology was her dream but when it came to applying for university, her parents' influence again came to the fore and she actually started a nursing degree. Expand Close Monica with husband Colin and sons Nathan, Callum, Matthew and dog Buddy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Monica with husband Colin and sons Nathan, Callum, Matthew and dog Buddy She explains: "I put so much into the Access course because I thought if I am leaving my boys at home to go and study then it has to be worthwhile. "None of my family had gone to university and when I told my parents I wanted to do marine biology they wanted me to do something more practical and encouraged me to go for nursing thinking I would have a better chance of getting a job and providing for my family. I could see how pleased they were for me and I let them talk me into doing nursing. "I actually applied to study both nursing and marine biology at Queen's, thinking I wouldn't get into nursing, but I was offered places on both courses. I wanted to please everybody and so I went for the nursing." She very quickly discovered that nursing wasn't for her but it took another two years for her to pluck up the courage to walk away. Again, with her husband firmly in her corner, she applied to do a degree in the subject she loved, marine biology, a subject she'd developed a fascination for as a young child after going on an annual trip to the seaside. "We went to the beach just one day a year to avoid the parades on the Twelfth of July. Mum and dad would get us up at 5am and we usually headed off over the border. Expand Close Monica McCard, with her son Nathan who is studying Applied Science / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Monica McCard, with her son Nathan who is studying Applied Science "I grew up during the Troubles and that was the only day we went to the beach every year and it was like an escape and I looked forward to it all year. "I actually didn't know we had so many beaches close by as we were never taken to any of them. "I think because I was so excited to go there every year it left me wanting to learn more and that's how I developed an interest in marine biology. "I just loved everything about ecology and marine biology and from the moment Queen's accepted me for the degree I have never looked back. "During my degree I volunteered in the summer months for different projects to get hands-on experience. I went to Australia for a dolphin project and to Indonesia to study coral reefs and I loved every minute of it." Her love for science has also led her to a career as a substitute teacher but what she most loves is spending time working in Queen's marine laboratory in Portaferry. Expand Close Monica McCard from Lisburn / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Monica McCard from Lisburn She has a particular interest in invasion ecology and has gained extensive knowledge in this area and on a range of topics including animal behaviour, marine and aquatic biology, animal husbandry and statistics. Over the last few months, she has been setting up Northern Ireland's very first Marine Explorers Outreach Programme, aimed at 11 to 18-year-olds. Launching this month, it will run one Saturday a month for six months. Such was the overwhelming demand for places that a second Sunday course has been launched and there is a waiting list for the next one beginning in September. The course will enable high school students to become marine biologists for a day, with volunteers from science and marine biology degree courses taking part to enhance their skills as well as those of the children involved. Indeed, Monica was inspired to set up the course by her son, Nathan. "He has spent a lot of time with me in the lab over the past year and a half and he hopes to study zoology at Queen's. "It is a great chance for him to get hands-on experience which is so important for a young person's CV when applying for a degree course as the university will want to see that they have a passion for it. At the moment there isn't a chance for young people to get that hands-on experience and I wanted to change that. "There were a lot of hurdles and legal stuff to organise and I got a lot of people saying 'no' along the way, but I am the kind of person that if someone says no, it just makes me more determined to prove that it can actually be done." STEM Learning - the UK's largest provider of education and careers support in science, technology, engineering and mathematics - came on board to support Monica and their help was invaluable in getting the course up and running. Lay volunteers, who will be largely made up of students, will help facilitate the 32 children who will be taking part in a number of marine projects on our shorelines. Monica says: "The response was absolutely bonkers and within 24 hours all 32 places were filled and we had to set up another day which was filled and we have a waiting list for the next course in September. "We even had parents from Donegal contact us and I asked them if they realised we were based in Portaferry and they said, yes, but they were prepared to drive their child here which is amazing. "We've also had interest from a lot of Belfast schools and we want to reach out to kids who maybe don't get to the beach often." Monica adds: "It is so exciting. There is a whole other world under the water that we don't get to see and we have so much life in our waters that is stunning and which people don't even realise. "To be a woman of my age in this industry is not easy as there are so many young ones coming in with PhDs, but I hope that I can show my kids and other kids that there is nothing they can't do in their lives and that they shouldn't give up." You can find out about Monica's outreach programme at mmccard01@qub.ac.uk. South Eastern Regional College is holding an open day for Access and Restart courses on Wednesday, March 6,from 2-8pm, in Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn and Newtownards. Restart is a level two course equivalent to GCSE level and is a part-time programme. Access is a Level 3 programme equivalent to A-level standard. It is usually a two-year full-time course but can be done in a year or part-time in the evenings Plastic waste has become one of the great problems of modern life but one Irish company believes that it has the answer. Laois-based Butterfly Cups reckons coffee drinkers around the world will soon be enjoying their beverages from its innovative new products on a daily basis. It has unveiled what it says is the world's first 100% plastic-free and fully recyclable all-in-one coffee cup, solving a global problem that has plagued the beverage industry for decades. The company is in talks with at least five of the 10 biggest beverage retailers in the world about introducing the Butterfly Cup to their outlets, with a number already testing the product. Tommy McLoughlin - the main investor in Hanpak, which trades as Butterfly Cup - believes that the product is set to revolutionise the beverage world with its unique design. "The Butterfly Cup is the most environmentally friendly disposable cup in the world," he claimed. The plastic that pollutes the environment from the 250 billion disposable cups used every year has become a massive issue for both consumers and for the global fast food and beverage brand that are selling many of the cups. This, according to Mr McLoughlin, means the Butterfly Cup has come to market at the ideal moment to solve and capitalise on the problem. "It will take a while to feed that massive supply chain but all the indications that we are getting are that the big brands are looking to change," said Mr McLoughlin. Consumer pressure as well as taxes and bans on single-use plastic are driving a change that Mr McLoughlin hopes will see us all drinking out of Butterfly Cups in a relatively short period of time. "This is beginning to really catch fire. Plastic straws and the damage they do to the environment became a huge issue for people last year and that has really put a focus on the issue of disposable plastic straws and cups," he said. "We are talking to most of the big guys in the world and we are at various stages in the approval process. One major quick service restaurant is to trial the coffee cup in the UK and the cold cup in Indonesia to see what customer reaction is." Now, Butterfly Cup has been shortlisted in a worldwide competition organised by the world's leading beverage retailers to deliver the holy grail of a plastic-free and fully recyclable beverage cup. The NextGen Cup Challenge is a worldwide collaboration between Starbucks, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Yum! (owner of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut), and the World Wildlife Fund to solve the environmental challenges surrounding single-use plastic-coated paper cups. Butterfly Cup has been shortlisted from the 480 entries received from 53 countries. "Of all the five concepts that have been shortlisted we are actually the only one with a fully developed product that eliminates both the plastic lid and the straw so we are in with a great chance of winning," said Mr McLoughlin. The design - invented by Mr McLoughlin's partner Joe Lu - eliminates the need for lids or straws and it works for both cold and hot beverages. Another advantage of the cup is that if it is shaken it does not splash or leak, said Mr McLoughlin. Lu, who is originally from China but who has lived in Ireland for 25 years, was looking at ways of getting rid of the plastic lid that has become ubiquitous in coffee shops and fast-food outlets. Back in 2012 Mr Lu was looking for investment for the idea and Mr McLoughlin - a chartered accountant by trade - had just sold his share of a food products business he was involved in with family members. "A mutual acquaintance put myself and Joe in touch and as soon as I saw the cup I knew it was high-risk but potentially high reward." Since then the pair have invested "millions rather than thousands" developing a modified cup-making machine to produce the cup on an industrial scale and further refined the design. Another investor, Brian Ranalow, has come on board. The eco-friendly nature of the cup has been further enhanced by a development in the Finnish paper industry where a huge magazine plant has been converted at a cost of 170m into a new paper mill to produce a special kind of paper that can be used in cups without added plastic or resin. That means that the Butterfly Cup biodegrades quickly and can be recycled along with regular paper - unlike any disposable coffee cup product. This, says Mr McLoughlin, is the holy grail that no other disposable cup manufacturer has yet to bring to market. Northern Ireland firm Wilsons Auctions will hold a bitcoin auction after reaching a deal with the Belgium Federal Government. Wilsons, which is based in Mallusk, is storing and selling the seized crypto assets. The 24-hour sell-off will start at noon on February 28. The lots will consist of around 315 coins, with no reserve, and will include 104.99 each of bitcoin, bitcoin gold and bitcoin cash. The bitcoins were seized by the Belgium police after a drug trafficking case in which the criminals used the DarkNet to sell drugs. Many NI businesses are planning to set up a base across the border in the wake of Brexit With only a few months to go before agreed date of the UKs departure from the EU, many Northern Ireland residents and businesses are considering setting up a base in Ireland to ensure they continue to have a geographical foothold in the EU post Brexit. However, NI-based purchasers acquiring property in this market will discover that there are some differences in the conveyancing processes between both jurisdictions. TAX REFERENCE NUMBER Firstly, it is a legal requirement for purchasers both residential and commercial to submit a valid Irish tax reference number as part of their stamp duty return to the Irish Revenue post completion. Without this number a purchaser will be unable to register its interest in the property with Land Registry. PROPERTY TAX When it comes to property taxes there are five that you should be aware of. Stamp duty in Ireland is the equivalent to UK Stamp Duty Liability Tax (SDLT). The following rates apply. For residential property up to 1m it is 1%, over 1m it is 2% and for all non-residential property the rate is 6%. Local Property Tax (LPT) is equivalent to NI domestic property rates. LPT is a self-assessed tax charged on the market value of domestic properties. The rates are dependent on the value of the property and are in part determined by local councils so can differ from area to area. Commercial rates are equivalent to NI commercial rates and apply to non-domestic properties. It is payable to the local council and is based on the rateable valuation of the property. The rateable valuation is determined by the Commissioner of Valuation. The VAT regime is broadly similar to that of the UK in that VAT is only charged on what is considered a new property. The rate for property is 13.5% as opposed to 20% in the UK. Water charges for commercial properties are broadly similar to NI water charges. For domestic properties, a new charge will be payable from July 2019 for excessive water usage only. It is anticipated that the bulk of properties will not exceed the stipulated thresholds for what is considered excessive usage based on current consumption levels. CONTRACT DEPOSIT The Law Society of Ireland Contract for Sale provides if that the purchaser fails to complete on the stipulated closing date then the seller is entitled to serve a Completion Notice giving the purchaser 28 days (as opposed to five days in Northern Ireland) to complete. In the event that the purchaser fails to complete within this notice period then the seller is entitled to forfeit the purchasers contract deposit. The contract deposit being 10% of the purchase price. PLANNING AND BUILDING REGULATIONS Unlike the position in NI there is no legal requirement for any statutory agencies such as Building Control to visit and inspect premises during the course of construction or at completion. Instead a purchaser will rely on certificates of compliance with building regulations and planning from architects and engineers together with any structural survey they have had carried out. It is vital that a prospective purchaser reviews the merits of the qualifications and experience of the certifying professionals, and also ensures that they have adequate professional indemnity insurance in place. As per the position in Northern Ireland, the principle of caveat emptor applies when purchasing a second hand property. Therefore, a purchaser should ensure that a full structural survey is carried out prior to exchange of contract. Oliver Tighe is an associate solicitor in the commercial property department of Carson McDowell Owen (second left) was awarded the Belfast Telegraph Cup for achievements in farming in 2015. Included are the then Agriculture Minister Michelle ONeill, EU farm commissioner Phil Hogan and UFU president Ian Marshall Owen Brennan and his wife professor Alice Stanton at the Bru na Boinne World Heritage Site with Republic of Ireland Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan and Dr Cliodhna Ni Lionain. Last year Devenish joined UCD School of Archaeology to carry out archaeological research close to the site of its research farm at Dowth Hall in Co Meath, leading to the discovery of a significant passage tomb cemetery A fusion of agriculture, science, innovation and vision, Owen Brennan in many ways embodies the company he took over 22 years ago. With just 23 employees, Devenish was a relatively small player in Northern Ireland's agri-feed sector when the Carlow man bought the company with a group of colleagues in November 1997. Sensing that the feeds sector was losing a lot of expertise and innovation, Owen spotted a niche opportunity for a specialised innovation-focused nutrition business. Two decades on and Devenish has grown into a global agri-technology company specialising in animal nutrition. Its workforce now tops 500 people across the world, with operations in the USA, Turkey and Uganda. The company is building a new factory in north west Mexico, which will add another three dozen staff over the coming months. Key to the success of Devenish has been its ability to innovate. The company spends up to 20% of its considerable annual turnover of 94m on research and development. In 1997, Owen's focus was on establishing a specialised nutrition firm. These days his mind is on the ever-expanding demand for quality food. "A lot of health is treatment-based and I think in general it is underestimated how much quality food promotes good health and prevents ill health," he says. "We see there being a big shift in thinking in that direction over time. "We call it 'one health', which is plant, animal, human and environmental health taken together." It's easy to see where Owen's agri-business acumen comes from. From a farming background in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, his parents Michael and Mary bought a merchant business in the village early in their marriage. "It's more important than it gets credit for," he says. "The business of buying and selling was an intrinsic part of life and something I enjoyed being part of. "The basics of business I think are very much in common from the smallest to the largest concern." The business remains in the family, now run by Owen's brother Richard and his wife Geraldine. Owen admits he spent precious little time thinking about his future career during his younger years. As the eldest in a family of 10, there was always plenty to keep him occupied. "There was a big crowd of us," he says. "I never really gave it a thought. We all assume what we have and what we do is normal at that stage in life. But you wouldn't dare be late for meal times." He stuck with what he knew and enjoyed and won a scholarship to study at agricultural college in Warrenstown, Co Meath and later UCD. Faced with the choice of taking up a scholarship with Kellogg's to further his studies in the US, Owen instead embarked down the business path, starting his career with Kilkenny-based agri-feeds firm Red Mills. In 1986 he moved into the specialised field of nutrition with New Tech. But by the late '90s he was ready for a new challenge. In November 1997, along with a number of colleagues, he bought a little-known Belfast-based animal feeds firm called Devenish. With a strong background in agri-science and buoyed by an MBA from the Smurfit Business School five years earlier, Owen set about expanding the company's sphere, immediately changing the name from Devenish Feeds to Devenish Nutrition. "We made an initial small investment in the US in February 1998. I was very keen to step into the international arena. Ireland is a small place, but even at that time, the world was becoming a very connected place. It was essential that we took that step." Just over 20 years on, Devenish is a truly global business. "Over 95% of Devenish's business was in Northern Ireland in 1997. That's less than 10% today, even though we do five times more business in Northern Ireland now," he reveals. "The business is very well dispersed now, with sales to over 30 countries." The firm's trade is split evenly between inside the EU, as it exists today and the rest of the world. A significant proportion of its EU sales are within the UK. The executive chairman disclosed that his firm has already felt the impact of Brexit. "The loss of value of sterling has cost our business quite significantly. It's difficult to put an absolute figure on it, but I would describe it as a significant negative, and the effect was almost immediate." Like most major companies, Devenish is hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. "We've done all the scenario planning that we think we can to leave ourselves, reasonably well placed, we hope, irrespective of the outcome that arises. "We're better covered than many, but we still anticipate a degree of disruption and cost. "We were opposed to Brexit when the issue arose. We tried to be clear why that was, and we've been very supportive of the positions represented by organisations like the NI Chamber and CBI, but you don't get the impression that those voices are being very well heard in all of this," he said. Devenish's global footprint continues to grow, with the firm expanding its presence in Africa, the Middle East and Central America. "All these locations are in a very significant growth pattern. The world in general is becoming a better off place and one of the first place that impacts is on food supply, in the quality and range of products." Growth in the United States has been particularly strong. "We have four manufacturing locations in the United States and they continue to grow. "I think of states in the US as equivalent to large European countries. So I can foresee more locations there over time." Devenish is also looking to Australia as a future growth region, where it can sell into places like Hong Kong and Singapore. "We tend to supply into locations before we make a capital investment and we've been very pleased with that region. "Africa more generally will be part of our developing investment." While Devenish is often described as a nutrition company, for Owen, it's fundamentally a technology business. That's down to the value the company places on innovation. These days the science and business sides of Owen's brain are occupied with issues like sustainability and the link between quality food and health. "We are particularly focused on sustainable farming and food production," he said. At 58, the innovation-end of the business is what inspires the executive chairman most. Living in the Boyne Valley, near Slane, Owen spends a lot of his time now in the global innovation centre which Devenish built in Co Meath five years ago. "I really enjoy what I do. There has been an evolution of my role. As I'm supported by a bigger team, I've been able to concentrate more on the innovation side of the business, which is a particular interest of mine." Science has been a theme at home as well. His wife Alice is a professor of clinical pharmacology at the College of Surgeon in Dublin. Margaret, his eldest daughter, is a junior doctor in St James' Hospital, Dublin, while his middle daughter Alice is a chemical engineer with Glanbia in Drogheda. Molly, his youngest, went down a different path, studying law at Trinity. There is no plan to slow down or step back from the company. If anything, Owen is thinking bigger. He's thinking about the planet. "The potential of farming and the food industry generally to contribute to positive environmental outcomes is very much underestimated. "In a sustainability context we're very focused on that. Particularly the potential of practical food production systems to sequester carbon and greenhouse gases more generally. "I think the potential is quite enormous. Those are the more specialised areas where we are concentrating our innovation expenditure. "The impact of food and the potential for a positive impact of food on human health, is a really interesting and rapidly growing area and one that we're very focused on as a business," he continued. "If you take it that we have a population of 7.5 billion on the planet right now and that's projected to be perhaps 9.5 billion by 2050. That sounds like a long time away, but it's not really. That growth is rapid and occurring every day and every year. "I think there's a great deal of scope for innovative thinking and development in the sector. I think Ireland and Northern Ireland are very well placed to play a really good role." A new airline expected to take over the Londonderry to Stansted route after the collapse of flybmi could be announced this week, City of Derry Airport (Coda) has said. Contract director Clive Coleman confirmed Coda is in discussions with a number of airlines, but that priority is being given to "sustainable" companies that can get planes in operation as soon as possible. The loss of the London link would be catastrophic for Coda, which is owned by Derry and Strabane Council. However, Mr Coleman said he is optimistic the service will be available to customers "certainly within a month". The Government also indicated that a new operator could be in place soon. Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani told MPs yesterday that "we expect services to resume swiftly". Loganair has said that it will cover routes from Aberdeen, Bristol and Newcastle, previously served by flybmi. It is also understood to have an interest in the Londonderry-Stansted route. Flybmi had operated the route since 2017 when the company signed a two-year public service obligation (PSO) contract with the Department for Transport. PSO is subvention paid by the Government to an airline to keep regional airports connected. Just two days before flybmi announced it was ceasing all operations with immediate effect, the Department of Transport said it would continue the subvention for Derry for two more years. Mr Coleman said that although flybmi was present at these discussions with the department, no one from the airline gave any indication the company would fold two days later. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Coleman said: "When we spoke to flybmi on Thursday after the PSO announcement was made, they gave us no indication of the announcement on Saturday so it was a complete shock. "Everyone has been working extremely hard since Saturday, including CODA, the council and Department of Transport, and we have been talking to a number of airlines about keeping this route open. "There has been more than one airline that has approached us interested in the route but we will give priority to more sustainable airlines and to those who will be in a position to operate flights quickly. "Under PSO arrangements, if an airline fails, as has happened with flybmi, the awarding authority, which in this case is Derry and Strabane Council, can award an emergency contract for seven months to a new supplier. "We are hoping, within the next couple of days to announce, after it has been approved by the Department of Transport, who we have selected to operate the route on an emergency basis." He added: "I would be very optimistic this route will be operating again certainly within a month." Ms Ghani told the House of Commons yesterday she recognised "that this is a disruptive and distressing time for passengers, and the Government's immediate priority is fully focused on supporting those affected". "We are in active contact with airports, airlines and other transport providers to ensure that everything possible is being done to help them. We and the Civil Aviation Authority are working closely with the travel industry to ensure the situation is managed with minimal impact to passengers," she said. "Subject to due diligence we expect the council to sign contracts and appoint an airline later this week, and we expect services to resume swiftly. "Derry City and Strabane Council takes forward that part; it is its responsibility." Strangford MP Jim Shannon told MPs that flybmi was "averaging only 19 people per flight" on the Derry route. The Embraer 145 is a 49-seater plane. Most of flybmi's 376 employees have lost their jobs following the airline's collapse. British Midland Regional Limited, which operated as flybmi, had staff based in the UK, Germany, Sweden and Belgium. A statement announcing the appointment of restructuring firm BDO as administrators yesterday said the "majority" have been made redundant. Tony Nygate, BDO business restructuring partner, said: "As joint administrators, we are taking all necessary steps to ensure customers, staff and suppliers are supported through the administration process." Flybmi operated flights on routes to 25 European airports including Aberdeen, Bristol, East Midlands, London Stansted and Newcastle. Electricity generating at Kilroot has won a contract to continue in business for a further year, into 2020. For the American owners, AES, there has been considerable uncertainty. A year ago, after the first auction of capacity, initiated as part of the new annual contracting system in the I-SEM (integrated single electricity market), it seemed that the two large generating units at Kilroot would be decommissioned since the new contracting deal had excluded these generators as uncompetitive. In the aftermath of the ill-fated auction in late 2017, the regulatory authorities negotiated an unusual compromise. The two Kilroot generators were allowed to continue to supply the electricity market but, in a partial offset, two older generating sites at Ballylumford were taken offline. That unusual settlement continues to operate to this day, and will continue until later this year. The auction for the supply of electricity for 2019 to 2020 has been concluded, and as part of a complex all-island settlement, the two large generating units at Kilroot have been allocated a capacity contract for a further year. However, the circumstances of that decision point to special conditions which, looking further ahead, mean the axe hanging over Kilroot has not been removed. The all-island regulatory authorities allocated generation contracts, first, on an all-island basis and, second, to cope with electricity distribution capacity constraints which mean that the electricity grid cannot securely be asked to import adequate supplies of electricity from outside Northern Ireland. As a result, the contract price offered for Kilroot capacity was well above the price that gave a competitive answer on an all-island basis. The Kilroot bid was accepted because, without Kilroot being contracted, Northern Ireland did not have acceptable assurances of guaranteed supply. The terminology used is that in Northern Ireland there are 'locational constraints' affecting the ability to transfer electricity into the system. The interconnector and cross-border links do not have enough capacity to give assured supplies. From this starting point, the case for the long-delayed high-capacity cross-border link is easily made. The absence of adequate cross-border grid electricity distribution is now imposing large extra costs on Northern Ireland consumers. The recent further stumble delaying the construction of the new north-south link is a further hitch in critical local decision-making. Even now it is not clear whether, following the recent Judicial Review, the Permanent Secretary in the Department for Infrastructure, if she is so minded, could authorise the project under new legislation. The award of a further annual contract for the two large Kilroot generators comes at a price. Kilroot will earn more than 46,000 per MW compared to the capacity contracts for other generators, such as Coolkeeragh and some other generators at Ballylumford (including some maintained under the long-standing power purchase contracts with Viridian/Power NI), which will be paid 36,890 per MW. The long-term implication of the extra costs because of locational constraints is that there is now a close interest in whether there will be a competitive response for the provision of new generating capacity which might be installed more quickly than the expected all-island grid. There is an expectation that local business interests may be asking for planning permission for a new 400 to 500MW generator based in Belfast and drawing natural gas from the existing import pipeline. Potential developers now know the challenge for the economics of a new large plant. The market price to win a contract will presumably need to compare with the bids from operators such as Coolkeeragh. That points to the probability of a reliance on natural gas supplies. Northern Ireland faces many uncertainties in its future energy services. Supplies from renewable sources are significant, electricity storage plans are under scrutiny, and supplies from interconnectors have become critical. Long-term policy decisions and investments are needed. The chairman of Northern Ireland agri-science firm Devenish Nutrition has said it has already felt a "significant" negative impact from Brexit. In an interview with Business Telegraph today, executive chairman Owen Brennan said the company felt an almost instant effect from the vote to leave the EU, which triggered a fall in the value of sterling. "The loss of value of sterling has cost our business quite significantly," he added. "It's difficult to put an absolute figure on it, but I would describe it as a significant negative and the effect was almost immediate." Like most major companies, he said Devenish is hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. "We've done all the scenario planning that we think we can to leave ourselves, reasonably well placed, we hope, irrespective of the outcome that arises," he said. "We're better covered than many, but we still anticipate a degree of disruption and cost. "We were opposed to Brexit when the issue arose. "We tried to be clear why that was and we've been very supportive of the positions represented by organisations like the NI Chamber and CBI, but you don't get the impression that those voices are being very well heard in all of this." Eugene Koh, MD, PhD, associate professor in the department of orthopedics at Baltimore-based University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of orthopedic spine at Baltimore VA Medical Center, discusses the future of orthopedic surgery and where technology trends are headed. Question: What emerging technology or technique do you think will have the biggest impact on the spine field five years from now? Dr. Eugene Koh: The biggest impact on the field of spine surgery over the next five years will come from robotic-assisted surgery in combination with artificial intelligence. This powerful combination would allow for more accurately placed spinal instrumentation, lower the intraoperative radiation exposure to the patient and the surgeon and aid in determining angular correction to assess sagittal balance intraoperatively. The addition of artificial intelligence technology would advance the current robotic/navigation technology to adapt easily to intraoperative changes in the spinal anatomy that differ from preoperative images from X-rays, CT scans and MRIs. The current systems are sensitive to any changes in the calibration markers as well as modifications to the spinal anatomy, like interbody devices. Artificial intelligence would allow for the system to adapt with minimal recalibration. Q: What do you think will fade or disappear from the spine field over the next few years? EK: Currently, insurance companies are collecting data on each individual surgeon, including expense for each individual procedure (for example, the cost for a single-level ACDF). Certain insurance companies are financially incentivizing primary care physicians to refer to the least expensive surgeons. As they accumulate more data, including outcomes data, the insurance companies would dictate the procedure or surgeon with the lowest revision rate. Numerous reports have demonstrated interspinous devices for lumbar spinal stenosis have poor outcomes and a high re-operation rate. Insurance companies will make it more and more difficult for surgeons to justify placing these implants or any devices that have a high revision rate. Q: Where do you see the biggest room for innovation in spine? What do you need to provide better care that doesn't currently exist? EK: Biologics is a critical area for innovation in spine. The bane of spinal fusions is pseudarthrosis. Significant research is being placed on finding the next BMP-2 without the wide range of side effects. The Holy Grail is regenerative medicine technology with the goal of restoring the degenerative disc without need for a fusion surgery or artificial disc replacement surgery. Currently, the hype and the hope of stem cells, however, has failed miserably short of the goal of regenerative medicine. We are far away from succeeding, but many are actively researching the basic science barriers and advances to accomplish this goal. To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com. For a deeper dive into the future of spine, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-5, 2019. Click here to learn more and register. John Anderson, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Children's Mercy Kansas City (Mo.), discusses the big trends in spine surgery and where pediatric spine care is headed in the future. Q: What do you think will fade or disappear from the spine field over the next few years? Dr. John Anderson: I think fewer young children will require intraoperative spine casting for early onset scoliosis as bracing technology advances. This will hopefully allow us to reduce the number of general anesthetics these children are exposed to. Q: Where do you see the biggest room for innovation in spine? What do you need to provide better care that doesn't currently exist? JA: I personally would like to see more data in areas of pediatric spine that are not deformity related. For example, I am referred a lot of children and adolescents with disc herniations and apophyseal ring avulsions. There is no shortage of adult data but a paucity on the pediatric side. It would be nice to have higher levels of evidence to guide those of us that treat these kids. To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com. For a deeper dive into the future of spine, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-5, 2019. Click here to learn more and register. Howard Schultz during a CNN town hall, February 11, 2019. Photo: CNN As somebody who grew up in a very diverse background as a young boy, in the projects, said Howard Schultz, would-be presidential candidate, during a televised town hall on February 11, I didnt see color and I honestly dont see color now. Schultz was answering an audience question about the arrest of two black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks location in April. That day, a store manager phoned the police after the men declined to purchase anything while waiting for an acquaintance to meet them. As then-CEO, Schultz oversaw the closure of stores nationwide for a daylong anti-bias training. The training was, predictably, almost entirely about color that most people not only see it, but that it shapes their prejudices and broader inequalities in profound ways. Paired with his claim to a diverse upbringing, it is clear that both cannot be true that Schultz simultaneously does not see color and recognizes that the color of the arrestees had something to do with their mistreatment. What he was more likely trying to convey as most people are when they claim color-blindess is that he privileges character over skin color. And he is able to do this because of a personal choice he has made: Instead of indulging the racist assumptions that dictate the rest of our interactions with one another, Schultz has chosen to ignore racial difference altogether. The logic behind this is that racism is caused by people who notice race. The best way to eradicate it, therefore, is to ignore it. But racism is not simply the accumulated weight of individual prejudice. Racism encompasses a wide array of personal biases, economic incentives, and social-organizing systems the latter of which includes who is deemed threatening enough to warrant police intervention at a Starbucks, for example, or which kinds are people are allowed to live where. It is so intrinsic to American life that perpetuating it can be a passive act. Racism is why Schultz can say he grew up in the projects in Brooklyn and have the public understand that as shorthand for poverty and blackness when in reality, the Bay View Houses in the 1950s and 1960s were middle income and over 90 percent white, according to HuffPost. But one of the more baffling aspects of Schultzs decision to use this simplistic analogy is that his past attention to racisms machinations has been one of the more notable things about him. Few billionaire CEOs would force their employees to have awkward conversations about race with their customers in the wake of a police shooting, for instance, as was the case with his 2015 Race Together initiative, ill-advised though it was. Few would implement a hiring push to bring more disconnected and disenfranchised black and Latino youth to work in their stores. And fewer still would upend corporate convention by launching pilot programs aimed at sharing profits from Starbucks stores in historically black and Latino areas, like Harlem and South Central Los Angeles, with their surrounding communities. Schultz did all of these things, and explained his self-imposed responsibility to do so in ways that showed an awareness of the racial injustices they were meant to confront. Im not black, I havent lived a life in which I was racially profiled, and I wasnt discriminated against because of the color of my skin, Schultz told Fast Company in 2015. Yet he still chose on Monday to align himself with an ideology whose core tenet is the celebration of its own ignorance. To not see color is to not see America who controls its government, who owns its companies, who amasses the bulk of its wealth, and whose presence is deemed a threat to its status quo. (In a subsequent interview with Washington Post, Schultz attempted to backtrack: Of course I see color as an adult. Of course I understand the issues of racial justice.) But historically, the currency of this ideology has come from its ability to obscure racism itself a valuable quality for anyone seeking to assure others, and themselves, that they are not racist. And Schultz would not grapple with color-consciousness as a CEO only to profess color-blindness during a prospective White House bid if he did not think it would benefit him. Why he felt he needed to do so here is confusing. The reception to his anti-racism initiatives while at Starbucks has been mixed, but several of the black colleagues, employees, civil-rights advocates, and HBCU students and administrators who have discussed the topic with him in public and private attest to his sincerity. One could describe him as hapless, but few would mistake him for someone who is willfully unattuned to racism and its consequences. More likely, claiming not to see color was a reflexive attempt to profess his own righteousness, rather than an honest assessment of American society, or a calculated effort to hide an insidious agenda. Schultz wanted to convey that racial difference means nothing in his personal life and relationships, while maintaining that he is committed to ending racial equality in society at large. But this distinction is more or less meaningless in the eyes of history. Declarations of color-blindness emerged in earnest with good-enough intentions during the 1960s, as an expression of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s maxim that people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. This phrase, spoken during Kings I Have a Dream speech in 1963, arrived in the context of a culture where white supremacy was enforced through outward vitriol, legally mandated segregation, and racist beatings and murders for which no one was held accountable. The ideal to which Americans should aspire seemed clear: a society where a persons skin color had no bearing on how they were treated. But discrimination based on race was not actually the problem only its crudest expression. The problem was racism, a system of domination and aversion maintained by constantly shifting mechanisms and standards. And it became apparent that this was not a system white people were willing to give up even as some of its most flagrant expressions became taboo in polite company. The result was a society of racism without racists, as sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva observed in his book of the same name. Color-blind racism became the dominant racial ideology as the mechanisms and practices for keeping blacks and other racial minorities at the bottom of the well changed, he wrote. Jim Crow laws and their attendant presumption of black inferiority were exchanged for less overt means of achieving the same ends housing segregation won by denying black borrowers home loans, or claiming available units were already occupied; restricting black mobility by advertising job openings only to majority-white networks, or declining to hire black applicants. The resulting inequalities were, and continue to be, rationalized not by claiming that black peoples inferiority earns them substandard treatment, but by attributing them to matters of preference and cultural inclination. This logic accelerated into the late 20th century alongside a stunning rhetorical about-face: Procivil rights measures like busing and affirmative action had suddenly gone too far, and now constituted forms of reverse discrimination whereby black Americans were gifted unfair advantages. Less than two decades after the heyday of the civil-rights movement, racial equality stood no chance. The 1980s saw President Reagan enshrine this rhetoric in federal policy by having his Justice Department back court cases that challenged civil-rights measures, and directing it not to defend such measures against outside legal challenges. The following decades saw color-blind rhetoric continue to be employed at the highest levels of the American government and judiciary to explain why endeavors like school integration and laws like the Voting Rights Act were unconstitutional. The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race, wrote U.S. Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts, dubiously, in a 2007 opinion opposing integration efforts in Seattle. More recently, pundits and pols profess color-blindness without even pretending not to hold bigoted views. Tomi Lahren, who compared Black Lives Matter to the Ku Klux Klan, does not see color. President Trump, according to his son Eric, sees only one color: Green. Thats all he cares about, he cares about the economy. He does not see race. Hes the least racist person Ive ever met in my entire life, the younger Trump told Fox News in January 2018. (The president is in good company: American racism might not exist were it not for the colonists and plantation barons obsession with money.) This tendency echoes a rich tradition of bigots denying their bigotry. Former Alabama governor George Wallace famously drew a hard line between racists and segregationists, claiming that a racist is driven by spite, whereas a segregationist, like himself, is driven by a commitment to the mutual best interests of the races; former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke defended then-candidate Trump against charges of racism during a 2016 interview with NPRs Morning Edition. [In] this country, if you simply defend the heritage of European-American people, then youre automatically a racist. Theres massive racist racial discrimination against European-Americans. And thats the reality, he said. One trait that distinguishes these men from many of their color-blind counterparts aside from being open white supremacists, of course is that Duke and Wallace are acutely aware of racial difference. They see color, but thats okay: They only use their awareness to forge a more just world. Perhaps because of this connection, it is this awareness that the people who claim not to see color have demonized, rather than the system of inequality on which that awareness was predicated. Claiming color-blindness has accrued a sort of anti-racist currency as a result. Those who do so insist that the physical markers that trigger racial hatred mean nothing to them, and therefore, they cannot personally be racist. Racism is thus defined as an individual choice, with racist a label none would willingly embrace. This is why we see so much racism in America, but so few racists. It is a perception that mistakes the symptom for the disease. Schultzs intentions may diverge from Dukes and Wallaces, but they are united by a shared willingness to prolong the charade that racism is a matter of personal animus, of a rotten heart, from which they are personally exempt. And there are indeed benefits to be had by positioning oneself as above the fray on such matters. President Obama did so to inspiring and winning effect in the 2008 election though his record-level deportation rates and public shaming of black people for their purported irresponsibility complicated the story. (Conversely, Trump ran a campaign promising to calcify many of these same racial divides, and won the same office eight years later; he, of course, is not a racist either.) Employing the language of color-blindness to win political clout has the added, and perhaps unintended, effect of signaling to nonwhite communities that their needs will be ignored in the name of unity. Democratic primary candidates learned this the hard way in 2016 when they provoked the ire of Black Lives Matter advocates for saying, All lives matter, in response to their rallying cry. For the activists, this seeming expression of egalitarianism was the ultimate okey-doke a means of avoiding talking about racism with any specificity, assignment of responsibility, or commitment to fighting it. But what can be said with some certainty is that claiming not to see color is so broad in its meaning and has been used historically to rationalize such a wide range of behavior, from the denialist to the hateful that it has become essentially meaningless. Whats more, it does little to describe the actual society in which we live. Racism would still be here even if tomorrow everyone decided not to see color. Schultzs contradictions around the issue are almost as strong a case against his presidency as the notion driving his run: that Americans are so hungry for a centrist president who sees billionaires as oppressed that risking a split Democratic ticket, and handing reelection to Trump, is an acceptable risk. I have my doubts about this formulation, as does a significant share of the general public. Claiming color-blindness will not compensate for Schultzs deficit of ideas and public support. But it does convey a deficit of honesty, and thats something Americans cannot afford. Walmart is offering employees a 90 percent discount on telemedicine, dropping the price of a virtual visit from $40 to $4, The Denver Post reports. The retailer reduced the cost of telemedicine services Jan. 1 to increase options for employees seeking care, a spokesperson confirmed to Beckers Hospital Review. Walmart's health benefits currently cover more than 1 million people enrolled it its Associates' Medical Plan. Through this plan, virtual visits through the Doctor On Demand app are covered like a normal physicians office visit. Walmart is one of many employers to offer telemedicine benefits to workers. Eighty percent of large and midsize companies offered the benefit in 2018, according to the report. However, factors like emotion, forgetfulness and preference have kept utilization down. Just 8 percent of employees at large and midsize companies used telemedicine benefits in 2017, according to the report. Read more here. More articles on telehealth: Teladoc Health introduces new and expanded virtual care capabilities for hospitals and health systems NewYork-Presbyterian surpasses 100K virtual visits: CIO Daniel Barchi reflects Blum Telehealth integrates new payment, identity features into virtual care platform Quest Diagnostics named Gabrielle Wolfson, a veteran IT business leader, as the company's new senior vice president and chief information and digital officer. Three things to know: 1. Ms. Wolfson will oversee Quest Diagnostics' ventures in IT, data informatics and digital solutions. 2. She will also lead the company's Quanum suite of health IT solutions and data analytics, as well as its myQuest patient portal and mobile app. 3. Prior to joining Quest Diagnostics, Ms. Wolfson served as CIO at Xerox Corp., Integra Life Sciences and Par Pharmaceutical. "Ms. Wolfson is a dynamic business and technology leader with a proven record of harnessing technology and data to create strong businesses and engaged, loyal customers," Quest Diagnostics CEO Steve Rusckowski said in a news release. "She has the vision, experience and business acumen to help Quest improve the way we use technology to create great experiences for consumers, employees, healthcare providers and payers." Understanding that patients have challenges that make it hard to prioritize health can help physicians connect with them and provide better care, a physician wrote in a piece on Philly.com. The piece was written by Jason Han, MD, a resident in cardiothoracic surgery in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Dr. Han discussed a situation where he encouraged a patient who had early signs of cardiovascular disease to take care of himself better. The patient said he was feeling down about his poor health but insisted he could not find the time and motivation he needed to change his circumstances. "I tried my best to be kind, and not let my frustration show," Dr. Han recounted. "'What could be more important than maintaining your health?' I asked him." The patient shrugged. When Dr. Han left the patient's room, he realized he didn't have time for a real lunch or breakfast. "Skipping a proper breakfast meant I had an extra 10 minutes of sleep, which I always need," he wrote. "I ran to the cafeteria and grabbed a sad-looking slice of cold pizza that apparently nobody else wanted. I congratulated myself for remembering to dilute yet another cup of coffee with cold water so I wouldn't burn myself as I drank it down. I dined while climbing back up the stairs to the ICU, savoring a few quiet minutes." The experience isn't uncommon for new physicians as they adjust to their jobs, and skipping meals or sleep is standard behavior, Dr. Han said. But in that moment, Dr. Han said he realized he was violating the advice he had just given his patient. "I used to have a hard time understanding patients who carried on with their unhealthy behaviors, even after being diagnosed with a disease," he said. "Now I understand that we all have our own reasons for failing to do what's best for our health. Understanding that my patients just like me have challenges that make it hard to prioritize health helps me to connect with them. As a physician, I can provide better care if I try to understand what's holding my patient back from making healthy choices." Intensive care unit nurses at Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel West hospital reportedly questioned some medication orders from William Husel, MD, the physician accused of ordering excessive painkiller doses for at least 34 near-death hospital patients, one former nurse told NBC4. Mount Carmel said Dr. Husel ordered excessive doses of painkillers for at least 34 near-death patients in intensive care. The doses were likely fatal in 28 of those cases, hospital officials said. Upon learning of the medication incidents, Mount Carmel fired Dr. Husel and sent details of its internal investigation to authorities. "Anytime I heard anybody ask him about it, he would give them an explanation," said the nurse, who asked to remain anonymous. "He was our expert. He knew more than any of us about how the drugs work and all that." The unnamed nurse said Dr. Husel was often the only physician working the overnight shift in the hospital's ICU and that the physician served as a mentor to colleagues. "If you're ever concerned about something with your patient, he would take the time to explain things to you if you had questions," the nurse told NBC4. "He would sit down if there was some slow times and he would talk to you about why we treat certain things, certain ways just background stuff you didn't really need to know for your job but would help kind of explain why you're doing what you're doing." Dr. Husel and Mount Carmel face 16 wrongful death lawsuits. There is an ongoing criminal investigation, and no charges have been filed so far. The nurse who talked with NBC4 has not been named in any wrongful death lawsuits, but he said many of his former nursing colleagues were named. Mount Carmel declined to comment on individual cases. The State Medical Board of Ohio said Feb. 13 it intends to decide whether further action is necessary on the suspended license of a former Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System physician accused of ordering potentially fatal painkiller doses for at least 34 near-death patients, according to The Columbus Dispatch. In a letter to William Husel, MD, the board said it will consider several censure options, up to a permanent revocation, which would invalidate Dr. Husel's current license and leave him unable to get any license in the future. The letter mentions the deaths of six unnamed patients. Each of these patients received the painkiller fentanyl. Five patients also were given the sedative midazolam called Versed. The board said the dosages were "inappropriate and excessive" and that Dr. Husel ordered them, administered them or caused them to be administered. The board suspended Dr. Husel's license Jan. 25. The suspension letter references two other unnamed patients, one who received fentanyl and midazolam and another who received fentanyl with the opioid hydromorphone, known as Dilaudid. Lawyers representing Dr. Husel in the medical moard matter did not respond to a request for comment from The Dispatch. Mount Carmel publicly said Jan. 14 that Dr. Husel was fired Dec. 5 for prescribing high painkiller doses. Health system officials said Dr. Husel overdosed 34 near-death patients from 2015 to 2018, and the doses were in potentially fatal amounts in 28 of those cases. A measles outbreak that has affected at least 225 people in New York state since October started with a traveler who visited Israel during Jewish holidays and came back to a predominantly ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Rockland County, N.Y., Reuters reported. A similar situation happened three months later when a person who visited Eastern Europe returned to a community with strong ties to a local church group in Vancouver, Wash. More than 50 people were sickened there. In both cases, U.S. travelers picked up measles in foreign countries where the highly contagious disease was running rampant and brought it back to places where vaccination rates were too low by U.S. public health standards, prompting the worst outbreaks seen in those states in decades, according to the report. However, health officials said the two outbreaks appear to be winding down after concerted efforts to pinpoint the origins and inoculate those who were exposed but unprotected against measles. There also are efforts to educate parents who had resisted vaccines for their children. The disease has spread mostly among school-age children whose parents declined to get them vaccinated. One factor for why parents did not vaccinate their kids is mere "complacency" in an age where the potential ravages of measles are not familiar to parents who came of age after the vaccine was introduced in 1957, said New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, MD. The measles crises in New York and Washington offer a lesson about the importance of maintaining a minimum level of "herd" immunization against harmful and preventable diseases such as measles, health officials said. Drugstores at CVS and Walgreens are being renovated to look more like physician offices, according to CNBC. Three things to know: 1. In December, CVS opened three "HealthHUBs" in the Houston area, which offer more space for health products as opposed to other goods like seasonal items and greeting cards. Products like walkers and sleep apnea masks are among more health products being marketed, along with spaces set aside for managing chronic medical conditions through nutrition and exercise. 2. CVS' walk-in clinics, called MinuteClinics, now offer blood testing labs and health screenings for conditions like diabetic retinopathy, or vision loss from diabetes. Customers can also meet with a care concierge to access the new health services. 3. Walgreens has redesigned some of its stores to feature health services like optical, lab, hearing and pharmacy. Some Walgreens stores also feature a "health corner." At the health corner, patients can schedule appointments with a health guide or through tablets, according to CNBC. For the full article, click here. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost wants UnitedHealth Group's pharmacy benefit arm OptumRx to repay $16 million to the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The move follows nearly a year of investigation by Ohio officials into the pharmacy middlemen who conduct billions of dollars worth of business with state agencies. In a letter to OptumRx, Mr. Yost claims that OptumRx has overcharged the bureau since 2015. In particular, the PBM overcharged the bureau by $6 million in 2015, by $2.7 million between the beginning of 2016 and the end of October 2016 and by $7.2 million between Nov. 1, 2016, and Oct. 27, 2018. Mr. Yost intends to take OptumRx to nonbonding mediation. If it fails, the dispute will likely go to court. "The state of Ohio and the BWC consider these matters of public significance and have calculated the following overcharges attributable to OptumRx's failure to adhere to agreed discounts on generic drugs," the letter, obtained by The Dispatch, reads. Similar moves are expected against other PBMs. While OptumRx is the PBM for one of Ohio's five Medicaid managed-care plans, CVS Caremark is responsible for the other four. Read the full report here. Two judges with the Court of Federal Claims ruled Feb. 14-15 that health insurers should receive unpaid cost-sharing reduction payments, which were established under the ACA to help insurers subsidize the cost of coverage for low-income Americans, according to a Health Affairs blog post. Three things to know: 1. One of the lawsuits, brought by Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative, is a class-action lawsuit. The judge's ruling in favor of Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative applies to 91 insurers who are part of the lawsuit. 2. Other lawsuits a judge ruled in favor of were brought by the following health insurers: L.A. Health Care Plan, Maine Community Health Options and Community Health Choice. 3. Two other insurers Montana Health CO-OP and Sanford Health Plan already won lawsuits for unpaid cost-sharing reduction payments. Those cases were appealed to the Federal Circuit. For the full blog post, click here. More articles on payers: BCBS Association CEO to testify in court over Anthem-Cigna breakup The state of Medicaid expansion After reviewing 173 comments, DOJ stands by CVS-Aetna settlement An unexpected influx of patients in the last three months at the University of Vermont Medical Center's emergency department has prompted a formal complaint of negligent patient care to Vermont regulators, VTDigger reported. A CMS spokesperson confirmed that Vermont regulatory officials received a complaint about conditions at the medical center's ED and were "looking into it." He referred questions to Vermont regulators. A hospital spokesperson said the hospital had not been notified by CMS, but the federal agency's inspections typically are unannounced. The state survey agency director at Vermont's division of licensing and protection said she could not confirm nor deny a complaint had been filed, and could not discuss the nature of any complaint or whether an investigation would be conducted. Hospital officials could not pinpoint a single explanation for the surge in ED patients, such as increasing flu cases. Overflow patients are typically kept in hallways when the ED is over capacity, and on a regular day, 175 patients go through the department. Despite the recent increase in ED volume, patient care had not been compromised, said Isabelle Desjardins, MD, the hospital's CMO. Dr. Desjardins said the ED crunch was being felt regionally and that referral hospitals, such as Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., that take patients from smaller area hospitals, are feeling the increase more acutely. A Dartmouth-Hitchcock spokesperson confirmed to the VTDigger that it also had seen a higher than usual demand in the ED. University of Vermont Medical Center's 138 new single rooms expected to be finished in June as part of an expansion should help patient flow and alleviate some of the backup in the ED, Dr. Desjardins said. Public advocate candidates Melissa Mark-Viverito, left, and Jumaane Williams, center, attend an immigration rally on January 28, 2019. Photo: Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images The hail was coming down in great gusts outside, but inside the New York Irish Center, just off the freeway in Long Island City, Queens, dozens of activists and organizers crammed in for several hours last Tuesday to hear from candidates hoping to be elected the next public advocate of New York City in a special election on February 26. The night was long because the list of contenders is 17 by last count, after another dozen or so didnt make the ballot or dropped out. Western Queens has become ground zero for political activism in New York in the last few years; it is Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez territory, after all, and it is also in the shadow of where the gigantic new Amazon headquarters was supposed to land. Inside the Irish Center, where young hipsters in knit hats snacked on a tray of cookies, it was clear the public advocate contest has quickly become about who can storm the barricades best. Ron Kim, an assemblyman from Flushing, decried the three men Jeff Bezos, Andrew Cuomo, and Bill de Blasio for conspiring to give away your money behind your backs. Michael Blake, an assemblyman from the Bronx, said the crisis facing NYCHA should mean jail time for those responsible. Nomiki Konst, an activist and investigative reporter, called for a public advocate in each of the 51 City Council districts to suss out any shady deals going on between local lawmakers and real-estate developers, and for the minimum wage to double to $30 an hour. The public advocate office in New York is a historical accident. After the Supreme Court mandated that the city rewrite its governing charter in 1989, the position of New York City Council president was eliminated. The holder of that office, Andrew Stein, lobbied for a place to land in city government, and so the office of public advocate was created. It was designed to be a sort of all-around city watchdog, with the ability to introduce legislation in the Council, monitor city agencies, make appointments to city boards, and serve as a check on the mayor. The public advocate is second in line to the mayor, should he resign or become indisposed. But the office also lacks an independent budget, which means any mayor or Council could cut its funding, and there are no clearly designated duties; if the public advocate went on a six-month cruise, the city would not grind to a halt. Thus, Andrew Stein ended up turning the job down. Ever since, although its duties have remained undefined, the office of public advocate has served as a launching pad for ambitious pols. The citys first public advocate, Mark Green, held the position from 1994 to 2001, serving as a counterpoint to Rudy Giuliani in City Hall. He railed against the mayor and his myriad abuses, then nearly became mayor himself, losing to Michael Bloomberg. Bill de Blasio did one term in the job before becoming mayor, and Letitia James served just a bit longer than that before being elected state attorney general last year, after Eric Schneiderman resigned in disgrace. That lineage is what led so many ambitious pols to take a flyer on this race; winning means an automatic slot in the conversation on what is shaping up be a thin field for the 2021 mayoral race. Plus, the citys generous campaign matching system means that it is pretty much a chance to take free money to boost your political brand. Since this is a special election to fill the spot vacated by James the first citywide special election in New York in decades it is nonpartisan, which means that instead of running as Republicans or Democrats, candidates make up their own political party. Brooklyn councilman Rafael Espinal, for example, is running on the Livable City line. Dawn Smalls, an attorney and former Obama administration official, is running as the candidate of No More Delays. Eric Ulrich, one of only three Republicans on the City Council, gets to shed his GOP label and run on the Common Sense line. With so many candidates in the race, and with turnout for this late February special election expected to be microscopically low, there remains some chance that one of the wild cards on the ballot like Manny Alicandro, a Wall Street lawyer who boasts of his ties to Trump and pledges to Make NYC Great Again wins. But more than likely, pollsters and operatives say, the race is going to come down to either Melissa Mark-Viverito, the former City Council speaker, or Jumaane Williams, a Brooklyn city councilman. (Blake, the Bronx assemblyman, is seen by most observers as running third, and a half-dozen other members of the Council or the Assembly retain a semi-plausible path to victory.) There is a leadership vacuum right now, Mark-Viverito said in an interview last Tuesday at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights, which the Queens Center for Gay Seniors was using for their daily $3 lunch of fruit cups and white-bread sandwiches. We have a mayor that seems to lack focus on any issues that arent a pet project of his. There are issues that are really important, like specialized high schools, the closure of Rikers Island, that require a lot of community feedback and engagement and that has been really limited under this administration. Mark-Viverito was de Blasios handpicked Council speaker when she was voted in by her colleagues in 2014, and was seen as an ally of City Hall during her term in office. As she made her way around the luncheon, it was clear how much the world had changed since then. Ninety-three percent of eligible voters did not for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and yet she is treated like, I dont know, she is a sign of the times or something, one of the diners told Mark-Viverito. I voted for her, but I didnt know she was for all of this banning airplanes, banning cars, banning cows. Mark-Viverito frowned. I am not sure all of that is accurate, she said as a gentle rebuke. Mark-Viverito seems all but certain to enter the 2021 mayoral race if she wins, and in her conversation with New York, she didnt rule it out. She wants to focus the public advocates office on NYCHA, on fixing the MTA its a pissing match right now between the governor and the mayor and on criminal-justice reform, including what she calls borough bias, the notion that crimes like marijuana possession and turnstile jumping are prosecuted differently in different boroughs. As Mark-Viverito describes it, the achievements of the first couple of years of the de Blasio administration were possible because she was there in City Hall to prod him along. The mayor is too distracted on his yet-to-be-determined next steps. There is a leadership gap, you can just feel it, she said. And the truth is, it has always been that way. It was very challenging when I was speaker when you need to move things through and they drag their feet. Mark-Viverito is also making a gender-based push. The top three city officials, she says, are all white men. When you dont have a womens voice at the table, it means we are not a progressive city. Thats a subtle dig at Williams, who earlier in his career expressed personal doubts about abortion and marriage equality (he has consistently voted in support of both on the Council). Williams ran for lieutenant governor in 2018 on a ticket with Cynthia Nixon, but his previous support for socially conservative policies led her to keep her distance for much of the campaign. Still, while she lost to Cuomo by 30 points, he lost to incumbent Kathy Hochul by six, and got more votes in New York City. In my last race, I talked about turning that office into a public advocate for the state, Williams, who calls himself an activist elected official and who has been arrested several times while in office for civil disobedience, told New York. Williams is resolute that he is not running for mayor in 2021, conceding that the only thing that would change his mind would be if he were temporarily mayor during a vacancy at City Hall. He said that he would use the office to focus on the subways, affordable housing, greater transparency in city agencies, and criminal-justice reform. Daniel Pantaleo is making more money than he was before he killed Eric Garner, he said. This isnt something that would have happened even under a Mayor Giuliani. Eric Ulrich, the Republican running for the seat, said that he would be the mayors worst nightmare if he won, but in many ways it is easier to see Williams serving that role, since de Blasio likes nothing more than a foil on his right. Williams would be needling the mayor from the left, especially on policing and affordability, space the mayor would like no one else to occupy. The mayor I endorsed in 2013, I havent seen in a very long time, Williams said. There has to be somebody that is holding him accountable. Cincinnati-based TriHealth announced its intent to close Good Samaritan Hospital's cardiac surgery program in January. However, the move has drawn criticism and concern from physicians at the hospital, Cincinnati.com reports. Three things to know: 1. In its announcement, TriHealth said all open-heart procedures will be done at the system's facility in Montgomery, Ohio, roughly 15 miles away from Good Samaritan Hospital. 2. While officials said the change stemmed from larger economic pressures, longtime physicians said the decision is troubling, and a group of physicians petitioned TriHealth's trustees in December to stop the move. "Closing down [cardiac surgery at] Good Sam was a huge mistake, for lots and lots of reasons," a longtime physician with Good Samaritan who resigned over the move told Cincinnati.com. 3. TriHealth President and CEO Mark Clement told Cincinnati.com that the hospital will not close, and that he appreciates the physicians' concern over the decision to end cardiac surgery at the hospital. To access the full report, click here. Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente announced its intent Feb. 19 to waive all four years of tuition for the first five classes of students admitted to its new medical school. Kaiser officials said in a news release obtained by Becker's Hospital Review that its medical school has received preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and will begin accepting applications from prospective students in June 2019 for its inaugural class in summer 2020. Each class will contain roughly 48 students, according to The New York Times. Mark Schuster, MD, PhD, founding dean and CEO of the Pasadena, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, told The New York Times that while the institution only plans to cover the entire $55,000-per-year tuition for all of its first five classes of students, Kaiser will offer "very generous financial aid" based on need for future students. Kaiser is the second institution to announce that it will waive tuition for students. Last August, the New York City-based NYU School of Medicine declared plans to cover its entire tuition costs for all students, which equates to more than 400 students across classes. While NYU raised $600 million from donors to pay for its tuition plan, Kaiser is using a portion of its revenue set aside for "community benefits," which all nonprofit hospitals have to provide to maintain their tax-exempt status, according to The New York Times. The health system, which has an operating revenue of nearly $73 billion, spent $2.3 billion on community benefits in 2017, including charity care for the uninsured and community health spending. The medical school will be one of the only medical schools in the U.S. to be affiliated with a hospital or health system, not a university, The New York Times reports. Its curriculum will include a focus on small-group, case-based learning, and students will travel to the health system's hospitals and clinics in the greater Los Angeles area for their clinical education. "We've had the opportunity to build a medical school from the ground up and have drawn from evidence-based educational approaches to develop a state-of-the-art school on the forefront of medical education, committed to preparing students to provide outstanding patient care in our nation's complex and evolving healthcare system," said Dr. Schuster said in a news release. In December, Kaiser added 11 executives to the medical school's leadership team. To access the full report, click here. Some Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital patients are facing uncertainty about their outstanding out-of-pocket costs as the hospital prepares to reveal details of a new billing policy, Vox reported. Zuckerberg San Francisco General renamed after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, MD, donated $75 million to the hospital is San Francisco's largest public hospital and houses a level 1 trauma center. Although the hospital primarily treats Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured patients, it has been in the news since a recent Vox report revealed the hospital is out of network with all private health plans, which can leave patients with massive bills. After the report, the hospital announced Feb. 1 that it is temporarily halting balance billing as it finalizes a plan to address billing issues in the long term. Balance billing occurs when privately insured patients receive trauma or emergency services from an out-of-network provider and are billed for the balance after the insurance company pays its portion. For 90 days, the hospital agreed it would not initiate or continue balance billing. "We will hold these patients' bills and then follow the new [long-term] policy once it is in place," hospital spokesperson Brent Andrew told Becker's earlier this month. "We will continue to bill insurance companies for services during this time." The hospital plans to reveal details of a new billing policy on Feb. 21, the same day as a San Francisco Board of Supervisors hearing on the hospital's billing practices, Vox reports. But for now, the report states, some patients with outstanding bills some as high as $10,400 are uncertain about the amount they'll ultimately owe, or how the debt will affect their credit. Vox reached out to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital spokesperson Rachael Kagan for more clarity on the matter and was told the new temporary pause in billing applies to balances that have entered collection. When the publication asked about patients who had not been notified of the new policy, Ms. Kagan said: "We are working individually with patients and insurance companies that have disputed bills. We have announced the temporary halt and encourage any patient with a question to call us." More articles on healthcare finance: 3 revenue cycle leaders on their hospital's biggest concern now that standard charges are public Hawaii residents receive high ER bills amid hospital-contractor negotiations Washington state hospital's finances spark concern in audit Some Hawaii residents received high out-of-pocket emergency room charges amid negotiations between a new contractor and insurers, The Maui News reported. One resident who visited the Maui Memorial Medical Center emergency room in Wailuku, Hawaii, received charges totaling more than $5,000. At the root of the issue is a new ER contractor for Maui Memorial Medical Center and its negotiating of agreements with insurers, including the Hawaii Medical Assurance Association and University Health Alliance, according to representatives of Maui Health System, which runs Maui Memorial and Maui Memorial Emergency Medical Associates, which received the contract. Negotiations between Maui Memorial Emergency Medical Associates, whose parent company is Emergent Medical Associates, and insurers reportedly began in July. Yvonne Biegel, director of strategic communications for Maui Health System, told The Maui News that the emergency physician group indicated a few patients received incorrectly high bills amid contract negotiations. In a statement obtained by the publication, HMAA said it will retroactively reimburse the emergency physicians group for unpaid amounts and work with the group to address and reimburse money paid by members that exceeds the plan's copayments or deductibles. UHA members who received bills for out-of-network ER physician services were informed that the bills were sent in error and to wait until they received an updated invoice, Howard Lee, president and CEO of UHA, told The Maui News. More articles on healthcare finance: How flu season can affect hospital finances Pipeline Health to close Illinois hospital For-profit hospital stock report: Feb. 11-15 A local bank is suing Lauderdale Community Hospital in Ripley, Tenn., which is owned by Kansas City, Mo.-based EmpowerHMS, to recoup loan payments, according to Local Memphis. In its federal lawsuit, Stone Bank is suing for more than $2 million in unpaid loans. The bank is also requesting the judge remove the hospital's current leadership, take possession of the building and appoint someone to oversee the hospital's operations, according to the report. Lauderdale Community Hospital's emergency room shut down on Feb. 15 after no physicians showed up for work due to not being paid. The hospital's ER is closed until further notice. More articles on healthcare finance: Mayo's annual revenue climbs to $12.6B amid move to Epic EHR Missouri, Tennessee hospitals suspend services: 5 things to know Oklahoma hospital misses payroll for 3rd time Healthcare revenue cycle management company PMMC recently hosted a roundtable interview with four experts from U.S. health systems on price transparency. The discussion centered mostly on CMS' new requirement that hospitals publish their standard charges on the internet. "CMS has been very clear and continues to reinforce the message that posting charges is the first step [toward price transparency]," said Greg Kay, senior vice president of revenue strategy at PMMC. "Their goal and their intent of these requirements is to make pricing transparency actionable." Roundtable participants were Susan Downey, manager of pricing charge description master at Seattle-based Virginia Mason Medical Center; Jackie Woolnough, director of revenue integrity and professional coding at Cleveland-based MetroHealth System; Meagen Windler, director of revenue cycle at Indianapolis-based Eskenazi Health; and Kabby Thompson, director of managed care at Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital. Here, three of the panelists share their hospital's biggest concern now that standard charges are public. Jackie Woolnough: Our biggest concern is public misperception. We do not want patients to assume they cannot afford to have a necessary service performed based solely on the chargemaster price. We really want patients to understand that looking at charges alone will not give them the answer that they are looking for. Meagen Windler: We echo others' concerns with the public misperception of what this information means to them. It can be a bit confusing for those who do not work in healthcare to interpret the information. As many of us are aware, we have to consider payer contracts, self-pay discounts, etc. while also understanding various billing models in addition to other tools provided for pricing, such as price estimation tools. All of these considerations in addition to the new CMS pricing transparency regulations will require us to provide more guidance and education to our customers. Kabby Thompson: The biggest concern is misinterpretation of the chargemaster by patients, who might think that this is their out-of-pocket expense. Read more questions and responses from panelists here. More articles on healthcare finance: How flu season can affect hospital finances Pipeline Health to close Illinois hospital For-profit hospital stock report: Feb. 11-15 Memorial Hospital at Gulfport (Miss.) sent letters to roughly 30,000 patients Feb. 15 notifying them of a data breach, according to the HIPAA journal. The hospital discovered an employee's email account was victim to a phishing attack Dec. 17, 2018. Memorial Hospital quickly acted to secure patient information and determine the extent of the breach. During the investigation, Memorial Hospital learned the employee responded to a phishing email Dec. 6, 2018, which gave an outside third-party access to patients' protected health information available in the email and email attachments. Information affected in the breach included names, dates of birth, health insurance information and medical services. A limited number of Social Security numbers may have also been exposed. Memorial Hospital is offering credit monitoring services to patients' whose Social Security numbers were compromised. The investigation is ongoing. The hospital expects to contact additional patients in the coming weeks, the HIPAA Journal reports. Neil Olderman, partner at law firm Drinker Biddle & Reath and president of consulting firm Innovative Health Strategies said in the next 10 years, ASCs can expect to see device maker role changes in operating suites, device makers treating ASCs as clients and for supply chain to shift its focus toward being accountable for patient outcomes. Mr. Olderman counsels hospital and health system clients on group purchasing arrangements and capital equipment acquisitions, as well as clinical and purchased services agreements. Mr. Olderman shared his supply chain expertise with Becker's ASC Review, including three trends to watch for in the next 10 years. Providers focus on personalization. Bundled payments will push ASCs to focus on supply chain efficiencies, as well as providing personalized care to patients. "The need to manage the patient's successful outcome will force ASCs to drive the need for greater collaboration among providers and obtain better data and deeper insights into what works for patients best, Mr. Olderman said. Again, as in other instances within healthcare, we expect to see a cottage industry emerge around improving outcomes and the patient experience in the outpatient surgery setting." Group purchasing organizations follow IBM's footsteps. IBM could serve as a potential model for GPOs catering to ASCs. "We anticipate that GPOs will continue to increase the quantity and quality of the consulting services that they offer to their members similar to the transition that IBM made, starting in the 1990s, from a company that made most of its money from relatively low-margin hardware to high-margin services," Mr. Olderman said. "While obtaining a low price for products and services will always be a key component of a GPO's service to its members, we believe GPOs will try to differentiate themselves from each other, strengthen their retention of existing members, and take business from other GPOs by using consulting offerings to leverage the vast amount of real-time data they have available." Security takes the forefront. Moving forward, security in the age of the internet of things will be crucial for an ASCs supply chain team. "As the 'internet of things' becomes more prevalent, security is going to become a more significant component of supply-chain decision making," Mr. Olderman said. "There are any number of examples of medical device products that have been hacked in the past few years. As internet connectivity among medical devices becomes more prevalent, an ASC's supply chain team is going to need to coordinate with IT to make sure that products being purchased are secure and that the ASC's IT systems are adequately protected from hacking through medical devices." To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Rachel Popa at rpopa@beckershealthcare.com. For a deeper dive into ASC industry trends, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-15, 2019. Click here to learn more and register. Anchor Health Properties acquired four medical office buildings in Sacramento, Calif., surpassing $1 billion in total investment. What you should know: 1. Anchor partnered with a Morgan Stanley Real Estate affiliate for the investment. 2. The medical office building portfolio totals nearly 300,000 square feet. Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health, UC Davis Health and Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente all lease space in the buildings. 3. Anchor established an office in Roseville, Calif., to provide property management services to the four buildings. 4. Anchor Chief Investment Officer James Schmid said, "When [Anchor CEO] Ben Ochs and I started the investment initiative in 2016, we had modest goals in mind for what we hoped to achieve. Thanks to a best in class team of professionals and best in class capital partners, weve far exceeded our hopes for where we could take the investment platform. Overland Park, Kan.-based Anesthesia Associates of Kansas City CEO Mark Meisel said an employee violated data security protocols by storing a backpack containing surgery schedules in plain sight, KCUR reports. What you should know: 1. A nurse anesthetist reported the backpack was stolen from his car in December, and AAKC notified 3,472 patients some of their personal information may have been compromised. Patients who underwent surgery between April 4, 2018, and Dec. 4, 2018, were notified out of "an abundance of caution." 2. Mr. Meisel declined to tell KCUR if the employee was fired or disciplined. "We had an employee that was doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing," he told the news outlet. "Unfortunately, you can tell people what the rules are, but this person didn't follow the rules." 3. AAKC provides anesthesia services to Kansas City-based Children's Mercy Hospital and several hospitals owned by Overland Park-based HCA Midwest Health. It is the area's largest anesthesiology practice, with about 240 providers. Photo: Planet Plane via YouTube When YouTube said earlier this year that it would begin reducing recommendations of borderline content and content that could misinform users in harmful ways, people praised the decision. A certain ex-engineer called it a historic victory on Twitter and applauded the company for making such a move, possibly at a great expense to its business model. Which ha. Among the types of videos YouTube said it would cut back on recommending was flat-Earth content. As in, videos peddling the idea that the Earth is not, as science has repeatedly proven, round. And while Im all for quashing the spread of truly wrongheaded and potentially dangerous ideas, in the case of flat-Earth indoctrination, the damage has long since been done. Researchers from Texas Tech University believe theyve isolated YouTube videos as ground zero for the spread of flat-earth theories, The Guardian reports. Speaking with attendees at the biggest annual gathering of flat-Earthers both in 2017 and 2018, the research team found that people who fell into the world of the flat Earth were often those who were already spending time on YouTube watching other conspiracy videos (about 9/11, for example). This feedback loop where watching conspiracy videos leads to being shown more conspiracy videos, which in turn motivates creators to make more conspiracy content was also cited by the above-mentioned ex-YouTube engineer. Its that circle that has enabled flat-Earth content to thrive. Researchers said one of the most popular videos is a nearly two-hour-long piece that details myriad reasons why, if youre smart enough to think beyond what has been crammed into your brain by society for your whole life, the Earth is so obviously flat. Flat-Earthers might seem like a joke, but the jumps from the Earth isnt round to jet fuel cant melt steel beams to science isnt real to vaccines are harmful are easy ones to make. (As noted by the TTU team and the ex-YouTube engineer, conspiracy theorists online tend not to buy into just one conspiracy.) Normalizing such ideas is dangerous. In 2018, Logan Paul the one who filmed the dead body, not the other one was the keynote speaker at the second annual Flat Earth Conference in Denver, Colorado. Though he told a reporter at the event he does not actually believe the Earth is flat, Paul stood up in front of the audience and said he was coming out of the flat-Earth closet during a speech he was ostensibly paid to give. Endorsing bogus theories in bad faith but which are taken very seriously by others, and all the more so with the lending (or buying) of Pauls name makes Paul complicit in the spread of potentially dangerous flat-Earth nonsense and, more harrowingly, its co-ideologies. YouTube, with its years of doing the bare minimum to, well, do nothing to curb the spread of such ideas, is even more complicit. No amount of back-changes will right that. When four Houston police officers were shot during a drug raid on Jan. 28, the reaction in that city and across Texas was immediate, and sympathetic. It seemed to underscore the unpredictable dangers of police work and the courage of the men and women in uniform who take on these risks daily. Sadly, a different story has emerged, even if those two points remain valid. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said the information presented to a judge for the search warrant was not completely accurate, and a veteran HPD officer will likely face criminal charges for presenting false evidence. HPD investigators have not been able to find the two confidential informants who said they bought drugs at the house, meaning they may not exist. Other drug cases built by this officer may be undermined too. Days before gunmen burst into a bar in Cancun and opened fire, tourists were photographed frolicking on beaches, taking photographs and strolling along the popular Fifth Avenue. On Saturday, five people were killed and five more were wounded in the Caribbean resort city that has seen crime stats increase at an alarming rate. Bernies back and this time hes older and purer than ever before. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images Bernie Sanders doesnt need to tell you why hes running for president. You know damn well what hes going to say the same thing he said while selling Eugene Debs documentaries door-to-door in the 1970s, or running for mayor of Burlington in 1980s, or filibustering a budget deal in 2010, or fomenting political revolution three years ago: The millionaires and billionaires have too much, working people have too little, and the latter can only rectify this situation by mobilizing en masse against the plutocracy that oppresses them. Nevertheless, Sanders did take the time to reiterate this message Tuesday, when he unveiled a pair of announcement videos for his 2020 presidential campaign. And one of these productions is actually focused on various things that have changed since 2016 the socialist senator just isnt one of them. Rather, the spot highlights how Sanderss signature policy proposals have moved from the margins of Democratic politics, to the center, to (in some states and localities) the law of the land. I'm running for president. I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least 1 million people from across the country. Say you're in: https://t.co/KOTx0WZqRf pic.twitter.com/T1TLH0rm26 Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 19, 2019 To some pundits, these successes amount to a liability for Sanders in 2020. Last time around, the septuagenarian socialist had sole ownership of ideas like Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage, and tuition-free public college. Now, those positions are the collective property of most of the Democratic field. And if primary voters have the option of backing a younger, less white, female champion of such proposals, why would they pick the old Vermonter who wont even call himself a Democrat? After all, even if progressives are suspicious of late converts like Kirsten Gillibrand and Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warrens hat is now in the ring and with it, her plans for expropriating (a small fraction of) the ones percents wealth, and giving workers representation on corporate boards. Clearly, Sanders sees things differently. In his campaigns view, the fact that his fingerprints are all over his rivals platforms is an unambiguous strength. If the whole field agrees that Sanderss had the right ideas (before they did), why would voters pick an imitation over the genuine article? Who wants RC Cola when you can have classic Coke? Beyond the singular credibility of his commitment to social democratic reform, Sanders argues that his theory of change distinguishes him from the rest of the Democratic field. I think what maybe distinguishes this campaign from the others, Sanders told CBSs John Dickerson Tuesday morning, is not only that these are in fact issues that we did raise and had to take on enormous opposition as we did but also that I understand from the bottom of my heart that real change in this country will never come about unless there is struggle, unless millions of people stand up and fight for change. This point has been central to the Sandernista case against Elizabeth Warren. As Bhaskar Sunkara, founder of left-wing journal Jacobin, argued last year, the only way to arrest Americas descent into a neo-Gilded Age is to rebuild the trade unions and left-wing political movements that could actually bring about a different sort of political economy. And that wont come from the politics of shared responsibility, or clever policy initiatives, itll come from the mobilization of people on the streets, and in their workplaces and communities. Sanders is the only candidate that can open up those possibilities. But the idea that Elizabeth Warren preaches corporate responsibility, and better living through technocracy while Sanders alone calls for bottom-up political reform is no longer true (and arguably, hasnt been for a decade or so). In fact, the Massachusetts senator officially launched her presidential campaign in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where 20,000 textile workers went on strike in 1912. Warren opened her announcement speech by telling the extraordinary story of a multiethnic, largely female workforce that took on mill owners, the local government, and militias and through the power of solidarity, won higher wages, overtime, and progress for the entire working class. Within months, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to pass a minimum wage law, Warren said. Because of workers here in Lawrence and all across the country we have weekends! Nevertheless, if Sanderss supporters exaggerate the rhetorical distinctions between Warren and their hero, the argument that the Vermonter is uniquely committed to movement politics remains plausible and not only because hes been involved in such politics for longer than Kamala Harris has been alive. Put simply, he needs to believe in his theory of change more than any other Democratic candidate does. By refusing to identify as a Democrat and making the Donkey Party a perennial punching bag in his stump speeches Sanders has alienated the partys leadership, major donors, staffers, and institutions to an unparalleled degree. That dearth of Establishment support, combined with his (relatively) unappealing demographic profile, mean that Sanderss path to victory requires the mobilization of an ideologically committed left-wing social movement. The senator does enter the 2020 race with higher name recognition than virtually any other candidate, campaign infrastructure (of some kind) in every state, the biggest mailing list around, and a relatively strong position in current polling. He also has a foreign policy vision thats far more compelling than the improvisatory one he put forward four years ago. But given the size and quality of the 2020 field, these advantages are unlikely to be sufficient. If Sanders finds a way to win the nomination as the Democratic Establishments 32nd-favorite candidate it will be because grassroots groups like Our Revolution, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and various left-wing trade unions demonstrate a strength theyve heretofore lacked. In 2018, Bernies army won very few primary battles. One could see that lackluster performance as an indictment of Sanderss theory of change. Or, one could see it as proof positive that Sanders is the only candidate capable of bringing the revolution. It all depends on what future you choose to believe in. Morocco and India have agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism to develop a comprehensive approach to combat terrorism including cross-border terrorism, terrorist financing, and recruitment of terrorists. The agreement was signed Monday in Rabat by visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita. The agreement setting up the working group provides for cooperation on security matters and information sharing concerning any development in the field of the fight against terrorism, as well as consultation on counterterrorism-related issues in the United Nations and other specialized agencies. Mrs Sushma Swaraj said the counterterrorism agreement was important for India, which has been facing the scourge of terrorism for decades. Our agreement with friendly nation Morocco in fighting terrorism together is important for India, she was quoted by NDTV as saying. During her talks with Moroccan officials, that she described as fruitful, the Indian Foreign Minister hailed Moroccos leading role in the fight against terrorism and extremism, saying this role is appreciated worldwide. Sushma Swara highlighted Moroccos outstanding stature in Africa and its leadership role in the continent, lauding the royal initiatives to promote peace and coexistence between religions and reject division and extremism. She underlined that India gives importance to its multilateral relations with Morocco and feels that there is unlimited scope for expanding bilateral trade. Swaraj stressed the need to establish a three-dimensional economic cooperation involving India, Morocco and African countries, pointing out that the visit King Mohammed VI paid to India, during the third India-Africa Forum in 2015, gave momentum to bilateral relations. She pointed out since 2015, the two countries have exchanged 20 minister-level visits and signed 37 MoUs and agreements and that bilateral trade between the two nations has grown up to $1.5 billion, as in October 2018 and that The visit was marked by the signing of another agreement in the sector of housing that provides for the sharing of expertise, especially in technological innovation, building technologies, social housing construction, anti-seismic construction, smart cities, as well as sustainable and environment-friendly construction. The two sides also signed a MoU on the simplification of business visa issuing, to facilitate the movement of businessmen and investors between two countries. During her visit, the Indian Foreign Minister met the representatives of the Indian community settled in Morocco, a community that contributes to strengthening trade and economic relations and that is acting as a bridge between the two countries. Upcoming discussions between Fort Bend ISD and county officials could lead to a memorial and cemetery for 95 people, believed to have been convict laborers, on the site where their remains were discovered last year during a school construction project. Officials and activists expressed hope that the negotiations, authorized Monday night by Fort Bend ISD trustees and on Feb. 12 by county commissioners, could lead to an agreement for the school district to convey to Fort Bend County the land where the abandoned cemetery was discovered. The county would build and maintain a permanent resting place for the people who were buried there. "They'll work through all of those things," said Veronica Sopher, spokeswoman for Fort Bend ISD. "Our hope is that we're going to be able to come to an agreement with the county that preserves and memorializes the Sugar Land 95." The discovery of the remains during construction of a new technical center drew national attention. The remains were exhumed and examined by archaeological experts. As the process unfolded, the school district said it lacked the legal authority and expertise to oversee the burial site. The school district ultimately pursued a plan to bury the remains at the Old Imperial Farm Cemetery. Members of a task force appointed by the city of Sugar Land to study the issue protested, saying the remains should be kept at the original site. The district's proposal remains pending before a state district judge. Discussions with the county, however, could result in a different plan to bury and memorialize them on a piece of the land where the remains were discovered, according to a timeline on the school district's website. The district says delays and archaeological work have added to construction costs, but the James Reese Career and Technical center is still scheduled to open in the fall. Before taking the formal step to authorize the negotiations on Monday, trustees deliberated during a closed session that lasted a little over an hour. During the public part of the meeting, U.S. Rep. Al Green and other community members implored Fort Bend school officials to come to an agreement that will respectfully honor the 95 African-Americans whose remains were found at the site. Elected officials stood around Green as he took the microphone during public comment, looking stoic as his voice echoed throughout the room. "This is an opportunity for us to show the world that we will respect the remains of people regardless as to who they are, regardless as to what their station in life was, regardless as to where they are found," Green said. "We are going to respect them. We are going to treat them with dignity and respect. This is what a great country does. Ours is a great country." The elected officials present at the school board meeting, including County Judge KP George, District Attorney Brian Middleton, and Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant, and others signed a letter earlier this month urging school officials to keep the remains at the site and to halt construction. Community activists for months have called for the remains to stay on the site where they were discovered last year, and for development of a memorial. The remains are believed to be those of former prisoners in the convict leasing system, through which inmates were contracted out to perform cheap labor across the state. "There's no price you can put on a historical find that is as important as this," said Swatara Olushola, an activist who served on the city's cemetery task force. "There's no price you can put on my history. There's no price that you can put on our connection to our ancestors. They are speaking to us. They did not ask to be uncovered on that ground." During public comment before trustees went in closed session to deliberate, Cynthia Ginyard, Fort Bend Democratic Party Chair, said she applauded school officials for moving in the right direction but acknowledged there were still decisions to be made. "We realize that getting to this point was not easy," said Ginyard. "Tough decisions are not always easy. They're not always comfortable. So, I want to pat you on the back for that. However, you are probably more aware than I am that there are still a ways to go." As he closed his remarks, Green mentioned the meeting he had with elected officials that led to the letter being sent to school district officials. "But, it's not enough to have a historic meeting," said Green. "We have to a historic result. This is our opportunity. Each one of us, at some point on the infinite continuum that we call time, we will all have to account for our time. On that day, the question won't be, how many rich people did you feed, how many full bellies did you take care of? The question is gonna be what did you do for the least, the last and the lost?" Staff writer Emily Foxhall contributed to this report. brooke.lewis@chron.com twitter.com/brookelewisa NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. Sen. Charles Trump, R-Morgan and the Senate Judiciary Chairman, said on the Senate floor that lawmakers who weren't ready to take action Monday are 'invested in the status quo.' An explosive device went off in Cairo Monday killing a suspected subside bomber and two security forces who were chasing the man allegedly connected to a Friday attempt attack. One device carried by the man went off as the security forces managed to arrest him, in Cairos ancient district, close to the Al Azhar mosque. The blast killed a police officer from national security and an officer from Cairo investigations department, the interior ministry said in a statement. The explosion also wounded three civilians. The subside-bomber is believed involved in the Friday attempt attack, which left two security forces and three civilians injured. Egyptian authorities have been grappling with a surge in terror attacks against security forces since 2013 following the removal of Islamist and first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi by incumbent leader Fattah al-Sisi. Though attacks on security forces have been predominant in the Sinai Peninsula, they also spilled to urban areas including the capital. RSP Systems, a Danish medical technology company focused on using state-of-the-art optical technology to non-invasively measure glucose, will showcase its advancements in product development and unveil for the first time its innovative device, GlucoBeam. ODENSE, Denmark, February 19, 2019 / B3C newswire / -- RSP Systems A/S, a Danish medical technology company focused on the development of innovative glucose monitors, today announced its participation in the International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD). ATTD, one of the worlds leading scientific forums for showcasing the latest breakthroughs in diabetes technology, will be held in Berlin later this week. Set to make its first conference appearance as an exhibitor at the prestigious New Technologies Fair, RSP Systems will unveil the version of GlucoBeam to be used in the companys upcoming pivotal trial, a key step towards obtaining regulatory approval in Europe. The device represents the culmination of over 10 years of research and testing to integrate the companys proprietary critical depth Raman technology into an all-in-one consumer glucose monitor for daily home-use. While the hardware is similar to the future commercial version, the software is still being finalised in preparation for GlucoBeams market launch. We are extremely excited about the opportunity to introduce RSP Systems to industry specialists, scientists and key opinion leaders at ATTD, said Anders Weber, CSO, who will be giving a talk at the fair. We are also thrilled to showcase our trial-ready device and look forward to making the premium consumer version of GlucoBeam available to the public in the near future. About ATTD ATTD, the 12th International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes, will be held from February 20-23 at CityCube Berlin, Germany. The target audience includes clinicians, scientists, engineers, start-ups and investors who are dedicated to improving the care of people with diabetes at the fastest possible pace. About RSP Systems RSP Systems, a Danish medical technology company, is working to produce a non-invasive glucose monitoring device for people with diabetes. The proprietary critical-depth technology that RSP has developed enables, for the first time, non-invasive measurement of glucose in the skin. Having integrated this technology into a consumer device with proven performance in clinic and home settings, RSP plans to begin clinical trials for regulatory approval in Europe. RSP has received funding from the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 738973. Contact Anders Weber CSO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Published by B3C newswire and shared through Newronic Libyan interior minister Fathi Bashagha commended on Monday Moroccos contributions to his countrys stability, stressing the importance of the UN-brokered agreement inked by Libyas warring factions in the Moroccan coastal town of Skhirat in 2015. This agreement remains the ideal framework to achieve national reconciliation, he said at a press briefing held in Rabat following talks with Moroccos minister of foreign affairs Nasser Bourita. Morocco has always stood on the side of Libyans in a neutral manner and has provided them great support by hosting the Skhirat talks that led to the signing of the Skhirat Agreement, he added, affirming that the resolution of the Libyan crisis requires reconciliation not weapons. His talks with Moroccan top diplomat covered security issues, the fight against organized crime, terrorism and illegal emigration. For his part, Bourita reaffirmed Rabats support to the efforts aimed at restoring stability in Libya, saying Morocco stands by the Libyans to find a Libyan solution to their problems on the basis of the Skhirat agreement. The Moroccan minister also said that Libya needs stability and strong security institutions to address the spread of armed and terrorist groups in some parts of the country. Since the NATO-backed revolution ousted Gaddafi in 2011, Libya remains in turmoil, battered by infighting between heavily armed militias. The political crisis has divided the country wherein the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) is challenged by a rival administration in the east, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, head of self-imposed Libyan National Army (LNA). The internationally recognized GNA, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, has failed to assert its authority across the oil-rich country, which is also grappling with deadly attacks and a migration crisis. But the two contenders are not the only players in the Libyan chaos. There are various clans that have armed groups in their areas of influence. The UN plan to stabilize Libya calls for organizing a Libyan national conference that would discuss the creation of reliable and transparent political institutions, redistribution of oil revenues, unification of financial institutions, and restructuring and unification of the Libyan national army. In this connection, the UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame arrived Monday in Benghazi to conduct a number of meetings with officials from the eastern region, according to the UNSMIL press office. The UN envoy has reportedly discussed with Khalifa Hafter, at a meeting held Monday at Hafters HQ, al-Rajmah, the latest developments in the political process and the security situation in the south. Salame emphasized during the meeting the importance of narrowing the divergences in views between the Libyan factions and his efforts to bring about a successful outcome of the UN-backed National Conference, in order to hold elections immediately after the completion of the constitutional entitlements, according to media sources. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A delegation of the European Commission Department on Transport and Mobility, headed by Director-General Henrik Hololei, is on an official visit in Baku. The visits agenda is a Common Aviation Area Agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the EU. During the visit to Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the guests met with AZAL President Jahangir Asgarov. At the meeting, the two sides discussed prospects for cooperation and applying of European specialists experience in Azerbaijans civil aviation. AZAL President stressed that National air carrier of Azerbaijan has one of the newest airplane fleet. Starting from the second half of 2019, the fleet of Azerbaijans National Airline will begin to replenish with new modern Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the total number of which will reach ten. On the instructions of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the first low-cost airline of Azerbaijan, Buta Airways, was founded in December 2016. The Airlines fleet consists of modern Embraer E-190 aircraft that fly to the most in demand destinations. According to Jahangir Asgarov, despite the relatively small territory, in Azerbaijan there are six international airports that meet all the requirements of international standards. In May 2018 Heydar Aliyev International Airport was awarded the maximum 5 Stars of prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards. Baku Heydar Aliyev Airport is also named the best airport among airports of Russia and CIS countries for the level of the provided services. AZAL President emphasized that foreign airlines can fly to Azerbaijan without any restrictions, also carry out flights to other cities through our airports (the so-called Fifth Freedom of the Air). According to Jahangir Asgarov, removing restrictions will not only lead to the development of air travel, but will also ensure economic growth and the creation of new jobs. The guests noted that the opportunities created in Azerbaijans civil aviation by using advanced technology made a great impression on them. Henrik Hololei praised the achievements of Azerbaijani civil aviation, personnel training, the introduction of the latest technologies and innovations in the field of air traffic management. Thanks to the conditions created in the country, Azerbaijan is becoming increasingly attractive to the global aviation community. More and more European airlines prefer to choose our countrys airspace for transit flights. The unique geographical location makes Azerbaijan a specific link of the growing air transportation between Europe and Asia. The delegation of the European Commission also got familiarized with Azeraeronavigation Air Traffic Control Center, its structure and achievements in the field of air navigation. The guests also visited the new Airspace Supervision & Efficiency Center (ASEC). The successful and dynamic development of air navigation in Azerbaijan has allowed Baku to win the competition to hold the annual CANSO Global ATM Summit in 2020. AZANS was elected to European Air Navigation Organizations CEO committee CANSO EUROPE in 2018 and actively participates in the development of the future architecture of European Airspace. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A thousand Tunisians have returned home from conflict zones, namely Syria, Iraq and Libya, between 2011 and October 2018. The figures were disclosed by National Counterterrorism Commission President Mokthar Ben Nasr at a hearing Monday by the parliamentary Committee on Security and Defense. He said that four terrorists were extradited to Tunisia two weeks ago at the request of the Tunisian authorities and were brought to justice, adding that other terrorists will be officially handed over to Tunisia, while many of them return to the country individually after the defeat of Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Noting that many of the terrorists return in the country illegally, he said returnees are brought to justice and imprisoned if they are involved in terrorist operations. Those who are not charged with terrorism will be put under house arrest or administrative control, he indicated, recalling that Tunisia has banned at least 17,000 people from leaving the country to join combat zones. Nasr also noted that 3,000 Tunisians had left the country to join the conflict zones, a number, which branded the country as the largest terrorist exporter. Many of these fighters died in hotbed zones while some fled to various regions where the expected to find safe havens. During the hearing, Magistrate Neila Fkih, Vice-President of the National Counterterrorism Commission told MPs that Tunisia has no choice with regard to the Tunisian returnees from hotbeds of tension involved in terrorism because it is an international commitment, reported TAP news agency. The Tunisian Constitution states that all Tunisians have the right to live in their country, the magistrate added. She also brought up the issue of children of terrorists, saying statistics reveal the existence of nearly 86 children with fathers involved in terrorism and stranded in conflict zones, with the largest number in Libya and the rest in Syria or Iraq. In this connection, Malek Kochlef, Permanent Secretary of the National Counterterrorism Commission said since 2017 the commission has begun implementing programs to rehabilitate children born in conflict zones and who must return in Tunisia. The main objective of these programs is to manage violent extremist children and rehabilitate them in society, he pointed out. The return of Tunisian fighters is a thorny issue in the country. While authorities push for the move, the majority of the public opinion is opposed to it. By Abdul Kerimkhanov The economy of Uzbekistan is one of the largest in the Central Asian region. In recent years, the Uzbek economy has been actively developing and showing high results of stable growth. The foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan amounted to $ 3.35 billion, according to the results of January 2019 and increased by 26.8 percent, compared with the same period in 2018. According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, exports reached $ 1.67 billion (growth rate - 16.6 percent), import volume - $ 1.67 billion (growth rate - 38.9 percent). The foreign trade balance totalled to $ 31,000. According to the results of January 2019, the number of enterprises engaged in the export of goods, compared to the same period in 2018, increased by 81 units and their total number reached 1,037 units. Analysis of the dynamics of foreign trade turnover also showed an increase and in January 2019 it hit $ 3.35 billion, which, compared to the same period in 2018, shows an increase of $ 707.8 million. As a result of measures taken by Uzbek Government to strengthen cooperation with the CIS countries and comprehensive support for foreign trade, the share of CIS countries in foreign trade turnover was 29.2 percent in January 2019 and, compared to the same period last year, the growth rate of foreign trade turnover reached 115.3 percent. The share of other countries in foreign trade turnover in January 2019 increased by 2.9 percent and, amounted to 70.8 percent, compared to the same period in 2018. The volume of exports of Uzbekistan in January 2019 amounted to $ 1.67 billion (an increase, compared to the same period last year, reached 16.6 percent). The share of goods in the composition of exports reached 88.0 percent, of which energy resources and petroleum products - 14.8 percent, food products - 3.6 percent, ferrous and non-ferrous metals - 5.3 percent. Exports excluding gold increased by 46.1 percent, reaching $ 863.6 million. Analysis of the dynamics of exports of goods and services showed that in January 2019, compared with January 2018, the volume of exports of goods increased by $ 228.9 million and amounted to $ 1.47 billion. The export of services reached $ 201.3 million. China and Russia occupy the largest share in the export of goods and services of Uzbekistan. The share of these countries in total exports is 31.8 percent. Exports of textile products amounted to $ 107.5 million in January 2019, and increased, compared to the same period of 2018, by 4.7 percent, which is 6.4 percent of total exports. Of the export structure of textile products, the main share is cotton yarn (60.2 percent), as well as finished knitwear and garments (20.7 percent). Since the beginning of the year, more than 186 types of goods have been exported to 32 countries of the world. In January 2019, imports in Uzbekistan amounted to $ 1.67 billion (a growth rate of 38.9 percent). The main share in its structure is occupied by machinery and equipment (42.3 percent), chemical products and products from it (13.3 percent), as well as ferrous and non-ferrous metals (6.6 percent). The share of imported machinery and equipment in its total volume increased from 33.1 percent to 42.3 percent. Analysis of the dynamics of imports of goods and services also showed that in January 2019, compared with January 2018, the volume of imports of goods increased by $ 447.5 million and totalled to $ 1.5 billion. Service imports reached $ 168.1 million. Five major partner countries (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Turkey) have a share of 64 percent in total imports, which is $ 1.07 billion. The volume of imports of services in January 2019 amounted to $ 168.1 million, or 10.0 percent of total imports, and increased by 15.0 percent, compared to the same period in 2018. The main imports of services are tourism, transport services, as well as financial and telecommunication, information and computer services. In January 2019, the volume of imports of construction materials amounted to $ 96.0 million, and increased by 29.6 percent, compared to the same period in 2018. The share of imports of building materials in the total amount is 5.7 percent. In the structure of imports of building materials, the main share is occupied by wood and wood products (54.0 percent), cement (8.2 percent), glass and wood products (6.1 percent), and asbestos (1.9 percent). --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Armenian public is shocked by Pashinyans decision to send his people to Syria. Armenian officials bring strange arguments, which state that as though 83 representatives from Armenia will establish peace in Syria. Some patriotic experts say that Armenia is still late, and if the deployment of troops took place earlier, the Syrian conflict would have ended long ago. Most sensible Armenians understand that the presence of countrys troops on Syrian territory is meaningless and inappropriate, and the operation was carried out only under pressure from Moscow and in order to prove their loyalty to Russia. Armenian authorities give amusing explanations about the motives for sending a humanitarian mission to Syria. Allegedly, on the one hand, this step is caused by the desire to support the solution of the humanitarian problems of the Armenian community in Syria, on the other hand, from a geopolitical point of view. During the Syrian crisis, Armenia is directly switching to the Russian side. The U.S. State Department has already made a rather tough, critical statement about this. By this step, Armenia has already been drawn into a very complicated history without any significant arguments from the point of view of Armenias interests. The reasons for sending troops to Syria lie within Armenia - in the steps and motivation of the authorities. After the April revolution, despite the statements of Nikol Pashinyan that the foreign policy vector of Armenia had not changed, Russian authorities do not trust in the Prime Minister of Armenia. Having come to power, Pashinyan immediately realized that the formula for maintaining power in Armenia passes through the Kremlin. He understood and began to serve Russian interests with even more selflessness than it was done before. However, the Russian expert community is not particularly optimistic about the state of Armenia after the velvet revolution. First of all, it concerns the economy. Alexey Martynov, Director of the International Institute of the Newest States, said the statements by PM Pashinyan about the "economic revolution" will scare business and investors. He considers, in a revolutionary way there can be no positive changes either in politics or in the economy, adding that the economy must develop gradually, any dramatic revolutionary change will have bad consequences. Martynov underlined that being the prime minister, Pashinyan should make any such statement with extreme caution. Speaking about Pashinyans words that the economy should rid the oligarchs of the previous government, the Russian expert said such statements are made by street speakers and they are populist in nature. Martynov also stressed that although velvet revolution happened in Armenia, nothing has changed, people's lives have not changed, but the revolution was the only result. So, the expert came to the conclusion that new authorities have no new programs and new ideas. And Armenian society should listen to the words of an expert from ally country. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The lawmakers in Iranian Parliament have given permission to the government to take a $5bn loan from Russia to allow ownership of capital assets, Trend reports via Mehr News Agency. The lawmakers in Iranian Parliament continued to discuss the next year (1398) budget bill in today's session and agreed with Part B of the Annex 3 of the bill which details the income sources. According to Part B, the implementation of Annex 38 of amendments of the Budget Law of the fiscal Iranian year of 1395 was extended. According to Annex 38, the government can apply for the $5bn loan from Russia in order to own capital assets. The loan will be used for owning capital assets in infrastructure and production fields in accordance with the Annex 1 of the budget law, which prioritizes new energy, nuclear, power, railways, highways, dams, irrigation networks and water transportation projects. The procedure to estimate loan account, determine the repayment term and the share of domestic construction and other loan conditions will be approved by the Cabinet after receiving the suggestions and advice of Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Planning and Budget Organization. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The representatives of the Turkmen tour operators reviewed Turkeys tourist places and in particular, the ski resort in Kars province, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media. The corresponding event for the representatives of the Turkmen tour operators was organized by the Turkish Airlines and the Turkish tourism development agency SERKA. The purpose of the event is to attract tourists from Turkmenistan to Turkey. In 2018, 1.35 million tourists from Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan visited Turkey. In 2018, 252,900 tourists arrived in Turkey from Turkmenistan, which is 9.54 percent more compared to 2017. Meanwhile, 0.64 percent accounted for the share of Turkmen citizens in the total number of foreigners who visited Turkey in 2018. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan came to the power with the promises to make an "economic revolution", but he has no idea how to realize it. Recently, Pashinyan said that his government is going to make an economic revolution with the help of the same tools, through which it became possible to make a political revolution. The political revolution the oppositionist Pashinyan managed to accomplish thanks to the discontent of the people from the previous authorities. Having driven the people to the streets and paralyzed the country with rallies and blocking roads, he forced the Sargsyan team to surrender. "The economic revolution should go the same way as the political one. It will triumph only when Armenian citizens change their economic behavior. Therefore, the government program has no numbers, digital indicators. It depends on how the Armenian citizens are ready to become an "economic activist"," said Prime Minister. By such speeches, Pashinyan looks more like a dreamer than a statesman. It turns out that the Armenian people just need to desire to live better, and everything will work out. What a pity that all the years of independence, the Armenian citizens were not aware of such an elementary formula. The notion of "economic revolution" can be referred to such changes in the economic system as the transition from capitalism to socialism or from feudalism to capitalism. Regardless of the academic or political context, such concepts as economic change or revolution imply systematic changes. Pashinyan believes that ordinary citizens should carry out both political and economic revolution. So, the revolutionary component of the current economic program is just an emotional background. This statement makes clear that the new authorities are from the plans of developing the economy or focusing on social policy by themselves. The reason is that they simply do not know how to raise the countrys prosperity. Meanwhile, the current Armenian opposition has already begun to criticize Pashinyans team for its frivolous program. Eduard Sharmazanov, the press secretary of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), said that during the 10 months of the current Prime Ministers rule, he did not fulfill all his promises, in particular, he neither raised wages and pensions, nor created new jobs, increased investments and improved the life of the people. The RPA representative also criticized Pashinyans thesis that Armenian people are responsible for the economic revolution, not he and his government, and called it the policy of shifting its responsibility from its shoulders to the people. Armenia has nothing to attract foreign investors into the country, but there are many problems, in additon to lack of guarantees and economic benefits. No one wants to invest in a country occupying foreign territories with closed borders and hopelessly behind in all respects. Thanks to the aggressive policy, Armenia has become a dead end for the region and is deprived of all prospects. The economic revolution requires very large investments. But until the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved and the fact of occupation is not eliminated, Armenia will remain unattractive for foreign investments. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan and the Asian Development Bank discussed energy cooperation. Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov met with a delegation led by Ashok Bhargava, Director of the Energy Division of the Asian Development Bank, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan within the framework of the fifth meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council. The minister praised the bank's support for the country's energy sector by talking about existing cooperation in the energy sector, reconstruction of the electricity grid and energy projects related to floating solar panels. Shahbazov gave detailed information on the country's renewable energy potential and the opportunities to increase its renewable energy share in recent years, highlighting the importance of studying international experience in this area. He noted that foreign companies are interested in cooperation in the renewable energy sector in Azerbaijan. It is important to create a favorable environment to attract foreign investment. Ashok Bhargava stressed the interest in developing cooperation with Azerbaijan on renewable energy sources. Bhargava noted that the Bank is interested in the participation in renewable energy sources, especially in solar and wind energy, as well as on energy efficiency projects. The Bank is ready to provide technical and financial support to the projects to be implemented for this purpose. The main objective of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to support the economic development of member countries and to help alleviate poverty and improve the living standards of the population. Azerbaijan joined ADB in 1999 and its share in the bank is 0.5 percent. In 2004, the Bank's local representative office was opened in our country. Azerbaijan hosted the 48th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Bank in 2015. ADB has provided a $ 5.1 billion loan, guarantee, grant and technical assistance for the country, so far. ADBs program for Azerbaijan during 20112017 consisted of 47 projects. Energy was the largest sector supported, accounting for 42% ($2.1 billion) of total financing followed by transport, at 27% ($1.4 billion). The Asian Development Bank will allocate $ 815 million from its credit resources to Azerbaijan in 2019-2021. This is stated in the bank's three-year business plan. Thus, in 2019, the bank will allocate $ 250 million to the country, $ 265 million in 2020, and $ 300 million in 2021. These loans, which will be allocated by the bank for three years, will focus on the modernization of the countrys energy system ($335 million) and the improvement of public administration ($250 million). Recently, ADB has allocated $3 million of technical assistance for the development of solar energy in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. Implemented on the initiative of the ADB, installation of a 100 kW photovoltaic panel system on Boyukshor Lake in Baku will be completed in the summer of 2021. The Floating Solar Energy Development project was approved by ADB Board of Directors on August 17, 2018. It involves technical assistance for the creation of floating solar plants in the three countries. ADB experts are sure that this will contribute to the diversification of energy sources, increase energy security and reduce harmful emissions. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The oil industry is the main sector of the economy of Azerbaijan. In terms of its composition, the Azerbaijani oil is of very high quality and is in considerable demand all over the world, since it is suitable for producing more than 90 oil products. Gasoline, fuel oil, oils are only the main and most common ones. Azerbaijan exported 40.25 tons of oil products in January 2019, according to customs declarations. The cost of these volumes of petroleum products amounted to $20 million, according to the State Customs Committee In January, the volume of exported oil products grew by 42 percent in annual comparison, the cost - by 26 percent. During the reporting period, the export of petroleum products amounted to 1.56 percent of total exports of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan concluded a contract of the century with Western companies on September 20, 1994, which was very profitable for the country. Since then, Azerbaijan has been cooperating with thirty oil companies from 14 countries, is one of the oil centers of the world, significant sums in the oil and gas industry of the country have been invested in the form of investments. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) is a wholly state-owned national oil company headquartered in Baku, Azerbaijan. The company produces oil and natural gas from onshore and offshore fields in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea. The company includes three production associations, one oil refining and gas processing enterprise, an oil flotilla, a deep-water base plant, two trusts, one institute, and 23 structures. It has representative offices in Georgia, the U.S., Turkey, Romania, Austria, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Great Britain, Iran, Germany, Ukraine, Belgium and Canada. SOCAR conducts exploration, development and production of oil and gas fields in Azerbaijan, production, refining and transportation of oil, gas and gas condensate, oil and petrochemical products, gas sales in domestic and foreign markets, and natural gas supply to the population. SOCAR has four operating entities with 23 legal entities, including 3 business associations, one oil and one gas processing plant, Deep Basements Plant, two trusts and one institute. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijans tourism potential was presented at the Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show held on February 16-17, 2019 in Los Angeles, California, U.S. Sponsored and organized by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles, the Azerbaijan booth, titled Azerbaijan: Everlasting Heritage, Inspirational Harmony, offered the attendees comprehensive information about Azerbaijans ancient history, rich culture and cuisine, tourism potential, multifaith harmony, traditions of multiculturalism and tolerance as well as steady development as an independent nation. Various video clips showcasing Azerbaijans natural beauties, landscapes, unique history, cultural diversity and architecture were demonstrated in the booth. Colorful national costumes of Azerbaijan worn by members of the Azerbaijani community received much acclaim. The Azerbaijan booth also presented Azerbaijans ancient Karabakh region and informed the Show visitors about this historical part of the country. The banner Karabakh: Crown Jewel of Azerbaijan, featured in the booth, attracted much attention of the Show visitors. Showcasing picturesque nature of Karabakh, the banner also features Karabakhs history, its historical Azerbaijani monuments, such as the Shusha Walls, Govharagha Mosque, Ganjasar Caucasian Albanian Monastery, as well as the Karabakh carpets, the Mugham music school, and the Karabakh horses and cuisine. In addition, a booklet, which includes the ones listed above, published by the Consulate General, was distributed in the booth. The brochure also highlights the current situation in Karabakh, which has been under illegal military occupation by neighboring Armenia since over 26 years. Referring to a travel warning by the U.S. State Department, the brochure cautions Americans to avoid any travel to this region. Attended by over 30,000 visitors, "Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show" is the largest travel show in the United States. In the modern world, tourism is one of the most dynamically developing and profitable sectors of the economy for each country. The tourism sector accounts for 10 percent of global GDP, and this area has a significant impact on issues of export, investment, infrastructure development and promotion of social integration, stimulates entrepreneurship. Azerbaijan is among the developing countries in the field of tourism, occupying the 39th place among 148 countries in terms of global competitiveness in tourism. In 2018, 2,849,600 tourists from 196 countries arrived in Azerbaijan, showing a 5.7 percent increase compared to 2017, according to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Another plenary session of the Azerbaijani Parliament will be held today, Trend reports Feb. 19. A total of 27 issues have been put forward for discussion. The issue of introducing changes to the parliamentary committee of youth and sport will be considered during the session, then MPs will discuss additions and amendments to the Labor Code, the Code on the Execution of Punishments, the Code on Administrative Offenses, the Criminal Code, the Law on Full Deposit Insurance, On the State Language in Azerbaijan, On Advertising, On Military Duty and Military Service and a number of other laws. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A group of Azerbaijani peacekeepers returned from Afghanistan, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. According to the rotation plan, a group of servicemen of the Azerbaijani army returned from Afghanistan to Baku. The group has been serving in Afghanistan within the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has resumed work on the Monrovia-Bomi Corridor/Liberia Accelerated Electricity Expansion Project-Additional Financing (LACEEP-AF). The move comes after the issuance of the Environmental Social Impact Assessment Permit by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), local media reported. According to the Daily Observer, the project was suspended last year, after the World Bank requested the conduct of the Environmental Social Impact Assessment survey. The Monrovia-Bomi Corridor/LACEEP-AF project will connect additional 33,000 new customers to the national electricity grid. The public affairs and community outreach team of the LEC, during a town hall meeting in the township of Caldwell, informed residents of the resumption of the project and encouraged them to properly wire their homes in preparation for connections. Network Supervisor Brendan OConnor urged residents of the township to prevent electricity theft from infiltrating their network when the lights are finally switched on. The Liberia Accelerated Electricity Expansion Project (LACEEP) is aimed at advancing Liberias National Agenda for Transformation, to achieve a more prosperous and inclusive society. By Trend Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order regarding measures to continue redevelopment work and repair of roads in the city of Sumgayit. Under the presidential Order, Sumgayit City Executive Authority is allocated 3 million manats for the continuation of redevelopment and repair work in the city. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade The scientists of the Institute of Dendrology of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences figured out that the conditions on the Absheron peninsula allow to plant the fruits of banana, mango, avocado and papaya. The experiment was conducted in closed conditions on the territory of the institute, Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs of Dendrology, Doctor of Biological Sciences Zyumryd Mammadova told Trend. Scientists managed to achieve reproduction of banana (Macuminata Colla), Hawaiian papaya (Solo papaya L.), Indian mango (Mangifera indica L.), American avocado (Persea americana Mill.). "Their biochemical properties were also studied, and it was established that these plants can be used in landscaping on Absheron, if they are sheltered from frost in winter," Mammadova said. During the experiment, a banana was fruited at the Institute, and papayas, mangoes, and avocados are now blooming, so, these plants will also bear fruit. She noted that banana plants are already grown in the south of the republic, while papaya, mango and avocado are grown by the Institute of Dendrology in Azerbaijan for the first time. Azerbaijan is a unique case, when within one country most of the climate types existing on the planet occur, from dry and humid subtropical (Lankaran) to mountain tundra (high mountains of the Greater Caucasus). At the same time, most of the country's territory is located in the subtropical zone. Thanks to this, oranges, tangerines, lemons, feijoa, kiwi and other exotic fruits are grown in the south of the country. So, speaking about fruits newcomers to Azerbaijani land, it is obvious that they will adapt to local climate. These fruits' nutritious composition benefits people hugely. For example, mango is famous for its low content of saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium. It is also an excellent source of fiber, vitamins B6, A and C. Mango is rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and copper, and is also a good source of quercetin, beta-carotene. These powerful antioxidants are able to neutralize free radicals throughout the body. Thereby reducing the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, premature aging. In addition, banana, which has real prospects in Azerbaijan for expansion, contains many useful substances: beta-carotene, pectin, vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, PP, as well as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, fluorine, phosphorus and sodium, fructose and fiber. The use of bananas has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart muscle, reduces the level of "bad" cholesterol, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Bananas elevate mood and help prevent stress. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova March 16 marks the 79th anniversary of the founder of Azerbaijani jazz-mugham, honored art worker Vagif Mustafazade. On the eve of this date, friends and colleagues of the jazzman, fans of his music will gather in Moscow. The birthday of jazz legend will be held at Igor Butman Club on March 10, Trend Life reported. Works of national musician will sound at the event. Each of the performing musicians will share their thoughts about Vagif Mustafazade. The special guest of the evening will be maestro Igor Butman himself. Vagif Mustafazade is the founder of Azerbaijani jazz mugham movement that emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s in Baku, as a result of the mixture of these two styles. Throughout years, he wrote numerous jazz compositions, including fugues, preludes, ballads and scherzos, many of them written in the 1970s. He released a total of eight albums, all with different line-ups, mood and style. By the beginning of 1960s, Vagif was gaining recognition outside of Azerbaijan. Winner of numerous jazz festivals such as "Tallinn-66", "Tallinn-67", Baku festival "Jazz 69", Donetsk 1977 festival, and "Tbilisi-78", Vagif Mustafazadeh always fascinated listeners with his originality and virtuosity. Musician's death was a shock to many people. He was only 39 years old when he died on stage while performing in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) in 1979. Jazz schools around the world have recognized Vagif Mustafazade as a phenomenal musician. His works represent a unique combination of eastern and western schools, of tradition and innovation. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova The opening of bank accounts online is under discussion in Azerbaijan, which is envisaged by the new "Order of Opening Accounts", Asim Zulfugarov, Acting Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Financial Markets Supervisory Authority of Azerbaijan (FIMSA), said. Zulfugarov made the remarks at the event entitled With digitalization to reality in Baku, organized by the E-Gov Development Center, Trend reports on February 19. FIMSA is currently working on a number of documents that will help the development of digitalization in the countrys financial sector. In particular, FIMSA is working on the bill "On payment services", which will also allow creating e-money in the country. The issue of digitalization of financial services is very important for FIMSA, Zulfugarov added. This is also envisaged in the Strategic Road Map for the Development of Financial Services, approved in late 2016. Speaking about the current situation, Zulfugarov stressed that 70 percent of e-transactions with accounts are carried out in Europe. Moreover, 24 percent accounted for the share of e-transactions on current accounts in Azerbaijan in 2018, which is twofold more than in 2017. Digitalization is an important component of the dynamics of the global economys development. The full transition to non-cash settlements contributes to the growth of financial inclusiveness. Movement towards a digital economy is officially one of the priorities of financial regulators in a number of countries, both developed and developing. The development of digital sales channels, internet and mobile banking in Azerbaijan is envisaged in the Strategic Road Map for the Development of Financial Services. It is expected that in 2020, as a result of digitalization, Azerbaijans GDP will increase by 135 million manats. Digitalization will make it possible to increase the total income of banks by 20 percent in 2020. Banks are actively developing digitalization of banking services, and the Central Bank launched the first blockchain project in the country. Blockchain is a way of storing data, or a digital registry of transactions, deals, and contracts. Its main difference and undeniable advantage is that this registry is not stored in one place, but distributed among several thousand computers around the world. The principle of operation of the blockchain is quite simple - digital records are combined into "blocks", which are then linked cryptologically and chronologically into a "chain" with the help of complex mathematical algorithms. Each block is linked to the previous one and contains a set of records. New blocks are always added at the end of the chain. --- FIMSA is currently working on a number of documents that will help the development of digitalization in the countrys financial sector. In particular, FIMSA is working on the bill "On payment services", which will also allow creating e-money in the country. The issue of digitalization of financial services is very important for FIMSA, Zulfugarov added. This is also envisaged in the Strategic Road Map for the Development of Financial Services, approved in late 2016. Speaking about the current situation, Zulfugarov stressed that 70 percent of e-transactions with accounts are carried out in Europe. Moreover, 20 percent accounted for the share of e-transactions on current accounts in Azerbaijan in 2018, which is twofold more than in 2017. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade The first meeting on high-level transport dialogue between Azerbaijan and the EU was held in Baku on February 19. Addressing the meeting, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade said that Azerbaijans Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies considers expansion of international cooperation to develop the countrys transit potential as a priority. He said that in this regard, Azerbaijan-EU cooperation is of particular importance. Guluzade noted that as part of technical support tools, the EU has implemented numerous joint projects so far. The expert mission to study legislation in the field of transport that was completed in 2017 can be mentioned as an example. In the field of automobile transport, third-generation smart tachographs are expected to be introduced," he said. "I think that the expansion of the Trans-Eurasian transport network, including the extension of cooperation in this area with the Eastern Partnership countries until 2030 and the adoption of a long-term investment plan play an important role. I believe that the implementation of the work regarding this plan, along with the increase in economic opportunities, generally contributes to the development of the region, the minister added. Azerbaijan is an initiator and participant of a number of global regional projects, Guluzade said. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line launched Oct. 30, 2017 plays a strategic role for the region and provides the shortest communication way between Europe and Asia, he noted. It will ensure safe transportation of goods from China to Europe, including the countries of the Far East, he said. The first stage of construction of the Baku International Sea Trade Port, which is the biggest port complex in the Caspian basin playing an important role in connecting the transport corridors of the North with the South and the West with the East, was completed May 14, 2018. At the same time, large-scale work is underway to build automobile road infrastructure. Wide introduction of multimodal transportations is underway in the Caspian region, as well as the volumes of maritime transport are accelerating and increasing, new tankers and vessels have also been commissioned, the minister said. The main goal is to create more acceptable conditions for the transit of goods through Azerbaijan, he noted. The work is underway on purchasing new locomotives and updating the railway infrastructure, and this will ensure faster and safer transportation of goods. He went on to say that along with sea and land transport, the development of civil aviation is also a priority. To this end, a lot of work has been recently done and large-scale projects have been implemented, he added. The fleet of the Azerbaijan Airlines has been updated, and regular flights are carried out to the CIS countries, Europe, America and Asia. The corresponding work is underway to increase flight directions and the development of transit potential. Six airports operate in Azerbaijan, and the Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport was awarded five-star status by the company Skytrax last year. Afterwards, Director General of Mobility and Transport Department of the European Commission Henrik Hololei said at the meeting that Azerbaijan managed to successfully develop the transport infrastructure by implementing a number of strategically important projects in this area. Hololei noted that one can cite as an example the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project, which changes the situation in the region as a whole, as well as the Baku International Sea Trade Port, located in Alat, which provides multimodal transportation of goods between Europe and Asia. Azerbaijan has also achieved diversified development in the aviation sector, Hololei said adding that Heydar Aliyev Airport has been assigned the five stars status. He further added that presently, such companies as AZAL, Buta Airways, SilkWay work internationally, and these companies claim the status of global competitors in the international arena. The director general also mentioned the importance of the Caspian Sea and the position that Azerbaijan holds in this sector of the region. Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company is the largest carrier company and plays an important role in the transportation of goods between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, Hololei said, adding that Jan. 9, 2019 an important decision was made to expand the Trans-Eurasian transport network outside the EU, which will stretch to the Eastern Partnership countries, including Azerbaijan and this decision was made at the legislative level. This also provides cooperation in the field of finance for, the director general said. On January 9, we also adopted an investment plan, within which six projects were identified for Azerbaijan, he noted adding that International financial institutions (IFIs) are involved in financing these projects. He further added that it is about the creation of logistics centers and the expansion of the port of Alat as part of the subsequent stages. The volume of projects is quite large and, as Hololei said, the EU is ready to support their implementation together with the Azerbaijani government, the IFIs and the private sector. The European Union (EU) will spend about two billion euros on the expansion of the railway network in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The European Commission (EC) and the World Bank have already submitted an Indicative Investment Action Plan in accordance with the priorities set out for the countries. Together, the projects in the Eastern Partnership countries will require an estimated investment of almost 13 billion euros and foresee a total of 4,800 kilometers of road and rail, 6 ports and 11 logistics centers. The priority investments include both short-term projects to be completed by 2020 and long-term projects aiming to improve transport links on the TEN-T by 2030. The projects in Azerbaijan, worth 1.1 billion euros, include creating five logistics centers (369 million euros) and a free trade zone in Alat (410 million euros) and modernization of the East-West Railway (328 million euros). The first two projects are proposed to be financed via public-private partnership and the third project by the international financial organizations. The projects will make possible the construction and rehabilitation of new and existing roads, rail, ports, airports, as well as logistics centers and border crossing points. Presently, several routes from the East to Europe pass through the territory of Azerbaijan. International North-South Transport Corridor, which is designed to transport goods from India and the Persian Gulf countries to Russia, Western Europe, the Baltic and Scandinavian countries. In addition, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway built at the initiative of Azerbaijan, which is part of the East-West Corridor, also allows supplying cargo to Europe. Another example is the Lapis Lazuli route, which runs from Afghanistan to Turkey and further to Europe. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The second meeting of Qatar-Azerbaijan Economic Commission is set to be held in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 20, said Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the State of Qatar Rashad Ismayilov. In the upcoming bilateral economic, trade and technical commission meeting, many important agreements are to be signed which will enhance existing bilateral economic, strategic and political relations, Ismayilov added, Trend reports referring to Qatars The Peninsula. Unlike the high level of political cooperation between the two countries, the volume of trade turnover between the two countries is not big, he said. During the last two years the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Qatar figured $8m despite there exist more opportunities to expand trade ties. He said that currently Azerbaijan is mainly exporting food and agricultural products to Qatar. We hope that we will be able to increase the level of economic cooperation to the grade of political relations, the ambassador said. We have more potential for this and now we are concentrating on using this potential. According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Qatar reached $3.6 million in 2018. Almost the entire amount of trade turnover accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to this country. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend There are no legal obstacles to the creation of private pension funds in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Sahil Babayev told Trend on Feb. 18. Every citizen may apply for the creation of a private pension fund system, he said. The commercial aspects of the system must be examined and determined for its operation, in particular, profitability, which is directly related to labor market and income, Babayev said. Today, this function is performed by life insurance companies that receive benefits for rendering this type of service. Life insurance services are the first step in creating private pension funds. The activity of this model is connected with the development of the pension system and the labor market, he said. "The creation of private pension funds is the fourth degree in carrying out reforms of the insurance pension system, the minister said. The first degree is the basic or minimal, then the insurance part of pensions, then the accumulative one and then voluntary one. Today, its insurance part is widely used in Azerbaijan while the cumulative part is developing and this will take a little more time. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Over 100 companies have joined the Green Corridor system in Azerbaijan since February 1, 2019, Safar Mehdiyev, chairman of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, said, Trend reports. Mehdiyev made the remarks at the "Taxes, Transparency and Development" forum in Baku on Feb. 18. All export companies and about 40 percent of importers must join the Green Corridor till the end of 2019, he said. Mehdiyev called the implementation of the Green Corridor as one of the main measures taken in Azerbaijan to develop business in the country and a vivid example of Azerbaijans care for entrepreneurs. The Green Corridor, launched on February 1, 2019, allows transporting goods through the border upon a brief declaration, which helps to speed up customs procedures and implement a more flexible and transparent customs control. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova The volume of import-export operations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine in January this year exceeded $ 74 million, the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine told AZERTAC. Products worth about $ 36.08 million were exported from Azerbaijan to Ukraine in January, while Azerbaijan's imports from Ukraine amounted to $ 38.2 million. Ukraine is in the second place after Russia in terms of largest trade partners of Azerbaijan in the post-Soviet space. Azerbaijan is considered one of the main trade partners of Ukraine among the CIS countries. Main goods imported from Ukraine to Azerbaijan are metallurgy products, machine building products, agro-industrial products and chemical industry products. Meanwhile, the main goods exported from Azerbaijan to Ukraine are products of fuel energy industry, chemical industry products, and agro-industrial products. Azerbaijan and Ukraine enjoy sustainable prospects of bilateral relations in political, economic, energy, transport and humanitarian fields. The trade growth started in 2005 and reached $ 1.5 billion in peak points in 2011, export products amounted $ 909 million, while import - $ 558 million. Since 2012, the trade turnover between the two countries has declined significantly, although until 2012 it was approximately $1.5 billion. From 2016 to 2017, trade turnover increased 2.5 times, exceeded $800 million, though it was $300 million until 2016. In 2018 the trade turnover between the two countries has been the highest in the last five years. The volume of import-export operations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine in 2018 amounted to about $ 829 million, which is $ 18 million more than in 2017. The cost of Azerbaijan's imports from Ukraine amounted to $ 469 million 798 thousand in 2018, while $ 358 million 738 thousand worth of products were exported from Azerbaijan to Ukraine. Recently, Azerbaijan and Ukraine have been engaged in active developments of economic cooperation. In June 2018, the first Trade House of Azerbaijan was opened in Kiev, analogous houses are planned to open in other cities of the country. Direct investments from Ukraine to Azerbaijan exceed $25 million, and from Azerbaijan to Ukraine - $200 million. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 24 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Feb. 19, Trend reports. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz NORFOLK - From debate on a proposed redevelopment area to fireworks sales beginning, here are some of the stories we covered for the week ending Saturday June 26, 2021. The U.S. is ostentatiously promoting cooperation with India on ballistic missile defense, highlighting it in the 2019 Missile Defense Review as a key element of its Indo-Pacific strategy. Why it matters: Pakistan is certain to see any such cooperation as a move against its nuclear force. Even though ballistic missile defense systems have nothing to do with the battlefield in Afghanistan, where the low-tech Taliban has forced the U.S. to the table, the move could threaten the U.S.-Taliban withdrawal negotiations by spurring Pakistan to reinforce its support for the group. Background: Pakistan has provided safe haven and other support to Taliban forces fighting in Afghanistan. Given Indias massive conventional military not to mention economic and demographic advantages, Pakistani national security thinking rests on asymmetric forces, including terrorist proxies and nuclear weapons. If Pakistans military leaders fear that their nuclear deterrent is at risk, they will reinforce their terrorist proxies. Between the lines: Pakistans aggressive approach to its security has left itself and its neighbors poorer and more violent. But that does not mean that Pakistan can be ignored. While Pakistans control of the Taliban is often exaggerated by Afghan political elites seeking to minimize the civil nature of Afghanistans war, it can still provide safe haven and other support to dissatisfied Afghan groups, using them as proxies to undermine any peace deal if it thinks its interests including the ongoing conflict with India have not been taken into account. What to watch: Navigating Afghan peace will require that the Trump administration not only stick to a clear message, but also prioritize the peace process when making decisions linked to the issue in complex, non-obvious ways. A deal with the Taliban that secures some important U.S. and Afghan interests remains possible, but not if the U.S. chooses unnecessary public confrontations with Pakistan on less urgent issues. Jarrett Blanc is a senior fellow in the Geoeconomics and Strategy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The Space Force, once an applause line, is now a reality. Driving the news: President Trump signed a directive this afternoon starting the process for creating a U.S. Space Force within the Air Force, but with its own representative on the Join Chiefs of Staff, similar to how the Marines are within the Navy. The Defense Department will now draft legislation , as these efforts require congressional approval and funding. , as these efforts require congressional approval and funding. Flashback: The Air Force spent five years as part of the Army before becoming its own separate branch in 1947. Why it matters: This takes what was a rally slogan and T-shirt and moves it toward becoming a real national security entity aimed at blunting the rising power of China in particular, Axios Science editor Andrew Freedman emails. Notably, NASA, as a civilian space agency, will be left out of the new entity. But how NASA intersects with a Space Force will help determine the extent to which space exploration is still viewed as a largely peaceful endeavor. Between the lines: A Space Force will be a participant in the next space races, public and private: Public: "China ... landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon [in January], a historic first. This month, an Israeli spacecraft destined for the moon is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla. If successful, it would make Israel the fourth country ... to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface, " WashPost reports. "China ... landed a spacecraft on the far side of the moon [in January], a historic first. This month, an Israeli spacecraft destined for the moon is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla. If successful, it would make Israel the fourth country ... to land a spacecraft on the lunar surface, " WashPost reports. Private: Elon Musk has SpaceX, Richard Branson has Virgin Galactic, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has Stratolaunch and Jeff Bezos has Blue Origin, Axios' Dan Primack noted late last year. Go deeper: Axios' special report on the Space Race Royal Dutch Shell, one of the most aggressive global oil and gas producers on clean-energy and climate change, faces big tests on how serious it is with its pursuit. Why it matters: The burning of fossil fuels sold by Shell and other producers is a big reason Earths temperature is rising, yet their products are also foundations of the global economy. Whether you love or hate them, the role these companies play is inherent to addressing climate change, particularly in the absence of U.S. presidential leadership on the issue. Driving the news: Shell is set to complete a review of its membership in trade associations in April to determine if they contradict the company's positions supporting action on climate change. Major trade groups, such as the American Petroleum Institute, have fought climate policies in the past but more recently have sought to be more agnostic on the matter. The big picture: Shell, the world's second-largest publicly traded oil company after ExxonMobil, has over the past year ramped up enough investments and commitments in this area to surpass any other producer similar in size. CEO Ben Van Beurden is far more forceful than most other oil executives about positioning his company to profit off a world drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions as envisioned in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. "I'm quite confident that Paris will be delivered because there is a very significant societal push behind it and if it has to be delivered, it has to be delivered through business. And I intend to fully benefit from that." Shell CEO Ben van Beurden, Jan. 31 earnings call In response to investor pressure, the Netherlands-based company announced plans in December to set short-term targets linked to executive pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the products it sells, not just from its operations. BP recently resisted calls from its investors to take a similar step. This move may seem like a subtle distinction, but its potential repercussions are huge. "Shell is the only company in the industry that has been willing to cross that philosophical divide and actually set a goal for reducing emissions that it doesn't directly control. Product emissions are typically eight to 10 times the size of operational emissions at an integrated oil and gas company." Andrew Logan, oil and gas program director, Ceres, a sustainable investment advocacy group The details: A report Shell released last year suggested that coal, oil and natural gas would begin to drop dramatically after three decades if world leaders cut greenhouse gas emissions as laid out in the 2015 Paris deal, a far more aggressive scenario than other oil companies. Shell has already significantly shifted its business from oil to natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel, in the last several years. Eventually, oil and gas will become a far smaller part of the company, with electricity and petrochemicals gaining in share, Van Beurden said on the latest earnings call. By the numbers: The company set long-term but non-binding targets in late 2017 to cut its net carbon emissions from the products it sells by 20% within 16 years and by 50% by 2050. Shells New Energies division, created in 2016, is investing $1 to $2 billion a year in renewables and other forms of cleaner energy types. Within the last month, it's made investments in electric-vehicle and home battery charging. Critics say thats a sliver compared to what Shell makes $21 billion in profits last year. a recent report Van Beurden says he wants to double the divisions funding by 2020, but in another test of Shells strategy, it hasnt yet confirmed whether it will. The division launched with fewer than 80 employees and now has several hundred, according to Mark Gainsborough, the executive running the department whose salary is newly tied to carbon-reduction efforts. Reality check: The company's shift has not been matched by lobbying dollars in Washington, D.C. , raising doubts about how serious the company is about its clean-energy pursuits. Shell has not yet decided whether it will fund an advocacy campaign for carbon tax policy on Capitol Hill, according to spokesman Curtis Smith. This puts the company behind American producers ExxonMobil ConocoPhillips This positioning is also at odds with what Shell has indicated it wants to do, which is profit off of the worlds energy transition while remaining a good investment for shareholders in the meantime. "If you don't have government policies that are enabling the transition to happen its probably very hard to deliver on the world-class investment case." Mark Gainsborough, executive vice president, Shell Go deeper: The UN's Global Compact on Refugees, adopted late last year, floats the possibility of trade arrangements that incentivize local businesses to hire refugee labor. A trade deal between the EU and Turkey that grants access to European markets for agricultural goods produced in Turkey with a threshold level of Syrian labor could prove beneficial for both parties and for millions of displaced Syrians. Syrian displaced people in the flooded Deir al-Ballut refugee camp in Afrin's countryside, along Syria's northern border with Turkey, Feb. 11. Photo: Rami Al Sayed/AFP via Getty Images Background: Eight years into the Syria crisis, the conflict shows no sign of ending. More than 3.5 million people have sought safety in Turkey, which now hosts more refugees than any other country in the world. The likelihood that they will be able to return home in the near future is low. Where it stands: Turkey already has a customs union with Europe, but it covers only manufactured goods. Expanding the arrangement to cover agricultural products could open up new opportunities for refugees to join the workforce. Agreements between the EU and two other refugee-hosting countries, Jordan and Lebanon, could prove useful (if imperfect) models for how to engage the private sector in such an endeavor. The bottom line: How Turkey fares at integrating newcomers will bear significantly on the wellbeing of millions of people and the trajectory of consequential migration flows. Jessica Brandt is a fellow in the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution. Kemal Kirisci is director of the Center on the United States and Europe's Turkey Project at Brookings. A withering report from a U.K. Parliament committee that calls out Facebook and other tech platforms as "digital gangsters" is adding new heat to a European campaign against U.S.-based tech giants. Why it matters: U.S. regulators have fewer powers at their disposal and have moved more slowly than their European counterparts, leaving Europe to frame the debate over tech firms' privacy controversies, misinformation problems, and potential antitrust violations. Details: The 100-page report by the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on "Disinformation and 'Fake News'," released Sunday, says Facebook only acts to protect user privacy when problems become public. "Facebook has not provided us with one example of a business excluded from its platform because of serious data breaches," the report says. "We consider that data transfer for value is Facebook's business model and that Mark Zuckerberg's statement that 'we've never sold anyone's data' is simply untrue." The report also accuses Facebook of failing to cooperate with its inquiry. With regard to one organization that distributed pro-Brexit messages, the committee wrote: "We consider Facebooks response generally to be disingenuous and another example of Facebooks bad faith. " It also accuses Zuckerberg of "showing contempt" for the U.K. Parliament. The report makes extensive use of files from a U.S. lawsuit against Facebook, by a company called Six4Three that Parliament seized from an American businessman's laptop. The files, the committee said, show that "working with 'sketchy' or 'abusive' apps" is "an intrinsic part" of Facebook's business model. "The evidence that we obtained from the Six4Three court documents indicates that Facebook was willing to override its users' privacy settings in order to transfer data to some app developers, to charge high prices in advertising to some developers for the exchange of that data, and to starve some developers such as Six4Three of that data, thereby causing them to lose their business." The big picture: The EU and other European agencies have been moving against Facebook, Google, and other tech companies for the past year and show no sign of slowing down. The EU's antitrust authority is in the process of levying a $5 billion fine against Google for using the Google Play app store to promote its own apps. France also brought a $57 million penalty against Google under the EU's GDPR privacy rules. Germany's antitrust authority is moving to bar Facebook from certain kinds of data collection, charging that the company is abusing its market power. The EU has a variety of content regulation efforts underway, including a proposed "link tax." The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office levied the maximum fine allowed under GDPR for Facebook's role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which it failed to prevent the now-defunct British company from working with a third-party developer to gain access to millions of users' personal data so they could be targeted with political ads. In the U.S., by comparison, moves against Facebook on the antitrust front have been minimal, and privacy-related enforcement lacks the teeth GDPR gives the EU. Facebook has been accused of violating terms of a 2012 agreement with the Federal Trade Commission to protect user privacy, and last week the Washington Post reported that the commission and Facebook are discussing a new settlement that would fine Facebook billions of dollars. Yes, but: The European assault on big tech platforms under GDPR privacy regulations and EU antitrust rules may take a toll on Facebook and Google, but complying with the region's labyrinth of regulations will be even harder for upstart challengers and smaller competitors. Our thought bubble: Europe starts out with a more privacy-oriented culture than the U.S. and is less conflicted about antitrust action. When it comes to regulating Big Tech, Europe had the "first-mover advantage," and it's keeping it. Facebook's response: "We are open to meaningful regulation and support the committee's recommendation for electoral law reform ... We also support effective privacy legislation ... While we still have more to do, we are not the same company we were a year ago." Blame it on YouTube. Sailors have an affliction they call bigger boat disease or one-foot-itis, and I was starting to feel the rumblings of the aviators version. I had been flying and enjoying my Fisher FP-404 biplane for the past three years but was starting to bump into its limitations: low speed, modest climb rate, and no aerobatic capability. I was sort of keeping my eyes on prices for a Smith Miniplane, Baby Lakes, or similar, when a member of the Homebuilt Airplanes Forum mentioned that his friend Jerry Carter had a Starduster One for sale at a good price. I was vaguely aware of the Starduster as one of numerous homebuilt biplanes but never really looked at them; there arent that many of the single seaters around, and the two-place versions are outside my budget. Anyway, some research showed me that a Starduster might be a good choice. Then I came across some YouTube videos Jerry had posted of him flying the plane a few years earlier, and that was all it took. The next day, with a serious face, I told one of my flying buddies, I did a very foolish thing last nightI watched a video. A few days later, I was on an airline flight to Memphis, Tennessee, armed with my checkbook. After looking it over, I became the proud new owner of a somewhat beat up (A flyer, not a show plane, Jerry had warned me), but basically solid Starduster SA-100. Built in 1982 by Richard A. Parks, my new plane is powered by a Lycoming O-290G, the converted GPU engine common in those days. With only one foot more wingspan than the Fisher but three times the horsepower, it has double the cruise speed and four times the rate of climb (and, sadly, four times the fuel consumption). It was damaged a couple of times in the past; one logbook entry describes a rebuild of the upper wing and fin/rudder, along with redesigning the brakes to make them less sensitive. Not too hard to imagine what happened there! But there was enough flying time since the repairs that I wasnt concerned. There was a minor oil leak somewhere that Jerry hadnt managed to track down; it was enough to be messy, but not enough to be a big concernyet. Although I now owned the plane and could have flown it right then and there, it was so different from my Fisher (twice the weight, twice the speed, and zero forward visibility on the ground), I contented myself at that point with only taxiing it around for a while, as I had to leave soon for my airline flight home. Jerry agreed to let me leave the plane in his hangar for a couple of months until I could pick it up. It was still winter in the Northeast, not a good time for a long, open-cockpit cross-country. Disassembling the plane and renting a truck was another option, but the one-piece top wing meant a large (expensive) truck, and it would have been a long, tedious drive. So even though I hadnt made a long cross-country flight in many years, I decided to fly the plane back to Connecticut once the weather was suitable, camping out along the way. I also hoped to get some time in a similar two-seater first, but that proved easier said than done. Another concern was hangar space at home; although I had advertised it for some time, I wasnt getting many bites on my Fisher. I spent some time playing with paper-doll cutouts of the two planes, trying to figure out how to maneuver them to share the hangar, when the plane finally sold. Three days before my scheduled departure for Memphis, I helped the buyer remove the wings, pack it into a U-Haul truck, and take it away. When my brother-in-law, Mike Baldwin, heard about my plans, he offered to fly me to Memphis in his RV-8, saving me the hassle of doing it by airline. We waited on a weather window and in mid-April set out for Tennessee. Leaving after lunch, we got as far as Lexington, Kentucky, where we spent the night. Bad weather currently over Memphis was forecast to move east and clear out overnight, leaving me a decent shot to get home. In the morning, though, we found the weather had stalled over central Tennessee and didnt look as if it was going to clear out any time soon. So after spending half the morning looking at the forecasts, talking to flight service, and theorizing about how it would go, we agreed that it was best to abort the mission and return home, instead of continuing on to Memphis. The delay actually proved fortuitous. When I got back home, a message was waiting for me on the Biplane Forum offering the opportunity to fly in a Starduster Too not too far from home, which I arranged for the following weekend. It wasnt a proper checkout; I was only able to do three landings due to rain and low ceilings, but it left me a lot more comfortable about my ability to handle the heavier and faster plane. As the coming weather looked good, I flew to Memphis the next day by airline, as I didnt want to ask Mike to take another two days flying me around the countryside. This required some repacking, as some things I had carried in the RV-8 could only go now as checked baggage or not at all. My packing list (see below) was based on my best estimate of what would fit in my new planes baggage compartment, with measurements of the door opening size provided by Jerry. As it turned out, I judged it pretty well. Most of the camping gear I already had, but I bought a new, compact sleeping bag I wanted anyway and a small cook pot. Day 1 In the morning Jerry picked me up at my hotel and drove me to the airport, with a stop at a hardware store to buy alcohol fuel for my camp stove. I spent some time looking the plane over, installing the new fuel gauge I had brought with me, and talking about the planes performance and speeds. Finally, the moment of truth came, and I got in, taxied out, and took off. After a bit of flying around, exploring the planes handling over the Arkansas farm fields west of the Mississippi River, I did a few landings. It was delightful in the air, and my first message to a couple of friends after I landed was simply, Wow! As Jerry had warned, it was a handful on the ground, very squirrely but not unmanageable. After taxiing back in with a big grin on my face, I got ready for the trip, filling the gas tanks, packing my camping gear, and getting my navigation gear set. The plane came with a Garmin 196, an old-school portable GPS with a small monochrome display. I kept it for backup, but for primary navigation I had an 8-inch Android tablet running Avare mounted to a homemade kneeboard designed specifically for the tablet. As the tablet on my knee, deep in a metal-skinned cockpit, wouldnt get a good signal, I added a Bluetooth GPS receiver, which was Velcroed just behind the windscreen. The setup worked beautifully when I tested it on one last flight in the Fisher and greatly reduced the stress of flying an unfamiliar airplane over 1000 miles of unfamiliar territory. Both the tablet and the GPS receiver were powered, or so I thought, from a dual USB cigarette lighter adapter in the socket that had been used for the Garmin. I also had paper charts, printed from image files downloaded from the FAA website and pieced together in strips covering my route. After the first leg, I removed the unused Garmin from its mount on the panel and stowed it in the baggage compartment. The paper charts never got used either, though I always kept the appropriate one accessible in the cockpit. After grabbing a quick lunch, it was time to go. The first leg would be short, only 110 miles to Carroll County Airport (HZD) in Huntingdon, Tennessee, to get the feel of the plane and check the fuel consumption. To avoid the distraction of talking to ATC, I followed the Mississippi River north until I was beyond the Class D for Millington-Memphis Airport, then turned northeast on course. This airplane is very different from my Fisher. Both are open-cockpit biplanes, of course, but the FP-404 is only a little heavier and faster than an ultralight. Part of it is that its faster and much more solid, but the Starduster just has an older feel. A thousand feet over the Tennessee farm country, it could almost be 1927. The fact that I had only one seat and a modern GPS on my knee was irrelevant; I couldnt resist shouting over the roar of the engine, Step right up, folks! Only five dollars for five minutes! Five minutes in the land of the clouds, guaranteed to be like nothing youve ever done before! Back in 2017, it became apparent that the tablet and GPS were running on their internal batteries and not charging; although it had worked with the Garmins plug, the old socket was too deep for the new USB power adapter to make contact. Not realizing the plane already had a cigarette lighter socket, however, I had brought along a new one ready to wire in. The new one proved to be shallower, so borrowing some tools at Carroll County, I connected the new socket, tie wrapped it to a fuselage tube, and now had power to the devices. The next leg was longer, 200 miles to Taylor County Airport in Campbellsville, Kentucky (AAS), where Google Earth showed a restaurant nearby, and where I planned to spend the first night. Near the end of the flight, I noticed some oil smell, but as the oil pressure was holding steady, and I already knew there was a small leak, I didnt think much of it. My main concern was keeping the plane straight during the landing rollout. I ran out of speed too high in the flare, resulting in a rather firm arrival, but I kept it straight, more or less, and resolved to carry a little more speed next time. After shutting down at the gas pump and getting out of the plane, though, I knew I had a serious problemoil was dribbling out of the engine cowling onto the ground, and the lower wing, landing gear, and lower fuselage were covered with oil. Uh-oh. Upon opening the cowling, it was impossible to see where the oil was coming from, as it was everywhere. It was 2 quarts down on the dipstick. Not knowing what else to do, I went ahead and filled the fuel tank, added a quart of oil (all I had with me), and taxied over to a tiedown spot on the deserted airport. It was getting too dark to investigate further, so feeling rather depressed, I walked the half mile to the Creek Side Restaurant for an inexpensive but nice dinner (I can recommend the beef tips), then returned to the airport for a dreary night of sleeping on the concrete ramp under the beacon and bright spotlights, while worrying whether a blown engine had ended my trip almost as soon as it started. Day 2 I woke with the sunrise, and after cooking coffee and oatmeal on my camp stove, I tried to find the problem. Except for oil everywhere, nothing seemed obviously amiss, and it wasnt leaking with the engine stopped, so leaving one side of the cowl unlatched and the airplane securely tied down and chocked, I started the engine, very carefully crept around between the wing and whirling propeller, and lifted the cowl. It was then immediately obvious: Oil was pouring from a fitting on the back of the engine where an oil-cooler hose connected, and I could move the jam nut with my fingers. The one adjustable wrench I had brought didnt open far enough, but when people started arriving later in the morning, I was able to borrow a larger wrench and tighten the nut, which completely stopped the leak. I now believe that fitting may have been the source of the minor leak all along, and it must have completely let go shortly before I landed since I only lost 2 quarts and never lost oil pressure. After buying more oil and adding some, I took the airport courtesy car (a retired police car) to the local auto parts store to buy a bigger wrench, just in case it loosened again. I also bought some spray cleaner and paper towels. After cleaning off as much of the oil as I could, it was past noon before I was ready to continue. After a quick flight once around the pattern and one more look inside the engine compartment, I took off and flew a half hour to Stuart Powell Field in Danville, Kentucky (DVK), where I landed just to check again that I had no more oil issues. I was also pleased with my OK crosswind wheel landing. From there it was 130 miles to Ashland Regional (DWU) in Worthington, Kentucky, where I refueled and took the courtesy car (this time an old blue minivan) to the Golden Corral Restaurant in town for a late lunch or early dinner. As I didnt want to spend another night sleeping on the pavement of a county airport, I continued on. One of my possible overnight stops was not far away at Hales Landing (2WV3), a private strip in West Virginia, where my friend Dan Riffee from the Homebuilt Airplanes forum lives, but I was unable to contact him. Instead, I flew the easy 24 miles southeast to Robert Newlon Field (I41) in Huntington, West Virginia, following the Ohio River instead of navigating by GPS. Newlon turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. A beautiful grass field alongside the Ohio River, it has a skydiving center, a restaurant (unfortunately closed that day, but I already knew that, which is why I ate in Ashland first), and a campground. The woman who met me said her name was Tina and sure, I could camp out overnight. As it was a hot day, I asked if I could park in the shade on the other side of the runway. She called the airport manager to check, then relayed that I should park by the fence on the other side where there was a path down to the river. It was a delightful place to camp, and after walking down to check out the river, I unpacked my camping gear and rolled it out alongside the plane. A week ago in Lexington, it was a control tower and long concrete runways, and we parked the RV-8 next to a jet on the ramp of the TAC Air FBO, which has a huge lobby like a Hilton hotel. There were leather couches in the pilot lounge, a fancy flight planning room, and a girl behind the desk who called a hotel to have them send a shuttle to pick us up right away, sir! There was even a Beech Staggerwing hanging from the ceiling of the lobby, though I would have preferred to see it parked on the ramp. But tonight at Newlon, its one old biplane, not hanging from cables but parked in the shade along a freshly mown grass runway, with a tired but content pilot relaxing on top of his sleeping bag under the evening sky. This is much more my style. As I lay there leaning against the wheel pant, two guys walked over. One of them introduced himself as Carl, the airport manager, and he asked if Id like a cold beer. Id love a cold beer, I said. He handed it to me, then we talked for a bit before walking over to the skydiving center to hang out longer and drink a few more beers. Skydivers are much the same kind of crazies as the paramotor crowd I used to fly with, so I felt right at home. I was even offered the opportunity to make a jump with them the following afternoon. As something Ive always wanted to do but never got around to, I was sorely tempted, but I didnt want to wait around that long, so I regretfully declined. Eventually I wandered back to my plane and crawled into my sleeping bag for a good nights sleep. Day 3 0)] The next day dawned damp and foggy, with a heavy dew on the grass and dripping from the wings. I lazed in my sleeping bag for a while with my coffee, then finally got up and hung my wet gear on the fence to dry while waiting for the fog to burn off out of the river valley. When it did, I set out for Jackson County Airport (I18) in Ravenswood, West Virginia, where I topped off my tank before heading to Hales Landing to see Dan, who Id finally gotten in touch with; he had been out mowing grass when I called the day before. 1)] Leaving Newlon, I made my only attempt to use a GoPro camera on a forehead mount. As soon as I reached takeoff speed, I could feel the camera trying to blow off my head, so I removed and tucked it away. I originally intended to document the entire trip with still photos as well as video, but other than a few snapshots, it became more about enjoying the moment, not being distracted by recording it, which was OK, too. Hales Landing has an interesting final approach alongside a mountain, and the runway edge markers are large pruned shrubs, which were rather intimidating for a pilot still having trouble landing his plane. After visiting for several hours and looking over his beautiful JMR Special project, a single-seat C-85 powered homebuilt of his own design, with a steel-tube fuselage and geodetic wood wings, it was time to continue on. 2)] Airborne again, the next stop was Greater Cumberland Regional Airport (CBE) in Cumberland, Maryland. My radio headset is a homemade rig using noise-isolating stereo earbuds worn under my leather helmet with an adapter for the aircraft radio and a separate boom microphone. Along the way, I found I could hear the radio on only one side. The cause was soon apparent; the cord had gotten pinched between the rudder cable and the pulley. I was unable to dislodge it carefully, so reasoning that no radio was better than no rudder should it jam worse, I pulled harder, which got it out of the pulley but severed the cord completely. There was no control tower to worry about, though I would have liked to hear the AWOS to get the winds. While circling above the pattern looking for the windsock, I saw a Cirrus below me and followed him inswerving all over the (fortunately) wide runway on a downwind landing. Perhaps Cirrus drivers dont care about wind. Departing with full tanks (and my spare earbuds), my next stop was Reigle Field (58N) in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, just east of Harrisburg. I had considered overnighting at Farmers Pride (9N7), a grass field not far north of there, but there was, as far as I knew, no food nearby, and I had been unable to get in touch with a Biplane Forum member based there. Reigle supposedly has a restaurant within walking distance. 4)] Approaching Harrisburg, I ran into the first bad weather of the trip. I had intended to fly over the Class D airspace for Capital City and Harrisburg International, which topped out at 2800 feet, before descending into Reigle, but there were scattered clouds starting at 2500 feet. I climbed to go over the cloud layer, which wasnt very thick, but it looked like it was going solid under me. Not wanting to get caught on top, I turned around, dove under the clouds, and circled around south of the city under the clouds in deteriorating visibility. My GPS chose that moment to lose its signal (the only time it happened), which made for a few anxious moments, but it reacquired it quickly after being reset. Still, I was relieved to finally find Reigle in the haze, where I made my worst landing yet, coming in too high and fast, and landing downhill on the short, narrow runway and rolling off the end into the grass. I was being very cautious with the brakes, as I knew the plane had been on its back once already, and its the first plane with toe brakes Ive flown in 30 years. Fortunately, I bounced to a stop before rolling into the plowed field beyond, and no harm was done except to my pride. I realized I was overcompensating with too much speed to avoid dropping out of the flare again. After refueling, I learned that the restaurant I had planned to eat at had closed, but the airport owner drove me to the local Dominos Pizza, where I ate before walking the half mile back to the airport. I then moved my plane away from the road to the grass on the backside of the hangars for a more pleasant campsite. Before settling in for the night, I wandered around looking in the open hangars; there are some interesting planes there. The evening gave me the chance to catch up online and post updates for people who were following my progress. 3)] Day 4 5)] The next morning, the weather didnt look good. Reigle was fogged in, and even though the weather was forecast to improve to marginal VFR, Flight Service was saying VFR not recommended along my route. By late morning the weather had improved enough to at least have a look, so I took off and flew the 13 miles to Farmers Pride, again under a low ceiling. My landings had been consistently bad enough that I wanted to spend some time practicing on that 3400 x 150-foot grass strip. I got there and spent a half hour or so in the pattern, making the best landings I had yet done in the plane, the tailwheel kissing the grass an instant before the mains, but I still couldnt make sense of the airspeed. The plane stalls at 50 mph, which Id verified on my first flight, but I was touching down at an indicated 60 or more and lifting off at 45 or less. Still, I was starting to feel more comfortable in the plane. I then taxied over to the hangars and shut down for a break. One of the local airport bums was admiring my plane and telling me about his Fly Baby when two people in black suits, a man and a woman, walked purposefully up to us. Unquestionably government, I wondered if they were FAAI didnt think I had done anything wrong, but is one ever certain? They introduced themselves as Secret Service. Asking if anybody was in the airport office, they seemed surprised that everybody had gone to lunch and the airport was left unattended. They explained that they were checking out all airports in the area in advance of President Trumps visit to Harrisburg that weekend and making sure all local pilots were aware of the associated monster TFR. I assured them I was aware of it and planned to be long gone before it took effect. You know the Secret Service stereotype from TV and movies? They were it, and sure looked out of place on a grass field talking to me in T-shirt and shorts and an old man next to an oily, old biplane. By this time the weather was improving slightly. It was still marginal VFR, but forecast to continue improving, and I planned short hops. Leaving Farmers Pride, I set out the 50 miles to Slatington Airport (69N), northwest of Allentown/Bethlehem. The ceiling was still low, but sufficiently above the ridges of the Alleghenies (and towers!). Thanks to Avare, I had a good handle on exactly where I was at all times. I dont think I would have attempted the route in that weather with only paper charts in an open cockpit. It wasnt hard to imagine the old airmail pilots flying over (and all too often crashing into) these same ridges in their Jennies and de Havilland biplanes along the New York-Chicago route with its notoriously bad weather. If I had somehow lost the GPS again, I would have turned southwest and followed the highway back to Farmers Pride or one of the other airports along the way, or even a farm field if necessary, so I always had an out. It also helped that I was getting into the safety zone, where one is close enough to home to ethically call somebody for a ride home if it becomes necessary to leave the airplane somewhere for a few days. As it turned out, I had no trouble; the weather did continue to gradually improve, and while it was never great, I reached Slatington with no trouble. The Appalachian Trail runs along the 1000-foot-high ridge a mile and a half north of the airport, and flying a tight pattern south of the ridge, I again came in too high and fast on the first approach. I went around, making an acceptable landing the next time. The first thing you notice about Slatington is the dozens of wrecked airplanes lining the field. Slatington is an airplane junkyard, selling used airplane parts of all sorts. Fortunately, I had arrived just as the man with the gas pump key was getting ready to leave. Not needing any parts but wanting maximum options in case of any weather-caused detours, I topped off my tank again before taking off for the last leg home. 6)] Still picking my way from airport to airport in case deteriorating weather made landing advisable, I crossed the Delaware River into New Jersey and flew over Blairstown Airport, Aeroflex-Andover Airport and Greenwood Lake Airport. Greenwood Lake was familiar to me, though I didnt land there this time. From there my course was more east, north of the New York Class B. The visibility got a bit worse as I passed over the Ramapo Mountains of Southern New York near where I grew up; I couldnt see Bear Mountain to the north or the Tappan Zee Bridge to the south, though I knew exactly where they were. It was still gloppy beyond the Hudson River into Westchester, but getting into Connecticut it started to improve, and I could see Long Island Sound as I flew a slight zig-zag course to avoid the Westchester, Danbury, Bridgeport, and New Haven Class D areas. By the time I passed New Haven, although there were still scattered bits of low cloud at my altitude, they were easily avoided, and I could see patches of sunlight on the ground farther to the east. I was happy to finally touch down at Chester (SNC), my home base, where friends were present to critique my landing and admire my new plane. 7)] Epilogue As routine as it would be in a different aircraft, a long trip in an unfamiliar old plane like this is always a risk. Some risks can be mitigated by careful planning, but there are always unknowns. I solicited advice from members of the Homebuilt Airplanes and Biplane Forums, and spent so much time looking over the route on aeronautical charts and satellite imagery that it was almost familiar. Even so, I made no fi rm schedule and finalized my route as I went along, allowing several extra days in case of bad weather or other delays. Having camping gear meant that I could land anywhere if necessary without having to worry about cars or hotels to have a place to sleep. Even so, I was closer to disaster than I realized until afterwards. I was frustrated by my inability to land the plane well. Reflecting on my observations at Farmers Pride, I suspected a problem with the airspeed indicator. And more than one person had noticed that the plane seemed to be sitting right wing low in a head-on photograph, suggesting that weak bungees on that side could be responsible for the planes poor ground handling. After attending to some obligations out of town, I returned to the airport a few days later to look at the airspeed indicator and the bungees. 8)] Checking the airspeed indicator with a manometer, the issue turned out to be a partial blockage somewhere in the pitot line, resulting in a considerable lag in the indication. That went a long way toward explaining my difficulty nailing an approach speed and getting a consistent flare. It was easy enough to fixsome compressed air and poom! Something shot out of the pitot tube, after which it behaved correctly. I never even got to looking at the bungees, though. Looking at the landing gear leg, it was obvious something was wrong under the fabric. Cutting and peeling the fabric back revealed a cracked and bent landing gear leg, which would mess up the wheel alignment and account for the poor ground handling. It was clear that it had been cracked for a long time, hidden by the fabric, but no doubt some of my less-than-graceful landings during the journey pushed it to the point where it was visibly bent. The pleasant summer of flying I looked forward to didnt happen. As the broken gear had obviously been repaired and altered more than once before, I thought it best to build a new gear leg from scratch. Furthermore, there was a new Starduster design eliminating the weak spot, though it needed to be adapted to fit my particular aircraft. Due to other obligations, designing and building the new gear leg took four months, but it was finally done, and the airplanes ground handling is now much better. 9)] Although I was disappointed that I couldnt fly again until the landing gear was rebuilt, I consider myself incredibly fortunate that it held until the plane was safely home. Having to fix something like that hundreds of miles from home would have turned an adventure into a nightmare. Im also thankful to have had the opportunity to make a journey of this nature, with its challenges, sights, and great people I met along the way. Who knows, maybe Ill make a few YouTube videos. Equipment Carried Camping Gear Hyke & Byke 32 down sleeping bag Outdoor Research bivy sack Therm-a-Rest NeoAir air mattress Marmot inatable pillow Trangia-style alcohol stove Bottle of fuel for stove MSR Seagull cook pot Collapsible silicone cup (for coee) Plastic spoon Paper cups (for oatmeal, saving cleanup) Food Instant coee Instant oatmeal and dried cranberries Bacon jerky One liter water (in baggage compartment) One pint water (pocket-size ask in cockpit) Clothing One change of clothes Shorts and T-shirt Lightweight coveralls Leather jacket Tools and Supplies Multitool 6-inch adjustable wrench Fuel tester with screwdriver Safety wire Tie wraps and stick-on anchors Electrical tape Engine oil and funnel After the rst day, spray cleaner, paper towels, 8-inch adjustable wrench Electronics Nvidia Shield K1 8-inch tablet running Avare on kneeboard Globalsat BT-359 Bluetooth GPS Garmin 196 GPS (came with plane, never used) Smartphone running Avare as backup, also never needed Phone/tablet chargers, cords, etc. External battery power pack for phone or tablet Spare earbuds (headset) GoPro camera with mounting accessories This article originally appeared in the May 2018 issue of Kitplanes magazine. For more great content like this, subscribe to Kitplanes! Southwest Airlines canceled more than 100 flights over the Presidents Day weekend not from weather or crew issues but because more than twice the usual number of its Boeing 737s were out of service for maintenance. On a typical day, Southwest will have 20 of its 750-airplane fleet sidelined for maintenance. But since last week, the airline has averaged twice that number. The airline said there was no common theme to the maintenance events. Friday the airline issued an all hands demand to its maintenance crews that implied unexcused absences could result in termination. We are requiring all hands on deck to address maintenance items so that we may promptly return aircraft to service, Southwest said. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Southwest told workers alleging illness that they will be required to prove they were actually sick with a doctors note upon returning to work or face termination. This perfect storm of maintenance activity comes on the heels of Southwest removing 22 aircraft from service on the belief that incorrect fuel-pump O-rings had been installed. Those aircraft were cleared and returned to service late last week. 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. At the upcoming 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, Subaru will be introducing an all-new concept model called the Viziv Adrenaline Concept. Curiously, the Japanese automaker did not disclose any details regarding the concept aside from a lone teaser photo showing a darkened vehicle positioned on rugged terrain. Taking a closer look at the photo, the upcoming concept vehicle appears to be a two-door coupe based on the silhouette of the door and window line. More so, the name 'Adrenaline' implies that the concept will have a sporty character, usually seen in two door models. The aggressive intake design of the bumper and the C-shaped LED lights are also reminiscent of the Viziv Tourer Concept which made its debut at last year's Geneva Auto Show. Despite likely having only two-doors, the concept does seem to have a tall ride height leading to the possibility of it being a crossover. The rough terrain background further adds fuel to this specultion. That said, it is possible that the Viziv Adrenaline Concept will be a two-door, high-performance crossover. For reference, previous Viziv concept models have previewed styling for upcoming Subaru automobiles. Given that this seems to be a two-door crossover, it could be that Subaru is working on a completely new vehicle to add to its lineup. With everything still mere speculations, we will just have to wait until Subaru reveals the Viziv Adrenaline Concept on March 5th. The upcoming concept will debut alongside two electrified models equipped with Subaru's new e-Boxer. Arriving for the 2020 model year, the Corolla Hybrid returns 53 miles to the gallon in the city, 52 out on the highway, and 52 mpg on the combined cycle. As expected, the TNGA-based sedan comes with the Hybrid Synergy Drive that Toyota uses in the Prius.A power-split transaxle that incorporates two motor/generator units and an Atkinson-cycle 1.8-liter engine are offered, coupled to a nickel-metal hydride battery. A combined output of 121 horsepower and front-wheel drive will have to suffice for the most fuel-efficient Corolla ever.Ed Laukes, group vice-president of Toyota Marketing, told Motor1 youre probably not going to see the Prius c for long. It has served its purpose well. Updated twice (for the 2015 and 2017 model years), the Prius c outputs 99 horsepower from a 1.5-liter engine running on the Atkinson cycle and an electric motor.As far as sales are concerned, the subcompact-sized hybrid has been struggling as of late. 2018 saw Toyota sell 8,399 examples of the breed in the United States, far fewer than the historical high of 41,979 in 2013. Over in Europe, the Yaris Hybrid is more popular with every year that passes.Turning our attention back to the Corolla Hybrid , Toyota claims the compact hybrid will go on sale this spring. Pricing information isnt available at the time of writing, but dont expect this fellow to cost an arm and a knee.The Prius starts at $23,770 while the 2019 Corolla retails at $18,700. The Corolla Hatchback with the Dynamic Force engine and rev-matching manual transmission comes in at $19,990, leading us to believe the Corolla Hybrid will start at $20,000 or $21,000, somewhere in that region. Lansing is currently producing two crossovers, the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave , but GM will probably start assembling a new one following a $36 million investment announced on Tuesday. The specifics of the new production model have not been announced because of competitive reasons.We are proud of the hard work and commitment of the entire Lansing team and the Chevrolet Traverse, and Buick Enclave are important products in our growing crossover portfolio, said in a statement GM CEO Mary Barra.This investment will allow us to prepare the plant for future crossover production.The crossover market is continuously expanding, and it has done so for the past few years, so another investment in the segment makes sense. GM is rumored to be working on several such cars across its brands, including one called Enspire , rumored to be Buick-ized version of the Cadillac XT4 Building whatever this crossover will be in Lansing makes sense too, as the location is one of GMs best equipped for the task. Over the past ten years, more than $600 million have been poured in there, and more than 2 million crossovers rolled off assembly lines since the plants opening in 2006.The investment is the latest in a series that started just after several plant closures and contract terminations were announced at the end of last year.The most recent expansion plan is the $22 million investment in the Spring Hill, Tennessee facility, where GM will be assembling 6.2-liter V8 engines. The complex is responsible for the assembly of several of GMs cars, including from the Cadillac and GMC brands, but is also in charge of the production of powertrains. It was a story so tall that not even the police could believe it at first. As Justin Koerner, the victim, puts it to the Delaware Online , he couldnt believe it either, and he had lived it.It happened in the early hours of Sunday, after a night playing with friends. Koerner says they had an early engagement too, so he thought the best way to catch some Zs and feel refreshed would be to just slip on the back seat for a nap. He did just that: his Ford Escape was parked on a driveway, so he went inside and immediately fell asleep.Then, he had the strangest dream. I had a weird dream that somebody sat on my head and that somebody jumped into the front seat of my car. It was all very surreal, the musician explains for the publication.He would later find out that he hadnt been dreaming. Someonejump in the driver seat and attempted to drive off with the car, but both that person and his passenger noticed Koerner sleeping and abandoned the car while it was still running.According to the police, Koerner jumped into the front of the car and made some corrections to it, and then went back to sleep in the back seat after it crashed. The police had reason to doubt his story, after all.To Koerners good luck, the crash was caught on surveillance camera and it backed up his story, as it showed 2 men running from the vehicle. The footage also shows them arriving at the scene in gray Chevrolet Suburban , before trying to steal Koerners car.It was a ridiculous situation. It was like the Shawshank Redemption of GTA, the victim says. Police are now looking for the 2 men, who are believed to have been involved in other recent crimes, for which they used the same gray Suburban. The French from Citroen, for instance, will be bringing with them at the show an object. Thats right, object. Thats the word they use to describe the Ami One concept theyll be showing. They also use the word disruptive, for some reason.Ami One is a toy car of sorts with an electric heart, meant to be an alternative to both public (buses, for instance) and individual transport (bikes and such) in crowded cities. It can only seat two and can be used by all those willing to drive one, provided they are over the age of 16, with no need for a driver's license.The mini-car uses an electric battery capable of giving it a range 62 miles (100 km), Remarkable, given the fact that Citroen had to cram it into a 2.50 m long and 1.50 m high construction, and still make room for two people. Recharging the battery can be done from a public station or Wallbox in about two hours.Riding on four 18-inch wheels, Ami One can reach speeds of only 28 mph (45kph).At the interior, the two seats look like they've just been thrown in there, surrounded by an ultra-simplistic design. Info about the vehicles speed and other indicators are relayed to the occupants via a tiny 5-inch screen. Citroen did not say whether it is actually planning to turn Ami into a production car, but in case it does, it fitted the concept with its own sound signature to make it compliant with the European regulation introduced on January 1.Full details about the vehicle can be found official press release attached below. Warning though, the release is longer than the car itself. SUV On Friday, a little over a month after the cars presentation at the Detroit Auto Show, the Telluride began rolling off production lines in West Point , in the presence of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and several other high ranking officials.This vehicle was imagined and designed specifically for the United States in our Kia Design Center in Irvine, California and is now being assembled here in West Point, said in a statement the CEO of Kias Georgia facility, Jason Shin.There is no doubt that the world-class quality and attention to detail of the Telluride will be second to none.The Telluride is a big gamble for the South Korean manufacturer. Aside from being ancreated specifically for the American market, is it also the companys largest to date, and at the same time the most expensive.The Telluride is powered by single engine, a 3.8-liter GDI V6 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and capable of generating 291 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque.The model comes equipped with a large 10.25-inch color touchscreen located in the center of the dashboard and providing access to controls and information, including rear view monitoring and parking guidance.Pricing for the new Telluride starts at $31,690 for the LX trim but can go as high as $43,490 for the SX. Several packages will be available for the model, the most expensive of which is the Prestige: $2,000 for things like Nappa leather interior, a head-up display or Michelin tires.Kia did not say when it will start receiving orders for the SUV. At the time of this writing, the companys U.S. configurator does not include the Telluride. As per a Toyota study, there are around 30,000 parts that need to fit together just perfectly to make a car run and look as it does. That number probably varies greatly, depending on the car and carmaker.Wouldnt it be nice to have the chance of seeing all these parts separately, in one place, just before they join each other into creating someones dream car? Seeing where everything is supposed to go, every nut and bolt looking for its place, with no map to guide them?Fabian Oefner is a Swiss artist who likes to shoot various objects in an unlikely manner. In the case of cars, he takes them apart, photographs every piece of it separately and then joins them together in stunning looking photographs.He calls his project the Disintegrating series.Oefner says that up until recently, all the photos in the series were the result of a good camera, a quiet photo studio and a bunch of scale models of the target cars.In the case of his latest project, the Disintegrating Lamborghini Miura , he used a real car, with real parts, and Lambo's real workshops.Courtesy of a collector who was having his Miura taken apart and restored, Oefner got a chance to have his way with every part of the car, taking 1,500 photographs of its components.He then combined them in the usual manner, and what resulted can be seen in the gallery above.And it wasnt easy. The Swiss says on his website the reconstruction of the Miura took about two years. In the first weekend of April, Eisenberg will be heading to the Pendine Sands beach in Wales to attempt setting the record for fastest car in sand. If he succeeds, he will become the first person to achieve a British land speed record on bike and car within a year.The man is already the first person to exceed 200 mph (322 kph) at the location and the holder of the current record, with a speed of 201.5 mph (324.3 kph) achieved on a Suzuki Hayabusa motorcyle.He now plans to beat that, this time with a car, a Porsche 911 Turbo S that has been tortured into developing a sand-dune-blasting 1,200 hp.The car is a 2015 model year, and at the time of its purchase had a top speed limit of 175 mph (282 kph) and a total troop of only 550 hp. That was not nearly enough to beat the increased resistance and tire slip experienced due to the sand.Eisenberg team, which goes by the name of Madmax, hand built a bespoke 4.2-liter Porsche motorsport engine using stronger internals, upgraded Turbos, plus a new E85 fuel system, advanced cooling set-up, among other things.They also fitted the car with a full FIA roll cage, competition seats, and safety harness, and the team accidentally managed to cut back the weight so that the car is 140 kg lighter than standard (308 lbs).As for the location chosen for the record attempt, the Pendine Sands is a beach of sorts in Wales. Back at the turn of the 20th century, it was the venue of choice for daredevils to race their cars and motorcycles, and a venue of choice for record-setting attempts.Until the British Department of Defense got its hands on it and turned it into a firing range. The place remains open from time to time to record attempts The news follows that of Herbert Smith Freehills which is allowing its staff up to 10 days a year to work on innovation projects. Eversheds Sutherland co-CEO Lee Ranson says innovation is a key focus for the firm. Developing an innovation team was a natural next step to further our innovation goals. Andrew and Anusia are ideally placed to support our existing innovation projects. They will also propel the pace of our development more quickly into new areas that are ripe for change, he said. HSF hires Hogan Lovells global employment head Barbara Roth has joined Herbert Smith Freehills as a partner in its New York practice. She was a partner and global head of the employment practice at Hogan Lovells for the past 8 years and has decades of experience working with multinational companies, advising on every aspect of the employment relationship. Michael Avenatti, best known for representing Stormy Daniels in her legal battle against US President Donald Trump, has agreed to place his former law firm in receivership as his former partner said in court that the famous lawyer hid millions from bankruptcy court. A receiver has been appointed by US Magistrate Judge Karen E. Scott of Orange County for the Eagan Avenatti law firm, the Los Angeles Times said. Avenatti now practices with the firm known as Avenatti & Associates. Jason Frank, the former partner, has agreed to withdraw filings alleging brazen acts of bankruptcy fraud, while Avenatti has agreed to the receivership. Frank claimed that Avenatti received legal fees during bankruptcy and used the funds for personal expenses. He also claimed Eagan Avenatti failed to pay him for money owed for legal work. Augusta Ventures has continued to expand in Australia, bringing in four experienced litigation lawyers in both Sydney and Melbourne. The litigation funder has added Susanna Khouri and Kevin Ngo in Sydney, while it welcomed Sara Dennis and Sarah Adams in Melbourne. Augusta said that its Melbourne office, its second in the country, opened on 11 February. We have an experienced team of lawyers at Augusta and are pleased to attract further exceptional litigators and accomplished class action lawyers. Augusta now has 15 staff in Australia with plans for further expansion, said Neill Brennan, Augusta Ventures managing director and co-founder. We are excited about the opening of our Melbourne office, as it advances our presence in the market as one of the leading litigation funders and enhances our ability to provide quality service to lawyers in Melbourne. 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. Perin seeks to have separate trials, rather than one Best Rye Whiskeys Bartender Approved: Rye Whiskeys The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. If you know anything about whiskey in North America, youll know that bourbon is king. The pride of Kentucky is the closest thing to a national spirit the U.S. has (although Applejack producers might tell you otherwise). But recently, tastes have gotten a little spicier. Over the past few years, there have been some really great rye whiskeys coming to market and I love it, says James Urycki, mixologist at Travelle at The Langham in Chicago. I have always been partial to rye. I spent the better half of my early 20s drinking Manhattans and the spice notes that rye lends to that cocktail make you fall in love over and over again. Its no secret that rye whiskey has grown in popularity as of late. The spicier whiskey is a great alternative to bourbon and has the perfect bite to keep you warm through to spring. But as with any spirit, its hard to know which variety is right for you. Thats why we checked in with some well-known bartenders and got them to dish on their favorite rye whiskeys and what you should be sipping on. Heres what they had to say. RELATED: Five Things You Should Never Do When It Comes to Bourbon Wild Turkey 101 Rye Wild Turkey. I think it's the perfect combination of spicy and herbaceous. I'll take the 101 for mixing, and the Russell's Reserve 6-year for sipping. Stuart Jensen, beverage director/owner at Brass Tacks in Denver, Colorado. $43.99 at Drizly.com Rittenhouse Rye I love Rittenhouse Rye. It has the spicy notes a good rye should have. Also, I love that they had an underground operation during the Prohibition and in 1934, they released a 2-year-old rye when the ban was lifted in 1933. (Ill let you do the math,) Tony Gonzalez, lead bartender at District in Los Angeles. $28.99 at Drizly.com WhistlePig Rye Whistle Pig or Angel's Envy are my favorite rye whiskeys. I just think they're both damn good ryes. They're excellent on their own and play perfectly in properly executed classic cocktails. More middle of the road, I'd go with Sazerac Rye, which is a fantastic rye for the price, or Rittenhouse, which packs a punch and delivers when you need something big, bold, and spicy. Ricky Cleva, bar manager at Harlowe MXM in Dallas. $87.99 at Drizly.com Russells Reserve 6-Year-Old Rye Russells Reserve Rye. I love everything that comes out of Wild Turkey, and Russells 6-Year Rye always hits the spot for me when I want a nice spicy pour. Jonathan Shock, bar manager at Lady of the House in Detroit. $49.99 at Drizly.com Old Overholt I used to be a Rittenhouse girl, but I dont have time for that 100-proof business anymore. Im getting old, 80-proof is more my speed, and Overholt is tasty AF. Jade Sotack, bartender at Jupiter Disco in New York City. $19.99 at Drizly.com RELATED: How To Set Up a Scotch Tasting George Dickel Rye My favorite rye whiskey and why? Dickel. It is simple, sharp, and usually value priced. It is a classic. Mary Pellettieri, co-founder of Top Note Tonic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. $37 at Drizly.com The Little Book: Noe Simple Task Rye About a month ago, I had the opportunity to get my hands on something new from the Beam Suntory portfolio and once again, I fell in love with rye whiskey. The Little Book: Noe Simple Task is a blend of 8-year-old Kentucky Straight Rye, 40-year-old Canadian Whiskey, and 13-year-old Canadian Rye Whiskey and it is absolutely wonderful. With the Little Book you're not going to want to throw it in a cocktail, instead, this one is perfect for sipping over a large rock. I highly suggest you treat yourself if you ever get the chance. And do it soon, because who knows how long it will be around. James Urycki, mixologist at Travelle at The Langham in Chicago. Find out more at Littlebookwhiskey.com Woodford Reserve Rye Right now, I'm really enjoying Woodford Reserve Rye because of the intense spice notes and the beautiful weight of the liquid as you sip it. It's fantastic. Pam Wiznitzer, mixologist at Henry at the Life Hotel in New York City. $45.99 at Drizly.com Willett Rye I think Willett turns out consistently great rye whiskeys. There is a great balance and I am always impressed with how mature it feels even with the younger releases. Gary Matthews, bartender at DrumBAR in Chicago. $60 at Drizly.com Angels Envy Rye Angels Envy makes a really fun rye whiskey that is finished in rum casks. It balances out some of the more aggressive flavors usually found in rye with some of the sweeter ones added by the rum finish. Johnny Contraveos, bar manager at ALK in New York City. $94.99 at Drizly.com Templeton Rye Templeton Rye is hands-down my favorite rye whiskey. Im from Iowa, which is where this whiskey is bottled, so I might be biased, but Templeton remains the tastiest, smoothest, most perfectly balanced rye Ive ever tasted. Great neat or on the rocks. Good in a cocktail even better by itself. Patrick Morgan, bartender at The Parlor in Hollywood. $41.99 at Drizly.com Get with the trends and switch up your nightcap routine with one of these bartender-approved rye whiskeys. You wont be sorry. You Might Also Dig Want more stories like this? Subscribe to AskMen's The Daily Dispatch newsletter! AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. People You Shouldn't Ask on a Date A Comprehensive List of All the People You Shouldnt Ask Out (and Why) There are a lot of people youre going to want to ask out on a date over the years, whether thats people who catch your eye with their stunning beauty, make you laugh, or impress you. For the most part, thats awesome! And best of luck to you. Unfortunately, there are also some people who, like it or not, you just shouldnt ask out or reveal your feelings to. Most guys know this implicitly, but the question of who, exactly, those people are is often up for debate. As long as its not written in stone anywhere, well, some gents will keep going for it even when they know its not the best idea. To help clear things up, heres a handy guide to the different people you shouldnt ask out and why. Your Teacher or Professor A brief scroll through any old porn aggregator will tell you that teacher-student fantasies are potent ones. It makes sense, particularly if you find the dominant/submissive thing sexy, as the power dynamics in the classroom arent exactly light years away from that. Still, bringing your attraction to the table could not only be awkward, it could also put them in a compromising position with regards to their job security. If theres real chemistry developing there, at least wait until the course is over before making your move. Your Student That goes double, or perhaps triple, for dating in the other direction. If youre the teacher in the situation, dont ask your student out! Not only are they almost certainly too young for you, and not only are there definite workplace rules against it, theres also a cringeworthy aspect to going out with someone whos come to you to learn and only learn. The world is full of people who arent dependent on your knowledge for their growth as a human being, so why dont you ask some of them out instead? It is almost never OK for a teacher to ask out a student while they are actively still in those roles which each other, says writer and relationship expert Kayla Lords of JackandJillAdult.com. The inherent power structure between the two is completely out of balance, and the student may not feel like they can say no.Their first concern might be what will happen to them if they decline. The ability to fully consent becomes questionable because the two roles aren't on equal footing. Your Boss Workplace romance is a whole mess of trickiness. If you have an attractive boss who you cant stop thinking about, consider yourself lucky, but dont make things weird by trying to initiate a relationship. If they agree to go out with you, youre now dating your boss, which youll realize soon enough is a nightmarishly bad idea. If your boss turns you down, things are now extremely awkward. Save everyone the trouble and keep those feelings hidden. People get over crushes all the time, and you can, too. Even if it is allowed, think to the future about what happens if things don't work out, says Lords. What will it do to the working relationship? And how will it impact everyone else who has to work with you? For many people, it might not be worth the potential stress and awkwardness. Your Close Coworker If you work with dozens or hundreds of employees, asking out a coworker might not be that bad. If youre in vastly different departments with minimal interaction in any real professional way, the stakes are way lower. On the other hand, if its someone youre in fairly constant communication with, revealing your feelings becomes much more fraught. If your coworker rejects you, the workplace becomes a weird space for both of you right away. Even if things work out, people are sure to gossip and you might have trouble focusing on the job. If it eventually goes south, the workplace becomes a super awkward space for both of you right away. Its normal to have an office crush, but maybe wait until one of you changes jobs before trying to make a move. If you repeatedly approach a coworker who hasn't indicated that they're interested in the attention, you're harassing them, warns Lords. If they ignore you, say no, or try to avoid you, don't pursue it. Your Subordinate or Employee Everything about asking out your boss or coworker becomes way more of a bad idea if that person is someone you actually have power over. Not only does it put them in an uncomfortable position of feeling obligated to say yes, it also means you could be taking advantage of the power imbalance to influence their decision. Not to mention that it could be tricky from an HR perspective. Many workplaces have rules of some sort against this kind of thing. A absolute no-dating policy is typically hard to enforce, but there are policies that a company can take to prohibit sexual harassment and discrimination, says David Reischer, attorney and CEO of LegalAdvice.com. Certainly instances where one of the principals involved has a supervisory role over the other should be outright prohibited. Companies can set up policies to encourage employees to come forward with complaints. In this manner, if an office romance does lead to harassment, the employer will have notice of the problem and be in a position to take action. Regardless, asking out (or being romantic or sexual in any way) toward an employee is deeply unprofessional and messed up. Dont do it! Your Friends Ex Asking out a friends ex is a total backstab. Sure, there could be mitigating factors, of course, such as the friend and the ex being on good terms, or the friend encouraging you to ask the ex out! If the ex is someone who meant a lot to your friend and/or your friend isnt over the relationship, making your feelings known there is almost definitely a bad move. Respect your friend and crush on someone else. Your Exs Friend Ideally, this would get shut down immediately by the friend in question, but regardless, going behind your exs back like this is a slimy move. How would you feel if your ex started asking out your friends? Itd make you wonder if they even liked you in the first place, or if they were secretly pining for your pal the whole time. (Plus, group hangouts would get weird if the friend said yes.) Instead, be a good ex and dont get after their friends just cause youre lonely now. Your Ex There was a reason you broke up, right? Probably several, in fact. It makes sense to want to get back together with someone who once made you happy, but trying to restart things with an ex is asking for trouble. Save yourselves a bunch of time, as well as all those annoying emotions, and do something productive instead ... like write a song about it. Someone Serving You If youre a guy whos accustomed to thinking a woman being cordial means shes also attracted to you, weve got some bad news about the service industry. Your barista doesnt want to sleep with you! Shes being nice in the hopes that youll tip her more, or for the other crazy reason: Shes just a nice person. Same goes for your waitress, and basically any position where being friendly to the customer is required. These people deal with overly horny would-be Romeos more than you realize. Dont be one of them. Someone Youre Serving The equation changes slightly when, say, youre the barista, but it still remains awkward. Nobody wants to have to change which coffee shop they go to, or plan around someones shifts there, because you got the wrong idea about the funny banter you two exchanged after they paid. Its normal if you make eyes at someone who comes into your work a lot, but be professional. If theyre single and looking, just swipe for them on Tinder. Anyone Too Young for You Even among law-abiding citizens, lots of guys seem to approach the whole age situation when it comes to dating with a very cavalier attitude. If youre not a teenager, or in your very, very early 20s, theres absolutely no reason to go out with 18- and 19-year-olds. RELATED: Things to Consider Before Dating a Younger Woman Anyone in a Monogamous Relationship Weve all developed a crush on someone who turned out to be already in a relationship. Weve also continued to pine after them despite their taken status. While no one says you cant look, its not cool to throw that crush in the persons face, forcing them to feel uncomfortable. Even if theyve been flirting back a little bit, trying to make an aggressive move on someone whos in a serious relationship is shady. The less people try to ruin other peoples relationships, the better off we all are as a society. A person in a monogamous relationship has made a choice not to date anyone else, and if/when they become single again, you should respect that until the time comes. Anyone Alone on the Street After Dark Lets just tack this very wide-ranging one on for the hell of it. Catcalling is creepy, annoying, and invasive at the best, even during the most well-lit of times. After dark, when people (particularly women) are even more on their guard, it becomes nightmarish. Many guys dont realize the degree to which women feel unsafe when walking alone at night, but if you see an attractive person one night and think nothing of it if you slink over, just dont. All youll be doing is giving them a feeling of abject terror that ends with you receiving a face full of pepper spray. Asking people out is a tricky process. Youre telling someone you find them attractive, implying that youve been thinking about them in a romantic and/or sexual way, and possibly forever changing the dynamic between the two of you. Sure, that can be a lot of fun unless youre asking out the wrong person. Play it cool around these people and your life will be much, much easier as a result. You Might Also Dig: Of custody and crypto The normally staid world of custody banking is now having to embrace the wild child of global assets: cryptocurrency. And this is happening just as bitcoin, the poster child of cryptocurrency, seesawed from US$30,000 one week to $40,000 the next, shedding then recovering 30% of its value. Some bitcoin bulls are talking of $100,000 by year-end Among the items found are meteorites, bones of an ancient human and dinosaurs, gemstones and minerals, and pre-Columbian artifacts. (Curators warn, however, that some of the 2,000 items may be fragments of the same object.) Smithsonian Magazine Less than two years after an acquisition, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that it had handed over a first-century BC gilded coffin to the Manhattan district attorney for return to the Egyptian government after discovering that it had been looted in 2011. The Art Newspaper Francois Ozons By the Grace of God, which just won the jury prize at the Berlin Film Festival, is based on the case of Father Bernard Preynat, who went to court to delay the release of the film until after his trial. A judge has rejected that bid. The Hollywood Reporter Have any questions? Please give us a call at 541-889-5387 Owosso, MI (48867) Today Rain showers this morning with numerous thunderstorms developing during the afternoon hours. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 79F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, overcast overnight with occasional rain. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. BarcelonaThe International Trial Watch (ITW) platform issued a report this Monday giving an overview of the first week of the trial against the 1-O, which was attended by six of the organizations observers. ITW warns that "the charges fail to take into account the fact that the defendants actions are protected by fundamental rights", and goes on to say that the fact that they consider that they have committed a crime implies that they are "reversing the constitutionally enforceable order when there are fundamental rights at stake". In the same vein, it accuses the prosecutor of blaming the defendants for "violence perpetrated on 1-O by [Spains] National Police and Civil Guard, thus minimizing the severe nature of injuries suffered by citizens". Dominique Nogueres (Paris, 1947) is vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Last week she got up at the crack of dawn to make sure she was able to obtain a seat in the Supreme Court where the trial of the independence referendum is taking place. She joined the delegation of four international observers who, with the logistical support of the International Trial Watch-Catalan Referendum Case platform, have followed the trial from the public gallery, since the court refused to reserve them seats. Talladega, AL (35160) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 85F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few clouds. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. The alarm sounded at 4 a.m. and I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed. We had a long drive ahead of us, and my husband, Led, was eager to get on the water. Before too long, our friends Chase and Courtney arrived and we were ready to hit the road. It is about two hours from our home to Lake Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* Posted on: February 19, 2019 3:51 PM Efforts by Anglicans and Episcopalians to tackle human trafficking in Ghana, Hong Kong, the US and the UK will be brought to the attention of a Committee of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights this week. The Anglican Communions Permanent Representative to the UN, Jack Palmer-White, will tell the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) that faith organisations have a key role to play in preventing trafficking in women and girls in the context of global migration. CEDAW is hosting a general discussion on the issue on Friday to help it prepare a general recommendation for UN member states. Ghana has emerged as a major country of origin for victims of child trafficking, both internally and across borders, Mr Palmer-White has said in a written submission to the group. In response to this, the Diocese of Accra partnered with the United States Embassy to tackle this injustice. They established a community shelter called Hope Village in order to facilitate the rehabilitation of rescued children, in addition to seeking partnership with the government to create awareness and ensure that the government of Ghana can eventually meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. He continued: Help for Domestic Workers, a community outreach programme of St Johns Cathedral, Hong Kong, provides free advice and assistance on employment, immigration and human rights issues to domestic workers in Hong Kong. Their mission is to aid foreign domestic workers in gaining access to justice and receive fair and equal treatment before the law. Over the last 26 years it has responded to more than 52,000 requests for assistance from domestic workers, many of whom have been trafficked into Hong Kong and become trapped in forced labour. The Cathedral also operates a walk-in centre, the Mission for Migrant Workers, which has been operating since 1981. The need for a temporary shelter, particularly for female workers, was identified and in 1986 the Bethune House Migrant Womens Refuge was established to provide shelter, counselling, emergency assistance and support around workers rights to any migrant woman in distress. It provides support to hundreds of women every year. In his paper, Mr Palmer-White also highlights the work of Episcopalians around this years Super Bowl sporting event in Atlanta, Georgia, who swapped hotels usual soap bars with ones containing telephone numbers for anti-trafficking hotlines. The Tampa Bay Times reported that an FBI operation around the Super Bowl led to the arrest of 169 people 26 of them alleged traffickers and the rescue of nine juvenile victims, at least one as young as 14. Mr Palmer-Whites submission also reports the work of the Church of Englands Clewer Initiative. Funded by the Clewer Sisters, the C of Es anti-trafficking campaign works to enable churches to detect modern slavery in their communities and provide victims with support and care, the submission says. By identifying resources, developing partnerships, and providing training, the Clewer Initiative hopes to play an important part in eradicating modern slavery. The Initiative has also launched a Safe Car Wash App as a tool for gathering community intelligence by identifying working standards in informal car washes, a key industry for the use of forced and bonded labour in the United Kingdom. Mr Palmer-White, who has asked to make an oral submission on Friday, argues in his written submission that countries should recognise the role that churches and other faith groups can play. This submission outlines just some of the ways that churches of the Anglican Communion around the world are responding to the issue of human trafficking, through support for victims of trafficking and those at risk of being trafficked, particularly women and girls, Mr Palmer-White says. We request that the General Recommendation produced by the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women reflects the key role that churches and other faith actors can, and do, play in the fight against trafficking of women and girls in the context of global migration. He said: The Fourth Mark of Mission of the Anglican Communion is: to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation. To support the implementation of this goal across the member churches of the Anglican Communion, the Anglican Consultative Council has requested them to develop strategies and support to address trafficking, abduction and abuse of children and women for rituals, forced labour, and forced marriage. He continued: We also take this opportunity to remind the Committee of the crucial role faith-based organisations play in the advancement of the rights of all women and girls. Our cry for gender justice is rooted in our faith. The Anglican Consultative Council has committed itself to gender equality and justice by upholding just relationships between women and men as a reflection of the Christian belief that women and men are made equally in the image of God. It is our conviction that a world which does not allow for the full flourishing and potential of all human beings does not meet the vision of our Creator. Human trafficking deprives individuals of their rights and freedoms, robs them of autonomy, and leaves them at risk of further violence and exploitation. Each member of the human family is made in the divine image to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect; never to be trafficked or exploited. Fridays meeting is expected to be streamed live by UN TV between 10 am and 1 pm CET (9 am and midday, GMT). Posted on: February 19, 2019 12:43 PM The Church of England and a coalition of investors with combined assets of more than 3 trillion GBP have welcomed an announcement on tailings dam safety by global mining company BHP. The coalition, which includes the Church of England Pensions Board and the Church Commissioners for England, issued a joint call last month for a global independent public classification system for mining companies tailings dams, following the collapse of the Vale dam in Brumadinho, Brazil. The confirmed death toll from the disaster stands at 169 people; with an addition 141 still unaccounted for. Tailings dams hold mining by-products. Questions have been asked about their safety as tailing dam walls are often built on the muddy mining waste rather than solid ground. In 2015, some 19 people were killed when the Fundao dam at Mariana collapsed, destroying the Brazilian village of Bento Rodrigues. The Brazilian government announced yesterday (Monday) that no new upstream tailing dams can be built; and existing structures must be decommissioned by 2021. The Church of England investment bodies are working with Swedish Public Pension funds, Dutch funds APG and Robeco, New Zealand Super, UKs LGPS Central and Canadian fund BMO Global Asset Management to call for new safety standards. The investors are proposing that the new system should be independent of companies and require annual audits of all tailings dams as well as verification that the highest corresponding safety standards are being implemented. All reporting should be made public through an accessible database that communities, governments, civil society and investors can access. Today, BHP said it supported the call, and said it was speeding up measures to improve safety at its 115 tailing dams. These are located at seven operated sites in Australia and Chile, with a further seven closed sites throughout North America, and four non-operated joint ventures in North America and South America. The company said that 47 of its tailing dams were constructed using the upstream method 13 of them are active. BHP will continue to accelerate its work with the industry to advance the science and technology required to improve the safety of tailings storage facilities, BHP said in a message to shareholders. This includes existing workstreams such as early warning technologies, better models and monitoring of possible modes of failure, tailings dewatering options, and dry tailings storage viability at scale. BHP will meet with a number of global bodies this month to expedite this work. BHP welcomes a common, international and independent body to oversee integrity of construction and operation of all tailings storage facilities across the industry. In addition, BHP supports calls for greater transparency in tailings management disclosure and will work with the industry to make sure the disclosure is consistently applied and informs better tailings dam stewardship. Welcoming the announcement, the Director of Ethics and Engagement for the Church of England Pensions Board, Adam Matthews, said: communities, workers, banks and investors need the assurance that best practice will become the new minimum requirement across the mining sector. Independence and transparency will be key to re-establishing trust and as investors we look forward to playing our part in working with global experts and industry in advancing the call we have made. The Bishop of Birmingham, David Urquhart, will chair a high level meeting of investors, leading global experts and senior industry representatives in London on 4 April to advance the investors call. Samsung had introduced the Galaxy Tab S5e the other day, and in addition to that, the company also announced a second tablet in some markets, the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019). This tablet did not come to light straight away as it surfaced on Samsungs Germany website. We do know that the tablet will become available in Germany in April, but more on that later. The Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) is a budget tablet, and the device is not too flashy (presuming that it look slike the Tab S5e, because a separate image was not shared). Its bezels are just right when it comes to thickness, and you should not have an issue gripping onto this device, at all. A single camera is included on both the devices front and back sides, while this tablet actually comes with the latest version of Googles operating system, Android 9 Pie. Samsungs overlay is included on top of it, though, of course. The Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) features a 10.1-inch 1920 x 1200 TFT display with a display aspect ratio of 16:10. The device is fueled by the Exynos 7904 64-bit octa-core processor, and it packs in 2GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. A 6,150mAh battery is included in this tablet, and it is not removable. An 8-megapixel camera sits on the back of the device, while a 5-megapixel camera can be found on its front side. Advertisement The Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) comes with Bluetooth 5, it supports Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), and 4G LTE. Do keep in mind that both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 4G LTE variants will be available, as Samsung listed 4G LTE as optional. A Type-C USB 2.0 port can be found on the bottom of this tablet, while the device measures 245 x 149 x 7.5mm, and weighs 460 grams. The Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) comes in Black, Gold, and Silver color variants, while its Wi-Fi only version will cost 210 ($237). In case youre aiming to get a variant of the tablet with 4G LTE connectivity, the device will end up costing you 270 ($305). The Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019) will become available on April 5 in Germany, and theres still no news regarding its availability in other markets. Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e Advertisement The Galaxy Tab S5e is a more powerful tablet than the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019), theres no doubt about that. The Galaxy Tab S5e is also a considerably more expensive tablet, though, as its pricing starts at $399.99. The Galaxy Tab S5e also comes with Android 9 Pie out of the box, while it includes a 10.5-inch 2560 x 1600 AMOLED display. A 13-megapixel camera sits on the back of this device, while a 7,040mAh battery is included in the package as well, along with fast charging. This tablet also has four speakers tuned by AKG, Dolby Atmos, while it comes in both 4GB and 6GB RAM storage options. The device comes in both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE variants as well, and it will be available in the same color variants as the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019), Black, Silver, and Gold. Advertisement The Galaxy Tab S5e will have a much wider availability than the Galaxy Tab A 10.1 (2019), at least at first, and if youd like to know more about the device, feel free to check out our announcement. Today Qualcomm announced a new all-band, all-region 5G modem. Along with that announcement the company also unveiled its latest antenna module, the QTM525. This is a mmWave antenna module, and one of the critical components needed to assist 5G deployment at the device level. As mmWave is expected to play a significant, though not sole, role in 5G connections, in many ways this can be best understood as the companys 5G antenna module. Technically, this is a second-generation product as the company already announced its first mmWave antenna module, the QTM052, back in July 2018. Qualcomm states the QTM525 supports 26 GHz, 28 GHz, and 39 GHz bands and one of the most noteworthy improvements of the QTM525 over the QTM052 is the size with the latest antenna module now better suited to slimmer devices. Qualcomm states the new design can accommodate smartphone designs sleeker than 8 millimeters thick. Advertisement Along with the various other technologies already available to Qualcomm, this now forms part of the companys 5G RF Front-End (RFFE) solution going forward, and when further coupled with the new Snapdragon X55 modem, the company argues this is the worlds most advanced commercial 5G modem and platform. This robust modem-to-antenna solution not only accounts for all bands and all regions, but also all generational networks thanks to the backwards support down to 2G. Therefore although this is being pushed to market as a 5G solution, Qualcomm has been quick to point out its more of a multi-mode product that can satisfy device-makers and consumers at any G network level. One of the additional components essential to the improvements of the RFFE is the new Qualcomm QET6100. The companys and according to Qualcomm the worlds first 5G envelope tracking solution. Advertisement Envelope tracking in itself is not new as it has been used for some time in the smartphone world and at the RFFE level as a means to reduce the strain put on devices when sending out a signal to networks. Its essentially a power amplifier and the reduction in strain leads to other benefits, such as lowering power consumption. In consumer smartphone talk, it helps to extend battery life. It is these very aspects that Qualcomm now expects the QET6100 to help with when it comes to 5G smartphones and devices in general by helping to boost the signal without the need for more power or placing greater strain on 5G devices. For example, Qualcomm is claiming double the power efficiency which in addition to extending battery life, will also assist with faster speeds overall. At the network level, the QET6100 can help to improve indoor coverage. Advertisement Speaking of the coverage, this end-to-end solution also draws on the Qualcomm QAT3555. This is the companys new 5G NR Adaptive Antenna Tuning solution and is another aspect thats now expected to help with improved indoor coverage, as well as battery life and also assisting with more consistent and faster download speeds. As this is a complete RFFE solution, Qualcomm argues the additional benefit on offer is the time to market expected for devices. OEMs will be able to draw on this solution without having to work on compatibility as much as they might have to if opting for separate components. Therefore, OEMs opting to go all-in with Qualcomms RFFE solution can take advantage of an accelerated device launch which in turn helps to get 5G devices in the hands of consumers more quickly. Qualcomm has confirmed all of the components within this new 5G RFFE system will be sampled out to interested OEMS in the first half of this year with the expectation devices utilizing this modem-to-antenna system will begin to arrive in the second half of 2019. Qualcomm today announced that its research and development locations in San Diego, California and Bridgewater, New Jersey have now expanded their 5G tests to include new end-to-end over-the-air (OTA) configurations for both mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands. The networks are built on 3GPP 5G NR Release 15 standards although the company is also using them to test 3GPP Release 16 (and beyond) designs. An approach that Qualcomm states not only helps it to plan for the future, but also to further refine operations under the current release standards. Advertisement Qualcomm also confirmed it will be showcasing the network improvements during MWC 2019 in Barcelona. In a separate, but related announcement, Qualcomm also advised that in addition to network improvement demonstrations, the company will also be demoing new 5G applications and use cases at the same event. Again, these will not only be based on the 3GPP Release 15 standards, but also concept uses based on Release 16 and beyond. All of which is further designed to highlight how far the company has come in relation to the advancement of 5G, and across different product categories. Advertisement For example, while many recent demonstrations have focused on mobile broadband 5G connections, and even though Qualcomm will be showcasing these during MWC 2019, the company will also demonstrate additional benefits that 5G will bring beyond smartphones. One in particular the company was keen to highlight ahead of time is the use of boundless extended reality. Extended reality, or XR is often used by Qualcomm as a catch-all label for the various realities, including but not limited to augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR). The boundless bit is in reference to the greater mobile-based XR experiences that are made available through 5G. The important point to note is these expereinces are not just possible due to the connection itself. This is due to 5Gs potential to act as more than a connection point but also a vessel to offload processing to somewhere else the cloud. This approach results in less demand on devices locally which in turn helps to lower power consumption and improve other areas of the experience, such as latency. It is this on-device and elsewhere combined approach that will make it easier for these boundless experiences to be offered to consumers. Advertisement In fact, this on and off-device use is expected to resonate through 5G in general and across devices with Qualcomm also expected to highlight this point through additional demonstrations. As well as showcasing how both shared and unlicensed spectrum can be utilized together for even higher and more reliable levels of performance, network capacity and throughput. Other demonstrations will focus in on the use of mmWave within an indoor context. For example, Qualcomm will look to showcase the benefits that 5G will bring to users when in a high-density venue by demoing how in spite of being in an ultra-busy indoor environment, and irrespective of the device, users can still expect improved capacity, multi-Gigabit speeds and lowered latency. Besides the companys end-to-end testing and MWC 2019 attendance, the company also today announced a new 5G modem as well as a new 5G RFFE system. Both of which are becoming available to OEMs and can be used separately or together to further improve the 5G mobile experience going forward. As many of you are probably aware, were about to see quite a few foldable smartphones released in 2019, and even though only Royoles offering launched up until now, I do believe that you will want to stay away from foldable devices altogether in 2019. Why is that? Well, theres a good chance that neither of the devices that become available this year will be worth the asking price, and there are a number of reasons why, many of which will probably stick around for many years to come. We will talk more about those reasons in this article, even though neither of them will stop some of you from getting what Samsung, LG, OPPO, Huawei, or any other company plans to release, as its hard to argue that those phones will be unique, and quite innovative. Before we get into it, its worth saying that quite a few smartphones manufacturers already confirmed that theyre planning to release a foldable smartphone in 2019. Samsung showed off its demo device at its developers conference, Motorolas patents surfaced recently, Huawei confirmed its device is on the way, as did OPPO, and Xiaomis CEO even demonstrated the companys foldable smartphone quite recently. Several other companies made it clear that theyre getting ready to pull the trigger on foldable smartphones as well, so you wont be lacking options if youre dead set on getting a foldable device this year, but hear me out first. The Asking Price Advertisement This is the first reason why you may want to stay away from foldable devices, and even though I was about to leave it for last, its quite an important factor in the whole story. Rumors are claiming that Samsungs foldable handset will cost around $1,700, and smartphones from other OEMs will also be notably more expensive than their regular flagship offerings in 2019. Now, manufacturing a foldable device is not an easy task, this is brand new technology that were looking at, and the approach is considerably different than with regular smartphones, so its not surprising that foldable devices will be more expensive than regular phones, at least at first, but just because something is new and shiny doesnt mean its worth it. Foldable smartphones will offer something unique, two form factors in one, but not everything is nice and dandy as it sounds, read on. Too Thick For Most People As its usually the case with first-gen products and innovative technology, we will see a number of designs at first, but no matter how different they are, they will all have one problem in common thickness. Nowadays, most smartphones are around 7mm thick, so people are used to very thin smartphones which they can put in their pockets even though most of them sport 6+-inch displays well, foldable devices will probably double that thickness (at the very least). We still do not know how thick exactly will each of those phones be, of course, but when you consider that the phone needs to be folded, and that the display cannot really magically fold all the way, you can imagine that well deal with thick phones. So, no matter if a phone folds inwards or outwards, it will be thick, and chances are were looking at thickness which goes way over 15mm. Advertisement Considerably Heavier Than Regular Smartphones Thickness is not the only design-related issue, however, as the sheer weight of those phones will also be a problem for some. Foldable smartphones will have large displays, of course, and in order to power those displays, OEMs will need to include rather large batteries in such phones. That, in addition to the general footprint of such devices, will increase weight considerably compared to todays handsets. Truth be said, phones these days usually weight around 170-200 grams (at least flagship-grade device and phones with large displays), while they were a lot lighter before. Some people are already not happy with smartphone weight, and foldable phones will increase that weight considerably. We would like to stay away from guessing as to how much will they weigh, as that will differ quite a bit from one phone to the other, but they will weight considerably over 200 grams, maybe even over 300 grams. Other Design-Related Issues Advertisement Now, some of you may even have a problem with other design aspects of such phones. The first thing that comes to mind is screen damage. It seems like it will not be difficult to scratch the display or crack it, as no matter if a foldable phone folds inwards or outwards, a display will be used as a backplate at one point or the other. In Samsungs case, when the phone is unfolded, a secondary display will be part of the phones back side, so when you place it on a surface, that display will basically be touching the surface and it wont be hard to damage it. In Xiaomis case, on the other hand, the whole back side will a display, essentially, when the phone is folded, that wont be an issue when its unfolded (contrary to Samsungs offering), but when you fold its two sides, two thirds of its display will be used as a backplate. On top of what was said, such phones will probably have thicker bezels than you may anticipate, not to mention that there are a number of other displays issues that may occur, but well talk more about that in the next paragraph. Now, if youre all about proportional devices, you may have an issue with some of these designs as well, designs like Samsungs, for example. The companys device will fold outwards, right down the middle, which means that when folded, one side of the phone will be all display, while the other will be a connection of the phones sides, so they will be completely different, both in look and feel so it will be interesting to see whether that will bother people, and how quickly will they get used to it. Advertisement That will not be an issue with Xiaomis design, however, as the sides of the phone will be identical both when the phone is folded and unfolded. Were taking these two companies as examples because theyve shown us the most when it comes to foldable smartphones, not including Royole. Possible Display Issues & Display Quality In General Most OEMs will probably do their best to include real quality displays inside such phones, but we dont really think theyll measure up to displays in regular smartphones. Companies have been developing flexible displays for a long time, and a number of quality panels surfaced, but what weve seen thus far on demo devices does not look all that great. Due to constant folding of such smartphones, those displays look plasticky when you look at them, as if you took a piece of plastic and constantly fold it, the surface is not as smooth as on regular smartphones, and thus is a bit distracting, at least I thought so. Speaking of displays, general displays durability is also in question. A number of OEMs said that theyve been testing such displays a long time, and many of them will probably say that you can fold those displays as much as you want, that theyre extremely resistant and what not, but Im still quite skeptical. Advertisement You will be folding that phone a ton of times on a daily basis, and truth be said, displays issues may become a thing after a while. Repairing such phones will be quite expensive at first, which is not really your problem if you have a warranty for a device, presuming that the manufacturer will acknowledge that warranty, of course, as this is actually a perfect opportunity for them to wiggle out of it for a number of reasons. Dont get me wrong, you will probably be able to avail that warranty without an issue, but Ive stumbled upon a number of warranty-related issues in the past when it comes to regular smartphones, so I can only imagine what will happen with foldable ones, as there are a number of additional ways they can be damaged. Camera Access Camera access is yet another issue that some of these phones may face. In the previous paragraph, we talked about how Xiaomis phones will have identical sides compared to Samsungs, well, in terms of cameras, Xiaomis design approach may prove to be more of an issue in the camera department. Considering that Xiaomis phone will fold on both sides, its whole back side will be covered by parts of its main display, which essentially means that you will not be able to use the camera while the phone is folded, and thats the point when most people will want to take pictures. Advertisement Very few people want to hold a huge tablet in the hand and take pictures, so it will be interesting to see how will Xiaomi fix this issue in the final design. Samsungs approach will not have such problems as one side of the phone will never be covered up, so its main camera(s) can be placed there without a problem. Once again, these are the two companies that basically showed off their design approaches, so we know what to expect, which is why were taking them as an example, but most other companies will face similar issues. Battery Life Smartphone manufacturers will need to include larger batteries in foldable smartphones, as displays on such phones will be noticeably larger, but were guessing that those batteries will not be too big, as foldable phones will be heavy as it is, so OEMs will not want to make the issue even more pronounced. In retrospect, that means that battery life on most foldable phones probably wont be great, but were only guessing, as OEMs may actually sacrifice extra weight in order to get battery life where it should be. This is an issue that will depend from one OEM to another, so youll either get an extremely heavy device and great battery life, or a somewhat lighter device (still heavy though), and poor battery life at least if we simplify it all the way. It will be interesting to see how will companies handle such issues. Advertisement Dropping A Foldable Phone May Not Be The Best Idea In The World So, most smartphones today are quite fragile, to be quite honest. Manufacturers tend to use metal frame and glass back on most phones, which essentially means that theres a high chance youll break your phone once it drops, its front or back glass. That was not much of an issue in the past, but it is now. So, will foldable phones be more resilient? Well, truth be said, probably not, in fact, they will be even more prone to damage than regular devices. On regular phones, displays do not wrap around the edges, which is not the case with foldable devices, the display will either wrap around one edge, or the other, with the exception of phones that fold inwards, of course. That essentially means that the display is more or less more prone to damage than regular displays, as the sensitive surface is larger than on regular phones, due to display real estate on the sides, which could be a really huge problem for designs such as Xiaomis, if youre clumsy enough to drop your phone, of course. Wrap Up So, considering weve only seen one phone thus far, most of this info is based either on demo devices that companies had shown off, or patents that weve seen. Some of these issues will not affect all foldable phones, but there are quite a few of them that will. In one way, it seems like foldable phones are a considerable step forward, while in others, it seems like were backtracking. Foldable phones will probably stick around for years to come, may even become a standard down the road, but the first-gen products that well see this year probably wont be worth your money, at all, though youre free to disagree, of course, as per usual. [February 19, 2019] One in Four Consumers Stopped Doing Business with Companies Due to Lack of Personalized Communications NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech and customer communications leader, today released a study revealing that personalization in communications is significantly impacting customer loyalty. Over one-third (35 percent) of 3,004 consumers surveyed in the U.S. and Canada say that the companies they patron need to improve communication experiences. Moreover, one in four (25 percent) have stopped doing business with a company specifically due to poorly personalized communications. This grows to one in three (35 percent) among Millennials. "Consumer expectations have changed dramatically in the digital age and brands need to increasingly look to engage their customers in meaningful ways," said Matt Swain, managing director and practice lead for communications consulting services, Broadridge. "Essential communications, like bills and statements, offer a unique, yet often underutilized, opportunity to provide a personalized experience for customers. This can do more than build brand loyalty, it can also drive the bottom line." Interestingly, the survey found one-in-five consumers has purchased a new product or service because they received a message in a bill or statement, a significant conversion rate and opportunity for companies to deepen customer relationships. Digital Adoption Hinges on Quality Communication Experiences, Especially Mobile Broadridge found that most consumers (69 percent) are likely to convert to paperless if providers make digital experiences more engaging. In fact, if a company's mobile device experience is poor, more than half (57 percent) of respondents said they'd be less likely to go paperless. That said, most consumers (62 percent) have converted at least one bill or statement to paperless delivery within the last year, with Millennials and households with children leading the migration. "Companies recognize that digital communications are attractive because they can reduce operational and call center costs by creating more self-service experiences for customers; but, consumers now demand digital experiences that are far better than print. They want personalized digital communications that deliver real value," said Swain. "We help companies transform thir businesses by enriching customer engagement and optimizing efficiency." While digital transformation in billing is trending upwards, half (50 percent) of consumers say that printed bills and statements are important or vital to them, and one-third (34 percent) believe that print will maintain this importance to them over the next five years. If companies ceased mail communications and completely converted customers to digital channels, this would upset or annoy 49 percent of Baby Boomers and even 38 percent of Millennials. New Technology Brings New Conveniences for Digital Converts As the digital landscape evolves, companies should look to introduce next-generation technologies to the communication experience. Broadridge's survey results indicate that consumers already prefer to receive payment-due reminders via email and text message rather than by physical mail. Millennials, 30 percent of whom have missed a payment due date in the last 12 months, prefer to receive payment reminders via text, email or mobile app notifications. Looking at new technological capabilities, more than one-third (36 percent) of consumers want to view bills and statements in one digital location a key advantage of personal cloud storage, like Google Drive and Dropbox. Responses suggest that consumers like cloud channels due to the convenient location/access, the ability to create an overview of monthly expenses and investments, and the ease it allows to predict future expenses. Broadridge found that in the next wave of communications, consumers would be interested in customizing the layout of their bills and statements themselves, incorporating touch ID and facial recognition into mobile experiences, leveraging AI in customer service to get more immediate responses to simple questions, and adding personalized informational videos in digital communications. Visit https://www.broadridge.com/report/annual-customer-experience-and-communications-trends-survey to view a summary of the study results. For more information about how Broadridge supports customer communications, please visit www.broadridge.com/resource/broadridge-communications-cloud. Broadridge provides communications, technology, data and analytics solutions to help clients drive business transformation, enrich client engagement, optimize efficiency and generate revenue growth. Its essential communications services reach 80 percent of North American mailboxes on behalf of more than 5,000 brands each year. Broadridge helps clients across industries create more fluid omni-channel experiences designed to increase communications clarity, engagement, and digital adoption.This research is the latest in its effort to help clients better understand consumers and gain insight into customer communication preferences. Methodology Broadridge Customer Communications commissioned Engine to conduct a CARAVAN Omnibus Survey. The 53-question survey was administered between November 29 and December 6, 2018 to 3,004 U.S. and Canadian residents ages 25 and older. The sample was weighted to current U.S. and Canadian Census data for age, gender and region. The figures are statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level with a margin of error of 2 percentage points. About Broadridge Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a $4 billion global Fintech leader and part of the S&P 500, is a leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset managers and corporate issuers globally. Broadridge's investor communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridge's infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 50 percent of public companies and mutual funds globally, and processes on average more than US $5 trillion in fixed income and equity trades per day. Broadridge employs over 10,000 full-time associates in 18 countries. Media: Cindy Engman Prosek Partners +1 646-818-9281 cengman@prosek.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-in-four-consumers-stopped-doing-business-with-companies-due-to-lack-of-personalized-communications-300796701.html SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] File photoPresident of Columbia Gas Steve Bryant at a press conference during the gas disaster. He announced his retirement last week. Your guide to the summer treasures of the North of Boston and Merrimack Valley regions Click Here Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-561-7737 These beautiful glass sculptures depicting ocean waves were made by Paul DeSomma and Marsha Blaker, a husband and wife team, known internationally for their glass and ceramic art. Paul and Marsha have a studio in Live Oak, CA. where they create both individually and collaboratively. They work mainly with hot glass and create pieces from both blown glass, which ends as a hollow piece, or solid works, which are large pieces of glass manipulated while molten. Paul DeSomma and Marsha Blaker both worked at the acclaimed Pilchuck Glass School where they met and married a couple years later, opening their studio in 2001. Marsha Blaker-DeSomma received her Masters Degree in both ceramics and glass and attended Pilchuck Glass School as a scholarship student and as a staff member. Paul DeSomma, on the other hand, is a glass artist who specializes in figurative work. Paul first blew glass in New York City in 1983, and spent the next 15 years working and studying in studios in Seattle, Washington and Murano, Italy. The decision to collaborate, as opposed to working side by side in the same studio, came in part because of a serious car accident in which Blaker was involved. She calls it a "lifestyle change." "Somehow, the accident made us realize that now is the time to do the work that were both really feeling needs to be done," she says. "Why wait for a better time? Theres no better time than now. Often, things that appear tragic can be a real positive influence, ultimately. Thats what weve found in this case, is that we were able to see the bigger picture." Sources: Glass-Art.com / Vetriglass.com via Bored Panda The 2020 race for the Democratic presidential nomination is well underway, and one of the big questions to be answered is how far left some candidates will go to capture the party's base and ride them to victory. Warren will unveil a massive new government program that will ensure "every family can afford high-quality child care." HuffPo: The plan seeks to make access to child care universal, the sources told HuffPost, by offering federal funds to providers that offer care at their facilities on a sliding income scale. No family would have to spend more than 7 percent of its household income on child care, no matter the number of kids. Families with incomes below twice the poverty line, which is roughly $50,000 a year for a family of four, would pay nothing. Only providers that meet federal safety, staffing and curriculum standards could qualify for the funding. Officials with Warren's 2020 presidential campaign declined to comment on the proposal and the sources familiar with the plan cautioned that some details were still in flux as of last week. But, the sources said, the campaign has an internal analysis that shows the initiative will likely require approximately $700 billion in new federal spending over 10 years. That is a net figure, taking into account higher economic benefits of early childhood investments, such as making it easier for new parents to return to work. "High-quality" child care? Does she have any idea how much that would cost? Here's a state-by-state breakdown of child care costs, and it's a helluva lot more than 7%: While there are large variations across state lines, on the whole, Americans are spending a huge portion of their income on childcare. Business Broker Network put the data together from a national survey of childcare providers, and the results are staggering. The highest cost, by far, is in Washington, DC, where parents are spending an average of $35,782 per year, or $2,982 per month. Massachusetts is the next most expensive state for childcare, where it costs an average of $29,426 annually, or $2,452 monthly. New York comes in third at $24,102 annually ($2,009 monthly). On the less expensive side of the spectrum is Mississippi, where parents put an average of $7,981 a year ($665 a month) towards childcare. Business Broker Network also looked at each state's childcare cost compared to its median income, as well as rent price for a two-bedroom apartment. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers childcare affordable if no more than 10 percent of a family's income is put towards it, but parents are ultimately spending much more, on average. Families in Washington, DC spend 26 percent of their annual income, Massachusetts spends 25, and Wisconsin spends 23. Even in states where the cost is comparatively low, parents still exceed what HHS deems affordable. For instance, families in Mississippi spend 12 percent, those in Louisiana spends 13 percent, and those in Alabama spends 14 percent. Even the cheapest childcare states are spending twice what Warren thinks is "high quality." This is getting ridiculous. So far, the left has proposed spending $32 trillion over ten years for "Medicare for All," $700 billion for universal child care, about the same for "free" college tuition," and trillions for a Green New Deal. But they're only going to tax "the very rich" to fund it all. You probably don't know a lot of people from Paraguay. It is a landlocked country in South America surrounded by Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. I've seen a lot of busts and statues of U.S. presidents in Mexico; Venezuela; and even Cuba, where I was born. There are also many English-language schools named after U.S. presidents south of the border. Paraguay has a troubled history with lots of political upheaval and dictators. Its culture is heavily influenced by Guarani Indians, and many even speak that language in their daily lives. Despite its natural beauty, the country is not known as a tourist destination. Even most Latin Americans know little about Paraguay. It's probably the Spanish version of "flyover country" when you go from Miami to Buenos Aires or from Santiago, Chile to Sao Paulo. My parents, like so many of that generation, did dance to "Recuerdos de Ypacarai," the beautiful romantic song from Paraguay about love on the shores of that famous lake. It's a song about a young man who meets a girl, and she speaks her native language. Even Julio Iglesias added that lovely song to his repertoire. So why do they remember President Rutherford Hayes down in Paraguay? They even named a city after him. He may be the only U.S. president to have that honor. After all, we hardly remember President Hayes up here. He won the super-controversial presidential election of 1876 and served only one term. Why do they love President Hayes in Paraguay, a country way down in South America? Well, here is the rest of the story: [T]here's one place where Hayes stands as a historical heavyweight: in the tiny South American nation of Paraguay. In fact, an industrial city on the banks of the Paraguay River is named Villa Hayes Spanish for "Hayesville" in his honor. Here's why: Hayes took office in 1877 in the aftermath of the Triple Alliance War, a conflict that nearly destroyed Paraguay. The country lost huge chunks of territory to victorious Brazil and Argentina. Later, Argentina later tried to claim the Chaco, the vast wilderness region of northern Paraguay. At the time there was no United Nations or World Court. So the two sides asked the United States to settle the dispute and President Hayes sided with Paraguay. The decision gave Paraguay 60 percent of its present territory and helped guarantee its survival as a nation, says Maria Teresa Garozzo, director of the Villa Hayes Museum. "Hayes is a giant," Garozzo says. "He is a spectacular, immortal figure for us." That's the story of President Hayes and Paraguay. So here is a tip if you are trying to impress some girl from Paraguay: buy some red roses for her birthday, practice your Spanish with "Recuerdos de Ypacarai," and tell her you remember what President Hayes did for her country. I cannot guarantee results, but the strategy will win you some points. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Some ammo for Rush Limbaugh On Chris Wallace's Sunday morning show on Fox News, the anchor was fixated asking his guests in particular, Rush Limbaugh why Republicans were so quick to criticize Obama's executive actions with regard to DREAMers and DACA but are equally quick to defend President Trump's executive action declaring border security and building a barrier a national emergency. Unfortunately, Rush was caught off guard and did not have the answer at the ready in his nicotine-stained hands. Rather, he fumfered around a bit and said something about not caring because Trump's actions were right and Obama's wrong. Ouch. Not a very convincing answer. Love the guy, but this was a punt. Hopefully, he will think of the right answer in time for his show, maybe by reading this blog post and having a look at the articles I cite. Here goes: Obama's executive actions, not just on DACA and the DREAMers, but also on the Iran deal and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), as well as his defense and support of, and lack of enforcement regarding, sanctuary cities, violated existing laws, statutes, and constitutional provisions. Jack Cashill does an excellent job laying this out in detail in American Thinker here. Obama ignored and violated laws he was actually constitutionally charged with enforcing as America's chief executive. We knew it then but were powerless to do much about it. Obama's pen and phone were formidable and used often with little regard for the very same Constitution Democrats are all so exercised about now. In contrast, Trump's executive action declaring as a national emergency the need to erect a barrier to shore up the integrity of our border and protect the 360 million individuals residing therein is actually the enforcement of existing laws, which is by definition what the Executive Branch does. Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution succinctly charges that the Executive "shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" something Obama clearly did not do with regard to our immigration laws or DOMA. Moreover, Obama's Iran deal was, in fact, a treaty, which the Constitution requires to be ratified by the Senate. Obama knew he couldn't get two-thirds ratification, so he decided to call it a "deal" and look the other way. But treaties are treaties, whether they are called deals or agreements or anything else, and Obama flagrantly violated his duty under the Constitution. On the other hand, Trump, by declaring this a national emergency, is acting well within the scope of his broader constitutional duties to provide for our national security as our executive and, further, is acting consistently with congressional legislation (the National Emergencies Act of 1976) that directly empowers the president to take the very action he is taking. You can read about the legal subtleties of the congressional delegation of powers here in an article penned by U.C. Berkeley legal scholar John Yoo. Yoo points out that Congress actually authorized border security measures and construction of a wall in legislation back in 2006; Congress has not expressly prohibited the president from taking such action (I suppose Pelosi's Congress could do this if she could get a majority vote, have it pass the Senate, and be signed by Trump never mind); and he is using powers delegated to the Executive Branch to "build, nay, finish that wall." This was a missed opportunity by Rush to educate the public beyond his show, American Thinker, and National Review. Let's hope others will pick up on it and discuss it on the other networks, blogs, and news sources. Maybe Trump will tweet about it or discuss it in his many encounters with the press. Image credit: Fox News via YouTube screen grab. President Trump's latest statement did not disprove the existence of a national emergency The media and some pundits have been salivating ever since President Trump declared a national emergency at a recent press conference. At that time, according to Roll Call, the president stated (regarding the national emergency), "I didn't need to do this, but I'd rather do it much faster." Many pundits and media outlets jumped on this statement and argued that the statement, in and of itself, establishes that no national emergency exists. This conclusion is an incorrect rush to judgment, as the president's statement did not disprove the obvious existence of a national emergency. To understand why these pundits and those in the media and on the left might be disappointed, one need only look at the statement in the proper historical context. According to ACLU executive director Anthony Romero, by making these statements, the president admitted that there is no national emergency. Some have even claimed that it would almost be malpractice not to use the president's words against him in any lawsuit relating to the national emergency. While the various pundits and media outlets are free to voice their thoughts and opinions, nothing in the president's statements appears to negate or mitigate the existence of a national emergency. To the contrary, the president's statement is entirely accurate. More particularly, the president didn't need to declare a national emergency. He could have continued to negotiate with Senate Democrats, and he could have shut down the government for a second time. Therefore, in this context, he was entirely correct that he did not need to declare the emergency. Those who are now threatening to include the president's "statements" in their pending, or newly drafted, lawsuits challenging the emergency are simply deceiving themselves by utilizing a play on words. Given the number of people trying to illegally cross the border, it is abundantly clear that the president was not saying he did not need to declare a national emergency because one didn't exist. Rather, he was referring to the obvious fact that he would not have needed to declare the emergency had congressional Democrats realized the gravity of the situation and adequately funded the wall. While it is likely that some left-leaning courts will utilize this so-called "admission" against the president, the Supreme Court will hopefully see through this charade and look at it in the proper context. As Roll Call pointed out, quoting Trump, "We will have a national emergency, and we will then be sued, and they will sue us in the 9th Circuit, even though it shouldn't be there, and we will possibly get a bad ruling, and then we'll get another bad ruling, and then we'll end up in the Supreme Court, and hopefully, we'll get a fair shake, and we'll win in the Supreme Court, just like the [travel] ban." The same can be said about Trump's desire to get funding much faster. The president made numerous efforts to negotiate with congressional Democrats to obtain funding for the border wall. He made several good-faith offers and even agreed to a three-week temporary end to the partial government shutdown that did not include funding for a border wall. As the deadline was set to expire, the president was presented with a terrible and alleged "bipartisan" deal that included little money for the border wall. Therefore, the president had a choice. He could either reject the agreement, thereby leading to another government shutdown, or sign the agreement and find the funds elsewhere. His decision to do the latter and his desire to obtain the funding faster has nothing to do with the existence or nonexistence of a national emergency. The media and some of the various pundits are, once again, trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. President Trump's comment did not disprove the existence of a national emergency, and it is doubtful that the nation's highest court will find these statements persuasive or compelling. Time will tell what ultimately happens. However, the president's most recent comment should not be a determining factor, as it was entirely accurate when considered in the appropriate context and had no bearing on the existence of a national emergency. Mr. Hakim is a writer, commentator and a practicing attorney. His articles have been published in The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Western Journal, American Thinker and other online publications. https://thoughtfullyconservative.wordpress.com Twitter: @ThoughtfulGOP One national emergency that is, and many that aren't Democrats are railing against President Trump's national emergency declaration authorizing the building of additional wall along our southern border. The passage of drugs, children, sex slaves, gangs, criminals, and asylum- and prosperity-seeking aliens across our border is "a manufactured crisis!" they cry in unison, and they charge the President with "overreaching." Some add that an emergency implies urgency, yet Trump has done nothing for two years, therefore this is cannot be an emergency. The prevailing law, the National Emergencies Act of 1976, doesn't define "emergency," so it's pretty much whatever a president says it is. For guidance, we might look to what previous presidents have identified as national emergencies. Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the specter of a swine flu epidemic (2009) were emergencies. Those declarations ended after the dangers had passed. Many don't. Twenty-eight emergencies currently remain in effect (they would lapse after a year without presidential renewal, which happens, apparently, over and over). Some reflect familiar perils: a declaration of national emergency against terrorism after 9/11, against North Korea for nuclear proliferation in 2008, and against China for cyberattacks in 2015. But many declarations remain in force for crises we can scarcely remember. Here are a few. Currently, the U.S. is in a declared state of national emergency with Macedonia (since 2001), Zimbabwe (2003), Syria (2004), Belarus (2006), Democratic Republic of Congo (2006), Lebanon (2010), Somalia (2010), Yemen (2011), South Sudan (2014), Central African Republic (2014), Venezuela (2015), and Burundi (2015). This must come as a surprise to most Americans. In what ways are Macedonia and Zimbabwe and Burundi currently threatening us? How much money have we spent and how many American lives have we lost in those countries? And are those foreign problems susceptible to a simple, straightforward solution, like a border wall? The situation on our southern border is a current, real, and national emergency. A wall will not only solve many of our border problems, but also prevent future presidents from opening the border through lax enforcement. Lastly, once the wall is completed, the emergency will be over, and this declaration can be allowed to lapse unlike our ongoing national emergencies in Macedonia and Zimbabwe and Burundi. On January 29, Cory Booker tweeted, "The vicious attack on actor Jussie Smollett was an attempted modern-day lynching." Either Jussie Smollett faked his beating or the two guys he paid $3,500 upfront with 5 C-notes to come later decided to attack him for his generosity. Kamala Harris tweeted, "This was an attempted modern day lynching." You would think they could at least agree upon whether it was a modern day or modern-day lynching. These two scare me as potential presidents because if the Russians launch a space probe, Booker or Harris may rush to the conclusion that the probe is a nuclear weapon and bomb the modern-day world to kingdom come or kingdom-come. And they say Trump worries them? Nathan Phillips claimed that the Covington Catholic School boys surrounded him threateningly. He also claimed to be a Vietnam vet. "You know, I'm from Vietnam times. I'm what they call a recon ranger," he said. "That was my role." Phillips actually served in the Marine Corps Reserve from 1972 to 1976 as a refrigerator technician. This makes him a stone-cold liar. The Washington Post backed up his story until it didn't. Democracy aches in fakes and dies in lies. Elizabeth Warren tweeted, "Omaha elder and Vietnam War veteran Nathan Phillips endured hateful taunts with dignity and strength, then urged us all to do better[.]" Does Warren contend that we should all lie with dignity and strength like Phillips and herself? For two years, Andrew McCabe lied multiple times to federal investigators. That was the authorized conclusion in February 2018 of a scornful 39-page report by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General. Yesterday, McCabe was the big-time guest prevaricator on 60 Minutes to promote his book deal and to trade falsehoods with whoever hosted the segment. A real modern day (or modern-day) lie-fest featuring deception, dishonesty, and corruption bet you're sorry you missed it. The lies pile up Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the world will end in 12 years unless we rid the world of, I don't know, cows, cars, trains, planes, weathervanes. I'd be impressed, but Al Gore said the same thing over twenty years ago, and Chicken Little spoke a variation of this theme to the Grimm Brothers back in 1811. These days, if you want to know whether the new is fake, simply check the source. If it's a leftist source, it's almost certainly a lie. Modern-day snake-oil sold by the snakes themselves. You see, using the mail to make a threat that can be seen as a terroristic threat even to oneself is no small deal to Uncle Sam. And (don't laugh!) it brings in the most underrated federal law enforcement agency of all: the Postal Inspectors. Most people don't realize what a fearsome agency this is. CWBChicago recounts an anecdote about their tenacity, work ethic, and success rate, and it jibes with what I have learned about them. I happened to catch this excellent movie about the work of the Postal Inspectors, starring Louis Gossett, and hope it can be found on one of the digital streaming services, or maybe even run on one of the cable networks, when the federal case goes forward, if it does. If the remarkable grassroots journalists at CWBChicago are correct (as they have been all along), Jussie Smollett has a lot more to worry about than the state rap of a class four felony of making a false police report. If he was indeed responsible for the sending of a letter to the Fox Chicago studios where Empire is produced, he has triggered federal charges that carry hard time. Importantly, the feds don't parole early to relieve overcrowded prisons the way the Great State of Illinois does. A month ago, Jussie Smollett was a B- or C-level celebrity, with plenty of friends in high places. That is gone forever. He might conceivably have gotten away with probation on the state charges, with his record of no previous infractions and overcrowded prisons. With feds involved, that is much less likely. Depending on which terrorism statutes are invoked, the prison time could be substantial. Then there is the matter of all the statements (to police and media) that Smollett made after the hoax attack was carried out. They could well trigger federal obstruction of justice charges on top of the terroristic threat charges. Okay, this is not nailed down on the public record, but if I had to bet, I'd say this is very likely to be true. Late Monday, CWBChicago received confirmation that the letter case has been before a federal grand jury and multiple subpoenas have been generated over the course of the investigation. Since being created by Benjamin Franklin yes, that Benjamin Franklin the service has learned a few things about tracing mail-based crimes. Figuring out who mailed a letter has been made easier because, while most criminals know to wear gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, most criminals also forget to leave their cellphones at home when they go to the mailbox. "Those postal guys are the real deal," said a North Side cop who worked with inspectors on a serial package theft case in Lincoln Park last November . "They can do amazing things and aren't afraid of the work." Whoever sent the letter to Smollett may have considered the mail to be an untraceable way to deliver a message. They'd be mistaken. Headed by the FBI's Chicago Field Office, the terroristic threat investigation is being assisted by one of America's oldest and most underestimated law enforcement agencies: The United States Postal Inspection Service. As Smollett reported the attack to police, a multi-agency federal investigation into the source of the threat letter was entering its seventh day. About a week after Smollett opened the letter, he told police that he had been beaten and kicked in Streeterville by two men who recognized him from Empire. They poured bleach on him and in throwbacks to the threat letter called him anti-gay, anti-black slurs while putting a noose around his neck and screaming "this is MAGA country," he said. The letter, which was reported to the Chicago cops, triggered a federal investigation even before the hoax attack was carried out. Four days later and about eleven miles away, the letter found its way to Smollett. The envelope was addressed in childlike scrawl to Empire TV star Jussie Smollett at Cinespace Studios, a West Side production facility that the Fox program calls home. "MAGA" the acronym for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" was sloppily written in the return address space. Read the whole thing , but here are some highlights: Using the U.S. Mail in furtherance of this hoax may have been the biggest blunder of all. Nobody wants the feds to Go Postal (Inspector) on him. If the remarkable grassroots journalists at CWBChicago are correct (as they have been all along), Jussie Smollett has a lot more to worry about than the state rap of a class four felony of making a false police report. If he was indeed responsible for the sending of a letter to the Fox Chicago studios where Empire is produced, he has triggered federal charges that carry hard time. Importantly, the feds don't parole early to relieve overcrowded prisons the way the Great State of Illinois does. You see, using the mail to make a threat that can be seen as a terroristic threat even to oneself is no small deal to Uncle Sam. And (don't laugh!) it brings in the most underrated federal law enforcement agency of all: the Postal Inspectors. Most people don't realize what a fearsome agency this is. CWBChicago recounts an anecdote about their tenacity, work ethic, and success rate, and it jibes with what I have learned about them. I happened to catch this excellent movie about the work of the Postal Inspectors, starring Louis Gossett, and hope it can be found on one of the digital streaming services, or maybe even run on one of the cable networks, when the federal case goes forward, if it does. Using the U.S. Mail in furtherance of this hoax may have been the biggest blunder of all. Nobody wants the feds to Go Postal (Inspector) on him. Read the whole thing, but here are some highlights: On Friday, Jan. 18th, a letter was dropped into a mailbox in Chicago's southwest suburbs. The envelope was addressed in childlike scrawl to Empire TV star Jussie Smollett at Cinespace Studios, a West Side production facility that the Fox program calls home. "MAGA" the acronym for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign slogan "Make America Great Again" was sloppily written in the return address space. Four days later and about eleven miles away, the letter found its way to Smollett. The letter, which was reported to the Chicago cops, triggered a federal investigation even before the hoax attack was carried out. Source: TMZ About a week after Smollett opened the letter, he told police that he had been beaten and kicked in Streeterville by two men who recognized him from Empire. They poured bleach on him and in throwbacks to the threat letter called him anti-gay, anti-black slurs while putting a noose around his neck and screaming "this is MAGA country," he said. As Smollett reported the attack to police, a multi-agency federal investigation into the source of the threat letter was entering its seventh day. Headed by the FBI's Chicago Field Office, the terroristic threat investigation is being assisted by one of America's oldest and most underestimated law enforcement agencies: The United States Postal Inspection Service. Whoever sent the letter to Smollett may have considered the mail to be an untraceable way to deliver a message. They'd be mistaken. "Those postal guys are the real deal," said a North Side cop who worked with inspectors on a serial package theft case in Lincoln Park last November. "They can do amazing things and aren't afraid of the work." Since being created by Benjamin Franklin yes, that Benjamin Franklin the service has learned a few things about tracing mail-based crimes. Figuring out who mailed a letter has been made easier because, while most criminals know to wear gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, most criminals also forget to leave their cellphones at home when they go to the mailbox. Now get this: Late Monday, CWBChicago received confirmation that the letter case has been before a federal grand jury and multiple subpoenas have been generated over the course of the investigation. Okay, this is not nailed down on the public record, but if I had to bet, I'd say this is very likely to be true. Depending on which terrorism statutes are invoked, the prison time could be substantial. Then there is the matter of all the statements (to police and media) that Smollett made after the hoax attack was carried out. They could well trigger federal obstruction of justice charges on top of the terroristic threat charges. A month ago, Jussie Smollett was a B- or C-level celebrity, with plenty of friends in high places. That is gone forever. He might conceivably have gotten away with probation on the state charges, with his record of no previous infractions and overcrowded prisons. With feds involved, that is much less likely. The attorneys general from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia joined California in the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, perhaps the most liberal U.S. district court in the nation. Fifteen states have joined California in filing suit to stop Donald Trump from using money from the military to build a border wall. It's not unusual for leftists to go venue-shopping when they know they have a weak constitutional case to make. The Northern District is located in San Francisco and would be expected to side with the blue states who filed suit. It hardly matters what the outcome of the case will be in lower courts, as the issue is almost certainly destined to land in the lap of the Supreme Court. The core argument is that Trump is circumventing Congress to fund the wall by declaring an emergency. CNN: "The Constitution assigns Congress the power of the purse, and no prior president has ever tried to use emergency powers to fund a chosen project particularly a permanent, large-scale domestic project such as this against congressional will. This is obviously improper," said Dror Ladin, staff attorney with the ACLU's National Security Project. Becerra argued that the states have standing to challenge Trump because money appropriated to them might be at risk. "If the President is essentially stealing money that's been allocated to go to the various states for various purposes but no longer will, we're being harmed, our people are being harmed," he said. The wave of lawsuits was expected, though fighting them in court will likely be difficult. Trump may ultimately prevail in the Supreme Court, which historically has granted the president much leeway in determining what is and what isn't a national emergency: The National Emergencies Act allows the President to declare a national emergency and unlock a stash of funds by invoking certain statutory authority. The President has wide discretion over what constitutes a national emergency. As a result, legal experts argue that fighting the declaration on the basis of the emergency itself will likely be difficult. The other question is whether the statute Trump has invoked which in this case, requires the use of the armed forces can be used to fund the wall. Under the declaration, the administration will tap $2.5 billion of military narcotics funding and $3.6 billion in military construction funding. Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he will start studying which projects to pull from and determine whether border barriers are necessary to support the use of the armed forces. One of the primary arguments of the states will be that Trump is stealing money from funds already appropriated to go to the states. This will be extremely difficult to prove, as each individual state will have to show that specific funds from wherever the money is coming from were destined for it. But expect the liberal justices of the Northern District to gloss over the details and find some specious grounds to rule against Trump. Congress may very well express its opposition to the emergency declaration, and Trump will promptly veto it. Since there aren't enough votes in the House or Senate to override the president's veto, this avenue is a dry hole for emergency declaration opponents. It's likely that an injunction will be issued to prevent Trump from implementing his emergency declaration. That ruling would be challenged on constitutional grounds, as the courts would be violating the separation of powers by meddling in the business of the executive. Most legal experts believe that the president is on solid ground in declaring the emergency. Whether the courts will agree is another question. Political Incompetence and Questionable Science How should we treat the political opponents of President Trump, who argue that Trump is Putins puppet, and that he will be in prison no later than next Monday? What do we do with the followers of Soros (and Elizabeth Warren), who say that Trump is a temporary phenomenon, and he will disappear from politics long before 2020? How do we relate to the statement by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez that The world is gonna end in 12 years if we dont address climate change, while the Green New Deal program is designed for ten years? We were repeatedly told that Trump's tax cut would lead to the bankruptcy of the federal government. It did not happen. We were warned that Trump's tariff wars with China and the European Union would lead to mass unemployment. That did not happen either on the contrary, the number of vacant jobs in America exceeds the number of unemployed. So, what has played such a cruel joke on the Democrats? It is easy to see that the Democrats were the victims not only of their incompetence but also of corruption in science -- corruption that has a considerable amount of Democrat effort put into it. Here is an example from the past: In the mid-1980s, I was invited to an international scientific conference in Moscow relating to environmental pollution. It was obvious from the abstracts published before the opening of the conference that human civilization was guaranteed to die out by the year 2000 because of pollution. I was young, believed in science, and so upset that even my boss noticed. When he found out the reason for my bad mood, he laughed for a long time. He explained to me that most of these reliable forecasts are simply mathematical and computer models that have little in common with reality. To my reasonable remark about why these unscrupulous scientists frighten the people, he replied that these scientists are quite respectable citizens, and they were not going to frighten the people. Their goal is to make their governments be deep in thought. In other words, to continue generously funding such kind of research. In order to survive, scientists need a specific set of skills in dealing with politicians and bureaucrats. As long as there is a demand from political charlatans, there will be a supply of the scientific plankton that they need. Alas, Big Science is inseparable from Big Government and Big Business. Examples of such charlatan forecasts and ideas are observed very often. The so-called global warming of the 1990s was the result of a computer model that succeeded the model of global cooling from the 1970s that was wrong. These models have been constructed on the basis of adjusted temperature data from ground stations, and are so malleable as to generate the famous hide the decline email between leading climatologists. However, the ill-fated Green New Deal is based on this hoax. When a volcano erupted in Iceland in 2010, miles of black ash was thrown into the atmosphere. Air transportation between America and Europe was impacted, and tens of thousands of people were left to sit at airports. They would sit for a long time until the CEO of British Airways, which was losing many millions of pounds a day, asked a reasonable question: can we fly through this ash? This curious man was told that the results of a computer model showed dangerous levels of particular substances in the air. However, one research plane, and then another, was sent to this dangerous ash cloud just in case, and it was discovered that no danger was found, and air travel resumed. As a result, the guidelines for dangerous ash concentrations were drastically revised. When BP's drilling platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, scientists immediately declared an environmental disaster. Scientists stated that the size of the oil spill could "wipe out marine life deep at sea near the leak and elsewhere in the Gulf" as well as "along hundreds of miles of coastline." At least, such were the results of a computer simulation. Vast amounts of money were allocated to fight the consequences of the ecological catastrophe, but the effects of the oil spill disappeared on their own. It turned out that in the Gulf of Mexico, due to a large number of drilling platforms, a unique ecosystem of bacteria had long been formed that, in the process of evolution, learned to feed on pure oil. These bacteria cleared the entire water area in a very short time. Remember the anti-red wine campaign? Then, the subsequent campaign about the health benefits of red wine? Remember the Obama administrations campaign to paint roofs white to reduce global warming? Do not forget the epic of Net Neutrality, which just recently has ended, but about which everyone, as if on cue, suddenly stopped talking? The charlatans argued that the Trump administrations abolition of Net Neutrality would have terrible consequences. Where are they? As it turns out, Net Neutrality does not deal with the Net nor Neutrality. As we now understand, it was just another attempt to bring the Internet under government control. Unfortunately, we inherited a lot from the charlatans of science and the charlatans of politics. For example, we still use daylight savings time a relic from the left-wing progressive era, while the most effective weapon against malaria, DDT, is still prohibited. Let us recall acid rain, killer bees, and other similar sensations, like the hysteria about the ozone hole. Finally, remember those charlatans who run the Nuclear Doomsday Clock. Many still do not understand that these scientists are little different from the charlatans who organized Groundhog Day, a mass psychosis about the planet Nibiru and space aliens abducting people around Area 51. Where do these crazy ideas come from? Well, yes, when there is a demand, supply immediately materializes. Therefore, let us ask ourselves the question who benefits from the abolition of air travel and the abandonment of internal combustion engines? The Green New Deal demands not only this but also full state welfare support and medical care for everyone who does not want to work. The Green New Deal also implies a complete renovation of all the buildings and structures in America (about 150 million) without exception in order to make them more efficient in terms of energy consumption. CNN screen grab Who benefits from the complete abolition of nuclear energy and the complete rejection of the use of coal, oil and natural gas, as the authors of the Green New Deal are planning? Of course, both scientific charlatans and political charlatans do not need this: they are not going to give up the comfort of the civilization built by American capitalism. What the leaders of the socialist movement in America really want is comprehensive government control. To date, the charlatan methods of American leftists have led to a new phase of American Socialism the phase of Schizo-Socialism. How else can one characterize an ideology that preaches tax rates from 70% to 90%, abortions in the 9th month of pregnancy, the killing of babies immediately after birth, the confiscation of all semi-automatic firearms from citizens, mass extermination of farting cows, and opening U.S. state borders to gangsters and diseases from the rest of the world? Seventy-five years ago, Winston Churchill noticed: No Socialist Government conducting the entire life and industry of the country could afford to allow free, sharp, or violently-worded expressions of public discontent. They would have to fall back on some form of Gestapo, no doubt very humanely directed in the first instance. The main idea of the New Democratic Green Deal is near total government control over everything and everyone. It is the initial, first instance of the New Red Deal, the bloody consequences of which we all are well acquainted with. Gary Gindler, Ph.D., is a conservative blogger at Gary Gindler Chronicles. Follow him on Twitter. Jussie Smollett and the Information Warfare of the Left Have you sensed a pattern in the way stories like Jussie Smollett's hoax or the Covington kids' confrontation take over your social media? Do you read or listen to the news regularly, wondering in advance how each story can be spun? Is it increasingly frustrating to see facts distorted to bolster hate and fear? Have you been aware of pain you feel as you watched loved ones being fed lies by sources they trust? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are the victim of emotional and philosophical warfare. There is a type of hostile tactic that's been given a new name: DARVO. I reached out to Jeff Giesea, an entrepreneur and information warfare expert based in Washington, D.C. He describes DARVO as "a tactic of abusers when confronted where they deny, attack, and then shift blame. The term came from studies of emotional abuse and sexual trauma, but DARVO behavior shows up in many contexts." He also views it as "a form of psychological warfare." DARVO is a behavioral response that perpetrators use when met with their own wrongdoing. It is an acronym for Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. As Mr. Giesea puts it, "DARVO is a gaslighting tactic to shift blame." While the area of academic study on this response has been focused on sexual abusers in intimate relationships, it does happen on a much broader scale. It is a tactic of manipulation so broad that most people in the developed world encounter it on a daily basis just by looking at their smartphones. "I'm frankly seeing significant DARVO behavior from the media towards Trump supporters. When the media genuinely screw up, they often shift blame instead of taking responsibility," says Jeff Giesea. Trump-supporters now find themselves in an abusive relationship with the "free press" and their own elected officials. Constant attacks on Trump and his base have become so normalized that any contradiction to that narrative seems only to fuel more attacks. That's because the social engineers need you to get upset. Once an idea has been propagated, and even if it's wrong or not even an argument, there's already been so much disruption in emotion and personal thought that it becomes easier and easier for the offender to successfully use DARVO. Mainstream news has mastered this art by using sensationalized headlines, or pushing stories that should be critically examined, to engage an emotional response in the reader. This has the immediate effect of the target being less likely to use rationality and judgment while reading. While involved in emotional processing, the reader might have contradictory thoughts himself or attempt to process other confusing stimuli, such as opposing argument that seems logical, causing him to lose trust in his own mind. You may have noticed it recently when the Jussie Smollett hoax finally unraveled, and media and pundits were forced to answer why they had so eagerly used an uncorroborated story to push their ideological agendas. The people who had first shown empathy for Smollett's story were not the least bit relieved that the actor they claimed to have love and support for hadn't been the victim of a hate crime. Instead, many denied that the revelation could challenge their stereotypes about Trump's base and used it as an opportunity to justify more villainization of MAGA-supporters. They claimed that the "real victims" were the ones now silenced by "Trumpsters' giddiness" over being vindicated that they weren't really what they had been misaligned as. Sen. Cory Booker was one of the first politicians to jump at Jussie's story and used it to push his anti-lynching legislation in the Senate. Even though no lynching occurred, even if Jussie had been telling the truth, Booker quickly related it to his own agenda anyway. When confronted by a reporter after the story of the hoax broke, Cory Booker immediately went into denial by saying "information is still coming out." Then he went on the attack by saying, "Bigoted and biased attacks are on the rise." This switched the roles of the actual victims of Jussie's crime, Trump-supporters, to victimizers, when he implied that the problem isn't hate crime hoaxes, but "right-wing terror attacks." Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender. DARVO is not a new political strategy; charlatans have been using these maneuvers for millennia. Ancient Greeks knew them by the name Sophists, with the modern definition of sophistry being "using information to deceive." From Plato's noble lie to Machiavelli telling the prince he should be a "great pretender and dissembler," it is used because it historically works. But that does not make this form of informational warfare morally right. The DARVO tactic has been used unremittingly by the Left, and Smollett's hoax response was only the latest attempt. When the Covington kids received a stream of hate-filled responses to a heavily edited condensed video, the media encouraged it with headlines like "The MAGA Teenager Who Harassed a Native American Veteran Is Still Unnamed, but We've Seen His Face Before." When the full context emerged, they did not re-evaluate their own response, but instead doubled down on their rhetoric, like this Emmy award-winning journalist who completed the DARVO circle by reversing Trump as the offender: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has employed DARVO to attack critics of her boyfriend being listed on her staff and being granted a congressional email account. Genuine concerns were raised about her boyfriend's access to the government, but the way the freshman congressman handled it was to deny: "Congressional spouses get [this] access all the time." Then she attacked a person asking the question, calling it "nonsense." The Washington Post ran the story under the headline "Conservatives can't stop obsessing over Ocasio-Cortez. Their latest target: her boyfriend." implying that those asking about an ethical violation were somehow in the wrong. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was recently condemned by most, including her own party, for anti-Jewish remarks, but when the president was asked his opinion and offered that she should be removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, she went full DARVO, responding to the president: You have trafficked in hate your whole life against Jews, Muslims, Indigenous, immigrants, black people and more. I learned from people impacted by my words. When will you? The authors of a DARVO study tried to use Justice Kavanaugh and the Republicans as an example of the GOP engaging against accuser Blasey Ford, but in order for the technique to have been employed, Ford would have had to really be a victim first. But Kavanaugh was the victim as the Left actively tried to destroy his life with false attacks on his character, villainizing him, all while denying the blatant proof that Ford's accusations were completely unsubstantiated. It's not just individual victims and perpetrators, either. Mainstream media have hired some highly trained manipulators to use DARVO tactics on all GOP platform issues. Gun control by villainizing the people who just want to protect themselves, emotionally equating the right to bear arms with a desire to kill schoolchildren. Now, similarly, citizens who support the border wall are finding that they're being condemned as morally corrupt for their political view. "Only racists want a wall." According to the Left, if you don't like the idea of infanticide being legal in New York State, then you're really just a misogynist who wants to oppress women. This technique is used by social engineers who want you to react a certain way. By forcing people to question their own realities by introducing emotional arguments that don't connect to rational ones, they can harness individual self-doubt while disorienting and destabilizing opponents. When this is repeated constantly, the media can destroy some individuals' ability to make sound judgments to the point that they become submissive, just like actual abuse victims. This has the goal of making readers who are easier to emotionally charge for the next, probably uncorroborated, story that rolls across their newsfeed. There is a narrative being written of Trump-supporters by liberal media and folks who just cannot handle a Trump presidency. They are redefining his supporters as racist bigots, uneducated rednecks, deplorables and Russian bots. This is done not because there's any empirical data that support this, but so Democrats can feel morally superior while they blame their 2016 loss to Trump on issues sheltered in ambiguity. Jussie Smollett's political activism has been built on DARVO. He crafted his identity on social justice warriorhood and abusing people he did not agree with politically. However, he denied any evidence that would have shown him there is no correlation between racism and support for the president. He used music videos to displayed imaginary violence by Trump-supporters and profanity-laced tweets to attack the president and his base. YouTube screen grab. When the MAGA hatwearing bigots never actually materialized, he was so desperate that he manufactured a crisis that would manipulate people into believing he was the victim of the people he had spent years abusing. The good news is that you have defenses against this psychological warfare. You could confront the perpetrators with explanations of their own tactics, but remember: they want you sucked into their sociopathy. No contact is the preferred method for individual victims dealing with abusers and narcissists, but that's difficult to accomplish when the abuser is mainstream media. The one thing you can't do is expect that the media will correct themselves, even if it's just offering one line that fights their own imposed hysteria. The best strategy is to choose not to engage. In the same manner that you would treat a borderline personality parent or narcissistic emotional abuser, do not engage. If you do not react to their attacks the way they believe and intend that you will, these manipulative maneuvers will have no more power. Jeff Giesea suggests, "The most important thing is to recognize DARVO behavior when it happens. Catch your breath and realize, this is what's happening and you are not going crazy. Then evaluate what to do from there." Most studies on DARVO suggest that education is key to overcoming the infliction these mental manipulation strategies cause. Since we cannot unlearn information, being able to understand and relay what DARVO is, the more we will be able to recognize when someone is attempting to use this informational deceit on us. Author note: I would like to thank Jeff Giesea for first presenting the idea of DARVO as a response to the Smollett hoax and answering my questions. To the readers: Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter! Exposing Socialism Sixty-two years ago, author and ex-communist Howard Fast wrote that he had "only one important task in front of [him] to define this thing, to explain it, to picture this unholy god in his own frightful nakedness; so that if there is another generation in [his] land that must face the agony of [his] generation, they will never see this avenue as a road to any future that man should face without loathing." His 1957 book titled The Naked God: The Writer and the Communist Party was Fast's coming "to grips with the "hollow, rigid, 'political' incantations of the movement's cultural high priests." It is a book that "explains, in terms of specific instances, the whys and wherefores of total commitment to a false ideal." This unholy god was communism, and it is with great alarm and fear that we must, yet again, teach Americans of the evil inherent in socialism which is always the first step to communism. With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hypnotizing impressionable and miseducated millennials we are headed toward a tattered future. Howard Fast was devoted to communism but eventually realized that it needed to be exposed so that its tenets would wither and die. He wrote that "an idea must be bent over the anvil of truth to see if it can survive some strong blows." As an important literary figure in the Communist Party, Howard Fast's defection was a shock. He had spent thirteen years as a devotee to Communism until Nikita Khrushchev's "secret report" finally revealed the "terror, the fear, the hollow pretenses, the bestiality, [and] the inhumanity that characterized the leadership." Khrushchev "exposed the mechanism of terror and the system of arbitrary rule that had dominated the country for thirty years. He deployed dozens of documents and a wealth of detail to reveal the brutal character of the terror. The document catalogued the assassinations, the lawless mass deportations of non-Russian peoples, and the methodical falsification of history written by Stalin himself." Khrushchev revealed that "Stalin was a bloodthirsty criminal responsible for systematic physical and psychological terror." How do we wake up a generation that cannot even identify New York and Ohio on a U.S. map? How do we expose Ocasio-Cortez, a recipient of a college degree, who does not even know the three branches of government? It is terrifying that she is embraced by many young people who certainly have never heard of Stalin, let alone his heinous crimes. Nomenclature is vital and Emina Melonic has written in "Collectivism and Contradiction," that "the phenomenon of collectivism is nothing new. Collectivism does the most damage to the order of things when it becomes a political reality, such as with national Socialism and Communism. Both ideologies not only contributed to the erosion of the society that values ethics but its proponents committed mass murder and genocide -- all in the name of a collectivist unit that was supposedly meant to bring people together." In fact, "[c]ollectivism has an entirely different form in our present time; it is insidious because it revels in the ambiguity of concepts. Without a doubt, people have a desire to be part of a larger reality and sometimes this desire is born out of good intentions. But the failure of such naive people lies in an inability to see the difference between a collective and a community. The intellectual and societal neglect of this rather large and important distinction has created a totalitarian monster originating mostly from a mutated version of Marxism and the newly formed globalist ideology. Today, 'conquering the world' means eradicating the society which values both the good and the beautiful under the guise of compassion, care, and a so-called 'one-world togetherness.'" Thus, the left "has created a society that promotes diversity as long as that diversity fits into a particular ideological category which makes a distinction between 'us' and 'them.'" Hence, "an individual has no capability to make his own decisions and choices because that requires targeted and precise deliberation. The only choice... such an individual can make is to cease having control over his own decisions." As Investor's Business Daily highlights, "students today are relentlessly drilled with a progressive catechism of guilt over America's long-admitted shortcomings and history. The result is a generation raised on moral equivalency, diversity and a jaundiced view of their nation's own past." It is no wonder that "such anti-Americanism and socialist ideas go hand in hand." What Howard Fast discovered in 1957 has never been taught to the latest generation of young people. Yet, it "is a cold, hard and disturbing fact that, during the 20th century, socialist regimes -- also called 'communist' and 'Marxist' and 'People's Republic' regimes -- have been responsible for the intentional or negligent murder of more than 100 million people." It is vital to remember that "socialism, communism, and Marxism, [are] all variants of the same disease." They are all false ideologies which bring suffering. Apart from the degradation of the spirit and the eventual loss in life, socialism costs a great deal of money. For example, "Sen. Warren's blue print for democratic socialism would cost the U.S. $42 trillion, requiring tax rates on everyone of 60% or higher." Moreover, under Ocasio-Cortezs New Green Deal "the United States of America would certainly collapse. On the left, 'from each' comes first, and the deal takes away the peoples mobility. 'To each' comes last, and the people get only the health care the government wants them to have. Promoters such as Kamala Harris dont even bother to lie about it." Moreover, "other deprivations would be sure to follow, as they did in the USSR, China, Cuba, and most recently Venezuela. The Green New Deal, in effect, is the Democrats version of the Khmer Rouges 'Year Zero,' a suicide note for the freest, most prosperous nation in human history." When Howard Fast completed reading the secret report "something broke inside of [him]. He explained that "the edifice that [he] had become a part of came crumbling down in ashes -- ashes of grief, horror and helplessness." He "wrote that it was 'some small comfort' that, until recently, he was ignorant of the facts in Khrushchevs report. He knew that Jewish culture was being systematically destroyed, that writers, artists and scientists were intimidated [.] But all these things, he rationalized, were 'a necessity of socialism'". As Philip Deery explains, "Fast's Jewishness caused problems within the Party which sought to expel him because of his 'Jewish nationalist point of view.'" Yet, the information over the treatment of Soviet Jews stretched back to 1949. Fast was presented with compelling evidence of anti-Semitic practices (arrests, executions, closure of Jewish newspapers, magazines, printing presses and schools) in the Soviet Union. Nonetheless, it took eight years for the scales to fall from his eyes. He stated that "...such blind faith was finished. Never again can I accept as a just practice under socialism that which I know to be unjust... Never again will I remain silent when I can recognize injustice -- regardless of how that injustice may be wrapped in the dirty linen of expediency or necessity. Never again will I fail to question, to demand proof. Never again will I accept the clever rationale, which appears to make sense but under scrutiny does not." The present-day resurgence of anti-Semitism among the Democratic Party and the British Labour party is sad but predictable. In fact, "Marxism and Nazism are political twins, offshoots of totalitarian socialism." In January 1953, Peter Meyer wrote in Commentary magazine that "Stalin is mobilizing anti-Jewish hatred and wooing anti-Semitic allies with the same purpose in mind that Hitler had. The free peoples should have learned their lesson by now." Yet 66 years later, have we? It is no surprise that "[t]he only real opponent of fascism has been conservatism, which champions small government, free markets, Judeo-Christian civilization and individual rights" all of which are an anathema to those espousing socialism in America today. But it boggles the mind that socialism still garners support among American Jews today. When will they learn? Anyone who has, for example, studied Castro's Socialism is acutely aware that this "Communist monster brought death to everything his socialist reign of terror touched." In fact, "Castro made a mockery of human rights. His minions murdered children and the left cheered. It locked up black people and gays." Bernie Sanders extols Cuban medicine but this "is one of the lefts obsessions because it proves that tyranny and slavery in the service of progressive goals works. Cuban doctors are slaves and not only does the left know it, it supports and defends it." The ignorant Ocasio-Cortez nonchalantly maintains that her version of socialism will never resemble Venezuelan socialism that currently sees Venezuelans eating from garbage cans and doing everything they can to leave their homeland. No matter what label you use, socialism is death. It cannot be allowed to metastasize in America. Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com Former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, in May 2017, was in the middle of a Deep State coup to try to remove President Donald Trump from office using the 25 th Amendment. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was also part of the plan, allegedly offering to wear a wire to record the lunatic rantings of President Trump to use as justification to nullify the results of the recent presidential election. The latest is that two more Trump cabinet members may (or may not ) have signed on to the coup. Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, published in 1866, explored the theme of morally justifying crime for its greater good and benefit to society. Fast forward 150 years from Russia to the American political deep state, where similar righteous themes are playing out. Someone from the New York Times might call this patriotism, acting out of a higher moral calling to stop someone unfit and unsuited to be president, an outsider not from the establishment club. As Trump once said of himself during the campaign, he was an existential threat to the deep state establishment. Our movement is about replacing a failed and corrupt establishment with a new government controlled by you the American people. A clear and present threat to the Deep State. Others will call McCabes actions a coup, a treasonous attempt to subvert an election. Then having failed, ramped-up effort to remove a duly elected president from office, either by impeachment or by considering invoking the 25th Amendment. Former FBI Director James Comey, an integral part of this coup attempt, wrote a book entitled Higher Calling: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, a title justifying his transgressions for the so-called greater good to society. His greater good was suppressing justice when it suited him and his establishment peers by ignoring or suppressing the legitimate investigation into Hillary Clintons illegal handling of classified email. This evolved into subverting justice by initiating a FISA warrant and spying -- first on a presidential candidate, then president -- based on unverified political opposition research presented to a FISA court as verified intelligence. McCabes book is entitled, The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump. Again, justification for criminal activity for the greater good -- FBI, mom, and apple pie. McCabe seemingly portrays himself as Efrem Zimbalist Jr., who played an honest FBI agent in the TV series. Instead, the real FBI leadership sought only to protect itself from revelations of its treasonous attempt to overthrow a president. Enter the creation of a special counsel to run interference and cover up FBI/DOJ evil. After all, they never thought Trump would win the election. How better to keep the dirty deeds under wraps than by blocking any and all inquiry under the blanket of an ongoing criminal investigation? Where is the reckoning for this? Treasonous activities have so far led to the perpetrators being fired, but not much else. This is not a proper reckoning. They write books, make media appearances to promote their books, appear on cable news shows, and flaunt their defiance on social media. None are behind bars or being prosecuted (yet). That seems to be reserved only for Trump associates like Paul Manafort, still in solitary confinement. The players in this coup are not only McCabe and Comey, but also Clapper and Brennan, as well as second tier FBI and DOJ officials including Strzok, Yates, Page, Ohr, Baker, and others. One cant leave out the ring leaders of this entire cabal of corruption Clinton and Obama. Aside from Obama, who elected them? Justice and intelligence officials are unelected and have no mandate to carry out the will of the people. Only Donald Trump now carries that mantle. The Clintons have a long list of illegalities and scandal, dating back to their days in Arkansas. Flash forward to Hillary Clintons illegal home-based email server containing hundreds of thousands of emails, many highly classified, ending up on the laptop of sex-offender Anthony Weiner. And available to whoever had access to that laptop, whether the Chinese or the Muslim Brotherhood, the group Weiners wife Humas parents are affiliated with. The FBI covered this all up, for expediency, as they didnt want to open a criminal investigation into their future boss, who the media magpies stated unequivocally would win the 2016 election in a landslide. How many top FBI and DOJ officials lied to Congress during hearings over the past two years? I thought this was a crime. Robert Mueller sure thinks lying to Congress or the FBI is criminal. Ask Flynn, Papadopoulos, or Cohen. Where is the reckoning on this illegal behavior? Why is justice meted out based on politics, and not instead blind to political considerations as represented by a blindfolded Lady Justice holding the scales of justice? She also carries a sword, representing punishment. The modern Lady Justice seems to wear a pink pussy hat and holds a tilted scale in one hand and a book contract in the other. The National Institute of Justice discusses deterrence: The crime prevention effects of the threat of punishment. Does anybody in the Deep State truly believe they are about to be caught and punished? Quite the opposite, actually. They are busy repeating their lies on cable news show and social media, writing and selling books with fawning media adulation. Some say there is panic in DC and that pain is coming, but where is the evidence of that? Are Huber and Horowitz cleaning up the corruption or just rearranging the furniture? Aside from the Deep State players, the media is culpable as well. Rather than reporting the news objectively, they immediately frame the story to fit their preconceived narrative and prejudices. From Jussie Smollett to the Covington High School students. From hands up dont shoot to the Duke lacrosse team. They have spent countless hours reporting and writing Trump-Russia collusion stories, ignoring the inconvenient fact that the House and recently the Senate Intelligence Committees say nyet to the collusion hoax, whipping up the public into a frenzy. The media and deep state actors must be punished for their role in this entire fiasco. Punished legally where laws were broken, whether lying to Congress, leaking classified information, or committing treason. And certainly, in the court of public opinion. Comey, McCabe, Clapper, and Brennan should be treated as pariahs for what they did. Treated as Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, or Kevin Spacey, not heroes of the motherland, lauded over on 60 Minutes or CNN panels. Think of the time and resources wasted on what Trump correctly described as a witch hunt. Obamacare wasnt repealed and the border wasnt secured despite two years of a Republican-controlled Congress because of the Russia hoax. The GOP didnt expect Trump to last a year in office because Adam Schiff and CNN said he wouldnt. A once in a generation opportunity squandered over a lie, perpetrated by those in high positions of public trust. The reckoning and punishment must be so severe that no one dares try this again. Criminal prosecution where warranted and public humiliation. Crime and punishment. Otherwise evil wins out over honor, justice, and decency. A message needs to be sent loud and clear. As President Trump said, The Washington establishment and the financial and media corporations that fund it exist for only one reason, to protect and enrich itself. This is a crossroads in the history of our civilization that will determine whether or not we the people reclaim control over our government. This injustice must be acknowledged and the guilty must be held to account. From the top on down, from Obama and Clinton, to the top tier at the FBI and DOJ, to partisan Democrats and NeverTrumpers, to their cheerleading media. Crime and punishment. We are at a crossroads. Its time. If not now, then when? Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The level of devastation left behind from Hurricane Lauras landfall last August was so severe that Lake Charles native Erica McCreedy considered moving away. However, witnessing residents in the area help with immediate recovery, despite dealing with their own hardships, influenced her to stay. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd. But it's not clear yet what Chauvin's experience will look like. About the show A weekly programme that examines and dissects the worlds media, how they operate and the stories they cover. Watch The Listening Post every Saturday at 0830GMT The US has chosen a prominent warmonger to promote democracy in Venezuela. Shortly after right-wing figure Juan Guaido auto-proclaimed himself interim president of Venezuela in January to the immediate applause of US President Donald Trump US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the appointment of a special envoy to help the Venezuelan people fully restore democracy and prosperity to their country, that is to get rid of legitimate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro once and for all. The envoy is neo-con extraordinaire Elliott Abrams, praised by Pompeo as a seasoned, principled, and tough-minded foreign policy veteran, whose passion for the rights and liberties of all peoples makes him a perfect fit and a valuable and timely addition to the State Department team. Veteran, at least, is an accurate description. Abrams indeed boasts a long career of shady political exploits in Latin America undertaken on behalf of the American government. US mercenaries While serving in the administration of Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, Abrams was a star of that Cold War period known as the Iran-Contra affair, during which the US illegally sold weapons to Iran and funnelled the proceeds to right-wing Contra forces busily terrorising Nicaragua. Abrams was even convicted for his role in the affair, but was later pardoned by George HW Bush. In her war memoir Blood on the Border, US scholar Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz recalls Abramss lofty prediction that when history is written the Contras will be folk heroes. But the Contras were responsible for setting off a decade-long war that killed an estimated 50,000 Nicaraguans, and thus understandably arent recalled as folk heroes by anyone but a hardcore group of delusional neocons. Under Reagan, incidentally, Abrams held such posts as assistant secretary of state for human rights and humanitarian affairs. After his pardon, he went on to serve the George W Bush administration as, inter alia, senior director for democracy, human rights, and international affairs at the National Security Council. Yet, despite these upbeat titles and the rumour of Abramss passion for the rights and liberties of all peoples the aim of his foreign policy career has in fact been to thwart human rights and democracy in accordance with the US economic designs. And his performance in Nicaragua is but one item on a long and sordid CV that decisively obliterates any possibility of an Abrams-assisted restoration of democracy in Venezuela. Genocide and other fabulous achievements For example, in El Salvador, where the Reagan government laboured valiantly on behalf of the rights and liberties of a vicious right-wing military and related death squads in a conflict that ultimately killed some 70,000 Salvadorans, Abrams memorably denied the infamous December 1981 massacre at El Mozote of more than 800 people by the US-trained and equipped Atlacatl battalion. A Jacobin Magazine article commemorating the massacre notes that it boasted the participation of characters like a Salvadoran major who walked over, scooped a little boy from a crowd of kids, flung him into the air, and speared him with a bayonet as he came back down. Human rights, indeed. Abrams would later laud the Reagan administrations record on El Salvador as one of fabulous achievement. And the list goes on. In 1983, Abrams insisted that US-backed Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt had brought considerable progress in the field of human rights. This was the same Rios Montt, of course, who was convicted of genocide for his role in a war that killed or disappeared more than 200,000 Guatemalans. The genocide conviction was subsequently overturned, and the ex-dictator perished before a retrial could be completed. It bears reiterating, too, that the US itself had helped pave the way for war in Guatemala by overthrowing in 1954 the democratically-elected president, Jacobo Arbenz. His crime? A less than obsequious attitude to US corporate interests. Surplus of cruelty Nor was Honduras spared the touch of Abrams and his fellow US diplomatic personnel, as a CIA-trained elite death squad by the name of Battalion 3-16 made life hell for many a suspected leftist in the 1980s. Abrams, for his part, fawned over the right-wing Honduran regime that thrived thanks in part to such abuses, and he continued to vouch for years to come for the human rights standards of Reaganite policy in Central America. Its worth keeping such history in mind, as were now confronted with allegations in mainstream US media that Maduro is presiding over death squads. In his announcement regarding the appointment of Abrams to the position of Venezuelan saviour, Pompeo decried the cruel dictator in Venezuela and the more than a million refugees who had fled the horrors of the Maduro regime pretty bold statements coming from a government that has for numerous decades been on the side of dictators and cruelty in Latin America, while heightening violent contexts that have themselves produced an untold number of refugees. The past is present Abramss own track record also includes cheerleading for the US invasion of Iraq as well as Israeli assaults on Arab civilians things that clearly dont mesh with the notion of rights and liberties of all peoples. He was furthermore reportedly linked to the failed 2002 coup against Maduros predecessor Hugo Chavez, a persistent thorn in the side of US imperialism. Now, following reports that Guaido will allow greater access to foreign private oil companies, one cant help but conclude that, as usual, professed US concern for the Venezuelan people really has nothing to do with people at all. Facing persistent questions about his problematic past, Abrams was recently quoted as saying: We are not focussed on the events of the 1980s. We are focussed on the events of 2019. But judging from the fact that the US continues to be run by criminals, it seems the times really havent changed at all. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Pop Microscopy exhibit honors the legacy of Leonardo da Vinci January 2019 marked the beginning of the 500-year anniversary of Leonardo da Vincis death. Among the ways that the University of Florida is celebrating da Vincis lasting legacy and his influence on todays art with his interdisciplinary vision is the Pop Microscopy exhibit. UFs One Health Center for Excellence brought, the display, which features images of cells, molecules, organs and tissues, to campus. Pop Microscopy originally started as a traveling exhibit across campus, but found its home at the Garry R. Libby Gallery through Feb. 15. Ilaria Capua, executive director of the One Health Center, was in Genoa, Italy, at the Italian Institute of Technology when she first saw the exhibit of 20 works, said Sara Agnelli, research assistant at the Center. Energized by the artworks, Capua decided to bring it to UF, rotating in a variety of locations around campus, because of its beauty and the relation it had to the Centers project of using art to communicate an interdisciplinary vision, Agnelli said. Now we are so specialized, Agnelli said. Pop Microscopy is an example of how you can combine different skills to create something beautiful. You arent just focusing yourself on your particular expertise rather, you are broadening your perspective. Agnelli said that she hopes students will broaden their viewpoints after viewing the exhibit. They should push themselves to go beyond their chosen disciplines, Agnelli said. I want people to try and ask themselves: What is the connection with Leonardo? Who is he? The beauty is that there is no right answer. Princess Diana made a huge impact on the world with both her words and her actions, as she poured her all into her charity work and standing up for the oppressed and forgotten. Click for more. Hoover police are on the scene of a death investigation after a man was found dead in his Caldwell Crossings home. The discovery was made about 12:30 p.m. Monday in the 3100 block of Crossings Drive. Police and firefighters responded to the home and pronounced the man dead. His body was discovered by two female visitors who police said had access to his home. Police are not yet calling the death a homicide but roped off the street with yellow crime scene tape and have taken the two women, as well as at least one neighbor, to the police station for questioning as witnesses. One of those witnesses said he saw a man leaving the home late Sunday night while he was walking his dog. Neighbors said the 73-year-old man, a retired lawyer, lives there alone though he has a lot of visitors. "We dont yet know if it is a homicide but we do know it is under suspicious circumstances,'' said Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector. There was no forced entry to the home but foul play remains a possibility. Several of his family members came to the scene later in the day. The mans body is being taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for autopsy. Steve Goldman, president of the neighborhoods Home Owners Association said the situation is concerning. "Weve had some minor break-ins but nothing quite like this'' he said. We know very little about whats happening. "I think it would be distressing to most of the neighbors to find this out,'' Goldman said. We think this to be a very quiet, safe neighborhood, and until we find out what happened here, we just cant get panicky. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Hoover police Det. Brad Fountain at 205-444-7562. If you wish to remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward, you are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama at 205-254-7777. Bond for a 25-year-old mother charged with murder in the death of her infant son should be increased, according to prosecutors in the case. Authorities cited several reasons for the increase request, including a photo of the infant victim depicting a prior injury, the mothers criminal history and the belief that she was planning to leave town before she could be arrested in the 8-week-old boys death. Lakendra Yashekia Williams was booked in Tuscaloosa County Jail Thursday following an indictment issued against her the day before. She was indicted on the charges of murder and aggravated assault. Her bond was set $60,000. Tuscaloosa County Assistant District Attorney Corey Seale stated in court records that Williams bond should be higher because the nature of the offense with which she is charged, the apparent probability of conviction and the likely sentence are factors relevant to the risk of Williams not showing up for court. Seale also is asking that should Williams be released from jail, she is required to wear an electronic monitoring device. Williams was initially arrested on a domestic violence/assault charge in March of 2018 after Tuscaloosa police responded to Children's of Alabama in Birmingham on a report of a child suffering severe head trauma. Once at the hospital, detectives launched an investigation into the assault of the child. The findings led to the initial charge against Williams. According to a deposition in that case, the 8-week-old boy was rushed to DCH Regional Medical Center on March 28 after he became unresponsive at home. Once at the hospital, the boy went into cardiac arrest and was then transferred to Childrens of Alabama. Medical staff there determined the boy received multiple fractures to his head and bleeding to the brain. Williams told detectives that she was holding her son in her arms and later dropped him on his head on the kitchen floor. The defendant also believed she may have elbowed the victim in the head while she was asleep, the investigator wrote. The defendant state that the baby was whining which caused her to harm the victim. The deposition said the blunt force injuries to the boy happened between March 26 and March 28, 2018. The boy died Feb. 11 after he was kept on life support for 11 months. Seales bond increase request states that prior to Williams arrest in March 2018, she was arrested and charged with resisting arrest in Tuscaloosa. She was released on bond and currently has an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in municipal court. She also has outstanding warrants for an expired tag and driving without obtaining a drivers license. The request also says that after admitting to law enforcement that she dropped the infant on a tile floor head-first because he was whining, she also admitted that she did not seek medical attention for the boy. Further, during a phone extraction performed by law enforcement pursuant to a search warrant, investigators recovered a photograph of the victim in which the child appears to have a black eye and busted lip, the motion reads. This photograph allegedly pre-dates the event in which the child was dropped on his head. As further proof that Williams is a flight risk, the prosecutor explained that investigators made contact with Williams significant other and told him they had a warrant for her arrest. Officers were then unable to locate Williams for several hours. It was not until law enforcement received a tip via Crime Stoppers that Williams was at a hotel that they were able to find her. When they did, she was with the significant other who had been previously told Williams was wanted. The tip also included information that Williams planned to leave town. A judge has not yet ruled on the motion. A Montgomery man who pleaded guilty in the shooting deaths of three people in two separate incidents has died in prison. Gyanendra Willie Norman, 54, died Sunday at William Donaldson Correctional Facility where he was serving a sentence of life without parole. According to the Jefferson County Coroners Office, Norman began experience breathing difficulty about 1:30 a.m. Sunday in his dorm. He was taken to the prison infirmary where he was pronounced dead at 1:55 a.m. Authorities have not yet determined a cause of death but said there was no evidence of trauma or foul play. Norman had a lengthy criminal history that escalated into murder in 1999. He was charged with capital murder during the robbery of two men killed in Lowndes County that year. In 2001 he pleaded guilty to two reduced charges of manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. It wasnt immediately clear how long he served, but he was out by 2008 when he received a traffic citation. Then, on July 4, 2012, Norman fatally shot his girlfriend, 46-year-old Glenndy Belle Smith. Police at the time said the two were arguing at a home on Dee Drive. Smith suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Baptist South Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. In 2013, Norman pleaded guilty to the murder charge. He was sentenced to life without parole in prison. Update: Goodloe Sutton has been removed from the University of Southern Mississippis School of Mass Communication and Journalisms Hall of Fame, the school confirmed in a statement. The move comes after Sutton, publisher of the Democrat-Reporter in Linden, Alabama, called for the return of the KKK to handle matters in Washington, D.C. The following is a statement from USM: "Within the last few hours, the School of Communication at the University of Southern Mississippi learned of Mr. Goodloe Suttons call for violence and the return of the Ku Klux Klan. Mr. Suttons subsequent rebuttals and attempts at clarification only reaffirm the misguided and dangerous nature of his comments. The School of Communication strongly condemns Mr. Suttons remarks as they are antithetical to all that we value as scholars of journalism, the media, and human communication. Our Universitys values of social responsibility and citizenship, inclusion and diversity, and integrity and civility are the foundation upon which we have built our School and its programs. Mr. Sutton was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the School of Mass Communication & Journalism, the predecessor to the School of Communication, in 2007 based on his anti-corruption articles and editorials in the 1990s that earned him and his wife Jean numerous national and international journalism awards. In light of Mr. Suttons recent and continued history of racist remarks, however, the School of Communication has removed his place in our Hall of Fame." Auburn Universitys Journalism Advisory Council voted to revoke Suttons community journalism award on Tuesday, according to The Plainsman. Earlier: Howard Goodloe Sutton, the editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter newspaper in Linden, Alabama, is under fire for an editorial titled Klan needs to ride again. The weekly newspapers editorial calls for the KKK to return because Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama. Sutton later told the Montgomery Advertiser if the Klan could clean up D.C., wed all been better off. The editorial led to calls for Suttons resignation, including ones from U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala. and Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. OMG! What rock did this guy crawl out from under? This editorial is absolutely disgusting & he should resign -NOW! I have seen what happens when we stand by while people-especially those with influence- publish racist, hateful views. Words matter. Actions matter. Resign now! https://t.co/V1V1vxDBKH Doug Jones (@DougJones) February 19, 2019 For the millions of people of color who have been terrorized by white supremacy, this kind of editorializing about lynching is not a joke it is a threat. These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019. Mr. Sutton should apologize and resign. https://t.co/AOYYGINEdh Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) February 19, 2019 Sutton has been at the Linden newspaper since 1964, joined at the time by his wife, Jean. The Sutton family had operated the newspaper since purchasing it in 1917. In the late 1990s, the Suttons were recognized with several journalism awards, including the Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine Award and the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award, for their stories on corruption at the Marengo County Sheriffs Department. Their stories led to an FBI investigation that resulted in the conviction of Sheriff Roger Davis, who later pleaded guilty to extorting money from a bail bondsmen. The details of that investigation were profiled across the country, including in pieces by The New York Times and People magazine. Sutton earned praise on the Congressional record from then-Rep. Earl Hilliard, who described the newspaper editor as a fearless man of letters. Jean Sutton died in 2003. At the time of her death, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, praised her as a good friend, leader in the Linden community and a role model for investigative journalists. In 2007, Goodloe and Jean Sutton were inducted into the University of Southern Mississippi Mass Communications and Journalism Hall of Fame. In 2009, the Suttons received the Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist award from Auburn University. In 2015, Sutton described the struggles of operating a weekly newspaper to USA Today. Included in the story was an example of headlines found in the Democrat Reporter: Selma black thugs murder Demopolite Saturday night. At the time, the newspapers circulation was 3,000. This is an opinion column. A colleague in our newsroom, staring at his phone, expressed his disbelief in terms I cant repeat here. I asked him what he was looking at. It was a photo on Twitter of a newspaper editorial: The Klan needs to ride again. Among other things, the editorial argued that freed slaves had actually borrowed their former masters robes to lynch other freed slaves, that Democrats somehow started every war since WWI including the Iraq War, that socialists in the Alabama GOP want to raise Alabamas gas tax, and that all these Washington D.C./Montgomery, Alabama, politicians needed to be lynched. Check the date. A paper published this in 2019. Wow. pic.twitter.com/jmVSTO61lX Chip Brownlee (@ByChipBrownlee) February 18, 2019 Is this really in Alabama? my colleague asked. I looked at the screen. I knew before I read a word: It was from the Democrat-Reporter, in Linden, and it had to be the work of Goodloe Sutton Sr, the editor and publisher. The italicized sans serif headline. The pinched Roman body text. It hadnt changed in 21 years or more. I knew because I used to set that type when I worked there. Yeah, I once worked for an editor now reviled as maybe the most racist, and certainly most unhinged, in America. And it was one of the most formative jobs I ever had. Try putting that on your resume. Ive spent the last day trying to trace a line from the place I worked at then to what I saw Monday. Im still trying to make sense of it, and to figure out what, if anything, to say. But what Ive got to show for it are only feelings: Im disgusted and Im saddened. And Im in doubt whether I knew Goodloe as well as I thought. When I first met Goodloe, I was a college kid looking for a summer job. When I started at the Democrat-Reporter, Goodloe and his wife, Jean, had returned the day before from Chicago, where they had appeared on Oprah. Yeah, that guy was on Oprah. Their tiny newspaper was reaping a fat harvest of awards and accolades after having put a county sheriff and two deputies in prison with their work journalism that nearly cost the Suttons their lives. Even with the crooked sheriff in prison, they lived under threat. The former sheriff tried to pay a jailhouse snitch to burn down the Suttonss home with them in it. Their profiles ran in journalism trade publications, the New York Times and TV magazine shows. They were honored for their work on the floor of the U.S. Congress. Jean Sutton taught me the fundamentals of investigative reporting, and if youve ever read my columns blistering one public official or another for not respecting our public records law, its because I can still feel her icy stare over my shoulder. These are things I carried with me in my career. But I should have paid more attention to what I left behind, what I dismissed or what I ignored. Jean died in 2003 from breast cancer. The last time I saw Goodloe was at the funeral. I knew enough about their relationship and about how the paper ran to know nothing good lay ahead. For the last several years, friends down that way had wondered whether Goodloe, whos almost 80 now, was suffering from dementia, alcoholism or both. A profile in the Montgomery Advertiser a couple of years ago said the Democrat-Reporter was struggling to stay in business and noted how he loaded his headlines with racist language. I assumed Goodloe, like his paper, were slowly and sadly wasting away. But I never imagined what I saw this week: The ravings of a bigot and madman drowning in his own bile. As Chip Brownlee, the editor of the Auburn Plainsman, first showed the world outside Marengo County, Goodloes racist madness seems to have set in some time back. For several years now his editorial page has been a cesspool of indefensible bilge. ( When the Montgomery Advertisers Melissa Brown reached Goodloe for comment, he didnt blame old age, a hangover or a case of the flu. He reaffirmed everything he had written with unapologetic enthusiasm. "We'll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them," he told her. That guy was once on Oprah. That guy once won awards for courage and tenacity. That guy was once someone I considered with a measure of respect. But now? He could have accomplished much good in his corner of this world deep in Alabamas Black Belt, long poisoned by poverty and racial oppression. Instead, he let himself be eaten from the inside by hatred. No measure of respect is left. Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group. Want access to the best analysis and in-depth reporting about Alabama each week? Sign up for the weekly Reckon Report newsletter and follow Reckon on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Whitmire on Twitter and Facebook, too. And Instagram. All the things! This is an opinion column. It is 2019. Remarkable. It has been 400 years since the White Lion no lie, that was its name landed in Virginia in 1619 and brought the first African slaves to America, where they were sold to people who would later take credit for building this country. Four centuries. Imagine that. It has only been 200 years since Alabama became its own state in 1819. Alabama considered itself enlightened then because it allowed white men to vote even if they did not own property. It considered black men and women to be property. Think about that a moment. For 200 before Alabama became a state, black people were brought to this land against their will to work for the profit of others. White people thought of them like tractors or plows, tools to get the job done. And our history was made together, forge-welded in the furnaces and the fields of the South. Oh, what a couple of centuries. The Civil War began 158 years ago, and those who say it wasnt because of enslavement listened to the wrong bedtime stories. The war ended 154 years ago and settled the issue of slavery, but not of servitude. It was 118 years ago that Alabama rewrote its constitution to enshrine white supremacy in law. It was 65 years ago that the U.S. Supreme Court ended racial segregation of public schools, 56 years ago that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream that rang true in the better parts of Americas heart. Until that shot rang just as true in Memphis. It was 55 years ago that the Civil Rights Act ended segregation in public, which was a landmark day. And it has been 54 years since the Voting Rights Act tried to overcome the barriers to black voting, especially in places like Alabama. It is tempting to look at 400 years of injustice, and 200 years of Alabama, and at 50-some-odd years of fits and starts for racial progress, and to dwell on just how far weve come. From buying and selling people to tolerating them. Sometimes. Alabama always has its part to play. It has been just six years since Shelby County v. Holder, a case born in the Birmingham suburbs, shook the South and the nation and dragged us backward toward Jim Crow. The U.S. Supreme Court sided with Shelby County, abolishing the formula the Voting Rights Act had used to make sure black people were not denied their right to vote. Wed come so far, right? It was time to trust the states. Except what has happened since has violated all that trust and reinforced the distrust. One step forward and decades back. Because states, including Alabama, almost immediately began to make voting harder. Almost half the states pushed voter ID laws and others reduced voting hours or purged voter rolls, moves that disproportionately affect poor people and minorities. Alabama closed drivers license offices especially in black-majority counties though they reopened after public pressure. District lines across the South began to change in ways that still cant be fully digested. History is an incredible weight for those of us and there are many who love this place and understand the heavy burden the past dropped on our shoulders. It bears down and begs us to look at ourselves and our motivations and our actions, just as surely as we look at those who brought and bought slaves, and those who stood against them. It is 2019, and we, too, will be remembered. Four centuries. And counting. John Archibald, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a columnist for Reckon by AL.com. His column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Write him at jarchibald@al.com. The president of the Alabama NAACP said an editorial written by the publisher of a small Alabama newspaper calling for raids by the Ku Klux Klan was alarming and cause for an investigation because of its threatening nature. Hes out of touch with reality. Its obvious that hes a racist, Alabama NAACP President Benard Simelton said. "And I know its a private newspaper apparently. But this is going out into the public domain and he should do himself a favor and resign. In addition, I think it needs to be looked into by the FBI because in my opinion hes making threats to legislators and telling them that the Klan essentially needs to take care of the Democrats. The Democrats as well as the Democrats that are in the Republican Party, too. So, I think that needs to be looked at as a threat and investigated as a threat and possible legal action taken against him. Goodloe Sutton, longtime publisher and editor of the Democrat-Reporter newspaper in Linden, confirmed to the Montgomery Advertiser on Monday that he wrote the editorial and stood by its message. The editorial was published Feb. 14 under the headline: Klan needs to ride again. On Monday, two members of Congress from Alabama called for Sutton to resign. On Tuesday, state Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, said the editorial was completely unacceptable and also urged for Suttons resignation: The language used by the Democrat-Reporter is deeply disturbing & completely unacceptable. There is no place for this type of hateful rhetoric in our society. I encourage the newspaper to issue a public apology & urge Mr. Sutton to resign as publisher. https://t.co/BpjyJmaspz Rep. Martha Roby (@RepMarthaRoby) February 19, 2019 Simelton said he shared the editorial with others after seeing it last night and they were stunned. Its very upsetting,Simelton said. "Ive spoken to some members of the NAACP this morning about it and also when I sent the link to the story out last night, people cannot believe that they are hearing this from someone in 2019." Simelton noted that Sutton compared the Klan to the NAACP during his interview with the Montgomery Advertiser. The NAACP did not bomb any churches and kill four girls, Simelton said. We did not kill Medgar Evers. We did not kill anyone, period. And for him to compare the Klan to the NAACP, thats just out of touch with reality. Simelton said he thinks Sutton is seeking attention. I think hes just out there just trying to get some publicity for his newspaper so he can stay in business. Besides him being a racist, hes trying to drum up business for his newspaper to increase his readers. AL.coms efforts to reach Sutton have been unsuccessful. Auburn Universitys Journalism Advisory Council stripped Sutton of a community journalism award today, The Auburn Plainsman reported. In addition, the University of Southern Mississippi School of Communication removed Sutton from its Hall of Fame. Sutton began the editorial with, Time for the Klan to night ride again. Sutton wrote that Democrats, including Democrats in the Republican Party, are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama, which he attributed to a socialist-communist ideology that sounds good to the ignorant, the uneducated and the simple-minded people. He closed the editorial by writing, Seems like the Klan would be welcome to raid the gated communities up there. They call them compounds now. Truly, they are the ruling class. Sutton referred to lynching in his comments to the Advertiser. If we could get the Klan to go up there and clean out D.C., wed all been better off. Well get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them. The Libertarian Party of Alabama has sued Secretary of State John Merrill because Merrills office is charging the party about $34,000 for a voter list provided to the Democratic and Republican parties for free. Merrill said he is following state law in applying the charge, which he said is based on one cent per voter name. Attorney David Schoen of Montgomery, who represents the Libertarian Party, said theres no justification for charging a minor political party for an electronic copy of a list thats already prepared and given at no cost to the major parties. Literally they have to press send and they want to charge $34,000, Schoen said. The Libertarian Party filed the lawsuit last month in U.S. District Court in Montgomery. It claims that the law allowing the Democratic and Republican parties to get the list for free while minor parties must pay a prohibitively expensive amount violates the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The Libertarian Party asks the court to block the law and to require the secretary of states office to provide the party the voter list at no charge. Merrills office has not yet responded in court to the lawsuit. In a phone interview, Merrill said he does not think the law allows for providing the list for free. Its not that were favoring the Democrats and Republicans, Merrill said. Its that were following the law and the laws says the Democrat party and the Republican party can each receive a full list of voters for their party and any other major party can receive that. The effort to achieve major party status and gain ballot access is a key reason the Libertarian Party says it needs the list. To be listed on the statewide ballot in Alabama, a party must submit to the secretary of state a list of signatures of at least 3 percent of the voters who participated in the last election for governor. That threshold is set by state law. That means the Libertarian Party needs 51,588 signatures to get statewide placement on the 2020 ballot. The partys lawsuit says the voter list provides vital information to parties trying to gain ballot access. The list shows where voters are concentrated and allows parties to reach out directly to voters at their homes and by name. A political party which does not have copy of the voter registration list is placed at a distinct disadvantage in its efforts to gain ballot access and to solicit and win votes, the lawsuit says. In August, the Libertarian Party sent an email asking the secretary of states office for the voter list because it needed to start its signature drive immediately, the lawsuit says. After getting no response, the party requested the list again in December, the lawsuit says. Merrills office responded on Jan. 7, saying that the list was available in electronic format for about $34,000. The Libertarian Party filed the lawsuit on Jan. 23. The lawsuit gives a brief history of the Libertarian Party of Alabama to make the point that its members and candidates have been active in state politics since 2000. According to the lawsuit, the Libertarian Party had 58 candidates on the Alabama ballot in 2002. It lost ballot access after that, but Libertarian candidates for president have continued to run as independents in Alabama. The party gained ballot access in Jefferson, Shelby, Chilton and Bibb counties in 2014 and 2018, the lawsuit says. The LPA has continued to seek ballot access in Alabama in many races for elective office, putting forward a platform of smaller government and greater individual freedoms and will do so in the future, the lawsuit says. Schoen said he thinks every citizen should have free access to the voter list because it is compiled at public expense. He said the lawsuit does not make that claim but does assert that a legitimate party like the Libertarian Party should have the same access as the Democratic and Republican parties. This is a viable political party thats been on the ballot in the past, Schoen said. Its not a fly by night type thing. Schoen said he believes the law as written would allow the secretary of states office discretion to provide the list for free to minor parties. Merrill said he does not believe the law allows that discretion. In addition to providing the voter list to the Democratic and Republican parties for free, the law allows several other entities access to the list. Legislators can receive a copy of the list for their districts within 90 days after taking office. The list is available to the Administrative Office of Courts to compile a master jurors list or other purposes. The state provides the list to election officials in other states that have a reciprocal agreement to provide their lists at no cost to Alabama. The lawsuit notes that the state law says the cost of providing an electronic copy shall be reasonable as determined by the Secretary of State, but says the one cent per name charge is prohibitively expensive and has been set at a level that virtually ensures that a minor political part or an independent candidate could never afford it. The lawsuit says the requirement for 51,000 signatures is onerous and the requirement to pay for the voter list is just one more obstacle Alabama places in the way of minor parties to try to prevent them from growing and gaining access to the ballot. Two members of Alabamas congressional delegation are calling for the resignation of the man who wrote an editorial in the Democrat-Reporter newspaper in Linden headlined Klan needs to ride again. In Monday night tweets, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., and U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell both called on Goodloe Sutton to resign. Jones called the editorial absolutely disgusting and Sewell called Suttons editorial and comments about lynching deeply offensive and inappropriate. Two state lawmakers from west Alabama also said they had not seen the editorial but said they are not surprised because of what they said is the newspapers track record for racist content. The editorial says its Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again because Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama. Sutton, editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter, told the Montgomery Advertiser that he wrote the editorial, published on Feb. 14. If we could get the Klan to go up there and clean out D.C., wed all been better off, Sutton told the Advertiser. Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said he doesnt subscribe to or read the Democrat-Reporter. Hes been making those kind of racist epithets for a long time, Singleton said. Goodloe is just being Goodloe as far as Im concerned. But Singleton said he does not take the comments lightly. Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Livingston, said he had not heard about the Klan editorial. That kind of ignorance is the reason I dont even subscribe to the paper, McCampbell said. He said he advertised in the paper at one time but no longer has anything to do with it. The short editorial suggests that sometimes the men who rode on horseback in robes were former slaves. Slaves, just freed after the civil war, were not stupid. At times, they borrowed their former masters robes and horses and rode through the night to frighten some evil doer. Sometimes they had to kill one of two of them, but so what. OMG! What rock did this guy crawl out from under? This editorial is absolutely disgusting & he should resign -NOW! I have seen what happens when we stand by while people-especially those with influence- publish racist, hateful views. Words matter. Actions matter. Resign now! https://t.co/V1V1vxDBKH Doug Jones (@DougJones) February 19, 2019 For the millions of people of color who have been terrorized by white supremacy, this kind of editorializing about lynching is not a joke it is a threat. These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019. Mr. Sutton should apologize and resign. https://t.co/AOYYGINEdh Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) February 19, 2019 Benard Simelton, president of the Alabama NAACP, said tonight he had not seen the editorial and would withhold any comment until after he has read it. Chip Brownlee, a journalist at Auburn University, called attention to the editorial earlier today on Twitter. Who do you hire when you want to train your employees to give excellent customer service? How about the Ritz-Carlton---the world-renowned hotel chain that prides itself on creating memorable experiences for their guests? Thats exactly what Birmingham schools just did. More than 150 clerical and frontline employees in Birminghams 44 schools and central office participated in the second of three training sessions conducted by the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Group on Feb. 15. They were there to learn The Art of the Apology. What do apologies and customer service have to do with schools? As it turns out, everything. Birmingham Board of Education member Sonja Smith said the idea of improving customer service came out of a week-long session last summer at Harvard University where she and other members of the districts leadership team participated. District officials have been trying to stem the flow of students out of Birmingham and into surrounding school districts. Student enrollment has decreased from 24,400 five years ago to 22,200 this year. The district had 40,000 students 20 years ago. Smith said improving relationships among schools and parents is a priority. We were looking at how can we engage with parents in a way that makes them feel comfortable, Smith said. It really boiled down to how we treat people. Weve heard that parents take their children out, district training director Wendolyn Conner-Knight said, because of unpleasant interactions with school staff. Parents do have choices, she added. We want them to choose Birmingham City Schools. Smith said parent-employee interactions, often emotion-filled because children are involved, generate a large number of the districts complaints overall, and they want to try and solve that problem. Things happen beyond our control, Conner-Knight said, but school staff need to do a better job explaining to parents why a situation arose and help them resolve it. Valori Borland, a 30-year veteran of the hotel industry, led the session. Nobodys perfect, Borland told attendees. We make mistakes every day. Learning how to apologize and taking ownership of a problem---even if the employee isnt directly responsible for causing it---is important when trying to connect with people, Borland said. [Apologizing] is not something that comes easy to anybody, Borland said, teaching attendees that empathy and patience go a long way when faced with a parent or colleague who is upset. Sometimes, Borland told participants, people worry that apologizing is a sign of weakness. It is anything but, she said. Rather, she said, when you own a problem, its a sign of strength. Some attendees pushed back, inviting Borland to visit their school and handle some of the situations they deal with. During the half-day session, Birmingham school staff role-played, showing what they learned about apologizing. It was apparent that many of the attendees had faced an aggravated parent or two. One group shared what might happen when a parent shows up at school, angry because their childs cell phone was taken away. The parent, being played by an employee, demanded the phone be returned. The school employee calmly explained that the phone would be returned at the end of the day and reiterated that using the phone during school hours was against the rules. The school employee asked the parent to remind her child not to use the phone when he isnt supposed to. A second groups role-play involved a parent who was angry because she was being asked to sign in at the front desk, when her friend was never asked to do so. The parent complained that staff were being rude to her as well. The employee asked her to come into her office, in effect giving the parent her full attention in an attempt to resolve the conflict. A third example was a parent who was upset because a grandparent had checked her child out of school without her permission. It was customary for the grandparent to check the child out, the employee said, but they would work to resolve the problem in the future. In each case, employees showed a calm disposition, giving the parent their full attention, apologizing for the situation that had arisen, taking ownership of the problem and working to resolve it. Canzetta Dixon, a 40-year veteran of the district and currently a front-office employee at Huffman High School, said the session was helpful. You can pull from it and incorporate it into your everyday activities, she said. Most of the problems that we encounter at the front counter are our parents, Dixon said, but added that she doesnt have the types of problems her colleagues in other schools have voiced. Borland said some participants werent too sure that the methods she went over would work with parents at their schools, but she encouraged them to try anyway. I dont know that we always think that every one of our actions, how we handle that one phone call, how we handle that one parent, Borland said, has a bearing on [our reputation]. It does. Conner-Knight said one reason they chose the Ritz-Carlton group is because of their willingness to help the district create their own customer service training to use in the future. She plans to be back in front of the board, who approved the training at their Jan. 22 meeting, with a full training program for Birmingham schools this spring. The first training for front line personnel, on customer service principles, was held Jan. 3, at a cost of $14,000. The cost of the remaining sessions will be between $36,000 and $75,000, according to the contract the board approved. The variance, Conner-Knight said, arises due to the costs of the venue. Birmingham board member Terri Michal opposed the training when it was presented and approved. Our children are in a crisis, and were talking about money for this, Michal said. Im just having a really hard time justifying this. Board President Cheri Gardner supported the training, saying, I believe that its long overdue. Many of the things I hear, the complaints that are brought to my attention, Gardner continued, all of it has everything to do with customer service. Training for school and central office administrators, will be held in March and April, Conner-Knight said, and a third and final training for front line staff will be held in March. Birmingham is the first school district in Alabama Borlands group has worked with, but they have a lot of experience working with universities---Ivy Leagues included. Creating a memorable customer service experience, she said, is important across organizations and institutions. Conflict is unavoidable, Borland said. For Birmingham schools to take this on is impressive, she added. It takes a lot for any brand, any organization, to say we can do better. Billy Jack Gaither spent his 39 years of life caring for family, worshiping God and quietly harboring a second, secret existence. Both lives ended on Feb. 19, 1999 because Gaither was gay, something two men viewed as a crime worthy of death. Gaithers murder sparked a national outcry and a movement to include sexual orientation in Alabamas 1994 hate crime law. Former State Rep. Patricia Todd, Alabamas first openly lesbian lawmaker, tried for years to amend the law. Today, 31 states and Washington, D.C. include either sexual orientation or gender identity in their hate crime laws. Alabama still does not. Todds newly-elected successor, State Rep. Neil Rafferty, an openly gay former Marine, has no plans to push that legislation, but is exploring options. Alabama has come a long way through the hard work of a lot of people and grass-root groups and while things may have changed for the better, there are kids still suffering," Rafferty said. We have in Alabama a legacy of bias-motivated violence against marginalized communities. What makes those acts of violence different is that the intention is to terrorize and silence a marginalized community." Gaither was silenced forever in an act of violence that shocked Alabama and the nation. He didnt have no respect' Steven Eric Mullins, then 25, and Charles Monroe Butler, then 21, told Coosa County Sheriffs Office investigators they plotted Gaithers death because he made a pass at Mullins a week earlier. They later denied the murder was premeditated, saying instead Gaither was killed because he came on to Butler the night of the murder. The Fayetteville men lured Gaither from a Sylacauga bar to a boat launch, stabbed him, beat him with an ax handle, put him in a car trunk and drove him to a creek. They beat him again and then placed him on two fiery, kerosene-drenched tires. Billy Jack started talking about some gay issues. . . . wanting to have a threesome, or whatever," Butler said in a PBS Frontline special in 2000. "Steve jumped on him, and cut his throat there. I didnt even know the man, for him to be hitting on me. . . . Tempers just flared. Its like he didnt have no respect. Gwendolyn Griffin, far left, and LeAnne Owen, hold each other while joining in a protest against hate crimes at UAB Mini-Park. Approximately 70 people came out to hear speakers from the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Alabama and the National Coalition Building Institute. They honored the memory of Billy Jack Gaither, who was killed in a hate crime on Feb. 19, 1999. '[I feel] angry and sad,' said Owens when asked about Gaither's death, 'like getting squeezed by the buckle of the Bible Belt.' Gaither tried to run. Mullins told him it was useless, according to a 1999 interrogation shared by Frontline. I was still beating him and when I gave out of energy and couldnt do it anymore, um, the fire got to going and the tires started burning real well and I drug him into the flame and uh, we stood there for a few minutes and then we left, Mullins said. The two were soon arrested. In times like this... Gaither died eight months after James Byrd Jr., an African-American man, was dragged behind a truck in Jasper, Texas and four months after Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay man, was beaten, tied to a fence and set on fire near Laramie, Wyo. President Obama in 2009 signed into law a hate crimes measure named after Shepard. This heinous and cowardly crime touches the conscience of our country, just as the terrible murders of James Byrd in Texas and Matthew Shepard in Wyoming did last year, President Clinton said after Gaithers death. In times like this, the American people pull together and speak with one voice, because the acts of hatred that led to the deaths of such innocent men are also acts of defiance against the values our society holds most dear." Clinton in 1994 implemented Dont ask, dont tell" -- repealed in 2010 -- and in 1996 signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act, which allowed Alabama and other states to ban same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down that part of DOMA in 2015. Gaithers murder shows just how dangerous it was to be gay in Alabama in 1999. ''I would consider it difficult to live anywhere in Alabama other than Birmingham,'' David W. White, the Birmingham coordinator for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Alabama, told The New York Times in 1999. ''Even in Birmingham, I would never in a public place grab my partners hand and walk down the street. It would literally be a death wish in the state of Alabama.'' We will not go back into the closet Despite such risks, people filled Birminghams Covenant Metropolitan Community Church weeks after Gaithers death to urge legislators to add sexual orientation to the states hate crimes law. Across the street, protesters from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., held signs attacking Gaither. We are outraged at this violent crime, but the issue is the homosexuals are exploiting it, said the Rev. Fred Phelps. It is no longer merely an event for the family and friends to grieve. Marchers make their way down Broadway through Times Square in New York, Monday, March 15, 1999, as they take part in what organizers called a "political funeral" held for Billy Jack Gaither, killed in a beating in Coosa County, Ala., as well as for all victims of hate violence. (AP Photo/Lynsey Addario) Events for Gaither were held across Alabama and across America. We will not go back into the closet. We will not be afraid to be identified, to have our picture taken. What you see here tonight is light. It is the light of resistance, student Bruce Haga said at another Birmingham event in Gaithers honor. I am deeply grieved by the senseless murder of Billy Jack Gaither because it strikes at the very heart of what it means to be an American, then-Cal. Gov. Gray Davis told a crowd in West Hollywood. If any man or woman cannot walk safely down our streets for fear of violence simply because of his or her sexual orientation, then none of us are truly free. Thats not acceptable here Gaithers family and friends grieved the death of a man who read the Bible each night and drove 60 miles each day to load trucks at Russell Athletics Distribution Center in Alexander City. I dont believe he was gay, but whether he was or not, God is the only one who has the right to take a life. The devil might have taken my son, but Gods got him. I believe to my soul, he is in heaven," Gaithers father, Marion Hughes Gaither, said. Efforts to reach Gaithers family for this article were not successful. Some of Gaithers friends and family members said he went to Atlanta clubs to live his secret life. At a (Sylacauaga) tavern Gaither frequented, a waitress recalls how he admonished an openly gay person. He told him, Thats not acceptable here," The Birmingham News reported. Mullins and Butler were sentenced to life without parole. Gaithers family asked that Butler be spared execution. I cant see taking another human beings life, no matter what, Marion Gaither said. On Feb. 26, 2019, exactly one week after the 20th anniversary of Gaithers murder, Mullins was stabbed to death at the St. Clair Correctional Facility. We are still fighting As they have each year since Gaithers death, LGBTQ activists gathered Saturday at the Alabama State Capitol to demand the states hate crime law be expanded to include sexuality and gender identity. Alabama often times seems like -- and probably doesnt -- care about black lives [or] care about LGBTQ lives, Jose Vasquez, president of Montgomery Pride United, said. We are still fighting. More than 90 people gathered there observed a moment of silence for Dana Martin. The 31-year-old black transwoman from Hope Hull was found shot to death in a crashed car in Montgomery on January 6. Martin is reportedly the first transgender person killed in America in 2019. AL.com journalist Jonece Starr Dunigan contributed to this report. The Alabama Press Associations Board of Directors has voted to censure Goodloe Sutton, the newspaper publisher who penned an editorial calling for the revival of the Ku Klux Klan. The APA confirmed to AL.com it had also suspended the membership of The Democrat-Reporter, which printed the editorial on Feb. 14. Under its bylaws, members will be allowed to address the question of expelling the newspaper at its next membership meeting. Todays actions are believed to be the first time the group has censured a member. Calls to The Democrat-Reporter seeking comment on the APA move went unanswered. The APA is the states newspaper trade association, representing 24 daily newspapers and 99 non-daily newspapers, as well as more than 100 associate members. Earlier in the day, Auburn Universitys Journalism Advisory Council voted to revoke Suttons community journalism award while the University of Southern Mississippi removed him from its Journalism and Mass Communications Hall of Fame. The moves come after Sutton published an editorial calling for the white supremacist group to return because Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama. Sutton later told the Montgomery Advertiser if the Klan could clean up D.C., wed all been better off. U.S. Sens. Doug Jones and Richard Shelby, as well as Reps. Terri Sewell and Martha Roby, have called for Suttons resignation. They were young(er) and ready for their moment, looking to plant their flag in the world of comic books. And they did it -- big and bold and bloody and set some 30,000 feet up in air so thin, you've got to bring your own. "High Crimes" trade cover Writer Christopher Sebela and artist Ibrahim Moustafa finished their 12-issue series "High Crimes" in the summer of 2015, a time before either of them had firmly established themselves in the realm of choice Big Two talent. Now, with DC, Marvel and creator-owned credits on Sebela and Moustafa's CVs, the two are releasing a new collected version of "High Crimes" via Image. I chatted with the pair via email about how the series came together, how it factors into the story of their careers, whether they were tempted to Lucas-ify anything in the new edition and more. How did this book come together originally, and what got things rolling for the reprint at Image? Sebela: Oof, that's a real long story at this point. The digest version is that I was trying to break into comics and I'd met Chris Roberson and Alison Baker who were just starting up Monkeybrain Comics -- a digital-first imprint at Comixology -- and they asked me to pitch them a book, something I wanted to do more than anything else. And that was "High Crimes." So then I met Ibrahim, and we started work on it in the summer of 2012, our first issue came out in January of 2013 and we'd finally wrapped everything up by summer of 2015. As for the reprint, Ibrahim and I did "High Crimes" as, for all intents and purposes, our first book. Or at least our first big statement to comics as far as "Hey, we're making this thing, check it out, we're proud of it." Since then, I think both of us have moved on to a lot of different and bigger things, and we really wanted to give "High Crimes" a chance to get seen by all those people who might like our stuff or who never saw it the first time around. Moustafa: On my end, I was sharing a studio with a group of comics folks here in Portland, and I had asked studiomate Joe Keatinge to keep an ear out for any writers looking for an artist, as I was looking for a project to prove myself with. I mentioned that I was most interested in crime as a genre at the time. Within a couple of weeks, he brought Chris by to make an introduction, and Chris pitched the story to me right there at my drawing table. It was exactly the type of thing I wanted to do, and we decided it was happening right then and there. It felt like the appropriate time to get it back out to the world now that we both have more steam behind us in the comics community, and the first release wasn't very wide. So we're really hoping more people can get their hands on it this time around. What's it like revisiting it after more than five years? How do you think it holds up? Sebela: It was appropriately weird. It feels to me like creative growth is a lot more noticeable than physical growth, so it was like looking at baby pictures of ourselves. It also brought up a lot of memories of us making this thing, meeting up outside Ibrahim's studio or at a coffeeshop to talk out a sequence that was giving us trouble, all the time we put in and all the hustling we had to do to get it on people's radars. Strangely, being a huge self-criticizer, I thought it held up really well. There's definitely things I would do differently if I was writing it today, but I remain proud of what we created there. Moustafa: I can see a lot of mistakes that I wouldn't make now, that's for sure, haha. But I'm still very proud of the work that we did. We were completely unfettered, so we were able to do anything we wanted. I played with the layouts quite a bit, moving away from rigid grids whenever I got the chance. We played with the format, taking the pages from portrait to landscape at one point. There's a freedom to that, and it allowed us to say, "Here's how we make comics" rather than asking "Is it okay if we do it like this?" In looking back, at it I think I could stand to take more risks like that today. "High Crimes" interior page What made Everest an interesting place to tell a story? Sebela: My very first note on High Crimes was "gun fight in the Khumbu Icefall" and that's all I had for forever, but it was such an unlikely and chaotic image in my head that I knew I had to figure out how to get to that point in a satisfying way. I'd been obsessed with Everest for a few years when I started figuring the book out and envisioning it as a comic, and a lot of it was as a way to evacuate all this stuff I'd learned about it over the years. Because it's the tallest point on earth, Everest draws all kinds of people to it, a lot of whom will return over and over and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars just to say they summited. People will die instead of turning back. People rob from other climbers, there's an entire caste system of sorts that operates on Everest. It's like its own little insular world within the world, with its own language and knowledge and I think that stuff draws me in as much as trying to figure out what makes the people who try to conquer the mountain while sacrificing everything tick. Ibrahim, is there a trick or a secret in drawing a book full of mountain and snow? What did you teach yourself for "High Crimes"? Moustafa: Y'know, I thought it was going to be easy to draw snow because "I can just leave those parts of the page blank." Nope! Turns out it can be very difficult to suggest white snow using black ink as the medium. In coloring it, I also had to take into account the fact that snow can reflect the colors around it. But equally as challenging as the mountain were the cities in the book as well. Drawing any place across the world that you've never been to in painstaking detail is a big undertaking, and this is a book that could not have existed without the internet as a resource. "High Crimes" interior page Greg Rucka wrote a forward for a 2015 collection -- is there a mutual admiration between you guys for "High Crimes" and "Whiteout" and telling stories in extreme (and extremely cold) places? Sebela: Greg's forward was about him being jealous that we got to Everest before he did. Which was flattering that he was cool with it and liked what we did with the mountain. But it also felt like a weird karmic payback since "High Crimes" had been shot down more than once because of perceived similarities to "Whiteout." So we have a mutual admiration/attack society going on. Moustafa: Greg is one of my favorite writers (both in comics and prose) and an incredibly nice guy, to boot. It was a big honor to have a nod from him like that. Likewise, Steve Lieber, the artist of "Whiteout," has been a resource (giving me pointers at a busy convention years ago when I was first learning), a community fixture and a friend. So we're very lucky to share any kind of real estate with those two. And I'm pretty sure Steve and I have drawn more parkas than anyone, ever. "High Crimes" interior page How do you describe the main characters -- Zan, Haskell and, strangely, Sullivan Mars -- and what would you say generally are their arcs over the course of the book? Sebela: Zan is a disgraced Olympic athlete who screwed up in the biggest and most public way possible and has spent her time since running from the aftermath of it. Having been known, she tries to hide, eventually winding up in Kathmandu, where she works with a low-rent expedition service to help guide rich tourists up the side of tall mountains in the Himalayas. She's an addict, deep into denial and has all kinds of junkie dreams of kicking her habits, ascending Everest and coming down the person she's always wanted to be. Haskell is her partner, a dad-type older figure who also works as a guide but has drafted Zan into a sideline business where they find the bodies of dead climbers at altitude (where they're usually left) and offer to bring them back down and send them to their loved ones for a hefty fee. So while he's kind of enabling her, he's also trying to save her, especially once he finds Sullivan Mars and the government agents come for them. Sullivan Mars is the dead body on top of Everest with rolls of microfilm embedded in his skin full of all sorts of black ops state secrets. Being dead, we visit his life through a journal he kept when he went rogue from a shadowy government team known as the Strange Agents and began his ascent of Everest over 20 years ago, starting to learn a lot more about himself than he ever knew before. As for their arcs, it's hard to sum up, but I think people change in small ways. Little bits here and there, some stuff gets put away forever and some better stuff gets brought out in its place, but people are essentially who they are. Zan, Haskell, even Mars, they have a lot of big ideas and dreams and notions, and the story is a lot about how those stack up to harsh reality. Ibrahim, what were some of the features that define your design for Zan? Moustafa: For me, Zan's personality and penchant for self-destruction needed to be readable on her. She's got scars, she's always a bit disheveled, she has bad posture; she's a person who hates herself and so she doesn't put in a lot of effort with presentation. She needed to look like she smells like a crumpled hoodie and jeans. Chris, Zan reminds me of both Red from "Shanghai Red" and "Heartthrob"'s Callie -- they're all women who face a sharp turn in their life and have to navigate what amounts to be a new normal for them. What draws you to those characters? Sebela: I like damaged people, probably because I don't know anyone who isn't? I know a lot of people who manage and mask it a lot better than I do and I feel like the ones who have trouble with that stuff just speak to me more. We all face those hairpin turns in our lives that show up without warning one day and change everything. We might not even realize it at the time, but eventually you forget what life was like before it wandered in and made itself at home. I think there's something about looking at people when they face that moment, that gives you the clearest view of who they really are -- warts, contradictions, hypocrisies and all. I don't ever want to write about someone who is perfect, because I'd have nothing to say about that except that it sounds like it's pretty fun to be perfect. Zan is a lot of who I was then and who I am now, same as Callie and Red, it just happens that I'm lucky enough to be able to sort all this out hidden underneath really compelling stories. And Ibrahim, what were some of your guiding philosophies for "High Crimes"? Moustafa: One thing that I wanted to make sure of was that I kept a level of visual interest throughout the book, as I knew there would be a lot of quiet moments, a lot of barren landscapes, and a lot of tent interiors. Let me tell you: there are only so many ways to draw the interior of a tent, let alone ways that are interesting. So I had to keep challenging myself to push my abilities the whole time. Did you make any tweaks or changes for the new edition? Was there anything you were tempted to go in there and Lucas? Sebela: I hired Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, letterer and co-creator of "Shanghai Red," to go thru and fix all the lettering. I lettered the book myself (and did like 70 percent of the color separations) because I couldn't afford to pay anyone to do that stuff, so the lettering looked really rough after a few years of seeing how much better professional letterers have made my books. And it looks and reads a lot better than it did before. Plus the proofer at Image, Melissa, caught a bunch of goofs we didn't catch the first time. Otherwise, we didn't touch a thing. Moustafa: There was a 3-page bonus story that we did as part of a CBLDF Free Comic Book Day issue that was printed out of sequence in the original hardcover release of "High Crimes." It still read okay, but I'm excited that we've put that one right for this paperback. Where does "High Crimes" fit into the story of your careers? Where would you be without it? Sebela: Me, I'd be nowhere. This book was my hail mary to try and legitimately break into comics under my own steam. I'd co-written some stuff up until then, but it's hard to get anyone to pay attention to the lesser-known co-writer. So I wasn't making progress at all. "High Crimes" was my real introduction to what I wanted to do in comics and what I could do. And it somehow worked, which I hoped for but never really expected. It made me being a writer for a living possible. Moustafa: I feel that we'd still be working in comics because we're persistent and dedicated enough, but this book was us bringing our own 7-layer dip to the party rather than asking what kind of dish the hosts thought we'd be right for. That's allowed us to have a bit more of a choice in the type of work that we've done moving forward, I think. "High Crimes" interior page What do you hope readers in 2019 get out of it? Sebela: That it's a good book and they're glad they bought it? I'm dumb at this one, but I just want more people to get a chance to read this thing that means a lot to the both of us and hopefully walk away wanting to know more about all the crooked stuff that swirls around Everest (which is arguably even worse than when we made the book) or about what else we, as creators, have had our hands in. Moustafa: Nowadays, if I can help provide a modicum of escapism, I feel like it was all worth it! Hopefully folks who pick this up are entertained and can see all of the passion on the pages. "High Crimes," by writer Christopher Sebela, artist Ibrahim Moustafa and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and republished by Image Comics, goes on sale Wednesday. Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear told denominational leaders in a meeting Monday night that sexual abuse is not a fabricated story with an agenda, according to Baptist Press. "It is time for change, Greear said at a meeting of the SBC Executive Committee in Nashville. The world is watching." A study committee reported that an SBC database of offenders should be considered, discussed and evaluated. The idea was rejected by SBC Executive Committee more than a decade ago, in 2008. The study committee was formed in July and had been looking at the issue prior to the publication last week of an investigation by two Texas newspapers that detailed hundreds of cases of abuse in Southern Baptist churches. Some Southern Baptist churches have "ignored" or "silenced" victims, Greear said. The SBC's culture needs to change, he said. "We've got to look deeply at our culture," see how abuse has been allowed and make sure it doesn't happen again, Greear said. Our goal is for our response to abuse to match the Gospel we proclaim with our mouths, he said. The Gospel declares Jesus laid down His life for the vulnerable. We need to defend them. Greear, pastor at The Summit Church in Durham, N.C., announced a Sexual Abuse Advisory Study in July. More than half of study group is women, Greear said. Initial recommendations of the study group include calling for repentance "for decades of inaction." Denominational culture has made abuse, evasion and cover up "far too easy," Greear said. The SBC also must repent for using local church autonomy as an excuse, he said. The study group developed a resource entitled "Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused." It is a free 12-lesson training for ministry leaders. All six seminaries have agreed to incorporate this resource into their curricula, Greear said. The 10-member team that conducted the study includes Rachael Denhollander, Mika Edmondson, Brad Hambrick, Samantha Kilpatrick, Diane Langberg, Chris Moles, Andrea Munford, Karla Siu, Darby Strickland and Leslie Vernick. All six seminaries, the officers of the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders and all state conventions have agreed to three documents on a "Statement of Principles on Abuse." Churches, conventions, associations and entities should review their policies on abuse, the study committee recommended. It also recommended requiring background checks for all SBC standing committees and trustee appointments. The study group recommended Southern Baptists reexamine the ordination process for pastors and deacons. The 2019 SBC annual meeting June 11-12 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham will address abuse through several programs and resources. State convention partners and LifeWay should work together to identify additional questions related to abuse that can be added to the Annual Church Profile, the study group said. The SBC's governing documents should be amended to address the definition of a cooperating church and make clear that churches with "a wanton disregard" for sexual abuse are not in friendly cooperation. Greear listed specific churches that should be asked to give an answer for their actions related to sexual abuse. The goal is never to disfellowship, he said. If we do not get this right, our churches will not be a safe place for the lost, Greear said. In 2007, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution urging churches to perform criminal background checks on clergy and employees. The statement also renounced child abusers and those who cover up their actions. When The Devil All the Time starts filming in Alabama this month, Chris Evans wont be part of the cast. The actor, who played Captain America in several films, including 2018s Avengers: Infinity War, has dropped out of the Netflix movie because of scheduling conflicts, according to Deadline Hollywood. Evans has been replaced by Sebastian Stan, who played alongside him as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Solider in four of the Marvel superhero films. Several stars are attached to The Devil All the Time, a gothic thriller adapted from a 2011 novel by Donald Ray Pollock. The cast includes: Bill Skarsgard , who starred as Pennywise in the 2017 version of It." Tom Holland , who played Spider-Man in five Marvel-centric movies. Eliza Scanlen, a breakout star from the HBO series Sharp Objects. Robert Pattinson, the soulful vampire in the Twilight series. Mia Wasikowska, the lead actress in Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland films. The production is set to film in Alabama for about two months, with locations in Anniston and Jacksonville, according to The Anniston Star. Earlier this month, Goleman Casting issued casting calls for extras, background actors and stand-ins, with work dates listed as Feb. 19-April 19. Heres the storyline for The Devil All the Time, according to IMDB: Set in rural southern Ohio and West Virginia, The Devil All the Time follows a cast of compelling and bizarre characters from the end of World War II to the 1960s. Theres Willard Russell, tormented veteran of the carnage in the South Pacific, who cant save his beautiful wife, Charlotte, from an agonizing death by cancer no matter how much sacrificial blood he pours on his prayer log. Theres Carl and Sandy Henderson, a husband-and-wife team of serial killers, who troll Americas highways searching for suitable models to photograph and exterminate. Theres the spider-handling preacher Roy and his crippled virtuoso-guitar-playing sidekick, Theodore, running from the law. And caught in the middle of all this is Arvin Eugene Russell, Willard and Charlottes orphaned son, who grows up to be a good but also violent man in his own right. Deadline has said Holland will portray Arvin Eugene Russell, the son whos been marked his familys tragedy. Antonio Campos will direct the movie, from a script he co-wrote with Paulo Campos. Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the producers. Honda Manufacturing of Alabama has a new president. Tetsuya Endo, currently serving as regional functional leader at Honda of America Manufacturing in Marysville, Ohio, has been named HMA President, effective April 1. Endo will be responsible for all HMA operations. Thats one of several leadership changes announced at the Talladega County plant today. Endo replaces Tsutomu Mori Morimoto, who will become executive vice president of production operations in Marysville. Morimoto came to Lincoln a year ago. During his time as president, the plant has seen more than $150 million in expansions and re-introduced an all-new Honda Passport SUV. Endo joined Honda in 1982 and has served in a number of leadership positions throughout the companys North American and Japan operations. Tetsuya Endo has served in a valuable role in Honda operations in North America, Morimoto said in a statement. His extensive knowledge of manufacturing, along with overall business operations, makes him a perfect fit to lead HMA into the future. Mike Oatridge, currently vice president at HMA, has been named HMA senior vice president. Oatridge came to Alabama in 2000 as a member of the Alabama Project Team. Bob Schwyn, currently business division manager, has been named HMA vice president. Schwyn has held leadership positions both at Marysville and HMA. He was also a member of the Alabama Project Team. Mori has been a strong leader in the areas of associate safety and production efficiency during his time at HMA, Oatridge said. We wish him well in his new leadership position in Hondas North American operations. HMA employs more than 4,500 at its $2.8 billion facility in Lincoln. It manufactures Hondas Odyssey minivan, the Pilot and Passport SUVs, the Ridgeline pickup truck and V-6 engines for each vehicle. Ash Bar and Grill in West Homewood celebrates the timeless tastes that result when food is cooked over a wood fire. Smoke and flame influence nearly every dishmeats, vegetables, and even dessert. These two elements are as crucial as salt, spices, flavored oils, and vinegars, says owner Mark Driskill, who opened Ash in August with his wife, Ashley. One of the special things about wood-fire cooking is you have to treat the heat and smoke and the flavors you get from them as ingredients, he says. Theyre that palpable, that distinct. The restaurants decor reflects the woods journey from split log to ash. Firewood is stacked in the dining room. Wooden wall decor and booths are partially burned, evoking a fire in its early stages. Wood tabletops are flame-scorched black. You have every kind of wood in the dining room to touch, to smell, to eat on, says Driskill, who mastered wood-fire cooking as a chef at Frank Stitts Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega, and Chez Fonfon from 2009-2014. Driskill also helped Mauricio Papapietro (another Stitt-restaurant alum) open both Brick and Tin restaurants, and spent two years in Southern Livings test kitchen. Chef Driskill describes Ash as a wood-fired American kitchen with Southern roots and international flavors. The restaurant serves comfort food elevated with haute chef touchesfamiliar, yet unafraid to stray into new territory. Take, for example, the BBQ Plate ($14), which includes that classic North Alabama combination of chicken and white sauce. But the chickenleg quarters from Joyce Farms in North Carolinais confit cooked by poaching the quarters in pork renderings, and then briefly grilled to pick up some smoke. The meat is coated in red barbecue sauce and finished with ribbons of white sauce. Its served with potato salad thats dressed with a salty-herbal, mayonnaise-like sauce gribiche that includes housemade pickles. Leaves of grilled napa cabbage, with deep smoky flavor, tie everything together. While utilizing top-quality products, Chef Driskills butchering background helps keep prices down. Instead of paying a premium for parts, the kitchen cuts up whole chickens, using leg quarters for confit, breasts for tenders and chicken sandwiches ($11), and bones for stock. Cooks also break down large cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and whole fish. Instead of pricey ribeyes or filets, youre more likely to find less-expensive but still-flavorful steak cuts like flat-iron, hangar, or tri-tip. For Ashs signature Double Cheeseburger ($11), patties are ground daily from chuck, New York strip, and ribeye. A self-described burger purist, Driskill constructs the burger with the housemade patties plus cheese, condiments, lettuce, and housexmade pickles. Alabama-cured bacon, grilled onion, jalapenos, and mushrooms are available as additional toppings. Though some dishes are simpler than others, Driskill doesnt believe in cutting corners. Mexican Braised Beef Short Rib ($28) features housemade mole sauce that includes several kinds of dried chiles, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, aromatic vegetables, tomato, chocolate, and chicken stock. Its cooked down overnight, then strained twice for smoothness. Some of the mole goes into the braising liquid. The cooked short rib is served with sweet-potato puree, mole, and a combo of rice and pink beans imported from Central America. The accompaniments melange of flavors comes from lime juice, Mexican crema (thick table cream), cilantro salsa verde, vinegar, garlic, lemon zest, and olive oil. The kitchen also breads and pre-freezes its Fried Green Tomatoes ($5), a trick that breaks down the tomatoes so the outside cooks crisp but the inside is tart and creamy. That appetizer, along with house-breaded fried chicken tenders, are the rare menu items that dont spend time on the grill, although a side dish accompanying a tenders entree ($12) likely has grilled ingredients. Sandwich bunsfrom Hinkles Bakery in Springvilleare grilled. Cabbage and spinach in the vegan-friendly Meatless Main ($11) are grilled. Endive in the Roasted Butternut and Endive Salad ($11) is lightly charred. Graham crackers in the smores-like dessert called Fried Brownie Truffles ($7), are smoked; the mini-marshmallows are fire-toasted. Ash is the family-friendly, yet comfortably sophisticated place that every great residential neighborhood needs. The Childs Choice portion of the menu includes four main options ($3$5), with housemade applesauce ($2) and fresh fruit ($3) joining the usual French fries ($2) as side options. The entire menu changes regularly, sometimes daily, to maintain freshness. The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner, with reduced prices on the burger and ASHouse salad during happy hour from 3 p.m.5 p.m. The bar serves nearly two dozen wines by the glass or bottle, mostly bottled or canned beer, and cocktails. Ash is the Driskills love letter to the neighborhood where they have lived for the past five years. Their house, where they raise their three children (including two born while planning and outfitting the restaurant), is three blocks away. We wanted to create a unique space where families feel welcome and kids are nourished in a way I would feel proud to feed my own, Driskill says. Were the definition of Mom and Pop. Details Ash Bar and Grill | 705 Oak Grove Rd. (across from Patriot Park in West Homewood) | 205.558.9401 | Hours: Tues.Thurs., 11 a.m.9 p.m.; Fri.Sat., 11 a.m.10 p.m. | Sun., 10 a.m.9 p.m. Closed Mon. | ashhomewood.com Systematic has taken the opportunity of IDEX 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to provide a first look at the new maritime capabilities it has developed to support naval commanders, the C3 systems. Systematic has taken the opportunity of IDEX 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to provide a first look at the new maritime capabilities it has developed to support naval commanders, the C3 systems. Systematic's C3 systems at IDEX 2019, United Arab Emirates (Picture source : Navy Recognition) Drawing on its expertise in delivering best-in-class command-and-control (C2) systems across all echelons of the battlespace, Systematics maritime-focused tools provide a comprehensive Recognised Maritime Picture (RMP) and a range of functionalities that greatly enhance C2 for naval operations. We have recognised the benefits that our core software suite can bring to naval commanders, explains Stig Meyer, Product Manager and Maritime Domain Expert at Systematic, Adding specific maritime functionality greatly enhances the commanders decision-making process. Systematic is continuing its open-architecture approach, enabling a wide variety of information sources to be drawn upon and ensuring interoperability with partners. Among the advanced C2 capabilities being brought to the maritime domain is the ability to introduce numerous information overlays in an easy to view and interrogate format, ranging from meteorological data to Air Tasking Orders. Exclusion zones, such as around naval mines, and threat ranges from ground-based air defence systems, for example, can also be displayed and automated alerts established, ensuring that commanders are aware of any dangers presented to their assets. As you would expect From SitaWare, interfaces are intuitive and ensure ease of use, it is also straightforward for commanders to tailor the level of detail in the situational awareness picture to meet their requirements, Meyer notes. Systematic is also enabling operations in satellite communications-denied environments, with its technology supporting low-bandwidth communication over HF radio. It has been recognised that denying satellite communications will be one of the first aims of peer or near-peer adversaries. Our ability to operate over HF can act as a force multiplier and go some way to negating the impact of the loss of SATCOM, Meyer adds. Among the other features that Systematic will demonstrate at IDEX 2019 is the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in anomaly detection and track correlation. The naval domain is not entirely new to SitaWare, Meyer notes, The Irish Navy has employed our software for several years and the Royal Danish Navy is equipping a number of vessels and has operational experience. Indeed, the RDN is employing SitaWare Headquarters on HDMS Thetis as that ship acts as the lead for NATO Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1. A looming legal showdown between Turkey and victims of the May 2017 Sheridan Circle beatdown by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans security guards has taken a further turn with the Turkish government engaging the services of the Saltzman & Evinch law firm and seeking more time to assemble its defense. The move marks a departure from the government's previous attempts to downplay the affair, rejecting summons, painting the plaintiffs as terrorists and claiming the guards had acted in self-defense. The US District Court for the District of Columbia said it had granted Turkeys request to extend by 55 days a Feb. 16 deadline to respond to court summons related to the case. This would enable Turkey to address the legal, factual and political issues raised by the Plaintiffs allegations. The victims, mostly Kurdish protesters, agreed to Turkeys request for an extension. Turkey could conceivably use the grace period to try to reach out-of-court settlements with some of the plaintiffs, who are seeking over $310 million in damages for alleged assault, battery, conspiracy and terrorism by the presidential agents. The violence erupted when the guards attacked the group gathered outside the Turkish ambassadors residence on Sheridan Circle minutes after Erdogans sedan pulled into the driveway. One of the plaintiffs, Lusik Usoyan, a female activist who campaigns for fellow Yazidis, suffered brain damage after being repeatedly kicked in the head. The melee provoked a barrage of outrage, with Republican Sen. John McCain demanding that Turkeys ambassador be kicked out of the United States. Gunay Evinch, a principal in the law firm retained by the Republic of Turkey, is well-known in Armenian American circles as a vocal opponent of their long-running campaign to get the US Congress to formally label the mass slaughter in 1915 of over a million of their kin by the Ottoman forces a genocide. The Turkish American lawyer who describes himself as a leader in the advocacy and defense of Turkish American rights and interests is a prominent member of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations. Evinch took part in what he called the pro-Turkish rally in Sheridan Circle. He claimed in an interview with the TV station WUSA9 that the Kurdish demonstrators had instigated the violence by charging across the street. He said, Those provocateurs were successful in getting exactly what they wanted, which was to be responded to. Evinch has already acted on behalf of Ayten Necmi of Woodside, N.Y., who was briefly detained by Washington police for allegedly punching one of the demonstrators in the face. Evinch did not respond to Al-Monitors request for comment. Andreas Akaras, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said Saltzman & Evinchs role was not clear. He told Al-Monitor, It would appear that they will either play a supporting role to a more expert law firm, or they are only temporarily engaged. The district court suggested the same in its most recent filing on the case. The undersigned counsel has only recently been retained for this matter and has been advised that there may be additional or alternative counsel retained in this case. Either way, some of the victims are perfectly happy for the case to drag on. I am not interested in the money, said Murat Yasa, who suffers from memory lapses due to injuries to his head. He told Al-Monitor, We were told the case could take up to seven years to be settled if and when the hearing starts. The longer the case continues, the longer the media will focus on the kind of man Erdogan truly is. We want the truth to be exposed. For the whole world to know. ALEPPO, Syria Talks are underway within the Free Syrian Armys Nour al-din al-Zenki Movement on the Turkish governments offer of support. The movement has been examining the Turkish conditions of the deal since Jan. 20. Turkish financial support for Nour al-din al-Zenki has been irregular, coming from Ankara just a few times, a military source within the movement told Al-Monitor. The National Front for Liberation has been providing the movement with financial support since it joined its ranks in August. Other funding sources included the Nour al-din al-Zenki-run al-Mansoura crossing separating areas under its control in the western Aleppo countryside from the regime-held areas in Aleppo. The movements officials declined to reveal other sources. There were multiple encounters between Turkish security officials and leaders of the movement between Jan. 20 and Feb. 5, in the Afrin countryside's Jindires, where the movement headed following its withdrawal from the western Aleppo countryside Jan. 5. The retreat followed fierce battles against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in January that ended up with the latter seizing the western Aleppo countryside in four days. During the meetings, the Turks put forward their conditions for financial and military support for the movement. Speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, the same source stated, The Turkish offer involves financial support for nearly 2,000 fighters of Nour al-din al-Zenki. It consists of a monthly salary of 530 Turkish liras [nearly $100] each similarly to the other Turkey-backed FSA factions scattered in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch areas in the Aleppo countryside. The source explained that the Turkish conditions "include abiding by Turkish demands and subjugation to the FSA-affiliated National Army command" as well as "dismissing men in command of the movement." These leaders include "Sheikh Tawfiq Shahabuddin, his deputy Hussam Atrash, the military commander Amr Salkho and other leaders such as Ahmad Rizk, Ali Saeedo and Suleiman Mahmoud, who Turkey accuses of corruption and opposes their presence in the moments command. Other conditions include handing over the leadership to Basheer Miarra and the post of deputy leader to Abu al-Yaman, who are both of the movement. Capt. Abdul Salam Abdu Razzaq, a commander in Nour al-din al-Zenki, told Al-Monitor, The movements internal consultations over the Turkish support are positive and there is preliminary agreement among the movements fighters and leaders that the required conditions could be met. He noted, We have actually embarked Feb. 1 on changes in the movements leadership. Said changes in the leadership and organizational structures will be announced at a later stage. He said, We have been rearranging the factions ranks since we lost our strongholds in the western Aleppo countryside to HTS and withdrew to Afrin. The battle has been exhausting and cost us many of our military capacities. Based on that, it was necessary for us to revitalize our faction and rearrange its ranks to prepare for the upcoming stage. He went on, The arrangements consist of building new headquarters in Afrin countryside, more precisely in Jindires in the western Afrin countryside, and regrouping scattered fighters there, he said. In the recent battle in the western Aleppo countryside, Nour al-din al-Zenki lost a large portion of its weaponry to HTS, which took ammunition, small and medium weapons, rockets and tank artillery. HTS also seized armored personnel carriers that the movement manufactured months ago. Nour al-din al-Zenkis fighters only managed to carry lightweight items other than the clothes they had on as they headed to Afrin. While more than 3,000 Nour al-din al-Zenki fighters left the western Aleppo countryside, the Turkish offer provides only 2,000 fighters with financial support. Turkey has been limiting its support to a specific number of fighters in all of the FSA factions it backs in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch areas. For instance, although it consists of more than 5,000 fighters, Turkey provides only 3,000 fighters of the FSA's al-Jabhat al-Shamiya (Levant Front) with financial support. Asked about the reason behind the Turkish policy, the FSA commanders said they did not know. While speaking to Al-Monitor, the movements fighters and leaders seemed inclined to accept the Turkish offer in the absence of any other alternative. They have scattered from their strongholds in the western Aleppo countryside, to which they cannot return for fear of being detained or killed. Remaining in their new positions without the financial and military resources to ensure their survival is not an option, either. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip As part of efforts to preserve the Palestinian presence in the West Bank, the governor of Hebron in the southern West Bank, Jibril al-Bakri, inaugurated Feb. 6 five caves suitable for living in Ar-Rakeez area, east of the village of Yatta, located in Israeli-controlled Area C as per the 1993 Oslo Accord. Dozens of caves are spread throughout Area C of the West Bank, which hundreds of Palestinians have equipped and used as alternative housing for the past years in light of Israels policies. Palestinians who have faced displacement due to Israel banning construction in Area C and considering Palestinian homes illegal, claiming they are located within a military zone, have found refuge in these caves. According to a report issued Feb. 6 by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B'Tselem), the Israeli authorities reject most requests for construction by Palestinians in Area C. The report states that Palestinians submitted 5,475 building permits to the Israeli authorities between 2000 and mid-2016, and only 226 applications (4%) were approved. Between 2006 and the end of 2018, the Israeli authorities demolished at least 1,401 Palestinian homes in the West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem, resulting in the displacement of at least 6,207 Palestinians, including around 3,134 children, according to BTselem. These families either move into caves or head to PA-controlled areas. This is the first time that an official Palestinian body rehabilitates and inaugurates caves suitable for living. Five caves have been renovated with funding by the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission (CWRC) affiliated with the PLO, which provides care and logistical support for the popular resistance against settlement activity and the wall. The PLO is planning to work on more caves, as they are not considered housing units and Israel cannot ban them. CWRC head Walid Assaf told Al-Monitor, Renovating these caves so they can accommodate families is part of a new strategy adopted by the PLO and the Palestinian Authority [PA] with the aim of strengthening the Palestinian presence in Area C, in light of Israel's prevention of Palestinian construction in these areas. The CWRC does not put these caves up for sale and lets Palestinians facing displacement in Area C move there at no cost in order to maintain their presence. Assaf said, The main conflict between us and Israel revolves around Area C that covers about 60% of the West Bank, where some 400,000 Palestinians live. Israel plans to displace Palestinians and annex the area [to its territories]. He added that the CWRC has reconstructed the walls of the caves from the inside by filling gaps with cement so snakes cannot hide in them. Each cave has a bathroom and kitchen and a gate at the entrance in order to protect those inside. However, he noted, Israel refuses to connect these caves to the Palestinian electricity grid. In the Mofkera area, east of Yatta, many families have been living in caves that they had reconstructed themselves years ago, since Israel prevented them from building homes on their land. Umm Bajas Hamamda, who lives with her family in one of the caves in Mofkera, told Al-Monitor, The occupation demolished our house in 2002 under the pretext of building without a permit, even though [our family] had been living on our property for generations. We tried to obtain a permit to build again, but the occupation refused to grant us one claiming [our land] was part of a closed military zone. The Hamamda family lives a primitive life inside the cave without electricity or running water; they rely on a nearby well for water and use wood to keep warm. Assaf said that the CWRCs next step is to support the Palestinian presence in Area C by supplying solar energy and water reservoirs to all the inhabited caves and by opening new caves for families threatened by displacement. There are no statistics on the number of caves empty or inhabited that are spread in the mountainous areas of the West Bank. The head of the village council in Yatta, Nidal Abu Aram, told Al-Monitor that Yatta, in addition to 19 Bedouin communities in the south of Hebron governorate, are surrounded by settlements notably Beit Yater, Susya and Maon all of which constitute a demographic barrier between these communities and their natural extension in area. Besieging Palestinian villages in Area C with settlements and preventing Palestinians from building on their lands is a systematic Israeli policy aimed at forcing Palestinians there to leave their lands and immigrate to PA-controlled areas, he noted. Abu Aram pointed out that the Palestinians living in caves are committed to living there for future generations in order to preserve their land from being taken over by settlers or the Israeli authorities. Abdel Raouf Salah and his wife and five children have been living in a 110-dunam (27-acre) cave in the northern West Bank town of Abu Adam, west of Salfit, for the past seven years in order to preserve the land he inherited from his grandparents. Salah used to live with his family in a small house his father had built on their land before Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967. When the house needed essential repairs, the Israeli authorities did not grant a permit for the renovation works. The Israeli authorities prevent me from building anything on my land, claiming that it is within a closed military zone, while settlers are allowed to build in the same area without any obstacles, Salah told Al-Monitor. He said that this policy has forced some 250 Palestinians living in this area to move to PA-controlled areas. Salah noted that 1 years ago, a settler broker made him a tempting offer to buy his land for any amount of money he wanted. He refused the offer, however. I told the broker, 'Even if you give me gold for the dirt in my land, I would still refuse,' he added. Salah explained that his insistence on staying made him vulnerable to attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers. Nine months ago, the Israeli army killed his donkey, which he had used to work the land. Meanwhile, the olive trees on his land are repeatedly set on fire by local settlers of the Prokhin and Barkan settlements. Four of my sons want to get married and build on our land, but Israel's policy is preventing them from realizing their dreams. But it doesnt matter; we are determined to stay in our land and we will not leave, Salah concluded. After years of inaction and even rejection, the Palestinian government appears poised to recognize local evangelical churches in Palestine. Al-Monitor learned from a PLO source in Ramallah that a letter of recognition had been drafted for President Mahmoud Abbas' signature more than a year ago, but was scuttled at the last minute, after the Donald Trump administration announced in December 2017 that it would be moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, a move celebrated by American evangelicals, including Vice President Mike Pence. Saeb Erekat, secretary of the PLOs Executive Committee, told Al-Monitor that the issue of the evangelical churches has unfortunately taken a while to be resolved. We do have a supportive position regarding Palestinian evangelicals, who are an integral part of our people and who have contributed to the development of our society, Erekat said. Palestinian evangelicals have contributed to the national cause both as Palestinians and as evangelicals. Erekat also stated, however, [The Palestinian government's] responsibilities under the Status Quo agreement as well as the vocal opposition of more traditional churches to recognizing [the evangelicals] have caused a delay on this issue. The Status Quo agreement is the arrangement between various religious groups to manage issues among them largely based on the existing situation, that is, without upending the status quo. Discussion on the evangelicals re-emerged after expressions of pro-Israeli support from leaders in Guatemala and Brazil and in light of a successful tour of Palestinian Christian leaders to Latin America in January. Two delegations, sponsored by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry and including local Palestinian evangelical leaders, visited Guatemala, Honduras and Brazil. Hanan Jarrar, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry assistant for the Americas and the Caribbean, told Al-Monitor, [The trip] aimed at introducing Palestinian Christians and dissuading those countries from taking positions contrary to the national rights of Palestinians, including moving their embassy and blindly supporting Israel. Former Bethlehem Mayor Vera Baboun, who took part in the delegation to Guatemala and Honduras, told Al-Monitor that the trip had been an eye-opener for her and that she was pleased with the results of the visit. We spoke to senior officials, both political and from the local evangelical communities, she said. We had with us Palestinian evangelicals, like attorney Jonathan Kuttab, who was able to counter theological fallacies that these Latin American countries imported from their US counterparts, Baboun stated. Those fallacies stress Old Testament issues while ignoring the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus that peacemakers are to be blessed. According to Baboun, Kuttab, this author's brother, had been particularly effective in debunking Christian Zionist theology. Only one segment of white American evangelicals, often referred to as Christian Zionists, support Israel blindly based on their politically motivated interpretation of the Bible. Many American theologians as well as black, young and progressive evangelicals among them former US President Jimmy Carter take a much more balanced view of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Most evangelicals in Palestine and the region largely stay out of politics, but recently some of their leaders have taken a position against Christian Zionism. Jack Sara, president of the Bethlehem Bible College, a leading Palestinian evangelical institute that organizes Christ at the Checkpoint, a regularly held conference, was part of the second delegation that went to Brazil. Sara told Al-Monitor that the decision of the Palestinian government to include evangelical Palestinians in the delegation was rather smart and got results. During our visit to Brazil, we met the deputy president, local Arab ambassadors, ecumenical church leaders as well as leaders of the evangelical synod, Sara said. After our discussions with the evangelical synod, they assured us that they are planning to take moderate positions on the issue of Palestine and Israel. Sara added that Palestinian evangelicals are growing in number and institutions, so it became inevitable that the Palestinian government would change its position and work with them. Local governments [i.e., Israel, Palestine and Jordan] need to accept and recognize our churches, he asserted, noting that the Palestinian leadership has already begun moving in that direction. They are already allowing us to register property in the names of our churches, and we expect soon that our evangelical synod will become the 14th recognized church. The Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian governments recognize 13 churches, but have refused to recognize the evangelicals. Al-Monitor learned from church sources that some of the older established churches, such as the Orthodox and Catholics, have opposed such recognition, which allows the denominations to deal with personal status issues and provides tax exemptions and other benefits. Wasfi Kailani, director of the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, an institution under Jordan's Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs, stressed the importance of engaging local Arab Christians in this theological debate. When President Trump aligned the US position on Israel with the Christian Zionist narrative by recognizing Jerusalem as the eternal and united capital of Israel, a number of local Palestinians in Jerusalem were among the first to defend Jerusalem's [Arab] identity and the historic 1,400 years of Christian-Muslim peace and coexistence Kailani said. Kailani told Al-Monitor that it is the duty of Christians to fight Christian Zionism, which uses religion to justify attacks against Al-Aqsa Mosque and the historic rights of Palestinians. He remarked, Palestinian and all rightful Christians should develop a common understanding to explain to brainwashed Christian Zionists that targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque is no more than a tool to feed antagonism between Muslims in the East and Christians of the West in favor of extremist Zionist political agendas. Kailani further asserted, Christians in general, evangelicals in particular, are the best liaisons to explain manipulated facts and biblical misinterpretations to their evangelical brothers worldwide. Jerusalem-based Palestinian officials echoed Kailani's assertions. Hanna Issa, secretary-general of the Palestinian Authority's Islamic-Christian Council for Jerusalem and the Holy Places, told Al-Monitor that Palestinian evangelicals play a leading role in defending the Palestinian cause. We are all Palestinians regardless of our geography, whether we are in Nazareth, Ramallah, Ei Arek, Nablus or Tibeh, Issa said. Local evangelical churches, Issa believes, must be recognized by the Palestinian government, which has signed several treaties that speak of equality and freedom of worship. He asserted, We support human rights, and it is the right of these churches to be recognized so long as they abide by Palestinian law. Rateb Y. Rabie, a Catholic Palestinian and the founder and director of the Washington-based Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, said he welcomes the Palestinian governments change in policy but suggested a holistic approach. Some of our Palestinian evangelical friends, when they come to the US, they preach to the choir. Others attack American evangelicals without offering constructive criticism, Rabie told Al-Monitor. It is true that they are versed in the Bible, but they need to give their opinions as evangelicals and avoid destructive rhetoric. My advice to the Palestinian government is to work on a holistic strategy in this regard. Efforts to prevent the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from becoming a religious confrontation have been setback by the emergence of the worldwide Christian Zionist movement, some of whose followers have recently assumed senior positions in Latin American countries, Europe and Australia. Adequately countering those who attempt to use religion to justify occupation and subjugation cannot be done using political tools. The Palestinian governments recent effort to turn to local nationals of the evangelical persuasion will go a long way toward debunking many of the myths perpetuated by some newly elected political leaders under the guise that their political positions are somehow in sync with their (distorted) biblical beliefs. Palestinian evangelicals will not only use the same Bible to counter their arguments, but will also show that fellow Christians are suffering from actions taken by Israel, which benefits from distorted justifications of its policies against the Palestinian people. RAMALLAH, West Bank President Mahmoud Abbas instructed the Palestinian government to send a message in January to the US government in which it requested ending the US aid program for the Palestinian security agencies, Secretary-General of the PLO Saeb Erekat said at a press conference Jan. 31 in Ramallah, in the presence of Al-Monitor. Erekat said the decision is to avert any potential lawsuits filed against the Palestinian government at US courts in accordance with a new anti-terrorism bill the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act of 2018 passed by the US Congress. The law, which entered into force Feb. 1, states that any foreign entity benefiting from US funding is subject to American anti-terrorism laws. This latest step was preceded by the US administrations decision to cut $25 million worth of aid to Palestinian hospitals in East Jerusalem in September 2018. The United States has also ended its contributions to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, amounting to about $370 million, in addition to its funding of health care, education and infrastructure projects. Al-Monitor tried to contact several Palestinian security sources, but they refused to comment, saying they are not authorized to speak to the media. Mohammad al-Masri, former intelligence director and director of the Palestinian Center for Policy Research and Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor that Palestinian security agencies receive an annual funding of $60 million from the United States in the form of training for security agencies, weaponry and vehicle supply. The Palestinian Authority (PA) has security ties with the United States that include aid, training and supply of necessary equipment as per a road map announced by the US Department of State in April 2003. In a Sept. 19 report, the US Department of State even hailed the efforts of the Palestinian security forces that prevented operations targeting Israel. The US assisted the PAs counterterrorism efforts by providing training, equipment, and infrastructure support to the PASF [Palestinian Authority Security Forces], the report reads. It continued, US training and support assisted in the PAs continued development of professional, self-sufficient, and capable security forces. The US also assisted the PA with criminal justice investigations and prosecutions of terrorist financing and terrorist-related activity. Masri said, As per the road map, the US sought to develop the capabilities of the security institution in order to foster security agencies that would serve the next Palestinian state. [The US] continued to provide support over the past years, but it has stopped now and started blackmailing. In January 2018, US President Donald Trump had said US aid to the Palestinians would be resumed only if they return to the negotiating table with Israel. The new law has sparked Israeli and US concerns as to how much it would affect the level of security coordination with Israel, as well as the Palestinian security agencies efficiency in stopping attacks against Israel. Nonetheless, the PA is keen to prove that they have a robust security apparatus that will not be affected by the aid cut. Security coordination between the PA and Israel is one of the items included in the 1993 Oslo Accord, according to which the two sides exchange security information, including on operations that might be launched against Israel. The Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Dec. 30 that Lt. Gen. Eric P. Wendt, US security coordinator for Israel and the PA, was instructed by the Trump administration to speak to members of US Congress in the hope of amending this law. The newspaper also reported that Israel is going to great lengths asking the United States to keep the aid to support the Palestinian security in fear of undermining security coordination with the PA. The Americans have made their decision, but we will continue to combat terrorism in the region, Erekat stressed. The cessation of aid will not affect the Palestinian security agencies in 2019. Meanwhile, Masri played down the impact of the aid cut on the performance of Palestinian security agencies, [Palestinian security] agencies are fully aware of their role in maintaining stability and domestic security in Palestine, as well as regional and global stability, for they are a part of the anti-terrorism system, in reference to the security services work and commitment with Israel, and with agreements signed to prohibit any attacks against Israel. The PA does not want US aid to the security services to be the exception in the new US bill. This is unacceptable, Ahmad Majdalani, member of the PLOs Executive Committee, told Al-Monitor. The US administration has ceased all forms of aid for the Palestinians and cut all political relations when it shut down the PLO office in Washington on the grounds of it being labeled as terrorist. They will not recognize our right of self-determination." He added, The Palestinians will not accept to be a security agent for the United States. We do not accept security assistance that is isolated from a political relation that comes before all, as well as respect for our rights and the Palestinian leadership. Unless the matter of political relations is rectified, we cant accept US aid just to preserve Israels security or for the sake of security coordination. The PA is expected to tap into its state budget to cover the gap caused by the US aid cuts, while also seeking more financial support from Arab and European countries. Ghassan Khatib, a former planning minister who is a lecturer of Cultural Studies and Contemporary Arab Studies at Birzeit University, told Al-Monitor it is unlikely that aid for Palestinian security would be excluded from the bill. He said, From a legal standpoint it is difficult to insert an amendment into a law that has already come into effect. It is also difficult for the PA to solely accept security aid away from other sectors. As for how much this will affect the security agencies, Khatib said, The performance of the security agencies might be affected a little, but they arent going to fall apart just because US aid has been ceased, considering that the security sector will take a share of the budget of the new Palestinian government for 2019. The Palestinian government allocated 21% of the $5.8 billion state budget for 2018 to security, according to the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity. However, Khatib added, Ceasing the entirety of US aid means reduced foreign aid for the PA, which will hurt services, education, health care and security thereby lowering economic metrics in Palestine, which will eventually harm the PA on a political level. In that case, the PA will fail in keeping up with its commitments toward the Palestinian people, which would hurt its position and credibility. In light of the PAs rejection of US assistance, the United States Agency for International Development ceased all forms of aid for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Feb. 1, which previously went into various sectors such as health care, education and infrastructure as well as support for civil society. Ending the US financial aid had its ramifications on hundreds of workers at Palestinian civil society groups. Mohammad al-Sheibi found himself out of work in November 2018, after serving for 10 years as director of research and media at the Ramallah-based Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD), as US support for three projects undertaken by the center has been ceased. Sheibi told Al-Monitor that AWRAD ran a major project on the state of democracy, human rights and the Palestinian cause since 2008, through which the center was conducting a political survey every three months. With the project halted, the center faced a crippling financial crisis, besides having to stop two other projects, one of which was ongoing for five years in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government on the performance of local governance committees in the Palestinian territories. As a result, two colleagues of Sheibi have been discharged, too. Despite speculations that ending US support for Palestinian security agencies will not affect their performance, the 2019 general budget, which is currently being worked on by the PA, will have to endure more pressures now that all US aid has been cut amid grim forecasts for the Palestinian economy in the new year. CAIRO Doctors and patients at El-Galaa Teaching Hospital, housed in one of the oldest heritage buildings in central Cairo, felt a series of strong tremors Jan. 21. People were seen rushing out of the building following the blasting sounds. The earthquake-like shaking of the building was the result of the drilling works on the third metro line, which is due to operate by November 2021. El-Galaa Hospital is a center for obstetrics and gynecology established under King Fuad in 1934. According to Suheir Hawas, member of the National Organization for Urban Harmony, the hospital was previously known as the Fuad I Maternity Hospital and the building was registered in accordance with Law No. 144 of 2006, regulating the demolition of non-derelict monuments and preserving architectural heritage. Following the incident, the Ministry of Health and Population ordered the evacuation of the hospitals free clinics, and the formation of a technical committee comprising experts from the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and the company implementing the third metro line project in order to examine the damage. Preliminary inspections showed only minor cracks. The governmental Information and Decision Support Center issued an official statement Jan. 28, denying reports about the governments intention to demolish El-Galaa Hospital to make way for the metro line drilling works. The statement explained that the Ministry of Health and Populations decision to evacuate the hospital came as a result of the series of tremors due to the excavation works, which did not show any structural damage to the building. The NAT official website shows that the drilling works are part of the construction of the third phase of the metro line. The line connects Ataba Station to Rod al-Farag Corridor Station, north of Imbaba, all the way through the cross point, heading south to Cairo University, passing through Arab League Street, then toward Bolak al-Dakror and connecting with the second line at Cairo University Station. The first part of the third phase of the new metro line will stretch about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from Ataba Station to Kit Kat Station, and will include four stations: Nasser, Maspero, Zamalek and Kit Kat. Imad Abdel-Azim, a road and bridge construction consultant and engineering professor at Ain Shams University, told Al-Monitor that there is a phenomenon called "soil liquefaction" whereby some soil types lose strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress such as an earthquake or strong tremors. He explained that this is what is happening currently in Cairo because of the drilling works that induce vibrations similar to those of a train. Research has shown that the drilling works have only a slight impact on archaeological buildings and edifices, as most have load-bearing walls that are resilient to strong vibrations. Modern buildings in Egypt are more likely to be affected by excavation works. Abdel-Azim explained that people in the surrounding areas are likely not to notice the work taking place underground. He recommends the drilling machines to dig at a lower rotation speed in order to reduce vibrations, even if this means the project would take longer to finalize. The construction of the new metro line and the potential effects on the infrastructure of nearby neighborhoods, including Cairos prestigious suburb Zamalek with its many heritage and agricultural buildings, raised the ire of residents. According to the website of the National Organization for Urban Harmony, Zamalek neighborhood has several heritage buildings including Zamalek Palace on Mohamed Mazhar Street, which is of great architectural value and was registered as an Egyptian landmark as per government decree No. 185 of 2001. Aisha Fahmy Palace is another gem on Swiss Institute Street. There is also the office of the minister of culture on Shajar al-Durr Street, in addition to buildings of great architectural and heritage value on Ismail Mohamed Street, where the new metro line is set to cross. Ahmed Hashish, a member of the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Engineers Syndicate and the rapporteur on the technical committee that conducted the studies on the construction of the Zamalek Station, told Al-Monitor, We recommended the government in an official report to inspect the nearby buildings especially old and archaeological monuments in a bid to gauge the soil erosion of buildings and which one could tilt as a result of the works. He said, Unfortunately no studies or inspections have been implemented as part of many projects in Egypt, except for areas of a sensitive nature such as the Zamalek neighborhood. Drilling and excavation works could cause cracks in broken-down soil and run-down buildings. But there are always architectural solutions for such a problem. If a building is found to be in good shape upon inspection, it could be repaired or treated for soil stabilization." Hashish added, But as usual Egypt is always too late to flag a problem. As far as I know, what happened to El-Galaa Hospital was a result of the drilling works that destabilized the old buildings soil. Buildings housing hospitals are affected more due to the presence of electrical equipment and ventilation openings, which weakens their structure over time as is the case with factories. The soil erosion has led to some cracks in the building of El-Gaala Hospital. He noted that a new technical report will be issued soon on the next phase of the metro drilling works and the effects on the buildings in the area. Jordanians have been vocally critical of their countrys participation in the US-sponsored conference on Middle East security and peace in the Polish capital Feb. 14. On social media, politically active Jordanians rejected the conferences stated objective of creating an anti-Iran alliance between Arab countries and Israel. They also objected to seeing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sitting in the same room with Arab foreign ministers, describing the event as a cost-free normalization of ties between Arab countries and Israel. Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi represented Jordan at the two-day event. He was quoted by the Jordan Times as saying Feb. 13, Jordan is participating in Warsaws ministerial meeting to reiterate its unfaltering stance that there will be no comprehensive peace without realizing Palestinians legitimate rights to freedom and statehood along the June 4, 1967, lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. On Jan. 31, Safadi hosted a one-day meeting at the Dead Sea with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the UAE and Kuwait, reportedly to hold consultations on a number of regional issues. It is believed that participation in the Warsaw conference was one of the subjects discussed. Jordan does not share the belief of the United States and most Gulf countries that Iran is the number-one cause of regional instability. King Abdullah has consistently underlined that resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with a two-state solution is the gateway to regional stability and peace. While criticizing Irans meddling in Arab affairs, Jordan has been careful not to be seen as part of an anti-Tehran alliance. Notably, the Palestinians had declined an invitation to attend the conference and called on Arab countries to boycott the meeting. Palestinian officials described the meeting as a conspiracy to undermine their cause. Local pundits believe that Jordan had no choice but to attend the Warsaw conference. The United States is Ammans biggest financial and military backer, providing more than $1.5 billion in aid in 2018. But since Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, Jordan has been forced to adopt positions that were either critical of the US administration or directly opposed to its actions, such as Trumps 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital and his move in 2018 to cut funding for the UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees. Jordan has also been silent on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos call last January for the creation of a regional military alliance including Israel to confront Iran. While Jordanian commentators believe that the Warsaw conference was a failure there was no official agreement on any particular issue most agreed that it marked the first step in marketing Trumps much touted Middle East peace plan. Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner attended the Warsaw conference and announced that the plan, now completed, will be unveiled following the Israeli elections next April. He will tour the Gulf countries later this month to reveal the economic components of the plan, according to press reports. By and large Jordanians are skeptical of Trumps peace plan and see it as fulfilling a far-right Israeli agenda that rejects Palestinian statehood, ignores the right of return and legitimizes Israeli occupation of the West Bank. For Jordan, any solution that denies Palestinians the right to have their own state on their national soil also represents an existential threat to itself. Chief among Jordans concerns is the fate of over two million Palestinian registered refugees living in the kingdom. Most observers here believe that US-Jordanian ties may come under stress following the unveiling of Trumps peace plan. How an unpredictable Trump may respond to Ammans reserved reaction to the plan is raising concern among Jordanian officials. Writing for Ad-Dustour Feb. 12, political commentator Orieb Al-Rintawi said that while Jordan attended the Warsaw meeting because it has a peace treaty with Israel, its growing financial and military dependence on the United States is limiting its margin of diplomatic maneuver. He added that while Jordan disagrees with Washington that Iran is the top threat in the region, it is finding it increasingly difficult to make the case that failing to resolve the Palestinian issue is a major cause for regional instability. Political columnist Bassem Al-Tuweisi noted that the only winner at the Warsaw conference was Israel. Writing for Al Ghad Feb. 16, he said that the main outcome appears to be to redefine the enemy in the region and reshape regional strategic evaluations in Israels favor and award it with free normalization gestures. He added, The big question now is will the United States succeed in forming an Arab NATO that includes Israel to confront Iran? The coming months, which will witness intensive US efforts to bring Israel and the Arab states closer as well as announcing Trumps peace plan, will test Jordans official ties with Washington like never before. We can also expect increased domestic pressure on the government to reject an anti-Iran coalition as well as US pressure to accept the proposed peace plan. At the annual Munich Security Conference, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif drew praise on Iranian social media for his combative style and approach during his 14-minute speech and longer question-and-answer segment with a BBC journalist. Zarif accused the United States of having an obsession with Iran for 40 years. He added, In the past two years the US has taken its animus towards Iran to a new extreme by rejecting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and attempting to force others to violate the nuclear deal. He said that Vice President Mike Pence, who spoke the day before him at the Munich conference, arrogantly demanded that Europe jeopardize its own security and leave the deal. Continuing on Americas malign obsession, Zarif said that the United States is imposing costs on other countries, particularly in the Middle East. Zarif accused the United States and indirectly Saudi Arabia of fomenting instability in the region all in the name of containing Iran, particularly via the bombing of Yemen, aiding and abetting the war in Syria and kidnapping Lebanons Prime Minister Saad Harriri. In response to accusations that Iran interferes in the region, Zarif said that the United States has bases all around Irans borders and floods the region with US arms. Discussing Europes inability to establish a functioning Special Purpose Vehicle that would keep the JCPOA alive, Zarif said, Iran cannot foot the entire bill for vital global security achievements. Zarif said that Europeans and others speak eloquently on multilateralism but they also need to walk the walk. He continued, Europe needs to be willing to get wet if it wants to swim against the dangerous tide of US unilateralism. In the interview with BCC journalist Lyse Doucet, Zarif vigorously defended Irans positions. Clips of the conversation went viral. When asked about Iranian missiles and the possibility of new European sanctions, Zarif began with a smile, Let me ask you a question. Does Iran have to simply lie dead because some people dont want us to be able to defend ourselves?" He asked, "How are we supposed to defend ourselves? When we were attacked by French Exocet missiles, by German chemical weapons, by Russian MIG fighters, by British tanks, by American AWACS surveillance, who came to our assistance? When our people were being showered with missiles, with Iraqi missiles, nobody gave us a means of defense. In what was probably the most shared video on Twitter, where one user called Zarif a soldier of Iran, the chief diplomat said, Now I am not going for the pleasure of my friend [French Foreign] Minister [Jean-Yves] Le Drian or anybody else to make our people defenseless so that the next Saddam Hussein in our region can rise up and kill our people without the means of our defense. We still have people who cannot breathe in Iran because of the chemical weapons that were provided to Iraq from Europe. If we were to to negotiate about armaments, Europe has a lot to respond to. Even conservative social media users who are typically critical of Zarif widely shared the video of him defending Irans missile program. Salutations to you for your honor, Javad Zarif, one tweeted. Salutations to you for your honor because in their own language you shake them with the filth of their chemical weapons. Salutations to you for your honor because you defend the countrys missile capabilities with strong and correct logic. Another popular user tweeted, One could not have said it better than this in front of them. Mahdi Mohammadi, a hard-line former media adviser to ex-nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, tweeted, I enjoyed Zarifs comments at the Munich conference in defense of the missile program. However, he added that Zarifs defense was more words than action. Interestingly, others commented that had Jalili made such a strong showing on an international stage, then the conservative-dominated state television would have broadcast the entire speech and question-and-answer session. It was aired in the middle of a news program and with the less important news. Zarif also said that US and European concern for human rights is a charade, especially considering that the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi did not interrupt Saudi Arabias relations with Western countries. Commentary on this double standard was particularly popular on social media. On US intentions, Zarif said, I think the United States administration is not doing anything but regime change. He also accused Israel of looking for war. The House Oversight Committee spoke with Donald Trump administration whistleblowers and released a report Tuesday detailing the White Houses efforts to give Congress the run-around in its determination to reach a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia. The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, the report notes. They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes. Why it matters: The report raises renewed questions as to whether Trump intends to pursue a Saudi nuclear deal that would allow Riyadh to enrich uranium and reprocess plutonium on its territory possible precursors to a nuclear weapons program. Democrats released the report exactly a week after the president met with nuclear power developers to discuss exporting US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The meeting was organized by IP3 International the consulting group that first drafted the proposal in question. Former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who worked with IP3 International in 2016, pushed for the proposal at the time despite concerns from career National Security Council (NSC) staffers. After Flynn resigned, NSC Middle East director Derek Harvey aggressively pushed forward with the plan (Harvey now works for Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee). Bipartisan backlash: Potential conflicts of interest aside, Harveys insistence on moving forward with the proposal didnt take into account that Congress can block any nuclear agreement. Section 123 of the 1954 US Atomic Energy Act lays out guidelines that any civil nuclear deal must adhere to and gives Congress the ability to vote down any such agreement. Mr. Harvey reportedly ignored these warnings and insisted that the decision to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia had already been made, states the report. Lawmakers from both parties have long opposed giving Saudi Arabia technology that could be used for nuclear weapons. The current wave of anti-Saudi sentiment following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi has only made them more hesitant to trust Riyadh. In a statement, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said "the report raises serious questions" for Congress to answer, such as: "What involvement did other senior Administration officials, including the President, and foreign actors, particularly the Saudi leadership, have in the effort to short-circuit the legal requirements for nuclear cooperation with the US? Are backchannel efforts still underway, notwithstanding the alarms raised by ethics lawyers? What is driving this policy of subservience of American national security interests to the interests of Saudi Arabia? Last week, Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., reintroduced a resolution warning against any agreement that would allow Riyadh to enrich uranium and reprocess plutonium on its territory. Markey and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., have also introduced legislation that would require Congress to affirmatively sign off on any Saudi nuclear deal. Whats next? The report notes that Flynns successor as national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, eventually put the lid on IP3 Internationals proposal and later ousted Harvey. However, Trump fired McMaster last year and replaced him with John Bolton, an Iran hawk. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for his part, has said that Riyadh would also pursue a nuclear weapon if Iran does. The White House told Al-Monitor last year that the Flynn proposal was not on the table but did not respond to recent queries about whether it is once again under consideration. Know more: Subscribe for free to Al-Monitor for all the latest on Riyadhs lobbying on nuclear energy and other issues and to read our rolling coverage of Saudi policy on Capitol Hill. - Bryant Harris The Donald Trump administrations announcement that it plans to nominate veteran diplomat David Satterfield as ambassador to Turkey could shake up US policy in Syria. The post has sat vacant for more than a year as relations between Washington and Ankara have deteriorated over the Pentagons backing of a Syrian Kurdish group in the fight against the Islamic State. Why it matters: Satterfields confirmation could pit two influential diplomats against each other as the Trump administration tries to hammer out a deal with or without Turkey to establish a safe zone to protect the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in Syrias northeast. That effort is led by Jim Jeffrey, who serves as both US representative on Syria engagement and envoy to the global coalition against the Islamic State. Jeffrey, who served as ambassador to Turkey from 2008 to 2010, is seeking support from US allies to provide troops for that effort. At the Munich Security Conference this weekend, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan urged US allies to stay in the fight in Syria even as the United States targets an April withdrawal. Big player: But Satterfield, who would arrive in Ankara fresh off his role as acting head of the State Departments Near Eastern Affairs bureau, is likely to have his own strong ideas about the talks and could clash with the existing team at the State Department, especially on Iran. Al-Monitor reported this past summer that Satterfields bureau supported a gradual withdrawal from a cease-fire deal with Russia near Israels border that allowed President Bashar al-Assads troops to retake rebel-held areas, potentially giving Iranian militant groups free rein over the area, while Jeffrey has targeted the removal of Iranian proxies as a key US objective in Syria. On the ground, the Kurdish-led US allies are telling outgoing US Central Command chief Joseph Votel that they want 1,500 American troops to stay in Syria to help finish the job against the Islamic State. UN vacancy: The United States may have a pick to lead diplomatic efforts with Turkey, but it is still missing a permanent envoy to the United Nations following Nikki Haleys departure at the end of the year, even though the administrations stated Syria policy ends with UN-backed talks. Former State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert dropped out of contention on Saturday. Progress on the UN-led Geneva talks slowed in December when Assad failed to submit candidates to write Syrias post-war constitution. Whats next: Satterfields nomination now proceeds to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where hes likely to face grilling from lawmakers over the US relationship with Ankara. Lawmakers of both parties have raised concerns about a deal to sell Turkey 100 F-35 fighter jets amid President Recep Tayyip Erdogans interest in the Russian S-400 air defense system. The Trump administration will also push the Senate to confirm Satterfield's proposed replacement on Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has held up the nomination for months to force the Trump administration to justify the 2017 bombing of Syrian chemical weapons facilities, which was conducted without congressional approval. Know more: Check out Pentagon correspondent Jack Detschs latest on a Syrian Kurdish visit to Washington to lobby the US administration to stay in the fight. -Jack Detsch New AG William Barr MUST act against Deep State treason by McCabe and co-conspirators to save our republic On Thursday reports noted that former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who was fired last year on the recommendation of the Justice Department inspector generals office for lying to officials, revealed in interviews that he one of the ringleaders involved in an attempted coup against POTUS Donald Trump. To be clear, McCabe didnt come out and say, Hey, we tried to oust a duly elected president and have our preferred candidate installed, but given actions he has admitted to and deeds he claims to have done or orchestrated, its obvious a coup is precisely what he was attempting. As The National Sentinel notes: According to excerpts of an upcoming 60 Minutes interview, McCabe not only said he ordered the obstruction of justice probe into POTUS Donald Trump, allegedly because he was concerned about Russian collusion, but he also admitted that he was involved in discussions with the Justice Department to remove our duly elected president under terms outlined in the 25th Amendment after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey over his pathetic handling of the Hillary Clinton classified email probe. In order to convince Cabinet members that POTUS Trump was unfit to serve, McCabe and others, specifically Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, conspired to entrap the president by sending Rosenstein to see him while wearing a wire. The objective was to get the president to say something outrageous and unhinged, or something that could be spun that way, and use it to trigger his removal under the Constitution. There were meetings at the Justice Department at which it was discussed whether the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet could be brought together to remove the president of the United States under the 25th Amendment, CBS News correspondent Scott Pelley said Thursday on CBS; Pelley interviewed McCabe for the 60 Minutes segment. Rosenstein and the Justice Department are, of course, denying McCabes account, but the former FBI official has not only insisted that the wire idea was actively and seriously discussed, but he also claims Rosenstein brought it up repeatedly. Either McCabe is fabricating everything in his book and, thus, will need to reimburse his publisher or hes being honest, which means he just laid out a case for being charged with sedition, at a minimum, The National Sentinel suggested. Lets remember Obama was smack-dab in the middle of this McCabe also told 60 Minutes that he was responsible for ordering the counterintelligence investigation against the president after Trump fired Comey (on the recommendation of Rosenstein which now smells suspiciously like a set-up from the get-go) because he was allegedly concerned about Russian influence. This is the same line of reasoning that led Rosenstein to appoint Robert Mueller, a long-time friend and ally of Comey, as special counsel to investigate Trump-Russia collusion. All of this came after the FBI under Comey launched a probe against Team Trump 2016 based on allegations contained in the now-infamous Russia dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, who relied on Russian sources. The dossier was paid for by the Hillary Clinton campaign and Comey knew all along it was garbage a prop used to justify FISA court surveillance warrants against Team Trump advisor Carter Page. The FBI knew it too. And lets never forget that this attempted coup began under the administration of one Barack Hussein Obama, who was well aware it was taking place and, according to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, ordered it. (Related: Its time for the American people to declare our own national emergency and remove destructive Dems from power.) There are a number of figures McCabe, Clapper, Comey just for starters who took an active role in attempting to pull off a coup against a president who was chosen lawfully and constitutionally. Its patently obvious now. A ringleader has arrogantly admitted it. If newly appointed Attorney General William Barr doesnt prosecute McCabe and those involved in the coup attempt, the Deep State will try this again with the next president they dont approve of. And maybe next time theyll be successful. Read more about the Deep States corruption at Corruption.news. Sources include: TheNationalSentinel.com CBSNews.com CAIRO Art lovers and Egyptian history buffs interested in the country's monarchical period or social history are in for a treat at the Italianate Aisha Fahmy Palace, built in 1907 in Zamalek. The palace currently hosts the exhibition Features of an Era, which takes a look at the family that once ruled Egypt in displays of portraiture, sculpture and photography not viewed by the public since the 1952 Free Officers coup that toppled the monarchy. Some 150 objects and images from the time of Mohammed Ali to King Farouk document the aspirations and aesthetics of 150 years of monarchial rule and signal a shift in contemporary attitudes in republican Egypt toward it. Features of an Era, which runs through March 27, unabashedly advances a view of khedival Cairo as a place where the country's rulers cultivated aesthetic values and promoted the Egyptian capital as a venue for and a patron of world-class artists. Verdi's Aida premiered down the street from the current exhibit, at Khedive Ismails Al-Gezira Palace, now the Cairo Marriott Hotel and Omar Khayyam Casino. Im trying to show that in the past, Egypt was a destination for artists and intellectuals, Ehab El-Lebban, the exhibition's curator, told Al-Monitor, pointing to a bust of Ismail, khedive and builder of the Suez Canal, by the Parisian sculptor Charles Cordier (1827-1905), who spent two years in Egypt on French government grants and commissions from Cairene nobility. Cordier may have been one of the foremost French Orientalists, or more precisely ethnographic sculptors. His subjects ranged from Egypts royalty to Nubian peasants to Berber tribesmen. Cordier portrayed Africans in a human gaze, or in his words inspired by the "idea of the universality of beauty. I am dealing with this period from the artistic perspective not a political one, Lebban said. It's an important part of our history that left a mark on khedival Cairo, and the state now is working on renovating that part of the city. Cordiers equestrian statue of Ibrahim Pasha from 1874 still stands in Opera Square in downtown Cairo, but the adjacent khedival era Opera House burned in a 1971 fire, an inferno some scholars say was allowed to happen by the revolutionary Nasser government which favored modern, brutalist architecture. Egyptian republican governments nationalized scores of royal villas in the 20th century, with anonymous bureaucrats removing the paintings and other objects on display in the Features of An Era to Al-Nasr Palace in Cairo, renamed the Gezira Museum in 1957 by the Ministry of Culture. The Gezira Museum largely remained shuttered for decades, essentially functioning as a warehouse for hundreds of paintings and sculptures of Egyptian royalty, the royal family's European masterpieces and treasures of Coptic and Islamic art. When Lebban became curator of the Aisha Fahmy Palace, which reopened its doors two years ago as a state-run arts and culture venue, he turned to Gezira's reservoir of objects for a series of three shows and to Yasser Mongy, an art history professor at Helwan University, to help identify the provenance and relevance of the works. Everything in this exhibition related to Mohammed Ali was made when he was alive, Mongy told Al-Monitor, referring to the Albanian who would rule Egypt. Mohammed Ali arrived in 1801 as the lieutenant commander of a regiment sent by the Ottomans to remove the French and a few years later turned on his masters, declared his own wilayat (governorate) in 1805 and reintroduced Egypt as an independent state to the world. The five portraits of Mohammed Ali on display at Aisha Fahmy reflect his obsession with Napoleon Bonaparte, another soldier-cum-emperor. He understood how Napoleon used art to propagate an image, and you can see the similarities in his pose, said Mongy. One puzzle we did solve is identifying the sculptor who cast the bronze image of Khedive Ismail that was commissioned in 1949, when Farouks Royal Palace announced a major artistic competition for a piece to go in the center of what was then called Ismailia Square, which we now call Tahrir Square, Mongy explained. Ehab and I found that this sculpture was signed by Mostafa Metwaly and dated 1951, and we discovered documents in the National Archives about this last artistic tribute by King Farouk to his predecessor. Although the vast majority of the extant official portraits and busts focus on the male rulers of Egypt, alongside their brothers, sons and male cousins, exhibit organizers found a cluster of smaller-scale, but compelling, oil on canvas likenesses of several women attached to the royal household. Austrian portrait painter Joseph Matthaus Aigners likeness of Ayn al-Hayat Rifaat, wife of Sultan Hussein Kamel (r. 1863-1879), stands out as one of the most intimate and realistic pieces in a show that generally underscores the royal taste for visual hagiography. A more typical Orientalist portrait, by James Bard, is Lady of the Mohammed Ali Family (1841), which portrays an unnamed woman holding a fan while lounging on a diwan and with a shisha pipe sitting beside her. King Farouk, a deeply flawed ruler unable to fully oust the British after World War II or achieve victory in the 1948 war against Israel, is represented in three paintings in a naval portrait, a rustic duck-hunting scene and most hauntingly in an unfinished, unsigned painting that lends the impression of being abandoned mid-sitting. We wanted to bring out the theme of unanswered questions by leaving this portrait unframed, said Lebban. Nobody thinks the exhibit signals a desire for a restoration of Egypts monarchy, but rather offers a look back at the European-inspired culture of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A wistful, romanticized collective memory of the era is increasingly prevalent among today's Egyptian middle class. The exhibit shows we are completely over the insecurities of the Nasser era, said Yasmine El Dorghamy, an instructor in the Department of Fine Arts at the American University in Cairo and publisher of Al-Rawi, a magazine on Egypts art and material culture heritage. The regime is comfortable enough now to glorify this part of our history, and this is something that would have never happened 20 or 30 years ago. I wouldn't look at it politically and say that it's because they yearn for something else, Dorghamy told Al-Monitor. Its just nostalgia for a more glamorous era, when buildings were beautiful, people were elegant and everything looked nice. Mahmoud Saber contributed to this report. In recent days, Egyptian activists have called via social media for Egypt to unite in the face of the current "constitutional crisis," as some describe it. The appeals come following parliament's overwhelming and rather swift approval of controversial amendments that would allow President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to extend his rule, potentially by 12 additional years after his current term ends in 2022. More than 80% of lawmakers voted in favor of the constitutional changes on Feb. 14, paving the way for Sisi's power grab and for further entrenchment of the military in politics. "The power of rejection is formidable. Close ranks and unite. We shall win," tweeted Amr Waked, an actor and activist who has been a vocal critic of Sisi's policies. Using the hashtag #NoToConstitutionalAmendments, Waked urged his followers to reject the proposed amendments and to wear black on the day of a planned referendum "to prevent the vote from being rigged." By wearing the same color, voters opposed to the amendments will be immediately recognizable and thus able to fight the government's claims that Egyptians are overwhelmingly in favor of the changes. Former diplomat Mohamed ElBaradei, meanwhile, urged Sisi to reject the "unconstitutional amendments" and to remain true to his pledge of allowing a transfer of power. He reminded Sisi of his earlier statements that "the days of dictatorship are behind us," which ElBaradei described as one of the gains of the revolution. "Living up to these promises is important in order to avert deeper divisions in the country," he tweeted. In November 2017, Sisi promised to honor the constitution and to not seek a third term in office. "I will not stay one more day as president if it is against the will of the Egyptian people," he said. Hassan Nafaa, a professor of political science at Cairo University, tweeted on Feb. 15: "I am convinced that the majority of Egyptians reject the amendments and view them not only as unconstitutional but also as insulting, because they deprive the people of their right to live in freedom and dignity." He added, "Those who oppose the amendments should set aside their differences and fight to ensure they are voted down in the referendum." In another mobilizing tweet, Nafaa wrote, "The proposed constitutional amendments can be defeated through peaceful means via the ballot box despite all the difficulties. It is important to prioritize this issue and for the concerned parties to coordinate their stances and stop the blame game so that we can rekindle the hopes of Egypt's frustrated youth." Ironically, members of the Muslim Brotherhood share Nafaa's view, a sign, perhaps, of a possible thaw in relations between the Islamist group and the country's secular elites. The Brotherhood, which was labeled a terrorist group by Egypt in 2013, made similar appeals to Egyptians to forge a united front to foil "a conspiracy against the nation." Mohamed Mahsoob, who served as minister of parliamentary affairs under the Muslim Brotherhood-backed President Mohammed Morsi, reminded Egyptians of what they have achieved when they stood united as one people. "On Feb. 11, the people toppled a dictator an incredible feat that no one would have believed possible," he tweeted on the day commemorating Hosni Mubarak's downfall. "That should serve as a lesson of what we are capable of achieving when we close our ranks and speak in one voice." During the 18 days of the January 25, 2011 Revolution, Egyptians stood united and toppled Mubarak. But after the autocrat stepped down, cracks appeared among the various political groups. Each group had its own vision of the new Egypt. The divisions deepened under President Morsi, whom critics accuse of "polarizing the country." The young left-leaning activists who led the uprising against Mubarak initially threw their weight behind Morsi during the 2012 elections. Some saw him as the lesser of two evils, since the rival candidate, Gen. Ahmed Shafiq, was a "felool," or a remnant of the Mubarak regime. It did not take long, however, for Morsi to fall out of favor with the revolutionary youths who helped propel him to power. Just a few short weeks into his presidency, which he won with a narrow margin of 52%, discontent surfaced. Liberals complained they felt "alienated" and accused Morsi of acting in the interest of the Muslim Brotherhood. His divisive language and his placing Brotherhood sympathizers in key positions in the government were among a series of blunders that eventually led to his downfall. A faltering economy further fueled disgruntlement with his rule. But it was a controversial decree issued by Morsi in November 2012, giving himself extensive powers, that ultimately sealed his fate. The decree, denounced by critics as a power grab, had been intended to push through an Islamist constitution and "avert attempts by the old regime to derail the democratic process," Morsi had told confidants at the time. Instead, the "constitutional coup" sparked riots that quickly evolved into clashes between supporters and opponents. After Sisi took power in 2014, the pro-government media further fueled the divisions by vilifying the Muslim Brotherhood. Tens of thousands of political opponents have been imprisoned as part of an ongoing security crackdown, which has also targeted liberal activists, journalists, members of the LGBTQ community and artists. The Egyptian opposition is now attempting to save what little is left of the gains of the 2011 revolution. In a rare show of defiance, liberal political parties, civil society, activists and public figures have launched an online campaign rejecting the disputed amendments. By Feb. 18, 23,000 opponents had signed the petition, including the leaders of 10 left-leaning political parties, former Cabinet ministers and representatives of the so-called Constitutional Committee, which was tasked with amending the suspended 2012 constitution. Also among the signatories are members of the Kefaya movement, which planted the first seeds of dissent during the Mubarak era, and representatives of the now-disbanded April 6 youth group, which mobilized the mass protests against Mubarak. While 23,000 is a small number in a country of 100 million, its symbolic meaning cannot be overlooked: Some Egyptian activists still refuse to be silenced despite the regime's fear mongering. Hisham Kassem, a publisher and analyst, is still skeptical of what the campaign can actually achieve. "It is gaining momentum for sure, but how far will it go and how effective will it be?" he said. "The only thing that's certain is that Sisi keeps tightening his grip on the country by the day, and in so doing, creates more enemies for himself." He continued, "The silencing of the media makes it more and more difficult for [Sisi] to realize that he is moving from push to shove and practicing political brinksmanship." While reconciliation between Islamists and secular elites is highly unlikely at least for the time being Egyptians in both camps are increasingly realizing that divisions have come at a hefty price. For now, they share a common goal: hold on to the last vestige of a wasted revolution. Allegations that Turkish security services in Ankara continue to be behind the disappearances of civilians linked to Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based preacher accused of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup, have resurfaced following reports that two men were hauled off in the capital in broad daylight. Eyewitnesses reportedly saw two men with black bags over their heads being stuffed into a white van after a large group of armed men, possibly plainclothes security officials, raided an apartment building in Ankaras Altindag district on Feb. 13. Their targets are believed to be Ozgur Kaya, a former schoolteacher, and Yasin Ugan, an accountant. Both men were affiliated with organizations operating within Gulens once sprawling network of schools, businesses and other entities that are now shuttered in Turkey. They have not been heard from since. Kayas wife Aycan said she became aware of her husbands plight when an anonymous caller contacted her via WhatsApp the night of his disappearance. Kayas relatives rushed to the neighborhood where the incident occurred and spoke with residents who claimed to have witnessed the affair. I went to all the police stations in the area asking whether my husband had been detained, but they all claimed to know nothing of him or his whereabouts, Aycan told Al-Monitor. I am worried for his life. My nine-year-old twin sons believe their father is dead. Ugans wife Selda relayed a similar story of an anonymous phone tip followed by fruitless visits to numerous police stations. She told Al-Monitor that her brother-in-law had spoken to a man who purported to be the couple's landlord. He said police had approached him with photographs of Ugan and Kaya and questioned him, saying they were wanted in connection to an ongoing case related to Gulens alleged efforts to infiltrate the national spy agency, MIT. Unusually, the police made this contact after the men had been taken away. It's all very bizarre but we are pretty certain it was police who did this because at least one of the group was in uniform, Selda said. But the police feign ignorance. We dont know where to turn. Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a lawmaker for the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party and a member of the parliaments human rights commission, said the Security Directorate in Ankara had not responded to his formal request for information about the men. Their case mirrors those of several other alleged Gulenists who were forcibly abducted in Ankara in the wake of the coup. Human Rights Watch noted that victims were carted off in vans by plainclothes security officials. Subsequent appeals from family members for their whereabouts fell upon deaf ears. One of the victims, who eventually won asylum in Germany, told Haaretz about his ordeal. He was held in a tiny cell where he was frequently interrogated. The floor was dark and covered in soft cloth, as were the walls, apparently so that inmates couldnt commit suicide bashing their heads against them. The man, using the pseudonym Tolga, said he had been tortured and threatened with rape. High on the wall were rings for attaching hands to the wall, with lower ones for the feet. There were other torture instruments and clubs. He was eventually freed after pretending to aquiesce to captors demands that he snitch on fellow Gulenists. Kaya and Ugan may well be freed too, but not thanks to any pressure from Turkeys largely subdued media or its bleeding heart liberals. Howard Eissenstat, an associate professor of Middle East history at St. Lawrence University and a nonresident senior fellow at the Project on Middle East Democracy, explained this indifference in emailed comments to Al-Monitor: Most on the Turkish left have been squeamish about defending Gulenists from the start precisely because they agree with the [ruling Justice and Development Party] that the group is a nefarious anti-democratic force and because the Gulen movement played such a profound role in empowering the AKP and honing its repressive tools before 2013. These included jailing journalists critical of the secretive Sunni cleric, sabotaging the governments efforts to make peace with the Kurds and fabricating evidence against military officers in show trials that were dropped once Gulen and Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fell out after a protracted power struggle. Like many others, Kaya and Ugan went into hiding after the coup attempt as the government began rounding up suspected Gulenists by the thousands. Kayas home was raided by police three times. In February 2017, Aycan was detained for five days in the Black Sea city of Samsun, where she now lives with her family. They grilled me about my husband and I kept telling them the truth, that I didnt know where he was, that I had not heard from him since September 2016. Selda, who used to teach at a Gulen-affiliated school, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for her supposed links to terrorists. She is appealing the verdict. The purge continues unabated with at least 150,000 people fired from their jobs. A further 160,000 others have been detained, including lawyers, academics, journalists and businessmen. The bulk are accused of ties to Gulen or rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. As many as 60,000 remain behind bars on a raft of flimsy terror charges. In the meantime, MIT has carried its campaign against the so-called Fethullah Gulen Terror Organization overseas, with forced renditions of teachers and others from the Gambia to Kosovo, often with the blessings of local authorities. Eissenstat noted, The AKP leadership really does see the Gulenist movement as fundamentally centralized and the core of internal resistance to its rule. Moreover, he said, The AKP is and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a revolutionary state: Purges are not secondary to this process, they are intrinsic to it. The Gulenist label has become a catchall for perceived mischief including the governments own, as Merve Demirel, a 23-year-old university student, discovered last week. Demirel was detained in Ankara for taking part in a protest of prison conditions. Images of a police officer groping Demirel as she was being shoved into a police van went viral on Twitter. Authorities sought to justify her detention on the grounds that her father was a Gulenist. Demirel denied the claims and has filed a criminal complaint against her molester. Kenyas renown reggae and dancehall hitmaker Wyre the Love Child says another collabo with Jamaican star Alaine is in the works. According to Wyre, working with the songbird on the smash hit Nakupenda Pia about five years ago opened opportunities for him. That single was a breakthrough for me because I got an opportunity to go to Jamaica to shoot the music video, which was a great experience, said Wyre. Wyre and Alaine met when the songbird was in Kenya for a concert in which the Love Child was also performing. I got to contact her management years later and asked them if she would be interested to work with me. It was easy because she had heard a couple of my songs, he said. The person who was linking me up with her sent her a couple of my works as well, and she liked them. I dashed to the studio and did some lines, and sent them to her. Wyre added that Alaine was quiet for a while and he had lost hope thinking she did not like the song. Finally, she emailed us and said she liked the song. She sent me her vocals as well. On their next collab, Wyre said: We will release it when the vibe comes. The former Necessary Noize member is currently riding high on the release a new song titled Wanilinda, where he is thanking God. When asked if he had decided to jump on the gospel train, Wyre said: Its just but putting on pen and paper my feelings, but you never know. Watch Wanilinda below. WASHINGTON, D.C. Meeting a per-year demand for plutonium pits utilizing only Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico would be quite the precarious venture, according to a National Nuclear Security Administration officer. NNSA Program Executive Officer for Strategic Materials Kelly Cummins on Feb. 14 said trying to produce 80 pits per year at an updated Plutonium Facility-4 at Los Alamos would be "very high risk." "... I would say that there are a lot of other things that we do in Plutonium Facility-4, besides just make pits," Cummins said at the Nuclear Deterrence Summit. "And so I think as you increase the number of pits above 30 pits per year, you are increasing the risk to the other things that we do in that facility." PF-4 at Los Alamos supports plutonium- and national security-related missions. In May 2018, the NNSA and the U.S. Department of Defense jointly recommended producing plutonium pits nuclear weapon cores at both the Savannah River Site and Los Alamos. Fifty pits per year would be produced at SRS, at a repurposed Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility, and another 30 per year would be produced at Los Alamos, according to the recommendation. A total 80 pits per year are needed by 2030, according to the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. "We believe that this two-pronged approach is the optimal path forward to meet our pit production requirements," Cummins said, "while managing the costs and risks associated with increasing production rates and maintaining existing plutonium operations at Los Alamos." The executive officer provided a list of milestones, as well: 10 pits per year will be produced in 2024, 20 pits per year in 2025 and 30 pits per year after that. Los Alamos is the nation's plutonium science and production center of excellence, per the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. The perceived risky nature of producing 80 pits solely in New Mexico builds some pressure locally. NNSA Chief of Staff William "Ike" White on Feb. 12 said the MOX-to-pits transition follows a relatively aggressive schedule, one that is matched by a "sense of urgency" felt across the nation's nuclear security complex. Cummins said all strategic materials plutonium is a good example have "very firm requirements" to meet. NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs Charles Verdon last week said the semiautonomous agency was focused "like a laser beam" to get pit production right. 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. Don McCullin says he Is not an artist. But hes changing how British museums regard photography as art. While standing in Londons Tate Britain museum recently where a major exhibition of 250 of his photographs are on view through May 6 McCullin explained to reporters that he hates having his work labeled as art. Ive been struggling against that word all my life, he said. The American photographers all want to be called artists. Im a photographer and I stand by it. But as The Art Newspaper noted recently, the new exhibition symbolizes a shift in photographys significance in British museums, and not just because the Tate is correcting its historic disregard. Last year, noted TAN, the Victoria and Albert Museum opened phase one of its Photography Center, an expanded permanent space for photography despite having collected photography since its earliest years in the mid-19th century, the museum had waited until 1998 before assigning it a dedicated space. There are vast photographic collections at the Imperial War Museums in London and Manchester, and at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG). At the NPG, in particular, there has been an increasing volume of (often extremely popular) photography exhibitions over the past decade, added TAN. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Tates appointment of its first ever curator of photographySimon Baker, who left last year to become director of the Maison Europeene de la Photographie in Paris. Under Baker, leading British photographers such as McCullin and Chris Killip, who had been ignored until then by the Tate, were finally embraced by the UKs national collection of British and international art, added TAN. The Guvnors in their Sunday Suits, Finsbury Park, London 1958 Homeless Men Sleeping While Standing, Whitechapel, London, around 1970 The McCullin exhibition, notes the Tate, showcases some of the most impactful photographs captured over the last 60 years. It includes many of his iconic war photographs including images from Vietnam, Northern Ireland and more recently Syria. But it also focuses on the work he did at home in England, recording scenes of poverty and working class life in Londons East End and the industrial north, as well as meditative landscapes of his beloved Somerset, where he lives. McCullin started taking photographs in the 1950s in a working-class area of North London, noted The New York Times. He first shot his friends, who were members of the Guvnors, a local gang whose notoriety helped get Mr. McCullins pictures into The Observer newspaper. Within a decade, he was sent to cover violent conflict in Cyprus, and he has largely been unable to get away from battlefields ever since. In 2017, he went to Syria to photograph ancient temples damaged by the Islamic State. Shell-Shocked U.S. Marine, the Battle of Hue, 1968 U.S. Marines, the Citadel, Hue, 1968 Looking at what others cannot bear to see is my life as a war photographer, McCullin told reporters at the Tate. In a caption to a series showing stick-thin, famished children during the Biafran War, he said: It was beyond war, it was beyond journalism, it was beyond photography, but not beyond politics, noted Reuters. McCullin said that he had no desire to glamorize war but that he could not escape what he had seen, noted The Times. I feel sad my photos didnt change anything, he added. As soon as one war was finished, another cranked up. Starving 24-Year-Old Mother with Child, Biafra, 1968 Cyprus, 1964 Empathy is a hallmark of McCullins work, noted Reuters. His pictures show mangled corpses but also grieving families and people suffering hardship yet trying to live with dignity. McCullin acknowledged that he did have one thing in common with great artists emotion, noted The Times. You cant do these pictures without it, he said. Below is a trailer produced for the exhibition: The collapse of the distinction between art photography and other forms is starkly illustrated by McCullins presence both in the Tate collection, which has 85 of his works as part of its Artist Rooms series with the National Galleries of Scotland, and the Tate Britain exhibition, noted The Art Newspaper. ____________________________ At top: The Cyprus Civil War, Limassol, Cyprus, 1964 From an elevator to an oat processing plant, Yaggies Inc. in Yankton, South Dakota, has seen a lot of change since the late 1960s. After being purchased by Frank Yaggie, the do-it-all value-added ag facility housed both a feed mill and an oat processing plant under one roof. As of 2019, the oats have finally moved out. At the tail end of 2018, Yaggies finished construction of a $3.5 million oat processing plant at the edge of town that would allow them to double their processing capacity while updating their equipment. Everybody will get their space. Right now, its like two grown brothers sharing a small room, Dan Delforge said. Delforge is the manager at Yaggies and is married to the daughter of one of the controlling partners in the company. Those family ties are what Delforge said keeps Yaggies running. Since the late 60s, Yaggies has been owned an operated by two families the Petersons and the Richards. The new oat processing facility is a way of evolving with the times. You either get better or you cant keep up. This was our move to stay relevant for the future, Delforge said. The process to build the plant began back in 2015 when the idea was first discussed internally, Delforge said. The oat industry has taken off in recent years, and because the feed mill and the oat processing plant were operating in cramped quarters under one roof, everyone at Yaggies knew a change had to be made. The oat industry, much like the pork industry in the Yankton area, has exploded over the last five years, and the growth has led to an increased need for cleaner, safer oat groat production. In their old facility, that was just impossible, Delforge said. The new 2019 Kansas Livestock Association president is tackling cattle industry projects head-on, including an additional challenge shes determined to quash. Fourth-generation cattle rancher Barb Downey of Wamego, Kan., officially became KLA president Nov. 30 at the state convention in Wichita. Downeys KLA priority is the success of the Cattle Trace pilot project. This project was born out of a policy resolution at the 2017 KLA Convention prioritizing traceability for disease purposes for all cattle classes," she said. "The coordinated effort between KLA, Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University gathers data on what animal was where and when for disease traceability purposes only." Other goals: better transition planning resources for KLA producer members, and promoting the Beef Quality Assurance Program. BQA is hugely important," Downey said. "Consumers are demanding to understand what we do in our everyday operations so its important to have a system of standards ensuring were producing a safe and nutritious product." Barb also enjoyed sharing her agriculture knowledge as a Producer Progress Reporter for Midwest Messenger. Ive always liked writing, and enjoyed communicating the day-to-days of ranch life because a lot of it is funny at least I thought so," she said. "I still get feedback from my tenure, including a new bull customer this year who remembered my columns. Downey Ranch rides on sustainability. A technology that would enable beekeepers to detoxify hives of pesticides was developed at Cornell University and is now being licensed throug Both scarlet fever and measles, well-known Victorian diseases, could kill as each had no nemesis to target it before the birth of antibiotics. Dont get me wrong, as measles did have some complications later too -- From 1985 through 1992 , diarrhea was reported in 8% of measles cases, making this the most commonly reported complication of measles. Otitis media (ear infection) was reported in 7% of cases and occurs almost exclusively in children. Pneumonia (in 6% of reported cases) may be viral or superimposed bacterial, and is the most common cause of measles-related death. In the olden days, measles was a part of childhood. Children in the Victorian days died at an increased rate and up into the 1940s, but as antibiotics became the go to medications for bacterial infections, deaths diminished . The knowledge that measles can lead to bacterial infections, like pneumonia , has been significant in our understanding of these viral illnesses. Bacteria became the killers, just like in influenza . Measles can be fatal but that is more often in developing countries . Lifelong immunity.we do not hear that term anymore as vaccination has replaced it. Instead, children today are needing 1,2 and possibly a 3rd dose of MMR according to this article about Mumps, another childhood illness that seems to be making a comeback. The reason -- Either todays mumps strains have evolved to elude the immune response triggered by the vaccine, or protection from the vaccine simply wanes over time. Either way, it looks like the MMR vaccine is not a perfect fix yet discussing that has set off a chain reaction in our communities. We seem to be witnessing a new type of civil war -- the pro-vaxx vs the anti-vaxx. Instead of a Mason-Dixon line, this line defines those who want medical choice (Vaccine Exemptions) vs those who dont. Lets look at some facts. Measles If you were born before 1957, you probably don't need the vaccine. Why 1957? The measles vaccine was first produced in 1963, so people who were children before the late '50s or early '60s were almost certainly exposed to measles and have lifelong immunity. By Teresa Conrick Measles. If you were born before 1957, you do not need to get a measles vaccination. That would be an MMR vaccine, as measles vaccine is not available as a single, live, virus vaccine but instead is a triple, live, virus vaccine with both Mumps and Rubella attached with it. This is according to the CDC and the NYT as they report in this blog In the 20th century , most measles-related deaths were due to secondary bacterial pneumonias; Most measles-related deaths among soldiers (WW1) were caused by secondary bacterial pneumonias. If measles patients could be protected from bacterial respiratory pathogens that are novel to their immune systems, the clinical courses of their infections would likely be less complicated and their chances of surviving much improved Because measles virus particularly infects the mucus-secreting intestinal cells, the massive cellular immune stress of measles may disorder the hosts tolerance of their own bacterial microflora; such disruptions may enable invasion of the gut wall by normally tolerated bacteria with subsequent inflammatory reactions and chronic malabsorption. That last one has an eerie connection to what has been described in many who have an autism diagnosis, like my daughter, and the increasing research on the dysfunction of the autism microbiome. The study by Wakefield and twelve other brilliant doctors and researchers of gastroenterology, neurology, psychiatry, and radiology, done in 1998 , showed concerning connections, and those connections led to a debate that continues today: Onset of behavioural symptoms was associated, by the parents, with measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination in eight of the 12 children, with measles infection in one child, and otitis media in another. All 12 children had intestinal abnormalities,....... Disruption of this matrix and increased intestinal permeability, both features of inflammatory bowel disease,17 may cause both intestinal and neuropsychiatric dysfunction. Vaccination Sick by Shel Silverstein (excerpt) I cannot go to school today," Said little Peggy Ann McKay. I have the measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple bumps. My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, Im going blind in my right eye. My tonsils are as big as rocks, Ive counted sixteen chicken pox Vaccines are a big part of Public Health. So are antibiotics. The former is intended to prevent illness and disease; the latter to stop and cure illness and disease. Here is some information per CDC regarding the history of measles and vaccination for it: Measles is an acute viral infectious disease. References to measles can be found from as early as the 7th century. The disease was described by the Persian physician Rhazes in the 10th century as more to be dreaded than smallpox. In 1846, Peter Panum described the incubation period of measles and lifelong immunity after recovery from the disease. Enders and Peebles isolated the virus in human and monkey kidney tissue culture in 1954. The first live attenuated vaccine was licensed for use in the United States in 1963 (Edmonston B strain). ...Measles virus is rapidly inactivated by heat, sunlight, acidic pH, ether, and trypsin. It has a short survival time (less than 2 hours) in the air or on objects and surfaces. Measles in developing countries has resulted in high attack rates among children younger than 12 months of age. Measles is more severe in malnourished children, particularly those with vitamin A deficiency. Complications include diarrhea, dehydration, stomatitis, inability to feed, and bacterial infections (skin and elsewhere). Here is information from The National Vaccine Information Center on measles and vaccination: In 1979, public health officials launched an effort to eliminate measles in the United States through vaccination, with a goal of eradication by October 1st, 1982.23 In 1982, there were a record low 1,697 reported cases of measles in the United States 24 and while public health officials conceded that the goal of elimination had not been met, they publicly stated that it was right around the corner.25 A resurgence of measles in the United States occurred between 1989 and 1991, when reported measles cases increased 6- to 9-fold over the previously studied period between 1985 and 1988. During this resurgence, more than 53,000 cases of measles occurred as the result of 815 separate outbreaks.26 132 deaths in the U.S. were suspected to be associated with measles during this outbreak.27 As a result of the large increase in number of reported measles cases, the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices changed its measles recommendation, and all children were advised to receive an additional dose of measles vaccine prior to school entry.28 Reported measles cases dropped by the early 1990s and in an eight-year period between 1993 and 2001, there were 1804 cases of measles reported in 120 outbreaks. 29 After only 15 measles cases were reported between 1999 and 2001, public health officials declared that measles was no longer endemic in the United States.30 In 2000, with only 86 reported cases of measles, 31 the CDC declared measles to be eliminated in the United States.32 Between 2000 and 2007, the U.S. recorded an average of 63 cases of measles a year. The numbers increased again in 2008 to 140 reported cases 33 before decreasing again in 2009 34 and 2010.35 Measles cases increased again in 2011 to 220, with the majority linked to travelers returning from, or visiting, other countries, including those in Europe and Southeast Asia.36 In 2014, there were 667 reported measles infections in the United States with the CDC reporting many to be associated with a large outbreak in the Philippines.37 An Amish community in Ohio experienced an outbreak that included 383 cases. 38 In January 2015, a multi-state measles outbreak linked to a California amusement park occurred, affecting 147 individuals. No known outbreak source was determined, however, the CDC believed the infection to have resulted from an international traveler as the particular strain was reported by the CDC to be identical to a strain that caused a large outbreak in the Philippines in 2014.39 The 2015 measles outbreak prompted a media firestorm, with newspapers and health officials blaming the parents of unvaccinated children, calling them ignorant, anti-science, and worse.40 Failure The reality is that vaccines are not always the miracle cure that they are intended to be. There can be complications. And failure. Every medicine we see that is advertised has a long list of complications for some or all who take it. Vaccines are no exception. Lets take a look at that failure. Secondary measles vaccine failures identified by measurement of IgG avidity: high occurrence among teenagers vaccinated at a young age. Secondary measles-vaccine failures are more common than was more previously thought, particularly among individuals vaccinated in early life, long ago, and among re-vaccinees. Measles Outbreak Associated with Vaccine Failure in Adults During FebruaryAugust, three of FSM's four states reported measles cases: Kosrae (139 cases), Pohnpei (251), and Chuuk (3). Two thirds of cases occurred among adults aged 20 years; of these, 49% had received 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine (MCV). Humoral Immunity to Measles Vaccine: New Developments Despite the existence of an effective measles vaccine, resurgence in measles cases in the United States and across Europe has occurred, including in individuals vaccinated with two doses of the vaccine. Host genetic factors result in inter-individual variation in measles vaccine-induced antibodies, and play a role in vaccine failure. Outbreak of Measles Among Persons With Prior Evidence of Immunity, New York City, 2011 A measles outbreak occurred in New York City. All cases had prior evidence of measles immunity. Symptoms were consistent with measles. Laboratory results indicated secondary immune responses. This report documents measles transmission from an individual with verified secondary vaccine failure. A recent, news story shows us how the science of Vaccine Failure is being denied and instead, sensationalistic propaganda is being reported. Five cases of measles confirmed in the greater Houston area, Wednesday, February 6, 2019 Five cases of measles have been confirmed in the greater Houston area,....The cases, all announced Monday, include three in Harris County, one in Galveston County and one in Montgomery County. They involve four children, all under 2 years of age, and a woman between the ages of 25 and 35. All are doing well now..Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, said he's concerned because in the pre-vaccine era, measles typically peaked in the late winter and early spring. He said "a perfect storm could be coming." .Hotez said the fact that the other three cases, all involving boys, were unrelated suggests there may have been multiple original sources. Shah noted that Harris County's original source or sources, known in public health circles as Patient Zero, is unknown. BUT in that same news piece, we are told --- It was unclear Monday if a lack of vaccination played a role in any of the Houston-area cases. All four children had received the first of the two shots the second is given between the ages of 4 and 6 and the woman said she'd been vaccinated, though the county is still working to confirm that through records. That article reads like a crime had been committed and Hotez is a gumshoe on the case, and the 5 people, 4 children and a woman, had fled the scene. They had been vaccinated yet STILL got measles. In addition, they are being blamed. It is laughable if it wasnt so disturbing. It sounds like a mob with torches is out to find them. So again, science is showing us that vaccines are not like lifelong immunity. More and more measles cases show VACCINE FAILURE : The Re-Emergence of Measles in Developed Countries: Time to Develop the Next-Generation Measles Vaccines? .since 2005 these outbreaks have also occurred in the U.S.with surprising numbers of cases occurring in persons who previously received one or even two documented doses of measles-containing vaccine. In fact, as of September 2011, the U.S. has had 15 measles outbreaks with 211 confirmed casesthe highest number of cases since 1996,,,Large measles outbreaks are also occurring in many other developed countries,,,Thus, measles outbreaks also occur even among highly vaccinated populations because of primary and secondary vaccine failure, which results in gradually larger pools of susceptible persons and outbreaks once measles is introduced [8]. This leads to a paradoxical situation whereby measles in highly immunized societies occurs primarily among those previously immunized... And that is where we are today. People are getting measles and the blame should not be on them, but on the failure of the vaccine. Is a new vaccine the answer? Teresa Conrick is Science Editor for Age of Autism. A woman from Masongo village in Kisii escaped death by a whisker after she was attacked by an angry mob for assaulting her stepdaughter by inserting a hot knife in her private parts. 24-year-old Winnie Kwamboka, who is also said to be pregnant, stabbed and burned her eight-year-old step-daughter in the private parts using a hot knife for allegedly stealing Sh50 to buy a snack. The suspect committed the spine-chilling act over the weekend, tying the minor on a bed using a rope and torturing her as punishment for stealing. The minors father who is a bodaboda operator in Kisii town was away when the incident happened. Area Chief Wilter Nyaboke said the minor had spent two days with the wounds as her step-mother had locked her up in a room. Her father asked where she was having not seen her from the previous day, said the administrator. On realising what had happened, the father rushed the girl to the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital. According to the doctors, the girl had been stabbed several times using a hot knife but two stabs on the upper side of the thighs were more serious and required immediate attention. A police report through OB28/17/02/2017 at the Kisii Central police station shows that the minor sustained burns on her thighs, buttocks and in her private parts. The minor is still undergoing treatment and is in a stable condition. Infuriated locals also descended on Winnie Kwamboka seriously injuring her. She was rescued by police officers who rushed to the scene and took her to hospital for treatment before presenting her in court. Appearing before Senior Resident Magistrate Ezekiel Obina on Monday, Winnie Kwamboka did not take a plea as the court ordered her to undergo mental check-up. She will be arraigned on Thursday for plea taking. London City Airport welcomed the launch of British Airways flights to Munich on Saturday, closely followed by LOT Polish Airlines' inaugural flight from Budapest yesterday, linking the capital of Hungary to the Docklands airport. Above: British Airways cabin crew James and Cyntia bring some of their excellent inflight service skills to Munich Cricket Club in London when they served up steins of Bavarian beer with help from some of the resident team. Customers at Londons Munich Cricket Club joined in a traditional Bavarian toast to the newest British Airways route to launch from London City Airport (LCY). Cabin crew members James Carlton and Cyntia Matyokova visited the famous bierkeller and kitchen in Victoria to celebrate the new three-times-a-day British Airways flights to the Bavarian beer capital of Munich. The first of the year-round BA flights took off on Saturday and means British Airways now offers four German routes from London City. As well as its beer heritage and annual Oktoberfest, Munich is also famous for its culture and is home to 18 world renowned museums and arts venues. Munich is also a gateway to some of Bavarias most beautiful sightseeing routes, including palaces and castles, and the ski slopes of the Bavarian Alps are just under an hours drive away, This year British Airways has also increased frequency to Berlin from the Docklands airport to 18 return flights a week. Luke Hayhoe, British Airways general manager commercial and customer, said: "Germany is such an important destination for both business and leisure customers, so the addition of Munich to our schedule has been welcomed by everyone who flies from London City. With well-timed frequent flights there are plenty of options for customers who either want to do a day trip or stay for longer. Munich complements our existing flights to Berlin, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt and means that we now fly 82 return flights a week to Germany this winter. The new route will increase the number of British Airways destinations from London City Airport to 34." Richard Hill, Chief Commercial Officer at London City Airport, said: "Munich is a German powerhouse of a city, attracting leisure and business travellers alike. Its gaining popularity is reflected in the frequency of this new three-times-a-day British Airways service, which makes travel between Munich and the centre of London easier and quicker thanks to the convenience of London City Airport. "Its not just the world-famous Oktoberfest that brings thousands of visitors to explore Munich. Alongside the citys beer halls are public parks, historic architecture and a leading centre for business home to globally recognised firms. Through British Airways continued growth at its London City base, we are keeping London connected to Europe enabling trade and tourism in both directions." British Airways is investing 6.5 billion to improve its customer experience over the next five years, including new aircraft, new cabins, new catering, new lounges, WiFi and new routes. Yesterday saw the first LOT flight directly from Budapest to London City Airport (above), heralding the start of a twice daily, twelve times a week service. To operate this special route, LOT acquired four new Embraer 190s, joining existing flights between London City and Warsaw. From 1st May the air carrier will also launch flights to LCY from Vilnius. London City Airport is conveniently located in Londons Royal Docks and is the nearest airport to the business and financial centre of London and less than six miles from famous attractions such as Tower Bridge and the Shard. The newest service offered by LOT will bind Hungarian-UK relations even stronger, based on the hugely important human and economic links between the countries. The schedule will be in favour of business passengers flying to London-City from Budapest, allowing to take a round trip without an overnight stay. Moreover, LOTs new flight is an excellent alternative to other flights offered on London-Budapest route using airports located farther away from the center of London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Southend). Above: (left to right) Richard Hill, Chief Commercial Officer for London City Airport and right, David Bentley, Regional Director of Sales for LOT Polish Airlines. Adrian Kubicki, Director of Corporate Communications at LOT Polish Airlines, said: We are more than happy to welcome passengers from Hungary onboard our flights to London City today. London City is the most convenient airport for those passengers willing to get to the City of London in the shortest and most comfortable way. There is a great potential in this flight as the annual average passenger traffic on the Budapest-London route approximates 1.4 m. After fights to New York, Chicago and Krakow launched last year, now its time for London City. We are certain that new connections will be in favour of passengers travelling to and from CEE region and are going to be among the most successful routes in our constantly growing network. Already this year we will launch flights from Budapest to Brussels and Bucharest taking another step in developing our presence in Hungary. Peter Downes, Aviation Director at London City Airport, said: It is now quicker and easier than ever to hop between the Danube and the Thames thanks to LOT Polish Airlines new service between Budapest and Londons most central airport. "It means that, for the first time, the Hungarian capital joins our route map, adding another major European city that leisure passengers will love, and a convenient service for business trips. This is the latest staging post in LOTs growth at London City Airport, coming just five weeks after the highly successful launch of flights to Warsaw and ahead of a new Vilnius connection in May all made possible thanks to the airlines investment in four new Embraer 190 aircraft. This is a really exciting chapter for London City and LOT, transforming our Central European offer, and enabling closer ties for tourism and trade, at an important time for the UK, London, and Hungary. Perhaps the most significant energy question in the North Country in the coming year will be the potential long-term advantages and/or disadvantages of advancing industrial-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) project development in the region. Solar power represents a significant opportunity for economic development and job creation in North Country communities. And PV energy production is playing an increasingly important role in how states meet their (renewable) energy needs. Several northern New York townships have been evaluating the potential for opportunities in the photovoltaic (PV) energy production. But solar project development can be controversial and has triggered division among residents. Opposition tends to revolve around three issues; aesthetics, safety concerns, and the potential for negative impacts on real estate values. Aesthetic issues are, essentially, subjective. At around 8-12 feet high, solar arrays have a low profile, and landscaping is often used to shield projects from view. Concerned North Country residents want assurance that solar PV projects are sited in ways that minimize the impacts on scenic and natural resources while protecting human and livestock health and the environment. Among the people that Ive discussed this with, concerns expressed include: Safety Issues One of the most common safety concerns raised is panel reflection, or glare. Most panels are designed to absorb as much light as possible and reflect as little light as possible. Nonetheless, some level of reflection will always occur. Among residents, the concern is generally that the glare will be an annoyance or cause discomfort. For drivers and aviators, however, glare can be a safety concern and needs to be taken into account. Concerns over noise are often expressed. Many people are familiar the audible sound created when wind turbine blades are turning. Some people refer to it noise pollution. Unlike wind turbines, solar PV panels have no moving parts. Theyre quiet. Any noise issues would most likely be limited to locations in very close proximity to the inverters. The effects on property values are less clear. Covering Usable Farmland with Arrays What seems to concern most residents is the extensiveness of proposed larger-scale industrial solar facilities; the amount of land involved, the change of land use, land degradation, and habitat loss. A proposed 150-megawatt solar farm on roughly 950 acres in the town and village of Malone was met with reservation and, at least among some residents, fierce opposition, even after officials scaled the project down to 50 megawatts along state Route 30, south of the village. For landowners, PV energy generation can be compelling. But, unlike wind, solar projects do not lend themselves to shared use with agriculture. Farmers considering shifting from harvesting crops and forage to harvesting the sun need to recognize that this is a transition out of farmland and into industrial land. (Solar farm? I dont think so!) Questions about insurance requirements (e.g. personal injury / liability issues), property tax liability, and the inability to transfer lands into other uses in the future, also need consideration. Whats more, technology changes rapidly. And, although site removal is relatively inexpensive and used materials currently have relatively high salvage value, over the years, several North American wind and a few solar energy production sites have been abandoned, rather than upgraded, when they became obsolete. Minimizing Environmental Impacts Situating PV gathering and generating equipment on large tracts of land without compromising natural habitats is a challenge. Impacts can be minimized by utilizing lower-quality locations such as landfills, brownfields, or abandoned mining land. Solar development at the former village of Malone landfill site is an example of just such a project. Consisting of two ground mounted solar arrays comprised of 11,258 solar panels and 58 inverters, the project transformed nine acres of uninhabitable and otherwise unworkable land into a source of clean, renewable, locally generated, community-based electrical power. One array serves the county. One serves the village. And several northern Franklin County townships have expressed interest in purchasing power generated by the project at a discount, from the county. The village of Massena is considering developing a solar PV generating project on a 150 acre landfill situated on the Alcoa West site, off St. Lawrence County Route 42, in Massena. Theres a grassroots movement afoot to encourage incorporating pollinator-friendly plantings within commercial-scale, ground-mounted solar arrays. Many of the regions principal crops (e.g. apples, alfalfa, berries, pumpkins, soybeans) rely heavily on pollination. Locating pollinator-friendly plantings within these PV developments, creates easily maintainable habitat for native bees, honeybees, butterflies (e.g. Monarchs), moths, and hummingbirds; many of which are vital to sustainable fruit, vegetable, and forage production and, as such, contribute substantially to our well-being and to the economy. Photo of Early stage project construction at the at the former village of Malone landfill site provided. Ads violating the advertising code and making misleading claims are on the rise despite strong measures to check violations. In January 2019, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) issued an advisory to all broadcasters, directing them to run a scroller stating: Objectionable ads? Complain to The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) on 7710012345 or ascionline.org. Rule 7 (9) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, states, No advertisement, which violates the Code for self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Mumbai for public exhibition in India from time to time, shall be carried in the cable service. Adgully spoke to Shweta Purandare, Secretary General, ASCI, to have an understanding of the process of monitoring ads, complaints redressal mechanism, measures in place to penalise the violators and more. As per ASCIs note in December 2018, 558 out of 590 complaints against ads making misleading claims were upheld. Do you see ads violating the Advertising Code on the rise? ASCI processes all types of complaints received directly from consumers as well as complaints received on the Government portal GAMA (Grievance Against Misleading Advertisements). In addition, ASCI through National Advertising Monitoring Service (NAMS), its Suo moto monitoring of all TV and Print ads, looks into hundreds of potentially misleading advertisements. Our experience over the years has shown that advertisements that are most complained against and those picked through NAMS are about misleading claims. Over the last few years, we find that the highest incidences of misleading advertisements are in Healthcare products and Services sector and the Education sector. When you process these complaints, what parameters do you use to judge the veracity of these claims? Parameters to assess misleading advertisements are covered under Chapter I of the ASCI Code for self-regulation of advertising content. In addition, various sector specific guidelines also serve as a good reference point for the Independent Consumer Complaints Council when they adjudicate on the complaints such as Guidelines for Advertising of Food and Beverage Products, Guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions and Programs, etc. (What the Codebook says) To ensure the Truthfulness and Honesty of representations and claims made by advertisements and to safeguard against misleading advertisements 1.1 Advertisements must be truthful. All descriptions, claims and comparisons which relate to matters of objectively ascertainable fact should be capable of substantiation. Advertisers and advertising agencies are required to produce such substantiation as and when called upon to do so by The Advertising Standards Council of India. 1.2. Where advertising claims are expressly stated to be based on or supported by independent research or assessment, the source and date of this should be indicated in the advertisement. 1.3. Advertisements shall not, without permission from the person, firm or institution under reference, contain any reference to such person, firm or institution which confers an unjustified advantage on the product advertised ortends to bring the person, firm or institution into ridicule ordisrepute. If and when required to do so by The Advertising Standards Council of India, the advertiser and the advertising agency shall produce explicit permissionfrom the person, firm or institution to which reference ismade in the advertisement. 1.4. Advertisements shall neither distort facts nor mislead the consumer by means of implications or omissions. Advertisements shall not contain statements or visual presentation which directly or by implication or by omission or by ambiguity or by exaggeration are likely tomislead the consumer about the product advertised or the advertiser or about any other product or advertiser. 1.5. Advertisements shall not be so framed as to abuse the trust of consumers or exploit their lack of experience or knowledge. No advertisement shall be permitted to contain any claim so exaggerated as to lead tograve or widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. What is the reaction time within which the complaints are redressed? Over the past few years, ASCI has made significant changes in the complaint processing system. With the use of electronic communication, weekly meetings of the Consumer Complaints Councils and Online Complaint Monitoring Services, the average lead time to take a decision on a complaint is 12 working days from the date we receive a complete complaint. The complete complaint should include particulars of the print advertisement, the name and date of publication, and clipping or copy of the print advertisement. In case of a TV commercial, we require the channel, date and time of the TVC, reasonable description of an A/V, specific claims or visual depictions which are considered to be false, misleading or objectionable and the reasons for the same. ASCI also introduced Informal Resolution mechanism, wherein a complaint can get resolved in 10 business days, too, wherein the advertiser, on receipt of a complaint, readily volunteers to either withdraw or modify the advertisement complained against. In exceptional circumstances, when it appears that an advertisement is in serious breach of the Code and its continued transmission by any medium causes or has the effect of causing public harm or injury or its continuation is against public interest, then ASCI directs the advertiser/ the advertising agency/ the media buying agency and the media concerned to suspend the advertisement within 48 hours. Given the due process that needs to be followed of scrutinising the complaints, providing adequate opportunity to the advertiser to defend their claims, examine technical support data if applicable and final deliberations by the CCC and formally documenting each CCC recommendation, this lead time reflects well on the efficiency of the ASCI team and processes. Pertaining to advertisements on different platforms how would you go about addressing the complaints? Regardless of the medium of advertisement complained against (TV, Print, Digital, Outdoor, etc.), the complaint handling process follows the same principles. You would find the details on our web-site (https://ascionline.org/). Expert Speak When asked why even big and well-known brands resort to making misleading claims in their advertisements, Harish Bijoor Brand Expert & Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, remarked, Advertising, by and large is a claim process. It is about one brand claiming to be superior against another. To that extent, claims go berserk at times, particularly in keenly contested categories that are close to commodity. In the USP development process, at times brands go from the sublime to the ridiculous. Advertising to an extent is a battleground of claims and counter-claims. When the decibel, tone and tenor of claim rises, crazy things happen. And ASCI is the sense and decision-giver in this space. Along similar lines, N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research, noted, Brands measure themselves on incorrect metrics, largely sales, and in the anxiety to increase sales, resort to many measures which border on transgression. Rather than self-comply, they all test the border of law. In many cases, they also adversely impact the brand, by making these false claims. While in the short term they may gain clients, it does not do well to the brand in the long run. According to Saurabh Uboweja, International Brand Expert and CEO Brands of Desire, Brands are looking to seek attention and win the trust of their consumers as the most effective alternative for the problem they wish to solve. This goal usually translates into exaggerated claims and promises which are difficult and very often impossible to keep. Consumers trust brands for their ability to keep promises and be predictable in delivery. ASCI, in a way, is doing its job very well in protecting the interests of consumers in India. Chandramouli agreed that this is symptomatic of a broader issue in the industry in that it is reflected by all industry and there might be only a few brands which were self-compliant. He noted, Unless the brand metric changes to a measure of the customers keenness-to-buy, rather than pushing to sell to them, it will not change. Consumers intrinsically trust brands and brands continue to misuse this trust placed on them. According to Uboweja, more than industry, it was a very Indian issue. He elucidated, We prefer to substitute hard work and processes with shortcut solutions to success, in other words, jugaad. When regulation is weak, it is easy to get away with it. The industry is just smart enough to exploit that. On the other hand, Bijoor disagreed with this view and said that everything was cyclical. In the beginning, the consumer wants and gets honest advertising. When the consumer herself evolves and looks for stories, the advertiser obliges. Touche! And finally, when the barrel of the ridiculous claim has been scraped, out comes honest advertising into fashion once again. Discounting this, Uboweja felt that honest advertising is an oxymoron and added that it was very difficult to achieve both. At best, you could aim to be aligned with the law of the land and explore creative freedom within those boundaries, he said. According to Chandramouli, a brands honesty is seen as sincerity and is very important to build brand trust. Impactful advertising can be created by knowing why consumers trust and desire brands, and thus helping them buy into the brand from the heart and the head. This is the real impact that a brand can create, he said. When asked whether consumers and industry bodies empowered to tackle these issues or is there a need for internal change in the industry Uboweja replied, We will probably need multiple action steps to address these issues. Besides empowering regulatory bodies to pursue timely warnings and punitive actions, a significant emphasis must be placed on trainings and certification of advertisers and their agency professionals on advertising compliance. Chandramouli pointed out that the only body which polices brand claims currently is ASCI, a self-regulatory organisation that can only guide and direct brands. However, he also pointed out that ASCI was not a judicial body which could fine or ban a particular brand or give the brand any form of reprimand. Moreover, by the time ASCI asks the brand to remove an ad, it has already run its course and the action is too little, too late. Brands will continue to transgress till there are stricter regulations that have a greater punitive action on brands, he opined. Continuing further, Chandramouli noted that ASCI also does not have standard approval processes that allow claims to be made on studies and researches, which has to led to many companies with no standing or proven methodology beginning to give awards and ranks to brands. Most such claims are paid for awards and create confusion in the market. TRA Research has been rating brands on consumer-trust and consumer-attractiveness through formal, proven consumer research over 10 years. And we have seen copy-cat awards which are given to brands for a price and ASCI has not been able to separate the wheat from the chaff. TRA was whetted by ASCI Internal Review Committee presided by a retired judge. All companies presenting awards must go through the same process, else consumers will continue to get fooled by unscrupulous brands, he affirmed. Bijoor summed it up crisply as he said, I do believe water finds its own level. And so does advertising; as do the claims and counter claims in advertising. Vodafone Idea Ltd., Indias largest telecommunications service provider, known to provide a holistic living experience for its customers, in its latest initiative is geared to provide free medical assistance/check-ups to the residents of Kerala. The digital medical initiative called Hello Arogyam is a gesture by Brand Vodafone to salute the health and spirit of Kerala. Vodafone would be setting up medical camps at 10 locations in areas where medical assistance has not been adequately equipped, such as parts of Ernakulam, Mananthawadi, Chaliyar and Munnar starting 11th February 2019. The Hello Arogyam initiative was inaugurated at the General Hospital, Ernakulam in presence of representatives from the brand, local administration, Asha workers and doctors from the medical fraternity along with 150 participants. The event was flagged-off by District Medical Officer, Ernakulam Dr. N.K. Kuttappan, by receiving a video call from the Tele-cart from Family Health center at Kuttampuzha (a rural area outskirt of Ernakulam district). A doctor at General Hospital then demonstrated the first distant diagnoses done on the patient with the help of IOT enabled stethoscope and fundus camera and other IOT based medical equipment. To provide a practical demo for the attendees, a live projection of the process was arranged. This distant diagnosis technology is set to revolutionize the medical health in rural areas of Kerala. In addition to the live diagnoses, the participants saw three demos which gave them a glimpse of how the Hello Arogyammedical camp will roll out in other parts of Kerala. The medical camps, planned would be equipped with simple medical machines like a BP monitor and Pulse Oximeter to complex instruments like a Fundus camera. The camp would also be furnished with state-of-the art IoT enabled tele medicine equipment along with other infra requisites. A medical team on site would include doctors and paramedical staff who would assist participants with medical check-ups. The open-to-all camp for residents of a catchment area would get an opportunity to address their medical needs to experts or specialists located in other parts of India and abroad through video conferencing who would provide free consultation to these patients. Speaking about the initiative, M.D. Prasad Circle Business Head, Vodafone Idea, Kerala said, At Vodafone, we are constantly finding new and innovative ways to help our customers lead a progressive life. In an attempt to offer a new age solution to Keralas healthcare, we at Vodafone devised a digital solution that will assist in the welfare of the people. With the launch of Hello Arogyam initiative we aim to provide no-cost/complimentary medical assistance to the people in remotest parts of Kerala. Visitors to the Hello Arogyam camp site would be provided medical assistance across practices like retinopathy screening, cardiology, gastroenterology, urology neurology, ophthalmology & oncology. Brand Vodafone always strives to ensure that it provides to its customers something new each time they interact. The brand continues to provide a wholesome experience and ever ready to push its boundaries to deliver unmatched experience to customers. Praveen Kenneth, Founder Law & Kenneth, and who retired last year as Chairman of Law & Kenneth | Saatchi & Saatchi, has launched a campaign under the platform of Ek Desh, Ek Hum. The platform kicks off with a video that stresses on the theme of Stronger Together theme. The campaign comes at a time when the nation is mourning the loss of 40 CRPF personnel in a terrorist attack in Pulwama. Amid growing calls for holding Pakistan accountable for its hand in the terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir, India has come together and so has its political leadership. Stating on the intent of the messaging, Praveen Kenneth said, What we are conveying is not new. Its simple, its obvious. We all know the Magic of India is the amazing diversity of its people, across cultures and religion. Our life is fuller, vibrant, expanded, thanks to our Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists friends, brothers and sisters. I believe this is the underlying strength of our Nation. Continuing further, Kenneth said, The important thing, however, is that we need to keep bringing this back into the centerstage of conversation and consciousness. Its like brushing teeth it needs to be gotten into our collective consciousness, always. And this needs to be an on-going and a engaging conversation Nation above all. A nations health and progress is directly proportional to the quality of the collective and inclusiveness of the society, and thats the truth. We all know and have been taught this from school - that only in Connection there is Progress/ Growth/ Joy, and in Disconnection, there is pain, suffering, chaos. In a daily life which zigzags through understandable difference, disagreements, arguments and loud and angry debates which is the beauty of a Democracy and always encouraged the interest of India and Indians should and will always be the in the center. The campaign is an effort to bring back this conversation. This effort will be wasted if this ends up trying to pick up holes and complaining. Instead, we need to focus on moving forward, always improving, always enabling, always looking at the bigger picture of great progress. The Ek Desh, Ek Hum launch video has been directed by noted filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar, while the music has been scored by Dhruv Ghanekar and the lyrics have been penned by Ishita Arun. The video shows a young nation awakening to the need to come together. The narrative of togetherness is spread by people across the country, from every section of society and incorporates Indias great diversity. Togetherness is strength this is the singular message that we want to convey, Kenneth said. The video is accompanied by Twitter push that will be hosted on #Ekdeshekhum. The campaign will be supported by extensive TV and Radio support. We hope to reach out to people across the political and civil spectrum, taking along all ideologies and views, Kenneth said. In the end, everyone wants growth, progress and fraternity for that, we need to remind ourselves the very much used adage Unity in Diversity. Driver hospitalized after crashing off of Chico bridge The California Highway Patrol says a driver is hospitalized after crashing off a bridge in Chico. It happened just after midnight on Nord Highway and Hosler Avenue. Officers say the driver hit a guard rail and overturned, falling into the creek. The California Highway Patrol says the driver is expected to be OK but may now be facing some charges. Officers have not revealed what those charges are. Bernie Sanders announces bid for 2020 Presidential Election Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has announced his bid for the 2020 presidential election. This will be Sanders' second consecutive bid for the Democratic nomination. He lost to Hillary Clinton in 2016. Corning police arrest man in stabbing incident outside restaurant Corning police arrested Juan Hernandez for stabbing Alfred Velasquez outside of the La Hacienda Restaurant on Solano Street Sunday night. Police say it started when Velasquez punched Hernandez in the face, breaking his nose, while the two ate inside. Shasta County District Attorney warns of contractor scams The Shasta County District Attorney is warning about contractor scams after damage from the storms. The district attorney encourages people to protect themselves by verifying that a person is licensed and resist high-pressure sales. Call the Shasta County District Attorney to report any suspected scams. Chico City Council to meet Tuesday night The Chico City Council will be taking up a host of issues at Tuesday night's meeting. Members will discuss making warming centers permanent, re-establishing 24-hour public bathrooms, declaring a climate emergency, bicycle locker rental fees and the findings of the commercial cannabis citizen's advisory committee. Oroville City Council to meet Tuesday night The Oroville City Council will also meet Tuesday to talk about rent control, establishing a downtown business improvement district, and the status of the city's current utility tax. Red Bluff City Council to meet Tuesday night The Red Bluff City Council will vote on whether to support a Community Development Block Grant to fund the Navigation Center homeless shelter on Vista Way. Wife of accused 'Golden State Killer' plans to file for divorce, can now testify The wife of the accused "Golden State Killer," Joseph Deangelo, plans to file for divorce. This will allow her to testify against him during his trial. He is accused of 13 murders and 50 rapes in California decades ago. OROVILLE, Calif. - The Oroville Hospital is undergoing a major expansion project that will double its size. Several days ago, the hospital sold $200 million in bonds in less than 30 minutes to fund the expansion. After an hour and a half, the hospital continued to receive orders topping $1,035,000,000 to major investors such as Goldman Sachs and Franklin Fund. The multi-million dollar expansion will double the size of the hospital, going from 133 beds to 211 beds. "We were so impressed with how they looked at our risk, this is good for everybody, Oroville Hospital is good for Oroville," said Robert Wentz, CEO of Oroville Hospital. "It tells people that they have confidence in us and they see a future in our community." The demolition phase already started and the hospital will start breaking ground in April. The expansion is expected to be finished in April of 2022. Rendered photos courtesy of Oroville Hospital. WENN/Adriana M. Barraza Celebrity The 'Underworld' star uses humor to respond to an Instagram user who says that s/he is 'disappointed' in her dating choices. Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - Trolls apparently just can't stop attacking Kate Beckinsale after rumors of her romance with Pete Davidson hit the internet, but that doesn't mean she will let them have the last laugh. The British beauty recently clapped back at one social media user who expressed his/her disappointment over those ongoing rumors. The user in question left the comment in one of Kate's Instagram posts, which featured her joking about how little she'd learned from biology class. "Disappointed in your dating choices," the troll wrote, to which the "Underworld" star quickly fired back by poking fun at the user's profile picture. "Fairly let down by your wonky beard but thought possibly rude to say," she wittily wrote. This isn't the first time Kate used humor in addressing her relationship with Pete. Prior to this, one fan took to the comment section of a throwback photo of Kate's mother to ask about the rumor. Instead of giving a clear answer, the "Total Recall" star said, "No that's my mother. Easy mistake." Pete and Kate sparked dating rumors when they were spotted getting cozy at a Golden Globes after-party last month. "They were being very flirty together, they were sitting very close on the outside patio seating," a source explained at the time. "Kate had her hand on his knee, and she kept laughing at all his jokes." The rumored lovebirds fueled the speculation when she was spotted holding hands with the "Saturday Night Live" star in Los Angeles earlier this month. Prior to the dating report, Pete was in a high-profile relationship with Ariana Grande. The two of them got engaged over the summer last year, but broke up a few months later. Meanwhile, Kate previously dated Michael Sheen and married director Len Wiseman. She shares a daughter named Lily with the former. WENN/Nicky Nelson Celebrity The 'Bad Boy 3' star has reportedly also turned over his email communications with the 'All of Us' actor after he got subpoenaed by the trustee presiding over the litigation. Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - Will Smith has reportedly turned over his financial records and communications in pal Duane Martin's bankruptcy case. Duane and his estranged wife Tisha Campbell-Martin filed for bankruptcy in 2016 after revealing they were $15 million (11.6 million) in debt. Tisha then filed for divorce in February, 2018, after 22 years of marriage, and in June (18) she filed legal documents alleging her estranged husband hid and misused funds during their union. The trustee in the bankruptcy case also reportedly believes Martin is hiding $2.6 million (2 million) in assets under a company named Roxe LLC, which he allegedly started to hide ownership of a mansion in Chatsworth, California that was purchased for $900,000 (696,200) in 2006. Martin reportedly took out a loan for $1.9 million (1.5 million) to reconstruct the home, but defaulted. The 53-year-old was reportedly able to negotiate a short sale with bank bosses and allegedly asked Will and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith to loan him $1.4 million (1.1 million) to buy back the home, under Roxe LLC. The estranged couple then began leasing it for $5,000-a-month (3,900). Last year (18), Duane put the home on the market for $2.7 million (2.1 million). He hoped to pay Will and Jada back and allegedly keep the rest of the profits, but the trustee demanded the home be turned over to benefit Duane and Tisha's creditors in September. According to The Blast, the trustee has filed an amended lawsuit against Martin and included Smith's financial records and email communications after subpoenaing him for the information. Will and Jada are not included in the lawsuit. WENN/John Rainford Celebrity The Duchess of Sussex was reportedly enjoying lunch with a friend in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan on Saturday and will be getting a baby shower before heading back to London. Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - Meghan Markle has made a secret trip to New York. The pregnant British royal reportedly flew from London to the Big Apple on Friday, February 15 for a five-night stay, marking her first time in NYC since getting married to Prince Harry in May 2018. According to Us Weekly which first reported the secret visit, the Duchess of Sussex was spotted eating lunch with a friend at the Laduree restaurant and bakery in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan on Saturday, February 16. "They were having a lovely time, laughing and talking with each other," says an eyewitness. Harper's Bazaar adds that the former actress was joined by her stylist pal Jessica Mulroney during the lunch, enjoying macaroons and tea in one of the bakery's private spaces. She reportedly also stopped at the nearby high-end children's clothing store Bonpoint. "The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves," says a source allegedly close to the duchess. "This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born so it's nice to share precious moments." Another source claims, "It's been a relaxing visit. Nothing beats face time with your friends. Meg will be flying home refreshed and relaxed-and with a lot of new baby clothes." The trip was reportedly planned months ago. Meghan's friends are said to be throwing a baby shower for the "Suits" alum before she heads back to London. The baby shower will be held at a private location for 15 guests on Tuesday, February 19. Kensington Palace has not confirmed the visit. Upon returning to the U.K., Meghan will be headed for Morocco with her husband Harry for an official three-day visit highlighting two of their key causes: girls' education and youth empowerment. A Palace spokesman says of the February 23-25 trip, "The Duke and Duchess are looking forward to the visit which will highlight the vital roles that girls education and youth empowerment are playing in, and shaping, modern Morocco." Dickie Arbiter, Queen Elizabeth II's former press secretary, says the 37-year-old duchess' "royal engagements will be drastically reduced and the duchess will begin maternity leave from royal duties" as it's nearing her due date. A royal source adds that the soon-to-be first-time mom is "full of energy and in good spirits" and that "she really feels great and is enjoying the busy work schedule she has at the moment." Harry and Meghan are expecting to welcome their first child in the spring. Governor Ferdinand Waititu has maintained that Central Kenya voters will back Deputy President William Ruto to succeed President Uhuru in 2022. Speaking in Kakamega on Sunday, the Kiambu governor said that no one should lie to Kenyans that the DP will not receive support from the region. He noted that the MoU to back DP Ruto in 2022 was still as intact as it was in 2013. As the people of Mount Kenya region, we follow development. And we know and we have seen the kind of work our DP has done in terms of development, all other things are just noise, empty stories, and vague politics, Waititu said. I encourage you [residents of Kakamega] to join us and let us go to the government together with DP Ruto as our leader unless you want to remain in opposition. Waititu was speaking during a funds drive at the Christ the King Catholic church which the DP presided over. Ruto donated Sh2 million and delivered President Uhuru Kenyattas donation of Sh1 million. The Kiambu County boss also took a swipe at DP Rutos critics saying that anybody regardless of their background is eligible to lead the country. We shall follow the son of the poor, who has been a hustler, who has sold chicken and rose to the level he is now and that is none other than William Samoei Ruto, Waititu said. Baba Yao further stated that former Premier Raila Odinga cannot decide who the next leader of the country will be. We are following Ruto because of his work and also because he can be trusted and as we people from Mount Kenya promised him that we shall vote for him in 2022 we shall surely honour our promise, the governor said. Instagram Movie Representatives for Noel Gallagher refuse to comment on the accusations made by the 'Wall of Glass' rocker that his estranged brother is 'bitter' over his solo success. Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - Liam Gallagher has slammed his brother Noel Gallagher for allegedly trying to block him from using Oasis songs in his new solo documentary. The "Wall of Glass" rocker, 46, has a new film "As It Was" in the works about his triumphant comeback as a solo artist following several years in the wilderness following Oasis' split and the break-up of his follow-up band Beady Eye. He has now claimed his estranged sibling, who penned the vast majority of Oasis' hits, has issued him with a legal threat in a bid to prevent him using footage of himself singing any of the group's songs in the movie. "Ive (sic) just been informed that I'll be sued by the not so mighty little fella (Noel) and his goons at ignition (his brother's management firm) if I use any footage of me singing oasis yes oasis songs in AS IT WAS," he tweeted on Monday, February 18. Ive just been informed that Ill be sued by the not so mighty little fella and his goons at ignition if I use any footage of me singing oasis yes oasis songs in AS IT WAS whos bitter now eh ps Dya want a hand selling those tickets AS YOU WERE LG x Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) 18 February 2019 Liam accused Noel of being "bitter" over his success and mocked him, claiming he was unable to sell tickets for concerts with his own band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. In a later tweet Liam clarified he was referring to video of him singing "Live Forever" at Ariana Grande's "One Love Manchester" charity concert, claiming it was because his brother felt "shame" for "not showing up" to the gig. Just seen the film As it was and its mega well done to all involved as you were as it was who are ya want some dickhead LG x Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) 14 February 2019 Representatives for Noel, 51, refused to comment on his sibling's tweets, while Ignition bosses did not respond when contacted. The pair had a fiery relationship while leading Oasis, one that ended in acrimony in 2009 following a backstage fight in Paris, France. In the years since, the estranged brothers have traded barbs in interviews and on social media. Announcing the new doc in a press release last year (18), Liam said: "As It Was is a documentary about my musical comeback, It covers the writing and recording of my first solo album, right through to playing it live for the very first time in my hometown of Manchester and around the world. I hope you enjoy the film... As You Were." He recently updated fans on Twitter, confirming a version is finished, writing: "Just seen the film As it was and it's mega well done to all involved as you were as it was who are ya want some d**khead LG x". Instagram Celebrity Describing her new boyfriend during a Q&A session, the Brazilian star reveals that her beau is 26 years old and has blue eyes 'like Sinatra.' Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - Larissa Dos Santos Lima has bid farewell to her single life just one month after splitting from her "90 Day Fiance" co-star Colt Johnson. During a recent Q&A session on Instagram, the Brazilian star revealed that she's dating a new man. While she has yet to reveal her beau's identity, she gave many hints about him during the session. The 32-year-old revealed that her boyfriend is 26 years old, but "more mature than 40." Plus, he's Italian and has blue eyes "like Sinatra." In contrary to her previous relationship, Larissa said that she would "try to keep him out of public eyes for a while" since he is "very private and not into social media." It's clear that Larissa is happy to be dating her new boyfriend. After all, she admitted that she's "in a healthier mental state" thanks to the mystery guy. "I feel in peace. I thought that be happy was a dead dream. Now I see how much is important kiss and hugs," she said, adding that he gave her flowers for Valentine's Day. Larissa also posted on Instagram Stories a selfie of her with her beau, though she put a big heart-eyed cat emoji on his face. Thus, fans could not see what he looks like. Larissa Dos Santos Lima posted a picture with her new boyfriend. Prior to dating her new man, Larissa was married to Colt, with whom she appeared in season 6 of "90 Day Fiance". After meeting on social media, the two met in person in Mexico and got engaged five days later. They tied the knot in June 2018. However, their marriage was short-lived. Colt filed for divorce from Larissa on Friday, January 11, shortly after she was arrested and charged with domestic battery. The latter responded to his filing earlier this month, requesting that he pays her $1,000 per month in spousal support. She also reportedly asked to split their joint bank accounts and home possessions evenly. WENN Celebrity The incident itself took place in 2016 when Rafi Refaeli yelled at Yoav Rozen after reportedly growing angry with the former deputy mayor of Israeli city Hod HaSharon for driving too slowly. Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - Model Bar Refaeli's father Rafi has been given a three-month suspended sentence after being found guilty of a 2016 road rage incident. The Magistrates Court in Kfar Saba, Israel, convicted Refaeli of threatening to kill Yoav Rozen, the then-deputy mayor of Israeli city Hod HaSharon. According to reports from inside the court, the presiding judge was told Refaeli grew angry with Rozen because he was driving too slowly. After honking his horn at him and trying to pass him on the right, Refaeli then yelled at Rozen: "Your daughter is a w**re, I will kill you". The judge rejected Refaeli's alibi, and noted that the GPS of the accused's cellphone places him at the scene of the crime, where eyewitness testimony stated that he was "driving in a wild manner". Following the verdict, Refaeli said he was "surprised" and would appeal the suspended sentence. The road rage incident isn't the only legal trouble Refaeli has faced in recent months. He, his wife and model Bar, who will be one of the presenters when Israel hosts the Eurovision song contest in May, are currently facing possible charges of tax offences, perjury and money laundering. Netflix/David Lee/Myles Aronowitz TV Netflix has announced its decision to break up with Marvel after 'five years of fruitful partnership,' thanking 'passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning.' Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - Marvel bosses have been dealt a death blow by Netflix bosses - "The Punisher" and "Marvel's Jessica Jones" have been cancelled. "The Punisher"'s life on the streaming service has come to an end with the release of the show's second season a month ago, while the completed third season of Jessica Jones, starring Krysten Ritter, has yet to air. "Marvel's 'The Punisher' will not return for a third season on Netflix," a spokesman confirmed to Deadline. "Showrunner Steve Lightfoot, the terrific crew, and exceptional cast including star Jon Bernthal, delivered an acclaimed and compelling series for fans, and we are proud to showcase their work on Netflix for years to come." "In addition, in reviewing our Marvel programming, we have decided that the upcoming third season will also be the final season for 'Marvel's Jessica Jones'. We are grateful to showrunner Melissa Rosenberg, star Krysten Ritter and the entire cast and crew, for three incredible seasons of this groundbreaking series, which was recognized by the Peabody Awards among many others." "We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning." "The Punisher"'s Bernthal will bounce from the action drama to the upcoming "The Sopranos" prequel movie, "The Many Saints of Newark". He took to social media on Monday, February 18, to thank fans for their support, "To all who have served. All who know loss. All who love and understand ('The Punisher' character) Frank (Castle) and his pain. It has been an honor to walk in his boots. I'm endlessly grateful to the comic fans and the men and women of the Armed Services and law enforcement community who Frank means so much to." "Thank you to the USMC (United States Marine Corps) and all the wonderful soldiers who trained me. Go Hard. Be safe." Instagram Celebrity In one of his interviews since being released from ICE detention, the 'No Heart' rapper claims he learned to live without sorting out his citizenship since 'it felt impossible.' Feb 19, 2019 AceShowbiz - 21 Savage has vowed not to leave his adopted hometown of Atlanta, insisting he will "sit in jail to fight to live where I've been living my whole life." The British national, real name She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was released from jail on 13 February after spending 10 days in confinement after he was arrested in the Georgia capital for overstaying his visa. And in a new interview with The New York Times, the rapper insisted he won't leave America without a fight. Of his thoughts during his detention, Abraham-Joseph explained, "All that just going through your head, like, 'Damn, I love my house, I ain't gonna be able to go in my house no more? I ain't gonna be able to go to my favourite restaurant that I been going to for 20 years straight?' That's the most important thing. If you tell me, 'I'll give you 20 million to go stay somewhere you ain't never stayed,' I'd rather be broke. I'll sit in jail to fight to live where I've been living my whole life." "I'm not leaving Atlanta without a fight. We gon' fight all the way till the last day even if that means I sit in jail for 10 years." In one of his first interviews after being released by ICE for overstaying his visa, 21 Savage says, "My situation is important cause I represent poor black Americans and I represent poor immigrant Americans." https://t.co/zHPEcRnoBj The New York Times (@nytimes) February 18, 2019 The rapper came to Atlanta as a child, moving from the "poor side of London," and was mocked on his first day of school because of his British accent. But it wasn't until he was 16 that he became aware of his immigration status. Upon learning of the fact he didn't have the correct visa, the musician learned to live without having a legitimate job or being able to get a driver's licence. And reflecting on why he never worked to sort out his citizenship, he mused, "It felt impossible. It got to the point where I just learned to live without it. 'Cause I still ain't got it, I'm 26, and I'm rich. So, just learned to live without it." "Even if you got money, it ain't easy. It ain't no favouritism, and I respect it, I honestly respect it. It would be kind of messed up if they treated rich immigrants better than poor immigrants, I think." He also added that his uncertain journey in life has made him who he is today, explaining, "I wouldn't write it no other way if I had the choice. I still want to go through this right here 'cause it made me who I am, it made me strong." Instagram Music Refusing to be ashamed of the doomed festival that has been dubbed the scam of the century, the 'Mesmerize' rapper remains positive about opportunity in the midst of chaos. Feb 16, 2019 AceShowbiz - Ja Rule is hoping to stage another Fyre Festival even though the event's debut was a massive disaster. The rapper, who teamed with entrepreneur Billy McFarland to present the doomed music festival in the Bahamas, tells TMZ he is planning to make the next one "iconic". "In the midst of chaos, there's opportunity," he says. "It is the most iconic festival that never was. I have plans to create the iconic festival, but you didn't hear that from me." Fyre Festival has been dubbed the scam of the century after bosses charged attendees between $5,000 (3,900) and $250,000 (194,400) for a ticket to see acts like Major Lazer, Tyga, Pusha T, and Desiigner while living it up in paradise. When revellers arrived on Great Exuma in April, 2017, they were greeted with cheese sandwiches, wet tents and basic accommodation - and the event was quickly cancelled. McFarland was sentenced to serve six years in prison for fraud in October (18), and he is currently serving time behind bars. He and Ja Rule, real name Jeffrey Atkins, have also been hit with a string of civil lawsuits. The 42-year-old rapper has asked to be dismissed as a defendant in all those cases. Despite the criminal charges, Ja Rule insists he's still proud of his vision for the event. "I'm not ashamed of Fyre at all, because man, the idea, it was brilliant," he adds. "It was f**king beyond brilliant. It was amazing, but it wasn't what I dreamed it of being (sic) and what I envisioned of it being and what I wanted it to be. It wasn't done properly." The festival disaster received extra attention earlier this year when the films "Fyre Fraud" and "Fyre" debuted on streaming services Hulu and Netflix, detailing the events that led to the drama. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. New Mexico State Police officers are looking for two teenagers who walked away from the Albuquerque Boys Reintegration Center on Edith near Candelaria NE Monday night. Officer Ray Wilson, a NMSP spokesman, said the two 16-year-olds, Randy Torrez and Jose Lopez, were picked up by a vehicle and are believed to be headed back to Roswell, where theyre both from. It is unknown what the boys were wearing when they absconded from the facility, Wilson wrote in an email. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Torrez is 5 feet 7 inches, weighs 180 pounds and has dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was at the center after being charged with aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm. Lopez is 4 feet 11 inches, weighs 100 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He was at the center after being charged with unlawful possession of a handgun. This is the third time this month teenagers have left a reintegration center, a group home for juveniles on supervised release and probation. On Feb. 3, State Police were called because 17-year-old Adrian Nieto cut off his GPS monitor and didnt return to the Albuquerque center after visiting his grandmother. He had been at the center after being charged with aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm. Nieto was arrested by Albuquerque Police Department officers at an apartment complex five days later. And on Sunday David Fierro, 18, of Bosque Farms walked away from Eagle Nest Boys Reintegration Center in northern New Mexico. Fierro was seen running away from the center towards U.S. 64 and was later reported to be in a green Honda Accord heading toward Angel Fire. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 173 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo of Praying hands on his left chest and was wearing grey pants, a grey and black short sleeve shirt, and black work boots. He had been committed at the center after being charged with battery, larceny of a firearm, possession of a handgun, drug possession and other crimes. Tips: Police ask anyone with information about the boys to call the New Mexico State Police at (505) 841-9256 option 3. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SANTA FE New Mexicos former top water official is getting his old job back. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Tuesday that she has appointed John DAntonio state engineer, saying he has the experience needed to tackle complex issues. Those issues include drought, the reuse of water used by oil and natural gas producers, and an ongoing lawsuit against neighboring Texas over Rio Grande water rights thats pending in the U.S. Supreme Court. Hes going to get things done, Lujan Grisham told a news conference outside the Governors Office. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ DAntonio previously worked as state engineer under ex-Gov. Bill Richardson from 2003 through 2011, when he stepped down. In recent years, he has been working on water-related issues in New Mexico and in other states for the Army Corps of Engineers. DAntonio told reporters Tuesday that there have been some backward steps on water policy in the past eight years, and said he plans to get to work quickly. Theres a whole lot of No. 1 priorities, and we have to start right away, he said. One immediate challenge could be staffing, because the State Engineers Office currently has a 26 percent employee vacancy rate, according to the Governors Office. On the subject of the Rio Grande litigation, DAntonio said he plans to discuss the case with Attorney General Hector Balderas, whose office has been heading up the states legal efforts. DAntonio said the state has strong legal claims but suggested a settlement could be preferable to possibly facing dictates from a court-appointed special master. Meanwhile, Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who took office last month, said she expects DAntonio to work with other Cabinet secretaries in her administration on renewable energy initiatives, which could include expanding geothermal energy. She also said the State Engineers Office will play a pivotal role in coming up with a new 50-year state water plan that will address the effects of climate change. The state engineer is a key position in a state that has grappled with serious drought in recent years, with responsibilities that include overseeing all New Mexicos water supplies. The job duties also encompass enforcing water rights on rivers that cross state boundaries, including the Rio Grande, the San Juan and the Pecos. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Lincoln County commissioners are scheduled Tuesday to consider approval of a resolution establishing a Second Amendment sanctuary county. If passed, Lincoln would join a half dozen other counties in New Mexico which will not require county sheriffs to enforce a sweeping slate of gun-control proposals before state lawmakers. Sheriff Robert Shepperd urged people to show up at the county meeting to let the commissioners know their views. The resolution is the ninth item on the commissions agenda. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m., Feb. 19, in the county courthouse in Carrizozo. Second Amendment Sanctuary County resolutions are being presented by sheriffs to commissioners in dozens of counties, according to the head of the New Mexico Sheriffs Association. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ 2019 the Ruidoso News (Ruidoso, N.M.) Visit the Ruidoso News (Ruidoso, N.M.) at www.ruidosonews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SACRAMENTO, Calif. California and 15 other states filed a lawsuit Monday against President Donald Trumps emergency declaration to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra released a statement Monday saying the suit alleges the Trump administrations action violates the Constitution. President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt, Becerra said. He knows there is no border crisis, he knows his emergency declaration is unwarranted, and he admits that he will likely lose this case in court. Joining California in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia. All the states involved in the lawsuit have Democratic attorneys general. Trump declared a national emergency to fulfill his promise of completing the wall. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The move allows the president to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets. The states say diversion of military funding to wall-building will hurt their economies and deprive their military bases of needed upgrades. They say taking away funds from counter-drug efforts for the wall will also cause damage. California and New Mexico, the two Mexican border states in the lawsuit, say the wall will harm wildlife. California has repeatedly challenged Trump in court. President Trump is manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up national emergency in order to seize power and undermine the Constitution, said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. This emergency is a national disgrace. Jacque Maribe can still afford to smile even as she prepares to return to Court at the end of this month for a mention of the Monica Kimani murder case. The Citizen TV presenter has been keeping a low profile in accordance with the terms of her release on a cash bail of Sh 1 million last October. Her social media activity has also been non-existent since September last year when she became a person of interest in the murder of Monica Kimani. As such, curious Kenyans and fans of the mother of one have been left with more questions than answers as to how she is doing. This could explain the delight that fans had when they saw Jacque Maribe hanging out with her friend and colleague Lillian Muli. The two news presenters were pictured at the Ole Sereni Hotel alongside DWs Edith Kimani and Citizen TV digital reporter Wangui Ngechu. Lillian Muli took to IG yesterday to share the photos showing the ladies cracking smiles and seemingly sharing some good vibes. Ms Muli captioned one picture, Feeling good with Jacque Maribe. IG users swarmed the comment section saying how much they have missed Jacque Maribe. Awwww hugs to her. We have missed her! One user wrote. Another Instagrammer commented: Glad to see her smiling. A third one sent hugs to Jacque writing, Awwwwwww hugs Jacque. U r missed. Hi Jacque stay strong forever..Temptations are there to strengthen us and lessons is what we get, another user chipped in. I really miss her back on social media. sending lots of?? to you both, wrote another. The photos .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SANTA FE A proposal to promote the development of community solar projects allowing homes to share solar-energy systems won approval late Monday by the state House. House Bill 210, sponsored by Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero of Albuquerque and two other Democrats, now heads to the Senate for consideration. The House passed the bill 42-25 largely along lines. The 21-page measure would establish a Community Solar Act and delegate rule-making authority to the Public Regulation Commission. The proposal is one of the legislative priorities of Conservation Voters New Mexico, which has said the bill would allow people to work together to employ clean energy in their own neighborhoods. Republicans late Monday raised a host of technical questions about the proposal and introduced a package of amendments, which failed. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... COLUMBUS The village of Columbus is getting ready to saddle up and set out for its 20th annual Cabalgata Binacional weekend event from Friday, March 8, to Sunday, March 10. The Bi-national Cavalry recognizes Mexican revolutionary General Francisco Pancho Villas surprise attack against the Village of Columbus on March 9, 1916, where 18 U.S. citizens and over 100 Mexicans lost their lives. The event is also an opportunity to promote goodwill between Mexico and the United States. The Cabalgata is on auto pilot now. We are just waiting for the pieces to come together, but that shouldnt be a problem, said Norma Gomez, Columbus Chamber of Commerce event coordinator. The New Mexico Department of Transportation is processing the use of right-of-way permit and the sheriffs office is leading the parade and providing traffic control for the horse parade that the USDA APHIS (United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service) is so graciously letting come across the border to trek the last three miles of their 15-day travel across the state of Chihuahua and finishing in Columbus. The village will actually host two more major events during the March weekend. Pancho Villa State Park will host its annual Camp Furlong Day on Saturday, March 9, an educational event covering the events of March 9, 1916. The Columbus Historical Society will host its annual Raid Day Memorial at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 9, behind the historical train depot museum. The society has reached out in the past to families who are descendants of those who where killed during Pancho Villas raid. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Traditionally, the Cabalgata Binacional starts approximately two weeks in advance. Passionate participants set out to follow the same journey that Villas soldiers took from Guerrero, Mexico, to Columbus by horseback. Riders will start their journey this coming Saturday. According to Gomez, this years Cabalgata will be special as the chamber has invited two of Villas grandsons to attend. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The number of women who die each year in the U.S. from cervical cancer has dropped about 75 percent over the past 50 years, thanks to regular screenings and vaccination programs. Elsewhere in the world, cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Here at home, recent figures from the American Cancer Society show that 13,000 new cases are diagnosed and about 4,000 women still die from the disease each year. Sara Jordan, a gynecologic oncologist with Presbyterian Cancer Care, says these deaths are preventable. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ This should be a cancer that does not exist in the United States, Jordan said. She said 99 percent of the cases are related to the human papillomavirus, HPV, which is typically spread by skin-to-skin contact, most commonly through sexual intercourse. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that at least 75 percent of the reproductive-age population has been exposed to HPV. Its highly prevalent, Jordan said. Some strains of the virus can cause warts, and other types can lead to cancer of the cervix, the narrow passage forming the lower part of the uterus. Jordan said the vaccine Gardasil 9 is 97 percent effective against nine strains of HPV that can cause these problems. She said the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a CDC committee that provides advice and guidance on effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases, recommends that both males and females from age 9 to 26 get vaccinated. The ideal age for vaccination is before young people become sexually active, usually at 11 or 12 years. Starting at age 21, women should be regularly screened using a Pap smear, a test that examines cells collected from the cervix. If the test are abnormal, doctors may test for a high-risk HPV infection. The next step is usually a copolscopy, a procedure in which doctors use a special magnifying instrument to examine the cervix. Should the examination show abnormalities, a biopsy may be recommended. If there are continued concerns, this can be followed with a procedure to remove the bottom part of the cervix so the tissue can be analyzed. The mean age of women diagnosed with cervical cancer is 48, though it can occur at any age, Jordan said. Early stage symptoms include abnormal vaginal bleeding, bleeding between periods or after intercourse, or post-menopausal bleeding. In advanced cases, symptoms may include a malodorous discharge, pelvic pain, disruption in bladder or bowel function and unexplained weight loss. The treatment for cervical cancer is a hysterectomy, an operation to remove the uterus, cervix and Fallopian tubes. In advanced cases, lymph nodes in the pelvic area may also be removed. If the cancer has metastasized, or spread, to other organs, the main treatment is chemotherapy, Jordan said. Those wishing to get the HPV vaccination and Pap smear screening can call Presbyterian Medical Group Gynecology, 505-253-3000.If you have concerns about cervical cancer management, call Presbyterians Cancer Care Division of Gynecologic Oncology at 505-559-6511. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... LAS CRUCES Hispanic women living in the United States southwest border region have a cesarean rate that is higher than that of other Hispanic women in the border states and U.S. Hispanic women overall, a research team at New Mexico State University has discovered. Published in the health care journal Health Affairs, the research shows that 38.3 percent of births in 2015 by Hispanic women living in border-region counties spanning California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas were cesarean. By contrast, the Hispanic cesarean rate in the rest of the border states was 30.9 percent. Hispanic rates also far exceeded non-Hispanic white rates on the border. The findings reflect a reversal of the situation in years past, said Jill McDonald, NMSU public health sciences professor, who led the research team that conducted the study, which was funded by a $100,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. Prior to 2013, Hispanic women had lower cesarean rates than non-Hispanic white women in the U.S., said McDonald, who serves as the director of the Southwest Institute for Health Disparities Research in the College of Health and Social Services at NMSU. Now, Hispanic women are more likely to have a cesarean birth than non-Hispanic white women. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ In the Health Affairs publication, NMSU researchers tried to identify the causes of disparities in cesarean deliveries by Hispanic women on the border. McDonald and the research team, which included Charlotte Gard, NMSU associate professor of applied statistics; Anup Amatya, former NMSU associate professor of public health sciences; and Jesus Sigala, former NMSU graduate student of applied statistic, used a database of U.S. births in 2015 from the National Vital Statistics System. The study examined 187 counties in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas where births occurred. According to the study, the overall cesarean rate in the 23 border counties was 38.3 percent. In the 164 non-border counties, the overall cesarean rate was 30.9 percent almost 8 percent less than the rate in border counties. Even among low-risk women with no previous cesareans, 31.2 percent had cesarean deliveries. In southern New Mexico counties, overall cesarean rates ranged from 22 percent to 40 percent, while some counties in West and South Texas had rates of more than 48 percent. The outcomes were generally worse for Texas than the other border states, Gard said. According to the study, maternal characteristics, such as the proportions with breech births, prenatal medical risk factors and getting prenatal care in the first trimester, explained more than 50 percent of the county-level variation in cesarean rate. Other major contributors to higher cesarean rates included: for-profit hospital status, delivery by a physician as opposed to a midwife and living in a county with a large Hispanic population. McDonald also believes cultural factors might contribute to high cesarean rates among Hispanic women living in the U.S. border region. The womens proximity to Mexico, which has an overall higher rate of cesarean deliveries than the U.S., could be a factor, she added. Given the risk factors associated with cesarean deliveries, the increased rates are worrisome, McDonald said. A cesarean is good if you need it. But if its not necessary, both mother and baby would be better without it, she said. Women giving birth in high-rate counties are probably facing higher risks. And those women will face those risks again in subsequent cesarean deliveries. After you have one, almost all women will only have cesarean deliveries for subsequent pregnancies. McDonald said figuring out the best way to reduce cesarean rates can be challenging. Gard said some states have experimented with lowering reimbursements to hospitals and providers for cesarean deliveries, which are currently higher than for vaginal births. Other states require women to get a second opinion before having a cesarean birth. Its not going to be one easy solution. Were going to need a multifaceted strategy that works for women, hospitals and state legislators, McDonald said, adding that interventions should also address cultural factors. The study notes that a strategy with cultural sensitivity might include: bilingual education in prenatal care that lays out the risks and benefits of cesarean delivery; public reporting of hospital-specific cesarean rates in English and Spanish; and measures to remove barriers to the management of labor and delivery by doulas or certified nurse midwives. To read an abstract of the study, visit http://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05369. Eye on Research is provided by New Mexico State University. This weeks feature was written by Carlos Andres Lopez of Marketing and Communications. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Some polls put 76-year-old Joe Biden as the Democratic front-runner for the 2020 presidential election. There is certainly some logic to that reckoning. Biden has far more experience than any of his likely party rivals 36 years in the Senate, eight years as Barack Obamas vice president and two past presidential runs. He may be the only Democratic candidate who could likely win back some of the deplorables, irredeemables and clingers of the critical Midwestern swing states. But all of that said, the folksy Biden is hardly the sober and judicious alternative to a supposedly reckless Donald Trump. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ In many ways, Biden has been far wilder in his speech and decorum despite nearly a half-century in politics. Could a Biden campaign withstand #MeToo-era scrutiny? Biden was widely criticized for his handling of Anita Hills sexual harassment allegations against Clarence Thomas during Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1991. In 2015, New York Magazine ran a photo essay showing nine instances when Biden, in creepy fashion, leaned in closely and whispered in womens ears, with several of those women appearing visibly uncomfortable with such interaction. Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that grilled Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork in such a crude fashion as to turn the failed nominees name into a verb. Borked is now synonymous with the sort of character assassination that Biden led. His later aimless and incoherent questioning of Thomas during his confirmation hearing managed to enrage both critics and supporters. Biden was accused of and confessed to plagiarism in law school, and he withdrew from the presidential primaries in 1987 after being caught plagiarizing British Labor Party labor Neil Kinnock in campaign speeches, while also inserting fabrications about his familys background. On the 2008 campaign trail, Biden committed so many verbal gaffes that President Obama reportedly lamented in frustration, How many times is Biden gonna say something stupid? More recently, Biden who has called for more civility in public discourse has boasted that he would like to take Trump, whom he referenced as the fattest, ugliest SOB in the room, behind the proverbial high school gym and beat the hell out of him. Sometimes, Biden reveals abject ignorance, even as he tries to sermonize on American history. During the 2008 financial crisis, Biden urged then-President George W. Bush to address the nation in the supposed fashion of President Franklin Roosevelt: When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didnt just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. Biden was apparently unaware that Herbert Hoover was president during the 1929 stock market crash, that FDR did not take office until 1933, and that televisions werent commercially available until the late 1930s. But Biden has two far greater problems with the modern progressive movement. His past record has often been centrist. As a result, he has recently been apologizing to left-wing Democrats for prior politically incorrect votes, such as authorizing the 2003 invasion of Iraq and supporting a punitive 1994 crime bill that he helped write. Even more problematic, Biden has a long history of racial missteps. In an age in which there is no statute of limitations on, or forgiveness for, prior stupidity, and every careless remark is regarded as a window into a dark soul, Biden will have a lot of explaining to do to the identity-politics guardians of the Democratic Party, if indeed he runs for president. It recently came to light that in 1975, Biden followed the lead of Sen. Robert Byrd and spoke against federally mandated busing to integrate public schools. He offered the weird rationale that segregation was good for black pride. There are those of we social planners who think somehow that if we just subrogate mans individual characteristics and traits by making sure that a presently heterogeneous society becomes a totally homogeneous society that somehow were going to solve our social ills, Biden said at the time. And quite to the contrary. In 2007, Biden said of Obama, I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. Did the condescending Biden not realize that for decades before the advent of Obama, brilliant black politicians such as Sen. Edward Brooke and Rep. Barbara Jordan were popular mainstream political figures? No one knew what to make of Bidens 2006 comment that, You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. Im not joking. In 2012, Biden used a stereotyped accent to warn a largely African-American audience that Republicans would put yall back in chains as if Republican candidate Mitt Romney were a racist and blacks could be forced back into slavery. Bidens gaffes are often brushed off as examples of Joe being Joe, but Biden has long displayed the sort of sloppy, gross and politically incorrect behavior that progressives routinely and ironically attribute to the current president. Email authorvdh@gmail.com. 2019 Tribune Content Agency LLC. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... SANTA FE The state House late Monday passed a bill aimed at requiring health insurance companies to improve access to contraception. The proposal, House Bill 89, sponsored by Rep. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque, would require insurance companies to cover a supply of six months of contraception at once, among other provisions. Armstrong said the legislation would help ensure New Mexicans both men and women have access to affordable contraception. Republican lawmakers assailed the proposal, arguing that it would raise the cost of insurance. The measure passed 40-24 and now heads to the Senate for consideration. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal A bill that would allow the use of medical cannabis at schools zoomed off the Senate floor Monday afternoon. Senate Bill 204, co-sponsored by Sens. Candace Gould, R-Albuquerque, and Jacob Candelaria, D-Albuquerque, and Rep. Gail Armstrong, R-Socorro, would allow children who are qualified patients to use the medicine in school settings and permit school personnel to administer it. With little discussion, 35 senators voted to pass and two did not. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Gould told Senators the bill addresses the problem of students choosing between going to school every day and taking their medicine. My constituent came to me, torn between using medicine thats working more effectively for her childs epilepsy with less side effects than the Valium she was using and being able to go to school, she said. That constituent is Lindsay Sledge, whose daughter Paloma uses cannabis oil regularly to control severe seizures. Sledge has been pushing to change the law in the state. Sledge told the Journal shes very excited about the Senates approval of the legislation. Im sort of blown away by the amount of support weve had for the bill, she said. When I first started doing this whole process, I had several people say this was going to be next to impossible. Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, supported the bill during Mondays debate, saying it addresses a problem across the state. Since it is the policy of this state to support medical marijuana this is an opportunity to let our schools know that they need to support it for our children as well, she said. There are currently 175 other children in the state using medical cannabis, Gould said. Sen. Pat Woods, R-Broadview, who voted not to pass the bill, pushed on SB 204 because it did not appropriate money for storing the medicine. Gould said the medical cannabis probably would be locked up with other prescription medicines that are allowed on school campuses now. The bipartisan bill approaches the use of medical cannabis at school much like the use of other drugs at schools. But districts are allowed to opt out if they can determine theyd lose federal funding because marijuana remains illegal under federal law. SB 204 has a provision that allows parents to appeal to the state Public Education Department if districts are exempted from allowing the medicine at school. The bill now heads to the House. Im hopeful it will pass its next step quickly, Sledge said. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Get up, have breakfast and board the bus. Drive to Colegio Bautista. Meet with the construction crew, get the days assignment, begin repairs. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Break for lunch, then back to work until dinner. That was a typical day for Deb Moya, assistant principal of Albuquerque Charter Academy, when she was in Puerto Rico for a week last month. She and the rest of the crew on a Lifetouch Memory Mission traveled to Juncos, Puerto Rico, to help repair Colegio Bautista, a kindergarten-to-ninth-grade school of 120 that was struck by Hurricane Maria in 2017. While its been over a year since the hurricane, the school needed the extra hands, Moya said. There are still certain parts in Puerto Rico that are without power a year and a half later, which I dont understand, she said. The Lifetouch mission team constructed a wall around the school, demolished classrooms that had been damaged and assembled playground equipment. Dozens of educators across the country and employees from Minnesota-based photography company Lifetouch Inc. were part of the efforts. Moya was the only volunteer from New Mexico on the Lifetouch Memory Mission, which has done 16 trips. It was amazing how 42 strangers can come together for a common goal and get it done, Moya said. But the team did more than manual labor. There was relationship-building, too. I had a chance to build a relationship with people, the volunteers, the people in the community. That to me was very valuable, she said. She said one afternoon she visited peoples homes and met with Juncos residents. One man described a different, pre-hurricane city to her. He said the area was very lush prior to the hurricane; he said you couldnt see their neighbors houses. But when we were there, we could see neighbors houses and the top of buildings, she said. Others chronicled what it was like during the hurricane and showed her cellphone photos of the devastation. It was a little difficult (to hear), although they really want people to hear them and for them not to be forgotten, she said. While in Juncos, Moya got to know the students, too. The assistant principal sat in on some classes and met some of the kids attending Colegio Bautista. Since part of the trips purpose was to take school photos, Moya was also able to photograph a seventh-grade class. Just their smiles were heartwarming. They were so excited to get their pictures taken, she said. Students miles and miles away at Albuquerque Charter Academy also learned from Moyas trip. The school tuned in while she recorded a Facebook Live video and the students got to ask questions about her experience. It was the first time Moya had undertaken a volunteer trip like this. Shed never been out of the U.S. by herself before. It was unnerving at first, but she said shed jump at the chance to take another trip in the future, if possible. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... DENVER Colorado is joining with California and other states in challenging President Donald Trumps emergency declaration to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. In a joint statement Monday, Gov. Jared Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser said they decided to join the effort in part because tens of millions of dollars could be diverted from military construction projects in Colorado to build a border wall. In this action, we are fighting for Colorados interests and defending the rule of law, the two Democrats, who took office last month, said. The Colorado Springs area is home to several large military installations, including Fort Carson, the Air Force Academy and Peterson Air Force Base, the home of U.S. Northern Command which is responsible for homeland defense. Besides providing for the nations defense, Polis and Weiser said Colorados military facilities are important economic drivers. The announcement came on the same day protesters gathered in frigid weather at the state Capitol to protest the emergency declaration. Denverite reported the crowd of more than 100 people roared with approval when Weiser told them his office was joining the multistate lawsuit challenging Trumps action. On Friday, Polis called Trumps plan to bypass Congress to spend more money on a border wall an astonishing abuse of power. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... RIO RANCHO, N.M. About noon on Monday, Oct. 13, 1975, two strangers walked into the saloon portion of the old Territorial House Restaurant in Corrales. They may have intended to have a meal but instead began drinking. One of them, Richard Kaufman, drank much more than he should have, and engaged in arm-wrestling contests with local men. The competition became less than friendly, with sizable bets being made. Kaufman became sufficiently obnoxious that he was thrown out of the bar. He pledged to return to clean the place out. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Around 9 p.m., Kaufman and another man, Jerry Lee DeLorenzo, returned to the saloon. Kaufman was armed with a machete-type knife with a curved blade, but before he could cause any damage with it, he was set upon by the bars owners, Bob Gilliland and Ernie Monie Sanchez. As the altercation took place, DeLorenzo pulled a pistol and yelled, Freeze! He aimed a pistol and began firing. He hit Sanchez three times, and may have fatally shot Kaufman. DeLorenzo then fled into the parking lot. Gilliland grabbed a military type M-2 carbine and chased DeLorenzo outside, where he began firing at the shooter. DeLorenzo soon went down. Gilliland had served 18 years with the New Mexico State Police and was very familiar with the use of firearms. He returned to the bar, where he took the time to call his wife and tell her about the fight. He assured her that he was alright. He took a seat on a bar stool, and about 45 minutes later, he suffered a heart attack, collapsed and soon died. Another version is that he was standing when he was stricken and fell into the arms of a deputy sheriff. Yet a third version holds that he was talking with a state police officer when he collapsed. His wife, Cuca, said later that he had no history of heart trouble. Sanchez was transported to the hospital, where he was in critical condition for several days before he recovered. But there is more to the story. Since Sanchez had been armed, too, with a .38-caliber handgun, and firing; and since Gilliland may have had a .38-caliber handgun in addition to his .30-caliber carbine, and may have fired his pistol, too; and DeLorenzo was blazing away with a .38-caliber semi-automatic, it was difficult to determine just who shot whom. This was compounded by the fact that eight 9-millimeter cartridges were found at the scene and no 9-mm gun was found. It is certain that Gilliland shot DeLorenzo at least 22 times, and maybe more. The M-2 carbine held a 30-round magazine, and legend holds that he emptied it. DeLorenzos gun was found some 30 feet away from his body, but investigators believed that someone tossed it away from the body after the shooting ended. No one was arrested as a result of the shootout since all of the shooters were dead, except for Monie Sanchez, and he was clearly much more a victim than an offender. The Territorial House burned to the ground in 2012. (Don Bullis is a Rio Rancho resident, New Mexico centennial historian and award-winning author. He was named the Best Local Author in the 2018 Rio Rancho Observer Readers Choice contest. Ellos Pasaron por Aqui, translated as They Passed by Here, appears on the third Sunday of the month.) Timothy Bosire, the national treasurer of Opposition Party ODM, has challenged Deputy President William Ruto to resign over the illegal acquisition of Weston Hotel land. The top official said the DP should also be investigated thoroughly for prosecution over the controversial acquisition of the prime parcel of land on which the five-star hotel stands. Ruto should eat the humble pie and just quit. He lacks the moral authority to continue being deputy president after admitting that he illegally acquired the Weston Hotel land, said Bosire. The former Kitutu Masaba MP, a fierce Ruto critic, further tore into the DPs character saying he is unfit to continue performing the functions of the office of the Deputy President when he is a known thief. What Ruto has confirmed is that he is a thief of public resources by admitting that the Weston Hotel was built on public land that was stolen, said Bosire. In other democracies, Ruto would be in jail or at least be facing criminal prosecution. Bosires remarks come days after the DP publicly admitted for the first time that the hotel is built on an illegally acquired public land. In fact, for the record, the National Land Commission has made a finding that Weston was an innocent purchaser for value from somebody who got it illegally, and preparations have been made constitutionally to restore that land to Kenya Civil Aviation Authority by demanding that those who sold the land to us must pay, Ruto said in an interview on BBC Hardtalk show hosted by Stephen Sackur. Staff reports Aberdeen News President Donald Trump recently sent a tweet to blast Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. It was not only incredibly offensive to those of us who are American Indian, but to decent people. It read, "If Elizabeth Warren, often referred to by me as Pocahontas, did this commercial from Bighorn or Wounded Knee instead of her kitchen, with her husband dressed in full Indian garb, it would have been a smash! If the House of Representatives can strip power from Steve King of Iowa for a long history of racist comments, why can't congressional representatives of states home to federally recognized Indian tribes also stand up? We are their constituents who have almost no voice to tell this president to stop using Indians as a punchline for his bigoted retorts. Its clear Trump does not know the full story of Pocahontas, or what the Battle at Little Big Horn or the Massacre at Wounded Knee mean to American Indians. To suggest that Warren's husband dress in full Indian garb puts us back in front of the drugstore in the 1800s as a caricature wooden object. But we are real, live people who were here long before his ancestors floated across the Atlantic. Like many others, I am waiting for the Mueller Report to finalize my opinion if this man should continue to lead our country. That does not constitute that our congressional representatives do nothing and let Trump do and say anything he wants when it flies in the face of democracy and the teachings of our fathers on what is fundamentally right and wrong. Trump has belittled me, my family, my tribe and my ancestors. If Sen. John Thune, Sen. Mike Rounds and Rep. Dusty Johnson would speak out against his comments it would be greatly appreciated and innately expected. Warren LeBeau Gettysburg Staff reports Aberdeen News Even though we live in land-locked South Dakota, the U.S. Navy honors keep floating our way. The Navy has named its next Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship USS Pierre LSC-38, in honor of the capital city of South Dakota. Construction is scheduled to start within the next two years. The cost was not revealed. And recently the Navy commissioned Americas newest $2.6 billion, Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine as the USS South Dakota SSN-790. U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., was the principal speaker at the commissioning in, ironically, Groton, Conn., with several South Dakota dignitaries on hand. The 377-foot-long, 7,800-ton submarine can stay at sea for up to three months at a time. It is armed with four torpedo tubes and can hold 12 Tomahawk missiles that are capable of hitting targets more than 1,000 miles away. Meanwhile, the USS Pierre will be built by in Mobile, Ala. It will be 419 feet long and will be capable of operating at speeds of more than 40 knots (about 47 mph). This will be a highly maneuverable, lethal and adaptable ship. While we are about as far away from an ocean as you can get, Rounds said in a news release about the USS Pierre, South Dakotans have a long history of service to the Navy South Dakota citizens are proud supporters of our military and we are thrilled to have USS Pierre join the Navys fleet. This is the Navys second USS Pierre, with the first one built during World War II. The USS Pierre PC-1141 was commissioned in 1943 and decommissioned in 1958. It was later sold to the Indonesian Navy, where it was renamed the R. L. Tiakalang, according to naval archives. Meanwhile, this will be the Navys fourth ship named in honor of the 40th state, according to Wikipedia: The first USS South Dakota sailed under that name from 1908 to 1920, before being renamed the USS Huron. That ship, which escorted troops and convoys during World War I, was decommissioned in 1927. The USS South Dakota BB-49 was planned in 1917 as the lead ship of her class of six battleships. However, that entire class of ships was canceled one-third of the way through their construction due to a limiting arms race treaty signed by the U.S. and other nations. The most famous USS South Dakota was battleship BB-57. It was one of our nations most decorated battleships during WWII. That ship was commissioned in 1942 and decommissioned in 1947. Parts of that ship are on display at a Sioux Fall park. Rounds called the new submarine commissioning ceremony a great day for the Navy, America and South Dakota. I want to also give a very special thank you from the people of South Dakota to the current and future officers and crews of USS South Dakota, he said. We will always appreciate and be grateful for the sacrifices you and your families will make in order to serve on this magnificent vessel. Scenes of South Dakota are found throughout the sub. In the dining area, there are images from Sioux Falls, the Mitchell Corn Palace, Mobridge, the Badlands, Sturgis and other places. There are also South Dakota wildlife images in the form of pheasants, elk and mountain goats. A South Dakota license plate, stickers from Deadwood bars and a large picture of Mount Rushmore are among the other reflections of our state. These two ships are symbolic, physical and emotional links between our state and our military and those who are serving and have served. We can never thank enough all current and past military members and their families for their service. In the future, we hope these ships serve only as stern warnings and that the brave women and men who make them run never have to use them in wartime conditions. John Papendick Aberdeen The rock band Fleetwood Mac has sold more than 100 million records. And they shared some of their legendary hits with fans like me during their recent stop in South Dakota. The bad news was the band was without one of their signature vocalists, Lindsey Buckingham, who is also the lead guitarist. There was a falling out between the band and Buckingham before Fleetwood Mac started its current tour late last year. Fleetwood Mac has become famous for its dysfunction in its 52-year history. Not only that, it has written numerous No. 1 hit songs about the turmoil among members. The worse news was the same week that the band was in Sioux Falls, Buckingham suffered a life-threatening health scare, according to his family. He underwent open heart surgery that damaged his vocal cords. At this point, it is unknown whether the damage to his voice is permanent. Thankfully, Buckingham is home recovering and regaining his strength. Meanwhile, it was a great concert in Sioux Falls. But count me among the fans of the band who missed Buckinghams vocals. Over the years, Buckingham played a major role in helping shape the bands unique sound and its path into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Last year, Fleetwood Mac secured two accomplished musicians to replace Buckingham on this current tour and possibly beyond. Neil Finn, former frontman for Crowded House, and Mike Campbell, former lead guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, have joined Fleetwood Mac. Not only are these guys talented, but they have brought some of their own music to the table. It was great to see Finn perform Dont Dream Its Over, a song he wrote in 1986. The majestic ballad was Crowded Houses biggest hit. Led by Campbell, Fleetwood Mac also tackled one of Tom Pettys biggest hits in Free Fallin The song from 1989 was a great tribute to a great artist in Petty, who died in 2017 at age 66. One of my greatest musical regrets in my second life as a rock concert attendee is that I did not get to see Petty and the Heartbreakers perform. But Fleetwood Mac certainly was on my must-see list. And the four long-time Mac members and their two new members were pretty incredible. As I grow older, I find it remarkable that some of these bands are on grueling tours performing night after night all over the world as we all grow older. After all, Fleetwood Mac veterans Mick Fleetwood (71), Christine McVie (75), Stevie Nicks (70) and John McVie (73, Christines ex-husband) have been doing this a long time. I hope to still be touring around on my bike when Im in my 70s, much less touring, singing and rocking around the country. I also pray for Buckinghams continued recovery. That is the most important thing. Bart Pfankuch South Dakota News Watch A debate is raging in Pierre this legislative session over how and some say even if taxpayers will see a reduction in the sales tax rate now that South Dakota has begun to collect new money from online retailers. When it comes to legislative intrigue, the contentious wrangling over the sales tax rate has all the elements of great theater: millions of dollars at stake, intraparty division among the Republican majority, past promises made and fears of future promises broken. Standing at the center of it all is state Sen. Jeff Partridge, a Rapid City Republican with an imposing physical presence, a deep booming voice and a professional background in finance. Partridge, who sits on the powerful Joint Appropriations Committee, set the debate in motion in 2016, when he offered a measure now known as The Partridge Amendment. The amendment stated that the state sales tax would slowly be reduced if South Dakota won its U.S. Supreme Court case that sought to collect sales taxes from online retailers located outside the state who refused to pay up. For each $20 million in new tax revenues collected from online retailers, the state sales tax the main funding source of state operations would be lowered by one-tenth of one percent a year a maximum of five times. The amendment was put forth as a balm to fiscally conservative Republican lawmakers who, at the time, were on the fence about whether to raise the sales tax from 4.0 to 4.5 percent to get money to help boost the pay of teachers, whose average wage was lowest in the nation. The first vote to raise the sales tax to help teachers lost by one vote in the House of Representatives, and Partridge recalls that his amendment helped push a second vote on the sales tax hike through the House and eventually into law. I think there were legislators that were wanting to get us out of last place in teacher pay, but had heartburn about raising taxes, Partridge said in a recent interview. This amendment was one way to say if we receive the money, well lower the rate and so were not really growing government. Last summer, the state prevailed in the landmark Supreme Court case against Wayfair and other online sellers, and in November, new sales tax revenues started rolling in. To follow up on his 2016 promise, Partridge said he met with lawyers in the Legislative Research Council, the group that helps draft legislative language and protects the legality of actions taken by state government. The result was this years Senate Bill 86, which strikes all the language in his 2016 amendment and clears up what Partridge describes as ambiguities in the process of determining how much new money is being collected from online retailers, what time frame is used to determine if the $20 million threshold is met and how a sales tax reduction would take place. The measure passed through the Senate 28-6. The bill states that the $20 million must be new money in one calendar year derived as a result of the high court ruling and that the sales tax would be reduced the following year. The bill names the Appropriations Committee as the entity to manage the process in the Legislature. The sales tax could be reduced by 0.1 percent a year to no lower than 4 percent; sales tax rates charged by municipalities, capped at 2 percent, would not be affected. In recent committee meetings and in an interview with News Watch, Partridge said his bill simply lays out a legal process for calculating the new revenue and then creating language to reduce the sales tax rate as promised in 2016. Its my amendment and I fully intend to reduce the sales tax rate, he said. But opponents of SB 86, including several lawmakers from within Partridges own party, note that as in all legal matters, the devil is in the details. Vocal opposition arises The opponents say the bill language is problematic in that it removes the trigger that would require future legislatures to reduce the sales tax. In fact, the measure states that the Appropriations Committee may file a bill to reduce the sales tax rate if online collections top $20 million, rather than it shall file such a bill. It leaves it all discretionary into the future, Sen. Lance Russell, a Hot Springs Republican who serves on the Taxation Committee, said at a recent cracker barrel event. If you think these people have any intention of reducing the sales tax, think again. Furthermore, some lawmakers have argued that the $20 million threshold should not be restricted to collections from a single calendar year, but instead should lead to a sales tax reduction anytime the new revenue exceeds $20 million. The bill had a bumpy path through three meetings of the Senate Taxation Committee before it passed 4-2. At one point, it was amended to use the new revenues to reduce the sales tax on food, though that amendment was stripped away two days later. At the last minute, Russell tried to kill the bill, but was rebuffed by the committee. The political action group Americans for Prosperity South Dakota has taken a strong interest in SB 86, and opposes the measure, said Don Haggar, a former Republican lawmaker from Sioux Falls who is now state director of the national lobbying group. He testified against the bill in the Senate committee, saying the language, particularly the word may, provides too much leeway for future legislatures to find justification to not reduce the sales tax as promised in 2016. I dont think that carries enough weight, Haggar said. He also said the process for determining the new online revenues is vague in SB 86 and does not address complex situations in which an online retailer could open a building in the state, or in which a business with a store in South Dakota sees its online sales become dominant. How do you measure that growth when its a moving target? he said. Haggar said he is working with the Legislative Research Council on a separate measure that could use a so-called vehicle bill one filed early in the session without language that has its intent language added later to accomplish his groups goal of upholding the pledge to reduce the sales tax rate. The prosperity group has hinted of bringing the sales tax reduction measure to a statewide referendum if it doesnt believe actions taken by the 2019 Legislature go far enough to ensuring the rate gets reduced. Partridge said the Appropriations Committee is best equipped to make decisions on sales tax projections and any potential reductions in the rate. He noted that if the new revenues came close to $20 million in one year, but technically did not reach the threshold, the committee could still file a bill to reduce the rate. He acknowledged that current events could also play a role in the actions future appropriators would take. Its integral for them to reduce the tax rate in conjunction with estimates of the revenues based on what else is going on, based on econometrics and potential current events, Partridge said. Even with the sales tax increase, we continue to have a very low burden on the citizens of South Dakota. That description doesnt totally jibe with what Partridge, then a House member, said when introducing his initial amendment on the House floor in 2016. In those remarks, he assured his colleagues the amendment would bind future legislators to reduce the sales tax rate. The 0.5 percent sales tax rate increased implemented in 2016 raised roughly $108 million a year, of which about $68 million went to raise teacher pay and another $40 million for property tax relief for residents. Since the debate over Senate Bill 86 began, there has been no indication that the sales tax revenue provided to teachers or for property tax relief would be affected. A call for flexibility Sen. Susan Wismer of Britton, the lone Democrat on the Senate Taxation Committee, said that future legislatures should have some flexibility in determining whether to reduce the sales tax. She said there may come a time when the $20 million threshold is met, but that the sales tax should not be reduced if money is needed to solve a social services or health care crisis, similar to what the state is now seeing with the closings of nursing homes. She said the opposition to SB 86 is rooted among hardline fiscally conservative Republicans who refuse to raise taxes no matter what the consequences are to the residents of the state. They dont want to acknowledge the cost to society and this state of their refusal to adequately fund education and health care, she said. Wismer, who voted in favor of SB 86 in committee, said more moderate Republicans see the data and understand our terrible rankings in umpteen categories and know that we want to do better, and are willing to take the hard votes to make that happen. How a lawmaker votes on the measure and whether the sales tax rate ever gets reduced, could also serve as fodder in future election campaigns, not unlike how the vote to raise the sales tax for teacher pay in 2016 came up as an election issue in some 2018 races. Wismer said lawmakers should put the needs of South Dakotans above any pledge or commitment they made to never raise taxes. Its important to our communities, because state government isnt just about a healthy state government, its about the health of our citizens, and we are ignoring the health of our citizens over bragging rights to have the No. 1 business climate and lowest state tax ranking. Estimates of how much new sales tax revenue will be generated by the remote online sellers vary wildly. Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, state officials said South Dakota was losing an estimated $48 million to $58 million a year in uncollected taxes from remote online retailers, though it is unlikely that full amount would ever be collected. Partridge said he suspects the state will see right around the $20 million mark per year, though the figure could rise as more retail purchases are made online over time. He added that reducing the sales tax by a tenth of a percent would probably cost the state about $24 million in lost revenues based on current collections. Gov. Kristi Noem, who has said she supports efforts to lower the sales tax rate if new collections are high enough, said in her recent budget address that online sales now make up nearly 10 percent of retail sales in the state and that online sales are growing by about 15 percent a year. If the state receives a windfall of new revenue due to our new remote seller law, we should return that windfall to the taxpayers, Noem said. I know there is interest in clarifying this language, and I want to be part of that conversation. Senate Bill 86 has moved to the House for debate, where it will be considered by the House Taxation Committee. Shannon Marvel smarvel@aberdeennews.com Talk about how to proceed with a potential land swap between Brown County and Bill Edwards yielded no decision during Tuesdays county commission meeting at the courthouse. The proposal would allow for the exchange of 64.3 acres of Richmond Lake property owned by the county with 40.5 acres owned by Edwards Legacy Family Limited Partnership. The 40-acre parcel is adjacent to the southeast corner of the Brown County Fairgrounds. Commissioners first discussed the idea at a January meeting attended by a standing- room-only crowd. Many expressed concerns about losing the Richmond Lake property, which has an established recreational trail and wildlife habitat. By the end of that meeting, Edwards proposed moving forward with a swap, but doing so in a way that allowed the land to remain open to the public. Discussion Tuesday morning lasted about an hour. Edwards said if the land swap was to proceed, he would keep his promise that property at Richmond Lake would remain open public use. Brown County States Attorney Chris White said writing up a contract that ensures the lake property remains open to the public would be the easy part. But first, Edwards would need to figure out who would own of the land. Commission Vice Chairwoman Rachel Kippley said the county might not be open to having the land gifted back to it as part of the process. Thats because it could cost the county too much money to maintain if it were turned into a public park or something similar. Edwards said he would like to see the Richmond Lake property preserved as a natural place as nature intended. Commissioner Mike Wiese said that Edwards should wait to hear back from the South Dakota Department Game, Fish and Parks to see if it would be willing to take over maintaining the land for public use before discussion proceeded. Until then, commissioners decided to table the issue. Cal Thomas Tribune Content Agency The uproar over New York States Reproductive Health Act, which allows late-term abortions performed by health-care practitioners when the patient is within 24 weeks from the commencement of pregnancy, or there is an absence of fetal viability or the abortion is necessary to protect the patients life or health should come as no surprise. These and similar efforts in other states are the rotten fruit of a culture that has long-abandoned the sanctity of life. Listen to the rhetoric for proof. Women make abortion decisions, no one else. Men lost their right long ago to have a say in the matter. The familiar cliches about a womans right to choose and a womans body are repeated as if that settles everything. Even in cases of abortion after birth, which a 2012 article by bioethicists Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva, cited in The Washington Post, claims is not out of bounds. After-birth abortion, they maintain, ... could be ethically permissible in all the circumstances where abortion would be. ... We propose to call this practice after-birth abortion, rather than infanticide, to emphasize that the moral status of the individual killed is comparable with that of a fetus (on which abortions in the traditional sense are performed) rather than to that of a child. And then theres Norwegian bioethicist Joona Rasanen, who argues that a case could be made for giving ...the genetic parents a right to kill (or leave to die) their newborn infant, even if the infant has a right to life ... people have a right to their genetic privacy and having the newborn infant in the world that carries the genetic material of the genetic parents violates their right to genetic privacy. Sound extreme? Abortion on demand once sounded extreme, too. What has been legislated in New York, been attempted in Virginia and may be coming soon to a state near you, can be considered nothing less than an updated form of child sacrifice. Some ancient cultures offered their children on altars of fire or killed them and presented them to gods in hopes of receiving some twisted blessing. Instead, their uncivilized civilizations collapsed from moral rot. Child sacrifice was specifically condemned in the Bible. In Leviticus 18:21, 20:3 and Deuteronomy 12:30-31 and 18:10, there are condemnations and laws against child sacrifice, along with human sacrifice in general. Human sacrifices are seen as the barbaric customs of idol worshippers. They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and daughters to false gods. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. (Psalm 106:36-38, NIV). Modern idols personal peace, convenience, pleasure are more sophisticated. Our sacrifices today are justified on the basis of who is inconvenient, imperfect or even the wrong sex. Did we think we could get away with this and not suffer national, cultural and spiritual consequences? Many countries disallow abortions after 20 weeks. China allows nearly universal access to contraception and abortion, except in matters of sex selection, though how that is policed is almost impossible to comprehend. How many pregnancies were terminated in service to Chinas former one-child policy? Are we headed in that direction? Is it too horrible to contemplate? Not really. Its only a matter of time and conditioning. Weve abandoned the slippery slope, and now find ourselves wallowing in an ocean of blood. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood and a eugenicist, would be happy. These two words (birth control), she wrote, sum up our whole philosophy. ... It means the release and cultivation of the better elements in our society, and the gradual suppression, elimination and eventual extinction, of defective stocks those human weeds which threaten the blooming of the finest flowers of American civilization. When the story of America is written in the past tense, its collapse will have been caused by our indifference to God, and to all of the horrors that historically and inevitably follow it. Aberdeen News A trial date is now on the calendar for an Aberdeen woman facing murder charges. Tanisha Renee Jordan-Mondo, 38, is charged in the death of Michelle Ladner, 37, who was found the evening of July 19 when police officers and emergency responders were called to a medical emergency at her apartment building in the 1500 block of South Grant Street. Ladner had stab wounds to the neck and arm. She died July 25 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Jordan-Mondo has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and asked for a jury trial, which is now set for Aug. 26-30 with alternate trial dates of Dec. 9-20. The trial was previously scheduled to begin this week until Judge Scott Myren agreed to a continuance. If convicted of murder, Jordan-Mondo would face a minimum sentence of life in prison. The death penalty is an option in premeditated murder cases, but is not being sought. Weather Alert THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THE GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE HAS ISSUED A MISSING ENDANGERED PERSON ADVISORY FOR MONICA ROSE DOWNS. MONICA IS A 39 YEAR OLD, WHITE FEMALE, 5 FEET, 7 INCHES TALL, AND WEIGHS 105 POUNDS, WITH BLACK HAIR AND BROWN EYES. SHE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A WHITE TANK TOP, WITH BLACK AND WHITE YOGA PANTS, AND BLACK FLIP FLOPS. MONICA WAS TRAVELING THROUGH THE AREA FROM WASHINGTON STATE WITH HER BOYFRIEND. SHE WAS LAST SEEN NEAR BOZEMAN, ON I-90 AROUND MILE MARKER 321. MONICA AND HER BOYFRIEND WERE POSSIBLY ARGUING IN THE PULLOUT AREA AT THE TOP OF THE BOZEMAN PASS. MONICA HAS NOT BEEN SEEN OR HEARD FROM SINCE THE ARGUMENT. THERE IS A CONCERN FOR MONICAS SAFETY DUE TO SOME OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HER DISAPPEARANCE. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON MONICA DOWNS, PLEASE CONTACT THE GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE AT 406-582-2100 OR CALL 911. Nominated Members of the Nairobi County Assembly(MCA) are set to get improved perks, new offices and personal assistants. According to Nairobi Assembly Majority Leader Abdi Guyo, the 39 nominated ward reps will enjoy the new privileges in the next financial year. Even the nominated members need equal treatment with their elected colleagues for them to perform their oversight, legislative and representative roles, they need personal assistants to assist with research as well as new offices to operate from, just like their elected counterparts, said Mr Guyo. He noted that the finances for the exercise was set aside for the next county budget. The Matopeni MCA was responding after South B ward representative Chege Waithera said her nominated colleagues performance has been negatively affected by a lack of offices. This is against a Salaries and Remuneration Commission circular on the same so I am urging the leadership to ensure they have permanent structures, said Ms Waithera, who is the assemblys Majority Chief Whip. Meanwhile, Sonkos administration has allocated Sh400 million for the construction of new offices for elected MCAs only. This is enshrined in the Countys Annual Development Plan (CADP) for the year 2019/20. The construction of office blocks is set to begin this year with the county government expected to spend Sh100 million on furniture and computers. The new offices for elected ward reps will be located at the parking space between City Hall Way and Taifa Road. The CADP report indicates that only 53 wards out of 85 in the city have offices, which are rented spaces. The offices in the other 32 wards are in a poor condition. Weather Alert THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THE GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE HAS ISSUED A MISSING ENDANGERED PERSON ADVISORY FOR MONICA ROSE DOWNS. MONICA IS A 39 YEAR OLD, WHITE FEMALE, 5 FEET, 7 INCHES TALL, AND WEIGHS 105 POUNDS, WITH BLACK HAIR AND BROWN EYES. SHE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A WHITE TANK TOP, WITH BLACK AND WHITE YOGA PANTS, AND BLACK FLIP FLOPS. MONICA WAS TRAVELING THROUGH THE AREA FROM WASHINGTON STATE WITH HER BOYFRIEND. SHE WAS LAST SEEN NEAR BOZEMAN, ON I-90 AROUND MILE MARKER 321. MONICA AND HER BOYFRIEND WERE POSSIBLY ARGUING IN THE PULLOUT AREA AT THE TOP OF THE BOZEMAN PASS. MONICA HAS NOT BEEN SEEN OR HEARD FROM SINCE THE ARGUMENT. THERE IS A CONCERN FOR MONICAS SAFETY DUE TO SOME OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HER DISAPPEARANCE. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON MONICA DOWNS, PLEASE CONTACT THE GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE AT 406-582-2100 OR CALL 911. ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 8 PM MDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures up to 102 degrees expected for multiple days. * WHERE...Bitterroot Valley, Missoula, Highway 93 Sula to Lost Trail Pass, Lolo Pass, Highway 200 Bonner to Greenough, Highway 83 Seeley Lake to Condon, and I-90 East Missoula to Bearmouth. * WHEN...From noon Tuesday to 8 PM MDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. && Memory and thinking skills slow with age, but now scientists are peeking inside living brains to tell if depression might worsen that decline and are finding some worrisome clues. Depression has long been linked to certain cognitive problems, and depression late in life may even be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Yet how depression might harm cognition isn't clear. One possibility: Brain cells communicate by firing messages across connections called synapses. Good cognition is linked to more and stronger synapses. With cognitive impairment, those junctions shrink and die. But until recently, scientists could count synapses only in brain tissue collected after death. Yale University scientists used a new technique to scan the brains of living people and discovered that patients with depression had a lower density of synapses than healthy people the same age. The lower the density, the more severe the depression symptoms, Yale neuroscientist Irina Esterlis said recently at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She studied a range of ages, including people too young for cognitive changes to be obvious outside of a brain scan. "We think depression might be accelerating the normal aging, she said. Young European ambassadors kick off Eastern Partnership's 10th-anniversary celebrations 100 Young European Ambassadors from the EU and its six Eastern partner countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) are gathering this week in Brussels to celebrate the achievements of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) over the past decade."Young people are at the heart of our cooperation with our partners. The Young European Ambassadors is a unique initiative providing a platform to listen to and discuss ideas, which have a direct impact on the lives of young people across the region," said Lawrence Meredith, Director Neighbourhood East at the European Commission.The 10-year-old partnership has resulted in over 30,000 young people participating in Erasmus+ volunteering, exchanges and youth mobility projects, and over 6,000 young people benefiting from the opportunities provided by EU4Youth since 2018. Bright young students from the EaP region now also have the opportunity to attend the first European School outside of EU borders, which officially opened its doors in Tbilisi in September 2018.The group of Young European Ambassadors, joined by a number of social media influencers from across the six countries, are meeting EU officials to discuss the achievements of the EaP and its future goals. They are also participating in a large flash mob on Thursday 14 February in the heart of the EU quarter in Brussels, which will feature national dances and costumes.Geno Kutashvili, a Young European Ambassador from Georgia, stated: I can boldly say that the Eastern Partnership totally changed my life (not only mine but that of every single Georgian). This joint initiative is the best project ever because it gives me and my country a lot of opportunities. I have a better life now than 10 years ago. We are stronger together!Close to 500 young people from the EU and its Eastern Neighbourhood currently act as so-called Young European Ambassadors (YEAs). These ambassadors regularly organize local community events in their countries and participate in international fora to spread the word about the initiative.The event has been organized by the EU Neighbours East project in collaboration with EU institutions. A series of other events are planned throughout the year to celebrate the anniversary of the Eastern Partnership. Find out more on the dedicated Eastern Partnership website: www.eap10.eu.Launched in 2009 as a joint policy initiative, the aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the EU, its Member States and its six Eastern neighbors: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Over the past ten years, collective efforts have brought considerable benefits to the citizens of these countries including more trade, mobility, increased economic development and better quality of life. February 19, 2019 03:46 pm News Staff There are two kinds of people: those who hate surprises, and those who hate surprise medical bills. Recognizing that the latter group includes not only U.S. primary care patients but also their physicians, the AAFP this month signed on to a letter calling on lawmakers to protect Americans from unexpected medical costs. "Patients, physicians, and policymakers are deeply concerned about the impact that unanticipated medical bills are having on patient out-of-pocket costs and the patient-physician relationship," said the Feb. 7 letter.(5 page PDF) It was sent to Reps. Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Kevin Brady (R-Texas) -- the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the House Ways and Means Committee -- and signed by more than 100 state and national medical organizations. For patients, surprise bills are the common thread of widespread horror stories and, in some cases, have led to court intervention. The associated dread is quantifiable. According to a 2018 Kaiser Foundation poll, 39 percent of insured adults ages 18-64 said they'd been billed unexpectedly in the past year after receiving "care from a doctor, hospital or lab that they thought was covered and their health plan either didn't cover the bill at all or covered less than they expected." The same poll said 67 percent of Americans worried about surprise medical bills. Physicians hear these worries, the letter pointed out, but "are limited in their ability to help patients avoid these unanticipated costs," in part because they may not know who will treat their patients in an emergency. They're also unlikely to be briefed on their fellow physicians' contract status with all the insurers in their communities. Attempts to limit such billing practices have gathered momentum in recent years. Federal legislation on the matter during the current session of Congress would carry forward bills introduced in 2017 and 2018. Pressure in Washington is also coming from insurers. This past December, nine groups, including the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, America's Health Insurance Plans, the National Business Group on Health, and Consumers Union, lobbied Congress to prohibit certain out-of-network billing practices. The AAFP and its co-signatories urged consideration of several policies in their letter, including: Ever since watching the beautiful Netflix film Roma by Alfonso Cuaron, we have bee dreaming of taking a trip to Mexico City and exploring the neighborhood featured in the movie. With gorgeous architecture and charm, it's truly a gem that we can't wait to see for ourselves. While it's one thing to stroll through the Roma neighborhood and peer inside the windows of the grand homes, it's another to actually experience living in them. That's why we recommend checking out some of the amazing Airbnb Plus options in the area. These homes not only have great bones, but they all also have a cool mid-century feel to their interiors. Want to see a few spots you can book for your next trip? Read ahead to tour these spaces without booking a flight. Casa Josefa Named the Casa Josefa, this home built in the 1920s is a jewel of Art Deco design. Artist Haven This beautiful two-bedroom Roma home is perfect for any art lover. The rooms are filled with pieces from photographer Bernardo Aja, sculpter Jorge Perugorria, and painter Cesar Menendez. Stylish Suite Want to stay in this beautiful building? A cool guest suite awaits inside for a mere $41 per night. Midcentury Retreat Love mid-century design? Then you have to book this incredible five-bedroom Roma home. Deco Dream Inside this famous Art Deco facade called el Castillo de las Brujas is an apartment perfect for your next Mexico City adventure. Total Charmer Clearly there is no shortage of beautiful mid-century-decorated homes in Roma. This two-bedroom rental is another one we have on our wishlists. This article was written by Shelby Wax for Lonny. Johanna Fateman at the NYRB: In her work, rage is authority; her imperious voice and dirty mouth make for a feminist literature empty of caveats and equivocation. And reading her now, beyond the anti-porn intransigence shes both reviled and revered for, one feels a prescient apocalyptic urgency, one perfectly calibrated, it seems, to the high stakes of our time. In the #MeToo era, womens unsparing public testimonyin granular detail and dizzying quantityis at the heart of a mainstream cultural reckoning with sexual violence and harassment. Such frank accounts were not at the forefront, though, or even in the picture, of early second-wave feminism. Dworkins emergence as a militant figure of the womens movement in New York was part of a turn: she was one of the first writers to use her own experiences of rape and battery in a revolutionary analysis of male supremacy. This is not to say that Dworkins books are all autobiographical, but in all of her workfrom her frequently cited polemics to her desolate, little-known works of autofictionshe boldly identifies herself with victims, unafraid to brand herself with an image of female abjection and sexual shame in the name of justice. more here. Garrett Felber in Boston Review: More than fifty years after his death, Malcolm X remains a polarizing and misunderstood figure. Not unlike the leader he is too often contrasted withMartin Luther King, Jr.he has been a symbol to mobilize around, a foil to abjure, or a commodity to sell, rather than a thinker to engage. As political philosopher Brandon Terry reminded us in these pageson the fiftieth anniversary of Kings death this year, There are costs to canonization. The primary vehicle of canonization in Malcolms case has been The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which has been translated into thirty languages and has been widely readby students and activists alikeacross the United States and abroad. There have long been rumors of three missing chapters among scholars; some think Haley cut them from the book following Malcolms assassination because their politics diverged or the book had transformed during his tumultuous last year. Whatever the reasoning, The Negro is a fragment of the book Malcolm intended to publisha book that would be virtually unrecognizable to readers of his autobiography today. We will never fully know that book, of course, but The Negro chapter forces us, finally, to engage with it. In The Negro, he called Democrats and Republicans labels that mean nothing to black people. Elsewhere he noted how in the United Nations, there are those who vote yes, those who vote no, and those who abstain. And those who abstain often have just as much weight. A sign of political maturity, he believed, was to first register black people, then organize them, and vote only when a candidate represented their interests. This analysis culminated in one of Malcolms most famous addresses, The Ballot or the Bullet. Delivered in April 1964 shortly after breaking with the Nation of Islam and forming his independent organization Muslim Mosque, Inc., Malcolm told a Cleveland audience, A ballot is like a bullet. You dont throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket. Many historians have seen the speech as Malcolms first ideological break from the Nation of Islam, an index of his developing political thought. The Negro, by contrast, shows this thought as an extension of the Nation of Islams political development rather than a departure. Even the title of his speech may have been borrowed from the pages of Muhammad Speaks; in 1962, a front-page story about the struggle in Fayette County, Tennessee, to register black voters was subtitled: Fayette Fought For Freedom With Bullets and Ballots. More here. (Note: Throughout February, we will publish at least one post dedicated to Black History Month) Amy Harmon in the New York Times: It was not an overt incident of racism that prompted Edray Goins, an African-American mathematician in the prime of his career, to abandon his tenured position on the faculty of a major research university last year. The hostilities he perceived were subtle, the signs of disrespect unspoken. There was the time he was brushed aside by the leaders of his field when he approached with a math question at a conference. There were the reports from students in his department at Purdue University that a white professor had warned them not to work with him. One of only perhaps a dozen black mathematicians among nearly 2,000 tenured faculty members in the nations top 50 math departments, Dr. Goins frequently asked himself whether he was right to factor race into the challenges he faced. More here. Opposition criticizes Economy Ministers speech in Parliament By Tea Mariamidze Lawmakers from the opposition party European Georgia slammed Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Giorgi Kobulia for his speech at the sitting of Committee on Sector Economy and Economic Policy on Wednesday.The opposition lawmakers believe that the economic priorities of Kobulia are not realistic and cannot contribute to the countrys speedy development.The main priority named by Kobulia was the reduction of poverty by creating new jobs. He noted that the unemployment rate slowly reduces in Georgia but is still high and remains as the main reason for poverty.Around 50-70 thousand jobs should be created annually including 2025 in order to reduce unemployment and eliminate poverty, he explained.Kobulia also spoke about the development of export potential, adding it needs to be increased.If we do not develop export potential, Georgia's economy will have serious problems, he noted.The minister also called newly launched pension system a very unprecedented and very useful reform, saying the money from pension fund would be invested in reliable securities."Such pension system does not exist anywhere. In many countries, the state does not pay an additional 2% in the pension fund and the money is only paid by the employer. We went further and the state adds 2% to all the populations pension funds, he said.European Georgia member Otar Kakhidze criticized the pension reform, said that investment of peoples money in securities is risky. He explained that many developed countries lost pension fund money when they tried to invest it.Your government cannot maintain a normal pace of economic development and it could not solve the poverty problem either. How can we be sure that you will invest our money rationally? Kakhidze addressed Kobulia.European Georgia member Giga Bokeria criticized the minister for his statement that Georgia will accelerate its development pace.I think that even in 100 years we won't reach the level of the European Countries. The fact that Georgia leads other countries of the region is not satisfactory. We need to keep up with the developed and wealthy countries, the MP stressed.However, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) MP, Gia Zhorzholiani noted that the priorities, listed by the Economy Minister were good and clear.The goals and priorities of the ministry are clear. They cover various directions like jobs, export and investments based on innovations and technology, he added. Namibian government plans to use renewable energy to reduce the national energy deficit in the long term, Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo said. The energy produced by renewable power plants is an excellent way for the country to address its short-term energy deficit, pending the implementation of long-term plans, Alweendo said. The cabinet approved several updated and new policy documents to meet the short- and medium-term energy demands as well as other related challenges in the energy sector. The Government of Namibia has recognized the importance of renewable energy not only for the grid power generation but also to contribute in bridging energy gaps, he said. He stressed that despite making frantic efforts to improve generation capacity through various means, unavailability of funds has been a major stumbling block to Namibia achieving self-sustenance of power. Late last year, the government commissioned a solar plant that will feed an additional 5.78 MW electricity to the countrys national grid, thereby lessening the countrys dependency on imports, which are pegged at around 60 percent. In October, the Electricity Control Board (ECB) said in a statement that the southern African nation is gearing up for a renewable energy revolution and plans to continue deploying modern renewable energy systems onto their national grid. The governments target is to provide 70 percent of the countrys energy mix from renewable resources by the year 2030. This means that, in practice, quality scores do nothing more than express personal preferences they allow the critic to put wines in some sort of rank order. There is nothing wrong with wanting to do that, of course (see Wine tastings: should we assess wines by quality points or rank order of preference? ). Indeed, if you can find someone with the same tastes as yourself, knowing about their preferences can be very helpful for buying wines. Scores of wine critics aren't bound to intuitively meaningful letter grades as are those of educators although I grant that the association of a 100-point scale with educational grading is so strong that even in wine criticism, despite incommensurability, many consumers will think of e.g. "90" as having some intuitive sense. After a bit of searching I stumbled across the inventiveness of John Moody who in 1900 developed a rating system for financial paper. I found his ideas had a three dimensional character to grading which offered, if not solutions for wine judging, a display of technique which could perhaps be adapted ... As I studied the Moody system I found it offered many parallels to wine judging. A A A A A A A B B B B B B B B B C C C C C a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 Audiophiles who read British review magazines have been introduced to a twin scale: one judging the sonic fidelity of the recording (against the reference standard of live acoustic music performed, without electronic amplification, in a concert hall), and artistic interpretation of the musical piece. As an extreme example: over 100-year-old Edison phonograph cylinder recordings of operatic tenor Enrico Caruso have low sonic fidelity (by contemporary standards) to the sound of the human voice and accompanying acoustic instruments ... yet could represent the finest artistic interpretation in recorded history. The recording gets two scores: an F letter grade for [poor] fidelity and an A letter grade for [great] artistry. Similarly, a wine could be less than true-to-type or even technically flawed (50 points) ... and yet be hedonistically sublime (100 points). Some winegrowers, in particular in Italy, have loudspeakers in their vineyards and in their cellars playing classical and baroque music. They have experienced that the sound waves have a positive influence on the quality of the grapes and wine. For me, the individuality of a noble wine is analogous to music-tone, voice, song. I think of wine as a musical score, composed of geological, climatic, agronomic, and enological notes that must be sight-read, understood, and interpreted. The taste is the result of that interpretation. Mark Shield, the dreadfully missed Melbourne wine writer, made no bones about how the music of Thelonius Monk influenced his palate as he reviewed wine. He said he couldnt taste properly without it, and often referred to different compositions of his favourite jazz composer and player relative to specific wines. If they ever bottled Beethoven's 5th Symphony it would be the 1982 Cape Mentelle Cabernet sauvignon. The point that I have been making in a number of my recent blog posts is that wine-quality scores give the illusion of being mathematical without having any useful mathematical properties. This is not quite fraudulent, but it is unfortunate the apparent precision of the numbers gives an illusion of accuracy.However, this does raise the obvious question as to what we might use, instead, to express a rank order of preference. This question has been raised by a number of people who have expressed their conclusions publicly, as well as by many who have not. This blog post gathers together some of the public ones. The collection is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive, but merely introduces you to some of the suggestions that I have found interesting.This approach is what teachers use, whether they are at a high school, a university, or a community college. So, you are all familiar with it. Each student's academic score (expressed as a %) for each semester or year-end is converted to a simpler grading system, which then expresses the student's achievement.Sometimes, the grade ranking is something like this (from best to worst): A, B, C, D, E and F, where D conveniently means "Deficient" and F means "Fail". Other times it might be like this: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C. The one I had at university in Australia used: High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, Pass, Terminating Pass, and Fail. Note that in this case D means "Distinction", not "Deficient"! There is nothing universal about educational grading systems.This general approach is thought to work better than the original percentage scores because there is an explicit meaning to each of the grades getting an A means something quite different to getting a B. This forces the teacher to be very careful about which students get which grades. As noted by David Schildknecht:This grading system can work provided that the institution involved has a convention for assigning a particular numerical range to a given letter grade, and that the grades objectively correspond to a specified level of academic achievement,This idea was suggested by wine merchant David Farmer ( John Moody and brave or foolish judging ). David was unhappy with current wine judging systems, particularly the well-known fact that a wine can win a gold medal at one show and nothing at all at the next show. He was therefore looking for a more complex judging system, which he calls Three Dimensional:Moody's rating system is one of several that are used to express credit ratings in the financial world (the others being from Standard & Poor, and the Fitch Group). It can be applied to bonds and to countries, for example, to indicate their credit-worthiness. The initial idea was to provide to investors impartial information on credit-worthiness of financial entities, which the credit ratings agencies were being paid to provide.We do not need to concern ourselves with the methodology used for the economic evaluation, but only with the way the outcome is expressed. The Moody system uses a linear ranking with 21 levels (from best to worst):Clearly, the system is more complex than a simple score of 0 to 20, such as might be used for wines. In the Moody system, it matters whether the entity being rated is in group A, B or C, and within the groups it matters how many "a"s it gets. For example, being downgraded from Aaa to Aa1 has a specific meaning within the system (see Wikipedia ). This is in contrast to a wine-scoring scheme, where adjacent scores have little or no objective meaning.This general approach to expressing a rank order has a lot of similarity to that of the educational system, as described above, being at heart a more elaborate version of it.James Ho uses the name WineTally on Facebook Instagram and CellarTracker . He has suggested what he describes as "a Simple, Sensible Scoring System for wines to enable every consumer to articulate one's evaluation and experience." This boils down to providing the reader with the individual sub-scores as well as the final score.There are 4 wine-character-dimensions (Accuracy, Balance, Complexity, Depth), with 3x4x4x3 = 144 possible outcomes. Technically, the wines are thus placed into one of 144 points in multi-dimensional space (ie. there are only 144 possible different wines). These 144 outcomes are then reduced to one of 11 possible scores (scale 0-10).Most of Ho's wines get a score of 7, 8, or 9, occasionally 6, rarely 5 or 10 (see the examples below). There are 18 ways to get a score of 7 (ie. 18 distinct wines could get a score of 7), ten ways to get 8, and four ways to get 9. So, this certainly keeps things simple, in terms of expressing a rank order of preferences.We might see this as a simplification of the previous two systems, but at the same time providing more detail.Bob Henry has suggested using a form of reviewing that already exists for assessing music. He has noted:Thus, this expands the wine score to two separate components, one technical and one artistic, rather than the usual approach of confounding the two. Each wine gets two scores, which may be numerical or not.The connection between wine and music has been taken much further by other people. For example, Morten Scholer has noted:He lists a few specific examples; and David Schildknecht adds another (2012., issue 36, p. 32). This idea has been formally examined by Charles Spence and Qian Wang (2015. Wine and music (I): on the crossmodal matching of wine and music. Flavour 4: 3).Of more relevance to the discussion here, Michel Bettane has suggested ( The music of wine ):The Australian wine critic Mark Shield took things even further than this. He used an alternative approach to that of numerically scoring wines, by comparison to music itself that is, the music that the wine most resembles, or the music it makes you wish you were listening to. This is analogous more to a wine note than to a wine score. Philip White has noted:As but one specific example of Shield's approach (using classical music):Shield was a widely admired writer in a self-confessed Australian larrikin style. It is a great pity that his wine columns (Rough Marc in, Noble Rot in the, as well as others) are not freely available on the web, for all to read. His missives from the Rat Shack are among my fondest memories of my first forays into the wine literature. MIAMI In late November 2018, two turtles were found on Miami Beach swimming together frantically. Someone had drilled a hole into each of their shells and chained them together. Once rescued, they were taken to the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station for care. The two turtles were of different species, a red eared slider and a cooter. On Thursday, February 7, they released the cooter, a species native to Florida, back into the wild. The red eared slider is still undergoing treatment. Source: Navi8apr [CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons] permalink Source: A. Westmoreland [Wikimedia Commons] permalink The metal chain that bound the turtles together also secured them to a bundle and two padlocks with keys. That bundle contained cinnamon sticks, two poppets of red cloth, and two photos of an unidentified mixed-gender couple. People immediately labeled the poppets as voodoo dolls. Turtle binding and Vodou The Wild Hunt spoke with Sen Moise about this incident and Vodou. In Kreyol, Sen Moise means Saint Moses. Sen Moise is out of New Orleans and an Hougan Asogwe, High Priest, of Haitian Vodou. Sen Moise emphatically said turtle binding is not [Haitian] Vodou, I can tell you that right now. Followers of Haitian Vodou prefer on the spelling Vodou. Sen Moise challenged the entire notion of voodoo dolls. The Hougan Asogwe continued, In Haitian Vodou, we dont use dolls like that at all. Thats not the way that it works in Haitian Vodou. The whole doll thing is something that is a product of the media. When youre talking about working a doll baby, thats not a Vodou thing thats something that comes from somewhere else. The Hougan Asogwe hypothesized that it could be a ritual from some other African Traditional Religion. For example, despite their similar names, Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Vodou differ. Many different spiritual traditions make up African Traditional Religion. Miami is rich with many Afro-Caribbean, African-American, and other spiritual communities. Sen Moise said With Miami, theres so many different spiritual systems and things that are going on down there. It could realistically be anything. People like to automatically talk about voodoo, but they dont know anything about it. They dont understand what it is or what it isnt. The binding of the turtles may have been a ritual from some other African Traditional Religion, or someone utilizing some other unidentified form of occult practice unrelated to any tradition whatsoever. It is impossible to know. Two other cases of chained turtles in Florida are known. In 2016, people found a pair of chained turtles in the Miami River. The 2016 incident lacked a bundle with its poppets, photos, and cinnamon sticks. In 2017, people found another pair in Central Florida. It is not known if the 2017 incident involved a bundle and its contents. The Miami New Times contains a picture of the two turtles chained together, and a video shows the cooter being released back into a freshwater lake. The cooter spent 71 days in treatment, and an unknown number of days in saltwater. The Hougan Asogwe expressed a great deal of contempt and anger for most material about Vodou on the Internet. Sen Moise cited American Horror Story: Coven, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, and The Serpent and the Rainbow as examples of disinformation and sensationalism. As an example of good information about Vodou, Sen Moise acknowledged the film Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti by Maya Deren. Although filmed from 1947 to 1954, the film was only released in 1985. Sen Moise said There was a lot of legitimacy. Deren wrote a book Divine Horsemen: The Voodoo Gods of Haiti in 1953. Sen Moise stressed three key things about Vodou. First, Vodou is oriented to the family and the community. Second, Vodou is not evil like [they] make it out to be. Third, Vodou is about service to god and service to your spirit. The health of the turtles The Wild Hunt recently spoke with Yaritza Acosta to learn about the health of these turtles. She works at Pelican Harbor Seabird Station as their Rehabilitation Manager. The Seabird Station treated these two turtles. They gave the turtles anti-biotics, and cleaned their shells on a daily basis. Acosta said that the two turtles were freshwater turtles, but were found in saltwater. While saltwater turtles have the ability to filter out the salt that they breath in or drink, freshwater turtles lack that ability. She said that this inability led to the respiratory problems of the turtles. Besides a respiratory problem, the cooters shell had begun to rot. Acosta was not sure what caused the shell to rot. Something could have caused it before they ended up in saltwater. It is also possible that exposure to salt water could have resulted in shell rot. The red eared slider remains in treatment with respiratory problems, possibly pneumonia. Acosta stressed that turtles are slow healers. That slider has been in treatment for over 70 days. The Pelican Harbor Seabird Station only treats species native to Florida. This policy created a problem when the two turtles of different species were brought in. One turtle, the juvenile male cooter, was a species native to Florida. The other, a red eared slider, was not native to Florida. The Seabird Station made an exception in this case and treated both turtles. They released the cooter into the wild at Amelia Earhart Park north of the Miami. When healed, the Seabird Station will give the non-native red eared slider to Miami Animal Rescue Mission. They will not release a non-native species into the wild. By Josh215 [CC BY-SA 3.0; Wikimedia Commons] Injured Muscovy Ducks Acosta said that the Seabird Station has seen other animals with possible ritual related injuries. She said that they see injured Muscovy Ducks about once a month. These ducks or birds had ribbons or ropes tied to them. She said if its [the ribbon] on their leg[s], it would hinder their walking. Sometimes its on their wings, where its hindering them from flying. Acosta said that they see this about once a month. When asked, Sen Moise said That is not something that we would do [in Haitian Vodou]. The report prompted Reynolds to fire Jamison and issue a statement: While it is not a secret that Mr. Jamison and I were friends, having served as county treasurers at the same time, I had no idea that he behaved this way. I never witnessed or experienced anything like what is described in the report. Had I known, I would have fired him a long time ago. Jamison also was woefully incompetent. A subsequent audit claimed he misspent $549,399 and misled his superiors about a new building lease estimated to cost the state another $6 million. New IFA director Debi Durham said the agency which receives federal funds and payments on its investments will use its reserve fund, not taxpayer dollars, to cover its settlement. Thats disingenuous because the money could have been used for public purposes. Sink had worked in a Fort Madison prison control room since December 2012 after fearing for her safety because of inmates threats. But in October 2014, she was assigned to supervise 73 inmates alone. She told the Des Moines Register, They put me right back into the general population knowing that the inmates were hostile to me and had made threats of rape, beating me and murder. And another round of snow may be on the way: A chance for "a wintry mix" of precipitation, including accumulating snow and strong winds, was possible from Saturday into Monday, according to the NWS. Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart pleaded for patience this week from residents who have registered complains about the amount of time it has taken to plow residential streets and to remove mountains of snow impeding sidewalks and parking areas downtown. "The people in those departments are working an immense amount of hours to make it happen," Hart said. "Any misconception that folks aren't working around the clock ... those things aren't true." He also bemoaned some of the record weather problems that have occurred during his terms as mayor. The heavy snowfall this winter following the wettest September on record in Waterloo, which led to flooding problems in some neighborhoods. "It's kind of becoming redundant," Hart said. "I'll say, 'Well, we've never seen this much rain before. We've never had two 500-year floods within an eight-year period.' It was just reported we've never had this much snow in this particular time period." JEFFERSON COUNTY, Missouri -- A man who authorities say bound a small dog with tape and threw him in a rural Missouri ditch last week believed the dog was spying on him for the police, charging documents say. Paul Garcia, 39, of Barnhart, Missouri, was charged with felony animal abuse and armed criminal action Thursday. Authorities say he wrapped electrical and duct tape around the mouth and legs of Flick, a black-and-brown dachshund, before dumping it. A sheriff's deputy found Flick bound on the side of Old State Road M and Schneider Road in Imperial, Missouri, on Feb. 9. The animal was cold, malnourished and possibly suffering from a concussion, the sheriff's office said. Investigators connected Garcia to the dog after they found fingerprints on the electrical tape. The prints matched Garcia in a law enforcement database, said Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesman Grant Bissell. Garcia told police he found the dog under his truck while he was installing speakers in the vehicle, according to court documents. He told detectives he was worried the dog had a camera attached to him and was concerned that law enforcement was tracking his movements, the documents state. These things are not benign, she said. They are very dangerous. Jacobs said its not possible to use fireworks responsibly given their nature. Youre going to shoot a hot rocket onto my roof, he said. What gives you the right to do that into my yard? If you vote for it, you own it, he told his colleagues. All the calls in July, you know whos going to get them. A handful of residents spoke against the ordinance during the meeting, including Marcia Buttgen. For the safety of our community and the sanity of (post traumatic stress disorder) service men and women and even the dogs that have to be sedated or moved out into the country during these displays, please vote no, Buttgen said. Were tired of having to clean up other peoples messes and having to live through this noise for days at a time. Matt Reisetter, co-owner of Crossroads Fireworks, called three days a very reasonable compromise. Under a typical needle-sharing program, drug users are able to dispose of old syringes and acquire new ones without threat of arrest. They also interact with health care staff who are able to refer individuals to substance abuse treatment, test for HIV or hepatitis C, and help them look for housing or employment information. The idea is to provide health services to people who are using drugs and work with them on getting them into treatment for their substance use disorder, Mayer said. In the meantime they might not be ready for treatment. But we can keep them from getting HIV and hepatitis C, and we can immunize them from hepatitis B and refer them to services. ... So youre building a rapport with people who you are hoping are at some point are going to utilize drug treatment services. The state public health department is not advocating in support or opposition to Zauns proposal, but the department in 2017 requested the federal government declare the state in need of needle-sharing programs. We feel like the data supports the use of syringe services (needle-sharing) programs in the state, Mayer said. Mascher makes clear shes not advocating for the elimination of a religious exemption, but only to require anyone entering a public school or day care to show proof of exemptions. People who do not want to immunize their children can enroll them in a private school assuming that school doesnt require immunizations, home school their children or enroll them in online programs. Shes concerned children who are not immunized put classmates in jeopardy. We get complacent, Mascher said, and that can put everyone at risk. The more who opt out, the more we are vulnerable. In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency after health care officials confirmed more than 50 cases of measles. Although some people see that as proof of the need for vaccinations, Guth said other people do not. The concern in Washington is that while the nonmedical exemption rate for kindergartners was 2 percent nationwide in the 2017-18 school year, it was double that in Washington, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Clarke County, where the majority of the cases of the viral disease were located, the exemption rate was 6.7 percent, the state Department of Public Health reported. 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. Brown said she is looking forward to the convention. "We're going to get a great nominee out of that," she said. Rep. Timi Brown-Powers was also excited about the potential Democratic nominees. "I was very pleased with the four candidates who stepped up to run," Brown-Powers said. "I thought that they all brought something to the table and I think all of them have something to learn, as did I when I started this." Libertarian candidate Fred Perryman announced his candidacy to The Courier via email. "We have an opportunity to represent our district with a candidate that respects the rights of all citizens regardless of which party we affiliate with," he wrote."I believe I am that candidate." Rep. Bob Kressig was a Iowa House legislator along with Danielson, and has decided not to run for the open seat. "I didn't run because I think our chances in the house are better at being a majority and I'd love to be in the majority again," he said. Kressig said special elections traditionally have lower voter turnout. A resolution calling for all references to Iowas governor in the state Constitution to be gender-neutral has been introduced in the House. HJR 9, introduced by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Marion, calls for amending the Constitution, written in the mid-19th century, to strike the male pronouns in references to the governor. In the Constitution, he is the first word of Article IV, Section 8, that describes the duties of the governor. He shall transact all executive business with the officers of government He shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed, the Constitution continues in Section 9. References to he may and he shall as well as he, him and his follow. As a member of the House, now-Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, introduced similar language in 2003, but it was not acted upon. Times have changed, noted Gov. Kim Reynolds, the first woman elected governor of Iowa. Theres probably a little more oomph behind it now with more women running and getting elected to office, she said. Cyber girls Iowa is partnering with SANS Institute to offer the Girls Go CyberStart competition again this year. NEW HAMPTON Cheyanne Renae Harris sat quietly and declined to address the court Tuesday as she was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison for allowing her baby to starve to death in 2017. +4 UPDATE: Cheyanne Harris guilty in baby's death LE MARS Cheyanne Renee Harris stood quietly Wednesday afternoon as a Plymouth County jury Dressed in jail stripes and an orange coat, Harris, 21, formerly of Alta Vista, showed no emotion as Judge Richard Stochl imposed the only sentence possible for first-degree murder under Iowa law life in prison without parole. Authorities allege Harris allowed 4-month-old Sterling Koehn to slowly die of malnutrition, dehydration and infection in a maggot-infested diaper in a back bedroom in their Alta Vista apartment over a period of weeks. No family members were present in the courtroom during Tuesdays sentencing hearing. The only other person in the audience who wasnt law enforcement or media was a resident of Elma, one town over from Alta Vista, who had been following the case. A blue ribbon with the babys handwritten name adorned her winter coat. She deserves it, said Kim Theis, a former California and Minnesota resident who moved to Iowa about nine years ago. I dont understand how she can sit emotionless like that. I was tearing up in there, and I saw nothing from her. Read the transcripts of Cheyanne Harris' DCI interview Le MARS Cheyanne Harris talked to Special Agent Chris Callaway in his vehicle hours after Another shocking conflict of interest for Jared Kushner; have we forgotten Saudi Arabias involvement in 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States? Are we prepared to launch a nuclear technology race in the middle-east? By James DiGeorgia The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, triggered by a tsunami followed the Tohoku earthquake on March 11, 2011, literally shut down the construction of over 100 new nuclear power plants under construction or being planned all over the world. The shocking meltdown of the Daiichi nuclear is among the most catastrophic environmental disasters in history. In the following eight years, countries like Germany, Japan, even China in response to the Fukushima disaster have been doing everything they can to switch power generation to solar, wind, geothermal and even wave technologies, resolving that the danger of nuclear power plants and their toxic used fuel is just too great. One exception has been Saudi Arabia, a country sitting on tens of trillions of dollars in oil and gas and that has enough sunshine and financial resources to become energy independent on clean solar energy in a little more than a decade. Saudi Arabia has been lobbying former and current members of the Trump administration to persuade the President to allow U.S. nuclear power plant construction manufactures to sell and build nuclear power plants to them. Special: Imagine an options trading service that has delivered over 4,872% in winning trade recommendations over 11 years. That's 442% a year in winning trade recommendations. Check it out! Just $49 for the first 60 days! One of the U.S. Companies that could make billions building nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia includes Westinghouse Electric, a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management; the company that provided financial relief to the family of Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and adviser. Brookfield Asset Management took a 99-year lease on the familys deeply indebted New York City property at 666 Fifth Avenue. The lobbying effort by Saudi Arabia and its surrogates including President Trumps first national security advisor retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn has met repeated objections from members of the National Security Council and other senior White House officials. According to a new 24-page report released today by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), the new chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, based on documents given to his committee, and accounts of unnamed whistleblowers inside the White House said they were distressed at the continual effort to sell the nuclear power plants to the Saudis. A good number of officials including White House lawyers and H.R. McMaster, the second person to become the chief of the National Security Council objected to the idea and called for a halt in the nuclear sales discussions in 2017, citing potential conflicts of interest, national security risks, and legal hurdles. The effort to promote nuclear sales persisted, even as recently as last week with an attempt by Energy Secretary Rick Perry to convince President Trump in the in the Oval Office to allow the nuclear technology and construction of the plants to take place. Chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee Rep. Elijah E. Cummings report includes the warning from the whistle blowers that these kinds of technology sales would break U.S. law Multiple whistleblowers came forward to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress as required by law efforts that may be ongoing to this day. The whistleblowers according to the report Warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting. They noted that White House political appointees repeatedly ignored directives from top ethics advisers who repeatedly but unsuccessfully ordered senior White House officials to halt their efforts. The Oversight Committee report released by Rep. Elijah E. Cummings focuses on the first three months of the Trump presidency and is especially timely given this week Jared Kushner begins a trip to the Middle East. Special: No really, 4,872% in winning options trades, 442% a year and you can start to subscribe with a 100% No Bull Guarantee for 60 days -- $49! Secretary Perry, Jared Kushner and other proponents of selling the construction of nuclear power plants and transfers of nuclear technology seem oblivious to the reality that the vast majority of terrorists that attacked the United States were Saudis and at the same time sales of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia could prompt a nuclear race in the middle-east. 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. Dr. Pablo Mendoza has been named the first director of diversity and inclusion at the University of North Georgia (UNG). He started in his new role Feb. 11. Kate Maine, UNG chief of staff, said Mendoza will collaborate with individuals and groups at UNG and beyond to promote diversity and inclusion efforts that inform and enrich the universitys teaching, learning and work. "UNG has a long-standing reputation for educational excellence and a mission focused on developing globally prepared leaders. As a large university with five campuses, UNG reflects the wide-reaching diversity of this region, and we know that leveraging our differences and ensuring that we are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive organization contributes to our success on all levels," Maine said. Mendoza said national population trends are moving in a direction where no majority group will exist in the near future. "We are preparing students to live in a more diverse and demographically changing environment than has existed in the recent past," Mendoza said. "Diversity and inclusion are added benefits for the cross-cultural competency of students, faculty and staff." Dr. Lauren Johnson, chair of the search committee, assistant professor of teacher education and coordinator of diversity and recruitment initiatives for the College of Education, said she was impressed with Mendoza's experience and his vision for UNG. "It's an important position," Johnson said. "He did a great job of understanding the needs of our institution and providing insight into ways someone in that position could develop the university's focus on diversity and inclusion." Dr. Harrison Davis, associate professor of counseling and coordinator of inclusion excellence in UNG's College of Health Sciences and Professions, said Mendoza brings great talent and experience to "a critical role." Davis, who chairs UNG's Diversity Council, said Mendoza will help raise awareness of diversity and how community members can respect and work with those who are different from them. "We need to recognize some of the unique needs of various groups that make up our campus communities," Davis said. Mendoza looks forward to working with university leaders, including those in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the Corps of Cadets, and the Office of Student Life, as well as faculty members, staff and students to collect baseline data about diversity and inclusion at UNG and use it as a launching point. "Diversity and inclusion work is not just one person's job," Mendoza said. Mendoza, who has regularly provided training on diversity in higher education and the corporate world, hopes to facilitate a climate where these considerations are central in everything the university does. Mendoza earned his Doctor of Philosophy from University of Missouri, Columbia; his Master of Arts in East Asian and Pacific studies at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; and a bachelor's degree in non-Western history from the University of San Diego. Mendoza comes from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he served as assistant to the president for social equity and chief diversity officer since 2013. Prior to that, he was Multicultural Center director from 1998 to 2013 at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He previously served as coordinator of student activities and acting assistant dean at University of California at San Diego and community development coordinator for the Residential Life Office at University of California at Davis. "Facebook is one of the worlds largest social media companies, if not the largest, with 1.5 billion active daily users on mobile phones alone, out of 2.32 billion active users monthly." "Facebook is one of the worlds largest social media companies, if not the largest, with 1.5 billion active daily users on mobile phones alone, out of 2.32 billion active users monthly." It is the most damning report ever made by a foreign government on Facebook. A 108-page report by the United Kingdom parliament has likened Facebook to a gangsterdigital gangster. Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like digital gangsters in the online world, considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law, said the UK House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committees Final Report, Disinformation and Fake News: Final Report released Feb. 18, 2019. Said the Guardian newspaper: The scale of the reportit drew from 170 written submissions and evidence from 73 witnesses who were asked more than 4,350 questionsis without precedent. And its what contributes to making its conclusions so damning: that the government must now act. That Facebook must be regulated. That Britains electoral laws must be re-written from the bottom up; the report is unequivocal, they are not fit for purpose. And that the government must now open an independent investigation into foreign interference in all British elections since 2014. Facebook is one of the worlds largest social media companies, if not the largest, with 1.5-billion active daily users on mobile phones alone, out of 2.32 billion active users monthly. Five new profiles are created every second. About 300-million photos are uploaded daily. Average time spent on Facebook is 20 minutes. Facebook has a market cap of $463.7 billion, fifth or sixth largest in the world behind Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, and Berkshire. Excerpts and recommendations from the UK Parliaments Report: Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like digital gangsters in the online world, considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law. The Competitions and Market Authority should conduct a comprehensive audit of the operation of the advertising market on social media. Given the contents of the Six4Three documents that we have published, it should also investigate whether Facebook specifically has been involved in any anti-competitive practices and conduct a review of Facebooks business practices towards other developers, to decide whether Facebook is unfairly using its dominant market position in social media to decide which businesses should succeed or fail. Social media companies cannot hide behind the claim of being merely a platform and maintain that they have no responsibility themselves in regulating the content of their sites. A new category of tech company is formulated, which tightens tech companies liabilities, and which is not necessarily either a platform or a publisher. This approach would see the tech companies assume legal liability for content identified as harmful after it has been posted by users.By choosing not to appear before the Committee, Mark Zuckerberg has shown contempt towards both the UK Parliament and the International Grand Committee, involving members from nine legislatures from around the world. Clear legal liabilities should be established for tech companies to act against harmful or illegal content on their sites. There is now an urgent need to establish independent regulation. A compulsory Code of Ethics should be established, overseen by an independent regulator, setting out what constitutes harmful content. The independent regulator would have statutory powers to monitor relevant tech companies; this would create a regulatory system for online content that is as effective as that for offline content industries. A Code of Ethics should be similar to the Broadcasting Code issued by Ofcomwhich is based on the guidelines established in section 319 of the 2003 Communications Act. The Code of Ethics should be developed by technical experts and overseen by the independent regulator, in order to set down in writing what is and is not acceptable on social media. This should include harmful and illegal content that has been referred to the companies for removal by their users, or that should have been easy for tech companies themselves to identify. The process should establish clear, legal liability for tech companies to act against agreed harmful and illegal content on their platform and such companies should have relevant systems in place to highlight and remove types of harm and to ensure that cyber security structures are in place. If tech companies (including technical engineers involved in creating the software for the companies) are found to have failed to meet their obligations under such a Code, and not acted against the distribution of harmful and illegal content, the independent regulator should have the ability to launch legal proceedings against them, with the prospect of large fines being administered as the penalty for non-compliance with the Code. The Cambridge Analytica scandal was facilitated by Facebooks policies. If it had fully complied with the FTC settlement, it would not have happened. The US Federal Trade Commission Complaint of 2011 ruled against Facebookfor not protecting users data and for letting app developers gain as much access to user data as they liked, without restraintand stated that Facebook built their company in a way that made data abuses easy. Evidence obtained from the Six4Three court documents indicates that Facebook was willing to override its users privacy settings in order to transfer data to some app developers, to charge high prices in advertising to some developers, for the exchange of that data, and to starve some developerssuch as Six4Threeof that data, thereby causing them to lose their business. It seems clear that Facebook was, at the very least, in violation of its Federal Trade Commission settlement. The Competitions and Market Authority should conduct a comprehensive audit of the operation of the advertising market on social media. Given the contents of the Six4Three documents, it should also investigate whether Facebook specifically has been involved in any anti-competitive practices and conduct a review of Facebooks business practices towards other developers, to decide whether Facebook is unfairly using its dominant market position in social media to decide which businesses should succeed or fail. [email protected] U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned members of Venezuela's military who remain loyal to socialist President Nicolas Maduro that they are risking their future and their lives and urged them to allow humanitarian aid into the country. Speaking to a cheering crowd mostly of Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants in Miami, Trump said if the Venezuelan military continues supporting Maduro, "you will find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out. Youll lose everything.Maduro retaliated late on Monday that Trump's speech was "nazi-style" and said he acted as if he were the owner of Venezuela and its citizens his slaves.Trump offered strong backing for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom the United States, many of Venezuela's neighbors and most Western countries have recognized as interim president of Venezuela.But Maduro, who won a second term last year in an election that critics denounced as a sham, retains the backing of Russia and China and control of Venezuelan state institutions, including the security services.Trump cautioned Venezuelan armed forces not to harm Guaido or other opposition politicians, urged them to accept the National Assembly leader's offer of amnesty and demanded that they allow in food, medicine and other supplies.Guaido, who invoked constitutional provisions to declare himself the country's leader last month, has said that aid will enter Venezuela from neighboring countries by land and sea on Saturday.The United States has sent tons of aid that is being stockpiled on Colombia's border with Venezuela, but Maduro has refused to let it in.Maduro calls the aid a U.S.-orchestrated show and denies any crisis despite many Venezuelans' scant access to food and medicine."We will not make of the honorable Venezuela a Venezuela of beggars," he said in televised comments on Monday. "We will not accept it."Maduro said Venezuela already received "humanitarian assistance" on a daily basis. Russia, for example, was sending 300 tonnes of aid to the country by plane on Wednesday, he said, albeit clarifying this was not a donation but supplies for which Venezuela had paid.Broad attack on socialismWe seek a peaceful transition of power but all options are open," Trump said. It was a further hint of Trump's repeated insistence that military options remain on the table, though most Latin America experts believe such action is unlikely.The United States has had direct communications with members of Venezuela's military urging them to abandon Maduro, a senior White House official told Reuters this month, and Trump's aides have openly predicted more defections.But so far, few military officers have turned against Maduro.A source in Washington close to the opposition expressed doubts whether the Trump administration has done sufficient groundwork to spur a wider mutiny in the ranks, where many officers are suspected of benefiting from corruption and drug trafficking.Guaido, in a videotaped message to the crowd at Florida International University, called it a "decisive moment" to exert pressure on Maduro from inside and outside the country.Trump also used his speech to rail against socialism as a "dying" ideology in the Western Hemisphere and to brand Maduro a "puppet" of communist-ruled Cuba.While the Republican president did not directly equate socialism with the Democratic party, as he appeared to do in his State of the Union speech this month, he alluded to his earlier criticism of domestic policies proposed by some liberal Democrats."America will never be a socialist country," he said.Trump wants to boost support among Florida's Hispanic voters as he looks ahead to his re-election campaign in 2020, when Florida is again expected to be an important swing state.(REUTERS) U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned members of Venezuela's military who remain loyal to socialist President Nicolas Maduro that they are risking their future and their lives and urged them to allow humanitarian aid into the country. Speaking to a cheering crowd mostly of Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants in Miami, Trump said if the Venezuelan military continues supporting Maduro, "you will find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out. Youll lose everything. Maduro retaliated late on Monday that Trump's speech was "nazi-style" and said he acted as if he were the owner of Venezuela and its citizens his slaves. Trump offered strong backing for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom the United States, many of Venezuela's neighbors and most Western countries have recognized as interim president of Venezuela. But Maduro, who won a second term last year in an election that critics denounced as a sham, retains the backing of Russia and China and control of Venezuelan state institutions, including the security services. Trump cautioned Venezuelan armed forces not to harm Guaido or other opposition politicians, urged them to accept the National Assembly leader's offer of amnesty and demanded that they allow in food, medicine and other supplies. Guaido, who invoked constitutional provisions to declare himself the country's leader last month, has said that aid will enter Venezuela from neighboring countries by land and sea on Saturday. The United States has sent tons of aid that is being stockpiled on Colombia's border with Venezuela, but Maduro has refused to let it in. Maduro calls the aid a U.S.-orchestrated show and denies any crisis despite many Venezuelans' scant access to food and medicine. "We will not make of the honorable Venezuela a Venezuela of beggars," he said in televised comments on Monday. "We will not accept it." Maduro said Venezuela already received "humanitarian assistance" on a daily basis. Russia, for example, was sending 300 tonnes of aid to the country by plane on Wednesday, he said, albeit clarifying this was not a donation but supplies for which Venezuela had paid. Story continues Broad attack on socialism We seek a peaceful transition of power but all options are open," Trump said. It was a further hint of Trump's repeated insistence that military options remain on the table, though most Latin America experts believe such action is unlikely. The United States has had direct communications with members of Venezuela's military urging them to abandon Maduro, a senior White House official told Reuters this month, and Trump's aides have openly predicted more defections. But so far, few military officers have turned against Maduro. A source in Washington close to the opposition expressed doubts whether the Trump administration has done sufficient groundwork to spur a wider mutiny in the ranks, where many officers are suspected of benefiting from corruption and drug trafficking. Guaido, in a videotaped message to the crowd at Florida International University, called it a "decisive moment" to exert pressure on Maduro from inside and outside the country. Trump also used his speech to rail against socialism as a "dying" ideology in the Western Hemisphere and to brand Maduro a "puppet" of communist-ruled Cuba. While the Republican president did not directly equate socialism with the Democratic party, as he appeared to do in his State of the Union speech this month, he alluded to his earlier criticism of domestic policies proposed by some liberal Democrats. "America will never be a socialist country," he said. Trump wants to boost support among Florida's Hispanic voters as he looks ahead to his re-election campaign in 2020, when Florida is again expected to be an important swing state. (REUTERS) Trump 'in no rush' on North Korea denuclearisation as envoy heads to finalise summit plans By Jeff Mason and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he wants North Korea to end its nuclear programme, but has no pressing time schedule for this, as he dispatched his special envoy to finalise preparations for a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next week. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said sanctions against North Korea would remain in place in the meantime and noted Pyongyang's freeze in nuclear and missile testing since 2017. "I'm in no rush. There's no testing. As long as there is no testing, I'm in no rush. If there's testing, that's another deal," he said. "I'd just like to see ultimately denuclearisation of North Korea." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said of Kim last week it was "time for him to deliver," but the Trump administration has moved away from demands that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons immediately and has appeared to adopt a more gradual, reciprocal approach Pyongyang has insisted on. The U.S. State Department said U.S. special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, was travelling to Hanoi on Tuesday to continue preparations for Trump's second summit with Kim scheduled for Feb. 27-28 in the Vietnamese capital. Biegun spent three days in North Korea from Feb. 6-8, a trip he said was aimed at agreeing on "concrete deliverables" for the summit. The State Department offered no sign of any specific progress after those talks but said Biegun agreed to hold further meetings with his counterpart Kim Hyok Chol before summit. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told a news briefing on Tuesday he had no details of the meetings the envoy would have in Hanoi. Biegun said after his North Korea visit his talks had been "productive" but there was "hard work to do" before the summit. The United States has been demanding that North Korea give up a nuclear weapons programme that threatens the United States, and Trump has been eager for a second summit even though a first meeting in Singapore in June meeting produced only vague commitments from Kim and little concrete progress since. Story continues SANCTIONS North Korea has been seeking a lifting of punishing U.S.-led sanctions, a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War and security guarantees. Asked whether Washington would consider lifting sanctions, Palladino said: "We've been clear on sanctions. These are the world's sanctions and that is something that ... will continue to be maintained until we've achieved our final result of a fully, finally verified denuclearisation." However, he then added: "But I don't want to get ahead on ... any further details on what's being negotiated regarding that question." Palladino did not respond directly when asked about reports that the two sides were discussing the exchange of liaison officers and declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. "I am not going to get ahead of diplomatic conversations, or ahead of the president. A lot of things are being discussed and we are very much looking forward to next week," he said. Pompeo said last week that Washington aimed to "get as far down the road as we can" with North Korea in the next two weeks and that Biegun's team would discuss all issues covered in Singapore. Asked on Thursday how important a formal end of the Korean War was in the discussions, Pompeo said: "It's something we've had a lot of talks about." He said Trump and Kim would also be looking at the "denuclearisation pillar they agreed to" in Singapore and how to reduce tension and military risk "so we can get peace and security on the peninsula as well." Earlier on Tuesday, Trump spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-in about the summit and he plans to talk to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday. Moon told Trump his country was willing to open economic engagement with North Korea if it will hasten Pyongyang's denuclearisation, Moon's office said. The Trump administration has been wary of Moon's eagerness to resume such engagement, fearing a weakening of pressure on Pyongyang will give it no incentive to give up its weapons. Moon and Kim have held multiple summits in the past year and agreed to cooperate on everything from reducing border tensions to launching a joint bid for the 2032 Olympics. But plans for economic projects, such as allowing South Korean tourists to visit North Korea, have been on hold while the United States keeps its sanctions in place. While praising Trump's "leadership and firm resolve," Moon said he was ready to undertake anything from reconnecting rail and road links between the two Koreas to other inter-Korean economic cooperation to help on denuclearisation, according to Moon's spokesman. "We're determined to take up that role if President Trump asks, if that's the way to lessen the U.S. burden," Moon said. Earlier this month, two influential U.S. senators, Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Robert Menendez, wrote to Pompeo warning that Kim was seeking to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul and warning against a premature relaxation of pressure on North Korea. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Additional reporting by Josh Smith in Seoul; Editing by James Dalgleish) Jeremy Corbyn has urged Labour to unite around his policies for a social justice and a more equal society as he expressed regret over the resignation of seven of his MPs. The Labour leader strongly defended his policy platform, but acknowledged that he needed to take his party with him if they were to succeed at the polls. His comments came after one of the breakaway group, Chuka Umunna, signalled a new centre party could be formally created by the end of the year. Mr Corbyn has been warned he faces more resignations by Labour MPs unless he gets a grip on the problem of anti-Semitism within the partys ranks. Speaking at a conference of manufacturers in London, Mr Corbyn said he was disappointed the seven had decided to leave the party in protest at his leadership. I hope they recognise that they were elected to Parliament on a manifesto that was based around investment in the future, was based around a more equal and fairer society and based around social justice, he said. They were elected to carry out those policies, they decided to go somewhere else and I regret that because I want our party to be strong, I want our party to be united around the policies that we have put forward. Mr Corbyn sidestepped questions about a call from deputy leader Tom Watson for a shadow cabinet reshuffle to better reflect the breadth of opinion in the party. Jeremy Corbyn has expressed regret at the resignations of seven Labour MPs (Victoria Jones/PA) He insisted, however, that he was open to discussion about the partys policies and that he recognised the need to take people with him. Anyone who thinks they are not being consulted are not taking up, in my view, the opportunities that are available there and open and ready for them at all times to do that, he said. I recognise that leading the party means you have got to take people with you and I am determined to do that determined to do that so that we can, when an election comes, present those policies and that determination to the public as a whole. Story continues Earlier, shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the only disagreement within the party was over the issue of Brexit, adding: I think we are bringing people together on that. His comments came despite a stormy meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday in which the leadership was repeatedly criticised for failing to deal with the issue of anti-Semitism within the party. (PA Graphics) Mr McDonnell did acknowledge, however, that the leadership needed to listen to critics within the party. Her told Sky news: We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and (to) address some of those criticisms that have been made. He played down suggestions that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering a split. I dont think there is that scale, but the key issue for us (is) we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them, he said. Meanwhile, Mr Umunna indicated that he would like the breakaway group to evolve into an up-and-running centre party at the earliest opportunity. I would like to see us move as quickly as possible and certainly by the end of the year, but thats my personal view, he told ITVs Good Morning Britain. There needs to be an alternative, so thats perfectly possible. But I dont get to determine this. Chuka Umunna has said he would like to see a new centre party up and running as soon as possible (Steve Parsons/PA) Senior Labour MP Mary Creagh said she had been approached to join the breakaway, but had declined. Ms Creagh told the BBC: I think whats important is that we now take a long hard look at ourselves as a political party. Its clear that Brexit is pushing both parties to the brink. Its clear that anti-Semitism has taken root in our party. Meanwhile, the MPs who quit were branded pathetic by Derek Hatton, the firebrand former deputy leader of Liverpool City Council who has been readmitted to the party 34 years after his expulsion for involvement in Militant Tendency. For 34 years Ive stayed absolutely solid with the Labour Party. Never joined any other party, never actually voted for another party. Never campaigned for another party, he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. And thats why when you look at the seven who now have left you think, well, how pathetic is it, how really strong are you within the Labour movement to want to run away when there is something that you disagree with? Meanwhile, pro-Europe Tory MP Antoinette Sandbach has made it clear she will not be joining the Independent Group, but said she respected the Labour figures who quit their party. The Eddisbury MP said: I am proud that the Conservative Party is still a broad church and is the only viable means of delivering a moderate, mature government that acts in the national interest. Ms Sandbach said Conservatives needed to be vigilant regarding the so-called Purple Momentum a term for ex-Ukip supporters joining the Tories to try to force the deselection of MPs they disagreed with. Ms Sandbach said: However, we must remain vigilant to the threat that Purple Momentum pose to our party and I hope that we do not fall victim to the same intolerance and deselection obsession that has taken over the Labour Party. Any risks from using equipment made by Chinese tech firm Huawei in the rollout of 5G networks can be managed, UK cyber security chiefs have concluded. The assessment from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), first reported by the Financial Times, comes despite accusations from the US that Huawei's products could be used for spying by the Chinese government. Australia and New Zealand have joined the US in effectively barring Huawei from new ultra-fast networks while a number of other countries, including in Europe, are considering a ban. In Britain, BT and Vodafone have already suspended the use of the company's components in their networks . Huawei - which is the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment - has denied that its equipment presents a security risk. A source told the FT that the conclusion by UK cyber chiefs would "carry great weight" with European leaders since the UK has access to highly sensitive US intelligence. They could make the argument that if Britain was confident of mitigating any risks from Huawei, then they too would be "acting in a prudent manner" by allowing their networks to use its components as long as they took similar precautions, the source said. Alex Younger, head of intelligence service MI6, last week acknowledged concerns about the Chinese company but said it was "a more complicated issue than 'in or out'". Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada in December and faces possible extradition to the US on charges of violating sanctions on Iran. :: Huawei - why Western governments are worried The NCSC did not directly comment on the FT report but reiterated earlier concerns about Huawei's engineering and security capabilities. It said: "We have set out the improvements we expect the company to make." A spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: "The British government's review of the right policy approach to 5G security and resilience is ongoing. "The review is looking at a range of options and will conclude in the spring. "No decisions have been taken and any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate." Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Chinese telecom giant Huawei has blasted US attempts to discredit the company, saying that the world cannot do without Huawei and its "more advanced" ... Ren also denounced as "politically motivated" the December arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating US sanctions against Iran and faces an extradition hearing in Canada next month."We object to this," he said."But now that we've gone down this path, we'll let the courts settle it."The Huawei founder has been forced to step into the limelight in recent months as the company has come under increasing pressure over espionage concerns and the US-led campaign to persuade other countries to ban its technology.Last year, security concerns prompted Australia to ban Huawei equipment from its future 5G network.New Zealand has also blocked its largest telecom carrier from using Huawei technology for the next generation network, while the Czech Republic has reportedly excluded the Chinese company from a 20-million-euro tender to build a tax portal.But on Monday, the Financial Times reported that the UK National Cyber Security Center concluded that there are ways to limit risks from using Huawei in future 5G ultra-fast networks, in spite of US concerns that Huawei technology could help China conduct espionage or cyber sabotage.Meanwhile, the head of Chinas Huawei Technologies in Germany told German newspaper Handlesblatt that the Chinese government does not get involved in the companys business, saying the firm would work on being open and transparent in the debate about security of mobile networks.The state does not have a stake in Huawei and it keeps out of our business, Dennis Zuo, the head of Huaweis German business told the newspaper.Over the past year, Germany, the UK, Poland and other countries faced US pressure to end Huaweis participation in the revamping of the internet structure in their countries. Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Chinese telecom giant Huawei has blasted US attempts to discredit the company, saying that the world cannot do without Huawei and its "more advanced" ... Ren also denounced as "politically motivated" the December arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating US sanctions against Iran and faces an extradition hearing in Canada next month. "We object to this," he said. "But now that we've gone down this path, we'll let the courts settle it." The Huawei founder has been forced to step into the limelight in recent months as the company has come under increasing pressure over espionage concerns and the US-led campaign to persuade other countries to ban its technology. Last year, security concerns prompted Australia to ban Huawei equipment from its future 5G network. New Zealand has also blocked its largest telecom carrier from using Huawei technology for the next generation network, while the Czech Republic has reportedly excluded the Chinese company from a 20-million-euro tender to build a tax portal. But on Monday, the Financial Times reported that the UK National Cyber Security Center concluded that there are ways to limit risks from using Huawei in future 5G ultra-fast networks, in spite of US concerns that Huawei technology could help China conduct espionage or cyber sabotage. Meanwhile, the head of Chinas Huawei Technologies in Germany told German newspaper Handlesblatt that the Chinese government does not get involved in the companys business, saying the firm would work on being open and transparent in the debate about security of mobile networks. The state does not have a stake in Huawei and it keeps out of our business, Dennis Zuo, the head of Huaweis German business told the newspaper. Over the past year, Germany, the UK, Poland and other countries faced US pressure to end Huaweis participation in the revamping of the internet structure in their countries. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has warned Islamic State recruit Shamima Begum of "consequences" as she bids to return to Britain. The 19-year-old, who has just given birth to a baby boy in a Syrian refugee camp, wants to return to the UK having fled to join the terror group in 2015. Answering an urgent question in the House of Commons on Monday, Mr Javid admitted the UK could not prevent the return of British citizens, as international law does not allow governments to make people stateless. However, he said the Commons "will have seen the comments of Shamima Begum in the media and it will have to draw its own conclusions". He added: "Quite simply: If you back terror, there must be consequences." Mr Javid said the government "cannot ignore the threat" of those who left Britain to travel to Syria or Iraq, with more than 350 having returned and a similar number still believed to be in the Middle East. He revealed an estimated 900 people left the UK to join terror groups in Syria and Iraq, with 20% having since been killed in battle, 40% having returned, and 40% still somewhere in the region. "Whatever role they took in the so-called caliphate, they all supported a terrorist organisation and in doing so they have shown they hate our country and the values we stand for," he said. "This is a death cult that enslaved and raped thousands of Yazidi girls and celebrated attacks on our shores, including the tragic Manchester bombing that targeted young girls." Mr Javid told MPs, now that IS is "crumbling", some of their recruits want to return to the UK. "I have been very clear, where I can and where any threat remains I will not hesitate to prevent this," he said. The home secretary revealed more than 100 people have been barred from entering Britain due to their status as foreigners, or by having their British citizenship stripped if they are dual nationals. But, he highlighted how international law does not allow the UK to remove citizenship from those who are only British nationals. Story continues Yet, Mr Javid vowed that "where individuals do manage to return, they will be questioned, investigated and potentially prosecuted". Former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon spoke of the need to avoid British or other nationals "ending up in a new Guantanamo". "There may need to be an international agreement about how these cases are to be handled and perhaps even an international terrorist court to make sure they are properly prosecuted," he said. Mr Javid assured his ex-cabinet colleague the UK is "working closely" with the US and European nations "to see what more we can do to make sure in every case justice is done and where possible justice is done in the region". The home secretary also told MPs he believes a suggested updating of ancient treason laws to deal with returning IS recruits is "worth looking at carefully". However, Mr Javid stressed new legislation recently introduced by the government had created "new powers to prosecute returnees"; extended the list of offences committed overseas that action can be taken on; and created new laws to ban British citizens from entering designated terrorist hotspots without any good reason. In a recent interview with Sky News from the Syrian refugee camp, Shamima Begum said she was "just a housewife" during her time with IS. She married a young Dutch fighter called Yago Riedijk three weeks after she arrived in Syria. She admitted she was aware of beheadings and executions being carried out by the extremists, but said she was "okay with it" because she had heard "Islamically that is allowed". More follows... FILE PHOTO: The Federal Bureau of Investigation seal is seen at FBI headquarters in Washington, U.S. June 14, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas By Brad Brooks and Gary McWilliams RIO DE JANEIRO/HOUSTON (Reuters) - The FBI is investigating energy trading firm Vitol's top two executives in the Americas in connection with a Brazil bribery case, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said, deepening the U.S. role in a probe of foreign oil firms' dealings with state-controlled Petrobras. The FBI's targeting of the Vitol executives is the second recent sign that U.S. authorities are stepping up their involvement in the trading fraud case, the latest twist in Brazil's sweeping "Car Wash" corruption probe. That significantly increases dangers for Vitol, the world's largest independent oil trader, and other major trading firms like Trafigura and Glencore, also ensnared in the case. Miguel "Mike" Loya, Vitol's U.S. head, and Antonio Maarraoui, the company's head for Latin American and the Caribbean, are under investigation by the U.S. law enforcement agency, the sources told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. Vitol said it has a zero tolerance policy for bribery and corruption. Trafigura and Glencore have declined to comment on the U.S. investigation, with the latter reiterating past statements that it is cooperating with Brazilian authorities. Trafigura said it takes the allegations seriously. All of the companies have been suspended from business dealings with Petroleo Brasileiro SA since Brazilian prosecutors accused the three trading firms in December of paying more than $30 million (23 million pounds) in bribes to its employees. Petrobras declined to comment specifically on any FBI involvement, but said in an email that it remains committed to cooperating with investigators. The company previously said it was a victim of the alleged scheme. U.S. prosecutors and their Brazilian counterparts have worked together on Car Wash cases in the past, including on forcing Brazil construction conglomerate Odebrecht to pay a record $2.6 billion fine in a 2016 leniency deal. Story continues 'KNOWINGLY' INVOLVED Loya and Maarraoui, both Houston-based, have not been charged in Brazil. They also have not been charged in the United States and it is unclear whether the U.S. Justice Department will bring charges. Neither Loya nor Maarraoui responded to requests for comment via email. Brazilian prosecutors previously said Loya and Maarraoui "knowingly and voluntarily" arranged to bribe Petrobras employees using middlemen with whom the pair had direct. A Brazil federal police investigation includes several emails between Loya, Maarraoui and a group of middlemen, along with personal meetings, which often took place in Houston. Brazil prosecutors have said Loya and Maarraoui arranged for the middlemen to move illicit funds through U.S., European and offshore bank accounts. That money that was funneled to Petrobras employees, who in turn gave Vitol sweetheart deals on massive trades involving petroleum derivatives and fuel storage, they said. Loya, part of a large and successful family in the energy business, joined Vitol as a trader in 1992 and became president of its Americas operation in 1999. He was considered to be in the running to lead the parent company a year ago. Coming from modest means in El Paso, Texas, Loya graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso and got his MBA at Harvard. He played rugby in college and now co-owns the SaberCats, a Major League Rugby team in Houston. BIG TARGETS The European firms - Vitol is based in London, the two others in Switzerland - are powerhouses in commodities trading and are by far the largest firms yet caught up in the Car Wash probe. They have investments in strategic energy and commodity infrastructure around the world including Brazil. Together they control about 10 percent of the world's daily oil consumption and have revenues larger than Argentina's gross domestic product. John Marzulli, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Richard Donoghue, declined to confirm or deny that an investigation into the men is underway by the office. The FBI's media relations office said by email that it "neither confirms nor denies the existence of investigations." Last week, Reuters reported that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating a former U.S.-based oil trader for Petrobras who already is charged in Brazil with taking part in the alleged corruption scheme involving commodity companies Vitol, Glencore Plc and Trafigura AG. The trader, Rodrigo Garcia Berkowitz, 39, is cooperating with U.S. authorities in the investigation and may face charges in the United States, sources said. Brazilian prosecutors have followed a pattern of first charging less important figures in schemes, then flipping them to turn state's witness and testify against more powerful figures. The Car Wash investigations began in 2014 when a money laundering scheme was discovered at a gas station in the Brazilian capital Brasilia, leading to black market money dealers' links to top executives at Petrobras. It is the first major push against corruption and impunity for the rich and powerful in Brazil, and has profoundly shaken the political and business communities in Latin America's biggest economy. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Rio de Janeiro and Gary McWilliams in Houston; Additional reporting by Julia Payne in Geneva; Editing by Will Dunham and Chris Plumb) Airbus A380 Emirates Airbuss (AIR) decision to stop making the A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world, from 2021 has sent shockwaves through the aerospace industry and prompted fears over a slowdown in European industry and loss of jobs. The move, just 12 years after the A380 entered service as a rival to Boeings iconic 747 jumbo jet, could have a knock-on effect on other sectors and companies at a time when European growth is grinding to a halt: Italy has just entered recession and Germanys economy posted 0% growth in the last quarter, while Brexit and the US-China trade dispute are obvious headwinds for globalised industries such as aerospace and automotive. The catalyst for the decision, which was announced by Airbus on February 14, was Dubai-based airline Emirates cutting its A380 fleet size from 162 to 123 aircraft. However, Emirates is shifting to other models made by Airbus and has ordered 70 A330 and A350 aircraft. FTSE 100-listed Rolls-Royce (RR), for example, makes the engines for the A380, but also for the smaller aircraft ordered by Emirates. Like the car industry, the business of making planes involves a pan-European chain of logistics and construction. The decision to scrap the A380 could affect up to 3,500 jobs involving 21 sites in the UK, Spain, France and Belgium. The company says the financial impact has already been absorbed in 2018s costs, but the decision raises wider questions about the financial feasability of making expensive aircraft across multiple locations. Morningstar analysts were sanguine about Airbuss prospects despite the decision to stop making the A380 as 2018 results beat expectations. Analyst Chris Higgins argues that Emirates decision to order other Airbus models should cushion the blow from the cut to A380 demand. Given the stronger 2019 outlook, he expects to raise the fair value estimate for Airbus by 10% to above 116 per share, higher than the current price of around 100. No-Deal Brexit Story continues Toulouse-based Airbus has been one of the biggest European companies to warn of the consequences of a no-deal Brexit. The company is spending tens of millions in preparing for a no-deal Brexit, its chief executive Tom Enders said last week. Enders, who steps down in April this year, told people not to listen to the Brexiteers madness and described the Governments current approach as a disgrace. Airbus employs nearly 15,000 people in the UK, making it one of the countrys largest manufacturers. Enders said: Aerospace is a long-term business and we could be forced to redirect future investments in the event of a no-deal Brexit and, make no mistake, there are plenty of countries out there who would love to build the wings for Airbus aircraft. Airbus has been locked in rivalry with US giant Boeing (BA) for many years and the A380 was an attempt to tackle the 747's hegemony. Boeings 787 Dreamliner is a midsize aircraft, unlike the A380, and the company currently has a backlog for this model. Boeing took out adverts the day after Airbuss decision to scrap the A380 with the strapline, The Future of Aircraft is Built Here. Boeing has also been boosted by President Trumps increased defence spending, while Airbus has been hit by a reduction in defence procurement by European governments. "The only issue is whether or not libel was committed." "The only issue is whether or not libel was committed." What is press freedom? Like any other freedom, it is God-given and inherent to man. Still, press freedom is not absolute. You may have the right to express your feelings, but the line is drawn against expressing what is on your mind and respecting the rights of others, like when you call somebody a crook or a thief. People also have to maintain their reputations. Similarly, when journalists like me enjoy the freedom of the press to write what I believe to be right, I cannot denigrate the rights of others just because I enjoy the freedom of the press. This is exactly why we have laws against libel and slander. When I write my column in the opinion pages, I can still be sued for libel. In fact, I have committed libel many times, gone to court to defend myself and apologized at least four times for my recklessness. The law defines libel. It should be a person, not a juridical entity, who is involved. The imputation must be criminal in nature to besmirch ones reputation. Most importantly there should be malice. For example, if a journalist keeps on imputing a criminal act many times, then that could be taken to be malice. Libel can also be committed by a journalist who repeats or reports the libelous statements of others. There are precedents to this. But malice in the commission of libel is difficult to prove. It is for this reason that most of the libel suits thrown at journalists are dismissed by the courts. This is also why in my nearly 70 years in journalism, I have never been convicted of libel. To cite an example: When I was in Cotabato City and not yet a lawyer, working as co-editor of The Mindanao Cross, I received a letter from somebody accusing a village doctor of being a quack doctor. Without checking the facts I published the report and I was sued as a result. I was arrested and jailed overnight. Fortunately, the Oblates who ran the paper had a good friend, Don Paco Blanco, who bailed me out. It was clearly my fault and I apologized to the doctor, who in turn accepted my apology. If you dont want to be sued for libel, dont be a journalist. I say all these as a background to the case of Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler, and her researcher. They published the case of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, who supposedly used the car of businessman William Keng during the impeachment trial at the Senate. The businessman denied the imputation years after the prescription-period for libel. The mistake of Rappler however was that it post-dated that story a couple of times, which made the story jurisdictional.So did Ressa and her researcher commit libel or not? Another question is whether the Duterte administration violated press freedom in having the Department of Justice, through the National Bureau of Investigation, find probable cause. There are two issues here: Whether libel was indeed committed and whether the case against her was a violation of press freedom. I believe that Rappler committed libel, having postdated the imputation of something that could malign the reputation of a person. Whether there was malice is something the NBI has to prove. As for the violation of press freedom. I cannot see the connection with the libel case. As I said earlier, press freedom is not limitless. I thus cannot understand why there are so many bleding hearts for Ressa. Even foreign personalities and governments claim that press freedom was violated. Thats a lot of BS! Yes, I admit that because of the critical reportage of Rappler, especially on the bloody war on drugs, President Duterte was piqued. At one point, a Rappler reporter was barred from entering Malacanang grounds. But there are so many other critics of the war on illegal drugs! I think President Duterte is proceeding wrongly in the war on drugs. It is not a peace-and-order problem. It is a health issue. As I have said so many times, Duterte may kill up to millions who are drug addicts users, but so long as there is demand, the problem will continue to be there even after his term. But back to Ressa. She is trying to be a martyr of sorts. She claims that the Duterte administration is weaponizing the law. But the issue is plaindid she, or did she not, commit libel? I may be accused of suddenly siding with the President, but it would not be true because I have been so critical of the Duterte administration so many times in the past. If I did believe that freedom of the press is being violated in Ressas case, then I would be the first to declare support for her. But I do not. Whether libel was committed is for the courts to decide. Let us look at all this objectively. www.emiljurado.weebly.com A couple is applauding a group of prison inmates in New Port Richey, Florida, for rescuing their toddler from their accidentally locked SUV. The inmates were on work release, repairing the median in a parking lot outside the local courthouse, where the couples SUV was parked at the time. As they were reportedly low-level offenders, the deputies gave the prisoners permission to use a wire coat hanger to break into the car to rescue the little girl. Father accidentally locks toddler in the car The one-year-old girls mother, Shadow Lantry, told ABC Action News that her husband, Joe, was a little absent-minded at the time. He strapped Dallas into her car seat, throwing the keys into the front seat. He then walked around the Chevy Tahoe SUV to the drivers side, only to find it locked. In fact, all the cars doors were firmly locked and the toddler was sitting alone in her car seat, calmly sucking on her dummy. The couple approached the deputies who were supervising the inmates to ask for help. The prisoners immediately offered assistance, and as stated by Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, as the deputies were present, they gave the inmates permission to break into the vehicle. The deputies asked the inmates whether they could break into the car and they confirmed they could. Toddler was calm during the rescue Dallas was quiet and patient throughout her ordeal, locked in the car alone. It took a few minutes to work on the lock with the wire clothes hanger. As noted by the Huffington Post, video footage was captured by the mother of the whole ordeal, showing a number of inmates in striped uniforms working on the car with the coat hanger, as Dallas looks back at them calmly from her seat inside. When one of the inmates opens the door, the car alarm can be heard, causing Dallas to cry. However, the toddler is fine and well after the ordeal. The video footage can be viewed here. Shadow told ABC Action News how grateful she was to everyone that assisted them during the ordeal, adding that she hopes to find out the inmates identities so that she could contribute money to their commissary accounts at the prison. ABC Action News quotes Sheriff Chris Nocco as saying the situation was unique, letting a prison inmate use his ill-gotten skills to break into a car, but it was for all the right reasons. Nocco said only a small percentage of criminals want to fight the police and attack them. He said many of them, like the individuals in question, know they have made a bad mistake and the wrong choices and now want to do the right things in life. Government Reporter Erin came to Tyler from Vermont, where she worked for VTDigger.org and previously the Rutland Herald. She received her B.A. in Economics and Spanish from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she also attended journalism school. The faint markings of graffiti remain after workers from Bronze Conservation cleaned The Confederate War Memorial monument which stands next to the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas on February 18, 2019. (Brian Elledge/The Dallas Morning News) UK observational series Ambulance has been renewed for a fifth season. Expanding its coverage to paramedics in Liverpool and across the whole of Merseyside, Dragonfly Film and Television will produce 12 new episodes. Beejal-Maya Patel, BBC Documentaries Commissioning Executive, says: Im really excited that Ambulance will be returning to BBC One for a fifth series, this time filmed in the North West during a crucial time for the emergency services. The programmes dramatic 360 storytelling will reveal the pressures they are under as well as explore the bigger picture of the challenges facing society. Richard Bond, Creative Director of Dragonfly, says: With the NHS facing unprecedented demands, this new series could not be more timely, and were privileged that NWAS have allowed our cameras back in to capture their extraordinary work on the frontline of the winter crisis. Ambulance airs locally on 10, which returns new episodes of the Australian edition next Tuesday. Related Its always a tricky thing for sequels and spin-offs: how prominently do you reference your blueprint original when its crucial to be seen as your own entity? Ms. Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries lifts off at a zippy pace. Theres a swingin soundtrack, bursts of colour in its production design and peppy performances. Peregrine Fisher (Geraldine Hakewill) drifts from job to job in Perth until she receives a letter to visit the The Adventuresses club in Melbourne to discuss her inheritance. The club is chaired by ex-WW2 Special Forces member Birdie Birnside (Catherine McClements) and includes a girl-power strong tribe including the first woman to conquer Mt.Kilimanjaro, a trouser suit designer, and fighter for the resistance. Another was the revered Phryne Fisher, Peregrines aunt, last seen flying over the highlands of PNG. Only her precious golden revolver remains. When designer Florence Astor (Libby Tanner) bursts in detailing the murder of a young model at a fashion show, Peregrines family instincts kick in. In no time she is offering up clue-solving tactics that lead her to the Police Station headed up by Chief Superintendent Percy Sparrow (Greg Stone) who has a penchant for the word girly and where the female cops bring the blokes cups of tea in between their own desk job. But she also meets the dashing Det. James Steed (Joel Jackson), who is taken by her spunk, if hopelessly trying to discourage her active participation in the case. Just like her famed aunt, Peregrine wont take No for an answer. As the adventure unfolds you will also meet Samuel Birnside (Toby Truslove), the only non-threatening male in The Adventuresses court; Violeta Fellini (Louisa Mignone) another awkward but cluey club member; Constable Fleur Connor (Katie Robertson) and oft-overlooked boyfriend Eric (James Mason). Guests in the first episode are Andrew McFarlane, Maria Mercedes, Irene Chen and Lulu McClatchy. Sevens series gets a lot of things right. The casting of Geraldine Hakewill and Joel Jackson, both individually and as a duo, is on target. Hakewill is a delight, driven with determination and a twinkle in her eye. She is easily able to handle the procedural and personality elements of a very entrenched franchise. Joel Jackson (is there anything this guy cant do?) is positively debonair on screen, fitting for the era. There are nods to politics and 60s sensibilities and the location team has done a great job in picking colourful locations. You cant do Miss Fisher without spending up on costumes, hairstyles, cars and props and again this is money on the screen. But its just a shame the pacing drags due to the telemovie length. The script doesnt quite pack enough punches to sustain the length and I cant help but wonder if thats due to the show now being on Seven with commercials. At this early stage were also not quite hitting the mark with the supporting cast relationships in the way the original did. That may come, but Seven is only offering 4 telemovies. Eagle-eyed viewers may also spot telltale contemporary signs (ie. Melbourne City Council signage, window film) that will doubtless wind up as Green Guide letters. The Every Cloud production is clearly faithful to the whodunnit genre and while TV is missing some of its favourite ABC sleuths, it is arguably Sevens gain. I suspect its biggest challenge is forging a new identity with those obsessed with Essie Davis and the roaring 20s original. For this to work it needs to move on quickly from Phryne references and claim the turf as their own. Geraldine Hakewill can do just that. Ms. Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries airs 8:30pm Thursday on Seven. Related The government has been accused of dragging their feet over a lack of TV audio descriptions for blind and low vision Australians. Minister for Communications & the Arts Mitch Fifield told a Senate Estimates Hearing yesterday he would write to broadcasters asking them how they can add audio descriptors to TV programmes. But Australia is the only major English-speaking country yet to have audio description on TV. Yesterday Senator Deborah ONeill reminded Minister Fifield that Labor commissioned a trial in 2012, and the Liberals commissioned an iview trial in 2016. This is now your 6th year in office, as a government, and to date you have failed to get audio descriptions implemented for blind and low vision Australians she noted. Minister Fifield replied that there was no legislative impediment for broadcasters implementing audio descriptions and the government provided a working group to assist. Its clear that that has not been taken up so I am going to be writing to the broadcasters, commercial and public, asking them how they can implement audio description, what level of coverage they think they would be able to achieve and how they might be able to bring this to pass. I should also add that I think the ABC and SBS should be leading by example in this area. The ABC Charter says that its their responsibility to provide services for all Australians and I would hope that the ABC and SBS can lead by example in this area. Perhaps if you didnt cut their funds it wouldnt be such an issue? Deborah ONeill asked. The best you can tell me is youre now going to write a letter. Is that really adequate for federal the minister for communications to have ignored this issue for blind and low vision Australians for this period of time? Senator the issue hasnt been ignored as indicated, Fifield replied. There is no impediment to broadcasters putting these services into place. We commissioned the working group to assist in that endeavour and Ive indicated to you the next steps that Ill be taking. In early 2015 Vision Australia lodged complaints with the Australian Human Rights Commission against Seven, Nine, TEN, SBS and Foxtel over a lack of audio descriptors. The UK, US, Ireland, Germany, Spain and New Zealand already provide audio description on free to air or subscription television. In 2016 Minister Fifield said on Q&A, Im very keen to look to see what we can do in terms of audio description. Its important that people if they are blind or vision impaired to have access to media In 2017 an ABC spokesperson told TV Tonight, The final report on the government funded audio description iview trial was delivered to the Department of Communications in late 2016. Its publication is a matter for the Department. This isnt good enough, opposition communications spokeswoman Michelle Rowland said yesterday. The Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government has been dragging its feet. Related Netflix has axed the last of its Marvel shows, Jessica Jones and The Punisher, ahead of Disneys planned streaming service later this year. Disney is Marvels parent company. Jessica Jones, starring Krysten Ritter, ends with its upcoming third season while The Punisher with Jon Bernthal ends at 2 seasons. They join the previously-cancelled Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Defenders. Marvels The Punisher will not return for a third season on Netflix, Netflix confirmed. Showrunner Steve Lightfoot, the terrific crew, and exceptional cast including star Jon Bernthal, delivered an acclaimed and compelling series for fans, and we are proud to showcase their work on Netflix for years to come. In addition, in reviewing our Marvel programming, we have decided that the upcoming third season will also be the final season for Marvels Jessica Jones, Netflix added. We are grateful to showrunner Melissa Rosenberg, star Krysten Ritter and the entire cast and crew, for three incredible seasons of this groundbreaking series, which was recognised by the Peabody Awards among many others. We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning. New and and old Marvel content are set to be a big component of the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, which is yet to be confirmed for Australia. Source: Deadline Related Top Israeli military figures have slammed as empty and inappropriate the recent anti-Iran remarks made by the Israeli regimes army chief of staff lieutenant general Aviv Kochavi. In his remarks on Tuesday, Kochavi said the Israeli military was revising its attack plans against Iran amid fresh efforts by the new US administration to reverse Trumps Iran policy. He warned the Biden administration against rejoining the 2015 landmark Iran nuclear deal, which was abandoned by the Trump administration in May 2018, saying such a move would be bad and not the right thing to do. I instructed the army to prepare a number of operational plans in addition to the existing ones, Kochavis said. We are taking care of these plans and will develop them during the coming year. Those who decide on carrying them out, of course, are the political leaders. But these plans have to be on the table, the Israeli general said. Kochavis remarks were met with trenchant criticisms even among the critics of the nuclear agreement, which was reached during former President Barack Obamas time in office. Amos Gilad, a former head of Israeli Military Intelligence, said the threat of military action against Iran was an empty one and such a strike would never happen without the backing of the United States. You think you would carry out a strike without strategic cooperation with the United States? It will never, ever happen, Gilad said in an interview on the 103FM radio station on Wednesday. Understand that these are all just words. He warned that harsh remarks that contradict the position of the new American administration could be seen as defiance by the White House, adding, Thats not how you lead a policy. (PRESS TV) BEIRUT, LEBANON (8:20 P.M.) The spokesman for the Iranian armed forces, Major General Abu Fadl Shikaraji, threatened to destroy Tel Aviv in case Israel makes any mistake against Iran. Israels threats are part of psychological warfare, and if they are realistic, then they are illusions, Shkaraji said, adding that the Iranian army will destroy Tel Aviv and erase it if Israel commits any stupidity against our nuclear facilities. The Israeli army lives in a state of terror and is too weak to carry out its threats on the ground, he said, adding that Israels threat to destroy our nuclear facilities is just illusions and pipe dreams. Shkharji stressed that the Iranian army will destroy the Israeli missile bases as soon as Iran is exposed to any attack, noting that the large part of Irans military capabilities have not been revealed. (AMN) If the Zionists make a foolish move or any mistake, even the slightest one, against Iran, they will face a reaction that will destroy Tel Aviv and hasten the end of their regime, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi told Iran's Arabic-language Al Alam news network. He also said the Iranian Armed Forces have been strengthening their defensive capabilities day by day, and that the country is capable of carrying out strategic operations to level the enemy to the ground. (PRESS TV) These excerpts from Iranian Press TV and Al Masdar News articles capture the current state of play in the ongoing Israeli-Iranian confrontation. Israeli and Iranian verbal chest thumping is at an all time high. If blustery language were bombs, wed be deep into WW III. However, Gilad is correct. Without US strategic cooperation, there will not be a massive conventional air attack on Iran. And that strategic cooperation is unlikely to be forthcoming under Biden, even though there are still plenty of Borg clowns in this administration just itching for just such an attack. Throughout the Obama and Trump administrations the most probable scenarios involved massive US air and missile strikes against Iran to obliterate Tehrans nuclear infrastructure and bring about regime change. These strikes would be in conjunction with Israeli strikes or reluctantly launched after an insufficient initial Israeli strike. The goal, Israels goal, was always to eliminate Iran as a threat to Israel. There was nothing in it for us other than pleasing Israel and risking WW III. The goal of US administrations was to prevent this, usually by placating Israel in various ways. No one, not Bush, not Obama, nor Trump wanted the US involved in a war against Iran. However, they were all plagued by swarms of Israel Firsters praying, many literally praying, for war. Obamas approach was the JCPOA. Israel viewed the JCPOA as an existential threat to their goal. Trump had a different approach, trash the JCPOA and embark on a policy of maximum pressure to collapse the regime in Tehran. Like previous administrations, this maximum pressure policy did not envision a massive US air attack. Israel decided she could work with this. This became apparent when we learned of another Trump Tower meeting in 2016. This one had nothing to do with Russia. It was all about Iran and how the US, Israel, the UAE and the Saudis would force regime change in Tehran. It included a proposal to create a UAE-Saudi anti-terrorist force that would supplant the need for the US to police the region. Not that bad a plan, really. Getting rid of JCPOA was easy. It was an Obama agreement. Of course Trump would scuttle that. The same for selling weapons and ordnance to the Saudis and UAE. Thats profitable business. The assassination of Qasem Soleimani may or may not have been a part of this maximum pressure policy. An important part of this grand plan was a robust regional strategic realignment. Israels close military cooperation with the UAE began in the 1990s. It was low key, but extensive. Kushners grand Middle East bargain last year just made that official. The UAEs Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) appears to be the true power broker on the Arabian Peninsula rather than the Saudi Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). He was the driving force behind the Abraham Accords. MBZ is a Sandhurst graduate and has built the UAE military and intelligence into competent forces although they are largely foreign. He is measured, pragmatic and sits atop large oil reserves as well as a growing international financial hub. His hand is behind many of the events throughout the Arab world. He is definitely worth watching. Now back to Israel and Iran. At one time the best Israel hoped for was the unhindered flight of the IAF across Saudi airspace enroute to Iranian targets. That limited hope has morphed into the possibility of the active involvement of UAE and even Saudi bases and forces in an attack on Iran. The addition of fifty F-35s to the UAE Air Force would greatly increase the strike capabilities of the current hundred or so F-16 and Mirage 2000 aircraft. Even though reaching full operational capability would be several years away, I think the IAF would be giddy with anticipation of this possibility in spite of their apprehensions about Arab F-35s. In the meantime, Israel and the UAE are building a joint intelligence base on Socotra. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are cooperating with Israel on missile defense, intelligence sharing, reconnaissance (both airborne and at sea) and cybersecurity. This Israeli-Emerati confidence building and integration will continue as long as MBZ sees it as advantageous. The Saudi war on the Houthis has not helped Israel. Even though the UAE has pulled out of the conflict, Israels closeness to the UAE and growing cooperation with the Saudis have made Israel an active enemy of the Houthi. In response Iran has introduced the Shahed-131 and the more advanced Shahed-136 loitering munition UAVs to the northern Yemeni province of Al-Jawf. The Shahed -136 has an effective range of over 1,200 miles bring southern Israel and Gulf of Aqaba ship traffic within range. In response, Israel has had to station Patriot and Iron Dome AD systems at Eilat - the opening of an unwanted southern front in addition to the constant threat of Hezbollah to the north. This is also whatever missiles and drones Iran may have stationed in Iraq and Syria. So, how will the Biden administration change Israeli calculations for a strike against Iran? Of primary interest to Israel is Bidens desire to reenter the JCPOA and improve relations with Tehran. As I alluded to earlier, this is anathema to Israel. Will this make Israel antsy enough to strike? I dont think so. Biden is also withdrawing support from the Saudi war in Yemen. He halted logistical and munitions support to the Saudis and paused the effort to provide F-35s to the UAE. The latter may even give MBZ pause for further open military cooperation with Israel. He wants those F-35s. Well never abandon Israel, but can we be relied on to provide logistical, intelligence and strike support to an Israeli initiated attack on Iran? In my opinion, it is no longer a sure thing. And then there is Russia. The last thing she wants is an expanded war in the Middle East. Russia has recently signed several agreements to bolster Iranians defenses both air defenses and cyber defenses. Lavrov said that the construction of new units of the Bushehr nuclear power plant was discussed during his recent meeting with his Iranian counterpart. He also said "Russia hopes that the United States will return to the JCPOA and that this will be a condition for Iran to implement the JCPOA" and that "Moscow will continue its efforts to ensure that Iran and the United States fully comply with their obligations to the JCPOA in the near future." Russias demonstrated expertise in radio-electronic combat should make Israel think twice about a first strike. Not only would this expertise bolster Irans defenses, but Russia could hamper Israels strike capabilities from her bases in Syria and her ships in the Mediterranean. Russia would not sit this one out. In my opinion, an Israeli strike on Iran is not imminent. Nor is it in the cards in at least the next several years. Israel has to be sure of a convincing victory. A draw would further damage Israels aura of invincibility. Without that, Israels best and brightest will fly away leaving nothing but Talmudic scholars and angry Palestinians to hash things out. There will be conflict as well as more big talk and selling of wolf tickets like I posted at the top of this article. The political maneuvering will continue. Military capabilities will continue to be developed. The intelligence conflict will continue. The cyber conflict will continue. All this will continue until something breaks one way or the other. TTG https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/29/644100/Israeli-figures-slam-Kochavi-empty-rhetoric https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/iranian-army-spokesman-threatens-to-destroy-tel-aviv-if-israel-attacks-irans-nuclear-facilities/ https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2021/01/28/644011/Iran-Israel-threat-Dehqan-Shekarchi HANOI -- African swine fever has been detected on three farms in Vietnam, authorities said on Tuesday, the first confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease in the Southeast Asia country. All pigs on the farms located in Hung Yen and Thai Binh provinces, southeast of the capital Hanoi, were culled, the Animal Health Department said in a statement. The disease, which is incurable in pigs but harmless for humans, has spread rapidly across neighbouring China since August, affecting 25 provinces and regions. "The disease is not infectious for humans, so people and farmers shouldn't panic," Pham Van Dong, head of the department, told a press conference in Hanoi. Pork accounts for three quarters of total meat consumption in Vietnam, a country of 95 million people where most of its 30 million farm-raised pigs are consumed domestically. "Consumers can continue to use (pork) products and shouldn't boycott these products," Dong said. With pork such a popular meat in many Asian countries, U.N. experts said last September the spread of the virus to China's neighbours was a near certainty, and likely through movements of products containing infected pork. Nguyen Van Long, the department's chief of epidemiology, said smuggling of animals across borders and tourism made it difficult to control the spread of the disease. Taiwan's official Central News Agency reported on Friday that its Council of Agriculture had found the virus in a sandwich carried from Vietnam to Taiwan on Feb. 5. Authorities in Taiwan and Vietnam are working to determine the origin of the pork found in the sandwich, Vietnam's animal health department said. A gang of five men held a young woman hostage for days, took turns to rape her before killing the victim in the northern Vietnamese province of Dien Bien early this month, police said as they wrapped up a week-long probe into the case that sent shockwaves through the country on Monday. Dien Bien police on Monday held a press conference to release for the first time the full results of their investigation into the murder of Cao Thi My Duyen, a 22-year-old college student who was found dead on February 7, days after she went missing. Officers said they had arrested and launched criminal investigation against all five suspects in the case. Duyen, who helped her mother run a poultry stall at a local wet market, was last seen delivering 13 live chickens to a customer on the afternoon of February 4, said Sung A Hong, Dien Bien police chief. Her mother reported to police her daughters disappearance later the same day after multiple failed attempts to reach Duyen on her phone, Hong said. A search for Duyen was launched and her body was eventually found three days later, on the morning of February 7, inside a pigpen at an abandoned house that was a one-hour drive from her home in Dien Bien. Duyens body was found half-naked, wearing only a long-sleeved top and underpants, with her face covered by a helmet, police said. The first police autopsy showed the young woman was killed by strangling. The murder shocked the country and sparked disturbing rumor that Duyen had been gang-raped before being killed. The rumor has now been confirmed by police, who told the press on Monday that the men admitted to abducting and raping the young woman before strangling her to death. Sung A Hong (R), police chief of Dien Bien Province, speaks at a press briefing on February 18, 2019 to announce investigation results on the death of a 22-year-old college student. Photo: Giang Long / Tuoi Tre On February 10, Dien Bien police arrested and launched a probe against Vuong Van Hung, the customer who had bought the chickens and asked for them to be delivered by Duyen on the day she went missing. Hung was initially placed under investigation for murder and property appropriation," as police said evidence was insufficient at the time to subject him to another charge. Between February 12 and 15, police launched criminal investigation against and arrested four other suspects Bui Van Cong, Pham Van Nhiem, Luong Van Hung, and Luong Van La on charges including murder, rape, property appropriation, possession of narcotics, and illegal detention of a person. On Sunday, Dien Bien police and Ministry of Public Security specialists unearthed the corpse of Duyen for a second autopsy after finding the suspects testimonies conflicting with earlier autopsy results. According to the provincial police chief, Bui Van Cong and Vuong Van Hung have been identified as the masterminds behind the kidnap and murder of Duyen. The duo had elaborated on a robbery plan that involved setting Duyen up to deliver chickens to a deserted place to appropriate her assets. Vuong Van Hung (L) and Bui Van Cong, the two masterminds behind the kidnap, allegedly raped and murdered a 22-year-old college student in Dien Bien Province in northern Vietnam in February 2019. After Duyen arrived at a designated address in the provincial capital of Dien Bien Phu on February 4, Hung used a nunchaku to strangle her until she passed out. He then called Cong and Nhiem to the abandoned place and the three of them took turns to raped the students body. Duyen was then locked inside the back of a truck owned by Cong and driven to the mans house. On the morning of February 6, Luong Van Hung and Luong Van La visited Congs house, climbed into the back of his truck and raped Duyen. Noticing that Duyens health was deteriorating quickly, the suspects got together on the same afternoon to plot her murder, committing it and disposing of the victims body at another abandoned house in rural Dien Bien District, around 30 kilometers from her home. The suspects employed sophisticated tricks to erase evidence and used their alibis to cover up the crime, Hong, the Dien Bien police chief, said on Monday. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! "Killings have become common occurences." "Killings have become common occurences." These are dangerous times in this country. While there were bombings perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf in a Catholic cathedral in Sulu and then what appeared to be retaliatory blast on a mosque, we have not yet experienced suicide bombings in Metro Manila. What are getting to be almost everyday occurrences however are that riding-in-tandem professional killers on motorcycles. So far, in the run-up to the May 13 mid-term electionsa mayor, vice mayor and a councilor have been felled by assassins. Last Sunday, well known businessman Jose Luis Yulo and his driver were shot dead by assassins who fired on their van in broad daylight at the corner of busy thoroughfare Edsa and Reliance Street. It was not a robbery gone wrong because the assailants did not even declare a holdup or take any of the victims valuables. It was plainly an intent to kill, the motive of which police are still investigating. Who wanted him killed and who paid professional hit men to do the job? The police are now looking at the business angle for the killing of Yulo. But a few days after the killing, the Mandaluyong and Eastern Police District are still facing the proverbial blank wall. Yulos female companion who was wounded and still in serious condition is being awaited by the police to speak and provide possible motives. Yulos group had come from Pampanga and their security escorts in another vehicle was separated from the two-vehicle convoy when Yulos van was stalled at the corner of Reliance and Edsa. This latest killing will have an adverse effect on foreign investors who want to come here to do business. President Rodrigo Duterte should exert all efforts to have the police and the National Bureau of Investigation solve this heinous crime to assure foreign businessmen they are safe in this country.* * * On another matter, the government announced the revival of Baguio City, the summer getaway place of the locals because of its cool weather. Baguio is known as the City of Pines, but the scent of pines is slowly disappearing because of the signature trees being cut down by informal settlers from other parts of the country. This, after the rehabilitation of Boracay Island and the cleanup of Manila Bay. Both Boracay and scenic Manila Bay are known to attract foreign investors who want to mix business with pleasure. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Tourism are therefore urged to set their priorities right. We need foreign investments to fuel the growth of the economy. This is why Singapore developed into an economic hub because of its reputation as a safe place, plus the attractive investment incentives. Why our legislators continue to support the 60-40 rule in favor of local investments is not so hard to understand. Our politicians and their families are in business and engaged in politics to perpetuate their their familys social, political and business interests. Need we say more? If they are not popular, the leading candidates for the Senate are the ones with the money. Money speaks louder than words and the wealthy bets are expected to turn up the volume at the homestretch of the political campaign. Here are todays leading news stories: Politics -- Vietnamese Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung had a working session with a delegation of Russian experts and firms, led by Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Mamonov, in Hanoi on Monday to discuss measures to build an e-government and ensure the safety of cyber information. Society -- A group of five men in the northern province of Dien Bien has admitted to abducting and raping a 22-year-old woman before strangling her to death on February 6, the provincial Department of Police confirmed during a press meeting on Monday. -- Two people have died of dengue fever in Ho Chi Minh City since the beginning of this year, as they failed to seek proper treatment at local hospitals before the illness became too serious, according to the municipal Preventive Medicine Center. -- Doctors in Ho Chi Minh City have successfully saved a 33-year-old man after he stabbed himself in his heart following a fierce argument with his wife on February 14. -- The Management Center of the Saigon River Tunnel on Monday put into operation a smart traffic monitoring and control center, which manages nearly 900 traffic surveillance cameras and is connected with traffic light systems on 78 major streets across Ho Chi Minh City. -- Police in the central province of Quang Nam confirmed on Monday they had caught a total of 38 people using drugs inside several rooms of a local karaoke parlor at around 12:10 am on Saturday. -- A seventh-grader in the north-central province of Ha Tinh has been praised for saving two elementary school students from drowning in a local canal last weekend. -- Officers in Ho Chi Minh City said on Monday they had arrested the purse snatcher who was caught on camera in the act as the victim was posing for a photo in downtown areas during the Lunar New Year holiday. -- Many houses in northern Vietnamese provinces have been damaged by extreme gusts and hail from Saturday to Monday, according to local centers for disaster prevention. Business -- Vietnam has been granted a permit to export its mangoes to the United States following nearly ten years of negotiation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Monday. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A thief who was caught on camera snatching the purse of a woman when the victim was posing for a photo in downtown Ho Chi Minh City during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday earlier this month has been arrested, police said Monday. Thach Thanh Tuyen, 24, who hails from the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh, was apprehended after having been on the run for two weeks, according to officers under the municipal police department. On the afternoon of February 3, a woman was taking a photo with her family members near the intersection of Thi Sach with Cao Ba Quat Streets in District 1 when Tuyen rushed in to snatch her handbag. The cameraman of the family photo snapped the picture right at the moment Tuyen got his hands on the bag. The picture, with the bag snatchers face clearly visible, went viral on social media before it was submitted to police officers to assist their investigation. Thach Thanh Tuyen is arrested by police officers on February 18, 2019 in this photo supplied by officers. The victim is a Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) who arrived from Singapore to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which began on February 5, with her family in Ho Chi Minh City. After stealing the item, Tuyen ran toward his accomplice, who was waiting on a motorbike, and fled the scene, Dan Tri online newspaper quoted the victim as saying. She added that the handbag contained more than SGD2,000 (US$1,473), her credit card, and other important personal documents. According to officers, Tuyen left Ho Chi Minh City after committing the crime. He recently came back to the metropolis and was nabbed as he was staying at a hotel in Binh Chanh District. Police have expanded their investigation as Tuyens driver was also arrested. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Russia has agreed to assist Vietnam in building an e-government as well as help the Southeast Asian country ensure information safety, a Russian deputy minister for digital development said in Hanoi on Monday. Russian Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Mikhail Mamonov is leading a delegation on a working visit to Vietnam from February 18 to 20. The guests, including Russian experts and firm representatives, had a working session with Vietnamese Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung in Hanoi on Monday. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc established the National Committee on E-Government and assigned the Government Office to work with the Ministry of Information and Communications, and relevant agencies to build a detailed plan for the 2019-2020 period, Dung said at the meeting. Vietnam will launch platforms on data sharing and put into operation a national public services portal, with a view to building smart urban areas. Focus will also be directed on developing human resources, regulations, and technology to support the establishment of the e-government. Minister Dung pointed out the lack of a national population database, while online public services are limited to the territory of each province and city. He hoped that Russia will share its experience in e-government development as well as effective measures to ensure information and cyber security. According to Ngo Hai Phan, deputy head of the Government Offices Administrative Procedure Control Agency, Vietnam is striving to improve the operation efficiency of state administrative apparatus and service quality. The goal is to increase the countrys e-government development index, Phan added. Deputy Minister Mamonov spoke highly of Vietnams goal of boasting a high e-government development index. Russia also wants to cooperate with Vietnam in personnel training in information technology and cyber security, the official stated. At the session, the Russian delegation introduced the strengths of a national platform in processing dispersed data. Delegates were divided into three working groups to discuss with Vietnamese partners certain fields. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man in Ho Chi Minh City has spent nearly 30 years making masks inspired by traditional play performances as a labor of love although the long-standing form of theater is now considerably out of vogue, especially in urban areas. Nguyen Van Bay has vended his home-made masks along the southern metropolis major streets of Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Dien Bien Phu and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia since he was in his twenties. Masks like those of his are related to a type of theater quite popular across southern Vietnam multiple decades ago known as hat boi or hat tuong, in which a performer in elaborate colorful costumes and accessories combines singing, gestures and facial expressions to depict a character. The mask creation by Bay, 56, is an effort to give such character-portraying expressions a definite physical form so that younger generations and posterity in general have a chance to know about the once-thriving form of theater. But the more immediate purpose is to satisfy his passion for masks. Nguyen Van Bays masks are displayed at his home in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nhu Hung / Tuoi Tre Fascination in childhood When I was a child, I did everything to watch a hat boi play after I heard it was going to come to my village, Bay recalled of the old days in his hometown of Binh Dinh Province in south-central Vietnam. What I liked best was the performers makeup. The curves and colors there told a lot about whether a character was kind-hearted, aggressive or humorous. When he was demobilized, the man in his late twenties earned a hard living by doing various jobs but an idea of pursuing mask making usually came to him. I believed at the time that doing things I liked would give a better future, he recollected. Thats why I went to lots of places and found that not many people made masks for sale. So I decided to start doing them. Around 1990, he traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, started his business on a shoestring and got married to a woman who was a factory worker. Eloquent paint brushes The process of creating a mask begins with forming a clay mold and overlaying it with silicone, he said. Then a limestone called calcium carbonate and synthetic plastic are used and the mask is completed after he has painted designs on it. He said the painting poses a challenge as the task requires the maker to translate his impressions of good and evil onto the empty mask. Every paint brush has to show the typical character in a way that one can unmistakably know the mask describes a good or bad person. Nguyen Van Bay makes masks at his home in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Nhu Hung / Tuoi Tre Perseverance in declining demand Bay said few people buy his masks a day and the chief family income comes from his wifes wage. Over the past many years in my business, a number of people have asked me why I kept doing this job and how I could make a living from it, he said. They told me they had seen my face too often but my masks were strangers to them. The masks, hung on a support on his bicycle, fetch VND150,000-400,000 ($6.5-17) apiece. Therere days when I sell two or three masks but therere some when I find no buyer. Its possible that I sell no mask during an entire week. When asked whether he was deterred by the modest income, the man turned his head away in a gesture of dissatisfaction. I can work as a laborer or do other jobs to get better earnings but I will never do that. I love making masks for sale, although their demand is shrinking and they are gradually forgotten. People may not buy them, but they are reminded of hat tuong whenever looking at the items. My family have never complained about my job because they know I have a passion for masks. His wife supported him, recalling happy moments when she heard him telling stories related to a play character that he wanted to describe with his masks. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Ho Chi Minh City court on Monday made a landmark decision to award an artist intellectual property rights over four fictional characters in an iconic series of Vietnamese childrens comics, putting an end to a high-profile lawsuit that had dragged on for 12 years. The lawsuit revolves around creator rights over four main characters in the Than Dong Dat Viet (Prodigy of the Viet Land) series that has captivated generations of Vietnamese children. First published in 2002, the iconic comics are set in rural Vietnam during the Later Le dynasty and chronicle the life of a group of childhood friends who find clever ways to overcome challenging tasks and puzzles. The stories are inspired by local folk tales and historical records of real Vietnamese figures. It is considered the longest-running comic series in Vietnam, having published 226 volumes and counting as of the time of writing. Of these, nearly 150 volumes were published amid a copyright row regarding the main characters of the series between a local artist and the head of the publishing unit of the comics. Two pages of a Than Dong Dat Viet volume. Photo: Thanh Dam / Tuoi Tre It all started in April 2007, when artist Le Linh filed a lawsuit against Phan Thi, a company that collaborated with him on producing Than Dong Dat Viet, demanding that he be recognized as the sole creator of the comics characters. The lawsuit was brought after Phan Thi had submitted a copyright registration which indicates that Le Linh is only one of the characters co-creators alongside the companys director, Phan Thi My Hanh. Hanh claimed she had already visualized and conceptualized the characters in her head and only collaborated with Le Linh to flesh out her ideas. Linh also accused Phan Thi of violating his intellectual property rights by hiring other artists to draw the characters and continuing to produce new volumes of the comics after he had withdrawn from the project following the 78th volume, published in 2005. The lawsuit had dragged on for 12 years due to a lack of supporting documents until a court in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City finally opened on December 28, 2018. Artist Le Linh appears at a court in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on February 18, 2019. Photo: Tuyet Mai / Tuoi Tre The court reached a verdict on the case on Monday, recognizing Le Linh as the sole creator of the comics characters and rejecting Phan Thi My Hanh as their co-creator. Phan Thi violated Linhs rights by drawing and modifying the characters without his agreement after the artist had got out of the project, the court ruled. The company is required to stop producing new works based on the characters created by Le Linh, pay for the artists attorneys fee related to the lawsuit, and run an official apology in printed newspapers, according to the verdict. A representative of the defendant said after the court that they would appeal the judgment. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Dozens of children in Vietnam have been born to infertile parents under a program that pays for the costs of the expensive in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for low-income couples who struggle to conceive naturally. The annual program, known as Uom mam hanh phuc (Sowing Happiness), was launched in 2014 by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, who spearheaded the introduction of IVF treatment in Vietnam in the late 1990s. Each year, organizers select from hundreds of applications and provide financial as well as medical support to some dozen couples who need help the most. Selected couples are sponsored for all steps of a standard IVF treatment, which is a process of fertilizing an egg with sperm outside of the body. This treatment involves monitoring and stimulating a woman's ovulatory process, removing ova from the woman's ovaries, letting sperm fertilize them in a laboratory, and implanting the resultant embryo in the females uterus. A couple plays with their child born through in vitro fertilization sponsored by a program that supports infertile couples in Vietnam. Photo: Huu Thuan / Tuoi Tre According to Dr. Dang Quang Vinh, deputy director of My Duc General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City that provides the treatment, selected couples will have all their medical costs covered, including those of storing unused embryos, which can be accessed for future IVF attempts. Under this program, each couple can save up to VND80-100 million (US$3,500 - 4,300) per attempt. As of the time of writing, 80 children have been born to parents who underwent IVF treatment sponsored by the program, while six mothers are expected to give birth through IVF treatment soon. This year, on its fifth annual call for candidates, the program has received 621 applications from infertile couples from across the country and selected 167 satisfying all criteria laid out by the organizers. As our funds are limited, we have no choice but to give priority to couples who are in most dire need of financial support, said Dr. Vinh said. Dr. Dang Quang Vinh, vice-director of My Duc General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Huu Thuan / Tuoi Tre The program is funded by donations from My Duc General Hospital employees and philanthropists. In 2017, VND2.7 billion ($116,000) was raised from these donations to help 33 couples selected for the fourth edition of the program. It pains us every time we have to reject an application, he said. The birth of Treasure Hoang Van Hung, 36, and his wife Huynh Kim Hue, 29, who live in a small house in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, were one of the 86 couples who were blessed with a child after being chosen for the program. The couples dream of having a child became more and more far-fetched as they still struggled to conceive years after getting married. Hue managed to get pregnant after their first attempt at seeking medical intervention by manually inserting her husbands semen into her uterus, but their unborn child was pronounced dead by doctors eight weeks into her pregnancy. After spending some time getting over the shock of their first childs death, Hung and Hue sought help from private clinics multiple times to no avail. Huynh Kim Hue plays with her first child born through in vitro fertilization sponsored by a program that supports infertile couples in Vietnam. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Financially exhausted, the couple decided to apply for the third edition of the Uom mam hanh phuc program and got selected to undergo free IVF treatment at My Duc General Hospital. It was Dr. Vuong Thi Ngoc Lan, Dr. Phuongs daughter, who implanted the lab-cultured embryo into Hues uterus. The couples happiness doubled when the first ultrasound result came out, showing that Hue had conceived twin babies. However, one of the babies was pronounced dead after only 11 weeks. Following this incident, Hung told Hue to refrain from all labor activities and to spend her days watching comedies to stay in a good mood. Hue gave birth to the remaining twin on October 15, 2016 after 37 weeks of pregnancy. The couple had asked doctors to perform a C-section three weeks earlier than the expected date for fear of another miscarriage. It was only after hearing our childs first cries that we could breathe a sigh of relief, Hung said. It was a special moment that we wouldn't ever be able to forget. A medical worker tends to the first child of Hoang Van Hung and Huynh Kim Hue after the boy is delivered at My Duc General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on October 15, 2016 in this photo provided by the couple. They named their first child Bao Lam, which translates as treasure of the forest." Now pregnant with her second child through IVF treatment, Hue said she and her husband could finally put an end to their restless search for a child which they had thought was without any hope. Renewed hope According to a 2018 research conducted on 14,300 married couples in Vietnam, 7.7 percent of the couples who were in childbearing age suffered from infertility. The research estimated that around one million couples nationwide were infertile, half of which were under the age of 30. Although the figure is not high when compared to the average global infertility rate of 6-12 percent as per WHO statistics, Dr. Phuong said it is alarming due to the fact that unhealthy lifestyles contribute much to infertility in Vietnam. Heavy smoking and drinking habits affect ones ability to conceive naturally, she added. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, former director of Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre More than 20 years since the first child was born through IVF in Vietnam in 1998, tens of thousands of children have been born thanks to this medical technique, Dr. Phuong said. Although the cost of IVF treatment in Vietnam is the lowest in the world, its still a huge expenditure for low-income couples, Dr. Phuong said. If [all infertile couples in Vietnam] get access to free IVF treatment, around 70 percent of them will be able to conceive, she added. Dr. Phuong expressed her hope that IVF treatment will soon become available in each of Vietnams 63 provinces and municipalities so patients can cut down on their traveling and accommodation expenses. An infertile patient undergoes a medical checkup at My Duc General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnamese girl born with abnormally short arms and legs is leading a life admired by her family as she shows kind acts and a good academic performance. Tran Thi Hieu Thao, nine years old, suffers a condition known as congenital amputation although no fetal deformities were detected in ultrasound, according to her maternal grandmother, Tran Thi Cho. The main part of her name, Hieu Thao, is construed as filial affection and gratitude a major quality expected of children in the traditional Vietnamese cultural value system. Tran Thi Hieu Thao holds a glass of water with her short arm at her grandparents house in Soc Trang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Khac Tam / Tuoi Tre Thaos father died in a road accident before she turned one. She has lived up to her name, considered a girl of thoughtfulness in her hometown on a river islet in the southern province of Soc Trang. Thaos lovely and kind. She rarely snivels and doesnt refuse to eat any food we give her, her maternal grandfather, Tran Van Nho, said. She always gives us delicious food she receives from others. The child is now a third grader who can write quite beautifully a result after days of practice with a pencil held between one of her short arms and her chin. Tran Thi Hieu Thaos handwriting. Photo: Khac Tam / Tuoi Tre The same way is applied to a mobile phone, as Thao types and touches the screen with her lips. She was one of the students who joined a district-level handwriting competition and won a high award there, according to local education department leader Nguyen Thanh Phong. She made over a hundred attempts before she could use the phone with her lips, the grandfather said. During the first few days, she sustained a bleeding injury that prevented her from eating. But she didnt give up. Its a determined and painstaking effort of hers. The grandmother takes her to school two kilometers away on weekdays along a road crossing a sugarcane field. When the girl knew that the grandmother had been injured while working in a field, she cried and asked the woman to be taken to hospital, the grandmother recalled. The child took care of the senior in the infirmary by crawling on the floor to bring water to her and using her short arms to massage and wipe sweat from the woman. The girl crawled to doctors and told them to replace a bag almost running out of intravenous fluid for her grandmother. Thao wishes to be a doctor when she grows up. Ill try to study well and finish my education. Ill become a doctor so that I can treat my grandma, she said. When shes healthy, she can live with me for a long time. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams state inspectorate has announced several issues involving a salt mining plant in Laos developed by a state-run Vietnamese company which has been struggling to pull the plug on the overseas plan. Vietnam National Chemical Group (Vinachem) has been making losses from the Investment Project of Salt Mining and Processing in Nongbok District of the central Lao province of Khuammouan over the last four years. To make matters worse, it is not easy for the Vietnamese chemical giant to withdraw from the loss-making project due to legal complexities associated with the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract, the scheme under which the project was developed. Vinachem initiated its investment in the salt project in Khuammouan with a series of exploration and evaluation activities in 2004-08, but construction only began in 2015. The US$522.46 million salt mining and processing project was expected to produce some 320,000 tons of potassium salt a year once commissioned. The products were supposed to be transferred to Vietnam, helping the country reduce imports. Vinachem contributed $105 million to the project and borrowed respective loans of $113 million, $161 million, and $143 million from three Vietnamese lenders, Vietnam Development Bank, BIDV, and VietinBank. Problems occur In late 2015, Vinachem said the Laos project would help it rake in $140 million a year, citing salt prices of up to $340 per ton projected by English magazine Fertecon World Fertilizer Review in September that year. In reality, potassium salt prices in Southeast Asia had dropped by 26.5 percent to about $250 per ton by the end of 2016. Even though prices were a little higher in Vietnam at that time, around $270 per ton, losses were inevitable for Vinachem. It was at that time that the Vietnamese company began to think about an exit plan, as keeping the project going according to the plan would only result in losses. The State Inspectorate of Vietnam has looked into the project and found that the estimated total investment in the project was much higher than it should have. The consulting firm for the project had used a similar project in Germany to estimate the total investment cost and came up with the $522 million estimate, while it should have been only $377 million, according to state inspectors. As construction began in 2015, three years behind the initial schedule, Vinachem also failed to put the project into operation in 2016 as planned. The progress of the project was hit by the slow disbursement of the bank loans, as the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance decided to stop granting government guarantees for Vinachem to borrow more loans from October 2016 as it saw no efficiency from the project. Vinachem sought the prime ministers approval to cease the project twice in November 2016. No easy withdrawal In that context, the government ordered Vinachem to recalculate the economic effectiveness as well as the total investment needed for the project. Vinachem then hired the National Institute of Mining - Metallurgy Science and Technology (Vimluki) to perform the task. As Vimluki said it is impossible to make the project economically efficient, the Vietnamese premier assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade to consider Vinachems proposal to ditch the project. On May 15, 2018, the Ministry of Industry and Trade officially issued a written request to Vinachem, asking it to terminate the investment contract of the potassium salt mining and processing project in Laos. The trade ministry also required the chemical giant to calculate the total capital it had poured into the project, along with the costs that arose, following its withdrawal. The ministry admitted that the withdrawal would result in heavy losses for the state budget. However, the project contractor, a joint venture of TTCL, K.UTEC and CECO, refused to terminate their EPC contract with Vinachem. The contractor demands that both sides negotiate to handle disputes as per the terms and agreements in the contract. The joint venture said the project was 57 percent completed as of July 2017, but Vinachem has only settled payment for about 16.25 percent of the workload. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Fresh mango fruit imports from Vietnam have officially been licensed to enter the continental United States, the Plant Protection Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Monday. Mango is the sixth fruit of Vietnam to be able to reach consumers in the U.S., following dragon fruit, rambutan, longan, litchi and star apple. Negotiations for the exportation of Vietnamese mangoes to the U.S. had been ongoing for nearly ten years before the exporting country got the permission to begin shipping the tropical fruits to the States. In December 2017, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was assigned to conduct pest risk analysis and prepare treatment methods and dosage for Vietnamese mangoes before accepting the fruits into the country. Vietnams Plant Protection Department applied for a license to export fresh mangoes to the U.S. in 2009. In order to get the export permission, mango production areas in Vietnam must comply with farm food safety requirements set by the U.S., according to the Plant Protection Department. The same criteria are also required for mango packing plants. The fruit must also be treated by irradiation methods to be eligible for sale in the U.S. market, a requirement that is also applied for the export of the other five Vietnamese fruits to the States. With the official license granted, Vietnamese exporters are working with local plant quarantine agencies to complete final preparations before shipping Vietnamese mangoes to the U.S., according to Nguyen Dinh Tung, general director of Vina T&T, a company which specializes in importing and exporting farm produce. It is expected that the first batch of mangoes will leave Vietnam for the U.S. in the next ten days, Tung said. Vietnamese mangoes are able to be on sale at competitive prices in the U.S., as they can be shipped by sea, thus reducing transportation cost, Tung added. Among the most demanding markets that import Vietnamese fruits, the U.S. is the biggest one in terms of import volume, with American consumers favoring dragon fruit, rambutan, longan, and recently apple star. The United States imports nearly 400,000 metric tons of fresh mangoes annually from Central America and South America while the countrys domestic mango production modestly reaches about 3,000 metric tons per year, according to fruit exporters. Currently, Vietnam has about 87,000 hectares of mango plantations with an output of approximately one million metric tons a year. While Vietnam ranks 13th in the world for mango production, the countrys export quantity remains modest. Apart from the U.S., Vietnamese mangoes have been exported to Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! We hope you have enjoyed your complimentary access for the month. To continue viewing content on tucson.com, please sign in with your existing account or subscribe. European Union Ambassador to ASEAN In January I joined Federica Mogherini, the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in Brussels as she co-chaired the 22nd EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. It was an impressive occasion, and the best attended such gathering anyone could remember, with almost all the ten ASEAN and twenty-eight EU Member States represented by their foreign ministers. Brussels was preparing for its first big snowfall of the winter, but the reception we gave our ASEAN partners was a truly warm one. The debate inside the room reflected the depth and breadth of our relations, from conflict in the Middle East, to the importance of the South China Sea and the Rohingya crisis, to promoting trade, investment, or higher education. Much was said but there was also a unity of purposea common desire to strengthen EU-ASEAN cooperation including in new areas such as combating unregulated fishing, or launching a new high level dialogue on environment and climate change, and an agreement in principle to upgrade our relations to a strategic partnership. As Mrs. Mogherini said after the meeting, this was a recognition of the strategic nature of the partnership we already have in many fields. It was an important signal showing that the two most advanced and most successful integration processes in the world stand firmly behind multilateralism and a rules-based global order." Or as her fellow co-chair Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore and ASEAN coordinator for EU relations put it "we take our partnership to a greater height, we will continue to explore new areas in which we can cooperate and learn from each other, such as cybersecurity, maritime security, connectivity and climate change." A close and deep partnership between the EU and ASEAN is thus of strategic importance for both regional blocs. We are certainly pivotal economic partners already. Our private sector is, by far, the first investor in ASEAN, holding a quarter of total stock in the region, and we are ASEAN's second largest trading partner. The EU has concluded or is negotiating free trade and investment agreements with a number of ASEAN members, building blocks for an ambitious region-to-region trade and investment framework. We are working hard to increase transport links and our overall connectivity. If as I hope we soon agree the first ever region-to-region Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement, millions of our citizens will benefit and the travel and tourism industry in particular stands to make great gains. We can build on this and establish a comprehensive EU-ASEAN Connectivity Partnership. While some question globalisation and are retreating into economic nationalism, it is important that ASEAN and the EU together seek to bolster global links, make them work for all and show their true value to our shared prosperity. And as ASEAN says, we can leave no one behind.The EU remains the largest donor to ASEAN, helping the organisation and your governments to reduce poverty and spread opportunity, with over 200 million in support of ASEAN regional integration and connectivity, on top of over 2 billion of bilateral assistance to ASEAN member states, and the direct efforts of our 28 EU Member States. We will also continue to stand by you after each major natural disaster, from tsunamis to cyclones, putting victims needs above any other consideration. Cooperation, solidarity and prosperity have long been the hallmarks of our relations. And while they remain so, the rapidly evolving international scene is leading us to focus more on key strategic issues. Our shared ambitions can only realise their full potential in a rules-based, peaceful and stable environment. This is what makes ASEAN so important for the EU in Asianot just as a community of ten, but being also the core of the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, or the ADMM+ process. And this is where ASEAN and the EU are already rightly expanding their security cooperationfrom trafficking in persons to cyber-crime, from maritime security to transnational crime and counter-terrorism. Today we live in no ordinary time. Sea levels are rising, our biodiversity is shrinking, and many communities across the world are at risk of displacement or competing for access to basic resources such as water or arable land. We cannot afford to continue on the same path. Meanwhile, the Fourth Industrial Revolution will affect everyone. Our regions need the ambition, leadership and vision to address those challenges. Last month we published our ambitions for A Sustainable Europe by 2030, moving to a circular economy, correcting the imbalances in our food system, future-proofing our energy, buildings and mobility, and making sure that this transition is fair, leaving no one and no place behind. No one can achieve these goals alone. And thankfully that is something else we agree onthe foreign ministers spent more time talking about the environment, climate change and sustainable development than anything else. We agreed to deliver together on our United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including on the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Both ASEAN and the EU see regional integration as the most effective way to foster stability and prosperity. We are both committed to addressing global challenges through a system based on rules and multilateralism. We both have an interest in promoting fair and open markets, in shaping global economic and environmental rules, and in sustainable access to each other through open sea, land and air routes, in full respect of international law. As global stakeholders, the EU and ASEAN have the responsibility to advance the international rules-based order and preserve our global commons. I have been immensely privileged, as the EUs first ambassador to ASEAN, to have seen our strategic relationship go from strength to strength. I am confident that it has even further to run and that, together, we will play a leading role in developing the global responses needed for the challenges of tomorrow. Why: For his work with migrant families and Casa Alitas. Diego helps provide hospitality and humanitarian aid to Central American migrant families released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to Casa Alitas, a program of Catholic Community Services, Cavendish wrote in her nomination letter. In October 2018, he was crucial in providing emergency shelter and support to over 500 migrant fathers, mothers and children in Tucson. He does all this as a volunteer while teaching full time at Salpointe Catholic High School and studying for a graduate degree in social work, Cavendish wrote. Nogales Highway has reopened after a driver crashed into a power pole and trailer, seriously injuring one person, officials say. At about 1 p.m. Monday afternoon, a driver lost control of their vehicle and hit a tree, power pole and business trailer, according to a tweet from Tucson Police spokesperson Sgt. Pete Dugan. The road was closed for more than two hours while officials investigated. The person was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Even though the road is now open, Dugan said Tucson Electric Power was still on the scene making repairs to power lines. Nearly 2,500 people were without power in the area. No additional information was available at this time. Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara 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. PHOENIX A federal judge has rejected efforts by the Goldwater Institute to force the Food and Drug Administration to detail publicly how dying people can get access to unapproved medicines. In a 12-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton said attorney Jonathan Riches has no legal right to force the agency to disclose exactly how it reached the decision to allow two people infected with the Ebola virus to be administered ZMapp, even though the drug had not even gotten to the stage where it was approved for human testing. Riches contends the public is entitled to know how the FDA reached that conclusion. And Riches said Monday the issues go beyond what happened in this one case. How the government makes life-saving drugs available, particularly in an emergency situation, we have a right to know that, he said. That shouldnt be a government secret, Riches said. The FDA should be as transparent as possible when it comes to how patients who are sick and dying can get access to drugs that might save their lives. And he said he intends to appeal. A new program, Single Mom Scholars, provides services to enable low-income single mothers to graduate from college and increase their earning capacity; ICS is also growing its volunteer corps to provide additional services to aging and convalescing seniors in their homes. Events such as Empty Bowls provide an opportunity to expand awareness about these programs and the underlying problem of food insecurity, said Jada Crellin-Ahern, who has coordinated donations of bowls for the event since its inception. The owner of Dry Heat Pottery, Crellin-Ahern makes about 100 bowls herself for Empty Bowls, but she credits the generosity of Southern Arizona potters, artists, students and volunteers for its success. It is a community effort. We, as potters, feel very lucky to have this job, and I think this is our way to give back, she said. She also views the event as an opportunity for potters to share their passion and make handmade pieces of all shapes, sizes and colors easily accessible to the public. Some people may come and get their first handmade bowl at this event. Just think, you could start your collection with that piece and replace plastic with things that last a long time. Every bowl at this event could be on this earth longer than we are. These pieces will be around forever unless someone drops them on the floor. Isnt that cool? Crellin-Ahern said. Contact freelance writer Loni Nannini at ninch2@comcast.net Johnson said she was told she can leave the timeshare to her children. My children dont want them, my children cant afford to pay the maintenance fee, she said. There is no way out of this. You own this for life and you own it beyond your life. Johnson said she realizes that nothing the Legislature adopts now can alter the contract she signed nearly four decades ago. But she told lawmakers they should protect others going forward. The Arizona Attorney Generals Office crafted the proposal, which is being sponsored by Rep. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, to deal with specific complaints by timeshare buyers and owners. It starts with providing more than just seven days for buyers to reconsider what theyve done, said Amanda Rusing, who lobbies for the Attorney Generals Office. People arent even home from their vacations and sobered up by the time theyre completely locked in to these contracts, Rusing said. What we wanted to do is give people a more meaningful opportunity to think about that contract that they signed. She also said its important for people to be able to get out of a contract once they have actually had the opportunity to see and use the unit they bought. But Rios said those restrictions can prevent more families from getting self-sufficient, since it can take time to do job training or deal with mental-health issues or family violence, for example. Theres no need to create more obstacles for people who are already struggling, she said. No one with the Governors Office will comment on pending legislation, said Patrick Ptak, director of communications for Duceys office. Sen. David Gowan, a Republican from Sierra Vista, did not respond to an interview request. He was one of the committee chairs who did not give the bills a hearing. Since the state started making cuts to TANF in fiscal year 2009, the average number of people receiving help dropped from 83,969 per month to 16,195 per month in fiscal year 2018. The average monthly TANF payment dropped from $118 per month to $94 per month, according to recent reports by the states Department of Economic Security. Out of the $220.6 million in federal TANF funds Arizona received for the 2019 fiscal year, the states Department of Child Safety got $157.3 million, or 72 percent. The majority of those funds go toward foster care, adoptions and emergency and residential placements, DCS data shows. The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the petitions filed by four different groups and affirmed the legality of the third extension of martial law in Mindanao. The Supreme Court ruled to uphold the constitutionality of the extension of the declaration of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao until December 31, 2019, new Supreme Court spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka told reporters after the high court met as a group. Malacanang hailed the decision, saying the executive, legislative and judiciary branches of the government are on the same page in fending off the rebellion with the implementation of martial law in Mindanao. We are pleased to note that the three separate and independent branches of government, the primordial duty of which is to protect the state and secure public safety, have forged a unified stand against the forces of rebellion and terrorism, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement. As we fast-track the rehabilitation of the war-torn Marawi and promote security and peace and order in Mindanao, we ask the Filipino nation not to waver in their support for our Republics defenders, he said. Let us remain vigilant and prevail against these anti-democratic forces. Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed the decision and said it proved that the House was correct in approving the request from President Duterte. Its good. We [are] happy [about it] because we voted to extend it, Arroyo told reporters at the House of Representatives Tuesday. Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel echoed Arroyo. That was good news for us Mindanaoans because we have a problem of insurgency and this hinders our development, Pimentel said. But Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT Teachers, members of the Makabayan Bloc, condemned the decision.The Defense department also welcomed the Supreme Courts decision. The department said the public could rest assured the authorities would remain steadfast in their duty to safeguard the communities from the threats of rebellion, terrorism and violent extremism. Hosaka said the magistrates voted 9-4 to uphold the martial law extension. Those who voted in favor of the extension were Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Mariano Del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Jose Reyes Jr., Ramon Paul Hernando and Rosmari Carandang. The four who dissented were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Hosaka said Carandang was theor writer of the martial law extension decision. Carandang became newest member of the high court after she was appointed to the post by the President on Nov. 26, 2018, to take the place of Teresita Leonardo De Castro after her appointment as Chief Justice. Congress, in a joint session in December, voted 235-28-1 in favor of extending martial law in Mindanao for the third time, and until the end of this year. Opposition lawmakers claimed that another extension of martial law in Mindanao had no factual legal basis and that the violent incidents there were not acts of rebellion but rather acts of terrorism that could be addressed without resorting to martial law. From changing jobs to leaving relationships, at one point or another, we've all had to take big risks, make life-altering shifts, or completely start over. Tucson Storytellers, a live storytelling event hosted by the Arizona Daily Star and This is Tucson in partnership with Startup Tucson, is sharing stories about the times in life when we've had to pivot. Six community members will take the stage on February 19 at the Rail Yard to share their true, first-person stories about the pivots in their lives. Among them is local author Adam Rex, who will be telling about the biggest pivot in his life adopting his son. Entrepreneur Janelle Briggs will be sharing a story about three monumental conversations in her life, and how those shaped her into the person she is today. And Andrea Carmichael, who works at a non-profit, will be sharing about how practicing ballet helped her find the confidence to live as her true self. Just like a musician, I will be following the maestro. Ive memorized the music to the point that I know the queuing, he said. What we can expect to see are stark and sweeping images of the canyon that you dont get from the visitor center postcards or by aiming your camera from an observation deck. Take the Toroweap, a spot that you reach through Utah, driving along a rutted dirt road that gets so wild and wooly that its almost impossible to traverse without a high-profile vehicle. Its one of the best views in the canyon because you are looking about 3,000 feet down, with the Colorado on both sides, he said. Its like looking over a 3,000-foot cliff. Bardonnay said that while his film offers the visual glimpse, its the orchestra that provides the emotional connection to tie it all together. Its kind of like any great film. Take Lord of the Rings: if you take away the soundtrack, you lose something, he explained. Its meant to create kind of a dynamic where its not necessarily literal of what the composer was thinking when they wrote the music. It was meant to be more of a montage of the visuals. Seems like just, well 100 years ago, that our big hole in the ground was designated a national park. On Tuesday, Feb. 26, we celebrate the century landmark. In Arizona, were doing it big not quite as big as our Canyon that spreads out over 1,217,262 acres, which in miles were talking about 277, and plummets more than a mile at its deepest point. But throughout the year, there will be everything from art exhibits to concerts including: JACKSON (AP) Agencies in a resort community in northwest Wyoming are distributing reusable bags to residents ahead of the town's ban on plastic bags. The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports officials recently amended Jackson's budget to include about $18,000 for outreach and education for the bag ban approved last month. Assistant public works director Johnny Ziem says most of money was used to buy 20,000 bags to make available to residents, so the ban doesn't become "something that is a barrier for anyone." Grocers and large retailers will not be allowed to hand out single-use plastic bags starting April 15. The ban will apply to small retailers Nov. 15. Other city and Teton County agencies have hosted events to collect reusable bags to give to residents. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 If elected, Kaufman said she would like to explore how the county can make the most out of the areas outdoor recreational opportunities. She also said she would advocate for more local control. We talk a lot about how we want more local control and we havent necessary seen that out of the legislature this year, she said, explaining that legislators have killed many bills that were supported by the Wyoming County Commissioners Association and the Wyoming Association of Municipalities. I think it comes down to (the need for) maybe some more advocacy work and really outside of session, building the relationships and creating the story or the case for why those things are so important. After the interviews, Bertoglio said all three finalists were strong candidates. But he said he believed Kaufman could offer a unique perspective. We need a little diversity of thought, he said. Kaufman won in a vote of 3 to 1, with Milne casting a vote for North. During his interview, North said he believed he was the best candidate in part because he has remained involved in county affairs since running for commissioner last year. It was watching the actors on stage, the joy in their face, Hebert recalled. And were dealing with the exact same age group. And it must have been the director that put that joy there. Because their eyes were bright and shining, they told the story so well, they were excited, they had the energy to do it and everything was just visually pleasing. It was the closest thing that I had ever seen to professional theater. Inspiration and dedication Hebert strives to recreate the same joy, energy and sense of community he discovered at Casper College. Inspiration from his mentor weaves through the production. The cow heads on stage were created for the 1999 show, along with some of the same costumes also on loan from the college. Other ideas and costumes are new, like the pharaohs jumpsuit and the dreamcoat handmade by Kelly Walshs costume designer, Beth Burgess. In this production, Josephs coat is a quilt incorporating all the patterns and colors from the cloaks of Josephs 11 brothers, to add the idea of a family heirloom. When the brothers become jealous of the coat, they rip their colors from it and later reconstruct it in this production. In her Exploring the Seven Wonders of the Modern World keynote presentation Thursday, shell talk about why they were built, what makes them significant, people who discovered them, and problems including environmental issues and numbers of tourists, which have doubled in some places since they were designated, she said. Now, Machu Picchu visitors are limited to three hours at the site with a tour guide through only certain routes, and a tourist train from Cusco costs $100, she said. When she visited again 10 years ago, it was still as beautiful as her first visit, though much had changed, she said especially the crowds. Well, basically my conclusion is if you have an interest in exploring the seven new wonders, go now, Mueller said. The humanities festival features an exhibit, Three Continents, of images by retired photojournalist Jacek Bogucki on display through Friday with a noon artists talk that day at the Mildred Zahradnicek Gallery in the Casper College Music Building. The show includes photographs of his hometown, Krakow, Poland. Others he captured on expeditions through South America, some of which have been featured in National Geographic. Visitors will see photographs from Wyoming where hes made his home in Casper, which he fondly calls the little town on the prairie. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will dig deeper into the involvement of international drug syndicates behind floating block of cocaines found on Philippine shores. PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the blocks of cocaine found on the coastlines of Quezon, Siargao, Dinagat Islands and Camarines Norte in the past two weeks could just be a distraction to allow drug syndicates to smuggle more drugs into the country. Why would the syndicates allow to lose such amount of money [because of these floating blocks of cocaine?] he asked. Why cant they recover these? He said the drugs could have come from Colombia, China and the Golden Triangle (Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand). Aquino had said that the PDEA is already coordinating with its international counterparts to identify the source of the illegal drugs. He said some of the cocaine blocks had GPS navigation systems on them, which he said were being used to warn fellow drug traders to stay away from the area due to the presence of government authorities. The other angle we are looking into is that these syndicates are just trying to divert the attention of the security forces of our country to pave the way for a much bigger shipment of shabu. In short, if there is a recovery operation in those areas, the focus of attention is on the search and recovery of cocaine, Aquino said. If our [area of] security is now open, that is the times a big shipment of may be shabu would enter. They [traders] would allow the seizure of small volume [of drugs], then comes the huge volume, he added. He said the country has become a transshipment of cocaine. It appears we are the transshipment point of cocaine and eventually, it would be brought back outside, then to be taken to Mainland China, Hong Kong or Australian, he added. He said, the distraction is at the eastern seaboard, making the western side very open... nothing is happening there. He said the PDEA would continue to intensify security measures and intelligence surveillance in the western side. Earlier, authorities said a block of suspected cocaine was found ashore in a coastal barangay in Mauban, Quezon. The contraband was forwarded to a crime laboratory in the province for further examination. Blocks of cocaine were also found in the waters off Camarines Norte, Dinagat Islands, and Siargao. Meanwhile, a police official said that there is a possibility that there are two drop-off points of cocaine in the country.Ang isang posibilidad dito ay dalawa yung drop-off points, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac said during a press briefing on Tuesday. Meron doon sa bahaging itaas, meron doon sa bahaging ibaba. He said that the police are closely monitoring is being implemented in the eastern seaboards of Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao regions. He added that the drug syndicates may be employing undocumented crew and unregistered seacrafts for their shipment. So far, a total of 90 kilos of cocaine amounting to P500 million have been recovered in the waters off the different provinces in the country. Banac said the PNP will beef up its coastal monitoring, adding that funds have already been allocated to procure speedboats and other maritime facilities that would be used to ensure that shipments of illegal drugs will not prosper. Meanwhile, Banac advised coastal residents and fisherfolk to report any suspicious devices and packages which they may find off the waters and on shorelines. Ang ating lamang magagawa dito ay magtulong tulong tayong lahat lalo na yun mga fishermen (What we can do here is let us help each other especially our fishermen), Banac said. Tulungan po natin ang PNP na marecover lahat pa na mga nandun. Kung sakaling meron pa kayong makita, ipagbigay alam na natin. (Let us help PNP to recover if there are still (cocaine bricks) there. If you have seen suspicious item, let us know), he added. Banac warned that possession of prohibited drugs is normally a non-bailable offense. They should not make money out of it. They should be aware that they will end up in jail if they are caught in possession of the cocaine, Banac said. Meanwhile, Banac thanked local residents and fishermen who reported at least 90 bricks of cocaine they found off the waters and shorelines of Dinagat Island, Camarines Norte and Surigao del Norte last week. Your active participation in our anti-illegal drugs law enforcement operations and maintenance of peace and order continues to inspire us in performing our mandate as provided for by law to fight illegal drugs with utmost respect for human rights, he said. For more information, contact the trails office at 577-1206. Quilts of Valor meets Wednesdays The Central Wyoming Chapter of Quilts of Valor Crossroads Quilters meet at the Central Wyoming Senior Services Center at 1831 E. 4th Street from 1 to 4 p.m., on Wednesdays. It is a non-profit organization that awards Quilts of Valor to military service members and veterans who have been touched by war regardless of the conflict, declared war or otherwise in which they served. QOVs are lifetime awards, stitched with love, prayers, and healing thoughts. If you have served or know of someone who has served and has not received a QOV or if you have question please contact Linda Tackett at 253-0110 or Jan Whitney at 237-7709. Healthy U class starts Travel writer Anjaly Thomas once loved to follow her heart, but now she doesn't. "I spent some dreary days and badly wanted a change. Finally, I arrived at a decision. It was to set out on yet another trip," she says. The latest journey was going to be a dream affair 101 days in Southeast Asian countries, resolved Anjaly. "It would certainly be an amazing trip, I thought," she adds. Anjaly soon found herself in Myanmar, in a hostel room at Yangon. "I felt young once again and recalled the days when I chased wild dreams. But nobody is spared of change, which has affected me too. I am now a different person in many ways. What caused the change are my experiences. My attitude, too, has undergone a transformation, thanks to these experiences as well as age," she says. Still, Anjaly prefers a trip that involves no planning. It has to be a journey where the traveller is prepared to tackle surprises, she adds. A 101-day trip The intrepid traveller spent 101 days touring Southeast Asia. "It was an unexpected journey, a sort of dream come true. I had enough experience travelling in the area and also had funds to go anywhere, but a satisfying journey may not materialize with these things alone," says Anjaly. She points out that a hassle-free tour would be possible with money and experience, but it wouldn't involve, "living in hostel rooms, carrying a 15-kg backpack and searching for cheap accommodation." "I preferred an adventurous trip and 101 days was a pretty long period for such an affair. I was pretty much familiar with Southeast Asia and knew it offered several options for budget travel. However, I had some concerns. The weather was hot, and would the food suit me? How will I wash my clothes? Would I feel comfortable with the facilities in a hostel, especially sharing the wash room?" were Anjaly's thoughts before the journey. Writing while travelling Anjaly left her regular job 10 years ago and now works while travelling. "I write sitting in distant places, each different from the other. When planning a new trip, I often wonder whether I would be able to write for a few hours in the noisy cities where I would be staying," she elaborates. But everything worked out well as Anjaly now regularly engages in her creative pursuits in her dream destinations, howsoever crowded they are. A challenge Anjaly says that the most challenging journey is the one that involves no planning. "Many people object to my trips carried out without a plan. They have a thousand questions to ask me. But from experience, I have realized that too much preparations serve no purpose. Things may still not work out as planned," she explains. The countries in Southeast Asia are relatively safe. But Anjaly wanted to discover something new at these places during her latest trip. "I needed no plan or chart. Let everything fall into place on its own, I thought. I was prepared to face any situation," she says. "Nobody would believe me if I say that no planning was carried out. But that is the reality. I don't believe in booking hotel rooms in advance or arranging a taxi," she adds. "However, to declare that I had started the journey aimlessly is also not true. I did book a flight ticket to Yangon and had contacted a hostel in the city for a stay on the night of my arrival. Apart from that, there was no planning," says Anjaly. Which is the better option? Anjaly never considers that implementing a plan is a benchmark of success. "I don't analyse whether my trips were successful or not. In fact, the term success itself is irrelevant. Let others ponder over success and failure. My only prayer is to have the courage to accept things that I cannot change," she says. Still, money is a major issue. "But I had resolved that I would not develop any anxiety pondering over money during a journey. This isn't because I am an heir to ancestral property but as I give little importance to earthly pleasures and comforts. I am worried neither about wearing clothes that are not branded nor enjoying local food. I don't create a fuss about travelling also. I believe in carrying my bag and walking aimlessly," says Anjaly, who prefers travelling solo. The beginning Anjaly reached the hostel in Myanmar after a minor dispute with the taxi driver. "I wanted to stay put in the room in peace. I did not want to venture out and enjoy the sights, but write at least a chapter a day," she reveals. "Patience is the quality that counts most during a journey and one acquires it with age. I often wonder whether this quality does not diminish my urge to learn new things. It may be true to some extent, but that has not prevented me from enjoying the trips," says Anjaly. The former minister for health Mars Di Bartolomeo posed a parliamentary question on the topic of tobacco sales in Luxembourg. Smoking is prohibited in pubs and restaurants, and a ban on smoking on restaurant terraces was recently discussed in parliament. Nobody questions the fact that tobacco products negatively impact your health. Apart from being unhealthy, tobacco products are also becoming increasingly expensive. While smoking seems to have become less popular in Luxembourg at a first glance, recent ministry of finance numbers suggest otherwise. According to those numbers, the sale of tobacco products increased in 2018: In 2017, 2,835,128,725 cigarettes were sold, compared to the 3,001,399,505 sold in 2018. This presents a significant increase of 5.86%. Loose tobacco product sales also increased: From 3,608 tons in 2017 to 3,697 tons (+2.47%) in 2018. In its answer to LSAP MP Mars Di Bartolomeo, the ministry for finance did not explain which factors contributed to this rise in tobacco sales. But this question will no doubt be investigated by the ministry of health, which officially tries to bring tobacco consumption down. The increase in sales could have something to do with the fact that tobacco prices have gone up even more steeply in Luxembourg's neighbouring countries. In 2010, a pack of 20 cigarettes cost 3.20 in Luxembourg. In 2018, the same pack set buyers back 4.20, according to numbers provided by the ministry. The ministry of finance's parliamentary answer doesn't reveal how these prices come about, but stressed that vendors are setting the prices for these products. The numbers reveal that Luxembourgish cigarettes were less expensive than abroad at any given moment within the past 10 years. In Germany, a pack of 20 cigarettes cost 4.53, in Belgium 5.50 and in France 7.60. This means that in France, the same pack of cigarettes costs more than 3, or about 80%, more than in Luxembourg. For tobacco in a 1kg container, the situation is very similar.. In 2010, the price for this in Luxembourg was 54. Last year, the price for the same quantity was 104. In Germany, a 1kg container of tobacco became less expensive, but it is still more than what you would have to pay in Luxembourg. France has the most expensive prices on 1kg tubs of tobacco: no less than 273 per kg. The "Interdisciplinary Space Master" will be available to students of the University of Luxembourg from September 2019. In the two-year master's programme, 20 students will be trained and prepared to work in the Luxembourg space sector in collaboration with the Luxembourg Space Agency. The aim is for Luxembourg to train its own experts in research and development in the space sector and avoid massive recruitment from abroad, according to the Minister of Economy Etienne Schneider at the presentation of the new master's course. Future graduates can either be hired by companies specializing in this field or launch their own start-ups. There is already a master's course for the space sector but it is more focused on the legal aspects of space mining and exploration. Several disciplines will be integrated into the future master's course at the University of Luxembourg. The course will touch upon technical aspects, such as robotics, as well as teach commercial management and make students familiar with the legal framework. The master's course cost 4 million to set up and will cost prospective students 2,000 per semester. Press statement The University of Luxembourg launches a unique Interdisciplinary Space Master in line with the Government's SpaceResources.lu initiative (15.02.2019) Communique par: Luxembourg Space Agency In fall 2019, the University of Luxembourg launches a two-year Interdisciplinary Space Master program. This Master study program, set up in collaboration with the Luxembourg Space Agency, aims to provide students with the engineering skills required in the burgeoning space industry, along with in depth knowledge to manage space-related business activities. In 1985, a public-private partnership effort launched Societe Europeenne des Satellites, today known as global satellite operator SES. Over the last decades, further space-related services and businesses have developed alongside SES shaping a vibrant space economy. As a leader in commercial space, Luxembourg is following a unique space strategy focused on creating an attractive ecosystem for NewSpace companies. The Grand Duchy launched SpaceResources.lu in 2016 to establish the country as a centre for the exploration and utilisation of space resources. The Interdisciplinary Space Master is an integral part of this strategy while developing the specific skills needed to pioneer a new and sustainable space industry in Luxembourg. "With the new study programme, the University responds to the growing need for graduates who are uniquely qualified to contribute to a growing and dynamic industry," says Stephane Pallage, Rector of the University of Luxembourg. This unique Interdisciplinary Space Master clearly differentiates from master programs offered at other universities. It aims to give participants who already possess an engineering or scientific background the additional technical expertise in areas needed to support Luxembourg's space industry along with a strong grounding in business. To ensure the programme to meet business requirements, the Master Course was developed with input from important public and industry players in the space sector. Some of these companies endorse the programme by offering internships to students. Etienne Schneider, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy said: "The Interdisciplinary Space Master further reinforces the dynamism of the national sector driven by the SpaceResources.lu initiative and the appeal of space and its potential. By training skilled and business-minded space experts, the Master programme blends in with the Luxembourg government's objective to become Europe's hub for NewSpace activities, in particular in the field of exploration and use of resources in space." The internet shopping giant established activities in Luxembourg just about 15 years ago. By 2019, it has become the 11th largest employer in the Grand Duchy. The American company's European headquarters is based in Luxembourg, in Clausen to be exact. In the last year, Amazon has significantly expanded its services at the corporate office based in Luxembourg. The main departments based in Clausen are the Amazon Europe finance department, the legal department, human resources, and software developers. The latter focus on developing Amazon's website in multiple languages. In total, the firm has more than 2,000 employees based in Luxembourg. Pierre Weimerskirch / RTL Tele Letzebuerg Pierre Weimerskirch / RTL Tele Letzebuerg Valeri Liborski, director of EU Technology, spoke to RTL about the business's aims in Luxembourg. According to Liborski, the predominant focus is to develop technologies to allow customers to find the products they're looking for as quickly and as cheaply as possible. If customers are able to navigate Amazon's search function and website better, it follows that they will spend more. In the last quarter of 2018, the online shopping giant's profits were over 2.5 billion. Two fashion industry insiders based in the Grand Duchy have paid tribute to Karl Lagerfeld following the news of his death. The fashion world is grieving the loss of titan Karl Lagerfeld, who died on Tuesday aged 85. Even in Luxembourg, members of the fashion industry mourn his death. Belgian tailor and stylist Ezri Kahn is based on Avenue de la Liberte and remembered his experience of Lagerfeld. In the early 1990s, Kahn worked at the Yohji Yamamoto boutique and experienced Lagerfeld in the flesh, as the designer was a fan of the boutique. Thinking back to one memory in particular, he remembered Lagerfeld choosing several outfits and turning to his assistant and saying "You pay for this, you know I don't have any money on me." An image and an icon Khan added that Lagerfeld was not a dressmaker, but a designer, being incapable of cutting clothing himself. However, Lagerfeld was a visionary who managed to keep Chanel's image relevant throughout transformative times. Khan remembers his "outrageous" shows as well as his businessman-like skill to sell his image as a luxury product. Claudie Grisius, founder of brand Vol-t-age, heard the news of Lagerfeld's death in Marrakesh, and more ironically, whilst visiting the Yves Saint-Laurent museum. The Luxembourgish designer explained that she was already feeling emotional as she visited the memorial to Saint-Laurent, who has been dead for ten years, and that the news of Lagerfeld's death affected her significantly. Looking at Lagerfeld's legacy, Grisius maintains that he has left behind "a beautiful image of daring abundance and modern feminine elegance." She ended by saying that his soul will remain with Coco and Yves and that he has become a fashion angel to inspire people even after his death. Fort Payne, AL (35967) Today A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. This site focuses on Republican politicians and conservatives that rip off their constituency. We have the Tea Party, fundamentalist churches, the corruption of ALEC and other special interests groups. But the site also supports progressive Democrats and the local Democratic Socialist of America. We must have ideas on how to replace regressive and corrupt politicians with something better. For comments steveotto2001@yahoo.com or ottozero2001@yahoo.com. President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law extending the franchise of Iglesia Ni Cristos telecommunications services, allowing the religious sect to install and operate private telecommunications services for another 25 years. Duterte approved Republic Act No. 11219 on Feb. 14, 2019. The Palace, however, only released the document on Tuesday. Under the new law, the INC will now be able to construct, establish, install, maintain, lease, purchase, operate, and carry on a private telecommunications and electronic communication services throughout the Philippines, between the Philippines and other countries and other territories, and including outer space as public interest may warrant. For this purpose, the grantee is hereby bestowed the right to construct, establish, install, maintain, lease, purchase, and operate the corresponding transmitting and receiving stations, satellites, lines, systems, networks, international gateways, local exchanges, and platforms as it may consider necessary, convenient, or reasonable, the law stated. INC Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo has been serving under the Duterte Administration as the Presidents Special Envoy for Overseas Filipino Concerns since February 2018. Duterte has also approved another 25-year franchise renewal of Ermita Electronics Incorporated, currently known as G. Telecoms to operate a radio communications system in the country through RA 11204.He also greenlighted the provision of a franchise for MORE Electric and Power Corporation to distribute electricity in Iloilo City. Meanwhile, through RA 11193, which was signed last Jan. 18, 2018, a franchise was also granted to Malindang Broadcasting Network Corporation to operate radio and television stations in Mindanao. As the President signed the franchise of media entities, the franchise renewal application of ABS-CBN, on the other hand, is still pending before the committee on legislative franchises since Nov. 16, 2016. According to the House of Representatives, ABS-CBNs application to seek another 25-year franchise is still pending under House Bill No. 4349. Its current franchise will expire in 2020. In his speeches, the President had said he would reject the renewal of the media networks franchise for supposed biased reporting and allegedly swindling him during the 2016 presidential campaign. SUMMER SPECIAL!!! - Sign up at 20% OFF for Full Access to all of the online content and E-Editions on the www.thewordlink.com website here! (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. A blog for students in my introductory classes in government, and any interested passersby. You'll find news items and random stories that illustrate any of the topics we cover in class. Special attention will be paid to the constitutional issues associated with contemporary issues and disputes. Feel free to send me stories you find important. Please note that due to spam, I'm limiting the ability of people to comment on these pages. My apologies. Still, despite its deep roots in the Confederacy, Virginia has made great progress. Like so many states, it has become a melting pot, a diverse state in terms of industry and people. In fact, Virginia can lay claim to having the first black governor since Reconstruction, Doug Wilder, who served from 1990-94. Fast forward, however, and Virginia now finds itself in a quandary. Its current governor, Ralph Northam is trying to keep himself afloat as he deals with calls for his resignation over a yearbook photo that includes a person in blackface beside another in a KKK hood. Despite the medical schools facing pages being devoted to Northam, the Democrat denies he is the person photographed. Of course, had the yearbook staff had any sense of decorum, taste and what is right, Northam wouldnt be in this jam because the photo wouldnt have made print. But thats another matter. As Northam dangles, so too does his lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, who is facing an allegations of sexual assault. As the TV commercial goes, But wait! Theres more. Another problem is that the statutory limit for passing the amendment expired in 1982, but that's not insurmountable. The Constitution makes no mention of time limits for amendments, and none were imposed until the 18th Amendment, mandating Prohibition was advanced, in 1917. The deadline has already been extended once, and to guard against legal challenges, bipartisan bills have been introduced in both houses of Congress that would formally extend the deadline a second time. This is the real question: Is the ERA needed today? Ironically, foes maintain it's not essential because women have made so much progress without it, but that is a disingenuous argument that ignores the gender-based disparities that still exist, starting with unequal pay for equal work. The unbalanced and unfair legal status of women could not be clearer. Supporters of the ERA point to the late Antonin Scalia, the most influential conservative jurist of his age, who said in a 2011 interview: "Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn't." The Claflin University Intensive English Language Program is providing training and instruction in the English language for 20 elementary school teachers from Panama. The teachers are receiving eight weeks of intensive coursework in English and in teaching English to speakers of other languages during the program, which ends on March 3. "The students are in the third week of the program, but we can already see their progress," said Dr. Esther Lee, IELP director and assistant professor of English. "Their English speaking level was pretty low when they arrived. However, they are very motivated, and they really want to learn how to speak and communicate in English." The teachers are participating in the Panama Bilingue Program, which began in 2014 and will continue through 2019. The Republic of Panama, which is paying for the program, seeks to train at least 2,000 teachers per year in bilingual education and to prepare 20,000 high school students and 30,000 elementary students. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The program includes three parts: teacher training, after-school program and kids. Sears & Roebuck Co. founder Julius Rosenwald and Tuskegee University founder Dr. Booker T. Washington joined forces in the early part of the 20th century to improve the education available to African-American children. Their efforts can still be seen in Orangeburg County today at the Great Branch Teacherage, which housed teachers who taught at the local Rosenwald School. During a time when education was not a priority of state funding for African-American children, the Great Branch School and its teacherage were unusual and landmarks in the community, Rose Kennerly-Dance wrote in a form nominating the teacherage for the National Register of Historic Places nomination form. The Great Branch Teacherage is located about 10 miles from Orangeburg, at 2890 Neeses Highway. The three-bedroom cottage, built around 1924 and 1925, served as a home to teachers at the Great Branch Rosenwald School, which once stood on the campus there. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The school was built around 1918 and fell victim to arsonists in the early 1960s. It was one of the first Rosenwald Schools in South Carolina. Army troops foiled an attempt by New Peoples Army terrorists to burn down heavy equipment being used in a road construction project following a clash in South Cotabato Tuesday evening even as an NPA rebel was killed in a separate skirmish in Misamis Occidental Monday. Lt. Col. Ezra Balagtey, Information Officer of the Eastern Mindanao Command said the plan by the NPA to set fire to a heavy equipment was aborted after they were intercepted by soldiers from the 27th Infantry Battalion in Sitio Lamfinik, Brgy Lamfugon, Lake Sebu town at about 8 p.m. Balagtey said troops under Col. Adonis Bajao, commander of the 1002nd Infantry Brigade were securing an ongoing road construction project at the said area when they spotted about seven NPA rebels acting suspiciously. A 20-minute gun battle erupted after which the NPA team scampered to different direction. The brief clash did not inflict any casualty on both sides. On Feb. 14, an NPA rebel band torched four heavy construction equipmentthree backhoes and a bulldozer being used in a road widening project at Kaliwa Dam in Infanta, Quezon. After the burning, the NPAs fled towards the boundaries of Laguna and Quezon but were intercepted by pursuing army troopers from the 1st Infantry Battalion, sparking a firefight which killed a rebel who turned out to be an undergraduate student of veterinary Medicine at the University of the Philippines Los Banos identified as John Carlo Capistrano Alberto.Major. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command which has jurisdiction in South Cotabato said his troops are committed to guard government flagship program in his turf. Our security and military operations are committed to establishing a psychologically secured environment which allows the implementation of government projects in the hinterlands that will benefit our marginal and isolated communities, Santos said. In Misamis Occidental, a NPA rebel was killed during an encounter with government troops from the 10th Infantry Battalion in Brgy. San Pedro, Aloran town. Capt. Clint Antipala, public affairs officer said the death of the still unidentified rebel fighter came following a tip from civilians on the presence of NPAs prompting soldiers to respond. Antipala said that while the troops were scouring the area, they were fired upon by the rebels, forcing the soldiers to retaliate. The troops claimed to have inflicted casualties on the rebels as they saw blood stains along the route where the rebels retreated. The escaping rebels abandoned an AK-47 rifles with three magazines and several subversive documents. The Old Fire Station, at 822 Swanwick St., opened in August of that year. It remained in operation until 1961, when the station moved to the basement of City Hall on the same street. Today, the fire station sits behind City Hall on State Street. The two-story, rough-cut historic stone firehouse was constructed of recycled stone from the J.G. Ballard House, another historic Chester property that was razed after it was sold to the city in the mid-1930s. Located on Water Street near the Mississippi River, the Ballard House was a residency with a general store below. It was torn down to make way for an expanded riverfront highway. The building has undergone few alterations over the past eight decades, with the exception of the replacement of the two bay doors and the addition of a wooden T-shaped divider between them that replaced a stone column. This renovation was necessary to allow for larger modern fire engines to fit through the bays, according to the application. The building is owned by the city of Chester. Owen said that one of her long-term bucket list goals has been getting one or more properties within Chesters city limits added to the register. But she only recently found the time to devote to the heavy lift. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} In year one, Illinois would provide $3.4 million of new funding, to be matched by the federal government. In year two, $5.7 million; in year three, $10.7 million; and in year four, $13 million. After four years, ODonnell said, the state would pay no more than $13 million in additional mental health funding in any given year, while the total new funding for state mental health services would reach more than $50 million with federal matching. The state would also have to cover startup costs in years three and four, and bring additional funding to components of the bill that are not matched with federal funds. So, although this federal matching would provide a much-needed funding boost, it is not clear where the new state money would come from. Preferably it would be new revenue, ODonnell said. Some of it could come from the legalization of cannabis, but we are not specifying revenue sources [in the bills]. Conroy agreed, saying were all hoping for new revenue, particularly from internet gambling and legalized marijuana. CARBONDALE A group of demonstrators gathered outside of U.S. Rep Mike Bost's Carbondale office Monday to ask the congressman to support a house resolution that would make Election Day a national holiday. +5 Hundreds gather in Carbondale to march for human rights CARBONDALE During the clamor of a very rough, loud election cycle, Karen Linduska, of Carbondale, found solace at Mount Rushmore. Members of Indivisible Shawnee and progressive public policy advocacy group MoveOn braved the cold temperatures on Presidents' Day to gather outside of Bost's office on East Main Street to ask his support for HR 1. The resolution in question would create a national holiday out of Election Day, crack down on voter roll purges, and would attempt to create more safeguards and transparencies when it comes to campaign financing. Mary Rajcok, co-organizer for Indivisible Shawnee, said before the event Monday that shes not heard much from Bost, a Republican from Murphysboro, in terms of the issues detailed in HR 1. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Mike Bost only comments on things that the president talks about, Rajcok said, adding that she has heard Bost verbatim repeat (President Donald) Trumps statements and he considers them accurate. CARBONDALE After Dallas Terrys first semester in college, he wasnt so sure that higher education was for him. So, he didnt return for the following semester, opting instead to find a job at the Bumper To Bumper auto parts store in Carbondale. One of the bright spots in that job was teaching body shop painters how to use the companys products. I decided, Hey, I really like this training aspect of it ... maybe I should do this for kids, Terry said. That revelation led him back to college, where he earned a degree in Career and Technical Education that eventually landed him a job at Carbondale Community High School. After working for a few years as a teacher, he was hired to lead the schools Career and Technical Education Department. He eventually did go back to college at Eastern Illinois University, where he earned a degree in Career Technical Education, with a specialization in Technology Education. He also earned a Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Eastern Illinois University. Hes as passionate as ever about teaching CCHS students to gain skills that will help them after they leave high school and even after college. SESSER Ned Mitchell, the former longtime mayor of Sesser, is facing five felony counts after he was arrested on charges of unlawful possession of methamphetamine in mid-January. Mitchell is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, felony manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance near a school, public housing or public park, and two felony counts of Category 1 armed violence, assessed when a person commits a felony while possessing a dangerous weapon. Mitchell was also charged with felony permitting unlawful use of a building, assessed to a person who controls a building, and knowingly grants, permits or makes the building available for use for the purpose of unlawfully manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance, per Illinois statute. In all, Mitchell faces two Class 4 felonies and three Class X felonies, according to court records website Judici. The Class X felonies are not probation-eligible, and carry mandatory prison sentences between six and 30 years. Citing Mitchells long career as a public official in Franklin County, the court assigned a special prosecutor to Mitchells case, Franklin County States Attorney Evan Owens said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Williamson County Sheriff's deputies said an object they were investigating at Grassy General Store Friday night was determined to be a "misplaced inert training device." Williamson County Sheriffs deputies investigated reports of a possible bomb attached to a propane tank outside the convenience store on Illinois 148 south of Marion after the sheriff's office received a report around 6:43 p.m. of the object. After deputies responded and investigated, they requested assistance from the Carbondale Police Department and the SIU Police Department's Bomb Disposal Unit. Illinois Secretary of State's Bomb Disposal Unit also assisted. Deputies said appropriate evacuations and safety measures were put in place. After the object was determined not to be a bomb, it was collected as evidence. The sheriff's office continues to investigate how the device became misplaced. The Southern Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MARION Heartland Regional Medical Center and Prevent Child Abuse Illinois will host a free screening of Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope at 6 p.m. March 7 in Heartland Regional Medical Center. Although childhood is often considered a time of joy and innocence, that is not the experience of many children. The truth is many children suffer some sort of adverse childhood event, such as physical or sexual abuse, substance abuse, or domestic violence. Exposure to childhood trauma can shorten a persons life by 20 years. This one-hour documentary discusses the effects of adverse childhood events (ACE) and best ways to prevent those effects by talking with pediatricians, therapists, educators and communities, who are using cutting-edge neuropsychiatry to disrupt cycles of violence, addiction and disease. The child may not remember but the body remembers, Dr. Jack Shonkoff, director of the Center for the Developing Child, says in the film. A place to exercise ideas before writing about them with greater discipline. Pedophile American priest arrested posted February 19, 2019 at 10:50 pm by Joel E. Zurbano February 19, 2019 at 10:50 pm Authorities arrested an American Catholic priest wanted for various sexual offenses, including cases involving minor altar boys, both in his country and in the Philippines. Metro Manila police director Guillermo Eleazar on Tuesday presented to members of the media the suspect Fr. Kenneth Pius Hendricks who was arrested also by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Stephanie Bowman, US magistrate judge of the US District Court in Ohio on Nov. 11, 2018, Hendricks was charged with engaging in illicit sex with a minor in a foreign country, punishable by fines and/or up to 30 years in prison. Eleazar said he personally served another five arrest warrants against Hendricks now detained in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan in Taguig City.He added the five warrant of arrests came from the Eight Judicial Region Trial Court Branch 16 Naval, Biliran issued by Judge Constantino Esber for Acts of Lasciviousness and Child Abuse filed against the foreign priest. The implementation of the warrant of arrest this morning was a joint effort of the Regional Special Operations Unit - NCRPO, the Bureau of Immigration Fugitive Search Unit and the US Department of Homeland Security, said Eleazar. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. Chegg, Inc. operates direct-to-student learning platform that supports students on their journey from high school to college and into their career with tools designed to help them to learn their course materials, succeed in their classes, and save money on required materials. The company offers Chegg Services, which include subscription services; and required materials that comprise its print textbooks and eTextbooks. Its subscription services include Chegg Study, which helps students master challenging concepts on their own; Chegg Writing that provides students with a suite of tools, such as plagiarism detection scans, grammar and writing fluency checking, expert personalized writing feedback, and premium citation generation; Chegg Math solver, a step-by-step math problem solver and calculator that helps students to solve problems; Chegg Study Pack, a bundle of various Chegg Services product offerings, including Chegg Study, Chegg Writing, Chegg Math Solver, video content, and practice quizzes, which creates an integrated platform of connected academic support services; and Thinkful, a skills-based learning platform that offers professional courses in the areas of software engineering, UX/UI design, digital marketing, data science, product management, data analytics, product design, and technical project management directly to students. The company also provides other services, such as Chegg Prep and internships; and rents and sells print textbooks and eTextbooks. Chegg, Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Read More Finance PhD: Move your money BEFORE June 30th (Ad) The clock just started on the biggest financial event in 20 years. And the next months could decide your wealth in 2021. Heres what to do now. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. Zoe Herrington, owner of Noble House Jewelers on St. Simons Island, and coming soon to downtown Brunswick, believes in investing in two kinds of jewels those of the precious stone variety and those people who are treasured, esteemed or indispensable, but may fly under the radar. THANK YOU, SGMA. Members of the Alliance of Barangay Apas Community Association thanked Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for paving the way for the granting of housing properties to more than 3,200 families during the oversight committee meeting on Housing, chaired by Rep. Alfredo Benitez held last Monday in Barangay Apas, Cebu City. This was made possible through Proclamation 409, s. 2003, issued by then President Arroyo. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana signed the compromise agreement, which will end the dispute that has been hindering the implementation of this proclamation. Also present were Representatives Joseph Stephen Paduano and Raul del Mar, among others. A more than 15-year-old land dispute ended for more than 3,200 families in Cebu City after the House Oversight Committee on Housing convened by former President and Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was able to gather all stakeholders to waive their claims over their property in their favor.Speaker Arroyo had convened the Oversight Committee on Housing, chaired by Rep. Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental, to resolve the land dispute in Brgy. Apas, Cebu City to enable the urban poor housing beneficiaries, mostly composed of families of soldiers, to get their titles over their property. During hearing held at the Central Command in Barangay Apas Monday afternoon, Arroyo personally invited Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to sign the compromise agreement in favor of the informal settlers. It was the last act required to make the compromise agreement effective. It was earlier signed by the Provincial Government of Cebu, as owner of the land, and the City of Government of Cebu which has jurisdiction over the residents. The signing was witnessed by Speaker Arroyo to the jubilation of the hundreds of residents who attended the hearing.The land in Brgy. Apas has been owned by the Cebu provincial government since 1918. In 1959, the province of Cebu donated a portion of their land to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), consisting of 47 parcels of land. The donation had a condition that, in case of abandonment, non-use, or use other than military purposes, the ownership of the land shall automatically be reverted to the provincial government. Virtual reality spherical display Credit: Clare Kiernan, UBC Virtual reality can often make a user feel isolated from the world, with only computer-generated characters for company. But researchers at the University of British Columbia and University of Saskatchewan think they may have found a way to encourage a more sociable virtual reality. The researchers have developed a ball-shaped VR display that supports up to two users at a time, using advanced calibration and graphics rendering techniques that produce a complete, distortion-free 3-D image even when viewed from multiple angles. Most spherical VR displays in the market are capable of showing a correct image only from a single viewpoint, said lead researcher Sidney Fels, an electrical and computer engineering professor at UBC. "When you look at our globe, the 3-D illusion is rich and correct from any angle," explained Fels. "This allows two users to use the display to do some sort of collaborative task or enjoy a multiplayer game, while being in the same space. It's one of the very first spherical VR systems with this capability." The system, which the researchers are calling Crystal, includes a 24-inch (600 millimetre) hollow ball-shaped display. The display surface was custom-made to specifications in Ottawa, while four high-speed projectors and one camera used for creating the images, calibration and touch sensing were purchased off-the-shelf. University of British Columbia professor Sid Fels explains how a globe VR display supports two or more players Credit: Clare Kiernan, UBC The researchers are working on a four-person system and see many potential uses for their display in the future, including multiplayer virtual reality games, virtual surgery and VR-aided learning. However, they are focusing on teleconferencing applications and computer-aided design for now. "Imagine a remote user joining a meeting of local users. At either location you can have a Crystal globe, which is great for seeing people's heads and faces in 3-D," said Ian Stavness, a computer science professor at the University of Saskatchewan and a member of the research team. "Or you can have a team of industrial designers in a room, perfecting a design with the help of VR and motion tracking technology." While the technology is young, the researchers are forecasting a good future for it. "We're not saying that spherical VR will replace flat screens or headsets," said Fels, adding "but we think it can be a good option for VR activities where you still want to see and talk to other peoplebe it at home or in the office, for work or play." More information: Dylan Brodie Fafard et al. Design and implementation of a multi-person fish-tank virtual reality display, Proceedings of the 24th ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology - VRST '18 (2018). Dylan Brodie Fafard et al. Design and implementation of a multi-person fish-tank virtual reality display,(2018). DOI: 10.1145/3281505.3281540 Credit: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne The solar panels developed by startup Insolight boast an impressive 29 percent yield a record for the retail market. These systems, which have now been standardized for mass production, contain lenses that focus sunlight on tiny high-yield photovoltaic cells, employing what is a pioneering approach for the solar-power industry. All rooftop solar panels look pretty much the same from the outside: same size, same thickness and even the same installation system. But on the inside, the solar panels developed by EPFL spin-off Insolight stand apart. They deliver yields of 29 percent nearly twice as much as the others currently on the market (which have yields of 1719 percent ). Insolight's panels, which were recently tested by an independent lab, use a patented optical system that concentrates sunlight on a kind of miniature photovoltaic cell normally used in satellites Boosting efficiency while keeping a lid on costs Studies have shown that the average yield on commercial solar panels has increased by just 3.5 percentage points since the 2000s and seemed to be reaching a plateau. But Insolight's three founders Mathieu Ackermann, Laurent Coulot and Florian Gerlich wanted to push yields further and decided to try something radically different: build residential solar panels that employ the same kinds of cells used in satellites, which are very efficient but also very expensive. To keep costs down for the retail market, they developed a protective glass on which optical lenses can be placed that concentrate sunlight by some 100x and direct it to the tiny surface of the high-performance cells. That means the cells need to take up less than 0.5 percent of the solar panel surface. The founders also designed a mechanism that can move the cells horizontally by a few millimeters each way in order to follow sunlight throughout the day. Credit: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne Because the cells occupy just a tiny fraction of the solar panel surface, Insolight's system can even be installed on top of conventional solar panels to boost their yields. "This hybrid approach is particularly effective when it's cloudy and the sunlight is less concentrated, since it can keep generating power even under diffuse light rays," says Ackermann, Insolight's CTO. The ultra-thin system has the same look and shape as regular rooftop panels and can be installed in the same way. "The real challenge for the retail market is to increase yields without pushing costs too high, while keeping the equipment both robust and easy to install," says Coulot, the firm's CEO. Insolight's technology first set a record in lab tests two years ago, when it achieved a yield of 36 percent. The system has since been standardized for mass production with a 29 percent yield far ahead of competitors' 1719 percent yield as confirmed in tests by the Institute of Solar Energy at the Technical University of Madrid (IES-UPM). The system was also tested for a full year on rooftops at an EPFL pilot site. "Our panels were hooked up to the grid and monitored continually. They kept working without a hitch through heat waves, storms and winter weather," says Ackermann proudly. Credit: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne Cutting energy bills by 30 percent According to the founders, Insolight's solar panels offer a better return on investment than competing solutions. "Our technology can cut household energy bills by up to 30 percent in sunny regions," says Coulot. This calculation performed according to standard industry practice factors in the panels' cost, useful life and yield, as well as local power costs, weather conditions, borrowing costs, and maintenance and cleaning costs. The firm's three founders met at EPFL and established their company at the school's Innovation Park. Today they are in talks with several solar panel manufacturers to license their technology. "Making our panels entails a few additional steps during the assembly stage. These steps could be tacked on to the end of standard production processes," says Coulot. The company plans to launch its first product on the market in 2022. Explore further Startup makes residential solar panels twice as efficient More information: Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Photovoltaics Report, February 2018 Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Photovoltaics Report, February 2018 Behind the learning curve: Quantifying the sources of cost reductions in photovoltaics. www.researchgate.net/publicati ons_in_photovoltaics We started being pulled from our typical work, Potter said. His department deals with striping and paving roads, mowing and cleaning. If the city is out paving, its difficult to drop that task to go clean up a camp. The city began looking at contractors for camp cleanups not to outsource the work completely but to use them as a tool, Potter said. The worst of the worst situations are contracted out, he said. Due to increased enforcement of the camping ordinances, the camps around Share House have mostly dispersed and there are now smaller camps in other areas and city parks. Potter said Vancouver looked at how Bellingham, Seattle, King County, Olympia, Tacoma, Portland and Gresham, Ore., deal with cleaning up camps and the sort of contracts they hold with cleanup companies. Rapid Response The city began soliciting transient camp and abatement services July 19. Rapid Response Bio Clean was one of three applicants. Rapid Response, which employs 25 people, specializes in anything involving a biohazard, from suicides to homicides to homeless camps. Since starting in 2015, cleaning up homeless camps has become a bigger part of the companys work, owner Lance Hamel said. Two more people have come down with measles, bringing the total to 61, according to Clark County Public Health. The department warned that others may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus at two Clark County schools. Anyone who was at Image Elementary School between Monday, Feb. 11 and Friday, Feb. 15, or at Pacific Middle School between Feb. 11 and Feb. 13 should stay alert for any symptoms. Its impossible to say whether the outbreak is in its waning days or just getting started. Measles infections go in 21-day cycles. Only when the area goes three weeks without a report of a new case can people begin to relax, according to Clark County public health officials. County health officials are urging anyone who has been exposed at an identified location and believes they have symptoms of measles to call their health care provider. They added that people should notify their provider before they arrive so that they can make arrangements to avoid exposing other patients. The vast majority were not vaccinated against the virus. One person had one dose of the vaccine, which is 93 percent effective. Three-quarters of unclaimed property is under $100 and only 5 percent is over $1,000. Still, you could have a bunch of items that add up to an OK sum. Its a public site, so you can look up well-known people, such as William H. Gates, who has a $50-100 refund or rebate from Qwest Communications. Or Jeff Bezos, owed over $100 from a transportation company. You can also go to Unclaimed.org, run for free by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, and look up other states. You sit down with Marshall, and the stories just keep coming, sometimes very unusual ones right out of a crime novel. He remembers the case of a man who was owed money from his moms estate. But the mans brother had been involved in big-time crime selling C-4 plastic explosive, the kind that can be molded into any shape, and had been murdered in Oregon. The man sought by Marshall thought it best to disappear from the grid and not be connected to his brother. Marshall doesnt know if the murder case was solved; his concern was the unclaimed property. OLYMPIA The Senate passed a bill on Friday to remove the death penalty from Washington state statute and replace it with life in prison without parole. Senate Bill 5339 passed with 28 in favor and 19 opposed, with senators Phil Fortunado, R-Auburn and Lynda Wilson, R-Vancouver, excused. Republican senators Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, and Brad Hawkins R-Wenatchee, and sponsor Maureen Walsh, R-Walla Walla, voted in support of the bill. Democratic senators Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, Dean Takko, D-Longview, and Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, voted against the bill. The Senate passed a similar bill last year prior to the state Supreme Court declaring the death penalty as applied was racist and arbitrary. The bill was never brought to a vote in the House. House Bill 1488 is the companion to the bill passed in the Senate and has yet to hear public testimony. Sen. Steve OBan, R-Tacoma, believes it is possible to create a death penalty that the Supreme Court would approve, saying the Senate has a lack of will to find a solution. Sen. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, spoke in support of the bill, citing the testimony that took place in the Law and Justice Committee, which he chairs. Cowlitz County will soon lose one of its judges. Superior Court Judge Anne Cruser was appointed Friday to the Washington State Court of Appeals Division II by governor Jay Inslee. Cruser will replace Judge Jill Johanson, who is retiring at the end of the month from the bench. The Division II court, based in Tacoma, oversees appeals from all Western Washington county superior courts except for Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, Island, Snohomish and King counties. Its a very mixed blessing from our standpoint, Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning said Monday. Im very happy for her to be moving to the Court of Appeals, but Ill be very sorry to see her leave our bench. Cruser, a passionate and forceful judge, is a natural appointment to the Court of Appeals, Warning said, due to her legal expertise in criminal and appellate law. Shell be great. I look forward to my first reversal from her, Warning joked. Inslee previously named Cruser to the Cowlitz County Superior Court Bench in August 2017 to help the court reduce its torrent of case filings and delays. Her fifth seat was authorized by the Legislature in 2006 but not fully funded until the year before she took office. Letters, phone calls and emails from across the county have poured in since Thurman joined several other Washington sheriffs in voicing opposition toward I-1639 and concern over its constitutionality, he said. Thurmans approach to the controversial gun control initiative mirrors many other sheriffs: Wait and see. He said hes happy to see that there are court challenges against the initiative, including a major one filed by the National Rifle Association, and is keeping an open mind until the rest of the initiative goes into effect on July 1. If the initiative remains law by then, he said hell continue to at least document reports of violations, and determine how best to comply with the law. The oath that we swear to is to uphold the laws and constitution of the state and the nation, Thurman said. What do you do when those are opposed? In our best judgement, the law doesnt comport with the constitution. My position is that the constitution is a higher authority than laws. What does Thurman find unconstitutional? First, the new minimum age of 21 to purchase semiautomatic assault rifles, which went into effect Jan. 1. Its vaguely defined, Thurman said, and with a stroke of a pen, takes away rights from an entire class of people. The 118-acre Castle Rock Landing on the Cowlitz development is being proposed by Battle Ground-based Compass Group, LLC in southern Castle Rock. The land is between the BNSF rail line and Salmon Creek to the east, the Cowlitz River to the west and Timberline Church to the north. Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno The chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriations has volunteered to brief Palace officials on embattled Budget Secretary Benjamin Dioknos alleged anomalous budget practices to spare President Rodrigo Dutertes Build, Build, Build Program from being jeopardized. The Build, Build, Build Program of the President is in peril. An economic slowdown is imminent. All of these, thanks to Secretary Dioknos anomalous budget practices, said Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., the panel chairman.Diokno vehemently denied all the allegations against him by Andaya. Andaya earlier lamented that concerned Department of Budget and Management and Department of Public Works and Highways employees had intimated to him that the total amount of unpaid contracts for 2018 infrastructure projects have risen from P44 billion last November to more than P100 billion at the end of the year. Andaya alleged this bred corruption as some contractors reportedly forced themselves to resort to bribery just to get paid. In Malacanang, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told Andaya to stop lawyering for the contractors.But Andaya advised Panelo to talk to Diokno for him to get informed about the alleged dark secrets lurking in the Department of Budget and Management. If Malacanang wants a briefing on these anomalies, my line is open. I can rush to the Palace any time of the day, Andaya said. Secretary Panelo better talk to Secretary Diokno, man-to-man. He has many secrets that are not known about the DBM, Andaya pointed out. The P100-billion payables are just the tip of the iceberg, he added. The Build, Build, Build Program of Duterte aims to accelerate infrastructure spending and develop industries that will yield robust growth, create jobs and improve the lives of Filipinos. It was reported that public spending on infrastructure projects is targeted at P8 to 9 trillion from 2017 to 2022. Syrians who faced arrest are having their troubles compounded when they also face loosing their job, irregardless of their guilt or innocence reports Hashtag Syria. Wissam al-Zoughbi was arrested and incarcerated for 11 days before a judge realised that he was innocent and that his only crime was sharing the same name as someone who was wanted by the government. The day after his release, he went to his job at a government office, but found that the director had suspended him from job. Wissam explained the situation to the director, who promptly promised to write to the National Security Bureau about his case. He did, but the response was negative. Wissam lost his job. Wissam is one of the 100,000 employees who have been suspended from work without pay because of security instructions, according to sources at the Prime Ministers Office who spoke on condition of anonymity. Hashtag Syria spoke to 11 of these employees who were denied the opportunity to return to their jobs. At least four of them were found not guilty. They sued the government and got rulings from a higher court that said they could return to work. However, their bosses would not follow the court orders, but rather continue to obey the security instructions. All these cases are governed by security circulation number 13 that oblige government entities to seek the security agencies approval before the return of any employee who is arrested. But an administration law attorney, Adnan Rabih, tells Hashtag Syria that this circulation is unconstitutional. It violates Article 51 of the Syrian constitution, which stipulates that any person is innocent unless convicted with a final court ruling. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Director of the Air Force Intelligence, Jamil al-Hassan, is notorious for his brutal tactics and torturing dissidents reports Alsouria Net. General Jamil al-Hassan, Director of the Air Force Intelligence (AFI), is in Lebanon receiving medical treatment. The German newspaper Der Spiegel, reported that the German government submitted an official request to the Lebanese government to arrest Hassan and turn him over to the Germans. The German Federal Prosecutor, Peter Frank, said Hassan is accused of crimes against humanity, committed by his intelligence agency, which is considered the most brutal of all of Syrias intelligence branches. The AFI have arrested, tortured, and killed Syrian dissidents since the outbreak of the protests in 2011. Last June, Frank issued an international arrest warrant for Hassan. Der Spiegel described the arrest warrant for Hassan as, the most serious effort yet by a Western country to hold Syrias government accountable for the crimes committed against Syrians since a 2011 uprising sparked a brutal civil war. The Berlin-based Syrian human rights defender, Anwar al-Bunni, said Germany has officially demanded that Lebanon arrest and turn over Hassan. Der Spiegel reported that there is little chance that Lebanon will cooperate in this regards, due to the extraordinary influence of the pro-Assad Hezbollah. The paper said the German request aims to limit the freedom of movement that Hassan and other top Assad aides still enjoy today. Jamil al-Hassan is one of the most violent of the Assad entourage. In November 2016, he gave a rare interview to Russias Sputnik, in which he called for the extermination of all Assad dissidents. He praised the late president Hafez al-Assad for annihilating all dissidents in Hama in 1982. He also praised the Chinese government for their handling of the Tiananmen event, when the government killed a number of activists and put an end to the Chinese movement of change. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Jeremy Hunt, the UK foreign secretary, said that Assad is likely to remain in his position, adding that the UK has no plans to reopen diplomatic relations with Syria reports Arab News. Syria has no future under Bashar Assad but is stuck with the president due to Russian support, Britains top diplomat has said. Jeremy Hunt, the UK foreign secretary, said that Assad is likely to remain in his position for the short-term and possibly longer, and called on Moscow to come forward with a solution. Assad is a truly horrific man who has shown that he wont hesitate to butcher his own people in order to prolong his hold on power. And what future would a country like Syria have with a leader like that?, Hunt said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. But the reality is because of Russian support, he is there and he is likely to stay for the short-term and possibly longer. It is for the Russians now to come forward with their solution because they have chosen to intervene in the way they have. Hunt said it was impossible for Syria to have a bright future with Assad still in power. This is a man who mercilessly gassed his own people in the most brutally possible way against all international norms, and the Russians chose to prop him up. So it is for Russia now to show they are going to create peace and stability in Syria, he said. Hunt added that the UK has no plans to reopen diplomatic relations with Syria. The British official said the US withdrawal from eastern Syria should not take place in a way that harms our allies like the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) in Syria who fought very bravely along Western troops for many years. Asked about Britains role following the US pullout from Syria, Hunt said: There is no prospect of British troops going in to replace the American troops leaving, but of course we had discussions with the United States on an ongoing basis and when I was in Washington a couple of weeks ago about how we stabilize the situation in Syria. Hunt also spoke about the territorial defeat of Daesh in Syria and Iraq but cautioned that was not the same as crushing the mindset behind the terror group. We have not yet eliminated the cause of the Daesh movement which is so evil and so destructive and there is a lot more work left to do, he said. It is very important that the global coalition does not hang its hat up and say we are done now, because if we do that there is a very good chance that Daesh will be back. There (is) some evidence now in parts of Iraq that (Daesh is) regrouping and regathering strength. On Yemen, Hunt underlined the need for a comprehensive solution that would prevent Iran from using the country as a base to destabilize neighboring states. Asked about his recent participation in the Warsaw Conference on the Middle East, the British foreign secretary said that the meetings went beyond the Iranian role in the region to touch on reshaping alliances in the Middle East. He added that he attended a very productive meeting about Yemen, in the presence of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir and his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed. We spent a long time talking about what is necessary to get peace over the line in Yemen, he said. In this regard, Hunt affirmed that a comprehensive settlement in Yemen could only be reached through a government of national unity in which the Houthis have a stake in which the security of all communities in Yemen is assured, in which Iran is no longer using Yemen as a base to destabilize Yemens neighbors, and in which we can end the terrible humanitarian crisis which is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world right now. According to Hunt, the problem lies in how to achieve a final solution and to build trust, in particular the importance of implementing the Stockholm Agreement and withdrawal from the city of Hodeidah so that we can open up the Red Sea Mills, where 51,000 tones of UN wheat is stored. He noted that he held a lengthy discussion with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif about this issue. According to Hunt, he was told by Zarif that Iran wants to play its part in finding a solution. We took those commitments at face value but we do now need to see that translated into the Houthis leaving the Port of Hodeideh. All of us know that if that does not happen soon, we are going to see a return to hostilities and that would be an absolute tragedy to the people of Yemen, Hunt said. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The war against Islamic terrorists continues to wear down the few remaining Islamic terrorist cells and keep them from doing much damage because all their time is consumed by efforts to avoid detection and arrest or death. A more important struggle is with the economy, which has been successful at coping with the collapse of oil prices after 2013. This struggle actually helped the cause of reforming the economy to make it less dependent on oil revenue. So there has been some progress there, but more out of necessity than government enthusiasm. Unemployment is stuck at 12 percent for the last few years and is much higher (nearly 30 percent) with younger Algerians. This is especially true with university trained professionals who have a low unemployment rate but see little opportunity for professional and financial growth because so many professionals are employed by the government. Since most of these doctors, engineers and so on speak French and/or English it is easier for them to get jobs in the West and a growing number are doing just that. Little Miracles Four several years now China has been the largest supplier of imports, providing $7.9 billion worth (17 percent, by value of the total) in 2018. On the plus side, those goods were generally cheaper than alternatives and helped Algeria cut its trade deficit in half during 2018 (down to $5 billion). The main reason the economy is looking good is the 15 percent rise in oil prices. Yet, despite all that GDP growth for 2018 was only 2.3 percent, not the four percent the government had predicted. In response, the government predicts 2.6 percent GDP growth in 2019. This is progress because in 2017 GDP growth was only 1.4 percent. The increasing dependence on Chinese imports and departure of Algerian computer specialists is made worse by Algeria ranking as the least cyber-secure nation on the planet (Japan was the most secure). This is not a major problem because there is not as much to steal (via the Internet) in Algeria because of the stagnant economy. But it makes Algeria a less attractive place for foreign investment. Crippled Leadership With president Bouteflika incapacitated, but running for reelection his much less popular 60 year brother Said and Army chief-of-staff Ahmed Gaid Salah now appear to be in charge and that does not make the government any more acceptable. The younger brother has been a key aide, especially in supervising (and fixing as needed) his older brothers election campaigns since the 1990s. Because of that, it is not considered unusual that Said Bouteflika is the one who communicates with his older brother and passes on his instructions, or at least what Said believes are his brothers intentions. Efforts of the older brother to appear in public and speak, no matter how briefly, have not worked because the older brother, who turns 82 in March, is not recovering from his strokes. One of Saids intentions is apparently to succeed his brother as president, although that seems unlikely as he apparently has pancreatic cancer and has been out of the country more often to get it treated in France. Meanwhile Said has continued to supervise the effort to ensure that all the senior military and police commanders who might oppose the stealthy government takeover by someone in the Bouteflika inner circle are arrested and accused of corruption. For the last six years this slow-motion purge has apparently been supervised by Army chief-of-staff Ahmed Gaid Salah. Said Bouteflika knows who is corrupt because one of his jobs was to see to it that there were no unseemly feuds among senior officials over who got what in corrupt deals. Said Bouteflika never managed to gain enough key supporters, or popular support, to run for high office. Until now he has been content to be the kingmaker. That has changed and it appears Said now sees himself as a prime candidate to succeed his brother. Many believe Said Bouteflika has too many enemies for that, which adds to the unease about how the Bouteflika era will end. Most Algerians would prefer honest government and a lot less corruption but the Bouteflikas would prefer to keep things as they are. That attitude, shared by most, but not all, of those running the country, is the major obstacle to meaningful change in Algeria. Corruption prevents rewarding the most capable people and generating enough economic activity to make Algeria a place most young Algerians would want to live and work. Even if the two Bouteflika brothers die in the next few years, they have many like-minded associates willing to carry on. It should be no surprise why for a long time too many young Algerians either rebelled (at great cost to themselves and Algeria) or emigrate. Anti-Corruption Crawl Algeria has been making some earnest efforts to reform its economy and government to cope with the long-term loss of oil income but actually changing the culture of corruption is proving difficult. One of the major problems is the government inability to clean up its own massive internal corruption. Despite positive press releases from the government, outside observers cannot see any real progress. In 2018 Algeria ranked 105 out of 180 nations in a worldwide survey of corruption. Thats up from 112 in 2017. Progress, or lack thereof, can be seen in the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index where countries are measured on a 1 (most corrupt) to 100 (not corrupt) scale. The most corrupt nations (usually North Korea/14, Yemen/14, Syria/13, South Sudan/13 and Somalia/10) have a rating of under 15 while of the least corrupt (New Zealand and Denmark) are over 85. The current Algeria score is 35 (up from 33 in 2017) compared to 17 (17) for Libya, 32 (31) for Mali, 43 (40) for Morocco, 43 (42) for Tunisia, 19 (20) for Chad, 34 (33) for Niger, 35 (32) for Egypt, 70 (71) for the UAE (United Arab Emirates), 62 (64) for Israel, 19 (19) for Angola, 26 (23) for CAR, 26 (26) for Uganda, 56 (55) for Rwanda, 17 (22) for Burundi, 36 (36) for Tanzania and 35 (37) for Zambia, 34 (35) for Ethiopia, 27 (28) for Kenya, 24 (20) for Eritrea, 14 (16) for Yemen, 13 (12) for South Sudan, 16 (16) for Sudan, 61 (61) for Botswana, 72 (75) for the United States, 25 (25) for Cameroon, 40 (39) for Benin, 41 (40) for Ghana, 43 (43) for South Africa, 45 (45) for Senegal, 41 (40) for India, 72 (73) for Japan, 38 (37) for Indonesia, 57 (54) for South Korea, 18 (18) for Iraq, 41 (40) for Turkey, 49 (49) for Saudi Arabia, 28 (28) for Lebanon, 28 (30) for Iran, 16 (15) for Afghanistan, 33 (32) for Pakistan, 28 (29) for Russia and 39 (41) for China. A lower corruption score is common with nations in economic trouble and problems dealing with Islamic terrorism and crime in general. Algerias corruption score has not made much progress lately as it was 34 back in 2012. The Fading Echoes Of Islamic Terrorism Islamic terror groups are admitting they are losing the culture wars in North Africa all they can do is issue press releases condemning the unbelievers. The latest AQIM (Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) Internet announcement decried the decline of Islamic education (learning to read Arabic, memorize scripture and not much else) in favor of what the unbelievers learn (a Western education). Meanwhile, Algeria, France and Mali used a secret 2017 amnesty agreement to persuade key AQIM and JNIM (Jamaah Nusrah al Islam wal Muslimin, or Group for the support of Islam and Moslems) personnel to surrender. In Mali and neighboring states, most of the Islamic terrorists are not ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) and are largely united. While Algeria has few active Islamic terrorists to the south, there are a lot more of them and most of the Islamic terrorist activity is in Mali and the work of JNIM, which was formed in early 2017. In part, this was a reaction to the growing threat from ISIL which is hostile to everyone who is not ISIL and will attack or recruit from the JNIM members AQIM Ansar Dine, FLM and al Mourabitoun (an al Qaeda splinter group). Another reason for the merger was to make it easier to pool resources (including information and advice) and coordinate with other Islamic terror groups in the area. This reduces friction and destructive feuding. Making a coalition like this work is always difficult, especially considering the importance of ethnic differences. The 2017 amnesty program was based on the one Algeria has been using successfully against AQIM, ISIL and other Islamic terrorists in Algeria. One interesting side effect of this is that many Mali Islamic terrorists seeking amnesty crossed the border to do so in Algeria. February 13, 2019: President Bouteflika (or his handlers) fired the chief of the national police. Since 2013 there have been frequent firings like this. The security forces have a lot of competent commanders and the forced retirements of so many senior commanders provide promotion opportunities for those who appear most loyal (to the ruling families). The security services continue to be effective, making Algeria one of the safest (according to international security firms that monitor that sort of thing) in North Africa and the Middle East. Yet, the persistence of pro-reform officers in the security forces is a mixed blessing for the ruling families and a ray of hope for Algerians in general. The need for reform is also necessary to get the most out of being one of the safest nations in North Africa. That designation does not mean being safe from the many corrupt practices that Algerian criminals (and local officials) impose on tourists and commercial visitors. One of the more visible examples of this is how many public beaches have been illegally taken over by criminal gangs that coerce tourists to pay illegal fees to park and be on the beach. Complaining to the police or local government often does not work because bribes are paid to ensure the gangsters are not interfered with. This sort of thing costs Algeria a lot of tourism income and efforts to clean up the corruption that makes it possible is still difficult. February 10, 2019: President Bouteflika (or his handlers) have finally decided that the ailing (by strokes) 81 year old will run for a fifth term as president. The elections are on April 18th. The handlers said this would not be Bouteflikas last term and the opposition interpreted that as Bouteflika seeking to be president for life. February 8, 2019: Neighbor Morocco is withdrawing its forces (six warplanes and ground support personnel) from the Arab coalition force in Yemen because a Saudi TV network recently broadcast a documentary that cast doubt on Morocco claims to the Western Sahara territory that Morocco and Algeria have been feuding about for decades. Algeria tends to ally itself with Iran but tries to maintain good relations with Saudi Arabia as well. Morocco refused to get involved with the feud between Saudi Arabia and Qatar (an Iranian ally). VILSECK, BY, GERMANY 02.13.2019 - A U.S. Army mobile gun system Stryker variant belonging to Quickstrike Troop, 4th Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment fires upon several targets during a week-long gunnery range at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, Feb. 14, 2019. Gunnery was the culminating event for their multi-month training progression. (U.S.Army photo by Sgt. Timothy Hamlin) X 0 20 Help Keep Us Soaring We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month. Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways: You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Businessman and US-Philippines Society co-chairman Manuel Pangilinan said Tuesday the Philippines should seriously prepare for the bilateral talks with the US on the proposed free trade agreement. Pangilinan said the Philippines was among the four countries and blocs that the US offered a free trade deal. It is something that we should take seriously. The US is one of the biggest markets available to us, Pangilinan said during the annual and US-Philippines Society business mission to the Philippines. Aside from the Philippines, the US was hoping to forge FTAs with the United Kingdom, Japan, and the European Union. Pangilinan said while the US might impose preferential treatment for certain food and commodities from the Philippines, the whole agreement would most likely revolve around the US Generalized System of Preferences. US President Donald Trump approved in March 2018 the Philippines request for another round of the US-GSP for the next three years or until 2020. The GSP program covers 5,057 products or tariff lines, representing 47.7 percent of the total 10,600 US tariff lines.About 3,500 of these tariff lines are open for all beneficiary developing countries while an additional 1,500 products are given to the least-developed beneficiary developing countries. Former US Ambassador to the Philippines and US-Philippines Society co-chairman John Negroponte said both countries could mutually benefit from the FTA if they agreed to maximize each others access to each others economy. Both should be able to free up the interaction between each others economy. If they want inputs from the private sector, were happy to give them, he said. Negroponte said the US-Philippines relations would be better once an FTA was in place. Want to walk the red carpet at the U.S. Harness Writers Associations (USHWA) annual Dan Patch Awards dinner this coming Sunday night (Feb. 24)? An expected crowd of more than 300 will have the chance, but so too do those that cant make the trip. For the second year in row, well known harness racing personalities Heather Vitale and Heather Wilder will be walking the red carpet, sponsored by Southwind Frank Partners, and broadcasting live on their Facebook pages. The Facebook Live shows will begin at 6 p.m. and continue until 7 p.m., when the awards dinner will commence. If you cant make the banquet we are going to bring the party to you! said Wilder. And its going to be some party! Heather Vitales Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/PacinHeather. Heather Wilders Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/heather.k.wilder. Vitale has hosted two popular television shows: Post Time and PA Harness Week. In addition to her local weekly productions, the charismatic personality has covered the sport nationally on espn2, CBSSN and MAV-TV. Vitale loves communicating with Standardbred enthusiasts around the world via social media and her unconventional interviews with a when in doubt, add glitter attitude has brought a unique sparkle to the sport and grabbed the attention of new fans. Wilder is currently known for her handling talent management for the Delaware County Fair during the live TV broadcast of the Little Brown Jug. While working as public relations and marketing director for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association she became a pioneer of reporting on racing on Facebook Live and coordinated the promotion of countless on-track events. She was the 2013 recipient of USHWAs Lew Barasch Memorial Breakthrough Award. Sponsored by Crawford Farms and Crazy Wow, the entire awards dinner, hosted by Roger Huston and Jason Settlemoir, will be broadcast live on the USHWA Facebook page and available on the U.S. Trotting Associations YouTube page the following day, Monday, Feb. 25. (USHWA) Dissatisfied Slovak farmers have arrived in Bratislava - on tractors They are now occupying 11 squares in the capital. Font size: A - | A + Farmers have returned to Bratislava on tractors. After a protected ride across Slovakia, which started on February 18, they arrived in Bratislava on February 19 morning, accompanied by the police. "140 agricultural machines have arrived in Bratislava, 100 of which are tractors," said Patrik Magdosko of the Initiative of Farmers, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The farmers also protested in Bratislava last summer. The Tyrsovo Nabrezie embankment has become a hub for the farmers' protest, but they are dispersed on 11 squares across the capital, too. The representatives of land surveyors and foresters have also supported the protest. The farmers came to discuss the land consolidation, how a farmer can obtain the land and how the Agricultural Paying Agency (PPA) runs and ignores the property rights. They intend to meet the government on February 20. Land consolidation a problem "We want to be involved in the process of land consolidation," said Magdosko, as quoted by TASR. "To prevent the land of our people from being consolidated, which is the biggest issue." Land consolidation stopped in 2009, which did not help farmers either, as the state of ownership has become unclear, said Lubomir Bulla from Trebisov. An invitation from PM Pellegrini Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer) invited dissatisfied farmers to meet the government on February 20. "I invite them to come to the Government's Office where they can present their problems to me and to all the ministers," he said, as quoted by TASR. Read also: With a few clicks, farmers can now verify ownership of farmland Read more Farmers have accepted the invitation. "It has been our goal to sit at the round table and to reach a consensus," Magdosko said, as quoted by TASR. A new reform, which should have been adopted 20 years ago, is necessary, he added. Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna (Slovak National Party) regards the protest as politically-driven. By contrast, Pellegrini has already pledged the government will adopt a significant document concerning the land consolidation. 19. Feb 2019 at 22:18 | Compiled by Spectator staff Blog: 5 unique and delicious wines to try in Slovakia It's difficult for Slovakia to break into international wine distribution, but this small country is producing some truly fantastic wine. Even though it feels longer, less than a month ago I was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean getting ready to leave Bratislava. While packing my luggage, I poured myself the last of a bottle of Frankovka Modra. As I took periodic sips between folding my clothes, I kept thinking to myself how nice it would be if Slovak wine was more widely available outside of the country. I love that when Im in Slovakia, I can walk into virtually any restaurant and order 2 deciliters of Frankovka the same way that I can order a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon in most restaurants in the U.S. Beyond Frankovka, there are many other amazing wines being produced in this small Central European nation of 5 million people. These wines are unique. They are delicious. They express the terroir from which they were borne. Read also: While France has Beaujolais Nouveau, Slovakia has St Catherine's wines Read more Tokajske Vino (Tokaj Wine) Tasting Tokaj for the first time might just change your life. The Slovak Tokaj region consists of seven villages and approximately 908 hectares of vineyards. It is the smallest of Slovakias six protected wine regions and one of the oldest protected wine regions ever. In fact, some claim that it is the oldest. Others will argue that it is second to Italys famous Chianti wine. Either way, it was a favourite among many notable European monarchs, artists, writers, and composers. Even American President Thomas Jefferson was known to love it. At the height of its popularity, it earned the moniker Vinum Regum, Rex Vinorum or Wine of Kings, King of Wines from Louis XV of France. Without diving into the entire history here, I will say that one thing is very clear: This wine has serious pedigree and for good reason. Touring wine cellars in the Tokaj region (Source: Courtesy of Martin Dubovic) It is downright delicious and very different from anything you may have tasted before. Made from three principal grape varieties Furmint, Lipovina, Muskat zlty its unique flavour comes from a type of fungus that attacks the grapes when they are still on the vine. In France, it is affectionately known as pourriture noble, or noble rot, for its ability to produce noble (quality) wines. The French, no strangers to winemaking, have long used it to produce their own tasty dessert wines. Ribezlak (Currant Wine) While most Slovaks of a certain age will usually laugh when you tell them you enjoy drinking ribezlak, this unique fruit wine made from red and black currants has experienced a modern-day renaissance in the past decade. Despite its rich history of production in the Devin area of Greater Bratislava, most people in Slovakia associate ribezlak with an overly sweet headache wine that old grandmothers used to make at home. Ribezlak wines are now being made by talented winemakers devoted to creating a quality end product worthy of medals at international wine fairs. Make no mistake, the cheap sugary variety is still available at many grocery stores and supermarket chains across the country, but so is the good stuff. Read also: Spectacular Slovakia #17: A hidden landmark in the far west of Bratislava Read more The most well-known producer making quality ribezlak in Devin is a man named Augustin Mrazik. He crafts a wide range of wines using a mix of different currant types and processing methods. Some are produced strictly from black currants, while others are made from a blend of both red and black varieties of this tasty berry. He even makes a white wine equivalent of ribezlak from golden currants. Mrazik also produces a really unique offering that is aged in barrique barrels prior to bottling. The taste is very particular and very delicious. Outside of its home turf of Devin, ribezlak is also produced by other fantastic winemakers in other parts of Slovakia. One of my favourites that I had on this most recent trip was made completely from black currants and offered in a traditional, sweet style. Its aroma was intense and its flavour was highly concentrated but pleasant. The body was quite heavy and reminiscent of big Cabs produced on Mount Vedeer in California. If that reference point doesnt ring a bell for you, just envision a concentrated burst of black currant flavour popping on your palate. Vcelovina (Honey Wine) Slovakia has a long history of producing mead, a staple drink at winter markets throughout the country. Historically speaking, all meads in Slovakia, regardless of who made a particular one, were known as medovina. The root word med means honey in the Slovak language, thus denoting what its made from. There are some solid, regionally well-known producers of medovina making great mead in the modern era. Many of them have won multiple international awards for their delicious meads. They also experiment with different kinds of honeys in the production process and even add herbs or spices to alter the flavor. Read also: The worlds oldest alcohol beverage also has a tradition in Slovakia Read more So if all of the meads are called medovina, then what exactly is vcelovina? Vcelovina is a new kind of fermented honey beverage that resembles mead on some level, but its really in its own class that I would personally argue is more of a true honey wine than the medovinas that have historically been produced in Slovakia. The root word in this case vcel(a) means bee in the Slovak language. Its a nod to the hardworking bees who make the honey that is then used to make the honey wine. The first time I had it, I was completely blown away. It is a true honey wine in every sense. The body and the nuanced layers sit on your palate in a way that no medovina no matter how good it is can do. The producers claim that they tried 34 different types of yeast before discovering that the 35th choice was the one that resulted in vcelovina. Thats a pretty extensive trial and error process and one that Im grateful for. Im confident that if you have the opportunity to try it, you will feel the same. Frankovka Modra (Blaufrankisch | Lemberger) If you come to any Slovak restaurant and order the House Red, theres a really high probability that it will be Frankovka Modra. I would argue that drinking a good Frankovka wine is part of experiencing the gastronomical culture of Slovakia. Despite being the most commonly planted red grape in Slovakia, as well as a popular variety across the rest of the region, its presence on wine store shelves outside of Central Europe is rare. As an avid traveller and wine connoisseur, I have been disappointed by the lack of Frankovka available on the international market. With that being said, there is still some hope for those of you who happen to be in distant lands. However, just like Tokaj, the bottle youll find likely wont be Slovak. In fact, unless you are in a neighbouring country, it wont even be called Frankovka Modra on the label. What youll find instead is something called Blaufrankisch the Austrian name. Thats because Austria dominates the relatively tiny export market for this wine. If your local wine shop is managed by a bonafide wine geek, then you can call and ask if they have either Blaufrankisch or the English name Lemberger in stock. However, if you do secure a bottle, it wont be quite the same. With Tokaj, there isnt a big difference between the Hungarian producers and their Slovak counterparts. This is because Slovakia used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the winemaking culture was the same across the Tokaj region. The same cannot be said for Frankovka Modra. Ive had a decent amount of Austrian Blaufrankisch and it has always been distinctly Blaufrankisch not Frankovka Modra. Yes, its the same grape genetically, but Austrian producers tend to make the wine in a lighter style, similar to many Beaujolais Nouveau wines (in terms of body, not flavour). Slovak producers opt for more medium-bodied Frankovkas in general, but you will find roses and late harvest wines made from it as well. Therefore, instead of trying to hunt down an obscure bottle of Blaufrankisch, you should just come to Slovakia and then you can try every type of Frankovka imaginable. If youre already in Slovakia and youve ever ordered a House Red in a restaurant, then youve probably already had it at some point. I also recommend checking out the annual Frankovka Modra Festival in Bratislava. It usually happens in late June and lasts for two days. Read also: Read also: Following Slovakia's wine route (Spectacular Slovakia - travel guide) Read more Svatovavrinecke (Saint Laurent) If Frankovka Modra is Slovakias Cabernet Sauvignon, then Svatovavrinecke is its Merlot. The analogy works, but not because the wines resemble each other in any significant way beyond the fact that they are both red wines. It works because just as Bordeauxs vineyards are dominated by either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, so too are Slovakias fields dominated by Frankovka Modra and Svatovavrinecke. Also, the latter is the second most commonly found red wine in restaurants across Slovakia. The wine itself is more characteristic of Pinot Noir, though a bit darker in colour than most Pinots. It pairs well with many dishes and it usually spends time in oak barrels, which increases its aging potential. Na Zdravie! (Cheers!) The full version of this article was originally published on The Medium and can be read here. 19. Feb 2019 at 16:55 | Martin Dubovic By Frosty Wooldridge Part 4: Importation of millions of third world people continue turning Europe into a third world region. Almost half of Swedish women are regularly prisoners in their own homes because it is too dangerous to go outside. Muslim religious police and gangs are controlling ever larger areas. There are not enough police to stabilize the country. There is no help in sight for the Swedes, and Sweden is becoming an ever-greater security threat to the surrounding NATO countries, reported Nicolai Sennels of Jihad Watch. Every chapter of The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam by Douglas Murray sends a chill up any Western readers spine. None of the leaders of Europe planned on or foresaw the chaos and religious zealotry of Muslims moving into their countries. They assumed that immigrants from such distant regions like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Congo and Nigeria would gladly assimilate into advanced European culture. They escaped their shitholes to migrate to a modern country. European leaders assumed their cultures, their educational systems and their freedoms would be accepted by Muslims from the Middle East and Africa. European leaders discovered their folly as racial, cultural and religious mayhem overtook Europe. Every European today, whether its Sweden, Norway, Great Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerlandunderstands the plight of women in the face of the Islamic onslaught. Gays feel the Islamic rage. Jewish people find themselves being killed or terrified in their own neighborhoods. Anyone who speaks out, or writes anything about Muslim conquest or draws a cartoon of the prophetfaces intimidation and/or outright getting his or her throat sliced. Murray gives example after example of anyone who thought free speech continued in Europe, would find themselves hiding or dead from Muslim terrorists who kill anyone to defies the Quran. Just for reporting these facts that Im relating, if I wrote this account in France, I would face a fatwa or death to an infidel for simply speaking the truth about Islam. If you look back at history, demographics dictate destiny of any country. Europe saved itself from the Muslim hordes when Charles Martel in 732 at the Battle of Tours in France, killed every last Muslim in the struggle for Europe. If Martel had failed, Europe would have rendered itself Islamic, which meant no free speech, womens rights, childrens rights, religious choice, gay rights, no dancing, no artists like Da Vinci (Islam does not allow paintings of people) or any other freedoms that Westerners enjoy today. Islam proves itself a dark, violent and pernicious religion that spreads itself by violence and fear. Its prime directive in the Quran: Convert or kill all non-believers. January 27, 2019, Jihad Watch, Christine Douglas Williams reported, A 25-year-old Syrian man was arrested in the German town of Landshut this week after approaching a group of young girls on their way to school and molesting them. The case is just the latest in a wave of Muslim migrant sex attacks since the height of the migrant crisis in 2015, many of which have involved adults preying on minors. The sex assaults are rampant. Recall the Muslim rape gangs of the UK. The view of infidel women as sex slaves is enshrined in Islamic doctrine and still perpetuated (Quran 4:3, 4:24, 23:1-6, 33:50, 70:30). according to a female Islamic scholar from the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. Muslim men are allowed by Allah to rape non-Muslim or infidel women to humiliate them,from the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. After 1945, as Europe allowed itself to be overrun by the Muslim Turks as workers, but workers that failed to return to their homeland, the insidious march of the third world started in earnest. By 1973, Frenchman Jean Raspail wrote a penetrating novel, The Camp of the Saints, that showed an armada of third world wretched poor sailing toward France and all of Europe. One of the captains said, You dont know my people. If this band of brutes ever lands on your shores, they will swallow you up. While Europe leaders such as Thatcher, Blair, Cameron, May, Merkel, Macron, Sarkozy and others perpetuated the mass invasion of their countriesthey remained untouched in their gated homes. But the average European discovered his daughters and wife being harassed or raped. The average European saw his community turned to violence and trash. The average European watched as his/her schools turned into chaos. The average European became the victims of Muslim terrorist attacks such as Nice, Brussels, Charlie Hebdo, Paris, Stockholm, Malmo, Oslo, Holland andhundreds of other individual attacks on Europeans. Today, over 50 million Muslims Overwhelm Europe With Parallel Societies Murray wrote, Nothing demonstrates this failure in the multicultural era better than the fact that the ideologiespolitical and religiousof the incomers were rarely a subject of consideration and were almost never a permissible subject for debate. Soon, majority Muslim populations in cities across Europe practiced their barbaric Sharia Law. No Go Zones erupted where police and firefighters dared not tread. The United Kingdom discovered 73,000 female genital mutilation victims along with hundreds of honor killings of Muslim women. Jewish communities fled their own homes from immigrant attacks on their synagogues. Women feared walking down the street for fear of their lives. If anyone spoke up, they faced brutal killings. At one point a Somalian immigrant, Hirsi Ali, fleeing Somalia in order to escape female genital mutilation, wrote a short story on Islamic violence toward women, while living in Holland. The great grandson of Vincent Van Gogh, Theo Van Gogh produced a movie for her titled: Submission. A Muslim stopped Van Gogh on his bicycle as Van Gogh pedaled to work, and slit his throat and left a knife in his heart with a note that he would kill Ali next. More terrorist killings occurred to shock the Dutch. But instead of standing up, they backed down to all demands by Muslims. The same occurred all over Europe. The European leaders didnt know what to do with all the violence. At this moment, British citizens voted to get out of the European Union because of the forced immigration into their lands. The Yellow Vests of France fight to stop Macron. Swedens citizens anguish over the loss of their country to Muslim immigrants. In Oslo, according to my contact over there, nearly 40 percent Muslims now command the city with Sharia patrols, and blond Norwegians dye their hair black so as not to be molested by Muslims. Norwegians flee Oslo like Detroit whites fled Detroit in the 1990s to decline Detroits population by 1.2 million people. From 1.85 million Detroit citizens back in 1970 to 648,000 today. More than half are Muslim immigrants. Today, we see two Muslim House Members in our U.S. Congress who want more Muslim immigrants, and who do not want to see any stop of mass immigration. Both swore into Congress on the Quran, which explicitly commands its followers to install Sharia Law. And, they work to install Sharia Law within the United States. The more Muslim immigrants, the more power they wield. The more power they wield, the more Muslim immigrants they command to grow their power. Culture and identity equate to destiny. If youre not sure, take a look at the Native American Indians. The white man swept over this continent with endless, mechanized military might. The Red Man never recovered, and today, lives within internment camps, living on welfare and booze. His cultures, languages, land, religions, ways of life and freedoms no longer exist. What does it all mean for Europe? Is a French person French anymore? Is English culture Muslim or British? Is Germany German or Muslim? Is a Muslim in Germany a German? Can a Muslim in Sweden be Swedish? Is a Norwegian a Muslim or Somalian or Pakistani? Do Muslims consider themselves Americans or Muslims? Answer: Muslims first, last and always. In other words, they do not identify with any country, but instead, their culture and religion, only. At some point, Europeans will not be allowed to identify with themselves or their country, but instead, they will be forced to identify as Muslims. Sharia Law dictates that outcome. And, as their numbers grow from 50 million Muslims, to 100 million Muslims, Europes Strange Death is assured. Take a look at Europe, and now Canada, and throw in Australia. All follow the path of the Camp of the Saints toward a very conflicted and unfortunate future. The only solution: stop all immigration into America and Canada before we become like Europe. Stop all Sharia Law from being practiced or followed in America, Canada and Australia. If we dont, we will become like Islamic Europe. ## Part 5: Can Europe be saved? Can America be saved? Can Canada survive its immigrants? War is deceit. Mohammad (Bukhari Vol 4, Book 52, hadith 269) Americans who understand the threat from the Islamic Counter-state, especially those trained by UTT, are done giving leeway to conservative leaders who continue to fall prey to deception from muslims portraying themselves as ever-more friendly, but operating on behalf of Americas enemy.The Political Warfare model uses splinters elements of the same enemy appearing to work against each other while actually propelling the broader joint-objective forward.Islam gives American leaders many different views of itself to give the impression there are many interpretations and many versions of Islam, while always moving towards an Islamic State under sharia.For the purposes of this discussion UTT is using a five (5) headed hydra with each different head often appearing to work against the others while actually all support the same goal keep the body (Islam) alive and dominant.One head represents Islamic jurists teaching allahs divine law sharia. Sharia comes from the Koran and the example of Islams prophet Mohammad. Watch videos of the worlds most prominent Islamic scholars when they speak to muslim audiences and you will hear them saying exactly what Al Qaeda says about Islam.A second head represents violent jihadis, such as fighters from the Islamic State, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, Al Shabaah, Boko Haram, Islamic Jihad, and many others. When put in front of a camera, these people often speak raw truth about doctrinal Islam. Sometimes you will hear them condemn the suit-wearing jihadis for not picking up weapons and fighting. Sometimes these condemnations are legitimate per sharia, but for the non-muslim public witnessing these disagreements, it gives suit-wearing jihadis room to distance themselves from those who have the same objective as them an Islamic State under sharia.The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) leaders wear suits and meet with Members of Congress, the FBI, Chambers of Commerce, and others. MB leaders point to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State and condemn them for crucifying people and stoning them to death, even though they actually support these actions because they are lawful under sharia. Relative to the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood leaders in suits appear more moderate and they use this to get non-muslim officials at the local, state and federal level to draw them in for advice. Yet, MB leaders are speaking more freely these days because they believe they are close to victory.As Muslim Brotherhood leaders speak more truthfully about Islam and sharia, more Americans are becoming aware of the Muslim Brotherhoods modus operandi and their threat to local communities. Astute citizens now realize leaders from the Islamic Society of North America, CAIR, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim Advocates and others are hostile to Americas laws and founding principles. So moderate muslims the 4th head of this hydra are coming out of the woodwork.Relative to the deceiving Muslim Brotherhood leaders, moderate muslims appear moremoderate. Moderates who are getting air time in conservative circles include people like Shireen Qudosi, Raheel Raza, Reza Aslan, Qanta Ahmed and others.Qanta Ahmed is exhibit A.This past weekend while appearing as a guest on Judge Jeanine Pirros show, Qanta Ahmed said, (Anti-semitism) is also profoundly against Islam, which reveres the Torah and Judaism.Unfortunately, Judge Jeanine, normally strong on national security issues, nodded her head in agreement.Even a cursury study of basic Islamic teachings reveals Qanta Ahmeds statement is objectively false.See UTTs recent article on Jew-hatred/anti-semitism in Islam here Moderat muslims comments about Islam are often objectively untrue and have no basis in fact. Therefore, professionals must ask themselves, Are these people intentionally lying or just ignorant?UTT believes the practical reality is that in either case, no one should be relying upon these people for advice on how to fight and win this war.The fifth and final head of this hydra are former muslims. To be clear, UTT works with former muslims, but we offer this as a caution. There is a reason Coptic Christians in Egypt do not let muslim converts have positions of leadership in their church for decades. Even in the U.S. people posing as former muslims have turned out to be working for the cause of Islam.In all of these cases the line of demarkation is theabout Islam/sharia.Since U.S. Islamic schools teach muslim children the same information Al Qaeda teaches about Islam and the duties of all muslims, people who say Islam does not stand for violence/Jew-hatred/conquest are either ignorant or lying, and in either case, mature responsible adults should not give them the time of day in a war which we are losing badly right now. The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. On the night of March 16, 2017, the city of Raleigh, North Carolina suffered its biggest fire in a century. The flames scorched 10 buildings, including churches and businesses. A seven-story apartment complex, then under construction, was reduced to ashes. The fire ultimately caused $50 million in damages. Over the next year, authorities investigated the fire but seemed to struggle to determine its cause. According to a report by local NBC affiliate WRAL, the Raleigh police went to extreme lengths to find out if an arsonist may have set the blaze. Investigators served a search warrant to Google, asking that the company to provide the coordinates of any phones that were in the area between 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on the night of the fire. It was likely for naughtpolice ended up classifying the cause of the fire as undetermined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police departments across the country have been knocking at Googles door for at least the last two years with warrants to tap into the companys extensive stores of cellphone location data. Known as reverse location search warrants, these legal mandates allow law enforcement to sweep up the coordinates and movements of every cellphone in a broad area. The police can then check to see if any of the phones came close to the crime scene. In doing so, however, the police can end up not only fishing for a suspect, but also gathering the location data of potentially hundreds (or thousands) of innocent people. There have only been anecdotal reports of reverse location searches, so its unclear how widespread the practice is, but privacy advocates worry that Googles data will eventually allow more and more departments to conduct indiscriminate searches. Advertisement Google didnt respond to Slates request for comment on how the company handles requests. The company told Forbes last year: We always push back on overly broad requests for our users data. [Update: Google sent Slate a statement after this article was published, which read, We have an established process for managing requests for data about our users, and in these particular instances, require a search warrant. We always push back on overly broad requests to protect our users privacy.] Advertisement WRAL was able to uncover four instances in which the Raleigh Police Department sought reverse-location data in 2017 for investigations into murder, sexual battery, and the suspected arson. Police were able obtain data for crimes that occurred as far back as 2015. Only one of the cases has resulted in arrest. In their warrants, police have instructed Google to keep the data requests secret for up to three months. The department reportedly got the idea to use reverse location searches after learning that the State Bureau of Investigation in Orange County, California, had also employed the technique. Advertisement In Minnesota, police departments have obtained at least 22 reverse-location search warrants since August, according to reporting by Minnesota Public Radio. The warrants have, at times, sought location data in 33-hour windows, potentially giving officers information on tens of thousands of people. The warrants have sought to gather identifying data in crimes ranging from home invasions to a theft of $650 worth of tires. In one case, the reverse-location data was requested to help solve a fatal shooting from 2013. Its not just local police departments that have requested location data dumps from Google: Forbes discovered that the FBI also used the technique in Virginia to investigate a string of robberies at a Dollar Tree between last March and September. The bureau requested the identifying information of all Google account holders in two areas with a 375-meter radius, and another with a 300-meter radius, during the times that the robberies took place. Advertisement Advertisement The government has long applied a broad dragnet approach to cellphone location data. Law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels have made thousands of requests for cell tower dumps since 2010, which involves collecting information on every phone connected to a cell tower at a certain time. Police have also been known to use StingRays, which are devices that send out broadcast signals stronger than those coming from actual cell towers, thus tricking cellphones into connecting to the device. The StingRay operator can then locate all connected phones. However, Googles location-tracking capabilities are more powerful than either of these methods. When authorities request cell tower data, they can see the approximate locations of any phone connected to a nearby tower. But they can retrieve much more reliable data from users of Android phones or certain Google apps. Googles location-tracking functions are often more precise than those of cell towers for tools like Maps and even Gmail. Plus, the company collects tracking data from phones that arent connected to cell towers, such as those using GPS satellites or Wi-Fi. When police request location data from Google-connected devices, theyve also been known to ask for more personal information, like browsing history and past purchases. Advertisement Advertisement Many privacy advocates argue that these sort of indiscriminate data sweeps are prohibited under the Fourth Amendment, which generally dictates that searches by law enforcement need to be specific and limited only to whats necessary. [Law enforcement] needs to suspect a particular person or criminal activity, not just go, for example, search every home in a given area, says Jennifer Lynch, who serves as the surveillance-litigation director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Minnesota also has a statute dictating that police must name a person of interest in tracking warrants, so it would seem that reverse location searches should be technically illegal in the state. One of the main concerns with these generalized searches is that the data of unsuspecting innocent people inevitably falls into the hands of police. Even though these people might not be breaking any laws, the information that such methods dredge up could still be revealing and sensitive. What if this type of location-based collection is occurring in our red light district and youre finding out everyone who was there, or some sort of shady establishment? Or what if youre targeting at a medical facility or religious house of worship? says Jake Laperruque, who serves as senior counsel at the Constitution Project. It gets really bad really fast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some police departments have tried to implement limits on the amount of data accessible at one time in order to preserve privacy. Maine police officers asked Google in August to retrieve information only on users who were in at least two of the locations of interest during certain periods of time. Minnesota police officers have defended reverse location searches by pointing out that investigators follow a process whereby Google first assigns anonymized ID numbers to each phone when it hands the data over. Once investigators pinpoint a device that seems suspicious, they then request another warrant from the court to retrieve its identifying information. However, Jerome Greco, a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society, says these safeguards are inadequate. Just because one police department does it this way doesnt mean that the jurisdiction next to it is going to the same, Greco said. For us to have to rely upon an internal policy of a particular police department that could change at any time is not sufficient. Greco also points out that there do not seem to be any publicly known policies about deleting the data after a certain amount of time. Its plausible, then, that police departments might retain data even on bystanders, which could then be cross-referenced in future investigations. Advertisement Advertisement Privacy advocates are encouraging judges to be more discerning in approving warrant applications. Because this is a relatively new technique, some worry that the courts do not understand the true invasiveness of what police departments are requesting, or much how much precise location data Google has stored. These warrant application also often only list GPS coordinates, potentially making it difficult for judges to discern the breadth of the area from which police are requesting location datawhether theyre approving a search of the area around a store, or around a whole shopping center. There have been further reports that judges have reviewed such warrants for as little as four minutes before signing them. Thus far ,the courts have not been really great at narrowing to the ability of police to get these large swaths of information, says Teresa Nelson, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota. We need the court to weigh in and put limits, to say, Actually, no, this warrant was too broad and were not going to allow it. Theres hope, though, that judges will soon catch on to what exactly is being asked in these warrants. As activists brought more awareness to cell tower dumps and StingRays, judges began to become more discerning and demand more limits when reviewing such requests from law enforcement. While its not a perfect fixlegislation would be much more effectiveraising general awareness may be the best course of action in the short term. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Listen to What Next: Get More What Next Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcastsand much more. Sign up today. Join Slate Plus Subscribe to What Next Copy this link and add it in your podcast app. copy link copied! For detailed instructions, see our Slate Plus podcasts page. Listen to What Next via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, Overcast, Google Play, or iHeart. Voters during the 2018 midterms favored the expansion of Medicaid, but its being met with some pushback by conservative legislators. What can Utahs Medicaid episode teach us about how health care fights may roll out over the coming years? Guests: Utah 25th District Rep. Joel Briscoe. Rachana Pradhan, health care reporter for Politico. Eric Eddings, co-host of The Nod. Tell us what you think by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or sending an email to whatnext@slate.com. Follow us on Instagram for updates on the show. Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, and Anna Martin. STI Education Services Group Inc., a unit of STI Holdings Inc., has acquired NAMEI Polytechnic Institute, an educational institution that offers courses in maritime transportation and marine engineering and naval architecture. STI Holdings said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would house NAMEI in the newly constructed STI Academic Center Sta. Mesa along P. Sanchez Street, Sta. Mesa in Metro Manila. The 10-story building, with an estimated value of P727 million, stands on a 3,691-square-meter property and can accommodate 9,000 senior high school and college students. The new campus will be operational this school year 2019-2020 and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. We are very happy with the addition of NAMEI to STI ESGs institutional roster, said STI ESG president and chief operating officer Peter Fernandez. It is an opportunity for us to introduce exciting changes and transform NAMEI into an educational powerhouse whose students will bring pride not only to their alma mater but also to the country, he added. The group said the acquisition was a strategic move to boost the institutions sought-after courses. The school provides practical and industry-driven skills that will produce more world-class professionals in several fields, especially maritime.STI ESG, citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority and the International Maritime Organization, noted that the Philippines was the worlds biggest source of seafarers, with Filipinos accounting for about 380,000 of the 1.5 million seafarers worldwide. STI ESG said figures from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that the maritime industry was also a major contributor to the countrys economy. Filipino seafarers remitted $1.934 billion from January to April in 2018. A good number of Philippine maritime education and training institutes continue to hone the skills development of our seafarers. It is high time we complemented this with high-quality education to prepare a new generation of seafarers who are ready to join global cruise companies, Fernandez said. STI-ESG owns one of the largest networks of private schools in the Philippines. STI Holdings posted a net income of P190.4 million in the first nine-months of 2018, down 39 percent from P311.6 million year-on-year. President Donald Trump wanted $5.7 billion to build a border wall. But Congress gave him only $1.4 billion. So on Friday, Trump declared a national emergency. He claimed authority, based on the 1976 National Emergencies Act, to build his wall using money that Congress had assigned to other purposes. This is an affront to the Constitution, which says, No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in consequence of appropriations made by law. Its also a reversal of what Trump and his party said years ago: that President Barack Obama had no right to circumvent Congress through executive orders. Nevertheless, Republicans are inventing excuses to support Trumps power grab. Their arguments are dishonest and anti-democratic. Advertisement 1. Were at war. The classic emergency situation is an attack on the United States. In that scenario, most people would accept unilateral action by the president. So Trump tries to make border crossings sound like a military assault. On Friday, at a press conference announcing his declaration, he used the word invasion seven times. The national security crisis on our southern border, Trump asserted, was an invasion of drugs, invasion of gangs, invasion of people. The crisis, Trump contended, was more urgent than fighting wars that are 6,000 miles away. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy agreed. Advertisement Advertisement This invasion is a charade. Illegal border crossings and apprehensions of gang members are in decline. But to Republicans, anyone crossing the border counts as an invasion. In a Sunday interview on ABCs This Week, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan warned of an endless caravan. He challenged Democrats: How many caravans do we have to have before its an emergency? On Face the Nation, Sen. Lindsey Graham portrayed the border as a zone of armed conflict and inferred that the commander in chief could use military assets to build a wall. Its pretty hard for me to understand the legal difference between sending troops and having them build a barrier, said Graham. Advertisement Republicans are appealing to fear, as they did years ago when they advocated for the invasion of Iraq. 2. Drugs are a weapon of mass destruction. Since government statistics dont support Trumps claims about gangs and migrants pouring in, the White House has increasingly focused on what Trump calls the invasion of drugs. The presidents senior policy adviser, Stephen Miller, depicts traffickers as a military threat. On Fox News Sunday, Miller said international narco-terrorist organizations were destabilizing the Western Hemisphere. Declaring an emergency to battle these criminal cartels operating on our border, he argued, was as valid as sending troops to destroy drug fields in foreign lands. Advertisement This, too, is hype. It doesnt justify building a wall, since most drugs come in through legal ports of entry. So Republicans appeal to fear, as they did years ago when they advocated for the invasion of Iraq. This time, the alleged weapons of mass destruction are opioids. On Sunday, Jordan said a recent drug bust on the Arizona border showed the need for a wall. He brushed aside two inconvenient facts: that the drugs had come in through a port of entry and that the current system had caught them. All that mattered, Jordan asserted, was that the haul included enough Fentanyl to kill 57 million Americans. Advertisement When Republicans cant support their claims about drugs pouring in through unfenced border areas, they retreat to speculations that cant be disproved. Fox News host Chris Wallace reminded Miller that 80 to 90 percent of those drugs dont come across in unfenced areas. They come from ports of entry. Those are your own Customs and Border Patrol numbers. Miller replied that unknown and presumably dangerous quantities were coming in through unfenced areas. On Face the Nation, Graham gave the same answer: For every [load of drugs] we get, God knows how much we miss. Advertisement 3. We need a wall to protect our troops. Just before the midterms, Trump sent thousands of troops to the border, ostensibly to block migrant caravans. The deployment, coordinated with the GOPs campaign to turn out anti-immigration voters, was nakedly political. Now Trump is exploiting the troops again. He claims that their vulnerability to caravans, gangs, and other border threats requires construction of a wall to protect them. In a letter to Congress explaining his emergency declaration, the president cited a law that authorizes emergency construction to support the use of the Armed Forces. Advertisement This rationale, known as force protection, is a well-known path to military entanglement. First you send troops. Then you send more troops and equipment to protect the original troops. Pretty soon, youre all the way in. Trump is applying this mission-creep recipe to our own border. If he had declared an emergency to build a security perimeter in Iraq or Afghanistan or around a military installation in Syria, there would not have been one word of objection from Congress, Miller argued on Fox News Sunday. This is defending our own country. We have 4,000 troops on the border right now, and as a result of that mission, they need to secure those areas where theyre patrolling. Advertisement Advertisement 4. No means yes. The Emergencies Act has never been used to override a decision of Congress. Yet thats exactly what Trump is doing. Congress refused to give him more than $1.4 billion for fence construction, but hes seizing another $7 billion anyway. To justify this heist, Trump and his surrogates falsely insinuate that Congress, by offering some money for construction, invited the president to take more. On This Week, Jordan dismissed the $1.4 billion limit Congress put on money for fence construction. This wasnt a rejection, because there was some money for the wall in this bill, the congressman argued. All Trump did, according to Jordan, was properly fund the mission Congress had authorized. When ABCs Martha Raddatz pointed out that Congress specifically rejected more money, Jordan brushed her off. Advertisement Miller offers a broader argument: Congress consented to Trumps money grab by passing the Emergencies Act. When Chris Wallace pointed out that Trump was taking money that Congress refused to appropriate, Miller disputed that statement. Lawmakers didnt refuse to appropriate it, said Miller. They passed a law specifically saying the president could have this authority. Essentially, Miller argued that the will of a Congress 43 years ago, nearly all of whose members are dead or gone, supersedes the will of Congress today.* Wallace then asked him what Trump would do if Congress passed legislation rejecting the emergency declaration. Would Trump veto that legislation? Yes, said Miller: The president is going to protect his national emergency declaration. So Trump doesnt care about the will of Congress, no matter how explicit it is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 5. You made him do it. While some Republicans say Congress has consented, others say Congress has obstructed Trump, forcing him to take matters into his own hands. His emergency declaration is the predictable and understandable consequence of Democrats decision to put partisan obstruction ahead of the national interest, according to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders agrees, chiding lawmakers who should have done more to secure the border so the president wouldnt have to take executive action. This echoes what Republicans said during the recent government shutdown. They blamed that standoff on Democrats who failed to give Trump the wall money he demanded. The GOPs defense of the emergency declaration, like its defense of the shutdown, favors the bully: If you dont appease him, youll get whats coming to you. Since Congress will not give [Trump] what weve given past presidents, said Graham, hes got to do it on his own. And I support his decision to go that route. Advertisement These arguments are false and twisted. Migrants arent a military threat. The border isnt a war zone. Baseless troop deployments dont justify the construction of walls to support them. When Congress says no, it means no. And when a president overrides the will of Congress by asserting emergency powers, hes not saving America. Hes destroying what makes it America. A party that offers excuses like these isnt republican. Its authoritarian. Donald Trump has been formally running for re-election for about a year now, and as with all modern campaigns, the Trump team sends regular emails to its supporters, offering updates on the candidates work and soliciting donations. Unsurprisingly, Trumps emails sound a lot like the man himself. Chuck & Nancyforgot about the Hard-Working American a long time ago, one January message read. Americans not only want the wall, they DEMAND THE WALL, read another. So far, so Trumpian. What is more surprising for a well-funded major-party presidential candidatewho happens to be the president of the United Statesis the graphic design aesthetic. Which is to say: absolutely hideous. Advertisement Take a missive from last week that invited supporters to sign a Valentines Day card for the president and first lady. The card itself contains just 25 words, but it includes four separate typefaces, including Courier New, the 80s fanciness signifier Chancery, and the much-mocked Comic Sans. Advertisement Advertisement Other emails arent just ugly, but also contain minor errors. One message from Melania Trump, versions of which I received at least four times, referred to the moment when the president placed his hand on the bible and took the oath of office. That lowercase bible violates both the AP Stylebook and everyday usage by the Christians in Trumps base. The Trump team doesnt seem to have a style guide of its own, so punctuation choices are as erratic as they are in Trumps tweets. In other emails, Oath of Office is capitalized, along with phrases like Hard-Working American, Liberal Mega-Donors, and Hollywood Elites. Trumps emails sometimes use the capital letter O in place of the number zero, such as in a recent reference to 3O,OOO American Patriots. (As it turns out, this is an old trick to get around spam filters. But its still unpleasant to look at!) To use a highly technical design term, the emails are a hot mess. Advertisement Get The Angle in Your Inbox Every weekday, Slate's copy editors round up the stories you should read. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. In the email world, sometimes theres a difference between good design and effective design, said Damien Shirley, a Washington-based associate director at Bully Pulpit Interactive, an agency whose clients include Democratic political campaigns. These are conscious design choices the Trump team is making. Theyre doing it because it comes across as authentic. Shirley said the Trump messages appear to him to be designed and coded under the surface the same way any relatively sophisticated email marketing campaign would be. But the trick is that they look like they could have been thrown together by anybody you know. One email included four separate typefaces, including Courier New, the 80s fanciness signifier Chancery, and the much-mocked Comic Sans. Striving for a nonchalant vibe in official campaign emails is not a Trump innovation. In fact, its a proven strategy. The Obama campaign was famous for using cryptic, casual subject lines like Hey and Me again. During Elizabeth Warrens 2012 Senate campaign, a single email with the subject line Im sorry raised $430,000. Trump apes this approach with subject lines that have included fw: {no entry} and Did you see Erics email? And even Trumps aesthetic is not totally his own. These emails dont look that much different from some of the messages you see from the Democratic side, said Doug Foote, a digital strategy director at Veracity Media who has worked on digital campaigns for progressive causes. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, for example, regularly sends out emails that look almost as slapdash as Trumps. Advertisement But just because Trumps emails belong to a creative tradition doesnt mean theyre, you know, good. Trumps emails are not the worst emails Ive ever seen, but theyre all so bad, said Matthew Smith, founder and director of the site Really Good Emails. I wish politicians would take this stuff more seriously. Smith is a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker, but when he signed up for Bookers email list, he was also disappointed by what landed in his inbox. Advertisement Smith blames a few factors for the design gap between campaign emails and campaign branding in general, which is arguably stronger and more interesting than ever. Its partly a technology problem. Smith pointed out that the widely used Microsoft Outlook uses relatively old and clunky technology that makes offerings like one-click donations difficult; thats a problem for email marketing in general. Meanwhile, speed often triumphs over subtlety in campaigns that are trying to respond quickly to news events. Advertisement Still, how hard can it be to, say, choose any font other than Comic Sans when writing to supporters? That brings us back to Trump. Shirley said the Trump campaigns haphazard design choices cant be explained by sheer haste. This really isnt allowing them to send more emails or get them out the door more quickly, he said. Its just how theyre choosing to talk to their supporters. And its apparently working: Trumps Make America Great Again Committee, the entity that emails his supporters updates and entreaties for donations, had raised $41 million in individual donations under $200 as of October. The problem with Trumps emails is the problem with Trumpworld in general: No matter how terrible things look, theres always a chance that ugliness was the plan all along. A Washington Post investigation published Tuesday alleges that those at the highest ranks of the Vatican, including Pope Francis, were made aware of horrific abuse allegations in three Catholic schools for deaf children but did little to punish the accused or stop the abuse from continuing. The allegations, the first set of which emerged in 2006, led to the 2016 arrest of an 83-year-old Italian priest named Nicola Corradi, who was thought to be the ringleader of the abuse, according to the Post. Charges are pending against 12 other suspects, and a 14th has already been sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape and sexual abuse. Advertisement The abuse reportedly began in the 1950s and lasted through the 1980s at the Antonio Provolo Institute for the Deaf in Verona, Italy, and began in the 1980s in Argentina at Provolo schools in Lujan de Cuyo and in La Plata. Corradi taught for decades in each country. Advertisement Advertisement The allegations are difficult to read, and they involve countless cases of abuse of children at least as young as 7. According to the Post: Vulnerable to the extreme, the deaf students tended to come from poor families that fervently believed in the sanctity of the church. Prosecutors say the children were fondled, raped, sometimes tied up and, in one instance, forced to wear a diaper to hide the bleeding. All the while, their limited ability to communicate complicated their ability to tell others what was happening to them. Students at the school were smacked if they used sign language. One of the few hand gestures used by the priests, victims say, was an index [finger] to lipsa demand for silence. Advertisement But the church failed to punish the accused priests. The 2006 accusation by a man named Dario Laiti led more than a dozen other former students to come forward. The victims wrote to a local bishop in 2008 (it was at that point too late to press charges). In public statements, they named 24 priests and other faculty at the school as abusers. According to the group, dozens of others had been abused but were not willing to come forward. The bishop accused the victims of lying, and the victims sued for defamation, alerting the Vatican to the allegations. Advertisement In 2010, the Vatican asked the diocese to investigate the accusations, and the diocese brought in a retired judge named Mario Sannite to lead the investigation. Sannite found most of the allegations credible but cast doubt on the former student who accused Corradi. Advertisement According to the Post, it was clear these allegations were known at the highest level of the Vatican. In 2013, the year Francis was chosen to lead the church, and again in 2014, the victims sent a letter to the pope with a list of 14 alleged abusers. They did not hear back from the Vatican, and in 2015, a group of victims and advocates traveled to Rome with hopes of meeting the pope. Two of themincluding a man who said he had been raped hundreds of times by a priest when he was a boy in the late 1990swere able to personally hand Francis a letter with the abusers names. Four months later, one of Francis close associates in the Vatican wrote the group a letter saying Francis welcomed with lively participation what you wanted to confide in Him but reminding the group of what the Holy See has done and keeps on doing with unwavering commitment on clerical sexual abuses. Advertisement Advertisement But in the following years, the local bishop maintained that the group of victimshe later speculated that they were behind the Argentina allegations as wellwere after the Provolo schools property. And after the Vatican investigation, only one priest, ordered to a life of penance and prayer, was punished. (The institution no longer serves as a school for the deaf but rents the space to another school). The allegations arose later in Argentina, where the most recent alleged abuse occurred in 2016. But they did lead to criminal prosecutions. In 2016, an anonymous woman who had attended the school in Lujan went to a state senator with her allegations. Two days later, prosecutors raided the school and found pornography and damning letters implicating a 58-year-old Argentine priest. The authorities shut down the school that year, and they launched an investigation into the La Plata school, where they also found allegations of abuse against at least five men who worked there, including Corradi. The prosecutors allege Corradi, who is still under house arrest and who has not yet entered a plea, helped other predators at the school access the children. According to the Post, Francis appointed a bishop to oversee the Provolo schools after the scandal. That bishop, Alberto German Bochatey, has said the lawyers representing the victims have overstated the allegations. They try to build a big case that [it was a] house of horrors, 40 or 50 cases, but there are little more than 10, he told the Post. He also said he believed the Freemasons were behind the allegations. This week, Francis will convene a summit of prominent bishops from around the country to discuss the churchs sex abuse crisis. Last fall, a tipster sent the progressive opposition research firm American Bridge an old video clip of Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Schuette. The 39-second scene opens with a woman off-screen asking a seated Schuette to move closer to a lamp to his right, as they prepare to tape a television interview. I would be happy to move closer to the lamp, Schuette tells her, making a kind of heavy eye contact recognizable to any woman. I will do anything you want. Some things I may not let you run the camera on. That was pretty much it. He doesnt touch her, or explicitly proposition her. Hes simply and indisputably creepy. Advertisement Schuettes subtle grossness might not have counted as a bona fide scandal a few years ago. But were obviously now in an era in which sexual harassment stories that might have been laughed off just a few years ago are more often taken seriously by both the media and the public. American Bridge decided to release the video via tweet, calling it interesting. That was all it took to take off. By the next day, Schuette was forced to address the incident in a debate, where he awkwardly explained he was apparently trying to be funny. The clip was eventually featured on Last Week Tonight With John OliverI dont know how she got through the interview without punching him in the dickand in an attack ad released by American Bridge a week before the election. Schuette lost the race to Democrat Gretchen Whitmer by more than 400,000 votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are interesting times to be an opposition researcher. The job used to be pretty self-explanatory: Hurt a rival candidate by digging up evidence of past criminal behavior, ties to political extremists, or sexual infelicities. Now, the stuff of scandal is getting scrambled. What meets the bar for opposition researchits not higher, its just different, said Bradley Beychok, American Bridges co-founder and president. Some of the old bombshells no longer work, while formerly minor bits of gossip are now potential grenades. We have a president who seems impervious to the longtime standbys of political embarrassment, including revelations of financial misdeeds and sexual impropriety. Trumps Teflon-like reputation has caused some to ask whether opposition research still matters at all: If a man can be elected president just weeks after a tape emerges of him bragging about grabbing women by the pussy, then why bother digging up anything? Advertisement Trump is a singular figure whose awfulness is baked into his appeal to much of his base. Still, its true that cultural and legislative shifts have robbed many old-fashioned taboos of their shock value. When presidential candidate Bill Clinton admitted in 1992 he had experimented with marijuana as a young man, it became a defining moment of that election cycle. Today, stories about dabbling in drug use are now offered up as charming personal anecdotes. When a radio host asked Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris last week* if she had ever smoked pot, she happily said she hadand I inhaled. The only whiff of scandal that came out of her confession was that Harris claimed she listened to Tupac while she smoked in college, when the rappers first album didnt come out until years after she graduated. Advertisement As an oppo researcher now, youre going to say, Lets go back and look at this candidate 10 or 20 years ago and see how they were talking about women. Tim Miller, America Rising founder But in some categories of behavior, the standards have clearly grown stricter. Misbehavior brushed off as roguish a few decades ago can torpedo a candidates career in the post-#MeToo era. Take Sen. Al Frankens resignation under duress in 2017 after multiple women accused him of groping them as they posed for photographs. Tim Miller, founder of the conservative opposition research group America Rising, said that many rumors about longtime Democratic Sens. Ted Kennedy and Christopher Dodd would now be campaign-killers. If youre an opposition researcher now, considering changing mores, youre going to say, Lets go back and look at this candidate 10 or 20 years ago and see how they were talking about women. (Google waitress sandwich if you have the stomach for it, or revisit Carrie Fishers account of the time Kennedy asked her if she would have sex with Dodd.) Advertisement Stories about financial corruption are also hot right now, Beychok said, because they resonate with the larger political narrative of the Trump era. You have to look at what the weathers like, he said. Wasteful spending, corruption, graft, greedvoters are interested in them. Its not just the substance of opposition research that is changing. The source material has changed, too. Yearbooks have long been a staple of well-funded opposition campaigns, but Miller said yearbook-sourced scoops have become more appealing to reporters after the Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and Brett Kavanaugh stories. If someone found a minorly offensive comment in a yearbook, that would be bigger news now, he said. Reporters are interested in trends. Social media is another clear font of source material. Facebook groups of alumni make it easier to contact old classmates. Beychoks firm has internal algorithms to trawl targets past activities on social media, digging up problematic old faves and retweets. Advertisement Advertisement Tim Miller argues that theres a growing party divide when it comes to the stuff of scandal. Take the case of Northam, who is facing intense pressure from his own party to resign over a photograph on his medical school yearbook page depicting a man in blackface and another in a KKK robe; in a press conference denying he appeared in the photo, Northam said he had once applied shoe polish to his face to dress as Michael Jackson for a dance competition. The episode would have been plenty shocking 10 or 20 years ago. But today, Miller believes, Democrats have put such an emphasis on racial justice, on leveling the playing field, on discrimination against women and gays [that] having a white man putting on blackface to dress like Michael Jackson, its particularly damaging within his party, given where the party is trying to go. And opposition researchers try to use that to their advantage. Advertisement In this new landscape, a Democratic presidential candidate like Joe Biden could be newly vulnerable, Miller said. The left now views his handling of the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings as a disaster, for example. He also has a reputation for the kind of interpersonal ickiness that has inspired headlines like 9 Times Joe Biden Creepily Whispered in Womens Ears. Biden right now is dealing with oppo related to things that were in the mainstream of the Democratic Party 20 years ago, Miller said. Biden, of course, is almost certainly aware of his own potential issues on this front. The shifting contours of what counts as dirt means candidates have to interrogate their own pasts for new kinds of potential pitfalls. Self-research has been around a long time, Beychok said. But weve seen, in the last two and a half years, a volcano erupt of what you have to think about in terms of what happened in the past. One of Sen. Elizabeth Warrens first proposals upon joining the 2020 presidential field was a wealth tax. Warren would impose an annual tax of 2 percent on family assets in excess of $50 million, which would increase to 3 percent for assets above $1 billion. Overall, this tax would hit 75,000 families in the country, who make up 0.01 percent of the population but hold 10 percent of the nations wealth. Warrens tax, if enacted, would be a major step in reversing the dramatic increase in the concentration of wealth that has occurred since the Reagan years. Advertisement Though clearly already popular, a wealth tax will face both political and legal challenges. Critics of the proposal, such as legal scholar Jonathan Turley, have argued that the Constitution itself bars the enactment of a Warren-style wealth tax. These assertions, though, cannot withstand serious historical scrutiny. If the Roberts court were to hold true to its purported originalist principles, it would have to uphold a wealth tax. Advertisement Advertisement Critics assert that the tax is barred by a special constitutional exception, which requires that a Capitation, or other direct, Tax should not be imposed uniformly, but should be allocated on the basis of each states population. This proviso was part of the notorious Three-Fifths Compromise, in which the South agreed to pay a head tax on its slaves in exchange for gaining extra seats in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College. From the very beginning of the republic, however, the Supreme Court read the capitation clause narrowly, to permit Congress to impose nationwide taxes on wealth outside of such head taxes. Advertisement The courts 1796 decision in Hylton v. United States served as a decisive precedent. Two years earlier, Congress had levied a direct tax on luxury carriages, imposing it uniformly on all carriages throughout the nation. The owners of fancy carriages immediately protested that this tax on their wealth was one of the other direct taxes that the capitation clause required to be apportioned on the basis of each states population. A unanimous court rejected their claim. In his lead opinion, Justice Samuel Chase made it clear that the rule of apportionment is only to be adopted in such cases where it can reasonably apply. Because luxury carriages were not equally distributed amongst the states, it was unreasonable to insist on apportionment. Hyltons rule of reason prevailed throughout the early republic, with the courts repeatedly enforcing Congress decision to impose property taxes, except for those on slaves, at a uniform rate across the nation. Advertisement Advertisement During and after the Civil War, Congress added an income tax to the heavy property taxes needed to finance the war and Reconstruction. Since the courts followed Hylton, they never questioned the constitutionality of these taxes. As a consequence, the drafters of the 14th and 15th amendments saw no need to repeal the capitation clause. Although the income tax was repealed after Reconstruction, it was reinstated by Congress in 1894 in response to populist demands for greater economic equality. It was only then that a narrowly divided court defied 100 years of history and dramatically expanded the direct tax provision by striking down the income tax in Pollock v. Farmers Loan and Trust Company. As in its contemporaneous decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, John Marshall Harlan issued a compelling dissent, condemning the court for reviving the legacy of slavery to bar contemporary demands for social justice. The majority responded with a murky opinion that ducked the fundamental issues he raised. Advertisement Nevertheless, the opinions issued by Harlan and his fellow dissenters served as a rallying cry for a mobilized popular movement demanding the repudiation of Pollock. Within three years, Congress responded with a wealth tax on inheritance in 1898challenging the court to face the issues it had ducked in Pollock. Advertisement The court renewed its confrontation with the question in 1900 in Knowlton v. United States. The critics of the new wealth tax contended that the Pollock decisions radical expansion of the direct tax provision required the invalidation of Congress new initiative. But instead of holding firm, the five conservative justices, executing a switch in time, joined Harlan and the other dissenters in unanimously upholding Congress wealth tax. Critically, the opinions in the case explicitly returned to the reasonableness test that the court had consistently followed since Hylton in 1796. In writing for the five conservatives, Justice Edward Douglass White expressly cited Hyltons insistence that apportionment involves valuations and assessments which are arbitrary and should not be resorted to but in case of necessity. Harlan and the Pollock dissenters were even more emphatic in their condemnation of the earlier decision as an aberration. Advertisement Knowlton set the stage for Congress consideration of the 16th Amendment in 1909. The preceding election swept a populist coalition into Congress. Leading senators immediately proposed to defy Pollock by passing another income tax statute. A leading progressive, Sen. Joseph Bailey, explained: I do not believe that that opinion [in Pollock] is a correct interpretation of the Constitution, and I feel confident that an overwhelming majority of the best legal opinion in this Republic believes that it was erroneous. With this thought in my mind, and remembering that the decision was by a bare majority, and that the decision itself overruled the decisions of a hundred years, I do not think it improper for the American Congress to submit the question to the reconsideration of that great tribunal. Advertisement With Baileys initiative heading to the floor, the newly elected president, William Howard Taft, intervened to stop it dead in its tracks. As a strong defender of judicial review, he didnt want the political scene to be dominated by the enactment of a statute that would force the court into the humiliating position of confessing that it had made a big mistake in handing down Pollock in the first place. As a consequence, he instead convinced his fellow conservatives to propose a formal constitutional amendment to correct the courts blunder. This history should be of decisive importance to the Roberts court. Because the justices had already returned to Hyltons traditional rule of reason in Knowlton, it seemed sufficient to grant Congress the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived. Cordell Hull, a leading proponent of the amendment in the House, put it this way: Advertisement In common with the sentiment of the American people and the great weight of opinion of the legal profession throughout the country, its friends in Congress unalterably believe that the decision of the Supreme Court rendered in the Pollock case in 1895, pronouncing the income-tax law unconstitutional for lack of apportionment, is clearly unsound, and in justice to the country and to the Supreme Court itself ought not to stand as the law of the land. Meaning no disrespect to the high tribunal rendering it, I avow that this decision has not met the approval of, nor been acquiesced in as sound law by, any considerable number of either the American bar or the American people. This decision presents one of the very rare instances in the Nations judicial history in which it is well-nigh universally agreed that the greatest judicial tribunal on earth erred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This history should be of decisive importance to the Roberts court, now dominated by an originalist majority. Just as serious originalists interpret the 1787 Constitution in the light of the Federalist Papers, written by Madison and Hamilton, they have an equal obligation to interpret the 16th Amendment in the light of the prevailing understanding of its framerswho, like Bailey and Hull, made it perfectly clear that in granting Congress the power to tax incomes, they were repudiating Pollocks entire effort to broaden the scope of the capitation clause beyond the reasonableness doctrine announced in the early years of the republic. If Democrats sweep into Congress and the presidency in 2020, they should not hesitate to advance a wealth tax if they are convinced of its meritsand challenge the current court to be true to its principles and consider the original understanding of the framers of the 16th Amendment. It is an open question, of course, whether Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, and Clarence Thomas will be true to their originalist principles, or whether they will follow Pollock and defy both the traditional reasonableness doctrine announced in 1796 and the original understanding of the framers of the 16th Amendment. Only one thing is clear: If they decide to revive Pollock, despite its inconsistency with the original understanding of 1787 and of 1909, they will not only provoke a grave crisis but discredit their professions of fidelity to the originalist principles they claim to champion. There are moments that stay with you forever. On May 3, 2016, I was parked on a riser in the East Room of the White House behind the president of the United States. My friend Jahana Hayes, the National Teacher of the Year, stood next to President Obama at the lectern as she addressed a cheering crowd. She was terrified but hid it behind a smile. I stood near my fellow National Teacher of the Year finalists, Daniel Jocz from California and Shawn Sheehan from Oklahoma. As a government teacher and civics nerd, it was a lifetime highlight. Advertisement Three years later, only two of us are still teaching. Only one of us is still at the same school. The paths our careers have taken since that day in the White House speak volumes about the state of teaching in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement For Shawn, it was about money. As Teachers of the Year, we gathered a few times during our year of recognition. One night in D.C., Shawn, Daniel, and I were swapping stories over cocktails, as teachers do, when the conversation turned to pay. Daniel and I were complaining about the cost of living on the West Coast. Then Shawn shared his Oklahoma salary. We were gobsmacked. Oklahoma teachers are among the lowest paid in the county, ranking 48th. Shawn went on to lead a campaign for Ballot Question 779, a measure for a one-penny increase in the state sales tax to fund schools. It was unsuccessful. He then ran for the state Senatealso unsuccessfully. After laying his familys finances out for the public in his local paper, Shawn told Ed Week that teaching in Oklahoma is a dysfunctional relationship, and with a myriad of emotions, I have made the decision to end this relationship. The next year, Shawn moved to North Texas; simply by leaving Oklahoma, he earned a raise of $1,600 per month. No teacher should face that kind of choice. Shawn is now on a fellowship through the Department of Energy, advocating for education policy to Congress. Advertisement Advertisement For Daniel, it was about the lack of effective school leadership. Daniel might be the best social studies teacher in the U.S. He runs a YouTube Channel called Jocz Productions, where he makes videos for students across the country who are preparing for the AP U.S. History exam. But he tweeted in early February, Each year I literally have to talk myself into staying in the classroom. I love teaching, but hate what they do to us. In his 14 years at his school in downtown Los Angeles, he worked under seven different school administratorsa revolving door of leaders who barely had time to learn the culture of the school, let alone the students. In the spring, after months of deliberation, he left his school for the Center for Enriched Studies in Sherman Oaks. He tells me hes found many of the same issues at his new school, and in January, he spent a week on the picket lines with thousands of other Los Angeles teachers. Advertisement If the Teachers of the Year feel this way, imagine what its like for millions of teachers toiling in low-income urban and rural schools across the country. For Jahana, it was about making sweeping change. Jahana had deep concerns with the current administration that many in the profession share. The policy fights that garner headlines at the national level have implications in our classrooms: Cuts to social programs harm vulnerable low-income families; a shift to more aggressive immigration enforcement can destabilize the households of students (documented and undocumented alike); the Department of Education rolling back civil rights protections makes our schools and students less safe. In explaining her decision to leave teaching and run for Congress, she told reporters, This is where I think I can be the most impactfulto be a voice at the table who understands what people in this state, in this district, in these households are going through. In November, she was elected as a part of the Congressional Class of 2018. Advertisement Advertisement And for me? Like Daniel, I went on strike recently, for the second time in my 13-year career. Strikes are miserable experiences that destroy trust between teachers and school leaders. The impasse was triggered by a poorly designed funding formula from the Washington state Legislature. Along with my teaching, I travel the country speaking to educators and policymakers about educational equity and teacher effectiveness. I feel like I have the support of district leadership in my policy advocacy. But Im constantly aware that Im the lone member of our finalist class still teaching at the same school where I earned my award, and I dont know how much longer I will remain. What does it say that half of us felt compelled to take the fight to Washington while the other two went on strike this year? Nikole Hannah-Jones said it best. Society sends deeply conflicting messages to students: We tell them nothing in life matters more than education, while we treat the people who educate them as largely interchangeable, disposable parts. This has predictable consequences. If you follow education conversations, you know that there are teacher shortages in many parts of the country. Many low-income districts have rotating substitutes in positions all year because they cant fill positions permanently. Special education positions, those serving our most vulnerable students, are among the most hard to fill. Advertisement Advertisement More than curricular choices or the silly standardized tests we fight over constantly, the most important in-school factor affecting student achievement is teacher effectiveness. This is especially true for students in low-income schools. When we read reports about high turnover at low-income schools, this is a euphemism. It means that low-income kids, predominantly brown and black, constantly get new, inexperienced teachers. And theres a growing frustration within the ranks of teachers over unsustainable workloads and untenable work conditions. Teachers in my circles have sought greener pastures: a technical writer, a project manager, and a corporate trainer. Effective teachers have options. This all points to a crisis in the teaching profession. If the Teachers of the Year feel this way, imagine what its like for millions of teachers toiling in low-income urban and rural schools across the country. I have a platform and I use it to advocate for my students and teachers across the county. I will be lifelong friends with many of the people in my Teacher of the Year cohort. Im especially proud of my three fellow finalists and all theyve accomplished, and I will forever treasure that moment in the White House. But I think our subsequent experiences are a lesson. As a teacher, I hope you understand this lesson: Teaching is a profession, and great teachers need to feel respected and empowered. If they dont, they will leaveand they should. I am a Black man before I am a brand, Dapper Dan, the beloved designer and tailor, declared on Instagram last week after the revelation of an $890 Gucci knit top that resembled blackface, with a black pull-up neck and grotesque red-lip caricature. Another fashion house has gotten it outrageously wrong, he went on. There is no excuse nor apology that can erase this kind of insult. Dapper Dan once famously remixed and matched knockoff Gucci prints and materials for members of the black community, many of whom had little or no access to the luxury brand. Just last year, in what was viewed as an effort to atone for failing to acknowledge his influence, Gucci reignited Dans designs and embraced him into the corporate fold with the companys launch of his Harlem-based atelier. Now, a short time later, here we are. On Friday, Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri high-tailed his way to Harlem to meet with Dan and a group Dan described as 90% people of color about the blackface controversy. Afterward, Gucci said it would step up diversity in hiring, bring on an executive focused on inclusion in New York, and launch a scholarship program in 10 cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although its clear Gucci recognizes the crisis it faces, theres reason to be skeptical of its overtures. Over the past decade, the brand had grown stale: Vintage bags were selling at incredibly low price points on eBay, and it slowly lost the influence it once had as a luxury leader. In 2015, Gucci appointed Bizzarri as its new CEO, and he soon hired creative director Alessandro Michele, who took a more whimsical and inclusive approach to design. Reconnecting to its historical roots in street culture through figures like Dapper Dan and hip-hop stars, Gucci saw tremendous gains in popularity and profits, in large part thanks to black talent who embraced the brand. Now, the hip-hop communitysome of Guccis most dedicated disciples, many of whom have expressed their enthusiasm for the brand in songare in an uproar. 50 Cent set a Gucci T-shirt aflame. T.I. turned to Instagram to launch a call to boycott the brand. Soulja Boy, who loved the Gucci logo so much he tattooed it on his forehead, has announced that he is having the ink removed. Other consumers took their anger to social media. The Gucci incident occurred shortly after recent claims that Prada used blackface imagery in their new Pradamalia figurines, and as reports of blackface in one of luxury coat brand Monclers previous collections also resurfaced. Gucci, its clear, is not alone, but it is exceptional in how it reveled in sales from its black fans while still managing to release a sweater featuring one of the oldest racist tropes in America. Advertisement The blackface controversies in fashion are not sporadic anomalies. They are enabled by multiple levels of the fashion industry. All of these brands have claimed that the racism in their designs was unintentional. But as a former fashion executive who worked both in retail buying and in a fashion office, I found this defense a bit peculiar. Designers and retailers alike spend months planning, researching, and studying color, trends, and silhouettes far in advance to both capture the designers vision and to ensure a product sells. Each item goes through a series of meetings, run-throughs, and approvals before it comes anywhere near a store shelf. The blackface controversies in fashion are not sporadic anomalies. They are enabled by multiple levels of a fashion industry thats encouraged consumers to buy in, over and over. Further, as Elaine Nichols, curator of fashion at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C., explained to me, the fashion industry has long been designed to keep out voices that would prevent failures like this. Part of the issues that have been raised recently within the fashion industry is a situation of seeing, and not seeing, the past and its connection to the present, she said. We keep repeating the same kinds of mistakes. There is also an established process of exclusion, whereby fashion houses include a small, select, and elite group of people to make decisions about historical and cultural ideas. Advertisement Advertisement In a number of instances designers or the decision-makers who sit in the room to determine what will be released this season are unfamiliar with the history of racism, sexism, religion, she added. Ask somebody! There are scholars who study these topics, people who have lived experiences, librarians who research the subject matter and can contribute to their knowledge with valuable background information. Ask somebody is not fashions way, especially if that somebody is not rich, white, or pedigreed. This is why, even with Dapper Dan in the corporate family, Gucci has stumbled so egregiously. Can this change? The brands want us to think so. As New York Fashion Week recently came to a close, many seemed to recognize the crossroads ahead of them. Prada announced the launch of a diversity council in partnership with Ava DuVernay to elevate voices of color within the company and fashion industry at large. Meanwhile, Gucci CEO Bizzarri, in an internal letter to employees, wrote, We made a mistake. A big one. Because of cultural ignorance, but ignorance is not an excuse. And we accept responsibility for this mistake. Bizzarri still doesnt seem to recognize that this is far more than a single mistake; its the perpetuation of a system that will not end until the brands truly commit to more black and diverse voices not just on runways, but inside fashion houses themselves. And if they dont, well, there are a lot more T-shirts to burn. If weve learned one thing in this sordid saga, its that fashion consumers are already taking back the power from outside of the industrys gilded walls. Theyll be watching. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar ramped up her new presidential campaign Monday with a CNN town hall appearance, during which she was of course asked about Medicare for all. Her answer was pretty much what one would expect, given that shes branding herself as the practical moderate. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar on if the US can have "Medicare-for-all": "It could be a possibility in the future. I'm just looking at something that will work now." #KlobucharTownHall https://t.co/wMhsO2I0j3 pic.twitter.com/9sA9lD82zO CNN (@CNN) February 19, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lefty Twitter was, predictably, displeased. (There was a lot of thank u, next, which has become a stock tweet from very online socialists whenever a candidate fails to back full-on single-payer.) But even if you didnt particularly like the substance of Klobuchars response, I think she deserves credit for being forthright; Democrats would be better off if more candidates talked about health care with her level of candor. After a bit of throat clearing about how many Americans still cant afford health coverage or care, Klobuchar explained that her immediate goal was to build on Obamacare by creating a public insurance option. She even had a specific bill in mindSen. Brian Schatzs Medicaid buy-in, which she has co-sponsored. Advertisement What we need is to expand coverage so people can have a choice for a public option. And thats a start. And you can do it with Medicare. You can do it many ways. But you can also do it with Medicaid, something I dont think were talking about enough as a potential solution. This is a bill that I am one of the original sponsors of, Sen. Sanders is also sponsoring it, its a bill by Brian Schatz, who is a senator from the state of Hawaii, and what it basically says is Lets expand Medicaid so you can buy into Medicaid, and itll bring the prices down, and we can cover more people. Advertisement Advertisement Schatzs bill is an interesting, slightly sideways approach to health care reform that has both advantages and disadvantages compared with versions that focus on Medicare. I wrote a longer piece about the legislation back in 2017, when its outline started circulating. While a few details have changed since, the gist is basically the same. It would allow states to create public health insurance plans through Medicaid, with premiums capped at 9.5 percent of a familys income. The policies could be sold on Obamacares exchanges and states would be free to include copays and deductibles. In states that adopted it, residents would be guaranteed access to health insurance priced at no more than one-tenth of their income; thats progress from todays status quo, where families that earn more than 400 percent of the poverty line have to pay the full cost of insurance, no matter how high premiums rise, and counties can be left without coverage options if private insurers decide to bail. It would also make Medicaid payments to primary care doctors more generous, which could encourage more physicians to accept it. And by working through Medicaid, it avoids the usual Republican attack that Democrats are somehow going to destroy Medicare by expanding it. Advertisement Advertisement There is also a big, obvious drawback to the plan: Just as theyve resisted Obamacares Medicaid expansion, a lot of red states might reject Schatzcare and refuse to create a buy-in program. If you really want to build a public option, it may be simpler and more effective to create a federal program. But even if I dont love Klobuchars policy instincts on this issue, I do appreciate that she bothered to explain what specific direction she would push health care reform in as president. Almost every candidate has been asked whether they support Medicare for all. But almost none of them, with the exception of unofficial contender Sen. Sherrod Brown, have explained, in detail, what their fallback plan is if it becomes clear that a Sanders-style single-payer bill, or something almost as ambitious, cant pass Congresswhich, between the filibuster, the 2020 Senate map, and the fact that whatever makes it through Capitol Hill will probably need to earn Sen. Joe Manchins vote, seems to be the likeliest scenario. (Im not saying I think single-payer could never pass; Im saying Id bet a lot of money on PredictIt against it happening in the next 12 years). Thats unfortunate, because there are big differences between the various not-quiteMedicare for all plans floating around Congress. Its relevant if a candidate thinks that a quarter-measure like a Medicare buy-in for 50-year-olds is good enough, or if she wants to avoid a fight over Medicare by using Medicaid to expand coverage. Theres a savvy-guy, cynical take that it doesnt really matter all that much what legislation candidates back, because the chances of anything passing at all are so slim, and the Senate will have an outsize voice in the shape of specific policies. But I think just the opposite seems true: Its important to know where a White House hopefuls policy preferences actually lie, because in a close vote, whether or not something can actually become law may depend on a presidents willingness to spend political capital getting it over the finish line. Klobuchar might be aiming a bit low on health care, as far as some Democrats are concerned. But they should give her credit: At least shes telling them enough to know where she stands. The whole premise of the Mini Editorial on Sunday is patently false. Granted, the writer of the Mini may support Steve King, but she may not state with any credibility the record fentanyl bust at the border was a result of an open border. The bust was at a legal border crossing using enhanced surveillance technicians (dogs). In her Feb. 17 column in The Journal on the controversy swirling around Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's comments about the Israeli lobby, syndicated writer Kathleen Parker says that it is in "our (America's) national interest to support Israel." I would agree with one important caveat: that we offer the same support to the Palestinians. The fact is, our one-sided support of Israel has done nothing to bring peace, stability or security to the region. In fact, just the opposite, as that uncritical support is at least one factor that has allowed Israel to continue its dehumanizing occupation of Palestinian land. The conflict related to that occupation does not serve our national interest. It threatens it, not to mention the national interest of every other country in the region. - John Hubers, Orange City, Iowa Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Simple choice, stand up to US' phony cold war or face decades of unjustified conf ALADIN * weird wizard1* User ID: 485250 02-20-2019 12:46 AM Posts: 5,426 Post: #1 Simple choice, stand up to US' phony cold war or face decades of unjustified conf Advertisement For forty-five years, following the end of WWII, the world was locked into a US-led hostile Cold War against the Soviet Union. We know now, following the release of virtually all Soviet government documents, that Joseph Stalin had no intention of launching a conflict with the West. In fact, in his meeting with American President Franklin Roosevelt, at the Yalta Conference, he asked for a $6 billion loan to enable him to rebuild the Soviet economy which had been devastated by Nazi invasion. The idea that the Soviet Union could pose a threat to the US was nonsense. At the end of WWII, around 50 percent of the world's economy was in the US. The Soviet Union would finally get up to ten percent by 1950. Roosevelt had planned a working relationship with Stalin but tragically his death saw vice president Harry Truman become commander-in-chief. Truman was paranoid about the international popularity of Stalin, whose troops had ground down Hitler's military strength (at appalling cost to the Russian people) and he feared that Communist governments could be elected in countries like France and Italy. It took thirty years for the Soviet Union to amass a nuclear arsenal equal to that of the US and the consequence of the Cold War was that nations across the world spent vast amounts of their wealth on unnecessary military spending. But the general public knew nothing about the reality of the situation and it is only now, as historians pore over all the declassified documents from both the Soviet Union and the US, that we finally know the truth. The size of America's military industrial complex has dominated the policies of every US president since 1945. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US has now moved on to a new cold war targeting any country across the world that puts its people's interests before those of American corporations. Whether it's Venezuela, Iran, or Iraq under Saddam Hussein, the US government's propaganda depicts all these nations as a threat, which, given the size of their economies compared to the US, is risible. Matters have become dramatically worse since the election of President Trump whose administration is now berating European countries for not lining up behind US sanctions against these governments. Last week saw Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, denouncing his European allies for trying to prevent sanctions damaging their economies. The European Union has tried to protect trade with Iran but was denounced by Pence during a conference, organised by the US in the Polish capital, as "an effort to break American sanctions against Iran's murderous revolutionary regime it is an ill-advised step that will only strengthen Iran, weaken the EU and create still more distance between Europe and the US." https://www.rt.com/op-ed/451751-us-iran-...la-russia/ It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a ma s k on their nose and mouth ... Simple choice, stand up to US' phony cold war or face decades of unjustified conflictFor forty-five years, following the end of WWII, the world was locked into a US-led hostile Cold War against the Soviet Union.We know now, following the release of virtually all Soviet government documents, that Joseph Stalin had no intention of launching a conflict with the West. In fact, in his meeting with American President Franklin Roosevelt, at the Yalta Conference, he asked for a $6 billion loan to enable him to rebuild the Soviet economy which had been devastated by Nazi invasion.The idea that the Soviet Union could pose a threat to the US was nonsense. At the end of WWII, around 50 percent of the world's economy was in the US. The Soviet Union would finally get up to ten percent by 1950.Roosevelt had planned a working relationship with Stalin but tragically his death saw vice president Harry Truman become commander-in-chief.Truman was paranoid about the international popularity of Stalin, whose troops had ground down Hitler's military strength (at appalling cost to the Russian people) and he feared that Communist governments could be elected in countries like France and Italy.It took thirty years for the Soviet Union to amass a nuclear arsenal equal to that of the US and the consequence of the Cold War was that nations across the world spent vast amounts of their wealth on unnecessary military spending. But the general public knew nothing about the reality of the situation and it is only now, as historians pore over all the declassified documents from both the Soviet Union and the US, that we finally know the truth.The size of America's military industrial complex has dominated the policies of every US president since 1945. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US has now moved on to a new cold war targeting any country across the world that puts its people's interests before those of American corporations.Whether it's Venezuela, Iran, or Iraq under Saddam Hussein, the US government's propaganda depicts all these nations as a threat, which, given the size of their economies compared to the US, is risible.Matters have become dramatically worse since the election of President Trump whose administration is now berating European countries for not lining up behind US sanctions against these governments. Last week saw Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, denouncing his European allies for trying to prevent sanctions damaging their economies.The European Union has tried to protect trade with Iran but was denounced by Pence during a conference, organised by the US in the Polish capital, as "an effort to break American sanctions against Iran's murderous revolutionary regime it is an ill-advised step that will only strengthen Iran, weaken the EU and create still more distance between Europe and the US." Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Some things never change. The word is out: Climate change, as we know it, will destroy this planet in 12 years. Remember Chicken Licken? A nut dropped on her head. She immediately screamed, "The sky is falling. It's the end of the world." She rushed to tell Henny Lenny, who told Cocky Locky. He told Ducky Lucky, and she told Goosey Loosey. Meanwhile, Foxy Loxy was waiting for the news. And you know what happened next? A foul ending for the fowl. It stands to reason - if you repeat a lie many times over, it is soon believed as fact. But I have good news. God is in charge of the climate, so we are in good hands. - Barbara Chicoine, Elk Point, South Dakota Love 13 Funny 9 Wow 1 Sad 3 Angry 8 A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Monday, Feb. 18: GENDER NEUTRAL: A resolution calling for all references to Iowas governor in the state Constitution to be gender-neutral has been introduced in the House. HJR 9, introduced by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Marion, calls for amending the Constitution, written in the mid-19th century, to strike the male pronouns in references to the governor. In the Constitution, he is the first word of Article IV, Section 8, that describes the duties of the governor. He shall transact all executive business with the officers of government He shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed, the Constitution continues in Section 9. References to he may and he shall as well as he, him and his follow. As a member of the Iowa House, now Sen. Pam Jochum, D- Dubuque, introduced similar language in 2003, but it was not acted upon. Times have changed, noted Gov. Kim Reynolds, the first woman elected governor of Iowa. Theres probably a little more oomph behind it now with more women running and getting elected to office, she said. SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- Over the last several years, the congregation at the Islamic Center of Siouxland had grown so much that at times not all the parishioners could fit comfortably in there during major prayer services or other events. So, in December 2017, the center, which houses a mosque and community center at 2701 Willow St., began a 3,000-square-foot expansion. The work, which was completed last year, roughly doubled the center's space. Ahmad Mohammad, the congregation's imam, said the center was founded in 1996 by a small group of doctors and professionals, some of whom worked at computer maker Gateway. In 2000, the group purchased a 2-acre site in South Sioux City, where they built the original center in 2002. "What was happening is, back in 2002, only two rows (of prayer attendees) would be here on Friday," which is a major prayer day, Mohammad said. "Only two rows." Primarily due to a surge in Muslim families from the East African countries of Somalia and Ethiopia settling in the community in recent years, the number attending services and social gatherings has grown to as many as 150. "In 2017, we had all the first floor full," and more yet downstairs, he said. SIOUX CITY -- One day after his town hall meeting in Lyon County, U.S. Rep. Steve King announced he'll hold a third such meeting this year, on Saturday morning in Ida Grove, the county seat of Ida County. King on Tuesday announced the next town hall will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Ida Grove Community Rec Center, 311 Barnes St. King, a Republican from Kiron first elected in 2002, has veered from his recent practice of not holding town hall meetings where people can speak with him in public events. The Monday meeting in Rock Rapids was the second of 39 town halls King has vowed to hold this year -- one in each 4th congressional district county. Like the first town hall in the O'Brien County seat of Primghar last month, no public dissension was aired at Monday's meeting. King told the crowd of 45 people in Rock Rapids he strongly supports President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency to finance a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Roger Oliver, of Rock Rapids, asked King what he was doing to get back on committees. The outspoken conservative congressman replied he needs to get a "critical mass" of the Republican House caucus to support him, adding some Republican lawmakers have privately told him they think he got a raw deal. "Kevin McCarthy has been getting a lot of phone calls, and the more phone calls he gets and the more persistent that it is, the more he is gonna realize that it was a bad decision he made, based upon one comment misquoted in The New York Times, reported as fact," King told the audience. Trump on Friday declared a national emergency at the southern border, a day after he signed a spending bill with $1.3 billion in border fence funding, far short of the $5.7 billion he wanted. His insistence on more funding led to a lengthy government shutdown. Trump's emergency has drawn threats of legal challenges and sparked a foundational dispute over the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution. The move triggered outrage from Democrats, unease among some Republicans and flew in the face of years of GOP complaints that President Barack Obama had over-reached in his use of executive authority. SIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City Farmers Market will hold an organizational meeting for vendors Wednesday at the Aalfs Downtown Library. During the meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in the library's Gleeson Room, organizers will update new and existing vendors on plans, changes and improvements for 2019. Buy Fresh Buy Local Siouxland, Inc., is the nonprofit operator of the Market and a member of both the Iowa Buy Fresh Buy Local Initiative and the Food Routes organization, bringing fresh, locally produced products to Siouxland tables. In partnership with the Tyson Events Center and the City of Sioux City, the Market will again be located at the corner of Pearl Street and Tri View Avenue in the Tyson Events Center parking lot beginning May 1 and running each week until Oct. 26 on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Market organizers are looking for additional vendors of pastries, bread, dairy, fruit, art, crafts, dried or fresh flowers, plants and more. Vendor regulations and applications are available at farmersmarketsiouxcity.com. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 district employs a combined 1,900 teachers and other staff. Under state law, the first two negotiating sessions between school districts and the unions are open to the public. Future negotiations will take place in private. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} With state lawmakers settling on a 2.06 percent increase in basic state aid for Iowas K-12 public schools, the district "will not likely see significant reductions" in staff or programs, Sioux City School District Superintendent Paul Gausman said Friday. The 2.06 percent increase in state supplemental aid is higher than the previous two budget years, which saw increases of 1.1 percent and 1 percent. During those two years, Sioux City district officials were forced to cut millions of dollars in spending, which included slashing some teachers' pay and offering financial incentives to teachers who agreed to retire early. Brenda Zahner, director of the Siouxland UniServ group of the Iowa State Education Association, has said wages are the only element to be negotiated for the 2019-20 year contract, as the unions are already locked into a three-year agreement on language pieces that run through 2020-21. The so-called permissive language issue includes such topics as leaves of absence, employee hours, work year and grievance procedures. SIOUX CITY -- The murder trial for a Sioux City teenager charged with fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend and a friend has been rescheduled to give attorneys more time to prepare for trial. District Judge Tod Deck on Tuesday rescheduled Tran Walker's trial on two counts of first-degree murder to April 30 in Woodbury County District Court. Walker's trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday. It is the third time Walker's trial has been continued. A status hearing was scheduled for March 15. Walker, 19, is accused of stabbing Paiten Sullivan, 17, and Felipe Negron Jr., 18, several times on Jan. 28. According to court documents, Walker began stabbing Sullivan while they were in a vehicle at Jay Avenue and South Cecelia Street. Police believe Negron, a mutual friend, was driving before he was stabbed while trying to protect Sullivan. Walker told police he wanted Sullivan "to feel the pain he was feeling" since she had broken up with him, court documents said. Walker remains in the Woodbury County Jail on a $1 million bond. If found guilty as charged, he would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. Away From The Blue - Mica at - Shelbee at Shelbee on the Edge - Nancy at Nancy's Fashion Style Check 'em out! Link Parties are a great way to meet other bloggers, to share your own blog, and to become part of the blogging community. Be a good reciprocal Link Party participant and always link back - it's good karma! As always, I link 'cause I love. These are my favourite "Link Party" hosts and their blogs: FILE PHOTO: EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini welcomes Burkina Faso Foreign Minister Alpha Barry (left) before a G5 Sahel Ministerial meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 18, 2018. John Thys/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 100,000 people have been displaced by factional fighting and lawlessness in Burkina Faso, most within the past two months, according to a U.N. report published on Tuesday. "Burkina Faso is, for the first time in its history, facing massive internal displacement," the report said. "Repeated raids by armed groups and insecurity in the regions of Centre-Nord, Nord and Sahel have also triggered an unprecedented humanitarian emergency." The government and humanitarian groups had begun a $100 million aid plan to help 900,000 people, it said. Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa that borders the Sahel region countries of Niger and Mali to the north where militant groups, some linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, have carried out attacks for years. As well as an Islamic insurrection in the north, in 2018 Burkina Faso began suffering attacks by unknown militants in the east and attacks in the capital and elsewhere perpetrated by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). That militant group is active across the Sahel, according to a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank. "For the first time since independence, Burkinabe state authorities have lost control of parts of the country," said the ICG report, published last month. The army has stepped up operations in response to worsening security across northern Burkina since last year. But rights activists have accused it of carrying out extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests that could worsen instability. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Alpha Barry said incidents of violence had now spread to the country's southern border with the coastal West African countries of Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast and Ghana. "This threat is gaining ground," Barry told the annual Munich Security Conference. "It's no longer just the Sahel, it's coastal West Africa and the risk of spreading regionally." (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Mark Heinrich) U.S. Army General Joseph Votel (L), head of the U.S. militarys Central Command, walks with U.S. Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera commander of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, after landing in Baghdad, Iraq February 17, 2019. REUTERS/Phil Stewart By Phil Stewart AIRBASE IN NORTHEAST SYRIA (Reuters) - The commander of U.S.-backed forces in Syria called on Monday for about 1,000 to 1,500 international forces to remain in Syria to help fight Islamic State and expressed hope that the United States, in particular, would halt plans for a total pullout. The remarks by Mazloum Kobani, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, followed talks with senior U.S. generals in Syria and offered perhaps the most comprehensive view to date of his requests for an enduring military assistance from the U.S.-led coalition. It also shows that Kobani is still holding out hope that U.S. President Donald Trump may soften his withdrawal order, which has been criticised by allies at home and abroad and which triggered the resignation of Trump's defense secretary. "We would like to have air cover, air support and a force on the ground to coordinate with us," Kobani told a small group of reporters who travelled with the U.S. military to the talks at an airbase at an undisclosed location in northeast Syria. With U.S. help, the Kurdish-led fighters are poised to seize Islamic State's last holdout in eastern Syria. At the height of its power four years ago, Islamic State held about a third of both Iraq and Syria in a self-proclaimed caliphate. But Islamic State still has thousands of fighters, who, now dispersed, are expected to turn to guerrilla-style attacks. Kobani said there was discussions about perhaps French and British troops supporting the SDF in Syria. But he stressed he also wanted at least "a partial group of American forces", who now number more than 2,000 in Syria, to stay as well. "American forces must remain beside us," Kobani said through a translator. U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, head of Central Command, said after talks with Kobani that he was still carrying out Trump's December order for a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces. Story continues "We certainly understand what they would like us to do, but of course that's not the path we're on at this particular point," Votel told reporters. TURKISH THREATS Asked about any discussions on a continuing U.S. presence in Syria, Votel said: "So the discussion really isn't about U.S. forces staying here. We've looked at potentially what coalition (forces) might be able to do here." The U.S. military and intelligence officials have warned of the risk of a resurgence of Islamic State unless the SDF are able to keep military pressure on the group. But the pullout raises an even more immediate concern to Kobani's SDF, which fears that Turkey will make good on threats to attack the Kurdish-led fighters that Ankara brands as terrorists. He warned of a "new genocide" in SDF controlled areas of Syria unless the United States and its allies can reach some agreement with Turkey. Kobani thanked Trump for publicly stating his intent to protect the SDF but said: "I want him to live up to his word." Without a deal with the U.S.-led coalition, experts say Kobani may have to strike a deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to avoid a Turkish sweep or revival of Islamic State. Votel is recommending continued support to the SDF as long as it keeps up pressure on Islamic State militants. But Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera, who is the commander of the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, cautioned on Sunday that the United States would be legally unable to support the SDF if they partnered with Assad or Assad's Russian backers. Kobani said he was not seeking a military deal with Assad. "Were trying to preserve the current situation," he said, speaking through a translator. "Were trying to have a political deal with the regime to reach a solution, a constitutional solution, for this part of Syria." Perhaps sensing an opportunity to stoke doubt among Kurdish communities, Assad warned on Sunday the United States would not protect those depending on it. Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, is among the U.S. lawmakers expressing concern the U.S. withdrawal could deal a devastating blow to Kurdish forces and warned that any sense of U.S. betrayal could cast a long shadow for years to come. "It will chill future potential groups from assisting us if we're going to treat the people who have been so stalwart on our behalf in this way. It is very dangerous in terms of national security," he told Reuters in Washington. Turkey wants to set up a safe zone with logistical support from allies and says it should be cleared of the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara considers a terrorist group. But Kobani said ceding the area to Turkish control would be unacceptable to the SDF, which is led by Kurdish fighters but also includes Arabs. The United States is hoping allies will contribute forces to help stabilise areas freed from Islamic State. But it is unclear which allies will send their troops once U.S. forces depart. A French diplomat said Europeans would not provide troops when it was completely unclear what the objectives of such a safe zone would be or how this would monitored or guaranteed. "For now, there is no plan," the diplomat said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by John Irish in Munich, Germany; Editing by Alison Williams) LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 489821 02-19-2019 09:57 PM Post: #1 Whistleblowers Concerned with W.H. tranfering Nuclear Technology to Saudi Arabia Advertisement Cummings Releases Interim Staff Report and Corroborating Documents, Launches Investigation of White House, Agencies, and Others Washington, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2019)Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued an The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes. They have also warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting. And they have warned about political appointees ignoring directives from top ethics advisors at the White House who repeatedly and unsuccessfully ordered senior Trump Administration officials to halt their efforts. The report warns that that White House efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia may be accelerating after meetings last week at the White House and ahead of a planned visit to Saudi Arabia by the Presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner: The Committees investigation is particularly critical because the Administrations efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia appear to be ongoing. On February 12, 2019, the President met with nuclear power developers at the White House about sharing nuclear technology with countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. In addition, next week Mr. Kushner will be embarking on a tour of Middle Eastern capitalsincluding Riyadhto discuss the economic portion of the Administrations Middle East peace plan. The report highlights concerning events involving Saudi Arabia, including the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which was met with equivocation by President Trump and other top Administration officials, and the refusal by the White House to submit a report on Mr. Khashoggis killing that was requested on a bipartisan basis by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The report indicates that there is now serious, bipartisan concern with the Trump Administrations efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. For example, on October 31, 2018, Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Todd Young, Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, and Dean Heller sent a The report describes Today, Cummings also sent letters to multiple entities involved with promoting this plan, including the White House; the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, State, and Treasury; the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Central Intelligence Agency; Flynn Intel Group; IP3; ACU Strategies; Colony NorthStar; and Mr. Barrack. Click Click Click Washington, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2019)Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued an interim staff report after multiple whistleblowers came forward to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress as required by lawefforts that may be ongoing to this day. The report states:The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes. They have also warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting. And they have warned about political appointees ignoring directives from top ethics advisors at the White House who repeatedly and unsuccessfully ordered senior Trump Administration officials to halt their efforts.The report warns that that White House efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia may be accelerating after meetings last week at the White House and ahead of a planned visit to Saudi Arabia by the Presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner:The Committees investigation is particularly critical because the Administrations efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia appear to be ongoing. On February 12, 2019, the President met with nuclear power developers at the White House about sharing nuclear technology with countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. In addition, next week Mr. Kushner will be embarking on a tour of Middle Eastern capitalsincluding Riyadhto discuss the economic portion of the Administrations Middle East peace plan.The report highlights concerning events involving Saudi Arabia, including the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which was met with equivocation by President Trump and other top Administration officials, and the refusal by the White House to submit a report on Mr. Khashoggis killing that was requested on a bipartisan basis by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.The report indicates that there is now serious, bipartisan concern with the Trump Administrations efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. For example, on October 31, 2018, Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Todd Young, Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, and Dean Heller sent a letter to President Trump urging him to suspend talks related to a potential civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia due to serious concerns about the transparency, accountability, and judgment of current decisionmakers in Saudi Arabia.The report describes new documents and communications between White House officials, including former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, former Deputy National Security Advisor K.T. McFarland, and former NSC Senior Director for Middle East and North African Affairs Derek Harvey, as well as with Thomas Barrack, President Trumps personal friend of several decades and the Chairman of his Inaugural Committee, and Rick Gates, President Trumps former Deputy Campaign Manager and Deputy Chairman of the Inaugural Committee who has now pleaded guilty to financial fraud and lying to investigators.Today, Cummings also sent letters to multiple entities involved with promoting this plan, including the White House; the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, State, and Treasury; the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Central Intelligence Agency; Flynn Intel Group; IP3; ACU Strategies; Colony NorthStar; and Mr. Barrack.Click here to read the interim staff report.Click here to read the documents released with the report.Click here to read the letter to the White House. Source -> Well, well... So Turmp is trying to sell nuclear technology to the financiers of ISIS. Who would say! [ ]Multiple Whistleblowers Raise Grave Concerns with White House Efforts to Transfer Sensitive U.S. Nuclear Technology to Saudi Arabia[/size]Source -> https://oversight.house.gov/news/press-r...efforts-to Well, well...So Turmp is trying to sell nuclear technology to the financiers of ISIS. Who would say! EU President Donald Tusk warned Kiev against using populist and nationalist tactics ahead of a presidential vote next month during a speech to Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday. "Go around temptations of radical nationalism and populism, as you have done so far," Tusk, who is Polish, said in a speech delivered in Ukrainian that some of the country's media hailed as "historic". Ukrainians are due to elect a president on March 31, five years after a popular uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime and war erupted between Kiev and pro-Moscow rebels in the east of the country. Some 13,000 people have since been killed in the conflict. Tusk also warned parliament against "internal conflicts", which he said only benefit Moscow. "Your history, like my own country's history, shows that internal conflicts within our two countries is the greatest gift we can give to that third country", Tusk said, hinting at Russia. He slammed some EU states for being too critical of Ukraine's efforts to reform and democratise. "There can be no just Europe without an independent Ukraine. That there can be no safe Europe without a safe Ukraine. To put it simply: there can be no Europe without Ukraine!", he said to a long standing ovation. Tusk is on a three-day visit to Ukraine which is commemorating the fifth anniversary of the pro-EU Maidan revolution. President Petro Poroshenko launched an uphill battle for re-election last month. His years in power have seen Kiev seek closer ties with the West as war rumbles on in eastern Ukraine, but critics accuse him of not doing enough to tackle corruption. Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who plays the Ukrainian president in a TV series, is currently favourite to take on the real-life role, according to polls. Zelensky is also ahead of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, as many voters turn their backs on the political class. FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Cloud partially covers Rock of the British territory of Gibraltar at sunrise before Spanish fishermen take part in a protest in Algeciras bay FILE PHOTO: A cloud partially covers the tip of the Rock of the British territory of Gibraltar at sunrise from La Atunara port before Spanish fishermen sail in their fishing boats with their relatives to take part in a protest at an area of the sea where an artificial reef was built by Gibraltar using concrete blocks, in Algeciras bay, La Linea de la Concepcion in southern Spain August 18, 2013. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo LONDON/MADRID (Reuters) - Authorities in Madrid and Gibraltar gave differing versions on Monday of an incident in which a Spanish warship told commercial ships to leave anchorages near Gibraltar, the latest example of tension over the strategic port as Brexit approaches. In toughly worded statements, Gibraltar said a Spanish warship ordered commercial ships to leave anchorages in British waters near Gibraltar, adding it was challenged by the British navy and sailed away, while the commercial ships stayed put. The Spanish government said the commercial ships were in Spanish waters and they left the area after being contacted by the Spanish warship. Neither side mentioned the nationality of the commercial ships. "Anyone who believes in the rules-based international legal order will have been shocked by the cavalier and quixotic actions of the Spanish military vessel at the weekend," Fabian Picardo, Gibraltar's chief minister, said in a statement. "This childish behaviour is unsatisfactory whether it is errant or directed from above," Picardo said. "The people of Gibraltar won't be bullied now or after the 29th of March," he added, referring to the date when Britain is set to leave the European Union. Tensions over territorial waters often erupt between Spanish and British vessels around Gibraltar, a peninsula on the southern tip of Spain overlooking the strait between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea that has been ruled by Britain since 1713. The status of Gibraltar and its 30,000 residents have been gaining attention amid the uncertainty around Britain's exit from the EU, whether with a deal or without, with questions over free movement across its land and sea borders with Spain. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said a Spanish navy ship named Tornado was policing the area on Sunday in what he said was a standard procedure. "The Tornado called three commercial ships that were breaking maritime security law in Spanish territorial waters by standing still ..." Borrell told reporters in Brussels. "Those ships responded to the requests of the Tornado and abandoned the area," he added. Story continues The British government said Britain would always defend its sovereign interests in Gibraltar. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said there was no incursion by Spanish naval forces during the incident. "We are certain of our sovereignty over the whole of Gibraltar, including British-Gibraltar territory waters, and any incursions are a violation of sovereignty, but not a threat to it," the spokesman said. Spain has already secured a right of veto over whether future Brexit arrangements can apply to Gibraltar. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez held up an agreement on Britain's withdrawal treaty in November over the issue and said Spain would seek joint sovereignty after Britain leaves the EU. This also takes place as Spain gears up for an early general election on April 28. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Jose Elias Rodriguez and Joan Faus; Editing by Ingrid Melander and Frances Kerry) SeedPlus leads the funding round for BlockPunk, which aims to make anime merchandise more accessible to fans Singapore-based anime tech startup BlockPunk today announced a S$1.3 million (US$957,000) seed funding round led by seed-stage venture firm SeedPlus. The round was joined by SGInnovate, Hustle Fund, Entrepreneur First and Japanese printing giant Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd with whom the startup has a strategic partnership. In a press statement, the startup said that the funds will be used to expand its engineering team and develop product. BlockPunk is a platform that enables creators to turn their digital artwork into scarce collectible merchandise. The platform uses blockchain to create proof of authenticity and a new source of income for creators. Also Read: This blockchain startup empowers creators to fund, merchandise and stream their content directly to fans It was founded with the mission to make anime merchandises more accessible to global fans. Anime merchandise supply is broken. Fans want to consume merchandise globally as soon as the anime is streamed online but merchandise is rarely available due to fragmentation and supply chain issues. Unlicensed products have become the norm to match this demand. Our solution allows any creator to instantly create official collectible merchandise that is available worldwide, said BlockPunk co-founder Julian Lai-Hung. With our strategic partnership with Dai Nippon Printing, a US$14 billion revenue world leader in printing technologies, we will extend our technology to physical merchandise in addition to digital, he continued. Co-Founders Julian Lai-Hung was the former head of anime at Netflix while Jatin Shah has a Yale PhD in computer science and was a product manager at LinkedIn. By far, content creators such as Ishimori Pro (Cyborg009), Kazuto Nakazawa (Kill Bill, B the Beginning) and Zunda Horizon (Tohoku Zunko) are already live in the platform with more in the pipeline. Story continues Also Read: Singapores video-based social media platform Bigo raises US$272M led by Chinas YY SeedPlus Managing Partner Michael Smith said that the firm is interested in investing in BlockPunk as it enables new level of transparency as well as efficiency in protecting creator and owner IP rights. Image Credit: BlockPunk The post Singapore-based anime startup BlockPunk raises US$957K seed funding round appeared first on e27. A North Korean diplomat who reportedly defected from his embassy in Rome last year has been separated from his daughter after she was forcefully repatriated to Pyongyang, an ex-colleague who has now settled in the South said Tuesday. Jo Song Gil, who went into hiding with his wife and is reportedly seeking asylum, "could not manage to get his daughter to join them," said Thae Yong Ho, who also fled his post as the North's deputy ambassador to Britain in August 2016. Thae last month urged the Korean government to protect Jo and wrote an open letter asking him to come to the South so "they can work together to help the two Koreas reunify". But Thae told reporters in Seoul he could no longer urge Jo to join him in the South after he learnt through a friend that the girl, thought to be a high school student, had been forced to return to North Korea. "The amount of punishment that is imposed to those whose family members fled to South Korea is incomparable to those whose family fled to other countries," he said. Jo, who is in his 40s and known to be fluent in French and Italian as well as English, came to Rome in 2015. He was appointed acting ambassador in October 2017, after Italy expelled his predecessor Mun Jong Nam to protest a nuclear test staged by Pyongyang. South Korean media said Jo's daughter had lived with her parents in Rome before the defection and that she had been caught by North Korean authorities before she could join them in hiding. It was unclear how she was returned to her home country. Italy is an important diplomatic mission for Pyongyang as it handles relations with the Rome-headquartered UN Food and Agriculture Organization. North Korea suffers from chronic food shortages. - 'Strategic mistake '- About 30,000 North Koreans have fled repression and poverty under the communist regime and settled in the capitalist South, mostly by secretly crossing over the porous border with China. Since defecting and resettling in Seoul, Thae has publicly discussed his impoverished but nuclear-armed former homeland and means of reconciling the two neighbours, which technically remain at war. Ahead of the second US-North Korea summit next week, Thae also castigated US President Donald Trump for falling into North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's "trap", adding that North Korea had not posed a real threat of war. Trump made a "significant, strategic mistake" even before the his first summit with Kim in Singapore last year by threatening to "totally destroy North Korea" in his 2017 UN speech, Thae said. At the time no threat of war existed between Pyongyang and the US, he added. "(Trump) made the international community think that it was possible for the US and North Korea to have a nuclear war," he continued. "That's what Kim Jong Un wanted. (The speech) allowed the world to agree to talk about peace first, not the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula." Jude Ezeanyagu woke up last Saturday morning and texted guests the final reminders about his wedding the following week in Delta state, southern Nigeria. Then he got a reply. "My friend texted me back, 'Have you not seen the news? They've shifted the elections'," he told AFP. "I had no idea." Nigeria's election commission announced a one-week delay to polling as most people were sleeping and just over five hours before voting was about to start. That has heightened political tensions -- and tempers -- but it has also thrown ordinary Nigerians' plans for this weekend into disarray. Ezeanyagu and his fiancee, Jessy, had been planning their wedding for two years. They even deliberately chose the date after the release of the official election timetable. Weddings, as in most places, don't come cheap. The couple have already spent more than 1.0 million naira ($2,775, 2,440 euros) for their special day. The cost of having to cancel was "unquantifiable", said Ezeanyagu, an IT consultant. Not only will couples set to marry on Saturday take a financial hit from cancellation but some guests may not be able to attend on the rescheduled date. "It is just a very big loss," he said. - 'At the mercy of the nation' - At the Federal Marriage Registry in the upmarket Ikoyi area of Lagos, happy couples pose for pictures with family and friends after their wedding ceremonies. Inside, registry staff argue in raised voices between stacks of paperwork, as engaged couples wait patiently for their turn. Officials said several couples who had booked marriage ceremonies for Saturday February 23 had already called in to reschedule, creating significant administrative issues. "We're at the mercy of the nation!" said one member of staff. About 50 weddings have been booked for Saturday and it's not clear how many will go ahead as planned. "It has not been easy for many of them, even for us who are managing it," the staff member said, declining to give his name. Many Nigerians travel to their home towns and villages to vote, taking time off to complete often lengthy and uncomfortable journeys on poor roads. How many will want or can afford to return on Saturday is unclear. There are already predictions of a low voter turn-out. But holding any event on polling day is problematic. Roadblocks are put up and no vehicles are allowed when polls are open. Land borders and airports are also shut. All of which scuppers the significant planning that goes into weddings -- particularly Nigerian ones, which are often grand affairs, with hundreds of guests. Businesses, too, will likely take a hit: one hotel in the southeastern city of Calabar said it had to refund 250,000 naira to a couple planning to wed on Saturday. - Uncertainty guaranteed - The state of the economy is an election issue. Low global crude prices and militant attacks on Nigeria's oil and gas infrastructure contributed to a recession in 2016. Growth rates are slow, unemployment is high and the cost of living tough for a majority of the country's 190 million people. Kemi Akinolotu, chief executive of a wedding planning company, Eventories, said marriages by the richest Nigerians are largely unaffected but poorer couples have had to downsize. "Many people spend less now," she said. "The economy has really affected business and the weddings people can afford." For Ezeanyagu, picking a new date was difficult. In Nigeria, uncertainty, particularly around election time, is the only certainty. "No one trusts (the electoral commission) because just days until the election, they were saying they are ready but now at the dying minutes they changed", he said. "Many people are badly affected." The Singapore-based company got backed by the global marketing company FreakOut Holdings SilverPush, the marketing tech startup based in Singapore has announced the injection of a US$ 5 million Series B funding led by Japan-headquartered FreakOut Holdings, Inc., a global marketing technology company. Also Read: Medtech startup See-Mode secures US$1M funding from Cocoon Capital SilverPush shared that it will use the funding to expand business globally and enter new markets in the APAC region such as Hong Kong, Australia, and South Korea. It seeks also to increase its AI capabilities by applying the technology in industries outside of advertising. The company plans to explore the possibility of tapping into the OTT space with its new product called Mirrors, followed by the relaunch of another product called Prism, as a brand reputation monitoring platform. Weve expanded into Southeast Asia in 2018, and weve seen rising customer appetite for on-demand and multi-screen viewing across the APAC region. At the same time, advertisers and brands have become more open to integrating new technologies in their audience outreach strategies, said Hitesh Chawla, CEO of SilverPush. Although categorically being in the marketing sector, the company differentiates itself with the use of AI to improve the engagement between brands and consumers. Its product, Mirrors, was launched in late 2018 to help contextualise ads when people are viewing video content on their devices with the intention of tackling the misplaced online advertising problem. To do so, Mirrors detects context in video content that aligns with an advertisers core communications objectives, allowing more effectively targeted ads using AI with computer vision. With its products, SilverPush has supported the campaigns of APAC-based brands such as Indofood, Unilab, and Tiger Beer. Its international brands repertoires include Unilever, KFC, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Johnson & Johnson, and others. Story continues Also Read: Hustle Fund has invested in Singapore-based moving logistics startup Moovaz Outside of India and Southeast Asia, SilverPush is available in South Africa, Tanzania, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. Image Credit: YouTube SilverPush The post Marketing tech startup SilverPush secures US$5M Series B funding appeared first on e27. Wearing traditional dress, the children in Hanoi's only North Korean-founded kindergarten belt out Korean songs and recite their Korean vocabulary -- skills they hope to show off to Kim Jong Un when he visits Vietnam next week. The reclusive North Korean leader is making his first trip to Vietnam to meet with US President Donald Trump between February 27 and 28. It is their second summit, during which Washington hopes to see progress on dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear programme. The serious summit agenda was far from the minds of toddlers at the Vietnam-DPRK Friendship Kindergarten on Tuesday. Instead the three-to-five-year-olds sang and danced in the 'Kim Il Sung' classroom named after Kim Jong Un's grandfather, one of Hanoi's closest allies during the Vietnam War. "Jal gaseyo!" the kids chanted -- goodbye in Korean -- at the school where portraits of communist leaders past -- Kim Il Sung, his son Kim Jong Il and Vietnam's revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh -- hang on the wall. Established in 1978 at a time when conflict-battered Hanoi still received aid from Pyongyang, the school was built almost entirely with North Korean donations, from the blankets and mattresses for naptime to the bowls and utensils used at mealtime. Today some of the school's 450 pupils learn about North Korean culture, from kimchi and kimbap to traditional dress, and occasionally receive visits from North Korean officials and embassy personnel. "Even though North Korean friends are in difficult conditions, they still pay due attention to this kindergarten," former head teacher Hoang Thi Thanh told AFP. The school's current headmaster Ngo Thi Minh Ha is hoping that support extends to North Korea's top leader, who will meet Trump in Hanoi. "We really hope to welcome North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to visit Vietnam and the Vietnam-DPRK friendship kindergarten, we have proposed our wish (to the embassy)," she told AFP. Pyongyang has not yet confirmed the summit, with news about its date and location coming only from the White House, and details of the ultra-secretive leader's trip remain unknown. The meeting is aimed at building on Trump and Kim's first summit in Singapore in June, the first ever meeting between sitting leaders from the US and North Korea, who have never formally ended the 1950-53 Korean War. Former head teacher Thanh said she would love to see Kim visit the school, but is also hoping for a productive summit. "I hope for peace and stability in Korean peninsula in the next meeting. I also hope this meeting will bring closer the two sides of Korea like (north and south) Vietnam," she said. The founder of Chinese telecom giant Huawei has hit back at US efforts to blacklist the company, saying defiantly that the world cannot do without Huawei and its "more advanced" technology. "There's no way the US can crush us," Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with the BBC. "The world cannot leave us because we are more advanced." Ren, 74, also denounced as "politically motivated" the December arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating US sanctions against Iran and faces an extradition hearing in Canada next month. "We object to this," he said. "But now that we've gone down this path, we'll let the courts settle it." The normally media-shy Huawei founder has been forced to step into the limelight in recent months as the company has come under increasing pressure over espionage concerns and the US-led campaign to persuade other countries to ban its technology. Last year, security concerns prompted Australia to ban Huawei equipment from its future 5G network. New Zealand has also blocked its largest telecom carrier from using Huawei technology for the next generation network, while the Czech Republic has reportedly excluded it from a 20-million-euro ($22 million) tender to build a tax portal. US prosecutors are also charging Huawei with stealing trade secrets, saying it offered rewards to employees for stealing technology from other rivals. Ren shrugged off the growing pressure. "If the lights go out in the West, the East will still shine," he said. "America doesn't represent the world." "Even if they persuade more countries not to use us temporarily, we can always downsize and become smaller." - Pushback - Signs that US efforts to convince its allies to shun Huawei technology could fall through are also growing. British intelligence concluded that security risks posed by using Huawei's 5G equipment can be managed, The Financial Times reported on Monday. "Other nations can make the argument that if the British are confident of mitigation against national security threats then they can also reassure their publics and the US administration that they are acting in a prudent manner to allow their telecommunications service providers to use Chinese components," an unnamed source told the newspaper. New Zealand is also in talks to minimise the security risks posed by using Huawei equipment in 5G infrastructure instead of excluding it entirely. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday that New Zealand's security bureau was discussing Huawei security concerns with Spark, the domestic telecoms carrier that had been barred from using the Chinese firm's equipment last year. She also added that the company had "never" been ruled out from potentially participating in the country's 5G rollout. US-backed forces said several jihadists and dozens of civilians quit the Islamic State group's last patch of territory in Syria Tuesday, and warned remaining fighters should surrender or face death. Backed by air strikes by the US-led coalition, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have trapped the jihadists in a segment of Baghhouz village that is less than half a square kilometre (a fifth of a square mile). "Dozens of civilians and some fighters have handed themselves over", SDF spokesman Adnan Afrin told reporters at the nearby Al-Omar oil field. He said a convoy of trucks had entered Baghouz on Tuesday to transfer jihadists and their relatives out to SDF-held territory. Outside Baghouz, an AFP correspondent saw a convoy of trucks driving towards the village. The SDF have slowed down their offensive as they seek to evacuate civilians before a final push to defeat IS, which seized swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014 and declared a cross-border caliphate. Afrin said the departures from IS-held territory on Tuesday were the first by civilians in four days. He said foreigners were among those who left the pocket, but their nationalities "have not yet been determined" and it was not clear if these foreigners were civilians or fighters. Thousands of people -- mostly women and children related to IS members -- have streamed out of IS turf in recent weeks. Afrin said some diehard jihadists were still refusing to surrender and "many civilians remain" in the final jihadist holdout. - 'Surrender or face death'- The United Nations earlier expressed concern over "the situation of some 200 families, including many women and children, who are reportedly trapped" in the IS holdout. "Many of them are apparently being actively prevented from leaving by ISIL," it said in a statement, using another acronym for IS. An AFP correspondent near the frontline heard three air strikes on Tuesday. Afrin said the "offensive has not stopped" but the SDF have slowed their advance to protect civilians, "who are now on the frontlines". "The positions we are storming are the ones where we have detected activity by IS fighters," he told AFP. "But there are positions where we can't advance or even strike because civilians are among the fighters," he said. Earlier Tuesday, another SDF spokesman Mustefa Bali said his forces were preparing for a final push. "We are working on secluding and evacuating civilians and then we will attack. This could happen soon," he said. IS fighters "have only two options, either they surrender or they will be killed in battle," Bali said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported ongoing negotiations between the SDF and jihadists, who are allegedly demanding safe passage out of the Baghouz pocket. But SDF officials denied any negotiations are taking place. -'Nightmare is over'- The SDF on Monday said a victory announcement would be made this week. "In a few days we will announce a great victory over the largest terrorist organisation that waged war on the world," senior official Zeidan al-Assi said in a statement. Dino, a 26-year old fighter who has fought jihadists for years, on Monday said he was glad the battle was drawing to an end. "The nightmare is over. We have saved the people" from the IS group, he said. But beyond Baghouz, IS still has thousands of fighters and sleeper cells scattered across several countries. In Syria, it retains a presence in the vast Badia desert, and the jihadists have claimed deadly attacks in SDF-held territory. US President Donald Trump stunned allies in December when he announced all 2,000 American troops would be withdrawn from Syria as IS had been defeated. That withdrawal plan is expected to be accelerated once the last IS redoubt falls. Any such pullout would leave Syria's Kurds exposed to a long threatened Turkish assault, and the prospect has already forced them to mend ties with Damascus after years of seeking self-rule in the northeast of the country. Almost eight years into a civil war that has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions, Baghouz is the main front in Syria's war. But sporadic regime shelling has also lately targeted a northwestern region of Idlib held by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, despite the area being protected from a massive regime offensive by a September ceasefire deal. On Tuesday, regime rocket fire killed four civilians including a child in the town of Khan Sheikhun in Idlib, the Observatory said. FILE PHOTO: Police escort trucks arriving at a warehouse, where international humanitarian aid for Venezuela will be stored according to authorities, near the Tienditas cross-border bridge between Colombia and Venezuela, in Cucuta, Colombia, Feb. 16, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Eduardo Ramirez BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil will deliver humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan border by Feb. 23 together with the United States at the request of Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido, presidential spokesman General Otavio Rego Barros said on Tuesday. The distribution of the food and medicine from the northern Brazilian city of Boa Vista across the border will be in Venezuelan trucks driven by Venezuelan citizens organised by Guaido, the spokesman said at a news conference. The opposition effort aims to bring humanitarian aid into Venezuela from neighbouring Colombia, Curacao and Brazil as of Feb. 23 despite the protests of leftist President Nicolas Maduro who has denied there are widespread shortages. Maduro's opponents are hoping the Venezuelan military on the border will disobey his orders to block the aid. The government of Brazil's new right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has recognised Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela until elections can be held. Brazil's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the aid will be placed in Boa Vista and the border town of Pacaraima to be collected by what it called "the government of acting President Juan Guaido." "Brazil is thus joining this important international initiative to support the Guaido government and the people of Venezuela," the statement said. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito and Anthony Boadle; Editing by James Dalgleish) Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology ALADIN * weird wizard1* User ID: 485250 02-19-2019 09:06 PM Posts: 5,426 Post: #1 House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology Advertisement The House Oversight committee now chaired by Democrat Elijah Cummings issued an interim staff report after several whistleblowers came forward "to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act," spearheaded by Jared Kushner, according to a press release by the House Oversight Committee. The press release is in conjunction with the announcement of an investigation into the allegations. The plan, which reportedly involved former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Kushner and Trump fundraiser Thomas Barrack, would see the development of "dozens of nuclear power plants" in a "Middle East Marshall Plan" through IP3 - a private US company which has "assembled a consortium of US companies to build nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia." The whistleblowers allege that the efforts were made without review by Congress "as required by law," and may be ongoing to this day. The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes. They have also warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting. And they have warned about political appointees ignoring directives from top ethics advisors at the White House who repeatedly and unsuccessfully ordered senior Trump Administration officials to halt their efforts. -Interim Staff Report According to the report, efforts to transfer the sensitive US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia may be accelerating following White House meetings last week ahead of Jared Kushner's planned visit to the Middle-Eastern country. The Committees investigation is particularly critical because the Administrations efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia appear to be ongoing. On February 12, 2019, the President met with nuclear power developers at the White House about sharing nuclear technology with countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. In addition, next week Mr. Kushner will be embarking on a tour of Middle Eastern capitalsincluding Riyadhto discuss the economic portion of the Administrations Middle East peace plan. -Interim Staff Report https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-02-1...logy-saudi It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a ma s k on their nose and mouth ... House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology To Saudi ArabiaThe House Oversight committee now chaired by Democrat Elijah Cummings issued an interim staff report after several whistleblowers came forward "to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act," spearheaded by Jared Kushner, according to a press release by the House Oversight Committee.The press release is in conjunction with the announcement of an investigation into the allegations.The plan, which reportedly involved former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Kushner and Trump fundraiser Thomas Barrack, would see the development of "dozens of nuclear power plants" in a "Middle East Marshall Plan" through IP3 - a private US company which has "assembled a consortium of US companies to build nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia."The whistleblowers allege that the efforts were made without review by Congress "as required by law," and may be ongoing to this day.The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes. They have also warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting. And they have warned about political appointees ignoring directives from top ethics advisors at the White House who repeatedly and unsuccessfully ordered senior Trump Administration officials to halt their efforts. -Interim Staff ReportAccording to the report, efforts to transfer the sensitive US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia may be accelerating following White House meetings last week ahead of Jared Kushner's planned visit to the Middle-Eastern country.The Committees investigation is particularly critical because the Administrations efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia appear to be ongoing. On February 12, 2019, the President met with nuclear power developers at the White House about sharing nuclear technology with countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. In addition, next week Mr. Kushner will be embarking on a tour of Middle Eastern capitalsincluding Riyadhto discuss the economic portion of the Administrations Middle East peace plan. -Interim Staff Report LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 489793 02-19-2019 09:42 PM Post: #2 RE: House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology It will probably be stopped . If it is illegal it, cant be done . LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 471605 02-19-2019 09:44 PM Post: #3 RE: House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology It's not illegal That is the point If the US doesn't get the contracts guess who will? FreeFlow lop guest User ID: 5 02-19-2019 09:45 PM Post: #4 RE: House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology Or dems projecting again ? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 471605 02-19-2019 09:47 PM Post: #5 RE: House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology FreeFlow Wrote: (02-19-2019 09:45 PM) Or dems projecting again ? Partisan stupidity.... What are they going to scream when Russia gets the contracts? Partisan stupidity....What are they going to scream when Russia gets the contracts? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 412093 02-19-2019 10:22 PM Post: #6 RE: House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology The Clintons had no issue transfering US nuclear technology to China. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 471605 02-19-2019 10:24 PM Post: #7 RE: House Oversight Whistleblowers Claim Trump Trying To Transfer US Nuke Technology LoP Guest Wrote: (02-19-2019 10:22 PM) The Clintons had no issue transfering US nuclear technology to China. Well the entire Democratic party got financing out of that deal Every single Dem Congress member and most all governors even People forget....on purpose Well the entire Democratic party got financing out of that dealEvery single Dem Congress member and most all governors evenPeople forget....on purpose Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread AiSensum uses AI to help enterprises and startups create additional revenue streams through their existing data AiSensum, an AI and big data analytics company with presence in Singapore, Jakarta, and Bangalore, announced today that it has received seed funding from 500 Startups. The amount raised is unrevealed. Also Read: Marketing tech startup SilverPush secures US$5M Series B funding Launched in February 2018, AiSensum designed an analytics platform called OctoPi, which essentially is an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning driven platform that creates additional revenue streams for enterprises and startups through Data Monetisation Partnerships. With OctoPi using NLG (Natural Language Generation), AI algorithms will generate insights on the data assets in addition to providing advanced analytics. This gives companies in telco, retail, pharmaceutical, and finance sector a critical business intelligence, all accessible in an interactive dashboards The dashboard is designed to showcase insights such as market share, trend analysis, price elasticity, promotion effectiveness, customer segmentation, white space discovery, and other key parameters that are reflective of customer buying behaviour. AiSensum leverages on its partnership model to open up information to the data assets of telco, retail, pharmaceutical, and finance industries and in the future look to merge these assets and democratised the analytics. AiSensum was founded by Vivek Thomas and Rajiv Lamba, both have 15+ years of experience in Marketing Research and Technology in South East Asia. Also Read: Medtech startup See-Mode secures US$1M funding from Cocoon Capital Traditional ways of conducting surveys to gather insights can take 2 -3 months which isnt effective to clients who want to make decisions based on current market dynamics. A real-time analytics platform where insights and key actions come on a weekly basis gives clients a better call to action, and this is how we want to create a positive disruption across Asia, Nitin Sharma, the Chief Analytics Officer of AiSensum, further explained. Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash The post AI, big data company AiSensum receives seed funding from 500 Startups appeared first on e27. 2019: A hell of a year for marketers with chat and voice bots More bots with the gift of the gab and no this isnt Futurama Hey Google, whats your prediction for chatbots in 2019? Thats what I asked the assistant on my phone. The okay-ish results that followed motivated me to list down the top 5 chat & voice bot trends impacting the marketing game in 2019. But before we look ahead, lets quickly look back. What happened in chatbot country last year? Googles conversational commerce innovations Back in 2018, we witnessed a great wave of conversational commerce & chatbot technology emerging across the globe. Obviously, the industry applauded when Google Duplex was announced. This new technology for conducting natural conversations to carry out simple tasks via voice over the phone was very promising, despite being in its early stages. Equally interesting was the launch of Google AdLingo (right from Googles Area 120 incubator). This new AdTech application integrated chat right into display banners a goodbye to click-outs and drop-offs, and a hello to in-ad-conversions. Facebooks focus on messaging During 2018s F8, Zuckerberg announced technology integrations like the Augmented Reality camera effects on Facebook Messenger. Other features included payment & check out options within Messenger and auto-translation of chat threads. Clearly, Messenger was preparing to become a feature-rich channel, because Facebook understood that messaging would become more relevant in the future. However, the temporary stop of the app and bot approval by Facebook was its low point for 2018. We saw Amazons AI recruiting engine developing a negative bias towards women, which meant that there was still a lot of work to be done in this area. If you are not familiar with the AI bias, I highly recommend watching this short video by IBM which explains it (less than two minutes). Things are happening! The entire digital conversation space is moving at a fast pace. The competition is trying to out-innovate each other. So, whats ahead of us in 2019? Story continues Consumers are spending more time on chat platforms People crave human connection, and today, we do this through messaging. Combined, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp see more than 20 billion photos shared every month evidence of their domination in the chat market. However, across Asia, we see that consumers have access to multiple platforms and do so according to their social circle. For instance, in Thailand Facebook Messenger is combined with Line. In China, WeChat/QQ dominates, but local heroes such as Zalo in Vietnam are also used next to Facebook Messenger. In the U.S. and Europe, we see an increase in conversational commerce, as consumers continue to show a desire to engage with businesses through messaging. For consumers, the path to customer service or purchasing products is changing. If a consumer has a question, they turn to WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to seek answers, and they expect instant responses. Ask your friends what they do on their phones all day apart from just listening to music? Messaging! And theres no sign that tells us its going to slow down any time soon. 2019 welcomes the future of consumer communications messaging the new business norm. Voice tech will become more generally accepted Voice-based technology has arrived in consumers lives and its here to stay. We already mentioned Google Assistant on peoples mobile phones, but have you noticed that the famous Marriot Hotel was the launching partner for Amazons voice-assistant Alexa in hotel rooms? And competing voice-assistant Google Home has found its way into many homes across the globe. As much as text-based messaging is dominating today, well see a strong rise of voice tech in 2019 and with it, its general acceptance. Although it might be command driven at first, as AI continues to develop, well be having conversations with devices, at home or in the car pretty soon. Companies will invest in conversational commerce Chief Marketing Officers (CMO) and digital leaders around the world have conversational marketing on their marketing agenda. As the digital marketing industry is plateauing with current channels and methods such as lead forms and websites (yes, websites are old), live-chat and chatbots are already providing enormous conversion rate uplifts the proof needed for serious budget allocation. We should do something with bots, but what? I often hear this when talking with brands. Also Read: Shake up your tech startup by joining Echelon Roadshow 2019 Phnom Penh The awareness is there, early adaptors understand what needs to happen and now the late majority is catching up. Bots, voice, thats something we need for our business, right? As with every innovation, theres the necessary capital investment needed to make it fly. 2019 will see brands moving out of the shadow, and start investing heavily into conversational commerce. Humans will continue to create the best bots Conversational AI and Natural Language Understanding will continue to improve in 2019. However, the best conversational products are still largely due to human craft. Over the past 7 years, weve followed the typical hype cycle when it comes to AI driven conversation in chat & voice bots. Many marketers around the globe believe that chat & voice bots magically turn into conversational parents on any topic, with one click. However, pioneers in conversational commerce know that even the best bots require a lot of human design, engineering, touch and love. In both the product development stage and optimization phase, a skilled human eye and hand are needed, next to AI and Machine Learning, to bring bots to life. This is the only way for voice bots conversational skills to grow so that they can turn into a valuable touch points for consumers. Which brings me to my next point: Hiring more conversational designers Remember those days when there werent any digital specialists, display & programmatic engineers, Facebook consultants and Google certified marketing experts? Digital teams on both the agencys and brands side have complete high-skilled digital teams. Conversational marketing will continue to grow, so will the demand for specialists in this field. Also Read: Medtech startup See-Mode secures US$1M funding from Cocoon Capital Skilled people who understand digital conversations, chat User Experience (UX), AI and Language Processing. Marketers will need to up their skills again. Watch out for a rising demand for conversational UX designers, bot coders, digital personality creators, persuasion specialists and chatbot marketeers in 2019. Messaging will transform our relationship with brands in 2019 Consumers have already decided their preferred way of communication companies are just slow to catch on. All around the world, consumers show one common behaviour on mobile: messaging their friends, family and businesses through chat platforms. There are billions of people to be reached, and brands are starting to realize the need to hop on the conversational train if they want to stay connected to their customers. Budget allocation is getting more serious for conversational commerce, and expectations are becoming more realistic. The market is expecting a new skill set to serve the fast-growing chat and voice bot industry. All signs from conversational commerce on the CMOs agenda, advancing technology for language processing and more minutes spent on messaging platforms are pointing towards one hell of a year for chat and voice bots. Image Credits: gmast3r e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here. The post 2019: A hell of a year for marketers with chat and voice bots appeared first on e27. Honda announced Tuesday it would shut a major plant in Britain, putting 3,500 jobs at risk as the auto manufacturer became the latest Japanese firm to downsize operations as Brexit looms. The factory in Swindon, southwest England, is Honda's only EU plant and has produced the manufacturer's "Civic" model for more than 24 years, with 150,000 units rolling off the line annually. The plant will shut in 2021, Honda announced, "at the end of the current model's production lifecycle". The decision "has not been taken lightly and we deeply regret how unsettling today's announcement will be for our people," said Katsushi Inoue, chief officer for European regional operations, in a statement. The firm blamed "unprecedented changes in the global automotive industry" for the decision but it comes amid investment uncertainty in Britain ahead of the country's exit from the EU. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Honda president Takahiro Hachigo said: "I'd like you to understand this is not related to Brexit." He said it was "very regrettable" to have to close the plant but said it was the "best choice" given the need to reduce production capacity and reform its global facilities. The firm also announced it would stop manufacturing the Civic model in Turkey in 2021. Honda joins fellow car giant Nissan as well as Japanese firms Sony, Panasonic and Hitachi in scaling back operations in Britain ahead of the country's departure from the European Union. Analysts say that while Brexit was almost certainly a factor for Honda, other reasons were likely to have played a part, including a massive EU-Japan free-trade agreement recently signed and the wider struggles of the car industry. "Honda seems to have been preparing for this for a long time. Then Brexit happened, which might have pushed the company to make the decision now," Seiji Sugiura, analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, told AFP. Speaking ahead of the formal decision, local finance worker Sue Davis, 49, told AFP the move would be "devastating" for the area. Story continues "I think Swindon's finished without Honda. My ex-husband works there, has done for 20 years. He's going to be without a job, so I just think it's really, really bad news." Local MP Justin Tomlinson tweeted ahead of Tuesday's announcement that the decision had been made "based on global trends and not Brexit as all European market production will consolidate in Japan in 2021". - 'Just in time' - Earlier this month, Nissan axed production of the X-Trail SUV in the Brexit-backing northeast city of Sunderland, despite government assurances over the consequences from the EU exit. Nissan Europe chairman Gianluca de Ficchy said then that the cuts were made "for business reasons" but admitted that "the continued uncertainty around the UK's future relationship with the EU is not helping companies like ours to plan for the future." Auto giant Toyota also warned in February there would be no way to avoid a negative impact in the event of Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal. Toyota executive vice-president Shigeki Tomoyama noted that the firm's assembly plant in Burnaston, central England, which produces 600 vehicles per day, operates under the "just-in-time" system that relies on a smooth flow of components from the EU. "We will have to halt the plant if the car parts are not brought in" from the continent, Tomoyama warned. Japanese electronics giants Sony and Panasonic, as well as several banks, have moved some of their operations out of Britain since the 2016 referendum that set Brexit in motion. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pleaded against a no-deal Brexit in recent talks with his British and German counterparts, telling Theresa May last month: "We truly hope that a no-deal Brexit will be avoided and in fact this is the... wish of the whole world." And Japanese officials have reportedly become frustrated with their British counterparts as they negotiate a potential post-Brexit trade deal. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but its parliament last month rejected a draft divorce deal May negotiated with the bloc, prompting fears the country could crash out without an agreement next month. bur-ric/sah/mtp SINGAPORE (Feb 19): The recent Budget 2019 has little to no impact on the Straits Times Index (STI) component stocks, apart from ST Engineering which has a low index weight, according to DBS in a Tuesday report. Other mild potential beneficiaries are SembCorp Marine, domestic staple consumer companies, such as Sheng Siong, as well as healthcare stocks. In the Budget 2019, finance minister Heng Swee Keat shared more detail on the extension of the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), which was first mentioned at the National Day Rally last year by prime minister Lee Hsien Loong. See: Greater healthcare assurance; additional $3.1 bil set aside for healthcare subsidies and support Apart from extending CHAS subsidies for the general public at GP clinics, the Merdeka Generation seniors also enjoy additional subsidies. See: Government to set aside $6.1 billion for Merdeka Generation Fund DBS has a marginally positive rating on the local healthcare sector. Analyst Rachel Tan says, We believe this bodes well for participating CHAS GP and dental clinics with the higher subsidies, especially the extension of subsidies to cover chronic conditions to all Singaporeans, regardless of income. Although impact may be limited, Tan believes that GP and dental clinic chains, such as Raffles Medical, Singapore Medical Group, Healthway Medical Group, Health Management International and Q&M Dental Group, could benefit. On a strategic perspective, aside from reducing the burden on public polyclinics and medical centres, we believe this could indicate the governments intention to progressively pass on more treatment (especially day treatment and long-term care treatment) on to the GP clinics' network to reduce its healthcare burden and expenditure in the long term, adds Tan. Moreover, DBS says that the property sector is the space to watch. Analyst Derek Tan says, While there might be potential tweaks to plot ratios or land uses to support the ongoing transformation of the city landscape, we believe that most interesting piece of development will come from the potential plans for the Greater Southern Waterfront region, with the Tanjong Pagar container ports moving out in the coming decade. Story continues The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is also expected to unveil its Underground Master Plan in a comprehensive look at subterranean spaces to support potential uses and needs. Local REIT investors will also cheer on the extension of tax concessions for local REITs to Dec 31, 2025, as the sunset clause for the tax exemption on S-REITs distributions will be removed for individuals, while there are no changes to income tax concessions. On the other hand, DBS has neutral ratings on the Offshore Marine, Land Transport and Consumer sectors. Analyst Janice Chua says, Looking ahead, the Committee of Supply (COS) by the various ministries would be of interest, where we look forward to more details such as the URA Master Plan 2019 on potential plans for Greater Southern Waterfront region, Zero Waste Masterplan on food waste, ewaste and packaging waste (including plastics) and the new Home Team Science & Technology Agency to develop science and technology capabilities. Meanwhile, market focus continues to be on a possible US-China trade deal and the 4Q results season. The former could be a buy in anticipation, sell on news. Currently, global stock markets have recovered from their December lows in anticipation of a US-China trade deal and on optimism that the Fed is likely to dial down on rate hike this year. With equity markets moving up in anticipation of a US-China trade deal, we certainly do not rule out a sell on news once a deal is signed, as investors take profit on recent trades. After the ceremony comes the uncertainty of monitoring both sides compliance with the agreements drawn, says Chua. A detailed accounting of many steps for everyone to follow-up on the FIRST STEP Act | Main | New Ohio Gov puts halt to all executions until Ohio develops new execution method February 19, 2019 SCOTUS via 6-3 vote rules Texas yet again misapplied its Eighth Amendment jurisprudence prohibiting the execution of those with intellectual disability In the middle of this lengthy new SCOTUS order list, which has lots of cert denials and individual opinions about cert denials, is one notable Supreme Court opinion on the merits in Moore v. Texas, No. 18443 (S. Ct. Feb. 19, 2019). The start and last substantive paragraph of the 10-page per curiam opinion for the Court provides the basics: In 2015, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals held that petitioner, Bobby James Moore, did not have intellectual disability and consequently was eligible for the death penalty. Ex parte Moore, 470 S.W.3d 481, 527528 (Ex parte Moore I). We previously considered the lawfulness of that determination, vacated the appeals courts decision, and remanded the case for further consideration of the issue. Moore v. Texas, 581 U. S. ___, ___ (2017) (slip op., at 18). The appeals court subsequently reconsidered the matter but reached the same conclusion. Ex parte Moore, 548 S.W.3d 552, 573 (Tex. Crim. App. 2018) (Ex parte Moore II). We again review its decision, and we reverse its determination.... We conclude that the appeals courts opinion, when taken as a whole and when read in the light both of our prior opinion and the trial court record, rests upon analysis too much of which too closely resembles what we previously found improper. And extricating that analysis from the opinion leaves too little that might warrant reaching a different conclusion than did the trial court. We consequently agree with Moore and the prosecutor that, on the basis of the trial court record, Moore has shown he is a person with intellectual disability. Chief Justice Roberts has this one-paragraph concurrence in the case: When this case was before us two years ago, I wrote in dissent that the majoritys articulation of how courts should enforce the requirements of Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002), lacked clarity. Moore v. Texas, 581 U.S. ___, ______ (2017) (slip op., at 1011). It still does. But putting aside the difficulties of applying Moore in other cases, it is easy to see that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals misapplied it here. On remand, the court repeated the same errors that this Court previously condemned if not quite in haec verba, certainly in substance. The court repeated its improper reliance on the factors articulated in Ex parte Briseno, 135 S.W.3d 1, 8 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004), and again emphasized Moores adaptive strengths rather than his deficits. That did not pass muster under this Courts analysis last time. It still doesnt. For those reasons, I join the Courts opinion reversing the judgment below. Justice Alito, joined by Justices Thomas and Gorsuch, pens a three-page dissent with concludes this way: The Courts foray into factfinding is an unsound departure from our usual practice. The error in this litigation was not the state courts decision on remand but our own failure to provide a coherent rule of decision in Moore. I would deny the petition for a writ of certiorari. I certainly would not summarily reverse and make our own finding of fact without even giving the State the opportunity to brief and argue the question. I therefore respectfully dissent. There is a whole lot here to notice, but I think especially important and notable is the fact that the newest Justice, Justice Kavanaugh, is with the majority of the Court and not the dissenters here. Because of the Chief Justice's vote, Justice Kavanaugh is not technically a swing vote in this capital case. But his vote still reveals that, unlike Justices Alito and Thomas (and even seemingly Justice Gorsuch), Justice Kavanaugh may be more inclined to scrutinize state capital practices than certain of his conservative colleagues. February 19, 2019 at 09:52 AM | Permalink Comments Not sure what Justice Kavanaugh's vote means here given that lower court opinion apparently showed significant disregard for the instructions of the U.S. Supreme Court (which is almost always guaranteed to annoy a majority of Supreme Court justices). If Texas had come back with a "proper" analysis that still found defendant to be eligible for the death sentence, things might have been different. The more interesting question is posed by the local prosecutor now joining with the defendant on the merits. Texas AG tried to intervene at the United States Supreme Court. It's been so long since I have practiced in Texas that I don't know what this will mean when case returns to Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (which will probably try again for a third time to sustain the death sentence if it is not bound by the local prosecutor's concession). Posted by: tmm | Feb 19, 2019 11:26:40 AM Tmm: The supremes reverses and rendered judgment that Moore is ID. Theres no third bite for the TCCA. Posted by: Calif appeals lawyer | Feb 19, 2019 7:48:18 PM Post a comment "A World of Steel-Eyed Death': An Empirical Evaluation of the Failure of the Strickland Standard to Ensure Adequate Counsel to Defendants with Mental Disabilities Facing the Death Penalty" | Main | SCOTUS via 6-3 vote rules Texas yet again misapplied its Eighth Amendment jurisprudence prohibiting the execution of those with intellectual disability Mark Holden has this new commentary at The Crime Report headlined "The First Step Act: Its Only a First Step." I recommend the piece in full, and here are excerpts: Signed into law during the closing days of 2018, the bipartisan First Step Act expands rehabilitative programming, modifies some mandatory minimum laws to provide more proportional sentencing, and provides a second chance to people like [Matthew] Charles whove worked hard to transform their lives while in prison.... The law is also acting as a catalyst for states that havent yet reformed their criminal justice systems. But as important as the law is, additional steps are needed to improve our criminal justice system. To bring about transformative change, policymakers at all levels must act. The private sector, civic organizations and community leaders must also do their part to ensure that the formerly incarcerated can find work, housing and access the tools they need to succeed after being freed.... Congress should apply three of the laws sentencing changes retroactively, to help people who received overly harsh sentences under outdated policies and pass other front-end reforms that prioritize prison beds for dangerous criminals while addressing low-level, nonviolent offenses through treatment and other programs that better serve this population. In addition, Congress should codify the Supreme Court ruling that requires prosecutors share all of the information that they have about the alleged crime with the accused at the outset the case. Lawmakers can also address our over-incarceration epidemic by clarifying criminal intent standards and working to rein in our bloated federal criminal code and regulatory code, under which virtually anyone can be charged with a crime. The Trump administration can act on its own to reform the executive clemency process to create second chances for people who wouldnt necessarily qualify for relief under the First Step Act. States can parallel many of these federal actions by removing barriers for people with criminal records. More Clean Slate laws, like the one enacted in Pennsylvania last year, will create second chances for people by unblocking them from jobs, housing, and education. States could also increase the transparency of their criminal justice systems through more data collection and enhanced due process protections for citizens. Across the country individuals are incarcerated awaiting trial without considering other factors like the potential for flight risk, or whether the individual poses a threat to public safety, while others are incarcerated due to excessive fees and fines, and technical violations.... Businesses can help transform lives and enable people to contribute to their communities by hiring qualified candidates with criminal records. Im proud to work for Koch Industries, which hires people with criminal records and recently signed the Getting Talent Back to Work pledge with the Society for Human Resource Management to end outdated, non-inclusive hiring practices. Finally, groups like Hudson Link for Higher Education, Safe Streets & Second Chances and The Last Mile can provide incarcerated people with skills and identify obstacles that prevent them from succeeding after their release.... We believe, as Winston Churchill did, in an unfaltering faith that there is a treasure, if you can only find it, in the heart of every man. We all share a moral imperative to help find and unlock that treasure, to unleash the potential in everyone. If we all do our part, we can bridge the partisan divide and build on the great foundation provided by the First Step Act. Its time to take the next steps on criminal justice reform, this year and beyond. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era BLAME TRUMP lop guest User ID: 453356 02-19-2019 08:54 PM Post: #1 Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era Advertisement Smolletts alleged fake hate crime appears to be the latest instance of liberals manufacturing hate crimes for attention in the Trump era. The Daily Caller News Foundation compiled below some of the most outrageous fake hate crimes since Trump was elected, in rough chronological order: Anti-Muslim Hate Crime In Michigan Turns Out To Be A Hoax (Nov. 2016) A Muslim woman at the University of Michigan received national attention from national outlets like The Washington Post in November 2016 after she claimed a drunk 20-something man threatened to light her on fire if she didnt remove her hijab. The university condemned the hateful attack, which turned out to be a hoax. Bisexual Student Fakes Trump-Inspired Hate Crime (Nov. 2016) Taylor Volk, an openly bisexual senior at North Park University claimed to be the target of hateful notes and emails following Trumps election in November 2016. Volk told NBC News that I just want them to stop. But the them referenced by Volk turned out to be herself, as the whole thing was fabricated. Gas Station Racism Goes Viral Then Police Debunk It (Nov. 2016) Philadelphia woman Ashley Boyer claimed in November 2016 that she was harassed at a gas station by white, Trump-supporting males, one of whom pulled a weapon on her. Boyer claimed that the men proceeded to talk about the election and how theyre glad they wont have to deal with ns much longer. Boyer deleted her post after it went viral and claimed the men had been caught and were facing criminal charges. Local police debunked her account. White Men Rob Muslim Woman Of Her Hijab And Wallet Except It Never Happened (Nov. 2016) An 18-year-old Muslim woman in Louisiana claimed in November 2016 that two white men, one of whom was wearing a Trump hat, attacked and robbed her, taking her wallet and hijab while yelling racial slurs. She later admitted to the Lafayette Police Department that she made the whole thing up. Church Organist Vandalizes Own Church (Nov. 2016) A church organist was arrested in May 2017 after he was found responsible for spray-painting a swastika, an anti-gay slur and the words Heil Trump on his own church in November 2016. When the story first broke, media outlets tied the hoax to Trumps election. The offensive graffiti at St. Davids is among numerous incidents that have occurred in the wake of Trumps Election Day win, The Washington Post reported at the time. Drunk White Men Attack Muslim Woman In Story That Also Never Happened (Dec. 2016) Another 18-year-old Muslim woman, this time in New York, was the subject of breathless headlines in December 2016 after she claimed to have been attacked by a group of Donald Trump supporters on a New York subway while onlookers did nothing. The woman, Yasmin Seweid, would go on to confess that she made the whole thing up. White Guy Sets His Own Car On Fire, Paints Racial Slur On His Own Garage (Dec. 2016) Denton, Texas, resident David Williams set his own car on fire and painted n***** lovers on his homes garage, in an apparent attempt to stage a hate crime. Local police investigated the arson as a hate crime. Williams and his wife, Jenny, collected more than $5,000 from Good Samaritans via a GoFundMe page before the hoax was exposed. Prankster Tricks Liberal Journalist Into Spreading Anti-Trump Hoax (Dec. 2016) As tales of Trump-inspired hate crimes were spread far and wide by liberal journalists after Trumps election, one online prankster decided to test just easy it was to fool journalists. The prankster sent Mic.com writer Sarah Harvard a fictitious story in which a Native American claimed to have been harassed by an alleged Trump supporter who thought she was Mexican. Despite no evidence backing up the claim, Harvard spread the fake story, emails the prankster shared with The Daily Caller showed. Student Writes Anti-Muslim Graffiti On His Own Door (Feb. 2017) A Muslim student at Beloit College wrote anti-Muslim graffiti on his own dorm room door. The student was reportedly motivated by a desire to seek attention after a Jewish student was targeted with an anti-Semitic note. Israeli Man Behind Anti-Semitic Bomb Threats in the U.S. (April 2017) Media outlets didnt wait to find out who was behind a string of bomb threats targeting synagogues and Jewish schools before linking the threats to Trump. A U.S.-Israeli man was charged in April 2017 and indicted in February 2018 for the threats. A former reporter for The Intercept was also charged in March 2017 with making several copycat threats. Hoax at St. Olaf (May 2017) Students at St. Olaf college in Minnesota staged protests and boycotted classes in May 2017 after racist notes targeting black students were found around campus, earning coverage in national media outlets like The Washington Post. It later came out that a black student was responsible for the racist notes. The student carried out the hoax in order to draw attention to concerns about the campus climate, the university announced. Fake Hate At Air Force Academy Goes Viral (Sept. 2017) The Air Force Academy was thrown into turmoil in September 2017 when horrific racist notes were found at the academys preparatory school. Go home n***er, read one of the notes. The superintendent, Lt. Gen. Jay B. Silveria, went viral with an impassioned speech addressing the racist notes. If you cant treat someone with dignity and respectthen you need to get out.-Lt. Gen. Jay B. Silveria, Superintendent @AF_Academy pic.twitter.com/njCktv5Fmp U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) September 28, 2017 Two months later, authorities determined that one of the students targeted by the notes was also the person responsible for writing them. K-State Fake Hate Crime (Nov. 2017) A student at Kansas State University filed a police report in November 2017 over racist graffiti left on his car. Go Home N***** Boy and Whites Only, read the racist graffiti, which the the student later admitted to writing himself. Racist Graffiti Carried Out By Non-White Student (Nov. 2017) Another instance of racist graffiti that same month also turned out to be a hoax. A Missouri high school investigated after racial slurs were left on a bathroom mirror in November 2017, only to find that the student responsible was non-white. Waiter Fakes Note Calling Himself A Terrorist (July 2018) Texas waiter Khalil Cavil went viral after posting a Facebook picture of a racist note that he claimed a customer had left on the receipt, in lieu of a tip. The note described Cavil as a terrorist. Saltgrass Steak House, where Cavil worked, initially banned the customers for life, before their investigation revealed that the waiter had faked the racist note. I did write it, Cavil later admitted. I dont have an explanation. I made a mistake. There is no excuse for what I did. Waitress Fakes Racist Note, Blames Law Enforcement (July 2018) A Texas waitress apologized in July 2018 after blaming local law enforcement for an offensive note targeting Mexicans. She later admitted to writing the note herself. New York Womans Hate Crime That Wasnt (Sept. 2018) A New York woman was charged in September 2018 after police determined she fabricated a story about white teens yelling racial slurs at her and leaving a racist note on her car. Student Faked Racist Notes (Dec. 2018) Several racist notes at Drake University were actually the work of one of the students who had been targeted by them. The fact that the actions of the student who has admitted guilt were propelled by motives other than hate does not minimize the worry and emotional harm they caused, but should temper fears, university president Marty Martin said afterwards. The Covington Catastrophe (Jan. 2019) https://www.dailycaller.com/2019/02/18/h...imes-list/ Liberal actor Jussie Smollett is accused of staging a racist and anti-gay attack on himself, which Smollett blamed on supporters of President Donald Trump.Smolletts alleged fake hate crime appears to be the latest instance of liberals manufacturing hate crimes for attention in the Trump era.The Daily Caller News Foundation compiled below some of the most outrageous fake hate crimes since Trump was elected, in rough chronological order:Anti-Muslim Hate Crime In Michigan Turns Out To Be A Hoax (Nov. 2016)A Muslim woman at the University of Michigan received national attention from national outlets like The Washington Post in November 2016 after she claimed a drunk 20-something man threatened to light her on fire if she didnt remove her hijab. The university condemned the hateful attack, which turned out to be a hoax.Bisexual Student Fakes Trump-Inspired Hate Crime (Nov. 2016)Taylor Volk, an openly bisexual senior at North Park University claimed to be the target of hateful notes and emails following Trumps election in November 2016. Volk told NBC News that I just want them to stop. But the them referenced by Volk turned out to be herself, as the whole thing was fabricated.Gas Station Racism Goes Viral Then Police Debunk It (Nov. 2016)Philadelphia woman Ashley Boyer claimed in November 2016 that she was harassed at a gas station by white, Trump-supporting males, one of whom pulled a weapon on her. Boyer claimed that the men proceeded to talk about the election and how theyre glad they wont have to deal with ns much longer. Boyer deleted her post after it went viral and claimed the men had been caught and were facing criminal charges. Local police debunked her account.White Men Rob Muslim Woman Of Her Hijab And Wallet Except It Never Happened (Nov. 2016)An 18-year-old Muslim woman in Louisiana claimed in November 2016 that two white men, one of whom was wearing a Trump hat, attacked and robbed her, taking her wallet and hijab while yelling racial slurs. She later admitted to the Lafayette Police Department that she made the whole thing up.Church Organist Vandalizes Own Church (Nov. 2016)A church organist was arrested in May 2017 after he was found responsible for spray-painting a swastika, an anti-gay slur and the words Heil Trump on his own church in November 2016. When the story first broke, media outlets tied the hoax to Trumps election. The offensive graffiti at St. Davids is among numerous incidents that have occurred in the wake of Trumps Election Day win, The Washington Post reported at the time.Drunk White Men Attack Muslim Woman In Story That Also Never Happened (Dec. 2016)Another 18-year-old Muslim woman, this time in New York, was the subject of breathless headlines in December 2016 after she claimed to have been attacked by a group of Donald Trump supporters on a New York subway while onlookers did nothing. The woman, Yasmin Seweid, would go on to confess that she made the whole thing up.White Guy Sets His Own Car On Fire, Paints Racial Slur On His Own Garage (Dec. 2016)Denton, Texas, resident David Williams set his own car on fire and painted n***** lovers on his homes garage, in an apparent attempt to stage a hate crime. Local police investigated the arson as a hate crime. Williams and his wife, Jenny, collected more than $5,000 from Good Samaritans via a GoFundMe page before the hoax was exposed.Prankster Tricks Liberal Journalist Into Spreading Anti-Trump Hoax (Dec. 2016)As tales of Trump-inspired hate crimes were spread far and wide by liberal journalists after Trumps election, one online prankster decided to test just easy it was to fool journalists. The prankster sent Mic.com writer Sarah Harvard a fictitious story in which a Native American claimed to have been harassed by an alleged Trump supporter who thought she was Mexican. Despite no evidence backing up the claim, Harvard spread the fake story, emails the prankster shared with The Daily Caller showed.Student Writes Anti-Muslim Graffiti On His Own Door (Feb. 2017)A Muslim student at Beloit College wrote anti-Muslim graffiti on his own dorm room door. The student was reportedly motivated by a desire to seek attention after a Jewish student was targeted with an anti-Semitic note.Israeli Man Behind Anti-Semitic Bomb Threats in the U.S. (April 2017)Media outlets didnt wait to find out who was behind a string of bomb threats targeting synagogues and Jewish schools before linking the threats to Trump. A U.S.-Israeli man was charged in April 2017 and indicted in February 2018 for the threats. A former reporter for The Intercept was also charged in March 2017 with making several copycat threats.Hoax at St. Olaf (May 2017)Students at St. Olaf college in Minnesota staged protests and boycotted classes in May 2017 after racist notes targeting black students were found around campus, earning coverage in national media outlets like The Washington Post. It later came out that a black student was responsible for the racist notes. The student carried out the hoax in order to draw attention to concerns about the campus climate, the university announced.Fake Hate At Air Force Academy Goes Viral (Sept. 2017)The Air Force Academy was thrown into turmoil in September 2017 when horrific racist notes were found at the academys preparatory school. Go home n***er, read one of the notes. The superintendent, Lt. Gen. Jay B. Silveria, went viral with an impassioned speech addressing the racist notes.If you cant treat someone with dignity and respectthen you need to get out.-Lt. Gen. Jay B. Silveria, Superintendent @AF_Academy pic.twitter.com/njCktv5Fmp U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) September 28, 2017Two months later, authorities determined that one of the students targeted by the notes was also the person responsible for writing them.K-State Fake Hate Crime (Nov. 2017)A student at Kansas State University filed a police report in November 2017 over racist graffiti left on his car. Go Home N***** Boy and Whites Only, read the racist graffiti, which the the student later admitted to writing himself.Racist Graffiti Carried Out By Non-White Student (Nov. 2017)Another instance of racist graffiti that same month also turned out to be a hoax. A Missouri high school investigated after racial slurs were left on a bathroom mirror in November 2017, only to find that the student responsible was non-white.Waiter Fakes Note Calling Himself A Terrorist (July 2018)Texas waiter Khalil Cavil went viral after posting a Facebook picture of a racist note that he claimed a customer had left on the receipt, in lieu of a tip. The note described Cavil as a terrorist. Saltgrass Steak House, where Cavil worked, initially banned the customers for life, before their investigation revealed that the waiter had faked the racist note. I did write it, Cavil later admitted. I dont have an explanation. I made a mistake. There is no excuse for what I did.Waitress Fakes Racist Note, Blames Law Enforcement (July 2018)A Texas waitress apologized in July 2018 after blaming local law enforcement for an offensive note targeting Mexicans. She later admitted to writing the note herself.New York Womans Hate Crime That Wasnt (Sept. 2018)A New York woman was charged in September 2018 after police determined she fabricated a story about white teens yelling racial slurs at her and leaving a racist note on her car.Student Faked Racist Notes (Dec. 2018)Several racist notes at Drake University were actually the work of one of the students who had been targeted by them. The fact that the actions of the student who has admitted guilt were propelled by motives other than hate does not minimize the worry and emotional harm they caused, but should temper fears, university president Marty Martin said afterwards.The Covington Catastrophe (Jan. 2019) LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 489792 02-19-2019 08:59 PM Post: #2 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era [video=YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nW04o-IGy8[/video] LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 471605 02-19-2019 10:00 PM Post: #3 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 399180 02-19-2019 10:58 PM Post: #4 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era Our own military literally calls false flags force multipliers . Disturbed Finger lickin' good User ID: 1 02-19-2019 10:59 PM Posts: 7,804 Post: #5 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era Shocking isn't it? As if there are not enough actual hate crimes without these few hoaxes. BLAME TRUMP lop guest User ID: 453356 02-20-2019 12:49 AM Post: #6 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era Disturbed Wrote: (02-19-2019 10:59 PM) Shocking isn't it? As if there are not enough actual hate crimes without these few hoaxes. Thank you! Thank you! Uppity Me Registered User User ID: 488736 02-20-2019 01:01 AM Posts: 33,855 Post: #7 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era Look at what is happening to Lt. Gov. Fairfax of Virginia Quote: Les pauvres n'ont-ils des Euros ? Alors laissez les pauvres 'sh*t' dans les rues Uppity Me Registered User User ID: 488736 02-20-2019 01:02 AM Posts: 33,855 Post: #8 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era LoP Guest Wrote: (02-19-2019 10:58 PM) Our own military literally calls false flags force multipliers . CIA is very fond of "force multipliers" CIA is very fond of "force multipliers" Quote: Les pauvres n'ont-ils des Euros ? Alors laissez les pauvres 'sh*t' dans les rues LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 471605 02-20-2019 01:04 AM Post: #9 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era Disturbed Wrote: (02-19-2019 10:59 PM) Shocking isn't it? As if there are not enough actual hate crimes without these few hoaxes. There aren't very many real ones A "hate crime" report is filled out at all colleges now even if a student looks at another student. It really is that insane here...and getting worse There aren't very many real onesA "hate crime" report is filled out at all colleges now even if a student looks at another student.It really is that insane here...and getting worse Uppity Me Registered User User ID: 488736 02-20-2019 01:06 AM Posts: 33,855 Post: #10 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era LoP Guest Wrote: (02-19-2019 08:59 PM) [video=YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nW04o-IGy8[/video] Quote: Les pauvres n'ont-ils des Euros ? Alors laissez les pauvres 'sh*t' dans les rues BLAME TRUMP lop guest User ID: 453356 02-20-2019 08:07 AM Post: #11 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era BLAME TRUMP lop guest User ID: 453356 02-20-2019 06:45 PM Post: #12 RE: Heres A List Of Hoax Hate Crimes In The Trump Era Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Education Reporter Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe. The Employees Provident Fund is a sovereign pension fund which provides retirement incentives for members through managing their savings. With a total of 14.6 million members (as of December 2019), the EPF invests members collective contributions in approved financial instruments for more favourable returns. By law, the EPF is required to provide a guaranteed dividend of at least 2.5% a year, but has consistently managed to deliver significantly higher rates since 1960. But how has the EPF dividend rates changed in the last decade? By investing in a mix of equities (both locally and internationally), loans, and bonds, the EPFs sizeable portfolio is managed prudently, allowing it to offer dividend rates above 5.5% each year for its members since 2009. Even during the 2008 global financial crisis, the EPF still managed a respectable 4.5% dividend. During the last decade, the highest dividend rate offered by the EPF was in 2017 (6.9%), followed by 2014 at 6.75%. In both years, EPF stated that the favourable market conditions meant that the EPFs investments were better than expected. According to the EPF Chairman, gross investment income for 2017 was about RM53.14bil, which was the highest recorded since EPF was founded in 1951. However, market uncertainties always play a factor in the EPFs dividend rate. For example, 2016 saw the EPF face tough investment changes due to unsettling events that included Brexit, the US Presidential elections, slower global growth in major economies, a slump in crude oil prices, and a weaker domestic currency. On 8 August 2016, Syariah savings was introduced to provide members with options to have their account managed and invested according to syariah principles. This doesnt come as a surprise, given Malaysias growing influence in global Islamic finance. As such, members who opt for syariah savings would receive dividend payouts based on the syariah-compliant portfolio managed by the EPF. For 2020, the EPF dividend rate was 5.2% for conventional savings and 4.9% for syariah savings. For the conventional fund, the rate is the lowest to have been recorded since 2008. Despite that, it was considered to be better than expected, given the turbulent global economic landscape brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic throughout 2020. In fact, the EPF recorded its highest-ever gross investment income in 2020, with a total RM60.98 billion due to prudent management of the funds investments. For instance, the fund rode on the equities market crash that took place in March 2020 and the subsequent recovery in global stock markets to reap significant returns for the EPFs investment portfolios. Additionally, the provident fund took steps to reshuffle its investment portfolio based on careful evaluation of how the global capital markets will be affected by the pandemic and other international proceedings. These included the US presidential election in November 2020, the US-China trade dispute that had continued from the previous year, and the ongoing Brexit negotiations. How EPF Dividends Are Calculated For any given year, the final dividend rate proposed by the EPF management would first need the Minister of Finances approval, before the proposal is sent to the EPF Board. Should the Board agree to the rate, the declaration of the EPF dividend rate for the year can be finalised. In general, the final dividend rate follows the following formula as stated on the EPF website: Dividend Rate = Net income (a) x 1% Total for a 1% dividend (b), where (a) Net income: Investment income + Non-investment income Expenses (b) Total for a 1% dividend is based on: Opening balance of contribution (after withdrawal) that obtain dividend for a 12-month period, and Monthly contribution that obtain pro-rated dividend i.e. dividend for the n-month will get (12-n) month dividend. For example, the September contribution (n=9) will obtain a 3 months dividend. Under Section 27 of the EPF Act 1991, the guaranteed minimum dividend rate is 2.5% per year on members savings. As such, members are guaranteed to receive the minimum dividend rate in any situation. Is EPF Enough For Retirement? There is a growing concern among Malaysians that an individuals EPF savings may not be enough to last through their retirement. There are a variety of factors behind this, such as the ability to withdraw EPF savings for certain big ticket expenses, low EPF investment returns, and the poor spending habits of those who withdraw their funds when they reach the eligible age. Nevertheless, the EPF remains a crucial product to help Malaysians save for retirement but one that Malaysians should not solely rely on. Other financial products like Private Retirement Schemes (PRS), unit trusts, and even investment-linked life insurance policies all help build retirement savings with potentially better returns compared to conventional savings via fixed deposits or even basic savings accounts. But, all of this depends on cultivating a savings habit early on and let the power of compounding interest help along the way. 4.3 7 votes Article Rating SHARE This made me laugh hard this morning. A Twitter thread posted by a woman who was flying Air France from Paris to Los Angeles, a long flight. She was seated across the aisle from a man who boarded the plane and then proceeded to take off his pants and sit in his boxers. I'm quoting Lizzie Thompson now: @Lizzie_Thompson "The man in the seat across from me has taken HIS PANTS OFF for the flight and is just in his boxers. Flight attendants seem unconcerned. This is going to be a long flight." She took pictures. "He has also removed his socks." "He just shouted at a man who boarded with a ukulele (also have questions) to COME SIT WITH ME AND MAKE SOME MUSIC." Her Tweets included the Air France Twitter account so that company responded to her. "Update- @AirFranceAF alerted the flight attendant. He offered to move me (which would mean losing my bulkhead legroom) but just shrugged when I suggested he ask the man to put his pants back on." "Just landed. 2 hours in he stood up and took 4 mini bottles of wine from the cart. Then he fell asleep. Then 6 hours in he got cold so PUT ON HIS PUFFY JACKET "Finally, his pants went back on. Good news: nothing bonds a group of passengers like a man half naked in your section. Shout out to the flight attendant who slipped me extra wine and did keep checking in to make sure I was good." "To answer a few qs Ive seen: 1. He took pants off in the plane bathroom pre-takeoff. He put them back on pre-landing in aisle right next to me. 2. He was neither American nor French 3. No ukulele was played, sadly." Political Incorrectness Paradoxes, and Anything else out of left field. The Missoulian Editorial Board has previously called for support for two bills awaiting action in the Legislature that would finally put in place long overdue protections for youth in private alternative treatment programs. Add to these an equally important measure, currently in the drafting process, that promises to ensure effective oversight of these programs. Together, these three legislative reforms would provide the necessary safeguards to require that these programs follow the rules and shut down those that dont. As it stands, the sole regulatory authority over this industry has little motivation to hold them to even minimal standards, and no teeth to punish even the worst programs. Perhaps worst of all, the entire system is kept shrouded in secrecy. Parents of troubled youth and the general public may assume that a licensed program has met rigorous standards and adheres to best practices and some certainly do. But others, as shown in the Missoulians recent Troubled Kids, Troubled System have not, and the kids under their care have paid the price. Thankfully, this legislative session is poised to be the one in which regulatory improvements are made at last. Yet these programs are all lumped together under the same regulatory system that was created by the 2004 Legislature thanks to a bill written and sponsored by owners of the very programs that would be regulated by the new system after these businesses spent $34,000 lobbying legislators. This system, still in place today, tasks a Private Alternative Adolescent Resident or Outdoor Program (PAARP) board with overseeing inspections, complaints and licensing. The board operates under the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, rather than a state agency that deals with child care or education. Three of the boards five members run the same programs they are charged with regulating. And programs claiming a religious affiliation are exempted even from these generous requirements. Given these realities, it comes as little surprise that inspections take place rarely or that schools are given a weeks notice beforehand. Whats more surprising is that the PAARP board has no transparency and no teeth when it comes to handling complaints. It has received some 58 complaints in the past dozen years, but according to PAARP rules, these complaints are not released to the public unless the board takes disciplinary action and it has never taken such action. The board is severely limited in its ability to require programs to follow best practices, let alone adhere to basic standards. "We've heard a lot of talk today about Judeo-Christian values ... but there are two hats here. There is the hat of the Christian, but there is also the hat of the civil servant. And God set up both institutions, the church and civil government. And it's one of the primary responsibilities of civil government to protect the citizen." Laszloffy also said while there was a lot of discussion about cases of people being wrongly convicted, victims of crimes needed to be talked about, too. "We talk about the possibility of an innocent person being put to death, but in 100 percent of the cases of the victims, innocent people were put to death," Laszloffy said. "A death penalty was carried out on them." The committee did not take immediate action on the bill Monday. The last time someone was put to death in Montana was 2006. Legislators have explored abolishing the death penalty for at least 20 years, and in the 2015 session, a bill that would have done so died on a split vote in the House. Rep. Brad Hamlett, a Democrat from Cascade, also has a bill this session that would let a defendant be sentenced to death only if DNA or biological evidence was admitted at trial linking the defendant to the crime. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 With existing federal tax credits, the average monthly premium for an exchange plan is $183, or $2,196 a year, according to the fiscal note. For people who make too much money for federal tax credits, plans can cost from $240 to more than $1,700 a month, according to rates published by the state Auditor's office. Those rates vary widely by type of plan, region and age. Olszewski said the bill would create equity for people who buy on the exchange and don't get federal tax credits, but their tax dollars help pay for Medicaid expansion in Montana. He also said a system like he's proposing would be a backstop for people to get health insurance coverage if the Legislature doesn't find a way to extend Medicaid expansion beyond this summer, when it's scheduled to expire unless lawmakers act. That's not expected to happen, though lawmakers will spend much of the coming months debating how to continue the program. Olszewski also said his bill would give people on the individual market some of the same advantages as people who get health insurance through work, which is about 43 percent of the population. That was a game-changer, OConnor explained. However (CMS) goes, that tends to be how commercial carriers follow. The way PatientOne works, he explained, is after a patient signs up they get information delivered to them in snippets when they need it instead of all at once in a huge overwhelming cascade. They can use email or their laptop or a smartphone or any mobile device, he said. When a patient gets assigned a surgery, say to have a prostate removed, they get an account. Its a cloud-based solution that takes less than 30 seconds. So before the surgery theyll get educational videos or sometimes texts. Theyll get reminders about how to prepare for surgery, when to stop blood-thinners and that kind of information. The patients have to interact with the system and check things off a list, and all those messages flow back to the health care provider. The practice also gets auto-reminders to help determine priorities, OConner said. If a patient is confused about some instruction or stopped replying, the practice gets a reminder saying John OConnor is not on track for surgery and they reach out. A former therapist at a private teen treatment program near Kalispell was convicted in 2018 of repeatedly raping a 16-year-old girl he was caring for in one-on-one sessions at a program in Utah. Jason Calder pleaded guilty in Utah District Court to four felonies, including rape, object rape, forcible sexual abuse and obstructing justice. As part of the plea agreement, 12 sexual assault-related charges were dismissed, the Salt Lake Tribune reported in January 2018. Authorities opened the case after the girl disclosed the abuses to another therapist. Calder worked seven years as a therapist at Summit Preparatory School near Kalispell, and only worked with boys, Rick Johnson, founder and director of development at Summit told the Missoulian on Thursday. He said no complaints were ever leveled against Calder in Montana; his background check came back clean and no previous employers raised any flags in reference calls before he began working there in 2007. Calder left the school in 2014 for a job with a higher position at a program in Utah, Johnson said. We were actually very surprised, very appalled, and I was just saddened by all the clients that he worked with that maybe he had been inappropriate with, Johnson said in a phone interview. South Dakota has no searchable database for campaign finance records. In 2019, thats no way to run a mom and pop grocery let alone a multimillion-dollar political system that sets priorities for a billion-dollar state government. South Dakotans should have the ability to easily find out who is backing whom for what purpose. If state leaders are truly committed to government transparency, we can do better than this. GOLD: Kudos to Rural America Initiatives, which last week celebrated the grand opening of its Child Development Center. The new 22,000-square-foot building will house Head Start, Early Head Start and other programs to help young Native Americans. The center at 2112 S. Valley Drive was the culmination of a five-year fundraising campaign that netted $7.2 million to help the nonprofit consolidate its programs from five modular buildings spread out across Rapid City under one roof. Rural America Initiatives serves 1,200 children and their families, who are making the often difficult transition from area reservations to living and working in Rapid City. GULLY: It was a shame to learn that 600 pounds of packaged venison intended to feed the poor went instead to the landfill because of possible contamination by chronic wasting disease. One large batch of deer shot recently by city snipers and butchered together tested positive for the neurological disease, rendering all of the meat unusable. State officials had earlier requested the deer be processed in smaller batches to limit the size of contaminated lots. Lets hope steps can be taken to ensure this happens in the future. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 South Dakota is a red state. It would be poor judgement to place the Obama statue in a prominent place like the intersection of St. Joe and Mount Rushmore Road. Where are the future mayor candidates? We need a more conservative person in that seat. The taxpayers need better representation. Did Kristi forget that she supported the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp and CBD? It was signed by Trump in December. I certainly hope her memory span is longer than three months. Have seen so many drivers running red lights. If they cause an accident, I hope the victims sue them. A major problem in this area. Of course, we need new parking meters since Sioux Falls already has them. Do you suppose they have an airplane in Falls Park? Regarding the hemp bill, our governor sounds more like a mom to a child asking to wear lipstick. "No, you're not ready yet because I said so." I cannot believe a Senate committee wants weapons allowed on college campuses. Unreal. Why are we thinking of military parks, fixing up ballparks and even old cabins on private land when our schools are in such deplorable physical condition? I realize there are different sources for this funding, but ultimately the money comes from the citizens. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Jussie Smollette is the Cesar Sayoc of bleach lynching. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 437441 02-19-2019 07:11 PM Post: #1 Jussie Smollette is the Cesar Sayoc of bleach lynching. Advertisement Together they plot their lies, and scams and false flags and they plan out their fake hate crimes. Demonrats are the real racists though. Jussie Smollette proves it. Democrats are all liars and frauds. Outcasts, criminals of all types, perverts and scum all gravitate to the democrat party. They are threatened by conservatives who work and take care of their families. They want to be with their fellow scum with whoom they are comfortable.Together they plot their lies, and scams and false flags and they plan out their fake hate crimes.Demonrats are the real racists though. Jussie Smollette proves it. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 453667 02-19-2019 07:20 PM Post: #2 RE: Jussie Smollette is the Cesar Sayoc of bleach lynching. Sayoc was blessed with a sympathetic PD. They probably helped execute the plan. CPD seems to be having none of it. Odd. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 453667 02-19-2019 07:22 PM Post: #3 RE: Jussie Smollette is the Cesar Sayoc of bleach lynching. LoP Guest Wrote: (02-19-2019 07:20 PM) Sayoc was blessed with a sympathetic PD. They probably helped execute the plan. CPD seems to be having none of it. Odd. lest anyone forget 1. Cesar Sayoc lived in his van in the car park on NE 207th St, Aventura, FL 33180, USA, which was opposite a kosher store called Sarah's Tent. 2. Just a mile away is the Aventura Turnberry synagogue at 20400 NE 30th Ave, Miami, FL 33180, USA. 3. The Rabbi at Aventura Turnberry is called Jonathan Berkun. Jonathan Berkun was born in Connecticut and raised in Pittsburgh. 4. A Rabbi at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh where the shooting took place is called Alvin Berkun. 5. Rabbi Alvin Berkun has a Facebook profile. On his profile it states he is from Connecticut and now lives in Pittsburgh. Just like Jonathan Berkun. 6. When we look at Alvin Berkun's Facebook friends we see he is friends with a Jonathan Berkun. Which confirms their relation to one another as probably father and son. WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!! BONUS ROUND! 7. Rabbi Jonathan Berkun of the Aventura Turnberry synagogue in Florida is a member of the National Rabbinic Cabinet for ISRAEL BONDS. 8. David Cypkin is the man who took photos of the MAGA Wagon back in 2017 but sat on them for 10 months, only revealing them to the public AFTER the fake pipe bombs were posted because he wanted to debunk the conspiracy theories. 9. David Cypkin has a relative called Stephanie Cypkin. Stephanie Cypkin worked for....ISRAEL BONDS. lest anyone forget1. Cesar Sayoc lived in his van in the car park on NE 207th St, Aventura, FL 33180, USA, which was opposite a kosher store called Sarah's Tent.2. Just a mile away is the Aventura Turnberry synagogue at 20400 NE 30th Ave, Miami, FL 33180, USA.3. The Rabbi at Aventura Turnberry is called Jonathan Berkun. Jonathan Berkun was born in Connecticut and raised in Pittsburgh.4. A Rabbi at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh where the shooting took place is called Alvin Berkun.5. Rabbi Alvin Berkun has a Facebook profile. On his profile it states he is from Connecticut and now lives in Pittsburgh. Just like Jonathan Berkun.6. When we look at Alvin Berkun's Facebook friends we see he is friends with a Jonathan Berkun. Which confirms their relation to one another as probably father and son.WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!!BONUS ROUND!7. Rabbi Jonathan Berkun of the Aventura Turnberry synagogue in Florida is a member of the National Rabbinic Cabinet for ISRAEL BONDS.8. David Cypkin is the man who took photos of the MAGA Wagon back in 2017 but sat on them for 10 months, only revealing them to the public AFTER the fake pipe bombs were posted because he wanted to debunk the conspiracy theories.9. David Cypkin has a relative called Stephanie Cypkin. Stephanie Cypkin worked for....ISRAEL BONDS. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 471605 02-19-2019 07:24 PM Post: #4 RE: Jussie Smollette is the Cesar Sayoc of bleach lynching. Has all that been verified? And what is Sayocs current legal status? It was highly suspect with what the news reported Too many illogical parts LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 453667 02-19-2019 07:24 PM Post: #5 RE: Jussie Smollette is the Cesar Sayoc of bleach lynching. Kabbalah Harris and Cory Hooker are working with Smollett... do they still have enough FBI protectors to get away with it? Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread A 45-year-old man is in custody in Alberta, Canada, in connection with a telephone bomb threat that cleared a Deadwood hotel and casino for about 3-1/2 hours Sunday. A news release from Deadwood Police Chief Kelly Fuller said a male subject called the registration desk at the First Gold Hotel and Casino at 270 Main St. at 4:58 p.m. Sunday and warned of a bomb in the building. The hotel and casino received a second call from the unknown subject minutes later, the release said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A team from Ellsworth Air Force Base, which included dogs trained in detection of explosives, responded and searched the evacuated building. The building was cleared and reopened about 8:35 p.m. Investigators traced the phone calls to Ahsan Qadir Muhammad, of Alberta, who was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Assisting the Deadwood Police Department, Ellsworth Air Force Base and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the investigation were the Lawrence County Sheriffs Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Deadwood Volunteer Fire Department, and the South Dakota Commission on Gaming. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Buche Foods planned grocery-store expansion in Pine Ridge, which already announced adding a Hardware Hank store to the mix, now plans an upgrade to Pronto Auto Parts. The new layout is going to allow us to expand the stores inventory, R.F. Buche, president of GF Buche Company, said in a release. Weve heard from the beginning that a better selection of auto parts is very important to the community and thats exactly what were going to provide. Buche has also retained Art Fortin to be the auto-parts store manager. Lake Andes-based Buche Foods now operates grocery stores in Mission, Wagner and Gregory and has convenience stores called Gus Stops in honor of company founder Gus Buche in Lake Andes, White River, Wagner and Mission. The Oglala Sioux Council earlier voted to award a contract for control of Pine Ridges only grocery store to Buche Foods, replacing a company that operated Sioux Nation Shopping Center for 50 years. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "You don't see alpacas in the library every day," Charlotte Preble said as she stood Monday next to three of the tall, woolly animals visiting the downtown Rapid City Public Library. "I like them because they're just so darn fluffy," the 10-year-old Rapid City resident said. Preble was among dozens of enthusiastic visitors who stopped by to see the alpacas that walked around a small area on the second floor of the library as people petted, fed and took selfies with them. The alpaca visit is part of the library's "No School Day" series, when the library plans fun educational activities for youth, said Janet Parr, events coordinator. Parr was thinking about how cold it has been recently and decided how a visit from warm animals might be nice. She brought the alpacas to the library after learning that Glenn and Deb Lepp raise them in the nearby community of Caputa. They're just "so adorable," Parr said. While the library has brought in poultry and reptiles before, mammals have never visited, she added. In addition to bringing in the alpacas, Parr set up several alpaca-themed arts-and-crafts stations so the children who visited could practice teamwork and creativity. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Its much more of a partnership where people can work together rather than push people off the land, which creates a lot of conflict, said Brian Martin, Grassland Conservation director for TNC. Conflict has been a byproduct of the nearby American Prairie Reserve buying ranches in the same neighborhood to create its planned 3.5 million-acre grassland preserve only about 500,000 acres of which would be private land. So far, the APR has acquired about 399,000 acres of private and deeded land. Those large land purchases have pushed property values higher for landowners looking to sell, a benefit to their bottom line. But that rising price has pushed out locals looking to add to their acreage. The hard part is for landowners to compete in the market because land prices have gone so high, Martin said. He estimated prices have risen sixfold since 2000 when The Nature Conservancy purchased the 60,000-acre Matador Ranch. We dont believe you have to create a private nature reserve to protect the prairie and its wildlife, Martin said in a press release. These ranching families have been doing it for generations through their good stewardship and their demonstrated commitment to conservation. Members of the so-called pro-life movement claim to be working on behalf of babies and their mothers. But actions and policies speak louder than words. Scratch beneath the surface of any pro-life organization and youll find that they actively work against the interests of women and children. Theyre against most forms of birth control, except the notoriously unreliable "rhythm method." They lobby against effective comprehensive sex education in the schools and instead promote abstinence-only programs that have proven to be worse than useless. In this way they promote the unplanned pregnancies that lead to the abortions they claim to revile. They and their penny-pinching conservative allies are opposed to subsidized prenatal care, subsidized infant formula and diapers, universal paid parental leave and accessible high-quality child care. They basically oppose any policy that would support pregnant women and new mothers. The real motive behind the pro-life movement is, and has always been, an effort to control female sexual behavior, female reproduction and womens participation in the workforce. Pregnancy (along with sexually transmitted disease) is seen as a just and desirable punishment for unapproved sexual activity. Every Iowa voter, regardless of political persuasion, should be fully alarmed by the efforts of Gov. Reynolds and the Iowa Republican legislators to alter the way Iowa judges are chosen. For many years, the Iowa judicial system has been the envy of almost every state in the union as a result of how Iowa judges are selected. Iowa judicial candidates must be licensed attorneys and are chosen through a merit system. A nonpartisan commission, currently made up of 102 Republicans, 44 Democrats and 8 non-party members, nominates the candidates. The governor makes the final choice. This creates a fair, independent court system that follows the letter of the law. Gov. Reynolds supports infusing an even greater political influence into the judicial system by shifting the power of candidate selection from their peers to partisan legislative leaders, opening up Iowas court system to political lobbying and partisan influence. Whether or not this gives one party an unconstitutional advantage now, the party pendulum will eventually swing the other way. How will you feel about this endeavor then? Every voter should log on to iowacourts.gov and Iowajnc.gov to educate themselves about this process so the ramifications of this power grab are understood. Is there a way for the United States and its allies to remain in northeastern Syria, even after President Trump's pledged withdrawal of U.S. military forces there? Officials are struggling to devise such a "workaround" strategy, but it could carry more risks than keeping the existing advisory force. The loudest public call for an alternative to withdrawal from Syria is Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. The senator said on Friday in Munich that he wants European nations to provide troops for a "safe zone" as a way of coaxing Trump to maintain a U.S. presence. "I'm hoping that President Trump will be coming to some of you and asking for your help and you will say yes," Graham said, promising that the United States would offer "in return, the capability that we have that is unique," and that the United States "will still be in the fight in Syria." How this plan might operate remains unclear, according to current and former U.S. officials. One official said Friday that Britain, France and Germany had already turned down initial U.S. requests for troops in Syria, but that was before Graham's public plea. Current plans call for U.S. military forces to depart Syria by the end of April, but officials say the timeline is fuzzy. Most of us are fortunate that we havent lived in a time when diseases that vaccinations address were really running rampant in our country, so its easy to forget about that, Upmeyer said. We dont have those because of vaccinations. We need to keep that in mind. Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, has proposed House File 206, which would eliminate the religious exemption altogether for children entering public school and licensed child care. Mascher makes clear that shes not advocating for the elimination of a religious exemption, but only to require anyone entering a public school or day care to show proof of exemptions. People who do not want to immunize their children can enroll them in a private school assuming that school doesnt require immunizations, home school their children or enroll them in online programs. Shes concerned that if children are not immunized, they put classmates at jeopardy. We get complacent, Mascher said, and that can put everyone at risk. The more who opt out, the more we are vulnerable. In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency after health care officials confirmed more than 50 cases of measles. EAST MOLINE Rock Island County Board member Rod Simmer, R-Rock Island, has filed a claim against Hope Creek Care Center and Rock Island County, seeking compensation for injuries related to a car accident he was involved in following a county meeting during which Hope Creek business was discussed. Simmer's vehicle was struck by another vehicle on Feb. 8, 2017, in Rock Island after leaving a health and human services committee meeting, he said. Simmer, 55, said it was not his choice to file the claim against the county and Hope Creek, but he was advised to do so by his attorney, Paul Salabert Jr., of Hopkins & Huebner, P.C. "I've been trying to avoid it," Simmer said. "I don't want to put Hope Creek or the county in this position, but my lawyer advised me to do it this way. It finally came down to a statute of limitations, and this was the only way to do it. "Unfortunately, I had to list Hope Creek on it," Simmer said. "The lawyer has been trying to get it settled, but it's a bad insurance company. It's part of a case, and it's ongoing. I was hit by an under-insured driver." Salabert served notice on Hope Creek and Rock Island County Administrator Jim Snider on Jan. 28 that Simmer had filed a claim with Illinois' Workers' Compensation Commission. A judge has ruled that a Chicago woman charged in the death of her 5-year-old son Ja'Shawn Bussell in Davenport last year is not competent to stand trial. In a written order filed Monday, District Court Judge Thomas Reidel wrote that Jacqueline M. Rambert is suffering from a mental disorder that prevents her from appreciating the charge, understanding the proceedings or assisting effectively in her defense. He ordered that she will receive restoration treatment which may include prescribing and administering medication at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coralville. Reports on her progress in the restoration process will be made to the judge every 30 days, according to the order. The report will state whether it appears Rambert can be restored to competency in a reasonable amount of time. Rambert, 25, and co-defendant Tre D. Henderson, 27, also of Chicago, are charged with first-degree murder, child endangerment-multiple acts, and child endangerment resulting in death. On April 27, Rambert called 911 because her son was choking and unresponsive, according to an arrest affidavit. The Department of Labor spokesman said Lunda no longer is listed as a participant in the program. He said the company's last OSHA inspection occurred in Michigan in July 2017, and Lunda was in compliance. The company's previous safety issues did not impact the Iowa DOT when it chose Lunda to lead the bridge construction, said DOT project engineer Danielle Alvarez. The bridge contract was let in April 2017, and Lunda was among five contractors to bid. "At the time we reviewed the bids and awarded the contract, we had no information to suggest that Lunda was not a responsible bidder under the state and federal standards that applied to this project," Alvarez wrote in an email Tuesday. "We do consider contractors safety records in the letting and award process." As DOT projects are completed, she said, the state evaluates every contractor. The results of the evaluations help the DOT determine whether contractors are qualified to bid on future projects, she said. Any issues, including safety matters, could get additional state review. But the DOT's deeper dive into contractor records would only occur when the agency has "direct knowledge" of an incident and "would usually only include projects that were administered by the Iowa DOT," Alvarez wrote. We are all human beings made by God. He made us to know him, to love him and to serve him. He even gave us the Ten Commandments to follow so we could stay on the right track in order to reach heaven and him. But have we? No, we have not. The Fifth Commandment is, "Thou shalt not kill." Yet almost every day there is a report in the newspaper or on the television news of someone being killed or of a mass murder that took place in one of our cities. A former City of Moline employee is suing the City of East Moline for allegedly not hiring her because she filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights against the City of Moline. Awbrey is also suing the City of Moline for allegedly violating a "non-disparagement clause" that prevented either party from making disparaging comments about the other. PEARL HARBOR A Rockridge High School alum is part of a group of Navy. sailors who, instead of smart phones and tablets, use the most-advanced satellite and telecommunications equipment to share information with sailors deployed around the world. Davenport native Seaman Apprentice Ryan Andrew, a 2011 Rockridge graduate, has served in the Navy for one year, assigned to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific. As a Navy information systems technician, he is responsible for maintaining communications and information systems aboard Navy ships as well as supporting shore commands. Andrew credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned while growing up in the area. "The Quad-Cities was my home for 24 years," said Ryan. "The cold weather prepared me for the extremes, but I was looking forward to more pleasant climates," he said. "Additionally, the hospitality I learned at home helps me to be my best and serve others everywhere I go." NCTAMS Pacific, the largest naval communications station in the world, is the center of communications for the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. Known as the "Pacific Voice of Command," it provides command, control, communications, computers and intelligence connectivity to Naval and Joint forces. ROCK ISLAND A man accused of the 2017 attack that sent a Rock Island police officer to the hospital has pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing in March. Cartier J. Leflore, 36, of Rock Island, pleaded guilty but mentally ill on Feb. 1 to aggravated battery of a police officer with great bodily harm, according to Rock Island County court records. His sentencing is set for March 18. Two other charges were dismissed: aggravated battery of a police officer and disarming a police officer. The charges stemmed from the Sept. 21, 2017, attack at an apartment building at 219 21st St. The officer was beaten unconscious while attempting to arrest a man during an investigation into a domestic dispute. The officer, who has served more than 10 years with the department, was hospitalized briefly for injuries to his head and face, the police department said after the attack. The officer has since returned to active duty. Before the officer was knocked out, he attempted to use pepper spray, but the spray did not stop his assailant. Once the officer was unconscious, the man continued to beat him before attempting to flee, taking the officers Taser. CHICAGO Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Monday joined a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trumps declaration of a national emergency and his attempt to divert funding appropriated by Congress for other purposes. Led by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the suit challenges President Trumps declaration of a national emergency and his attempt to divert funding appropriated by Congress for other purposes. In the complaint, Raoul and the coalition allege the Trump administrations emergency declaration and diversion of funds is unconstitutional and otherwise unlawful. The states seek to block the administrations emergency declaration, the unauthorized construction of the border wall, and any illegal diversion of congressionally-appropriated funds. Diverting funds that have been appropriated by Congress is a violation of the U.S. Constitution, Raoul said. My office joined this lawsuit because I am committed to fighting this abuse of power. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 US government kept tabs on UFOs and search for the Yeti in Nepal LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 461243 02-19-2019 05:23 PM Post: #1 US government kept tabs on UFOs and search for the Yeti in Nepal Advertisement The US government presence in Nepal was interested in the UFO phenomenon and the search for the Yeti during the Cold War. The reports suggest that the US government did not believe the Yeti was real, however, there were expeditions by private individuals to search for the Yeti. "On 25 March 1968, at 8.15 pm, residents of Batulechaur in Pokhara, on the way to Mahendra Gufa, witnessed an unusual phenomenon. A blazing object, flashing intermittently, accompanied by big thunder sound disintegrated over Kaski region. Although urbanised today, Batulechaur would have been little more than a few homes amid rice fields at the time. Pokhara itself was a sleepy town, centred around the north-south axis of Bagar to Ramkrishna Tole, the old market. The American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), however, found the phenomenon interesting enough to classify it as an unidentified flying object (UFO) in a report dated 13 June 1974. Most intriguingly, the document noted that a huge metallic disc-shaped object with a six-foot base and four feet in height was found in a crater at Baltichaur (sic), five miles NE of Pokhara. On 30 November 1959, the American embassy in Kathmandu sent out a memo to the State Department about the Himalayas best-kept secret: the Yeti. The memo curiously outlines three regulations applicable only to expeditions searching for the Yeti in Nepal. A background blog suggests the regulations had been issued by the Nepal government two years before and then translated to English, and it makes for an irresistible read. The first of the regulations stipulated any expedition to look for the Yeti would have to pay a royalty of INR 5000 to the government. If the Yeti was found, it can be photographed or caught alive but it must not be killed or shot at except in self-defense. Any photographic evidence, or if the Yeti was caught alive or dead, was to be submitted to the Nepal government. Also, any news or reports about the Yeti could not be released to the press without permission from the government." Full article here: http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/...yetis.html "On 25 March 1968, at 8.15 pm, residents of Batulechaur in Pokhara, on the way to Mahendra Gufa, witnessed an unusual phenomenon. A blazing object, flashing intermittently, accompanied by big thunder sound disintegrated over Kaski region. Although urbanised today, Batulechaur would have been little more than a few homes amid rice fields at the time. Pokhara itself was a sleepy town, centred around the north-south axis of Bagar to Ramkrishna Tole, the old market. The American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), however, found the phenomenon interesting enough to classify it as an unidentified flying object (UFO) in a report dated 13 June 1974. Most intriguingly, the document noted that a huge metallic disc-shaped object with a six-foot base and four feet in height was found in a crater at Baltichaur (sic), five miles NE of Pokhara.On 30 November 1959, the American embassy in Kathmandu sent out a memo to the State Department about the Himalayas best-kept secret: the Yeti. The memo curiously outlines three regulations applicable only to expeditions searching for the Yeti in Nepal. A background blog suggests the regulations had been issued by the Nepal government two years before and then translated to English, and it makes for an irresistible read.The first of the regulations stipulated any expedition to look for the Yeti would have to pay a royalty of INR 5000 to the government. If the Yeti was found, it can be photographed or caught alive but it must not be killed or shot at except in self-defense. Any photographic evidence, or if the Yeti was caught alive or dead, was to be submitted to the Nepal government. Also, any news or reports about the Yeti could not be released to the press without permission from the government."Full article here: Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread 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 NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has expressed NATO's strong support for U.S.-led efforts to end Afghanistan's 17-year war. Speaking to RFE/RL Radio Free Afghanistan correspondent Mustafa Sarwar in Brussels on February 14, Stoltenberg said it remains to be seen whether parallel peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan opposition representatives in Moscow will also contribute to a future Afghan peace deal. 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. Editor: I have worked my entire adult life to enhance the existence of young people in this area. Every one of their lives is precious and meaningful. Recently, Governor Cuomo signed into law a bill that decriminalizes abortions and allows for the termination of the child after 24 weeks under limited circumstances. One of those conditions is based upon the mothers health. But Supreme Court ruling Doe vs. Bolton states health refers to all factors physical, emotional, psychological, familial and the womans age relevant to the well-being of the patient when it comes to an abortion. Have we grown so blase that we will accept the termination of our most valuable and vulnerable? What happened to the once pro-abortion claims of not ending a life once the fetus is a viable person capable of surviving on their own? Unfortunately, abortion is a vehicle used by politicians to garner the support of women who feel undervalued in society. Women deserve to be respected, equally compensated and held to the same standards in society as their male equivalents. However, no one should be afforded the opportunity to end a human life at any stage of existence. BALLSTON SPA A man who was found to have cocaine during a traffic stop on the Northway in Moreau last summer has been sentenced to 2 years in state prison. Thomas W. Deschaine, 47, of Albany, pleaded guilty to a felony count of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance for an arrest last Aug. 22 by State Police. He was found to have at least a half-gram of the drug. Deschaine, who has at least one prior felony conviction, will spend a year on parole after he is released from prison. Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1, implementation of the DMC is behind schedule because of the 29-day government shutdown. According to the USDA, margin protection insurance programs protect dairy producers by paying the difference between the national milk prices and the national average feed cost. But because the guidelines have not yet been set for the new program, no one knows exactly how the new margins will be calculated. In the old program they based the margins on corn, soybeans and hay, said Dave Holck, Washington County executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in Greenwich. Holck said local dairy farmers have been calling the Greenwich office trying to find out about the insurance program and deadlines to apply for it. They will sign-up through the FSA. It is our job to receive the information, said Holck. But we have received nothing from the USDA yet. The changes to the 2018 Farm Bill should reduce premiums from the old insurance program substantially, up to 80 percent for small and medium dairy farms, and would cover up to 5 million pounds of milk. October 20, 1929 February 16, 2019 JOHNSBURG Thomas L. Kill, 89, formerly of Oven Mountain Road, passed away peacefully Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 at Haynes House of Hope in Granville, following a long illness. Born Oct. 20, 1929 in Hudson Falls, he was the son of the late Clyde and Lillian (DeVoe) Kill. He graduated from Hudson Falls High School, class of 1948, and shortly after married Eunice Crandall on Jan. 29, 1949. He enlisted in the Army National Guard and proudly served his country for 20 years and was honorably discharged as a sergeant. He was a dedicated employee at Sandy Hill Iron and Brass for 45 years, retiring as a purchasing agent in 1992. His family meant everything to him. In his free time, he could be found spending time with his children, grandchildren and many foster children. Tom loved to travel, hunt, fish, camping, whittling, woodworking and attending local craft shows. He was an excellent carpenter and hand-built his two homes with the help of family and friends. Besides his parents, he is predeceased by an infant sister, Catherine; and siblings, Robert Kill, Clyde Kill and Sharon Kelleher. Justin Yeh, M.D. is chief of the Division of Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Medicine and co-director of the Heart Institute at UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh. He oversees the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit and holds an appointment as associate professor of pediatrics and critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Yeh, a native of Orange County, Calif., came to UPMC Childrens from the University of California San Diego, where he was medical director of the acute cardiac unit at Rady Childrens Hospital and a clinical associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology. He completed his residency in pediatrics at Childrens Hospital of Orange County after graduating from Albany Medical College. Sandra E. Taylor is the Falk Professor of Socially Responsible Business at Chatham University. Taylor, an expert in corporate responsibility, is a former senior vice president of corporate responsibility at Starbucks, and founder and president of the consulting firm, Sustainable Business International. At Starbucks, she led global corporate responsibility, environmental branding, supply chain codes of conduct, ethical procurement and the Starbucks Foundation. She also is a former vice president and director of public affairs at Eastman Kodak Company. A native of Birmingham, Ala., she holds a juris doctor degree from Boston University School of Law and a masters degree in business administration from Bordeaux School of Management in France. Jennifer Giovannitti is president of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. She is the first woman to be named to that position. She comes to the foundation from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, where she was community development manager. She is a national expert on rural development strategies and led strategic programs and community-based initiatives for the banks Fifth District, which includes West Virginia. Her initiatives include the West Virginia Loan Fund Collaborative formed to better understand the impact of small business lending in underserved communities. As chief executive of the Randolph County Economic Development Authority, she managed the redevelopment of the Elkins, W.Va. rail yard, which became a model for rural redevelopment. A native of Boiling Springs, Pa., she earned a masters degree in community and regional planning from the University of British Columbia, and a bachelors degree in planning and urban studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Elizabeth Chodos is director of Carnegie Mellon Universitys Regina Gouger Miller Gallery. A native of New Haven, Conn., she comes to CMU from Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists Residency in Saugatuck, Mich., where she was executive and creative director. She brings a career-long focus on promoting contemporary artists through residencies, education, exhibitions and public programming. She started her career at Threewalls in Chicago, where she became executive director. Later, she co-founded Common Field, a national network of independent arts organizations and organizers. She has a bachelors degree in art history and creative writing, and masters degrees in art history, theory and criticism, and arts administration from Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, N.Y. Rick Farmer is a commercial lines account executive at Simpson & McCrady, LLC. Farmer, a native of Chicago, comes to Pittsburgh from Seattle, where he was the western region practice leader for human resources and benefits technology at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. He specializes in strategic, long-term risk management and insurance consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses with specific expertise in craft beverage, technology and biotechnology. Farmer earned a bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Washington and a masters in management of risk and insurance from St. Johns University, New York City. He also taught high school biology outside of Atlanta, Ga. Janet McQuaid is senior counsel in the environmental and energy and natural resources groups at Babst Calland. McQuaid, a native of McMurray, has experience representing clients in a number of environmental areas, particularly water, waste, remediation and chemical regulation. She has argued cases before the 5th, 7th and 9th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal on behalf of industry trade associations. Her experience also extends to the environmental aspects of mergers and acquisitions, having done the due diligence and environmental terms for hundreds of transactions involving industrial facilities and commercial properties. She is a 1992 graduate of the University of Texas. Xiayun Zhao is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pittsburghs Swanson School of Engineering. She brings expertise in the field of additive manufacturing. Her research focuses on real-time process monitoring, measurement science and control technology for additive manufacturing, as well as advanced manufacturing for multi-scale, multi-material and multi-functional structures and systems in novel applications. A native of Xingping, China, she earned a bachelors degree in precision engineering from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, and a masters degree and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech. 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But then one dayactually, it was nearly midnightI received a frantic call. It seemed that there was a teensy-weensy problem: the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) didnt like the book. Specifically, they didnt like the parts of the book that discussed Chinas future prospects. They were demanding that those sections be deletedotherwise, the book couldnt be published in China. As we all know, huge American companies (Apple, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, etc.) cheerfully prostrate themselves before the CCP, giving up their free speech rights, their most secret technologies, their intellectual capitalto say nothing of their dignitybecause they are salivating over the potential of the huge Chinese market. In spite of myself I found something similar happening to me: grandiose calculations were racing through my brain. There are 1.4 billion people in China, I was thinking, and even if each of them bought only one copy of Stewardship at the renminbi equivalent of $29.95, that would result in gross revenue of well, some staggering number. And if only one in 10 of the people who bought the book hired my company as their financial advisor, that would add additional annual revenue of GO AHEAD AND CENSOR THE HELL OUT OF MY BOOK! Actually, if Beijing had been paying attentionthat is, if they had read all my books (and white papers and blogs)they would have known that my position on China has been consistent since at least 2000. Here is how I put it in 2013: Speaking in shorthand, the internal contradiction of Chinese society can be expressed this way: If the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) maintains its iron grip on the country, the Chinese economy will continue to slow and the CCP will have to spend more and more of its time putting down insurrections and less and less of its time trying to grow the economy. If the CCP loosens its grip and democratizes, the country will come unglued. The notion that China exists in a more-or-less permanent state of contradiction was endorsed by no less a light than Deng Xiaoping, Chinas great reformer, who almost singlehandedly saved China from disaster following Maos calamitous series of Cultural Revolutions. As early as 1962, long before the contradictions had actually been embedded in Chinese society, Deng was saying, it doesnt matter whether a cat is black or white, if it catches mice it is a good cat. In 1978 Deng put it differently (and less Politically Correctly): What, he asked, does a dead 19th-century German Jew have to teach China? He was talking about Karl Marx, of course. In other words, if free market economic practices are superior to Communisms state ownership of all the means of production, then China should adopt free market ideas. The Soviet Union failed, Deng always insisted, because it remained mindlessly loyal to Marxist ideology. (Deng, alas, was purgedtwicethanks to such insightful thinking.) But what can it possibly mean for a country to be governed by a Communist totalitarian regime and still employ capitalist economic ideas? How is it possible to reconcile such a mongrel idea? The whole point of a free market economy is that people are free to build what they want and to buy what they wanti.e., the law of supply and demandwithout the state making those decisions for everyone. Thats how capital gets allocated efficiently and how strong economies get built. Deng didnt try to resolve this paradox and neither did anyone else inside China. They adopted capitalist ideas because they had no choiceunless they wanted to go the way of the USSRso to hell with trying to make sense of it. (They did give it a name: Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. But what in the world can that mean? How about Rube Goldberg Invades Beijing?) But if no one in China tried to make sense of this dogs breakfast, every China watcher in the West knew exactly what it meant: China would inevitably democratize. China would converge with the West, becoming an Asian version of the U.S., like Japan and S. Korea. But did it occur to our policymakers that Japan and S. Korea only became democratic because the U.S. went to war to make it happen? No, it didnt. China would inevitably democratize, apparently, as if by magic. It didnt happen, of course, and it isnt going to happen. And yet, if you pick up any random copy of Foreign Affairs or the New York Times or Foreign Policy, or if you talk to any of the international trade or State Department people who have been advising on China for decades, you will get the same tired story: if we just continue to indulge China she will eventually join the liberal world order. Convergence was such an emotionally powerful idea that it took all the oxygen out of the policymaking air and other promising ideas asphyxiated. Convergence is dead. The Economist The Economist is right. Its possible that there was a time when the idea of convergence wasnt completely stupid, but if so that time was long, long ago. What actually happened, of course, is that China used the Wests blockheadedness to 1) repress its citizens even more, 2) seize neighboring territories whenever it felt like it, 3) continue to cheat by stealing foreign technology and the Wests intellectual capital as the price of entry into its markets, and 4) build up its conventional and nuclear military capabilities to near parity with the U.S. It isnt just that China hasnt and wont democratize. China has become far more aggressive militarily, more aggressive in throwing its economic clout around to the detriment of the democratic West, more aggressive in repressing its own citizens and in exporting repression to other countries. Instead of democratizing and liberalizing, China has devolved into an Orwellian horror where every action and utterance of its citizens is monitored for possible reeducation in vast camps like the ones in Xinjiang. Do we really want this country to become the most powerful in the world? In other words, while my views have been consistent on China for almost two decades, Ive become over time much more alarmed by whats going on in China. (And not just because I didnt become a billionaire on sales of Stewardship of Wealth.) Given that our policymakers seem to have no better ideas for dealing with China than continued appeasement, I hereby offer a better one: Cold War II. Well see why next week. Next up: Cold War II, Part 2 The University of Minnesota Duluth is hosting a conference aimed at directing Minnesota's next steps for dealing with climate change. "Our Climate Futures: Meeting the Challenge in Duluth" will be Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20, 2019. The conference is free and open to the public. Central to the conference are conversations about future planning and how Minnesota communities can adapt to climate change. "Minnesota has already begun climate mitigation techniques such as using alternative energy and reducing its carbon footprint," says Patrick Schoff, a research associate at the UMD Natural Resources Research Institute and conference organizer. "This conference will be invaluable as the consequences of climate change become increasingly apparent." The conference will include 16 sessions and a keynote address. Panelists include representatives from academia, government and business. Environmental scientists, community agency personnel and the public will convene for discussions about developing an economy that minimizes waste and resources, energy mitigation efforts, alternative energy sources, adaptive infrastructure and climate refuge areas. The media is invited to cover any of the program sessions. "Native Minnesotans, like myself, realize that climate change is already upon us. We know that lake ice is forming later and going out earlier," said Julie Etterson, professor of biology in UMD's Swenson College of Science and Engineering. "We know that spring comes earlier and that we can grow tomatoes and actually hope to get some ripe ones by the end of summer. In contrast, in other regions in the U.S., it is possible that unbearable weather and coastal flooding will set off a wave of human migration seeking more tolerable conditions." The conference keynote speaker will be Jesse Keenan, a member of the faculty of the Graduate School of Design at Harvard. His work is focused on climate change adaptation and the built environment, including aspects of design, engineering, financing and planning. "In an age of climate migration, we tend to focus on displacement and not necessarily the economic mobility associated with changing consumer preferences," said Keenan. "In one iteration of a climate future, Duluth may be well positioned to accommodate a diverse influx of people, culture and capital associated with a national redistribution of people and places." Keenan's presentation, "Our Climate Futures: Meeting the Challenge in Duluth," will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20 in the Marshall Performing Arts Center, 1215 Ordean Court, Duluth, Minnesota. "The question for Duluth moving forward is whether strategic economic development and marketing can be mobilized under a set of community-drive values that together paint a vision of a shared climate future," said Keenan. Keenan is a member of the United States delegation to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. He has advised on matters concerning the built environment for agencies of the U.S. government, governors, mayors, Fortune 500 companies, technology ventures, community enterprises and international nongovernmental organizations. The keynote presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Emily Larson (City of Duluth Mayor), Karen Diver (College of St. Scholastica and member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), Al Rudeck (Allete Clean Energy), with Andrea Schokker (UMD) as moderator. Provided by University of Minnesota This July 19, 2016, file photo shows the Google logo at the company's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. New Zealand's government announced plans on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, for a new tax targeting online giants like Google and Facebook that earn plenty of money in the country but pay little tax. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there's a gap that needs to be closed. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) New Zealand's government plans a new tax targeting online giants like Google and Facebook that earn plenty of money in the country but pay little tax. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there's a gap that needs to be closed. "Our current tax system is not fair in the way that it treats individual taxpayers and the way that it treats multinationals," she said. "It's not fair." She said the proposed digital services tax would tax multinational online companies at about 2 or 3 percent on the revenue they generate in New Zealand, a rate that is in line with other countries considering similar taxes. Revenue Minister Stuart Nash said foreign online companies have a competitive advantage over local companies that do pay significant amounts of tax. He said the new tax that was announced on Monday could be implemented next year. Nash said New Zealand would continue working with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, to find an international solution to the problems of taxing big online companies, but that New Zealand was not going to wait around. "The OECD can move at a rather slow rate," he said. New Zealand's government estimates that online multinationals do about 2.7 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.9 billion) worth of business in the country each year, and that the new tax could generate up to 80 million New Zealand dollars ($55 million) annually. The most recent New Zealand company filings indicate Google paid NZ$392,000 in income taxes in the 2017 calendar year. The company, which declined to comment, claimed a NZ$1 million loss over the year after booking much of its revenue in other countries. The last publicly available figures from Facebook show the company paid NZ$43,000 in taxes in New Zealand in 2014. Facebook said in a statement that it complies with applicable tax laws in New Zealand and every other country in which it operates. It said it's moving to a "local selling model" to provide more transparency to governments and policy makers. Amy Adams, the finance spokeswoman for the conservative opposition National Party, said the party agrees that multinationals should pay their fair share of taxes but that it supports the OECD work being ramped up. She said New Zealand will find it difficult to go out on its own without people missing out on what the global market has to offer. Explore further New Zealand halts Huawei from 5G upgrade over security fears 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Giving low-wage workers a "voice" on the jobthe ability to communicate concerns to managementwas thought to improve employee satisfaction and retention. Now, a new study supports this theory using a field-based, randomized, controlled trialthe most rigorous scientific method of impact evaluation. Ach Adhvaryu of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and colleagues Teresa Molina of the University of Hawaii and Anant Nyshadham of Boston College conducted the study in partnership with the largest ready-made garment company in India, Shahi Exports, which experiences high turnover among its 100,000 workers. The employees recently had learned that their annual raises would be considerably lower than expected. The researchers randomly selected a group of these workers to take an anonymous survey on wages, job conditions and environment, and supervisor performance. The researchers found that giving these workers a voice through the survey reduced both turnover and absenteeism, compared to those who did not receive the survey. The effect was greatest for the most disappointed workers. Overall, giving workers the survey reduced their probability of quitting by about 20 percent. "Setting up that line of communication might actually generate less attrition, and that's potentially of value to both workers and firms," said Adhvaryu, assistant professor of business economics and public policy. Adhvaryu and his team are working to extend this research. One angle they're pursuing is the value of using technology like text messaging and mobile appsincluding one they're developing themselvesto help enable worker voice. They're also studying the power of incentives to encourage managers to respond to workers' concerns. Adhvaryu will share examples of how this research is producing positive results at the Positive Business Conference May 9-10 at the Ross School of Business. Adhvaryu will co-present a session titled "Well-Being and Our World." Adhvaryu's research is being put into practice by the Good Business Lab, a nonprofit he co-founded in India to help solve economic challenges. The hope is that the lessons learned in this and similar studies will be applied in companies around the world. "Firms act based on their bottom line, and maybe that's how it should be, but there's not often a very clear connection drawn between the welfare of workers and the bottom line," Adhvaryu said. "Ultimately, making that connection is what the field of positive business is all about." Explore further New foundation promotes soft skills for workers in India More information: More Money, More Problems? Expectations, Wage Hikes, and Worker Voice. More Money, More Problems? Expectations, Wage Hikes, and Worker Voice. clas.ucdenver.edu/economics/si ointment_dec2017.pdf A spider feeding on a yummy viceroy butterfly. Credit: Katy Prudic The viceroy butterfly is a mimic, modeling its orange-and-black colors after the queen butterfly, a bug that tastes so disgusting predators have learned not to eat it or anything that looks like it, including viceroys. The apparent dependence of mimics on their models made biologists wonder if the fates of the two species are forever intertwined. If so, then what happens when the mimic and the model part ways? A study on these two butterflies in Florida, led by Katy Prudic, an assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Arizona, has found an interesting answer. Viceroy butterflies living in northern Florida, far away from the southern-dwelling queen butterflies, are not only more abundant than their southern kin, but they have also developed their own foul flavor. "In classical mimicry theory, we wouldn't predict that the viceroy butterfly would be able to stay or be in northern Florida. It should be limited to southern Florida, where the queens live," Prudic said. The classical theory, called Batesian mimicry, posits that one animal, known as the mimic, looks like another animal the model that predators recognize as "unpalatable." An unpleasant experience trying to munch on the model species convinces predators to avoid both species, since they cannot reliably tell the difference between the two. If the butterflies followed Batesian mimicry, populations of viceroys living in regions where predators had never met the unpalatable queens would not recognize the orange color of the butterfly as something awful; it would look like a delicious, easy-to-find snack, and predators would pick off the viceroy. Yet Prudic's study found that the viceroy thrives where the queen is not found, because it has evolved the ability to taste bad. "Have you ever chewed aspirin?" Prudic said. "It will not kill you, but you may want to die because it will be really, really unpleasant." Prudic's study began more than 15 years ago, as part of her doctoral dissertation. Prudic and her co-author, UA data science specialist Jeff Oliver, counted viceroy and queen butterflies and their host plants at eight sites across Florida. The unpalatable queen butterfly, Danaus glippus. Credit: Katy Prudic All over Florida, the viceroy caterpillar feeds on the same kind of plant: the Carolina willow. The tree arms itself against pests with phenolic glycosides, chemical relatives of aspirin. To pests, the aspirin-related toxins may be deadly, but caterpillars have evolved ways to avoid being poisoned by the plants. By possibly storing them in fatty bodies, viceroy caterpillars keep the chemicals out of their metabolic processes, and they live unharmed. When the viceroy lives alongside its model species, it likely discards the toxins when it metamorphoses from caterpillar to butterfly. But Prudic and her team found that when the mimic lives independently from the queen butterfly, it keeps the toxins, making the viceroy unpalatable to predators. In a pharmacology lab, UA Regents' Professor Barbara Timmerman helped Prudic investigate how much of the aspirin-related chemical could be found in the viceroy butterflies. These results were then compared to the abundance of queens at the capture sites. The second experiment was to test the viceroys' chemical defenses against predators. The butterflies were fed to praying mantids that had been hand-reared in the lab, and Prudic studied how they reacted to the butterflies. The mantids had a much stronger response to viceroys originating from those places where there were not any queens. "They learned to avoid these viceroys faster, and remembered to avoid them for longer," Prudic said. Years of rigorous statistical analysis followed, so that Prudic and her team could be certain about the relationship between the unpalatability of viceroy butterflies and the abundance of queen butterflies. This map shows that, though the viceroy is found all over Florida, it is less abundant when living alongside the queen butterfly. In northern Florida, where the queen butterfly does not live, the viceroy butterfly is both abundant and disgusting, denoted by the "minus" sign next to the blue-outlined butterfly representing the viceroy butterfly. Credit: Katy Prudic A mimicry continuum This discovery changes the way biologists must think about mimicry. The relationship between viceroy and queen butterflies once fell into the Batesian mimicry category, but when one of Prudic's co-authors, David Ritland, first discovered that viceroys had the ability to be nasty, the butterflies' relationship was recategorized as "Mullerian." There are no models in this mimicry theory, only "co-mimics:" two different animals that look the same and are both unpalatable. But Prudic's study proves that the viceroy butterfly does not fit neatly into either mimicry category. "Both these categories that we thought about in mimicry are now coming together, and we are thinking more about a continuum between Batesian and Mullerian," Prudic said. She expects that such a continuum is not limited to just the viceroy-queen system; however, studies that deeply investigate mimicry relationships are unusual because they are time-consuming, labor-intensive and difficult to execute. Aside from proving that mimicry in the animal world cannot be sorted into a simple binary, this study may be helpful for conservation and management of species in the changing world. "It gives us predictive power to understand where critters will be, that they are not restrained to just where their models are." Explore further Pigments in butterfly wings lead scientists to colorful conclusions More information: Kathleen L. Prudic et al, Mimicry in viceroy butterflies is dependent on abundance of the model queen butterfly, Communications Biology (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0303-z In this Nov. 21, 2008, file photo, Wallace Smith Broecker, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University in New York, addresses the audience during the Balzan prize ceremony in Rome. Broecker, a climate scientist who popularized the term "global warming," has died. He was 87. Columbia University said the longtime professor and researcher died Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, at a New York City hospital. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) A scientist who raised early alarms about climate change and popularized the term "global warming" has died. Wallace Smith Broecker was 87. The longtime Columbia University professor and researcher died Monday at a New York City hospital, according to a spokesman for the university's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Kevin Krajick said Broecker had been ailing in recent months. Broecker brought "global warming" into common use with a 1975 article that correctly predicted rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere would lead to pronounced warming. He later became the first person to recognize what he called the Ocean Conveyor Belt, a global network of currents affecting everything from air temperature to rain patterns. "Wally was unique, brilliant and combative," said Princeton University professor Michael Oppenheimer. "He wasn't fooled by the cooling of the 1970s. He saw clearly the unprecedented warming now playing out and made his views clear, even when few were willing to listen." In the Ocean Conveyor Belt, cold, salty water in the North Atlantic sinks, working like a plunger to drive an ocean current from near North America to Europe. Warm surface waters borne by this current help keep Europe's climate mild. Otherwise, he said, Europe would be a deep freeze, with average winter temperatures dropping by 20 degrees Fahrenheit or more and London feeling more like Spitsbergen, Norway, which is 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Broecker said his studies suggested that the conveyor is the "Achilles heel of the climate system" and a fragile phenomenon that can change rapidly for reasons not understood. It would take only a slight rise in temperature to keep water from sinking in the North Atlantic, he said, and that would bring the conveyor to a halt. Broecker said it is possible that warming caused by the buildup of greenhouse gases could be enough to affect the ocean currents dramatically. "Broecker single-handedly popularized the notion that this could lead to a dramatic climate change 'tipping point' and, more generally, Broecker helped communicate to the public and policymakers the potential for abrupt climate changes and unwelcome 'surprises' as a result of climate change," said Penn State professor Michael Mann. In 1984, Broecker told a House subcommittee that the buildup of greenhouse gases warranted a "bold, new national effort aimed at understanding the operation of the realms of the atmosphere, oceans, ice and terrestrial biosphere." "We live in a climate system that can jump abruptly from one state to another," Broecker told the Associated Press in 1997. By dumping into the atmosphere huge amounts of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels, "we are conducting an experiment that could have devastating effects." "We're playing with an angry beasta climate system that has been shown to be very sensitive," he said. Broecker received the National Medal of Science in 1996 and was a member of the National Academy of Science. He also served a stint as the research coordinator for Biosphere 2, an experimental living environment turned research lab. Broecker was born in Chicago in 1931 and grew up in suburban Oak Park. He joined Columbia's faculty in 1959, spending most of his time at the university's laboratory in Palisades, New York. He was known in science circles as the "Grandfather of Climate Science" and the "Dean of Climate Scientists." "His discoveries were fundamental to interpreting Earth's climate history," said Oppenheimer. "No scientist was more stimulating to engage with: he was an instigator in a good way, willing to press unpopular ideas, like lofting particles to offset climate change. But it was always a two-way conversation, never dull, always educational. I'll miss him." Explore further Could climate change shut down the Gulf Stream? 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. An artist's conception of the Etowah site (9BR1), a Mississippian culture archaeological site located on the banks of the Etowah River in Bartow County, Georgia. Built and occupied in three phases, from 10001550 C.E. Credit: Herb Roe/Wikipedia Commons Long before Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and even MySpace, early Mississippian Mound cultures in America's southern Appalachian Mountains shared artistic trends and technologies across regional networks that functioned in similar ways as modern social media, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis. "Just as we have our own networks of 'friends' and 'followers' on platforms like Facebook and Twitter, societies that existed in North America between 1,200 and 350 years ago had their own information sharing networks," said Jacob Lulewicz, lecturer of archaeology in the Department of Anthropology in Arts & Sciences. "Our study found a way to reconstruct these indigenous communication networks," he said. "Our analysis shows how these networks laid the groundwork for Native American political systems that began developing as far back as 600 A.D." Published Feb. 18 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study utilizes sophisticated social network analysis to map social and political connections that helped unite friends and families in dozens of Native American villages well before the arrival of European explorers. The findings are based on a messaging archive that is preserved not in bytes, but in bits of pottery sherdsfragmentsunearthed over many years in archaeology digs at dozens of Mississippian culture sites scattered across southern Appalachia. Focusing on subtle evolving changes in the technologies used to temper and strengthen pottery and the cultural symbols used to decorate them, the study provides a detailed chronological map of how new pottery techniques signified connections between these communities. Examples of the kinds of pottery produced by people living across southern Appalachia between AD 800 and 1650. The unique symbols were stamped onto the pottery when the clay was still wet using carved wooden paddles. These designs, along with the varying characteristics of the specific kinds of clay used to produce the pottery, were used to reconstruct social networks among these communities. Credit: Jacob Lulewicz The ceramics database includes 276,626 sherds from 43 sites across eastern Tennessee, and 88,705 sherds from 41 sites across northern Georgia. The collection represents pottery created between 800 and 1650 A.D., a period that saw the gradual emergence and later decline of powerful chiefdoms that controlled wide networks of villages in the region. The study focuses on villages clustered around the site of Etowah in Bartow County, Georgia, an important Mississippian community that included several low earthen mounds with large ceremonial buildings. It served as the regional seat of social, political, economic and religious power across the regioninfluence that reached its peak between 1050 to 1325 A.D. These chiefdoms were still in place when the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto became one of the first Europeans to visit the region in 1540 A.D. De Soto's accounts of autonomous villages loosely bound together under the influence of a single powerful chief, then residing at the town of Coosa in what is today northern Georgia, have long influenced how historians characterize the social and political structures of these and other early Eastern North American societies. Lulewicz's findings suggest that the ruling elites drew their power from social networks created by the masses. The emergence of powerful Native American chiefdoms and the centralized leadership, elaborate religious movements and institutionalized inequality that came with them, he argues, were built upon foundations created by the wider, pre-existing social networks of common peoplesystems that proved to be more stable and durable than any interactions dictated by elite chiefs. A map of the southern Appalachian region, with the archaeological sites used in this study indicated. The sites are spread across both eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia and date to the period between A.D. 800 and 1650. Credit: Jacob Lulewicz "What I show in the paper is that while we see things like the emergence of super powerful chiefs and the rise of major economic inequalities, the very foundations of societyespecially relationships and networks of kinship and family and reciprocityremained virtually unchanged over 1,000 years," Lulewicz said. "That is, even though elite interests and political strategies waxed and waned and collapsed and flourished, very basic relationships and networks were some of the strongest, most durable aspects of society." His findings suggest that strong social connections between common people have always played an important role in helping societies guard themselves against the vagaries of unpredictable leaders and ruling classes. Pointing to the role that digital social networks and social media play in contemporary revolutions, and how modern states are often quick to monitor, control or even shut down access to these virtual networks, shows that our connections continue to be valuable social instruments, he said. "This is super interestingat least to me as a social scientistfor understanding how political movements actually play out," he said. "It doesn't come down to any particular, innate attribute of leaders and elites. What is comes down to is how those individuals are able to leverage the networks in which they are embedded. Even though chiefs emerge at about 1000 A.D., over the next 650 years, chiefs actually shift their strategies of political and economic control. They tap into different parts of their networks, or leverage their connections in very different ways throughout time." "Because these very basic networks were so durable, they allowed these societiesespecially common peopleto buffer against and mediate the uncertainties associated with major political and economic change. They may have said, 'You go live on top of that huge mound and do your sacred rituals, and we will go about life as usual for the most part.' These communication networks served as a social constant for these people and allowed their cultures to persist for thousands of years even across transformations that could have been catastrophic." Explore further Social networks that lead to leadership positions found to differ by gender for business students Theologians focus on the content of different religious traditions, while psychologists focus on the causes of religious beliefs. Philosophers, on the other hand, focus on the evidence for these beliefs and the rationality of these traditions. The field is called the epistemology of religion. Luis Oliveira, assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Houston, will lead a multi-continent exploration of the epistemology of religion with a $1.3 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation. "What arguments are there for believing in God or for following a specific religious tradition?" Oliveira asked. "What reasons and arguments are there in support of believing or not believing, in support of belonging or not belonging to a religious community?" How can individuals justify either choice? Summer workshops planned over the next three years in Brazil, Argentina and Chile will connect Latin American philosophers with colleagues from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to stimulate academic interest and research in the epistemology of religion. Fellowships will bring Latin American scholars to U.S. universities in order to further strengthen research ties between the two groups. The project is religiously neutral. This means the work won't be limited to one religious tradition and will include study of the reasons for atheism and agnosticism, Oliveira said. Scholars of every persuasion will be involved. He said the timing is right. "In the last 15 years, discussions of religion in the public sphere have become very acrimonious and not very philosophical at all," he said. "There has been too much one-sided conviction. The atheists think religious people are ignoring the scientific evidence. The religious people think atheists are ignoring obvious aspects of the human experience. Very few acknowledge the force of the points made from the other side." Cue the community of academic philosophers who specialize in such questions. In stark contrast to popular culture, Oliveira said the philosophical discussion of religion has grown increasingly sophisticated. Yet there has been little interaction between Latin America and the English-speaking world in this regard. That's about to change. His project will connect Latin American scholars working in the epistemology of religion with the thriving English-speaking philosophical community and will infuse the English-speaking community with new perspectives and insights from Latin America. Explore further Why atheists are not as rational as some like to think Shrimp trailer. Credit: NOAA FishWatch Last week, on 13 February 2019, the EU approved the ban on pulse trawling. This followed the vote for a ban by the European Parliament on 16 January 2018. Half of the 84 Dutch pulse trawling vessels must stop immediately; the other half will receive a transitional arrangement until July 2021. Outcomes of ongoing research can reopen the discussion. Pulse trawling is an innovative, electric fishing technique, which could partially replace conventional bottom trawling, especially beam trawling. Pulse trawling offers some advantages over conventional bottom trawling, such as a lower by-catch and lower fuel use. However, opponents point to valid concerns about the technique, such as the potential harm to electrosensitive fishes and the increased competition for small-scale fishers. The NGO Bloom who strongly influenced the EU's decision about the ban of pulse trawling point out that also beam trawling is not "a viable or acceptable option for Europe", but with their advocacy for a ban on pulse trawling, they have indirectly promoted beam trawling. The question is not if pulse trawling has negative impacts. It has. The question is rather how the impacts of pulse trawling compare to those of conventional bottom trawling. Animal welfare as a new argument in the debate Besides the advantages and disadvantages mentioned above, an important further consideration is the overall animal welfare, going beyond electrosensitive fishes. Compared to conventional trawling, animal welfare loss might be lower in pulse trawling. Fewer animals are affected and especially the many bottom-dwelling invertebrates are expected to suffer less because the seafloor is not disturbed anymore as in the case of beam trawling. This can outweigh larger harm induced on fewer fishes which are sensitive to the electric stimulation, most of which are targeted and will anyway be slaughtered soon after exposure. Ecological pressures through cascading effects are also expected to be reduced in pulse trawling with less animals directly affected. Although a more efficient technology like pulse trawling could enhance overfishing, it is of little concern in Europe due to policy regulations and demand limits. Overall, the scientific evidence is still inconclusive, but speaks in favour of pulse trawling and, therefore, the ban seems premature. Explore further EU parliament calls for ban on electric pulse fishing Credit: CC0 Public Domain Men and women value, access and use resources from the natural environment in distinct and different ways, a new study has shown. The new study, led by Professor Katrina Brown at the University of Exeter, has identified how gender matters when looking at what benefits communities can garner from nature through ecosystem services. While the range of benefits, in terms of food, clean water provision, soil fertility and physical and mental health are known to critically underpin the livelihoods worldwide, very few studies have explored how the benefits are distributed according to gender. Now, this new study has identified the benefits to health and wellbeing that ecosystem services can bring and, crucially, how these are valued differently by men and women. Studying eight communities in coastal Kenya and Mozambique, the researchers found that the genders often use, experience and benefit from ecosystem services such as mangrove forests, coral reefs and fisheriesin vastly different ways. The research also insists that, if the management of global ecosystem services will support internationally agreed UN Sustainable development Goals and so ensure 'no-one is left behind," it is vital for policymakers to place a greater emphasis on the different perspectives, knowledge and interests held by men and women. Dr. Matt Fortnam, lead author of the paper said: "These findings address a critical gap in knowledge. Although Ecosystem Services are widely promoted to support sustainable development and poverty alleviation, very few studies have actually looked at how men and women are affected. "This is really important gap, especially when there is a risk that investments in conservation and development could disadvantage women." As well as the different values that are placed on ecosystem services by men and women, the study also shows how they are inherently embedded within cultural and traditional gender roles, as well as in the institutions and governance of the natural resource systems. As a result, the study argues that these "gender trade-offs" should be integrated into ecosystem assessments and management so Sustainable Development Goals can be better represented in ecosystem service research, policy and practice. Professor Brown added: "Time and time again the failure to account for social diversity means that the poorest and most vulnerable fail to benefit from development interventions. "We know that there are no easy 'magic bullets' to remove the inequalities experienced by women in benefitting from ecosystems, but there is the opportunity to make inroads into them and help create equitable opportunities for the fair sharing of ecosystem benefits amongst men and women." Explore further Re-establishing oyster beds to maximize their ecological benefits More information: M. Fortnam et al. The Gendered Nature of Ecosystem Services, Ecological Economics (2019). M. Fortnam et al. The Gendered Nature of Ecosystem Services,(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.12.018 Credit: CC0 Public Domain New research from the Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University calls for a national database of places of Indigenous historical and cultural significance following revelations that national protection for significant places for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which were introduced during the Whitlam era, have been severely diminished under subsequent governments. 2018 E.G. Whitlam Research Fellow Prof Hilary du Cros who will present her research at a Symposium on the 19th February, highlights that Australia does not have an up-to-date national map of sites of historical and cultural significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Formerly maintained by the Australian Heritage Commission on the Register of the National Estate, these functions were devolved to state level in 2004, and the Register closed off in 2007. Professor du Cros points out that during this transition, several important research files and reports went missing. According to Professor du Cros, the closure of the Register of the National Estate was an inflection point for the preservation and cultural appreciation of Indigenous sites in Australia. "Sharing Indigenous cultural heritage with the wider community has become more difficult because there is less information to help explain the stories and significance of Indigenous places, which is what builds connections in our society. The lack of a comprehensive national register backed by an adequate database also places us in a difficult position with the international community. For example, we are currently unable to measure our national management practices against international benchmarks or the effects of climate change on our Indigenous heritage places. "We urgently need a national database of places of Indigenous historical and cultural significance to address these issues," says Professor du Cros. She adds that some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are frustrated by the slow pace of existing government bureaucracy in relation to adding new sites to the National and Commonwealth Heritage Lists (that replaced the former Register), and maintaining existing ones at State and local levels. Director of the Whitlam Institute Leanne Smith said this research funded under the E.G. Whitlam Research Fellowship has shed light on one of the lesser known but profoundly important parts of the Whitlam legacy. "One of the most remarkable things about Gough Whitlam's legacy is the focus on both Australia's future and its past. He established institutions that were designed to protect the natural environment, our built heritage, as well as Indigenous sites, for the benefit of future generations." "Professor du Cros' research makes a strong case for a return to national and coordinated leadership to protect these sites, not only for First Nations peoples, but for all Australians who care about protecting the history of this country," said Ms Smith. Explore further Alarming increase in Indigenous suicide rates demands new ways of working About 19-21 million years old, this dugong is the oldest marine mammal found in Central America and the first from the Pacific side of the Panama Canal. Here, the skull is seen from the side with the snout pointing to the right. Credit: Jeff Gage, Florida Museum Steven Manchester didn't set out to discover Central America's oldest known marine mammal. He was hoping to find fossil plants. Manchester, curator of paleobotany at the Florida Museum of Natural History, had left a group of vertebrate paleontologists uphill of the Panama Canal to do his own prospecting, clambering down onto the narrow, exposed shoreline to look for fossil leaves, petrified wood and mineralized fruits and nuts. It was a dangerous place to be: The rolling wake from passing ships could sweep a person off shore and into the canal. Manchester noticed that people were occasionally shouting at him through megaphones as they cruised past, but not understanding Spanish, he continued to comb the shore when he spotted bone. "He quickly walked us over to where he'd found a skeleton sticking out of the rock exposure," said Aaron Wood, then a museum postdoctoral researcher leading fieldwork in Panama. "There were two or three vertebrae, orange-ish in color, dipping into the black rock on the side of the canal and a couple of ribs around them. We guessed that there would be more under the rock." What Wood described as an "emergency fossil excavation" due to rising water levels yielded a remarkably complete skeleton of an ancient sea cow, estimated to be about 20 million years old, the first evidence of a marine mammal from the Pacific side of the canal. The fossil skull, vertebrae, ribs and other bones belong to a new genus and species, Culebratherium alemani, a tusked seagrass-grazing relative of modern dugongs, which live in the warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific. Here, the skull is seen from the underside, with eye sockets on either side, molars in the center and the snout pointing upwards. To the right is part of the lower jaw and rib fragments, which twisted during fossilization. The lack of wear on the newest molars indicates that this dugong was not yet a fully-grown adult. Credit: Aaron Wood, Florida Museum Wood and lead author Jorge Velez-Juarbe, also a former museum postdoctoral researcher, published their findings in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. About 15 feet long, this C. alemani was not done growing, Velez-Juarbe said. Its tusks had only begun to protrude and its newest molars showed little wear, indicating it was not yet an adult. But it was a powerful eater. The researchers propose that its thick neck muscles, tusks and downward-pointing snout were adaptations for digging pits in the ocean floor to get to the underground stems of seagrass, the plants' most nutritional parts. "Finding C. alemani is pretty good evidence that there was seagrass in this region 20 million years ago," said Velez-Juarbe, now assistant curator of marine mammals at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. "This particular group of sireniansthe order that includes dugongs and manateesare seagrass specialists." While only one species of dugong is alive todaya second, Steller's sea cow, was hunted to extinction within 27 years of its discoveryabout 30 species have been recovered in the fossil record, Velez-Juarbe said. The group originated in the West Atlantic and Caribbean and dispersed westward through Panama, whose seaway did not close until a few million years ago, and south to Brazil. "Today, Panama is the juncture between two continents, and that's where we have a mixture of mammals between North and South America," said Wood, now director of Iowa State University's Carl F. Vondra Geology Field Station and a lecturer in the department of geological and atmospheric sciences. "In the early Miocene, when this dugong lived, it wasn't a land connection but a sea connection between the Atlantic and Pacific. We would expect to see communities of sea cows there, too." Researchers packed the shoreline with sandbags as they worked to quickly excavate the sea cow's skeleton from dense rock. Within a week, the Panama Canal flooded the site. Credit: Aaron Wood, Florida Museum Previous research shows that multiple species of dugongs commonly lived together, each with slightly differently shaped tusks, snouts and body sizes that would have enabled them to divide up food resources, Velez-Juarbe said. "Some would eat larger species of seagrass buried deeply in the sand while others would feed on smaller grasses closer to the surface," he said. "Evidence from many other places in the world shows that multispecies communities were the norm. To only have one species of dugong now is freaky." These communities also made for healthier seagrass beds, he said. Whereas a single seagrass species, Thalassia testudinum, dominates the Caribbean and West Atlantic, grass beds in Australia have a better balance of species because modern dugongs feed on the larger grass species, keeping them in check and giving smaller grasses a shot at flourishing. The researchers named C. alemani after the Culebra Formation where it was found and Alberto Aleman Zubieta, the former chief executive officer of the Panama Canal, whose support they described as essential to the fieldwork's success. C. alemani was excavated as part of a large-scale, years-long project to salvage fossils during the expansion of the Panama Canal, which temporarily exposed fresh outcrops. Wood said that while he and the rest of the field crew understood the significance of their work, the discovery of the dugong "really brought that home." "We found the fossil dugong when water levels were at their lowest," he said. "After the first day, they steadily rose. We put sandbags on the edge of the site just to keep water out long enough for us to collect it. Within a week, the site was flooded. We couldn't go back. The idea that this was a once-in-a-century opportunity was wrapped up in this one specimen." Explore further Multiple species of seacows once coexisted: study More information: Jorge Velez-Juarbe et al, An early Miocene dugongine (Sirenia: Dugongidae) from Panama, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2019). Journal information: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Jorge Velez-Juarbe et al, An early Miocene dugongine (Sirenia: Dugongidae) from Panama,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1511799 Cary Mitchell and his graduate student, Asmaa Morsi, monitor the growth of mizuna plants (much like arugula) in a growth chamber on the Purdue University campus. Credit: Tom Campbell Decades after the last human set foot on the moon, NASA is contemplating setting up a permanent base there or sending astronauts to Mars. Accomplishing those goals, however, will require a few green thumbs. The cost to send a pound of anything into low Earth orbit is estimated at about $10,000, and much more than that beyond. That makes sending food to feed astronauts for months extremely expensive. However, if they could grow their own food and use closed systems to recycle water and oxygen, trips to the moon and Mars would become much more feasible. That's where Purdue's Cary Mitchell comes in. For more than 40 years, he has led efforts to improve human ability to grow food in space from improving lighting for crops to testing the ability to grow leafy greens, fruits and vegetables that will keep astronauts nourished and satisfied on their long trips. Mitchell began his career at Purdue interested in the effects of mechanical stresses on plant growth. He noticed that shaking a tomato plant caused it to dwarf, and touching the near side of a plant's stem caused it to grow toward him. NASA invited him to speak at a symposium in the 1970s and eventually introduced him to the agency's new space biology program, which funded his research for an extended period. "We were looking at very basic questions back then. We wanted to know how plants would orient in space, for example. Without gravity, how would roots know to grow down and shoots up?" said Mitchell, a professor of horticulture. "Since then, we've spent a lot of time working on how to light plants in space and on particular varieties of plants that are feasible to grow there." Soon, Mitchell became involved in more projects through NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) program, which had a goal of closing loops for advanced life support systems and using plants not only for food, but for production of oxygen and reclamation of water. While many scientists were interested in growing grains and protein, Mitchell thought astronauts might enjoy a fresh salad from time to time, so he focused on identifying lettuces that would grow well in the conditions one might find in a space shuttle or on a space station. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the space agency started NASA Specialized Centers of Research and Training (NSCORT). Mitchell led the university's efforts and was instrumental in having the first and third NSCORTs led by Purdue. These centers brought together researchers in agriculture, engineering, and science to answer fundamental questions about advanced life support in space. One of those fundamental questions is about how to light plants in space. The traditional supplemental lights used in greenhouses tend to be hot and consume significant amounts of energy. Plants in space need to be packed closely together since the growing area is at a premium. Mitchell thought there had to be a better way to get light to all parts of the plants, so he experimented with LED, or light-emitting diode, lights that could be placed under plants' canopies. "You're really limited in lighting plants overhead in space. When you have branching plants growing together, you get no light from overhead underneath," Mitchell said. "We did the first proof of concept with blue and red LED "lightsicles" that could light plants from the side within the canopy. The LEDs were cool enough that you could touch them and they wouldn't scorch the plants. And they gave us 50 percent to 75 percent energy savings for the same growth." Michell is working on LED arrays that focus light in specific places on plants to optimize energy use. Gioia Massa, who did postdoctoral research in Mitchell's lab and assisted with this project, now works as a life sciences project scientist at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. They are working together with leafy greens and dwarf tomatoes, and astronauts on the International Space Station are taste-testing the fruits of their laborliterally. Massa said Mitchell has been instrumental in many of the most important research areas regarding advanced life support and food in space. "He's really been there from the beginning of space biology research and space horticulture research. He's kind of the founding father in this area," Massa said. "His research has changed over the years as new technology has become available, and he has been influential in deciding the direction of the field." Explore further Thanksgiving in space may one day come with all the trimmings Terror attacks carried out by Muslims receive on average 357 percent more media coverage than those committed by other groups, according to a University of Alabama researcher's newly published study. Dr. Erin Kearns, UA assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice, is lead author of "Why Do Some Terrorist Attacks Receive More Media Attention Than Others?," which analyzes disparities in how news media cover attacks perpetrated by both Muslim and domestic terrorists and how the imbalance in news coverage may shape people's perceptions of threats. The study, published in Justice Quarterly, found perpetrator religion is a major predictor of news coverage of a terrorist attack. Other factors also drive coverage but to a lesser extent. The study authors note that in the U.S., "members of the public tend to fear the 'Muslim terrorist' while ignoring other threats." Kearns, along with co-authors Allison Betus, a Presidential Fellow with Georgia State University's Transcultural Conflict and Violent Extremism Initiative, and Anthony Lemieux, associate professor at GSU and director of the university's Global Studies Institute, looked at all terror attacks in the U.S. between 2006 and 2015. Using information from the Global Terrorism Database, they reviewed national print and online media to analyze coverage. "We were initially interested in how media label attacks and perpetrators," Kearns said. "But, in collecting the data for that, Allison and I realized that there were large disparities in the amount of coverage across attacks." Researchers concluded that out of 136 terror attacks in the U.S. over a span of 10 years that the authors studied, Muslims committed on average 12.5 percent of the attacks yet received more than half of the news coverage. The research team found that factors other than the perpetrator's religion also affect coverage. When the perpetrator was arrested, there was a 287 percent increase in news coverage on average, and attacks against the government received 211 percent more coverage. The number of fatalities in a given attack also affected the extent of coverage. The study found that for each additional fatality, an attack received 46 percent more coverage. "While others have looked at differences in framing, this assumed that attacks are getting covered in the first place," Kearns said. "We see here that this isn't always the case. So, the public may not even be aware of many of these attacks." This is the first study to specifically look at how perpetrator religion impacts coverage across such a wide scope of terrorism cases, the researchers said. It highlights the inequity in media coverage in the digital age following the 9/11 terror attacks. The researchers said this imbalance can create misconceptions about the prevalence of attacks and fuel prejudice and discrimination. In a related study, the same group of researchers found a strong trust in science is the overarching factor in determining if Americans will change misperceptions about the threat of terror attacks. The research published recently in the journal Studies in Conflict & Terrorism found neither the information source, amount of detail about terror attacks, a person's level of Islamophobia, nor trust in media impacted whether people were willing to update their views A recent Gallup poll cited by the authors found that nearly half of Americans believe they or a family member are likely to be the victim of a terrorist attack. According to figures from the Global Terrorism Database, 99 people have been killed in 136 terror attacks in the U.S. since 9/11. Explore further Using social media to weaken the wrath of terror attacks More information: Erin M. Kearns et al, Why Do Some Terrorist Attacks Receive More Media Attention Than Others?, Justice Quarterly (2019). Journal information: Justice Quarterly Erin M. Kearns et al, Why Do Some Terrorist Attacks Receive More Media Attention Than Others?,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/07418825.2018.1524507 German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for the 'Digitalising Europe Summit 2019', hosted by the Vodafone company in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. (Photo/Markus Schreiber) Germany and France on Tuesday launched a drive to overhaul the European Union's competition rules to facilitate the creation of world-leading companies. They pushed forward a project to create a car battery consortium aimed at catching up with Asian rivals. A German-French "manifesto for a European industrial policy fit for the 21st century" agreed on by the countries' economy ministers reflects worries that the continent risks falling far behind in the development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and electric mobility. It also reflects anger in Berlin and Paris after EU antitrust authorities blocked the creation of a rail giant that could compete with China. Speaking at a separate event earlier Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the EU's stance on competition "leaves me in doubt about whether we can really produce global players this way." The German-French manifesto states that "the choice is simple when it comes to industrial policy: unite our forces or allow our industrial base and capacity to gradually disappear." It advocates a European strategy for technology funding and calls for becoming "world leaders" on artificial intelligence. After the EU blocked the merger of the rail businesses of Germany's Siemens and France's Alstom, Germany and France are suggesting that EU guidelines be updated to take greater account of global competition. They also advocate discussing whether the European Councilwhich brings together EU members' governmentsshould be given a right to appeal against and override decisions on mergers by the EU's executive Commission. As a first step toward a European industrial policy, Germany plans to invest 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) and France another 700 million euros in backing a drive to set up a European car battery manufacturing operation. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier and French counterpart Bruno Le Maire said it would be led by their two countries but open to other EU countries that want to join. They said it would benefit both Germany and France, but it's too early to say where factories might be built. Altmaier said there are no plans at present for either state to take a direct stake, and both ministers said companies are interestedbut wouldn't name them, citing ongoing talks. "China and South Korea have taken a big lead on electric batteries," Le Maire said. "The question that arises is whether we want to be sovereign or not." He added that, if Europe abandons two "critical technologies"batteries and self-driving cars"you abandon your auto industry, because you depend on your foreign supplies who can increase prices or deprive you of this technology." "Germany and France created the automobile," Le Maire said. The two countries are seeking decisions in the coming weeks on setting up the consortium and whether government aid is allowed. 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Paris and Berlin were not happy when the EU blocked the proposed merger of Alstom and Siemens Germany and France agreed Tuesday on a strategy to create European industrial "champions" and to seek to change EU competition rules that now prevent blockbuster mergers of homegrown companies. Smarting from the EU's veto of an Alstom-Siemens rail merger, the two European powerhouses proposed that national authorities should in some cases be able to override decisions made by Brussels. Critics of the EU's decision had argued that it was based on competition regulations that they said were obsolete in the face of growing rivalry from Chinese giants. "The choice is simple when it comes to industrial policy: unite our forces or allow our industrial base and capacity to gradually disappear," the two economy ministers, France's Bruno Le Maire and Germany's Peter Altmaier, said in a joint statement. "Competition rules are essential but existing rules need to be revised to be able to adequately take into account industrial policy considerations" that can help European companies compete on the world stage, they said. Only five European firms count among the world's 40 biggest companies, they said, adding that currently, "there is no regulatory global level playing field. And there won't be one any time soon." Some countries like China subsidise their companies heavily, or place restrictions on foreign investments in their industrial champions. EU competition rules should therefore be reformed to take the global landscape into consideration, argued Berlin and Paris. Existing rules needed to be revised to take the longer view, and in "well-defined cases" it should be considered whether EU decisions could be overridden, they said. Reciprocity "We will dig deep into this proposal, which, in cases where we believe a merger is particularly appropriate but which is opposed by the European Commission, we will say the countries believe that the merger should go ahead," said Le Maire. Both sides however took pains to stress that their strategy is open to other EU members that want to sign up. "It is clear that Germany and France should not decide alone when and how these rules should be changed," said Altmaier. "We will take the initiative, we will talk with our partners in the EU, with the European Parliament and with the Commission. "We will see for which ideas there is support and we will try to reach a good conclusion." Beyond the proposed reforms of competition rules, the overall industrial strategy to build European champions includes a push for greater investments in innovations and calls for new mechanisms to better protect homegrown technology As a first concrete project, both sides will cooperate in the production of electric batteriesan essential component in the race to electrify automobiles. The ministers named an initial price tag of 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion) but gave no further details including the possible location. If non-European countries want to participate in auctions for public projects, then they must also give Europeans a slice of the cake back home, said Berlin and Paris. "Reciprocity is perhaps one of the most effective ways to make progress towards a global level playing field," they argued. Explore further Siemens, Alstom raise doubts about mega merger 2019 AFP The closure of the Sao Bernardo do Camp factory would generate a one-off charge of some $460 million, most of it to terminate contracts with workers, dealers and suppliers, Ford said US automaker Ford said Tuesday it was pulling out of the commercial heavy truck business in South America, closing a plant in Brazil employing 2,800 workers that has been operating for half a century. The decision was made "as part of a comprehensive redesign of its global business," and after it decided that other options, such as partnerships, would not be viable, Ford said in a statement. The affected factory, in Sao Bernardo do Campo south of the megacity Sao Paulo, makes Cargo-model heavy trucks, F-4000 and F-350 pickup trucks and Ford Fiesta small cars. Ford has been operating the plant since October 1967. "We know this action will have a major impact on our employees in Sao Bernardo and we will be working closely with all our stakeholders on the next steps," said Ford's South America chief, Lyle Watters. He said Ford was intent on maintaining a "profitable business" and "a leaner, more agile business model." The company said it was shifting its focus in South America to reduce payroll costs, boost its offering of popular SUVs and pickups, and extend partnerships such as one it announced last month with Volkswagen to jointly develop commercial vans and mid-sized pickups. The closure of the Sao Bernardo do Camp factory "during 2019" would generate a one-off charge of some $460 million, most of it to terminate contracts with workers, dealers and suppliers, the statement said. Ford says that the worldwide, pre-tax cost of its global reorganization would be $11 billion. Last month, the US auto giant reported a fourth-quarter loss of $112 million following weak performance in China and Europe, despite higher revenues. That was a big slump compared to the $2.5 billion profit recorded a year earlier. Last year, Ford announced it would halt production of almost all sedans and small cars in the United States to save $11 billion. It has also announced restructuring of its European operations, including thousands of potential job cuts. Ford's decision is a blow to the pro-business agenda of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is hoping to emulate US counterpart Donald Trump with policies to nurture investment and industry. 2019 AFP Amazon mollies reproduce clonally in nature and are therefore ideal model organisms to isolate the effects of familiarity on behaviour. Credit: David Bierbach Aggressiveness among animals may increase the longer individuals live together in stable groups. This is the finding of a recent study carried out by researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB). The study, published in the journal Animal Behaviour used the Amazon molly, a naturally clonal fish species that produces genetically identical individuals to isolate the effects of familiarity on behaviour. The study provides new insight into how groups function, and why it is sometimes better for fish to leave their group and join a new one. Many animal species live in groups because cohabitation offers a number of advantages, such as when it comes to foraging, defence, and selecting a mate. Finding out how such animal groups form and function is a key issue in behavioural ecology. A new IGB study shows that group composition is dependent not only on environmental factors such as the availability of food, but also on the level of familiarity among group mates. Familiarity is often linked to kinship, making it difficult to disentangle these two factors in the past. However, this is not the case with the Amazon molly being clones, these fish exhibit identical genetic relatedness. This meant that the researchers were able to manipulate the level of familiarity separately from the degree of relatedness in their study. To achieve this, IGB scientist Carolina Doran and her colleagues David Bierbach and Kate Laskowski examined groups of Amazon mollies (Poecilia formosa) that had lived together for differing amounts of time one day, seven days, and three weeks. After this familiarization period, the IGB team added a defensible food resource to each tank, and watched how each group behaved before and after the addition of the food. Familiar fish can afford to be more belligerent "We were surprised that the fish with the highest level of familiarity acted most aggressively towards each other," stated David Bierbach, summing up the key finding of the study. The team had assumed that the opposite was the case: "Dominance hierarchies of Amazon mollies become established after living together for a while, and the fish are expected to have less reason to fight," explained the IGB scientist. In the investigation, however, the Amazon mollies with the highest degree of familiarity exhibited considerable aggressiveness both before and after food was added. Manifestations of aggression included fish chasing other individuals in the tank. The fish that had lived together for just one day were the least aggressive, although aggression increased following the addition of food; this was also the case with the group that had been together for one week. Their aggression was more pronounced on the whole than that of the least familiar group. Although the Amazon mollies behaved differently to the researchers' expectations, their behaviour was plausible: "The fish that had been together longest were less stressed overall, and could afford, in a way, to be more aggressive," explained David Bierbach. In fact, increased aggressiveness has its advantages: groups that have been together longer appeared to be less stressed in novel environments. If, however, they are so familiar with each other that the level of aggression increases too much, the researchers hypothesize that some individuals will leave the group and join others. This is how fission-fusion societies are formed, where individuals repeatedly change from group to group. Such dynamic living conditions are also common in other vertebrate species: dolphins, elephants, hyenas, bison and baboons also live in fission-fusion societies. Natural clones are ideal model organisms In another article, led by Kate Laskowski, the IGB scientists call for the increased use of studies with vertebrates that reproduce clonally in nature, such as the Amazon molly. Unlike artificially cloned animals such as the cloned sheep "Dolly," natural clones have already proven their ability to survive in the wild, and are therefore may be more appropriate for explaining some biological processes. Besides disentangling familiarity and kinship, as was the case in the previous study, natural clones offer additional advantages: for example, the effects of mutations can be better understood when there is less initial variability in the genome. In addition, epigenetic effects, due to the specific activation and inactivation of particular sections of DNA, can be compared more effectively. Moreover, when individuals with the same genetic makeup are reared in different surroundings, it is easier to monitor developmental processes in individuals relative to the different environmental conditions. Working with naturally clonal vertebrates may make an important contribution to ecological and evolutionary research, particularly, as shown above, to the analysis of transient properties such as aggressiveness. More information: Carolina Doran et al. Familiarity increases aggressiveness among clonal fish, Animal Behaviour (2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.12.013 Journal information: Animal Behaviour Carolina Doran et al. Familiarity increases aggressiveness among clonal fish,(2019). DOI: Using atomic-resolution electron microscopy, Arashdeep Singh Thind, a graduate student in Rohan Mishras lab, studied grain boundaries in crystals (see arrows). Credit: Washington University in St. Louis In the quest to design more efficient solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a team of engineers has analyzed different types of defects in the semiconductor material that enables such devices to determine if and how they affect performance. Rohan Mishra, assistant professor of mechanical engineering & materials science in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, led a widespread team of researchersincluding Washington University, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and at the University of Missouri-Columbiathat studied the structure and properties of the commonly occurring planar defects at the atomic scale, which spans only a few tenths of a nanometer. Mishra's team studied lead-halide perovskites, a new class of high-performance semiconductors that are being explored for the next-generation of low-cost solar cells to enable conversion of solar energy into electricity with high efficiency. When these materials are made, defects can occur where different crystals meet, known as grain boundaries. In conventional semiconductors, these defects can decrease their electrical conductivity and the solar energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency; however, in lead-halide perovskites, there are differing experimental reports on the activity of grain boundaries. In some cases, they are found to be harmful, while in other cases they either have no impact on performance or are even beneficial. But, to date, no one understood why. Mishra's team explained why in Advanced Materials, Dec. 3. "A tiny defect at the atomic scale has a big impact on the solar cell," Mishra said. "If one specific atom is missing at these grain boundaries, your cell won't work well." At Oak Ridge National Lab, Arashdeep Singh Thind, a doctoral student in Washington University's Institute of Materials Science & Engineering who works in Mishra's lab, performed the imaging with one of the most powerful electron microscopes to look at the atomic structure of the grain boundaries. Guangfu Luo, a former research scientist in Mishra's lab who is an assistant professor at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzen, China, then used quantum-mechanical calculations performed on some of the fastest supercomputers to understand the electronic properties of these grain boundaries. In silicon semiconductors, grain boundaries wreak havoc, but in lead-halide perovskites, they may not. And that depends on concentration of the halide ions, a critical element to the properties. "If you grow the crystals in a halide-poor environment, then the grain boundaries are terrible for performance," Mishra said. "But if you can grow them or anneal [heat and recombine] them in a halide-rich atmosphere, the grain boundaries are fine." Thind also looked at another type of planar fault known as Ruddlesden-Popper faults, in which the planes of crystals stack incorrectly; for example, instead of being lined up in neat rows, one of the rows is shifted slightly left or right by an atomic column. Again, by using quantum mechanical calculations, Luo and Mishra found that by having a large density of such stacking faults, it might be possible to obtain bright optical emission from large and more stable nanoparticles of certain lead-halide perovskites, which could potentially pave the way for LEDs with longer lifetimes. "The challenge for experimentalists is to engineer stacking faults at periodic distances," Mishra said. In related research published in ACS Applied Nano Materials Oct. 16, Mishra's team worked with University of Missouri-Columbia researchers, who found a new chemical route for promoting growth of lead-halide perovskites with a high density of such stacking faults. By removing surface ligands, an ion or molecule that binds to a surface atom of a nanocrystal, smaller lead-halide perovskite nanocrystals fused and grew from about 8 nanometers to 60 nanometers in 48 hours. These new nanocrystals had significantly enhanced optical properties due to the stacking faults formed during the fusion process, which Thind found using atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the nanocrystals were more stable when exposed to light, had sharper emission lines and a higher quantum yield. With these defects, the new nanocrystals are expected to improve light emission properties of the lead-halide perovskite nanocrystals, resulting in better LEDs and other optoelectronic devices. This new information gives engineers such as Mishra and Thind more information to find alternatives for lead in solar cells, which not only contain toxic lead, but also are unstable in light, moisture and heat and break down in a matter of days, leaking lead into groundwater. Mishra is studying whether a nontoxic elementbismuth, lead's neighbor on the periodic tableis a safer and equally efficient substitute for lead in perovskites. Explore further New approach improving stability and optical properties of perovskite films More information: Arashdeep Singh Thind et al. Atomic Structure and Electrical Activity of Grain Boundaries and Ruddlesden-Popper Faults in Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite, Advanced Materials (2018). Arashdeep Singh Thind et al. Atomic Structure and Electrical Activity of Grain Boundaries and Ruddlesden-Popper Faults in Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/adma.201805047 Maria V. Morrell et al. Significantly Enhanced Emission Stability of CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals via Chemically Induced Fusion Growth for Optoelectronic Devices, ACS Applied Nano Materials (2018). DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.8b01298 Journal information: Advanced Materials George Stinney, a 14-year old wrongfully executed for murder in 1944. Credit: M. Watt Espy Papers, University at Albany, CC BY-ND Capital punishment has been practiced on American soil for more than 400 years. Historians have documented nearly 16,000 executions, accomplished by burning, hanging, firing squad, electrocution, lethal gas and lethal injection. An untold number of others have doubtlessly occurred yet escaped recognition. We helped create the University at Albany's National Death Penalty Archive, a rich repository of primary source material encompassing the long and growing history of the death penalty. Capital punishment has long been and continues to be controversial, but there is no disputing its historical and contemporary significance. More than 2,700 men and women are currently under sentence of death throughout the U.S., although they are distributed in wildly uneven fashion. California's death row, by far the nation's largest, tops out at well over 700, while three or fewer inmates await execution in seven states. Executions similarly vary markedly by jurisdiction. Texas has been far and away the leader over the last half century, with five times as many executions as the next leading state. Prized archives We established the National Death Penalty Archive to help preserve a record of the country's past and current capital punishment policies and practices, and to ensure that scholars and the general public can gain access to this critical information. Credit: Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: Death Penalty Information Center The archive currently holds numerous collections from diverse sources, including academics, activists, litigators and researchers. We remain open to new donations of materials relating to capital punishment. The materials are stored in a climate-controlled environment and are accessible to the public. One of our prized collections is the voluminous set of execution records compiled by M. Watt Espy Jr. Espy spent more than three decades, encompassing the 1960s into the 1990s, traversing the countryside, collaborating with others to uncover primary and secondary sources documenting more than 15,000 executions carried out in the U.S. between the 1600s and the late 20th century. Espy's data set has since been updated to include information on executions through 2002. The National Death Penalty Archive houses the court records, newspaper articles, magazine stories, bulletins, photographs and index cards created for each execution that Espy and his assistants painstakingly collected. These items vividly capture this unparalleled history of executions within the American colonies and the U.S. Among those documented is the 1944 electrocution in South Carolina of George Stinney Jr., who at age 14 was the youngest person punished by death during the 20th century. Seventy years later, a South Carolina judge vacated Stinney's conviction, ruling that he did not receive a fair trial. Index card about George Stinney, created by death penalty historian M. Watt Espy. Credit: M. Watt Espy Papers, University at Albany, CC BY-ND In July, after the documents are fully digitized, the National Death Penalty Archive will make all of Espy's materials available online. Other papers Another prized holding consists of nearly 150 boxes of materials from Eugene Wanger. As a delegate to the Michigan Constitutional Convention, Wanger drafted the provision prohibiting capital punishment that was incorporated into the state constitution in 1961. For more than 50 years, Wanger compiled a treasure trove of items spanning the 18th through 21st centuries relating to the death penalty, including numerous rare documents and paraphernalia. Among the thousands of items in the extensive bibliography are copies of anti-capital-punishment essays written by Pennsylvania's Benjamin Rush shortly after the nation's founding. We also have collected the work of notable scholars. For example, the National Death Penalty Archive houses research completed by the late David Baldus, known primarily for his analysis of racial disparities in the administration of the death penalty; the writings of the late Hugo Adam Bedau, perhaps the country's leading philosopher on issues of capital punishment; and the papers of the late Ernest van den Haag, a prolific academic proponent of capital punishment. The National Death Penalty Archive additionally contains more than 150 clemency petitions filed on behalf of condemned prisoners, as well as materials relating to notable U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Ford v. Wainwright, prohibiting execution of the insane, and Herrera v. Collins, in which the justices were asked to rule that the Constitution forbids executing an innocent person wrongfully sentenced to death. On the decline The recent history of capital punishment in the U.S. has been marked by declining popularity and usage. Within the past 15 years, eight states have abandoned the death penalty through legislative repeal or judicial invalidation. Remarks by Hugo Bedau against the death penalty in 1958. Credit: Hugo Bedau Papers, University at Albany, CC BY-ND The number of new death sentences imposed annually nationwide has plummeted from more than 300 in the mid-1990s to a fraction of that just 42 in 2018. Last year, there were 25 executions in the U.S., down from the modern-era high of 98 in 1999. Meanwhile, public support for capital punishment as measured by the Gallup Poll registered at 56 percent in 2018, compared to its peak of 80 percent in 1995. Only a few counties, primarily within California and a few southern states, are responsible for sending vastly disproportionate numbers of offenders to death row. What these trends bode for the future of the death penalty in the U.S. remains to be seen. When later generations reflect on the nation's long and complicated history with the death penalty, we hope that the National Death Penalty Archive will offer important insights into the currents that have helped shape it. Credit: Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: Gallup Explore further Study examines death penalty support in Mexico This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. It's bye bye Britain for many companies As Britain's March 29 departure from the European Union looms, several major companies have announced they are downsizing their operations in the UK or completely shipping out. A panorama: Industry hit hard Amid Brexit jitters as the deadline approaches, Japanese car maker Honda announced Tuesday it will close in 2021 its plant in the southwestern English town of Swindon, putting 3,500 jobs at risk. Honda said Brexit was not a factor but the announcement comes after its competitor Nissan decided in February to ditch plans to build its X-Trail SUV at its plant in northeastern England due to Britain's departure. The new line would have created about 740 jobs. Jaguar Land Rover said in January it would axe around 4,500 mostly UK jobs, one-tenth of its global workforce. It put the move down to a slump in Chinese sales, buyers dumping diesel cars for electric vehicles, as well as uncertainties linked to Brexit. Also in January Dutch multinational Philips announced the closure in 2020 of a factory in eastern England making baby bottles, threatening 430 jobs. It cited "ongoing geopolitical challenges", months after warning about Brexit, and said it would transfer work back to its Dutch base. Schaeffler, a German maker of parts for cars and industrial products, is also planning to shut two UK sites, with Brexit cited for axing up to a reported 500 jobs. Banks reorganise Major financial players based in Britain are also worried: should the UK leave the European single market, banks based there will lose the "passporting rights" that allow them to do business with clients across the other 27 member states of the bloc. To continue operating in Europe, many financial firms will have to set up new business units in EU countries and some are already boosting their operations there, mainly in Paris and Frankfurt. Bank of America and HSBC are among those that plan to reduce their activities in London in favour of Paris, while US firms Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are eyeing Frankfurt. Japan's Sumitomo, Mitsui Financial Group, Daiwa Securities and Nomura, and Britain's Standard Chartered have also chosen the German financial hub. Headquarters moving out The European Union's various agencies are not allowed to be based outside the union. The European Medicines Agency (EMA)one of the world's most powerful drugs watchdogs which employs 900 pharmaceutical experts, biologists and doctorshas chosen to relocate to Amsterdam. Based in 1995 in London's Canary Wharf business district, it is in a court battle to break its lease which runs until 2039. The European Banking Authority and its nearly 200 staff will leave London for Paris. The monitoring base for the bloc's Galileo satnav system will quit Swanwick in southern England for Madrid, and the EU's anti-piracy forces will move their headquarters to Spain and France. Several major multinationals have also chosen to shift their headquarters from Britain amid the Brexit uncertainties. Japanese electronics giant Sony announced it will transfer its European headquarters from Britain to The Netherlands by the end of March to avoid Brexit-related customs issues. British electric appliance pioneer Dyson will switch headquarters to Singapore this year, saying though that this was due to booming Asian demand and not because of Brexit. Explore further Sony to shift UK HQ to avoid Brexit disruption 2019 AFP Credit: Radboud University Imagine that you have a lot of data, but you do not really know what you are looking for. So what do you do? In that case you use a computer that automatically searches for deviations. According to researcher Sascha Caron, this will be a promising method to achieve new breakthroughs in particle physics. Together with other ATLAS researchers at CERN, he has demonstrated this new approach in a paper in The European Physics Journal C, which was published earlier this month. Since the discovery of the Higgs Boson in 2012, there were high expectations for new breakthroughs in physics emerging from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. "Unfortunately, there have been few breakthroughs of an equal magnitude, perhaps because we do not search in enough places," says Sascha Caron, physicist at Radboud University and at Nikhef. He is the driving force behind the new method, together with colleagues Sara Alderweireldt and Jeroen Schouwenberg. Searching for the unknown At the LHC, scientists produce enormous amounts of data to investigate the standard model for particle physics, which describes the forces and particles that form all matter. Caron: "In the search for the Higgs particle we knew exactly what we were looking for, the only unknown was its mass. Because we currently do not know exactly what we are looking for so we can expand the standard model even further, it takes a lot longer to make to a new discovery. You could compare it with searching for a hidden toy in a large room full of toys, but without knowing what it looks like." First quickly, then exactly To speed up the search process, Caron and a number of colleagues have proposed a new systematic approach that can be used to find clues about new particles. Currently, the researchers at CERN look very specifically at a single model or at a single characteristic. According to Caron, this can be done differently: "By using algorithms, we want to investigate all the data simultaneously, using automation, to find deviations from the standard model." "The disadvantage of this approach is that we can examine the data less precisely than in other approaches," says Caron. To solve this problem, the researchers devised a two-stage method: first quickly compare all data to the standard model, and then focus on the deviations you have found. AI is the future Broad search methods with algorithms are already used in other fields, such as genetics. "This broad search method has not been used previously to analyze data from the LHC. This is because the data in particle physics is often very complex compared to data in other fields. If you cannot indicate what kind of data you are looking for, it is difficult to teach an algorithm." Together with colleagues Sara Alderweireldt and Jeroen Schouwenberg, Caron has recently conducted a second 'run' on the data. He wants to refine the method even more. "My goal is to make discoveries in particle physics through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. A computer is not only objective, automation also provides a cheaper and faster path to scientific progress than the one that is currently being followed not only in particle physics but in all fields of science." Explore further International team of physicists continues search for new physics More information: undefined undefined et al. A strategy for a general search for new phenomena using data-derived signal regions and its application within the ATLAS experiment, The European Physical Journal C (2019). undefined undefined et al. A strategy for a general search for new phenomena using data-derived signal regions and its application within the ATLAS experiment,(2019). DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-019-6540-y Small mammals like Unnuakomys hutchisoni scurried at the feet of duck-billed dinosaurs and other larger animals in Alaska's polar forests 69 million years ago. Credit: James Havens Paleontologists working on a steep river bank in Alaska have discovered fossil evidence of the northernmost marsupial known to science. This tiny, opossum-like critter, which the team named Unnuakomys hutchisoni, roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous Period about 69 million years ago. It rubbed elbows with dinosaurs on a land mass that was, at the time, located far above the Arctic Circle. Jaelyn Eberle, curator of fossil vertebrates at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, led the research describing the newest member of Metatheria. This mammalian group includes modern-day marsupials and their extinct relatives. She said that despite an estimated weight of less than an ounce, this itty-bitty animal was probably pretty hardy. It would have needed to survive 120 days of darkness in the winter and temperatures that averaged just 42 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 6 degrees Celsius. To honor that Arctic lifestyle, Eberle and her colleagues gave the new mammal the genus name Unnuakomys, a mash-up of Greek and the indigenous Inupiaq language that means "night mouse." "These guys must have been adapted to darkness because they spent a lot of time in it," said Eberle, also of CU Boulder's Department of Geological Sciences. Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder She added that the discovery paints a more detailed picture of the flora and fauna that once thrived in what is now the North Slope of Alaskaa region that, in the age of dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex, was home to species not seen anywhere else on Earth. "This new marsupial is an exciting addition to the growing list of new species of dinosaurs and other animals that we are describing from northern Alaska as part of a bigger project to reveal ancient Arctic ecosystems," said study coauthor Patrick Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. A peek at teeth Near the end of the reign of dinosaurs, this province, near the modern-day Colville River, would have sat at a latitude of about 80 degrees north, around where northern Greenland sits today. Researchers from the University of Alaska and elsewhere have previously uncovered an array of animals from this region, such as unique species of tyrannosaurids and duck-billed dinosaurs that tromped around thick conifer forests. But mammals from the same area haven't been as easy to find because they were small and didn't leave behind many bones. To identify their new species, the researchers relied on teeth, which they sifted out of huge tubs of dirt. An artist's imagining of a small mammal from the Late Cretaceous. Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder "I liken it to searching for proverbial needles in haystacksmore rocks than fossils," said study coauthor Gregory Erickson of Florida State University. Mammal teeth, Eberle explained, have cusps that differ in size, shape and number from species to species, making them a bit like fingerprints for long-dead organisms. "If I were to go down to the Denver Zoo and crank open the mouth of a lion and look inwhich I don't recommendI could tell you its genus and probably its species based only on its cheek teeth," Eberle said. Based on around 60 such teeth and some jaws from the North Slope, she and her colleagues discovered that they were dealing with not just a brand-new species of marsupial, but a new genus, too. They published their findings recently in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. The team can't say a lot about what Unnuakomys hutchisoni might have looked like, although it would have been about the size of a house mouse. It probably munched on insects and may have lived underground. Unlikely survivors Paleontologists from the University of Alaska excavate a steep river bank. Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder The find sets new limits on the climate range that ancient relatives of kangaroos, koalas and opossums could survive in. The northernmost marsupial alive today, the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), doesn't venture past lower regions of Canada. Eberle added that while Late Cretaceous mammals like Unnuakomys hutchisoni may seem unassuming, they're important to study because they were unlikely survivors. While non-avian dinosaurs perished after a meteorite crash 66 million years ago, an array of tiny mammals persevered, eventually giving rise to the wide diversity of these organisms alive today. Eberle wants to know how. Did these early mammals, for example, flee to burrows underground to weather the long period of extreme temperatures? "If I were Doctor Who, I'd take the TARDIS back to the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary when that meteorite hit," Eberle said. "I want to know what was going on that potentially preadapted these mammals for survival." Explore further Ancient carpet shark discovered with 'spaceship-shaped' teeth More information: Jaelyn J. Eberle et al. Northernmost record of the Metatheria: a new Late Cretaceous pediomyid from the North Slope of Alaska, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology (2019). Journal information: Journal of Systematic Palaeontology Jaelyn J. Eberle et al. Northernmost record of the Metatheria: a new Late Cretaceous pediomyid from the North Slope of Alaska,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2018.1560369 Turkish police on Tuesday launched raids to detain over 300 people, including military personnel, suspected of ties to a group blamed for a 2016 coup bid, state media reported. Prosecutors in Turkey's three biggest provinces -- Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir -- issued arrest warrants for 324 people as part of different probes into followers of US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, the private DHA and the Anadolu state news agency said. Turkey accuses Gulen of ordering the abortive bid to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15, 2016 but he strongly denies the claim. The Istanbul public prosecutor sought the arrest of 53 active duty soldiers in 15 provinces, including in the metropolis, Anadolu reported. In the Aegean province of Izmir, the public prosecutor issued 182 arrest warrants with police conducting raids across 42 provinces, including Izmir, DHA reported. The capital's public prosecutor said it issued 89 arrest warrants in two separate probes including one looking at the gendarmerie, which is in charge of domestic security. The Ankara prosecutor's office said 30 suspects had already been detained. The operations against alleged members of Gulen's movement have increased in recent months. More than 760 people were detained last week in operations across 76 provinces of Turkey's 81 provinces, although 122 suspects were later freed under judicial supervision. Sixteen other suspects were released, according to the Ankara public prosecutor's office. Tens of thousands of people have been arrested over suspected links to Gulen since 2016. Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people have been sacked or suspended from the public sector. Despite criticism from Western allies and human rights defenders over the scale of the crackdown, the police operations and probes continue with rigour. Turkish officials insist that the raids are necessary to remove the "virus" caused by the Gulen movement's infiltration of Turkish state bodies. THE Sun Life Foundation (SLF) joined hands with Bantay Kalikasan for the construction of the Panganiban Mangrove Forest Boardwalk in Gubat, Sorsogon to promote environmental sustainability while boosting THE Sun Life Foundation (SLF) joined hands with Bantay Kalikasan for the construction of the Panganiban Mangrove Forest Boardwalk in Gubat, Sorsogon to promote environmental sustainability while boosting income generation for the locals. SLF is the philanthropy arm of Sun Life Financial Philippines, while Bantay Kalikasan is the environmental branch of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation. Once completed, the Panganiban Mangrove Forest Boardwalk will provide easier access to the mangrove park and open a path for activities like strolling along the white sands of Luneta Island, visiting the Mangrove Nursery, and learning more about crab aquaculture. The place will be open to the public upon its completion in July 2019, and is projected to boost eco-tourism and provide additional income for the residents. Given Sun Lifes financial literacy thrust, we aim to promote the preservation of nature without compromising the peoples livelihood. This eco-tourism initiative with Bantay Kalikasan perfectly combines both advocacies, SLF president Alex Narciso said. The groundbreaking for the Panganiban Mangrove Forest Boardwalk was recently held and it was attended by Narciso, Sun Life chief marketing officer Mylene Lopa and SLF executive director Kristine Millete. PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure requiring mobile service providers to allow a subscriber to keep current mobile number in a bid to "promote consumer welfare."Republic PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure requiring mobile service providers to allow a subscriber to keep current mobile number in a bid to "promote consumer welfare." Republic Act (RA) 11202, otherwise known as the "Mobile Number Portability Act," gives mobile phone users the "freedom to choose and to respond to quality, price, and other relevant considerations" without changing their mobile numbers, even if they change mobile service providers or subscription plans. Under the newly signed-law, public telecommunications entities have the obligation to provide nationwide mobile number portability (MNP) to all qualified subscribers "completely free of charge." MNP refers to the "ability of a mobile postpaid or prepaid number, who has no existing financial obligation to the donor provider, to retain an existing mobile number, despite having moved from one mobile service provider to another, or to change the type of subscription from postpaid to prepaid or vice versa." The law provides that a public telecommunications entity shall change the type of subscription from postpaid to prepaid or vice versa, within 24 hours from the time a subscriber submits the porting application. "In no case, under penalty of law as provided hereunder, shall the benefits of MNP to a subscriber who has decided to avail of MNP be delayed, withheld, refused, or otherwise not delivered within the period provided under this Act," RA 11202 read. The mobile service providers are also mandated to provide subscribers "complete, relevant, and timely information" of MNP, including its features, the porting application requirements, the porting process, and the cutover period in the porting process. They are also ordered to maintain confidentiality of information obtained by not monitoring or disclosing the contents of any usage transaction contained within the databases under its control, except to the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of RA 11202. Story continues A fine of P10,000 will be imposed on a mobile service provider, when portability is not performed within the period allowed under the law. On the other hand, a penalty of P40,000 fine will be slapped against a public telecommunications entity that "unjustly" refuses to grant the retention of mobile number to a subscriber. It will have to pay P100,000 up to P300,000 for second to fourth offense. A provider who violates the law in fifth time will face a fine of not less than P400,000 up to P1 million and revocation of franchise to operate. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), as the government mandated to implement nationwide MNP, is also authorized to award the subscriber damages not exceeding P40,000. Within 90 days from the effectivity of RA 11202, the NTC shall coordinate with the Department of Information and Technology, the National Privacy Commission, the Philippine Competition Commission, and other concerned agencies, and promulgate necessary rules and regulations and other issuances. Within six months from the promulgation of the rules and regulations, mobile service providers are directed to comply with the provisions of the law and set up mechanism for the purpose of implementing nationwide MNP. Malacanang on Tuesday, February 19, released a copy of RA 11202, which is signed into law by Duterte on February 8. (SunStar Philippines) PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, February 19, urged Malaysia and Indonesia to "band together" with the Philippines in a bid to address piracy at sea and kidnapping of seafarers.Duterte made PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, February 19, urged Malaysia and Indonesia to "band together" with the Philippines in a bid to address piracy at sea and kidnapping of seafarers. Duterte made the call during the 25th anniversary celebration of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Association of Southeast Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) in Davao City. The President asked for the cooperation of the leaders of Malaysia and Indonesia, as he noted that pirates have "no souls." "I call upon the BIMP-EAGA. We are doing commerce. Our navies must be vigilant. We have to be one in our patrols. These pirates, they have no souls -- I assure you -- just like me. I am telling the military forces, finish them (pirates) off," Duterte said in his speech. "Once again, Indonesia and Malaysia, we have to band together. The world is changing including the economy. It could either go bad or very bad or where it could go well. But we have to go to a bad level and I hope we can survive it," he added. Duterte renewed the call, amid security concerns in the regional waters wherein piracy and kidnap-for-ransom activities continue to thrive. He also vented frustrations over the lack of justice for victims of piracy, describing this as a "mirage actually floating in the seas." "But let me be very clear to the heads of state. My orders to my navy is to blast them off the earth. If there are pirates in our territory or in the high seas, my orders are blast them to kingdom come," he said. "Just the same, they are arrested, they go to prison, you do not have witnesses because the victims are - Once they are freed, they would not even wait for a minute to issue a statement to go home because they are scared. So justice seems to be an illusion, its a mirage actually floating in the seas," Duterte added. (SunStar Philippines) MANILA, Philippines The Department of Health has recorded more than 9,000 cases of measles across the country from January 1 to February 18, 2019. The department said this is three times higher than what was seen in the same period in 2018 with 2,534 cases. The death toll on measles cases has also risen to one hundred forty-six. The department also said that there is a rising concern over the increasing number of measles cases in CALABARZON, the National Capital Region, and Central Luzon. DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III has made an appeal to health center representatives in Metro Manila to extend their services and conduct free vaccination on children age six months to five years on weekends. Buong Kamaynilan ang kanila pong mga kinatawan ay sumang-ayon na habaan ang oras. Ang mga bakunahan tuwing Sabado at nakikiusap ako pwede pong pati Linggo [Representatives in the whole of Metro Manila agreed to extend their working time. Conduct vaccination on Saturdays, and if need be, even on Sundays], said Duque. Last Saturday, health centers in the NCR has conducted the said free vaccination. The DOH said this should be done as part of their intensified efforts to curb the spread of the virus and, in turn, prevent further backlash on tourism and the economy. Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo, on the other hand, allayed fears of other countries that Filipino travelers may be possible carriers of the virus. The health official also expressed concern over the issue that authorities from other countries might prevent their citizens from traveling to the Philippines, as this may have a severe effect on the economy. Sa mga tourist na papunta satin [To the incoming tourists], we want to assure them that everything is being done to contain the outbreaks and control it the soonest time possible, said Domingo. Maris Federez (with reports from Aiko Miguel) The post DOH records more than 9,000 measles cases; intensifies immunization drive to control effect on tourism, economics appeared first on UNTV News. " " Billions of people throughout China and Asia celebrate the Lantern Festival as a way to end Chinese New Year. Pone Pluck/Getty Images It's the stuff artsy photographers dreams are made of: thousands of glowing orbs and ornamental structures dotting the night sky as illuminated faces stare skyward in awe. The scene may be a visual jaw-dropper, but the event behind the spectacle is so much more than eye candy. While President's Day is still fresh on the minds of many United States citizens this week, people around the world are recognizing a significant Chinese holiday this Feb. 19: the Lantern Festival. Otherwise known as the Spring Festival or Yuan Xiao, the Lantern Festival marks the end of the weeks-long Chinese New Year celebration with a climactic, luminous celebration to usher in spring. (Google even dedicated a Doodle to it.) Regardless how you celebrate the Lantern Festival, the joyful commemoration is thought to date back 2000 years to the Han Dynasty, and annually it falls on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month. Advertisement Today's revelers celebrate the Lantern Festival for a variety of reasons, and there are myriad interpretations of the holiday's rich symbolism. But the origins of the celebration are thought to tie back to Buddhist origins. Emperor Ming of Han reportedly became aware of monks lighting lanterns to pay respect to Buddha, so he ordered all the Chinese temples, households and royal palaces do the same. While many modern-day observers no longer retain the religious aspect of the holiday, the lantern tradition still remains strong. People light lanterns of all shapes and sizes for any number of purposes: to invoke good fortune, pay respect to family members, honor a relationship and more. Some people also write riddles to attach to their lanterns to add to the fun, and others pen love notes. While the holiday has a vast number of meanings, it's generally considered a jubilant occasion to be shared with family many of which mark the day with a holiday meal featuring a dish that Chinese northerners also call yuan xiao, and Southerners call tang yuan. These fried or steamed rice dumplings include a syrupy sweet filling that often includes red bean or black sesame paste. The festivities often also feature daytime lion dances and nighttime fireworks. Now That's Sweet In ancient China, women usually weren't allowed to leave the house, except on the night of the Lantern Festival. On that night, women could walk around freely, light lanterns, play games and mingle with men. This is often why some refer to the Lantern Festival as the true Chinese Valentine's Day. A neighbor near the Sutherland place once told my husband and me that a Civil War soldier named William Sutherland had lived in the old house. A old kitchen once stood to right of center of this picture. SOUTHERLAND, WILLIAM M.: Enlist 21 Oct 1864 at Camp Lee in Company C. Captured 1 Apr 1865 at Five Forks. Transported to Point Lookout MD 5 Apr 1865. Took oath and released 10 June 1865. 5 ft. 7 1/2 in. tall, dark complexion, gray hair, gray eyes. Residence in Franklin County VA. According to Find-a-Grave, Pvt. William Milton Sutherland served in Company C, 57th Virginia Infantry, Confederate States of America Army. Fromby Charles W Sublett, page 85, published by H E Howard Inc, Lynchburg VA, 1985: 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? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... 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! Congress is properly pushing back against U.S. support for the savage war Saudi Arabia and its allies have waged in Yemen, which has killed tens of thousands of civilians. Last Wednesday, the House voted 248 to 177 to invoke authority under the 1973 War Powers Resolution to withdraw U.S. forces from any involvement in the Yemen conflict. Even if the Senate follows suit, President Donald Trump probably would veto the resolution. The White House argues that the War Powers Resolution doesn't apply because U.S. forces aren't involved in "hostilities" in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and its allies are fighting on behalf of an internationally recognized government against Houthi insurgents supported by Iran. The U.S. role is limited to providing intelligence and supplying weapons. (In the past, the U.S. also refueled Saudi fighter planes.) Still, opposition in Congress could put additional pressure on the Saudis to honor a shaky cease-fire and support negotiations on a political settlement. Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has good reason to think that this administration will continue to give it the benefit of the doubt and not just on Yemen. Part of the problem is that Trump, that most transactional of presidents, sees the economic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia as a good deal so good that he has all but said that spending by the Saudis on U.S. weapons and other goods and services is a reason to overlook the likely complicity of the crown prince in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey last October. Trump isn't alone in being reluctant to confront the question of the crown prince's culpability. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo became annoyed when a reporter asked him if he agreed with the CIA's assessment that the crown prince probably played a role in Khashoggi's killing. Calling it a "ridiculous question," Pompeo claimed that "as the facts are developed, as we learn more, we will hold everyone responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi accountable." That's hard to believe. The administration failed to act on a demand issued by Congress under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for a report on whether the crown prince is personally responsible for Khashoggi's death. The indulgence the administration shows to Saudi Arabia isn't totally a matter of dollars-and-cents calculation. It also reflects the administration's fear and loathing of the Islamic Republic of Iran. (In fact, the statement Trump released after Khashoggi's killing criticized Iran's "bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen" before it got around to mentioning the journalist's death.) If Iran must be opposed as uniquely evil, the administration seems to think, then Saudi Arabia, its regional competitor, must be embraced, regardless of its misdeeds. Of course, the U.S. must deal with the real threats Iran poses to regional stability, including its support for militant movements, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, that the U.S. regards as terrorist groups. The administration is also right to chastise Iran (and Saudi Arabia, for that matter) for repressing dissent. But the Trump administration has become monomaniacally focused on Iran. In a speech Thursday in Warsaw, Vice President Mike Pence claimed that Iran "openly advocates another Holocaust and seeks the means to achieve it." In a line that seemed tailor-made to appeal to Arab nations, he added that "Iran seeks to re-create the ancient Persian Empire under the modern dictatorship of the ayatollahs." One doesn't have to ignore Iran's provocations to see this as a dangerously one-sided view that limits U.S. influence in the region. For example, although Pence cited Iraq as a place where Iran was exercising malign influence through militias outside the Iraqi government's control, many Shiite Muslims in Iraq will be alienated by the U.S. demonization of Iran. The administration's Iran obsession has also strained relations with America's European allies. After Trump withdrew the U.S. from the international agreement that placed limitations on Iran's nuclear program, European nations took steps to remain faithful to the agreement, for the good reason that Iran has complied with its requirements. Their reward from the U.S. for that fidelity to an international agreement was a tongue-lashing from Pence for trying to "break American sanctions against Iran's murderous revolutionary regime." A free ride for Saudi Arabia may be the most conspicuous consequence of the administration's obsession with Iran, but it's not the only one. The above editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. About Me Oscar Bartoli Washington, DC, United States Avvocato, giornalista pubblicista, collabora con molti media italiani. Risiede negli Stati Uniti dal 1994 e vive tra Washington D.C., Los Angeles e Bangalore (India). Consigliere comunale per il Partito Liberale a Palazzo Vecchio (Firenze) porta ancora addosso i segni delle percosse che i 'compagni' comunisti di allora gli hanno dato per essere andato a parlare nelle piazze dove comandava solo il PCI. Ha lavorato per molti anni nel gruppo SMI,leader europeo nel settore metalli non ferrosi, successivamente nell'IRI come responsabile dei contatti con i media e in seguito direttore IRI USA. Ha insegnato per dieci anni alla scuola di giornalismo della Luiss e per due anni alla Catholic University di Washington DC. Tiene un corso sulla comunicazione nel Master di Relazioni Internazionali dello IULM di Milano. Rotariano da decenni ha contribuito a creare due Club a Roma, e' stato presidente del Cassia Romana ed attualmente fa parte del Washington Rotary Club. Da giovane, per pagarsi gli studi ma, soprattutto, perche' gli piaceva, ha lavorato come chitarrista - cantante suonando nelle case del popolo, circoli cattolici, night clubs, radio e televisione. View my complete profile Da non perdere "Lei non sa chi sono io" Oscar Bartoli- Prefazione Romano Prodi- Editore Ciuffa "Ed anche questa e' America", di Oscar Bartoli - prefazione Walter Veltroni Editore Luiss University Press "Mezzogiorno di Fuoco: duello all'ultimo spot" di Oscar Bartoli - Editore goWare "W.D.C (sotto traccia)" di Oscar Bartoli, Editore Luca Betti "DC Undercover" (Scarith Books/New Academia Publishing 2013) "Massoneria@FQA-Elogio dell'Informazione e della Comunicazione" di Stefano Bisi e Oscar Bartoli. Editore Luca Betti Potus-Sutop (Leo Rasco-Oscar Bartoli) Kindle Amazon Blog Archive TransCanada has applied with the National Energy Board of Canada for permission to start transporting natural gas from the west of the country to New Brunswick in the east, using existing pipeline infrastructure, CBC reports, adding the company has won the support of Enbridge and Irving Oil, the two largest gas retailers in New Brunswick. According to the general manager of Enbridge, Gilles Volpe, the move could cut consumers gas bills by as much as 30-40 percent. The plan, Volpes said, gives access to more capacity, and more access to the Alberta-based natural gas. That natural gas is plentiful, of course, but it's also very stable from a price point of view." Enbridge has already signed a contract for the deliveries of natural gas from Alberta to the East for 20.5 years beginning in 2021. Irving Oil has also signed a contract, with deliveries beginning this November. "EGNB [Enbridge Gas New Brunswick] does not have access to local supply, nor local natural gas storage facilities to meet its franchise needs at this time and considers [gas from the west] as a valuable asset in meeting the needs of Atlantic Canada long term," said Volpe. Previously, New Brunswick got its gas from offshore fields in Nova Scotia, but production there was shut down last year, leaving Alberta as the natural replacement for supplies of the fuel. TransCanadas idea to use existing pipelines to ship gas from the West to the East comes after the company dropped its plans for the Energy East pipeline that would have shipped Alberta crude oil to the east. The company cited regulatory tightening as reason for its decision to give up Energy East. Environmentalist opposition to any new pipeline projects also helped tip the scales against Energy East. But the decision has opened up spare capacity that could be used to transport gas and keep its price low enough to make it competitive. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Saudi Arabias crude oil exports plunged by nearly 550,000 bpd to 7.687 million bpd in December 2019, down from a two-year high in November, as the Kingdom started to limit supply after the U.S. granted waivers to eight Iranian customers and the market swung into oversupply. According to data by the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) database, which collects self-reported figures from 114 countries, the Saudi oil production also dropped in Decemberto 10.6 million bpd from an all-time high of 11.09 million bpd in November. In November, Saudi Arabias crude oil exports had jumped by 534,000 bpd month on month to 8.24 million bpdthe highest level in two years as the Kingdom moved to offset supply losses from Iran with the return of the U.S. sanctions on Tehrans oil industry. The month before that, Saudi Arabia had increased its October crude oil exports to what was then the highest level since January 2017, when the initial OPEC/non-OPEC production cut deal began. But after the U.S. granted waivers to eight key Iranian oil customers to continue importing oil from Iran until early May this year, Saudi Arabia and its allies at OPEC and non-OPEC Russia pared back production as the market started to fear a growing oversupply amid uncertain demand growth. Related: U.S.-China Trade Deal Could Boost Gasoline Prices As a result, OPEC and its Russia-led non-OPEC partners agreed to a new production cut deal in early December, targeting to remove 1.2 million bpd from the market between January and June this year, with Iran, Venezuela, and Libya exempted from cuts due to their special circumstances. Saudi Arabia has reduced production more than its share of the cuts and has recently signaled that it would cut crude oil production and exports even deeper next month. In an interview with the Financial Times published last week, Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said that the Saudis would cut production to around 9.8 million bpd in March, some 500,000 bpd below the commitment in the OPEC+ deal. Saudi Arabia would be cutting its crude oil exports to near 6.9 million bpd next month, slashed from 8.2 million bpd just three months ago. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias gas giant Gazprom will begin natural gas deliveries to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline ahead of schedule, as early as December 1, 2019, Alexey Miller, Chairman of Gazproms Management Committee, has said on a recent visit to China. The Power of Siberia natural gas pipeline was initially expected to start sending gas to China on December 20, 2019, and its completion is among Gazproms top priorities. After talks in Beijing with officials of CNPCwith which Gazprom has a 30-year contract for the supply of an annual 1.3 trillion cu ft of natural gas via the Power of Siberia pipelineMiller said: Construction of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline is going ahead of schedule, and Gazprom will start delivering gas to China well in advance, as early as December 1, 2019. The Power of Siberia gas pipeline will transport natural gas from the Irkutsk and Yakutia production centers to consumers in Russias Far East and to China. Gazprom is dominating gas supplies to many European markets while it also vies to meet the surging Chinese natural gas demand as the country is in the middle of a massive switch from coal-fired to gas-fired heating in millions of homes. In 2018, Chinas natural gas importsincluding pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) importssoared by nearly 32 percent from 2017 to a record 90.39 million tons, solidifying Chinas position as the worlds biggest importer of the fuel. China became the worlds top natural gas importerincluding LNG and pipelinein October last year, overtaking Japan which imports all its gas as LNG. According to Platts Analytics, Chinacurrently the worlds second-largest LNG importer behind Japanis set to overtake Japan as the top global LNG importer by 2022 as China will continue to be the largest growth factor behind global LNG demand growth. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Iran has launched the third phase of a new refinery, making the country self-sufficient in gasoline production, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said on Monday. At the opening ceremony of the third phase of the Bandar Abbas Gas Condensate Refinery, also called the Persian Gulf Star Refinery, the minister said that Irans gasoline production had more than doubled since 2013. Despite holding large crude oil reserves, the Islamic Republic have been importing gasoline for its domestic needs for years, because under the previous Western sanctions, it couldnt buy spare parts for refinery equipment and maintenance, and because of its low gasoline production capacity. Last year, before the U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal imposing new sanctions on Iran, the Islamic Republic was making progress in cutting its gasoline imports and had set gasoline self-sufficiency as a high priority. Most of Irans imports came from refiners in India, Southeast Asia, and North Asia. Back in April last year, Iran was aiming to end imports of gasoline by the end of 2018. The three phases of the Persian Gulf Star Refinery, when completed, were expected to produce a total of 55 percent of Irans gasoline, in addition to 13.5 million liters per day of diesel. Speaking at the inauguration of the new refinery unit on Monday, Zangeneh said, as quoted by the oil ministrys news service Shana: Today, contrary to what was the case a decade ago that petrol imports could be subject to the sanctions, we are no longer an importer of the item and can even become a petrol exporter and the US cannot have a word to say in this regard. Iran could export some of the gasoline, but it will not do it because it wants to boost its domestic stockpiles of the product, the oil minister added, as carried by Shana. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: OPECs production cuts and the U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and Iran have been limiting the availability of heavy and sour crude grades to Europe, where prices for heavier grades have recently shot up amid an increasingly tightening market, crude traders tell S&P Global Platts. The U.S. sanctions on Iran had already limited some of the heavy grade supply into Europe. Then with the new round of OPEC/non-OPEC cuts that began in January, Iraqs Basra Light and Heavytypically very popular among European refinershave also been in short supply on the spot market in Europe as Iraq is diverting more barrels of Basra to the premium market for Middle Eastern producers: Asia. There are no destination-free Basrah cargoes at the moment coming to Europe for the end of February as theyre targeting Asia, a crude trader told Platts. To top off the sanctions on Iran and the OPEC cuts, the U.S. sanctions on Venezuela at the end of January further tightened the heavy crude market in Europe, and traders expect the market to tighten even more in the coming months. The sanctions on Venezuela and on Iran, as well as OPECs cuts, have led to a huge imbalance between light sweet grades and heavy sour grades, especially in Europe, as Middle Eastern and other oil producers are targeting to keep their sales on the Asian market. Due to tighter supply of medium and heavy sour crude oil, Middle Eastern benchmarks for sour crude grades traded higher than Brent Crude prices at the beginning of February in a rarely seen development in global oil prices. In Europe, some sour crude grades, such as Russias Urals, have started to trade at premiums to sweeter crudes because of the limited sour and heavy crude availability, according to S&P Global Platts data. Urals is at positive numbers, Basrah is trading at dramatic premium to OSP and I dont see why sour should soften, demand is there but there is not much available, a trader told Platts. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Citgo, the U.S. unit of Venezuelas PDVSA, has removed from their positions four top executives as the battle for control over the company between the Maduro government and the opposition, led by Juan Guaido, heats up. Reuters quotes unnamed sources as saying the executives who were removed were close to the Venezuelan President. The move is part of the oppositions attempt to seize control over the profitable business. Earlier this month, Guaido said he and his interim government were preparing a whole new board of directors for Citgo as well as for PDVSA. All of the executives who were removed from their positions are Venezuelans, one of them a cousin of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Meanwhile, the families of the so-called Citgo Sixcompany executives jailed in Venezuela two years ago on allegations of corruptionhave spoken up, saying their relatives were held in overcrowded conditions. The executives, including then-president Jose Angel Pereira, were accused of embezzlement after they proposed to refinance about US$4 billion in Citgo-issued debt by using a 50-percent stake in the company as collateral. According to one Citgo employee, as quoted by the Daily Mail, the families of the jailed executives received no support from the company despite terms in their contracts stipulating they had the right to such support. Citgo is the eight-largest refining company in the United States, accounting for about 4 percent of the national refining capacity. It is also, understandably, the largest buyer of Venezuelan crude oil in the United States. The company was swept into the political chaos reigning in Venezuela after Juan Guaido, President of the opposition-dominated National Assembly, declared himself interim president saying the latest elections that saw Maduro win a second term in office rigged and calling for a new vote. Guaido has received the support of the U.S., Canada, most South American countries, and the EU. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Amid increasing tensions between longtime regional antagonists India and Pakistan, Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) pledged $20 billion to Pakistan on his trip to Islamabad on Sunday. The amount is reportedly higher than originally estimated, while more will be forthcoming. Its big for phase 1, and definitely it will grow every month and every year, and it will be beneficial to both countries, MbS said.We have been a brotherly country, a friendly country to Pakistan. Weve walked together in tough and good times, and we (will) continue. Saudi Arabias investment pledge comes a month after the kingdom said that it would invest $10 billion in a new oil refinery in Pakistans deepwater port of Gwadar. Saudi Arabia wants to make Pakistans economic development stable through establishing an oil refinery and partnership with Pakistan in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, Saudi Energy Khalid al-Falih told reporters in Gwadar at the time. The crown princes high profile visit to Pakistan also comes just days after a suicide bomber killed 44 Indian paramilitary police by ramming his car into a bus carrying the officers. The incident took place in the disputed Kashmir region. The Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack, while the Indian government accused Pakistan of letting militant groups operate from its soil and called on it to take action. The Kashmir region has been contested between India and Pakistan, having started just after the partition of India by the British in 1947. Both countries rule parts of the region while claiming the entire territory as theirs. Related: OPECs Next Big Crisis Saudi Arabias investment pledge will also help Pakistan as it struggles with a mounting debt problem, and dwindling foreign reserves. Consequently, Pakistan has been talking to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about a possible financial bailout and has also recently stepped up efforts to sector funds from several Arab states and China. Strengthening decades-old bilateral ties Saudi Arabias investment pledge is not only larger than anticipated, but it also furthers the decades-old strategic partnership between the countries that dates back to helping the House of Saud in a volatile region. It has been said that Saudi Arabia at times helps Pakistan financially, while Pakistan helps secure the kingdom's security by being able to assist it with Pakistani military might. Case in point, Pakistani military engagement started in Saudi Arabia when Pakistani special forces participated in the operation to eliminate fundamentalist elements that seized the Grand Mosque in Makkah in 1979. Afterward, tens of thousands of Pakistani troops remained in Saudi Arabia during the Iran-Iraq war. Most were recalled after the war ended in 1988 but a smaller contingent remained. Last year, Pakistan was reportedly preparing to send troops to Saudi Arabia in an advisory and training role. Ali Awadh Asseri, a former Saudi ambassador to Islamabad, said after the crown prince's visit that greater interaction between business and the private sectors in both countries will take the historical bond to a new level. We know that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have always enjoyed an incomparable level of understanding and friendship based on religion, culture and values. There is a historical bond between the two countries, he added. I have no doubt that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is taking a cohesive approach to strengthen the relationship and take it to another level. Asseri said Saudi Arabia has deferred payments on oil worth billions of U.S. dollars from time to time in order to ease pressure on the Pakistan economy. The kingdom is also making billion-dollar direct investments in the country in line with the China-Pakistan economic corridor. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russian gas giant Gazprom has invested billions in extending and diversifying its pipeline infrastructure to Europe through Turk Stream and Nord Stream 2. Both projects are part of Moscows vision to circumvent Ukraine and deprive the country of its strategic value as a transit country for its gas. Nord Stream 2 has been the focus of attention of critics while Turk Stream has gone relatively unnoticed. Both pipelines are scheduled for completion this year. In Turk Stream's case, the entry point of the pipeline into Europe has not yet been announced. The project consists out of two pipes, each with a total capacity of 31.5 bcm. One string is marked for the domestic Turkish market, while the second string is intended for the European market. Gazprom has several options regarding the entry point into Europe: west into Greece and Italy or north into Bulgaria and towards Baumgarten Austria. Gazprom, intentionally, has created a veil of uncertainty to maximize its financial gains and achieve Moscows political goals. Recent developments and Russias long-term strategic goals imply an announcement in favour of South Stream Lite (the northern option). Strategic implications From an economic point of view, Turk Stream is not the most logical option to get Russian gas into Europe due to existing infrastructure in Ukraine. Some countries, however, will benefit from the project. Direct access to Russian gas by Turkey, for example, will reduce costs due to the absence of transit fees which instead will be paid by other countries, down the road. Related: Does Saudi Arabia Really Have As Much Oil As Analysts Think? Gazprom, as a state-controlled company, needs to take into account the Kremlins strategic goals. The 2014 revolution in Ukraine created an unprecedented crisis between Russia and its one-time ally. Therefore, Turk Streams primary goal is to deprive Ukraine of its strategic value and much-needed revenue from transit fees. It is projected that the country could lose up to 3 percent of its GDP when transit through Ukraine decreases from 90 bcm/year to approximately 10-15 bcm/year due to Nord Stream 2 and Turk Stream. The church and state Politics will be the primary factor in Gazproms final decision regarding Turk Stream, and the political crisis between Ukraine and Russia has blown over from the physical realm, into the spiritual one. Historically, the Orthodox Church in Ukraine has been under the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. The Church in Ukraine, however, has declared its independence due to the political crisis between the countries which has been formalized by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the head of the global Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church, in turn, cut off ties with the Fener Greek Patriarchate of which Bartholomew is the highest cleric. While Greece and Russia still maintain close political relations and Athens has offered to extend Turk Stream into its territory, the religious conflict could have serious political ramifications. Volkan Ozdemir, head of the Ankara-based Institute for Energy Markets and Policies (EPPEN), said in an interview that "Russians in response to this are focusing on the Bulgarian option, and not on Greece. Therefore, in this sense, I think that the Russians will make a political preference." Related: Bank Of America: Oil Anchored Until 2024 Bulgarias green light Due to South Stream's cancellation, Bulgaria missed out on a significant economic opportunity. Turk Stream, however, offers a window of opportunity to obtain a strategic and financial advantage vis-a-vis its current position. Bulgaria is not biding its time and waiting for Gazprom to make an announcement. Instead, Sofia has doubled down on its effort to construct the extension of Turk Stream and receive Russian gas for its domestic market and beyond. Bulgartransgaz announced the successful completion of the economic test for expanding Bulgarias gas transit network from Turkey to Serbia. This means that the capacity of the future pipeline has been booked for 20 years. Following the positive results, the national transmission company has taken the final investment decision for the 1.4 billion project. Gazproms apparent decision Despite Gazproms attempt to maintain a veil of uncertainty, all factors seem to point towards the north and Bulgaria. The Turk Stream project is meant to circumvent Ukraine. Furthermore, Gazprom has long-term delivery contracts with customers in southeast Europe. To preserve the security of supply and deprive Ukraine of its strategic value, Turk Stream needs to be extended into Bulgaria and towards Austria. Therefore, it seems highly likely that Gazprom will soon announce its decision for the preferred northern extension. By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Officially, Venezuela has the worlds largest crude oil reserves with 303 billion barrels of proved reserves. But, a lot of this oil is extra-heavy crude oil, and may not be economical to produce at prevailing prices. Thus, some portion of Venezuelas barrels may in reality no longer be in the proved reserves category. Consider that Venezuelas proved reserves jumped from 80 billion barrels in 2005 to 300 billion barrels in 2014. The main reason for that wasnt a bunch of new oil discoveries. No, it was the fact that oil prices had reached triple digits, making Venezuelas extra heavy oil economical to produce. In other words, resources (the oil in the ground) were moved into the proved reserves (oil that is economical to produce) category. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, reported 264 billion barrels of proved reserves in 2005, and 267 billion barrels in 2014. Saudi Arabias barrels were deemed to be economical to produce even before oil prices spiked. For that reason, I consider Saudi Arabias proved reserves 16 percent of the global total to be of the most significance to the global oil market. But doubts about the amount of Saudi Arabias reserves have persisted for years. In 1982, Saudi Arabia stopped allowing their oil and gas data to be scrutinized. Prior to that, outsiders had some access to information on their reserves. When that accessibility was shut down, Saudi proved oil reserves were estimated to be 166 billion barrels. However, around 1988 Saudi raised their estimate of proved reserves by 90 billion barrels. Many pundits have suggested that this upward revision was based on internal OPEC politics. Since the reserves were no longer subject to outside audit, there was a great deal of skepticism around the official numbers the Saudis released. The skepticism deepened when one considered that Saudis reserves in 1990 were 260 billion barrels, and today nearly 30 years later they are reportedly 266 billion barrels. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia produced over 100 billion barrels between 1990 and 2017. How then could their reserves be essentially unchanged? Related: Is Ocasio-Cortez Right To Dismiss Nuclear Energy? In preparation for a potential IPO, Saudis national oil company, Saudi Aramco, commissioned an outside audit of its proved reserves. The external audit found Saudis proved oil reserves to be at least 270 billion barrels. But doubts persist. For example, oil economist Dr. Mamdouh G. Salameh, who is a Visiting Professor of Energy Economics at ESCP Europe Business School, London, recently wrote: My calculation of Saudi reserves based on Saudi production since the discovery of oil in 1938 till now (for which we have figures) and a deduction of an annual depletion rate of Saudi aging fields averaging 5 percent-7 percent for the same period, gives a figure of 70-74 bb of remaining reserves. My figures are more or less in line with those of other experts. I once did a similar calculation. I started with the assumption that the 1982 estimate of 166 billion barrels was correct, and then I just subtracted Saudi production since then. I calculated their total production since 1982 as ~100 billion barrels, leaving 66 billion barrels of reserves. However, I then did a sanity check that threw that calculation in doubt. I did the same calculation for U.S. proved reserves over the same time frame. In 1982, U.S. proved crude oil reserves were reported to be 35 billion barrels. By 2005 and before the shale oil boom was underway, U.S. proved reserves had only fallen to 30 billion barrels. But total U.S. production between 1982 and 2005 was 77 billion barrels. If we extend that calculation through the end of 2017, U.S. proved reserves have actually jumped to 50 billion barrels (per the 2018 BP Statistical Review), and there have been 117 billion barrels of U.S. production since 1982. To reiterate, in 1982 U.S. proved crude oil reserves stood at 35 billion barrels. Between then and 2017, the U.S. produced 117 billion barrels of oil, yet proved reserves grew to 50 billion barrels. Related: Can Ukraine Gain Energy Independence? How did this happen? There were new discoveries, technological improvements that allowed more barrels to be extracted from existing fields, and higher prices that made additional resources economical to extract. I think its reasonable to assume that Saudi Arabia also found additional barrels since 1982. They also have access to the same kinds of technology that improved recovery in U.S. fields. Therefore, I do not believe its a legitimate exercise to consider depletion from a historical reserves number to estimate current reserves. Such an exercise would have suggested that U.S. oil production would have fallen to zero by 1991. Thus, I dont find a reasonable basis for concluding that Saudi Arabias reserves are much lower than their official numbers. Their published reserves are consistent with the independent audit, and they are consistent with the experience in the U.S. of reserves growth despite significant oil production. Lest you think that the U.S. results are atypical, you can repeat this exercise for any of the worlds major oil producers and find the same thing. Starting with the proved reserves in 1982 and subtracting the subsequent production will not accurately predict the reserves at some point in the future. In many cases as with the U.S. cumulative production was greater than the 1982 proved reserves number. So, I have thus far found no good reason to doubt Saudi Arabias official numbers. By Robert Rapier More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: gettyimagesbank By Park Hyong-ki The country's top two financial groups are gearing up to make their next deals that can help boost their nonbanking businesses both at home and abroad. Shinhan Financial Chairman ChoYong-byoung Backed by their expanded war chests, Shinhan and KB financial groups are aggressively seeking nonbank assets for acquisitions, according to those holding companies. Shinhan Financial has decided to issue convertible preferred shares to raise 750 billion won ($670 million) from investors, including a fund managed by IMM Private Equity to finance its future deals. The money will also be used to buy the remaining shares of Orange Life Insurance following Shinhan Financial's purchase of a 59.15 percent stake in the life insurer from MBK Partners. The Orange deal was worth $2.3 trillion won. "Besides maintaining its capital adequacy ratio intact, some of the capital raised from the stake sale will be used to finance our future nonbank acquisitions in a similar capacity to Orange Life," a Shinhan Financial spokesman said. IMM Private Equity's fund will invest in some of the shares issued by Shinhan as a "strategic partner" with which the financial group will work to build its asset management business. Shinhan Financial has noted it would be looking for a deal with a similar size to its acquisition of ANZ's retail banking unit in Vietnam in 2017. It would also be interested in real estate asset management such as Asia Trust the group acquired last year. This is part of efforts to generate 20 percent of the group's annual net profit from overseas markets especially in Southeast Asia by 2020, it noted. KB Financial Chairman YoonJong-kyoo rich people are fucking wild Reply Thread Link does he not have any family. Why not give part of it to charity.. Reply Thread Link I don't think he has any close family left. He's said several times he would make sure that the people who worked for him for many years, like his cook or his cleaning lady, would be taken care of. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link But are they allowed to wear sweatpants? Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, if he gave it to a charity who is to say that some of that money wouldn't go to help people he hates....like fat women or Syrians? Much better to just give it to the cat. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This is what I was thinking... Reply Parent Thread Link charity?? silly sis, charity's for poor people. Reply Parent Thread Link Why not give part of it to charity.. Oh you read the will? Who all did he give his fortune to? I'd like to know because this article doesn't actually say anything at all about what's actually in his will. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The cat didn't get all the money... Reply Parent Thread Link Right? Is this supposed to be cute Reply Parent Thread Link His money is going to the charities that fight against short men and sweatpants Reply Parent Thread Link the cat is adorable <3 I've always loved birman and ragdoll cats Reply Thread Link he was trash choupette is an icon. give her 2 me. Reply Thread Link MTE Reply Parent Thread Link imagine a cat with two maids acknowledging your existence Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link yup! rich ppl stay trash and inconsiderate about the lives of others. and even here you'll hear ppl talk about loving animals more than ppl sooooo. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yep. not even just rich people. the stance that cats and dogs deserve to live in apartments but not kids has been growing. Edited at 2019-02-19 10:43 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Mte I understand being child free but there are def users here who will cry over animal abuse but who dgaf about vulnerable people Reply Parent Thread Link mte what are these comments Reply Parent Thread Link Yep, thank you. There are actual people that could use that money, and to leave it to a cat is honestly disgusting. Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, I'm guessing the cat isn't really getting like millions of dollars. it sounds more like it's going to the people who worked for him. Reply Parent Thread Link I know this is ONTD and we're all very much "Think of what any charity or non-profit would do with that kind of money? Senseless and careless." How do you know none of it's going to charity? Like genuinely - how do you know? Have you seen the will? All it says is that he once said in an interview that she would be one of many inheriting some money. Not all of his money. Not his entire fortune. And it's not even definitively true - it could have been a throw away line in an interview where he was being hyperbolic. You don't know where the money's going or how much of it is going to charity (if any, at all).I know this is ONTD and we're all very much #eattherich here, but I am so well and truly sick of internet outrage over non-stories with literally zero facts and a whole lot of click bait speculation.How do you know none of it's going to charity? Like genuinely - how do you know? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link right, like i love animals but i'm not going to be giving my money to any of them upon death bc what the fuck are they gonna do with it. it's such a selfish horrible thing to do, there are plenty of charities that that could go to if you actually gave a shit about people. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Choupette has her own money, plus he said that he would take good care of the people who have worked for him over the years for sure. I seriously doubt that the cat is getting all the money. Reply Parent Thread Link Exactly. I'd be donating to animal shelters. They could use the money so much more than her. I mean give her like a few thousand for her care and in case she needs emergency surgery and for her inevitable passing away to be covered, but come on. A shelter could use it. They could help so many animals. Reply Parent Thread Link Im taking ALLLLLLLL my shit with me. Ain't none of y'all gettin a damn thing from me 'cept the middle finger! #Okurrr Pffft WTF have y'all done for ME!?Im taking ALLLLLLLL my shit with me.Ain't none of y'all gettin a damn thing from me 'cept the middle finger! Reply Parent Thread Link Whats that jk rolling quote Reply Thread Link I would do the same. Humans suck. But kittens deserve eternal happiness. Reply Thread Link wtf is a cat going to do with 200 millions. With 1 million it could probably get the best care in the world. It will probably die before the money can be all spent.. what a waste. Reply Parent Thread Link I dont think hes leading all 200 million to Choupette alone, there will be other beneficiaries as well Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I said what I said. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i wonder who the trustee is for choupette Reply Thread Link I read in the death post that he technically stole her (he was supposed to take care of her for two weeks for a friend and didnt give her back) so maybe her original owner? Reply Parent Thread Link He told the original owner he was taking her and they agreed so I dont think they have a way in here. Reply Parent Thread Link Apparently Choupette has over 3 million in her bank account at the moment... Reply Thread Link But why? Reply Thread Link I hope that cat ate him Reply Thread Link He was crazy Reply Thread Link Fucking cat is living better than 99% of people on the planet. Reply Thread Link lol Reply Thread Link lol ilu too bb <3333 Reply Parent Thread Link I volunteered with his campaign in 2016. I like Bernie's policies. But Im not thrilled hes running again. This time around we have multiple candidates positioning themselves as progressives (Warren, Harris and Gillibrand) and I'm worried that Bernie entering the race is going to split the progressive vote and were going to end up with like Joe Biden as the nominee. Reply Thread Link I feel like Joe Biden is a #MeToo scandal waiting to happen. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link It totally is... theres too many photos too close and personal with little girls or girls who look downright uncomfortable . Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i absolutely think that's coming Reply Parent Thread Link I honestly think trump is gonna win again Reply Parent Thread Expand Link were going to end up with like Joe Biden as the nominee. It's been my fear for weeks now, that he's gonna let all 20 Dems fight till the end of the year and jump in last minute. Reply Parent Thread Link IDK Amy Klobuchar's whole schtick is "vote for me I won't do anything radical" so she's gunning for that moderate vote too. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link You have Elizabeth Warren positioning herself as a progressive, but Kamala Harris is definitely not and Gillibrand seems to be trying, but not all that hard. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link No one is going to get hyphy over Gillibrands A+ NRA rating from two years ago when I had to endure all the bitching on here in 2016 about Bernie being pro-gun (with a lifetime rating of D from the NRA)? I see. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Kamala Harris was already backtracking on Medicare For All so I don't know how genuinely progressive they are Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I just moved to the US a year ago and I am really nervous / overwhelmed by this looming election. I can't vote but I want to understand everything that's happening, so apologies for the potentially dumb questions...what's wrong with Joe Biden? And how come Bernie coming in is going to split the vote? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link problem is no one else running is really progressive. closest one is elizabeth warren, but her foreign policy record is mixed from my perspective and i think she got herself into a bad situation with the dna test. granted, much worse has not sunk male candidates and decent foreign policy among democrats is very rare, but idk. i'll probs vote for bernie but i didn't want to relive 2016. Reply Parent Thread Link Found it! Sexism Claims From Bernie Sanderss 2016 Run: Paid Less, Treated Worse https://t.co/LnAFjWhndH Randy (@censoredmm) February 19, 2019 Edited at 2019-02-19 10:44 pm (UTC) That's exactly what's going to happen. Bernie is not a uniter, he's a divider. I see the media going after Klobuchar on her being a mean boss, but they gave Bernie as pass, and he's supposed to be just as bad, and didn't pay his women staffers as much as he paid the men. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I like him, but tbh I think he is too old and someone younger would have a better shot. Reply Parent Thread Link I like his policies. If he had been the nominee in 2016 I'd have been very excited. But two years on I have reservations about how he's going to play with people who aren't already Bernie fans. I just worry he's tainted from 2016, and there's too much bad blood among Dems over him and Hillary and how that all played out. Idk I just want a fresh start. But w/e, at this point I'd vote for an abandoned alleyway couch over Trump so it is what it is. Reply Parent Thread Link Woo boy. The next 18 months are gonna be so fun. Reply Thread Link Abby is concerned that there are no moderate Democrats running LMAO Reply Thread Link mte omfg the absolute horror hahahahaha Reply Parent Thread Link Delaney is a moderate. He's been campaigning since 2017 Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao. Hes literally going to die in office. Cant wait for all the Bernie Bros to come out en made again and try and make us forget they voted third party in 2016. Reply Thread Link Cant wait for all the Bernie Bros to come out en made again and try and make us forget they voted third party in 2016. They really didn't though. This is an unhelpful lie. Reply Parent Thread Link IDK which ones you know but I live in Florida and many, many people I know who were Bernie Sanders supporters showed their ass and either voted third party or didnt vote at all. In a fucking swing state. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Seriously. I'm sf tired of "Bernie bros" being blamed for 2016. I ended up even canvassing for Hillary, and I overall blame Russian interference and misogyny/racism for 2016, but I refuse to pretend she wasn't forced down the throats of an unwilling public by the Democratic party. The way no one else even primaried for it was a disgrace. Reply Parent Thread Link no one looks at data when they say things like this. Reply Parent Thread Link thank you. everyone i know, once sanders lost to clinton, went out and campaigned and voted for her. the loudest dissenters and crybabies =/= majority. they're just loud. Reply Parent Thread Link Annoying terrible comment Reply Parent Thread Link More Sanders voters voted for Clinton than Clinton voters did for Obama. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link as a "Bernie Bro" I voted for Hillary soooo Reply Parent Thread Link Do you slide on all your lies like this Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think my comment was misconstrued which is my fault. I dont think most people in the U.S. who were Sanders supporters did this bullshit. There are a specific subsect of people who did and were loud about it, and I 100% believe that part of the reason certain swing states (like mine) ultimately went red is because of this. These are the people I call Bernie Bros. Edited at 2019-02-19 08:40 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I knew a pack of white Bernie Bros who claimed they voted for Trump when Bernie lost because of "economic" reasons. Like, I am sure it is anecdotal, but I wish I had this great experience other Bernie supporters had while supporting him. Most everyone I knew who loved Bernie just wanted free college but in every other way were Republicans. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link this narrative is unhelpful. voted for bernie, then hillary. campaigned actively for hillary. even volunteered at an event where bernie campaigned for hillary.this narrative is unhelpful. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It feels like everyone and their mother is running this year, but Bernie's still the only candidate that's exciting at all. His video was really good. Reply Thread Link How many laws would have to change to make a multiple party system possible? Reply Thread Link You'd need some kind of ranked choice voting system. Reply Parent Thread Link And we just did that here in Maine and it was pretty great (The bitching and whining from Republicans made it even more worthwhile). Reply Parent Thread Expand Link preferential voting! We have that in Australia. Reply Parent Thread Link You'd have to scrap the entire electoral college, for one. Dems weren't even in a hurry to do that after 2000 and have shown no interest after 2016, so good luck with that. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I don't know if that's possible because plurality voting/winner-take-all is embedded into the very fabric of American politics; I am not sure people can just transition to a system where we have majority governments or coalition governments like in a lot of the EU. Smaller parties like the Green Party or the Libertarians aren't big enough on their own to do much of anything, they might get one cabinet position, but that would be a stretch. I have always been a registered Democrat but I would be considered extreme left in the US and in Sweden I vote Socialdemokraterna. (I vote in two countries, yes.) It is super refreshing to live in a country where a party represents my values more closely. I would like for there to be a system in place that is more representational, but it would require an overhaul of how the executive branch functions. And everyone would have to be on board with it. Generally speaking, there's so much voter apathy as it is, if we haven't done something about the electoral college by now, we'll have to wait for another revolution. Reply Parent Thread Link It's impossible when the most viable 3rd party candidates run as one of the main two parties in presidentials. Reply Parent Thread Link Unless the devil calls him home, I'm bracing myself for another 4 years Reply Thread Link Same :( Reply Parent Thread Link same Reply Parent Thread Link that's exactly what's gonna happen Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah. The dem party still hasnt learned its lesson imo Reply Parent Thread Link Nah. There are enough people who want to prove a (thinly veiled, fake) point. Hell win. Reply Parent Thread Link There is no empirical evidence to make this point with by every measurable empirical statistic available, Bernie would beat Trump now and Bernie wouldve beat him in 2016 too. Reply Parent Thread Link Yep Reply Parent Thread Link Tbh unless the economy tanks, he's probably got things locked up. It's pretty hard to beat an incumbent and even a lot of the Republicans who disliked him in 2016 are fine with him now because of court appointments and such. Reply Parent Thread Link Bush sr was 1 term. Dubya would've been one term most likely had 9/11 not happened. Reply Parent Thread Link Me too. White folks love to double-down on a fuck up. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link everyday my atheist ass prays for his fatal heart attack Reply Parent Thread Link Same. I think he'll absolutely get another 4 years. Democrats are still only appealing to democrats which doesnt work because democrats now for some reason think they have room to be picky and when they don't 100% get their way they just sit on their ass and refuse to vote. Which gets the republicans elected easily lol so. It's gonna be same shit as last time. No ones learned a thing, the same people being loud and choosy last time are still being loud and choosy this time zzzzzzz Reply Parent Thread Link Oh for sure, he's getting 8 years like the amount of stupid i've seen pretty much seals it Reply Parent Thread Link I am too :( Reply Parent Thread Link sadly, i don't think any of the present candidates stand a chance in defeating him Reply Parent Thread Link Yup Reply Parent Thread Link Me too. Reply Parent Thread Link You got people mad because they arent getting their normal refund amounts back, they are blaming 45. People might not have realized it before, but when you start fvcking with their money, thats whats going to make them turn. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Shhhh Reply Parent Thread Link I want to say he ain't got that much time left, like he's obviously unhealthy, but in my experience the shittiest people live the longest out of fucking spite. Reply Parent Thread Link I watched Michael Moore's, lol, Fahrenheit 11/9 and I didn't even know Bernie was snubbed so hard by the dems. I was shook. Anyway, I cannot believe this. Liberals are out of control and the republicans have yt Americans brainwashed so Trumpian that if they haven't snapped out of it on their own we may have to endure another 4 years of this mess. Reply Thread Link A lot of people don't know just how jacked the primaries really were. And a lot of other people are investing considerable effort in keeping it that way. Reply Parent Thread Link Bernie took the Dem money and did nothing in return. He's not a Democrat and didn't even help down ticket candidates. Hillary won fair and square. Reply Parent Thread Link He's not a Democrat Nobody outside the liberal echo chamber cares Reply Parent Thread Expand Link You're correct. Bernie is not a Democrat and he trashes them daily. Then when he wants their money, he says he's a Democrat but refuses to raise money for downticket Dems. That makes him a massive hypocrite and user. Hillary raised about $50 million to help other Democrats get elected. That's what a real Democrat does. They also release their taxes. Bernie still hasn't released his but he's going to get a surprise when it comes to the California primary. They made it a requirement to get on the ballot that the candidate has to release the past 5 years tax records--all of them, not just a summary page. So if he wants to compete, he's got to show what he's been hiding all his life. ETA: Yes, Hillary raised money for downticket Dems. It's been well-documented by Politico and others. People donated to her fundraisers, then the money goes to the DNC and they spend it on races they think they can win. That's how elections are conducted. Bernie never raised money for anyone but Bernie. Edited at 2019-02-20 02:06 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lmao @ all those "Bernie did not raise money for downticket Dems" when it was literally Hillary Clinton that was funneling money that should be going to them to her own campaign. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Anyway, idk who I'm going to vote for in the primaries. I like both Warren and Gillibrand a lot. CA is one of the earlier states voting this time around. (I'm v excited for candidates to visit and pander! Warren was here yesterday and while here proposed universal child care, funded by a wealth tax which is an idea that I am 100000% behind.) So I'm going to see how the first few primaries go because I'm not voting for anyone who doesn't manage to place in the top 3 in the first three primaries. I want to see who is actually competitive in this race before I decide who to vote for. Reply Thread Link Gillibrand kind of endeared herself to me with fried chicken gate. I know it's weird but I too eat drumsticks with a knife and fork! Reply Parent Thread Link Gillibrand's appearance on Lovett or Leave It a couple of weeks ago was A+++++. I know that politicians can be liars, but she seems very sincere in her current policies. Yeah she was at one time more conservative, but I do believe that her views have changed. Idk! I just trust her??? And on a political strategy note, I think she's very personable which can help her reach voters who don't follow politics that closely. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link people call her shameless but every politician is Reply Parent Thread Link I didn't know Warren was here yesterday. I would have gone to see her speak :( Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm so jazzed on Warren and her childcare plan. I love how much of a policy wonk she is. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i watched klobuchar's town hall on cnn last night she sucks Reply Thread Link she's also apparently allegedly abusive to her staff too, so she doesn't have my vote either Reply Parent Thread Link She's apparently a huge asshole who calls up her former staffers' future employers to tell them to deny them jobs. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "As a supervisor, he was unbelievably abusive," says one former campaign staffer, who claims to have endured frequent verbal assaults. "Bernie was an asshole," says a Democratic insider who worked with Sanders on the campaign trail. "Just unnecessarily an asshole." Bernie "exudes a contempt for those he derides, including his staff." "He yelled in meetings all the time," says one of Sanders' former Senate staffers. "He'd yell, 'I don't want to hear excuses! I want to get it done!'" "I just think he's kind of harsh to a fault. He's so focused on his issues that he doesn't have a softer side. I don't think he's a very nice man." https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/anger-management-sanders-fights-for-employees-except-his-own/Content?oid=2834657 Bernie has been abusive to his staff for decades but because he's a man, he seems to get an eternal pass. He didn't pay his women staffers as much as he paid the men, either. Back in August, 2015, an article came out about how Bernie mistreated his staff, and it was completely ignored."As a supervisor, he was unbelievably abusive," says one former campaign staffer, who claims to have endured frequent verbal assaults. "Bernie was an asshole," says a Democratic insider who worked with Sanders on the campaign trail. "Just unnecessarily an asshole." Bernie "exudes a contempt for those he derides, including his staff.""He yelled in meetings all the time," says one of Sanders' former Senate staffers. "He'd yell, 'I don't want to hear excuses! I want to get it done!'""I just think he's kind of harsh to a fault. He's so focused on his issues that he doesn't have a softer side. I don't think he's a very nice man." Reply Parent Thread Expand Link She does suck. She reminds me of the ladies who get recorded having meltdowns on retail staff. Reply Parent Thread Link I know this post will turn into a lot of arguing so Im excited to read! Im not upset at this and he probably will have my vote in the primaries. Reply Thread Link My whole local campaign group is back together planning already. The California Berniecrats coalition chats are popping off. I have like 50 emails already of people asking where they send their resume for his official campaign positions. Ive gotten zero work done at work today. BERNIE ALREADY OUT-RAISED EVERYONE ELSE IN LESS THAN 5 HOURS. Reply Thread Link Can we also talk about Bernie hiring Faiz Shakir as his campaign manager? What a fire choice. Reply Parent Thread Link That makes me so damn excited Reply Parent Thread Expand Link can u tell me more about faiz?? I've never heard of him before Reply Parent Thread Expand Link How can I get involved?! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ive gotten zero work done at work today. Typical Bernie supporter.. I keed. Reply Parent Thread Link "Who are you most likely to vote for?" Whoever has the "D" next to their name on Election Day, IDGAF. Reply Thread Link I do vote in the primaries. I'm in Texas, so Super Tuesday should have a huge influence. I just have anxiety over Democrats not getting it together and Trump winning again. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. Literally whoever the Democrat is. Literally whoever NOT TRUMP is, as should everyone else Reply Parent Thread Link This is me, my state is so late in the primaries so it doesnt really matter who I support its usually decided by the time we vote. Reply Parent Thread Link this. i want someone progressive as fuck but when it comes down to it, i'd never in my life sit out because someone is too moderate. the fact that some people actually throw around that they won't vote if the nominee isn't left enough? those people actually deserve the four more years of trump but the rest of us do not! Reply Parent Thread Link Some people need to take a nap. Reply Thread Link Whoever runs the Netflix Canada account, they're huge Choni stans. As a fellow Choni stan, that's the only reason why I always see them in my timeline. They're also very LGBTQ+ friendly, as in, they tweet a lot of gay stuff, so I don't get why this tweet in particular had everyone pressed. Is it because they don't like Carly? Reply Thread Link They probably feel like it groups / stereotypes everyone together. Honestly these people need to take a nap. Reply Parent Thread Link Krystal! She was the hottest clone. Reply Parent Thread Link These people need to like, idk? Get a hobby? Reply Thread Link dont call us the gays you fucking corporate account youre not our friend https://t.co/lGaikgqilY hormonal jew (@misgenders) February 18, 2019 Reply Thread Link i get what they were going for but yeah they seem to forget that ~corporate accounts~ are run by normal people Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol at this rage aimed at a pair of middling social media interns instead of higher ups tbh Reply Parent Thread Link Theyre just doing this for retweets. SWJ online get off on people agreeing with them and giving validation to their pathetic lives. Edited at 2019-02-19 06:34 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "hormonal jew @misgenders" Reply Parent Thread Expand Link They act like gay people don't have jobs lmao. If someone behind a twitter account is tweeting like a gay person then hmm maybe just possibly they might be gay too hm just a thought!! It's not completely out of the question!!! Everyone is so quick to be offended they don't even bother thinking the people they're flaming can be just like them. It's always a "I'M an angel and YOU'RE the devil" situation Reply Parent Thread Link i- WHEW Reply Parent Thread Link Woke twitter is stupid Reply Thread Link how is ontd different Reply Parent Thread Link it's not lmao. Reply Parent Thread Link Yes and they ruined this website too Reply Parent Thread Expand Link As stupid as it gets. They've pretty much reached on-par levels with the far right in terms of how insane they sound at this point. It's like they can't understand that at a certain point it isn't about for the good of humanity anymore, it's just about being a screaming mob pushing others around for not conforming to everything they think is right. Reply Parent Thread Link I agree they are bunch of idiots. I wonder how they deal with the real world outside of the internet. Reply Parent Thread Link they're dumb and came on here too lmao Reply Parent Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link the real cringe is the original queer eye tweet. just screams team of three 34 year olds trying to sound like a gay teenager. onto more important matters: when is that carly song coming out Reply Thread Link Mte Reply Parent Thread Link in march Reply Parent Thread Link 34 year olds trying to sound like a gay teenager. I mean... that's literally what most adult gay men are. and you know what? it's FABULOUS. Reply Parent Thread Link Sorry, no free takis! Thanks for being a fan! Takis (@TakisUSA) January 9, 2019 Brands trying to have personalities on social media is almost always super obnoxious. No one cares about who's running the account. The only semi-good branded tweet that's ever been tweeted was this one: Reply Thread Link This was also a fave because honestly, same. Same same same: I cant do this anymore SUNNYD (@sunnydelight) February 4, 2019 lmaooo - no Takis for you!This was also a fave because honestly, same. Same same same: Reply Parent Thread Link Ahah this tweet made me so mad. I understand there's someone behind that account but Sunny Delight using depression to sell?? And all the brands answering?? Jeesus. At least Netflix is tv shows and entertainment so ok, they have something to talk about, but juice??? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol @ the brands who started replying. But then I stopped laughing when PornHub tried getting in on it. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Tbh this was my favorite attempt too, even if it was contrived. Its just such a mood. Reply Parent Thread Link sorry we tweeted a picture of you without your permission, dilpo :( https://t.co/Ax4zsU6w3U Denny's (@DennysDiner) August 1, 2017 aw no hard feelings dilpo, please DM us an address we can send a personalized gift to ;) pic.twitter.com/so0xSlLhvF Denny's (@DennysDiner) August 1, 2017 IIRC didn't it turn out that it was James Van Der Beek behind the account as well? lol Maybe I'm remembering that part wrong. Ngl I still crack up at the (likely manufactured) "feud" between Diplo and Denny's - especially Denny's spelling it "dilpo" more than once:IIRC didn't it turn out that it was James Van Der Beek behind the account as well? lol Maybe I'm remembering that part wrong. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I saw that tweet and didnt find it problematic. But I dont speak on behalf of the entire community either and I can see why corporations who refer to us as the gays would upset others. Sometimes corporate accounts try too hard to be relatable. Reply Thread Link it's weird and cringy when corporate accounts tweet like stans. i saw hulu and some other corporate account freaking out over ariana's album release and i was like really now...and then BET tried to reignite the cardi/nicki beef when both women are over it. i can't wait for the trend to die already Edited at 2019-02-19 06:11 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link Agreed but then I remember that an unpaid social media intern is probably behind the tweets and then I dont mind it. I just want them to scale it back. Reply Parent Thread Link No. These are people getting paid. SM is too important to leave to someone to do for free. Reply Parent Thread Link They're employees who have been in charge of that account for four years so I'm gonna bet they're not interns Reply Parent Thread Link Why do people say dumb shit like this? Corporate accounts have entire social media teams behind them. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The days of unpaid inters doing social media are long gone. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah brands tweeting like teenagers is disgusting tbh Reply Parent Thread Link Its so cringeworthy Reply Parent Thread Link Same tbh. I think it's hilarious when they get sassy (especially when it's one of the dictionary accounts clapping back at ridiculous people) and I think it's fine and often necessary for the people running them to inject some humor and warmth into their work, but seeing as they're official public-facing accounts for large corporations, they need to do that without sounding like teenage stans. Reply Parent Thread Link as someone who has worked in social media for a while; i can say that that's generally the content that generates the most engagement and that's always good to the higher up. why do you think all these cooperate accounts random stan for bts Reply Parent Thread Link corporate twitter is corny af anyway, i will never forgive Dennys and Wendys for starting this bullshit trend Reply Thread Link ia I was going through my twitter block list and it's all Trump supporters and brands lol Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link right? like people act like Wendy's tweets slay them (they're embarrassing tbh) they know they're being manipulated by some faux authentic corporate teams right? Reply Parent Thread Link I just cant, thats so harmless. I wonder how many of these keyboard warriors lobbying for social change one rage tweet at a time, actually help out the communities they fight to protect through something not twitter? Like actually volunteer at gay halfway houses or clubs/support groups for young gay teens or just anything other than this stuff. Reply Thread Link Approximately zero Reply Parent Thread Link my guess: many of them are literally children Reply Parent Thread Link Corporate Twitter is funny until you gotta DM them a problem and then you realize there are actual humans monitoring the accounts. Reply Thread Link I sometimes enjoy the fun tweets and the snarky retweets, but ultimately, I need these brand accounts to address customer queries. Like, there's a local company here with an account that's super engaging and witty when it came to fun stuff, but it took them like a week to reply to a question with just a "We got your message". Now they stopped being fun to me, lol. Edited at 2019-02-19 07:49 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link They just end up directing you to customer service on their website or phone number... Twitter is now it, y'all! Reply Parent Thread Link IDK I found United and Centurylink's twitter people helpful Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think those tweets are funny lol Reply Thread Link lol lol Reply Parent Thread Link Thank you for Reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. (Bloomberg) -- When U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May flew to China last February looking for business deals to cushion the fallout from Brexit, Huawei Technologies Co. delivered with a multibillion-dollar commitment to help keep Britain at the very forefront of the digital age. A year later, the U.K. is among European nations weighing restrictions on the Chinese tech giant that phone carriers say could delay the fifth-generation mobile networks needed to connect driverless cars and automated factories. Their lobbying exposes a weakness: Europe hasnt been at the forefront on 5G, even before the Trump administration began pushing allies to block Huawei over concerns that the Chinese government could use its equipment for spying, which the company has repeatedly denied. The risk is that it puts Europe further behind the curve, said Neil Campling, an analyst at Mirabaud Securities in London. The U.K. has been considering whether to block Huawei from 5G or keep managing it through dialog and oversight. While no decisions been made, the country may be headed toward a softer approach than the bans in Australia and New Zealand. The countrys cybersecurity watchdog has determined the risks can be managed, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. That follows Britains spy chief last week saying that barring Huawei might not be right. Last month, a British official speaking on condition of anonymity said a ban was unlikely. While Europe led the way with earlier mobile technologies, China, South Korea, Japan and -- to a lesser extent -- the U.S., are ahead on the next rollouts. Despite beating the drum for 5G, which promises gigabit-per-second download speeds -- 10 times faster than 4G and at a lower cost to carriers -- European telecom executives are expected to be relatively slow to invest for fear the spending wont pay off for a long time. European carriers are generally less profitable and regulators have blocked mergers that would allow a patchwork of operators to scale up. The spectrum needed for 5G hasnt all been assigned yet and governments are set to tap them for billions of euros at auctions in the coming year. Story continues Huawei is deeply embedded in Europes telecom networks, so restrictions could be more disruptive than in other places. In the U.S., the industry has generally avoided Huawei under government pressure. The Chinese government, far from limiting its telecom vendors facing global scrutiny, may dictate a faster 5G deployment to back Huawei and ZTE Corp., analysts at New Street Research said last month. The U.S. and China are actually in a good place, because one has never allowed Huawei and one is agnostic to it, said Guy Peddy, an analyst at Macquarie. Huawei has come from almost nowhere in Europe a decade ago to supply about a third of telecom systems. Its positioned itself to be a critical provider of antennas, switches, routers, small cells and network slicing gear for 5G by conducting trials with carriers. The company has been helped by security agencies that opened the door while closely monitoring its equipment. That cautious acceptance is now in question as governments realize how hard it will be to police 5G. With 4G networks, data is usually channeled through a central core, or brain, whereas in 5G, it will be processed and sent between multiple points in a more scattered arrangement that could make it harder to spot weaknesses and hacks. To avoid bans on Huawei, telecom executives are suggesting software fixes, tighter monitoring and excluding its gear from sensitive parts of their networks. BT Group Plc has been highlighting its policy of keeping the company out of its wireless core -- including a program to rip out and replace pieces of the EE network it acquired in 2016. Vodafone Group Plc last month said it had paused buying Huawei core gear. In Germany, one idea considered last month at a meeting of network operators and government officials was to give state security full access to the source code of suppliers including Huawei, Ericsson AB and Cisco Systems Inc., according to a person briefed on a meeting, who asked not to be identified as the deliberations were private. If the oversight proposals fail and Huawei is banned from 5G, Deutsche Telekom is predicting a two-year delay, according to an internal paper written in recent weeks. A person at another major European phone company, asking not to be identified, said barring Huawei would delay its 5G launch by 18 months. With the outlook murky, carriers in the region dont appear ready to abandon Huawei. BT is ramping up building its 5G network assuming Huawei will be involved, while studying contingency options that could include relying more on other suppliers, said a person involved in the planning. A spokeswoman for BT declined to comment. One concern is the testing and costs tied to making 5G gear from Huaweis European rivals Nokia Oyj and Ericsson compatible with its 4G kit. Carriers also see Ericsson and Nokia as being about a year behind on 5G product development, said Macquaries Peddy. Nokia and Ericsson say Huawei doesnt have a product edge and that they both are already deploying 5G equipment. Ericsson Chief Executive Officer Borje Ekholm, in a blog post, said Europe isnt moving as quickly as other markets because of the lack of spectrum, high spectrum fees and heavy regulation. Eric Mangan, a Nokia spokesman, said the Finnish company can upgrade 4G equipment from any vendor to 5G. The nightmare scenario for phone companies would be if they have to remove existing Huawei 4G gear. While some analysts see that as unlikely, Deutsche Telekom has flagged the risk: In its internal note, it put the cost of a retroactive ban at many billions of euros. That would seriously disrupt the whole mobile ecosystem, Stockholm-based consultant Bengt Nordstrom said in an interview. (Updates with Britains cybersecurity watchdog view on Huawei in sixth paragraph.) --With assistance from Angelina Rascouet and Niclas Rolander. To contact the reporters on this story: Thomas Seal in London at tseal@bloomberg.net;Stefan Nicola in Berlin at snicola2@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rebecca Penty at rpenty@bloomberg.net, Thomas Pfeiffer For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- It was one of the most infamous companies in Japan, rocking the nation with a corporate scandal that ousted a prime minister and then nearly collapsing under a mountain of debt. Now, Recruit Holdings Co. is back, reinvented by a group of employees who quietly turned the magazine publisher and job-placement firm into an internet giant that touches the lives of almost every consumer in the worlds third-biggest economy. If Recruit were a U.S. company, it would be like having LinkedIn, Zillow, Yelp, eHarmony, Booking.com, Square and dozens of other apps all under one roof. We are there, every time people choose to do things, said Masumi Minegishi, Recruits 55-year-old chief executive officer. As the biggest internet companies compete for world domination with apps that track consumers and use artificial intelligence to crunch data and provide tailored services, Recruit is Japans leading contender. With a value about a tenth of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and barely 5 percent of Amazon.com Inc., its up against giants. But Minegishis goal is to attract the most consumers in the world by 2030, and hes betting that Recruit has the cash and experience to mount a serious challenge. Recruit was an internet pioneer, starting their first website in the same month that Yahoo launched in 1995 said Sandra Sucher, a Harvard Business School professor who published a case study on the company last year. This is not their first rodeo they know how to leverage new technology. Born more than half a century ago during Japans economic boom, Recruit found infamy in the 1980s when founder Hiromasa Ezoe concocted a shares-for-favors scheme to grease business deals and gain insider information. He gave more than 70 politicians and business leaders stock in a subsidiary that was about to go public, netting many of them a fortune. The Incident When the bribes of Recruit jiken, or The Recruit incident, came to light, even cabinet ministers were implicated, forcing Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita to resign. Then, in the 1990s, Japans asset bubble burst and Ezoes speculative property bets saddled the firm with $14 billion in debt, leading to his resignation and the sale of a controlling stake to Daiei, a Japanese retailer. Story continues The experience left Recruit in the hands of its employees just as the internet era was dawning and they soon began moving their job-recruitment services and publications onto the web. Now, when the archipelagos 124 million citizens look for a job, an apartment or a haircut, most tap into one of Recruits 200 websites and 350 apps. The companys magazines, such as the Jalan travel guide, Travail for women seeking jobs and Car Sensor, a three-inch thick tome that used to be stacked waist-high in bookstores, are now all online. That constellation of web portals, apps, and its job-placement business has given Recruit a valuation of about $46 billion, three times more than Yahoo Japan Corp. and four times that of Rakuten Inc., its nearest web and e-commerce rivals. Recruit went public five years ago, after paying off its massive debt and buying back some of its shares from Daiei. Like Alibaba and Tencent, Recruit has a very large home market to build and grow its multiplatform businesses, but it is far more focused in its mission and strategy, Sucher said. Investors have backed Minegishis strategy, with its stock almost tripling since listing. Instead of delivering search results like Google, or shipping merchandise like Amazon, Recruit acts as a go-between, matching businesses with customers and taking a cut or selling ads along the way. Its restaurant-review site Hot Pepper is Japans No. 1 dining portal, and property website Suumo has the most real-estate listings. Many of its online booking services are linked to a tablet-payment network called AirRegi that gives the company valuable troves of data on shoppers. It feels radically different from any other Japanese company Using information generated by web traffic, reservations, payments and a loyalty-point network, Recruit can track consumer behavior in minute detail, and pass that knowledge on to businesses eager to attract and retain customers. It not only benefits consumers with easier and faster payments, but also retailers, said Taro Yamato, a researcher at Euromonitor International. What differentiates the company is a culture that was forged from the failures in the 1990s. We had to take ownership to bring the business back, Minegishi said. In Recruits head office, spread over 19 floors of a building linked by footbridge to Tokyo station, few people wear suits and many dispense with the formal honorifics typically used between managers and subordinates in corporate Japan. It feels radically different from any other Japanese company, said Howard Yu, professor at the IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, who also wrote a case study. Recruit empowers individuals, says Minegishi, a departure from traditional education and employment in Japan with its focus on rote learning and respect for authority. New recruits and staff are often asked Why are you here? or What do you think? prompting them to challenge the status quo. From being a national pariah, Recruit has developed an ethical base that gives it a competitive advantage, according to Harvards Sucher. I honestly dont know any other company that operates like Recruit, she said. That empowerment has generated some winners. Rebel Educator At one of Recruits annual internal startup competitions, a staffer named Fumihiro Yamaguchi proposed a web portal to help students study a kind of Netflix for online learning in a nation notorious for cramming. I thought I could launch the business with four people and about 100 million to 200 million yen, ($900,000-$1.8 million) said Yamaguchi, 41, wearing a T-shirt, hoodie and jeans. Instead, he got 200 people and 2 billion yen and was told to get on with it. Today, Study Sapuri (Study Supplement) has more than 40,000 online courses. A graduate of Tokyos prestigious Keio University, Yamaguchi says he spent much of his own student years drinking in bars and paying other undergraduates to write his essays with the money he earned gambling in pachinko pinball parlors. Now, from fourth grade through college, nearly half a million students pay 980 yen a month each to access the site he created. Hes got fighting spirit, Minegishi said of Yamaguchi. You cant just be strange. You have to be able to define the challenge, come up with the solution and then execute it. Recruit even discourages lifetime employment, for decades the backbone of Japanese industrial labor policy. Staff whove worked for the company for more than 6 1/2 years are eligible for an early retirement bonus, making it easier for them to seek work elsewhere. That makes Recruit a rich fishing ground for companies looking to poach staff, and turnover is high around 10 percent. In its first 54 years, only a few dozen employees reached retirement age. The average age is 35. Recruit is extremely well-managed, but it operates in what are already mature industries and markets, said Shinnosuke Takeuchi, an analyst at Jefferies Group. The biggest weakness and opportunity for Recruit is whether it can come up with a completely new business model that can challenge companies like Google and Amazon. To compete globally, the company must figure out ways to combine user information from all its apps, websites, payment platform and loyalty-points network, and develop algorithms that use the data to deliver new services, according to Chief Strategy Officer Shogo Ikeuchi. For example, Recruit now offers direct loans to small businesses, using customer traffic and daily sales to assess creditworthiness. That puts Recruit in direct competition with the big global players in one of the most expensive labor markets in the world, where annual salaries can top $1 million: AI software engineers. Engineers are critically important, Ikeuchi said. They are vital for a business thats built on matching services. To gain talent and fuel growth, Recruit has been buying startups abroad. In 2012, it acquired job-search portal Indeed.com, gaining vital AI know-how. Indeed is now a global competitor to LinkedIn, with 250 million monthly unique views. Overseas Push Last year, Recruit paid $1.2 billion for Glassdoor, the U.S. website that collects and shares employee reviews of companies and salaries. Now, Glassdoor is set to expand into Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand. Recruit has also acquired European restaurant-booking site Quandoo, U.K. spa and salon reservation portal Treatwell and Dutch staffing firm USG People, helping to boost sales outside Japan to 46 percent of revenue, from 20 percent five years ago. And it still has a war chest of about $3 billion in cash. The success of its app-based services has raised questions about the value of the companys traditional media business. Recruit still publishes 54 magazines, and has an employment and staffing services division that accounts for a majority of sales. But the faster-growing media and internet divisions generate two-thirds of operating profit from just about 30 percent of total revenue. Minegishi says he has no plans to split the enterprise. We wouldnt carve it up. Were at the top in each category, so theres no value lost. Still, Recruit may eventually have to shed some of its older, cash-generating businesses, according to Kenji Nonaka, senior partner at McKinsey & Co. in Tokyo. Its important to be willing to cannibalize your own business, he said. If that happened, the transformation of Recruit would be complete. To contact the author of this story: Reed Stevenson in Tokyo at rstevenson15@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Adam Majendie For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Home | World | Africa | Chiwenga still fighting ailment, still feeling 'kupisa' Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is in the Indian capital of New Delhi, where he is receiving treatment for an abdominal ailment, a government official revealed yesterday. Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi posted on his Twitter account that the 61-year-old politician had successfully undergone surgery and was on the mend at an Indian hospital. "The Hon. Vice President CDN Chiwenga is recovering well from some minor abdominal ailment in Delhi, India," Mutodi wrote on Twitter. His tweet was ridiculed by citizens in a country where government officials routinely seek medical help abroad while the public health system has collapsed with hospitals struggling to provide medicines to patients. Chiwenga was last seen in public on Tuesday last week when he appeared on national television while attending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's Tuesday Cabinet meeting. On the same day, he pooh-poohed reports that he had been airlifted to neighbouring South Africa for treatment, blaming the social media for wishing him ill. "There are determined to hear that I am sick, they want me dead, but that cannot be, I am very fine and well, I am actually doing my job as a politician," he was quoted saying. While Mutodi did not reveal when the former commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) travelled to India, the Daily News is reliably informed that Chiwenga was flown to New Delhi on Thursday night. The same sources said Chiwenga is suffering from gastro-intestinal infection, a condition caused by "viral, bacterial or parasitic infections". According to the Medical Journal, the condition is also known as stomach flu. Sources said the vice president has been suffering from the ailment for some time now, prompting him to seek surgery in India. "We expect him back this week because his condition is not serious," said the government official who asked not to be named. Chiwenga joins the list of foreigners trooping to India for private health care. India has become popular because of its advanced healthcare system, drawing foreigners from Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, for complex paediatric cardiac surgery or liver transplants - caprocedures that are not done in their home countries. They also come from the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America for quick, efficient, and cheap coronary bypasses or orthopaedic procedures. India ranks among the top 20 of the world's countries in its private spending, at 4,2 percent of Gross Domestic Product. In October last year, deputy chief secretary to the President and Cabinet George Charamba disclosed that Chiwenga was on special diet because of the delicacy of his intestines which had been affected by acids. "Apparently, you have to give it time to allow internal body tissues to heal both large and small intestines were attacked. But he must also remain calm and rested to ensure that there is no relapse into excessive secretion of acids in the body. He is on a special diet because of the delicacy in his stomach," Charamba was quoted as saying. Since leading the coup that toppled former president Robert Mugabe in November 2018, Chiwenga has become a larger-than-life character the country's politics. Despite his domineering political profile which is loved and hated in equal measure, his health has been a source of bother. The former ZDF commander early last year traced his health woes to the days when he orchestrated Mugabe's fall. He claimed that he was suffering from "nhuta," something he claimed caused his skin to lighten and triggered speculation that he was bleaching his skin. "It was during that time that I fell ill. I had this skin sickness (nhuta) that affected my whole body from beneath my feet to my back and the journalists started saying I was using skin lightening creams, but that was not the case. "I was sick. I have decided to talk about it because that is what you see, but you should know that everything that happens comes with a price. We then sent everything to South Africa to find out what was causing the sickness, but they failed to treat it. "It was then that my (late) sister Margaret approached Sister Redemptor (Roman Catholic nun) and was given herbs that I began taking until I was healed. But before I took the medication they also prayed for me," Chiwenga said at the burial of his sister Margaret. The 61 year-old ex-soldier has appeared in public with swollen hands and in some instances with a cannula on his hand, and has also shown signs of irritation in public, further fanning speculation that he is not fit for office. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Loading... Home | World | Africa | BREAKING: MDC Youth leader acquitted MDC Youth President Happymore Chidziva has been acquitted of charges of inciting public violence by a Gweru magistrate. Chidziva was being accused of inciting public violence during the pre-election campaign rally in Gweru last year. He was being represented by his Lawyer, Jeremiah Mutongi Bamu from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Chidziva was arrested together with Chamunorwa Madya, the Deputy Secretary-General for the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly and one Mafaiti Mubaiwa. Madya and Mafaiti were charged over the August 1 post-election violence. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Loading... Home | World | Africa | Mutsvangwa trashes fake Twitter, talks diplomacy Chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Chris Mutsvangwa has disowned a Twitter account posting messages under his name. Mutsvangwa told reporters in a wide-ranging interview yesterday that the fake account was an origination of G40 remnants who lacked originality and public appeal. "The G40s and their hold-overs simply lack originality to appeal to the populace," he said. "Thus, they latch on to those with the history and the gravitas, in their futile effort to push their discredited agendas. "Veterans are kings and queens of the hierarchy of trust by the population of Zimbabwe even after 38 years since the victory of the epic Chimurenga II national liberation war. The respect, trust and confidence of the populace is very much intact. Their reputation is a far cry from the avatars and misadventurists of regime change and their conjuring of the failed State of Zimbabwe." Mutsvangwa spoke about the position taken by Sadc against illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. "As chairman of ZNLWVA, we hail the principled position of Sadc Chairman Hage Geingob (Namibia) on the USA to repeal ZDERA sanctions," he said. "We are also most grateful for the strong message of support from our neighbours and brothers of Botswana. "We call upon both Washington and Brussels to take heed of this Sadc call to repeal ZDERA and to lift illegal sanctions as was recently propounded in Addis Ababa. Why would any far away nation and regional grouping want to contest the wisdom and judgment of our collective 14 Heads of State and Government on this crucial item? "We know of the unsavoury past of slavery, colonial subjugation and resource plunder. We survived painful wars of sacrifice to be rid of those manacles to our hopes of progress and prosperity. "We loudly proclaim that as Africans, we are not and we vehemently refuse to be children of a lesser God. We loudly and boldly proclaim that, as Africans." On national dialogue initiated by President Mnangagwa in recent weeks, Mutsvangwa said: "We also urge Chamisa and his MDC-Alliance to finally come of age and join the National Dialogue process in an honest and constructive manner. "He should take a leaf from our generation of supreme sacrifice which never slight personalised power and self-enrichment beyond the love of the motherland." Mr Chamisa did not attend the inaugural meeting on the dialogue that was attended by most of the presidential candidates of the July 30, 2018 elections at State House. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Loading... Home | News | General | Postponed election: DSS summons more top INEC officials - The DSS reportedly summons some INEC officials for questioning over the 2019 general elections - Apart from Okechukwu Ibeanu, the DSS is said to have summoned four other officials - A report says a committee was set up by INEC to handle the 2019 election which was postponed The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly invited some top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the recently postponed general election that was said to have caught political parties unawares. Some of those to be questioned, according to a report by Premium Times, include Chidi Nwafor, the director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Ken Ukeagu; Osaze Uzzi, the director of voter education and publicity and Bimbo Oladunjoye, the assistant director of ICT. Legit.ng earlier reported that the DSS had summoned Okechukwu Ibeanu, a professor of political science and INECs operations and logistics. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda It was reported, however, that ahead of the 2019 elections, a separate committee was set up, which Ibeanu was not part of. The report claims that an internal memorandum announcing the committee to INEC officials was signed by Maryam Iya Musa, the director, commission secretariat. Curiously, close to the election, INEC chair created an ad hoc committee on logistics for the 2019 elections which reported directly to him. Prof Ibeanu is not a member of that committee, the report quoted a source as saying. It also reported another source as saying that the setting up of the committee had never happened in the history of INEC. There was nothing like that under Jega (Attahiru, immediate past INEC chairman). Nobody knows why Professor Yakubu decided to duplicate functions and hand such a crucial task (logistics) to a committee when there is a department to handle it, it quoted the source as saying. Legit.ng earlier reported that the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, accused the INEC of allegedly colluding with the PDP to rig election. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates Speaking on Monday, February 18, at a crucial caucus meeting organised by the ruling party following the postponement of the February 16 election, the APC chairman alleged that the commission had brought to the knowledge of PDP the poll shift before any other party. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Kano man who earns 10k weekly vows to vote for Buhari | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Nigerian customs begin interrogation after officer killed man in Ogun - Officers of Nigeria Customs Service involved in the incident that occurred along Ijebu Ode road in Ogun state are being interrogated - A video which went viral on social media showed a man supposed to be a passenger of a commercial bus was allegedly shot dead by a customs officer - According to the public relations officer of NCS, Joseph Attah, the investigation is to find out the causes of the incident that led to the death of the innocent citizen The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Monday, February 18, declared that its officers involved in the incident that occurred along Ijebu Ode road in Ogun state are being interrogated. Joseph Attah, the Public Relations Officer of NCS, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. A video which went viral on Social Media on Sunday, February 17, showed a man, supposed passenger of a commercial bus was allegedly shot dead by a customs officer, though, it was denied by NCS, saying it was an accidental discharge. READ ALSO: Oshiomhole accuses INEC of appointing PDP members as electoral officers Attah explained that the customs assistant comptroller general, Zone A, Ekekezie Kessy had visited the Federal Operations Unit in the zone at Ikeja, Lagos to interrogate the officers involved. He said that the investigation was to find out the immediate and remote causes of the unfortunate incident that led to the death of an innocent citizen. According to him, the interrogation will also reveal if a better handling of weapon will have averted the incident. The officers involved are being interrogated, we look at it holistically, including weapon handling skills. If the officers are found guilty, they will be punished appropriately, we will allow the investigation to take place first. We still stand our ground that it is not a passenger of the bus that was deliberately shot dead but the victim was hit by the accidental discharge. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda An audio is now trending from one of the passengers of the bus that the person that died is not one of them. We insist that the person that died was not a passenger but a good Samaritan who used to assist our officers, we described him as a friend of customs. The spokesperson said that training of its personnel was a continuous process, adding that the Service often sought assistance of the military in this regard. According to him, Like we said that in our statement, it is painful and totally unnecessary to lose life in anti-smuggling operations. He urged the general public to be wary of what was being posted on social media because some of those things could mislead them. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Nigeria Customs Service, in the evening of Sunday, February 17, explained the situation that degenerated into the killing of a citizen of the country at the Shagamu interchange along Ijebu Ode area of Ogun state earlier in the day. The agency denied the reports that trended earlier in the day showing that one of its officers killed a passenger for refusing to give bribe. In the video that trended, the voice of a passenger could be heard screaming and saying the victim was killed because of N5,000 which the customs officers at the interchange demanded and which led to an altercation. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Nigeria Latest News: Over 57 Suspected Gay Newbies Arrested by Police | Legit TV: [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Controversy intensifies as Yvonne Jegede's husband failed to attend child's church dedication (photos) - Recently, Yvonne Jegede organised a church dedication ceremony in honour of her son Xavier - It was noticed that her husband Abounce was absent during this all-important event - This has intensified the murky controversy already surrounding the Nollywood couple Screen diva Yvonne Jegede has, in recent times, been roped into a lot of controversies. It is being rumoured that her marriage to fellow celebrity Abounce Fawole has hit the rocks. According to many, the reason for the crashed union has a lot to do with the paternity of Yvonne's newly born child. Amidst this controversy, a recent incident just intensified the rumours about their marriage. Yvonne recently organised a church dedication for her son Xavier. Although the occasion was well attended by others, the supposed father of the child was absent. For whatever reason, Abounce Fawole was not in attendance at this celebration. This has fueled the rumour about his split from his wife Yvonne. Apart from the noticeable absence of the actor from the event organised in honour of his wife's child, a lot of other people came. READ ALSO: Yvonne Jegede shares first photos of her son Xavier For one, Xavier's godfather and godmother were in attendance. The duo whose Instagram handles are @mawuli_gavor and @eseyomasodjewaugh went all out to celebrate Yvonne's first child. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Yvonne took to her page to appreciate these friends for turning up on this August occasion. She was indeed grateful that they did not disappoint her. See her posts below: PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Other people who came all out for the event took to their several pages to post lovely photos and celebrate Xavier as he begins his life journey. See some of the posts below: Celebrities like Orezi, Seun Akindele, Denrele Edun turned up and prety much had a fun time at the event. A video was shared in this accord. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app In all of these pictures and videos making rounds on social media, Abounce cannot be sighted anywhere at all. This has indeed intensified the controversy already surrounding the beautiful actress. Even more, Yvonne Jegede recently removed her husband's name from her Instagram page just as she took off her wedding ring from her finger. Many people have reacted to this strange turn of events between this couple. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better Top Nigerian Celebrities Kids You Cant Stop Admire | Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Breaking: Yobe Assembly loses deputy speaker Ibrahim Kurmi, the Deputy Speaker, Yobe House of Assembly died on Monday night at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital Damaturu, at the age of 48. Alhaji Muhammad Wakil, director information of the state House of Assembly, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, February 19. We received with shock, the death of the deputy speaker last night (Monday), after a brief illness and the funeral rites will be conducted today (Tuesday) at 11.00a.m at his residence in Damaturu, he said. Kurmi, a trained medical doctor, represented Fika/Gadaka constituency in the state assembly and was first elected deputy speaker in 2011, before his resignation in 2012. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He was re-elected to represent his constituency for the second time in 2015 and was again made the deputy speaker, a position he occupied until his death. The late legislator was born on 23 March, 1971 , started his education at Kurmi primary school in Yobe from 1978 to 1984, attended Government Senior Science Secondary school Biu in Borno from 1985 to 1992 and University of Maiduguri from 1992 to 2000. He was at Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital, Kano, for his Housemanship, from 2000 to 2001 before proceeding for the mandatory national service scheme in Kano in 2002. He served in various capacities at the Yobe State Ministry of Health, before joining politics. The late deputy speaker was survived by two wives, children and relations. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that five Boko Haram members, an officer and three soldiers died on Saturday, February 16, at Buni Yadi in Gujba local government area of Yobe, during encounter between troops and the terrorists. Sagir Musa, the army spokesman, who confirmed the attack in a statement on Sunday, February 17, said the casualties were recorded when the terrorists attacked a military formation in the town. The Nigerian Army Special Forces School and 27 Task Force Brigade are both located in Buni Yadi. Musa said five other soldiers were wounded and were receiving treatment in the Brigade Field Ambulance. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Can Nigerian Soldiers really not deal with Boko Haram fighters?| Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | APC accuses INEC of appointing PDP members as electoral officers - The APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, alleges that there is collusion between INEC and members of the PDP ahead of the general elections - Oshiomhole urges the electoral commission to address the allegations made about the inclusion of PDP members as presiding officers to ensure fairness and credibility of the electoral process - The APC national chairman says his party is disappointed with INECs postponement of the presidential and national assembly elections The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has alleged that INEC appointed some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as presiding officers in some states and local government areas. Oshiomhole made the allegation in a statement issued after the partys caucus meeting held at the APC national secretariat in Abuja on Monday, February 18, The New Telegraph reports. He urged that electoral commission to address the allegations made about the inclusion of PDP members as presiding officers to ensure fairness and credibility of the electoral process. We observed that the list of presiding officers in the states and local government areas published by INEC prior to the aborted February 16 elections contained names of mostly PDP card carrying members and urged INEC to take steps to correct this anomaly to ensure fairness and credibility of the electoral process," Oshiomhole said. He also said the party was disappointed with INECs postponement of the presidential and national assembly elections. The APC national chairman urged his party members to rise above the temporary setback from the postponement and redouble efforts for the victory of all our candidates in the February 23 and March 9 dates for the elections. Meanwhile, Okechukwu Ibeanu, a commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in charge of logistics, has been summoned by the Department of State Services (DSS) to answer questions from the officers of the security body. Details of the invitation are yet to be known at the time of this report, but The Cable believes it has to do with the postponement of the general election and the backlash received by INEC. It was learned that Ibeanu, a professor of political science, took over from Amina Zakari as head of logistics in October 2018. However, a separate 17-member committee was established for the elections and it was headed by Ahmed Tijjani Muazu, a retired air vice marshal. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Just in: Buhari, APC northern governors, service chiefs, acting IGP hold secret talks in Abuja - President Muhammadu Buhari was said to have held a meeting with some service chiefs and northern governors in Abuja on Tuesday, February 19 - Others persons in attendance at the meeting were Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu - Chief of Staff (COS) Abba Kyari, Mansur Dan-Ali, the minister of defence and Abdulrahman Danbazzau, the minister of interior were also at the meeting President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, February 19, convened a secret crucial meeting with service chiefs, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu and some northern governors most of which are from the All Progressives Congress (APC), The Independent reports. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The meeting which was held in the president's office at Aso Rock, Abuja, had in attendance state governors like Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa, Kashim Shettima of Borno and Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna. Other attendees at the meeting were Chief of Staff (COS) Abba Kyari, Mansur Dan-Ali, the minister of defence and Abdulrahman Danbazzau, the minister of interior. Newsmen believe that the meeting will revolve around the security situation in the country. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are said to have convened a crucial meeting at the ruling partys secretariat in Abuja on Monday, February 18. The all-important gathering attended by caucus members of the APC is the first meeting of the party after the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Will postponement of election have any effect on the outcome?| Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... Home | News | General | Identify, sack all compromised INEC staff - Group tells Mahmood - Some stakeholders have called for an investigation into the alleged compromise by some INEC official on the postponed election - The stakeholders said these staff should be identified and handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation - According to them, some politicians including a former president of Nigeria connived with the opposition to compromise the electoral process A group has called for the identification and sack of all staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who have contributed to the postponement of the Saturday, February 16, presidential election. The group, Nationalists Front for Nigeria said the staff should be identified and handed over to the Nigeria Police to investigate the involvement in the logistics issue that led to the postponement of the election. The group led by a former police commissioner, Abubakar Tsav, stakeholders, diplomats, clergies among many others alleged that former president Olusegun Obasanjo and some persons in INEC are in a conspiracy to scuttle the election. Addressing a world press conference on Monday, February 18, Tsav on behalf of the group said such conspiracy is focused on a pre-determined outcome in line with the ex-Presidents character and posture. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He said those involved in the shady deal to snuggle the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into power through backdoor must be brought to book. Tsav said: "We shall come to heaping our criticism on INEC but not before we attempt to alert Nigerians to the real dangers facing them as a people." "The repeated defeat of the terrorists made the opposition, in this case the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to be faced with the prospect of going into an election it is guaranteed to lose to the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking re-election on the platform of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)," Tsav said. READ ALSO: 2019 election: IBB denies asking Buhari to step down "Recall that prior to this, a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, cobbled together several alliances and coalitions that failed woefully like every other thing he has ever laid hands on. Even though Chief Obasanjo had in the past invoked Gods wrath on himself if he ever returns to the PDP (he tore his membership card to seal the curse) he has since fully returned to the PDP and is now its most popular gladiator, save the partys presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Obasanjo had made it appear as if certain clerics captured in photo op with him and Atiku were instrumental to brokering peace between him and his former deputy but events have proven otherwise. What they did in Otta on the day they purportedly made peace was to further perfect their scheme against democracy in Nigeria," he said. The former commissioner said INEC's compromised in the election process is so bad that results have been written in favour of the PDP before the election day while sensitive election materials were delivered to PDP chieftains in several areas hence the failure of the materials to be delivered to the right destinations and officials at a few hours to the elections. He added that the logistics failure that prompted the postponement was therefore contrived by these people and not a natural occurrence. "The evil that was planned against Nigeria by Chief Obasanjo and his proteges Atku, Wike and others is beyond imagination. It was as if he has sensed that Nigerians will vote in a way that will disgrace him with his failed alliances and lying letter so he decided the only way to save face is to manipulate the elections by compromising the umpire. "A last minute realization of the crimes that have been committed in INEC is what jolted its Chairman out of his lethargy to postpone the polls in the hope that remedial actions can still be taken to reverse the damage that the PDP, Obasanjo and Atiku have done to its credibility. Before now, there have been several calls on these men to desist from their acts that are capable of plunging the country into crisis but it is now apparent that they are not amenable to reason. Instead of retracing their steps they have approached their western allies to mount undue pressure on INEC while unfairly accusing the government of the country. "Our demand to Professor Yakubu and INEC as an institution is simple. The Commission must identify, sack and hand over its compromised staff to the police for prosecution before proceeding with the election. READ ALSO: PDP chairman Secondus accuses Buhari of inciting military, police against Nigerians "A failure to do this would imply that INEC has no intention of doing the right thing which would greatly undermine its credibility like the western coalition and the opposition has been trying to do," Tsav said. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the minister of communications, Adebayo Shittu, has warned that the call for the resignation of the chairman of INEC Mahmood Yakubu by the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, is unfair, unacceptable and may jeopardise conduct of Saturday, February 23 election. Shittu said if the chairman of the umpire resigns, it would affect the conduct of the rescheduled general elections on Saturday, February 23. Legit.ng gathered that the minister who spoke on Monday, February 18, with reporters at his Ibadan residence on the rescheduling of the general elections urged Nigerians to give the INEC chairman a benefit of doubt. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better. 2019 Election: Atiku may win and Buhari will be declared winner| - on Legit TV [embedded content] CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Loading... WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand said on Monday that it plans to update its laws so it can tax revenue earned by multinational digital firms such as Google, Facebook and Amazon, extending a global effort to bring global tech giants into the tax net. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the cabinet had agreed to issue a discussion document about how to update the country's tax framework to ensure multinational companies pay their fair share. "Our current tax system is not fair in the way it treats individual tax payers, and how it treats multinationals," Ardern told reporters at her weekly post-cabinet news conference. Highly digitalised companies, such as those offering social media networks, trading platforms, and online advertising, currently earn a significant income from New Zealand consumers without being liable for income tax, the government said in a statement released after the announcement. The value of cross-border digital services in New Zealand is estimated to be around NZ$2.7 billion ($1.86 billion). The revenue estimate for a digital services tax is between NZ$30 million and NZ$80 million, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in the statement. Digital services taxes (DST) are generally charged at a flat rate of two to three percent on the gross revenue earned by a multinational company in that country. A number of countries including the U.K, Spain, Italy, France, Austria and India have enacted or announced plans for a DST. The EU and Australia are also consulting on a DST. Officials will now finalise the New Zealand discussion document on the matter, which is likely to be publicly released by May 2019. ($1 = 1.4526 New Zealand dollars) (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Kim Coghill) For Immediate Release Chicago, IL February 19, 2019 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Amazon AMZN, Alphabet GOOGL, TripAdvisor TRIP and Expedia Group EXPE. Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog: What Will Amazon (AMZN) Do Now that Long Island City Fell Through? Amazonhas unexpectedly dropped its plans of building a second headquarter in the Queens borough of New York City. The decision comes following a month of city council grilling and objections raised by the locals, politicians and activists regarding its HQ2 plans in the city. Notably, Amazons opposition to unionization and its willingness to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were primary reasons behind protests. Moreover, some politicians were also against the $3 billion incentive or subsidy that the state had promised to grant the company for creating 25,000 jobs and investing around $2.5 billion in the city. Economic Impact of the Move Many are of the view that Amazons latest decision does not bode well for New York as the promise of 25,000 jobs fizzles out with the company discarding the plan. Further, the city forgoes the huge tax revenues that the company would have generated with its Ney York City head quarter. Further, many expected Amazon to negotiate a settlement with the state which would have aided its long-term goals and driven growth. Consequently, both the company and state have lost economic value and growth opportunities. Amazons Stance However, Amazon remains confident of its decision of abandoning plans in New York despite massive concerns of incurring loss. The company is of the opinion that such strong opposition from politicians and state officials is likely to act as hindrance in building a strong relationship with the state that is absolutely crucial for a project of this scale. Story continues Moreover, scrapping off New York plans seems to be painless as it was not binding for the company to acquire or lease land for the project. Reportedly, Amazon is currently not looking for a replacement location. Further, the company has decided to shift the technology jobs meant for New York project to its other offices across the United States and Canada. We believe Amazon is likely to continue riding on its strong focus toward adding efficiency to business and expansion strategies. The company has plans to expand its existing New York offices in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Further, it will continue with its development plans of headquarter in Arlington, VA and a new Operations Center of Excellence in downtown Nashville, TN. Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Currently, Amazon carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Alphabet, TripAdvisor and Expedia Group. All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Long-term earnings growth rate for Alphabet, TripAdvisor and Expedia is pegged at 17.51%, 12% and 13.4%, respectively. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, wouldn't you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? From more than 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank, these 10 were picked by a process that consistently beats the market. Even during 2018 while the market dropped -5.2%, our Top 10s were up well into double-digits. And during bullish 2012 2017, they soared far above the market's +126.3%, reaching +181.9%. This year, the portfolio features a player that thrives on volatility, an AI comer, and a dynamic tech company that helps doctors deliver better patient outcomes at lower costs. See Stocks Today >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Expedia Group, Inc. (EXPE) : Free Stock Analysis Report TripAdvisor, Inc. (TRIP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Ayat Basma and Kawa Omar SINJAR, Iraq (Reuters) - Ever since Islamic State visited death and destruction on their villages in northern Iraq nearly five years ago, Yazidis Daoud Ibrahim and Kocher Hassan have had trouble sleeping. For Hassan, 39, who was captured, it is her three missing children, and three years of imprisonment at the hands of the jihadist group. For Ibrahim, 42, who escaped, it is the mass grave that he returned to find on his ravaged land. "They burnt one house down, blew up the other, they torched the olive trees two three times...There is nothing left," the father of eight told Reuters. More than 3,000 other members of their minority sect were killed in 2014 in an onslaught that the United Nations described as genocidal. Ibrahim and Hassan lived to tell of their suffering, but like other survivors, they have not moved on. She will never set foot in her village of Rambousi again. "My sons built that house. I can't go back without them...Their school books are still there, their clothes," she said. 'THEY WANT TO BE BURIED' As U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to announce the demise of the Islamist group in Syria and Iraq, U.N. data suggests many of those it displaced in the latter country have, like Hassan, not returned home. Meanwhile, Ibrahim and his family live in a barn next to the pile of rubble that was once their home. He grows wheat because the olive trees will need years to grow again. No one is helping him rebuild, so he is doing it himself, brick by brick. "Life is bad. There is no aid," he said sitting on the edge of the collapsed roof which he frequently rummages under to find lost belongings. On this day, it was scarves, baby clothes and a photo album. "Every day that I see this mass grave I get ten more gray hairs," he said. The grave, discovered in 2015 just outside nearby Sinjar city, contains the remains of more than 70 elderly women from the village of Kocho, residents say. "I hear the cries of their spirits at the end of the night. They want to be buried, but the government won't remove their remains." They and their kin also want justice, Ibrahim adds. When the militants came, thousands of Yazidis fled on foot towards Sinjar mountain. More than four years later, some 2,500 families - including Hassan and five of her daughters - still live in the tents that are scattered along the hills that weave their way towards the summit. The grass is green on the meadows where children run after sheep and the women pick wild herbs. But the peaceful setting masks deep-seated fears about the past and the future. GRATEFUL FOR THE SUN Until a year and a half ago, Hassan and five of her children were kept in an underground prison in Raqqa with little food and in constant fear of torture. She doesn't know why Islamic State freed her and the girls, then aged one to six, and hasn't learnt the fate of the three remaining children: two boys Fares and Firas, who would be 23 and 19 now, and Aveen, a girl who would be 13. There is no electricity or running water in the camp where they live today. She doesn't remember when her children last ate fruit. "Life here is very difficult but I thank God that we are able to see the sun," she said. During the day, her children go to school and are happy, but at night "they are afraid of their own shadow", and she herself has nightmares. "Last night, I dreamt they were slaughtering my child," she said. Mahmoud Khalaf, her husband, says Islamic State not only destroyed their livelihoods. The group broke the trust between Yazidis and the communities of different faiths and ethnicities they had long lived alongside. "There is no protection. Those who killed us and held us captive and tormented us have returned to their villages," Khalaf, 40, said referring to the neighboring Sunni Arab villages who the Yazidis say conspired with the militants. "We have no choice but to stay here...They are stronger than us." (Reporting by Ayat Basma; editing by John Stonestreet) File photo dated 21/07/93 of Sir Samuel Brittan (left) with his brother Sir Leon Brittan. A judge has jailed Michelle Braithwaite for five years, eight months, after she swindled 117,000 from the vulnerable brother of former home secretary Leon Brittan. A woman has been jailed for five-and-a-half years after conning a veteran journalist out of almost 120,000. Michelle Brathwaite, 48, of Silchester Road, Kensington posed as former journalist Sir Samuel Brittans friend and helper, and claimed she had a degree from Cambridge University, to gain his trust and that of his family. Between August 1 2016 and April 30 2017, she went on to transfer approximately 117,000 from his bank accounts to her own, and used his American Express credit card to fund holidays and buy designer clothes. Officers from the City of London Police began investigating when they were notified by Sir Samuels bank of irregular use of the peers card. Michelle Braithwaite has been jailed for five years, eight months, after she changed her plea to guilty on the day of her trial. (City of London Police). Sir Samuel is the brother of former Home Secretary Sir Leon Brittan. Brathwaite pleaded guilty at the start of her trial at Southwark Crown Court on December 11 2018 to three counts of fraud (one by abuse of position and two by false representation) and one count of theft. She was sentenced on February 14 at the same court. During sentencing, Judge Loraine-Smith described Brathwaite as an extraordinarily dishonest and deceitful woman whose only intention was to steal his money and enjoy it. Detective Constable Alex Wilson, from the City of London Police, said: Brathwaite abused her position of trust to steal thousands of pounds from a vulnerable man who thought she was there to help him. By posing as Sir Samuels friend, she was able to completely control his finances without him noticing and went to considerable lengths to deny these crimes when she was confronted. A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was found dead and a second person critically injured following a house fire in London. Stock image. PA A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a mans body was found following a house fire. Emergency services were called to an address in Chingford, east London, to reports of a fire at around 1.10pm. A man was found dead at the scene while another person was taken as a priority to a major trauma centre. A woman was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. It is the thirteenth murder investigation to be launched in the capital this year. A Met Police spokesman said: Police are dealing with a suspicious death. Officers were called at 1.12pm to a residential address in Genever Close, Chingford. London Fire Brigade and paramedics had been called to a fire and found a man deceased inside the house. A woman was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. A crime scene is in place. Enquiries continue. A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: We were called at 1.11pm to reports of an incident at a residential address. We sent a number of resources to the scene including an incident response officer, an advanced paramedic, two ambulance crews and our hazardous area response team (HART). We also dispatched Londons Air Ambulance. We assessed a person at the scene and took them to a major trauma centre. Sadly, a second person was found dead. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. SGMO will report fourth-quarter 2018 and full-year earnings results. The company has a disappointing track record as its key metrics missed estimates in two of the last four reported quarters while coming in line with the same on one occasion and surpassing the mark in another, the average negative surprise being 43.99%. In the last reported quarter, Sangamo matched estimates at 0.00%. Shares of Sangamo have plummeted 62.3% in the past year compared with the industrys decrease of 16.7%. Lets see, how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Consider With no approved product in its portfolio at the moment, Sangamo primarily generates collaboration revenues from agreements with Pfizer PFE, Kite Pharma a subsidiary of Gilead and Bioverativ, a unit of Sanofi. During the upcoming conference call, investor focus will be on the companys update pertaining to its main pipeline candidates. Sangamo is developing SB-525, its gene therapy product candidate in the phase I/II Alta study for hemophilia A, in partnership with Pfizer. Last November, the company announced that an independent Safety Monitoring Committee (SMC) recommended the continuation of the study to evaluate a higher dose following an analysis in October. The company clarified that the Committees recommendation was based on dose-dependent efficacy on serum factor levels and the favorable safety and tolerability profile of SB-525. Shares of Sangamo shed value due to the companys decision to delay data presentation rom the above-mentioned study, which was expected in fourth-quarter 2018. Sangamos zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) in-vivo genome editing candidate, SB-913, is currently being evaluated in a phase I/II CHAMPIONS study for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II). Earlier this month, the company presented interim results from the study on SB-913 at a medical conference. Story continues The interim data provided preliminary evidence that in-vivo genome editing occurred on treatment with SB-913 and that genome-edited liver cells are able to generate active (Iduronate 2-sulfatase) IDS enzyme in patients with MPS II. Additional data from the study is awaited later this year, which will help explain if the small increases in IDS enzyme activity observed can translate into improved outcomes in MPS II patients. Another similar candidate, SB-318, is currently being examined in a phase I/II EMPOWERS program for treating MPS I. Earlier this month, the company also presented interim findings from the study on SB-318. Data from the same provided complementary evidence, supportive of a positive safety profile and the ZFN activity in in-vivo genome editing technology, used in both SB-913 and SB-318. Last December, Sangamo treated the first patient during the phase I/II study on SB-FIX, an investigational in-vivo genome editing therapy for patients with hemophilia B. Last October, Sangamo closed the previously announced acquisition of Frances TxCell S.A. Notably, TxCell develops innovative platforms for personalized T-cell immunotherapies to handle severe inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The company plans to submit a clinical trial authorization application (CTA) in Europe this year for TxCell's first CAR-Treg investigational product candidate regarding solid organ transplant. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Sangamo is likely to beat estimates this to-be-reported quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a top Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. But that is not the case here as you will see below. Earnings ESP: Sangamo has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. This is because the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at a loss of 20 cents each. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Zacks Rank: Sangamo currently carries a Zacks Rank #3, which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, the companys 0.00% ESP in the combination makes surprise prediction difficult for the stock this reporting cycle. We caution against Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) going into an earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. Quote Stocks That Warrant a Look Here are some biotech stocks that you may want to consider as per our model, these have the right mix of elements to beat on earnings this season. Aduro Biotech, Inc. ADRO has a Zacks Rank #2 and an Earnings ESP of +15.23%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. BDSI has an Earnings ESP of +38.46% and a Zacks Rank of 1. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Pfizer Inc. (PFE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. (SGMO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Aduro Biotech, Inc. (ADRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. (BDSI) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Extra Space Storage Inc. EXR is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 20, after the market closes. The companys quarterly results are expected to reflect year-over-year growth in revenues and funds from operations (FFO). In the last reported quarter, this Salt Lake City, UT-based self-storage real estate investment trust (REIT) delivered better-than-expected results in terms of FFO per share that came in at $1.2, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a whisker. Results reflected growth in same-store revenues and net operating income (NOI). Further, higher rental rates supported growth, though increased discounts partly offset the benefit. Over the trailing four quarters, the company exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two quarters and came in line in the other two, with average positive beat of 1.1%. This is depicted in the graph below: Extra Space Storage Inc Price and EPS Surprise Extra Space Storage Inc Price and EPS Surprise | Extra Space Storage Inc Quote Lets see how things are shaping up for this announcement. Factors to Consider Operating performance of self-storage REITs is expected to have remained upbeat for the Dec-end quarter. As for Extra Space Storage, the company is expected to have gained from the trend toward downsizing, an encouraging labor market, declining home ownership and the resultant increase in the number of people renting homes. Amid these key demand catalysts, Extra Space Storage seems well poised to have capitalized on the trends with a high-quality portfolio of branded stores in high-income regions of the United States. In addition, the company continues to grow its business and achieve geographical diversity through accretive acquisitions, mutually beneficial joint-venture partnerships and third-party management services. In the quarter under review, we anticipate these strategic efforts to boost its performance. In fact, banking on brand value and operational expertise, the company continues to fortify its higher-margin third-party management business. Story continues In fact, the estimate for management and franchise fees is pegged at around $10.7 million, indicating projected sequential growth of 5.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $268 million for property rental revenues reflects an improvement from the prior-years $246 million. These, in turn, will likely be conducive to the 8.1% year-over year revenue increase, pinned at $304.7 million, for the Oct-Dec quarter. However, flurry of development activities might have led to higher supply of self-storage units in many of the companys markets. This is likely to fuel competition, curbing Extra Space Storages pricing power. Amid these, the company may have to resort to discounting for new leases, going ahead. Additionally, since the company leases space on a month-to-month basis, its leasing activity is expected to be under pressure, in case, the storage units are not re-let promptly or if rates upon re-letting fall substantially. In fact, Extra Space Storages activities during the quarter were inadequate to gain analyst confidence. Consequently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth-quarter FFO remained unchanged at $1.2 in a months time. In addition, it indicates improvement of 7.1% on a year-over-year basis. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Extra Space Storage is likely to beat estimates this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or at least 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here, as you will see below. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Earning ESP: Extra Space Storages Earnings ESP is -0.89%. Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3, which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, we also need a positive ESP to be confident of the earnings beat. Stocks That Warrant a Look Hersha Hospitality Trust HT, slated to report fourth-quarter results on Feb 25, has an Earnings ESP of +3.81% and holds a Zacks Rank of 2. American Tower Corporation AMT, set to release earnings on Feb 27, has an Earnings ESP of +0.29% and carries a Zacks Rank of 3. CubeSmart CUBE, set to release earnings on Feb 21, has an Earnings ESP of +1.24% and carries a Zacks Rank of 3. Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO) a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report American Tower Corporation (REIT) (AMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report CubeSmart (CUBE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Extra Space Storage Inc (EXR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Hersha Hospitality Trust (HT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Teachers in West Virginia decided to strike for another day even after the House of Delegates shelved an education bill that had drawn educators' ire and prompted them to walk off their jobs Tuesday. The teachers said they wanted to drive home the point that the bill should be killed. The Republican-led House voted 53-45 Tuesday to table the bill indefinitely, drawing raucous applause from hundreds of teachers in the gallery. At an evening news conference, state Education Association President Dale Lee said there was still "a minute'' chance the bill may be revived On Monday, the state Senate had passed the measure 18-16, restoring some of the controversial provisions the House had previously removed or diminished. "It's very clear we cannot trust the leadership in the Senate,'' said Fred Albert, president of the West Virginia branch of the American Federation of Teachers. "That's why we're staying out one more day, to make sure this is a dead bill tomorrow.'' Union leaders had claimed the legislation was being pushed through without teacher input. They objected to, among other things, provisions that would create charter schools and education savings accounts to help parents pay for private schools, saying those changes would damage public education in the state, Related: Teacher strikes: What's next in your state More: West Virginia teacher strike ends, some schools to reopen Wednesday GOP Senate President Mitch Carmichael expressed disappointment in the House vote. Today the champions of the status quo won, Carmichael said. But that will not stop progress. Theyre on the wrong side of history." Almost one year ago the state's more than 20,000 teachers and school service personnel went on nine-day strike for better pay and benefits. That walkout helped inspire teacher demonstrations around the country, from Oklahoma and Arizona last year to Los Angeles and Denver this year. And the strikes are continuing: Teachers in Oakland, California, plan to walk out on Thursday. Story continues Almost all the state's 55 counties canceled school Tuesday. Schools in Putnam County, about 15 miles west of Charleston, remained open, and social media posts showed a picket line at the district's bus garage. Striking teachers in West Virginia last year won a 5 percent pay raise an average of about $2,000 per teacher. Katie Endicott, an English teacher at Mingo Central Comprehensive High School, told USA TODAY it's disappointing that the situation has come to this so soon after. "It's really disheartening to see the process play out and to see that people are using public education as a form of retaliation," Endicott said. "But, at the same time, we're really resolved in the fight and we're not going to back down. We're not going to quit because we know that the future of public education is at stake." Mingo County teachers voted to go on a one-day strike two weeks ago, Mingo Central English teacher Robin Ellis said, and planned to walk out Tuesday. "We anticipated this and we were ready for it," Ellis said. "And we're ready to take a stand." Contributing: Chrissie Thompson, USA TODAY; The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Striking West Virginia teachers welcome shelving of controversial bill, but will remain out Wednesday Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria's main opposition on Tuesday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of paying "lip service" to democracy, as a war of words escalated before rescheduled elections this weekend. Presidential and parliamentary elections were called off just hours before polling on Saturday, with logistical difficulties blamed for the distribution of materials. Since then, the tone of the two main parties has become increasingly combative, even after all sides agreed to hold peaceful elections and to accept the results. The harder language prompted a warning from the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, and a call for calm. "Please speak in a manner that does not contribute to heating the polity and the political atmosphere," he said. Emmanuel Onwubiko, from the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, said ordinary Nigerians were "tired of hearing politicians fighting". "They need to moderate their rhetoric," he told AFP. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to rig the vote, by using dead voters, foreigners and technological manipulation. Both parties have claimed the other is in league with INEC. INEC itself denies any political interference. - Vote-riggers - Most controversial has been Buhari's revelation on Monday that he had ordered the police and military to be "ruthless" with vote-riggers, and anyone doing so risked their life. Violent ballot-snatching has been a feature of elections in Africa's most populous nation and the comments drew the backing of APC supporters. But PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president, said Buhari's words were "a painful reminder of the era of dictatorship and military rule". Buhari, 76, is a former army general who seized power in a coup in 1983. At the last election, he called himself a "converted democrat" and dropped the title "general". Story continues Abubakar, who is still dogged by longstanding corruption claims, told senior PDP members: "I have always said that General Buhari is not a democrat. "He's never been a democrat... It's lip service. He's more of a power-monger than a democrat." He added: "It's quite shocking for any head of state to utter such words in a democracy and we will not accept it from General Buhari in this country." Abubakar, 72, said a "pre-condition for free, fair, and credible elections is that the people are able to cast their votes without fear or violence". The 2015 election saw Buhari become the first opposition candidate in Nigerian history to defeat a sitting president. The vote was also considered to be the country's most credible. Abubakar told Buhari: "You owe it to our people to let them give their verdict in the same way you were elected. "If you do so, history will commend you for it. If you do not, history will condemn you for it. But before history does it, we will condemn you for it." - Security concerns - PDP national chairman Uche Secondus earlier claimed that "over one million dead voters will vote in this election" and there had been a "coordinated approach" to illegally register foreigners from Niger and Cameroon. He also alleged that NEC's IT system had been compromised "to change names and all sorts of things", and a vendor of electronic machines that "read" biometric identity cards, allowing people to vote, was an APC candidate. "Nigerians know the fact that this government is in control of INEC," Secondus added, without giving more evidence. Yakubu told reporters at a separate briefing that such a conflict of interest was "not possible" but did not address the other PDP accusations. The election is the sixth in the 20 years since Nigeria returned to civilian rule after decades of military government and security has always been an issue. Nigeria's most senior police officer, Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday said anyone involved in disrupting the vote did so at their own risk. "Ballot-snatching, ballot-buying, thuggery will never be allowed," he said after a meeting of security and intelligence chiefs with Buhari in Abuja. INEC has blamed bad weather caused by dust from seasonal winds for disrupting flights delivering election material as well as sabotage, after fires at three of its offices. Yakubu said political campaigning would end on Thursday evening, adding: "We are confident polling units will open on schedule." For Immediate Release Chicago, IL February 19, 2018 Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This weeks list includes Wal-Mart WMT, CVS Health CVS, Agilent A, Hewlett-Packard Enterprises HPE and Kraft-Heinz KHC. 3 Things to Know About Q4 Earnings Season We continue to see the picture that emerged from the Q4 earnings season as not great, but it is not bad either. Results have turned out to be better than many in the market had feared ahead of the start of this earnings season. We knew that the period of very strong growth was now behind us. But the steady negative revisions to earnings estimates for the current and coming quarters have left growth expectations for the first half of 2019 barely in positive territory. This negative-revisions trend is a function of uncertainty about global economic growth, with a host of leading companies in different industries citing weakness in China, Europe and elsewhere as the driver of lower guidance. We will share the current scorecard and whats on deck this week a little later, but lets first point out the key trends that we have seen from the Q4 results through Friday, February 15th. First , growth is decelerating. This isnt a surprise, as we knew already that Q4 growth would be materially below the pace set in the first three quarters of the year. Total earnings for the 394 companies that have reported through Friday, February 15th, are +12.9% from the same period last year on +7.6% higher revenues. Earnings and revenue growth for the same cohort of companies had been +25.1% and +9.5% in the preceding earnings season, respectively. The growth pace is on track to decelerate even further in the current and coming quarters, as we will show a little later. Second , companies appear to be struggling to beat consensus EPS estimates. For the 394 index members that have reported results already, 66.5% are beating EPS estimates and 62.4% are beating revenue estimates. For the same cohort of companies, the proportion of positive EPS and revenue surprises was 78.4% and 62.4% in the Q3 earnings season, respectively. Story continues The proportion of these 394 index members beating both EPS and revenue estimates is 45.7%, which compares to 52.5% for the same group of companies in the preceding reporting cycle and 12-quarter average of 53.7%. The revenue beats percentage is on the weak side relative to historical periods, but the lag on the EPS beats percentage side is particularly noteworthy. The fact is that the Q4 EPS beats percentage is the lowest in more than 5 years. With Q4 positive surprises this hard to come by, one would reasonably assume that perhaps estimates had been too high. But we know thats not the case, as estimates for the quarter had fallen the most of any other recent periods. Third , estimates for 2019 Q1 and full-year 2019 are coming down in a major way, with the Q1 growth rate now in negative territory and Q2 barely positive. Negative revisions to 2019 Q1 estimates are along the same lines that we saw ahead of the start of the Q4 earnings season as well. And estimates for full-year 2019 have been coming down. Estimates were effectively unchanged during the September quarter, but they have been on a consistent downtrend since early October. Many in the market suspect that estimates have further to drop before stabilizing. Key Earnings Reports This Week We have more than 400 companies coming out with quarterly reports this week, including 49 S&P 500 members. The Retail and Utilities sectors are the only ones that have a sizable number of reports still to come, and this week brings in plenty of reports from these sectors. Tuesday, February 19th: We have 16 index members reporting results on Tuesday, of which 8 will come out before the markets open and the rest after the close. Wal-Mart is the notable report on the Tuesday morning docket, with the retail giant expected to have flat earnings of $1.33 per share on +2.2% higher revenues of $139.3 billion. The stock was down after the last earnings release and has struggled over the past year, lagging the broader market. Wal-Mart has made good headway in its digital strategy, but its purchase of Indias Flipkart has emerged as a headwind. Wednesday, February 20th: We have 17 S&P 500 members reporting results on Wednesday, with CVS Health as the notable company in the morning session and Agilent after the markets close. Thursday, February 21st: Hewlett-Packard Enterprises and Kraft-Heinz are the more notable of the 14 index members reporting results on Thursday. 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These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report CVS Health Corporation (CVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Agilent Technologies, Inc. (A) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Paris (AFP) - After years of struggling alone or finding support in national groups, survivors of sex abuse by priests have formed a new international alliance to pressure the Catholic Church to face up to its crimes. The group, called Ending Clerical Abuse (ECA), brings together activists from dozens of countries on several continents, and will be mobilised in Rome this week when Pope Francis hosts a hotly awaited summit on tackling the wave of child sex abuse scandals shaking the Catholic Church. "It's a momentous and a historic movement... to bring a global and unified voice," one of its co-founders, Peter Saunders, told AFP. "This is the first truly global initiative." Saunders' personal story is among countless others suffered by people who grouped together to form ECA last June, including survivors from Chile, Poland, Switzerland, France, Italy, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries. "I was abused at seven years old by a family member. I was also sexually abused by two Jesuit priests at my secondary school at about 12 years of age," he said. The same priest targeted his brother Michael at the same school six years before him, and died aged 55 after a lifelong battle with drug and alcohol abuse. "I think the Church has been resisting change for many, many years and I think at long last the Church is beginning to bow to the pressure put on by survivors, by our media colleagues around the world, and by public opinion," he added. Related Video: Pope Francis Dismisses Ex-Cardinal McCarrick This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The group's objectives include forcing the Church to take a "zero tolerance" approach to paedophilia, working to overturn the statute of limitations on abuse cases, and supporting victims in areas where speaking out remains difficult, such as in various African and Asian countries. - 'Counter-summit' - From Wednesday to Sunday, ECA will bring together victims in Rome to put new pressure on Pope Francis, who has spoken out strongly over the last two years about abuse in the Church after a string of scandals worldwide. Story continues But on the ground, survivors say the fight against the culture of secrecy within the Catholic hierarchy and an instinct to cover up abuse cases remains entrenched. "Either I committed suicide or I spoke out," said a 70-year-old Swiss co-founder of ECA, who gives his name only as Jacques. "It was a long and painful fight." He said a priest raped him continually when he was aged 14 to 20. After years of therapy, in 2009 he contacted the priest who abused him and attempted to reach closure. Only after a five-year struggle did senior Church figures "understand the gravity of the acts of their colleague and accept moral responsibility on behalf of the institution," he said. As he battled for justice, he also learned that the priest had been identified as a possible paedophile even before he was ordained and had been sent to France several times for "treatment". In 2010, Jacques founded SAPEC, a victims group in French-speaking Switzerland, which led to the creation of a commission to investigate abuse and oversee compensation. - 'No apology' - In Poland, ECA co-founder Marek Lisinski, 50, said he had long dreamed of a new international organisation "to show Polish victims that they are not on their own." He said he was "assaulted for 10 months by a vicar" at age 13 and his search for justice led to a prosecution. "I was forced to become an adult at age 13," he said angrily. Over several years he fought dependencies on alcohol and anti-depressants, made three suicide attempts and went through a divorce. Finally, after nine years of legal proceedings, the vicar was suspended -- but just for three years. "In 2018, the court ordered him to apologise to me, but did not award damages," he said. "I have never had the apology." Lisinsky added: "The Church has ignored victims, moves the perpetrators around (from one parish to another) and refuses to meet with us despite the instructions from the pope. Officially it has apologised... but as an institution it has never accepted its responsibility." In 2013, Lisinsky created the Don't Be Afraid Foundation, which gathered testimony from 700 victims. He published a shocking map online in October showing among other things all the parishes where abuse had been reported. "There is barely a day without a victim coming forward to our Foundation. The youngest is a boy of 11," he said. Chilean activist Jose Andres Murillo, 43, struggled for 20 years before getting a measure of justice. Also a founding member of ECA, Murillo was instrumental in bringing to light a huge scandal in Chile that led to 88-year-old priest Fernando Karadima being defrocked and prosecuted. He said ECA needs to act "to create secure spaces within the Church", safe from abuse. "Faith is something positive for a lot of people, which helps them get through difficult moments, but that does not give the Church the right to create trauma in people's lives," he said. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's government said Monday it will stage a concert on the Colombian border the same day Richard Branson has said he will hold one just over the frontier to push for aid to be allowed in. The show will be held February 22-23 as pressure grows on the government of President Nicolas Maduro, who is facing a strong challenge from national assembly speaker Juan Guaido, who is now recognized by more than 50 countries as Venezuela's legitimate leader. Culture Minister Jorge Rodriguez said the government had received requests from many Venezuelan musicians seeking to take part in "a grand gathering, a big concert for peace and life." He did not say who would perform. The concert will be held on the Simon Bolivar bridge which links San Antonio, Venezuela with Cucuta, in Colombia, where aid sent by the US for Venezuela is being held up and stored. Maduro will not let aid in, saying this would be the first step toward a US invasion. Guaido is demanding he do so. Another border bridge, called Tienditas, is being blocked by the Venezuelan authorities with cargo containers and a fuel-truck tank. The minister said the pro-government concert would send a message "to denounce the brutal aggression that our people are being subjected to." The government routinely complains of US interference. British billionaire Branson has said he will hold a charity concert February 22 in Cucuta. Big names in Latin and other music have been promised. The Catholic Church has required celibacy from its priests for centuries, yet those vows were broken so frequently that the Vatican established a secret set of guidelines for dealing with clerics who fathered children. This latest revelation, first reported by The New York Times, comes amid a new wave of developments tied to the burgeoning sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the church for close to two decades. On Monday, the Diocese of Oakland, California, released a list of 45 clergymen and religious brothers it said have had credible accusations of child sexual abuse made against them, going as far back as the 1960s. Several other dioceses have taken similar steps in recent months. On Saturday, Pope Francis defrocked former Washington archbishop Theodore McCarrick after he was found guilty of a series of sexual crimes, making him the first American cardinal to be expelled from the priesthood. Two weeks ago, Francis acknowledged the long-known but rarely addressed problem of nuns being sexually assaulted by priests. More: The stakes are high for Pope Francis, Catholics worldwide ahead of unprecedented sex abuse summit Now, just ahead of Thursdays unprecedented meeting of more than 100 bishops summoned to the Vatican to address the sexual misconduct crisis, the Catholic Church faces yet another sexually related controversy. Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti acknowledged to the Times and other news outlets the existence of the guidelines, although he would not reveal specifically what they are. More: The stakes are high for Pope Francis, Catholics worldwide ahead of unprecedented sex abuse summit Gisotti said the instructions seek to protect the child and require others contend they only encourage the priest to request a leave from his clerical duties and as a layman, assume his responsibilities as a parent by devoting himself exclusively to the child. Vincent Doyle, an Irish psychotherapist who learned in his late 20s his father was a priest, told the Times that church leaders initially misled him to believe his was a rare instance. Story continues Though theres no exact count of how many children have been fathered by clergymen, he eventually learned that wasnt true when an archbishop showed him the Vatican instructions for cases like his. Its the next scandal, Doyle said. There are kids everywhere. More: Catholic Church: Jesuits name priests with 'established accusations' of child sex abuse Doyle formed a global support group, Coping International, that provides counseling and resources to children of the ordained, as the church calls them. He said the organizations website has 50,000 users in 175 countries. Doyle told CBS News he wants to see them codified so the offspring of clergymen dont have to live in the shadows. The Irish Catholic Church did as much two years ago, establishing a set of rules that prioritize the childs well-being and mandate that the priest own up to his parental duties in every way. The first problem with children of priests is they're not recognized," Doyle said. When you're hidden you are characterized by secrecy. More: Vatican clarifies Pope Francis on issue of sexual slavery of nuns This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vatican secret out: There are rules for priests who father children By Vincent Kessel and Noemie Olive STRASBOURG/PARIS, France (Reuters) - Thousands of people rallied across France after a surge of anti-Semitic attacks in recent weeks that culminated on Tuesday with vandals daubing swastikas and anti-Jewish slogans on dozens of graves in a Jewish cemetery. Political leaders from all parties, including former Presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, gathered in Paris filling the Place de la Republique, a symbol of the nation, to decry anti-Semitic acts with one common slogan: "Enough!" People also lined the streets of cities from Lille in the north to Toulouse and Marseille in the south. President Emmanuel Macron paid respects at one of the 96 desecrated graves in the village of Quatzenheim, near the eastern city of Strasbourg. "Whoever did this is not worthy of the French republic and will be punished... We'll take action, we'll apply the law and we'll punish them," he said, walking through a gate scarred with a swastika as he entered the graveyard. Macron later visited the national Holocaust memorial in Paris with the heads of the Senate and National Assembly. France is home to the biggest Jewish community in Europe -- around 550,000 -- a population that has grown by about half since World War Two, but anti-Semitic attacks remain common. Government statistics released last week showed there were more than 500 anti-Semitic attacks in the country last year, a 74 percent increase from 2017. "Some people are provoking the authority of the state. It needs to be dealt with now and extremely firmly," Sarkozy told reporters. "It's a real question of authority. Violence is spreading and it needs to stop now." Among incidents in recent days, "yellow vest" protesters were filmed hurling abuse on Saturday at Alain Finkielkraut, a well-known Jewish writer and son of a Holocaust survivor. Artwork on two Paris post boxes showing the image of Simone Veil, a Holocaust survivor and former magistrate, was defaced with swastikas, while a bagel shop was sprayed with the word "Juden", German for Jews, in yellow letters. A tree in a Paris suburb in memory of Ilan Halimi, a young Jewish man kidnapped, tortured and murdered in 2006, was cut in two. The series of attacks has alarmed politicians and prompted calls for action against what some commentators describe as a new form of anti-Semitism among the far-left and Islamist preachers. "I call on all French and European leaders to take a strong stand against anti-Semitism," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message recorded in Hebrew. "It is an epidemic that endangers everyone, not just us." A rabbi and three children were killed at a Jewish school in Toulouse in 2012 by an Islamist gunman, and in 2015 four Jews at a kosher supermarket in Paris were among 17 people killed by Islamist militants. (Additional reporting by Gilbert Reilhac in Strasbourg and Mayaan Lubell in Jerusalem; Writing by Luke Baker and John Irish; Editing by Gareth Jones and Frances Kerry) Washington (AFP) - The United States said Tuesday it wanted to ensure foreign jihadists remain off the battlefield as it weighed options on an American detained in Syria who says she wants to return home. The United States has urged European powers to take back hundreds of their citizens who fought with the Islamic State movement in Syria, but acknowledged the situation was complex in the rare case of an American jihadist. Hoda Muthana, a 24-year-old from Alabama who became a prominent online agitator for the extremists, said in an interview published Sunday with The Guardian that she had been brainwashed online and "deeply regrets" joining the movement. While declining to discuss Muthana's case specifically, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said that the status of US citizens detained in Syria "is by definition extremely complicated." "We're looking into these cases to better understand the details," he told reporters. Palladino said that the United States generally did not see a different solution between what to do with US fighters and with foreigners, saying the fighters pose "a global threat." "Repatriating these foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin, ensuring that they are prosecuted and detained -- that's the best solution, preventing them from returning to the battlefield," he said. Hassan Shibly, a lawyer for Muthana, expressed dismay that US government officials had yet to interview her. "It's really problematic that The (New York) Times, The Guardian and ABC News have all been able to meet with her and interview her, and the government has not been able to do that," Shibly told AFP. The situation of foreign jihadists detained by US-allied Kurdish forces has taken a new urgency as President Donald Trump plans to withdraw US troops from Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces say they may have to refocus on fighting Turkey, which has vowed to crush Kurdish fighters it links to separatists at home. Story continues Trump has contemplated reopening the US military base at Guantanamo Bay to take in new foreign inmates, while Britain on Tuesday revoked the citizenship of a female jihadist who wanted to return home with her newborn baby. Neither option would likely pass muster in the cases of US citizens, who enjoy strong legal protections under the Constitution. Muthana, who was married three times to jihadists and has a son with one of her husbands, fled her family in 2014 to join the Islamic State group in Syria, where she took to Twitter to urge attacks on fellow Americans. In the interview with The Guardian, Muthana said that she was "really young and ignorant" when she joined IS and has since renounced radicalism. "I believe that America gives second chances. I want to return and I'll never come back to the Middle East," she told the newspaper. Shibly said "it's been a difficult journey for her, and she's relieved. She's very resentful to them for having misguided her and having brainwashed her and manipulated her and really destroying her life." San Francisco (AFP) - Sixteen US states sued President Donald Trump's administration Monday over his decision to declare a national emergency to fund a wall on the southern border with Mexico, saying the move violated the constitution. Trump announced the emergency Friday in order to bypass Congress, which approved only a quarter of the $5.6 billion he wanted for the wall in a spending bill. But the lawsuit, filed in a federal court in California, said the president's order was contrary to the constitution's presentment and appropriations clauses, which outline legislative procedures and define Congress as the final arbiter of public funds, respectively. The move had already been announced by Xavier Becerra, the attorney general of California, who said Sunday his state and others had legal standing because they risked losing moneys intended for military projects, disaster assistance and other purposes. Critics, including several senators from Trump's Republican party, have warned that he has opened the door for future presidents to call on the act whenever they fail to get their way with Congress. Should the states prevail, the case could work its way up to the Supreme Court, setting up a precedent-setting showdown on the separation of powers. - 'Constitutional crisis' - California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia are party to the complaint seeking an injunction. The states "bring this action to protect their residents, natural resources, and economic interests from President Donald J. Trump's flagrant disregard of fundamental separation of powers principles engrained in the United States Constitution," the complaint said. It added that Trump had veered the country toward a "constitutional crisis of his own making." "Congress has repeatedly rebuffed the president's insistence to fund a border wall, recently resulting in a record 35-day partial government shutdown over the border wall dispute," it said. Story continues "After the government reopened, Congress approved, and the president signed into law, a $1.375 billion appropriation for fencing along the southern border, but Congress made clear that funding could not be used to build President Trump's proposed border wall." - Endangered species - The complaint also questioned Trump's categorization of illegal border crossings as a national emergency, saying data issued by his own administration refuted the notion. "Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") data show that unlawful entries are near 45-year lows," it said. "The State Department recognizes there is a lack of credible evidence that terrorists are using the southern border to enter the United States. Federal data confirm that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than are native-born Americans." The White House says the emergency order empowers it to pull around $6.6 billion from other sources, mostly already-allocated funds in the Defense Department budget. But the lawsuit countered that tapping military funds would result in huge losses for the states' national guard units which would otherwise use the money for domestic drug interdiction and counter-drug activities as well as for law enforcement programs. The complaint added that the Department of Homeland Security had violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to evaluate the environmental impact of the wall in California and New Mexico, saying species such as the endangered Mexican gray wolf, and the jaguar would be at risk. Tom Cruise (Credit: AFP) The US Navy has denied reports that Tom Cruise was arrogant and behaved rudely towards servicemen and women while filming scenes for Top Gun: Maverick on an aircraft carrier. Scenes were being shot on the USS Theodore Roosevelt in San Diego for the sequel to the 1986 dogfighting classic, but an anonymous source claimed to NBC that Cruises behaviour left a lot to be desired. The source said that Cruise angered staff on the carrier, and was very arrogant during the shoot, alleging that they were told not to look at or touch the actor. But a high-ranking official has now rubbished the claims, telling NBC7: Tom Cruise and the cast were nothing but gracious and professional during filming to all of the sailors. Tom Cruise and Jennifer Connolly shooting Top Gun: Maverick (Credit: Entertainment Tonight) The official added that orders given to staff on the ship may have been misinterpreted. Some sailors may have misinterpreted guidance from the Navy that told sailors to not approach actors while filming and not use cell phones on the set, the official went on. Naval escorts who accompanied Cruise, who is renowned for his courteous behaviour towards members of the public, reportedly added: At no time did Tom Cruise say to a sailor, Do not look at me. Do not touch me. Top Gun: Maverick (Credit: Paramount) A naval master chief went on to tell NBC that while crew were told to respect Cruise, the Navy does not tolerate any disrespect to its members and wouldnt allow a visitor to treat staff poorly. The long-awaited sequel to Top Gun, which also stars Miles Teller, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connolly, Jon Hamm and Ed Harris, is due out in June, 2020. Read more Bette Midler to sing Poppins song at the Oscars Is there a major twist coming in Toy Story 4? Bond moved back two months Fentanyl, a highly dangerous painkiller at the heart of the US opioid epidemic, has been overprescribed by doctors, according to a report Tuesday that accused medical authorities and producers of being too lax in their oversight. The drug is a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more powerful than morphine and which is largely sold on the black market. But it is prescribed in certain rare cases of cancer under what are supposed to be very tight restrictions, in the form of pills, lozenges or sprays under the tongue. It is supposed to be used only on cancer patients for whom other opioid painkillers have been insufficent. The report in Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, said that this was not the case, however. The investigation, carried out by experts from Johns Hopkins University, said that of the thousands of patients who had been prescribed fentanyl, between a third and half of them should never have received the drug. One doctor in five did not know that fentanyl was only supposed to be used in certain types of cancer cases, the researchers found. As a result, it has been wrongly prescribed for far less serious conditions like back pain or chronic headaches. "The drug can kill you," said one of the authors of the report Caleb Alexander, co-director at the Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness at Johns Hopkins. "There's no question that individuals have died from inappropriate prescribing of these products," he said. "The whole point of this program was to prevent exactly the use that commonly occurs," he said of fentanyl, which has become the deadliest drug in an epidemic that killed 70,000 people in the United States in 2017. The team of researchers battled for four and a half years to get 5,000 pages of documents on the fentanyl program from the FDA. Legally, doctors are allowed to prescribe a drug for an ailment other than the one it is designated for. The role of the FDA is to regulate the laboratories that make the drugs, not the doctors. But as part of their oversight responsibility, manufacturers "were supposed to monitor and potentially disenroll prescribers who violated the terms of the program. And yet not a single prescriber was identified and disenrolled," said Alexander. The FDA did not immediately respond to the report, but its head, Scott Gottlieb, promised last August on Twitter to implement "new measures" against the practice. Washington (AFP) - Fentanyl, a highly dangerous painkiller at the heart of the US opioid epidemic, has been overprescribed by doctors, according to a report Tuesday that accused health authorities and manufacturers of being too lax in their oversight. The drug is a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more powerful than morphine and which is largely sold on the black market. But it is prescribed in certain cases of cancer under what are supposed to be very tight restrictions, in the form of lozenges, lollipops or sprays under the tongue. It is supposed to be used only on cancer patients for whom other opioid painkillers have been insufficent. The report in Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, said that this was not the case, however. The investigation, carried out by experts from Johns Hopkins University, said that of the thousands of patients who had been prescribed fentanyl, between a third and half of them should never have received the drug. One doctor in five did not know that fentanyl was only supposed to be used by opioid-tolerant cancer patients, the researchers found. As a result, it has been wrongly prescribed for far less serious conditions like lower back pain or chronic headaches. "The drug can kill you," said one of the authors of the report Caleb Alexander, co-director at the Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness at Johns Hopkins. "There's no question that individuals have died from inappropriate prescribing of these products," he said. "The whole point of this program was to prevent exactly the use that commonly occurs," he said of fentanyl, which has become the deadliest drug in an epidemic that killed 70,000 people in the United States in 2016. The team of researchers battled for four and a half years to get 5,000 pages of documents on the fentanyl program from the FDA. Legally, doctors are allowed to prescribe a drug for an ailment other than the one it is indicated for. The role of the FDA is to regulate the laboratories that make the drugs, not the doctors. Story continues But as part of their oversight responsibility, manufacturers "were supposed to monitor and potentially disenroll prescribers who violated the terms of the program. And yet not a single prescriber was identified and disenrolled," said Alexander. An FDA spokesperson said the agency shared the concerns raised in the report. "The FDA will soon be sharing planned next steps ... to make sure the program is working to mitigate the risks of these medicines and that theyre prescribed only to opioid-tolerant patients," the spokesperson said. US-China trade talks aimed at ending a damaging tariff war will resume from Tuesday in Washington, the White House said. The last set of talks ended Friday in Beijing with no deal, though US President Donald Trump said discussions were going "extremely well" and suggested he could extend a March 1 truce deadline for an agreement to be reached. The next round of negotiations will commence with deputy-level meetings before moving on to principal-level talks on Thursday, said a White House statement issued Monday. For the US, the talks will be led by Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, economic policy advisor Larry Kudlow, and trade advisor Peter Navarro. China's commerce ministry meanwhile announced it would be represented by Vice Premier Liu He, Beijing's top trade negotiator and key aide to President Xi Jinping, who agreed to a trade war truce with Trump at a meeting in Buenos Aires in December. "We hope China and the US will both work hard together to implement the important consensus reached by our two heads of state in Argentina, get down to work, and walk together in the same direction towards a mutually acceptable and mutually beneficial agreement," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters Tuesday. On Friday, Trump reiterated he might be willing to hold off on increasing tariffs to 25 percent from the current 10 percent on March 1 on $200 billion in Chinese goods if Washington and Beijing are close to finalizing an agreement to deal with US complaints about unfair trade and theft of American technology. American officials accuse Beijing of seeking global industrial predominance through an array of unfair trade practices, including the alleged theft of American intellectual property and massive state intervention in commodities markets. Since the December detente, China has resumed purchases of some US soybeans and dangled massive buying of American commodities to get US trade negotiators closer to a deal. Story continues The talks are aimed at "achieving needed structural changes in China that affect trade between the United States and China," Monday's statement said. "The two sides will also discuss China's pledge to purchase a substantial amount of goods and services from the United States." Beijing and Washington have imposed duties on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, which are weighing on their manufacturing sectors and have shaken global financial markets. burs-ia-rwm/lth/gle United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to defuse tensions and offered to help broker a solution if both sides agree. The two countries have been locked in a diplomatic clash following a suicide attack on February 14 in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian security personnel, triggering counter-operations by Indian forces in the area. "We are deeply concerned at the increasing tensions between the two countries," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. Guterres "stresses the importance of both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps" to de-escalate, while also offering to mediate "should both sides ask," said Dujarric. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi appealed to Guterres to step in to defuse tensions, in a letter seen by AFP. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," said the letter sent on Monday. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), but the foreign minister insisted that "attributing it to Pakistan even before investigations is absurd." In response to the rising tensions, France, Britain and the United States were considering a new push at the Security Council to place Masood Azhar, the leader of JeM, on the UN terror list, but faced opposition from China, diplomats said. China has twice blocked -- in 2016 and 2017 -- attempts to put the JeM leader on the blacklist. The group itself was added to the terror list in 2001. Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since independence from Britain in 1947. Both countries claim the former Himalayan kingdom in full and have fought two wars over it. India has long accused Pakistan of harboring militants who launch attacks on its soil. Pakistan's UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi met with Guterres and with the president of the Security Council to appeal for action, warning that a flareup in Kashmir could undermine peace efforts in Afghanistan. Story continues "The escalation in the subcontinent poses a threat to prospects for peace in Afghanistan," Lodhi told AFP. The United States is holding talks with the Taliban on ending 17 years of war. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad's talks also involve Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the three countries that recognized the Taliban regime in Kabul before the US-led coalition toppled it following the September 11, 2001 attacks. By Paul Sandle and Stephen Addison LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Theresa May plans to speak to every European Union leader and the European Commission chief to seek changes to her EU withdrawal agreement, days after another defeat from her own lawmakers and as businesses brace for a no-deal Brexit on March 29. In her talks with EU leaders and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker she will be seeking to change the Irish backstop, one of the most contentious parts of the withdrawal agreement she agreed in November, her office said. May has told EU leaders she could pass her deal with concessions primarily around the backstop - a guarantee that there can be no return to border controls between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland. But a defeat in a symbolic vote in parliament on Thursday has weakened her pledge and increase the risk of a "no-deal" Brexit in 40 days. The backstop has become one of the main points of contention ahead of Britain's planned departure from the EU next month after 45 years. In a letter to her divided Conservative lawmakers, May asked them to put aside "personal preferences" and unite in the interests of the country by backing a deal. "Our party can do what it has done so often in the past: move beyond what divides us and come together behind what unites us; sacrifice if necessary our own personal preferences in the higher service of the national interest," she wrote. Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said on Sunday that changes needed to be made to the backstop, and that did not necessarily mean the agreement needed to be reopened. "I don't think it's the mechanism that matters, it's the objective," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr. "If you can get to a place where the potential longevity of the backstop - the potential that the backstop lasts for ever - can be adequately dealt with, that's what we are all seeking to do," he said. On Monday, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay will meet EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, and on Tuesday, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, will make a speech setting out what changes would be required to eliminate the legal risk that Britain could be trapped in a Northern Irish backstop indefinitely. May's office did not give a date for the Juncker talks. Unless May can get a Brexit deal approved by the British parliament, she will have to decide whether to delay Brexit or thrust the world's fifth-largest economy into chaos by leaving without a deal at the end of March. With the clock running down, businesses have said they have been left with no choice but to start enacting emergency measures to cope with a no-deal scenario, KPMG said on Sunday. "Businesses are now testing the airbags on their Brexit preparations," said James Stewart, head of Brexit at KPMG UK. "Time is a luxury we no longer have, so people are bracing themselves for the immediate potential impacts." Airbus, which designs and manufactures wings for its aircraft in Britain, said on Sunday a "no-deal" Brexit would be "absolutely catastrophic". "There is no such thing as a managed 'no deal', it's absolutely catastrophic for us," senior vice president Katherine Bennett told Marr. "Some difficult decisions will have to be made if there's no-deal (...) we will have to look at future investments." (Reporting by Stephen Addison and Paul Sandle; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Simferopol (AFP) - The only major Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Russian-annexed Crimea is set to close, its head told AFP, following a historic religious split between Kiev and Moscow. For more than 300 years the Ukrainian Church was linked to the Moscow Patriarchate, but Kiev now considers this unacceptable given Russia's actions in Crimea. This year an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church was established, to the fury of Moscow. Father Kliment, the head of the Cathedral of Saint Vladimir and Saint Olga in Crimea's capital Simferopol, said Crimean authorities had told him they would revoke his church's lease next month. This is because he has failed to register the parish in the Russian Federation, he said. But, because Kiev considers Crimea "temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory," he cannot comply with the Russian law as a Ukrainian priest, Kliment said. "Our cathedral does not just have a religious function. It is also a centre for the spiritual culture of Ukrainians in Crimea," he said. Kliment said he does not know what will happen in the likely event the church is forced to close. The lease agreement on the building, which previously belonged to an educational facility, was due to run to 2050. Crimea's property ministry declined to comment on the matter, as did the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Kiev. The Ukrainian Church was previously split into three, with one Church overseen by the Patriarch of Moscow. The Russian-controlled branch of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine has refused to participate in establishing a unified church. It has also broken off ties with the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which granted autonomy to the Ukrainian Church. The Constantinople Patriarch's decision to recognise the Ukrainian Church's independence from Russia was a huge blow to Moscow's spiritual authority in the Orthodox world. Twenty high school seniors from across the state will vie for scholarship dollars and the coveted title of Distinguished Young Woman of Indiana this weekend at IU Kokomo. Representing Howard County is Bridget Konopa, who won the local competition last August and also earned awards in interview, self-expression, talent, and fitness for a total of $3,200 in cash scholarships. Now, Konopa said shes looking forward to competing at the next level. I was up with some pretty amazing girls in the local program, so being able to move on to state is a great honor for me, she said. Sheila Stephens, the Howard County program chair, said she believes Konopa will do very well. She is extremely strong in fitness. She will be dancing for her talent, and she has amazing technique and stage presence. She does very well in academics, and her personality will shine in the interview, Stephens said. I always want my Howard County girls to gain more confidence during the week as they meet and become friends with like-minded, goal-oriented girls from across the state of Indiana. While Konopa isnt going into the competition expecting to win, she said shes going to do her best, and shes been preparing in the different categories in which shell be scored. To her advantage, shes friends with Aaryan Morrison, a Kokomo High School graduate and current student at Harvard University who won the title of Distinguished Young Woman of America last year. Morrisons win marked the first time in the programs 60-year history that the national title went to a Howard County woman. Konopa said Morrison has been able to give her plenty of advice. She gave me a lot of tips and pointers, which was really helpful to prepare for each of the different categories. For the interview, brushing up on certain topics and having statements prepared for hot topics that they might be asking is one example, she said. I have definitely been preparing a lot. The state competition is more than just the three-day long event, which begins Thursday, Feb. 21, at IU Kokomo and runs through Saturday. According to Stephens, the entire program is about building well-rounded citizens. The women arrived on Sunday, met Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight, and since have been staying with host families. Throughout the week, they will be touring facilities, meeting political and business leaders, giving Be Your Best Self presentations at local elementary schools, participating in workshops and seminars, and completing a community service project. Should Konopa earn the state title, she will advance to compete at nationals in Mobile, Ala., in June for the chance to earn the title of Distinguished Young Woman of America. Morrison also will be at the state program and will perform. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute According to State Program Co-Chair Julie Worland, this years program will be extra special as it will commemorate its extensive history. The program will include a clip that tells how Distinguished Young Women got its start. It began in Indiana in 1959 with the first state program being held in South Bend before being moved to Bloomington and then Frankfort where it was held for nearly 50 years. The state program has been held in Kokomo for the past eight years. Popcorn Cafe is helping Distinguished Young Women celebrate its 60th birthday in Indiana. Owner Grace Jones has been working with officials to create a Distinguished Young Women popcorn thats drizzled in teal chocolate to match the programs logo. It will be debuted at the state program and then offered across the nation for participants to sell it as a fund raiser. Its been really interesting to see how that process works with creating a popcorn flavor because you have to taste test. You had to try different recipes. You have to figure out what to call it, said Worland. All past participants in the state program also have been invited to attend for an alumni spotlight where they will be recognized and celebrated. As for the competition with the state women, Worland said shes impressed by the caliber of this years participants. This program always draws the best young ladies. Theyre good students. They work hard. They really care about leadership and talent and just the excellence in that the mission stands for. They try to be their best self. Theyre good role models, she said. This year, $28,000 in scholarships is up for grabs. The overall winner will take home $8,000, and there are chances to earn scholarship dollars in several other categories, such as scholastics, interview, talent, health and fitness, and self-expression. In addition, IU Kokomo also offers every woman a scholarship based on her academic success and involvement in the program should they choose to attend. In addition to Konopa, the other 19 participants are Jessica McIntosh of Lowell, Olivia Wyrick of Clinton County, Makenna Cooper of Grant County, Abigail Powell of Triton, Kaitlyn Cullers of Bremen, Shannon Isenberg of Montgomery County, Erin Greising of Elkhart County, Rhiana Brown of Hancock County, Grace Gliva of Tri-West, Kinley Boyd of Tippecanoe County, Lilianna Shank of Concord, Mallori Beyers of Lawrence County, Leah Bechtold of Whitley County, Sanja Kirova of Portage, Shauna Drake of Jackson County, Renee Wright of Avon, Sophie Cassell of Plainfield, Eilee Deniston of Miami County, and Makena Trew of Hamilton County. Worland encouraged the community to attend the program. You hear a lot of negative things that our youth are doing today, but this is a very positive thing that our youth are doing today. We get to celebrate their hard work in academics. We get to celebrate their talent. We get to celebrate all the hard work that theyve done, their leadership skills, and its just a really neat time to see some of the positive things that our youth are doing, she said. Preliminaries are Thursday, Feb. 21, and Friday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. and culminate on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. at IUK Havens Auditorium. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 for Thursday and Friday and $15 for Saturday. By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. special representative for North Korea is traveling to Hanoi on Tuesday to continue preparations for a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to be held next week in Vietnam, the State Department said. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told a news briefing he had no details of the meetings Stephen Biegun would have in Hanoi. Biegun spent three days in North Korea from Feb. 6-8, a trip he said was aimed at agreeing on "concrete deliverables" for the Feb. 27-28 summit. The State Department said after those talks that Biegun agreed to hold further meetings with his counterpart Kim Hyok Chol ahead of the summit. Biegun said after that trip his talks in North Korea had been "productive" but there was "hard work to do" before the summit. The United States has been demanding that North Korea give up a nuclear weapons program that threatens the United States, and Trump has been eager for a second summit even though a first meeting in Singapore in June meeting produced only vague commitments from Kim and little concrete progress since. North Korea has been seeking a lifting of punishing U.S.-led sanctions, a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War and security guarantees. Asked whether the United States would consider lifting sanctions, Palladino said: "We've been clear on sanctions. These are the world's sanctions and that is something that ... will continue to be maintained until we've achieved our final result of a fully, finally, verified denuclearization." However, he then added: "But I don't want to get ahead on ... any further details on what's being negotiated regarding that question." Palladino did not respond directly when asked about reports that the two sides were discussing the exchange of liaison officers and declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. "I am not going to get ahead of diplomatic conversations, or ahead of the president. A lot of things are being discussed and we are very much looking forward to next week," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said of Kim last week it was "time for him to deliver," but the Trump administration has moved away from demands that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons immediately and has appeared to adopt a more gradual, reciprocal approach Pyongyang has insisted on. On Tuesday, Trump reiterated that he wants North Korea to end its nuclear program, but he is in no rush and has no pressing time schedule for Pyongyang to ultimately denuclearize. Pompeo said the United States aimed to "get as far down the road as we can" with North Korea in the next two weeks and that Biegun's team would discuss all issues covered in Singapore. Asked on Thursday how important a formal end of the Korean War was in the discussions, Pompeo said: "It's something we've had a lot of talks about." He said Trump and Kim would also be looking at the "denuclearization pillar they agreed to" in Singapore and how to reduce tension and military risk "so we can get peace and security on the peninsula as well." (Corrects spelling of Pompeo in paragraph 11.) (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and David Alexander; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Tom Brown) By David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. special representative for North Korea is travelling to Hanoi on Tuesday to continue preparations for a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to be held next week in Vietnam, the State Department said. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told a news briefing he had no details of the meetings Stephen Biegun would have in Hanoi. Biegun spent three days in North Korea from Feb. 6-8, a trip he said was aimed at agreeing on "concrete deliverables" for the Feb. 27-28 summit. The State Department said after those talks that Biegun agreed to hold further meetings with his counterpart Kim Hyok Chol ahead of the summit. Biegun said after that trip his talks in North Korea had been "productive" but there was "hard work to do" before the summit. The United States has been demanding that North Korea give up a nuclear weapons program that threatens the United States, and Trump has been eager for a second summit even though a first meeting in Singapore in June meeting produced only vague commitments from Kim and little concrete progress since. North Korea has been seeking a lifting of punishing U.S.-led sanctions, a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War and security guarantees. Asked whether the United States would consider lifting sanctions, Palladino said: "We've been clear on sanctions. These are the world's sanctions and that is something that ... will continue to be maintained until we've achieved our final result of a fully, finally, verified denuclearisation." However, he then added: "But I don't want to get ahead on ... any further details on what's being negotiated regarding that question." Palladino did not respond directly when asked about reports that the two sides were discussing the exchange of liaison officers and declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. Story continues "I am not going to get ahead of diplomatic conversations, or ahead of the president. A lot of things are being discussed and we are very much looking forward to next week," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said of Kim last week it was "time for him to deliver," but the Trump administration has moved away from demands that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons immediately and has appeared to adopt a more gradual, reciprocal approach Pyongyang has insisted on. On Tuesday, Trump reiterated that he wants North Korea to end its nuclear program, but he is in no rush and has no pressing time schedule for Pyongyang to ultimately denuclearize. Pompeo said the United States aimed to "get as far down the road as we can" with North Korea in the next two weeks and that Biegun's team would discuss all issues covered in Singapore. Asked on Thursday how important a formal end of the Korean War was in the discussions, Pompeo said: "It's something we've had a lot of talks about." He said Trump and Kim would also be looking at the "denuclearisation pillar they agreed to" in Singapore and how to reduce tension and military risk "so we can get peace and security on the peninsula as well." (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and David Alexander; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Tom Brown) When should a person be banned from Twitter? When they breach copyright laws? When they incite violence? How about when they express a view shared by the majority of the American public, according to a 2017 Pew Research poll: that whether or not someone is male or female depends on their sex at birth? Men arent women. How are transwomen not men? What is the difference between a man and a transwoman? These were the tweets by Meghan Murphy, a Canadian feminist and journalist, in November of last year that prompted Twitter to lock her out of her account. These statements, Murphy found out, violated Twitters hateful conduct policy. Since when? Since October 2018 when, without the 30 days notice the company had promised to give, nor indeed any public notice at all, Twitter made sweeping and retroactive policy changes that included a ban on two activist invented offences: deadnaming (referring to a transgender persons birth name) and misgendering (referring a transgender persons birth sex). Trouble began earlier that year when Murphy publicly challenged the censorious behavior of a self-identified transsexual professional dominatrix and biological male, Hailey Heartless whose legal name is Lisa Kreut (but was Ryan Kreut until 2015). First, Kreut pressured the advertising company for Murphys website Feminist Current into terminating its relationship with her site. Then in August Kreut tweeted, I know someone who works at Twitter safety. What did Kreut mean by this? Unclear. However, the same day Murphys account was locked and she was told to delete four tweets relating to Kreut (which identified Kreut as a man). After the initial lockout, Murphy later tweeted, Hi Twitter, Im a journalist. Am I no longer allowed to report facts on your platform? By some stretch Twitter claimed this, too, constituted hateful conduct. Murphy wrote another tweet, liked around 20,000 times, criticizing Twitter for censoring BASIC FACTS and silencing people who ask questions about this [transgender] dogma. She had to remove that, too. Story continues Murphy faced permanent suspension after she identified Jonathan Yaniv as a man. Yaniv was a trans woman, still presenting as male on other social media platforms, who, like Kreut, was also a figure of public interest. Yaniv filed 16 different human-rights complaints against female estheticians in Canada last year for refusing to wax his male genitalia. Twitter claims to offer a platform to every side in a political debate: Its the free speech wing of the free speech party, a sentiment emphasized in the companys mission statement. Which is why Murphy recently filed a lawsuit for breach of contract. Whatever the lawsuits chances in court, this is no small matter. In the age of direct democracy, those who control the debate in underhanded ways can influence political outcomes. In The Atlantic in 2016, Adam Sharp, Twitters head of news, government and public affairs acknowledged that a [political] candidate without Twitter is a losing candidate. In a public debate, a side banned from Twitter in this case, Murphys side is the losing side. Twitter recognizes this power. Which is why Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO, swore before Congress last year that their policies and algorithms dont consider political viewpoints, perspectives, or party affiliation in any of our policies or enforcement decisions, period. But Murphys lawyers argue that Twitter banned the accounts of Murphy and hundreds of similarly-situated users as part of a new regime of viewpoint-based censorship that was intended to chill the speech and debate of its users and the public at large on issues of widespread public interest. Another similarly situated individual is Jamie Shupe himself a former trans-identifying person. In 2013 Shupe legally registered female (later penning an op-ed for the New York Times as a trans woman). In 2016 he became the first legally non-binary person in the United States (as noted in the Guardian). In 2019 Shupe desisted, meaning he psychologically realigned with his birth sex, and re-registered as male. This month he appeared on Twitter with the handle @NotableDesister. However, when Shupe was asked directly by another tweeter whether he thought gender dysphoria was a mental illness and replied, Yes. I consider gender dysphoria as a mental illness. Thats why I dont support people with GD serving in the military. I also think it can be a learned behavior and can afflict anyone of any age, Twitter locked him out of his account. This is particularly unfair given that Shupe served in the U.S. military for over 17 years. After his service he was diagnosed with gender identity disorder, then later gender dysphoria, following the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) name change. So if anyone should be able to claim lived experience of trans issues, its him. Moreover, Shupes medical records show that he received treatment for this at a Veterans Administration mental-health clinic. That he cant say so on Twitter is not just bizarre it raises serious questions about how big tech might be skewing an important policy debate. More from National Review By Steve Holland MIAMI (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned members of Venezuela's military who remain loyal to socialist President Nicolas Maduro that they are risking their future and their lives and urged them to allow humanitarian aid into the country. Speaking to a cheering crowd mostly of Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants in Miami, Trump said if the Venezuelan military continues supporting Maduro, "you will find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out. Youll lose everything. Maduro retaliated late on Monday that Trump's speech was "nazi-style" and said he acted as if he were the owner of Venezuela and its citizens his slaves. Trump offered strong backing for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom the United States, many of Venezuela's neighbors and most Western countries have recognized as interim president of Venezuela. But Maduro, who won a second term last year in an election that critics denounced as a sham, retains the backing of Russia and China and control of Venezuelan state institutions, including the security services. Trump cautioned Venezuelan armed forces not to harm Guaido or other opposition politicians, urged them to accept the National Assembly leader's offer of amnesty and demanded that they allow in food, medicine and other supplies. Guaido, who invoked constitutional provisions to declare himself the country's leader last month, has said that aid will enter Venezuela from neighboring countries by land and sea on Saturday. The United States has sent tons of aid that is being stockpiled on Colombia's border with Venezuela, but Maduro has refused to let it in. Maduro calls the aid a U.S.-orchestrated show and denies any crisis despite many Venezuelans' scant access to food and medicine. "We will not make of the honorable Venezuela a Venezuela of beggars," he said in televised comments on Monday. "We will not accept it." Maduro said Venezuela already received "humanitarian assistance" on a daily basis. Russia, for example, was sending 300 tonnes of aid to the country by plane on Wednesday, he said, albeit clarifying this was not a donation but supplies for which Venezuela had paid. BROAD ATTACK ON SOCIALISM We seek a peaceful transition of power but all options are open," Trump said. It was a further hint of Trump's repeated insistence that military options remain on the table, though most Latin America experts believe such action is unlikely.The United States has had direct communications with members of Venezuela's military urging them to abandon Maduro, a senior White House official told Reuters this month, and Trump's aides have openly predicted more defections. But so far, few military officers have turned against Maduro. A source in Washington close to the opposition expressed doubts whether the Trump administration has done sufficient groundwork to spur a wider mutiny in the ranks, where many officers are suspected of benefiting from corruption and drug trafficking. Guaido, in a videotaped message to the crowd at Florida International University, called it a "decisive moment" to exert pressure on Maduro from inside and outside the country. Trump also used his speech to rail against socialism as a "dying" ideology in the Western Hemisphere and to brand Maduro a "puppet" of communist-ruled Cuba. While the Republican president did not directly equate socialism with the Democratic party, as he appeared to do in his State of the Union speech this month, he alluded to his earlier criticism of domestic policies proposed by some liberal Democrats. "America will never be a socialist country," he said. Trump wants to boost support among Florida's Hispanic voters as he looks ahead to his re-election campaign in 2020, when Florida is again expected to be an important swing state. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Jeff Mason and Matt Spetalnick; additional reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Tom Brown, Howard Goller and Dan Grebler) Donald Trump has issued his most blunt threat yet to Venezuelas military stop supporting President Nicolas Maduro or risk losing everything. In a speech in which he claimed the evils of socialism were also being turned back in Cuba and Nicaragua and that the US would never be a socialist country comments that were almost certainly made with the 2020 presidential election in mind the president spoke directly to military officials who have so far overwhelmingly supported Mr Maduro. There will be no going back. Venezuela is leaving socialism, the dictatorship, and there is no turning back, he told a crowd of Venezuelan-Americans and immigrants in Florida. The time has come for the farewell to the socialism of our hemisphere, not only in Venezuela, but also in Nicaragua and Cuba. The presidents language in Miami was striking even by his standards. Washington has a long history of interfering in the governments of Latin American nations it dislikes, and during the 1980s it armed and supported fighters that sought to overthrow the elected government in Nicaragua. In addition to decades of debilitating sanctions against Cuba, the CIA tried and failed on dozens of occasions, to assassinate its revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro. The USs attempt to unseat Mr Maduro, who was sworn in for a second term last month following elections in the spring of 2018 which were boycotted by some opposition parties over the jailing of many of their leaders, is the latest effort at so-called regime change in the nation. Washington has long looked to undermine Mr Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez. Yet the efforts have never been this extensive. Last month Juan Guaido, who had served as president of the national assembly, declared himself interim president something that was quickly supported by the US, UK, Canada and other nations. Russia and China have continued to recognise and support Mr Maduro. In addition to imposing sanctions and suggesting the US is prepared to use military force to remove Mr Maduro, Washington has heaped additional pressure by dispatching aid shipments to locations outside of Venezuela, but close to the border. Millions of Venezuelans have fled the country as the nations economy has continued to struggle. Story continues He would rather see his people starve than give them aid, Mr Trump said of Mr Maduro. While Mr Maduro has said he is willing to accept aid organised by the UN, he has said the US aid shipments that Mr Guaidos supporters are planning to distribute are part of an attempted coup. Mr Maduros devotees point out the US in the past used aid shipments to countries such as Nicaragua to send arms to anti-government forces. Ellliot Abrams, Mr Trumps point man on Venezuela, was several decades ago convicted of lying to Congress during the Iran-Contra scandal. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said earlier on Monday that the US knows where military officials and their families have money hidden throughout the world. The Associated Press said South Florida was home to more than 100,000 Venezuelans and Venezuelan-Americans, the largest concentration in the country. Speaking in the presidential battleground state, Mr Trump also sought to draw a contrast with the policies of progressive Democrats, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which he brands as socialist, as he prepares for a re-election fight. Mr Trump claimed socialism has so completely ravaged Venezuela that even the worlds largest reserves of oil are not enough to keep the lights on. He added: This will never happen to us America will never be a socialist country. There was no immediate response to Mr Trumps comments from Mr Maduro, who until this point has retained the support of the vast majority of his senior military officers. On Monday afternoon, he posted a video on social media of himself meeting with specialists in research, innovation and experimentation. Supporters of Venezuela denounced Mr Trumps speech. Cubas foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, said on Twitter: We call on all governments, parliaments, political forces; social, popular and indigenous movements; national and international organisations and NGOs, to publicly express themselves against the use of the #US military force in South America. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Sen. Bernie Sanders, who entered the growing field running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday, had "missed his time" for a successful bid for the White House. Trump has repeatedly raised what he has been describing as the threat of socialism in U.S. politics, most recently during a speech Monday directed at Venezuelan-Americans. Many have viewed Trump's remarks as at least partly aimed at a number of progressive Democrats running to unseat him in 2020, including Sanders. "Personally, I think he missed his time," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday. "I wish Bernie well. It will be interesting to see how he does." Sanders, an independent from Vermont, sent a campaign email Tuesday announcing that he will once again seek the Democratic nomination, jumping into an already crowded field of nearly a dozen candidates, with many more expected to join. Sanders lost to Hillary Clinton in 2016, but won wide support in the Democratic party's liberal wing. "Im running for president because, now more than ever, we need leadership that brings us together not divides us up," Sanders wrote in the email. "Women and men, black, white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, young and old, native born and immigrant. Now is the time for us to stand together." Sanders described himself a democratic socialist and focused on social and economic justice, a platform seen as too radical by many in the Democratic Party establishment. Trump spoke to reporters Tuesday after signing a policy directive to create his long-promised Space Force, an arm of the military. He also took a swipe at former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Senate in Texas last year and who is considering a run for president in 2020, suggesting the Democrat's comments opposing a border wall were "probably the end of his political career." Story continues "You have a lot of people running. But only one person is going to win," Trump said. "I hope you know who that person is. President Donald Trump speaks during a signing ceremony for the Space Policy Directive-4 on Feb. 19, 2019, at the White House in Washington, D.C. Contributing: Aki Soga, Burlington Free Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says Bernie Sanders 'missed his time' for presidential campaign Donald Trumps White House faces another day of turmoil as a new Congressional report alleges senior administration officials attempted to share information on nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia. The House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into the accusations, in which whistleblowers within the presidents administration described abnormal acts between the White House and the Middle Eastern kingdom. Meanwhile, Mr Trump is continuing to lash out against former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe after the official confirmed he launched a counterintelligence investigation into the president. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load Donald Trump is being accused of waging a relentless attack on the FBI since taking office as the fallout from his decision to declare a national emergency to secure border wall funding continues. The remark comes from former deputy director of the bureau Andrew McCabe - dismissed by ex-attorney general Jeff Sessions in March 2018 after being accused of leaking information to the media - in an interview with NPRs Morning Edition to promote his new insider account of the bureau, The Threat. President Trump has already responded angrily on Twitter to Mr McCabe's appearance on CBS's 60 Minutes on Sunday, in which the latter said he had discussed removing the president under the 25th Amendment and ordered an investigation into whether ex-director James Comey was removed in May 2017 to impede the Russian election hacking investigation. Mr McCabe also revealed that when the president told Mr Rosenstein to put in writing his concerns with former FBI Director James Comey a document the White House initially held up as justification for his firing the president explicitly asked the Justice Department official to reference Russia in the memo. Mr Rosenstein did not want to, Mr McCabe said, and the memo that was made public upon Mr Comeys dismissal did not mention Russia and focused instead on Mr Comeys handling of the Hillary Clinton email server investigation. He explained to the president that he did not need Russia in his memo, Mr McCabe said. And the president responded, I understand that, I am asking you to put Russia in the memo anyway. The news arrived as California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced he was suing Mr Trump over his emergency declaration to fund a wall on the US-Mexico border, with as many as twelve states joining the lawsuit. California has repeatedly challenged Trump in court. Mr Becerra has filed at least 45 lawsuits against the administration. Mr Trump declared the emergency last week to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets. Story continues The announcement was immediately met with resistance from members of Congress. Additional reporting by AP. Read The Independent's live coverage on the White House turmoil on Monday below. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load By Ruth Anderah. The hearing of the age case in which pine car bond proprietor Muhammad Ssebuufu accused of kidnapping and murdering a businesswoman Donah Betty Katushabe has been pushed to March 18th 2019. The case had come up today for lawyers to highlight the their written final submissions but it failed because prosecution had not yet replied to the defences written submissions. Ssebuufu is alleged to have murdered a business woman Betty Donnah Katushabe; over a 9 million shillings car debt. Katushabe was tortured to death on October 23rd 2015 over a car debt she could not readily pay. Sebuufu and the group had been jointly indicted with the former Kampala CPS DPC Aaron Baguma for Katushabes kidnap and murder but at the beginning of the trial this year, the DPP without giving any reason to court dropped charges against Baguma and continued with the trial of Ssebuufu and the rest . A summary of the prosecution evidence is that Katushabe bought a car from Pine car bond at 13 Million shilings of which she only paid 5 and left a balance of 9 million shilings. Evidence shows that the deceased after failing to pay the balance of 9 million shillings, Sebuufu hired a team of his security guards to pick Katushabe from her home in Bwebajja along Entebbe road and directly drove to his office from where she was kicked from and beaten with sticks there by causing grevious wounds to her body which led to her death. Senate judiciary chair furious over 25th amendment claims The Threat: McCabe FBI memoir aims at mob boss Trump Andrew McCabe arrives to testify before the Senate intelligence committee in May 2017. Photograph: Eric Thayer/Reuters Trump ally Lindsey Graham has promised a Senate investigation into claims senior justice department officials discussed invoking the 25th amendment and removing the president from power. Theres an allegation by the acting FBI director at the time that the deputy attorney general was basically trying to do an administrative coup, the South Carolina senator, the chair of the Senate judiciary committee, told CBS Face the Nation. [To] take the president down to the 25th amendment process. The deputy attorney general denies it. I promise your viewers the following, that we will have a hearing about whos telling the truth. The acting FBI director referred to is Andrew McCabe, who Trump fired in March 2018, just short of his intended retirement. He told CBS about the discussions, which reportedly followed Trumps firing of FBI director James Comey in May 2017, in an interview this week to promote his new book. He also said he authorized an investigation into Trumps ties to Russia in the aftermath of the Comey firing. The deputy attorney general is Rod Rosenstein, who wrote the memo justifying Comeys firing, which said it was due to his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails. In his book, The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump, McCabe says Trump ordered Rosenstein to produce the memo, a claim the White House has denied. Shortly after the Comey firing, Trump told NBC he had acted because of this Russia thing, meaning Comeys involvement in the investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump aides and Moscow. The 25th amendment to the constitution provides for the removal of a president deemed incapable of discharging his duties. It has never been used. Fox News reported on Saturday that James Baker, formerly a senior FBI lawyer, testified to two House committees last year that he was told Rosenstein said he had found two cabinet members who would support such an effort. Story continues The full McCabe interview was scheduled to air on 60 Minutes on Sunday night. The reporter who conducted it, Scott Pelley, said on Thursday McCabe also says Rosenstein offered to wear a wire to record incriminating conversations with Trump. Rosenstein has denied discussing the 25th amendment or offering to wear a wire. McCabes book is out on Tuesday. The Guardian obtained an early copy, in which McCabe does not mention the discussions about the 25th amendment or, directly, any offer from Rosenstein to wear a wire. Graham was a fierce rival of Trump during the 2016 Republican primary but has become one of the presidents closest allies in power. I think everybody in the country needs to know if it happened, he said. Its stunning to me that one of the chief law enforcement officers of the land the acting head of the FBI would go on national television and say, Oh by the way I remember a conversation with the deputy attorney general about trying to find if we could replace the president under the 25th amendment. [McCabe] went on national television and he made an accusation that floors me were going to find out what happened here and the only way I know to find out is to call the people in under oath and find out, through questioning, whos telling the truth because the underlying accusation is beyond stunning. Asked if he would subpoena McCabe and Rosenstein to appear, Graham said: How can I not, if thats what it takes? I mean, youre doing your job. The first amendment allows you to ask questions of the most powerful people in the country. I know hes selling a book, and we need to take with a grain of salt maybe what Mr McCabe is telling us. But he went on national television and he made an accusation that floors me. Well were going to find out what happened here and the only way I know to find out is to call the people in under oath and find out, through questioning, whos telling the truth because the underlying accusation is beyond stunning. In the House, Democrats who took over committee chairs after the midterm elections are also planning investigations. On Saturday Adam Schiff, the chair of the intelligence panel, and Elliott Engel of foreign affairs told Politico they were working out the best way to obtain notes taken in private meetings between Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin. In such an atmosphere of bitter partisan rancour and startling claims of scandal, special counsel Robert Mueller is believed to be close to concluding his investigation of Russian election interference, links between Trump aides and Moscow and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Speaking on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, Schiff said he wanted to find out whether the president is somehow compromised, if there is leverage the Russians could use over the president and if the Russians are in a position to expose wrongdoing by the president or his campaign thats compromising. In April last year, the inspector general of the justice department faulted McCabe for misleading investigators regarding unauthorised leaks to the media. Schiff was asked if he thought McCabe should be charged for allegedly lying to investigators, as a number of former Trump aides have been. The former FBI official should be held to the same standard as anyone else that the justice department has looked at, he said. WASHINGTON Top Trump administration officials advocated for a plan to build dozens of nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia despite warnings that the move could pose ethical concerns and violate federal law, according to a report released by House Democrats. The 24-page report was compiled for the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, chaired by Democrat Rep. Elijah Cummings, who on Tuesday also announced a widespread probe of the plan, those within the White House who were involved and the financial interests of those individuals. Democrats raise concerns that the Trump administration aiding this effort would allow the Saudi regime access to "sensitive U.S. nuclear technology" that could in turn "allow Saudi Arabia to produce nuclear weapons that contribute to the proliferation of nuclear arms throughout an already unstable Middle East." The White House's relationship with Saudi Arabia has been heavily criticized in the aftermath of the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. President Donald Trump faced intense pressure to halt an arms deal with the regime after evidence surfaced showing Saudi's crown prince was involved in Khashoggi's death. The White House did not immediately respond to inquiries from USA TODAY about the report and the new Democratic-led probe. Last week, the House passed a measure aiming to force the president to end U.S. military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The measure also acted as a condemnation for the government's role in Khashoggi's slaying. More: In rebuke to President Trump, House approves measure to force U.S. withdrawal from Yemen More: Saudi crown prince complicit in Jamal Khashoggis murder, key GOP senator says after CIA briefing The report by Democrats includes documents, emails and a number of concerns raised by former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, White House attorneys and whistleblowers within the Trump administration who blasted the plan to allow Saudi Arabia access to U.S. nuclear technology. Story continues The report alleges those involved in the planning were aiming to enrich themselves and possibly violated the Atomic Energy Act, a federal law that lays out the preconditions of any nuclear deals with another nation and requires Congressional approval. "The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia," the report notes. "They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes." Democrats lay out a timeline in the report, which goes over the first three months of Trump's presidency and discussions over the plan to help Saudi Arabia build out a nuclear program. But, the report also includes events throughout 2018 and 2019 that allude to the possibility of the White House still mulling over a deal, pointing most recently to a Feb. 12 meeting where the president allegedly met with nuclear developers at the White House to discuss the transfer of the sites to Saudi Arabia. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who resigned after a month on the job, was a key supporter of the plan in the early days of the administration to help IP3 International with the nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia, the report alleges. Flynn separately pleaded guilty to lying to Congress as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. The proposal by IP3 was also promoted heavily by Thomas Barrack, a friend of the president's, according to the report, which also notes Jared Kushner's visits with Saudi officials and the potential financial gain for his business. Kushner is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia this month as part of a Middle East trip. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump administration pushed for sale of nuclear plants to Saudi Arabia, Democrats say in report A 45-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico died in Border Patrol custody Monday after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas, marking the third person to die in the agency's custody since December. The immigrant illegally crossed the border and was arrested by the Roma (Texas) Police Department on Feb. 2, requested medical attention and was taken to a local hospital, according to a statement released Monday night by Customs and Border Protection. The immigrant "was cleared" by officials at the Mission Regional Medical Center and was handed over to Border Patrol officials at the Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station, according to the CBP statement. The following day, after receiving a welfare check by CBP officials, the immigrant again requested medical attention and was taken to the McAllen Medical Center, where the immigrant was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and congestive heart failure, CBP said. The immigrant remained at the hospital before dying on Monday morning. The incident follows two cases in December when children from Guatemala, ages 8 and 7, died after crossing the U.S. border into New Mexico, drawing widespread condemnation from critics of the Border Patrol. That prompted Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan to issue new guidelines requiring his agents to more quickly inform CBP leadership, Congress, and the public of the death of people in its custody. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen later followed up by ordering more robust medical screenings of children it holds in its custody. Those deaths followed intense criticism of the agency's handling of children during the administration's now-rescinded "zero-tolerance" that led to more than 2,800 family separations along the border. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Andrew Meehan said the official cause of death in Monday's case remains unknown, and that the immigrant's identity is not being released. Meehan said the department is following newly created notification guidelines following deaths in its custody and has alerted Congress and the Mexican government of the immigrant's death. Story continues "This loss of life is tragic," Meehan said in a statement. "Our condolences go out to the family and loved ones. CBP remains committed to ensuring the safe and humane treatment of those within the care of our custody." Border Patrol officials have said they cannot handle the influx of family units and unaccompanied minors who have flooded the southwest border in recent years, many of them requesting asylum in the U.S. In the past four months, a monthly average of 24,975 members of family units and 5,031 unaccompanied minors have crossed the southern border, according to CBP data. The family unit average is far higher than the monthly average of 6,406 over the same period ending in 2018. A family of asylum-seekers are taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents after they crossed the U.S. border wall into San Diego, as seen from Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. That surge has led the Trump administration to try and limit the number of people who can request asylum, actions that have been blocked by the federal courts. The surge also contributed to President Donald Trump's decision on Friday to declare a national emergency to expand the southern border wall, which will also lead to a flood of lawsuits. The new Democratic-led House of Representatives has vowed to investigate housing conditions for migrants along the border. Part of the budget deal that averted a government shutdown last week included $415 million for humanitarian relief "specifically for medical care" and to improve Border Patrol processing facilities in the region. CBP's summary of Monday's death did not indicate whether the immigrant was requesting asylum. It noted that the immigrant was caught by police in a second attempt to illegally enter the U.S. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Third migrant dies in Border Patrol custody in as many months A Las Vegas teen saved her tiny dog on Friday after a hawk swooped into her backyard and attempted to carry off her 2-pound Yorkie puppy, Lulu. Cecilia Celis told local news station KSNV that she was inside her home making tacos when she heard barking and crying from the yard. She thought her two dogs were probably just playing but looked outside to check on them, just in case. Its a good thing for Lulu that she did. We see a huge bird fly up, and I yell at the bird, Get off my dog! Get off my dog! Celis said. The teenager can be seen in home surveillance footage swatting at the bird with a pillow in an attempt to get it off the small dog. The bird eventually flies away. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. I thought she was gonna die or something, because thats a big bird compared to her, Celis told WDSU. Luckily, Lulu escaped with just a single puncture wound from one of the birds talons and is expected to fully recover. Celis told Fox 5 that her family had thought the backyard was a safe place for her dogs to spend time but now wont be letting them out without supervision. As for the bird, Celis and her family believe it was a hawk and noticed that it had torn straps around its legs. That made them think it could have been some sort of escaped pet, though they havent had any luck tracking down a possible owner yet. Coincidentally, a similar incident happened in Texas last month, when construction workers in Austin saw a hawk drop a 1-pound chihuahua puppy from its talons onto the ground. The puppy, now named Tony Hawk, survived the ordeal and was taken into the care of Austin Animal Center. Also on HuffPost Max Una tarde de fotos con el tal Max! A young black labrador retriever puppy carries a freshly picked carrot in his mouth. Perrita Puppy resting. Chiot Jack Russel IMG Puppy Jack Russel Allstar My little Puppy, I Call him allstar Golden Retiever Mother and Puppy. Keywords: Sofa, Togetherness, Horizontal, Looking At Camera, Waist Up, Indoors, High Angle View, Affectionate, Animal, Lying Down, USA, Dog, Day, New Jersey, Golden Retriever, Cute, Color Image, Beige, Gold, Two Animals, Story continues Let me in! Henry was ready to come inside. He was looking a little forlorn. Corgi puppy eating a dirty leaf. Bruce Meet Henry! Get ready to see a ton of photos of this cute little guy we just brought home last night. Henry is a 6 week old Golden Retriever and this was just a quick snapshot as he was settling in today. It is love This is Campesino (peasant) Puppy Moment Puppy lunch time Window Watching Henry the Golden Retriever pup looks longingly out the window. Hoping he'll soon get to go out and play, I'm sure! Doing The " I'm Curious" pose The "I'm Curious" pose A TODO GAS Where is my mother? Lion Maya My english cocker spaniel Puppy Puppy A happy and energetic Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy runs on vibrant green grass. pembroke welsh corgi puppy... American Staffordshire terrier puppy yawns sitting on wooden boards German shepherd puppy running through field Deter, a St. Bernard puppy is seen at the Paw Nation booth at the Meet the Breeds convention in New York city on October 17, 2010. The Meet the Breeds convention sponsored by the American Kennel Club and Cat Fanciers' Association takes place at the Jacob close up of a cute golden... Cute Beagle Puppy (5 week old) Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. BEIRUT, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad warned on Sunday the United States would not protect those depending on it, in reference to Kurdish fighters who control much of the north. "We say to those groups who are betting on the Americans, the Americans will not protect you," he said without naming them. "The Americans will put you in their pockets so you can be tools in the barter, and they have started with (it)." U.S. President Donald Trump declared in December he would pull troops from Syria, raising more questions over the fate of Washington's Kurdish allies under the threat of Turkish attacks. U.S. forces have long supplied arms and training to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurdish YPG militia, the main U.S partner in the battle against Islamic State. The U.S. presence helped the SDF seize swathes of north and east Syria, and has also been widely seen as a deterrent against Turkey which has vowed to crush the YPG. RELATED: Kurds in Syria This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Ankara sees the YPG as a security threat and an extension of the Kurdish PKK movement that has waged an insurgency on Turkish soil for decades. The U.S. move drove Syrian Kurdish leaders into fresh talks with Damascus and its key ally Moscow, hoping to agree a deal that could protect the SDF region and safeguard at least some of their gains. "Nobody will protect you except your state," Assad said in a live televised speech on Sunday. "If you do not prepare yourselves to defend your country, you will be nothing but slaves to (Turkey)." (Reporting by Ellen Francis; Editing by Mark Potter) Swindon (United Kingdom) (AFP) - "It is going to be a disaster," Mary Day warned, capturing the sense of doom that descended on the working class English town of Swindon after Honda announced it was closing its local plant after more than 30 years. "I didn't see it coming. None of us did," the 68-year-old pensioner told AFP as workers arrived for their first shift since the news broke. The Japanese auto giant is the biggest employer in the town of 180,000 people which grew up in the 19th century thanks to a booming railway works industry. Swindon, which lies 80 miles (130 kilometres) west of London, survives on manufacturing to this day. The city is surrounded by warehouses, storage silos and factories straddling a series of gentle rolling hills. The closure of the Honda factory in 2021 puts 3,500 jobs directly at risk but could affect thousands more. Next to the Honda plant stands a smaller one making Mini sedans for BMW. Both rely on the same supply chains, and some locals think the Mini plant will be the next to go. "It is devastating for Swindon. I think Swindon's finished without Honda, that's my opinion," said Sue Davis a 49-year-old financial worker whose husband works at the plant. "I don't see how the Mini plant will survive on its own," said Andrew Hopkins, 46, a cement factory worker who was jogging by after work. "Everything around here depends on Honda." The Japanese giant entered a partnership with the now-defunct carmaker British Leyland in 1980 to build Honda designs. It led a wave of Japanese carmakers that came to Britain in the 1980s, drawn by the business-friendly environment under then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and access to European markets. In 1985, Honda acquired the site of a former World War II aircraft factory on the outskirts of Swindon. The plant began production in 1989 and has since produced bestsellers such as the Honda Accord and the Honda Civic. Story continues Swindon's winding streets around the plant are lined with simple, two-storey homes and south Asian restaurants and stores. Families of Bengali and Indian descent ride their bikes to work at the guarded plant as huge lorries wheel out the just-minted Civics and Accords, around half of which will be sold to EU member states. "It will be devastating for people," said Jason Foster, a 46-year-old government employee. "Awful," he exclaimed. - 'Down to Brexit' - Honda said it made its decision as a result of "unprecedented changes" in the global auto industry and stressed it was not related to Brexit. But residents in Swindon, which voted 55 percent in favour of leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, saw Brexit playing a much larger role. "I think it's coming down to Brexit and they're not admitting it. I think it's the uncertainty of what's going to happen," Foster said. "I think it just feeds back into the whole thing of why on earth are we leaving. Whose idea was this in the first place? It's a joke," he said. Michael Barkley, a 32-year-old local store manager, also said the decision was taken "presumably because of Brexit". "But they are never going to write it down anywhere, are they? They are never going to say that the reason they are leaving is because of Brexit," he said. Richard Abbott, who works in financial services, said Brexit would get blamed even though "car industries in general seem to be moving away from the country". "I know we haven't left (the EU) as yet but companies are getting ready beforehand, so it's not just a case of waiting for a deal to be made, companies are already making their plans unfortunately," he said. Sumit Agarwal, 39, an insurance industry worker, said he was more worried about the impact for people he knows who work at the plant. "I think it's going to be difficult for them. So I think government should do something to save those jobs." Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock speaks to reporters in Peoria, Ill., in 2015. He later resigned and was indicted on fraud charges after remodeling his Capitol Hill office in the style of the television series "Downton Abbey." WASHINGTON A former congressman who resigned under pressure in 2015 after lavish spending that included remodeling his office in the style of the television series "Downton Abbey" failed to win a reprieve Tuesday at the Supreme Court. Aaron Schock of Illinois, a former rising Republican star first elected to the House of Representatives at the age of 27, had sought unsuccessfully for two years to have part of his fraud indictment dismissed. The justices refused to hear his case after two lower federal courts denied his effort. Schock, now 37, claims his misdeeds can be considered only by the House, not the courts. Schock was charged in 2016 of defrauding the government of more than $100,000 by falsifying reimbursement vouchers, as well as filing false tax returns. Federal investigators had dug into allegations that he spent large amounts on personal air travel and office decor. The young congressman's downfall began in February 2015, when The Washington Post chronicled the renovation of his Capitol Hill office to imitate the decor favored by early 20th century British aristocracy in "Downton Abbey." Schock ultimately reimbursed taxpayers $35,000. USA TODAY later disclosed that he had spent more than $100,000 on a prior office remodeling, including leather furniture and hardwood floors. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court won't allow 'Downton Abbey' ex-congressman to challenge his fraud indictment A statue replicating the iconic World War II photo of a sailor kissing a nurse was found spray painted with the Me Too movements hashtag in Sarasota, Florida, on Monday, authorities said. Sarasota police discovered the red-paint vandalism, which left #MeToo scrawled along the nurses leg, early Tuesday morning. Authorities believe it was marked one day after the Navy war veteran who was famously snapped stealing the kiss in 1945 died at the age of 95. The statue, called Unconditional Surrender, had only known two prior vandalism instances, but nothing resembling this same message, police spokeswoman Genevieve Judge told HuffPost. One April Fools Day instance saw someone put what looked like gum beneath the nurses shoe, she said. The statue, called Unconditional Surrender, was found spraypainted with the "MeToo" hashtag early Tuesday morning, police said. (Photo: Sarasota PD) By late Tuesday morning, cleaning crews had successfully removed the graffiti, the city said. No arrests have been made and police said there was no surveillance video in the area that would have captured the incident, which is believed to have occurred between the mid-afternoon and evening hours of Monday. The 25-foot statue located along the citys bay depicts sailor George Mendonsa embracing Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental assistant in a nurses uniform, following news of Japans surrender in World War II. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Some have argued that the spontaneous and forceful act was sexual assault. Others have viewed it as romantic and capturing a jubilant moment in American history. The statue, one of several located in cities around the world, was donated to Sarasota by WWII veteran Jack Curran under a 10-year lease agreement that would expire in June of 2020, according to city records. Curran, who died in 2015, hoped that the city would keep the statue along the bayfront after the lease agreements end as a tribute to Sarasota Countys veterans, he told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in 2010 This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Its sentiment, Curran, who also served in the Navy, told the paper. Its something my wife would have liked. A longtime friend of Curran told the paper that Currans late wife, Margaret L. Curran, loved the famous kiss photograph, formally known as V-J Day in Times Square, and more commonly known as The Kiss. This inspired him to purchase the statue after her death for $500,000. Story continues Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This photo of George Mendonsa kissing a woman in New York City in 1945 was taken by a U.S. Navy photographer at the same moment that photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt captured his famous photographic, which was published in Life magazine. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) Friedman, who died in 2016 at the age of 92, has described the spontaneous kiss from a stranger as nothing romantic. It wasnt my choice to be kissed. The guy just came over and kissed or grabbed, she recalled in 2005. It was just an event of thank god the war is over. Her son, responding to concerns following her death about the act having been sexual assault, had said that his mother understood that argument but that she did not view it that way, The New York Times reported. Related... In The #MeToo Era, Do These Paintings Still Belong In A Museum? 'Kissing Sailor' Photo Depicts 'Sexual Assault, Not Romance,' Says Feminist Website, Blogger Kissing Sailor Photograph Couple Identified As George Mendonsa and Greta Zimmer Friedman According To New Book (VIDEO) This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Hanoi (AFP) - Kim Jong Un could travel overland for his summit in Hanoi with US President Donald Trump, media have reported, after a North Korean delegation was spotted at key stops on a popular rail route from China. Washington and Pyongyang have dispatched several teams to Vietnam ahead of the summit in Hanoi on February 27-28, though officials have remained tight-lipped on their movements and meetings. On Tuesday, a Vietnamese source with knowledge of planning for high-level diplomatic meetings told AFP that several North Korean officials had visited the China border area on Monday. "A team from North Korea was in Lang Son (city) on Monday. They travelled there from Hanoi by car," said the source, requesting anonymity. Japan's Asahi TV reported that a North Korean team visited a rail station in a city near the China border and also surveyed road conditions in the area. There is no airport in Lang Son city, prompting a swirl of speculation that Kim may make the long, overland train or road journey from China to Vietnam. Next week's meeting follows a landmark summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore last June, the first for sitting leaders of the US and North Korea -- who are technically still at war. Kim travelled to Singapore on a plane lent by Beijing for the last summit, and normally moves in an armoured train when he travels to Beijing. - Long journey - The nearly 4,000-kilometre (2,500-mile) journey from Pyongyang to Hanoi, via Beijing and Lang Son, could take upwards of 60 hours on a passenger train. But according to a source cited by Seoul-based NK News website, a rail trip could create "too many problems on the way," since Kim's slow train could disrupt China's high-speed rail network. Another option for Kim's trip could be to travel by rail to Beijing -- a trip he has made several times -- and then fly to Hanoi. The ultra-secretive North Korean leader has not publicly confirmed next week's meeting with Trump in Hanoi, which will be his first visit to Vietnam. Story continues His grandfather Kim Il Sung was the last North Korean leader to come to Vietnam in 1964. Police-accompanied motorcades have been spotted on Hanoi's motorbike-packed streets as the communist capital prepares for the event that is expected to draw thousands of journalists and delegates. On Tuesday, workers were seen hanging North Korean and American flags outside a government guesthouse and the Metropole hotel in the city centre. The venue for the meeting has not yet been announced, though Yonhap reported Tuesday that Pyongyang did not favour the large National Convention Centre, citing security concerns. North Korea's special representative for the US, Kim Hyok Chol, is expected to arrive in Hanoi in the coming days to meet with his US counterpart Stephen Biegun later in the week. Alex Wong, US deputy assistant secretary of state for North Korea, is already in the Vietnamese capital preparing for the summit. Observers say tangible progress is needed at the second summit after the first meeting produced vaguely worded promises on North Korea's nuclear disarmament with few concrete deliverables. Madrid (AFP) - Spain's prime minister is to travel to France this weekend to pay tribute to the 450,000 Spaniards who sought refuge there at the end of the 1936-39 civil war and the Franco dictatorship that followed, his office said Tuesday. On Sunday socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will visit several locations in southwestern France that are of historical significance for the exiles along with Spanish Justice Minister Dolores Delgado. The trip comes as Spain gears up for snap elections on April 28. During the visit Sanchez will defend the values of "tolerance and reject extremism", a Spanish government official said. "During this time of rising populism and intolerance... this makes sense," he added. Sanchez is trying to prevent Spain's conservative Popular Party from returning to power with the support of newly-emerged far-right party Vox in the upcoming general election he called last week. The two parties oppose Sanchez's policies to try to rehabilitate the memory of the victims of the civil war and Francisco Franco's dictatorship. Since coming to power in June, Sanchez has made it a priority to exhume the late dictator from an opulent mausoleum near Madrid to a more discreet spot. Franco came to power after the 1936-39 civil war, which was triggered by his rebellion against an elected Republican government. He ruled Spain with an iron first until his death in 1975. Sanchez will be the first Spanish prime minister while in office to visit the grave of Spain's Republican president Manuel Azana, who died in exile in 1940 in Montauban in southwestern France. He will then head to the French town of Collioure on the border with Spain to lay flowers on the grave of Spanish poet Antonio Machado. Machado is one of the symbols of the "retirada", or "retreat", the mass exodus of Spaniards to France through the Pyrenees mountains in February 1939 after Catalonia fell to Franco's forces at the end of the civil war. Story continues Sanchez is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the beach at Argeles-sur-Mer, where thousands of Spanish refugees were interned. "The trip has an emotional and political dimension" because these exiles "shared the same aspirations that Spaniards today have," a government official in Madrid said. On the French side local officials will take part in the commemorations but not national ones as requested by the Spanish government. By Moses Ndhaye. Nakaseke south Member of Parliament Lutamaguzi Ssemakula has asked the opposition not to allow being diverted by the NRM proposals of lining up in party elections This comes in reaction to a resolution by the NRM Central executive committee for the NRM party primaries to be conducted through lining up behind candidates. This they argued would reduce the cost of elections and eliminate voter bribery among other election malpractice. Lutamaguzi however says the opposition should instead insist on demanding for comprehensive electoral reforms. Related Stories. NRM CEC adopts lining behind candidates during primaries WASHINGTON The Space Force moved closer to liftoff Tuesday after President Donald Trump signed a directive to create another branch of the military whose mission would be to monitor the heavens and protect the USA from attack. During a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump said he views the new military branch as part of his responsibility to protect the nation. "I was put here for security, whether it's Space Force, which I'm doing today, or whether it's borders," the president said. Money for the program will be included in the administration's proposed budget for 2020 that will come out next month, the White House said Tuesday morning. That seed money is likely to be less than $100 million. Eventually, an undersecretary of defense for space would be named, and the program which would start as a division of the U.S. Air Force would become the sixth armed service, joining the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard. The idea of a military force patrolling Earth's orbit was dismissed not that long ago by critics as far-fetched and wasteful. Space Force became the object of ridicule on the internet and among late-night comics. Still, Trump has enthusiastically pitched the idea, tweeting in August, "Space Force all the way!" The idea has been a harder sell in Congress, where concerns about cost and redundancy stymied efforts to create another military branch. The Air Force, which oversees the Space Command, also initially resisted the branch, saying it was unnecessary and bureaucratic. In September, a memo from Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson placed the five-year cost of establishing the new branch at about $13 billion. The White House expects the cost to be far less. The Pentagon would consolidate functions "to minimize duplication of effort and eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies," Trump's directive says. The branch would include uniformed and civilian workers supporting space operations for the military, the White House said. Story continues The creation of a Space Force would happen over several phases and could take years to complete. But Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a political ally of Trump, wasted little time in trying to capitalize on the announcement. "Today, I am formally sending a request to @realDonaldTrump to place the headquarters for the Space Force Combatant Command here in Florida @NASAKennedy in Cape Canaveral," DeSantis tweeted. "This is part of Florida's history and is a logical fit for our state." Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., made a similar pitch in December. The administration is doing what it can now without approval from Congress, which remains divided on the idea. Lawmakers ultimately will determine the fate of the proposed force, because they must decide whether to authorize the creation of a military branch and whether to approve money for the plan. "We will recognize that space is a new war-fighting domain with the Space Force leading the way," Trump said in January during a speech at the Pentagon. The president said he hoped the United States would never have to use space weapons, but there are "some very bad players out there. And we're a good player but we can be far worse than anybody, if need be." Related: Countdown to Space Force continues as Trump administration details trajectory of plan Related: 'The ultimate adventure': Virgin Galactic's space tourism plan demands courage and $250K Former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said starting a new military branch is a bad idea. "The Space Force as a separate military service entity would still compete with all the other defense-related priorities for resources and leadership attention," said O'Keefe, a professor at Syracuse Universitys Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. "Theres no reason to believe that space-related programs would fare any better than they do today under the U.S. Air Force recognizance." At a meeting of the National Space Council in October, Vice President Mike Pence laid out milestones needed to establish what would be the nation's first new armed service since 1947. Those steps include: Establishing a chain-of-command structure that would govern day-to-day operations and ensure integration with other branches. Drawing up rules of engagement that detail the circumstances for enemy combat not only in Earth's orbit where U.S. military and commercial satellites circle the globe but also on the moon, where NASA plans a return by the end of the 2020s. Working with lawmakers who have ultimate say on the design and funding of a Space Force. Defense authorization bills have not included the go-ahead from Congress to create a force, so the challenge will be to convince Capitol Hill such a step is needed for the nation's security. The council endorsed directives that Trump signed calling for a return to the moon, promoting more commercial activities in space and managing traffic in low-Earth orbit. Contributing: David Jackson This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Space Force launch zooms closer to reality under President Trump's directive A budding South African designer has been crowned the winner of the International Fashion Showcase (IFS) 2019 at London Fashion Week. Thebe Magugu, whose presentation combined motifs from Africa's past but combined them with a forward-looking, global approach, was awarded the honor from a judging panel that called him a leader of his generation'. His installation focused on the changes to the South African constitution over the decades. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The IFS is the brainchild of the British Council, British Fashion Council, London College of Fashion, UAL and Somerset House -- all of whom have teamed up to present the exhibition. This year's project offered 16 creatives from across the globe the chance to represent their respective countries via a series of immersive installations showcasing their menswear and womenswear collections and exploring the issues of politics, sustainability, identity and heritage. In an Instagram post sharing the news of his win with his followers, Magugu said he was "overwhelmed by emotions and gratitude," adding: "Fashion is such a powerful, intelligent medium and I hope we use this tool to our advantage." Designer Duran Lantink, from the Netherlands, received a special mention for his collection, which raised questions about the phenomena of sales and sales rioting in fashion, and showcased pieces from his 0% Duran' line, which is created by refashioning clothes from discount sites. Cedric Mizero from Rwanda was also given a special mention for his curation, which featured objects from daily life in a Rwandan village and focused on the issues of marginalized communities. The judges called the message behind his work "universal and deeply human." The 2019 IFS exhibition features designers from Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, India, Georgia, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Lithuania, Netherlands, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Vietnam. It will remain open through February 24. Bratislava (AFP) - Farmers clogged Slovakia's capital Bratislava with around 100 tractors on Tuesday in protest against alleged fraud in EU farm subsidy payments first made public by journalist Jan Kuciak who was murdered a year ago. They have vowed to join tens of thousands of anti-government protesters expected to rally across Slovakia on Thursday marking a year since Kuciak's murder, which triggered a string of demonstrations and criminal probes into alleged high-level corruption. Farmers are demanding a cap on EU farm subsidies that would prevent large financial groups from using up most of the available money. They also want anti-corruption measures in agriculture and forestry. Their tractors touted banners "We're honest farmers, not politicians," and "We've had enough!" Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, currently on an official visit to Israel, vowed to meet the protesters on Wednesday in Bratislava, Slovakia's TASR news agency reported. "There's a need for reform that should have taken place here, in my opinion, 20 years ago," said Patrick Magdoska, an activist from the Farm Initiative NGO. Farmers also drove their tractors into Bratislava in protest last June, when they also joined anti-government demonstrators marking Kuciak's murder. Kuciak and his girlfriend were gunned down in February 2018 as he was about to publish a report on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia and associated irregularities in EU farm subsidy payments. The murder and his explosive report plunged the eurozone country of 5.4 million people into crisis, sparking weekly mass protests that led the government to resign last March. The article included allegations that several million euros in EU farm subsidies had been lost to fraud, mobilising farmers to demand transparent rules for land usage rights and the distribution of EU subsidies. Slovak prosecutors have indicted four suspects in connection to Kuciak's murder, including a woman identified only as Alena Zs. for legal reasons. Investigators allege that she ordered the contract killing for 50,000 euros ($58,100) and a forgiven 20,000-euro debt. Local media reported that Alena Zs. had worked as an interpreter for Slovak entrepreneur Marian Kocner, whose business activities were the subject of an investigation by Kuciak. San Francisco (AFP) - Sixteen US states sued President Donald Trump's administration Monday over his decision to declare a national emergency to fund a wall on the southern border with Mexico, saying the move violated the constitution. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in California, said the president's order was contrary to the Presentment Clause that outlines legislative procedures and the Appropriations Clause, which defines Congress as the final arbiter of public funds. The move had been previously announced by Xavier Becerra the attorney general of California who said his state and others had legal standing because they risked losing moneys intended for military projects, disaster assistance and other purposes. Several Republican senators have decried the emergency declaration, saying it establishes a dangerous precedent and amounts to executive overreach. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Virginia are party to the complaint seeking an injunction. "Use of those additional federal funds for the construction of a border wall is contrary to Congress's intent in violation of the US Constitution, including the Presentment Clause and Appropriations Clause," the complaint said. It added that Trump had "veered the country toward a constitutional crisis of his own making." "Congress has repeatedly rebuffed the president's insistence to fund a border wall, recently resulting in a record 35-day partial government shutdown over the border wall dispute," the document read. "After the government reopened, Congress approved, and the president signed into law, a $1.375 billion appropriation for fencing along the southern border, but Congress made clear that funding could not be used to build President Trump's proposed border wall." The complaint added that the Department of Homeland Security had violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to evaluate the environmental impact of the wall in California and New Mexico. Friday's declaration enables the president to divert funds from the Pentagon's military construction budget and other sources. Jihadi bride Shamima Begum will be stripped of her British citizenship, her familys lawyer has said. Ministers will seek an order depriving the 19-year-old Londoner of her British citizenship, solicitor Tasnime Akunjee said. Ms Begum fled her east London home in 2015 to travel to Syria to support the terror group, but wishes to return to the UK for the sake of her newly born child as the so-called caliphate crumbles. In a statement, Mr Akunjee said her family are very disappointed with the Home Offices intention to have an order made depriving Shamima of her citizenship. Home secretary Sajid Javid says British troops will not be used to rescue those who went to Syria to join IS (Picture: PA) We are considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision, he added. ITV News reported a letter from the Home Office that was received by Ms Begums mother on Tuesday. It said Home Secretary Sajid Javid had ordered the move and explained it had already been processed. Please find enclosed papers that relate to a decision taken by the Home Secretary, to deprive your daughter, Shamima Begum, of her British citizenship, the letter read. In light of the circumstances of your daughter, the notice of the Home Secretarys decision has been served of file today (19 February), and the order removing her British citizenship has subsequently been made. Ministers will seek an order depriving the 19-year-old Londoner of her British citizenship, her familys solicitor said. The letter asked the mother to let her daughter know of the decision and to inform her she has a right to appeal. The Home Office declined to comment. The initial police stance when Ms Begum left the UK in 2015 was that she may be treated as a victim of grooming, but Scotland Yard chief, Cressida Dick, said on Tuesday: Were a long way down the road since then. On Monday Mr Javid told the House of Commons that a change to the 1351 Treason Act was worth considering carefully. He said: This is a complex situation and we should always be looking to see what tools we have at our disposal to ensure that those who are guilty of terrorism, or of supporting terrorist groups, are brought to justice. That means ensuring that we have the right laws in place. There are already powers in existence, including those covering extra-territorial jurisdictions. Story continues Mr Javid has said that no British troops will be used to rescue any Britons who travelled to Syria to support terrorism, and vowed to block Ms Begums return. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Shamima Begum told the BBC she didnt see herself as an IS poster girl (Picture: BBC) In an interview with the BBCs Middle East correspondent, Quentin Sommerville, Ms Begum said she is ready to face prison if it means returning from a Syrian refugee camp to the UK with her baby boy, who was born on Saturday. The 19-year-old said: I actually do support some British values and I am willing to go back to the UK and settle back again and rehabilitate and that stuff. She left east London along with two other teenage girls in 2015 to join Islamic State in Syria, but now wants to return home. She later told ITV News she did not see why Home Secretary Sajid Javid would see her as a threat. Im a 19-year-old girl with a new born baby. I dont have any weapons; I dont want to hurt anyone even if I did have weapons or anything, she said. He has no proof that I was a threat other than that I was in Isis, thats it. I dont know how I would be seen as a danger. MORE: Killer illegal car seats on sale for just 8 on eBay and Amazon MORE: 27-year-old appears in court accused of killing three pensioners Im not going to go back and promote people to go to Isis or anything, if anything Im going to encourage them not to go because its not all it seems in their videos. I do regret it because when I went I thought I was going to make a family and I didnt realise what the things they were doing that they werent showing in their propaganda videos, and I actually do regret it, I do feel bad for anyone who was affected by the actions of Isis. Shamima Begum has just given birth to a boy (Picture: PA) But Ms Begum had earlier caused controversy by comparing the Manchester Arena bombing to military assaults on Syria. In her interview with the BBC, she said the deaths of 22 innocent people in the terrorist attack on an Ariana Grande concert in 2017 were akin to the women and children being bombed in IS territory in Baghuz. She said: I do feel that its wrong that innocent people did get killed. Its one thing to kill a soldier that is fighting you, its self-defence, but to kill the people like women and children. Just people like the women and children in Baghuz that are being killed right now unjustly, the bombings. Its a two-way thing really. Shamima Begum, right, fled the UK for Syria with fellow teenagers Amira Abase, left, and Kadiza Sultana, centre (Picture: PA) Ms Begum fled the UK to join IS in Syria (Picture: PA) Because women and children are being killed back in the Islamic State right now and its kind of retaliation. Like, their justification was that it was retaliation so I thought OK, that is a fair justification. The mother-of-three, who gave birth to her third child at the weekend, left east London with two friends in 2015 to join the terrorist group. She was partly inspired by videos of fighters beheading hostages and partly by other propaganda films showing the good life IS could offer. Since she has been there, her two older children have died. UK authorities now face the difficult question of what to do if Ms Begum manages to return to Britain. Her familys lawyer, Tasnime Akunjee, said he anticipated she would face criminal proceedings upon any return to the UK, but that it was the familys hope she would be given professional help following her experience in Syria. On the first leg of his three-country Asia tour, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman announced $20 billion-worth of investments in Pakistan, a benefaction that comes amid the ongoing diplomatic crisis sparked by the Khashoggi killing. Financially teetering Pakistan hopes the spate of new deals will ease its balance of payments crisis, Agence France-Presse reports. The Saudi prince, widely known as MBS, launched a high-profile, eastward trip to regional allies this week as he seeks to emerge from Western pressure over his alleged involvement in the gruesome murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi last October. Analysts say the Asia tour reflects the crown princes attempt to rebuild his reputation and cling to relationships with his allies in Asia. Khashoggi had been a vocal critic of the Saudi regime, and his murder prompted calls including from Senators for diplomatic retribution. MBS wants to demonstrate that he is not an international pariah, James M. Dorsey, a researcher at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told AFP. When he landed Sunday at Islamabads airport, MBS was greeted by a 21-gun salute and then was warmly embraced by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. Shortly after his arrival, MBS headed into a signing ceremony for the raft of new investments. The two-day visit to Pakistan kicked off amid the nations heightened tensions with neighboring India. Last week, a suicide bomber affiliated with a Pakistani extremist group killed over 40 Indian paramilitary police in Kashmir, an Indian-administered region that has been the focus of a territorial conflict. MBS will travel to India next, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, before finishing his tour in China on Thursday and Friday. Moscow (AFP) - The arrest in Russia of prominent US and French investors on suspicion of fraud has sent shockwaves through Western business circles and sparked fears of cutbacks in foreign investment sorely needed for economic growth. The founder and employees of the Baring Vostok private equity firm were arrested on Friday in a case brought with the help of the FSB security service. The arrest took place on the same day Russia hosted leading business people in the Black Sea resort of Sochi for a major economic forum which trumpeted the country's openness to investment. Michael Calvey, a US citizen and the founder and director of Baring Vostok, has been placed in pre-trial detention in a Moscow jail for the next two months for alleged fraud, along with five others -- including Philippe Delpal, a French citizen. They are accused of defrauding Vostochny Bank of at least 2.5 billion rubles ($37.7 million). All of them deny any wrongdoing and blame the case on a shareholder dispute. In an opinion piece on Monday in the Vedomosti business daily, Maxim Bouev -- vice-rector of Moscow's New Economic School -- wrote the case proves what investors have long known: "If you want to invest in Russia, you have to accept your risk of eventually being arrested and finding yourself in the dock." This is the latest in a long line of cases in which top business people have been accused of crimes motivated by commercial or political interests, but these have rarely involved foreigners. Business figures and economists reacted strongly to investigators swooping on Baring Vostok, founded 25 years ago, which has brought in investments of more than $3 billion to Russia despite the geopolitical tensions and Western sanctions of recent years. Arkady Volozh, the CEO of Russian internet giant Yandex, defended Calvey in a statement, saying he "has always been a standard for the market of decency and law-abidingness". - 'Hateful image abroad' - Story continues Other business leaders said they fear the case will deal a severe blow to an investment climate already marred by corruption and the lack of independent courts -- especially given the strong-arm tactics employed. "This gives Russia a hateful image abroad," the president of the French-Russian chamber of commerce, Emmanuel Quidet, told AFP. The chamber on Monday said it was "very concerned" about the arrests in a joint statement with the Association of European Businesses, a federation of multinational companies working in Russia. The case could "severely damage the climate and attractiveness of Russia for direct investments from abroad", it said. The Kremlin sought to dispel those fears, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Calvey's arrest should "not affect the investment climate" in Russia. He added he was aware of the contribution to the Russian economy made by Calvey, who has met President Vladimir Putin numerous times. The government in early February unveiled a 340 billion euros ($385 billion) plan to achieve its economic goals and support growth that is forecast to slow this year. This will require major private investment. "It's an electric shock," a source in the Association of European Businesses told AFP. "You get the impression that business rivals are using the justice system and Russian (security) services to settle their scores. But the fact that the authorities are letting this happen sends out a very negative signal. You wonder who will be next." In the Novaya Gazeta independent newspaper, outspoken commentator Yulia Latynina claimed that in the context of current East-West tensions, "for security officials, business people are criminals and foreigners are spies". By Benjamin Jumbe. Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo says former presidential candidate Dr Kiiza Besigye and his followers will not be able to actualize their threat to depose the NRM Government before the 2021 general elections Last week, Dr Besigye and other opposition members largely from the FDC launched what they called a people`s assembly and named a new team of ministers in the People`s Government. At the even Dr Besigye said they will use all means to oust Government even before the next general elections However Opondo has told journalists at media centre that similar threats were made in the past and nothing happened arguing that Dr Besigye has lost ground and is trying to re-event himself He also spoke about a recent statement by Rwandan president Paul Kagame that Uganda has been acting on rumors from Rwandan dissidents in South Africa to support subversion against Rwanda The Iowa caucuses are less than a year away, which means those planning to join what promises to be a crowded field of 2020 presidential candidates are beginning to formally announce their candidacies. More names are still expected to join the growing field of candidates, including the early front-runner in most Democratic primary polling: former Vice President Joe Biden. And there is still a chance of a third-party challenge from former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. Here's a breakdown of the people who have officially announced their candidacies or exploratory committees so far. Democrats Cory Booker Age: 49 Experience: U.S. senator from New Jersey, 2013-present; mayor of Newark, 2006-2013. Quote: "I believe that we can build a country where no one is forgotten, no one is left behind." Fast facts: New Jerseys first African-American senator, Booker has backed liberal policies from marriage equality and abortion rights to marijuana legalization and criminal-justice reform. Campaign site: https://corybooker.com/ Pete Buttigieg Age: 37 Experience: Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, 2012-present Quote: "We can't look for greatness in the past. Right now, our country needs a fresh start." Fast facts: A lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve who served in Afghanistan, Buttigieg would be the first openly gay nominee for a major political party. Campaign site: https://www.peteforamerica.com/ Julian Castro Age: 44 Experience: Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2014-2017; mayor of San Antonio, 2009-2014 Quote: "Today were falling backwards instead of moving forward. And the opportunities that made America, the America we love, those opportunities are reaching fewer and fewer people." Fast facts: The grandson of a Mexican immigrant and son of a Latina activist, Castro's twin brother, Joaquin Castro, is a Democratic congressman from Texas. Campaign site: https://www.julianforthefuture.com/ Story continues John Delaney Age: 55 Experience: U.S. House representative from Maryland, 2013-2019; entrepreneur Quote: "Trump wants this campaign to be about socialism and we shouldnt give him what he wants. We need to update our social programs to better fit todays world, and we need to make capitalism more just and inclusive." Fast facts: Delaney, who founded two publicly traded companies, was one of the first Democrats to announce and has been a 2020 presidential candidate since July 2017 Campaign site: https://www.johndelaney.com/ Tulsi Gabbard Age: 37 Experience: U.S. House representative from Hawaii, 2013-present Quote: "Im running for president to end regime change wars, work to end the new Cold War and nuclear arms race, and take the trillions of dollars wasted on these wars and put it back in the pockets of the American people." Fast facts: Born in Leloaloa, American Samoa, Gabbard is the first Hindu member of Congress. She served in the Hawaii National Guard and was deployed to Iraq in 2004. Campaign site: https://www.votetulsi.com/ Kirsten Gillibrand Age: 52 Experience: U.S. senator from New York, 2009-present; U.S. House representative from New York, 2007-2009 Quote: "Im going to run for president of the United States because as a young mom, Im going to fight for other peoples kids as hard as I fight for my own." Fast facts: Gillibrand is the mother of two boys and was the sixth woman ever to give birth while serving in Congress. Campaign site: https://kirstengillibrand.com/ Kamala Harris Age: 54 Experience: U.S. senator from California, 2017-present; California attorney general, 2011-2016; San Francisco district attorney 2004-2011 Quote: "As we embark on this campaign, I will tell you this: I am not perfect. Lord knows, I am not perfect. But I will always speak with decency and moral clarity and treat all people with dignity and respect. I will lead with integrity. And I will speak the truth." Fast facts: In 2017, Harris whose mother emigrated to the U.S. from India became the first South Asian-American, and the second African-American female senator in U.S. history. Campaign site: https://kamalaharris.org/ John Hickenlooper Age: 67 Experience: Governor of Colorado, 2011-2019; mayor of Denver 2003-2011; restauranteur Quote: "Donald Trump is alienating our allies, ripping away our health care, endangering our planet and destroying our democracy." Fast facts: Hickenlooper suffers from prosopagnosia, or face blindness, which makes it difficult for someone to recognize people. Hickenlooper told CNN the condition has a silver lining "because the way I have overcompensated was to treat everyone who come towards me as a friend, just to assume that I know them." Campaign site: https://www.hickenlooper.com Jay Inslee Age: 68 Experience: Governor of Washington, 2013-present Quote: "We're the first generation to feel the sting of climate change and we're the last that can do something about it." Fast facts: An avid cyclist and hiker, Inslee intends to make climate change a central part of his campaign. As governor, he has pushed for clean energy and recently backed a state carbon fee to limit pollution. Campaign site: https://jayinslee.com/ Amy Klobuchar Age: 58 Experience: U.S. senator from Minnesota, 2007-present; Hennepin County prosecutor, 1999-2006 Quote: "I dont have a political machine. I dont come from money. But what I do have is this: I have grit, I have family, I have friends, and I have all of you." Fast facts: Klobuchar is positioning herself as a Midwest moderate who can work with Republicans. According to GovTrack, Klobuchar introduced the most pieces of legislation in the 115th Congress of any Democratic senator and had the most non-Democratic co-sponsors on her bills. Campaign site: https://amyklobuchar.com/ Beto O'Rourke Age: 46 Experience: U.S. House representative from Texas, 2013-2019; El Paso City Council member, 2005-2011 Quote: "I want to be president because I feel that we can bring this country together. We can unify around our ambitions, our aspirations, the big things that we know we are capable of when all of us have the opportunity to contribute." Fast facts: O'Rourke is a lover of punk rock, and co-founded the band Foss during his college years. The band toured during his summer break and put out an album in 1993 titled, "The El Paso Pussycats." Campaign site: https://betoorourke.com/ Bernie Sanders Age: 77 Experience: U.S. senator from Vermont, 2007-present; U.S. House representative from Vermont, 1991-2000 Quote: "Our health care system today essentially says that if you happen to be poor, you are less deserving of getting care than a wealthy person. That is fundamentally immoral and that is not the kind of nation we should be." Fast fact: Although he is seeking the Democratic nomination, Sanders has run as an independent for every other office he has sought. Before being elected to Congress in 1990, he lost two Senate campaigns (1972 and 1974) and three gubernatorial campaigns (1972, 1976 and 1986) in Vermont. Campaign site: https://berniesanders.com/ Elizabeth Warren Age: 69 Experience: U.S. senator from Massachusetts, 2013-present Quote: "The man in the White House is not the cause of whats broken, hes just the latest and most extreme symptom of whats gone wrong in America: A product of a rigged system that props up the rich and the powerful and kicks dirt on everyone else." Fast fact: Warren came into the national spotlight for her passionate criticism of Wall Street, the banking industry and large corporations after the 2008 financial crisis hit. Then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appointed her the chair on a panel to oversee the federal bailout in response to the crisis. Campaign site: https://elizabethwarren.com/ Marianne Williamson Age: 66 Experience: Motivational speaker, New Age spiritual guru and self-help author Quote: "I believe a moral and spiritual awakening is necessary in this country. And nothing short of that will fundamentally disrupt the patterns of political dysfunction." Fast fact: Williamson's spent the last 35 years as a spiritual guide and author with connections throughout the celebrity world, including Oprah Winfrey. Campaign site: https://www.marianne2020.com/ Andrew Yang Age: 44 Experience: Entrepreneur; founder of non-profit fellowship program Venture for America Quote: "I fear for the future of our country. New technologies robots, software, artificial intelligence have already destroyed more than 4 million U.S. jobs, and in the next 5-10 years, they will eliminate millions more." Fast fact: Yang's platform includes providing every American 18 and older with a basic universal income of $1,000 a month. Campaign site: https://www.yang2020.com/ The Republicans President Donald Trump Age: 72 Experience: U.S president, 2017-present; real estate developer; reality TV star Quote: "Considering that we have done more than any Administration in the first two years, this should be easy." Fast fact: Trump filed for re-election the day he was inaugurated, and his campaign already has raised more than $100 million. Campaign site: https://www.donaldjtrump.com/ William Weld Age: 73 Experience: Governor of Massachusetts, 1991-1997 Quote: "We have a president whose priorities are skewed towards promotion of himself rather than for the good of the country." Fast fact: Weld ran for vice president on the Libertarian Party ticket in 2016. In 1974, he worked as an associate minority counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate investigation. Campaign site: https://www.weld2020.org/ Who is considering a run? Joe Biden: The former vice president could enter his third presidential run after deciding against it in 2016. He is a party favorite for his appeal to working-class Democrats a segment of the voter base some feel was lost to conservatives. Sen. Michael Bennet: The Colorado Democrat, a former superintendent of Denver's public school system, joined the Senate in 2009 and has trumpeted his support for the "next generation" by focusing on education, health care and climate change. He's already visited early caucus state Iowa to meet with activists. Who's out? Hillary Clinton: The Democrats' 2016 nominee quashed rumors she'd make another run, telling a New York television station, "I'm not running, but I'm going to keep working and speaking and standing up for what I believe." Sen. Sherrod Brown: Brown and his wife toured early primary and caucus states just days before the Democrat announced he'd rather remain a senator. "We've decided the best place for me to continue fighting for Ohio and all the workers is to stay in the U.S. Senate." Brown was seen as someone with the potential to win back an increasingly red Midwest. He has served as senator since 2006 and just won a contentious re-election race against Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci. Michael Bloomberg: The former New York City mayor and billionaire owner of the software and media company Bloomberg, will invest in clean energy and liberal causes rather than hit the campaign trail. The eighth-richest person in the U.S., hes considered a moderate having run and won mayoral elections as a Republican and Independent. Sen. Jeff Merkeley: The Oregon Democrat abandoned his 2020 White House ambitions, opting instead to run for re-election in 2020. "There are Democrats now in the presidential race who are speaking to the importance of tackling the big challenges we face," he said. Michael Avenatti: The media-savvy attorney who once represented porn star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with the president, said he'll keep his name off the candidate list "Out of respect for my family." Avenatti burst onto the political scene, becoming a mainstay on cable news and a fierce critic of the president. He parlayed his fame into a period in which he was "exploring" a run, even making a visit to early caucus state Iowa. Richard Ojeda: The former West Virginia state senator dropped out of the race in January, telling supporters he didn't want them donating money to a campaign with little chance of success. Contributing: Susan Page, Christal Hayes, Ryan W. Miller, Sean Rossman and Emma Kinery, USA TODAY; Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register; Vic Ryckaert, Indianapolis Star; Nicholas Pugliese, Trenton Bureau; Aki Soga, Burlington Free Press; Jon Campbell, Albany Bureau; The Associated Press. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is running for president? Here's a list of the candidates so far Strasbourg (France) (AFP) - The Council of Europe rights body Tuesday condemned the "inhuman and degrading treatment" of migrants and asylum seekers held in Greece, adding it had credible allegations of abuse by police. "Foreign nationals deprived of their liberty by the Greek authorities must be treated humanely and with dignity," the Council's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) said. The committee published the report after visiting the country -- which has been at the frontline of the migration crisis in Europe -- over ten days in April 2018. "Conditions of detention were found to be grossly sub-standard in some of the police and border guard stations visited," it said. At one centre in the Evros region in the northeast on the Turkish border, families, children, pregnant women and single men were held together for weeks and sometimes months in a centre that offered just one square metre of living space per person. It said such conditions "can easily be considered as amounting to inhuman and degrading treatment." The committee also said it received "credible allegations of police ill-treatment (slaps, punches, kicks, baton blows and verbal abuse) from foreign nationals held" in the Evros region and at a camp on the island of Lesbos. Other migrants claimed to have been driven back to Turkey by border guards. The number of migrants arriving in Greece peaked in 2015, when more than a million people, most of them Syrian refugees, crossed over from Turkey, mainly by boat. A deal struck between the European Union and Ankara in 2016 helped stem the flow. However, the number of people attempting to cross the river Evros into Greece has increased since naval patrols intensified in the Aegean Sea in 2016. The CPT recommended that Greek authorities significantly increase the number of centres for unaccompanied minors. In 2017 it had denounced the conditions of thousands of migrants who were held in cramped cells lacking food and drinking water as unacceptable. In a response included in the report, Greek authorities said that investigations into unofficial removals and ill-treatment by officers had found "no disciplinary liability" by the police. They blamed the poor conditions of detention in the Evros region on "increased migratory pressure" at the time of the CPTs visit. Branson's move has evoked comparisons to Irish rock star Bob Geldofs global Live Aid - Getty Images North America Venezuela's government will stage two concerts on the Colombian border this weekend to compete with a "Live Aid"-style show announced by British billionaire Richard Branson to raise funds for food and medicine for the South American country. Increasingly internationally isolated President Nicolas Maduro, who denies there is a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, says Western relief efforts coordinated by the opposition are part of a US-orchestrated coup to overthrow him. Branson said last week he was organising a concert on February 22 to raise funds for aid for Venezuela in the Colombian border city of Cucuta, where donations provided by the United States and others are already being stockpiled. The move has evoked comparisons to Irish rock star Bob Geldofs global Live Aid concert to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Branson has said he wants to raise $100 million in 60 days. Venezuelan Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday that the government was also planning concerts on February 22 and 23, on the Simon Bolivar bridge connecting the country with Cucuta, with the slogan "nothing for war, hands off Venezuela". Workers begin to assemble stages for a Live Aid-style concert organised by British billionaire Richard Branson Credit: LUIS ROBAYO/ AFP The government would also hand out food to poor residents of Cucuta this weekend, he said in televised statements - a "cynical" move, according to opposition leader Juan Guaido, given shortages of food in Venezuela. Guaido last month invoked constitutional provisions to assume the presidency, arguing Maduro was re-elected in a sham election, and has since been recognised as Venezuela's legitimate leader by dozens of nations. He said on Monday that the government's statements would not alter the opposition's plans to bring in aid from neighboring countries via land and sea on Saturday with the help of volunteers nationwide. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "This does not in the slightest change our plan to generate pressure, to ensure the arrival of the aid," Guaido said at a news briefing. "If it doesn't enter on the twenty-third, it will enter on the twenty-fourth, it will enter on the twenty-fifth" of February. The opposition has urged the military, which remains loyal to Maduro, to let the aid in. Analysts say that would seriously undermine Maduro's authority and could lead to his ouster. In a speech late on Monday, US President Donald Trump warned members of Venezuela's military who are helping Maduro to stay in power that they are risking their future and their lives and urged them to allow humanitarian aid into the country. By Humeyra Pamuk and Jarrett Renshaw WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - EPA acting administrator Andrew Wheeler rejected a proposal from his staff that would have reduced the ambition of the nations biofuel policy over the next three years, arguing the targeted range it included for annual ethanol consumption was too low, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The decision, made in December as part of the EPA's effort to reset targets set by Congress in 2007 closer to market reality, has become a source of concern among the oil industrys Republican legislative backers, some of whom have threatened to withhold support for Wheeler's confirmation as permanent EPA head over his views on ethanol. The issue represents the latest flashpoint in the ongoing clash between Big Oil and Big Corn over the nation's biofuel policy, which has complicated President Donald Trumps relationship with the two rival constituencies that helped sweep him to the White House in 2016. Under the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, oil refiners must blend billions of gallons of biofuels into their gasoline and diesel each year or buy credits from those that do. The corn industry is constantly pushing for targets to go up to ensure a robust market for growers, while the oil industry wants them to decline because biofuels compete with petroleum and compliance costs them money. Wheeler rejected a staff proposal presented in December that suggested the amount of ethanol that must be blended into the nations fuel could be cut from the current level of 15 billion gallons annually to as low as 14.3 billion over the final three years of the RFS program ending in 2022, a figure that had been sought by the oil industry, according to two of the sources. EPA staff made the proposal in the form of a range of 14.3 billion to 15 billion, the two sources said. Wheeler, who has been running the agency on an interim basis since his predecessor Scott Pruitt resigned in July, dismissed the proposal saying the 14.3 billion gallons at the bottom of the range was too low and would guarantee outrage from corn-state lawmakers, one of the sources briefed on the matter said. A second source familiar with the matter said Wheeler had rejected the 14.3 billion number because it was not clear if agency staff had considered the potential impact of a soon-to-be published EPA proposal to lift a summer ban on sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline called E15, which could boost the market for the corn-based fuel. Asked about the exchange, the EPA's assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, Bill Wehrum, last week said: "Weve talked to Wheeler about what we should do in the reset but no final decisions have been made." He added the work on the reset continued. EPA spokesman Michael Abboud said on Friday: "EPA is still developing options regarding a reset proposal, and no final decisions have been made. Five Republican senators from oil states, led by Ted Cruz of Texas, sent a letter to Wheeler dated Feb. 11 asking him about his biofuels policies, and saying their support for his confirmation could hinge on his responses. Trump nominated Wheeler in January but he still faces a senate vote, likely to take place at the end of February. Two sources told Reuters the senators were particularly concerned about Wheelers rejection of the initial staff proposal on biofuel volume targets. Officials from the senators offices did not respond to requests for comment explaining their concerns. WAIVERS, MEETINGS The senators were also concerned that Wheeler had signaled in several recent meetings the agency could issue fewer exemptions to the nations biofuel laws to small refineries than under Pruitt, according to the sources. Pruitt's expanded use of the waivers, which are intended for small refining operations under financial strain, angered farmers and their legislative backers by exempting some 2.25 billion gallons of ethanol from the U.S. mandates. But it also saved the oil industry hundreds of millions of dollars by driving down the cost of compliance credits. One justification Wheeler could use for providing fewer waivers is that the lower credit prices have reduced the financial burden on refiners. But in recent weeks, refiners like Valero Energy Corp and HollyFrontier have been buying more of them than usual, three brokers told Reuters, a sign that they expect a rebound. In their letter to Wheeler, the senators asked him if he would continue providing waivers fully in accordance with the statute and case law. The senators have also been worried by Wheeler's meetings with biofuel trade groups and corn-state senators, according to one of the sources briefed by the senators staff. A Reuters analysis of Wheelers public schedule shows he has met regularly with representatives of both sides of the debate, but has held several more meetings with corn backers than refining industry supporters since taking over in July. EPA spokesman Michael Abboud has said that Wheeler "is happy to meet with those who actually request meetings." (This version of the story corrects title for EPA official Bill Wehrum to EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation in 10th paragraph) (Additional reporting by Chris Prentice; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Susan Thomas) NASHVILLE, Tenn. Southern Baptist leaders are pushing ahead with plans to address a sexual abuse crisis that is rocking the nation's largest Protestant denomination. J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, unveiled a series of proposed reforms this week aimed at holding congregations and their leaders accountable for protecting those that attend their churches. The steps could include expelling some churches that have a "wanton disregard for prevention of sexual abuse." "If we dont get this right, our churches will not be a safe place for the lost. That is not something that I am OK with," Greear told the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee in Nashville. "I know that it is not something that youre OK with either." Greear, who leads The Summit Church in North Carolina, outlined 10 recommendations for change. They are the first proposals to come out of the sexual abuse advisory group Greear formed last year. The changes range from providing free training for ministry leaders and encouraging churches to review their policies on abuse to calling for a re-examination of the ordination process. The proposed reforms come as Southern Baptists grapple with their own sexual abuse crisis. More: Investigation finds decades of abuse in Southern Baptist Convention More: What can Southern Baptists do after sex-crime reports? Here are some ideas The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News recently published a startling report showing that 380 Southern Baptists with formal church roles have faced sexual misconduct allegations in the last 20 years. Many were convicted of sex crimes and some are still in prison, but others continue to work in churches, the news organizations found. "We need to regard any exposure, any shining of light on abuse, as our friend, even if it makes us ask some uncomfortable questions about ourselves publicly. Our job is to love and serve people, especially those who have suffered abuse," Greear said. "Our job is not to protect our reputation." Story continues Leaders call for change In the wake of that report, several Southern Baptist leaders, including Greear, called for change within the network of churches that make up the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. That call continued Monday night as Greear addressed the regularly scheduled meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee. Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear speaks to the denomination's executive committee Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Just days after a newspaper investigation revealed hundreds of sexual abuse cases by Southern Baptist ministers and lay leaders over the past two decades, Greear spoke about plans to address the problem. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) "This is not a fabricated story that is made up by people with a secular agenda that is against us. Weve not taken reports of abuse in our churches as seriously as our gospel demands that we do, and sometimes even worse, outright ignored or silenced victims," Greear said. "We know that it is time that we backup our words with actions and we demonstrate our commitment to this." More: Vatican defrocks ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick after finding him guilty of sexual crimes More: Were U.S. nuns abused by priests? Catholic women respond to Pope Francis' remarks on abuse The recommendations also include a call to repent for decades of inaction and to make sure abuse is a part of the discussion at the denomination's annual meeting in Birmingham, Alabama, in June. He called out 10 Southern Baptist churches by name, including Second Baptist Church in Houston, that were accused in recent media reports of having "displayed a wanton disregard for the seriousness of abuse." Removal from convention possible for churches facing allegations Greear said those churches and any others facing allegations need to be looked into and possibly removed from the Nashville-based Southern Baptist Convention. "I am not calling for disfellowshipping any of these churches at this point, but these churches must be called upon to give assurances to the Southern Baptist Convention that they have taken the necessary steps to correct their policies and procedures with regards to abuse and survivors," Greear said. As Greear made his way through the list of recommendations, an occasional murmur of "amens" underscored a point he was trying to make. The end of his speech was met with a standing ovation. Past actions 'clearly not enough' I In September, the convention's Executive Committee allocated $250,000 for the sexual abuse advisory group Greear created soon after he was elected in June. The advisory group's purpose is to figure out how Southern Baptists can better respond to incidents and prevent abuse from happening. Greear said he formed the group because church leaders have "known that there is a problem." "Whatever we've done in the past we know clearly was not enough," he said. The implementation of all 10 recommendations is not a done deal. One barrier could be the denomination's structure, which has been cited as a hurdle for reform in the past. Southern Baptist's believe in local church autonomy and not top-down control like some other Christian denominations. "In order to accomplish a lot of these things, everybody is going to have to come and play a role," said Amy Whitfield, with Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, who spoke to the media Monday night alongside Greear and Russell Moore. "It's kind of hard to identify one particular barrier, but it's kind of everybody stepping up and agreeing to start going after this." Moore, who leads the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, also pointed to a lack of information sharing between churches as a challenge. "I'm encouraged that the advisory group has been taking that challenge very seriously and bringing in the best expertise to dig through how can we do this in a way that actually works and enables congregations to know what's happening in other congregations in order that they can be better prepared," Moore said. More: Catholic dioceses in Texas name 286 priests credibly accused of sexual abuse More: Pope tells sex-abuse priests: 'Turn yourselves in' The advisory group came in the midst of Southern Baptist's own #MeToo moment. In the run-up to the denomination's annual meeting last year where Greear was elected, Southern Baptists were embroiled in months of controversy over a prominent church leader's treatment of women and how he handled years-old allegations of sexual misconduct. During the same denominational meeting, the Southern Baptist Convention condemned all forms of abuse. Whitfield, who has worked for three Southern Baptist entities since 2000, is heartened by recent steps Southern Baptist leaders have taken to address abuse in the church. "I feel very hopeful," Whitfield said. "In the last year, I have had more open and transparent conversations with high-level leaders that were received well, they were positive. I've had just more access to participating in discussions or being able to share ... than in all the first 18 years combined." Follow Holly Meyer on Twitter: @HollyAMeyer. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Amid sexual abuse crisis, Southern Baptist Convention leader unveils plans for reform Sean Combs, also known as Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Diddy, and most recently Love, has had his waxwork at Madame Tussauds in New York destroyed. An unidentified vandal reportedly shouted at, knocked over, and decapitated the rappers waxwork, before fleeing the scene. The NYPD have confirmed that a man entered the museum shortly before 9pm on Saturday (16 February) and proceeded to travel up to the ninth floor of the tourist attraction and attack the 49-year-old music moguls waxwork. Diddys waxwork has been destroyed. (Getty Images) The police statement explained that the attack led to the causing the head to come loose from the body and it is estimated that the man caused at least $300,000 damage (232,125). Diddys waxwork was unveiled in 2009, and sits on the A-List Party Room floor where visitors of the attraction are encouraged to interact and pose for photos with the celebrity waxworks. According to AP, Madame Tussauds New York says it will restore Diddys waxwork as soon as possible, and reinstate it with its fellow famous waxworks. While it remains unknown what prompted the mystery vandal to attack the waxwork, Combs is not a public figure free from controversy. Combs with Wallace on the day of Wallaces assassination in 1997. (Getty Pictures) He played a central role in the infamous West Coast vs. East Coast rap rivalry of the mid 1990s that saw the shocking, and as of yet unresolved, deaths of rappers Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G. The latter of whom was a close friend of Combs and assassinated while sitting next to him in their car in Los Angeles on 9 March, 1997. Combs is a rapper, music producer and also a fashion, fragrance and alcohol mogul. He has won three Grammy Awards and as of 2018 has an estimated net worth of $825 million (638.6 million). Combs has yet to publicly respond to the Madame Tussauds incident. Read more Carol McGiffin doubts the Moon Landing Baptiste actress reveals she is transgender Strictly wants to sign up Royal family member By Stephen Nellis (Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc on Tuesday introduced its second-generation of so-called modem chips to connect phones to 5G networks, speeding up the race around faster wireless data connections expected to begin rolling out later this year. Qualcomm, the world's largest mobile chip supplier, is hoping the device will fuel the spread of 5G phones later this year and next year. While Chinese phone makers such as Xiaomi Corp last year used Qualcomm's first-generation chip for small batches of 5G phones, the second-generation chip announced Tuesday is aimed at mass production. The move comes a day before Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the world's largest smart phone maker, is set to announce its new flagship Galaxy series phones. Samsung and Qualcomm in December publicly committed to working together to release a 5G phone this year, and analysts believe Samsung will unveil a 5G version of its flagship models this week. Qualcomm's chips are entering a crowded field. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's third-largest smart phone maker, last month announced that it has built a 5G chip that it will use in its own phones. Samsung, too, has a 5G modem called the Exynos 5100 that will power many Samsung devices sold outside the United States. Taiwan-based MediaTek Inc also has 5G chip, with Intel Corp targeting the second half of this year for a release. Carriers in Korea and China, meantime, are set to start turning on the networks this spring, with carriers in the United States planning rollouts for later this year. For Qualcomm's part, the company is also introducing several chips surrounding the modem. Some elements of 5G phones, such as the design of antennas and chips for handling analog radio waves, are more complicated than previous generations of phones. Qualcomm aims to speed up adoption of 5G by also selling those technologies to phone makers. "This year, virtually every major Android [phone maker] will be launching a phone with 5G," said Ignacio Contreras, head of 5G marketing for Qualcomm. Apple Inc has not said when the iPhone will have 5G capabilities. In its iPhones released last year, Apple dropped Qualcomm's chips in favor of those from Intel. Apple disclosed in a court hearing last month that it had held talks with MediaTek and Samsung about supplying modems for 2019 iPhones, but Bloomberg earlier reported that 5G iPhones will not appear until 2020. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis, Editing by Franklin Paul) WASHINGTON A week before another high-profile summit with Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump said Tuesday he's in "no rush" to have North Korea denuclearize as long it continues to hold off on testing of nuclear weapons and missiles. "As long as there's no testing, I'm in no rush," Trump told reporters while discussing his latest phone call with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. "If there's testing, that's another deal." Trump flies next week to Hanoi, Vietnam, for two days of meetings with Kim, a sequel of sorts to their first meeting last year in Singapore. In further preparation, Trump said he plans to speak Wednesday with another key player in the region, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In the South Korean call, Moon told Trump he hopes the summit "will provide a 'critical turning point' to accomplish complete de-nuclearization, a peace regime on the peninsula and development of NK-US relations," according to a statement from Moon's office. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-In in 2017. Kim pledged at the Singapore meeting to eliminate his country's nuclear weapons programs, but some U.S. officials said North Korea has yet to take concrete, verifiable steps to that end. The U.S. is looking for firmer commitments at the Vietnam summit. North Korea, meanwhile, wants the United States and other countries to start reducing economic sanctions before it makes major changes to its nuclear programs. In their 35-minute phone call, Moon offered to help any way he could, his office said, "from reconnecting rail/road links between the two Koreas to other inter-Korean economic cooperation." As for Trump, the South Koreans said the U.S. president "expressed his anticipation for the meeting" with Kim, "and said he would call again to share its results as quickly as its over." Skeptics have questioned Kim's sincerity about eliminating nuclear weapons programs, saying their are essential to his regime. Story continues Trump said North Korea's decision to halt nuclear and missile testing is a sign of good faith. The president said he has "no pressing time schedule" for denuclearization, and looks forward to hearing what Kim has to say on the subject. "I think that it'll be a very exciting couple of days," Trump said. More: North Korea won't give up nuclear weapons, former diplomat says This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump 'in no rush' to have North Korea denuclearize as long as it doesn't test weapons Taipei (AFP) - An alleged cat burglar from Hong Kong reportedly smuggled two stolen Persian kittens through Taiwan's biggest airport by hiding them under her clothes and pretending to be pregnant, local media said Tuesday. The brazen theft prompted authorities at Taoyuan airport to launch an investigation into how the woman was able to breeze through security without her feline contraband being spotted, Apple Daily reported. The Taiwanese tabloid said police obtained footage from the airport showing the woman, carrying a white bag, leaving a public washroom more plump than when she entered before passing through security. Cat breeder Chang Chin-yi told AFP she noticed two kittens -- Anngi and Da Lili -- had been stolen on February 5. "It was during feeding time, I went in... with bowls of meat and that's when I saw that the cats were missing," she said inside her apartment in an upmarket suburb of New Taipei City where she has some 40 Persian cats that sell for as much as $3,300 each. Chang immediately suspected a Hong Kong woman who planned to buy Anngi and had stayed at her house the month before. Chang changed her mind on the purchase fearing the woman already had too many cats. "(She) went crazy, she was crying and screaming at me over the phone when she heard the news," she recalled. Surveillance footage outside Chang's apartment showed the woman leaving through a side door with a cat under each arm, before bundling them into a white bag. She confronted the woman on Facebook messenger who eventually admitted the theft, according to images of private messages Chang posted publicly on Facebook. AFP contacted the Hong Kong woman by phone on Tuesday and a man who identified himself as her husband answered. He said he had no knowledge of his wife's plan and that a friend of Chang's who lives in Hong Kong is now looking after the two cats. "We are sorry that this incident happened," he told AFP. Story continues New Taipei City Police Department confirmed it was treating the incident as a burglary -- although they have limited recourse given Hong Kong and Taiwan have no extradition agreement. Taoyuan airport did not respond to requests for comment. Chang said she planned to travel to Hong Kong in the coming days to pursue legal options. It is not clear what Anngi and Da Lili's fate will now be. Cats arriving without documentation in Hong Kong must spend at least four months in quarantine or face being put down. Taiwan only accepts cats from Hong Kong that have certificate showing they are free of rabies. By Ruth Anderah. Herbert Muhangi the former commandant of the Uganda Polices FlyingSquad unit has been released on bail by the General Court Martial at Makindye. Muhangi has been on remand at Makindye Millitary barracks for more than 7 months following his arrest during last years clean and shake -up operation of the police Force. General court martial chairman Lt Gen Andrew Gutti , has today granted Muhangi a temporarily freedom pending his trial. Gen. Gutti observed that Muhangi is suffering from stomach ulcerations which are in advance stages and require adequate medical attention and the fact that he has no known criminal record given the long span of service in the police force where he is at the rank of Asst. commissioner. Muhangi has been ordered to sign a non -cash bond of ten million shillings while his sureties ordered to sign a bond of 5 million shillings. Muhangi banned not to travel out of Kampala city without courts permission and to report twice every month to its registry. Muhangi is among a group of other 7 police officers charged alongside their former Boss Gen. Kale Kayihura for offenses of failing to account for guns issued to various police units , issuing of guns to Boda-Boda 2010 patron Abdullah Kitatta and the kidnap and repatriation of Rwandan Refugees between the years of 2010 and 2018. Convicted killer and rapist Ramon Tomlinson has been on the run since he was told he would be jailed for nine years at a Sheffield Crown Court hearing in December. (SWNS) A dangerous convicted killer and rapist has been on the run for two months, police only disclosed today. Ramon Tomlinson, 32, fled Sheffield Crown Court shortly after he was sentenced to nine years for rape in early December. But police who have warned the public not to approach him only revealed on Tuesday that they have been searching for the violent criminal since he fled. Tomlinson, who is only 5ft three inches tall, has previous convictions for manslaughter and grievous bodily harm. Tomlinson fled Sheffield Crown Court in December and has not been seen since. In 2004 Tomlinson was sentenced to four years in a young offenders institute after pleading guilty to manslaughter following an incident in West Yorkshire. In 2010 he and a friend left a man with a fractured skull after an unprovoked and spur of the moment attack outside a night club in Sheffield. He was locked up for six years for the offence. He was sentenced for his most recent crime at Sheffield Crown Court on December 6 and managed to escape that day. Its not known how he was able to get away. South Yorkshire Police continue to search for Tomlinson and have ordered anyone who sees him to keep their distance and call 999. Hes around 5ft 3ins tall and has black hair, according to investigators. A police spokesman said: An investigation to locate Tomlinsons whereabouts was immediately launched. His details were recorded on national and international systems and officers have been actively seeking out further information and intelligence to trace him. CLEMENTON. N.J. Nearly eight months pregnant, Courtney English is still waiting tables and balancing trays at a New Jersey diner. "She's a tough little girl," said Brian Cadigan of his 23-year-old daughter. But English couldn't help but be moved by one of her customer's gestures during the Friday lunch rush at the Lamp Post Diner. A Voorhees, New Jersey, police officer left a message for her on his receipt: "Enjoy ur 1st. You will never forget it." He also left her a $100 tip for his $8.75 check. "It was from the heart. It really touched her," Cadigan said. "There have been plenty of situations where she got a nice tip, but just the little remark was what got her." A Voorhees police officer left something unexpected for a pregnant waitress at the Lamp Post Diner in Clementon: A $100 tip, along with a kind note on his receipt. The officer who left the tip has remained anonymous, but Cadigan publicized the generous act through a post on his Facebook page. The post went viral, attracting calls from more than 15 news outlets. "I can't believe how this has blown up," said Cadigan, who lives with his family in Sewell, New Jersey. "I've never seen anything like it." He said he posted about the tip to offer some positive attention for police officers. "The officers need that recognition," Cadigan said. "He's a cop that wanted to do something good." Jan. 28: 'Don't Tip Immigrants': New Jersey restaurant owner shocked by anti-immigrant message left on bill July 23: Server faked we dont tip terrorist note, Texas restaurant says The Voorhees Township Facebook page also acknowledged the officer's generosity: "Beautiful story and gesture from one of our own at the Voorhees Township Police Department. Blessings to the young lady and her baby." Diner manager Mark Patete noted the diner is a popular stop for police officers from the Voorhees, Camden County and Lindenwold departments. He welcomed the opportunity to talk about the Voorhees officer's good deed. "My father is a detective for a lot of years. I have all the respect in the world for police," said Patete. "A good heart is a good heart. That's how I look at it. It gives me faith in mankind." Story continues Cadigan said English seated the officer, served him and exchanged "regular pleasantries." Brian Cadigan, with daughters Courtney English and Hailey Cadigan, is getting ready to welcome another girl to the family. English, whose baby girl is due April 1, was deeply touched when a Voorhees police officer left her a $100 and good wishes for her impending motherhood. But he might have overheard a conversation when "she was serving a big table," he added. "People were talking to her about her pregnancy and asking, 'Is it your first?' " Patete said a cashier brought the generous tip to his attention after the officer left. "I just filled up ... that's so sweet," Patete said. "We've had other tips like that (amount) but they left cash. It's just neat on a credit card because everyone gets to see it." English, whose baby girl to be named Kayleigh is due April 1, will work through the end of the month, her dad said. "She's a young mother and struggling, She's just trying to get as much money as she can before she goes on leave." Now she has a big-hearted big tip to add to her savings. Follow (Cherry Hill, N.J.) Courier Post on Twitter: @cpsj Courtney English (right) celebrates at her baby shower with friends and Lamp Post Diner co-workers. The waitress was pleasantly surprised by a $100 tip from a Voorhees police officer left with a message to enjoy her first baby. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Police officer leaves $100 tip, note 'from the heart' for pregnant waitress By Anna Koper WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland should form a consortium of private and state companies to develop 5G network infrastructure to ensure lower costs and better protection from security threats, the chief executive of Poland's state-owned telecom group Exatel said. Along with other European countries Poland is rushing to keep pace with the installation of 5G services offering far faster data downloads, yet some implementation plans are being complicated by security doubts around Chinese equipment vendor Huawei. "The problems of Chinese equipment manufacturers certainly increase awareness that the state should maintain a certain degree of control over the telecommunications infrastructure," Exatel CEO Nikodem Boncza Tomaszewski told Reuters. "And this is guaranteed by the 5G wholesale operator model proposed by Exatel," Boncza Tomaszewski said, arguing Exatel should have more say in how the likes of Orange Polska, Polkomtel (a unit of Cyfrowy Polsat), T-Mobile and Play Communications develop 5G networks in Poland. Poland's government is considering a ban on Huawei products following concerns over potential cybersecurity threats. "The best organizational formula ... would be to establish the company by Exatel (with) private mobile operators, possibly other state companies with telecommunications needs such as energy and railway companies," Boncza Tomaszewski said. The Exatel chief said initial meetings had been held with operators last year but the approaches had not yet led to any formal offers. Orange Polska told Reuters it did not see the need for a wholesale operator to be launched for the 5G network as the current model of building mobile networks by major operators had worked well. "However, we do not rule out cooperation between operators for the 700 MHz band on the basis of voluntary decisions of individual operators," it said in an e-mailed statement. Poland's other leading telecom operators - T-Mobile, Polkomtel and Play - did not respond to requests for comment. Cyfrowy's main shareholder Zygmunt Solorz was quoted as saying earlier this month by Rzeczpospolita daily that Poland should consider building one 5G network in order to implement it fast and effectively. Boncza Tomaszewski said the consortium should oversee 5G network construction in Poland for the 700 MHz band, which is meant to cover the entire country, unlike other bands that will be available regionally. (Reporting by Anna Koper; Editing by David Holmes) Reuters For each vaccine, the fact sheets for healthcare providers have been revised to include a warning that reports of adverse events suggest increased risks of myocarditis and pericarditis, particularly after the second dose and with onset of symptoms within a few days after vaccination, the FDA said. As of June 11, more than 1,200 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis have been reported to the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), out of about 300 million mRNA vaccine doses administered. Brussels (AFP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sought Tuesday to reassure Europeans that there is broad-based and long-term US support for the transatlantic alliance despite President Donald Trump's harsh criticism. In an implicit message the Republican president is not omnipotent, the most powerful Democrat said she and fellow visiting congressmen were asserting the role of their legislative branch as co-equal to the executive. The congressmen are "reaffirming our commitment to the transatlantic alliance, our commitment to NATO, our respect for the European Union and our ability and desire for us all to work together to strengthen our alliance," Pelosi told a press conference in Brussels. The congressmen spent Monday and Tuesday in Brussels, headquarters of NATO and the European Union, where they attended a meeting of members of parliament from NATO nations as well as talks with EU officials. Before Belgium, Pelosi had been in Germany as part of a larger group of Democratic and Republican lawmakers who attended the Munich Security Conference to support the transatlantic alliance. Pelosi said the new Democratic-led house, which followed last November's mid-term elections, was helping assert itself in line with the constitution. "We have Article 1, the legislative branch, the first branch of government, co-equal to the other branches and we have asserted ourselves in that way," Pelosi said. With Democrats in control of the House, she said, the Republican minority came into line behind the NATO Support Act, which she said passed by an overwhelming 357 votes to 22. The Democratic congressmen met EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and her boss, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker. Mogherini's office said the US and EU sides "confirmed the crucial importance of maintaining a strong transatlantic partnership." It said this would happen through "continued cooperation and dialogue" in areas like trade, climate change and human rights. Story continues Both Mogherini and Pelosi "confirmed the importance of safeguarding multilateralism and the international rules based order in promoting democratic values," Mogherini's office said. Washington's European allies in NATO remain on edge since Trump, during a summit in July, reportedly threatened to "go it alone" unless they boosted defence spending. Trump's "America First" approach to trade, including tariffs on metals and threats of tariffs on autos, has also worried Europeans he will abandon the alliance. India on Tuesday demanded that rival Pakistan take "credible and visible action" over a major suicide attack in Kashmir as it sternly rebuffed Prime Minister Imran Khan's offer to investigate the bombing. Amid a new spike in tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, Khan earlier demanded that India give "actionable evidence" to back its claim of Pakistan's backing for the suicide bomber. While offering an investigation, Khan also said Pakistan would retaliate if attacked over the bombing, claimed by a Pakistan-based group, which killed at least 41 Indian paramilitaries. "The prime minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse," said an Indian foreign ministry statement. "We demand Pakistan to stop misleading the international community and take credible and visible action against the perpetrators of Pulwama terrorist attack." Since last Thursday's attack on the military convoy in the Pulwama district of Kashmir, Indian forces have launched widespread operations against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which claimed responsibility for the bombing. Three JeM leaders, four Indian soldiers and a civilian were killed in a gun battle Monday, according to Indian officials. The Indian military has said the bombing was "masterminded" by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence branch. Pakistan has denied any role in the attack and in a nationally televised address, Khan said that if his country was attacked "Pakistan won't just think to retaliate. Pakistan will retaliate." - Election boost - Thousands have marched in Indian cities in recent days to pay homage to the dead and demanding a firm government response. The Indian government has already withdrawn trade privileges for Pakistan, ended police protection for four Kashmiri separatist leaders, and halted some cross-border services. Khan said his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would get a boost in a looming national election if New Delhi staged an attack on Pakistan. Story continues It was "easy to start a war", Khan said, while expressing hope that "better sense will prevail". Khan said that if any militant group was using Pakistani soil to launch attacks, "its enmity is with us. This is against our interest". Kashmir has been split between India and Pakistan since independence from Britain in 1947 and has been a constant source of trouble since. Both countries claim the former Himalayan kingdom in full and have fought two wars over it. Tens of thousands of people, mainly civilians, have died since an armed uprising erupted in 1989. India has long accused Pakistan of harbouring militants who launch attacks on its soil, including banned groups such as JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba, blamed for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attacks which left scores dead. Pakistan was also accused by Iran last week of sheltering the perpetrators of an attack which killed 27 Revolutionary Guards, while Kabul and Washington have long claimed that Islamabad offers safe haven to the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi pleaded on Tuesday with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to intervene in the escalating row. "The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," wrote Qureshi in a message shared with journalists. On Monday Saudi Arabia vowed to "de-escalate" the situation during a high-profile state visit by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Islamabad. He was to arrive in India late Tuesday. Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan warned that any Indian action against its neighbour could disrupt peace talks with the Taliban. Pakistan is "playing a very important role" in the months-long push led by the US for talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, said Zahid Nasrullah. SEOUL North Korea has no intention of giving up its nuclear weapons, a former North Korean diplomat warned ahead of next weeks summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. No money in the world will convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, said Thae Yong Ho, Pyongyangs former deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, at a news briefing here Tuesday. Thae fled his post in 2016 and is the highest-ranking North Korean diplomat to defect to South Korea. The former diplomat said North Korea has been following a long-term strategy to pressure the United States to offer a peace agreement and begin lifting sanctions while not requiring that Pyongyang fully denuclearize. He said Kim has followed the path of Pakistan, a de facto nuclear state which argued the military threat posed by nuclear-armed India justified the need for its own weapons. North Koreas policy was to escalate the crisis of war to justify its nuclear weapons, Thae said. He said that Trump unwittingly played into the hands of Kim, by threatening to totally destroy North Korea at a 2017 speech to the U.N. General Assembly speech. Raising the real possibility of war was a real strategic mistake, Thae said, claiming there was never a genuine threat of conflict between the U.S. and North Korea. I believe, unfortunately President Trump fell into this trap. Trump said last week that his predecessor, President Barack Obama, was on the brink of starting a war with North Korea. "He told me he was so close to starting a big war with North Korea," Trump said, a claim that was flatly rejected by several top advisors to Obama. More: Trump: Obama was on brink of 'a big war' with North Korea. Not true, ex-Obama aides say Trump and Kim will meet for a second summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, on February 27 and 28. The second meeting aims to further negotiations that have stalled since the first time the two leaders met last June in Singapore. That summit produced a vaguely worded declaration that North Korea would work toward a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Story continues Pyongyang has been looking for a peace declaration and relief of punishing international sanctions in exchange for steps it has already taken while Washington has held out for complete denuclearization first. However, Washington seems prepared to moderate its all-or-nothing stance at the upcoming summit, potentially offering reciprocal concessions in exchange for steps that North Korea takes toward denuclearization. Speaking at Stanford University on January 31, Washingtons top envoy to North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said the U.S. was prepared to move simultaneously and in parallel with North Korea to implement the commitments outlined at the Trump-Kim Singapore Summit. This approach also plays into Kims hands, said Thae, arguing that Kim has successfully shifted the framework to emphasizing peace before nuclear disarmament. North Korea didnt launch any missiles or test any nuclear weapons in 2018 and in May, the country made a show of dismantling its Punggye-ri nuclear test site. At a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in September, Kim also promised to shut down the Norths Yongbyon nuclear facility, in exchange for corresponding measures from the U.S. Thae said Kim may genuinely be willing to give up the Yongbyon and Punggye-ri sites, but said the gesture is of dubious value. Its like painting a used car that is ready to be sold as scraps and selling it an expensive price, he said. Those sites are already very close to the end of their lives. Thae warned that the summit in Vietnam will be a failure if Trump can't get Kim to declare that he will abandon all of his nuclear facilities and weapons and return the country to the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), which it withdrew from in 2003. Without such a declaration, North Korea is demanding the U.S. to recognize it as a nuclear state, the former diplomat said. North Korea itself has not hidden its unwillingness to unilaterally denuclearize. In December, the state-run Korean Central News Agency ran a commentary saying that the North would not give up its nuclear weapons without the removal of the regional nuclear threat posed by U.S. forces. "When we refer to the Korean Peninsula, the term encompasses the area of DPRK plus South Korean territory where U.S. nuclear weapons and other forms of aggression forces are deployed," the editorial said. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea. "When we refer to the 'denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula' as well, it should be correctly understood as removing all nuclear threat factors from not only the North and the South but from all neighboring areas." In his New Years address, Kim also threatened to restart Koreas weapons programs if the U.S. doesnt ease sanctions. And while Trump claimed that North Korea was no longer a nuclear threat after his first meeting with Kim, many analysts have expressed skepticism that Pyongyang has any plans to give up its nuclear weapons. In fact, North Korea has still not surrendered any warheads, missiles, or launchers, wrote Robert Kelly, professor of international relations in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Pusan National University in a recent commentary for the Lowy Institute. We still lack a concrete, costly signal that Pyongyang actually wants or will do what Trump and (South Korean President) Moon keep saying they are doing. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: North Korea won't give up nuclear weapons, former diplomat says A number of states are suing the Trump administration over its declaration of a national emergency at the border. The administrations lawyers and apologists argue that Congress has already delegated the power to the executive to take broadly defined emergency actions, and raid funds appropriated for other purposes for wall construction at the border. Whatever you think of this argument, it points to the larger and growing hole in our Constitution. Through the legal fiction of an emergency, the old rules that governed America, and ensured some democratic check on executive power, are sidelined. Its not just Trumps wall, of course. Emergency powers are now routinely used to join the U.S. into international conflict, often leading to armed conflict. Primarily this is done by the president declaring an emergency and initiating economic sanctions. Because U.S. institutions are the broker for much worldwide trade, changing the rules by which those institutions operate namely forbidding them from doing business with certain foreign nations or businesses within certain nations the U.S. has an expansive ability to isolate countries economically. Sanctions can be powerful enough that many regimes who are targeted by them treat them as an act of war and an attempt to bring down their government. President Obama initiated emergency action against Libya and Yemen, and these were swiftly followed by U.S. military interventions. He also initiated them against Russia for its action in Ukraine. And did you know he also did the same against Burundi? Did you know we had a serious conflict with Burundi? Probably not, precisely because executive actions often seem like background noise, rather than major operations of the U.S. government. In the Constitution, power to regulate commerce with foreign nations is specifically delegated to Congress. Just as the power to declare war is. But, like the power to declare war, over time and in fits and starts Congress has surrendered its role to the executive branch. Youll see on these new executive orders references to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and the National Emergencies Act. During a short period of congressional retrenchment in the 1970s, some sanctions powers were returned to Congress. But the Patriot Act shoved them back to the executive. Story continues Even into the 1990s, economic sanctions against Cuba were initiated or modified by Congress, then put into effect by the executive. And, when there is a compelling political reason, Congress can still force an unwilling president to impose economic sanctions. That happened under Trump. Congress, suspicious that Trump was giving in too easily to Vladimir Putins interests, passed a sanctions bill with a veto-proof majority. And the president was left to complain that he can strike better deals than Congress. I happen to think Congress should fund more-extensive border security, including fencing. But conservatives have to defend the constitutional order that gives government acts the savor of legitimacy. That means Congress must reassert itself as the preeminent branch of government, in appropriations and foreign policy. Ending the confusion about the roles of Congress and the President is good hygiene for a few reasons. First, it will stop brinksmanship of the presidents, who dare Congress to challenge them when they overstep their authority. Second, it will stop the brinksmanship of our federal courts, who often respond to presidential power grabs with judicial overreach of their own type. But most importantly, keeping within the bounds of Constitutional order allows Americas democracy to function properly. It isnt just about punctilious conformity with an order described on parchment. Right now voters punish or reward candidates and parties according to rather vague ideas about their role in national life. When the executive and legislature have confused roles, and the political parties have such an outsized influence on our political discussion, voters dont know how to hold their government accountable anymore. Want to solve populist brinksmanship? Bring back democracy, through constitutionalism. More from National Review Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to save face Tuesday after a summit with four central European nations was cancelled over a Holocaust-linked dispute with Poland, instead holding meetings with the remaining three leaders. The dispute dented Netanyahu's attempts to forge deeper links with all four countries as part of his strategy to build alliances with governments that strongly back Israel within the European Union. Netanyahu frequently lashes out at what he calls the EU's "hypocritical and hostile attitude", referring to the bloc's criticism of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. The holding of a summit of the Visegrad group -- Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic -- in Jerusalem had been seen as a coup for Netanyahu's efforts. But the highly sensitive question of Poles' role in the Holocaust, the subject of a previous diplomatic dispute with Israel, loomed over preparations for the meeting. The dispute flared again last week, when Netanyahu visited Warsaw for a summit on the Middle East and was quoted as saying "the Poles collaborated with the Nazis," sparking Polish anger. Netanyahu's office said later that he was misquoted and had not implicated all Poles or the Polish nation in the Holocaust. But Poland later downgraded its participation in the summit, saying it would send its foreign minister. Israel's new foreign minister Israel Katz added fuel to the fire on Sunday, telling an Israeli television station "there were many Poles who collaborated with the Nazis." He also quoted late Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir saying "Poles suckle anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk." Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the comments "racist and unacceptable" and pulled his country out of the summit altogether. On Tuesday, senior Polish officials demanded Israel apologise. The summit was postponed to the second half of the year at Poland's request, according to Slovakia. Story continues Warsaw has long been at pains to state that Poland, which was occupied by Nazi Germany, did not collaborate in the Holocaust -- although individual Poles gave up Jews to the Nazis. - Israelis criticise strategy - Netanyahu met the prime ministers of Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary individually on Tuesday in Jerusalem before a joint lunch. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he hoped the full summit would take place in Jerusalem at a later date. He and Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini spoke of plans to open offices in Jerusalem: a Slovak cultural, information and innovation centre and a Hungarian trade office. Last year, the Czech Republic opened a Czech House in Jerusalem for tourism and trade. Netanyahu has urged countries to follow the example of US President Donald Trump and move their embassies to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. But the European Union, like most of the world, believes the status of the disputed city, at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, must first be settled in peace talks between the two sides. The fresh controversy in Polish-Israeli ties follows a row last year over a Polish law that made it illegal to accuse the Polish nation or state of complicity in Nazi German crimes. After protests from Israel and the US, Poland amended the law to remove the possibility of fines or a prison sentence. Netanyahu then agreed to drop the issue, sparking criticism at home -- including from Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and research centre. Netanyahu's relations with leaders such as Orban has also drawn criticism. Orban's visit to Israel in July provoked concern because of allegations he has stoked anti-Semitism in Hungary with nationalist rhetoric and a campaign against US Jewish billionaire philanthropist George Soros. But Netanyahu has highlighted Hungary's pledged support for Israel, and both men have been at odds with the EU establishment. When attending a Visegrad group summit in Hungary in 2017, Netanyahu was overheard, in closed-door remarks picked up by a microphone, denouncing EU demands of Israel as "absolutely crazy". Jonathan Rynhold, police science professor at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, said Netanyahu's strategy "is to work with the central and eastern countries, the Visegrad group, to neutralise pressures coming from other parts of the EU, particularly Brussels". "I think he overrates what he is getting from it, and he underrates the cost in Jewish terms with being associated" with some of the countries, he said. Seoul (AFP) - The North Korean special representative for the US arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, apparently en route to Vietnam to meet his Washington counterpart ahead of a second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said. Kim Hyok Chol arrived in the Chinese capital at around 10 am (0200 GMT) and was expected to board a plane bound for Hanoi later in the day. His trip comes three days after Kim Jong Un's de-facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son, landed in Hanoi to discuss protocol and security matters with the US team ahead of the summit on February 27-28. Kim Hyok Chol and his US counterpart Stephen Biegun were engaged in three days of talks in Pyongyang earlier this month, exploring each side's positions on denuclearisation ahead of the much-anticipated meeting. Biegun said they had been productive, but more dialogue was needed. "We have some hard work to do with the DPRK between now and then," Biegun said, adding that he was "confident that if both sides stay committed we can make real progress here". The US State Department said talks during Biegun's trip explored Trump and Kim Jong Un's "commitments of complete denuclearisation, transforming US-DPRK relations and building a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula". Specifically, discussions on declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War could have been on the table, with Biegun last month saying Trump was "ready to end this war". Alex Wong, US deputy assistant secretary of state for North Korea, is already in the Vietnamese capital preparing for the summit. Biegun is expected to fly there soon from Washington to resume talks with Kim Hyok Chol. Experts say tangible progress on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons will be needed for the second summit if it is to avoid being dismissed as "reality TV". Kyle Mizokami Security, Asia And yes, nuclear weapons would Millions Could Perish: 5 Weapons India Would Use in a War Against Pakistan Millions could die... Recently India alleged a series of ceasefire violationsin the form of automatic weapons fireby Pakistan on the border between the two countries. According to India, it was the sixth attack in just five days. Such events are a reminder that tension remains high on the Indian subcontinent. (This first appeared in 2014 and is being reposted due to breaking news.) The nuclear arsenals of both sidesand the red lines that would trigger their usehave made conventional war much more risky to conduct. The 1999 Kargil War is considered the closest the world has come to a nuclear war since the Cuban Missile Crisis. If India were to use its superiority in ground forces to seize a sizable amount of Pakistani territory, Pakistan could respond with nuclear weapons. Its distinctly possible that any future war between India and Pakistan would involve limited action on the ground and full-scale fighting at sea and in the air. India has the upper hand in both, particularly at sea where it would have the ability to blockade Pakistani ports. Pakistan imports 83% of its gasoline consumption, and without sizable reserves the economy would feel the effects of war very quickly. An economic victory, not a purely military one might be the best way to decisively end a war without the use of nuclear weapons. With that scenario in mind, lets look at the five Indian weapons Pakistan would fear most in a war. INS Vikramaditya Aircraft Carrier Commissioned in November 2013, INS Vikramaditya is the newer and more modern of Indias two aircraft carriers. In the event of war, Vikramaditya would lead an offensive at sea designed to sweep the Pakistani Navy from the field. The nightmare scenario for Pakistan would be Vikramaditya parked off the coast of Karachi, Pakistans largest port, enforcing a naval blockade. Story continues Video: Tensions Rise Between Pakistan and India in Kashmir Region Originally built for the Soviet Navy as the anti-submarine aviation cruiser Baku, Vikramaditya was mothballed in 1996 after it became clear post-Cold War Russia could not afford to operate her. The ship was purchased by India in 2004, to be upgraded by Russian shipbuilders to a true aircraft carrier complete with angled flight deck. The updated design deleted all cruiser armament, including two 100mm deck guns, 192 SA-N-9 surface to air missiles and 12 SS-N-12 Sandbox anti-ship missiles. Vikramaditya is 282 meters long and displaces 44,000 tons, making it less than half the displacement of American supercarriers. Nevertheless Vikramadityas powerful air wing is capable of executing air superiority, anti-surface, anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare. The carrier air wing is expected to consist of 24 MiG-29K or Tejas multi-role fighters and 10 anti-submarine warfare helicopters. India has ordered 45 MiG-29Ks, with the first squadron, 303 Black Panthers Squadron, stood up in May 2013. INS Chakra Nuclear Attack Submarine While INS Vikramaditya would be the visible symbol of a naval blockade, perhaps the real enforcers would be Indias force of 14 attack submarines. The most powerful of Indias submarines is INS Chakra, an Akula-II nuclear-powered attack submarine. INS Chakra would be able to fulfill a variety of wartime tasks. It would be a real threat to Pakistans Navy, particularly her 11 frigates and eight submarines, only three of which are reasonably modern. Chakra is also capable of covertly laying mines in Pakistani waters and conduct surveillance in support of a blockade. Construction of the submarine that would become Chakra began in 1993, but stalled due to lack of funding. In 2004 the Indian Navy agreed to fund the sub to completionat a cost of $900 millionin exchange for a future 10 year lease with an option to buy. Delivery to the Indian Navy was supposed to take place in 2010, but transfer was delayed after a 2008 accident that killed 20 Russian Navy personnel and wounded another 21. At 8,000 tons displacement, Chakra is as large as U.S. Virginia-class nuclear submarines. It has a maximum speed of 30 knots with a maximum operating depth of reportedly 520 meters. The sub not only has a customary large sonar hydrophone array on the bow, but also active and passive arrays scattered over the rest of the hull. Chakra also features a pod-mounted towed hydrophone array. INS Chakra is armed with not only four standard diameter 533 torpedo tubes but also another four 650mm torpedo tubes. Armament includes the VA-111 Shkval supercavitating torpedo, a high speed torpedo capable of traveling at 220 knots to ranges of up 15 kilometers. Missile armament is in the form of 3M54 Klub anti-ship missiles. Chakra can carry up to 40 torpedo tube launched weapons, including mines. (Five merchant ships were struck by mines during the 1971 India-Pakistan War.) For defensive purposes, Chakra has six external tubes, each carrying two torpedo decoys. According to the terms of the lease with Russia, Chakra cannot be equipped with nuclear weapons. AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III Attack Helicopter Indias recent agreement to purchase the AH-64D Apache helicopter represents a quantum leap in land firepower for the Indian Army. The Apaches versatility means that it will be able to do everything from engage armored formations in a conventional war scenario to hunt guerrillas and infiltrators in a counterinsurgency campaign. The Apache is one of the most battle proven attack helicopters fielded. Apache is capable of speeds of up to 171 miles an hour in high altitude environments, an important consideration in Indias mountainous terrain. The rotor blades are resistant to 12.7mm machine gun fire and the cockpit is protected from shrapnel by Kevlar shielding. The Apache Longbow is optimized to attack and destroy armorthe mast-mounted millimeter-wave radar is capable of detecting and prioritizing up to 128 vehicle targets in a matter of seconds, then attacking up to sixteen targets in quick succession. For counterinsurgency operations, the thermal imaging sensor allows crew members to pick out individuals in ground cover and concealment. The helicopter has four external hard points, each of which can mount four Hellfire missiles. A 30mm cannon capable of engaging light armor, soft targets or personnel is mounted underneath the helicopter chin and slaved to an optical sight worn by the pilot and gunner. In a contract worth $1.4 billion dollars, in 2012 India agreed to purchase 22 Apache helicopters. Also included in the 2012 deal was a request for 812 Hellfire Longbow millimeter-wave radar guided missiles for use against tanks and armored vehicles and 542 Hellfires optimized for use against hard, soft and enclosed targets. Also included in the deal were 245 Stinger Block I missiles to provide an air-to-air capability. In August, India offered to buy a further 39 Apaches, in an attempt to drive the overall unit cost down. Su-30MKI Fighter The Indian Air Forces Su-30MKI air superiority fighter is meant to secure air superiority over Pakistan. The IAF has 200 Su-30MKIs in service with another 72 on order. A long-ranged, twin engine fighter with a powerful radar and formidable armament, the Su-30MKI will form the mainstay of the Indian Air Force. The Su-30MKI is an evolution of the 1980s-era Su-27 Flanker. Thrust vectoring control and canards make the plane highly maneuverable, while the Zhuk active electronically scanned array radar makes it capable of engaging several targets at once. Complementing the Zhuk will be the Novator long-range air to air missile, capable of engaging targets at up to 300 to 400 kilometers. The Su-30MKI has an impressive twelve hardpoints for mounting weapons, sensors and fuel tanks. The Su-30MKI is arguably superior to any fighter in the Pakistani Air Force, with the possible exception of the F-16 Block 50/52, of which Pakistan has only 18. A portion of the Su-30MKI force has been modified for the strategic reconnaissance role. Israeli-made sensor pods reportedly give the Indian Air Force the ability to look up to 300 kilometers into Pakistan (or China) simply by flying along the border. The Su-30MKI will grow even more lethal with the addition of the air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic missile, currently under development. Each Su-30MKI will be capable of carrying a single BrahMos. BrahMos will give the Su-30MKI stand-off capability against ships and ground targets to ranges of 295 kilometers. Indian Nuclear Weapons India first tested a nuclear weapon in 1974, with the detonation of a 12 kiloton explosive device. The Indian government has been consistently tight-lipped on the status of their nuclear arsenal, and as a result a considerable amount of mystery surrounds Indias nuclear weapons. The exact size of the arsenal is unknown but estimated to be between 90 and 110 nuclear devices. Statements by officials have lead outsiders to believe the maximum yield of Indian weapons to be around 200 kilotons, or approximately ten times the destructive power of the Hiroshima bomb. Indias first nuclear delivery systems were likely attack aircraftfirst the Jaguar, then the MiG-27 and Mirage 2000. Although capable, the aircraft were vulnerable to Pakistans air defense network and this vulnerability likely lead to the development of the land-based missiles. It is unknown whether nuclear weapons have been fitted to the Su-30MKI, but as a non-stealthly aircraft its ability to penetrate Pakistani defenses would not be dissimilar to a Mirage 2000. Indian nuclear weapons are placed under the authority of the Strategic Forces Command. Indias primary delivery systems are land-based missiles. The Prithvi I and II liquid-fueled missiles have ranges from 150 to 350 kilometers and need half a day to prepare for launch. The Agni I, II, III and IV solid-fuel missiles are medium to intermediate range ballistic missiles with a range of 700 to 4,000 kilometers. India is also on the verge of fielding its first ballistic missile submarine, the Arihant. Based on the Akula-I attack submarine design, Arihant has been modified to carry 12 K-15 short-range missiles or 4 K-4 intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Arihant is significant in that it will be able to patrol far beyond the range of Pakistani anti-submarine warfare capabilities. This will essentially make Indias retaliatory capability untouchable by Pakistan and thus a more credible deterrent. India has a no first use policy regarding its nuclear weapons, reserving them solely for retaliation in the event of nuclear attack. Indian also adheres to a minimum self defense doctrine, in which the fewest nuclear weapons needed to maintain effective deterrence from attack are maintained. Kyle Mizokami is a writer based in San Francisco who has appeared in The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, War is Boring and The Daily Beast. In 2009 he co founded the defense and security blog Japan Security Watch. You can follow him on Twitter: @KyleMizokami. Read full article Mexico City (AFP) - Accompanied only by five unarmed aides and a small collection of amulets, Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador makes police and flight attendants alike tremble when he embarks on air travel, always in economy class. Lopez Obrador, known by his initials AMLO, stops for photos with everyone, allowing them to kiss, hug or even grab him by the waist. "Of course, whatever photos you like," said the smiling president to a woman trying to snatch a photo with her smart phone as he walked to the plane ahead of a trip to Sinaloa, the dangerous drug-trafficking state made famous by narcotics kingpin Joaquim "El Chapo" Guzman. AMLO's acquiescence sparked a near stampede as others swirled around the president looking for their own memento. All the while, there was no security to push back the throngs. Mexico's leftist leader has done away with the thousands of military escorts looking after the president and sent them to work "for the benefit of the people." The presidential jet, a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 bought for $218 million is now on sale in California. AMLO traveled to Sinaloa on a cramped Embraer Jet. "How can I board this plane when there's so much poverty in Mexico," AMLO had said about the Boeing Dreamliner. Now he travels with a small retinue of aides headed by Daniel Asaf, a restauranter of Lebanese origin and former candidate for Mexico City's legislature. - 'The worst' - In fact, none of AMLO's aides are security specialists, instead they are defined by their "loyalty." Three women and two men spent most of the trip to Sinaloa shoving back reporters and asking travelers to move away after taking a selfie. The security services may be in a fluster but AMLO is the most popular president in the country's history with an 80 percent approval rating, according to the last Mitofsky poll. Part of that popularity came from his campaign promises to reduce his own salary and those of the government's top officials. Story continues However, Mexico City's airport police are less impressed with AMLO's humble availability. "When he has to cross the entire airport, it's the worst," said an airport police officer who wished to remain anonymous. "People pounce on him. If one day someone wants to do something to him we won't be able to stop them because he doesn't like being guarded. "He can't continue like this, he has to use the VIP room." On this journey, AMLO was heading to one of a part of Mexico infested with drug traffickers and violent gangs. But he has no fear of being attacked, believing himself protected by an assortment of talismans. "I have a lot of protection, this is a shield," he told AFP, holding up an image of the "Sacred Heart" of Jesus. Among his other protective amulets, AMLO carries a four leaf clover and a dollar given to him by a Mexican migrant. - 'It's awful' - For some passengers, having the president on their flight gives them a feeling of security. Carmen Diaz, a 52-year-old housewife traveling to Sinaloa for a party, said she would have "never expected" to find herself on a flight with the president. Although she worried it would be unsafe due to the number of people aboard, "it's the opposite because they're watching the flight closer." But for air stewardess Alejandra Martinez, the flight is a headache. "It's awful that he's come on my flight. People are ignoring the (safety) instructions, they're leaving their seats even during turbulence and the press don't understand that their cameras could become projectiles if something unexpected happens," she said. "I hope he never travels with my family." Upon landing at the Culiacan airport in Sinaloa, AMLO was met by throngs of supporters and angry widows of police officers killed in the fight against drug traffickers. After all the commotion of his humble journey, AMLO had no time for the waiting masses, and was whisked away by the local governor's security detail. Jussie Smolletts phony hate-crime story could have been taken apart in 24 hours, except for one thing: Nobody wanted to be the first to call bullsh**. Who will bell the cat? Not the police, and I dont blame them. Smollett is a vocal critic of President Donald Trump who checks two protected-category boxes: He is gay and he is black. No police officer comes out ahead in any encounter in which he has to explain that he isnt a racist or a gay-basher. There isnt much evidence that racist or homophobic attacks have increased in the Age of MAGA partly because such episodes are so vanishingly rare in the United States that they are difficult to measure but this is one of those things that everybody knows with such unshakable certainty that nobody really ever bothers to check. Imagine being the first cop to catch a whiff of baloney on Smolletts tale of martyrdom. Saying as much especially in a city such as Chicago would be to put ones career on the line. Never mind what would happen if you were wrong about that even being right but not right beyond all doubt would be professional suicide. For that matter, being unquestionably right but right too soon might have been just as bad. Tell me you cant hear it. How dare you victimize him a second time! White privilege! Racist police! Etc. The same rhetorical strategy was deployed in the attempted character assassination of Brett Kavanaugh: merciless sympathy. Merciless sympathy is the stratagem by which our natural solicitous feeling toward those who have suffered some wrong or some injury is forcibly reconstituted into support for a particular political agenda grafted onto the unhappy episode. Those who dont support the politics are treated as though they were victimizing the victim (genuine or hoax) rather than disagreeing about a policy question. Merciless sympathy is how declining to oppose Brett Kavanaughs appointment to the Supreme Court is transmuted into callousness toward rape victims, how support for the Second Amendment is recast as contempt for the children killed in Parkland, how doubting the breathless accounts of the Covington Catholic matter becomes racist hostility to an elderly Native American veteran. As rhetorical stratagems go, it is obvious, shallow, and stupid and therefore effective in the era of Twitter-dominated discourse, in which shallowness and stupidity are weaponized. Story continues And so the police, journalists, and other professional askers of questions grow remarkably circumspect some of the time. Compare the credulousness that greeted Smolletts story to, e.g., Andrew Sullivans obsessive conspiracy-mongering about Sarah Palins son (remember the Trig Truthers) or the fact that Louise Mensch (of marshal of the Supreme Court infamy) was still welcome in the pages of the New York Times as late as March 2017. Smolletts unverified and murky account was good enough for progressive journalists, but nothing Sarah Palin could say or do would satisfy their gimlet-eyed skepticism. One might be forgiven for suspecting that there is an unspoken agenda at work in that double standard. Merciless sympathy is simply one more weapon in the arsenal of contemporary mob politics. Brett Kavanaugh is an excellent jurist whose most controversial legal opinion is that the Constitution says what it says, which made opposing his confirmation difficult. So accuse him of being a serial rapist and then accuse anybody who doubts your story of being in league with serial rapists at the expense of their victims. We have seen this often enough. The plague of phony hate crimes on college campuses, often coinciding with controversial political events, isnt the product of coincidence. It is a strategy. Fictitious, politically charged stories of rape Lena Dunhams encounter with Barry the College Republican, the lies published by Rolling Stone, etc.are not the products of coincidence. These things happen in clusters for a reason. That is not to say they are being centrally directed as part of some kind of well-tempered conspiracy, but rather that they are the natural result of a certain kind of politics attached to a certain worldview. Merciless sympathy is used not only to silence doubters but to silence dissent. That is the purpose of conflating victims with political agendas. And if there arent any particularly useful victims around, you can always make something up. Jussie Smollett wasnt the first. He wont be the last. More from National Review Former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe said Tuesday that no one objected when he briefed congressional leaders about the counterintelligence probe he had recently opened into President Trump in May 2017. Thats the important part here, Savannah, McCabe told Savannah Guthrie on NBCs Today show. No one objected. Not on legal grounds, not on constitutional grounds, and not based on the facts. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. McCabes emphasis on the lack of pushback from the Gang of Eight a bipartisan group of leaders in the house House and Senate appeared designed to insulate him from the criticism, repeatedly leveled against him by the president and White House allies, that the investigation was politically motivated. Critics of the intelligence communitys treatment of the president were angered Sunday by McCabes claim during a 60 Minutes interview that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein considered wearing a wire to record Trump as part of a plot to recruit cabinet members to declare him unfit for office. McCabe, who is promoting his new book The Threat, explained to Guthrie that FBI officials opened the counterintelligence probe into Trump because they believed it possible that he was working on behalf of the Kremlin when he fired FBI director James Comey in May 2017. It is saying that we had information that led us to believe that there might be a threat to national security in this case that the president himself might, in fact, be a threat to the United States national security, McCabe said. McCabe was fired in March 2018 after the Department of Justice inspector general found that he disclosed classified information to the media without authorization. McCabe maintains that he was authorized to disclose the information under DOJ guidelines, and has argued that he was fired because he opened an investigation into the president. More from National Review A man has been charged with a hate crime after allegedly attacking a Sikh employee of a California 7-Eleven convenience store. The man can allegedly be seen on surveillance footage punching the employee, and throwing coffee on him after he attempted to leave without paying for coffee. The man, identified by police as John Crain, was arrested by the Marysville Police Department. Mr Crain has admitted to the attack, and reportedly told police that hates Muslim, according to the Sacramento Bee. A local news station has confirmed that the clerk was Sikh, and not Muslim. The clerk reportedly survived the incident with a burn on his face, and injuries from the hot coffee. The attack was met with condemnation from local Sikh and Muslim organisations, including the Sacramento Valley office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. We condemn this attack on an individual because of his faith, Saad Sweilem, civil rights attorney for group, said in a statement. Mr Sweilem continued: This hate crime represents yet another attack on our Sikh brothers and sisters fueled by Islamophobia and those emboldened by this administrations xenophobic policies and sentiments. We welcome the hate crime charges and encourage law enforcement to continue to take these clear incidents of bias seriously. Maine May Join Other States With Financial Literacy Requirement for Students Maine legislators are considering a new bill that would require the states students to take a personal finance course in order to graduate, part of a slowly growing trend in education across the U.S. The Maine lawmakers held a public hearing on the proposal last week, with backers of the bill saying it can help young people learn the financial literacy theyll need as adults, a CBS affiliate reported. State Senator Matt Pouliot, who introduced the bill, said he wants to ensure students are prepared to manage their financial health and are better informed about the important money decisions in their lives. By teaching them about finance early on, we can better prepare them to make wise choices about their futures, Pouliot said in a statement released by the Maine Senates Republican caucus. According to the bills current language, the new law would create mandatory standards for financial education at Maine public schools, just like the current standards for English, math and other key subjects. Just 1 in 6 American high school students are required to take a personal finance course to graduate, according to a 2017 study by Champlain Colleges Center for Financial Literacy. The report assigned A grades for financial education to just five states: Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia. But that group could soon widen as other states also seek to add personal finance components to their curricula. For example, South Carolina saw a new bill introduced recently that would require high schoolers to take a half-credit finance course and pass a test on the subject in order to graduate, beginning with the 2020-21 school year. And last month, New Jersey enacted a new law adding personal finance to its middle school curriculum, starting this September. Personal finance can be a weak spot for many Americans. An Ally Financial survey in 2017 found that 61% of adults say they find investing scary or intimidating. Requiring some level of financial education could help dispel this kind of anxiety whether about monitoring and dealing with credit scores or learning the ins and outs of budgeting. The children of Fort Campbell Mahaffey Middle School will indeed have a new construction project to look forward to in the coming year - just maybe not that new schoolhouse they were expecting. Instead, they might get a border wall - or a fence, or barbed wire, or something like that - about 1,000 miles southwest of their school, which sits on a military base straddling the Kentucky-Tennessee line. Yes, that border wall. That's because the $62m (48m) that was earmarked for the school's construction is among the billions of dollars already appropriated to the Defence Department, the pot of money the Trump administration now wants to redirect to pay for 230 miles of barriers along the southern border as part of the president's national emergency declaration. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. And those Kentucky middle schoolers will be better off because of it - at least according to senator Lindsey Graham. The powerful Republican and outspoken Trump ally said that border barriers top a new school. "I would say it's better for the middle school kids in Kentucky to have a secure border," Mr Graham said on CBS News' Face the Nation. We'll get them the school they need, but right now we've got a national emergency on our hands." However, there are a few people who take issue with Mr Graham's assertion. Namely, Kentucky teachers. The president of the Kentucky Education Association, the state's teachers union, responded to the senator's comments in a statement to The Washington Post. "KEA supports any funding that goes towards providing a quality public education to America's students no matter their ZIP code," said Stephanie Winkler, the union chief. "Any actions that take those funds away do a disservice to students, no matter the rationale or reason given." Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky's Democratic secretary of state, also objected to Mr Graham's comment. "Nowhat we need are raises for KY teachers and high speed internet in every classroom," she wrote on Twitter Story continues Money from the Defence Department may be especially valuable in Kentucky, a state that received among the highest shares of its revenue from the federal government in 2017, coming in 13th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to data from the National Education Association. A spokesperson for Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell told the Louisville Courier Journal that a halt to the school construction project is "a hypothetical," adding that acting defence secretary Patrick Shanahan will determine "what specific funds will be used." Illinois's Democratic senator Tammy Duckworth said Mr Trump's declaration of a national emergency amounts to a power grab and that taking funding away from those defence projects will ultimately hurt the country. "To take money away from (the Department of Defence) in order to build this wall that is essentially a campaign promise, I think, is really wrong priorities," Ms Duckworth said on ABC News' This Week. "And I think it's very harmful to the country." The Washington Post A married lesbian couple in Indiana were turned away by a tax preparer when they attempted to file their taxes jointly last week, making them one of many victims of the states anti-LGBTQ laws. Bailey and Samantha Brazzel got married last July and decided to file their taxes jointly for the first time. The couple went to Carter Tax Service in Russiaville to meet with Nancy Fivecoate, a tax preparer Ms Bailey used for the last four years. We went in there and sat down just like we always would, and then she said, How are you filing this year?, and I said married joint, and thats when it went downhill, Ms Bailey Brazzel said. When Ms Fivecoate discovered that the same-sex couple will be filing jointly, she refused to file their taxes based on religious grounds. In 2015, Vice President Mike Pence, then-governor of Indiana, signed the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) into law, prohibiting the government from infringing on the religious freedoms of Indiana citizens. In result, RFRA also allowed businesseslike Ms Fivecoatesto discriminate against LGBTQ persons under the guise of religious freedom. Ms Fivecoate, who also owns Carter Tax Service, told WTHR that her issue with the Brazzel couple is not with their sexual orientation. She claims her issue is not with them being gay, but its being married. As a Christian, Ms Fivecoate said she could not accept their business. She said she gave them suggestions for other tax preparer services. I have prepared her taxes for several years, Ms Fivecoate, referring to Ms Bailey, told NBC affiliate WTHR in a statement. This year she came in with her wife and I declined to prepare the taxes because of my religious beliefs. I am a Christian and I believe marriage is between one man and one woman. I was very respectful to them. I told them where I thought she might be able to get her taxes prepared. Ms Fivecoate alleges that the same-sex couple is trying to destroy her business. Since news broke out that she allegedly discriminated against a married lesbian couple, Ms Fivecoate said she received harassing calls and emails. Story continues The Brazzel couple said their intention with going public about their experience is bring awareness to the lack of LGBTQ protections in Indiana. Although there are some cities across the midwestern state that passed ordinances protecting LGBTQ residents from discrimination, there is no state-wide law prohibiting discrimination based on an individuals sexual orientation or gender. I dont need anyone to agree with my lifestyle or things that I do, Ms Bailey said. But if youre going to run a business, you should be able to work with all types of people. Robert Callender was returning home after a day of delivering meals to elderly residents in the Bronx in July when he fell off his bicycle and felt disoriented. The accident might have saved his life. The 45-year-old Meals on Wheels deliveryman wasn't injured in the fall, but he spent nearly a month in a hospital battling a severe illness that made him feel as if he blacked out with my eyes wide open. Callender is among a group of New York City residents last year who contracted Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia acquired by inhaling a strain of legionella bacteria found in poorly maintained building water systems. Nearly 7,500 people contracted Legionnaires' disease in 2017, a more than fivefold increase in the number of cases since 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Far more people probably had the disease but never sought care or testing. Federal health officials said that increasing reports of the once-mysterious disease can be explained by better awareness, improved testing and an aging population more susceptible to Legionnaires'. About one in 10 cases end in death. The disease is named for an outbreak at a Philadelphia hotel during an American Legion convention in 1976. Those who get the sickest tend to be over 50, have medical conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes or have a history of smoking. Its been on a strong upward trend for the last couple of years, both the number of cases and outbreaks, said Chris Edens, an epidemiologist on CDCs Legionella team. More: Legionnaires disease: What it is Among recent outbreaks: Thirty-two people were sickened and one died in October in the Lower Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. The city tested water-cooling systems within a mile radius of the cluster and cleaned those that tested positive with a chemical treatment. It was the citys largest outbreak since 2015. Three people died and 11 became ill in November at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. Tests of the hospitals hot-water systems revealed elevated levels of the bacteria. The hospital applied high doses of chlorine and continues to test water systems. The hospital, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and CDC are investigating. A report has not been completed. More than a dozen veterans died and dozens more were sickened at an Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs home in Quincy in 2015. Then-Gov. Bruce Rauner faced criticism for his administration's initial response to the outbreak. Last month, a veteran died at the Manteno Veterans Home in Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered a comprehensive review of the state's Department of Veterans Affairs health and safety procedures. Early diagnosis is crucial Story continues Legionnaires' can be cured with antibiotics, but doctors must recognize signs of the disease and order tests. Symptoms, which appear two to 10 days after exposure to legionella bacteria, include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches. Legionnaires' is not spread from person to person. The CDC has tried to make doctors aware of the need to test when appropriate, Edens said. He gave the hypothetical example of a person with severe pneumonia and potential exposure to the harmful bacteria in a hotel or hospital. The most common type of Legionnaires' can be diagnosed with a simple urine test. More: Disneyland tower likely source of 22 cases of Legionnaires disease "The message we really push is the earlier you diagnose a case, the quicker you can get them on proper antibiotics," Edens said. "It does have a relatively high mortality rate. If people are successfully diagnosed and treated early in the disease, you can definitely cure this." Perhaps the more effective way to address Legionnaires' disease is to reduce exposure to potentially harmful bacteria. That usually means scrutinizing a building's water systems, a prime breeding ground for legionella pneumophila bacteria during the warm summer months and early fall. Even medical equipment such as eyewash stations, CPAP machines and hot tubs or saunas should be monitored, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. An outbreak in the South Bronx sickened 138 people and killed 16 in 2015. New York has since adopted the nation's most aggressive measures against the disease: The city required property owners to register cooling towers and get them inspected every 90 days when they are in use. New York City remains the only municipality with those requirements. New York state has enacted similar oversight. Little oversight at some buildings The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires hospitals and nursing homes to bolster oversight of building water systems and medical equipment that could expose patients to harmful bacteria. There's little regulatory oversight at apartments, hotels and other nonmedical buildings. In 2016, the CDC studied Legionnaires' disease in hospital and long-term care settings and concluded most cases could be eliminated with proper water management techniques. "For health care facilities, there are groups already out there looking for these types of things," Edens said. "But for hotels and public accommodations, theres really nothing at the national level" like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements. "Theres not a lot of people checking up on a hotel, a condominium or a large building," said Elliott Olsen, an attorney who has filed personal-injury lawsuits on behalf of Legionnaires' patients and their families. "I am not aware of any oversight really at any level." Callender, the Bronx deliveryman, still feels weak and struggles with throbbing back pain. He is slowly recovering but has been unable to work. Every night, I go to sleep with back pain, he said. This is a bad thing to go through. Some people dont make it back from this." The New York City Health Department confirmed two cases of Legionnaires' disease at the Bronx building where he lives. The department notified residents of his apartment building last fall that testing found legionella bacteria in the water system. The bacteria has since been cleared, the department said in a notice to residents Feb. 1. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Legionnaires' disease reports up more than fivefold since 2000; oversight is lacking Karl Lagerfeld, the iconic creative director of fashion house Chanel, has died in Paris aged 85, according to French media reports. The German designer joined Chanel in 1983 and is credited with revitalizing the label after the death of its founder Coco Chanel. He became one of the most prolific contributors to the label, and to the entire fashion world. Speculation over his ill health began in January, when he missed Chanels spring-summer haute couture show in Paris. The brand said he was feeling tired. Lagerfeld was born Karl-Otto Lagerfeldt in Germany in 1933 and raised near Hamburg. He later dropped the t because, he said, it sounded more commercial. Lagerfeld moved to Paris as a teenager and got his first job in the industry in 1955 as an assistant to French designer Pierre Balmain. Over the following two decades he designed collections for a series of prestigious fashion houses including Chloe, Fendi and Valentino. Lagerfeld was already a well-known designer in the early 1980s, when he took the helm at Chanel. Adding irreverent touches to the brands classic designs, pioneering high-profile runway shows, and expanding key areas of the business such as perfume and jewellery, he helped turn Chanel into one of the largest and most profitable luxury brands in the world. The company was worth $10 billion last year, according to figures released by its chief financial officer. Lagerfelds intense work ethic, and the longevity of his career, became legend in the fashion world he started his own eponymous fashion house in 1984, while continuing his work at Chanel and Fendi. Meanwhile, his trademark trademark white ponytail and dark glasses, combined with a penchant for making outrageous and eccentric statements, made him a highly visible figure in popular culture. Famous faces from Lagerfelds industry shared tributes to him Tuesday. With Karl Lagerfeld, we lose one of the creative geniuses that helped make Paris the world capital of fashion and Fendi one of the most innovative Italian fashion houses,Bernard Arnault, President of LVMH, the luxury goods conglomerate that owns Fendi, said in a statement . We owe him a lot: his taste and his talent were the most exceptional that I have ever known. Story continues Karl your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni and I, said Italian designer Donatella Versace in a post on Instagram. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Labour MPs (left to right) Chris Leslie (Ann Coffey, Angela Smith, (both hidden left), Gavin Shuker, Luciana Berger, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, after they announced their resignations (Picture: PA) The crisis within the Labour Party has deepened following a stormy meeting of its members in the wake of the resignations of seven MPs. Tempers flared during heated discussions at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) on Monday night, just hours after seven MPs quit in protest at the partys leadership, its handling of Brexit and anti-Semitism within the partys ranks. In an emotional intervention at the meeting, Ruth Smeeth said she and another Jewish MP, Louise Ellman, had been told by a party member they did not have human blood, but no action had been taken against the individual concerned. Seven MPs walked out of the party on Monday, condemning leader Jeremy Corbyns stance on Brexit as well as his handling of the anti-Semitism issue, in potentially the most significant split in British politics for a generation. Chuka Umunna, Chris Leslie, Luciana Berger, Mike Gapes, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker and Ann Coffey said they would be sitting as a new independent alliance in the Commons and urged MPs from Labour and other parties to join them. There have been reports that two Tory MPs are considering leaving the Conservative Party to join the independents. Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn has been warned there could be more resignations (Picture: PA) Mr Umunna signalled that a new centre party could be formally created by the end of the year. He told ITVs Good Morning Britain: I would like to see us move as quickly as possible and certainly by the end of the year, but thats my personal view. He added: There needs to be an alternative, so thats perfectly possible. But I dont get to determine this. Mr Corbyn has been warned that more Labour MPs could quit amid fears the party may disintegrate. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has called for a mammoth listening exercise after the resignations. He told Sky news: We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and (to) address some of those criticisms that have been made. Mr McDonnell played down suggestions that as many as 36 Labour MPs had been considering a split. Story continues He said: I dont think there is that scale, but the key issue for us and it was made clear at the Parliamentary Labour Party, Tom Watson said it and others the Labour leadership, and Im part of that, we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them. Former Labour home secretary David Blunkett said: We are facing the potential disintegration of the Labour Party and the end of its existence as a serious political force. Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: There are major implications, not just for Labour but for British democracy. That is why these departures matter to us all. Deputy leader Tom Watson said other MPs are considering leaving the party. MORE: Killer illegal car seats on sale for just 8 on eBay and Amazon MORE: 27-year-old appears in court accused of killing three pensioners He said: Even a single incident of antisemitism in the Labour Party shames us. Now we have lost Luciana, one of our most dedicated and courageous MPs. If someone like Luciana no longer believes there is a home for her in the Labour Party then many other colleagues will be asking themselves how they can stay. He added: I confess I feared this day would come. And I fear now that unless we change, we may see more days like this. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Party chairman Ian Lavery faced an angry backlash at the PLP meeting on Monday. Labour sources said Mr Lavery stressed the leaderships commitment to rooting out anti-Semitism at what was described as a heated behind-closed-doors gathering at Westminster. But his claims were greeted with derision by some of those present with accusations that he failed to understand the enormity of the problem. Labour MPs (left to right) Ann Coffey, Angela Smith, Chris Leslie, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes, Luciana Berger and Gavin Shuker after they announced their resignations (Picture: PA) Labour MP Chuka Umunna speaks during a press conference at County Hall in Westminster, London where, along with a group of six other Labour MPs, he announced his resignation from the Labour Party (Picture: PA) At the PLP, a number of MPs turned their fire on the leadership after Ms Berger, who is Jewish, told a press conference she was ashamed to be a member of a party which was institutionally anti-Semitic. Mr Lavery was said to have have expressed anger at the claim, saying that if the party was anti-Semitic he would not be a member. After the meeting, Ms Ellman said. It was appalling. He (Mr Lavery) showed no understanding of the enormity of what is going on. Ian Austin, a long-standing critic of Mr Corbyns leadership, said Mr Laverys performance had only made the situation worse. Labour deputy leader Tom Watson fears more MPs will resign (Picture: PA) The party has got to show it is tackling anti-Semitism. I dont think he came close to demonstrating the leadership understand the scale of the problem we have, he said. I think it will result in people thinking long and hard about their position in the party. Another MP left the meeting saying: It was a complete and utter waste of time a dialogue of the deaf. A party source said Mr Lavery had spelt out the measures being taken to deal with the appalling abuse. Mr Watson called on Mr Corbyn to reshuffle his frontbench team so it better reflected the balance of opinion in the PLP where many MPs reject the leaders left-wing agenda. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and receive a $20 prize! We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So well take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Winchester Energy Limited (ASX:WEL). Do Insider Transactions Matter? Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Columbia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. View our latest analysis for Winchester Energy The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Winchester Energy There wasnt any very large single transaction over the last year, but we can still observe some trading. Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 350.00k shares worth AU$14k. In the last twelve months there was more buying than selling by Winchester Energy insiders. The average buy price was around AU$0.04. These transactions suggest that insiders have considered the current price of AU$0.021 attractive. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! ASX:WEL Insider Trading February 19th 19 If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Story continues Does Winchester Energy Boast High Insider Ownership? For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Winchester Energy insiders own about AU$1.2m worth of shares. That equates to 18% of the company. Weve certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders. What Might The Insider Transactions At Winchester Energy Tell Us? The fact that there have been no Winchester Energy insider transactions recently certainly doesnt bother us. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders own shares in Winchester Energy and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph. If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. On rare occasion, data errors may occur. Thank you for reading. Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump at their first meeting in Singapore last June - AP Pool Kim Jong-un, North Koreas leader, is expected to arrive in Vietnam next Monday ahead of a planned second summit on nuclear disarmament with Donald Trump, the US president. Mr Trump and Kim are due to meet in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi on Wednesday and Thursday, aiming to break an ongoing deadlock since they first met in Singapore last June over the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. However, three sources told Reuters that Kim will travel in advance to the communist-ruled nation for bilateral meetings with Vietnamese officials. If confirmed, it would be the first state visit of a North Korean leader since his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, travelled to the country in 1964. Kim could also visit Vietnams manufacturing base of Bac Ninh, east of the capital, and the industrial port town of Hai Phong. A Reuters witness saw Kims close aide, Kim Chang Son, in Hanoi on Saturday visiting a government guesthouse and the Metropole and Melia hotels in the city centre. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho welcomes his Vietnamese counterpart to Pyongyang in February Credit: Ng Han Guan/AP A delegation led by Kim was also spotted scouting the routes to Bac Ninh over the weekend. South Korean newswire Yonhap on Monday speculated that Kim may seek to visit a smartphone factory owned by South Koreas tech giant, Samsung, which is located in the same area. However, the report was not confirmed by the company. Ha Long bay, a popular tourist destination famous for its towering limestone islands, has also been touted as a possible excursion. But the focus of Kims trip would likely be the economy. Vietnams reforms, which have propelled it to become of one of the fast-growing economies in the world, have been widely touted as a road map for the impoverished hermit kingdom to follow. The two countries were former Cold War allies before relations began to decline from 1968 over disagreements about regional politics and engagement with the US, and later because of investment and trade disputes. The South Korean press has speculated that Kim Jong-un may visit Ha Long bay Credit: Ly Hoang Long Photography/Getty Images Vietnams rapidly developing economy has ensured the Communist partys grip on power, but following its model would require huge reforms in North Korea, where the majority of the population is kept isolated from the world and Kim is treated like a deity. Story continues On Thursday, Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said Washington aimed to get as far down the road as we can at its summit with North Korea. North Korean propaganda site, Meari, also struck an optimistic note on Sunday that Pyongyang-Washington ties could experience a major breakthrough. Reports suggest that pre-summit talks may include North Koreas closure of its main nuclear scientific research centre in Yongbyon in exchange for some sanctions relief or a declaration to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War. According to South Koreas Dong-a Ilbo, advisors from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace have also suggested to Stephen Biegun, the US special envoy to North Korea, that an intermediate measure of comprehensive, verifiable caps (CVC) be placed on Pyongyangs nuclear arsenal. Toby Dalton, Carnegies co-director of Nuclear Policy, told the site that this could be acceptable middle ground towards the longer term goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation. The fashion world is mourning the death of Karl Lagerfeld, an iconic name in the industry for over 40 years. The German-born designer served as creative director for Chanel and Fendi as well as his own eponymous international fashion label. Lagerfeld, who was in his 80s, died early Tuesday in Paris, Chanel told the Associated Press in a statement. His passing drew tributes from fellow designers, supermodels and at least one first lady. Melania Trump was among the famous names paying tribute to Lagerfeld on social media, sharing the sketch of a suit he created for her and a photo of the completed outfit, which she wore to welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife to the White House in February 2017. "Today the world lost a creative genius," Trump tweeted. "We will miss you Karl!" This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "Karl your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni and I," Donatella Versace shared on Instagram, accompanied a photo of herself and Lagerfeld. "We will never forget your incredible talent and endless inspiration. We were always learning from you." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Victoria Beckham wrote, "So incredibly sad to hear this. Karl was a genius and always so kind and generous to me both personally and professionally." Elton John shared a back-and-white picture of the pair locking lips. He wrote, "What a talent. What an appetite for life. Wonderful and lethal company. Never a dull moment." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Naomi Campbell thanked Lagerfeld for "taking the chance on (a) 16 year old girl from South London and opening my eyes." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Similarly, Iman remembered Lagerfeld: "Iconic, Extraordinary Talent, Gentle, Kind, Genius, Lethal Wit & Wicked sense of Humor!" This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Kim Kardashian recalled working with the designer in her first-ever photo shoot and shared several frames from her spread. "You shot my first fashion shoot and I was so nervous to work with such an icon!" she wrote. "The world is so much chicer because you existed! I am beyond honored to have met you and had the opportunity to work with you. You are so loved and will be so missed." Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Kendall Jenner wrote, "What an honor to be a part of your beautiful shows. what an honor to be your bride. what an honor to be your friend. RIP Karl, you are greatness in its purest form. we will remember you forever indeed, Virgo." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Rihanna simply called Lagerfeld "The Godfather." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Gwyneth Paltrow said, "There will never be another like you. Thank you for your incredible contribution to fashion and wit." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Miley Cyrus paid tribute with a black-and-white picture of the duo. "You will never be forgotten ... & forever, youll be missed. In recent years, We have and will continue to lose so many legends," Cyrus wrote. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "I'm so heartbroken I almost don't have words... There will never be another Karl Lagerfeld," supermodel Gigi Hadid posted on Instagram Stories. "Every second with you was an honor, joy, and inspiration. I wish I could give you one last hug. I love you Karl. Thank you for everything. Rest in peace." Bella Hadid reposted her sister's Instagram Story, adding in a separate post, "Nothing seems right at the moment." Chanel brand ambassador Diane Kruger shared on Instagram that she tried to travel to France to see Lagerfeld, who was rumored to have been ill, but that she was "too late." "Karl.....I cannot tell you how much you meant to me and how much I will miss you," Kruger wrote. "I will never forget your kindness towards me, your laughs, your imagination I came to France to see you this week and introduce you to my daughter...Im heartbroken I was too late Rest In Peace, I adore you." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Other stars remembering Lagerfeld included Linda Evangelista, who called him the "great love of my life" on Instagram, and Linsday Lohan, who wrote that her "heart is broken" by the news. Penelope Cruz said, "There will always be a place in my heart for you, my dear Karl. I will never forget your kindness, your generosity and how much we have laughed together..I will truly treasure those moments forever. You have inspired us in so many ways!" This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Jessica Simpson wrote, "I dont even recall him knowing my name, but man did I know his. We have lost a true genius in the fashion world. His designs remain with us forever." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Claudia Schiffer recalled how Lagerfeld transformed her "from a shy German girl into a supermodel," and taught her "about fashion, style and survival in the fashion business. In her Instagram tribute, she wrote, What Warhol was to art, he was to fashion; he is irreplaceable. He is the only person who could make black and white colorful! I will be eternally grateful to him. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Lily-Rose Depp, who was just 16 when Lagerfeld made her the face of Chanel No. 5 L'Eau fragrance, composed a letter to him on Instagram, alternating between French and English. "The world will never know another force like you," Depp wrote, captioning a rare photo of the designer with his signature sunglasses off. My heart is so heavy today, but so full of gratitude for all that you have taught and done for me." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Edward Enninful, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, told the Associated Press that he was "deeply saddened" by the news. "He has exerted an incredible influence over the fashion industry over the past six decades, and it goes without saying that the world has lost one of the greatest designers in the history of fashion," he said. "But it has also lost one of its greatest teachers." Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo paid tribute to Lagerfeld on Twitter, calling him a "great artist and a friend with a rare sensibility who his whole life accompanied women in their freedom and empowerment." "He was Paris," she wrote. Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of Fendi parent company LVMH, said in a statement that the world has lost "a creative genius" with the death of Lagerfeld. "We owe him a great deal: his taste and talent were the most exceptional I have ever known," Arnault said. "I will always remember his immense imagination, his ability to conceive new trends for every season, his inexhaustible energy, the virtuosity of his drawings, his carefully guarded independence, his encyclopedic culture, and his unique wit and eloquence." Read his obituary: Karl Lagerfeld, creative director for Chanel and Fendi, dead This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl Lagerfeld's death: Melania Trump, Elton John, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna pay tribute Senator Kamala Harris visited New Hampshire on Monday for the first time in her life, and quickly experienced the realities of being a presidential candidate: She faced questions from national reporters about her political ideology and her description of the alleged assault on actor Jussie Smollett as an attempted modern day lynching, followed by a town hall-style forum with a big crowd of more than 1,000 voters. Unlike most presidential hopefuls, who come to New Hampshire years before the primary, Ms Harris who is from California and relatively new to the national political stage waited until roughly a year before the primary to show up. Barack Obama, who had never been to New Hampshire before running for president, visited the state in December 2006, about 13 months before its 2008 primary. Ms Harris knew her lack of time in the state might raise eyebrows, and she addressed it head-on at the town hall meeting in Portsmouth. Let me address the elephant in the room, she began, then laughed, saying there were no elephants the mascot of the Republican Party in this particular room. I intend to compete in New Hampshire, she declared. I intend to spend time here. I intend to shake every hand I possibly can, she said to wild applause from the hundreds of people packed into the large sanctuary of Portsmouths historic South Church. And, she said, I intend to do very well in New Hampshire. That drew big applause, too, but it was a careful hedge. Ms Harris is fully aware that her challengers for the Democratic nomination are likely to include one if not two fellow senators from neighbouring states: Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts has announced her candidacy, and Bernie Sanders from Vermont is expected to announce soon. New Hampshire has a long history of favouring New England candidates. Despite Mr Sanders popularity here he won 60 per cent of the vote in the 2016 primary Ms Harris distanced herself from him at an earlier event in Concord. Asked if she would have to tack to the left like Mr Sanders to do well in New Hampshire, she drew a line in the sand. Story continues The people of New Hampshire will tell me whats required to compete in New Hampshire, but I will tell you I am not a democratic socialist, she said. Mr Sanders describes himself as a democratic socialist, a label that some prominent Democrats have also embraced, including representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. During that visit in Concord before the town hall, Ms Harris also seemed unsure at first when she was asked about a message from her Twitter account on 29 January about Mr Smollett, whose story about being attacked in Chicago by two men yelling racist and homophobic comments is now under investigation by police. Chicago news media outlets have reported that detectives are reviewing whether the attack Mr Smollett reported had been a hoax. Which tweet? What tweet? Ms Harris said in response to the question about her use of the modern day lynching phrase. After a moment, she said, I think the facts are still unfolding and Im very concerned about the initial allegation by Mr Smollett. She said there should be an investigation and declined to comment further until it was complete. At Ms Harris town hall in Portsmouth, people squeezed in from wall to wall and lines stretched down the street for two blocks; an overflow crowd outside was turned away. Most members of the audience, which varied widely in age and was predominantly white, enthusiastically leapt to their feet repeatedly to applaud her liberal positions, even if she often lacked detail. Ms Harris said America was not working for working people, that health care costs were driving people to near bankruptcy and that she supported Medicare for all. She blasted the pharmaceutical companies for an immoral system in which they gouge the public and are more concerned with profits than public health. Although she was not asked about the states opioid crisis, one of the worst in the country, she brought it up a couple of times. She railed against gun violence, described climate change as man-made and endorsed the Green New Deal. She lamented that money that should be spent on public education was instead going to mass incarceration. She endorsed comprehensive immigration reform. In an answer to a question, she said she would support changes in voting laws that would allow for same-day registration and make Election Day a national holiday. In answer to another question, she said she supported renaming Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. Some answers were more vague than others. One questioner, noting that the Democrats generally appeal to voters on the coasts, asked her how she would appeal to the heartland. I reject the notion that depending on where you were born, you dont identify with someone else, she responded. This election will come down to who the American public believes will be a leader. The audience also responded heartily to her veiled references to President Donald Trump, whom she did not name. They rose to their feet and cheered when she denounced his vanity project, the wall on the southern border with Mexico. Although Ms Harris lack of history in the state might fly in the face of New Hampshire tradition, it does not seem to have hindered her in the slightest. There was some question about whether she was going to campaign here, said Michael OLeary, 62, a retired insurance manager. But she made that commitment to retail politics, and thats what people here expect. He called her fantastic. Ms Harris has hired a state campaign director, Craig Brown, as well as a political director here, Meredith Shevitz. Dante Scala, a political scientist at the University of New Hampshire, said that with Ms Warren and possibly Mr Sanders in the race, New Hampshire was not an essential win for Ms Harris, which may partly explain her late start. A third-place showing here would be fine, he said. For her, South Carolina is more of a make-or-break state. And in any event, he said, she has California waiting for her, referring to the earlier-than-usual 2020 primary in her home state that could play a major role in the nomination contest. The New York Times WASHINGTON A federal judge raised the prospect Tuesday of sending Roger Stone to jail after his Instagram account featured a picture of the judge Monday. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Stone to appear Thursday to explain why his pretrial release shouldnt be modified or revoked. She also raised the prospect of imposing a more restrictive gag order. Stone, a flamboyant political consultant and off-and-on adviser to President Donald Trump, had been released on personal recognizance after he was arrested at his Florida home last month. He was charged by special counsel Robert Muellers team has charged Stone with obstruction and lying to Congress for statements about his contacts with Wikileaks, which released damaging emails about Democrat Hillary Clinton before the 2016 election. Stone has pleaded not guilty and said any misstatements were mistaken recollections rather than intentional lying. He has protested his innocence and attacked prosecutors on social media and in a series of television interviews. Stone's Instagram account featured a picture on Monday of Jacksons face against a background with what appeared to be a guns crosshairs. The accompanying text featured a plea for contributions to Stone's defense fund and noted the judge was appointed by former President Barack Obama. The picture was removed later that day. Stone said the post had been a random picture taken from the internet and wasn't meant to threaten or disrespect the judge. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Please inform the court that the photograph and comment today was improper and should not have been posted, Stone wrote in a note filed with the court Monday. I had no intention of disrespecting the court and humbly apologize to the court for the transgression. The U.S. Marshals Service, which protects federal judges, was aware of Stone's post, spokesman Drew Wade said on Tuesday. He declined to comment on whether the service had provided additional security to Jackson. Contributing: Kevin Johnson This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge suggests Roger Stone could land in jail over 'improper' Instagram post Honda will shut its UK plant with the loss of 3,500 jobs, the Japanese car maker announced Tuesday as the global auto industry faces "unprecedented changes" and the UK economy hits the skids on Brexit uncertainty. The factory in Swindon, southwest England, which is Honda's only EU plant, will shut in 2021 "at the end of the current model's production lifecycle", the company said as carmakers worldwide increasingly invest in greener electric vehicles over diesel cars. Business Secretary Greg Clark described Honda's decision as "devastating" and "a particularly bitter blow to the thousands of skilled and dedicated staff who work at the factory, their families and all of those employed in the supply chain". Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to Honda's president to "express her disappointment at the decision," according to her Downing Street office. Katsushi Inoue, Honda's chief officer for European regional operations, said the decision had "not been taken lightly". The firm blamed "unprecedented changes in the global automotive industry" for the decision but it comes amid investment uncertainty in Britain ahead of the country's departure from the European Union next month. Analysts said an EU-Japan trade agreement signed recently had likely also played a part in Honda's decision. Clark said that while Honda's decision was made for "commercial" reasons, it was nonetheless "devastating... for Swindon and the UK". He added in a statement: "The automotive industry is undergoing a rapid transition to new technology. The UK is one of the leaders in the development of these technologies and so it is deeply disappointing that this decision has been taken now." - Brexit clouds - Speaking earlier in Tokyo, Honda president Takahiro Hachigo told reporters: "I'd like you to understand this is not related to Brexit." Story continues Clark later told parliament that "we must accept" Honda's stated reasons, but added "the motor industry, Japanese investors and Honda in particular have been very clear for many months that Brexit is an additional worry at a difficult time." Nissan earlier this month axed plans to make its X-Trail SUV in the Brexit-backing UK city of Sunderland, citing "business reasons" but also uncertainty over Britain's EU departure. Toyota, another Japanese car giant making vehicles in Britain, has meanwhile warned there would be no way to avoid a negative impact should the UK crash out of the EU without a deal. The Bank of England earlier this month slashed its forecast for 2019 UK growth to 1.2 percent from 1.7 percent, blaming the downgrade on a global economic slowdown and "the fog of Brexit". Honda's fellow Japanese firms Sony, Panasonic and Hitachi are also scaling back their UK operations. Regarding Honda's decision, the company "seems to have been preparing for this for a long time", Seiji Sugiura, analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, told AFP. "Then Brexit happened, which might have pushed the company to make the decision now." The carmaker's Swindon plant has been producing Honda's Civic model for more than 24 years, with 150,000 units rolling off the line annually. The firm on Tuesday announced also that it would stop manufacturing the Civic model in Turkey in 2021. - 'No stone unturned' - In Swindon, local finance worker Sue Davis, 49, said the town is "finished without Honda". She told AFP: "My ex-husband works there, has done for 20 years. He's going to be without a job, so I just think it's really, really bad news." Local MP Justin Tomlinson tweeted that the decision had been made "based on global trends and not Brexit as all European market production will consolidate in Japan in 2021". Britain's biggest union Unite said it would campaign to keep the plant open. "We will leave no stone unturned to keep this plant going and its workforce in employment," said Des Quinn, Unite's national officer for the automotive sector. "While Brexit is not mentioned by the company as a reason for the announcement, we believe that the uncertainty that the Tory government has created by its inept and rigid handling of the Brexit negotiations lurks in the background." Shamima Begum has indicated she is prepared to go to prison if she is allowed back to Britain - Enterprise/Enterprise The schoolgirl who ran away to join Isil has indicated that she is prepared to go to prison if she gets her wish to return to Britain. Shamima Begum said that she was still determined to come back from Syria despite knowing that UK authorities have the option to send her to jail. In an interview with the BBC yesterday, while cradling a newborn baby, the teenager was asked what she thought would happen on her return. My first priority is my son, obviously, she replied. Because I don't know whether he'd be taken away from me or they'll let me keep him or give him to my family while the UK decides what to do with me. To put me in prison, to put me in a de-radicalisation course, I don't know. Ms Begum flew to the Middle East four years ago to join the terror group.There, she married a Dutch-born fighter with whom she had three children. Her two eldest children have died, but she reportedly gave birth at a refugee camp in northeastern Syria at the weekend. Since she was discovered, Ms Begum has faced criticism for a lack of remorse, and an apparent reluctance to disavow Isil teachings. When asked about the enslavement and rape of Yazidi women by jihadist fighters, she replied yesterday: Shia do the same in Iraq. Shamima Begum has indicated she is prepared to go to prison if she is allowed back to Britain Credit: Enterprise/Enterprise Later she likened the deaths of 22 innocent people in the terrorist attack on an Ariana Grande concert in 2017 to the "women and children" being bombed in Baghuz, where Isil fighters are currently making their last stand. "I do feel that it's wrong that innocent people did get killed, she said. It's one thing to kill a soldier that is fighting you, it's self-defence, but to kill the people like women and children... "Just people like the women and children in Baghuz that are being killed right now unjustly, the bombings. It's a two-way thing really. "Because women and children are being killed back in the Islamic State right now and it's kind of retaliation. Like, their justification was that it was retaliation so I thought 'OK, that is a fair justification'." Story continues Ms Begum said she was old enough at 15 to make her own decisions, and added that she was partly inspired by videos hostages being beheaded, and also by propaganda videos showing "the good life" under IS. She added that she had watched videos of the murders of British hostages but did not know the names of the victims. "I just want forgiveness really, from the UK, she said. Everything I've been through, I didn't expect I would go through that. "Losing my children the way I lost them, I don't want to lose this baby as well and this is really not a place to raise children, this camp." The teenager also admitted that her disappearance had been a propaganda coup for Isil but insisted that she did not ask to be the subject of international media attention. She said: "I didn't want to be on the news at first. I know a lot of people, after they saw that me and my friends came, it actually encouraged them. "I did hear, yeah, a lot of people were encouraged to come after I left but I wasn't the one that put myself on the news. "The poster girl thing was not my choice." Perspecta (NYSE: PRSP) delivered a solid fiscal third quarter, producing adjusted earnings per share and revenue that both came in ahead of consensus estimates at $0.47 and $1.08 billion, respectively. Despite the strong results, the company has struggled to get off the starting block. Shares of Perspecta are down 17% since its IPO last summer due to two huge overhangs concerning the company's largest shareholder and its most important contract. Aerial view of the Pentagon Image source: Getty Images. There's a strong case to be made that those concerns are overblown and that this under-the-radar government IT firm with a depressed valuation is one of the best bargains in the sector. Let's take a look at some of investors' concerns with this stock, and what management had to say about them on the quarterly conference call. A very important shareholder Perspecta was created in June 2018 via a three-way merger among Vencore, KeyPoint Government Solutions, and the public sector business DXC Technology. As part of the deal, private equity firm Veritas Capital Management, owner of both Vencore and KeyPoint, received a 14% stake in the resulting company. Investors since the IPO have been waiting for Veritas to liquidate its position, a move that could put pressure on Perspecta shares. Veritas owned 23 million shares of Perspecta at the time of the separation, and investors on average trade only about 1 million shares of Perspecta per day on the New York Stock Exchange. PRSP Chart PRSP since its IPO data by YCharts The shares fell about 10% in November following Perspecta's last quarterly earnings release after the company filed a form S-1 with regulators that some apparently took as a sign a Veritas exit was imminent. On a Feb. 13 investor call, Perspecta CEO Mac Curtis emphasized that the S-1 was a requirement and urged investors not to overreact to any filing: "Veritas is a patient holder with no need for immediate liquidity and I don't expect them to be sellers at anywhere near the current stock price. Just so there's no confusion, we will file a Form 424 tomorrow as required by the SEC to update the S-1 for our latest results, but it should not be taken as a requirement or intention for Veritas to sell any shares." Story continues While it is impossible to know for sure what Veritas is thinking, some perspective is in order. The firm has a reported $9 billion in assets under management and is highly unlikely to have a funding crisis that would require it to quickly liquidate its $480 million stake in Perspecta. Veritas is also one of the leading investors in the defense, government IT, and national security sectors, and Perspecta is one of its high-profile deals. The firm is unlikely to take any step that would rock the boat at Perspecta or create negative headlines and put its reputation in the defense community at risk. A very important contract Perspecta and its predecessors have held a prime position on a massive U.S. Navy and Marine Corps IT contract since the turn of the century, but the Navy is in the initial stages of modernizing its so-called Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) via a new round of bids. The current deal represents upwards of 15% of Perspecta sales. The $3 billion competition, which includes management and maintenance of a range of Navy and marine networks, will pit Perspecta against two of the largest government IT vendors, Leidos Holdings (NYSE: LDOS) and the recently bulked-up IT arm of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). This is a business where scale is vitally important, potentially putting Perspecta in a difficult position. We won't know who the winner is until late 2019 at the earliest, but I believe Perspecta is well positioned to at least share in the award. For one, the Navy seems pleased with the service it is receiving now and is in no rush to find a replacement: One of Perspecta's largest awards last year was a $485 million NGEN extension to cover IT and network security through May of 2020. A cyber network padlock. Image source: Getty Images. Perspecta has an incumbent advantage at work. The Navy is unlikely to want to dramatically overhaul an operation that touches nearly all personnel, thereby risking disruptions to day-to-day operations. Perspecta can also lean on its existing team to help hold down costs and better compete on price, as new winners would face a massive expense to hire and train the necessary support staff that Perspecta already has in place. Even in the worst case, where Perspecta is shut out completely, there is likely to be a gradual transition period that would provide at least some revenue well past the May 2020 extension date. Management noted that beyond NGEN, the only major contract it has to recompete for on the horizon is a classified deal worth less than 3% of sales, and Perspecta has a pipeline of about $72 billion worth of potential opportunities comprised of primarily new work and $13 billion of proposals already submitted. Perspecta had an excellent quarter in terms of new business, with bookings totaling $1.7 billion in the quarter representing a book-to-bill ratio of 1.6x, and the pipeline gives it ample opportunities to offset any revenue loss. Losing NGEN would be a blow, but over time the long-term growth story should persevere. Buy into the uncertainty These concerns have made Perspecta cheap relative to its peers. The company trades at an enterprise value less than 10 times EBITDA, compared to Booz Allen Hamilton's 13.6 times and the industry's average of 11 to 12. The business is healthy, and even if the worst-case scenarios play out, Perspecta can weather the setbacks. I believe the most likely trajectory for this stock is either up sharply over the next year if NGEN goes Perspecta's way, or up more slowly and unevenly if Perspecta is forced to backfill lost revenue from the Navy. Either way Perspecta, as it grows and gains greater name recognition, is well positioned to outperform over the long haul. It's a great time to buy into this underappreciated contractor. More From The Motley Fool Lou Whiteman owns shares of Perspecta Inc. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Moscow (AFP) - An "invasion" of aggressive polar bears in inhabited areas of Arctic Russia has come to an end, officials said Tuesday, ten days after the animals came to the area looking for food. Officials in the remote northeastern Novaya Zemlya archipelago declared a state of emergency last week after 52 bears were seen entering homes and public buildings. Local authorities appealed for help from Moscow to tackle the "unprecedented" situation on the archipelago, where Russia has bases for military personnel. "The mass invasion of polar bears into inhabited areas has ended," Novaya Zemlya authorities said in a statement, adding that emergency measures had been lifted. The number of bear sightings has fallen sharply and are now close to "statistical average" for the time of year, they said. "The threat has been minimised," the head of the local government, Zhigansha Musin told TASS news agency. Officials said 24-hour patrols were preventing bears from entering the main settlement of Belushya Guba in Novaya Zemlya, which has a population of around 3,000. Polar bears are affected by global warming with melting Arctic ice forcing them to spend more time on land where they compete for food. Polar bears are recognised as an endangered species in Russia and hunting them is banned. Officials said that polar bears were attracted to an open-air rubbish tip in Belushya Guba where they foraged for food. The authorities in the Arkhangelsk region, which includes Novaya Zemlya, said Tuesday that the rubbish tip would be closed next year and replaced by an incinerator. New Delhi (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday, with his business mission under threat of being overshadowed by soaring tensions between India and Pakistan. The crown prince, who wants to persuade the world's fastest growing major economy to consume more Saudi oil, was greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave his traditional bear hug for honoured guests. The prince arrived from a two-day stay in Pakistan as it clashed with its giant neighbour over responsibility for a suicide attack in Kashmir last Thursday that left at least 40 members of Indian security forces dead. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Islamist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and has sparked calls in India for a firm response. The latest showdown between the nuclear-armed neighbours, which is causing mounting international concern, is expected to figure prominently in Prince Mohammed's talks with Modi on Wednesday. "Our objective is to try to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, neighbouring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully," Saudi minister of state Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad on Monday. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan offered Tuesday to investigate the attack if India provided proof of its involvement -- but said his country would retaliate if attacked. India rebuffed Khan's comments and called in turn for "credible and visible action" to rein in militants. Washington threw its weight behind India Tuesday, pressing Pakistan to punish those behind the Kashmir attack. "We have been in close communication with the government of India to express not only our condolences but our strong support for India as it confronts this terrorism," deputy US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. "We urge Pakistan to fully cooperate with the investigation into the attack and to punish anyone responsible." Story continues Before the attack, the agenda for the crown prince's visit had been dominated by oil and other key investment decisions. - Saudi oil rivalry with Iran - Saudi Arabia currently supplies about 20 percent of India's crude oil and wants to definitively push aside arch-rival Iran as a source. Iran at one stage last year overtook Saudi Arabia among India's suppliers but US sanctions since have severely hit the Islamic Republic's oil business. Modi has also wooed Saudi investment in recent years for flagship infrastructure programmes. "I think even in the backdrop of this attack, the economic ties -- which are beneficial to both the countries -- will remain the focus of the meetings," Kabir Taneja, associate fellow with Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, told AFP. "India and Saudi Arabia know what they want from each other: India will be looking for a leverage on oil pricing while Saudi Arabia, which is trying to diversify its economy, is looking at access to rising India's market," he added. Taneja said India would aim to use these closer economic ties to push for Saudi Arabia's "unconditional support" regarding Pakistan. The crown prince is on a three-country Asian tour as the kingdom seeks to recover its reputation after last year's murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Prince Mohammed was treated to a colourful welcome, including Punjabi drumming, at the airport with Modi before the two leaders sped off in a convoy. The crown prince and the prime minister will lead bilateral talks Wednesday, before they are due to issue a statement and announce agreements. Prince Mohammed is to leave India late Wednesday and is expected to spend two days in China. Analysts have said the tour is part of a pivot to rising Asia as a growing oil market and a retort to the West where the crown prince has faced harsh criticism over the Khashoggi affair. BERLIN (Reuters) - Britain has urged Germany to exempt big defense projects from its efforts to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia or face damage to its commercial credibility, the German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Tuesday. Germany said last November it would reject future arms export licenses to Saudi Arabia over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It has not formally banned previously approved deals but has urged industry to refrain from such shipments for now. Germany accounts for just under 2 percent of total Saudi arms imports, a small percentage internationally compared with the United States and Britain, but it makes components for other countries' export contracts. That includes a proposed 10-billion-pound deal for Riyadh to buy 48 new Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from Britain. "I am very concerned about the impact of the German government's decision on the British and European defense industry and the consequences for Europe's ability to fulfill its NATO commitments," British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt wrote in a letter to his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Spiegel reported. Hunt said British defense firms would not be able to fulfill several contracts with Riyadh including the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Tornado fighter jet, both of which are made with parts affected by the halt in deliveries to Saudi Arabia. "This letter shows how Germany's arms export practices are costing it the ability to partner with its closest European allies," Hans Christoph Altzpodien, head of Germany's defense industry association BDSV, told Reuters. Reuters has not seen the letter and a spokesman for the German foreign ministry declined to comment. LOSSES In his letter, Hunt also wrote that the German government's decision to halt arms exports to Saudi Arabia would result in a loss of 2.3 billion euros' worth of revenues for German defense firms by 2026. A top Airbus official said on Friday that the German halt in exports to Saudi Arabia was preventing Britain from completing the sale of 48 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes to Riyadh, and has delayed potential sales of other weapons such as the A400M military transport. Hunt's letter comes as Britain prepares to leave the European Union on March 29, in the biggest shift in its commercial and diplomatic relations with the continent in decades. It has still to reach a deal with the EU on the terms of its exit, raising the risk of serious economic disruption. (Reporting by Tassilo Hummel and Sabine Siebold; Writing by Michelle Martin and Thomas Escritt; Editing by Madeline Chambers and Gareth Jones) BERLIN (Reuters) - The party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban should leave the mainstream European center-right grouping, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said, comparing Orban to French far-right leader Marine Le Pen. The unusually sharp comments, made at a public meeting in Stuttgart, Germany, came after the Hungarian government unveiled a new poster campaign accusing Juncker and philanthropist George Soros of wanting to flood Hungary with migrants. "Against lies there's not much you can do," Juncker replied, adding that Manfred Weber, the European Peoples Party's lead candidate for the upcoming European elections, would certainly be asking himself "if I need this voice" in the EPP. Calls have been growing for Orban's nationalist Fidesz party to be expelled from the EPP, which groups Christian Democratic and center-right parties in the European Parliament, because of Fidesz's stridently anti-immigration campaigns. Fidesz's domestic strength, however, means it has a large delegation in the European legislature, and its removal from the EPP umbrella could erode the center-right's current dominance of the Strasbourg parliament. Juncker, previously the longtime center-right prime minister of Luxembourg, said he had called for Fidesz's exclusion from the EPP. "They didn't vote for me in the European Parliament," he said. "The far right didn't either. I remember Ms. Le Pen, she said 'I'm not voting for you.' I said: 'I don't want your vote.' There are certain votes you just don't want." (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Budapest (AFP) - Faced with a plummeting population, Hungary's fiercely anti-immigration Prime Minister Viktor Orban has come up with an answer sparking yet another controversy: "We need Hungarian children". Earlier this month Orban unveiled a seven-point "family protection action plan" stacked with incentives for young couples to have children. Opinion is divided however as to whether it will have the desired effect -- and some critics have seen disturbing historical echoes in his plan. The policies announced by Orban include lifelong tax exemption for women who bear four or more children, and more kindergartens. It also offers lump-sum, 10-million forint (32,000 euros, $36,000) loans for newly-wed women under 40, cancelled once they have three children. "This - not immigration - is the response of the Hungarian people," said Orban, a 55-year-old father of five, during a state-of-the-nation speech that was greeted with rapturous applause. "With 10 million forints my partner and I can finally think of buying an apartment around here and moving out from my parents' at last," said Nora Koszeghy, a 24-year-old teacher outside a supermarket in a Budapest suburb, as her toddler dozed in a pushchair. "We were planning for a brother or sister for Juli. Maybe she can have two or even three now, who knows," she told AFP. - A 'visionary' plan - Supporters of Orban's seven-point plan -- including Hungary's ambassador to the Vatican -- have hailed his family policies as "visionary". Pro-government pundits argue that only such direct action can prop up a population that has been falling since 1981, and which could shrink from its current 9.7 to six million by 2070, according to a recent report by Hungary's Central Statistical Office (KSH). Orban's national-conservative government, in power since 2010, says no EU member has been spending more on family support. And it insists its approach has already borne fruit. Story continues Incentivised by tax breaks and a subsidised housing scheme for young married couples, marriage rates have been rising since 2010, with abortion and divorce declining. Hungary's fertility rate, the lowest in the EU at around 1.25 children per woman in 2010, has risen to near the bloc's average of 1.6, according to figures published by Eurostat, the EU's statistical body. Orban's government has set a 2030 target of 2.1, the rate needed to halt population decline. Some statisticians however remain sceptical that in the long run the government's measures will shift a stubbornly low birth rate. "The uptick in fertility was also due to the end of the economic crisis," said one expert at the KSH who asked not to be named. "Bigger problems are high emigration - over a half million since 2010 -- and, crucially, the falling number of women of childbearing age," he said. - 'Handmaid's Tale'? - With men not explicitly mentioned among the seven points, some women also fear that the measures will simply add to pressure on them from a deeply conservative society to have children. The 10-million forint loan will have to be paid back with interest if no babies arrive, said an official when pressed on the plan's small-print. Meme-creators on Hungarian social media have even caught a whiff of the hit TV series "The Handmaid's Tale", based on Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel of an America ruled by a misogynistic theocracy. "I don't want to give birth for Viktor Orban," 35-year-old financial journalist Sarolta Szekely told AFP. "A child is not just a question of money," said Szekely, who is currently single but would like to have children one day. "Good education and healthcare, and earning enough to raise a child are more important factors than keeping a lump-sum if I meet a quota. "That's not family protection -- that's a production programme." Social scientists are concerned that poor people -- including those belonging to the impoverished Roma ethnic-minority who make up around seven to 10 percent of the population -- do not have the stable jobs or spare cash needed to apply for the credit. The measures mostly benefit middle- and higher-income earners, according to Dorottya Szikra, a sociologist at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. "Increasing child support payments -- unchanged for 10 years -- or providing more social housing would benefit more families," she told AFP. But the government has come out fighting against criticism of the plan. When Sweden's Social Affairs Minister Annika Strandhall said the action plan was "alarming" and "reeked of the 1930s", Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto was quick to respond. "Hungary is spending its money on families rather than migrants," he retorted. While the results of the new 'baby boom' plan will only be visible over the long term, polls suggest at least a short-term bounce for Orban. That is welcome news for his Fidesz party that has seen a recent dip in support over controversial labour reforms that triggered a wave of street protests. During the last ice age, people journeyed across the ancient land bridge connecting Asia to North America. That land is now submerged underwater, but a newly created digital map reveals how the landscape likely appeared about 18,000 years ago. In fact, the map shows all of Beringia the sprawling region that includes parts of Russia, known as western Beringia; Alaska, called eastern Beringia; and the ancient land bridge that connected the two. The timing was nigh for a new Beringia map, said Jeffrey Bond, who studies the geology of ice age sediments at the Yukon Geological Survey in Canada. The 2008 map at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre was out of date, and he wanted visitors, who come to learn about Beringia's ice age humans and animals, to get a better sense of what the region used to look like. [10 Extinct Giants That Once Roamed North America] Moreover, two new datasets recently became available that helped Bond create the new map: Global satellite imagery from World Imagery, and a topography of the region's sea floor, produced by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. "These two freely available datasets, along with the glacial limits (distribution of ice during the last glaciation), combined for a fantastic set of base layers to create a new map," Bond told Live Science in an email. Although it's gone now, the Bering Land Bridge persisted for thousands of years, from about 30,000 years ago to 16,000 years ago, according to global sea level estimates, said Julie Brigham-Grette, a professor and department head of geosciences at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Brigham-Grette, who advised Bond on sea levels and geography, was one of the many scientists who offered helpful information to Bond during the making of the map. "The drop at 30,000 years ago was very rapid with the build up of ice sheets over North America," Brigham-Grette told Live Science in an email. "So for most of the time from about 30,000 to 18,000 years ago, the land bridge was nearly 1,000 kilometers [620 miles] wide in the north-south direction." Story continues That's why, in part, Bond chose to portray Beringia at 18,000 years ago, he said. After that, the ice began to recede and sea levels began to rise. At 18,000 years ago, Beringia was a relatively cold and dry place, with little tree cover. But it was still speckled with rivers and streams. Bond's map shows that it likely had a number of large lakes. "Grasslands, shrubs and tundra-like conditions would have prevailed in many places," Bond said. These environments helped megafauna animals heavier than 100 lbs. (45 kilograms) thrive, including the woolly mammoth, Beringian lion, short-faced bear, grizzly bear, muskox, steppe bison, American scimitar cat, caribou, Yukon horse, saiga antelope, gray wolf and giant beaver, according to the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre. A modern-day photo of Wrangel Island in the East Siberian Sea. Perhaps central Beringia looked similar to this during the last ice age. Julie Brigham-Grette This vast, open region allowed megafauna and early humans to live off the land, Brigham-Grette said. However, it's still a mystery exactly when humans began crossing the land bridge. Genetic studies show that the first humans to cross became genetically isolated from people in East Asia between about 25,000 to 20,000 years ago. And archaeological evidence shows that people reached the Yukon at least 14,000 years ago, Bond said. But it's still unclear how long it took the first Americans to cross the bridge and what route they took. "The fact that this land bridge was repeatedly exposed and flooded and exposed and flooded over the past 3 million years is really interesting because Beringia, at its largest extent, was really a high latitude continental landscape in its own right," Brigham-Grette said. Now that the Bering Strait is filled with water, it's a gateway linking the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans through the Arctic Basin. "There are few places like it on our planet that have such a complex paleo geography," Brigham-Grette said. To download a free digital version of the new map, visit here. Originally published on Live Science. Beijing (AFP) - The founder of Chinese telecom giant Huawei has hit back at US efforts to blacklist the company, saying defiantly that the world cannot do without Huawei and its "more advanced" technology. "There's no way the US can crush us," Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with the BBC. "The world cannot leave us because we are more advanced." Ren, 74, also denounced as "politically motivated" the December arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating US sanctions against Iran and faces an extradition hearing in Canada next month. "We object to this," he said. "But now that we've gone down this path, we'll let the courts settle it." The normally media-shy Huawei founder has been forced to step into the limelight in recent months as the company has come under increasing pressure over espionage concerns and the US-led campaign to persuade other countries to ban its technology. Last year, security concerns prompted Australia to ban Huawei equipment from its future 5G network. New Zealand has also blocked its largest telecom carrier from using Huawei technology for the next generation network, while the Czech Republic has reportedly excluded it from a 20-million-euro ($22 million) tender to build a tax portal. US prosecutors are also charging Huawei with stealing trade secrets, saying it offered rewards to employees for stealing technology from other rivals. Ren shrugged off the growing pressure. "If the lights go out in the West, the East will still shine," he said. "America doesn't represent the world." "Even if they persuade more countries not to use us temporarily, we can always downsize and become smaller." - Pushback - Signs that US efforts to convince its allies to shun Huawei technology could fall through are also growing. British intelligence concluded that security risks posed by using Huawei's 5G equipment can be managed, The Financial Times reported on Monday. Story continues "Other nations can make the argument that if the British are confident of mitigation against national security threats then they can also reassure their publics and the US administration that they are acting in a prudent manner to allow their telecommunications service providers to use Chinese components," an unnamed source told the newspaper. New Zealand is also in talks to minimise the security risks posed by using Huawei equipment in 5G infrastructure instead of excluding it entirely. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday that New Zealand's security bureau was discussing Huawei security concerns with Spark, the domestic telecoms carrier that had been barred from using the Chinese firm's equipment last year. She also added that the company had "never" been ruled out from potentially participating in the country's 5G rollout. Beijing (AFP) - The founder of Chinese telecom giant Huawei has hit back at US efforts to blacklist the company and denied there are any "backdoors" in its technology to spy for Beijing. Saying defiantly the world cannot do without Huawei and its "more advanced" technology, Ren Zhengfei again dismissed the possibility there could be a way to use the technology without his knowledge. "It is not possible. Because across our entire organization, we've stressed once and again that we will never do that," he said in an interview with CBS on Tuesday. "If we did have that, with America's advanced technology, they would found that already. So that proves we do not have it." He pledged he would shutter the firm rather than spy for Beijing. "Our company will never undertake any spying activities. If we have any such actions, then I'll shut the company down," he told the BBC in a separate interview. But Ren, 74, also denounced as "politically motivated" the December arrest of his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating US sanctions against Iran and faces an extradition hearing in Canada next month. "We object to this," he said. "But now that we've gone down this path, we'll let the courts settle it." However, he remained defiant in the face of US pressure. "There's no way the US can crush us," he said in the BBC interview. "The world cannot leave us because we are more advanced." The normally media-shy Huawei founder has been forced to step into the limelight in recent months as the company has come under increasing pressure over espionage concerns and the US-led campaign to persuade other countries to ban its technology. Last year, security concerns prompted Australia to ban Huawei equipment from its future 5G network. New Zealand has also blocked its largest telecom carrier from using Huawei technology for the next generation network, while the Czech Republic has reportedly excluded it from a 20-million-euro ($22 million) tender to build a tax portal. Story continues The US also has charged Huawei with stealing trade secrets, saying it offered rewards to employees for stealing technology from rivals. Ren shrugged off the growing pressure. "If the lights go out in the West, the East will still shine," he said. "America doesn't represent the world." "Even if they persuade more countries not to use us temporarily, we can always downsize and become smaller." - Pushback - Signs that US efforts to convince its allies to shun Huawei technology could fall through are growing. British intelligence concluded that security risks posed by using Huawei's 5G equipment can be managed, The Financial Times reported on Monday. "Other nations can make the argument that if the British are confident of mitigation against national security threats then they can also reassure their publics and the US administration that they are acting in a prudent manner to allow their telecommunications service providers to use Chinese components," an unnamed source told the newspaper. And New Zealand is in talks to minimise the security risks posed by using Huawei equipment in 5G infrastructure instead of excluding it entirely. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday that New Zealand's security bureau was discussing Huawei security concerns with Spark, the domestic telecoms carrier that had been barred from using the Chinese firm's equipment last year. She also added that the company had "never" been ruled out from potentially participating in the country's 5G rollout. burs-hs/dg (Reuters) - A joint venture of Honeywell International Inc and Pratt & Whitney on Tuesday protested the U.S. Army's decision to award General Electric Co a $517 million contract for new Black Hawk and Apache helicopter engines. The Advanced Turbine Engine Co (ATEC) joint venture filed the protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), ATEC said in a statement. "In our review of the evaluation, we clearly offered the best value through a combination of a highly rated and technically superior engine that was judged to be much lower risk, and believe we did so significantly under the government's budget," ATEC President Craig Madden said. The U.S. Department of Defense said on Feb. 1 it had awarded GE a six-year contract to engineer and manufacture the new engines, known as T901, covering thousands of helicopters. GE said the Army had "conducted a comprehensive and well-organized (bidding) process with clearly defined requirements and a level playing field for both competitors." The company added that it was "very confident the Army's very thorough review and evaluation of the competing bids will be upheld and that the T901 will prevail." Pratt & Whitney is owned by United Technologies Corp. (Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru and Alwyn Scott in New York; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Phil Berlowitz) By Costas Pitas and Naomi Tajitsu LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda will close its only British car plant in 2021 with the loss of up to 3,500 jobs, a major departure of Japanese investment announced just over a month before the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union. The automaker, which builds more than a tenth of the 1.5 million cars made in Britain, said the move was not related to Brexit and it needed to focus activities in regions where it expects to sell most cars, after struggling in Europe. But the timing of the announcement about the Swindon plant, just 38 days before Brexit, comes after a series of warnings from Japan that it would pull investments if they are no longer economically viable after Britain leaves the bloc. "We had to consider the rise of electrified vehicles, and the different speeds at which electric vehicles will be taken up in North America and Europe," said Honda Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo. "This decision was not informed by Brexit." Honda, which builds its Civic in Britain and Turkey, said it would stop making the model in both countries. The announcement comes just over two weeks after fellow Japanese carmaker Nissan reversed a decision to build a new SUV in Britain. Most of the Civic hatchbacks built in Britain are for export to the United States rather than Europe. Europe's expected faster take-up of electric vehicles could be supplied from China and Japan, where Honda already plans to produce at scale. Britain's business minister said Honda's decision was a major blow and illustrated how much was at risk from Brexit. "Decisions like Honda's this morning demonstrate starkly how much is at stake," said Greg Clark, who supports a Brexit deal agreed between the UK government and EU, but which has so far failed to win over a majority of British lawmakers. "This news comes on top of months of uncertainty that ... manufacturers have had to endure about Brexit, about our future relationship with the EU," Clark said. Story continues He said it was unacceptable that business did not have clarity on future trading terms ahead of the March 29 departure. Honda, Britain's fourth-biggest automaker, will cease production at Swindon in southern England, which made 160,000 cars in 2018. It follows decisions by Japanese electronics companies Sony and Panasonic to move their headquarters from Britain into the EU, while Hitachi put a $28 billion nuclear power project in Britain on hold in January. 'DEVASTATING DECISION' Some 1,000 Japanese firms are based in Britain, employing around 140,000 people, and have invested about 60 billion pounds ($78 billion), according to the Japanese embassy in London. Nissan, Toyota and Honda were encouraged to come to Britain in the 1980s as a pro-business gateway to the EU and have helped turn around an ailing domestic car industry. The trio build half of Britain's cars and hundreds of thousands of engines at production sites across the country, but a no-deal Brexit could destroy the free and unfettered trade manufacturers rely on. The loss of such a major employer in Swindon, which backed Brexit in the June 2016 referendum, risks a further 10,000 jobs in the supply chain, which could have knock-on effects for other carmakers due to the interconnected nature of the sector. For Honda, declining demand for diesel vehicles and tougher emissions regulations have also clouded its manufacturing prospects in Europe, which accounts for just 3 percent of its global sales. The company said in October 2017 it would stop making vehicles at its Sayama plant in Japan by 2022 as it grapples with a shrinking domestic market, while it has a tiny share of less than 1 percent in Europe. The outlook in Europe looks gloomy as sales in every major country fell in January, according to industry data, with a double-digit drop expected in Britain, Europe's second-biggest auto market, if there is a disorderly Brexit. U.S. automaker General Motors has already pulled out of the continent while Ford is conducting a major restructuring. A recently agreed EU-Japan trade deal also means tariffs on cars from Japan to the bloc will be eliminated, while Britain is struggling to make progress on talks over post-Brexit trade relations with Tokyo. Honda said this was not part of the decision-making process but its boss said it would benefit from the EU-Japan deal. Britain's largest trade union Unite said it would continue to consult with the company and fight to keep the site open, blaming the handling of Brexit for making it harder for companies to keep investing in the country. "We believe that the uncertainty that the ... government has created by its inept and rigid handling of the Brexit negotiations lurks in the background," said national officer for the automotive sector Des Quinn. (Writing by Costas Pitas in London; additional reporting by Chang Ran-Kim in Tokyo and Guy Faulconbridge, Alistair Smout, David Milliken and Kate Holton in London; Editing by Mark Potter and David Holmes) 1. Yes. Its important for students to stay focused throughout the year. Its a plus. 2. Yes. It would fill the learning gaps caused by COVID and would help cut youth crime. 3. No. Students and teachers deserve a summer break. Year-round school wont work. 4. No. It wouldnt work with the militarys summer PCS schedule. Its a bad idea. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing how the school calendar would work. Vote View Results LONDON Honda confirmed reports that it will close its only British car plant in 2021 with the loss of up to 3,500 jobs, a major departure of Japanese investment a month before the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union. The Japanese firm, which builds a tenth of Britain's 1.5 million cars at its Swindon plant, said the move was not related to Brexit and that it needed to focus its activity in regions where it expects to sell most cars, after struggling in Europe. But the timing of the announcement, just 38 days before Brexit, comes amid deepening Japanese corporate worries about investing in Britain after it leaves the EU. "This decision was not informed by Brexit," said Honda Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo. "We had to consider the rise of electrified vehicles, and the different speeds at which electric vehicles will be taken up in North America and Europe." Honda said it will stop building the Civic in both Britain and Turkey. The Swindon plant builds the Civic Hatchback and Type R. The announcement comes just over two weeks after fellow Japanese carmaker Nissan reversed its decision to build a new SUV in Britain. Honda, Britain's fourth biggest automaker, will cease production at its Swindon plant, which made 160,000 cars in southern England in 2018. Honda has not announced where that production will go. Civic modes are also built in Indiana, Ontario, and several other locations around the globe. It follows decisions by Japanese electronics companies Sony and Panasonic to move their headquarters from Britain into the EU, while Hitachi put a $28 billion nuclear power project in Britain on hold in January. 'Devastating decision' Some 1,000 Japanese firms have locations in Britain, employing around 140,000 people, and have invested about 60 billion pounds ($78 billion), according to the Japanese embassy in London. Nissan, Toyota and Honda were encouraged to come to Britain in the 1980s as a pro-business gateway to the EU and have helped turn around a domestic car industry that had been decimated. Story continues The trio currently build half of Britain's cars and hundreds of thousands of engines at production sites across the country. "This is a devastating decision for Swindon and the UK," said business minister Greg Clark. The United Kingdom must urgently end the uncertainty over its exit from the European Union so that businesses can have clarity about the future, Clark said. "Decisions like Honda's this morning demonstrate starkly how much is at stake. "This news comes on top of months of uncertainty that you as manufacturers have had to endure about Brexit, about our future relationship with the EU," Clark told a manufacturing conference. "A situation in which our manufacturers do not have the certainty they need about the terms under which two thirds of our trade will be conducted in 40 days time is unacceptable it needs to be brought to conclusion and without further delay." Brexit 'lurks in the background' For Honda, declining demand for diesel vehicles and tougher emissions regulations have also clouded its manufacturing prospects. The company said in October 2017 it would stop making vehicles at its Sayama plant in Japan by 2022 as it grapples with a shrinking domestic market. Like many of its global rivals, Honda is trying to streamline its operations as it invests heavily to develop electric vehicles and self-driving cars. The recently agreed EU-Japan trade agreement means tariffs on cars from Japan to the bloc will be eliminated, while Britain is struggling to make progress on talks over post-Brexit trade relations with Tokyo. Honda said that was not part of the decision-making process, but the firm's boss said it would benefit from the EU-Japan deal. Britain's largest trade union Unite said it would continue to consult with the company and fight to keep the site open. "We will leave no stone unturned to keep this plant going and its workforce in employment," said national officer for the automotive sector Des Quinn. "We believe that the uncertainty that the ... government has created by its inept and rigid handling of the Brexit negotiations lurks in the background." Honda is shutting down its UK factory in Swindon in 2021 and putting a total of 7,000 jobs at risk, the company confirmed on Tuesday. Swindon, which serves as Hondas sole European hub, directly employs 3,500 people. But another 3,500 jobs could disappear too. A further 3,500 people may be affected when we take into account other Honda businesses that provide parts supply, logistics, and support to the Swindon factory, the company said in a written statement. The jobs are within Honda subsidiaries and affiliated companies, it said. The British car industry directly employs roughly 186,000 people in the UK, with a total of 856,000 jobs dependent on the sector, according to recent data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The Japanese car manufacturer said the factory closure was the result of a push towards expanding its electric car production. Brexit was not mentioned in the statement, though it remains top of mind as the Brexit deadline approaches next month. This proposal comes as Honda accelerates its commitment to electrified cars, in response to the unprecedented changes in the global automotive industry, Honda (HMC) said in a written statement. The company is expected to consolidate its production in Japan after the country recently signed a free trade deal with the European Union. The significant challenges of electrification will see Honda revise its global manufacturing operations, and focus activity in regions where it expects to have high production volumes, the company said. Industry experts say Brexit also played a huge role in the decision. I have listened to several Honda senior executives [at a recent industry event] saying that membership of the [EU] customs union was needed for them to operate in the UK This should not come as a surprise to anyone who took the industry warnings seriously, said Oxford professor Matthias Holweg, who specialises in manufacturing and operations management. Story continues Hondas Swindon car and engine factory employs 3,500 people. Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images Holweg noted that the EU-Japan free trade deal also factored into the plan to move production back to Hondas home base. Hondas Swindon factory built just over 160,000 Civic cars last year, or about one in every 10 British-made cars. The cars are shipped to 70 countries around the world. READ MORE: The big electric car launches to expect in 2019 The UK governments business secretary Greg Clark called the move a bitter blow for workers. The automotive industry is undergoing a rapid transition to new technology. The UK is one of the leaders in the development of these technologies and so it is deeply disappointing that this decision has been taken now, the MP said in a written statement. The factory closure announcement comes just weeks after Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to cut 4,500 jobs, or about 10% of its workforce. Ford (F) is also cutting thousands of jobs in Europe, with Unite the Union previously warning that the American company would cut about 1,150 jobs in the UK. Another Japanese car company Nissan (7201.T) said this month that it wouldnt build its X-Trail SUV in the UK as previously planned. Instead, production of the cars will move to Japan. Nissans Europe chairman Gianluca de Ficchy said at the time that continued uncertainty around the UKs future relationship with the EU is not helping companies like ours to plan for the future. The new X-Trail would have created roughly 740 new jobs at Nissans British factory. Honda also said last month that it would shut its British operations for six days in April to help counter any border disruption from Britains planned departure from the European Union. READ MORE: What is a no-deal Brexit? Industry executives and experts have warned for years that Brexit posed a potentially insurmountable challenge for the car industry as it threatened to stop the seamless flow of trade in cars and parts between the UK and EU. More than half of all cars built in the UK are shipped to the European Union, with zero tariffs and virtually no border checks between both sides. Brexit is scheduled for 29 March and the risk remains of a no-deal Brexit, where the UK and European Union are unable to finalise their divorce. This is expected to create huge slowdowns at the border, new tariffs, and a sharp negative reaction in financial and currency markets. The car industry is also suffering from a sharp drop in demand for diesel vehicles in Europe, along with a shift in consumer tastes towards SUVs and away from small cars. Plus, US-China trade tensions, which led to a recent drop in Chinese vehicle demand, have been a big problem for many players. These issues, alongside Brexit, have also been blamed for recent upheaval in the industry. A gigantic statue of what appears to depict President Donald Trump as a horrifying Twitter sword-wielding God-Emperor character from the Warhammer 40,000 video games loomed over Italy during a weekend parade over the weekend. Fabrizio Galli, the creator of the menacing sculpture, said he was inspired by Warhammer 40,000 because the period of intellectual debate has been long gone, and that the world has now entered the era of fantasy and virtual life. The Trump-like statue is carrying a sword with the Italian phrase dazi vostri, inscribed and blue Twitter birds fluttering around the weapon. Speaking with the Italian press, Mr Galli said the phrase in the sword can also mean heres your f***ing tarrifs. On Twitter, Italian social media users pointed out that the Italian phrase is a play on cazzi vostri, which translates to none of your f***ing business. The Twitter sword is a joke, the Italian artist said. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Its a joke, but in fact hes trying to destroy nations with the economy instead of nuclear missiles, Mr Galli told the Italian media. This is one of the strongest actions, lets say, that powerful people like Trump can use. The frightening sculpture, sitting atop a float named Master Drone, is seen waving his clawed hand while scowling at onlookers. The statue was made for the Carnevale Di Viarreggio, an annual festival, known for its papier-mache sculptures, with about 600,000 people attending in Tuscany. Mr Galli gave a more in-depth explanation on the festivals website about how the American president, which he snidely referred to as God Emperor Trump, inspired him to create the sculpture. Donald wants to go back to the moon, travel to Mars and create the first space army, Mr Galli said. Ultras Marines? Mega Marines? The time of intellectuals, philosophers and of old and worn culture is over. We have entered the era of fantasy, [video games] and virtual life. He added, the Master-Drone flies over the Viareggio boardwalk as we prepare to pay the price. Tokyo (AFP) - Elin McCready, a transgender woman, has been married for 19 years, but registering her female identity and name has thrown her union into jeopardy because Japan doesn't recognise gay marriage. "We've effectively broken the system," said McCready, a 45-year-old American, who has three children with her Japanese wife Midori. "Their options are to say 'Okay, we allow your marriage', in which case they have set a precedent for same-sex marriage, or to say 'No, we don't allow your marriage,' in which case they have to unilaterally cancel our marriage without our consent." McCready changed her gender marker and name in Texas last year as part of her transition process. She got a new US passport and had no trouble updating her residency card in Japan, where she is a permanent resident. But changes to residency cards must be registered with the local government, and when officials there realised that McCready was married, the process ground to a halt. "They sent it to the Tokyo government, the Tokyo government also didn't want to make a decision and sent it to the national government, and then it's been in committee ever since. More than three months," she said. A linguistics professor at Tokyo's Aoyama Gakuin University, McCready believes she is the first person to have presented Japanese authorities with this particular dilemma. Under Japanese law, transgender people can only change their gender markers if they meet certain conditions, including being unmarried, having no minor children, and having no reproductive capacity. A Supreme Court decision recently upheld those conditions, which can require transgender people to effectively undergo sterilisation in order to change their documents. But McCready changed her documents abroad and her marriage has long been registered in Japan, so she finds herself in an apparently unique situation. - 'I have a responsibility - Story continues Her status as a permanent resident means she isn't at risk of deportation if recognition of her marriage changes. "I'm in a position to make the challenge... So I feel I have a responsibility to everybody else," she said, as her youngest son Tyler played video games behind her. Elin and Midori mark their 19th wedding anniversary this month, and have three sons, aged 17, 16 and nine. They remain close-knit despite the changes to their family unit. Several years ago, McCready told Midori she wanted to see a gender therapist, and then that she was ready to take hormones. "It's been complicated, as you can imagine, it has been difficult. But we have found a way to be," McCready says of the couple's relationship. And the pair say their sons quickly accepted the transition and now correct people who use Elin's former name. "Fortunately my parents are quite open-minded, and the friends we have are pretty open-minded," said Midori. - 'We don't want to split up' - She is insistent that despite the changes in her marriage, her relationship with Elin and their family remains the same. "For me, Elin is a wonderful parent, a wonderful partner... she's the person I respect most in the world," Midori explained. "The thing that hasn't changed is the importance of our family to both of us and the fact that neither of us has any desire to go out and form a new family," the 48-year-old added. Last month a poll in Japan found 78 percent of people aged between 20 and 59 support recognition of gay marriage. But support drops off among older people, which is significant in Japan's ageing society. And for now there is little sign of legislative change. In a bid to push the issue forward, 13 same-sex couples filed suits on Valentine's Day accusing the government of discrimination for failing to recognise their unions. They argue they are being denied rights accorded heterosexual couples and hope courts will declare the government's position unconstitutional. Contacted by AFP about McCready's case, an official at the Internal Affairs ministry's foreign resident registry would say only that officials are "still discussing the case, making inquiries to relevant ministries." For now, McCready remains in limbo, unable to act until she gets a decision. "If they say no, we will resort to legal means," she said. "We don't want to split up," she said, adding: "Why does the government have the right to split us up?" MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) - French police shot dead a man in central Marseille on Tuesday after he stabbed four people in the southern port city, in an attack that did not appear to be terrorism-related, police sources said. The assailant tried to take a gun out to fire on police officers before they shot him, the source said. The man wounded two people on a tram and two people in the street, one of them seriously. (Reporting by Jean-Francois Rosnoblet; writing by John Irish; editing by Richard Lough) Paris (AFP) - French investigators have identified around 40 unsolved disappearances and other cold cases potentially linked to a former soldier who was arrested last year and charged with two murders in southeast France. Nordahl Lelandais has already confessed to the killing of a hitchhiking soldier in April 2017, and the abduction and murder of an eight-year-old schoolgirl in August 2017. He has also been charged with the sexual assault of two second cousins, both minors. After just over a year of reviewing Lelandais's background and movements, police say he could be connected with around 40 unsolved cases, mainly in the Rhone-Alpes region. "At this point, Nordahl Lelandais hasn't been formally and legally implicated in any of these cases," Jean-Philippe Lecouffe of the national gendarmerie military police force told journalists at its headquarters outside Paris on Monday. Most of the cases are unsolved disappearances, while fewer than a dozen involve minors, said Lecouffe, who didn't rule out the possibility that more cases might come under review. He did not disclose the specific cases under review, but they may include the 2011 disappearance of a man at the Elements electronic music festival near the Albertville ski resort, French media reported. A second partygoer went missing at the same event the year after, reports said. At the same time Lecouffe said the review had determined Lelandais probably was not involved in the 2003 disappearance of 24-year-old Belgian chef Adrien Mourialme, who was working in a restaurant on the banks of the picturesque Lake Annecy before he went missing in July 2017. A source close to the inquiry later told AFP the review had also ruled out Lelandais's involvement in a famously unsolved murder case near the Alpine village of Chevaline in 2012, when a British-Iraqi family and a cyclist were gunned down in broad daylight. No motive has been found by police in that case despite exhaustive investigations in Britain, France and Iraq. Best Life The U.S. has really opened back up over the last month, and fully vaccinated individuals have been told it's safe to live their lives, essentially as they had been pre-pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been encouraging fully vaccinated individuals to "resume activities that they did prior to the pandemic," but there is still a very small risk that you could get infected with COVID even once you've been fully vaccinated. While many of these casesknown as a "break Sao Paulo (AFP) - US automaker Ford said Tuesday it was pulling out of the commercial heavy truck business in South America, closing a plant in Brazil employing 2,800 workers that has been operating for half a century. The decision was made "as part of a comprehensive redesign of its global business," and after it decided that other options, such as partnerships, would not be viable, Ford said in a statement. The affected factory, in Sao Bernardo do Campo south of the megacity Sao Paulo, makes Cargo-model heavy trucks, F-4000 and F-350 pickup trucks and Ford Fiesta small cars. Ford has been operating the plant since October 1967. "We know this action will have a major impact on our employees in Sao Bernardo and we will be working closely with all our stakeholders on the next steps," said Ford's South America chief, Lyle Watters. He said Ford was intent on maintaining a "profitable business" and "a leaner, more agile business model." The company said it was shifting its focus in South America to reduce payroll costs, boost its offering of popular SUVs and pickups, and extend partnerships such as one it announced last month with Volkswagen to jointly develop commercial vans and mid-sized pickups. The closure of the Sao Bernardo do Camp factory "during 2019" would generate a one-off charge of some $460 million, most of it to terminate contracts with workers, dealers and suppliers, the statement said. Ford says that the worldwide, pre-tax cost of its global reorganization would be $11 billion. Last month, the US auto giant reported a fourth-quarter loss of $112 million following weak performance in China and Europe, despite higher revenues. That was a big slump compared to the $2.5 billion profit recorded a year earlier. Last year, Ford announced it would halt production of almost all sedans and small cars in the United States to save $11 billion. It has also announced restructuring of its European operations, including thousands of potential job cuts. Story continues Ford's decision is a blow to the pro-business agenda of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is hoping to emulate US counterpart Donald Trump with policies to nurture investment and industry. The regional Metalworkers Union covering workers at the Ford plant in Brazil said they had learned of the decision to close it "with indignation and rage." Its leader, Wagner Santana, said in a statement that Ford "will have to pay the price for the decision it is taking" and warned: "We are going to fight to have this decision reversed." Princess Diana 1988 Diana wore a scarlet Chanel suit when she arrived in Paris in October 1988 [Photo: PA] Having been at the helm of Chanel since 1983 until his death on Tuesday, Karl Lagerfeld has dressed everyone from A-listers to supermodels and royalty. The German-born artistic director once said of the Queen: She is never ridiculous; she is flawless. For this job, in our day, she is perfect. He reportedly even begged his parents to buy him his first TV set so he could watch Her Majestys coronation in 1953. Princess Diana dressed head-to-toe in Chanel for her first official to Paris in 1988 and owned a number of now iconic pastel skirt suits. She reportedly no longer wanted to wear accessories with the interlocking double C logo after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996. The initials apparently reminded her of Charles and his then-lover Camilla Parker Bowles, but she did continue to wear her couture pieces. Camilla, now Duchess of Cornwall, has stayed loyal to a pair of monochrome pumps by the French fashion house for more than a decade now. But its not just the older generation who have worn the fashion houses wares. The Duchess of Cambridge thrilled when she wore a tweed Chanel coat dress and burgundy enamel bag for a visit to Paris in 2017. While the Duchess of Sussex hasnt publicly worn any of Lagerfelds pieces as a member of the Royal Family, the mum-to-be has been spotted carrying the Chanel Gabrielle bag previously. Take a look at all the royals who have worn Chanel. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: 21 of Karl Lagerfelds most memorable (and controversial) quotes Karl Lagerfelds legacy: The Chanel designers career in pictures Karl Lagerfeld dead at 85 celebrities pay tribute to Chanels legendary designer Stable government has raised hopes for Nepalis living abroad to return Speakers at a Kantipur Conclave session on Monday unanimously said that political stability-and a stable government-have raised hopes for Nepalis living abroad to return home and do something for themselves and the country. The Bramble Cay which was formally declared extinct as a result of human-induced climate change in Australia this week. (Queensland Government) This tiny rodent is the first known mammal to become formally extinct as a consequence of human-induced climate change. The Morrison government, in Queensland, Australia, changed the status of the Bramble Cay melomys from endangered to extinct on Monday, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Geoff Richardson, an environment department official, told Senate estimates on Monday night that research efforts since 2014 including a pretty rushed trip in 2015 had failed to identify any melomys individuals in their only known location on Bramble Cay, a tiny Torres Strait island near Papua New Guinea. Declaring its extinction was not a decision to take lightly, Mr Richardson said. Theres always a delay while the evidence is gathered to be absolutely certain. The rat-like Bramble Cay melomys has not been spotted in its habitat, which is a sandy island in far northern Australia since a decade The federal extinction listing comes almost three years after the Queensland government reached a similar conclusion, with a finding that the demise of the melomys probably represents the first recorded mammalian extinction due to anthropogenic climate change. The limited range of the animal, living on a five-hectare island less than three metres high, left it vulnerable to climate change. However, its 2008 recovery plan, drawn up when numbers were likely down to just dozens of individuals, downplayed the risks. [T]he likely consequences of climate change, including sea-level rise and increase in the frequency and intensity of tropical storms, are unlikely to have any major impact on the survival of the Bramble Cay melomys in the life of this plan, the five-year scheme stated. Leeanne Enoch, Queenslands Environment Minister, said the animals extinction showed we are living the real effects of climate change right now. We have consistently called on [Prime Minister] Scott Morrison and Melissa Price to show leadership on climate change, instead of burying their heads in the sand. Minister Melissa Price said: [It is] incredibly disappointing when any species is formally declared extinct, and everybody has feared the worst for some time, given the Bramble Cay melomys hasnt been sighted since 2009. Story continues Our agencies will continue to focus their efforts on protecting species identified as priorities, supported by the Governments $425 million investment in threatened species programs. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Courtesy Nicole Palermo A twitch in her right pinky finger? Weird, thought 18-year-old Olivia Palermo, but hardly alarming. It was the summer of 2018, she had just graduated from high school, and Palermo was celebrating with friends away from her home in Baltimore, Maryland; she wasn't about to miss the fun over a minor concern. Little did Palermo realize that the twitch was a sign that her brain was in danger. The twitch continued when she was back home, and Palermo assumed it was due to dehydration and late nights. Although she drank more water and went to bed earlier, the symptom persisted. "The twitching spread to all of the fingers on my right hand, and then they began to cramp. I couldn't straighten my fingers and my hand became stiff. I knew something wasn't right." A restaurant hostess at the time, Palermo noticed that she was beginning to struggle to form words when taking reservations. "It felt like every word was forced. I knew what I wanted to say, but it was physically difficult to speak at that point." Alarmed, Palermo's mother made a doctor's appointment for the next day. "He said my symptoms were all physical symptoms of anxiety and sent me to a therapist, which was no help at all." Palermo's symptoms only got worse. "The twitching continued, and my speech was slurring. It sounded like my mouth was filled with marbles. Then I started having trouble sleeping." The psychiatrist put Palermo on anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication, and once her insomnia began, heavy sleep aids. Nothing worked. "It felt as if I had sleep paralysis. My body would be unable to move, but my brain never turned off. I would wake in the morning with my heart racing, feeling as though I was in the middle of a panic attack." At one point, she had not slept in 25 days. She began hallucinating, hearing voices, and drifting in and out of lucidness. Her psychiatrist prescribed more sleep meds, but nothing eased her insomnia. When asked if she was suicidal, Palermo replied that she wasand that led to a short stint in a psychiatric facility. " I knew I didn't need to be there, and my parents checked me out after a few days. I spent that entire month in our basement. I didn't want to leave the house or speak to anyone." Make sure you know the 50 health symptoms you should never ignore. Story continues Courtesy Nicole Palermo One morning Palermo awoke to a bruised tongue; she thought she may have bit it in her sleep. The truth was much more disturbing: During a family dinner at a restaurant, she had a seizure. "My parents tell me I began rocking back and forth, making repetitive sounds. I didn't recognize my mom or my dad. I have no memory of any of it. It was then they knew something was truly wrong." Palermo's psychiatrist put her through some basic mental tests: "I couldn't write my name or read. I couldn't recognize simple shapes. She watched me walk, and I had deteriorated so much by then I had to hold on to things to get around." The psychiatrist referred Palermo to The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where, because of her previous admission to a psychiatric facility, she was sent immediately to the psychiatric department. "They said I was possibly schizophrenicbut I knew that wasn't the problem at all." Desperate for the truth, Palermo's parents got her discharged from the hospital and made an appointment with neurologist James F. Wolf, MD. For the first time in a long time, Palermo felt hope. "Dr. Wolf looked at me and said 'I believe you and I will diagnose you. This is not a psychiatric problem.'" After two normal MRI scans, Dr. Wolf suspected Palermo was suffering from some form of encephalitisbrain inflammationand ordered blood tests. When the results came back, Dr. Wolf gave Palermo a thumbs up; his hunch was correct. "I felt like everything was going to be alright once I saw that." Palermo was diagnosed in August 2018, with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, an autoimmune disorder in which the body's defenses mistakenly attack the brain, triggering inflammation. Researchers aren't sure why the immune system turns on the brain, but some believe it may be the result of chronic infections such as the herpes simplex virus. The condition strikes young people primarily30 percent of patients are under the age of 18. "The illness starts with flu-like symptoms," explains Ava Easton, PhD, chief executive officer of the Encephalitis Society, "and is followed by the development of psychotic symptoms, seizures, memory issues, and decreased consciousness. Most patients present to the hospital in the psychotic stage. Three-quarters of them have seen by a psychiatrist and nearly half of them are misdiagnosed with a psychiatric condition." Here are more silent signs your body could be in trouble. Courtesy Nicole Palermo Palermo's treating physician, Arun Venkatesan, MD, PhD, director of the Johns Hopkins Encephalitis Center and a member of the the Encephalitis Society Scientific Advisory Panel, explains to Reader's Digest: "Treatment involves quieting down the immune system since this is a condition in which the patient's own immune system is attacking their brain cells. There are a number of ways to do this, including oral medications, and IV infusions." Palermo was treated with steroid medications and infusions in the hospital; over the next few months, she began to regain her mental and physical abilities. Today, Palermo has made a full recovery and she's attending college. She hopes to one day become a nurse. For nowespecially with World Encephalitis Day coming up on February 22, she has one message: "I want others with this to know that it will take time and patience, but things will get better." Next, find out the 42 strange symptoms that can signal serious disease. Dillard's, Inc. DDS is likely to witness a marginal decline in the bottom line when this departmental store chain reports fourth-quarter fiscal 2018 numbers. In the preceding quarter, this Arkansas-based company had posted dismal earnings, which also fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, the company delivered average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 21.2%. Coming back to the quarter under review, we note that the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $2.80, reflecting a dip of 0.7% from $2.82 earned in the year-ago period. Notably, estimates moved north over the past seven days. For revenues, the consensus mark stands at $2,003 million, reflecting nearly 5% decline from the year-ago quarter number. Dillard's, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Dillard's, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Dillard's, Inc. Quote Factors That Hold the Key to Dillard's Performance In the retail apparel space, Dillard's remains prone to the challenging trends due to changing customer preferences. In the last reported quarter, increased markdowns significantly dented margins and weighed on the companys bottom-line performance. Consolidated gross margin reflected greater decline than gross margin for retail operations as volume for the lower-margin CDI business improved. Stiff competition in the industry remains an added concern. These headwinds are likely to persist in the to-be-reported quarter. For fiscal 2018, the company had earlier projected rentals of approximately $29 million. While net interest and debt expenses are anticipated to be $54 million, depreciation and amortization expenses are projected to be $225 million. Further, it expects capital expenditures of about $140 million for the fiscal year. Nevertheless, Dillards is expected to benefit from growth opportunities in both its brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce business. On the store front, the company will gain by enhancing brand relations, focusing on in-trend categories and store remodels, and rewarding store personnel. Meanwhile, some of the strategies to boost its e-commerce business include enhancement of merchandise assortments and effective inventory management. Further, the company has been witnessing higher comparable store sales backed by exclusive merchandise offerings and robust store-growth efforts. Solid performance across most of its product categories also drives optimism. What Does the Zacks Model Unveil? Our proven model does not conclusively show that Dillard's is likely to beat estimates in fourth-quarter fiscal 2018. This is because a stock needs to have both a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) and a positive Earnings ESP for this to happen. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Although Dillard's has a Zacks Rank #3 that increases the predictive power of earnings beat, an Earnings ESP of -2.68% makes surprise prediction difficult. 3 Stocks With Favorable Combination Here are three companies you may want to consider as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat: Abercrombie & Fitch ANF has an Earnings ESP of +0.94% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. AEO has an Earnings ESP of +0.60% and a Zacks Rank #2. The Home Depot, Inc. HD has an Earnings ESP of +1.22% and a Zacks Rank #3. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Abercrombie & Fitch Company (ANF) : Free Stock Analysis Report American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Dillard's, Inc. (DDS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. (Reuters) - The fate of foreigners who joined Islamic State has become an increasingly urgent issue as U.S.-backed fighters prepare to capture the militant group's last stronghold in eastern Syria. The Kurdish-led, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they are holding 800 foreign fighters, with 700 of their wives and 1,500 of their children living separately in camps. Dozens more militants and family members have been arriving daily. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday European countries must do more to take back their citizens or they will be released. The SDF says it has no intention of freeing them, but they could escape in future if the area is attacked. European countries say they are working on how to deal with their citizens who want to come home, including investigating and prosecuting those guilty of crimes. But they say this is made more complicated because diplomats cannot operate in territory held by the SDF, which is not internationally recognised, and they worry that the Trump administration's decision to withdraw its 2,000-strong force from Syria means there will not be enough time to respond. According to European police agency Europol, some 5,000 Europeans -- most from Britain, France, Germany and Belgium -- went to fight in Syria and Iraq, of whom some 1,500 have returned. Following is a breakdown by country of Europeans believed to have travelled to Syria or Iraq. BRITAIN: British officials estimate around 900 people from the United Kingdom went to the Syria region. Around a fifth have died and about half have returned, so around 360 remain in the region. Officials noted that not all of those who went to the Syria region were extremists: some went with genuine charitable intentions. Of those who went to fight, not all joined Islamic State, though most of those left in the region are thought to represent militant elements. The issue has gained greater attention in recent days as news organisations have run interviews with Shamima Begum, a pregnant 19-year-old who left London to become an Islamic State bride as a schoolgirl. Story continues BELGIUM: The Belgian threat assessment centre OCAD/OCAM says 442 Belgians left for Syria or Iraq, of whom 130 have returned and 142 have been killed. Six Belgian men, 17 women and 32 children are being held in Syria, and two men are jailed in Iraq. DENMARK: The latest data available from Denmark's security and intelligence service dates to January 2018. The authorities believe at least 150 people have left Denmark for Syria or Iraq since the summer of 2012 to join militant Islamist groups. More than a third have returned to Denmark and at least a quarter are presumed dead. Roughly one fifth are still in the conflict zone, with the rest located in third countries. FRANCE: French officials and the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence estimate that 800-1,500 people have travelled from France to join Islamic State. French officials estimate that around 300 have been killed and a similar number have returned to France. Of those that remain in Syria and Iraq, diplomats and military officials said two weeks ago that Kurdish-led forces were holding about 150 French citizens in northeastern Syria. An estimated 100 French citizens are believed to be left in the last pocket of Islamic State fighters, although it is not clear if that includes families and children. A further 150 French fighters and children are in Idlib, French officials have said. GERMANY: According to the German authorities, around 1050 people from Germany have travelled to Syria and Iraq since 2013, around one third of whom have returned. Around 270 women and children from Germany are now in Syria and Iraq. Around 75 percent of the children are under the age of three years old and believed to have been born in the conflict zone. The Interior Ministry estimates the number of Germans in the custody of the Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria as in the high double digits. NETHERLANDS: The Dutch intelligence agency AIVD says about 315 people left the Netherlands for Syria or Iraq with the intention of joining the militants, about two thirds of them men and one third women. About 55 are believed to have returned, 85 are believed to have died, 135 are still in the conflict area and 40 are either in third countries or in detention in the region. Sources told Reuters last year that as many as 175 children with the right to Dutch citizenship were believed to be in the conflict zone. SWITZERLAND: In its 2018 annual report, Switzerland's intelligence service identified 93 cases of jihadi travellers who had left the country for war zones, including 79 who went to Syria or Iraq. Dozens of them had died and 16 had returned to Switzerland, it said. (Compiled by Peter Graff; Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel, Luke Baker, Guy Faulconbridge, Riham Alkousaa, Stine Jacobsen and Michael Shields) (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Southwest Airlines Co for widespread failure to accurately track the combined weight of checked bags loaded onto its jets, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The U.S. aviation safety agency's year-long civil probe found systemic and significant mistakes with employee calculations and luggage-loading practices, resulting in potential discrepancies when pilots compute takeoff weights, the Journal reported, citing government officials and internal agency documents The FAA has not decided whether to impose fines or any other punishment, the report cited people familiar with the investigation as saying. The inaccuracies ranged from a few dozen pounds to more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg) in excess of what the paperwork indicated, sparking disputes between the company and some agency inspectors about potential safety consequences, the report said. A company spokeswoman said there was an open Letter of Investigation (LOI), which is a common mechanism for the FAA to document and share safety interests or concerns with an airline. The airline has not been issued fines and faces no enforcement action regarding its weight and balance program, Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King said. "In this case, the LOI addresses an issue that Southwest voluntarily reported to the FAA last year and since that time, Southwest has implemented controls to address weight and balance program concerns, and shared those measures with the FAA," King said. The FAA said in a statement it initiated a probe against Southwest in 2018 regarding weight and balance performance data. "Since that time, the FAA has directed the development of a comprehensive solution to the methods and processes used by Southwest Airlines to determine this performance data," it said in the statement. "The FAA will not close its investigation until it is satisfied that Southwests corrective actions are consistent and sustained." (Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Peter Cooney) By Allison Lampert and Hyonhee Shin MONTREAL/SEOUL (Reuters) - The United States has blocked efforts by a U.N. agency to improve civil aviation in North Korea at a time when Pyongyang is trying to reopen part of its airspace to foreign flights, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The U.S. move is part of a negotiating tactic to maintain sanctions pressure on North Korea, one of the sources said, ahead of a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam in late February. Washington is seeking concrete commitments from Pyongyang at the summit to abandon its nuclear and missile programs. The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), with 192 member countries, has been working with Pyongyang to open a new air route that would pass through North and South Korean airspace. Airlines currently take indirect routings to avoid North Korea due to the threat of unannounced missile launches, which have been witnessed by some passengers on commercial flights. If the space was deemed safe, international airlines could save fuel and time on some routes between Asia and Europe and North America, and North Korea could begin reviving its own commercial aviation industry. The cash-strapped country has a population of more than 25 million but its economy has been squeezed by a series of sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Montreal-based ICAO was prepared to help improve North Korea's aviation system by leading training sessions between its military and civil aviation staff, two sources said. North Korea also asked ICAO for access to U.S.-produced aeronautical charts, they said. U.S SEEKS LEVERAGE But the United States discouraged the U.N. agency from helping North Korea with its air program as Washington wanted to "pool all the leverages and incentives" until Pyongyang makes substantial progress on denuclearization, a third source said. "They would keep tight hold of all available leverage to make sure there is no loophole until the North Koreans take action that deserves a reward," the source said. All sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. ICAO cannot impose binding rules on governments, but wields clout through its safety and security standards which are approved by its member states. Asked for comment, a U.S. State Department official said it does not publicly discuss details of diplomatic conversations. An ICAO spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. South Korea's foreign ministry declined to comment, and North Korean mission to the United Nations in New York did not respond to a request for comment. In 2017, the United States proposed the U.N. Security Council freeze the assets of state-carrier Air Koryo, which flies to a handful of cities in China and Russia, as part of new sanctions on Pyongyang. The measure was dropped during negotiations between the 15 members. Airlines including Air Koryo and Air China Ltd offer less than 200,000 available seats a year in the North Korean market, according to a January note from independent research firm CAPA Centre for Aviation. That compares with over 13 million seats available in the South Korean market, which has roughly double the population, CAPA said. The biggest beneficiaries of lifting air restrictions over North Korea would be South Korean carriers including Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines Inc, according to CAPA. DENUCLEARIZATION PRESSURE The United States has doubled down on sanctions enforcement ahead of the planned second summit amid concerns Pyongyang is not committed to denuclearization, though Washington promised to relax some rules on humanitarian aid. South and North Korea, meanwhile, have rapidly advanced relations, which prompted U.S. officials to openly warn against moving too quickly without sufficient progress on denuclearization. A fourth source told Reuters that the U.S. move to facilitate humanitarian aid was intended to appease South Korea, facing some complaints that Washington is not willing to make any concessions. "But they made it clear that there will be no relief of economic sanctions until they see substantial progress," said the source who also spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. (Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal and Hyonhee Shin in Seoul. Additional reporting by Jamie Freed in Singapore, David Shepardson in Washington and Michelle Nichols in New York; Editing by Tracy Rucinski and Lincoln Feast) Ryanair changed its baggage policy for the second time in a year - Thomas M. Barwick INC Ryanair likes to keep its passengers on their toes when it comes to baggage. The most recent change to the airline's policy came last year, further restricting what passengers can take on its aircraft for free. Here we outline how the changes will affect your trip. What has Ryanair done? Since November 1, 2018, passengers have only been permitted to travel with one small bag (35cm x 20cm x 20cm) free of charge. Previously, the airline permitted all customers to travel with two items of hand luggage: one small bag and one large bag (no bigger than 55x40x20cm and no heavier than 10kg). However, if they were Non-Priority, the larger bag was taken at the gate and put in the hold free of charge. Now, however, passengers are faced with a decision. Travel with just a small bag; pay the Priority fee (which costs 6 per person per flight at the time of booking or 8 during online check-in); or pay 8 per person per flight to check their 10kg bag into the hold. If they turn up at the gate with a bag bigger than 35cm x 20cm x 20cm, and have not paid extra, they face a 25 charge. Why have they done it? Despite reporting a steep decline in baggage revenue in 2017, the airline claimed the changes are not about making money, but about speeding up the boarding process and reducing delays. It also insisted that only 40 per cent of its passengers have been affected, as 30 per cent already pay the Priority fee, and a further 30 per cent already travel with just a small bag. Ryanair claimed that 60 per cent of its customers will be unaffected by these changes, but it looks as though the remaining 40 per cent will either have to dramatically reduce the amount of luggage they travel with, or pay 12-16 extra on a return fare, said Nick Trend, Telegraph Travels consumer expert. Given that Ryanair says its average fare is about 71 return, that represents an increase of 17-22.5 per cent for many of its passengers. Passengers are no longer able to travel with a 10kg case for free Credit: GETTY I want to travel with a 10kg bag which fee should I pay? Story continues Should you prefer to travel with a larger carry-on case, the best course of action is pretty obvious. Pay the Priority fee. It costs less (6 vs 8) and you wont be delayed queueing at Ryanairs bag drop desk before you go through security. Furthermore, if your luggage has slipped over the 10kg limit, theres a good chance it will be spotted at the bag drop desk (and youll be charged extra). However, Priority tickets are capped at 95 per flight, roughly half the capacity of a typical Ryanair flight, so you might want to pay the fee sooner rather than later. How strict is Ryanair being and can I get away with a backpack? After a period of leniency throughout November and December, during which Ryanair let passengers with bags larger than the 35cm x 20cm x 20cm limit off with a warning, Ryanair is now enforcing the 25 fines. I usually travel with a backpack that exceeds these dimensions, but have always been allowed to take it on board despite never paying the Priority fee. I do not always see measuring devices at the gate, and staff appear to allow a bit of wiggle room when it comes to rucksacks and small holdalls, focusing their attention on wheelie bags, but have they become more attentive now the new rules are in effect? Its certainly a risky business for travellers. As mentioned above, if their bag is deemed too big at the gate, they will be forced to pay a whopping fine of 25. There was certainly some confusion in the immediate wake of the rules coming into effect. Having changed its baggage rules several times in the last few years, passengers could well be caught unawares, raising the prospect of arguments at the gate and the sort of delays that Ryanair is apparently so keen to eliminate. Ryanair said the policy will cut delays Credit: AFP It all sounds overcomplicated As I argued recently, Ryanairs baggage and boarding policies have become increasingly baffling over the last year or two. Its passengers could once travel safe in the knowledge that, so long as their cabin bag was the right size and weight, they wouldnt be stung by any extra fees. Now, unless you fancy a long weekend with just the tiniest amount of luggage, and dont mind being split up from your travelling companions because you havent paid for allocated seating, its optional charges are unavoidable. Why doesnt Ryanair just install bigger overhead bins? It will but not until later this year. Boeing offers Space Bins on its new 737 MAX aircraft, which are designed to provide 50 per cent more storage space, holding up to six standard size cabin bags two more than usual. Ryanair is waiting on more than 100 737 MAXs, the first of which will be delivered in the spring. Not that this will necessarily trigger a baggage policy rethink. The 737MAX will arrive to serve Ryanair imminently Credit: BOEING Has Wizz Air changed its bag policy too? Correct. Wizz Air used to charge for hand luggage, but scrapped the fee in 2017. Now, as of February 1, 2019, it has very similar rules to Ryanair. Its passengers are allowed one small bag on board free of charge (40cm x 30cm x 20cm, so a tad more generous than Ryanair), but only Wizz Priority customers are permitted to travel with their standard carry-on case (up to 55cm x 40cm x 23cm). The options? Travel with a small bag, pay the Priority fee (between 5 and 12), or check your larger 10kg carry-on case into the hold at a cost of 7 per person per flight. Just like Ryanair, it said the clear and fair policy is an attempt to cut down on baggage-related delays and enhance the passenger experience. Passengers want unbundled products and that is at the heart of Wizz Airs ultra-low-cost model, said Johan Eidhagen, the airlines chief marketing officer. We want to offer our customers the lowest possible fares as well as a transparent view of ticket pricing. We are delighted to introduce our new, transparent and fair-for-all baggage policy which offers the widest selection of baggage choices for our customers, while allowing a free carry-on bag for every passenger. We are convinced that our versatile offer of more than 50 baggage combinations will address the needs of our customers in a personalised manner and our passengers will continue to pay only for those services they want to use. Fifty baggage options? Is that strictly necessary? Apparently dazzling customers with choice is the new ethos of low-cost airlines. Quite how Wizz worked out that passengers now have 50 options were not certain, but on top of of the 40cm x 30cm x 20cm free carry-on, passengers can check a larger bag (55cm x 40cm x 23cm) and up to six big cases weighing a maximum of 20kg (or for an extra fee, up to 32kg). A mathematician must have totted up every conceivable option to deliver the final tally. Wizz Air was one of the first airlines to charge for hand luggage Credit: GETTY Is this the end of free hand luggage? North Americas low-cost carriers have been charging for hand luggage for years. Florida-based Spirit Airlines, for example, which bills itself as an ultra-low-cost carrier, permits a small bag (handbag or laptop bag) on board at no extra cost. Larger hand luggage costs a remarkable $39 per person per flight (30) at the time of booking, or $59 (45) during online check-in, or $69 (53) at the airport. Thats as much are 424 on hand luggage for return flights for a family of four. Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines and Canadas Flair Airlines have similarly swingeing fees, while another Canadian carrier Swoop, which launched last year, charges more for hand luggage (from $36.75) than it does for checked luggage. Even some traditional US carriers now have de facto carry-on bag fees, thanks to the widespread introduction of basic economy fares. Uniteds cheapest fares permit just a single small item of hand luggage (up to 23cm x 25cm x 43cm). Anyone who wants a larger allowance must pay extra. Basic economy on American Airlines comes with similar restrictions, and amounts to a charge for larger items hand luggage. This tiered fare structure introduced by US carriers is certainly catching on around the world. British Airways, Delta, Alitalia, Aer Lingus, SAS, Swiss, TAP Portugal, Austrian, Brussels, KLM and Air France are among those to have adopted it, with the bottom tier variously described as light, economy light and basic. However, they all currently include hand luggage. Funnily enough, one of the few airlines to have held out from introducing baggage charges is the carrier that first inspired Ryanair to go "no frills". Southwest Airlines reiterated recently that it intends to retain its free-luggage policy, no matter what. Remarkable. Is there any benefit to a charge for carry-on luggage? Convincing travellers to abandon their love of the carry-on, and embrace checked luggage, could be positive. It reduces the clutter of bags in the cabin, which has a safety benefit, especially in the event of an emergency evacuation. Furthermore, Devin Liddell, principal strategist at Teague, a design consultancy that specialises in aviation and counts Boeing among its clients, believes if all carry-on bags were banished to the hold the boarding process would be sped up by 80 per cent One provocative option is to ban all large carry-ons, and outfit the aircraft with far slimmer bins meant solely for small bags, he told Telegraph Travel. Limiting cabin bags to computer bags, purses, jackets and the like eliminates the chronic Tetris game were playing with larger roll-aboard bags. Another idea is to reward passengers who arent bringing those large bags aboard through faster screening, reduced fares, preferred seats or even free drinks. By Foo Yun Chee and Nerijus Adomaitis BRUSSELS/OSLO (Reuters) - Antitrust regulators raided salmon farms in several European Union countries on Tuesday, including some owned by Norway's Mowi, in a suspected cartel inquiry. "The Commission has concerns that the inspected companies may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices," it said in a statement. While the Commission did not name the companies involved, Mowi, the world's biggest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon, told Reuters that the EU regulators had raided two of its businesses, in Scotland and the Netherlands. "We have nothing to hide, we are cooperating with the European Commission," Mowi spokesman Ola Helge Hjetland said. Mowi, formerly known as Marine Harvest, changed its name in January as part of a rebranding. Norway's Grieg Seafood said that one of its facilities in Scotland's Shetland Islands had been inspected. "Grieg Seafood aims to be open, transparent and forthcoming and will provide all necessary information requested by the European Commission DG Competition in its investigation," it said in a statement. The Chief Executive of Norway's Salmar, Olav-Andreas Ervik, said that the Commission had raided Scottish Sea Farms, its joint venture with Leroey Seafood. He said the company was also cooperating. Leroey was not immediately available for comment. Among other major salmon companies, Norway Royal Salmon said it was not affected. The Commission said its officials carried out unannounced inspections in several member states and were accompanied by their counterparts from national competition authorities. It did not name the countries. Norway is not an EU member and the Norwegian competition authority was not involved in the EU's investigation, its spokeswoman Margrethe Gudbrandsen said. The Commission said that an inspection was a preliminary step in an investigation and did not mean that the companies were guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor did it pre-judge the outcome of the investigation itself. Story continues Companies found guilty of breaching EU antitrust rules can be fined up to 10 percent of their global turnover. The Commission said there was no legal deadline to complete the investigation. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee in Brussels and Nerijus Adomaitis and Terje Solsvik in Oslo; writing by Alister Doyle; editing by Francesco Guarascio/Alexander Smith/Jane Merriman) London (AFP) - Britain and the EU should be able to reach an unlikely compromise deal on Brexit, former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said Tuesday, citing past last-gasp breakthroughs. The former Portuguese prime minister said European Union leaders had a remarkable capacity for pulling off agreements that seemed impossible. "We are now in what seems a dead end in the negotiations," Barroso told a Euronews Brexit conference in London. "It is possible, with some creativity and imagination to find some kind of compromise. "There is still some room for some negotiation." Citing crises such as the Greek financial collapse, he said: "The European Commission has a remarkable capacity to find compromises that seem impossible until they are done." He said Brussels would "naturally agree" if Britain asked for an extension to its scheduled March 29 departure date. "Everybody needs to move a little," said Barroso, now a non-executive chairman at Goldman Sachs investment bank. "Europe should make an effort to accomodate some of the concerns." - 'Lost opportunity' - Kwasi Kwarteng, a junior minister in the Brexit department, said the government was not looking at extending the departure date and was confident of striking a withdrawal agreement. Prime Minister Theresa May sealed a Brexit deal with Brussels but British MPs overwhelmingly rejected it last month, with Conservative rebels concerned about the Irish border backstop proposals. The backstop is a clause in the withdrawal arrangement that keeps Britain in the EU customs union until a way is found to ensure there is no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. "We're trying to get a concession, a movement, on the backstop. We understand that tackling this issue is a challenge but it is not insurmountable," said Kwarteng. "We can, with enough flexibility and imagination, reach a deal," he said. Story continues Meanwhile Brexit spearhead Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party, said Britain should leave on time on World Trade Organization rules without an agreement with the European Union. "There is a consensus in this country of just get on with it. Leave on WTO rules at 11:00pm on March 29. That is what we should do. It is the only way we can now deliver the Brexit people clearly voted for," he said. "I suspect they're going to kick the can down the road, get an extension. "If we extend for a year or two, then I think we'll see far bigger convulsions in British politics, far bigger earthquakes in our main parties than we even saw in the referendum." Report warns food insecurity is still looming over country Nepal is still facing higher risk of food insecurityone of the major challenges to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, the National Planning Commission has said By Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission will take action against Poland if its government is harassing judges for consulting the European Court of Justice on the legality of Polish reforms, Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said on Tuesday. Timmermans, responsible in the Commission for making sure European Union countries observe the rule of law, was responding to a letter from Poland's biggest judge association Iustitia, which asked him to act. Iustitia urged Timmermans to sue the euroskeptic Polish government over the harassment of judges who question the legality of the government's judicial reforms by asking the opinion of the ECJ. "Every Polish judge is also a European judge, so no one should interfere with the right of a judge to pose questions to the European Court of Justice," Timmermans told reporters on entering a meeting of EU ministers who were to discuss Poland's observance of the rule of law. "If that is becoming something of a structural matter, if judges are being faced with disciplinary measures because they ask questions to the court in Luxembourg, then of course the Commission will have to act," he said, without elaborating. Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been in conflict with the Commission over its handling of Polish courts since the start of 2016. Most EU countries back the Commission. "The combined effect of the legislative changes could put at risk the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers in Poland," German Minister for Europe Michael Roth and French Minister for European Affairs Nathalie Loiseau said in a joint statement at a ministerial meeting with Timmermans. "In this context, the amendments made so far by the Polish authorities are not sufficient," they said, according to delegation officials. PROCEDURE Worried about the government flouting basic democratic standards in the country of 38 million people, the Commission has launched an unprecedented procedure on whether Poland is observing the rule of law, which serves mainly as a means of political pressure. The procedure could lead to the loss of voting power in the EU for a government that does not observe the rule of law. "Sadly, not much has changed and some things even have worsened," Timmermans said. The EU has launched a similar procedure against Hungary, where the authoritarian rule of Prime Minister Viktor Orban is raising concern in other EU countries. Brussels has also warned Romania to stop its push for influence over the judicial system. Iustitia, grouping one third of all Polish judges, wrote to Timmermans to act against repressive disciplinary steps against judges by the National Council of Judiciary, which, under changes made by the government, is now appointed by politicians from the ruling PiS parliamentary majority. "The proceedings are usually initiated against judges who are active in the field of defending the rule of law, among others by educational actions, meetings with citizens, international activity," Iustitia head Krystian Markiewicz wrote in the letter to Timmermans, seen by Reuters. "Therefore I appeal for referring Poland to the Court of Justice of the European Union in connection with the regulations concerning the disciplinary proceedings against judges." (Additional reporting by Joanna Plucinska in Warsaw and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Writing by Jan Strupczewski; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Gareth Jones) Yoda and Luke Skywalker trade Force banter in Empire Strikes Back. (20th Century Fox) The Royal Albert Hall has added Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back to its 2019 Films In Concert series. The acclaimed Star Wars sequel will play with full, live orchestral accompaniment for the first time ever in the UK this September. The film will play the iconic London venue for five performances, with John Williams Oscar-nominated score performed live on stage by the acclaimed Philharmonia Orchestra. Lucy Noble, Artistic Director at the Royal Albert Hall, said: We were delighted to host the UK premiere of Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert last year, one of the most requested films in the ten years that weve been hosting Films in Concert. Were ecstatic that Star Wars is coming back this year, with the most critically-acclaimed and musically ground-breaking movie in the series. The Empire Strikes Back, first released in 1980, is often cited as the best Star Wars film by fans. It sees the Rebellion on the run from the Empire following the destruction of the Death Star. It introduces fan favourite characters Yoda, Lando Calrissian, and Boba Fett, it has the big Darth Vader revEAL, and it ends on one heck of a cliffhanger. Star Wars producers recently halted the unannounced Boba Fett standalone film (20th Century Fox) Star Wars IX, the final film in the sequel trilogy, will hit cinemas in December. The five performances will take place on Saturday 21 September (2:30pm & 7:30pm), Sunday 22 September (1:30pm & 6:30pm), and Monday 23 September (7:30pm). The Films in Concert series celebrates its 10th birthday this year. Since 2009, the shows have sold a total of 498,924 tickets the lucky 500,000th ticket-buyer is set to receive a special prize. Tickets are on sale at 9am on Friday from www.royalalberthall.com, with a Wednesday pre-sale for the venues Friends and Patrons. Previous films to have showcased in the Films In Concert series include Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Gladiator, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Read more Star Wars IX has wrapped Star Wars TV series cast announced Episode 9 to address Fishers death beautifully EMCOR Group, Inc. EME is slated to report fourth-quarter 2018 results on Feb 21, before the opening bell. This mechanical and electrical construction service provider surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last reported quarter. Adjusted earnings of $1.36 per share and revenues of $2.05 billion surpassed estimates by 11.5% and 4.7%, respectively. EMCOR Group, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise EMCOR Group, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | EMCOR Group, Inc. Quote Further, on a year-over-year basis, adjusted earnings improved 24.8%, driven by continued strength in its U.S. Industrial segment, along with robust performance of the U.K. Building Services segment. Revenues also moved up 8.5% year over year. How are Estimates Faring? Lets take a look at the estimate revision trend in order to get a clear picture of what analysts are thinking about the company prior to the earnings release. For the to-be-reported quarter, EMCORs earnings are pegged at $1.36 per share, which marks an increase of 20.4% from the year-ago period. Revenues are estimated to be $2.05 billion, reflecting growth of 2.1% from the year-ago quarter. Factors at Play EMCORs fourth-quarter results are likely to benefit from accretive acquisitions, and higher project activity within health care, commercial and transportation markets. The companys prospects in non-residential markets remain quite impressive, which are likely to help it secure more mid-sized large projects. It is also expanding the ambit of the Industrial business line beyond traditional shop-related operations to explore other profitable works in areas like food processing and power. Overall, robust construction activity, mainly in non-residential markets, is likely to boost profitability. Segment Discussion The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the United States Building Services segments revenues (contributing 23.1% to total revenues) is pegged at $456 million, indicating an increase from $238 million in the year-ago period. The companys two major segments, namely United States Electrical Construction and Facilities Services, and United States Mechanical Construction and Facilities Services have continued to display significant strength in the past three quarters. The upside was primarily driven by higher project activity within health care, commercial and transportation markets. The consensus estimate for the United States Electrical Construction and Facilities Services segments revenues (adding 23.8% to total revenues) is pegged at $496 million, indicating an increase from $479 million in the year-ago period. Further, estimates for the United States Mechanical Construction and Facilities Services segments revenues (37.7% of total revenues in the third quarter) are pegged at $797 million, indicating an increase from $791 million in the year-ago period. EMCOR is expanding the domain of its United States Industrial Services business line beyond traditional shop-related operations to explore other profitable works in areas like food processing and power. The company remains positive about its future prospects to secure more mid-sized large projects in 2018. Moreover, it remains optimistic about the commercial sector going into 2019. Meanwhile, the Industrial segments revenues (accounting for 10.5% of revenues) are estimated to reach $222 million, reflecting an increase from $207 million in the year-ago period. Notably, EMCORs United Kingdom Building Services segment reported 17.1% organic revenue growth in the third quarter of 2018 on the back of new customer wins and expansion of existing relationships. Its commercial, institutional, and water and wastewater markets have been performing well of late, given new contract wins. Moreover, the consensus mark for the said segments revenues (5.4% of total revenues in the third quarter) is pegged at $101 million, reflecting an increase from $97 million a year ago. What Our Model Indicates Our proven model does not suggest a beat for EMCOR in the quarter to be reported. This is because a stock needs to have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to beat estimates. Earnings ESP: The Earnings ESP for the company is -0.74% as the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at $1.35 while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pinned at $1.36. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Zacks Rank: EMCOR currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. Meanwhile, we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Stocks to Consider Here are some other construction companies that you may also want to consider, as our model shows that these too have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the upcoming releases: Toll Brothers, Inc. TOL has an Earnings ESP of +1.91% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Winnebago Industries, Inc. WGO has an Earnings ESP of +10.80% and a Zacks Rank #3. Forterra, Inc. FRTA has an Earnings ESP of +8.99% and a Zacks Rank #2. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report FORTERRA INC (FRTA) : Free Stock Analysis Report EMCOR Group, Inc. (EME) : Free Stock Analysis Report Winnebago Industries, Inc. (WGO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Toll Brothers Inc. (TOL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Electric utilities across the United States are overspending by billions as theyve ramped up spending on aging transmission lines and other equipment, recent reviews show, with no competition and no upfront scrutiny in many cases. That means higher electric bills for customers forced to pay off the costs, critics charge. And lives could be saved, as well as dollars, experts add, if rather than merely replacing hulking, out-of-date equipment, innovative technology was installed in wildfire-prone areas, for instance. Big picture: You can save lots of money potentially by having these technologies included, said Jon Wellinghoff, former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. " And potentially yes ... you could save lives." An estimated $8 billion in savings in five years could be achieved if just a third of all major transmission projects across the nation were opened up to competition, according to a report by the Brattle Group, a global consulting firm that analyzed FERC and regional data from 2013 through 2017. Just two percent of all projects went through a competitive process, they found. Projects handled by the large utilities escalated costs by 34 percent on average over original estimates, while winning bids by independent companies, when allowed, averaged 40 percent below estimates. Nearly half of the projects did not undergo public review or planning approvals. In an interview with USA TODAY, current FERC chairman Neil Chatterjee acknowledged the problem and said fixing it was "a priority" for his agency, among others. "Competition brings more cost discipline," said Chatterjee. "It can also lead to more creative financing, promote more technologically advanced solutions and lead to new participants." But he added, "It's a complex system and we don't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater. We owe it to consumers to think creatively and get it right." Story continues The report found U.S. transmission investments have stabilized at about $20 billion per year for the last five years, after rising steadily from $2 billion a year in the 1990s. The growth largely occurred not because of the need for vast, new capacity, but to replace aging infrastructure. That issue has dogged the northern California utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., in particular. It faces criminal investigations and lawsuits following a string of wildfires sparked by its equipment. PG&E, California's largest power provider, has filed for bankruptcy protection in the face of billions in potential insurance claims. The utility already spent more than $5 billion on self-approved capital additions from 2007 to 2017, according to a presentation by a California Public Utilities Commission attorney at a U.S. Department of Energy workshop on transmission issues in November. It is projected to spend $3.2 billion in the next five years on the projects. PG&E is spending over $2 million/day on these projects, according to a slide from the presentation. As the Brattle Study shows, its a national problem. A PG&E spokesperson declined to comment on the reports. A coalition of northern California nonprofit power providers last week told state regulators that in light of PG&Es "deplorable safety record," the utility should get out of the business of providing electricity at the retail level, and focus on the "wires" side, fixing its transmission lines and poles that have sparked blazes. PG&E said in its own brief that it "supports consideration" of the idea, though it would be challenging. Company attorneys noted that unlike municipal utilities, PG&E and other investor-owned utilities are allowed to make a "return on equity" profit, which they claim is a strong incentive to boost safety. More: PG&E Files for Bankruptcy More: PG&E Overspends by Millions Critics say the spiraling costs are rooted in history. For decades, six regional transmission organizations that cover large swaths of the U.S. identified major expansion or replacement projects and then gave the largest nearby utility the right of first refusal to take on the job. In 2011, in the face of mounting criticism, FERC issued Order 1000 to open up the competition and create incentives for innovative, cost-effective projects. The right of first refusal was eliminated, but implementation was left in the hands of the regional operators, whom each use different criteria for how the transmission projects will be awarded. In practice, the lions share of projects is still being done by the old utilities. Wellinghoff, who took the lead on Order 1000, said it's time to toughen up the rule. Wellinghoff, the former FERC chair who now is an energy policy consultant, said not only money but lives could be saved if PG&E and the other utilities would plan first for what would be most efficient, up-to-date and reliable, rather than just cutting down trees and replacing aging towers or poles. Technologies include wrapping lines that are likely to spark in fireproof materials, or installing smart wires that can read wind speed, temperatures and humidity to accurately predict the risk of wildfire, and either immediately shut down or reverse power flow. To fix the problem, the Brattle report makes two other recommendations: consistent project criteria and cost tracking across all regions, and drawing from best practices of the least restrictive regional transmission operators. If it works in New York, why wouldnt it work in California or the rest of the country? said lead author Johannes Pfeifenberger, a Brattle economist and engineer. The report, titled Transmission Solutions: Potential Cost Savings Offered by Competitive Planning Processes, was presented in November to the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners. More: Want more energy and climate news? Subscribe to Climate Point The study was paid for by transmission product companies, and experts said that while it was well done, there are other reasons for large expenses. There are some valid points, said Tyson Slocum, director of the energy program at Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C., consumer advocacy group. But he said lingering problems" with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 also allow FERC to add "big financial incentives for transmission projects. These ... are too generous. Chatterjee said he sees opening up the grid system that keeps the lights on across the U.S. as vital to both reducing security risks and tackling climate change, along with keeping electric bills low. Meanwhile, costs for wind, solar and other renewables could come down even further. "Im very cognizant that the policies that we put in place with regards to transmission today are going to have a huge impact in shaping the grid of tomorrow," he said. "Getting these systems right is crucial." Janet Wilson writes about the environment for The Desert Sun and authors USA TODAY's Climate Point. She can be reached at janet.wilson@desertsun.com and @janetwilson66. Elizabeth Weise of USA TODAY contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Electric companies overspend by billions, driving up utility bills, report finds Donald Trump speaks at a gathering of Venezuelan exiles in Miami on Monday - AP President Donald Trump has warned the Venezuelan military not to block tonnes of humanitarian aid due to arrive in the country on Saturday, threatening the soldiers with grave consequences for remaining loyal to President Nicolas Maduro. Today I have a message for every official who is keeping Maduro in place, he said, speaking at a university in Miami the city with the highest population of Venezuelan exiles in the US. You cannot hide from the choice that now confronts you. You can choose to accept President Guaidos offer of amnesty, and live your life in peace with your country. But you must not block humanitarian aid. Or you can choose the second path; continuing to support Maduro. You will find no safe harbour, no easy exit, no way out. You will lose everything. Mr Maduro has said the tonnes of aid, coordinated by his rival, self-declared interim president Juan Guaido, was designed to humiliate the country, and act as cover for an invasion. He has ordered the armed forces to block the aid coming in from Colombia and Brazil, and stationed troops on the border to prevent the assistance from being delivered. But Mr Trump, the first of around 50 world leaders to recognise Mr Guaido, told the crowd that my heart is in Venezuela, and urged the Venezuelan soldiers to ignore Mr Maduros orders, and allow the aid to enter the troubled country. Melania Trump, who was born in Communist Slovenia, introduced her husband and told the gathering: "many of you in this room know what it feels like to be living in freedom, after living under Communism and Socialism." He also had stern warnings for Cuba, which props up Mr Maduros teetering regime, and the socialist rulers of Nicaragua. Mr Guaido, the leader of the national assembly, declared himself president on January 23, arguing that the presidency was left vacant owing to Mr Maduros fraudulent re-election. He promised soldiers on January 27 that they would be given amnesty if they defected, and since then, cajoling the military seen as the real source of power in the country to abandon Mr Maduro has been a priority of his. Mr Trump attacked the senior officials in Mr Maduros government for enriching themselves, while the country starved. A tenth of the population have now fled their homes, driven out of a country which Mr Trump said was on the brink of ruin. Story continues To chants of USA!, Mr Trump told the crowd that they stood at the threshold of history, ready to reclaim their country and reclaim their history. Donald Trump in Miami on Monday Socialism has so ravaged the country that even the worlds largest reserves of oil are no longer enough to keep the lights on, he said. Millions are starving, while a few at the top are plundering the nation. We know who they are, and we know where they keep the billions they plundered. They are risking their future, they are risking their lives, and Venezuelas future, for a man controlled by Cuba. Maduro is not a Venezuelan patriot; he is a Cuban puppet. Mr Trumps speech was peppered with multiple stern warnings to the government in Havana, warning President Miguel Diaz-Canel that Cuba could be the next socialist country to fall. The remarks are likely to only stiffen the resolve of Cubas leadership, which has for almost 20 years backed first Mr Maduros predecessor, Hugo Chavez, and Mr Maduro himself. Mr Guaido, speaking via videolink, told the gathering they were facing an existential struggle. Now there is a debate between the democracy and dictatorship one between life and death, he said. We must take advantage of this opportunity. The moment is now for change in Venezuela with determination and pressure from within Venezuela. Sign up for your essential, twice-daily briefing from The Telegraph with our free Front Page newsletter. SOUTH PARIS, Maine (AP) A dog that went missing in Massachusetts months ago has been reunited with its family after being found in Maine, 175 miles (282 kilometers) away. The Bangor Daily News reports 5-year-old king shepherd Kaiser made his way from Ashby, Massachusetts, to South Paris, Maine, over a span of eight months. The pooch jumped a wall at the home of a woman who was caring for him before going missing. Kaiser's owner, Tom Wollcott, and his children were reunited with the dog Sunday morning. Wollcott conducted an exhaustive search, including using a drone to try to find Kaiser. A Bethel, Maine, woman had been feeding Kaiser and called animal control, which took the dog to a no-kill shelter in South Paris. The shelter says in a Facebook post that Wollcott was then able to identify Kaiser. The Supreme Court sided Tuesday with a Texas convict who claimed his intellectual disability makes him ineligible for the death penalty. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court sided Tuesday with a Texas convict who claimed his intellectual disability makes him ineligible for the death penalty. The high court reversed for the second time a Texas court's ruling that Bobby James Moore could be executed despite his cognitive deficits. In doing so, a majority of justices said Texas relied on "lay stereotypes of the intellectually disabled." Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's unsigned opinion, which was opposed by conservative Associate Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch. It appeared that the vote was 6-3, with Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh also joining the majority, since he did not join the dissent. The court originally ruled in 2017 that Texas the nation's leader in executions cannot use a decades-old definition of intellectual disability to determine who lives and who dies. The justices sent the case back to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, but that court refused to change its original ruling. "The court repeated the same errors that this court previously condemned" by emphasizing Moore's adaptive strengths, rather than his deficits, Roberts said in the opinion released Tuesday. "That did not pass muster under this courts analysis last time. It still doesnt." The three dissenters said Texas did its best to comply with the Supreme Court's last ruling, which they said failed to set clear guidelines for judging intellectual disability. "The error in this litigation was not the state courts decision on remand but our own failure to provide a coherent rule," Alito wrote. The decision was another in a series of high court rulings intended to eliminate differences in how states decide who is disabled and therefore ineligible for the death penalty under a 2002 precedent and who is not. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the earlier 5-3 decision, backed by the court's liberal members and Justice Anthony Kennedy, who has since retired. Speaking from the bench at the time, she said Supreme Court precedent does not allow for the "disregard of current medical standards." Story continues Roberts joined Alito and Thomas in 2017 in arguing that Moore failed to prove the intellectual deficits necessary for a holding that the death penalty would be a cruel punishment. "Clinicians, not judges, should determine clinical standards," Roberts wrote, "and judges, not clinicians, should determine the content of the Eighth Amendment." Moore's case dates back to 1980, when he shot and killed a grocery store clerk during a botched robbery. He was twice convicted, then found to be intellectually disabled, but Texas' highest criminal court overturned that finding, citing its own precedent, which is based on a 1992 definition of intellectual disability. The Supreme Court has tightened sentencing rules for people with intellectual disabilities since its landmark 2002 ruling in Atkins v. Virginia. In 2014, it barred Florida from using a single, strict IQ standard to determine a prisoner's competency. Texas claimed it met the relevant standards for judging intellectual disability, having looked at Moore's intellectual functioning, adaptive behaviors and age of onset. But Cliff Sloan, Moore's attorney, said the state used lay stereotypes such as the character Lennie in John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men." More: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returns to Supreme Court bench two months after surgery for lung cancer More: Supreme Court refuses to hear defamation lawsuit against Bill Cosby by one of his accusers More: Supreme Court will rule on Trump administration's effort to add question on citizenship to 2020 Census This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Divided Supreme Court blocks Texas from executing intellectually disabled man, citing 'lay stereotypes' Over the past three years, several major studies of diversity in Hollywood have been conducted by industry groups and independent organizations. To study onscreen representation, researchers collected data about race and gender of movie characters, as well as the presence of LGBT characters, elderly characters, and disabled characters in studio films. Here are some of their findings. Diversity onscreen People of color represent 38.7 percent of the U.S. population, but accounted for only 13.9 percent of lead roles in the top films of 2016. Only 1.4 of 10 lead actors in film are people of color. (UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report 2018) Of all speaking characters in the top films from 2007 to 2017, 70.7 percent are white. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films 2007-2017) 8 percent of the U.S. population is Latinx. Only 6.2 percent of films feature a Latinx speaking character. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films) In family films, white leads outnumber leads of color by 4 to 1. (Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media Benchmark Report 2019) Women make up 51 percent of the U.S. population. Only 13 percent of films have casts with fairly equal numbers of men and women. The average ratio of men to women onscreen is more than 2 to 1. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films) The percentage of women onscreen in 2017 was less than 2 percent higher than it was 10 years earlier. That number increased dramatically in 2018 to 40 percent which is still 10 percent below parity. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,000 Popular Films and USC Annenberg: Inequality Across 1,200 Popular Films Research Brief) Teenage girl characters are over 20 percent more likely to be shown partially naked in films than boy characters of the same age. (USC Annenberg: The Future is Female? Portrayal of Girls and Teens in Popular Movies) Of the top 100 films of 2017, 43 had no black women, 65 had no Asian women, 64 had no Latina women, and 94 had no LGBT women. In contrast, only seven did not feature a white woman. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films) Only four movies from 2017 had a woman of color at the center of the story. In 2018, that number increased to 11. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films, USC Annenberg: Inequality Across 1,200 Popular Films) 8 percent of children in the U.S. are non-white, but in films with young female leads, 77 percent of them are white. (USC Annenberg: The Future is Female) Fewer than 1 percent of speaking characters in films identify as LGBTQ. (GIF: Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Entertainment) 5 percent of the U.S. population identifies as LGBTQ. Fewer than 1 percent of speaking characters in films identify as LGBTQ. The top 1,100 films of 2004-17 contained a total of one transgender character (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films) In 2017, 30 movies starred a man 45 years or older; only five films starred a woman in the same age bracket. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films) 7 percent of the U.S. population has a disability. In 2017, only 2.5 percent of film characters were shown as having a disability. In family films, that number is less than 1 percent. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in 1,100 Popular Films, Geena Davis Benchmark Report) Nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population is 60 or older. In 2016, only 6 of the top 100 films had a senior protagonist. More than half the films featuring senior characters included dialogue in which they were mocked for being old. (USC Annenberg: Still Rare, Still Ridiculed: Portrayals of Senior Characters 2015-2016) Diversity behind the camera Story continues Why arent films more reflective of their audience? One reason is that the whole film industry is predominantly white and male, meaning that movies are written, designed, shot and edited almost exclusively from a white male viewpoint. Women and people of color are severely underrepresented as Hollywood directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, producers, film executives, composers, and crew members, among other jobs necessary to bring a film to life. This is not for lack of talent, but a lack of opportunity that is so pervasive, the ACLU is building a federal case around discriminatory practices at the six major studios. Some numbers that demonstrate the issue: Fewer than 1 in 10 film directors is female. The ratio of male directors to female directors is 22 to 1. (UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair 2007-2018) Male directors of studio films are able work across seven decades (from their twenties through their eighties), whereas female directors are only hired from their thirties through their sixties (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) In 2018, an unprecedented 16 black directors worked across the 100 top-grossing films, up from six in 2017 and just two in 2011. (GIF: Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Entertainment) In 2018, an unprecedented 16 black directors worked across the 100 top-grossing films. In 2017, that number was six; in 2011, the number was two. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) Between 2007 and 2018, only nine directing assignments on the 1,200 top films were filled by women of color. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) Women are 28 percent less likely than men to get a second directing assignment after making a top film. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) Only 8 percent of studio films are written by people of color. Only 13.8 percent are written by women. (UCLA Hollywood Diversity report) Men hold 82.7 percent of top executive positions at major media companies, and three-quarters of corporate board seats. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) 93 percent of film producers are white men. 1.6 percent of film producers are women of color. The ratio of white men to women of color as producers is 44 to 1. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) Below-the-line jobs are often segregated by gender. Women make up more than 75 percent of casting directors, hair stylists, makeup artists, and costume designers. Men make up more than 80 percent of editors and production designers, more than 97 percent of composers, and more than 99 percent of camera operators. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) In 2017, 30 percent of the top 250 films employed either zero or one woman in the roles of director, writer, producer, executive producer, editor, and cinematographer. Seventy percent of films employed 10 or more men in these roles. (Center for the Study of Women & Television In Film, San Diego State University: The Celluloid Ceiling, Behind-the-Scenes Employment of Women on the Top 100, 250, and 500 Films of 2017) In the 2017 films with black directors, 18.5 percent of speaking characters were black women. In films without black directors, only 2.5 percent of speaking characters were black women. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) Films directed by women include 12 percent more female character than those directed by men. Films written by women include 8 percent more female characters than those written by men. (USC Annenberg: Inclusion in the Directors Chair) Read Part 3 to find out why all these numbers matter, and what Hollywood can do about it. Yahoo Entertainments Diversity in Hollywood 2019 Report Part 1: Where we are, how far we have to go and how we can get there Part 2: By the numbers Part 3: Why its time for change and 5 possible solutions Part 4: Crossroads at the Oscars Part 5: The future is now Recruiting agencies oppose decision to hike guarantee amount Recruiting agencies for overseas jobs have taken exception to the governments decision of raising their guarantee amount, saying that it would harm their business. Crude oil prices have been stabilizing since the beginning of 2019 buoyed by the decision of OPEC and Russia-led oil exporters to cut production levels and supply related problems in Iran and Venezuela. Additionally, any positive development in the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and China will be a major boost to oil prices. At this stage, it will be prudent to invest in oil stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank. Oil Prices Near Three-Month High On Feb 15, the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained $1.18 or 2.2% to close at $55.59 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The global benchmark Brent crude rose $1.68 or 2.6% to $66.25 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe. Both WTI and Brent saw the highest price finish for a front-month contract since Nov 19, 2018. For the week ended Feb 15, WTI price increased 5.4% and Brent price jumped by 6.7%. Year to date, WTI is up 25.2% while Brent surged 28.3%. On Feb 14, Energy Intelligence reported that Saudi Aramco stopped oil production for that week at Safaniyah, the world's largest offshore oilfield. An important factor for oil price will be the timing of restricted output from this oilfield. However, on Feb 15, Baker Hughes reported that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil increased by 3 to 857 for that week. OPEC Production Cut Squeeze Supplies The OPEC and Russia-led oil exporters have decided to cut crude oil supplies by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2019. This massive cut aided in stabilization of oil prices. In December 2018, oil supplies from OPEC nations plunged by 751,000 bpd to nearly 31.6 million bpd. Further, in January, OPECs crude production decreased by nearly 800,000 bpd to an average of 30.81 million bpd. Majority of supply cut resulted from Saudi Arabias reduction of crude oil production by 400,000 bpd to an average of 10.24 million bpd in January. Moreover, data intelligence firm Kepler reported that Saudi Arabias seaborne crude exports in the first half of February came in at 6.204 million bpd. This figure reflects a reduction of 1.342 million bpd from January and a decline of 0.91 million bpd year over year. Additionally, Saudi Arabias oil minister Khalid al-Falih recently said that the country may consider trimming oil supplies by an another 500,000 bpd to reduce production level at 9.8 million bpd in March. Story continues Impact of Venezuela & Iran Export Cuts Linger On Jan 28, U.S. government announced sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA). Venezuela, once the fourth largest oil producer in the world, is suffering owing to lack of modernization of oil plants. Notably, Venezuela is a major crude supplier to U.S. refineries. The sanctions will block diversion of Venezuelan oil assets worth $7 billion by the countrys sitting President Maduro. The United States will continue to support Venezuelas Interim President Juan Guaido. Meanwhile, oil export dropped by 159,000 bpd to just under 2.8 million bpd in Iran owing to the imposition of U.S. sanctions. Notably, Iran is a major supplier of large Asian countries, such as China and India. Our Top Picks Crude oil prices are likely to remain northbound in the near term. Consequently, investment in oil stocks will be lucrative. We narrowed down our search to five such stock each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (strong Buy) stocks here. The chart below shows price performance of our five picks in the last three months. Jones Energy Inc. JONE is an independent oil and gas company, engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas properties in the mid-continent United States. The company has expected earnings growth of 19% for current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 3.2% over the last 60 days. Par Pacific Holdings Inc. PARR owns, manages, and maintains interests in energy and infrastructure businesses. It operates in three segments: Refining, Retail, and Logistics. The company has expected earnings growth of 56.6% for current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 29.6% over the last 60 days. Phillips 66 Partners LP PSXP owns, operates, develops, and acquires crude oil, refined petroleum products and natural gas liquids pipelines, terminals, other transportation and midstream assets. The company has expected earnings growth of 5.3% for current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 5.5% over the last 60 days. Ultrapar Participacoes S.A. UGP engages in gas distribution, fuel distribution, chemicals, storage and drugstores businesses in Brazil, Uruguay, United Stated, Venezuela and Mexico. The company has expected earnings growth of 18.6% for current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 6.1% over the last 60 days. Sunoco LP SUN together with its subsidiaries engages in the wholesale distribution and retail sale of motor fuels primarily in the United States. The company has expected earnings growth of 71.9% for current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has improved by 0.8% over the last 60 days. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Phillips 66 Partners LP (PSXP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (PARR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sunoco LP (SUN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ultrapar Participacoes S.A. (UGP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Jones Energy, Inc. (JONE) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Bangladeshi authorities have declared a war against pornography and blocked 20,000 websites. Bangladeshi authorities have blocked almost 20,000 websites as part of war against pornography. Internet providers in the conservative Muslim nation have removed pornography and gambling websites in the past week under orders from the telecommunications regulator. Mustafa Jabbar, the posts and telecommunications minister, told the AFP news agency: I want to create a safe and secure internet for all Bangladeshis, including children. And this is my war against pornography. And this will be a continuous war. Popular social media apps such as TikTok and Bigo which authorities believe are misused have also been blocked in the South Asian nation, Jabbar said. Apps including Instagram and Facebook are also being monitored as part of the crackdown. Most of the blocked sites are foreign, but a few local websites and social media platforms have also faced action under the crackdown, he added. The crackdown was launched after Bangladeshs High Court asked the government to block pornography websites and publication of obscene materials in electronic forms for six months back in November. The court acted after a civil society organisation filed a petition stating that a large number of adult websites contain uncensored and obscene content. On Sunday a rising actress was told to remove provocative images from her Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages. We are monitoring the local Facebook profiles, YouTube channels and websites, also, Jabbar said. A few of them were taken down for having obscene content. We advised a few others not to post anything that goes against our social norms. Bangladesh, a country of 165 million people, has more than 90 million internet users and porn stars regularly top the list of the most searched names. Emdadul Hoque, general secretary of the internet service providers association, said they have complied with the order, but many users can still access online porn by using virtual private networks or mirror websites. This is a continuous process and it needs regular monitoring. These websites are very well aware of the regulations and they come up with thousands of mirror sites every week, Hoque told AFP. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Donald Trumps decision to declare an emergency at the southern border with Mexico has many conservatives shaking their heads in disgust. After they warned for eight years about the dangers of Barack Obama taking power that should not be his, here a Republican is doing something similar. Put aside the matter of whether Trumps move is technically legal; many conservatives can agree that it should not be and that the best that can be said is that Congress has given too much power to the president. The question then becomes, How to correct this problem? First things first: Progressives are probably not our allies in this matter. Whenever partisan politics is involved, process disputes are almost always disingenuous. Progressives are unhappy not because the executives power has grown, but because a Republican is grabbing power to advance a political goal they do not like. All things equal, progressives tend to support a strong executive and have done a great deal in the last century to advance the case for an ever-expanding sphere of presidential authority. To be fair, many factions on the right have made similar arguments in favor of a strong executive both directly as a constitutional theory and indirectly in their effusiveness toward the memory of Ronald Reagan. The point is simply that those of us who consider ourselves constitutional conservatives are basically on our own, without allies on the left, in this matter. There is a tendency to blame legislative cowardice for the now expansive executive. But I do not think that is quite right, or at least it is an insufficient reason. While the Constitution nominally grants more power to the legislative branch, it established an executive branch that was ready-made to snatch power from the Congress. We have to reckon with this. In Federalist No. 49, James Madison argued that we have seen that the tendency of republican governments is to an aggrandizement of the legislative, at the expence of the other departments. Wise as Madison was, history has proven him wrong on this count. One of his greatest disciples, Henry Clay, was closer to the mark in warning that there is always a threat that the executive will become a great vortex that must end in swallowing all the rest of the branches. While Clays particular ire was directed at President Andrew Jackson, he believed there was an institutional threat from executive power in general. The pervading principle of our system of government of all free government is not merely the possibility, but the absolute certainty of infidelity and treachery, by an executive forever on the hunt for more power. Story continues In Federalist No. 70, Alexander Hamilton pointed us to the source of the executives unique challenge to the constitutional order its unity. Decision, activity, secrecy, and dispatch will generally characterise the proceedings of one man, all of which leads to an energetic executive. Contrast this with the legislative branch. Though they collectively possess more power than the executive, the multitude of legislators means that they collectively can lack the will to act. This is something that the president never lacks. This propensity has been amplified by the rise of mass democracy. Who speaks for the nation? The proper answer is the Congress. It is only in the legislature that the great variety of views and opinions can even begin to be articulated. But how does Congress speak? In two ways only: first, through legislation that is impossible for the average person to understand; second, through indecipherable cross-talk, as partisans on both sides snipe at one another, leaving people to wonder what Congress is actually saying. On the other hand, the president, as a single person, cannot hope to speak for the vast diversity of this country, but at least he can try. He is a pretend tribune to the nation, but he can nevertheless offer the illusion. The citizenry therefore affixes its gaze first and foremost on the White House, not the Congress, for the solutions to public problems. This reinforces the original effect making the president more willful and the Congress more fearful. It would be nice to have more courageous and virtuous legislators in Congress, but such people are always in short supply. And there is only so much they could do in the face of these structural headwinds. Ultimately, it requires an institutional solution. I think the answer is stronger legislative parties. When Thomas Jefferson and Madison initially reckoned that Hamilton was serious about a vigorous executive looking to seize power from Congress, they worked to create party organizations inside and outside the legislature, which could bind like-minded Republicans together against the Federalist assault. We need something similar today. If we want Congress to be a more assertive entity in our government, then congressional leaders must have the power to induce the majority to speak with one voice, by forcing the rank-and-file into line. That means leaders should have the power to reward loyal members and, more important, the power to punish disloyal ones, above all by denying the most disobedient ones renomination for office. That in turn implies a stronger and better integrated party organization across the entire country connecting the congressional leadership all the way down to county party organizations. Put simply, the only way for a Congress of so many members to match a unitary executive is a strong organization that helps the multitude to act as one. The more that the majority party in Congress acts like a real team, the more it will resemble the unity of the executive branch. Otherwise, we will continue to have in Congress what we have right now: a cacophony of disparate voices, a weak institutional will, and easy prey for an ambitious president. More from National Review Paris (AFP) - As Britain's March 29 departure from the European Union looms, several major companies have announced they are downsizing their operations in the UK or completely shipping out. A panorama: - Industry hit hard - Amid Brexit jitters as the deadline approaches, Japanese car maker Honda announced Tuesday it will close in 2021 its plant in the southwestern English town of Swindon, putting 3,500 jobs at risk. Honda said Brexit was not a factor but the announcement comes after its competitor Nissan decided in February to ditch plans to build its X-Trail SUV at its plant in northeastern England due to Britain's departure. The new line would have created about 740 jobs. Jaguar Land Rover said in January it would axe around 4,500 mostly UK jobs, one-tenth of its global workforce. It put the move down to a slump in Chinese sales, buyers dumping diesel cars for electric vehicles, as well as uncertainties linked to Brexit. Also in January Dutch multinational Philips announced the closure in 2020 of a factory in eastern England making baby bottles, threatening 430 jobs. It cited "ongoing geopolitical challenges", months after warning about Brexit, and said it would transfer work back to its Dutch base. Schaeffler, a German maker of parts for cars and industrial products, is also planning to shut two UK sites, with Brexit cited for axing up to a reported 500 jobs. - Banks reorganise - Major financial players based in Britain are also worried: should the UK leave the European single market, banks based there will lose the "passporting rights" that allow them to do business with clients across the other 27 member states of the bloc. To continue operating in Europe, many financial firms will have to set up new business units in EU countries and some are already boosting their operations there, mainly in Paris and Frankfurt. Bank of America and HSBC are among those that plan to reduce their activities in London in favour of Paris, while US firms Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are eyeing Frankfurt. Story continues Japan's Sumitomo, Mitsui Financial Group, Daiwa Securities and Nomura, and Britain's Standard Chartered have also chosen the German financial hub. - Headquarters moving out - The European Union's various agencies are not allowed to be based outside the union. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) -- one of the world's most powerful drugs watchdogs which employs 900 pharmaceutical experts, biologists and doctors -- has chosen to relocate to Amsterdam. Based in 1995 in London's Canary Wharf business district, it is in a court battle to break its lease which runs until 2039. The European Banking Authority and its nearly 200 staff will leave London for Paris. The monitoring base for the bloc's Galileo satnav system will quit Swanwick in southern England for Madrid, and the EU's anti-piracy forces will move their headquarters to Spain and France. Several major multinationals have also chosen to shift their headquarters from Britain amid the Brexit uncertainties. Japanese electronics giant Sony announced it will transfer its European headquarters from Britain to The Netherlands by the end of March to avoid Brexit-related customs issues. British electric appliance pioneer Dyson will switch headquarters to Singapore this year, saying though that this was due to booming Asian demand and not because of Brexit. Paris (AFP) - The Extinction Rebellion, a network of climate activists who use civil disobedience to spotlight inaction on global warming, is rooted in the conviction that humanity has dug its own grave and has one foot dangling over the edge. The fledging movement's growing ranks, already spread across several dozen countries, believe that homo sapiens -- perhaps not so "wise" after all -- is doomed to terrible suffering, or worse. A clear-eyed reading of science, they say, reveals that our appetites and ecological footprint have tipped Earth into a rare period of mass extinction from which humans are not exempt. They see claims to the contrary as tantamount to climate denial. "It is really about waking people up to the fact that this is an emergency situation," said Sara Arnold, a 32-year designer and entrepreneur who has helped to lead campaigns in Britain, including one Sunday disrupting traffic around London Fashion Week. "We want people to start to digest the reality of climate change." The sister Sunrise Movement in the United States, which champions the ambitious Green New Deal put forward by progressives in Congress, also calls for a WWII-scale response. Whether it's time to panic about the threat of runaway global warming may depend less on Earth systems than human ones. Climate scientists overwhelmingly agree that loading the atmosphere with greenhouse gases at current rates will eventually lead to an unliveable hothouse planet. Where they disagree is on society's willingness to curb that carbon pollution, the effectiveness of the tools available to do so, and our capacity to adapt to changes already in the pipeline. - 'When hope dies, action begins' - "People imagine that we'll find a solution in the future, that we still have time," Doug McAdam, a professor of sociology at Stanford University, told AFP. "A lot of people don't see it as the crisis it so clearly is." Story continues Getting real, in other words, about the impact of deadly heatwaves, flooding and superstorms made worse by rising seas also means not overestimating humanity's ability to confront and stem the tide. Assurances from governments, think tanks and NGOs that the crisis is manageable and a solution within reach are rejected as false hope based on wishful thinking or lies. "Our first demand to government is that they tell the truth about the ecological emergency we're facing," said Liam Geary Baulch, one of the Extinction Rebellion activists who -- in their first public action last October -- lay down in rush-hour traffic outside Parliament and glued themselves to the entrance of government offices. Why has this new wave of climate militants emerged now? One reason is impatience: despite much high-level hand-wringing and 24 UN climate conferences, the problem continues to outstrip efforts to rein it in. "On climate change, we have to acknowledge that we have failed," 16-year old Greta Thunberg, a kindred spirit from Sweden who has inspired highschool strikes in half-a-dozen countries, told the global ruling class at Davos last month. "We have had 30 years of pep talks and selling positive ideas. Im sorry, but it doesnt work," she added. "If it did, emissions would have gone down by now. They haven't." Science, meanwhile, has delivered a steady drumbeat of bad news: The most common refrain in climate science has long been "worse than previously thought". Not coincidentally, Extinction Rebellion emerged in the wake of a massive UN report warning that only a rapid, wholesale transformation of society and the global economy will stave off climate catastrophe. These mostly young activists differ from others pushing for rapid and deep change in at least three crucial ways, they say. To start, they reject what they see as the false optimism of mainstream climate action groups. - The right to rebel - "Adults keep saying, 'We owe it to young people to give them hope'," Thunberg said at the Davos power gathering. "But I don't want your hope. I don't want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic." For the Extinction Rebellion, that means allowing oneself to be emotionally overwhelmed by the bleak tidings from science, the second key difference. Received wisdom says that a deep dive into climate gloom only makes people throw up their hands in despair -- which is why grim UN and NGO reports are often leavened with hopeful messages that ring hollow. "We need to grieve about the lives that have already been lost due to climate change, human or otherwise," said Baulch. "Grieving" is the gateway to the "XR" worldview, and once that psychological threshold is crossed there's no turning back. "Today, I see pretty much everything through the lens of climate change," said Arnold, who admits to having second thoughts about her fashion rental business. "There is no point in sharing clothes if we are all going to go extinct." Finally, there is the willingness to put oneself in harm's way in the tradition of the major civil disobedience campaigns of the 20th century. "Rebellion is justified once the establishment fails," Gail Bradbrook, a scientist and Extinction Rebellion founder says in the hour-long lecture delivered hundreds of time over the last six months in community centres, churches and universities across Britain. "When a government fails to protect the lives and livelihoods of its citizens -- as in the case of climate change -- the people have the right to rebel." Per Reuters, Citigroup C is seeking to bolster revenues in Brazil by lending advice on public asset sales and through a revival in capital markets. The article reported that Citigroups chief executive officer in Brazil, Marcelo Marangon, expects revenues to grow to $1.5 billion in the next few years. Notably, the company has started to make preparations toward achieving this goal. Bankers at its Brazilian investment banking division are currently targeting the largest asset sales and are planning to compete for mandates in the deals. Stakes held by state-owned banks, such as development bank BNDES and Caixa Economica Federal, are expected to be the quickest government asset sales. Furthermore, Citigroup is seeking to strengthen its commercial banking division by doubling assets in the unit by 2020. It has about 5 billion reais ($1.34 billion) in assets, which increased 27% in 2018 on account of rise in demand due to economic recovery. Also, Citigroups long time CFO, John Gerspach is stepping down from his position next month and will to be replaced by Mark Mason,CFO of the institutional clients group. At a recently held financial conference, Gerspach said that the bank has scope to boost returns by investing in treasury services and private-bank offerings. He also said that Citigroup aims to achieve a return on tangible common equity of more than 13.5% in 2020. Notably, the bank, with the help of its restructuring moves, has been able to put its troubled past behind. Further, we anticipate that its streamlining initiatives will boost its capital position, reduce expenses and drive operational efficiency. Over the past three months, shares of Citigroup have gained 2.8% against slight decline recorded by the industry. Currently, Citigroup carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Stocks to Consider M&T Bank Corporation MTB has witnessed nearly 1% upward estimate revisions for current-year over the past 30 days. Moreover, this Zacks #2 Ranked (Buy) stock has rallied more than 2% in the past three months. Story continues First Business Financial Services FBIZ has witnessed slight upward estimate revisions for current-year over the past 30 days. Further, the companys shares have gained around 9% over the past three months. At present, it holds a Zacks Rank of 2. Camden National Corporation CAC has witnessed 1.4% upward estimate revisions over the past 30 days. Additionally, the stock has jumped around 8% in the past three months. It currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Citigroup Inc. (C) : Free Stock Analysis Report M&T Bank Corporation (MTB) : Free Stock Analysis Report First Business Financial Services, Inc. (FBIZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Camden National Corporation (CAC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A crucial summit on clergy sexual abuse, which opens Thursday at the Vatican, will draw church leaders from around the world in an effort to break a "code of silence" that allowed the misconduct to take place over decades. Presidents of more than 100 bishop conferences will be joined by high-ranking Vatican officials and Pope Francis himself. The summit will focus on making bishops aware of their responsibilities, accountability and transparency, the Vatican said. Archbishop Charles Scicluna, a member of the organizing committee, described the summit as a major step in the pope's efforts to end the code of silence. The Rev. James Bretzke, a theology professor at Marquette University, said the pope demands a change in "clerical culture." "The pope is saying this isn't just a problem for the United States or Europe or elsewhere," Bretzke told USA TODAY. "The problem is the clerical culture that looks to protect the institution even at the expense of individuals who have been harmed." Wednesday, a dozen victims of clergy sexual abuse met with summit organizers. Chilean abuse victim Juan Carlos Cruz, who is coordinating a meeting, said his group urged bishops to stop pleading ignorance about abuse. Bishops have known raping a child or a vulnerable person and abusing them has been wrong since the first century, the Middle Ages and now, he said. Members of an international coalition of lay people known as "Acies Ordinata" hold a demonstration in Rome on February 19, 2019, to denounce what they call a "Wall of Silence" regarding child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. John Thavis, a former Catholic News Service reporter and author of "The Vatican Diaries," said the bishops had to hear "some very direct criticism of their past failures." Thavis said the true effectiveness of the summit will be determined by follow-up actions over the next year or so "if and when the Vatican sends teams of auditors around the world to make sure that the summit's conclusions are being implemented." Tuesday, two groups representing the leadership of Catholic religious orders apologized for their failure to quickly act to halt sexual abuse of children by priests. Story continues "We bow our heads in shame at the realization that such abuse has taken place in our congregations and orders, and in our church," said the statement from the Union of Superiors General and its female counterpart, the International Union of Superiors General. More: Vatican defrocks ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick The statement said the groups' members, including more than 100,000 priests and more than 500,000 religious sisters around the world, understand that abusers are manipulative and deliberately hide their actions. Leaders failed to see or take seriously the warning signs of abuse, the statement said. "We acknowledge that there was an inadequate attempt to deal with this issue and a shameful lack of capacity to understand your pain," the statement said. "We offer our sincerest apologies and our sorrow. ... We invite you to work with us to put in place new structures to ensure that the risks are minimized." More: Illinois Catholic church allegedly failed to investigate misconduct claims Last week, Pope Francis defrocked former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, 88, after Vatican officials found him guilty of sex crimes against minors and adults. McCarrick is the most senior Catholic official to be defrocked for such crimes. Thavis said McCarrick's case sends an important signal that even cardinals and powerful archbishops will be held accountable. "Unfortunately, the McCarrick case is also an example of just how long it has taken the church to face facts when it comes to sexual abuse," Thavis said. "And it highlights the unresolved question of accountability for bishops who have moved abusive priests around and hidden these facts from the Catholic faithful." More: Catholic Church: Jesuits name priests with 'established accusations' of child sex abuse Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The stakes are high for Pope Francis, Catholics worldwide in unprecedented sex abuse summit Pope Francis during his weekly general audience at the Vatican - www.alamy.com The Catholic Church is "nowhere close" to enacting the reforms needed to stop the "epidemic" of sex abuse by predatory priests and bishops against children, campaigners warned on Tuesday. Pope Francis is "in retreat" from any meaningful effort to bring abusers to justice, said Bishop Accountability, a leading pressure group. The scathing criticism comes as the Vatican admits it has secret guidelines on how to deal with priests who break their celibacy vows and sire children. Nearly 200 archbishops, bishops and other senior officials are to join the Pope at the Vatican for an unprecedented, four-day conference on combating the sexual abuse of minors by clergy. Like his predecessors, the Pope has fostered "a culture of plausible deniability" in which allegations against priests are lost, not scrutinised properly, or buried in bureaucracy, campaigners said. The Catholic Church persists in regarding the sexual abuse of children as a sin, to be dealt with internally, rather than as a serious crime that requires the intervention of the police, said Phil Saviano, a high-profile survivor of sex abuse. Molested by a priest in Massachusetts when he was 12 years old, his ordeal was told in the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, based on a Boston Globe investigation into widespread sex abuse by clergy. Phil Saviano, a victim of clerical sex abuse, and Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of Bishop Accountability, speaking to the media in Rome Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP "The Church is still treating abuse as a sin, not as a crime, Mr Saviano said in Rome. I first went public with my story in 1992. Boy, the Church sure does make slow progress. Back then, there was dismay and shock among Catholics. Now, there is a great deal of anger. People are leaving the Church and no longer making donations. There is a huge gulf between the way in which the Catholic Church deals with abusive priests and the norms that campaign groups say need to be introduced to tackle the problem. Many of the largest Catholic countries, including Brazil, the Philippines and Venezuela, do not even have published guidelines for how to respond to predatory priests and bishops, let alone mandatory rules for reporting them to the police. Story continues Priests convicted of rape are routinely allowed to remain in the priesthood, with access to children, in countries around the world. Despite the gravity of the crisis, campaign groups hold out little hope for significant progress. So much is at stake this week. The Catholics of the world are grieving and disillusioned, said Anne Barrett Doyle, the head of Bishop Accountability. Canon law has to be fundamentally changed so that it stops prioritising the priesthood over the lives of children. But the Church is nowhere close to enacting the necessary reforms to stop this epidemic. And the Pope seems to be in retreat from concrete reform efforts. Nearly 200 bishops, archbishops and senior officials will gather for a sex abuse conference at the Vatican this week Credit: Max Rossi/Reuters With the Vatican resisting change, it will have to come from outside the Catholic world. Unfortunately the way forward will be a bloody, hard-fought path of lawsuits, prosecutions and government investigations, said Ms Barrett Doyle. I would be amazed if the conference at the Vatican produces any meaningful reform. In the latest mea culpa issued by the Church, two organisations representing Catholic religious orders around the world apologised for covering up or denying the sexual abuse of children by priests in their ranks. The Union of Superiors General, which represents male religious orders, and the International Union of Superiors General, which represents female orders, expressed shame and regret for errors in judgment, slowness to act, denial and at times, cover-up." Orders such as the Christian Brothers, the Jesuits and the Salesians have been accused of perpetrating horrendous abuse on children in schools and institutions across the globe. "It is a story stretching back for decades, a narrative of immense pain for those who have suffered this abuse, the organisations said. We bow our heads in shame at the realisation that such abuse has taken place in our Congregations and Orders, and in our Church. Meanwhile the Vatican acknowledged, for the first time, that it has confidential guidelines on how to deal with priests who break their vows of celibacy and father children. The guidelines, drawn up in 2017, would not be made public because they are an internal document, the Vatican spokesman, Alessandro Gisotti, said. While the number of children fathered illicitly by Catholic priests is not known, it has called into question the Churchs celibacy requirement, with critics saying the rule should be relaxed or abolished altogether so that priests are able to marry and have families. The company said its finished goods totaled $22 million when it reported third quarter financial results on Thursday, down significantly from $56 million in the previous quarter. Canopy Growth Corp. (WEED.TO) may not have a big enough weed stash to hold onto its powerful grip on Canadas newly legal recreational market, GMP Securities warned on Tuesday. Analyst Martin Landry cautioned Canopys shrinking inventory could impair its ability to sustain near-term growth and allow competitors to move in on its 30 per cent hold on Canadian adult-use sales. The company said its finished goods totaled $22 million when it reported third quarter financial results on Thursday, down significantly from $56 million in the previous quarter. We are concerned by the companys low inventory levels, Landry wrote in a research note. Canopys competitors could catch up with better inventory availability and significant capacity expansion plans, which could result in declining market share. Landry shaved $5 off his price target for Canopy shares, from $70 to $65, and downgraded the stock from a buy to a hold rating. He notes Canopys supply of dried flower declined in recent weeks compared to last fall in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta, three of Canadas largest markets. Oils and softgels, a growing revenue driver for the Smiths Falls, Ont.-based producer accounting for 30 per cent of Q3 sales, were not included in GMPs analysis. In the face of strong product demand and overall sector supply shortages, the inventory levels have served to improve the availability of the companys products on retail store shelves, Canopy management wrote in the companys third quarter filing. GMP found the number of Canopy product SKUs listed for sale on Ontario, Quebec, and Albertas government-run online stores declined in the past month to under 20 per cent. Canopy now ranks third behind Aurora Cannabis Inc. (ACB.TO) and OrganiGram Holdings Inc. (OGI.V) based on the number of available SKUs in those marketplaces. Aurora and OrganiGram accounted for over 40 per cent and about 20 per cent, respectively. Aurora said it captured 20 per cent of Canadian recreational sales when the company reported second quarter results last week. Story continues Canopy generated $72 million in gross recreational marijuana revenue in its latest quarter, above Landrys $60 million forecast. However, total volume sold in the recreational market came in at the equivalent of 8,288 kilograms, slightly below his 10,000 kilogram projection. Landry said an unclear path to profitability and high investor expectations also factored into his downgrade. He said the company needs to better articulate its path to profitability, as sales, general and administrative costs come in higher than sales. Investors will soon turn their attention to profitability levels and WEED could be the last one to generate positive EBITDA amongst our coverage universe, he wrote. Toronto-listed Canopy shares have climbed 60 per cent year-to-date as of Fridays close. This impressive performance is warranted given the companys leadership role in the global cannabis industry, Landry wrote. However . . . we believe that WEEDs shares may need a pause before the next leg-up. Shares fell 3.36 per cent to $60.67 at 1:57 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Publishers note Kantipur Publications has now entered its 27th year. On this occasion, I would first like to extend my gratitude to our valued subscribers, readers, advertisers and well-wishers. By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - The former Canadian justice minister at the center of allegations of wrongdoing by government officials said on Tuesday she would break her silence as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's team sought to defuse the biggest crisis of his career. The Liberal government has been on the defensive since the Globe and Mail newspaper reported on Feb. 7 that officials had pressured former minister Jody Wilson-Raybould last year to help construction company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc escape with a fine rather than face trial on charges of bribing Libyan officials. SNC has declined to comment. Wilson-Raybould, who was demoted in January, resigned last week. She has said nothing so far about the matter. The House of Commons justice committee met on Tuesday behind closed doors to discuss whom to question about the affair and Liberal legislator Iqra Khalid tweeted that she would invite Wilson-Raybould to appear. "I respect the justice committee and I will appear," Wilson-Raybould told the CBC television, adding she was still consulting lawyers to see how much she could say. A date for her appearance has not been confirmed but officials said it could be as early as Thursday. The same committee, on which the Liberals hold a majority, last week decided not to hear from her, prompting opposition accusations of a cover-up. Wilson-Raybould in an unusual move met with members of the cabinet on Tuesday. She declined to give details. Trudeau's office did not immediately respond to questions about whether a deal had been struck with the former minister to spare the government embarrassment. Gerald Butts, Trudeau's principal private secretary and one of the architects of the Liberals' surprise 2015 election win, quit on Monday while insisting he had done nothing wrong. Underlining the extent of Trudeau's problems, a new poll showed his ruling center-left Liberals had slipped behind their main rivals ahead of an election in October. Opposition parties are demanding a public inquiry. Andrew Scheer, leader of the official opposition center-right Conservatives, told the House of Commons that the resignation of Butts would not clear up the matter. "This is not an ordinary political scandal. Something more sinister is at play here ... if a crime has been committed, those responsible must be punished," he said, suggesting officials may have obstructed justice. An Ipsos-Reid poll for Global News taken after Wilson-Raybould's resignation showed the Liberals support had dropped four percentage points since December to 34 percent, with the Conservatives up two points at 36 percent. The survey suggests that if an election were held now, no party would have enough legislators to form a stable government. A Trudeau spokeswoman said no decision had been taken on who would replace Butts. One potential candidate is David MacNaughton, the influential Canadian ambassador to Washington who helped successfully negotiate the renewal of a continental trade pact last year, said two well-placed Liberals. MacNaughton, 70, enjoys cabinet level status inside the Trudeau government and also has experience of working with Katie Telford, Trudeau's chief of staff. MacNaughton declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Tom Brown and Cynthia Osterman) The planet Mars is shown May 12, 2016 in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope view taken May 12, 2016 when it was 50 million miles from Earth. Photo from NASA/Handout via Reuters. Last December, the Canadian Space Agency put up a job posting and said there was only one man on Earth who could possibly meet the requirements: Dr. Robert Thirsk. They described the Canadian astronaut as uniquely qualified for the position, thanks to his background as a medical doctor and his substantial time spent in space: a total of nearly 205 days between his time on the International Space Station and his 17-day stint aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. Yahoo Canada reached out to Dr. Thirsk earlier this year to discuss the role, Canadas future when it comes to space exploration and how medical research for deep space could actually transform the lives of Canadians. NASA recently met with stakeholders in Ottawa to seek Canadas involvement in the first steps for sending humans to Mars. What role do you think Canada will play in this next phase of space exploration? You need to talk to a politician, not an astronaut, to get an answer to that question. Right now, the Canadian government is considering the future of space program, and that very question you just asked is being considered right now. I think its going to take a few more weeks, or a few more months, before the Canadian government is ready to address that. But it is true that NASA has been talking to the Canadian Space Agency and other international space agencies about participation in the next phase of human space exploration to deep space to an asteroid, to Mars and the Canadian government is considering whether or not we can be involved. Do you see Canada having involvement in future space missions? We have great capability in Canada. The first area of course is robotics. Canada has excelled with space robotics with the Canadarm for the space shuttle, and the Canadarm2 and other robotics aboard the International Space Station. Theyve played small but extremely critical roles in both of those programs. Canadian industry and Canadian researchers are well poised to contribute robotics to deep space exploration. Story continues The plan is by 2022, international space agencies led by NASA will begin to build a lunar gateway, a mini space station around the Moon. There is a need for robotics on the outside of that mini space station, as well as inside, and Canada has the technical capabilities and experience to contribute that. But as I mentioned, the Canadian government has to decide whether or not we can do that. NASA has also asked Canada to consider providing astronaut health care for these upcoming deep space missions. So were looking. While we wait for the government to decide the future of Canadas space program, were working in parallel to assess whether or not Canada has the health-care expertise and technology, and the social benefit to continue astronaut health care on deep-space missions. I think the answer will be yes, but again we cant move forward until the Canadian government makes a decision. Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk gestures after putting on a space suit at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 27, 2009. Photo from Getty Images. When youre talking about astronaut health care, what are some of the specific needs youre looking into to provide the best care for astronauts? I flew aboard space shuttle and also aboard the International Space Station and I have a background as a medical doctor, but if there are any serious medical issues that develop aboard the space station, the medical team on the ground takes over and helps to provide care for the ill crew member. In the worst situation, in which a crew member needs to be brought home, that crew member is deorbited and advanced treatment occurs on some hospital centre on Earth. Thats no longer going to be possible for deep-space missions because of the large distance thats involved. For example, Mars is 400,000,000 km away from Earth. If there is a medical problem, the ground cannot support the astronauts on Mars. If you were a Mars astronaut and I was at mission control on Earth, and you called me to say that there was a medical emergency on board the Mars vehicle, I wouldnt hear you for 20 minutes, and you wouldnt hear me respond for another 20 minutes. With that big time lag because of the distance, we need to have more autonomous health care aboard a deep-space vehicle. So autonomous medical operations are going to be something we have to develop. We have no experience with that right now. Were also going to have to develop more of what we call a patient-centric model of health care, meaning the patient is going to have to take some responsibility for managing and monitoring their own health care. Were also going to have to have something called point-of-care laboratory support, which means that we cant save up our blood specimens and our urine specimens and send them down to Earth for analysis, we need to have the Mars astronauts do it themselves. This is all new, its a model of medicine that we havent done before in space. Canada is leading the world in a lot of these areas autonomous health care, patient-centric medicine, point-of-care medicine in order to provide care to Canadians that live in remote parts of the country. If we do invest in deep-space health care, there could be benefits for delivering health care to Canadians who live in remote regions and even for geriatric patients, who wed like to leave at home rather than bring them into a tertiary-care centre. It sounds similar to some of the medical care you hear about for people at the South Pole, is it similar to that? Yes, and also northern Canada as well. Think of some of the northern communities in Canada Resolute, Cambridge Bay, Pangnirtung these are centres that may not have a physician there, may not have a large emergency room, but they do have health-care practitioners, perhaps a nurse practitioner there, who is doing the best that they can using virtual or tele-medical health capabilities to provide care to northerners. Now the quality of care that were able to provide to northerners is not the same kind of care that you or I living in an urban centre will receive, and thats not adequate. We need to make sure that the quality of care for all Canadians, no matter where they are, is superb. I think by investing in deep-space health-care protocols (and) technology, I think that we can do two things at once; we can participate in international space exploration and we can also improve the quality of health care delivered to remote Canadians. What are the next steps that will have to happen in order for us to send people to Mars? I dont think Mars is going to be the next destination, I think that the Moon is likely to be the next destination, and thats because of a number of technologies that we need to develop before we have the confidence or before we have reliable systems to go to Mars. Some of the issues that we need to address are going to be cargo transportation, surface mobility rovers and astronaut mobility on the surface of a deep space body, robotic space exploration, human space exploration. We have to develop precision landing capabilities,. We have to address some safety enhancements and power enhancements to rocket engines. We have to develop new escape technology you and I already talked about some of the health-care delivery challenges there but theres also environmental control and life support system technology that need to be developed before were confident about going to Mars. The Moon is only three days away. So what were going to see is that in 2022, the international community is going to start launching components for this mini space station that I mentioned to you. First element is going to be a power and propulsion element being launched in 2022, and then in 2023 a habitation module will be launched. Over a period of several years, this mini space station near the Moon called the lunar gateway will be built up. Once we have habitation capabilities there, crews will venture from Earth to the Moon for, say, 30- to 60-day missions at a time. There will also be possible missions by astronauts from that gateway down to the surface of the Moon to develop all these technologies. We need to develop that capability before we have the capability to go to Mars. We are not going to go to Mars directly, its too big a step for us to take. The baby step in between will be this mini space station at the Moon. Possibly after that, a visit to an asteroid, and then probably by about 2033, well be sending the first mission to Mars. A good way to think about it is that the Mars astronauts are alive today, and they are currently in high school or university. Its real, its coming close, and we need to make sure we properly prepare the technology and protocols for these future astronauts so that their missions will be successful and safe. The CSA put out a job description in late December and they said youre the only person on Earth qualified for the job. Does that mean its something youll be pursuing, helming Canadas efforts to get to Mars? Last year, I had a similar contract with Canadian Space Agency, and I was asked to answer the question whether or not Canada had the interest and the capability to play a leadership role in deep space health care. My group already provided our report to the Canadian Space Agency and the answer was a resounding yes. Now the CSA has said that they welcome that report from us and they want to know a little bit more about what it would take for Canada to invest in leadership in deep-space health care and what the social benefit would be to Canadians. This will be a second contract. It will not just be me, it will also include Dave Williams, who is another Canadian astronaut who will play a leadership role in this next phase, and also several other health-care experts in Canada to really look at seriously. If this is something Canada is going to do, we have to identify what the timeline is, what technologies are going to be required, what benefits to the Canadian taxpayer would be and what the benefits would be to the Canadian health-care system. I will answer the contract offer with a yes and Im eager to get started as fast as possible. In the area of medical technology capability, Im kind of a visionary person, I think that Canada has the ability to play a leadership role here, and some of the noteworthy areas of strength in Canada in health care are in areas of medical diagnostics, artificial intelligence. In Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal, we have global centres of excellence for artificial intelligence, surgical robotics and training capabilities, as well. I think there are certain niche areas of expertise in Canada that few other nations can claim. These are going to be the foundations upon which we can potentially build this deep space health-care initiative. This interview has been edited for clarity. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and receive a $20 prize! Dividends play a key role in compounding returns over time and can form a large part of our portfolio return. Recently, SoftTech Engineers Limited (NSE:SOFTTECH) has started paying dividends to shareholders. Today it yields 1.1%. Lets dig deeper into whether SoftTech Engineers should have a place in your portfolio. View our latest analysis for SoftTech Engineers 5 checks you should use to assess a dividend stock If you are a dividend investor, you should always assess these five key metrics: Is its annual yield among the top 25% of dividend-paying companies? Has it consistently paid a stable dividend without missing a payment or drastically cutting payout? Has it increased its dividend per share amount over the past? Is is able to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings? Will it have the ability to keep paying its dividends going forward? NSEI:SOFTTECH Historical Dividend Yield February 19th 19 How does SoftTech Engineers fare? The company currently pays out 4.9% of its earnings as a dividend, according to its trailing twelve-month data, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Furthermore, analysts have not forecasted a dividends per share for the future, which makes it hard to determine the yield shareholders should expect, and whether the current payout is sustainable, moving forward. When assessing the forecast sustainability of a dividend it is also worth considering the cash flow of the business. A business with strong cash flow can sustain a higher divided payout ratio than a company with weak cash flow. If dividend is a key criteria in your investment consideration, then you need to make sure the dividend stock youre eyeing out is reliable in its payments. Unfortunately, it is really too early to view SoftTech Engineers as a dividend investment. Last year was the companys first dividend payment, so it is certainly early days. The standard practice for reliable payers is to look for 10 or so years of track record. Story continues Compared to its peers, SoftTech Engineers generates a yield of 1.1%, which is on the low-side for Software stocks. Next Steps: After digging a little deeper into SoftTech Engineerss yield, its easy to see why you should be cautious investing in the company just for the dividend. On the other hand, if you are not strictly just a dividend investor, the stock could still be offering some interesting investment opportunities. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, I urge potential investors to try and get a good understanding of the underlying business and its fundamentals before deciding on an investment. Ive put together three essential factors you should further examine: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for SOFTTECHs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for SOFTTECHs outlook. Historical Performance: What has SOFTTECHs returns been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity. Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. On rare occasion, data errors may occur. Thank you for reading. Washington is hotly debating whether President Trumps wall-building falls within the powers that Congress has delegated to him. But the bureaucracy has been eroding the presidents executive power with much less fanfare. Deference to the experts in the non-partisan civil service has weakened the principle that government officials who are not accountable to the voters require oversight by those who are. Bureaucrats are now thought to deserve their own independent power base, and the presidents rejection of their expertise can be ruled illegal. President Trump encountered this mindset just days into his administration. On January 30, 2017, Acting Attorney General Sally Yates announced that she would defy the White House and prohibit the Justice Department from defending the presidents travel ban in court. Regardless of what one thinks of the travel ban, Yatess actions should be troubling. When officials cannot in good conscience carry out the presidents policies, the expectation is that they will resign, not stand in open defiance. The person elected to head the executive branch was Donald Trump, not Sally Yates, and in a democracy all decisions must flow from leaders accountable to the people. The president had no choice but to fire her. Not everyone felt that way. Yatess insubordination was a profile in courage, according to Senator Chuck Schumer. Politico likened her firing to Nixons Saturday Night Massacre. The Washington Post ran the headline, Trump sacking acting A.G. raises new questions about his respect for the rule of law. To the Post, the rule of law is threatened not by the official who was unwilling to obey a legal order, but by the chief executive who fired her for it. Like the Post, Yates has an inverted understanding of the rule of law. She penned a New York Times op-ed arguing that the rule of law requires that no one at the White House should have anything to do with any decisions about whom or what to investigate or prosecute. Period. Law-enforcement officials operating unchecked by anyone accountable to voters is not what most people think of as the rule of law. Story continues While the White House should obviously not dictate the day-to-day operations at the Justice Department, some level of oversight is necessary. As the machinations of behind-the-scenes figures such as J. Edgar Hoover prove, both elected officials and bureaucrats will be tempted to abuse their authority. The difference is that elected officials must face the voters, while bureaucrats do not. No system is perfect, but at least the voters can throw the bums out when power rests with those who must stand for election. To elevate the civil service to a fourth branch of government, independent of elected officials and answerable to no one, is to eliminate democratic accountability. Civil servants are human beings and have the same biases as anyone else. Expecting them never to indulge in a political agenda is naive. Consider former FBI director James Comeys actions from the perspective of President Trump. To Trump, Comey hardly seemed like a disinterested administrator. Comey twice inserted himself into the 2016 campaign. Then, after the election, Comey privately revealed to Trump the FBIs possession of salacious rumors about the president-elect. Later, Comey dispatched agents to interview Trumps national-security adviser, resulting in turmoil at the White House and an eventual perjury charge. Finally, Comey demurred when Trump asked him to state publicly what he had already said in private that the president was not under investigation. Who is actually in charge here? Trump must have wondered. The Constitution vests the executive power exclusively in the president, but Trump probably felt that he was sharing power with a bureaucrat no one had elected. To make matters worse, Trumps opponents claimed that Comey could not be fired, as doing so could be obstruction of justice. Whether Comey and the FBI acted inappropriately is a matter of debate, but consider the implications of criminalizing the presidents exercise of his executive power. Rogue officials could pursue their own agendas without oversight from the executive. The cost of restraining the president would be to leave the bureaucracy unrestrained. Despite the political fallout, Trump was able to remove Yates and Comey. In other cases, however, judges have invoked the authority of bureaucrats to overrule the president. Take Trumps executive order that disqualified some transgender people from military service. In halting the order (later reinstated by the Supreme Court), a federal judge declared that Trumps justifications were contradicted by the studies, conclusions and judgment of the military itself. The judge inferred that Trump must therefore be motivated by illegal animus toward transgender people. Now, perhaps the militarys studies are rigorous and not motivated at all by political correctness. Perhaps Trumps new policy is indeed unjustifiable. Nevertheless, the danger here is obvious: The military has effectively vetoed an order by the commander-in-chief. If the military brass is owed such deference, it is easy to see how it could head off interference from the civilian leadership simply by producing a study that confirms its own beliefs. A similar case occurred when Trumps secretary of commerce, Wilbur Ross, attempted to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. As part of a sprawling ruling invalidating the new question, a federal judge cited the concerns of experts at the Census Bureau to bolster his conclusion that Ross was unwilling or unable to rationally consider counterarguments to his plan. Maybe the Census Bureau is exactly right. Alternatively, critics suspect that the bureau exaggerated the problems with the citizenship question in order to overrule a Trump-administration priority. Certainly the temptation would be there, given the power with which judges have imbued the career officials. That temptation should concern everyone, regardless of how one feels about the policy change in question. The travel ban was not immune to legal attacks from experts either. In their dissent to the Supreme Courts decision upholding the travel ban, Justices Sotomayor and Ginsburg cited several former national security officials from both political parties as evidence that the policy is ineffective, and thus possibly motivated by animus. Who knew that former officials get to veto the policies of current officials? It is not illegal for the president to exercise poor judgment. Unwise or foolish decisions can be perfectly compatible with the rule of law. What is not compatible with the rule of law is the ability of subordinates to overturn the presidents legal orders by substituting their own preferences for his. Because judges have given bureaucrats that implicit veto, the administration must spend time battling itself rather than simply executing the laws as the president thinks best. Those battles are difficult for the White House, since the media consider any pushback against the bureaucracy to be inherently suspicious. For example, it was a minor scandal when a Health and Human Services (HHS) report on the fiscal cost of refugees leaked in September of 2017. The president had called for the HHS report as part of his extreme vetting policy. Contrary to the White Houses expectations, however, the report concluded that refugees are net fiscal contributors. HHS may have made an honest effort, but its report had serious methodological problems, and the administration was right to reject it in favor of a better study. No matter. The Trump administration rejects its own study finding refugees help the economy, said the headline at Vox. According to the article, this was another example of the administration ignoring research that contradicts its policy positions. If refugee limits were challenged in a court case as arbitrary and capricious, the administrations rejection of the refugee study would be Exhibit A offered by the plaintiffs. It would probably matter little that the report was faulty after all, it was written by non-partisan experts. The rule-by-experts mindset is encouraged by the Resistance against Donald Trump, but its also part of a broader movement. When the American Psychological Association declares that traditional masculinity . . . is, on the whole, harmful, it is using its scientific authority to bolster a political cause. When Politico concludes in a fact check that illegal immigration is not a crisis, it is dressing up an opinion as a fact. When Twitter bans users for objectionable speech, it is purporting to know which ideas are good for the world and which are bad. All of this behavior reflects a technocratic mindset if only the non-partisan experts were in charge, then society could function so much better. Technocrats forget human nature. No one is apolitical, and no one is free from bias. Donning a black robe does not make a person immaculate, nor does hanging a fancy degree on the wall, nor does working at a powerful government agency. Everyone needs oversight. Thats why we elect our leaders. More from National Review BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain will not take part in the elections to the European Parliament in May because it will leave the European Union on March 29th, junior Brexit minister Martin Callanan told reporters on Tuesday. European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said on Monday that although it seemed unlikely, he could not rule out that Britain would participate in the European elections because it could ask for an extension of the deadline to leave the EU. But asked if Britain could take part in the elections, Callanan said: "No, because we are leaving ... on the 29th of March" Asked if that meant Britain would not ask for an extension of the deadline to get more time to agree a withdrawal agreement, Callanan said: "The prime minister has been very clear that we intend to leave on the 29th of March -- that's what Art 50 says and that's what our domestic legislation says." (Reporting by Jan Strupczewski and Phil Blenkinsop) Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, one of his politician sons and his ultraconservative party were embroiled in a crisis Sunday over a campaign finance scandal threatening the leader's anti-corruption image. The 63-year-old far-right president, who is just six weeks into his mandate, spoke with top officials in his government Friday and Saturday to try to draw a line under the affair, after key allies turned on him. Brazilian media, citing anonymous government sources, said the outcome could be the forced exit on Monday of one of his ministers, Gustavo Bebianno, a former chief of his Social Liberal Party who is reportedly suspected of misusing campaign funds in last year's election. The furor could divert the president's attention as he tries to focus on other priorities, including a bill to reform Brazil's unsustainable pension system, and stepping up pressure on Venezuela as part of a US-led effort to topple President Nicolas Maduro. Bebianno had tried to downplay the campaign finance allegations. He claimed he had spoken several times with Bolsonaro while the president spent the first half of this month in hospital following stomach surgery. But one of Bolsonaro's sons, Carlos, denied on Twitter that any discussions took place and accused Bebianno of "lying." That triggered a storm dividing Bolsonaro's allies. Rodrigo Maia, speaker in the lower chamber of Congress and a key figure to help push legislation in the looming pension reform bid, accused the president of using Carlos Bolsonaro -- a state legislator with no official federal government position -- to "ask a minister to resign" rather than finding a solution himself. "If there's a problem, he (Bolsonaro) must find a solution, he cannot ... get his family to intervene as that creates insecurity," Maia told the Globo News channel. - Damaging scandal - Bebianno met with Bolsonaro on Friday to try to save his job. He later told a Globo News reporter, "I don't know" whether he would be remain in his post. Story continues The minister, who is in charge of helping to run the president's office, reportedly told a confidant he regretted helping get Bolsonaro elected. "I never imagined he would be such a weak president," the G1 news website quoted him saying. The scandal has thrown light on a suspected campaign financing tactic by some parties in Brazil to divert allocated funds for fake candidates who garner few votes. Bolsonaro's tourism minister, Marcelo Alvaro Antonio, who belongs to the PSL, also is suspected of resorting to that tactic, though he denies it. The allegations, and the storm thrown up by them, are damaging to Bolsonaro, who comfortably won elections last October in large part by vowing to stamp out corruption. That reputation has been further sullied by suspicions of illegal financial transactions surrounding another of Bolsonaro's sons, Flavio, who is a senator. A third politician son, Eduardo, a federal lawmaker, has embraced a nationalist politics platform created by Steve Bannon, US President Donald Trump's former strategist. Sixteen states that joined in the first of a string of expected lawsuits over President Donald Trumps national emergency maneuver to fund a southern border wall could lock up nearly $7 billion in national spending if the funds come under the courts jurisdiction. The lawsuit filed in a federal district court for the Northern District of California seeks an injunction to stop the Trump administration from using $7 billion in federal funds already allocated to states to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The diversion of funds is likely to be held up in the courts for most or all of the remainder of President Trumps first term, a report from Rabo Research, a Global economics and market research firm, said. Drawn out court battles that withhold the funds from the economy, the firm said, could negatively impact GDP growth. Consumer confidence, business, and investment could be negatively impacted, as well. Very hard to generate the legal case Whether courts will permit legal challenges at all is questionable. None of the parties that have sued the administration easily satisfy standing requirements typically required to maintain an action against the federal government over executive action. Unless the emergency order targets a class of people who have a right to be treated differently than they're treated under the universal declaration, it's actually very hard to generate the legal case that would challenge the emergency declaration, Kim Lane Scheppele, professor of international affairs at Princeton University, told Yahoo Finance. Jay Platt holds a sign during a protest in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, Monday, Feb. 18, 2019. People gathered on the Presidents Day holiday to protest President Donald Trump's recent national emergency declaration. (AP Photo/LM Otero) Plaintiffs must have an injury in fact, meaning an injury that has already occurred or is imminent, and that is not hypothetical. They also must be able to connect the alleged injury to the defendant and show that the court is capable of mitigating the injury. The 16 states named in the California complaint allege varying injuries. Some say diverting funds away from the states causes injury to state citizens because the state can no longer use funds to stop the flow of illegal drugs and carry out separate law enforcement activities. Others say funds diverted from military projects will stymie general economic growth and, in turn, depress state tax revenues. Story continues Whether those types of injuries are enough for the court to grant an injunctive order that and temporarily halt the use of $7 billion is anyones guess. If California says youve taken the funds that well need for next year's fire season, it's a hypothetical injury and it's a long way off and Congress can re-top the funds, Scheppele said. Though with courts in uncharted territory, Scheppele said they may find ways to substantiate the states lawsuit. In all, the president announced $8 billion for border protection. $1.375 billion is not under immediate scrutiny because it was appropriated by Congress for border fencing. According to the administration, the remaining $7 billion could fund actual border wall construction, including $3.5 billion accessed through the emergency declaration, $2.5 billion tapped from a defense department account used to reduce the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S., and $600 million from a Treasury Department forfeiture fund used to fight crime. U.S demonstrators hold U.S flags at the open border to make a human wall in support of the construction of the new border wall between U.S and Mexico in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico February 9, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY The administration said it first plans to tap funds that do not rely on the emergency declaration. If courts find those funds are outside their purview it could lessen projected negative impacts on GDP. Other potential lawsuits In 2014, a federal district court paved the way for the U.S. House of Representatives to sue a sitting president. At the time, a district court granted House republicans standing to bring a claim against then President Barack Obama who sidestepped Congresss power of the purse by reallocating unappropriated government funds to the Affordable Care Act. Because The National Emergencies Act of 1976 gives the president authority to invoke national emergencies and provides a measure for Congress to remedy executive overreach, courts have been reluctant to grant Congress the right to sue under the Act. Theres a group called Protect Democracy thats planning to file a lawsuit, Scheppele said. The organization is comprised of former White House Counsel attorneys from Republican or Democratic administrations who rely on a body of informal executive branch laws handed down from previous administrations. Going back decades it has been a kind of secret law of the executive branch, Scheppele said. The group, she explained, may have standing because they have a big stake in the continuity of executive office legal constraints. Private property owners whose land the federal government would need to build border walls and fencing are another group of potential plaintiffs, though their claims would not be heard as a direct challenge to the Constitutionality of the emergency declaration itself. I didnt need to do this Trump may have undermined his position that drugs, human traffickers and gangs crossing into the U.S. supports a need for a national emergency declaration. While fielding a question about the declaration from an NBC, the president said, I didn't need to do this, I wanted to get it done faster. Critics challenging the presidents interpretation of an emergency point to the speed with which he chose to declare it. If drugs, human trafficking and gangs were a true national emergency, they say, the action would have been invoked as soon as the president became aware of the purported crisis. That argument, Scheppele says, might not be as potent as critics think. The National Emergency Act does not define an emergency in any way, she said, explaining that under normal circumstances courts would defer from self-defining what constitutes an emergency. Alexis Keenan is a New York-based reporter for Yahoo Finance. She previously produced live news for CNN and is a former litigation attorney. Follow her on Twitter at @alexiskweed More from Alexis: Weed consumers no longer stoner that lives in his moms basement: CEO NYPD: Waze users who post sobriety checkpoints may be committing crimes How legalized cannabis changed Colorado in the past five years Legal experts disagree on whether Trump can declare 'emergency' to build his wall Bon-Ton, the more than century-old department store chain that declared bankruptcy in February and shut its doors Wednesday, may be close to a comeback. The rights to relaunch the retailer and its subsidiary brands are close to being acquired, according to people familiar with the matter who requested anonymity because the deal is not yet final. The reinvented Bon-Ton would be a sleeker, more e-commerce focused business, these people told USA TODAY. While it will be centered around its website, there are also plans to reopen physical locations in Illinois, Colorado, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Services like personal styling will be offered, and stores will be open for a shorter time most week days, and for extended hours from Thursday to Sunday. Former Bon-Ton employees would get first dibs on re-staffing those locations. If given the green light by the bankruptcy court, Bon-Ton, and the retail chains under its corporate umbrella - Boston Store, Carsons, Bergners, Elder-Beerman, Younkers, and Herbergers would be revived about seven months after Bon-Ton filed for bankruptcy protection. Earlier Friday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the websites of Bon-Ton and its subsidiary chains were giving clues that a return was imminent. "We've got great news--Boston Store is coming back!'' said one. "Stay tuned for updates over the coming weeks. We appreciate your loyalty & look forward to being able to serve you again soon. Great American Group's Scott Carpenter, president of Retail Solutions, which is leading the liquidation of Bon-Ton's assets, issued the following statement to the Journal Sentinel, "All of Bon-Ton Stores physical store locations will be closed as of today. The companys intellectual property is in the process of being sold. We cannot speak to the purchasers future plans with the company. All inquiries should be referred to the buyer which will be disclosed once the transaction is closed." Story continues The company, founded in 1898, had roughly 250 stores in 23 states throughout the Northeast, the Midwest and the upper Great Plains. But it stumbled in a new era in which consumers are used to fast fashion and door step delivery from Amazon and other retailers. After failing to make a profit since 2010, the York, Pa.-based company filed for bankruptcy protection in February. Two months later, it was purchased by a group of its creditors and liquidators at an auction, and the company shuttered its stores just this week. More Money: Boston Store, Younkers and other Bon-Ton websites post mysterious message about coming back More Money: Bon-Ton Stores going out of business after liquidators win bid at auction More Money: Bon-Ton is the latest retailer to go out of business Contributing: Karen Pilarski and Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bon-Ton may be on the verge of a comeback after bankruptcy The body of William Taylor has been found (Picture: SWNS) A body found in a river has been formally identified as a multi-millionaire farmer who had been missing for eight months. William Bill Taylor was last seen at home at Gosmore, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, last June. His body was discovered by a member of the public on February 10 in the River Hiz, near Charlton Road. He had disappeared from his 1.2 million home, Harkness Hall, at about 9pm on June 3 just days before his 70th birthday. He was reported missing to police the following day and police, sniffer dogs and a helicopter were used in the countryside search around the farm. MORE: Killer illegal car seats on sale for just 8 on eBay and Amazon MORE: 27-year-old appears in court accused of killing three pensioners It later emerged the grandfathers Land Rover Defender was deliberately set on fire in the days before he went missing. Mr Taylors body was found near his home in Hertfordshire (Picture: SWNS) Mr Taylors estranged wife, Angela Taylor, 52, from Hitchin, and her partner, Paul Cannon, 53, also from Hitchin, are both charged with arson, murder and conspiracy to murder. They are due to appear at St Albans Crown Court on April 8. Gwyn Griffiths, aged 59, from Folkestone, Kent, has also been charged with conspiracy to murder and assisting offenders in connection with Mr Taylors death. He is due to appear at St Albans Crown Court on March 4. A 23-year-old man and an 18-year-old man were previously arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder but were later released on police bail. Mr Taylors family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. Police say extensive enquiries have been carried out at the scene by officers from the Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Major Crime Unit. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Washington (AFP) - Senator Bernie Sanders launched a second bid for the White House on Tuesday, taking direct aim at Donald Trump in an announcement that called the incumbent a "racist" and a "pathological liar." Sanders, 77, joins an already crowded field of candidates vying for the Democratic nomination to run against Trump in 2020. A self-described democratic socialist, Sanders made an unsuccessful run for the presidency in 2016 whose progressive themes inspired a younger generation of voters. "We are living in a pivotal and dangerous moment in American history," the senator from Vermont said in a video announcing his candidacy. "We are running against a president who is a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and someone who is undermining American democracy as he leads us in an authoritarian direction," Sanders said. "Now more than ever, we need leadership that brings us together, not divides us up," he said. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, highlighted policies he will advocate on the campaign trail: health care for all, raising the minimum wage to a "living wage," and fighting climate change. "Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice," Sanders said. He vowed to take on "powerful special interests that dominate our economic and political life," listing Wall Street, health insurance companies and the military-industrial complex. - 'Missed his time' - Trump welcomed Sanders to the race but said he had probably "missed his time." "I wish Bernie well," Trump told reporters. "I like Bernie." "We'll see how he does," the president said. "We got a lot of people running. Only one person is going to win. I hope you know who that person is." Trump's campaign dismissed Sanders's policies, saying that while Democrats may have embraced his ideas, the American people have not. Story continues "Bernie Sanders has already won the debate in the Democratic primary, because every candidate is embracing his brand of socialism," the Trump campaign said in a statement. "But the American people will reject an agenda of sky-high tax rates, government-run health care and coddling dictators like those in Venezuela." Sanders gave an outline of how he will campaign. "What I promise to do is, as I go around the country, is to take the values that all of us in Vermont are proud of -- a belief in justice, in community, in grassroots politics, in town meetings -- that's what I'm going to carry all over this country," he said in an interview with Vermont Public Radio. In his video, Sanders said he aims to run "an unprecedented grass-roots campaign of one million active volunteers in every state in our country." Sanders benefited from just such a groundswell in 2016 but lost the Democratic nomination to establishment favorite Hillary Clinton. She in turn was defeated by Trump, a billionaire who campaigned as a populist outsider. - Deep and diverse field - Sanders garnered passionate support among young liberals with his calls for universal health care, a $15 minimum wage and free public university education. In his announcement video, Sanders said the policies he advocated in 2016 campaign have made their way into the political mainstream and it is now time to "complete that revolution." "We were told that our ideas were 'radical' and they were 'extreme,'" he said. "We were told that Medicare for all, a $15-an-hour minimum wage, free tuition at public colleges and universities, aggressively combating climate change, demanding that the wealthy start paying their fair share of taxes -- we were told that all of these concepts were ideas that the American people would never accept," Sanders said. "All of these policies and more are now supported by a majority of Americans. Together, you and I and our 2016 campaign, began the political revolution. Now it is time to complete that revolution and implement the vision that we fought for." Sanders will be battling a pool of candidates for the Democratic nomination that is among the largest and most diverse ever. They include four female senators -- Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Kirsten Gillibrand. Also in the race is New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro. Early polls have put Sanders ahead of the others, trailing only former vice president Joe Biden, who has yet to decide whether to run. Provincial health officials denied salary for four months Staffers serving at the health offices run by the health directorate of the Ministry of Social Development in Province 3 have not been paid for the last four months. Bernie Sanders has announced he is running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. In 2016 he came second to Hillary Clinton - REUTERS So, Bernie is in. Four years after his remarkable rise from relative political obscurity to almost upsetting Hillary Clintons march to the Democratic nomination, he is back for another go. His strengths as a 2020 presidential candidate come from what happened during that first try. He has a network of political activists embedded in key states who have been pushing his case since he came up short. He has name recognition and a clear political identity, something many of his rivals in a packed field of more than a dozen likely candidates will need to carve out in the coming months. Mr Sanders also has proven heft when it comes to fund raising. He picked up more than $100 million (77 million) from donors who gave less than $200 each during his last presidential bid numbers that arent to be sniffed at. The young Democrat voters drawn to his Left-wing policies also appear to still be drifting that way. A Gallup poll in 2016 found Democrats felt more positively about socialism than capitalism. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. But there is one big challenge for Mr Sanders this time he is not alone. At least half a dozen candidates are looking to ride the same progressive wave that he surfed so successfully in 2016. That much is clear when you look at the policies with which he is most clearly identified. Medicare for all - a proposal to give every American government-paid healthcare - has been one of his big rallying cries for years. He introduced a bill proposing it in 2017. But four other presidential rivals the senators Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris all co-signed the bill and are backing versions of the same idea. In 2016, Mr Sanders called climate change the single greatest threat facing our planet. But the Green New Deal he wants adopted is being pushed by others too, including Ms Harris and Ms Gillibrand. His vocal attacks on Wall Street and calls for free college tuition helped set him apart from Mrs Clinton in 2016. Yet this time round Ms Warren, perhaps the candidate who most overlaps with him in terms of policy, is hammering away at both issues. Story continues Plus another feature of Mr Sanders last campaign his reluctance to take corporate donations to fund his bid for the White House is now commonplace among the 2020 pack. There are weaknesses too. In the #MeToo world, allegations of sexual harassment from his 2016 campaign, which led to Mr Sanders issuing an apology, could put off some voters. At 77, Mr Sanders is five years older than Donald Trump, and this will be focused on, as will his electability at a time when the Democrat base appears to prioritise finding a candidate who can beat the current US president above other qualities. Bernie Sanders at a health care rally in 2017 San Francisco, California Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Mr Sanders will also be hoping to improve his standing with African-American voters, a demographic that preferred Mrs Clinton over him last time round. In 2016, Mr Sanders was the change candidate. Despite the historic nature of Mrs Clintons candidacy, her perception as the embodiment of the establishment helped fuel his campaign. In 2020, it will be much harder to play that card. Among Mr Sanders rivals are people seeking to be the first black woman, gay man and Latino candidate to be US president. Early polls suggest Mr Sanders is well positioned - he tends to come second after Joe Biden, the former US vice president. And last time he won more than 13 million votes in the primaries, which is no mean feat. But 2020 is not 2016. This is not a two-horse race but a free-for-all, with plenty of candidates looking to occupy turf long staked out by Mr Sanders. He is no longer the only progressive in town. When 34-year-old Edgora McEwan moved to Dubai 16 years ago, she had no idea that she would become a groundbreaker as the first female hot air balloon pilot in the United Arab Emirates. The Uzbekistan native moved to Dubai and worked to build up her photography business, which she co-owns. After giving birth to her daughter in 2013 and son in 2015, she was working as a stay-at-home mother when her husband, Adam McEwan, purchased Balloon Adventures Dubai, a hot air balloon tourism company. McEwan took her first hot air balloon ride in 2017 and she knew instantly that she had stumbled upon her passion. McEwan decided immediately that she wanted to learn how to pilot her own balloon. While she was able to use resources available to her through her husbands ballooning company, McEwan knew that attaining this license would require hours of time and dedicated study. I was very much encouraged by the pilots at Balloon Adventures Dubai, said McEwan. It took me two years to get certified after I took my first flight. Related stories Dreaming of a Home on the Water? It Now Costs 46 Percent More Than Living Inland Dubai's MEBAA Air Show Puts Gulfstream, ACJ, and Bell Center Stage Dubai's Newest Hotel May Also Be the City's Most Over-the-Top Edgora McEwan After two years of training and hard work, McEwan now holds a private pilot license, which requires 16 hours of flying with a qualified instructor, as well as a documented solo flight. Instead of being intimidated by being the only woman to hold a hot air ballooning pilots license, McEwan used the potential of this landmark achievement as motivation. I knew when I started that I would be the first female balloon pilot in Dubai, she said. And it made me feel great. In addition to flight time, the certification requires five theory exams on topics such as regulations and emergency procedures, as well as a monitored flight. McEwan also had to hit the gym so that she would have the physical stamina required to pull the ropes during takeoffs and landings. After completing all of these tests, McEwan was ready for the largest milestone of all: her first solo flight. In June 2018 in Mondovi she set sail. It was unforgettable, said McEwan. Throughout the whole flight, I had such a great sense of achievement. Story continues In order to carry passengers alongside the other pilots in her husbands business, McEwan will need to get her commercial licensea notion that hasnt been widely accepted in the aviation community in the Middle East for very long. In fact, Emirates Airlines made headlines as recently as 2017 when it posted a video to its company YouTube page highlighting a female pilot and co-pilot on International Womens Day. The Emirates Airlines duo broke barriers as the first female of Arab descent to fly the Airbus A380; and the youngest woman of Emirati descent to fly the aircraft, respectively. This, of course, is noteworthy partially due to the fact that there are still so many barriers that women are not permitted to cross. McEwan holds a private pilot license. Still, McEwan has no intention of stopping. I will get my commercial license eventually, but for now Im just enjoying the ballooning world, she said. Im getting to know a lot of pilots and its just so incredible to have so many people around me who share the same passion. And while there arent many women in the ballooning community just yet, McEwan hopes she can help change that. Flying balloons makes me feel very proud, strong, and independent, said McEwan. I hope I can use this to inspire other women not to give up on their dreams. Want to participate in a short research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and receive a $20 prize! While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, well use ROE to better understand Baby Bunting Group Limited (ASX:BBN). Baby Bunting Group has a ROE of 10%, based on the last twelve months. One way to conceptualize this, is that for each A$1 of shareholders equity it has, the company made A$0.10 in profit. View our latest analysis for Baby Bunting Group How Do You Calculate ROE? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders Equity Or for Baby Bunting Group: 10% = 9.82 AU$94m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Its easy to understand the net profit part of that equation, but shareholders equity requires further explanation. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. You can calculate shareholders equity by subtracting the companys total liabilities from its total assets. What Does ROE Signify? ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The return is the yearly profit. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies. Does Baby Bunting Group Have A Good ROE? Arguably the easiest way to assess companys ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. If you look at the image below, you can see Baby Bunting Group has a lower ROE than the average (14%) in the Specialty Retail industry classification. Story continues ASX:BBN Last Perf February 19th 19 Thats not what we like to see. We prefer it when the ROE of a company is above the industry average, but its not the be-all and end-all if it is lower. Nonetheless, it could be useful to double-check if insiders have sold shares recently. The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Baby Bunting Groups Debt And Its 10% ROE While Baby Bunting Group does have some debt, with debt to equity of just 0.14, we wouldnt say debt is excessive. Its very respectable ROE, combined with only modest debt, suggests the business is in good shape. Careful use of debt to boost returns is often very good for shareholders. However, it could reduce the companys ability to take advantage of future opportunities. The Bottom Line On ROE Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt. But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth and how much investment is required going forward. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. If you would prefer check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. On rare occasion, data errors may occur. Thank you for reading. The results are in: Two of the biggest Canadian marijuana producers, Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB) and Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC), reported earnings results last week. Those results were arguably the most important ever for the two companies since they were the first to include sales of recreational marijuana in Canada. Judging by how the two marijuana stocks performed following their updates, Canopy Growth appeared to be the clear winner. However, both Aurora and Canopy reported some very good news and some not so good. Here's what investors can love -- and loathe -- about the big marijuana producers' latest earnings updates. Marijuana buds arranged to make a heart shape Image source: Getty Images. Love Skyrocketing sales has to be at the top of the list for investors to love. Aurora reported net revenue of 54.2 million in Canadian dollars, up 363% year over year and 83% quarter over quarter. Canopy Growth announced net revenue totaling CA$83 million, an increase of 283% over the prior-year period and 256% over the previous quarter. As expected, most of the sales growth for both Aurora Cannabis and Canopy Growth came from the recreational marijuana market in Canada. Aurora's recreational sales for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2018, were CA$21.6 million compared to CA$71.6 million for Canopy. Canopy Growth claims a strong position right out of the gate in the Canadian recreational marijuana market, something investors can definitely love. When all of the top Canadian marijuana producers have reported their results, Aurora should be in a solid second place, which is at least worthy of being liked by investors, if not loved. The primary reason why Aurora and Canopy are in their respective positions is another factor that should warm the hearts of investors. What is that reason? Solid production capacity. Aurora currently has an annualized production run rate of 120,000 kilograms. The company's funded capacity totals 4.6 million square feet, or greater than 500,000 kilograms per year. Canopy Growth doesn't talk about its capacity in terms of kilograms per year, but the company already operates 10 licensed facilities with over 4.3 million square feet of production capacity. Story continues Loathe The obvious thing to loathe about Aurora Cannabis' latest results was the company's big net loss of CA$237.8 million. Granted, Aurora's bottom line was negatively impacted by adjustments on the company's derivative investments totaling CA$190 million. However, the loss was ugly no matter how you look at it. On the surface, Canopy Growth's earnings of CA$74.9 million might seem like something for investors to celebrate. There was more to the story, though. Canopy actually had an operating loss of CA$157.2 million. Its recorded earnings stemmed from fair value gains resulting from a declining value for its senior convertible notes. Canopy's share price fell 45% in the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2018, weighing on the value of its convertible notes. Any paper profits that resulted primarily from that kind of dismal stock performance certainly is something for investors to loathe. Neither Aurora Cannabis nor Canopy Growth can justify their current market caps based on the Canadian opportunity alone. Both companies must achieve significant growth in global marijuana markets to avoid a collapse in their share prices. But international sales represented 6% of total cannabis revenue for Aurora and only 3.3% of net revenue for Canopy. Admittedly, Aurora and Canopy are ahead of most of their peers in their international efforts. However, international sales remain very low for both of these marijuana producers. Loathe might be too strong of a word, but there's not much for investors to like yet about international sales for either Aurora Cannabis or Canopy Growth. And what to look for ahead Quarterly results only provide a snapshot of what's happened in the past. But companies' updates also give a hint at what could be coming in the future. Investors have a lot of great things to look forward to with both Aurora Cannabis and Canopy Growth. Revenue for Aurora and Canopy should continue to soar this year. Remember, the latest results for the companies didn't include a full quarter of recreational sales since the Canadian market opened on Oct. 17, 2018, two and a half weeks into the quarter. There were also some wrinkles in the early days of the recreational market that should be ironed out over time. The anticipated launch of the market for cannabis edibles, beverages, and concentrates later this year should also provide a big revenue boost for both Aurora and Canopy. Aurora Cannabis CEO Terry Booth said that his company plans to be a first mover in getting new products on the market when it's legal to do so. Canopy Growth co-CEO Bruce Linton stated in his company's quarterly conference call that when it comes to cannabis edibles and beverages, "If it's legal, we'll have it." Expect improving bottom lines for both Aurora Cannabis and Canopy Growth as well. Aurora's management noted that the one-time costs related to complying with packaging requirements for the recreational market won't be a factor in the future. The company's expenses connected with ramping up capacity at its Aurora Sky facility will also go away. Canopy expects gross margins to improve as its facilities reach full utilization. And both companies should see favorable product mix shifts to high-profit products like softgels. Probably the most important thing to look for, though, is increased international momentum. Both Aurora and Canopy have laid the groundwork for capitalizing on growth in international marijuana markets. Success on this front would give something for investors to really love. More From The Motley Fool Keith Speights 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. By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - A senior adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday flatly rejected the idea of giving Syrian Kurds a measure of autonomy, saying such a move would open the door to the partition of the country. The Kurdish-led authority that runs much of north and east Syria has presented a road map for a deal with Assad in recent meetings with his key ally Russia. The Kurds want to safeguard their autonomous region inside a decentralised state when U.S. troops currently backing them pull out. They also hope a deal with Damascus would dissuade neighboring Turkey from attacking them. But when asked on Tuesday if Damascus was willing to do a deal that would hand the Kurds some measure of autonomy, Bouthaina Shaaban, a senior adviser to Assad, flatly rejected the suggestion. "Autonomy means the partition of Syria. We have no way to partition Syria," she told Reuters on the sidelines of a Middle East conference in Moscow organized by the Valdai Discussion Club. "Syria is a country that is a melting pot for all people and all people are equal in front of Syrian law and in front of the Syrian constitution," she added, calling the Kurds "a precious and very important part of the Syrian people". Her comments come after Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad expressed optimism last month over dialogue with Kurdish groups, and suggest the Kurds will face an uphill struggle to wring concessions from Damascus, which has said it wants to retake every inch of territory lost during eight years of war. Shaaban sat next to Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister at the conference and lavishly praised Moscow for its Syria intervention, saying it had shown "amazing consistency in dealing with facts on the ground". She was scathing about Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his idea of carving out "a safe zone" in northeast Syria however. Ankara wants the area near the Turkish border to be cleared of the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG militia and to move into territory there, some of which is currently controlled by U.S. forces. Shaaban said the idea smacked of an illegal land grab. "Turkey has all the new ambition to occupy other people's land and I think we are facing Erdogan who has dreams of reinvigorating and recreating the Ottoman Empire," she said. "But I don't think he will be able to do that because our people are there to defend our land." Turkey backs the anti-Assad opposition that still has a foothold in northwestern Syria, and has troops in that area. (For a graphic on 'Control of Syrian communities' click https://tmsnrt.rs/2E6TwKX) (Editing by Frances Kerry) Fans hoping a sequel to Call Me By Your Name would come along soon are set to be disappointed, according to Armie Hammer. The coming-of-age-story starring Timothee Chalamet and Hammer was a critical hit when it was released in 2017 and director Luca Guadagnino soon announced plans to make a sequel. This was swiftly followed up by Andre Aciman, author of the original 2007 book, who confirmed he would revisit the characters of young Elio and grad student Oliver in a new novel. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The film ends with the two lovers still in their youth but the book concludes with a flash-forward 20 years to them meeting again for the first time after their summer romance. Hammer says he would return to his role as Oliver but it will be many years before we see him and Elio meeting again on the big screen. I think that is even farther off than anything to do with Batman, the actor told Yahoo Movies UK. I think that Andre still has to write a book about it, Lucas gonna turn it into a script, thats years and years and years and years away. Guadagnino shared his plans for the sequel with The Hollywood Reporter last year. The novel has 40 pages at the end that goes through the next 20 years of the lives of Elio and Oliver, so there is some sort of indication through the intention of [the author] that the story can continue, he said. Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name In my opinion, Call Me can be the first chapter of the chronicles of the life of these people that we met in this movie, and if the first one is a story of coming of age and becoming a young man, maybe the next chapter will be, what is the position of the young man in the world, what does he want and what is left a few years later of such an emotional punch that made him who he is? Hammer also refuted rumours that he would be taking over the role of Bruce Wayne in The Batman during the interview to discuss his latest film On the Basis of Sex. The actor stars as Marty Ginsburg, the husband of iconic Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, played by Felicity Jones. Story continues I liked the idea of playing this guy who was so self-assured and non-threatened that he was willing to defy the gender norms at the time, Hammer said. On the Basis of Sex is in U.K. cinemas from 22 February. Read more Keira Knightley pays tribute to Karl Lagerfeld Armie Hammer refutes The Batman rumours Rebecca Ferguson never wants to stop making M:I movies Brothers and Sisters-- I am writing to let you know I have decided to run for president of the United States. I am asking you today to join me as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least a million people from across the country. Please join our campaign for president on day one and commit to doing what it takes to win this election. Our campaign is not only about defeating Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in modern American history. It is not only about winning the Democratic nomination and the general election. Our campaign is about transforming our country and creating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice. Our campaign is about taking on the powerful special interests that dominate our economic and political life. I'm talking about Wall Street, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry, the military-industrial complex, the private-prison industry and the large multi-national corporations that exert such an enormous influence over our lives. Our campaign is about redoubling our efforts to end racism, sexism, homophobia, religious bigotry and all forms of discrimination. Our campaign is about creating a vibrant democracy with the highest voter turnout of any major country while we end voter suppression, Citizens United and outrageous levels of gerrymandering. Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that works for the many, not just the few. We are the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. We should not have grotesque levels of wealth inequality in which three billionaires own more wealth than the bottom half of the country. We should not have 30 million Americans without any health insurance, even more who are under-insured and a nation in which life expectancy is actually in decline. We should not have an economy in which tens of millions of workers earn starvation wages and half of older workers have no savings as they face retirement. We should not have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth and a dysfunctional childcare system which is unfair to both working parents and their children. We should not have a regressive tax system in which large, profitable corporations like Amazon pay nothing in federal income taxes. Make no mistake about it. The powerful special interests in this country have unbelievable power and they want to maintain the status quo. They have unlimited amounts of money to spend on campaigns and lobbying and have huge influence over the media and political parties. The only way we will win this election and create a government and economy that works for all is with a grassroots movement the likes of which has never been seen in American history. They may have the money and power. We have the people. That is why we need one million Americans who will commit themselves to this campaign. Stand with me as we fight to win the Democratic nomination and the general election. Add your name to join this campaign and say you are willing to do the hard work necessary to transform our country. You know as well as I do that we are living in a pivotal and dangerous moment in American history. We are running against a president who is a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe and someone who is undermining American democracy as he leads us in an authoritarian direction. Im running for president because, now more than ever, we need leadership that brings us together not divides us up. Women and men, black, white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, gay and straight, young and old, native born and immigrant. Now is the time for us to stand together. Im running for president because we need leadership that will fight for working families and the shrinking middle class, not just the 1 percent. We need a president who understands that we can create millions of good-paying jobs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and construct the affordable housing we desperately need. I'm running for president because we need trade policies that reflect the interests of workers and not multi-national corporations. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, provide pay equity for women and guarantee all workers paid family and medical leave. I'm running for president because we need to understand that artificial intelligence and robotics must benefit the needs of workers, not just corporate America and those who own that technology. I'm running for president because a great nation is judged not by how many billionaires and nuclear weapons it has, but by how it treats the most vulnerable the elderly, the children, our veterans, the sick and the poor. Im running for president because we need to make policy decisions based on science, not politics. We need a president who understands that climate change is real, is an existential threat to our country and the entire planet, and that we can generate massive job creation by transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. Im running for president because the time is long overdue for the United States to join every other major country on Earth and guarantee health care to all people as a right, not a privilege, through a Medicare-for-all program. Im running for president because we need to take on the outrageous level of greed of the pharmaceutical industry and lower prescription drug prices in this country. I'm running for president because we need to have the best educated workforce in the world. It is totally counter-productive for our future that millions of Americans are carrying outrageous levels of student debt, while many others cannot afford the high cost of higher education. That is why we need to make public colleges and universities tuition free and lower student debt. Im running for president because we must defend a womans right to control her own body against massive political attacks taking place at the local state and federal level. I'm running for president because we need real criminal justice reform. We need to invest in jobs and education for our kids, not more jails and incarceration. We need to end the destructive "war on drugs," eliminate private prisons and cash bail and bring about major police department reform. I'm running for president because we need to end the demonization of undocumented immigrants in this country and move to comprehensive immigration reform. We need to provide immediate legal status for the young people eligible for the DACA program and develop a humane policy for those at the border who seek asylum. I'm running for president because we must end the epidemic of gun violence in this country. We need to take on the NRA, expand background checks, end the gun show loophole and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons. I'm running for president because we need a foreign policy which focuses on democracy, human rights, diplomacy and world peace. The United States must lead the world in improving international cooperation in the fight against climate change, militarism, authoritarianism and global wealth inequality. That is why we need at least a million people to join our campaign and help lead the movement that can accomplish these goals. Add your name to say were in this together. Needless to say, there is a lot of frightening and bad news in this world. Now, let me give you some very good news. Three years ago, during our 2016 campaign, when we brought forth our progressive agenda we were told that our ideas were "radical," and "extreme." We were told that Medicare for All, a $15 an hour minimum wage, free tuition at public colleges and universities, aggressively combating climate change, demanding that the wealthy start paying their fair share of taxes, were all of concepts that the American people would never accept. Well, three years have come and gone. And, as result of millions of Americans standing up and fighting back, all of these policies and more are now supported by a majority of Americans. Together, you and I and our 2016 campaign began the political revolution. Now, it is time to complete that revolution and implement the vision that we fought for. So here is my question for you: Will you stand with me as part of a million person grassroots movement which can not only win the Democratic primary, not only win the general election but most importantly help transform this country so that, finally, we have a government that works for all of us and not just the few? Add your name to say you will. Together we can create a nation that leads the world in the struggle for peace and for economic, racial, social and environmental justice. And together we can defeat Donald Trump and repair the damage he has done to our country. Brothers and sisters, if we stand together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish. I hope you will join me. Thank you very much. In solidarity, Bernie Sanders Outstanding issues of merger will be resolved on Thursday: Ruling party Nine months after the partys announcement that the unification process would be completed in three months, the ruling Nepal Communist Partys secretariat has decided to finalise the remaining tasks on Thursday. WASHINGTON Congressional leaders did not object when they were informed two years ago that the FBI had opened a counterintelligence investigation into President Donald Trump's ties to Russia, Andrew McCabe, the bureau's former acting director, said Tuesday. In an interview on NBC's "Today" show, McCabe said the secret briefing before the group of lawmakers known as the Gang of Eight occurred in the chaotic days of 2017 after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who led the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election. McCabe said the president's action, in part, prompted him to order the inquiry into whether Trump acted on behalf of the Kremlin and posed a possible national security threat to the country. While briefing lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., McCabe said none of the members opposed the action "not on legal grounds, not on constitutional grounds or based on the facts." "No one objected," McCabe said in the interview. Lawmakers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The briefing was on the same day Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel to investigate the possibility of coordination between Trump's campaign and Russian efforts to sway the election in his favor. McCabe, who had served as the bureau's deputy director, was elevated to acting FBI director after Comey was fired. He was fired for misleading Justice Department investigators about his contacts with the news media. On "Today," McCabe discussed his new book, which describes interactions among the president, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Asked whether he thought Trump might have posed a threat to the United States, McCabe said, "We thought that might be possible, yes." Trump blasted McCabe's book, asserting that the former FBI official's conduct was akin to "treason." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andrew McCabe: Top lawmakers were told the FBI was investigating Trump and 'no one objected' PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Haitian police arrested a group of foreign nationals, including Americans, armed with semi-automatic weapons, Haitian newspapers reported on Monday, adding to uncertainty in the poor Caribbean country after more than a week of anti-government protests. The U.S. State Department was aware that Haitian police arrested a group that included U.S. citizens, an official at the department said on Monday. Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported that seven foreigners and a Haitian were in the group picked up by police on Sunday night. Police found rifles, pistols, drones and satellite phones in their vehicle, the paper said. Other media said several of the men were U.S. citizens, one was Serbian and another from Russia. Since Feb. 7, thousands of demonstrators have called for President Jovenel Moise to resign and for an independent probe into the whereabouts of funds from the PetroCaribe agreement, an alliance between Caribbean countries and OPEC member Venezuela. (Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Tom Brown and Peter Cooney) WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an American woman who was the bride of an Islamic State fighter and now wants to come home will not be allowed back in the United States. I have instructed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and he fully agrees, not to allow Hoda Muthana back into the Country! Trump wrote on Twitter. Muthana traveled to Syria and married and had a child with an ISIS fighter and now wants to face the U.S. justice system. But Pompeo said earlier Wednesday that Muthana is not an American citizen and "does not have any legal basis, no valid U.S. passport, no right to a passport," contradicting statements by her family and her Florida-based lawyer, who said she was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, in 1994. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Muthana, who was raised in Alabama, left the United States to join ISIS four years ago at age 19. In Syria, she called for Americans to be attacked, and she spread the group's propaganda online. She is one of about 1,500 foreign women and children the spouses and children of Islamic State militants held in a Kurdish-run detention camp in northern Syria. Muthana is there with her 18-month-old son.The child's father is not alive. Two of her previous husbands, both Islamic State militants, are also dead. Muthana is not allowed to leave the camp and has armed guards protecting her from Islamic State sympathizers. She is asking to be allowed to return to the U.S. to face due process. Start the day smarter: Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox "The government needs to engage with her, but not just her; all of these people who joined ISIS" from the West, said Hassan Shibly, Muthana's lawyer. "If she broke the law, then the justice system can deal with her, and if she didn't break the law, she should come back anyway, so it can be determined if she is a threat." This undated image provided by attorney Hassan Shibly shows Hoda Muthana, an Alabama woman who left home to join the Islamic State after becoming radicalized online. Muthana realized she was wrong and now wants to return to the United States, Shibly, a lawyer for her family said Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. More: American, British ISIS brides Hoda Muthana, Shamima Begum plead to go home Story continues Shibly said Muthana has realized she made a mistake in moving to Syria and wants to return to the USA to face justice and "pay any debts she has to society." He said she wants to speak out against the Islamic State and help de-radicalize other Americans. Muthana abandoned her family and fled to Syria in 2014, a year after she graduated from high school. She briefly studied at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Shibly shared a letter Muthana wrote this week in which she described herself as "naive, angry and arrogant" when she decided to journey to Syria. "During my years in Syria, I would see and experience a way of life and the terrible effects of war, which changed me," Muthana wrote. "Seeing bloodshed up close changed me. Motherhood changed me. Seeing friends, children and the men I married dying changed me. Seeing how different a society could be compared to the beloved America I was born and raised into changed me." Shibly, executive director of the Florida Council on American Islamic Relations in Tampa, said it was not clear from a legal standpoint whether Muthana's "marrying into ISIS" could warrant a "material support charge" to Islamic State activities, which range from terror attacks in the USA and Europe to beheadings in Iraq and Syria. Alan Dershowitz, a former Harvard law professor, said that if he were advising Muthana, he would tell her that coming back to the USA would be "risky." Dershowitz told the New York Post her case would be a "close call" even if all she did was tweet and send emails. Muthana claimed to have had no contact with U.S. authorities, and Shibly said she can leave the camp only if the U.S. government asks for her release. It's not clear if it has. U.S. immigration authorities were not available to answer questions about her case, including whether a U.S. citizen can be barred from entering his or her own country. In a briefing, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino would not address Muthana's specific case, but said repatriating foreign terrorist fighters to their countries of origin was the "best solution to preventing them from returning to the battlefield." Pompeo subsequently issued the statement Wednesday in which he claimed that Muthana was not a U.S. citizen and would not be allowed back in. Shibly, however, provided USA TODAY with a copy of Muthana's birth certificate, which lists her place of birth as Hackensack, New Jersey. Steve Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas, said that Pompeo can't just assert that someone born in the U.S. is not a U.S. citizen. "I gather that the government's argument is that she was born to a diplomat who was in the United States on official business, and so was not entitled to birthright citizenship. That's correct as a matter of law if it's true, but it's not true just because the government says so," he said in a Twitter message to USA TODAY. Only six American militants have returned from fighting or training with militant groups in Syria, according to New America, a Washington-based foreign policy research institute. All were taken into custody. Muthana may be the first American spouse or partner of an Islamic State fighter who has sought to return home. The New York Times has reported that another woman, dual U.S.-Canadian national Kimberly Gwen Polman, 46, is also in the al-hawl refugee camp in Syria. She left Canada in 2015. A similar case in Britain involves Shamima Begum, 19, from London, who gave birth to a baby boy over the weekend in the same camp where Muthana is held. Begum, who left Britain for Syria at age 15 and married an Islamic State fighter, wants to return to Britain for the sake of her child's welfare, but British authorities, including the nation's interior minister, indicated they might try to block her return. They might find that difficult to do because a British national can't theoretically be prevented from returning home unless that person is also a national of another country. Begum isn't. The woman's London-based lawyer, Tasnime Akunjee, said Tuesday that the British government informed him that it is trying to strip Begum of her British citizenship. As for Muthana, "whether it's a few years in jail, 20 years in jail or no jail, she's open to the legal process, and she's not asking for a free pass, just due process," Shibly said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump: ISIS wife Hoda Muthana won't be allowed to return to United States Less than 24-hours after Isis bride Shamima Begum asked to return to the UK from Syria, an American woman in the same Syrian refugee camp has has pleaded to return home. Hoda Muthana said she deeply regreted joining the terrorist group. The 24-year-old left her home in Alabama four years ago and is now living with her 18-month-old son in the al-Hawl refugee camp the same facility where Ms Begum is being held. The American became a high-profile advocate of Isis campaign of violence across Iraq and Syria on Twitter, but has claimed she was brainwashed by the group. Ms Muthana told The Guardian she and other recruits had misunderstood the Islamic faith I look back now and I think I was very arrogant," she said. "Now Im worried about my sons future... I was brainwashed once and my friends are still brainwashed. We were basically in the time of ignorance. I thought I was doing things correctly for the sake of God. Ms Muthana told the newspaper she married three times in Syria; both her first and second jihadist husbands died in the fighting. She said she and her son fled from Susa, close to the current frontline in Baghuz, around six weeks ago. The American slept in the desert for two nights being before captured by Kurdish forces and taken to al-Hawl. Ms Muthana is reportedly the only US citizen among an estimated 1,500 foreign women and children at the huge camp for Isis family members, now home to almost 40,000 people. She is begging US authorities to allow her to return home to Alabama. I would tell them please forgive me for being so ignorant, and I was really young and ignorant and I was 19 when I decided to leave, she said. I believe that America gives second chances. I want to return and Ill never come back to the Middle East. America can take my passport and I wouldnt mind. An intense debate has erupted in Britain over the fate of Ms Begum since was tracked down by reporters at al-Hawl earlier this week. Story continues Several ministers, including the home secretary Sajid Javid, have insisted she will not be permitted to return to the UK. Others, including the head of MI6, Alex Younger, have warned she could still be a potential threat. Produced by Yasmeen Qureshi Through Her Eyes is a new weekly half-hour show hosted by human rights activist Zainab Salbi that explores contemporary issues from a female perspective. You can watch the full episode of Through Her Eyes every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Roku, or at the bottom of this article. It has been a year since former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for abusing more than 150 girls entrusted in his care. But Aly Raisman an Olympic gold medalist and former captain of the U.S. womens Olympic gymnastics team is still coming to terms with the sexual abuse she experienced as a teenager. When I go out on the street, or Im at the airport, or the grocery store, or whatever it is, people are so supportive. And Im so grateful for that, Raisman said during an interview with the Yahoo News show Through Her Eyes. Raisman is frequently approached by supportive strangers who are eager to share their own traumatic experiences of sexual assault. But these stories from fellow survivors can sometimes be difficult for Raisman to hear. I think sometimes people forget I am coping with it too, Raisman explained. And sometimes people will go into graphic detail. By being upfront about how painful these gruesome details are for her to process, Raisman said she is able to feel more connected to those who come to her with their own survival stories. But she said she initially found it difficult to be honest with fans about how much these explicit details bothered her. I was nervous they were gonna be mad at me, and then tweet that Aly Raismans such a horrible person, she confided. Raisman noted that she has also received some backlash for her own candor; she explained that some people she used to be close with in the gymnastics world dont understand why she still feels the need to speak out. People are like, We get it. Just stop talking. We get it. Hes in jail. But they dont understand, she said. Story continues I think its also OK to be angry, Raisman continued. I think, as women, were always told that you just have to be very nice and sweet, and you cant be angry. Much of Raismans own anger stems from the negligent handling of allegations against Nassar and the fact that it took nearly two decades for him to be brought to justice. I just feel like child sexual abuse, and women being abused or sexually assaulted, is at the bottom of the list for certain law enforcement and authorities, she said. There are some law enforcement that do amazing, amazing things, and certain authorities that do great things. But I feel, sometimes, its at the bottom of the list. Albert Einstein - Roger-Viollet / Rex Features Albert Einstein was inspired to propose his Theory of Relativity after reading the works of a 18th century Scottish philosopher, it has emerged. A new letter, discovered at the University of Edinburgh shows that the German-born theoretical physicist had studied David Humes A Treatise of Human Nature just before proposing special relativity in 1905. The groundbreaking theory suggested that the speed of light remained the same even if the observer was speeding up or slowing down, suggesting that time and space therefore could not be constant. Yet it was Hume who had first questioned whether space and time were in fact fixed, and independent of each other, and had called for further scientific investigation to find out. In a Treatise of Human Nature, published in 1738, Hume wrote: The chief objection against all abstract reasoning is derived from the ideas of Space and Time. Ideas in everyday life may appear clear and intelligible, but when they pass through the scrutiny of the profound Sciences...they seem full of absurdity and contradiction. In Einsteins letter, written to Moritz Schlick, Professor of Physics at Vienna, in December 1915 he admits that it was Humes work which inspired general relativity. You have correctly seen that this line of thought was of great influence on my efforts and indeed Ernst Mach and still much more Hume, whose treatise on understanding I studied with eagerness and admiration shortly before finding relativity theory. David Hume Credit: Allan Ramsay He goes on to write that It is very possible that without these philosophical studies I can not say that the solution would have come. The new letter was discovered by Professor David Purdie, if the Institute of Advanced Studies at the University of Edinburgh. He said: I was talking to the rector of Princeton University last year about how the Scottish scientists James Clerk Maxwell had been a huge inspiration for Einstein, and he said: You know Hume was as well dont you? Story continues I was absolutely thrown. I have read all the Einstein papers and there is no mention of Hume. So he sent me to dig out the old letters of Einstein and there he was, filed away and forgotten. I had no idea. Einstein said that Hume more than anyone else had inspired him. Its amazing to think that someone who lived 100 years before, in an entirely different place, could have had such an impact. In his twenties, Einstein worked as a clerk in the Swiss federal Patent Office in Bern while developing his theories of relativity and was part of a group called The Olympic Academy which met weekly to discuss physics and philosophy. It was here that Einstein was introduced to David Humes Treatise of Human Nature. The work is generally considered to be one of the most important philosophical studies ever published and the first to seriously question God, and mans place in the world, ahead of Darwin. Officials in Alabama are calling for a small-town newspaper editor to resign because of an editorial calling for the Ku Klux Klan to terrorize Washington, D.C. Goodloe Sutton, the editor and publisher of the Democrat-Reporter in Linden, Ala., wrote the editorial titled Klan needs to ride again that ran in the paper last week. Time for the Ku Klux Klan to night ride again, read the Feb. 14 editorial. Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats are plotting to raise taxes in Alabama. They do not understand how to eliminate expenses when money is needed in other areas. This socialist-communist idealogy [sic] sounds good to the ignorant, and uneducated, and the simple minded-people. Seems like the Klan would be welcome to raid the gated communities up there, concluded Sutton. They call them compounds now. Truly, they are the ruling class. Linden is a town of about 2,100 in the western part of the state, near the Mississippi border. The newspaper, a weekly that has won awards for investigative journalism, had a reported circulation of 3,000 in 2015. Melissa Brown, a reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser, spoke to Sutton Monday to confirm he had written the editorial and to clarify his comments. If we could get the Klan to go up there and clean out D.C., wed all been better off, Sutton told the Advertiser. When asked what he meant by clean out, Sutton suggested lynching, saying, Well get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb and hang all of them. A Feb. 14 editorial in the Democrat-Reporter in Linden, Ala. (Photo: Chip Brownlee/Auburn Plainsman) When the Advertiser asked whether it was appropriate to call for the lynchings of Americans, Sutton was not swayed. Its not calling for the lynchings of Americans, said Sutton, whose family has owned the newspaper since 1917. These are socialist-communists were talking about. Do you know what socialism and communism is? When asked if he recognized the Ku Klux Klan as a violent and racist organization, the Advertiser reported that Sutton compared it to the NAACP. A violent organization? Well, they didnt kill but a few people, Sutton said. The Klan wasnt violent until they needed to be. Story continues Democratic Sen. Doug Jones and Rep. Teri Sewell, whose district includes Linden, called for Sutton to step down on Monday evening. OMG! What rock did this guy crawl out from under? wrote Jones on Twitter. This editorial is absolutely disgusting & he should resign NOW! I have seen what happens when we stand by while people especially those with influence publish racist, hateful views. Words matter. Actions matter. Resign now! For the millions of people of color who have been terrorized by white supremacy, this kind of editorializing about lynching is not a joke it is a threat, wrote Sewell, who is African-American. These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019. Mr. Sutton should apologize and resign. Republican Richard Shelby, Alabamas senior U.S. senator, urged Sutton to apologize and resign in a Tuesday-morning statement to Yahoo News. The rhetoric displayed by the Democrat-Reporter is disturbing, disgusting and entirely unacceptable, said Shelby through a spokesperson. I urge the newspaper to issue an apology and the publisher to resign from his duties. We cannot tolerate this sort of repulsive speech, particularly from our fourth estate. The Democrat-Reporter did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the calls for a resignation. In December, the Senate passed its first-ever anti-lynching bill, making the act a federal crime. Estimates suggest that more than 4,000 Americans, most of them African-American, were lynched in the United States between 1882 and 1968. Publisher Goodloe Sutton, in 1998, during a ceremony sponsored by the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York City. (Photo: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images) The editorial was initially noticed by Chip Brownlee and Mikayla Burns, editors at the Auburn Plainsman. Brownlee, a student at Auburn University and editor-in-chief of the school paper, told Yahoo News that the college had unsubscribed from the Democrat-Reporter years ago but still received delayed editions of the paper. According to Brownlee, the papers were used as negative examples for racist, sexist and homophobic content. After we found this editorial I went back and went through some of the archives of the Democrat-Reporter and this is not a one-off event, said Brownlee. This is something that happened numerous times over several years, and its picked up over the last few years as far as I can tell. Sutton began working at the paper in 1964 along with his wife, Jean. In the 1990s they earned several journalism awards for their investigation into corruption at the Marengo County Sheriffs Department, which eventually led to the sheriffs pleading guilty to extorting money from a bail bondsman. According to the Congressional Record, Sutton earned praise from then-Rep. Earl Hilliard, who described the newspaperman as a fearless man of letters. Jean Sutton died in 2003. This story has been updated to include comment from Sen. Richard Shelby. BEIJING (Reuters) - China wants to deepen "strategic trust" with Iran, the Chinese government's top diplomat told Iran's foreign minister on Tuesday, days before Saudi Arabia's crown prince visits Beijing, underscoring China's difficult Middle East balancing act. China has traditionally played little role in Middle East conflicts or diplomacy, despite its reliance on the region for oil, but it has been trying to raise its profile, especially in the Arab world. Saudi Arabia's King Salman visited Beijing in 2017, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in China later this week. However, China has had to walk a fine line, as it also has close ties with Saudi Arabia's regional foe, Iran. Meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at a state guest house in Beijing, Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi said he had watched Zarif's Sunday speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he had accused Israel of looking for war. "I saw on television how you defended the rights of Iran loud and clear at the Munich Security Conference. I think an audience of hundreds of millions of Chinese also watched what you said and you are a famous person now," Wang said, in brief remarks in front of reporters. "I would like to take this opportunity to have this in depth strategic communication with my old friend to deepen the strategic trust between our two countries and to ensure fresh progress of the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership," he said. China set great store on, and looks forward to, Iran playing an even more constructive role in regional affairs, Wang added, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement. It did not elaborate. Zarif is in Beijing accompanying a delegation that includes Iran's speaker of parliament, Ali Larijani, and Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh. Iran was China's fourth-largest oil supplier last year. "Our relationship with China is very valuable to us. We consider the comprehensive strategic partnership between Iran and China as one of our most important relations," Zarif said, also in remarks in front of the media. Washington's major European allies opposed last year's decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to abandon the Iran nuclear deal, which includes China and Russia, under which international sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for it n accepting curbs on its nuclear program. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel) Strasbourg (France) (AFP) - Around 80 graves have been daubed with swastikas at a Jewish cemetery in eastern France, local officials said, hours ahead of nationwide marches on Tuesday against a rise in anti-Semitic attacks. The damage was discovered on Tuesday morning at a cemetery in the village of Quatzenheim, close to the border with Germany in the Alsace region, a statement from the regional security office said. Photos show the Nazi symbols in blue spray-painted on the damaged graves, one of which bears the words "Elsassisches Schwarzen Wolfe" ("Black Alsacian Wolves), a separatist group with links to neo-Nazis in the 1970s. The top security official for the region, Jean-Luc Marx, condemned "in the strongest possible terms this awful anti-Semitic act and sends his complete support to the Jewish community which has been targeted again," the statement added. President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the cemetery to inspect the damage Tuesday, before visiting the Paris Holocaust memorial, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told RTL radio. Rallies are planned in Paris and other French cities Tuesday to denounce a flare-up of anti-Semitic vandalism in recent weeks, often coinciding with "yellow vest" anti-government protests. Politicians on both the right and left have urged a massive participation after a prominent French writer was the target of a violent tirade by a protester in Paris on Saturday. A video of the scene showed the protester calling the philosopher Alain Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him that "France belongs to us." Last year, French police recorded a 74 percent surge in reported anti-Jewish offences, causing alarm in a country that is home to the biggest Jewish population in Europe. "It just doesn't stop, it's shock after shock," Maurice Dahan, the regional head of France's main Jewish institution, the Israelite Central Consistory of France, told AFP after the attack in Alsace. "I don't know how long we are going to carry on... It makes me feel sick." In December nearly 40 graves as well as a monument to Holocaust victims were desecrated at another Jewish cemetery near Strasbourg in Herrlisheim, about a half hour drive from Quatzenheim. One arrested in connection to rape, murder of 11-year-old girl Police on Monday arrested a person for allegedly raping, murdering and burning the dead body of an 11-year-old girl in Dhanusa. Hong Kong: HK active in drafting bay area plan The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government actively participated in drafting the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today. Speaking ahead of the Executive Council meeting, Mrs Lam told reporters the plan promulgated by the Central Government yesterday, included several of the views put forward by the HKSAR Government. Describing the plan as wide-ranging in content, she noted it was a set of guiding directions on the Greater Bay Areas development, and that after specific measures are implemented its benefits will become more apparent to the public. Mrs Lam also pointed out the bay area development has brought about many opportunities for Hong Kong and that the HKSAR Government will work on its own measures to fully seize those opportunities. The plan indicates that Hong Kong fully implement the principle of one country, two systems under which the people of Hong Kong govern Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy, as well as act in strict adherence to the Constitution and the Basic Law, she added. Mrs Lam said the National Development & Reform Commission will introduce the contents of the plan at a symposium on Thursday, which will be attended by officials from Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau. The Chief Executive hoped the symposium would help enhance peoples understanding of the plan and facilitate further discussions on it. This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. LOUISVILLE, Ky. Owners of a Kentucky llama farm are shocked after six of their animals died Monday in a gruesome attack. Caroline Willette, one of the owners of Louisville Llama Farm, said she woke up around 7:30 a.m. to see blood and tufts of wool spread around the barn and her property. The farm is located behind the Louisville Zoo. Five of the llamas were found dead with bite marks behind their ears and by their flanks. Another llama was badly injured and needed to be put down, Willette said. A fence near the front of the farm's property was smashed and covered in blood when one of the llamas "tried to run away," she said. "I know they are just livestock," Willette said. "But these were my babies." She had names for them, like Boo who was born on Halloween, or No White, a pun on Snow White. Both were mauled by an unknown animal. Surviving llamas look out from a barn at the Louisville Llama Farm. Multiple llamas were attacked on the farm overnight. Six of the llamas have died and several are in serious condition. It is unknown what attacked the animals. Feb. 18, 2019. A spokeswoman with Louisville Metro Animal Services said the agency is investigating and going door to door to see whether neighbors heard or saw anything. "At this point, we can only say the llamas were attacked by a large animal," she said. A spokesperson for the nearby Louisville Zoo said it was unfamiliar with the situation. At least two other llamas were injured, Willette said. She estimated that at least $10,000 in damage had been done with their deaths. Feb. 14: Meet the Colorado trail runner who killed a mountain lion in self-defense Feb. 7: This cat was found 'frozen and unresponsive' in snow. An animal hospital saved her life Willette, who has owned the farm for the last 18 and a half years with her husband, Dale Hill, said she has never seen anything like Monday's attack. While many neighbors were quick to speculate that coyotes were responsible, Willette, however, is skeptical. She said llamas are good at defending themselves. One of the llamas that was killed weighed 500 pounds. "I see coyotes around here all the time," Willette said. "Llamas are guard animals, (they'll) mess you up." Story continues Willette said she does not have any surveillance footage or cameras on the property. Louisville Llama Farm sells the wool of the animals and also grows other crops such as grapes and pawpaws, large fruit native to the Unites States. The farm was in the news in 2009 when two of the animals escaped and were promptly returned back to the farm by police. Follow Thomas Novelly on Twitter: @TomNovelly Feb. 6: Mountain lion that attacked runner in Colorado was later eaten by other animals Feb. 4: Autopsy: Man found in Smokies died of meth overdose before being eaten by bear WARNING: GRAPHIC GALLERY BELOW This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 6 llamas mysteriously killed in a grisly attack BGR June is almost over and Marvel has yet to release a new MCU film in theaters this year, but thats only because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis that made it impossible for Disney to launch its most important pictures in theaters. The second half of the year is set to bring us no less than Famed Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85 in Paris [Photo: Getty] Karl Lagerfeld, famed fashion icon and Chanel head honcho, has tragically passed away at the age of 85. The artistic director died in the American Hospital of Paris this morning after being rushed to hospital on Monday night, according to French media reports. Tributes are currently pouring in for the fashion giant whose illustrious career also included stints at Jean Patou, Chloe and Hogan, and a design relationship with Fendi spanning more than five decades. But as well as his style prowess the designer was just as well known for his hilarious and often controversial one-liners weighing in on everything from Pippa Middleton to plastic surgery, selfies to sex. So in memory of the late and great fashion figurehead, heres the world according to Karl Lagerfeld. On fashion fads Trendy is the last stage before tacky. On Pippa Middleton Kate Middleton has a nice silhouette and she is the right girl for that boy. I like that kind of woman, I like romantic beauties. On the other hand, her sister struggles. I dont like the sisters face. She should only show her back. On how people see him When I was younger I wanted to be a caricaturist. In the end, Ive become a caricature. Karl Lagerfeld was known for his infamous one-liners [Photo: Getty] On selfies They are this horrible thing where you are distorted. The chin is too big, the head is too small. No, this is electronic masturbation. On cosmetic surgery Nothing makes you look older than attempting to look young. You can fool anyone, apart from the young. The worst are the lip operations. There are people who have it done and I dont recognize them afterward. They look like they flew through the windscreen during a car accident and were patched up badly afterward. On Coco Chanel What Ive done, Coco Chanel would never have done. She would have hated it. On ugliness Im surrounded by young and beautiful people. I hate looking at ugliness. On tattoos I think tattoos are horrible. Its like living in a Pucci dress full-time. If youre young and tight, maybe its OK, but Story continues Karl Lagerfeld was known for his infamous one-liners [Photo: Getty] On not having kids I never wanted to have children. Because if a child didnt do as well as me, I wouldnt have loved it, and if did better than me I wouldnt have loved it either. On short men Life is not a beauty contest, some [ugly people] are great. What I hate is nasty, ugly people the worst is ugly, short men. Women can be short, but for men it is impossible. It is something that they will not forgive in life they are mean and they want to kill you. On unsexy bedrooms If you see it you will think about everything except sex, because it is the unsexiest room ever. I love unsexy bedrooms. On the too-thin model debate They are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly. On reminiscing The worst is when your friends say, Remember the good old days? Forget about the good old days! That just makes your present second-hand. What is interesting is now. Karl Lagerfeld was known for his infamous one-liners [Photo: Getty] On style Dont dress to kill, dress to survive. On loving what he does I am a kind of fashion nymphomaniac who never gets an orgasm. On how he sees himself I am very much down to earth. Just not this earth. On casual clothes Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants. On love The only love I really believe in is a mothers love for her children. On vanity Vanity is the healthiest thing in life. On career Work is making a living out of being bored. On retirement Why should I stop working? If I do Ill die and itll all be finished. RIP Karl. Follow us onInstagram andFacebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. 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Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Story Highlights White Democrats becoming liberal at faster rate than other Democrats Rise in education levels a factor in pushing party to the left Wide conservative-liberal gaps persist on certain values issues WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With progressives in the Democratic Party flexing newfound strength in Washington and launching credible campaigns for the 2020 presidential nomination, the party is confronting new questions about who it is and what it stands for. To be effective, the candidates -- as well as Democrats' top-ranking leader, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- must discern whether the entire party is shifting, or if the rise of progressives poses a risk to party unity. Gallup has assembled 18 years of data to look in depth at how the Democrats nationally are changing both demographically and in their political views. This article addresses the following questions: Is Democrats' trend toward liberalism over the past two decades uniform within the party or has it occurred more among some groups than among others? How has the demographic profile of Americans identifying as Democrats changed, and what implications does that have for the ideological makeup of the party? Who constitutes the subgroups of liberal, moderate and conservative Democrats today? How, if at all, have liberal, moderate and conservative Democrats' views on specific issues changed? Background As Gallup has previously reported, the percentage of Democrats nationally who identify as politically liberal has been increasing. This has occurred in three distinct phases: 1) 2001-2006, when the percentage was trending steadily upward; 2) 2007-2012, when liberalism held steady near 40% for several years in a row and 3) 2013-2018, when liberalism resumed its upward trajectory. The percentage of Democrats identifying as politically liberal averaged 32% in the first period, 39% in the second and 46% in the third. At the same time, the percentages identifying as conservative and moderate fell equally. These figures are based on combined data from Gallup surveys conducted from 2001 through 2018, encompassing more than 30,000 interviews with self-identified Democrats in each six-year period. Whites and College Grads Jump the Most in Liberal Self-Identification The increase in Democrats' self-identification as liberal is seen among various subgroups within the party. However, this has occurred to differing degrees among men, women, young adults, seniors, people of varying education levels and the different major racial/ethnic groups. Increased liberal identification has been particularly pronounced among non-Hispanic white Democrats, rising 20 percentage points from an average 34% in the early 2000s to 54% in the latest period. By contrast, Gallup trends show a nine-point rise in the percent liberal among Hispanic Democrats, from 29% to 38%, and an eight-point increase among black Democrats, from 25% to 33%. Democrats' ideology has long varied by education level, with more-highly educated Democrats significantly more likely to identify as liberal than those with lower education levels. That pattern has persisted since 2001-2006, though one education group -- those with a college degree only -- has shifted more than the others. The percentage liberal has gone up 16 points among Democrats with a college degree only, 13 points among postgraduates, 12 points among those who have attended some college and 10 points among those with no college education. Younger Democrats have generally been more likely than older Democrats to identify as politically liberal; however, the generational gap has narrowed in recent years because of a sharper increase among older Democrats. Liberal identification is up 18 points among those 65 and older between the 2001-2006 and 2013-2018 periods, versus an 11-point increase among those aged 18 to 29. Nearly identical percentages of Democratic men and women have identified as politically liberal over the years, although women have been consistently two to three points higher than men. Makeup of Democratic Party Changing: More College-Educated, Less White Modest changes have also occurred in the demographic makeup of Democrats as a whole since the 2001-2006 period. And some of these changes help explain the increase in liberalism. The percentage of Democrats with college degrees has increased from 27% in 2001-2006 to 35% in 2013-2018. Conforming with broader societal trends, the percentage of nonwhite Democrats has swelled from 31% in 2001-2006 to 43% in 2013-2018. Also consistent with societal changes -- although more pronounced among Democrats than nationally -- the percentage with no religion has doubled, from 10% to 20%, while the share identifying with a Christian religion has fallen 12 points to 70%. Meanwhile, the composition of Democrats on the basis of gender and age has been fairly steady. Demographic Profile of Democrats 2001-2006 2007-2012 2013-2018 % % % RACE Non-Hispanic white 68 65 56 Nonwhite 31 33 43 EDUCATION Postgraduate 15 18 18 College graduate only 12 13 17 Some college 30 30 27 No college 43 39 38 Total college graduate 27 31 35 Total college nongraduate 73 69 65 RELIGION Christian 82 76 70 Other religion 7 7 8 No religion 10 15 20 GENDER Men 40 40 39 Women 60 60 61 AGE 18-29 17 18 21 30-49 38 34 32 50-64 24 27 27 65+ 21 21 21 GALLUP Because black and Hispanic Democrats are less likely than white Democrats to self-identify as liberal, it might be expected that the expanding nonwhite share of the Democratic population would have resulted in a smaller increase in the percentage of Democrats overall who identify as liberal. However, nonwhites' influence on Democrats' ideology is more than offset by the expanding proportion of college-educated Democrats -- the latter being among the most liberal of all Democratic subgroups. Relatedly, educational attainment has expanded the most among white Democrats, with the percentage of all college graduates (including postgrads) increasing by 13 points, from 29% in 2001-2006 to 42% in 2013-2018. Gallup has found little to no increase in educational attainment among Hispanic and black Democrats. College-Educated Democrats, by Race 2001-2006 2007-2012 2013-2018 Increase % % % (pct. pts.) White 29 35 42 13 Black 21 23 24 3 Hispanic 19 21 20 1 Note: College-educated includes postgraduates GALLUP Who Are Liberal, Moderate and Conservative Democrats? Education represents the biggest differentiator between liberal, moderate and conservative Democrats today. Nearly half of liberal Democrats (47%) in the 2013-2018 period are college graduates, versus 31% of moderate Democrats and 13% of conservative Democrats. Race is the next-biggest factor, as two-thirds of liberal Democrats are white, compared with 52% of moderate Democrats and 40% of conservative Democrats. In fact, nearly as many conservative Democrats are black as are white, even though there are far more whites than blacks in the U.S. population and in the Democratic base overall. Liberal Democrats are also a bit younger on average than either moderate or conservative Democrats. 2013-2018 Profile of Democrats, by Ideology Liberal Moderate Conservative % % % EDUCATION Postgraduate 26 15 5 College graduate 21 16 8 Some college 27 29 26 High school or less 26 40 60 Total college graduate 47 31 13 Total college nongraduate 53 69 86 RACE Non-Hispanic white 65 52 40 Non-Hispanic black 17 28 35 Hispanic 13 16 22 AGE 18-29 22 20 17 30-49 34 32 29 50-64 25 27 30 65+ 20 21 23 Total under 50 56 52 46 GENDER Men 38 40 44 Women 62 60 56 GALLUP Democratic Unity on Taxes, Global Warming, Gun Control Recent Gallup analysis confirms that Democrats' increasing identification as liberal is more than a matter of ideological self-labeling -- Democrats are indeed expressing more liberal viewpoints on a wide swath of issues. The key insight for party leaders to know is whether these shifts are happening uniformly within the party, or more with some groups than others. The following table summarizes the views of liberal, moderate and conservative Democrats on issues where there is broad agreement across the three groups. Although their levels of support for each position vary, the three groups are on the same side when it comes to beliefs that corporations and upper-income Americans pay too little in taxes and that global warming is caused by human activities. Also, all three groups support stricter gun laws, broadly approve of labor unions and want to see union influence expanded. Additionally, despite recent discussion about the extent of Democrats' support for Israel, fewer than a third of Democrats in any of the ideological groups say they sympathize more with the Palestinians than the Israelis in the Middle East conflict. On almost all of these issues, the views of each Democratic ideological subgroup have either become more liberal or been stable over time. Fundamental Disagreement Seen on Abortion, Healthcare, Marijuana Conservative and liberal Democrats diverge sharply on other issues, particularly on certain values-related matters, with moderate Democrats generally falling somewhere in between. The key areas of intra-Democratic friction involve abortion, embryonic stem cell research, the death penalty, doctor-assisted suicide, defense spending, government-run healthcare, same-sex marriage, legalization of marijuana and whether global warming is a looming threat. Solid majorities of liberal Democrats, versus less than half of conservative Democrats, hold the traditionally liberal positions on these issues. Moderate Democrats come closer to conservative Democrats on abortion, the death penalty, defense spending, healthcare and the threat of global warming. They are closer to liberal Democrats on embryonic stem-cell research and same-sex marriage. They fall squarely in between the two on doctor-assisted suicide and legalizing marijuana. Democrats' views have grown slightly more liberal on several of these issues within each of the ideological strands, such as the death penalty, same-sex marriage and the threat of global warming. However, differences across the three groups have persisted over time. Bottom Line As Democrats assume more power in Washington and start the process of choosing their standard-bearer for 2020, several factors reviewed here could be important to future Democratic unity. Democrats, as a whole, are becoming more liberal, and this is seen across all subgroups. Increased liberalism has been more pronounced among white than among black or Hispanic Democrats, and white Democrats are now majority liberal. An increase in college education among Democrats, particularly white Democrats, may be a major contributor to the party's liberal shift. Majorities of liberal, moderate and conservative Democrats share similar outlooks on corporate and upper-income tax rates, gun control, the human role in global warming and labor unions. Democrats diverge by ideology on a variety of issues, such as doctor-assisted suicide, abortion, defense spending and government-run healthcare. Taken together, these findings suggest that proposals to shrink the wealth gap, strengthen labor unions and address climate change could have broad appeal in the party. At the same time, Democrats risk alienating center-right elements of the party should they move far to the left on certain social issues, government-run healthcare or defense spending. The Democrats' grand unifier, however, stands outside the party. Despite differing ideologies and opposing views on some issues, on average last year, 82% of conservative Democrats, 91% of moderate Democrats and 96% of liberal Democrats disapproved of the job President Donald Trump was doing as president. That suggests few Democrats would back Trump in 2020, even if their party lurches far to the left. The bigger risk would be dampening voter enthusiasm and turnout among centrist and right-leaning Democrats. That can be avoided by treading carefully on issues where strong intraparty divisions persist. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. Nahartol girls vow to check rampant child marriage Parents of 16-year-old Hina Khatun, a resident of Nahartol in Jitpur Simara-24, started preparing for their daughters wedding five months ago. Switzerland would prefer to have citizens who fought for Islamic State tried on the spot rather than be brought home to face criminal charges, its justice minister said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. The remarks by Karin Keller-Sutter echo reluctance by other European countries to take back combatants whose fate has become more pressing as U.S.-backed fighters seek to capture the last enclave of Islamic States self-styled Caliphate in Syria. For me, the priority remains the security of the Swiss population and the Swiss security forces. Keller-Sutter told Swiss broadcaster RTS. Can we endanger the Swiss to repatriate people who have left of their own free will to wage war in Syria and Iraq? Is it possible to judge them on the spot? Thats what I would prefer, she added. Gathering evidence (and) having a normal procedure on site is hard enough, so imagine Swiss courts suddenly having to judge what happened in Syria. Trump has pledged to pull U.S. forces from Syria after Islamic States looming territorial defeat, raising concerns in European capitals that jihadists from their countries could try to return home and pose a threat. South Korean President Moon Jae-in told U.S. President Donald Trump in a call on Tuesday that his country is willing to open economic engagement with North Korea as a concession if it will hasten Pyongyangs denuclearization, Reuters reported quoting Moons office. Moon asked Trump to make use of South Koreas role as a concession to expedite North Koreas denuclearization, saying he was ready to undertake anything from reconnecting rail and road links between the two Koreas to other inter-Korean economic cooperation, according to a statement from Moons spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom. Were determined to take up that role if President Trump asks, if thats the way to lessen the U.S. burden, Moon said. Moon said it was Trumps leadership and firm resolve that had brought difficult negotiations with North Korea thus far, as well as progress in inter-Korean ties, according to the statement. During Tuesdays call, Trump briefed Moon on preparations for the upcoming summit, and said he would brief the South Koreans on the results, including in a future meeting with Moon, the Blue House said. YEREVAN.- The opening of the exhibition of Armen Lorents works on Tuesday dedicated to Hovhannes Toumanians 150th birth anniversary was held. The Armenian National Assembly President Ararat Mirzoyan, the Head of Bright Armenia Faction Edmon Marukyan, deputies, representatives of the NA Staff and the journalists attended the opening ceremony in the National Assembly. Congratulating the attendees on the occasion of the poets 150th anniversary, the Armenian National Assembly President noted: Toumanians biography is one of the best examples how an individual with his life and activity can entirely be devoted to his own people, Motherland and with his works have an impact on the formation of the whole peoples world outlook. According to Ararat Mirzoyan, Toumanian fairly holds the title Poet of All Armenians, in his works sums up the Armenian peoples wisdom, emotions, pains and inexhaustible faith towards bright future. The Head of the legislative body considered typical that on Toumanians 150th birth anniversary the exhibition of the works of the painter from Lori opened in the National Assembly. The author of the initiative Edmon Marukyan highlighted the opening of the exhibition with the title Armen Lorents Toumanians World. The poets works accompany us from our childhood, the MP has noted, adding that the nations that have no great individuals, cannot also have future. Armen Lorents thanked the MPs for hospitality and on the occasion of Book-Presenting Day gave as a gift his authored book to the Armenian National Assembly President and the heads of the factions. Afterwards the Head of the parliament hosted the pupils of Yerevan Hovhannes Toumanian N 32 School. Ararat Mirzoyan presented the activities of the National Assembly, answered the questions concerning them and on the occasion of Book-Presenting Day passed the book by Levon Khechoyan to the library of the school. Armenian President Armen Sarkissian had a short, warm talks with the US Former Vice President Joe Biden. Sarkissian whispered to the US ex-vice president and asked him whether he intends to run for president in 2020. Biden also responded with a whisper. Even though what he said could not be heard, the gestures suggest that the answer was a yes. The American media are actively discussing this conversation, and attempting to guess Joe Bidens response. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday headed to Dsegh village, the birthplace of Hovhannes Tumanyan, to attend the events devoted to the 150th birth anniversary of the Armenian poet. Pashinyan stressed that Tumanyans image should guide everyone in todays Armenia. Tumanyan was a man who has suffered all human suffering. But he did not break down because he believed in his powers. the PM noted. Switzerlands Federal Court has rejected the opposition raised by several Genevans to a recently-unveiled monument commemorating the Armenian Genocide in the city. The decision published by the Federal Court on Monday rejected claims by residents that the monument would lead to the area becoming a site of demonstrations, or even conflict between members of the Armenian and Turkish communities. The decision should bring to an end the long saga of the monument, which was unveiled in April 2018 after a decade of debates and delay. Armenian second President Robert Kocharyans son Sedrak Kocharyan has been charged by the National Security Service with money laundering, tax evasion and chose signature bond on not leaving the country as a prevention measure. According to Sedrak Kocharyan, the talks regarding him are partially true. "I have received calls from different places asking me whether I have been detained. But as you see the information about my detention is not true but charges have been brought against me, he said. A man was found dead Tuesday at the courtyard of a hospital in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. He had thrown himself down from the 6th floor. The investigators are preparing a report on this incident. Several forensic examinations have been commissioned. Arjun Poudel is a health reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before joining the Post, he worked for Sagarmatha Television, Naya Patrika, Republica and The Himalayan Times. YEREVAN. Im not at all a supporter of returning to the semi-presidential system of government, National Assembly President Ararat Mirzoyan on Tuesday told reporters at the parliament of Armenia. To note, the Armenian National Congress Party has proposed to hold a nationwide constitutional referendum on returning to a semi-presidential system of government in the country. I believe that we need to move forward, Mirzoyan added. We [Armenia] now have a parliamentary system [of government], and we need to do everything for the establishment of that system. Constitutional amendments are possible, albeit I believe that not such large-scale amendments that we return the country from parliamentary to semi-presidential [system of government]. There is a constitutional amendment on our agenda; the frame is currently being clarified. Amendments to the Electoral Code are [also] on our agenda. Months ago, we were saying that we cant make large-scale amendments to the Electoral Code because part of them is due to constitutional regulations. Its about time that the country broke ground in the IT field With Nepals internet penetration crossing the 65 percent mark, it is about time that Nepal made its mark in the IT sector, panellists concurred as they spoke on the topic Can Nepal do IT? on the second day of Kantipur Conclave on Monday. YEREVAN. If Russian state TV channels broadcast reports on the training of Maidan militants in Armenia to later send them to Russia, this proves that there are serious problems in Armenian-Russian relations. Gevorg Gorgisyan, secretary of the Bright Armenia Faction at the National Assembly, told about the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. In his words, if the incumbent Armenian authorities are unable to settle such matters at the level of governments or special diplomatic means and all this appears in the press, it becomes apparent that Armenian-Russian relations are not in the best condition. At the same time, Gorgisyan said Armenian-Russian relations stem from the interests of not solely Yerevan, but also of Moscow because they are mutually beneficial, and the Kremlin needs to realize this fact. The MP noted that the Armenian side also should make efforts to show its interest to the Russian side. The lawmaker added that Armenia is the country on which Moscow could always rely. In the Bright Armenia parliamentary faction members view, the leadership of Armenia, as a strategic partner, has the right to demand proper treatment. China threatens to cut off coronavirus vaccines to Ukraine Villagers block Yerevan-Armavir motorway Macron: Tensions with Turkey eased Head of Union of Communities of Armenia: Calls by authorities to fire community leaders are illegal IAEA demands answer from Iran regarding monitoring Pedestrian woman, 55, dies on the spot after being hit by car in Armenias Shirak Province Blinken: Current pace of Iran nuclear program could complicate talks on JCPOA 93 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Analyst: Armenia, Azerbaijan authorities views on Artsakh issue coincide US to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan army after withdrawal of American troops George Floyd murder case: Ex-cop sentenced to 22 years in prison Newspaper: Authorities want to make radical changes in Armenia diplomatic corps Newspaper: Armenia acting PM considering forming political council comprising extra-parliamentary forces? Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan soldiers threaten to kill international reporter near Gegharkunik Province village Panasonic sells its stake in Tesla Why has the Armenian dram sharply valued against the dollar? Indian strain of COVID-19 detected in Abkhazia Garibashvili: Mediation for return of Armenian POWs is victory of Georgia's policy 'I Have Honor' bloc on consultations for applying to Armenia Constitutional Court regarding electoral violations Armenia President hosts Diaspora Armenian actress Nora Armani Armenia Administrative Court abolishes Central Electoral Commission's warning against Nikol Pashinyan Armenia President receives Austrian, Lithuanian and Romanian FMs who are on visit to the region Armenian acting PM discusses Armenia-European Union agenda with FMs of EU countries Grassy area at park near Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan is burning Armenia acting MOD pays visits to arms industry companies Karabakh emergency situations service: Searches for remains of servicemen continue in Varanda (Fizuli) region Ilham Aliyev has no intention to continue negotiations over Artsakh issue Prince Harry receives millions from Prince Charles after final break Armenian doctor says Armen Charchyan is in bed with oxygen mask, blood pressure is fluctuating Armenia Administrative Court grants Armenian political party leader's claim Barcelona Metro removes Azerbaijani posters Magnitude 4.0 earthquake hits Turkey Robert Kocharyan holds meeting with heads of 'Armenia' bloc's supportive communities Digest: Armenia soldier goes missing for month; Macron, Putin congratulate Pashinyan on election win Armenia acting deputy PM: There was widespread increase in pensions in 2020 539 Armenian doctors hold protest in front of Armenia Prosecutor General's Office in support of Armen Charchyan Armenia economic activity index up by 10.9% in May compared to same period last year Ursula von der Leyen says it is necessary to be ready for decline in relations with Russia Ameriabanks Mashtots Branch Opened its Doors and Has a Special Offer on Privileged Terms for New Clients Ombudsman attends UN online discussion, condemns Artsakh isolation by international community US President Joe Biden declares emergency in State of Florida after building collapse One dollar drops below AMD 500 in Armenia Group leaves inscription on George Floyd's statue in New York Iran MFA says Canada not qualified to present reports on crash of Ukrainian airliner Armenia MP applies to government with proposal regarding servicemen Tert.am: Azerbaijanis complete engineering work, install serious equipment in Armenias Syunik Province village 14 Armenian POWs may face 14-20 years in prison or life imprisonment in Baku Armenian NGO president on results of snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Austrian Prime Minister condemns Turkey for human rights violations Armenia ruling party MP drops mandate after receiving it a week ago Armenia President receives acting high-tech industry minister Lockdown announced in Sydney US Congressman Schiff: We must not allow Azerbaijan to violate human rights with impunity Armenia conscript not yet found more than one month after going missing Leaders of 27 EU states instructed Borrell to prepare options for sanctions against Russia New program in Artsakh: Other countries citizens also can be appointed to police positions UK ambassador to OSCE congratulates Armenian people on snap elections NGO director: Armenia authorities have actually transferred countrys security to Azerbaijan Belarusian MFA intends to response to European sanctions NGO chief: Armenia authorities contribute to Azerbaijanis return to Artsakh 5 political forces at Karabakh parliament: Polarizations are observed which are accompanied by labeling Biden confirms plans to send billions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine to other countries President meets with Prosperous Armenia Party leader, they discuss internal political situation Woman, 59, dies at hospital 6 days after Armenia road accident Commander of Armenia air defense troops is sacked Head of Armenia army engineering troops is dismissed One new case of coronavirus reported in Artsakh EU leaders instruct European Commission to prepare new financial aid to Turkey for refugees Analyst: Azerbaijan has launched total psychological attack on people of Karabakh Pope Francis recalls his visit to Armenia 102 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Biden says US COVID-19 death toll to rise due to Delta strain World oil prices going up Frances Macron to Armenias Pashinyan: I will be glad to continue with you the work we jointly launched Armenia acting deputy PM appoints new adviser, sends him to US on business trip Lawyer on Prosecutor Generals Office explanation on Armenia bloc member doctors criminal case: An absolute lie Israel trying to influence Biden administration approach to nuclear deal with Iran About 150 people injured due to tornado in Czech Republic Newspaper: Heated post-election developments unrolling at Armenia I Have Honor bloc Newspaper: Vetting that failed in Armenia is being attempted again Armenian political party leader on double votes 12-story South Florida apartment building partially collapses, there are victims Zatulin: 'Declaration of Shushi' is clearly targeted against Armenia Iranian Supreme Leader to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with Iranian-made vaccine Armenia Ombudsman: I sent video of Azerbaijan President-Turkey's First Lady talk to EU administration Armenia Ambassador to Poland lays wreath near plaque dedicated to Raphael Lemkin in Warsaw Iran Ambassador on 'Zangezur corridor': We support exploitation of any corridor without change of borders Honduras moves its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem Armenia Izmirlian Medical Center Director Armen Charchyan's attorney appeals court decision Armenia 3rd President: Yes, he [Nikol Pashinyan] won the elections, but the victory sparks many questions Putin, Erdogan discuss situation around Nagorno-Karabakh Armenian general manager of Respect-SM construction firm to be detained for two months Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of another serviceman found in Varanda (Fizuli) Oman hopes new Israeli government will take steps to create independent Palestinian state Turkish and US military discuss plans to continue guarding Kabul airport by Turkish Armed Forces Lithuania is against direct dialogue between EU and Russian President Armenia acting PM meets with Tashir Group president Samvel Karapetyan One dollar falls below AMD 508 in Armenia Armenia Parliament Human Resources Management Department head sacked Merkel says EU will discuss Turkey and possible steps in development of cooperation with Russia The home ministry has asked central forces and state police forces in northeast to stay alert to the possibility of Pulwama type car bomb attacks in future. A similar alert has been sounded to Bangladesh where a ISI backed jihadi plan to hit PM Sheikh Hasinas family on Dec 30 polling day was busted by covert action off the countrys coast . Indian intelligence has reports that some young men from Assam and Bangladesh have been trained as suicide bombers after they joined JMB in the last few months. While the Bengali origin Muslims joining the JMB hail from districts where NRC updating has left tens of thousands excluded, the recruits from Bangladesh hail from families supporting Jamaat e Islami who have faced much harassment from security agencies and Awami League supporters in the last few years. ISI chief Lt Gen Navid Mukhtar has personally overseen the agencys efforts to mount spectacular suicide attacks in Kashmir and Northeast and also hit high value targets like the PMs family in Bangladesh. The ISI anticipates such attacks will provoke a communal backlash across India ahead of the parliament elections and tie down paramilitary forces all over the country, so that jihadis can further step up the offensive in Kashmir The jihadis from Assam and Bangladesh trained for suicide operations have also been taken to jihadi theatres like Kashmir for on-field exposure . The success of Pulwama car bomb attack in Kashmir may now embolden similar lone wolf operations alongside planted serial bomb attack like the 2008 explosions engineered by NDFB . Intelligence Bureau picked up constant extremist chatter last month suggesting a spectacular attack to avenge the death of top Jaish commanders in the Srinagar valley including two nephews of its chief Masood Azhar. The alert it sounded led to cautious convoy movements for a week after the Republic Day after it was taken to be routine by the central paramilitary forces and the guard dropped. That is when the Jaish car bomber struck the CRPF convoy at Pulwama. In Northeast and Bangladesh which the ISI now treats as one operational zone, Indian intelligence says it cannot rule out a similar attack, specially after Hasina refused to accept the credentials of Pakistans nominated ambassador Mrs Syedah Saqlain. We, as a society, have kept quiet on sexual harassment, abuse and violence so far The Kantipur Conclave on Monday held a discussion session on gender equity. The World Bank in a report says despite heavy investment in education sector, the educated youth of Bhutan have remain unemployed. As per the World Banks working paper, Bhutan Development Report, the government spending on education increased from 5.1 per cent of GDP in 2013 to 6.7 per cent in 2016. According to the World Bank report, Bhutans spending on education is higher than neighbouring countries, showing significant commitment to investment in human capital. However, the unemployment rate for educated youth (with bachelors degree) stood at 67 per cent in 2016, although the overall youth unemployment rate was 13.2 per cent, reports Kuensel. It has also been reported that Bhutans public sector provides about 20 pc of the total jobs packaged with better monetary and non-monetary benefits than the private sector. The WB report says: While hydropower will remain dominant in the foreseeable future, Bhutans demographic transition requires more concerted efforts to develop the private sector. The World Bank also stated that hydropower generation is likely to triple from 1,606 MW in 2017 to 5,300 MW in 2023. The share of working-age population has been projected to rise from 65 pc in 2010 to 71 pc in 2025. Besides, about 8,000 people will enter the labour market every year and most of them will be better educated than the previous generation, it said. The report also says: Therefore, it will be important to create good quality jobs for the working-age population to ensure sustainable and inclusive development in the future. It has been claimed that the hydropower sector employs only 0.8 pc of the labour force and there is extensive use of foreign labour in construction of hydropower projects. The structure of employment remains overwhelmingly agrarian accounting for 70 percent of the jobs in the private sector, the report further says. This reflected lack of job opportunities for the youth, says the World Bank. There is room for improvement in both education and health sectors while going by the parameters of the Human Capital Index of World Bank. However, due to data constraints, Bhutans ranking is not assessed, says the report. The report says that Bhutan has achieved noteworthy improvements in health in the last two decades, but critical challenges still remain. Stating that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasing and account for more than 70 pc of the reported disease burden, the report states: This poses a significant risk to peoples health in their productive years. Mental health problems including alcoholism and suicides are on the rise, owing to sociocultural changes, growing urbanisation, migration and unemployment. The World Bank also states that public spending on health during FY2013-16 remained at about 2.7 pc of the GDP and was largely focused on building adequate infrastructure for proper delivery of the health care services. Bhutans expected years of schooling, those who have completed 9.4 years of schooling by the age of 18 years, is lower than what would be expected for its income level, the report says. This has been reflected in Bhutans low gross tertiary enrolment rate compared to neighbouring countries. It has been reported that as of 2016, 63 per cent of Bhutans labour force lacked formal education and only 5 pc of them completed some form of tertiary education. The Napa Group of the Sierra Club applauds the Napa County Board of Supervisors for its rapid action on increasing protections for Napa Countys watershed. The proposed ordinance reflects a serious response to voter support for Measure C, and to comments received during the community engagement sessions that resulted in the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan Vibrant and Sustainable Environment pillar, which preservesand conserves resources for future generations. However, the draft ordinance should be strengthened. The most profound threat facing Napa Countys environment, our agricultural economy, and future generations is climate change. The proposed ordinance should do even more to protect the vital role of carbon sequestration that our forests and woodlands provide. A minimum of 85 percent of the forest canopy should be retained throughout the Ag Watershed in unincorporated areas of the county. The proposed 70 percent retention rate allowing removal of 30 percent of the forest canopy is not environmentally sound or responsible. A 30 percent removal can result in serious habitat fragmentation that can result in significant ecosystem decline. The pioneers of racial slavery were the Portuguese and Spanish, who had begun to seize Africans from West Central Africa in the mid-1400s and established successful plantations, worked by enslaved Africans, in places like the Canary Islands, Madeira and Sao Tome. To begin the story of black America in 1619 also risks perpetuating the myth of black powerlessness. African leaders willingly sold slaves to Europeans, but they were neither passive victims nor ruthless tyrants. Most African leaders refused to sell slaves from their own kingdoms, and they demanded high prices and elaborate diplomacy. Indeed, the African perspective has traditionally been left out of the 1619 story. Many of those first Angolans probably came from the province of Ndongo, where the Portuguese had recently launched an invasive war. In addition to killing, raping and pillaging, the Portuguese enslaved thousands of free Ndongo residents, a fraction of whom, unexpectedly, arrived in Virginia. But Ndongo's leaders resisted the Portuguese invaders. In 1624, a Ndongo woman, Queen Njinga, took over the throne and waged a successful counterattack. For a quarter-century, Njinga held off the Portuguese and prevented the sale of her people to their traders, a remarkable story most recently detailed by historian Linda Heywood. The bullet train project fared even worse in Newsoms declaration that as currently planned (it) would cost too much and take too long. Casting aside Browns obvious love for a statewide system linking Sacramento and San Francisco in the north to Los Angeles and San Diego in the south, Newsom called for completing just the roughly 100-mile-long initial San Joaquin Valley segment, from Merced to near Bakersfield, and making it a high-speed system. However, electrifying the track now under construction and buying high-speed trains to run on it would be an enormously expensive gesture for such short service. More likely, the stretch of track, when completed, will be folded into the regions existing Amtrak service. Newsoms declarations on the water tunnels and the bullet train were the biggest nuggets of news in his speech, most of which was devoted to issues he had raised in the campaign, in his inaugural address and in his first budget. The Napa County Sheriffs Office reported that a deputy fatally shot an armed motorist in the south county Sunday night after the driver fired first. The incident occurred shortly after 11 p.m. on the 1100 block of Henry Road when the deputy stopped to investigate a parked car on the rural road. The male driver, who was seated behind the wheel, died at the scene, the Sheriffs Office reported. In a Monday afternoon press release, the Sheriffs Office said the suspect, who has not been identified, fired the first shot from inside his car at the female deputy. The deputy returned fire and the suspect died at the scene, the Sheriffs Office said. The deputy was not injured. The fatal encounter began when the deputy, who also has not been named, spotted the parked vehicle at 10:59 p.m. and got out to contact the driver, said Henry Wofford, a Sheriffs Office spokesman. Six minutes later, the deputy radioed that shots had been fired, Wofford said. The suspect was armed with a firearm. There was only the driver in the car, he said. He has had three Navy destroyers named after him, with the one wasting away near American Canyon being the first. A second Corry destroyer was launched in 1941 and was sunk on D-Day. A third Corry destroyer was launched in 1945 and served the Navy until 1981. American Canyons Corry is hard to reach on foot, given its wetlands locale. The history hike advertisement recommends that participants bring binoculars. American Canyon resident Barry Christian is among those who have gotten up close, in his case by kayak. Its never going to float again, Christian said. Its been stuck in the mud for years with a big hole in the hull. I would say its in terrible shape. Kern said the ship has seen better days, even after its remains were deposited along the Napa River. As time goes by, its really kind of disintegrating more and more, Kern said. If youd gone out there 20 or 30 years ago, it would have been much more recognizable. Black-and-white photos of the ship from 1939 and 1966 preserved by the Naval History and Heritage Command confirm this. One can at least envision from these images that the hole-riddled shell once sailed the high seas in its glory days, though this does take imagination. That was our only (ICE) contact, Robertson said. The county jail received 102 ICE requests in 2018 and provided no access, Director of Corrections Dina Jose said. County policy allows transfer to ICE custody only upon receipt of a federal warrant or court order. The Probation Department received no ICE requests. That contrasts with 2017, when ICE asked for the names and addresses of every adult under supervision, a request the county denied. Weve got a reputation for treating people fairly here, regardless of status or citizenship, Napa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ryan Gregory said. Glad to have a clean report card here this time. The Board held a state-required community forum on Feb. 12 on the countys 2018 ICE contacts. It held the 2017 forum last December, but wanted to be more prompt in reporting the 2018 figures. One member of the public addressed the Board during the forum. Karla Marquez asked the county to discuss going beyond what the law requires in informing immigrants of their rights. The abandonment of residents at two Santa Rosa senior homes during the October 2017 wildfires has fueled new legislation from state Sen. Bill Dodd that would broaden the potential civil liability for caretakers who desert their senior patients. Senate Bill 314, introduced by Dodd last Friday, would add abandonment to Californias civil elder abuse laws, expanding on the existing legal liability civil and criminal faced by those who hurt or allow harm to befall elderly dependents. Dodd, D-Napa, cited the unacceptable conduct at the adjacent Oakmont of Villa Capri and Varenna care homes in Fountaingrove, where state investigators determined staff members abandoned about 100 elderly residents as the Tubbs fire closed in two years ago. He hoped his bill would help prevent such cases in future disasters. It appears to be the first legislation stemming directly from the abandonment cases tied to Windsor-based Oakmont Senior Living, which owns the two care homes. Whether theyre a single caregiver in a home or a commercial establishment, they need to understand that theyre there to help the most vulnerable in our society and that they have a responsibility in natural disasters to make sure that these people are safe, rather than just run out on them, Dodd said Saturday in an interview. 1535 -- Non-injury hit-and-run on Railroad Avenue. 1620 -- A child and father delivered a lovely gift of Girl Scout cookies to the police station, thanking police for their service. 2033 -- Non-injury accident near Adams/Railroad. 2047 -- Report of a tree down across Spring Mountain Road. Friday, Feb. 15 0811 -- Police checked on an abandoned car on Church Street. 0953 -- A Pope Street resident said shed been letting a friend stay over for about two months. She said the friend was in the process of moving out when she broke into the house with her boyfriend and took a box containing $460 worth of paint and products. The matter is under investigation. 1003 -- A McCorkle Avenue resident said her ex-boyfriend had just broken into her house through the garage door, which she had left unlocked. He was now waiting for her in the house while she was locked in a bedroom. She said he wasnt dangerous, but theyd had a difficult break-up and she didnt want to deal with him. Police admonished the man, who was on his way back to Australia. 1124 -- Medical aid on Redondo Court. Experts weigh pros and cons of mass tourism Nepals natural beauty, diverse wildlife and wealth of pilgrimage sites can be a huge draw in the global tourism market, and this should be the marketing mantra for the Visit Nepal campaign version 3.0. The third edition of the promotion slated for 2020 has the goal of attracting 2 million foreign tourists, hospitality industry analysts said at Mondays Kantipur Conclave. With painful memories of the 2017 Napa wildfires still fresh, a group of St. Helenans is trying to help a few of the thousands of people left White recently moved from her Napa home of nine years to Portland, Oregon. My husband, Scott Brenner, and I both felt it was time for a change. Im from Massachusetts, but Scott is from Seattle. Moving here, we will be a little bit closer to his family and childhood friends, she said. White said the shift will require finding a new facility to ferment and bottle Houndstooth Wines. She and Brenner founded the brand in 2011. For the past few years, we have been buying fruit from the Willamette Valley. Now itll be good that well be in a city thats in close proximity to where we will do the crush, said White. White said she will miss the sunshine and sense of community in Napa. You know everybody and can count on your neighbors. I liked that intimacy of living in a small town, said White. White came to Napa Valley in May 2010. Prior to her arrival, she was a sommelier for Veritas, a now-closed New York City restaurant known as a wine haven. She had also written for a wide variety of wine publications, including The Somm Journal, now known as The Sommelier Journal, Organic Wine Journal, The World Atlas of Fine Wine, and the Robb Report, the latter being an American luxury lifestyle publication. Google may drop the dedicated back navigation button for its upcoming Android Q (10.0) operating system, XDA Developers reports. According to the report, an early build of the operating system shows improved gesture controls which drop the dedicated back button in favour of swiping left on the Home pill. Additionally, the experimental build also no longer allows users to disable the gesture interactions and revert to the legacy three-button navigation system. Gesture controls were first introduced as a system-wide control scheme for Android 9.0, although users have the option to choose the three-button interface if they prefer. The experimental build of the Android Q operating system also enhances the fluidity of app transitions. These features are currently unconfirmed, and Google may change its gesture options before the official release of Android Q. Eskom has distanced itself from a report that the company wants to cut the number of skilled white engineers and managers to ensure it meets its affirmative action targets. The report made headlines this weekend after it stated that Eskom wants to reduce its qualified white workforce by 1,308 over the next year. The skilled white employees which were said to be targeted include engineers, tradespeople, academically-qualified staff, and middle management. Eskom told MyBroadband that the report is an old article that was originally published in 2015 and it has been repackaged as new to fit into the narrative that Eskom is purging white engineers. It added that Africa Check, a facts verification organisation, dismissed the claims in 2017 as inaccurate. In November 2014, the South African department of labour sent Eskom a report telling it to set numerical targets so that the makeup of its workforce would more closely match that of the country at large. The company had to submit a plan to reach those targets by 2020, said Africa Check. However, they did not specify a number, and Eskom told Africa Check there was no plan to get rid of white staff. South African law also bars a company from laying off a worker in order to meet affirmative action targets, stated Africa Check. Threats to Eskom While Eskom said it has no plans to lay off white staff to meet affirmative action goals, trade union Solidarity said Eskom is struggling to recruit and hold onto skilled engineers particularly white employees. Eskoms recruitment policy, promotion policy, EE targets and AA appointments, and procurement policy has made the environment in Eskom impossible for white engineers and artisans to get promotions and excel in their careers, said Solidarity. Solidarity said that Eskom must also appoint the best engineers for the urgent challenges it is facing. If two candidates have the same expertise and one is white and one is black, then appoint the black candidate. But for the interim, they must employ those who can help to restore Eskom to a functional profit-making entity. Solidarity added that the turnaround time for spares orders, the poor quality of spares supplied, and the pricing of these spares were additional problems at Eskom. BBBEE red tape when it comes to procurement has made it impossible for these workers to do their job properly. Keep all skilled engineers The trade union added that regardless of race, Eskom desperately needs to keep its skilled engineers and staff if it is to turn itself around. Minister Pravin Gordhan has acknowledged that Eskom is in its current state due to a skills and knowledge shortage, said Solidarity. We dont say that only white engineers can save Eskom, as there are many good engineers in Eskom. What we are saying is that Eskom must do a skills audit and determine what they need, taking the institutional knowledge of these employees into consideration. It added that the government should review its policy around employment equity targets for Eskom and relax the pressure it is putting on the organisation. Institutional investors should consider dipping their toes into cryptocurrencies, according to Cambridge Associates, a consultant for pensions and endowments. Despite the challenges, we believe that it is worthwhile for investors to begin exploring this area today with an eye toward the long term, said analysts at Boston-based Cambridge in a research note published Monday. Though these investments entail a high degree of risk, some may very well upend the digital world. Most large institutions have steered clear of the 10-year-old, $120 billion industry because its largely unregulated and cryptocurrencies have been used to finance illicit trade. The collapse in crypto prices hasnt helped either: Bitcoin, the largest digital currency, lost about 75 percent of its value in 2018. For those prepared to take the plunge, Cambridge recommends a considerable amount of time learning about the space, including surveying the different ways of investing, from illiquid venture capital funds to buying tokens on an exchange. The firm advises institutions that manage more than $300 billion. Institutional investments, though rare, bring cheer to crypto enthusiasts who say a wave of institutional investment could bring greater credibility to the market. Two pension plans in Fairfax County, Virginia, this month invested in a venture-capital fund for the blockchain and digital assets industry. Last year Yale University invested in a fund focused on early-stage projects focused on cryptocurrencies, new blockchains and exchanges. The dramatic declines that swept across the crypto space raised questions about the future of these assets and the blockchain technology that underpins them, the analysts said. Yet, in looking across the investment landscape, we see an industry that is developing, not faltering. Now read: JPMorgan to use digital coin to speed up corporate payments GoDaddy, the worlds biggest cloud platform dedicated to small, independent ventures, is launching in South Africa on 13 March 2019. GoDaddy is an American company which is well-known for offering domain registrations and web hosting. The company has 18 million customers across the globe with 77 million domain names currently under management. GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers and manage their work, the company said. GoDaddy promises South African entrepreneurs the tools to get online and help small businesses make it big online. The company has previously offered its services across many countries including South Africa, and offers packages in South African rand. GoDaddys website offers local pricing for its various products, which include .co.za domain names from R89.00 per year and .com domains from R14.99 per year. The company added that it would now also have a physical presence in South Africa via an agency. In South Africa, GoDaddy will compete against established hosting companies like Hetzner and Afrihost. The SABC announced that it has signed a licence agreement with streaming service Viu. Viu is a new streaming service which is set to launch in South Africa on 28 February 2019, offering local content through its online platform. Certain content is available to watch freely on the platform, with adverts shown, while users are required to sign in and subscribe for premium content according to the websites Terms and Conditions page. The Premium membership can be set to renew on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis depending on the plan the customer has selected. There is currently no option to sign up for Premium membership on the websites South African page, but the terms and conditions list the following prices under the billing terms: Daily R5 Weekly R20 Monthly R69 Users with the Premium subscription plan will have access to Premium videos and will not be presented with advertisements when watching content. Licensing agreement The licensing agreement between the SABC and Viu grants the platform rights to selected SABC titles and library content for a period of 24 months, including popular shows such as Uzalo and Skeem Saam. These shows were previously available freely on YouTube, but will now be migrated to the Viu platform. Uzalo and Skeem Saam will remain available for viewing on YouTube until Viu officially launches in South Africa. These shows are already available to watch on the Viu platform and are labelled as Viu Exclusives. The streaming service has also secured video-on-demand rights to 18 South African titles from the SABC catalogue. The SABC is proud to have partnered with Viu SA on this exciting new initiative, SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe said. As a broadcaster, it is imperative that we continuously move with the times and ensure that our programmes are available through VOD platforms. Viu South Africa country manager Ryan Solovei said that as a premium platform it is proud to partner with SABC to provide a digital platform for the broadcasters incredible shows. We believe in the power of South African stories, and we look forward to increasing access to these stories to as many people as possible through our digital platform. International content In addition to the SABC content, Viu will offer South Africans Bollywood films, African series and movies, and South Asian shows. The Viu streaming platform will be available on Android and iOS, as well as through web browsers. Now read: SABC cancels plans to retrench staff South Africa is still mainly a cash economy, although alternative payment methods such as credit cards, NFC, and QR codes are becoming increasingly supported. The number of bank cards in circulation which support NFC payments have also increased, although the number of payment terminals which accept NFC payments have lagged behind. Even now that many retailers have upgraded to NFC-compatible POS terminals, it is still impossible to rely entirely on contactless payments. Instead, you will still need to carry your bank card or rely on apps like Samsung Pay which use Magnetic Secure Transmission technology in addition to NFC to support. MyBroadband spoke to major South African banks to determine why it has taken so long to roll out NFC-compatible payment terminals to all merchants. Standard Bank Standard Bank did not provide comment on the obstacles hindering the rollout of NFC-compatible payment terminals, but stated that adoption of the technology was growing. As South Africas largest card issuer of contactless cards, we are observing a growing trend where 9% of card present transactions are done via NFC technology, Standard Bank said. With the introduction of NFC usage on Samsung phones in South Africa, we expect exponential growth as consumer have more ways to pay, the bank added. The bank said another factor which will increase the adoption of contactless payments will be the introduction of contactless payments in South African transport, such as toll roads, trains, and taxis. FNB FNB said that 80% of its POS terminals across the country are NFC-enabled and it is actively replacing older devices with contactless-enabled hardware. This is in line with our commitment to help our merchants to keep up with the consumer-driven demand for contactless payments, FNB said. We believe that a universal adoption of NFC-enabled POS devices will significantly improve the safety and efficiency of payments for merchants and consumers, and curb queues by improving the speed at which transactions can be processed. The bank added that the rollout of NFC-enabled terminals is partly restricted by legacy infrastructure, but added that South African merchants are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of contactless payments. The logistical considerations include the manual exchange or replacement of old devices with the new NFC-ready terminals, FNB said. In addition, the migration has a cost implication for a business and operationally, there are other considerations that any acquirer needs to take into account. The bank added that the frequency of contactless payments by FNB customers increased by 100% and 300% on credit and debit cards respectively. By 2018, FNB said it had over 8.5 million contactless-enabled debit and credit cards in the hands of consumers. Nedbank Nedbank card and payments acceptance executive Mpho Sadiki told MyBroadband that all of Nedbanks systems are contactless-enabled. At Nedbank specifically, all of our POS systems are contactless and are enabled for merchants to accept contactless cards and NFC-enabled phones for payments, Sadiki said. Nedbank began its rollout of contactless terminals in 2013 and completed the rollout to all our clients in 2016. From a Nedbank perspective, we issue contactless cards on all our primary debit and credit cards, Sadiki added. Absa Absa relationship banking managing executive Carel Gronum told MyBroadband that the percentage of POS systems in South Africa configured to accept contactless card payments is about 75% to 85%. The devices that cannot process contactless cards are being phased out and removed from the field entirely, he said. Gronum said the rollout had been slowed somewhat because not all devices were enabled to provide the functionality from a hardware perspective and these units were not yet fully depreciated. In the early days of contactless, the functionality was used mainly in the transit space. There were very few consumer cards that were enabled for contactless processing and consumers were skeptical and reluctant to use them, Gronum said. Certification processes for both the card and POS device are not a simple process and it took a while to get the process bedded down. Gronum told MyBroadband that approximately 18% of the banks daily transactions consist of contactless cards, but this number is growing. Now read: TymeBank officially launching in South Africa Roger Oliver, of Rock Rapids, asked King what he was doing to get back on committees. The outspoken conservative congressman replied he needs to get a "critical mass" of the Republican House caucus to support him, adding some Republican lawmakers have privately told him they think he got a raw deal. "Kevin McCarthy has been getting a lot of phone calls, and the more phone calls he gets and the more persistent that it is, the more he is gonna realize that it was a bad decision he made, based upon one comment misquoted in The New York Times, reported as fact," King told the audience. Trump on Friday declared a national emergency at the southern border, a day after he signed a spending bill with $1.3 billion in border fence funding, far short of the $5.7 billion he wanted. His insistence on more funding led to a lengthy government shutdown. Trump's emergency has drawn threats of legal challenges and sparked a foundational dispute over the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution. The move triggered outrage from Democrats, unease among some Republicans and flew in the face of years of GOP complaints that President Barack Obama had over-reached in his use of executive authority. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday she will not appeal the Iowa District Court ruling on the fetal heartbeat law. Judge Michael Huppert had ruled the law, Iowa Code chapter 146c, violated the Iowa constitution. The law that would ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected in the fetus was ruled as violative of both the due process and equal protection provisions of the Iowa Constitution, according to the courts filings. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa challenged the law on state constitutional grounds only foreclosing an appeal to the federal courts. This was an extremely difficult decision, however it is the right one for the pro-life movement and the state of Iowa," Reynolds said Monday in a statement. "When I signed the Fetal Heartbeat bill last May, we knew that it would be an uphill fight in the courts that might take us all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court." When the Iowa Supreme Court struck down a 72-hour waiting period for abortion, saying the Iowa constitution provided a right to abortion, Reynolds said she saw "no path to successfully appeal the district court's decision or to get this lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court. Reynolds added, "I think the Iowa Supreme Court got it wrong." Enrolment in social security scheme remains low as deadline expires for Valley The Contribution Based Social Security Scheme, which was launched amidst excessive fanfare last year in November that invited both praise and criticism, has failed to attract private firms. Since the Yellowstone County no vaping and 20-foot smoke-free zone rule has been in effect, there have been a grand total of five complaints, each of which resulted in informational letters from public health professionals to the local business. That's it. Statewide, so far, nobody has ever been fined for violating any local health board's Clean Indoor Air Act rule. State law makes the health board responsible to "protect the public from the introduction and spread of communicable disease or other conditions of public health importance, including through actions to ensure the removal of filth or other contaminants that might cause disease or adversely affect public health." Lawmakers who are inclined to do the tavern association's bidding on SB17 should consider: Is the county commission more knowledgeable about public health matters than the board of health? No way. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. He also noted that the semifinalist candidate pool includes Montana residents as well as non-Montanans. He said that two of the semifinalists are women. As for the racial and ethnic makeup of the pool, Tessman said that "theres no way for us to tell from the application materials. While he said he and his fellow committee members were pleased with the quality and diversity of our group of 13 semifinalists, he also suggested that some of his wild dreams about the diversity of the candidates the position attracted did not quite come to fruition. The reality is you do your best to attract the most diverse most qualified pool, Tessman said. Most times you fall somewhat short of your ideal. But, he added, I think given the specific demands of the chancellor position and the specific profile of Montana Tech, I am happy with the diversity of candidates we were able to consider. That consideration came in a five-hour meeting on Techs campus in Butte. Federal employees meet Wednesday Dust to Dazzle needs volunteers One, we need houses to showcase. Houses can range literally from the middle of rehab (the dust) to ornate (the dazzle). We want houses that have some historical fabric and illustrate a homeowner's ability to "save" a historic structure. Committee members can visit your house to determine if it is appropriate for the tour and will offer assistance to homeowners prior to the tour. Trained volunteers will be on hand the day of the event to provide information, ensure safety, and conduct tours. In addition, volunteers are needed to work the tour for two- to three-hour shifts. Duties include selling tickets, conducting tours, providing information, and assisting with the auction and tea. For more details, call Bill at 406 697-4768 or billgojets@yahoo.com. Tribal governments would be allowed to access a state infrastructure loan program under legislation debated Monday in the Montana House Appropriations Committee. The Montana Board of Investments aims to invest 25 percent of the states Coal Tax Fund annually. One of the ways it does so, the INTERCAP program, provides local governments with variable-rate loans for infrastructure projects. It funded $20.6 million worth of loans in Fiscal Year 2018. While state agencies, counties, cities, towns, school districts and other governmental units are currently eligible for the loan, Montanas seven federally-recognized tribes, and the state-recognized Little Shell Chippewa tribe, are not. House Bill House Bill 428, introduced by Rep. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula, would change that and make them eligible. These programs provide more tools for tribal government to improve infrastructure and create jobs in local communities, which is good for all of Montana, said Morigeau, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Jason Smith, director of Indian Affairs for the Governors Office, Carole Lankford, a member of the CSKT Tribal Council, and Sue Taylor with the Native American Development Corp. in Billings all spoke in support of the bill. Economic diplomacy is Nepals core foreign policy conduct Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said on Monday that economic diplomacy will be the core of the KP Sharma Oli governments foreign policy conduct and Nepali missions abroad have been instructed to approach in this line. Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog. Steve Simeonidis is the new chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. Simeonidis, an attorney and the general counsel to the local party's executive committee, was elected chairman late Monday night, beating JP Bado, Ricky Junquera and Jeff Solomon. Simeonidis beat Junquera in a runoff. Upon his victory, he was handed a copy of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War." Simeonidis, 31, replaces Juan Cuba, who stepped down last month after serving two years of a four-year term. In a post ahead of the election, Simeonidis talked about the need to boost Democratic turnout in Florida's most populous county, which came out strong for Hillary Clinton in 2016 but dropped off considerably in the 2018 midterms. "We have made great strides as a local party. Each election nets us more and more Democratic votes, but we need to push even harder because the big Democratic vote totals out of Miami-Dade are not large enough to overcome the GOP strongholds in our state," Simeonidis wrote. "We need a leader with experience driving large voter turnout." He also wrote that he wants to focus on electing more Democrats to local positions, including county mayor in 2020. Simeonidis earned his law degree at the University of Miami. He is deputy general counsel at Windhaven Insurance Company. Back when the Florida gubernatorial primaries were in full swing last fall, Miami's teacher's union went out on a limb for Andrew Gillum -- against its Tallahassee union leadership's pick of Gwen Graham. Gillum appears to have returned the favor. The former Democratic nominee for governor sent a robocall to Miami-Dade County Public Schools teachers on President's Day endorsing the incumbent leadership of UTD in Wednesday's union election. "Hi, this Mayor Andrew Gillum calling on the behalf of UTD's Frontline Caucus," Gillum said in the message, praising the "incredible leadership" of president Karla Hernandez-Mats, vice president Tony White and secretary treasurer Mindy Grimes-Festge. "When Karla and Tony and Mindy told me they had a bold plan to campaign for the largest teacher pay raise in Miami-Dade history, I said, 'Count me in,' because you all deserve it," he said. "And wow, the Frontline Caucus delivered." Gillum went on to call the base 12.5 percent supplement that came out of a four-year, voter-approved referendum, which he endorsed on the campaign trial, a "pay increase." In annual pay raise negotiations, UTD and the school district agreed to a raise this year that yielded 0.8 percent to 1.1 percent more for teachers. UTD's political action committee, Teachers for Public School Excellence, donated $40,000 to Gillum's committee Forward Florida just before the November election. UTD also hosted Gillum's election night watch party in Miami. Only UTD members can vote in Wednesday's leadership election. Member teachers vote on ballots at their school site, which will be taken to Firefighter's Memorial Building, 8000 NW 21st St in Doral, for the tally around 3 p.m. Candidates run for three-year terms. The Frontline caucus faces opposition from UTD's Progressive caucus, which has named Mari Corugedo, Harold Ford and David Moss to its executive board slate. Candidates Ricardo Ocampo and Joseph Howard are also running for president. The Miami Herald has reached out to Hernandez-Mats for comment. Programs to prevent HIV in transgender women are helping to lower the rate of new infection but better care and treatment of this vulnerable population is still needed, especially among those of lower income or people of color, according to a new Rutgers study. The study appears in the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases. "Despite the stability in HIV prevalence, infection is still highest among transwomen compared to any other group in the citya pattern evident in much of the world," said lead author Henry Raymond, an associate professor at Rutgers School of Public Health and a core faculty member of Rutgers Global Health Institute. "San Francisco is on the cutting edge of HIV prevention, care and treatment, and there is extensive data from this city that is beneficial in monitoring the epidemic." According to Raymond, transgender women generally have higher rates of HIV than other populations in the United States, including men who have sex with men, but no previous studies have implemented consistent methods or measures to document trends in HIV prevalence or demographic characteristics among transgender women over time. "Since trends in San Francisco often are happening or likely to happen in other jurisdictions, studies like this could help provide data to guide appropriate epidemic responses," he said. "Such studies also can help cities assess if the trends seen in San Francisco are occurring in their area." The researchers examined HIV prevalence over timein 2010, 2013 and 2016among 866 transgender women in San Francisco, focusing on key demographic characteristics, including race/ethnicity, age, education, annual income, housing, their native country and gender identity. They also tested to determine HIV status and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use within the last year. On average, nearly one-third of the population of transwomen in San Francisco were infected with HIV from 2010 to 2016, with 90 percent having a confirmed diagnosis. Among the results, across all three waves of the study: African-American transgender women had significantly higher odds of being HIV-positive; Older transgender women (ages 36-45) had higher odds of living with HIV than younger transgender women; Transgender women with at least some college education had generally lower odds of HIV-infection. Unstable housing has been linked to higher HIV risk and lower treatment, but the new study did not show a link between HIV infection and increased rates of homelessness or living in a shelter. Raymond said this could mean that housing assistance programs associated with HIV care are helping the most vulnerable of this population. "While prevention programs such as outreach, condom distribution and increased HIV testing may be working to help reduce new cases of infection, our attention should now focus on maximizing the uptake and benefits of HIV care and addressing the challenging needs for stable housing," he said. "This could be done through continued promotion of HIV testing to link patients to care and treatment, using 'data-to-care' approaches to link transwomen to care and by bringing housing issues to the attention of housing advocates and city government." Explore further Reducing HIV risk in young transgender women More information: Henry F. Raymond et al, High and Stable Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevalence Among Transwomen With Low Income Recruited With Respondent-driven Sampling, San Francisco, 20102016, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (2018). Journal information: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Henry F. Raymond et al, High and Stable Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevalence Among Transwomen With Low Income Recruited With Respondent-driven Sampling, San Francisco, 20102016,(2018). DOI: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000916 Credit: CC0 Public Domain This is a teen's brain on marijuana. This is a teen's brain on social media. See any difference? In a groundbreaking study, a UCSD psychiatrist is investigating whether social media affects the adolescent brain in the same way as cannabis. Establishing a link could change how medical professionals view teens' engagement with Instagram, Snapchat and other social media platforms. "Psychiatrists don't recognize excessive social media use as addictive behavior," said Dr. Kara Bagot, a child psychiatrist and assistant professor in residency at the University of California San Diego. "If it shows similar changes in the activation of the brain's reward circuitry, then we can develop a treatment model." Other researchers have looked at how social media, for better or worse, affects teens. But Bagot's study is the first to compare social media to cannabis. "There are studies already that show video games, computer games, social media and increased tech use associated with poor outcomes in physical health, mental health and risk-taking," she said. "We have to have more conversations about how to responsibly use social media." Rare Stance Bagot was a high school junior in Los Angeles when AOL introduced Instant Messenger, an early texting system. She was not an avid user. As an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins, a medical student at the University of Illinois at Chicago and then a resident at Yale, she paid scant attention to online platforms. That pattern continues. The last time she posted to her Facebook page, George W. Bush was in the White House. She's never Tweeted, although her Twitter account contains messages from others, with several applauding her December 2018 appearance on "60 Minutes," discussing adolescent brains and social media. "I have too much going on in my real life to worry about other people's lives or some representation of my life," she said. "We communicate in other ways that are more real and more meaningful." Bagot insists she has no bias against social media, but she is concerned about electronic media's effects on children. The mother of two sons, ages 5 and almost 3, she limits what and when they can watch when it comes to videos and television. "Now," she said, "my 5-year-old knows. He doesn't even ask about watching 'Paw Patrol' on a weekday. It just doesn't happen." Hers is a rare stance, Bagot acknowledges: "I had to drag my husband into that." In the U.S., it would be virtually impossible to create a social media-free bubble around adolescents. In a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, 95 percent of teens said they had a smart phone, the device most often used to access social media. Moreover, 89 percent said they were online "almost constantly" or "several times a day." Evidence shows that social media usage offers some benefits. While roughly six in 10 teens have experienced cyberbullying, eight in 10 insist that social media makes them feel more connected to friends. Researchers have noticed that, at the same that social media use among adolescents has risen, teens are delaying getting their drivers' licenses. Rates of underage use of alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs are all falling. "The thinking is," Bagot said, "if you are not hanging out with your peers you tend to use drugs less." Yet studies also link social media use to depression, insomnia and negative body images. And while postponing some rites of passage (learning to drive, say) may benefit society (and other drivers), Bagot wonders whether this is healthy. "Kids are increasingly engaging with each other online," she said, "but they are engaging less with real life." Four Groups Bagot's study is a small part of the massive, $300 million Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) initiative, which will track nearly 12,000 children across a decade. The largest study ever conducted on the minds of teenagers, it was launched in 2015 with experts from more than 20 research institutions, including UC San Diego. When ABCD began, Sandra Brown, UCSD's vice chancellor for research, predicted that it could "lead to novel approaches to education as well as new types of interventions for common problems emerging during adolescence." The "novel approach" Bagot plans to use: scanning teens' brains as they view images of marijuana, pot paraphernalia and their own Instagram posts. Researchers will alter the latter, adding or subtracting "likes," to inspire positive or negative emotions. Looking at images captured by a functional MRI, Bagot's team will see if images of marijuana and Instagram posts light up the same portion of the brain. While the 60 adolescent subjects will be evenly divided into four groupsheavy marijuana users, light marijuana users, heavy social media users and light social media usersnone will be intoxicated while undergoing brain scans. "We drug test them before they go in," Bagot said. "We want them to go in completely sober." Subjects, 14- to 18-years-old, are still being recruited and none have yet undergone a brain scan. Bagot's experiment is funded through the spring, so she plans to finish by the end of the school year. Education on social media, the professor said, should continue even further. "We have to teach kids to be good stewards of their own information," Bagot said, citing instances where old Instagram or Facebook posts of reckless or risque behavior have led to rescinded job offers. "They don't understand that they are leaving a digital footprint." And those footprints sometimes track mud on other people. Often, objectionable posts include more than one person. "At some point," Bagot said, "you are responsible for your friends' information as well." Acting responsibly, though, can be difficult if you are highon cannabis or social media. Explore further US teens drawn to social media despite 'drama' 2019 The San Diego Union-Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Example models from the study with and without disguise. Same person pairings show evasion disguise (trying not to look like themselves). Different person pairings show impersonation disguise (trying to look like a specific target person). Credit: University of York Superficial but deliberate changes in someone's facial appearance such as a new hairstyle or complexionare surprisingly effective in identity deception, new research suggests. In the study, led by researchers at the universities of York and Huddersfield, participants were often fooled by disguises when asked to judge whether two photographs showed the same or different people. Disguises reduced the ability of participants to match faces by around 30%, even when they were warned that some of the people had changed the way they look. Participants were only able to see through disguises reliably when they knew the people in the images. Security settings Co-author of the study, Dr. Rob Jenkins from the Department of Psychology at the University of York, said: "We shouldn't be complacent about deliberate disguise in criminal and security settings. When someone puts their mind to concealing their identity, it can be very effective. "Familiarity with the people who are disguising themselves improves accuracy. When you are unfamiliar with a face you are easily fooled by superficial changes in hairstyle or colouration. "However, when you 'know' a face you tend to rely more on internal facial featuresthe eyes, nose and mouthwhich are much harder to alter." The models recruited for the study were given plenty of time and resources with which to change their appearance. Many used make-up, changed their hair colour and style, and some grew or got rid of facial hair. To ensure maximum effort, a financial incentive was introduced with a prize for the model whose disguise fooled the most participants. Props like hats or dark glasses were not allowed as they are prohibited in real-life security settings. Criminal suspects The researchers also compared the effectiveness of two different methods of disguise. Impersonation disguiseor trying to look like someone elseis sometimes used by people attempting to travel using a stolen passport or in cases of identity theft. Evasion disguise trying not to look like yourselfmight be used in witness protection programmes or by undercover police, as well as by criminal suspects on the run from the law. The study found that evasion disguise is much more effective than impersonation disguise. Dr. Eilidh Noyes, from the University of Hudderfield, added: "With evasion disguise, you can change your appearance in any way you like. With impersonation, you can only change your appearance in ways that resemble your target, so your options are much more constrained. "Deliberate disguise poses a real challenge to human face recognition. The next step is to test automatic face recognition on the same tasks." Explore further Scientists show that a 'Superman' disguise could actually work More information: Eilidh Noyes et al, Deliberate disguise in face identification., Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied (2019). DOI: 10.1037/xap0000213 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Many adolescent students sleep less than the recommended duration of eight to ten hours a night. It is unclear; however, whether short night sleep combined with an afternoon nap is as good as having the same amount of sleep continuously during the night without a nap. Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School have demonstrated for the first time that different sleep schedules with the same total sleep opportunity over 24 hours may have dissimilar effects on cognition and glucose levels. This is the first study to gather experimental evidence on the notion that what may be appropriate sleep for one health goal may not be for another. The handful of studies that examined split sleep schedules with normal total sleep duration in working-age adults found that both schedules yield comparable brain performance. However, no study has looked at the impact of such schedules on brain function and glucose levels together, especially when total sleep is shorter than optimal. The latter is important because of links between short sleep and risk for diabetes. The researchers measured cognitive performance and glucose levels following a standardized load in students, aged 15 to 19 years, during two simulated school weeks with short sleep on school days and recovery sleep on weekends. On school days, these students received either continuous sleep of 6.5 hours at night or split sleep (night sleep of five hours plus a 1.5-hour afternoon nap). "We undertook this study after students who were advised on good sleep habits asked if they could split up their sleep across the day and night, instead of having a main sleep period at night," said Prof. Michael Chee, director of the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Professor of Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School and one of the study's senior authors. "We found that compared to being able to sleep nine hours a night, having only 6.5 hours to sleep in 24 hours degrades performance and mood. Interestingly, under conditions of sleep restriction, students in the split sleep group exhibited better alertness, vigilance, working memory and mood than their counterparts who slept 6.5 hours continuously. This finding is remarkable as the measured total sleep duration over 24 hours was actually less in the former group," Prof. Chee added. However, for glucose tolerance, the continuous schedule appeared to be better. "While 6.5 hours of night sleep did not affect glucose levels, the split sleep group demonstrated a greater increase in blood glucose levels to the standardized glucose load in both simulated school weeks," noted Dr. Joshua Gooley, Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Programme, Principal Investigator at the Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke-NUS Medical School and the senior co-author of this study. Although further studies are necessary to see if this finding translates to a higher risk of diabetes later in life, the current findings indicate that beyond sleep duration, different sleep schedules can affect different facets of health and function in directions that are not immediately clear. Professor Patrick Casey, Senior Vice Dean of Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, said, "Recent sleep surveys show that Singaporeans are among the world's most sleep deprived people. This is the latest in a series of studies from a team of researchers from the Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Programme and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience that have provided valuable insights into the importance of good sleep." This work is published in Sleep. Explore further Catching up on news about catch-up sleep More information: June C Lo et al. Differential Effects of Split and Continuous Sleep on Neurobehavioral Function and Glucose Tolerance in Sleep-Restricted Adolescents, Sleep (2019). Journal information: Sleep June C Lo et al. Differential Effects of Split and Continuous Sleep on Neurobehavioral Function and Glucose Tolerance in Sleep-Restricted Adolescents,(2019). DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsz037 Chief ministers press for devolution of power The centralised mindset of the federal government is the major hurdle to full-fledged functioning of the provincial governments, according to six chief ministers who gathered in the Capital on Monday to participate in a panel discussion during the first Kantipur Conclave, the Kantipur Media Groups global event. This illustration shows how Nicole Hashemi and a team of Iowa State researchers are using a "placenta-on-a-chip" to study the transport of caffeine molecules from a mother to a fetus. Credit: Lasitha Kurukula Arachchi for the Hashemi Lab Engineers have used microfluidic technology to create a "placenta-on-a-chip" that models how compounds can be passed from a mother to a fetus. "I am interested in microfluidics and I've been excited about using the technology to understand what happens in the cellular environment and within the body," said Nicole Hashemi, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Iowa State University and the leader of this project. "We looked at different organs and decided on developing a placenta model because there aren't many studies on this important temporary organ." The placenta develops inside a woman's uterus during pregnancy. Through the umbilical cord, it provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus and removes waste from the fetal bloodstream. Animal models of the placenta don't translate well to human health, Hashemi said. And because of the temporary nature of the placenta, there haven't been a lot of human studies. Those that have been done have shown inconsistent results. The engineers' placenta model is described in a paper just released online by the scientific journal Global Challenges published by John Wiley & Sons Inc. Hashemi is the corresponding author. Co-authors are Rajeendra Pemathilaka and Saurabh Aykar, Iowa State graduate students in mechanical engineering; Jeremy Caplin, a former Iowa State graduate student now at Georgia Tech; and Reza Montazami, an Iowa State associate professor of mechanical engineering. The paper will also be featured on the cover of a print edition of the journal. A grant from the Office of Naval Research and a Young Researcher Prize to Caplin from the Lush company supported development of the placenta model. Hashemi said it took four years of challenging work to come up with a working model. First, the engineers had to design the microfluidics they ultimately decided on a model featuring two microchannels just 100 millionths of a meter high and 400 millionths of a meter wide. Then they had to figure out how to effectively grow cells on either side of a porous, biocompatible membrane that would separate the two channels and represent the placental barrier. They also had to identify the right compound to test using the model so they could understand transport from the maternal side to the fetal side. The engineers decided on caffeine for their initial study. It's a relevant medical question: Because of unknown effects from maternal caffeine intake on the fetus, health authorities such as the World Health Organization have recommended restricting caffeine intake during pregnancy. It's also an important question to Hashemi: "I drink a lot of tea," she explained, a cup of tea sitting on her office desk. "This is personal to me." And does caffeine from mother's tea or coffee make it into baby's bloodstream? Tests with the model say some of it does. The engineers introduced a caffeine concentration of 0.25 milligrams per milliliter a concentration deemed safe by U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines to the maternal side of the model for an hour and then monitored changes over 7.5 hours, according to the paper. At six and a half hours, the maternal side reached a steady caffeine concentration of 0.1513 milligrams per milliliter and the fetal side reached a steady concentration of 0.0033 after five hours. Now that they've demonstrated their technology, Hashemi said the model is being used with research partners at Ohio State University's College of Medicine to study how different drugs move through the placental barrier. There has also been interest in studying how environmental toxins are transported from mother to fetus, she said. Future studies could include personalizing the technology actually tuning the model with cells from a mother or fetus to help prescribe medicines or dosages. And maybe one day researchers could study the effects of placental transport of chemicals and compounds on individual cells. "We are trying to model the real placenta," Hashemi said. "Now that we have this placenta-on-a-chip technology in place, we can collaborate with researchers working on all kinds of projects." Explore further Mimicking the human placental barrier to better understand the dynamic organ More information: Rajeendra L. Pemathilaka et al. Placenta-on-a-Chip: In Vitro Study of Caffeine Transport across Placental Barrier Using Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, Global Challenges (2019). Rajeendra L. Pemathilaka et al. Placenta-on-a-Chip: In Vitro Study of Caffeine Transport across Placental Barrier Using Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry,(2019). DOI: 10.1002/gch2.201800112 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A second woman is said to be pregnant with a gene-edited baby in China, according to reports this year. It follows revelations last November that gene-edited twins had been born, which caused much debate. One of the fears expressed by scientists is that gene editing may result in unwanted side effects. But beyond the health and medical concerns, what are the philosophical issues at stake here when it comes to gene-editing babies? Undesirable mutations introduced by gene editing to sperm, eggs or early-stage embryos could be reproduced in future generations. But future generations are unable to give their consent to the risks being taken, says Francis S Collins, the former leader of the Human Genome Project and now director of the US National Institutes of Health. The Chinese scientist responsible for the gene-edited babies aimed to produce offspring of HIV-infected fathers who will be naturally resistant to the virus. Eliminating disease and other harmful conditions may be a laudable aim, and most people would welcome a world in which no one has to suffer from, for example, haemophilia, muscular dystrophy or other genetically carried disorders and disabilities. Should we, shouldn't we Let us assume that the health risks of gene editing are exaggerated or can be eliminated. While designer babies may be some way off, we need to start thinking now about how far should we go in editing away undesired characteristics or adding those that are desirable. Any prospective project to enhance the qualities of the population recalls wrongs committed by government-sponsored eugenics programs in the United States and Canada, as well as Germany in the early 20th century. In 1939, the Australian government also passed legislation to institutionalise or sterilise those deemed deficient, but it was never put into practice. Some philosophers argue there is nothing wrong with allowing parents to select characteristics that they want their children to have. In his 2010 book Enhancing Evolution, the UK bio-ethicist John Harris says this is ethically no more problematic than giving a child a good education. Australian philosopher Julian Savulescu argues that parents ought to use whatever technology is available to select the children whose characteristics will enable them to live the best lives. These philosophers fail to take seriously the social problems that genetic enhancement is likely to cause. Only the wealthy Use of the technology is going to be expensive especially when it is first introduced and only wealthy parents will be able to afford to enhance their children. The result may not be as bad as imagined in the 1997 science fiction film Gattaca, which portrays a society divided between the genetically privileged and those whose lack of enhancement consigns them to menial jobs. But genetic enhancement is likely to make societies more unequal, and equality of opportunity will become more and more meaningless. Let us imagine that all parents in a future society will be able to choose the characteristics of their children. Some philosophers worry that babies designed to meet the demands of parents will make them into consumer products. The German philosopher Jurgen Habermas argues, in his 2014 book The Future of Human Nature, that genetic engineering will restrict the ability of individuals to make free choices. Even if this is not so, it may drastically affect parent/child relationships by undermining a basic ethical principle: that parents should accept, love and care for whatever children they have. What parents want Genetic engineering is likely to heighten parental expectations. If parents don't get the child of their choice if the qualities they selected do not materialise or if the child fails to make use of them their disappointment could lead to denigration or rejection. Ethical doubts about genetic engineering motivate a view that many philosophers favour: that genetic therapy to eliminate disease and disability is ethically acceptable, given that the risks can be overcome. But genetic enhancement is ethically problematic. The line between enhancement and therapy is difficult to draw. Studies show people who are physically attractive are likely to earn more than those considered to have below-average looks. Does this mean "ugliness" is a disability that ought to be corrected by genetic engineering? Or, similarly, is having a below-average IQ a disability, something that should be subject to change through gene-editing? Gene editing and prejudice Should parents be able to engineer the skin colour of their children to try to circumvent the social bias they might otherwise experience? Being black creates serious disadvantage in some societies. But it is a mistake to treat social problems as if they were the fault of properties possessed by some individuals. If people are intolerant, then catering to their prejudices will not make them more tolerant. They will find other reasons or objects for their intolerance. If less attractive people are disadvantaged or people of low intelligence are belittled, we ought to question our standards and behaviour. If black people face social discrimination, we should fight against racism rather than seek to accommodate it. Behind this response lies the liberal conviction that we ought to welcome human differences and respect individuals in all their variety and ways of being. To eliminate disease and severe disabilities is a worthy objective. No person should suffer them. But to eliminate human variety is not only risky; it eliminates perspectives that enrich us. Explore further UN: Experts to develop oversight standards for gene editing This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Americans have heard many stories and seen considerable documentation of the brain, spinal and other wartime injuries suffered by America's military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. Less-known is that the U.S. government callously interferes with these wounded veterans' chance to have children. A 27-year-old law blocks the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from providing some reproductive health services - such as in vitro fertilization - to veterans even though those same services are available to active-duty military. Congress repeatedly has refused to overturn that law, adding to thousands of veterans' financial and emotional stress. In recent years, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, both from Washington, have successfully added veterans' fertility treatments and adoption options to military spending bills, temporarily getting around the VA ban on providing in vitro fertilization. But until Congress permanently lifts the ban, it will create anxiety for wounded veterans striving to start their families. That's why Murray and Larsen have spent years working for a solution. They are back at it, reintroducing the Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act. Reproductive health services are so common that the Department of Defense covers many for current service members. Murray and Larsen's bills would allow coverage of IVF and related services for veterans, include spouses in the coverage, expand the reproductive health options for current military and provide financial assistance in adopting children. They also would solidify and expand the VA's child-care program. As Murray said in announcing this year's version, "We promise to take care of veterans long after the war is over - and allowing them to fulfill their dream of having a family is a big part of that promise." It is both heartless and absurd for the VA not to pay for IVF and other reproductive health services. Severe injuries sustained in combat, training or transport have left some veterans unable to conceive children naturally. In vitro fertilization offers hope for a family. But it can be tremendously expensive - $12,000 or more for one cycle of IVF, according to Larsen. That can make IVF out-of-reach without coverage. It is past time to turn the Women Veterans and Families Health Services Act into law. Our veterans deserve these fundamental health services just as much as other health care. Explore further Study tracks link between PTSD treatment utilization and compensation exams 2019 The Seattle Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Women who have been victims of domestic abuse may experience depression, anxiety and substance abuse, among other psychological impacts. Credit: shutterstock.com Every week in Australia, a woman is murdered by someone she knows. And it's usually an intimate male partner or ex-partner. One in three women has suffered physical violence since the age of 15. In most cases (92% of the time) it's by a man she knows. Added to this, one-quarter of Australian women have suffered emotional abuse from a current or former partner. This occurs when a partner seeks to gain psychological and emotional control of the woman by demeaning her, controlling her actions, being verbally abusive and intimidating her. Physical and emotional abuse is not only distressing, it's psychologically damaging and increases women's risk of developing a mental illness. How violence increases the risk Women who have experienced domestic violence or abuse are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing a range of mental health conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and thoughts of suicide. In situations of domestic violence, an abuser's outburst is commonly followed by remorse and apology. But this "honeymoon" period usually ends in violence and abuse. This cycle means women are constantly anticipating the next outburst. Women in these situations feel they have little control, particularly when the abuse is happening in their own home. It's no wonder living under such physical and emotional pressure impacts on mental and physical well-being. One review of studies found the odds of experiencing PTSD was about seven times higher for women who had been victims of domestic violence than those who had not. The likelihood of developing depression was 2.7 times greater, anxiety four times greater, and drug and alcohol misuse six times greater. The likelihood of having suicidal thoughts was 3.5 times greater for women who had experienced domestic violence than those who hadn't. An Australian study of 1,257 female patients visiting GPs found women who were depressed were 5.8 times more likely to have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse than women who were not depressed. Not only is domestic violence and abuse a risk factor for psychological disorders, but women who have pre-existing mental health issues are more likely to be targets for domestic abusers. Women who are receiving mental health services for depression, anxiety and PTSD, for instance, are at higher risk of experiencing domestic violence compared to women who do not have these disorders. How do mental health services respond? Although survivors of domestic violence are more likely to suffer mental illness, they are not routinely asked about domestic violence or abuse when getting mental health treatment. So they're not provided with appropriate referrals or support. One study found only 15% of mental health practitioners routinely enquired about domestic violence. Some 60% reported a lack of knowledge about domestic violence, while 27% believed they did not have adequate referral resources. One-quarter (27%) of mental health practitioners provided women experiencing domestic violence with information about support services and 23% made a referral to counselling. In the absence of direct questioning, survivors of domestic violence are reluctant to disclose abuse to health service providers. If mental health providers are managing the symptoms of the mental illness but ignoring the cause of the trauma, treatment is less likely to be successful. Practitioners need to routinely ask women about present or past incidents of domestic violence if they are diagnosed as depressed or anxious, or if they show any other signs of mental distress. Practitioners should be able to provide referrals to specialist services and need to be adequately trained to respond to those who disclose domestic violence. This means not focusing solely on medical treatment, but also on referrals and support. Explore further Study: People with mental disorders more likely to have experienced domestic violence This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. As many as half of all patients who undergo cardiac surgery may experience delirium, a form of acute confusion that can result in disorientation, impaired memory, delusions, and abrupt changes in mood and behavior, including aggression. In a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, physician-researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that intravenous acetaminophen significantly reduced the incidence of postoperative delirium following coronary artery bypass procedures in patients over 60. The findings of this single-center trial may represent the first steps toward a therapeutic intervention for the prevention of postoperative delirium, a common and devastating complication in the often highly vulnerable older adults who undergo cardiac surgery. "Currently, IV acetaminophen administration is considered an expensive intervention, and there is significant variation in pain management following cardiac surgery," said corresponding author Balachundhar Subramainam, MD, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Anesthesia Research Excellence in the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at BIDMC. "If our findings are replicated in a larger, multicenter study, postoperative intravenous administration of acetaminophen could become a standard of care in all cardiac surgical patients and could be incorporated in cardiac surgery recovery protocols." Subramaniam and colleagues enrolled 120 patients 60 years or older who underwent coronary bypass graft surgery with or without valve repair at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston between September 2015 and April 2018. To evaluate the effect of IV acetaminophen on postoperative delirium, the researchers randomly assigned patients into one of four groups receiving different combinations of sedation and pain medication after surgery: 29 participants received the sedative dexmedetomidine with IV acetaminophen, while 30 participants were given dexmedetomidine and placebo. Thirty-one patients were given the sedative propofol in combination with acetaminophen, and 30 received propofol with placebo. Patients treated with acetaminophen demonstrated a significant reduction in in-hospital delirium. Only 10 percent of the group given acetaminophen experienced signs of delirium, compared to 28 percent of those given placebo. Moreover, those given acetaminophen also were more likely to have shorter stays in the intensive care unit, less breakthrough pain. Those patients who did experience delirium had shorter bouts of the acute confusion. In addition to decreasing the incidence of delirium, adding acetaminophen to postoperative care also reduced the need for opioid painkillers in these patients, Subramaniam added. "Postoperative pain is known to increase the risk for postoperative delirium, as is the use of opioids to manage postoperative pain," he said. "We found that the use of IV acetaminophen provided effective pain control, and we observed a noticeable sparing of opioids in the postoperative period with decreased duration of delirium and intensive care unit length of stay." Explore further Acetaminophen may help reduce postoperative shivering The Real Jackie Kennedy Her style and grace were legendary, and her image came to define the 1960s. She captured the hearts of world leaders, fashion icons and people all over the planet, who knew her as Jackie Kennedy, Jacqueline Onassis, or simply Jackie O. But who was the real Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis? Take our quiz and find out. Take The Quiz It is no mystery that Ive been on the fence about this for quite some time, Stennett said. We dont provide for crime victims services now. Were not meeting what our current requirements are. Sen. Jim Rice of Caldwell said he had similar concerns about the difficulty of making further amendments to the Constitution if they are needed down the road. Rice, an attorney, criticized some of the language in the proposed amendment, describing it as too vague in some spots. He also took issue with the fact that the amendment would make notifications for victims optional, rather than required as they are now. Rice expressed worries that making notifications optional could result in some victims who are not familiar with the Constitution not knowing that they have the right to notification. This diminishes the ability of crime victims to participate, Rice said. It doesnt enhance it. Lakey disputed this point, saying victims would be informed of their right to notification and then given the chance to opt in or out. BOISE Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Feb. 18 issued a proclamation to recognize and remember the people of Japanese ancestry imprisoned at the Minidoka internment camp in south-central Idaho during WWII. Little signed the proclamation in the governors ceremonial office in the Statehouse with a former prisoner from the Minidoka camp in the audience. Ninety-three-old Sadami Tanabe lived at the camp in the 1940s after being relocated with his parents and three siblings from Oregon when he was 16. It was part of the federal governments plan to remove people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast. I was just a kid, Tanabe said after the signing ceremony concluded. I guess they had to do it the evacuation. I dont know the right or wrong on that issue. I was there for three years at Minidoka. Starting in 1942, when the U.S. was at war with Japan, around 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were ordered by the U.S. government into prison camps around the country. The camp in Idaho housed more than 9,000 people. Its now the Minidoka National Historic Site managed by the National Park Service in Jerome County. TWIN FALLS Plant Therapy was honored as a top business at the Zions Bank Speaking on Business luncheon Feb. 8. The company was one of 10 recognized by Zions Bank President and CEO Scott Anderson for its example of entrepreneurship in Idaho. Plant Therapy, owned by Chris and Amanda Jones, is an essential oils company that offers a wide variety of products in more than 100 countries. The Joneses purchased the franchise seven years ago and have grown it to 110 team members with two physical locations in Idaho. They also have 11 certified aromatherapists on staff to support the companys focus on education, with eight more going through the certification process. Companies like Plant Therapy exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit that helps creates new jobs and enhances our local communities, Chris Redgrave, senior vice president at Zions Bank and host of the KLIX 1310 AM radio program Speaking on Business, said in a statement. Since 1997, Speaking on Business has highlighted more than 4,000 diverse businesses throughout Idaho and Utah. The show, which airs from 7 to 8 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, features a wide variety of businesses. Award winners for 2018 include those in industries such as education, food and retail, health care, construction and manufacturing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Wondering what phone to buy next? Heres a list of the best mid-range smartphones available in Nepal The mid-range segment is the most popular in Nepals smartphone market Since most people dont want to live with the compromises made on cheap budget phones and not everyone can afford premium flagship handsets, the mid-range segment has always been a sweet spot for Nepali consumers Following her formal introduction to the community on Thursday, the city will ramp up Tess local visibility, and her social media presence, in the coming weeks. According to Twin Falls Mayor Shawn Barigar, animals are great social media influencers. Animals in social media have shown to be exceptional social media promoters, gaining followers, generating shares, comments and likes more than humans can, Barigar said. Twin Falls Tess is a natural to help promote local businesses and the many job opportunities here. Shell also promote the citys recreational opportunities in a fun way, Murray said. If you move to an area, youre going to Google it, research what its like and what there is to do, he said. Over the next few weeks, Twin Falls Economic Development invites residents to use #ilovetwinfalls on social media and the city will share their posts. The other new aspect of the citys marketing is twinfallsidaho.org, the first standalone website for Twin Falls economic development efforts. Here, Murray can share more about local companies, post jobs and highlight real estate opportunities with the Urban Renewal Agency. Sometimes its hard to identify what youre selling, Murray said. We want to market our community. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 1 TWIN FALLS The Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting and awards banquet March 1 at Stone House & Co, 330 Fourth Ave. S., Twin Falls. A social hour will start at 6 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. The installation of new board members and awards presentations will follow. The cost is $40 per person. To make reservations, call 208-733-3974 or go to twinfallschamber.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/register/4340. New members of the board of directors are Scott Corsetti Chobani Twin Falls vice president of operations, Zach Kelsey First Federal Savings Bank vice president/regional lending manager/loan officer, Dan Olmstead Idaho Power Company business and community development advisor, Linda Watkins Twin Falls School District Education Foundation executive director. The Curtis T. Eaton Award will go to Snake Harley-Davidson of Twin Falls. Rookies of the Year awards will go to Blue Phoenix Branding and Canyon Springs Chiropractic and Acupuncture. Volunteer of the Year and Ambassador of the Year, as well as agriculture scholarship recipients will be announced at the event. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A small patch of land that could be key in expanding the popular Lower Yahara River Trail without affecting a wetland is being acquired by Dane County. County Executive Joe Parisi said on Monday the quarter-acre lot in the town of Pleasant Springs would give the trail access to an existing street and give the county better access to the Door Creek Wetlands, which the county wants to restore so the wetland can store more water when heavy rain hits the area. "This acquisition may seem small but it brings us one step closer to making future phases of the Lower Yahara River Trail become a reality," Parisi said. "With another entrance (to the trail), more Dane County residents and visitors will be able to access future segments of the trail and enjoy our beautiful outdoors." The parcel costs $55,000. A resolution to purchase the parcel is expected to be reviewed in the coming weeks by the County Board. Plans for the parcel include a small parking area, along with a kiosk providing information to trail users. Last year, the county bought 160 acres of state-owned land so the trail could be expanded along the north shore of Lake Kegonsa as well as along Door Creek. Conservative-backed Supreme Court candidate Brian Hagedorn in his first TV ad says hell hold people accountable in the opioid crisis. In the ad, Hagedorn and his wife, Christina, reveal their adopted daughter Lily was born dependent on opioids and that she had to struggle through withdrawal in her mothers arms. Adopting Lily has brought home the opioid crisis and how it affects families in such significant ways, Hagedorn said in the ad. We need to show compassion, but we also need to hold people accountable, and thats exactly what Ill do on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. A spokesman for Hagedorn said the campaign is spending $50,000 to air the ad in the Milwaukee and Green Bay media markets. Hagedorn, a Wisconsin appeals court judge, in April will face the liberal-backed Lisa Neubauer, chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, to replace the liberal-backed Justice Shirley Abrahamson for a 10-year term on the court. Disclosures from Neubauer questioned Also Tuesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Neubauer stopped making public a list of customers for her husbands cleaning supply business on economic interest disclosure forms a decade ago. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said that, despite it all, Barron is doing well. Fitzgerald said he hopes the event will inspire people to continue to use the energy and support they put toward finding Jayme to be directed to continued community betterment. This community can do anything we have shown the world what this community can do, Fitzgerald said. Were going to take all that good and support the community is showing and put it toward other things like fighting drugs, poverty, homelessness or whatever. Were going to harness that energy and do some great things with it. Can happen anywhere Suriano, who wasnt able to attend the seminar, said it seems Barron is starting to return to normal. But that doesnt mean all has been forgotten her fears for her now 9-month-old daughter havent yet ceased. And they likely will never. Its always kind of in the back of your head, she said. Tammy Edming of Rice Lake agreed that although it was amazing to hear Jayme was alive and in good health, Barron and the surrounding communities seem changed more cautious. About 100 people rallied Friday to denounce hate crime in La Crosse. La Crosse Interfaith Shoulder to Shoulder Network, La Crosse Area Showing Up for Racial Justice and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Campus Climate hosted the event, One Community One Family Hate Has No Business Here, at the Bullet Cab company. Mayor Tim Kabat, Assistant Police Chief Rob Abraham, the La Crosse Fire Department, other members of the city of La Crosse Police Department and other organizations attended the rally, along with the owner of the company, Mian Mike Ahmad, who is a Muslim, and general manager Linda Devenport. This racist and Islamaphobic incident did occur. We have to accept that because doing anything less would be minimizing the pain and seriousness of the incident, said Wale Elegbede, one of the founding members of the La Crosse Interfaith Shoulder to Shoulder Network, after racist graffiti was spray-painted on the businesss garage along State Road. I dont think we can put it into words just how terrible and despicable that act was, Kabat said during the rally. RACINE A Racine man was in custody and facing charges Friday following multiple incidents with the Racine Police Department, including allegedly driving his car toward an officer on Dec. 21 and nearly hitting him. Hunter J. Hanson, 20, of the 1600 block of Boyd Avenue, is charged with felony counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, possession of a firearm by a felon and attempting to flee or elude an officer; and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, use of a dangerous weapon. Hanson is charged as a repeat offender on all charges. A warrant was issued for Hansons arrest on Jan. 23. He was brought into custody on Friday. According to the criminal complaint: On Nov. 22, an officer was dispatched to 16th Street and Blaine Avenue in Racine for a report of a hit-and-run crash. Hansons vehicle was allegedly on scene, but he fled on foot. Officers contacted the owner of the vehicle, Hansons father, who said he last saw his car parked in front of his house and that it must have been stolen. The vehicle was towed and processed. Inside the vehicle, officers found a .22-caliber long rifle, which had 20 rounds of ammunition in its magazine and one live round in the chamber. JUNEAU A 28-year-old Colorado man was sentenced on Thursday to six years in prison for causing a 2017 crash while driving under the influence between Watertown and Lebanon, seriously injuring his passengers. Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Brian Pfitzinger ordered that Steven Cummings spend six years in prison with an additional four years of extended supervision for use of a vehicle with controlled substance in his blood, causing great bodily harm. In addition, Cummings was also ordered to pay $18,975 in restitution to one of his victims. People like Cummings present a substantial risk to the public, especially when theyre high and behind the wheel of a car, Dodge County District Attorney Kurt Klomberg said. Cummings had alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in his system at the time of the crash, Klomberg said. Analysts urge investors to inject capital into new areas Analysts on Monday urged investors to inject their capital in Nepal, pointing out the present condition as a right time for the purpose as the country has started implementing federalism and the government is also keen at revising a number of policies. The administrations proposal might seem innocuous an attempt to bring the government to the people but critics see it as a roundabout way to cut government without congressional consultation and politicize the intellectual independence of these two research agencies. Further, important interagency collaborations are spawned by multiagency proximity created in the nations capital, resulting in practical knowledge crucial for farmers and agricultural businesses to surmount todays climate, market and pest challenges. Predictions that experienced staff would leave the agency rather than uproot their families to move elsewhere appear to be justified; out of approximately 400 staff, the institute began losing about a staff person per day during the autumn and that was before the shutdown. In December, over 50 scientists, including former department research directors, wrote Congress about their concerns, saying, We believe the restructuring will undermine our food and agriculture enterprise by disrupting and hampering the agencies vital work in support of it through research, analyses, and statistics. We are also deeply troubled such a major upheaval of the USDA research arm would be carried out with such haste and without the input and prior consultation of the USDA research stakeholders. Political Environment blogger James Rowen notes another highway failure, this time on I39-90, that required the closing of two miles of the interstate over the weekend because of extreme potholes. Rowen also notes that CWD among deer is worse now than ever. These are the kind of messes left by Scott Walker that Tony Evers has to deal, he adds. M.D. Kittle, the mouthpiece of the conservative MacIver news service, has a piece posted on Right Wisconsin in which he savages the "Green New Deal" that several members of Congress are touting as an answer to many problems facing the country, including the dangers of global warming. Kittle contends it's all a pipedream and too expensive. On Tuesday, Madison voters will narrow the fields for Madison mayor, four City Council districts and the School Board in a primary election. Six candidates Satya Rhodes-Conway, Mo Cheeks, Raj Shukla, Toriana Pettaway and Nick Hart are challenging incumbent Mayor Paul Soglin. Pettaway is running as a write-in candidate and her name will not appear on the ballot Tuesday. All City Council seats are up for election this spring, but just four Districts 3, 12, 13 and 15 feature primary races. Nine candidates are running for three at-large seats on the Madison School Board. The top two candidates with the most votes in each election will appear on the general election ballot April 2. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Everyone in line at 8 p.m. gets to vote. Find out where you should vote on the Madison City Clerks office website. UPDATE: The Madison City Clerks office reported that as of 4 p.m., 13.03 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the spring primary election. At 4 p.m. in 2011, the clerks office recorded turnout at 13 percent. Turnout at the same time in 2015 was 7.79 percent. By close of polls, turnout in 2011 reached 22 percent and turnout in 2015 was at 12 percent. Polls are open until 8 p.m. As of late morning Tuesday, the Madison City Clerks office reported about 6 percent of registered voters had voted in the city's spring primary election. Tuesdays primary ballot features races for Madison mayor, City Council and the Madison School Board. In each race, the two candidates with the most votes will move on to the general election April 2. With all wards reporting, turnout at 11 am was 6.13 percent, according to the clerks office. This is about twice as many registered voters than at the same time in 2015, the most recent spring primary featuring a mayors election, and the same as the 2011 spring primary. Living in the upper Midwest, I dont think of wine in terms of seasons. If its 12 degrees outside and Im feeling something pink, Im going to open a rose. I might not even chill it. Theres something to be said, though, for a big, warming red wine when the snow is piled higher than the roof of my car. For our February tasting, my wine group chose a simple, open-ended theme: winter wines. In looking for the wine equivalent of a fleece blanket and a warm cat, we tasted 10 locally available wines from pinot noir to ruby port. The pinot we started with, a 2016 Bread and Butter Pinot Noir ($17 at Festival Foods) produced in Napa Valley from California-wide grapes, was exceptionally ripe. Chocolatey and smoky with flavors of dried currant, it reminded me of a merlot. The 2017 Field Recordings Cabernet Franc ($20 at Square Wine Company) was just the opposite, a little spritzy with cranberry flavors. This felt like more of a warm weather, picnic friendly wine, better with food than the Bread and Butter. A Turkish university has been using a logo almost identical to the Macau emblem for more than a decade. The blue version of the lotus flower-based emblem was submitted to Kirklareli University during a design competition in 2008 and adopted shortly after. The Macau emblem, referred to officially as the Regional Emblem, has been used in the Macau Special Administrative Region since the 1999 transfer of sovereignty from Portugal to China. The scandal broke after a Turkish national spotted the Macau flag in a credit card advertisement featured in a magazine. The individual drew attention to similarities between the Macau flag and the universitys logo, and local news outlets picked up on the revelation. Kirklareli University did reply to a request for comment by press time. Shortly after its founding in 2007, Kirklareli University held a design competition to decide on the institutions logo. According to local media, the competition produced a piece that was criticized for its resemblance to the Japanese flag and ultimately rejected by the university. A second competition was held in March the following year and the winning design was presented at a press conference on May 6, 2008. The winning piece was adopted as the institutions emblem and is today plastered across its website and on a large entrance gate to the university campus. Local media identified the designer of the logo as Abdullah K. and said that he insisted the logo was an original work despite the design having similarities with the Macau emblem. According to the same media report, Kirklareli University is planning to open another competition to design a new logo, which will encourage the use of features and icons unique to the Kirklareli province. Kirklareli University is today a member of the Balkan Universities Network and an Erasmus Program participant, according to the universitys webpage. The province of the same name is located in northwestern Turkey, bordering Bulgaria on the coast of the Black Sea. DB An offer he couldnt refuse Democracy and freedom of speech thrives in the pursuit of truth that those with economic and political power do not want told. Using satire and making music have long been used as instruments of political communication. The local government has lifted the 15-year ban on the import of poultry products from Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Taiwan, Guangxi, Hubei and Hunan, according to the Official Gazette. Chief Executive (CE) Chui Sai On, abolished the ban that was implemented on January 29, 2004, by the former CE, Edmund Ho. The ban was formerly described as a preventive measure, following the 2003 bird flu outbreak caused by the H5N1 virus in several Asian countries. This ban covers poultry eggs, wild birds, fresh and chilled internal organs of poultry and bird-derived products. According to the Official Gazette, the CE considered the decision due to the change in the avian influenza epidemic situation in these countries and the region. The Official Gazette also stated that it is considered unnecessary to prohibit or impose restrictions on the import of poultry goods from certain countries or regions. Imports from the said Asian countries will be allowed from February 18, under a series of conditions including the products needing to be sourced from approved poultry farms and the procedure including a quarantine process that is supervised by veterinarians. LV 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. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to Commentary. The 312th Training Squadron Flight Chief, Michael Dejacomo discusses training with the Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew P. Donovan during Donovans tour of Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Feb. 13. The 312th TRS is innovating the way the Air Force trains its future firefighters. Prosecutors in the case against Shaquille Lindsey, the former U.S. airman they claim struck and killed a Lompoc couple in 2016 while intoxicated, are seeking a court-ordered DNA test amid questions from the defense regarding the accuracy and reliability of blood samples attributed to the 25-year-old Georgia man. During a brief appearance Friday in Lompoc Superior Court, Judge Raimundo Montes de Oca granted a request from both attorneys to delay the preliminary hearing, which began Jan. 10, until May 3 after the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office filed a motion ordering Lindsey to provide a sample of his DNA. Defense attorney Kenneth Hamilton, who represents Lindsey, was ordered to respond to the prosecution's motion by Feb. 28 or have his client provide the sample within seven days. +3 Lompoc community continues to show support for family of crash victims A line stretched out the door of Florianos Mexican Food in Lompoc on Friday evening as members of the local community continued to show suppo Ruben and Bertha Betancourt were killed on Aug. 28, 2016, after Lindsey allegedly veered over the double-yellow line into the northbound lane of Santa Lucia Canyon Boulevard, colliding head-on with their 2005 Ford Focus. Their son Juan Betancourt was also in the car and sustained major injuries. In July 2017, Lindsey was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of DUI causing great bodily injury. The case was dismissed last July due to a jurisdictional issue stemming from an incorrect boundary marker for the Vandenberg Air Force Base property, and refiled by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office on Aug. 31, 2018. Lindsey is now charged with two felony counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and one felony count of DUI involving drugs (marijuana) causing injury. Prosecutors claim that Lindsey was driving 18 mph over the posted speed limit and was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash. In addition, Lindsey also faces special allegations of causing great bodily injury for each felony count. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Sept. 18, 2018. According to the prosecutors' motion, Lindsey was transported by ambulance to Marian Regional Medical Center, where a blood test ordered by the emergency room doctor revealed a blood alcohol concentration under the 0.08 legal limit. The remaining blood sample two tubes was then sent to the United States Air Force's Office of Special Investigations for further testing. When the samples were tested by the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System on Sept. 16, 2016, a forensic toxicologist found both alcohol and narcotics in the blood. The samples were analyzed one last time by Forensic Toxicology Associates in Chatsworth, 17 months after the crash, at the request of the Federal Public Defender's Office, Lindsey's prior counsel. Prior to the start of the preliminary hearing, Hamilton questioned the blood sample attributed to Lindsey due to a mismatch between his blood type (A-positive) and the reported blood sample collected at the time of his arrest (A-negative). Additional documentation, including documents from the Air Force and the results of a recent blood test, were provided to prosecutors to further establish Lindsey's A-positive blood type. "Because the defendant is suggesting and arguing that the blood tested ... is not his, the People request that this court order the defendant provide his DNA so that the issue can be resolved," the motion reads. "Given the serious nature of the charged crimes, which resulted in the deaths of two people and serious injuries to a third, justice requires knowing whether the blood taken by [Marian] Regional belongs to the defendant so that the People can pursue the most serious and appropriate charges as to the defendant." Approximately four drops of Lindsey's blood sample remain, an amount prosecutors say is sufficient for DNA testing. The case will return March 12 for a hearing on the motion. This marks the second delay for the preliminary hearing a matter that is typically heard consecutively or completed on the same day after Montes de Oca granted the defense a one-month continuance in January to discuss the DNA issue. The erasure of transwomen Though #MeTooNepal has provided a long-overdue platform for women to discuss issues about sexual assault, harassment, and rape, it is also important to address its caveats: It is largely shaped by cis-narratives. New trees coming to Adam Elementary in March; volunteers needed to help plant The Ag Innovations Conference and Trade Show will return to Santa Maria for its third event, this time focusing on biologicals, on March 5. The deadline for discounted early registration is next week. The purpose of the Ag Innovations Conference series is to introduce new technologies to growers through speakers from universities, research organizations and the agriculture input industry, the conference organizer said. In 2014, the first event in Santa Maria covered a variety of topics, while the second one in San Diego in 2017 centered on microbial control. Considering the growing interest in biologicals and the demand for sustainably produced food, organizers selected topics on biocontrol agents, biostimulants and botanical and microbial pesticides and fungicides for the third conference, said organizer Surendra Dara, UC Cooperative Extension adviser for entomology and biologicals. The use of biocontrol agents, biopesticides, biostimulants and other such tools is gradually increasing in our efforts to produce with sustainable practices, Dara said. To help the grape, strawberry, caneberry, vegetable and greenhouse growers in the region with updates on new biological technologies and application strategies, I am organizing a conference and trade show in Santa Maria, he said. The event from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Veterans' Memorial Center at 313 W. Tunnell St. will feature nonstop presentations by experts except for a coffee break and a lunch break throughout the morning until midafternoon. A panel discussion and question-and-answer session will follow the presentations, and attendees will then have time to visit the trade fair before the conference ends. Certified crop adviser and Department of Pesticide Regulation continuing education units have been requested for those who attend the conference. The registration fee is $50 per person until Feb. 28; then on-site registration will be $100. Lunch and refreshments are included. To register by Feb. 28 using a credit card, visit http://ucanr.edu/AIC2019. Walk-in registration on-site is to be made by check made out to UC Regents. For more information about registration or participating in the trade show, contact Hiromi Peck at 805-781-5940. The schedule of presentations includes: 8 a.m. Update on new biocontrol strategies for spotted-wing drosophila and vine mealybug; Kent Daane, Kearney Ag Research and Education Center, Parlier 8:30 a.m. Regulatory update on biologicals; Jolynn Mahmoudi-Haeri, California Department of Pesticide Regulation, Sacramento 8:50 a.m. Harnessing the power of biologicals for harvesting more, sustainably; Surendra Dara, UC Cooperative Extension, San Luis Obispo 9:10 a.m. How private research into biologicals changed over the past decade; David Holden, Holden Research, Camarillo 9:30 a.m. Biostimulants, soil amendments, biofungicides, and biopesticides in tomato, strawberry, and grape crops for improved yields and/or pest and disease management; Surendra Dara, UC Cooperative Extension, San Luis Obispo 9:50 a.m. How beneficial microbes improve plant health and boost grower return on investment; Bill Schwoerer, Concentric, San Luis Obispo 10:10 a.m. Enhanced microbial product performance using distributed fermentation; Paul Zorner, Locus Agricultural Solutions LLC, adjunct professor at North Carolina State University 10:30 a.m. Coffee break, visit expo 11:15 a.m. Fixed carbon (biochar): enabling a thriving rhizosphere; Drew Jackson, Cool Planet, Camarillo 11:35 a.m. Serifel biofungicides in conventional programs for better disease control and resistance management; Katherine Walker, BASF, Santa Cruz 11:55 a.m. Stargus and Ennoble: new biological solutions for managing plant pathogens; Melissa ONeal, Marrone Bio Innovations, Arroyo Grande 12:15 p.m. Potential of seaweed products in improving grapes; Ashraf El-kereamy, UC Cooperative Extension, Bakersfield 12:35 p.m. Lunch break, visit expo 1:35 p.m. Successful use of biologicals in outdoor crops; Antonin van der Lely Biobest-USA, San Luis Obispo 1:55 p.m. Biocontrol of insect and mite pests and opportunities for biologicals: a strawberry growers experience; Dave Peck, Manzanita Berry Farms, Santa Maria 2:15 p.m. Building a better mouse trap: History and use of neem-based products and formulation improvements for better efficacy; Deb Shatley, Terramera, Lincoln, North Carolina 2:35 p.m. Biostimulant Vitazyme and biological Bio Seed: A natural synergy; Tristan Hudak, Ag Biotech Inc., Sacramento 2:55 p.m. Panel Discussion and Q&A session; all speakers engage in additional discussion, respond to audience questions 4 to 5 p.m. Visit expo, interact with exhibitors Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Lexington Public Librarys Novel Stitchers meets on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. If you enjoy stitching--knitting, crocheting, quilting, cross stitch, needlepoint, or have another portable stitching project--join us at the library for two hours of stitching and visiting. We will meet on Tuesdays, Feb. 12, 19, and 26 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Library Board Room. We would love to have you join us. Lap Sit/Storytime for children, age birth to five years, meets at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays. Each Lap Sit/Storytime offers an educational experience for children with stories, songs, activities, and simple crafts. This program is offered every Wednesday, when Lexington Schools are in session. Check out the Book Sale at the Lexington Public Library! Hardback books are now $0.50 each, all other items are marked down to $0.10 each or 13 for $1.00. Take this opportunity to stock up on books for winter weather reading! The Wilson Public Library has weekly drop in Story Time on Mondays from 5:30-6:00 pm and Fridays from 11:00-11:30 am. Join us for a story followed by a craft or activity. For preschool ages 3-6 with an adult. Toddler Times are Fridays from 10:15-10:45. Enjoy a story and time with other toddlers. For ages 0-2 with an adult. No registration required. The Feminist Memory Project The feminist movement of Nepal has a deep history but there has been no sustained effort to document the progresses and the struggles of the movement for in-depth study or public access GOTHENBURG A memorial to Sergeant Glenn H. Haas was unveiled in the YMCA at Gothenburg Health on Monday, Feb. 18. The memorial was made possible by contributions from the Home Agency and Jim and Sharri Baldonado. Sergeant Haas was killed after being shot by a 17-year-old at Gothenburg Police Station on Monday, July 2, 1990. Around 3 p.m. Eric McCain entered the police station with a 30.06 hunting rifle and hid it around a corner and asked to speak with a police officer, according to an Omaha World Herald article. McCain had been ticketed the previous evening for vandalizing cars at a local auto dealership. He had made a pledge to his friends he would kill a police officer one day, he had been talking about it for months beforehand, the World Herald article said. Sergeant Haas was off duty but offered to speak to McCain. When Haas entered the lobby of the police station, McCain had retrieve the rifle and shot Haas. McCain fled the scene and was later arrested. He was originally sentenced to life in prison, at the time the law required automatic life sentences for juveniles convicted of first degree murder. He was resentenced in 2016 to 80 to 99 years in prison because he was juvenile at the time of the offense, according to the Officer Down Memorial page. SLOW COOKER MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST WITH GRAVY Just a few simple ingredients are all you need to make this flavorful, tender pot roast with gravy. The pepperoncini peppers add a unique, amazing flavor! By now youve probably seen some version of this Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast with Gravy circulating on the world wide web. And for good reason..its absolutely amazing and so incredibly simple to make. My oldest son spent a few years in the south recently and jokingly says that the way to make Southern food is to add a stick a butter to everything. Well, this recipe uses a stick of butter! So its definitely not health food. But obviously all that butter is part of what makes this roast so good. And then there are those pepperoncini peppers! While they can be spicy on their own, when you cook them with a big roast, they just add fabulous flavor without really adding any heat. You should be able to find pepperoncini peppers near the olives, pickles and jarred roasted peppers. Technically, youre not supposed to eat the pepperonicini pepperstheyre just there to add flavorbut dont tell that to my boys. They love to eat them right alongside the beef. My favorite thing about this version of Mississippi pot roast is that you use the pan juices to make a delicious gravy. Which means that a side of mashed potatoes is a must when serving this dish. Along with the baby carrots that cook in the slow cooker with the roast, you end up with a feast thats worthy of Sunday dinner, but easy enough to make any night of the week. If you havent tried a Mississippi Pot Roast yet, I highly recommend it. Like I said, theres a reason its an Internet sensation. And this version is bound to become a family tradition! Be sure to save this Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast with Gravy recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later. Heres what youll need to make Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast with Gravy Beef roast Ranch dressing mix Au Jus mix Pepperoncini peppers Butter Baby carrots Cornstarch Continue to Content Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast with Gravy Yield: 6 servings Just a few simple ingredients are all you need to make this flavorful, tender pot roast with gravy. The pepperoncini peppers add a unique, amazing flavor! Print Ingredients 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 packet Ranch dressing mix 1 packet Au Jus mix 1/2 cup water 8 whole pepperoncini peppers 1 (2.5-3 lb.) beef roast 2 cups baby carrots 2 tablespoons cornstarch Instructions Place butter in bowl of slow cooker and set to low heat. When butter has melted, whisk in Ranch dressing mix, Au Jus mix and water. Add pepperoncini peppers and roast to the slow cooker. Arrange the carrots around the roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until roast is tender and breaks apart easily. Remove roast to a platter, along with carrots, using a slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm. Turn slow cooker to high. In small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker to make a slurry. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture back into the pan juices, adding only enough of the mixture so that the gravy reaches the desired thickness (you may not use all the slurry). Serve gravy alongside the roast and carrots. Recommended Products As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Slow Cooker Mixing Bowls Serving Platter Whisk Nutrition Information: Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 336 Total Fat: 25g Saturated Fat: 13g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 9g Cholesterol: 93mg Sodium: 1763mg Carbohydrates: 14g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 6g Protein: 15g Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment, or tag @LetsDish on Instagram. Never miss a Lets Dish Recipe: If you love this recipe, you might also like: Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from The Cozy Cook scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history A traditional dress worn by Palestinian women was not the kind of clothing one would expect to become a sign of political expression. The brightly colored, embroidered womans dress is known as a thobe, notes the Associated Press. Now the thobe is gaining popularity as a softer means of identifying with the fight for the establishment of a Palestinian state. It is even competing with the keffiyeh the head covering worn by Palestinian men protesting Israels occupation of land they call their home. The thobe is covered with complex, colorful embroidery, all put together by hand. It requires months of hard work to make. Some thobes have been sold to buyers for thousands of dollars. The use of traditional cloth is a celebration of simpler times, when poor Palestinian women would make thobes while resting from a hard days work in the fields. Rashida Tlaib is the first female Palestinian American member of the United States Congress. Last month she wore her mothers thobe at her official swearing-in ceremony. The move has led women around the world, especially in Palestinian territories, to publish pictures of themselves in traditional dress on the Twitter social networking service. Rachel Dedman organized a recent exhibit at the Palestinian Museum in the town of Birzeit in the West Bank. The show centered on the changes to Palestinian embroidery throughout history. Dedman told the Associated Press the thobe is such a powerful sign of political expression because it is more directly linked to culture and history, not politics. The historic thobe conjures an ideal of pure and untouched Palestine, before the occupation, she said. The Palestinian thobes history dates back to the early 19th century, when embroidered goods were made mainly in villages. Beautifully designed dresses marked major events in womens lives: the beginning of puberty, marriage, motherhood. Maha Saca is the director of the Palestinian Heritage Center in Bethlehem. She says the designs were different from one village to the next. In Bethlehem, for example, wealthier women sought special three-dimensional embroidery. Bedouin women, who would spend their lives in travelling communities, made their thobes with large pockets for carrying things. Women from Jaffa, a city famous for its fruit trees, wore orange tree designs. Thobe designs also expressed womens different social positions: red was the color for women about to be married, while blue was for women whose husbands had died. Blue with multi-colored embroidery was for women who were thinking about getting re-married after their husbands death. Arab women across the Middle East have worn hand-made dresses for hundreds of years. But the thobe has taken on a Palestinian quality, especially since the establishment of Israel in 1948. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians either fled or were expelled from their homes during the war that led to Israels creation. Many took only their dresses with them, Saca added. The war, which Palestinians call their nakba, or catastrophe, changed the thobe. Suddenly, making the dresses was seen as a way of protecting Palestinian culture, said Dedman. Over years of fighting, Palestinian nationalism has taken on many forms. In the early days of Israels establishment, nationalism was linked with calls for Israels destruction and deadly attacks. Armed struggle later gave way to calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. Israeli forces captured those areas in 1967. Peace talks have been halted by periods of violence and, for the past 10 years, a suspension of negotiations. Today, the internationally recognized autonomy government of the Palestinian Authority controls parts of the West Bank. It continues to seek a two-state solution with Israel. But the militant group Hamas, which seized Gaza in 2007, is still calling for Israels destruction. Many Palestinians, especially the younger generation, now talk of a single joined state with Israel in which they could enjoy full equal rights. Along the way, the thobe has grown in popularity and changed. During the first major Palestinian attempt to break free from Israel in the 1980s, guns and flowers were often part of thobe designs. Now, Palestinian women of all social classes wear thobes to show support for an independent nation at special events. Its a way of defending our national identity, Saca said. The care, hard work and skill that go into making a thobe prevent it from becoming everyday clothing. But less costly, mass-produced versions of the dress have become popular. Younger Palestinians, especially those spread far from their homeland, are changing the traditional dresses to modern tastes. Girls are asking for shorter and less embroidered versions, notes Rajaa Ghazawneh, a thobe designer in the West Bank. Rashida Tlaib said her Palestinian thobe brought back memories of her mothers West Bank village. The U.S congresswoman called her choice to wear the dress a demonstration of her love for the Palestinian people. It has since increased interest in the dress worldwide. Im Dorothy Gundy. And Im Pete Musto. Isabel Debre reported this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. What traditional clothing is very important to your nations identity? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story dress n. a piece of clothing for a woman or a girl that has a top part that covers the upper body and a skirt that hangs down to cover the legs embroidered adj. covered in special designs made using a small, very thin object that is used in sewing and that has a sharp point at one end and a hole for a long, thin piece of cotton, silk or other material exhibit n. an object or a collection of objects that have been put out in a public space for people to look at conjure(s) n. to make you think of something puberty n. the period of life when a person's sexual organs mature and he or she becomes able to have children three-dimensional adj. having or seeming to have length, width, and depth pocket(s) n. a usually small cloth bag that is connected to a piece of clothing that is open at the top or side so that you can put things into it catastrophe n. a terrible disaster nationalism n. a desire by a large group of people, such as people who share the same culture, history or language, to form a separate and independent nation of their own autonomy n. the power or right of a country or group to govern itself Monday, February 18, 2019 The Louisiana Supreme Court has ordered judicial disqualification IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that Justice of the Peace Terri M. Crosby, Ward 6, Tangipahoa Parish, State of Louisiana, be and she hereby is disqualified from exercising any judicial function during the pendency of further proceedings in this matter, pursuant to La. Const. art. V, 25(C) and Supreme Court Rule XXIII, 27. This order shall be effective immediately. WBRZ 2 reported last December A Tangipahoa Parish justice of the peace was indicted this week on charges related to allegations she and another woman tried to illegally block an elderly woman's family from their inheritance upon the woman's death. In all, Terri Crosby, the justice of the peace in the Tickfaw area, was indicted on four different charges. When reached by phone Wednesday, Crosby refused to discuss the charges or the situation surrounding the allegations. Crosby maintained she was never questioned and hasnt had so much as a speeding ticket before the grand jury in Tangipahoa Parish indicted her Tuesday. The WBRZ Investigative Unit learned Cosby faces a felony theft over $25,000 charge, cruelty to the infirmed, exploitation of the infirmed and one count of money laundering. Crosby refused to elaborate when reached on the phone and referenced a prepared statement she gave to the Hammond newspaper: "This indictment has absolutely nothing zero to do with my duties as an elected justice of the peace. I am completely innocent of any wrongdoing. In the statement, Crosby said the criminal indictment comes after a civil issue, but she refused to explain herself. She continued to complain about not being given an opportunity to be questioned ahead of a criminal indictment. I have never ever been asked one question by any law enforcement agency until the grand jury was set, she wrote. This has taken a toll on me and my family, especially this time of year. But, the state attorney general said the allegations are especially concerning. Authorities said Crosby transferred property and finances of an 87-year-old woman with dementia into her control to claim ownership when the woman died. Doing so would deny the victim's family the inheritance, a spokesperson for Louisiana Attorney Jeff Landry told WBRZ. The attorney general's office became involved when the district attorney in Tangipahoa Parish recused himself. "...Elder fraud is an unlawful and immoral act and our office is committed to finding those who take advantage of our citizens," Landry said in a statement released to WBRZ. Crosbys attorney did not answer calls Wednesday. Regina Raiford was also indicted in the case, the attorney general's office revealed. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/02/wbrz-2-reported-last-december-a-tangipahoa-parish-justice-of-the-peace-was-indicted-this-week-on-charges-related-to-allegati.html Monday, February 18, 2019 The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has affirmed the dismissal of a suit for legal fees on statute of limitations grounds. An attorney had left the plaintiff law firm and taken the case with him Grace, then an employee of HLO, performed most, if not all, of the legal work on the case, but neither he nor HLO recorded Grace's hours contemporaneously. HLO terminated Grace on June 25, 2010, while Hicks's medical malpractice case was pending. Hicks, notified of Grace's departure, elected to have Grace continue to represent him in the medical malpractice action. Grace and HLO were notified of Hicks's election in writing on July 1, 2010. On July 2, HLO transferred Hicks's file to Grace at his new firm, Denner Pellegrino, LLP (Pellegrino), and shortly thereafter Hicks entered into a second contingent fee agreement regarding his medical malpractice action with Pellegrino. The retainer agreement with HLO allowed an hourly fee if discharged. The pertinent discharge provision unmistakably provides that if the client discharges HLO, then the client will be liable to HLO for work performed by HLO at a prescribed rate. Therefore, whether we apply the usual rule restated in Jenney, 402 Mass. at 154, or confine our analysis to the plain language of HLO's fee agreement makes no meaningful difference -- HLO's cause of action against Hicks for legal services accrued no later than July 1, 2010, the date that HLO was notified that Hicks had elected to terminate HLO's services. HLO's argument to extend the statute because Grace had not provided his hours failed. Grace's refusal to cooperate with HLO has no bearing on when HLO's cause of action for legal fees against [client] Hicks accrued. ...If HLO had conditioned its entitlement to fees on Hicks's recovery in the underlying medical malpractice suit, then Halstrom's argument that the statute of limitations began to run when Hicks received his settlement check might be persuasive; but HLO did not do that. It is to the terms of that provision that HLO is now bound. In short, in accordance G. L. c. 260, 2, Halstrom had until July 1, 2016, to bring his contract action against Hicks. That Halstrom missed the deadline "by a few days" is inconsequential -- his claim is time barred nevertheless. Equitable claims also failed. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/02/the-massachusetts-supreme-judicial-court-has-affirmed-the-dismissal-of-a-suit-for-legal-fees-on-statute-of-limitations-ground.html Sunday, February 17, 2019 The Arkansas Committee on Professional Conduct Panel B has issued two orders of discipline sanctioning an attorney for criminal conduct. The attorney was suspended for 36 months for two class D felony drug possession convictions. She had been stopped for speeding and there was another attorney in the car. The passenger was on probation with a "search waiver on file." A canine search revealed illegal drugs. On June 24, 2017, police were called to a storage facility. The attorney and another were found asleep inside the facility. Drugs were found in plain sight when they were removed. A twelve month suspension was imposed for receiving stolen property. A residential burglary took place on February 20, 2017 in the Early home. Among the items stolen were some jewelry and an iPad. There was no evidence of the attorney's involvement in the burglary but, on March 6, 2017, she sold a stolen ring for the sum of $2.00. She also attempted to sell the iPad to the same buyer for $125.00. When the iPad was powered up, it displayed a message, "you are fucked" The buyer contacted the victim and the attorney was arrested. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/02/the-arkansas-professional-conduct-board-has-issued-two-orders-of-discipline-sanctioning-an-attorney-for-criminal-conduct-th.html Monday, February 18, 2019 Eissa Muhamad was deported from Israel for being present in the nation without authorization. He was sent by air back to his home nation of Niger. But Niger refused him entry. So he was returned to Israel. Then Israel re-returned him to Niger. And along that route back to Niger for the second time, Muhamad became stranded in an airport in an Ethiopian airport, where he has been living on handouts for the past four months. The BBC has the shocking tale, which is somewhat reminiscent of the Tom Hanks film The Terminal. Authorities say that Muhamad could apply for asylum in Ethiopia, but he would prefer to return either to Niger or Israel. At the moment, neither appears to be an option. -KitJ https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/02/man-living-the-terminal-interminably-.html Tuesday, February 19, 2019 Yesterday, the State of California, led by former Congressman Xavier Becerra, announced a legal challenge to President Trump's emergency declaration: "California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Xavier Becerra, leading a 16-state coalition, today filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California challenging President Trumps declaration of a national emergency and his attempt to divert funding appropriated by Congress for other purposes. In the complaint, the coalition alleges that the Trump Administrations emergency declaration and diversion of funds is unconstitutional and otherwise unlawful. The states seek to block the Trump Administrations emergency declaration, the unauthorized construction of the border wall, and any illegal diversion of Congressionally-appropriated funds. President Trump is manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up 'national emergency' in order to seize power and undermine the Constitution, said Governor Newsom. This 'emergency' is a national disgrace. Rather than focusing on fighting the real vulnerabilities facing Americans, the President is using the powers of Americas highest office to fan the flames of nativism and xenophobia. Our message to the White House is clear: California will not be part of this political theater. We will see you in court. President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt. He knows there is no border crisis, he knows his emergency declaration is unwarranted, and he admits that he will likely lose this case in court. He is willing to manipulate the Office of the Presidency to engage in unconstitutional theatre performed to convince his audience that he is committed to his beautiful border wall, said Attorney General Becerra. Today, on Presidents Day, we take President Trump to court to block his misuse of presidential power. Were suing President Trump to stop him from unilaterally robbing taxpayer funds lawfully set aside by Congress for the people of our states. For most of us, the Office of the Presidency is not a place for theatre. The complaint filed today alleges that the Trump Administrations action declaring a national emergency due to a purported border crisis is unlawful and unconstitutional. President Trumps hyped crisis is a pretext to justify redirecting congressionally-appropriated funds to pay to build a wall along the southern border after he failed to get Congress or Mexico to pay for it. The facts do not support President Trumps rhetoric or his declaration. Unlawful southern border entries are at their lowest point in 20 years, immigrants are less likely than native-born citizens to commit crimes, and illegal drugs are more likely to come through official ports of entry. There is no credible evidence to suggest that a border wall would decrease crime rates. The states allege that the Trump Administrations action exceeds the power of the executive office, violates the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes, and would illegally and unconstitutionally divert federal funds appropriated by Congress for other purposes. The suit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief to block the emergency declaration, the construction of the wall, and any illegal diversion of congressionally-appropriated funds. Joining Attorney General Becerra in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia. A copy of the complaint is attached to the electronic version of the press release here." The Complaint includes a constitutional separation of powers claim, as well as claims for violation of the appropriations clause, ultra vires, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Prayer for Relief states as follows: "WHEREFORE, Plaintiff States respectfully request that this Court enter judgment in their favor, and grant the following relief: 1. Issue a judicial declaration that the Executive Actions diversion of federal funds toward construction of a border wall is unconstitutional and/or unlawful because it: (a) violates the separation of powers doctrine; (b) violates the Appropriations Clause; and (c) exceeds congressional authority conferred to the Executive Branch and is ultra vires; 2. The States of California and New Mexico seek a judicial declaration that Defendants violated NEPA and the {Administrative Procedure Act (APA)] and further seek an order enjoining [the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)], requiring it comply with NEPA and the APAincluding preparing an EISbefore taking any further action pursuant to the Executive Actions; 3. Permanently enjoin Defendants from constructing a border wall without an appropriation by Congress for that purpose; 4. Permanently enjoin Defendants from diverting federal funding toward construction of a border wall; and 5. Grant such other relief as the Court may deem just and proper. KJ https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/02/california-and-15-other-states-file-lawsuit-challenging-president-trumps-declaration-of-national-eme.html Sunday, February 17, 2019 From BBC News: The next moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) said he supports the Church's opposition to gay marriage. But, he added the Church "abhors" homophobia and is "open and welcome to anyone". The PCI has chosen the Reverend William Henry to become its next moderator. Mr Henry, the minister of Maze Presbyterian Church in County Antrim for the past two decades, was selected following a vote on Tuesday. The father-of-three will be officially installed at the start of the Church's general assembly on 3 June. At 50 years of age, he is the youngest moderator in living memory. Read more here. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/family_law/2019/02/irelands-new-presbyterian-moderator-supports-churchs-opposition-to-gay-marriage.html Monday, February 18, 2019 Among other disputes in this recent case out of Idaho, Dickinson Frozen Foods, Inc. v. J.R. Simplot Co., Docket No. 45580, is a dispute over whether or not a nondisclosure agreement between the parties was violated. There was no dispute that the information in question was confidential. The only dispute was whether it was covered by the NDA. The court ruled that it was not, because the NDA had been drafted while the parties were in the process of negotiating their business relationship with each other. For that reason, it covered information disclosed "in connection with a proposed business relationship," and that the information was only to be used for "discussions relating to a possible vendor relationship." Once the parties had finished negotiating their relationship, it was no longer "proposed" or "possible"; it was fact. Therefore, there needed to be another NDA to cover information exchanged during the fact of the business relationship (of which the information in dispute was some). https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/contractsprof_blog/2019/02/be-careful-in-drafting-your-nda-while-negotiations-are-ongoing-if-you-want-it-to-also-cover-informat.html The U.S. wars on terrorism since Sept. 11, 2001 in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere are the longest wars in our history. In addition to the human tragedy of deaths and injuries of combatants and civilians, there is enormous financial cost to these wars. The Cost of War project at Brown University currently places the figure at more than $4 trillion. We are not asked outright to pay for these wars, but we pay nevertheless. War-related military spending by our government robs other essential needs of funding. This trickles down to every state and county, and Lancaster County is no different. According to the National Priorities Project (Institute for Policy Studies), every hour, taxpayers in Lancaster County are paying $41,265 for the total cost of our wars since 2001. Money spent on war is money that is not spent on schools, affordable housing, assistance to needy families, opioid addiction treatment, mental health care, flood control, job training, roads, highways, bridges and help for vulnerable farmers. I am very concerned about expanding U.S. military actions around the world. The 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force has been used to initiate military engagements by three presidents without the need to consult Congress. I urge U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey and Congressman Lloyd Smucker to make repeal of this legislation a priority. We cannot afford to wait. Christine Crocamo West Hempfield Township Sometimes political pragmatism can hurt. Take the effort to resolve the mess surrounding Pennsylvanias General Assistance program. The program provides small cash grants to the most vulnerable, those flat on the seafloor of the economic tide. Qualifiers constitute a class to which no one wants to belong. Roughly 90 percent have permanent or temporary disabilities. People who cant work. People with no income. Also, people in rehab. And victims of domestic violence displaced from their homes. Theyre almost all adults with no dependent children or without custody of their children, though some child cases qualify, including orphans living with nonrelatives. Grants range, depending on local cost of living, from $170 to $215 a month ($205 in Philly). Most are not ongoing. Theyre to help folks applying for Social Security disability income, a process that can take two years. And grants to domestic violence victims and those in rehab are restricted to nine months over ones lifetime. Oh, and the feds reimburse the state when disability applicants are approved. The money is for basics. To rent a bed from a friend. Share a room somewhere. Buy over-the-counter meds. Or bus fare. Or soap or deodorant. Or to do laundry. The program is humane. Its been around for decades. Well, it was around, then it wasnt. Now its back, but looks like not for long. See, the Republican Legislature and then-Gov. Tom Corbett ended it in 2012 when it was a $150 million item in a $28 billion budget. It served about 68,000 folks more than half in Philadelphia. Ending grants put added pressure on local charities, shelters, places such as Project Home and others helping with the needs of those most in need. And who knows how much damage was done to how many. But the state Supreme Court last June ruled that the legislation stopping grants was unconstitutional because of a legislative glitch. Grants were restored last fall. People slowly started reapplying. The state Department of Human Services puts the current number at 5,913 more than half in Philly. And Gov. Tom Wolfs budget proposal includes $50 million for the program. The mess? The Republican Legislature seems interested in killing the grants again, either through legislation or during the budget process. The sponsor of a bill to do so, Rep. George Dunbar, R- Westmoreland, wrote in a memo to colleagues that keeping the program would crowd out other important spending priorities. (Im thinking like the $337 million to run the oversized, over-perked Legislature.) Four of the eight members of GOP House leadership are co-sponsors of the bill. So, Democrat Wolf is offering what his policy chief Meg Snead calls a counterproposal: roll the $50 million into a low-income housing program that has bipartisan support. She says that would preserve funding for a vulnerable population that struggles with housing and could provide help with housing-related issues, including transportation subsidies. A couple of things. This is a deal based on politics, not principle. Get something (regardless of worth) rather than nothing (regardless of need). Republicans can support a plan to expand housing since that means construction and since the construction industry gives to Republicans more than to Democrats. A lot more, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. So, such a deal serves politicians better than the people it impacts. Advocates for general assistance argue a grants-to-housing swap simply takes benefits from one group of poor folks and gives them to another. Itll certainly hurt people, says Philadelphia Community Legal Services attorney Maria Pulzetti. She cites a yearslong waiting list for low-income housing in Philly: Were very concerned that ending GA leaves our clients without a means of paying for lifes necessities, including housing, but not limited to housing. State Sen. Vincent Hughes, of Philadelphia, ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, also opposes the funds flip. I dont think its the right direction to go, he tells me. He says not only should general assistance funds stay in place, they should be restored for the six years during which they were unconstitutionally withheld. The Wolf administration claims support for general assistance but is convinced the GOP will cut the grants. Wed like to see the program continue, says Wolf press secretary J.J. Abbott, but thats not the reality we exist in. When I ask why not fight for the $50 million, an amount unlikely to be a game changer in negotiating a $34 billion budget, Abbott says the money is not the issue, its the ideological differences between Wolf and Republicans. Spokespeople for House and Senate GOP leaders contend that no decision has been made regarding the grants, which they say will be part of negotiating a state budget by June 30. But it sure seems as if were looking at an example of pragmatic politics. One that hurts people, unnecessarily, in the interest of government leaders and other important spending priorities. John Baer is a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News; his column is syndicated by MCT. Email: baerj@phillynews.com. A Holtwood man whose teaching license was suspended in 2006 on allegations of inappropriate comments and behavior toward students is accused of asking a teenager to show him his genitals in 2017, according to police. Pennsylvania State Police charged Karl A. Weeks, 69, with corruption of minors, a first degree misdemeanor, in the 2017 incident, which allegedly occurred at Weeks home. The teenager was at the home to cut grass when Weeks asked him if he could see his genitals because he saw on the internet that Amish [genitals] were different, according to the arrest affidavit. The teenager was interviewed in March at the Lancaster County Children's Alliance. He said Weeks asked him other inappropriate questions and took photos of him shirtless, according to the affidavit. Weeks taught history at Lancaster Catholic High School from the 1970s through 2000, when he resigned. A Diocese of Harrisburg spokeswoman confirmed he resigned in October 2000, but she declined to elaborate on the resignation because it is a personnel matter. According to Pennsylvania Department of Education records, Weeks teaching license was suspended effective June, 27, 2006. Weeks taught social studies to seventh- through 12th-graders at Oxford Area School District at the time, according to the entry listing his suspension. Weeks has a preliminary hearing scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday with District Judge Stuart Mylin. A lawsuit filed by a former Lebanon city council candidate claims a Mount Joy Borough police officer harassed him in 2017. Royal Marti names Officer Jason Smith, police Chief Maurice Williams, unidentified members of the Manheim Borough Police Department, and Mount Joy and Manheim boroughs in the lawsuit. The suit, which was filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania federal court, alleges unreasonable use of force and unreasonable searches and seizures. The alleged harassment occurred March 31, 2017, at a Mount Joy convenience store. Marti, 23, of Ephrata, claimed Smith verbally harassed him, hit his phone from his hand and struck his face. Marti posted a nearly three-minute video of the interaction on YouTube about two months after the incident. Mount Joy Borough police said the department investigated the incident after seeing the video, and the borough issued an unspecified disciplinary action against Smith. The lawsuit says Marti witnessed a Manheim Borough police officer make a reckless left turn out of the Turkey Hill parking lot at 325 W. Main St. and proceed to the nearby Mount Joy Family Diner at a high rate of speed. Marti was concerned with the reckless driving, so he took a photo of the patrol cars license plate, according to the lawsuit. Marti went back to Turkey Hill to call Manheim Borough police and report what happened. He was confronted by the Manheim officer and Smith, who had followed him, according to the suit. Smith threatened to charge Marti with disorderly conduct or loitering, according to the suit. Marti alleges Smith did not have probable cause to detain him and threaten his arrest, the suit states, adding Marti did nothing to provoke Smith. Marti also said Manheim Borough officers stood idle while he was subject to unreasonable force and unlawful search and seizure. The suit says Marti had to stop his campaign for Lebanon city council due to emotional trauma and damage to his reputation. Smith was suspended for two days in 2013 for unspecified misconduct, according to a previous report. He is listed as an officer on the Mount Joy Borough Police Department's website. Mount Joy and Manheim borough police did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Borough offices were closed Monday for Presidents Day. An elaborate months-long scheme has cost a Lancaster County woman more than $110,000, according to police. The 53-year-old woman was scammed over six months in 2018 by someone claiming to be a male British doctor, Pennsylvania State Police said in a press release. The correspondence took place over the online messaging platform Google Hangouts, police said. The woman made 26 transactions totaling $110,388 from a checking account at a Chester County bank between June 2018 and December 2018 ranging from $944 to $18,900, according to police. Police did not identify the woman. The ruse According to police: The scammer claimed he was on a humanitarian mission in Syria when he became trapped there and received diplomatic assistance from the United States and the United Kingdom. He asked the woman for money to cover air fare, legal fees and other costs. The woman sent $10,000 in several small transactions over two months to an account in Poland, where the scammer told her representatives from the U.S. and U.K. governments were awaiting payment. The scammer told the woman after he left Syria he was placed in FBI custody in New York for his safety. He told her he told the FBI she was his wife, and that she was responsible for fines and fees. He told her to send money to FBI agents in Michigan. People claiming to be FBI agents or saying they worked for the FBI telephoned the woman and threatened to arrest and fine her if she did not send the money. The woman wired more than $99,000 over three months to an account in Detroit. The scammer promised to repay her once he returned to England. When the money was not repaid, the woman became suspicious and contacted state police. Avoid getting scammed State police, who are still investigating the incident, offered some advice on avoiding scams. Citizens are reminded to be cautious when being solicited for money on social media, by telephone, email or other means, they said in the press release. They warned against providing anyone with personal information, including your: Social Security number Address Phone number Bank account They also said anyone posing as law enforcement should be reported to police. UPDATE (MARCH 13, 2019): An attorney and member of the Republican Committee of Lancaster County is alleging Craig Stedman, the district attorney and candidate for judge, threatened to publicize damaging information on a subordinate prosecutor unless the attorney pressured Stedmans political opponent to back out of the judicial race. Michael D. Hess, an elected member of the Manheim Central Republican Committee and Lancaster bankruptcy lawyer, said Stedman tried to use a file the district attorney had compiled on Hess former client, Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman, as leverage to clear his own path to a seat on the bench. Stedman emphatically denied Hess allegations. I absolutely and categorically deny that I ever threatened anything to anyone at any time, explicit or implied, to have [Todd] Brown to drop out of the judicial race, Stedman wrote in a prepared statement to LNP Monday morning. In fact, I have never asked anyone to say or do anything to get anyone to withdraw from any race, let alone threatened anything, explicit or implied, to do the same. It just never happened and any suggestion or inference to that effect is simply fabricated and astonishing. Stedman acknowledged in his statement that he had his own file about a decade-old complaint lodged by a woman prosecutor against Fetterman and had relevant conclusive documentary evidence in my own file regardless of what HR did or did not have any longer. Brown, the countys chief public defender, is Stedmans only opponent in the race for the GOPs endorsement for a seat on the Court of Common Pleas. The party meets Tuesday night to endorse candidates, an important step in running for countywide office in one of the most Republican areas of the state. Stedman currently leads Brown with 259 straw poll votes to Browns 40. Stedman pull quote I absolutely and categorically deny that I ever threatened anything to anyone at any time, explicit or implied, to have [Todd] Brown to drop out of the judicial race, Stedman wrote in a prepared statement to LNP Monday morning. Hours after a Feb. 12 phone call between Stedman and Hess, Stedmans top deputy, Chris Larsen, attended a meeting of Republican Party leadership and displayed a folder that he said contained information relating to a 10-year-old complaint against Fetterman. Larsen, a rank-and-file committeeman, told LNP Stedman did not direct him to attend the meeting. Stedman also said he did not direct Larsen to go to the meeting. RELATED: Top prosecutor brandishes Fetterman file at GOP meeting Stedman is serving his third term as district attorney, the countys top elected law enforcement official. In interviews last week, Hess provided LNP with text messages and accounts of his phone conversations with Stedman. Hess said he found the last conversation in which he alleges Stedman threatened to publicize damaging information troubling. Im coming forward because Im so disturbed at this act, Hess said. Although LNP requested Stedmans responses to the allegations several times beginning Thursday morning, he did not provide comment until Sunday night and Monday morning. Stedman provided two separate written statements refuting Hesss accounts one statement was forwarded to LNP by an attorney Monday and Stedman sent the other statement Sunday. Stedman was attending a district attorneys conference in Pittsburgh last week. Hess alleged that during a Feb. 12 telephone call with the district attorney, Stedman threatened to release damaging information about Fetterman, Hess' client at the time, unless Hess convinced judicial hopeful Todd Brown to drop out of the race for the Republican Party endorsement. Hess provided LNP with a screen shot showing a 21-minute phone call with Stedman at 2:53 p.m. that day. Im being forced at this point to release information thats going to make Mark Fetterman look really, really bad unless Todd Brown drops out of the race, Hess said Stedman told him in the phone call. As reported by LNP earlier this month, a former assistant district attorney alleges Fetterman made unwanted romantic advances toward her in 2008. Fetterman denies her characterization of the interaction and said the claim was investigated and handled properly at the time. I said, Well, theres no way I would do that, Hess told LNP. I further said, And I dont have the power to do that even if I was willing to do it. Hess said Stedman responded: "Well, you better think it over and get back to me quickly with your plan to resolve this or information will go out. It was very clear to me he was offering to not put out information on Mark Fetterman if I got Todd Brown to drop out of the race, Hess added. Hess and Brown said they know each other from occasional bankruptcy legal work Brown picked up at Hess law firm. But Hess said he is not a political operative or a Brown political supporter. I dont work for Brown. Im not on his campaign. Reached for comment Friday, Brown said that "Mr. Hess never communicated any such proposition to me. Brown declined to comment on the allegations leveled against Stedman by Hess. "Throughout this campaign I have always relied solely on my own credentials to support my candidacy and so I don't feel that it's my place to comment on those reports that is all for others to flesh out and make their own informed determinations." Hess's Allegation Im being forced at this point to release information thats going to make Mark Fetterman look really, really bad unless Todd Brown drops out of the race, Hess said Stedman told him in the phone call. Hess said he stopped his work as Fettermans lawyer the night of Feb. 12, after the Republican meeting and his conversation with Stedman. He didnt want Fetterman to suffer employment reprisals at the district attorneys office because of his comments to the public, Hess said. Hess said he decided to go public with his concerns because he was so disturbed by what he alleges happened during the Feb. 12 phone call. He said he had previously thought both Stedman and Brown were strong candidates in the Republican Party. But in the time that Ive been dealing with Craig Stedman over this Fetterman matter, which is relatively minor, its just his reaction in regards to it, his threats to Mark Fetterman regarding his job, it is incredibly bad and he should not be a judge. Stedman, in his three-page release about Hess allegations, completely refutes Hess account and said that the conduct of Hess throughout the lawyers representation of Fetterman has been threatening, vindictive, and deceitful. Politics has become about personal destruction and that is terribly unfortunate, Stedman said in his statement. In one text message Hess provided to LNP, Stedman asked whether Hess had been able to get County Commissioner Josh Parsons and the two other commissioners to remain silent on the district attorneys suspension of Fetterman days earlier a suspension that was later overturned and that Fetterman alleges was politically motivated. Can you confirm Josh/BOC is/are going to keep mouth shut? Stedman wrote to Hess on Feb. 4. LNP presented that message and excepts from a reporters interview with Hess to Christina Hausner, the countys solicitor, to ask if Stedman tried to influence a Feb. 5 statement the county issued regarding Fettermans suspension. Hausner confirmed to LNP that Stedman expressed to her his opinion that there should be no statement from the County Commissioners. In a two-page statement sent yesterday to LNP about the board of commissioners, Stedman said he spoke with Hausner and expressed his opinion that it was inappropriate for the commissioners to comment on the matter, which he said was resolved at his direction by the time the statement was issued. Stedman said he does not believe that any personnel matter should be discussed in public and employees should not be named. It has been long standing, and wise, practice here to simply state that the county does not discuss personnel matters, Stedmans statement said. There are countless and obvious reasons why this practice makes sense for the employer and employee among which is fairness to the employee and none of which are to hide anything for some implied nefarious purpose. After LNP sought comment from Hausner about the messages and Hesss allegations, she provided a statement on behalf of the county commissioners which read: We are reviewing the information and allegations received, and our responsibilities with regard to County policy. We take these matters extremely seriously. We will be taking appropriate action after reviewing all available information. Hausner also said that releasing employee files to third parties outside of county government was prohibited and that using such files for political purposes would not be appropriate. Kirk Radanovic, chairman of the Republican Party of Lancaster County, questioned Hess motivation in making the allegations. In a written statement to LNP, Radanovic said Hess not Stedman made threats during the partys endorsement process. Radanovic said he had a meeting with Hess, Fetterman, GOP vice chair Julia Reed and the party solicitor, Robert Frankhouser, on Jan 17. Radanovic said Hess told him during the meeting that unless the chairman fully supported Fetterman, Hess would "destroy the reputations of Mr. Radanovic, Mr. Craig Stedman, Ms. Karen Mansfield, Mr. Chris Larsen and the entire District Attorneys office. The statements were made in the presence of Mr. Fetterman, Radanovic said. We found Mr. Hesss threat to be entirely inappropriate and offensive. Radanovic said Stedman is a man of integrity and the premise of the allegation is simply absurd. Hess denied Radanovics allegations. Absolutely not true, Hess said of the characterization of that meeting. He said he told Radanovic and Reed he was not spreading any rumors. Hess said he did express concerns about rumors within the party about several candidates, but said he was only pointing out that the party needed to deal equally with all rumored misconduct, not just one candidates. He admitted the conversation got heated but denies he ever threatened to destroy anyones reputation. To come up with a new quilt, Connie Lapp usually faces a grab bag of fabrics of different colors, sizes and age. Her fabric stash might be the most eclectic around because she depends on donations. She puts these fabrics together to make something beautiful with the help of dozens of volunteer quilters. Her latest project, however, brought bolts of brand-new designer fabric to her quilt room along with quilt blocks that won a design contest. These are new designers that Ive only dreamed about getting fabric to work with, Lapp says. Those designers, I see them in the store all of the time and in magazines and on the Internet. Now its exciting to see their fabrics. Mennonite Central Committees quilting project started with The Old Country Store, a sewing shop in Intercourse winning a national competition. That brought in a partnership with a fabric manufacturer and a challenge for quilters to create their own blocks. Those winning blocks and dozens more entries now are in the hands of MCCs volunteer quilt team, lead by Lapp. The quilts theyll make from the blocks will be auctioned off to benefit the nonprofits international aid. There will even be a chance to check them out in Ephrata before theyre auctioned at the Pennsylvania Relief Sale. This challenge brings designer fabrics with underwater imagery and fluorescent colors to a group of volunteer quilters who are mainly Amish and Mennonite, plus some English sewers as well. This all started with a Facebook contest. Jaftex, a fabric manufacturer based in New York, asked quilt shops around the country to share videos about their stores. CEO Scott Fortunoff promised a prize to the store whose video got the most likes. About a half a million people watched the videos and The Old Country Store won. Part of the prize was a visit from Fortunoff. He came to Shady Maple Smorgasbord in November to speak to a sold-out crowd of 250 about being the CEO of a fourth-generation textile manufacturer. Jaftex also donated fabric and store owners Jan and Dean Mast came up with contest, asking quilters to make quilt blocks using two fabrics. The quilt shop asked MCC to join in. Watch more about quilts and how they are made: We are active Mennonites and believe in the work of Mennonite Central Committee, says Jan Mast. And we have been supporters of the quilt preview and the quilt auction so they naturally came to mind. It seemed like a natural pairing. The quilt room at MCCs material resource center in Ephrata is a flurry of activity every weekday. Volunteers gather around quilt frames from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to sew quilts, add bindings and hand-quilt the layers together. Its not the same work as advocating for fair elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo or addressing mental health problems in Haiti, two of the projects the nonprofit supports. Yet the sale of these quilts at relief sales around the country raises money for projects like those around the world. About $16 million has been raised through the years, according to the Akron-based nonprofit. More than 150 quilters submitted blocks. At Fortunoffs talk, the quilters voted on their favorites and selected winners for best use of color, best pieced, best applique, best non-traditional and peoples choice. The winners blocks are a wide range of color and design. One designed by Kristen Rader features a unicorn seahorse make from tiny scraps of bright floral fabric. In another, Eileen Wian takes the petals of a fabric flower and turns them into a ballgown of a woman in silhouette. The peoples choice, created by Elizabeth Abel, starts with a traditional Dresden plate design of blades in different fabric surrounding a circle, similar to a flower. Abel, of West Chester, calls her design Swirly Twirly Dresden, setting the circle off-center and tilting the angle of the blades. Ellen Ressler of New Holland won for best pieced quilt block. She shows up at the quilt room to sew every Wednesday and wanted to help the nonprofit by entering the contest. So, she came up with an original design on her computer using two William Morris fabrics: a large-scale floral and a small dotted pattern in black, tan and cream. Ressler loves designing with -inch strips of fabric, she says, so she put together a geometric design and added red, her favorite color. The pattern reminded her of sawtooth and had an Asian flair so she called it Pagoda. After the contest ended, the blocks came to Lapp, who considered this an exciting challenge. The winning quilt blocks were special enough to turn them into individual wall hangings. Then, she took the remaining blocks and created a sampler quilt representing each designer. Blocks made with Kim Diehls reproduction fabric each included floral fabrics: one rust-colored and one beige. Lapp searched through her stash of donated fabric to bring the piece together. With the Morris fabrics, quilters made blocks with a variety of patterns: flying geese, pinwheel, pineapple, courthouse steps, bears paw and a few original designs. Lapp decided to frame each block in black to tie the different patterns together. On a third quilt, she surrounded blocks of vibrant purple and blue Kaffe Fassett fabric with a marbled design. These are such busy blocks, you need a place for your eyes to rest, Lapp says. Between piecing a quilt together, pressing, quilting and binding, volunteers spend about 300 hours to make each cover. The quilters currently are hard at work on these quilts and others for the upcoming relief sales. Aside from the fundraising from selling the quilts, Lapp sees these 10 special quilts as a way to attract more people to the sale. Yes, quilt-making is a booming craft. People love working with textile and sew quilts for their beds, walls or gifts. However, hand-stitching the layers together, the quilting, has taken a nosedive, Lapp says. Young women work and have less time for quilting. Or they never learned in the first place. I see all these bright colors and I automatically think younger, Lapp says. Im hoping this is a spark for even people outside the Mennonite community. "Red Flag" Dangers Will Only get Worse From Guns In The News. February 12th, 2019 As politicians and anti-gun rights activists continuously chant, "we don't want to take your guns," behind the scenes -- in only the year -- politicians have been working overtime to limit your right to bear arms. These laws are all a reaction to the tragic shooting in Parkland, Florida and, like most politicians always do, they are not letting this tragedy go to waste. Since the tragic shooting in Florida last February, the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence has recorded a whopping 55 new gun control measures in 26 states--in just the first six months of the year. Some of these laws being passed are 'Red Flag' laws which are used to disarm individuals who are reported as a threat by a family member or friend. Many believe that these red flag laws are dangerous as they can prompt police action with little to no due process. As a recent report out of FOX32, points out, nine states have passed laws over the past year allowing police or household members to seek court orders requiring people deemed threatening to temporarily surrender their guns, bringing the total to 14. Several more are likely to follow in the months ahead. ....... Seizures in 2018 are reported as having been 1,700 and has has been mentioned before, this approach with no due process has to be as yet about the most dangerous ploy aimed at achieving more 'gun control'. 2019 is without doubt likely to be the worst year yet for attempts to infringe upon Second Amendment rights and any murder events are only likely to significantly exaggerate the problem. Back to Top At Bluestone Estate, Chad and Erin Vinelli have blended the past with the present. They opened the wedding and special-event venue last June at 30A Refton Road, Willow Street, on the footprint of a 19th-century barn. We wanted to do something no one else in Lancaster was doing, Erin Vinelli says. We wanted to provide a space that included everything people would want for their wedding or special event. Erin Vinelli, the daughter of retired state Sen. Gib Armstrong and his wife Martha, grew up on a 110-acre farm where the barn is. The Armstrongs have painstakingly restored the farms circa-1770 stone house, where they still live. When the Armstrongs considered selling the property a few years ago, they contacted local Realtor Marilyn Berger, who convinced them not to. I talked myself out of a great commission, Berger laughs. Instead, she suggested that the barn, built in 1822, would make a unique venue for weddings and events. When the Armstrongs asked the Vinellis if they would be interested in creating the venue, the couple said yes immediately. We knew it was the answer for how to preserve the farm and keep the property but still make it viable, Erin Vinelli says. Her husband, 43, a Millersville University industrial-technology graduate who works as a contractor, knew he could handle a lot of the renovations himself. If a task was beyond him, he had a wide network of industry professionals to tap. Erin Vinelli, 42, a former special education teacher who holds bachelors and masters degrees from James Madison University, knew her experience in entertaining would prove to be an asset for the project as well. I love to cook, and Ive always entertained, Erin Vinelli says. Its something Ive always loved to do. Complementary skills The Vinellis met in 2004 when she bought a foreclosure property to fix up and live in and he sold her a kitchen for the property. In hindsight, that seems like a hint about their future. Bluestone Estate is the couples fifth project together. Their previous projects include flipped properties and the construction of their home, which is just up the driveway from the venue. The couple work well together, Chad Vinelli says, because each brings different skills. She is a people person, and shes creative, Chad Vinelli says. Im more of the hands-on worker. Adds his wife, Bluestone Estate is our biggest project, but we had no trouble working together on it. We kind of know how to stay out of each others way and stay in our own lanes. The transformation of a crumbling barn into a state-of-the-art special-events venue took about a year. Working with architect Mark Myers, as well as a variety of subcontractors, Chad Vinelli says the project went smoothly but was not without its difficulties. Sometimes, I felt like it was one obstacle after another, he says. Trying to save as much of the original stone walls as possible, Chad Vinelli soon discovered it wouldnt be easy. One wall collapsed as soon as cables holding it up were cut. Another wall fell over in the middle of the night. He was able to salvage some of the original stone that had been quarried on the farm property nearly two centuries ago. New bluestone limestone was quarried on site, too. Hardwood floors run throughout the 9,000-square-foot facility, to which the Vinellis added a ballroom with seating for 260, a bridal suite, a grooms suite and an outdoor patio overlooking a pond. Pieces of the original barn floor were restored to create unique features, including bathroom counters, while the main room has 30-foot post-and-beam cathedral ceilings. Envisioning a venue When I got married (on the family farm in 2007), I thought about all the things I wanted to have at my venue, and we tried to include all of those here, Erin Vinelli says. The bridal suite includes an area for hair and makeup, a kitchenette, a private bath, a private deck and a spiral staircase leading up to a loft, while the grooms room features a large HD TV, a bar and a private bathroom. A former garage space on the side of the barn provides room for caterers to set up and includes a kitchen area. The Vinellis installed geothermal heating and cooling throughout the property for a practical purpose and an aesthetic one. All of the units are inside the building, so you dont have big air conditioning units sitting outside, Chad Vinelli says. You also dont have units kicking on in the middle of the ceremony. Chad Vinelli says the renovations were all-consuming for a year, causing a little anxiety about meeting a deadline for their first wedding last June. I used to wake up in the middle of the night, panicked, he says. But not once did I have second thoughts. I knew we could get it done. It was close, but they did, finishing on June 15 and holding their first event the next day. Chad Vinelli declined to disclose how much the renovations cost. A Strasburg Township building permit lists the cost of the construction work alone at $700,000. He says word about the venue is spreading and business is brisk. We are hosting our first wedding this year in March, and we have 30 weddings on the calendar, Erin Vinelli says. Were booking into 2021. The venue also hosts bridal and baby showers as well as corporate events. About half of the booked events are from local couples, but the venue has drawn customers from Massachusetts, Colorado, Ohio, New Jersey and more. Were seeing a lot more people who are interested in coming to Lancaster for their wedding, Erin Vinelli says. Lancaster is really becoming a hotspot. Rates start at $8,000 for a wedding (with a $500 discount for weddings booked in 2019) and vary for other events. Berger, the Realtor who planted the idea for Bluestone Estate, says she knew right away the barn would make a unique wedding venue. When I saw the property, I saw they had a barn that could be just beautiful, she says. I suggested the idea for the venue and told them what they needed to do to get started. The Vinellis arent finished with Bluestone Estate. They hope to add an outdoor bar this year and have plans for other additions. Were looking at overnight accommodations down the road, Erin Vinelli says. We talked about using a building on the farm and turning it into a honeymoon suite. Erin Vinelli says they plan to tackle one big project a year and to make sure everything they do meets two goals: to preserve the farmland as much as possible and to create a business they can pass down to their children, ages 8 and 5. Even our parking lot is grass because we dont want this place to look too commercial, Erin Vinelli says. Its important to us. They also dont want it to be too trendy. We want to outlive the barn-wedding trend, Erin Vinelli says. This is a barn, but its not a barn. Its so much more. Chad Vinelli says the couple has also considered building a dock for the pond as well as a gazebo. Were always thinking about how we can make it better, he says. Its limitless what we can do here. A Baltimore-based developer who specializes in revitalizing large, vacant historic eyesores might try to resurrect one of those here. His target? Its the Stehli silk mill, where redevelopment efforts have come up empty for decades. Larry Silverstein, president of adaptive-reuse firm Union Box Co., has signed a sales agreement to purchase the site at Martha and Marshall avenues for an undisclosed price. Within two months, he expects to decide whether to complete the purchase of the 11-acre property a block from Lancaster Catholic High School and go forward with the project, he said in an email on Monday. If the answer is yes, he envisions constructing 120 to 140 market-rate apartments in the Manheim Township complex, plus a limited number of stores. The project, which he estimated would cost $30 million, would take about three years to complete. Asked why hes interested in the complex, Silverstein replied: We like the demographics of the neighborhood and the growth of the region. In the end the question will be if we can support the construction costs with the average rental rate for the area. The developer noted that he has a similar project underway in Warwick, Rhode Island. Theres hes converting a vacant Fruit of the Loom mill of 250,000 square feet into apartments. Township Commissioners Chairman Al Kling, now in his eighth year on the board, called Silversteins interest in the site the most optimistic thing Ive heard since Ive been a commissioner. Kling, who was one of several township officials to speak with Silverstein via a conference call in December, indicated that the conversation left a favorable impression. He was not spooked. He pretty much knew what he was getting into. ... He came across as a guy who knew how everything works, said Kling. Commissioner Sam Mecum anticipates the township will likely be supportive in any way it can to facilitate the renovation of this long-neglected site. One possibility, said Mecum, would be to give the project a 10-year break in its property taxes by creating a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Stehli property consists of about 200,000 square feet of buildings, roughly the same amount of floor space as a Walmart superstore has. (Some of the original buildings were razed for structural reasons.) The property has been owned since 2007 by an investment group led by managing member Graham Capital. In 2016, Graham Capital announced it was looking to sell the site or partner with someone to renovate it. Mike Granbois, vice president and general counsel of Graham Capital, said the three-story brick complex is sturdy; its many knocked-out windows create the wrong impression, he indicated. People are under a misconception that the property is run down. Thats not the case. The bones are solid. The roof was 100 percent replaced, he said. In an interview last week, Granbois declined to name the buyer, but he did praise his experience, a quality that Granbois said is essential to successfully tackle a venture of this scale. Several other suitors have tried to buy the building over the years, he noted. Union Box Co. describes itself as an adaptive re-use real estate development company specializing in historic renovations and urban infill projects. Its website lists 11 examples, most of them in Baltimore. They include conversions of old buildings into apartments, stores, offices and an oyster bar. Stehli & Co., a Zurich-based silk manufacturing company, announced in 1897 it was coming to Lancaster. Famed Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban was picked to design its buildings. When all five phases of expansion were completed in 1925, the mill employed more than 1,600 workers, contained 250,000 square feet of floor space, 2,500 windows, 1,100 looms and was 883 feet in length, making it the longest single building in America and the second longest in the world, Lancaster architect Greg Scott wrote about the site in 2017. What brought Stehli here? There were 20 communities being considered for Stehlis first U.S. silk plant. The Lancaster Board of Trade offered Stehli free land, reduced taxes, free railroad access and 600,000 free bricks, according to Scott. The mill closed in 1954, overwhelmed by competition from nylon and other synthetic fabrics. A year later, RCA bought the property, using it for production of color television picture tubes and power tubes, as well as storage. RCA sold it to a warehousing firm in 1973. In 1983 and 2004, developers unveiled sweeping plans to rehabilitate the buildings into apartments, shops and restaurants, but both proposals fell through. 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30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (1) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (3) Jun 18 (3) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (3) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (4) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (3) Jun 06 (4) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (4) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (3) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (4) May 27 (6) May 26 (3) May 25 (3) May 24 (3) May 23 (3) May 22 (5) May 21 (3) May 20 (3) May 19 (3) May 18 (4) May 17 (3) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (4) May 13 (4) May 12 (5) May 11 (2) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (3) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (4) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (3) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (3) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (4) Apr 11 (5) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (3) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (3) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (2) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (6) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (3) Mar 15 (4) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (6) Mar 12 (7) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (3) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (4) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (5) Feb 21 (5) Feb 20 (5) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (4) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (6) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (3) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (6) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (6) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (4) Jan 27 (5) Jan 26 (4) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (3) Jan 23 (3) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (4) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (3) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (4) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (5) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (5) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (7) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (4) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (5) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (4) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (4) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (5) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (5) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (6) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (4) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (4) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (5) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (4) Oct 21 (3) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (3) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (5) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (6) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (4) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (4) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (3) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (5) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (5) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (7) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (7) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (4) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (6) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (5) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (6) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (6) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (3) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (4) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (3) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (4) Jul 01 (4) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (3) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (4) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (5) Jun 11 (5) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (5) Jun 08 (4) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (4) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (5) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (5) May 18 (6) May 17 (6) May 16 (4) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (4) May 12 (3) May 11 (4) May 10 (5) May 09 (2) May 08 (4) May 07 (4) May 06 (4) May 05 (4) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (5) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (6) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (6) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (5) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (4) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (7) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (5) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (5) Mar 13 (6) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (7) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (3) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (6) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (5) Feb 24 (8) Feb 23 (7) Feb 22 (8) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (5) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (6) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (5) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (4) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (7) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (6) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (5) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (7) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (5) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (5) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (7) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (6) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (4) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (4) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (7) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (6) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (7) Dec 03 (6) Dec 02 (4) Dec 01 (4) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (4) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (5) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (4) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (5) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (7) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (5) Nov 13 (5) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (7) Nov 10 (6) Nov 09 (7) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (7) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (7) Oct 28 (4) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (3) Oct 24 (6) Oct 23 (10) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (5) Oct 20 (5) Oct 19 (5) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (6) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (5) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (6) Oct 09 (8) Oct 08 (6) Oct 07 (5) Oct 06 (4) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) 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04 (6) Oct 03 (8) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (10) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (10) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (5) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (6) Sep 18 (6) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (10) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (3) Sep 08 (8) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (6) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (6) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (4) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (5) Aug 25 (9) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (9) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (7) Aug 18 (6) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (6) Aug 12 (5) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (9) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (6) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (7) Aug 02 (8) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (8) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (9) Jul 25 (9) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (9) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (7) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (7) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (7) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (5) Jun 22 (7) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (6) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (7) Jun 12 (8) Jun 11 (5) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (7) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (4) May 29 (5) May 28 (1) May 27 (5) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (8) May 23 (8) May 22 (7) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (9) May 18 (5) May 17 (9) May 16 (7) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (13) May 11 (5) May 10 (7) May 09 (7) May 08 (8) May 07 (9) May 06 (6) May 05 (5) May 04 (2) May 03 (6) May 02 (7) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (6) Apr 26 (10) Apr 25 (7) Apr 24 (5) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (6) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (10) Apr 07 (6) 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10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (4) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (7) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (5) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (2) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) 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(2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (3) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (3) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (5) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (4) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (5) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (4) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (4) May 19 (3) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (1) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (5) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (3) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (3) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (3) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (3) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (3) Mar 07 (3) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (3) Mar 01 (3) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (3) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (3) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (3) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (5) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (3) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (2) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (5) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (2) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (2) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (2) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (4) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (2) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (1) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (1) Sep 18 (1) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (1) Sep 15 (2) Sep 14 (2) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 11 (2) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (1) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (1) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (1) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 12 (1) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 05 (1) Aug 04 (1) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (5) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (3) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (6) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (6) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (4) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (4) May 30 (4) May 29 (4) May 28 (5) May 27 (5) May 26 (5) May 25 (4) May 24 (5) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (3) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (3) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (3) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (3) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (4) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (4) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (6) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (5) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 (5) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (7) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (7) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (8) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (3) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (6) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (6) Jan 26 (6) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (5) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (4) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (5) Jan 05 (6) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (7) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (6) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (4) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (5) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (4) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (5) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (4) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (5) Nov 19 (5) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (4) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (4) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (3) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (3) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (4) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (4) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (3) Sep 09 (3) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (2) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (4) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (3) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (8) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (3) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (4) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (3) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (3) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (2) Jun 21 (1) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (3) Jun 15 (7) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (5) Jun 11 (4) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (4) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (3) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (3) May 25 (4) May 24 (2) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (2) May 20 (3) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (2) May 14 (6) May 13 (4) May 12 (2) May 11 (3) May 10 (2) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (4) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (2) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (2) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (2) Apr 14 (4) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (4) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (6) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (4) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (4) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (4) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (4) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (4) Feb 11 (3) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (3) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (3) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (4) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (3) Jan 16 (2) Jan 15 (2) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (2) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (2) Dec 29 (2) Dec 28 (2) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (1) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (1) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (4) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (1) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (2) Dec 10 (2) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (1) Dec 05 (2) Dec 04 (1) Dec 03 (2) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (2) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (1) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (1) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (2) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (1) Nov 16 (1) Nov 15 (1) Nov 14 (1) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (1) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (1) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (1) Nov 03 (1) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (2) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (2) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (2) Oct 25 (2) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (2) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (3) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (1) Oct 18 (3) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (1) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (2) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (1) Oct 03 (2) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (1) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (1) Sep 27 (3) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (1) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (2) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (1) Sep 14 (1) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (3) Sep 11 (1) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (2) Sep 08 (2) Sep 07 (1) Sep 06 (1) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (2) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (1) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (1) Aug 13 (1) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (2) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (1) Aug 05 (1) Aug 04 (1) Aug 03 (2) Aug 01 (1) Jul 31 (2) Jul 30 (1) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (1) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (2) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (1) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (2) Jul 16 (3) Jul 15 (1) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (2) Jul 09 (5) Jul 08 (1) Jul 07 (1) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (1) Jul 03 (2) Jul 01 (1) Jun 30 (1) Jun 29 (2) Jun 28 (2) Jun 27 (2) Jun 25 (2) Jun 24 (1) Jun 23 (2) Jun 22 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (1) Jun 15 (1) Jun 14 (3) Jun 12 (1) Jun 11 (1) Jun 08 (1) Jun 07 (1) Jun 05 (1) Jun 04 (1) Jun 03 (1) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (1) May 27 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (1) May 23 (2) May 22 (1) May 21 (1) May 20 (2) May 19 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (2) May 14 (1) May 13 (1) May 11 (2) May 10 (2) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 06 (1) May 05 (1) May 04 (1) May 03 (3) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 29 (1) Apr 28 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (2) Apr 17 (1) Apr 15 (1) Apr 13 (1) Apr 10 (2) Apr 08 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (1) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 24 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 21 (1) Mar 20 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (1) Mar 14 (2) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (1) Mar 04 (1) Mar 03 (2) Mar 02 (2) Mar 01 (2) Feb 28 (2) Feb 27 (1) Feb 26 (1) Feb 25 (1) Feb 23 (2) Feb 19 (2) Feb 13 (1) Feb 12 (1) Feb 02 (1) Jan 31 (1) Jan 22 (1) Jan 18 (1) Jan 16 (1) Jan 09 (1) Jan 01 (1) Dec 20 (2) Dec 15 (1) Dec 13 (1) Dec 11 (1) Nov 30 (1) Nov 27 (1) Nov 20 (1) Nov 11 (1) Nov 10 (1) Oct 23 (1) Oct 20 (1) Oct 01 (1) Sep 30 (1) Sep 29 (1) Sep 24 (2) Sep 15 (1) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 02 (2) Aug 31 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (2) Aug 24 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (1) Aug 18 (3) Aug 16 (1) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 11 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 03 (1) Jul 27 (1) Jul 26 (1) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (1) Jul 21 (1) Jul 19 (1) Jul 15 (1) Jul 14 (1) Jul 13 (3) Jul 10 (1) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (1) Jul 06 (1) Jul 03 (1) Jul 01 (1) Jun 28 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (1) Jun 18 (1) Jun 15 (1) Jun 14 (2) Jun 11 (1) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (1) Jun 07 (1) Jun 06 (1) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (3) May 30 (1) May 29 (1) May 28 (2) May 26 (1) May 25 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (1) May 15 (1) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) She added most economists reject the reasoning that private sector health care costs would increase because health care providers would pass on costs from low Medicaid reimbursement rates to consumers. Wisconsin is one of more than a dozen states that havent taken federal funding to expand Medicaid to people who make up to 133 percent of the poverty level, a move that would have saved the state $1.1 billion from 2014 through 2019, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. A September LFB report showed taking full Medicaid expansion beginning in 2020 would give the state an additional $280 million to work with over the next two-year budget cycle. Friedsam estimates that, of the 76,000 who would become eligible for Medicaid under the expansion, about 39,000 would come from the uninsured while 37,000 would come from existing Obamacare subsidized coverage. Wisconsin is the only non-expansion state that has no gap in coverage for residents below the poverty level. Former Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature limited coverage to people at the poverty line, not below it as some other states do, saying people who make more can get subsidies on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Evers is likely to include federal money for Medicaid expansion in his biennial budget request to be unveiled Feb. 28. Her remarks come a month after a prison monitor designated under a federal lawsuit found officials at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake are noncompliant with an order directing they make inmates cells suicide-resistant and only partially compliant with an order mandating the reduced use of pepper spray on inmates, among other shortcomings. On Monday, Evers said he doesnt have a position on transferring responsibility for Type 1 programming to DCF. Taylor said she fully supports giving DCF responsibility over programming at state-run facilities. Counties considering building their own facilities, otherwise known as secure residential care centers for children and youth, include Milwaukee, Dane, Racine, La Crosse and Brown. Wisconsin is slated to build one or more Type 1 facilities. One could be located in Milwaukee County, although the official location has not yet been announced. Schraa said lawmakers during the budget process may request an additional $40 million to $60 million on top of the roughly $80 million already allocated to address the construction and operation of state and county facilities. Bill gets support Fascinating: Ancient humans hunted monkeys for tens of thousands of years. If you picture early humans dining, you likely imagine them sitting down to a barbecue of mammoth, aurochs, and giant elk meat. But in the rainforests of Sri Lanka, where our ancestors ventured about 45,000 years ago, people hunted more modest fare, primarily monkeys and tree squirrels. Then they turned the bones of these animals into projectiles to hunt more of them. The practice continued for tens of thousands of years, making this the longest known record of humans hunting other primates, archaeologists report today. That quote comes from the news story by Virginia Morell. The research is by Oshan Wedage and colleagues (its shameful that Science didnt include the first authors name in their news coverage). The paper is published in Nature Communications: Specialized rainforest hunting by Homo sapiens ~45,000 years ago. This team, including Patrick Roberts, has been very interested in ancient cultural adaptations of people to tropical forest environments. The paper is based on analysis of materials from a cave site called Fa-Hien Lena. This is not the first or oldest site to present evidence of forest hunters targeting primates and other small mammals. As the paper indicates, the site of Niah Caves, Borneo, also has such evidence. But the Fa-Hien Lena assemblage provides a good indication of the parallel cultural development of such practices in tropical forest environments, which are also shared by many living hunting and gathering peoples around the world. The bone points made from monkey fibulae are amazing: I gotta tell you, while there are some cool things in the Upper Paleolithic of Europe, the records of technical innovation in other parts of the world are in most cases more interesting and earlier. Archaeologists are now bringing these other areas of the world more into their thinking about the history of human adaptations, and thats a very good thing. The paper emphasizes the continuity of the hunting practices over a long period of time, from the earliest evidence at the site up to 48,000 years ago up into the mid-Holocene. There are a substantial number of bone tools or bone objects inferred to be ornaments in the oldest layers of the site, and the entire bone assemblage is highly fragmented and subjected to grinding in ways that suggest that bone tool production was a common activity. I would love to have a more highly-resolved record that might reveal changes over time, whether cultural (for example, stylistic changes in ornaments) or subsistence-related. That being said, the long persistence of similar hunting strategies and technical processes documented at Fa-Hien Lena may be similar to what we are seeing in some other parts of the world. For example, a 40,000-year-long practice of hunting small forest game approaches in duration the long evidence for poison arrow hunting in southern Africa. Fairly detailed technical strategies were evidently quite stable in some ancient cultural contexts. The Late Pleistocene layers at Fa-Hien Lena also include skeletal remains of ancient humans that were described by Ken Kennedy in his book about the evolutionary history of humans in South Asia, God Apes and Fossil Men. This paper doesnt provide any new information about these specimens but does place them into its chronological context. Previous excavation in Fa-Hien-lena produced the oldest human fossils so far in Sri Lanka. Remains of a 5.56.5 years old child, mixed with remains of at least two infants as well as a young adult female, were dated based on associated charcoal to 30,600 + 360 BP. These remains were found in layer 4 at the rear of the cave during the 1986 excavations (approximately represented by context 179 during our 2010 excavations) (Fig. 2). Overall, our new data confirm Fa-Hien Lena as the oldest site with H. sapiens fossils in Sri Lanka, and wider South Asia. They also indicate that Fa-Hien Lena now represents one of the earliest appearances of microlith toolkits and bone tool technocomplexes outside of Africa. I think its a good question whether living and hunting in forests may have pre-adapted people toward development of projectile technology. It is possible for humans to get within several meters of small arboreal mammals in trees, and darts, arrows, or small thrown spears can be highly effective in this situation. Humans have converged on similar hunting strategies in forests around the world. Firefighters arrived about 9 a.m. at 2630 S. Seventh St. to find a fire in a first-floor unit. The fire was quickly extinguished, according to the La Crosse Fire Department, and one tenant was displaced. The apartment received moderate fire and smoke damage. The airport has changed in the past few years as it invested millions into its terminal rehabilitation project and restructured its organization to attract more flights. We werent operating as nimbly as we needed to be. Weve put a lot of things into place during the last five, six years, to be incredibly competitive, Torp said. It has cut airline fees, bolstered its marketing and integrated with the local business community. The airlines take note of that stuff. It gives us the opportunity to have some of those additional conversations, Torp said. Community support is key, Torp said, saying the airports nearly 100,000 enplanements and 88 percent full flights show airlines that La Crosse can handle the increased capacity. If the current Detroit service does well, it would certainly be possible to add either a third Minneapolis or second Detroit, Torp said. Torp hopes to bring in flights to other hubs such as Dallas and Denver; however, he said it would be difficult. One of the limitations to obtaining that service is just the sheer distance between us and the costs associated with operating a regional-sized jet to those sized markets. Not to say its not possible in the future, Torp said. Jourdan Vian can be reached at jvian@lacrossetribune.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jourdan_LCT. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Fifteen years and 300 dresses later, Judy Wolff still delights in glamorous gowns and the gratitude of the girls who wear them. Wolff, 61, of Holmen has made it her personal mission to ensure every teen arrives at prom in style, decked out from head to toe without breaking the bank. In 2004, the owner of Guardian Angel Gown Rental, which helps brides find affordable but beautiful attire for their wedding, expanded her reach to teens with the Beautiful Butterfly Prom Project, being held again this year from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 9 and 10 at the Boys and Girls Youth Club, 1102 Superior Ave., Tomah. Looking for a better home than the closet for her two daughters school dance dresses, Wolff decided to pass them on, collecting once-worn gowns from other individuals to build a collection. As a post 9/11 volunteer with the Red Cross in New York City, Wolff became acquainted with employees at upscale boutique Kleinfelds Bridal, who since 2005 have donated high fashion dresses, shoes and jewelry to the cause. Each year, Wolff invites high schoolers to attend a prom dress event featuring a silent auction, vendors including Mary Kay Cosmetics and Paparazzi Jewelry, and music from DJ Brettly of La Crosse where they can try on gowns and take one home. Former state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout and her husband told authorities their fireplace was the cause of the blaze that destroyed their rural Alma farmhouse early Saturday morning. Vinehout, who just left office last month after 12 years representing a swath of west-central Wisconsin from Alma to Eau Claire, and her husband, Douglas Kane, said they were the only ones home when they were awakened at about 1 a.m. by the sound of fire alarms going off and quickly realized their house was engulfed in flames, according to a news release from the Buffalo County sheriff's office. The sheriff's office received a report at 1:17 a.m. Saturday from a neighbor saying she woke up and noticed the home at W1490 Cesler Valley Road was on fire. When emergency units arrived, about a third of the house was up in flames, the news release states. Kane told authorities the couple had started a fire in the fireplace and that it was still going when they went to bed. The Alma, Mondovi, Fountain City, Tri-Community, Nelson and Waumandee Montana Lincoln fire departments fought the fire but were unable to put it out, with weather and road conditions near the house hampering their efforts, the release indicates. Monroe County authorities arrested two suspects accused of stealing a car and being subjects of an ongoing statewide mail theft and fraud investigation Sunday evening. Jacob S. Williams and Sara A. Williams, both 27 with no permanent address, have been subjects of an ongoing statewide mail theft and fraud investigation, according to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office. A Monroe County deputy stopped to assist them after their vehicle slid off the road, struck a mailbox and got stuck in the snow, according to police. Jacob and Sara fled the scene while the deputy was gathering information about the crash. The deputy located the vehicle a short distance up the road and discovered both suspects had fled on foot, authorities said. More police joined the search and found the Williamses hiding in nearby barns. Authorities executed a search warrant on the vehicle, which bore the wrong license plate and was stolen from Eau Claire, Wis. Police said they also recovered stolen property, mail from multiple areas in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Dozens of victims and potential victims have been identified, and investigators will be reaching out to those victims as they continue to gather more information, the sheriffs office. The Williamses are in the Monroe County Jail and the sheriffs office expects additional charges. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 The Viroqua Police Department reports that on Feb. 19 at 9:50 a.m., the department responded to a report of an armed robbery in progress at 116 N. Rusk. Upon arrival, officers heard three gunshots coming from inside the residence. According to a press release from the department, after entry was made, no evidence of an armed robbery was located. Joshua Barker, 32, of Viroqua was taken into custody. Tentative charges of recklessly endangering safety and bail jumping are being referred to the District Attorneys office. The police department is confident that the only person involved in this incident was Barker, and no danger to the public exists, Chief of Police Daron Jefson said in the release. The Vernon County Sheriffs Office and Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigations assisted at the scene. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 4 The Viroqua City Council approved the conditional use application for a boarding house for high school students at 815 Chicago Ave. at its meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 12. Lori Polhamus, city clerk/treasurer, said the boarding house, which will be for Youth Initiative High School students, will have to follow state guidelines for such things as fire inspections. Polhamus said that during the public hearing one resident asked if the students would have vehicles, and the answer was no. There were no issues with the neighbors, Polhamus said. The City Council approved a proposal for building inspection services with General Engineering Company. Polhamus said going with General Engineering Company would allow for more consistent inspections. A contract has not been written yet, she said. Chad Buros, the citys zoning ordinance administrator, would handle fences and sheds, structures that do not require inspections. The city approved its first chicken permit, which was submitted by Lance and Mary Clough, 931 E. Decker St. As of Jan. 1, 2019, per City Ordinance 18OR003, anyone who owns, keeps or harbors chickens in the city of Viroqua must obtain a license prior to Jan. 1 of each year or within 30 days of acquiring the chickens. The license year runs from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 each year and costs $25. Applications can be obtained at City Hall or on the city website. Angela Cina can be reached at angie.cina@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 1 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. Two men received minor cuts and scratches Monday after a single-vehicle rollover crash on Hwy. 35, south of Mohawk Valley Road in the town of Bergen. According to the Vernon County Sheriffs Office, the Vernon County 911 dispatcher center received the report of the crash at 12:05 p.m. Initially it was reported there was a male pinned in the vehicle. Thomas P. Stachowitz, 60, of La Crosse was driving a Porsche convertible. Stachowitz had turned around at the Shady Maple Wayside and started to accelerate. While accelerating, Stachowitz lost control of the vehicle, causing it to leave the roadway, entering the northbound ditch and over-turning onto the roof. Stachowitz and his passenger, 33-year-old Jared M. Stachowitz, of Chicago, were both able to get themselves out of the vehicle. Both were checked out by Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance and refused transport. Both occupants were wearing their seat belts. The Stoddard Fire and First Responders, Shelby First Responders, Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance and the Shelby Police Department assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation by the Sheriffs Office. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 - President Rodrigo Duterte recently went to Hong Kong with his family - There have been speculations going around that he went there for a medical treatment - However, the President clarified that it was his daughter, Kitty Duterte, who ordered it PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed President Rodrigo Duterte shared during a speech in Davao City that the recent Hong Kong family trip was the order of his youngest daughter, Kitty Duterte. KAMI learned that it was Kittys idea to celebrate the birthday of her mother, Honeylet Avancena, in Hong Kong over the weekend, as reported by GMA News. "I go to Hong Kong to celebrate the birthday of my wife because that was the order of my daughter," President Duterte said. "If I'm in front of them, I'm just a sergeant. They are the generals. It's very hard to deal with a daughter. The boys, well, they can take tongue-lashing," the President quipped. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! President Duterte has shut down the speculations that he went to Hong Kong for medical purposes. Recently, Senator Antonio Trillanes accused the President of going to Hong Kong to undergo a medical check-up or transfer funds or even do both. KAMI reported in October 2018 that President Duterte went to Hong Kong as well with Kitty and Honeylet. Former aide Bong Go said that the family trip was for the President to rest and unwind. However, many netizens criticized the Presidents trip amid the economic woes going on in the Philippines during that time. POPULAR: Read more news about President Rodrigo Duterte! Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Our HumanMeter team attended a special screening of Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil's new movie "Alone /Together"! There, we were able to conduct a super edition of tricky questions. The people's responses were super hilarious as well on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph Ress-Engelhorn Museen A few days ago the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) released the full text of its recent judgment concerning protection of digitized versions of public domain images. The IPKat is delighted to host, in two posts, the analysis provided by Tobias Lutzi here (Research Fellow at the University of Cologne) ] , and John Weitzmann (General Counsel at Wikimedia Deutschland e. V. in Berlin), respectively. Heres what John writes: " Note: The German Wikimedia Chapter had also been defendant in this case, but was acquitted by the court of first instance, while parallel proceedings against the US-based Wikimedia Foundation as service provider of the Wikimedia Commons platform are still on-going at the High Court of Berlin. The rem case, an unintended sweeping swipe at the Public Domain, rights holders, and fellow judges here From the perspective of the Wikimedia Movement, the most disappointing aspects of the judgment are its treatment of 72 UrhG, putting additional means of control over public domain works in the hands of those cultural heritage institutions, that regard control as an integral part of their public mission. As mentioned by Tobias , it is highly questionable whether publicly funded museums should even consider using injunctions to go after digital copies of public domain works they hold in their collections. If private owners of artworks are involved, there might be an argument for control on behalf of such private interests, in order to get the respective works into museums and before the publics eye in the first place. But to limit the visibility of publicly owned works of art in any way, to leverage related rights in photographic depictions even with public domain works, can hardly be anything but a gross misunderstanding of the role and mission public cultural heritage institutions have. Such institutions must do anything within their power to hold as much of our cultural heritage in the publics awareness, including on the internet, and therefore must not hide or withdraw public domain works from the publics conscious perception. But the present judgment does more. It drives an illogical interpretation of the German Copyright Code further into an argumentative dead end, and puts an interpretative burden back onto courts that the law in question was actually meant to relieve them of. It does so by badly handling a procedural glitch that nobody had seen coming, one that will haunt all future proceedings dealing with photography. An otherwise cautious Federal Court stepping on the legislators statutory contact mine The German Federal Court of Justice is not known for starting revolutions. To the contrary, it is a court of law that tends to stick to the things that always were, to predictability, quasi precedent, and if at all possible sticks to the lawmakers intentions as understood in the most conservative way. In the now decided Reiss Engelhorn case (or rem case), however, they unearthed an explosive charge buried in the German Copyright Code. This contact mine has the form of a statutory norm that was intended to quench the flames of dispute over what is art in photography and what isnt. Thanks to the Federal Court of Justice, the same statutory norm will from now on do the opposite and fuel the flames of that difficult question immensely for all German courts that will in the future have before them rights in photography. In all this, the judgment in the rem case almost tragically brings to bear the fundamental flaw of the hybrid rule that the German legislator produced by legally synching the neighbouring right in photographs, 72 UrhG, to the proper copyright in photographic works, 2 UrhG, in the 1960s. The intention behind this synching was a well-meaning one at the time: Parliament wanted to relieve judges of the close-to-impossible task of discerning non-original photographs from those that are actual works of art. Thus, 72 was amended to let the same rules that apply to photographic works of art simply also apply to non-original photos with the one exception of the protection term, which is shorter for non-original photos, lasting only 50 years after publication, whereas photographic works are protected until 70 years after the death of the photographer. How far-reaching this hybrid nature of the protection of photographs under the German Copyright Code really is, doesn't jump at the reader too much from the text of the judgment, though. It is spelled out explicitly only in para 16 as part of the procedural question, whether the claims of the museum are a single matter in the formal sense, or rather two different ones. Usually, to claim copyright and related rights in the same content would be two separate subject matters. In this verdict, however, the Federal Court of Justice draws on the reasons given when 72 was amended, in order to solve what they call a "special feature" (in German Besonderheit) of combined claims of copyright and related rights in photographs. The court invokes the legislators intention of relieving courts from making the difficult distinction between photographic works and mere non-original photographs. This spelled-out intention, the Court argues, would also prohibit any separation into two subject matters. In this the 1st Senate follows, quite expectedly, one of its previous judgments. One small step for a Federal Court, one giant mess for all disputes to come Bystanders might wonder, how this reasoning would work in a case where the shorter protection term for related rights has already expired while the longer term of copyright hasn't, but in the present case both had not yet expired, thus a classic situation where a court can usually leave a detail untouched. The definition of the subject matters being a procedural necessity, however, the Court couldnt leave it undecided, and drawing on said special feature of 72 UrhG produced by the legislator it decided to procedurally treat both copyright claim and neighbouring rights claim in a photograph as a single subject matter. And that could be it with this mixture of a neighbouring right enhanced with all but one features of copyright proper. Only, it isn't. The decision towards a unified subject matter is the precise instant when the Court stepped on the mine. The explosive nature of this comes from the precluding effect that judgments have on further matters concerning the same procedural subject matter. Once a verdict becomes final, its subject matter cannot be successfully be put on trial again within the same jurisdiction. Now, to treat the two claims brought forward in the rem case as one subject matter means that any future claimant of rights in a photograph will have to instantly decide whether to argue originality instantly or never be able to do it again. To first only sue based on the neighbouring right of 72 UrhG and later bring separate proceedings based on 2 UrhG is no longer an option. And, given the substantial difference in protection term between the two claims, all future claimants of rights in photographs will be well advised to actively argue originality, in order to explicitly get the status of a work in the meaning of 2 UrhG established in their title and benefit from the longer protection term. This in turn means that the opponent will have to counter the originality argument and that the court will need to deal with it and decide whether the photograph is in fact original or not. So here explodes the very charge that 72 UrhG was intended to defuse. Easy solutions backfire, in IP law just as in politics How deeply inscribed the illogical and inconsistent thinking behind the presumably easy solution of mingling neighbouring rights and copyright through 72 really is in German copyright jurisprudence, becomes apparent a bit further down in para 22 of the judgment, but somewhat hidden in reasoning by the previous instance court, reiterated by the Federal Court of Justice: The second instance court, the High Court of Stuttgart had argued that even the meticulous reproduction photos in question (i. e. the ones made by the museum's photographer for a catalogue that had later then been scanned by the defendant and uploaded to the Wikipedia's media archive Wikimedia Commons) were not "mere technical reproductions", but represent ... [22] (...) an independent new fixation into a new work form [and are photographs] initially made with creative intention. [own translation] Now, one does not need to share the infamous fondness of dogmatic detail present in German civil law to find it odd that a second instance court introduces terms like "work" and "creative intention" (in German: Schopfungswillen) when actually speaking about a neighbouring right in photographs. Usually, under German copyright law the term work (Werk) is much more narrowly than in the Anglo-American tradition reserved for works of authorship. That is the very reason de etre of all those neighbouring rights in "non-works" in the first place. Theres a whole universe of arguments about the special bond between the work and its creator, and why that bond is so very special and valuable, even producing unwaivable moral rights. This prompts two questions: Is there still a legally significant difference between a personal intellectual creation (personliche geistige Schopfung) in the meaning of 2 UrhG and a personal intellectual contribution or achievement (personliche geistige Leistung) in the meaning of 72 UrhG, or are they in effect the same? (The difficulty to translate Leistung properly adds to a certain feeling of suspicion) And secondly, can there actually be such a personal intellectual contribution or achievement in a photograph if the subject of the photograph is entirely fixed? It cant be stated enough: The content of reproduction photos is fixed in all thinkable ways. By definition they must as exactly as possible give the same impression as the works they depict, nothing added and nothing taken away. How can those repro photographs be more than "mere technical reproductions" if all the photographer can work with are shutter time, light, aperture and such all of which go beyond technical in nature only if and where they are tools for creative expression? It must be emphasised yet again that any kind of creative expression is forbidden for repro photographers, who in this role strictly have to limit themselves to replicating the visual impression the object reproduced makes on viewers. Either, these photographs do go beyond the limits just mentioned, of reproducing impression, making the photographers influence not necessarily creative in the meaning of 2 UrhG, but at least more than technical and thus eligible for a neighbouring right under 72 UrhG. In that case, the pictures can hardly qualify as exact depictions, meaning that the photographer didn't deliver what was asked. Or, the pictures are indeed limited to getting the technicalities right to carry the exact impression of their object, being repro photographs in the proper sense. In that case, however, they cant qualify as more than technical reproductions very elaborate reproductions, one might add, that require a lot of expertise to make, but still reproductions. Another (happy) Kat in the public domain (by Nathaniel Hone the Elder) Who needs logic if added factors do the trick? So, how can a tech-and-expertise-only reproduction photo still be covered by a neighbouring right that does not cover mere technical reproductions? The apparent contradiction is solved by invoking an additional criterion. The Court itself, turning to legal scholarship, established in 1989 ( I ZR 14/88 ) the notion that only the first-stage exact photographic depiction taken of any subject is legally worthy of a neighbouring right protection, while further photos taken of this first photo are not and are seen as mere reproductions. This so-called "Urbildtheorie" has no explicit foundation in the wording of the German Copyright Code. It is purely a development of the law (in German "Rechtsfortbildung") through judicial deduction and interpretation. The Court reiterates it in para 23 of the judgment: (...) Following this [wording of 72 UrhG], purely technically speaking any procedure is to be considered in which a picture is made by using radiant energy. But the technical process of reproduction alone does not give rise to picture protection. Rather, some basic level of albeit not creative, but still personal intellectual contribution is necessary, which usually is already achieved in simple photographies, however is missing in case of pictures that present themselves as mere reproductions of other pictures, which thus only reproduce (copy) a pre-existing picture as precisely as possible. Picture protection requires that the picture be created originally , meaning as an Urbild. [own translation; especially tricky regarding contribution for Leistung ...] This theory produces the very unintuitive outcome of the present rem case, at least regarding the photos of paintings, later scanned for upload. There are paintings made by artists a long time ago, and exact photographic depictions of those paintings, protected under a neighbouring right because they are taken directly from the public domain works in the museum. However, had those artists of old used photography instead of brush and canvas to express their creativity, equally exact photographic depictions of such works of photography would not be covered by related rights. In other words, an exactly matching photo of a painting is protected, while an equally exactly matching photo of a photographic work is not. The logic here, if you want to call it that, provides the dogmatic basis for reaching a decision, but one that in effect undermines the ending of copyright protection terms as defined by 64 of the German Copyright Code. The depicted works of course remain out-of-copyright works, but all depictions taken directly from them, even the painstakingly exact ones that contain the entire artistic essence and nothing else, are rights protected for decades. The Federal Court of Justice refers to the legislative materials again when explaining this in paras 26 and 27. Indeed, the lawmaker in the 1960s intended also [26] (...) a purely technical contribution [of a photographer to suffice as basis for an exclusive neighbouring right under 72 UrhG] even if it doesn't require special skills. [own translation] But that part of the legislative materials did not relate to reproduction photos. And the notion of mere technical reproductions being exempt from rights protection is an empty one if any technical contribution by a person leads to photographic rights. The court was asked by the defendant to teleologically reduce 72 UrhG accordingly, which means to limit the effect of the statutory rule to what was actually intended by the lawmaker, following the legislative materials. It was unlikely, though, that the court would do this, as it is seen as something like a measure of last resort. The teleological reduction being so unlikely, the defendant argued in the oral hearing that the photographer must at least be able to make a decision on the subject her photo shows, for neighbouring rights protection to be justified. This central subject decision is one that is by definition not possible with reproduction photos. Instead of a reduction, this would have required a classic interpretation of the term photography in the meaning of 72 UrhG, just as the interpretation leading to the notion that mere technical (though photographic) reproductions are not covered by it. But the court wasnt prepared to follow this argument either. A blow for the digital Public Domain and the return of the originality question All in all, the judgment is perpetuates and deepens the inner contradictions of the "Urbildtheorie", maximises the effect of contractual interdictions in house rules against taking pictures in museums, ignores the European dimensions of harmonised protection terms, and severely hurts the visual public domain in the digital era. And it puts the decision between un-original and original back on the agenda of future disputes around photographs, which is most probably an unintended outcome. - Kara Mia and Ang Probinsyano had their first clash on television yesterday - The ratings showed which teleserye got the most number of viewers - This also ended the speculations that Kara Mia can match the ABS-CBN show PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed A television audience measurement firm in the Philippines finally released the ratings of Kara Mia and Ang Probinsyano on their first clash. KAMI learned that the Kapuso network decided to pit its new teleserye starring Barbie Forteza and Mika Dela Cruz against the top-rating series of ABS-CBN. Kara Mia aired its pilot episode on February 18, marking its first official clash with Ang Probinsyano on national television. Even before the new show premiered, some netizens already speculated that it will match or even surpass the ratings of the Coco Martin-led series in ABS-CBN. However, in the data released by Kantar Media, Ang Probinsyano still emerged as the top-rating show with 41% rating. On the other hand, the bizarre drama series of the rival network only accumulated 17.9% on its pilot episode. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! In a previous article by , Mika Dela Cruz aired her honest thought about her new show being pitted against Ang Probinsyano. Kara Mia is a GMA-7 drama series that replaced Cain At Abel on its timeslot. Its original title was Ang Dalawang Mukha ni Guadalupe and it is the counterpart show of Ang Probinsyano that has been dominating the primetime bloc since 2015. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! We were exclusively invited to the event dedicated to Alone/Together starring Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil. And of course we had some tricky and trivia questions to the guests. on HumanMeter! Source: Kami.com.ph - President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law a measure that can make qualified subscribers keep their mobile phone numbers for good - The mobile phone numbers will be made portable that can be kept even if the subscriber will change the carrier - The law also stated that the process should be free of charge and must not take more than 48 hours PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed President Rodrigo Duterte has recently signed into law a proposed measure seeking to allow qualified subscribers to keep their phone numbers. KAMI learned that with the new law, phone numbers will be made portable for free. However, it has not been clarified yet who are the qualified subscribers, as stated in a report by CNN Philippines. According to a report by Inquirer, the Mobile Number Portability Act authorizes the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to implement the guidelines about the newly signed law. NTC is also given the power to award up to P40,000 per subscriber for the damages. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! Under the act, the telco companies must allow their subscribers to keep their numbers even though they will be changing service providers or subscription plans. The process must be free of charge and must not take more than 48 hours. In a report by ABS-CBN News, the law also stated that telco companies who will refuse to comply might face up to P1 million worth of fine and revocation of the firms franchise to operate. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Our HumanMeter team attended a special screening of Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil's new movie "Alone /Together"! There, we were able to conduct a super edition of tricky questions. The people's responses were super hilarious as well on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph - A 28-year-old mother died after being shot right outside the gate of her son's school - She is on her way home after bringing her son safely to school - CCTV footage showed a woman sitting in the front seat of the getaway car PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed! A 28-year-old mother lost her life after getting shot several times right outside the gate of the school of her son in Imus, Cavite. KAMI learned that the victim, Liezel Cook, has just brought her son to school and was already about to leave the premises of her son's school. It was then that she was gunned down by an unknown assailant using a .9mm. Albeit she was brought to the hospital, the doctors were not able to save her anymore. The mother of Leizel was in tears as she appealed to the person who did it to have a conscience. Their bill at the hospital has reached P300K and the hospital wouldn't even issue a death certificate until the bill is paid. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! Leizel was a single mom and has left two children without a mother to look after them. According to TV Patrol's report, the police is looking at the angle of "love triangle" considering that a woman was sitting in the front seat of the getaway car. The image was captured by CCTV. Witnesses also saw that the gunman was simply walking away after shooting the victim and he even put something inside his pocket. May authorities find the assailant and give justice to Leizel and her family. Tricky questions: testing boys and girls of the Philippines for knowing some historical information. Who is smarter: boys or girls? Find out in the video! Source: Kami.com.ph The two public defender items included raising the private bar rate, and pay progression for our staff attorneys are of extreme importance to our justice system, Thompson said. Increasing the private bar rate, providing pay progression and making all of these other important investments a stated priority will enable all of us in the criminal justice system to work together to protect Wisconsins communities and guarantee the constitutional rights of individuals. Raises for prosecutors, public defenders and private bar attorneys are long overdue, Hanson said. Turnover due to inadequate pay has been a problem for state-employed attorneys, ADAs and staff public defenders for many years. Critical to an effective criminal justice system for all is experienced attorneys on both sides to identify issues and see cases to their conclusion, Hanson continued. Other reforms requested Other reform components include additional funding for Treatment Alternatives and Diversion programs for offenders suffering from alcohol and drug issues. The group has invited candidates for local office to speak and has encouraged other residents to do research on the issues affecting the community. You dont want to just believe what a candidate says, you want to look at their record, Yelton-Stanley said. Anybody can say anything but you need to check out to see if their efforts, if their actions match their words. Yelton-Stanley said the weekly event has created a feeling of camaraderie with the group which helps them keep their streak alive during harsh weather. Were extending our activism, Yelton-Stanley said. We feel like were having a big ripple effect with each other. Staying visible As the group continues to add different political activities to its agenda, the cornerstone of the participants motivation are the protests on Mondays. We realized we were bringing forth awareness, Yelton-Stanley said. Weve gotten in good conversations with people on both sides of the aisle. And I think thats really important. RACINE Scotty Martin, one of the candidates on Tuesdays primary ballot for Racines 1st District alderman, told The Journal Times on Monday that he is no longer interested in the position. Martin, whom The Journal Times was previously unable to contact, said he filed for the position but has since changed his mind. The other two candidates vying for the 1st District aldermanic seat in Tuesdays primary are incumbent Jeff Coe and challenger Susan Wagner. The two top finishers in the primary advance to the April 2 general election. City Clerk Tara McMenamin said that once a candidate has filed their paperwork, they cannot be removed from the ballot unless they die. If Martin places either first or second in Tuesdays primary, McMenamin said she would consult with the Wisconsin Election Commission on how to handle the situation. According to the Wisconsin Election Commissions website: The candidate can make a statement to notice the electors that (he/she) no longer wishes to seek the office by election, but (his/her) name will appear on the ballot. Should the candidate win the election, (he/she) may decline to hold the office. RACINE Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin celebrated the installation of a 19.8-kilowatt solar array at the SC Johnson Community Center with a special ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 6. Contributing partners RENEW Wisconsin, Walden High School and installer Arch Electric also shared in the celebration. Plymouth-based Arch Electric installed nearly 60 solar panels atop the Veterans Community Center in October. This building gives veterans access to a full-sized kitchen with food pantry, a laundry room, restrooms with showering facilities and a recreation area where the residents can socialize. In addition to providing the Community Center with electricity, the solar array also powers the 15 tiny homes at the Veterans Village. These tiny homes provide the veterans with a television, a small storage space and their own beds. Veterans Outreach worked with multiple partners to complete the project, including Walden Middle and High School, a school that focuses on the environment and sustainability. The Walden High School students raised more than $9,000 for the solar project. The students also held an online auction which contributed an additional $20,000 to the Veterans fundraising efforts. SOMERS The University of WisconsinParkside is now offering a bachelor of science in business administration degree in the self-paced, competency-based UW Flexible Option format. Applications are being accepted and students may begin coursework at the beginning of any month. UW-Parkside is excited to offer the business administration degree in the UW Flexible Option format, as we continue to expand our partnership with UW Extended Campus, said UW-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Ford. Offering the bachelor of science in business administration in the UW Flexible Option format allows more individuals to earn a degree employers value while balancing their commitments at work and with family. The UW Flexible Option BSBA is accredited both by the Higher Learning Commission and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. AACSB is the leading business program accrediting body. In UW-Parksides UW Flexible Option business administration degree, working adults earn their degree by demonstrating mastery in essential business skills: accounting, finance, human resources, operations, sales and marketing, project management, supply chain management, information systems and other high-demand business areas. SOMERS The University of Wisconsin-Parksides Black Student Union is scheduled to host the second annual Essence Ball: Black Carpet Edition from 6-11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, in the UW-Parkside Student Center Ballroom. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The annual Essence Ball is a celebration of black history. The goal of this years event is to create meaningful partnerships with businesses in the community, facilitate networking between students and alumni, and to recognize black excellence in education. The focus of our second annual Essence Ball is African American progress in education, said Tabitha Echols, BSU president. With the celebration of the universitys 50th anniversary, BSU wants to highlight the many notable contributions to UW-Parksides success made by African-American students through the years. We truly appreciate the Mary Lou and Arthur F. Mahone Fund for supporting us and we also want to recognize Shebaniah Muhammad for his leadership and for speaking at this years Essence Ball. Muhammad is executive director at 21st Century Preparatory School in Racine. Reiss-Engelhorn Museen here] , respectively. A few days ago the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) released the full text of its recent judgment concerning protection of digitized versions of public domain images. The IPKat is delighted to host, in two posts, the analysis provided by Tobias Lutzi (Research Fellow at the University of Cologne) and John Weitzmann (General Counsel at Wikimedia Deutschland e. V. in Berlin), respectively. Heres what Tobias writes: " The German Federal Court Strengthens the Legal Position of Museums Displaying Works in the Public Domain or does it? The German Federal Court of Justice recently published the full version of its highly-anticipated decision on the publication of photographs of paintings held by a group of German museums on Wikimedia Commons . The case had raised several unresolved questions of German copyright law with regard to works in the public domain. The courts of first and second instance had given favourable decisions to the claimant group of museums. The Federal Courts judgment confirms these decisions and seems to strengthen the legal position of the owners of paintings in the public domain. But as it refuses to address the most controversial aspect of the decision in appeal, the decision seems to leave the door wide open for future reconsideration of the latter. The facts of the case The case involved the (online) publication of 37 digital copies of paintings that are owned by rem (Reiss-Engelhorn Museen), a partly publicly-funded group of museums in the German city of Mannheim; the copyright of the paintings has expired in accordance with 64 of the German Act on Copyright and Related Rights (UrhG) . 17 of the copies were scans of photographs that had been taken by a professional photographer employed by the claimant; the other 20 were photos that the defendant had taken himself while visiting one of the museums. The claimant group of museums, rem, had sought an injunction requiring the defendant to take down the files, arguing (a) that the photographs he had scanned enjoyed special protection under German law and (b) that the photographs he had taken himself were violating their rights in rem (no pun intended). After the claimant had won in first and second instance, the defendant with the support of the German Wikimedia chapter, who were defending parallel proceedings in Berlin, which they had won in the second instance appealed to the Federal Court. The photographers right to prevent the reproduction of their photographs of public-domain paintings The defendant put forward two arguments for why he was allowed to scan the photographs that had been commissioned by the claimant. First, he argued that the photos were merely replicating the paintings and thus missed the threshold of 72 UrhG , which creates a neighbouring right for photographs. Second, he claimed that the provision did not apply to photographs the copyright of which has expired because the owners of paintings that have fallen into the public domain would otherwise be able to continue their exclusive exploitation via photographic reproductions. The Federal Court was not convinced by either of these arguments. With regard to the threshold of 72 UrhG, it confirmed the lower courts decision according to which even the mere replication of a painting requires a significant amount of effort, which the provision aims to protect: [26] Taking a photograph of an (even two-dimensional) work requires [] decisions of the photographer as to several artistic factors, including position, distance, angle, lighting, and framing []. The fact [] that the photographer takes these decisions according to technical considerations and aims for an exact replication of the original does not deny the existence of a personal intellectual contribution. [own translation] The Court held that the corresponding protection under 72 UrhG also covers photographs of paintings that are no longer protected by copyright. [30] The protection of photographs under 72 UrhG does not prevent the general public from accessing the work in the public domain [that has been photographed] because it only prohibits the reproduction of the photographs themselves []. [own translation] here, is right to point out that the case law of the Federal Court does not require a particularly high amount of either labour or expertise, the photographic recreation of a painting seems to require both. Thus, even though it is indeed a purely technical activity, it seems to fall squarely into the scope of this provision. This author finds it difficult to disagree with the Federal Court of Justice on this point. 72 UrhG creates a neighbouring right precisely to protect the significant amount of labour and expertise that may go into the creation of a photograph, where said photograph fails to meet the threshold of an intellectual creation under 2(2) UrhG . While John, in his contribution, is right to point out that the case law of the Federal Court does not require a particularly high amount of either labour or expertise, the photographic recreation of a painting seems to require both. Thus, even though it is indeed a purely technical activity, it seems to fall squarely into the scope of this provision. One may regret the unfortunate consequence that this allows the owner of a work which is no longer protected by copyright to continue to exploit it by creating a (protected) photographic copy while simultaneously restricting access to the (unprotected) original. But it seems to be a consequence that the German legislator was willing to accept when they created the sui generis right for photographs. Whether a publicly funded museum should exploit this possibility is, of course, a different question entirely. Kat in the public domain ( Sophia Dumergue and her cat by Johann Zoffany) The owners right to prevent the taking of photographs of public-domain paintings Arguably the stronger reason for the Federal Courts decision to be anticipated by German scholars was its take on the photographs that had been taken by the defendant himself. The decision promised to shed a new light on a well-known controversy involving two senates of the Federal Court. While the Fifth Senate had held, in its two infamous Sanssouci decisions from 2011 and 2013 ( V ZR 45/10 and V ZR 14/12 ), that the owner of an immovable object has the right to prevent the exploitation of photographs thereof that could only be taken upon entering the property, the First Senate had, in an earlier decision, implicitly rejected this view ( I ZR 54/87 ). This latter position is shared almost unanimously in German scholarship, which rightly emphasises that the question whether the owner of an object can prevent others from publishing an image thereof is a question of copyright, not property law and, accordingly, must be subject to its limitations. The present decision seemed to provide a welcome opportunity for the First Senate to address the Fifth Senates jurisprudence and discuss the serious academic concerns over it, as the Court was asked to extend said jurisprudence to movable objects. Surprisingly, it refused to take this opportunity. Instead, the Court held that by taking and uploading the pictures, the defendant had violated his contract with the museum; he consequently owed damages to the claimant, which would take the form of removing the pictures he had uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. While one may question whether in interpreting the contract between the claimant and the museum, the court has struck the right balance between the economic interests of the museum and the publics interest in having access to works in the public domain, the much more interesting question is this: What happens if someone who is not bound by the visitor contract uploads photographs of the paintings? Would the visitor who took the photographs have to compensate the museum for the resulting damage (provided that they can be identified)? And more importantly, would the museum have any remedy against the uploader? The answer to the second question, it seems, goes straight back to the question of whether the owner of a painting has a property right that allows them to prevent others from sharing an image of the object. As several of the photographs in question have indeed already been re-uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by other users, the Federal Court of Justice may soon get a second chance to answer it. Still, with regard to its property-right dimension, the Federal Courts decision is as unsatisfying for academics as it is for those taking photographs in museums who now face serious liability risks and for the claimant group of museums itself which, instead of being confirmed in its assertion of a widely interpreted property right, have, for now, been relegated to a contractual right vis-a-vis their visitors. Ultimately, they may have scored nothing more than a pyrrhic victory." MOUNT PLEASANT After being asked to turn down his classic-rock music, a Mount Pleasant man allegedly threatened his roommate with a handgun just before 3 a.m. Saturday. The man, 25-year-old Nicholas S. Gunderson of the 2700 block of North Fancher Road, has been charged with multiple crimes connected to threatening his roommate, possessing firearms while intoxicated and drug possession. According to a criminal complaint: Gundersons roommate told police that he confronted Gunderson at about 3 a.m. Saturday while Gunderson was drinking quite a bit of moonshine and listening to Tom Petty loudly, according to the Mount Pleasant Police Department. When the roommate confronted Gunderson, the suspect allegedly grabbed his Springfield XD .45-caliber handgun and pointed it at his roommate and his roommates girlfriend. The roommate and his girlfriend then left the residence and called 911, police said. Officers reportedly responded to the apartment at about 4 a.m. and contacted Gunderson via phone, convincing him to leave the residence almost an hour later. RACINE After more than three decades of serving primarily Italian food and pizza, the owners of Buona Vita Pizzeria Restaurant have decided to create some family time for themselves and have closed the business. Sunday was the last day for Buona Vita, the former mainstay business at Elmwood Plaza, 3701 Durand Ave., and for co-owners Achille and Michele Cortese. It is with joy and sadness we decided it is time to slow down, the Corteses wrote on their Buona Vita Facebook page. Even as a boy growing up in the small town of Cotronei in Calabria, Italy, Achille Cortese had ambition to succeed. Michele said he came to the United States in 1970 to pursue the American dream, traveling with his father who did not stay and turned 16 while at the Port of New York and New Jersey. Achille went to live with an uncle in Kenosha. Four years later, Michele said, she met Achille at the former Ricchios Restaurant where she was a waitress while in high school. He would buy the restaurant and become her boss. They got engaged in 1978 and married in 1981. What is an emergency the president says he did not have to declare? An emergency he said was an emergency because he wanted his wall faster. The majority of America does not believe a border wall will stop drugs or illegal immigration. I dont recall pictures of all those immigrants carrying drugs and guns as they swim rivers and climb walls. Facts and history confirm that. Perhaps not the propaganda and fear-mongering that get ratings and money from pitting Americas against each other. The Cato Institute, a libertarian political institution, published an opinion piece in 2017 that noted: The reason President Trumps wall would be a mammoth expenditure (is) that (it) would have little impact on illegal immigration. But perhaps thats not the point. The campaigns goal was to plant an image in voters minds of what making America great again would look like. The presidents goal may now be to create a symbol, an illustration of a nationalism that says to the world that although people of all kinds may want to come here, America was created by and for Americans. Trump is using a declaration of an emergency for his campaign, pure and simple. He is not getting his way with votes. Imagine the coming declarations if he succeeds. MACY The maintenance head of Omaha Nation Public Schools was arrested Feb. 8 after authorities said he brought firearms onto school property. Gregory Edwin Schoenfelder, 52, was arrested and charged in Thurston County with four felony counts: two counts of first-degree possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm on school grounds. Bond was set at $100,000. On Feb. 4, a Thurston County Sheriff's deputy was informed by Omaha Tribal Police that Schoenfelder, a convicted felon, showed two AR-style hunting rifles to tribal officers while on school grounds. On Feb. 8, two deputies found Schoenfelder at a school district residence for teachers. Inside his residence, Schoenfelder showed the deputies five rifles, along with boxes of ammunition and rifle magazines, according to court records. Deputies located a total of seven firearms in his residence. Schoenfelder was convicted of felony theft by embezzlement in South Dakota in 2001. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A person died in a house fire early Sunday in Vesta, an unincorporated town 8 miles west of Tecumseh, according to the Johnson County Attorney's Office. Deputy County Attorney Benjamin Beethe said the name of the person killed is being withheld pending positive identification. He said the Tecumseh Fire Department was sent to a house fire in Vesta at 5:18 a.m. Sunday and other fire departments responded. But the building was a total loss. Beethe said the person who died appears to have lived there. No other injuries were reported. He said Nebraska State Fire Marshal's investigators responded and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Beethe said they are being assisted by the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and County Attorney's Office. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. Haney interviewed several dozen prisoners at multiple facilities, some who spent months, even years, in restricted housing and who described enforced idleness and inactivity, oppressive security and surveillance and starkly deprived conditions that can create cognitive, emotional and behavioral impairments. Those damages can be permanent and life-threatening, he said. * Dentist Jay D. Shulman reported allegations of inadequate policies, procedures and staffing in the dental department that result in consistently inadequate care. There is a one-year quarantine during which prisoners are not eligible to receive treatment for dental disease until the conditions cause pain. There is a two-year restriction from receiving dentures, even for those who have pain and discomfort in chewing. An available waiver process is "highly problematic," he said, because the basis for approving such a waiver is not stated. * Eldon Vail, formerly with the Washington State Department of Corrections, described the "two-headed monster" of overcrowding and understaffing that leads to over-reliance on solitary confinement. In spite of a stated reform of restricted housing policies, the practice has increased rather than decreased, he said. "This is absolutely wrong for the probation office to recommend no jail time for a person who stole from a charity over an extended period of time after developing a position of trust with that charity," he said. Russell said Rosenblatt stole a large amount of money in order to fund her own business and lifestyle and has made no attempt to pay restitution. The court has recognized those individuals deserve to go to jail, he said, arguing for the 15-month prison sentence suggested under federal guidelines. He said such a sentence would send a message of deterrence to Rosenblatt and others "that you cannot steal from the people who have entrusted you with ... money." Rosenblatt said in Judaism there's a phrase tikkun olam, which means repair the world. "Though I strive to leave the world better than when I came into it, my actions have created more brokenness. My choices have hurt a lot of people," she said. She said she betrayed the trust of the Jewish community, but she's ready to begin the journey of reconciliation and restitution. Woods said Beringer was placed in a 13-passenger van with 10 other detainees and two deportation officers. But she disputed Beringer's claim that they waited in hot vans without air conditioning as agents spent about an hour at a Dairy Queen. Woods said one of the officers went inside to order food while the other stayed in the van, with the air conditioner on, and they left after about 10 minutes. Woods said at about 2:40 p.m. Beringer got to the makeshift detention facility in Grand Island, where he was taken immediately to the processing area. Berry said that day he called Woods to say Elkhorn River Farms had hired Berry Law Firm to represent Beringer, but an ICE agent wouldn't allow attorney Justin Kalemkiarian to meet with him when he got to Grand Island. He alleged that Beringer was being interviewed at the time, that the agent said he didn't have a right to counsel until the following day and Woods agreed. In her brief, Woods disputed the claim, saying Berry left her a voicemail at about 3:20 p.m. that his firm was going to be representing one of the managers, but he didn't say Beringer's name. She said Beringer's interview started at about 6 p.m. and had ended by 9 p.m., when Kalemkiarian arrived. It's the Spartans, Purdue, Michigan and everyone else right now in the race for the top of the league. Michigan State gets the No. 1 nod for now thanks to three straight wins. But with star forward Nick Ward out for the foreseeable future with a hairline fracture in his left (shooting) hand, things are looking a little dicey in East Lansing. A trio of Omaha senators led the opposition to the bill as debate began Tuesday. Sen. Ernie Chambers said the 1949 Americanism statutes did not recognize nor embrace the experience of black Americans, while they mandated celebration of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and others who owned slaves. Sen. Justin Wayne asked if the bill could ultimately suppress students who voice dissent to ideas shared in class, pointing to the recent arrest of an 11-year-old in Florida who refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance in class. "It seems that when we add language that almost compels the way a school acts, then we're compelling what they say," Wayne said, "and the freedom to have conversation might not exist." And Sen. Megan Hunt said the bill's language echoed the education requirements for children living in dictatorships such as Syria. "I'm very patriotic, everyone on my team is very patriotic, I think all of us here are very patriotic," she said. "But we came to that on our own through our own process and we have to let kids do that and not legislate what patriotism is to them." Although the Education Committee's changes to LB399, which has 21 co-sponsors, did not come to a vote Tuesday, the Legislature passed two floor amendments. 1. Comments must not be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted. 2. Comments must not involve little more than name-calling and insulting remarks. 3. Comments must not be made by "anonymous" or "unknown". 4. Comments must not try to sneak in some free advertising for themselves (like spam). I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published. Yes, Simon's Cat is between the covers again The new book is called Simon's Cat vs the World and you can win your own copy, acco... Following a series of appeals by aggrieved start-ups and investors, Suresh Prabhu, minister for Commerce & Industry, has cleared proposals for easing the requirements for angel tax exemption. Among the major changes announced in the gazette notification is a new expanded definition of start-ups, easing rules for investors and a one-time submission of documents by start-ups in order to avail of exemption from angel tax. The move comes after hundreds of start-ups, hounded by angel tax orders, had appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 January to scrap the tax, stating that the distress in the ecosystem caused by the levy could derail the entire Start-up India movement. However, the demand from the start-up community to do away with the tax altogether had been declined by ministry officials. The reason cited was shell companies using start-ups to park black money. All start-ups registered and recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will be eligible for this exemption. Angel Tax, at the heart of the discontent and distress among start-ups, under Section 56(2) (vii)(b) of the Income Tax (I-T) Act, taxes as income any investments made by an Indian entity in an unlisted Indian company above fair market value. Entrepreneurs and investors consider angel tax an outrageous levy which places the power to value start-ups in the hands of inspectors whose evaluation methods are at odds with the start-up ecosystem. Also Read: Suresh Prabhu Assures Startups Of Taking Up Angel Tax Issue Start-Up Gets a New Definition The gazette notification, which comes into effect from Tuesday, supersedes the one issued on 11 April 2018. An entity shall now be considered a start-up if: Upto a period of ten years from the date of incorporation/registration, it is incorporated as a private limited company or a limited liability partnership in India. Turnover of the entity for any of the financial years since incorporation/ registration has not exceeded one hundred crore rupees. Entity is working towards innovation, development or improvement of products or processes or services, or if it is a scalable business model with a high potential of employment generation or wealth creation. According to the notification, to be eligible for exemption, a start-up must satisfy the following conditions: Story continues It has been recognised by DPIIT Aggregate amount of paid up share capital and share premium of the start-up after issue of share does not exceed twenty five crore rupees: The start-up shall file a signed declaration to DIPP that it fulfills the above conditions. The DPIIT will forward the same to the CBDT. The exemption, however, relates only to section 56 of the Income tax Act. Start-ups had also requested for easing of provisions under section 68 which deals with cash credits which had not been granted. A recent case of start-up Travelkhanas bank accounts being frozen and its balance of Rs 34 lakh taken out by income tax officials falls under section 68 of the IT Act. Also Read: How Do We Survive Now?: Start-Up Whose Account Was Wiped to Rs 0 What Led to The Easing of Angel Tax Exemptions ? On 4 February, about 40 start-up founders and investors had met officials from the DPIIT and the Central Board of Direct Taxes to voice their grievances. On the same day, a survey published by Indian Venture Capital Association and LocalCircles revealed that among 2,500 start-ups that responded, 73 percent admitted to having received at least one angel tax order after raising an angel investment. After the meeting on 4 February, a core-group of start-up representatives had met with DPIIT and CBDT officials and submitted a list of recommendations on behalf of the start-up sector. CBDT and DIPP have accepted our recommendations as is for resolving Section 56(2)viib which is very heartening to see, said Sachin Taparia, Founder of LocalCircles, who was a part of the core team that had submitted the recommendations. "This eliminates a major obstacle for Indian start-ups and if implemented right, could give a significant boost to the Indian start-up ecosystem as individuals with tax paid income as well as corporates will be able to easily participate in start-up investments." - Sachin Taparia, Founder of LocalCirclesWhy Were Start-Ups Angry ? A desperate plea by 68 startups in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 January not only illustrated the distress caused by angel tax, but also served as an indictment of the governments various start-up initiatives. "Start-ups are in distress and many feel victimised mainly due to the subjectivity, cost and arbitrariness involved in the implementation of this anti-evasionary measure which treats every assessee as guilty until proven innocent." - Excerpt from the letter to PMO signed by 68 start-ups Hundreds of start-ups that raised angel funding in AY2015-16 and 2016-17 have received notices from the Income Tax department. The notices question the high share premium at which the shares have been allocated during the funding. The mismatch between how investors evaluate a start-up and how the Assessing Officer (AO) does so lies at the heart of the unrest and distress within the community. The tax inspectors only understand the asset-based evaluation of companies, whereas what should be followed is the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method, which takes into account future growth prospects. This is much more accurate for asset-light technology start-ups. Sreejith Moolayil, founder of health snack start-up, TrueElements had told The Quint. Also Read: Dear PM Modi, Do Away With the Tax Terrorism of the Angel Tax . Read more on India by The Quint.RSS & BJPs Nehru-Netaji Cosplay: Irony Dies a Thousand DeathsDrug addiction helps anti-national forces: Modi . Read more on India by The Quint. Students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) ended their six-day-old agitation in Aligarh to protest against the booking of 14 students under sedition charges, after a meeting between varsity administration, district officials and leaders of the students' union. The dharna ended midnight on Monday, 18 February, after the agitating students were assured by the district authorities that no vindictive action would be taken against any student in the meeting that took place at the residence of AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor. Fourteen AMU students, including their union chief, were booked under sedition charges after violence broke out between two student groups on the campus on February 12 over reports of a planned visit by AIMIM lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi. The protest intensified on Monday after the arrest of a student from the university campus on Sunday night. AMU spokesman Professor Shafey Qidwai said, "The protesting students have agreed to end their dharna after the district authorities gave an assurance that no vindictive action will be taken against any student and justice will be meted out after carefully scrutinising all allegations as per the law." Qidwai said that the campus atmosphere was expected to "rapidly normalise". District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh told reporters, "We have given an assurance that no innocent student would be harassed. Further action including arrest of those named in the FIRs would only be taken after a thorough inquiry." Leaders of the AMU students union, while addressing the protestors on Monday afternoon gave a call for a jail bharo andolan urging the students to court arrest in protest against the manner in which AMU students had been unfairly booked under stringent sections including sedition. President of AMU students union Salman Imtiaz told reporters, "We have written to the President, who is also the university's Visitor asking him to intervene in this grave crisis." Story continues "We are anguished over the fact that whereas fourteen of our students were charged with sedition our FIRs were not even registered," he added. The AMU Vice Chancellor welcomed the students' decision to call off the agitation and urged them to restore the peaceful atmosphere on the campus as the country was passing through a "difficult phase" following the threat to its national security which "stems from the despicable terrorist attack in Pulwama". In an open letter to the student community and their parents, Mansoor wrote, "The AMU has always stood with the nation in its darkest hours and we will continue to do so... Students should display exemplary behavior at this critical juncture." "Let us be ready to pay our debt to the nation in blood," he said in the letter, being sent to every hostel room in the university and the parents of all students. . Read more on India by The Quint.RSS & BJPs Nehru-Netaji Cosplay: Irony Dies a Thousand DeathsPriyanka Gandhi Cancels Media Briefing in Wake of Pulwama Attack . Read more on India by The Quint. Swarajya Addressing a press conference, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General (DG) Dr Balram Bhargava said that the Serum Institute of India's Covishield and indigenously developed Covaxin works against variants of SARS-CoV-2 like Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. Also, he informed that in a first-ever study, India would come up with its findings on how effective the vaccines are against Delta Plus. Delta Plus has recently been cultured, and it is being examined whether the vaccines are effective against this variant. Members of the Parents Estate Planning Law Firm are (seated, l-r): Amanda Mulhall (Associate), David (Founder/Owner) and Paula Feakes (Marketing Director); (standing, l-r): Meghan Beaulieu (Marketing and Community Outreach Coordinator), Jessica Guarino (Funding Coordinator) and Lori Darling (Office Manager and Client Services Coordinator). Ichabod explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, with an emphasis on UOJ, Church Growth, and Emergent Church heresies. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the mainline denominations. IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them. They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country. However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia. "Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination. Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia. They should be lovingly helped. Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948. To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts: While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 : Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell. The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites. A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught. The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers. Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites." Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers. There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks. This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work. It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter. In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam. In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir. " The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life." An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir . In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance). Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed). Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance). Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam. It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way. A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah. Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs). Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life". Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology. Islam is a supremacist ideology. Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism. Islam is a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life. It has a say about every conceivable human act . Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic. Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111). A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44) Muhammad himself said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30) Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad. 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It may have travelled from a local reservoir to your tap, while bottled water can come from springs in another country entirely. But new research suggests the water we drink and depend upon to sustain life here on Earth may have its origins in a far more distant place outer space. New analysis of moon rock fragments brought back by Apollo astronauts in the 1960s and 1970s suggests much of the water on our planet was carried here by asteroids and comets that collided with the Earth shortly after it formed 4.54 billion years ago. The research, which uses modern techniques to look at the composition of chemical traces in the rocks, is also providing new evidence to support theories about how the Moon itself formed and how the traces of water found on its surface got there. The moon is like a time capsule, said Professor Frederic Moynier, a cosmochemist at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, in France. Its rocks are far older than anything we can find here on Earth, so they hold a lot of valuable information. Unchanged Volcanic activity and the continuous movement of tectonic plates have destroyed all of the oldest rocks here on Earth. The oldest to be found here, found in a few locations like Greenland, are just 3.8 billion years old. The moons rocks, however, have remained largely unchanged since it formed 4.51 billion years ago. Hidden inside the minerals in the rocks are tiny quantities of chemicals such as zinc, potassium, copper, chromium and even water, which was also found to exist in small frozen deposits in meteorite impact craters on the lunar surface last year. These chemicals are known as volatiles due to their relatively low boiling points, which means they can evaporate from a planets or a moons surface. By looking at the relative amounts of different isotopes of these volatiles in lunar rocks, scientists like Prof. Moynier have pieced together information about the moons early history and compare this to what we find here on Earth. The moon is like a time capsule. Professor Frederic Moynier, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, France These isotopes ratios act like a fingerprint that can be used to match the source of the materials found on Earth and the moon. Dr Mahesh Anand, a reader in planetary science at The Open University in the UK and leader of a project called RESOLVE, has been using sophisticated spectroscopy techniques to study the volatile isotopes trapped inside crystals of a mineral called apatite in rocks brought back by the Apollo missions. He and his colleagues have then compared these to the isotopic compositions of volatiles here on Earth, along with those found on asteroids and comets, which have been obtained from meteorites found on Earth and interplanetary space missions to visit comets, such as the European Space Agencys recent Rosetta mission. Water Three years ago, Dr Anand was part of a study which proposed 80-90% of the water on Earth and the moon came from an asteroid-like source. Less than 10% came from a comet-like source, he said. Last year, he and his team published further findings based on high precision analysis of the oxygen isotopes found in rocks on the Earth and moon. They found only tiny differences between the isotopic properties on the two bodies. If the water had arrived after the moon had formed, the two would have had very different isotopic fingerprints, said Dr Anand. It suggests that the Earth and the moon received water together at the same time. This points to a tantalising scenario for a small body like the moon to have obtained the same isotopic composition suggests they may have been part of the same planet. It supports theories that a Mars-sized protoplanet called Theia crashed into Earth a little over 4.54 billion years ago, throwing out a shower or vapour and debris, which condensed to form our moon. If the Earth and moon formed in this giant impact after water had already arrived, as the findings by Dr Anand and other teams now suggest, the moon should have received a share of that water. Minute quantities of oxygen and hydrogen trapped inside rocks beneath the surface suggest there was once more water on the moon than there is now. Recent unmanned missions to the moon have discovered a few remnants of water ice trapped in sheltered craters around the poles, but much of the moons surface is now dry. So where did the moon's water go? This is where Prof. Moyniers work comes in. He is leading a project called PRISTINE that aims to measure the isotopic levels of volatiles in lunar rock to learn what happened to the water on the moon. The difference between the isotopes is weight as the atoms have different numbers of neutrons in the nucleus, said Prof. Moynier. When you heat up volatiles like zinc, potassium and water, the isotopes behave in different ways. The lighter ones will turn to vapour more readily while the heavier ones will remain behind in the residue. Proxies By looking at the ratio of heavy isotopes to light ones in more than 40 Apollo rock samples, Prof. Moynier and his team have pieced together some of the history of water and other volatiles on the moon. They have focused on solid volatiles like zinc and potassium because there are relatively higher concentrations of them in lunar rocks than water. Water is so volatile that there is very little of it in lunar rocks, which makes it hard to detect in the small samples we are dealing with, explained Prof. Moynier. So we can use other volatiles like zinc, potassium and copper as proxies that can tell us something about what happened to the water. Even so, there is 100 times less zinc in lunar rocks than those on Earth. Prof. Moynier and his colleagues found that as well as having far less chromium, zinc and other solid volatiles, the traces from the moon had different isotopic ratios compared to Earth - theirs had far more heavier isotopes. It suggests that the moon got depleted in these volatile elements by evaporation at some point, he said. He believes that rather than being lost in the giant impact that cleaved the moon from the Earth in the first place, it may have lost its water and other volatiles sometime later. It is thought that after the moon began to form following the giant impact, its surface remained molten for several million years. This magma ocean is thought to be what led to the distinctive light and dark areas, or mare, that are visible on the moons surface. As the isotope distribution depends on temperature, we can use it as a thermometer to tell us what happened, said Prof. Moynier. He and his team have used chromium isotopes to calibrate what they were seeing in the lunar samples to temperature. They found the volatiles were not lost at the extremely high temperatures that would be expected in an event like a giant impact, but at lower temperatures of 1,200 degrees C. Gravity This is exactly what the temperature of the magma ocean of the moon is supposed to be, said Prof. Moynier. What we see is that the moon lost its volatiles not during the giant impact itself, but maybe a million or so years afterwards. They evaporated off, but due to the gravity of the Earth, they probably then fell back onto the Earth. So some of our water and other volatiles have come from the moon. Not a lot, but some. But the story doesnt quite end there either. Dr Anand and his colleague Dr Ana Cernok, a geochemist at The Open University, have been studying the effect of meteoroid impacts on the isotopic compositions of volatiles in lunar rocks. Gathered from a variety of sites during NASAs Apollo 17 manned mission to the moon in 1972, the samples consist of surface rocks, cores drilled down below the surface, and material from impact craters. The two have been able to look for signs of shock in the apatite crystals that would have been caused by meteoroid impacts. They found that while some of the samples show significant signs of shock, the isotopic compositions remain largely unaffected. This suggests that the volatiles like water trapped inside these crystals have not been altered despite bombardment from meteorites on the moon. Other substances like uranium trapped inside the apatite crystals along with the water have also allowed them to date when they formed. The results still have to be published, but Dr Anand says they are finding ages that have never been recorded in lunar samples. We are still trying to figure it out ourselves, but it seems to be pointing to a unique event in the geological history of the Earth-moon system. The research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media. Jill Briscoe, an author, editor and speaker with an extensive history in lay ministry and particular focus in womens ministry, will be speaking at Hope College several times, Sunday-Tuesday, March 3-5 through the Hageman Faith Series. The public is invited. Admission is free. She will speak during the colleges evening worship service, The Gathering, Sunday, March 3, at 7 p.m. and during the morning Chapel service on Monday, March 4, at 10:30 a.m. in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. Due to strong student attendance, seating at both services will be limited. She will participate in a question-and-answer session on Monday, March 4, at 6 p.m. in Winants Auditorium of Graves Hall. Also, she will participate in a question-and-answer session geared specifically toward a female audience on Tuesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. All events will be led by the colleges Campus Ministries team. Jill Briscoe was born in Liverpool England in 1935. Educated at the University of Cambridge, she taught school for a number of years before marrying Stuart in 1958 and raising their three children. In addition to sharing with her husband in ministry with Torchbearers and in pastoring Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin for 30 years, she has written more than 40 books, traveled on every continent teaching and encouraging, served on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief, and now acts as executive editor of the womens magazine Just Between Us, which she founded. She can also be heard regularly on Telling the Truth, a worldwide media ministry. The annual Hageman Faith Series was established to encourage a vibrant Christian faith among the students, faculty and staff of Hope College. The lecture series is endowed to invite recognized Christian speakers to Hopes campus who will inspire and encourage a living and personal faith in Jesus Christ. Selected by the colleges Campus Ministries team, which is overseen by the dean of the chapel, speakers are chosen on the basis of having an articulate, winsome and challenging message that is relevant to college-aged students seeking to grow in their life with Christ. Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., at the corner of College Avenue and 12th Street. Graves Hall is located at 263 College Ave., between 10th and 12th streets. The Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts is located at 221 Columbia Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets. Coming off of the beginning of the year that seemed to have 400 days in just one month, I've seen far too many posts from farmers feeling the weight of winter going on into February. It seems that spring cannot come soon enough. Long, hard winters are bad enough. You add the state of our industry and the extra hours of work for nothing, and its more than taxing. Those hours of work take their toll both mentally and physically. Mother Nature has seemed to throw more than her fair share of difficulties. Being in the Northwest, I know we havent faced the worst of winters fury. I honestly don't know how you all do those real winters in the Midwest, but even the blizzards have found their way here. Those winter difficulties add to the workload, but we farmers tend to take that physical aspect in stride. With worn down bodies, the more difficult part is that our minds seem to follow. The winter blues are a true struggle that can sometimes take more than vitamin D to remedy. I know depression can be a tough topic, but it shouldn't be. Don't be afraid to seek the help you need, whether with the assistance of a doctor or with whatever brings you a mental break and rest. Make time this month to take care of yourself both physically and mentally. We work too hard for the creatures entrusted in our care to not also care for ourselves. The author is a third-generation dairy farmer from Oregon where she farms in partnership with her husband and parents. As a mother of two young boys who round out the family-run operation as micro managers, Darleen blogs about the three generations of her family working together at Guernsey Dairy Mama. Abiqua Acres Mann's Guernsey Dairy is currently home to 90 registered Guernseys and transitioned to a robotic milking system in 2017. The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman. Seven Michigan youth were named Michigan Dairy Ambassadors after gathering at the 2019 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference for leadership training, commencing a year of dairy promotion and outreach in Michigan. The program welcomes students in high school and college to hone in on their skills and learn how to communicate about their passion in dairy. The Michigan Dairy Ambassador program gives youth with a special interest in dairy the opportunity to connect with consumers and share their dairy story, said Jessica Welch, a member of the Dairy Ambassador planning team and MMPA member relations coordinator. Our goal is to equip each Michigan Dairy Ambassador with the communication skills and tools to represent the dairy community and industry in a positive way. 2019 Michigan Dairy Ambassadors The Dairy Ambassadors began their year with a day-long leadership training on Feb. 8 in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Throughout the day, ambassadors took part in dairy promotion brainstorming, sat in on Drew Vermeires presentation titled, Management of Young Calves for 2020 and Beyond and an inspirational presentation by Mark Jewel titled, Beyond Survival: Rediscovering How to Strive in Tough Times. They wrapped up the afternoon with training to harness their Youth Voice with Sara Keinath from MSU Extension. Led by Welch and Bridget Moore, Industry Relations Specialist at the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, the ambassadors were guided through engagement activities and challenged to try new things such as starting conversations with new people. Ambassadors will take part in further trainings and represent the dairy industry at promotional and outreach events throughout the year. Next up for the ambassadors is a communications training at UDIM in April and representation at industry events throughout the year, including Dairy Day at the Capitol, Michigan Livestock Expo Saleabration, Michigan 4H Dairy Days Awards Banquet, Breakfast on the Farm and the MMPA Leaders Conference. The newly designed, participation-based program will offer the ambassadors an opportunity to earn an interview after accumulating points. Their application, resume, participation, and interview will determine the junior and senior scholarship winners for 2019. Recipients will be announced at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conferences Michigan Dairy Industry Recognition Night February 2020. The Michigan Dairy Ambassador program is administered by the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference. 2018 Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship recipients were announced at this years recognition night. The senior scholarship was awarded to Leta Larsen of Scottville, Michigan and the junior scholarship was awarded to Abby VanDyk of Kalamazoo, MI. When asked to describe her year as a Michigan Dairy Ambassador she said, I greatly enjoyed interacting with individuals of all ages, but in particular, I loved teaching children about the dairy industry. Seeing their eyes light up when they pet a cow or watch a cow being milked is a great feeling. Showing them that milk doesnt just come from the grocery store and giving them the ability to put a story and a face with the product that they put on their cereal, or drink with their dinner is a very rewarding. VanDyk shared, My favorite part about being a Dairy Ambassador is that I had a chance to Agvocate for the amazing dairy community. I was able to promote dairy to the people who thought about the false advertising of the dairy industry. My favorite project was when I created a display that was exhibited at my County Fair. 2019 Michigan Dairy Ambassadors JUNIOR AMBASSADORS Ian Black, Eagle Keegan Nugent, Clarksville Jonathan Sayles, Bay City Abby VanDyk, Kalamazoo Katie Wilson, Blanchard SENIOR AMBASSADORS We don't lock in on every tweet from President Trump. Who has the time? But once in a while, he springs one that puts us in alert mode. Saturday, fresh off declaring a national emergency, the president apparently sat down to be tortured by Saturday Night Live. The NBC late-night institution featured actor Alec Baldwin doing his impression of Trump. It was the standard skewering of a political target. This president does not like to be skewered. His tweet was typical but also potentially troubling. Nothing funny about tired Saturday Night Live on Fake News NBC! OK, so the president doesn't like to be poked. Lots of people don't like to be poked. How a few minutes on a late-night comedy show leads to a Fake News accusation is baffling. But the president and his base love to play victim whenever they see something they disagree with. Trump continued: Question is, how do the Networks get away with these total Republican hit jobs without retribution? Likewise for many other shows? Very unfair and should be looked into. This is the real Collusion! Whoa. There is a lot to unpack from those four questions. The total Republican hit jobs are punches at the powerful. They affect national policy about as much as the weather. Every president has suffered hit jobs. Some have been treated worse than others, and Trump may be more derided than most. But the fact remains, that's part of the job when you're president. It's a couple of phrases that particularly raise eyebrows. The president wonders how comedy functions without retribution and thinks it should be looked into? Fortunately, this president is about as good with details and follow-through as dogs are with algebra. So his frustration won't lead to anything being looked into and facing retribution. The president needs to take a look at the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and understand that all of the hit jobs are protected by it. Those types of threats from an elected official are more troubling than any words coming out of Alec Baldwin's mouth. Minutes after that tweet, the president decided to lob another grenade into the pile, capital letters all his: THE RIGGED AND CORRUPT MEDIA IS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE! Here's the truth we're not. As we've pointed out multiple times, we are the parents in the car behind you, dropping off and picking up children just like you. We're standing in line with you at the grocery stores. We're driving through the same potholes. We're paying property and gasoline and income taxes and we wonder where the money is going. Just like you. Fake news. Corrupt media. Enemy of the people. Sad! Some things the president says evaporate into air, and he repeats them again and again until the echo chamber finally repeats them back to him. We've seen an uptick in violence against media members. According to the Reporters Without Borders 2018 world press freedom index, the combination of anti-press rhetoric along with that violence leaves the United States at No. 45 on the list, a drop of two spots. That's right, according to this ranking, the United States' media freedom ranks behind, among others, Jamaica (No. 8), Costa Rica (No. 10), South Africa (No. 28), the Czech Republic (No. 34) and Chile (No. 38). The Committee to Protect Journalists recorded 54 journalist deaths in 2018, and 43 American journalists faced physical attack the same year, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. It would be comforting if the leader of the country cared about those numbers as much as he cares about keeping track of what's said about him on television. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I am responding to your editorial of Sunday, Feb. 10 ("Making marijuana path clear"). Several weeks ago, I listened to a radio interview of Alex Berenson regarding his newly published book, "Tell Your Children the Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness and Violence." I found the interview to be enlightening so I ordered his book. I finished reading the book this past Saturday. (My timing was perfect.) It explores the history of cannabis on two continents, reviews the statistics regarding cannabis use and resultant mental illnesses that can occur, including psychosis and schizophrenia. Much money has been spent and will continue to be spent by those who favor the legalization of cannabis. Many are looking at huge profits to be made. Politicians are looking at another revenue steam to address their spending habits and overwhelming state indebtedness. No regard is given to the social and other costs that will occur. Berenson's book explores these costs and many of the myths associated with the push for legalization. Shortly after I had listened to the radio interview, I had a conversation with a customer in western Illinois. He is a successful small business owner. He admitted that he had regularly smoked marijuana as a young adult, for about three years. He finally came to the realization that his life was going nowhere. He quit and got down to business. He also shared a conversation that he had with a friend who lives in Colorado. His friend said that he had voted for the legalization of cannabis in Colorado. He indicated that once legalized, there was an influx of habitual users into the state, and there was an increase in crime with more dependence on state provided health and social services. Illinois is a transportation crossroads to the nation. Many individuals are employed in the transport of commodities and finished goods, as well as people here in Illinois. Those who employ these people are reluctant to hire residents of states that have legalized marijuana. Unlike alcohol, THC stays in a person's system for extended periods, so it is difficult to measure whether a person is under the influence of marijuana or not at any given moment. This same issue will be problematic for the police. The trial lawyers will have more clients and the courts will be more clogged. I am furnishing my copy of "Tell Your Children the Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness and Violence" to the Herald & Review editorial board for review. I hope that the in-depth research Berenson has completed and presented in his book will cause the editorial board to moderate or reverse your stance on the legalization of medical and recreational cannabis in Illinois. The risks are just too high, particularly for your young people. Michael A. Hartwig of Decatur is a life-long resident of Illinois. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 AURORA Employees of Henry Pratt Co. on Monday returned to their Aurora workplace for what company officials said was "an opportunity to come together and support each other" in the wake of Friday's mass shooting there. Five of their co-workers were killed by another employee who later died in a shootout with police. The gunman, Gary Martin, also shot and wounded five police officers and injured a sixth employee, police said. The Pratt facility will remain closed for production this week, but the company will keep doors open to employees who wish to come by to spend time with colleagues, according to a news release from Mueller Water Products, which operates the Henry Pratt factory. Mueller was founded in Decatur. It was unknown how many employees went to the plant Monday. The company will make counseling available on-site all week, the release said. Mueller Water Products also will cover funeral costs and medical expenses, establish a family support center and set up an employee support fund. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The company will be reviewing the incident, as well as safety protocols, according to the news release. The factory is tentatively scheduled to resume work Feb. 25. Martin, 45, shot and killed the five employees after he was called into a termination meeting, Aurora police said. The five officers suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. Martin should not have been in possession of a gun, authorities said. His firearm owner's identification card was revoked when authorities discovered a conviction for aggravated assault in Mississippi in 1995. Martin bought the Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun after he was issued a FOID card in January 2014. Authorities only discovered the felony conviction when he applied for a concealed carry permit a few months later, and the state revoked the license. The employees who died were identified as Clayton Parks, 32, of Elgin; Trevor Wehner, 21, of Sheridan, Ill., who had been living in DeKalb and attending Northern Illinois University; Russell Beyer, 47, of Yorkville; Vicente Juarez, 54, of Oswego; and Josh Pinkard, 37 of Oswego. The employee who was injured has been released from the hospital, the press release said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR - Over the years, Eldorado Street has had many forms and seen businesses come and go. What endure are the memories. DECATUR A sworn police affidavit said the driver involved in a fatal collision with a female pedestrian had a dating relationship with her and had been drinking with her in the hours immediately before she was struck and killed by his vehicle. The affidavit from Decatur police officer Lawrence Petrey said Sidney J. Flinn, 27, had been in an on and off dating relationship with Brittany M. Shelton, 23, for four years. Petrey said they had been drinking together at a Decatur bar late Saturday in the hours before the crash. Petrey said Flinn and Shelton left the bar and were together again at a friend's house in the 3800 block of Greenhill Road before there was some type of dispute between them and Shelton had left. The affidavit does not say when she left, but subsequent police reports stated she was struck by Sheltons pickup truck at 2:42 a.m. Saturday in the 3500 block of Greenhill Road. Upon arrival, officers located Brittany M., Shelton lying along the south side of the road, Petrey said. Brittany had no signs of life and was deceased on scene. Tested at 4:26 a.m. Saturday, Flinn provided a breath sample that showed a an alcohol level of 0.091 percent. The legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Petrey said a police investigation showed Flinn had left the house on Greenhill a short time later after Shelton, and the crash happened at a high speed. I observed the damage to the suspect vehicle to be so severe that it completely broke the left headlight assembly out and the damage extended all the way into the engine bay, piercing the radiator and indicating a high-speed collision, Petrey said. Sidney admitted to driving the truck and striking Brittany," Petrey said. Flinn was booked on preliminary charges of aggravated driving under the influence involving death and aggravated DUI for driving while license suspended, which are subject to review by the Macon County State's Attorney's Office. Asked about the status of the investigation Tuesday, detective Sgt. Chris Copeland said the investigation was continuing, and he would not comment further. Flinn was released the Macon County Jail after posting $40,000 bond. As a condition of his release, he has been ordered not to consume alcohol. 2019 mug shots from the Herald & Review Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 7 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. DECATUR Police said a 25-year-old man who was shot during an April incident was arrested Friday night for possession of a little more than a pound of cannabis at a North Lowber Street home after his fingerprints were found on plastic baggies. A signed police affidavit said officers were called to a house in the 1700 block of North Lowber Street at 10:18 p.m. on Friday, April 20, in reference to a report that someone had been shot. When they arrived, the affidavit said, officers saw three people on the house's porch. All three of them ran into the house, but officers spoke to them and learned that one of them had been shot in the back, the affidavit said. Officers performed a sweep of the house and found a digital scale, plastic baggies and a small amount of suspected cannabis. The affidavit said police obtained a search warrant based on the findings, and also found 14 plastic bags filled with suspected cannabis in the house's southwest bedroom. A field test was conducted and determined that the substance was 509.17 grams (17.96 ounces) of cannabis, the affidavit said. Some of the plastic baggies that contained some of the cannabis were sent to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for latent fingerprint analysis. State police filed a report on Sept. 10 indicating that a print found on one of the bags belonged to the man who was shot, the affidavit said. The man was arrested on preliminary charges of possession of 500 to 2,000 grams of cannabis and possession of 500 to 2,000 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver. Preliminary charges are subject to review by the Macon County State's Attorney's Office. The man was released from the Macon County Jail on Sunday after posting $30,000 bond. Police in April told the Herald & Review that a 24-year-old man had been shot in the stomach and robbed by two assailants in the same area and date of the incident referenced in the affidavit. Detective Sgt. Chris Copeland had said at the time that he understood the victim's injury in that case was not life-threatening. Detectives were not immediately available to confirm if that shooting was the same as the one referenced in the cannabis arrest affidavit. 2019 mug shots from the Herald & Review Contact Jaylyn Cook at (217) 421-7980. Follow him on Twitter: @jaylyn_HR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Proposals to add work requirements to Montanas Medicaid eligibility are alarming and shortsighted. People arent on Medicaid because they wont, or dont want to, work. The vast majority of Medicaid recipients do work, are ill or disabled, are in school or are taking care of family members. If lawmakers are concerned with helping more Montanans find steady work, there are better ways high-quality job training, child care, affordable transportation, higher education and a decent minimum wage. One solution could be to increase investment in Montanas Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership Link (HELP-Link), which provides services such as career counseling and on-the-job training. Of the 3,000-plus Medicaid clients who completed DLI workforce training programs in 2016, 70 percent were employed after finishing their training. Lawmakers cite other states requirements as examples, but it is important to note that harsh requirements in other states provide no support for accessing work either. Work requirements only serve to kick people off their health care. Taking health care coverage from people doesnt help them find a job. Medicaid covers one in 10 Montanans and is working well. Lets not lose our momentum in providing proper care for thousands of Montanans. Reginald Hageman Helena Love 2 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 C-PACE is modeled on a tried and true method that municipalities have used for decades. It works like a Special Improvement District for sidewalks or sewers. The financing is repaid as an assessment on the propertys regular tax bill for up to 20 years. What is different about C-PACE is that its completely voluntary. Only individual property owners receiving the upgrades are assessed for the cost, not everyone in the district. It simply gives individuals the option to consider this financial tool if they choose. The reason C-PACE has succeeded throughout the United States is because its designed to save money from day one. Properties only qualify for the program if an energy audit determines they will save more on their utility bills than they would owe on their annual assessment. From a business perspective, this makes C-PACE especially attractive. C-PACE has already garnered bipartisan support from over a dozen legislators across the state because its just good, common-sense legislation. Its a public-private partnership, using private capital from banks and investors. Montana lenders are ready to participate once C-PACE is enabled by law. A bill heard by a state legislative panel Tuesday would keep prosecutors and victims in the loop if a defendant wants to be released from state supervision. Rep. Matt Regier, R-Columbia Falls, told the House Judiciary Committee these adjustments should have been put in place in 2017, when state lawmakers passed a package of criminal justice reform bills. "Sometimes we zigged when we should have zagged," he said. The bill would essentially bring the county attorney's office into the process of a defendant's early release or termination from probation or parole. Under current statute, a defendant can file a petition to do so, but that decision is up to the judge; prosecutors don't have an opportunity to weigh in if they object. The new bill, House Bill 463, would require the defendant's attorney to file a motion for release from supervision, rather than their probation or parole officer. From the defendant's side, ACLU of Montana's advocacy and policy director SK Rossi said this is an important clarification. "People on probation don't understand how to get through this process and they're not sure who is supposed to help them," Rossi said. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High around 95F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Clear skies with a few passing clouds. Low 74F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. 1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'. 2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted. Grand Old Partisan honors Rick Santelli. This day of 2009, the CNBC analyst denounced the ruinous Obama policy agenda. His epic words encouraged millions of Americans to organize the Tea Party movement: "The government is promoting bad behavior. We're thinking of having a Chicago Tea Party in July. All you capitalists that want to show up to Lake Michigan, I'm gonna start organizing. These guys are pretty straight forward, and my guess is, a pretty good statistical cross-section of America, the silent majority. You know, they're pretty much of the notion that you can't buy your way into prosperity, and if the multiplier that all of these Washington economists are selling us is over one... that we never have to worry about the economy again. 'The government should spend a trillion dollars an hour because we'll get 1.5 trillion back.' I'll tell you what, if you read our founding fathers, people like Benjamin Franklin and Jefferson... What we're doing in this country now is making them roll over in their graves." Here is the video, in all its glory: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp-Jw-5Kx8k Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oJ7_jWQHcOA Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement. Each day, Michael Zak's grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far. He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar. Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision. Buy the book at Amazon See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party. "This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!" "Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before." and "one of the best books I ever read" World War II also reconfigured the political imaginations of all who participated in it. And how could it not? In geopolitics, issues tend to be gray, situations rarely zero-sum, with very little on the line. The remarkable and unprecedented thing about World War II was that it was a zero-sum conflict, good versus evil, with nothing less than the fate of the entire world on the line. That was the mindset of every politically conscious man, woman and child for eight years. Its understandable why we have since grafted that mentality onto nearly every conflict that has taken place since 1945. Its understandable but ultimately misguided because it has corrupted the histories the victors wrote. They blamed World War II solely on the men deemed responsible for it men like Adolf Hitler and Hideki Tojo. By 1953, Leo Strauss, a Jewish philosopher who narrowly escaped Europe early in the war, coined the phrase reductio ad Hitlerum to describe a type of ad hominem attack whereby any argument could be defeated by linking it to Hitler, even if in the most circuitous way. (Hitler liked dogs, and you like dogs. Therefore, dogs are evil and so are you.) In 1994, when the internet was still in its infancy, an American writer named Mike Godwin coined Godwins law, the idea that the longer an online discussion goes on, the greater the chance a comparison to Hitler is drawn. (From my experience, Godwins law is nearly as immutable as the law of gravity.) To be clear, there are good reasons men like Hitler and Tojo are so reviled. Their policies were morally reprehensible. They were anti-democratic, racist demagogues who believed in the superiority of their races, and they shoulder plenty of responsibility for World War II. But scapegoating them after the fact had the added benefit of political expedience. When World War II gave way to the Cold War, the U.S. needed to rehabilitate Germany and Japan as allies in this new global conflict, and Washington couldnt rightly side with the evil people against whom it had just waged an existential battle. Germany was thus remade as a liberal democracy that manufactured great cars and warned about the dangers of anti-Semitism. Japan was remade as a liberal democracy as passionately pacifist as it had been martial just a decade previous. Vilifying Hitler and Tojo absolved the German and Japanese people, who were now free to become trusted U.S. allies. (Bob Dylan articulated this best when he sang that the Germans now had God on their side too. ) This kind of thinking violates the idea on which the entire international system is based: the sovereignty of the people. Governments do not gain power simply by virtue of being governments. Presidents do not achieve power simply by declaring themselves presidents. ( Self-proclaimed Venezuelan interim president Juan Guaido is the latest to learn this lesson.) People give governments power and governments derive power from people. Germanys embrace of Hitler was not a bout of mass psychosis. The German people werent duped by promises of a noble liberal democrat who transformed into a monster that held the country hostage. Hitler came to power because he had the support of millions of Germans people who voted for him, people who fought and died for the vision of Germany he articulated, people who either supported his governments policies or found them palatable enough not to protest. This is not to say that every German supported Hitler, nor is it to say that there werent those who resisted. But it is to say that someone like Hitler could not have come to power without the support of his people. People tend to forget this today when they invoke World War II as a warning against regimes or leaders they dont like. Thats because its easier to blame individuals for the horrors of something like World War II than to indict a system that was complicit in its crimes. People are happy to pin problems on individuals they hate and to credit successes to individuals they love. Better to blame it on someone else and get back to tweeting. No sense in accepting the truth that broad, impersonal forces shape the world and that individuals sometimes bend those forces to their will. We see this kind of thinking infecting contemporary foreign policy everywhere. The United States recently intervened in Venezuela to attempt to overthrow the Maduro regime. At least one GPF reader wrote in agreeing with the policy because, he argued, had the U.S. intervened in Germany in 1936, Hitler would never have started World War II. (A classic reductio ad Hitlerum.) A British lawmaker went on the BBC last week and raged against the Teutonic arrogance of a German business leader who said Brexit would hurt the British economy. The lawmaker compared his defiance to his fathers landing on the beaches at Normandy. Western media, meanwhile, routinely compares the treatment of Chinas minority Uighur population to the Nazis treatment of the Jews. Their treatment is unconscionable, but if its true that this is Nazism 2.0, then the U.S. should be preparing for war, not applying economic sanctions. Elsewhere, internal U.S. political debates about the now-abandoned Iran nuclear deal became a fight about whether the deal was like appeasing Nazi Germany. A few years ago, then-Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to Hitler when he intervened in eastern Ukraine. The list of examples is endless. When we invoke such a narrow historical memory of World War II and apply it to any modern conflict, we do so at our own peril. It personalizes issues that cannot be fully understood when personalized. It reduces complex issues into matters of good and evil, and thus it ignores the conflicts of interest around which most international disputes arise and by which most are resolved. If every problem is a nail, every solution is a hammer. If every adversary is Nazi Germany, every fight is existential. If every person you disagree with is Hitler, then every argument ends without compromise. Indulging in a reductio ad Hitlerum or a reductio ad World War II every time a problem arises is not remembering the past, it is invoking archaic tropes to avoid dealing with complicated questions. Learning the lessons of the past isnt the same as living in the past. World War II was fought because of the rise and fall of great powers, because of the secular rise of the power of the state, because of the rejection of prior forms of political legitimacy for both liberal and nationalist principles, because of distrust between nations, because of scarcity of resources in a rapidly transforming global economy to name just a few of the root causes. Famous as Santayanas adage has become, the line that precedes it is, to me, equally profound: When experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. The most important thing to understand about World War II is that it is over. One can only hope that at some point the world will start acting like it, rather than preparing unconsciously for the next. GMATworm100 wrote: Hi. Would like to know what I can improve on in a year (aside from actually taking the GMAT), and whether my target schools are attainable (better with $$$). I have posted this somewhere else, and someone recommended that I post here. Background: Work experience: Almost two years as a covering research associate in a lesser-known middle market investment bank, but in a South East Asian nation. Had one informal promotion (from standard research associate to one that covers equities), and am expecting a promotion to analyst very soon. Have done some marketing/been to investment conferences and has always been client facing. Before that, I had an equity research internship in a BB. EC: Was active and held a leadership role in a charity-based UG organization . Currently serving as an informal consultant (not so active) to an organization that caters to impoverished communities. I have won some national and international competitions in investment analysis during my UG days but they don't seem to be very prestigious. Undergrad: A top 3 uni in a South East Asian country but doesn't rank well globally. Majored in Business Management but took additional quantitative classes. Had a GPA that is slightly higher than 3.6/4.0 (likely around 3.63; I just can't recall right now) Other education: Took a short course in a top uni in the UK (Finance course); took a short course in a top uni in South Korea Race/Nationality: Mixed: South East Asian and East Asian (is it better to just report South East Asian? I heard adcoms are pretty brutal with East Asians. Or will it not matter?) Sex: M Age: 23 by the end of 2019 Stats: Yet to take the GMAT but aiming for above a 730. MBA info: Short term is to transition to buyside in a HF or AM. Long term is to gain the skills and network to eventually set up my own in my home country. Furthermore, I am will have to take over the family corporation one day and an MBA would help in different ways (~USD 50 mn annual revenues). Target universities: HBS (reach); NYU, Yale, Columbia (target); Cornell (safety). Other info: Can speak three languages (inclusive of English), play an instrument, have strong connections in my country's business scene by virtue of finance job and family corporation (how do I let adcom know without sounding like I'm bragging?) What should I work on aside from getting a good GMAT? Am I competitive for the schools I have listed, with good chance for $? Should I focus my story on shifting to buy side, or to running the family corporation? And my biggest concern: will applying to these schools at 24 with just three years of work experience be a turn off to adcom? Oh and lastly, is applying to five unis in R1 a hard thing that will likely compromise quality? Cheers, GMATworm100 Nisha Trivedi mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant 35 positive reviews on GMATClub, 2020 Top 20 of admissions consultants across the industry per P&Q: https://poetsandquants.com/2020/08/26/best-mba-admission-consultants-of-2020/ Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/ Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Signature Read More Hi there, and thanks for writing! With under two years of experience, I recommend waiting 1-2 years to apply. To answer your questions:1.) report the ethnicity and nationality that you identify with most closely2.) I wouldn't mention the business connections in your application. Regarding the three languages and instrument, list those at the end of your resume3.) Scholarships are very competitive at these programs - to maximize your chances of admission in general, focus on getting as high of a GMAT as possible, a promotion at work, and increase your extracurricular involvement (whether within the organization that you advise, or another that is meaningful to you)4.) Regarding your career goals, make sure you make a compelling case for why they drive you5.) If you plan ahead, finish your GMAT by May of your application year, and stay super-organized, 4-5 applications can be done. But, quality over quantityHope that helps a bit!_________________ Official Solution: The Chairman of the company declared that neither the company nor its subsidiaries are involved in any labour dispute nor, to the knowledge of the company or its subsidiaries, is any such dispute threatened. Correct. A. neither the company nor its subsidiaries are involved in any labour dispute nor, to the knowledge of the company orB. neither the company nor its subsidiaries is involved in any labour dispute nor, to the knowledge of the companyC. either the company or its subsidiaries is not involved in any labour dispute or, to the knowledge of the company orD. neither the company nor its subsidiaries are involved in any labour dispute nor, to the knowledge of the company norE. either the company or its subsidiaries are not involved in any labour dispute or, to the knowledge of the company nor(A)If in neither..nor.. structure, the subjects have different numbers (one singular and other plural), the verb agrees in number with the nearest subject. Hence neither the company nor its subsidiaries are is correct.2. The Chairman wants to declare 3 things:The company is NOT involved in any labour dispute.ANDIts subsidiaries are NOT involved in any labour dispute.ANDAny such dispute is NOT threatened to the knowledge of company or its subsidiaries.Noting that neither A nor B nor C structure implies not A and not B and not C, the correct way joining the 3 parts above is by neithernornor structure.3. The phrase to the knowledge of the company nor its subsidiaries is incorrect.Only option A correctly presents all the above issues above.Answer: A_________________ Adelaide, Australia, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dtex Systems, the leader in user behavior intelligence and insider threat detection, today announced that it will join the Honorable Steven Marshall MP, Premier of South Australia, and other regional and global business and cybersecurity leaders in a roundtable discussion aimed at further developing data privacy and cybersecurity capabilities for the region. The event follows a recent tour the Premier made across California, which included a stop at the Dtex Systems Silicon Valley headquarters. As part of the agenda in Australia, the Premier will discuss his nations cybersecurity and privacy priorities while learning more about how Dtex and other US-based businesses can help his nation to achieve its goals. Australia boasts a booming technology market. Last October, Gartner forecast that IT spending in the nation will grow to $93 billion this year; an increase of 3.5 percent over 2018. According to Australia-based news source ARN, Gartner predicts that spending on security in the country will swell to almost $4 billion in 2019; an increase of almost 10 percent. Technology innovation is an important driver of economic development. The public and private sectors cant ignore the fact that with increased technology use comes increased risk, said Mohan Koo, Dtex Systems co-founder and CTO, and member of the Office of the South Australian Chief Entrepreneur. We commend Premier Marshall and his government. By taking steps to include cybersecurity and privacy in at the ground floor, the country will be better prepared remain protected in a world where threats are increasing. Visit the new website: www.dtexsystems.com Follow Dtex on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DtexSystems Join Dtex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dtex-systems Like Dtex on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dtex-Systems-297181017056254 About Dtex Systems With an advanced algorithm and a database of registered websites, Fastbase analyses billions of website visitors each month. But it was not possible without the HPE Apollo servers from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE) Big Data Analytics requires high performance servers that can handle a large amount of data. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has one of the worlds broadest server, storage, and network portfolios. And the HPE Apollo Server line-up offers an architecture optimized for Big Data Analytics. The Apollo line is designed for large computing and data centers, to be used by larger universities, for example, that need a lot of computing power to handle large amounts of data, said Martin Jacobsen, Sales Manager, HPE Denmark. Online analytics company, Fastbase, offers web visitor and customer insights for business. Fastbase has just reached one million companies using their service with HPE Apollo servers at the foundation of their infrastructure. High traffic and computing power Fastbase has chosen to standardize on HPE's Apollo servers, which are designed to have a high volume of both computer memory and storage, ideal for use-cases like Fastbase. Martin Jacobsen explained, For High Performance Computing (HPC), Big Data, and Cloud performance and density are paramount. No matter what online service is offered, it is crucial to choose a solution that does not create bottlenecks for you. In Fastbase's case, it is a server that has room for a lot of IO cards that can handle large amounts of traffic. And, at the same time, a server that has a high computing power (CPU) and memory footprint, Martin Jacobsen said. Since HPE's Apollo servers are designed for "data heavy" tasks, companies like Fastbase can have a system thats scalable to several petabytes while delivering a very high storage performance. Because of this, companies can avoid having to invest in expensive external storage systems that add more complexity and longer response times for users on the other end, added Martin Jacobsen. For Fastbase, the Apollo server contains a database and runs specially designed algorithms. Its important that the server handles the high traffic (approx. 7 billion website visitors) that Fastbase analyzes each month. "The coolest servers" Fastbase is one of the world's five largest web analytics companies. Fastbase services Google advertisers and Google Analytics users worldwide, having analysed 3.5 billion Google Adwords clicks. Continuing its mission to help B2B companies better understand their customers, Fastbase, led by CEO and Founder, Rasmus Refer, converts website data into actionable information with its lead identification tools. Since 2017, Fastbase has benefited from HPE's Apollo server with Rasmus Refer enthusing, Its been running completely smoothly, it's the coolest server - There hasnt been so much as one crash. World class, Rasmus Refer said. Fastbase Inc., founded in 2015, has signed an agreement with UK's largest Corporate & Institutional Broker to take Fastbase on the London Stock Exchange. Fastbase Inc. 140 Broadway, 46th Floor 10005 New York United States Phone: +1- 800 490 7454 Fastbase Inc. (Denmark) Gamle Carlsberg Vej 16 DK-2500 Valby Phone +45 - 212 400 40 www.fastbase.com DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems is thrilled to have signed a significant sub-contract with Lockheed Martin Canada as part of Canadas Combat Ship Team, selected as the winning bid for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program by Irving Shipbuilding. Irving Shipbuilding is the Canadian Surface Combatant Prime Contractor and will build all 15 ships at Halifax Shipyard. Ultra, as the ASW lead, will provide a low-frequency active and passive towed sonar system paired with its next-generation hull-mounted sonar, and will lead the integration of these world-leading sensors with sonobuoys and other capabilities for wide-area underwater battlespace surveillance to meet Canadas future strategic needs. Bernard Mills, President of Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems, said, Ultra is proud to be a member of Canadas successful CSC Home Team. As the underwater warfare lead, we are using our considerable depth of ASW experience and capability to ensure Canadas new ships will provide an enduring operational advantage to the Royal Canadian Navy. This work will also generate high-tech jobs in Nova Scotia for sonar design and manufacturing, add to our existing significant export capability, and maintain Canadas position in the top tier of advanced ASW nations in the world. The Canadian Surface Combatant project is the largest and most complex procurement ever undertaken by the Government of Canada. It will deliver lasting economic benefits to Canadian industry through billions of dollars of value proposition commitments in innovation across Canadas priority areas. The winning Lockheed Martin Canada bid, based around BAEs Type 26 Global Combat Ship, was put forward by a team comprised of six companies with a strong Canadian-focused supply chain; BAE Systems, CAE, Lockheed Martin Canada, L3 Technologies, MDA, and Ultra Electronics. Bringing together a pan-Canadian team, the six companies have a uniquely skilled Canadian workforce and supply chain that employs 9,000 Canadians in 40 facilities from coast to coast, and engages more than 4,000 small and medium sized enterprises. The Type 26 is a globally-deployable, multi-role warship that meets current and future demands of the Royal Canadian Navy. It has been specifically designed for high-end Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and will be capable of performing a wide range of missions around the globe. About Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems Based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems (UEMS) has been delivering sophisticated, cost-effective, and innovative solutions to the defence market for over 70 years. UEMS has been extremely successful in transforming its research investment into the technologically advanced underwater battlespace sensor systems that it delivers to both the Royal Canadian Navy and internationally. Today, UEMS is recognized worldwide for its expertise in underwater acoustics, towed active and passive arrays, sonar sensors, and Magneto Inductive (MI) communications. Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems is part of the Ultra Electronics Group, a world-leading group of businesses operating in the Defence & Aerospace, Security & Cyber, and Transport & Energy markets. Washington, DC, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC), in conjunction with its international branch AAHCI, is pleased to announce the launch of the Aligned Institutional Mission (AIM) Program, a means for academic health centers around the world to optimize and measure the alignment and strategic direction of their research, education, and patient care missions. The AIM Program is tailored to benefit each academic health center on an individual levelno matter the size, finances, or stage of developmentwith each participating institution implementing a self-defined plan for improved organizational performance, said AAHC President and CEO, Dr. Steven L. Kanter. He added, A distinctive feature of the program is the ability for participating institutions to work closely with a distinguished group of consultants who have extensive and recent experience in leadership positions in academic health centers. The AIM Program has received praise and much positive feedback from institutions that have participated in the program, highlighting the programs considerable strengths, specifically the highly individualized focus and process. Program participants particularly underscored features they found valuable, such as its unique assessment tool; constructive site visits from experienced, peer consultants; clear recommendations from unbiased and expert reviews that can guide a strategic vision; the power to catalyze transparent assessment and appraisal of an institutions program and mission alignment; and the inclusion of students, patients, faculty, leadership, and staff in extensive discussions. Nine institutions around the world took part in the development and pilot phases prior to formal launch: East Tennessee State University (USA) supported by Wilsie Bishop, DPA, MSN, Vice President for Health Affairs Seoul National University (South Korea) supported by Daehee Kang, MD, PhD, Former Dean and Professor of Preventive Medicine Universitas Indonesia Faculty of Medicine (Indonesia) supported by Ratna Sitompul, MD, PhD, former Dean Faculty of Medicine University of Arkansas (USA) supported by Dan Rahn, MD, former Chancellor University of Southern California (USA) supported by Randolph Hall, PhD, Vice President of Research University of Kansas (USA) supported by Robert Simari, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor University of Malaya (Malaysia) supported by Adeeba Kamarulzaman, MBBS, Dean of Medicine University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) supported by Jose Otavio Costa Auler, Jr, MD, PhD, Former Dean University Medical Center Gottingen (Germany) supported by Heyo Kroemer, PhD, Dean, Medical School AAHC is pleased to announce that Universidad del Rosario (Colombia) and Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia) have already signed on to benefit from this new program. AAHC is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing health and well-being through the dynamic leadership of academic health centers. Fort Worth, TX, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Water Now, Inc. (OTCQB: WTNW): HydraSpin USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Water Now, Inc., has completed the installation of a HydraSpin Recovery System at a re-injection well site in the Anadarko Basin located in Oklahoma. The system went live on February 12 and has been capturing marketable crude oil. In announcing the successful installation, CEO David King said, We are very happy to announce that the installation is complete and the system is running perfectly. We are capturing oil at our projected volume. I am extremely proud of the entire HydraSpin team for their outstanding work in completing this installation. HydraSpin USAs patent-pending crude oil recovery process utilizes a proprietary technology to extract marketable crude oil from waste water at re-injection well sites. There are more than 150,000 re-injection wells in the USA serving more than 1.7 million active gas and oil wells across the country. HydraSpin USA intends to install a second location in Q1-2019 and anticipates an additional 5 locations will be installed in Q2-2019. Learn more at https://hydraspinusa.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include without limitation those about the Companys estimated revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, other income/(expense), and tax rates. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: the effect of global and regional economic conditions on the Company's business, including effects on purchasing decisions by consumers and businesses; the ability of the Company to compete in markets that are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological change; the ability of the Company to manage frequent introductions and transitions of products and services; the dependency of the Company on the performance of distributors; the continued availability on acceptable terms, or at all, of certain components, services and new technologies essential to the Company's business, including components and technologies that may only be available from single or limited sources; the dependency of the Company on manufacturing services provided by third parties, certain of which are located outside of the US and which may affect the quality, quantity or cost of products manufactured or services rendered to the Company; the effect of product and services design and manufacturing defects on the Companys financial performance and reputation; the dependency of the Company on third-party intellectual property; the impact of unfavorable legal proceedings; the continued service and availability of key executives and employees; political events, international trade disputes, war, terrorism, natural disasters, public health issues, and other business interruptions that could disrupt supply or delivery of, or demand for, the Companys products; financial risks; and changes in tax rates and exposure to additional tax liabilities. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect the Companys financial results is included in the Companys filings with the SEC, including in the Risk Factors and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of the Companys most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates. Atlanta, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATLANTA February 19, 2019 Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) today was named as a Visionary in this years Gartner Magic Quadrant* for Indoor Location Services, Global. The cited innovation, AtriusTM Software Solutions, uses technology embedded in Acuity Brands smart LED luminaires. The operational savings that result from replacing conventional lighting with more energy-efficient, smart LED luminaires enables customers in retail, healthcare and transportation fund use cases such as visitor analytics, customer engagement, employee or customer journey-mapping and asset tracking that are available using Atrius technology. The Gartner Magic Quadrant study evaluates the strategies and current capabilities of vendors providing indoor location services globally. In the case of Acuity Brands services, indoor positioning and navigation are enabled by Visible Light Communication and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication technologies embedded in the luminaire and accessed via software installed on mobile devices, while tracking and management of physical assets are enabled with tags that use BLE communication. Both signals combined provide the ability to transmit data over extended distances in addition to communicating with the sensors. Acuity Brands works with its Fortune 500 customers to develop solutions, ensuring the Atrius Software Solutions and supporting products evolve to support customer-specific requirements. Acuity Brands has been laying the groundwork for this innovation through research and development and acquisitions over the past decade, said Greg Carter, Senior Vice President Connected Building Software for Acuity Brands Lighting. We are fully committed to expanding the capabilities of our scalable solution and are excited about our position as a Visionary on the quadrant in this market. Atrius solutions are available for big box retail, grocery, aviation, healthcare, office and other buildings and spaces. By leveraging the data analytics and insights garnered from operation of a space, Acuity Brands technologies can deliver benefits to improve performance. Building performance improvements include energy savings that can be realized from Acuity Brands solutions that manage and integrate HVAC, lighting control systems and LED luminaires. Business improvements include enhanced space utilization and asset tracking, while also offering occupants more direct control over their office environments. We have a strong team and an extensive partner network whose combined efforts have helped solidify our market leading position. Our team is focused on driving the digital innovation and expansion of this platform by meeting the needs of our customers, said Vinod Kashyap, Director of Product Market for IoT for Acuity Brands Lighting. We believe Acuity Brands is the clear market leader and growing each month, demonstrating the ability of our solution to scale. The Atrius indoor location service solution comprises: Atrius-Ready Sensory Network (ASN), local network hardware, Atrius Software Services, the Atrius Cloud and Browser-based Dashboards (analytics). An ASN includes embedded sensors, Visible Light Communication technology and BLE technology radios, which receive signals to calculate the X, Y position of a location tag or smart device. Additionally, Atrius offers Software Development Kits (SDKs) on both Android and Apple iOS operating systems for building mobile applications. For more information, please visit the Atrius web site or our corresponding blog. *Source: Tim Zimmerman, Annette Zimmermann, Gartner, 28 January 2019. A Gartner Magic Quadrant is a culmination of research in a specific market, giving you a wide-angle view of the relative positions of the markets competitors. By applying a graphical treatment and a uniform set of evaluation criteria, a Magic Quadrant helps you quickly ascertain how well technology providers are executing their stated visions and how well they are performing against Gartners market view. Gartner Disclaimer 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 Gartners 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 Acuity Brands Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the worlds leading providers of lighting and building management solutions. With fiscal year 2018 net sales of $3.7 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs approximately 13,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Companys products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Aculux, American Electric Lighting, Antique Street Lamps, Atrius, DGLogik, Distech Controls, DTL, eldoLED, Gotham, Healthcare Lighting, Hydrel, Indy, IOTA, Juno, Lucid, Mark Architectural Lighting, nLight, Peerless, RELOC Wiring, ROAM, Sensor Switch, Sunoptics and Winona Lighting. Visit us at www.acuitybrands.com. All trademarks referenced are property of their respective owners. MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diversified Trust, an independent comprehensive wealth management firm with over $6.5 billion in client assets under management, today announced the promotion of nine staff across its offices in the Southeast: Atlanta Office: Robinson Mertilus, to vice president; Memphis Office: Vince Chamblee, to senior vice president; Jim Gilliland, to principal; Hadley Miller, to principal; Nashville Office: Adele Anderson, to senior associate; Adam Dretler, to principal; Stewart Koch, to vice president; Sarah Maxwell, to senior associate; and Karen Morvai, to senior associate. We are pleased to recognize the promotion of nine accomplished colleagues who are committed to helping our clients enrich their lives and realize their visions, said Samuel N. Graham, President and Chief Executive Officer of Diversified Trust. This recognition is the result of their contributions to excellence across our comprehensive wealth management disciplines. Atlanta Robinson Mertilus was promoted from senior associate to vice president. He has more than 10 years of experience helping clients achieve their long-term financial objectives. Mertilus earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance and minor in French at Florida State University. In addition, he completed the financial planning certification program at the University of Georgias Terry College of Business Executive Education program and holds the CFP certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Memphis Vince Chamblee was promoted from vice president to senior vice president where he is responsible for management and oversight of client relationships and business development. Chamblee graduated magna cum laude from The University of Mississippi and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College with a Bachelor of Accountancy and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Public Policy Leadership. He is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Tennessee and holds the CFP certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Jim Gilliland was promoted from senior vice president to principal. Gilliland holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Public Administration-Finance from Columbia University in New York City. He received a Certificate in Financial Planning from Christian Brothers University. Hadley Miller was promoted from senior vice president to principal. She graduated cum laude from Washington & Lee University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. In addition, Miller completed the New York University program in Financial Planning and holds the CFP certification awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Nashville Adele Anderson was promoted from associate to senior associate. Anderson earned an Associate Degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC and a Bachelor of Theatre Arts from Thomas Edison State College. Adam Dretler was promoted from senior vice president to principal and serves, institutions, individuals and families. He graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Prior to joining Diversified Trust, Dretler worked at Ziff Brothers Investments, a multi-billion-dollar, single-family office based in New York City. Stewart Koch was promoted from senior associate to vice president, serving individual and institutional clients. Koch received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Furman University. He currently serves as the Furman University Alumni President for the city of Nashville and is actively involved in the Crescendo Club of the Nashville Symphony. Sarah Maxwell was promoted from associate to senior associate and serves as a Client Administrator and is integral to account administration and client support activities. Karen Morvai was promoted from associate to senior associate, providing support for client service and maintaining the firms document management system. Morvai is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati. About Diversified Trust Diversified Trust is employee-owned with more than $6.5 billion of client assets under management. Its clients include individuals, multi-generational families, family offices, foundations, endowments and retirement plans. In addition to Memphis, the Southeast-based company has offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Nashville, Tennessee. For more information on Diversified Trust, please visit diversifiedtrust.com. English Icelandic Skeljungur hf. will publish its 2018 Consolidated Annual Financial Statements after market have closed on Tuesday, February 26, 2019. Skeljungur will host an open meeting for investors, analysts and the press on Wednesday, February 27, at 8:30 am at Skeljungurs headquarters, Borgartun 26, 8th floor, 105 Reykjavik. Light refreshments will be served from 8:15 am. CEO Hendrik Egholm and CFO Benedikt Olafsson will give an overview of the financial results and operational highlights. After the presentation attendees will have opportunity to further discussion with Skeljungurs management. The meeting will also be webcast live on https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/658453277 . Note that once you participate in the meeting, the name you signed yourself in as will appear on the meeting screen. The presentation will be available on Skeljungurs website, www.skeljungur.is/um-skeljung/fjarfestar/ after the meeting. For further information please contact Hendrik Egholm, CEO, fjarfestar@skeljungur.is , tel: 444-3000 / 840-3002. Skeljungur is an energy company with operations in Iceland and in the Faroe Islands. Skeljungur sells fuel and oil to consumers and businesses in fisheries, agriculture, transportation, aviation and construction under the brands Skeljungur, Orkan and OrkanX. The company also sells fertilizer and other chemical products. In Iceland the Company runs 65 gas stations and 4 oil depots. Magn P/F, Skeljungurs subsidiary in the Faroe Islands, runs 11 retail and gas-stations and 2 oil depots. Magn also serves and sells oils for house heating to individuals and companies in the Faroe Islands. Skeljungurs goal is to serve the energy needs of consumers and businesses in an efficient and safe way and in harmony with the environment. www.skeljungur.is Growing retailer adds new store in Shawnee, KS Shawnee, KS, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- American Freight Furniture and Mattress opened its third Kansas City-area store on February 15, 2019. The new Shawnee store is 26,000 square feet and is located at 6495 Quivira Rd. Shawnee, KS 66216 near Sky Zone Trampoline Park and Nellie & Nicos. This store will create 8-10 new jobs. The Shawnee location will join two other nearby stores in Claycomo, MO and Independence, MO. The Claycomo store is located at 437 E. US Hwy 69 Claycomo, MO 64119 and the Independence store is located at 2210 S. State Rte. 291 Hwy. Suite B Independence, MO 64057. Were excited to add another American Freight Furniture and Mattress store in Kansas City, said Karl Finley, Vice President. Our third Kansas City location offers a huge selection of quality furniture and mattresses at affordable prices. We offer a flexible payment option to take it home today for $50 with low, easy payments. Theres also free layaway and same-day delivery. We stock a wide range of quality bedroom furniture, mattresses, sofas, sectionals, dining sets and so much more. Visit our Shawnee store today to see why American Freight is the best choice for quality furniture and mattresses. American Freight has always made it our mission to save customers money on quality furniture and mattresses while providing excellent customer service. We are able to do this by purchasing products directly from manufacturers and selling in warehouse-style stores. By cutting out the middle man and keeping the overhead low, American Freight is able to offer the lowest prices with quality service. This successful formula has made American Freight Furniture and Mattress one of the fastest-growing furniture retailers in the United States. Weekly store hours for the new Shawnee location during Tax Season are as follows: Monday-Friday (10am-8pm) Saturday (10am-7pm) Sunday (12pm-5pm) Our offerings include: living room sofas, loveseats, sectionals, recliners, accent chairs, and coffee and end tables; bedroom three, five, and seven-piece bedroom suites from Twin through King; dining room five and seven-piece sets; mattresses premiere foam, hybrid (innerspring and foam), innerspring and pocketed coil sets in all sizes; and accessories to complete your home selections. Customers can pay for items in full or take advantage of our payment plan options. We offer a 100% approved layaway program and no credit needed payment plans to help make your home comfortable and complete. Same-day delivery and pick up is available for all in-stock items. About American Freight Since 1993, American Freight Furniture and Mattress has been helping customers save money on quality furniture and mattresses. American Freight offers flexible payment options including free layaway and take it home today for $50 with low, easy payment plans (see www.americanfreight.com/50 for details). With over 150 stores and over 2 million satisfied customers, American Freight continues to grow while our mission remains the same: sell the best for less every day while delivering excellent customer service. See for yourself - shop at one of our 150+ stores or online and discover why American Freight is the place to go for all your home furnishing needs. To learn more about American Freight Furniture and Mattress, visit www.americanfreight.com/ , follow us on Twitter @AmericanFreight and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanFreightFurniture . Dublin, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Opportunities & Gaps in the European In Vitro Diagnostic Market - By Products & Services; By Technology; By Therapeutic Application; By End User and By Region (European Region, Germany, France, The United Kingdom" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report studies the European in vitro diagnostics market over the trend period of 2014 to 2017 and forecast period of 2018 to 2025. The report provides detailed insights into the market dynamics to enable informed business decision making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market. The Burning Questions This Report Will Answer: Which are the major import and export hubs for IVD players in Europe? Is it all across major markets or does it differ in Germany and France? Who are the domestic players in the country level IVD market? Which sectors they are dominant and/or where are they absent? Which disease pattern will drive the future of IVD market in Europe? Especially in Germany, France and UK? Will Brexit impact the IVD players? What are the regulatory changes that are expected in 2019 and 2022? European In Vitro Diagnostics Market (Major Focus on Germany, France and The United Kingdom) It should not come as a surprise that while the markets in Britain may face some fluctuations due to Brexit, major players in Britain are hopeful that with the new dynamics, newer opportunities will knock the doors of UK's IVD market. Germany shall remain the market leader followed by France at No. 2 position, followed by Italy. Among the smaller nations, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Ireland and United Kingdom will show more growth than the remaining European nations. The report explores the opportunities and gaps in the top two IVD market of Europe as well as the most watched IVD market in 2018-2019, i.e., the UK. On one hand the report deals with the Typology of out-of-pocket payments per country which varies in European member states which leads to varied payments by patients in different countries (impacts the cost of IVD tests) and on the other hand, it also looks at the attractive segments where IVD companies may come across decision makers and focus their marketing strategies accordingly. Infectious diseases, oncology, life style diseases shall remain the top three attractive segments in Europe. Europe accounts for 23.4% of global cancer cases and 20.3% of cancer deaths, although it has only 9 per cent of the global population. Europe is characterized by striking geographical differences in cancer occurrence. There were an estimated 3.5 million new cancer cases and 1.9 million cancer deaths in Europe in 2012. Cancers of the female breast, colo-rectum, prostate and lung constitute over half of the overall incidences, while lung and colorectal cancer rank as the most common causes of cancer death. It widely varies from country to country. In men, prostate cancer is the most frequent form of cancer incidence in most Northern, Western and Southern European countries, while lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Central and Eastern Europe. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men in almost all European countries, while breast cancer dominates as the most frequent in women. Lung cancer is also a leading cause of cancer death in certain European countries among women, overtaking breast cancer. While breast cancer incidence rates continued to increase in most European countries, mortality rates decreased, as a result of earlier diagnosis and improved therapies. IVD market is attractive and prominent among the oncologists. Besides, therapy area, the report highlights the attractiveness in products and services, end user markets. The study looks at the major import and export IVD markets in Europe and analyses the trends from 2014 till date. It also provides country wise data i.e. Import and export destinations in Germany, France and UK from 2014, while giving insights on changing dynamics between new emerging markets for IVD companies. The report highlights the teething issues of new investors in markets such as Germany, UK and France and guide them through the do's and don'ts in the market. Companies Mentioned Thermo Fisher Bio-Rad Roche For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nx4hfw/opportunities_and?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. English Danish Company announcement Announcement no. 9/2019 Major shareholder announcement Protector Forsikring ASA In accordance with section 29 of the Faroese Securities Trading Act, Banknordik discloses it has been notified today by Protector Forsikring ASA, that at 14 February 2019, Protector Forsikring ASA held 615,043 shares equal to 6.15% of BankNordiks share capital. Further information: Arni Ellefsen, CEO, tel. (+298) 230 348 BankNordik has banking activities in Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands and insurance activities in the Faroe Islands. Founded in the Faroe Islands more than a century ago, the Group has total assets of DKK 16.7bn and 385 employees. The Bank is subject to the supervision of the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority and is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen. New Albany, Indiana, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On February 1, McNeely Stephenson welcomed Leslie E. Vidra to join their New Albany law firm as Of Counsel. Attorneys at the firm said that Vidra will be an invaluable addition to the team. Our attorneys have known Leslie for many years, said Dana Eberle-Peay. Shes not only a great attorney, shes also an amazing person. Were fortunate to have her join McNeely Stephenson. For the last 15 years, Vidra and her husband, Jerry Ulrich, practiced law together in the Elsby Building in New Albany. She is now joining McNeely Stephenson upon Ulrich's retirement. Vidra is licensed in both Kentucky and Indiana and has practiced law in the Kentuckiana area for many years. Leslie is an incredibly versatile attorney and a veteran of our profession, said Larry Church. She is a well-respected member of the Kentuckiana legal community and the perfect addition to our firm. Vidra concentrates her practice on preparing wills and trusts, handling probate and trust administration, providing corporate advice on business succession planning, assisting families with charitable gift planning, and advising non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses on corporate governance issues and regulatory compliance. I believe in providing my clients an organized, yet flexible approach to problem solving via intuitive listening, said Vidra in an online statement. My passion is supporting the non-profit and charitable community through compliance with laws, assistance with related accounting procedures and long-range planning, all in support of improving our local and regional quality of life. I also help families achieve their goals by drafting wills, POAs and trusts; creating business succession plans and later administering estates. Vidras experience includes serving as in-house legal counsel for two regional charities and a large Louisville law firm where she was employed by the Trusts and Estates Section. She is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but moved to Indiana to attend Indiana University in Bloomington for both college and law school. Vidra is an active community volunteer for organizations supporting the quality of life in Southern Indiana. SAN RAMON, Calif., Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eQuest today reported it has added another diversity job posting delivery channel specifically designed to help companies in and outside of Australia meet their diversity, outreach, and inclusion requirements. eQuest already supports over 1,000 diversity customers, providing similar services in the United States and Canada under the guidelines of each corresponding government. The Australian network is part of eQuests continued Diversity global expansion. eQuest will provide a complete automated delivery service to move jobs located in Australia from a companys career site to the entire network of Australian boards. Interested candidates will be linked directly back from the board to the company ATS or CRM for resume submittal and source tracking. The network includes over 50 separate Australian career sites and search engines. Best of all, there are no job board costs for customers to pay. eQuest charges a nominal, once a year annual delivery fee to post unlimited jobs through the network. Diversity and inclusion increase the richness of ideas, creativeness, and respect for others, said Nick Bradford, eQuests Global Diversity Manager. Our Australian network is a great first step in attaining that goal. eQuest supports job posting and data analysis for customers using GoogleHire, Oracle/Taleo, Workday, Ultimate Software, Kenexa/IBM, SAP/Successfactors, iCIMS, Avature, and over 30 others. The service is available now. About eQuest Widening the Opportunity to Recover Heat From Wastewater VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sharc International Systems Inc. (CSE: SHRC) (FSE: IWIA) (OTCQB: INTWF) ("SHARC" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the Company has widened its offering by launching the PIRANHA wastewater heat recovery system in the United Kingdom and the European Union. The PIRANHA is a compact wastewater heat recovery system that offers both a strong commercial opportunity and reliable, renewable heat to medium sized businesses and premises, and sits alongside their larger SHARC systems. I am confident that the addition of PIRANHA to our offerings will be a key revenue driver and marks an important milestone in our sales and deployment strategy that will strengthen our first to market advantage in the UK and EU, said SHARC Group Chief Operating Officer (UK) Russell Burton. The PIRANHA represents a significant milestone for the SHARC technology in our market. SHARC Energy has built a reputation on ground-breaking technology that effectively recovers heat from the wastewater that we flush down the drains every day. An almost limitless resource that is typically discarded without a second thought but can provide a very significant proportion of the heat required for a large business, a swimming pool complex or a district heat network. SHARC systems are in action right across the world but, in Europe, have so far been limited to larger installations. With the European launch of SHARCs compact PIRANHA system, sewage and wastewater heat recovery becomes available to a much wider range of premises. PIRANHA is a self-contained system that intercepts wastewater and extracts the heat using a unique heat exchanger and uses an in-built heat pump to return hot water to the building at around 60C. PIRANHA is quiet and highly efficient, with a typical Co-efficient of Performance (CoP) of around five. A PIRANHA, typically, can recover heat for hotels, nursing homes, student accommodation or apartment blocks. One of the earliest installations was at the Lake Louise Inn in Banff , Canada, which nestles within the Banff National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Louise Inn has nearly 200 rooms across eleven different types, some of which include hot tubs, and there is an indoor swimming pool. There is also a very busy laundry room. Lake Louise Inn uses a significant amount of energy to heat all the water they need for all their facilities and, until recently and just like virtually every other hotel in the world, all that energy was poured down the drain and wasted. A PIRANHA T10 unit was commissioned in September 2018, and during a data gathering exercise over the first two weeks of October 2018 ran for an average of 12 hours per day, producing a daily heat output of 1.5 million BTU, the equivalent of heating nearly 10,000 litres (6,000 US gallons) of water from 10C to 60C (50 140F). Lake Louise Inns laundry room is propane heated, and over a 52-week period the PIRANHA system will reduce their propane requirement by 30,000 litres (6,667 gallons), and the equivalent of 80 tonnes of CO2 reduction. Across North America and Europe alone over 330 billion litres of wastewater is discharged daily. This wastewater has the potential to replace over 1.5 billion MWhr of natural gas consumption used for space and water heating. About SHARC International Systems SHARC International Systems Inc. is a world leader in thermal heat recovery. SHARC technology systems recycle thermal energy from wastewater, generating one of the most energy efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling & hot water preheating for commercial, residential and industrial buildings. SHARC is publicly traded in Canada (CSE: SHRC), the United States (OTCQB: INTWF) and Germany (Frankfurt: IWIA). Further information about the Company is available on our website at www.sharcenergy.com or under our profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Lynn Mueller Chairman and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Jeff Walker The Howard Group Phone: (888) 221-0915 or (403) 221-0915 Email: jeff@howardgroupinc.com Jamie Hyland SHARC International Systems Inc. Telephone: (604) 442-2425 Email: jamie.hyland@sharcenergy.com Martin Hardwidge MHA Marketing Communications Ltd Telephone: +44 07870 243804 martinh@mhamarketing.co.uk Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. SHARC's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. SHARC believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. MONTREAL, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF) (FRA: 8PY), a TSX Venture 50 high-tech company, (the "Company", the Corporation or "PyroGenesis") that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, announced today that the Company has entered into a pre-tolling agreement (the Agreement) with a major aluminum smelter (the Client) in the Middle East, the name of which remains confidential for competitive reasons. PyroGenesis DROSRITE system is a proven, salt-free, cost-effective, sustainable process for maximizing metal recovery from dross, a waste generated in the metallurgical industry. PyroGenesis patented process avoids costly loss of metal, while reducing a smelters carbon footprint and energy consumption, thus providing a high return on investment. The system has been designed to process and recover valuable metals such as aluminum, zinc and copper from dross. Of note, a tolling service arrangement is one in which a smelter provides dross to a third party to be processed for a fee either on or off site. The Agreement outlines the next steps to enter into a final tolling arrangement, which includes a formal demonstration of the Companys proprietary DROSRITETM System at the Clients facility. This will demonstrate to local authorities that DROSRITE can process the Clients dross in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner. The trials are expected to further demonstrate that DROSRITE can be used to recover aluminum from the Clients dross without the addition or use of fluxing salts, resulting in a non-hazardous residue which can then be utilized by other industries, thereby closing the loop in dross processing. Prior to entering into this Agreement, the Client conducted its own independent analysis and concluded that the DROSRITE technology should have a significantly higher recovery rate than their current practices, and embraced the fact that the DROSRITE System does not use salt and, therefore, unlike other processes, does not produce hazardous salt-cakes as a by-product. Once demonstrated, the Agreement anticipates that the Client will engage PyroGenesis to build, install, and operate a DROSRITE plant, with the potential for additional Systems, to process their hot dross on-site, recover and return the metallic aluminum to the Client, and manage the resulting non-hazardous residue. The terms and conditions of any eventual tolling agreement will be based on demonstration economics, which is expected to be completed in Q2, 2019. PyroGenesis DROSRITE tolling service has two forms of revenues: (i) a traditional tolling fee per metric tonne of dross processed, which ranges widely depending upon the region, and is typically up to US $450 per ton, and (ii) a bonus, which is based upon the increase in aluminum recovery uniquely generated by PyroGenesis DROSRITE technology, and which is typically between 10-20%. PyroGenesis leverages DROSRITEs non-hazardous salt-free process to address increased environmental regulations. Not only is PyroGenesis DROSRITE technology game-changing in its own right, as it operates on-site with increased aluminum recovery, but at the same time it addresses the environmental issues associated with dross, which are becoming critical for aluminum smelters around the world, and particularly in the Middle East, commented Mr. David DAoust, Sales Manager DROSRITE of PyroGenesis. In nearly all the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, the environmental authorities have tightened their restrictions on dross management with the goal of eliminating landfills with hazardous dross or residue by-products, such as salt-cakes, which are produced by traditional dross processing technologies. It is now imperative that dross be managed in an environmentally friendly fashion, which speaks to the urgent need for PyroGenesis DROSRITE technology to service the rapidly growing aluminum industry. We are highly confident this will be a successful demonstration, based on the outstanding results we have generated to date. The Client allows PyroGenesis to showcase DROSRITE to other potential customers in the region. The Client also agreed to allow PyroGenesis to showcase the DROSRITE System to other local aluminum smelters who are also prospective clients for the DROSRITE System, and who are similarly looking for salt-free, environmentally friendly, solutions for the processing of their dross. We are happy to have the opportunity to showcase the DROSRITE technology with the support and backing of this Client, said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. I believe this underscores the impact DROSRITE is having in the industry and, additionally, the unique environmental benefits it provides. DROSRITE demonstrates significant advantages over current practices, and is becoming the high-tech alternative with additional unique environmental benefits. PyroGenesis on-site DROSRITE tolling services address all of the environmental concerns in dross management at its head, said Mr. Pierre Carabin, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Strategist of PyroGenesis. Existing technologies continue to propose salt-based processing technologies, and address the resulting hazardous salt-slag wastes by developing complex post processing, salt-slag washing technologies. This results in an unwieldy three-step offering: (i) the smelter must cool the dross and transport it off-site, losing valuable metal in the process, (ii) the dross is then processed with a salt-based technology producing hazardous and toxic salt-slag residues, and (iii) the now highly contaminated salt-slag residues must be transported to a third facility, which is specifically designed to wash the salt-slag and process the material back into a non-hazardous material. By contrast, PyroGenesis patented DROSRITE technology is a simple and cost-effective one-step-solution with high return on capital for the client. Specifically, hot-dross is processed on-site, at the smelter, with zero hazardous salt-slag waste byproducts. PyroGenesis, together with its Japanese partner, advance on multiple tolling opportunities. Mr. P. Peter Pascali added, In addition to this latest Agreement, we are actively pursuing other tolling arrangements through our new, multi-billion-dollar global partner headquartered in Japan, which we announced in November, 2018. Our business development team, together with our Japanese partners upper management, recently returned from our first series of on-site customer visits, all of whom requested moving forward to the next step. This contract, along with other discussions we are having with various players worldwide, should enable us, together with our Japanese partner, to provide a cookie-cutter offering, and rapidly roll out our on-site tolling business worldwide. About PyroGenesis Canada Inc. PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a TSX Venture 50 high-tech company, is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward- looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation's current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Corporation's ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com , or at www.otcmarkets.com . Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc. For further information please contact: Clemence Bertrand-Bourlaud, Marketing Manager/Investor Relations, Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: ir@pyrogenesis.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riverside Resources Inc. ("Riverside" or the "Company") (TSX-V: RRI) (OTCQB: RVSDF) (FSE: R99), is pleased to announce that partner Sinaloa Resources Inc. has entered into a Definitive Agreement (the Agreement) signed on January 30, 2019 that begins with an Initial Option to acquire a 70% interest in the La Silla Project (the Project). Sinaloa Resources has issued Riverside 1,000,000 common shares and now paid $60,000 total in cash. Riverside and Sinaloa Resources expect the commencement of a first phase $300,000 exploration program in the coming months, as per the Agreement (see Table 1 below). Under the terms of the Agreement, the Initial Option to earn 70% is predicated upon the issuance by Sinaloa Resources of shares at a value of $1,000,000, $60,000 in cash payments and exploration work totaling $2,000,000 over 36 months (see Table 1 below). Riversides President and CEO, John-Mark Staude, stated: We are pleased to move forward with Sinaloa Resources in the La Silla precious metal district in Sinaloa, Mexico. The last exploration and drilling program at La Silla intersected high grades and we look forward to operating and collaborating with our partner to build on historical success in this district. Riverside has completed extensive generative prospecting work at the Project including rock-chip and grab samples up to 19.9 g/t Au and 200 g/t Ag. Riversides previous work programs focused on extending known areas of mineralization, such as the Ciruelo and El Roble veins (see press release June 19, 2018). Further property-wide exploration also successfully identified new showings, structures and historical abandoned workings as part of the Companys generative work aimed at developing additional exploration target areas to increase the pipeline of new discovery targets at La Silla. Sinaloa Resources is currently a privately held company and intends to pursue a listing transaction on either the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) or the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) within 12 months of execution of the Definitive Agreement. The Agreement also includes several provisions that protect Riverside in the event of early termination or a late listing transaction. Table 1: Initial Option - Sinaloa Resources to acquire 70% interest in La Silla Due Dates Cash Payments $ Value of Shares to be Issued Exploration Expenditures Upon Execution of the LOI $25,000 Nil Upon Execution of the Definitive Agreement $35,000 $100,000 12 Months from the Date of the Definitive Agreement $100,000 $300,000 24 Months from the Date of the Definitive Agreement $100,000 $700,000 36 Months from the Date of the Definitive Agreement $700,000 $1,000,000 Total: $60,000 $1.000,000 $2,000,000 All amounts in Canadian dollars Additional Agreement Details: To earn an additional 30% (the Additional Option), Sinaloa Resources must incur a further $1,000,000 in exploration work and issue Riverside additional Sinaloa Resources shares at a value of $500,000. Riverside will retain a 3% NSR on the Project should Sinaloa Resources complete 100% earn-in, or Riversides interest dilutes to less than 10%. Qualified Person & QA/QC: The scientific and technical data contained in this news release pertaining to the La Silla Project was reviewed and approved by Freeman Smith, P.Geo, a non-independent qualified person to Riverside Resources, who is responsible for ensuring that the geologic information provided in this news release is accurate and who acts as a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Riverside Resources Inc.: Riverside is an exploration company driven by value generation and discovery. The company has fewer than 45M shares issued and a strong portfolio of gold-silver and copper assets in North America. Riverside has extensive experience and knowledge operating in Mexico and leverages its large database to generate a portfolio of prospective mineral properties. In addition to Riversides own exploration spending, the Company also strives to diversify risk by securing joint-venture and spin-out partnerships to advance multiple assets simultaneously and create more chances for discovery. Riverside has additional properties available for option, with more information available on the Companys website at www.rivres.com. ON BEHALF OF RIVERSIDE RESOURCES INC. "John-Mark Staude" Dr. John-Mark Staude, President & CEO For additional information contact: John-Mark Staude President, CEO Riverside Resources Inc. info@rivres.com Phone: (778) 327-6671 Fax: (778) 327-6675 Web: www.rivres.com Raffi Elmajian Corporate Communications Riverside Resources Inc. relmajian@rivres.com Phone: (778) 327-6671 ext. 312 TF: (877) RIV-RES1 ext. 312 Web: www.rivres.com Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology (e.g., "expect, estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "plans"). Such information involves known and unknown risks -- including the availability of funds, the results of financing and exploration activities, the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data, or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Riverside in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FIREWEED ZINC LTD. (Fireweed or the Company) (TSXV: FWZ) is pleased to announce closing of the non-brokered private placement (the Offering) announced January 18, 2019 for total gross proceeds of CAD$5,013,992. The private placement includes a lead order by strategic investor Teck Resources Limited (Teck) and an order from the Companys largest shareholder, RCF Opportunities Fund L.P. (RCF Opportunities). Highlights Tecks participation in the Offering has increased their interest in the Company to 9.9% RCF Opportunities, the Companys largest shareholder, participated for 750,000 shares to maintain their 13% interest in the Company All Directors personally participated for a total of $150,817.25 in the financing to add to their holdings The $5 million offering will provide Fireweed with capital to fund a 2019 work program focused on exploration and resource expansion Fireweed CEO Brandon Macdonald stated, Tecks participation in this financing is a strong independent vote of confidence in the project and Fireweed management from one of the worlds preeminent zinc miners. Participation by our largest shareholder, RCF Opportunities, is another strong vote of confidence from a major fund specialized in mining. We made significant progress on Macmillan Pass in 2018 and this new financing will help make 2019 another great year for the Company. The Offering consisted of a total of 2,379,750 common shares of the Company at a price of CAD$0.80 per share (Common Shares), 1,820,728 flow-through common shares of the Company at a price of $0.95 per share (Flow-Through Shares), and 1,255,000 flow-through common shares of the Company at a price of $1.10 per share through a donation arrangement (Charity Flow-Through Shares) for total gross proceeds of $5,013,992. Teck purchased 2,187,500 Common Shares of the Company for an investment of $1,750,000. RCF Opportunities Fund L.P. purchased 750,000 Shares of the Company for an investment of $600,000. Insiders purchased 185,005 Shares for gross proceeds of $150,817.25. Finders fees were paid to three arms length agents: Haywood Securities Inc, $24,838.50 and 30,930 agents warrants; Mackie-Research Capital Corporation, $3562.50 and 3,750 agents warrants; and 6132987 Canada Inc, $7,836.00. All agents warrants are exercisable to acquire common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.95 per share until February 15, 2021. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for exploration and development of the Companys Macmillan Pass Project in Yukon, Canada, and for general working capital purposes. The gross proceeds from the issuance of all Flow-Through Shares will be used to incur Canadian Exploration Expenses (CEE), and will qualify as flow-through mining expenditures under the Income Tax Act (Canada), which will be renounced to the purchasers of Flow-Through Shares with an effective date no later than December 31, 2019 in an aggregate amount no less than the proceeds raised from the issue of the Flow-Through Shares. The Common Shares and Flow-Through Shares issued under the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day following the date of closing. About Fireweed Zinc Ltd. (TSXV: FWZ): Fireweed Zinc is a public mineral exploration company focused on zinc and managed by a veteran team of mining industry professionals. The Company is advancing its large 544 km2 Macmillan Pass Project in Yukon, Canada, which is host to the 100% owned Tom and Jason zinc-lead-silver deposits with recently announced Mineral Resources and a PEA economic study (see Fireweed news releases dated January 10, 2018, and May 23, 2018, respectively, and reports filed on www.sedar.com for details) as well as the Boundary Zone and End Zone which have significant zinc-lead-silver mineralization drilled but not yet classified as mineral resources. The project also includes option agreements on large blocks of adjacent claims (MAC, MC, MP, Jerry, BR and NS) which cover exploration targets in the district where previous work identified zinc, lead and silver geochemical anomalies in critical host geology. Additional information about Fireweed Zinc and its Macmillan Pass Zinc Project can be found on the Companys website at www.FireweedZinc.com and at www.sedar.com . ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED ZINC LTD. Brandon Macdonald CEO & Director 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. TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revival Gold Inc. (TSXV: RVG, OTCQB: RVLGF) (Revival Gold or the "Company"), a growthfocused gold exploration and development company, announces its participation in the following upcoming conferences: BMO 28 th Global Metals & Mining Conference to be held in Hollywood, Florida from February 24-27, 2019 at The Diplomat Resort. to be held in Hollywood, Florida from February 24-27, 2019 at The Diplomat Resort. PDAC 2019 to be held in Toronto, Ontario from March 3-6, 2019 at The Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Revival Gold will be in booth IE2632. A corporate presentation will be given on March 4, 2019 at 3:30pm in the Gold Exploration Session 1 in Room 802, MTCC South Building. Interested parties that wish to schedule a meeting, or who would like more information regarding the conferences and events noted above, please contact Andrea Totino, Investor Relations Manager at (416) 366-4100, or email atotino@revivalgold.com. Corporate presentation and fact sheet information materials are available on the Companys website at www.revivalgold.com. About Revival Gold Inc. Revival Gold Inc. is a growth-focused gold exploration and development company. The Company has the right to acquire a 100% interest in Meridian Beartrack Co., owner of the former producing Beartrack Gold Project located in Lemhi County, Idaho. Revival Gold also owns rights to a 100% interest in the neighboring Arnett Gold Project. In addition to its interests in Beartrack and Arnett, the Company is pursuing other gold exploration and development opportunities and holds a 51% interest in the Diamond Mountain Phosphate Project located in Uintah County, Utah. Revival Gold has approximately 42 million shares outstanding and had a working capital balance of approximately $0.5 million as at December 31, 2018. Additional disclosure, including the Companys financial statements, technical reports, material change reports, news releases and other information, can be obtained at www.revival-gold.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For further information, please visit www.revival-gold.com or contact: Adam Rochacewich, VP and CFO Andrea Totino, Investor Relations Manager Telephone: (416) 366-4100 Email: info@revival-gold.com ATLANTA, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GIGA Data Centers , LLC (GIGA), a new breed of data center provider creating affordable, hyper-scale performing facilities with unprecedented energy efficiency, announced today that company CEO, Jake Ring, has been selected by DICE Southeast organizers as a data center expert panelist. Mr. Ring will join additional data center executives on a panel titled, The Modernization of Infrastructure, Operations & the Data Center Life-Cycle , on February 26th from 1:30 pm to 2:05 pm at the American Cancer Society Center in Atlanta, GA, to discuss and debate data center density and cooling capacity. In the first half of 2018 Atlanta, GA absorbed data center power of 4.9 MW out of the total 215 MW of global capacity, and the city's absorption rate was 40% of the total market absorbed in all of 2017. Having recently announced GIGAs Mooresville, NC data center construction, that will supply 60MW of capacity at 4.1 per kWhr anda Power Use Efficiency (PUE) rating of < 1.15 guaranteedMr. Ring was selected for his extensive facility power innovation knowledge to address DICE Southeast attendees on power and density. Atlanta is gaining momentum as colos and data center operators take advantage of the regions inexpensive land and robust power infrastructure, Ring said. Typical facilities in the region are offering 7kW per rack, where GIGA Data Centers is capable of offering up to 50kW per rack. Using our new generation of WindChill modular enclosures, we are able to offer better price points for all workloadsincluding high-performance computing. I am thankful to have been selected to address DICE Southeast attendees and look forward to discussing how new power innovations will benefit Atlantas data center and colo market. To speak with Jake Ring at DICE, please contact Betsey Rogers at betsey@bridgeviewmarketing.com . For more information on GIGA Data Centers, please visit the companys resource page at www.gigadatacenters.com/resources/ . About GIGA Data Centers Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, GIGA Data Centers (GIGA) takes a modern approach to building & operating data centers with innovative, modular technology that is proven to be more efficient than the decades-old tradition of facilities with raised floors as well as over-provisioned cooling and power systems. GIGA is motivated by the belief that all companies seeking data center colocation should have access to greater efficiency and flexibility at a reasonable price. The result is a guaranteed PUE of 1.15, up to 50kW per rack-cabinet, and an immensely scalable design delivered at very competitive rates. TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (TSX: GCM; OTCQX: TPRFF) announced today that it sees opportunity in the evolving changes in Venezuela to recover and develop its gold exploration assets that were nationalized in 2011, adding to its pipeline of Latin America-based projects which could fuel the Companys mid- to long-term growth objectives. Gran Colombia recognizes Mr. Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim President of Venezuela and has communicated to its government the Company's firm intention to re-start its mining project in Venezuela as soon as circumstances allow. For the purposes of holding, developing and financing its Venezuelan assets and carrying out its Venezuelan investment strategy, Gran Colombia intends to spin off such assets into a separate listed special purpose vehicle. Through the spin off, Gran Colombia will retain a major stake in the new company while leveraging the capital markets to provide the funding required for exploration and development of the mining assets. Serafino Iacono, Executive Co-Chairman of Gran Colombia, stated: We are incredibly excited with the future prospects of Venezuela and are eager to be a partner in the reconstruction of the country. We have been successful in executing our turnaround strategy over the last couple of years, focused primarily on implementing our mining plan at our core producing asset, the Segovia Operations, which remains at the heart of our exploration and development programs for near-term growth. We believe Gran Colombia is uniquely positioned to use this experience to efficiently develop gold mining assets in Venezuela through a separate listed vehicle in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner. We are the largest gold and silver producer in Colombia with a 2018 output of 218,001 ounces (equivalent to approximately 6.8 tons) of gold and our senior management team has unmatched experience in the Venezuelan greenstone belt, having also financed and developed what was, until the nationalization of the gold industry, the largest operating gold project in the country. Prior to nationalization of the gold industry in 2011, Medoro Resources Ltd. (Medoro, which merged into Gran Colombia in mid-2011) was the legal owner of the Increible 4A & 4B gold mining property in El Callao, State of Bolivar, an area in which close to US$110 million had previously been invested. Exploration for gold in Bolivar State dates back to before Venezuelan independence in 1811 and most likely prior to the Spanish occupation. The El Callao mining district itself is historically the most prolific gold producing region in Venezuela with a recorded output of 6 million ounces since 1870. Through its exploration work, Medoro had outlined a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate with 950,000 ounces of gold in the Measured & Indicated category and a further 90,000 ounces of gold in the Inferred category. Medoro had also filed a development and mining plan and an environmental impact study before the Venezuelan authorities in order to start development of its project, in accordance with applicable regulations. Lombardo Paredes, CEO of Gran Colombia added: Our investment strategy in Venezuela, if we are given the opportunity, will include revitalizing other prospective assets in the El Callao area, such as the Sosa Mendez mine and the old Revemin processing plant, while working with the communities and the governmental authorities to formalize illegal miners, an area in which we have proven experience to foster economic activity and help the recovery from the current humanitarian crisis. Gran Colombia will provide further updates on this initiative as information becomes available. About Gran Colombia Gold Corp. Gran Colombia is a Canadian-based mid-tier gold producer with its primary focus in Colombia where it is currently the largest underground gold and silver producer with several mines in operation at its Segovia and Marmato Operations. Gran Colombia is continuing to focus on exploration, expansion and modernization activities at its high-grade Segovia Operations. Additional information on Gran Colombia can be found on its website at www.grancolombiagold.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect repayment of the Gold Notes. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative 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 involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Gran Colombia to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 27, 2018 and Managements Discussion and Analysis dated as of November 13, 2018, both of which are available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Gran Colombia disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coro Mining Corp. (Coro or the Company) (TSX: COP) is pleased to announce an update for the Companys Marimaca Project in the Antofagasta Region of Chile. Sampling of historic underground workings in the Sorpresa area, located approximately 2km to the south of Marimaca, has confirmed the presence of a north-northeast oriented zone of intrusive hosted, copper oxide mineralization measuring at least 350 metres long by 100 metres wide. The limits to the mineralization have not yet been defined and the lowest most workings at approximately 100m vertical depth are still in copper oxides. Individual, well mineralized structures within the zone have widths of 10 to 40 metres. Like Marimaca itself, Sorpresa has not been previously drilled prior to Coros involvement. Underground Sampling Highlights A total of 2,450 samples have been collected from underground workings, averaging approximately 0.50% CuT with highlights including: 77.3 metres at 1.0% CuT 17.0 metres at 2.70% CuT 53.2 metres at 1.01% CuT 32.2 metres at 1.09 %CuT 15.0 metres at 4.20 %CuT 54.8 metres at 1.16 %CuT A reverse circulation (RC) drilling program with 12 holes for 3,000 metres is planned to test the strike and depth extent of the copper oxide mineralization. Exploration in the area between the Marimaca deposit and Sorpresa is underway. The presence of good grade mineralization at Sorpresa confirms the potential in the district, on ground controlled 100% by Coro. Commenting on the announcement, Sergio Rivera, VP of Exploration said: The Marimaca Phase II exploration program is progressing on time and on budget with some of the most interesting results anticipated in the coming weeks as we continue to test for additional potential extensions of mineralization to the north and south. The underground sampling of Sorpresa demonstrate the presence of good grade copper oxide mineralization in this new area. As soon as we have finished at Atahualpa where the ongoing results continue to exceed our expectations, we will test Sorpresa with the RC drill campaign, with results anticipated in the second quarter. Further Information The Sorpresa I and II areas are located to the south of Marimaca 1-23. The objective of the exploration activities at Sorpresa is to confirm the presence and continuation of copper oxide mineralization to the south of the Marimaca deposit. Figure 1. Exploration areas and underground workings http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c1e3c212-ca84-4b49-a71c-21288d3dd758 Underground workings are north-south to north-northeast oriented, easily accessible and displaying good rock quality conditions. Although no reports on earlier mining activities exist, it is believed from sampling and the continuous copper oxide mineralization exposed in the declines and adits that the workings were developed to mine material estimated to contain above 2% copper. Results from sampling are shown in Figure 2 below: Figure 2. Sorpresa underground workings location and selected sampling results http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2bd5bee2-822f-4d9c-ad54-0ab812531349 Figure 3 shows the distribution of copper in the workings and the location of selected intervals. Structure, mineralization and alteration resemble the feeder zones observed in the Marimaca deposit. No sulphides are present in the underground workings. Figure 3. Sorpresa historic underground workings results and selected intersections Underground Drive From (m) To (m) Length (m) % CuT % CuS SS-01-4 56.2 163.3 107.1 0.37 0.26 including 58.5 100 41.5 0.58 0.44 SS-01-6 20 37.6 17.6 0.45 0.31 SS-01-9 0 37.5 37.5 0.7 0.38 SS-01-10 0 77.3 77.3 1 0.69 SS-01-11 11.6 30.6 19 0.89 0.72 SS-01-13 0 17 17 2.7 2.33 SS-01-16 5.8 23.6 17.8 0.85 0.65 SS-01-18 3.7 23.4 19.7 0.89 0.52 SS-01-20 7.5 30.9 23.4 0.58 0.36 SS-01-21 2.1 55.3 53.2 1.01 0.72 SS-01-22 5.7 29.3 23.6 0.8 0.7 SS-01-23 1.7 33.9 32.2 1.09 0.77 SS-01-25 9.8 47 37.2 0.97 0.8 62.8 74.8 12 1.74 1.52 SS-01-26 0 7.7 7.7 0.73 0.54 SS-01-27 0 33.7 33.7 0.49 0.34 83.2 95.2 12 0.52 0.29 SS-01-27A 0 35.5 35.5 0.6 0.33 124 176 52 0.67 0.36 SS-01-30 0 14.3 14.3 0.97 0.8 SS-01-31 0 15 15 4.2 3.8 SS-01-32 0 39.2 39.2 0.35 0.25 SS-01-32 78.3 98.2 19.9 0.61 0.5 SS-01-34 0 23.9 23.9 0.81 0.39 SS-01-36 0 45.8 45.8 0.43 0.28 SS-02-38 0 54.8 54.8 1.16 0.96 including 37.1 53 15.9 2.8 2.44 Sorpresa RC Drilling Program An RC drill campaign with 12 holes for 3,000 metres will test the strike and depth extension of the copper oxide mineralization and its extension from the Marimaca deposit. Phase II Program Upcoming Milestones Drilling is continuing to plan at Atahualpa with further results anticipated in the coming weeks. Sample and Assay Protocol The samples were taken as 2 metres continuous chip channel samples in previously carefully cleaned surface walls. Both adit walls were sampled by Coro personnel. The samples were transported to the Andes Analytical Assays (AAA) preparation laboratory in Calama. Samples were prepared using the following standard protocol: drying, crushing to better than 80% passing -10#, homogenizing, splitting and pulverizing a 400 g subsample to 95% passing -150#. All samples were assayed for CuT and CuS by AAS. No standards, blanks or duplicates were employed. After sampling, underground workings were geologically mapped in detail following a protocol adapted from that used for bore hole logging, with emphasis on mineralization and its structural and litohologic controls. Qualified Persons The technical information in this news release, including the information that relates to geology, drilling and mineralization of the district exploration programs was prepared under the supervision of, or has been reviewed by Sergio Rivera, Vice President of Exploration, Coro Mining Corp, a geologist with more than 38 years of experience and a member of the Colegio de Geologos de Chile and of the Institute of Mining Engineers of Chile, and who is the Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101 responsible for the design and execution of the drilling program and the contents of this news release. Contact Information For further information please visit www.coromining.com or contact: Nicholas Bias, VP Corporate Development & Investor Relations Office: +56 2 2431 7601 Cell: +44 (0)7771 450 679 Email: nbias@coromining.com Forward Looking Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or the Companys future performance, business prospects or opportunities. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the future development and exploration potential of the Marimaca Project. Actual future results may differ materially. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Coro, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the inherent risks involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data, fluctuating metal prices, the possibility of project delays or cost overruns or unanticipated excessive operating costs and expenses, uncertainties related to the necessity of financing, the availability of and costs of financing needed in the future as well as those factors disclosed in the Companys documents filed from time to time with the securities regulators in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Coro undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements contained herein whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. English Swedish Stockholm, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report published by the Stockholm Academic Forum (Staf) shows that the number of international students attending universities in Stockholm, Sweden, has increased by 20% over the last three years. The total number of international students now comes close to 10,000, or about 11% of the student population. For the first time since student fees were introduced in Sweden in 2011, China is the biggest source of international students. Currently, 826 Chinese students are enrolled in programs across the city, which is an increase of 18% compared with the previous year. Among the citys 18 higher education institutions, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) has the greatest number of Chinese students. That is no coincidence, says Sigbritt Karlsson, President of KTH. We have spent close to 20 years developing strong connections with several of the countrys leading universities and our own students are very interested in China. We are also delighted about Stockholms increased popularity with Chinese students. At the same time, we are committed to maintaining a multi-cultural international campus, which is why we are working broadly to recruit students from other parts of the world as well. For many years, Germany and Finland have been the top countries of origin for international students in Stockholm, but their numbers have not increased as quickly as those from China, meaning that they have now fallen to a second and third place respectively. France remains in fourth place with 482 students, while India comes in fifth place with 385 students, which corresponds to an increase of 16% compared with the previous year. In total, we are seeing meaningful growth and that is great for the city. Stockholm is one of the five fastest growing regions in Europe and an increased level of diversity within our academic circles can only strengthen our competitive potential, says Lotta Edholm, Stockholms Vice Mayor for Schools and Education. Incoming Students - Stockholm (Academic Year 2017/2018) 1. China (826, +18%) 2. Finland (794, -4%) 3. Germany (774, +2%) 4. France (482, 0%) 5. India (385, +16%) 6. Italy (362, +7%) 7. Spain (339, +14%) 8. Greece (275, +2%) 9. USA (275, -1%) 10. The Netherlands (222, 13%) The Stockholm School of Economics has the highest proportion of international students, followed by three of the citys liberal arts colleges. The highest total number of international students is, however, with Stockholm University, which has 3,796 international students, of which the largest group comes from Finland, followed by Germany. About the Stockholm Academic Forum The Stockholm Academic Forum (Staf) is the peak collaborative body of the City of Stockholm and its 18 higher education institutions. As the collective voice of its members, Staf promotes and supports Stockholms position as one of the worlds leading academic centers. For more information, visit www.staforum.se/en/. Dublin, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market: Focus on Pharmaceutical Products, Therapeutic Indication, Competitive Landscape and Region - Analysis and Forecast, 2018-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global cancer immunotherapy market was valued at $39.86 billion in 2017 and is anticipated to reach $170.70 billion by 2028. The rising prevalence of cancer around the world and high unmet medical needs of patients with cancer are stimulators for the growth of the cancer immunotherapy market. In addition, the advancements in precision medicine for immuno-oncology and rise in expenditure by pharmaceutical companies on R&D for cancer treatments, are contributing to the rise in demand for cancer immunotherapy as a treatment for cancer. The scope of the report is centered upon a detailed study of the solutions allied with cancer immunotherapy market which involves immune-oncology drugs used in different therapeutic applications for cancer treatment. The global cancer immunotherapy market is segmented into three different parts: by products', by therapeutic indication', and by region'. The global market value for cancer immunotherapy was estimated using these three different approaches and was validated against one another. These segments are further segmented into several sub-segments to ease the market estimation. Based on products, the market can be sub-segmented into monoclonal antibodies, check point inhibitors, cancer vaccine, and others. The market for monoclonal antibodies dominates the market in terms of revenue. The growth of the monoclonal antibodies market is accredited to the efficacy of these targeted antibodies, rising demand for advanced oncology medicines along with an increase in the research and development facilities globally. However, Check Point Inhibitors exhibit a higher growth rate as they have shown to be more efficacious and have less toxicity as compared to other product classes. These products have a novel mechanism of action which have revolutionized the cancer immunotherapy market. Based on therapeutic indication, the market can be classified into seven major cancer types, which include breast cancer, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer, renal cell carcinoma, gastric cancer, and others. Among the different types of cancers, breast cancer is the leading contributor to metastatic cancer treatment market, while the highest CAGR is expected to be registered by NSCLC during the forecast period from 2018 to 2028. North America leads the market in terms of revenue, followed by Europe. Within North America, the U.S. generated almost 96% of the total revenue share, and the rest 4 % of the revenue was generated by Canada in 2017. Within Europe, Germany dominated the market in 2017 with a revenue share of 16.73%. However, the market for Asia-pacific region is expected to demonstrate the highest growth rate, during the forecast period from 2018 to 2028, as compared to other regions. The cancer immunotherapy market has a promising potential for growth in the coming years. The report provides an in-depth SWOT analysis of different key players of the market, supported by an extensive financial summary of each company. The key players of the market are Aduro Biotech Amgen Astrazeneca Plc Bristol-Myers Squibb Celgene Corporation Dnatrix Therapeutics Eli Lilly And Company F. Hoffmann La Roche Fate Therapeutics Gilead Sciences, Inc. Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. Johnson & Johnson Merck & Co., Inc. Novartis Ag Pfizer, Inc. Precision Biosciences, Inc. Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary 1 Market Overview 1.1 Cancer Immunotherapy 1.2 Types of Cancer Immunotherapy 2 Market Dynamics 2.1 Drivers 2.1.1 Rising Prevalence of Cancer 2.1.2 Unmet Medical Needs of Cancer Patients 2.1.3 Rising R&D Expenditure in the Immuno-Oncology Segment 2.1.4 Advancement of Precision Medicine in Immuno-oncology 2.2 Restraints 2.2.1 High Cost of Treatment 2.2.2 Adverse Effects of Immunotherapy Treatment 2.3 Opportunities 2.3.1 Development of Targeted Therapy 2.3.2 Development of Healthcare Infrastructure and Reimbursement Policies in Emerging Economies 2.3.3 Combination Therapy 3 Competitive Landscape 3.1 Key Developmental Strategies 3.1.1 Product Approval 3.1.2 Agreements, Collaborations and Partnerships 3.1.3 Clinical Study 3.1.4 Regulatory Designation 3.1.5 Acquisition 3.1.6 Others 3.2 Market Share Analysis 4 Industry Insights 4.1 Regulatory Organizations/ Associations/ Consortiums 4.2 Patent Landscape 4.3 Regulatory Designations 5 Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market (By Product) 5.1 Monoclonal Antibodies 5.2 Checkpoint Inhibitors 5.2.1 CTLA-4 Inhibitors 5.2.2 PD-L1 Inhibitors/ PD-1 Inhibitors 5.3 Cancer Vaccines 5.3.1 Other Cancer Therapies 5.3.1.1 Oncolytic Viruses 5.3.1.2 Adoptive Cell Transfer 6 Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market (by Therapeutic Indication) 6.1 Breast Cancer 6.2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) 6.3 Melanoma 6.4 Colorectal Cancer 6.5 Renal Cell Carcinoma 6.6 Gastric Cancer 6.7 Others 7 Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market (by Region) 8 Company Profiles For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bjdfc6/global_170_bn?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. ROTTERDAM, the Netherlands, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Centrient Pharmaceuticals (Centrient), the leading manufacturer of beta-lactam antibiotics, and a provider of next generation statins and anti-fungals, announced that the Delhi High Court in India has granted an injunction against Sinopharm Weiqida Pharmaceuticals and Sinopharm India, restricting the export and/or import into India of its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) amoxicillin trihydrate. In addition, the Delhi High Court also found Sinopharm Weiqida prima facie guilty of contempt of Court for illegally importing amoxicillin active ingredients in contravention of the previously granted preliminary injunction in place in India since April 2017. The Court further found that Sinopharm Weiqida has infringed the patent of Centrient. Centrient, and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Centrient Pharmaceuticals Netherlands B.V. and Centrient Pharmaceuticals India Pvt. Ltd., announced today that the Delhi High Court in India has granted an injunction against Sinopharm Weiqida Pharmaceutical Co., LTD ("Weiqida") blocking the export, importation and sale of its amoxicillin active ingredient into India. The injunction prevents the importation of Weiqidas amoxicillin trihydrate active pharmaceutical ingredient in India in any form. Weiqida was also found in contempt of the Delhi High Courts original preliminary injunction order, granted in April 2017, through its continued importation and sale of its amoxicillin trihydrate active pharmaceutical ingredient in India. Centrient will seek monetary compensation for the damage sustained by the illegal shipments, in violation of the preliminary injunction since April 2017. Centrient wishes to put all buyers of Weiqidas amoxicillin trihydrate active pharmaceutical ingredient in India on notice (even if such API transits through India under advanced license) to be aware of the above orders of the Delhi High Court. Centrient shall ensure full compliance of the orders of the Delhi High Court and will notify the Indian Customs Authority and other authorities to seize all future Weiqida amoxicillin shipments at the relevant customs facilities. Karl Rotthier, CEO at Centrient Pharmaceuticals said: Centrient holds a world-class intellectual property portfolio relating to our innovative, sustainable and environmentally-friendly amoxicillin technology. We will continue to rigorously defend our Intellectual Property assets worldwide as we continue to invest in our innovative R&D programs directed to enzymatically produced, sustainable antimicrobials and statins. We will continue to supply our customers with reliable, non-infringing, top quality amoxicillin. About Centrient Pharmaceuticals Centrient Pharmaceuticals is the leading manufacturer of beta-lactam antibiotics, and a provider of next generation statins and anti-fungals. We produce and sell intermediates, active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished dosage forms. We stand proudly at the centre of modern healthcare, as a maker of essential and life-saving medicines. With our commitment to Quality, Reliability and Sustainability at the heart of everything we do, our 2700 employees work continuously to meet our customers needs. We work towards a sustainable future by actively participating in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Founded 150 years ago as the Nederlandsche Gist- en Spiritusfabriek, our company was known as Gist Brocades and more recently DSM Sinochem Pharmaceuticals. Headquartered in Rotterdam (the Netherlands), we have production facilities and sales offices in China, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Egypt, the United States and Mexico. Centrient Pharmaceuticals is wholly owned by Bain Capital Private Equity, a leading global private investment firm. English French Rueil Malmaison, 19 February 2019 VINCI reinvents compulsory work experience for lower secondary school students in France with its new scheme Give me 5 A first in France: an annual 5,000 work experience placements for lower secondary school students from priority education areas all over France A customized weeks immersion in VINCIs activities, with five days to learn about five business lines (site visits, introductions to various professions, career testimonials from employees, job search workshops) VINCI today announces the launch of Give me 5, an ambitious scheme designed to combat inequality. Through it, in partnership with the French ministry of Education, the Group intends to reinvent the compulsory work experience placement for lower secondary school students in France and pledges to welcome 5,000 pupils a year from priority and high-priority education establishments. The students will be fully immersed in the workplace environment for five days. They will learn about VINCIs five business lines through a customized scheme that changes every day and focuses on career guidance and facilitating insertion an introduction to the business lines, round-table discussions and testimonials from employees who will talk about their careers, job search workshops (public speaking, digital skills assessment, boosting your online reputation, etc.). The students will be introduced to the world of business and to the many professions they could go into. The aim is to help them choose their future careers. The scheme was set up with support from the local education authorities of the ten French regions selected for the operation: Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Bordeaux, Creteil, Lille, Lyon, Nancy-Metz, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Versailles. This initiative is being rolled out in connection with the President of the French Republics anti-poverty plan. Last July, the government announced a measure guaranteeing 30,000 work experience placements for lower secondary school students from priority education neighbourhoods, with 15,000 placements provided by the public and private sectors respectively. VINCI Chairman and CEO Xavier Huillard, commented: With Give me 5, VINCI intends to open the doors of the corporate world to young people from underprivileged neighbourhoods. As our businesses have built up lasting and deep-rooted connections in their regions, it is our role to contribute to Frances social cohesion and to go the extra mile with our CSR commitments. The idea is also to make future generations realize that the corporate world is a wonderful opportunity for growth, independence and success. With Give me 5, VINCI also pledges to: Reserve 20% of its gap year and graduate internships for students from deprived neighbourhoods; Develop an unprecedented region-based employment scheme, whereby every year it supports 10 people for whom finding a job would be particularly difficult in 10 selected regions of France. This scheme is another illustration of how the Group fosters diversity and equal opportunities. We are convinced that having employees from different backgrounds is a source of enrichment for the company, particularly given the complexity of the projects we conduct in France and internationally. That is why each day the Groups companies make every effort to promote equal opportunities and prevent any form of discrimination in their activities. PRESS CONTACT VINCI Press Department Tel: +33 (0)1 47 16 31 82 media.relations@vinci.com About VINCI VINCI is a global player in concessions and contracting, employing more than 210,000 people in some 100 countries. We design, finance, build and operate infrastructure and facilities that help improve daily life and mobility for all. Because we believe in all-round performance, above and beyond economic and financial results, we are committed to operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. And because our projects are in the public interest, we consider that reaching out to all our stakeholders and engaging in dialogue with them is essential in the conduct of our business activities. VINCIs goal is to create long-term value for its customers, shareholders, employees, and partners and for society at large. www.vinci.com Attachment NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Executive research professionals from top executive search firms in the UK, Europe and beyond will convene for AESC's Executive Research 4.0 Forum , on March 14, 2019 at Londons St. Ermin's Hotel. The event will focus on the role of executive research in todays Industry 4.0 business climate. Expert executive research trainer Rachel Roche, Founder & President of Smart Search, will open the event with an interactive session on The Art of Persuasion, focusing on strategies and techniques to connect with candidates and represent the client and a role as a win-win for all stakeholders. Marie Terese Letorney, Founder & Director of Ask your Voice, will lead an innovative session, enabling executive researchers to find and optimize their voice, enhance their persona, empower their communication skills in a diverse society, and build fast connections with elevated impact. Laura Stoker, Executive Director, Global Training at AIRS, will share the latest recruitment and sourcing strategies and innovative approaches to find passive executive candidates in todays competitive market. Kate Youll, Director of Youll Consulting and Associate at Interview EDGE, will take participants on an interactive journey through the interview process that will catapult their confidence and increase their ROI as an interviewer. Clare Mahon, AESC Managing Director for the Europe & Africa region, will frame executive research in the Industry 4.0 business environment, sharing insights from Leading Transformation: Shaping Todays C-Suite for Innovation, new original research from AESC, focusing on the Fourth Industrial Revolutions impact on C-Suite roles. Executive researchers arriving in London for the event will also have the opportunity to participate the day before on March 13, 2019, in AESCs full day immersion Certificate in Executive Research Workshop . This rigorous course is the first live, face-to-face opportunity to earn the AESC Certificate in Executive Research , typically a virtual program that takes weeks for participants to complete. The intensive one-day London workshop will cover all aspects of the program in a day and prepare executive researchers for the exam to earn the official AESC Certificate in Executive Research credential. Karen Greenbaum, AESC President and CEO, commented: "AESC Forums provide cutting-edge professional insights in a dynamic, non-competitive, interactive environment. This year we continue to focus on sharing best practices, emerging executive research techniques, and different approaches to the challenges faced by today's executive research teams, but now within the context of digital transformation. AESC's event is sponsored by AESC partners AIRS, Cluen, Invenias and Mintz Group. To learn more about AESC's Executive Research Forum, or to register, please visit the AESC website at aesc.org . About AESC Since 1959, AESC has set the quality standard for the executive search and leadership advisory profession. AESC Members, ranging in size from large global executive search and leadership advisory firms and networks to regional and boutique firms, represent 9,000+ trusted professionals in 1200+ offices, spanning 70+ countries. AESC Members are recognized leaders of global executive search and leadership advisory solutions. They leverage their access and expertise to place, find and develop more than 80,000 executives each year in board of directors and C-level positions for the worlds leading organizations of all types and sizes. Dedicated to strengthening leadership worldwide, AESC and its members share a deep commitment to the highest quality standards in executive search and leadership consultingfor the benefit of clients and the profession. We Shape. Connect. Educate. Learn more about us at aesc.org . Contact: Joe Chappell, AESC jchappell@aesc.org + 1 (646) 757 5492 PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, Feb. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On his first visit to Papua New Guinea as the new President and CEO of Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX), Mark Bristow said the global mining group is committed to strengthening the Companys partnership with the government and local communities, which has enabled the Porgera gold mine to deliver substantial benefits to PNG for almost 30 years. During his four-day visit, Bristow met with Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel and representatives of the Porgera Landowners Association, including Chairman Mark Ekepa and member Dixon Pundi. Bristow also hosted a dinner for Enga Provincial Governor Sir Peter Ipatas, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade Rimbink Pato, Member of Parliament for Lagaip-Porgera, Tomait Kapili, and Member of Parliament for Wabag, Dr. Lino Tom. Bristow discussed the importance of strengthening Porgeras partnership with the community and maintaining positive relationships with local landowners over the life of the mine. He also highlighted the mines longstanding partnership with the State, and reaffirmed Barricks commitment to engaging with Government representatives and landowners to negotiate an extension of the Porgera Special Mining Lease that will allow the mine to remain productive, while also delivering benefits for stakeholders over the long term. Bristow added that Porgera is a long-term asset for both Barrick and Zijin that will require significant capital investment to sustain operations. Without the security of an extended mining lease, it would be difficult to justify further significant investments in the mine, he said. The Porgera gold mine pays significant compensation to local landowners for the use of the land where the mine is located. The mine has also paid over Kina 3.3 billion in taxes and more than Kina 520 million in royalties to the State, making a significant contribution to the national economy by providing a long-term source of public revenue and supporting the development of critical infrastructure in Enga and surrounding provinces. At Barrick, we believe that our host countries must be true partners, sharing both the responsibility and the benefits that come with mining, said Bristow. We are ready to engage with the government to breathe new life into this long-standing partnership, so that the Porgera Joint Venture continues to deliver benefits to all stakeholders. Barrick and Zijin Mining Group each own a 47.5% interest in the Porgera Joint Venture through Barrick (Niugini) Limited. Mineral Resources Enga owns the remaining 5% interest. Enquiries: President and CEO Mark Bristow +1 647 205 7694 +44 788 071 1386 Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer Graham Shuttleworth +44 1534 735 333 +44 779 771 1338 Investor and Media Relations Kathy du Plessis +44 20 7557 7738 Email: barrick@dpapr.com Website: www.barrick.com Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Certain information contained in this press release, including any information as to Barricks strategy for the Porgera Joint Venture and its future financial, operating or sustainability performance, constitutes forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words hope, potential, unlock, will, believe, expect, strategy and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to (i) Barricks strategy to unlock the growth potential of the Porgera Joint Venture; (ii) the application to extend the special mining lease to facilitate future operations at the Porgera Joint Venture; (iii) future investment in the Porgera Joint Venture; and (iv) the environmental, health and safety, corporate social responsibility (including social and economic development, water management and community relations) and human rights programs, policies and performance of the Porgera Joint Venture. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this press release in light of managements experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated with working with partners in jointly controlled assets; damage to the Companys reputation due to the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity with respect to the Companys handling of environmental matters or dealings with community groups, whether true or not; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations, and/or changes in the administration of laws, policies, and practices, expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Papua New Guinea; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; litigation and legal and administrative proceedings; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties, or over access to water, power and other required infrastructure; the risk that previously announced transactions may not close when planned or at all, or on the terms and conditions originally agreed; employee relations; increased costs and risks related to the potential impact of climate change; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, copper, or certain other commodities (such as silver, diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity); the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation, and exploration successes; risks associated with the implementation of Barricks capital allocation and investment strategy; diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; increased costs, delays, suspensions, and technical challenges associated with the construction of capital projects; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities, including geotechnical challenges, and disruptions in the maintenance or provision of required infrastructure and information technology systems; failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; timing of receipt of, or failure to comply with, necessary permits and approvals. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion or gold concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barricks ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Barrick Gold Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. As we have said before, our view of legalized fireworks in Iowa is mixed. We understand both sides of this discussion. We acknowledge existing support for fireworks among Iowans and appreciate the economic benefits of capturing part of a business Iowa used to lose to border states (including Nebraska and South Dakota) each year, but we respect firefighters, emergency services providers and health care providers who oppose them for safety reasons and we sympathize with residents who don't want related noise, or worse, in their neighborhoods. As a result, we weren't strong advocates for legalizing fireworks in 2017, but we weren't opponents, either. Frankly, we would have been OK with either outcome. In the end, we believe Iowa reached a reasonable, middle-ground position in which the possession, use and sale of fireworks were made legal on and near the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve, but individual communities were allowed to limit or ban discharge. In our view, no good reason exists for change in this approach, so we oppose a bill introduced in this year's legislative session under which cities and counties would be required to allow discharge of fireworks on Independence Day. A gut punch to Iowans. A gut punch to Iowans. Thats the only way to describe the Biden Administrations decision to roll back the previous administrations Navigable Water Protection Rule. Sadly, for those of us who have been on the frontlines of this fight since 2015, this news is not a surprise. Now let me be clear: everyone can agree that clean water should be a national priority. Iowans, and all Americans, want sensible safeguards that protect our environment and keep our nations water clean. But what they dont want is a one-size-fits-all, Washington power grab that makes it harder for Iowans to farm, ranch, and build. Thats why, in 2015, when the Obama-Biden Administration finalized its Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rulegiving the federal government authority to regulate water on 97 percent of the land in IowaI immediately got to work to get it off the books. I fought to nullify the rule, but even after my bill passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support, it was vetoed by President Obama. But I didnt back down, and even before President Trump took office, I signaled my intent to work with him on a new, more flexible rule. And we did: the Trump Administration released a proposed rule to replace the Obama-era rule with one that provided much-needed predictability and certainty for farmers. Importantly, it established clear and reasonable definitions of what qualifies as a water of the United States. That rule, entitled the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, was finalized in January 2020. As they say, however, elections have consequences. Anticipating a return to the Obama-Biden era of burdensome regulations, at the beginning of this year I urged the Senate to stand with workers, farmers, manufacturers, and businesses by upholding the previous administrations Navigable Waters Protection Rule. Despite having the support of 25 of my colleagues and stakeholders across the country, the Biden Administration ignored these concerns, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced their plans to undo all of our progress. The reality is the fight for Iowas agriculture community is never over, and right now Im working to push back on any harmful regulation this new administration might impose on these hardworking folks. Together with Senator Chuck Grassley, Im pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, to make known to the president and his colleagues at the EPA and the Corps the serious concerns Iowas farmers and ranchers have with their recent actions on WOTUS. Im also working to strengthen the voices Iowas small businesses in the federal rulemaking process. Too often, Washington bureaucrats put forward rules and regulations without considering their impact on small businessesand the Obama-Biden WOTUS rule is a perfect example. Thats why Ive put forward the Prove It Act which allows our small businesses to send federal agencies back to the drawing board to prove what theyre proposing wont hurt small businesses. Specifically, the bill gives the Small Business Administration the ability to question an agencys analysis if it claims a rule or regulation wont impact small businesses. When it comes to WOTUS, instead of continuing to confuse Iowas hardworking families, farmers, and businesses by changing its definition with each new administration, we need to make a reasonable, workable definition permanent. To do so, I helped introduce the Define WOTUS Act. This commonsense effort is more important now than ever. Theres simply no reason to return to the Obama-era ways of giving an unchecked federal agency and unelected Washington bureaucrats more authority to control whats done on private land. I will always fight tooth and nail for Iowas agriculture community, our working families, and our small businessesand Ill continue to push back against any attempts to impose complex, burdensome, and overreaching regulations on folks in our state. Undeterred, the President has declared the border situation to be a national emergency, which will allow him to divert funds earmarked for other purposes to constructing his wall. Or will it? Sixteen states have sued to challenge the declaration, arguing Trump is abusing his power to declare a national emergency in order to circumvent the will of Congress. If this sounds familiar, it should. While both men would bristle at the comparison, Obama and Trump have taken almost identical tacks on the immigration issue, albeit while attempting to sail in opposite directions. Obama lobbied Congress for immigration reform in general and to protect the Dreamers in particular. He cited congressional inaction as a key reason he needed to act unilaterally in instituting DACA, and he vigorously defended his prerogative to enforce (or not enforce) immigration laws as he saw fit. Likewise, Trump rallied his base, castigated both Democrats and reluctant Republicans, and even shut down the government for over a month to get Congress to fund his wall. And when they failed to do so, he declared he really didnt need their permission after all. Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. 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. Turner, a longtime NCIGS member, created the floor plan for the organizations new 1,500-square-foot room on the second floor of the Masonic Temple building with accessibility and flexibility in mind. Were coming along, she said. Four bookcases donated by the Clear Lake Public Library and a computer research center are positioned on the outskirts of the room, while folding tables and office chairs occupy the center of the room. The genealogical society plans on using its new space, which is nearly twice the size of its previous space, to provide a training center for genealogical research and monthly meetings. Currently, the genealogical societys meetings, which are the second Saturday of each month, are held at the Clear Lake Public Library, but this summer, its planning on relocating them to the new space. Theres a lot of unique information here, Turner said, noting its library available at no cost to the public. Suby said the Clear Lake Public Librarys donation was a huge blessing. Because the genealogical society had been housed in the Mason City Public Library since 1979, it hadnt needed to purchase bookshelves, tables, chairs and technology equipment. MASON CITY | City Administrator Aaron Burnett has recommended awards for the second round of bidding on the multipurpose arena project to Dean Snyder Construction and Rink-Tec International. Dean Snyder's bid of $4,862,000 was the lowest of three general contractor bids while Rink-TEC (out of Little Canada, Minnesota) was the only one of the five ice contractor bidders to go below one million dollars with a bid of $946,042. Approval for both bid recommendations will be voted on by the Mason City Council at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Those bid recommendations for general contracting (including masonry, plumbing and earthwork) and ice plant/ice floor contracting come exactly two weeks after the council pushed back bidding to avoid, as City Administrator Aaron Burnett said, "rushing the contractor to a bid and not getting the most competitive bid." Dean Snyder previously was awarded the a demolition bid in January, but that process was called into question because of bid document clarity and issues of short time frames to get in bids. Rink-TEC is "new" to the bidding game for this particular project, but it's done work since 1979 in more than a dozen states as well as Canada, Russia and South Korea. The troops spent a lot of their time cutting paths through the thick jungle. We had to cut new trails through the tri-canopy jungle, Werner said. You couldnt see three feet in front of you, but cutting a new trail you didnt have to worry about booby traps. Steiger said, The biggest problem was the weather. It always rained in the mountains. During the monsoon season it rained 38 inches in a day and a half. Werner added, It would be 120 degrees in the day time and when it got down to 60 degrees at night, you were wet. It felt like it was zero in Iowa. In Mid-August of 1971, Felland finished his Vietnam tour and came home. We went over one by one and we came back home one by one, Felland said. When we came home there was absolutely no recognition. Still, I dont regret having served, it was our duty and we did it. While in service, Felland received the Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal and a Combat Infantry Badge. After returning from service, Felland returned to his job with Link Belt in Cedar Rapids, finishing his career working for John Deere in Waterloo. Felland had been told he was coming to see his buddies receive their quilts, but was surprised to discover his family was present, and he would receive a quilt as well. This is a nice surprise. To have this happen especially when its with people you served with in the trenches is special. It is good being back together again, said Felland. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Posted Monday, February 18, 2019 12:00 pm Service: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Holt Memorial Chapel, with burial at Omaha Cemetery; Visitation: 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Holt Memorial Chapel. Charles Rube Youngblood, 80, of Harrison, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, Feb. 16 (2019). The son of Dewey and Josephine Youngblood was born on Jan. 25, 1939, in Harrison. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. both on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Holt Memorial Chapel. Brother George Smith will officiate. Burial will be at Omaha Cemetery. Pallbearers are Danny Stone, Larry Berry, Chuck Sitton, David Sitton, Ronny Sitton and Carl Blevins. Charles was a member of Ozark Baptist Church in Bergman. He would light up when telling stories of old cars, trucks, dump trucks and tractors, having owned and operated Youngblood Excavating for many years. His wisdom in fixing all things and sense of humor will forever be with us. He and Mittie loved their family and made providing for their needs a priority. They were always on the go, enjoying old car shows, camping, and traveling around with their travel trailer in tow to visit friends, family, and places yet unseen, or in search of the next best deal on a better travel trailer or a better truck to pull it. Many great trades and swaps were made over the years when they were still able to enjoy camping. Charles has a perfect camping site now in his heavenly home. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Cowetia Flannery, of California; stepmother, Virginia Youngblood; Beckys mother, Esta Lee Yarbrough; son-in-law, Tommy Elder; and grandson, Eric Wilson. Survivors include his loving wife of almost 28 years, Mittie Youngblood; daughter, Becky Elder, of Omaha; two stepchildren, Donna (Michael) Gray, of Greenbrier, and George (Sherri) Smith, of Highland; granddaughter, Heather Wilson, of Harrison; step-grandchildren, Josh (Lydia) Smith, of Bergman, J.D. Gray, of Conway, and Ashley (Caleb) Simmers, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; 10 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and half-brother, Mike (Kathy) Youngblood, of Harrison. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Legacy Hospice and Hillcrest Home for their exceptional care and to dear neighbors and friends for their visits and encouragement. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Omaha Cemetery Association, c/o Joetta Atchison, 14727 Old Springfield Road, Omaha, AR 72662. Condolences may be left online at www.holtchapel.com . CRIPPLE CREEK Idaho nurse Krystal Jean Kenney gave investigators a blow-by-blow account of the murder of Woodland Park mother Kelsey Berreth and the grisly disposal of her body, a Colorado Bureau of Investigation agent testified Tuesday during a hearing in Cripple Creek. When Kenney entered Berreth's townhome in late November, blood was splattered on the walls, floor and children's toys, said Agent Greg Slater. Kenney spent three to four hours cleaning, bleaching the walls and floors, removing the curtains and couch pillows and hunting for a tooth in an air duct that Berreth's fiance and alleged killer told her to find, Slater said. Patrick Frazee allegedly had taken matters into his own hands, blindfolding Berreth with a sweater, telling her he wanted her to guess the fragrance of a scented candle. Instead, he bludgeoned her with a baseball bat, Kenney said. The alleged murder plot and cleanup are among new details revealed in the case against Frazee. His preliminary hearing also drew on cellphone records, suspected blood found in Berreth's townhome and surveillance video. A judge ruled Tuesday that evidence was sufficient to merit a murder trial for Frazee, who remains held in the Teller County jail without bond. Frazee reportedly stuffed Berreth's body in a black bag and drove to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. "You dont know how hard it was to go have Thanksgiving dinner after killing her," Frazee allegedly told Kenney, Slater said. Kenney told investigators that Frazee later drove the body to Nash Ranch in Fremont County and placed it on top of haystacks in a barn, Slater said. Kenney reportedly went to the ranch and helped Frazee retrieve the body. With Berreth's body in a Toyota Tacoma, they drove to Frazee's property in Teller County and used gasoline and oil to burn a tote containing the body and the baseball bat used to kill her. "She stayed there for several hours while the fire burned," Slater testified. While the body burned, Frazee's mother, Sheila, reportedly came outside and looked. Berreth, 29, went missing Nov. 22 on Thanksgiving Day and is presumed dead. Frazee was arrested Dec. 21 and later charged with first-degree murder and three counts of solicitation of murder. Kenney took investigators to Nash Ranch on Dec. 21 to show them where Berreth's body was stored and to Frazee's property, where it later was burned, Slater said. FBI evidence technicians and a Colorado Department of Public Safety arson investigator studied the alleged burn area and found evidence of accelerant. Kenney told investigators that she drove to Idaho with Berreth's phone at Frazee's request, Slater said. She texted him and Berreth's work supervisor from the phone. Kenney claimed she intentionally turned on Berreth's phone at the time, knowing it could be linked to the movements of her own phone, Slater said. She reportedly wanted to tip off investigators and create a trail. Kenney said she did all of this out of fear of Frazee, Slater testified. She said she feared that he had people watching her, as he claimed he had people watching Berreth. The testimony framed Kenney as a key figure in the investigation. She previously accepted a plea deal in exchange for her testimony against Frazee. NOTE: Follow @lancebenzel on Twitter for the latest updates. During the two months before the murder, Frazee allegedly had urged Kenney three times to kill Berreth once by drugging her macchiato as a way to "get rid of her" and two other times with an aluminum bat and a metal rod, Slater said. He said Frazee and Kenney plotted for her to spike Berreth's coffee with drugs she could get at the hospital where she worked. Kenney went so far as to buy a caramel macchiato at the Starbucks inside the Woodland Park Walmart Sept. 23 and pose as a neighbor thanking Berreth for corralling her loose dogs. Berreth told Kenney, who used a bogus name, that she had not helped with the dogs but accepted the unlaced drink anyway. Slater said Frazee was angry when he learned the coffee hadn't been tainted. Slater said Kenney admitted to coming closest to attacking Berreth when she sat outside of the woman's home with a baseball bat. But after driving to Woodland Park from Idaho, she left when she heard a dog bark. Kenney reportedly said she believed the couples daughter was in danger under Berreths care and that she "couldnt live with herself if something happened" to the child. Then, on Nov. 22, Frazee called Kenney in Idaho and said, "You got to get here now. You got a mess to clean up," Slater testified. Two days later, she was on her way to Colorado with a cleanup kit, including rubber gloves, a protective body suit and trash bags. She walked into Berreth's home after Frazee gave her the keys and saw blood on the walls, floor and children's toys. "When she opened the door, it was horrific," Slater said. Kenney also told Slater that Frazee claimed Berreth was a "terrible mother" who physically abused their daughter and used drugs and alcohol. Frazee also allegedly told his mother to lie about Berreth in a campaign to paint her as a bad mother, said 4th Judicial District Attorney Dan May. May also said Sheila witnessed the burning of evidence in the killing. But Slater said there is no evidence that the daughter was abused, and she appeared happy and healthy in photos. There are no hospital records or Department of Human Services reports. Slater also revealed that forensic testing found traces of Berreth's blood in her bathroom. Berreth's family notified the CBI of spots of blood they found when they visited the house Dec. 6. Woodland Park police and the CBI had come up empty in their sweep of the house Dec. 3 and 4. Cellphone records from the day of Berreth's disappearance showed that Frazee called his mother, Sheila, at 4:24 p.m, Slater said. His phone connected to the tower that services Berreth's house. At 4:37 p.m., Frazee called Kenney's Idaho number also in the vicinity of Berreth's home and received a return call from that number minutes later. Cmdr. Chris Adams told the court that the day after Berreth went missing, her phone and Frazee's phone were "hitting off" the tower that services Frazee's Florissant home. Kenney, 32, was seen on surveillance video Nov. 24 at a Conoco in Florissant. Also captured in the video then was Frazee, filling a 5-gallon jug of gasoline. On Nov. 25, Kenney's and Berreth's phones simultaneously pinged in Grand Junction. Also that day, Berreth's supervisor got a text from her saying she wouldn't be at work and was going to visit her grandmother, Slater said. Kelsey's mother, Cheryl, told Slater that Kelsey never mentioned the trip. Cheryl also told Slater that she got a text from Berreth's phone Nov. 24 saying she'd call the next day. That call never came, said Slater. Sean Frazee, Patrick's brother and a Colorado Springs police officer, dropped by Patrick's house at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 22, Adams said. Patrick was not home, but when Sean arrived "a little later," Patrick was there with his and Berreth's 1-year-old daughter. Nothing was out of the ordinary, Adams said. Adams added that Patrick and Sean are estranged. Adams also described a Dec. 2 recorded call between Frazee and an officer to the court. Frazee told the officer that Berreth told him she wanted to end their relationship. She wanted "space," he told police. "We'd figure out custody arrangements from there." In the recorded call, Frazee also claimed Berreth suffered from depression and went to a clinic in California for treatment in August 2018. After getting out, she complained of the stress from a five-day work commute from Woodland Park to Pueblo. In 2017, Frazee took Berreth's gun, Slater said. The couple were arguing about finances when Berreth said, "Maybe I would be better off dead" and pointed the gun at her head. Frazee's mother was called to the stand Tuesday prior to Adams' and Slater's testimony. A judge ruled in favor of her attorney's representation that she would invoke the 5th Amendment at the start of the hearing. Before Tuesday, the only possible motive for the presumed killing was found in an amended complaint filed Friday in U.S. District Court in the wrongful-death lawsuit brought by Berreths family against Frazee. In it, they claim Frazee, who had the keys to Berreths townhome, demanded full custody of their daughter and killed her when she refused. The case, which has attracted international attention, also led to a custody battle over the couples daughter pitting Berreths parents against Frazees mother. A judge has granted temporary custody to Berreths parents. Frazees friends have described him as a hard-working rancher, farrier and horse trainer who lived on his familys 35-acre property in Florissant. Some speak of him as an average Joe, while others describe him as a caring father who would help anyone. Their claims that Frazee has been unfairly connected to the death took a jolt Feb. 8 when Kenney pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and accepted the deal. "I learned Patrick Frazee had committed a homicide," Kenney testified in court, reading from a handwritten statement. Choking back tears, she admitted she moved the victims cellphone with the intent to impair the investigation. The charge against Kenney is a felony that normally results in up to 18 months in prison, but no sentence will be imposed until after Frazees case has concluded. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High near 65F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 51F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Kelly Belknap and Matilda Sandstrom accepted an invitation to speak to a graduate business class at Colorado State University last fall. Which was kind of funny for me, because I didnt go to college, says Sandstrom, 24. And it was definitely weird for her husband. Belknap had gone to the Fort Collins university but left with his bachelors degree in psychology only a few years earlier. So the couple stood nervously before students, some of whom were older than them. But none had started a company with very little ($7,000 and an Instagram). None had seen substantial growth and national acclaim in months (Forbes, Travel Channel, ABC) while also feeding tens of thousands of hungry Americans. So Belknap and Sandstrom were there to tell them how. Its all thanks to a stylish, lightweight backpack. And, yes, a noble cause. Growing up in Monument, Belknap recalls weekends volunteering at the Marian House, the local Catholic soup kitchen. Just the feeling of people coming together to help people in need, recalls the soft-spoken 27-year-old, whose thick, dark beard belies his age. It was just a great feeling. Flash forward to 2014. On his way home from college, he stopped at a coffee shop. There he met Sandstrom, whose Swedish accent and sweet smile intrigued him. She had recently moved to Colorado from her small village. Both from traveling families, they struck up a conversation about cultures and places theyd been. You know those conversations that feel like theyre, like, 10 minutes, says Sandstrom, but theyre actually like two hours? They married six months later. Soon wanderlust led them to Naples, Fla., where he worked in real estate, she in a Banana Republic. The jobs didnt thrill them. Traveling did. Thats what they saved their money for, hardly ever going out or spending on anything that could be spent on plane tickets back to Sandstroms home. And if they were going that far, they figured, why not trot to other regions? Basically, we see a plane ticket, and were like, Lets just get them and worry about the rest later, Sandstrom says. Theyve lost track of the number of countries 30-something, they say. Along the way, they got to thinking they could use better packs. Something more convenient for the plane and for touring cities and trails. But what they found was out of their price range. Heck, maybe they could make their own. That just-do-it attitude toward traveling? Kind of the same mindset of starting a business, Belknap says. Do it now, and figure out the rest later. With $3,000 from their savings and $4,000 from Belknaps parents, Adventurist Backpack Co. launched. It came with a bigger idea, inspired by the people the couple met on the streets during their travels. Belknap and Sandstrom would fill their packs with food and hand it out. Now, through a partnership with Feeding America, they provide 25 meals to food banks around the country for every $65 pack sold. In interviews, they proudly present themselves as millennials, and this is what millennials want: We want to support brands that do something good. We want to actually solve basic problems, Belknap says. We think its a companys responsibility in a capitalist society to, you know, help. Those interviews have mostly been about how these young digital natives capitalized with zero business background. They took to social media, connecting with influencers, who were happy to take a pack in exchange for a good word to their millions of followers. Free advertising. And this is what the couple has learned: Everyone wants to be a part of doing something good, Belknap says. The factory-made packs from China are shipped to the warehouse that is his parents basement. From their apartment in downtown Denver, he and Sandstrom wake at 5:30 a.m., starting at the gym and working into the evening calling and emailing current and prospective retailers, managing orders, scheduling promotional events, reaching out to media. Belknap doesnt share finances. (All I know is business owners usually say, Were a private company, we dont disclose that information. I dont know what Im supposed to say!) But Forbes last September reported the company made $50,000 with no debt in less than a year. In 2019, the couple wants to double that, providing 100,000 meals. The growth and the work with it makes us a bit anxious, Belknap says. Can they keep traveling? Theyll try, anyway. Figure out the rest later. The vote should have been unanimous when state Rep. Kim Ransom was elected to represent Republicans on the Joint Budget Committee. Rarely is a legislative party caucus divided on a position so prestigious. But Lone Trees Ransom was chosen Jan. 14 on a 12-10 vote, with one member absent and one ballot spoiled. She faced Rep. Hugh McKean of Loveland in a vote viewed by some as about much more than the JBC. House Minority Leader Patrick Neville backed Ransom over McKean, one of the House Republicans seen as not supporting Neville. Several GOP legislators said the split vote was a referendum on Nevilles leadership. Its a family business and about controlling the power, said B.J. Nikkel, R-Loveland, who served in the House from 2009 to 2013. Neville, R-Castle Rock, and his family controlled independent expenditures used to support Republican legislative candidates in 2018 or oppose their Democratic challengers spending not coordinated with the candidates, said Nikkel, a former House majority whip. The Nevilles used that money to keep their own little mountain of power, Nikkel said, echoing comments by other Republicans. Since Republicans lost control of the state Senate and were swept out of every statewide executive office in a Democratic blue wave Nov. 6, party members have been asking what went wrong. And some have been pointing fingers. Republicans held 29 House seats going into the election, but Democrats gained five, turning their advantage into a 41-24 majority, the biggest for Democrats in state history. Colorado Politics talked to 17 Republicans, current and former legislators and people outside the Capitol, about the 2018 campaign. Most asked not to be identified, expressing concern about retaliation. Colorado Politics also analyzed campaign spending reports filed with the Secretary of States Office to see how money was spent and on which races. Many Republicans at least partly blamed the Nevilles for the GOPs poor performance. Nevilles allocation of money showed less concern about helping the party win a House majority than about hanging onto his leadership position. Its a whodunit, and the body on the floor is the House Republican caucus, said one former Republican state representative. Strategy for caucus funds As GOP House leader, Neville oversaw allocation of more than $1.2 million in soft money donations to an independent expenditure committee controlled by his brother, political consultant Joseph Neville. An independent expenditure committees donations are unlimited, as is its spending on political advertising. By law, an independent expenditure committee cant coordinate those so-called caucus funds with candidates it supports. Almost all GOP caucus funds in 2018 were routed through companies and political committees controlled by Joseph Neville, president of Rearden Strategic consultants. His firm managed the campaign strategy or paid for advertising for a dozen candidates, including Republican gubernatorial candidates Walker Stapleton and Tom Tancredo, as well as seven legislative candidates and three candidates for Jefferson County positions. Some of Patrick Nevilles Republican critics said candidates recruited by the Nevilles with help from their father, former state Sen. Tim Neville often were chosen in hopes they would be loyal Neville allies when the next minority leader was chosen. Those candidates were backed with caucus funds. While its illegal to coordinate spending with the candidates, its legal and expected that the House party leaders spending strategy will support Republican candidates or oppose their Democratic opponents. (No one who spoke with Colorado Politics for this story accused the Nevilles of illegal actions.) Among allies backed by Neville-affiliated political committees were state House candidates Don Bendell of Florence, Steve Szutenbach of Evergreen, Grady Nouis of Arvada, Frank Francone of Littleton and Kristina Alley of Lakewood. All of them lost to Democrats except Francone, who was defeated in the GOP primary by Colin Larson, who won in November. How much the committees spent on candidates is unknown because of how the campaign finances were reported. In most cases, one vendor was identified for a particular product, such as a mailer, which then listed as many as a dozen candidates backed by those mailers. Whenever youre spending caucus money money raised by leadership or caucus members who show up at events and talk to donors you need to use it in the way thats most effective in maintaining the largest number of Republicans in the caucus as possible, said Frank McNulty, who served in the House from 2007 to 2015 and as Republican speaker from 2010 to 2012. Patrick Nevilles GOP critics say caucus funds were spent less for candidates who werent his allies, and that strategy cost Republicans dearly at the polls. But Patrick Neville was re-elected minority leader without a challenger this year. Supported ALL candidates Several Republicans said the Nevilles objective appeared to be to ensure that the minority leader would be re-elected, which would keep donor dollars flowing into committees and companies controlled by Joseph Neville. Joseph Neville and Rearden Strategic were paid $194,360 for consulting with political committees and candidates during the 2018 campaign, with $114,716 from Republican caucus funds and the rest from candidates. The company also was paid $626,044 for advertising, including $466,266 from caucus funds, filings show. Some Republican critics said maintaining Patrick Nevilles power is a way to keep his profile high, especially among Republican base voters who could support him in a run for Congress, if and when U.S. Rep. Ken Buck of Greeley in whose district Patrick Neville lives decides to move on. Republican sources also said they wondered why more than $305,000 in soft-money donations to support GOP House candidates was listed as unspent in final reports filed a month after the election. Patrick Neville declined to answer detailed questions submitted to him or to comment for this story. But Joseph Neville gave a lengthy written response, denying that the family pursued any strategy other than helping Republicans win. We supported ALL candidates, even the ones that were openly hostile to my brother and his re-election as House Republican Leader in the last election cycle, Joseph Neville said. Our goal was simply to win back the majority. ... Anyone who claims [otherwise] is simply lying. He said his brother has made many concessions to members who were openly hostile to his leadership. This has included committee assignments and assistance with earned media [aka free media] on issues that were important to these members districts. He said some Republicans undermine those in leadership because they have a grandiose notion that they can do it better (even though they cant come up with the votes). But that is politics, and we understand this. As for Republicans concerned about retaliation for criticizing the Nevilles, Joseph Neville said: I find it rather amusing that anyone feels threatened. There have NOT been any threats from me or my brother, and further, we have gone above and beyond to promote peace and harmony in the caucus to try to dispel that narrative. Trouble over red flag bill When a caucus loses seats in an election, the caucus leader the majority or minority leader usually takes the fall. Thats happened often over the years. Rep. Keith King, R-Colorado Springs, was majority leader in the 2003-04 sessions. Had Republicans kept House control, he was expected to become the next speaker. But the caucus in 2004, stung from losing seven seats and the majority to Democrats, instead chose Rep. Joe Stengel of Littleton as minority leader. Long before the 2018 election, rumors flew that Nevilles position as caucus leader would be challenged in 2019, likely by the assistant minority leader, Rep. Cole Wist of Centennial. But in the waning days of the 2018 session, Wist sponsored a red flag bill that would allow a judge to remove weapons and ammo from someone deemed a threat to themselves or to others, due to their mental condition or other reasons. The gun control bill was in response to the slaying of Douglas County Deputy Zackari Parrish on Dec. 31, 2017, by a man with a history of mental illness. The gunman also wounded four officers and two bystanders. Most House Republicans opposed the bill. Patrick Neville said he was passionately opposed. Advancing Colorado, which has ties to Joseph Nevilles consulting firm, called Wist and 18th District Attorney George Brauchler, who also backed the red-flag measure, Republican traitors. After the measure passed the Democratic-led House, a committee of the then-GOP-led Senate killed it in a party-line vote. House Republicans later met in a caucus to discuss removing Wist from his leadership role but took no action. Patrick Neville at the time said, Look, I had nothing to do with the motion to oust Wist. None of the Neville-controlled caucus funds backed Wists re-election bid last fall, records show. Wist lost the 37th District, which Republicans had held for years, by 8 percentage points to Democrat Tom Sullivan, an ardent gun control supporter. Sullivan, whose son died in the Aurora theater mass shooting in 2012, is co-sponsoring a 2019 version of the red flag bill. Joseph Neville said Wist had made it clear he not only was handling his own race, he had his own people, potential third parties, and didnt want our help. ... In what has been a solid Republican seat, he chose to be responsible for his own campaign, and we saw the results. If he has changed his tune after losing by such a large margin, he needs to realize that he only has himself to blame. Hard times in Jeffco Nowhere were the Republican losses in the House felt more acutely than in Jefferson County, home to seven House seats. Republicans held three of those seats, with two seen as Neville allies: Tim Leonard of Evergreen and Justin Everett of Littleton, who represented the home House district for then-Sen. Tim Neville, the family patriarch. But Democrats won six of the seven Jeffco seats in the House. The seventh went to Colin Larson, R-Littleton, who defeated the Neville-backed Francone in the June GOP primary. Six of seven Jeffco candidates for state and local posts who worked with Joseph Neville and Rearden Strategic lost their races, including Tim Neville. The seventh was Leonard, who dropped his re-election bid for District 25 in June amid publicity over his efforts to stop paying court-ordered spousal support. After Leonard dropped out, a Jeffco GOP committee replaced him with candidate Steve Szutenbach, a legislative aide to Tim Neville. But Democrat Lisa Cutter won the seat. The loss of Leonards seat another traditionally Republican district, where no Democrat bothered to run in 2010 didnt have to happen, some Republicans said. Szutenbach wasnt the only candidate for that vacancy. Don Rosier, a well-regarded former Jefferson County commissioner, lost to Szutenbach by two votes of the Jeffco GOP committee. Had he been the candidate, some said, Republicans would have held the seat. Among those most irritated by the loss is former state Rep. Rob Witwer, who represented District 25 in 2005-09, as did his father previously. Rob Witwer had hoped Leonards replacement would be someone in tune with the districts needs and ideology. He went on a Twitter storm two days after the election: On Tuesday, Dems captured my old seat, HD 25, in west Jeffco. Before that, it had always been held by a Republican. GOP: This is what happens when you put partisan ideology ahead of constituent service, community presence, outreach, local issues and listening. Going back to Frank DeFilippo in the 70s, six straight HD25 Reps kept a local focus, worked across the aisle, & shored up HD25 to make it impervious to wave elections like this. It took House leadership 2 cycles to undo that and lose this seat. He later said he wanted to ask House GOP leaders: Do you really want to win this thing? When the community gets the sense the candidate is looking to represent interests other than the local interests, like an allegiance to people at the state Capitol in Denver, they go the other way, Witmer said. Its that simple. Witwer announced Jan. 7 that he had left the Republican Party. Becoming an independent is not a protest against the GOP so much as a recognition that the major parties have morphed into a malignant duopoly whose primary function is to amass power by dividing Americans against one another. This is immoral. And unsustainable, he tweeted. Another Republican said, I dont see the seat flipping back. I think weve lost it for good. ... If people would just represent their district, these kinds of things wouldnt happen. McNulty, the former House speaker, said the caucus lost several seats that should not have even been in play, such as the House District 29 seat held by Lang Sias, R-Arvada, who did not seek re-election so he could be gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapletons running mate. Stapleton lost to Democrat Jared Polis. Sias was succeeded by Democratic Rep. Brianna Titone, who defeated Republican Vicki Pyne, who sources said was not a Neville ally. Not enough money was spent on competitive races such as the 29th, McNulty said, and the net was cast too wide for the election environment we had. The resources werent there to play in so many seats, and the results showed that. Joseph Neville suggested Republicans who criticize him and his brother for their work in 2018 stand to gain politically and financially. He did not cite specifics. Its hypocritical for these people to claim we were playing favorites and were focused on personal financial gain. That is exactly what they were guilty of for the previous four election cycles, he said. Joseph Neville f i res back Joseph Neville repeatedly denied allegations that more caucus funds were spent on those who would back his brothers second term as minority leader. We werent collecting concessions for leadership; we were helping all candidates for the goal of taking back the majority in the House, he wrote. Some candidates were openly hostile to my brothers leadership election, and we still helped them with a fully funded program anyway. We ran full programs and spent a significant amount in all identifiable winnable seats. He pointed to Kit Roupe in House District 17 in Colorado Springs and Michael Thuener in House District 50 in Greeley. Both candidates had openly sent the message they would not support my brother for leadership, and both candidates got the most financial support. Roupe and Thuener lost to Democrats; Thueners race wasnt decided until two days after the election, but the final winning margin was 1,535 votes. Joseph Nevilles claim cant be verified through campaign finance filings by the independent expenditure committees he ran, though, since those reports aggregated amounts spent for as many as a dozen candidates at a time. Why did our candidates lose? If you look at their fundraising, lack of precinct walking and lack of earned media, these were all contributing factors to the hard losses we had last year, Joseph Neville said. And voter anger toward Republicans was at historic levels in 2018, he noted. Even popular Republican County sheriffs lost their seats in counties like Arapahoe and Adams, he noted. Popular politicians lost, like [Jefferson County Clerk and recorder] Faye Griffin, that had held multiple elected offices for decades in Jefferson County. So it should be no surprise that the combination of factors contributed to losses in the House. He also blamed fundraising and spending by the Democrats House campaign committee, Our Colorado Values, which raised more than double the amount gathered by Values First Colorado, the Republican House committee. And even after our polling and modeling showed that it was a horrible year electorally for all Republicans, we still ran our campaign program to completion because it was our job, and we did our job! Joseph Neville said. Weve gone the extra mile to promote harmony in the House Republican caucus, following these devastating losses. Political games McNulty said caucus-fund accounts were transparent when he was in leadership. Any member who wanted to sit down with the campaign team, learn how we were spending in general, where dollars were allocated and why, wed walk through that, he said, though only with members in safe seats, since talking with candidates were backed by caucus funds would be illegal. Some members took us up on it, he said. We had regular conference calls during campaign season with the entire caucus to update them on where we were going. To me, thats a very important piece of maintaining trust and accountability. What happened in 2018 is more reminiscent of the political games of the 1990s, when caucus funds went to candidates who would back the right people for leadership roles, McNulty said. Caucus funds need to be used to elect Republicans. The issue was first brought up at the Arlington boards January meeting, where board members agreed to talk to their constituents and gauge support for the measure, according to the Washington County Pilot Tribune. During Mondays meeting, Board Member Jason Wiese pointed to a report in the Omaha World-Herald that said Fremont had spent $600,000 implementing its ordinance and defending it against a legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union. He pointed out that local municipalities didnt have the authority or ability to enforce federal immigration law, and cited the World-Herald report to argue that Fremont had been unable to confirm individuals immigration status through the federal government to take action against renters who are in the country illegally. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I have some concerns about the potential of a lawsuit and also I have concerns about the price tag, he said. If were going to pass an ordinance that we cant even enforce, I have concerns about that. Sundberg explained that some concerned individuals in the community had raised the issue, and he believed that the public should have an opportunity to discuss an ordinance in an open setting. I dont have to follow that agreement -- I wasnt impressed by your conduct during this report, and I actually was going to give you more time, Hall said. Put that in your back pocket somewhere that you need to treat these people with respect. Theyre employees, they have a job, theyre trying to do whats best. And theres no cause to not cooperate. Hall said hed been inclined to sentence Neth to a term of three to five years, but ultimately he chose to follow the agreement. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Its an offense thats more stupid than anything, Hall said. Its about time to stop doing stupid crimes and move on and do something different with your life. Neth was arrested in April 2018 as investigators with the III Corps Drug Task Force were looking into a death and possible overdose of a controlled substance, according to a police affidavit. They made contact with Neth, who indicated hed be willing to help but would not speak with police because had an outstanding warrant. Police found an address for Neth and arrived at his residence and arrested him after confirming the warrant. After Neth allowed officers into his residence, officers observed a handgun in an open drawer. Due to Neths criminal history, which included a prior felony conviction, he is prohibited from owning a firearm. New Zealand Says China's Huawei Hasn't Been Ruled Out of 5G (Bloomberg) -- New Zealands government is holding the door open for Chinas Huawei Technologies Co. to help develop the nations 5G network, amid concerns the issue is fraying ties between the two nations. New Zealands spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau, in November stopped telecommunications company Spark from using Huawei 5G equipment, citing significant national security risks. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday her government is working through a process and the Chinese company could still be involved if Spark can satisfy the GCSBs concerns. Theres been no final decision here yet, she told Newshub. It is now currently with Spark to mitigate the concerns that have been raised. That is where the process sits. Spark in November said the GCSB ruling meant it couldnt implement its proposal to use Huawei equipment for its planned 5G network. It hasnt said whether it will try to mitigate any of the GCSBs concerns. Retaliation Fears New Zealands decision to block Huawei followed Australias lead, and came after reported pressure from the U.S. It has led to fears that China is showing its displeasure by impeding trade and tourist flows. Ardern denies any friction and says that while her nation is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance that includes the U.S., Australia, Canada and the U.K., it makes these decisions independently. The topic is getting renewed attention amid reports the U.K. may be able to accommodate Huawei in its 5G plans. Signs of strain in the relationship with China have put the New Zealand government under pressure. Recent incidents include an Air New Zealand Ltd. jet to Shanghai being forced to turn back after an administrative error, the postponement of the formal launch of the 2019 China New Zealand year of tourism in Wellington because senior Chinese officials were unable to attend, and Arderns inability to reschedule a trip to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping. Story continues Economic Impact Any cooling of the friendship could have significant ramifications for the South Pacific nation, which is in the process of negotiating an upgrade of its free-trade agreement with China. The worlds most populous country and second-largest economy has become New Zealands biggest trading partner, taking a quarter of all exports, while surging Chinese visitors have helped make tourism the countrys biggest foreign-exchange earner. On Monday Ardern pushed back against claims of a deteriorating relationship, saying it was robust and mature. Our relationship with China is complex, but our goods exports are up, our tourism numbers are up and there are a number of other indicators that show we still have a strong relationship despite those complexities, she said. (Updates with Ardern comments.) To contact the reporter on this story: Tracy Withers in Wellington at twithers@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Matthew Brockett at mbrockett1@bloomberg.net, Peter Vercoe For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. California's state bar has added some probing new questions to a survey of its licensees in an attempt to fulfill its mission of supporting "greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system." The voluntary survey, presented to attorneys when they log on to the bar's website, asks members expanded questions about their gender and sexual orientations, including whether they identify as "two spirit," a distinct gender status in Native American communities, and whether they are pansexual, asexual or another binary sexual identity. The bar is also asking new questions about lawyers' job satisfaction, including what might make them happier in their careers. The revamped survey first appeared last month. Jonah Lamb, a bar spokesman, said the anonymized results will be used "to better understand the state of the legal profession in a time of rapid economic, technological and demographic change in California." The data will be compiled in an initial report by the end of the year, Lamb said, and used to identify obstacles that exist to retaining and advancing "diverse attorneys" in the profession. While the bar split a year ago from its professional sectionsthey're now organized under the California Lawyers Associationthe regulatory body has maintained its mission of promoting diversity in the legal ranks. Last week, bar leaders adopted a plan to study attrition rates for students of color at California law schools and to scrutinize bar exam questions "from a diversity and inclusion perspective." In the past, the bar has surveyed members every five years. Questions typically centered on the size of an attorney's practice, the types of clients he or she accepted and whether that attorney carried malpractice insurance. The new survey asks more questions about licensee's personal traits. "We expanded our survey questions to reflect best practices for collecting race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation," Lamb said. "We also expanded our questions around career satisfaction in order to better understand over all career experience across the attorney population." The California bar, the Judicial Council and the governor's office already report aggregate demographic information each year on state-licensed attorneys, appointed judges and judicial applicants. There was initial pushback to at least one of the questions. When judges were first asked to report their sexual orientation in 2011, a question mandated by a new state law, 40 percent refused to say. That percentage dropped to just under 30 percent by 2017. Lamb said about 100,000 surveys have been completed. "We have received about 50 calls altogether regarding the survey, with a small fraction of those reflecting complaints about the sexual orientation and gender questions," he said. Data collection practices vary among bars other states. Michigan, for instance, reports a wide range of aggregate information about their members' races and ethnicitiesbut not sexual orientationwhere they practice, what their age ranges are and where they attended law school. New York updates a limited range of vital statistics about its bar members each quarter based on information submitted voluntarily by licensees. California's new bar survey will be available throughout 2019 and updated annually, Lamb said. Story continues Read more: California's Latest Bar Exam: How Law Schools Fared 'Frightening' Bar Exam Results, but No Plans to Lower Passing Score Nearly Six in 10 Failed California's July 2018 Bar Exam Photo credit: aviation-images.com - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics The U.S. Air Force will go ahead and buy brand-new F-15s even as it purchases large numbers of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Updated with the latest technology, the F-15X can carry nearly two dozen air-to-air missiles and will likely work together with stealth jets to take on fleets of enemy fighters. An article at Bloomberg has revealed the USAF will request eight F-15X fighters in its budget. The service plans to buy 80 fighters over five years. That's enough to fit out a wing of 72 aircraft, divided into three squadrons of 24 planes each, with eight spares. The F-15X will come in two versions, a single seat F-15CX and a twin seat F-15EX. According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, other than crew size the two jets will be identical . Here's a Boeing promotional video for the F-15X, also known as Advanced Eagle. F-15X is a thoroughly modern update of the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter first introduced in the 1970s. Most of the updates it has are already flying in F-15s produced for other countries, with research and development already paid for by nations such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. These include strengthened airframes for increased maneuverability and airframe lifespan, giving the advanced fighter an even greater dogfighting capability over the original F-15 and an impressive airframe lifespan of 20,000 hours . The F-15X will also include large flat panel displays for displaying aircraft information, conformal fuel tanks to give it a longer range, a digital fly-by-wire control system, a new APG-82 radar, and the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) for protection from air-to-air missiles. One thing the F-15X doesnt have is stealth capability, at least to the extent of new or new-ish aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35. The F-15 airframe was designed before stealth became a thing, and theres not much, other than using radar-absorbing coatings, that can be done to retrofit a reduced radar signature. So, instead of being hard to spot, the F-15X will be armed to the teeth. The plane will use new AMBER missile racks to nearly triple the aircrafts air-to-air missile capability, from 8 to 22. Story continues Photo credit: USAF - Getty Images Why does USAF want to buy a better version of an older, non-stealth fighter when it's already got plenty of F-35s on the way? The running theory is that the F-15X will complement the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in the air combat mission. The F-22 and F-35 can only carry six and four air-to-air missiles respectively, tucked away in internal weapons bays. Both jets can tack on external pylons to carry more weapons, but doing so would ruin their carefully designed stealth profiles. In combat, the Air Force could pair a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter with a F-15X, with the F-35 remaining hidden from enemy sensors and quietly marking targets for the F-15X to kill. With up to 22 missiles on the F-15X, this combination could take out a lot of enemy aircraft before running out of ammunition. Another theoretical mission for the F-15X would be the suppression of enemy air defenses. Such units are specifically trained and equipped to hunt down air defense systems on the ground, identifying them and targeting them with radar-homing missiles. Currently, this mission is assigned to single-seat F-16 fighters. A two-seat aircraft with plenty of room for electronic warfare pods and munitions racks-and air-to-air missiles in case enemy fighters come calling-would make for a great "Wild Weasel," as these planes are frequently called. Photo credit: Anadolu Agency - Getty Images Supporters say the F-15X is meant to complement, not replace the F-35. The lack of stealth makes it pretty clear the F-15X can never replace a stealthy fighter, but it can make stealth fighters better by acting as a flying magazine for jets that can only carry a limited number of missiles. At $80 million the F-15X is a relatively inexpensive way to triple or even quadruple the firepower of a pair of USAF fighter jets. Detractors counter that the F-15X takes funding away from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Although the Air Force plans to keep buying the same number of F-35s as it did before, those opposing the F-15X buy state that the new money could be used for more F-35s. Detractors argue that, given the increasingly sophisticated air and ground threats to aircraft all new aircraft should be stealth aircraft. The F-15X looks to be a go, but a lot can happen in five years. If the defense budget remains flat or begins to contract over the next two years buying a new fighter could go out the window, especially if only 80 aircraft are planned. Via Bloomberg ('You Might Also Like',) Venezuela is in chaos. Traders and investors are curious about the future of the Venezuelan crisis and its impact on the oil market. Venezuela has never differed with outstanding economic growth and living conditions. Moreover, the country had been intensively plunging into recession. However, what the country suffers now has significantly intensified the economic and humanitarian crisis. Short brief: at the end of January, the opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself interim president who will fight against poverty and the economic disaster. It put the country on the threshold of the civil war. Dont forget that Mr. Maduro is still a Venezuelan president. Moreover, the opposition leader is supported by many countries including the US, which worsens the situations even more. The US has imposed sanctions on Venezuelas state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA and it seems like there will be more actions. The suffering Venezuelan production was supposed to push oil prices up. However, the effect wasnt that strong. Does it mean that even a decline in the production of one of the biggest oil suppliers wont support oil prices? Lets figure it out. The situation in the country is anticipated to become worse. The crisis keeps increasing and its highly unlikely that Mr. Maduro steps down without a fight. A further escalation will definitely hurt the domestic oil production. But will it affect the global oil market a lot? Short/medium-term perspective In the short- and the medium-terms, oil may suffer big volatility. In the case of the negative news on the Venezuelan crisis and sanctions on the Venezuelan oil, prices may gain momentum. However, the effect is expected to be limited, especially when we consider the outcome the crisis has on the oil market now. Moreover, the Venezuelan crisis should be taken into consideration together with other factors. The US production, OPEC cuts, demand/supply forecasts will shake the market as well. Story continues Take a look at the technical side. On the weekly chart of Brent, we see that the oil benchmark keeps trading sideways. As we mentioned above, the Venezuelan problems didnt boost prices a lot. However, the Venezuelan crisis together with supportive factors such as a decline in the supply or forecast on an increasing demand may affect oil prices more. The first resistance is anticipated to lie at $67. The next level will lie at $71. If we talk about the medium-term, the important resistance will lie near the $80 level. What if oil suffers based on the increased supply and decreased demand? In this case, the fall may slow near $55. The next support will lie at $51. In the case of the breakthrough, the slump below $45 will be likely. Brend Oil, Weekly Chart Long-term perspective Its rare efficient to predict something especially when talking about politics, however, we will try. The production in Venezuela has already significantly declined. Just 4 years ago the country produced 2.4 million barrels and now we have just 1.3 million. An escalation of the political crisis will cause a further slump in oil production. No matter how long the crisis will continue, the reduction of Venezuelan production is anticipated. Does it mean that this reduction will support oil prices in the long-term? Again highly doubtful. What should we pay attention to? Firstly, of course, the US production. There are no doubts that the US will keep increasing its oil extraction. Its not a secret that America tries to take the leading role in all spheres and the oil market is not an exclusion. Secondly, OPEC production. OPEC+ is one of the most effective mechanisms that control oil prices. In the case of the fall of oil prices, the alliance will cut the oil supply. If there is a space for a price increase, they will raise oil production. However, as we already could see, Saudi Arabia announced additional cuts in March 2019 despite the Venezuelan crisis. It means that Venezuelas factor isnt affecting the market a lot. Thirdly, the demand issue. Just recently, OPEC cut the oil demand forecast based on the slowing economies and expectations of faster supply growth from rivals. OPEC members claimed challenges to prevent a surplus even in the case of the additional production cuts. In a conclusion, we can say that the Venezuelan crisis will definitely hurt the countrys economy. However, odds that it will encourage oil prices are low. An increasing US production, the global economic slowdown, the falling oil demand wont let oil prices jump. Periodic volatility caused by an escalation of the conflict is anticipated. However, the long-term positive effect is doubtful. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: * Palm down 1.1 pct by the close of trade * Slower output decline, high stocks weigh - trader (Updates with closing prices, quotes) By Emily Chow KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures reversed earlier gains to fall over 1 percent in evening trade on Tuesday, as output declines remained slower than in previous years and stocks in key buying markets stayed high. Palm had earlier gained as much as 1.1 percent, hitting its highest in over a week as it tracked strength in U.S. soyoil prices and a weaker ringgit. Losses in the ringgit, palm's currency of trade, usually make the vegetable oil cheaper for holders of foreign currencies. The benchmark palm oil contract for May delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange was down 1.1 percent at 2,260 ringgit ($553.92) a tonne at the close of trade. Earlier in the session it climbed as much as 1.1 percent to 2,311 ringgit, its highest since Feb. 8. Trading volumes stood at 44,707 lots of 25 tonnes each in the evening. (1FCPO-TOT) A Singapore-based trader said the market was falling on a slower-than-historical output decline, and that stocks in key markets were still at elevated levels. "Stocks in Pakistan, India, China and Europe are mostly high," he said. Earlier in the day another trader reported that the market had been benefiting from expectations of supportive cargo surveyor export data for Feb. 1-20. Exports from Malaysia during Feb. 1-15 rose between 4.2-12.9 percent from a month earlier, according to cargo surveyors. The surveyors are scheduled to release export data for the Feb. 1-20 period on Wednesday. In other related oils, the Chicago March soybean oil contract was up 0.2 percent on Tuesday. The May soyoil contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange rose 1.2 percent, while the Dalian May palm oil contract also added 1.2 percent. Palm oil prices are affected by movements in soyoil, as they compete for a share in the global vegetable oil market. Palm, soy and crude oil prices at 1114 GMT Story continues Contract Month Last Change Low High Volume MY PALM OIL MAR9 2153 -51.00 2153 2223 1286 MY PALM OIL APR9 2233 -29.00 2231 2288 9667 MY PALM OIL MAY9 2259 -26.00 2256 2311 18472 CHINA PALM OLEIN MAY9 4836 +56.00 4772 4852 427362 CHINA SOYOIL MAY9 5784 +70.00 5728 5786 329760 CBOT SOY OIL MAR9 30.01 +0.06 29.96 30.25 6250 INDIA PALM OIL FEB9 568.00 +0.60 566.10 574.1 746 INDIA SOYOIL FEB9 783 +0.20 782.6 784 1690 NYMEX CRUDE MAR9 56.12 +0.53 55.59 56.33 57428 Palm oil prices in Malaysian ringgit per tonne CBOT soy oil in U.S. cents per pound Dalian soy oil and RBD palm olein in Chinese yuan per tonne India soy oil in Indian rupee per 10 kg Crude in U.S. dollars per barrel ($1 = 4.0800 ringgit) ($1 = 71.4430 Indian rupees) ($1 = 6.7610 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Emily Chow; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Jan Harvey) Dow Jones, Oil Russias third-biggest bank by assets Gazprombank has elected to freeze the bank accounts belonging to Venezuelan state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), Reuters reports. Citing sources, the report indicated that the state-owned lender did so to lower its risks of coming under U.S. sanctions. Alongside China, Iran, Turkey and other countries, Russia is one of the strongest supporters of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. Last month when Venezuelas National Assembly head, Juan Guaido, declared himself interim president the four voiced their support for Maduro. Read the full story on CCN.com. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Universal Forest Products, Inc. (UFPI) today announced that one of its affiliates has signed an agreement to purchase the operating assets of Wolverine Wood Products, Inc. Founded in 2008 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Mike and Bernadette Petersen, Wolverine Wood Products manufactures wood panel components for furniture, store fixtures and case goods, with anticipated annual sales of $5 million. The acquisition will expand Universals capacity to produce value-added wood components for customers in the Midwest. Mike Petersen, owner and president of Wolverine Wood Products, will remain with the company as general manager. Wolverine Wood Products has grown quickly by using automation and robotics to provide its customers with the value-added services and pricing that other companies cant provide, said CEO Matt Missad. Were fortunate to have Mike Petersen and his team join the Universal family of companies. Mike has 32 years of experience in sales and automation integration, and hes leveraged it into a successful and quickly growing business. Universal Forest Products is a world-class company with exceptional people and an excellent market reputation, said Mike. This will allow Wolverine to continue to expand its market presence as well as synergize with other Universal affiliates. We are very excited to join the Universal family of companies and to continue to leverage experience and technology to solve manufacturing problems. UNIVERSAL FOREST PRODUCTS, INC. Universal Forest Products, Inc. is a holding company whose subsidiaries supply wood, wood composite and other products to three robust markets: retail, construction and industrial. Founded in 1955, the Company is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., with affiliates throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more about Universal Forest Products, go to www.ufpi.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended, that are based on managements beliefs, assumptions, current expectations, estimates and projections about the markets we serve, the economy and the Company itself. Words like anticipates, believes, confident, estimates, expects, forecasts, likely, plans, projects, should, variations of such words, and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. These statements do not guarantee future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict with regard to timing, extent, likelihood and degree of occurrence. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect facts, circumstances, events, or assumptions that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. Actual results could differ materially from those included in such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements are the following: fluctuations in the price of lumber; adverse or unusual weather conditions; adverse economic conditions in the markets we serve; government regulations, particularly involving environmental and safety regulations; and our ability to make successful business acquisitions. Certain of these risk factors as well as other risk factors and additional information are included in the Company's reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Story continues AT THE COMPANY Brandon Froysland Director of Finance (616) 365-1589 FILE PHOTO: A maze of crude oil pipes and valves is pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas, U.S. June 9, 2016. REUTERS/Richard Carson/File Photo By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices were mixed on Tuesday as concerns about global crude oil demand and uncertainty over the latest round of U.S.-China trade talks countered investor optimism around tightening supplies. Brent crude slipped 5 cents to settle at $66.45 a barrel, hovering below its 2019 high of $66.83 reached on Monday. U.S. crude was up 50 cents to $56.09 a barrel, its highest since November 2018. Washington's sanctions on oil out of Venezuela, a top supplier of sour crude to the United States, has helped support U.S. futures prices, said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. "Some of those sour grades are lifting the WTI... That seems to be the situation short term," Flynn said. In the bigger picture, "I think the market is looking for an excuse to follow through on the breakout, but there are still a lot of questions surrounding the U.S.-China trade deal" and the global economy, he said. A fresh round of talks aimed at resolving the trade dispute between the United States and China began on Tuesday in Washington, with higher-level discussions planned for later in the week. Traders said they were cautious about taking large new positions before the outcome of the talks. In a red flag about the economic outlook, Europe's biggest bank HSBC warned it may delay some investments this year as it missed 2018 profit forecasts due to slowing growth in China and Britain. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) last week lowered its forecast for growth in world oil demand in 2019 to 1.24 million barrels per day. Some analysts believe it could be weaker. "Given a continuously uncertain economic picture, our already relatively bearish outlook for 2019 of below 1 million bpd in global oil demand growth may be subject to further downwards revisions," analysts at JBC Energy wrote. To stop a build-up of inventories that could weigh on prices, OPEC+, which includes members of the producer group and allies like Russia, began a new supply cut of 1.2 million bpd on Jan. 1. The cuts have helped crude rise more than 20 percent. Story continues Russian President Vladimir Putin and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, OPEC's de facto leader, said they supported continued coordination on the global energy markets, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. Investors said the statement eased doubts that Russia would stick to the pact. U.S. sanctions against exporters Iran and Venezuela have also supported oil prices. Venezuela is a major crude supplier to U.S. refineries. Iran's exports, while down steeply since sanctions began in November, have risen in early 2019, according to tanker data and sources. (Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London, Henning Gloystein and Colin Packham; Editing by Dale Hudson, Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio) FILE PHOTO - A 3D-printed logo for Twitter is seen in this picture illustration January 26, 2016. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Twitter on Tuesday rolled out tools in Europe which will make it easier for voters to identify political campaign ads tied to crucial European Parliament elections in May amidst fears of Russian disinformation campaigns and threats of regulatory action. Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook have come under pressure to do more to combat fake news and the spread of extremism and propaganda online. The European Union is concerned about Russia's role. Russia has repeatedly denied any such actions. Twitter said its political campaigning ads policy, introduced during the U.S. midterm elections, will also be launched in India and Australia, both of which are also heading to the polls. In essence it means that anyone can view ads put on Twitter endorsing a party or a candidate on its Ads Transparency Center, with details on billing information, ad spending and demographic targeting data. The ads will be available indefinitely. A visual label and disclaimer information on promoted content will allow users to identify political campaign ads and who paid for them. "Our political campaigning ads policy is being expanded to cover #EUElections2019, providing the general public with an additional layer of insight into who is running a political campaign ad on Twitter," the company said in a blog post. It said candidates or organisations will have to go through a certification process with proof of identity before they can run political campaigning ads on its site. This policy will kick off on March 11. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee) (Adds Trump quote) By Jeff Mason and Josh Smith WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Feb 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he wants North Korea to end its nuclear program, but he is in no rush and has no pressing time schedule for Pyongyang to ultimately denuclearize. Trump is meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the second time on Feb. 27 and 28 in Vietnam. Speaking to reporters at a White House event, Trump said sanctions against the Asian nation would remain in place in the meantime and noted Pyongyang has not conducted nuclear or rocket tests recently. "I'm in no rush. There's no testing. As long as there is no testing, I'm in no rush. If there's testing, that's another deal," he said. "I'd just like to see ultimately denuclearization of North Korea," he also said. Earlier on Tuesday Trump spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-in about the summit and he plans to talk to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday. Moon told Trump in the call that his country is willing to open economic engagement with North Korea if it will hasten Pyongyang's denuclearization, Moon's office said. Since Trump and Kim first met in June last year, there has been little progress in talks between the two countries, while Moon and Kim have forged ahead with multiple summits of their own, as well as promises of inter-Korean cooperation on everything from reducing border tensions to launching a joint bid for the 2032 Olympics. But plans for economic projects, such as allowing South Korean tourists to visit the North, have been on hold while the United States keeps its sanctions in place. Moon told Trump he was ready to undertake anything from reconnecting rail and road links between the two Koreas to other inter-Korean economic cooperation to help on denuclearization, according to a statement from Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom. "We're determined to take up that role if President Trump asks, if that's the way to lessen the U.S. burden," Moon said. Story continues Moon said it was Trump's "leadership and firm resolve" that had brought difficult negotiations with North Korea thus far, according to the statement. He also said Trump is "overcoming diplomatic failures over the past 25 years that did not accomplish any outcome through negotiations but only strengthened North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities." Moon's praise echoes Trump's own assessment of his efforts. He recently said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. (Writing by David Alexander and Lisa Lambert; editing by Bill Berkrot and James Dalgleish) (Repeats story from Sunday) * Pence's Europe trip highlights Western divisions * Officials talk of lack of leadership on global issues By Robin Emmott and John Irish MUNICH, Feb 17 (Reuters) - In 2009, then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden came to Munich to "press the reset button" with Russia. A decade later he came again to offer the world better relations, this time with his own country. Promising that "America will be back" once Donald Trump leaves office, Biden won a standing ovation at the Munich Security Conference from delegates who find the president's brusque foreign policy stance hard to like. But their elation also exposed the weakened state of Western diplomacy in the face of Trump's assertiveness, according to European diplomats and politicians who were present. Biden's successor, Mike Pence, was met with silence at a reception in the palatial Bavarian parliament on Friday evening after he delivered his signature line: "I bring you greetings from the 45th president of the United States, President Donald Trump." His four-day trip to Europe succeeded only in deepening divisions with traditional allies over questions such as Iran and Venezuela and offered little hope in how to deal with threats ranging from nuclear arms to climate change, diplomats and officials said. Misgivings about Washington's role in the world are being felt by ordinary people as well as foreign policy specialists. In Germany and France, half the population see U.S. power as a threat, up sharply from 2013 and a view shared by 37 percent of Britons, the Washington-based Pew Research Center said in a report before the Munich foreign policy gathering. Asked about European anxiety over Trump's leadership style, a senior U.S. official on Pence's Air Force Two plane said the vice president's Munich conference speech on Saturday at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof would "help give them a different perspective". "TIT-FOR-TAT" But if the Europeans did not like the "America First" message, there was no concerted response to it. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was on her own after a last-minute cancellation by French President Emmanuel Macron. Story continues That caused some to lament the failure of the West to uphold the rules-based international order that Washington itself championed in the 70 years that preceded the arrival of Trump in the White House. "The tit-for-tat logic is unfortunately prevailing ... I think that takes us back to the question of enlightened leadership," said Thomas Greminger, secretary general of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a security and human rights watchdog. "We need leaders again who do not believe exclusively in short-termism," he told Reuters. It fell to China to aid Merkel in her defence of the post-World War Two order, as the country's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, spoke in flawless English for over 20 minutes about the virtues of open trade and global cooperation. Pence's message was, in fact, that the pillars of U.S. foreign policy were being rebuilt on a different foundation: isolating Iran, containing China, bringing American troops home and requiring European powers to fall into line. BROKEN NARRATIVE? After using a speech in Warsaw on Thursday to accuse Britain, France and Germany of trying to undermine U.S. sanctions on Iran, Pence called in Munich for the European Union to recognise Venezuelan congressional leader Juan Guaido as president over Nicolas Maduro, whom he called a dictator. That drew an angry response from Spain's Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, who said the European Union could acknowledge Guaido as interim president until new elections, in line with the Venezuelan constitution. French foreign minister Jean-Yves LeDrian said he was mystified by U.S. policy on Syria after Trump's decision to withdraw troops because it would only benefit Iran, which Washington wants to be tough on. European diplomats and officials also took issue with Pence's insistence that EU governments stay away from Chinese telecoms companies as they build the latest generation of mobile networks, preferring first to have an internal discussion about the potential risks and U.S. claims of Chinese espionage. "U.S. pressure has a tendency to make us do the opposite. U.S. pressure is counterproductive. It's best that they don't try and pressure us," a senior French diplomat said. Whatever the threats, officials seemed to be mainly talking past each other. Kumi Naidoo, global head of Amnesty International, said security was often defined too narrowly, failing to address the wider dangers of climate change. "The narrative here at the Munich Security Conference is broken. They are talking about the right topics but in the wrong language. The mentality here is that security is only a national issue," Naidoo told Reuters. Leaving for Washington, Pence was unfazed, telling reporters his trip had been very successful. "We're advancing the interests of the free world, and we've made great progress." (Additional reporting by Paul Carrel and Andreas Rinke Writing by Robin Emmott Editing by Giles Elgood) Here are four stocks with buy rank and strong income characteristics for investors to consider today, February 19th: Univest Financial Corporation (UVSP): This holding company for Univest Bank and Trust Co. has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 2.8% over the last 60 days. Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania Price and Consensus Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania Price and Consensus Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania price-consensus-chart | Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania Quote This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company has a dividend yield of 3.20%, compared with the industry average of 1.70%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 3.51%. Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania Dividend Yield (TTM) Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania Dividend Yield (TTM) Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania dividend-yield-ttm | Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania Quote The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD): This personal and commercial banking products and services provider has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 0.6% over the last 60 days. Toronto Dominion Bank (The) Price and Consensus Toronto Dominion Bank (The) Price and Consensus Toronto Dominion Bank (The) price-consensus-chart | Toronto Dominion Bank (The) Quote This Zacks Rank #1 company has a dividend yield of 3.45%, compared with the industry average of 3.17%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 3.6%. Toronto Dominion Bank (The) Dividend Yield (TTM) Toronto Dominion Bank (The) Dividend Yield (TTM) Toronto Dominion Bank (The) dividend-yield-ttm | Toronto Dominion Bank (The) Quote TESSCO Technologies Incorporated (TESS): This products and value chain solutions provider that supports wireless systems has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 22.6% over the last 60 days. TESSCO Technologies Incorporated Price and Consensus TESSCO Technologies Incorporated Price and Consensus TESSCO Technologies Incorporated price-consensus-chart | TESSCO Technologies Incorporated Quote This Zacks Rank #1 company has a dividend yield of 5.34%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 4.46%. TESSCO Technologies Incorporated Dividend Yield (TTM) Story continues TESSCO Technologies Incorporated Dividend Yield (TTM) TESSCO Technologies Incorporated dividend-yield-ttm | TESSCO Technologies Incorporated Quote Teekay LNG Partners L.P. (TGP): This marine transportation services provider haswitnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 10.5% over the last 60 days. Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Price and Consensus Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Price and Consensus Teekay LNG Partners L.P. price-consensus-chart | Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Quote This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has a dividend yield of 4.22%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 5.93%. Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Dividend Yield (TTM) Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Dividend Yield (TTM) Teekay LNG Partners L.P. dividend-yield-ttm | Teekay LNG Partners L.P. Quote See the full list of top ranked stocks here Find more top income stocks with some of our great premium screens. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania (UVSP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Teekay LNG Partners L.P. (TGP) : Free Stock Analysis Report TESSCO Technologies Incorporated (TESS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Toronto Dominion Bank (The) (TD) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By John Revill and John Miller (Reuters) - Switzerland's Sunrise Communications Group has confirmed it is in talks over a potential acquisition of broadband provider Liberty Global's Swiss business UPC Schweiz. Analysts have said a tie-up makes sense, given that Sunrise and UPC's fixed and mobile services would make the combined entity a stronger rival to the dominance of state-controlled Swisscom. "We also see 1-2 billion Swiss francs ($1 billion to $2 billion) of potential synergies," Barclays analysts said. Liberty has been hurt by weak operating momentum at its Swiss unit, making reduced exposure to the Alpine republic attractive for shareholders. The cable provider has already unloaded its unit in neighboring Austria. The Financial Times had reported on Friday that Sunrise was in advanced discussions over a potential deal. Sunrise confirmed late on Tuesday that it is in negotiations and that the proposed deal would not alter its progressive shareholder distribution policy, allaying analyst fears of reduced annual payments. It gave no further details, saying only that it would make a further announcement when appropriate. "We note the press release issued by Sunrise and have no further comment to make," a Liberty Global spokesman said. Analyst estimates give Liberty's Swiss unit a valuation of about 4.9 Swiss billion francs for a business that generates estimated core profit of about 700 million francs. Swisscom is by far the biggest telecommunications company in Switzerland, with 11.7 billion francs in revenue and 6.6 million mobile phone customers in 2017. Sunrise, by contrast, had a total of 3.4 million customers, with 2.4 million mobile phone customers, generating revenue of 1.85 billion francs in 2017. Smaller UPC had about 1.1 million TV customers, amid falling subscriptions, and 138,000 mobile phone clients in Switzerland, company documents show. Should a Liberty-Sunrise deal be completed, UBS analysts said Swisscom could suffer lower revenue from wholesale broadband and the loss of payments from UPC to use its network for its mobile business. Story continues "The majority of Sunrise's broadband customer base is currently provided through Swisscom infrastructure," said UBS analyst Nicholas Prys-Owen. "One area of synergy (with UPC) could be migrating some of these customers onto cable infrastructure." Sunrise shares have dropped 9 percent this year, while Swisscom -- due to report 2018 earnings on Thursday -- is about flat. Liberty Global stock is up more than a fifth since the start of the year. ($1 = 1.0003 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Paul Arnold in Zurich; Editing by David Goodman) Tax reform took effect during the 2018 tax year, and now that tax season is here, millions of Americans have hoped that they'd save on their tax bills as a result. Yet early indications show that the size of refunds on average is less this year than it's been in past years, and many taxpayers are complaining that tax reform didn't deliver on its promises of reducing taxes. It's easy to blame refund shrinkage on the federal government, and the IRS is used to getting complaints. But in this situation, the real blame belongs to taxpayers who didn't understand that the massive changes in tax law might make it smart to re-examine their own role in determining the size of their refunds -- by looking at their withholding. Refund check from U.S. Treasury on top of a 1040 form. Image source: Getty Images. The size of the problem The latest figures from the IRS show that the average tax refund thus far this year is $1,865. That might sound like a lot, but it's down from the typical $2,035 tax refund taxpayers got at this time last tax season. In addition, the IRS has issued only about three-quarters as many refunds as it did in early 2018 for the 2017 tax year. For the vast majority of people, the main determining factor in how big your tax refund will be involves how much money gets withheld from your paychecks over the course of the year. If you have a lot withheld, then your refund will be larger. Have less taken out, and your refund will shrink, or you could even owe taxes at the end of the year. It's true that the government is responsible for coming out with withholding tables, and those tables did in fact change as a result of tax reform. But the changes to the tables are only half of what caused withholding amounts to change -- because it's always in your power to file Form W-4 with your employer. When major changes occur -- whether they're specific to your personal life or more general in nature -- forgetting to file a new W-4 runs the risk of exactly the kind of unexpected change to the amount of your refund that's happening now. Story continues The limitations of withholding tables -- and how Form W-4 can help Form W-4 is also known as the Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, and although it's short, it provides essential information to your employer and the IRS. By letting you select how many withholding allowances to claim as well as the appropriate filing status for your return, Form W-4 tells your employer how to use the IRS withholding tables to figure out how much money to take out of each paycheck to go toward your federal tax bill. At first glance, Form W-4 looks simple to use. But things get complicated in a hurry, because in order to use the form properly, you need to fill out the worksheets that go with it. In particular, there are two primary worksheets that address withholding: one covering joint filers in which both spouses work, and one dealing with deductions, credits, and other tax breaks. When anything changes with your tax situation, it's important to update your W-4 withholding, or else the incorrect amount will get withheld going forward. What happened to millions of taxpayers is that they didn't update their W-4 forms. Instead, they left their withholding allowances unchanged -- even in the face of tax law changes that in many cases hurt them from a tax perspective. Many of those who've said that their refunds have shrunk pointed to factors like the limitation of state and local tax deductions, the elimination of miscellaneous itemized deductions, and changes in the size and eligibility for other tax breaks. If you run those changes through the W-4 worksheets, the form would suggest reducing your withholding allowances and allowing the IRS to boost the amount withheld from your paychecks. How to change your withholding It's too late to do anything about the 2018 tax year, but if you're having trouble with your refund, making changes to your withholding allowances in 2019 could be the smartest move you can make. Running the numbers to see how tax law changes affect how many withholding allowances you should claim could get the size of your refund back to what you'd more typically expect. Tax reform affected total tax liabilities in different ways for various taxpayers. But even if your total tax bill went down, it's possible that your tax refund could be smaller -- if your employer withheld less in taxes and thereby boosted the size of your paychecks over the course of the year. That's not necessarily bad if you're prepared for it, but if you're not happy, file a new Form W-4 with your employer and make sure it accurately reflects your tax picture for 2019 and beyond. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A recently agreed to acquire a Germany-based home energy storage company, sonnen, in order to ramp up sustainable energy business. The move is a significant step for the company, which is playing an important role in the transition toward low-carbon energy on a worldwide basis. The financial terms of the acquisition are yet to be disclosed. What Does sonnen Offer to Shell? sonnen makes residential battery systems, which are responsible for storing energy generated through solar panels. The company has its footprint in several countries in Europe like Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, as well as in Australia and the United States. The company has installed more than 40,000 battery packs all over the globe. In 2017, it generated around $73 million in revenues. Notably, sonnen entered the electric vehicle charging business in 2018. The latest deal is expected to be a significant one for Shell, which has boosted investments in renewable energy and power markets over the last few years. This step puts it in direct competition with companies like Samsung, Tesla, Inc. TSLA and others. Markedly, Shell invested around $70 million in sonnen last May. Following the completion of the deal expected in first-quarter 2019, per Reuters sonnen will become Shells wholly-owned subsidiary. Shells View Shell expects electricity demand to rise in the coming years, with more people opting for electric vehicles and switching toward cleaner energy resources. Notably, in a similar manner, the company completed the acquisition of U.K.s energy supplier First Utility last year, in a bid to lower its carbon footprint. The move enabled Shell to expand energy supply business from commercial and industrial customers and venture into the residential sector. Also, the company bought Dutch-based NewMotion electric vehicle charging networks in 2017. All these moves are associated with Shells New Energies division, which was formed in 2016. This division is expected to spend around $1-$2 billion per annum until 2020, with a view to tap into commercial opportunities in advanced fuel and power markets. Story continues Price Performance Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, Shells stock has lost 2.1% in the past six months compared with 3.3% decline of the industry it belongs to. Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider Currently, Shell carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Investors interested in the energy sector can opt for some better-ranked stocks as given below: Madrid, Spain-based Repsol, S.A. REPYY is an integrated energy company. Its bottom line for 2019 is expected to increase 13.7% year over year. The company delivered average positive earnings surprise of 9% in the trailing four quarters. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. San Antonio, TX-based NuStar Energy L.P. NS is a midstream energy company. For 2019, its bottom line, which has witnessed three upside revisions over the past 30 days, is expected to grow 64.2% year over year. The company currently holds a Zacks Rank #2. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report NuStar Energy L.P. (NS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report Repsol SA (REPYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Photo credit: Kyle McKernan / Princeton Communications Dept From Popular Mechanics Deep beneath the surface of the Earth lies an entire landscape of mountains possibly rougher and taller than any on the surface. So say Princeton geophysicists Jessica Irving and Wenbo Wu, who published a study last week in Science in collaboration with Sidao Ni from the Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics in China. The researchers used scattered seismic waves registered during an epic magnitude 8.2 earthquake that struck Bolivia in 1994 to map the topography of a boundary layer 410 miles (660 km) straight down. This layer, called the Transition Zone, is about 155 miles thick. It divides Earths mantle into an upper and lower section, revealing the interior of our planet to be far more complex than the tri-tone crust-mantle-core models were used to. Irving and Wu found that the top of the Transition Zone, at about 255 miles deep, is smooth for the most part and drastically different from the roughness at its the 660-km boundary, which is what theyve started calling it for lack of a better term. When your data lies far inside the Earth, the bigger and deeper the earthquake the better, says Irving: the shockwaves they send out in all directions can travel through the core to the other side of the planet-and back again. Waves of that magnitude carry information about the path they traveled. They go straight through rocks that are homogenous or uniform in composition and bounce off or bend around the edges and boundaries of heterogenous or conglomerate materials. Thats why we can see these objects, said Wu. The scattering waves carry the information about the surfaces roughness. And what theyve been able to see appears just as complex, varied, and dramatic as what can be found on Earths surface, with two-mile elevation changes between level, ocean-floor-like areas and colossal mountain ranges. The researchers used a bank of extremely powerful supercomputers, including Princetons Tiger cluster, to simulate the behavior of the Bolivian earthquake waves. As the sophistication of seismic instruments and computing develops in the future, scientists will be able to add more detail to the 660-km boundary map. But there are plenty of questions to explore in the meantime that have been debated by geoscientists for years. Story continues For example: Does heat travel evenly through the mantle, or does the Transition Zone interrupt that process? Are the upper and lower mantle chemically distinct, and if so, how do the separate thermodynamic cycles work? Wu, Irving, and Ni believe that some answers might lie in the newly revealed subterranean landscape. The more gentle topography on the floor of the Transition Zone may indicate areas where the mantle is well mixed, while the rugged, mountainous zones may be the result of an interruption or blockage of the heat-transfer cycle-what the abstract calls imperfect circulation between the upper and lower mantle. The study also offers insights into what happens to sea floor slabs that get pulled into subduction zones and pushed down into the mantle. Some of these slabs might have traveled down through the upper mantle, perhaps as far as the rugged 660-km boundary or just past it. Understanding more about the remnants of such ancient tectonic plates and how they have impacted the chemical composition of the mantle will help seismologists understand how Earth formed, how it changes over time, and how these changes impact our planets integrity and longevity. Its like the real-world geophysicists redux on Jules Vernes Journey to the Center of the Earth, 155 years later. Just enough time for science-fiction to become science. ('You Might Also Like',) Reno, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2019) - Scandium International Mining Corp. (TSX: SCY) ("Scandium International" or the "Company") is pleased to provide a second update on select aluminum casting trial results undertaken by Eck Industries Inc. ("Eck"), employing scandium provided by SCY. These trial results demonstrate unique properties from a new aluminum casting alloy, employing cerium and scandium, that shows superior resistance to permanent strength erosion in high heat environments. SCY announced a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Eck in Q2 2018, and announced preliminary scandium testing results in Q4 2018. This press release reflects further technical disclosure on the ongoing testing programs. Eck is an industry leader in sophisticated casting systems and high-performance aluminum casting materials, currently supplying cast parts to commercial aircraft, automotive/transport, military and marine propulsion systems customers, from its facilities in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Eck is currently focused on improving high temperature stability in certain casting parts they manufacture, and has filed patent applications on a novel alloy exhibiting superior heat tolerance properties, using cerium, and scandium. HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW ALLOY CASTING RESULTS: New aluminum casting alloy employing cerium and scandium shows superior resistance to permanent strength erosion in high temperature environments. Cerium additions inhibited inter-granular corrosion, a known problem area in high magnesium content aluminum alloy variants. Significant scandium strength gains observed (both ambient and post-heat exposure). New alloy is highly castable, using standard commercial processes. Eck VP Engineering/R&D (David Weiss) to present findings at TMS Conference in March 2019 George Putnam, CEO of Scandium International Mining Corp. commented: "The R&D team at Eck Industries has made an important advance in high temperature aluminium alloys with their cerium-scandium casting alloy. They have taken collaborative early work with Department of Energy affiliated researchers on cerium, and combined that with their previous scandium work and testing, to create a new and superior temperature-tolerant alloy. A new aluminum alloy that extends those temperature range limits is then highly valuable, where higher cost alternatives such as titanium or stainless steel can be avoided. We expect the aluminium casting industry to follow this rapidly developing work with great interest." Story continues David Weiss, VP Engineering/R&D at Eck Industries commented: "Our research to date suggests that scandium in combination with magnesium and cerium in aluminum offers excellent stability at elevated temperatures. We continue to develop these systems to maximize performance and minimize cost for structural applications in transportation, aerospace and the military." DISCUSSION Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Wisconsin-based Eck Industries announced in 2016 the development of an aluminum alloy containing significant quantities of cerium (8-10%) that demonstrates significantly higher heat tolerance than existing alloys used today. David Weiss, VP Engineering/R&D at Eck Industries was a part of that work, and has continued development with an aim to commercialize the results for Eck customers. Importantly, Weiss has demonstrated that a combination of cerium, magnesium and scandium, can both increase cast aluminum alloy strength and dramatically extend alloy temperature tolerance. Temperature testing and strength recovery includes a 350C temperature bake for 100 hours, to determine permanent strength reduction after cool-down. This exposure is well beyond the survival limit of typical casting alloys, and is a serious test for the best high temperature alloys available today. Early results show this cerium-magnesium-scandium alloy fully recovers 100% of yield strength after the hi-temp test, dramatically outperforming standard cast alloys, and also premium high-temperature alloys such as AA201. These results represent exceptional high-temperature stability from a commercially castable aluminum alloy. High temperature alloys are essential materials in aerospace, automotive, and marine powerplant applications, and in a host of other high temperature systems. Aluminum alloys tend to be the preferred economic choice, provided the application allows them to remain within their high temperature range limits. The 2016 research work findings on cerium's positive influence on inter-granular corrosion in magnesium-containing alloys also holds significant value, particularly in marine applications. The marine alloy certified for use today is a 5000 series (containing magnesium), where SCY has previously shown scandium additions can deliver further significant strength benefits. David Weiss has been invited to present Eck Industries' findings on this cast alloy program at the 2019 TMS Annual Meeting and Exhibition, in San Antonio, Texas, in mid-March. ABOUT SCANDIUM INTERNATIONAL MINING CORP. The Company is focused on developing its Nyngan Scandium Project, located in NSW, Australia, into the world's first scandium-only producing mine. The project owned by our 100% held Australian subsidiary, EMC Metals Australia Pty Limited, has received all key approvals, including a mining lease, necessary to proceed with project construction. The Company filed a NI 43-101 technical report in May 2016, titled "Feasibility Study - Nyngan Scandium Project" . That feasibility study delivered an expanded scandium resource, a first reserve figure, and an estimated 33.1% IRR on the project, supported by extensive metallurgical test work and an independent, 10-year global marketing outlook for scandium demand. Willem Duyvesteyn, MSc, AIME, CIM, a Director and CTO of the Company, is a qualified person for the purposes of NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release on behalf of the Company. For inquiries to Scandium International Mining Corp, please contact: Edward Dickinson (CFO) Tel: (775) 233-7328 George Putnam (CEO) Tel: (925) 208-1775 Email: info@scandiummining.com For inquiries to Eck Industries, Inc., please contact: Dr. David Weiss, VP Engineering/R&D, (Manitowoc) Phone: 920-682-4618 Email: David.Weiss@eckindustries.com Website: www.eckindustries.com This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Company and its business. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and include, but are not limited to statements regarding any future development of the project. The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, without limitation: risks related to uncertainty in the demand for scandium, the possibility that results of test work will not fulfill expectations, or not realize the perceived market utilization and potential of scandium sources that may be developed for sale by the Company. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of the Company's management at the time they are made, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances, should change. Corporate Logo To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/42887 Nanaimo, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 19, 2019) - Salvation Botanicals Ltd. ("Salvation" or the "Company"), announced today that its' subsidiary, Salvation Bioscience, will be exhibiting at the Second National Indigenous Cannabis and Hemp Conference on Feb.19 through Feb. 21, 2019 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. Salvation operates one of the first fully-licensed analytics laboratories in Canada and is accredited by Health Canada to test cannabis and derivative products for licensed producers. The Company also holds a Hemp processor license that allows it to sell hemp based food products and hemp biomass for cannabidiol (CBD) extraction. The Ottawa event is the second National Indigenous Cannabis and Hemp Conference, following a very successful event held in Calgary. The conference brings together Indigenous leaders who are looking to play a role in the burgeoning cannabis industry. At the three-day event, attendees will get the opportunity to hear experts in the field speak on multiple topics. Speakers include The Hon. Ginette Pettipas Taylor, Minister of Health; The Hon. Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction; senior representatives from the Governments of British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario; as well as First Nations Leaders and industry experts from across the country. At the conference, Rob McIntyre, CEO of Salvation Botanicals, will introduce Dr. Stuart Titus, a cannabis industry icon and innovator who is on the Board of Advisors for Salvation Botanicals. Dr. Titus will discuss how a strong system of quality control is important to ensure the purity and potency of cannabis and hemp products, and how that quality builds credibility that can sustain and foster the entire industry. Attendees can see him speak at 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 21. "I am excited to be introducing Dr.Titus' talk at this conference," said McIntyre. "The opportunity exists for First Nations to enter the market with a clear focus on producing extremely high-quality products. We found at the first NICHC conference in Calgary that there was a very clear focus on producing quality products, and participants saw testing as a part of the Quality Control environment. At this second NICHC, we are looking forward to providing some more tangible steps towards implementation. We are seeing great progress in our First Nations Partnership Program, and we are honored to play a role in bringing employment, training and income to First Nations communities through participation in the cannabis industry." Story continues This conference will feature leading Indigenous experts from the medical, legal, and business communities with proven experience in cannabis and hemp, according to the National Indigenous Cannabis and Hemp Conference website. The conference aims to inform attendees on how the legalization of cannabis in Canada will affect indigenous communities from health, safety, economic, and rights standpoints. To learn more about Salvation Botanicals, visit their website, or visit the National Indigenous Cannabis and Hemp Conference. About Salvation Botanicals Ltd. Salvation Botanicals is a private company based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, that is dedicated to the testing and production of high-quality standardized cannabinoid products for the international cannabis market. Salvation operates one of the first analytics laboratories in Canada, licensed by Health Canada to test cannabis and derivatives. Salvation Botanicals holds a Dealer's License under the Controlled Substances Act, with authority to extract and produce oil within Health Canada guidelines. In 2016 Health Canada granted Salvation a Hemp Processing License permitting production and sale and export of seed, grain and their derivatives. The Company is a late stage applicant for ACMPR Licensed Producer. For more information about Salvation Botanicals Ltd, visit www.salvationbotanicals.ca. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements within this press release relating to the Company constitute "forward-looking statements", within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, business plans and/or objectives, sales programs, forecasts and projections, assumptions, expectations, and/or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking statements." Such "forward-looking statements" involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual and future events to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These risks and uncertainties relate to, among other things, to the Company's historical experience with medical marijuana operations, regulatory changes, timeliness of government approvals for the granting of permits and licenses, changes in medical marijuana prices, actual operating performance of facilities, risks associated with completion of the acquisition, including the availability of sufficient financing to complete the acquisition and fund the business of the combined company, other risks relating to the roll-out and intended expansion of a clinical wellness business, business integration risks, competitive risks, and other risks relevant to the medical marijuana and clinical wellness industries in general and to the Company in particular. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. There can be no assurance that Salvation Botanicals' medical marijuana license application will be approved by Health Canada. Public Relations Contact: Cassandra Dowell Account Manager, CMW Media P. 888-829- 0070 cassandra@cmwmedia.com www.cmwmedia.com Corporate Logo To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/42910 Repsol, S.A. REPYY recently made a major natural gas discovery in Indonesia. The prospect, located onshore Central Sumatra, is expected to hold natural gas of around 1.5 trillion cubic feet, which translates to more than 250 million barrels of oil equivalent. Notably, the new find is located around 15 miles away from ConocoPhillips COP gas processing facility. The discovery took place at the Kali Berau Dalam-2 well in the Repsol-operated Sakakemang production sharing contract (PSC). The company experienced well-control related issues after it started drilling last August. It re-entered the well in early February. Oil and gas regulator of Indonesia, SKK Migas, confirmed the discovery. The estimated amount of hydrocarbons in the prospect makes it the largest discovery in the country after Cepu discovery in 2001 made by Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM. Operator Repsol, a Madrid, Spain-based integrated energy company, owns 45% stake in the discovery, partnered by Petronas and Moeco with respective interests of 45% and 10%. The discovery is expected to improve Repsols operations in the country. The company holds mineral rights for five exploration and production blocks in the country. Its net production from Indonesia in 2017 totaled 40,881 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The new find by Repsol can boost the growing interest in the region. Repsol, ConocoPhillips and state-run Pertamina are currently competing to secure new exploration and development contracts in the country, per Andrew Harwood, the research director of Wood Mackenzie. The recent discovery will further fuel competition. ConocoPhillips PSC to develop the Corridor Block is expected to expire in 2023. Hence, a new finding in the region can certainly intrigue the energy major. Notably, Repsol holds 36% stake in the Corridor block. The lack of new investments and diminishing production in the country has triggered the government to encourage explorations. The recent finding will support the efforts undertaken in this regard. Story continues Zacks Rank and Another Stock to Consider Currently, Repsol carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Investors interested in the energy sector can opt for another top-ranked stock as given below: Argentina-based YPF Sociedad Anonima YPF is an integrated energy company. Its bottom line for 2018 is expected to increase 29.5% year over year. The company delivered average positive earnings surprise of more than 200% in the trailing four quarters. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Is Your Investment Advisor Fumbling Your Financial Future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Repsol SA (REPYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report YPF Sociedad Anonima (YPF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report ConocoPhillips (COP) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. By Tyler Choi TORONTO, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Netflix Inc said on Tuesday it is creating a production hub with two studios in Toronto that is expected to create 1,850 jobs per year. Netflix will lease Cinespace Studios, a Toronto-based film studio comprising four sound stages, office space and support space that measures 164,000 square feet, and Pinewood Toronto Studios, which measures 84,850 square feet, the streaming company said in a statement. It did not disclose the size of its latest investments or the duration of the leases. In October 2017, Netflix secured government approval to start a C$500 million ($377 million) production unit in Canada, in its first such unit outside the United States. Netflix leases British Columbia-based Martini Film Studios, along with other sites in Canada like Calgary and Montreal on a production-by-production basis. The Toronto studios will work on production for upcoming series and films like horror anthology series "Guillermo del Toro Presents Ten After Midnight" and the film "Let It Snow." "With Cinespace having hosted 2 Best Picture Oscar winners 'Chicago' and 'The Shape of Water' and having catalyzed tens of thousands of jobs in the Studio District and on Toronto's waterfront, Netflix has made an auspicious choice for its new production hub," Cinespace Studio CEO Steve Mirkopoulos said in the same statement. Previous Netflix productions in Canada include "A Series of Unfortunate Events" and "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Polar." The company has also partnered with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to show "Anne with an E." ($1 = 1.3265 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Tyler Choi; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Richa Naidu CHICAGO, Feb 19(Reuters) - As the possibility of a no-deal Brexit looms, Kellogg Co is taking measures to protect Britons from a potential shortage of Pringles, the UK's second-favorite brand of chips. With Britain at risk of leaving the European Union on March 29 without a divorce deal - known as a 'hard' Brexit - several big companies have begun to prepare for the disruption that could ensue. Kellogg is opening new warehouses and stocking up on its snacks and cereals, hoping to mitigate damage from friction at the UK border and tariffs on imports, Chief Executive Steve Cahillane said in a recent interview. Kellogg is also working with suppliers to make sure it has enough raw materials at its plants, Cahillane said ahead of CAGNY, a major food and consumer products event held this week in Boca Raton, Florida. "We're making plans and spending real money to mitigate impact. That's things like opening new warehouses, building inventory, preparing ourselves in the best possible way," Cahillane said. Cahillane said Kellogg's supply chain left it exposed. For instance, Pringles, the UK's No. 2 chips (crisps) brand after PepsiCo Inc's Walkers, are made in Belgium. Pringles, which could last up to 15 months in storage, banked UK retail sales of $342.6 million last year, according to Euromonitor. In Europe, Kellogg's cereal business - which makes Coco Pops and Bran Flakes - is sourced primarily from the UK, Cahillane said. "In an EU environment that's just fine, but in a customs environment, in a 'hard Brexit' environment, it's going to change and we have to prepare ourselves for that." Kellogg's cereal business is the biggest in Western Europe with a 23.2 percent share of the market last year and retail sales $1.68 billion, according to Euromonitor. Europe accounted for nearly 18 percent of Kellogg's total sales in 2018. Reuters reported on Tuesday that Britons could face shortages of fresh food, price rises and less variety if the country leaves the European Union next month without agreeing to trade terms. Story continues Earlier this month, Kellogg said $3 million in Brexit planning costs were partly to blame for lower fourth-quarter earnings. This compounded surging input costs that have plagued the packaged food industry over the past year. In addition, Kellogg has been spending more on advertising to boost demand for cereals among health-conscious consumers. "Everyone has this problem. Kellogg's competitors have it too. Brexit's not their core problem," said Jerry Storch, CEO of Storch Advisors, a U.S.-based consulting firm for retailers and consumer goods companies. Anglo-Dutch consumer goods maker Unilever said in January that it was stockpiling ice creams in Britain and deodorants in continental Europe to guard against potential supply disruptions in the event of a no-deal Brexit. (Reporting by Richa Naidu; Editing by Vanessa O'Connell and Steve Orlofsky) Actor Bill Cosby and spokesman Andrew Wyatt talk to the media at Cosby's sexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on April 10, 2018. Photo: Michael Candelori/Shutterstock.com. Justice Clarence Thomas, writing in a defamation case against entertainer Bill Cosby, urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to reconsider its landmark decision requiring public figures to prove "actual malice" before they can recover any damages in defamation lawsuits. Thomas described the 1964 high court precedent, New York Times v. Sullivan, and subsequent related cases, as "policy-driven decisions masquerading as constitutional law." Thomas wrote: "We should not continue to reflexively apply this policy-driven approach to the Constitution. Instead, we should carefully examine the original meaning of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. If the Constitution does not require public figures to satisfy an actual-malice standard in state-law defamation suits, then neither should we." The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down a petition filed by Katherine McKee, an actress who publicly accused Cosby in a 2014 newspaper interview of raping her 40 years ago. A lawyer for Cosby, responding to the claim, wrote a letter, subsequently published in the New York Daily News, denying the claim. The attorney attacked McKee and the newspaper for publishing her claim. A federal district court dismissed McKee's claims on First Amendment grounds, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed in October 2017. Thomas concurred in the denial of McKee's petition but he used his 14-page concurrence to argue why the justices should revisit the "actual malice" standard. Thomas said McKee, like many plaintiffs, was unable to make "the almost impossible" showing that the statements involving her were made with actual malicewith knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not. The New York Times decision, Thomas wrote, was the first major step in constitutionalizing the entire law of libel and slander. None of the decisions that followed and expanded that decision, Thomas said, was grounded in the Constitution's original meaning and the libel rulings "broke sharply" from the common law of libel. "We did not begin meddling in this area until 1964, nearly 175 years after the First Amendment was ratified," Thomas wrote. "The states are perfectly capable of striking an acceptable balance between encouraging robust public discourse and providing a meaningful remedy for reputational harm. We should reconsider our jurisprudence in this area." President Donald Trump has often called for relaxing defamation and libel standards, responding to media and published criticism of his presidency. Isnt it a shame that someone can write an article or book, totally make up stories and form a picture of a person that is literally the exact opposite of the fact, and get away with it without retribution or cost, Trump wrote on Twitter last September. Dont know why Washington politicians dont change libel laws? Thomas is known for having little respect for stare decisis in constitutional cases and since joining the high court in 1991, has called for reconsideration or reversal of more than three dozen precedents. The late Justice Antonin Scalia told Thomas biographer Ken Foskett that Thomas "doesn't believe in stare decisis, period." In a 2016 lecture at the Heritage Foundation, Thomas said, "The Constitution is the ultimate stare decisis." Story continues The Supreme Court's order in McKee v. Cosby is posted below: Read more: As Cosby Defamation Cases Reach SCOTUS, Fresh Look at Free Speech Rights Roberts Declares Himself First Amendment's 'Most Aggressive Defender' at SCOTUS Supreme Court Isn't on Trump's Side as He Bashes Media Cosby Loses Bid in Supreme Court to Stop California Defamation Case Cannell Capital Wages Vote No Campaign for February 20 Shareholder Meeting By John Jannarone While none are up for election, the director candidates Carlo Cannells Cannell Capital suggested for the board of Lee Enterprises have strong backgrounds in precisely the areas where the regional newspaper operator could use some advice, CorpGov has learned through interviews with four individuals. The directors Cannell urged the company to consider include a former investment banker with experience in digital media who is now CEO of a privately-held technology company, the CEO of an NYSE-listed company, a senior media executive with experience in print and digital formats, and the head of a family office that often invests in companies in need of corporate governance improvements. The four individuals account for six of the people Cannell wanted to introduce to the company. The company itself may not have spoken directly to any of Cannells candidates. The apparent reason is that some of them wanted to keep their identities confidential but Lees attorney, Dana Waterman III, told Cannell that the company couldnt guarantee confidentiality due to securities disclosure laws that can trigger reporting of such conversations, according to a document reviewed by CorpGov. But in recent days, Lees executive search firm, Spencer Stuart, has spoken with at least some of the candidates, they said. Fran Helms, an executive recruiter at Spencer Stuart, didnt respond to a request for comment from CorpGov. In a statement, a Lee spokesman said Mr. Cannells director suggestions are being reviewed by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, along with other potential candidates in connection with our ongoing director search process. The pressure from Cannell is somewhat unusual because it is running a vote no campaign rather than a traditional proxy contest with a slate of director candidates. That means that shareholders can vote against the three incumbent directors but not for any replacements. Some of the individuals interviewed by CorpGov said they would not be part of an actual proxy fight, but would join the board if the company invited them of its own volition. Story continues The first individual, who worked for 20 years as an investment banker before becoming the CEO of a technology company, said he would encourage the company to enhance its digital efforts. He said Lee has media properties with a strong local presence that should be earning more from digital advertising. In particular, the company should focus more on video, he said. Larger, national publications have focused on video for years because the advertising rate per view is much higher than for display. Even without big investments in technology, its possible to create video to support ads known as pre-rolls that run just before journalistic content. Lee should also focus more on its capital allocation, according to the second individual, who is the CEO of an NYSE-listed company in which Cannell owns a stake. Lee, which generates a strong cash flow even though its print business is in decline, has reduced its debt significantly in recent years. However, the company trades at a very-low earnings multiple and its market capitalization is a small fraction of what it once was; even a modest amount of share buybacks could have an outsized impact on its share price. The company should take steps to relax debt covenants so it can be free to buy back shares, he said. On its latest earnings call, Lee said that loosening covenants to allow buybacks is high on its list of goals. The company also said it is actively pursuing a refinancing to reduce its debt costs. The third individual, who has extensive senior-level experience at both print and digital media companies, said Lees digital progress should speed up. A key step would be to introduce an outsider to the board of directors who would be able to effect change more quickly than those who have been around for many years. He also said there is potential to consider reducing print costs by changing a publication schedule. For instance, a daily paper might move to three print editions a week while increasing its online focus, he said. The fourth individual, who manages money for a family office and has an extensive background in corporate governance consulting, said the company needs to revamp its approach to M&A. The company has a poor track record with acquisitions, going back to the purchase of Pulitzer Inc. in the early 2000s around the time print revenues peaked, he said. The board of directors appears to rubber stamp acquisitions that senior management recommends, rather than perform a robust vetting process, he said. He said that Lee is not alone in that regard: There is often a strong will to grow a company through M&A because it may lead to higher pay for senior management, even if its not the best strategy for shareholders. Mr. Cannell has also criticized the company through a letter and has since published multiple slide decks detailing the companys shortcomings, including what he calls excessive compensation and a weak operational performance. Cannells stake in the company is approximately 4.7%. (This article has been updated to reflect Cannells correct stake in the company). Contact: John Jannarone, Editor-in-Chief www.CorpGov.com Editor@CorpGov.com Twitter: @CorpGovernor By Nidhi Verma and Florence Tan NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Indian Oil Corp, the country's top refiner, has signed its first annual deal to buy U.S. oil, paying about $1.5 billion for 60,000 barrels a day in the year to March 2020 to diversify its crude sources, its chairman said on Monday. IOC is the first Indian state refiner to buy U.S. oil under an annual contract, in a deal that will also help boost trade between New Delhi and Washington. The company has previously purchased U.S. oil from spot markets and signed a mini-term deal in August to buy 6 million barrels of U.S. oil between November and January. IOC chairman Sanjiv Singh said the annual contract will begin from April. He declined to give the name of the seller or pricing details, citing confidentiality. A trade source, who is not authorised to speak to media, said IOC signed the deal with Norwegian oil company Equinor which will supply a variety of U.S. crude grades. Equinor, which has set up an office in New Delhi to support oil marketing and trading, declined to comment. Indian Oil buys about 75 percent of its oil needs through long-term deals, mostly with OPEC nations. The term deal will help cut IOC's dependence on OPEC crude, said Sri Paravaikkarasu, head of east of Suez oil for consultants FGE in Singapore. "Lots of geopolitical issues are going around. We expect lots of volume going away from Venezuela, west Africa and Iran, so it makes sense to have guaranteed term supplies from the U.S., where crude production is increasing," she said. "There is a push for diversification everywhere. South Korea is giving a freight rebate for non-Middle East crude imports," she added. India and the United States, which have developed close political and security ties, are also looking to develop bilateral trade, which stood at $126 billion in 2017 but is widely seen to be performing well below its potential. The two countries have set up seven groups of chief executives with top U.S. and Indian firms to boost bilateral trade in areas including energy. Last week India's top gas importer Petronet LNG signed an initial deal to invest and buy LNG from Tellurian Inc's proposed Driftwood project in Louisiana in the United States. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; editing by Richard Pullin and Kirsten Donovan) Photo credit: Aquatica From Popular Mechanics The Great Blue Hole, located off the coast of Belize, is one of the world's true natural wonders. Now we're finally learning more about what's inside this mysterious phenomenon: A high-profile mission of exploration featuring billionaire Richard Branson recently took a submarine down to its depths, creating a high resolution 3-D map. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. On one level, everything you need to know about the Great Blue Hole is right there in the name. Circular in shape, the sinkhole is located at the center of Lighthouse Reef, an atoll in the Caribbean Sea. It's around 300 meters (1,000 feet) across and 125 meters (400 feet) deep, and is easy to spot by how its deep blue color contrasts with the light blue waters surrounding it. Earth-observing scientists, like those at NASA, believe it to be the largest sinkhole of its kind. Seen from above, a very light, greyish-white ring can be seen surrounding the Great Blue Hole. That ring is actually elevated coral, dried out by being too close to the ocean's surface. The mystery of this peculiar place has enticed explorers for decades. The Great Blue Hole first entered much of the public's imagination in 1971, when it featured on an episode of The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. The famed French oceanographer filed there for an episode titled ""Secrets of the Sunken Caves." Because that right-the hole is technically a vertical cave. It's a limestone cave, to be exact. The Great Blue Hole contains stalactites and stalagmites below the surface, some even 40 feet in length. And as with any good cave, more mysteries lie within. Erika Bergman, chief pilot of Aquatica, the submarine company that brought Branson down to the depths, told Engadget: "We're not even going to set down on the bottom because it's theoretically been filling with silt for the last 100,000 years. We can get really, really nice and close up to the objects without touching them or stressing them in any way. We've had a lot of experience doing that around shipwrecks, mostly, where you definitely don't want to touch anything." Story continues Photo credit: Stephen Frink/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images - Getty Images It's possible to go diving at the Great Big Hole, but it's for advanced divers only-prerequisites include over 24 complete dives, according to Atlas Obscura. Anybody can snorkel at the top, but looking at the pictures really makes all that practice time seem worth the effort. ('You Might Also Like',) Google announces plans to acquire cloud migration company Alooma, marking its next play in the competitive space. Google's new cloud chief said earlier this month that people could expect to see its cloud business accelerate. Alooma helps companies migrate their data from multiple sources to one data warehouse. Google GOOGL is making another play in the cloud space with a new acquisition. The company announced Tuesday it plans to acquire cloud migration company Alooma, which helps other companies move their data from multiple sources into one data warehouse. Google's new cloud chief, Thomas Kurian, said at a conference this month, "You will see us accelerate the growth even faster than we have to date." The acquisition appears to be one step in Google's plans to ramp up initiatives to compete with Amazon AMZN and Microsoft MSFT in the cloud space. Google did not disclose how much it will pay for Alooma, which is based in Israel and California, but it's likely a relatively small acquisition. Alooma has raised about $15 million from investors like Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequioa Capital Israel, according to Crunchbase . Here is the full announcement from Google: Leading companies across every industry and around the world are moving to the cloud to be more agile, secure and scalable. As organizations modernize their infrastructure to digitally transform themselves, migrating mission critical systems and the data that powers their business success can be daunting. No matter where your data is storedon premises, in our cloud, or multiple cloudswe want to make that information accessible, valuable, and actionable. That's why today we're announcing our intent to acquire Alooma, a leader in data migration. Alooma helps enterprise companies streamline database migration in the cloud with an innovative data pipeline tool that enables them to move their data from multiple sources to a single data warehouse. Story continues Here at Google Cloud, we're committed to helping enterprise customers easily and securely migrate their data to our platform. The addition of Alooma, subject to closing conditions, is a natural fit that allows us to offer customers a streamlined, automated migration experience to Google Cloud, and give them access to our full range of database services, from managed open source database offerings to solutions like Cloud Spanner and Cloud Bigtable. This simplified migration path also opens the door for customers to take advantage of all the technologies we have to offer, including analytics, security, AI and machine learning. One of the things we're most excited about with Alooma is the deep expertise for both enterprise and open source databases that their team brings to Google Cloud, which will be critical in helping us build out additional migration capabilities within Google Cloud Platform. We're also looking forward to adding to our growing Google Cloud footprint in Israel, which includes the Velostrata team we added last summer. For more information, you can read Alooma's blog post by co-founders, Yoni Broyde and Yair Weinberger. Stay tuned for more details after close! Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Watch: Google to spend $13 billion on US real estate in 2019 More From CNBC Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier delivers a statement after the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, Germany June 6, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt BERLIN (Reuters) - The most difficult part in trade negotiations between Europe and the United States is starting now and talks should focus on reducing tariffs on industrial goods to increase the chances of a deal, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said on Tuesday. A confidential U.S. Commerce Department report sent to President Donald Trump over the weekend is widely expected to clear the way for him to threaten tariffs of up to 25 percent on imported autos and auto parts by designating the imports a national security threat. "For some weeks and months now, we're observing with concern that the U.S. is tightening its trade policies, that tensions are increasing," Altmaier told Deutschlandfunk radio. "The impact can already be seen in the world economy, global growth has slowed," Altmaier said. Asked about the risk of higher U.S. car tariffs, Altmaier said he did not buy the argument that imported cars would threaten the national security of the United States. Altmaier, a confidant of Chancellor Angela Merkel, said that reducing tariffs on cars and other manufactured goods should be the main focus of the ongoing trade talks. "We are not yet where we want to be. We might have made one-third of the way and the most difficult part will be now," Altmaier said. Altmaier added that he was in favour of reducing import tariffs for cars to the same level in the U.S. and Europe, "ideally to zero percent". The trade talks will also be high on the agenda during a meeting of Altmaier with his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire in Berlin later on Tuesday. Both ministers are expected to narrow differences on how far the negotiation mandate of the European Commission in the talks with the U.S. should go and which areas should be excluded. France is reluctant to open up its agriculture sector to U.S. imports and Altmaier said he was fine with excluding the issue in the trade talks. "Agriculture is a very sensitive topic, so we don't want to talk about this in the current situation," Altmaier said. Story continues Altmaier and Le Maire are expected to hold a news conference after the talks. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told a German newspaper that Trump had promised him he would not impose additional import tariffs on European cars for the time being. If Trump imposed tariffs on European cars, however, the EU would react immediately and not feel obliged to stick to its promise to buy more soybeans and liquefied gas from the United States, Juncker added. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Tassilo Hummel,; Editing by Paul Tait and Ed Osmond) (Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc.s chief AI researcher has suggested the company is working on a new class of semiconductor that would work very differently than most existing designs. Yann LeCun said that future chips used for training deep learning algorithms, which underpin most of the recent progress in artificial intelligence, would need to be able to manipulate data without having to break it up into multiple batches. Most existing computer chips, in order to handle the amount of data these machine learning systems need to learn, divide it into chunks and processes each batch in sequence. "We dont want to leave any stone unturned, particularly if no one else is turning them over," he said in an interview ahead of the release Monday of a research paper he authored on the history and future of computer hardware designed to handle artificial intelligence. Intel Corp. and Facebook have previously said they are working together on a new class of chip designed specifically for artificial intelligence applications. In January, Intel said it planned to have the new chip ready by the second half of this year. Facebook is part of an increasingly heated race to create semiconductors better suited to the most promising forms of machine learning. Alphabet Inc.s Google, which has created a chip called a Tensor Processing Unit that helps power AI applications in its cloud-computing datacenters. In 2016, Intel bought San Diego-based startup Nervana Systems, which was working on an AI specific chip. In April, Bloomberg reported that Facebook was hiring a hardware team to build its own chips for a variety of applications, including artificial intelligence as well as managing the complex workloads of the companys vast datacenters. For the moment the most commonly-used chips for training neural networks -- a kind of software loosely based on the way the human brain works -- are graphical processing units from companies such as Nvidia Corp., originally designed to handle the computing intensive workloads of rendering images for video games. Story continues LeCun said that for the moment, GPUs would remain important for deep learning research, but the chips were ill-suited for running the AI algorithms once they were trained, whether that was in datacenters or on devices like mobile phones or home digital assistants. Instead, LeCun said that future AI chip designs would have to handle information more efficiently. When learning, most neurons in a system -- such as a human brain -- dont need to be activated. But current chips process information from all the neurons in the network at every step of a computation, even if theyre not used. This makes the process less efficient. Several startups have tried to create chips to more efficiently handle sparse information. Former NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin founded a company called KnuEdge that was working on one such chip, but the company struggled to gain traction and in May announced it was laying off most of its workforce. LeCun, who is also a professor of computer science at New York University, is considered one of the pioneers of a class of machine learning techniques known as deep learning. The method depends on the use of large neural networks. He is especially known for applying these deep learning techniques to computer vision tasks, such as identifying letters and numbers or tagging people and objects in images. To contact the reporter on this story: Jeremy Kahn in London at jkahn21@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Nate Lanxon For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Deutsche Post DHL Group said it completed a transaction that will see it transfer its supply chain business in China to one of that country's largest parcel and air freight couriers. After reaching an agreement last year, SF Holding will pay $793 million to DHL for its supply chain operations covering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. The transaction also includes a 10-year revenue-sharing arrangement under which DHL will license its name and provide support and customer referrals to the co-branded business SF DHL Supply Chain China. The head of DHL's supply chain business in China, Yin Zou, will head the new business. DHL Chief Executive Frank Appel said the transaction with a local partner aims to bolster DHL's other services for China, including international express, freight transport and e-commerce logistics solutions. The deal with SF Holding "is the cornerstone for DPDHL Group to gain unprecedented access to China's immense domestic market," Appel said. Don't miss it. Register today . Don't miss it. Register today. DHL's Asia-Pacific business saw revenue growth of 6 percent, excluding the effects of exchange rates, in the first nine months of 2018, reaching $4.7 billion. Much of the growth stemmed from DHL's express business into China, with revenue per day rising 6.4 percent and volumes rising 4.2 percent. SF Holding, which was founded in 1993, started with air freight services between mainland China and Hong Kong. It currently operates the country's largest fleet of air freighters with 50 airplanes. The Shenzen Stock Exchange-listed company reported revenue of $3.4 billion in the third quarter of 2018, with operating income of $154 million and net income of $117 million. In addition to courier, warehousing and logistics services, SF Holding owns a consumer-direct online store. Want more content like this? Click here to Subscribe Permalink See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP announces that class action lawsuits have commenced on behalf of shareholders of the following publicly-traded companies. Shareholders interested in serving as lead plaintiff have until the deadlines listed to petition the court and further details about the cases can be found at the links provided. There is no cost or obligation to you. Danske Bank A/S (DNKEY) Class Period: Purchasers of American Depositary Receipts between January 9, 2014 and October 23, 2018 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: March 11, 2019 Join the action: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/danske-bank-a-s-loss-form?wire=3 About the lawsuit: Danske Bank A/S allegedly made materially false and/or misleading statements during the class period and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Danske Banks Estonian branch was facilitating money laundering through at least March 2016; (ii) a whistleblower had reported the Estonian money laundering to the Company in 2013; (iii) Denmarks Financial Supervisory Authority (the DFSA) had been investigating the Estonian money laundering since 2014; (iv) Danske Bank had concealed the results of its own internal investigation from the DFSA, further exposing it to regulatory action and fines; (v) Danske Bank had been overstating its historical profits by including the profits derived from its illicit Estonian operations; and (vi) Danske Bank lacked effective internal and reporting controls. To learn more about the Danske Bank A/S class action contact jlevi@levikorsinsky.com . YRC Worldwide Inc. (YRCW) Class Period: March 10, 2014 - December 14, 2018 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: March 4, 2019 Join the action: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/yrc-worldwide-inc-loss-form?wire=3 About the lawsuit: During the class period, YRC Worldwide Inc. allegedly made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) from 2005 to at least 2013, YRC's units systematically overcharged the federal government for freight carrier services; (2) this alleged misconduct caused the Department of Defense to overpay by millions of dollars for shipments that were lighter, and thus cheaper, than the weights for which the government was charged; (3) consequently, this alleged misconduct would subject YRC to enhanced government scrutiny and liabilities, including potentially owing treble damages under the False Claims Act; and (4) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. Story continues To learn more about the YRC Worldwide Inc. class action contact jlevi@levikorsinsky.com . Perrigo Company plc (PRGO) Class Period: November 8, 2018 - December 20, 2018 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: March 4, 2019 Join the action: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/perrigo-company-plc-loss-form?wire=3 During the Class Period, and unbeknownst to investors, Perrigo misled investors by way of an SEC filing on November 8, 2018. On that date, Perrigo disclosed the existence of an audit finding letter from the Irish tax authorities without disclosing material details associated with the letter. To learn more about the Perrigo Company plc class action contact jlevi@levikorsinsky.com . You have until the lead plaintiff deadlines to request the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesnt require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut, and Washington D.C. The firms attorneys have extensive expertise and experience representing investors in securities litigation and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. BRASILIA (Reuters) - China Communications Construction Co (CCCC) is preparing to bid on a 5.3-billion-reais ($1.42 billion) bridge project in Brazil, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday. The Chinese construction company is in talks with a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corp to jointly bid on the project, although neither the bid nor the partnership was finalized, the source said. The project involves building and operating a bridge connecting Salvador, the state capital of Bahia, and the city of Vera Cruz on the island of Itaparica. The Chinese companies' interest in the project was first reported by domestic newspaper Valor Economico on Monday. The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The bridge has been discussed since the 1960s and would be put up for bidding with several associated stretches of roadways as part of a 35-year public-private concession contract. The 12.4-kilometer (7.7-mile) span is part of a plan to spur economic growth and much-needed infrastructure to the underdeveloped island of Itaparica, known as a weekend beach getaway for the residents of Salvador. From the capital, the island's main municipality of Vera Cruz is accessible only by ferry or a 4-hour drive to circumvent the bay separating the cities. The project is still in the public consultation phase and a call for bids has not been issued. CCCC is also studying a bid on the FIOL and Ferrograo railway concessions that the federal government aims to put up for bidding, according to the source. FIOL would transport grains and minerals from Brazil's interior to the port of Ilheus in Bahia on the eastern coast, while Ferrograo would follow the course of key grain highway BR-163 and allow for shipments to ports in the north. ($1 = 3.7287 reais) (Reporting by Jake Spring; Additional reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Bernadette Baum) (Bloomberg) -- Sign up for our new China newsletter, a weekly dispatch on where China stands now and where it's going next. Chinas long-awaited plan to create a high-tech megalopolis on its southern coastline rivaling Californias Silicon Valley generated optimism among Hong Kongs business community even as key details remain unclear. The blueprint for the Greater Bay Area linking Chinas southern coastal cities with Hong Kong and Macau, a signature policy of President Xi Jinping first articulated in 2017, boosted stocks after it was published late Monday. It said the government would turn the area into a leading global innovation hub, boost infrastructure connectivity and strengthen Hong Kongs role as an international center of finance, shipping, trade and the offshore yuan business. Yet several thorny issues were left out of the plan, including complex questions about which customs, tax and legal systems would predominate. In Hong Kong, the concept of the Greater Bay Area has led to worries that further integration will erode the one country, two systems framework that allows the city to maintain separate legal, monetary and political systems from communist China. The vagueness of the 11-chapter document suggests that officials will struggle to realize the initiatives goals, said Yue Su, China economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit. The difficulties in agreeing reforms that both advance the cause of regional integration and are palatable to officials in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau and the central government will be the key challenge. If all goes as planned, the economic benefits could be substantial: HSBC Holdings Plc says the move to knit the cities of Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Guangzhou together could boost a trillion-dollar economy that exports more than Japan. Earlier, the announcement drove stocks in the region higher, with Guangzhou Port, Zhuhai Port and Shenzhen Yan Tian Port all climbing by the 10 percent daily limit. Story continues Still, Chinas major tech companies based in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, havent made the Greater Bay Area central to their future growth plans. Shenzhen has become an Asian tech mecca home to giants such as Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Huawei Technologies Co. largely due to its hyper-competitive industry culture, and neither Hong Kong nor Macau is known as a wellspring of global tech talent. Tencents co-founder Pony Ma couched the plan in political terms in 2017 when his company organized a summit specifically to spur debate on the topic during the 20th anniversary of Hong Kongs handover to China from Great Britain. Our Greater Bay Area is different in one big way from other Bay Areas: we have one-country two-systems, Ma told hundreds of people including government officials, academics and investors. We have more than 100 years of segregation and now we are entwining. The plan released Monday emphasized the importance of maintaining the one country, two systems frameworks meant to ensure a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong and Macau. But it also identified diverging social, customs and legal systems as a challenge to the Greater Bay Areas success, without providing details on how they would be integrated. Economically a kind of blurring of the boundaries of one country, two systems is inevitable, said Sonny Lo, a politics professor at the University of Hong Kong, who has authored books on the citys relationship with Beijing. But given the fact that Hong Kong and Macao have legal and political differences with China, one country, two systems will be retained. China has already spent billions of dollars on infrastructure projects linking the cities, and the plan now envisages a strategy for the region that stretches to 2035. Xi last year inaugurated a $15 billion, 55-kilometer (34-mile) bridge, the worlds longest sea crossing, linking Hong Kong with Macau and the mainland city of Zhuhai. A comprehensive blueprint can "add new impetus into the development of Hong Kong and Macau" and help build a "world-class cluster of cities," it said. In some ways the concept of the Greater Bay Area is a manifestation of things that have already been happening in terms of economic connectivity, said Tim Summers, whose book Chinas Regions in an Era of Globalization, was published last year. The plan gives the development of the region more strategic importance within the Chinese system. (Updates with quote in third paragraph.) --With assistance from Benjamin Robertson, Chloe Whiteaker, Jeanny Yu, Amy Li and Will Davies. To contact the reporters on this story: David Tweed in Hong Kong at dtweed@bloomberg.net;Yinan Zhao in Beijing at yzhao300@bloomberg.net;Edwin Chan in Hong Kong at echan273@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net, Jeffrey Black, Allen Wan For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. By Jack Stubbs and Kanishka Singh (Reuters) - British security officials do not support a full ban of Huawei from national telecoms networks despite U.S. allegations the Chinese firm and its products could be used by Beijing for spying, people with knowledge of the matter said. Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, faces intense scrutiny in the West over its relationship with the Chinese government and allegations of enabling state espionage, with the United States calling for its allies not to use its technology. Although no evidence has been produced publicly and Huawei has denied the claims, the allegations have led several Western countries to restrict its access to their markets. "We don't favour a complete ban. It's not that simple," one of the sources told Reuters on Monday after a Financial Times report on Sunday said that Britain had decided it could mitigate the risks of using Huawei equipment in 5G networks. The FT cited two sources familiar with what it said was a conclusion by the government's National Cyber Security Council (NCSC), which last year said technical and supply-chain issues with Huawei's equipment had exposed national telecom networks to new security risks. While Huawei did not offer a direct comment on the NCSC conclusion, its rotating chairman Eric Xu said the company had been working with various governments to come up with standards to measure the safety and security of products. "In this context, Huawei has been working with different governments and industry partners to put in place agreed standards, so that people can take those standards to measure how secure the products from all of the vendors are," Xu told Reuters in an emailed statement on Monday. Any decision to allow Huawei to participate in building next-generation 5G networks would be closely watched by other nations, because of Britain's membership of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group with the United States. Story continues Britain is an important market for Huawei and last month Vodafone, the world's second-largest mobile operator, said it was "pausing" the deployment of its equipment in core networks until Western governments give the Chinese firm full security clearance. Other operators in Europe, including Britain's BT and France's Orange have already removed Huawei's equipment or taken steps to limit its future use. Two sources said the NCSC did not think it was necessary to completely bar Huawei from British networks, believing it could continue to manage any risks by testing the products at a special laboratory overseen by intelligence officials. Both sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the position was consistent with public statements made by the NCSC and British officials. "As was made clear in July's HCSEC oversight board, the NCSC has concerns around Huawei's engineering and security capabilities. We have set out the improvements we expect the company to make, an NCSC spokeswoman said on Monday. CONFIDENCE MEASURES People with knowledge of the matter said the next NCSC report on Huawei's position in Britain will criticise its slow response to issues raised in last year's report and detail tense relations with British officials. The report, which is expected to be released in coming weeks, does not itself set government policy. The results of a government review of British telecoms infrastructure is expected later in the year and will include recommendations on managing security risks, including in future 5G networks. Fellow Five Eyes member Australia has banned Huawei from supplying 5G equipment, while New Zealand said on Monday it would make its own independent assessment of the risk of using Huawei equipment in 5G networks. Huawei has set up security labs in Britain and Germany aimed at building confidence that its equipment does not contain "back doors" for Chinese intelligence services. It has also offered to build a cyber-security centre in Poland, where authorities have arrested a Chinese Huawei employee along with an ex-Polish security official. Last week Alex Younger, the head of Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence service, said it was more complicated than "in or out" when asked if Britain was seeking to manage risks perceived as being attached to Huawei rather than simply to ban it. Younger also told journalists in Munich that it was not desirable that "any piece of significant national infrastructure is provided from a monopoly supplier". (Reporting by Jack Stubbs in London and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; writing by Jack Stubbs and Georgina Prodhan; editing by David Evans, Sandra Maler and Alexander Smith) Tim Draper, Bitcoin Tim Draper has been one of Bitcoins most enthusiastic proponents. He was steadfast in his optimism even when other finance gurus thought he was crazy for giving the new-fangled crypto the time of day. Forgetting about the naysayers, Draper became about $89 million richer for sticking to his Bitcoin guns. He was steadfast while others, including JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, made jokes about Bitcoin being tulips. FOMA, or simply recognizing the staying power of cryptos, JP Morgan shocked the financial community this month when it announced it would be the first major institutional bank to release its own cryptocurrency. Called the JPM Coin, the effort immediately drew criticism. Read the full story on CCN.com. Bernie Sanders has officially launched his presidential campaign for 2020. The 77-year-old is now the Democratic front-runner and the only candidate who can realistically beat Donald Trump. Not only is he the most popular Senator in the country, but recent polls also show he would pip Donald Trump in a hypothetical election. Beating Donald Trump is a huge motivator for Sanders 2020 run. The Vermont Senator branded Trump an embarrassment. Read the full story on CCN.com. By John Whitesides and James Oliphant WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont progressive whose 2016 White House campaign garnered fervent grassroots support and pushed the Democratic Party sharply to the left, said on Tuesday he would again seek the party's presidential nomination in 2020. Sanders, 77, announced his candidacy in an email to supporters, vowing to build a vast movement to confront the special interests that he said dominate government and politics. Sanders said he would push for many of the same issues that powered his 2016 run and resonated with younger voters, including universal healthcare, raising the hourly minimum wage to $15, and free public college tuition. "Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that works for the many, not just the few," Sanders said, asking for 1 million people to sign up to kick off his bid. Sanders' insurgent 2016 candidacy against front-runner Hillary Clinton ended up capturing 23 state nominating contests, but generated tension between the party's establishment and liberal wings that split the Democrats in 2016 and still plagues the party. He joins an already-crowded Democratic race featuring candidates touting many of the ideas he brought into the party mainstream. They include fellow Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Sanders has been among the leaders in early opinion polls of prospective 2020 Democratic candidates, but a broad range of progressive candidates could make it harder for him to stand out and generate the same level of support as four years ago. In an interview with SiriusXM radio, Sanders said voters "might want to look at who was there first, and who raised these issues in the past." He condemned Republican President Donald Trump in his statement as "the most dangerous president in modern American history," labeling him "a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe." 'I LIKE BERNIE' Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump dismissed Sanders' chances but said at least the senator, like Trump, has been tough on free-trade deals. "Personally, I think he missed his time, but I like Bernie," said Trump, who in the past has labeled Sanders "crazy Bernie." Sanders enters the race with clear strengths, including broad name recognition, a proven ability to raise money from small-dollar donors and a committed set of passionate supporters. But he is also likely to face questions about his age and relevance in a party that is increasingly advancing more diverse and fresh voices, including those of women and minorities - groups that Sanders struggled to win over in 2016. His campaign reported that Sanders raised more than $1.2 million from 42,000 donors in all 50 states in the first four hours after he announced his run on Tuesday morning. More than 250,000 people had signed on to support Sanders, the campaign said. Sanders also has hired Faiz Shakir, an experienced Democratic operative who was the national political director at the American Civil Liberties Union, as campaign manager for 2020, the campaign said. He was previously a senior adviser to former Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, and worked at the liberal Center for American Progress think tank. A former mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders won a U.S. House of Representatives seat in 1990, making him the first independent elected to the House in 40 years. In 2006, Sanders won a U.S. Senate seat and in 2018 was voted in for a third six-year term. His run against Clinton, a former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, was notable because few Democrats seemed inclined to challenge her claim on the nomination. Sanders' candidacy swiftly became a phenomenon, as he spoke to swelling crowds and garnered passionate support on social media. Unlike Clinton, he refused to take money from corporate political action committees, or PACs, relying on a flood of small-dollar donations. When he ultimately conceded and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of Clinton, he was jeered by some of his supporters. At the time, Sanders said his populist platform would endure. The primaries and caucuses that determine the party's nominee will begin in February 2020 in Iowa, and the Democratic winner is likely to face Trump in the general election in November. (Reporting by James Oliphant and John Whitesides; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason, Susan Heavey and Makini Brice; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Jonathan Oatis and Bernadette Baum) Marijuana stocks may not have had a stellar year in 2018. But, this year could easily bring better news as things continue to expand and more new marijuana markets open up. Canada became the first country to legalize recreational weed last October. This development has, undoubtedly, cemented the way for billions of dollars in legitimate annual sales and has helped the pot market to come out from the shadows and into the limelight as a reliable business model. A number of developments happened in the United States as well. President Trump signed the Farm bill into law last November, legalizing hemp and cannabis-based products throughout the country. To top it off, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first cannabis-derived drug, with quite a number of U.S. states giving green signal to cannabis in some capacity last year. Nearly two-thirds of all states in the U.S. have legalized medical marijuana and 10 of them, in fact, allowed adult consumption. Companies in this up-and-coming industry, thus, have taken aggressive steps to raise cash, go public and list their shares on the U.S. exchanges to access capital. Hence, looking at some of the stocks from this fast-growing industry doesnt seem like a bad proposition. Marijuana Sales to Skyrocket According to Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, global consumer marijuana outlays are estimated to climb 38% to $16.9 billion this year, up from a projected $12.2 billion last year, $9.5 billion in 2017, and $6.9 billion in 2016. Additionally, compounded global annual sales growth of cannabis from 2017 to 2022 is expected at $31.3 billion. While legalization of marijuana in several U.S. states and in Canada will surely help cannabis growth to hit such a promising number by 2022, a number of dispensaries have been given the permit to sell legalized cannabis. At the same time, mergers and acquisitions between large beverage, tobacco, pharma and cannabis companies should certainly help the weed market grow. After all, deal making will diversify their product portfolio and propel growth. Story continues Investment bank Cowen & Co said that the legal weed market is expected to reach a value of as much as $75 billion by 2030. This indicates that there are plenty of opportunities for investors to make money from both direct and subsidiary players. Fast-Growing Marijuana Stocks to Consider in 2019 As excellent prospects are expected to make marijuana stocks winners this year, take a look at these selected few poised to move north this year. All these stocks possess at least a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) right now. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. GW Pharmaceuticals GWPH focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing cannabinoid prescription medicines using botanical extracts derived from the cannabis plant. The cannabinoid drug maker is expected to see an uptick in sales this year, especially after its lead drug, Epidiolex, became the first cannabis-derived drug to gain approval from the FDA. Earnings for GW Pharmaceuticals, a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock, is projected to gain 5.13% in the next quarter. The company has outperformed the Medical - Products industry so far this year (+56.5% vs +9.4%). Innovative Industrial Properties IIPR, also a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, focuses on the acquisition, ownership and management of specialized industrial properties leased to experienced, state-licensed operators for their regulated medical-use cannabis facilities. With more states in the United States giving cannabis the green light, Innovative Industrial Properties has incentive to acquire additional properties. The stocks expected earnings growth for the current year is 64.2%, and the company has outperformed the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry on a year-to-date basis (+44.2% vs +13.6%). KushCo Holdings KSHB operates a creative design agency for cannabis and non-cannabis clients that provide brand strategy, design and marketing, Web application development, and e-commerce solutions. KushCo, by the way, had acquiredSummit Innovations known for manufacturing hydrocarbon gases. These gases are necessary for converting cannabis plants into oils, and we all know that oil generates more profits than traditional dried flower. Next years earnings could grow over 100%, and the stock, a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, has gained over 14% since January. Canopy Growth CGC engages in growing, possessing, and selling medical cannabis in Canada. In fact, in terms of aggregate sales, Canopy Growth may find itself at the top spot. The companys annual production comes in at more than 500,000 kilograms and is positioned to increase on branding and partnerships. While shares of Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) CGC have only gained around 8.5% this year, it has a huge cash stockpile that far surpasses its peers thanks to Constellation Brands STZ hefty $4 billion investment made last year. Zacks 2019 Marijuana Investors Summit: In addition to the companies you learned about above, we invite you to learn more about investing in pot stocks. On Tuesday, February 26, our team of experts will reveal what we believe is the single best way to make money from legal marijuana. Register Now for Free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Constellation Brands Inc (STZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report GW Pharmaceuticals PLC (GWPH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR) : Free Stock Analysis Report KUSHCO HOLDINGS, INC. (KSHB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research alarm ICO crypto bitcoin A virtual bitcoin mining farm in Thailand has allegedly scammed users out of 42 million baht (approximately $1.35 million), according to a report in the Bangkok Post. 30 victims have filed a complaint against the company, CryptoMining.Farm. Although police believe the scam may have hit up to 140 individuals. It comes just months after a group of Thai siblings was accused of defrauding an investor of $24 million in bitcoin. Although Thailand is a booming market for cryptocurrencies, is it time for tougher regulations to crack down on scams and frauds? This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Read the full story on CCN.com. Description "An initiative established by The Ellen Hermanson Foundation and administered by the Southampton Hospital Foundation to provide psychosocial support, under the direction of an oncological social worker Edyle OBrien. *Please note: Every first, third, and fifth Tuesday at 4:00 pm there is a Wellness Group for mindfulness-based stress reduction & meditation. You MUST register via email or by phone: edylecsw@optonline.net / 631-329-0520." - Hampton Bays Chamber of Commerce Dr. Ana C. Alba-Rubio is creating a dual-function material that could be placed at the top of industrial smokestacks to capture and transform carbon dioxide into a useful product on site to produce electricity and power the factory Since she was a little girl growing up in Malaga, Spain, Dr. Ana C. Alba-Rubio brainstormed ways to motivate those around her to protect the planet. "When I was 12 years old, I heard a neighboring community obtained a recycle bin," Alba-Rubio said. "I talked with my teacher and organized our own paper collection system. My friends and I hauled that garbage from school to the other neighborhood once a week to recycle." Now an assistant professor of chemical engineering at The University of Toledo, she is pioneering a new method for factories to approach environmental stewardship and fight pollution with help from a five-year, $558,795 grant from the National Science Foundation. The Faculty Early Career Development award, known as CAREER, is one of the most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through the integration of research and education. Alba-Rubio is creating a dual-function material, which acts as an absorber and a catalyst, that could be placed at the top of industrial smokestacks as an alternative to current processes of capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide. The material would capture carbon dioxide and convert it into methanol and higher alcohols that could be fed into a fuel cell to produce electricity to power the plant. Alba-Rubio's method would eliminate the energy requirement, corrosion and transportation issues associated with the processes currently used. Instead, the new material would transform carbon dioxide into a useful product on site. "We must do as much as we can to reduce our carbon footprint and mitigate climate change," Alba-Rubio said. "Converting carbon dioxide into something useful could be a great economic benefit for the industry while reducing emissions." World carbon dioxide emissions have increased 55 percent in the last 20 years, according to the Global Carbon Project, including 2.7 percent from 2017 to 2018, the largest jump in seven years. As part of the grant-funded research, Alba-Rubio plans to engage students from elementary school to high school in her activities to expose them to chemical reactions and catalysis, as well as raise awareness of the effects of carbon dioxide on global warming. "As a Hispanic woman, I have a strong interest in increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in science, and I will continue providing hands-on experiences to migrant students in Ohio's rural communities and other underrepresented students through the programs that The University of Toledo offers to Toledo Public Schools," Alba-Rubio said. She is especially passionate about serving as a role model to encourage girls to pursue careers in science. Alba-Rubio is gathering support from other successful women across northwest Ohio in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to create a coloring book titled "Women Scientists Near You" to distribute to elementary schools throughout the region. "The coloring book will feature stories of each of us to inspire girls to envision themselves on a similar path to success," Alba-Rubio said. "Each 'character' in the book will visit schools to share her experiences and do experiments. The goal is to catch their curiosity and build their confidence. Becoming a scientist is within their reach. It's an exciting career that can help change lives and create a better world." ### A Sunnyside woman is allegedly bullying young children at a neighboring preschool by confronting them at recess and demanding they "shut the fuck up." The ranting routine, which the school says is a near daily occurrence, resulted in a harassment summons late last year. But that case was recently dismissed, leaving the Amazing Magic Beans Learning Center at an "impasse" with the neighbor, according to an online petition launched by the school. Administrators at the pre-K center allege that Christina Basquez, a stand-up comic, has been harassing the children for years now. They say the alleged verbal abuse escalated this past winter, with Basquez frequently trespassing on school grounds to call the kids "animals" and shout at teaching staff. She also began filming the kids, who are between the ages of 2 and 5, from her window, school officials said. "Over the past couple of years a young woman who lives in one of the buildings behind the church that overlooks our play area took it upon herself to yell at the children and the teachers, while the children were playing outside," reads the petition, which has over 500 signatures. "She works nights and sleeps during the day. She feels the children are too loud and should not be permitted to make so much noise outdoors." The school's director, Lauren Travers, told the NY Post that the children are now "afraid of going outside" because of Basquez's verbal abuse. One parent provided the tabloid with a sketch of the woman drawn by her child, which reads: "'If you scream one more time I'll call Santa and you won't get any presents' Screaming Lady, Dec. 2017." Basquez, 38, is a stand-up comedian who has joked about her former career as a flight attendant. In a 2014 set at Caroline's, she described herself as a native New Yorker who moved to New Jersey for four years, and returned to Sunnyside to find it "yuppified, hippified, it's really ridiculous." In another video posted to YouTube, Basquezwho goes by the handle "tellitlikeitis88"laments the end of "old New York," noting that "part of the appeal of New York is being scared of going into some places...nobody's scared anymore." Basquez was previously arrested for disorderly conduct in Atlantic Cityreportedly for yelling and cursing outside a Miss America pageant. Public records show that charge was dismissed. Her alleged anti-tyke tirades attracted police attention a few months ago, after the school's attempt at a "mediation"not sending the kids outside until 10 a.m., in exchange for the promise that Basquez would stop screaming at themwas swiftly violated by Basquez, the school said. In December, two plainclothes officers stationed at the school reportedly witnessed the haranguing for themselves. "Our neighbor yelled and screamed at the children and she was issued a summons to appear in criminal court on the charge of harassment in the second degree," according to the petition. A judge dismissed that case on February 6th and Basquez resumed shouting at children the following day, the school maintains. "The person who is threatening and harassing children at Amazing Magic Beans must be stopped," Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer told Gothamist. "No parent should ever have to worry that a deranged individual is going to hurt their child." Van Bramer added that he'd called on the commanding officer of the 108th precinct to visit the school once again and hold Basquez accountable. The precinct did not immediately return Gothamist's request for comment. "We are now at an impasse," the petition concluded. "Her abuse of the children and teachers and possible endangerment of the children needs to end." Gothamist's attempts to reach Basquez were unsuccessful. On Tuesday afternoon, Basquez's father, with whom she lives, told the Post: Shes just telling them to be quiet because theyre crazy. The school's got a bunch of animals in the back yard. Theyre like the worst thing for a hangover, let me tell you." The 39-year-old comic, meanwhile, claimed she was only shouting at the school because the children were unsupervised. "I'm screaming at the adults to watch the kids," she said. "I am not a mental case." NEW DELHI: On Tuesday, India is likely to strongly raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is set to arrive in the country. In addition, to that holding talks on cross-border terrorism, the two countries will also look at further enhancing defence ties, including having a joint naval exercise, during the two-day visit of the Saudi Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, who arrived in Islamabad on Sunday at the start of his tour of South Asia, had returned to Saudi Arabia on Monday after New Delhi expressed reservations over his coming to India from Pakistan directly. However ahead of the visit by the Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad that Riyadh will try to "de-escalate" tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pulwama by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad. As per information release by the Official sources said that Saudi Arabia was no longer accepting Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir and cross border terrorism and that India will forcefully raise the issue of Pakistan's support to terror groups during delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Crown Prince on Wednesday. also read Specifications of 2019 Bajaj Dominar specification Leaked Online, read here They said the joint statement to be issued after talks between the two sides is likely to have a strong reference about terrorism and ways to deal with it. Secretary, Economic Affairs in the External Affairs Ministry T S Tirumurti said both sides are expected to sign five agreements in areas of investment, tourism, housing and information and broadcasting during the Saudi leader's visit. He said "We are confident that this visit will open a new chapter in India-Saudi bilateral relationship,". Referring to cross border terrorism, he said, "Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned and denounced the terrorist attack on Indian security forces in Pulwama on 14 February. We appreciate Kingdom's cooperation in security and counter-terrorism areas over the years." Official sources said there has been a "change" in the way Saudi Arabia looked at relations between India and Pakistan and that the powerful Gulf nation has a better understanding of the cross-border terrorism. Tirumurti said "India has been identified as one of the eight strategic partners with whom Saudi Arabia intends to deepen partnership in areas of political, security, trade and investment and culture,". He further said that "As part of this engagement, we are finalizing the setting up of 'Strategic Partnership Council' between the two countries at ministerial level. We are confident that this will give greater thrust to our strategic partnership and take forward our discussions in a focussed and action-oriented manner,". The Crown Prince will be accompanied by a high-level official team as well as a large business delegation. PM Modi will host a lunch in honour of the Crown Prince at Hyderabad House on Wednesday.The Crown Prince will call on President Ram Nath Kovind and he will host a banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary. also read Photograph Trailer out: witness the romantic side of Nawazuddin Siddiqui, watch it here Bikaner: Pakistani nationals in Rajasthan's Bikaner have been asked to leave the district within 48 hours, In the light of terror attack on CRPF convoy in south Kashmirs Pulwama. On Monday, Bikaner District Magistrate issued a list of orders, effective immediately, under section 144 of CrPC, in the wake of the suicide bombing. In direct effect of this the orders, which will remain applicable for two months also directed the hotels and lodges of the district to not allow the Pakistani citizens. The district magistrate also directed the Indian citizens to not employ any Pakistani national and to not have any direct or indirect business relationship with the neighbouring country. Here it is also notable that the order also cautioned the Indian citizens to not share any kind of sensitive information to unknown persons through any medium of telecommunication. It also asked the citizens to not use sim card registered in Pakistan. However, The order would not be applicable to Pakistani citizens who have registered with foreigner registration officer, said the district administration. also read A truck hit into marriage procession, 13 killed and 18 injured including children It is to be noted that there has been outrage among people of the country after 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives and several others were injured in the terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14. Several anti-Pakistan protests are being held across the nation to condemn the dastardly attack. Earlier on Friday, India had withdrawn the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan. Many key leaders across the globe also stood in support of India in the wake of the ghastly attack and called for complete isolation of Pakistan. also read Today PM Narendra Modi will visit Varanasi and unveil several projects New Delhi: In a special gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday received at the airport here Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signifying importance India attaches to the visit by the leader of the powerful Gulf nation. The crown prince arrived here on a less than 30-hour visit, a day after concluding his high-profile tour of Pakistan where he said dialogue was the only way to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan. After his arrival, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, "A new chapter in bilateral relations. Breaking protocol, PM @narendramodi personally receives HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives on his first bilateral visit to India!" The Saudi leader had returned to Riyadh from Pakistan. He and Modi will hold extensive talks on Wednesday during which India is likely to strongly raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. According a warm welcome, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday not only received the Crown Prince at the airport in Islamabad but also drove him to PM house. During their talks on Wednesday, Modi and Salman are also expected to look at ways to enhancing defence ties, including having a joint naval exercise, official sources said. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the crown prince will leave New Delhi around 11:50pm on Wednesday. His visit comes in the backdrop of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group in which 40 CRPF were killed. In a joint statement, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Monday called for avoiding "politicisation" of the UN listing regime at a time when India was stepping up efforts to brand the JeM terror group's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The joint statement said the Saudi crown prince stressed that dialogue is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan. Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad Riyadh will try to "de-escalate" tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack. Official sources said Saudi Arabia was no longer accepting Pakistan's narrative on Kashmir and cross border terrorism and that India will forcefully raise the issue of Pakistan's support to terror groups during delegation level talks between Modi and the crown prince. They said the joint statement to be issued after talks between the two sides is likely to have strong reference about terrorism and ways to deal with it. Official sources said there has been a "change" in the way Saudi Arabia looked at relations between India and Pakistan and that the powerful Gulf nation has a better understanding of the cross-border terrorism. The sources said the two sides are looking at joint exercise between the two navies besides significantly ramping up overall defence cooperation. India's bilateral trade with Saudi Arabia was USD 27.48 billion in 2017-18, making Saudi Arabia its fourth largest trading partner. Saudi Arabia is also a key pillar of India's energy security, being a source of 17 per cent or more of crude oil and 32 per cent of LPG requirements of India. Recently, Saudi ARAMCO in partnership with ADNOC of UAE has agreed to partner in Ratnagiri Refinery and Petro-Chemical project Ltd which is a joint venture of USD 44 billion. Indian partners are IOC, BPCL and HPCL. The crown prince is expected to travel to China from India. Srinagar: The Pakistan Army and its espionage agency ISI were involved in the car bomb attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead, a top Army official said on Tuesday, also sending out the message that anyone picking up the gun in Kashmir would be eliminated unless he surrenders. The Jaish-e-Mohammad leadership in Kashmir was eliminated within 100 hours of the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama, General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon added at a press conference along with IG Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan. On Monday, three Jaish terrorists were killed in a 16-hour operation in Pinglan area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district, 12 km from the spot of the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy. An Army major and four security personnel also lost their lives. "The Jaish-e-Mohammad is the brainchild of Pakistan Army and it is the Pakistan Army and ISI that control Jaish-e-Mohammad. The involvement of the Pakistan Army is 100 per cent and there is no doubt in it," Dhillon told reporters. He also appealed to the parents of Kashmiri youth who have joined the ranks of militants to persuade their sons to surrender or face elimination. "I would like to tell the parents of Kashmiri youth, especially the mothers... to request their sons, who have joined terrorism, to surrender and return to the mainstream. "Anyone who has picked the gun in Kashmir will be eliminated, unless he surrenders. This is a message and request to all of them," he said. Giving details of Monday's operation, he said the three Jaish terrorists killed included Kamran, the self-styled chief operations commander of the outfit in Kashmir valley. "On specific information the day before (intervening night of Sunday and Monday), we hit this module and I am happy to inform the country that in less than 100 hours of the car bomb attack, we eliminated the JeM leadership in Kashmir," he said. Security forces were tracking the Jaish's top leadership ever since the February 14 attack for which the group has claimed responsibility, the Army officer said. "The attack was carried out by JeM and it was being controlled by Pakistan with the support of the ISI and the Pakistan Army. The local top commanders, most of them Pakistanis, who were in charge of controlling, coordinating, fabricating and execution of this operation were the main people of the JeM in the Valley," he said. Last week's strike, when a suicide bomber drove an explosives laden car into a bus, was a first for Kashmir, he said. "With this type of intensity, it has never happened before. However, similar incidents have happened in other countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. "Since this modus operandi has now been started by terrorists, we are alive to it... we are keeping all options open to deal with this type of modus operandi in future," he added. Asked if Gazi Abdul Rashid, one of the Jaish terrorists killed on Monday, had an Afghanistan connection, Dhillon said, "Many Gazis have come and gone. There is nothing new in it... We will handle it, Let any Gazi come." Referring to infiltration attempts, he said there was not much activity along the Line of Control due to snowfall and terrain conditions over the past month but Pakistan has been pushing in infiltrators from other routes on the Jammu side. "There has been infiltration on the other routes, that is from the international border sector and south of Jammu in the area of Samba, Hiranagar and Pathankot sector. That infiltration is continuing... Pakistan is carrying out infiltration into Kashmir for the results theywant." Nonetheless, the numbers have reduced in the recent past, Dhillon said. "... anyone who enters Kashmir Valley will not go back alive," he warned. According to him, radicalisation of the youth was a concern but efforts directed at reversing the trend had started. "Inimical elements are involved in the radicalisation of youth of Kashmir but the efforts of government security forces and opinion makers have helped reduce it. I would say it is a work in progress and we will continue our efforts and attempts in a collective manner," he said. Sending out a message to parents whose children had taken up the gun, he said the government had initiated a "very good surrender policy" so their children could join the mainstream. The GOC said local recruitment had come down in recent months. Elaborating, IG Pani said there was a significant dip in the recruitment of local youth in militant ranks due to the elimination of top commanders. "There has not been much of it in the past three months. There are families who have played a key role and made a lot of effort to bring their sons back. Families and the community have an important role to play in this," Pani said. New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is all set to hand over the probe of the terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), sources said on Monday. "The MHA is likely to issue a notification shortly," an MHA source told IANS. The Jammu and Kashmir police has registered a case. A day after the February 14 terror attack in which more than 40 CRPF troopers were killed, an NIA team along with the explosive and forensic experts had collected the materials required for the probe. It was the worst-ever terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since militancy erupted in 1989. The suicide attack on the Srinagar-Jammu highway was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammad. New Delhi: Maulana Masood Azhar, the dreaded architect of some of India's biggest terror attacks, was an "easy man" to handle in custody with one slap enough to make him blurt out details of his movements, says a former police officer who interrogated him several times. Azhar, who used a Portuguese passport to enter India through Bangladesh and reach Kashmir, was arrested in February 1994 in Anantnag in South Kashmir. In custody, intelligence agencies did not have to use "coercive method" against Azhar to extract information as he started speaking after the "first slap" from an army officer and gave deep insights into the functioning of terror groups operating from Pakistan, the officer said. "He was an easy man to handle and a slap from an army officer shook him completely," former Director General of Sikkim Police Avinash Mohananey, who interrogated Azhar many times during his two-decade tenure in the Intelligence Bureau, told PTI. Indian Muslims hold a scratched photo of Jaish-e-Mohammad group chief, Maulana Masood Azhar, as they shout slogans against Pakistan during a protest in Mumbai on Friday. Photo: Indranil MUKHERJEE/AFP After his release in exchange of passengers of hijacked IC-814 flight of Indian Airlines in 1999 by the then BJP government, Azhar formed Jaish-e-Mohammed and scripted many audacious terror strikes in India, including on Parliament House, Pathankot air force base, army camps in Jammu and Uri, and the latest suicide attack on CRPF in Pulwama which claimed the lives of at least 40 personnel. While in custody, Azhar, in his early 50s now, shared information about recruitment process and functioning of terror groups in Pakistan at a time when the intelligence agencies were still grappling to understand the proxy-war unleashed by Pakistan's espionage agency ISI, said Mohananey, a 1985-batch IPS officer who headed the Kashmir desk in the agency at that time. "There were several occasions when I met him in Kot Balwal jail and interrogated him for hours together. We did not have to use any coercive method as information flowed consistently from him," he said. Azhar gave the Indian agencies vital insights into diversion of Afghan terrorists into Kashmir Valley and merger of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI) into Harkat-ul-Ansar, represented by him as its general secretary, the officer said. After his arrival in India from Bangladesh in 1994, Azhar travelled to Saharanpur before reaching Kashmir where he held meetings of warring factions of HuM and HuJI to formulate a common policy, Mohananey said. Taliban Islamic militia commandos head towards the hijacked Indian Airlines plane at Kandahar airport in Afghanistan, 30 December 1999. Photo: SAEED KHAN / AFP "I came on a forged Portuguese passport for ensuring that HuM and HuJI are together in the valley. It was not possible for me to cross the Line of Control on foot," the police officer recalled Azhar telling them. A man of mannerism and etiquette during interrogation sessions, Azhar used to give detailed answer to any question that was asked to him, he said. The Jaish chief, during his stint as a journalist with 'Sada-e-Mujahid', a tabloid published from Karachi, had in 1993 travelled with a group of Pakistani scribes to some countries, drumming up support for "Kashmir cause', he said. Mohananey recalled that Azhar would often boast that police could not be able to keep him in custody for long as he was important for Pakistan and the ISI. An unidentified hostage waves as a group of hostages disembark from a plane at New Delhi's international airport 31 December 1999, after spending 8 days in a hijacked Indian Airlines jet in Kandahar, Afganistan. Photo: AFP "You are underestimating my popularity. The ISI would ensure that I am back in Pakistan," the police officer recalled him as saying. Surprisingly, some foreigners were kidnapped from Delhi 10 months after his arrest in February 1994 and the kidnappers had demanded his release. The plan failed with the arrest of Omar Sheikh, who was also released in the 1999 exchange, and was later involved in the gruesome beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. Another attempt to free him was made by a shadow group of Harkat-ul-Ansar, Al-Faran, which demanded his release in exchange of five foreigners kidnapped in Kashmir in July 1995. Before shifting out to another posting, the officer said, "I met him again in 1997 when he was in the same jail. I informed him that I was proceeding to a new posting to which he wished me good luck." "I was at new posting when I heard about his release on December 31, 1999 in exchange for passengers of IC-814. He really meant it when he said that we would not be able to keep him for long," he said. Indian activists carry placards of the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Maulana Masood Azhar during a protest against the attack on the air force base in Pathankot, in Mumbai on January 4, 2016. Photo: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP The JeM chief is now believed to be in his native Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province. The then BJP-led NDA government had released Azhar, along with Omar Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar alias 'Latram', in exchange of passengers of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 from Kathmandu to New Delhi which was taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan. After the negotiations failed with hijackers, the government succumbed to their demands and the then external affairs minister Jaswant Singh took the three terrorists to Kandahar in Afghanistan in a special plane to ensure the release of passengers of the hijacked plane. Bengaluru: The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project of India has gone deep into the detail design phase now. Along with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), hundreds of scientists spread across at least 20 Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) labs are now engrossed in critical work to find solutions to a number of gen-next technologies that need to be proven. With the Project Definition Phase (PDP) getting over in 2017, Onmanorama can confirm that scientists have already walked some distance designing the AMCA, Indias stealth fighter. ADA, the designers of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), is spearheading the AMCA mission. The AMCA will be propelled by a GE-414 engine with a thrust of 90 kN and this will be an interim step by the makers till a higher thrust engine of 110 kN is finalised. The GE-414, set to power Tejas Mk-II, will power AMCA as well, till India develops a 110 kN engine possibly in collaboration with a foreign partner. The current plan is to fly AMCA with GE-414 engine for the first six-seven years, what the designers now term as an interim engine for Indias 5th-generation stealth platform. While the design phase has already been sanctioned to commence activities, the final approval for AMCA from the government (Cabinet Committee on Security) is in process. The plan is to build four prototypes and fly the first one before 2025, which is seven years from now. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is said to be working out the exact numbers for this future fighter, while the AMCA Directorate at ADA is ensuring a robust foundation for this big-ticket desi project. Model to test stealth The feasibility study began in 2009 with an initial funding of Rs 90 crore. Last year about Rs 400 crore came in for the Detail Design Phase (DDP), which is expected to be completed in the next 3 years. Post that, the AMCA will get on to the crucial development phase, flight testing and eventually certification. With India finally ejecting out of jointly making the FGFA (Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft) with Russia, there was a stalemate over AMCA for a while and now the flight path seemed to have cleared. This is for the first time ever in the country we are on a stealth design and the challenges are unique here. However, an advantage is we just have to concentrate on the fifth-gen technologies like stealth since we have already mastered all the 4th-gen technologies through LCA, an official told. A full-scale model (1:1) of AMCA is being manufactured by VEM Technologies for stealth measurements. DRDO is also displaying a scaled model of Advance Medium Combat Aircraft with audio-visual effects at Aero India 2019. The 1:1 model will be taken to the Orange facility in Hyderabad or to Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur (DLJ), for testing the stealth features. DRDOs Orange facility was opened in 2015 to test current and futuristic weapon systems under development. The scientists need to measure stealth features on the modular model being developed by VEM Technologies. Modularity is provided so that new stealth technologies can be immediately incorporated and validated on the model. Orange can provide RCS (Radar Cross Section) measurements and the pylon system at the facility can lift payloads up to 35 tonnes. Earlier you used to make an aircraft and then check its stealth features. Now, from design stage itself stealth features are part of the optimisation. It was an afterthought earlier, but in a 5th-generational fighter, stealth gets priority, the official said. Scientists are hopeful of getting this 1:1 AMCA model ready for tests by the end of this year. Further optimisation of stealth features is underway. This is being done not only by scientists in DRDO and CSIR but also many academic institutions including IISc in Bengaluru and various IITs. Stealth and aerodynamics dont go hand in hand so you have to guarantee some minimum performance and optimise for stealth, the official said. AMCA has been designed with MDO (multi-disciplinary optimisation) engineering route with stealth as an optimising parameter. (MDO brings in a number of engineering disciplines while finding solutions to complex problems.) Loaded with features Detailed R&D on materials, paints and structures are being undertaken by various labs now. Study is also underway on flight control, avionics, aerodynamics, composite structure and general systems like brakes, hydraulics and fuels systems. We hope to have the first flight of AMCA before 2025 with all the stealth features being established by then. With reduced IR (Infra Red), we are working on the super cruise abilities that give the aircraft capability to fly at supersonic speeds without the afterburner, says the official. Passive sensors, internal weapon bay, advanced integrated avionics, next-gen AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar, 360-degree enhanced situation awareness, IVHM (Integrated Vehicle Monitoring System), serpentine air intake, IRST (Infra Red Search and Track), MAWS (Missile Approach Warning System) and Diverterless Supersonic Intake (DSI) are some of the features being claimed by Indian scientists that will make AMCA a powerful fighting machine. Added features like SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defence) and DEAD (Destruction of Enemy Air Defence) will also give more teeth to its BVR (Beyond Visual Range) characteristics. Parallel efforts to camouflage the aircraft to achieve visual and IR stealth will continue in the next few years, adds the official. As this Onmanorama Aero India 2019 special report jettisons into the web space, the AMCA backroom boys are initiating the Full Scale Engineering Development (FSED) plans for AMCA. Indias home-grown fighter programmes are on inspiring flightpath now with the scientists gaining confidence in converting dreams into reality at a relatively faster pace. The lessons from LCA will probably act as a ready-reckoner. (The writer is an independent aerospace and defence journalist, who blogs at Tarmak007 and tweets @writetake.) New Delhi: India Tuesday rubbished Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments on the ghastly Pulwama attack, saying disclaiming Pakistan's link with terrorist attacks is an oft-repeated excuse by the "nerve centre" of terrorism. India's seven-point hard hitting response came hours after Khan said he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack if India shares "actionable intelligence", but warned against any retaliatory action. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said India was not surprised that Khan refused to acknowledge the attack on India's security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism, adding his offer to investigate the attack if provided proof is a "lame excuse". "Disclaiming any link between the terrorist attack and Pakistan is an oft-repeated excuse by Pakistan. The Pakistani Prime Minister has ignored claims made by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, as well as by the terrorist, who perpetrated this heinous crime," the MEA said. "It is a well-known fact that Jaish-e-Mohammad and its leader Masood Azhar are based in Pakistan. These should be sufficient proof for Pakistan to take action," it said. At a Cabinet briefing Tuesday evening, Union minister Arun Jaitley hit out at Khan for not making even a "pretext" of outright condemnation of the Pulwama attack and showing not even "lip sympathy" for the bereaved families. Days after the terror strike by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group killing 40 CRPF personnel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces have been given free hand to avenge the dastardly act. In a video message, Khan responded to the Indian allegations on Pakistan's involvement in the attack in Kashmir last Thursday. "The Prime Minister of Pakistan has offered to investigate the matter if India provides proof. This is a lame excuse. In the horrific attack in Mumbai on 26/11, proof was provided to Pakistan. Despite this, the case has not progressed for the last more than 10 years. Likewise, on the terror attack on Pathankot airbase, the MEA said, there has been no progress. "Promises of 'guaranteed action' ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan," the MEA said. Jaitley mocked Khan's demand for actionable intelligence from India, saying JeM has publicly acknowledged its hand behind the attack, adding India had provided the neighbouring country evidence and intelligence related to the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. "We know its fate," Jaitley said referring to lack of any concrete action from Pakistan against the terror group and its handlers involved in the attack. He dismissed Khan's statement as a diversionary tactic. The MEA said Pakistan claimed to be the greatest victim of terrorism but this is far from truth. "The international community is well acquainted with the reality that Pakistan is the nerve centre of terrorism," the MEA said. It also came down hard on the Pakistan prime minister for his comments linking India's upcoming general elections to the narrative of blaming Pakistan. He said it would make it easier to get votes from the masses. "It is regrettable that the Pakistani Prime Minister has insinuated that India's response to the terrorist attack is determined by the forthcoming general election," the MEA said. Rejecting the "false allegation", the MEA said India's democracy was a model for the world which Pakistan would never understand. "We demand Pakistan to stop misleading the international community and take credible and visible action against the perpetrators of Pulwama terrorist attack and other terrorists and terror groups operating from areas under their control," it said. On Khan's reference to build a new Pakistan, the MEA said, "In this 'Naya Pakistan,' ministers of the current government publicly share platforms with terrorists like Hafeez Saeed who have been proscribed by the United Nations." "Pakistan's Prime Minister has called for dialogue and expressed his readiness to talk about terrorism. India has repeatedly stated that it is ready to engage in a comprehensive bilateral dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence," the MEA said. In a last-ditch attempt to fend off the citys request to designate the Strands 1902 building as a landmark, the owner of the famed Greenwich Village bookshop is offering to place a historic preservation easement on her storefront. Similar to landmarking, a preservation easement, which is the result of a voluntary agreement between the owner and a nonprofit group that would serve as a steward for preservation, would ensure that a building (or its facade, in this case), be preserved in perpetuity. So Landmarks, its up to you, said Nancy Bass Wyden, the Strands owner, during the second and final public hearing before the Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday morning. There were around 50 people on hand for the hearing. Strand owner Nancy Bass Wyden: You want to write more chapters on the success story of the Strand. Not its obituary. pic.twitter.com/Q0PpUf4eHG Elizabeth Kim (@lizkimtweets) February 19, 2019 Wyden, who said she had consulted numerous preservation experts, first approached the commission with the idea on Friday, according to her attorney Alexander Urbelis. The Strand owner has been imploring the city not to follow through with its plans since last fall, when the building, which sits at 826 Broadway, was one of seven on Broadway south of Union Square chosen for landmark status consideration. She believes such a designation would wind up being a costly burden to a retailer with already thin margins. No business wants to be an easy mark for city bureaucracy, Wyden, whose grandfather opened the Strand in 1927, told the commission. Her proposal suggests that she would rather work with a nonprofit preservation organization than the city. But in a sign that she faces an uphill battle, Sarah Carroll, who serves as both the chair and a commissioner of the LPC, said that the commission has not viewed a preservation easement as a favorable substitute for designation. Among those who spoke at the hearing, Jacqueline Peu-Duvallon, a preservation consultant and former member of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, warned Wyden that preservation easements can often result in "more rigid" guidelines than those imposed by city landmark status. A facade easement would prevent them from making a lot of substantial changes to the storefront, she said. Andrew Berman, the executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation who was also present at the hearing, told Gothamist that while Wyden had approached him prior to the hearing about the idea of placing a preservation easement, he was unable to comment on the plan without knowing more details. Preservation easements are used across the city, both in buildings and sites that are and are not landmarked, he said. He added that some easements can be highly restrictive, while others less so. Despite supporting the Strands landmark designation, Berman has sharply criticized the commission for failing to install broader protections for historic buildings in the area, accusing the city of cherry picking properties that are currently under no development pressure. On Tuesday, Berman said the commissions selection of the seven buildings was "the result of a privately-negotiated deal" between Councilmember Carlina Rivera and Mayor Bill de Blasio. In August, the City Council voted unanimously to rezone a site at 120 East 14th Street to pave the way for a 21-story tech hub. Berman, along with other preservationists and residents, had opposed the rezoning, arguing that it would pave the way for further commercial development south of Union Square. In response, Jeremy Unger, the communications and legislative director for Rivera, issued the following statement to Gothamist: As Councilwoman Rivera summarized in her testimony this morning to LPC, this group of designations was identified by LPC as a result of repeated requests from Councilwoman Rivera and the community to study the area south of Union Square, the boundaries of which neighborhood organizations and preservationists like GVSHP helped delineate based on the wealth of 19th- and early 20th-century architecture. While Councilwoman Rivera is proud that seven buildings along the historic Broadway corridor are being considered, she is ready to keep working to have LPC reconsider the merits of designating additional blocks. Bermans group had identified 187 historic properties and urged the commission to designate the entire area as a landmark or historic district. But the commission declined to do so, saying that the other buildings had undergone renovation and the designs did not provide observers with a strong sense of place. Urbelis, Wyden's attorney, said that despite all their efforts, city officials and the commission failed to reach a compromise on the issue. We made great strides in proposing this workable solution, he said after the hearing. The commission has until the fall to make a decision. As with the first public hearing in December, dozens of Strand lovers lined up to speak in support of Wyden and her bookstore. Naomi Wolf, a journalist and author, was also in attendance, and asked whether the commission had adequately considered all of the public support for the Strand. The storeowner had submitted a petition with over 6,000 signatures. "I'd like to understand your metric for understanding public support or opposition," she said. Kilian Ganly, a longtime Chelsea resident, began his testimony by saying that, as the owner of a landscape design business, he had dealt with the Landmarks Preservation Commission and experienced a costly delay. City officials have repeatedly said that the cost and red tape involved in maintaining a landmarked building would be minimal. But like others, Ganly mainly spent his time professing his love for a New York institution that he worried was at risk of disappearing. It would be a tragic blow against intellectual culture, he said. Where would we be without books? Kerala witnessed 20 political murders since the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front came to power in the state in 2016. While nine people were killed in 2016, five murders were reported in 2017 and four in the following year. This year two people were killed in political violence in the state. In most of the cases, the accused are activists of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist). Data from the state crime record bureau shows 36 political murders were registered during previous United Democratic Front regime. 2019 Two Youth Congress workers were killed at Periya, Kasaragod 2018 An SFI student was hacked to death at Maharaja's College in Kochi. The accused are Campus Front activists. A BJP activist was killed in New Mahi allegedly by CPI(M) activists. A Youth Congress block secretary was killed at Mattannur in Kannur allegedly by CPI(M) workers. A BJP man was killed at Peravoor in Kannur. The accused are Social Democratic Party of India activists. 2017 A BJP activist was killed at Sreekaryam in Thiruvanathapuram. The accused are activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the CPI(M). A BJP activist was killed at Kadakkal, Kollam allegedly by CPI(M) workers. A BJP man was killed in Guruvayoor. The accused are CPI(M) activists. A BJP member was killed at Dharmadam in Kannur. The accused are CPI(M) activists. A BJP activist was killed at Payyannur in Kannur. The accused are CPI(M) activists. 2016 (Since May) A former CPI(M) member was killed allegedly by party workers at Erattupetta in Kottayam. A BJP activist was killed at Kasaba in Palakkad. The accused are CPI(M) activists. Two Muslim League activists were killed at Kuttiadi and Nadapuram in Kozhikode. The accused are members of the SDPI and the CPI(M) respectively. A BJP activist was killed at Dharmadam. The accused are CPI(M) members. A CPI(M) member was killed at Koothuparamba allegedly by a BJP worker. Members of both the CPI(M) and the BJP were killed allegedly by rival party workers at Payyannur. A BJP member was killed at Muzhakunnu in Kannur. The accused is a CPI(M) worker. Kasaragod: With anger against the ruling CPM boiling over in Kerala after the brutal murder of two Youth Congress workers on Sunday, the police on Tuesday arrested CPM local committee member and main suspect Peethambaran and detained two others for questioning. Soon after Peethambaran's arrest was recorded by police, Kasaragod district committee expelled him from the party following directions from the state committee. Three others were already taken into custody by the police on Monday. Apart from this, another CPM supporter whose identity is not revealed has also been detained. According to sources, his car was found abandoned at Pakkam, near Velutholi in Kasaragod district. Police are yet to ascertain their roles in the crime. Initial reports had claimed that the main reason for the murders was an attack on Peethambaran by Youth Congress workers at a college recently. Youth Congress workers Kripesh and Sharathlal (Joshi) were hacked to death by a gang of assailants at Kallyott, near Periya, in Keralas's Kasaragod district on Sunday. Sharathlal was an accused in the assault on Peethambaran. Peethambaran, the main accused in the Periya twin murder case. Investigators have already fanned out across the neighbouring areas in Kannur district and the border state of Karnataka. It is suspected that more persons involved in the murders could have fled the state after the crime. Kannur range IG Balram Kumar Upadhyaya, who is in Kasaragod now, told Onmanorama that more people were being taken into custody and interrogated. We have picked up some more people for questioning. As we go by the FIR, the suspects are CPM leaders or workers and the victims are members of the KSU or Youth Congress. From that perspective we call it a political murder. But we are probing other angles, including any local dispute, the IG said. In the first information report (FIR) police have registered the case under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder with intention or knowledge). CPM local committee member Peethambaran and party workers Reji and Saji (all the three from same area) were the three suspects named in the FIR. According to sources, Sajivan, Dasan and Murali are among seven persons in police custody now. Identities of the remaining persons in custody were not revealed yet. Peethambaran was seriously injured in a fight over an issue in a nearby college in Munnad, Palathingal. Sharathlal and Kripesh were named accused in the case registered more than a month ago. Kripesh was later removed from the list of accused after his presence in the area could not be proved in the case, but Sharathlal was remanded for 20 days. Police suspect that this issue could have triggered the enmity between the two groups, leading to the murder that shocked the state. Sleuths are probing if the duo faced more serious threats, other than from the one from this local CPM leader. Sources revealed that there was also a tiff between people who supported Peethambaran and Sharathlal, both of them part of the same community and coming under the same temple festival committee. On the day of the murder also, efforts were made by the temple committee for a compromise talk between the two and it failed. Sharathlal and Kripesh were hacked when they were returning from the meeting on the premises of the Devi temple at Kallyott. About the presence of vehicles from Kannur on the premises of the temple, the IG said many people from outside Kasaragod had attended the temple festival as it was popular among people and being held after a gap of several years. Guv seeks urgent report State Governor P Sathasivam Tuesday sought an urgent report from the chief minister on the status of the police probe into the incident. Opposition Leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala met the governor in Thiruvananthapuram and briefed him about the issue,a release from the governor's office said. Chennithala had informed the governor that the families of the victims were under utmost grief due to their personal loss and delay in arresting culprits. As Congress continued its attack on the ruling CPM, Pinarayi said the party had never promoted violence and had no role in the killings. If any CPM activist was found to be involved in the crime, they would never get the party's backing, Pinarayi said, adding that they would not only have to face legal action, but also stern party action. State CPM secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also reiterated Tuesday that his party had no knowledge about the twin killings and does not endorse the politics of killings. Following the killings, senior congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has cancelled the wedding reception of his son Dr Rohith, which was scheduled to be held in Thiruvananthapuram and Haripad on February 21 and 23 respectively. The amount would be used for conducting the marriage of Kripesh's sister, the congress leader said in a statement. Kasaragod: With the police detaining the prime suspect in the murders of two Youth Congress workers at Periya in Kerala's Kasaragod district and their clear links to the CPM well-established, the ruling party in the state is all set to disown and expel the men involved in the brutal killings. According to sources, the reason for this action is that the CPM leadership believes that the raging anger against the party after the murders may hit the party badly in the coming Lok Sabha elections. The Youth Congress on Monday had called for a hartal in Kerala after the murders of its workers Sharathlal (Joshi) and Kripesh at Periya on Sunday. Sources inside CPM told Onmanorama that the twin murders had damaged the image of the party when the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner and the party members and leaders involved in the crime would be expelled soon. What happened is extremely unfortunate and the party has strongly condemned the murder. The party has decided to expel any member or leader involved because the damage is also for the party when Lok Sabha elections are nearing and the LDF already taking out the 'Kerala Samrakshana Yathra'. We will not defend the accused at any stage and that is why the police could nab the main suspect within hours after the murder. None of them is given any shield by the party and we will not protect them in future also, said a CPM leader on condition of anonymity. The only option left for the party is to face it and disown the accused, he said. He added that no kind of legal or financial help would be provided to the accused. Sarathlal and Kripesh Several houses of the CPM workers and sympathisers in Periya were destroyed and libraries were burnt down by Youth Congress workers after the murders. The AKG Club in Periya was also burnt down on Monday. CPM state committee and district committee members along with MLAs are camping in Kasaragod to review the situation in the area. The leaders are visiting the CPM workers' houses, which were damaged during the protest march led by Youth Congress workers during the hartal on Monday. Earlier the CPM leaders had decided to visit the houses of the two victims also but that was postponed to avoid any untoward incidents. We have not abandoned the plan to visit the houses of the deceased. But the police officials told us to delay it since that might cause issue. Already their (Congress) top leaders are visiting the houses and we have decided not to visit them now, said the CPM leader. The police on Tuesday detained for questioning CPM local committee member and main suspect Peethambaran and two others. Three others were already taken into custody by the police on Monday. Apart from this, another CPM supporter whose identity is not revealed has also been detained. According to sources, his car was found abandoned at Pakkam, near Velutholi in Kasaragod district. Police are yet to ascertain their roles in the crime. Initial reports had claimed that the main reason for the murders was an attack on Peethambaran by Youth Congress workers in retaliation to attack on KSU activists in a college recently. Youth Congress workers Kripesh and Sharathlal were hacked to death by a gang of assailants at Kallyott, near Periya, in Keralas's Kasaragod district on Sunday. Sharathlal was an accused in the assault on Peethambaran. I have seen, people will go so far to express their love for animals... unfortunately not in my case.. Oh! Sorry.. I am Chinna Thambi, a 25-year-old wild tusker who is, no, was in the Thadgam region of Coimbatore till recently. I am writing this from a cage of iron rods inside a lorry. I lost something somewhere. And this letter is to figure it out What have I lost? But why? Where things went wrong? What did I do? Long back an entire town came together to write a petition to the district collector to drop the plan to make Chinna Thambi, a kumki, ie me. (Kumki is a term for a trained captive elephant used in operations to trap wild elephants.) I came to hear that I created havoc in villages near Thadagam on the outskirts of Coimbatore for nearly a year that I damaged crops and houses in the region. Following complaints from the local villagers, the forest department captured me on January 26 and released in the Valparai forest range a few days later. They fitted a radio collar on me which reveal how much distance I covered. Speaking to the media, Forest Minister Dindugal Sreenivasan said the government will be left with no option but to capture the animal and tame it to be used as a kumki in the larger interest of safeguarding life and property of the villagers. The minister's comment sparked a debate on social media with many of them urging the Tamil Nadu government to reconsider its decision to convert me into a kumki. After some days an elephant expert Ajay Desai, submitted a report stating that the number of people killed or injured by elephants ranges from 10 to 27 every year in the forest division, meaning an average of two human casualties every month are reported. Desais earlier reports on me and Vinayagan, another elephant from Thadagam, had said that we were habituated to human habitations and crop raiding and we were later translocated. This creates fear psychosis in people exposed to elephants and undermines their quality of life in addition to other economic losses caused by elephants. "It also means that the fear does not allow effective crop protection as people are not willing to face and drive away elephants which they consider as being dangerous. This not only increases crop or property damage, but also emboldens elephants to enter deeper and more frequently into human areas and thus escalate conflict," said the report, highlighting the conflict situation in the forest division, which the Forest Department submitted to the Madras High Court on Monday. Desai also said I must be captured and tamed. Otherwise, it may influence younger elephants in the wild to become crop raiders. In his 14-page report submitted to Madras High Court, Desai says an evaluation of the elephants movement, post-translocation, shows that its completely habituated to human beings. The cage of Chinnathambi Dr C R Jayapraksh, Professor of PSG College of Arts and Science, had noted, People still loves animals. The efforts to control the intrusion of elephants through trenches, solar fences and pillar constructions have failed because of poor maintenance. The already under-staffed Forest Department is struggling to deploy adequate watchers in areas prone to elephant intrusion. Experts on Asian elephants like Ajay Desai are tagged as problematic persons by clicktivists. Hence many of the forest officials who are willing to offer solutions are keeping their fingers crossed. Sentiments prevail over sense on social media." Posters with the slogan 'Save Chinna Thambi' have appeared in villages in and around Thadgam and Anaikatti. The residents were against the forest department's proposal to translocate me. Due to my issue the whole Tamil Nadu ot to know about certain environmental problems which were limited to a specific place. People are talking about human-elephant conflicts and encroachment issues. They should fight against the encroachment of forest and habitat should be regenerated. Let them fight for corridors. If you want elephants to live, these corridors should be protected and the other corridors should be identified," said journalist Jabez John Anand, who is also an elephant enthusiast. Of course, he has the point. As I said earlier I was captured and translocated but I walked out of the forest by January 31, entered human settlements and has been moving along agricultural areas and human habitations since then. People drove me back to the forest to change my behaviour, but nothing worked. Then 600 farmers from Coimbatore went all the way to Chennai to protest again. And it became a political issue. It had to be treated as a law and order issue and consequently there was no option but to take action. The local farmers are saying if someone bring me back, then they are not responsible for me. So there is a threat to me. Also, if elephants come downhill into towns, they will get hurt by electric wires, many of which are low hanging. Then Madras High Court heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by animal welfare activists opposing state government's move to tame me. The court said that I should not be put to any physical discomfort. The court issued a notice to the Union and state governments besides the forest department on the PIL. Thus Tamil Nadu government dropped its plan to tame me into a kumki. Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the Madras High Court that the government wanted me to live in my natural habitat. Narayan was responding to a PIL filed by animal welfare activists opposing the state government's move. As I went inside the villages, towns and agricultural areas, people may think Chinna Thambi doesnt care about people or crackers and elephants like me can be extremely dangerous --- damaging crops and property and also bring along other elephants to do the same thing. I do care about people. I wont attack anyone intentionally. I havent killed anyone yet They could have driven me to a nearest forest. They may have thought this as an obvious choice but may be because of conflicts and confusion that may arise again as I move in the direction of the forest. If I suddenly changes my direction then I can move through areas where people are unaware of my movement...may be but, I wont react to people even when they are just 15-20 feet away. Even when there are a large number of people around making noise, I use to ignore them completely. I use to walk into holding areas where kumkis and staff are based and drinks water from the tank inside the compound. I interacted with Kumki Kaleem and I used to walk through villages as seen from several videos. I dont distinguish between human habitations and forests. I will come out again if relocated to the forest. But people are not even trying to understand me... Of course, I also have feelings and emotions.. I will also get hurt... For me food is not really a problem, but the habit of feeding on crops drives me. If I translocated, sooner or later I will start raiding crops. So the last option is Capture, bring into captivity. This seems to be the only option open to the department. Since I am completely habituated to people, I can get easily tamed. So the planning and operations to capture Chinna Thambi, me, has started after the Madras High court passed an interim order directing the Tamil Nadu government to capture me. I was found loitering in sugar cane fields and they shot me and lured with jackfruits which is my favourite. My excursions around several places like Maduthukkulam, Udumalpettai came to an end and I was tranquillised and captured by officials of the forest department. But I am extremely happy for one thing. People have started fighting for the right of animals, for environment. We need to live. We have to be protected. I know people should be safe and secure, but for their sake and greed please dont destroy us..., never allow us to go extinct. Our lives are also equally important as yours.. Be humane... Thank You for all your prayers, Chinna Thambi. It was a time when only those in the habit of reading through an entire newspaper had some idea who Atal Bihari Vajpayee or L K Advani were. Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister and V P Singh was the man people talked about the most. So when the state leadership of the BJP decided to field a popular chemistry teacher P Asok Kumar as its Lok Sabha candidate from Thiruvananthapuram in 1989, he was not too keen. I told my leaders that I was more comfortable doing party work. I was already a councillor, and did not want a bigger responsibility, Asok said. It was also a time when a BJP worker in the state cared two hoots for Lok Sabha polls. The party had been in existence for not even a decade, and was considered irrelevant in the southern parts of the country. The Jan Sangh members came out of the Janata Party and had formed the BJP in 1980. Vajpayee and L K Advani were the only two MPs BJP had. To compete was a waste of time. Capital's first lotus holder Nonetheless, K G Marar, the then BJP state president, insisted that Asok contest. P Asok Kumar, therefore, became the first candidate in the history of Thiruvananthapuram to contest under the 'lotus' symbol. He was a popular teacher and had won big as a councillor in the 1988 local body polls. Asok was also the district president of the party. When the state leadership of the BJP decided to field a popular chemistry teacher P Asok Kumar as its Lok Sabha candidate from Thiruvananthapuram in 1989, he was not too keen. Photo: Manorama Archives But there was something more compelling. Asok had contested in three Assembly elections earlier and not once forfeited his deposit. Then, it was seen as a near miracle, Purushothaman, a former RSS pracharak said. In Kerala, not only was the BJP not taken seriously but was also scoffed at. The BJP was viewed with great derision. During those days, Hindus in Kerala found it shameful to openly declare themselves as a Hindu, Asok said. L K Advani had still not begun his Rath Yatra that would radically alter the political landscape of the country. In 1989, Asok was up against two mighty opponents. A Charles, the incumbent MP with huge influence over the predominant Nadar votes in the constituency, was the Congress candidate. On the Left was the CPM independent O N V Kurup, the legendary poet and lyricist. Mango pickle campaign My party just asked me to make our presence felt, Asok said. For this, Asok was given a princely sum of Rs 10,000. Mararji told me not to ask for a penny more, Asok said. He himself is amused at how spartan his party once was. Nowadays ours is a party that sets apart Rs 3 lakh for a candidate's helicopter rides alone, he said. Former BJP state president KG Marar. Photo: Manorama Archives Since street-side election meetings were too costly, house-to-house campaign was Asok's preferred voter outreach strategy. We used to get so tired walking that we used to ask for some water at certain homes. There were many instances when we were also given mangoes soaked in brine. In short, plain water and salted mango sustained us during the campaign, Asok said. Swami who sold lies Even if Asok were to organise street-side meetings, he knew he would not attract a crowd. He also had to drive home hard Hindutva messages, something Kerala was still not open to. Asok found a way out. His entry to a spot will be preceded by the arrival of the Swami Satyananda Saraswathi, a fiery right-wing seer popularly known as Chenkottukonam Swami. He will deliver speeches laced with anti-Muslim rhetoric. He even used to tell his audience that the root wilt disease so common among coconut trees then was a conspiracy hatched by America. You feel a bit embarrassed and sad but then you realise that he is doing all this for us, to get us a crowd, Asok said. The moment he leaves the scene, and before the crowd could disperse, I will enter the spot. It will look as if I have no connection with the swami. I will deliver a speech, but careful not to utter anything offensive, he added. Secret weapons But the biggest crowd pullers he employed were none other than Vapayee and Advani. Both of them came to Thiruvananthapuram. Atalji spoke from a stage erected right in front of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. Advani took part in two election meetings in the constituency, one in the heart of the city and the other at Neyyatinkara, Asok said. There was a reason why the BJP's tallest leaders visited Thiruvananthauram in 1989. We had won six wards in the local body elections held in 1988. It was the first time the BJP had won in panchayat elections in the state, Asok said. The six wards were Palkulangara, Sreekanteswaram, Fort Puthentheruvu, Chenthitta and Poojappura. Except for Poojappura, all the other wards were on the west of the constituency, a predominantly Tamil Brahmin area. The hardline Hindu Munnani, which had its roots in Tamil Nadu, had strong influence in these areas. These areas continue to be BJP strongholds. BJP leaders O Rajagopal and KG Marar with LK Advanii (Centre) during his Kerala visit. Advani's audacity The way L K Advani wanted the meeting organised in East Fort, the busiest pocket in the capital, gave a hint of the political daredevilry the man was capable of. The one-kilometre stretch from Overbridge to East Fort was taken over by the party workers. Traffic was summarily shut out, and Advani addressed workers from a raised platform erected right in the middle of the busy road in front of the Pazhavangady temple. A case was slapped on Advani, but the man who would soon embark on a historical rath yatra couldn't care less. Original 'chaiwallah' Vajapyee's behaviour was equally stunning, but in a Gandhian sense. It was I who picked Atalji from the airport. As we were travelling to the city, he said he wanted to drink a cup of tea. He being such a reputed national leader I thought I had to take him to a costly place. But I had just Rs 100 in my pocket. While I was desperately searching for options, Atalji asked the driver to stop in front of a bunk shop selling tea near Vallakkadavu. He got out of the car and asked for tea. He stood before the bunk shop and sipped tea just like anyone else. He paid for the tea, mine and the driver's too, Asok said. Atal Bihari Vajapyee came to Kerala to campaign for Asok Kumar before the polls and spoke from a stage erected right in front of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. At the hotel, Asok was in for yet another surprise. When he saw the cosy mattress, he looked uneasy. I am not used to sleeping in such soft beds, he said. Later in the night when Asok met Vajpayee to speak about the next day's programme, he saw a plain sheet laid on the floor with one of its tips folded up to function as a pillow. Atalji also had a piece of advice for him. There should be no personal attacks on your opponents. It is even okay if you say a couple of nice things about them. One of them I know is a great poet. Give him respect, he told Asok. Victory and martyrdom He adhered to Vajpayee's advice but lost badly. A Charles won big with a margin of over 50,000 votes. He came a distant third behind the poet, securing just 7.5 per cent of the votes. Nationally, the BJP pulled off a miracle. From just two seats, its tally shot up to 86. Asok found himself a martyr. Five panchayat elections, three assembly elections and a Lok Sabha poll had saddled him with crushing debts. He sold his property and when even that was not enough, went to the Gulf as teacher. Nine years later, Asok returned. By then the Modi wave had struck and the BJP has ceased to be a party that had leaders who slept on the floor. He is still a state committee member, but is more focused on teaching chemistry to medical and engineering aspirants. Read more from Lok Sabha Elections Kozhikode: Muslim Youth League (MYL) state secretary PK Firos is slowly gaining more support from his parent party even as he is embroiled in a legal wrangle. The state leadership of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has openly come forward to defend him for the first time after a first information report (FIR) was filed against Firos at the Vellayil police station in Kozhikode over a complaint filed by CPM's Taliparamba MLA James Mathew. A day after the FIR was registered on February 15, MYL state president Panakkad Munavarali Shihab Thangal addressed the media and dismissed the allegations as baseless. Whatever may be the results of the investigation against Firos over charges of forgery of documents and defamation, he has endeared himself to the League leaders for single-handedly attacking their political rivals, especially state minister for higher education KT Jaleel, who was formerly a prominent leader in the League, over alleged nepotism. Firos has been making repeated allegations against Jaleel over the appointment of his relative, K T Adeeb, to the post of the general manager of Kerala State Minority Development Finance Corporation (KSMDFC). (The Lokayukta had ordered a probe into the case. After the controversy, Jaleel's relative had resigned from the post). Moreover, the state-wide Yuvajana Yathra led by the youth leader was well-received and made him popular in the party. Panakkad Munavarali Shihab Thangal Panakkad Munavarali Shihab Thangal said instead of probing the allegations raised by Firos, police were quick to register a case against Firos and that was absolutely a political tactic when the Lok Sabha election is round the corner. To support his allegations of nepotism charges against Jaleel, Firos had cited Mathew's letter to the government. However, instead of denying the letter, Mathew only said, one page of the letter was fabricated, said Munavarali. The IUML also hinted that Firos might not try for anticipatory bail. Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal and P K Kunhalikutty Why CPM is riled The MYL had filed a complaint with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) against Jaleel. Subsequently, the VACB had sought the response of the state government on November 28. Though Adeeb quit the job and Lokayukta ordered a preliminary probe against Jaleel, after a complaint filed by a voter in the minister's constituency Thavanoor, no probe was ordered against him. Firos had reasoned that Jaleel had blackmailed the CPM to prevent it from taking action against him over the appointment of Adeeb. Firos also alleged that Jaleel had threatened to expose the appointment of CPM leader Koliyakod Krishnan Nair's kin to a top post ignoring merit. According to him, D S Neelakantan, son of Koliyakod's brother, was appointed as Information Kerala Mission (IKM) deputy director (technical) in 2017 flouting rules on the intervention of CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. Firos alleged that the CPM was unwilling to take any action against Jaleel fearing a counter-attack by the latter over Neelakantan's appointment. To substantiate his allegations, Firos had released a letter to the media, purportedly written by CPM legislator Mathew on December 5, 2018. That letter was addressed to minister for local self-governments A C Moideen pointing out irregularities in various appointments, including to the post of deputy director in the Information Kerala Mission. (Moideen took over the ministry last year after Jaleel was shifted to the ministry for higher education in a cabinet reshuffle.) However, legislator Mathew said one of the pages in his letter was forged and he approached Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan on the issue. Jaleel factor Leaders in the IUML say that the government was trying every trick to corner Firos, who exposed major frauds done by them, especially Jaleel, and he has become a 'burden' for the LDF. KT Jaleel Formerly, a prominent leader from the MYL and prior to that as a student leader who worked with organisations like Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Jaleel's entry into the LDF was unexpected and gave the Left an almost equal status in IUML-dominated Assembly constituencies in north Kerala. Jaleel had faced opposition from his then counterparts in MYL like MK Muneer and KM Shaji over his suspected close links with extremist political organisations. Their attack continued till he was ignored for the post of state president and Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal was nominated as the leader of the youth wing in 2005. The nomination was a likely ploy to pre-empt an election and thereby block Jaleel from winning the top post in MYL. Jaleel lost favour with the IUML leadership especially after the death of his mentor Korambayil Ahamed Haji in 2003. Meanwhile, he had lost favour with late party patriarch Panakkad Syed Mohammedali Shihab Thangal. Subsequently, Jaleel came closer to the Left front and emerged as an independent leader with huge backing of youngsters. IUML had to pay the price for Jaleel's exit and irreparable damage in the party strongholds in Malappuram. In the 2006 Assembly election, veterans like PK Kunhalikkutty, ET Mohammed Basheer and MK Muneer lost. Jaleel was hailed as a hero by the LDF for beating Kunhalikkutty in Kuttippuram. The LDF also received the support of Jamaat-e-Islami, Sunnis led by Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliar and the People's Democratic Party. Jaleel grew as a strong hand for the LDF to face the IUML in the north. Last year, there were reports of him planning to make a new political party Indian Secular League, backed by the CPM. Though the minister as well as the LDF denied the reports, such a pact cannot be dismissed altogether in the upcoming Lok Sabha election and the LDF has to stay strong behind Jaleel to face the IUML just as the latter needs a bright youth leader like Firos. Legendary film star Rajinikanth rose to become one of the most celebrated actors in Indian cinema after struggling as a bus conductor in Bangalore. So was the late actor Kalabhavan Mani who began his life as an autorickshaw driver in a Kerala town. And here's yet another inspiring real life story of Nelson Ipe. He may not be a very familiar name in the Malayalam industry but one may easily identify him with an upcoming movie. Nelson is donning the hat of a producer for the very first time with the Mammootty-starrer 'Madhura Raja'. The beginning Nelson Ipe's early life was a struggle. After completing schooling, he did odd jobs and like every other Malayalis back then, he wanted to leave for Dubai. The only thing I knew was driving that's how I left for Dubai in early 90s as a taxi driver. After reaching there, I managed to get the licence of heavy driver. Life just went on and I was looking ahead. Apart from my daily spending, I made sure that I would keep some amount as savings. Thus, when I had saved some amount, I bought my own vehicle a lorry. I drove it and kept a driver too. More than earning some money, my focus was to build a venture and by 1996 I owned three vehicles. I appointed three drivers and I was the operations in charge. Everything was going on smoothly and life was bringing happiness until I realized that fate had something else in store, he said. The steep turn In order to drive smoothly, one should be well aware of the bumpy road also, says Nelson Ipe. Although in 6 years of life abroad he managed to achieve something, all efforts went in vain in a single day. In 98 around, an accident changed everything. One of the vehicles which was drove by one of my drivers met with an accident and caused a huge loss to me. During that time, there was something called cargo insurance and since I had failed to get it before the accident, I was asked to pay a huge amount. It was such a big loss that I had to begin from the scratch again. Life had reached a stage again where I had to sell all other vehicles I had till then. From operation manager, I was a driver again. And like you help a baby grow you have to patiently build everything. I was adamant that I will venture out again. Gradually, I took the same route and one after the other bought vehicles again. By 2000, I had bought about 30 vehicles of my own and thus I began my own vehicle company named Kerala Transport in Dubai. Today, we have many latest big vehicles and many hardworking members in our company, he said. The 'Raja' encounter Nelson Ipe who hails from Thrissur town is an ardent lover of Malayalam movies and actors. Ever since his childhood he always dreamt of associating with Malayalam cinema but never knew as to how. And his business venture seemed to be an advantage en route to movies. I knew writer Udayakrishnan and more than a friend I admired his writings. After my business got settled, I met him while he was on the sets of the movie 'Mr Marumakan'. I shared with him about my interest in venturing into movies and he suggested and he told that he would approach me with a suitable project. Later, he was busy with many projects and I with my own business. Then after after 'Pulimurugan', which he had written, he approached me. He told me how Pulimurugan director Vyshak had plans to make a sequel to his earlier movie. He suggested me to join the project, recalled Ipe. Ipe was hesitant to take up but according to him, both Vyshak and Udayakishna had constant support backing him. While the initial discussion was about Mammootty and roping in few other stars, it was much later that big names came on board, he said. Biggies like Peter Hein, Jagapathi Babu, Jai, Sunny Leone all are part of the much-anticipated movie. Raja 2 not a sequel producer Nelson Ipe with Sunny Leone and Peter Hein While media is abuzz with reports that Madhura Raja will be a sequeal to the 2010 film Pokkiri Raja, Nelson Ipe clarifies about it. He said, It was Mammootty's character Raja that was loved by one and all his style and his dialogues. Hence we have that particular character in yet another new story. There won't be any other character from Pokkiri Raja except his. Initially we had plans to name the movie as Raja 2, but later we thought it would mislead the viewers who will come to watch the movie and hence switched to the title 'Madhura Raja'. Taking responsibility Team Madhura Raja: Vyshak, Gopi Sundar, Udayakrishna and Nelson What is life without any risk? asks Ipe talking about being an independent producer to the big budget movie. Since the time I decided to fly to Dubai and until now, I undertook risks and I am happy that I went on keeping in focus what I wanted to achieve. See, when you do a small movie, it has its own limitations. With a big star like Mammootty and quite a director like Vyshak, we have value and I hope I keep that value intact, he said. Interestingly, Madhura Raja is being made on a budget of Rs 30 crore and will be released under the banner of Nelson Ipe cinemas. Nelson and wife are blessed with two sons, Jinesh and Jithin. Ambalapuzha: The Punnapra police have taken a man into custody on charges of killing a youth who reportedly harassed his daughter. Solomon, 45, of Veliyakathu House in Vadaykkal, who allegedly carried out the crime, and the victim, Kuriakose (Saji 20), son of Sabu of Arukolasseriyil, Vadaykkal in Alappuzha are relatives. Solomon had attacked Kuriakose on Sunday noon. He was arrested on Monday morning and produced before the magistrate after the inquest. According to the police, the youth used to disturb Solomons daughter expressing his love for her. Solomon had warned Kuriakose over this, but the youth continued to pester the girl. When Solomon saw Kuriakose speaking to his daughter on Sunday, he stabbed the youth. Though Kuriakose was rushed to the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital, he succumbed to the injuries there. Postmortem report states Kuriakose died owing to injuries to kidney, arteries and liver. Police have recovered the knife used for stabbing. Srinagar: Indian Army commander says car bombing in Kashmir was controlled from across the border by Pakistans spy agency. The Indian Army, CRPF and J&K Police addressed a joint press conference on the Pulwama attack on Tuesday, 19 February. KJS Dhillon,Corps Commander of Chinar Corps, Indian Army:The type of car bomb attack that took place in Pulwama on 14th Feb, happened after a long time in Kashmir. We will keep all options open to deal with these kinds of attacks. Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, Corps Commander of Chinar Corps, Indian Army: Anyone who has picked up a gun will be killed and eliminated. I would like to inform that in less than 100 hours of Pulwama terrorist attack, we eliminated have JeM leadership in the valley which was being handled by JeM from Pakistan, said Army commander. Three Jaish terrorists, including a Pakistani commander of the group linked to the February 14 CRPF bombing, and an Army major were among nine people killed in a 16-hour encounter in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on Monday, 18 February. Meanwhile, Pakistan has asked its high commissioner to India to return to Islamabad for consultations, a Pakistan government spokesperson said. On Thursday, 14 February, 40 jawans were killed in a deadly attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwamas Awantipora area. Cairo: A suspected bomber and two policemen were killed, two other officers were wounded when an explosive device went off in Cairo as security forces were chasing a suspect, the Interior Ministry said late Monday. Two policemen were also injured in the blast that took place in al-Darb al-Ahmar neighborhood, near the tourist Old Cairo area. The terror attack took place behind the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, sources added. According to the statement, police forces surrounded and captured the terrorist, but one of the bombs he obtained exploded, leaving him and two policemen dead. New York City's first yerba mate bar opened about a week ago on Lorimer Street, a bright and inviting little cafe called Portenas that not only specializes in that popular South American beverage but also serves an array of homemade empanadas and sweets such as those dulce de leche delights, alfajores. If you've never had a cupor a gourdof proper mate, get ready for a truly new experience. There are four different blends available here, and though the stuff looks like tea, the taste is much more earthy and bitter. The leaves' strong flavor is complemented or tempered by your choice of fruits, flowers, or coffee grounds. You can also order your mate the El Porteno way, for which you slowly pour a liter of hot water over your mate leaves, sipping through the straw as you go, or as a straight-up Mate Cocido, or as a kind of hybrid drink like the Mate-Latte or Mateccino. Whatever you think of yerba mateit's not for everyone, though you should certainly try itthe food at Portenas is excellent. The empanadas are done Argentinian style, slightly fried and then baked for a buttery, flaky crust, and currently come in five flavors. There's the Buenos Aires, which is filled with well-seasoned ground beef, the South Williamsburg (pastrami and pickled cabbage), the Austin (barbecue chicken), and two vegan options, the Greenpoint and the Portland. And the pastries and chocolates are just as delicious, especially the Alfajor, two cookie wafers stuffed with a generous schmear of dulce de leche; and the fantastic Mate Creme Brulee, complete with crackling caramelized cover. Portenas was founded by three women from Argentina (a Kickstarter campaign provided the initial funding) who have so many other things going on in their lives that this can only be called a labor of love. Chef Fernanda Tabares also runs an acclaimed restaurant in Buenos Aires and, in fact, is back there now, but will return to Brooklyn soon with next season's recipes. Tabares's best friend, Portenas CEO Carmen Ferrayra, who you'll probably see working the register, is really an art curator (she's in charge of production for two exhibits at next month's Armory Show) and also owns the non-profit organization Curatorial Program for Research. And the COO, Gretel Pellegrini, who plated my food last Saturday and is married to Ferrayra, is actually a dental surgeon (bone grafts are her area of expertise) and a musician with the Argentinian "tropical-punk" band Kumbia Queers. So what is motivating them to wade into the often-nightmarish NYC restaurant scene? For one thing, they wanted to spread the word about mate, the "tea of the gods," which is rich in antioxidants, packed with vitamins, and energizes without the typical caffeine crash. There's a strong social element to the drink as well, and the rituals surrounding sharing some mate have been a big part of the three founders' friendship. But Portenas is also something of an empowerment project, and Ferrayra and Pellegrini are seeking to hire immigrants, minorities, and women, eventually turning over the day-to-day operation to the workers. Ideally Portenas will expand to other branches, providing even more employment and growth opportunity. The clean, elegant design of the space was done by Ferrayra and Pellegrini (the crisscross pattern on the wall is copied from their home in Buenos Aires), and though there's not a lot of room here, about eight people can sit comfortably at a time. A multitude of plants provides color and energy, and are meant to evoke Argentina's lush Chaco region in the north. Portenas is located at 557 Lorimer Street, between Metropolitan Avenue and Devoe Street, and is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight on Saturday, and from 9:00 to 7:00 on Sunday (portenas.nyc) US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is in no rush to denuclearize North Korea, although that remains his goal, Trend reports citing Yonhap. Trump is due to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 27 and 28 to discuss the dismantling of the regime's nuclear weapons program. "I'm in no particular rush," he told reporters at the White House. The first Trump-Kim summit in Singapore in June led to North Korea's commitment to "work toward" complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guarantees from the US Next week's meeting is expecting to flesh out the deal. Trump said he spoke on the phone with South Korean President Moon Jae-in earlier in the day to discuss the upcoming summit and that he plans to call Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday. The US president has remained hopeful for progress in North Korea's denuclearization and dangled the prospect of economic rewards for the impoverished regime. He has also praised the North Korean leader, saying they have a great relationship and that they "fell in love." "I hope we have the same good luck as we had in the first summit," Trump said last week. "I'm in no rush for speed. We just don't want testing." Some observers interpreted that as a sign that the president doesn't care much about disarming the North as long as the regime refrains from testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that threaten the US South Korea's presidential office quoted Moon as telling Trump that Seoul is willing to boost inter-Korean economic projects to lessen the burden of the United States in offering concessions for the North's denuclearization. US Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont progressive whose 2016 White House campaign garnered fervent grassroots support and pushed the Democratic Party sharply to the left, said on Tuesday he would again seek the partys presidential nomination in 2020, Trend reports with reference to Reuters. Sanders, 77, announced his candidacy in an email to supporters, vowing to build a vast movement to confront the special interests that he said dominate government and politics. Sanders said he would push for many of the same issues that powered his 2016 run and resonated with younger voters, including universal healthcare, raising the hourly minimum wage to $15, and free public college tuition. Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that works for the many, not just the few, Sanders said, asking for 1 million people to sign up to kick off his bid. Sanders insurgent 2016 candidacy against front-runner Hillary Clinton ended up capturing 23 state nominating contests, but generated tension between the partys establishment and liberal wings that split the Democrats in 2016 and still plagues the party. He joins an already-crowded Democratic race featuring candidates touting many of the ideas he brought into the party mainstream. They include fellow Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Sanders has been among the leaders in early opinion polls of prospective 2020 Democratic candidates, but a broad range of progressive candidates could make it harder for Sanders to stand out and generate the same level of support as four years ago. In an interview with SiriusXM radio, Sanders said voters might want to look at who was there first, and who raised these issues in the past. He condemned Republican President Donald Trump in his statement as the most dangerous president in modern American history, labeling him a pathological liar, a fraud, a racist, a sexist, a xenophobe. The United States has blocked efforts by a U.N. agency to improve civil aviation in North Korea at a time when Pyongyang is trying to reopen part of its airspace to foreign flights, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, Trend reports. The U.S. move is part of a negotiating tactic to maintain sanctions pressure on North Korea, one of the sources said, ahead of a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam in late February. Washington is seeking concrete commitments from Pyongyang at the summit to abandon its nuclear and missile programs. The United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), with 192 member countries, has been working with Pyongyang to open a new air route that would pass through North and South Korean airspace. Airlines currently take indirect routings to avoid North Korea due to the threat of unannounced missile launches, which have been witnessed by some passengers on commercial flights. If the space was deemed safe, international airlines could save fuel and time on some routes between Asia and Europe and North America, and North Korea could begin reviving its own commercial aviation industry. The cash-strapped country has a population of more than 25 million but its economy has been squeezed by a series of sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Montreal-based ICAO was prepared to help improve North Koreas aviation system by leading training sessions between its military and civil aviation staff, two sources said. North Korea also asked ICAO for access to U.S.-produced aeronautical charts, they said. A coalition of 16 US states led by California have filed a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump over the latters decision to declare a state of emergency in order to gain finances for building a wall on the US-Mexico border, Trend reported citing Sputnik. Last week, Trump signed a national emergency declaration to secure funding to build the wall. The US president acknowledged he was likely to be sued for declaring the national emergency, adding that he would be successful in the US Supreme Court. According to The New York Times, the lawsuit was filed on Monday at the US District Court for the Northern District of California. "Today, on Presidents Day, we take President Trump to court to block his misuse of presidential power [] Were suing President Trump to stop him from unilaterally robbing taxpayer funds lawfully set aside by Congress for the people of our states. For most of us, the Office of the Presidency is not a place for theater, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said, quoted by The New York Times. Trumps disagreements with the Democrats on the border wall issue previously resulted in a record 35-day partial government shutdown that ended a few weeks ago. United States tariffs on imports of European cars could mean that Europe would buy less soya beans and liquid gas from the U.S., the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said on Monday, Trend reported citing Reuters. Juncker, whose institution is in charge of trade talks for the whole 28-nation European Union, told the Stuttgarter Zeitung paper in an interview that he had a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump that there would be no such tariffs for now. Trump has given me his word that there will be no car tariffs for the time being. I believe him. However, should he renege on that commitment, we will no longer feel bound by our commitments to buy more US soya and liquid gas. However, I would very much regret that, Juncker told the paper. The US Department of State on Monday called on Russia to help facilitate deliveries of humanitarian aid to the Rukban refugee camp in Syria, Trend reported citing Sputnik. "The United States has [] called for many months for the Syrian regime [government headed by President Bashar Assad] to allow rapid, safe, and unhindered UN access to the Rukban encampment. The recent humanitarian convoy was a positive step, and we call upon Russia to help facilitate continued, regular humanitarian deliveries," US Department of State deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a press statement. Palladino praised the recent delivery of humanitarian aid to the Rukban camp by the United Nations and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC). "The delivery, complete with careful distribution to all groups and UN/SARC monitoring, ensured that aid reached all those who needed it. We urge that access for humanitarian assistance must continue to Rukban and to all areas in Syria where people are in need," Palladino said. The deputy spokesperson pointed out that the United States was not preventing people who live in the Rukban camp from leaving the facility. "The United States has long advocated and will continue to advocate for freedom of movement for internally displaced persons (IDPs). It has not impeded and will not impede the movement of any IDPs who wish to depart from the Rukban encampment. Nor will it force anyone to leave. The United States fully supports a process that is free from coercion and allows for safe, voluntary, and dignified departures for those wishing to leave Rukban," Palladino added. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Istanbul is the economic capital of Turkey, said Binali Yildirim, ex-speaker of the parliament, Trend reports referring to the Turkish media. Yildirim stated that, should he be elected as head of the Istanbul municipality, many mega-projects will be implemented in the city. He also stressed the uniqueness of Istanbul, where representatives of all nations and religions live. Yildirim noted that, despite these qualities of Istanbul, Ankara is the heart of Turkish politics. Binali Yildirim recently announced his resignation as the speaker of the Turkish Parliament. Celal Adan, an MP from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), will temporary perform Yildirims duties. Earlier, Yildirim said the biggest problem in Istanbul is linked to passenger traffic, particularly high density of traffic, adding that he will be able to solve this issue if he gets elected head of the Istanbul municipality on March 31 during the municipal elections. The municipal elections in Turkey will be held March 31, 2019. They are held every five years. Former Minister of the Environment and Urbanization of Turkey Mehmet Ozhaseki has been nominated as the head of the Ankara municipality. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Moscow calls for increasing transparency in the activities of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference following talks with Miroslav Lajcak, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and the Slovak Foreign Minister, Trend reports referring to TASS. "Russia calls for making sure that the activities of the organizations institutions, including the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, the Representative on Freedom of the Media, as well as OSCE missions, are more balanced and transparent and strictly based on approved mandates," Lavrov pointed out. "The OSCE should facilitate efforts to restore trust in the Euro-Atlantic region and find appropriate responses to common challenges," he went on to say. "In this connection, we have highlighted the need to strengthen the organizations ability to unite countries and increase its role in international affairs. We are confident that we should continue to pursue the goal of forming a free, democratic and indivisible security space stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok, which was approved at the OSCE summit in Astana in 2010," the Russian top diplomat added. Lavrov said that the parties had "thoroughly discussed major tasks concerning three dimensions of the OSCEs activities, as well as possibilities for improving the operation of its executive agencies and field missions, and also touched upon a number of administrative, budget and staff issues." "We confirmed Russias interest in close cooperation with the current Chairmanship in areas key for the OSCE, such as the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking and cyber threats, efforts to harmonize integration processes, the protection of traditional values, the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, steps to counter anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and neo-Nazism," Lavrov stressed, expressing support for Slovakias plans "to hold events on these and other matters later in the year.". Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday Pakistan would retaliate if India attacked in response to a bombing in the disputed Kashmir region, which India blamed on Pakistan, Trend reports citing Reuters. Khan added that he wanted to cooperate in investigating the suicide bombing on Thursday, when 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed in an attack claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group. Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors has risen sharply over the killing in the Indian-controlled part of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Pakistani authorities have denied any involvement in the attack and called for United Nations intervention. But Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, facing a general election by May, has come under pressure to exact revenge and has said he has given his security forces a free hand to administer a strong response. Khan, in a televised address to the nation, noted the calls in India for revenge and said he hoped better sense will prevail. If you think that you will launch any kind of attack on Pakistan, Pakistan will not just think about retaliation, Pakistan will retaliate, he said. And after that where will it head? The United Nations is deeply concerned at the rising tensions and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is available to mediate if both sides ask, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday. Earlier, Pakistans foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, sent a letter to Guterres seeking U.N. involvement. The secretary-general stresses the importance for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalation, Dujarric said. The South Asian neighbors have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region. While they have not waged full-scale war since they both tested nuclear weapons in 1998, they have engaged in countless skirmishes along their de facto boundary in the mountains of Kashmir. The United States, which has condemned the attack as heinous, has been in contact with both India and Pakistan to discuss the issue, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told a briefing. He said Washington was committed to working with India on counterterrorism and urged Pakistan to fully cooperate with the investigation into the attack and to punish anyone responsible. Khan reiterated that Pakistan had nothing to do with the bomb attack and said it was ready to take action against anyone found to be behind it. If you have any actionable intelligence that Pakistanis are involved, give that to us, I guarantee you that we will take action, Khan said. Indias Foreign Ministry spurned the offer, saying Islamabad had failed to act on proof given to it about previous attacks. It said there had been no progress in the Pakistani investigation into the 2008 attacks in Mumbai blamed on another Pakistani Islamist militant group. Promises of guaranteed action ring hollow given the track record of Pakistan, the ministry said in a statement. Pakistans military has a long record of nurturing militants as proxies in pursuit of foreign policy objectives, and India has for years accused Islamabad of supporting jihadists waging a nearly 30-year revolt in its only Muslim-majority state. Muslim Pakistan has long said it only provides moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self-determination, though that has never dispelled Indias conviction of Pakistani support for militants. Khan said his country had changed. I am telling you clearly that this is new Pakistan. This is a new mind set, this is new thinking, he said. Hungary is expected to announce on Tuesday the opening of a trade office in Jerusalem following meetings between visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to senior Hungarian officials, Trend reports referring to The Jerusalem Post. Slovakian Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, meanwhile, announced that his country will open an information office for culture and technology in the capital. With this move, Hungary and Slovakia will join Bulgaria and the Czech Republic which have opened some kind of delegation in Jerusalem, though not an embassy. Australia, which recognized west Jerusalem as Israel's capital last month, has also announced an intention to open a trade embassy in Jerusalem. Netanyahu met Tuesday morning in Jerusalem with Orban, as well as with the prime ministers of Slovakia and the Czech Republic, even though Poland cancelled its participation in what was to be a formal summit of the Visegrad Group Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Netanyahu, in a photo opportunity with the visiting Czech and Slovakian prime ministers, did not address the diplomatic crisis with Poland. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, asked at a photo opportunity whether he was disappointed that Poland decided not to participate, said I'm sure that Israel and Poland will continue cooperation. This was Babis' first visit to Israel, and he and Netanyahu announced that the two countries will hold a government-to-government meetings later this year in Prague. Before meeting Netanyahu, Babis whose country has a thriving auto industry visited the Mobileye plant in Jerusalem. Powder. Graupel. Snirt. The hexagonal-shaped white devil who dances in the pale moonlight. Whatever you call it, snow is expected to hit NYC yet again this week. CUE THE MUSIC MAESTROS. How horror music is composed pic.twitter.com/U7OfyYG9BB Mako (@Mako__) February 19, 2019 The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from noon Wednesday to 6 a.m. on Tuesday. The NWS predicts around 1-3 inches of snow will drop on the city on Wednesday afternoon/evening, possibly starting around 3 p.m. The snow is then expected to change over to sleet and freezing rain coinciding with the evening commute. "Today will be a cold but dry day with a high of 39 degrees," the mayor's office tweeted this morning. "Tomorrow we're expecting a winter storm, so plan accordingly especially during afternoon commute hours!" With a storm system to our southwest moving in our direction for the second half of Wednesday and Wednesday night, here are preliminary snowfall expectations, along with the total rainfall / liquid equivalent forecast as the snow is expected to change to rain during Wed. night. pic.twitter.com/tWUuM20nvG NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) February 19, 2019 Sounds pretty straight forward, right? NOT SO FAST, according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist and Senior Vice President and also (I assume) Head Of Doomsday Prophecies Elliot Abrams, who told the NY Post it's not going to be one of those "fun" snowfalls. Its going to start off feeling a little powdery, like a dry, cold snow storm and get wetter and heavier. And as the sleet and freezing rain comes in, it will all get packed down into a mess," he told them. He added that the rush hour winter mix "isnt going to feel fun," it's more like a punishment from an angry Old Testament god for our urban hedonism. "Sleet feels like youre getting sandblasted. It will change to plain rain late [Wednesday] night," he said. "Be ready for real slippery conditions in the afternoon and evening." We still haven't seen all that much snow this winter in NYC, but out there in real America, this is the new national anthem: Economy Minister Eli Cohen and British Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox put pen to paper on a bilateral trade continuity agreement in Tel Aviv on Monday, less than 40 days before the UK is slated to exit the European Union, Trend reports referring to The Jerusalem Post. The agreement aims to ensure seamless continuity in existing trade between the UK and Israel after March 29, when Britain commences its 21-month transition period culminating in its withdrawal from the 28-member union. More important even than the agreement itself is what it says about our future relationship, said Fox. And about the way in which we will be able to cooperate in the future, not just on trade, which has improved enormously in recent years, but also on investments in both directions. The deal is based on the existing EU-Israel Association Agreement, through which bilateral trade has been conducted between the countries for almost two decades, and also includes a government procurement access agreement and a conformity assessment agreement. The latter, Fox said, is of particular importance to the UK as Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva produces one in every six National Health Service prescriptions today, and the agreement provides continuity in the pharmaceutical trade between the two countries. Britain will no longer benefit from the EU-Israel agreement after Brexit, as will be the case for several dozen other free trade agreements that the EU has negotiated over the last two decades with almost 60 non-EU countries. This agreement represents a very positive signal to the business sector, said Cohen. It signals continuity and, at the end of the day, it will be the business people who create the relationship between our countries. We invite more companies here to Israel, and Israeli companies to Britain. Describing the agreement as sound springboard for future ambitions, Fox predicted increased investment in both countries tech sectors in the coming years. We think there is enormous potential in the relationship to be synergistic in what we do in terms of the tech sector, he said. Of course, we have a huge tech sector in the UK. We had more venture capital and tech come to London in the past year than the whole of France, Germany and Sweden put together. So clearly, with the sort of innovation that comes out of Israel, theres enormous potential for us to work together for our mutual benefit. Britain is Israels leading export destination within the EU, with bilateral trade repeatedly breaking records in recent years, reaching $7.2 billion in 2016, $9.1b. in 2017 and approximately $11b. in 2018. Seeking to increase bilateral trade once again, the countries are currently organizing a major UK-based bilateral trade and investment conference. Last month, Fox and Cohen announced at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland that Israel had became the first country to finalize a post-Brexit trade continuity deal with the UK after almost two years of negotiations between the countries. In order to ensure that transition, a UK-Israel Trade Working Group was established and held its first meeting on March 29, 2017 the same day that the UK invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union to commence its withdrawal process. Fox and Cohen met three times in the last three months as efforts increased to finalize the deal. A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday that Britain still wants to reopen the withdrawal agreement it negotiated with the European Union to provide legal assurances over the border between Ireland and UK-controlled Northern Ireland. The PM has been seeking to reopen the withdrawal agreement and that remains our position, the spokesman told reporters. The attack reportedly took place on La Canebiere street in the French city of Marseille. The attacker has been neutralised by the police, Trend reports citing Sputnik. At least four people were injured as a result of a stabbing attack in Marseille, La Provence reported. The police shot the assailant to neutralise him, the media outlet informed, adding that he was seriously wounded. The area has been cordoned off, with authorities advising the public to avoid the sector. The reasons behind the attack are unknown at the moment. According to Reuters, citing a police source, the attacker attempted to fire on police before he was shot. Later on, BFMTV reported, citing police sources, that the assailant died of his wounds. No one in Europe would oppose a British demand for an extension of talks on Britains exit from the European Union beyond the March 29 deadline, the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker told the Stuttgarter Zeitung in an interview, Trend reported citing Reuters. With only weeks left to the exit date, Britains parliament does not want to accept the withdrawal agreement that has been reached between Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU, and many EU officials see postponing the exit date as the only way to avoid Britain crashing out without any deal. Any decision to ask for more time lies with the UK. If such a request were to be made, no one in Europe would oppose it. If you are asking for how long the withdrawal can be postponed, I have no time frame in mind, Juncker told the German newspaper. Many EU officials note that elections to the European Parliament on May 23-26 and the first sitting of the new parliament at the start of July creates a natural time-limit for any extension, which should not go beyond end of June. Juncker also indicated a longer extension could be problematic, but did not exclude it. With Brexit so many timetables have already gone by the wayside. But I find it hard to imagine that British voters would again vote in the European elections. That to my mind would be an irony of history. Yet I cannot rule it out, he said. When it comes to Brexit, it is like being before the courts or on the high seas; we are in Gods hands. And we can never quite be sure when God will take the matter in hand. Huawei Technologies Co Ltds founder and chief executive pledged not to share any customer information with the Chinese government and said the company had never done so, in an interview with CBS News that aired on Tuesday, Trend reports referring to Reuters. Asked if it had shared data with Chinas government, Huaweis Ren Zhengfei said in a translated interview with the television news outlet: For the past 30 years, we have never done that. And (for) the next 30 years to come, we will never do that. Ren also said the company did not have a back door to share customer data with Beijing without his knowledge. It is not possible, he told CBS, saying if there were such an opening the United States would have uncovered it already. On Monday, Ren said in a separate interview with the BBC that the technology company would not undertake any spying activities and that it could shift its business investments to other countries amid an ongoing U.S. pressure campaign. The United States is calling on its allies not to use technology from Huawei, the worlds biggest producer of telecommunication equipment, amid concerns over its relationship with the Chinese government and allegations it has enabled state espionage. Huawei has repeatedly denied such claims. Chinese coal traders have stopped ordering Australian coal as clearing times through Chinas customs have doubled to at least 40 days, according to major buyers in China and international coal merchants, resulting in a sharp fall in Australian prices, Trend reports referring to Reuters. The traders and a broker said only cargoes from Australia, the biggest supplier of the fuel to the worlds top consumer, were affected. We have stopped ordering coal from Australia because it is unknown how long the restriction will last, said a manager at a Shanghai-based trading company who usually buys around 400,000 tonnes of Australian coal every month. Customs clearance typically takes five to 20 days. Now it can be as much as 45 days, said the manager, asking not to be identified as he was not authorized to speak to the media. The worlds biggest coking coal exporter, BHP Group, played down any suggestion the customs delays had any connection to recent Beijing-Canberra diplomatic tensions. I dont believe for one moment this is linked to some of the higher level issues of relationships between China and the rest of the world, BHP Chief Executive Andrew Mackenzie said, speaking during a post-earnings conference call. He said the delays were not targeted against Australia, and reflected Chinas effort to balance domestic production versus imports. International traders confirmed the delays. Yes, the Chinese ports are holding up all thermal shipments ex Australia for 40-60 days...My clients are only buying spot Indonesian coal, said an Australian coal trader, who asked not to be named due to company policy. A coal broker at Chinas state-backed mining group Minmetals said he had asked clients to put Australian imports on hold. The delays have been a large contributor to slump in Australian coal prices. Spot cargo prices for thermal coal exports from Australias Newcastle terminal have fallen by more than a quarter from their 2018 peaks, to below $90 per barrel amid ample supply and tepid demand, especially from China. It was not clear why China had stepped up checks on Australian imports, but tension between Beijing and Canberra has grown in recent months over issues of cyber security and Chinas influence in Pacific island nations. Chinas General Administration of Customs did not respond to a request for comment. There was no immediate response from the Foreign Ministry to a faxed request for comment. Authorities at some ports notified importers verbally this month that Australian thermal coal, but also coking coal would take longer than usual to clear, the Shanghai-based manager said. A Beijing-based coal trader and a purchasing manager at a coke plant received similar notifications. None of the buyers were aware of the reason. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to arrive in India on Tuesday as part of his Asian tour, which kick started in Pakistan and will end in China at the end of the week, Trend reports referring to Al Arabiya. Counter-terrorism, investment and energy security are expected to top the agenda for discussions during the two-day trip. Saudi Arabias ambassador in New Delhi said that the Crown Princes visit to India is a historic opportunity to expand collaboration in all sectors, according to Indian media outlets. They also reported that a Strategic Partnership Council is set to be created during the visit, which will cover critical areas of mutual interest. These sectors will reportedly include the areas of investment, energy security, infrastructure and defense where several MoUs are expected to be signed. A statement by Indias Ministry of External Affairs read that the country and Saudi Arabia enjoy close and friendly relations anchored in mutually beneficial partnership and extensive people to people contacts. About 2.7 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in Saudi Arabia. Their positive and highly-appreciated contribution to the development of their host country has been an important anchor of bilateral engagement. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also facilitates Hajj pilgrimage to over 175,000 Indians every year, the ministry stated. In recent years, there has been significant progress in bilateral cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including energy security, trade and investment, infrastructure, defense and security, the statement read. Saudi-Indian bilateral trade was estimated at $27.48 billion during the year 2017-18, making Saudi Arabia Indias fourth largest trading partner. Saudi Arabia contributes about 20 percent of India's crude requirements. Besides holding talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Saudi Crown Prince will also meet President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu during his two-day visit. Modi had visited Saudi Arabia in April of 2016, where the two countries agreed to deepen their strategic partnership. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed seven MoUs worth $20 billion between the two countries across several sectors including oil, mining and energy. The deals were signed on Sunday upon the arrival of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Islamabad on the first stop of his three-nation Asian tour on Sunday. In a joint statement on Monday released after the conclusion of the Crown Princes state visit to Pakistan, both countries agreed that dialogue with India is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region to resolve outstanding issues. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Georgia is ready to cooperate closely with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for the benefit of both sides, Vakhtang Jaoshvili, Ambassador of Georgia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said during a meeting with OIC Secretary General Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, Trend reports referring to the OIC. The parties also exchanged views on various regional and international issues. Al-Othaimeen also noted the importance of OIC cooperation with Georgia in all areas, in order to strengthen relations. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The Iranian Customs Administration said that bringing foreign currency at any amount to Iran is free for individuals and legal entities, and no security, law enforcement or customs authority has the right to hinder it, Trend reports referring to Mehr News Agency. Ali Magouli, the director general of the Import, Special and Free Zones Department of Iran's Customs Administration, announced this in instructions addressed to the chief customs officers and observers at the Iranian Customs. It was stated in the instruction that, according to the decision made during the meeting of Irans Supreme Council of Economic Coordination on bringing currency to the country, hindering the bringing of foreign currency is considered a violation of the law. Persons violating the law will be suspended for a period of 6 months, and more severe penalties will be imposed in repeated cases. Citizens coming to Iran are not required to submit a customs clearance for bringing currency up to 10,000 euros (incl. equivalents in other currencies). However, if the mentioned amount is exceeded, citizens should disclose the amount of the currency to the customs. Sending and receiving unnamed bank documents and/or securities worth more than 5,000 euros (incl. equivalents other currencies) via post or money transfers is prohibited. Should the aforementioned laws be violated, penalties disclosed in Irans Goods and Currencies Smuggling Law are to be applied. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: There has been an increase in the number of countries showing solidarity with FATF and adhering to its recommendations, Pedram Soltani, First Vice President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), told Ibena, Trend reports. Soltani said that this issue has further complicated ways for Iran to avoid sanctions. According to Soltani, during the previous sanctions (2009), Iran's trade partners, such as China, the UAE, Turkey and Russia, did not fully implement the FATF framework. Soltani stated, however, that an increase in the number of various countries beginning to implement FATFs recommendations is being witnessed. FATF (Financial Action Task Force) is an intergovernmental organization that enforces international standards for combating money and property laundering, financing terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Two of the four FATF bills have been approved in Iran. Two others namely, Palermo and CFT bills are awaiting approvals. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 19 By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend: A meeting with representatives of the regional office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Central Asia was held at the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan, Trend reports with reference to the service. The sides expressed confidence in expanding productive partnership between Turkmenistan and the UNHCR. Turkmenistan adheres to generally accepted norms of international law and, as a neutral state, puts forward peaceful and humanistic initiatives, supporting international principles of the development of friendly and good-neighborly relations, the report said. During the meeting, UN officials expressed appreciation to Turkmenistan for the work done to reduce the number of stateless persons, while noting that the Turkmen experience serves as a good example for other countries. In November 2014, the UNHCR approved global action plan on elimination of statelessness for the period of 2014-2024, which was enshrined in the resolution of the UN General Assembly. Last year 735 people became the citizens of Turkmenistan, permanently residing in the territory of the state, who do not have citizenship and are representatives of various nationalities. During the period of 2011-2017, 8,145 people were accepted to the citizenship of Turkmenistan. For over 50 years, Mort Gerberg has been documenting life in New York City, the fight for women's rights, politics, the Miracle Mets, the minutiae of aging and everything in between in cartoons and illustrations which have appeared in the likes of the New Yorker and Saturday Evening Post. Starting this month, the New-York Historical Society is hosting a retrospective of Gerberg's work, including more than 120 published cartoons, drawings, and sketch reportage. And you can see a few of them up above right now without even getting out of your chair! The exhibition opened last week and runs through May 15th. NYHS writes of Gerberg, "Known for combining artistry with intuitive wit, he chronicles and comments on contemporary events that become history." Which is quite an apt description: his cartoons from 30+ years ago often carry a contemporary thematic relevancy, and his more recent ones don't shy away from political or social commentary, including a lot of Trump-related material (much of which you can see on his Instagram). The exhibit comes in conjunction with a new retrospective book, Mort Gerberg On the Scene: A 50-Year Cartoon Chronicle, published by Fantagraphics Underground. You can get more information about the exhibit and the book from the NYHS here. You can also listen to a long interview with him below. Gerberg, 87, was born in Brooklyn, and currently lives in Manhattan with his wife (he's also lived in Fort Hamilton, Bensonhurst and Flatbush, among other parts of the city). He recently told amNY that he still finds inspiration all over town, especially while riding the subways. In the video below, he compares being a cartoonist to be an oyster: "An oyster goes through the ocean, and every once in a while a piece of sand goes and gets underneath the shell of the oyster and irritates the oyster," he said. "And the oyster in reaction produces a pearl. And a cartoonist is a creature who goes through the world and life and everything else and every once in a while something annoys the person and irritates them. And in a response to this irritation, the cartoonist produces a cartoon, which is if you will, a pearl of wisdom." Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Huseyn Valiyev - Trend: Software piracy level in Azerbaijan may decrease by 20 percentage points, head of Microsoft Azerbaijan Sarhan Hashimov told reporters in Baku Feb. 19, Trend reports. He said that the ratings are determined by the International Data Corporation (IDC) every two years, and according to the latest information, Azerbaijan has improved its position by three percentage points. The Enterprise Agreement signed at the state level is one of the forms of our cooperation both with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies and the Copyright Agency of Azerbaijan, he said. I would especially like to express gratitude to the Agency, since this structure has recently taken big steps in improving the position of Azerbaijan in the global rankings. This applies not only to the software market, but also to other areas of copyright, in particular, musical compositions and movies. It was earlier reported that according to the BSA (Business Software Alliance), the software piracy level in Azerbaijan stands at 81 percent. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Huseyn Veliyev Trend: The second stage of licensing software solutions used in state agencies of Azerbaijan has started, head of Microsoft Azerbaijan Sarhan Hashimov told reporters in Baku Feb. 19, Trend reports. He said that the work in this direction is carried out in accordance with the agreement on the purchase of software licenses for state agencies signed in July last year. The Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan acts as the operator of the licensing project, because this ministry has the appropriate training in this issues, Hashimov noted. The licenses are already being issued and specialists on local resources are being prepared in parallel. It was earlier reported that it is planned to purchase 20,000 licenses for Microsoft software (Windows Pro, Office 365 ProPlus, Core CAL), as well as 10,000 licenses for universities according to a three-year agreement signed in July 2018 by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan with Microsoft Corporation on the acquisition of software licenses for government agencies. Microsoft also offered the "Benefits for students" program, which provides free purchase of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office software for students of all higher education institutions of the country (about 150,000 people). The second stage of cooperation between the ministry and Microsoft on software licensing of government agencies will be implemented in accordance with the agreement. 10,000 computers were licensed earlier, in 2011 in executive offices of government agencies in which Windows, Office ProPlus and Core CAL were used. The main objectives of the agreement are to save costs in this area, to improve the country's position in the rating on the protection of intellectual property rights, to develop an innovation ecosystem, to attract foreign investments, as well as to increase the incidence of use of electronic services. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend: The World Bank (WB) plans to provide Uzbek Government with an additional $500 million to support the budget, Trend reports via RIA Novosti. WB Board of Directors intends to consider the issue of providing a new loan in May this year. Uzbek Senate in December 2018 approved the state budget for 2019 with a deficit of 1.1 percent of GDP, or 4.5 trillion soums (about $540 million). The revenue part of the budget is planned to provide 24.2 percent of GDP, or 102.6 trillion soums (about $12.4 billion); expenses are planned to be 25.3 percent of GDP, or 107.4 trillion soums ($12.9 billion). Uzbek Ministry of Finance reports state that to cover the state budget deficit, in addition to domestic sources, loans of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank will be attracted for the first time. The ministry's forecasts underline that the budget deficit is planned to be reduced to 0.1 percent of GDP in 2020-2021. In July 2018, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance of Uzbekistan Jamshid Kuchkarov told reporters that the World Bank and ADB provided the country with $800 million in budget support to prevent its deficit from growing in the short term. In particular, the WB allocated $500 million and ADB provided $300 million. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Azad Hasanli Trend: The opening of bank accounts online is under discussion in Azerbaijan, which is envisaged by the new "Order of Opening Accounts", Asim Zulfugarov, Acting Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Financial Markets Supervisory Authority of Azerbaijan (FIMSA), said. Zulfugarov made the remarks at the event entitled With digitalization to reality in Baku, organized by the E-Gov Development Center, Trend reports on Feb. 19. FIMSA is currently working on a number of documents that will help the development of digitalization in the countrys financial sector. In particular, FIMSA is working on the bill "On payment services", which will also allow creating e-money in the country. The issue of digitalization of financial services is very important for FIMSA, Zulfugarov added. This is also envisaged in the Strategic Road Map for the Development of Financial Services, approved in late 2016. Speaking about the current situation, Zulfugarov stressed that 70 percent of e-transactions with accounts are carried out in Europe. Moreover, 20 percent accounted for the share of e-transactions on current accounts in Azerbaijan in 2018, which is twofold more than in 2017. Baku, Azerbaijan, February 19 By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend: Tashkent (Uzbekistan) plans to get a credit rating from Fitch Ratings and Moodys international agencies, Trend reports via Uzbek media. Sherzod Khadzhizadaev, the first deputy mayor of capital for economic and business issues, said that Tashkent will be the first city in Central Asia to receive a credit rating from Fitch Ratings and Moodys. He stated that Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev set the task of turning Tashkent into the financial capital of Central Asia. The first steps towards this goal have already been made, the first deputy mayor noted: In December, Uzbekistan received the first credit ratings from Standard & Poors and Fitch Ratings - both assigned the country a BB- rating with a stable outlook, while Moodys rated Uzbekistan at the B1 level, also with a stable outlook. Deputy Mayor for investment, innovation, industrial development, tourism and the promotion of privatized enterprises Sharof Rakhmonov noted the increased interest from investors. There are about 5,000 registered enterprises with foreign investments in Tashkent, at the moment. Previously, about 300-400 were created annually. About 1,500 enterprises with foreign investments were established in 2018 alone. It is planned to implement 273 investment projects worth $2.7 billion in the framework of the investment program of Tashkent in 2019. This figure was $420 million in 2018. In the structure of investments, the main part is occupied by the development of service sector and the organization of manufacturing enterprises. Rakhmonov said that about 30 percent of the investment program falls on construction sector. In value terms, the investment program is 32 trillion soums where about 10 trillion soums account for construction, which includes the construction of not only residential buildings, but also socially significant facilities, hotels, kindergartens and educational institutions and medical institutions. ($1- 8410.78 soums on Feb. 19) --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.19 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: First-ever EU emission standards for trucks have been agreed, Trend reports citing a message from the European Commission. The European Parliament and the Council have reached provisional agreement on a Regulation setting, for the first time in the EU, strict CO2 emission standards for trucks, reads the message. This deal follows the agreement reached in December on new CO2 emission standards for cars and light vans in the EU for the period after 2020. As part of the sets of legislative proposals on clean mobility introduced by the Juncker Commission, it is a further stepping stone for modernizing the European mobility sector and preparing it for climate neutrality in the second half of the century. Under today's agreement, emissions from new trucks will have to be 30 percent lower in 2030 compared to the 2019 emissions, reads the message. Reportedly, the new legislation will help Member States' emission targets, incentivise innovation, promote clean mobility solutions, strengthen the competitiveness of EU industry and stimulate employment, while reducing fuel consumption costs for transport operators and contributing to better air quality. Transport represents almost a quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions and is the main cause of air pollution in cities. The transport sector has not seen the same gradual decline in emissions as other sectors: emissions only started to decrease in 2007 and still remain higher than in 1990 (see graph below). Within this sector, road transport is by far the biggest emitter accounting for more than 70 percent of all GHG emissions from transport in 2014. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.19 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: High-voltage technologies of the US-based General Electric company will support the operation of power systems at the petrochemical complex enterprises in Azerbaijan (sulphonol, SOCAR Carbamide), GE told Trend. GE supplies oil and gas equipment for projects of mining, transportation, liquefaction, compression, processing and storage of hydrocarbons carried out onshore and on the shelf of the Caspian Sea. The main customers of GE in the oil and gas sector are the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan SOCAR, BP, Azerbaijan International Operating Company and Caspian Drilling Company. GE successfully supplied compressors for the TANAP within the framework of cooperation with SOCAR. GE equipment is also used in Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli projects. Moreover, speaking about cooperation between GE and Azerbaijan in the sphere of aviation, the company said that aircraft engines based on GE technology allow to operate more than 20 airplanes in Azerbaijan, including two high-tech Boeing 787 Dreamliners of Azerbaijan Airlines, as well as regional jets of Buta Airways. GE is also a reliable partner of Azerbaijan in the healthcare sector, successfully cooperating with leading state and private medical institutions of the country, said the company. GE said today, the company pays special attention to clinical training programs for radiologists. Field trainings are organized and remote support is provided with the help of advanced digital solutions, said the company. General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate incorporated in New York and headquartered in Boston. As of 2018, the company operates through the following segments: aviation, healthcare, power, renewable energy, digital industry, additive manufacturing, venture capital and finance, lighting, transportation, and oil and gas. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Rashid Shirinov Trend: President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed with Vagit Alekperov, President of the Russian Lukoil oil company, further development of investment cooperation in the oil and gas industry, Trend reports citing the official website of the President of Kazakhstan. Nazarbayev noted the positive dynamics and effectiveness of partnership between the Kazakh national oil company KazMunayGas and Lukoil. "We have been working with Lukoil for a long time. Your company is one of the largest in Russia. You are also one of the significant Russian investors in Kazakhstan," said the head of state. Noting that Lukoil has invested about $9 billion in the economy of Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev expressed interest in further strengthening of investment cooperation with Lukoil. During the meeting, the Kazakh president was presented with detailed information about the plans for joint implementation of the Zhenis project for exploration and production of hydrocarbons in Kazakhstans sector of the Caspian Sea. In addition, Vagit Alekperov informed the head of state about the construction of a plant for the production of lubricants in Kazakhstan. "The planned capacity of the enterprise is 100,000 tons per year. The modern plant will produce almost the entire range of lubricants. This includes 700 different types of products," said the president of Lukoil. The meeting also discussed joint work to find new hydrocarbon fields using advanced technologies, as well as the participation of Lukoil in the geological exploration program for 2021-2025 developed by the Energy Ministry of Kazakhstan. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.19 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The Southern Gas Corridor is a game changer for the European Union since it will deliver by 2020 for the first time gas coming from the Caspian Sea, the European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Gunther Oettinger said in an exclusive interview with Trend. "In this sense, it opens a new supply route and helps the EU to diversify its gas sources in line with the EU Energy Security and Energy Union Strategies," he said. The EU commissioner pointed out that the Southern Gas Corridors current capacity can technically still be expanded in future, which would allow the EU to still obtain additional gas from the Caspian region. Oettinger went on to add that he sees the future of energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU very positive. "The Southern Gas Corridor links Azerbaijan and the EU closely together. Azerbaijan and the EU already agreed on so-called Partnership Priorities. These priorities constitute an action program we want to implement jointly over the coming years. This list includes a strong energy focus. In addition, the EU is currently negotiating with Azerbaijan a so-called enhanced Agreement. This international agreement will put our joint relations, including on energy, on a new, solid and modern footing," he said. The commissioner said Azerbaijan plays a lead role in the Southern Gas Corridor and the state-owned company SOCAR is very active both in this project, but also beyond. "Due to its investments in the EU, the Western Balkans, and Turkey, SOCAR has a vocation to play an important role in the EUs and neighboring energy markets in future. The EU markets are always open to foreign investment and competition in line with the EUs regulatory framework," Oettinger concluded. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority projects for the EU and envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe. The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor was held in Baku on May 29, 2018, while opening ceremony of TANAP was held on June 12, 2018 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir. The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) have been recently connected on the Turkish-Greek border. --- Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend: The decree by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on simplifying the issuance of permits for the operation of a number of multi-apartment buildings will help revive the construction market, Nusret Ibrahimov, real estate expert, director general of the consulting company MBA Group, told Trend. He said that earlier, investors and construction companies couldnt commission construction projects for a long time. By this document, the president showed that he took control of this sphere as well, Ibrahimov said. From now on, the organizations and structures that prevented the commissioning of these facilities will no longer be able to do this. The expert added that now the structures and organizations wont be able to demand payment for the commissioning of construction sites. Speaking about the benefits that this decree will bring to residents of multi-apartment buildings, Ibrahimov said that earlier, in order to sell an apartment, it was necessary to contact the housing and construction cooperative, and they could also demand payment. After signing this document, there will be no such offenses, there will be only state fees, he noted. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Feb. 19 signed a decree on the simplification of issuing permits for the operation of a number of multi-apartment buildings. Asked what she does for the elderly woman whose Hells Kitchen apartment she works in every Tuesday through Thursday, Maria Gotays answer is simple: I do everything for her, she says in Spanish. Gotay, who at 75 is herself a senior citizen, prepares and serves food to her bedridden patient, adjusts her position every couple of hours so she doesnt get bed sores, changes her diaper, and cleans the apartment. Gotay says she gets up several times a night to check on her. Gotays children are now grown and, having worked as a home health aide at the nonprofit First Chinese Presbyterian Community Affairs Home Attendant Corporation since 2004, she is accustomed to spending days at a time away from her husband in the Bronx. Being away from home might be more difficult for someone younger who has children, says Gotay, who arrived in the U.S. from Honduras about 50 years ago. What Gotay refuses to accept, however, is the fact that she doesnt get paid for all the hours she works. Like other home care employers across the state, the agency Gotay works for follows the guidance of the state Department of Labor, which states that home care workers can be paid for just 13 hours of a 24-hour shift. The 13-hour policy is based on the assumption that workers are getting eight hours of sleepat least five of which are uninterruptedplus three hours for meals during each shift. Yet home care workers on 24-hour shifts say they routinely have to work through these required breaks without extra pay. In recent years, the aides have sued their employers in more than 145 class-action lawsuits challenging the 13-hour policy, and Gotay is one of thousands of workers who stand to be compensated for unpaid wages. The highest court in the state is now deliberating on two of those cases. Lower courts have ruled in favor of the workers, saying that they should be paid for every hour on the job; if the Court of Appeals reinforces those rulings, it could set a precedent for other cases and lay the groundwork for the 13-hour policy to be abolished. But the long-term care system in New York is largely government-funded, and in order to make meaningful changes, Governor Andrew Cuomos administration has to be on board. When it comes to the 13-hour rule, the state Department of Labor has argued that its necessary to preserve the status quo in order to prevent the collapse of the home care industry, and avoid institutionalizing patients who could be cared for at home. The home care industrys reckoning over unpaid hours comes at a time when the state is already struggling to get costs under control. Home care accounted for about $9.3 billion of the roughly $70 billion Medicaid budget in fiscal year 2018, with the bill split between the state and federal governments. Home health aides are among the fastest-growing occupations nationwide. There were 239,500 employed in New York state in December 2018, up from 99,800 a decade ago. Most work in New York City, where 93% are women and 79% are immigrants, and get paid minimum wage, which is now $15 an hour in the city. Yet, the number of home care workers still isnt growing fast enough to meet the demand. The shortage of home care workers is only forecast to get worse in the coming years. Medicaid, the state-run, government-funded insurance program for low-income residents, pays for the bulk of 24-hour home care in New Yorka level of care typically reserved for people with advanced Alzheimers, paralysis resulting from a stroke and other debilitating conditions. If the 13-hour rule is struck down, it could not only raise the cost of providing that level of care moving forward, but also make home care employers liable for back wages that they say could amount to billions of dollars and bankrupt the industry that elderly and disabled New Yorkers rely on to remain at home. That is, unless the statewhich has urged employers to continue following the 13-hour policy even as it has faced mounting legal challengesintervenes to help absorb any financial impact. The hope and expectation is that the state will step up for their level of responsibility, said Carlyn Cowen, the chief policy and public affairs officer at the nonprofit Chinese-American Planning Council, which operates a home care agency thats involved in two pending class-action lawsuits related to the 13-hour rule. Upon final ruling by the Court, the State will evaluate the impact of the decision and work to minimize where possible disruptions to the delivery of personal care services, the state Health Department said. Governor Cuomo has declined to comment on this issue, and his office did not respond to a request for this story, but his administration has so far done everything in its power to keep the 13-hour policy intact. On Tuesday, February 12th, Gotay took a rare day off, piled into a van with other home care workers chatting in Spanish and Chinese, and braved snowy roads to demonstrate outside of the Court of Appeals in Albany. The workers hoisted signs equating the 13-hour policy to modern-day slavery and demanding an end to 24-hour shifts altogether. Then they filed into the courtroom to hear the opening arguments in the cases on the docket: Andryeyeva v. New York Health Care and Moreno v. Future Care Health Services. The Court of Appeals hearing was focused, in part, on whether the state was properly interpreting its own minimum wage regulations by applying an exemption that was originally reserved for live-in domestic workers, to home health aides on 24-hour shifts who have their own residences. Some of the judges scoffed when Sari Kolatch, an attorney for the home care agency New York Health Care, argued that if an aide is in a clients home for 24 hours and sleeps during that time, then the aide effectively lives there during those 24 hours. Judge Eugene Fahey raised the argument that if a worker is required to be at their place of employment and on call, they should get paid, regardless of whether they are eating or sleeping. Do you know any firefighters? he asked Kolatch. Every firefighter I know has slept on the job. But when the bell goes off, theyre available for work. Theyre required to be there. Arent these employees the same? Governor Cuomo at a rally in 2015 (Governor's Office) Overall, the seven judges on the panel appeared to be split on whether they favored the home care workers or their employers. The State Department of Labor has opted not to fully support either side. In an amicus brief weighing in on the cases of Andryeyeva and Moreno, the DOL defended its policy allowing home care workers to be paid for 13 hours of a 24-hour shift and said its intention has always been to apply it to both live-in and non-live-in workers. But it also noted that home care agencies may still be guilty of denying workers the compensation theyre due under the law when they dont get adequate sleep and meal breaks, and that home care workers should still be allowed to seek that compensation through class-action lawsuits. Home care worker testimonies at a Department of Labor hearing over the summer, along with the complaints made in the lawsuits filed so far, suggest that home care agencies routinely fail to track the exact hours aides work and compensate them when they dont get the required sleep and meal time. The state attorney generals office says it now has three investigations open into home care agencies for potential violations of the 13-hour rule. But employers argue that the amount of money they receive from Medicaid to pay for 24-hour care is based on the assumption that home health aides only have to be compensated for 13 hours of each shift. As it stands, Medicaid pays a fixed monthly rate for each member on a long-term care plan to cover the cost of the services they will need. The state Health Department did not respond to a request for comment on what the mechanism is for reimbursing home care companies when a worker on a 24-hour shift has to be compensated for more than 13 hours. If the Department of Labor looks at the practices of many agencies, I have a strong suspicion they will find that the rule the industry is claiming theyve been following all these years is, in fact, a rule theyve been violating, and that even under that rule, workers will quite frequently be entitled to 24 hours of pay, said Richard Blum, an attorney in the Employment Law Unit of the Legal Aid Society, who has represented home care workers and patients. So, I dont think that a Department of Labor regulation or a ruling from the Court of Appeals solves the problem that there has not been enough money in the system and that we need more money in the system to support this service. The Home Care Association of New York State, which represents employers, has so far pushed the state to uphold the 13-hour rule in order to shield home care agencies from liability. First Chinese, the nonprofit agency that employs Gotay, declined to comment for this story. But at the Labor Department hearing over the summer, Jocelyn Lee, First Chineses executive director, demanded the states fierce intervention to prevent home care agencies from facing liability for unpaid wages under the 13-hour rule. Homecare employers are going to have no choice but to file for bankruptcy and the loss of homecare services for all of our homebound consumers will result in homecare consumers being institutionalized in nursing homes which will increase the amount of Medicaid and Medicare spending for the care of the clients, Lee said in her testimony, noting that her agency alone serves more than 1,000 people across the five boroughs. If the court upholds the 13-hour standard, I think theres going to be relief [for home care employers], but I wouldnt necessarily consider it a triumph if we still have a system that doesnt pay competitive wages and support the workforce in the way it needs to be supported, said Roger Noyes, the state Home Care Associations director of communications. In addition to being most Americans preferred way to age, home care has long been considered a cheaper alternative to a nursing home. If the 13-hour rule is eliminated, it could push the cost of 24 hours of home care above the average cost of a day in a nursing home in New York City, potentially leading the state to further restrict who qualifies for the highest levels of home care under Medicaid and leading families to make tough decisions about how to care for their loved ones. A ruling in workers favor could also force the state to figure out whether its possible to meet the rising demand for home care without relying on free labor. What it means is were not going to try to balance the home care budget on the backs of the most vulnerable employees, said Jason Rozger, an attorney representing the workers in Andryeyeva v. New York Health Care, one of the cases before the Court of Appeals. Even if the Court rules that the 13-hour policy is a violation of existing state regulations, however, the Department of Labor might still try to keep it in place by passing an update to the minimum wage regulations that would codify the policy into law. The Labor Department passed such an update multiple times on a temporary, emergency basis following lower court decisions in workers favor, until it was challenged in court and a judge ruled in October that there was no emergency. The Labor Department has also introduced a permanent version of that rule through the standard regulatory process. Although the public comment period ended in July, the Department has yet to decide whether to approve the rule and did not respond to a request for comment on its status. Lai Yee Chan, a home health aide named in a lawsuit against the Chinese-American Planning Council Home Attendant Program, who made the trip to Albany between shifts last week, says she is optimistic that the workers will ultimately be victorious. She said she was encouraged that one of the judges made the comparison to firefighters. Firefighters are on call 24 hours and they get paid, Chan said in Cantonese through a translator. Are we home attendants special because were women? We are also on call. Why shouldnt we get all our pay? Baku, Azerbaijan, February 19 By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend: On February 19, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in the country's Syrdarya region where he familiarized himself with the work of the Sirdarya Universal Oyna enterprise, Trend reports with reference to the presidential press service. The company was opened in June of last year on the territory of the Syrdarya free economic zone and provides pharmaceutical companies across the country with glass containers. The press service noted that after reaching full capacity, the enterprise will produce 102 million units of glass containers per year and export products worth some $2 million. In addition, it is planned to put into operation the production of colored glass containers for both the pharmaceutical and food industries in the region, to organize the processing of quartz sand for glass production, the production and processing of fish using a closed reservoir system, and the processing, storage and preservation of agricultural products. Projects for the production of pharmaceutical, textile, electrical products and building materials through investments, as well as projects for the modernization of Farkhad hydroelectric station, the construction of a small hydroelectric station near the Sardobinsky reservoir, a multidisciplinary logistics center organized by Sirdaryo Golden Fruits LLC were presented to the president. The head of state noted that all transformations are being carried out for the people and ordered to launch the submitted investment projects as soon as possible. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 Trend: The Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group and the Malaysia-based International Waqf Action Council (IWAC) have discussed a possible collaboration on developing the waqf sector for socio-economic prosperity. The discussions were held on 11 February 2019 during a visit to IRTI by IWAC Senior Advisor, Dr. Mohd Ghazali Md. Noor, where he held a meeting with an IRTI team led by the Acting Director General, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem. During the discussions, IRTI and IWAC agreed to work together to develop a global waqf development gateway to drive economic transformation, promote prosperity, foster social integration, as well as promote justice and fairness in wealth generation and distribution in the society. IRTI and the IWAC also deliberated on strategies of transforming the entire waqf system, in order to integrate waqf and Maqasid al-Shariah (objectives of Shariah) for the optimal achievement of well being of the Muslim society. The two institutions further discussed collaboration regarding IRTIs new initiatives on developing future knowledge leaders and smart economies for IsDB member countries, as well as cooperation on IWACs initiatives of promoting waqf for business and entrepreneurship. About IRTI: The Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) is a Member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group responsible for knowledge creation and dissemination in Islamic economics and finance, and fostering the use of Islamic finance to contribute to the sustainable development of IsDB member countries. More information about IRTI is available on www.irti.org. For enquiries about IRTI, please contact Habeeb Idris Pindiga ([email protected]). Baku, Azerbaijan, February 19 By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend: New joint study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank states that Uzbekistan can provide an export-oriented economy with the leading role of the private sector, Trend reports via Uzbek media. This can be achieved by reforming and modernizing promising sectors of the national economy, including the sector of civil aviation, information and communication technologies (ICT), the chemical industry and fruit and vegetable production. Diagnostics (comprehensive analysis) of the private sector in Uzbekistan, which for the first time jointly conducted in Uzbekistan by the World Bank and IFC, offers a strategy for creating markets in these sectors that have significant needs for modernization and investment. The report Creating Markets in Uzbekistan, prepared in close cooperation with public and private sector stakeholders, emphasizes that in order to attract investment in these sectors, where state-owned enterprises currently dominate, systemic reforms will be needed to develop the regulatory framework, increasing competition and improving the efficiency of these enterprises, as well as strengthening the management capacity of government in these sectors. Uzbekistan has long remained a country with a centrally planned economy. The situation began to change significantly since 2016, when the course was set for a more open, integrated and export-oriented economy, as well as the implementation of reforms aimed at supporting private sector by the state. Systematic reforms, improving infrastructure and strengthening the role of private sector in combination with the richness of natural resources, favorable climatic conditions and strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia will help Uzbekistan to become a regional center for trade and investment, Vice President of IFC for Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, Georgina Baker said. The study recommends complementing the transformation processes of the above sectors with macroeconomic reforms in the country. This will allow Uzbekistan to overcome difficulties in economic development issues related to employment, as well as an increase in private enterprises, exports and energy efficiency. The World Bank Group is ready to assist Uzbek Government in eliminating barriers that prevent various industries from maximizing their economic potential. The financial and advisory support of the World Bank Group will be aimed at deepening the government reforms in order to stimulate investment and modernize the Uzbek economy, the World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia, Lilia Burunciuc noted. The study also identified other industries with significant potential for creating sustainable and well-paying jobs, as well as accelerating development in Uzbekistan, including transport infrastructure, banking and financial services, tourism, retail chains and food production. Diagnostics of countrys private sector is a comprehensive analysis and offers solutions to stimulate the involvement of private sector in economic development issues. Diagnostics was previously conducted by the World Bank together with IFC, in Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, in the South Africa and Tunisia. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Huseyn Valiyev - Trend: Azerbaijans Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies considers expansion of international cooperation to develop the countrys transit potential as a priority, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade said Feb. 19, Trend reports. He made the remarks at the first meeting on Azerbaijan-EU high-level transport dialogue in Baku. He said that in this regard, Azerbaijan-EU cooperation is of particular importance. As part of technical support tools, the EU has implemented numerous joint projects so far, he noted. The expert mission to study legislation in the field of transport that was completed in 2017 can be mentioned as an example. In the field of automobile transport, third-generation smart tachographs are expected to be introduced." "I think that the expansion of the Trans-Eurasian transport network, including the extension of cooperation in this area with the Eastern Partnership countries until 2030 and the adoption of a long-term investment plan play an important role. I believe that the implementation of the work regarding this plan, along with the increase in economic opportunities, generally contributes to the development of the region. Azerbaijan is an initiator and participant of a number of global regional projects, Guluzade said. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line launched Oct. 30, 2017 plays a strategic role for the region and provides the shortest communication way between Europe and Asia, he noted. It will ensure safe transportation of goods from China to Europe, including the countries of the Far East, he said. The first stage of construction of the Baku International Sea Trade Port, which is the biggest port complex in the Caspian basin playing an important role in connecting the transport corridors of the North with the South and the West with the East, was completed May 14, 2018. At the same time, large-scale work is underway to build automobile road infrastructure. Wide introduction of multimodal transportations is underway in the Caspian region, as well as the volumes of maritime transport are accelerating and increasing, new tankers and vessels have also been commissioned, the minister said. The main goal is to create more acceptable conditions for the transit of goods through Azerbaijan, he noted. The work is underway on purchasing new locomotives and updating the railway infrastructure, and this will ensure faster and safer transportation of goods. Along with sea and land transport, the development of civil aviation is also a priority, he said. To this end, a lot of work has been recently done and large-scale projects have been implemented, he added. The fleet of the Azerbaijan Airlines has been updated, and regular flights are carried out to the CIS countries, Europe, America and Asia. The corresponding work is underway to increase flight directions and the development of transit potential. Six airports operate in Azerbaijan, and the Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport was awarded five-star status by the company Skytrax last year. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend: Azerbaijan's Ministry of Taxes is studying foreign experience in introducing tax amnesty, Minister of Taxes Mikayil Jabbarov said at the Taxes, Transparency & Development forum in Baku, Trend reports. Jabbarov noted that the ministry is studying not only the successful, but also the unsuccessful experience of other countries. The proposal to introduce a tax amnesty at the forum was made by the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AMCHAM) Nuran Karimov. Karimov stated that this would make a significant contribution, in particular, to the issue of registering enterprises and disclosing assets. At the same time, he proposes to switch to international accounting standards, revise the rules for keeping records and digitalization of the process. In 2017, a tax amnesty was introduced in Azerbaijan, which provided for the cancellation of interest accrued for nonpayment of debt, and the cancellation of part of the financial sanctions. The amnesty has affected the debts of over 40,000 entrepreneurs worth over 600 million manats. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: YouTube, VKontakte and Facebook have become accessible in Uzbekistan. However, Facebook loads very slowly, Trend reports via the Uzbek media. Mass problems with accessing Facebook in Uzbekistan for the first time began on September 4-12 last year. The second time the social network became unavailable in Uzbekistan on September 17 and remained as such until today. It was possible to use the popular social network only via VPN. YouTube became unavailable a month later, from October 4, 2018. For some time the service was accessible only through official mobile applications. Authorities were silent for almost three months regarding the problems with Facebook and YouTube. Only at the end of November last year, Alisher Zufarov, head of the sales and service development department of UzbekTelecom, said the company is working to solve the problem. He explained difficulties in accessing Facebook and YouTube with the first ever change of cryptographic key that serves as protection for the Domain Name System (DNS), which was reported by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). We are closely involved in solving this problem and will immediately notify everyone as soon as we get results. No one doubts that this problem can be solved with time. In special cases, technologies dictate their own rules. We count on your understanding, Zufarov stressed. In his turn, Olimjon Umarov, first deputy minister for the development of information technologies and communications, said the ministry is working to resolve this issue together with the national operator and other agencies. It should be noted that ministries, administrations and other government agencies, as well as members of the government and heads of state agencies over the past months continued to actively publish news and statements on Facebook and upload videos on YouTube. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, February 19 By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend: The head of administration of the Organization of American States (OAS), Gonzalo Conca, will attend the international conference on regional security in Central Asia in Tashkent on February 19-20, Trend reports via Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This will be the first visit of OAS representative to Uzbekistan. Earlier, the country's Foreign Ministry reported that President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev is expected to speak at the opening of the international conference "Interconnectedness in Central Asia: Challenges and New Opportunities. The conference is organized by Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia (UNRCCA). The conference organizing committee states that about 130 foreign experts from 36 countries, nine international and regional organizations have confirmed their participation in the conference. EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Peter Burian, Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization, Alan Wolfe are among them. Experts will exchange views on regional security issues in Central Asia, cooperation in the trade and economic, transport and communications, water and environmental, energy, tourism and cultural and humanitarian areas during the conference. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 Trend: Various projects are being implemented by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Bogota to widely promote Azerbaijan in Colombia, the embassy told Trend. As such, ColMundo, one of Colombias three most popular radio stations, has prepared a one-hour special program devoted to the culture and history of Azerbaijan. Speaking during the program, Hamid Zeynalov, Azerbaijans charge d'affaires in Colombia, gave detailed information on Azerbaijan's rich culture, ancient history, traditions and tourism. He said the centuries-old cultural heritage and national wealth of Azerbaijani people are known across the world today, and a number of historical monuments of Azerbaijan are protected by UNESCO. He also stressed that musical art, national cuisine and Azerbaijani carpets (Karabakh, Shirvan, Guba, Nakhchivan, Irevan, etc.), demonstrating the richness and antiquity of Azerbaijani culture, are successfully represented at international exhibitions and events. Zeynalov listed some of the progressive reforms and high economic indicators achieved in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He also informed the listeners about the balanced domestic and foreign policies of the country, as well as the global transnational energy, transport and communications projects. Moreover, the charge d'affaires provided detailed information on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian policy of invasion and ethnic cleansing and its ongoing military aggression against Azerbaijan, as well as the Khojaly Genocide, the 27th anniversary of which will soon be commemorated. About 75 percent of the Colombian population has a bigger preference for radio over other media, and radio channels gather over 38 million listeners every day across the country, according to statistics. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The successful holding of Formula 1 races in Azerbaijan noticeably increased the interest of local and foreign marshals, said Chingiz Mehdiyev, head of the Baku Marshals Club of the Baku City Circuit Operations Company, Trend reports. Motorsport marshals contribute to enjoyable, efficient, and safer motor racing. They are responsible for the safety of competitors and are stationed at various points of danger around race tracks to assist them in case of any collisions, accidents or track problems. Marshals are also known as course workers, corner workers, corner crews, turn marshals, corner marshals, track safety workers, or other equivalents around the world. Motorsport marshals can be either paid or volunteer workers depending on the organization they work for. Mehdiyev noted that more and more people are willing to become marshals every year. "If last year there were 1,603 people wanting to become marshals, this year their number is 2,445. This is very pleasing, and we are proud of it, he said. A meeting of marshals participating in the activities of the Baku City Circuit Operations Company was held on February 16. Various issues were discussed during the meeting, such as the results of the year, tasks completed in accordance with the trainings which were begun in early February for about 1,300 marshals, the changes that occurred in the regulations for the Formula 1 season for 2019, as well as the issues of improving the overall conduction of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan. The event was attended by 100 leading marshals. In 2016 these trainings were conducted by foreign marshals, while they have been led by local marshals since 2017. The Formula 1 races will be held in Baku on April 26-28 this year. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, head of the Turkey-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group Samil Ayrim. The head of state hailed the successful development of friendly and brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey in all areas, and expressed his confidence that the visit of a large delegation of Turkey-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group to Azerbaijan will contribute to further expansion of bilateral ties between the two countries. Describing Azerbaijan and Turkey as the closest countries to each other in the world, President Ilham Aliyev noted that the meetings at the level of heads of state and reciprocal visits at different levels are important for strengthening friendship and defining new areas of cooperation between the two countries. The head of state recalled his meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan both in Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well as on the sidelines of international organizations. He described a solemn march of the Azerbaijani and Turkish soldiers at the military parade to mark the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku as celebration of friendship and brotherhood. President Ilham Aliyev also noted that the inauguration of major energy projects, including TANAP and STAR Oil Refinery last year were landmark events in the history of the two countries. Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, head of the Turkey-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group Samil Ayrim thanked the head of state for the reception, and extended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans greetings to President Ilham Aliyev. He described the level of Turkey-Azerbaijan bilateral relations as very high, and recalled his meetings with national leader Heydar Aliyev. Samil Ayrim said that Azerbaijan has gained great international influence and has been rapidly developing under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev who successfully continues national leader Heydar Aliyevs policy. He emphasized that Turkey-Azerbaijan inter-parliamentary friendship group will spare no efforts to contribute to further strengthening of friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for Recep Tayyip Erdogans greetings and asked Samil Ayrim to extend his greetings to the Turkish President. A man who suspected of fatally bludgeoning his 51-year-old girlfriend and her 14-year-old son is dead from an apparent suicide. The bodies of Marisol Ortiz and her son, Alanche Delorbe, were found on Sunday afternoon by Ortiz's daughter in Ortiz's apartment in the Belmont section of the Bronx. Neighbors said they heard the 22-year-old-daughter, who had been checking on them because her mother did not show up for work, crying in anguish upon making the discovery. "Torn cash was allegedly found scattered over the 51-year-olds body. Hand weights that police believe were used to kill the duo were found near their bodies, though an autopsy has not yet been performed," the NY Post reports. A relative said that Ortiz's and Alanche's bodies would need to be cremated, because they were so mutilated. Another neighbor had told NBC New York that they had heard screaming from Ortiz's apartment around 1 or 2 a.m. on Sunday, but thought the noise was from a party. Police say Ortiz's boyfriend, Hector Cruz, was killed by a Metro-North train at the Hartsdale station in Westchester County around 9:45 a.m. on Sunday. Authorities believe he killed himself. Cruz's alleged motive remains unclear. The Daily News, which noted that Cruz served a seven-year prison sentence for first-degree assault (he was released in 2016), reports that Ortiz's brother believes "Cruz competed with Ortizs children for attention... He wanted Marisol to pay more attention to him than the kids." The super at Ortiz's building also described Cruz as "a devil! Hes a bad character. A really bad guy." Alanche's 15th birthday would have been Monday. "He didn't even get to learn how to drive. It breaks my heart," a neighbor said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend: Joint economic projects being implemented by Turkey and Azerbaijan further strengthen the brotherhood of the two countries, deputy chairman - executive secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov said, Trend reports. Ahmadov made the remarks at a meeting with a group of Turkish MPs who are on a visit to Azerbaijan. Every guest from Turkey is dear to Azerbaijan, he noted. We feel the same when we go to Turkey. The foundation of the Turkish-Azerbaijani friendship was laid by Heydar Aliyev. Ahmadov added that Turkey has become one of the powerful countries in the world. We are proud of it, he said. Together with Turkey, Azerbaijan is growing stronger. The strength of these two countries further increases their greatness. I believe that Turkey is also proud of the development of Azerbaijan. He noted that Turkeys efforts regarding the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are the greatest support. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The question of suppressing the radio broadcasts of neighboring countries reaching Azerbaijan must be raised before the relevant authorities of the country, Aflatun Amashov, Azerbaijani MP and chairman of Azerbaijans Press Council, said at a plenary meeting of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Trend reports. According to Amashov, the waves of Iranian radio are drowning out the Azerbaijani radio waves when reaching Hajigabul; similarly, one can catch Armenian radio waves at the Aghsu pass, and, when driving away from Ganja, Georgian radio can be heard as well. Due to this, Amashov said it is important to make amendments to the legislation. The information space, like the land borders of countries, should have its borders, and both borders should be protected, for the sake of the countrys future. Therefore, I think it is necessary to raise this issue before the authorities." Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: Some individuals ascribe to themselves the steps taken by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to deceive the countrys people, Azerbaijani MP Siyavush Novruzov said on Feb. 19. Novruzov made the remarks at the plenary session of the Azerbaijani parliament. He said that President Aliyev has been talking about reforms ever since being elected. "The programs ensuring peoples welfare have been prepared in some cities, he said. However, some narrow-minded individuals tend to deceive people and attribute to themselves the steps taken by the president." These individuals were once engaged in plundering the Azerbaijani budget, he said. Novruzov also said that as a result of the policy pursued by President Aliyev, processing enterprises are being opened, big programs are being implemented, reforms are being carried out in tax and customs bodies. Citizens positively assess these steps, he added. This is not the result of someones rallies. Those, who hold the rallies, do not want these projects to be implemented. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: The next meeting of the working group on the demarcation of the Azerbaijani-Russian border will be held in spring, said Igor Bratchikov, Russian president's special representative on delimitation and demarcation of borders with CIS countries, Ambassador at Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Trend reports. The demarcation process will go according to plan, as agreed. I hope that we will be able to demarcate the borders quickly enough under the leadership of Khalaf Khalafov, who will keep an eye on the process, Bratchikov said. According to him, the exact venue of the next meeting is yet to be known. Bratchikov further stated that the implementation of the decision of the 5th Caspian Summit will be discussed at the meeting of the high-level working group on the implementation of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea with the participation of the representatives of the Caspian states. "We must agree on the rules of procedure, as the working group is established for the entire duration of the Convention, and how the working group will work for decades depends on how we work out these rules," he said. Bratchikov expressed hope that the next meeting of the working group will be held no later than in the coming months. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs can only help create conditions for dialogue on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, Trend reports Feb. 19. "The co-chairs from Russia, the US and France work closely together. They have already met with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and new contacts are being prepared with foreign ministers," Lavrov said. "Considering that the new government in Armenia has been formed quite recently, it will certainly take some extra time to understand how intensively and how deeply the settlement process can be developed at this stage. I repeat, once again: the co-chairs and the OSCE can only help create conditions for dialogue, but decisions, of course, must be made within the dialogue, within the direct negotiations between the parties." The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovakias Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajcak will visit Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Lajcak made the remarks at a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Trend reports. "I intend to visit Baku and Yerevan in the first half of March to discuss these issues, he said. I have invitations from Azerbaijan and Armenia." Lajcak stressed that Slovakia supports the existing framework for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We fully support the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, he said. I regularly meet with them. A new situation is observed in Armenia after the election, he said. The expectations are connected with that. I would like my visit to help determine what can be expected and what results can be achieved. Our goal is to help the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to take advantage of this new situation. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 24 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Feb. 19, Trend reports. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 Trend: A delegation of the European Commission Department on Transport and Mobility, headed by Director-General Henrik Hololei, is on an official visit in Baku. The visits agenda is a Common Aviation Area Agreement between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the EU. During the visit to Heydar Aliyev International Airport, the guests met with AZAL President Jahangir Asgarov. At the meeting, the two sides discussed prospects for cooperation and applying of European specialists experience in Azerbaijans civil aviation. AZAL President stressed that National air carrier of Azerbaijan has one of the newest airplane fleet. Starting from the second half of 2019, the fleet of Azerbaijans National Airline will begin to replenish with new modern Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the total number of which will reach ten. On the instructions of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the first low-cost airline of Azerbaijan, Buta Airways, was founded in December 2016. The Airlines fleet consists of modern Embraer E-190 aircraft that fly to the most in demand destinations. According to Jahangir Asgarov, despite the relatively small territory, in Azerbaijan there are six international airports that meet all the requirements of international standards. In May 2018 Heydar Aliyev International Airport was awarded the maximum 5 Stars of prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards. Baku Heydar Aliyev Airport is also named the best airport among airports of Russia and CIS countries for the level of the provided services. AZAL President emphasized that foreign airlines can fly to Azerbaijan without any restrictions, also carry out flights to other cities through our airports (the so-called Fifth Freedom of the Air). According to Jahangir Asgarov, removing restrictions will not only lead to the development of air travel, but will also ensure economic growth and the creation of new jobs. The guests noted that the opportunities created in Azerbaijans civil aviation by using advanced technology made a great impression on them. Henrik Hololei praised the achievements of Azerbaijani civil aviation, personnel training, the introduction of the latest technologies and innovations in the field of air traffic management. Thanks to the conditions created in the country, Azerbaijan is becoming increasingly attractive to the global aviation community. More and more European airlines prefer to choose our countrys airspace for transit flights. The unique geographical location makes Azerbaijan a specific link of the growing air transportation between Europe and Asia. The delegation of the European Commission also got familiarized with Azeraeronavigation Air Traffic Control Center, its structure and achievements in the field of air navigation. The guests also visited the new Airspace Supervision & Efficiency Center (ASEC). The successful and dynamic development of air navigation in Azerbaijan has allowed Baku to win the competition to hold the annual CANSO Global ATM Summit in 2020. AZANS was elected to European Air Navigation Organizations CEO committee CANSO EUROPE in 2018 and actively participates in the development of the future architecture of European Airspace. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 19 Trend: Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) hosted PMI Azerbaijan Summit 2019 entitled Implementation of advanced project management methods and their role in contemporary management. The event dedicated to 50th anniversary of Project Management Institute (PMI) was held by PMI Azerbaijan Chapter (Potential) with organizational assistance by the Higher School. Almost 100 managers and experts from state organizations and leading international companies operating in the field of IT, production, construction, finances and education attended the event. Event facilitator Kanan Mammadov introduced PMI Azerbaijan Chapter (Potential) board members and provided brief information on the Chapter establishment and development. BHOS Rector Elmar Gasimov in his welcome address outlined the importance of training of project management specialists and implementation of advanced management methods in all spheres. He delivered a concise speech on training programs provided by the School of Project Management (SPM) that is administered by the BHOS. He noted that all the courses taught at the school are developed in strict compliance with standards and requirements of PMI. Elmar Gasimov also added that graduates of SPM who are national specialists from large local and international companies were awarded Master certificates by the George Washington University (USA). The rector wished the Summit delegates successful and fruitful work. Chairman of PMI Azerbaijan Chapter (Potential) Emil Ismayilkhanov gave insights into the achievements, challenges and development plans of the national Chapter. Vice-president of PMI Turkish Chapter, Project and Portfolio Manager of Turkish Airlines Omur Benek made a presentation covering PMI Turkey Chapter activities and participation in regional and international PMI initiatives. PMI Azerbaijan Potential Chapter Board member Nigar Jafarova gave a speech about new project entitled Project Management for Kids and its objectives. The panel session on Implementation of advanced project management methods in public and private sectors and its prospects was moderated by Chairman of Executive Board of Baku Stock Exchange, the Chapter Board member Vugar Namazov. Director of E-Gov Development Center Public Entity Fariz Jafarov, Project and Portfolio Manager of Turkish Airlines Omur Benek and Project Management expert Elchin Mammadov made speeches and presentations on the session topic, which were followed by views exchange, Q&A session and discussion about prospects of project management development in Azerbaijan. Project Management Institute founded in 1969 is a non-profit worldwide organization with the aim to provide international experience, knowledge and skills in project management. Its services include the development of standards, research, education, publications and networking opportunities in local chapters, hosting conferences and training seminars, and providing accreditation in project management. The work on establishment of PMI Azerbaijani Chapter commenced in February 2016. In May 2017, its representatives attended PMI Leadership Institute Meeting in Rome. They were first to support and sign PMI European Chapter Collaboration Memorandum adopted at the meeting. The organization received the official status of PMI Azerbaijan Potential Chapter in Berlin after a contract between Azerbaijan and PMI was signed on May 4, 2018. While some New Yorkers have accused the de Blasio administration of being in cahoots with the urban raccoon population in order to propagate a problematic pro-procyonid agenda (...stick with me here), not all politicians are in the pocket of Big Trash Panda. State Senator Roxanne Persaud told officials at a transportation budget hearing today that raccoons have been encroaching upon the E. 105th Street L train station in Canarsie for months now. "Several of my constituents have mentioned seeing them in the station," she said. "Raccoons tend to live there," she added, asking the MTA officials to do something about the hostile takeover. It may have been...slightly off-topic to the other matters at hand. Almost two hours into this hearing before Access-A-Ride, which serves more than 150,000 New Yorkers and is notoriously terrible, is first raised, by Senator Persaud (she asked about a station with raccoons first). Aaron W. Gordon (@A_W_Gordon) February 19, 2019 There have now been the same number of questions on raccoons at a subway station and Access-A-Ride, but no real probing into why it would be cheaper for the MTA to subsidize taxi rides for those who need AAR rather than continuing to run this terribly-managed service. Second Ave. Sagas (@2AvSagas) February 19, 2019 Persaud previously tweeted about the raccoons last summer after hearing about complaints from constituents. Raccoon sighted again at E 105th St "L" Train station. @MTA notified. Thanks to Constituent Rudy C. for sending the picture. Raccoons seem to like using this subway station. #SD19 pic.twitter.com/0ESfVapySY Roxanne J. Persaud (@SenatorPersaud) July 5, 2018 Raccoons are always at that station I purposely avoid that station Curtis D. Whiteman (@ProphetCurtis) July 6, 2018 But this infestation goes back much farther than thatthe sighting in the tweet below stems from 2013. Which makes us wonder...what if the raccoons were there first, and humans have been encroaching upon their land? @eyewitnessnyc there's raccoons in Brooklyn too. Picture taken at east 105 street train station on the L line pic.twitter.com/gXkuXssALe patpoof (@patpoof) August 1, 2013 Like pigeons, cats and the occasional emotional support hen, raccoons have been known to ride the train as well. Who could forget this illegal pet raccoon who stole NYers hearts? Here are a few more sightings of the dangerous beasts who have cute little hands that they use to hold things, just like a person would, squee: bro imani just rode the L train with a raccoon Alyssa C. (@AlyssaCamillee) December 18, 2017 Update: Brooklyn Bridge-bound 6 trains continue to run express from Hunts Pt to 3 Av-138 St because a train's brakes were activated by a raccoon on the tracks at Longwood Av. Our crews are on scene waiting for animal control crews to assist the raccoon off the tracks. NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) January 18, 2019 I just saw the two LARGEST raccoons I have ever seen in my life in #BUSHWICK right at the Wilson Stop on The L Train!!!! Tavonna Miller (@Tavonna) January 13, 2014 But never forget: despite the fact that NYers can't "possess a raccoon without a license, and licenses are not issued for pet wildlife," the city still encourages humans to coexist peacefully with our distemper-infected trash-nibbling brothers and sisters. "Learn to live alongside racoons", city of New York ads on its subway never fail to be truly amazing. "City dwellers take many forms". pic.twitter.com/9THdeEb1Ie Sarah Kay (@K_interarma) June 8, 2017 To conclude: "A FREAKIN RACOON [sic] IN THE SUBWAY!!!???!!!" The Friday Prayer Leader of Ahvaz, the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province in Iran has resigned. Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Jazayeri visited the office of Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Monday February 18 and tendered his resignation, ISNA reports. Ayatollah Jazayeri is considered a close ally of the Supreme Leader. Jazayeris absence from official events during the past two weeks had led to rumors about his death, but his office issued a statement on February 12 saying that the 78-year old cleric was in good health and was visiting England, "to expand" on the "ideals of the Islamic Revolution." This led to a lot of speculation in Persian-language media and jokes on social media about his missionary trip to Britain. It also led to criticism of state-sponsored ayatollahs occasionally visiting Europe for medical reasons, while most Iranians can never obtain a visa to travel to the West. The ISNA report says that Jazayeri also reported on his health during his visit to Khameneis office. This means that his visit to the U.K. might have been for medical reasons. Already after his return, in his Friday sermon on February 15 he alluded to possible retirement citing his old age and physical weakness. KYIV. Feb 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) The most pronounced political position in television coverage of the presidential election campaign in Ukraine is displayed by TV channels 1+1, Pryamiy, Ukraina, Inter, NewsOne and 112.ua. These are the findings of the first interim results of independent monitoring of media coverage of the presidential race in Ukraine from January 14 to February 3, 2019. The monitoring was conducted by a number of public organizations with the support of the Council of Europe. Ukrainian television channels ICTV, STB and UA:Pershyi (UA:First) provided more neutral coverage of presidential candidates, according to the monitoring results. Channel 1+1 showed sympathy for showman and presidential candidates Volodymyr Zelensky and Oleksandr Shevchenko, while criticizing the current authorities and incumbent President Petro Poroshenko. Pryamiy TV and Channel 5, which belong to Poroshenko, "openly sympathize" with the incumbent president, according to the monitoring results, which found Pryamiy TV aired "severe criticism" of Batkivschyna Party leader and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko and Zelensky. The Ukraina (Ukraine) TV channel showed sympathy for the candidate from the Opposition Bloc Party of Peace and Development leader Oleksandr Vilkul, while criticizing Opposition Platform For Life leader and presidential candidate Yuriy Boiko for splitting the Opposition bloc. Meanwhile, Inter TV actively covered and supported Boiko's candidacy. The NewsOne channel openly supports Boiko, said monitors, who said 112.ua TV pays the most attention to Poroshenko and Boiko. "Almost all media (primarily TV channels), with few exceptions, showed their sympathies or antipathies towards certain presidential candidates. In most cases this can be explained not so much by the position of the journalists themselves, as by the position of media owners, who have their own political interests. This is a trend in not only this election campaign, but in most Ukrainian election campaigns," Director of Ukrainian Media and Communication Institute Diana Dutsyk said. Council of Europe international expert Rasto Kuzel said Ukrainian media actively cover candidates' events and procedural aspects related to elections. "But on the other hand, the majority of media have demonstrated their preferences for specific candidates," he said. The monitoring was conducted by a coalition of public organizations under the aegis of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics, Human Rights Platform, Ukrainian Media and Communication Institute, and StopFake. The monitoring is done with the support of two Council of Europe projects in Ukraine. On Wednesday, February 20, at 13.30, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference on the subject: "The role of police in the electoral process: to influence or maintain order?" Participants are head of the political programs of NGO Ukrainian Center for Social Development Ihor Reiterovych and election law specialist Andriy Romanchuk (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation by phone: +38 068 166 86 59, +38 050 782 1727. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a bill into law to amend the Constitution of Ukraine to formalize the country's strategic course towards membership in the European Union and NATO. Poroshenko signed the law on the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on Tuesday at a special parliament on the 5th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity, according to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent. Prior to signing, the president invited Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman to join him at the rostrum to confirm the unity of the different branches of power in Ukraine. After that, Poroshenko signed the law under prolonged applause from those present in the hall. As reported, on February 7, 2019, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved amendments to the Constitution regarding the state's policy of acquiring full membership of Ukraine in the European Union and NATO (No. 9037). This decision was supported by 334 lawmakers. Bishop Viktor (Kotsaba), head of the Representative Office of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to the European international organizations, has addressed officials from the UN, the OSCE, the EU and several countries in connection with human rights violations in Ukraine and the threat of escalation of religious conflicts. "To our great regret, Ukraine's Orthodox Christians have become pawns of the political game of the top officials of the state, who have involved in these processes Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew, which has already led to numerous conflicts based on religion," the bishop said in his video address released on Monday. The bishop said the attempt to create a unified local church in Ukraine has led to new contradictions and conflicts. "The places of worship of our Church, which has a thousand-year history, are now being taken over, the flock are being laid into, and state officials are making the clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church join the 'new Church' supported by the president of Ukraine. The Security Service of Ukraine is summoning our priests for questionings, and our bishops can only go abroad after preliminary questioning and reinforced examination by special state services," the bishop said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Council Donald Tusk on Tuesday honored the memory of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes, the victims of Maidan clashes in the center of Kyiv during the Revolution of Dignity five years ago. "We together with President of the European Council Donald Tusk have honored the memory of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes. Eternal memory and glory. Heroes never die," Poroshenko wrote on Twitter on Tuesday morning. Poroshenko also shared a photo with him and Tusk visiting a memorial cross with the names of those killed in the center of Kyiv. Memorial bells were also heard ringing, the presidential press service said. "Petro Poroshenko and Donald Tusk also familiarized themselves with the blueprints of the National Memorial Complex of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes and the Museum of the Revolution of Dignity whose construction is planned at the site of the death of the victims of Maidan clashes," it said. On February 11, 2015, Poroshenko signed decree No. 69/2015 "On honoring the feats of the participants in the Revolution of Dignity and commemorating the Heavenly Hundred Heroes." The document set February 20 to commemorate Heavenly Hundred Heroes Day "in honor of courage, strength of mind and perseverance of citizens who gave their lives during the Revolution of Dignity (November 2013 through February 2014), defending the ideals of democracy, defending human rights and freedoms, Ukraine's European future." Tusk to Poroshenko: Ukraine's reputation very high not only in Brussels but also in all capitals of Europe President of the European Council Donald Tusk has praised the efforts of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in reforming the state, noting the high reputation of Ukraine "not only in Brussels but also in all capitals of Europe." "I also really appreciate your personal role, Mr. President. You also have good reasons to be proud. This is not just my personal opinion. Your reputation and the reputation of the whole country is very high not only in Brussels but also in all capitals of Europe. You have deserved such a reputation," Tusk told Poroshenko while meeting in Kyiv on Monday, February 18. The European official also highly appreciated the Ukrainian people's efforts to resist Russian aggression. "This is the first time in our common European history, when such resistance, courage and pragmatism were demonstrated. Because I feel, and this not only my opinion, that you are heroes and pragmatics. It's unique," he said. Four members of Ukraine's Joint Forces were wounded in action as Russia-led forces mounted 12 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, in the past day. "The Russian occupying forces violated the ceasefire 12 times, in 10 of them they used 122mm artillery systems, 120mm and 82mm mortars, having fired 117 shells and mines. The enemy also opened fire from anti-tank missile systems, weapons on infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns and small arms to attack Ukrainian strongholds... Four members of the Joint Forces were wounded in action," the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) press center said on Facebook in a morning update on Tuesday, February 19. Russia-led forces used proscribed weapons. "The enemy attacked our positions in the Skhid (East) sector six times, using 122mm artillery systems, anti-tank missile systems and large-caliber machine guns near the village of Lebedynske. 122mm artillery systems, 120mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers were used near the village of Vodiane, weapons on infantry fighting vehicles and hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers were used near the village Opytne," it said. "Grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms were used near the village of Pavlopil and small arms near the town of Maryinka." Russia's hybrid military forces used various types of weapons to attack Ukrainian positions in the Pivnich (North sector) near the villages of Katerynivka, Novotoshkivske, Travneve, and Krymske. "The enemy has mounted three attacks since Tuesday morning," the JFO press center said. In particular, the villages of Hnutove and Katerynivka came under fire. According to Ukrainian intelligence reports, nine members of illegal armed formations in Donbas were eliminated and another one was captured by the Ukrainian army. Chicago, Illinois, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The John Marshall Law School in Chicago is proud to again be recognized as one of the most diverse law schools in the country. In this years diversity survey, preLaw Magazine rated John Marshall the top law school in the Midwest for diversity based on its faculty and student body. This is the fourth consecutive year preLaw Magazine has recognized the law school for its diversity. In 2018, John Marshall was named a top law school for African-American and Asian Law Students. John Marshall also boasts a diverse faculty, with all seven of its last full-time faculty hires being individuals of color. Since 1899, John Marshall has welcomed students of color, women and immigrants. The law school graduated its first female student, Jessie Cook, in 1903; its first African-American student, James Randle, in 1904; and its first Hispanic student, William E. Rodriguez, in 1912. John Marshalls community is made up of more than 30 student organizations that represent the diverse interests and pursuits of the student body. These organizations include the Womens Law Caucus, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Black Law Students Association, Latino Law Students Association, South Asian Law Students Association and Middle Eastern Law Students Association. About The John Marshall Law School The John Marshall Law School, founded in 1899, is an independent law school located in the heart of Chicago's legal, financial and commercial districts. The 2019 U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Graduate Schools ranks John Marshall's Lawyering Skills Program 6th, its Intellectual Property Law Program 15th and its Trial Advocacy Program 20th in the nation. Since its inception, John Marshall has been a pioneer in legal education and has been guided by a tradition of diversity, innovation, access and opportunity. In July 2018, The John Marshall Law School and University of Illinois at Chicago Boards of Trustees voted to create UIC John Marshall Law School Chicagos first and only public law school. The transaction, which is expected to take effect for Fall 2019, has since received approval from the Illinois Board of Higher Education and acquiescence from the American Bar Association. Learn more at jmls.uic.edu. CARSON CITY Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford on Monday joined a lawsuit that challenges President Trumps declaration of a national emergency to direct funding toward construction of a barrier on the border with Mexico. The lawsuit led by California Attorney General Becerra was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In the complaint, a coalition of 16 states alleges that the Trump Administrations emergency declaration and diversion of funds is unconstitutional and otherwise unlawful. The states seek to block the Trump Administrations emergency declaration, the unauthorized construction of the border wall, and any illegal diversion of congressionally appropriated funds. President Trump cannot sidestep our Constitution for a political ploy, said Ford. The Trump Administrations proposed diversion of funds would waste billions of dollars that is dedicated to supporting our military and law enforcement agencies. I am proud to join this lawsuit to defend our Constitution, our states military bases, and Nevadas law enforcement agencies. Goicochea said he wants the working group to explore ways to enable individual ranchers to participate in fighting fires early by keeping fire kits and using slide-in pumpers. But he conceded that such solutions could hit another challenge: federal regulations. The federal government manages about 86 percent of the land, areas where most of the burns occur. Both Swank and Goicochea said any solutions coming out of the working group would have to involve the federal government. Goicochea cited Oregon as a potential model for Nevada, arguing that the state gives more authority to local residents and rural fire districts. We need to change what were doing, he said. Throwing money at it isnt working. In the Great Basin, wildfire is the biggest threat to the Greater sage grouse, an imperiled bird that has come to symbolize tensions between conservation and development across the West. That has concerned state officials. The massive wildfires, by destroying sage grouse habitat, threaten the states conservation efforts, aimed in part at keeping the bird off of the Endangered Species Act list in 2020, an action that could harm rural economies. ELKO Northeastern Nevadas next storm arrives Tuesday night, followed by more snow on the weekend. The National Weather Service predicts less than one inch for Elko tonight, followed by 1-3 inches Wednesday and less than half an inch Wednesday night. Roads havent fully cleared since the last storm hit on Sunday. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Wintry driving conditions continued Tuesday morning on U.S. Highway 93 from Thousand Springs to the Idaho line, Interstate 80 between Wells and Pequop Summit and between Battle Mountain and Winnemucca, Mountain City Highway north of Lone Mountain Station, and on the Tuscarora Highway. Nevada Highway Patrol was assisting a motorist on Interstate 80 in Wells at about 7 a.m., with traffic delays possible. Elko has received about 18 inches of snow so far this month, roughly three times the average amount for February. Cold temperatures have accompanied the latest storms. Highs this week are expected to remain below freezing. The mercury might make it up to 33 degrees on Sunday, according to the extended forecast. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 ELKO Elko County Commissioners will be looking at a bill that allows counties to appoint boards in certain cases when elections cant fill the boards, a bill that Humboldt County is especially hoping the Nevada Legislature will pass. Consideration of the bill, AB21, is on the agenda for the Elko County meeting at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Nannini Administration Building. The agenda states that Humboldt County asked the Nevada Association of Counties to propose the bill. The bill has the support of the NACO board of directors, Elko County Manager Rob Stokes said Feb. 15. Stokes said the ability to fill boards has not been a direct problem for us, however, support of this bill makes sense. It is not a forcible takeover of a special district board. Humboldt County Manager Dave Mendiola said his county is one of probably several counties that have concerns about filling spots on government boards, and in Humboldt Countys case, the problem is costing the county time and money. General improvement districts set up for elected boards are where there is a dilemma. Sibert reported that it was Brown who became angry during the talk. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} She would not leave and after multiple times of asking her to leave, I touched her with open fingers on my hand on her left shoulder to guide her out of my office ... Sibert wrote in a statement to police. Helens did not respond to a request for comment from the Elko Daily Free Press at the time. The college has since turned over investigation of the incident to the University of Nevada, Reno. No charges have been filed over the altercation. Ingram told the Elko Daily that he released the police reports after receiving a public records request from Elko Broadcasting Co. According to notes of the Feb. 13 meeting posted on GBCs website, Kleeb said there have been multiple complaints about Brown. He said it is possible that some faculty members may leave the college because of Brown. He also stated that the reputation of the college is being impacted and that this could affect donations to the college foundation. A former faculty senate chair who was not named in the document said that even if the Feb. 8 incident had not occurred, the meeting with Helens was still planned. ELKO Local musician Troy Bullock feels this is going to be a good year. He has an appearance scheduled at the Grand Ole Opry in early spring, a 200-day tour with hopefully country legend Ronnie Milsap, and a soon to be released album and single. Life is good. I was kind of one of those kids who was dreamer, Bullock said. Things can always be better and better. Bullock was born and raised in rural northern Idaho where he started playing guitar when he was 8 and piano a little later. At 13 I played my first gig in a bar in Idaho. Music did not provide him with a straight shot to fame. Instead, he entered the Air Force. It was one of the proudest things I have ever done, Bullock said. If I did not have this bug I have for music I probably would have retired from it. He served in Georgia, Germany, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. After that he went into construction back in Idaho where he did very well. Foreseeing an eventual economic collapse before the recession, Bullock sold everything he had and moved to Nashville for 10 years. English French MONTREAL, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CENTECHs Innodem Neurosciences, a Montreal-based start-up that spun-out of McGill Universitys Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The NEURO) less than one year ago, has developed an AI driven mobile software technology allowing paralyzed or intubated patients to communicate with caregivers solely through eye movements. The Honorable Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation for the government of Quebec, recently made an announcement at CENTECH recognizing the importance of the start- up culture in Quebecs quest for innovation. Mr. Fitzgibbon highlighted the important contribution of CENTECHs ecosystem, which includes Innodems award-winning team. Founded by neurologist Dr. Etienne De Villers-Sidani, Innodem received the backing of $1 million in financing from angel, banking and government entities to begin commercialization efforts. The company will market Pigio Innodems first mobile App within a consortium of local Montreal hospitals, outpatient clinics, and rehabilitation centers. Pigio will also be deployed in the USA in a Massachusetts hospital in Boston and healthcare facilities in California. We have also been contacted by a healthcare giant in China with a footprint of 1500 hospitals added Innodems co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Marc Reeves. The Standard of Care today is a printed letterboard. Other emerging eye-tracking solutions require the use of dedicated and expensive hardware such as infrared cameras that are very sensitive to sunlight and do not work with patients wearing glasses. They also require constant re-calibration if the device is accidentally moved. Current eye-tracking systems designed for paralyzed individuals sell for upwards of $8,000 and require a lengthy ordering process, making them both unaffordable and inaccessible for most patients and clinical units. Pigio is expected to be available to the public during the spring of 2019 on the Apple App store. The Pigio app will be free, with in-app advanced features selling at $39.95/month or $360 for a yearly license. No additional hardware, other than an electronic tablet or smartphone, is necessary. Pigio uses patent-pending image-processing technology to capture eye movements with high precision, using the standard cameras found on most electronic tablets and smartphones. This process allows patients to move the cursor across a tablet or smartphones screen to a desired location using only their eye movements. Simply looking at an item on the screen for a certain amount of time triggers a text-to-speech engine, which produces an audible output. Pigios initial focus is to provide an innovative and accessible way for the most vulnerable patients to communicate, ultimately improving patient care and quality of life. Subsequent applications of the technology based on state-of-the-art machine learning will assist healthcare professionals in detecting unique and subtle eye movement signatures found in several neurological disorders such as stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs Disease), or multiple sclerosis. Eye movement data can be used as sensitive biomarkers to assist healthcare professionals in detecting several neurodegenerative illnesses prior to the onset of more pronounced symptoms, says Innodem founder and CEO Dr. Etienne de Villers Sidani. The interesting thing with AI is that the more data we collect, the more accurate Pigio will become at identifying individuals with disorders and tracking their progression. Such a technology could be extremely valuable to many physicians and to pharmaceutical companies designing novel treatments. About INNODEM NEUROSCIENCES Founded in 2016, Innodem Neurosciences was officially launched after it received its first round of Angel funding in May 2018. Innodems core team, led by Dr. Etienne de Villers-Sidani, is composed of an intersectoral group of neuroscientists, engineers and healthcare professionals. Innodem has developed Pigio, a mobile App powered by patent-pending eye-tracking technology that makes use of state-of-the-art machine learning techniques. Pigio is currently being deployed and tested in various hospitals throughout North America and is expected to be available to the general public during the spring of 2019. Pigio is to become the new standard of care for speechless patients that are intubated in the ICU or affected by the many neurological disorders leading to an inability to speak, both in children and adults. Furthermore, the company is developing cutting edge diagnostics-assistance applications for healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and clinical research organizations conducting clinical trials. About CENTECH Created in 1996 by the Ecole de Technologie Superieure and located in the heart of Montreals Quartier de linnovation, CENTECH is a tech entrepreneurial centre dedicated to technology companies with high growth potential. Recognized by UBI (University Business Network) as one of the worlds most effective accelerators, CENTECH acts as a veritable growth machine. It has created one of the greatest densities of high-level tech entrepreneurs in Canada. Furthermore, Centech is now offering open innovation cells to corporations that can integrate major corporations and companies seeking to design new products and give them an opportunity to benefit from the agility of start-ups and from Centechs entrepreneurial ecosystem. SOURCE Innodem Neurosciences For further information: Francis Arseneau, Director, francis@innodemneurosciences.com SOURCE Centre de lentrepreneurship technologique (Centech) For further information: Richard Chenier, (514) 918-6811, richard.chenier@etsmtl.ca Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2579997a-e1d9-44a4-94a2-52165e467861 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3bb7e5bf-ee25-4222-b666-6ec8e9731e40 On February 7, 2019, Excelerate Energy L.P. (Excelerate) and Equinor Energy AS (Equinor) completed the first ever ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in The Bahamas. Utilizing Excelerate's floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) Exemplar and Equinor's LNG carrier Arctic Voyager, a full LNG cargo was transferred using the double-banked LNG transfer system while moored at Equinor's South Riding Point storage and transshipment terminal which is strategically located for storage and transshipment of crude, products and LNG. "Excelerate conducted the industry's first commercial STS transfer of LNG in 2007, and since then, STS transfers have been completed and proven safe in a wide range of environments, now including The Bahamas," stated Excelerate's Chief Commercial Officer Daniel Bustos. "This new STS location allows us to provide additional commercial flexibility to our customers and respond to prompt market needs in a safe and reliable manner." Excelerate recently completed its 1500th commercial STS transfer on February 3, 2019, at the Engro Elengy Terminal in Port Qasim, Pakistan. To date, Excelerate has successfully transferred over 170,900,000 cubic meters of LNG using its STS protocol - of the 1500 operations, over 1300 have been with third-party vessels. About Excelerate Energy L.P. Excelerate Energy L.P. is a US-based LNG company located in The Woodlands, Texas. It is part of a privately held US energy group that also includes Kaiser Francis Oil Co, an E&P company with production in the US and Canada along with significant midstream assets, and Cactus Drilling Co, the largest private drilling company in the US. Excelerate is the pioneer and market leader in innovative floating LNG solutions, providing integrated services along the entire LNG value chain with an objective of delivering rapid-to-market and reliable LNG solutions to customers. Excelerate offers a full range of floating regasification services from FSRU to infrastructure development to LNG supply. Excelerate has offices in Abu Dhabi, Buenos Aires, Chittagong, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, and Singapore. For more information, please visit the website www.excelerateenergy.com. SOURCE Related Links http://www.excelerateenergy.com Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) today (2/15) announced a $50,000 grant to the University of Tulsa on behalf of the American Electric Power Foundation to help bring new state-of-the-art equipment and technologies to the school's Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department. The grant will go toward updating the department's Electric Machines Lab, initiating a Power Electronics Lab and supporting physical modifications of the lab space needed to accommodate these and future labs. "I am pleased to announce this grant that will help prepare the next generation of electrical engineers to take on the challenges and opportunities of working with one of the largest, most complex machines in the world - the electricity grid," said Peggy Simmons, president and chief operating officer for Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), a subsidiary of AEP. "It's vital to have highly specialized engineers working to meet the challenges our industry is facing - and will continue to face in the future - as we look more and more toward renewable and alternative energy, smart grids and other potentially transformational technologies." Housed in the university's College of Engineering and Natural Sciences, the ECE department offers degrees in both Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering. The department currently has 106 undergraduate, eight master's and nine doctoral students. "We are grateful to PSO and AEP Foundation for partnering with us to provide students and faculty with cutting-edge facilities. We are eager to work with industry leaders to offer hands-on opportunities that give them an advantage when they start their careers," TU President Gerard P. Clancy said. "The University of Tulsa is committed to empowering students with the knowledge and experience to solve the world's toughest problems. Educating innovative leaders and providing up-to-the-minute technology - such as the labs made possible by the grant - sets our students apart." About PSO -- PSO, a unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), is an electric utility company serving more than 550,000 customers accounts in eastern and southwestern Oklahoma. Based in Tulsa, PSO has nearly 3,800 megawatts of generating capacity and is one of the largest distributors of wind energy in the state. News releases and other information about PSO can be found at www.PSOklahoma.com. About the AEP Foundation -- The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and its utility operating units, including Public Service Company of Oklahoma. The Foundation provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives involving higher dollar values and multi-year commitments in the communities served by AEP and initiatives outside of AEP"s 11-state service area. The Foundation's areas of focus include special emphasis on improving lives through education from early childhood through higher education, protecting the environment, providing basic human services in the areas of hunger, housing, health and safety, and enriching life through art, music and cultural heritage. The Foundation is based in Columbus, Ohio. 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. Ukraine pays US$3 bln in pensions to residents of Russian-occupied Donbas in four years Pensioners in the occupied territory also receive financial support from the Russian budget. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global multiparameter patient monitoring market is forecasted to grow at a stable CAGR around 4% during the forecast period 2018 to 2026. Free Download Sample Report Pages For Better understanding@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-sample/1150 According to the report named Multiparameter patient monitoring Market - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Share, Size, Trends and Forecast, 2018-2026, growing incidences of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer, rising awareness regarding accessibility of technologically advanced multiparameter patient monitoring solutions, increasing geriatric population and several initiatives taken by governments are some of the primary factors that are boosting the multiparameter patient monitoring market growth globally. Multiparameter patient monitoring system is a solution that helps healthcare centres to enhance and improve clinical performance. The multiparameter patient monitors have various functions such as drug dose calculation, pace detection, paediatric, adult and neonatal monitoring and night mode facility. North America is anticipated to witness the significant growth rate over the forecast period owing to the escalating demand for high acuteness multiparameter patient monitors in intensive care units and rising awareness regarding accessibility of technologically advanced multiparameter patient monitoring solutions. View Detail Information With Complete TOC@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/multiparameter-patient-monitoring-market Increasing Incidences of Chronic Diseases and Technological Advancements to Drive the Global Multiparameter Patient Monitoring Market Growth Growing incidences of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer in developed as well as developing regions and rapid growth in healthcare sector are some of the factors driving the growth of the global multiparameter patient monitoring market. Various technical innovations and advancements in this field are expected to boost the development of the market in coming years. Furthermore, the growing penetration of mobile healthcare technology and increasing inclination towards the internet of things (IoT) in the medical field are some of the factors boosting the growth of the market. Growing rate of gait disorders incidences, rising physical disabilities and technological innovations in healthcare industry are some of the fundamental factors that are boosting the global multiparameter patient monitoring market. Furthermore, occurrences of endocrine diseases such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes are exclusively high in emerging countries and these diseases consequence in chronic conditions that needs critical monitoring and surgeries of vital parameters. Also, favourable demographic trends such as increasing geriatric population vulnerable to diseases and various infections have positively influenced the global multiparameter patient monitoring market growth. Additionally, rising awareness regarding accessibility of technologically advanced multiparameter patient monitoring solutions among developing economies is anticipated to spur the overall market growth in the coming future. Governments of various countries are taking several initiatives in order to develop the awareness level among the doctors concerning the accessibility of proficient multiparameter monitoring devices that allows faster patient recovery. Also the government and regulatory systems are implementing numerous initiatives in order to reduce the price of multiparameter monitors and resolve various issues regarding affordability as developing regions are price sensitive, thereby fueling the market growth. Browse All official Market Research Reports Press Releases@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/press-releases Explore Our Market Blog@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/blogs North America to Grow at Highest Rate in Multiparameter patient monitoring Market Geographically, the global multiparameter patient monitoring market has been divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America is anticipated to contribute the highest revenue share and grow at significant CAGR during the forecast period owing to the escalating demand for high acuteness multiparameter patient monitors in intensive care units and rising awareness regarding accessibility of technologically advanced multiparameter patient monitoring solutions. Huge demand for multiparameter patient monitoring systems presence of modern medical technology and high quality healthcare system in the region are also expected to increase the growth of the regional market. Huge elderly population, growing GDP and rising technological advancements in the region are some of the factors responsible for the growth of the regional market. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the highest growth rate over the forecast period owing to the rapid growth of healthcare industry and ever-increasing government initiatives towards developing technologically advanced multiparameter patient monitoring devices in emerging economies. Multiparameter patient monitoring devices are increasingly being used to remotely monitor the physiological parameters of the patients due to the ongoing advancement in wireless technology. Market Players The multiparameter patient monitoring market is consolidated with limited number of manufacturers. The company profiling of key players in the market includes major business strategies, company overview and revenues. The key players of the market are Medtronic, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Siemens Healthcare, Biotronik, Lifewatch AG, Masimo Corporation, Care Innovations, LLC., Nihon Kohden Corporation, GE Healthcare Ltd., Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, and Koninklijke Philips N.V., Omron Healthcare Co. Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., St. Jude Medical, Inc. and Smiths Medical. INQUIRY BEFORE BUYING@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/inquiry-before-buying/1150 The report is readily available and can be dispatched immediately after payment confirmation. Buy this premium research report https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/buy-now/0/1150 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/ PM Groysman intends to significantly cut salaries for Naftogaz top management According to the prime minister, the head of a state-run company should not receive $2 million annually. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Water shortage has long been an issue for farmers in the northern part of the peninsula. Rapid soil salinization is threatening to cause another environmental disaster in the Russian-occupied Crimea. In the settlement of Dmytrivka in Radyansky district, the locals started noticing the water of the large Sivash lake nearby becoming more saline, according to a local news outlet "Primechaniya." "Sivash has become more saline, trees are dying as a result. They dry out, then people cut them for firewood, but that wood smells differently than before as if it had been soaked in saline," reads the report. Read alsoAnimals are dying: Russian occupation authorities provoke new ecological disaster in Crimea (Photo, video) After Ukraine blocked fresh water supply to Crimea once the peninsula was illegally seized by Russia, the environmental problems have been mounting. Ukraine used to cover up to 85% of Crimea's demand in fresh water through the North-Crimean canal that delivered water from the Dnipro river. N.Korean envoy en route to Hanoi ahead of Trump-Kim summit: Yonhap The Hanoi summit will be the second time Donald Trump meets Kim Jong-un. Photo by AFP Kim Hyok Chol arrived in the Chinese capital at around 10 a.m. (0200 GMT) and was expected to board a plane bound for Hanoi later in the day, ahead of a second scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said. Kim's trip comes three days after Kim Jong-un's de-facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son, landed in Hanoi to discuss protocol and security matters with the U.S. team ahead of the summit on February 27-28. Kim Hyok Chol and his U.S. counterpart Stephen Biegun were engaged in three days of talks in Pyongyang earlier this month, exploring each side's positions on denuclearisation ahead of the much-anticipated meeting. Biegun said they had been productive, but more dialogue was needed. "We have some hard work to do with the DPRK between now and then," Biegun said, adding that he was "confident that if both sides stay committed we can make real progress here." The U.S. State Department said talks during Biegun's trip explored Trump and Kim Jong-un's "commitments of complete denuclearization, transforming U.S.-DPRK relations and building a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula." Specifically, discussions on declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War could have been on the table, with Biegun last month saying Trump was "ready to end this war." The U.S. envoy is expected to fly soon to Hanoi from Washington to resume talks with Kim Hyok Chol. Experts say tangible progress on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons will be needed for the second summit if it is to avoid being dismissed as "reality TV." AFP Viet-Sov palace to serve international reporters for Trump-Kim summit Cars park outside the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Cultural Palace in Hanoi, which will serve as the international media center for the coming Trump-Kim summit. Photo by VnExpress/Kieu Duong The palace at 91 Tran Hung Dao Street in the central Hoan Kiem District has been chosen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the international media center for reporters covering the meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. president Donald Trump. The building, which has a floor area of 3.2 hectares (eight acres), is a gift for Vietnam from the Soviet Union. Construction began in 1978 and was completed in 1985. The major hall of the building has four floors, is 96 meters long, 60 meters wide and 33 meters high, and its conference room can seat 1,111 people. The Foreign Ministry has said that the media center will have a shared work space equipped with networked computers and LCD screens to watch live broadcasts of all events connected to the summit. Press agencies can also rent space and set up their own nine square meter booths with full equipment including tables, chairs, LCD screens, telephone lines and internet connection. Trump and Kim are due to meet in Hanoi on February 27 and 28 following their historic first meeting last June in Singapore. The North Korean delegation landed at the Noi Bai Airport Saturday on a Chinese carrier to prepare for the summit. They had visited Beijing, China, a day earlier. Kim Chang-son, part of the team overseeing protocol in the run up to the first Trump-Kim summit, is with the delegation in Hanoi. Meanwhile, several U.S. delegations have arrived in Hanoi over the last few days, with the latest one landing in Noi Bai Airport Friday night. Delegations of both countries will discuss the summits logistics, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. South Korean television and radio network MBC has stated that Kim plans to visit Vietnam two days before the summit. Kieu Duong An ongoing measles outbreak in Vancouver, Canada, might have originated in Vietnam, the Canada Broadcasting Corporation has reported. It quoted Vancouver resident Emmanuel Bilodeau as saying three of his sons contracted the disease after a family trip to Vietnam earlier this month. He said he believed one of his sons first contracted the disease in Vietnam, it then spread to his siblings and from them, in the schools they attended. As of last Friday, Vancouver was facing a measles outbreak after eight confirmed cases among students, staff and parents were diagnosed in three different schools in the city, said Dr. Althea Hayden of the Vancouver Coastal Health Department. Bilodeau added that he and his wife hadnt vaccinated their children against the disease because they were influenced by reports that linked the MMR vaccine, said to prevents measles, mumps and rubella, with autism. "We were worried 10-12 years ago because there was a lot of debate around the MMR vaccine," said Bilodeau. "Doctors were coming out with research connecting the MMR vaccine with autism. So we were a little concerned." He insisted that he and his wife werent against vaccination and know now that the link between MMR vaccine and autism has been debunked by leading health institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "We're just very cautious parents and we just tried to do it in the manner that was the least invasive possible on the child's health." Measles is a seasonal epidemic in Vietnam, especially in colder months, and victims are mostly unvaccinated children. Hanoi reported 192 measles cases this year, up almost 10 times the same period last year. Saigon also experienced outbreaks in the last few months, overloading some of its leading public hospitals. Vietnam potential source of Canada measles outbreak Measles is back in HCMC, doctors blame failure to get vaccinated The WHO says that the number of measles cases increased significantly last year, with around 229,000 diagnoses compared to 170,000 in 2017. The agency added that actual figures could increase due to reporting delays and late outbreaks at the end of the year. "Were backsliding on the progress that has been made, not because we dont have the tools, but because were not vaccinating," said Dr. Katherine OBrien, Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals with the WHO. Vietnam, North Korea set to bolster long-standing friendship Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh (2nd, R) and North Korean Premier Kim Il Sung, during Kim's first visit to Vietnam in 1958. Photo by dangcongsan.vn As the world turns towards the second meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnams capital city later this month, a quiet reaffirmation of longstanding ties between North Korea and Vietnam will also take place. When Kim Jong-un arrives in Hanoi, he will resume a history that has been left untouched for 55 years. He will be the first North Korean leader to visit Vietnam after his grandfather and the founding leader of North Korea, Kim Il Sung. Kim Il Sung, the first leader of North Korea, led the country from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Premier from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to 1994. During his time in office, Kim Il Sung visited Vietnam twice, in 1958 and 1964. Back in the 1950s, Vietnam and North Korea were close to each other because of the similarities they shared. Both the nations were divided by outside forces, and they had a mutual enemy, the U.S. Both received support from China and the Soviet Union. North Korea was one of the first countries after China and the Soviet Union to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1950. The resistance movement in Vietnam had always captured North Koreas attention. "The radio station in Pyongyang and the North Korean press always had articles about Vietnam, and posted news about activities of the Vietnamese delegation," Hoang Quoc Viet, vice chairman of the United Vietnam Committee that led a Vietnamese delegation to visit North Korea, said in a report on Cuu Quoc newspaper, one of the first newspapers of Vietnam, in February, 1952. Viets trip to North Korea was made in August 1951. "The North Korean army gave President Ho Chi Minh a submachine gun made in North Korea following the Soviet model," he said, according to archives at the National Library of Vietnam in Hanoi. Based on their good relationship, President Ho Chi Minh visited North Korea in December 1957, met with Kim Il Sung and visited the nations industrial exhibition centers and farms. A year later, Kim Il Sung visited Vietnam from November 27 to December 3, 1958. In Vietnam, he visited the Nam Dinh Textile Factory, once the biggest of its kind in Indochina, in the northern province of Nam Dinh, as well as Tu Liem District in Hanoi, home to a friendship project between Vietnam and North Korea, an army school, and the Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi. In June, 1961, Vietnams longest serving Prime Minister Pham Van Dong visited North Korea. Three years later, Kim Il Sung came to Vietnam for the second time. After the two visits by Kim Il Sung, Vietnam and North Korea continued to hold high-level talks. Vietnams Chairman of the State Council, Vo Chi Cong, who visited North Korea for its National Day celebration and awarded the Gold Star Order, Vietnams highest decoration to President Kim Il Sung in 1988. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nong Duc Manh, visited North Korea in 2001 and 2007. Kim Yong-nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, and Kim Yong Il, Premier of North Korea visited Vietnam in 2001 and 2007 respectively. Kim Il Sungs first visit to Vietnam in 1958 is a frequently celebrated event in both countries. On its 55th anniversary in 2013, a ceremony was held at the Vietnam-North Korea Friendship Kyongsang Kindergarten in Pyongyang, displaying photos of Premier Kim Il Sung and President Ho Chi Minh. On December 26, 2018, an exhibition on "Vietnam - Korea Friendship" was held at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the event. To sum up, President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung laid a strong foundation for a long-term cooperative and friendship relationship between the two countries. The continuity in the bilateral relationship will be furthered with the choice of Vietnam as a growth model for North Korea to follow. Observers have noted that the choice is rooted in historical, ideological and practical reasons. The North Korean leader has expressed this desire himself. In three meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last year on economic reforms in North Korea, Kim Jong-un repeatedly cited Vietnams successes. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, during his trip to Vietnam last November, also told the Vietnamese government that North Korea hopes to learn from Vietnams model of development. South Korean TV and radio network MBC has said Kim plans to reach Vietnam two days before the summit to visit key industrial sites in the north. Phuong Vu Vietnam airport gets ready to receive US president U.S.'s Boeing C17 arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi for President Donald Trump's state visit in November 2017. Photo by VnExpress/Ba Do Five landing spots will be earmarked, including two for the Air Force One planes on which U.S. president travels, as Trump arrives for his February 27-28 meeting with North Korean leader Kim. This weekend the U.S. will fly several Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a large military transport aircraft, to Noi Bai with equipment and vehicles Trump will use in Vietnam, including two cars and a helicopter. The U.S. has sent personnel to check security inside and around the VIP guest house at the airport where the president will be received on landing. Security inside the airport will be handled by U.S. personnel while the Hanoi police and airport security personnel will be in charge of security outside. One landing strip will be earmarked exclusively for Trumps aircraft. At the time of the U.S. delegations arrival, the airport will have the highest level of aviation security with over 800 personnel deployed. But Noi Bai will seek to ensure that commercial aviation activities are not affected and there are no flight delays or cancellations. An airport spokesperson said: "Air Force One of the U.S. President will be landing at Noi Bai on February 27. We will do our best to guarantee security and safety and make sure everything goes smoothly so that the outside world will know Vietnam as a safe destination." North Korean diplomatic authorities have surveyed some areas in the airport but have yet to discuss anything in detail with the Vietnamese side. South Korean TV and radio network MBC has said Kim plans to reach Vietnam two days before the summit. The summit will mark Trumps second visit to Vietnam. He had taken part in the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit along with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russias Vladimir Putin in the central city of Da Nang in November 2017, before paying a state visit to Hanoi the same month. Doan Loan Thach Thanh Truyen, 24, was arrested on Monday for snatching handbag from Vietnamese Singaporean woman. Photo by VnExpress/Quoc Thang After a two-week hunt, Saigon police Monday nabbed a 24-year-old bag snatcher whod robbed a Vietnamese Singaporean woman. Thach Thanh Truyen and his accomplice, on a motorbike, grabbed a handbag from Le Lam Bao Tran, who was taking photos with her family at the corner of Cao Ba Quat and Thi Sach Street in District 1, a five-minute drive from Ben Thanh Market, on February 3. The bag had S$2,000 ($1,480), credit cards and other personal identification papers. By chance, her relative captured the face of the man right at the moment the robbery took place. Thach Thanh Truyen is captured on camera snatching a handbag from a Vietnamese Singaporean woman in downtown Saigon on February 3. After committing the robbery, Truyen returned home to the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh, and was spotted by police after he moved back to Saigon. Acting on a tipoff, police officers caught Truyen at a hotel in Binh Chanh District, where he was staying with his girlfriend. Police are searching for Truyens accomplice, whose name has not been revealed. Street crime, especially those targeting tourists, has been a rising problem in Saigon for many years now, giving the nations largest city an unsavory reputation despite its many other attractions. They remember clearly the horrors of the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese war, but the pain of the past will not dictate their future. Journalist Hoang Phuong Ho Tuan sat in a coffee shop next to the Bang River in the northern province of Cao Bang, a few days before the Lunar New Year. He was to meet with a group of Chinese tourists visiting Vietnam through a local tour agency. But these were not ordinary Chinese tourists. They were also veterans who fought in Vietnam during the Sino-Vietnamese border war. It was they and their fellows who spilled over the border and sought to wipe clean the town of Cao Bang itself back in 1979. Tuan remembers those days very well. Forty years ago, he was part of a military regiment tasked with holding off another Chinese division from invading the province for 12 days straight. Among the tourists he met that day were old faces. Tuan knew, since he was the one who aimed his cannons at them many years ago. "You invaded our country; you forced us to retaliate," was Tuans ice breaker. The Chinese group responded with silence. But then the conversation picked up. They started to talk about their lives, their jobs and their families. The war and battles were not mentioned much after Tuans opening salvo. Before the Chinese group returned home, they dropped by a local cemetery to pay respect to over 400 Vietnamese martyrs who lost their lives in the war. They simply asked for some group photos, gave Tuan a cigarette packet, and then went back. The moment Tuan shook their hands good-bye, he no longer saw them as enemies. "They are no longer soldiers. They are just normal people now, like you and me," he said. Another Cao Bang resident, Quyen, remembered how the children in her neighborhood jumped and cheered in joy when Chinese trucks carried supplies from the north to the south to support Vietnamese troops during the Vietnam War. Through the eyes of a child back then, Quyen saw them as good Samaritans who provided rice, medicine and ammunition to help her country take one step closer to independence and freedom. But, just a few years later, Quyen also saw her village burned to the ground by the same people she thought of as saviors. People found out that a Chinese man, who was once adopted by the villagers, was the one who led Chinese troops into the village in the first place. The very next day, Quyen decided to join the army. After the war ended, the Chinese snitch returned to China. But his two daughters stayed in the Vietnamese village, got married and had kids. The villagers bore no ill will towards the two women. Quyen refused to disclose the identities of the women when asked, because she wanted them to have "a peaceful life." For her, they were just another two fellow villagers. They bear no responsibility to the sins their father committed, she said. Niem, who lives in Na Sac Village, still has fond memories of the people on the other side. Forty years ago, when the road connecting Na Sac with the border was still an old, dusty trail, Niem often went to the other side to buy groceries and attend weddings of friends and acquaintances. The Chinese were like brothers and sisters to him, he recalled. But everything changed when the war happened. Upon seeing numerous signs in the markets near the border calling for Vietnamese to be beaten, Niem felt betrayed. Niem, too, followed his fellow villagers and placed traps and planted bamboo around the area to deter the eventual invasion. The friendly neighborhood, once welcoming to the people from the other side, had now become a defensive fortress. However, it wasnt until Niem saw his father die from a piece of shrapnel in his chest when Chinese troops attacked the village on February 17, 1979 that he really saw people from the other side as sworn enemies. He saw firsthand how his village, home to about 40 families, lush with corn fields, was reduced to dust and rubble, and experienced the pain the destruction inflicted. Today, Niem lives in an earthen house that oversees a border checkpoint and its fences. The roads connecting the two sides have now become some of the most traffic-heavy ones in the area, with trucks routinely moving in and out to deliver supplies from and to both countries. Niem, now an old man, sits on his front porch every day, watching the continuous trail of vehicles as drops of sunlight fill up his home and his mind. Maybe now, he is finally at peace. Women carry rice up to the hills in Cao Bang Province to support Vietnamese soldiers during the border war in 1979. Photo by Tran Manh Thuong Tuan, Quyen and Niems stories are not their own. Along the northern borders, millions suffered loss, pain, sorrow and anger caused by the war of 1979. But they never lost their compassion, forgiveness, empathy and humanity. They may not know how "China is an important economic partner for Vietnam," but they know that everyone is only trying to improve their livelihood and find happiness. They may not know about the politics behind the war itself, but they knew enough to differentiate between the warmongers and the people who had to pick up their guns due to circumstances. They know not to look at what makes us different from each other, but at what makes us all the same. These people are living testaments to the horrors of war and the lessons they taught. Its miraculous how in Cao Bang, where the forests were once burned to ashes and the land was stained with the blood of the fallen, people still remember the painful past, but do not let it control their future. Ultimately, their humanity in the face of so much suffering does not just heal their wounds, it redeems all of us. *Hoang Phuong is a journalist based in Hanoi. The opinions expressed are her own. US opens doors to Vietnamese mango after 10 years of knocking A farmer harvesting mango in An Giang, Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress The USs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has given the green light for the import of mangoes from Vietnam. The license comes exactly 10 years after Vietnam applied for it. To export fresh mangoes to the U.S., farmers and business will need to meet stringent standards. APHIS will inspect each shipment thoroughly before granting phytosanitary certificates. Mango is Vietnams sixth fresh fruit licensed to be imported into the U.S. after dragon fruit, rambutan, longan, lychee, and star apple fruit. Some 96 percent of Vietnam's mango production is consumed domestically, with the rest exported currently to 40 countries either as fresh fruit or in processed form. The main market is China. The other important ones are Europe, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SYSPRO, a global provider of industry-built ERP software, today announced SHEA Global as its 2018 Partner of the Year. The Award recognizes the partner that has exhibited exceptional performance in sales, customer retention, account growth and superior knowledge of the complete SYSPRO solution. SHEA has been a SYSPRO Canada partner for over 23 years, said Wayne Slater, Vice President of Channel Sales at SYSPRO Canada. Jeff Hunt and his team at SHEA Global have made several strategic investments over the past couple of years to grow in the enterprise business space. Their increased focus and ongoing contributions to the SYSPRO community resulted in a year of outstanding growth, customer retention and overall superior customer satisfaction. SYSPRO Canada is a strategic partner for SHEA and we value our collaborative relationship, said Jeff Hunt, CEO of SHEA Global. SHEA has been evangelizing SYSPRO for years and we are excited about the opportunities we see coming with SYSPRO 8 and look forward to working with our customers to make business better. Over the last year, SHEA was instrumental in accelerating business improvement and optimization of joint customers by leveraging their investment in SYSPRO. These customers gained important insights into their production processes through implementation of the SYSPRO Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) suite of products. The SHEA team was also pivotal in guiding a large customer through its expansion to new lines of business with a very aggressive timeline. About SHEA SHEA Global has been a strategic partner in end-to-end business transformation and ongoing optimization since 1988. The company has deep experience working with complex requirements in a wide range of industries. Leveraging resources in Canada, U.S, U.K, India, Philippines, Spain, South Africa, and Colombia, SHEA works with customers around the world to make Business Better. Were more than a software vendor. Were your strategic partner in end-to-end business transformation and ongoing optimization. We challenge you to look beyond the status quo to make Business Better. For more information, please visit http://www.SHEAGlobal.com 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. SYSPROs 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. For more information, visit syspro.com and follow SYSPRO Canada on Twitter and LinkedIn . Discover why Nucleus Research named SYSPRO a Leader in its 2018 ERP Technology Value Matrix. https://ca.syspro.com/analyst_report/nucleus-research-erp-technology-value-matrix-2018/ Media Contact: Marina Giokas SYSPRO Canada marina.giokas@ca.syspro.com +1 844 479 7776 The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Japanese buyout firm Advantage Partners has acquired Elise Fashion, one of Vietnams major womens fashion chains, for an undisclosed sum. This is the funds first acquisition of a Vietnamese company. The stake percentage is undisclosed. According to Advantage, the deal would accelerate Elises growth by leveraging its experience in the womens fashion segment. Speaking to VnExpress, founder and CEO of Elise Fashion, Luu Thi Nga, said she would remain on board as the "soul" of the brand. "The whole operation is still under my direct management." Speaking of Elise's strategy in the next five years, she said it would continue to focus on womens fashion. The segment is expected to be worth around $2 billion by 2022 and grow at an average of 30 percent a year. Nga was hopeful the company could double its number of outlets and quadruple revenues in the next four years. With the entry of foreign investors and additional resources from corporate restructuring, Elise would soon roll out new high-end fashion brands, she said. She also hinted at an entry into mens fashion. Elise, founded in 2011, targets women in the 20-45 age range and now has 95 stores across Vietnam, with operations vertically integrated from design and manufacturing to customer-facing sales and retail. No one can put the Ocasio-Crowley primary in a box and sell it in other districts New York Times published a lazy piece by Shane Goldmacher, Last week thepublished a lazy piece by Shane Goldmacher, The Ocasio-Cortez Effect: Wave of Challenges Hits Entrenched N.Y. Democrats , that defines superficial reporting. It should be lost on no one that Ocasio Cortez's stunning and successful campaign against New York's ultimate congressional insider ("the next speaker of the House"), Queens County machine boss, Joe Crowley, was utterly missed-- if not purposefully ignored-- by her hometown paper. Perhaps they're making a half-assed attempt to make up for it by covering some generally non-existent primaries in the area. "Half assed" is better described as quarter-assed... if that. The first sentence may be correct-- let's hope: "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may be just the beginning." But Goldmacher goes nowhere from the correct way to begin his piece. Blue America has been involved, on one level or another, in every successful Democratic primary against a conservative incumbent since 2006-- Donna Edwards, Beto, Matt Cartwright, AOC... We have also been involved on a ton of them that haven't been successful. If I've learned one thing it's that they succeed when a determined and capable challenger (very, very hard to find, let alone invent) takes on an easily-defined villain with an established bad record. That was certainly the case with Edwards in Maryland, Beto in Texas, Cartwright in Pennsylvania and Ocasio Cortez in New York. Each of them is an extremely talented and charismatic politician and each ran against a corrupt, out-of-touch conservative who was supported fully by an establishment generally loathed by the grassroots. Goldmacher generally neglected to look at any of that and instead spouts irrelevant nonsense like "Party insurgents are plotting and preparing to battle with the entrenched establishment-- targeting as many as a half-dozen Congress members in and around New York City-- over what it means to be a Democrat and a progressive in the age of President Trump. The coming New York uprising could result in a series of races that lay bare some of the same generational, racial, gender and ideological cleavages expected to define the 2020 presidential primary. The activist left, in particular, hopes that Ms. Ocasio-Cortezs victory will inspire a brush fire of Democrat-on-Democrat campaigns that will spread from New York across the nation." "Party insurgents?" Really? Grass roots activists might be a better way to describe the point he's fumbling towards. As for "generational, racial, gender and ideological cleavages," which worked in Ocasio Cortez's campaign, we'll have to look at each race Goldmacher is reporting to be a potential primary battle. He's certainly right when he claims "serious primary challengers for House seats have historically been rare, and it is almost unheard of for so many to emerge in one region so early in the election cycle." And they haven't emerged, except on the page in the Times his piece was published on. The first member Goldmacher identifies as a potential target is Jerry Nadler-- who represents a district that includes areas of Manhattan (the Upper West Side, Soho, Chelsea, the Village, the Financial District) and Brooklyn (mostly Borough Park). His super-highly educated Manhattan constituents are not likely to be persuaded he's a villain at all. His ProgressivePunch score is "A" and has always been "A" and his voting record is ranked-- and has always been ranked-- among the 20 most perfect progressive records in Congress. I don't think Nadler or his team ever thought he could be primaried from the left. His last primary was in 2016 when the far right Hassidics who run Borough Park recruited and supported a candidate, Mikhail Oliver Rosenberg, son of a millionaire, to run against Nadler when he voted for the Iran nuclear deal. It looked like if they could order their zombie followers to go out and vote against Nadler-- in what was predicted to be a low-turn-out election, they could pull off an upset. (They even persuaded racist former comedian Jackie Mason to cut a robocall for their candidate.) Instead it was the second highest turn-out primary in the state that year and Mason and the zombies were nowhere to be seen. Rosenberg fancied himself the new generation (and a part of a strong LGBTQ community) up against an old and tired Nadler. (Nadler has been in the forefront of every pro-gay initiative in his career and gay organizations backed Nadler.) Rosenberg campaigned on a solid green energy platform, on legalizing marijuana, and as an advocate for Israel. 85% of his campaign expenditures ($366,852) came from his own bank account and, like Trump, he claimed he wouldn't be beholden to special interests. Nadler beat Rosenberg in a landslide-- 88.78% to 10.26%. Goldmacher reports that next year "Nadler could face a primary from Lindsey Boylan, a former economic development adviser to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who appears to want to run on a platform of "I'm a woman and he's not." She said she was considering a run after watching the 2018 midterms, as these women decided not to wait their turn because it was never going to be their turn. I just cant justify having my daughter watch me sit on the sidelines, she said. A huge X-factor in any Nadler primary would be the billionaire activist Tom Steyer, who has pushed for the impeachment of Mr. Trump. Mr. Steyer has already polled the popularity of impeachment in the district and is launching a $200,000 direct mail, television and digital ad campaign this week urging Mr. Nadler to begin impeachment hearings in his committee. Goldmacher identified Tom Suozzi, Eliot Engel, Yvette Clarke, Jose Serrano, Carolyn Maloney and Kathleen Rice as likely targets. Suozzi, Engel and Rice are New Dems with relatively conservative voting records. Serrano, Maloney and Clarke are members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Engel is rumored to be buying his way into the Progressive Caucus so he will be able to use that membership to claim he's progressive. These are the crucial vote scores for all 7 candidates identified in the piece. Yvette Clarke- 95.88- A Jerry Nadler- 94.98- A Jose Serrano- 93.71- A Carolyn Maloney- 86.47- C Eliot Engel- 85.30- C Kathleen Rice- 63.16- F Tom Suozzi- 54.05- F "Not every challenge in New York," wrote Goldmacher, "will be run on ideological grounds. Some will be powered by more local disputes, longstanding grudges or just timely ambition. But for many progressives, the goal is to police the Democratic Party ideologically, much in the way the Tea Party pushed Republicans to the right." We are trying to elect more Alexandrias, said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, the insurgent group devoted to recruiting progressive primary challengers nationally. She is an example of what one victory can do. Imagine what we can do with more primary wins across the country. After Mr. Crowleys defeat almost no one is seen as untouchable. They should be afraid, Maria L. Svart, the national director of the Democratic Socialists of America, which backed Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, said of incumbent House Democrats. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez herself appeared in a promotional video for Justice Democrats and on an organizing call for the group last November during which Saikat Chakrabarti, now her chief of staff, declared, We gotta primary folks. True, but targets should be carefully chosen. It amazes me, for example, that Justice Democrats and DSA have seemingly ignored, at least so far, corrupt New Dem Gregory Meeks. Nadler and Serrano may not be perfect-- but they certainly are in comparison to Meeks, who seems to exist in Congress primarily to collect bribes. A member of the House Financial Services Committee, he's taken $3,665,788 from the Finance Sector, including $564,100 in the last cycle. What's more, Meeks' likely challenger is the ideal candidate for the seat. Khaair Morrison is a 25 year old African-American attorney born and raised in the district, which, he told me yesterday "is ripe for a fresh leadership after having ineffective leadership for 20+ years. Working class neighborhoods like South East Queens, Nassau, Valley Stream, and Far Rockaway have had an up-close seat to the major issues of our time. After Hurricane Sandy, areas are still rebuilding as we see the effects of Global Warming. We were the epicenter for the foreclosure crisis and many have still not able to get their homes back. We see the brutality of broken windows and mass incarceration as our kids are constantly targeted for low-level offenses that ruin opportunities for black and brown lives to be productive members of our society. We have seen how poor infrastructure and lack of planning can ruin a neighborhood's vitality. We have seen the decrepit state of public housing and are still without creative ideas to make housing more equitable. It is time we do things differently and that we speak truth to power." True, that-- and time for a self-serving do-nothing congressman like Meeks to bow out and let a fresh can-do kind of guy like Morrison take the seat. Meeks is one of the New York congressmembers who Goldmacher was no doubt referring to when he wrote that they "have sought to establish personal or professional bonds with Ocasio-Cortez, signing onto her Green New Deal, for instance-- recognizing the power of her megaphone. In an interview in January, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said she had 'put zero energy' into the question of primarying colleagues. She said the freshman class had 'already changed the opinions and commitments of a lot of incumbent members already. And I think that is something we should absolutely consider.' Whether or not Ms. Ocasio-Cortez gets personally involved, insurgent groups are plowing ahead." Let me jump to Carolyn Maloney, a difficult target ideologically put perfect for a reformist challenger to take on based on ethics. Her corruption is just mind-boggling, even if her voting record is pretty good. She's not just a member of the House Financial Services Committee, she's the chair of the Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets-- and exploits that to the max in her fundraising efforts. Among current members of the House, only 3 have been bigger Finance Sector money pigs than Maloney. A case can-- and should-- be made that these are the half dozen most corrupt members of Congress, at least in regard to Wall Street banksters, and that they should all be carted off to jail holding tanks before their trials: Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)- $8,086,692 Steny Hoyer (D-MD)- $6,865,814 Jim Himes (New Dem-CT)- $6,376,379 Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)- $6,309,318 Patrick McHenry (R-NC)- $5,627,242 Steve Stivers (R-OH)- $5,620,077 Suraj Patel ran against Maloney in 2018 and may do it again next year. He ought to. NY-12 is a solidly blue district (D+31) that spans Manhattan (Yorkville, the Upper East Side, Midtown, Kips Bay, Gramercy Park, Alphabet City and the Lower East Side), Queens (Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside) and Brooklyn (Greenpoint and north Williamsburg). Interstate 278 separates Maloney's district from Ocasio's in Queens. Of the 251,604 people who voted in 2018, 190,771 were in Manhattan, 35,728 in Queens and 25,105 in Brooklyn. The district has changed-- and rapidly, as Ocasio's had-- and in similar ways. First of all, though not most important per se, the D+27 PVI in 2017 jumped to D+31 in 2019. That's a big jump and it's the other changes that account for it. The white population is smaller but still dominant, though the fastest growing demos are Asians, Latinos, Arabs and-- very significantly-- highly educated and politicized millennials. Patel: "The status quo isnt good enough. Our values are under attack by leaders that dont share or understand our lived experiences, and its going to take new ideas and louder voices to make real change... We deserve a congressperson who isnt recklessly indifferent to the less privileged." Patel ended up with a bit over 40% of the vote, a great accomplishment against a forever incumbent on a first try. Goldmacher interviewed Sean McElwee, who has been involved in finding primary challengers in New York and who was a co-founder of the progressive think tank Data for Progress. McElwee told him that "in deep blue states, Republicans increasingly dont exist. We spend a lot of time thinking about why we have right-wing corporate Democrats selling out our interests." McElwee told him the push to recruit a challenger to Engel, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has been in Congress for three decades (and who represents the Likud Party of Israel and their lobbyists, AIPAC, far more than he does the folks who live in the 16th district (including Riverdale, Fieldston and Eastchester in the Bronx, abutting Ocasio's district, and New Rochelle, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Mamaroneck, Scarsdale and up to Rye and Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester. Blue America has been trying to find a local elected official to take Engel on for years, but with not a nibble. McElwee calls finding a primary opponent for him a "top priority" and recently commissioned a poll there. The district used to be overwhelming white but now whites only make up 39% of the population. Blacks, Latinos and Asians make it a minority-majority district. McElwee is eager to find "a younger candidate of color in 2020; only about a half-dozen white Democratic men represent a more diverse district in Congress than Mr. Engel," wrote Goldmacher. One potential challenger mulling a run is Andom Ghebreghiorgis, a Yale graduate and 33-year-old educator in Mount Vernon, who said that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez "showed theres a hunger, especially here in New York, for representatives who reflect the changing progressive politics of their communities." In a statement, Mr. Engel praised the partys "new energy" and said the fact that anyone can run "is the beauty of our electoral system." But, he added, "think were doing the people we represent and the country a disservice by focusing on 2020 primaries when we have so much to do right now in Washington." Yeah-- but not in NY-16. There are 4 congressmembers who represent parts of the Bronx, Ocasio, Engel, Adriano Espaillat-- a relatively new member, a progressive and a very good fit for the district-- and Jose Serrano (NY-15) in the center of the borough, in some ways the furthest left district in New York. The PVI is D+44, the bluest in the state and Trump only managed to win 4.9% of the vote in 2016 (slightly better than Romney did, but still Trump's worst performance anywhere in America. Only 2% of the population is white. The last Republican who won this district was Calvin Coolidge in 1924. The Bronx Machine has been eager to take Serrano out for some time but no one wants to run against him. In 2014 his primary opponent, Sam Sloan won 9% of the vote. His 2016 primary opponent, Leonel Baez won 10.8% and in 2018 there was no primary opponent. In the 2018 general election, the Republican candidate was Jason Gonzalez and Serrano beat him 124,469 (96%) to 5,205 (4%). City Councilman Ritchie Torres, a 30-year-old often described as a rising star, is weighing a run based on the whole "it's my turn, you're too old" thing. Yvette Clarke, who won with only 53%, is facing a rematch with Adem Bunkeddeko, the Harvard-educated son of war Ugandan refugees who had been endorsed by the New York Times. "Were at a moment of reckoning. Some people get it and some people dont. Maybe someones seventh term is the charm? But most of us arent holding our breath." Goldmacher spoke with her and she told him that "she had reorganized her district office following the 2018 close call and is aggressively selling her progressive credentials in the more gentrified and liberal parts of the district, such as Park Slope. 'I definitely will not be caught by surprise.' She has among the dozen most progressive voting records in Congress. Bunkeddeko's point is that she's basically just a backbencher who votes well and doesn't do much for the district. The last two likely primary races are on Long Island-- Tom Suozzi and Kathleen Rice, both New Dems who are going to be challenged from the left. I'm going to do a separate post on these two races because both are swingy districts that could, at least in theory, flip red if the incumbents are beaten. UPDATE: Democratic Primary In Arizona Arizona Republic At dawn today, the reported that Eva Putzova, a former Flagstaff city councilwoman, is running for the AZ-01 seat currently held by reactionary Blue Dog Tom O'Halleran. Putzova, who announced her candidacy in January, said her top priority in Congress would be to address the process immigrants have to go through to become citizens. She said the current system takes too long and leaves people at the mercy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for far too long. She also wants ICE restructured. Nobody is saying that enforcement in immigration is not important, but ICE as an agency is rogue, she said. It needs to be completely restructured. ..."A #GreenNewDeal should be every candidates priority in 2020," she tweeted Feb. 10 in support of the "Green New Deal" environmental plan championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Her campaign website lists other top issues: universal health care, tuition-free college, indigenous peoples' rights, "meaningful climate action," "no more wars," women's reproductive health and workers' rights. ...OHalleran, the two-term incumbent, appears to have the support of national Democrats. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently added him to its "Frontline" program. The DCCC's Frontline program is designed to help provide Democratic members of Congress with the support they need to win re-election. OHalleran is now one of 44 members of Congress in the program. Tom OHalleran wins tough races because he understands the concerns of hard-working Arizonans, and because he never forgot where he came from, Rep. Cheri Bustos, the 2020 cycle's DCCC chairwoman, said in a written statement. Were proud to stand with Tom as a member of our Frontline program to ensure he has the support he needs to win and keep working for Arizona, Bustos (Blue Dog-IL) added. Blue America has already endorsed Eva Putzova and if you'd like to see another member of Congress who supports Bernie's platform replace an "ex"-Republican Blue Dog, please click on the ActBlue Primary A Blue Dog thermometer on the right and contribute what you can. Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com Oh, and if you see me driving my red 2010 Mustang GT convertible, please wave. Hi, I am a retired newspaperman. I wrote 3 books on Trump and the media . I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 43 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather. Irish studied the crossings on Waverly Drive within the school zone and found that the majority of pedestrian traffic utilizes the crosswalk at 36th Street. Within a two-day study period, Irish reported that an average of 36 students crossed at 36th Street and an average of eight students crossed at a median crosswalk to the south. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} That, to me, it invites people to cross there, Commissioner Mark Taleff said of the median crosswalk. Taleff lobbied for the speed to remain reduced at the median crosswalk in opposition of the recommendation in the engineering report that called for the school zone to be compressed to 400 feet and be centered on the 36th Avenue crossing. Irish said he found no remarkable circumstance at the median crossing to justify the reduced speed. Students, he said, did not seem to use the median crossing, mostly due to a locked gate on school property that, if open, would allow students access school grounds from the median crosswalk. Commission chairman Ron Green asked why the gate was closed, but Irish and commissioners noted they did not have authority over the schools decisions. LEBANON Bud Kingsberry left work to get coffee Tuesday morning when a friend called him to say black smoke was coming from his shop at Aerostar Towing and Wrecking, 1046 F St. According to Lebanon Fire Division Chief Jason Bolen, the call came in at 8:26 a.m. Neighbor Cecilia Ruiz had just finished breakfast with her 1-year-old daughter when she heard sirens and joined a small crowd watching the scene. I didnt hear anything until I heard the sirens, she said. Bolen said the investigation was still ongoing but the fire appeared to be accidental. He said the shop was deemed a total loss, and the main building sustained minor cosmetic damage. According to a statement released by the Lebanon Fire District, explosions could be heard [on scene] due to the storage of acetylene, propane and gas tanks. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} By late Tuesday afternoon, Kingsberry was still trying to "let it sink in." He said he was unsure if the building was insured and estimated the loss of tools and equipment inside at $70,000. The NRC said their number includes four Dutch men, eight women and 15 children. The Netherlands has no intention of bringing back IS fighters despite US president Donald Trumps call on European countries to do so, foreign minister Stef Blok has confirmed. The Netherlands is not taking any IS fighters , Blok said in Brussels on Monday, where he was attending a meeting of other EU leaders. The presidents comments will not lead to a change in our standpoint, Blok said. Nor is handing them over to Iraq for trial an option because the country has the death penalty, Blok said. The Netherlands will only work with that country when it abolishes the death penalty, broadcaster NOS quoted the minister as saying. Trump this weekend said on Twitter that European governments should step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing by taking the suspects back. The Caliphate is ready to fall, he wrote. The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The US-backed Kurdish group which run the camps has also said they may have to release their captives when the US pulls out of the region. France and Germany are also reluctant to take back IS fighters. Around 900 foreign IS fighters plus some 700 women and 1,500 children are currently being held by the Kurdish Democratic Forces, according to news agency Reuters. Conflict zone The NRC said their number includes four Dutch men , eight women and 15 children. The Dutch security service AIVD estimates 315 Dutch nationals have travelled to the conflict zone since 2013. There are, however, divisions within the Dutch cabinet about what to do. D66 leader Rob Jetten said at the weekend that the Netherlands has to enter talks on what to do with the IS fighters. It would not be good for our safety if they come back to Europe under the radar, he said. The other three parties are in line with Blok, the NRC said. Justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus is looking at what can be done to bring back women and children being held in the camps. | 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 COLOMBO (News 1st) The Ministry of Justice and Prison Reforms claims that the death penalty will definitely be carried out on 13 inmates who are on death row and convicted of drug-related offences. A senior official of the Ministry noted that of the total 17 inmates who are on death row that 4 are foreign nationals. Thereby the death penalty can only be carried out definitely on the rest of the inmates. This matter has been notified to the Presidential Secretariat as well. The four foreign inmates on death row in Sri Lanka are Pakistani nationals and it is reported that the Pakistan government had made several requests for the release of these inmates. The senior official further claimed that a total of 48 persons convicted of drug-related offences are currently on death row, however, 30 of them have filed appeals against their verdicts and thus death penalty cannot be imposed on them as of yet. The list comprising the names of the 17 individuals, whom the death penalty can be imposed upon was handed over to the President recently with the recommendation of the Attorney General. All inmates on this list are said to be below the age of 50. | 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 Seattle, WA, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marketing success today requires a transcendent understanding of all aspects of an omnichannel strategy. Rich DePencier the latest addition to fractional Chief Marketing firm Chief Outsiders has demonstrated this omnichannel mastery throughout his career, and is now ready to foster disruptive marketing strategies at the small- and mid-market businesses that comprise the client base of Chief Outsiders. A passionate brand-builder, DePencier is known for excellence in leading and motivating teams to create innovative strategies and go-to-market plans for rapid growth. As VP of Global Consumer Products at Starbucks, DePencier fostered the research, business planning and introduction of Starbucks ready to drink and packaged coffee products across digital and brick and mortar channels in 20 countries. While serving as Global VP- Retail Beverage, Rich helped test expand the introduction of four of the most successful beverage launches in Starbucks history, including Green Tea Frappuccino, Cinnamon Dolce, Ready-To-Drink lattes and Refreshers. His digital prowess led to the coffee giant becoming the No. 1 brand on the social media platform Facebook in Europe. With a track-record of results across Fortune 100 and smaller entrepreneurial/tech companies, DePencier builds brands that win consumers choices across multiple channels and platforms in North America, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Latin America. His specialties include brand management, leadership development, P&L, channel strategy, product innovation, full-stack digital marketing, consumer research, and working with joint ventures, private equity and distributors. Rich is an impressive addition to the Chief Outsiders team of fractional CMOs able to translate winning global go-to-market strategies to an audience of eager SMB and mid-market executives, said Karen Hayward, Managing Partner, Chief Outsiders. His journey to this point has provided Rich with the insights, understanding and most importantly, expertise to overcome marketing malaise and create omnichannel marketing successes. DePencier a former Fulbright Scholar earned his BA and MA in International Relations and Latin American Studies at The American University School of International Service. About Chief Outsiders Chief Outsiders, LLC is a nationwide "Executives-as-a-Service" firm, with more than 60 part-time, or fractional, Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) engaged from coast-to-coast. Unlike other strategic marketing and management consulting firms, each CMO has held the position of VP Marketing or higher at one or more operating companies. Chief Outsiders have served on the executive team of over 700 client companies to drive growth strategy and execution plans for a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive. Because of its market-based growth plans, quality of leadership, and experienced team, Chief Outsiders has been recognized for the past five years by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest growing privately held companies in the US, and was recognized in the Houston Business Journal's Fast 100. Chief Outsiders CEO Art Saxby and Principal Pete Hayes are the co-authors of The Growth Gears: Using a Market-Based Framework to Drive Business Success, an Amazon #1 best-seller for business owners and CEOs. For additional information about the companies who trust Chief Outsiders as their premier source for business growth acceleration, click here. Attachment A Japanese man freed after 48 years on death row lives in fear he will be sent back Iwao Hakamada (82) spends a lot of time in the neat apartment he shares with his sister gazing out the window. After 48 years in jail, most of it in solitary confinement waiting for the hangman, he lives mostly in his own head. He gives no clue that he has entered the history books as the worlds longest-serving death row prisoner. Or that he is still under a death sentence. Hakamada was arrested in 1966 on suspicion of murdering a family of four. After decades of appeals, a district court in Shizuoka Prefecture freed him, saying in 2014 that police evidence against him was probably fabricated. The prosecution disagrees, so he awaits retrial and the possibility he will be returned to his 5sq m cell. Last year the Tokyo high court overturned the Shizuoka decision to grant a retrial, bouncing Japans highest-profile legal miscarriage back to the supreme court. Prosecutors have written to the court demanding that it reject Hakamadas appeal. His sister, Hideko, fears that he will have to serve out his original sentence, despite his age and fragile mental health. Its really unforgivable, she says. Split Decision, nods to Hakamadas old life as a professional boxer and to his original conviction by three judges, one of whom, racked with guilt, later said the conviction was flawed. Hideko, still a steely presence at 85, has fought for her brothers innocence for more than half her life. Last month she helped launch a manga (comic) series about his life . The title,, nods to Hakamadas old life as a professional boxer and to his original conviction by three judges, one of whom, racked with guilt, later said the conviction was flawed. Hakamada was questioned for three weeks without a lawyer, says Amnesty International . He later retracted his confession, claiming the police had beaten and threatened him unless he admitted stabbing to death his boss, his bosss wife and their two teenage children. Yet Shizuoka district court sentenced him to death in September 1968. The sentence was confirmed in 1980. Thuggish appearance The arrest of Carlos Ghosn , Nissans former chairman who has been held in a detention cell for three months, suggests little has changed since. Police and prosecutors have enormous discretionary powers over criminal suspects, who are nearly always convicted once indicted. Bias can affect police procedure: Hakamada was poor and his boxers face and lack of formal education made him appear thuggish. The police believe that expression of remorse is a key part of the system, says Kana Sasakura , a professor of law at Konan University . Nobody knows how many innocent people are in Japanese prisons, but many of the more than 100 people on death row are challenging their convictions. The heavy use of confessions made under duress has been widely condemned by lawyers and campaigners inside Japan, which is the only G7 developed country apart from the US that executes its citizens. The ministry of justice says the death penalty is popular with the public. In practice, the gallows are usually reserved for multiple murderers. Opposed to debate Hanging has survived the tenure of conscience-stricken justice ministers, such as the devoutly Buddhist Seiken Sugiura, who declined to sign execution orders throughout 2006. Judicial officials always reimpose the status quo, says Yoshihiro Yasuda , a lawyer who opposes the death penalty. The prosecution and judges have not accepted they did anything wrong [in the Hakamada case], he says. They are absolutely opposed to starting a debate on the death penalty. In prison Hakamada initially kept up the training regime that carried him through 29 professional featherweight bouts. Fellow inmates used to watch him shadow-box and punch the walls of his cell until his knuckles turned bloody. He gradually became uncommunicative, at one point refusing all visits from his closest relatives, including his sister, for well over a decade. Now, he just wants to be left alone to live out his remaining time, says his sister. He has finally found some peace here. | 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 Bangladesh: Climate Migrants Face a Gap in International Law February 19,2019 | Source: Relief Web In December, diplomats from more than 160 nations met for two days in Morocco to adopt the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), a non-binding agreement that aims to make life a little easier for the unprecedented number of people worldwide who are on the move away from home. One of the agreements signature achievements was to recognize the role that extreme weather and other climate-related disasters can play in prompting displacement and migration. According to the Nansen Initiative, a research collaborative backed by the European Union, between 2008 and 2014 an average of 22.5 million people were displaced every year by natural disasters. Experts expect that number to grow as sea levels rise, droughts last longer and storms worsen. By 2050, the total number of climate-displaced people could grow beyond 200 million about two percent of the global population. And yet, there remains no legally binding international recognition or protection for climate migrants. The GCM took the biggest step yet toward solving that problem. It calls on its signatories to better map, understand, predict and address migration movements, such as those that may result from sudden-onset and slow-onset natural disasters, the adverse effects of climate change, environmental degradation... The GCM also calls on signatories to cooperate to identify, develop and strengthen solutions...including by devising planned relocation and visa options for climate migrants. Its recommendations mirror those put forward in September by aspecial UN task force on displacement, which was created during the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris. Still, theres a long way to go before any of this language translates to tangible benefits for climate migrants. The GCM has yet to yield substantive regional or national policy changes aimed at climate migrants. The United States, as well as Australia, Israel, Italy, Hungary and other key players in global migration politics, pulled out of the agreement over concerns that it could impede their domestic immigration agendas. In the meantime, as climate displacement escalates, more evidence is accumulating about the complex ways in which climate change interacts with the panoply of other factors that might compel a person to migrate, and what the impacts of this unprecedented surge of human mobility might be. The stakes of this issue were vividly on display on the southern US border late in 2018, when thousands of Central American migrants joined caravans. A September assessment by US border officials pointed to drought-stricken farms and hunger as the primary driver for those migrants. US President Donald Trump responded by deploying National Guard troops to the border and instigating an unprecedented federal government shutdown over funding for a border wall. Even with the GCM, climate-displaced people are falling through the cracks. Safe pathways still need to be created for people who are dealing with the impacts of climate change, so that theyre not making migration decisions only in the context of a specific disaster, says Sarnata Reynolds, policy advisor for global displacement and migration at Oxfam. They should be able to make decisions about when and where and how to move. A few places in the world offer a preview of the climate-related migration challenges that many countries and cities around the world will confront in the near future. On a recent assignment for National Geographic, I found that Bangladesh, with its low-elevation coast, is one of them. Riverbank Erosion in Bangladesh Alamin Hossein Baperi wasnt at his house when the river washed it away last summer. He was 150 km away, visiting his older sister. Neither had a cellphone. A few days later, returning home to Bhola Island on the southeastern coast, he walked down a serpentine forest path past his neighbours fish ponds, stilt houses and ramshackle tea shops. The path ended where the land did, with an abrupt three-foot drop to the water. Baperis house should have been about a dozen metres ahead of him. I saw it was all water, and that was how I got the news that we were landless, he says. The feeling was inexpressible. I cried and cried. Baperi is one of the hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis who are displaced each year by riverbank erosion. Hydrologists worry that the rate could increase as climate change produces heavier rainfall during the monsoon season and a heavier flow of silt and water (from melting snow and glaciers) in the Himalayan mountains upstream. Bangladesh also faces a multitude of other natural disasters, including flooding, saltwater intrusion into freshwater farming and fishing areas, drought and catastrophic tropical storms. Each has the potential to displace hundreds of thousands more people. As sea levels rise, climate change further disrupts seasonal rainfall patterns and Bangladeshs population grows, those numbers will grow. By 2050, the number of Bangladeshis displaced by climate impacts will have reached 13.3 million, according to a 2018 World Bank report. In Bangladesh, the line is blurring between disaster refugees displaced by a specific catastrophe and economic migrants moving to improve their income prospects. Many displaced people were subsistence farmers and fishers who had moved from vulnerable coastal areas to slums in Dhaka, where they worked in the informal sector as rickshaw drivers, day labourers and domestic servants. At home, they were often affected by more than one form of climate-related natural disaster, which compounded their socio-economic marginalization. For some people, Cyclone Aila, which hit in 2009, was the direct cause of their displacement; for others, the devastation triggered long-lasting economic hardship, later exacerbated by slow-moving climate changes, such as salinity intrusion. Life choices were closed off one by one, until migration was the only path forward. What climate change does is it makes your traditional livelihood obsolete, says Ashfaq Rahman Khan, an environmental migration expert at the International Organization for Migration in Dhaka. In Baperis case, the morning after he lost his house, and desperate for a little cash and something to eat, he and his father borrowed a boat and went fishing using an illegal drag net. They were caught by the police and jailed for three months, he told me. After their release, with no house, no land, no fishing gear and no way to earn a living, Baperi decided to take his chances in Dhaka, one of the worlds fastest-growing and most densely populated megacities. In Bangladesh, the increasing climate pressure on rural areas is fuelling a secondary crisis of helter-skelter urbanization, illustrating a trend Robert Muggah and Adriana Erthal Abdenur noted in their 2018 paper. Many displaced people around the world, they write, end up living in lower-income informal settlements. As a result, they are often recipients of uneven access to basic services and face challenges entering the formal and informal labour markets. In Dhaka, Baperi lives with his wife, Ayesha, in a slum behind a construction site, in a makeshift aluminum room on short stilts. They share a toilet and stove with several neighbours, and when it rains the narrow alleyways flood. Around 40 percent of the citys residents live in slums like this, where they face a number of challenges, including poor sanitation and public health, scant access to basic utility services, human trafficking and sexual violence,exploitative rent and frequent eviction. Barisal, the province in Bangladesh that includes Baperis home of Bhola Island, is home to only six percent of the national population, but former residents of Barisal make up 20 percent of the slum dwellers in Dhaka, according to a 2016 UN analysis. As I wrote for National Geographic, it seems that urban planning policy has not caught up to the realities of climate-induced displacement: Local officials still tend to view slum dwellers as illegal squatters, rather than residents with a right to basic services. Tariq bin Yousuf, a senior official at the Dhaka City Corporation, a government agency that manages the citys infrastructure, says that while the city has plans to build more affordable housing, it prefers to leave slum residents reliant on aid from local and international non-governmental organizations. If we invest money directly in slum areas, or give them an electricity supply, they will start to think, O.K., we have these facilities, so we have the ownership of this land, he says. Once we give them improved services, they become permanent. Instead, Bangladesh has taken steps to get at the root of the problem, as encouraged by the GCM: investing in climate adaptation measures in the most vulnerable areas, to mitigate mass migration altogether. In September, the government approved a long-range, US$40 billion flood management plan. Another program, carried out since the early 2000s, has helped around 30,000 families who lost their homes to floods and erosion to develop new communities on coastal land recently formed by silt deposition. Some of these efforts were supported by foreign aid agencies: over the last six years, the US Agency for International Development spent US$33 million on disaster resilience programs in Bangladesh, and the countrys flood plan is being designed and implemented by the Netherlands. Alice Thomas, the Climate Displacement Program manager at Refugees International, says its heartening to see countries like Bangladesh get more serious about addressing the causes of migration. But in situ adaptation has its limits. Inevitably, climate change is going to make it impossible for millions of people to stay in their homes. For some, their homes may no longer exist at all: Pacific Island nations, such as Kiribati and Tuvalu, are facing an existential threat from sea-level rise. In those cases, migration may itself be a necessary, useful adaptation to climate change. However, even with the GCM, theres no legal precedent to guide how that could play out. Its not just about doing adaptation and resilience, but talking about legal pathways for people from the countries worst affected by climate change, Thomas says. And thats the piece thats still missing. If You Make It Safe and Legal, It Stops Being a Crisis Is the GCM toothless? That depends on how countries use it, Thomas says. The real test of the agreements effectiveness over the coming year will be the extent to which countries develop bilateral and regional agreements based on its recommendations, to facilitate the cross-border movement of climate migrants. That effort is moving slowly. Its disappointing more countries dont see the need to work together on this, Thomas says. For now, [the GCM] says enhance migration pathways. They didnt even commit to increase. So theres no promise of climate visas or anything like that. Were not there yet. As the situation at the United States-Mexico border illustrated, the biggest obstacle to improved protection for climate migrants may be the surge of nationalism that has tilted many countries domestic politics away from not only anything pro-migrant and any kind of binding international deal, but also from the politically divisive issue of climate change. Theres no real opportunity to make major progress, says Nina Hall, assistant professor of international relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Still, the GCM can be a tool leveraged by civil society to advocate for domestic migration policy reform, says Alex Randall, director of the Climate Change and Migration Coalition. It could also be used to prod governments to review whether their foreign policy and aid programs are improving or worsening climate-induced displacement. A January report by the US Government Accountability Office found that American foreign aid programs have largely overlooked the problem. Weve been handed something that we can deploy persuasively, Randall says. You can say to other states, You signed up to this agreement in which you agree that climate change is a driver of migration. And that starts to commit you to certain things like how you deploy your aid and development spending. Still, whatever happens with migration policy, the root cause of climate change is certain to get worse. A recentprojection from the United Kingdoms Met Office found that global greenhouse gas emissions are likely to break another record in 2019, driven particularly by increased deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. The Octoberspecial report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change painted a vivid picture of the catastrophes that lie ahead, and how unlikely we are to avert them. Given that global warming is going to continue for the foreseeable future, climate-induced displacement isnt going to slow down. But policy makers have an opportunity to prevent it from leading to conflict and human rights abuses, Randall says. Huge numbers of people moving is perfectly possible, he says. Its their legal status that determines whether that episode of movement looks like a crisis or not. If you make it safe and legal, it stops being a crisis. Bangladesh: Considers switching shrimp species February 19,2019 | Source: The Fish Site The Bangladeshi government plans to allow trial production of vannamei shrimp, as they consider switching from their native tiger prawn. Tiger prawns (Peneus monodon) are the most widely cultured crustacean in Bangladesh at the moment, but following heavy losses in the sector over the last five years, farmers and officials are looking to diversify. According to the Financial Express Bangladesh, a pilot vannamei production programme will take place in ponds covering up to 20 acres in the Cox's Bazar and Khulna districts but if successful the government intends to sanction more widespread commercial production. The newspaper reports that the Department of Fisheries (DoF) is formulating production guidelines, and is considering producing shrimp fry from imported specific pathogen-free (SPF) shrimp alongside the production of normal vannamei. More than 75 per cent of the total world shrimp production is Litopenaeus vannamei (also known as whiteleg shrimp), which undercuts tiger shrimp in price-terms in the lucrative US and EU markets. Myanmar: Minister calls for collective effort to effectively solve farmer shortage February 19,2019 | Source: Eleven Myanmar Departmental officials and those involved in the farming sector should make collective efforts to effectively deal with the scarcity of farm workers in the local agro sector, said Dr. Aung Thu, Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, at a ceremony at Agricultural Research Department in Nay Pyi Taw on February 16. It will be difficult for a farmer to fully utilize modern technologies and equipments in all farming process. The collective effort, like the cooperative system, can overcome these difficulties. In addition to the assistance provided to farmers, it needs to encourage farmers to set up cooperative businesses in accordance with the laws, he added. Departments, private sector, farming cooperative societies and those involved in the farming sector should make efforts for the extensive use of farm equipments which can effectively solve a shortfall of farm workers. In addition, efforts should be made to ensure the high yield and quality of crops and the safety of consumers as well as to seek ways of how to increase farmers profits and income and investments. More than five million households in Myanmar are engaging in farming on about eight million hectares of farmland, he continued. Myanmar has many prospects for the improvement of paddy and fishing system. Currently, farming and livestock sector contributes to one-thirds of GDP. It also accounts for two-thirds of the employment and for one-thirds of foreign earnings. For the income generation and the survival of more than 70 per cent of the total population, the country has to rely mainly on paddy and fish as the major farm products, said Dr. Aung Thu. The governments encouragement for the production of high-quality products would help support the governments goal for poverty alleviation, rural development and nutritional development etc. Sri Lanka: Coast guard apprehends 25 SL fishers February 19,2019 | Source: The Times of India The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) apprehended 25 Sri Lankan fishermen and their boats for fishing in the territorial waters of India. According to the Coast Guard station in Karaikal, ICG ship Shaurya apprehended the Sri Lankan fishermen along with their five boats during the security patrol on Indian waters in the morning hours of Monday. The fishermen were apprehended approximately about 50 nautical miles off Vedaranyam coast while they were engaged in illegal fishing in Indian waters. All the five boats and 25 crew members were apprehended under the Maritime Zones of India (MZI). They are expected to be handed over to the Vedaranyam Coastal Security Group (CSG) on Tuesday morning for further investigation, sources said. Karnataka: Form panel to probe missing fishermen, says Sathish Kunder February 19,2019 | Source: Deccan Chronicle It is over two months since seven fishermen ventured into the sea in their boat but their whereabouts still remain unknown! With the authorities failing to unravel the mystery behind the missing boat and fishermen, community leaders are planning to stage a protest before the chief minister's residence and in front of the naval base in Karwar. The fishermen had started off on their fishing boat Suvana Tribhuja from Malpe Fishing Harbour on December 13. The boat lost contact off the Goa coast on December 15 and since then, they are missing. Though a search operation was conducted by several agencies including the Coast Guard, Navy and the police, the whereabouts of the fishermen is unclear. As there is still no clarity on what happened to the fishermen, the fishermen leaders are thinking of gheraoing INS Kadamba and also protest in front of the CM's residence. The final decision would be taken after a meeting. "For the first few days we suspected our fishermen might have been kidnapped. However later, the authorities said that the Navy Ship INS Kochi which was on the same path, was hit by something due to which it suffered damage in its lower portion. It was suspected that the fishing boat might have been hit by the navy ship due to which the ship was damaged. Officials also said that there a 22 metre long 'thing' at the bottom of the sea in the spot and it was suspected that it might be the debris of the fishing boat. But now they deny that it is debris and instead have concluded it is a big stone," Malpe Fishermen Association president Sathish Kunder told DC after speaking to the Superintendent of Police. The date, time and location of the fishing boat going missing and INS Kochi getting damaged match. If it was not the boat that damaged the navy ship, then what was it? Was the ship damaged just when it went into the water? We feel officials are hiding something. We believe that the boat was hit by the ship. Government should form a panel to look into the incident and get an answer, he suggested. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush -- one a flamboyant showoff much praised for his intellectual agility, the other a sneak-intellectual much derided for his perceived intellectual shortcomings -- both spent eight White House years reading presidential biographies. They wanted to understand the office they occupied, to be sure, but they also wanted to see how history measured presidents. Two men whose opponents besieged them searched for the keys to greatness and historical redemption. So do not blithely dismiss the notion that Trump may be considering his legacy, maybe not by reading Robert W. Merry's biography of James K. Polk (a surpassingly successful president) or by dipping into Amity Shlaes' life of Calvin Coolidge (whose record has more to say for itself than Coolidge had to say himself). That's not Trump's way, though as president an earlier populist and disruptor, Theodore Roosevelt, read Plutarch, Aeschylus, Euripides, Macaulay, Gibbon, Carlyle -- and his friend Owen Wister, whose novels might actually appeal to the current president, and Jack London's "Call of the Wild," whose title and contents surely would entertain Trump, including this quote: "During the four years since his puppyhood he had lived the life of a sated aristocrat; he had a fine pride in himself, was even a trifle egotistical." DEAR ABBY: I'm a widowed senior who has been dating a very kind man, "Ben," for three years. He's retired; I am not. He does things for and with me, and we enjoy traveling together. The problem is, Ben usually starts drinking about 3 p.m. at the neighborhood bar. I'm welcome to join him, but I prefer to work at my job or volunteer in the community. By the grace of God, Ben has made it home safely every night, but I'm afraid he will eventually hurt someone. My son came home for a month because of a job change, and tonight he found Ben passed out in the front yard. I told my son I was sorry, and he said not to be, but he does not want his family -- my grandchildren -- around when Ben is like this. I am so embarrassed. I would miss this relationship, but I'm wondering if you think I should end it. -- MISSING THE GOOD IN HIM DEAR MISSING THE GOOD: It must have been clear to you for some time that Ben has a serious drinking problem that needs to be addressed. Whether you should end the relationship depends upon whether he is willing to admit that he has a problem and is willing to do something about it. English French Roissy, Amstelveen, February 19, 2019 Air France-KLM to improve governance and simplify structure Today, the Board of Directors of Air France-KLM unanimously approved the presentation of Benjamin Smith, CEO Air France-KLM, outlining his ambitions for the Group, principles of managerial governance, strategic decisions and processes to be made at Group level with the goal of simplifying and improving the governance of the Group in order to reach European airline leadership. Some key elements necessary to achieve the long-term goals of the Group: Create a new Group CEO Committee to determine the strategic direction for all Group airlines and business units. This CEO committee will be chaired by Benjamin Smith. The other members of the committee include Pieter Elbers (CEO KLM), Anne Rigail (CEO Air France) and Frederic Gagey (CFO Air France-KLM). The three of them will report directly to Benjamin Smith. Increase collaboration across the Group to better capture synergies, efficiencies and economies of scale, with the aim of improving overall Group profitability Celebrate the longstanding heritage, reputation and brand recognition of Air France, KLM and Transavia within their respective markets and reinforce the Group's position at it two hubs, Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Simplify key Group operational processes in the following areas: fleet and network strategy, commercial and alliances strategy, human resources, purchasing, digital and data management. The Board of Air France-KLM concurs with the Supervisory Board of KLM and proposes the renewal of Pieter Elbers as CEO of KLM during the KLM Annual General Meeting in April. Both Anne Rigail and Pieter Elbers are hereby also appointed Air France-KLM Deputy CEOs and have expressed their commitment to build the Group's success alongside Benjamin Smith. The Air France-KLM Board of Directors acknowledges the entry of Benjamin Smith to the Supervisory Board of KLM at their next AGM. Cees't Hart will become a member of the Air France-KLM Board of Directors at the Group's next AGM, replacing Hans Smits. "We are convinced that Benjamin Smith and his team, with the renewal of Pieter Elbers, will drive further growth at Air France-KLM, leveraging the combined strength and experience provided by the Group and its airlines." said Anne-Marie Couderc, Chair of the Air France-KLM Board. "The Board of Directors welcomes this new management structure adopted today, that will help the Group, under the clear leadership of Benjamin, achieve industry leadership and success" Air France-KLM Press office: + 33 (0)1 41 56 56 00 - www.airfranceklm.com - @AirFranceKLM A famous philosopher I think it was Zig Ziglar or Confucius, Im not sure said, If you aim at nothing, youre going to hit it every time. That means if you dont focus, youre not going to get it done youre not going to achieve what you want done. So, we prioritized that list and by we I mean the commissioners and started taking careful aim at all those issues that were needing to be solved over and above the normal daily operation of the commission. This is where we are: We now have a new road and bridge facility, new leadership, new location. A fully remodeled building facilities and equipment. The new leadership is Clay [Copeland] and John [Gross]. They are doing a wonderful job out there. Gallaher noted that the county is now working on a cash only basis with no added debt. Everything Im going to talk about today was with cash and budget flow, he said. No added debt. We dont do debt. About the equipment were updating the road and bridge. Weve just done wonderful things efficiencies. Over the past many years road and bridge had a high of 46 people. Now theyre at 31 and part of it is because of better equipment, part of it is because of leadership, part of it is because our people are motivated and have a high work ethic and they want to get their job done well. Fallen Formula One giants Williams will sit out the first two days of pre-season testing, at least a farce that places the future of technical director Paddy Lowe in doubt.Sportsmail understands that he has lost the confidence of his engineers after failing to ensure the car was ready for Monday's opening running in Barcelona.Insiders have indicated that the Briton was too lackadaisical about hitting deadlines despite repeated warnings.Williams' latest plan is to fly the car to Spain on Tuesday night a journey of some seven hours from the doors of their factory in Grove, Oxfordshire, to the Circuit de Catalunya.Lowe, 56, is also expected in the paddock on Wednesday, the penultimate day of the opening week's testing, to see the car on to the track.Another delay to the schedule, or unreliability, might spell a speedy end to the Cambridge graduate's second stint at Williams, a proud organisation that won 16 world titles with heroes such as Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost. Founder Frank Williams, 76, was knighted for the success he devoted his life to creating.The team, now run by Frank's daughter Claire, 42, finished bottom of the table last season, but she spoke optimistically last week of turning a page.To this end, Williams switched from their traditional navy-and-white livery to a brighter shade of blue, a distinctive break from the past, as Claire unveiled a lucrative new title partnership with ROKiT, a telecommunications company.Nobody at Williams would comment on Lowe's position but an observer close to the scene said: 'Paddy underestimated the changes he was brought in to affect. It is a total mess and so sad. People are very cross.'The team, including new British driver George Russell, who turned 21 on Monday, ate lunch miserably in their paddock home, waiting for the car to show up.F1 WINTER TESTINGTEST ONE - CatalunyaMonday, Feb 18 - Thursday, Feb 21TEST TWO - CatalunyaTuesday, Feb 26 - Friday, Mar 1In contrast, Sebastian Vettel led the timing sheets for Ferrari.'You are not meant to say it on day one of testing, but that was a perfect day,' said the German.Not quite so for Kimi Raikkonen. His Alfa Romeo formerly Sauber was no sooner launched at the track just before testing began than the Finn spun into the gravel at turn five.It brought out the first red flag, just five minutes into the action. The former Ferrari man was uninjured and the car safely recovered.McLaren's Carlos Sainz was second quickest overall and, even if the Spaniard was running on vapours, it was reason for hope after the team's abysmal 2018.Lewis Hamilton was ninth, a position that tells us little about what to expect when the racing starts in Melbourne on March 18. US President Donald Trump is criticising California's lead role in a multistate lawsuit challenging his emergency declaration to pay for a US-Mexico border wall.On Twitter Tuesday Trump noted last week's decision by California Governor Gavin Newsom to cancel a high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Trump claims the 'failed Fast Train project' was beset by 'world record setting' cost overruns and had become 'hundreds of times more expensive than the desperately needed Wall!'Trump complained about the lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco. He incorrectly identified the plaintiffs as '16 cities' but later corrected that to '16 states.'California and 15 other states are parties to the suit filed Monday that alleges that Trump's declaration is unconstitutional.Trump declared an emergency to obtain wall funding beyond money Congress approved for border security.California Attorney General Xavier Becerra released a statement on Monday saying the suit alleges the Trump administration's action violates the Constitution.'President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt,' Becerra said.'He knows there is no border crisis, he knows his emergency declaration is unwarranted, and he admits that he will likely lose this case in court.'Joining California in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Virginia. All the states involved in the lawsuit have Democratic attorneys general.Trump declared a national emergency to fulfil his promise of completing the wall.The move allows the president to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets.The states say diversion of military funding to wall-building will hurt their economies and deprive their military bases of needed upgrades. They say taking away funds from counter-drug efforts for the wall will also cause damage. California and New Mexico, the two Mexican border states in the lawsuit, say the wall will harm wildlife.California has repeatedly challenged Trump in court.'President Trump is manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up 'national emergency' in order to seize power and undermine the Constitution,' said California Governor Newsom in a statement.'This 'emergency' is a national disgrace.' More than 300 Islamic State militants surrounded in a tiny area in eastern Syria are refusing to surrender to US-backed forces and are trying to negotiate an exit, according to Syrian activists and a person close to the negotiations.The extremists are bottled up in the village of Baghouz, where they are hiding among hundreds of civilians and preventing them from leaving. The stalling tactics are likely to further delay a declaration of the end of the IS group's self-proclaimed caliphate, which the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces were hoping to make last week.A person familiar with the negotiations said the militants are asking for a corridor to the rebel-held northwestern province of Idlib, and demand that they be allowed to leave along with the evacuated civilians. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the talks, which he described as taking place indirectly.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group that monitors the civil war in Syria, said another request by IS to be evacuated to neighboring Iraq was also rejected. IS released 10 SDF fighters it had been holding on Sunday, but it was not clear what, if anything, the extremists would get in return, the Observatory said.The speck of land in Syria's remote eastern desert, near the border with Iraq, is all that remains of a self-styled caliphate that once sprawled across a third of both countries and included several major towns and cities.In that tiny patch on the banks of the Euphrates River, the militants are holed up in what SDF officials describe as a small tented village atop a network of tunnels and caves. There are civilians inside as well, possibly including hostages.The SDF and the US-led coalition have been fighting IS in the surrounding region since September. In recent years, they and other forces have steadily driven IS from nearly all the territory it once controlled, in battles that have killed tens of thousands of people and left entire towns and neighborhoods in ruins.The DeirEzzor 24, an activist collective in eastern Syria, said several trucks loaded with food entered IS-held areas in Baghouz overnight. It also reported the release of the SDF fighters, without saying whether there was a quid pro quo.DeirEzzor 24 said the truce reached last week has been extended for five more days as of yesterday. It added that in return several trucks loaded with food entered the IS-held area yesterday.At least 62 people have died in recent weeks, mainly from exhaustion and malnutrition, after making their way out of militant-held territory, the International Rescue Committee said. Spokesman Paul Donohoe said two-thirds were children under the age of one. He said they either died along the way or soon after arriving at a camp for the displaced.Over 30,000 people who left the last IS-held areas have arrived at the al-Hol camp in Syria's northern Hassakeh province in the last few weeks, raising the overall population of the camp to almost 42,000.Elsewhere in Syria, two bomb blasts went off in the northwestern city of Idlib, killing at least 13 people, Syrian opposition activists and paramedics said.The Observatory said the blasts in the Qusour neighborhood during rush hour Monday killed 17 people and wounded about 50. The Edlib Media Center, an activist collective, said the bombings killed 13 and wounded dozens.The first blast occurred in the early afternoon and another followed seconds later. The opposition's Syrian Civil Defense, a group of volunteer first responders, said one of its members was wounded.The city of Idlib is controlled by al-Qaida-linked militants, who have wide influence in northern Syria.The city has been hit with bombings in recent months that killed or wounded scores of people. Was the United States on the verge of war against North Korea during the presidency of Barack Obama? Donald Trump has said he thinks so. "If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea with potentially millions of people killed," Trump said during his State of the Union address. He repeated the claim recently when announcing an emergency declaration on the U.S.-Mexico border wall, saying that Obama was particularly out to get North Korea. "I said, Whats the biggest problem? (Obama) said, By far, North Korea. And I dont want to speak for him, but I believe he would have gone to war with North Korea. I think he was ready to go to war," Trump said. "In fact, he told me he was so close to starting a big war with North Korea." We asked a range of North Korea and foreign-policy experts whether they thought it was likely, or even plausible, that the United States was on the precipice of war with North Korea during Obamas tenure. Universally, the experts we contacted said no. During the visit of Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Argentina has signed an agreement the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance. The agreement was signed by Argentinas Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie in the presence of ISAs Director-General Upendra Tripathy. The agreement of the International Solar Alliance was open opened for signature during the COP22 at Marrakech on November 15, 2016. The signatories of the agreement include India, France, Australia, UAE, UK, Japan amongst others. Argentina is the 72nd country to sign the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance. International Solar Alliance International Solar Alliance aims to provide a common platform to address the specific solar technology deployment needs of the solar resource-rich countries located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Availability of abundance of solar energy in these countries can be utilised to generate cost-effective solar power to address the challenges of the absence of universal energy access, energy equity and affordability. International Solar Alliance will not duplicate the efforts that other bodies like International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), International Energy Agency (IEA), Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), United Nations bodies, bilateral organizations which are currently engaged in. Rather it will establish networks and develop synergies with them and supplement their efforts in a sustainable and focused manner. International Solar Alliance is the first body that will have a secretariat in India. India plays a significant role in the alliance in terms of being a host as well as a major contributor in achieving the target of 1 TW of solar energy by 2030. With a target to produce 100 GW of solar energy by 2022, India would account for a tenth of ISAs goal. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S. TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sandy Lake Gold Inc. (Sandy Lake or the Corporation) (TSX-V:SLAU) is pleased to announce that it proposes to increase its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing, to now provide for the issuance of (i) up to 27,500,000 units (the Units) at a price of $0.10 per Unit; and (ii) up to 10,000,000 flow-through common shares (FT Shares) at a price of $0.16 per FT Share, for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $4,350,000.00 (the Offering). Each Unit shall be comprised of one common share in the capital of the Corporation (a Share) and one-half of one (1/2) share purchase warrant. Each whole share purchase warrant shall be exercisable to purchase one additional Share at a price of $ 0.20 for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering, provided that if at any time after the date which is four months and one day following closing of the Offering, the closing price of the Shares on the principal market on which such Shares trade is at least $0.30 for more than 20 consecutive trading days, the expiry date will be accelerated to the date which is 30 days following the dissemination by the Corporation of a press release announcing such acceleration. The Corporation may pay a finders fee to certain eligible finders assisting in the Offering, comprised of a cash payment in an amount equal to 5% of the gross proceeds raised by such finders from the sale of Units, and such number of non-transferrable compensation warrants as is equal to 5% of the number Units sold by such finders. Each compensation warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Share at a price of $ 0.20 for a period of 24 months following the closing of the Offering. All other terms of the Offering remain the same as previously announced. For further details, please refer to the press release of the Corporation dated February 13, 2019 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Sandy Lake Gold Inc. Sandy Lake Gold Inc. is a Toronto based mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and development of the Sandy Lake Gold project in Canada and proposed to acquire the Aremu Oko and Peters Mine properties in Guyana. For further information please contact: Patrick Sheridan Executive Chairman & CEO (416) 628-5904 Email: info@sandylakegold.com Forward Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words expect, anticipate, continue, estimate, may, might, will, project, should, believe, plans, intends and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information and/or statements. Forward-looking statements and/or information are based on a number of material factors, expectations and/or assumptions of Sandy Lake which have been used to develop such statements and/or information but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Sandy Lake believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements as Sandy Lake can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified herein, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: receipt of all applicable regulatory approvals; availability of financing; and the timely receipt of any required regulatory approvals. The forward-looking information and statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and should not be unduly relied upon. Such information and/or statements, including the assumptions made in respect thereof, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and/or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information and/or statements including, without limitation: risks associated with the uncertainty of obtaining all applicable regulatory approvals, the availability of financing, and/or certain other risks detailed from time-to-time in Sandy Lakes public disclosure documents (including, without limitation, those risks identified in this news release and Sandy Lakes current managements discussion and analysis). Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Corporation does not undertake any obligations to publicly update and/or revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of additional information, future events and/or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy and / or accuracy of this release. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram You work against us. In your work, you criticize militias. We watched your videos and you talk against us. You will pay the price for it, an anonymous voice said on the other end of the line to freelance reporter Azhar Al-Rubaie. The call came in September, a few days after a video showing al-Rubaei interviewing a protester went viral. Al-Rubaie had been covering one of the many demonstrations held in the southern Iraqi city of Basra since July to protest deteriorating living standards, when a masked protester carrying a portrait of adult actress Mia Khalifa drew his attention. I asked him what message he was trying to convey by carrying that photo and he asked me to point him to a single politician in Iraq that was more honorable than Khalifa, so he could go complain to him about the lack of water, electricity, sanitation, and jobs in Basra. He said that Khalifa gave him more comfort than any politician, Al-Rubaie, who works for the London-based The Arab Weekly and the independent Iraqi broadcaster Sky Michigan TV, told CPJ. Al-Rubaie tried, to no avail, to find out who was behind the threatening call. He said he believes the caller is linked to one of the Iran-backed militias operating in Basra. Iraqi authorities chiefly relied on militias, some of which are funded by Iran and prominent Iraqi religious figures, to oust the militant group Islamic State. After defeating the extremists in 2017, those militias were recognized by the then Iraqi prime minister as an official security force. Militia leaders, including Hadi al-Amari, the head of the Iran-backed militia Badr Organization, have taken advantage of the militias popularity to enter politics. Up until the threatening call, Al-Rubaie said he had felt safe covering the protests and the heavy-handed response to them by security forces and militias that have targeted activists and protesters, but he was also acquainted with the dangers for journalists in Basra. Between the beginning of the protests in July and the release of its findings on September 18, the Iraqi press freedom group Journalistic Freedoms Observatory (JFO) documented at least 15 instances of journalists who were assaulted, detained, or prevented from covering the protests by security forces and armed groups. Some, including a Reuters photographer, Essam al-Sudani, were cited by JFO as saying that the security forces had seized their equipment and erased footage or pictures of the protests. The SWAT police prevented me from covering a protest in September, but I insisted on filming, so they hit me in the back with their truncheons, broke my phone, and seized all my equipment, which they returned hours later, Al-Rubaie said, referring to the police emergency response unit. In response to the threats, Al-Rubaie decided first to move house in Basra and eventually to leave for the United States in December. CPJ is aware of at least four other journalists who left Basra because of threats and abuse by security forces and militias. Two of those declined to comment for this article, out of fear that family members still in Basra could be attacked. Safaa Khalaf, an exiled investigative journalist and scholar from Basra, said, Security forces and militias are targeting journalists working for foreign media and local journalists working for semi-independent local outlets to prevent them from covering not only the protests, but also corruption, the proliferation of illegal weapons and drugs, and the increasing influence of Iran. Khalaf added, However, those working for outlets owned by political parties and Shia militias enjoy generous funding and the protection of militias, which is why protesters torched the offices of several media outlets affiliated with Shia parties and militias, as well as the state-owned broadcaster, simply for their stance against the protests or for neglecting to cover them. Last year, CPJ documented how protesters targeted outlets owned by political parties or Shia militias, including the state-owned broadcaster Al-Iraqiya TV and Al-Forat TV, which is affiliated with the Hikma Movement of the Iraqi Shia cleric Ammar al-Hakim. According to JFO, masked protesters also torched the Basra office of Al-Ghadeer TV, a broadcaster affiliated with the Iran-backed Badr Organization, in September. The Badr Organization didnt immediately reply to CPJs emailed request for comment for this article. Laura Yousuf, a reporter and human rights and LGBTIQ activist who fled Basra in October, told CPJ that the Iran-backed militias, including the Badr Organization and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, pose a threat to journalists. Yousuf, who was reporting for Al-Janoob News Agency and monitoring human rights violations for Al-Amal Organization, a local non-governmental organization that promotes human rights and gender equality across Iraq, said SWAT forces arrested and beat her for filming the protests on September 4. Less than an hour later she was released after claiming she worked for the pro-Iran broadcaster Al-Marbad TV and signing a document saying she would never take part in protests again. Barely a week later, an unknown person on the street threatened to kill her. Yousuf told CPJ that her partner was warned that they were on a Badr Organization hit list for promoting civic engagement and LGBTIQ rights in Iraq. Thats when Yousuf left Iraq. The Basra journalists with whom CPJ spoke described a feeling of helplessness as these abuses go unpunished, even when evidence is on their side. Journalists are insulted almost every day. If our reports dont appeal to those in power, we are threatened. Since the protests began, I have been detained three times by security forces and militias, one journalist, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, told CPJ. While covering a demonstration in December 2018, I was detained for more than three hours. When I told them I was a journalist and produced my press card, they insulted me, put a bag over my head and beat me with a rope. They threatened to arrest me again if I kept covering protests. A few days later, a threatening letter was left at my doorstep. It was the third, the journalist, who showed CPJ pictures and videos of his injuries, said. Their accounts are in line with a 2018 report by the National Union of Iraqi Journalists, which identified authorities, armed groups, and political parties as the main threats to Iraqi journalists and highlighted the governments failure to hold perpetrators of violations against journalists accountable for their crimes. An assault by Walid Kitan, the head of the Basra Provincial Council, on Safaa al-Furaiji, a correspondent for Al-Amal radio, while he was covering a news conference in Basra in November illustrates the impunity with which press freedom violations are committed in Basra. According to the local press freedom group Iraqi Center for Supporting Freedom of Speech and Mohammad al-Jabri, a reporter for Radio al-Rasheed who was with al-Furaiji at the time, Kitan punched al-Furaiji for no reason in a corridor at the Basra governorate building and asked his bodyguards to take out him and al-Jabri. When contacted for comment, the Basra Governorate Councils Media Center referred CPJ to the Journalist Syndicate in Basra. The syndicate is a government-affiliated group with no power to investigate assaults. Kitans office did not immediately reply to CPJs request for comment, sent via social media. The journalists also appealed to higher authorities in Iraq about the assault, al-Jabri said on Facebook, but over three months later the attack has still gone unpunished. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Kiev, February 19, 2019The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned a ruling by the Pechersk District Court of Kiev granting investigators from Ukraines Prosecutor Generals Office access to internal documents of independent newsmagazine Novoye Vremya and email conversations of its reporter Ivan Verstiuk in an attempt to discover a source. Prosecutors are seeking access to internal documents of Novoye Vremya, one of Ukraines top critical news outlets, and Verstiuks conversations in an attempt to find the source of a 2016 investigative story that revealed the allegedly corrupt dealings of a high-profile Kiev prosecutor, Novoye Vremyas editor-in-chief, Vitaliy Sych, told CPJ. Prosecutors in Ukraine should be investigating the alleged corruption revealed by Novoye Vremyas reporting, not pressuring the outlet and its reporter Ivan Verstiuk to reveal their sources, said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna in New York. The protection of sources is a fundamental tenet of newsgathering, and we call on prosecutors to drop this case immediately. If Novoye Vremya does not turn over the material demanded from prosecutors, its editorial offices stand to be searched by armed investigators, the news magazine reported, citing a copy of the official decision from the Pechersk District Court of Kiev. Andriy Lysenko, a spokesperson for Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko, also confirmed the ruling in a post on Facebook. According to Lysenko, the Prosecutor Generals Office submitted its request to obtain the magazines documents on February 1 and the Pechersk District Court of Kiev ruled in its favor on February 4. He said that Novoye Vremya had been notified of this information on February 13. Verstiuks investigative story in question, titled Brilliant Daughter, published in August 2016, explored how a former Kiev regional deputy general prosecutor paid 120,000 British pounds (about $154,000) a year for his daughter to study at a school in the United Kingdom despite his official salary of only $7,600 a year. The former Kiev regional deputy general prosecutor was fired in July 2015 but prosecutors are still investigating his case, according to the Kyiv Post. Sych said that prosecutors claim Verstiuks source came from the Prosecutor Generals Office and violated the confidentiality of the investigation. Sych told CPJ the magazine will try to appeal in court even though the procedure of appeals is vague for such cases, adding, If we fail, we will have to disclose the sources or our reporter will face criminal charges. I view this as an attempt to pressure us and help locate those who leaked the info to us, and in such a way cover up corruption in the [General] Prosecutors Office, Sych told CPJ. Basically, the prosecutors office is not disputing the fact one of its key officials spent 40 times more than he officially earned on education of his daughter alone. It is upset we reported it and somebody within the prosecutors office helped us with the docs. In a separate case in 2018, Novoye Vremya reported that the Pechersk District Court of Kiev ruled that prosecutors could obtain data covering a period of 18 months from the phone of Novoye Vremya reporter Kristina Berdynskykh. Novoye Vremya and Berdynskykh are appealing the decision, Berdynskykh told CPJ. The European Court of Human Rights has condemned the courts decision granting access to the phone records of reporter Natalie Sedletska of Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys Ukrainian service, who is named in the same case, as CPJ documented last September. Those cases and the court rulings stem from a criminal probe into the alleged disclosure of state secrets to Berdynskykh and Sedletska in 2017 by Artem Sytnyk, director of the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine, CPJ and Novoye Vremya reported. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Istanbul, February 19, 2019The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Istanbul appeals courts decision today to uphold the terrorism-related convictions of the staff of pro-opposition daily newspaper Cumhuriyet. Fourteen people associated with Cumhuriyet, including journalists and staff members, were convicted on terrorism-related charges in April 2018, as CPJ reported at the time. The entire prosecution of the Cumhuriyet journalists and staff has been a miscarriage of justice, Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, said from Bratislava, Slovakia. We urge the Turkish authorities to drop the case once and for all and ensure that none of the Cumhuriyet staffers spend another moment in prison just for doing their jobs. The Istanbul appeals court was responsible for the cases of Cumhuriyet staffers who were sentenced to five years or less in prison and have been free on probation pending their appeal: columnists Hakan Kara and Guray Oz, cartoonist Musa Kart, lawyer Mustafa Kemal Gungor, board member Onder Celik, and accountant Emre Iper were denied appeal and are required to return to prison to serve the rest of their sentences; columnist and advisor Kadri Gursel (also the Turkey chair of the International Press Institute) and lawyer Bulent Utku will not go back to prison due to time already served, according to Cumhuriyet and Reuters. At the time of publication, no media reports indicate that those sentenced to return to prison have yet been taken into custody. CPJ reached out to the journalists lawyers for comment via WhatsApp and did not immediately receive a response. Those sentenced to more than five years will continue to wait for their cases to be heard by Turkeys Supreme Court of Appeals; according to Cumhuriyet, those include former Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu, prominent journalist and current parliamentary deputy Ahmet Sk, columnists Hikmet Cetinkaya, Orhan Erinc, and Aydn Engin, and former Cumhuriyet Foundation Chair Akin Atalay. The Cumhuriyet trial started on July 24, 2017, following the police raid of the newspapers Istanbul offices and arrests of its staff in October 2016, as CPJ reported. Turkish prosecutors accused those connected with Cumhuriyet of aiding exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom the government accuses of masterminding a failed military coup in July 2016, and of aiding the Kurdistan Workers Party, which Turkey classes as a terrorist group. As CPJ has reported, the defendants have denied these charges, maintaining that they were simply doing the work of journalists. Turkey is the worlds worst jailer of journalists, with at least 68 in jail in direct relation to their work at the time of CPJs latest prison census. TUESDAY, Feb. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Younger U.S. women are suffering heart attacks at a higher rate now than 20 years ago -- even while the picture has improved for younger men. Those are the key findings from a new study of four U.S. communities, in which researchers report the heart attack rate among women younger than 55 has steadily inched upward since 1995. In contrast, the rate dipped among men in that age group. By 2014, those younger women accounted for 31 percent of hospitalizations for heart attack -- up from 21 percent in the late 1990s. The findings were published Feb. 19 in a special issue of the journal Circulation focusing on women's heart health. It's not entirely clear why heart attacks rose among younger women. But the study period spanned a time of increasing obesity rates nationwide. "Young women have a higher prevalence of obesity than men in the same age group, and this is especially true among minorities," said senior researcher Melissa Caughey. She is an instructor in cardiology at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill. "Obesity can be a risk factor for high blood pressure and diabetes," Caughey said, "and all three can lead to a higher risk for heart attack." In fact, the study found, high blood pressure and diabetes were more common among younger women who suffered a heart attack, versus their male counterparts. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum pointed out that "obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes all seem to be more detrimental to women." She is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association who was not involved in the study. "I wish I could say I'm surprised by these findings, but I'm not," added Steinbaum, who directs women's cardiovascular prevention, health and wellness at Mount Sinai Hospital, in New York City. The results are based on a 19-year study of adults living in four U.S. communities in North Carolina, Mississippi, Minnesota and Maryland. Over that time, there were nearly 29,000 hospitalizations for heart attack: 30 percent were among people aged 35 to 54. But while that hospitalization rate dipped among younger men over the years, it crept up among younger women -- to between two and three heart attacks per 1,000 women by 2014, the findings showed. At that point, 31 percent of heart attack hospitalizations were happening among younger women -- up from 21 percent in the late 1990s. In contrast, the number of young men hospitalized for a heart attack declined over time -- though the rate remained higher compared with young women, at roughly four per 1,000 by 2014. One problem, according to Caughey's team, is the enduring myth that heart disease is a "man's disease." Steinbaum agreed. Even among doctors, she said, there remains an "unconscious bias" to take conditions like high blood pressure less seriously in women, versus men. The study did find that younger women with heart attacks were less likely than men to get recommended medications to reduce their risk of another attack. For women, Caughey said, the findings underscore the importance of early attention to prevention. "Many of the risk factors for heart attack are modifiable," she said. "Although it's never too late to adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle, earlier is better. And that's something young women can keep in mind." That can, however, be easier said than done -- and that's a big part of the problem, according to Steinbaum. Women in their 30s to 50s are often working and raising kids, and may be caring for aging parents, too. "The lives of women today are really complicated," Steinbaum said. "We need to figure out a way to take care of ourselves, too." Getting up and moving throughout the day is critical, she said -- whether that means going to the gym, taking a walk or turning on music and dancing with your kids. "Exercise is the best medicine," Steinbaum said. "Make the time, as best you can, to get that 150 minutes of activity every week." A second study in the same issue highlights the importance of simply getting off the couch. It followed older women, finding that the less time women spent sitting or lying down throughout the day, the lower their risk of eventually suffering a heart attack or stroke. The effect was independent of how much time women dedicated to exercise, like brisk walking. That, researchers said, suggests that older women benefit just from getting up and moving throughout the day. More information The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women campaign has advice on heart disease prevention. The Holocaust is a heavy and not exactly the most pleasant topic to discuss, but Becki Zanardi has great knowledge of it. The Scotus Central Catholic High School English teacher will be presenting on the horrors of the Holocaust to the community soon. The talk will be held at 2 p.m. on March 3 at the Platte County Museum, 2916 16th St. in Columbus. Admission is free for historical society members and $3 for non-members. The 45-minute talk will focus on the deaths of a half-million Ukrainian Jews murdered by Nazi Germany and its allies when it invaded the Soviet Union between 1941-1944. Many of them were shot by Nazi mobile killing units, hence the title of the presentation Holocaust by Bullets." Zanardi said its important to talk about the tragedies like the Holocaust because there are still mass killings going on to this day. She said she hopes discussing it with the community and her students will help them take away some perspective. A majority of the issues reported Nov. 6 came from Douglas County, where voters reported "poll greeters" blocking entrances to voting areas and checking photo identifications which Civic Nebraska noted is "in violation of Nebraska's Constitution." Voters at multiple locations in Douglas County also reported receiving one page of a two-page ballot, or receiving duplicate pages. Lancaster County had fewer problems, according to the observers who watched polling places and voter reports, but issues including electioneering and the lack of voting instructions in languages other than English were reported. In one instance, a voter refused to take off a hat promoting a candidate at a polling place and became angry at the poll workers who asked him to do so, an observer reported. In another, a voter wearing a shirt expressing support for women's issues was not allowed to vote until she covered up the message on the garment, which she did, the report indicated. Meanwhile, Civic Nebraska said the lack of voter instructions in languages other than English was problematic across the state, but particularly in Lancaster County, where 48 different languages are spoken, according to census data. There were also reported problems with voting machines in Saunders and Saline counties. In the wake of several recent tragedies, the Columbus Public Schools Board of Education during its Monday afternoon meeting reviewed the district's gift giving and memorial policies. CPS Superintendent Troy Loeffelholz presented the Board with a proposal that would split the districts memorial and gift giving policy into two separate ones. The memorial protocol would be expanded upon to better outline and clarify the districts course of action when it comes to the death of a student and/or faculty member. The new policy proposal comes in the aftermath of several deaths this school year in the district - two students died by suicide and another student and faculty member died from cancer, it was noted. Loeffelholz said the goal is to design and make a list of standardized procedures that will ensure all student and faculty deaths are treated fairly when it comes to dealing with these types of tragedies. Each death is a unique circumstance, so there has to be a little bit of gray there, Loeffelholz said.But whatever you do, you've got to treat them all the same. TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xanadu Mines Ltd (ASX: XAM, TSX: XAM) (Xanadu or the Company) is pleased to report that diamond drill hole KHDDH488, which is currently being drilled at the Companys Kharmagtai porphyry copper and gold deposit in the south Gobi region of Mongolia (Figures 1 and 2) has intersected a significant zone of visible bornite-chalcopyrite copper mineralisation. The current drilling is targeting high-grade mineralisation associated with a causative copper and gold porphyry at depth, which is yet to be drilled. HIGHLIGHTS Current drill hole (KHDDH488) has intersected porphyry style veining and tourmaline breccia with visible sulphide chalcopyrite mineralisation from 178m to current depth of 891m, with drilling continuing; Within this larger interval is a 100m-wide zone of visible bornite-rich mineralisation occurring from a depth of 580m. Bornite visual estimates within this zone range from 0.1% to 1% bornite Drilling is revealing a transition to higher temperature sulphide mineral assemblages such as bornite in the intrusive root to the deposit; Assays are pending. Xanadus Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andrew Stewart, said The current focus on drilling for extensions to the high-grade resource at Kharmagtai is proceeding at pace and the mineralisation we are encountering supports this approach. The borniterich cores of the Stockwork Hill and Copper Hill deposits provide encouragement that the Kharmagtai deposit has the capacity to produce high-grade ore zones characterised by bornite-gold mineralisation. Hole KHDDH488 has successfully demonstrated the existence of high-grade mineralisation along strike and at depth outside the current resource. This represents an exciting new development for the project following the release of an interim open-cut resource last year and we are particularly excited with the new results from this hole which are expanding a new zone of bornite porphyry mineralisation. Bornite mineralisation typically carries significantly higher gold grades than chalcopyrite only zones. Based upon detailed modelling, this new zone of mineralisation remains open in all directions. We have not yet found the core or the causative intrusion to mineralisation. The new high-grade extensions we have identified potentially provide the opportunity to assess Stockwork Hill as a larger open pit and as an underground resource that has the potential to deliver significant additional value to the Project. We see these results as another step towards our goal of becoming a globally significant copper-gold company. STOCKWORK HILL DRILLING PROGRAM The current drilling is targeting high-grade mineralisation associated with a causative copper and gold porphyry at depth which remains to be delineated. Drilling is targeting mineralisation below chalcopyritegold mineralisation to test for a higher grade bornite core in the root zones of the causative porphyry intrusion. High grade mineralisation may be manifested as bornitegoldcemented breccia or as bornitegold stockwork mineralisation in the causative intrusive intrusion. Current diamond drill hole KHDDH488 is located approximately 100m east of KHDDH419 which intersected (see Xanadus ASX announcement 26 September 2017; Figure 2): 294m @ 0.47% Cu & 0.85g/t Au (1.01% eCu or 1.59g/t eAu) from 466m, including 86m @ 0.78% Cu and 1.91g/t Au (2.0% eCu or 3.14g/t eAu) from 558m Drill hole KHDDH488 is at a current depth of 891m, intersecting a quartz-diorite intrusion containing porphyry-style veins and tourmaline breccia with visible chalcopyrite and trace molybdenite and bornite mineralisation from 178m depth to the current depth of 891m (Figure 3 and 4). Between the depths of 178 and 422m mineralisation occurs as porphyry vein infill, disseminations and infill to tourmaline breccias. Copper mineral species are dominated by chalcopyrite which ranges between 0.5% chalcopyrite and 1.5% chalcopyrite as a percentage of the whole rock. Between the depths of 422m and 512m chalcopyrite mineralisation drops to between 0.1% to 0.5% chalcopyrite as disseminations and porphyry vein infill. From the depth of 512m to the current hole depth 891m mineralisation occurs as both chalcopyrite and bornite sulphide, both occurring as disseminations and porphyry vein infill. Chalcopyrite abundances range between 0.5% to 4.5%. Within this interval is distinctive zone of bornite mineralisation between 580 to 680m ranging between 0.1% to 1% bornite in addition to the chalcopyrite. These are visual estimates and do not represent assay results. Assay results are expected in the coming weeks. The abundance of porphyry-type quartz veins, visual estimations of volume-percent chalcopyrite and the chalcopyrite-bornite ratio increases between 580m and 680m indicates that drilling is advancing towards higher temperature core of the Kharmagtai porphyry system (Figure 4). It is likely that deeper drilling in the Kharmagtai deposit will reveal a transition to higher temperature sulphide mineral assemblages such as bornite in the intrusive root to the deposit. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/33680710-d22d-4de5-83ef-7f469589007e http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67abaeed-5dba-45b1-96d4-2a4287c4fcc6 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3e8d0679-1026-4114-849b-723f12a97346 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f598b099-5c47-4fb1-b2f7-f2fa5ffa225a COMPETENT-QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT The information in this announcement that relates to exploration results is based on information compiled by Dr Andrew Stewart who is responsible for the exploration data, comments on exploration target sizes, QA/QC and geological interpretation and information. Dr Stewart, who is an employee of Xanadu and is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists, has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity he is undertaking to qualify as the Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and the National Instrument 43-101. Dr Stewart consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears. COPPER EQUIVALENT CALCULATIONS The copper equivalent (CuEq) calculation represents the total metal value for each metal, multiplied by the conversion factor, summed and expressed in equivalent copper percentage. Grades have not been adjusted for metallurgical or refining recoveries and the copper equivalent grades are of an exploration nature only and intended for summarising grade. The copper equivalent calculation is intended as an indicative value only. The following copper equivalent conversion factors and long-term price assumptions have been adopted: Copper Equivalent Formula (CuEq) = Cu% + (Au (ppm) x 0.6378). Based on a copper price of $2.60/lb and a gold price of $1,300/oz. Table 1: Currently returned assay intercepts for Stockwork Hill Hole ID Prospect From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Cu (%) CuEq (%) AuEq (g/t) KHDDH488 Stockwork Hill Assays pending Intercepts are weighted averages to ensure different sample lengths do not skew the results. There is insufficient information to understand true widths at this stage. Due to the size of the system and current ambiguity around orientation of the drill hole relative to minor diluting intrusives, a larger than normal internal dilution of 9m has been used to calculate a geologically relevant intercept. Cut-off grades and maximum dilution details are included in the tabulated intercepts for clarity. Table 2: Drill hole collar location Hole ID Prospect East North RL Azimuth () Inc () Depth (m) KHDDH488 Stockwork Hill 592741 4877800 1284 180 -73 901.0 For further information, please contact: Andrew Stewart Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer T: +612 8280 7497 M: +976 9999 9211 Andrew.stewart@xanadumines.com www.xanadumines.com APPENDIX 1: KHARMAGTAI TABLE 1 (JORC 2012) 1.1 JORC TABLE 1 SECTION 4 ESTIMATION AND REPORTING OF ORE RESERVES Set out below is Section 1 and Section 2 of Table 1 under the JORC Code, 2012 Edition for the Kharmagtai project. Data provided by Xanadu. This Table 1 updates the JORC Table 1 disclosure dated 31 July 2018. 1.2 JORC TABLE 1 - SECTION 1 - SAMPLING TECHNIQUES AND DATA Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used. Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where industry standard work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. The resource estimate is based on diamond drill core samples, RC chip samples and channel samples from surface trenches. Representative core samples were split from PQ, HQ & NQ diameter diamond drill core on site using rock saws, on a routine 2m sample interval that also honours lithological/intrusive contacts. The orientation of the cut line is controlled using the core orientation line ensuring uniformity of core splitting wherever the core has been successfully oriented. Sample intervals are defined and subsequently checked by geologists, and sample tags are attached (stapled) to the plastic core trays for every sample interval. RC chip samples are splits from one meter intervals using a 75%:25% riffle splitter to obtain a 3kg sample RC samples are uniform 2m samples formed from the combination of two split 1m samples. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). The Mineral Resource estimation has been based upon diamond drilling of PQ, HQ and NQ diameters with both standard and triple tube core recovery configurations, RC drilling and surface trenching with channel sampling. All drill core drilled by Xanadu has been oriented using the Reflex Ace tool. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed. Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples. Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. Diamond drill core recoveries were assessed using the standard industry (best) practice which involves: removing the core from core trays; reassembling multiple core runs in a v-rail; measuring core lengths with a tape measure, assessing recovery against core block depth measurements and recording any measured core loss for each core run. Diamond core recoveries average 97% through mineralization. Overall, core quality is good, with minimal core loss. Where there is localized faulting and or fracturing core recoveries decrease, however, this is a very small percentage of the mineralized intersections. RC recoveries are measured using whole weight of each 1m intercept measured before splitting Analysis of recovery results vs grade shows no significant trends that might indicate sampling bias introduced by variable recovery in fault/fracture zones. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies. Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography. The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. All drill core is geologically logged by well-trained geologists using a modified Anaconda-style logging system methodology. The Anaconda method of logging and mapping is specifically designed for porphyry Cu-Au mineral systems and is entirely appropriate to support Mineral Resource Estimation, mining and metallurgical studies. Logging of lithology, alteration and mineralogy is intrinsically qualitative in nature. However, the logging is subsequently supported by 4 Acid ICP-MS (48 element) geochemistry and SWIR spectral mineralogy (facilitating semi-quantitative/calculated mineralogical, lithological and alteration classification) which is integrated with the logging to improve cross section interpretation and 3D geological model development. Drill core is also systematically logged for both geotechnical features and geological structures. Where drill core has been successfully oriented, the orientation of structures and geotechnical features are also routinely measured. Both wet and dry core photos are taken after core has been logged and marked-up but before drill core has been cut. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken. If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry. For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique. Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples. Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling. Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. All drill core samples are core splits from either PQ, HQ or NQ diameter cores. A routine 2m sample interval is used, but this is varied locally to honour lithological/intrusive contacts. The minimum allowed sample length is 30cm. Core is appropriately split (onsite) using diamond core saws with the cut line routinely located relative to the core orientation line (where present) to provide consistency of sample split selection. The diamond saws are regularly flushed with water to minimize potential contamination. A field duplicate core sample is collected every 30 th sample to ensure the representivity of the in situ material collected. The performance of these field duplicates are routinely analysed as part of Xanadus sample QC process. sample to ensure the representivity of the in situ material collected. The performance of these field duplicates are routinely analysed as part of Xanadus sample QC process. Routine sample preparation and analyses of DDH samples were carried out by ALS Mongolia LLC (ALS Mongolia), who operates an independent sample preparation and analytical laboratory in Ulaanbaatar. All samples were prepared to meet standard quality control procedures as follows: Crushed to 75% passing 2mm, split to 1kg, pulverised to 85% passing 200 mesh (75 microns) and split to 150g sample pulp. ALS Mongolia Geochemistry labs quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2008. The sample support (sub-sample mass and comminution) is appropriate for the grainsize and Cu-Au distribution of the porphyry Cu-Au mineralization and associated host rocks. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total. For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias) and precision have been established. All samples were routinely assayed by ALS Mongolia for gold Au is determined using a 25g fire assay fusion, cupelled to obtain a bead, and digested with Aqua Regia, followed by an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish, with a lower detection (LDL) of 0.01 ppm. All samples were also submitted to ALS Mongolia for the 48 element package ME-ICP61 using a four acid digest (considered to be an effective total digest for the elements relevant to the MRE). Where copper is over-range (>1% Cu), it is analysed by a second analytical technique (Cu-OG62), which has a higher upper detection limit (UDL) of 5% copper. Quality assurance has been managed by insertion of appropriate Standards (1:30 samples suitable Ore Research Pty Ltd certified standards), Blanks (1:30 samples), Duplicates (1:30 samples core duplicate) by XAM. Assay results outside the optimal range for methods were re-analysed by appropriate methods. Ore Research Pty Ltd certified copper and gold standards have been implemented as a part of QC procedures, as well as coarse and pulp blanks, and certified matrix matched copper-gold standards. QC monitoring is an active and ongoing processes on batch by batch basis by which unacceptable results are re-assayed as soon as practicable. Prior to 2014: Cu, Ag, Pb, Zn, As and Mo were routinely determined using a three-acid-digestion of a 0.3g sub-sample followed by an AAS finish (AAS21R) at SGS Mongolia. Samples were digested with nitric, hydrochloric and perchloric acids to dryness before leaching with hydrochloric acid to dissolve soluble salts and made to 15ml volume with distilled water. The LDL for copper using this technique was 2ppm. Where copper was over-range (>1% Cu), it was analysed by a second analytical technique (AAS22S), which has a higher upper detection limit (UDL) of 5% copper. Gold analysis method was essentially unchanged. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel. The use of twinned holes. Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols. Discuss any adjustment to assay data. All assay data QAQC is checked prior to loading into XAMs Geobank data base. The data is managed by XAM geologists. The data base and geological interpretation is managed by XAM. Check assays are submitted to an umpire lab (SGS Mongolia) for duplicate analysis. No twinned drill holes exist. There have been no adjustments to any of the assay data. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation. Specification of the grid system used. Quality and adequacy of topographic control. Diamond drill holes have been surveyed with a differential global positioning system (DGPS) to within 10cm accuracy. The grid system used for the project is UTM WGS-84 Zone 48N Historically, Eastman Kodak and Flexit electronic multi-shot downhole survey tools have been used at Kharmagtai to collect down hole azimuth and inclination information for the majority of the diamond drill holes. Single shots were typically taken every 30m to 50m during the drilling process, and a multi-shot survey with readings every 3-5m are conducted at the completion of the drill hole. As these tools rely on the earths magnetic field to measure azimuth, there is some localised interference/inaccuracy introduced by the presence of magnetite in some parts of the Kharmagtai mineral system. The extent of this interference cannot be quantified on a reading-by-reading basis. More recently (since September 2017), a north-seeking gyro has been employed by the drilling crews on site (rented and operated by the drilling contractor), providing accurate downhole orientation measurements unaffected by magnetic effects. Xanadu have a permanent calibration station setup for the gyro tool, which is routinely calibrated every 2 weeks (calibration records are maintained and were sighted) The project DTM is based on 1 m contours from satellite imagery with an accuracy of 0.1 m. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results. Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied. Whether sample compositing has been applied. Holes spacings range from <50m spacings within the core of mineralization to +500m spacings for exploration drilling. Hole spacings can be determined using the sections and drill plans provided. Holes range from vertical to an inclination of -60 degrees depending on the attitude of the target and the drilling method. The data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish anomalism and targeting for porphyry Cu-Au, tourmaline breccia and epithermal target types. Holes have been drilled to a maximum of 1,300m vertical depth. The data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish geological and grade continuity, and to support the Mineral Resource classification. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type. If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. Drilling is conducted in a predominantly regular grid to allow unbiased interpretation and targeting. Scissor drilling, as well as some vertical and oblique drilling, has been used in key mineralised zones to achieve unbiased sampling of interpreted structures and mineralised zones, and in particular to assist in constraining the geometry of the mineralised hydrothermal tourmaline-sulphide breccia domains. Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Samples are delivered from the drill rig to the core shed twice daily and are never left unattended at the rig. Samples are dispatched from site in locked boxes transported on XAM company vehicles to ALS lab in Ulaanbaatar. Sample shipment receipt is signed off at the Laboratory with additional email confirmation of receipt. Samples are then stored at the lab and returned to a locked storage site. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. Internal audits of sampling techniques and data management are undertaken on a regular basis, to ensure industry best practice is employed at all times. External reviews and audits have been conducted by the following groups: 2012: AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. was engaged to conduct an Independent Technical Report which reviewed drilling and sampling procedures. It was concluded that sampling and data record was to an appropriate standard. 2013: Mining Associates Ltd. was engaged to conduct an Independent Technical Report to review drilling, sampling techniques and QAQC. Methods were found to conform to international best practice. 2018: CSA Global reviewed the entire drilling, logging, sampling, sample shipping and laboratory processes during the competent persons site visit for the 2018 MRe, and found the systems and adherence to protocols to be to an appropriate standard. 1.3 JORC TABLE 1 - SECTION 2 - REPORTING OF EXPLORATION RESULTS Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings. The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. The Project comprises 1 Mining Licence (MV-17387A). The Kharmagtai mining license MV-17387A is 100% owned by Oyut Ulaan LLC. THR Oyu Tolgoi Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd) (THR) owns 90% of Oyut Ulaan LLC. The remaining 10% is owned by Quincunx Ltd (Quincunx). The Mongolian Minerals Law (2006) and Mongolian Land Law (2002) govern exploration, mining and land use rights for the project. Exploration done by other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. Detailed exploration was conducted by Quincunx Ltd, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd and Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd including extensive surface mapping, trenching, diamond drilling, surface geochemistry and geophysics. Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. The mineralisation is characterised as porphyry copper-gold type. Porphyry copper-gold deposits are formed from magmatic hydrothermal fluids typically associated with felsic intrusive stocks that have deposited metals as sulphides both within the intrusive and the intruded host rocks. Quartz stockwork veining is typically associated with sulphides occurring both within the quartz veinlets and disseminated thought out the wall rock. Porphyry deposits are typically large tonnage deposits ranging from low to high grade and are generally mined by large scale open pit or underground bulk mining methods. The prospects at Kharmagtai are atypical in that they are associated with intermediate intrusions of diorite to quartz diorite composition; however the deposits are significant in terms of gold:copper ratio, and similar to other gold-rich porphyry deposits. Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes: easting and northing of the drill hole collar elevation or RL (Reduced Level elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar dip and azimuth of the hole down hole length and interception depth hole length. If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. Diamond holes, RC holes and trenches are the principal source of geological and grade data for the Project. Timing RC Holes Metre DDH Holes Metre RC & DDH Metre Trench Metre Drilling <2015 155 24553 252 88511 0 0 106 39774 Drilling >2015 68 13107 116 57876 22 5323 17 5618 Total 223 37660 368 146387 22 5323 123 45392 See figures in main report. Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (eg cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated. Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high grade results and longer lengths of low grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail. The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. Weighted averages have not been used in this work Some compositing has been used in this resource but with statistically relevant techniques that do not include internal dilution The following metal equivalent calculations were used: CuEq = Cu% + (Au g/t x 0.51139) Formula is based on a $3.1/lb copper price and a $1,320/oz gold price. A relative gold to copper recovery factor of 82.35% was used (85% copper recovery and 70% gold recovery), gold to copper conversion factor of 0.62097 was applied. All prices are in USD. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results. If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported. If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (e.g. down hole length, true width not known). Mineralised structures are variable in orientation, and therefore drill orientations have been adjusted from place to place in order to allow intersection angles as close as possible to true widths. Exploration results have been reported as an interval with 'from' and 'to' stated in tables of significant economic intercepts. Tables clearly indicate that true widths will generally be narrower than those reported. Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. See figures in main report. Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. Resources have been reported at a range of cut-off grades, above a minimum suitable for open pit mining, and above a minimum suitable for underground mining. Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. Extensive work in this area has been done and is reported separately. See the company website for significant announcements and milestones. Work that has been done includes; relogging of core, structural studies, alteration studies, geotechnical studies and preliminary metallurgical test works. The project has been subject to various geophysical studies including aeromagnetic, radiometric surveys and electromagnetic surveys over discrete targets. Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling). Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. The mineralisation is open at depth and along strike. Current estimates are restricted to those expected to be reasonable for open pit mining. Limited drilling below this depth (- 300m rl) shows widths and grades potentially suitable for underground extraction. Exploration is on-going. 1.4 JORC TABLE 1 SECTION 3 ESTIMATION AND REPORTING OF MINERAL RESOURCES Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Database integrity Measures taken to ensure that data has not been corrupted by, for example, transcription or keying errors, between its initial collection and its use for Mineral Resource estimation purposes. Data validation procedures used. The database is managed using Micromine Geobank software. Data is logged directly into an Excel spread sheet logging system with drop down field lists. Validation checks are written into the importing program ensures all data is of high quality. Digital assay data is obtained from the Laboratory, QA/QC checked and imported. Geobank exported to CSV TEXT and imported directly to the Micromine software used for the MRE. The combined database was provided for the MRE. Validation of the data import include checks for the following: Duplicate drill hole or trench names, One or more drill hole collar or trench coordinates missing in the collar file, FROM or TO missing or absent in the assay file, FROM > TO in the assay file, Sample intervals overlap in the assay file, First sample is not equal to 0 m in the assay file, First depth is not equal to 0 m in the survey file, Several downhole survey records exist for the same depth, Azimuth is not between 0 and 360 in the survey file, Dip is not between 0 and 90 in the survey file, Azimuth or dip is missing in survey file, Total depth of the holes is less than the depth of the last sample, Total length of trenches is less than the total length of all samples. Negative sample grades. No logical errors were identified in the analytical data. Site visits Comment on any site visits undertaken by the Competent Person and the outcome of those visits. If no site visits have been undertaken indicate why this is the case. Warren Potma, an employee of CSA Global, visited the Kharmagtai project, located in Mongolia, over 4 days from 18th to 22nd September 2018. The site visit was required for the purposes of inspection, ground truthing, review of activities, and collection of information and data. Geological interpretation Confidence in (or conversely, the uncertainty of ) the geological interpretation of the mineral deposit. Nature of the data used and of any assumptions made. The effect, if any, of alternative interpretations on Mineral Resource estimation. The use of geology in guiding and controlling Mineral Resource estimation. The factors affecting continuity both of grade and geology. Geological data has been collected in a consistent manner that has allowed the development of geological models to support the Mineral Resource estimate. Copper and gold mineralisation is controlled by porphyry phases, oxidation zone, level of veining, breccia, country rocks and barren dykes. Full geological models of all major geological formations were developed for each deposit, and the block models were domained accordingly. Domaining of the deposit mineralisation was based on the current understanding of the deposits geology. All major geological formations were wireframed by Xanadu geologists using Leapfrog software, including porphyry phases, country rocks, barren dyke, base of oxidation surface and breccia bodies. All geological formations were domained by the level of development of stockwork - <0.5% veining, 0.5-1.5% veining and >1.5% veining. All provided wireframe models were imported into Micromine software and validated by CSA Global. Full geological models of all major geological formations were developed for each deposit, and the block models were domained accordingly. Domaining of the deposit mineralisation was based on the current understanding of the deposits geology. All major geological formations were wireframed by Xanadu geologists using Leapfrog software, including porphyry phases, country rocks, barren dyke, base of oxidation surface and breccia bodies. All geological formations were domained by the level of development of stockwork - <0.5% veining, 0.5-1.5% veining and >1.5% veining. All provided wireframe models were imported into Micromine software and validated by CSA Global. Geological interpretation and wireframing were based on sampling results of drill holes and trenches, which were logged at 2 m intervals (average). No alternative interpretations were adopted. Lithological logging was mainly used to interpret and to wireframe the geological formations. Geological logging of veining was used to wireframe the stockwork and breccia domains. Dimensions The extent and variability of the Mineral Resource expressed as length (along strike or otherwise), plan width, and depth below surface to the upper and lower limits of the Mineral Resource. Altan Tolgoi: The strike length of the mineralised zone is about 1,200 m. Width is up to 800 m, no plunging, traced down dip to 1,030 m. Mineralisation is outcropped at the surface. Tsagaan Sudal: The strike length of the mineralised zone is about 1,200 m. Width is up to 730 m, no plunging, traced down dip to 1,080 m. Mineralisation is outcropped at the surface. Zesen Uul: The strike length of the mineralised zone is about 630 m. Width is up to 150 m with apparent plunging to SW at about 40 degrees. traced down dip to 420 m dipping 70 degrees to SE. Mineralisation is outcropped at the surface. Estimation and modelling techniques The nature and appropriateness of the estimation technique(s) applied and key assumptions, including treatment of extreme grade values, domaining, interpolation parameters and maximum distance of extrapolation from data points. If a computer assisted estimation method was chosen include a description of computer software and parameters used. The availability of check estimates, previous estimates and/or mine production records and whether the Mineral Resource estimate takes appropriate account of such data. The assumptions made regarding recovery of by-products. Estimation of deleterious elements or other non-grade variables of economic significance (e.g. sulphur for acid mine drainage characterisation). In the case of block model interpolation, the block size in relation to the average sample spacing and the search employed. Any assumptions behind modelling of selective mining units. Any assumptions about correlation between variables. Description of how the geological interpretation was used to control the resource estimates. Discussion of basis for using or not using grade cutting or capping. The process of validation, the checking process used, the comparison of model data to drill hole data, and use of reconciliation data if available. The MRE is based on surface drilling and trenching results using Ordinary Kriging (OK) to inform 20 m x 20 m x 20 m blocks. The block model was constrained by wireframes modelled for the geological formations of the deposits and coded and domained by the level of oxidation and level of veining. The OK interpolation was carried out separately for each geological domain of each deposit. Hard boundaries were used between the interpreted geological domains. The drill hole and trench data were composited to a target length of 2 m based on the length analysis of raw intercepts. Top-cuts were estimated separately for gold and coper grades for each modelled domain and applied to sampled intervals before length compositing. Interpolation parameters were as follows: Image removed and available in the link below http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03c677d7-a82e-462d-9b01-adee221dad67 Previous JORC-compliant Mineral Resources were estimated by Mining Associates, and the estimate was available for review. No current mining is occurring at the Kharmagtai project. No by-products are assumed at this stage. Estimated molybdenum and silver grades appear to be sub-economic to extract at this stage of the project evaluation. Sulphur grades were interpolated into the models to establish their potential affect to metallurgical processing. The optimal parent cell size was selected in the course of block modelling. The linear parent cell dimensions along X- and Y-axes were 20 m x 20 m. The vertical parent cell dimension was 20 m. Block grades were interpolated using parent cell estimation. Nominal drill spacing was about 40 m x 40 m at the central parts of the deposits. It was assumed that a 20 m x 20 m x 20 m parent cell approximately reflects SMU for large scale open pit mining. No assumptions about correlation between variables were made. Geological interpretation was based on the results of detailed geological logging, which resulted in the development of wireframe models for all major geological formations for each deposit, which control copper and gold mineralisation (country rocks, porphyry phases, barren dyke. Logging of the level of veining and level of oxidation was used to develop wireframe models for the stockwork development (<0.5% veining, 0.5-1.5% veining and >1.5% veining) and also for breccia pipe and surface for the base of oxidation surface. The wireframe models for stockwork, breccia and oxidation were used to sub-domain the main geological formations of each deposit. All wireframe models were developed by Xanadu geologists using Leapfrog software. Top-cutting was applied separately for each geological domain and sub-domain based on the results of the classical statistical analysis. Grade estimation was validated using visual inspection of interpolated block grades vs. sample data, alternative interpolation methods and swath plots. Moisture Whether the tonnages are estimated on a dry basis or with natural moisture, and the method of determination of the moisture content. Moisture was not considered in the density assignment and all tonnage estimates are based on dry tonnes. Cut-off parameters The basis of the adopted cut-off grade(s) or quality parameters applied. A cut-off grade of 0.3% CuEq was used to report the Mineral Resources for open pit mining within the limits of ultimate undiscounted pit shell, and a cut-off of 0.5% CuEq was used to report the Mineral Resources for underground mining below the ultimate undiscounted pit shell. Mining factors or assumptions Assumptions made regarding possible mining methods, minimum mining dimensions and internal (or, if applicable, external) mining dilution. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider potential mining methods, but the assumptions made regarding mining methods and parameters when estimating Mineral Resources may not always be rigorous. Where this is the case, this should be reported with an explanation of the basis of the mining assumptions made. No mining factors have been applied to the in-situ grade estimates for mining dilution or loss as a result of the grade control or mining process. The deposit is amenable to large scale bulk mining. The Mineral Resource is reported above and outside of an optimised ultimate pit shell (Lerch Grossman algorithm), mineralisation below the pit shell is reported at a higher cut-off to reflect the increased costs associated with block cave underground mining. Metallurgical factors or assumptions The basis for assumptions or predictions regarding metallurgical amenability. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider potential metallurgical methods, but the assumptions regarding metallurgical treatment processes and parameters made when reporting Mineral Resources may not always be rigorous. Where this is the case, this should be reported with an explanation of the basis of the metallurgical assumptions made. No metallurgical factors have been applied to the in-situ grade estimates. Metallurgical recoveries were used when copper equivalent grades were calculated in the model. The applied recoveries were 85% for copper and 70% for gold. Relative gold to copper recovery was 82%. Environmental factors or assumptions Assumptions made regarding possible waste and process residue disposal options. It is always necessary as part of the process of determining reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction to consider the potential environmental impacts of the mining and processing operation. While at this stage the determination of potential environmental impacts, particularly for a greenfields project, may not always be well advanced, the status of early consideration of these potential environmental impacts should be reported. Where these aspects have not been considered this should be reported with an explanation of the environmental assumptions made. An environmental baseline study was completed in 2003 by Eco Trade Co. Ltd. of Mongolia in cooperation with Sustainability Pty Ltd of Australia. The baseline study report was produced to meet the requirements for screening under the Mongolian Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures administered by the Mongolian Ministry for Nature and Environment (MNE). Bulk density Whether assumed or determined. If assumed, the basis for the assumptions. If determined, the method used, whether wet or dry, the frequency of the measurements, the nature, size and representativeness of the samples. The bulk density for bulk material must have been measured by methods that adequately account for void spaces (vugs, porosity, etc.), moisture and differences between rock and alteration zones within the deposit. Discuss assumptions for bulk density estimates used in the evaluation process of the different materials. A total of 4428 measurements for bulk density are recorded in the database, all of which were determined by the water immersion method. The average density of all samples is approximately 2.75 t/m3. In detail there are some differences in density between different rock types. Therefore, since the model includes all major geological domains, density values were applied separately for each domain: Image removed and available in the link below http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a2ff7495-dc9d-4aa9-abaf-cfe073982e95 Average bulk density values were applied for each geological domain, though there could be variations in density values due to presence of sulphides or level of alteration. Classification The basis for the classification of the Mineral Resources into varying confidence categories. Whether appropriate account has been taken of all relevant factors (i.e. relative confidence in tonnage/grade estimations, reliability of input data, confidence in continuity of geology and metal values, quality, quantity and distribution of the data). Whether the result appropriately reflects the Competent Persons view of the deposit. The Mineral Resource has been classified based on the guidelines specified in the JORC Code. The classification level is based upon an assessment of geological understanding of the deposit, geological and mineralization continuity, drill hole spacing, QC results, search and interpolation parameters and an analysis of available density information. The following approach was adopted: Measured Resources: Not reported. Indicated Resources: It was decided that Indicated Mineral Resources be assigned to blocks which were explored with the drill density not exceeding approximately 65 m x 65 m with at least two mineralization intersections on exploration lines. Geological structures are relatively well understood and interpreted. Inferred Resources: Inferred Mineral Resources are model blocks lying outside the Indicated wireframes, which still display reasonable strike continuity and down dip extension, based on the current drill hole and trench intersections. Data quality, grade continuity, structural continuity and drill spacing were assessed by CSA Global to form an opinion regarding resource confidence. The classification reflects the Competent Persons view of the deposit. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of Mineral Resource estimates. The Mineral Resource block model was peer reviewed internally by a Principal Resource Geologist employed by CSA Global and the conclusion was made that the procedures used to estimate and classify the Mineral Resource are appropriate. Discussion of relative accuracy/ confidence Where appropriate a statement of the relative accuracy and confidence level in the Mineral Resource estimate using an approach or procedure deemed appropriate by the Competent Person. For example, the application of statistical or geostatistical procedures to quantify the relative accuracy of the resource within stated confidence limits, or, if such an approach is not deemed appropriate, a qualitative discussion of the factors that could affect the relative accuracy and confidence of the estimate. The statement should specify whether it relates to global or local estimates, and, if local, state the relevant tonnages, which should be relevant to technical and economic evaluation. Documentation should include assumptions made and the procedures used. These statements of relative accuracy and confidence of the estimate should be compared with production data, where available. Industry standard modelling techniques were used, including but not limited to: Classical statistical analysis, Interpretation and wireframing of main geological formations, Top-cutting and interval compositing, Domaining of the model using level of logging veining, breccia and zone of oxidation, Geostatistical analysis, Block modelling and grade interpolation techniques, Model classification, validation and reporting, The relative accuracy of the estimate is reflected in the classification of the deposit. The estimate is related to the global estimate of the deposit suitable for subsequent PFS or further exploration at the deposit. No historical production data is available for comparison with the MRE. The Mineral Resource accuracy is communicated through the classification assigned to various parts of the deposit. 1.5 JORC TABLE 1 SECTION 4 ESTIMATION AND REPORTING OF ORE RESERVES Ore Reserves are not reported so this is not applicable to this report. New York has been home to some of the most notable power couples in history, from Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt to Bill and Hillary Clinton to Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray. This Valentines Day, were recognizing a handful of lesser-known power couples in New York and why you should get to know these dynamic duos. JONATHAN WESTIN & CAMILLE RIVERA Jonathan Westin is the executive director of New York Communities for Change, and Camille Rivera is national political director for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. They have been married six and a half years. How did you meet? Camille: Jonathan and I always have a disagreement about this. We both agree that we were introduced by my mentor the late (Working Families Party founder) Jon Kest but I remember our first meeting being at the ALIGN benefit in 2011 and Jonathan says it was like at a big coalition meeting and I just never paid attention to him. Jonathan: I met Camille for the first time organizing protests against Wall Street in 2011. She did not remember meeting me then, but I definitely remember meeting her. Do your professional lives ever overlap? Camille: Yes, Jon and I became close working while I was the executive director for United NY and he was working for NYCC as the organizing director under Jon Kest. It was during the Occupy movement and we became very close. We worked closely to organize the march on Oct. 5 and then again in November we also worked closely on the fast food and minimum wage organizing. I was building our low-wage coalition, political and community work, and he was just taking on the lead role as executive director for NYCC. It was a very busy time and we worked very closely together. Jonathan: A lot. We did a lot of organizing together during Occupy Wall Street, and then on the #FightFor15 and even today (we) are both organizing to stop Amazon from coming to New York City. Have you ever disagreed on a political issue? Camille: Umm yeah, all the time! Even though we both have strong progressive values we approach the work differently and sometimes from different lenses. We are not always on the same side regarding our work. For example, Jon was very intimately involved in the Cynthia Nixon campaign and my organization endorsed and were staunch supporters of the governor. And when I worked for the mayor, there were a lot of times when he was at odds with the administration. Jonathan: We disagree on politics a lot! I usually take more left-flank positions than Camille on lots of issues and races, which more often than not ends up causing her lots of headaches! Do you have any advice for other couples in politics? Camille: Yes, it is always important to maintain your independence and individuality and remind folks of that youre your own person in this field. Its always important let other people know that youre not your partners keeper. As for you as a couple, you dont always talk politics. Working in politics and living a life that is attached to your progressive values arent the same. Ensure that you have a firewall when it comes to work and never bring it home. If I have a work conversation and our paths cross, I call him at his office. And I always call him by his last name Westin when talking about him and or if its work-related. Praise each other often and never let the bad stuff from the outside in. And when nothing else works, always say you love each other at the end of the night. Jonathan: Yes! Dont let politics get in the way of your relationship. Understand that you both have to have as much independence in your work lives as possible to be able to do the things you think are necessary to achieve your goals. ALEXIS OGRA & CHRIS CATT Alexis-Ogra-and-Chris-Catt-Power-couple-feature.gif Alt Text: Alexis Ogra, former chief of staff to then-Assemblyman Joseph Errigo and current constituent service liaison for Rep. Chris Collin, and her fiance Chris Catt, chief of staff to state Sen. Pam Helming and vice chairman of the Ontario County Republican Comm Title Text: Alexis Ogra and her fiance Chris Catt. Caption: Alexis Ogra and her fiance Chris Catt. Description: Alexis Ogra, former chief of staff to then-Assemblyman Joseph Errigo and current constituent service liaison for Rep. Chris Collin, and her fiance Chris Catt, chief of staff to state Sen. Pam Helming and vice chairman of the Ontario County Republican Committee. Image Credit: Submitted Alexis Ogra, former chief of staff to then-Assemblyman Joseph Errigo and current constituent service liaison for Rep. Chris Collins, is engaged to Chris Catt, chief of staff to state Sen. Pam Helming and vice chairman of the Ontario County Republican Committee. How did you meet? We met while Alexis worked for the Erie County Republican Committee in Buffalo and Chris worked for the House of Representatives in the Rochester area. A mutual friend of ours that knew us both from College Republicans introduced us as friends back in 2014. But it wasnt until years later when we were both in Washington, D.C., for President Trumps inauguration that we began dating. While some say President Trump has divided our country, its exciting for us that his election brought us together, and two years later, were engaged. Do your professional lives ever overlap? Yes, constantly. Its one of the perks of being in the same field. Working in politics is fulfilling; you have the opportunity to help people and make a difference in your community. However, it can be demanding. You have odd hours, things pop up very last minute and its important to have a partner who understands this and enjoys it as much as you do. It isnt a 9-to-5 job, and for us that is part of the excitement. Have you ever disagreed on a political issue? Alexis: Absolutely! Someone has to kill Chris crazy campaign ideas. Hes always saying only 1 out of 10 of his ideas will be a home run. Well, guess who has to hear the other nine? Me. But I love working on campaigns and bouncing ideas around together. We might work in politics, but its also our hobby. Chris: We always have the same goal, but there are lots of paths to achieve any objective, and we dont always agree on the path. When it comes to policy issues, though, lower taxes and less spending, we can easily agree on that. It's not rocket science. JOSEPH GLAZER & KATE GLAZER joseph-glazer-kate-glazer-power-couple.gif Alt Text: Joseph and Kate Glazer. Title Text: Joseph and Kate Glazer. Caption: Joseph and Kate Glazer. Description: Joseph Glazer, deputy commissioner in the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health, and Kate Glazer, deputy secretary for the state Senate. Image Credit: Submitted Joseph Glazer is the deputy commissioner in the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health and served as chief of staff and counsel for then-state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk. Kate Glazer is deputy secretary for the state Senate and has spent almost 10 years with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. They have been married 14 years. How did you meet? Joe: In 1999, while I was president and CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York State, she was working for Assemblywoman Betty Connelly, the former chair of the Mental Health Committee. Connelly was one of our go-to members on mental health issues, and after numerous stops in the office, I got up the nerve to ask Kate to lunch. Kate: After a few visits to the office, Joe asked me to lunch and I thought to myself why not? So I agreed to a lunch date. Do your professional lives ever overlap? Joe: Absolutely. Beyond the mental health advocacy days, Kate worked for Democratic Leader Stewart-Cousins while I was chief of staff and counsel to state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk. We spent two years working closely to keep the most marginal member of the Democratic Conference in office. Kate: Joe and I frequently volunteer to work on our respective members campaigns and often find ourselves working out of the same campaign offices doing whatever was needed, i.e., distributing lawn signs, knocking on doors, sending out mail. Also, when Joe was counsel to state Sen. George Latimer, I would often see him in conference. Sen. Latimer represented parts of Westchester County, as does Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Have you ever disagreed on a political issue? Joe: Not really. We tend to use each other as a sounding board in the political decision-making process. Kate: We generally share the same progressive political views. I cannot recall having disagreements on any political issue. Do you have any advice for other couples in politics? Joe: As a Yankees fan, and her a Red Sox fan, there are times when it is best to tread lightly. Find a beach and recharge every now and then. And don't drink cheap wine. Kate: Take care not to make the politics of the day personal. Maintain a good sense of humor. TAI JOHNSON & CHRIS JOHNSON tai-johnson-chris-johnson.gif Alt Text: Tai Johnson, special adviser for state Attorney General Letitia James, and Chris Johnson, a Westchester County Legislator. Title Text: Tai and Chris Johnson. Caption: Tai and Chris Johnson. Description: Tai Johnson, special adviser for state Attorney General Letitia James, and Chris Johnson, a Westchester County Legislator. Image Credit: Submitted Tai Johnson is a special adviser for state Attorney General Letitia James, and her husband is Westchester County Legislator Chris Johnson, a former member of the Yonkers City Council. They have been married almost five years. How did you meet? Tai: I was working for the Senate minority leader and Chris was working for state Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins and we both volunteered on state Sen. Kevin Parkers 2008 re-election campaign. #CampaignLove Chris: Often electeds ask their staff if they would like to volunteer on a campaign. In 2008 we ended up on the same one. One of us me was interested in more than just a friendship, but thats all it was for a few years. It worked out in the end! Do your professional lives ever overlap? Tai:Our professional lives sometimes overlap, but never in a negative way. Weve worked on a few campaigns together and share advice and best practices, but I try to keep my responsibilities separate as to avoid any big conflicts. Chris: Absolutely, and I love it. Tai is a star! Im often referred to as Tais husband and thats fine. In this day and age its cool being in a relationship where its the woman who commands the space, and I get to be special too. Only thing that remains constant: Everyone likes Tai more. I get it. Have you ever disagreed on a political issue? Tai: Not really. Lucky for us our political views are pretty aligned but since Chris is an elected, he always thinks the electeds are right. I remind him that he used to be staff and he comes back to earth. LOL. Chris: Its very rare. However, usually after a conversation and thoughtful debate we come to an understanding. #HappyWifeHappyLife Do you have any advice for other couples in politics? Tai: Try, if at all possible, to keep your personal lives personal just because they are political friends doesnt mean they are your friends. And dont bring work drama home; home should be a place of serenity for both of you. Chris: 1. #WorkHard #PlayHard Make time for family and friends the people that dont care about your titles. You are a team, remember that ... and make sure everyone else knows it too! KHARI EDWARDS & JAHMILA EDWARDS khari-edwards-jahmila-edwards.gif Alt Text: Khari Edwards, vice president of external affairs for the One Brooklyn Health System at Brookdale Hospital, and Jahmila Edwards, assistant associate director of District Council 37. Title Text: Khari and Jahmila Edwards. Caption: Khari and Jahmila Edwards. Description: Khari Edwards, vice president of external affairs for the One Brooklyn Health System at Brookdale Hospital, and Jahmila Edwards, assistant associate director of District Council 37. Image Credit: Submitted Khari Edwards is the vice president of external affairs for the One Brooklyn Health System at Brookdale Hospital. His wife, Jahmila JJ Edwards (formerly Jahmila Joseph) is the assistant associate director of District Council 37, New York Citys largest municipal labor union. They have been in a relationship for more than 10 years and were married about six months ago. How did you meet? Khari: We met during the Brooklyn 2008 State of the Borough address, held at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. I was working for the governor's office and Jahmila was working for the Brooklyn borough president. Jahmila: After that night, Khari asked me for my number every time he saw me until finally, six months later, I said yes and agreed to go out on a date with him. Do your professional lives ever overlap? Khari: When I was working for the Senate and Jahmila with then-Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, we did some work together on regarding Hurricane Sandy. Jahmila: We also worked together on a fundraising project for the NAACPs centennial celebration. I was in charge, and lets just say Khari probably doesnt want to come work for me again. Honestly, I often call him to better understand wonky health care policy and hes called me for labor issues and political gossip. Have you ever disagreed on a political issue? Khari: We usually compare notes and challenge each other on political issues rather than disagree. Jahmila: I would add we havent yet had a meeting of the minds when it comes to term limits. Where Khari believes elected officials should hold office as long as they are elected to serve, I believe sometimes change has to be not just encouraged but enforced so that we can develop the next round of leaders. Do you have any advice for other couples in politics? Khari: We use each other to vent about situations and only ask for an opinion when needed. There are times that it is easy to want to give unsolicited advice and you have to be careful not to become too opinionated in your partners arena. Jahmila: Make time for each other. And while you have to keep your private life private to the greatest extent possible, its OK to show off your love every now and then. Kerry Horney also known as Kerr Viajante, owner of Viajantes Stogie Road Diaries vlog, has announced he is launching a cigar brand known as El Viajante. The first release will be a cigar produced at Dr. Gaby Kafies Tabacalera Kafie y Cia factory in Honduras known as El Viajante Cigar Edition XXXV. Its the first the brand is planning under a series known as Viajantes Stogie Road Diaries. Horneys El Viajante vlog is seen on Facebook weekly where he partakes in visiting and reviewing cigars in shops and lounges across the United States. The El Viajante Cigar Edition XXXV is a barber-pole style cigar consisting of a Honduran Cuban Seed Habano Maduro and Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrappers over a blend of Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Honduran tobaccos. The cigar is being released in one size a 6 1/2 x 52 Toro and will be presented in ten-count boxes. Horney says there will be a soft launch of 100 boxes followed by a second shipment of 400 additional boxes. Pricing is expected around the $10.00 mark per cigar. Its been a dream to release a cigar that embodies the Viajantes Stogie Road travels. I am blessed to partner with Dr. Gaby Kafie and the talented people at his Honduras factory to bring this dream to reality. The quality of tobacco and the blend can only be appreciated and realized if the cigar has impeccable construction. Tabacalera G. Kafie y Cia factory delivers in these details. He (Kerr) enjoys working with people in the industry that are truly passionate about the leaf, and bring purpose and diversity to an already very colorful industry. Every cigar tells a story, this first blend will tell the story of Kerrs travels throughout America in search of the next great cigar. I truly feel this blend will be representative of his quest, added Dr. Gaby Kafie. Horney says the release is targeted for the last week in March. Image Credits: El Viajante Cigars Last month, I visited the memorial hall of Nanjing massacre which is established to memorize 300,000 Chinese victims who were killed by Japanese invaders in between 1937 and 1938. Before I went there, I had some preconceived feelings about what I might gain after visiting it. Maybe it could be the accumulation of more history facts; deepen my understanding of the war from another prospective; or inspire me to cherish my present life and time. However, its hard to tell the dominant feeling after the visit. I wanted to grasp something but ended up with an empty hand. I was a bit disappointed about this and recalled my visiting experience on my way to the airport. Finally, thanks to Gods mercy, I grabbed a point that I found exciting and wanted to share in this article. Love distinguishes perpetrator and rescuer After the visit, what I heard most is that peace is the theme of current international community. Its one hundred percent true and easy to understand. However, as a visitor and Chinese citizen, its a bit hard for me to apply it in my future life. There must be something more than just peace loving. I suppose no country would deny themselves as peace advocate. However, there are still wars around the world today. If governments are peace lovers as they declared, they should hate war and never want to launch it. What is the core behind it? What is the final therapy towards war and violence? Love is the answer I found out, after this visit. Learned from the history facts, there were extremely brutal killings in Nanjing during the war. Meanwhile, there were 22 foreigners and about 100,000 Chinese soldiers risking their lives in fighting with the intruders and rescuing victims lives. Love comes from God Among all the foreigners, John Magee, who served as a missionary in Nanjing, played an important role in establishing the Nanjing safety zone, which protected over 200,000 defenceless civilians from being slaughtered. Despite fears of his own safety, John Magee recorded Japanese invaders atrocity with his 16mm movie camera. The film served as an assertive evidence of Japanese brutality in Nanjing. John Magee also appeared in court as a witness during the Tokyo trial. Together with his testimony, the film was an undeniable proof when the Japanese government tried to beautify the invasion and undermine the non-combatant death toll. With the threat and cruelty of Japanese army, it did take a miracle to have the safety zone established and the film recorded. God is not silent when the background voice sounds desperate and hopeless. His love is fully revealed as He used John Magee to protect innocent civilians and preserve evidence for final justice. Love is the most excellent way As sinful people, our love is never complete and perfect. Even though we proclaim to be peace lovers, the incomplete love will soon be eroded, and war will be deployed to serve a certain group of peoples interest. The long-lasting wars in Middle East says it all. It has to be the great love from God that ends all evil and violence. Thank Lord for sending Jesus to bring about the kingdom of God rather than a political regime, like many people expected at that time. The end of oppression and war is not to conquer it with a stronger army and have another man-reined state, for the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. The root is in humans heart and the final therapy is from God. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (I John Chapter 4, Verse 9). Thank God for His great love, our eternal life in the kingdom of God is granted through Jesus, we could love because he first loved us, and we are able to love our enemies because God is just, and He will repay each person according to what they have done. As young generation, we will need to forsake narrow nationalism, and seek common grounds. Furthermore, we will need to learn not only to be peace lovers, but also enemy lovers, as Jesus teaches. Cheng Xingyi (known as Cindy) was born and brought up in central China. Cindy enjoys travelling and reading history books. Cindy is inspired by talking with local people when travelling abroad experiencing different parts of the world, as well as herself. Cheng Xingyi's previous articles may be found at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/cindy-cheng.html MADISON, Wis. If youve ever gone on a speed date, and even if you havent, you probably get the concept: A short meeting in which both parties exchange a bit of information about one another and break the ice, with the goal of moving to the next level or simply moving on with no regrets. Thats the concept behind the sixth Wisconsin Tech Summit, which will be held March 18 in legendary Lambeau Field in Green Bay. More on the speed date approach to follow, but your first question may be: Why Lambeau Field? Lambeau is symbolic of the emerging partnership between the Green Bay Packers, Microsoft, TitleTown Tech, the UW-Green Bay and other community leaders to build a stronger and more diverse economy in northeast Wisconsin. The Packers realize there is value in engaging in the states larger economy; Microsoft has research, education and broadband interests in Wisconsin (and a company president, Brad Smith, who hails from Appleton); TitleTown Tech is a new accelerator focused on high-growth startups; and the UW-Green Bay is led by Chancellor Gary Miller, who came from an entrepreneurial background and wants to give back to the campus and the city. One of the aviation world's most hotly anticipated planes, the Airbus Beluga XL, has just completed a key round of testing at Hawarden Airport in Wales, ahead of entering service later this year. At a time when jumbo passenger airliners such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 are on their way out, the Beluga XL the first of five will be one of the biggest beasts in the skies. You won't be able to ride in it, though. This is a super-transporter cargo plane, designed by Airbus to fly its aircraft components between European production sites and its final assembly lines in Toulouse, Hamburg and Tianjin. Modified A330 The Beluga XL is the successor to the Beluga, or Airbus A300-600ST, which has been in operation since 1995. Starting with an A330 airliner, Airbus engineers lowered the flight deck and grafted a huge cargo bay onto the fuselage to create this unusually shaped plane. Through an upward-opening forward hatch on the "bubble," completed aircraft wings, fuselage sections and other components easily slide in and out. The XL's bubble is six meters longer and one meter wider than the original, meaning its cross-section is a whopping eight meters wide. Putting the 'fun' in functional The plane's distinctive bulbous shape has earned it the nickname "the flying whale," due to its strong resemblance to the white-colored Arctic-dwelling mammal, the beluga. The XL's twinkly-eyed, smiling-faced livery capitalizes on this. The whimsical design was chosen by Airbus staff following a poll in which 20,000 employees were given six options and asked to choose their favorite. With 40 percent of the vote, it was the clear winner. "We used to say that in Toulouse or in Hamburg, the kids recognize the Beluga," Bertrand Grosse, head of the Beluga XL program, said. "They love this very special plane." However, the design is functional as well as cute. The enormous cargo bay is large enough to carry two A350 wings at a time (the old Beluga could transport only one), and the whale-like nose improves the craft's aerodynamic efficiency. Nature, after all, perfected the beluga whale and, explains Grosse, "flying in the air is a little bit like swimming in the sea." Pilot training So how does one go about steering a machine like this through the skies? Well, says Grosse, despite the plane's unusual appearance, "for the pilots this is really an A330. Our pilots will be trained on the A330, and then they will get a Delta qualification to enable them to fly the Beluga XL." While you might think the aircraft would run slower, "the drag is about the same," says Grosse. "What changes really is the behavior of the aircraft at the rear, at the bottom of the cargo bay. "This is why we have lifted the vertical tail plane by more than two meters to get it out of the flow behind the cargo bay, and we have also the special acceleration on the horizontal tail plane to give stability to the aircraft." The Beluga XL is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, which, as with its wings, are also used on the A330. Preparations for a very special guest Airbus manufactures its wings in a large factory at Hawarden Airport. The facility has undergone special modifications for the arrival of the Beluga XL, such as creating two sets of doors for the Beluga Line Station one to fit the Beluga and one to fit the Beluga XL. Airbus also resurfaced the landing strip, erected blast fences (to safely redirect the engines' high-energy exhaust) and installed new turn pads necessary for when the Beluga XL turns around on Howarden's relatively short runway of around 1,600 meters. Plane lovers from across the UK gathered in Wales to see the arrival of the Beluga XL on Thursday, and again to see it depart for Toulouse, France, on Saturday. "This plane is, I would say, iconic for our company," Grosse said. "This is the workhorse for Airbus. So it is more than a plane. It is what enables Airbus to build aircraft every day." The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Recent public polls have found about six in 10 Wisconsin voters favor legalizing recreational marijuana. We need an off-ramp Steve Acheson, a founding member of Wisconsin Veterans for Compassionate Care, said medical marijuana is a nonpartisan issue and that its time to give veterans safe access to it. An Iraq War veteran, Acheson said he suffered a spinal injury during his service. He said he initially was prescribed painkillers and other pills that made him a zombie and nearly forced him to drop out of college. Acheson said he later tried medical marijuana, and it relieved his pain and enabled him to stop taking pills while living his daily life but not without triggering new concerns. Its put me in this really gray area where every day I step out of my door, I have to worry about being convicted of a crime, Acheson said. Theres way too many of our fellow veterans dying of over-prescription and suicide. We need an alternative, and we need an off-ramp, he said. Looking to ensure access to fair trials for poor defendants, Assembly Republicans on Monday proposed to increase pay for public defenders. The proposal was one of several in a roughly $50 million package Republicans touted that would also add about 60 assistant district attorney positions, as well as raise wages for assistant district attorneys and correctional officers, although lawmakers gave few details as to specific amounts. The announcement comes less than two weeks before Gov. Tony Evers official budget address. Specifically, GOP lawmakers want to increase the pay for private lawyers assigned by the State Public Defenders Office to represent clients who cant afford legal representation to $70 per hour, up from the current $40 per hour, the lowest in the nation. Such private lawyers are appointed by the Public Defender when it cant handle its caseload or when conflicts of interest arise. The rate of pay for state-appointed lawyers hasnt changed since 1995. About 40 percent of cases handled by the Public Defenders Office in 2017 were handled by private lawyers, who can actually lose money when taking on such cases, according to court records. Dean R. Lien, 77, of Chippewa Falls died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls. He was born June 14, 1941, in Eau Claire, to Norma (Link) and Hjalmer Lien. He graduated from Chippewa Falls High School. Dean continued his education at the Eau Claire Vocational School and at UW-Stout. He served honorably in the U.S. Army from 1962-65. He was stationed in Korea. In June 1969, Dean married Priscilla Armstrong. During their marriage, they resided in Illinois and Minnesota and raised two daughters. The couple later divorced. Dean worked as a field engineer for MCI World Communications, retiring in 2006. Following his retirement, Dean moved back to Chippewa Falls. Dean enjoyed fishing and socializing and he loved to laugh. He is survived by his two daughters, Allison Lien of Maple Grove, Minn., Sara (David) Lien Edelman of Hastings, Mich.; a sister, Audrey Kallbrier of Chippewa Falls; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Ronald and Charles Lien; and a sister, Delores Kohnke. Due to the recent heavy snowfall, UW-Extension Dunn County is warning farmers and agricultural workers about heavy snow loads on farm buildings. There have been several reports of farm buildings collapsing in Western Wisconsin. Snow and ice accumulations on roofs cause a loading which can cause the roof to collapse when the roof is not strong enough to resist the load, said Brian Holmes, University of Wisconsin-Extension emeritus agricultural engineer. While blowing wind can cause snow to slide off roofs, drifting snow or lower roofs can add significant weight when snow starts to accumulate, Holmes said. Knowing how much weight a barn roof can handle is vital. Wisconsins Uniform Dwelling Code requires most homes to have a minimum snow load rating of 30-40 pounds per square foot, with the greater requirement for Northern Wisconsin. However, agricultural structures are exempt from this requirement. Structural failures can happen at snow loads less than the building was designed for if: VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire: QMC Quantum Minerals Corp., (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) (OTC PINK: QMCQF) (QMC or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has now mobilized a diamond drill and support crew to the companys 100% owned Irgon Mine Project located within the prolific Cat Lake-Winnipeg River rare-element pegmatite field of S.E. Manitoba, which also hosts Cabot Corporations nearby Tantalum Mining Corporation of Canada (TANCO) rare-element pegmatite. QMC is initiating a two-phase drill program designed to confirm, and subsequently expand, the historic resource published for the Irgon Property (1.2 million tons grading 1.51% Li 2 O as previously calculated for Lithium Corporation of Canada). The initial Phase One of the QMC program will consist of 1500m of NQ drilling in 12 holes; the first 8 will confirm the grades and widths of the 1953/54 drill results used to calculate the initial, historic resource which used data obtained in the 1950s derived by sampling both the initial drill core and underground channel samples that were taken across the dike from within the currently inaccessible, water-filled workings. The remaining 4 proposed holes will chase the Irgon Dike westward from the area hosting the original resource to test the spodumene-bearing pegmatites identified as the Western Extension of the Irgon Dike thus confirming the westward continuity of the Irgon Dike. With the results of the Phase One drilling in hand, QMC has instructed SGS to produce an updated, NI 43-101 compliant, inferred resource for the central, previously developed part of the Irgon Dike. Testing the westward extension of the Irgon Dike is expected to add additional inferred tonnage available on the property. The NQ core will be secured in core boxes at the drill site and transported at the end of each shift to a secure, heated facility. Here it will be logged, sawn, sampled, bagged and shipped to SGS Labs in Lakefield, Ontario for analysis. The remaining core will be temporarily stored in the Lac du Bonnet warehouse facility, to be subsequently moved to a secure storage facility currently onsite at the Irgon Mine as the weather improves. As with the previous Irgon channel sampling program, QMC will be requesting analysis for 56 elements using a sodium peroxide fusion followed by Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES / ICP-MS). HISTORICAL RESOURCE Between 1953-1954, 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% Li 2 0 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 QP 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% Li 2 O 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-metre 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. During 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 NI43-101 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. 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. . ..Palestinian Media Watch..18 February '19..PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has officially announced that the PA will refuse to accept all tax money Israel transfers to the PA if Israel deducts the amount the PA uses to reward terrorists. This PA policy will lead to a grave humanitarian crisis for Palestinians.The Israeli Cabinet announced yesterday that Israel will be deducting 502,697,000 shekels/year - $139,638,000 - from taxes to be transferred to the PA. This is the amount reported exclusively by PMW that the PA paid in 2018 in salaries to imprisoned and released terrorists. This sum does not include the PA's financial rewards to families of dead terrorists, the so-called "Martyrs," or to wounded terrorists. The deduction will be made in 12 monthly portions of approx. $11,636,500 million/month - almost 42 million shekels/month.Information obtained by PMW from Israel's Ministry of Finance in response to a request based on Israel's Freedom of Information Act, shows that the taxes Israel collected and transferred to the PA in 2018 amounted to $2.2 billion (8 billion shekels) - an average of $186,121,569/month (670,037,651 shekels) - while PA payments to terrorist prisoners, released prisoners, and families of dead terrorists in 2018 averaged at least $204 million/year (732 million shekels/year), or $17 million/month (61 million shekels) according to PMW calculations.Earlier this month, Abbas declared that if Israel deducts a sum equal to what the PA spends on rewarding terrorists from next month's transfer - approx. $11.6 million according to the sum announced by the Israeli Cabinet - he will refuse to accept the entire remainder - approx. $174.5 million/month - that the Palestinian population needs to keep the economy functioning: 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. . ..JNS.org..18 February '19..Unilateral disengagement from the West Bank, which Israeli prime-minister candidate Benny Gantz seems to support, would have far-reaching adverse implications for Israel in the security, economic, social, infrastructural and ecological spheres.For all his efforts to keep his views on key national issues under wraps, so as to make his premiership bid appealing to the largest possible number of Israelis, former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces has indicated his readiness to apply the highly controversial unilateral disengagement formula that Sharon applied to Gaza in 2005 to the West Bank as well.We need to find a way in which were not controlling other people, Gantz told the dailyin his first interview as a candidate. [The unilateral disengagement] was a legal move, a decision made by the Israeli government and carried out by the IDF and the settlers in a painful, but good manner. We need to take the lessons learned and implement them elsewhere.Leaving aside the ambiguity of these well-worn terms (e.g., most of the world views Jewish neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem as settlements, while Israelis consider them an integral part of Israel) or the feasibility of evacuating some 140,000 Jewish residents from their homes with no Palestinian quid pro quo, Gantzs thinking seems to be predicated on dated suppositions that have long been overtaken by events.The political and strategic precepts underlying the Oslo peace process, which Gantz echoes, vanished long ago. It's Max Seccia-Smith's first birthday today but his parents aren't celebrating yet. Instead, they're living in what his mother describes as an agonizing fear that Max who was born a month early may have been exposed to measles during a visit to BC Children's Hospital on Feb. 1. The baby boy was too young for his vaccination, but was scheduled to get it later this week. Now the family is stuck in isolation at their Burnaby townhouse, hoping he's healthy. "Through the fault of parents who have decided that vaccinating their children isn't a good idea, my son is now in this pretty scary situation," said Max's mother, Stefania Seccia, 32. "So we're pretty angry about it. He's in isolation on his first birthday." Max's parents are waiting for this Saturday the day the maximum 21-day incubation period for measles ends. Stefania Seccia The first-time mom got notified last Friday about the measles situation at BC Children's Hospital when a Fraser Health official called her home. Officials announced anyone who visited the emergency room at the hospital on Jan. 21, Jan. 23, Jan. 24 and Feb. 1 may have been exposed to a person now known to be infected with measles. Not everybody who was exposed has been notified. CBC reported Saturday that the man whose family is at the centre of the measles outbreak in Vancouver said he didn't vaccinate his children because he distrusted the science at the time. "My husband and I are just completely on edge, keeping our eye out for symptoms. So far he's OK," Seccia said about Max. The family was told to keep the baby at home and avoid exposure to other people. Seccia is particularly worried because Max was born prematurely and underwent surgery as a newborn. She said that makes him more vulnerable to complications from the virus. The MMR vaccine is designed to prevent measles, mumps and rubella by helping the body make antibodies to fight off the viruses. But some people fear the vaccine and refuse to immunize their children. Health officials warn that can cause outbreaks. Story continues Nine measles cases have been reported in B.C. of late, and an outbreak of 62 cases was reported in Washington state this year. The BC Centre for Disease Control recommends children receive two doses of the vaccine: one at 12 months, and the second at five to six years of age. There is no scientific evidence linking the vaccine to autism, says the CDC. Seccia said the fact some people still believe this infuriates her, and parents who refuse to vaccinate their children are "reckless" and put her tiny son at high risk. Submitted by Stefania Seccia "If [Max] does contract the measles virus, he's at the highest risk of having brain inflammation, of going deaf, having brain damage or dying," she said. "This is a complete nightmare. We've done everything right." She said she had taken Max to BC Children's Hospital on Feb. 1 to deal with a minor health issue a cold sore on his face. He had also become dehydrated and ill with what Seccia said turned out to be a stomach virus. Seccia had booked her son's MMR shot days after his first birthday, but had to cancel after this scare. "That's the sick joke of it all," she said. "We can't have visitors. We can't see families or friends. We are stuck here." Stefania Seccia Seccia and her husband were both immunized as children and received another measles immunization before a trip to Vietnam in 2015. Despite this, both parents are now being retested to see if they are contagious. Max's dad may also have to miss work until his blood work comes back because his job is at a health-care facility. American and Thai Marines drank cobra blood during jungle survival training in Chanta Buri, Thailand, on February 14, according to this video. The Marines also learned other jungle survival skills, such as making a fire and eating wild plants and animals. The exercise was held as part of Cobra Gold, an annual military exercise involving nine nations as active participants in 2019: Thailand, the US, Singapore, Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. Cobra Gold was planned to run from February 12 to February 22, according to the Military Times. Credit: Staff Sgt Matthew Bragg via Storyful Quebec family doctors will make more money if they see more patients Quebec Health Minister Danielle McCann wants to give specialized nurse practitioners the power to diagnose certain chronic illnesses to help alleviate the backlog in the province's health system. In an interview, McCann said the change would allow nurse practitioners to use their full set of skills while freeing up doctors to do other work. As it stands, she said, nurse practitioners have to be supervised by a family physician, and patients are required to follow up with a doctor 30 days after visiting a nurse practitioner. "We want to change that. In all of Canada, nurse practitioners have more autonomy," she said Monday. McCann said she wants them to be able to treat patients dealing with problems like high cholesterol, asthma and hypertension. "They are trained to do that," she said. McCann said she has been in talks with the Quebec's College of Physicians about the issue and that she wants to make the change which will require modifying provincial legislation in the next year. The proposal is already facing resistance from doctors' groups. Dr. Louis Godin, head of Quebec's federation of general practitioners, said he has questions about the proposal and stressed that diagnostics is something for which doctors have specific training. "We'll see. We want to make sure the competence of doctors is respected," he said on Radio-Canada's Gravel le matin. There are more than 400 nurse practitioners working in clinics and hospitals across the province. The previous Liberal government also sought to give more power to nurse practitioners, long hailed as a solution to the province's health care woes. Health Minister Gaetan Barrette made changes last year to allow nurse practitioners to diagnose six chronic diseases, but a doctor needed to then confirm the diagnosis. He also hoped to have 2,000 nurse practitioners working across the province by 2025. McCann said she's also looking at compensating doctors for treatment they provide by phone or internet in an effort to encourage more efficient treatment for minor ailments and prescription renewals. Princess Charlene of Monaco Introduces Royal Twins to Her Homeland of Africa on Safari Adventure Monacos little prince and princess saw African skies for the first time last week. Privately accompanying their mother, Princess Charlene, on her trip to South Africa, 4-year-old twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella headed to a private game reserve. There, the twins got close-up views of lions, zebras, giraffes, hippos, rhinos and more. A video posted to Instagram by Charlene captioned First African Experience shows the young royals set to a soundtrack of South African pop singer Johnny Cleggs Searching For The Great Heart. The reserve excursion, which occurred over the childrens winter school break, fulfills a long-expressed wish of Charlenes to share her home continent (she was born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa) with her two children. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. I am African, this is my home, the 41-year-old royal said during her visit to Johannesburg two years ago. It will always be. She continued, Its in my heart, its in my veins and it always will be. I cant wait for [my children] to come here. I cant wait to introduce them to Africa. Cant get enough of PEOPLEs Royals coverage? Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Their South African adventure follows the royal twins January visit to New York and a quick holiday jaunt to Lapland to meet Santa Claus. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. During the weeklong visit to South Africa, Princess Charlene, a former Olympic swimmer, also put on her swimsuit to participate in the Quelle Midmar Mile, an aquatics challenge bringing together 17,000 participants at Midmar Dam outside Pietermaritzburg. By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS (Reuters) - About 100 financial companies and start-ups from Britain and elsewhere are applying for a license in burgeoning fintech hub Lithuania to ensure they have access to the European Union after Brexit, the country's central bank told Reuters. Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, but has not yet reached a deal on a post-Brexit relationship, meaning companies with UK-issued licenses may no longer have the right to provide some financial services in the EU. The companies, a quarter of which hail from Britain, are looking to get electronic money institution licenses, Marius Jurgilas, member of the board at the central bank, told Reuters in an interview. "It seems that the companies, many of which are quite large, are behaving like a student who only starts worrying on the eve of an exam," he said. He said Lithuania can process an electronic money institution license application in as little as three months, compared to about a year in some EU countries, giving it an advantage over other fintech centers such as Luxembourg, Ireland or Belgium. "It is an onslaught ... We do not have the resources to process all the applicants. We have to pick-and-choose, prioritizing the least risky applicants," said Jurgilas, who did not provide names of the companies due to confidentiality rules. Ireland's central bank said in October that it had seen a surge in financial services firms seeking to set up or extend their operations in Ireland as a result of Brexit and is processing over 100 applications. Lithuania began attracting fintech companies a few years ago, and as of January has issued a total of 83 licenses to such firms, second only to Britain among European Union countries, according to government figures. The newcomers include a payment arm of Alphabet Inc's Google and Revolut, a British digital-only bank, and Jurgilas said the central bank is ready to step up its oversight capabilities as the sector grows. Jurgilas dismissed suggestions that firms were drawn to Lithuania by a benign regulatory regime. The "European Union has institutions which make sure that market supervisors in all its countries, including Lithuania, work to the same standard, and if any Lithuanian-registered bank grows into significant size, its supervision will be taken over by the European Central Bank", he said. (This story corrects to change headline, lead and 3rd paragraph after Lithuania's central bank updated origin of the companies) (Reporting By Andrius Sytas; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle) CAMARILLO, Calif., Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sabrewing Aircraft Company , Inc., a startup that has designed and is building an unmanned Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) Group 5 regional cargo carrier drone, has announced today that it has attracted significant investment from the Drone Fund ( www.dronefund.vc ), Idaten Ventures ( www.idaten.vc ) and several other investors. The Drone Fund was the lead investor, providing $1.8M in funding; with Idaten Fund and other backers each investing in the round as well. The Drone Fund and Idaten Ventures financed the companys angel funding in January 2018. The completion of this recent funding round provides funding to complete the full-sized pre-production prototype of their Rhaegal air vehicle and to begin preliminary flight testing in anticipation of a Series A round in the 3rd quarter of 2019. Kotaro Chiba, the General Partner/Chief Dronist and Co-Founder of the Drone Fund, states, The shortage of pilots is a serious problem globally. Japan has shortage of truck drivers for delivering as well. He believes, Sabrewing's product as such is a semi-autonomous, remotely-piloted large cargo drone that will solve these critical issues, and the company has the potential to form a new transportation network using large drones. To date, Sabrewing has produced a 1/8 scale model of their first aircraft, following a thorough 3rd-party Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) of their internal engineering and analyses - and is actively testing hover, transition and other flight characteristics. It was Sabrewings rapid development of their engineering and the completion and testing of their scale model that prompted Drone Fund, Idaten Ventures and other investors to fund the additional investment to complete the pre-production prototype. Sabrewing expects to close this final round by February with an additional $1M in funding. With continued interest from the Drone Fund and Japanese investors, Sabrewing has opened offices in Akasaka,Tokyo, Japan. We are excited to have the continued support of the Drone Fund and to have their continued interest in Sabrewing. Our partnerships with investors continue to grow in Tokyo and we are excited to open our office and have a presence in Tokyo so that we can continue to grow and expand our relationship with investors, said Ed De Reyes, CEO of Sabrewing Aircraft Company. Sabrewings Rhaegal air vehicle a gas-electric hybrid that is capable of taking off and landing vertically - in mud, snow, ice, deep sand or unimproved landing areas - at speeds of up to 200 knots (370 km/hr), and in weather that is all but impossible for manned aircraft. The Rhaegal is remotely piloted for commercial operations and fully autonomous for military applications, and can deliver an 800-pound (366 kg) payload flying at altitudes of up to 22,000 feet (6,700 m) and a range of up to 360 nautical miles (670 km). The Rhaegals wings fold on the ground for easy ground handling and in the air for landing in tight spaces, and due to its folding nose (a la C-5 Galaxy aircraft), it requires no special equipment for loading or unloading cargo in remote locations. Both of Sabrewings designs the 800-pound payload Rhaegal and the 4,400-pound payload Wyvern aircraft feature folding wings, folding nose, full pallet-sized cargo access, all-weather operation, and a first-of-its-kind five-sensor Detect and Avoid (D&A) system to autonomously navigate a path around conflicting obstacles and other air traffic. The D&A system is a collaborative effort between The University of California, Channel Islands; Oklahoma University; Garmin; FLIR; uAvionix; Iris Automation; Attollo Engineering, and Sabrewing. Rhaegals possible uses include missions such as disaster/emergency response, forward-operating-position resupply and even casualty evacuation, while commercial missions include cargo delivery to locations that are not served by airports, roads or sea ports. The Wyvern has the capability of carrying loads such as well casing, palletized loads, bulk cargo, fuel and can even provide service as a forest service water tanker. Both Rhaegal and Wyvern are regional cargo-carrying aircraft in the same class as the Cessna 208 Caravan, Quest Kodiak or Pilatus PC-12 Porter aircraft. FAA certification of the Rhaegal is planned for 2023, followed shortly thereafter by certification of the Wyvern. Sabrewings aircraft are not designed to compete with the Caravan, Quest or Porter but rather to open markets for operators that are not available to conventional cargo aircraft. For more information on Sabrewing Aircraft, contact inquiries@sabrewingaircraft.com or visit Sabrewing Aircraft Companys https://www.sabrewingaircraft.com/ . About Sabrewing Aircraft Company Sabrewing Aircraft Company is a manufacturer of unmanned heavy-lift commercial cargo air vehicles. The company is the creator of a new generation of heavy-lift, unmanned commercial cargo transport air vehicles that can lift 2 metric tons of cargo, take off and land vertically in austere locations, in any weather, up to 1500 nautical miles away. Our technologies and products will help grow our customers businesses and transform the way the world ships air-cargo. Headquartered in Camarillo, California, USA, and with offices in Tokyo, Japan, Sabrewing designs and develops cutting-edge technology at its Dragonworks Lab in the Silicon Valley to develop the future of unmanned cargo aircraft. About The Drone Fund Started by Japanese investors, the $9M fund to encourage drone startups. The Drone Fund hopes to establish a drone ecosystem in Japan and the United States by providing angel investment in the UAV/drone space. Drone Fund is financed by SME, which is an Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation. Their mission is to explore business opportunities and capture new demands not only Japan but to overseas. Drone Fund is participating in the "Public-Private Council for the Airmobility enabled society" as a member. The establishment of this council is also based on the fact that Drone Fund proposed this industry concept to the METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry). Sabrewing has received test range permission to begin flight test in Alaska as early as the 4th quarter, 2019. Media Contacts: United States: Angela Crawford 201-445-0996 acrawford@lamppartners.com Japan: Kazunori Saito +81-90-3756-4236 kazunori.saito@sabrewingaircraft.jp A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81b0f552-cdf5-4b17-b5cd-53209fc99b37 In a major shakeup to the highest ranks of the Prime Minister's Office, Gerald Butts resigned Monday as Justin Trudeau's principal secretary. The bombshell departure Butts, along with chief of staff Katie Telford, are the two most senior staffers in Trudeau's inner circle comes amid allegations that senior members of the PMO pressured former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to help Quebec-based multinational engineering firm SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution on bribery and fraud charges in relation to contracts in Libya. In a statement to reporters, Butts said he categorically denies allegations that he or anyone else in the PMO put this sort of pressure on Wilson-Raybould. He said the accusation is "simply not true." "At all times, I and those around me acted with integrity and a singular focus on the best interests of all Canadians," Butts said Monday. "Canadians are rightly proud of their public institutions. They should be, because they work. But the fact is that this accusation exists. It cannot and should not take one moment away from the vital work the prime minister and his office is doing for all Canadians. "My reputation is my responsibility and that is for me to defend. It is in the best interests of the office and its important work for me to step away," he said. It was not immediately clear who would replace Butts. Wilson-Raybould announced last week she was quitting the Liberal cabinet just days after a Globe and Mail report claimed she was pressured to direct the Public Prosecution Service of Canada to sign a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) a legal tool resembling a plea deal with SNC-Lavalin. The prime minister has denied any wrongdoing. The House of Commons justice committee has agreed to study the matter. Opposition members of that body have insisted that Butts should be among the witnesses called to testify about what exactly went on inside the PMO on the SNC-Lavalin matter. Last week, Liberal members defeated an NDP motion that would have compelled Butts and Wilson-Raybould to appear. Story continues Wilson-Raybould has taken the highly unusual step of retaining Thomas Cromwell, a recently retired Supreme Court justice, as her legal counsel as the scandal enters a new phase. In a tweet, Trudeau said Butts served Canada with "integrity, sage advice and devotion." He thanked the former staffer for his service and "continued friendship." Move raises 'even more questions,' Scheer says Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said the Butts resignation is the "clearest indication yet that there is much more to the SNC-Lavalin affair than the prime minister has so far admitted." Rather than wipe the slate clean, Scheer said Butts' departure "does not in any way settle this matter. In fact, it presents even more questions that must be answered." Scheer said the staff changeover is sign the prime minister is "desperate to keep the truth hidden." The Tory leader renewed his call for Trudeau to waive solicitor-client privilege and let his former justice minister speak freely about what is said to have transpired. Trudeau loses long-time political ally In addition to the political partnership, the prime minister is close friends with Butts a relationship that dates back to their time as students at McGill University in Montreal where they were members of the campus debating club. Born in Glace Bay, N.S., a coal-mining town on Cape Breton Island, Butts worked on public policy in Ontario before becoming a senior staffer under former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty at Queen's Park. While in provincial politics, Butts crafted policies designed to bolster the party's progressive credentials. Among the actions, the government phased out coal-fired power plants, implemented full-day kindergarten and increased Ontario's minimum wage. After working as a campaigner at the World Wildlife Fund, Butts then made the leap to federal politics and helped chart Trudeau's political future as leader of the Liberal Party and later prime minister. The prime minister thanked Butts and Telford by name after clinching power in the 2015 federal election. "Katie and Gerry are two of the smartest, toughest, hardest-working people you will find anywhere," Trudeau said at his Montreal-area victory party on the night the Liberals captured a majority government. "They share with me the conviction that politics doesn't have to be negative and personal to be successful." Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press Praised by his allies as a brilliant mind, and vilified by Liberal foes as the political puppet master behind the prime minister, Butts said Monday he is proud of his time as Trudeau's right-hand man. "While it is fashionable sometimes in some quarters to denigrate politicians and public servants, my experience is that the women and men who serve Canadians in elected office and the professional public service are honest, decent, hard-working people who put service of country beyond self every day," he said. A well-known policy wonk, Butts has been a vocal defender of the government's Canada Child Benefit and an advocate for carbon pricing as a solution to climate change. He was also intimately involved in the NAFTA renegotiation efforts working closely with U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in particular that produced a new tripartite trade agreement last fall. In his resignation letter, Butts said he hoped fighting global warming "becomes the collective, non-partisan, urgent effort that science clearly says is required. I hope that happens soon." Butts' past comments on the energy industry said before he made the leap to Trudeau's political team have provoked the ire of oilpatch boosters. A forensic audit investigating cost and schedule overruns at Muskrat Falls reveals that Nalcor knew early on that its original estimates were in trouble. But instead of pausing or stopping the project, the Crown corporation pressed ahead. That's just one of the findings of Grant Thornton's latest audit of the controversial hydroelectric project. The audit was released Monday during the start of Phase II of the ongoing public inquiry in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The second phase of the inquiry is focusing on the reasons why a project originally sanctioned at a capital cost of $6.2 billion in late 2012 has since ballooned to more than $10.1 billion. When financing and other charges are factored in, the full costs are nearing $13 billion for a public project led by Newfoundland and Labrador's energy corporation, Nalcor. According to the audit, Nalcor awarded contracts in 2013 that exceeded the sanctioning estimate by $600 million, or 25 per cent higher than initially projected, according to Grant Thornton. The overruns fell well short of Nalcor's tactical contingency of $368 million. And a low bid by Astaldi for the critical power generation contract should have also raised concerns, according to the audit. Despite the early warning signs, Nalcor did not attempt to recalculate its contingency amounts, or modify its capital cost estimates prior to signing a federal loan guarantee in November 2013. Once the loan guarantee was signed, the provincial government was legally committed to finish the project, regardless of the amount of cost overruns. When asked by auditors why changes to the estimates weren't made prior to signing the loan guarantee, project manager Paul Harrington said "not my call" and that such changes were the responsibility of "senior management and government." The audit also revealed that Nalcor's seven per cent contingency allowance was below industry standards, with an independent engineer saying contingencies typically range from 12 to 18 per cent. Story continues Terry Roberts/CBC And at the time of so-called financial close on the project in late 2013, the project was already six months behind schedule, which was another sign of trouble. One expert quoted by Grant Thornton said taking risks with a megaproject's schedule is a "fool's game." "Schedule pressure dooms more megaprojects that any other single factor," Edward Merrow of Independent Project Analysis Inc., is quoted at saying in the audit. "When there is pressure to move a project along quickly from the outset, corners get cut and opportunists have a field day." Cost estimates and actual But Nalcor's decision to award the very important powerhouse contract to Astaldi Canada came in for the most scrutiny. Astaldi's bid of $1.14 billion and 6.82 million labour hours was accepted in late 2013, and was significantly higher than Nalcor original estimate of $752 million and 3.66 million hours. Astaldi was one of four bidders on the contract, with two companies offering to build the powerhouse for more than $2 billion, significantly higher than Astaldi's estimate. Grant Thornton again quoted from a book by Edward Merrow to illustrate the perils of accepting the lowest bidder. "Acceptance of such bids guarantees that the bidder does not fully understand the project or has made a disastrous bidding error. Either way, the sponsor will lose," Merrow wrote in a book entitled Industrial Megaprojects: Concepts, Strategies, and Practices for Success. The Astaldi contract has been a source of ongoing controversy, and represents a significant portion of the cost overruns. Acceptance of such bids guarantees that the bidder does not fully understand the project or has made a disastrous bidding error. - Edward Merrow In a supplemental agreement in 2016, Nalcor agreed to pay Astaldi an additional $884 million, with a review determining that "negotiating with Astaldi provides the least cost-risk exposure" to Nalcor. As of March 2018, the cost overruns for the powerhouse contact have reached $1.2 billion. Last fall, Nalcor expelled Astaldi from the Muskrat Falls project, and another company, Pennecon, is now finishing the contract. Grant Thornton's Scott Shaffer is schedule to testify at the inquiry until Thursday. Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador A day after the bombshell resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's closest adviser, the SNC-Lavalin controversy shows no sign of fading as opposition parties in the House of Commons unite to demand a public inquiry. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Tuesday the gravity of the core allegation that there was undue political influence on the criminal prosecution process demands a thorough study by an independent arbiter. Watch the Power Panel discuss Wilson-Raybould's appearance at a cabinet meeting on Power & Politics "We cannot claim to be a country under the rule of law when political agendas can dictate the course of justice," Scheer said. "And that's precisely what the prime minister and his office stand accused of." The party's deputy leader, Lisa Raitt, said a public inquiry is the best way "to get to the bottom of something so crucial to the rule of law." Amid the calls for an inquiry, the House of Commons justice committee will reconvene today to continue its study of a recent news report that senior members of the Prime Minister's Office pressured then-justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to help Quebec-based multinational engineering firm SNC-Lavalin avoid prosecution on bribery and fraud charges in relation to contracts in Libya. Gerald Butts, Trudeau's principal secretary and right-hand man, resigned his position Monday, stating that neither he or anyone else in the PMO pressured Wilson-Raybould to direct the Public Prosecution Service of Canada to draft a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) a legal tool resembling a plea deal for SNC-Lavalin. "At all times, I and those around me acted with integrity and a singular focus on the best interests of all Canadians," Butts said Monday. Trudeau also has insisted there was no wrongdoing that he told Wilson-Raybould last fall that any decisions on matters involving the director of public prosecutions were hers alone to make. Story continues In a surprise move, Wilson-Raybould met with Trudeau and his cabinet Tuesday. Speaking to reporters before question period, Trudeau said she asked if she could address her former cabinet colleagues a week after her departure. Wilson-Raybould spoke briefly with reporters after leaving that cabinet meeting. When asked if she was pressured over SNC-Lavalin, as the media report suggested, she said only that she is still "working with" her lawyer. "As a member of Parliament, my ethical and professional responsibilities as a lawyer are layered and incredibly complicated," she said. She also confirmed that she is still a Liberal MP. The Liberal government maintains that the federal ethics commissioner's ongoing examination of the still-unsubstantiated allegations is an independent probe therefore a public inquiry is an unnecessary measure. Conservatives say the ethics commissioner is essentially toothless. Speaking in the Commons, Liberal MP Marc Miller, a parliamentary secretary and personal friend of the prime minister, said demands for an independent inquiry were "absolutely premature." "Despite the many media reports, what we have so far is unsubstantiated allegations. Indeed, we have two high-profile resignations, but we don't know the substance of the allegations," Miller said. "There's very, very little substantiated fact ... I will readily concede that we don't know enough. The issue is whether we are publicly entitled to enough." Miller also said staging an inquiry at this time while criminal matters related to SNC-Lavalin are still before the courts would be ill-advised, since parliamentarians generally refrain from discussing matters under judicial review. Scheer said Butts' departure "does not in any way settle this matter. In fact, it presents even more questions that must be answered." "When the Justice Department said 'no' to SNC-Lavalin, the Prime Minister's Office wouldn't take 'no' for an answer," Scheer said. "Conservatives on the justice committee will continue to demand a thorough and public investigation, and all other options remain on the table. Canadians deserve answers and I will continue to do everything in my power to get them." Chris Young/Canadian Press NDP MP Charlie Angus, the party's ethics critic, tabled an opposition motion Tuesday that formally demands an inquiry into the political interference allegations. Angus said Butts' departure he calls the former staffer the "architect of the Sunny Ways" Trudeau playbook could provoke a "political revolution." "For Gerry Butts to resign shows how much damage [the scandal] has done inside the Prime Minister's Office ... If Mr. Butts is willing to take a jump for the prime minister, at this point, it shows that they're in free fall and total damage control," Angus said in an interview with CBC News Network's Power & Politics. "The best thing the prime minister could do to restore public confidence is come into the House and agree to an independent inquiry ... or else these questions are going to continue." Commons committee to probe interference allegations The Liberal and opposition members of the justice committee are expected to squabble today over who should be called to testify at the committee, and just how wide-reaching the parliamentary probe should be. At the top of the opposition witness wish list is Butts himself and Wilson-Raybould, who resigned from cabinet last week after the Globe and Mail published its initial report. Wilson-Raybould had been demoted from the high-profile justice portfolio to the Veterans Affairs ministry in January. Wilson-Raybould has stayed silent on the allegations, claiming that solicitor-client privilege prevents her from speaking publicly; as attorney general, she was the government's top lawyer. She has taken the highly unusual step of retaining Thomas Cromwell, a recently retired Supreme Court justice, as her legal counsel as the scandal enters a new phase. While the Liberal-controlled justice committee has agreed to study the matter, Liberal MPs defeated an NDP motion last week that would have compelled Butts and Wilson-Raybould to appear. Following normal parliamentary procedure with respect to committee planning, members will discuss which individuals they want to call before the committee and define the scope of its investigation in private. The opposition parties had demanded these proceedings be held in public, but Liberals successfully pushed for closed-door discussions. The parliamentary probe itself is expected to be televised. More to come? Opposition members have pointed to one line of Butts' resignation statement in particular as indicating that there might be more developments to come. "My reputation is my responsibility," Butts said, "and that is for me to defend. It is in the best interests of the office and its important work for me to step away." Not satisfied with a committee study alone, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is also demanding that Trudeau waive solicitor-client privilege to allow Wilson-Raybould to speak freely at a public inquiry. Trudeau has said the privilege question is complicated and he is awaiting advice from current Attorney General David Lametti on what he can say in public. He has also said some aspects of the government's handling of the case are protected by cabinet confidentiality. Speaking to reporters in B.C. a week out from the Burnaby South byelection in which he is running, Singh said intransigence by Liberal members of the justice committee demands another forum for investigation. "The scandal cuts to the heart of our democracy," Singh said. "Canadians deserve a government that works for them, not a powerful multinational corporation that has deep ties to the Liberal Party." Trudeau thanks Butts for his service In a tweet Monday, Trudeau said Butts served Canada with "integrity, sage advice and devotion." He thanked the former staffer for his service and "continued friendship." In addition to the political partnership, the prime minister is close friends with Butts a relationship that dates back to their time as students at McGill University in Montreal, where they were members of the campus debating club. Born in Glace Bay, N.S., a coal-mining town on Cape Breton Island, Butts worked on public policy in Ontario before becoming a senior staffer under former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty at Queen's Park. Butts then made the leap to federal politics and helped chart Trudeau's political future as leader of the Liberal Party and later prime minister. Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press Praised by his allies as a brilliant mind, and vilified by foes as the political puppet master behind the prime minister, Butts said Monday he is proud of his time as Trudeau's top adviser. No matter who won the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Canada was bracing for NAFTA to go down in flames. Internal documents, obtained by CBC News under access-to-information law, show the government started plotting out various "Plan B" options as early as August 2016 months before Donald Trump was elected president. Trump has been particularly hostile in trade relations between the two countries, but earlier notes prepared for the ministers of International Trade, Foreign Affairs and International Development warned that a Hillary Clinton presidency could have been a hardship too. "There has been significant criticism of NAFTA by a number of candidates," one memo from 2016 cautioned. It pointed to Clinton's repeated statements that the trade deal needed to be renegotiated, but particularly highlighted then-candidate Trump's "far stronger and far more frequent" negativity on NAFTA. The documents marked secret go over "potential scenarios and implications," if the deal was annihilated by a U.S. administration, though the precise details of the Plan B's were removed from the document for confidentiality reasons. Then in August 2017, Trump decided it was time to take a new look at trade in North America. His trade czar Robert Lighthizer said the administration had had enough with the deal. "We feel that NAFTA has fundamentally failed many, many Americans and needs major improvement." More than a year of slow, tense and sometimes hostile negotiations ensued, culminating in a new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in the early hours of October. In public, the government's talking points didn't change as the negotiators laboured on: Canada was committed to the talks and "will not walk away" from the table, Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland said. Behind the scenes, however, communications titled "Plan B: NAFTA and CUSFTA withdrawal" were floating around government inboxes. Story continues Multiple Plan B's At least two scenarios were considered. If the NAFTA deal was ripped up, the rules under the CUSFTA (Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement), the previous trade agreement signed in 1987, would have been reinstated. If the U.S. pulled out of that agreement too, Canada was researching the mechanics of the World Trade Organization standards that would have kicked in. If both those agreements had been scrapped, Canada would have traded under "Most Favoured Nation" status with the U.S. within WTO rules. Canada was preparing for wide-ranging fallout if all previous free trade agreements were abandoned. Memos bouncing between departments forewarned of the implications for the lumber, machinery, and oil industries and postulated how the investment climate would shift. One particular piece of correspondence called "WWJD" explains how much authority Trump actually had to blow up NAFTA, and goes into the expected U.S., Mexican and Canadian reactions if Trump were to pull the plug. All of those details about reaction were redacted from the files CBC News obtained. The government wasn't just preparing for the potential death of NAFTA. In November 2016, it also was alerted by the department about the potential for crushing tariffs. The severity of the situation if tariffs were slapped on Canadian products was laid out, product by product. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Canola, beef, pork, cars, oil and gas, plastic, steel and lumber were all included in a memo that warned if existing free trade agreements were cancelled, almost 65 per cent of Canadian exports to the U.S. would be hit with tariffs $224.4 billion worth of goods. Pressure far from over Throughout the unpredictability, the internal messaging remained optimistic, at least on paper. "Regardless of the current uncertainty, it remains important to continue advocacy efforts on the importance of NAFTA and the Canada-U.S. trading relationship, on both sides of the border," one briefing concludes. Months of high-stakes negotiations taking place in cities across all three countries including a period of time where Canada was threatened with the possibility of being left out of a deal culminated in an agreement in principle. On Nov. 30, that deal was signed on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. WATCH: 'Battle' over as Trudeau, Trump, Pena Nieto sign 'new NAFTA' But the pressure is far from over. Tariffs imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum remain, even though Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Freeland had hoped a new deal would nudge Trump to lift them. Even this week, Freeland was still using international gatherings to remind the U.S. of Canada's abhorrence of the tariffs. The CUSMA trade deal isn't yet ratified, facing roadblocks in the Democrat-led U.S. Congress that threaten to delay the approval process. In Munich, Germany, Freeland spoke with U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the national security tariffs and the ratification process for the new NAFTA. U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley also said after meeting with Freeland last week he believes Canada and Mexico won't consider ratifying the agreement unless the tariffs are lifted. The U.S. government shutdown delayed critical reports explaining details of the deal to Congress, which is expected to stall things further. When asked about Grassley's comments and Canada's side of the process, Freeland said the governing Liberals are actively working on ratification and that conversations are ongoing in committees, cabinet and the Senate. "Canada is definitely focused on our domestic ratification process," she said. "We feel we have it well in hand." Abbie Cornish Is Engaged to MMA Fighter Adel Altamimi: 'You've Swept Me Off My Feet' Abbie Cornish is officially off the market! The Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri actress is set to marry MMA fighter Adel Altamimi, she announced on Instagram over Valentines Day. Sharing a close-up shot of her hand that showed off the gorgeous engagement ring, Cornish, 36, wrote, A thing of beauty is a joy forever ~ John Keats. ?? Youve swept me off my feet my love. I have been waiting for you. The answer is yes! And may God share this light and love with us forever in his arms, she continued. Blessed be this day with you. Well never forget this anniversary! ; ) Happy Valentines Day to my fiance. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Just hours earlier, Cornish praised her partner on Instagram, writing, I respect you so much. The light you see is the light you give. Cornish isnt shy about sharing her love for Altamimi, 29, often posting photos of him on social media with sweet captions. Days after revealing her engagement, she shared a solo shot of the athlete with the caption, You are the man of my dreams. RELATED: Chris Pratt Cheers Brother MMA Fighter Adel Altamimi as He Wins Bellator: God Is Good! This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Altamimi is no stranger to Hollywood as hes also friends with Chris Pratt. The two train at the same gym in Los Angeles and Pratt has often showed off his admiration for the MMA fighter on social media. So proud of my brother on his amazing win tonight. Made a major splash at his @bellatormma debut. As he will tell you, God is good!!! Pratt captioned an Instagram of the two celebrating after Altamimis Bellator win in January. Altamimis backstory is unique having driven convoys for the Marines before being captured by Al-Qaeda. The Baghdad, Iraq native was ultimately saved by his fellow Marines and returned to the United States where he began his career in sports. PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Senet, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based software, global connectivity service platforms and network build-out for the Internet of Things (IoT), and global technology solutions provider Arrow Electronics, Inc. today announced they are working together to simplify the process of purchasing and deploying connected IoT solutions. Through this global agreement, Arrow is now offering Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) gateways pre-configured to operate on the Senet network, allowing application providers and end customers to shorten their deployment cycles knowing they are working with hardware and network connectivity that has been pre-qualified to be interoperable. Leveraging the benefits of this distribution agreement and Senets flexible Low Power Wide Area Virtual Network (LVN) deployment model, Arrow customers can now purchase gateways with the confidence of out-of-the-box compatibility with the Senet network which provides coverage and connectivity readiness in over 80 countries . With fewer steps required to deploy an end-to-end solution and quality of service built into both the procurement and deployment processes, todays announcement is an example of how the IoT ecosystem is maturing and providing tangible cost and time-saving benefits, said Bruce Chatterley, CEO at Senet. We are excited to be working with Arrow to revolutionize how the value of the Internet of Things is delivered. Network Operators and application providers interested in joining the Senet LVN to deliver carrier-grade, Low Power Wide Area IoT connectivity to their customers are invited to meet with Senet executives at Mobile World Congress in Hall 8.0, Stand 8.0M41MR. MWC19 is being held in Barcelona, Spain at the Fira Gran Via, Fira Montjuic, and La Farga LHospitalet February 25th - 28th. About Senet, Inc. A Founding and Contributing Member of the LoRa Alliance, Senet is the leader in global Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity used to instrument the physical world and enable businesses to revolutionize their operations. With core values centered around changing the world for the better, Senet is committed to promoting IoT Network and Network Management innovation, and supports an open partner ecosystem to ensure that IoT realizes its full potential of delivering economic, environmental, and social improvements. Senet is dedicated to supporting the LoRaWAN protocol as the open global standard for secure, carrier-grade Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) connectivity for IoT solutions across all industries. For additional information, visit www.senetco.com . News / National by Mandla Ndlovu The MDC Bulawayo Province has announced that it is supporting the leadership of Nelson Chamisa as President of the party beyond the impending October elective congress.The endorsement comes after the Deputy Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet George Charamba said as the government they will make sure that Chamisa is contested during the Congress."As MDC Bulawayo province we want to make it clear that we support and stand with our president Advocate Nelson Chamisa and shall support him beyond October Congress." Edwin Ndlovu the Provincial Deputy Spokesperson said."It is worrying that ZANU PF wants to educate us on our own internal processes. This is very clear that the regime is afraid of our president hence their shenanigans. Our national council which is the supreme decision-making body between congresses appointed Advocate Nelson Chamisa to lead the party until our next Congress in October 2019."On Tuesday Chamisa revealed that the National Council sitting on Friday after which the roadmap towards the Congress shall be announced to the membership and the public.Ndlovu further called upon the government of Emmerson Mnangagwa to release political prisoners and to focus on internal ZANU PF fights."ZANU PF military regime instead of dealing with its own factional wars and fixing the economy is busy trying to tell us when and how we should choose our leaders. As a party and Bulawayo province we know what we want, we know that when ZANU PF complains we are in the right direction."We finally call upon Emmerson Mnangagwa to release all political prisoners in his jails and initiate a genuine dialogue to help solve the illegitimacy of his government and rescue the suffering people of Zimbabwe." News / National by Staff writer Zimbabwean financial or business journalists are being invited by Zimnat to compete with other African journalists for an award for the best story published or broadcast last year that captures the growth of the African continent.The African Growth Story Award is one of five award categories in the Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism that Sanlam, with which Zimnat is associated, has been running since 1974. It is the only category that is open to African journalists outside South Africa.Sanlam, a South African-based company, is the largest non-banking financial services group on the African continent. One of its subsidiaries has a major stake in Zimnat.It introduced the African Growth Story category in its Excellence in Financial Journalism Awards in 2013 to honour the journalist who best captures the growth story of the African continent.Entries for this category are therefore expected to focus on the growth of the continent in terms of investments, infrastructure development, economic progress or any other aspect of the continent's growth and development.Entry for the award is open to every African journalist whose work was published or broadcast in Africa between January 2018 and 31 December 2018. Stories can reflect a particular country's perspective but should incorporate a continental outlook.The deadline for entries for all the awards is February 28. The awards will be presented on June 20 in Johannesburg.Information on the entry submission process is available on Sanlam's website (www.sanlam.co.za).Previous winners of the African Growth Story Award include Neville Otuki and Allan Odhiambo of Business Daily in Kenya, Ancillar Mangena of Forbes Africa magazine and Dominic Omondi of The Standard newspaper in Kenya, who was the winner for 2017.The Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism awards reward excellence in financial journalism. This year's edition is the 44th, making the awards the longest running dedicated to financial journalism in South Africa.The aim of the awards as a whole is to honour the indispensable role of the financial journalist in modern business life and the high standards required by the profession, particularly integrity, diverse knowledge and insight, responsibility and judgement.Awards are open to journalists working in print, radio, television and online media.Sanlam has operations in more than 40 countries and more than 21 000 employees. Sanlam Emerging Markets, its subsidiary, is a major shareholder in the Zimnat Group. News / National by Staff reporter Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has blasted President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying he is the chief culprit in causing violence against innocent Zimbabweans.Mnangagwa blamed the opposition for the violent demonstrations.Chamisa on Monday said President Emmerson Mnangagwa is "more rabid than Robert Mugabe at his worst."Chamisa spoke outside the Harare Magistrates Court where the MDC's Harare East MP had had just avoided jail after a magistrate fined him $200 for "unofficial and false declaration of results" in July last year.Biti had told a news conference on July 31, a day after voting, that the MDC had received results of the 2018 election and "the results show beyond reasonable doubt that we have won this election and that the next President of Zimbabwe is Advocate Nelson Chamisa."The MDC says Biti, who is appealing the conviction, is being persecuted by Mnangagwa's government which the party maintains is illegitimate, claiming the last elections were rigged.Chamisa said threats made by Mnangagwa at a rally in Mwenezi last Saturday, where he vowed to pursue lawyers who represented victims of an army crackdown that followed fuel protests last month showed the government's disdain for justice."We're excited to have here our pillar in the movement who is being targeted, persecuted on the simple account that he's telling the truth about what happened on July 30," Chamisa told reporters."We are also aware of the targeting of many of our leaders across the country, of lawyers and doctors which is quite disturbing because. Even Mugabe at his worst was not this rabid. We never saw attacks and persecution of lawyers and doctors."Biti, who will speak at a news conference on Thursday after a ban imposed at the start of his trial lapsed with the end of his trial, said he was "a symptom of a bigger challenges affecting the country.""It's critical for president Chamisa and everyone in leadership to protect the people against Mnangagwa," he said.Chamisa said politics was "contaminating Zimbabwe's justice system in a manner which is not consistent with a democratic society."The MDC leader called on SADC leaders to speak up against a breakdown of the rule of law in Zimbabwe. He said power was slipping from Mnangagwa, who took over from Mugabe in a November 2017 military coup, and the Zanu-PF strongman had resorted to brutalising citizens."What you are seeing are telltale signs of the end. This is the end and centre can no longer hold. Mr Mnangagwa's constellation is crumbling like a deck of cards. That's why you see in their desperation they want to be at war with the citizens and with everyone including lawyers, vendors and doctors. They're literally at war with every section of the society. That tells you the end is nigh," Chamisa said.He maintained that the MDC would not enter any dialogue with Zanu-PF and Mnangagwa "that is conditional upon macho tactics, terror tactics and Stone Age tactics.""We don't go into dialogue out of force. We go into dialogue out of conviction that we need to have peace in this country, progress and prosperity in this country. We have answers, they have the problems and we have said please let's come together as a people to provide answers," Chamisa said."People are suffering, they are jobless; the economy is not performing, prices are sky rocketing and challenges are rising by the day. We don't want politics, we want answers to the people's problems."The MDC snubbed an invitation extended by Mnangagwa on February 6 to attend talks at State House with all the other political parties and presidential candidates. The party wants the army withdrawn from the streets; its supporters held following last month's fuel protests released and the talks mediated by an impartial third party.Chamisa will address a rally in Gweru this weekend. News / National by Staff reporter Parliament's Committee of Standing Rules and Orders yesterday dissolved the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development and is set to unveil a Privileges Committee to investigate allegations that Norton legislator Mr Temba Mliswa and three others demanded a $400 000 bribe from a local businessman intending to mine in Hwange.The committee, chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda, met yesterday and resolved to reconstitute the portfolio committee after it felt that the relationship among members was so bad that they could not conduct meaningful business.It also noted that members of the Mliswa led committee were likely to trade accusations that would lead to acrimonious exchanges each time they met. It also resolved to set up a Privileges Committee whose membership would reflect the political composition of Parliament.The composition of the Privileges Committee is still being worked on and the committee is expected to meet again soon to approve the list.The setting up of a Privileges Committee followed a motion moved by Makoni South lawmaker Misheck Mataranyika (Zanu-PF), who submitted that allegations against Mr Mliswa were of a serious nature requiring investigations by Parliament in order to safeguard the integrity of the august House.Adv Mudenda confirmed that Parliament was constituting a Privileges Committee but declined to give names for those who will constitute it."We are setting up a Privileges Committee. I think it is premature for us to make public members who constitute it. We need to inform them first, what if they turn down the appointment. It is a procedural requirement," said Adv Mudenda.Sources in the committee said a sub-committee had been set up to identify the legislators to form part of the Privileges Committee."They will look at the political, gender composition of our Parliament. After that the SROC might have to meet again to adopt the names. But in the meantime the Mines portfolio committee has been dissolved. It has to be reconstituted but those fingered like Mr Mliswa should not constitute it," said a source."The SROC felt that it had to put its foot down. The bickering among members put the integrity of Parliament into disrepute."Mr Mliswa, who chaired Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development, was implicated with three other members Leonard Chikomba (Gokwe Kabuyuni, Zanu-PF), Mr Anele Ndebele (Magwegwe, MDC-Alliance) and Mr Prince Sibanda (Binga North, MDC-Alliance).In his ruling to a motion by Mataranyika a fortnight ago, Adv Mudenda said Section 194 (1) (a) of the Constitution required that Members of Parliament demonstrate high standards of professional ethics.It read as follows: "Public administration in all tiers of Government including institutions and agencies of the State and Government-controlled entities and other public enterprises must be governed by the democratic values and principles enshrined in the Constitution, including the following principles, (a) a high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained".Adv Mudenda said Parliament had to act. Mataranyika's motion followed allegations by local businessman, Mr James Ross Goddard of JRG Contracting (Pvt) Ltd, that Mr Mliswa and his colleagues demanded $400 000 as "facilitation fee" to enable the latter's company secure a mining contract at Hwange. News / National by Staff reporter The decision to separate real time gross settlement (RTGS) foreign currency accounts from actual United States dollar accounts is beginning to pay dividends amid indications that deposits for the latter have now shot up to about US$600 million.This was said by Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Deputy Director for Economic Research Dr Nebson Mupunga yesterday during a breakfast meeting organised by the Employers' Confederation of Zimbabwe (Emcoz) in Harare.Dr Mupunga said it became critical to separate RTGS and actual US dollar accounts to deal with the rising demand for physical US dollars when depositors were depositing RTGS into their accounts. But after protests over the separation of accounts from citizens who felt short-changed considering that their deposits were US dollar denominated, the nostro foreign currency accounts are doing well, in a move that preserves value for depositors."In the same account, we were depositing RTGS and US dollars, there was pressure in terms of the actual US dollar," said Dr Mupunga."That is why as the Central Bank we took the decision to separate the accounts so as to preserve value and so as to attract those with actual hard cash to deposit in the banking sector and this has actually started paying dividends as you see."Now, nostro FCA deposits are on an increase to around US$600 million from maybe around $130 million." The RBZ introduced that policy on accounts in mid-October last year.Dr Mupunga said the jump in nostro FCA deposits is largely attributed to rising confidence in the financial services sector by individuals and corporates. "So we are witnessing that confidence is now coming back into the financial sector."People are now having confidence (in the banking sector) and these are dividends of the deliberate policy to separate the RTGS and nostro accounts," said Dr Mupunga.The country's foreign currency deposits are at their highest in several years. On announcing the policy to separate the accounts, central bank Governor Dr Mangudya said they wanted to encourage exports, diaspora remittances, banking of foreign currency into the nostro FCA accounts and eliminate the core-mingling or dilution effect of RTGS balances on foreign currency accounts. The relationship between the two categories of FCA accounts is 1:1.The RBZ kept the accounts at 1:1 to preserve value for money for the banking public and investors during the transition to a more market based foreign currency allocation system that shall be implemented once economic fundamentals are appropriate.In support of the measures and to enhance sanity in the foreign currency market, the RBZ organised a US$500 million nostro stabilisation guarantee facility with the Afreximbank, to provide nostro account holders assurance that foreign currency will be readily available on demand.The reported jump in nostro FCA deposits is expected to tickle other previously sceptical depositors to open such accounts. The breakfast meeting ran under the theme, "State of the Economy and its Implications on Business and Investment". News / National by Staff reporter Chairman of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Chris Mutsvangwa has disowned a Twitter account posting messages under his name.Mutsvangwa told reporters in a wide-ranging interview yesterday that the fake account was an origination of G40 remnants who lacked originality and public appeal."The G40s and their hold-overs simply lack originality to appeal to the populace," he said. "Thus, they latch on to those with the history and the gravitas, in their futile effort to push their discredited agendas."Veterans are kings and queens of the hierarchy of trust by the population of Zimbabwe even after 38 years since the victory of the epic Chimurenga II national liberation war. The respect, trust and confidence of the populace is very much intact. Their reputation is a far cry from the avatars and misadventurists of regime change and their conjuring of the failed State of Zimbabwe."Mutsvangwa spoke about the position taken by Sadc against illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe."As chairman of ZNLWVA, we hail the principled position of Sadc Chairman Hage Geingob (Namibia) on the USA to repeal ZDERA sanctions," he said. "We are also most grateful for the strong message of support from our neighbours and brothers of Botswana."We call upon both Washington and Brussels to take heed of this Sadc call to repeal ZDERA and to lift illegal sanctions as was recently propounded in Addis Ababa. Why would any far away nation and regional grouping want to contest the wisdom and judgment of our collective 14 Heads of State and Government on this crucial item?"We know of the unsavoury past of slavery, colonial subjugation and resource plunder. We survived painful wars of sacrifice to be rid of those manacles to our hopes of progress and prosperity."We loudly proclaim that as Africans, we are not and we vehemently refuse to be children of a lesser God. We loudly and boldly proclaim that, as Africans."On national dialogue initiated by President Mnangagwa in recent weeks, Mutsvangwa said: "We also urge Chamisa and his MDC-Alliance to finally come of age and join the National Dialogue process in an honest and constructive manner."He should take a leaf from our generation of supreme sacrifice which never slight personalised power and self-enrichment beyond the love of the motherland."Mr Chamisa did not attend the inaugural meeting on the dialogue that was attended by most of the presidential candidates of the July 30, 2018 elections at State House. News / National by Staff reporter LUPANE State University (LSU) has introduced a degree in Kalanga and Community Studies as part of efforts to promote indigenous languages in the country.It is the first university in Zimbabwe to introduce Kalanga as a degree programme. Kalanga is recognised as an official language by the Zimbabwean Constitution and is taught in schools in some areas.It is widely spoken in Bulilima, Mangwe districts and other parts of Tsholotsho.In an interview, the university's director of marketing and public relations Mr Zwelithini Dlamini said the programme was introduced in response to public demand."The communities asked us to provide degrees in indigenous languages including Kalanga to complement our national constitution since it now recognises all the community languages that are spoken in the country," said Mr Dlamini.He said the country's school curriculum has seen the language being taught in some schools. Mr Dlamini said studying indigenous languages at a tertiary level enhances effective communication skills and also promotes African languages."We are introducing this programme aiming to produce best communication skills within the country and the training will be for four years," he said.Recently, the Zimbabwe Indigenous Languages Promotion Association (ZILPA) urged college students to take up Kalanga teaching courses. The organisation also said people should help produce books in indigenous languages. News / National by Staff reporter A LOCAL company, Primetone Investments is in discussions with an Asian group of companies, Kanku International, to set up a US$250 000 steel manufacturing plant in Bulawayo.In an interview during a tour of the site in Kelvin Industrial area by Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Raj Modi and Kanku International managing director Mr Mukesh Kothari, where the steel plant would be established, one of Primetone directors Mr Kudzai Mumvuri said their Indian counterparts were in strategic partnership negotiations."They are planning to invest in this company Primetone Investments and once it becomes operational this company has capacity to employ over 250 people and of that figure maybe close to 200 people will be general labour," said Mr Mumvuri."We have just done some preliminary discussions. We want to start manufacturing steel here (Bulawayo) and the company will be a mini Zisco."This is a new factory, it's just that we need more money to kick start it. We are looking at figures between US$200 000 and US$250 000."He said as soon as they finalise discussions, they should be able to start operations in three months."We are so excited by this new dispensation and we are looking forward to these guys who are coming through to invest."Honourable Modi has been working very hard and we are hoping that whatever he is trying to do to get investors here in Zimbabwe, will bring some fruits into the city and the country at large," he said.In a separate interview, Mr Kothari said he was in the country to explore investment opportunities following Deputy Minister Modi's visit to India in November last year."I am here because of your Deputy Minister (Raj Modi). He visited India in November last year and he explained everything about Zimbabwe."I am here to see the investment opportunities and am really happy to be in Zimbabwe and hopefully l'm working on what best I can do, how l can be a good investor in Zimbabwe," he said.Mr Kothari said his organisation was establishing its footprint across Africa and has a listed unit in Ghana and Malawi.During the visit by Deputy Minister Modi, a delegation of Indian investors indicated that they would be visiting the country early this year to explore investment opportunities in all sectors of the economy with special focus on partnerships and alliances to enhance bilateral economic and trade ties between Zimbabwe and India.Indian businesspeople have shown interest in areas such as construction, engineering, infrastructure development, pharmaceuticals, textile, tourism, mining, and retail, among others. Speaking in a recent interview former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe maintains that a nuclear deal would have benefited the country. Molefe explained what his plan had been to prevent the recent bout of load shedding during his time at the power entity. PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! During a recent interview ex-Eskom CEO Brian Molefe spoke about his opinions on the situation at the embattled power entity. Molefe had been appointed as head of the power behemoth in 2015 but had resigned shortly after in 2016. According to eNCA, Molefe had maintained that the proposed nuclear power deal would have benefited South Africa. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app READ ALSO: Gordhan vows those responsible for Eskom failure will soon be in prison When asked what he would do to rectify the situation at Eskom, if he were still CEO today, Molefe had responded that: " It is possible to implement and to build nuclear power stations without touching the fiscus. the life of a nuclear plant is in excess of 80 years. The repayment period is less than 20 years.And so, just from that, it is possible to engineer financially something that can fund an asset of 80 that will be funded over 20 years." Molefe went on to explain that he felt the issue around nuclear energy had been political, saying: " I think the problem around nuclear had become politics, the personalities and the person who was going to do it, not the science of the finances" The former CEO claimed that a large part of the problem at the entity was a backlog of maintenance on vital power stations as well as a lack of funding. Briefly.co.za reported last week that the nation had experienced the introduction of Stage 4 blackouts. The reason for this has been cited as a lack of maintenance on existing power plants as well as poor workmanship and design for the two newest stations. 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 PHOENIX, Feb. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Capital Group Ltd. is pleased to announce the launch of GO Car Wash, the nations newest express car wash platform, with a focus on secondary cities across North America. We see a tremendous opportunity to deploy our back, buy and build investment strategy within the car wash industry and are excited to build a multi-regional platform of high-quality car washes, said Christopher Harris, Partner at Imperial Capital. To launch the platform, we are pleased to be teaming up with Darren Skarecky (CEO) and JT Thomson (COO), two strong industry veterans bringing a wealth of insight and perspective to fortify our foundation for growth. GO Car Wash, headquartered in Phoenix, plans to invest heavily in building out its corporate infrastructure to support its future growth. The company expects to deploy a multi-pronged growth strategy focused on acquisitions, partnerships and new site build outs. It will have a specific emphasis on empowering local owner-operators to develop and grow regional clusters in attractive geographies. We are passionate about the car wash business, said Mr. Skarecky, who was part of the executive team at one of the nations largest car wash consolidators, and we plan to execute on an aggressive growth plan beginning this quarter. With experienced industry operators such as JT Thomson, we have the core team in place to achieve this growth and offer a differentiated platform to the car wash industry. In aggressively reviewing acquisitions, partnerships and new site build outs, said Mr. Thomson, we plan to methodically expand the business through a significant number of acquisitions while maintaining an operational and technological focus. Our flexible acquisition model that benefits potential sellers and partners was designed to ensure that we reach the optimal structure for every deal, said Mr. Skarecky. By understanding what owner-operators are looking for and by combining Imperial Capitals strong, multi-site experience with our deep industry experience, GO Car Wash is well positioned for future success in the car wash industry. Go Car Wash is Imperial Capitals first investment for Imperial Capital Acquisition Fund VII. For further information on GO Car Wash, visit www.gocarwash.com. For further information on Imperial Capital, visit www.imperialcap.com. About Imperial Capital Toronto-based, Imperial Capital is a leading lower middle market private equity firm focused on North American opportunities to build or acquire growth-oriented platform investments in targeted industry niches within healthcare, business and consumer services industries. Drawing from its seventh fund, Imperial Capital combines its deep industry focus, active portfolio management, and strong partnerships with experienced industry executives to offer a differentiated approach to investing. Contact Information GO Car Wash Name: Darren Skarecky, President and CEO Email: darren.skarecky@gocarwash.com Phone: 480-744-0154 Imperial Capital Name: Christopher Harris, Partner Email: charris@imperialcap.com Phone: 416-362-3658 Attachment Is it dangerous in South Africa? You may have come across crime in South Africa videos that trend on different social media platforms and wondered if you are really safe in the country. Like any other part of the world, South Africa deals with different criminal activities that make some places of the country very risky. A higher percentage of emigrants from South Africa attribute their fleeing from the country to insecurity. So, which crime in South Africa ranks highest? Image: pixabay.com Source: UGC The South African Police Service (SAPS) publishes up-to-date details of crime rates and statistics in the country. It is crucial for the rate of criminal offenses in South Africa to be monitored so that policies and reforms are done based on correct and updated data in order to mitigate the situation. SAPS last released the official report on the nation's crime status in September 2018, and the report covered the period between April 1st, 2017 and March 31st, 2018. READ ALSO: A peek inside the prison where prisoners live like kings Crime in South Africa: rate and statistics Which criminal activities rank top in South Africa? In comparison to most nations, the rate of murders, rapes, assaults, as well as other violent crimes is very high in South Africa. Here is the detailed breakdown of community-reported serious crimes in South Africa 2018 as well as criminal offenses detected as a result of police actions . Murder Image: pixabay.com Source: UGC According to South African law, an offense qualifies as murder if you kill someone unlawfully and intentionally. In the latest report for 2017/2018, SAPS reported that there were 20,336 murders, which represented an increase of 1,320 from the previous period. Aside from actual murders, the police also reported 18,233 attempted murders for that period compared to 18,205 for the previous period. The report also includes some sub-categories, which analyze things like the murders of women and children. In the 2017/18 period, the murders of women and children accounted for 19.3% of the total murders. Sexual offenses Image: stock.adobe.com Source: UGC This category includes compelled rape, incest, statutory rape, grooming children sexually, sexual assaults, and bestiality. The period 2017/18 had 50,108 sexual crimes, which was an increase of 448 from the previous period. Of the activities that count as sexual offences, rape was the most common one with the category accounting for 40,035 of the 50,108 sexual offences reported. Unfortunately, this data may be incorrect because of the massive underreporting of sexual offenses in the nation. Residential homes burglary Image: pixabay.com Source: UGC This category was actually a serious crime in South Africa in 2018, which is why it was the most feared. Think of it this way, how would you be if you felt unsafe in your own house? This offense is defined as someone breaking into a building unlawfully and intentionally. On average, about 625 houses were burgled every day. In total, there were 228,094 cases of house burglaries reported compared to 246,654 of 2016/17. According to a survey, a little over half (52.8%) of the burgled households deemed the police incapable and so chose not to report the activities. Assault Image: pixabay.com Source: UGC There are two types of assault: common assault and assault with the intent of causing serious bodily harm. Surprisingly, common assault was the less common crime with the latest report showing that there were 156,243 common assaults. There were 167,352 reported cases of assault with the intent of causing serious bodily harm. Interestingly, in both cases, the figures represented a decrease from the previous period. Common assault reduced by 207 while the other category reduced by a bigger margin of 3,264. Robbery Image: pixabay.com Source: UGC Three major sub-categories are in this category: common robbery, house robbery, and aggravated robbery. This type of crime in SA represented a significant decline from the 2016/17 period. Of the three categories, the most serious is probably aggravated robbery, which involves a gun or another type of weapon. There were 50,730 common robberies recorded in the latest report, which was a decrease of 2,688 from the previous report. The other two categories, house and aggravated robberies, had 22,261 and 140,956 cases reported respectively. Other criminal activities Obviously, there are way more types of criminal activities in the country than can be covered here. However, the following table should give an indication of the numbers for some of the other offenses not covered. The detailed report is on the SAPS website. A positive change means an increase from 2016/17 while a negative one means a decrease. Overall, cases of contact crimes were 601,366 (36.2%), property-related offenses were 507, 975 (30.5%), contact-related criminal activities were 115, 361 (6.9%), and other serious crimes were 438, 113 (26.3%). 1, 622, 815 (79.3%) cases fell under 17 community-reported serious crimes, while the remaining 20.7% were crimes detected as a result of police action. READ ALSO: What is South Africa's murder capital? Based on the above breakdown of crime in South Africa, is South Africa safe for tourists? Is it safe for residents themselves? It is important for all residents to be on the watch out and report any criminal activities that they witness. This way, policies that will help to permanently resolve the criminal activities will be established, and there will be a considerable drop in the crime rates in SA. READ ALSO Bosasa scandal and arrest - everything you need to know Video shows police van being used to move personal belongings How to get police clearance South Africa? Is prophet Bushiri arrested? What happened to Jussie Smollett? Source: Briefly.co.za The mystery of the glorious fireball emitted by microwaved grapes (featured in my novel Little Brother) has been resolved, thanks to a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in which Trent University researchers Hamza Khattak and Aaron Slepkov explain how they destroyed a dozen microwaves before figuring out that the grapes were just the right size and had enough humidity to set up standing waves that amplify the microwaves and anything roughly grape-sized will do the same. The paper is offline at both PNAS and Sci-Hub, which is weird, but there's good coverage of it at Ars and Wired. Truesee's Daily Wonder Tuesday, February 19, 2019 Archives Truesee presents the weird, wild, wacky and world news of the day. June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 Subscribe Top 5 Misconceptions About Immigration Law It seems like every day brings another story of a new immigration law or policy, increased deportation efforts, or, yes, a wall. And with all that news can come quite a bit of misinformation. So, how do you separate fact from fiction when it comes to immigration law? Here are some of the most common misconceptions about U.S. immigration and naturalization law and policy, and where you can go for the truth. 1. I Can Be a U.S. Citizen as Soon as I Marry One While U.S. citizenship is family-based and can provide an expedited path to citizenship for family members of citizens, it's not quite automatic. New spouses of U.S. citizens must be eligible for citizenship themselves, apply for naturalization, and complete the interview and citizenship test. And bringing a spouse to live in the United States can also be complicated. Be aware that immigration officials are especially suspicious of weddings for the sake of citizenship. Committing marriage fraud has serious legal consequences. 2. I Can Get a Green Card as Long as I Have a Job In most cases, it works the other way around: you will need an immigrant visa for permanent legal residency (also known as a "green card") in order to live and work in the United States. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, other family members of citizens and permanent residents, and workers whose skills are needed in the American job market are eligible for green cards, so in some cases an employer may sponsor your green card. 3. I Will Be Deported If I'm Charged With a Crime While criminal convictions can affect your immigration status, merely being charged with a criminal offense is often not enough to get you deported and exactly how convictions will affect your status will depend on your immigration status and the crime. For unlawful residents in the United States, any criminal conviction (or even an arrest) can get you deported. While lawful permanent residents will generally only be deported if they are convicted of aggravated felonies or a crime of moral turpitude, such as theft or fraud. Be aware that, in terms of immigration law, a guilty plea often has the same effect as a conviction. 4. The President Can Make Any Immigration Laws He Wants It is true that the executive branch is given wide latitude when creating immigration policy, but the president can't enact and enforce new immigration laws whenever he or she wants. While presidents may direct immigration, border, and national security enforcement agencies (and their enforcement policies), Congress has the sole authority to pass immigration legislation and the courts can review any administrative policies to make sure they are constitutional. 5. I Can Get Deported for No Reason Based on news reports of ICE enforcement, it may seem that immigrants are being deported for any reason or no reason at all. Usually, however, that's not the case. While immigration officials may initiate removal proceedings for anyone in the country in violation of national immigration laws, or certain state or local laws, you can't be deported without reason if you are in the country legally. And if someone threatens to call ICE or have you deported, you have legal options. Contact a local immigration attorney for help with your case. Related Resources: Today I begin my statewide military tour in Bismarck, where Ill meet with Adjutant General Alan Dohrmann and visit the North Dakota Army Aviation Battalion. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, this is all part of an effort to learn how to best support North Dakotas soldiers in my new role. I can think of no better way to start this tour than meeting some of our states citizen soldiers face to face. These are the friends and neighbors we see every day, yet theyve dedicated themselves to serve whenever theyre called into action. North Dakotas Guard has served in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, ensured the safety of our nuclear stockpile, flown helicopters to help fight wildfires and even lent a hand to the East Coast hurricane recovery effort. Some North Dakota soldiers are currently on active tours of duty in places like North Africa and the Middle East. North Dakotas Air and Army National Guard deserve our thanks and support for their service and so does their leadership. Dohrmann is a friend with decades of service and recognition. I look forward to hearing what he thinks can be done better to help serve these soldiers. GRAND FORKS -- The Grand Forks County Sheriffs office is expected to release more information today about the areas third officer-involved shooting in the past eight months. The incident Sunday afternoon just north of Arvilla, on U.S. Highway 2 involved two deputies and left a man injured, according to Grand Forks County Chief Deputy David Stromberg. The mans condition and identity were unknown Monday. About 1:50 p.m. Sunday, deputies responded to a vehicle that had broken down on the highway. The deputies made contact with the male driver, who was alone in the vehicle. The man displayed a firearm, and shots were fired, according to the department. It is unclear whether the driver fired any shots. The man was transported to Altru Hospital in Grand Forks. The officers involved were placed on administrative leave Sunday. Stromberg said the department expects to release more details, including the names of the deputies involved and the man who was shot, sometime today. Stromberg said the sheriffs office received a call Saturday night that involved the man injured but was unrelated to Sundays incident. He declined to offer additional information. Hunting access on private land is a step closer to reform. The North Dakota Senate approved Senate Bill 2315, the so-called "trespass bill," in a 28-18 vote Tuesday. The bill would presume all private land is closed to access, but would maintain a database with color-coded classifications for open, closed or permission-required hunting access with contact information securely available. Private land in counties indexed in the database would be presumed open to hunting unless landowners physically post their land or opt for closed or controlled access through the database, to be available as a smartphone app. If ultimately passed, the app could be available by the autumn of 2020, starting with some counties' geographic information systems data and phased in by late 2022. The app would only be for hunters. Others wishing to access private land, such as for walking or bird watching, would have to ask permission from landowners. Sen. Larry Luick, R-Fairmount, said the bill received more testimony and input than any other bill introduced to the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sen. Robert Erbele, R-Lehr, introduced the bill last month, which drew six hours of vehement testimony for and against. A third generation North Dakota farmer, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said he has seen many changes to the economics of mid-size family farming over the years. There was a time when he was working as both a medical lab tech and part time construction worker along with his farming duties, he said. Thats what I needed just to make my obligations to raise my family, Goehring said. According to Sen. Jim Dotzenrod, D-Wyndmere, the way North Dakota farmers have made ends meet has shifted over the past few decades, especially in the past 10 years. That is why he has introduced legislation to address the way farmers can apply for a homestead tax exemption. For the past century, North Dakotan farmers residences have been exempt from property taxes. The problem is that the current definition of farmer has made it almost impossible for most farmers to qualify, according to Dotzenrod. The state definition of a farmer is a person who makes at least 50 percent of their net income from crop growing. SB2360, which was passed by the Senate 34-11 on Friday, would eliminate this state definition, instead using the federal definition of a farmer: a person who makes at least two-thirds of their gross income from crop growing. North Dakota House lawmakers approved the state's judicial budget on Monday, but without a new judgeship requested for the district that includes Burleigh and Morton counties. House members unanimously approved the judicial budget, House Bill 1002. State Court Administrator Sally Holewa said Tuesday that court officials will meet soon to discuss the budget bill as it heads to the Senate. "Really just figure out what we want to ask the Senate to restore and what we'll just let go for another time," Holewa said. The amended budget bill includes $106.5 million in general fund appropriations a more than 4 percent increase from the 2017-19 budget cycle. More than 75 percent of the judicial budget is salaries and wages. The bill also includes 2 percent raises for judges, justices and court staff in each year of the 2019-21 biennium, as proposed for all state employees on the House side. House lawmakers also approved five new full-time staff for district courts around North Dakota, including two deputy clerks of court, two law clerks and a clerk of court, costing $841,000. The 2017 session cut about 10 percent of court staff. District 45 legislators represent us so be sure to let them know when they are doing a good job or when you may be dissatisfied with their performance, Trandem concluded the Facebook post. In an interview Monday, Trandem argued Johnsons actions have run afoul of party values, noting that the North Dakota GOP adopted a resolution last year in opposition to sexual orientation and gender identity anti-discrimination bills. He said he drafted the original resolution a few conventions ago and emphasized that opposition to the bill wasn't an endorsement of discrimination. The 2018 version of the resolution argues, in part, that such anti-discrimination bills "grant protection to voyeurs who wish to prey on members of the opposite sex" and that proponents have failed to demonstrate a pressing need for the protections. Johnson was first elected to the Legislature in 2014. She failed to receive the Republican endorsement for a second term last year but defeated the partys favored candidate in the June primary election. The District 45 Facebook page still prominently displays a campaign sign featuring Johnson's vanquished primary opponent. Shes certainly not ingratiating herself to the Republican Party, Trandem said. I would just prefer that she be honest and run as either an independent or a Democrat. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia already have such a law, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. Florida enacted one after last years deadly high school shooting in Parkland. Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, was among the eight Republican cosponsors of the legislation. But it faced skepticism in a Republican-controlled Legislature that has expanded gun rights in recent years, and some of the GOP bill co-sponsors even voted against the proposal Tuesday. Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, the chief backer of a successful permitless carry bill two years ago, argued the bill ran afoul of constitutional firearm and due process rights. He said efforts to seek a protection order could be based on seemingly minor hints of future violence. "Make no mistake, the bill before us is without exaggeration a gun-grabbing bill," he said. "It supposes that the ends justify the means." Bill supporters maintained it included adequate due process protections because it allowed for evidence-based hearings and for firearm owners to seek an order's termination. Hanson sought to dispel "mild hysteria" about her proposal and said similar laws elsewhere have withstood court scrutiny. "This legislation is constitutional," she said. "Our society balances the right to bear arms with the right for public safety." Love 20 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 6 The new conditions include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, anxiety disorder, opioid use disorder, opioid withdrawal, migraine and autism spectrum disorder. "Some of these conditions might seem odd to include, but I want to make it clear that they were vetted carefully and cross-referenced with other states for uniformity. They werent picked from a hat, and each and every one of them was reviewed by the Division of Medical Marijuana and the Attorney Generals office, as well," Ruby said. Ruby also said it's important to note that all of the conditions can be diagnosed. "Another one that might cause heartburn for some is the opioid use disorder and opioid withdrawal. I want to remind you that one of the reasons for this (medical marijuana) program was to help those who are susceptible, who know they are susceptible to opioids, to provide them with another option," he said. Ruby also said, in comparing North Dakota's law with other states, North Dakota is in the "lower third" of the 33 states with such laws in the number of allowable medical conditions. The bill also includes an interim study to examine the list of conditions and whether more should be added or removed. It passed 89-4. Marijuana edibles The House approved the budget for the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands on Tuesday, including an amendment related to investment management that has raised objections from the states executive branch. Rep. Keith Kempenich, R-Bowman, advocated for an amendment in House Bill 1013 that shifts the management of about $5 billion in trust funds from the Board of University and School Lands to the State Investment Board. Kempenich argues the state will save on fees by consolidating money management of state funds. The Land Board, which consists of the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer and superintendent of public instruction, voted unanimously last week to oppose the amendment. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem called it a serious constitutional issue. The Department of Trust Lands manages the permanent educational trust funds and other assets under the Land Boards control, including mineral acres. The bill passed with a 67-26 vote. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. I am hopeful the Senate will allow the department the opportunity to provide information and engage in a thoughtful dialogue, Land Commissioner Jodi Smith said. (Reach Amy Dalrymple at 701-250-8267 or Amy.Dalrymple@bismarcktribune.com) Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Rural school districts often share a part-time counselor with other districts, she said. Families must also travel a great distance for services from rural areas, she said. Its just one of those things that are very different when done in Bismarck and Fargo than when its done in Kensal, Sagness said. We just dont want to have global mandates that arent going to be meaningful. If a child comes forward with an addiction issue, trauma, abuse or suicidal thoughts, people who are trained to recognize that need should be on site to get them connected with a service provider, she said. We dont want more kids who do reach out and then dont get the effective response, Sagness said. They are not going to reach out again. School officials across the state are supportive of any improvements to student behavioral health across the state, said Robert Lech, superintendent of Jamestown Public School District. Behavioral health is a complex issue and the needs of schools and students vary, he said. We need to ensure to not create mandates that reinforce a one-size-fits-all approach, Lech said. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Hunter Education course dates have been set for many areas across Region 6. All hunter education classes are free of charge. Many classes are being held prior to the March 15 application deadline for special permits for deer and elk. In the next few months, classroom courses (for youth) are being held in the following towns, with the start date listed: Malta: Feb. 25; Hinsdale: Feb. 25; Glasgow: Feb. 28; Bainville: March 9; Havre: April 4; Saco: April 15; Havre: May 9. All students must register online at the FWP website: fwp.mt.gov; click on the education tab, then click hunter education programs. Next, Find a class or field course and search for the available class in your area. Detailed instructions on dates, times, and other information will be found on the registration page. Many classes require students to pick up a manual and complete chapter quizzes before class begins. An early forecast from a group of state, tribal and federal fisheries managers indicates the upcoming spring chinook season could be as, or even more, disappointing than recent steelhead runs and worse than last years return of springers. The Technical Advisory Committee is predicting that just 48,100 spring chinook will return at least as far as the mouth of the Snake River. The 2018 forecast called for a return of 107,400, but just 67,595 chinook showed up. The 2019 forecast includes a predicted return of just 8,200 wild spring chinook and fewer than 40,000 hatchery fish. If the forecast is accurate, it will mean slim harvest shares for anglers. Joe DuPont, regional fish manager of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, said the prediction could be reminiscent of the 2017 return of springers. That year, fishing on the Clearwater River was shut down after fewer fish returned than expected. Flowers lawyer disagreed, arguing in part that since BOPA ordered FWP to give Loewen his choice of positions, there was no way FWP was going to defy the boards ruling. It is disingenuous of (FWP) to suggest that if Mr. Flowers grieved the loss of that position, FWP would disobey the existing BOPA Order, the petition stated. District Court Judge Mike McMahon disagreed, saying Flowers had not exhausted his in-house appeals process with FWP. It took a year for McMahon to issue his decision. Next up Last June, Flowers appealed his reassignment with FWP, which was denied as being untimely. In July he also appealed to BOPA, which declined in a preliminary decision to review his case arguing he had missed the 180-day deadline for appealing the boards decisions. In October, Flowers appealed BOPAs preliminary decision, which was transferred to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Doran Fluckiger, the controller of Southern Montana Telephone Co., said property taxes for his company have increased 135 percent from 2009 to 2015. Fluckiger said that jump is the result of installing more than $15 million of fiber optic cable, or about 700 miles, to an average of 650 customers. "That's not many customers for how much we've dumped in the ground to provide this service," Fluckiger said. The state Department of Revenue spoke in opposition to the bill, saying as more types of properties are exempted from taxes, it shifts the tax base to homeowners, including elderly people who struggle to pay property taxes and stay in their homes. "The more property you take out of the tax system, (it) just shifts the burden onto folks like that," said Gene Walborn, the department's director. Tim Burton, with the Montana League of Cities and Towns, said while he supported the policy behind the bill, he was concerned about local taxpayers picking up the slack. "For the last four decades or beyond, (there have been) incremental decisions to exempt certain classes of property where we end up here today where our property tax base used to be this big, now it's this big," Burton said, gesturing to show a reduction in size. At the federal level, Montana's delegation has also called for an increase in broadband access in Montana. State legislators on the Senate Taxation Committee pressed utilities Tuesday on whether they were using federal funding to full capacity. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 He added that parents of boys should sit down with their kids. "The other side of it too is if youre a parent of a middle or high school-aged boy, it would probably be a good idea to sit down with them and say ... it's not funny, it's not a game, it's not a bet, its serious," he said. "The last thing, if I was a parent of a high school-age boy, the last thing I would want to do at this junction or education or development, is go to court for a sex crime, sexual battery. That is something you do not want hanging over you as you proceed and progress through life." District spokeswoman Tanya Southerland said individual school were aware of the incidents and had been investigating but that Jones -- who oversees the school resource officers -- was able to compile reports taken by the SROs and notify administrators that it was a districtwide issue. Southerland said some schools had already disciplined students. "We are asking parents and guardians to speak to your children about the seriousness of this information. This behavior is not a 'game.' It is a crime," the district wrote. "Students are encouraged to contact a school official, trusted adult, and/or law enforcement if they have been a victim of sexual assault or battery." Southerland said every staff member in the district, from principals to custodians, was sent the same message that parents received to alert them to the issue. She said Casper Police had made its "victim witness team" available to victims to help them better understand any upcoming court proceedings. Follow education reporter Seth Klamann on Twitter @SethKlamann Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 3 Sad 4 Angry 31 'It's devastating' After convictions for petty crimes in multiple states in the year and a half after the 1987 rape was committed, Tipton returned permanently to Montana. He worked for years on a ranch in Big Sandy and now lives with family in White Sulphur Springs. The state previously settled for $3.5 million with Jimmy Ray Bromgard, who was wrongly convicted in the case and served roughly 15 years in prison before his exoneration. In 2017, Linda Tokarski Glantz came forward publicly as the victim of the 1987 rape. Reached Tuesday, she said shed gotten a call from the attorney general's office earlier that morning telling her the petition had been denied. Its devastating but its not unexpected, Glantz said. Its hard to get a case through to the Supreme Court, and I knew that from the beginning. Still, she said she was grateful for all the work put into the case. Overall I think about all the people who put so much time and effort into this, and I think about all the people I connected with through this process, and I cant call it a waste of time, she said. Kathryn Lowe, a pediatrician, spoke for the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics: With support, youth with disabilities often are able to obtain many of the same achievements in life as their peers, but often at a slower pace." The bill would encompass only a narrow group of the thousands of Montana students who qualify for special education services. The fiscal note estimated that about 25 extra students each year statewide would qualify for a total of about $140,000 per year after a lower price tag during the first year. Thats less expensive than a bill in 2017 that would have provided services for an extra year, but cost about $190,000 per year. A bill in 2015 would have provided services for a wider group of students with special needs at the cost of about $180,000 per year. It advanced to the House floor where it passed two votes before it died in the House Appropriations Committee. The amazing thing is that there are these drug agents that are already on the shelves at pharmaceutical companies that just havent been tested in targeted ways, Weinstein said. The first study, in which Kaitlyn was treated, confirmed the safety of everolimus in pediatric patients with low-grade glioma and found that some patients responded to the medicine. Now in a follow-on trial, researchers in the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium are studying brain tissue from patients to establish which are the best candidates for the drug based on the biology of their tumors. Hopkins is one of the 18 institutions in the consortium. Kaitlyns caregivers offered the experimental alternative after standard chemotherapy was unsuccessful. All we really wanted to know was that our daughter was going to get better, said Mary Dorman, Kaitlyns mom. I wasnt apprehensive about the clinical trial or even anything we had to do in terms of collecting additional data or monitoring her. As a parent, I think we would have done anything to give her an opportunity to survive the tumor that she had. Kaitlyns outlook remained sunny. Hospital visits didnt seem like a heavy burden, she said, despite having ports placed in her body and shunts surgically inserted to drain spinal fluid. On Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, Jonathan William Wiltsie, loving husband and Dada, passed way at the age of 32. Jon was born on Dec. 13, 1986 in Anaconda to Cynthia and Kenneth Wiltsie. Jon was a decorated Military Police Officer in the United States Marine Corps. Jon deployed three times in his military career. Once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jon then went on to work as a private security contractor in Iraq at the US Embassy. Jon was married on April 9, 2016 to Erin (Tieszen) Wiltsie. They had a beautiful daughter Cora on April 13, 2018. Jon was a passionate man. He wanted to help anyone that he could and had a heart for those in need. Jon loved to work with children with special needs and loved to teach them new sports. Jon also loved to hunt. Those who knew him well knew that come opening day he could be found in the mountains. Jon was an excellent hunter and loved the thrill of hunting. He would spend all fall finding the best spots and took great pride in creating the perfect hunting camp. He was also known for being the goofball of the family. Jon was funny and loved to make jokes. He was known for his infectious smile, and his kind spirit. Jon was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Wiltsie and his grandparents Kenneth and Minnie Wiltsie. He is survived by his wife Erin; his daughter Cora; his mother Cynthia Wiltsie-Coffey and stepdad Vic Coffey; brother Ken Wiltsie and sisters Jessica Garland and LouAnne Wischer; grandparents James and Mary Hollingsworth and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Friday, Feb. 22, 2019 at the Pentecostals of Billings church at 2335 Lewis Avenue at 9 a.m. There will also be a burial following the service at the Yellowstone National Cemetery at 55 Buffalo Trail Road Laurel, at 11 a.m. Flowers or donations can be sent to the Pentecostals of Billings church. Betty Jean Woolard, age 90, a resident of Bayleaf Plantation in Washington, died Friday, February 15, 2019, at her home surrounded by her family.A celebration of her life will be held at 3:00 on Saturday, February 23, 2019, at First United Methodist Church, 304 West 2nd Street, Washington, NC, and will be officiated by Reverend Ken Hall. Burial will be private.The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.Betty was born in Dothan, Alabama, to the late Verona Brantley Paul and Lloyd McCoy. She was raised in Core Point by her mother and step-father, Claude Paul. She was married for 51 years to Frazier Thomas Woolard, Jr., who preceded her in death on December 14, 2000. It was through Betty's hard work, support, and unconditional love that her husband was able to attend college and graduate from Duke Law School. She put aside any aspirations for herself to ensure her husband and children were able to achieve their dreams. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend who always considered others before herself. Her strong Christian faith sustained her through many trials, and she lived her life completely dependent on God.Betty worked as a teacher's aide in the Washington City Schools and as a respiratory therapist at Beaufort County Hospital. She retired from the Beaufort County Register of Deeds office and enjoyed a rich and full life post-retirement as a volunteer at the hospital and member of a water aerobics group at the fitness center. She loved watching her grandchildren grow up and she enjoyed afternoon naps, coffee, ice cream, People magazine, and Estee Lauder perfume. She was a fabulous southern cook whose fried chicken, collards, and butterbeans will never be replicated.Betty treasured the friends she made at each place she worked and volunteered, and she was a beloved member of the Washington community for many decades. She was a member of First United Methodist Church in Washington and attended regularly until her health failed.Although the last two years of Betty's life included multiple falls and hospitalizations, she never gave up. Her fighting spirit took her through multiple rounds of physical therapy, and her healthcare providers marveled at her ability to bounce back. Her family is so grateful that she was able to live at Bayleaf Plantation at the end of her life. She cherished her friends in the Bayleaf community, where she resided for 12 years.In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son, Frazier T. Woolard, III; sisters, Robertha Sheppard and Ila Belle Clark; and brothers, Roy Paul, Ira Paul, and Ray Paul. She lost her dear and life-long friend, Geneva Morgan, in June 2015.Betty's beautiful life will forever be cherished in the lives of her children: Chris Ballance of New Bern; Craig Woolard (Debbie) of Cary; Suzanne Woolard of Greenville; and Ginger Newbold (Dal) of Washington. She was known affectionately as "Mimi" and "Tee" to her grandchildren: Craig Michael Woolard, Carly Woolard, Caroline Williamitis Sutton, Matthew Williamitis, Mari-Kate Newbold, Bobby Newbold, Jessica Newbold Ezzell, Dave Ballance, and Paige Ballance Consani; and six great-grandsons.The family would like to express special thanks to the people who provided tender and loving care to her in her final years: Tammy Waters, Sandra Blount, Teresa Humphrey, Sylvia Guilford, Becky Tingen, and Clarine Robertson. They are especially grateful for the care provided by Vidant Home Health and Hospice, Dr. Diane Alligood of Physicians East, and Dr. Bryan Cooper of Eastern Headache and Spine.In her final days, Betty expressed not wanting to leave her children. We reminded her she had a son in Heaven she had not seen in over 48 years and it was his turn. We rejoice that mother and son are finally reunited for eternity, and that we will see her again.Betty cared deeply about many things, and the family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to a charity that reminds you of her and makes you smile or consider First United Methodist Church in Washington, NC.Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfunerahome.com Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Woolard family. Attorney Cynthia Singletary, left, says her client, McCrae Dowless, will not testify without immunity during the public evidentiary hearing on the 9th Congressional District investigation Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, at the North Carolina State Bar in Raleigh. (News & Observer pool photo) Click image to expand. Lisa Britt answers a question by executive director of the Board of Elections Kim Strach during the public evidentiary hearing on the 9th Congressional District investigation Monday morning, Feb. 18, 2019, at the North Carolina State Bar in Raleigh. (News & Observer pool photo) Click image to expand. The political operative at the heart of the 9th Congressional District scandal won't tell his story under oath - yet.McCrae Dowless, the main person of interest in an alleged ballot harvesting ring that helped Republican Rev. Mark Harris defeat Democrat Dan McCready in November, appeared under subpoena at a State Board of Elections evidentiary hearing Monday but refused to testify.Cynthia Singletary, Dowless' attorney, said her client would testify only if he were granted immunity from prosecution. When Elections Board Chairman Bob Cordle said the board wasn't willing to offer that option, Singletary withdrew the offer to testify and Dowless was dismissed.Harris topped McCready by an unofficial 905-vote margin. Much of the daylong testimony from five witnesses involved Dowless' role in the skullduggery.The State Board of Elections has refused to certify the election results over questions about alleged unlawful handling of the ballots. It could order a new election or approve the Nov. 6 outcome, depending on what is learned at the hearing. The U.S. House of Representatives has final say on whether to seat Harris. It could launch an investigation of its own and call for a new election.The Bladen County resident drew rebukes from attorneys for Harris and McCready.said McCready lawyer Marc Elias.said Harris attorney Alex Dale. He said neither Harris nor Andy Yates, owner of the Red Dome political consulting firm Dowless worked under, were aware of any election misdeeds.Lisa Britt, whose mother was married to Dowless from 1991-93, gave the most damaging testimony against him. Britt offered insider details and admitted she and Dowless acted improperly if not illegally. She didn't realize she was breaking the law at first, she testified, and continued doing the work even after she learned it was wrong.Britt, who couldn't vote because of a felony drug sales conviction, said Dowless paid her $150 to $175 in cash for every 50 absentee ballot applications she obtained, along with food and gas money. She and her two children lived with Dowless during the election period.Under North Carolina law only a voter, immediate family, or legal guardian may help with an absentee ballot. It's unlawful for third parties to fill out, collect, and submit them.Britt said she and others working for Dowless turned in all their absentee ballots to him. She said she didn't know what Dowless did with them, but had no reason to believe he discarded any.By law absentee ballots are supposed to be witnessed by two people at the time the voter fills out the ballot. Britt said if absentee ballots lacked two witness signatures, she and others would sign them later. She said she would complete some ballots if they didn't have all the election boxes checked, but never marked a ballot for Harris because that race was always filled in.She couldn't say how many absentee ballots she collected, but she signed as a witness on more than 40.Britt took steps to avoid red flags at the county elections board. She signed her mother's name as a witness on some ballots to reduce the number she witnessed. Dowless insisted they sign witness forms in the same color ink as the voter, and made sure the same dates were used, even if they were signed on different days. Ballots were returned to the county elections board in small batches from a post office near the voters' residence rather than in large clumps that might draw attention.Britt testified Dowless called a meeting after the State Board of Elections began its probe. He told the workers to stick together to avoid legal trouble because investigators had no evidence to use against them.Britt said Dowless gave her mother a note last Thursday with instructions on what Britt should say at the evidentiary hearing to protect her and to clear him. The note was shown on an overhead screen in the courtroom. It read:I can tell you I haven't done anything wrong in this election, and McCrae Dowless has never told me to do anything wrong. And to my knowledge he has never done anything wrong, but I am taking the Fifth Amendment because I don't have an attorney, and I feel like you are trying to trip me up. I am taking the Fifth.Twice during her testimony Britt said Harris was the unwitting victim.Britt said.Britt implicated the Democratic-linked Bladen Improvement PAC in coordinating absentee ballot registration with Dowless, who was working on Republican campaigns.She said they tried to avoid crossing over into one another's turf. She said Lola Wooten and Horace Munn of the Bladen Improvement PAC sometimes met with Dowless to compare and share absentee ballot registrations. Because they tried to separate absentee ballot voters by political party, she said, Dowless had no incentive to throw any ballots away.Kelly Hendrix also testified she collected absentee ballots and gave them to Dowless. She said she was the only witness on some, and didn't know who filled out the second required witness form.During a press briefing after the hearing Elias said it's clear Dowless is at the center of a large effort to taint the 2018 election, and did it as an agent of Harris, who hired him.Dale told reporters it was interesting to learn there was a bipartisan ballot harvesting operation, which could be interpreted to mean all the absentee ballots are tainted. Even if they were all thrown out, or just all of Harris' absentee ballots were disallowed, Harris still would have enough votes to be declared the winner.The hearing is set to convene again at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and could last through Wednesday. Cordle has suggested the board will decide immediately after the hearing whether to certify Harris or call for a new election. Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday his recent trade mission to Mexico focused on "strengthening our business and trade relationships with public officials" in an effort to expand trade opportunities. "Mexico is Nebraska's second-largest trading partner and a critical market for our agricultural products," the governor said. The visit marked Ricketts' second trade mission to Mexico in two years. Priority objectives on the trade mission ranged from creating new export opportunities for Nebraska farmers, ranchers and businesses to encouraging Mexican companies to invest in Nebraska, a news release from the governor's office stated. The trade delegation also voiced support for bilateral trade between Mexico and the United States. "This trade mission allowed us to continue showcasing Nebraska agricultural products to our neighbors in Mexico, our second largest agricultural export market," Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Steve Wellman said. Representatives from the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska-based companies, including Tenaska, Lincoln Industries, Union Pacific and Werner Enterprises, participated in the trade mission. The department will install a pump, so if creek levels drop, water can be pumped back up from the creek to be reused. A pipe liner will also be used to help the hatchery retain more water, said Cindy Dunn, the departments west regional hatcheries coordinator. Both upgrades will allow the hatchery to operate with less water. A couple years ago, the department started installing electronic flow meters at its hatcheries to monitor and record how much creek water comes in and out of each, Dunn said. With the new renovations, itll be exciting to see if our fish health improves being able to reuse the water to keep our fish healthy, to keep them from stressing out due to the lack of oxygen or the lack of water, said Fox, the Sterling Springs manager. Dunn, 51, who has worked with the hatcheries since 1992 and has lived onsite at Page Springs since 1995, said Sterling Springs hasnt been greatly affected by the ongoing drought because its fed by snowmelt, but its always a concern. Another concern is, where do we put the fish? At times we have to juggle where we put them, because with the drought, waters are low, temperatures are high, the pH rises and we cant put them in there, she said. Well find a place, but that has affected us as far as the drought goes. Even as residents across northern Arizona work to dig out of about a foot of snow that fell Sunday night, more is on the way, according to the National Weather Service. Although the snowfall is projected to lighten as the storm moves east throughout the beginning of this week, meteorologist Nathan Lynum with the National Weather Service said scattered snow showers are still likely and could bring anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of additional snow in some areas on Tuesday and Wednesday. Moving into Thursday, Lynum said another storm could bring even more snow. Although they dont know exactly how much more snow the storm on Thursday could bring, Lynum said residents should expect to receive as many inches of snow as what fell Sunday night and Monday morning -- if not more. The forecast as of press time called for 7 to 11 inches during the day on Thursday and another 6 to 10 inches that evening. And that snow will likely stick around. Lynum said they expect low temperatures throughout the week with the high never getting above freezing and often staying in the mid- to high 20s. The lowest temperatures are expected Wednesday morning, when the low could dip below zero. After watching the males, the females consistently chose the ones who had learned the new tasks of opening the puzzles filled with food rather than the ones who had originally captured their fancy. The researchers interpreted this to mean that the females changed their preference to choose males capable of solving a complex task that required cognitive skills. That may certainly be true but further study is needed to eliminate possible alternative explanations. The females were not themselves exposed to the puzzles directly so they had no opportunities to learn how to open them. That means that they may not have understood that they were puzzles that needed to be solved. Even if they did realize that, they may simply have viewed the problem-solving males as effective foragers or as physically strong individuals, either of which could result in females finding them more desirable. Still, its intriguing to contemplate that being smart could be such an appealing quality. Perhaps we humans should apply this knowledge to our own lives. If Valentines Day this year didnt work out for you as you had hoped, consider that the people you find attractive may modify their choices if you take any opportunity to show that your intelligence is higher than that of your rivals. It has been said that smart is the new sexy, but smart may have been sexy all along. Karen B. London, Ph.D. is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, author, and an Adjunct Faculty in NAUs Department of Biological Sciences. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASSERBILLIG, LuxembourgSugar & Sas, the distributor tapped to grow the pjur brand and sales in Australia and New Zealand, is ready to take matters in their own hands. We have had a short, but intense preparation time and we are ready to even better serve our customers from now. Launching the gives you more campaign offers huge potential in terms of brand visibility, shelf planning and in-store experience, said Jo Radnidge, general manager of Sugar & Sas. The pjur slat wall display offers a set of advantages: First, it includes an attractive slat wall skin for high stopping power in-store. Second, it comes in two sizes with six and three shelves respectively, offering a great solution for smaller stores alike. Finally, the pjur display comes with five testers and a pre-defined planogram for optimised portfolio presentation. The full package comes at a competitive price for retailers and is available for order as of now. The newly launched pjur Try It Kit offers sales personnel the opportunity to try pjurs best-selling lubricants at home. It includes four samples: pjur Original, pjur Woman Nude, pjur Back Door Relaxing Silicone Anal Glide and pjur med Repair glide. It is availablefree of chargeto all interested retailers and long-standing pjur customers. We are convinced that customers will greatly benefit from the gives you more campaign in Australia and New Zealand. Customers can order slat wall displays, as well as receive Try It Kits, flyers, a big variety of POS material and participate in a pjur specialist training. We firmly believe that training sales personnel will lead to better recommendations in store and boost sales potential. Jo and her team are looking forward to meeting with retailers and taking orders for displays and Try It Kits for their sales staff, said Alexander Giebel, CEO and founder of pjur. For more, visit pjur.com. Jasmin Maeder, who reportedly shot several Swiss porn films about a decade ago under the pseudonym Cleopatra, is now a candidate for the Swiss Federal Assembly, the national legislature, running on the ticket of the Swiss Nationalist Party, a group widely described as neo-Naziand which vehemently opposes porn, according to the Zurich-based newspaper Blick. Maeders titles include Perverse Spiele mit Teeny Cleopatra or Perverted Games with Teen Cleopatra, as well as at least five others, according to a Sputnik News report. But Maeder now says that she was naive when she took part in the hardcore scenes, and does not believe that her brief career in porn will hurt her chances in the upcoming elections. Ultimately almost all adults consume porn, she said, and the president of the Swiss Nationalist Party (PNOS) also says that despite the partys hard line against porn, Maeders past will not be a concern. "We already took into account that the films would sooner or later find their way to the public," said PNOS head Dominic Luthard. The upcoming elections for the National Council, the larger of the Assemblys two houses, will be held on October 20, 2019. But if Maederwho was appointed PNOS party chair in 2017 at the age of 27somehow wins, she will be the first member of the right-wing extremist party to take a seat in the 200-member governing body. Until she became the party leader, Maeder was unknown to the Swiss public, according to the online magazine Ajour. On the Internet, she reveals herself only on various dating platforms and with the liked videos on her Youtube channel, which include various documentary films about Adolf Hitler, the left-wing magazine wrote. Maeder also has a Facebook page on which her introductory message to visitors is, Mein Leben fur das Vaterland, or My Life for the Fatherland. I am standing for the National Council elections, she wrote (in German) in a Facebook post announcing her candidacy on February 4. You finally have an opportunity in hand to change things. You know my opinions and my attitude. Thats all we can do. I count on you. The party motto, Volksgemeinschaft statt Klassenkampf, which translates loosely as National Unity, Not Class Struggle, was described as a fascist slogan by Ajour. In addition to its hard line stance against drugs and pornography, the PNOS also takes a hard line against immigration, similar to the views of Donald Trump in the United States. With us in Switzerland, anyone can get in and out as it suits him," said another top PNOS leader, Raphael Rotzer, as quoted by Ajour. Whether Islamist, terrorist, dictator, war criminal, murderer, dealer, rapist. The door and gate are open to anyone." Photo by Jasmin Maeder Facebook AURORA A Wells College alumna recognized the state's mission to protect the environment despite the Trump administration's cutting of regulations that protected land, air, water and health, rolling back many Obama-era policies. Rachel Partington is an attorney for Knauf Shaw LLP, a law firm that concentrates on environmental and energy law. A 2013 Wells College graduate, she returned to her alma mater Monday to lecture about environmental policy and sustainable land use in New York. Partington pointed out to the audience that even though environmental regulations have been rolled back, New York has been putting up a fight, starting with State Energy Plan. The 2015 document pledges some bold initiatives to secure a healthy living environment. One of the initiatives includes a push to have 50 percent of the state's electricity come from renewable energy by 2030 and reducing greenhouse emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels. New York has made a $1.4 billion commitment to support its SEP, the largest of its kind in the country. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Auburn Public Theater will kick off a three-night run of concerts spanning blues, rockabilly and soul beginning Thursday, Feb. 21. Taking the stage that night at 8 will be Jontavious Willis. From Greenville, Georgia, the 22-year-old has been playing the blues ever since seeing a video of Muddy Waters playing "Hoochie Coochie Man" on YouTube. Willis plays Delta, Piedmont, Texas, gospel and other styles of blues on guitar, harmonica, banjo and cigar box. He's currently completing a sociology major at Columbus State University as well. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door of the theater, 8 Exchange St., Auburn. The next night, also at 8, Rex Fowler will return to the downtown theater with The Rockabilly Kings to present "All About Elvis." Along with the band's performance, the night will feature a screening of Fowler's 2004 documentary about The King, "200 Cadillacs." The documentary sees Fowler, of folk-rock band Aztec Two-Step, tell the story of the 200 luxury cars he gave away to friends and even strangers. "What I tried to do is accent the fact that in the film, this is a very generous guy. He had a great heart," Fowler told The Citizen about the film in 2015. " Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo's senior advisor, blasted the proposal in a statement Tuesday. "There is pandering and then there is the Godzilla of pandering," he said. "This divisive and unserious press release isn't worth the paper it's printed on." Jordan's proposal is the latest to consider whether New York should be divided into two states. Past bills have called for establishing upstate as the 51st state. These measures, which were backed by a small number of Republicans, haven't advanced in the Assembly or Senate. Another bill in the state Legislature would place a non-binding question on a general election ballot asking voters whether New York should become two separate states. The measure is sponsored by Assemblyman Steve Hawley and state Sen. Joe Robach. State Sen. Pam Helming and Assemblyman Brian Manktelow are among the cosponsors of the bill. Though it's not likely to happen, dividing New York into two states would require additional action. Before officially becoming a state, the regions would need approval from the federal government. Congress must pass and the president must sign a resolution to admit the newly formed states. The states would then elect members of the House and Senate. Today on the Eye on NY podcast: In separate interviews, two local government leaders in central New York discuss their positions on the Interstate 81 project. DeWitt Councilor Kerin Rigney explains why she supports a community grid to replace the I-81 viaduct in Syracuse. If a grid is installed, Interstate 481 which passes through DeWitt would become the new I-81 for through traffic. Rigney shares why that could be good for her town. Owasco Supervisor Ed Wagner details his support of a hybrid tunnel-community grid option. There is a tunnel under consideration with some street-level improvements required, but there are several leaders many of whom reside outside the city who believe that a hybrid would be the best option. Wagner also relays his concerns about increased truck traffic if a grid is installed. SUBSCRIBE: Listen on iTunes, Google Play or PodBean. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WARNING DISTRESSING IMAGES: A woman has been charged after distressing footage emerged appearing to show her dragging a small dog behind an electric scooter. Footage captured on the streets of Bakersfield, California sparked an uproar when it emerged on Facebook last month, with calls for the accused, Elaine Rosa, to be held accountable. Brandon Sanders told local TV station KERO last month that he was with his girlfriend when they witnessed the incident. He said Rosa seemed unfazed that the dog had four bloody paws before telling her that its not okay to drag a pet behind a scooter at 24km/h. CCTV captured from a nearby house shows the dog being dragged behind the scooter ahead of Mr Sanders and his girlfriend who were riding their bikes down the same road. Source: Facebook/Brandon Sanders The scooter rider held her injured dog and smiled as Mr Sanders confronted her. Facebook/Brandon Sanders He quickly photographed the canines wounds and posted them on social media. According to Sanders now widely-shared Facebook post, Rosa responded by saying s*** happens, just like with kids. I was on my bicycle and she was walking, and she looked at me, and when she saw that I was taking her picture, she smiled at me, kind of a smart-aleck smile, Sanders said at the time. Im not going to say that what she did was intentional, but it was very negligent. She had to have dragged the dog at least 100 yards before she even checked to see if it was still there and thats just from what we saw, from the point to where we actually saw her to where she stopped. If found guilty, Rosa now faces three years in prison. Source: Facebook/Brandon Sanders Rosas contract as a psychologist at the Kern Valley State Prison was terminated days after the footage circulated, KERO News reports. She now faces three years in jail and a $27,000 fine if she is found guilty of the animal abuse and neglect charges. Rosas lawyer said she is cooperating with law enforcement and is in the process of turning herself over to authorities. Do you have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here. A Tanzanian court on Tuesday sentenced a Chinese woman dubbed the "Ivory Queen" to 15 years in jail for her role in trafficking tusks from more than 400 elephants. Yang Fenlan, 69, was convicted in Dar es Salaam of trafficking 860 tusks between 2000 and 2014, a haul representing the slaughter of dozens of herds of elephants. Two Tanzanian men were also found guilty for their role in the illegal commerce. They were also sentenced to 15 years each. "The prosecution proved the case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt," Judge Huruma Shaidi told the court. The prosecution showed the two men had collected elephant tusks across Tanzania, bringing them to Frenlan. "The testimonies proved that all three accused worked hand in hand," Shaidi said. The trio were also ordered to pay a joint fine of 13 million dollars (11.5 million euros) -- roughly equivalent to twice the market value of the ivory they profited from -- or face an additional two years in jail. Defence lawyers said they would appeal. Wildlife campaigners have called it one of the most important cases for several years. Fenlan, who has lived in the East African nation since the 1970s, was convicted of organising a smuggling ring between Tanzania and Asia. When she was arrested in 2015 she was vice president of the China-Africa Business Council of Tanzania. Poaching has seen the population of African elephants fall by 110,000 over the past decade to just 415,000 animals, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The slaughter is being fuelled especially by demand in Asia, where ivory is used for jewellery and ornamentation. Yang Fenglan (centre), seen here as she entered court at the start of her trial in 2016, has been dubbed the 'Ivory Queen' for her role in trafficking Tens of thousands of elephants are slaughtered each year for their ivory, a trade fuelled by demand in Asia Farmers clogged Slovakia's capital Bratislava with around 100 tractors on Tuesday in protest against alleged fraud in EU farm subsidy payments first made public by journalist Jan Kuciak who was murdered a year ago. They have vowed to join tens of thousands of anti-government protesters expected to rally across Slovakia on Thursday marking a year since Kuciak's murder, which triggered a string of demonstrations and criminal probes into alleged high-level corruption. Farmers are demanding a cap on EU farm subsidies that would prevent large financial groups from using up most of the available money. They also want anti-corruption measures in agriculture and forestry. Their tractors touted banners "We're honest farmers, not politicians," and "We've had enough!" Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini, currently on an official visit to Israel, vowed to meet the protesters on Wednesday in Bratislava, Slovakia's TASR news agency reported. "There's a need for reform that should have taken place here, in my opinion, 20 years ago," said Patrick Magdoska, an activist from the Farm Initiative NGO. Farmers also drove their tractors into Bratislava in protest last June, when they also joined anti-government demonstrators marking Kuciak's murder. Kuciak and his girlfriend were gunned down in February 2018 as he was about to publish a report on alleged ties between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia and associated irregularities in EU farm subsidy payments. The murder and his explosive report plunged the eurozone country of 5.4 million people into crisis, sparking weekly mass protests that led the government to resign last March. The article included allegations that several million euros in EU farm subsidies had been lost to fraud, mobilising farmers to demand transparent rules for land usage rights and the distribution of EU subsidies. Slovak prosecutors have indicted four suspects in connection to Kuciak's murder, including a woman identified only as Alena Zs. for legal reasons. Investigators allege that she ordered the contract killing for 50,000 euros ($58,100) and a forgiven 20,000-euro debt. Local media reported that Alena Zs. had worked as an interpreter for Slovak entrepreneur Marian Kocner, whose business activities were the subject of an investigation by Kuciak. Farmers clogged Slovakia's capital Bratislava with tractors in protest at alleged fraud in EU farm subsidies first made public by journalist Jan Kuciak who was murdered last year Slovak farmers are demanding a cap on EU farm subsidies that would prevent large financial groups from using up most of the available money Farmers take part in a protest rally against irregularities in EU farm subsidy payments and corruption in Slovak agriculture in Bratislava Get your telescopes ready tonights show-stopping supermoon is set to be the brightest lunar event of the year. At its closest proximity to Earth (known as perigree), the moon will appear 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than when the moon is on its furthest orbit (known as apogee). Australian stargazers will be able to view the spectacular sight from Tuesday evening, but theres one thing to look out for cloud cover. Read below to find out if your capital city will be affected. Is it safe to look at? If youre using a telescope you might want to use a filter to protect your eyes. Adam Joyce, senior scientific officer at Macquarie Universitys Department of Physics and Astronomy, told Yahoo7 News the moon could be bright enough to cause a strain on the eye. It might actually be too bright to look at through a telescope without something there to protect your eyes, he said. Story Bridge climbers in Brisbane are silhouetted by the supermoon in 2016. Source: Getty Images What is a supermoon? The moons orbit isnt perfectly circular, so several times a year mostly at the end or beginning of the year the moon comes closer to Earth and produces a supermoon, Adam Joyce, senior scientific officer at Macquarie Universitys Department of Physics and Astronomy, told Yahoo7 News. The moon is going to be in its closest approach to the Earth, thats why it does look bigger and brighter, Mr Joyce said. It will probably be pretty similar to the 2016 supermoon It will be pretty spectacular. When the moon is at its closest point to our planet, it will be about 356,800 kilometres away from Earth. Best times to watch in each capital city The moon is set to reach its fullest phase at 2:53am [AEST] on Wednesday morning, but experts believe the best time to observe the event is at moonrise when the moon is rising up from the horizon. The times that you really want to see it is when its on the horizon. Otherwise another spectacular time to see it would be when its highest in the sky, My Joyce said. And while each city will have slightly different moonrise times, one thing that can ruin a viewing is cloud cover. Story continues The 2016 supermoon was covered by cloud and tonights moon may have similar visibility. Source: Getty In Sydney, the moon will rise at 7:39pm (local time). But if you were planning to head outside and have a look, you might be out of luck. Heavy cloud cover is expected to loom over the city throughout the night. For Melbourne residents, the supermoon will rise at 8:11pm, but cloud cover will again hinder the view. In Adelaide and Perth, residents can also expect the moon to rise at 8:11pm. Both cities will have magnificent views with barely any cloud cover. In Brisbane, those wanting to catch a glimpse of the event should head outside at 6:21pm. The city is predicted to have a cloud-free night perfect for those wanting to get a clear photo of the moon. For Darwin residents, the moon will show at 7:04pm, but just like Sydney and Melbourne, heavy cloud cover could block the magnificent sight from being seen. In Hobart, the moon will make an appearance at 8:12, but unfortunately there will be plenty of clouds about at the same time. If youre prepared for a late night however, the clouds are expected to clear between 10pm and 2am. The supermoon pictured at Lake George near Canberra in 2016. Source: Getty Past and future supermoons The supermoon on November 14, 2016, was the closest to Earth since Australia Day in 1948. The next time a supermoon will beat that record will be on November 25, 2034. The longest total lunar eclipse this century passed over Australia in July last year, and brought with it an intense blood moon. The entire event lasted more than six hours. NASA explains the supermoon Tonights supermoon will be the last of 2019, but two are expected next year on March 10 and April 8, and two more in 2021 on April 27 and May 26. According to NASA, the definition of supermoon has slightly changed in recent years because of its growing popularity with the public. Originally a term from modern astrology for a new or full moon that occurs when the moon is within 90% of its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit, supermoon now refers more broadly to a full moon that is closer to Earth than average, NASA said. Do you have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here. The arrest in Russia of prominent US and French investors on suspicion of fraud has sent shockwaves through Western business circles and sparked fears of cutbacks in foreign investment sorely needed for economic growth. The founder and employees of the Baring Vostok private equity firm were arrested on Friday in a case brought with the help of the FSB security service. The arrest took place on the same day Russia hosted leading business people in the Black Sea resort of Sochi for a major economic forum which trumpeted the country's openness to investment. Michael Calvey, a US citizen and the founder and director of Baring Vostok, has been placed in pre-trial detention in a Moscow jail for the next two months for alleged fraud, along with five others -- including Philippe Delpal, a French citizen. They are accused of defrauding Vostochny Bank of at least 2.5 billion rubles ($37.7 million). All of them deny any wrongdoing and blame the case on a shareholder dispute. In an opinion piece on Monday in the Vedomosti business daily, Maxim Bouev -- vice-rector of Moscow's New Economic School -- wrote the case proves what investors have long known: "If you want to invest in Russia, you have to accept your risk of eventually being arrested and finding yourself in the dock." This is the latest in a long line of cases in which top business people have been accused of crimes motivated by commercial or political interests, but these have rarely involved foreigners. Business figures and economists reacted strongly to investigators swooping on Baring Vostok, founded 25 years ago, which has brought in investments of more than $3 billion to Russia despite the geopolitical tensions and Western sanctions of recent years. Arkady Volozh, the CEO of Russian internet giant Yandex, defended Calvey in a statement, saying he "has always been a standard for the market of decency and law-abidingness". - 'Hateful image abroad' - Other business leaders said they fear the case will deal a severe blow to an investment climate already marred by corruption and the lack of independent courts -- especially given the strong-arm tactics employed. "This gives Russia a hateful image abroad," the president of the French-Russian chamber of commerce, Emmanuel Quidet, told AFP. The chamber on Monday said it was "very concerned" about the arrests in a joint statement with the Association of European Businesses, a federation of multinational companies working in Russia. The case could "severely damage the climate and attractiveness of Russia for direct investments from abroad", it said. The Kremlin sought to dispel those fears, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Calvey's arrest should "not affect the investment climate" in Russia. He added he was aware of the contribution to the Russian economy made by Calvey, who has met President Vladimir Putin numerous times. The government in early February unveiled a 340 billion euros ($385 billion) plan to achieve its economic goals and support growth that is forecast to slow this year. This will require major private investment. "It's an electric shock," a source in the Association of European Businesses told AFP. "You get the impression that business rivals are using the justice system and Russian (security) services to settle their scores. But the fact that the authorities are letting this happen sends out a very negative signal. You wonder who will be next." In the Novaya Gazeta independent newspaper, outspoken commentator Yulia Latynina claimed that in the context of current East-West tensions, "for security officials, business people are criminals and foreigners are spies". American Michael Calvey, the head of private equity firm Baring Vostok, appears in Moscow's Basmanny Court on February 15 after his arrest on fraud charges Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to save face Tuesday after a summit with four central European nations was cancelled over a Holocaust-linked dispute with Poland, instead holding meetings with the remaining three leaders. The dispute dented Netanyahu's attempts to forge deeper links with all four countries as part of his strategy to build alliances with governments that strongly back Israel within the European Union. Netanyahu frequently lashes out at what he calls the EU's "hypocritical and hostile attitude", referring to the bloc's criticism of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. The holding of a summit of the Visegrad group -- Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic -- in Jerusalem had been seen as a coup for Netanyahu's efforts. But the highly sensitive question of Poles' role in the Holocaust, the subject of a previous diplomatic dispute with Israel, loomed over preparations for the meeting. The dispute flared again last week, when Netanyahu visited Warsaw for a summit on the Middle East and was quoted as saying "the Poles collaborated with the Nazis," sparking Polish anger. Netanyahu's office said later that he was misquoted and had not implicated all Poles or the Polish nation in the Holocaust. But Poland later downgraded its participation in the summit, saying it would send its foreign minister. Israel's new foreign minister Israel Katz added fuel to the fire on Sunday, telling an Israeli television station "there were many Poles who collaborated with the Nazis." He also quoted late Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir saying "Poles suckle anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk." Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the comments "racist and unacceptable" and pulled his country out of the summit altogether. On Tuesday, senior Polish officials demanded Israel apologise. The summit was postponed to the second half of the year at Poland's request, according to Slovakia. Warsaw has long been at pains to state that Poland, which was occupied by Nazi Germany, did not collaborate in the Holocaust -- although individual Poles gave up Jews to the Nazis. - Israelis criticise strategy - Netanyahu met the prime ministers of Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary individually on Tuesday in Jerusalem before a joint lunch. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he hoped the full summit would take place in Jerusalem at a later date. He and Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini spoke of plans to open offices in Jerusalem: a Slovak cultural, information and innovation centre and a Hungarian trade office. Last year, the Czech Republic opened a Czech House in Jerusalem for tourism and trade. Netanyahu has urged countries to follow the example of US President Donald Trump and move their embassies to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. But the European Union, like most of the world, believes the status of the disputed city, at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, must first be settled in peace talks between the two sides. The fresh controversy in Polish-Israeli ties follows a row last year over a Polish law that made it illegal to accuse the Polish nation or state of complicity in Nazi German crimes. After protests from Israel and the US, Poland amended the law to remove the possibility of fines or a prison sentence. Netanyahu then agreed to drop the issue, sparking criticism at home -- including from Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and research centre. Netanyahu's relations with leaders such as Orban has also drawn criticism. Orban's visit to Israel in July provoked concern because of allegations he has stoked anti-Semitism in Hungary with nationalist rhetoric and a campaign against US Jewish billionaire philanthropist George Soros. But Netanyahu has highlighted Hungary's pledged support for Israel, and both men have been at odds with the EU establishment. When attending a Visegrad group summit in Hungary in 2017, Netanyahu was overheard, in closed-door remarks picked up by a microphone, denouncing EU demands of Israel as "absolutely crazy". Jonathan Rynhold, police science professor at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, said Netanyahu's strategy "is to work with the central and eastern countries, the Visegrad group, to neutralise pressures coming from other parts of the EU, particularly Brussels". "I think he overrates what he is getting from it, and he underrates the cost in Jewish terms with being associated" with some of the countries, he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy of wooing central and eastern European EU member states has been dented by comments he made in Warsaw last week about the role of Poles in the Holocaust Warsaw has long been at pains to state that Poland, which was occupied by Nazi Germany, did not collaborate in the Holocaust although individual Poles did give up Jews to the Nazis Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn criticism for wooing Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban (L) who is accused of stoking anti-Semitism in Hungary with nationalist rhetoric and a campaign against US Jewish philanthropist George Soros US First Lady Melania Trump, a former model, on Tuesday paid brief tribute to iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died Tuesday at age 85. "Today the world lost a creative genius. We will miss you Karl! #RIPKarlLagerfeld," tweeted Trump, a longtime fan of the prolific couturier who had helmed the label Chanel since 1983. The wife of Donald Trump posted a photo of Lagerfeld and herself wearing a beige dress-jacket combo in Chanel's signature boucle, and another from a 2017 White House conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when she sported a white cashmere skirt suit Lagerfeld designed for her. Trump also posted Lagerfeld's original sketch of the design, which featured a pearl-buttoned, belted peplum jacket and pencil skirt. The First Lady notably wore Chanel to her first state dinner, donning a shimmering, sleeveless gown to host France's Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron in April 2018. In 2017 Lagerfeld told WSJ Magazine that Americans need to "deal with" the election of President Trump, whose win triggered resistance and criticism among much of the design world's glitterati. "Fashion magazines and fashion people are fashion, they are not politics," Lagerfeld told the magazine. "I knew Trump before, when he was not in politics. I'm not American, but he's a democratically elected president of America, so people have to deal with it." "Mrs Trump is a very nice woman and pretty handsome. Good body, no? And this Ivanka is quite cute, no?" the fashion icon said, referring to the president's daughter. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, wearing Chanel couture, welcome French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron as they arrive for a State Dinner at the White House US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump -- wearing an exclusive Lagerfeld skirt suit -- await the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, at the White House Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday slammed the "shocking" anti-Semitic vandalism of a French cemetery, which prompted a cabinet colleague to urge French Jews to "come home" to Israel. "Today something shocking happened in France. Eighty Jewish graves were desecrated with Nazi symbols by wild anti-Semites," Netanyahu said in a video clip released by his office. "I call on the leaders of France and Europe to take a strong stand against anti-Semitism. It is a plague that endangers everyone, not just us," he said. The graves were daubed with swastikas at a Jewish cemetery in the village of Quatzenheim, close to the border with Germany in the Alsace region. Photos show the Nazi symbols in blue spray-painted on the damaged graves, one of which bears the words "Elsassisches Schwarzen Wolfe" ("Black Alsatian Wolves"), a separatist group with links to neo-Nazis in the 1970s. Immigration Minister Yoav Gallant said the vandalism "conjures images of dark times in the history of the Jewish people." "Last week I visited the Jewish community in Paris, which is under an anti-Semitic attack and in the process of assimilation." "I firmly condemn the anti-Semitism in France and call on the Jews -- come home, immigrate to Israel," Gallant said in a statement. The chairman of the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency, which also deals with Jewish immigration to Israel, called the vandalism "another indication of the rampant anti-Semitism spreading throughout Europe, threatening Jews in the streets." "It's time for governments to wake up!" Isaac Herzog wrote on Twitter. Rallies were planned in Paris and other French cities Tuesday to denounce a flare-up of anti-Semitic vandalism in recent weeks, often coinciding with "yellow vest" anti-government demonstrations. Politicians on both the right and left urged massive participation after a prominent French writer was the target of an anti-Semitic tirade by a protester in Paris on Saturday. Last year, 2,679 Jews from France immigrated to Israel, according to Gallant's ministry. Around 80 graves were discovered to have been daubed with swastikas at a Jewish cemetery in France The suicide bomber who carried an attack that killed 27 members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards last week was a Pakistani national, the elite force said Tuesday. "The suicide bomber was named Hafez Mohammad-Ali and was from Pakistan," said Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Guards' ground forces, quoted by the force's Sepah news agency. The February 13 suicide bombing killed 27 Revolutionary Guards on a bus in the volatile southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan. The general said the probe into the attack had made headway after the model of the explosives-packed car that exploded next to the bus had been identified. "Two days ago the first clue, a woman, was identified and arrested, and through this woman, we reached others," Pakpour said. Apart from the suicide bomber, one of the suspected accomplices was also Pakistani, he said. Pakpour said an attack had originally been planned for February 11 to coincide with celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Shiite-dominated Iran's Islamic revolution. But security forces had been "fully prepared" on that day, he said. A Sunni jihadist group, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), which Tehran says operates mostly out of bases in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. Iran has accused Pakistan's army and intelligence agency of sheltering the jihadists. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Tuesday his country was cooperating with Iran's investigation into the attack and had handed over Iranian suspects. "We will cooperate fully with Iran, we have operational contact with Iran," Qureshi told Pakistan's state-run television. Tens of thousands of mourners attended the funerals of the Revolutionary Guards in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, with many calling for "revenge" Shock and bewilderment have seized a small Croatian village where the body of a missing woman was found inside her sister's freezer at the weekend, a macabre discovery that has cracked open a 20-year-old cold case. Jasmina Dominic had not been seen since she disappeared as a 23-year-old student in 2000. On Saturday she was finally found inside the freezer on the ground floor of the home of her sister Smiljana Srnec in Palovec, a small but well-off village of neat, two-storey homes in northern Croatia. The gruesome revelation has horrified the community and transfixed the country, with prosecutors pointing the finger at the elder sister who has been living in the house with the freezer all these years. "Who is Smiljana Srnec?", one of the country's main newspapers, Vecernji List, asked in a headline on Tuesday morning, publishing a picture of the 45-year-old smiling with short hair and glasses. An eerie unease has shrouded Palovec, which is home to around 900 people, most of whom have farms or work in a nearby shoe factory. - State of shock - The blinds have been closed at Srnec's white house while a car remains parked in the driveway. According to local media, it was Srnec's son-in-law who found the body and alerted police on Saturday. "No one in the village can sleep. We are all in the state of shock," said a 62-year-old neighbour who asked to remain anonymous. The man said he was asked by police to serve as a witness to the search over the weekend. "For two seconds I saw her crouched in the freezer, arms next to the body," he said, before recalling his memory of the two sisters. "They were different ... Jasmina was nice, kept a low profile, studied in Zagreb, she was a hard-working kid, while Smiljana ... she was not liked that much, was not good in school," he said. "It is an enigma," another neighbour piped in, shaking his head in disbelief. A website that document's missing persons shows a photo of Dominic with a thin face framed by short hair. It says she went missing in August 2000, when her absence was noted both at her university in Zagreb and student job. According to local reports, the sisters had been sharing the family house while their parents worked abroad. - 'Time has stopped' - Dominic's family did not officially declare her to be missing until 2005, when they told police that she said she was going to work on a cruise ship. Police said they searched the house in vain and subjected the family to lie detector tests. The father has since died, while the mother is currently working in Germany, according to neighbours. "It feels as if time has stopped," municipal mayor Valentino Skvorc told AFP of the reaction in the village, where most neighbours are staying inside their and are unwilling to talk. "Things like this usually happen in foreign TV series, but now the crime was committed by a neighbour ... People are upset," Skvorc added. In the town's local bar, Stjepan, a retired mechanic, speculated about possible explanations. "Maybe it was an accidental death, maybe the parents knew," the 60-year-old told AFP, sipping a beer. "If Smiljana knew about the body all the time, it is really something sick. She was passing by it every day," he added. The family home, in the small Croatian town of Palovec, where a woman's body was found in the freezer Mayor Valentino Skvorc: 'It feels like time has stopped' Stjepan, a 60-year-old retired machinist: 'If Smiljana knew about the body all the time, it is really something sick' Thousands of people, some carrying banners proclaiming 'That's enough', took to the streets of the French capital Tuesday evening to protest a spate of recent anti-Semitic attacks, including the daubing of swastikas on nearly 100 graves in a Jewish cemetery in eastern France. The Paris rally, in the city's central Place de la Republique, was one of about 70 staged nationwide Tuesday in response to a surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes which have triggered a deluge of outrage in France and Israel. Eighteen political parties urged citizens to attend the protests, with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and more than half his cabinet attending the rally in Paris. Two former presidents, the socialist Francois Hollande, and the conservative Nicolas Sarkozy also turned up. Parliament suspended its work for several hours to allow MPs to attend the rally, while religious leaders met with the interior minister to affirm their unity. Speaking on television Philippe said it was necessary to punish those who "because of ideology, because they think it's an easy option, because of ignorance or hostility call into question what we are -- a diverse but proud people". Earlier in the day President Emmanuel Macron also promised to crack down on hate crimes when inspecting a cemetery in Quatzenheim in the Alsace region near Germany where 96 Jewish tombstones were spray-painted with blue and yellow swastikas the previous night. "We shall act, we shall pass laws, we shall punish," Macron told Jewish leaders as he toured the cemetery. "Those who did this are not worthy of the Republic," he said, later placing a white rose on a tombstone commemorating Jews deported to Germany during World War II. Another grave bore the words "Elsassisches Schwarzen Wolfe" ("Black Alsatian Wolves), a separatist group with links to neo-Nazis in the 1970s. It was the second recent case of extensive cemetery desecration in the region. In December nearly 40 graves as well as a monument to Holocaust victims were vandalised in Herrlisheim, about a half-hour drive from Quatzenheim. Macron and his wife, Brigitte, later laid a wreath at the Paris Holocaust memorial. - 'Shocking' vandalism - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the "shocking" anti-Semitic vandalism, while one of his cabinet colleagues urged French Jews to "come home" to Israel. Many French Jews are on edge after the government announced a 74 percent jump in anti-Jewish offences in 2018 after two years of declines. Tensions mounted last weekend after a prominent French writer was the target of a violent tirade by a "yellow vest" protester in Paris on Saturday. A video of the scene showed the protester calling the philosopher Alain Finkielkraut a "dirty Zionist" and telling him "France belongs to us". In France, several officials have accused the grass-roots yellow vest movement of unleashing a wave of extremist violence that has fostered anti-Semitic outbursts among some participants. "It would be false and absurd to call the yellow vest movement anti-Semitic," Philippe told L'Express magazine in an interview published Tuesday. The prime minister, who has promised a tough new law targeting online hate speech by this summer, warned however that "anti-Semitism has very deep roots in French society". - Long history - Macron, for his part, is to lay out his plans to combat anti-Semitism during a speech at the annual dinner of the CRIF umbrella association of French Jewish groups on Wednesday. Anti-Semitism has a long history in France where society was deeply split at the end of the 19th century by the Alfred Dreyfus affair, a Jewish army captain wrongly convicted of treason. During World War II, the French Vichy government collaborated with Germany notably in the deportation of Jews to death camps. More recently French anti-Semitism, traditionally associated with the far right, has also spread among far-left pro-Palestinian extremists and radicals from amongst the growing Muslim community. But Macron has resisted calls by some lawmakers to explicitly penalise so-called anti-Zionist statements calling into question Israel's right to exist as a nation. A recent Ifop poll of "yellow vest" backers found that nearly half those questioned believed in a worldwide "Zionist plot" and other conspiracy theories. Thousands turned up for the rally in Paris against anti-semitic violence A protester in the southern city of Marseille hholds up twin messages; yes to respect and no to anti-semitism Anti-semitic acts or threats reported to police in France and Germany since 1998 President Macron visiting the vandalised Jewish cemetery in Quatzenheim Egyptian authorities have denied entry to a veteran New York Times journalist, the US-based newspaper reported on Tuesday. David Kirkpatrick arrived at Cairo airport on Monday but was barred from entering the country, the newspaper said. Security officials held him "incommunicado for hours before forcing him onto a flight back to London without explanation," the New York Times reported. Egypt's interior ministry could not immediately be reached for comment. Kirkpatrick was the newspaper's Cairo bureau chief from 2011 to 2015 and last year authored a book on the Arab Spring uprisings. His writings have long stirred controversy and pro-government media in Egypt have previously criticised his reporting. In 2018, pro-government newspaper "Youm7" accused Kirkpatrick of "deliberately distorting Egypt's (image)" after he reported on Egyptian officials' "tacit acceptance" of the United States' recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Kirkpatrick's denial of entry is part of a broader crackdown on media in Egypt over recent years. Last month an Egyptian court sentenced a television host to one year in prison for interviewing a gay man. A British journalist was expelled in February 2018, with officials claiming she broke the law by conducting interviews without a press permit. A new law ratified in September tightened internet controls, granting authorities powers to monitor popular social media accounts and block those found publishing "fake news". Rights groups say such legislation aims to strengthen state control of the media and curb freedom of expression. Egypt ranked 161 out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index in 2018 and 2017. The New York Times said journalist David Kirkpatrick was refused entry to Egypt after arriving at Cairo airport WARNING DISTURBING CONTENT: Vets were horrified by the death of a pony brutally stabbed 41 times in New Zealand, after expecting him to pull through. A 10-year-old miniature horse was attacked in his paddock in the small seaside town of Waitati, near Dunedin, on the South Islands southeast coast. Veterinarians worked for five hours on Sunday to try and save the animal and were initially optimistic about his chances of recovery. A pony, stabbed 41 times in New Zealand, has died after vets expected him to pull through. Source: Otago Daily News However, one of the stab wounds punctured the horses bowel and Star died overnight, the horses distraught owner told Otago Daily Times on Monday. Im so angry, Im so disappointed, and the thing that was getting me through this was that the little guy was going to pull through, the woman who wished to remain anonymous said. Otago Equine Hospital vet Peter Gillespie said the attack was most distressing thing hes ever seen in his 39-year-career. Source: Otago Daily News Hes tiny, hes cute, hes about the size of a calf, and some [person] just went to town stabbing him. A f***** lunatic with a knife is in our community and killed a little baby horse. Vets who operated on Star believed the wounds were too clean and deep to have been sustained during a dog attack, and appeared to have been created with a sharp knife. Otago Equine Hospital vet Peter Gillespie described the impact of the attack as gut wrenching. He believed more than one person may have been involved as the pony would not have stood still while being stabbed. Vets worked for five hours on Sunday to try and save the pony, stabbed 41 times by a sharp blade. Source: Otago Equine Hospital Ive been doing this for close on 40 years and this is just the worst, most distressing thing Ive ever seen, he told the news outlet. Police in New Zealand have launched an investigation and are appealing for information on the midnight attack. Subsequent vet assessment has revealed the injuries to the horse appear to have been caused by a blade or similar, police said in a statement. Do you have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here. A Chinese technology firm has compiled a range of personal information on 2.6 million people in Xinjiang -- from their ethnicity to locations -- according to a data leak highlighting the wide extent of surveillance in the restive region. Xinjiang is home to most of China's Uighur ethnic minority lives and has been under heavy police surveillance in recent years after violent inter-ethnic tensions. Nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities in Xinjiang are reportedly held in re-education camps, according to a UN panel of experts. The leak was discovered last week by security researcher Victor Gevers, who found that Chinese tech company SenseNets had stored the records of individuals in an open database "fully accessible to anyone". The records included information such as their Chinese ID number, birthday, address, ethnicity, and employer. The exposed data also linked individuals to GPS coordinates -- labelled with descriptions such as "mosque" -- captured by tracking devices around the region. Within a 24-hour period, more than six million locations were saved by SenseNets' tracking devices, according to Gevers, who works at Dutch online security non-profit GDI Foundation and posted his findings on Twitter. "You can clearly see they have absolutely no clue about network security," he told AFP, describing SenseNets' IT skills as belonging "to the early 90s". "Who in their right mind runs a database which is completely open and gives any visitors full administrative rights so then those database records can be manipulated by anyone with an internet connection?" he said. "It simply does not compute." The database had been exposed since last July but was closed last Thursday, after Gevers reported the leak to SenseNets, he said. SenseNets told AFP it was not accepting media interviews. The Xinjiang government did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. - Blacklisted - The demand for high-tech surveillance in Xinjiang region has led to the placing of surveillance cameras inside mosques, restaurants and other public places, while police checkpoints have been set up across the region. It has has also created lucrative business opportunities for artificial intelligence companies like SenseNets, which specialises in facial recognition. On its website, the Shenzhen-based firm showcases different applications, from detecting "blacklisted" individuals in a crowd to tracing a suspect's whereabouts. The technology firm partners with public security bureaus around the country, as well as US tech firms such as Microsoft and semiconductor company AMD. In 2016, for instance, it helped local police in southern Guangdong province identify individuals involved in organising an "illegal gathering" -- a term that often refers to protests in China. SenseNets is majority-owned by NetPosa, a public company listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange. On its website, the Beijing-based firm calls itself a "leading manufacturer of video surveillance platforms" and boasted coverage of over 1.5 million roads in China at the end of 2017. Nearly one million Uighurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities in Xinjiang are reportedly held in re-education camps, according to the UN Friends are leaving touching tributes to a teenage girl who died in whats believed to be a drag race crash in Melbournes southeast. Nikkita-Lee Wells, 17, has been identified as a victim after three cars including a white Holden Commodore wagon, a silver Holden Commodore sedan and a white Holden Calais sedan were seen driving along Stud Road in Rowville on Sunday about midday. The Calais collided with the two others cars, killing Nikkita-Lee who was in the backseat. She died at the scene. The driver of the car, a 19-year-old woman, was interviewed on Monday. No charges have been laid. Nikkita-Lee Wells, 17, died in whats believed to be a drag race crash in Melbournes southeast. Source: Facebook/ Nikkita-Lee Wells The Commodore wagon also ripped in half after hitting a power pole while the other Commodore also crashed into a power pole. All occupants in the other cars received minor injuries. Its believed all three cars were involved in a drag race and were seen travelling at high speeds prior to the crash. A flower was left at the scene of the tragedy while others paid tribute to Nikkita-Lee on Facebook. Two of the cars following the crash at Rowville. Source: 7 News Rest in paradise, beautiful, one friend wrote. Ill forever cherish my moments with you. Another added she couldnt believe the news of the 17-year-olds death. Two cars hit a power pole in the crash. Source: 7 News After hearing what I thought could only be a nightmare unfortunately was true yesterday we lost a beautiful young girl who always brought joy to those around her, another friend wrote. My condolences for her family. Rest in paradise. Police are still trying to determine what caused the crash and are seeking dashcam footage. This car hit a power pole and was ripped in half. Source: 7 News Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page. Do you know more or have a story tip? Email: y7newsroom@yahoo7.com.au. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo7s daily newsletter. Sign up here. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday sacked a close aide who helped get him elected after a storm within his party over suspected improper campaign financing. The allegations are the latest scandal to hit the party of the far-right president, who comfortably won elections last October in large part by vowing to stamp out corruption. Bolsonaro "has decided to dismiss as of today Gustavo Bebianno as minister of the general secretariat of the presidency," spokesman Otavio do Rego Barros told a news conference in Brazilia. The spokesman did not explain the firing, saying it was a "personal decision" by Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro did not clarify much further in a video he released later that was broadcast by Brazilian media. He said only that "different points of view on relevant issues brought a need for a re-evaluation." The president recognized Bebianno had played a vital role in his election campaign. "His work was important to our success," Barros said. The sacking could impact legislative passage of an upcoming bill Bolsonaro is to present to Congress this week to reform Brazil's unsustainable pension system. The reform is considered by investors to be the most crucial promise the president made to overhaul Latin America's biggest economy. Bebianno, who held cabinet rank and was former leader of the ultraconservative PSL, was replaced by a retired general, Floriano Peixoto, boosting to eight the number of military men running Bolsonaro's 22 ministries. - Key figure - As chief of the ruling PSL party, Bebianno had been a key figure in Bolsonaro's campaign last year that led to the 63-year-old politician being elected in October polls. When Bolsonaro took office at the beginning of January he rewarded Bebianno with the ministerial post by his side in the presidential palace. But that close alliance became broken after a newspaper, the Folha de Sao Paulo, reported that the PSL was thought to have nominated fake candidates in the general election to divert public funds to its coffers. Bebianno had denied involvement and sought to downplay the crisis. He also said he had spoken several times with Bolsonaro while the president spent the first half of this month in hospital recovering from stomach surgery. But one of Bolsonaro's sons, Carlos Bolsonaro, who is a state legislator in Rio de Janeiro, said Bebianno was "lying" and no such discussions took place. He also said he had asked for a police investigation against Bebianno. That triggered ructions in the PSL and among allies of the president, who questioned why Carlos -- who has no position in the presidency or federal government -- was permitted to act that way against Bebianno. After several days of back-and-forth among top officials, Bolsonaro -- who campaigned on pledges to clean up political corruption -- acted Monday by firing Bebianno. Bolsonaro's reputation has been further sullied by suspicions of illegal financial transactions surrounding another of Bolsonaro's sons, Flavio, who is a senator. A third politician son, Eduardo, a federal lawmaker, has embraced a nationalist politics platform created by Steve Bannon, US President Donald Trump's former strategist. Bebianno's dismissal, anticipated by investors, prompted a 1.04 percent fall in the stock market Monday, and a dip in the value of the Brazilian real. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (l) has sacked Gustavo Bebiano (r) from the ruling party without explaining the decision Bolivia's opposition on Tuesday called for a nationwide protest against President Evo Morales, who plans to stand for a fourth term in office. The protests called for Thursday will coincide with the third anniversary of a referendum called by Morales to change the constitution to let him stand for unlimited terms. He lost the referendum but the government rejected the result and Morales is set to stand in October's election after the constitutional court, filled with government loyalists, ruled in his favor. Bolivia's 2009 constitution, which Morales himself promulgated, limits a president to two consecutive terms of office. But the constitutional court said it was Morales's human right to seek reelection. He won his party's primary last month, after which he declared the 2016 referendum result "buried." "The only thing that is buried here is an illegal candidacy, for which the public won't vote," said Carlos Mesa, a former president and opposition leader whom polls place as the nearest challenger to Morales. Already the longest-serving president in Bolivia's history, Morales has been in power since 2006. Opposition members are seeking a nationwide protest against Bolivian President Evo Morales' reelection run Bangladesh authorities have blocked almost 20,000 websites as part of an anti-pornography "war", a minister said Tuesday. Internet providers in the conservative Muslim-majority nation took down pornography and gambling websites in the past week under orders from the telecommunications regulator. "I want to create a safe and secure internet for all Bangladeshis, including children. And this is my war against pornography. And this will be a continuous war," Mustafa Jabbar, the posts and telecommunications minister, told AFP. Popular social media apps such as TikTok and Bigo -- which authorities believe are misused -- have also been blocked in the South Asian nation, Jabbar said. Most of the blocked sites are foreign, but a few local websites and social media platforms have also faced action under the crackdown, he added. The crackdown was launched after Bangladesh's High Court in November asked the government to block pornography websites and publication of obscene materials in electronic forms for six months. The court acted after a civil society organisation filed a petition stating that a large number of adult websites contain uncensored and obscene content. On Sunday, police reprimanded a rising actress and told her to remove provocative images from her Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages. "We are monitoring the local Facebook profiles, YouTube channels and websites also," Jabbar said. "A few of them were taken down for having obscene content. We advised a few others not to post anything that goes against our social norms." Bangladesh -- a country of 165 million people -- has more than 90 million internet users. Porn stars regularly top the list of the most searched names. Emdadul Hoque, general secretary of the internet service providers association, said they have complied with the order, but many users can still access online porn by using virtual private networks or mirror websites. "This is a continuous process and it needs regular monitoring. These websites are very well aware of the regulations and they come up with thousands of mirror sites every week," Hoque told AFP. Bangladesh authorities are monitoring local Facebook profiles, YouTube channels and websites under a crackdown on obscene content, a minister said (Photo: Getty) Australia hasnt had a recession in nearly three decades. While we emerged from the 2008-9 global financial crisis largely unscathed, various parts of the world economy are still recovering from it, and experts have nonetheless been on high alert for the first signs of the conditions that could lead to another recession of that magnitude. But the recession doesnt even need to happen to Australia for us to be hit hard by it. History tells us that another recession is only a matter of time and it looks like the chances of a US recession in the near future are increasing. (Source: Fidelity International, Federal Reserve Bank of New York) The chart is derived from a model by the Federal Reserve of New York which calculates the difference between the 10-year Treasury note and three-month Treasury bill as a forecasting tool for the odds of a US recession. According to Fidelity International investment specialist Anthony Doyle, the slope of the yield curve is very close to inverting in fact, its 0.4 per cent away from inverting. Why does it matter if the US yield curve inverts? Its significant as its historically been a sure-fire sign that a recession is imminent. An inverted yield curve preceded each of the last seven US recessions. Danger zone This indicator is flashing amber, Doyle told Yahoo Finance. Its 40 basis points from inverting. Its a clear warning signal that investors should be aware that the US could potentially face a recession, he said. The model predicts four months into the future and is currently predicting a potential slowdown in economic growth that could lead into a recession in 2020. The last time we saw this indicator at this level was actually August 2008. Thats even worse given what happened in September 2008. The Lehman Brothers went bust on 15 September. While Lehman Brothers collapse wasnt the cause of the GFC (although its often incorrectly cited as such), its become emblematic of the start of the crisis. In other words, the last time we saw the likelihood of a US recession so high (24 per cent), it was just one month before the major crisis that rocked the world. Story continues The fact that its spiking in terms of the next 12 months have got a lot of investors and market watches concerned again that the US economy could potentially face a recession. However, its not necessarily time to sound the alarm: Doyle made it clear a recession wasnt Fidelitys base case. And at a 24 per cent probability, theres only a one in four chance of happening. More warning signs But the yield curve isnt the only sign that things could be going bottoms-up: global debt is also at elevated levels. And while its not yet as high as the GFC, a failure to address the debt levels of countries like Hong Kong, China, France, Canada and Chile could have massive consequences for the global economy. The US isnt the only one in danger of a recession: Europe is looking like it could enter into a recession at the end of this year, Doyle said. What this means for Australia So how worried do we need to be? Theres a famous saying that if the US sneezes, Australia catches a cold, Doyle said. Australian investment will suffer, and the Aussie dollar likely will too. But the main impact will be through China. The US have a lot of exports from China thats driven Chinas growth. But if theres less demand for those Chinese exports coming from the US, then China will demand less from what AUstralia produces, which is predominantly resources and commodities. As a result, commodity prices would start to fall; Australian trade would begin to deteriorate; and we could see some impact on the current account deficit. A US economic recession would clearly not be a favourable outcome for global economic growth, Doyle said. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Now read: This recession indicator is predicting one in 18 months Now read: Major investment firm says NOW is the time to invest in Crypto Now read: 2019-20 budget will be problematic: heres why Heres what fuelled the property boom. Source: Getty Images Australias property market might be on shaky ground right now, but in the few short years leading up to 2017, major housing markets soared by more than 50 per cent to eye-watering prices. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the amount of investor cash pouring into Australias housing market has halved since the midst of the property price boom. So, was it investors, rather than owner-occupiers, which fuelled the record-breaking price rises in Sydney and Melbourne? Investors have a lot to do with price increases, University of Sydney social economist and housing expert Peter Phibbs told The New Daily. What pushes prices up is when you have more buyers than sellers. For example, at an auction when you have a number of people competing hard for a home, he said. Once you knock the froth off the market and take the excitement away, rather than having a number of people going hard at it you end up with one or maybe two, and most can only go so hard because theyre getting a limited amount of money from the bank. Once you knock the froth off the market and take the excitement away, rather than having a number of people going hard at it you end up with one or maybe two, and most can only go so hard because theyre getting a limited amount of money from the bank. Lending to investors is now 47.8 per cent lower than its peak in April 2015 when investors were approved for $9.37 billion dollars worth of home loans to just $4.89 billion in December 2018, the latest ABS housing finance figures show, The New Daily reports. By contrast, the value of home loans issued to owner-occupier home buyers has barely dipped over the same period, down just 0.2 per cent from $12.53 billion in April 2015 to $12.49 billion in December 2018. While the level of owner-occupier interest in the housing market has remained relatively steady, investor enthusiasm has shrunk, with the pace of the decline in investor housing finance accelerating as the Sydney and Melbourne downturns have deepened. Story continues Investors also have a significant advantage over would-be owner-occupiers thanks to the government incentive of negative gearing. Is our investor mix about to change? Australias Federal election in May looks set to lead to a change of government. While a Labor leadership promises to tackle changes to our long-outdated negative gearing, its not all good news. Instead of boosting the volume of first-home buyers in the market, the changes could lead to a possible influx of overseas property investors, Starr Partners CEO Douglas Driscoll warns. He added that Labors aim to limit negative gearing to new apartments and house packages to soften the market for first home buyers may inadvertently push more property into the hands of overseas buyers. Labors proposal to limit negative gearing to new developments and halve the capital gains tax coincides with other recent changes in the property market: a wave of new apartments and stringent macro-prudential measures, he said. This will create an extended period of property price stagnation. If our own investors are impeded further, this is likely to lead to more competition from foreign buyers. Make your money work with Yahoo Finances daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news. Now read: Labors negative gearing plans will lead to spike in Chinese investors Now read: Warning: Dont get caught in this investment trap Now read: Is gold really a safe bet? Scientists and the medical fraternity then became aware of the existence of bacteria and ultimately of viruses. Today we refer to these life forms under the general heading, germs. During the 18th and 19th centuries the skill of grinding glass lenses led to the construction of microscopes. He continued: I have lost several friends and relatives to preventable sicknesses caused by poor hygiene conditions such as the use of filthy toilets and a lack of health facilities. We must do all we can to improve hygiene. GOLD COAST PNGs prime minister Peter ONeill was recently quoted as saying that preventing death and sickness as a result of inadequate sanitation is a personal quest of mine to improve health and hygiene. Since the dawn of human history, human disease and illness were thought to be the result of many origins, from the disfavour of the gods through to various natural phenomena. Peoples imaginations conjured up reasons why people fell ill and died - or recovered. Medieval Europeans ate near their animals which sought food scraps and bones around the table. Food dropped on to the floor was snatched up by the eater and, after a hopeful prayer to ward off evil spirits, popped into the mouth. The possibility of people becoming ill was accepted on the basis that divine intervention might prevent it happening. Many human diseases originated in birds and animals kept in or near houses and subsequently leapt the species barrier. Influenza in humans for example, is believed to have originated in birds. New forms of disease constantly do this today with one of the most recent being Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that is believed to have originated in camels but is now able to be transferred between humans. Where a disease has been prevalent in a human community for some time, a certain amount of natural immunity starts to build up in that group to help resist the disease, however when there is no natural immunity in a community, the effects of a newly introduced disease can be devastating. The so called Spanish flu at the end of World War I killed more people than died in that terrible war to end all wars. The old expression seeing is believing was a benchmark used for understanding infection that led to illness. Until microscopes were invented, the inexplicable, which could not be seen, was attributed to the unprovable. Even today faith healers or sorcerers are consulted by people when modern medicine is either not available, affordable or simply unable to cure an illness. Prior to the arrival of modern medicine, Papua New Guineans were no different to people in other societies where illness was attributed to witchcraft, magic, divine or ancestor intervention, or the breaking of customary laws. The beginning of government services in PNGs rural areas usually started with a government patrol led by a kiap who was often accompanied by a medical assistant. The miracles of modern medicines such as penicillin on devastating diseases such as yaws and tropical ulcers were often considered white mans magic. It took a leap of faith to understand that disease and infection were due to something not able to be seen with the unassisted human eye. Even the existence of infections like hookworm were doubted as no one had actually seen the worms. In light of this, it was not surprising that, when the building of pit latrines was demanded, there was a reluctance to conform. Free roaming pigs were expected to perform the work of faeces removal in the village and no one knew anything about the life cycle of parasitic worms. Physically debilitating illnesses like anaemia were attributed to various other causes. When an explanation about disease was ignored by villagers, coercion was used as a means to pursue public health concerns. Local government by-laws about constructing pig pens and pit latrines were introduced. Gradually, these ideas began to be accepted. Yet this was only a first, tentative step in combating infection and disease. In a rural village environment with low population density and readily available fresh water, village hygiene could be maintained at acceptable levels. With the inevitable urban drift, the impact of population pressures has stretched public facilities often to breaking point. Fortunately, there are some useful road maps from other societies available for PNG to follow. A visitor to India may be startled by the number of males seen publically urinating against walls, fences and in the open. It has been said there are more mobile telephones in India than there are toilets and the Indian prime minister is promoting a campaign to drastically increase their number. In most rural areas of PNG, clean, fresh water was always available from nearby streams. As people started to move to towns and cities and urban squatter settlements grew, the lack of clean water became a major problem. Many people now queue for hours to fill plastic containers from a single communal water tap and carry the water back to their homes. Lack of clean water for washing and hygiene can be a serious problem. In India, clean water for drinking, washing and cooking is in short supply and public wells and hand pumps are a frequent sight. Clean drinking water in public places like railway stations and food markets are mobbed by people in the tropical heat desperately seeking clean water to drink. The incidence of water borne disease in India is now so prevalent that people constantly infected by organisms in their youth end up with digestive systems that cannot provide sufficient nutrition to live a healthy life. Where organic matter builds up in Indian drains and waterways to rot or be washed away by the next monsoon and plastic now stops drains from working, increasing health issues affect many Indians and the message to PNG is that this situation should be avoided at all costs, although it is certainly already problematic in Port Moresby. Concerns about untreated raw sewage have been previously raised in PNG. Where water sources are so contaminated, public infection rates soar. It has been suggested that the introduction of composting toilets could help improve public health as these facilities can effectively sterilise human waste and turn it into useable fertilizer. This requires an understanding of the process and the necessary skills to effectively manage these toilets. PNGs problems of buai rubbish in the cities pale into insignificance when mountains of plastic rubbish are seen almost everywhere in India. Any gap in a fence or wall invites the disposal of rubbish. Even where there are public bins with the words Use Me on them, people dont seem to care where they throw their rubbish. It seems that when rubbish is thrown away it becomes someone elses problem. The inside of a private house or shop may be fastidiously clean but as soon as any rubbish or dirt is swept a metre away from the front door - someone elses problem. Eating meat is a thorny issue in India where many people are vegetarians. While a Papua New Guinean might wish for better nutrition than a lamb flap, freely roaming Indian cattle held to be holy by the Hindus add to the general pollution and constantly spread potential disease. Hand crafted cow patties are dried in the sun to be stacked and used as cooking fuel or fertilizer in. Holy cows are often seen eating cardboard boxes and even plastic to assuage their hunger where no other food or greenery exists. Cow pats and urine are everywhere. PNG doesnt have the problem of free roaming cattle but it does have similar problems of a fast growing population together with a perceived lack of freely available fresh water in urban areas. Non-treatment of raw sewage and lack of toilet discipline are affecting peoples health, especially in times of drought. So, before PNG goes further along the route of environmental degradation and health threat, maybe its time to learn its mistakes and start to address the problems head on. Even allowing for expenditure arrears of nearly a billion kina, K2.5 billion (or 72%) of this massive deficit blow-out from 2018 to 2022 is left unexplained. One example of the friendly treatment is the conciliatory discussion of the K3.4 billion breach (called a policy deviation) of the medium-term fiscal deficit targets agreed in the 2018 budget and made the first condition of the World Banks budget support loan in September last year. Its hard work to read between the lines to find out what is really going on. There is much praise for the government and any criticism is buried in the middle of paragraphs or implicit in graphs and numbers in tables. The front end is undoubtedly very kind to the government, resembling the friendly support of Dr Jekyll in the famous Robert Louis Stevenson story. CANBERRA - The World Banks economic update on Papua New Guinea was released in early February and offers a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde picture for the government. Overall, what is remarkable is the lack of reference, yet alone analysis, of the seven key issues identified by the World Bank in its own December 2017 update. But the details show that the PNG government has failed to implement its fiscal strategy, revenue strategy, wages strategy and measures to disentangle PNGs budget fortunes from the whims of international commodity prices. In just over a year, the World Bank has retreated from its own benchmarks. The second part of the report has a special focus on the private sector, and the tone is very different. This is the Mr Hyde part of the report the local business sector will like it but the governments efforts over the last seven years are found to be seriously flawed. Under the heading Removing constraints in the business environment to boost private sector investment, the government gets a hammering for a largely unfavourable business environment. One section is particularly tough on the governments proposed reserved activity list concluding that the level of business environment risk has been dramatically increased. Ive been analysing these World Bank reports on PNG for over 40 years. My first policy paper in the public service in 1978 considered the first World Bank report on PNG after Independence. My career included seven years in AusAID and Treasury on the World Bank/IMF desk. And Ive attended more World Bank/IMF annual and Spring meetings than any person should. But, even after all that, I find this to be an unusual report. It needs to be read in an historical context. The World Banks relationship with the PNG government was essentially broken in the early 2000s, especially because of the failed land reform program, and the Bank has been slowly rebuilding the relationship through normal project funding, although at a much lower level than the Asian Development Bank. I mentioned that this is the first PNG economic update since the budget support loan taken out in September 2018 and there was a need for a public report. The big picture is that the World Bank is extremely worried about PNGs declining standards of economic management that is why PNGs economic management has been seriously downgraded in recent years to a fragile situation according to the Banks governance indicators. So how does the World Bank try to maintain influence in encouraging better policies especially with a history of virtually being kicked out of the country? Its main stakeholder in PNG is Treasurer Charles Abel. One cannot publicly criticise his macro-economic performance at this stage if seeking to maintain influence. However, it is quite possible that Treasurer Abel also has concerns about the extremely nationalistic and anti-business policies of Trade Minister Richard Maru. I suspect the World Bank knew it had more of a green light to discuss more openly the challenges facing PNG when discussing the private sector. Seen in this context, and seeking policy influence in a country with declining economic management, the report is possibly less surprising. In this beginning phase of the relationship between the World Bank and a relatively new PNG Treasurer, the politics probably meant that a Dr Jekyll (nice to PNG government on macro-economics) and Mr Hyde (publicly critical of the government on private sector policies) approach was most appropriate. The longer-term requirement, however, is that the World Bank must not only keep the PNG Treasurer and government happy, it must also maintain its own professional standards around analytical rigour and honesty. Its credibility depends on this. In the modern era of geopolitics, one hopes that a distinguishing feature of democratic political systems continue to be frank, public assessments of what is going on. That is why democracies have (or should have) auditor-general offices and public accounts committees with public reports. These internal institutions need to be reinforced by independent international institutions such as the World Bank. Looking to the future, the World Bank should be more open and balanced in its assessments to support both its international policy advisory role as well as in encouraging the maintenance of accountability in democratic countries. Sir Mekere Morauta SIR MEKERE MORAUTA MP PORT MORESBY - The Australian government should come clean on the intentions underlying its $423-million contract with the Paladin group on Manus Island. It looks to me and other Papua New Guineans that it is being used as a way to peddle influence through prominent Papua New Guineans and the ruling PNC party of prime minister Peter ONeill. I find that very disturbing at a time when there is likely to be a vote of no confidence in the notorious ONeill regime, when Australia is engaged in a battle of diplomacy with China, when it wants to rebuild and expand PNGs Lombrum naval base, and when it wants to keep Manus open for its own purposes. The revelations about the Paladin contract fit a pattern of dubious Australian behaviour in PNG in recent years, including the rigged 2017 election in which Mr ONeill was re-elected. The Bulletin's Red Page helped get an Australian literary school on the move (National Library of Australia) PHIL FITZPATRICK TUMBY BAY - In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Australian writers struggled to establish a truly Australian modality of literature. In many ways their struggle resembled the current efforts of Papua New Guinean writers to establish a Papua New Guinean school of literature. Many of those Australian writers had Irish antecedents and were influenced by the burgeoning literary scene in Ireland. The advice from the Irish writers to their Australian counterparts was to forget European and English literary models and concentrate on writing about Australia using Australian settings and vernacular. This is the sort of advice now being given to Papua New Guinean writers by Australian writers. To establish a truly Papua New Guinean school of literature its writers need to write about their own country using local settings and idioms. Many early Australian writers had trouble finding publishers. Ironically, a lot of well-known and famous Australian novels and poetry collections were self-published and only published commercially after they were successful. The majority of these writers never made much money from their craft, even those who published commercially. That hasnt changed much to this day. There are only a few Australian writers, usually of popular fiction, who can support themselves from their work; most writers need to maintain other sources of income. All of this should sound familiar to Papua New Guinean writers. The early Australian writers tended to lean to the left politically. Many were socialists and a few were communists. Others were utopian and against capitalism. These inclinations greatly influenced their subject matter. In 2012, Scott Flower estimated the number of indigenous converts to Islam at 5,000. During my visit to the Islamic Centre of Port Moresby in February 2013 I was given an estimate of 4,000 Muslims, three-quarters of whom were PNG citizens. Their presence was again recorded much later in 1972. Three years later, when PNG gained its independence, the Muslim population of approximately 120 was exclusively expatriate, mostly diplomats from Malaysia and Indonesia.. THE first Muslims to arrive in Papua New Guinea came as labourers in the early 1900s. They worked in plantations run by German and British colonists. While at present the great majority of local Muslims are grassroots people, a significant number are professionals such as teachers, civil servants, soldiers and police, LLG presidents and ex-students from Christian theological institutions. Expatriate Muslims are often highly educated people working in foreign embassies and higher education institutions.. Objections to the presence of Islam in PNG started as soon as the application for its registration was lodged in 1981. Several politicians expressed their opposition to Islam spreading in the country. Justice Minister Paul Torato is quoted as having said: Islam is in contradiction with the Constitution of PNG; it teaches extremism; it is an immoral religion and if allowed it will cause conflict among the people of this country. In 1982 the then prime minister Julius Chan said on the radio that he would never allow Islam to exist on the soil of PNG and that he would oppose it with all of the powers available to him. He was supported by the Home Affairs Minister Andrew Kumbakor, who stated: Islam is a dangerous and very serious threat to peace and unity of this great nation. The advent and propagation of the Islamic religion will be a future time-bomb for PNG. PNG must remain a Christian country for a better future. In 2000, the future PNG Governor General Paulias Matane stated: It is not in the interest of this country to have to grapple with a religion that encourages holy wars. Church leaders also expressed hostility towards the presence of Islam in PNG. Pamphlets were circulated in which it was stated that Muslims must kill Christians in order to go to heaven. Even the Catholic Archbishop of Port Moresby, in 1987, raised his voice against the spread of Islam in PNG. He bluntly asked why the government had employed Muslims at the University: Were they there to teach students or propagate the religion of Islam? In a public briefing paper entitled The incursion of Islam into Papua New Guinea: a warning, released in 2000, the PNG Council of Churches (PNGCC) argued that the government should protect Christian congregations by banning Islam. Perhaps those who opposed the spread of Islam in PNG were not aware that the few injunctions in the Koran that clearly legitimise violence by Muslims relate to situations where the practice of Islam is limited or banned! That proposal to ban Islam from PNG was opposed by the majority of the members of Parliament and church leaders, who publicly supported the constitutional freedom of religion in PNG. MP John Pundari spoke for all of them when he stated in Parliament: We in this country must be aware of our law and Constitution that respects peoples rights to choose religious affiliations and the rights of speech and movements within this country. Mr Speaker, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Christianity and every single religion have rights in this world. In our country, by our Constitution, we recognise that right. Mr Speaker, it is not for us to be undermining that individual right of our citizens in this country. I believe that we have to allow tolerance of religion in this country, tolerance and respect for human rights and human freedom. Unfortunately, after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre of New York in 2001, hostility towards Muslims also grew in PNG. The mosque in Port Moresby was attacked both by the police and a member of the public. Muslim converts were harassed in the streets, a few had their houses and mushallas burned down and their jobs terminated. Again there were calls on the government to ban Islam entirely. The following year, 2002, Deputy Prime Minister Alan Marat stated that a sensible government is expected to do something about the violent behaviour of individuals based on their beliefs and he proposed changing the countrys constitution to ban so-called violent religions. But this time too the call to ban Islam from PNG was resisted. Even the PNG Council of Churches, in contrast with its previous statements in regard to the spreading of Islam, stated that Islam had a right to exist in PNG as long as the Muslims did not cause disharmony in the community. The case of West Papua was also raised in 2005 by pastor Daniel Shayesteh from Tari as a warning of what could happen to PNG. After its annexation by Indonesia in 1963, hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants arrived in West Papua from Java, Celebes and other islands, which considerably altered the composition of its population. According to the 2010 Census, a quarter of all people in West Papua were Muslim. The cause of Islam in PNG was certainly not helped by conflict in many Islamic countries in the last decade. Continuous infighting and suicide attacks among the different groups and strains of Islam, and the harassment and even persecution of Christian minorities in many countries ranging from Nigeria, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Middle East, to Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia, have tarnished the claim of Islam to be a religion of peace. On top of that, murderous attacks perpetrated by self-declared Muslims in non-Islamic countries like the United Kingdom and Spain have prompted the international and PNG national community to continue to depict Muslims as fomenting violence, and Islam as being an aggressive religion. New criticism against the presence of Muslims in PNG arose in 2013 after the decision of the PNG government to allow the processing of asylum seekers on Manus Island, and their possible resettlement in PNG. Since many of the asylum seekers were Muslim, people were afraid that their resettlement in PNG could create religious tensions. There were again moves before Parliament, introduced by Hela Province Governor Anderson Agiru, to declare PNG as being a country only for Christianity, a declaration which was supported by many Christian leaders across the nation. In July 2013, an editorial appeared in The National newspaper in which PNG people were reminded that according to the PNG Constitution there cannot be any discrimination based on sex, race or creed. And then the editorialist reported statements of prime minister ONeill, according to which his decision to allow asylum seekers to be screened in Manus was based on Christian principles, and that to alienate another religion would itself be unchristian. And then the editorialist went so far as to write: In practice, this country probably needs Islam. It certainly needs the religions strict discipline, which Christian Papua New Guinea sadly lacks. But some of its extremist tendencies, such as the jihad movement, this country can very well do without.. The promotion of the moderate form of Islam should be a priority in Papua New Guinea, pursued by both civil and religious authorities. This goal should be helped by declarations coming from Muslim religious leaders that Islam is a religion of peace and mercy that rejects violence and terrorism in its name. Muslim leaders should declare their support for complete freedom of religion, not only for Muslim minorities in non-Muslim countries, but also for Christians, Jews and other religious minorities in Islamic countries. Similar declarations might help to put to rest the negative propaganda of the present mass media in regard to Islam while enhancing mutual trust, dialogue and cooperation. Rheinmetall is emphasizing its role as a leading supplier of advanced soldier systems. The Germany-based specialist for security and mobility can point to several state-of-the-art solutions in this domain, including the Canadian Argus system and its even more advanced successor, the Argus New Generation. The Group also makes the Future Soldier Expanded System (IdZ-ES) used by the German Army, including the advanced Gladius 2.0 version. Rheinmetall's Gladius 2.0 system demonstrator was initially configured in three different variants (Picture source: Army Recognition) All of these systems bring individual infantry soldiers, combat vehicles and unmanned systems into the tactical sensor-to-shooter network. Higher echelon command elements can also be included. The common operational picture forms the basis for faster, better-informed decision-making at all levels, a key factor in gaining and maintaining the initiative. IdZ-ES IdZ-ES is at the heart of moves to digitalize the German Army. This state-of-the-art soldier system gives infantry and mechanized infantry forces and their Boxer and Puma fighting vehicles a decisive battlefield edge in network-enabled operations. Thanks to the Bundeswehr ordering an additional lot of IdZ-ES sets last summer, more than 3,500 members of all three components of the German armed forces will soon be equipped with one of the most advanced soldier systems currently in service. Gladius 2.0 Debuting in 2017, the Gladius 2.0 builds on Rheinmetalls wealth of experience in soldier systems. Thanks to its open architecture and independence from specific end devices, e.g. radio systems, Gladius 2.0 features a high degree of scalability and flexibility. Extra components can be easily added on a plug and play basis. This means that the system can be adapted to meet the evolving needs of different customers. The Gladius 2.0 system demonstrator, for example, was initially configured in three different variants. The Basic variant is the standard version for infantry soldiers. It comes with a smartphone that serves as the command computer, enabling participation in network-enabled operations. The Advanced version encompasses an expanded array of capabilities for military leaders, including a second radio for communication with higher-echelon command elements. In particular, Gladius 2.0 is characterized by high scalability and flexibility. This means that other components can be easily connected to all variants on a plug-and-play basis. Augmenting the portfolio is the Light version, an extremely low-weight variant designed for special operators. TacNet Rheinmetalls Tactical Management System TacNet is Rheinmetalls Tactical Management System (TMS). It is designed to meet the requirements of high-mobility operations at the tactical level, essentially serving as a command and weapon engagement system. TacNet Soldier is specifically tailored for use in soldier systems, augmented by TacNet Vehicle for the accompanying combat vehicles. In revolutionary fashion, TacNet Vehicle welds two different software systems into a single product family. The cross-sectional display and control device feeds directly into TacNet. This expands the operational spectrum of the software to all touchscreen-operated systems. Other means of entering data, e.g. via control handles, are also possible. As an integrative system, TacNet networks platforms, sensors and effectors. It is compatible with other command & control systems and interoperable thanks to the use of internationally recognized standards. Due to its array of role-based functions, TacNet is scalable. Moreover, it can be expanded with the help of apps, including those produced by third parties. Rheinmetall expert partner for network-enabled operations The increasing digitalization of the modern battlefield poses challenges for the armed forces as well as offering opportunities. Reliable networking of systems and actors at multiple command echelons is very important given the decisive impact of information, command, and fire superiority. Turning its attention first and foremost to requirements at the mobile tactical level, Rheinmetall is creating solution concepts for the networked battlefield of the future. In this way, the Dusseldorf-based Group brings its partners directly into the system of systems loop. As a longstanding partner of the Bundeswehr, Rheinmetall is eager to accompany Germanys ground forces at each stage of the way on the path to complete digitalization of land-based operations (D-LBO), helping to forge Heer 4.0 the German Army of the future. In order to do this, Rheinmetall has assembled a core team of top-notch defence contractors, including Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG and ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik- GmbH. Moreover, the team is open to contributions from other partners, the sole goal being to supply our soldiers with the best-possible technologies, all from a single source. A leading maker of soldier systems, pointing the way in Europes GOSSRA project Overcoming multiple competitors, Rheinmetall has won the first request for proposals for preliminary studies relating to European Union defence research financed by the EUs European Defence Union. Under a project known as Generic Open Soldier Systems Reference Architecture, or GOSSRA, the European Commission has put the globespanning tech group in charge of a consortium consisting of partners from nine different EU member states. Under the GOSSRA project, studies will be conducted into developing an open reference architecture as the basis of EU-wide standardized soldier systems. This includes electronics, voice and data communication, software solutions, man-machine interfaces, sensors and effectors. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Argentina Estera Mkrtumyan met with President of the Senate and Vice-President of Argentina Gabriela Michetti on February 18. As ARME NPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, the Armenian Ambassador presented the processes following the early parliamentary elections of Armenia in December, 2018. During the conversation the Ambassador also referred to the political issues on the agenda of the two countries, prospects for the development of economic relations, as well as the activation of bilateral interactions both on bilateral and multilateral formats. The Vice President of Argentina highly assessed the level of relations between the peoples of Armenia and Argentina, as well as inter-state relations and informed about her intention to pay an official visit during the current year. Given the fact that this year Armenia presides over the EAEU and Argentina over the MERCOSUR, the sides decided to derive benefit from those platforms and maximally foster the cooperation between the mentioned organizations. The Armenian Ambassador drew the attention of Gabriela Michetti on the fact that Armenia is the only country in the region where Argentina is represented at a high level. The important enterprises operating in Armenia due to the investments of Argentine-Armenian businessmen Eduardo Eurnekian, as well as the school renamed into Republic of Argentina since 1993 are the best proofs of the above-mentioned. Gabriela Michetti highly assessed the role of the Argentine-Armenian community in the social and economic life of the country. The Vice President of Argentina also expressed her admiration for the Armenian nation's diligence, its commitment to Christian values, as well as numerous struggles for the preservation of its identity throughout its millennium-old history. At the end of the meeting the Armenian Ambassador also presented to Gabriela Michetti information on regional processes. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, 19 FEBUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 19 February, USD exchange rate up by 0.07 drams to 487.50 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.46 drams to 551.07 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.36 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.58 drams to 629.90 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 143.24 drams to 20775.21 drams. Silver price up by 1.44 drams to 247.09 drams. Platinum price up by 315.25 drams to 12664.18 drams. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Minister of economic development and investments Tigran Khachatryan received the delegation of German businessmen accompanied by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Armenia Bernhard Matthias Kiesler, the ministry told Armenpress. Minister Khachatryan welcomed the businessmens visit to Armenia and stated: We are ready to assist any business activity initiated by foreign investors. The minister added that one of the goals of the Armenian government is to increase the investment volumes ad export the products made by investments to the EAEU, EU and other markets. He introduced the economic priorities of the governments Action Plan that will be interesting for investors. Tigran Khachatryan also touched upon Armenias investment attractions. The German Ambassador congratulated the minister on appointment and expressed satisfaction that the Action Plan contains many economic highlights. The guests introduced their activity circles, starting from agriculture up to engineering, asked their questions to the minister, as well as touched upon their business plans in Armenia. Minister Khachatryan drew the attention of the guests on the fields which have a great potential that is not utilized. At the end of the meeting the minister said the ministry and Business Armenia staff will spare no efforts for the business mission to be extremely effective and targeted by organizing respective meetings with the Armenian partners. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Miroslav Lajcak will visit Armenia and Azerbaijan in March. Lajcak plans to discuss issues concerning the NK conflict settlement during the visits, he said at a joint news conference with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov. I am planning to visit Yerevan and Baku, in the first half of March, to discuss these issues. I have an invitation from Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said. He noted that Slovakia is fully supporting the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Lajcak noted that a new situation exists in Armenia after the elections, with a government with strong mandate, and that certain expectations exist with it. Our goal is to support the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to use this new situation, he said. In turn, Lavrov emphasized that the Minsk Group Co-Chairing countries Russia, France and the US, are closely cooperating with the OSCE. Theyve already met with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders, foreign ministers, new contacts are being prepared. Given the fact that the Armenian government has been formed quite recently, certainly, it will take some time in order to be clear to what extent and intensity the settlement process will be able to be developed at this stage, Lavrov said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Investigative Committee chief Hayk Grigoryan has held a meeting today with U.S.s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regional legal attache assistant Matthew Boyden, the Investigative Committee said in a news release. During this brief period of time of activities of the Investigative Committee we have already felt the unconditional support of the U.S. partners, an individual demonstration of which is the duly legal assistance of the FBI in concrete criminal cases investigated by the Investigative Committee, including a case of embezzlement of hundreds of thousands of dollars of state funds, Grigoryan said. Grigoryan also attached importance to a training program organized by the FBI earlier in 2017, which led to the creation of a direct e-communication platform between the legal assistance department of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Investigative Committees international inquires department. He also attached importance to visits of Armenian investigators to the FBI headquarters at the invitation of the American side, during which agreements were reached on conducting training of Armenian investigators in the U.S., which is already in stage of implementation. Boyden thanked for the reception and congratulated Grigoryan on assuming office. I highly appreciate all the achievements you mentioned that we have had during our joint activity. I am sure that the developed relations will have deeper roots, he said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Amid ongoing criminal investigations and frozen assets, ex-President Serzh Sargsyans brother Alexander Sargsyan has returned millions of dollars to the state, the governments staff told ARMENPRESS. During the timeframe of various criminal cases and investigations against Alexander Sargsyan, he voluntarily transferred 18,5 million dollars to the state, the governments staff said. The money that has been technically donated to the state is not among the frozen assets. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The crime committed against Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest, in 2004, was Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs first message to the world what policy he is going to run and what are his plans, Marina Grigoryan Ordinary Genocide project manager, told a press conference in ARMENPRESS. That crime proved that Aliyevs plan was to make Armenophobia a state policy of Azerbaijan. All actions which took place shortly after this incident, such as the trial of Ramil Safarov who killed Margaryan with an axe, his extradition, as well as the ongoing actions show that Aliyev is consistently carrying out that policy, she said. Grigoryan said that crime has been organized at the state level and was Aliyevs state order to Ramil Safarov. This was proved in the first days when Safarov gave his first testimony. He said everything very frankly, and the other Azerbaijani participant Anar Aliyev has confirmed what he said. After the incident Safarov told his partner to go to Baku and state that he has done what he had to do. This exists in the official document, as well as in the materials of the judicial case, she said. Grigoryan said Azerbaijan is responsible for the murder of Gurgen Margaryan. Lawyer Nazeli Vardanyan said the interference at the state level during that years, the opening of embassy in Hungary, the influence on expertise, releasing Safarov after extradition was a planned operation. Its obvious that there is a state order here. When you examine Safarovs activity, you see that he has been a prospective officer. He has graduated from a college in Baku, continued studies in Turkey, participated in the military drills in Northern Cyprus and was sent to Hungary to learn English, she said. 15 years have passed since the murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, who was brutally killed by Azerbaijani criminal Ramil Safarov. On January 11, 2004, Gurgen Margaryan left for Budapest, Hungary, to participate in a three-month English language course which was part of NATO's Partnership for Peace program. On February 19 he was axed, while asleep, by his fellow Azerbaijani participant, Lieutenant Ramil Safarov. The murder took place at 5 am, while the victim was asleep. Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, was transferred back to his home country on August 31, 2012 under an extradition agreement. Although Azerbaijan formally pledged that the life sentence handed down to him in Hungary would be directly continued when he was returned to his homeland, the Azerbaijani president granted him a pardon and formally recognized him as a national hero upon his arrival. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Two weeks after its export licenses were reinstated, the Israeli defense company Aeronautics has announced that it has signed a new contract with Azerbaijan, to whom it had infamously supplied its Orbiter 1K suicide drones, The Jerusalem Post reported. The two-year contract is worth 13 million USD. Within the frames of the contract the company will ensure maintenance work for the Orbiter 1K drones sold to Azerbaijan. In August 2017, reports emerged that Aeronautics Ltd., an aircraft manufacturer, was suspected of using the Orbiter 1K kamikaze drone to attack Armenian forces in Nagorno Karabakh during a demonstration for Azerbaijani officials. Israels defense ministry probed allegation according to which Azerbaijan asked Aeronautics Defense Systems to demonstrate drone on Armenian military positions. The defense ministry received a complaint alleging that after a team from Aeronautics Defense Systems came to Azerbaijan seeking to finalize a contract for the sale of company's Orbiter 1K unmanned aircraft, they were asked to deploy the aircraft, armed with explosives, on a military position of the Armenian army. The existence of the complaint was reported on August 13 by the Israeli daily paper Maariv. The company, however, denies the allegation that its staff conducted such a mission, stating that the company never carries out demonstrations on live targets, and that was true in this case as well. According to Maariv, the two Israeli operators of the craft refused to hit the Armenian position, and after remaining firm in their refusal even after the Azerbaijani threats directed against them, senior representatives of the company armed and operated the unmanned aircraft themselves. Ultimately the drones are said to have missed their targets, and no damage was caused, but according to the complaint, one of them struck at a distance of about 100 meters (330 feet) from the position. In early February, 2019, the Israeli defense ministry has allowed Aeronautics Ltd. to again sell the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to Azerbaijan. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has confirmed reports on filing criminal charges against Sedrak Kocharyan, the eldest son of jailed ex-President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan. In a news release, the NSS said it has uncovered major tax evasion and money laundering cases, with II President of Armenia Robert Kocharyans son Sedrak Kocharyan having direct relation with its organization. He is suspected in laundering $5,300,000 of unknown origin through a company founded by himself. Authorities said the former presidents son then faked contracts through the companys executive and eventually transferred the money to his personal account, evading taxes. The NSS said Sedrak Kocharyan then laundered the money by using it, together with another 5,6 million dollars on his account, to acquire Best Western Congress Hotel in Yerevan. Sedrak Kocharyan has been charged with money laundering and tax evasion. His accomplice, the companys executive Alexan Vorskanyan, was also charged with tax evasion. According to the NSS Vorskanyan has already pleaded guilty. He has been confined to the country limits with a signature bond. The NSS said they continue investigating assets of Sedrak Kocharyan and his family. Earlier on February 18, Sedrak Kocharyan himself revealed that he was under investigation, although authorities did not immediately comment. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. The traffic department of the German infrastructure ministry told Armenias ministry of transport, communication and information technologies that on February 19, as of 10:00, the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is open for all types of vehicles, the ministry told Armenpress. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. February 19 marks the 150th birthday anniversary of renowned Armenian poet and writer Hovhannes Tumanyan. On this occasion a number of events will be held in his birthplace the village of Dsegh of Lori province, not only this day, but throughout the year. Roza Ghazumyan Director of the Hovhannes Tumanyan House-Museum, gave an interview to ARMENPRESS, talking about the expected events. On his birthday we plan to visit his Memorial located in the center of Dsegh to lay flowers for his memory. Thereafter, we will visit a church together with the guests, and then to the House-Museum to watch the Dog and the Cat performance, she said. Talking about the events scheduled for 2019, the Director said the presentation of the book by German-based translator Agapi Mkrtchyan will be held in the House-Museum in summer. Mkrtchyan has translated Tumanyans fairytales from Armenian into Germany. We are cooperating with her for already two years. Children study German in the schools of Dsegh, therefore, the performance of Tsit (Bird) work included in the book will be presented during the presentation, and the kids will perform it in German, she said, adding that they also plan to organize exhibitions. Roza Ghazumyan informs that they are going to implement an educational program titled Family relationships: Upbringing by Tumanyans family example in summer and autumn. I also attach importance to the initiative titled At Tumanyan places within the frames of which the visitors, in addition to touring at the House-Museum, getting information about the renowned writers, also spend their time at places where Tumanyan enjoyed spending his time. This year in September the International Puppet Theater Festival will take place in Dsegh. There will be participants from Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries. We are scheduling the visit of the descendants of the Tumanyan family to Dsegh. He has two grandchildren, one lives in St. Petersburg and the other is currently in Germany, Ghazumyan said. Talking about the reforms carried out in the House-Museum, Director Roza Ghazumyan said they have changed the lighting of the building, plan to hold a new exhibit, increase the number of photos and enrich the already existing materials. She said the main concerning problems are mainly solved. As it was planned, there will be a sale of books and souvenirs in the yard before the jubilee, she said. Interview by Angela Hambardzumyan Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan "Without any doubt, he (the President) is a person who has had integrity in his personal, professional , and now political life," Prime Minister Villanueva told ATV news. When asked about the interrogation of former Odebrecht representative Marcos de Queiroz Grillo in Brazil , the official preferred not to comment, as it is a sensitive matter and any kind of opinion could be interpreted as pressure or intervention in the Public Ministry's probe. Collaboration agreement As is known, the Brazilian construction giant admitted to having paid millions in bribes to government officials in Peru, in order to secure public-works contracts. As a result, Odebrecht benefited from over US$143 million between 2005 and 2014 in Peru, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori currently under preventive detention also allegedly received money from Odebrecht for her 2011 campaign. (END) RMCH/CCR/DTK/MVB Welcome to followthemedia.com The article or material you have chosen... Michael Hedges February 18, 2019 Where elections and social media intersect the result, plain and clear, is disruption. The path to disinformation, fake news and hate speech is Autodromo di Monza through the internet. The track is unforgiving, the crashes spectacular and people turn out to watch. Of course, the sponsors are pleased. Racing After Election Campaign Fake NewsMichael Hedges February 18, 2019 Follow on Twitter Where elections and social media intersect the result, plain and clear, is disruption. The path to disinformation, fake news and hate speech is Autodromo di Monza through the internet. The track is unforgiving, the crashes spectacular and people turn out to watch. Of course, the sponsors are pleased. ...is available for restricted access. You may access this specific article or material for 4 If you are an ftm Member, please go to the home page HERE and log in ftm Members can access all site material at no additional charge. You can JOIN ftm here The ftm newsletter available at no charge to all with registration To register click here. Russia will try to not recognize the elections in Ukraine, using the artificially created situations new rules concerning observing process during elections Open source Security Service of Ukraine of Ukraine (SBU) has prevented the preparation of the disruption of the election process after the first round of the presidential elections by the Russian Federation special services as Ukrainian News reported citing SBU Deputy Head Viktor Kononenko. According to him, this time the Russian special service try to implement the project of the disruption of the election named White balaclava in Ukraine. They prepared the disruption of the election process after the first round of the presidential elections, Kononenko noted. Particularly, the department searched three supporters of MP Nadia Savchenko, including Yevhen Morenets, who posted provocative and anti-Ukrainian materials. The design of Russia is the non-recognition of the elections and holding of veche, emphasized. He said that according to the plan of the Russian special services, people should seize the establishment and spill blood, as well as to become the target of attack. Morenets was considering the possibility of seizing of the building of the Rada after the elections of the president, he added. According to Kononenko, Russia will try to not recognize the elections in Ukraine, using the artificially created situations. Earlier SBU Head Vasyl Hrytsak reported that Russias special forces started a rally of firing the churches and intimidating the priests in Ukraine. The Security Service has managed to establish that the Russian special services are looking for people who can set fire to the church buildings of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). They offered $ 2,000 for the arson, which they promised to transfer to a card account opened in one of the Ukrainian banks. Ukraine's Cyber Security Center also considered the issue of the security of the Central Election Commission servers and readiness to counteract the possible cyber attacks during the election process The Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Oleksandr Turchynov NSDC Russia intends to involve all present arsenal, including the cyber means, to influence the upcoming elections in Ukraine. National Security and Defense Secretary of Ukraine Olexandr Turchynov made such statement as his website reported. The present information shows the intentions of Russia to involve all present arsenal, including the cyber means, to influence the democratic expression of the will of the Ukrainian people, Turchynov said. Cyber Security Center also considered the issue of the security of the Central Election Commission servers and readiness to counteract the possible cyber attacks during the election process, draft conception of the response to the military aggression in the cyberspace. Turchynov reported that the joint drills with the support of the EU will take place soon. The different scenarios of the interference will be modeled during them and the response models to the cyber threats will be worked out. He noted that according to the results of the previous session of the National Coordination Center of the Cyber Security, the Central Election Commission concluded the Cooperation Memorandum with the subjects of the provision of the cybersecurity, within which the comprehensive technical and methodical support is provided to the election commissions. Turchynov noted the coordinated effort of the Central Election Commission, Security Service, and State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection. Moreover, the issues of the practical inter-department interaction, particularly the creation of the task group of the specialists of the Security Service and State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection, were discussed. 24/7 duty of the forces and means of the cybersecurity of the Security Service and State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection will be organized, which will aim to expose, prevent and suppression of all unauthorized actions toward the information resources of the Central Election Commission, Turchynov claimed. The members of the National Coordination Center of the Cyber Security listened to the draft conception of the response to the military aggression in the cyberspace prepared by the Defense Ministry and General Staff. Earlier Dan Coats, director of the National Intelligence Agency said that Russia can try to use cyber attacks to influence the presidential election in Ukraine. The election campaign has officially started on December 31, 2018. Registration of the candidates would last until February 4, 2019, and on February 9, the final list of presidential candidates has appeared. The candidates would be able to withdraw his candidacy until March 7, 2019. Central Election Commission of Ukraine closed all polling station in Russia, particularly, Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk. On February 7, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine prohibited observers from the Russian Federation to participate in the election process in Ukraine. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has signed the letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with the demand to condemn the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and release Ukrainian hostages. The proper letter was passed to the president during the meeting with the representatives of the public and cultural figures on the release of the Ukrainian sailors as 112 Ukraine reported. Poroshenko has signed the letter and promised to pass it to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on February 20. I promise you that tomorrow during the speech and during the meeting with the secretary-general, I will pass these signed letters and we will offer particular steps that we are expected from the UN and the Secretary-General to return our guys home. Their release from prison is fundamentally important for us, the president stated. It is known that the president will participate in the UN General Assembly on February 20. The debates on the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine will take place there. The president reminded that there was no meeting at the international level, where he did not urge the world leaders to provide the fulfillment of the demands of the Ukrainians: The first demand is to promptly return our boys back home. The second demand is to return Ukrainian military boats. The third demand is to provide the freedom of navigation in Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov. We will not allow to make the Russian lake out of our Sea of Azov. It is very important for us to state that the world shows this solidarity, Poroshenko added. On November 25, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy attacked the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian ships were rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them. All 24 sailors on board were captured and delivered to Moscow 21 of them were delivered to Lefortovo remand center, another - to the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison. 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. Facing an extension of the sentence term, Ukrainian POWs detained in the Kerch Strait refused to testify in Lefortovo court. Sailors were distributed into six groups, four people in each. On January 15, 2019, Moscow's Lefortovo district court decided to keep 20 Ukrainian sailors in remand until April 24. On January 16, the court extended the detention term for another 4 sailors. As we reported, lawyer Nikolai Polozov, who deals with the defense of Ukrainian prisoners of war, confirmed that three Ukrainian sailors wounded in the Russian Navy attack on Ukrainian ships were brought from Matrosskaya Tishina to Lefortovo prison in Moscow. He also added that it happened on Monday, January 28. Ukrainian political prisoner Volodymyr Balukh was taken to the Russian Krasnodar from Simferopol remand center, as Akhtem Chiygoz, the Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars, reported on Facebook. Volodymyr Balukh was conveyed to Krasnodar, the message says. Balukhs transfer to Russia poses threat to his life. Earlier, the deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Ahtem Chyigoz, reported that Ukrainian political prisoner Volodymyr Balukh was beaten up and threatened to get killed in the Simferopol remand center. According to the Deputy Chairman, Balukh was taken out from his cell, severely beaten up and is threatened to get killed. On September 10, the Supreme Court of occupied Crimea controlled by the Kremlin did not grant the appeal of Volodymyr Balukhs lawyer Olga Dinze on his conditional release. It was noted that the activist participated in the session through a video conference from the remand prison. Balukh was arrested on December 8, 2016, nine days after he nailed a plaque renaming his home No. 18 Heroes of Nebesna Sotnya St in memory of the over 100 Maidan activists who were killed during Euromaidan. He had rejected demands from the head of the local council to remove it. During an irregular search of his home, 90 bullets and several TNT explosive devices were allegedly found in his attic. Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group stated that he had no record of violence and the constant searches and series of administrative prosecutions he had faced since Russias invasion of Crimea for his openly pro-Ukrainian position made it inconceivable that he could have held anything illegal in his home. The implausibility of the charges was just one of several compelling reasons why the renowned Memorial Human Rights Centre declared him a political prisoner well before the trial. Related video: Ukraine news on 112.international Ukrainian political prisoner Pavlo Gryb was taken to the court session with a fever, as Ukrinform reported. The hearing took place at the North Caucasian District Military Court in Russia's Rostov. Pavlo arrived in the court building with high temperature. But he said he was ready to be present at the session and answer the questions, his father Igor Gryb stated. The representative of the Prosecutors Office and the translator did not come to the hearing. I think that this is a purposeful and prepared action by the Russian side, Igor Gryb noted. As we reported earlier, Pavlo Gryb is the son of the former Ukrainian border guard Ihor Gryb. The Russian special service detained the 19-year-old boy on August 25, 2017, when he went to Gomel (Belarus) to meet his friend. Later, he was convoyed to Russia. The Russian law enforcers suspect Pavlo Gryb of preparing a terrorist attack at a school in Sochi (a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast, - 112 International). Russia did not provide the European Court of Human Rights with information about the Ukrainian political prisoner Pavlo Gryb's health status. Pavlo Gryb was not allowed to see his mother and the Ukrainian consul. Russia promises to give permission to the meeting with the consul, but only after the verdict. Yet, the consular convention signed between Ukraine and Russia does not provide for such refusal. Denisova assured she would appeal to the representatives of the Council of Europe to get permission for meeting with the consul before the verdict is announced. Related video: Open source Over 30 people, accused of committing crimes during Euromaidan, still work in law enforcement agencies, ten of them hold senior positions, as Sergiy Horbatyuk, the Head of Special Investigations Department of the General Prosecutors Office, said, 112 Ukraine reported. For today, 36 people who were served with charges, continue working in law enforcement agencies, ten of them hold executive positions. People charged accused of organizing murders, continue working, and all the reaction concerning their removal are being overruled: courts do not agree on that, leadership does not take any steps. And there are lots of such examples, he noted commenting the problems the Special Investigations Department of the General Prosecutors Office faces investigating the Euromaidan crimes. Among other problems, Horbatyuk noted direct interference in the work of the department. To cut it short, this is the issue of the General Prosecutors Office as well: downsizing, staff changes. 40 people were fired in 2016 when half of the investigation passed. Earlier, it was indirect interference, and today in 2018, this became a direct interference. For instance, the case was closed in Khmelnytsky after the investigators of the department received results and served the charge papers. The Prosecutor General passed the investigation to another department. The same thing with the murder of the law enforcers after charge papers were served, the leader was replaced and charges were changed. The case on state enforcement officers was also passed to another department, which helped to disperse Maidan. There are some gaps in the system from the Foreign Ministrys side, and SBU, operative departments do not provide help, except some separate moments, he stressed. Earlier, Horbatyuk said that the Special Investigations Department of the General Prosecutors Office is investigating four cases concerning murders on Independence Square during Revolution of Dignity. The Command of Ukraine's Air Force denies the allegations about Russia's bomber aircraft entering the airspace over Donbas on February 15. The respective message appeared on Facebook. 'Some news agencies have been spreading the piece of information, which stated that the flight of Russian Air and Space Forces warplane, Tupolev Tu-95 took place in Ukraine's airspace over the area of Joint Forces Operation. Having checked the information, we state that it was not true. The on-duty forces of anti-aircraft defense of Ukraine's Air Force conduct combat patrolling every day, protecting Ukraine's airspace. The defenses are ready to quickly and timely react to any kind of air threats', it says. Previously, OSCE SMM observers mentioned in their daily report that the said flight did take place. 'At 10:00 on 15 February, while positioned in the south-western outskirts of Starobesheve (non-government-controlled, 32km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw flying object south-east of its location flying from south-west to north-east. Based on hand-held imagery, the SMM assessed it as a swept wing four-engine turboprop aircraft (likely a Tupolev TU-95 or Tupolev TU-142). From 10:50-11:10, positioned in an area north-west of Liubivka (formerly Leninske, non-government-controlled, 43km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM saw an aircraft (likely a Tupolev TU-95 or Tupolev TU-142) east of its location flying from north to south and back again,' the report says as posted on February 17. Verkhovna Rada is holding an extraordinary session on February 19; Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, takes part in the commemoration Verkhovna Rada session dedicated to the Fifth anniversary of start of Russian aggression in Ukraine, Feb. 19, 2019 Twitter of Svyatoslav Tsegolko The Verkhovna Rada is holding an extraordinary meeting in connection with the fifth anniversary of the beginning of armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The session Is broadcasted by 112 Ukraine TV channel. Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, who is currently on a visit to Ukraine is attending the meeting. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman take part in the event. The members of the government, representatives of public associations, union of ATO veterans, Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, representatives of international parliamentary organizations and diplomats were also invited. As it was reported earlier, Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council is visiting Ukraine on Monday. The official joins the solemn events in Ukraine, as people remember the final days of the Revolution of Dignity that took place in February 2014. The three days, from February 18 till February 20, became the bloodiest period in the history of Euromaidan movement. About a hundred protesters and a dozen of law enforcers deceased and a thousand more were injured in the gruesome street fights that occurred in the downtown Kyiv. The memory of the fallen protesters is honored annually on these particular days since 2015. The President of the European Council Donald Tusk highly appreciated the efforts of Ukraines leader Petro Poroshenko for implementation of reforms in the state. Donald Tusk is in Ukraine with an official visit on February 18-20. Olena Zaitseva, the defendant in the deadly car accident in Kharkiv, which resulted in the death of six people, has pleaded guilty and she is ready to be punished, as Interfax-Ukraine reported. I admit all points of the violation of the traffic rules with which I charged in the indictment. I feel guilty. Of course, I will never drive again, it is out of the question. I really sincerely repent; that is why I recognize all the lawsuits. I will try along with my family to pay them within my capacity, Zaitseva noted, adding that she is ready to respond and be punished by the court. On October 18, 2017, Lexus ran over a group of pedestrians in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine. Olena Zaitseva who drove the car violated the road traffic, crashing into the Volkswagen Touareg driven by Hennadiy Dronov which threw her car towards the pavement. Both drivers survived, but Lexus ran over eleven people who passed by. Five pedestrians received lethal injuries; another six were taken to a hospital with injuries of various degrees of severity. Zaitseva was detained for two months without a right to bail. The court revoked her driver license and arrested both cars that participated in the accident. The prosecution stated that Zaitseva used opiates not long before the tragedy occurred. According to the information from the defense, the suspect took the sedatives. The version of Zaitseva's defense is that the driver of the Touareg is guilty as he moved on the yellow traffic light. The defense of Hennadiy Dronov denies the accusation and claims that the driver of the Touareg moved on the green traffic light. Dronov was the witness in this case but the police claimed that his status can change. Later, the court refused to recognize Dronov sustained. Hennadiy Dronov was served with charge papers on November 2. The Court arrested Hennadiy Dronov for 42 days without the right to bail on November 8. It was established on December 6 that Zaitseva used substances containing codeine. On February 7, the court prolonged the arrest of two suspects in the car crash that killed six people - Olena Zaitseva and Hennadiy Dronov for two months without a right for bail. Al-Wanash is the result of the cooperation of Ukroboronprom and UAE Company Calidus LLC Al-Wanash armored personnel carrier with BM-3M Shturm combat tower Ukroboronprom Al-Wanash armored personnel carrier with BM-3M Shturm combat tower, the result of the cooperation of Ukrainian State Concern Ukroboronprom and UAE Company Calidus LLC, was presented at the IDEX-2019 international exhibition in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates as Ukroboronprom reported. Al-Wanash armored personnel carrier with BM-3M Shturm combat tower Ukroboronprom Ukrainian BM-3M Shturm combat tower is installed at BTR-3, which is serially produced at Kyiv Armored Plant and which passed the testing in the east of Ukraine. Modern digital system with laser range finder and gun stabilizer ensures for the BM-3M Shturm high accuracy of firing with the 30 mm automatic gun, machine-gun and automatic grenade launcher, as well as Barrier anti-tank guided missiles system, the message said. Its distance for destructing is up to 5 km at any weather conditions day and night. Ukroboronprom notes that Al-Wanash is one of the most modern armored personnel carriers in its class, which was created by joining of the most modern technologies from the leading producers of the world level. On February 18, 2019, the Calidus LLC and the State Company Ukrspecexport, which is a member of the State Concern Ukroboronprom, signed the Memorandum of cooperation having consolidated the reached agreements in further cooperation. As we reported Kharkiv tank factory upgraded over a hundred of T-64 main battle tanks made in 2017. The number of upgraded T-64s is quite enough to re-arm a tank brigade. The Kharkiv-based company continues to modernize the basic models of T-64s to this new level. Besides, Kyiv Armored Vehicle Plant which joint the state company Ukroboronprom has manufactured the pilot hull of the armored personnel carrier 3DA (APC-3DA) made of the armored steel released by one of the NATO countries. Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, is in Ukraine with an official visit on February 18-20 The President of the European Council Donald Tusk and the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko Presidential Administration press office President of the European Council Donald Tusk highly appreciated the efforts of Ukraines leader Petro Poroshenko for implementation of reforms in the state, as he said during the meeting with the Poroshenko, the Presidents Administration reported. "This is the first time in our common European history when such resistance, courage, and pragmatism were demonstrated. Because I feel, and this not only my opinion, that you are heroes and pragmatics. It's unique," Tusk stated. "I also really appreciate your personal role, Mr. President. You also have good reasons to be proud of. This is not just my personal opinion. Your reputation and reputation of the whole country is very good not only in Brussels but also in all the European capitals. You deserve it," the President of the European Council stressed. Donald Tusk is in Ukraine with an official visit on February 18-20. According to the Head of the European Council, Europe will never recognize Russian annexation of Crimea and will not refuse from sanctions until Russia fulfills its obligations Donald Tusk, the Head of the European Council, delivers a speech at Verkhovna Rada, February 19, 2019 Olga Chervakova Facebook The EU is ready to support and help Ukraine, as Donald Tusk, the Head of the European Council, said during the Verkhovna Rada session dedicated to the fifth anniversary of Russias aggression in Ukraine. 112 Ukraine broadcasted the event. I can repeat not only from myself, but also on the behalf of all the EU we are with you and we are ready to help you, Tusk assured. He cited that agreement on association EU admits the European aspirations of Ukraine and welcomes its European choice. I would like to repeat that Europe will never recognize Russian annexation of Crimea and will not refuse from sanctions until Russia fulfills its obligations. Besides, the EU will never put up with aggressive acts in Azov Sea. I will do everything to make the EU stay united, Tusk said. Donald Tusk arrived in Ukraine to participate in the ceremonial events dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity and Russia aggression in Ukraine. He delivered a speech in Ukraines Parliament in Ukrainian. Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine at Dragon Capital conference Presidential Administration press office 28 EU member states joined the so-called Azov package of sanctions against Russia, President Poroshenko said this during the public meeting concerning the release of the Ukrainian sailors, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine. These 28 EU member states unanimously imposed sanctions against Russia for its attack against Ukraine in the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait. This form of solidarity is extremely important, Poroshenko said. As it was reported, EU Council of Ministers approved Azov package of sanctions against Russia. 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. Ukrainian ships were rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them. All 24 sailors on board were captured and delivered to Moscow 21 of them were delivered to Lefortovo remand center, another - to the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison. 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. Facing an extension of the sentence term, Ukrainian POWs detained in the Kerch Strait refused to testify in Lefortovo court. Sailors were distributed into six groups, four people in each. On January 15, 2019, Moscow's Lefortovo district court decided to keep 20 Ukrainian sailors in remand until April 24. On January 16, the court extended the detention term for another 4 sailors. As we reported, lawyer Nikolai Polozov, who deals with the defense of Ukrainian prisoners of war, confirmed that three Ukrainian sailors wounded in the Russian Navy attack on Ukrainian ships were brought from Matrosskaya Tishina to Lefortovo prison in Moscow. He also added that it happened on Monday, January 28. The flights will be performed twice a week Low-cost company Wizz Air has announced the opening of the new routes from Kyiv to two Greek cities, Athens and Thessaloniki, as the company reported. Thus, the flight Kyiv-Athens will be opened on May 21. It will depart twice a week, on Tuesday and Saturday. The flight Kyiv- Thessaloniki will be opened on May 20 and it will also depart twice a week on Monday and Friday. The company also reported that Wizz Air transported over 1,5 million passengers from and to Ukraine in 2018. Earlier, we reported that Serbian national airline Air Serbia would start implementing direct regular flights in seven new directions, including Kyiv. Ukraine's city of Kharkiv and London are now linked via the direct international connection between the airports, according to the decision of Wizz Air. Besides, Wizz Air company opened the direct flight from Kyiv to Vienna. Many times you might have found the multiple casinos available in the online market but when you are going to... Ukrainian photographer Alina Smutko Open source Ukrainian photographer Alina Smutko was forbidden to enter annexed Crimea for 10 years. Smutko wrote about it on Facebook. Today my name appeared on the list of persons that threaten the national security of the Russian Federation. Consequence: They forbade me to enter the territory of the Russian Federation and Crimea, in particular, until 2028. Its a pity, wrote the photographer. In the comment for Crimea. Realia Smutko claimed that Russia forbade her to enter annexed Crimea due to her professional activities. As we reported earlier, the Ukrainian border guards did not allow two Russian journalists to enter Ukraine. One of them is chief editor of internet media Takie Dela (so it goes, - 112.international) Anastasiia Lotareva. Besides, Yevgenia Zobnina, the correspondent of Dozhd could not get into the territory of Ukraine. According to the TV channel website, she arrived at the invitation of human rights center Memorial, Luhansk human rights center Alternative, and German organization DRA for the participation in the blog-tour on Donbas. Zobnina had to depart from Kyiv to Kramatorsk in the evening of December 4. Ukraine has banned the entry to its territory for the male citizens of Russia in the age from 16 up to 60. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko proposed to tighten the rules of the registration in Ukraine for the Russians. Vladyslav Manger cannot leave Kherson unless the State Security Service allows him to do so; the pretrial investigation is underway Vladyslav Manger, the Head of Kherson Regional State Administration Open source Vladyslav Manger, the head of Kherson regional council and the suspect in the organization of Kateryna Handzyuk's murder wears the digital bracelet. Yaroslav Trakalo, the spokesman of the National Police of Ukraine said this as quoted by UNN news agency. 'In accordance with the court decision, which the police of Kherson region received, this citizen [Manger] is released on bail; however, he is obliged to wear the ankle monitor. They put such bracelet on him on Saturday', Trakalo said. Vladyslav Manger cannot leave Kherson unless the State Security Service allows him to do so; the pretrial investigation is underway. Earlier on Tuesday, we reported that the suspect wore no bracelet because there was lack of such devices in Kherson. February 11, Vladyslav Manger, Governor of the Kherson region, was served with charge papers in Handziuks murder. Earlier, Andriy Lysenko, the Spokesperson of Ukraines Prosecutor General Office, said that Manger is in Kherson. Earlier, Ukraines Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko stated that the Head of Kherson Regional Council Manger was served with charge papers concerning organizing the murder of Handziuk. On November 4, it became known that Kateryna Handziuk died at age of 34. She was doused with sulphuric acid in July this year. According to preliminary information, her death was caused by blood clot's detachment. Besides, the doctors specified the cause for the death of Handziuk was specified. It was due to multiple organ failure and chemical burns. The incident took place at Boryspil international airport; after four hours of sorting it out, the law enforcers let most of the tourists pass, but 17 people will be deported Ukraine's state border guards did not let the group of tourists from Israel into Ukraine. A group of visitors and a guide consisted of more than 30 people, Ynet wrote. The outlet reported that after four hours of sorting it out, the law enforcers let most of the tourists pass. However, 17 people, including the guide will be deported back to Israel. The State Border Guard of Ukraine still has not provided any comments on this matter. Lately, there have been reports about border guards in Ukraine and Israel refusing to let the passengers from respective countries pass. Previously, on February 15, 140 Ukrainians had to stay at Ben Gurion airport in Israel for several hours. On the same day, the Ukrainian side held 35 Israeli citizens at Boryspil airport; however, due to the diplomatic interference, the passengers were allowed to pass. February 16, Ukrainian servicemen allegedly attacked at the infrastructural objects near Dokuchayevske (Donetsk region) from small arms, and on February 18, fired at the civilian infrastructural objects in occupied Donetsk from Minsk-banned weapons Russian Investigation Committee Open source Russian Investigation Committee opened criminal investigations against the Ukrainian soldiers, as the service reported. Russias Investigative Committee determined new facts of ill-treatment towards the civilians and use of banned means and ways of conducting war by the Ukrainian soldiers in Donbas Criminal cases under the articles of Russias Criminal Code were launched, the message says. The representatives of the committee stated that on February 16, Ukrainian servicemen attacked at the infrastructural objects near Dokuchayevske (Donetsk region) from small arms, and on February 18, fired at the civilian infrastructural objects in occupied Donetsk from Minsk-banned weapons. Their actions were probably aimed at murdering or harming the civilians, who live in the south-east of Ukraine and those who take part in the armed conflict. Political and ideological hatred and hostility is a reason for such crimes. It is connected with the fact that the residents of that region refused to recognize the legitimacy of the current government, as they want to create their own administrative-territorial units, the message says. At the same time, it was added that the members of the Committee are carrying out investigative procedures and operations. It is not the first time Russia opens inquiries against Ukrainian servicemen. Earlier, the Investigation Committee opened a criminal proceeding against the Ukrainian soldiers who allegedly attacked Sakhanka village, Donetsk region from artillery. According to the President of Ukraine, Russia wants to create a so-called version of the Soviet Union The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko Open source The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and said that Russia was trying to destroy Ukraines sovereignty, and its attacks in Azov Sea prove that, as the Presidents Administration reported. Kremlins goal is to destroy the Ukrainian statehood, to create the so-called second version of the Soviet Union. Mr. President, you know very well what the Soviet Union is, what the Warsaw Pact is, what the past is, from which we came together with you. Only our effective actions, our solidarity will prevent the return to these grievous times, Poroshenko said. He also thanked Tusk for his personal position to support Ukraine. You will always be in history as a person who has done a lot for Ukraine. And the Ukrainian people are very grateful to you. I am very happy that on these very important days for Ukraine, we are with you, the President added. The politician and the chairman of Political Board of 'Opposition Platform - For Life' sues Hanna Hopko, as she claimed that he was 'the executioner who tortured poet Vasyl Stus' Pechersk district court in Kyiv has delayed the preliminary session, at which it is to consider the lawsuit of Viktor Medvedchuk against Hanna Hopko. The latter, who serves as the MP of the Ukrainian Parliament faced the lawsuit by the well-known pro-Russian politician, the chairman of Political Board of 'Opposition Platform - For Life'. Medvedchuk claimed that Hopko's charges against him were unreasoned. 'I'd like to add the decision of Solomyansky district court made in August 2012, which denied and confirmed the inadequate information. This decision took effect and was duly executed', Ihor Kyrylenko, Medvedchuk's lawyer said. According to Kyrylenko, the court rescheduled the session until April 10; this is due to the fact that he, as the newly appointed lawyer had no time to look into the case materials. Previously, MP Vasyl Nimchenko, another politician from Opposition Bloc party, represented Medvedchuk's interests in court; however, he did not enjoy the lawyer's official status and left. Viktor Medvedchuk demands that Hanna Hopko rebuke her own statement, in which she described him as the 'executioner' who tortured poet Vasyl Stus, the Ukrainian poet and Soviet political prisoner. If the court decides in Medvedchuk's favor, Hopko will have to pay him 1,000,000 hryvnas of material damage (almost USD 37,000, - 112 International). Medvedchuk, who was the state-appointed lawyer during the trial over Stus in 1980, eventually admitted that the defendant was guilty and 'deserved punishment for his crimes'. On the other hand, he asked the jury to take into account Stus's health conditions as by that time, he underwent a tough surgery on his stomach. Stus was sentenced to five years in detention; he died in the Russian prison in 1985. Just 3,768 persons are allowed to immigrate into Ukraine per year Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers plans to establish a quota for immigration to Ukraine for 2019. It is about 3,800 people, which are 620 less than last years figure. According to the quota, four highly qualified specialists can immigrate to Ukraine in 2019, the urgent need for which is palpable for the country's economy. No, you are not mistaken. Re-read the previous paragraph. That's right. Four highly qualified specialists, the urgent need for which is palpable for the country's economy. What is the quota - and this economy of such. Against this background, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade reports that the share of the IT industry in the Ukrainian economy is 4% of GDP and that the IT industry is the locomotive. A locomotive to Boryspil airport, I guess. These quotas are introduced as the best traditions of North Korea. The other countries at the level of their governments in the face of emissaries, diplomats, ambassadors, and presidents hunt for brains, are applying a personal approach to each candidate, persuading families to move, taking on all the issues of logistics and adaptation. Ours prefer to create restrictions by setting ridiculous quotas on entry, and then they wonder why no one comes to us. Smart people are useless in the dumbland. Read the original text on Facebook. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia EU Today Russian President Vladimir Putin held a press conference at the Moscow Centre for International Trade in December on Ukrainian-Russian relations. It clearly showed the huge interest of the Russian audience on Ukrainian issues, in particular their president's position. In his particular manner, the Russian president said that the sanctions imposed against Russia for aggression against Ukraine forced Russians to "switch on their brains". But, the tone and content of Putin's remarks confirmed that the Kremlin will continue to consistently apply their tools in order to destabilise Ukraine. He referred to the incident in the Kerch Strait where Russia seized Ukrainian ships and took Ukrainian sailors prisoner; he talked of the situation in Donbass, where Russian terrorists have allegedly been protecting the local population, and of his resentment towards the newly-created Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The Russian leadership continues the course launched right after the signing of the Minsk-I agreements. It is a combination of a wide range of internal and external means for dismantling the Ukrainian government, branded as "Russophobic" because of its unwillingness to surrender to Russian aggression, which seeks to eradicate everything that is Ukrainian and bring pro-Moscow puppets back to power in Ukraine. Russia continues to combine non-military destabilisation methods alongside other hybrid forms of aggression to ensure a favourable "electoral base" in the presidential elections in March and the parliamentary elections in October. Trying to destabilise Ukraine's defence, Moscow is set to further strengthen the combat capabilities of its military deployment along the Russian-Ukrainian border and in the Sea of Azov. Together with strengthening their military presence, a disinformation campaign with a view to concealing the actual number of missile systems deployed and their location across the temporarily-occupied Crimean territory. To destabilise Ukrainian foreign trade, the Kremlin is putting pressure on financial and industrial groups in the CIS member states. They have been threatened with a boycott by the Russian market if they continue cooperating with Kyiv. The Kremlin is also applying pressure on Belarus to stop supplying petroleum products from Belarusian refineries to Ukraine. The Kremlin believes that this should contribute to a sharp jump in fuel prices in Ukraine, hurting the economy on the eve of the election, thus playing into the hands of the populists. Ukrainian sugar producers, pharmacists, and oil producers are being squeezed out from the CIS market. In November 2018, the Uzbek government started introducing restrictive measures against Ukrainian confectionery producers, manufacturers of oil and fat products, as well as producers of sugar and pharmaceuticals. The government of Uzbekistan then offered that the Ukrainian goods be replaced by local or Russian ones. In politics Russia continues employing its agents of influence to destabilise Ukraine. This is about reviving the Kremlins "Shatun Plan" (based on a pun from a Russian verb shatat, or shake, and shatun, an insomniac bear), which was proposed by the Kremlins chief strategist for Ukraine Mr Surkov. The presidential and parliamentary elections in 2019 present a new opportunity to establish a regime in Ukraine more loyal to todays Kremlin. To destabilise the situation in Ukraine and wreak political chaos, the Kremlin has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars. All links of the electoral process are expected to be the targets for massive interference, such as public opinion bombarded by propaganda, disinformation, cyber attacks and the blatant bribery of voters. The Kremlins goal for the parliamentary elections is to establish a strong pro-Russian faction. To this end the whole arsenal of dirty tricks are expected, including smear campaigns, use of the "kompromat," spreading local hype-driving rumours, exaggerating internal issues and the use of internet trolls. Experts of the European watchdog "EU vs. Disinformation" estimate that in 2018, out of 1,000 reported cases of disinformation spreading through the Russian media, 461 cases were related to Ukraine. Closer to the elections the situation is worsening exponentially. Pro-Russian agents are insisting on peace at any cost and claiming that all the issues in Ukraine would be solved once political and economic ties with Russia are restored. The Kremlin is investing heavily in creating and aggravating religious, social and ethnic tensions in Ukrainian regions using combat tested methods. In the Trans-Carpathian region the Kremlin seeks to play on the pro-Hungarian feelings of the local population of the Rusyns. They try to worsen relations between Ukraine and Hungary, and create a picture within the EU that Ukraine violates the rights of Hungarian minority. They are keen to switch international attention and specifically that of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission from violation of human rights in Donbass to other regions of Ukraine, such as Odessa and Kherson oblasts. Today Russia is paying dearly for its aggression international sanctions remain in place, Kremlin diplomacy is experiencing constant defeats, and international courts of law are rule against Russian companies. The prevailing sentiment in the USA is Anti-Russian, the EU and the majority of the EU Member States condemn Russian aggression. In the current environment of international isolation, sanctions, and rejection the Kremlin has high hopes for a change in the leadership in Ukraine, and this is a key priority for their foreign policy. Read the original text here. The Prime Minister thinks that Ukraine has a lot of possibilities to become an energy-independent state Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman stated that Ukraine can refuse from the imported gas in the next five years because of the opening of the access to the Ukrainian resources as Ukrinform reported. We begin to develop a very difficult and closed system, the access to the Ukrainian resources. I think that it will open us access in the next five years and will allow us not to purchase gas for currency but produce it in Ukraine, Groysman said. As we reported Naftogaz-Ukraine is ready to set counters for the consumers if they sign contracts. Consumers themselves can be the sources of the means. Naftogaz representatives have checked and chosen the counters which they can install. According to Kobolev, one counter costs around $43 46. If Naftogaz purchases counters for the consumers, their price will fall down by 20-30%. Besides, Maros Sefcovic, the Head of the European Commission, made an offer to Ukraine concerning the new contract on Russian gas transit after 2019. Earlier, the European Commission considered the possibility of complete rejection from the natural gas and other hydrocarbons. On Monday, 18, four Ukrainian servicemen were wounded as a result of Russian attack in Donbas conflict zone. The Russian militants violated the ceasefire regime seven times today. The Joint Forces Operation (JFO) HQ reported this on Facebook. The enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian Armed Forces eight time over 24 hours; they used the Minsk-banned weaponry seven times: 122 mm artillery and 120 mm and 82 mm mortar, 94 mines and shells, - the report said. Four Ukrainian soldiers of Armed Forces of Ukraine were wounded. Ukrainian soldiers stopped the fire by opening fire as well. Earlier, as of Monday, February 18, there have been 41 Ukrainian army fighters held in captivity of the Russian terrorists in Donbas. Novynarnia news agency reported that publishing the Armed Forces PR department's response to the information request. Three servicemen have been captured since the beginning of 2019; over the entire 2018, the enemy captured four Ukrainian defenders. Ukraine elections on March 31 Open source The 2019 presidential elections in Ukraine seem to be special. The peculiarity is that the current leader of the race (Volodymyr Zelensky, - ed.) is less interested in winning than his two closest rivals. Zelensky, in fact, does not lose anything if he does not win. He gets a number of bonuses, but losing is not critical for him. We cannot say the same about Yulia Tymoshenko and Petro Poroshenko. If we imagine that they go to the second round, the struggle will go fierce and irreconcilable. Is the question "provocative" or "pro-Russian?" We should specify an important nuance here. In 2004, during the presidential elections (Yushchenko vs. Yanukovych), the exit polls demonstrated Yushchenko's victory. Whereas the Central Election Commission (CEC), according to its own calculations, was going to announce Yanukovych as president of Ukraine. Such a precedent never happened again: for example, in the elections of 2010, Viktor Yanukovych defeated Yulia Tymoshenko by a three percent advantage, which roughly corresponded to sociological measurements. This, however, still did not prevent her from challenging the election results in court, but without a success. Thus, vox populi was and remains the only comprehensive measure of the election integrity. You should wait for the results of the polls at the exit from the sites and compare them with the officially established results. The coincidence of the first and second will beat the trumps of the avid fighter for the presidential mace. We asked MP of the previous convocations Yuriy Klyuchkovsky whether a second run-off is possible. In 2004, Klyuchkovsky was a trustee of Viktor Yushchenko, he appealed to the Supreme Court to appeal the election results. Klyuchkovsky called our question provocative and pro-Russian and refused to answer it. Official Moscow is now really threatening to initiate the recognition of the Ukrainian elections illegitimate if its observers are not allowed to monitor the electoral process. Petro Poroshenko has already noted that, as commander in chief, he would give an order to the border guards to send Russian observers back home. This position has caused outrage in the OSCE, however, most of the Ukrainian experts are convinced that this does not mean anything and would in no way affect the legitimacy of the elections. Thus, Russia can make any loud statements, but the fate of the elections would be decided by the key Ukrainian political players. The runoff is not that easy Andriy Mahera, the former member of the Central Election Commission, was one of those who played a key role in the fate of the 2004 elections. Together with his colleagues, Ruslan Knyazevych and Yaroslav Davydovich he refused to sign the protocol with the official election results, according to which Viktor Yanukovych was to be proclaimed head of state. It was this moment that gave a start to the "Yushchenko against the CEC" case, considered by the Supreme Court from November 25 to December 3, 2004. Recalling those events, Mahera notes that "back in 2004 there was no procedure for going to court regarding the actions of the CEC on the establishment of election results." He adds that during the preparation of the document, the then team of lawyers referred to Articles 8 and 124 of the Constitution of Ukraine. Article 8 declares the principle of the rule of law and guarantees the protection of the rights of a citizen of Ukraine in court, and Article 124 says, in particular, that justice is administered exclusively by the courts, the decision of which is mandatory for implementation throughout Ukraine. In other words, 15 years ago, lawmakers who acted in the interests of candidate Yushchenko based their appeal on very general tenets. If we look into the old documents, the Supreme Court ruling literally says: The facts of a systematic and gross violation of the principles and fundamentals of the electoral process during the repeated voting on the elections of the President of Ukraine on November 21, 2004 are such as to make it impossible to reliably establish the results of the will of the voters in the single state election district for the elections of the President of Ukraine." Therefore, now, experts say, the presidential candidates, who would like to repeat 2004 experience, should not talk about fraud but gather an evidence base of violations of electoral legislation. Appeals to the court might take place, but the chances of holding the so-called second round are now significantly lower than in 2004. This is possible only if systemic repeated violations of the electoral process are recorded. I emphasize: if they are systemic. Not in one or two polling stations or even several districts. If such violations do not affect the election results, then there will be no corresponding court decisions, Mahera summarizes. Is the Maidan factor decisive? The presidential candidate, who is officially losing, is to make sure that the election results released by the CEC do not coincide with the exit poll data. Then he has to collect the "portfolio" of all legislative violations. The latter includes mass ballot stuffing in the ballot boxes, organized delivery of voters to the polling stations, bribing the voters, campaigning for one candidate or another, deliberately damaging the ballot box or documentation of the election commission, etc. Meanwhile, if we return to 2004, it is quite obvious that the driving force behind the court decisions were the public moods behind the window of the Supreme Court and other government buildings. Imagine that there were no impressive rallies and the Orange revolution on Khreshchatyk and Independence Square, supporting Yushchenko. The Supreme Court of that time has made decisions under the public pressure, under the pressure of Maidan. I dont think there would be any mass protests now. There are no weighty political grounds for this, although electoral grounds might appear for example, illegal actions during elections. On the whole, the situation in the country is much more complicated and radically different than that which was in 2004. Because the Supreme Court was not only guided by the legal grounds but also took into account the political and geopolitical situation, said Vadym Karasiov, Institute of Global Strategies head. Recalling the geopolitical component, Karasiov means the solidarity that the West demonstrated to Ukraine in the days of the Orange Revolution. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Javier Solana, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, President of Poland Alexander Kwasniewski and others were among the Maidan supporters. But apart from all-round Western support, the success of the Orange Revolution led to the well-known compromise between the government and the opposition, known as the "political reform of December 8." On this day, the Verkhovna Rada has voted for a number of historic votes it has changed the CEC composition and introduced some changes to the law on the election of the president in order to avoid further fraud. It has adopted amendments to the Constitution, which limited the power of the president and transferred part of his powers to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Parliament. Such transformations cannot be realistic today. There is no such radical separation between the authorities and the opposition, which determined the realities of 2004. There are many branches of the opposition now, and they are all engaged in a struggle with each other. "If we talk about some potential Maidan, one can hardly expect that the next elections will lead to it. The level of public confidence in all candidates is too low, and the main competitors do not offer radically different directions for the development of the state, Bohdan Petrenko, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Institute for Extremism Studies, notes. The lack of confidence in the establishment is indeed significant. Many of the sociologists associate the unexpected rise of Zelensky with this. But will a Maidan gather in his support? Or for Poroshenko and Tymoshenko? Very unlikely. And if the current leader manages to mobilize their supporters, their action will turn into theatricalness. And if the course of the Revolution of dignity was accompanied by tragedy, the conditional Maidan-2019 promises to be a comedy. Which is probably not bad. In any case, it is better than bloodshed. Read the original text at 112.ua. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-10 21:05:36|Editor: mmm Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Escape from congestion, cold and crowd, celebrate your new year in Nepal where summer is cool and winter is warm. It is the message that Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) conveyed to the Chinese people during the ongoing holiday of Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival. As China has emerged as second largest source market for Nepal's tourism sector in the recent years after India, the Himalayan country is making every effort to bring in Chinese visitors. "Many activities are being organized on the occasion of Chinese New Year in Nepal in cities like capital Kathmandu and western tourism city Pokhara," Deepak Raj Joshi, chief executive officer of NTB told Xinhua last week. Chinese Spring Festival began on Feb. 5 and the Chinese people travel to different destinations during the week-long holiday as a large number of people choose Nepal. Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan are common destinations for most of the Chinese tourists visiting Nepal during the Spring Festival. Chinese airlines have reported almost full occupancy while Nepal's travel trade sector has also reported a surge in Chinese visitors during the Spring Festival. Rashika Shrestha, sales and reservation supervisor at China Eastern Airlines Office in Kathmandu, told Xinhua on Sunday that the China Eastern has occupancy remained almost full in the recent days. During the festival season, Nepali travel sector has a busy schedule managing the Chinese tourists. Kishor Raj Pandey, chairman of Saathi Travel, has been organizing trips for seven groups of Chinese tourists, each consisting of around 15 people. "We organize trips for maximum 3-4 groups in normal days in a week. We are now dealing with seven groups this week as more Chinese visitors came to Nepal during the New Year holidays," Pandey told Xinhua. Saathi is a pioneer travel agency in bringing in Chinese tourists since early years of this century. Similar is the experience of Shuang Qi Tour Pvt. Ltd, a tour agency dealing with Chinese tourists in Nepal. "Normally, we deal with 400-500 Chinese visitors in a month. We are organizing trips for around 500 visitors in a week-long holiday of this Spring Festival," Bishwesh Shrestha, managing director of Shuang Qi Tour, told Xinhua last week. SNT Holidays, another travel agency, has also witnessed upswing in Chinese visitors for the New Year. "More Chinese tourists have come to Nepal this Spring Festival. We are seeing surge in arrivals of individual visitors compared to those who come in a group this time around," said Sri Ram Thapa, managing director of the company. Nepal's travel trade sector has been organizing the welcome ceremonies and handing out greeting cards and gifts for the Chinese visitors coming to Nepal during the New Year. Hotel Annapurna, a five-star hotel in Kathmandu, has also prepared special menu targeting the Spring Festival. According to hotel officials, around five percent of the rooms have been occupied by Chinese tourists currently. "Although occupancy from Chinese visitors is not so high, they are all high-end visitors," Atma Khanal, sales executive at the Hotel. Although arrivals of Chinese tourists have grown during the Spring Festival, Nepali travel trade sector believes that number could grow even higher if the airfare for Chinese visitors coming to Nepal becomes cheaper. "Chinese tourists complain about high airfare although travel package within Nepal is relatively cheap," said Thapa. Therefore, Nepali travel industry officials insisted that there should be more competition among the airlines connecting Nepal and Chinese cities. As Nepal celebrated arrivals of over 1 million foreign tourists in a year for the first time in 2018, a record 153,602 Chinese tourists visited the country in that year, a rise of 46.8 percent compared to 2017. Un cutremur cu magnitudinea 5,2 grade pe scara Richter a provocat panica in estul Turciei Un cutremur cu magnitudinea de 5,2 grade pe scara Richter a provocat vineri panica in Bingol, in estul Turciei, fara a se semnala victime sau pagube provocate de seism in acest oras cu 160.000 de locuitori, informeaza [citeste mai departe] Coada de 10 km la intrarea in Grecia prin vama Makaza Romanii care merg in vacanta in Grecia stau din nou la cozi uriase in vama Makaza. Pe mai bine de 10 km se intinde sirul de masini. Persoanele care vor sa intre in Grecia prin acest punct trebuie sa astepte chiar si jumatate de ora pentru fiecare 500 de metri parcursi, unul dintre motive fiind [citeste mai departe] Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-18 23:33:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Flames are seen during a fierce gunfight at Pinglan village of Pulwama district, about 30 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 18, 2019. Four troopers including an officer and two militants were killed Monday in a fierce gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said. (Xinhua/Javed Dar) SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Four troopers including an officer, three militants, a policeman and a civilian were killed Monday in a fierce 18-hour-long gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said. The gunfight broke out early Monday at village Pinglan of Pulwama district, about 30 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "In a gunfight that broke out here early today and lasted for around 18 hours, three militants were killed," a senior police official posted in Pulwama told Xinhua. "While fighting militants four troops including an officer of the rank of major and a policeman were killed. A civilian also lost life in the firing." At least nine government forces personnel, including a brigade commander and a lieutenant colonel and a deputy inspector general of police, were reportedly wounded in the stand-off. The wounded were removed to hospital for treatment. According to police, contingents of army and paramilitary cordoned off the village on specific intelligence information suggesting presence of militants. "No sooner the government forces zeroed in on suspected area, the militants present there fired upon the advanced contingent thereby triggering a firefight," the police official said. Reports said three residential houses were damaged during the exchange of fire in the village. A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 06:44:46|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Google said Tuesday that it planned to buy Silicon Valley data migration company Alooma to grow its cloud business service in its latest efforts to compete with its rivals Amazon and Microsoft. Google said Alooma is a leading company that helps enterprise customers to streamline database migration in the cloud and move their data from multiple sources to a single data warehouse. The addition of Alooma "allows us to offer customers a streamlined, automated migration experience to Google Cloud, and give them access to our full range of database services," Google said. Google is going to leverage Alooma's deep expertise for both enterprise and open source databases to build its additional but critical migration capabilities within Google Cloud Platform. Both Google and Alooma, which is based in Israel and California, did not disclose details of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals. Alooma's co-founders Yoni Broyde and Yair Weinberger wrote in a blog post Tuesday that the acquisition is the evolution of their long-standing partnership with Google Cloud. "Joining Google Cloud will bring us one step closer to delivering a full self-service database migration experience bolstered by the power of their cloud technology, including analytics, security, AI, and machine learning," they said. Alooma has been a partner of Google's Cloud Spanner, the internet giant's a globally distributed database platform, since 2017. Members of the China National Peking Opera Company perform at the auditorium of the Central Middle School in Muscatine, the United States, Feb. 14, 2019. The performance delighted the local audience, marking the fourth consecutive year for Muscatine to hold such a Chinese Lunar New Year concert. (Xinhua/Wang Ping) by Xinhua writers Xu Jing, Zhang Yuan CHICAGO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Greg Jenkins, president and CEO of Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Muscatine in the U.S. midwestern state of Iowa, again hosted Chinese musicians at his house during the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday this year. Jenkins' family has hosted Chinese musicians every year in the past four years when they visited this small town along the Mississippi River. This year they came to his house Wednesday. "We enjoy each other's company," Jenkins told Xinhua. "Everybody's different, but they all seem to really love what they do. And they're all very good at what they do." It has become a tradition for the local families in Muscatine to have Chinese musicians stay over at their houses, to meet their kids and eat breakfast together. This "unique American experience" usually has a lasting impression because it is a taste of the real life in America, said Dan Stein, chairman of the Muscatine-China Initiatives Committee. In the past three years, Chinese musicians from Beijing, the provinces of Zhejiang and Shaanxi have presented local audience in Muscatine with China's folk music and dances. This year, they brought Peking opera and 2,400-year-old chime bells from central China's Hubei Province, which is located on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. "I'm a big fan of China and its culture," Stein told Xinhua. He said Muscatine, a small town not frequented by top-level musicians, is excited by the arrival of professional musicians from major Chinese cities and their repertoire of music. "Experience each year has been very unique," he said. Glad Cheng has sponsored the Chinese New Year concert in Muscatine for four years. More than five years ago, he came to this small U.S. town and invested in some properties, including the only hotel project in the city. Thanks to the yearly concerts, local residents are becoming more interested in Chinese culture, Cheng said. He has launched the Sino-U.S. Friendship Center in downtown Muscatine, which offers music, dance, and language courses to hundreds of children a week. A good way to let people in the U.S. Midwest know China is to start with children, Cheng said. "If we people start to know each other, it will be conducive to the communication and cooperation between the two countries." Stein shares Cheng's view. "When the kids are young, high school or university exchanges, that's when a person is starting to form their opinion of the world. If we can get the exchanges at that time and they can learn something about the different countries, it will have a big effect over their lifetime." China implies a completely different experience from language to food to culture, Stein said. "The kids we've sent over there, when they come back, they have a new perspective on the world. They will have more of a global perspective. This is really important, it is a life-changing experience." Several groups of high school students in Muscatine have visited China, either to attend China International Chorus Festival or for exchange programs over the past few years. Stein perceived the growing influences the Chinese New Year concerts on the local community. "We hear more people saying things like 'I'd like to work with you guys,' 'I'd like to learn more about what you're doing and know something more about China'." Shae Carter is a sales administrative assistant at the Merrill in Muscatine, the hotel in which Cheng has a share. "I have watched the Chinese New Year concerts before, every year, I am so excited that they are here to give us this opportunity; they are magnificent," Carter told Xinhua. Carter has taken a college course on Chinese calligraphy. "I really enjoy it. It relaxes me." She plans to go to China someday with her boyfriend. "I'm looking forward to it. There're a lot of good things to see." Lu Xiangrong, president of Hubei Chime Bells National Chinese Orchestra, was thrilled by the enthusiastic response from the audience in Muscatine. "Music has no border. It is our great pleasure to bring the enjoyment to the U.S. people." Stein expressed the hope that more Chinese people would come to Muscatine. "In Muscatine we feel like we have a special bond with the Chinese people." "When common people meet common people, it is always a great experience. Any time we can understand each other and learn something about the other side, it makes everything easier," Stein said. File Photo: Soldiers of the Yemeni pro-government forces stand on a military vehicle in Hodeidah, Yemen, on Nov. 15, 2018. (Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday urged the international community to push the Yemeni parties to sustain effective political dialogue. "We should push the Yemeni parties to sustain effective political dialogue and negotiation," Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at a Security Council meeting on the situation in Yemen. "We need to insist on the role of the United Nations as the main channel," he said. "Under the leadership of the Redeployment Coordination Committee, political will is to be turned into real action," the Chinese ambassador said. "We hope to see an early launch of the next round of peace talks under the leadership of special envoy (Martin) Griffiths, so as to reach a settlement that balances and takes into account of the interests of all parties and help resume peace, stability, and normal order in Yemen," he said. Noting that the international community "is paying close attention to" the issue of Yemen and is having a lot of expectations for the resumption of peace and stability in Yemen, Ma said that the Stockholm Agreement "has brought about hope of peace for the Yemeni people." "The Security Council should have a timely understanding of the implementation of the agreement by all parties and the challenges they are facing, and continue to play a positive role on the issue of Yemen," the Chinese envoy added. Ma told the Security Council that all Yemeni parties "are abiding by the ceasefire agreement in general," adding that the Redeployment Coordination Committee under the auspices of the United Nations and with the participation of all Yemeni parties, is conducting its work "in an orderly fashion and has arrived at a consensus" on the first phase arrangement on Feb. 17. Speaking of the challenges, the Chinese envoy said that the practical difficulties in implementing the agreement cannot be underestimated. "Fighting is going on in Hodeidah and its surrounding areas. The two parties still have differences on the list of prisoners and the issue of task," he said. "The humanitarian situation in Yemen is dire," Ma noted. The envoy urged parties concerned to continue with the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement. "The Yemeni parties should effectively implement the agreement, address their differences through dialogue, and increase their consensus," he said. UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths told the Security Council via video link from Amman that Yemen's government and Houthi rebels had agreed to pull back from the rebel-held ports of Saleef and Ras Issa followed by a redeployment from Hodeidah port, also held by the Houthis, and critical parts of the city. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 04:59:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The sales of French food group Danone dropped by 35 percent in Morocco in 2018 amid boycott from local customers, the French group said on Tuesday. According to Danone's statement, the impact on total net sales was a decrease of 178 million euros versus 2017 net sales, of which around two thirds come from losses in milk sales, and one third from losses in dairy products. The global yogurt maker revealed that its net profit fell by 4.1 percent to 2.34 billion euros in 2018. In April 2018, a consumer boycott was launched in Morocco on social media over unfair prices set by large businesses linked to elite class and foreign brands in monopoly position. In September, Danone's Chief Executive Emmanuel Faber travelled to Morocco and announced a series of measures aimed at regaining trust of consumers, including a price cut on packages of fresh pasteurized milk and the creation of a new cheaper package of half skimmed milk in a pouch. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 04:44:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani reaffirmed Tuesday in Rabat his country's support to stability in Libya. During his meeting with Libya's Interior Minister Fathi Bachagha, El Othmani reiterated the support of Morocco for "efforts by the Libyan brothers to restore stability in the country," the prime minister's office said in a statement. He also reiterated Morocco's commitment to "respecting the sovereignty of states and the principle of non-interference that characterizes the Moroccan foreign policy," the statement added. For his part, Bachagha expressed the gratitude of the Libyan people to Morocco for its "unwavering support to achieve stability" in Libya, the same source said. The Libyan official also vowed his country's willingness to strengthen cooperation with Morocco and benefit from the Moroccan expertise in several areas, particularly in security, stability and investment, the source pointed out. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 03:39:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi Tuesday said that most of Islamic State (IS) militants remaining in Syria are Iraqi citizens, asserting that Iraqi forces are closely following the situation inside Syria. "We will wait and watch the movements in Syria, and it is supposed that Daesh (IS group) militants would surrender and most of them are Iraqi nationals," Abdul Mahdi told a press conference after weekly cabinet meeting. "We are going to strike a devastating blow to prevent them (IS militants) from any impact on the security situation in Iraq," Abdul Mahdi said without giving further details about the strike. He said that Iraq is concerned about developments of the battles in neighboring Syria, which is witnessing the clearing of the last pocket of IS extremist group near the Syrian border with Iraq. Iraqi security force and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi brigades are deployed on the borderline between Syria and Iraq, which extends to some 600 km in west of the two provinces of Nineveh and Anbar. The long borderline between the two countries has long been used by insurgent groups and IS militants for logistic support and to carry out cross-border attacks in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Meanwhile, Abdul Mahdi reiterated that there is no military bases for foreign troops, and that all the military bases are Iraqi ones, which contain some foreign military experts and trainers. "All military bases in the country are Iraqi bases, and there is no existence for foreign military bases," Abdul Mahdi said. He also said that the number of U.S. troops in Iraq "is still around 5,200, and there are some 2,500 to 3,000 non-American foreign troops experts, but all of them have one goal and one duty is to train Iraqi forces and help fight against Daesh." Last week, Abdul Mahdi confirmed during his meeting with acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who was on a visit to Baghdad, that Iraq "will not accept any foreign bases on the Iraqi territory," according to a statement by Abdul Mahdi office. Over 5,000 U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the extremist IS militants. The troops are part of the U.S.-led international coalition that has also been conducting air raids against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 02:33:50|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Palestinian medics carry a wounded man during clashes with Israeli troops on a beach near the border with Israel, in northern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 19, 2019. At least 20 Palestinians were shot and wounded on Tuesday evening during clashes between hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, medics said. (Xinhua/Stringer) GAZA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 Palestinians were shot and wounded on Tuesday evening during clashes between hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, medics said. Ashraf al-Qedra, Health Ministry spokesman in Gaza, told reporters that 20 Palestinians were shot and wounded by Israeli gunfire on the border between northern Gaza Strip and Israel. He added that dozens suffered suffocation after inhaling tear gas fired by the soldiers at the crowds of demonstrators. Eyewitnesses said that demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and threw stones at the soldiers. On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators gathered in northern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, as part of an anti-Israel protest which calls for ending the ongoing Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since mid-2007. The Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave have been holding weekly rallies and protests as part of the anti-Israel "Great March of Return" which started in March last year. Gaza Health Ministry's officials said that since the outbreak of the marches of return near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, the Israeli army killed more than 250 demonstrators and wounded around 26,000 others. Israel imposed a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2007, right after Hamas routed the security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and seized control of the coastal enclave. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 01:48:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BERLIN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- German government and industry should cooperate in the expansion of the new 5G mobile communications standard, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged during a speech at the Digitising Europe Summit in Berlin on Tuesday. "We need to find reasonable ways to combine private investment power with governmental support," said Merkel. The government would not be able to supply for the 5G standard on its own. "We want this to happen through private investments," said Merkel. 5G is the fifth generation of mobile internet connectivity. The chancellor added that 5G would not only be about a nationwide coverage in Germany, but also about a "reasonable coverage with 4G", the current mobile communications standard. In some remote regions of Germany "people would already be pleased about a 2G coverage on the country road." In Germany, the frequencies used for the 5G standard are soon to be auctioned off by the federal network agency (Bundesnetzagentur) in early 2019. Following Vodafone and Telefonica, Germany's largest network operator Deutsche Telekom filed a lawsuit against the Bundesnetzagentur because of "legal uncertainties" and "unrealistic" auction conditions in January. The network operators are specifically fearing that the initial high investment costs of the 5G technology will hinder profitability as the German government is planning to oblige network operators to make their own network available to competitors if they are the only supplier in certain regions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 01:08:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces Tuesday found bodies of six civilians abducted the day before by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said. Security forces launched a search operation during the day to track eight civilians abducted on Monday by IS extremist militants at the desert near the town of al-Nukhib, some 300 km southwest of the provincial capital Ramadi, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. "The troops found bodies of six civilians riddled with bullets in their heads and bodies, who were civilians abducted by the extremist IS militants," the source said. The source put the number of abducted civilians near al-Nukhib on Monday at ten. One was immediately shot dead by IS militants; nine were kidnapped, with the six bodies found and the destiny of the three others still unknown. Late on Monday, a source from Anbar's provincial police command reportedly told Xinhua that IS militants abducted eight civilians and executed one of them before they dragged the seven others to unknown place. For his part, Abdullah al-Enezi, head of al-Enezah tribe, which dwells in the town of al-Nukhib, said that "the six bodies are for truffle collectors who came to the desert from the cities of Karbala, Anbar and Diwaniyah." Earlier on Tuesday, the Iraqi security forces carried out an operation in the early morning hours and freed five truffle collectors who were kidnapped four days ago by the extremist militants in Anbar desert near the town of Rawa, some 280 km northwest of the capital Baghdad. The IS militants are still active in the vast Anbar desert that stretches to the border with neighboring countries of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, as many civilians have been kidnapped or killed by the extremist group recently. The security situation in Iraq has been dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces declared they had fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017. However, small groups and individuals of extremist militants melted or regrouped in urban or fled to desert and rugged areas, and have been carrying out attacks against the security forces and civilians despite operations from time to time to hunt them down. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak during a press conference after their meeting in Jerusalem on February 19, 2019. (AFP photo) JERUSALEM, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday his country will open a trade office in Jerusalem with "diplomatic status," announcing the controversial move during a visit to Israel. Orban made the announcement in Jerusalem after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "I just informed the prime minister that the Hungarian government decided to open a trade representation here with diplomatic status," Orban said in public remarks after the meeting. He said that the office means Hungary "will have an official presence in Jerusalem" and he hopes the move would "improve even more the relationship between the Israeli people and Hungary." The Israeli prime minister's office issued a statement saying Netanyahu "congratulated him on his decision to expand the Hungarian embassy in Israel and open a trade representation in Jerusalem with diplomatic status." Netanyahu said the opening of the office would be an "important" step. "It's a sign of our friendship and it's also a place that can welcome you to Jerusalem next time you come here," he told Orban. Netanyahu commended Hungary for siding with Israel in the United Nations Human Rights Council and the European Union, two bodies critical of the continuing Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. "You stand up for Israel and you stand up for the truth and I want to thank you for it," he said, adding that "it is a very important alliance." The two right-wing leaders' meeting focused on cooperation in security and sharing intelligence against "militant Islam and radical forces," according to the Israeli prime minister's office. Orban said his government will act to prevent European Union financing non-governmental organizations "that are interfering in political issues and being anti-Israel." The two talked also about economic and technological cooperation, especially in the field of the innovative car industry. Orban noted that currently, some 210 Israeli companies are active in Hungary, providing jobs for 5,500 Hungarians. "Your presence in Hungary is very important because we hope that you could be even stronger there," he said. The meeting was one of a series of personal meetings Netanyahu hosted in Jerusalem on Tuesday with the prime ministers of Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, after a European summit in Jerusalem had been canceled a day before amidst a rift between Israel and Poland. Netanyahu's nationalistic government considers as a very important opening of official international offices in Jerusalem. In mid-October 2018, the United States opened a new embassy in Jerusalem after U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged the city as Israel's capital. The move sparked a wave of violence between Israel and Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Later, Guatemala opened an embassy in Jerusalem and Brazil's newly-elected President Jair Bolsonaro had confirmed in January that Brazil will relocate its embassy too, without providing a specific date. The moves were controversial because Israel seized East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war, and later annexed it, claiming it part of its "indivisible capital." The Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state and most of the international community view East Jerusalem as an occupied Palestinian territory. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 01:03:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LONDON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Japanese auto firm Honda announced on Tuesday it planned to close its British factory in 2021, a move which was linked to Brexit by some politicians, unions and academics but denied by Honda. CLOSURE PLAN ANNOUNCED Honda's factory in the southwest of England town of Swindon currently employs 3,500 workers, but they will lose their jobs at the factory in 2021 under plans announced by Honda. In a statement on Tuesday morning, Honda said "unprecedented changes in the global automotive industry" and the "significant challenges of electrification" were behind its decision to close the factory. Katsushi Inoue, Honda's chief officer for European Regional Operations, said: "In light of the unprecedented changes that are affecting our industry, it is vital that we accelerate our electrification strategy and restructure our global operations." The Swindon factory currently makes 150,000 cars each year and is the only Honda factory in the European Union(EU). About 90 percent of the autos made in Swindon are for export and the total accounts for 10 percent of British car production. Local media, the Financial Times, reported Honda's chief executive Takahiro Hachigo as saying at a press conference Tuesday in Tokyo that "Brexit was not taken into account" in the decision to close the Swindon factory. Hachigo was reported as adding that Honda was not pulling out of Europe and that it would retain its European headquarters in Britain. MANY BLAME BREXIT The closure announcement was met with sadness and anger by many. One of the largest British unions Unite, blamed Brexit uncertainty for Honda's decision to close the factory. Unite's automotive sector national officer Des Quinn told Xinhua: "While Brexit is not mentioned by the company as a reason for the announcement, we believe that the uncertainty that the government has created by its inept and rigid handling of Brexit negotiations lurks in the background." "If the government had delivered a strong and stable Brexit that protected the economy and jobs, we may well have been in a very different position today." Professor David Bailey, economics professor at Aston Business School and an expert on the auto industry, was quoted by media as saying that there was a "collision" between Brexit uncertainty and the changing nature of the auto industry, as it moves towards electric autos and away from fuel driven cars. Bailey told The Guardian newspaper: "Honda came to the UK because it offered a launchpad into the single market. There's a lot of bewilderment in Japan about Brexit because what we offered them has been taken away." Honda's closure decision comes just a few weeks after the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement came into force on February 1, which will see goods pass between the two areas across a tariff free boundary. If Britain goes ahead with Brexit, it could well see tariffs imposed on autos exported from Britain to the EU, putting the British factories of overseas car manufacturers at a disadvantage. "Britain is not upholding its side of the deal so they don't need to either. There may have been more of a chance of the UK being a centre of electric vehicle production if Britain stayed in the single market and if it had a more supportive industrial strategy," Bailey said. British Business Secretary Greg Clark described it as a "bitter blow" to the workers at the factory, to the supply chain and to the town of Swindon, where Honda has had a factory for 34 years. "It is a blow to the whole British economy," Clark told MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon. Clark said that Honda was "accelerating its move to electric propulsion and choosing to consolidate investment in their facilities in Japan." Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition party Labor, said the closure plan was a "huge blow" to workers and the whole community. Corbyn blamed Brexit uncertainty for Honda's closure plan: "The government's disastrous handling of Brexit is letting people down across the country." Honda's closure decision follows the announcement earlier this month by fellow Japanese auto firm Nissan to ditch its plans to build a new model auto, the X-Trail SUV, at its plant in the northern industrial town of Sunderland. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 00:53:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KAMPALA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan Parliament on Tuesday enacted a stringent wildlife law that would see poachers jailed for life if found guilty. The Uganda Wildlife Authority Bill 2017 replaces the old Uganda Wildlife Act 1996 that conservationists say was not deterrent. "The penalties in the Uganda Wildlife Act Cap 200 have lost value since 1996 and are not deterrent enough to check the escalating levels of poaching and wildlife trafficking," the new Bill reads. According to the new law, anyone who hunts, molests or reduces into possession protected specimen, is liable for life imprisonment upon conviction. The same penalty awaits those who sell, buy or transfer protected wildlife specimen. Bashir Hangi, spokesperson of Uganda Wildlife Authority, a state run conservation agency, told Xinhua by telephone that he is optimistic that the new law would curb poaching. "We are cautioning poachers and other illegal dealers in wildlife specimen. Their days are numbered. We hope the law will bite," he said. "Right now we are waiting for the President to assent to the Bill, have it gazetted and then we can put it into practice," he added. Earlier this month, authorities arrested two Vietnamese nationals who were found with about 750 pieces of ivory and thousands of pangolin scales enroute from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 00:28:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WARSAW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Poland "has signals" from the U.S. that it "can count on a better offer when it comes to increasing the number of American troops in Poland," Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said Tuesday. Czaputowicz told the Polish State News Agency that the signals came following a conference on the Middle East the two countries co-organised last week in Warsaw, which had "created a good atmosphere" between the U.S. and Poland. Both U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Warsaw last week for the conference. Pompeo and Czaputowicz jointly visited American NATO troops currently stationed in northeast Poland, and Poland signed a deal to buy 20 HIMARS rocket launchers from U.S. producer Lockheed Martin. U.S. troops currently in Poland are part of a rotating NATO contingent, a multinational force of around 4,000 stationed in Poland. The Polish government has been lobbying for a permanent American military base. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 00:18:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian police said on Tuesday they have arrested a man in connection with the killing of an anti-poaching crusader in the Tarangire National Park in Manyara region. Augustine Senga, Manyara Regional Police Commander, said police were holding Limito Lebangu of Gijedabung village, Babati district, in connection with the brutal killing of Gijedabung village chairman Faustine Sanka. "Preliminary investigations reveal that Sanka was advancing the fight against poaching in the Tarangire National Park," said Senga. "In the process of preventing poaching, Sanka reported Lebangu and some of his colleagues to game rangers at the Tarangire National Park and that was why they decided to kill him," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 00:03:02|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Pak Pong Ju(1st, R) views a photo exhibition at the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang, the DPRK, Feb. 19, 2019. Pak Pong Ju, also a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of DPRK, attended a Chinese New Year celebration at the Chinese embassy here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Cheng Dayu) PYONGYANG, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Pak Pong Ju attended a Chinese New Year celebration at the Chinese embassy here on Tuesday. Pak is also a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of DPRK. At the reception, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK Li Jinjun extended his warm welcome to Pak and other DPRK friends. He said the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK was forged and cultivated by generations of leaders of both countries. Li said the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un's first visit to China in March last year has opened a new chapter in the history of bilateral relations. He added that in the following 10 months the top leaders of the two countries met four times, helping to guide the development of China-DPRK relations. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the DPRK, noted Li, saying that China is willing to work with the DPRK to bolster the China-DPRK friendship and maintain high-level exchanges. "We will strengthen strategic communication, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and jointly write a new chapter for bilateral relations," added the Chinese envoy. Pak and Vice Foreign Minister Ri Kil Song, who also attended the reception, said this year will be one of special importance for the two countries, adding that Kim's visit to Beijing at the beginning of this year has further deepened the friendship between the top leaders of both countries. The DPRK will work with China to further promote the development of bilateral ties this year, Pak said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:58:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Wang Lili SINGAPORE, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- As many Chinese tourists have flocked to Singapore for the Chinese New Year holidays, quite a number of Singaporean dwellers of Chinese origin have returned to China either for family reunion or sightseeing, and were all amazed at their hometowns' fast changes. BETTER FACILITIES "It just takes 24 minutes to go by subway from downtown Xiamen to the suburb Jimei which is home to several colleges and universities, and the train cars are clean and of the first-class," Huang Fei, an employee of a Singaporean bank, recalled her first trip on Xiamen's No. 1 Subway Line a couple of days ago, adding that the facilities were even better than those of Singapore. Zhang Yuxuan had packed her public transportation card into her luggage when back on a holiday to Beijing, only to find that most of the passengers were swiping their mobile phones to pay for the subway fare. The development of the cashless payment in China also captured the attention of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who had cited the story of a Singaporean minister who had no idea of the scan-and-pay practice using mobile phone in China's commercial hub of Shanghai, in his 2017 National Day Rally address. Actually this is only one of the several changes Zhang had witnessed since she joined a China-financed cultural center in Singapore last April. "When I dined at the restaurants in Beijing, I was given an electrical receipt which is both efficient and environment friendly," she added. GREATER METROPOLIS Huang, a food-lover, dined out several times with her parents when back in Xiamen. Besides local Fujian delicacies, she also enjoyed food from all over China as well as Italian and Spanish cuisines during the Chinese Spring Festival, which all tasted delicious. "My hometown is more and more like an international metropolis in terms of cuisines and many other ways," Huang said. Though the dish prices had risen by 30 percent compared with those in 2015 when she first left for Singapore, she still found them competitive with those of Singapore. "I have a whole year back in Singapore to lose weight," grinned Huang, who is now a permanent resident of the city state. Huang's view was echoed by her fellow countryman Chen Jiaxin also from the southeastern Fujian Province. He couldn't help posting pictures of the newly-expanded Fuzhou International Airport on the social media WeChat, and he was especially impressed by the VIP airport lounge. "With sofas, flowers and red lanterns, the lounge is spacious as well as comfortable." Moreover, there was a buffet with local snacks before boarding, said Chen who works with the Singapore branch of an international insurance company. ENHANCED SERVICES During her holiday, Zhang also took the time to pick up her accountant diploma at a government organization. She was informed by a letter in details, including which documentation to bring in to get the diploma, which window she should go for it as well as the address and office hours of the government building. "I picked up my diploma without wasting a minute," Zhang said. She was also very satisfied with her trip to the "Zhang Zhidong and Wuhan" Museum, located in Central China's Wuhan City. "I learned that it's quite an internet star among youngsters, and was curious about it and wanted to see it by myself," added Zhang who is a manager in the media industry. "Unlike traditional museums where exhibits are put behind the glass windows, the exhibits in the "Zhang Zhidong and Wuhan" Museum are close to the visitors and are displayed in a fashionable way." Zhang liked the museum's design and way of display, which has indeed attracted an audience both old and young. The museum was renovated and reopened last year on the venue of the old Hanyang Iron Factory, as Zhang Zhidong, a high-ranking official in the Qing Dynasty, was the founder of the factory. She was fascinated by an iron round curtain with large TV screens displaying videos about the factory's history, as well as an audio room where the visitors can take a rest and watch a video which is wonderfully shot and edited. Besides the fashionable museum, Zhang also toured the Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan, which was also exempt of entry fee for visitors during the Chinese New Year holiday and also allured quite a number of visitors. "The museums are interesting and really nice places to go to spend the holiday, especially in the cold winter," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:58:01|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe on Tuesday met with Vietnam's Deputy Minister of National Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh in Beijing. "With shared ideals and convictions, the friendship between China and Vietnam is deeply rooted and of special importance," Wei said. "The two countries are a community of shared future with strategic significance." He said the Chinese military is willing to work with the Vietnamese military to implement the important consensus reached at the high level between the two parties and the two countries, strengthen strategic communication and coordination, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields. The Chinese military also stands ready to properly handle differences, push military-to-military relations to a new level and contribute to safeguarding the fundamental interests of the two countries and regional security and stability, he said. Vinh said that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Central Military Commission cherish the traditional friendship between the two countries and are willing and have confidence to push relations between the two countries and two militaries to a higher level and bring more benefits to the two peoples. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:53:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SOFIA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian customs officers at the Sofia Airport have seized 200 kilograms of critically endangered eels, Anguilla Anguilla, intended for export to Malaysia, officials said Tuesday. The eels, approximately 7 to 8 centimeters long at their so-called "glass phase", were found alive in 90 styrofoam containers on Friday, the National Customs Agency said in a press release. They were immediately delivered to the Rescue Center of the Varna Aquarium, the customs said. Anguilla Anguilla are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the customs said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:53:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ABUJA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 130 people died in attacks on villages of Nigeria's northern state of Kaduna by unidentified gunmen last Friday, according to Nigerian authorities on Tuesday. Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai revealed this to the media after attending a a security council meeting presided over by Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. El-Rufai said over 130 bodies have been recovered by security agencies, adding the affected communities have provided the state government with the names of those that were killed. The governor posted last Friday a statement via Twitter that eight settlements in Kajuru area of the northern state were attacked, and security agencies recovered 66 bodies, with 22 children and 12 women among the victims. According to local daily the Guardian on Tuesday, Kaduna state police commissioner Ahmad Abdulrahaman said 11 suspects have been arrested in connection to the violence. "More facts are coming out. We want to do the needful before taken the suspects to court," Abdulrahaman said. On January 22, the Nigerian government alleged there are security threats to the coming general elections in the country, alerting citizens of the west African country to be wary of pending attacks before, during, and after the polls. Kaduna, located in the north part of the country, was among states earlier mentioned by the government as one of the flashpoint areas. The electoral body of the West African country has postponed the presidential and National Assembly elections one week to February 23, citing logistics problems. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:53:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in his phone talks with U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday night that his country was ready to assume any role for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Moon and Trump had a phone conversation for around 35 minutes at 10 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), according to the presidential Blue House. The leaders intensively discussed ways to cooperate for the success of the upcoming second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States. Top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and Trump agreed to meet again in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 27-28. The first Kim-Trump summit meeting was held in Singapore in June last year. During the phone conversation in about five months, Moon highly evaluated Trump's diplomatic efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Moon expressed his anticipation that the second DPRK-U.S. summit would be a crucial turning point in realizing the peninsula's complete denuclearization, the peace regime building on the peninsula and the development of the DPRK-U.S. relations, which Trump and the DPRK leader agreed to during their Singapore summit. For the corresponding measures to encourage the DPRK to take denuclearization steps, Moon asked Trump to make use of South Korea's role as it can reduce the U.S. burden. The South Korean leader said his country was ready to assume any role, if President Trump demands, ranging from the connection of railways and roads across the inter-Korean border to inter-Korean economic cooperation projects. In his New Year's speech, the DPRK leader said he would work to build new relations with the United States, settle a lasting peace on the peninsula and pursue the complete denuclearization on condition that the United States takes corresponding measures. Kim said he was willing to reopen the inter-Korean industrial park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong and resume the suspended tour program to the DPRK's scenic resort of Mount Kumgang without any preconditions. The Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Mount Kumgang tourist spot have been closed since 2016 and 2008 respectively. South Korea and the DPRK held a groundbreaking ceremony in December to modernize and eventually link railways and roads along the western and eastern peninsula, but construction works had yet to be launched because of the international sanctions against Pyongyang. The two Koreas have been left divided since the 1950-53 Korean war ended with an armistice. The peninsula remains in a technical state of war with no peace treaty signed. During the phone talks, Trump explained to Moon preparations for the second DPRK-U.S. summit and consultations between Washington and Pyongyang, expressing his anticipation for the Hanoi summit with the DPRK leader. Trump showed his expectation for a big outcome from the Hanoi summit, saying he was expected to meet with Moon to share the outcome of the second DPRK-U.S. summit, according to the Blue House. The U.S. president promised to closely consult with Moon on the second DPRK-U.S. summit and follow-up measures, adding that the U.S.-South Korea alliance was better than ever. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:42:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Tuesday offered India cooperation in the probe into a recent deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that has soured relations between the neighbors, while Islamabad also sought international help to ease tensions in the region. In a televised address to the nation, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan asked India to share "actionable evidence" regarding the attack and Pakistan will extend cooperation in the investigation. A suicide blast in Indian-controlled Kashmir last week left 40 paramilitary troopers dead. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack but the latter rejected the allegations. The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group claimed the attack. "It is not in the interest of Pakistan to allow its soil for any terrorist activity as Pakistan is heading towards stability. If India alleges that Pakistani soil has been used for terrorism, it should share evidence. I want to give you (India) a guarantee that I will take action," Khan said. "Issues cannot be solved through pressure. I again invite India to start dialogue with Pakistan to discuss all issues and to explore ways to fight terrorism in the region," he said. "There is a new thinking in Pakistan and I want to make it clear that whoever tries to use Pakistani soil for terrorism, it will be enmity with Pakistan and my government will not allow it to happen," Khan said. The Pakistani leader expressed his regret that the Indian government started "Pakistan bashing" soon after the attack without any investigation. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys for consultations following the suicide bombing. Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood met Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday and discussed the situation arising from the attack, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said. India has also recall its high commissioner to Pakistan for consultations, according to Indian media. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Qureshi also sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, seeking his help to reduce the tensions between the two countries. Qureshi, in his letter, said "it is with a sense of urgency" to draw UN attention "to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India." "The Pulwama attack on Indian Central Reserve Police Force was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident of Indian Occupied Kashmir," the foreign minister said, adding that attributing the attack to Pakistan even before investigations is "absurd." "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," said Qureshi. The recent attack in India-controlled Kashmir has further flared up tensions between the two bitter neighbors. India has long been accusing Pakistan of sheltering and supporting militants for such kind of attacks against Indian forces. In September 2016, at least 19 Indian soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack which took place in India-controlled Kashmir. Following the attack, India's military had claimed to have conducted "surgical strikes" against terrorists' bases in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, which Pakistan Army had vehemently denied. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:42:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close VIENTIANE, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong and his delegation will visit Laos on the coming Sunday and Monday, the Lao News Agency reported on Tuesday. Trong and his delegation will pay a goodwill visit to Laos in response to the invitation of his Lao counterpart Bounnhang Vorachit, according to the Committee for External Relations of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:42:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ARUSHA, Tanzania, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese company on Tuesday donated an assortment of medical equipment to the Tanzanian health center in an effort to help it improve health care delivery. The medical equipment worth 61 million Tanzanian shillings (26,125 U.S. dollars) was donated by China Goldcard Smart Group Co., Ltd. to Muriet Health Centre located in northern Tanzania's safari capital of Arusha. Mrisho Gambo, Arusha Regional Commissioner, received the donation on behalf of the Tanzanian government. The donated equipment includes sleeping therapy, special bed and lamps for the operating room at the health center, located a few kilometers from Arusha city center. Qiu Liang, vice President of the Goldcard Smart Group Co., Ltd., said during the ceremony that the company donated the equipment in order to help the health facility improve health service delivery to the Tanzanian people. "We will continue to extend our support to the government of Tanzania in various sectors," said Liang. Gao Wei, Cultural Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, said that it was encouraging that a Chinese company, which has yet to start operating in the east African nation, is taking part in scaling up health services delivery in Tanzania. He said: "We are very grateful that we're taking part in promoting the warfare and helping improve medical situation in Tanzania." Arusha Regional Commissioner Mrisho Gambo commended the Chinese embassy for the support which will improve provision of medical services at the hospital. Gambo said the health center is serving more than 100,000 people from Muriet ward and nearby places of Terati, Sinoni, Sokone One and Olasiti. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:42:58|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump held phone talks Tuesday night over the upcoming second summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Moon's office said. Moon had a telephone conversation with Trump for about 35 minutes at 10 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), closely discussing ways to cooperate for the success of the second summit between the leaders of the DPRK and the United States, according to the presidential Blue House. It was the first such phone talks in about five months between Moon and Trump. During the phone conversation, Moon highly evaluated Trump's diplomatic efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Moon expressed his anticipation that the second DPRK-U.S. summit would be a crucial turning point in realizing the peninsula's complete denuclearization, the peace regime building on the peninsula and the development of the DPRK-U.S. relations, which Trump and Kim agreed to during their first summit last year. Kim and Trump agreed to meet again in Hanoi, Vietnam on Feb. 27-28. The first Kim-Trump summit meeting was held in Singapore in June last year. For the corresponding measures to encourage the DPRK to take denuclearization steps, Moon asked Trump to make use of South Korea's role as it can reduce the U.S. burden. Moon said his country was ready to assume any role, if President Trump demands, ranging from the connection of railways and roads across the inter-Korean border to inter-Korean economic cooperation projects. In his New Year's speech, the DPRK leader said he would work to build new relations with the United States, settle lasting peace on the peninsula and pursue the complete denuclearization on the condition that the United States takes corresponding measures. Kim said he was willing to reopen the inter-Korean industrial park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong and resume the suspended tour program to the DPRK's scenic resort of Mount Kumgang without any preconditions. The Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Mount Kumgang tourist spot have been closed since 2016 and 2008 respectively. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:37:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A 10-day state of emergency imposed on the Arctic Novaya Zemlya Archipelago in Russia over an invasion of polar bears has been lifted, the press office of the governor of the Arkhangelsk Region said Tuesday. "The situation has stabilized and the state of emergency has been lifted," it said in a statement. It said that one of the reasons for the invasion was the presence of a household waste deposit near the settlement of Belushya Guba, which attracted polar bears in search of food. The Arkhangelsk regional government has decided to burn the waste in a certified incinerator plant. The archipelago administration said on its website that the state of emergency was imposed on Feb. 9 after some 52 polar bears invaded the settlement. There were cases of aggressive behavior by the polar bears, including the pursuing people and breaking into residential and office premises, it said in a statement. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:22:52|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Zhao Yuchao, Zheng Jianghua BRUSSELS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Philippe Weiner, 39, whose steak house is a stone's throw from Berlaymont Building, the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, dismissed "Chinese and Russian espionage" claims in an interview Monday with Xinhua. Meet Meat, the one and only steak house near Berlaymont, is a big draw for EU functionaries, even including big names like Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council. But it has been enmeshed in an espionage rumor recently. The European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's foreign service, claimed that there were about 250 Chinese and 200 Russian spies in Brussels and warned its officials to avoid a steak restaurant near Berlaymont (hinting at Meet Meat), German newspaper Die Welt reported. Weiner said he was "very surprised" at the report, underscoring that "here people have drinks, have fun, have food and it's not as a place to work. Honestly, I don't understand the report." Flatly rejecting the rumors swirling around the restaurant, Weiner said: "No espionage. I think it's impossible to place a microphone here because the restaurant is too noisy." "We are a restaurant for lunch specially, a local restaurant. It's not a place to say something confidentially; it's not a good place for that, because the table next to you probably knows you. So it's not very discreet," he continued. Weiner downplayed the repercussion of espionage rumor on his business. "For the moment we have a lot of customers, so it doesn't affect us from the business point of view," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:07:48|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TASHKENT, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A two-day international conference to discuss ways of boosting security and economic cooperation between Central Asian countries kicked off in Uzbekistan's capital Tuesday. The conference, themed "Interconnectivity in Central Asia: Challenges and New Opportunities," is organized by Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nation's Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA). "The rapprochement of the countries in the Central Asian region is not against anyone's interests," Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said in the opening speech. "Investing in regional cooperation contributes to developing Central Asia into a stable and prosperous region, thus making it a reliable and predictable partner," he added. In her opening speech, Natalia Gherman, special representative of the UN secretary-general as well as head of the UNRCCA, said that the conference will produce specific recommendations to the presidents of the Central Asian countries, who will gather in Tashkent to discuss common regional issues in April. Foreign experts from 36 countries and representatives of leading analytical and scientific organizations in Uzbekistan exchanged views on regional security issues, as well as cooperation in trade, economic, transport, communications, environmental, humanitarian and other areas. "Over the past five years, China has deepened cooperation with Central Asian countries in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI), yielding a series of significant early achievements," said Qi Zhenhong, president of the China Institute of International Studies. "The BRI has laid the groundwork for the Central Asian countries to strengthen their cooperation. At the same time, Central Asia's efforts to remove obstacles and strengthen cooperation will also facilitate the BRI. The BRI and Central Asian efforts complement and promote each another," he added. The discussion for Wednesday is cooperation between Central Asia and non-regional countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:02:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Russian security forces killed an armed man suspected of planning a terrorist attack in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, the Russian National Antiterrorism Committee (NAC) said Tuesday. The NAC said in a statement that the suspect was plotting a terrorist attack in the city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea shore, and his location was found in a village there. The suspect was cornered in an abandoned building during the operation. He refused to surrender and opened fire before being killed in the shootout. Weapons, ammunition, a ready-to-use suicide belt and a bucket stuffed with explosives were seized at the scene of the clash. No law enforcement officers or civilians were hurt during the operation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 23:02:46|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close XIAMEN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- For migrant worker Yang Changqun, home is where the hometown flavor is. This is especially true on Lantern Festival, an important occasion for family gathering, which falls Tuesday. Instead of cooking for his family thousands miles away, Yang, 51, cooked with several other co-workers for a special reunion lunch in the communal kitchen at a construction site in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province. The communal kitchen is an 18-square-meter room containing a gas stove, kitchen sinks with running water, vegetable oil and common condiments. It was set up in August 2017, allowing workers to cook their own meals for free and satisfy their craving for comfort food from home. "I haven't spent the Lantern Festival with my family for at least 10 years. I miss them so much," Yang said. "Thanks to the communal kitchen, we can gather together and cook our hometown flavor." Yang, from Tongren city of southwest China's Guizhou Province, has worked as a carpenter on the construction site for more than two years. When Yang was stir-frying the sausage made by his relatives from home, Han Feng, a 31-year-old companion ladder chauffeur, was skilfully cutting cucumber. The dish he's preparing is named Rich Harvest, a famous dish from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province where Han comes from. "With cucumbers, carrots, cabbages, onions and soy sauce, it not only looks colorful but tastes good," he said. "I wish my friends a harvest year in 2019." Over two hours, more than 10 various hometown dishes were finished. Migrant workers sat around the table, eating, drinking and gossiping. China has around 280 million rural migrant workers in cities who have made tremendous contribution to the country's development. According to Lin Binbin, who is in charge of logistics at the construction site, they have more than 400 migrant workers from over 10 provinces across China. The Lantern Festival, known as Yuanxiao in Chinese, is the last day of the two-week Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. It falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, when a full moon appears. "Most of our migrant workers have returned from home, starting their work in the new year," she said. "In the communal kitchen, they can prepare for a feast. Home is where the hometown flavor is." "We really miss our family members especially on holidays. However, we work together on the construction site, and cook and eat together in the communal kitchen like family members," construction worker Wang Xiuqiong said. "It is warm and cozy." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 22:57:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- In recent years, Chinese-constructed mega infrastructures connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti have become a driving force behind growing socioeconomic linkages between the two Horn of Africa countries. Most recently, the two countries signed an agreement with Chinese petroleum giant Poly-GCL Petroleum Group Holdings Limited (Poly-GCL) to construct the 767-km Ethiopia-Djibouti natural gas pipeline. NATURAL GAS PIPELINE Following an agreement that was signed between the governments of Ethiopia and Djibouti with Poly-GCL, the Chinese petroleum company will install a pipeline to transport the recently discovered natural gas from landlocked Ethiopia to the Djibouti Port along the Red Sea. The Ethiopian Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, revealing the signing of the agreement between the three parties over the weekend, said that the project, once it goes operational with the export of natural gas, will "immensely contribute" to the two countries' economy with the much needed foreign currency. Construction of the 767-km natural gas pipeline, which is said to be finalized in two years, will have close to 700-km of the segment in Ethiopia, while the rest of the natural gas pipeline will be constructed in Djibouti's territory. The Ethiopian government back in April last year had disclosed its plan to generate in excess of 1 billion U.S. dollars annually from the extraction of the 7 to 8 billion cubic trillion feet (TFC) of natural gas that was discovered by Poly-GCL in Ethiopia's Somali regional state. According to Ethiopia's former Minister of Mines, Natural Gas and Petroleum Motuma Mekassa, Poly-GCL's engagement accompanied with the company's rich experience in the sector brings a positive advantage cognizant to the expensive nature of the processing procedures of natural gas. "The gas discovery is a great phenomenon which is expected to make a meaningful contribution in sustaining the country's rapid economic growth in the years to come," Mekassa had said. "We are expecting a 1-billion-U.S.-dollar revenue from gas export in the first year of operation, anticipating the figure would rise in the subsequent years due to the huge reserve," he added. RAILWAY INTEGRATION The much anticipated pipeline integration between the two historical allies is the latest move towards economic integration powered by the engagement of Chinese companies. The 756-km Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, which officially commenced its commercial operations for both passenger and freight services in January last year, was considered as Ethiopia's long-term solution to its growing import-export demand. Ethiopia, Africa's second populous nation with close to 104 million overall population, has over the past one year witnessed remarkable improvement in its freight services since the railway came to reality. Contracted by two Chinese companies, the first 320 km of the rail project from Sebeta to Mieso was carried out by the China Rail Engineering Corporation (CREC), while the remaining 436 km from Mieso to Djibouti port section was built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). The railway, which is considered as the first trans-boundary and longest electrified railway on the African continent, is currently managed by a consortium of Chinese companies for a period of six years. According to Tilahun Kassa, Director of the Ethiopia-Djibouti Standard Gauge Rail Transport Company, the linkage between the Djibouti port and Ethiopia's Modjo dry port on the outskirt of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa has shown early achievements, and is expected to further expand Ethiopia's export and international trading. FOSTERING PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES In addition to further enhancing the economic ties among Ethiopia and Djibouti and the eventual modernization of the transport system, the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway is also contributing to the people-to-people relations between the two countries, bringing much cheer and optimism among commuters. Alemayehu Leyew, an Ethiopian passenger who is experiencing his first rail travel to Djibouti with his wife for recreation purpose, told Xinhua in a recent interview that the rail travel is much more comfortable than he previously thought. "This is my first time to use a rail service for transportation," he said. "It feels great and it's also comfortable." Leyew also urged scaling up the railway to connect other parts of the East African country, saying that "We need to scale up the rail transportation service into every corners of the country so as to speed up our country's modernization process." Ethiopia, due to its lack of access to a major sea or ocean, heavily relies on the sea ports of Djibouti with 95 percent of its import and export commodities presently transported via the Port of Djibouti. With a designed speed of 120-km per hour, the railway service has reduced the journey time from Djibouti port to Addis Ababa down from three days by road transport to less than 12 hours. ROAD CONNECTIVITY In addition to the electrified railway system, Chinese engagement has also contributed to Ethiopia's road connectivity to the Djibouti port, with the construction of 85-km expressway along the busiest section of the Ethiopia-Djibouti road infrastructure. The six-lane 85-km expressway, which went operational in Sept. 2014 connecting Addis Ababa to Adama city, capital of Ethiopia's largest Oromia regional state, is by far the busiest segment of Ethiopia's vital road infrastructure linking the Addis Ababa to the port. The expressway came to reality following the Ethiopian government's partnership with the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) and the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) in 2009. According to figures from the Ethiopian Toll Roads Enterprise (ETRE), more than 22,000 vehicles are currently using the Addis Ababa-Adama expressway on a daily basis. During the 2018 Ethiopian fiscal year alone, the toll road had served more than 7.8 million vehicles, eventually collecting close to 245 million Ethiopian birr (about 9 million U.S. dollars), according to ETRE. As the demand increases, ETRE also expects some 8.8 million vehicles during the current fiscal year, with an expected income of 266 million Ethiopian birr (about 9.8 million dollars). Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 22:57:44|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close Li Zhanshu (R), chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 19, 2019. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Tuesday held talks with visiting Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, calling for stronger cooperation to boost ties. Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, urged the two sides to take a strategic and long-term view in bilateral ties, constantly deepen political mutual trust, strengthen communication and coordination, and provide mutual support on issues concerning each others' core interests. He also called for more anti-terrorism security cooperation and more mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Despite profound changes in the international situation and increasing instabilities and uncertainties, China's position in safeguarding the Iranian nuclear deal has not changed, neither has its commitment to developing China-Iran relations, Li said. During Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Iran in 2016, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, ushering in a new chapter in bilateral ties, said Li. Hailing the smooth progress in all-round cooperation in recent years, Li said that exchanges between the countries' legislative institutions are an important component in the comprehensive strategic partnership. "The NPC is willing to carry out friendly exchanges with Iranian parliament at different levels and in different forms, strengthen communication on experiences in legislation, supervision, and state governance, so as to provide sound legal guarantee for the two countries' mutually beneficial cooperation," he said. Larijani said the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road witnessed the long history of exchanges between the two countries, and the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping gives new meanings to the Silk Road. He said the Iranian side highly values and actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative. The Iranian Parliament would like to carry out more exchanges with the NPC and support mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 22:52:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States nurtured a plan to split off a part of Syrian territory on the eastern bank of the Euphrates and create a puppet "quasi state" there, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said here Tuesday. "The task of restoring Syria's territorial integrity, which the entire international community, including the United States, agreed upon, was used by the United States in a deceptive maneuver," Lavrov said at a press conference after meeting with Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak. Right now, Washington said that its main task is to prevent the Syrian government from returning to the eastern bank of the Euphrates, he said. The United States openly declares that after withdrawing from Syria, it will support the Kurds, but only if they do not cooperate with the Syrian government and Russia, Lavrov said. He said that the United States, under the pretext of fighting Islamic State (IS) terrorists and taking main Kurdish structures in the region as allies, has begun building a quasi state in the eastern bank of the Euphrates. The United States is already actively investing in it, including forcing their allies to pay for development of the region and banning them from investing in the rest of Syria, which is controlled by the legitimate government, he said. The fate of that part of Syria should not be determined by the whims of the United States, which is illegally present there, Lavrov said. In December, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, citing that the local IS force has been largely defeated. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis resigned shortly after Trump's withdrawal decision. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 22:52:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese State Minister for Refugee Affairs said on Tuesday that the Syrian authorities have promised to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees, National News Agency (NNA) reported. "The meeting in Syria was very positive and the Syrian authorities showed great readiness to offer the needed facilities for the return of refugees," Saleh al-Gharib was quoted by NNA as saying. He made the remarks during his meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun about his visit to Syria a day earlier. Gharib visited Syria on Monday and discussed with Syria's Minister of Local Administration Hussein Makhlouf the ways for the return of Syrian refugees. "We hope to be able to keep Syrian refugees' issue away from political disagreements because it is a very sensitive issue while it has tremendous economic and social repercussions on Lebanon," Gharib said. However, ministerial sources said Gharib did not get an official approval frim Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri to visit Syria over the issue of refugees, local newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported Tuesday. More than 1 million Syrian refugees are registered with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Lebanon, while the government estimates the true number of Syrians in the country at 1.5 million. Hariri has been handling the refugee crisis on the basis of a strategy drafted by Russia, after a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump last year in Helsinki, capital of Finland. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 22:52:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump held phone talks Tuesday night over the upcoming second summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Moon's office said. Moon had a telephone conversation with Trump for about 35 minutes at 10 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), closely discussing ways to cooperate for the success of the second summit between the leaders of the DPRK and the United States, according to the presidential Blue House. It was the first such phone talks in about five months between Moon and Trump. During the phone conversation, Moon highly evaluated Trump's diplomatic efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Moon expressed his anticipation that the second DPRK-U.S. summit would be a crucial turning point in realizing the peninsula's complete denuclearization, the peace regime building on the peninsula and the development of the DPRK-U.S. relations, which Trump and Kim agreed to during their first summit last year. Kim and Trump agreed to meet again in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 27-28. The first Kim-Trump summit meeting was held in Singapore in June last year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 22:42:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close VILNIUS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- New Lithuanian-Polish agreements on defense will be signed during Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite visit to Poland this week, Grybauskaite's chief foreign policy adviser Nerijus Aleksiejunas said Tuesday. "Very concrete results will materialize during this visit as it will address defense and security issues," Aleksiejunas said in an interview with local radio broadcaster Ziniu Radijas. In his words, during Grybauskaite's two terms in office, few Polish-Lithuanian state-level meetings took place, nevertheless, the two countries have constantly kept in touch and in the current meeting intensive cooperation in the defense field will be "summarized" and lifted to a "new level". Aleksiejunas said that Lithuania's head of state and Polish President Andrzej Duda will adopt a declaration on security issues, while the defense ministers of both countries will sign two agreements related to information sharing over air surveillance radars and regarding affiliation of Lithuanian and Polish brigades. The latter deal will enable the brigades to cooperate more closely protecting the Suwalki Corridor, Aleksiejunas added. Grybauskaite will pay a state visit to Poland on Feb. 21-22. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 22:37:38|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Ali Bakeer (L) installs a prosthetic hand he created for an amputated military officer in Rabia of Hama province, central Syria, on Feb. 18, 2019. Ali Bakeer, a medical engineering student in Syria, has developed a prosthetic hand meant to help the disabled people who suffered injuries during the war. Born in the town of Rabia in the central province of Hama, the 22-year-old man, who is a third-year college student, said he had a strong interest in electronics as a boy. The idea of creating the prosthetic hand was driven by the needs of the injured during the war, according to Bakeer. He expressed hopes that he could develop his invention to a full arm in the future. (TO GO WITH "Feature: Syrian medical engineering student develops prosthetic hand for injured in war", filed on Feb. 19, 2019.) (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) HAMA, Syria, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Ali Bakeer, a medical engineering student in Syria, has developed a prosthetic hand meant to help the disabled people who suffered injuries during the war. Born in the town of Rabia in the central province of Hama, the 22-year-old man, who is a third-year college student, said he had a strong interest in electronics as a boy. The idea of creating the prosthetic hand was driven by the needs of the injured during the war, according to Bakeer. "This invention emanates from the need for it as a result of the injuries of people during the war especially those who lost body parts, mainly the upper parts who couldn't find suitable ones that could help them with their new situation," he told Xinhua. His invention constitutes two parts, a silicone palm and a finger with an electronic sensor which is attached to the muscle of an amputated person. When the muscle contracts, the sensor tightens or opens the hand to enable the injured to grab an apple or a cup of water and even to write. He expressed hopes that he could develop his invention to a full arm in the future. Bakeer started this campaign as a university project on Facebook, where he said more than 100 people immediately responded, and more people are joining. The young man said working with a program named the Homeland's Wounded, he spent two days in creating the hand. Those who do not afford the expensive prosthetics find the hand right for them as it gives them part of their normal life back for an equivalent of 200 U.S. dollars. Mayas Mansour, an amputated first lieutenant, lost his hands during battles against the Islamic State (IS) militants in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour. Mansour had installed an expensive electronic hand and later a plastic prosthetic hand before resorting to Bakeer's invention. "When I tried this hand for the first time it was a relief for me because I would be able to drive a car again and grab things such as a cup and return to work with two hands," the military officer told Xinhua. Mazen Mayhoub, a wounded army soldier, who also lost his hand from the elbow, said he had tears in his eyes when using the hand for the first time. "When I saw this hand moving I got happy and I had tears in my eyes. This is the will of God I cannot say anything else," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 21:57:29|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa on Tuesday shut down a market used by refugees and Tanzanians at Nduta in the western region of Kigoma citing security reasons. Majaliwa on an official visit to Kigoma region ordered the closure of the market after intelligence reports indicated that the market was a catalyst for refugees to run away from Nduta refugee camp in Kibondo district and engage in criminal acts. "Criminal acts in Kibondo district including kidnapping of children are on the increase, wreaking havoc to residents in the area," Majaliwa said when addressing a public rally. He also urged government and private employees overseeing refugee camps in Kigoma region to be diligent in their responsibilities. During his official visit to Tanzania earlier this month, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, appealed to international donors to double their support to Tanzania in sheltering over 330,000 refugees. Grandi said Tanzania was in dire need of greater investment in north-west regions where the refugees were hosted, including environmental protection and economic development. Citing Tanzania as "one of the most important refugee asylum countries in Africa," Grandi expressed his satisfaction with government assurances that the country would continue to be hospitable to refugees. In his meeting with President John Magufuli, Grandi commended Tanzania for its long tradition of welcoming refugees fleeing conflict and persecution in neighboring countries, including naturalizing 162,000 Burundian refugees from 1972. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 21:57:28|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- With growing trade relations between Namibia and China, more and more Namibian students are falling in love with learning the Chinese language. "I am only the first year at University of Namibia and I chose Chinese as a foreign language as this could broaden my horizons in the future," said Ndapewa Shikongo, a student at a local university. More and more people in the world are doing business with China and soon mandarin will be the most sought after language, "so why not prepare for it," said Shikongo. Renowned Namibian educationist and Namibian University of Science and Technology Deputy Vice Chancellor Andrew Niikondo believes Namibia and many other Africa countries stand to benefit immensely from having more students learning Chinese. "Namibia trade relations with China are growing by the day and more and more deals are being signed between the two countries," said Niikondo. "This move is creating a vacant opportunity for Namibian graduates to interact more in the business world with their Chinese counterpart," he said. As a result, it is imperative that more tertiary education students and even officials learn the Chinese language as way of bridging the language barrier when doing business, he noted. Niikondo reckons that China is now the next frontier for both African exports as well as reliable business partner for most African governments. Niikondo added that Namibia is not the only country that saw the relevance of incorporating Chinese languages at universities but a host of other countries are also making the same move. The trend is now popular in many Africa countries in the southern African region and the continent as a whole, he said. "It is only wise that as a country Namibia also follows the same as everyone else," he said. In fact, many major universities in the continent are incorporating mandarin in their management courses as a way of improving the quality of graduates who will in future have to negotiate with Chinese companies coming to Africa, he said. Over the past six years, more than 3,000 Namibians have enrolled to learn to speak mandarin at the Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia (UNAM) in partnership with China University of Geo-Sciences. Director of the Confucius Institute Zhang Fan said language is serving as a smooth conveyor belt in bridging between China and Namibia relations for the future. "Students have noted that learning Chinese offers advantages both in the local tourism industry, and in a variety of interactions at the world stage," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 21:52:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The British Prime Minister Theresa May will be returning to Brussels for Brexit talks on Wednesday as the deadlock continues, a spokesperson with the Prime Minister's Office told Xinhua. The spokesperson said that May is going to meet the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. Her latest trip came after Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay updated Cabinet on talks with the EU's chief negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier who was reportedly "expressed concerns" over the issue of the Irish backstop. The backstop is the insurance policy for stopping a hard border returning to the island of Ireland after Britain leaves the European Union on March 29. The backstop, which is part of May's withdrawal agreement, became one of the main reasons her deal was voted down in Parliament in January. MPs later gave their backing for May to renegotiate the policy with the EU in a vote. May is set to return to Parliament to update MPs again on Feb. 26. If she had not got a new deal by then, she will give the House of Commons a say on the next steps in non-binding votes. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 21:42:25|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HANOI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam has detected African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in the two northern provinces of Thai Binh and Hung Yen, its Department of Animal Health said on Tuesday. AFS virus was discovered in Hung Yens Hung Yen city and Yen My district, and Thai Binhs Hung Ha district, Vietnam News Agency quoted the departments director Pham Van Dong as saying on Tuesday. He said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed the culling of all infected pigs and the crucial conduction of a cleaning process in the hotspots and high-risk locations. The transport, slaughtering, and distribution of pork from AFS-hit areas are under tight monitoring by competent agencies, while mass examinations of all pig farms in the areas will be launched. According to the World Organization for Animal Health, ASF is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs; and it can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and pork products. Now, there is no approved vaccine against ASF. ASF virus does not affect humans but causes haemorrhagic fever in pigs and wild boars that is almost always fatal. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 21:17:21|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PARIS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Tuesday that the government has been considering legislation to fight against hate speech and anti-Semitism on social media amid rising anti-Jewish offenses. Philippe said a bill preventing "proliferation of hateful, anti-Semitic or racist words on social networks" was on the table to address an "anti-Semitism, which is deeply rooted in French society," according to local magazine, L'Express. Website hosts should withdraw the offensive contents and create an atmosphere that respects the French law, he said. "I know there are some obstacles, and my objective is not to constrain the freedom of expression." On Tuesday, Philippe will join a high-profile march in Paris to denounce a resurgence of violence against Jews and other anti-Semitism acts. The move came after a video was shared on social media that showed a "Yellow Vest" protester shouting anti-Semitic insults at philosopher and writer Alain Finkielkraut during demonstrations in Paris last Saturday. Alain Finkielkraut has written books and essays on a wide range of topics, many on the ideas of tradition and identity nonviolence, including Jewish identity and anti-Semitism. "We must be totally determined... to fight (anti-Semitism), with the clear conscience that this combat is old and will last a long time," Philippe said. France is home to more than 460,000 Jewish people, the biggest community in Europe. In recent years there have been a number of high-profile attacks targeting the Jewish community, most notably the killing of four Jews in south France in March 2012 by a self-styled Islamist. Statistics by the French Interior Ministry showed that Anti-Semitic acts increased by a year-on-year 74 percent to 541 acts in 2018. In March 2018, Mireille Knoll, a Holocaust survivor was found dead in her apartment in Paris. She had been stabbed multiple times before her flat was set on fire. There have also been a number of Jewish tombs desecrated and anti-Semitic graffiti scrawled on walls near synagogues. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 21:20:33|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close A worker hands over Yuanxiao, glutinous rice flour dumpling with sweetened stuffing, to a passenger at the Taiyuan South Railway Station in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, Feb. 19, 2019, on the occasion of the Chinese Lantern Festival. Yuanxiao is the traditional food for the Lantern Festival. (Xinhua/Cao Yang) Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 21:12:20|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LUSAKA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Tuesday said support to vulnerable communities is vital in its efforts to reduce high poverty levels in the country. Christine Kalamwina, Zambia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) said various programs being undertaken by the government to eradicate poverty such as the social cash transfer and school feeding program were important effective policies of the government's desire to eradicate poverty especially among rural and remote communities where the scourge of poverty remains unacceptably high. In her statement during the 57th Session of the Commission for Social Development at the UN headquarters, the official said the various programs being implemented by the government were meant to address poverty levels currently standing at 76.6 percent in rural communities. The government, she said, was concerned that despite the country having experienced exponential and steady economic growth in the last decade, a large part of the country's population was still living in poverty. The government, she said, has strengthened social protection programs such as the school feeding program which is currently supporting 977,904 learners across eight of the country's 10 provinces while about 800,000 households are beneficiaries of the Food Security Pack which supports agriculture productivity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 20:32:11|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Feb.19 (Xinhua) -- A traffic accident in Ethiopia's central Oromia regional state has left about 15 people dead, local authorities said on Tuesday. In a press statement, Borena Zone Communication Office of Oromia regional state said the traffic accident occurred on Tuesday morning when two freight trucks collided with each other. Police said the accident was caused by driving beyond the speed limit of the area, according to the statement. Though Ethiopia has one of the lowest per capita car ownership in the world, deadly traffic accidents are fairly common, with the blame put on bad roads, flawed driving license issuance system and lax enforcement of safety rules. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 20:27:09|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approved 18 new cancer medicines in 2018, up 157 percent on 2017, said an NMPA official Tuesday. Cancer medicines accounted for 37.5 percent of the total new medicines approved in 2018, "a notable increase over previous years," said Wang Ping, chief of the division of medicine registration under the NMPA, at a press conference. "It takes 12 months on average for a new anti-cancer medicine to be approved by the NMPA, down from 24 months before 2018," Wang said. Last year the Chinese government adopted a series of measures to speed up the approval of imported and domestically-developed cancer medicines. According to Wang, the government exempted imported medicines from quarantine at border ports so they could reach hospitals and pharmacies as quickly as possible. The approving procedure for imported medicines to enter the Chinese market as well as that for domestic pharmaceutical firms to conduct clinical tests were also simplified. The NMPA and National Health Commission (NHC) listed 48 types of imported medicines that were much needed in China, including those for rare and deadly diseases. The review period of imported medicines for rare diseases is three months, while for the rest it is six months. "The country has tried to develop a favorable policy environment for innovation in medicines so that the latest medical research findings could benefit Chinese patients as soon as possible," Wang said. This year the NMPA will work with the NHC to develop the second list of much needed imported medicines that are qualified for fast-track review, he said. The NMPA will also try to speed up the review procedure for imported and domestic cancer medicines and tighten up monitoring of adverse reactions, he added. File photo shows Chinese Alibaba's founder Jack Ma taking a selfie with honor guests during the conference "The Rise of Africa's Digital Lions" in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Aug. 8, 2018.(Xinhua/Chen Cheng) NAIROBI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative (APNI) on Monday announced that applications for its flagship competition for digital entrepreneurs in the continent funded by Jack Ma Foundation, will start in March. APNI said in a statement released in Nairobi it will be hosting an annual contest for Africa's technology based enterprises in the next decade where 10 finalists will compete for 100 million shillings (1 million U.S. dollars) in total prize money. "The Netpreneur Prize Initiative has brought together a strong ecosystem of players to support both technology driven and traditional businesses," said Sam Gichuru, Founder and CEO of Nairobi-based innovation hub Nailab. "We look forward to unveiling the full slate of regional partners and to receiving applications from promising African entrepreneurs in the coming weeks," he added. The Jack Ma's funded contest worth 10 million dollars is primarily focused on empowering the next generation of African technology based start-ups whose founders are either women or youth. The 10 finalists are expected to receive grant funding from Jack Ma Foundation alongside access to the Netpreneur community of African business leaders to help leverage on shared expertise, best practices and resources. "By 2030, we hope to identify and shine spotlight on 100 African entrepreneur heroes who will inspire the continent. From day one, our approach has been community based and focused on inclusiveness, to be truly for Africans and by Africans," said Beth of APNI. "To realize these goals, we are excited to work with Nailab as our implementing partner in Africa and multiple African partners across the continent," she added. The African digital entrepreneurs' prize is open to innovators and start-up founders across all industry sectors in the continent's 54 countries. Female and young entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the prize before the June deadline to be followed by announcement of top 50 regional finalists in August and final 10 finalists in October. The grand finale pitch event will be held in November when the overall winner of the Africa's technology entrepreneur prize contest will be announced. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 20:07:03|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday called on relevant sides to "comprehensively" and "accurately" understand its National Intelligence Law, instead of making a one-sided out-of-context interpretation. Some Western media have voiced concerns over Article 7 of the law and suggested their countries adopt restrictive measures on Huawei's technologies and devices. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang dismissed such concerns at a routine press briefing. He said Article 7 stipulated the obligations of organizations and individuals to lawfully support, assist and cooperate with the country's intelligence service, but Article 8 clearly stipulated the national intelligence service should carry out its work according to law, respect and protect human rights, and safeguard the legal rights and interests of individuals and organizations. "I'm wondering whether those who accused the law have carefully read its articles. I hope they can look at it comprehensively and understand it accurately, instead of making one-sided interpretation that is out of context," Geng said. Meanwhile, there are many provisions in other laws to protect the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals, including data security and the right to privacy. Those stipulations also apply to intelligence-related work, he said. "We hope relevant sides will abandon prejudice and the presumption of guilt, and view the normal business activities of Chinese enterprises in an objective and fair way." China hopes related countries can truly follow the market principle of fair competition and provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese enterprises to conduct legitimate business, Geng said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 20:07:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish prosecutors on Tuesday issued detention warrants for at least 281 suspects over their alleged links to a group believed to mastermind a failed coup in 2016. Police launched simultaneous operations in over 15 provinces across the country to catch the suspects on the orders of the chief public prosecutor's offices in Ankara, Istanbul and the western province of Izmir, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Among those being targeted are soldiers in active service, imams, teachers, police officers and doctors, who allegedly had links to the network headed by U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. The Turkish government blames Gulen and his group for the coup attempt in July 2016, in which 250 people were killed, and has been pushing for his extradition. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 19:11:45|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China will soon conduct the first central bank bills swap (CBS) operation to support the issuance of perpetual bonds by commercial banks, a central bank official said Tuesday. Sun Guofeng, head of the monetary policy department of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), told a press conference that the central bank will charge fees on the CBS based on market rates. The CBS scheme allows primary dealers to swap the perpetual bonds they hold for the central bank bills, effectively boosting market liquidity of perpetual bonds, according to Pan Gongsheng, deputy governor of the PBOC. Pan clarified that the CBS scheme is not the Chinese version of quantitative easing, and has a neutral impact on the liquidity in the banking system. Perpetual bonds are fixed-income securities with no maturity date and are not redeemable but pay a steady stream of interests forever. The tool is often used to replenish capital for commercial banks, so they have better financing capability to support the real economy, according to Pan. In January, the Bank of China issued the first-ever perpetual bonds by a Chinese bank, which were oversubscribed by investors including domestic insurance companies, securities firms, and some foreign institutions. Some other banks are actively preparing for the issuance of perpetual bonds to replenish capital, according to Pan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 19:11:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KABUL, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan law enforcement agencies have sentenced 27 individuals in connection with drug-related crimes to jail terms ranging from one year and six months to 18 years in the past week, the Counter-Narcotics Criminal Justice Task Force said in the statement Tuesday. Counter Narcotics Police and detective security organization also seized 1 kg of heroin, 61 kg of morphine, over 547 kg of opium, 415 kg of hashish, 414 kg of methamphetamine and 78 kg of chemical substance, as well as 1,000 U.S. dollars in cash from different provinces of the country. In 2018, some 6,400 tons of opium were produced in Afghanistan, particularly in western and southern parts of the country where government security forces have little presence, compared with 9,000 tons in 2017, according to Afghan officials. The decrease in opium production was attributed to the reduction in poppy cultivation, the destruction in poppy fields and drought, officials said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 18:46:40|Editor: mmm Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian wildlife authorities said on Tuesday the government has set up a national rhino management plan aimed at facilitating smooth rhino tracking in the Selous Game Reserve. Alex Lobora, a senior researcher with state-owned Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), said the plan was part of efforts aimed at protecting black rhinos located in the reserve, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 due to its wildlife diversity and undisturbed nature. "Currently, TAWIRI is preparing a national strategy for ensuring that black rhinos continue to survive in the country and to continue promoting tourism," Lobora told a technical and coordination meeting in Morogoro region in Tanzania. The meeting was jointly organized by WWF Tanzania, TAWIRI and the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) and the Frankfurt Zoological Society. "In the existing rhino strategic and management plan we have set ten strategies, these strategies have come from stakeholders and have focused on the challenges that rhinos face in their environment," he said. The Ruvuma Landscape Coordinator for WWF Tanzania, James Nshare, said that the main purpose of the meeting was to generate the best rhino tracking methodology and a joint action plan for rhino. "WWF works with stakeholders in the government and other partners to ensure that rhino conservation is improved and well-coordinated in the Selous Game Reserve," said Nshare. Singira Parsais, Selous Game Reserve ecologist and rhino coordinator from TAWA, said the miombo woodland forest in the Selous Game Reserve was making rhino tracking process difficult. "This environment also made it difficult to recognize the population of the rhinos and their protection too," added Parsais. Tanzania had about 10,000 black rhinos towards the end of 1960s. However, their population started to diminish in the early 1970s following strong poaching pressure that almost exterminated the species. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 18:41:38|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia earned 169.2 million U.S. dollars from coal exports to China in January, the Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA) said Tuesday. The Asian country exported a total of 2.1 million tons of coal in January, virtually all to China, the MCGA said in a statement, adding that the figure is an increase of around 192,000 tons from the same period last year. Coal is the landlocked country's main export commodity. The country exported a total of 36.5 million tons of coal last year, reaching an all-time high. The country has set a goal to increase coal exports to 40 million tons in the coming years. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 18:21:34|Editor: mym Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Somalia and the UN have launched the UN Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) to help support the country's peace building with focus on State-building projects. Peter de Clercq, deputy representative of the Secretary-General and UN Resident Coordinator for Somalia said the Fund will support five new projects focusing on stabilization, internally displaced persons, reconciliation and state-building processes, land for peace and the leveraging of the contribution of women to peacebuilding and promoting gender sensitivity in the national program on disengaged combatants. "These programs are intended to be catalytic, which means that we are trying out risky approaches towards peacebuilding, especially where donors would not necessarily put their money because they think it is too risky to invest," de Clercq said in a statement issued in Mogadishu on Monday evening after the launch. The UN and Somalia has earmarked 14 million U.S. dollars for support of new state-building projects in the country. De Clercq noted that the fund was intended to provide a coherent and coordinated approach by the government, the UN and other partners to provide durable solutions to a number of problems caused by conflict and extreme weather conditions. He said there is a need to support the stabilization and reconciliation efforts in Somalia by comprehensively tackling the problem of displacement. "This country is fast urbanizing not just in Mogadishu but in other towns like Baidoa and Bosaso, and it is very important that we support that urbanization process fueled by internally displaced people, either as a result of drought or as a result of conflict," he added. The Fund aims to address Somalia's peacebuilding priorities as outlined in the Peacebuilding Priority Plan, the National Development Plan, the National Stabilization Strategy, the Wajadir Framework and the National Reconciliation Framework. Abdi Mohamed Sabrie, minister of interior federal affairs and reconciliation said Somalia has more than 2.5 million internally displaced persons, most of them living in the major cities, who need help to access basic necessities like food, water and shelter. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 18:06:32|Editor: mym Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday offered India cooperation in the probe into the recent deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that has heightened tension between the neighbors. In a televised address to the nation, Khan asked India to share "actionable evidence" regarding the attack and Pakistan will extend cooperation in the investigation. A suicide blast in Indian-controlled Kashmir last week left 40 paramilitary troopers dead. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack but the latter rejected the allegations. The Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group claimed the attack. "It is not in the interest of Pakistan to allow its soil for any terrorist activity as Pakistan is heading towards stability. If India alleges that Pakistani soil has been used for terrorism, it should share evidence. I want to give you (India) a guarantee that I will take action," Khan said. "Issues cannot be solved through pressure. I again invite India to start dialogue with Pakistan to discuss all issues and to explore ways to fight terrorism in the region," he said. "There is a new thinking in Pakistan and I want to make it clear that whoever tries to use Pakistani soil for terrorism, it will be enmity with Pakistan and my government will not allow it to happen," Khan said. The Pakistani leader expressed his regret that the Indian government started "Pakistan bashing" soon after the attack without any investigation. As tensions mount between the two countries, Pakistan has called back its high commissioner to India for consultations. Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood met Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on Tuesday and discussed the situation arising from the attack, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said. India has also called back its high commissioner to Pakistan for consultations, according to Indian media. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 17:26:18|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close Farmer Brad Kremer and his son feed the calves in his family farm located in Pittsville, Wisconsin, the United States, on Feb. 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) by Xinhua writer Deng Xianlai PITTSVILLE, the United States, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Brad Kremer, a farmer from the midwestern U.S. state of Wisconsin, got up in dawn's early light on a snowy mid-February day to feed his 20 calves. The Kremers live in the city of Pittsville in central Wisconsin, where their family farm, Hillcrest Family Farms, consists of 1,200 acres of soybeans and 1,800 acres of corn, wheat and alfalfa. They also own a dairy with 400 animals and a facility where they dry and store the grain. For farmers like Kremer who have benefited from China's demand for U.S. soybeans, an already weak agricultural sector coupled with the ongoing trade frictions between the United States and China have added to their financial woes. Although the trade tensions with China are not the sole reason for the plunge in grain prices in the past year, farmers in the region said they hope the two countries can resolve the disputes as soon as possible, since exports to China are "absolutely" a main factor influencing their livelihood. OPPORTUNITIES LOST DUE TO TENSIONS "The dairy has been depressed for a couple of years now, so it seems like it's almost piling on when you have the (low) soybean and corn prices," Kremer said. "It's stressful across the board. I think every sector of agriculture is feeling a very tightening of the belt and certainly a depressed revenue." Kremer said farmers are still fighting a negative basis at the local grain elevators. Calculated as cash price minus futures price, basis is an important tool for farmers to decide whether to sell their grain at a certain time. The wider the negative basis is, the thinner the profit margin for growers will be. "Soybeans last year was over a dollar negative basis," Kremer said. "That's a dollar a Bushel we lose just from a basis standpoint." Dewey Stelzner, plant manager of U.S. agribusiness group Archer Daniels Midland in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, said there were some opportunities for farmers to sell their soybeans "at a decent price" last spring, before the trade tensions with China escalated and the tariffs were put in place. However, at least 50 percent of the farms he dealt with missed the opportunities, he said. "Usually, the 10-year history shows us that in the early spring, it is a good time to sell for the fall crop," he said. "But since that point, with a lot of things that were going on -- the tariffs and everything else -- that opportunity really went down fast, and that hasn't rebounded yet." Stelzner said that in the past four months, soybean basis at one point dipped to a level that he had never seen since entering the business some 30 years ago. Data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) showed that after surging to a record 58.96 million metric tons in the 2016-2017 season, U.S. soybean exports fell to 57.9 million metric tons in the 2017-2018 season, and are not expected to exceed the peak until the 2026-2027 season. The 12-month season starts Sept. 1. While China's retaliatory tariffs played a role in driving down the prices of U.S. soybeans as Chinese businesses turned to South America for alternatives, other factors are also at play. Don Lutz, a soybean farmer based in nearby Scandinavia village, said farmers have been shifting from dairy and corn to soybean over the decades, resulting in a persisting bump in soybean inventories across the area that has contributed to the continuous widening of negative basis. "We've seen more soybeans grown in this area probably every year over the last 30 years," Lutz said. According to the USDA data, the total soybean planting area across the United States increased from 75.7 million acres in 2008 to 89.1 million acres in 2018. A third reason, according to Lutz, has to do with the lack of diversity in the structure of Wisconsin's soybean industry. "Wisconsin really exports all of its soybeans because it doesn't have any processing plant," he said. "And so in essence, they're either going to go for export ... or they go out of state, get processed for feed, and those feed products are brought back here." FAIR PRICE PREFERRED OVER SUBSIDY To mitigate the blow to U.S. farmers, the Trump administration directed the USDA Farm Service Agency to launch a Market Facilitation Program (MFP) last September, through which eligible producers of soybeans, sorghum, corn, wheat, cotton, dairy, hogs, shelled almonds and fresh sweet cherries would get a direct one-off subsidy. According to information from the USDA website, applications for the program ended on Thursday. Kremer said that he had not yet received the bailout money, and that even if he received it, it is not even close to making up for what he lost. "It's not something that's going to make us profitable by any means." "To give you an idea ... the monies -- and I haven't received them yet -- but when I do get them, they won't pay my power bill on the farm this year," Kremer said. Kremer, who is also treasurer of the American Soybean Association that helped lobby for the government aid initiative, said the program did soften the blow, "but it doesn't even pay my electricity bill, so I'd much rather be able to sell my soybeans at a fair market price." CALL FOR END TO TRADE DISPUTES During the week-long China-U.S. trade consultations in Beijing, which concluded on Friday, the two sides had in-depth communication on mutual concerns including technological transfer, intellectual property rights protection, non-tariff barriers, the service industry, agriculture, the trade balance and an implementation mechanism. Beijing and Washington reached consensus in principle on major issues and had specific discussions about a memorandum of understanding on bilateral economic and trade issues. The consultations are scheduled to continue in Washington this week. Concerning the trade talks, Kremer said he hopes the two sides will "get the politics out of" their trade relationship and resolve their frictions as soon as possible. Noting that he had "a good relationship in the last few years" with Chinese buyers, Kremer said, "My hope is that they can remove these tariffs and come to an agreement that moves things forward." "It's affecting family farms. It's affecting people in the countryside," he said. Kremer predicted that when the two countries reach an agreement that enables U.S. soybean farmers to again export their produce to China, a "fast response" will occur in soy prices, which could rebound 10-11 U.S. dollars per Bushel at the Chicago Board. "At that point the farmers certainly aren't getting rich, but they're making a little bit of margin to stay afloat and to continue to be in business," Kremer said. U.S. farmers have always valued the Chinese market. Lutz said, "it's something we worked hard to build and felt it was a win-win situation." He said he thinks China still has a demand for U.S. soybeans, and that U.S. farmers would like to see agricultural trade between the two sides "get back on par." "I think many of those (trade issues between China and the United States) are not related to agriculture at all," Lutz said. "We're just the consequence of that, but I'm optimistic." According to Lutz, whether Beijing and Washington can properly resolve their trade frictions will undoubtedly be a major factor affecting soybean prices, which, if they go up, will in turn pull up the prices of other commodities. "It lifts all boats when it does," Lutz said of a potential trade deal between the two countries. (Xinhua correspondents Liu Yang and Hu Yousong in Washington also contributed to the report. ) (Video reporters: Deng Xianlai, Liu Yang, Hu Yousong; Video editor: Liu Ruoshi) Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 16:51:11|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army said on Tuesday that 22 Palestinians were arrested in overnight raids across the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The 22 were arrested for "suspected involvement in popular terror and violent disturbances against civilians and soldiers," the army said in a statement. The army often uses "popular terror" to refer to participating in protests, and hurling stones and explosives at Israeli soldiers and settlers. During the raids, Israeli troops also seized two M-16 assault rifles and two pistols in the flashpoint city of Hebron, south of Jerusalem, and in the village of Salem, east of Nablus city. The Israeli army frequently carries out raids in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to search for what it says "wanted" Palestinians. According to B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, there were 5,934 Palestinians in Israeli detention facilities, including some 50 women and 205 minors, by the end of December 2018. The recent raids came amid elevated tensions between Palestinians and Israelis over the decision of the Israeli cabinet to withhold 138 million U.S. dollars of Palestinian tax revenues. Israel says the funds will be deducted to pressure the Palestinian Authority to stop paying to Palestinian attackers and their families. Palestinians officials condemned the move, saying it was illegal under the Paris Protocol signed in 1994 to regulate the relations between Israel and the Palestinians. Ibrahim Khreisheh, Palestinian ambassador at the UN Human Rights Council, said the decision would lead to an acute deterioration in the Palestinian economy, and "contacts were already held with European countries to brief them on the Israeli decision of piracy." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 16:06:00|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close YINCHUAN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Carving a golden carp on an empty eggshell, high school student Lu Wenbo spent most of his winter holiday in a community cultural activity center in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. "The golden carp forebodes good luck. When I'm finished, I'll share my work on WeChat," Lu said. Egg carving is often called "the most fragile art," as it requires the ultimate precision and care before, during and even after the creation. With a long history, the folk art originates from the custom of giving carved eggs as gifts at weddings and birthday parties. Around this Spring Festival holiday, a group of folk artists started to teach children and teenagers in the Kuangzhong community in Huinong District in the city of Shizuishan. "Children have become interested in the traditional folk art during the Spring Festival holiday," said Li Zhanlin, a local official in the community. Recently, the community has launched three eggshell carving training activities, attracting at least 20 children each time. To carve delicate and exquisite patterns, including flowers and birds, fantasy creatures and the twelve Chinese zodiac signs, on the thin and fragile eggshells has aroused children's curiosity. "Each hair of the animals can be clearly seen on the carved eggshell," said Lu. Learning from the artists, Lu and his friends started to punch holes in the eggs, extract the yolk, paint the eggshell and then carve it. "The eggshells can break easily in the process, but the children are very concentrated," said Zhu Jinjun, a tutor at the community cultural activity center. "Eggshell carving is an intangible cultural heritage. When teaching how to carve, I like to tell children the relevant historic and cultural knowledge," Zhu said. They may not become folk art masters from the short holiday training, but Zhu hopes the activities can help the children experience the traditional culture. Zhu, also a retired miner, learned how to carve eggshells by himself. In 2017, the community established studios for folk artists like Zhu to encourage them to play positive roles in spreading the traditional culture and arts. "With the help of these folk artists, children in the community are becoming increasingly interested in traditional art such as Chinese calligraphy, painting, paper cutting and the diabolo -- the Chinese yo-yo," said Li Zhanlin. Israeli soldiers search for rockets fired from Lebanon after they landed in northern Israel, on Dec. 20, 2015. (Xinhua File photo) BEIRUT, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese political analysts are divided on the possibility of Israel waging a war against Lebanon after the recent discovery of tunnels extending from Lebanon to northern Israel and the formation of a new government in Lebanon. Hilal Khashan, chair of the Political Studies Department at the American University of Beirut, believes Israel is unlikely to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon for the moment. "The Americans did not give Israel the green light to attack Lebanon," Khashan told Xinhua. A few days ago, the U.S. government voiced its concerns about Hezbollah's participation in the new cabinet in Lebanon. A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Lebanese daily newspaper Al Joumhouria, said the United States is worried about the role of Hezbollah in the new cabinet, especially the fact that the group dominates the Health Ministry which has the country's biggest budget. However, according to Khashan, Hezbollah did not appoint the health minister in order to avoid the negative repercussions of such a move from the West. Hezbollah will also try its best to maintain the conflicts with Israel within the Syrian territory, Khashan noted. "I do not think Hezbollah will attack Israel from Lebanon. This will be a major escalation that Lebanese people cannot tolerate," he said. In fact, the Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared recently that his group will not start a war with Israel, but will defend itself with all its power if Israel attacks Lebanon first. Nevertheless, Khashan did not completely rule out the possibility of an Israeli war against Lebanon. On Dec. 4, the Israeli army launched the Northern Shield operation to "locate and thwart" the tunnels allegedly dug by Hezbollah from Lebanon to northern Israel. Since then, the Israelis have been talking frequently about Hezbollah's threats against Israeli sovereignty and Iran's control of Lebanese policies, as Iran has been a long-time ally of Hezbollah. Israel's statements concerning Hezbollah have become so "tough" that no one can predict what the Israelis want to do, Khashan said. The Israelis are no longer trying to cover up their attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian targets in Syria, signalling no fear of escalation in the region, he added. If the Iranians publicly oppose the Israeli statements and threaten the Israelis, "things can get out of control," Khashan said, adding that Israel may be waiting for Iran to make such a move as an excuse to go for a war in Syria and Lebanon. Meanwhile, Sami Nader, director of Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs in Lebanon, believes an Israeli war against Lebanon may not be imminent or unavoidable because both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Iranians want to avoid risks. However, Nader said the likelihood of an Israeli strike against Iranian positions in Lebanon and Syria has increased. "Iran is building up its missile infrastructure in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, because the tension between Iran and Israel has increased especially after the withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement," Nader said. Meanwhile, the U.S. stance on Iran has also been "tougher and stronger," he stressed. "We heard U.S. President Donald Trump say a few days ago ... that Iran is a radical country and is leading terrorism on the international scene," he said. Moreover, Nader explained that Russia would be happy if Israel attacks Iran because Russia has an interest in seeing the reduction, if not the elimination, of Iran's presence in Syria. "The Russians do not want the collapse of Iran in Syria but they want it to be weakened for them to remain the major stakeholder in Syria," the Lebanese expert noted. This is why every time Iranian bases are targeted, Russia either remains silent or issues routine and indifferent statements, he added. Samir Hassan, a senior researcher in military affairs, said if Israel's attacks on Iranian and Hezbollah targets increase to the extent that causes "real harm," a war may break out. Hassan explained that real harm means any attacks that would threaten Iran's existence. "Also, if Israel hits strategic logistic corridors of Hezbollah or any of their mobilization sites, the party will hit back," said Hassan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 15:50:55|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A total of nine militants were killed and few others injured after the government forces stormed Taliban hideouts in Khogiani district of the eastern Nangarhar province on Monday, said a statement of provincial government released here Tuesday. The operation was launched on Monday night and lasted for a while during which a main base of the militants had also been destroyed, the statement added. No civilian had been harmed during the operations, the statement further said. Taliban militants have not commented. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 13:50:31|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday in Miami, Florida that the United States is seeking a peaceful transition in Venezuela without ruling out the use of force, apparently to mount pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "We seek a peaceful transition of power, but all options are open," Trump said in his speech to Venezuelan American community at Florida International University. He reiterated his firm support to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. In a parallel move, Trump attempted to alienate Venezuelan officials from Maduro, warning them not to follow Maduro's order to block U.S. aid from entering Venezuela while persuading them to accept "Guaido's generous offer of amnesty." "You will find no safe harbor, no easy exit, and no way out. You will lose everything," Trump warned. "President Trump is two-faced on the Venezuela issue," Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo pointed out, adding Trump talked about fighting against the Maduro regime, but his administration kept deporting and detaining Venezuelans refugees. U.S. military cargo planes carrying U.S. aid arrived in the Colombian border city Cucuta on Saturday. Denying the existence of a humanitarian crisis, the Maduro government refused to let the aid cross the border and called the aid operation a U.S.-orchestrated show leading to an eventual invasion. "Humanitarian aid has been turned into a spectacle to justify a military intervention of our country," Maduro said last week at a news conference in Caracas. U.S. effort to distribute tons of food and medicine to Venezuelans was more than just a humanitarian mission, National Public Radio (NPR) reported. "The operation is also designed to foment regime change in Venezuela - which is why much of the international aid community wants nothing to do with it." Washington has recently stepped up economic and diplomatic pressure against the Maduro government. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Friday announced sanctions on five Venezuelan officials, four of them high-level officials of Venezuelan intelligence and security organizations, and the other was Manuel Quevedo, the president of Venezuela's state-owned oil company PDVSA. During his meeting with visiting Colombian President Ivan Duque last week, Trump said their two countries and militaries would closely cooperate on Venezuela. Trump has also remained ambiguous about the future policy regarding Venezuela. Asked if he was considering a military solution, Trump said there are "a number of different options. And we look at all options." U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams, however, made it clear during a Congressional hearing last week that the United States would not be militarily involved in Venezuela. Guaido declared himself "interim president" on Jan. 23 and was immediately recognized by Washington. In response, Maduro announced he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the United States, ordering all the U.S. diplomatic and consular personnel to leave Venezuela. Maduro has accused Washington of orchestrating a coup d'etat in order to install a puppet regime in Venezuela. Guaido's move came less than two weeks after Maduro, who won the 2018 Venezuelan presidential vote, was inaugurated for a second term. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 13:50:31|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close CANBERRA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China has overtaken New Zealand as the leading source of visitors to Australia, data has revealed. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), people from China made 1.43 million short-term visits to Australia in 2018, up 6 percent on 2017, beating the 1.38 million from New Zealand. It marks the first time New Zealand has been knocked off the top place in the rankings since it overtook Japan in 1999. Since losing the top spot, Japan has fallen to the fifth-largest source of visitors, with the United States and Britain ranking third and fourth, respectively. "We have seen extremely strong growth in visits from China in recent times," Myles Burleigh, director of Migration Statistics for the ABS, said in a media release on Tuesday. "In 2008, there were 353,000 visitors from China, so the number has more than tripled in the last 10 years. "Ten years before that, in 1998, there were only 77,000 visits by people from China." According to separate data released by Tourism Australia in January, Australia welcomed 9.2 million international visitors in the 12 months to September 2018, up 6 percent from the previous 12 months. It revealed that the 1.42 million Chinese visitors in that period spent a total of 11.5 billion Australian dollars (8.18 billion U.S. dollars) in the country; the equivalent of 8,309.8 Australian dollars (5,915.6 U.S. dollars) each. By comparison, the 7.78 million visitors from other countries spent a total of 31.7 billion Australian dollars (22.56 billion U.S. dollars) at an average of 4,074 Australian dollars (2,900.1 U.S. dollars) each. Despite losing top spot as a source of visitors to Australia, New Zealand remained the top destination for Australians travelling overseas, followed by Indonesia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 13:45:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SYDNEY, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have paved the way for a universal flu vaccine by identifying immune cells, called killer T cells, which can fight all variants of the influenza virus. The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and Monash University revealed the joint effort on Tuesday, calling it a "paradigm -shifting discovery, which could lead to an influenza vaccine that does not need to be updated annually." Past research had shown these killer T cells being present in an immune response to some, but not all of the A, B and C influenza viruses. "Influenza viruses continuously mutate to evade recognition by our immune system, and they are vastly diverse, making it nearly impossible to predict and vaccinate against the strain that will cause the next influenza pandemic," lead researcher and PhD student Marios Koutsakos said. "We have identified the parts of the virus that are shared across all flu strains, and sub-strains capable of infecting humans, and then investigated if we could find robust responses to those viral parts in healthy humans, and influenza-infected adults and children." The discovery was a key breakthrough for the team who will now focus on creating a universal influenza vaccine to reduce the impact of pandemic events and seasonal influenza around the globe. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 13:35:29|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close HANOI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A compartment of a cargo train departing from Vietnam's Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City derailed on Monday evening in central Nghe An province, causing no casualties but paralyzing the country's north-south railway for four hours, the Vietnam Railways Corporation said on Tuesday. One compartment of the cargo train coded SBN1 derailed in Dien Chau district, which damaged some 700 meters of rails, and affected normal operation of over 20 trains. On Feb. 14, two compartments of a 13-compartment passenger train departing from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City derailed in southern Dong Nai province, causing no casualties but paralyzing the north-south railway for more than four hours, and forcing hundreds of passengers to use automobiles to continue their journey to the southern city. The state-owned corporation has recently installed surveillance cameras at locomotives of trains to timely give warnings when they approach rail sections which cross roads. Vietnam's railway sector transported 500,000 passengers in January, posting a year-on-year decline of 7.5 percent, and 500,000 tons of cargoes, down 6 percent, according to the country's General Statistics Office. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 13:10:26|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday fired Secretary-General Gustavo Bebianno amid a week-long scandal over alledged laundry of campaign funds. In an announcement made by a spokesperson of the presidency, Bolsonaro thanked Bebianno for his dedication and wishes him success in future endeavors. In a video released by the presidential office, the president said "relevant matters" made him reconsider Bebianno's permanence in the office, but he acknowledged that Bebianno's work as his presidential campaign coordinator was important to his victory. Bolsonaro's Social Liberal Party (PSL), of which Bebianno is president, has recently been accused of using puppet candidates to launder money last year. Bebianno has denied any irregularities. Bebianno will be replaced by retired Army General Floriano Peixoto. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 12:10:17|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Commerce Department on Sunday submitted a report to the White House on whether to impose tariffs on imported cars and auto parts on national security grounds, drawing backlash from auto makers, suppliers, and industry groups. The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), which represents auto parts suppliers, on Monday said the potential tariffs were "ill-advised," warning that the impacts would be "long-term and far reaching." "Every single U.S.-made car and truck has imported components and assembly. Tariffs on autos and auto parts would affect every make and model sold in the U.S. and would result in higher prices for all vehicles," it said in a statement. The cumulative effect of current and potential U.S. trade actions on automobiles and auto parts could cause new car prices to rise by 2,750 U.S. dollars on average, according to estimation by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) released in a report Friday. "The vast majority of the estimated price impacts are attributable to the potential auto and parts tariffs that the Administration is considering imposing under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended," the report said. The MEMA said that small and medium-sized motor vehicle parts manufacturers are "particularly susceptible to increased costs, squeezed margins, and added burdens." The association also argued that the importation of motor vehicle parts is not a risk to national security. "To the contrary, the imposition of these tariffs would put our economic security and leadership in technology in jeopardy," it said. Nathan Nascimento, executive vice president of Freedom Partners, a group with close ties to the Koch Brothers, said Monday that a 25-percent tariff on imported autos would put U.S. consumers and businesses "on the express lane into a ditch." In a statement, he warned that piling on even more tariffs puts the U.S. economy at risk and "invites retaliation from our trading partners." The cumulative effect of the steel and aluminum tariff hikes, extra tariffs against imports from China, potential 25-percent tariffs on imported autos and auto parts as well as other trade measures could lead to a 1.3-million drop in U.S. light vehicle sales, and a loss of 366,900 U.S. jobs, according to the CAR report. John Bozzella, president of the Association of Global Automakers, criticized the lack of transparency in the policy making process, as any details of the Commerce Department's recommendations haven't been disclosed. "If it is going to be the policy of the U.S. government that the price of autos and auto parts should increase by as much as 25 percent because of new tariffs, the American public deserves to know that as soon as possible," Bozzella said in a statement released Sunday. Bozzella again stressed that automotive trade "does not imperil national security," but rather, it "strengthens our competitiveness and benefits consumers." The Commerce Department launched the Section 232 investigation in May 2018 at President Donald Trump's request to evaluate the effects of imports on national security. In June 2018, Trump called on Twitter for tariffs of 20 percent on imported automobiles, and in November, the president raised the suggested rate to 25 percent after General Motors announced its plan to close several U.S. plants and cut more than 14,000 jobs. Trump has 90 days to decide whether to adopt the commerce department's recommendations and introduce tariffs on imported vehicles and auto parts. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 11:45:12|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close YANGON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Renovation work on earthquake-hit pagodas in Myanmar ancient heritage sites is nearly complete, leaving only 20 pagodas still under restoration, said the official Global New Light of Myanmar on Tuesday. So far, 335 pagodas, including 224 which were partially damaged in the ancient sites of Bagan and Mrauk U as well as regions of Sagaing and Magway more than two years ago, have been conserved without damage to their original architectural design, the Archaeology and National Museum Department of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture was quoted as saying. A 6.8-magnitude earthquake, which struck on Aug. 24, 2016, had damaged 389 pagodas in the Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone. Following the quake, the authorities divided the damaged pagodas into three prioritized groups for restoration and conservation, with 36 pagodas being set as the first group, 53 the second and 300 the third. These pagodas were restored and conserved in line with international standard and with advice from experts of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the post-earthquake Technical Coordination Forum. Myanmar is working with the UNESCO in an effort to make its ancient city of Bagan to meet the standard to be enlisted as one of the world heritages. With about 3,000 ancient pagodas and religious edifices, the Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone has been in existence for more than 1,000 years, standing as one of the tourist attractions of Myanmar. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 11:20:08|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close HAVANA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China has the potential to become Cuba's large market for premium cigars, according to Jose Maria Lopez, vice president of development at Habanos S.A., Cuba's leading cigar maker. "We are very optimistic about the continuous growth of the Chinese market, because premium cigars are a relatively new product for clients in that country," Lopez said following the opening of the 21st Habanos Cigar Festival, a five-day event that kicked off in Havana Monday. In 2017, Habanos signed an agreement with the China National Tobacco Corporation, which oversees cigar imports. The company participated in the first ever China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November, and perceived the growing interest in Cuban cigars among Chinese consumers. "It is an interest that we are responding to with greater presence in that market, along with training and increasing distribution at points of sale. We are very optimistic about the future," said the executive. Chinese consumers have a preference for Cohiba, the island's most famous brand, he noted. "Cohiba, being the main brand in terms of value, has a limited production due to the high level of quality we demand, which is why we have the challenge of raising Chinese consumers' awareness that there are brands beyond Cohiba, such as Montecristo, Romeo and Julieta, Hoyo de Monterrey and Trinidad that are very high quality," Lopez said. At the opening of the Habanos Cigar Festival, the company announced that in 2018 it saw record-high global sales of 537 million U.S. dollars, a 7 percent increase over 2017. "Sales have continued to grow in different markets, both in volume and value, maintaining a market share of around 70 percent in regions where we sell our brands," said Ernesto Gonzalez, marketing manager at Habanos. In terms of distribution by geographical area, Europe is in the lead with 53 percent of sales by volume, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (18 percent), Asia-Pacific (15 percent) and Africa and the Middle East (14 percent). "The high quality and exclusivity of habanos, along with their unique origin, make Cuban cigars a successful premium product around the world," said Gonzalez. This year's festival, which draws some 2,200 industry leaders and aficionados from 70 countries, is joining the 500th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Havana by launching limited edition cigars of brands most related to the Cuban capital. "San Cristobal de La Habana marks 20 years (in production) in 2019 and the festival dedicates part of its official program to the brand and the 500th anniversary of the city," said Gonzalez. As part of the program of activities, festival goers will visit plantations in Vuelta Abajo, in the western province of Pinar del Rio, considered to be the best land in the world for growing tobacco. Guests will also visit cigar factories in the capital and participate in conferences, blind tastings, presentations of famous brands, contests and the traditional auction of humidors at the closing gala dinner, whose funds are donated to the Cuban health system. Founded in 1994, Habanos S.A. markets hand-rolled Cuban cigars through 144 points of sale across Cuba and more than 700 establishments in more than 150 countries around the world. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 10:45:03|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SKOPJE, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Police forces in North Macedonia dismantled an organized group involved in illegal weapons trade, the country's ministry of internal affairs said in a press release on Monday. The police action was organized in cooperation with the country's public prosecution office. After investigations, a court ordered the arrest of all nine members of the group, who are from the North Macedonian cities of Skopje, Tetovo and Kumanovo. "The police also sequestered an automatic rifle, a hunting rifle, 16 pistols, various caliber ammunition, mobile phones and SIM cards," the press release said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 10:35:01|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close CARACAS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government on Monday said it will send humanitarian aid to Cucuta, a Colombian town bordering Venezuela, to help improve the difficult situation facing children in the area. The move seems to be a satiric response to Colombia's decision to allow a U.S. military transport plane carrying aid meant for Venezuelans to land in Cucuta. The border crossing has turned into a potential flashpoint as the Venezuelan opposition, with the support of Washington, steps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government to renounce power. Despite the government's blockade, the United States and Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido attempted to bring the aid into Venezuela via Cucuta by land. The operation was seen by Maduro as a way for the United States to invade the oil-rich country. Jorge Rodriguez, Venezuela's minister of communications and information, said that Caracas has decided to donate "20,000 boxes" of foodstuffs to Cucuta "to help with the extremely difficult situation that the boys and girls there are undergoing" and the aid is to be delivered on Friday and Saturday. More than 40 percent of children in Cucuta live below the poverty line, the minister said. He also pledged free medical aid for Cucuta, saying "pediatricians, surgeons and orthodontists" will be taken to the border area. In addition to the aid, the government is organizing a concert for peace at the border crossing. The concert, to take place under the banner "Hands off Venezuela," will feature Venezuelan performers as well as international artists, Rodriguez added. The power struggle between Venezuela's ruling socialist party and opposition groups deepened last month after Guaido, who is also the head of the National Assembly, proclaimed himself "interim president." Guaido, who was immediately recognized by the White House, has tried, but so far failed to convince the Venezuelan armed forces to defect to the opposition. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 10:30:01|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close MOSCOW, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Russia will deliver 300 tons of humanitarian aid to Venezuela, local media reported Monday, quoting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "We receive humanitarian support every day," Maduro was quoted as saying by Sputnik news agency at a meeting with scientists in Venezuela. Russia's aid will be delivered to the international airport of Caracas, the president added. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Russia is ready to join mediation efforts to help end the Venezuelan crisis. Russia supports the broadest contacts on the Venezuelan issue, Zakharova said. Venezuela has been experiencing political tensions since Jan. 23 when National Assembly President Juan Guaido declared himself interim president and was recognized by the United States and some other countries. For years, the United States has imposed diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions against Venezuela, and has recently imposed sanctions on Petroleos de Venezuela, a state-owned oil firm in Venezuela, to mount pressure on Maduro to cede power to the opposition. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 09:59:57|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday stressed the economic and trade potential in the Asia-Pacific region, especially China, saying his government aims to bolster trade with countries in the region. One of his government's strategic projects is to build a bicoastal corridor in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a narrow area of land in southern Mexico, between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, he said. "We have the possibility to connect the Pacific with the Atlantic in this 230-kilometer stretch of territory," Lopez Obrador told investors at the presentation by the Investment, Employment and Economic Growth Promotion Council. As part of the development push in the isthmus, the government will modernize two ports -- Salina Cruz and Coatzacoalcos -- as well as a rail line for cargo trains, said Lopez Obrador. "To stimulate investment," the administration is also considering creating a duty-free zone in the area, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 09:44:55|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Texas officials and business leaders are urging Californian companies to find business opportunities and grow themselves in Texas, a Texas economic delegation said Monday. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is part of the delegation that is in San Francisco on a trade promotion tour this week, said the Lone Star State, a nickname of Texas, is the "ultimate destination for economic success" for Californian companies and businesses. "From our world-class infrastructure to our strong right to work laws, Texas remains the envy of the nation," he said. Texas has no corporate or personal income tax, making it one of the U.S. states that has the lowest tax burdens across the country. Abbott urged Californian entrepreneurs to make "a fruitful investment in the Lone Star State." Robert Allen, president and CEO of Texas Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization that is leading the Texas business delegation, said Texas has a strong track record of attracting companies from California to expand or relocate to the state. He praised Texas for being a state with a business-friendly climate, overall lower cost of living, and skilled workforce. Allen said Texas has attracted a number of big-name hi-tech companies to the state since 2014, such as Apple, Google, Toyota and Oracle. Apple announced last December that it will build a new 1-billion-U.S.-dollar campus in Austin, Texas, which will cover an area of 133 acres (about 538,232 square meters). The new plant will generate 5,000 jobs at the beginning for the state, but the figure could grow up to 15,000 in the long run. Toyota is another major company that has settled in Texas as it opened its 350-million-dollar North American headquarters in Plano, Texas in 2017 after it left its longtime headquarters in Torrance, California. Abbott vowed to create a favorable business environment for companies operating in Texas by eliminating bureaucracy and other barriers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 08:29:46|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Demonstrations were held Monday in Washington, New York, Chicago and dozens of other U.S. cities against President Donald Trump's emergency declaration aimed to secure funding for the highly controversial U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump signed a national emergency on Friday to build the U.S.-Mexico border wall and push for his signature campaign promise. The move gave the president power to bypass Congress to get access to money, but it sparked a new round of legal and partisan battles almost immediately. Hundreds of protesters chanted outside the White House on Monday, the annual U.S. President Day holiday, as part of the nationwide demonstrations. "End the fake emergency now," a banner read. "We stand with immigrants and asylum seekers," another claimed. Hal Ponder, a Washington, D.C. resident and former Congress employee, told Xinhua that he believes "there is no emergency" at the southern border and that the president is "making this up" to get around Congress to push for his signature campaign promise. "It's all political. It's not real," said Ponder at Lafayette Square in front of the White House. The back-and-forth between the White House and Congressional Democrats is distracting them from doing what's really important for the country, Dick Newman, a retiree from Annapolis, Maryland, lamented. U.S. politicians should "work together for decency and positivity," instead of creating more divisions, Newman told Xinhua. The two-month fight over the funding of the border wall between the White House and congressional Democrats has led to the record-breaking 35-day federal government shutdown which ended late January. The emergency declaration gives the president power to bypass Congress and redirect several billions of dollars for his border wall pledge, triggering a new round of legal and partisan battle. Among the hotly debated issues are the president's use of executive power and whether there really is an emergency. White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller defended Trump in an interview on "Fox News Sunday," insisting the emergency is real. There has been an "increasing number of people crossing" and "a huge increase in drug deaths" since 2000, he claimed. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended close to 400,000 people on the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2018 fiscal year, according to federal data. That's an increase from the prior year, but less than in 2016. And recent annual figures are the lowest they've been in nearly four decades, according to local media reports. Local media said at least two lawsuits by watchdog groups are challenging the legality of the declaration, and California's Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Sunday he would "definitely and imminently" file a suit. More than 100 people took part in the rally at Chicago's downtown Federal Plaza, protesting against what they call "a phony national emergency as an end run around congress." Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a U.S. congressman from Illinois, told the crowd that at least 12 states have already joined legal efforts led by the Attorney General of California, "suing (Donald) Trump to undo the phony emergency that he has declared at the border." "Clearly, this is one more effort at a power grab by the president who has gone outside the bounds of the law to try to get what he failed to achieve in the constitutional manner," he said. Garcia vowed to explore both legislative and legal actions in the days and months to come. Cassandra Boulanger told Xinhua that "I think the so called emergency is misused and exaggerated by president of United States. It is not existing emergency." "The current emergency is our health care system, naturalization of other immigrants, offering help to all minority groups by the administration. Especially gun violence as well. So no, this is not realistic emergency," said Boulanger, a staff member of a local museum. In New York City, hundreds of people rallied in Union Square to protest against Trump's declaration and decry Trump's proclamation as "undemocratic and anti-immigrant." The event, sponsored by the activist group MoveOn, attracted people with signs marching the square. They chanted slogans like, "Say it loud. Say it clear. Immigrants are welcome here." There are also a few Trump supporters in the rally. "President Trump has a lot of policies; I'm here today to stand up for the national emergency," said Karen, a local retiree. "There's nothing wrong with it. Other presidents have done it. Why weren't they protesting when Obama put the country on national emergency?" she said. Liliana, a student from New Jersey, was among the protesters. "It's heartbreaking because it (Trump's policy) affects my family a lot," said Liliana, whose parents are first-generation immigrants. Enditem 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. South Africa: Selby bridge repairs to severely affect traffic Johannesburg motorists will have to choose alternative routes as the M2 motorway between Crown Interchange and Maritzburg Street will be totally closed to allow for bridge rehabilitation. On Monday, the City of Johannesburg announced that the rehabilitation of Selby bridge will come into effect from Thursday, 28 February, at 6 am and will remain in force up until the end of October 2019. Parts of the bridge were temporarily closed last year in order to have the bridge rehabilitated. However, inspections have revealed that the structural integrity of the concrete elements is severely reduced, the city said. The Johannesburg Roads Agency, which manages the citys 902 bridges, realised that parts of the support structure have moved, negatively affecting the structural stability of some bridges on the M2 motorway. The safety of Selby bridge cannot be guaranteed for continuous use by motorists and thus the decision for a closure of the M2 between Crown Interchange and Maritzburg Street is necessary, the city explained. Built in the 1960s, many city bridges are now near the end of their design lifespan, requiring urgent reconstruction and rehabilitation. Thirty-seven bridges were reported to have collapsed during the 2013 rainy seasons alone. A specialist appointed by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) completed detailed assessments of the affected sections of the bridges. The overall acceptable condition for bridges in a very good and good condition should be a minimum of 80%. However, currently, 5.77% of city bridges are in this acceptable condition, while a total of 78.38% bridges are in a poor condition. While repairs are underway, the city has appealed to motorists and residents to be patient as traffic will gridlock. Detours for motorists during the period of closure will be as follows: The M2 eastbound will be closed between Crown Interchange and Heidelberg Road. No traffic will be allowed to travel eastbound past the Village Road off-ramp at Crown Interchange. Traffic will be allowed to enter the M2 westbound at West Street travelling towards Main Reef Road and the M1 southbound. No access to the M1 northbound from the M2. - Heidelberg interchange Traffic will be allowed to enter the M2 eastbound at Heidelberg Road on-ramp or Maritzburg Street on-ramp. The M2 westbound will further be closed between Maritzburg Street off-ramp and Crown Interchange. No traffic will be allowed to travel westbound passed Maritzburg off-ramp. The following on-ramps will be closed: 1. Main Reef Road on-ramp onto the M2 eastbound. 2. M1 approaching from the south, ramp onto the M2 eastbound. 3. M1 approaching from the north, ramp onto the M2 eastbound. 4. Simmonds Street on-ramp onto the M2 eastbound. 5. Eloff Street on-ramp onto the M2 eastbound. 6. Heidelberg Road on-ramp onto the M2 westbound from the south and the north. 7. Heidelberg Road on-ramp onto the M2 eastbound from the north. 8. Wemmer Pan Road on-ramp onto the M2 westbound. 9. Eloff Street on-ramp onto the M2 westbound. 10. Booysens Road on-ramp onto the M2 westbound. 11. M2 on-ramp onto the M1 travelling north. The following access points will be available to and from the M2: 1. Village Road off-ramp. 2. Heidelberg Road northern on-ramp onto the M2 eastbound. 3. Maritzburg Street off-ramp. 4. West Street on-ramp onto the M2 travelling west towards Main Reef or south towards Soweto. For the full breakdown of the routes, visit www.joburg.org.za. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 06:24:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HELSINKI, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tuition-paying students from outside the European Union and the European Economic Area have not so far become a tangible additional source of revenue to Finnish institutions of higher education. Net income from the non-EU/EEA enrollment in 13 Finnish universities and 23 applied sciences institutions during 2017 amounted to 2.7 million euros (3.1 million U.S. dollars), news agency USU reported on Monday. The income is minute in comparison to the 2.5 billion euros of government funding budgeted annually for the institutions, USU noted. Only under 20 percent of the institutions told USU that foreign interest in studying in Finland had declined. But the revenue did not match the enrollment on account of generous scholarship policies. USU attributed the generous scholarship programs to the fear that students would otherwise go to other countries. The Ministry of Education has since urged that scholarship criteria should reflect the aims of legislation. Criteria have varied. In some locations all first-year students have been given free tuition, while in others only the best students have been awarded scholarships. There were under 23,000 foreign students studying in Finland in 2017, Seven percent of the total and 77 percent of them were not from the EU/EEA. The largest countries of origin were Russia, China, Vietnam and Nepal. The current legislation that took effect in 2017 excluded the non-EU/EEA students from the Finnish free education benefits. Meanwhile, courses given in Finnish or Swedish are free of charge. USU said a proven interest in learning Finnish or Swedish is being promoted as a way to get scholarships and reduce the need to pay fees. The change also backs the government policy to boost employment in Finland for the would-be graduates. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 06:09:29|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Policemen are seen at the site of an explosion in Cairo, Egypt, on Feb. 19, 2019. A terrorist and two Egyptian policemen were killed Monday in a bomb explosion in the old quarter of the Egyptian capital Cairo, the interior ministry said. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) CAIRO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- A terrorist and two Egyptian policemen were killed Monday in a bomb explosion in the old quarter of the Egyptian capital Cairo, the interior ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said a bomb that was in the possession of the terrorist went off right after police forces captured him in Cairo's al-Darb al-Ahmar district. Three police officers were also injured in the bomb blast, the ministry added. The terrorist was involved in the thwarted attempt to target a police patrol with an improvised explosive charge in Giza province on Friday, the statement said. After investigation and search operations, police spotted the location of the terrorist who was hiding in a local area in al-Darb al-Ahmar district of Cairo, the statement said. According to the statement, police forces surrounded and captured the terrorist, but one of the bombs he obtained exploded, leaving him and two policemen dead. Terrorism rose in Egypt following the military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently banned Muslim Brotherhood group. Terror attacks gradually expanded from North Sinai province to other provinces including the capital Cairo, and started to target the Coptic minority via church bombings and shootings. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 06:04:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LISBON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said on Monday in a report that Portugal needed to expand its tax base and improve its judiciary to better fight corruption. The OECD's Economic Survey -- Portugal 2019 was critical of Portugal's tax system, saying it had too many exemptions and too many reductions, specifically in terms of VAT. The report also said that the judicial system had to be improved to better combat and punish graft. Portugal's Minister of the Economy Pedro Siza Vieira said the Portuguese government acknowledged many of the problems and suggestions presented by the OECD. But he told a press conference in Lisbon, which followed the release of the report, that "they are proposals that the government need not necessarily follow." Angel Gurria, Secretary General of the OECD, responded by saying "the OECD's role is to hold a mirror up before Portugal and other countries." He added that Portugal had "proved itself to be a very efficient model" and was "almost an exception in Europe." "The Portuguese know what to do with Portugal," Gurria concluded. "What we do is to tell them what other countries do with the same problems." Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 05:39:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GAZA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least seven Palestinians were injured on Monday evening during clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza, medics said. Ashraf al-Qedra, Health Ministry spokesman in Gaza, told reporters that seven Palestinians were injured by Israeli soldiers' gunfire in eastern Gaza city, close to the border with Israel. Dozens of Palestinian demonstrators, recognizing themselves as members of the Night Disturbance Unit, gathered on Monday night near the border between eastern Gaza and Israel, according to eyewitnesses. They said the demonstrators burned tires, threw dozens of sound bombs and tried to cut the barbed wire of the fence of the border, adding that Israeli snipers opened fire at them and wounded nine demonstrators. Day and night protests on the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel have been going on since March 30, better known as "the Great March of Return" to break the Israeli siege. On Sunday night, 19 Palestinian demonstrators were shot and wounded during similar night clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli soldiers east of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, close to the border with Israel, said al-Qedra. According to Gaza health officials, more than 250 Palestinians have been killed and 26,000 others injured since the start of the marches. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 05:24:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Wang Kejian said Monday that China is willing to take Chinese-Lebanese relations to a new level, a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Lebanon reported. "China is willing to work together with Lebanon to continuously consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen policy docking under the framework of the 'Belt and Road Initiative' while deepening pragmatic cooperation," Wang said during his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri at Grand Serail. Wang also conveyed the greetings from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Hariri, and congratulated Hariri for the formation of the new government. The meeting aimed at discussing latest developments and bilateral relations between the two countries. From his side, Hariri asked Wang to convey his greetings and best wishes to Premier Li. Hariri spoke highly of the bilateral relations between Lebanon and China, and thanked China for its assistance to Lebanon in the political, economic, military and humanitarian fields. "We expect to see more achievements in our cooperation with China on many levels," Hariri said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 05:09:21|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close DOHA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Qatar Petroleum (QP) company on Monday said it signed agreements with three global giants worth 2.47 billion U.S. dollars as part of a plan to localize its energy sector. The plan shows the importance that Qatar attaches to the localization of the energy sector, and is expected to add an investment of 15 billion Qatari riyals (4.12 billion dollars) in local economy, said a statement by QP. QP signed the contracts with Baker Hughes, Schlumberger, which recently celebrated 70 years of presence in Qatar, and McDermott, for oil services. QP has an ambitious plan to increase its production output from 4.8 million to 6.5 million barrels per year, and raise Qatar's liquefied natural gas production from 77 to 110 million tons per year by 2024. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 04:59:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAIRO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Tourism Minister Rania al-Mashat praised on Monday the tourism sector as one of the most growing sectors worldwide. Speaking at a press conference with the board of the Egyptian Tourism Federation, Mashat said her ministry seeks to make use of the recent growth in tourism through solving problems facing this vital field and improving skills of tourism staffers. She noted that a five-axis structural program has been outlined to upgrade the tourism sector in Egypt. All state bodies, topped by the Tourism Ministry, are cooperating to ensure a successful organization of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to be held in Egypt later this year. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Mashat said that Egypt's tourism is in constant improvement with a growing number of tourists from Western, Arab and Asian states. "We had a leap in tourism in 2017 and a large boom in 2018, when Egypt was visited by renowned foreign figures," the minister said. The revenues of Egypt from tourism saw a year-on-year increase of 77 percent in the first half of 2018 to reach 4.8 billion U.S. dollars, while the number of tourists arriving in the country increased by 41 percent to exceed 5 million. Tourism in Egypt, a major source of its national income and foreign currency reserve, was hit with a heavy blow following the Russian airplane crash in North Sinai in October 2015, after which several countries, including Russia and Britain, suspended their flights to Egypt. This aggravated the recession in the country's already ailing tourism sector because of political instability. Even before the Russian plane crash, Egypt suffered a sharp decline in tourist arrivals because of three years of political turmoil, including two mass uprisings that toppled two presidents. Several countries were forced to ban their citizens from traveling to Egypt for safety reasons. Personnel with giraffe costume pose at the 116th Annual North American International Toy Fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, the United States, Feb. 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) NEW YORK, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- At lease 70 percent of all toys selling in the United States are made in China and there are a lot more toy-related innovations coming out of China, the global trend hunter and toy industry expert Reyne Rice has said. It may not be surprising that approximately 80 percent of toys produced worldwide are made in China, as the country has been a crucial part of global toy supply chain for over a decade. Local Chinese toy producers are also doing better jobs in toy innovation and design, with their comprehensive global competitiveness advancing. "Now, we are seeing a lot of toys that are actually being designed, manufactured and executed in China by Chinese companies," Rice told Xinhua in an interview during the ongoing 2019 North American International Toy Fair in New York City. Chinese toy producer Shenzhen Bell Creative Science and Education has just won the startup category prize of ToyAward, an internationally recognized prize of Spielwarenmesse, the Nuremberg International Toy Fair in German, in 2019. Spielwarenmesse was held annually since 1949 and is the world's largest international trade fair for toys and games. "(The jurors) could choose from any company in the world that are start-ups. And they chose a company from China," said Rice. With over 30 years' experience in the toy industry, Rice believes the threat of 25 percent tariff on all products imported by the United States from China would be "devastating for the (toy) industry". In addition, Chinese toy manufacturers have worked with toy companies in the United States and other countries for years, it is not easy for other countries to replace China in toy manufacturing, noted Rice. Growing demand by Chinese consumers for quality brands have also attracted more attention of overseas toy and game producers. The logo of Russian television network Russia Today (RT) is seen on a board at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 1, 2017. (REUTERS PHOTO) MOSCOW, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Kremlin on Monday condemned the blocking of Russian government-backed RT video channels by Facebook as "unprecedented and undisguised pressure on the Russian media." "Unfortunately, many large companies that provide services in the field of social networks and in other, let's say, digital formats, are also used by the authorities of unfriendly countries as a tool to exert pressure on Russian media," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti news agency. Such actions lead to a loss of confidence and, probably, to serious damage to the reputation of these largest and quite respected international companies, Peskov added. Facebook suspended on Friday three online video channels run by Maffick Media, a company whose majority stakeholder is Ruptly, a subsidiary of RT, CNN reported Saturday. Peskov said he hoped that RT would manage to defend its rights. RT Editor Margarita Simonyan twitted on Monday that Facebook blocked the channels after a CNN article written following a tip from a fund sponsored by the U.S. State Department that the channels were actually sponsored by the Russian government. She said that Facebook immediately blocked the channels without advancing any accusations, although RT had never violated any Facebook rules, nor had any complaints from it. She said just one of the blocked channels, In the Now, was "wildly successful" with 2.5 billion views and 4 million subscribers on Facebook. Syrian soldiers prepare artillery to fire at positions of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria's Qalamoun region, on Aug. 26, 2017. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) MOSCOW, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Moscow is puzzled by U.S. President Donald Trump's urging the European Union (EU) to take back Islamic State (IS) terrorists of European origin captured in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "The first thing is to find out what the talk is about, as the United States in such situations can behave in a strictly antipodal manner," Lavrov said at a press conference with his counterpart from Oman, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. Trump tweeted Sunday asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 IS militants the United States had captured in Syria and to put them on trial, as the United States intended to pull out its military from Syria after the destruction of IS. "The alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them. The U.S. does not want to watch as these IS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go," Trump said. Lavrov recalled that previously the United States either sent such individuals captured in Afghanistan and other countries to its Guantanamo base in Cuba to be kept for years, without trial or investigation, or to secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe. He also noted that captured foreign militants were suspected of terrorism, for which the United Nations (UN) Security Council's resolutions contained a "very clear list of steps that need to be taken" against them, when they fall into the hands of countries fighting against terrorists. "These criteria must be met, and the first absolutely essential step is transparency and the transfer of data about these individuals," Lavrov said. He also said that, besides setting up prisons for terrorists, the United States has created a lot of problems on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, and it would not be an easy job to sort them out. These included military bases and weapons the United States supplied to local Kurds, the fate of which worries Turkey greatly, Lavrov said. But the main problem, said Lavrov, was the illegitimately created security zone in al-Tanf in southeastern Syria, where the U.S. military trained militants, and Rukban refugee camp. The dwellers of that camp could not be evacuated because of a ban imposed by the United States and extremists backed by it. Lavrov said he hoped that UN representatives who had recently accompanied the second humanitarian convoy to Rukban could see by themselves what was happening there, and provide the necessary information to the UN Security Council. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 02:23:58|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said on Monday that foreign jihadists -- including Belgians - held in Syria should be judged "at the maximum level" in the region, invoking the possibility of creating an international court to deal with such cases. Following a meeting in Brussels with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Michel called for a European and international approach to dealing with the return of "foreign terrorists fighters" (FTF). Michel said he was "in favour of judicial decisions in the region," and acknowledged that the situations in Syria and Iraq were different. "One can also think of a form of international justice," added Michel, stressing that he intended to take into account the security of Belgium's population. Michel's meeting with Pelosi came after U.S. President Donald Trump had made a unilateral decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, provoking ire and concern from a number of allied countries. The U.S. president over the weekend called on European countries, including Britain, France and Germany, to take back its nationals fighting as jihadists captured in Syria to be put on trial. However, the fate and identity of foreigners detained have yet to be clarified. They include French, German, and English citizens. Several men are in prison, while women and children are in refugee camps. Trump's decision leaves the EU's member states, among them Belgium, in an awkward position. On the one hand, they are reluctant to extradite their citizens captured in Iraq and Syria while the war on terror persists, but on the other hand they don't support capital punishment that may be imposed by judicial courts in the Middle East. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 02:13:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Intense clashes took place between Yemeni government forces and the Houthi rebels in the southwestern province of Taiz on Monday, leaving 10 rebels killed, a military official told Xinhua. The military official on condition of anonymity said that forces of the pro-government Giants Brigades engaged in fierce armed confrontations with the Houthi rebels in the Al-Barh area in Taiz province. The armed confrontations heavily intensified in Taiz's western frontlines particularly over the control of key military sites located in the same area. Earlier in the day, pro-government media outlets reported that six Houthi rebels died in an explosion while attempting to plant landmines. Six other rebels were injured during the landmines explosion in Rubayea neighborhood of Taiz province, according to the pro-government media report. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi rebels overtook the capital Sanaa and ousted the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. The conflict has caused what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, killing more than 10,000 people and causing 14 million Yemenis at the brink of starvation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 01:43:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TUNIS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Altogether three cooperation agreements were signed on Monday between Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemais Jhinaoui and his Ghanaian counterpart Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, who is on a two-day official visit to Tunisia, the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. The cooperation agreements cover the creation of a Tunisian-Ghanaian joint committee and the establishment of political consultations to strengthen bilateral cooperation in sectors such as trade, agriculture, industry, higher education, health and youth. On the sidelines of the signing ceremony held on Monday in the capital Tunis, Jhinaoui highlighted the Tunisian-Ghanaian common will to move forward on the path of boosting fruitful political consultations on issues of common interest in Africa. Jhinaoui added the volume of trade between Tunisia and Ghana will experience a remarkable development during the next period after the decision to open a direct airline between Tunis and Accra, Ghana's capital, in addition to a shipping line to Tema Harbor in southeastern part of Ghana. The Ghanaian foreign minister said her visit to Tunisia would open vast prospects for bilateral cooperation. "New areas of partnership between our two countries should be explored in the areas of health, tourism, air and sea transport, in addition to the scientific and technical cooperation that Ghana attaches major importance to," she added. Ghana has been one of Tunisia's largest trading partners in sub-Saharan Africa since 2012. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-19 00:58:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GENEVA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Monday that in its centenary year, 2019, it is urging its 187 member states to ratify at least one additional ILO convention or protocol. "Since its founding in 1919, ILO international labor standards have improved the working lives of millions of people," said the ILO in a statement. From eliminating forced and child labor to ensuring the rights of seafarers and promoting gender equality, the ILO said its 189 conventions and 205 recommendations adopted by the organization's member states over the last 100 years had formed the bedrock of the ILO and its mandate. It noted, however, that "many issues in the world of work remain, and with new challenges being created by globalization and cross border activities, international labor standards are needed more than ever." It said that "ratifications and the full application of ILO global labor standards will ultimately lift up millions of workers whose livelihoods today, like 100 years ago, are facing substantial challenges." "The implementation of international labor standards ensures that no one will be left behind in the world of work," said Corinne Vargha, director of the International Labor Standards Department. To gauge progress towards this goal, the ILO will track all 2019 ratifications in real time on a new dashboard. More than 30 member states have already made a head start, having signed conventions or protocols in 2019 or ratified instruments that will enter into force this year. Governments, employers' and workers' representatives negotiate ILO conventions. The ILO noted that conventions on child labor contributed to the reduction in the number of children working from 246 million in 2000 to 152 million in 2016. It also said that conventions on working time had placed limits on working hours and the working week. "The Maritime Labor Convention -- which currently covers more than 90 percent of the world's gross shipping tonnage -- has improved working conditions for many seafarers," said the ILO. Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-18 21:07:57|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close People take part in a demonstration calling for peace in Nad Ali district of Helmand province, Afghanistan, Feb. 18, 2019. Hundreds of Afghan people in the restive Nad Ali district of the southern Helmand province staged a peaceful demonstration on Monday and called upon the Taliban fighters to cease fighting and initiate dialogue with the government. The peaceful rally is taking place amid increasing fighting between government forces and Taliban fighters that claims dozens of lives almost every day in the militancy-plagued country. Bearing the banners inscribed with the slogans "We hate war", "We want peace" and "We want national reconciliation" in Afghanistan, demonstrators said that the Afghans have hugely suffered due to the protracted war and it is time for both the Taliban and the government to initiate dialogue and find negotiated settlement to the country's crisis. (Xinhua/Abdul Aziz Safdari) KABUL, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Afghan people in the restive Nad Ali district of the southern Helmand province staged a peaceful demonstration on Monday and called upon the Taliban fighters to cease fighting and initiate dialogue with the government. The peaceful rally is taking place amid increasing fighting between government forces and Taliban fighters that claims dozens of lives almost every day in the militancy-plagued country. Bearing the banners inscribed with the slogans "We hate war", "We want peace" and "We want national reconciliation" in Afghanistan, demonstrators said that the Afghans have hugely suffered due to the protracted war and it is time for both the Taliban and the government to initiate dialogue and find negotiated settlement to the country's crisis. "We the Afghans have suffered a lot. Enough is enough. It is the time for the Taliban and the government to find peaceful solution to Afghanistan's problems," a protestor named Qudratullah told Xinhua. The Afghan government has been advocating for direct talks with the Taliban group. However, the Taliban has refused the offer, saying no talks would be held with the Afghan administration in the presence of foreign forces in the country. "The war has destroyed our country and there is no logic to continue the war," another protestor and a resident of the conflict-riddled Nad Ali district, Sayed Jalal, told Xinhua. More than 45,000 members of the Afghan security forces have been killed since 2014, according to President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. Many Taliban militants and countless civilians have also lost their lives in the endless war in Afghanistan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-30 15:35:44|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Jan.30 (Xinhua) -- Former Mongolian Finance Minister Sangajav Bayartsogt held in custody since mid-January for alleged corruption was granted bail, local media reported Wednesday, citing judicial authorities. A request made by an attorney of Bayartsogt for him to be released on bail was received by a court in Sukhbaatar district in the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator on Tuesday evening. This is the second time that Bayartsogt was granted bail. In June, Bayartsogt was freed on bail after he had been held in investigative custody for almost two months. In 2009, Bayartsogt signed the agreement on behalf of the Mongolian government with Canada's Ivanhoe Mines on developing the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine, granting a 66-percent controlling stake to the company, which later changed its name to Turquoise Hill Resources and is now majority owned by Australian-British mining giant Rio Tinto. In early 2018, the Independent Agency Against Corruption, Mongolia's top anti-corruption body, started the probe into the deal, and accused Bayartsogt of using his influence and position to provide foreign parties of the agreement with an advantage in negotiations. The Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine, located in the South Gobi Desert of Mongolia, is expected to produce an average of 430,000 tons of copper and 425,000 ounces (about 12,050 kg) of gold annually for 20 years. Enditem (WTXL) - A petition for the United States to sell Montana to Canada to reduce the national debt is picking up momentum online. First Coast News reports the petition, which is meant to be lighthearted, has at least 6,744 signatures since it was created last week. Sitting at just above $22 trillion, selling Montana for $1 trillion would not eliminate the national debt, but it's a humorous proposal. You can read the petition here. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board remains in Special Measures despite series of improvements This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Feb 19th, 2019 Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) is to remain in Special Measures despite progress and a series of improvements across several areas. BCUHB is the largest health organisation in Wales, providing services across North Wales including the Wrexham Maelor Hospital. However in June 2015 the health board was put into Special Measures by the Welsh Government following increasing pressure and scrutiny in the wake of the Tawel Fan mental health scandal and the proposed relocation of some maternity and cancer services. A written statement published by Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething this afternoon outlines the outcomes of a recent meeting between the Welsh Government meets with the Wales Audit Office and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. Under the Joint Escalation and Intervention Arrangements the organisations meet twice a year to discuss the overall position of each health board and NHS trust in respect of quality, service performance and financial management. The latest meeting took place in January 2019 and the tripartite group considered that progress had been demonstrated since the last meeting in July 2018 in those organisations in targeted intervention: Within the statement it is noted that the Out of Hours performance at BCUHB is now at a level that is comparable to other organisations and as a result is no longer a special measures concern. Mr Gething continues onto that say that progress has been made in several areas of the health board, including improvements to mental health although it is acknowledged that there is further work to do. The statement adds: The tripartite group recognised the way in which the organisation had responded to the Ockenden and the Health and Social Care Advisory Service (HASCAS) reports. Quality and safety governance has been strengthened and improvements are becoming evident. The new chair is strengthening governance and board effectiveness. However the health board is to remain in special measures, with Mr Gething explaining: Despite improvements in some areas compared to last year, BCUHB still faces a challenging improvement agenda as it works to improve performance and governance within the context of a sustainable three year plan. In response to the Health Ministers announcement that the health board was remaining in Special Measures, Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymrus North Wales AM, said: Any improvement in Betsi Cadwaladr health boards performance is to be welcomed but we are almost four years into Special Measures and there are still huge problems in our local NHS. More than 30 million is still being spent annually on agency staff, there are more than 1400 vacancies including 565 nurses and A&E services in our main hospitals are at breaking point. Special Measures was supposed to be a temporary measure but were almost four years in with direct Welsh Government control and the signs of improvement are few and far between. The Health Minister must take responsibility for the health boards performance but shows no sign of apologising for the ongoing problems staff and patients are facing. In August 2018 Mr Gething announced a cash injection of almost 7 million to help push forward improvements for patients at the health board. Speaking at the time Mr Gething said: In May I set out my expectations for the Health Board over the next 18 months, and made a commitment to provide more intensive support, including additional resources to quickly and efficiently deliver the improvements needed to the health board. Todays funding forms part of that support. It will be used to set up stronger operational governance and accountability at the Health Board and to push forward financial improvements. I expect to see significant improvements for patients as a result, especially in planned and unscheduled care across North Wales. A visitor tries out a robot for a Chinese traditional medicine health check during the Internet+ Expo in Shunde District of Foshan, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 24, 2018. [Xinhua/Liu Dawei] Healthcare continued to attract investment in China, with funds flowing in to the sector increasing 78.64 percent year on year to 82.6 billion yuan (12.28 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018, the China Daily reported Tuesday. Though much of the investment was fueled by the surging healthcare demands of the country's aging population, it was also aided by people's growing healthcare demand and policy support, the newspaper quoted an industry report as saying. The report, by medical research consultancy vcbeat.net, showed that fundraising in the country's medical sector had grown rapidly from the 6.72 percent seen in 2017 to the current level. The pharmaceutical sector continued to be the mainstay of the investments and garnered 21.3 billion yuan of funds. The growth of deals in the sector was also significant at 210 percent on a yearly basis. The biotechnology sector attracted investment of 11.1 billion yuan and was ranked second. "The growth in pharmaceutical sector investments was probably due to the government's policy adjustments," said the report. "However, as the industry settles down, it may not be able to replicate the momentum seen in 2018. This year, there may be a slight decline in pharmaceutical sector investments." (Source: Xinhua) 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. Fredonia Man Charged with Drug Trafficking By West Kentucky Star Staff FREDONIA - Authorities arrested a Caldwell County man Saturday night on drug charges after getting a call about suspicious activity.The Caldwell County Sheriffs Office told WKDZ deputies responded to the complaint shortly after 9 p.m. Deputies said they found 24-year-old David Faughn of Fredonia with about 1.75 pounds of marijuana, Lortabs and Xanax.Faughn was arrested and booked into the Caldwell County Jail on charges of trafficking in marijuana, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, third-degree possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Courthouse Offices to Close in Honor of Redmon By West Kentucky Star Staff MAYFIELD - In observance of the passing of Graves County Sheriff Dewayne Redmon, offices in the Graves County Courthouse will be closed or will have limited hours today. Offices closed for the entire day include the Graves County Sheriff's Department, the Graves County Clerk's office, Graves County PVA, the Graves County Judge Executive's office and the Graves County Road Department. Other offices will have limited hours: Graves County Circuit Court offices, Graves County District Court office, the Graves County Jail and the Graves County Attorney's office will be closed from 10am until 1pm today so that employees may attend the funeral service for Sheriff Redmon. Funeral services will be held at His House Church in Mayfield today at 11am. Entombment will follow in the St. Jerome Cemetery Mausoleum in Fancy Farm. Halls Sophie Garner-MacKinnon has been named the 2020-21 Gatorade Connecticut Softball Player of the Year, according to a release from Gatorade. Garner-MacKinnon is the first Gatorade Connecticut Softball Player of the Year to be chosen from Hall High School. : , . - , , . , . , . - , . - . : , - - ? : . , , . , , . , . , 0.200-0.250 . . , . . : , , , ? , , 2 0.250 . : , , . , , 2 , , . , . , . , . , . .. , 1 . - - 3%, - 2 %. . . : ? : , , . : ? : . , . , . , . , , , , . , - . : , , , , , - , , ? : , , . , , , . , . - 1 4 . . : - , ? : . . : . ? : . . : ? : , , . . Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Wyoming State Science Fair Public Viewing March 4-5 at UW Danielle Clapper and Carly Keller, both from Southeast High School in Yoder, worked in UW botany Professor Cynthia Weinig's laboratory during a summer mini-internship they won at the 2018 Wyoming State Science Fair. The two students will again exhibit at this year's fair on the UW campus, building on the lab knowledge they gained from working with Weinig. (Erin Stoez Photo) More than 200 students representing 36 schools will return to the University of Wyoming campus March 3-5 for the Wyoming State Science Fair. School groups and the public are invited to visit the 2019 Wyoming State Science Fairs Pre-College Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Research Competition, according to Erin Stoez, Wyoming State Science Fair coordinator. Students in sixth through 12th grade will display posters featuring their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) research. For many of these students, this is their first experience conducting STEM research and presenting it in a setting similar to a research conference, where they engage in conversations with professional scientists, says Stoez, a lecturer in the UW Science and Mathematics Teaching Center. Student posters will be displayed in the UW Conference Center for public viewing Monday, March 4, from 6:30-9 p.m., and again Tuesday, March 5, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Student research may cover areas as diverse as robotics, environmental management, behavioral and social science, computational biology and chemistry. Participating students will compete for cash prizes, scholarships and internships. Top students are selected to represent Wyoming at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the largest precollege celebration of science for high school students, or at the Broadcom MASTERS competition, a national competition for sixth- through eighth-graders. The ISEF is in Phoenix, Ariz., later this spring, and the MASTERS competition will be held in Washington, D.C. For more information about the Wyoming State Science Fair and how to enter the competition, email wyostatefair@gmail.com or visit www.uwyo.edu/sciencefair/. Brucellosis Update Session Set in Cody March 6 University of Wyoming Extension will host an informational brucellosis meeting for producers Wednesday, March 6, from 5-8 p.m. at the Cody Library, 1500 Heart Mountain St. The meeting is open to the public and includes subjects related to the current status of the disease in Wyoming, its management, and livestock and wildlife. A light meal also will be provided. Information will be presented by Wyoming State Veterinarian Jim Logan; Bruce Hoar, brucellosis research coordinator for UW; and Eric Maichak, a biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. For more information, email UW Extension educator Barton Stam at brstam@uwyo.edu, or call the Hot Springs County Extension Office at (307) 864-3421. The 2021 USA Cycling Professional Road National Championships came to Knoxville on Father's Day weekend. This is the fourth year for Knoxville to host the U.S. Pro Road and Individual Time Trial Championships and the third year to host the U.S. Pro Criterium Championships. United Nations/Romania International Conference on Space Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Precision Farming Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania, 06-10 May 2019 C o-organized by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the Romanian Space Agency on behalf of the Government of Romania, with the support of the Cluj-Napoca University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, the Office for Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Cluj, and the Romanian Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Hosted by the Cluj-Napoca University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Key Information and Documents Application deadline for applicants seeking funding: 24 March 2019 - NOW CLOSED Application deadline for applicants on a self-funded basis: 31 March 2019 - NOW CLOSED Presentations Venue: Cluj-Napoca University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Dates: 06-10 May 2019 (06-08/05: conference sessions; 09/05: optional field visit; 10/05: hands-on workshop on education) Please check this website regularly for updated information. Introduction The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Government of Romania through the Romanian Space Agency (ROSA) are jointly organizing the above Conference to promote the use of space technology and solutions for sustainable agriculture and precision farming, to address key issues related to global food security. The Conference will be held in Cluj, Romania, from 6 to 10 May 2019, hosted by the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV) in Cluj-Napoca and supported by the Office for Soil Science and Agrochemistry (OSPA), Cluj, and the Romanian Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (SRFT). The Conference is aiming to address key issues related to utilization of space technologies and solutions for a sustainable agriculture, addressing number of indicators and targets under the sustainable Development Goals framework and considering the challenges related to food security worldwide, with increasing populations and corresponding pressures on the available agricultural land. Background Space technologies, including satellite remote sensing integrated with geospatial technologies and location-based services, have demonstrated the capabilities in addressing challenges related to sustainable agriculture, be it from a stress created due to increasing demand for food, conversion of productive land to a different purpose, impacts of natural disasters or long-term impacts of a changing climate. Continuous Earth observation from space is crucial to manage and monitor agricultural resources for the benefit of humankind and the environment, as well as to provide important forecasting services to prevent water-related disasters such as floods and droughts that could increasingly affect agricultural production and food security. Remote sensing satellites that provide data on several key variables related to soil, crop, water or weather at various spatial and temporal scales are highly appropriate for reliable agricultural planning and management. Satellite-based navigation systems are widely used for expansion of precision farming and more efficient use of resources. Precision farming technologies often use global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to improve efficiency with products and techniques that can cut unnecessary expenses on seed, fuel, agrochemicals and time. The Office for Outer Space Affairs, through its Programme on Space Applications, addresses space technology applications in various workshops and conferences organized at the request of Member States. Results of those events also provides a means to review progress and address unmet needs. Most recently, food and water security were addressed in a workshop organized with the Government of Pakistan in 2013. Furthermore, as the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), to which the UNOOSA serves as the secretariat, is defining a Space2030 vision in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), based on a mandate received during UNISPACE+50 in June 2018, the importance of space technologies and related applications in supporting the implementation of the SDGs and other international agreements, along with related monitoring and reporting activities at the national level increases further. The Conference provides an opportunity to reflect on common interests in line with the aforementioned global agendas, identify gaps, and discuss how space technologies can contribute to improved management of agricultural resources in general, as well as specific issues such as precision farming, water availability and irrigation challenges, combating desertification, floods and drought monitoring when impacting agricultural production, or managing food-security related challenges in developing countries. Conference Objectives The main objectives of the UN/Romania International Conference are: To share practices and tools on space-based solutions for improved sustainable agriculture and precision farming; To promote space technologies for food security research and early crop yield forecasts To raise awareness on international, regional and national initiatives, monitoring frameworks and international or interregional cooperation in the domains of agriculture and food security; To share opportunities for education, training and capacity building relevant for various target groups on using space technologies to address water- or food-related challenges in agricultural processes, as well as public awareness initiatives in the area; To demonstrate use cases on successful applications of space technologies for improving agricultural processes and food security in developing countries; To discuss new or emerging technologies and approaches in these domains; and To highlight 'space in agriculture' in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Programme The Conference will comprise a series of keynote presentations and technical sessions with sufficient time set aside for discussion. Each technical session will be followed by an open discussion focusing on specific topics of interest and providing additional opportunities for participants to voice their opinions. The programme of the Conference will include sessions addressing, among others, the following themes: Pedometrics, precision farming, sustainability and adaptation to climate change; Space applications for water security and risk management; Integrated applications of space technologies providing cost-effective solutions and essential information for planning and implementation of programmes or projects to enhance management, protection and restoration of water resources; Space technologies in coping with the effects of climate change; Use of space-based technologies in mitigating water-related emergencies, agricultural water use and storage or in combating desertification and drought; Emerging technologies: Big data, geo-statistics, radar, LiDAR, UAVs, automation, agricultural drones and satellite imagery for building inclusive agriculture ecosystems; Spatial analysis and soil classification, monitoring of soil functions and proximal soil sensing; Land productivity assessment: current global soil and humus status and monitoring solutions; Capacity building related to space solutions in agriculture and food security, including development of human resources, establishing technical infrastructure and legal frameworks, and access to financial resources; Agro-environmental governance and policies; Integrated tools combining earth observation and other technologies in support of small-scale agriculture and subsistence farming; and Crop yield and productivity forecasts. The Conference discussions will address ways of expanding the use of space technologies and information/data towards more sustainable agriculture practices, as well as identifying the priority areas where specific pilot projects could be launched, while considering potential partnerships that could be established. Participants will also be able to participate in an optional field trip, to be organized by the Local Organizing Committee in conjunction with the International Conference. Furthermore, following the Conference, a hands-on interactive workshop on education will be offered for interested participants. Registration - APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED. Please note that applicants based in Romania should apply through a different system than applicants based outside Romania. Applicants based in Romania: APPLY NOW Applicants based outside Romania: APPLY NOW Participation is limited and all applicants based outside Romania are required to register online. All applicants are required to submit a completed online application form. Pre-selected candidates will be required to submit further documentation. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered. Successful applicants will receive an official invitation letter, including additional practical information. Qualified persons based in Romania are particularly encouraged to participate in the International Conference and should apply onlinr through this link so their participation may be considered by the Local Organizing Committee. Working Language The working language of the International Conference will be English. All participants are required to have good English language skills. Posters, scientific papers and displays Participants seeking funding are required to contribute a scientific paper, poster, presentation and/or display related to the conference themes. It is necessary for applicants to submit an abstract of a maximum of 500 words including the following details about their proposed contribution: Title, Short Description, Author Name(s), Affiliation(s), and e-mail address for the presenter. Presentations will be published on the website of the Office for Outer Space Affairs. Sponsorship The Office for Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations and the Romanian Space Agency are responsible for organizing and sponsoring the International Conference. Sponsorship of the Conference is still open to interested entities. If interested, please reach out to the contact points listed below. Expected Participants The International Conference is being planned for scientists, engineers, university educators, policy-and-decision makers, and senior experts from the following groups: international, regional, national and local institutions, United Nations agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, research and development institutions, and industry. Others who are interested may also apply and all applications will be considered by the organizers. Qualified individuals based in Romania are particularly encouraged to participate in the conference and should contact the Romanian focal points so their participation may be considered by the Local Organizing Committee. The focal points for Romania will be announced. Participation requirements Participants should have decision-making responsibilities within governmental agencies, national or regional institutions, intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations or industry. Applications from equally qualified women are particularly encouraged. Financial support Within the financial resources available, a limited number of selected participants will be offered financial support to attend the International Conference. This financial support will defray the cost of travel (a round trip air ticket - most economic fare - between the airport of international departure in their home country and Cluj, Romania) and/or room and board expenses for the duration of the conference. The co-sponsors of the conference will jointly select participants on a competitive basis. The online application form includes a section on financial support . Application Deadlines Applicants based outside Romania should apply to participate online. The completed application form should be submitted via the online registration system to the Office for Outer Space Affairs, no later than 24 March 2019 for participants seeking funding and 31 March 2019 for self-funded participants. Only complete applications with all the requested information will be considered. Life and Health Insurance Life/major health insurance for each of the selected participants is necessary and is the responsibility of the candidate or his/her institution or Government. The co-sponsors will not assume any responsibility for life and major health insurance, nor for expenses related to medical treatment or accidents. Please pay attention to the online application form when registering for the Conference. Contact Information For additional information on the International Conference programme, please contact: Mr Shirish Ravan or Ms Irianna Vlachopoulou, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. The focal points for Romania are Mr Horea Cacovean (Cluj) and Mr Alexandru Badea (Romanian Space Agency). 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 SF burst teargas shells to disperse demonstrators, police appeals to maintain peace Anantnag, Feb 16 (UNI) Security forces burst teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse demonstrators in this south Kashmir district, who were protesting against attack on Kashmiris in Jammu and other parts the country, official sources said. However, a police spokesman on Saturday afternoon appealed to people not to pay heed to rumours and maintain peace as nobody from Anantnag has been killed in Jammu violence. People, mostly youths, took to the streets at Lal Chowk in the town, raising slogans against those who are involved in attacks on Kashmiris in Jammu and other parts of the country. Israel, US remain strategic partners despite differences over JCPOA: Diplomat 26 Jun 2021 | 1:04 PM Moscow, Jun 26 (UNI/Sputnik) Israel is committed to its strategic partnership with the United States despite the two countries disagreements over the Iranian nuclear deal, Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi told Sputnik. see more.. Israel, Russia may hold off high-ranking visits until pandemic eases: Diplomat 26 Jun 2021 | 12:58 PM Moscow, Jun 26 (UNI/Sputnik) Israel and Russia continue close contacts, but will hold off high-level visits until the pandemic situation stabilizes, Israeli Ambassador in Moscow Alexander Ben Zvi told Sputnik. see more.. Israel considers pro-Iranian militias main threat from Syria: Diplomat 26 Jun 2021 | 12:47 PM Moscow, Jun 26 (UNI/Sputnik) Tehran-backed militias are the main threat faced by Israel from Syria, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi, told Sputnik in an interview. see more.. Microsoft reports on new alleged activity of Russian hackers 26 Jun 2021 | 12:01 PM Moscow, Jun 26 (UNI/Sputnik) Microsoft reported on Saturday on the new activity of allegedly Russian Nobelium hacker group against the company's users and their data in 36 countries as well as hacking the Microsoft customer support service. see more.. CAR: UNICEF outlines key actions United Nations, Feb 19 (UNI) Hailing the recent peace agreement signed by 15 warring parties in the Central African Republic (CAR), the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has stressed that now is the time for action and outlined concrete steps that armed groups, judicial authorities and the Government can take so the future of millions of children can be safeguarded. The peace agreement signed by the Government of the Central African Republic and other parties to the conflict is a welcome step towards lasting peace and the hope of a better future for the countrys children, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore in a statement on Monday. We particularly welcome commitments to protect childrens rights and put an end to grave violations against children, but commitments are not enough. Now is the time for action, she added, regretting that for too long, violence, instability and chronic underdevelopment have devastated childrens lives in the Central African Republic. The Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a conference entitled Turkmen Diplomacy: Serving to Solve International Issues. The forum marked Day of Turkmen Diplomats. It brought together the heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Turkmenistan, employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, academic staff and students of a number of higher education establishments of Ashgabat. Speaking at the conference, the participants stressed that Turkmen diplomacy offers a combination of traditional and modern functions and forms of activity and demonstrates adherence to the universal norms of international law, principles of equality and mutual respect, friendship, good neighborliness and cooperation between states. The speakers noted that balance, consistency and commitment to multilateral constructive approaches to solving international issues remain a distinctive feature of the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan. The official part of the conference was followed by the traditional ceremony of presenting a number of young employees of the Turkmen diplomatic service and students of the Institute of International Relations with prizes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. As part of the conference, there was held presentation of two books on the foreign policy of Turkmenistan. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 Emirates announced today that it will launch a four times weekly service between Portugals second largest city, Porto, and Dubai from July 2, 2019. Porto will become Emirates second destination in Portugal after its capital, Lisbon, which the airline currently serves with two flights a day. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three class cabin configuration, offering eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 spacious seats in Economy Class. Emirates new service will provide travellers in northern Portugal as well as those in the north-west of Spain in cities such as Vigo and Santiago de Compostela, due to its close proximity to Porto, with a direct option to travel to Dubai, and onward to destinations across the airlines global network, particularly in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. The flight between Dubai and Porto will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The schedule enables travellers to easily and conveniently connect to Emirates flights from Dubai International Airport to popular destinations such as Luanda, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Sydney, amongst others. Situated along the coast and on the Douro River, Porto is world famous for its Port wine production and historical city centre, a designated Unesco World Heritage Site. Besides offering a rich cultural heritage and a variety of tourist attractions, Porto is also an important trade and industrial city, attracting business travellers. Porto is currently enjoying increased levels of tourism, which is also reflective of the growth in the number of visitors to Portugal as a whole. The introduction of this new flight, along with our twice daily Lisbon service, will help meet this growing demand from both leisure and business travellers, as well as provide them with more choice, flexibility and connectivity when travelling to and from Portugal, said Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline. - TradeArabia News Service UAE-based Lukoil Marine Lubricants Middle East, a subsidiary of Russias Lukoil Oil Company, has signed a guaranteed three-year contract with Oman Shipping Company (OSC). The recent signing took place at the Amwaj Rotana in Jumeirah Beach Residence and the parties involved in the signing of the agreement was June Manoharan, director, Lukoil Marine Lubricants and Ibrahim Bakhit Al Nadhairi, technical director, Oman Shipping Company, said a company statement. The deal provides OSC the option of extending the partnership an additional two years to ultimately bring the agreement to a total of five years, granted the company finds Lukoils supply services satisfactory. As per the contractual obligations, Lukoils supply shall cover OSCs fleet of 39 vessels consisting of very large crude carriers (VLCC), product tankers, chemical tankers, LPG carriers, very large ore carriers (VLOCs) and bulk carriers. Also in attendance was Captain David Stockley, chief operations officer of Oman Shipping Company, said: Our business relationship first began five years ago and since then it has blossomed through trust and respect into a solid partnership which has proved to be beneficial for both companies. From the moment we partnered in 2014, Lukoil Marine Lubricants has demonstrated extreme professionalism through repeatedly providing Oman Shipping Company with reliable products and services, a major factor which swayed our decision of rightfully awarding them this contract. As we move forward, we are eager to develop our relationship even further in the next five years, he added. Ibrahim Bakhit Al Nadhairi, technical director of Oman Shipping Company, said: From a technical standpoint, we continually seek out new methods of optimising our operations and with the assistance of Lukoil Marine Lubricants, we have been able to increase savings as it pertains to both maintenance and lube oil. Lukoil has exhibited outstanding operational and technical service and supported our companys global vision with their firmly established expertise in lubricant technology. This agreement comes at an opportune time as we seek to find alternative ways of elevating the status of our fleets reputation with 2020 just around the corner, he added. June Manoharan, director of Lukoil Marine Lubricants, said: Today is a momentous day for our company as we have successfully reached an agreement to continue building upon our long-term relationship with Oman Shipping Company with the intent of heightening their already reputable fleet. Although we specialise in the production and marketing of marine lubricants, we also pride ourselves in serving our clients to the utmost standard and in this case, we are excited to see that our efforts have been appreciated. Oman Shipping Company has shown great trust in allowing us to continue supplying their vessels, she added. TradeArabia News Service Brazils exports to the Arab countries reached $1.194 billion for January 2019, according to the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC). The bulk of the exported 4, 270.70 tonnes of total goods going to the Omani market at 1,578.87 tonnes, 76 per cent of the Brazilian exports to Oman were iron ores, said a statement from ABCC. The latest figures released by ABCC showed that the Brazilian exports to the Middle East, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and Oman continued their ascent at the start of 2019 amid robust bilateral relations among these nations, it said. The UAE imported goods from Brazil worth $344.53 million at 273.08 tonnes for the first month of the year, while the imports of neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman reached $157.20 million (305.80 tonnes); $14.22 million (169.04 tonnes); and $91.78 million (1,578.87 tonnes), respectively. The value of goods exported to Egypt amounted to $146.61 million (510.61 tonnes) during the same period. Some of the top exported goods last month were meat; corn; beet sugar; iron ores and concentrates; aircrafts; satellites; live bovine animals; bovine meat; coffee; petroleum oils; soya-bean oil; soda or sulphate; plastering materials, lime and cement; organic chemicals and fish, it stated. Rubens Hannun, president of ABCC, said: The latest numbers were a strong indication of the increasing trade ties between Brazil and the Arab countries. We will continue to help facilitate the exchange of goods between these markets in hopes of strengthening further their trade relations, while looking for other areas and fields where their cooperation can further be expanded and reinforced, he said. We are upbeat that the same upward trend will be recorded in the coming months and years as Brazil and Arab nations remain committed to increasing their trade alliance with each other, he added. TradeArabia News Service Jack Taylor/Getty Images(BERLIN) -- On Feb. 20, President Donald Trump will host the Austrian chancellor in the White House. So, who is Sebastian Kurz and what is there to know about him? The basics At just 32 years old, Sebastian Kurz is Europe's youngest head of state and leads the conservative Austrian Peoples Party (OVP). After running a campaign that adopted hard-line positions on immigration, he took office in December 2017, entering into a governing coalition with the nationalist, anti-migration Freedom Party, originally founded by former Nazis in the 1950s. Despite his youth, Kurz is no stranger to politics. His political career began early when, as a teen, he joined the youth wing of the OVP and eventually became its leader. In 2013, he became the worlds youngest serving foreign minister at age 27. As chancellor, Kurz maintains a pro-EU stance while emphasizing preserving Austrias traditions and cracking down on illegal immigration. A hard-line stance on immigration Kurz has ruffled feathers for his anti-immigration policies, which critics say are helping to push Europe farther to the right and pandering to the populist agenda espoused by his coalition partner, the Freedom Party. He has opposed refugee resettlement, instated a burqa ban and been an active critic of German Chancellor Angela Merkels decision to let nearly a million refugees into Germany in 2015. He helped organize the shutdown of the overland Balkan route, which many migrants from the Middle East used to enter Europe. In November, Austria joined Hungary in refusing to sign a UN migration pact approved by most countries, drawing criticism from the European Commission. Hes a Trump foreign policy fan On Sunday, before his trip to the White House, Kurz said in an interview with Austrian paper Die Presse that the president "is running, in part, a very active and also very successful foreign policy." Although he disagrees with Trump on trade and his handling of Iran, Kurz praised the U.S. president for his support of Israel and efforts to secure peace on the Korean peninsula. The outspoken, Trump-appointed U.S. ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, called Kurz a "rockstar" in an interview for the conservative news site Breitbart in July. In the same interview, Grenell said he wanted to "empower" European conservatives -- a statement that caused sharp backlash on both sides of the Atlantic for politicizing diplomacy. The two leaders will meet for a private conversation on Wednesday where, according to a White House statement, they will "look to address both global conflicts and those in the European neighborhood, promote economic prosperity, and strengthen energy security." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Engineer Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih has signed four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth SR68.2 billion ($18.18 billion) with Pakistan related to various energy and petrochemical projects. The MoUs were signed during the just-concluded visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Defence to Pakistan, said a Saudi Press Agency report. The first MoU in the energy and mining domain is worth SR22.5 billion; the second in the domain of renewable energy is worth SR7.5 billion; the third is related to the refining and petrochemicals sector worth SR37 billion, and the fourth is on funding an LNG project to secure Pakistan fuel supplies worth SR1.2 billion. UAE-based Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) Group has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Proserv Egypt to set up Enoc Misr, its first on-ground operations in the lubricants sector in Egypt. The agreement marks Enoc Groups physical presence in Egypt as part of its wider plans to expand internationally into key markets, including Africa. Through this JV agreement, Enoc Misr will market and distribute Enocs full range of lubricants to the commercial, industrial and marine sectors locally in the Egyptian market. Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, Enoc, said: Over the last 25 years, Enoc has contributed significantly to the UAEs socio-economic progress, and has played a key role in the development of key infrastructure required to fulfil the countrys energy needs. We are proud to establish Enoc Misr as it offers a unique opportunity for knowledge sharing between us and industry experts like Proserv Egypt. Over the past years, Proserv. Group and Proserv Egypt both succeeded in offering a diverse portfolio of lubricants for commercial, industrial and marine use to customers across Egypt, with the help of its highly skilled sales and marketing team. With hard work and sold planning, Proserv. has managed to establish a well-maintained and highly secured network of warehouses, best in class branded fleet, and a robust logistics infrastructure to meet customers needs in all 28 Egyptian governorates. Our partnership with Enoc to establish Enoc Misr is a strategic move in line with our efforts to further enhance our market offering and explore new opportunities. We are confident that Enoc Misr will be a key game changer in the future of Egyptian downstream market, said Ahmed Hashem, chairman, Proserv Group. Enocs product portfolio includes a diverse offering of lubricants services and products, in addition to jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), lubricants, bulk fuel, aviation, marine and alternative fuel such as compressed natural gas (CNG). The Groups products are distributed in over 60 markets in the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, South & Central Asia and Africa. Enoc Group will also leverage its diverse product portfolio that caters to the entire energy value chain on the back of its existing lubricants and aviation fuel business in Egypt, with the potential to additionally serve other projects across key sectors in Egypt and other countries in the future. TradeArabia News Service 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. Elizabethtown, KY (42701) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 88F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low near 70F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Salida, CO (81201) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High around 65F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight A steady rain in the evening. Showers continuing late. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. . . - , . . - . 33 38. -... * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Tolga Akmen -WPA Pool/Getty Images(NEW YORK ) -- Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, made a surprise trip to New York City as she prepares for the birth of her first child. Meghan, who is due this spring, traveled to New York this weekend on a personal trip to see friends before she has her baby, according to ABC News royal contributor Omid Scobie. Scobie reports that Meghan is staying in a five-star hotel for a girls' weekend. The Duchess of Sussex left London on Feb. 15 and will be in New York for five nights, according to Scobie, who wrote about Meghan's visit for Harper's Bazaar. "The trip was planned some months ago and, with [with an official trip to] Morroco this weekend, is the last available time Meghan can travel before the Baby Sussex is born," Scobie told "Good Morning America." "Over the weekend she has been catching up with some of her closest friends, visiting favorite spots in the city and even shopping for baby clothes." Meghan a California native, fit the trip across the pond into a packed schedule of official engagements as she counts down her final weeks of pregnancy. She told a well-wisher last month that she is due in April. Meghan and Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, attended the gala performance of The Wider Earth at the Natural History Museum in London on Feb. 12. Just a few days before, on Feb. 7, the couple walked the red carpet at the Endeavour Fund Awards. Meghan has also been stepping out solo for her own charitable engagements, visiting all four of the charities of which she is now patron. She and Harry are scheduled to travel to Morocco this weekend for an official visit on behalf of the British government. News of Meghan's private trip to New York City came just one day after the Sunday Times of London reported that Prince Harry and Prince William will split their royal household within weeks. Harry and Meghan are expected to move soon to Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Estate, about 30 miles from London. The move means Harry and Meghan will no longer be neighbors to Prince William and Kate, who live in Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Kathmandu, February 19 Tanahu hydropower Limited has also terminated its contract with Italian contractors CMC, a few days after the Melamchi Drinking Water project scrapped its agreement with the firm. The hydropowers board sent a letter of termination to CMC on Tuesday. According to the hydropowers Managing Director Pradip Kumar Thike, CMC was given 28 days time to resume the project, however, after CMC officials didnt return to the complete the project, the board has decided to terminate CMCs contract. We will now choose a new company through a new process, added Thike. Thike also promised that the hydropower will seize CMCs performance bond worth Rs 1.97 billion. The government had signed a Rs 20 billion contract with the company to carry out preliminary structural works of the project. Shanghai film work shines in Berlin By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2019-02-19 09:43 At the 69th Berlin International Film Festival, which concluded on February 16th, A First Farewell, a movie made by a Shanghai company, won the best film in the new generation unit. Founded in 1978 at the 28th Berlin Film Festival, the New Generation Unit is a separate unit especially for movies for children and young people, namely Generation Kplus (movies aimed at under 14s) and Generation 14plus. Famous writer and screenwriter, Yan Geling, speaks highly of the film and praises it to be a simple work which touches peoples heart with sincerity and emotion. It also won the best film of the Asias future unit at the recently held 31st Tokyo International Film Festival and was described by a Nikkei report as a rising star of China. Being one of the world's three major international film festivals, together with the Cannes International Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival is one of the most recognized international film festivals among Chinese audiences. The new generation unit was originally set up to encourage the production of more works suitable for children. Besides gaining recognition from the adult audience, A First Farewell has also won the favor of many children. Venezuela armed forces on 'alert' for border violations Caracas, Feb 19 (AFP) Feb 19, 2019 Venezuela's armed forces said Tuesday they were on "alert" for border violations following threats by US President Donald Trump who urged them to back opposition leader Juan Guaido. "The armed forces will remain deployed and on alert along the borders... to avoid any violations of territorial integrity," said Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, reading out a statement in a public appearance alongside top commanders. "We reiterate unrestrictedly our obedience, subordination and loyalty" to President Nicolas Maduro, he added. Maduro faces calls to quit as his country struggles with shortages of food and medicine. The military high command has so far maintained its public backing for Maduro -- seen as key to keeping him in power. Guaido, leader of the Venezuelan legislature, has declared himself acting president and is appealing to military leaders to switch allegiance to him. He is backed by the United States and some 50 other countries. The United States has sent food and medical aid for Venezuela but the military has so far refused to let it enter the country. Guaido, 35, has offered military commanders an amnesty if they abandon Maduro. On Tuesday he published a series of tweets calling by name on senior military leaders commanding border posts to abandon Maduro. Trump has refused to rule out US military action in Venezuela. He raised the pressure on Monday, issuing a warning to the Venezuelan military. He told them that if they continue to support Maduro, "you will find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out. You will lose everything." Padrino rejected Trump's threat, branding the US president "arrogant." Maduro's government says the aid is a smokescreen for an invasion. If foreign powers try to help install a new government by force, they will have to do so "over our dead bodies," Padrino said. N. Korean envoy en route to Hanoi ahead of Trump-Kim summit: Yonhap Seoul, Feb 19 (AFP) Feb 19, 2019 The North Korean special representative for the US arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, apparently en route to Vietnam to meet his Washington counterpart ahead of a second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said. Kim Hyok Chol arrived in the Chinese capital at around 10 am (0200 GMT) and was expected to board a plane bound for Hanoi later in the day. His trip comes three days after Kim Jong Un's de-facto chief of staff, Kim Chang Son, landed in Hanoi to discuss protocol and security matters with the US team ahead of the summit on February 27-28. Kim Hyok Chol and his US counterpart Stephen Biegun were engaged in three days of talks in Pyongyang earlier this month, exploring each side's positions on denuclearisation ahead of the much-anticipated meeting. Biegun said they had been productive, but more dialogue was needed. "We have some hard work to do with the DPRK between now and then," Biegun said, adding that he was "confident that if both sides stay committed we can make real progress here". The US State Department said talks during Biegun's trip explored Trump and Kim Jong Un's "commitments of complete denuclearisation, transforming US-DPRK relations and building a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula". Specifically, discussions on declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War could have been on the table, with Biegun last month saying Trump was "ready to end this war". Alex Wong, US deputy assistant secretary of state for North Korea, is already in the Vietnamese capital preparing for the summit. Biegun is expected to fly there soon from Washington to resume talks with Kim Hyok Chol. Experts say tangible progress on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons will be needed for the second summit if it is to avoid being dismissed as "reality TV". Dumplings dumped after taint fears From:Shanghai Daily | 2019-02-19 07:29 SHANGHAIS market watchdog yesterday ordered supermarkets and shops to carry out inspections after a major Chinese food producer said traces of the African swine fever virus had been found in its frozen dumplings. Sanquan Food, based in Zhengzhou, central Chinas Henan Province, issued a statement yesterday confirming media reports that contaminated pork dumplings were detected in two provinces. Samples from three batches of the companys pork-filled dumplings tested positive for the nucleic acid associated with African swine fever. The samples were collected in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, and in Jiuquan, Gansu Province. So far, no contaminated products have been found in Shanghai, according to the Shanghai Market Supervision and Management Bureau. Carrefour China said that although it didnt find any tainted dumplings in its outlets across the country, it has removed the products of the three batches from its shelves. Lianhua Supermarket said it has not detected any contaminated products and is closely following the investigation. Auchan Supermarket said it has taken all pork-filled dumplings fromSanquan off its shelves. E-commerce platforms including Taobao, Tmalland Suning have removed the products of the involved batches. The State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs yesterday urged pork food firms to enhance their management of pork to guard against African swine fever. The authorities required local governments to beef up risk control measures, regulate information disclosure and crack down on unscrupulous firms. Sanquan said suspect batches of dumplings had reached grocery stores, but that it was sealing affected products and cooperating with authorities. The food manufacturer said it will ask pork suppliers to enhance testing and checks. Investigation teams established by authorities in Henan have arrived in Hunan and Gansu. African swine fever is not harmful to humans but can be fatal to pigs. Officials have said hundreds of thousands of pigs were culled in a bid to stop the spread of the virus an effort that has also seen restrictions placed on moving pigs from affected areas. The first cases were detected in August, and the disease has spread to 25 provinces and regions. China is the worlds biggest consumer and producer of pork. Dumplings are a central meal for the Lunar New Year holiday. Sanquans shares fell 1.72 percent by the end of trading on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange yesterday. The benchmark Shenzhen index ended up 3.71 percent. The embattled government of war-torn Yemen has lodged a complaint with the Korean Foreign Ministry accusing state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea of supporting Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Yemen was complaining about the bank resuming a job-training program in regions controlled by the Houthi rebels. The program was part of projects supported by the ministry in the form of overseas aid. The Foreign Ministry was caught off guard by the complaint. According to lawmakers, a Korean company specializing in job training in the Middle East resumed the program in Yemen last year after halting it when the civil war broke out. The company signed a contract for the program and educational materials in 2012 for US$11.2 million. At the time, there was no cause for diplomatic friction, but the program was halted when the Houthi rebels gained control of Sana'a in 2015 and the Yemeni government fled to Saudi Arabia, which has since engaged in a brutal bombing campaign that has brought millions of Yemenis to the brink of starvation. Still, resuming the program could be viewed as aiding the rebels while the international effort has been to remain neutral in the civil war itself. The company also invited Yemeni officials from Sana'a to Korea from Nov. 24 to Dec. 10 for job training here. Yemen is currently off-limits to Korean nationals, but the Justice Ministry did not prevent them from entering Korea. The company then billed the bank W1.5 billion for the program, and it has taken the Foreign Ministry all this time to find out (US$1=W1,127). A Foreign Ministry official said, "We are looking into the matter." Politico reported Sunday, "Stung by domestic defeat after a losing battle with Democrats in Washington, D.C., this winter, President Donald Trump hopes his negotiating skills can achieve better results some 8,000 miles away when he meets with North Korea's leader in Vietnam later this month." Pundits expect that the two sides will at best reach an agreement freezing the Norths nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programs, even though President Moon Jae-in voiced high hopes on Monday that there "will be huge progress during the second U.S.-North Korea summit." As the second U.S.-North Korea summit approaches, concerns are rising that U.S. President Donald Trump will settle for any deal that can be sold to voters at home and skips on full denuclearization. Stephen Biegun, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, will fly to Hanoi soon for talks with his North Korean counterpart Kim Hyok-chol. A diplomatic source in Seoul said, "North Korea will aggressively demand an easing or lifting of sanctions until the day of the summit. There is a strong chance that resuming package tours to Mt. Kumgang and the reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex will be included in those demands." The South Korean government apparently discussed with the U.S. opening an escrow account or giving North Korea goods instead of cash in order to avoid bulk payments that would violate sanctions. This has led to speculation that the U.S. may allow tours to Mt. Kumgang if the North agrees to specific denuclearization steps like allowing inspections of its nuclear facilities. CNN reported that Trump was "seriously considering exchanging liaison officers, an incremental step towards building formal diplomatic relations." But Moon told religious leaders over lunch at Cheong Wa Dae, "We expect to see huge progress during the second U.S.-North Korea summit in terms of normalizing bilateral relations. We hope to see a rapid and concrete implementation of the joint statement made in Singapore" at the first U.S.-North Korea summit. But that statement included only a vague commitment by the North to "work toward" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. 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The team reportedly includes Kim Chang-son, Kim Jong-un's de facto chief of staff, and Kim Chol-gyu, deputy chief of the Supreme Guard Command responsible for Kim Jong-un's security. According to a local source, security guards shooed away reporters from a guesthouse on Monday where the North Korean team is staying. The officials are apparently still looking for a hotel where Kim Jong-un can stay. They also reportedly discussed protocol with U.S. officials who visited the guesthouse the previous night. North Korean team officials also visited a section of a cemetery where North Korean veterans of the Vietnam War (1955-1975) are buried, sparking speculation that Kim Jong-un will visit it too. On Sunday, Kim Chang-son visited Bac Ninh and Hai Phong, which are home to Samsung and LG plants, as well as scenic Halong Bay. "It is evident that Facebook intentionally and knowingly violated both data privacy and anti-competition laws," the report states. It also accuses CEO Mark Zuckerberg of showing contempt for the U.K. Parliament by declining numerous invitations to appear before the committee. The report called out Facebook in particular, saying that the site's structure seems to be designed to "conceal knowledge of and responsibility for specific decisions." The report on fake news and disinformation on social media sites followed an 18-month investigation by Parliament's influential media committee. The committee recommended that social media sites should have to follow a mandatory code of ethics overseen by an independent regulator to better control harmful or illegal content. British lawmakers issued a scathing report Monday that calls for tougher rules on Facebook to keep it from acting like "digital gangsters" and intentionally violating data privacy and competition laws. "Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like 'digital gangsters' in the online world, considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law," the report added. U.K. parliamentary committee reports are intended to influence government policy, but are not binding. The committee said it hopes its conclusions will be considered when the government reviews its competition powers in April. And while the U.K. is part of the 28-country European Union, it is due to leave the bloc in late March, so it is unclear whether any regulatory decisions it takes could influence those of the EU. Facebook said it shared "the committee's concerns about false news and election integrity" and was open to "meaningful regulation." "While we still have more to do, we are not the same company we were a year ago," said Facebook's U.K. public policy manager, Karim Palant. "We have tripled the size of the team working to detect and protect users from bad content to 30,000 people and invested heavily in machine learning, artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to help prevent this type of abuse." Facebook and other internet companies have been facing increased scrutiny over how they handle user data and have come under fire for not doing enough to stop misuse of their platforms by groups trying to sway elections. The report echoes and expands upon an interim report with similar findings issued by the committee in July. And in December, a trove of documents released by the committee offered evidence that the social network had used its enormous trove of user data as a competitive weapon, often in ways designed to keep its users in the dark. Facebook faced its biggest privacy scandal last year when Cambridge Analytica, a now-defunct British political data-mining firm that worked for the 2016 Donald Trump campaign, accessed the private information of up to 87 million users. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kept quiet Monday over President Donald Trump's claim that he had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, but praised him and emphasized he did not deny doing so. Trump's assertion Friday that Abe had nominated him for the honor and sent him a copy of the letter has raised questions and criticism in Japan. Questioned in parliament, Abe praised Trump for his dealings with North Korea but said, "In light of the Nobel committee's policy of not disclosing recommenders and nominees for 50 years, I decline to comment." Neither the prime minister nor his spokesman denied Trump's comment. "I never said I didn't" nominate him, Abe said in response to a follow-up question by Yuichiro Tamaki, a lawmaker for the opposition Democratic Party for the People. Tamaki said in a tweet Monday that he was concerned such a nomination would "send the wrong message to North Korea and the rest of international society." Junya Ogawa, another opposition lawmaker, cited various policies and actions by Trump that he said ran contrary to the spirit of the peace prize, calling the nomination "an embarrassment for Japan." In responding to Tamaki's questions in parliament, Abe lauded Trump for meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and working to resolve the crisis over North Korea's nuclear program and missile tests. Trump had also addressed Japan's concerns over past abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea, Abe said, adding "he and the entire White House also actively cooperated in resolving the issue." "I highly praise President Trump's leadership," Abe said. Trump's claim that Abe had sent him a "beautiful copy" of a letter sent to the Nobel committee could not be immediately verified. Nor could a report Sunday by the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, citing unidentified government sources, that Abe had nominated Trump at the U.S. president's request. The government's top spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, echoed Abe's remarks in refusing further comment. The situation is awkward for Abe at a time when his government is under fire for allegedly manipulating data on wages to suggest his economic policies were yielding better results than was actually the case. Alexandra Beier/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Though former Vice President Joe Biden has said publicly he hasnt made up his mind on pursuing a presidential run in 2020, sources close to the politician, who have spoken with him in private, say they believe he will mount a bid. Robert Wolf, a top Democratic donor and former economic adviser to former President Barack Obama who has known Biden for over a decade, spoke with him last week and believes Biden is "90 percent there" on a run. "It was clear that this was different than 2015," Wolf told ABC News. "This was someone who seemed ready to run and trying to figure out when best to announce. "He feels hes coming off an incredible midterm and hes sitting in the best position to take on [President Donald] Trump across the country." Biden also met with Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., last week. Her office confirmed to ABC News that Feinstein left the meeting with the sense that Biden would pursue a run. However, when asked about his 2020 plans on Saturday during a discussion on election security at the Munich Security Conference, Biden demurred. I havent reached a decision. I am in that process of doing that, and I will in the near term let everyone know what that decision is, Biden said. As Biden contemplates his next steps, he has said hes not in a rush to get in the race -- despite nearly a dozen Democrats having already announced their candidacy. I think there is a sufficient amount of time to [decide], and I think that we have a tendency, particularly in the States, to start the whole election process much too early, Biden said in Munich. A spokesperson for the former vice president said Biden's comments on Sunday speak for themselves. While Biden is taking his time to make the decision, some allies are waiting in the wings to join any potential campaign. James Smith, who ran for governor of South Carolina in 2018, said he has been in touch with Biden's current staff and has discussed who might be valuable to a Biden run in South Carolina. "We are all anticipating it is not 'if' but 'when' he announces," Smith told ABC News. Biden supported Smith's 2018 run and in a video message during the South Carolina Democratic Convention weekend said Smith reminds him of his late son, Beau. While Smith is not working at the direction of Biden, he believes that the former vice president will run and is preparing for that. "He hasnt told me he plans to run, but we are preparing for what we believe to be a 'Joe Biden for President' campaign that will be robust here in South Carolina," Smith said. After a quieter public schedule throughout December and early January, Bidens appearances have begun to pick up. Aside from his trip to the Munich Security Conference -- of which he is a frequent attendee -- Biden has three other public events on his schedule for February. Biden will appear at the University of Pennsylvania Tuesday for a discussion of global affairs and other topical subjects. He will also hold a discussion with author Jon Meacham at the University of Delaware on Feb. 26, a rescheduled event from early December. Biden is also scheduled to give remarks at the inaugural Chuck Hagel Forum in Global Leadership at the University of Nebraska Omaha on Feb. 28. The theme of the event: The Role of U.S. Leadership in a Changing World." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. McCabe said a "crime may have been committed" when Trump fired then FBI chief James Comey in May 2017 at the time Comey was heading the agency's investigation into Trump's campaign ties to Russia during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Days later, Trump said he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he decided to oust Comey. Trump, from his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, lashed out at former acting Federal Bureau of Investigation director Andrew McCabe, who told the CBS News show 60 Minutes Sunday night that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein discussed employing the 25th Amendment to the Constitution allowing a vice president and a majority of the 15 Cabinet members to declare a president incapable of handling the duties of the presidency, making the vice president the acting president. U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Monday that key law enforcement officials engaged in "treasonous" activity when they considered invoking a constitutional amendment in 2017 to remove him from office while opening an obstruction of justice investigation against him. McCabe, himself later fired after 21 years at the FBI, said, "And the idea is, if the president committed obstruction of justice, fired the director of the FBI to negatively impact or to shut down our investigation of Russia's malign activity and possibly in support of his campaign, as a counterintelligence investigator you have to ask yourself, 'Why would a president of the United States do that?'" He added, "So all those same sorts of facts cause us to wonder is there an inappropriate relationship, a connection between this president and our most fearsome enemy, the government of Russia?" McCabe said Rosenstein, who is soon leaving the Justice Department, was "absolutely" onboard with the obstruction and counterintelligence investigations of Trump. Nothing came of the discussions about invoking the constitutional amendment. Days after Comey's firing, Rosenstein named Robert Mueller, himself a former FBI director, as special counsel to take over the Russia investigation. Rosenstein had assumed control of the Russia investigation because then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions had removed himself from oversight because of his own discussions during the election campaign with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's former ambassador to the U.S. Sessions's recusal from oversight of the probe eventually led Trump to fire him last year. "Wow, so many lies by now disgraced acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe," Trump said on Twitter. "He was fired for lying, and now his story gets even more deranged. He and Rod Rosenstein, who was hired by Jeff Sessions (another beauty), look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught." Trump added, "There is a lot of explaining to do to the millions of people who had just elected a president who they really like and who has done a great job for them with the Military, Vets, Economy and so much more. This was the illegal and treasonous "insurance policy" in full action!" McCabe said that Trump's request early in his administration to Comey that he drop the FBI's investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn and his discussions with Kislyak also contributed to the FBI's suspicion of Trump's actions. "Put together, these circumstances were articulable facts that indicated that a crime may have been committed," McCabe said. "The president may have been engaged in obstruction of justice in the firing of Jim Comey." McCabe said Rosenstein at one point offered to wear a wire to a White House meeting with Trump to document their conversations. McCabe said Rosenstein's comment was made in a conversation about Comey's firing, but the Justice Department said last year the comment was sarcastic in nature, not serious. McCabe was fired last year by Sessions, a day short of gaining full retirement benefits. The Justice Department said he was dismissed because he misled investigators during an internal probe of a disclosure about an investigation to the Wall Street Journal, a claim McCabe rejected. "I believe I was fired because I opened a case against the president of the United States," he said. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is one of Trump's staunchest supporters, said Sunday he plans to open an investigation into McCabe's claims there was a discussion of trying to remove Trump from office by invoking the constitutional amendment. "The deputy attorney general denies it," Graham said. "We will have a hearing about who's telling the truth, what actually happened." Graham added, "We're a democracy. People enforce the law -- can't take it into their own hands. And was this an attempted bureaucratic coup? I don't know." Mueller is 21 months into his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, the Trump campaign links to Russia and whether Trump, as president, obstructed justice by trying to thwart the probe. He has won convictions for various offenses against five key officials in Trump's orbit, including Flynn, former campaign manager Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, former foreign affairs adviser George Papadopoulos and former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen, while indicting longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone. Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia during the campaign or that he obstructed justice. Vadra was supposed to join the investigation on Tuesday morning. However, his lawyers informed the ED officials that he was unwell and will appear whenever he is summoned again. New Delhi: Robert Vadra, who was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with a money laundering case, did not depose before the agency on Tuesday citing poor health. On February 16, a Delhi court extended Vadra's interim bail till March 2. Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, has been questioned thrice by the directorate for over 24 hours in connection with the case on February 6, 7 and 9. The case relates to ownership of undisclosed assets abroad worth 1.9 million pounds, allegedly belonging to Vadra, husband of Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh East. He was also questioned twice by the ED in Jaipur in connection with a Bikaner land deal case. The ED on Friday attached Rs 4.43 crore immovable property at Vadra's Sukhdev Vihar house in Delhi. The house was in the name of Vadra's company Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited. On February 2, the court had granted Vadra interim bail till February 16 and asked him to join the investigation on February 6. The ED had lodged a money laundering case against Manoj Arora after his role came up during the the Income Tax Department probe into another case under the 2015 anti-black money law involving absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. Arora, an employee of Vadra's Skylight Hospitality, was aware of the latter's overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds, the ED had alleged. The London property was allegedly bought by Bhandari and sold in 2010 for the same amount despite incurring additional expenses on renovation. On December 7, as part of the investigation, the ED had conducted searches at a number of premises in Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. Nearly 275,000 digital water meters will be actioned to manage water. These digi-meters are offered by Sensus iPerl. Its 2019. The age of smart cities, wearable technology, and IoT enabled devices that promise to make living digitally connected. Amid all this digital enablement, the city of Pune has opted to save water by implementing Digital water meters. The Pune Municipal Corporation will be implementing digital water meters to monitor, measure and manage water across its network. In an official note, Sensus iPerl confirmed the project and the number of meters that will be deployed at PMC. In the release, company officials claim that the city of Pune was the first to implement a program aligned with the Smart City mission. Exponential growth in population had strained the water supply network. The reason to implement the water meters was simple- achieve the growing demand and future proof against a potential water crisis. V. G. Kulkarni, Chief Engineer, Pune Municipal Corporation, explained in the note, "We are extremely proud to be the first Indian city to deploy cutting-edge smart water meters. This is just the first step on our journey towards making Pune a more sustainable and self-sufficient city committed to conserving water. We are confident that Sensus is the right partner to ensure we achieve these goals." When asked how different digital meters were from that of conventional ones, Amit Vaidya, Director at Sensus iPerl answered, "Conventional mechanical meters are often affected by entrained air and contaminants in the water especially at lower flow rates." "The lower the flow of water, the more likely it is that the meters will reflect an error and not provide right reading. However, with the use of electromagnetic smart water meters, utilities can accurately record and analyse data to understand water requirements and consumption patterns in particular areas." "This will in turn enable utilities to manage water usage and encourage customers to reduce consumption levels, as well as bill for actual rather than estimated usage. Using a holistic approach to build a smart distribution network for water, utilities can bring many complementary technologies together. While the ultrasonic meters are best for commercial buildings and places, the electromagnetic is best for residential buildings." Vaidya also said that the meters provided by his company enables a greater detection of customer side leakages. "The near real-time data reads provide in depth, granular intelligence that can pinpoint the exact location of a leak as it occurs, enabling utilities to respond to network issues more efficiently and guarantee the delivery of continuous water supply.It also helps to address environmental challenges by reducing water loss and conserving the precious resource water has become." He also added that in India, 40-45% of water is lost before it reaches the end-customer. "The implementation of a smart water solution, including Sensus iPERL, will enable utilities to reduce non-revenue water losses by 15-20% and provide 24 X 7 water supply." The Bengaluru based Sensus is owned by Xylem. The company has been selected as Larsen & Toubro's technology implementation partner at PMC's water distribution project. By Wen Weiru Heads of coast guard organizations from over 30 nations attend a family photo session during the Coast Guard Global Summit, jointly hosted by the Japan Coast Guard and Tokyo-based Nippon Foundation, in Tokyo on September 14, 2017. Japanese media reported that the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) will officially set up a special program for cooperation with maritime security agencies of various countries this summer to further step up cooperation with Southeast Asian countries in maritime security. Japan unabashedly said that it will impart its war experience to these countries in the program. Japan also plans to invite heads of relevant national maritime security agencies to meetings, with a view to seeking dominance in the field of maritime security across the world. The report said in order to counter pirates and protect the so-called sea lane of the Strait of Malacca, Japan has carried out joint training and talent exchange with Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam and the Philippines, and has provided patrol vessels since 2000. Currently, the Japanese government promises to provide 10 small patrol vessels and two large patrol vessels to the Philippines, two second-hand patrol vessels to Indonesia, seven patrol vessels to the Vietnam Coast Guard, as well as two second-hand large patrol vessels to Malaysia. Since 2004 the JCG has started staff exchange program for research and training, and launched small-scale joint training exercise with Southeast Asian countries. In 2015, Japan held its first Maritime Safety and Security Policy Program recruiting personnel of maritime security agencies from Southeast Asian countries in attempts to make Japan an international base for the training of security personnel. In 2017, the JCG specially worked out the relevant budget and established an informal group of seven people headed by the Promotion Officer for International Cooperation in Maritime Security , expanding the training objectives to include most Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. The new commandant of the JCG Admiral Shuichi Iwanami, said when he took office at the end of July 2018 that Japan will further strengthen the strategic coordination between Japan and Southeast Asian countries in the field of maritime security. According to reports, the new institution which is composed of 24 personnel including the Promotion Officer for International Cooperation in Maritime Security and led by the newly appointed section manager in charge of international strategy, will be located in the General Affairs Department of the JCG headquarters. Analysts pointed out that with the establishment of the new institution, the JCG has a formal institution in international coordination and foreign exchanges which Japan can exploit to achieve its triple purposes in the future. First, to strengthen its regional presence with support. The Japanese side stressed that Southeast Asia serves as the main investment destination and major support provider for Japan. Japan has attached greater significance to its security cooperation with ASEAN countries both in governmental affairs and maritime security. Therefore, Japan has continuously upgraded its military presence in Southeast Asia and safeguarded its maritime interests with a high-profile posture of sending free equipment and technology to ASEAN countries. Second, to woo its Southeast Asian partners. The Tokyo Shimbun once reported that countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia also have to deal with issues such as the South China Sea, apart from accidents and disasters. Japan and Southeast Asian countries share similar situations and a common position. Japan highlighted the imparting of war experience while spreading the concept of protecting the order of the sea in accordance with laws and regulations to Southeast Asian countries, with a view to making these countries act in concert with Japan in terms of the South China Sea issue. Third, to seek dominance by building a multilateral framework. One of the important tasks of the new institution is to set up a dialogue framework. In September 2017, Tokyo hosted the first Coast Guard Global Summit, with heads of coast guard agencies from 34 countries in attendance. The meeting was regarded as an important platform to build a multilateral framework for maritime security and expanding the Japanese marine concept. Japan is very active in sponsoring such conference, and it has been said that Japan is coordinating and preparing for a second meeting of its kind, starkly displaying its intention to seek dominance in maritime security. (The article was published on Chinese military newspaper China National Defense on Feb. 18, 2019.) Singapore -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/18/2019 -- Established in the year 2004, TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd is Singapore most trusted corporate consultants. The firmhelps entrepreneurs and body corporates by taking care of the administrative and statutory requirements of their businesses and ensuring that they are accurately compliant with the Singapore government. 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TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd combination of payroll and corporate tax services offer one of the most accurate bookkeeping services to businesses. The firm provides businesses with the most affordable option of as low as 50 dollars per month on bookkeeping services. TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd has employed the most qualified CPAs who utilize the latest technology to handle all bookkeeping related activities. "TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd has had an influx of entrepreneurs and other overseas organization requesting assistance with Singapore company registration services. Most of the clientele are foreign because registering a company in Singapore has lots of advantages," added the company spokesperson. "TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd has the lowest fee for company registration, from as low as380 dollars we will help you get your business set upbe a sole proprietorship, private limited company, or limited liability partnership." Registering business in Singapore has got its advantages, for instance, overseas companies can use Singapore as a platform for Research and Development of intellectual property.Singapore is located at the heart of Asia making it one of the leading trade, logistics, and international financial Centers. The country hasNo Foreign Exchange Controls, Making It Easier for Investors to Cope with Foreign Exchange Risks.TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd assists clients set up while keeping them informed of such advantages available. About TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd is a Singaporean firm that has been helping businesses for the past 15 years or so with statutory compliant requirements. They provide services such as corporate tax consultancy, corporatesecretarial services, accounting, and payroll services as well as company incorporation services in Singapore. TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd ensures that all of their clients are making the right filling and submission relating to the business on time and as prescribed to avoid unwanted fines and penalties. Contact Information: Company : TN Corporate Management Pte Ltd Address: Blk 531A, Upper cross st, 03-108 Hong Lim Complex Singapore 051531 Phone: 6719 2295 Email: contact@tnpl.com.sg Website: www.tnpl.com.sg San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/18/2019 -- Global Farm Animal Drug Market: Snapshot Farm animal drugs are medicines mainly used for healthcare-based practices for diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of diseases that could affect livestock. These medicines need to be used as per strict requirement based on their essentiality to maintain well-being of farm animals. Simply said, farm animal drugs are a key factor supporting the growth of livestock industry all over the globe. Farm drugs include a wide variety of medical substances such as anti-infective drugs, hormones, analgesics, parasiticide anti-inflammatory medicines, anesthetics, and antibiotics. The manufacturing, distribution, use, and safety of these drugs is controlled by specific administrations in most regions. Before a drug is rolled out for commercial use, it needs to be approved by these administrations. The sponsor or manufacturer of the drug must document scientific testing of the substance, and get it labelled safe and effective. The testing data should also show that a methodology is available to detect and measure any residue left in edible animal products. This needs to be done to analyze how much of the drug remains in the animal's body, and its consequences. Apart from this, farmer and veterinary doctors need to strictly adhere to guidelines about how much time must elapse before a treated animal can be slaughtered. The drugs sold also should carry all relevant warnings, constraints, and other important information on their label. Of all drugs under the farm animal drug category, vaccinations are the most commonly used medical substances. Since several decades, an extensive use of vaccines has now been able to eradicate several diseases affecting farm animals. The vaccines need to be kept in chilled or frozen containers, and they might deteriorate rapidly after exposed to warm conditions. Farmers and others involved in animal husbandry practices need to gain thorough knowledge about veterinary practices regarding treatment of farm animals. In this way, they can become aware of all associated aspects in context of animal drugs. Request Sample Copy of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=3353 Global Farm Animal Drug Market: Overview Farm animal drugs are veterinary products that are used in the prevention and treatment of a wide range of diseases and disorders in livestock. The usage of these products is essential for their well-being and is a key factor supporting the growth of the livestock industry world over. The wide variety of farm animal drugs comprise anti-infective, parasiticide anti-inflammatory, analgesics, anesthetics, hormones, and antibiotics. The rising number of pet ownership, coupled with a growing population of companion animals, is fostering the demand for food, feed, and pharmaceutical products. Over the years, the rising uptake of farm animal drugs has been driven by their role in reducing the burden of a number of livestock diseases. Global Farm Animal Drug Market: Key Trends Drugs for farm animals have gained immense significance in meeting the nutritional requirements of livestock across the globe. The rising demand for meat and dairy products in various parts of the world has led farm owners and livestock managers to spend substantial sums in keeping these animals healthy. The extensive demand for these drugs in preventing a variety of infectious diseases among animals is also positively driving the growth of the market. To this end, the market in recent years has witnessed burgeoning production of anti-infective drugs. The emergence of new diseases, notably avian influenza H5N1, has caused considerable concern among industry players and governments alike, favoring the growth of the market. Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=3353 Global Farm Animal Drug Market: Market Potential The substantial consumption of meat and dairy products among humans has led to the emergent condition of antimicrobial resistance, have found indiscriminate use of antibiotics among farm animals, confirmed several regulatory agencies in recent years. According to World Health Organization, the overuse of antibiotics in animals in the recent decade has been found to be contributing to the growing drug resistance in humans with serious health repercussions. Antimicrobial resistance is a genuine concern and has recently generated widespread attention in developed countries such as the U.S., Canada, and several European countries. In a bid to curb the routine use of antibiotics to boost the health and prevent diseases, WHO has recently drafted new guidelines for farmers in Europe and harped on more stringent implementation in countries where the overuse is prominent. Against the backdrop of rising antimicrobial-resistant infections world over, Health Canada has in July 2017 drafted a framework to urge livestock farmers in Canada to prevent the overuse of antibiotics. Starting December 2018, farm owners will be required to get prescription from veterinarians to buy scores of common veterinary antibiotics. Such stringent regulations are likely to have wide impact on the market potential over the forecast period of 20172025. Global Farm Animal Drug Market: Regional Outlook The study offers critical insights into the outlook of various regional markets and highlights promising avenues and key investment trends in these regions. Developed and developing regions are expected to be potentially prominent regional markets for farm animal drugs. Europe will contribute attractive revenues to the global markets, driven by the burgeoning demand for meat. Asia Pacific is anticipated to emerge as a vastly lucrative market, with the burgeoning demand for farm animal drugs being attributed to the rapidly rising livestock industry in its key economies. Global Farm Animal Drug Market: Competitive Outlook The report takes a detailed look at the prevailing competitive dynamics in various parts of the globe. It analyzes the regulatory framework likely to shape that dynamics in the coming years. Several players are focusing on new product launches and spending copious funds on research and development activities and clinical trials pertaining to the efficacy of veterinary drugs and medicines. Some of the players holding prominent positions in the farm animal drugs market include Zydus Animal Health Ltd., Zoetis, Inc., Virbac SA, Alembic Animal Health, Intas Pharmaceutical Ltd., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Merck Animal Health, Elanco Animal Health, Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC, and Bayer AG. Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/farm-animal-drug-market About TMR Research TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in today's supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients' conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/18/2019 -- The report "End User Experience Monitoring Market by Component (Products and Services), Access Type (Web and Mobile), Deployment Type, Organization Size, Vertical (BFSI, IT and Telecommunications, and Government and Public Sector), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", The global EUEM market size is expected to grow from USD 1.5 billion in 2018 to USD 3.7 billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 20.7% during the forecast period. The growing number of agents to provide better end user experience, increasing need to measure business impact of end user experience, and changing end user expectations are major growth factors for the EUEM market. Browse 71 market data Tables and 27 Figures spread through 141 Pages and in-depth TOC on "End User Experience Monitoring Market by Component (Products and Services), Access Type (Web and Mobile), Deployment Type, Organization Size, Vertical (BFSI, IT and Telecommunications, and Government and Public Sector), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023" EUEM product's built-in user experience metrics and actionable insights to proactively alert enterprises of all client-side issues Enterprises across verticals make use of EUEM products for achieving faster problem diagnosis and reproduction, in turn ensuring enhanced website experience for customers. These products help in measuring business service impact from the user experience perspective along with monitoring how customers interact with websites and applications in real time. The EUEM products provide built-in user experience metrics and actionable insights to proactively alert enterprises of all client-side issues. Two approaches are followed while monitoring end user experience, namely, synthetic monitoring and real user monitoring. Growing need for attaining operational efficiency to drive web-based EUEM segment EUEM of web applications is aimed towards gathering metrics that can be used in improving the functionality and end user experience of the web app. Some of the metrics that are monitored include web requests and transactions, application dependencies, server monitoring, code-level performance, and log data. Monitoring web requests and transactions make it possible to identify and isolate slow incidents. All this data obtained from monitoring the various metrics is used in providing a better end user experience. Growing need to be customer-centric to drive the adoption of EUEM products among large enterprises The influx of startups in the recent years has prompted large enterprises to provide a good end user experience, as a negative experience can affect their customer base. Large enterprises are using EUEM products for keeping a tab on the availability of mission-critical applications and monitoring their performance in various environments and scenarios. Any breach in SLAs can lead to revenue losses, reduction in productivity, and legal penalties. Hence, large enterprises are adopting EUEM products and services on a large scale. North America to dominate the global EUEM market in 2018 North America is a mature market in terms of EUEM products adoption, owing to a large presence of enterprises with advanced IT infrastructure and the availability of technical expertise. BFSI, IT and telecommunications, and government and public sector verticals majorly adopt EUEM products. As the benefits of adopting EUEM are becoming more evident, more companies are expected to implement EUEM products and services. The US and Canada are the top countries contributing to the growth of EUEM market in North America. The report also studies various growth strategies, such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships and collaborations, and developments, adopted by the major players to expand their presence in the global EUEM market. Major vendors in the global EUEM market include CA Technologies (US), Micro Focus (UK), SAP (Germany), AppDynamics (US), IBM (US), Riverbed (US), BMC Software (US), Catchpoint (US), Dynatrace (US), New Relic (US), Oracle (US), Lakeside Software (US), Nexthink (Switzerland), Centurylink (US), ControlUp (US), Bitbar (Finland), eG Innovations (US), SmartBear (US), Stackify (US), Alyvix (Italy), AppNeta (US), Datadog (US), Rigor (US), TeamViewer (Germany), and Application Performance Ltd (UK). Speak to our Analyst @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=158045181 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA : 1-888-600-6441 sales@marketsandmarkets.com Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/19/2019 -- The U.S. dominates the North American contact center software market with a share of around 84% in 2017. Various tech companies in this country, such as IBM, Google, and Cisco, are investing huge funds in R&D to implement new technologies and augment user experience, enhancing the market growth. The companies are making efforts to reduce the contact center personnel workload by integrating advanced technologies into the contact center software solutions. The high adoption rate of mobile analytics, cloud, and social media platform among various industries also assist the contact center market growth in North America. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2972 Contact Center Software Market size is set to exceed USD 40 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. The contact center software market growth is attributed to the increasing adoption of social media platform by customers with the active social media users in 2018 being approximately 3.1 billion. The incorporation of social media with contact center software allows businesses to communicate in an improved way with their current and prospective customers providing improved sales opportunity, increased customer awareness, and high-quality customer service. Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis: - Avaya - Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise - Ameyo (Drishti-Soft) - Aspect Software - BT - Enghouse Interactive - Fenero - Five9 - Genesys - Huawei Technologies - IBM - Mitel - NEC - Nice - Nixxis - Oracle - Ring Central - SAP - Solgari - Top Down Systems - Unify - Verizon - Vocalcom Around 90% of the businesses now own a Facebook and Twitter account, which enables them to educate and update the customers about their products and services, thereby creating a favorable opportunity for improving the company sales. Furthermore, the increasing emergence of AI-based intelligent virtual assistants in the contact center software market is changing the way businesses carry out their operations by not only providing augmented customer experience but also giving the early adopters an edge over their competitors. The intelligent virtual assistants gather information, predict customers' needs, and learn customers' behavior by understanding customer requests and solving complex tasks. contact center software market The customer collaboration segment is projected to show the fastest growth rate with a CAGR of over 18% in the market. The customer collaboration software enables organizations to interact with its customers in an efficient way, building long-term relationships. Customers have the advantage of expressing their views about the company's products and services, which can be considered as feedbacks. After analyzing the comments, the contact center personnel should interact with the concerned customer, ensuring that they are provided with the best products and services. In the contact center software market, the cloud-based deployment model is projected to observe the highest adoption rate with a CAGR of approximately 22% over the forecast timespan. This model offers various benefits such as easy and faster deployment & implementation, greater security, ease of managing remote workforce, improved flexibility & scalability, standardization of global technology & services, real-time data visibility, and customization capabilities, driving their market adoption. It also provides the contact center supervisors with substantial visibility of their agent's productivity, making them aware of the performance of their outbound campaigns and inbound queues, thereby achieving higher business efficiency. Hence, as the cloud-based contact center software solutions guarantee uptime and flexibility, the organizations are replacing the legacy on-premise models. The IT & Telecom sector is projected to grow at the fastest rate in the contact center software market with a CAGR of over 17% by 2024. The IT & Telecom enterprises are witnessing a huge growth rate due to the rise in the number of mobile devices and internet usage rate. With the aid of contact center software, the telecom industry offers multiple calling and internet usage offers to improve its business sales. It provides the expertise and communication tools required to serve the customers by registering complaints, answering their queries, sending follow up reminders for payments, and delivering value-added services to be proactively connected with their customers. Various telecom companies are also keen on adopting cloud-based contact center software due to the added benefits they provide including lower operational costs and higher flexibility. For instance, in April 2017, CallTower, a leading unified communications provider in the U.S. partnered with Five9 to deliver a cloud-based contact center. This partnership will enable CallTower to provide a unique virtual contact center solution to various enterprises, enabling the customers to leverage cloud communications. The Asia Pacific market is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of over 20% during the forecast period. The market growth is attributed to factors such as the growing demand from various industry verticals including BFSI, healthcare, consumer goods & retail, and IT & Telecom. The rising adoption of the contact center software by various SMEs also contributes to the market growth. Furthermore, favorable government initiatives for increasing industrial automation also augment the market growth in this region. Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2972 The companies operating in the global contact center software market are concentrating on improving implementations of customer care solutions allowing professionals to focus on solving complex customer queries, thereby gaining a higher customer retention rate. The major companies functioning in this market include Ameyo, Vocalcom, Cisco, Five9, BT, Avaya, Mitel, Fenero, Oracle, Alcatel-Lucent, Zendesk, ZTE, SAP, Top Down Systems, West Corporation, Aspect Software, and Unify. The global companies are also working toward augmenting their product and service base by entering into strategic partnerships and collaborations, gaining a share in the competitive 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. Maharashtra, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/18/2019 -- Cloud Computing Stack Layers Market Cloud computing describes wide range of useful services. For example, cloud computing allows you to move compute and data services off-site to a location-transparent facility. Cloud-based data can be made accessible via the Internet anytime, anywhere and is often less costly than locally hosted data. To decide how you or your organization will use cloud computing to best advantage, it is important to understand the services that make up cloud computing. To Access PDF Sample Report, With 30 mins free consultation! Click Here: https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request_sample/336160 This report focuses on the global top players, covered Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Microsoft Azure, IBM, Google Cloud Platform, SAP, Rackspace, H&P Helion, OVH, Avaya, Oracle & More... The three major categories of services are Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). At present, the consumption market of Cloud Computing Stack Layers is concentrated in UK, Germany, France, Benelux, Italy, Spain and Russia. UK is the largest consumption area in the world, which occupied about 25.33% European market in 2016. The following areas are Germany and France. The leading players in European market are Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Microsoft Azure, IBM, Google Cloud Platform, SAP, Rackspace, H&P Helion, OVH, Avaya and Oracle, which occupied about 75% market share in 2016. Cloud Computing Stack Layers is mainly used for two applications: Commercial Use, Public Services, Other. And commercial use was the most widely used type which took up about 70% of the global total in 2016. If you are involved in the Global Cloud Computing Stack Layers industry or intend to be, this study will provide you with a comprehensive outlook. It's important to keep yourself updated with the market dynamics always, segmented by major players. If you have a different set of players/manufacturers according to geography or in need of regional or country segmented reports, we can provide customization according to your requirement. Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers North America Europe China Rest of Asia Pacific Central & South America Middle East & Africa Grab Your Report at an Impressive Discount ! Please click Here@ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/check_discount/336160 Market segment by Type, the product can be split into Sofrware as a Service (SaaS) Platform as a Service (PaaS) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Market segment by Application, the market can be split into Commercial Use Public Services Others Some of the key questions answered in this report: Detailed Overview of Global Cloud Computing Stack Layers market will aid clients and businesses in making strategies. Influencing factors that are affecting demand and latest trends in the market What is market concentration? Is it fragmented or highly concentrated? What trends, challenges, obstacles, and barriers will impact the development and sizing of Global Cloud Computing Stack Layers market SWOT Analysis of each defined key players along with its profile and Porter's five forces tool mechanism to complement the same. What growth momentum or acceleration market carries during the forecast period? Which region may tap the highest market share in the coming era? What would be the market share of key countries like North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia & India etc.? What focused approach and constraints are holding the Global Cloud Computing Stack Layers market tight? The Objective of the Study: To study and forecast the market size of Cloud Computing Stack Layers in Global To analyze the Global key players, SWOT analysis, value and Global Cloud Computing Stack Layers market share for top players. To identify significant trends and factors driving or constraining the growth of the market. To analyze competitive developments such as extensions, contracts, new product launches, mergers, and acquisitions in the market To strategically analyze each sub-market in regards to the individual growth trends and their influence in the Cloud Computing Stack Layers market. Browse Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts and Companies :- https://www.reportsmonitor.com/report/336160/Cloud-Computing-Stack-Layers-Market Reasons to Purchase this Report Analyzing viewpoint of the market with the on-going trends and Porter's five forces analysis. Market flow which basically considers the factors inducing the present market scenario alongside development prospects of the market in the years to come. Cloud Computing Stack Layers Market segmentation analysis including qualitative and quantitative research including the effect of the market aspects. Competitive developments such as extensions, contracts, new product launches, mergers, and acquisitions in the market. About Reports Monitor Reports Monitor is a market research and consulting company that 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 including Healthcare, Technology, Chemicals, Materials, and Energy. With an intrinsic understanding of many business environments, Reports Monitor provides strategic objective insights. Chippewa Falls, WI -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/19/2019 -- ChemCeed, a worldwide chemical distribution company, will be attending the AFPM International Petrochemical Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The conference tailored specifically for the petrochemical industry, and will feature training and education on key political, economic, and environmental issues. The International Petrochemical Conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio on March 25 to March 27, 2019. About ChemCeed LLC ChemCeed is a full-service woman-owned and minority-owned worldwide chemical supplier of chemical raw materials such as specialty esters and plasticizers, pigments, and corrosion inhibitors. ChemCeed works as a partner in various company's supply chains and offers full support from the R&D phases of formulation to the production of the final product To learn more about ChemCeed, visit their website. www.chemceed.com 715-726-2300 Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/18/2019 -- Latest Survey On Ceramic Substrate Market The global Ceramic Substrate market report provides an in-depth analysis of the Ceramic Substrate industry, analyzing the potential of the market and also provides data and forecasts on the market structure, dynamics, and trends. Ceramic substrate is an electronic sheet material, use electronic ceramic as substrate, the membrane and the outer circuit elements apt to form a support base member. Get a Sample PDF Report: http://marketresearchvision.com/request-sample/111049 Traditional marketing concepts can be divided into manufacture, products and marketing; modern marketing concept can be divided into social marketing concepts, modern philosophy is based on consumer demand-oriented philosophy, which focuses on the consumer, it means the overall marketing campaign; the business goal is to meet customers' needs, improve social welfare, the final profit. The report proves as a valuable source of repository for the intending clients with up-to-date market intelligence and assists them in making strategic investment decisions. Additionally, the report distinguishes and studies emerging trends along with crucial drivers and major challenges faced by the industry. The market report is defined by the presence of a large number of leading players and new entrants, including but not limited to platform providers, service providers, device manufacturers, developers, and content providers. The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in previous years and to forecast the values to the next eight years. The Ceramic Substrate market report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry with respect to each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as drivers & restraining factors which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, it will also incorporate the opportunities available in micro markets for stakeholders to invest, detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The segments and sub-segment of the market are explained in details. Get Discount on this Report: http://marketresearchvision.com/check-discount/111049 Top Market Key Players, Maruwa, Tong Hsing, Murata, Kyocera, Leatec Fine Ceramics, Nikko, CoorsTek, KOA Corporation, NCI, Asahi Glass Co, TA-I Technology, Yokowo, Rogers/Curamik, Ecocera, Toshiba, ICP Technology, NEO Tech, Holy Stone, ACX Corp, Chaozhou Three-Circle, Kechenda Electronics, ZheJiang Innuovo Electronic, Beijing North Asahi Electronic Glass, Hebei Sinopack Electronic Tech 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) Market Segment by Type, covers, Alumina (Al2O3), Aluminium Nitride(AlN), Beryllium oxide (BeO), Silicon nitride (Si3N4) Market Segment by Applications can be divided into, LED, Chip Resistor, Wireless Modules, Other Applications The scope of the report: This research report presents an extensive study of the market and comprises significant insights, facts, previous data, and statistically-supported and industry-validated market facts and projections with an appropriate set of methodologies and assumptions. It provides analysis and data on the basis of market segments and sub-segments, regions, product type, and distribution channels. What the report offers: Market Overview for the Global Ceramic Substrate Market and the identification of the market dynamics, including growth drivers, restraints, challenges, and potential opportunities for the market. Market analysis for the Global Ceramic Substrate Market, with competitive landscape and geographic analysis on a global and regional scale. Determination of different factors responsible for changing the market landscape, rising future opportunities and determination of leading players, which can affect the market on a regional scale. Company profiles of the leading competitors along with their strategic initiatives and market shares. Determination and analysis of the macro- and microeconomic factors that affect the Global Ceramic Substrate Market, as per the regional analysis. In the end, This report is an assimilation of trustworthy and updated information, quantitative and qualitative evaluation by industry analysts, inputs from industry professionals and leading competitors across the industrial value chain. Read Complete Report With TOC: http://marketresearchvision.com/reports/111049/Ceramic-Substrate-Market If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want. narvikk/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- Multiple whistleblowers sounded alarms about a plan backed by close advisers to President Donald Trump to transfer sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, according to a new report released by House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings on Tuesday. House Democrats, who have been examining the issue for months, said they plan to investigate whether people close to Trump sought to profit by using White House connections to gain federal approvals. Based on this snapshot of events, the Committee is now launching an investigation to determine whether the actions being pursued by the Trump administration are in the national security interests of the United States, or, rather, serve those who stand to gain financially as a result of this potential change in U.S. foreign policy, wrote Cummings, a Maryland Democrat. The proposal, which began as a bid to sell nuclear reactors to the Saudis under the direction of Trump adviser and fundraiser Tom Barrack, the report said, was initially pushed by former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Cummings office has previously raised concerns that a consulting business Flynn once ran appeared to have a financial interest in the idea. New testimony and documents collected by House investigators, summarized in Tuesdays report, suggest the plan still had support within the White House after Flynn was fired in February of 2017, ahead of his conviction for lying to federal agents about his talks with Russians. And internal emails show that proponents of the plan continued to push for it even as career national security officials worried it violated administration protocol and ethics rules. The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, Cummings wrote. And they have warned about political appointees ignoring directives from top ethics advisers at the White House who repeatedly and unsuccessfully ordered senior Trump Administration officials to halt their efforts. As part of his new investigation, Cummings plans to send document requests to the White House, a half-dozen federal departments and agencies, and the private companies involved in promoting the nuclear proposal. He also hopes to interview the individuals who worked to advance the plan inside the White House. Those who supported the plan to recruit U.S. companies to build nuclear power plants in the Middle East called it a Marshall Plan for the Middle East, and said it would help American allies develop nuclear programs to check Irans power in the region. But one major proponent of the idea was no stranger to scandal. Robert Bud McFarlane, 81, who resigned as President Ronald Reagans national security advisor during the Iran-Contra scandal and later pleaded guilty in 1988 to charges involving the withholding of information from Congress, has been a global consultant in the security and energy sectors in recent years. McFarlane is the co-founder of IP3, a company for which Flynn reportedly consulted during his time on the Trump campaign and transition. One week after Trumps inauguration, McFarlane sent Flynn a pair of memos to initiate action on the plan and recommended Trump appoint Barrack, who chaired Trumps inaugural committee and has longstanding financial ties to the Middle East, as a special envoy responsible for leading the project and coordinating among different agencies. Tom Barrack has been thoroughly briefed on this strategy and wants to run it for you, reads one memo McFarlane drafted for Flynn to present to Trump. According to Cummings report, Flynn forwarded the memos to White House staff and told them to prep a staff packet to go to the POTUS. Around the same time, the House report says, Flynn aide Derek Harvey, the National Security Councils senior director for Middle East and North African affairs, told NSC aides he had prepared at Flynns direction a new strategy for the Middle East featuring a regional and economic energy plan and attempted to include language about plans to build 40 nuclear power plants in the Middle East to a briefing package for Trump ahead of a planned called with King Salman of Saudi Arabia. But the idea raised red flags, the House report says, with some security council officials and White House legal advisers believing the plan could violate laws governing nuclear cooperation between the United States and other countries, such as a provision of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act that requires Congress review any proposal to transfer nuclear technology. Those White House officials tried to persuade more senior advisers to abandon the idea, alleging the proposal from Flynn and his associates was a scheme for these generals to make some money, the House report says, and days later, the National Security Council legal adviser John Eisenberg instructed staff to stop working on the plan. Flynns White House tenure proved to be brief. He was fired in February of 2017, having served in the administration for less than a month, after it was revealed that he misled then-Vice President-elect Mike Pence about his discussions with the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the transition. But efforts to further the plan in the White House continued even after Flynns departure, the report says. In March of 2017, Harvey helped draft a public statement about Trumps meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then Saudi Arabias deputy crown prince, that mentioned a new U.S.-Saudi energy and technology investment program a reference that caught some officials off guard. What the hell is going on? one senior Trump official asked National Security Council staff, according to Cummingss report. In a meeting the next day, the report says, KT McFarland, then the National Security Council deputy director, again raised the Middle East Marshall Plan, and said that Trump told Barrack he could lead the effort as long as he wasnt paid for the role. Harvey persisted as well, the report says, directing National Security Council staff to add language referencing the plan into talking points for Trump ahead of a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. According to the report, H.R. McMaster, who had replaced Flynn as national security advisor, objected. Nobody should work on this anymore, he told his staff in late March. Harvey, who left the White House in July of 2017 and now works for Rep. Devin Nunes, the senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication. But outreach to the White House about the plan continued after Harveys departure as well. Fran Townsend, a homeland security advisor for President George W. Bush who also served on IP3s board emailed then-White House homeland security advisor Thomas Bossert about the Middle East nuclear plan, including a white paper authored by Barrack, and a letter to the Saudi Arabian crown prince signed by advocates for the program along with leaders of six energy companies, according to documents attached to the report. And someone else from IP3 an individual who is not identified in the House report reached out in April of 2017 to Vice President Mike Pences national security team, a contact that was reported to the National Security Council legal advisers office. ABC News has contacted the White House, Harvey and Barrack for comment. ABC News has also reached out to spokespeople for former White House officials Flynn and McFarland and sought comment from several people with past or current association to the company IP3, including McFarlane, Towensend and attorneys Alan Dunn and Michael Summersgill. ABC News has also sought comment from the energy firms Westinghouse and Exelon. None of them have agreed to speak or provided a response at the time this report was published. Cummings staff believes the idea is still circulating within Trump administration. Just last week, President Trump met with American nuclear energy CEOs about exporting their technology to other parts of the world, though it remains unclear if a Saudi sale was discussed. Chris Crane, the president and CEO of Exelon Corporation, the countrys largest nuclear operator, said the meeting was a conversation about the U.S. nuclear industry and the need to maintain a leadership position in exporting their technology. He was very supportive, Crane said of Trump last week. We're going to continue dialogue with the administration. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. In 2009, then U.S. Vice President Joe Biden came to Munich to "press the reset button" with Russia. A decade later he came again to offer the world better relations, this time with his own country. Promising that "America will be back" once Donald Trump leaves office, Biden won a standing ovation at the Munich Security Conference from delegates who find the president's brusque foreign policy stance hard to like. But their elation also exposed the weakened state of Western diplomacy in the face of Trump's assertiveness, according to European diplomats and politicians who were present. Biden's successor, Mike Pence, was met with silence at a reception in the palatial Bavarian parliament on Friday evening after he delivered his signature line: "I bring you greetings from the 45th president of the United States, President Donald Trump." His four-day trip to Europe succeeded only in deepening divisions with traditional allies over questions such as Iran and Venezuela and offered little hope in how to deal with threats ranging from nuclear arms to climate change, diplomats and officials said. Misgivings about Washington's role in the world are being felt by ordinary people as well as foreign policy specialists. In Germany and France, half the population see U.S. power as a threat, up sharply from 2013 and a view shared by 37 percent of Britons, the Washington-based Pew Research Center said in a report before the Munich foreign policy gathering. Asked about European anxiety over Trump's leadership style, a senior U.S. official on Pence's Air Force Two plane said the vice president's Munich conference speech on Saturday at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof would "help give them a different perspective". Tit for tat But if the Europeans did not like the "America First" message, there was no concerted response to it. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was on her own after a last-minute cancellation by French President Emmanuel Macron. That caused some to lament the failure of the West to uphold the rules-based international order that Washington itself championed in the 70 years that preceded the arrival of Trump in the White House. "The tit-for-tat logic is unfortunately prevailing ... I think that takes us back to the question of enlightened leadership," said Thomas Greminger, secretary general of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a security and human rights watchdog. "We need leaders again who do not believe exclusively in short-termism," he told Reuters. It fell to China to aid Merkel in her defence of the post-World War Two order, as the country's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, spoke in flawless English for over 20 minutes about the virtues of open trade and global cooperation. Pence's message was, in fact, that the pillars of U.S. foreign policy were being rebuilt on a different foundation: isolating Iran, containing China, bringing American troops home and requiring European powers to fall into line. Broken narrative? After using a speech in Warsaw on Thursday to accuse Britain, France and Germany of trying to undermine U.S. sanctions on Iran, Pence called in Munich for the European Union to recognise Venezuelan congressional leader Juan Guaido as president over Nicolas Maduro, whom he called a dictator. That drew an angry response from Spain's Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, who said the European Union could acknowledge Guaido as interim president until new elections, in line with the Venezuelan constitution. French foreign minister Jean-Yves LeDrian said he was mystified by U.S. policy on Syria after Trump's decision to withdraw troops because it would only benefit Iran, which Washington wants to be tough on. European diplomats and officials also took issue with Pence's insistence that EU governments stay away from Chinese telecoms companies as they build the latest generation of mobile networks, preferring first to have an internal discussion about the potential risks and U.S. claims of Chinese espionage. "U.S. pressure has a tendency to make us do the opposite. U.S. pressure is counterproductive. It's best that they don't try and pressure us," a senior French diplomat said. Whatever the threats, officials seemed to be mainly talking past each other. Kumi Naidoo, global head of Amnesty International, said security was often defined too narrowly, failing to address the wider dangers of climate change. "The narrative here at the Munich Security Conference is broken. They are talking about the right topics but in the wrong language. The mentality here is that security is only a national issue," Naidoo told Reuters. Leaving for Washington, Pence was unfazed, telling reporters his trip had been very successful. "We're advancing the interests of the free world, and we've made great progress." Short link: A suicide bomber blew himself up Monday in Cairos downtown Darb Al-Ahmar area, killing at least two policemen and injuring others. According to an interior ministry statement, the terrorist, aged 37, blew himself up behind Al-Azhar Mosque after police and state security personnel chased him. The explosion killed the terrorist, a state security member and a policeman from a Cairo investigative unit. The ministry said that investigations conducted after a bomb was found in the yard of Al-Istiqama Mosque in Giza governorate last Friday identified and located the terrorist, named El-Hassan Abdullah. Police personnel came close to arresting him before an explosive device he carried went off. Upon later inspection, security forces found a time bomb at Abdullah's apartment, which prompted the whole building to be evacuated. Short link: Haute-couture designer Karl Lagerfeld, artistic director at Chanel and an icon of the fashion industry with his extravagant outfits and striking catwalks, has died aged 85. Instantly recognizable in his dark suits, pony-tailed white hair and sunglasses, Lagerfeld was best known for his association with Chanel but delivered collections for LVMHs Fendi and his own eponymous label. Rumors of Lagerfelds ill-health had swirled after he failed to show up at Chanels January show in Paris for his customary bow. Chanel chief executive Alain Wertheimer recalled how he had given carte blanche to Lagerfeld in the 1980s to reinvent the brand, from the Chanel jacket to its tweeds and two-tone shoes. Thanks to his creative genius, generosity and exceptional intuition, Karl Lagerfeld was ahead of his time, which widely contributed to the House of Chanels success throughout the world, Wertheimer said in a statement. A craftsman who combined artistic instinct, business acumen and commensurate ego, Lagerfeld was known for his strikingly visual fashion show displays. LVMH chairman and chief executive Bernard Arnault said the fashion world had lost a creative genius who helped make Paris the fashion capital of the world, and Fendi one of the most innovative Italian houses. I will always remember his immense imagination, his ability to conceive new trends for every season, his inexhaustible energy, the virtuosity of his drawings, his carefully guarded independence, his encyclopedic culture and his unique wit and eloquence, Arnault said. Chanel said Virginie Viard, director of the houses creative studio, would take over creative work for the brands collections. Several sources told Reuters the appointment was transitional and that Lagerfelds successor would be announced after the mourning period. Born in Hamburg in 1933, Lagerfeld made his debut with designer Pierre Balmain as an apprentice before moving on to Patou and Chloe and then Fendi. He was one of the most influential and celebrated designers of the 21st century and an iconic, universal symbol of style, his own Karl Lagerfeld brand wrote on Instagram. He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as one of the greatest designers of our time. Short link: For Lebanon's Nadine Labaki, whose social-realist epic "Capernaum" is an Oscar contender for best foreign film, the toughest battle is only just beginning. Her heart-wrenching story of poverty and survival in Beirut's wretched underclass won a 15-minute standing ovation and the Jury Prize in Cannes last year. A former election candidate in Beirut, Labaki now hopes an Academy Award will not only complete the film's impressive harvest of distinctions but also boost its impact at home. "So the conversation is starting now and that was my aim, to create this shock, and to create this debate," Labaki told AFP in her Beirut office. The 45-year-old has arguably become Lebanese culture's most prominent export and she is bent on making good use of her growing celebrity. "I feel it like a duty, it's not a choice even, and this is what we're going to start doing, very, very soon: show the film to the government and organise these round tables with judges and lawyers," she said. "Maybe it's going to have a big influence and maybe it won't, but we have to try," Labaki said. The film has already changed the lives of its cast members, many of whom were experiencing the same struggles as their characters during the gruelling six-month shoot. "Capernaum" follows the travails of Zain, a malnourished boy who runs away from his family when his 11-year-old sister Sahar is sold into marriage. He is sheltered by an undocumented African worker named Rahil and ends up looking after her baby boy Yonas when she is arrested and jailed. The parallels between the film's script and what happened to the actors in real life are uncanny. - 'No make believe' - Baby Yonas's on-screen and real-life mothers were arrested together during filming and both were in jail when the scenes of the two children being left to their own devices in the streets of Beirut were being shot. In the film, Zain keeps dreaming that he will one day escape his misery and move to Sweden. The Syrian refugee child who plays Zain's character was recently resettled by the United Nations in Norway, where he now lives with family in a house overlooking the sea. "I don't know why those things kept happening, maybe because the script was inspired by so much reality that it was actually bound to happen," Labaki said. Zain is now going to school as are his parents as well as several other of the film's children. Capernaum has already achieved new milestones for Lebanese cinema and received glowing endorsements from media mogul Oprah Winfrey and others. Some critics however argued the film was unsubtle in rubbing the viewer's nose in social squalor, telling the audience when to smile and when to cry. But restraint, Labaki retorts, is just not in her culture. "It's as if people, especially critics, want all cinemas coming from all parts of the world to look the same way," she said. "Let each country bring its own identity." "It's really very hurtful to hear words like 'poverty porn' or 'emotional manipulation'," Labaki said. "Especially when there's no big make believe in the film, everything that is in the film is a reality." The activist in her wanted to jolt her audience into action and mobilise decision-makers in Lebanon, a country where Syrian refugees account for a quarter of the population but where faith in the government is rock-bottom. "People come to me in tears, people say 'You changed me forever', 'I'm not looking at the child I see under the bridge every day in the same way', 'I want to do something about it', 'How can we help?'," Labaki said. She said an Oscar on February 24 would further increase her chances of making a difference. "Why do we use the word influencers? A celebrity is an influencer whether they like it or not, so they need to use this influence in the best way possible." Short link: Egypt began receiving offers for a dollar bond sale on Tuesday, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said. The deadline for offers is later on Tuesday, Maait told Reuters. Short link: Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said his country welcomes any offers by international companies for investment in the operation and management of electrical energy stations. The premier's remarks were made during his meeting with Sameh Shenouda, Chief Executive Officer at Zarou Limited Company, an affiliate of US's Blackstone Group, in the presence of Minister of Electricity Mohamed Shaker to explore the company's offers to invest in the electricity projects as well possibility of investment in the seawater desalination and sewage water treatment projects. During the meeting, Madbouly asserted that the government welcomes all offers for investment in the various fields, especially the electricity sector. He announced his full support for the company's plans for investment in Egypt. Zarous focus is primarily on thermal and renewable power investments and also includes oil & gas midstream and water assets. Through Zarou, Blackstone will invest hundreds of mns of USD in Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco, among other countries in the region. Egypt aims to boost its use of renewable energy to 22 percent by 2020 as part of efforts to achieve sustainable development. Short link: The chairman of Egypt's Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) Mohab Mamish says an agreement was reached with Russia to establish a company to operate and administer the anticipated $7 billion Russian industrial zone east of Port Said before April. According to a statement issued by SCzone on Tuesday, Mamish, who is on a visit to Russia, said Russia has agreed to provide all required assurances guaranteeing that the new company will administer the zone project. Mamish also said that the SCzone has agreed to Russia's request to prepare the land necessary for establishing the project, which is expected to provide 35,000 job opportunities. Agreed upon in May 2018, the Russian industrial zone is set to be established over three phases on a 5.25 million square-metre plot of land, with the first phase to cost $190 million. Following his talks with the Russian side, Mamish attended a workshop in the presence of representatives of about 200 major Russian firms interested in investing in the project. Havel Solar is among the companies that participated in the workshop. The company is an integrated solar energy consortium seeking to find solutions to electricity problems in remote areas and industrial zones. Short link: We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The director of rural development at the World Food Programme (WFP), Ithar Khalil, has said that a climate change programme will target 500 villages in Upper Egypt. Agricultural projects that will be implemented as part of the programme will cost some $6 million, Khalil told MENA. About 150,000 citizens will directly benefit from the projects in the governorates of Luxor, Assiut, Sohag, Qena and Aswan, she said. Work is underway to expand in agricultural projects started by the WFP concerning climate change, Khalil added. She made it clear that they are in the phase of securing funds for the project. Some 2,000 feddans are being reclaimed every year in the five governorates as part of the project, Khalil further said. Search Keywords: Short link: Former president John Dramani Mahama has appealed to delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to vote massively for him ahead of the National Delegates' Congress on Saturday, February 23, to lead NDC in 2020 election. According to him a vote for John Mahama will not be wasted but will work day and night to wrestle power from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). In a short video shared on social media he indicated that, Vote for me, John Mahama, on Saturday February 23, 2019 and I will lead the NDC, working day and night with you, to win the 2020 elections. Together, we will present to our countrymen and women a renewed and reinvigorated NDC. He continued: Together we will present to our countrymen and women a renewed and reinvigorated NDC, a party ready and able to lead Ghana beyond the unprecedented economic hardships of the present day, beyond the rising unemployment and despair of our youth, beyond the closure and collapse of financial institutions and businesses, beyond the dishonesty and nonchalance of the current administration, and beyond the family and clan syndrome that has rightly shocked and outraged so many. Watch video below; Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/Peacefmonline/[email protected] 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 Related Petroceltic to seek arbitration against EGPC for inability to pay debts Egypt has said that its state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) fulfilled its financial obligations towards UK international energy company Petroceltic in December with a payment of $6 million. In an official statement, Egypt's petroleum ministry dismissed claims by Petroceltic that EGPC has failed to meet its financial obligations to the UK company. Petroceltic announced on Sunday that it intends to seek arbitration to resolve the dispute with EGPC. The ministry added that Petroceltic failed to fulfil its obligations under rules and agreements signed between the two sides. EGPC called on Petroceltic to settle any dispute amicably, noting that the corporation is always keen on maintaining good relations with all major global companies, particularly British ones operating in Egypt. Short link: French police on Tuesday killed a man who wounded two pedestrians in a knife attack in the southern city of Marseille, officials said. A third person suffered leg wounds from bullet fragments, police said. The knife attack occurred in the afternoon on a busy street in the centre of the port city, the second largest in France. Police said they opened fire on the assailant when he threatened them with a weapon. The reason for the attack was not immediately known. Short link: Michael Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis seen here in the center during an interview for "The Investigation" podcast. (ABC News) (WASHINGTON) -- When Michael Cohen appears before Congress in the coming weeks, he plans to describe details of life inside the Trump Organization boardroom that he witnessed firsthand for nearly a decade, his lawyer told ABC News. "He needs to tell his personal story to the American people," Lanny Davis, Cohen's attorney, said in a wide-ranging interview for the second episode of "The Investigation," a new podcast focused on the probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller. "And when he does," Davis added, "you're going to hear personal, front-line experiences of memories, and incidents, and conduct, and comments that Donald Trump said over that 10-year time period behind closed doors that, to me when I first heard Michael tell me all this, even as much as I knew about Trump that was negative, was chilling." [ CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF DAVIS' INTERVIEW ON "THE INVESTIGATION" ] Cohen has pledged to appear before closed sessions of the House and Senate intelligence committees and in a public session of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee before he reports for a federal prison sentence on March 6. Davis shared for the first time with ABC News details about the topics Cohen plans to cover when he finally appears. Davis said that while Cohen cannot talk about subjects vital to the special counsel investigation, he can describe his life at Trump's side, where he spent years as a lawyer and fixer. He said the issue Cohen "can speak to better than anyone" is President Donald Trump's character. Davis said that lawmakers will hear "how he speaks in bigoted words in private, which Michael Cohen will tell you." "He treats people badly," the veteran Washington, D.C., attorney continued. "He has no moral character in defrauding people in his businesses, and going bankrupt, and taking cash out, and putting people out of work. He lacks the moral compass that we expect in our presidents." Cohen pleaded guilty in August to six felonies associated with his personal business dealings, including tax evasion and making false statements to a bank, and two felony campaign finance violations in connection with his role in arranging non-disclosure agreements during Trump's campaign with two women who had claimed past affairs with the president. In November, he pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about a Moscow real estate project that Trump and his company pursued at the same time he was securing the GOP nomination in 2016. Cohen has on repeated occasions scheduled, and then canceled, appearances before Congress in recent weeks. The president and his advisers have made no secret about how they plan to rebut claims made by Cohen, repeatedly describing him in media interviews as a dishonest broker who will say anything to try and reduce his impending prison sentence. "The man is pathetic," Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos in December on This Week. "He knows the truth, I know the truth, others know the truth, and here is the truth: The people of the United States of America, people of the world, don't believe what he is saying," Giuliani continued. "The man doesn't tell the truth." John Dowd, who once led Trump's legal team, told "The Investigation" last week he thought Cohen "has done a great job of putting the rope around his neck." Davis compared such comments from the president and his team to mafia tactics. He took issue with a tweet from Trump describing Cohen as a "rat," a euphemism for "snitch" that Davis said could put his client in danger when he reports to prison. "Here's the president of the United States, the top official in law enforcement and everything else in the United States, using Twitter to call a person who is cooperating with prosecutors a 'rat,'" Davis said. "That in and of itself is an abuse of power that could lead to his ouster." Davis offered few clues about where he thought the special counsel investigation was headed, other than that he thought it held the potential to do damage to Trump. He dismissed the suggestion from Dowd that the investigation would not yield a report at all -- a prediction Dowd made on the previous episode of "The Investigation." "It sounds like wishful thinking to me," Davis said. What he knows, Davis said, is that Cohen contributed "70 hours and seven days" of interviews with the Mueller team. Davis said the team viewed that testimony to be "relevant, important, significant and it went to the core issues of the Mueller investigation. That's what we know." Whether the public is ready to accept Davis' portrait of Cohen as a changed man -- "transformed" was his word -- remains to be seen. While the special counsel did credit Cohen's cooperation, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York were not as swayed. "Any suggestion by Cohen that his meetings with law enforcement reflect a selfless and unprompted about-face are overstated," the prosecutors wrote in their sentencing recommendation. "Had Cohen actually cooperated, it could have been fruitful." Davis has deep experience in the trenches of political scandal, combining his legal background with his expertise in public relations. He served as special counsel to President Bill Clinton, guiding him through a series of fractious political investigations, including an impeachment trial born out of his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Davis, who spent 12 years representing Maryland in the Democratic National Committee, provided a harsh assessment of the Trump tenure, but also expressed some concern that Democrats risked overplaying their attacks on the president. "We could overreach," Davis said. "And we have a tendency, just like the Republicans, to follow the most extreme voices in our base. And there is a danger that we will do that." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - The European Union mobilised 4 million euros for the creation of the African Trade Observatory which is the result of collaboration between the European Commission, the African Union Commission (AU) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), in order to facilitate the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Venezuelan troops will remain stationed along the country's borders to prevent territorial violations, the defense minister said on Tuesday, ahead of the opposition's plan to bring in humanitarian aid to alleviate an economic crisis. President Nicolas Maduro has rejected offers of foreign food and medicine, denying there are widespread shortages and accusing opposition leader Juan Guaido of using aid to undermine his government in a U.S.-orchestrated bid to oust him. Guaido has said that aid will enter Venezuela from neighboring countries by land and sea on Saturday. The United States has sent tons of aid to Colombia's border with Venezuela, but Maduro has refused to let it in. In comments broadcast on state TV, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said the opposition would have to pass over "our dead bodies" to impose a new government. Guaido, who has invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency, denounces Maduro as illegitimate and has received backing from some 50 countries. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned members of Venezuela's military who remain loyal to Maduro that they would "find no safe harbor, no easy exit and no way out." "You'll lose everything," Trump told a crowd of Venezuelan and Cuban immigrants in Miami. Guaido has beseeched the armed forces to disavow Maduro, promising them future amnesty, though only a few high-ranking military officials have so far done so. Padrino said it was unacceptable for the military to receive threats from Trump, and said officers and soldiers remained "obedient and subordinate" to Maduro. "They will never accept orders from any foreign government ... they will remain deployed and alert along the borders, as our commander in chief has ordered, to avoid any violations of our territory's integrity," Padrino said. "Those that attempt to be president here in Venezuela ... will have to pass over our dead bodies," he said, referring to Guaido. Maduro, who won a second term last year in an election that critics denounced as a sham, retains the backing of Russia and China and control of Venezuelan state institutions. Short link: Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - Returning from a visit to the Horn of Africa, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Neven Mimica, on MOnday signed a note for 20 million euros for a project to build roads and other infrastructure projects in Eritrea and Ethiopia, an official communique said Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. If youre able, please SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, the progressive populist who mounted a fierce challenge to front-runner Hillary Clinton in the 2016 White House campaign, said on Tuesday he will again seek the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2020. Sanders, 77, a self-described democratic socialist who caucuses with the Democrats, joins an already-crowded Democratic race that includes fellow Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. The Brooklyn native announced his candidacy in an email to supporters, pledging to build a vast grassroots movement to confront the special interests that he said dominate government and politics. Sanders said he would push for many of the same issues that powered his 2016 bid and resonated with younger voters, including universal healthcare, raising the hourly minimum wage to $15, and free public college tuition. "Our campaign is about creating a government and economy that works for the many, not just the few," Sanders said, asking for 1 million people to sign up to kick off his bid. In an interview with Vermont Public Radio, the Vermont senator promised a "very different campaign" in an effort to unseat Republican President Donald Trump. Trump's campaign weighed in on Sanders' run in a statement. "Bernie Sanders has already won the debate in the (Democratic) primary, because every candidate is embracing his brand of socialism," Trump campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said. Relevance Sanders' insurgent 2016 candidacy against Clinton was a long shot, but he ended up capturing 23 state nominating contests and pushing the party to the left, generating tension between its establishment and liberal wings that has not entirely abated. This time around, Sanders has been among the leaders in opinion polls of prospective 2020 candidates, but he faces other liberal progressives touting many of the same ideas he brought into the party mainstream. That could make it harder for him to generate the same level of fervent support he did four years ago. Sanders is also likely to face questions about his age and relevance in a party that is increasingly advancing more diverse and fresh voices, including those of women and minorities - groups that Sanders struggled to win over in 2016. A former mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders won a U.S. House of Representatives seat in 1990, making him the first independent elected to the House in 40 years. In 2006, he won a U.S. Senate seat and in 2018 was voted in for a third six-year term. His push against Clinton, a former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, was notable because few Democrats seemed inclined to challenge her claim on the nomination. Sanders' candidacy swiftly became a phenomenon, as he spoke to swelling crowds and garnered passionate support on social media. Unlike Clinton, he refused to take money from corporate political action committees, or PACs, relying on a flood of small-dollar donations. When he ultimately conceded and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of Clinton, he was jeered by some of his supporters. At the time, Sanders said his populist platform would endure. The primaries and caucuses that determine the party's nominee will begin in February 2020 in Iowa, and the Democratic winner is likely to face Trump in the general election in November. Short link: British Prime Minister Theresa May will travel to Brussels on Wednesday to take stock of the latest state of play on Brexit with the head of the EUs executive European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, spokespeople of the latter said. The EU 27 will not reopen the withdrawal agreement. We cannot accept a time limit to the backstop or unilateral exit clause, the Commissions spokesman Margaritis Schinas, told a regular news briefing. Britains Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay is then due back in Brussels mid-week for more talks with the blocs Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. Short link: European and Arab ministers held closed-door talks in Ireland on Tuesday on "how best to move forward" in the Middle East peace process, the Irish foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Simon Coveney headed the "retreat-style" meeting with his counterparts from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Jordan, Spain, Sweden, as well as Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki. The ministers were joined by Arab League head Ahmed Aboul Gheit. "Ireland's experience in the past has been that confidentiality can allow for a better discussion between different participants", a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement. "The intention was not to launch any new process but to consider ways to support and shape engagement on this issue in other fora." The "confidential discussion on the present state of the Middle East peace process and how best to move forward" was held at Farmleigh, a manor house in Dublin used for visiting dignitaries. The Irish meeting comes just days after Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser, outlined plans for a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians at the Munich Security Conference. The US plans are to be formally presented after Israel's April 9 elections. But the Palestinian Authority says it can no longer trust the United States as an honest broker after Trump in 2017 recognised Jerusalem -- holy to the three major monotheistic religions -- as Israel's capital. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has in the past hit out at what he describes as the EU's "hypocritical and hostile attitude" -- referring to the its criticism of Israel's treatment of Palestinians. And Ireland has drawn critism from Israel in recent months over a bill progressing through parliament which would outlaw the import of goods from the occupied territories. Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon in December called it "a dangerous piece of legislation". Tuesday's meeting comes ahead of the first ever summit EU-Arab League summit in Egypt on February 24-25. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Short link: The man who carried out a suicide bombing which killed 27 members of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards near the border with Pakistan last week was Pakistani, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said on Tuesday, according to the Tasnim news agency. One other member of the militant cell that planned the attack was also a Pakistani citizen, the head of the Guards ground forces, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said. Iran has repeatedly blamed Pakistan for sheltering militants connected with attacks in the border area, although Tuesdays remarks appear to be the first time Tehran has said Pakistani citizens were directly involved in the attack. Iran also accuses regional rival Saudi Arabia of promoting violence among members of Irans Sunni Muslim minority. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia deny any role in attacks in Iran. Three Iranians from Sistan and Baluchistan province in southeast Iran were also part of the cell and two of them have been arrested, according to Pakpour. The guards announced three arrests in the case on Monday. The Sunni group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for ethnic minority Baluchis in eastern Iran claimed responsibility for the attack. Today Saudi Arabia is the heart of evil in the region and the world, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the deputy head of the Guards, said on Tuesday at a ceremony commemorating those killed in the attack, according to the Fars news agency. Remnants of the car used in the suicide attack were given to the police, Pakpour said. Once the owner of the car was identified, intelligence and security forces carried out arrests. The militants had planned to carry out multiple attacks, Pakpour said: This group had prepared a lot of ammunition and equipment. Short link: Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers on Monday elected an interim speaker of parliament, an assembly key to regional stability, although the Kurds second largest party boycotted the vote due to a rift between the main political forces in Iraqs Kurdistan region. Vala Fareed, nominated by the regions dominant Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), was confirmed in the post by 68 votes. She is the first female speaker in Iraqs Kurdistan region. However, proceedings were boycotted by the regions second-biggest party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), amid a breakdown in talks. Without a signed political agreement between us, we will neither participate in the parliamentary session nor the government formation process, PUK spokesman Latif Sheikh Omar said on Monday. The 111-seat parliament legislates the semi-autonomous region, and its functioning is important to regional stability after several years of political upheaval which culminated in an independence referendum in September 2017. The Kurdistan region was destabilized by the referendum, which damaged relations with the federal capital Baghdad and weakened the KRGs budget share. Relations have since improved, despite continued disagreements over oil exports. The KDP and the PUK have traditionally brokered a power-sharing agreement for the Kurdistan Regional Government. Mondays boycott was evidence of a continued rift between the parties, who are at odds over several key positions. Chief among these is the governorship of the disputed Kirkuk province and the Federal Justice Ministry in Baghdad. The KDP acknowledged that once a binding political agreement is brokered between the two major parties, then the speakership would revert to the PUK and a new vote would be held. Whenever there is an agreement between the two parties, we will withdraw our candidate and vote for the PUK candidate, per our agreement, said Umed Khoshnaw, the head of the KDP bloc in parliament. Kurdish regional elections were held on Sept. 30. Short link: The commander of U.S.-backed forces in Syria called on Monday for about 1,000 to 1,500 international forces to remain in Syria to help fight Islamic State and expressed hope that the United States, in particular, would halt plans for a total pullout. The remarks by Mazloum Kobani, the commander-in-chief of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, followed talks with senior U.S. generals in Syria and offered perhaps the most comprehensive view to date of his requests for an enduring military assistance from the U.S.-led coalition. It also shows that Kobani is still holding out hope that U.S. President Donald Trump may soften his withdrawal order, which has been criticised by allies at home and abroad and which triggered the resignation of Trump's defense secretary. "We would like to have air cover, air support and a force on the ground to coordinate with us," Kobani told a small group of reporters who travelled with the U.S. military to the talks at an airbase at an undisclosed location in northeast Syria. With U.S. help, the Kurdish-led fighters are poised to seize Islamic State's last holdout in eastern Syria. At the height of its power four years ago, Islamic State held about a third of both Iraq and Syria in a self-proclaimed caliphate. But Islamic State still has thousands of fighters, who, now dispersed, are expected to turn to guerrilla-style attacks. Kobani said there was discussions about perhaps French and British troops supporting the SDF in Syria. But he stressed he also wanted at least "a partial group of American forces", who now number more than 2,000 in Syria, to stay as well. "American forces must remain beside us," Kobani said through a translator. U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, head of Central Command, said after talks with Kobani that he was still carrying out Trump's December order for a complete withdrawal of U.S. forces. "We certainly understand what they would like us to do, but of course that's not the path we're on at this particular point," Votel told reporters. Asked about any discussions on a continuing U.S. presence in Syria, Votel said: "So the discussion really isn't about U.S. forces staying here. We've looked at potentially what coalition (forces) might be able to do here." Lull in fighting A Reuters witness said there was a lull in fighting on Monday where Islamic State fighters could be seen strolling in their last neighbourhood of Baghouz village, near the Iraqi border where they are sheltering among civilians. SDF commanders said the presence of civilians among the militants was compelling their fighters to proceed cautiously. The U.S. military and intelligence officials have warned of the risk of a resurgence of Islamic State. But the pullout raises an even more immediate concern to Kobani's SDF, which fears that Turkey will make good on threats to attack the Kurdish-led fighters that Ankara brands as terrorists. He warned of a "new genocide" in SDF controlled areas of Syria unless the United States and its allies can reach some agreement with Turkey. Kobani thanked Trump for publicly stating his intent to protect the SDF but said: "I want him to live up to his word." Without a deal with the U.S.-led coalition, experts say Kobani may have to strike a deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to avoid a Turkish sweep or Islamic State revival. Votel is recommending continued support to the SDF as long as it keeps up pressure on Islamic State militants. But Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera, who is the commander of the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, said on Sunday the United States would be legally unable to support the SDF if they partnered with Assad or Assad's Russian backers. Kobani said he was not seeking a military deal with Assad. "Were trying to preserve the current situation," he said, speaking through a translator. "Were trying to have a political deal with the regime to reach a solution, a constitutional solution, for this part of Syria." Perhaps sensing an opportunity to stoke doubt among Kurdish communities, Assad warned on Sunday the United States would not protect those depending on it. Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, is among the U.S. lawmakers expressing concern the U.S. withdrawal could deal a devastating blow to Kurdish forces and warned that any sense of U.S. betrayal could cast a long shadow for years to come. "It will chill future potential groups from assisting us if we're going to treat the people who have been so stalwart on our behalf in this way. It is very dangerous in terms of national security," he told Reuters in Washington. Turkey wants to set up a safe zone with logistical support from allies and says it should be cleared of the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG militia. But Kobani said ceding the area to Turkish control would be unacceptable to the SDF, which is led by Kurdish fighters but also includes Arabs. The United States is hoping allies will contribute forces to help stabilise areas freed from Islamic State. But it is unclear which allies will send their troops once U.S. forces depart. A French diplomat said Europeans would not provide troops when it was completely unclear what the objectives of such a safe zone would be or how this would monitored or guaranteed. "For now, there is no plan," the diplomat said. Short link: Germany vowed Monday to prosecute German IS fighters but warned that it would be "extremely difficult" to organise the repatriation of European nationals from Syria, after US President Donald Trump called on allies to take back alleged jihadists. Syria's US-backed Kurdish forces, which are battling Islamic State group jihadists in their last redoubt in eastern Syria, hold hundreds of suspected foreign IS fighters and the calls for their reluctant home countries to take them back have grown in urgency. "We must be able to ensure that prosecution is possible," Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told Bild daily. Underlining the difficulties however of putting the ex-fighters on trial, the minister noted that there is "no government in Syria with which we have a sensible relationship". President Bashar "Assad cannot be our counterpart, the Syrian-democratic forces are not a unity government," she added, stressing that proof and witness statements needed to be secured in Syria if the militants are to be put on trial. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said separately that a return could only be possible if "we can guarantee that these people can be immediately sent here to appear in court and that they will be detained". For this, "we need judicial information, and this is not yet the case," Maas told ARD television late Sunday. Under such conditions a repatriation would be "extremely difficult to achieve". Berlin wants to "consult with France and Britain... over how to proceed," he said. The subject is to be raised on Monday at a meeting of European foreign ministers called to discuss among other issues "the situation in Syria, in particular the recent developments on the ground," according to an agenda for the talks. Trump on Sunday called on his European allies to take back alleged jihadists captured in Syria. IS imposed a self-declared caliphate across parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq from 2014, but has since lost all of it except a tiny patch of less than half a square kilometre near the Iraqi border. After years of fighting IS, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) hold hundreds of foreigners accused of fighting for the group, as well as their wives and children. Syria's Kurds have repeatedly called for their countries of origin to take them back, but these nations have been reluctant. "The United States is asking Britain, France, Germany and other European allies to take back over 800 ISIS fighters that we captured in Syria and put them on trial," Trump said in a tweet, using another acronym for IS. After initial reluctance, Paris appears ready to consider the return of its nationals. In Belgium, Justice Minister Koen Geens called for a "European solution" on Sunday, calling for "calm reflection and looking at what would be the least security risks". Short link: France will for now not act on U.S. President Donald Trump's call for European allies to repatriate hundreds of Islamic State fighters from Syria, taking back militants on a "case-by-case" basis, its justice minister said on Monday. U.S.-backed fighters appear poised to capture Islamic State's last enclave in Syria and Trump on Saturday pressed France, Britain and Germany to bring home more than 800 captured Islamic State fighters and put them on trial. Trump has sworn to pull U.S. forces from Syria after Islamic State's territorial defeat, raising concerns in Paris and other European capitals that jihadists from their countries could disperse and try to return to their home countries. "There is a new geo-political context, with the U.S. withdrawal. For the time being we are not changing our policy," Belloubet told France 2 television. "At this stage France is not responding to (Trump's) demands." French government policy had been to categorically refuse to take back fighters and their wives. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian referred to them as "enemies" of the nation who should face justice either in Syria or Iraq. But the prospect of the United States' withdrawal from Syria has forced France to prepare for the return of dozens of French jihadists held by U.S.-backed Kurdish authorities, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner acknowledged in late January. Paris is already trying to repatriate minors on a case-by-case basis. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces are holding about 150 French citizens in northeastern Syria, including 50 adults, military and diplomatic sources say. Germany, too, was cool towards Trump's demands, saying it could only take back Islamic State fighters if the suspects had consular access. Short link: Egyptian authorities have arrested two state employees for allegedly embezzling over EGP 30 million (approx $1.7 million) earmarked for property compensations, the country's anti-corruption watchdog said on Tuesday A woman who works in the Nile Delta's Sharqiya governorate, aided by an e-payment data entry employee, misappropriated money allocated for compensations to people whose properties became owned by the state, the Administrative Control Authority said in a statement sent to Ahram Online. The pair illegally transferred the money to relatives and friends after forging their entitlement to the compensations, it added. Initial investigations showed that the two embezzled EGP 10 million in the past three months alone. Authorities have seized EGP 4.5 million from the suspects. Administrative Control Authority specialists are now studying loopholes that helped the two steal the money and will take necessary measures to avoid them in the future, the statement added. The Administrative Control Authority has in recent months filed several graft-related cases involving top state officials, including the former head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, the head of the state Food Industries Holding Company, and a number of supply ministry officials. In November, a former governor of Menoufiya was sentenced to 10 years in prison for accepting a bribe of over EGP 27 million. Short link: Patrick Raycraft/Hartford Courant/MCT via Getty Images(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) -- Just about everyone's seen the photo. Taken in Times Square on Aug. 14, 1945 -- Victory in Japan Day -- the black-and-while image shows a sailor in a dark uniform and white cap delivering a passionate, celebratory kiss to a woman in a nurse's uniform, holding her in his arms as he dips her backward. The image came to be known as "The Kiss." Taken by famed photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, it was first published in LIFE magazine and has been reproduced countless times since. But because it doesn't show the faces of the sailor or nurse, it took over half a century -- and more than a few false claims -- before the couple's identities were confirmed. She was Greta Zimmer Friedman, then a dental assistant. And he was George Mendonsa. Neither of them had met before the kiss -- which Mendonsa initiated -- and they went their separate ways after, leaving behind that single, spontaneous moment of joyful celebration of the end of World War II. Friedman passed away in 2016 in Richmond, Virginia at age 92. And according to Rhode Island's Providence Journal, Mendonsa died last Sunday at an assisted living facility in Middletown, where he lived with his wife of 70 years. Mendonsa passed just two days shy of his 96th birthday after falling and suffering a seizure. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Rome, GA (30161) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few clouds from time to time. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Cedartown, GA (30125) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Tuesday the issue of terrorism in the third meeting of presidents of African constitutional and supreme courts. The meeting also discussed the role of the judiciary in fighting corruption and protecting human rights, spokesperson of the Egyptian presidency Bassam Rady said in a statement. The conference, which is the third to be convened in Cairo, comes shortly after Egypt assumed the presidency of the African Union earlier this month. El-Sisi stressed the importance of strengthening the role of law and justice in African countries, which share common challenges such as terrorism and extremist thought. The Egyptian president highlighted that terrorism is one of the most serious challenges facing the world. "Combating terrorism is one of the most important human rights, the right to life itself and the sense of security," El-Sisi said. During the conference, the president of Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court expressed appreciation for El-Sisi's keenness to support the conference's recommendations regarding activating cooperation between African judicial bodies in the field of education and training of their employees. El-Sisi highlighted that Egypt is ready to share with African countries its expertise in the above-mentioned fields. The Egyptian presidency spokesman also said that Egypt is working to launch a new electronic platform to link the African constitutional and supreme courts and strengthen cooperation and development between African judiciary bodies. Short link: La Fayette, GA (30728) Today Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Scores of hoodlums swooped on the seedy Lafenwa market on Tuesday afternoon and disrupted the distribution of the Federal Governments ... Scores of hoodlums swooped on the seedy Lafenwa market on Tuesday afternoon and disrupted the distribution of the Federal Governments Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) popularly called TraderMoni, forcing distributors and beneficiaries to flee in different directions for safety. They whisked away the Iyaloja and Babaloja of Lafenwa market to an unknown location. The hoodlums, numbering over 50, were not deterred by the fact that the Lafenwa Divisional Police Headquarters situates directly beside the market but proceeded to attack the handlers of the GEEP TraderMoni who had arrived the market to document and verify the traders data with any valid means of identification such as Permanent Voter Card (PVC). Many of the prospective beneficiaries, who were yet to get their bio-data captured before the hoodlums struck and disrupted the exercise, alleged a key member of the Abeokuta North West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) led the hoodlums to the venue and sacked everybody before abducting the Babaloja and Iyaloja. However, the Chairman of Abeokuta North West LCDA, Monsuru Shorunke when contacted, told reporters that he was the one that led some boys to Lafenwa when they heard that some politicians were giving the traders money in exchange with their PVCs. He said: We heard that some people came to Lafenwa market, collecting peoples PVCs from the traders with their names and PVCs numbers. And governor said we should go out and find out: it was Governor Amosun that sent us. I was in front of the governor when we heard the information. So, I collected Iyalojas phone number from Hon. Akintona. We took Iyaloja to the governors house along with Babaloja of Lafenwa. We believe it was wrong for them to come and collect peoples PVCs with numbers before Election Day. That was what they came to do at Lafenwa. My message is that we should be vigilant. Not only the electorates but all the politicians in Ogun state. We must be vigilante. These people are ready to confuse our programme by giving them money. They want to give them money because of the coming election and it is wrong. No, that is wrong because, that information is not right. Cairo was hit with a blast on Monday evening in one of the capital's dense residential neighbourhoods, which killed at least three policemen and injured others including a number of civilians in a rare strike in the heart of the city. A National Security policeman and two lower-ranking policemen were killed in the explosion in Darb Al-Ahmar neighbourhood. The blast was set off by a suicide bomber when police attempted to apprehend him over his suspected involvement in an earlier attack in Giza. Two other policemen and civilians were injured in the explosion in the crowded area. According to the interior ministry, security forces were on the attacker's heels over his suspected involvement in an attack on a police patrol in Giza on Friday, which left a number of policemen injured. Who is the bomber? Shortly after the Darb Al-Ahmar attack, Egyptian state TV and other stations aired a black-and-white photo of the bomber, identified as 37-year-old El-Hassan Abdullah, as well as CCTV footage showing the explosion. The footage shows the suspect, who is riding a bike in a narrow alleyway, being swiftly approached by a policeman before an explosive device is detonated. Another piece of broadcasted CCTV footage shows Abdullah riding his bike in the capital while carrying a backpack, although it is unclear when this footage was recorded. Upon conducting a search of Abdullah's apartment in Darb El-Ahmar, police found a time bomb, leading them to evacuate the entire building. It is unclear if the bomber has links with any known terrorist groups. Rarity of attacks in the area Monday's attack reportedly damaged a number of stores in the area, which is located near the historic and Al-Azhar Mosque, one of Cairo's favourite hotspots for tourists visiting the populous city. In a statement, Egypt's antiquities ministry said the blast did not damage any of the historical Islamic sites in the area. This is the first time in years such an attack has taken place in the area. In 2005 and 2009, a number of tourists were killed and injured in explosions in Khan El-Khalili, a popular touristic market in the area. Terrorist attacks in Cairo and Giza are uncommon and have been declining in recent years, with the notable exception of a number of high profile incidents including a deadly attack in 2016 on St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo. Last January, a policeman was killed as he attempted to defuse a bomb near a church in Cairo's Nasr City ahead of Christmas Celebrations. Less than a month earlier, three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian tour guide were killed in an IED attack on their bus in Giza. Aftermath One day after the Darb El-Ahmar attack, police said they killed 16 terrorists in North Sinai governorate in two raids on terrorist hideouts. Egypt continues to battle terrorists in the restive North Sinai as part of Operation Sinai 2018, which was launched in February 2018 to eradicate terrorism. Last Saturday, Egypt's Armed Forces said that 15 of its personnel were killed during an attack on a security checkpoint near El-Arish airport. Seven militants were also killed in the attack. Search Keywords: Short link: The Spiritual Director of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke in Anambra State, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, has predicted a brighter future... The Spiritual Director of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke in Anambra State, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, has predicted a brighter future for Nigeria, ahead of the general elections. According to NAN, Obimma made the prediction in his sermon at the ministry on Monday, saying that the rescheduled elections would open a new vista for the nation. He said that God had a special mission for Nigeria, adding that Nigerians should all take part in the change that was imminent. According to him, next Saturday is a day for a new beginning for Nigeria. Nigerians from all walks of life should be part of the imminent change by voting massively on Saturday for better governance and prosperous future for their children and children yet unborn. He described the postponement of the elections as a blessing in disguise, saying that the shift provided an opportunity for more Nigerians to participate in the exercise. I therefore appeal to the electorate to come out and vote to determine the new Nigeria everyone is yearning for. The cleric further called on the nations political class to eschew acts capable of jeopardising the peaceful conduct of the polls. He also admonished the nations youths not to allow themselves to be used as tools by politicians to foment crisis during the exercise. He urged them to exercise their franchise and work for a peaceful and credible process that would produce leaders who would cater for their future wellbeing. He said: Nigerian youths should not allow themselves to be used as cannon fodder by politicians. My message is that they should shun all forms of electoral violence during the rescheduled presidential and National Assembly polls on Saturday. No life of any Nigerian is worth losing in the name of electoral failure or victory. The priest, therefore, urged those in positions of authority in the religious and political circles as well as market leaders to mobilise for peace rather than crisis. Nigerians should not be discouraged by the postponement of the polls, they should rather mobilise themselves and vote for a candidate of their choice. This is the time for change and I beg Nigerians to uphold democracy by coming out to exercise their franchise, dont mortgage your conscience for anything, Obimma said. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the ballot box snatchers should be dealt ... Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the ballot box snatchers should be dealt with according to the electoral act. On Monday President Muhammadu Buhari said he has given the military and the police the order to be ruthless, stating that those who snatch ballot boxes will pay with their lives. I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless, Buhari had said. Anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturbs the voting system, will do so at the expense of his own life. But speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Yakubu, asked that the electoral act be adhered to, in dealing with electoral malpractices. When asked if ballot box snatchers should be shot at sight, he said: You asked, should ballot box snatchers be shot on sight? The position of the commission is that all violators of electoral act, should be punished according to the provisions of the electoral act. DOES THE LAW SAY SHOOT AT SIGHT? Section 129 subsection (4) of the electoral act prescribes a maximum of two years imprisonment for offenders. (4) Any person who snatches or destroys any election material commits an offence and is liable on conviction to 24 months imprisonment. Section 128 of the act adds that any person who at an election acts or incites others to act in a disorderly manner commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine ofN500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both. The law does not say electoral offenders should be shot on sight. Egypt's security forces killed 16 terrorists in North Sinai governorate on Tuesday morning in two raids. According to the ministry of interior, the ministry's national security department identified two terrorist hideouts from which a number of attack were going to be launched against vital institutions and figures in the city of El-Arish. Ten of the terrorists were killed in an empty plot of land in Ubaidat district, El-Arish city after they opened fire on security forces conducting the raid. The second hideout was in an under-construction house in Abu Eita district, where six terrorists were also killed after opening fire on police forces. Firearms, ammunition, and explosives were found at the hideout. On Saturday, Egypt's armed forces said that 15 Egyptian military personnel were killed during an attack on a security check point in North Sinai. Seven militants were also killed in the attack. The military has been carrying out Operation Sinai 2018, a counter-terrorism campaign, since February 2018. The campaign involves land, naval and air forces, as well as the police and border guards. Search Keywords: Short link: Ibaraki Prefectural Police believe a male temporary employee at a research center for industrial machinery manufacturer Kubota Corp. stabbed another employee before slashing himself on Sunday, reports TV Asahi At around 10:00 p.m., the temporary employee, aged in his 40s, is believed to have used a knife to slash the other employee, also in his 40s, in the head at the research center, located in Tsukubamirai City. The victim was rushed to a hospital in serious condition, police said. Police later found the suspected perpetrator unconscious with stab wounds to the head inside his vehicle on the premises of the center. Several knives were retrieved from the vehicle. According to police, the temporary employee works under the other employee. Witnesses told police that the pair got into a dispute just prior to the incident. - tokyoreporter.com Immigration Bureau's relaxed visa policy has boosted tourism from southeast Asia, but it seems to have come with an unwanted side-effect. Japan has been welcoming record numbers of foreign visitors in the past few years, and not all of them arrive via Narita, Haneda, or one of the other major airports. As an island nation, boat travel is a viable option in getting to Japan, and thanks to easing of government regulations there's been a huge increase in the number of travelers taking cruise ships to Japan. In 2014, roughly 410,000 foreign travelers arrived in Japan via cruise ship, but in 2018 that number grew to 2.44 million. The sextupling is largely credited to an amendment to Japan's Immigration Control Act which went into effect on January 1, 2015, called the Ship Tourism Landing Permit System. Under the system, foreign visitors who arrive on ships approved by Japan's Immigration Bureau, have booked passage home on the same vessel, and provide their fingerprints (via electronic scan upon arrival in Japan) can have their visa requirement waived, and also don't need to be photographed when going through immigration. While this might not be a major change for visitors from countries such as the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and Korea (citizens of which are allowed to stay in Japan for at least 90 days without a prior visa), the Ship Tourism Landing Permit System has made travel to Japan from China and a number of southeast Asian countries much easier, and the relaxed policy has led to a rapid increase in the number of cruise trips traveling from China to Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu (the closest to China out of Japan's four main islands). - soranews24.com Visitors to a village near Mount Fuji and its residents were rewarded with a dazzling spectacle on Monday. The "Diamond Fuji" phenomenon occurs when the sun is behind Japan's highest peak and shines like a diamond. In the village of Yamanakako in Yamanashi Prefecture, the phenomenon can be seen in the evening in the autumn and winter. The village draws many visitors in early and mid-February, when weather conditions are mostly stable. Many tourists, amateur photographers and others gathered by Lake Yamanaka. The sun overlapped with the mountain peak at around 4:30 PM. Those gathered enjoyed the sight that lasted only for about five minutes. A man in his 70s from Kanagawa Prefecture said he is happy to have taken a picture of Diamond Fuji, describing it as more beautiful than he had expected . - NHK Egypt's interior ministry said on Tuesday that the suicide bomber who blew himself up behind Al-Azhar Mosque on Monday had been planning further attacks. Upon searching the 37-year-old man's apartment in Cairo's Darb Al-Ahmar, police found a number of explosive devices and raw materials used in making explosives. Police also found a time bomb in the apartment, prompting an evacuation of the building. The suicide bomber blew himself up on Monday in Darb Al-Ahmar as police were attempting to arrest him, killing three policemen and injuring others. The man, identified as El-Hassan Abdullah, was wanted in connection to a bombing last Friday in Giza and police were monitoring his movements, according to the ministry. Short link: Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander, Chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB), Bahrain will host the next edition of Start-Up Bahrain Week a series of inspirational events for entrepreneurs, investors and businesses aimed at the dynamic start-up community. Bahrains focus on shaping a regional hub for entrepreneurs, as part of its ongoing efforts to meet key goals within the Economic Vision 2030, comes under the spotlight between 3 7 March 2019. With the regions premier start-up forums organized by the EDB, strategic partner Tamkeen (Bahrain Labour Fund) and in collaboration with the start-up community in Bahrain. The events will provide an environment for like-minded individuals to network and learn about the start-up ecosystem that has successfully been created by Bahrain thanks to its business-friendly economic and regulatory framework. A woman who attempted to trap her ex-boyfriends relatives in a kidnap case has had her jail sentence replaced with a BD100 fine. The details of the case show that the defendant had several disagreements with her ex-boyfriends brother and his wife, who would frequently convince him to annul the relationship. According to prosecutors, the defendant then decided to settle scores with ex-boyfriends family, primarily her ex-fiance's brother, as she believed he was the main reason why the breakup happened. She lodged a complaint with the police claiming that she was kidnapped by four masked men, who she allegedly took her to Buhair area in Riffa. The woman told the police that one of the men in the mask was her ex-boyfriends brother. When asked if she was assaulted or harassed by any of the alleged kidnappers, the woman denied and told the police that she was released in Buhair area. Further investigations proved that the woman lied in her statements as she wasnt able to answer certain questions during the interrogation. When cornered, she confessed that the accusation was false and that she made the story up to take revenge against her ex-boyfriends brother. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here Steven Harris Downs was arrested Friday afternoon in Auburn, Maine, and charged in the 1993 sexual assault and murder of 20-year-old Sophie Sergie. Downs is being held at the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn and will be extradited to Fairbanks. Photo courtesy of Androscoggin County Jail. Related Two policemen die in suicide bombing in Cairo Health Ministry Spokesman Khaled Megahed said the condition of the three policemen who were injured in Darb Al-Ahmar terrorist attack is stable.The trio suffered slight to medium injuries, bruises and fractures, according to the spokesman.Earlier, the Interior Ministry announced the killing of a terrorist element in a bomb blast in Cairo after security forces cordoned him off and were about to arrest him.Two policemen were killed in the explosion. A civilian woman was also injured. Short link: (Newser) Ruth Bader Ginsburg returned to the bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday for the first time since her cancer surgery in December. With so much attention focused on the 85-year-old's health, it may not be surprising that coverage seemed to focus more on the judge's physical appearance than on the patent law case up first on the docket. A sampling: The Hill: "Ginsburg looked strong on Tuesday, holding her head high, as she stepped up and took her seat beside Chief Justice John Roberts. Once arguments started, she was first to jump in with a question, which she asked in a crisp, clear voice. ... Ginsburg seemed to be sending a deliberate message in her appearance on the bench Tuesday: Shes not yet done." Fox News: After she walked unassisted to her seat, Ginsburg "smiled slightly and looked about the crowded courtroom, wearing her traditional black robe and lace collar. The justice went on to ask a total of five questions to counsel on both sides of a patent law dispute, including the very first question. The questions were technical in nature. Her voice was strong, laced with her familiar Brooklyn accent." The AP: "As she often does, Ginsburg asked the first question during the hourlong argument, and nothing about her appearance or demeanor seemed out of the ordinary. She went on to speak about a half dozen times." The Washington Post: "For much of the time, Ginsburg remained still as her colleagues alternately leaned back in their seats, swiveled in place or rubbed their faces. Her head slightly bowed, she peered out over the court and appeared focused on the arguments. ... She entered and left the courtroom without any assistance." (Read more Ruth Bader Ginsburg stories.) (Newser) Roger Stone has apologized for the Instagram post that appeared to show crosshairs near the head of the federal judge who is presiding over his prosecution, but now he has to answer for it. Judge Amy Berman Jackson has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, NBC News reports, and she could decide to send the longtime Trump confidant to jail. The judge issued a limited gag order last week, ordering Stone to quit talking to reporters at the Washington, DC, courthouse about his case. But she said Tuesday she wants to hear why that gag order and/or his bail "should not be modified or revoked in light of the posts on his Instagram account." Stone faces charges in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation including lying, obstruction, and witness tampering; he's been free on bail since his January arrest. story continues below The Instagram post, which has since been deleted, was captioned, "Through legal trickery Deep State hitman Robert Mueller has guaranteed that my upcoming show trial is before Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointed Judge who dismissed the Benghazi charges again Hillary Clinton and incarcerated Paul Manafort prior to his conviction for any crime . #fixisin Help me fight for my life at @StoneDefenseFund.com." Stone's apology for it was made in a court filing Monday. But the defendant was back on Instagram on Tuesday. He posted a photo of a book (a copy of the Zohar from the Kabbalah Centre) that a supporter sent him, per AP, and wrote that he prayed that the book "protects me from the fake news media who are smearing me and purposely misinterpreting everything I say." (Read more Roger Stone stories.) We use cookies. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Read more in our privacy policy (Newser) Six executives from Houston-based Citgo have reportedly spent 15 months jailed in Venezuela on what their families say are trumped-up corruption charges. As the Trump administration tries to unseat Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the fate of the executivesfive of them US citizenslies in the balance, per the AP. As does that of the US company they worked for, Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela's state-run oil giant PDVSA, and a prize in the power struggle between Maduro and a rival the US recognizes as Venezuela's rightful leader, Juan Guaido. The families of the "Citgo 6" complain the men are being held in inhumane conditions, sharing overcrowded cells built for 22 people with nearly four times that number of inmates. They say the crowded conditions require the men to sometimes sleep on the floor and go without access to fresh air for weeks. story continues below The families' saga began the weekend before Thanksgiving 2017, when they got a call from the head of PDVSA, asking that they travel to Caracas for a last-minute meeting. The group, including acting President Jose Angel Pereira, flew out on a corporate jet. A group of armed and masked security agents rushed into a conference room and arrested all six. Hours later, Maduro's AG appeared on state TV announcing charges of embezzlement. Then Maduro himself accused them of "treason," though they haven't been charged with that crime. A preliminary hearing has been postponed 12 times for little apparent reason, leaving the families to question whether their loved ones are being held as pawns in a high-stakes political negotiation. The next hearing date is Wednesday. (Read more Venezuela stories.) (Newser) Next week, residents of Toledo, Ohio, will vote on what the New York Times describes as one of the most unusual ballot questions ever to appear in the USwhether to grant Lake Erie the same rights as a human. Specifically, residents will vote on whether to accept the Lake Erie Bill of Rights, which would accord the lake the same protections as a person or a corporation. Backers say it's necessary to save the lake from pollution, while opponents, including local farmers, say it will prove to be too expensive. Details: The vote: It takes place Feb. 26. The initiative declares that "Lake Erie, and the Lake Erie watershed, possess the right to exist, flourish, and naturally evolve." If the measure passes, residents would be able to sue polluters to protect the lake. It takes place Feb. 26. The initiative declares that "Lake Erie, and the Lake Erie watershed, possess the right to exist, flourish, and naturally evolve." If the measure passes, residents would be able to sue polluters to protect the lake. The reason: As Cleveland.com explains, the impetus came out of 2014, when Toledo couldn't use its water supply (drawn from the lake) for three days because of bacteria. "It's not just us going, 'In case something bad happens.' Something bad did happen," says organizer Markie Miller. Current environmental laws just aren't strong enough, backers say. story continues below The precedent: Other US cities have undertaken similar initiatives, but never anything on this scalethis is "effectively giving personhood to a gigantic lake," per the Guardian. Indeed, Erie is the world's 11th largest lake, according to the Times. Worldwide, similar initiatives have been undertaken, including one to protect the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. "The drafters of the Lake Erie Bill of Rights in Toledo share this understanding, that existing environmental laws are simply not sufficient to protect and restore the lake," says one of the Australian organizers. Other US cities have undertaken similar initiatives, but never anything on this scalethis is "effectively giving personhood to a gigantic lake," per the Guardian. Indeed, Erie is the world's 11th largest lake, according to the Times. Worldwide, similar initiatives have been undertaken, including one to protect the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. "The drafters of the Lake Erie Bill of Rights in Toledo share this understanding, that existing environmental laws are simply not sufficient to protect and restore the lake," says one of the Australian organizers. The complication: It goes back to Erie's size. The lake affects four states, other cities (including Buffalo and Cleveland), and even a province in Canada. So would someone in Toledo be able to sue a polluter in Cleveland? Yes, say the backers. But their big hope is that other municipalities pass similar ordinances. It goes back to Erie's size. The lake affects four states, other cities (including Buffalo and Cleveland), and even a province in Canada. So would someone in Toledo be able to sue a polluter in Cleveland? Yes, say the backers. But their big hope is that other municipalities pass similar ordinances. Opponents: They've taken out attacks on local radio accusing out-of-state extremists of being behind the initiative, reports the Toledo Blade. Local organizers, including members of Toledoans for Safe Water, says that's absurd and offensive. Foes call the measure "reckless and legally dubious" and say it will threaten jobs. (Read more Lake Erie stories.) (Newser) A whistleblower at Grand Canyon National Park has made a startling disclosure in what the Arizona Republic calls a "rogue" email: Three 5-gallon paint buckets of uranium ore were stored for 18 years in one of the park's buildings, possibly exposing tourists and workers to radiation. In a Feb. 4 message sent to all NPS employees, park safety chief Elston Stephenson says the uranium specimens, previously kept in the cellar at park HQ, were moved to the museum collections building in 2000, where they remained until June 2018. "The radiation readings, at first blush, exceeds [sic] the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's safe limits. ... Identifying who was exposed, and your exposure level, gets tricky." He notes that the teen son of a park employee discovered the radiation threat when he brought his Geiger counter on a visit in March; Stephenson found out about it a few months later. story continues below Newsweek notes we're naturally exposed to small amounts of radiation every day. But Stephenson says that the containers were kept near a taxidermy exhibit that kids often sat near during presentations, which could go on for more than half an hourmeaning they could've been blasted with up to 4,000 times what's considered safe exposure. Stephenson says the ore was dumped by NPS specialists into a nearby mine in June (though, he adds, they inexplicably brought the buckets back to the museum collections building). He says park management tried to cover up the story, and that it's "immoral" not to get the word out. A rep says the NPS is working with OSHA and Arizona's health services department to get to the bottom of things. "There is no current risk to the park employees or public," she says. (Read more Grand Canyon stories.) (Newser) "It's the next scandal" for the Vatican, according to one man right in the middle of it. Just days after Pope Francis admitted there was a problem within the Catholic Church involving nuns impregnated by male clergy, sometimes leading to forced abortions, Vincent Doyle talks to the New York Times about the flip side of that: being the child fathered by one of those priests. And although Doyle and reportedly thousands of others like him have long been open about their origins, Rome hasn'tuntil now. A Vatican spokesman tells the paper that there's a secret set of rules for dealing with priests who flout their vow of celibacy and father children, sometimes due to consensual affairs and other times due to abuse or rape. "I can confirm that these guidelines exist," Alessandro Gisotti told the Times. "It is an internal document." story continues below Doyle says he was shown a copy of these long-hidden guidelines in 2017 by Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic, who told him, "You're actually called 'children of the ordained.'" Doyle adds, "I was shocked they had a term for it." Gisotti says the guidelines are meant for the "protection of the child," and that they "request" the priest in question give up his vestments to "assume his responsibilities as a parent by devoting himself exclusively to the child." Another Vatican official says that even though it's framed as a request, if a priest didn't ask to be relieved of his duties, he "will be dismissed." The newly revealed rules also brings to the forefront the issue of celibacy overall, and whether the Vatican should change its position on whether priests should take such a vow. CNN notes the church has so far "refused to budge" from its stance, despite mounting evidence that such vows are often broken. (Read more Catholic Church sex scandals stories.) (Newser) Last time, he was the underdog, notes NPR. This time, he'll be one of the favorites. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday told Vermont Public Radio that he is entering the 2020 race for president. The 77-year-old joins a crowded field, with big names including Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Amy Klobuchar already in the mix. "We began the political revolution in the 2016 campaign, and now it's time to move that revolution forward," said the independent senator. He will campaign on familiar issues, including universal health care and a $15 minimum wage. Hours after his announcement, Sanders made headlines again with the news that he had hired the ACLU's national political director, Faiz Shakir, as his campaign manager. CNN has more on Shakir's progressive background and the Daily Beast notes he's likely the first Muslim to run a major presidential campaign in the US. story continues below As the Washington Post notes, a big challenge facing Sanders is that many of his 2020 rivals already embrace policy positions he's pushing. In his announcement, Sanders didn't mince words when talking about the man he hopes to replace as president. "I think the current occupant of the White House is an embarrassment to our country," Sanders said. "I think he is a pathological liar. ... I also think he is a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, somebody who is gaining cheap political points by trying to pick on minorities, often undocumented immigrants." Sanders has already gotten two major endorsements: fellow Vermont lawmakers Sen. Pat Leahy, a Clinton supporter in 2016, and Rep. Pete Welch, who did endorse Sanders in 2016 but not until just before Vermont's primary. (Click for five takes on Sanders' candidacy.) (Newser) Three children and a woman were found dead of apparent gunshot wounds Monday at a home in western Michigan, authorities say. Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young says authorities responded Monday to a property near Cedar Springs, a community about 30 miles north of Grand Rapids, the AP reports. She says someone discovered the bodies and called 911. She said authorities are still confirming the victims' identities, though family members identified the children as sisters Alaina, 2; Cassidy, 6; and Kyrie, 8; and the woman as their mother, 28-year-old Aubrianne Moore, WOOD-TV reports. story continues below LaJoye-Young called the scene "a horrific thing to be called to" and said "my heart goes out to the families involved here and the community." She said authorities do not believe a shooter is at large. She said it is too early in the investigation to call the case a murder-suicide, but she confirmed that the possibility is being investigated. WNDU reports that investigators believe at least one of the shootings happened at a different location, but they have so far been unable to locate the second crime scene. (Read more Michigan stories.) (Newser) Alabama lawmakers are calling for the resignation of a small-town newspaper editor who published an editorial calling for the Ku Klux Klan to return and "night ride again." The Feb. 14 editorial in the weekly Democrat-Reporter in the west Alabama town of Linden called for the KKK to act against "Democrats in the Republican Party and Democrats" for "plotting to raise taxes in Alabama." When contacted by the Montgomery Advertiser, editor and publisher Goodloe Sutton confirmed he had written the editorialand doubled down on his remarks. "If we could get the Klan to go up there and clean out DC, we'd all been better off," Sutton said, explaining that by "cleaning out," he means lynching: "We'll get the hemp ropes out, loop them over a tall limb, and hang all of them," he said. story continues below Sutton, who inherited the paper from his father, said he wasn't calling for the lynching of real Americans. "These are socialist-communists we're talking about," he said. When asked if he saw the KKK as group of violent racists, Sutton claimed they were more like the NAACP. "Well, they didn't kill but a few people," he said. "The Klan wasn't violent until they needed to be." The editorial was first brought to wider attention in a tweet from Auburn Plainsman reporter Chip Brownlee, who expressed amazement that it was published in 2019. "What rock did this guy crawl out from under?" Sen. Doug Jones said of Sutton in a tweet Monday night. "This editorial is absolutely disgusting & he should resign - NOW!" Rep. Terri Sewell also urged Sutton to step down, reports AL.com. (Last week, a West Virginia lawmaker likened gays to the KKK.) The head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) Diaa Rashwan has dismissed rumours that he was handpicked by the state to run for head of the country's Journalists Syndicate. Rashwan, who headed the syndicate from 2013 to 2015, has said that he will be running for the post of syndicate head in the upcoming elections, set to be held in March. In an interview with MBC Masr TV channel on Monday, Rashwan dismissed what he said is some people's belief that he was chosen by the state to run because he is head of the SIS and that he strongly opposed the rule of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood group. Rashwan also said that his election campaign's slogan, 'Reunion,' refers to both journalists and all other segments of society. The current head of the syndicate and the CEO of Al-Ahram Foundation Abdel-Mohsen Salama said earlier this week that he will not be running for re-election as syndicate head. Eleven candidates have nominated themselves for the position of candidate head and 52 have nominated themselves for syndicate council membership. The window for nominations closed on 14 February. One of the oldest unions in the country, Egypt's Journalists Syndicate was founded in 1941. Short link: (Newser) The two brothers arrested last week in connection with the alleged attack on Jussie Smollett broke their silence with a statement Mondaybut they didn't address reports that the Empire actor orchestrated the attack. "We are not racist. We are not homophobic and we are not anti-Trump," Ola and Abel Osundairo told CBS 2. "We were born and raised in Chicago and are American citizens," said the brothers, who were described as Nigerian in earlier reports. Smollett told police that he was attacked in Chicago last month by two men who shouted racist and homophobic insults before putting a rope around his neck and yelling: "This is MAGA country." One of the brothers is Smollett's personal trainer. story continues below The brothers were released last week without being charged. Police said they provided information that changed the course of the investigation. Sources tell CBS 2 that Smollett paid the brothers $3,500 for the attackand reimbursed them for the rope. One source says Smollett decided to orchestrate the attack because he didn't get a "bigger reaction" a week earlier when he received a letter containing a white powderlater found to be aspirinand a threatening note in cut-out magazine letters. "When the letter didnt get enough attention, he concocted the staged attack," the source says. Evidence seized from the brothers' home includes a magazine and stamps. TMZ, which said Sunday that the case could be headed to a grand jury soon, reports that as suspicion Smollett staged the attack grows, his Empire screen time has been cut, with several scenes and a musical number axed from the episode currently being filmed. (Read some of the reaction to the shifting story here.) (Newser) Police in Croatia believe a family that reported a woman missing in 2005 had actually killed her years earlier and stored her body in a freezer. The body of Jasmina Dominic, who was 23 in 2000, when she was last seen, was found in a freezer in the hallway of a family home in a village northwest of Zagreb, the Independent reports. Police say the missing woman's sister, 45-year-old Smiljana Srnec, has been arrested and a post-mortem will be carried out on the body. Srnec lived in the home with her husband and three children, AFP reports. story continues below Police spokesman Nenad Risak says that when Dominic was reported missing, the family claimed she had been living overseas, the AP reports. Her father, who died several years ago, said in 2011 that his daughter told him she had been planning to live in Paris or work on a cruise ship. "They (family) turned us in other directions," Risak says of the investigation. "We checked the house (during the investigation) ... but didn't have information anything could have happened at home." (Last year, a Long Island man discovered the bones of his long-missing father buried below the basement of the family home.) (Newser) Roger Stone issued a formal apology in a court filing Monday after posting an "improper photo" of a federal judge on Instagram. The longtime friend of President Trump posted, then deleted a photo of the judge overseeing the case against him earlier Monday with what appeared to be crosshairs near her head, CNBC reports. "Through legal trickery Deep State hitman Robert Mueller has guaranteed that my upcoming show trial is before Judge Amy Berman Jackson," Stone wrote on Instagram, describing Jackson as an "Obama appointed Judge who dismissed the Benghazi charges" against Hillary Clinton. story continues below "I had no intention of disrespecting the court and humbly apologize to the court for this transgression," Stone, who was indicted last month as part of Mueller's investigation, said in the court filing. He tells the Washington Post that the photo was posted by a "volunteer" who assists him with his social media accounts. In another Instagram post Monday, Stone said the image was "a random photo taken from the Internet" that been "misinterpreted." Saying there had been a "fake news tsunami," he later shared a story claiming the symbol in the photo was a "neo-pagan symbol," not crosshairs. (Jackson imposed a partial gag order on Stone last week.) (Newser) More details are emerging after a drug raid in Texas last month that left two people dead and five police officers injured. Undercover narcotics officers had been carrying out a search warrant on Jan. 28 for a Houston house that was reputed to be a drug den when shots rang out as the officers tried to enter. Two suspects were shot and killed, and four cops were injured in the gunfire; a fifth officer suffered a knee injury, per Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. Now, per CNN, a police officer will "more than likely be charged with a serious crime," suspected of lying to obtain the needed search warrant. Per affidavits dated Feb. 14 and seen by CNN, officer Gerald Goines, who was one of the cops injured, arranged for the warrant by citing info from an anonymous confidential informant. story continues below After the shooting, he put names to multiple informants; when those informants were approached by investigators, they did say they'd collaborated with Goines in the past, but not on info for that particular home, per the affidavits. "It appears there are some material untruths and lies" in the initial search warrant paperwork, Acevedo says of Goines, who he says will be relieved of duty once he's recovered from his injuries. Goines' attorney, Nicole DeBorde, tells CNN her client is still seriously injured and unable to speak out about what happened. She's calling Acevedo's comments on the case irresponsible. The Houston Chronicle, meanwhile, details what it calls a "troubling history of allegations" against Goines, including involvement in previous shootings and lawsuits, as well as written department rebukesall despite "glowing reviews and praise from supervisors." (Read more Houston stories.) A representative of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Sylvain Ore, has praised the role of Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court in protecting human rights and freedoms. Addressing a session on the rights of marginalised categories, refugees and kidnapped children at the African constitutional and supreme courts conference in Cairo, Ore said the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights has been exercising its activities since its establishment in 2004 under the umbrella of the African Union, with the participation of 11 African judges. He said the court had considered 80 cases and offered six advisories on human rights, political participation and freedom and independence of courts, and called on the participants to take part in a conference which will be organised by the African court in Algeria. Held under the auspices of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the Cairo conference aims to foster cooperation among African states and their judicial authorities. The Supreme Constitutional Court in Egypt was established in 1979. Short link: S&P 500 Has One of Its Best Weeks of 2021 At least three people were killed after a building collapsed in Alexandria on Monday, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported. Three bodies were retrieved from the debris of the building in Youssef El-Hakim Street, in the city's Karmouz neighbourhood. The search is ongoing to find any survivors or further casualties. Al-Ahram added that the four-story building had been issued with a legal decision ordering the removal of its third and fourth floor and the renovation of the first and second floor in 2013. Building collapses are not unusual in Egypt and are usually attributed to violations of building regulations, illegal building extensions, and lax government oversight. Over the weekend, a woman was killed and five others injured when an apartment building collapsed in Qalyoubiya, north of Cairo. Short link: Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said it is groundless to blame the One-way Permit Scheme for increasing the burden on Hong Kongs healthcare system. Speaking to the media before the Executive Council meeting, Mrs Lam said figures show seniors are the most frequent users of healthcare services and not younger Mainland residents holding one-way permits. The scheme allows people from the Mainland to move to the city to reunite with their families, she said. Mrs Lam hoped the community would welcome these new residents with an inclusive attitude. For its second edition, Watches & Wonders Miami has made major efforts to promote watches with the general public, for instance by having the Omega astronaut wandering around the exhibition space with a Speedmaster on his wrist, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. From 15 to 17 February, the same dates as the Miami Yacht Show, the Design District hummed and whirred to the rhythm of an intensive programme combining watchmaking and luxury lifestyle. Receptions, concerts, fancy cars and celebrities were combined with watchmaking workshops, thematic conferences and watch exhibitions, in a charming pedestrian area complete with luxury boutiques, bars, restaurants and pavement cafes shaded by palm trees. Could this be the perfect recipe to seduce clients on the hunt for personal contact, unique experiences and, incidentally, new watches? In the opinion of the exhibitors and visitors who were present last year, the event has really moved up a gear for 2019. The idea of putting the four watch groups together under one roof was clearly a good one. Two-thirds of the brands taking part in Watches & Wonders received visitors in their boutiques, while the rest took advantage of a pop-up space set up around a lounge bar. An entire floor above the exhibition area was given over to a general interest zone. This section featured the Watch Photo Awards exhibition, direct from Geneva, stopping over in Miami before leaving for its final destination, Baselworld. Watch Photo Awards Exhibition WorldTempus/Brice Lechevalier For the majority of brands taking part in the event, this encounter with American clients and media provided their first opportunity to introduce some of the new products they unveiled at the SIHH. They included historic collections, such as Zeniths launch to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the El Primero calibre, unique pieces such as the heritage watches revealed by Vacheron Constantin, and special limited editions targeted specifically at the US market. The efforts undertaken by the brands to attract clients varied from one boutique to another. WorldTempus/Brice Lechevalier Miami as a launch platform To the delight of visitors to Watch & Wonders, some brands took the opportunity offered by this new platform to launch new models. Girard-Perregaux unveiled the Quasar, its new tourbillon with three bridges, in a sapphire case. Another haute horlogerie brand, Ulysse Nardin, wrote a new chapter in its nautically inspired mechanical odyssey with a stunning Mega Yacht Marine. With Patrick Pruniaux at the helm since 2017, the brand is clearly setting a new course, and didnt rely solely on its booth to assert its authority on Floridian soil. As a sponsor of the prestigious Miami Yacht Show, Ulysse Nardin also hosted the biggest gala reception of the weekend, with 400 guests soaking in the glamorous ambiance of the superyacht marina, under the banner of the Freak X collection. Taking a more intimate approach, Roger Dubuis invited its clients to a dinner in an art gallery, while Panerai, which has always had a close affinity with the sea, invited customers aboard a yacht with CEO Jean-Marc Pontroue. Given the importance of the American market, Watches & Wonders Miami did double duty for Panerai. Its flagship store is in the heart of the Design District, and the brand also sponsors Design Miami (in December), where it presents the Design Visionary Awards. Lucky clients were able to discover the Luminor 1950 10-day automatic with a blue dial, a special limited series designed specifically for the boutique. The new H1.0 WorldTempus/Brice Lechevalier At the Roger Dubuis booth, which featured a Lamborghini centrepiece, it was possible to admire an Excalibur Skeleton Canelo, a limited series for the US market named after multiple world champion boxer Saul Canelo Alvarez. HYT unveiled a brand new H1.0, which will be available exclusively in the US for three months before being let loose on the rest of the world. Over at Zenith, American exclusivity was given an original interpretation with the Swizz Beatz Defy Classic, which comes in a special box that doubles as a turntable. In the zone shared by 12 brands, collectors were able to talk to artisans including Kari Voutilainen and Romain Gauthier, as well as executives of very high-end niche brands such as De Bethune, whose CEO Pierre Jacques unveiled the DB28 Kind of Gold, a highly convincing limited edition of 10 pieces for the USA. WorldTempus/Brice Lechevalier In accordance with the saying that good things come in threes, next years edition, Watches & Wonders Miami 2020, is expected to be confirmed very soon, with probably even more brands, and perhaps, given the new dates of the SIHH and Baselworld, a slightly modified schedule. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 82F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. By PTI BEIRUT: A double bomb attack killed 13 people, including 10 civilians, in Syria's jihadist-held city of Idlib on Monday, a war monitor said. The first blast was caused by a bomb planted under a car in the main city of the Idlib region, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. After ambulances arrived at the site, a motorcycle bomb then detonated, the Britain-based monitoring group said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which the Observatory said also wounded at least 25. Idlib, the last major part of Syria still outside the control of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, is held by an alliance led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took administrative control of the whole of the region last month, after overpowering smaller Turkey-backed factions. The Islamic State group also has sleeper cells in the area. A local office of the "Salvation Government", an administrative body created by HTS, is located on the street targeted by Monday's attack. Idlib has been protected from a massive regime offensive since September by a buffer zone deal agreed by regime ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey. But it has been hit by sporadic government shelling. Eight years into the conflict that has killed more than 360,000 people, Assad's government controls nearly two-thirds of the country. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia on Monday vowed to try to "de-escalate" tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pulwama by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prepares to head to New Delhi from Islamabad. The terror attack happened when a suicide bomber blew up an explosive-laden vehicle near a convoy of CRPF buses in Pulwama district on Thursday, killing 41 CRPF soldiers. Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir met Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday. Officials said that Qureshi briefed him in detail about the situation after the Pulwama attack in Kashmir. Tensions have been mounting between the two nuclear-armed neighbours amidst the war of words and diplomatic brinkmanship over the attack. "Our objective is to try to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, neighbouring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully," Jubeir told the media. He also said both countries were facing similar challenges, including the scourge of terrorism. "We want both countries to resolve their conflicts and have peaceful relations," he said. Saudi Arabia has influence over Pakistan and the Crown Prince during two-day visit inked at least seven MoUs and agreement to make investments of worth USD 20 billion. The Kingdom also provided USD 3 billion loans and another USD 3 billion oil facility on deferred payment during the past three months. Jubei's remarks to make efforts for reducing tensions came as Pakistan on Monday called back its envoy from India for consultations. Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood was on Friday summoned in New Delhi by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale who lodged strong protest. Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria was also called to New Delhi for consultations in the wake of the attack. India has blamed Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group for the Pulwama terror attack on Thursday. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sought the UN's urgent intervention to "defuse tensions" with India, the Foreign Office said Tuesday, following one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 40 Indian soldiers were killed. On February 14, at least 41 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group. The attack has heightened bilateral tensions with both New Delhi and Islamabad calling back their envoys. ALSO READ: Saudi Crown Prince arrives on Tuesday; India to raise issue of cross-border terrorism Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, seeking his help to reduce the tensions between the two countries, Pakistan Foreign Office said. "It is with a sense of urgency that I draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in our region resulting from the threat of use of force against Pakistan by India," Qureshi wrote in the letter. India has rejected any third party intervention in the Kashmir issue and has maintained that all outstanding matters in Indo-Pak ties should be resolved bilaterally. ALSO READ: Saudi Arabia vows to try to "de-escalate" India-Pakistan tensions after Pulwama terror attack Qureshi, in his letter, said the Pulwama attack on Indian CRPF soldiers was ostensibly and even by Indian accounts carried out by a Kashmiri resident. He said attributing the attack to Pakistan even before investigations was absurd. He alleged that for domestic political reasons, India deliberately ratcheted up its hostile rhetoric against Pakistan and created a tense environment. Qureshi wrote that India has also hinted that it may abandon the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that it would be a grievous error. "It is imperative to take steps for de-escalation. The United Nations must step in to defuse tensions," Qureshi said. He said India must be asked to conduct an open and credible investigation in the terror attack. ALSO READ: Ahead of Crown Prince's visit, Saudi-Pakistan joint statement causes unease in Delhi "You may also consider asking India to refrain from further escalating the situation and enter into dialogue with Pakistan and the Kashmiris to calm the situation down," he wrote. The foreign minister requested that the letter should be circulated to members of the Security Council and General Assembly. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the UN to intervene in Kashmir. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also sought the US' intervention, saying America was the "most relevant" party to get involved in Kashmir issue. The US, however, has time and again reiterated that it is for India and Pakistan to discuss and decide on the pace and scope of their bilateral relationship. By PTI NEW DELHI: In a major boost to India's efforts to get JeM chief Masood Azhar on the list of global terrorists, France will be moving a proposal at the UN in a "couple of days" to ban the head of the UN-proscribed group, French sources said on Tuesday. Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has claimed responsibility of the Pulwama terror strike that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. The proposal, when moved, will be fourth such bid at the UN in past ten years. In 2009 and 2016, India moved the UN's Sanctions Committee 1267 to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of attack on the air base in Pathankot in January, 2016. India was joined by P3 countries --the US, the UK and France-- in the 2016 proposal. In 2017, these P3 countries moved a similar proposal at the United Nations. However, China has always blocked the proposal from being adopted by the UN. ALSO READ | 'Pakistan nerve center of terror': India on Imran's Pulwama response According to sources, this time around also, France, a permanent member of the UN, is expected to be joined by other countries in the proposal. "At the UN, France will lead a proposal to put Masood Azhar on the terrorist list. It will happen in a couple of days," a senior French source told PTI. The French sources also said that the country will insist on maintaining Pakistan on the "grey list" of countries at the ongoing meet of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris. Pakistan was placed on the FATF grey list in June 2018 and put on notice to be blacklisted by October 2019 if it did not curb money laundering and terror financing. The French decision was discussed between Philippe Etienne, Diplomatic Advisor to the French President and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval this morning, sources added. While expressing his sincere condolences, the French leader, who called Doval, also emphasised that the two countries should coordinate their diplomatic efforts. The proposal will be a boost to New Delhi's efforts to designate Azhar as a global terrorist at the UN. After the Pulwama attack, New Delhi reached out to the international community, most of which condemned the terror strike, to highlight the role of Pakistan in using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. China expressed deep "shock" over the Pulwama attack carried out by a Jaish suicide bomber, but did not give an assurance to India that it will back New Delhi's appeal to list its chief as a global terrorist. Significantly, a day ahead of his visit to India, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a joint statement with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Pakistan on Monday also called for avoiding "politicisation" of the UN listing regime, a position that may not go well in New Delhi. By Online Desk After sealing a pre-poll pact with PMK earlier in the day, AIADMK has officially sealed the alliance with BJP for the Lok Sabha polls in which the saffron party would contest five seats in the state. The announcement was made by AIADMK coordinator and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and Union Minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal, party election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, who described it as a "mega alliance". The national party will also extend support to AIADMK for the bypolls to 21 Assembly seats and in the biennial elections to Rajya Sabha this year. READ | AIADMK inks pre-poll pact with PMK after gap of 10 years The formal announcement came after the second and final round of discussions held in Chennai by the two parties that also involved Chief Minister K Palaniswami. Piyush Goyal, BJP: We will support AIADMK in the by-elections on 21 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. We have agreed to contest elections in the leadership of OPS & EPS in state & in leadership of Modi Ji in center pic.twitter.com/2nUZAPHiaM ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2019 Earlier in the day, the AIADMK clinched a deal with the PMK, offering the Vanniyar-based party seven out of 40 seats, including one in the neighbouring union territory of Puducherry. PMK has been a vitriolic critic of both AIADMK and DMK alike until recently. DMDK too is reportedly in alliance talks with the AIADMK. So it isn't clear as of now how many seats the AIADMK will contest out of the remaining 28 constituencies. DMK president MK Stalin strongly criticised PMK leader Dr S Ramadoss of entering into an electoral truck 'without worrying' about the 'interests of the people and the nation'. Pointing out that the PMK leader had recently released a book 'Kazhagathin Kathai' enlisting the corruption indulged in by the AIADMK, Stalin asked didn't the 'big man' have 'shame' or 'self-respect'. The alliance in Tamil Nadu for BJP comes a day after it officially announced its partnership with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha elections. (with inputs from PTI) By Express News Service CHENNAI: Environmental activist T Mugilan has reportedly been missing since Friday, with his colleagues and friends stating that he disappeared hours after releasing a video documentary alleging that IG- and DIG-rank police officials orchestrated the police firing against anti-Sterlite protesters at Thoothukudi last May in collusion with the Sterlite Copper management. Thirteen people were killed in the firing. According to Mani, the coordinator of Tamil Nadu Students and Youth Federation, Mugilan was last seen by his friends around 10.30 pm at Egmore railway station in Chennai on February 15. He was accompanied by activist V P Ponnarasan and others when he reached Egmore station to board a train to Madurai. Since then, his whereabouts are unknown, said Mani in a complaint to Chennai Police on Sunday. Activist Ponnarasan told Express that Mugilan was expected to board the Mahal Express, which was scheduled to depart at 10.50 pm. He accompanied me till Mangaluru Express that was scheduled to leave at 10.15 pm. Later, he boarded the unreserved compartment of Mahal Express, said Ponnarasan. READ HERE | Sterlite issue: SC order setting aside NGT verdict welcomed by Thoothukudi residents He said that after he reached Karur around 7.10 am the next day, he tried to call Mugilan's phone, but the mobile was switched off. Immediately he alerted the local activists. Mani's complaint was transferred to the Government Railway Police which registered a case and began an inquiry. Rohit Nathan Rajagopal, Superintendent of Police, GRP Chennai told Express that Mugilan's mobile phone was active till 1.30 am on Saturday. We are retrieving data through CDR (call data record) analysis. We are yet to ascertain his last location, from where he went missing. The Egmore station has multiple entry points, CCTV footage from all entry gates are being scrutinised, he added. ALSO READ | Police firing in Tamil Nadu's Sterlite copper plant protest: Scars still remain in Thoothukudi A habeas corpus plea (HCP) also was made by Madurai-based advocate and social activist Henri Tiphagne in the Madras High Court for seeking production of Mugilan in the court and to set him at liberty. A division bench comprising of Justices M Satyanarayanan and M Nirmal Kumar, directed the Additional Public Prosecutor to get instructions and posted the matter for further hearing on February 22. The petitioner said that Mugilan, after thorough research on the case, had held a press meet in Chennai on February 15 on the police firing in Thoothukudi on May 22, 2018. At the press meet, he had levelled serious allegations against certain top police officials. Later, he had also expressed apprehension to his associate Sridhar that the police might take custody of him because of the charges he had made. The petitioner had then sent an online complaint to the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner on February 17. READ HERE | Thoothukudi copper plant closure wont affect Vedantas cash flows Mugilan's colleagues noted that in his press meet on Friday, he had said that two top police officials were present at the Thoothukudi Collector office much before the anti-Sterlite protesters could reach the complex. They reiterated that Mugilan feared his life was under threat. (Photo/Chinanews.cn) Chinese commodity market experienced a sharp rise during the 2019 Spring Festival season, in which the sales of home appliances contributed a large portion. Statistics indicated that during the 7-day Spring Festival holiday, spending on retail and food services exceeded 1 trillion yuan ($147.41 billion) for the first time, up 8.5 percent year-on-year. Smart home appliances, innovative electronic products, as well as mid-to-high end home appliances maintained rapid growth. Integrated appliances, smart appliances, and small appliances saw explosive growth during this period with a growth rate of over 100 percent, and even 500 percent in some regions. Dishwashers, robot vacuums, smart vacuums, artificial intelligence (AI) televisions were all going for big discounts during sales events. The sales boom during the 2019 Spring Festival could be partially attributed to new incentives for home appliances rolled out by the National Development and Reform Commission and relevant departments. Local governments also followed the move, issuing policies to subsidize low energy-consuming products and encouraging consumers to renew their old generations of appliances. The rural market also served as an important engine for general growth. Before the 2019 Spring Festival, many home appliance enterprises upgraded their stores, as well as marketing methods and channels, in an attempt to expand the rural market. Appliance retailing giants Suning and Gome, and online platforms T-mall and JD.com have all expanded the coverage of their retailing networks. Reports confirmed that during the Spring Festival, the sales of the third- and fourth-tier markets surged by 158 percent from a year ago. Analysts noted that though China enjoyed high market concentration, copycat and knockoff brands existed in rural and low-tier markets. However, as more Chinese people start to better their current appliances in the future, these regions will go through noticeable consumption upgrades. Prathaan/iStock(KENT COUNTY, Mich.) -- Investigators are searching for a second crime scene after a woman and three young children were found mysteriously dead inside a Michigan home, authorities said. The woman and three children -- who were elementary school age and younger -- were found dead from suspected gunshot wounds Monday afternoon at a home in Kent County, Michigan, near Grand Rapids, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Office. But evidence at the home suggests some of the victims weren't shot at that location, Kent County sheriff's Sgt. Joel Roon told ABC News. Officers canvased the area Monday night to try to find a second crime scene to no avail, Roon said via email Tuesday morning. "We are still asking residents to call if they see anything that could be considered a scene of a shooting," Roon said. "People should look for any condition that could be considered consistent with that of a shooting scene, i.e. blood." There's no indication of a suspect at-large and no indication of more victims, sheriff's officials said. "It is believed that the situation is contained and there is no current threat to public safety," sheriff's officials said in a statement. Authorities have not eliminated the possibility of a murder-suicide, Kent County Sheriff Michelle Lajoye-Young said Monday, according to ABC Grand Rapids affiliate WZZM. "It's always hard when there's deaths in the community, but it's absolutely the most difficult when there are kids are involved," Lajoye-Young told reporters. "Investigators are asking for the public's help as we try to establish the chain of events leading up to this tragedy," officials said. Anyone who lives in the area and has surveillance cameras pointing toward the road is urged to call the sheriff's office. The names of the victims will be released once autopsies are completed, the sheriff's office said. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. By PTI KASARGOD: In a setback to the ruling CPI(M), its local leader A Peethambaran was arrested Tuesday in connection with the killing of two Youth Congress activists in Kasaragod district, as the Governor sought an urgent report from the state government on the status of the police probe. Soon after Peethambaran's arrest was recorded by police, Kasaragod district committee expelled him from the party following directions from the state committee, a CPI(M) statement said Wednesday night. Stating that the CPI(M) never promoted violence, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the party state leadership had earlier said it had no role in the killings. The accused had instigated the killings of Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21) on Sunday night, district police superintendent A Srinivas told reporters in Kasaragod. He would be produced before the court on Wednesday, Srinivas said, adding that the interrogation of six others, who were taken into custody, was going on. READ HERE | Youth Congress workers' killing in Kerala: Ramesh Chennithala calls off son's wedding reception State Governor P Sathasivam Tuesday sought an urgent report from the Chief Minister on the status of the police probe into the incident. Opposition Leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala met the governor in Thiruvanathapuram and briefed him about the issue,a release from the governor's office said. Chennithala had informed the governor that the families of the victims were under utmost grief due to their personal loss and delay in arresting culprits. As Congress continued its attack on the ruling CPI(M), Vijayan said the party had never promoted violence and had no role in the killings. If any CPI(M) activist was found to be involved in the crime, they would never get the party's backing, Vijayan said, adding that they would not only have to face legal action, but also stern party action. "The CPI(M) has never promoted violence. It is a party which had to face violence on several occasions and there was no need for it to conspire the murder of the Youth Congress workers," he said, replying to a reporter's question over the issue in Thiruvananthapuram. READ HERE | Inquest report reveals how two lives were gorily snuffed out Kripesh and Sarath Lal, in their early twenties, were waylaid and attacked while returning home after attending a function at Periya in Kasaragod district on Sunday night. The opposition Congress and BJP have alleged that the killings were executed with the knowledge and support of the leadership of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist). State CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also reiterated Tuesday that his party had no knowledge about the twin killings and does not endorse the politics of killings. Rejecting the claims of Vijayan and Balakrishnan, state Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose demanded a probe by the CBI into the gruesome incident. "We do not trust the ongoing police investigation and demand a CBI probe into the killing of our activists," he said, adding not only those who had executed the killings, but the conspirators should also be brought before law. READ HERE | Emotions run high: Shops, club vandalised, houses set on fire in Kerala Three Youth Congress workers had lost their lives in the last one year due to political rivalry, Kuriakose said. Normal life was affected and incidents of violence were reported from various places during a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Youth Congress in Kerala on Monday. Following the killings, senior congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has cancelled the wedding reception of his son Dr Rohith, which was scheduled to be held in Thiruvanathapuram and Haripad on February 21 and 23 respectively. The amount would be used for conducting the marriage of Kripesh's sister, the congress leader said in a statement. By PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Expressing solidarity with the families of the two Youth Congress workers who were hacked to death, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala Tuesday called off his son's wedding reception and said the amount would be used for conducting the marriage of a deceased activist's sister. The activists, Kripesh (24) and Sarath Lal (21), were waylaid and hacked to death at Periya in northern Kasaragod district while returning home after attending a function on Sunday night. Chennithala, the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, said: "the barbaric murder of two youth congress workers in their early twenties by CPI(M) goons has shaken the entire state like never before." READ HERE | Inquest report reveals how two lives were gorily snuffed out In this time of grief & despair when the party had lost two of its sons to #CPMTerror,we have decided to call off the marriage reception of my son at Tvm & Haripad.Saved sum would be used towards the marriage of Kripesh's sister.We are bound to fullfil Kripesh's ambitions. Ramesh Chennithala (@chennithala) February 19, 2019 In a statement, Chennithala said in this hour of extreme grief, his family has decided to call off the marriage reception of his son Dr Rohit which was scheduled to be held at Thiruvananthapuram and Haripad on February 21 and 23 respectively. "The newly wed couple Dr Rohit and Dr Sreeja have decided to utilise the saved sum towards the marriage for Kripesh's sister," the statement said. Chennithala said he had visited the houses of Kripesh and Sharath Lal and the situation there was "heart-rending." READ HERE | Emotions run high: Shops, club vandalised, houses set on fire in Kerala The two youths, whose families are not financially well-off, need help from all quarters, the statement said. Kripesh was the only breadwinner and his family had only a one-room thatched hut, Chennithala said and urged that everyone should support the bereaved families. By Express News Service KOCHI: Calling Mondays flash hartal illegal, the Kerala High Court observed the inaction on the part of transport operators in not plying vehicles and educational institutions not holding examinations on the scheduled date are contumacious acts. The court directed the state police chief to file a report giving details of the illegal activities of hartal supporters and the extent of damage caused. The details will be necessary for the court to take remedial action to recover the loss from the perpetrators of the illegality. A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy issued the order on the petitions filed by Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry and others against the hartal. The court had on January 7 directed to ensure that a hartal call does not have the effect of affecting the fundamental rights of those who do not align with the cause. When the case came up for hearing, the petitioners counsel submitted on account of the hartal call, various examinations scheduled to take place had to be cancelled resulting in untold misery to the students who had prepared for the exams. Similarly, public transport operators kept off the road, anticipating violence and damage to the property. The court said the police should ensure adequate measures were in place to prevent any damage to public or private property of government or citizens who do not support the hartal call. The police should also keep in mind the provisions of the penal laws, including the provision of the Kerala Prevention of Damage to Private Property and Payment of Compensation Ordinance, 2019 as also the provisions of section 188 of the IPC while registering cases against those flouting the law. The court asked the media to ensure whenever an illegal flash hartal is called and it is apparent the hartal called is in violation of the orders passed by the court, the public be duly informed of the fact. Manoj Viswanathan By Express News Service KOCHI: Keralas loss is Tamil Nadus gain. A scheme initially proposed by Kerala to equip fishermen to take up deep-sea fishing is being implemented in Tamil Nadu by the Centre under its Blue Revolution Scheme. The Rs 200-crore sop has left Keralas Fisheries Department sulking. It was the state which first submitted the proposal in 2016 for a Rs 74-crore subsidised scheme to provide 47 deep-sea fishing boats to fishermen cooperative societies. The Centre rejected the proposal citing the high cost involved as the cost of each boat touched Rs 1.5 crore. Though Kerala submitted a revised proposal, the Centre is yet to respond. According to Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty Amma, Union secretary in charge of the Fisheries Department has assured to sanction Rs 16 crore under the scheme. The Centre has allotted Rs 200 crore of the Rs 400 crore earmarked for the scheme to Tamil Nadu. Though they assured to give 16 crore to Kerala, no fund has been allotted till date. This is a biased approach. Its a politically motivated decision in view of the Lok Sabha elections, she said. On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will launch the first batch of four deep-sea fishing boats built by Cochin Shipyard. The scheme, aimed at discouraging bottom trawling in the coastal sea, comes with a Rs 40-lakh subsidy from the Union Government. The boats built as per the design created by the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) and fine-tuned by experts at IIT Kharagpur, cost around Rs 1.5 crore. As the Centre has directed to cap the price at Rs 86 lakh, the Cochin Shipyard is digging into its own Corporate Social Responsibility fund to meet the expense for the first batch of 16 boats. CIFT scientists said the Centre has accepted the design developed by it to standardise the fishing boats specifications. Twenty seven shipyards in the country will build around 800 boats in the coming years to encourage fishermen take up deep-sea fishing in a big way. Tamil Nadu is providing a subsidy of Rs 16 lakh for each boat and has arranged soft loans to the tune of Rs 30 lakh per boat to empower the fishermen. Around 350 fishermen in four coastal districts of Tamil Nadu have registered under the scheme expressing willingness to replace their trawler boats with the new deep-sea boats. The Centre has given preference to Tamil Nadu in view of the stand off between the fishermen of that state and Sri Lanka over the exploitation of marine resources in the Palk Bay. Itll be extended to all coastal states in near future, said CIFT principal scientist Leela Edwin. Longlining is a passive fishing technique that involves use of long mainlines and branchlines with baited hooks. As bottom trawling destroys the marine ecosystem, many countries have banned it. India too has decided to regulate fishing practices. The Cochin Shipyard has completed sea trial of two boats and four boats are ready for delivery. While there are no standard specifications for boats built by local boat builders, the new design will set the standard for deep-sea fishing boats. The hull and deck are made of steel, which makes them strong and sea-worthy. It is 100 per cent watertight and has bunkers for eight crew members. Ergonomically designed, the boats have hydraulic steering wheels, customised winches and bio toilets. The diesel-powered boats can achieve eight knots speed and are ideal for three-week long fishing expeditions. It has an insulated stainless steel fish hold and refrigerated sea water system. By Express News Service BENGALURU: State leaders of Congress have agreed on offering five seats to alliance partners JD(S) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to sources privy to discussions held on Monday by various Congress committees coordination, publicity and election the party is keen on giving Bengaluru North constituency to JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda. The seat is currently held by Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda. The party is also keen on holding on to all the constituencies where it has sitting MPs. Members of the Regional Election Committee of Congress met legislative party chief Siddaramaiah, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, working president Eshwar Khandre and senior leaders such as Ramalinga Reddy at a private hotel on Monday evening. Senior leaders will approach H D Kumaraswamy and H D Deve Gowda with a proposal to hold on to constituencies where we have sitting MPs but offer seats such as Bengaluru North, Mandya, Hassan and another in North Karnataka, a party source said. Speculations are rife that JD(S) may want to field a candidate in Vijayapura where it intends to hold a minority rally as well as an SC/ST rally. Congress publicity committee, apart from drawing an action plan to streamline its campaigns via district, taluk and booth levels, hopes to rope in Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as its star campaigner.We already have a system in place for publicity and campaign but it needs to be streamlined. Strengthening campaign at the grassroots level will be the focus, said U T Khader, Urban Development Minister. The party coordination committee headed by Ramalinga Reddy also met on Monday to assess the dissent emanating from the cadres in Old Mysuru region where JD(S) is a direct rival to Congress. The committee is focused on quelling dissent and ensuring that cadres work for the coalitions common candidate. There is a lot of confusion at the grassroots level since the seat-sharing formula has not been finalised. Once there is a clear picture, it will become easy to coordinate, a party source said. The first visit of Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who is better known as MbS, to India on February 19-20 is significant for several reasons. For MbS, this charm offensive is meant to revive his reputation which took a hit after he was linked to the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this visit just before the general elections is expected to send a positive message to an increasingly polarised nation. MbSs earlier pledge to ramp up investments in India, including in the $44 billion Ratnagiri refinery and petrochemical project, will be the icing on the cake. Saudi supplies over 20 per cent of Indias crude oil requirement, and the 2.7 million strong Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in the kingdom. As strategic partners, the two nations share intelligence and similar concerns over the regional situation, including the terror emanating from Pakistan. Also, any major conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, both of whom share good relations with India, would impact Indians in both nations. The prince arrives from Islamabad, where he pledged investment deals worth a staggering $20 billion, including $8 billion for an oil refinery in Gwadar. Pakistans total foreign reserve is less than $8 billion, and Riyadh has already provided a $6 billion loan to help Pakistan, which is seeking its thirteenth financial bailout since the late 1980s. This time, however, the IMF, reportedly under US prodding, has set severe conditions on any aid, including access to details of the complex and opaque funding for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which neither Beijing nor Islamabad seems inclined to share. Incidentally, the third nation on the princes itinerary is Beijing. New Delhi, on the other hand, is keen to invest in MbSs flagship project, Vision 2030 - aimed at easing his countrys dependence on oil by turning it into a financial and tourism hub - nd thus take the relationship to another level altogether. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: Five days after suicide bombing killed 40 CRPF men, the top army commander on Tuesday blamed Pakistan for the bombing saying the attack carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammad was controlled from Pakistan with active support of Pakistan army and ISI." The February 14 suicide car bombing on CRPF convoy was carried out by Jaish. It was controlled from Pakistan with active support of Pakistan Army and its spy agency, ISI," said General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar-based army's 15 Corps Lt General K J S Dhillon while addressing a joint press conference with IGP Kashmir S P Pani and IG CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan. 40 CRPF men were killed and many others injured when 19-year-old Jaish local militant rammed his explosive ridden vehicle with CRPF bus, which was part of 78 vehicles convoy, at Lethpora, Pulwama on Srinagar-Jammu highway on Thursday. The GoC revealed that Pakistani commanders of Jaish were incharge of controlling, coordinating, fabricating and execution of the suicide bombing. The name of Jaish's Pakistani militants Kamran alias Fahad and Rashid alias Gazi alias Lukman had figured during the investigation into the deadly bombing. ALSO READ | Pulwama: France to move bid at UN to ban Masood Azhar, to insist Pakistan remains on FATF grey list "After the incident, JeM leadership in Valley was being tracked and on Sunday evening we hit this module after receiving specific information about their presence," Lt Gen Dhillon said. Both Kamran and Gazi alongwith local Jaish militant Hilal Ahmad were killed in 18-hour long encounter in Pinglina village of south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday. Five army men including a major, a police head constable and a civilian were also killed in the encounter while 10 security men including Brigadier Harbir Singh and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Amit Kumar were also injured. "In less than 100 hours, we eliminated the JeM leadership in Valley, which was being handled by JeM from Pakistan," the GoC said. Asked how security forces are going to tackle such suicide attacks in future, he said, "This type of car bomb happened in Valley after long time. With this kind of intensity, it had not happened earlier. We are keeping all options open to deal with this type of attacks. "On killing of Kamran, GoC said, "Kamran was operational chief commander of Jaish in Kashmir. He was being handled with JeM commanders in conjunction with Pakistan army and ISI from across the border"."He was top commander of JeM, which carried out Feb 14 attack," he said. About how JeM militants were able to execute suicide attack, he said this is matter of investigation and "investigation is at the advance stage." "Who was involved and what was role of each and every other player in the attack is being investigated and none will be spared," GoC said. On killing of Gazi, who was said to be Afghan war veteran, Lt Gen Dhillon said, "Many Gazis came to Kashmir and were eliminated. There is nothing new it. These cases keep on happening. We will handle them."In a strong warning to Pakistani militants and those infiltrating into J&K from Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), the GoC said, "We are very clear that anyone who enters Kashmir will not return alive. Our focus now is on counter terrorism operations." By IANS JAIPUR: The wife of Havildar Sheo Ram, who was killed in an encounter with Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists in the Pinglan area of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday, delivered a baby girl soon after his final rites were performed in Tiba Basat village in Jhunjhunu district on Tuesday. Havildar Sheo Ram, Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, Sepoy Hari Singh and Sepoy Ajay Kumar sustained bullet injuries during the operation that started on Monday morning in Pulwama. They were provided immediate first aid and evacuated to 92 Base Hospital, but succumbed to their injuries. Three JeM terrorists were killed in the encounter. Rajasthan: Mortal remains of Havaldar Sheo Ram being brought to his home in Jhunjhunu. He lost his life in action during an encounter with terrorists in Pulwama yesterday. pic.twitter.com/QAZR3hGN4m ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2019 The trio allegedly had links to Thursday's attack that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. READ HERE | Three JeM militants, including Pulwama attack mastermind, gunned down in Pinglan encounter Sheo Ram is survived by his wife, Sunita Devi, a five-year-old son and mother Sharli Devi. Sheo Ram had promised his wife he would come home soon after the delivery of their second child four days before his death, said a family member. His mortal remains reached Jaipur airport on Monday night from where they were taken to his village in Khetri tehsil by road, said Col Sombit Ghosh, PRO Defence Rajasthan. READ HERE | CRPF jawan's daughter faints during his last rites in UP's Kannauj People in large numbers attended the funeral and paid tributes to Sheo Ram. They chanted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Sheo Ram amar rahe'. State ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, Raghu Sharma and Parsadi Lal Meena paid tributes to the martyr. By PTI NEW DELHI: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday termed a JNU professor as "diabolical and ignorant" after the latter alleged that vehicle checking on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, where a terror attack killed 40 CRPF personnel, was relaxed by the former chief minister. Amita Singh, a professor of law, governance and disaster studies at the JNU, also asked the PDP chief to give "40 people for public execution" if she really was hurt by the deaths of the paramilitary personnel in last week's terror attack in Pulwama. ALSO READ | Pulwama kind of incident doesnt take place without security lapse somewhere: Former RAW chief Vikram Sood How can someone who imparts education be so diabolical & ignorant by choice? Is she educated in the real sense? She seems to possess an unfettered imagination with an aim to persecute Kashmiris. Ironical that she teaches ethics and law! https://t.co/v6euDLezdg Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 19, 2019 "The RDX filled vehicle could not be checked as the 3 check barriers were removed by mehbooba mufti. Governor pl. reinstate everything removed by her. Mehbooba Mf. Should now hand over her 40 people for public execution if she really feels hurt for our 40 soldiers. culpability," Singh had tweeted on February 16. Responding to the tweet, the PDP tagged the Delhi Police and called for legal action against her. "This is a professor at #JNU making up concocted stories & ridiculous allegations against @MehboobaMufti She does not stop at that, is also calling for public hanging of Kashmiris. We register strong protest and will initiate legal action against her. @DelhiPolice pls take note," the party had posted on the micro-blogging site Monday. Mufti also took to Twitter Tuesday to criticise the professor for the remarks. Indian Army blames Pakistan Army, ISI for suicide bombing on CRPF "How can someone who imparts education be so diabolical & ignorant by choice? Is she educated in the real sense? She seems to possess an unfettered imagination with an aim to persecute Kashmiris. Ironical that she teaches ethics and law!" she said. When contacted, Singh said Mufti's remarks were not worthy of her reaction and that her party needed to understand the pain of the attack. By PTI BENGALURU: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Tuesday slammed Pakistan for seeking proof of its involvement in the Pulwama terror attack and said it was India which has been providing evidence but the neighbouring country has not taken any action on it. She was reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's message to India to share 'actionable intelligence' if his country was involved in the terror attack for any action. "Since the Mumbai attacks, not just this government, the earlier government also had sent dossiers after dossiers, evidence after evidence, what action has Pakistan taken on them?" she asked. ALSO READ | Pulwama kind of incident doesnt take place without security lapse somewhere: Former RAW chief Vikram Sood Also, at every level India has been following the process of law and the Mumbai attackers had been brought to book and punished by court of law, she told a press conference here. "In Pakistan not even the first court is doing its job. There is nothing for Pakistan to show," she added. Reacting to Khan's comments over the attack, Sitharaman said she would not want to say how the government was going to respond to it as no word is sufficient enough to assuage the anger and disappointment of every person of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already allowed the Indian Army to respond at any given time and as they see fit, Sitharaman said. On the defence forces morale following the Pulwama terror attack, Sitharaman said "The morale is not affected at all, they are absolutely ready to do their job. The response the people of India have shown, has brought greater motivation to them," she said. READ | Pulwama attack: Suicide bombing poses questions on capabilities of security, intelligence agencies Asked what the government is doing to avoid a repeat of Pulwama type attacks, Sitharamana said India was gathering more information to prevent any such incidents in future. "The security agencies are working tirelessly to gather more information from the ground. Every effort will be taken to prevent any future incidents such as Pulwama Terror attack," she said. India Tuesday rubbished Prime Minister Imran Khan's comments on the ghastly Pulwama attack, saying disclaiming Pakistan's link with terrorist attacks is an oft-repeated excuse by the "nerve centre" of terrorism. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said India was not surprised that Khan refused to acknowledge the attack on India's security forces in Pulwama as an act of terrorism, adding his offer to investigate the attack if provided proof is a "lame excuse". Time-honored food brands in China have developed new flavors for glutinous rice balls, a traditional sweet dish served during the lantern festival, with many Chinese youth welcoming a slice of innovation to the ancient recipes. Shared among family members, glutinous rice balls, or Tangyuan (), is a sweet dish made of glutinous rice powder with a filling traditionally made using red bean paste, sesame syrup, and brown sugar. Though delicious, many Chinese youth yearn for some innovation in the traditional dish, therein adding their favorite ingredients in the fillings. Ive bought some rose-flavored rice balls for the upcoming Lantern Festival. It is fun to see some changes in the traditional flavor, as well as the addition of some new and modern elements to the ancient dish, Zhang Xin, a 25-year-old girl in Beijing, told People Daily Online. According to statistics from Taobao, Chinas largest e-commerce platform, flower rice balls, which are made of rose, jasmine and Osmanthus petals, have all become the new favorite flavor among Chinese youth this year, with 360,000 packs sold within five days. In addition to flowers, milk, chocolate, and salty egg yolk flavor are also popular choices. Dao Xiangcun, a time-honored dessert brand based in Suzhou, has launched its durian flavor rice balls, selling over 20,000 online. By PTI DEHRADUN: Clarifying on their statements of not granting admission to students from Kashmir, two city-based colleges Tuesday said they were under pressure and no decision of such sort has been taken by their management. "We had to do it under pressure from a mob of around 400-500 which was protesting at the gates demanding expulsion of Kashmiri students from the institute and an assurance in writing that the new ones will not be granted admission following the terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama," Chairman of Alpine College of Management and Technology, Anil Saini, told PTI. ALSO READ | Boycott every Kashmiri, don't go to Amarnath for two years, says Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy "What the institute administration gave in writing to the protesting mob was to ensure the safety of the Kashmiri students," he added. He said no policy decision has been taken about denying admission to Kashmiri students from the next session. "How can we deny admission to Kashmiri students? Aren't we bound by the constitution of India? The statement given in writing by the institute's administration was meant to pacify the angry protesters and to prevent the situation from going out of hands," Saini said. Baba Farid Institute of Technology, which was the other city-based institution to give a similar commitment in writing, also admitted that it did so under pressure. ALSO READ | Pulwama terror attack: AMU issues advisory asking Kashmiri students not to move out of campus "The institute was open that day and there were Kashmiri students on campus. We were worried about their safety. That is why we said no Kashmiri student will be admitted from the upcoming session," Principal of Baba Farid Institute of Technology Aslam Siddiqui said. About 450 students from Jammu and Kashmir study in these two institutes. However, Siddiqui refused to name any outfit for the protests. "A mob does not have a face. It was an angry mob consisting of even people from nearby villages. They were in no mood to listen to us and it was no use arguing with them. All they wanted was a written undertaking denying admission to Kashmiri students which we gave to defuse the situation," he said. ALSO READ | JNU researcher Shehla Rashid booked by Dehradun police for 'rumour mongering' Siddiqui admitted that the WhatsApp message sent by a Kashmiri student of Sridev Suman Subharti University in which he had expressed happiness over the terrorist attack in Pulwama did add fuel to the fire. "People were already angry following the terror attack in Pulwama and his comment did rub salt into the wounds triggering tension and the subsequent protests." He said the situation now was fully under control with no protests over the last three days and substantial deployment of police personnel around campuses where Kashmiri students study. "We are getting full co-operation from the police with SSP Nivedita Kukreti herself monitoring the situation," Siddiqui said. IG Garhwal range Ajay Rautela said the Kashmiri students are completely safe and they should not worry. Police patrolling in Premnagar area, where most of the Kashmiri students live, has been stepped up. However, he appealed to people to maintain calm. "People are grief stricken over the martyrdom of our soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir. In a situation like this we must ensure that no such content which has the potential to hurt sentiments is floated on the social media," he said. By Express News Service BHOPAL: Two Kashmiri students have been expelled by the Bhopal-based Kushabhau Thakre College for Nursing for allegedly posting objectionable content on the Facebook post-February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were martyred. The two students Khalid and Abir, both B.SC (Nursing) Third Year students were expelled by the college administration on Monday late evening for posting objectionable contents on the popular social media platform. According to sources in the college administration, on February 16, some students of the college reported to the college about the two Kashmiri students having posted the objectionable content on Facebook. READ| Amid harassment reports elsewhere, Jammu and Kashmir students praise Pune Two days later, coming to know about the matter, activists of the Hindu Yuva Vahini and the Bajrang Dal reached the college in citys Kolar area on Monday in connection with the matter and demanded action against the concerned Kashmiri students. Upon intimidated, cops from Kolar police station rushed to the spot and ensured that there was no trouble. Meanwhile, after an internal enquiry, both the Kashmiri students were expelled from the college. According to Bhopal district police sources, there are six Kashmiri students who are enrolled in the college. All of them (including the two students who have been expelled in absentia) are presently not in Bhopal. The college administration have handed over to us details about the social media content posted by the two students. The screenshot of the FB content and other relevant details are being forwarded to the state polices cyber cell for cross-verification and further action in the matter, SP-Bhopal South Sampat Upadhyaya told The New Indian Express. By PTI NASHIK: Security around several important establishments in Nashik, including the Devlali railway station and Currency Note Press, has been tightened after a letter was received by police with a threat to blow them up, a senior official said Tuesday. The Devlali railway station was throughly checked by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad on Sunday, the official said. Teams from various police stations as well the Anti-Terrorism Squad are doing rounds of the establishments named in the letter in order to prevent any untoward incident, he added. The Special Branch has begun investigation into the antecedents of the letter, the official said. The unsigned letter, written on an India Post inland letter in coarse Hindi, was received at the Nashik police commissionerate on February 13, city police commissioner Ravinder Singal said Tuesday. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Tuesday granted protection from arrest in all cases registered against former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, who had recently joined the BJP. A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri said no coercive action should be taken against her and posted the matter for further hearing after three weeks. Ghosh, once considered close to Mamata Banerjee, had moved the apex court seeking protection from arrest, saying the West Bengal government has registered 10 FIRs against her. She said that apex court had already granted protection from arrest in seven cases but the state has registered three more FIRs against her. The West Bengal government opposed the plea of Ghosh and said there are clear evidence against her and submitted a transcript of a purported conversation between Ghosh and her personal security officer. The apex court had on October 1, last year granted her protection from arrest in a case of alleged extortion and illegal exchange of banned notes for gold. In a previous hearing, counsel appearing for Ghosh had said that seven FIRs have been lodged against her in an incident which dates back to 2016 in which allegedly gold was taken for currency. He had said that police has been acting against her at different places and they should be restrained from taking any coercive action. However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government had opposed the plea and said she wants stay of arrest on a writ petition, which cannot be done. He had said Ghosh and her Personal Security Officer were allegedly involved in the gold extortion case and other cases and they both acted together. Sibal had said she was already granted protection from arrest in October, last year. On February 4, Ghosh had joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya alleging that "thugocracy" has replaced democracy in the West Bengal. Ghosh, who was the West Midnapore Superintendent of Police for more than six years, was transferred as commandant of the third battalion of the state armed police on December 26, 2017. She resigned from service two days later. She was once considered close to Banerjee and was also awarded a service medal on August 15, 2014. Ghosh was transferred twice, once by the Election Commission before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the second time by the state itself before the 2016 Assembly elections. She was, however, reinstated as West Midnapore SP as soon as the elections got over on both occasions. An arrest warrant was issued against Ghosh in February, 2018 in connection with an extortion case registered at Daspur police station in West Midnapore district, following her resignation. The CID, probing cases relating to alleged extortion and misconduct against Ghosh, had also conducted raids at various properties, including a house in Kolkata that belongs to her husband M A V Raju. A few police officers of inspector and sub-inspector ranks have been arrested by the CID in connection with the probe. Aishik Chanda By Express News Service KOLKATA: Days after the suicide attack killed 44 CRPF personnel, social media is abuzz with comments in favour and against the attack. Netizens are being threatened with death and even gangrape over their comments and posts made on Facebook. In North 24 Parganas district, a schoolteacher in Bongaon had to flee his home with his family after being attacked by a mob for his Facebook post. A college student in Habra was arrested for posting an alleged provocative post on Facebook and a woman from Barasat was threatened with gangrape after calling for peace. In Siliguri, a mob pelted stones at a girls residence, while in Coochbehar district a teenaged boy was dragged out of his house and made to do sit-ups. A police team led by ASP Achintya Gupta rescued the girl and her family and brought them to the police station. A student, Arpan Rakshit, was arrested for putting up an allegedly provocative post after attending a candlelight vigil in Habra on Saturday. In Umaria district near the Chhattisgarh border, a Kashmiri student, Mohsin Khan has been detained by the police over a comment on Facebook over the Pulwama attack. In neighbouring Bhopal, which is home to 1,200 Kashmiri students, members of the Bajrang Dal and ABVP attempted to create a ruckus over an alleged social media post. However, the police brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, several people opened their homes by reaching out to Kashmiri students who may be stranded in parts of India. Inputs from Anuraag Singh Kashmiri students arrested Two Kashmiri students Pirzada Tawish Fayaz and Aakib Rasool were arrested on Sunday for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities, Himachal Police spokesperson and SP (law and order) Khushal Sharma said. The students were booked over comments made on a Facebook post in Solan district By PTI NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday attacked the government over the Pulwama terror strike, alleging "huge security lapses", and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "walk the talk". The Congress in the last few days had avoided directly attacking the government after Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that his party is not going to have any conversation over the next couple of days other than the fact that "our most beloved people have been killed, their families need us, and we are going to stand with them". However, signalling a shift in stance on Tuesday, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi tweeted: "Congress highly responsible and very restrained post-Pulwama. Modi pre-2014 made highly provocative statements including resignation calls for then PM (Manmohan Singh) at smallest incident. We do not do so post Uri, post Parliament attack, post-Pulwama. But huge security lapses have to to be plugged for no recurrence," he said. READ| Pulwama attack: SBI to waive loans taken by slain CRPF personnel; to expedite insurance payments Such "huge security lapses" including the "ridiculous idea" of moving 2,500 jawans in 78 vehicles at one go, allowing any civilian vehicle on road simultaneously, ignoring direct written intelligence reports on Jaish suicide attack since December 2018," he tweeted. Is this attention to detail by "56 chest"?, he said. At a press conference on Monday, Singhvi, when asked why the Congress was silent on the alleged "failures" of the government leading to the Pulwama attack, had said he as well as many other Congressmen and non-Congressmen had tweeted their concerns in the first few hours after the attack. Another senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal also hit out at the government over the Pulwama terror attack on Tuesday. "Modi ji you say: It's over, the time to talk. You maybe right, but: It's time to walk the talk," he said in a tweet. "Promise us: No more 'japphis'. No more birthday bashes," he said in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan in December 2015, coinciding with Pakistan's then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's birthday. On Thursday, 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. By Agencies NEW DELHI: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening and was warmly received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport. Modi hugged the visiting Crown Prince with a hug as soon as he got off his plane. In a tweet, Modi said India is "delighted to welcome" the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince arrived here on a less than 30-hour visit, a day after concluding his high-profile tour of Pakistan where he said dialogue was the only way to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan. The Prime Minister and MBS, as the Saudi Crown Prince is also known, will hold bilateral talks tomorrow, during which terrorism is expected to figure prominently, particularly in the backdrop of the Pulwama attack. READ HERE | Why Saudi Crown Prince's visit is important for India and Modi India is likely to raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and the two countries are expected to sign ties to enhance cooperation in various fields during the "landmark event in high-level bilateral ties". Other issues likely to figure in the talks include defence and security. The two sides are expected to sign five MoUs in fields ranging from defence, healthcare etc. A new chapter in bilateral relations Breaking protocol, PM @narendramodi personally recieves HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia as he arrives on his first bilateral visit to India! pic.twitter.com/yVADgQ2IUu Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 19, 2019 According a warm welcome, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday not only received the Crown Prince at the airport in Islamabad but also drove him to PM house. During their talks on Wednesday, Modi and Salman are also expected to look at ways to enhancing defence ties, including having a joint naval exercise, official sources said. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Crown Prince will leave New Delhi around 11:50 PM on Wednesday. His visit comes in the backdrop of the escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group in which 40 CRPF were killed. In a joint statement, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Monday called for avoiding "politicisation" of the UN listing regime at a time when India was stepping up efforts to brand the JeM terror group's chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. The joint statement said the Saudi Crown Prince stressed that dialogue is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region to resolve "outstanding issues" between India and Pakistan. READ HERE | Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman's charm offensive Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said in Islamabad Riyadh will try to "de-escalate" tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama attack. According to the External Affairs Ministry, the talks on investment of US $44 billion by Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in Ratnagiri Refinery project are also likely to take place. India is delighted to welcome HRH Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. pic.twitter.com/wBK1F1UZAA Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 19, 2019 "Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visit to India will be a landmark event in the history of our high-level bilateral engagements and they will certainly take an upward strategic direction, Arab News quoted Indian ambassador in Riyadh Ahmad Javed as saying. #WATCH Delhi: Visuals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman upon the Saudi Crown Prince's arrival in India. pic.twitter.com/WXXcnH8jyC ANI (@ANI) February 19, 2019 In addition, there is a big transformation in Saudi understanding of terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir in the last few years. Saudi made a very strong denouncement of Pulwama terror attack and did not accept Pakistan's narrative. India and Saudi Arabia are also expected to hold joint Naval exercises in the near future in efforts to deepen the defence ties. Recently, Saudi Arabia has ranked India as the 8th strategic partner. Bilateral trade between the countries stood at US$ 27.48 billion during the last financial year 2017-18. India and Saudi Arabia have historically enjoyed close and friendly relations anchored in mutually beneficial partnership and extensive people to people contacts. In recent years, there has been significant progress in bilateral cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including energy security, trade and investment, infrastructure, defence and security. READ HERE | Ahead of Crown Prince's visit, Saudi-Pakistan joint statement causes unease in Delhi About 2.7 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also facilitates Hajj pilgrimage to over 1,75,000 Indians every year. The Saudi Crown Prince has embarked on a four-country Asian tour that besides India, also includes Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia. He recently concluded his Pakistan visit. (With PTI and ANI inputs) Mayank Singh By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is a unit that is continuously in the line of fire and this factor is taking a mental and physical toll on its force. In the last three years, the CRPF has lost over a 100 jawans to suicides, and 123 have been killed in the line of duty. While the nations focus is on the attack that martyred 44 CRPF personnel in Pulwama, the statistics are alarming, and current DG Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar has been working on finding a solution to tackle this. The CRPF is entrusted with leading the internal security duty. It is committed in the Counter Insurgency, Counter Terrorism, Left Wing Extremism (LWE). The poll duties, VIP protection, riot control are other additional duties. An officer posted in Kashmir said, The entire force of about 300,000 personnel remains on duty throughout. 35 battalions are committed in the Northeast states, about 70 are in J&K and around 80 are in LWE operations. The pressure of the job and the family takes its toll on the mental health of the jawans. The force does not have the capacity to provide accommodation to the families and this adds to the stress, said a CRPF officer. While 85% of the force is operationally committed, the other 15% is deployed at places like Ayodhya, Kashi Viswanath, Parliament Duty, VIP duty, which demand administrative and other operational commitments. The other reason that adds to the job stress is a string of ambiguous intelligence inputs that always forces the jawan to be on guard leading to mental saturation. The Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju in March 2018 says that since 2015 till January 2018, 8,725 personnel of CRPF took voluntary retirement and 1,895 resigned from the force. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Congress Monday said if any party tries to take political advantage out of the Pulwama terror attack, the people of this country will not forget and forgive such an action. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, at a press conference, said every person should be under a solemn self-imposed discipline to neither politicise nor cheapen, nor divert and digress the terms of discourse of this debate. "If anyone and I am not at the moment taking the name of anyone or referring to anyone, tries to politicise it, to take political merit or demerit out of it, I do not think the people of this country would at all acknowledge it, recognise it or feed it as a valid form of discourse," he said when asked about BJP leaders raising the terror strike in their speeches. "If any political party, ruling or otherwise, tries to make political capital advantage out of it, I do not think it is for me to say, I think the people of this country will not forget it and forgive," he said. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Neither Pakistan nor any terrorist force can undo this reality. The unprovoked attacks on the students of J&K in different parts of the country is also reprehensible: @DrAMSinghvi Watch the highlights of the press conference: pic.twitter.com/Zj3FGj4crE Congress (@INCIndia) February 18, 2019 Asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi had consulted Congress President Rahul Gandhi about any proposed action against Pakistan, Singhvi said even if there had been any such discussion, no one, not even the Congress as a party would be privy to it because this might well involve issues of national security. READ | Pray for peace instead of spreading more hate: Sania Mirza "All that is in the public domain is what you and I know, that there was a political consultation between parties a couple of days ago, but beyond that, in terms of the confidential nature of the question. Neither I am privy to it nor has anybody talked about it," he said. On why the Congress was silent on the alleged "failures" of the government leading to the Pulwama attack, Singhvi said he as well as many other Congressmen and non-congressmen had tweeted their concerns in the first few hours on it. Earlier, at another press conference, AICC general secretary in-charge of Bihar, Shaktisinh Gohil said for the Congress national interest was above politics. This is why party president Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress party is standing shoulder to shoulder with the government, he said. ALSO READ: Pulwama attack: CRPF cautions people against fake pictures aimed at spreading hatred "Those who have been martyred come from different religions. There are Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs. This is the strength of the country, unity in diversity," he said. "Terrorism is the enemy of humanity, it does not have a colour. Our enemies want to weaken us. But the strength of the nation will never allow such elements to succeed," Gohil said. On Thursday, 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. Shentu Feidong made a Lion-shaped lantern. (Photo: hznews) As Chinese get ready to celebrate the Lantern Festival by lighting various lanterns, lantern makers like Shentu Feidong, a craftsman from Shenao Village, Tonglu County, Hangzhou, East Chinas Zhejiang Province, enter their busiest season of the year. In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple in design and only emperors and noblemen had large ornate ones. Nowadays, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. The craft of lantern designing and making has been listed as intangible cultural heritage in many cities of China, such as Hangzhou. Now a successor of the Shenao colored-lantern design in Hangzhou, Shentu has been interested in art since childhood. He was accepted by an art secondary school, but failed to start his studies after his father was seriously injured in an accident. So, Shentu had to drop out and find a way to raise the family. His tough, harsh life did not crush his faith in the future. He worked a wide range of jobs, from carpenter and welder to embroider. There are no guarantees in life, we have to work hard for our future, Shentu said. Thanks to his practice earlier in life, he is able to turn the designs in his mind into real-life art. In 2013, a Lions Playing Ball lantern design made by Shentu, inspired by a thought of province-level intangible heritage known as Shenao Lions, won the top award in a national lantern competition. Although he works as a manager now, Shentu still practices his work. Meanwhile, he is also teaches at an art secondary school, where he shares his unique experience in lantern making. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has come out of the financial crisis with the help of friendly countries and the economy has been set on the right path, the governor of the cash-strapped country's central bank has claimed. Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan Tariq Bajwa's remarks coincided with the announcement by Saudi Arabia that it would invest USD 20 billion in Pakistan under various projects. Bawja told an audience at a private university in Lahore on Monday that uncertainty in the economy had ended, while the government was on the right path and it was capable of meeting all economic challenges, Dawn reported. The governor spoke about the current account deficit, which had hit the economy badly during the current financial year. The current account deficit was the real cause of concern for the new government headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan visited friendly countries like China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Malaysia and Turkey to seek investment and managed to get financial help to bridge the external deficit. Bajwa said a plan had been prepared to eliminate the current account deficit. He said the deficit was the biggest hurdle for the country and the government was still negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for a package to minimise it. By ANI SRINAGAR: Pakistan army on Tuesday evening violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in the bordering state of Jammu and Kashmir. The violation took place at around 7 pm. No casualties have been reported so far. According to sources, the Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively. More details are awaited. This comes close on the heels of a terror attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama district on February 14 in which as many as 40 jawans were killed, and many others were injured. READ HERE | 'Pakistan nerve center of terror': India on Imran's Pulwama response On Saturday, an army officer was killed and another injured in a powerful IED blast near the Line of Control in Nowshera sector. Only recently, India had summoned Pakistan High Commission official and had lodged a strong protest at the unprovoked firings along the LoC in the Valley. By PTI MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena's sudden change from its stated opposition to having a poll truck with the BJP was the result of the BJP managers impressing upon the Uddhav Thackeray-led party that it might lose its "negotiating power" in case of BJP emerging as the single largest party after elections, a BJP leader revealed Tuesday. Moreover, the BJP also pointed out a spate of meetings having taken place between Sena's arch-rival MNS and NCP leaders, and the possible backdoor agreement between the two parties. The BJP leader, who was part of negotiations to bring Sena around, also said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party was also told that the MNS and NCP are not politically untouchables for the BJP, which he said came as a "trigger" for Sena to lower its guard. ALSO READ | BJP-Sena's coming together was a foregone conclusion: Sharad Pawar "Though Congress is opposed to forging any kind of alliance with the MNS, the fear of NCP and MNS forming an alliance behind the curtain was conveyed successfully to Shiv Sena leadership," he said. "In one of the recent meetings, it was bluntly communicated to Sena that MNS and NCP are not politically untouchables for BJP," he added. Overcoming their strained ties, the BJP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led party Monday announced to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections together. As per the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP will contest 25 seats and Shiv Sena 23 of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. ALSO READ | Shiv Sena cautions government against any kind of 'war for poll gain' rhetoric The two parties will contest an equal number of seats, after allotting allies their due share of segments, in polls for the 288-member state Assembly, due this year. The BJP leader also acknowledged that Sena's support was crucial for his party for making a comeback to power, especially in the absence of the 2014 "wave". "Everybody in BJP knows that there is no wave like 2014 ahead of Lok Sabha elections now. All we need is to secure the support of like-minded parties in the country. Sena's support thus became crucial as Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second biggest chunk after Uttar Pradesh," he said. Explaining the strategy adopted by the BJP during poll negotiations with the Sena, the leader said the party mainly focused on three points. "Our first argument, which nobody doubted, was that the BJP would anyway emerge as the single largest party after Lok Sabha elections even if it suffers reverses. This means the BJP will be invited first to form government," he said. The leader further said the Sena was told that it would lose more seats than the BJP because "voters tend to favour a party and not a personality in Lok Sabha polls, and that the BJP has both". He said the Sena was told that it would lose its "negotiating power" and end up as one of the smaller allies of the BJP if the latter emerges as the single largest party. At present, Sena has 18 MPs in Lok Sabha, its biggest tally since its inception. It was also conveyed to Sena that the party could claim more portfolios in the Central government if it manages to retain its current stock post elections. "If Sena manages to retain its MPs, it could claim more portfolios rather than Heavy Industries ministry currently held by Sena leader Anant Gite," he said. A senior Sena leader said the party was disappointed from day one over the allotment of an insignificant ministry to Gite. "Sena had wanted better ministries but it could not get any. Now, the picture is changed. Now, the BJP is relying more on NDA and as a larger player among the regional parties, Sena could get better portfolios for its MPs," he said. Another BJP leader said, the party might have to allocate Palghar Lok Sabha seat to Sena though the BJP has won it four times so far. "The 23rd seat which Sena will be contesting is most likely to be Palghar," he said. Sena leadership has been strongly pitching for Palghar seat. In the bypoll held for the tribal-dominated Palghar constituency in 2018, Sena candidate Shrinivas Wanga was defeated by BJP's Rajendra Gavit. The seat was won by Srinivas' father Chintaman Wanga in 2014. His death had necessitated the bypoll. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: A wanted Kashmiri student, on his way to Pakistan, was arrested by the Punjab Police from the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari border. Two other students belonging to the Valley were also arrested by the Himachal Pradesh Police for their alleged "anti-national" activities. As per police sources, 28-year-old Tehseem Ahmad, alias Junaid, from Srinagar was allegedly involved in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and was wanted in a murder case. A lookout circular was also issued against him. Tehseem is allegedly a member of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit. "The officials stopped him on suspicion as he did not have enough luggage and his passport was taken into custody when they came to know that he is wanted as a lookout notice had been issued," said an officer. READ| Pulwama attack masterminded by JeM, ISI; those who pick up gun will be eliminated: Army Meanwhile, two Kashmiri students Pirzada Tawish Fayaz and Aakib Rasool were arrested on Sunday from Solan in Himachal Pradesh for their alleged anti-national activities. They were studying at the Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni of Solan district. They were arrested on the basis of a complaint from Neeraj Bhardwaj of Ber village in Solan. In his complaint, Bhardwaj alleged that Fayaz had posted "anti-national" comments on his Facebook page. A case was registered at Sadar Police Station in Solan on charges of imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration and acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention. Earlier, the police had arrested Tahseen Gul of Srinagar who was studying at Chitkara University in Baddi for his remarks on Facebook and photo-video sharing app Instagram. Also, a Kashmiri student of Swami Devi Dyal College in Barwala town of Haryana was suspended after he allegedly posted a WhatsApp status on the Pulwama attack saying, Jaish the bestmore to come. By PTI NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) Tuesday asked Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik to initiate "speedy investigation" into the alleged harassment of journalist Barkha Dutt on social media. In the letter to the police chief, the commission said it has come across media reports about Dutt's allegation that she had received threat calls and had been harassed on social media after she offered to help Kashmiris who were being targeted. Dutt had also tweeted to Delhi Police apprising them of the matter, the letter said. "It is requested to initiate speedy investigation in the matter and take action as per the law," the letter added. Dutt tweeted thanking the commission for taking up the matter with the Delhi Police. "Thank you #NCW and Rekha Sharma for raising this with Delhi Police. I await the response of @DelhiPolice - I have filed my formal complaint with them yesterday," she posted on the micro-blogging site. I had close to 1000 abusive messages and calls in a Cordinated and violent mob attack. These included a message to shoot me, a nude photo, many sexually abusive messages. I outed the men who did this. Twitter locked me till many of the details were taken down. I wroe this to them pic.twitter.com/XRyx9xbjcV barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 19, 2019 Dutt sought to help Kashmiris living outside the state after reports said that they were being targeted in the wake of the recent Pulwama attacks, where 40 CRPF personnel were killed after a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus. Kanu Sarda and Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The trial of Kulbhusan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for spying, hopelessly fails to satisfy even minimum standards of due process and should be declared unlawful, India told the International Court of Justice at The Hague on Monday. Pakistani military courts are not independent and the proceedings before them fall far short of national and international fair trial standards, senior advocate and former Solicitor General of India Harish Salve told the court. Judges of military courts are military officers who are part of the executive branch of the government and do not enjoy independence from the military hierarchy, said Salve. Pakistan will present its case on Tuesday. Claiming that there was no doubt that Pakistan was using Jadhav as a propaganda tool, he said no credible evidence was provided by Pakistan to show his involvement in any act of terrorism, and his purported confession was clearly coerced. Pakistan knowingly, brazenly and willingly violated international law, he added, noting that an FIR was filed almost a month after Jadhavs arrest. India was denied consular access despite 13 requests to the neighbouring country. Pakistan was embarrassed to even disclose charges against him, Salve said, adding: considering the trauma he has been subjected to over the past three years, it would be in the interest of justice of making human rights a reality, to direct his release. Tool for security men to harass people of Kashmir The details have been sought from the PIB office in J&K as well, said a MIB official. Suhail Naqshbandi, a political cartoonist with Greater Kashmir, said such a monitoring exercise would muzzle dissent from within the Valley. Art is art... As a political cartoonist, my job is to show the mirror. I do not recall artists doing anything illegal, said Naqshbandi. According to Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a political analyst from the Valley, the move is to appease Indian vote banks. There are already so many laws sedition law, Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA), Public Safety Act. what is the point of issuing such an order? asked Hussain. Kashmir already has a situation where freedom of expression gets trampled every day. This would become another tool in the hands of security agencies to harass people. No legal training Pak military court judges are not required to have judicial or legal training or even a law degree, nor do they enjoy any tenure security - prerequisites of judicial competence, independence 617 people convicted: By PTI AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government has formed a special board for the transgender community, an official release said Monday. The 'Transgender Welfare Board' has been constituted by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment to provide social security to the community, it said. After the Supreme Court recognised transgenders as a third gender in 2014, the union ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had constituted an expert committee to examine various issues of the community, the release said. Based on the committee's findings, the apex court had asked state governments to constitute welfare boards for the the transgender community, it added. The new board will have the state social justice and empowerment minister as its chairman. It will have 16 other members, including two transgender-women representatives, two male transgenders, two from the eunuch community and two representatives of NGOs. The rest of the members will be government officials. It will work for uplift and development of the transgender community, it said. As a state-run agency, the board will have powers to introduce special schemes for the community, the release added. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Centre has constituted a high-level committee, comprising top bureaucrats, to recommend the quantum and price or price band for sale of 'enemy shares' worth Rs 3,000 crore. The move comes nearly two years after Parliament amended the Enemy Property Act to ensure that the successors of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during partition and 1962 war respectively will have no claim over the properties or shares left behind in India. The high-level committee, to be jointly headed by Union Home Secretary and Secretary, Department of Investment and Public Assets Management, may recommend the quantum and price or price band for sale of enemy share or the principles or mechanism or method for sale of enemy share to the high-power committee, headed by Union Home Minister, according to a home ministry notification. Before making any recommendation to the high power committee, the high- level committee shall seek from the custodian of enemy property for India to certify that the sale of enemy share is not in contravention of any judgment, decree or order of any court, tribunal or other authority or any law for the time being in force and can be disposed of by the government, it said. The members of the high level committee are: secretary, department of investment and public assets management (co-chair), secretary, home ministry (co-chair), secretary or representative, not below the rank of joint secretary of the department of economic affairs, secretary or representative, not below the rank of joint secretary of the department of legal affairs, custodian of enemy property for India besides others. The notification said as an alternative mechanism, the central government may constitute a high-power committee consisting of the home minister, finance minister and minister of road transport and highways. The high-power committee shall, on the basis of the recommendation made by the high-level committee, decide the quantum and price or price band for sale of enemy share or the principles or mechanism or method for sale of such share. On the basis of the decisions of the high power committee, the custodian of enemy property for India may sale the enemy share under its custody in accordance with the procedure specified in any law for the time being in force, the notification said. The 'enemy property' refers to any property belonging to, held or managed on behalf of an enemy, an enemy subject or an enemy firm. The government has vested these properties in the custodian of enemy property for India, an office instituted under the central government. After the India-China war of 1962 and Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, the Enemy Property Act was enacted in 1968, which regulates such properties and lists the custodian's powers. A total 6,50,75,877 shares in 996 companies of 20,323 shareholders are under the custody of custodian of Enemy Property for India, which is worth about Rs 3,000 crore, according to a government estimate. Of these companies, 588 are functional or active companies, 139 of these are listed with remaining being unlisted. In a reply to Parliament, the government had said the total valuation of immovable enemy property in the country stands at Rs 1.04 lakh crore. The total number of immovable property with the custodian of enemy property is 9,280 which is spread over around 11,773 acres of land. By Express News Service Days after the Supreme Court sacked two employees for allegedly tampering with a judicial order seeking the personal appearance of Anil Ambani in a contempt case, two high court chief justices received calls from someone pretending to be Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, seeking the elevation of certain advocates as judges. The matter came to light during routine talks between the CJI and the two judges. The CJI immediately ordered an internal inquiry. A formal complaint was also lodged with the Delhi Police. According to the complaint, the impersonator imitated the CJIs voice and spoke to Telangana Chief Justice B Radhakrishnan and L Narayana Swamy, the acting chief justice of the Karnataka High Court, and asked them to recommend the names of certain advocates for elevation as judges of the high courts. The calls appeared to have originated from the SCs board, but initial probe found they had been made from a mobile phone. According to officials privy to the situation, the CJI has now issued an advisory to all Chief Justices and other judges of all high courts not to entertain any calls by his name or those that claim to have come from his office. Gogoi is also learnt to have met officials from the telecommunication wing to understand as to how the calls were made using internal Supreme Court telephone lines from outside. An initial probe found that the calls may have come from a mobile phone. Inside line A preliminary probe has found the calls originated from the courts private branch exchange system but had been made from a mobile phone Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: Trashing Pakistan prime minister Imran Khans statement that India had no evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the Pulwama terror attack, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday asked if New Delhi should send the dead bodies of soldiers as proof. What proof is he talking about, should we take the bodies there? Masood Azhar is in Pakistan and doing things from there, and everyone knows it. Every day our soldiers are being killed at the Line of Control so whos killing them? asked Amarinder, declaring that the entire world knew of Pakistan's wrongdoing in Kashmir and other parts of the world. They (Pakistan) were behind 26/11 and India gave all the proof to them, but they did nothing, Amarinder said, pointing out that even in the Pathankot blast, a Pakistani grenade was used, which clearly exposed their involvement. READ| Kulbhushan case: Jadhav was an instrument of India's official policy of terror, argues Pakistan at ICJ Dear @ImranKhanPTI you have Jaish chief Masood Azhar sitting in Bahawalpur & masterminding the attacks with ISI help. Go pick him up from there. If you cant let us know well do it for you. BTW what has been done about the proofs of Mumbais 26/11 attack. Time to walk the talk, the Chief Minister later tweeted. Days after the Pulwama terror attack, the Pakistan prime minister on Tuesday said that India is blaming his country without any proof. Imran is a 'Courtesy ISI' prime minister, so how else can one expect him to react, the Chief Minister added. Amarinder said the Pakistani prime minister, along with their Army Chief General Bajwa, were killing Indian soldiers and innocent people. India cannot and should not tolerate this, he said, reiterating that if they kill one of ours, we should kill two. The dam on the Stung Russei Chrum (Photo courtesy of China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric Project Company) The China-built Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydropower Project, the largest hydroelectric project in Cambodia generating more than 5.2 billion kilowatt hours since 2013, was hailed as a precious gift from Chinese people by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Peoples Daily reported on Feb. 18. The hydropower station, consisting of two parts, namely the upper dam and lower dam, is located on the Stung Russei Chrum in Koh Kong province in southwest Cambodia. The BOT project, which is an investment project of China Huadian Corporation, was inaugurated during April 2010 and electricity production started from December 2013, with an annual generation capacity of almost 1.2 billion kilowatt hours on average over the years. The annual output of the plant accounted for over 30 percent of Cambodias national electricity in peak years, said Xie Yiming, general manager assistant of China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric Project Company. In the past four years from 2014, the figure remained around 20 percent, Xie added. Le Jianhua, general manager of China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric Project Company, noted that the power project has been a key power supply project in Cambodia, ensuring the electricity in both work days and major holidays such as Cambodian New Year and Sea Festival. The Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydropower Project will provide one billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually for Cambodia at a lower price after being put into use, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced at the completion ceremony, adding that the electricity price will be lowered year by year from 2015. At present, Cambodian residents have easier access to low-priced electricity, paying only $0.16 per kilowatt hour, and an increasing number of families are willing to buy televisions, electric fans, air conditioners and other home appliances. Before that, the majority of Cambodians could not afford electricity, which was as expensive as $0.9 per kilowatt per hour, and blackouts were prevalent nationwide. In addition, thousands of job opportunities were created thanks to the China-sponsored hydropower projects, and the low-priced electricity has contributed to the development of other sectors in Cambodia, including the textile industry, architecture, and manufacturing. Now, China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric Project Company has nearly 100 Chinese staff and more than 100 employees from Cambodia. More than 2,000 local workers were recruited for the hydropower project in the construction phase. It can be expected that more job opportunities, such as maintenance staff along with professional training sessions will be provided for locals. The company has become a star enterprise in Cambodia, said General Manager Le, who believed that the hydropower station will become a demonstration project of friendly cooperation between peoples from China and Cambodia. Many open-day activities have been held for Cambodian people to better know Chinas projects and technology. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: India on Monday played down Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Sauds decision to grant Pakistan $20 billion in aid a day before his arrival in New Delhi on his first state visit Tuesday. Prince Salman, who has been linked to the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October, is on a three-nation tour of Asia, which began in Pakistan on Sunday. He returned to Riyadh on Monday evening and arrives in Delhi on Tuesday evening. New Delhi had reservations over his coming to India from Pakistan. He is expected to leave for Beijing on Wednesday. But more than the aid, the joint statement released at the end of his visit to Pakistan is likely to leave New Delhi uncomfortable. Not only does it laud Pakistans efforts in the war against terror, but in a clear reference to Indias attempt to get Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar listed as a terrorist by the United Nations, underlined the need for avoiding politicisation of UN listing regime. The Saudi Crown Prince also praised openness and efforts of Prime Minister Imran Khan for dialogue with India and the opening of the Kartarpur crossing point and the efforts exerted by both sides, stressing that dialogue is the only way to ensure peace and stability in the region to resolve outstanding issues, the joint statement issued in Islamabad says. While India will roll out the red carpet for the royal visit, diplomats in Delhi are likely to face some uncomfortable questions over the Saudi-Pak joint statement during the visit. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The Additional Director General (ADG) of Police Jasvir Singh met his nemesis on last Thursday when he was suspended by the Uttar Pradesh government for making controversial statements, including condemning Yogi governments encounter police, in an interaction with a news portal late last month. Singh, a UP cadre IPS officer of 1992 batch, was holding the post of ADG (Rules and Manual) when suspended. A civil engineer and a lawyer prior to joining police force, Jasvir Singh from Hoshiarpur in Punjab, had hit the headlines when he, as Maharajganj SP, had invoked National Security Act against the then Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath in 2002 in case dating back to 1995. However, Singh was shifted to Food cell of UP police just two days after the incident by BSP government in the state. The police officer said in his a January 30 interview that he had paid a price for trying to hold politicians and ministers to account. IPS Singhs plain talking about the alleged corruption in food and civil supplies department being helmed by the then minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya in Mulayam Singhs regime resulted in his transfer out of food cell of UP police in 2003. The officer had accused the minister of corruption in infamous food scam of Lakhimpur Kheri in 2003. In conversation with the news portal, Singh said: There can be no compromises in criminal offences. I am an IPS officer, it should stand for something. However, Principal Secretary (home) Arvind Kumar confirmed that the ADG was suspended for violation of code of conduct for government servants and service rules. Action was initiated against the ADG for two reasons for making controversial statements in an interview to a news portal and for his unauthorised absence from duty since February 4. The officer went on leave without getting it sanctioned from competent authorities, he added. In the interview, the ADG had said that he was given dead-end postings in his career as he tried to hold politicians and ministers accountable. The articles claimed that as per the admission of the IPS officer, in his 26 years of service, Singh has held posts entailing actual police work for only six years. For the remaining 20 years, the IPS officer was stuck in dead-end postings, with little to do. Detested by his superiors, shunned by his colleagues, he had been written off as a troublemaker. Even his current posting offers him literally nothing to do but read books of his choosing back-to-back while sitting in the office from sharp 9:30 am to 6:30 pm. The ADG might have drawn the wrath of administration as he went on record condemning the encounter policy of the present dispensation in UP. You are killing people in the name of democracy. How does that happen? he puts a poser to the interviewer in the article. Speaking of encounter killings under any political regime, the suspended ADG has said, Only rival gangs are eliminated. It is not even equitable elimination? Incorruptible, single and now a diabetic, the ADG has had two facial paralytic attacks so far. It is famous about him that before getting an official vehicle, he used to go to office on motorcycle with his bodyguard riding pillion way back in 2007 when he had already put in 15 years into service. However, attempts to contact the ADG went in vain as his mobile phone was switched off. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Tuesday expressed concern over thousands of illegal migrants being kept in detention centers for years in Assam without being repatriated or deported to their countries of origin. "Don't you think some explanation is called from state government as to why these people are detained for such a long period? Many of them have been detained for last 9-10 years. What is the justification," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. Mehta, who was appearing for the Assam government, said there was a need for evolving a mechanism for repatriating them and it should be done expeditiously. The solicitor general explained the nitty-gritty involved in dealing with the illegal migrants whose verification were done to determine their nationality before deporting them from the detention centers. However, the bench also comprising justices L Nageswara Rao and Sanjiv Khanna raised several issues connected with the detention center and said that the detainees cannot be held for an indefinite period. "For all these years, the living condition at the detention centers are far from satisfactory. People are detained for the last 10 years. You are unable to repatriate them," the bench said adding that "condition in the detention centre are sub-human and it is pathetic." The bench, which agreed to the request of the solicitor general to give him two weeks' time to address the concerns raised by it, posted the matter for March 13. In the order, the bench noted that after going through the affidavits of the Centre and the state government and the submissions made, "there was a need for judicial intervention in the matter". It said that the Centre and the Assam government will have to come out with a clear stand on various issues by holding joint meetings with competent authorities of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs. The bench said there was a need for a clear stand on the issue of living conditions at the detention centres which are sub-human and there is need for "justification for long detention of people as the Assam government has itself said that some of the detainees are there for 9-10 years". Further, it said reference has been made of push back policy as the deportation process which was prevalent till March 2013. The bench was categorical that the affidavit filed by the Assam government has not covered all the issues. The solicitor general was responding to the January 28 queries of the apex court which had asked the Centre and the state to provide details of functional detention centres in Assam and the foreigners detained in them during the last 10 years. He told the apex court that 938 people are lodged in six detention centres in Assam and 823 of them have been declared foreigners by tribunals. The bench was told by Mehta that both the Centre and the state have filed their affidavits providing details sought by the apex court. The Centre said over 27,000 foreigners have been pushed back at border points while attempting to enter India illegally. The solicitor general said the Centre has allotted Rs 47 crore and Assam has provided land for building a new detention centre with various facilities, keeping in mind issues covering human rights. He said the new detention centre will be ready by August 31. However, when Mehta was making his submissions, the bench posed him several questions. It also said that tribunal has declared only 52,000 as foreigners and the Centre has deported only 166. "We are concerned that how 52,000 illegal immigrants will be going to be deported. You follow the policy of pushing them from one place and they come back from another place. If the country of origin does not take them back that is also a problem. How the government of India is going to handle such problem. If you have to send them to the country of origin you cannot allow them to remain free. You have to put them at a secure place. It is alleged that they are treated as sub-human," the bench said, adding "How can people have confidence in Assam government?" The bench also referred to the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC) carried by the Assam government and said 40 lakh people were not included in it. It asked does this mean they are foreigners. The apex court further said that the problem of illegal migrants in Assam has been there for the last 50 years. "Why no steps taken to deport or repatriate them," it asked, adding that the Assam government is creating problems in all districts and since "you have been appearing in the NRC, you must be aware". Mehta said all illegal migrants have to go and he would take instructions how to expedite repatriation. The apex court also sought to know the condition of detention centres saying PIL alleges sub-human conditions there. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by activist Harsh Mander through advocate Prashant Bhushan on the plight of foreigners in detention centres. The plea alleges that they are kept in detention indefinitely just because they are not Indians and are treated as "illegal aliens". Bhushan, during the hearing, cited the report of the NHRC repertoire, of which Mander was the chief, to buttress that illegal migrants are kept in detention centres without following the rights issue and they lack even the basic facilities of recreation and parole provisions. The bench said detention centres should have activities like chess, volleyball, carom and yoga as means of recreation. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: The deadly suicide bombing in Pulwama, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, has raised serious questions on whether the forces and the local intelligence agencies can effectively deal with the threat of militancy in the Valley. "How is it that nobody saw it coming? It's evident that the terrorists executed the attack after meticulous planning. The plan wasn't fleshed out overnight. It's also likely that they carried out dry runs. It would have taken them months to arrange the vehicle rigged with explosives that was used for the bombing," a retired police officer said. He said it's also likely that the vehicle was prepared for the attack by an IED expert and not an ordinary militant. "Since all top homegrown militant commanders, some of whom were IED experts, were killed by the forces over the last two years, it seems that the Pulwama attack was the handiwork of Pakistani terrorists, who might have sneaked into the Valley for this very task," the official added. Another big question is how the security and intelligence agencies failed to get information about the militants planning a suicide attack despite having assets on the ground. The official said now that it has been established that RDX was used in the bombing, it needs to be investigated from where the explosive material was procured. ALSO READ | Pulwama kind of incident doesnt take place without security lapse somewhere: Former RAW chief Vikram Sood "Did it (RDX) come from across the Line of Control (LoC) or outside the state? In either case, our security and intelligence officials have a lot to answer. How did they not detect the smuggling of explosives into Kashmir," he said. Another official said that the attack was perhaps the result of complacency in the security establishment. "Due to a string of successful operations against the militants, an element of complacency might well have crept into our security and intelligence agencies. They possibly lowered their guard and failed to detect the planning for this attack," he said. The bigger question, he said, is how the militants managed to smuggle such a huge quantity of RDX into the Valley. "It's being said that the bomber joined the CRPF convoy from a link road, about half-a-kilometre from the spot where the attack took place. Why didn't the Road Opening Parties (ROPs) stop the attacker? They should have stopped the vehicle instead of letting it run parallel and eventually overtake the other vehicles in the convoy," the official said. Sajin Shrijith By Express News Service One of the factors that make Prithvirajs latest release, 9, such an immersive big-screen experience is the synthesizer-heavy background score of Sekhar Menon. The actor/musicians work helped bring to the narrative a sense of urgency and one cant imagine the film without it. Sekhars score is reminiscent of the works of popular Hollywood composers like Hans Zimmer and Johan Johansson. Synthesizers are my weakness, and we have used it a lot in 9, says Sekhar, who works on an advanced synthesizer called the ROLI Seaboard, which has also been endorsed by maestro A R Rahman. 9, directed by Jenuse Mohammed, is Sekhars first full-fledged work as a composer. Sekhar wrote the background score while Shaan Rahman composed the songs. Sekhar had previously contributed for individual tracks in the films, Mayaanadhi and Parava, in collaboration with composer Rex Vijayan. ALSO READ: '9' film review Incidentally, it was through Mayaanadhi director Aashiq Abus Da Thadiya that Sekhar made his acting debut. Sekhar had also appeared in Aashiqs Gangster, Ranjiths Kadal Kadannoru Mathukutty, Jis Joys Bicycle Thieves, and Jenuses directorial debut 100 Days of Love. On his decision to do 9, Sekhar says, When I heard the script, I asked Jenuse what kind of music he was looking for because it wasnt a normal script. It certainly required something different and unique. At that point, Jenuse hadnt even decided on the composer. So I asked him if I could try something, and he gave me the go-ahead. He liked 2-3 tracks Id written, and asked me to write the score. I came up with 4-5 tracks before the shoot, and those helped them plan the shots accordingly. Obviously, I had to make minor changes to the music after filming and during post-production.Since Sekhar and Jenuse are beginners in the industry, the two made sure that the work they produced was of the highest quality. ALSO READ: Supriya Menon Prithviraj on turning producer with '9', motherhood and more Jenuse was very particular about not just the music but also the other technical departments. 9 has a subject that demanded a high level of technical support. By Gods grace, everything turned out well. Of course, some people didnt understand the story, but then everyone has their way of comprehending and interpreting a film. Im happy that a film I worked on is currently being talked about on social media, says Sekhar. Calling himself a work in progress, Sekhar says he works best when he gets to write the music before the footage is shot. It enhances the whole process. And we can only write music for whatever is in the script. The music should serve the film and not the other way around. And the fact that Jenuse was open-minded about my method worked to our advantage. Ultimately, its the film that should stand out, not my music alone. My music can stand out only when the film stands out. And I prefer listening to a directors vision rather than anyone elses because ultimately its he who makes the film. If the director is also the writer of the film (like Jenuse is), then it would be most ideal. When asked about his future projects, Sekhar tells us he is in the middle of forming a band called Basic Organics. We hope to explore different musical genres. Currently, we are in the initial stages. I would be able to talk more about it once I start becoming more active with it. Funk and jazz will the predominant genres. I found myself gravitating more towards jazz lately. Ive been working on it for the past 5-6 years. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Wealthy buyers evincing interest in a property at a posh Delhi locality is routine, but this particular house was sold to five separate parties! An MBA graduate from London and her mother were arrested for duping the buyers of Rs 2.5 crore with the help of forged documents of their Greater Kailash house. A probe revealed that Anuradha Kapoor, 43, hatched the conspiracy with her Molly, 65, some four-five years ago to make a quick buck, the police said on Monday. Anuradha and Molly Kapoor face three cases in the city | Express After cheating the five people, they were leading a lavish life in five-star hotels of Delhi-NCR. They also made trips to the UK, the US, Singapore, Australia and Sri Lanka and were planning to net new targets, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Southeast, Ghanshyam Bansal said. Bansal said three cases of cheating and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were registered against the mother-daughter duo. Sincere efforts were made earlier but no clue was found. Therefore, both the accused were declared proclaimed offenders by a Metropolitan Magistrate at Saket Court, the Additional DCP said. The two had been absconding since then. The mother and the daughter were nabbed from Surya Hotel, New Friends Colony on Saturday after the police got a tip-off about their whereabouts. Anuradha is a commerce graduate from Delhi University and went to London University to pursue MBA (Finance). After returning from the UK, she worked as a freelance stock consultant, the police said. She told the police that she had hatched the conspiracy along with her mother to cheat gullible buyers in order to earn to quick money and live a lavish life. Now, the two women are facing cases of cheating lodged against them at Defence Colony and Greater Kailash police stations. Probe reveals shady past The Delhi Police found Anuradha was allegedly on the run after she had come out on bail in a separate case in Goa in 2015. The Goa Police had arrested the Delhi woman in connection with the murder of a casino agent there. By PTI NEW DELHI: A foreign national was killed and three persons were injured on Monday after a speeding Bentley car hit an autorickshaw in Lutyens' Delhi, police said. The incident took place around 1.32 pm after which police rushed to the spot, they added. The speeding luxury car was being driven by 19-year-old Ashis Singh Chadha, nephew of business tycoon Ponty Chadha. In 2012, Ponty Chadha was killed along with his brother after both sides fired at each other. Ashis was caught by locals after the accident and was handed over to police. The autorickshaw was carrying three women who belong to Turkmenistan. One of the women succumbed to injuries, while the other two women are currently undergoing treatment at a city hospital, police said. The auto driver was also injured in the accident, which happened on Vinay Marg in Chanakyapuri, which houses several embassies, they added. The car hit a lamppost after hitting the autorickhsaw. The front portion of the car was completely damaged, while the autorickshaw was mangled after the accident. The blood samples of the errant car driver did not reveal any traces of alcohol. (With online desk inputs) Bullet trains arrive at the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. (Photo: Xinhua) The worlds first 5G railway station will come into service at Shanghais Hongqiao Railway Station later this year, delivering easy connection to the Internet via the super-fast network for all passengers in a public place for the first time. China Mobile (Shanghai) and Huawei jointly held the launching ceremony for the 5G digital indoor system (DIS) at the station on Monday, a busy railway pivot that transports nearly 60 million passengers every year. Indoor telecommunication is vital for the future of 5G. About 70 to 80 percent of all data consumption is on indoor networks, mostly in public spaces with lots of people, such as at airports, railway stations, and shopping malls. Hongqiao Railway Station is leading the 5G commercial deployment in Shanghai, said Zhang Jianming, vice director of the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Information Technology. The new service will bring a new travel experience and passengers will get more out of their journey. The station will show how 5G applications can improve the experience of traveling and offer real benefits to the public. It will also help to speed up data transmission in more aspects of the digital economy, according to Zhang. The commercial use of 5G will come much faster than most people expected. Were ready for the new era, said Peter Zhou, chief marking officer of Huawei Wireless Network Product Line. Known as one of the largest railway stations in China, the passenger flow at Hongqiao Railway Station in Shanghai reaches 200,000 per day. Supported by informational infrastructure, the station is on the highway of making intelligent service. Anjani Trivedi By Bloomberg Jaguar Land Rover suffered a $4 billion loss this month. Credit investors need to start worrying about whats coming next. The fourth-quarter loss announced by the Tata Motors Ltd.-owned company earlier this month was driven by a 3.1 billion pound ($3.9 billion) impairment charge. Though thats non-cash, already-elevated yields on some of the U.K. units bonds spiked: Getting Pricey JLR hasn't been able to ride the global high-yield bond rally Its not hard to see why. Half of the value of the writedown some 1.55 billion pounds comes out of tangible assets, which now wont generate the value the company previously thought due to weak market conditions in China, technology disruptions, and rising debt costs. The rest is on intangibles, representing money thats already flowed out of the business. Of the cash spent on products and investments (a measure the company uses to assess investment in future technologies and growth), a big chunk relates to expenditure on intangibles such as technology and intellectual property. The pertinent question is why management waited so long to write down these investments. Its annual report last year noted that there was a risk of an impairment due to optimistic expectations of future sales volumes and/or gross margins. It also said there was a chance that changing technology plans (e.g. electrification) and industry trends (e.g. reducing diesel sales) are not properly considered in the impairment calculations. So why is it only now that these expenses were judged to be too high? Did no one kick the tires on what the returns would be, or consider whether they should have been writing down these assets faster? With so little detail, its hard to know whether the impairments just taken should now be considered conservative, or aggressive. The charge should also be a warning for Jaguar Land Rovers increasingly precarious cash and liquidity position. The companys liquidity all its cash plus a 1.94 billion pound revolving credit facility due in 2022 has deteriorated dramatically in the past two years, dropping to around 4.4 billion pounds. Meanwhile its total debt has continued to rise, to 4.7 billion pounds as of Dec. 31. While its persistently negative free cash flows have improved from the depths of the first fiscal half, S&P Global Ratings estimates that its measure of free operating cash will continue to be significantly in the red for two years. If the cash burn matches the average 670 million pounds a quarter seen since March 2017, JLR may struggle to make it through another year. Meanwhile, debt to Ebitda is rising, and Jaguar Land Rovers implied equity value, based on a sum-of-the-parts analysis of Tata Motors, is shrinking. The company continues to spend billions of pounds on investment and hundreds of millions more in dividends to its parent, despite deepening operational woes that weve written about here and here. Worryingly, operating cash flow is falling relative to capital expenditure, making it harder to pay for investments without dipping into debt. If the companys attempts to deliver on its cost-cutting program continue failing to deliver and sales dont improve, further spending on tangible assets will be the only credible way to improve cash flows but Jaguar Land Rover is already backed too far into that particular corner. Free cash flow remains in the red, at a negative 361 million pounds in the December quarter. Management has attributed that to the pace of its technology investments, but given the weak return on previous expenditures investors are entitled to ask whether future spending could do any better. One option out there is financial support from Tata Motors. But the Indian business doesnt look strong enough for the task, with an improvement in its commercial vehicle unit already slowing. Such a bailout would be hard to administer without damaging a business that has only just emerged from Jaguar Land Rovers shadow. Another is that 1.9 billion pound undrawn revolving credit facility but the moment Jaguar Land Rover taps its loan of last resort, investors will take it as a sign of a severe cash crunch. Burn Baby Burn Jaguar Land Rover's free cash flow is likely to remain in the red. Management hasnt been shy to tap debt markets, but investors there are demanding an increasingly high price. While global junk bonds have rallied this year, Jaguar Land Rovers 4.5 percent bonds due 2026 have moved in the opposite direction. If it goes back to the market for more cash, its hard to see how a business with deteriorating liquidity and few other options could sell paper for less than 8 percent, the current yield on the 2026 notes. In China, Jaguar Land Rover continues to perform far worse than its luxury peers, as weve written. Its underwhelming turnaround plan has only realized about a fifth of its 2.5 billion pounds savings target. Investors should hope management stops the cash from bleeding as fast as it has been spending. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP, its owners and New Indian Express. By Tahra Johnson New OrleansLast month, 24 legislators and legislative staff from 23 states, along with researchers and policy experts, convened in New Orleans to kick off NCSLs Maternal and Child Health Fellows program. The Fellows are an exceptional group of state legislative leaders in maternal and child health policy. Among the Fellows are current or former physicians, OBGYNs, public health experts, teachers and small business owners, who are serving in state legislatures in the 2019 legislative session. Participating legislators and staff either chair a health-related committee or were nominated by state leaders to participate. This weekend-long conference provided legislators and legislative staff the opportunity to hear from a variety of experts and their peers. Topics covered included working with state departments of health, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), Medicaid waivers, children and maternal mental health, and infant and maternal mortality. See the full agenda and resources. During the ACEs session, Dr. Jay Butler, former commissioner of health for the Alaska Department of Health, explained the research and science behind how early experiences in life can impact an individuals health and wellbeing later in life and how trauma-informed care can mitigate some long-term impacts. Read NCSLs issue brief to learn more about ACEs and policies intended to address the issues. Legislators participated in a session examining childrens mental health and maternal mental health with experts from Mental Health America and the Boston Childrens Hospital. Learn more about childrens mental health policies in NCSLs Legisbrief. The session on maternal and infant mortality generated a lively discussion about the root causes of health disparities and inequities. Fellows discussed concerns about the poor numbers in the United States and how state maternal mortality review committees and hospital bundles may reduce maternal mortality rates. To learn more about how states are addressing maternal mortality, read Maternity Care in Crisis in NCSL's State Legislatures magazine The Fellows also attended a joint session with the Opioid Policy Fellows. Calder Lynch, senior counselor to the CMS administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), provided state lawmakers with an overview of Medicaid waivers related to reducing and treating substance use disorders and improving maternal and child health. He also shared information on federal funding opportunities for states. The kickoff meeting was a part of the new Maternal and Child Health Fellows program under the Supporting State Maternal and Child Health Policy Innovations Program (MCH PIP) funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau in the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Supporting MCH PIP is a five-year cooperative agreement program that aims to support innovative state-level policy initiatives that improve access to quality health care for the maternal and child population. The MCH PIP engages four national stakeholders, who represent key state-level policymakers and maternal and child health programs, in developing these policy initiatives. Other components of this project include two webinars and a second in-person meeting later in 2019. Tahra Johnson is a program director in NCSL's Health Program. Email Tahra By Colleen Becker Much like Newtons third law of motion, 2018 proved to be a year of action and reaction for state legislatures and their insurance marketplaces. With uncertainty and confusion about what effect federal level policies would have, state legislatures responded with a variety of approaches to maintain or broaden coverage and stabilize their health insurance marketplaces. One of the first actions of President Donald Trumps administration was the repeal of the individual mandate penalty. Experts warned this could cause consumer confusion compelling many individuals to forego buying a policy and drop out of the marketplaces. Two states, Vermont and New Jersey, as well as Washington, D.C., responded by passing their own mandates. Massachusetts mandate has been in place since 2006. Some states had a different reaction to the repeal. Nineteen states sued the federal government in Texas v. Azar, arguing that by zeroing out the penalty, this invalidated the entirety of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While the federal government, so far, has opted not to defend the law, 16 states are fighting to uphold it. The Trump administration also relaxed the rules around short-term, limited-duration plans and association health plans. These plans are not required to comply with the ACAs consumer protections, nor are they required to cover the essential health benefits mandated in the ACA. Proponents suggest that these plans will give consumers a lower-cost coverage option while critics say this approach will exempt these plans from many of the ACAs protections for people with preexisting conditions. Furthermore, they say, it may supersede states ability to regulate health coverage within their borders, creating an environment that could foster fraud and insolvency. Lawmakers in eight states, acting to stabilize their insurance marketplaces, implemented 1332 State Innovation Waivers, also known as State Relief and Empowerment Waivers. The most common 1332 waiver application was for state reinsurance programs. Reinsurance works by cushioning insurers obligations to pay expensive medical claims incurred by their members by covering some of those expenses, usually when they exceed a certain threshold or attachment point. Alaska, Oregon and Minnesota forged ahead with programs beginning in 2018 and are already seeing results. Four additional states, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey and Wisconsin, will implement their reinsurance programs in 2019. Still, others have enacted legislation, but their waivers have not yet been filed or approved. Voters produced a wave of Medicaid expansion in 2018. Ballot initiatives to expand Medicaid passed in Idaho, Utah and Nebraska, while Virginia approved expansion through its annual budget bill. A ballot initiative in Maine was also approved by voters in 2017, but implementation stalled until newly elected Governor Janet Mills issued an executive order in January 2019 directing the states Medicaid agency to move forward with implementation. Thirty-seven states, including the District of Columbia, have now adopted the ACAs Medicaid expansion provision. Governors in Kansas and Wisconsin are also discussing possibly expanding Medicaid in the upcoming session. Another action from the Trump administration was to cut funding to the federal navigator program for 2019 open enrollment in insurance exchanges. Reducing the program by 84 percent since Trump took office in January 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reasoned that public awareness of the marketplace and new coverage options have improved since the ACA was enacted, rendering the program less cost-effective. Though it was ambiguous how these changes would affect the marketplaces, 2019 rate filings in many states stayed relatively flat or experienced decreases. With the federal open enrollment period now over, CMS reports that 8.4 million people enrolled in plans for 2019 compared to 8.7 million the year before. The year ended dramatically with the ruling in Texas v Azar. Justice Reed OConnor of the Texas federal court sided with Republican attorneys general and agreed that, without the individual mandate penalty, the whole ACA was invalid. Several Democratic attorneys general vowed to appeal the decision. Although the fate of the ACA could likely end up in front of the Supreme Court, for now the judge opted to forego a nationwide injunction which would have had the immediate effect of upending all aspects of the law. With 2018 behind us, state legislators on both sides of the aisle continue to reach across it to craft creative solutions that meet the needs of their constituencies. What legislative trends might emerge for 2019 is still anyones guess, but, what is clear is that states will need to stay nimble to act, or react, to an ever-changing health care landscape. Colleen Becker is a policy specialist in NCSL's Health Program. Email Colleen Sports Wozniacki pulls out of Dubai WTA By Nagaland Post | Publish Date: 2/19/2019 1:08:35 PM IST Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki withdrew from the Dubai Championships on Monday due to a viral illness before her first round match against Switzerlands Stefanie Voegele. Wozniacki, who won the 2011 title in Dubai, also missed last weeks Qatar Open because of the issue which she first felt around the Christmas period and the problem lingered with her through the Australian Open. She failed to retain her Melbourne crown after losing to Maria Sharapova in the third round of this years tournament and is yet to return to the court. It sucks. Ive gotten ready to play these two weeks (Doha and Dubai) where I usually play well, the Dane said. If I cant even play at a reasonable level, theres no reason for me to go out there and just play one set - I want to go out there and I want to win, she added. (Zhao Yipu/People's Daily) A bridge of hope is being built in Cambodia by Chinese firm Shanghai Construction Group under China's concessional loan. The bridge, connecting Kampong Cham province and Tbong Khmum province of Cambodia across the Mekong River, will greatly shorten the commuting time between the north central and eastern regions of the country, and that is why it is called a bridge of hope by locals. Reports confirm that there are currently only two bridges between Stung Treng province and Tboung Knmum province. People living far from these two bridges are left with no option but to take devious routes or ferry boats to cross the river. The one under construction between the two existing bridges is of great significance for the transportation and economic development of Cambodias north central region. The 1.1-km bridge is now under construction along with an 8.3-km connecting road by Shanghai Construction Group. Since 2004, the company has helped Cambodia build 1,758 kilometers of roads and six bridges stretching for 6,779 meters in total. The Cambodian government and people are full of expectations regarding the bridge, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2020, said Zhang Huaming, executive manager of the project. This bridge is the hardest one to build though it is only 1,131 meters long. It is more demanding for us to set pilings here as this place has complex hydrological and geographical conditions, an unstable riverbed and thick layers of sand. Our efforts would all be in vain if one single piling went wrong, said Hua Chunfang, a project manager with 13-years working experience in Cambodia. Now, the Chinese project and hard-working Chinese staff are enjoying high reputation among the Cambodian people. Such kinds of compliments were based on the fact that we made a lot of personal sacrifices, added Hua who stayed at the construction site for 12 Spring Festivals, Chinas most important family reunion holiday. The positive working attitude of the Chinese has also pepped up Cambodia workers. I have learned a lot from Chinese technicians who are very strict with the project quality. We have to make sure all test data are accurate, said Takole, a Cambodian lab staff. Chinese technicians are sincere in helping us to build our home. I am proud of having such colleagues, Takole added. Chinas help for Cambodia in infrastructure construction has not only improved local peoples lives but also promoted the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is estimated that Cambodias construction industry will achieve a 14-percent growth in 2019, according to studies. Chinas help could really be of use to Cambodia. We all could see the tangible results, said Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian Prime Minister, when inspecting the bridge project. Prak Sokhonn, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that Cambodia-China friendship and cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative would surely deliver fruitful results for social and economic development in both countries and make contributions to building a prosperous and harmonious community for a shared future. Former Cadreon Boss Joins Annalect as ANZ CEO Darren Stein, the former CEO of IPG's digital marketing services platform Cadreon, has been named Australia and New Zealand CEO of Omnicom's analytics and technology division Annalect. He will join on 1 May 2019. Annalect brings together digital and analytic experts from across Omnicom's speciality divisions. Services offered include media analytics, business intelligence, tools and dashboard systems, econometric modelling (Brand Science), search (Resolution Media) and a DSP trading and data management platform. Stein (pictured) will join after nearly four years at Cadreon, having been named CEO when the firm was merged with insights and analytics agency Anomoly in 2016. Prior to this, he worked for News Corp Australia as Director, Insights, Analytics and Strategy, responsible for creating a new team charged with analysing feedback from both readers and advertisers. Earlier, he spent eight years at telecoms operator Optus, where he latterly worked as General Manager, Insights, Segmentation & Planning, in charge of a team of 40; and he spent two years as an Account Director at Jigsaw Strategic Research. Commenting on the appointment, OMG Australia and New Zealand CEO Peter Horgan said: 'Bringing Darren on board continues our investment into Annalect, and underscores our commitment to provide tech and data solutions, that are seamlessly linked to executional capabilities. His wealth of experience across analytics, data and technology as well as working within global organisations on both the corporate and media side make him a great fit for the team and an asset for our clients.' Web site: www.annalect.com . Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the important progress made in the new round of China-U.S. high-level economic and trade consultations in his meeting with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Feb.15. It was the first time in months that the Chinese President met members of the US team who came to China for trade and economic talks. The meeting proved that the early-stage trade and economic talks have made positive results. It also pointed direction and injected new impetus to the development of bilateral economic and trade relations in the next stage. Cooperation is the best choice for both sides and there are principles for cooperation. In retrospect of the China-US trade talks, the head-of-state diplomacy has always set the tone for the negotiations. On Dec. 1, 2018, President Xi met with his US counterpart President Donald Trump in Argentina. In less than a month, the two heads of state held a phone conversation. The important consensus reached between them to push for mutually beneficial and win-win agreement that benefits the world is driving the two countries to solve disputes step by step. The outcomes of the just-concluded high-level economic and trade talks once again proved that cooperation would lead the two countries forward. Guided by the consensus reached between the two heads of state, as well as the spirit of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, both teams worked actively to maximize common interests, reached consensus in principle on major issues, held specific discussions about a memorandum of understanding on bilateral economic and trade issues, and had in-depth communication on topics of common concern including implementation mechanism, moving forward in solving the disputes. Such outcomes conform to the common expectation of both sides and that of the international community. China and the US are inseparable, and cooperation creates win-win results while confrontation leads to lose-lose scenarios. A China-US relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability serves the fundamental interest of the two peoples. Days ago, seventeen American former politicians and renowned experts on Chinese studies released a report in Washington D.C., calling on the federal government to find solutions to disputes through dialogue and consultation and stressing that China-US hostility harms the interests of both sides. Former US Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin said that the US and China must recognize their common interests in a constructive relationship and take responsive actions, for the current economic interests and for the future of mankind. China has been deepening reforms and expanding opening-up in planned steps, delivering multiple favored policies to foreign enterprises. A series of eye-catching figures have showcased the vitality of the Chinese market. In 2018, the total import and export volume of goods exceeded 30 trillion yuan. In January 2019, the total import and export volume of trade in goods increased by 8.7 percent year on year. During the Spring Festival holiday, Chinas catering and retail sectors' income hit one trillion yuan, and the network transactions of China Union Pay exceeded one trillion yuan. All these have injected confidence into the world to work for common development with China. The international community has witnessed that China is always sharing its development opportunities with people of countries around the world, including the US. Stable profits are created as long as we look at the bigger picture. Economic and trade cooperation is carried out under the bigger framework and the guidance of the major tone. The only choice bearing positive significance for the two sides is to seek common ground while putting aside differences, take a long-term perspective and push for cooperation. The two rounds of trade and economic talks held two weeks apart both made important progress, based on which, the Chinese and US teams will continue the talks in Washington soon. We hope the two sides maintain the good momentum for negotiations and strive for consensus within the timetable set by the two heads of state, so as to promote long-term and stable development of China-US trade relations and benefit the two peoples and people around the world. A visitor checks out Google's AI-powered Arts and Culture display at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference held from Monday to Wednesday in Shanghai.Photo: Yang Hui/GT The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday urged the US to view China's intelligence related laws in a comprehensive and objective manner instead of making one-sided, biased and wrong interpretations. Geng Shuang, spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a routine press conference on Monday that China's National Intelligence Law states not only the obligations of organizations and citizens to lawfully support, assist and coordinate with the country's intelligence service, but also the obligations of the national intelligence service to carry out its work according to law, respect and protect human rights, and uphold the rights and interests of individuals and organizations. There are many provisions in other Chinese laws to protect the rights and interests of organizations and citizens, including data security and privacy, Geng said. Geng's remarks came after US Vice President Mike Pence's recent remarks at the 2019 Munich Security Conference in which he said that the US has been clear with its security partners on the "threat" posed by Huawei and other Chinese telecoms companies, as Chinese law requires them to provide Chinese security departments with access to any data that touches their network or equipment. US officials claimed that under China's National Intelligence Law Chinese companies have to cooperate with the Chinese government on intelligence work. Geng said that he noticed that some US officials have expressed such views several times. Geng said that it is an international practice to maintain state security in the form of legislation and to require organizations and individuals to cooperate with national intelligence work. There are similar laws in the Five Eyes Alliance, namely the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and other Western countries. The Chinese government has required Chinese companies to abide by local laws and regulations when doing business overseas. "China opposes other countries bypassing the common cooperation channels and unilaterally using their domestic laws to force enterprises and individuals to provide them data, information and intelligence located in China," Geng said. China has not and will not require enterprises or individuals to violate local laws and collect or provide Chinese government data, information and intelligence stored in China through "backdoors," said Geng. "The US and a few of its allies apply double standards and mislead the public on this issue to suppress Chinese enterprises' legitimate development rights and interests and interfere in economic behavior through political means, which is hypocritical, immoral and unfair," Geng said. China hopes countries truly abide by the principles of equal competition to maintain a fair, just and nondiscriminatory marketing environment to boost the sound development of related industry cooperation, he said. 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. Today's Headlines Would you like to receive our daily news? Sign up today! Breaking news Sign up for breaking news alerts from morning-times.com!!! Week in Sports Get a weekly local sports round-up from www.morning-times.com every Saturday morning!!! Mora, MN (55051) Today Cloudy with occasional showers for the afternoon. High 72F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early with showers later at night. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. The Palace Museum is lit up on Monday evening for a rehearsal of rare nighttime public tours on Tuesday and Wednesday for visitors who were able to snag the free tickets. (Photo by Song Hongliang/People's Daily Online) When night falls, do things at Beijing's Palace Museum come alive like in the museum depicted in Hollywood's Night at the Museummovies? That may be the hope of lucky guests who snagged tickets for rare nighttime visits by the public to parts of the former Forbidden City for this week's Lantern Festival. It has long been a legend that the imperial complex, China's center of power from 1420 to 1911, is haunted by supernatural spirits at night. Whether true or not, public enthusiasm was intense on Sunday afternoon when the museum unexpectedly announced an extremely rare two nights of visitsfrom 6:30 to 8:00 pm on Tuesday and Wednesdayto parts of the outer walls at no cost to ticket holders. With one exception for a special exhibit in 2015, the Forbidden City had never opened its gates to the public at night since becoming a museum in 1925. When Tuesday's reservations were opened on the museum's official website around 3:30 pm on Sunday, all tickets were booked within 10 minutes. When booking for Wednesday opened at midnight, the system crashed for more than an hour due to overwhelming demand. The free tickets were quickly snapped up when it reopened. The Palace Museum is lit up on Feb 18 evening for a rehearsal of rare nighttime public tours on Feb 19 and Feb 20 for visitors who were able to snag the free tickets. (Photo by Song Hongliang/People's Daily Online) The night visitors will climb up to the Meridian Gate on the south side and walk through the southern and eastern sections of walls, which will be lighted by red lanterns. Hanging such lanterns is traditional during the festival, which falls on Tuesday, the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar. Some areas near the walls will be illuminated to offer guests a better night view. A digital projection will re-create a scene from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) landscape painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, on some of the palace's roofs. The painting is part of a key collection of the museum. All visitors will leave the palace through the Gate of Divine Prowess in the north. The Palace Museum is lit up on Feb 18 evening for a rehearsal of rare nighttime public tours on Feb 19 and Feb 20 for visitors who were able to snag the free tickets. (Photo by Song Hongliang/People's Daily Online) While the museum administration declined to say how many tickets were offered for the night visits, some netizens who were able to make reservations said nearly 3,000 tickets were left at the time the system resumed taking reservations for Wednesday after it crashed. Aside from those who booked through the system, representatives also were invited from sanitation workers, express couriers, soldiers, police officers, firefighters and other groups of workers in appreciation for their year-round service to the public. The enthusiasm for the special visits was clear: On a secondhand goods trading website run by taobao.com, a "free" entry ticket was being resold for about 1,000 yuan ($148). Despite the exception, the curfew remains at the Forbidden City. No one except necessary staff, including a night patrol and a fire squadron, is allowed inside after sunset. The Palace Museum is lit up on Feb 18 evening for a rehearsal of rare nighttime public tours on Feb 19 and Feb 20 for visitors who were able to snag the free tickets. (Photo by Song Hongliang/People's Daily Online) The vast majority of the museum's staff have no idea what their workplace looks like after dark. However, for this special event, the employees will be allowed to attend this week's night visits. The exception to the curfew, in 2015, happened when one of China's best known ancient works of art, the Northern Song masterpieceAlong the River During the Qingming Festivalwas displayed during an exhibition in the Hall of Martial Valor. The overwhelming number of visitors caused the museum to allow late entry to the hall, even extending past midnight. The Palace Museum is lit up on Feb 18 evening for a rehearsal of rare nighttime public tours on Feb 19 and Feb 20 for visitors who were able to snag the free tickets. (Photo by Song Hongliang/People's Daily Online) Lansdale, PA (19446) Today Cloudy skies during the morning hours followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 84F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low around 70F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. China has unveiled the world's first technical standards on energy consumption of electric vehicles (EV). The national standards specify the energy consumption limits for different types of EVs, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. It is expected to facilitate applications of EV energy conservation technologies and reduce energy consumption. China is the world's largest EV market, with sales of new energy vehicles soaring 61.74 percent year on year to 1.26 million units in 2018. The administration also released 645 other standards covering a wide range of fields such as traffic signs and nursing homes. Metter, GA (30439) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 88F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 71F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. An indoor 5G network will be installed in the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station by the end of this year, mobile operator and technology provider said Monday. China Mobile Shanghai and Huawei jointly made the announcement on building the 5G digital indoor system (DIS) at the station, a major railway hub that handles 60 million passengers every year. The network will cover the entire station by the end of 2019 to meet passenger demand for high-speed connectivity, said the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization. A 5G network in the railway station will be part of the effort to speed up the digital economy development in Shanghai, said Zhang Jianming, deputy director of the commission. Shanghai is committed to building a smart city through investment in new infrastructure including AI, industrial Internet, and the Internet of Things. The network will be able to handle twice the current data usage by passengers during the next Spring Festival travel season, said Zhou Yuefeng, chief marketing officer for Huawei Wireless Network Product Line. He hopes the technology will be used in airports and other public venues. As of mid-January this year, Huawei has signed 30 5G contracts, he said. The 5G network, or the fifth generation wireless network, promises faster speeds, less lag, or "latency," when connecting to the network and the ability to connect many devices to the Internet without bogging it down. However, 5G uses high frequencies, which means that network signals will weaken when encountering physical barriers. This makes it challenging to provide full 5G coverage indoors, industry experts say. At the launch event, China Mobile Shanghai and Huawei demonstrated the 1.2Gbps peak rate enabled by the 5G DIS. Passengers will be able to download a 2GB HD film in less than 20 seconds. The network will also support services including 4K HD video calling and multi-way ultra-HD video uploading. The Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station is one of Asia's biggest traffic hubs in terms of passenger throughput. During the peak season, about 330,000 people pass through the station on a single day. Chinese cities are adopting the 5G network to meet public demand. The Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in south China's Guangdong Province launched a 5G base station. A 5G-based smart highway project is under construction in central Hebei Province to accommodate self-driving vehicles. RTHK: Trump signs 'Space Force' directive President Donald Trump signed an order on Tuesday outlining his vision for a new "Space Force." "We have to be prepared," Trump told reporters after signing the directive. "My administration has made the creation of a space force a national security issue." Last year, Trump said he wanted to create a Space Force to protect satellites, tackle vulnerabilities in space and assert US dominance in orbit. It would be the sixth branch of the military alongside the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard. The order calls for Congress to draft legislation that would establish the Space Force as a branch that falls under the Air Force, similar to how the Navy oversees the Marine Corps. The Pentagon did not immediately comment on the matter. The creation of a Space Force is not a done deal, as it must be vetted and approved by Congress. Lawmakers and defence officials have reacted with scepticism, wary of the cost and added bureaucracy. Space plays a vital role in just about every aspect of modern warfare, with many military technologies reliant on a network of orbiting sensors and satellites, and the Pentagon has warned that countries like Russia and China are working to build anti-satellite capabilities. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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. On the last day of winter, the Coliseum Arts Center and UNDP Moldova are organizing a pro-bono theatre performance in support of survivors of gender-based violence from the south of the country. All funds collected from tickets sales will be directed for the construction of a social facility that will offer shelter to women and their children. The performance is called (I Wont Let Hope Die) and is based on the true stories of women who have experienced violence. The theatre play will be performed on February 28, starting 18:30, at the National Philharmonic Hall. Actresses from the Mihai Eminescu National Theater, Chisinau, the Municipal Theater , Taraclia, and the National Gagauz Drama Theater D. Tanasoglo, Ceadir-Lunga are involved in the performance. Mihaela Strambeanu, Olga Gutu-Cucu, Natalia Ivanciuc, Elena Danaji, and Diana Karapenkova will stage the dramas of women suffering from physical, psychological, and economic violence. The director of the play, Luminita Tacu, emphasized that she engaged in this campaign because she thinks that there is no room for violence in a society aspiring to be civilized. I think theatre art can contribute to ending violence as it sends out a clear, accessible, and very emotional message, the director said. The projects director, Mihai Fusu, considers that art can contribute to promoting non-violent behavior. By this play we defend womens dignity and the childrens rights to a healthy family, education and parental care. We want to show that being a man doesnt mean being violent, but rather offering protection and care, said Mihai Fusu. The performance is part of a fundraising campaign started at the end of 2018 by UNDP Moldova and the regional authorities of ATU Gagauzia, who joined their efforts to create a social service for women suffering from violence. The center will offer shelter for women and their children until they find the optimal solution for their protection. Also, it will offer to women psychological, social, and legal assistance and will help them to find a job or to start a business. This initiative is part of the project Addressing violence against women in the Republic of Moldova: exploring and learning from local solutions, implemented during 2018-2020 by UNDP Moldova with the support of the Republic of Korea. The tickets for the pro-bono performance are on sale via iTicket, https://bit.ly/2RZDV8I, or at the sales office of the National Philharmonic. For more information, please contact: Natalia Porubin, Communications Consultant, UNDP Moldova, nataporubin@gmail.com, tel.: +373 79727205 China has urged pork food firms to enhance their management of pork to guard against African swine fever after media reports of suspected contaminated dumplings. Samples from three batches of pork-filled dumplings from Sanquan Foods tested positive for the nucleic acid associated with African swine fever, according to media reports. The State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs urged the company to trace the source of the pork and dispose of related products. The two ministries required local governments to beef up risk control measures, regulate information disclosure and crack down upon unscrupulous firms. The African pig plague is a highly contagious viral disease that is believed to only infect pigs. No humans or other species have thus far been infected. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Service a la francaise is welcoming the venue of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France Chocolatier, Mr.Pierre Mirgalet, in Mauritius for a four-day master class. The master classes have started on the February 18, 2018 from 08:30-16:30 and will enc on the February 21, 2018at the Sugar Beach Hotel at Flic en Flac. International Chocolatier (Japan, Russia, China, Brazil), Pierre Mirgalet has set up his own enterprise and distributes his own quality products with the most unexpected blend of flavors around the world. He has coordinated and been a jury in numerous competitions in France whilst also being the publication director of the Journal du patissier.Mr. Mirgalet is coming to share his expertise with otherchocolatierand teach not just the techniques, but also the skills required of any aspiring chocolatier in todays industry. The classes will welcome both professionals and amateurs avertis. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 4 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn UK Retirement Interest-only Mortgages Start to Take Off It is almost a year since the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reclassified retirement interest-only mortgages (RIOs) in March 2018, and despite a slow start, two new providers have joined the sector in the past week, taking the total to 12. After being regulated under equity release rules and regulations, the measure to make RIOs standard mortgages was introduced in response to demographic and economic changes, and to promote more options for older borrowers who may arrive at the end of their interest-only mortgage term and have nowhere to turn. RIOs allow borrowers to pay monthly interest on their mortgage until they die or go into long-term care, at which point, the mortgaged property is subsequently sold as a means to repay the loan. Darren Cook, Finance Expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, said: After the FCA gave the green light on RIOs, there were expectations that these types of mortgages would be widely available as an additional option to borrowers. However, providers were initially slow to introduce RIO mortgages to the market, with only five products having been launched by two providers by July 2018, three months after the go-ahead. Moneyfacts.co.uk research now shows that there are 38 individual RIO products available in the market, launched by 12 providers, of which all are building societies apart from Hodge Lifetime (a specialist retirement product provider). Ipswich Building Society and Nottingham Building Society have introduced RIO products for the first time during the past week. The reclassification of RIO products from under the equity release umbrella in March 2018 must have been a welcome relief for those borrowers who may have reached the end of their interest-only mortgage at an older age and would have had few options open to them. Despite our research showing that building societies have been nearly the only driver of the RIO market since its inception, with only three of the 38 total products being offered by a non-mutual, it seems that the older borrower market is also benefiting from banks and building societies scaling back their criteria on interest-only mortgages, as well as extending the maximum age at end of their non-RIO mortgages beyond 80 years of age. Last month, Moneyfacts.co.uk reported that the number of mortgages permitted to end when borrowers are aged between 80 and 84-years-old has increased dramatically in recent years, rising from zero in 2014 to 1,078 products. Even though non-RIO mortgages with extended age terms do not exactly fit the Financial Conduct Authoritys RIO definition, it seems mortgage providers that dont offer RIOs are still relaxing their lending criteria on maximum age in line with the spirit of what the FCA is trying to achieve. moneyfacts.co.uk is a financial product price comparison site, launched in 2000, which helps consumers compare thousands of financial products, including credit cards, savings, mortgages and many more. Unlike other comparison sites, there is no commercial influence on the way moneyfacts.co.uk ranks products, showing consumers a true picture of the best products based on the criteria they select. The site also provides informative guides and covers the latest consumer finance news, as well as offering a weekly newsletter. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Why it matters: Minnesota has had a patchwork of sentencing guidelines and probation periods that needlessly cost taxpayers too much money while failing to take the best approach to help people overcome addictions. Finally, that is beginning to change. Emergency air rescue has played a key role in relieving southern China from frequent forest fires during the Spring Festival, according to the emergency management authorities Monday. During the week-long Spring Festival holidays from Feb. 4 to 10, helicopters were dispatched 91 times to fight forest fires in southern China, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. In a total of 170 flight hours, they carried a 735 tonnes of water with hanging buckets to fight eight forest fires with a total range of 25,000 kilometers. The Spring Festival has been a key time for forest fire control in southern China due to the warmer weather and more frequent outdoor fire use during the holiday, especially during tomb sweeping and when setting off fireworks. Emergency air rescue is playing a more important role in fighting forest fires in China, especially in southern regions with high-altitude mountains or rough terrain. Aerial extinguishing teams take firefighters, equipment and water closer to the sites with fire fighting helicopters, allowing them to control the fire more quickly. China is making efforts to strengthen emergency air emergency rescue capabilities by introducing new equipment, cultivating professionals and improving infrastructure, according to Ministry of Emergency Management. Muvattupuzha : The police on last day freed Sister Lissie from the convent near Muvattupuzha after the convent authorities restricted her from contacting anyone or traveling outside the convent premises. Sister Lissie, the prime witness in the rape case against Bishop Franco faced such an inconvenience after supporting the victim in the case. The police reached the convent after Sister Lissie's family alleged that she was under house arrest by the convent authorities. Later Sister Lucy made it clear that she is not interesting in going back to such a place and is returning home. ! Exton, PA (19341) Today Considerable cloudiness. High 83F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Magnolia, AR (71754) Today Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Motoring / Yachts Yacht Sourcing is developing the Escape Marina Resort in the island of Flores as it expands its already-wide range of services in Indonesia Feb 19, 2019 | By John Higginson Yacht Sourcing has revealed designs for its Escape Marina Resort in the island of Flores home of the Komodo Dragons and expects to break ground in June as the Indonesia-based marine specialist expands its already wide range of services. Founded in 2014 by Belgian Boum Senous and Frenchman Xavier Fabre, who heads the companys representation of Ferretti Yachts, Pershing and Riva in Indonesia, Yacht Sourcing also has its own shipbuilding facility in Sulawesi, which is best known for producing the 55m phinisi Prana launched last year. Now, as well as selling new and pre-owned yachts and operating the Yacht Sourcing Voyage charter division, the ambitious company is moving into marinas following a partnership with Cedric Le Rest for the creation of the new department. Originally from Brittany in France, Le Rest spent the best part of the last two decades in the UAE, where he met Fabre when the latter was also working in the emirate. Le Rest was the Marina Manager at Dubai International Marine Club, worked on the development of the world-famous Palm Islands and was General Manager of Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, so arrived in Indonesia with plenty of experience. I had known Xavier for some time, Le Rest said. We met in Dubai years ago and more recently we had been talking about the possibilities that exist within Indonesia. I was ready for a new challenge. Having been backwards and forwards to Bali, I knew I could live here and that this would be great for my wife and family, too. Le Rest has so far been spearheading the development of Escape, a boutique marina resort that has been described as the first of its kind in Indonesia. The marina resort is situated in Labuan Bajo, a small harbour town on the northwest of Flores where Yacht Sourcing has set up its third office, adding to those in the holiday hot spot of Bali and the capital, Jakarta. Plans for the marina include a yacht club and berths for 30 yachts from 8-80m (26-262ft), while the resort will include a boutique hotel, a beachfront spa and dozens of luxurious villas, both on the hill and on the water. Featuring pristine beaches and surrounded by many islands, Flores itself has been touted as the next Bali due to its natural attractions and untapped tourism potential, although Komodo National Park itself is popular with visitors. The island is only an hours flight from Bali and 2 12 hours from Jakarta. The Indonesian government has named Komodo National Park as one of its 10 tourism priorities and it has been projected that development in the area could attract around 500,000 tourists in 2019. The current administration also has plans to invest in marinas, but Yacht Sourcing decided to lead the charge with its own development. Escape is going to be our flagship property and we hope to replicate this across Indonesia, so we can create the ultimate destination for superyacht enthusiasts, Le Rest said. We are looking at Raja Ampat as the next location and we are also looking at working with the government here in Indonesia because they have projects in Bali, Lombok and Jakarta. In eight years, we would like to have 10 properties across Indonesia. All the big yacht owners spend time in the Mediterranean and the Rivera, and generally head to the Caribbean for winter, which they have been doing that for the last 50 years. East is the new adventure and the infrastructure to make it possible is happening with a network of marinas across Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore at various stages of development. Yacht Sourcing Voyage won Best Asia-Based Charter Company (Phinisi) at the Christofle Yacht Style Awards 2019: Chapter One, which was held at Cafe Del Mar Phuket in January. www.yachtsourcing.com Today Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low 73F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High near 85F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. BRUSSELS, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Monday stepped up its "no-deal" outreach to EU businesses in the area of customs and indirect taxation such as VAT, to prepare for a "no-deal" scenario when the United Kingdom is set to leave the EU on Mar. 29. The outreach campaign launched on Monday is part of the Commission's ongoing efforts to prepare for the UK's exit of the European Union without a deal, in line with the European Council (Article 50) conclusions of December 2018, calling for intensified preparedness for all scenarios, said a Commission press release. The campaign is expected to help inform businesses that want to continue trading with the UK after Mar. 29 on what they need to do to ensure a smooth transition and avoid possible business disruption. Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moscovici said: "With the risk of a no-deal Brexit increasing as we get r to Mar. 29, the European Commission and national customs authorities are working hard to be ready to introduce checks and controls on goods flowing between the EU and the UK. " "This is key to protecting our consumers and our internal market. A lot depends on the ability of businesses trading with the UK to get up to speed with the customs rules that will apply on day one in case of no deal," he noted. The launch also aims to raise awareness amongst the EU's business community, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. A range of material is made available in all EU languages on Monday to businesses, including a simple 5-step checklist, providing an overview of the steps that need to be taken. Preparatory work, supported by the Commission, is also underway in EU member states to ensure that national customs infrastructure and logistics are ready to deal with a no-deal scenario, said the release. A U.S.-backed militia has sent trucks to the edge of Islamic States dwindling territory in eastern Syria to evacuate hundreds of civilians as well as surrendering fighters, many of them foreign-born, commanders said Tuesday. About 200 families remain trapped in Islamic States last remaining slice of territory in eastern Syria, the United Nations said Tuesday, as sporadic clashes continue between the extremists and a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet expressed concern for the families, including many women and children, trapped in the village of Baghouz, near the Iraqi border. Many of them are apparently being actively prevented from leaving by ISIL, Bachelet said, using an acronym for the extremist group, in a statement released Tuesday. Advertisement They continue to be subjected to intensified air and ground-based strikes by the U.S.-led coalition forces and their SDF allies on the ground. An SDF spokesman said in a phone interview Tuesday that Islamic State had snipers shooting at those fleeing and had mined the road out of the enclave. The battle isnt over yet. There are skirmishes every now and then, and we dont know how long it will take to evacuate all the civilians, said Adnan Afrin. But when battles intensify in other fronts, civilians are then able to escape and reach SDF forces. The evacuations come as the Kurdish militia is poised to overrun the last vestiges of Islamic States self-declared caliphate, which the group established five years ago and at its zenith controlled more than 34,000 square miles of territory in Syria and Iraq. Since then, the militant group has steadily ceded ground to multiple international campaigns, including one by a U.S.-led coalition working in concert with the Kurds and another by Russia and its Syrian government allies. Now, the SDF surrounds a few hundred militants and their families in a nearly quarter-mile area, the Kurds say. But the offensive has stalled for fear of inflicting civilian casualties. The U.N. called on the coalition and its allies to provide safe passage to those fleeing while offering protection to those who wished to remain. Advertisement Civilians continue to be used as pawns by the various parties. They should not be sacrificed to ideology on the one hand, or military expediency on the other, said Bachelet. If protecting civilian lives means taking a few more days to capture the last fraction of land controlled by ISIL, then so be it. Over the past four years, Brazilians witnessed the impeachment of one president (Dilma Rousseff), the jailing of another (Luiz Lula Inacio da Silva) and multiple corruption hearings of yet another (Michel Temer) all leading to the election of a president who has praised the countrys former military dictatorship and said he would rather have a dead son than a gay son (Jair Bolsonaro). Toss in a corruption investigation of historic proportions (called Operation Car Wash), a record-breaking economic downturn and a Summer Olympics. Only now is the chaotic reality of modern Brazil starting to come into focus. Perhaps no figure has been so publicly prophetic about Brazil as one of its most famous film and television directors, Jose Padilha. Advertisement His work has become such an accurate portrayal of Brazils current reality that Mauricio Santoro, a political scientist at of the State University of Rio de Janeiro, joked that the 2010 sequel Elite Squad: The Enemy Within a drama about the Brazilian underworld of drug gangs and corrupt police and politicians could be mistaken for a documentary. The Times sat down with the 51-year-old Padilha at the kitchen table in his home in Studio City. There was a lot to discuss: Violence Public security in Brazil is a recurring tragedy, Padilha said. He pointed to how past governments in Brazil failed to resolve problems such as extraordinary prison overcrowding. Brazil is a state that practices official torture, he said. People imagine that violence is caused by misery. But in Brazil, the state creates violent criminals and corrupt police. When Padilha created the character Roberto Nascimento a police captain in Elite Squad who tries to take on corrupt cops in Rio de Janeiro he introduced many Brazilians to the existence of militias comprised of police and former police who collaborate with drug traffickers. Today, the militias are one of the most powerful criminal forces in the country. They have been implicated in the 2018 assassination of Marielle Franco, a Rio de Janeiro councilwoman. Another high-profile politician, leftist congressman Jean Wyllys, recently announced he was leaving Brazil because he feared militias. Advertisement Some Brazilians criticized Wyllys for that decision, but Padilha said the fear is justified. Padilha said he ignored the criticism he received when he moved to Los Angeles nearly a decade ago, after he started to receive death threats and police suggested round-the-clock security. It wasnt just threats, he said. They tried to kidnap me. They probably would have killed me. He said he believes it was retaliation for his movies and the spotlight they were shining on Brazils underworld. Advertisement Police run the drug trafficking, and police run the militias, Padilha said, arguing that the countrys public security system should be rebuilt from scratch. In a pivotal scene in Elite Squad, a trembling Nascimento makes the same case, shouting: The police must come to an end! Corruption Political corruption also runs throughout Padilhas oeuvre. His Netflix series on the topic is called The Mechanism, his term for the culture of bribery, kickbacks and fraud that pervades Brazil. Operation Car Wash which began as a probe into the Brazilian state oil company Petrobas and became one of the biggest corruption investigations in history, implicating more than 80 politicians and business leaders has been heralded internationally as an important step. Advertisement But Padilha says the mechanism is still very much alive across the political spectrum. Corruption in Brazil doesnt have ideology, he said. He was unsparing in his critique of Brazils politicians, starting with Bolsonaro, who was elected last fall on a wave of populism and social conservatism. He has always been against individual liberties, said Padilha, who also pointed to the presidents criticism of homosexuality and his support for relaxing gun control as evidence that he is unfit for office. Advertisement Ironically, he suspects that the popularity of his movie character Nascimento, a military man unafraid to challenge the status quo, helped Bolsonaro, an ex-army captain who cultivated the same image. It seems more and more that people who voted for Bolsonaro imagining they were voting for Captain Nascimento ... have been fooled, he said. But lets see. He also slammed Temer, the last president, who was charged with bribery and obstruction of justice during his term and acquitted but could still face legal trouble now that he is out of office. I think he committed those crimes, yes, Padilha said. And I think he will end up in prison. Advertisement Not that Padilha had any love for the left either. He reserved some of his most scathing criticism for Lula, who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for money laundering related to one of his properties but who remains popular in some circles. I love my leftist artist friends, but the obvious fact is that Lula was the captain of a huge corruption scheme, Padilha said. He also expressed deep dissatisfaction with Fernando Haddad, a member of Lulas party who ran against Bolsanaro and lost and who Padilha said he suspected would have tried to weaken the Car Wash investigation, to try to free Lula and others. Advertisement Padilha said that he was so disgusted with the choices for president last October that he didnt vote. The future For Padilha, the real test of Brazils future under Bolsonaro is how the president handles a scandal involving his own son, Flavio Bolsonaro. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were deposited into his bank accounts with no clear explanation, and he was found to have employed the mother and the wife of an alleged militia member. The Bolsonaro government was elected with the mandate of the Brazilian population to strengthen the Car Wash corruption investigation, Padilha said. Now his son is implicated. Advertisement The president must allow his son to be investigated, he said. As for dealing with crime, Padilha opposes Bolsonaros plan to increase the number of citizens who are armed. I am in favor of fewer guns, period, he said. Padilha remains deeply pessimistic about Brazils ability to escape its past and emerge into an era in which his feature films no longer feel like documentaries. Advertisement And his own future? Among his many current projects is a documentary about the the legalization of marijuana in California. He said he has no plans to make another Elite Squad. Sims is a special correspondent. Pope Francis special meeting on protecting children from sexual abuse by clergy may be a turning point for the Vatican, but many critics still wonder what took so long. The four-day gathering, which begins Thursday, is expected to explore ways for the Roman Catholic Church to protect children from abuse by examining bishops legal responsibilities. It is also supposed to address accountability by church leaders and transparency in confronting cases of abuse. Francis called more than 100 bishops from around the world and dozens of others, including superiors of mens and womens religious orders, to the Vatican amid ongoing scandals about decades-long clergy abuse. The church last week announced the defrocking of former U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was found guilty by the Vatican of sexually abusing a child. The church and the pope during the past year have also faced an abuse scandal in Chile and a Pennsylvania grand jury report showing decades of cover-ups of abuse by priests. Advertisement There is going to be every effort to close whatever loopholes there are and to make sure bishops understand what their responsibilities are, Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, who helped organize the meeting, said at a Vatican briefing this week. My hope is people see this as a turning point. Cupich was joined at the briefing Monday by Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Vaticans top abuse investigator, who said, Silence is a no-go. Whether you call it omerta or a state of denial. Scicluna said an initial response may be to deny problems, but that is not sufficient. Its a primitive mechanism we need to move away from, he said. Francis called the meeting after his dramatic U-turn last year on abuse cases in Chile, where he first denounced victims for slandering priests, then admitted widespread abuse and prompted a number of bishops to resign. The pope said, I got that wrong, we are not to do it again and we are going to get it right, and that gives us great hope, said Scicluna, who led Francis investigation in Chile. Francis on Saturday sought to show bishops he means business by defrocking McCarrick, 88, for sex crimes including abusing an 11-year-old boy about 50 years ago, marking the most serious punishment inflicted on a Catholic cardinal in modern times. Father Tom Reese, a senior analyst at the National Catholic Reporter, said the defrocking sent a clear message to bishops who still say they dont have a problem, 17 years after a Boston Globe investigation revealed cases of abuse within the Roman Catholic Church and triggered a global wave of revelations about priests molesting minors. Advertisement A Massachusetts man who was abused by a priest when he was a youth, and whose evidence was used by the Globe, arrived in Rome this week to lobby bishops for change. I find it astounding that there are bishops in the world who still dont understand, said Phil Saviano, 66, who is on the board of abuse research group BishopAccountability.org. Bishops summoned to the Vatican were asked by organizers to fill in a questionnaire about how they protect children and were told to meet abuse victims before flying to Rome. Between Thursday and Sunday they will hear speeches from experts and victims and split into 11 working groups to discuss three themes responsibility, accountability and transparency. Advertisement There is no word for accountability in Italian, French, Portuguese or Spanish, which tells you something if the word doesnt exist, there is a lack of it, said German priest Hans Zollner, a child protection expert involved in the meeting. After the conference, task forces may be dispatched to countries where bishops still lack what the Vatican considers adequate anti-abuse measures. If U.S. bishops at the meeting can afford to feel confident they have led the world in putting controls in place, the defrocking of McCarrick suggests the North American church is still nevertheless covering up the sins of its clergy. McCarrick, a fundraiser and global ambassador for the church who even took on the role of spokesman for fellow bishops when they introduced a zero tolerance policy against abuse in 2002, escaped censure for years despite widespread reports in the church about his sexual pursuit of seminarians. Advertisement We have seen this play out with priests over and over again, with all these bishops saying, I thought he was fine! said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org. We have to look at a system that encourages allegations to fall through the cracks, which is designed not to process information but to preserve plausible deniability. Barrett Doyle cited the resignation of Los Angeles auxiliary bishop Msgr. Alexander Salazar in December over abuse allegations the local archdiocese was aware of in 2005. Ahead of the conference, Catholic religious orders Tuesday offered their own apology for ignoring abuse in their ranks, with two umbrella groups representing the worlds male religious orders and female religious orders, respectively, saying they bowed their heads in shame. The strong sense of family in our Orders and Congregations something usually so positive - can make it harder to condemn and expose abuse, the Union of Superiors General and the International Union of Superiors General said in a statement. It resulted in a misplaced loyalty, errors in judgment, slowness to act, denial and at times, cover-up. Advertisement Zollner last week defended the Roman Catholic Churchs record on abuse, saying the church had done more to quantify it and block it than other organizations. Zollner said that of the 300 cases of likely priestly abuse in the Catholic Church listed last year by prosecutors in Pennsylvania, only three occurred after 2002. Saviano said the statistics proved little. It takes a great deal of time for people to come forward, so this is not a time to be complacent, he said. Critics of Francis have alleged the pope meted out harsh punishment on McCarrick to cover up for how he himself had turned a blind eye to the former cardinals predatory behavior. For Catholic conservatives who resent Francis acceptance of homosexuals, the McCarrick case supports disputed claims that homosexuality is linked to abusive behavior. Advertisement Cupich denied that link on Monday and pushed back against claims that gay priests are less likely to expose pedophile colleagues because they are afraid the secret of their own homosexuality will become public. It is a hypothesis that has to be proven, he said. Amid the talk of accountability ahead of the meeting, the Vatican faced embarrassment this week after the diocese of Trenton, N.J., listed a priest, Msgr. Joseph Punderson, as having been removed from ministry after being credibly accused of sexual abuse. The priest has since worked at the Vaticans supreme court in Rome, suggesting he may have been moved to a new role after the allegations of improper behavior. Advertisement A Vatican spokesman, Alessandro Gisotti, told reporters at the pre-conference briefing, We are not here to discuss single cases. Kington is a special correspondent. Shamima Begum, a London teenager who left Britain four years ago to join Islamic State, is to be stripped of her U.K. citizenship by the government, her familys lawyer said Tuesday. Attorney Tasnime Akunjee tweeted that the family is very disappointed with the Home Offices intention to have an order made depriving Shamima of her citizenship. He said the family is considering all legal avenues to challenge this decision. ITV News reported that the family had received a letter from the Home Office, which oversees immigration, saying that the order revoking Begums British citizenship had already been made. The letter said Begum could appeal the decision. Advertisement Begum left London with two friends in 2015, when she was 15, and traveled to Syria. Now 19 and living in a refugee camp, she says she has given birth to a baby and wants to go home. The case has reignited a debate in the U.K. about how to deal with citizens who joined Islamic State but want to return home now that the group is on the verge of collapse. President Trump has demanded that European countries take back their citizens who fought in Syria, but European nations are worried about security. Begum was found this month by a British journalist in a refugee camp in Syria. She said she had fled the Islamic State groups last enclave. The teenager said she had married an Islamic State fighter, had lost two children through malnutrition and disease, and wanted her newly born baby boy to grow up in Britain. In a series of interviews with British media, she criticized some aspects of the extremist group and its self-proclaimed caliphate, but said she did not regret going there. She said she had been OK with beheadings carried out by Islamic State adherents because she believed it was allowed under Islamic law. I think a lot of people should have sympathy towards me for everything Ive been through, she told Sky News. I just was hoping that maybe for me, for the sake of me and my child, they let me come back. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said Monday he would not hesitate to prevent the return of Britons who traveled abroad to join Islamic State. Advertisement The British government has the power to remove citizenship on national-security grounds, though not if it would make the individual stateless. It was not immediately clear whether Begum has a second nationality. Javid told lawmakers on Monday that more than 100 dual nationals had been stripped of their U.K. citizenship for terrorism-related reasons. Hundreds of Britons have already returned from Islamic State-controlled areas. Some have been prosecuted, and others put through deradicalization programs. British officials say about 900 Britons went to areas of Syria and Iraq that were controlled by the group. Of those, about 20% were killed, and about half of the survivors have returned to Britain, officials say. Fifty years ago, a large footbridge crossed the lake at Boyle Heights Hollenbeck Park. Today the bridge is gone, replaced with a pontoon bridge. The image above, by Frank Q. Brown, appeared in the Dec. 16, 1955, Los Angeles Times as part of the Know Your City photography series. The original caption reported: KNOW YOUR CITY, NO. 29 Look at that bridge again and you're almost certain to guess where this was taken. Only one place in town with a span like that. Its for people, not trains. See Page 32, Part 2. ANSWER: Sure, it's the lake in Hollenbeck Park, the photo being made near the Boyle Ave. entrance. The park acquired its name for the very logical reason that most of its acreage was given to the city by Mrs. J.E. Hollenbeck. Oops, some of the information was wrong. This correction appeared in the Dec. 31, 1955, Los Angeles Times: Correction: In No. 29 of this series, a photo of Hollenbeck Park, it was erroneously reported that most of the acreage for the park was donated by Mrs. J.E. Hollenbeck. Actually, two-thirds of the property was donated by Mr. and Mrs. William H. Workman and it was their suggestion that the park be named for J.E. Hollenbeck, a close friend. In 1970 the bridge was torn down and replaced, see photos below. This post was originally published on Sep. 14, 2016. Nov. 18, 1970: Bulldozer removes dirt from Hollenbeck Lake bottom to make room for new pontoon bridge. The old bridge had been torn down a month earlier. Ben Olender / Los Angeles Times April 25 1971: Children climb outside the railing while crossing the new pontoon bridge on the refilled lake in Boyle Heights' Hollenbeck Park. Ben Olender / Los Angeles Times See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here Bonnie Springs Ranch, a longtime Wild West attraction near Las Vegas, will close in a few weeks. The 1843 wagon train stop for folks heading to California will be demolished and replaced by an inn, restaurant and luxury homes. The ranch complete with a restaurant, modest motel, shops and roaming cowboys has been a favorite of locals since former owner Bonnie McGaugh developed it during the 1950s and 60s. She died at age 94 in 2016. The facade of a bank, as it would have appeared in the 1880s, greets visitors to Bonnie Springs Ranch, west of Las Vegas. (Mark Damon/Las Vegas News Bureau) Last months news that the 64-acre attraction had been sold came with word that the new owners would raze the place to make way for a new inn and restaurant plus 20 luxury houses. Placed on two- to three-acre lots, homes will have priceless views of the nearby Spring Mountains and the Red Rock National Conservation Area. Advertisement Along with an aging motel and restaurant, the resort appealed to families who came to visit the petting zoo, take a train ride (weekends only) and knock around Old Town, with its 19th-century storefronts and old mining town vibe. When contacted by phone, employees said only that the closing would happen in mid-March. Signs point to destinations in Old Town at Bonnie Springs Ranch. (Mark Damon/Las Vegas News Bureau) Until then, the attraction will remain open 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 11 and younger. Pony rides cost $7.50 per child, and hour-long guided trail rides cost $60. The restaurant continues to offer hearty meals, such as country fried steak ($13.99) served with biscuit, sausage gravy and country potatoes for breakfast. Later in the day, elk burgers ($16.99) and bison burgers ($17.99) are served, with fries or coleslaw. The motel is accepting online reservations through the end of February. Rooms start at $85 on weekdays and $100 on weekends. With its dusty streets, wooden sidewalks and replica 19th century buildings, Bonnie Springs Ranch evokes a period in Las Vegas history long before the Strips skyscrapers. (Mark Damon/Las Vegas News Bureau) The ranch is located at 16395 Bonnie Springs Road in Blue Diamond, about 25 miles west of the resorts along the Las Vegas Strip. Advertisement Info: Bonnie Springs Ranch, (702) 875-4191 travel@latimes.com @latimestravel It was great to see Victor Espinoza back in the saddle on Monday. He didnt win but got the most of his horse to finish second. Espinozas return to racing was never a certainty, given the severity of his injuries after his horse broke down during a workout. Its been almost seven months since he last raced and most of that time has been in physical therapy. Initially, he was partially paralyzed and then suffered the lingering affects of such a devastating accident. But the Hall of Famer is tough and his resolve is even more tough. It was great, it was a fun ride. She ran great and you cant ask for much more. We got the first race out of the way and now weve got to go on and find the next champion. I wasnt nervous. I was kind of excited [going to the gate], excited to know I came back and could continue my career. I thought we had a little chance [to win in the stretch] but the winner was too far ahead of me and too tough to catch. But my filly ran pretty good and I feel great. It was a big question not only for other people but for me, as to whether I could make it back. I couldnt even walk 20 or 30 feet without getting tired, and now, to have recovered after seven months, its just an unbelievable feeling on my part. Not so much to come back and ride, but that my health has come back 100%. Its a lesson learned to never give up. Our health is the most important thing and you have to keep going. After I had my accident (July 22) it was just ups and downs, like a roller coaster. There were days I felt good, days I felt bad, days I felt I would come back and days I felt I wanted nothing to do with racing. But mentally, you have to be strong, and its very important to have support from the fans and the people around you. I appreciate that. I appreciate everything. Basically, I appreciate everything in life. I go day by day and continue my career surrounded by a lot of happy people. It feels great. Its always good to have that much support from everyone and health is most important and Im ready to go. I dont even want to remember what happened that day, I try not to remember. It was bad. I was really in bad shape, that was the worst accident I could ever experience in my life and it was not easy, but thanks to all the help and everyone that was around me, they supported me. But I also had to do a lot on my part and just keep going, just never give up and the only reason I did that [was because] I wanted to feel better. I wanted to feel like before. I want to do things on my own, and do all the things I want to do. It was not easy but you know what? Everything pays off and I am here. [Trainer] John [ Sadler ] has been a big supporter of my career and we have had a lot of success together and I cant thank him enough because he put me in the first horse to work and he also put me in the first race, there are many others maybe who still do not have much confidence in me that I may not be ready to race but theyre all there to see me ride in the first race. Bill Plaschkes terrific story on bugler Jay Cohen prompted a lot of you to want to send best wishes his way. Heres how you can do it. Just send your thoughts in an email to Mike Willman , Santa Anitas tireless media relations boss, and hell make sure Jay gets it. Mikes email is mike.willman@santaanita.com . Im sure Jay would love to hear from you. If you missed Bills story, just click here . No big surprise in the first of two stakes races on Mondays card. In the $200,000 California Cup Derby, for Cal-bred 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, heavy, heavy favorite Galilean had little more than a paid workout winning by 4 lengths in a race in which he was never asked for much. We have a whole bunch of options, said winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer . There are a lot of races everywhere for him and were nominated everywhere, so well try to make a good decision as to where to run next. I dont think [distance] is an issue. We wanted to take advantage of him being a Cal-bred, take advantage of giving him another race and running here. Thats what we wanted to do and thats what we did. Its quite exciting because hes done everything right so far, Prat said. Like everyone else though, he needs to improve of course, but its exciting to win this time of year. Hes a good 3-year-old. What went into the decision [to run] was the stakes schedule, her action, being out of the Unusual Heat mare and her half-brother is a turf performer, said winning trainer Tim Yakteen . [I was] absolutely surprised there wasnt more speed, on paper there was quite a bit of speed on paper it turned out we were [the speed] and [jockey] Joel [Rosario] took the lead and took command of the race. Looking to jump the circulation of this newsletter. Cant beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you dont like it, then youre probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up . Remember, its free, and all we need is your email, nothing more. Santa Anita Charts Results for Monday, February 18. Copyright 2019 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 34th day of a 61-day meet. Clear & Good FIRST RACE. About 6 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $32,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Prices $50,000-$45,000. Time 21.56 44.27 1:08.02 1:14.37 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 1 Queen of the Track 124 1 4 1hd 11 12 12 Fuentes 9.90 10 Gallantlystreaming 124 10 1 51 51 31 21 Espinoza 0.80 3 A Dime for Me 124 3 3 2hd 22 21 3 Pedroza 9.20 7 Field Bet 117 7 5 31 42 41 4 Figueroa 4.80 6 Sapori Girl 124 6 9 96 95 7 52 Talamo 8.00 2 Gadot 119 2 8 6 71 6hd 6 Espinoza 32.60 8 Persephone 124 8 2 43 3hd 51 71 Van Dyke 9.10 9 Dairy Kid 122 9 6 82 6 86 83 Hernandez 98.00 4 Si'mon Li'mon 124 4 7 7hd 8 91 9nk Gryder 33.90 5 Lucky Brite Eye 122 5 10 10 10 10 10 Sanchez 111.50 1 QUEEN OF THE TRACK 21.80 6.80 4.20 10 GALLANTLYSTREAMING (IRE) 2.80 2.40 3 A DIME FOR ME 4.40 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $5.40 $1 EXACTA (1-10) $30.20 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (1-10-3-7) $51.43 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (1-10-3-7-6) $1,515.10 50-CENT TRIFECTA (1-10-3) $75.10 WinnerQueen of the Track Dbb.f.3 by Midshipman out of Sher Win Forest, by Forest Camp. Bred by Charles H. Deters (KY). Trainer: Jeff Bonde. Owner: Del Secco DCS Racing. Mutuel Pool $196,659 Roulette Pool $480 Exacta Pool $124,882 Superfecta Pool $58,885 Super High Five Pool $1,985 Trifecta Pool $79,914. ClaimedGallantlystreaming (IRE) by Sinnott Family Trust. Trainer: Peter Miller. ClaimedField Bet by Hronis Racing LLC. Trainer: John Sadler. ScratchedSeaside Dancer. QUEEN OF THE TRACK had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away down the hill, drifted out crossing the dirt then drifted back to the inside nearing midstretch and won clear under left handed urging. GALLANTLYSTREAMING (IRE) had speed four wide then angled in and chased outside a rival then just off the rail, came out into the stretch, drifted in some in the drive but gained the place. A DIME FOR ME dueled between horses then outside the winner, stalked a bit off the rail, drifted out crossing the dirt, drifted inward in upper stretch and held third. FIELD BET had speed three deep to vie for the early lead then stalked off the rail, angled to the inside entering the stretch, steadied in tight along the rail in upper stretch, continued inside and was edged for the show. SAPORI GIRL settled off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and was outfinished for a minor award. GADOT saved ground chasing the pace throughout and lacked the needed rally. PERSEPHONE stalked outside then alongside a rival, drifted four wide into the stretch and weakened. DAIRY KID chased outside, came three wide into the stretch and lacked a further response. SI'MON LI'MON between horses early, chased a bit off the rail or between foes, angled to the inside nearing the stretch and weakened. LUCKY BRITE EYE broke slowly, dropped back off the rail, angled in a bit off the fence on the hill and was not a threat. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the upper stretch run between the third and fourth finishers but made no change when they ruled FIELD BET went for a hold that had already closed by the time she got there. Rail on hill at 14 feet. SECOND RACE. 7 Furlongs. Purse: $18,000. Claiming. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $12,500-$10,500. Time 22.42 44.98 1:10.29 1:24.00 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 8 For the Hustle 124 8 3 1hd 1hd 13 13 Maldonado 7.60 2 Implicitly 124 2 1 22 22 23 2 Pedroza 3.20 6 Giddymeister 124 6 4 3hd 3hd 41 3 Rosario 3.30 7 Spend It 122 7 5 71 7 3 43 Delgadillo 18.30 3 Typhoon Harry 117 3 2 9 9 7hd 5nk Figueroa 10.80 9 Royal Seeker 124 9 6 61 62 52 62 Pereira 47.00 1 Duke of Fallbrook 124 1 7 8hd 82 6 72 Flores 56.30 5 Sunset Seven 124 5 9 5hd 4hd 8hd 85 Quinonez 6.30 4 Hollywood Square 124 4 8 4 5hd 9 9 Gutierrez 2.40 8 FOR THE HUSTLE 17.20 7.20 4.40 2 IMPLICITLY 4.20 3.20 6 GIDDYMEISTER 3.00 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $3.60 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (1-8) $300.20 $1 EXACTA (8-2) $37.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (8-2-6-7) $87.50 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (8-2-6-7-3) $837.90 50-CENT TRIFECTA (8-2-6) $78.25 WinnerFor the Hustle B.g.5 by Cyclotron out of Makaha, by Surf Cat. Bred by Old English Rancho & Bruce Headley (CA). Trainer: George Papaprodromou. Owner: CJ's Racing and Selby, Jay. Mutuel Pool $220,482 Roulette Pool $647 Daily Double Pool $43,266 Exacta Pool $134,532 Superfecta Pool $66,399 Super High Five Pool $2,196 Trifecta Pool $97,206. ClaimedImplicitly by Pender Racing LLC and Dunbar, Christopher. Trainer: Michael Pender. Scratchednone. FOR THE HUSTLE angled in and dueled outside the runner-up, inched away into the stretch and drew clear under urging and steady handling late. IMPLICITLY sent along inside, dueled from the rail, fought back on the turn, came out into the stretch and just held second. GIDDYMEISTER stalked between horses then off the rail into the stretch, angled to the inside in the drive and was edged for the place. SPEND IT bobbled at the start, chased outside then three deep into the turn, came four wide into the stretch and was edged for third. TYPHOON HARRY settled between horses then outside a rival, angled in on the backstretch, saved ground to the stretch, split horses in midstretch and improved position. ROYAL SEEKER stalked outside then four wide on the backstretch and turn, came three deep into the stretch and weakened. DUKE OF FALLBROOK chased inside then a bit off the rail leaving the backstretch, came out on the turn and four wide into the stretch and did not rally. SUNSET SEVEN a bit slow into stride, went up between horses to stalk the pace on the backstretch and turn, angled in a bit between foes into the stretch and weakened. HOLLYWOOD SQUARE angled in and saved ground stalking the pace, continued inside and had little left for the drive. THIRD RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $55,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Time 24.08 48.00 1:12.31 1:24.41 1:36.69 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 1 Confidentially 124 1 3 3 3 3hd 3 1ns Rosario 1.00 2 Curlin's Journey 124 2 1 21 21 21 11 21 Gutierrez 2.80 5 Ria Munk 124 5 2 12 13 1hd 2hd 3ns Quinonez 12.10 3 Decorating 124 3 5 51 5 41 41 42 Talamo 3.00 4 Coldwater 124 4 6 6 6 6 52 58 Bejarano 22.70 6 Breezy Bee 124 6 4 41 41 5hd 6 6 Desormeaux 13.50 1 CONFIDENTIALLY 4.00 2.80 2.20 2 CURLIN'S JOURNEY 3.20 3.00 5 RIA MUNK 5.40 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $2.80 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (8-1) $46.00 $1 EXACTA (1-2) $6.60 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (1-2-5-3) $6.14 50-CENT TRIFECTA (1-2-5) $19.15 WinnerConfidentially Grr.f.4 by Tapit out of Ain't She Sweet, by Storm Cat. Bred by Pam & Martin Wygod (KY). Trainer: John A. Shirreffs. Owner: Wygod, Martin J., Wygod, Pam and Lessee. Mutuel Pool $260,766 Roulette Pool $892 Daily Double Pool $20,846 Exacta Pool $128,139 Superfecta Pool $55,666 Trifecta Pool $90,510. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (1-8-1) paid $199.20. Pick Three Pool $50,173. CONFIDENTIALLY stalked the pace inside then a bit off the rail, continued outside a rival on the second turn, came out some in the stretch and rallied under left handed urging to get up in the final stride. CURLIN'S JOURNEY close up stalking the pace a bit off the rail, bid outside the pacesetter into and on the second turn, took the lead into the stretch, inched away in midstretch and held on well but was caught on the line. RIA MUNK had speed outside a rival then kicked clear and set the pace off the rail, angled in on the backstretch, fought back inside on the second turn and in the stretch and just held third. DECORATING saved ground stalking the pace, came out a bit in the drive, was between horses in deep stretch and continued willingly but was edged for the show. COLDWATER leaned forward then broke slowly, chased just off the rail then outside a rival, went between foes on the second turn then just off the inside leaving that turn and into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. BREEZY BEE stalked outside a rival then three deep on the second turn and into the stretch and weakened in the drive. FOURTH RACE. 1 1/16 Mile. Purse: $200,000. 'California Cup Derby'. Stakes. 3 year olds. Time 23.95 47.85 1:11.60 1:36.71 1:43.43 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Galilean 124 4 2 31 31 32 15 14 Prat 0.05 5 Feeling Strong 120 5 5 5 5 5 22 210 Pereira 27.60 2 Whooping Jay 120 2 3 44 44 43 4 31 Gutierrez 26.60 3 Irish Heatwave 122 3 1 2 2 2hd 3hd 46 Desormeaux 8.20 1 Loud Mouth 120 1 4 1 1hd 1hd 5 5 Rosario 13.00 4 GALILEAN 2.10 2.10 2.10 5 FEELING STRONG 6.20 3.20 2 WHOOPING JAY 3.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (1-4) $5.40 $1 EXACTA (4-5) $7.40 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-5-2) $10.25 WinnerGalilean B.c.3 by Uncle Mo out of Fresia, by El Prado (IRE). Bred by Bar C Racing Stables, Inc. (CA). Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer. Owner: West Point Thoroughbreds, Barker, Denise and Sandbrook, William. Mutuel Pool $517,327 Daily Double Pool $28,743 Exacta Pool $94,401 Trifecta Pool $86,193. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (8-1-4) paid $13.60. Pick Three Pool $28,545. GALILEAN pressed the pace three deep, took the lead into the stretch and drew off while drifting to the inside under a moderate hand ride. FEELING STRONG settled off the rail chasing the pace, came four wide into the stretch, drifted in through the final furlong and was clearly second best. WHOOPING JAY pulled along the inside and was in tight off heels into the first turn, saved ground stalking the pace, came out on the second turn and three wide into the stretch and gained the show. IRISH HEATWAVE pressed the pace between horses, drifted inward in midstretch and weakened. LOUD MOUTH had good early speed and set a pressured pace inside, dropped back into the stretch, steadied when crowded in midstretch and had little left in the final furlong. FIFTH RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $200,000. 'California Cup Oaks'. Stakes. Fillies. 3 year olds. Time 24.14 48.84 1:12.97 1:25.06 1:36.92 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 2 Mucho Unusual 120 2 4 11 1hd 11 12 13 Rosario 10.90 1 Lippy 124 1 5 4hd 41 31 21 2 Gutierrez 23.10 8 Lakerball 124 8 1 61 5hd 7hd 3 33 Bejarano 4.30 6 Hot On the Trail 120 6 9 9 9 9 7hd 4 Van Dyke 28.30 9 Apache Princess 126 9 8 8hd 82 5hd 41 5ns Desormeaux 1.20 5 Silk From Heaven 120 5 7 5 61 81 61 61 Flores 47.10 4 Kookie Gal 124 4 6 71 7 6hd 5hd 72 Prat 2.30 3 Tiz a Master 122 3 2 21 21 2hd 82 85 Figueroa 25.50 7 Creative Instinct 124 7 3 3 3 4hd 9 9 Franco 43.60 2 MUCHO UNUSUAL 23.80 11.20 6.20 1 LIPPY 24.80 11.40 8 LAKERBALL 4.40 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $5.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-2) $27.60 $1 EXACTA (2-1) $135.70 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (2-1-8-6) $854.98 50-CENT TRIFECTA (2-1-8) $552.65 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (2-1-8-6-9) Carryover $2,542 WinnerMucho Unusual B.f.3 by Mucho Macho Man out of Not Unusual, by Unusual Heat. Bred by George Krikorian (CA). Trainer: Tim Yakteen. Owner: George Krikorian. Mutuel Pool $309,570 Roulette Pool $897 Daily Double Pool $28,136 Exacta Pool $160,842 Superfecta Pool $67,489 Trifecta Pool $111,697 X-5 Super High Five Pool $3,335. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (1-4-2) paid $16.85. Pick Three Pool $85,765. 50-Cent Pick Four (8-1-4-2) 1301 tickets with 4 correct paid $130.00. Pick Four Pool $221,631. 50-Cent Pick Five (1-8-1-4-2) 186 tickets with 5 correct paid $2,407.85. Pick Five Pool $520,828. MUCHO UNUSUAL sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, fought off a rival on the second turn to inch away again and won clear under energetic handling. LIPPY saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch and held second. LAKERBALL chased three deep then outside a rival on the backstretch, split horses three wide leaving the second turn and into the stretch and was edged for the place. HOT ON THE TRAIL broke a bit slowly, angled in and pulled hard and steadied then bumped a rival into the first turn, chased inside then just off the rail, came out four wide into the stretch and improved position. APACHE PRINCESS bobbled at the start, angled in outside a rival and was bumped into the first turn, chased alongside a foe, went up four wide into and on the second turn and five wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. SILK FROM HEAVEN tugged between horses early, stalked a bit off the rail then inside on the second turn, waited off heels leaving that turn and could not offer the needed response in the drive. KOOKIE GAL angled in and pulled toward the inside and steadied early, chased outside a rival, split horses three deep on the second turn and four wide leaving that turn and into the stretch and weakened. TIZ A MASTER stalked a bit off the rail, bid outside the winner on the backstretch and into the second turn, fell back between foes leaving that turn and also weakened. CREATIVE INSTINCT stalked three deep then outside a rival, continued between foes on the second turn and into the stretch and had little left for the drive. SIXTH RACE. 7 Furlongs. Purse: $18,000. Claiming. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $12,500-$10,500. Time 21.93 44.47 1:09.52 1:22.65 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 3 Oh Man 124 3 2 1 1 12 12 Bejarano 1.40 6 Buck Duane 124 6 9 5 52 2 22 Fuentes 15.80 1 Lucky Patrick 114 1 7 3hd 31 31 3ns Velez 36.00 7 Ayacara 119 7 3 72 4hd 41 41 Espinoza 2.90 5 Rolls Royce Deal 124 5 8 81 81 62 5 Franco 4.60 8 Curly's Mark 124 8 1 2hd 2hd 52 64 Pereira 14.80 9 Lighthouse Point 124 9 4 61 74 71 73 Roman 9.80 2 Schulace 117 2 6 4 6hd 82 8nk Diaz, Jr. 9.90 4 Derby Factor 124 4 5 9 9 9 9 Payeras 48.50 3 OH MAN 4.80 3.60 3.00 6 BUCK DUANE 12.20 8.00 1 LUCKY PATRICK 7.00 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $6.20 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (2-3) $82.80 $1 EXACTA (3-6) $32.90 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (3-6-1-7) $245.18 50-CENT TRIFECTA (3-6-1) $169.10 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (3-6-1-7-5) Carryover $6,255 WinnerOh Man Dbb.g.4 by Angus out of Rockeyhillcat, by Flying Continental. Bred by Greg James (CA). Trainer: Richard Baltas. Owner: Calvin Nguyen. Mutuel Pool $221,030 Roulette Pool $647 Daily Double Pool $17,542 Exacta Pool $134,713 Superfecta Pool $70,409 Trifecta Pool $94,792 X-5 Super High Five Pool $4,866. ClaimedOh Man by Vindicate Racing and Eddington, Stuart. Trainer: Andrew Lerner. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (4-2-3) paid $23.10. Pick Three Pool $36,081. OH MAN had good early speed and dueled between horses, inched away into the stretch and won clear under urging. BUCK DUANE a step slow to begin, pulled his way along to press then stalk the pace between foes, continued a bit off the rail on the turn, split rivals in upper stretch and gained the place. LUCKY PATRICK went up inside to press the pace, dueled along the rail on the turn and just held third. AYACARA (GB) chased off the rail then outside, went four wide on the turn and into the stretch and was edged for the show. ROLLS ROYCE DEAL angled in and saved ground off the pace to the stretch, came out in midstretch and lacked the needed rally. CURLY'S MARK had speed between horses then dueled three deep on the backstretch and turn and weakened in the drive. LIGHTHOUSE POINT stalked outside then off the rail, went alongside a rival on the turn and four wide into the stretch and weakened. SCHULACE had speed between foes then stalked inside, came out on the turn and again into the stretch and also weakened. DERBY FACTOR settled outside a rival then a bit off the rail to the stretch and failed to menace. SEVENTH RACE. About 6 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $59,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $62,500. Time 21.54 44.05 1:07.11 1:13.33 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 1 Gliding By 124 1 8 41 41 2hd 11 Gutierrez 9.70 2 Travieza 122 2 3 11 11 11 2hd Bejarano 5.70 8 Cordiality 124 6 6 8 8 7hd 32 Rosario 1.50 7 Kelly's Humor 122 5 4 6hd 61 51 4hd Van Dyke 11.30 4 Oleksandra 122 4 7 3hd 3hd 31 52 Prat 2.50 10 Lexington Grace 124 8 1 72 72 8 6hd Desormeaux 18.40 3 Nine Point Nine 122 3 2 21 21 42 7ns Franco 8.50 9 Birdie Gold 124 7 5 5 5hd 6hd 8 Blanc 30.00 1 GLIDING BY 21.40 8.40 3.80 2 TRAVIEZA 6.80 3.60 8 CORDIALITY 2.40 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $6.00 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (3-1) $57.20 $1 EXACTA (1-2) $40.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (1-2-8-7) $114.13 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (1-2-8-7-4) $4,810.70 50-CENT TRIFECTA (1-2-8) $79.35 WinnerGliding By Dbb.m.6 by Artie Schiller out of Flying Arch, by Arch. Bred by Greenwood Lodge Farm, Inc. (KY). Trainer: Richard Baltas. Owner: Bederian, Harry, Kamberian, Harout and Nakkashian, Hagop. Mutuel Pool $371,391 Roulette Pool $854 Daily Double Pool $27,972 Exacta Pool $187,000 Superfecta Pool $88,446 Super High Five Pool $29,627 Trifecta Pool $127,968. ClaimedCordiality by Donnie Crevier. Trainer: Tim Yakteen. ScratchedAmuse, Smiling Tigress. 50-Cent Pick Three (2-3-1) paid $174.75. Pick Three Pool $32,519. GLIDING BY saved ground chasing the pace, moved up inside in the stretch, awaited room in tight in midstretch, got out nearing the sixteenth marker and surged under urging to prove best. TRAVIEZA sped to the early lead, set the pace along the inside and held on well but could not contain the winner late.B. CORDIALITY between horses early, settled off the rail, came three deep into the stretch and finished well. KELLY'S HUMOR steadied between horses at the right hand curve, angled in and chased inside, came out into the stretch and could not quite summon the needed late kick. OLEKSANDRA (AUS) stalked between horses then outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch, was forced out slightly in deep stretch and did not rally. LEXINGTON GRACE (IRE) had speed off the rail then dropped back and stalked outside, continued three deep leaving the hill and into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. NINE POINT NINE between horses early, stalked a bit off the rail to the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. BIRDIE GOLD chased between horses then outside a rival, came out into the stretch and also weakened. A claim of foul by the owner of OLEKSANDRA against the winner for alleged interference in deep stretch was not allowed by the stewards, who ruled the incident minor and that it did not alter the original order of finish. Rail on hill at 14 feet. EIGHTH RACE. 5 Furlongs. Purse: $20,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 3 year olds. Claiming Price $20,000. Time 21.98 45.93 58.34 Pgm Horse Wt PP St 3/16 3/8 Str Fin Jockey $1 7 First Screening 124 7 2 11 12 11 13 Talamo 11.50 2 Imminent 124 2 5 21 21 25 25 Pedroza 1.80 1 Princess Jada 124 1 7 8 81 6hd 31 Flores 38.60 5 Miss Boisterous 114 5 6 95 93 7 41 Velez 57.20 3 Princess Lili B 117 3 9 10 10 82 5ns Leon 39.90 8 Curryforthree Bang 124 8 3 3 3 31 62 Vergara, Jr. 8.30 6 Tizbuds Princess 124 6 4 6 5hd 4hd 72 Fuentes 26.10 9 Out of Control 124 9 10 5hd 41 51 84 Pereira 2.40 4 Floss N Dab 119 4 8 72 71 10 9 Figueroa 4.50 10 Miss Omnipotent 124 10 1 4hd 6 9hd 10 Payeras 14.20 7 FIRST SCREENING 25.00 11.60 5.00 2 IMMINENT 3.40 2.20 1 PRINCESS JADA 14.80 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $2.60 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (1-7) $364.40 $1 EXACTA (7-2) $54.30 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (7-2-1-5) $683.86 50-CENT TRIFECTA (7-2-1) $267.75 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (7-2-1-5-3) Carryover $3,262 WinnerFirst Screening Dbb.f.3 by First Samurai out of Giant Screen, by Candy Ride (ARG). Bred by George Krikorian (KY). Trainer: Tim Yakteen. Owner: George Krikorian. Mutuel Pool $287,686 Roulette Pool $1,201 Daily Double Pool $34,050 Exacta Pool $140,331 Superfecta Pool $80,504 Trifecta Pool $99,602 X-5 Super High Five Pool $4,276. ClaimedOut of Control by Zolotas, Steven and Romo, Sabina and Knapp, Steve R. Trainer: Steve Knapp. ScratchedAlystar. 50-Cent Pick Three (3-1-7) paid $240.70. Pick Three Pool $33,271. FIRST SCREENING had speed outside the runner-up then inched away, angled in on the turn and won clear under a crack of the whip and good handling. IMMINENT sped to the early lead inside, stalked a bit off the rail into and on the turn and into the stretch and was clearly second best. PRINCESS JADA chased inside, came off the rail on the turn, split horses twice in the stretch and gained the show. MISS BOISTEROUS in a bit tight early, settled off the rail then outside a rival, swung four wide into the stretch and bested the others. PRINCESS LILI B squeezed back at the start, settled a bit off the rail then inside, came out in the stretch and improved position. CURRYFORTHREE BANG stalked between horses then off the rail into the turn, angled in some leaving the turn and weakened. TIZBUDS PRINCESS chased between rivals then a bit off the rail into the stretch, found the inside in the drive and also weakened. OUT OF CONTROL broke slowly, went up outside then chased four wide on the backstretch and turn, came three deep into the stretch and did not rally. FLOSS N DAB angled in and saved ground chasing the pace, fell back in the stretch and weakened. MISS OMNIPOTENT stalked three deep between horses on the backstretch and turn, came three wide into the stretch and also weakened. NINTH RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $57,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. 4 year olds and up. Claiming Price $40,000. Time 24.10 48.66 1:13.07 1:24.96 1:36.55 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 3 Sellwood 124 3 7 71 6hd 6hd 7hd 1 Smith 4.40 10 Colosi 117 10 6 11 1 11 11 2 Espinoza 12.80 9 Jungle Warfare 124 9 1 31 3 41 21 31 Desormeaux 6.60 7 War Chest 124 7 4 2 21 2hd 3hd 4nk Bejarano 25.50 2 Cupid's Claws 124 2 3 4hd 4hd 3 41 5nk Talamo 3.90 8 Erotic 122 8 8 6hd 7 83 5hd 61 Franco 28.60 6 North County Guy 122 6 10 8hd 81 7hd 6 7 Rosario 3.00 5 United 124 5 9 91 91 9hd 10 8hd Prat 7.00 4 Meistermind 124 4 2 51 51 5 81 91 Pereira 11.10 1 Icy Street 124 1 5 10 10 10 9hd 10 Van Dyke 14.10 3 SELLWOOD 10.80 6.60 5.20 10 COLOSI 12.00 11.40 9 JUNGLE WARFARE 6.00 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $4.00 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (7-3) $179.80 $1 EXACTA (3-10) $103.10 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (3-10-9-7) $1,257.81 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (3-10-9-7-2) Carryover $20,449 50-CENT TRIFECTA (3-10-9) $388.60 WinnerSellwood B.r.4 by Girolamo out of Princess Laila, by Souvenir Copy. Bred by Silver Springs Farm Eqwine &Vineyard LLC (KY). Trainer: Jeff Mullins. Owner: Gulliver Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $407,390 Roulette Pool $1,043 Daily Double Pool $125,240 Exacta Pool $192,506 Superfecta Pool $108,971 Super High Five Pool $22,524 Trifecta Pool $147,260. ScratchedExtrordinary Jerry, Kylemore, Quick Finish. 50-Cent Pick Three (1-7-3) paid $416.40. Pick Three Pool $126,469. 50-Cent Pick Four (3-1-7-3) 237 tickets with 4 correct paid $1,541.75. Pick Four Pool $479,441. 50-Cent Pick Five (2-3-1-7-3) 11 tickets with 5 correct paid $22,010.20. Pick Five Pool $317,233. 20-Cent Pick Six Jackpot (4-2-3-1-7-3) 13 tickets with 6 correct paid $7,480.88. Pick Six Jackpot Pool $182,616. Pick Six Jackpot Carryover $280,342. SELLWOOD saved ground chasing the pace, came out in midstretch and surged under left handed crack of the whip to get up nearing the wire. COLOSI angled in outside a rival then inched away and set the pace inside, edged away from a foe again on the second turn and into the stretch and held on gamely but was caught late. JUNGLE WARFARE stalked the pace three deep to the stretch and bested the others. WAR CHEST angled in and stalked a bit off the rail, bid outside the runner-up on the backstretch and into the second turn, stalked again leaving that turn and was outfinished. CUPID'S CLAWS saved ground stalking the pace, waited some leaving the second turn, continued along the rail and lacked the needed late kick. EROTIC chased between horses, came out four wide into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. NORTH COUNTY GUY broke a bit slowly, chased three wide, came out five wide into the stretch and did not rally. UNITED chased between horses then a bit off the rail, swung out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. MEISTERMIND stalked between horses, came out in the stretch and weakened late. ICY STREET settled off the pace inside then just out from the rail leaving the backstretch, swung four wide into the stretch and was not a threat. The news baseball waited for all winter finally broke Tuesday morning, minutes before the Dodgers began their first full-squad workout of 2019 at a frigid Camelback Ranch. Manny Machado, the four-time All-Star infielder last seen playing a villainous role during the Dodgers World Series run last fall, was, at last, off the free-agent market. He had agreed to a 10-year, $300-million deal with the San Diego Padres. His contract, which is pending a physical, is the largest free-agent contract in the history of North American sports. Thats good for Manny, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, a former Padres bench coach, said. Its good for the Padres. Yeah, so were going to see a lot more of Manny this year. Advertisement The Dodgers and Padres, both members of the National League West, are scheduled for 18 regular-season games. Machado hit 37 home runs with a .905 on-base-plus-slugging percentage for the Baltimore Orioles and the Dodgers in 2018. The Dodgers acquired him for five minor leaguers during the All-Star break in July to fill in for the injured Corey Seager at shortstop. Machado helped the Dodgers win the NL pennant for the second straight year, but his production dipped in Los Angeles after a blistering first half in Baltimore, and his lack of hustle and on-field behavior often snatched more attention than his performance. For the Dodgers, he was always considered a rental. Seager is their shortstop. Third base Machados spot his first six-plus seasons with the Orioles belongs to Justin Turner. And the Dodgers are again favored to win the NL West for the seventh straight season, even without Machado. The Padres finished last in the division last season with 66 wins. They have not posted a winning record since 2010 and have not advanced to the postseason since 2006. Now they will build around Machado, whose 29 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement since 2013 is tied for sixth-best among position players. Weve been through a process here over the course of the last few months in the offseason trying to get our club better, Padres general manager A.J. Preller said at Cactus League media day at the Glendale Civic Center. Its been pretty out in the open in terms of some of the pursuit of the bigger free agents in the last few weeks. Our intentions have always been real in terms of trying to line up and sign somebody who helps us both in the short term and the long term. Machado, who reportedly can opt out of the deal after the fifth year, will likely return to third base as a Padre. His presence further accelerates a rebuild a year after the club gave first baseman Eric Hosmer the richest contract in baseball last offseason an eight-year, $144-million pact. Advertisement San Diego can pair the two veterans with a talented group of minor leaguers that comprise the top-ranked farm system in baseball. Anytime youre in that echelon of player, with being that young, I dont know if theres necessarily a right number because, obviously, youre trying to set the path for future guys that get to that point, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw said. But there arent that many guys that get to free agency at that superstar level that are 26 years old. Ten years seems fair, for sure, and getting that 30 a year for him is great. Cant say Im happy for him hes with the Padres now but its good to maybe get the market going a little bit. Machados signing, as Kershaw suggested, may represent a thaw in the slow-moving free-agent market. With Machado off the board, former NL MVP Bryce Harper could be next to sign. He is believed to have received earnest interest from the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals and the Padres, who reportedly have not closed the door on spending lavishly again. Advertisement Harper, a six-time All-Star for the Nationals, turned down a 10-year, $300-million extension offer from Washington last fall. He won the NL MVP award in 2015. During the last three seasons, he has averaged 29 home runs and an .897 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Harper has a chance to surpass the $325-million contract extension the Miami Marlins gave Giancarlo Stanton in 2014. Closer Craig Kimbrel, left-handed starter Dallas Keuchel and utility man Marwin Gonzalez are also still unsigned as training ramps up in Arizona and Florida. Its great for Manny, Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler said. We all know and like Manny, but its good for the game. Get this stuff going and get some people in camp. Start [filling] up these teams. Times staff writer Andy McCullough contributed to this report. Advertisement Sign up for our daily sports newsletter andy.mccullough@latimes.com Twitter: @McCulloughTimes My grandfather, Alfredo Puglia, was an illegal immigrant. In 1906 he fled Misterbianco, Sicily, and crossed the Atlantic. He was wanted for mayhem; subsequently, America was his only option. On the night before he left, he convinced his childhood sweetheart, Agatha, to run with him. America was a fledgling nation and needed immigrant hands to build the cities and infrastructures that define us. Papa was a stonemason and built the coke ovens of Western Pennsylvania, which remain on the National Historic Registry. Papa and Nonna raised five sons who were soldiers in World War II. Although Papa and Nonna snuck into our country across the Canadian border, their contributions to America are exponential as their grandchildren and great-grandchildren now define the American mosaic. Immigration is a point of contention and is built on a lattice of symbols. It doesnt take much imagination to move from images of people scaling corrugated fences to photos of huddled masses of immigrants on ships passing Lady Liberty. A line from The New Colussus, Emma Lazarus poem, Give me your tired, is a reminder that Americas past held principles weve moved away from. Yet the world has changed since Lazarus wrote these words in 1883. It is ludicrous to determine policy based upon the sensibilities of the past. However, we are a Constantinople, a nation of immigrants, which has worked because those who came assimilated. La Canada is part of this crossroad of people who come as immigrants and contribute to the American fabric. In Starbucks I had a recent conversation with Silvia Paredes, a young woman from Mexico who anticipates becoming an American citizen. Silvia works for Yolandas Pet Grooming, which is well known throughout La Canada. Yolanda is one of the miracles that I have found in America, Paredes attests. The best gift my mother gave me was the freedom to follow my dreams, she said. Therefore, Paredes attended a prestigious university in Mexico City, studying graphic design. She then qualified for a scholarship to study at Carlos III de Madrid University in Spain. She has a B.A. in graphic design with a specialization in illustration. She is indeed a gifted artist. In Spain, I matured and wanted to keep growing. So she came to America to develop her talents as an artist and to follow the American Dream. I believe immigration is what keeps the American Dream alive. However, for Sylvia and so many others, immigration comes with a price. The juxtaposition of dissimilarities between culture induces cultural shock a formidable barrier for many immigrants. Language and custom are typically impediments to assimilation. Silvia has done her due diligence and has studied English at Los Angeles City College and makes a concerted effort to absorb American culture, yet she maintains the values of Mexico. So often many of us take for granted what America offers. However, when I asked Silvia why she came to this country, she immediately answered with a single word: Freedom. In her eyes, the word is more than a cliche. Silvia Paredes is an example of American values. In America, I am free to work. I am free to try and be what I hope to become, she said. My conversation with Silvia touched on philosophy, religion, sociology and politics. Articulate on many levels, she maintained an open mind and did not see the world in absolutes. When referring to matters of faith and opinion, she remarked, This is not my only truth. America is an experiment of ideas. But we have an arduous journey to become that shining city on a hill. Therefore, immigration must remain a defining principle of who we are. Silvia showed an inscription on her Instagram: Living a dream life, working so hard trying to be the best version of me. She added, Freedom gives you that. I can only imagine what her American story will be. Joe Puglia is a practicing counselor, a retired professor of education and a former officer in the Marines. Reach him at drjoemp@gmail.com. Visit his website at doctorjoe.us. WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States discussed exchanging liaison officers with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), U.S. media reported on Monday. Washington and Pyongyang were seriously considering exchanging liaison officers, an incremental step toward building formal diplomatic relations, according to a CNN report citing two high-level diplomatic sources. The sources said that if this plan were to move forward, there would be several U.S. liaison officers sent to set up an office in Pyongyang, led by a senior foreign service officer who speaks Korean. U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo said in an interview last week that a U.S. work team would travel to Asia to prepare for the upcoming summit between President Donald Trump and top leader of the DPRK Kim Jong Un in Hanoi at the end of February. Stephen Biegun, U.S. special representative for DPRK affairs, said last month that the U.S. side expected to hold working-level negotiations with DPRK in advance of the summit with the intention of achieving a set of concrete deliverables, reiterating that sanctions against the DPRK would not be removed until denuclearization is complete. Trump announced on Feb. 8 that his second meeting with Kim would take place in Hanoi on Feb. 27-28. He met with Kim for the first time in Singapore on in June 2018, reaching several consensuses, which have led to the improvement of U.S.-DPRK relations. However, differences on such key issues as the roadmap of denuclearization, U.S. lifting sanctions and whether to issue a war-ending declaration, still haunt the two sides and hinder negotiations. The Iranian American Community Group, an umbrella organization for 13 Iranian American institutions, will host its sixth annual Persian new year festival, Nowruz, next month in Irvine. Just like the last five festivals, it will be all-inclusive, open to everyone and feature lots of live music and dance performances. There will be a DJ, childrens activities and cultural displays, as well as Persian tea and cookies. Authentic Persian foods will be available for purchase. Last year, based on some estimates, close to 5,000 people attended, including elected officials at various levels. This year our representatives from the federal, state, county and city levels have been invited, and attendees will have a chance to talk with them in a relaxed environment. Nowruz is the most important, and perhaps the most ancient, annual event on the Persian calendar. Although it is deeply rooted in Zoroastrianism, one of the worlds oldest religions, the holiday is celebrated by people from various faiths. The Persian ancestors who created Nowruz were smart and wise to directly link it to the rebirth of Mother Nature, an ever-lasting, ever-fresh annual event that will come back every single year to bring rejuvenation of life on planet Earth. So for as long as mother nature and planet Earth exist, Nowruz will exist. And even though Nowruz started in ancient Iran, the leaders of several other countries including U.S. presidents, regardless of administration and political views have in the last 40 years sent congratulatory messages to those celebrating the holiday. Perhaps the most profound, and most important, of this ancient, sacred tradition is its message. The message of Nowruz, which is deeply rooted in its origin, is for all mankind. Nowruz reminds us of love, peace, joy, happiness, prosperity and selfless dedication to others. After all, we as humans belong to one family: humanity. Come and join the IAC Nowruz festival from 1 to 6 p.m. March 24 at Bill Barber Park, which is next to Irvine City Hall, at 4 Civic Center Plaza. Have fun and celebrate the blessings. For more information, see IAC-Group.org. K.E. MEHRFAR lives in Newport Beach. Legendary movie characters dont get any bigger than King Kong unless you include Godzilla. A few years back, Maverick Theater founder Brian Newell created Giant Green Lizard, an original live stage version about the Japanese answer to Kong. Now hes tackling the gargantuan simian who climbed into the hearts of movie-lovers everywhere, and became a cinematic icon, as the titular character of the 1933 RKO Pictures adventure film. As the famed story goes, Kong rules over the mysterious, prehistoric Skull Island, until the slick movie director Carl Denham subdues and brings him in chains to New York City, where hes put on display as The Eighth Wonder of the World. In the now-legendary climactic scene, King Kongs infatuation with blond movie actress Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) leads him to the top of the Empire State Building and, eventually, to his death in a cinematic fantasy version of the Beauty and the Beast fable. During the filming of King Kong, a novelized version of James Creelman and Ruth Roses screenplay was written by Delos Lovelace to help sell the upcoming film to the moviegoing public. Newell said that in 2013 he learned that the rights to the novel were mishandled, causing it to fall into the public domain. Therefore, anyone can adapt it without having to obtain or pay for potentially costly performance rights, which is why he chose to adapt this version for his original stage script. The cast of Mavericks original stage version stars Paul Zelhart and Kalinda Gray, center, as movie director Carl Denham and movie actress Ann Darrow. (Photo by Brian Newell) To bring Kong to life and make him appear to tower over the storys characters at the Fullerton theater, Newell uses green screen rear-projection technology combined with a closed-circuit live video feed of an actor in an ape costume, performing live. [Our Kong is] being positioned against miniature sets, such as the top of the Empire State Building and the enormous gate Kong smashes through on Skull Island, Newell said. A giant mechanical hand and arm [will] allow the ape to interact with the storys normal-sized characters. Members of Maverick Light and Magic, the theaters special effects team, will use video mixers to composite animated backgrounds and miniature sets with multiple green-screen shots. Brian Newell (standing at left) oversees a scene from King Kong using green-screen rear projection. The technique allows him to integrate his cast with a live actor portraying the ape, as well as film and video footage. (Photo by Heidi Newell) In regards to computer and video technology, the scope of the project is absolutely beyond what has been done on our stage before, said Newell, noting that live compositing of multiple video sources is a process similar to what special effects director Willis OBrien created for Kong 86 years ago. OBriens stop-motion, animated miniature models and other visual tricks he used in King Kong revolutionized special effects as much as Star Wars did 44 years later, Newell said. King Kong involves a total of 14 designers and technicians, including costume designer Celestina Hudson, who created and built an ape suit, as well as the films iconic Fay Wray dress and Skull Island native costumes. As far as tone, Newell said his aim was to capture the original films combination of adventure and lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek humor while trying to evoke a sense of wonder and excitement within those watching the show. [Its] for those who love the original film and for those who want to take a theatrical adventure into the unknown, he said. Eric Marchese is a contributor to Times Community News. IF YOU GO What: The Eighth Wonder of the World, King Kong Where: Maverick Theater, 110 E. Walnut Ave., Fullerton When: Through March 17. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 5 p.m. Cost: $30 ($10 for students with current ID) Information: (714) 526-7070, mavericktheater.com Several current and former Trump administration appointees promoted the sale of nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia despite repeated objections from members of the National Security Council and other senior White House officials, according to a new report from congressional Democrats. The officials who objected included White House lawyers and H.R. McMaster, then the chief of the National Security Council, according to the report, which cited documents obtained by the committee and accounts of unnamed whistle-blowers. The officials called for a halt in the nuclear sales discussions in 2017, citing potential conflicts of interest, national security risks and legal hurdles. But the effort to promote nuclear sales persisted, led by retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who served briefly as President Trumps national security advisor, and more recently by Energy Secretary Rick Perry. The possible nuclear power sale was discussed in the Oval Office as recently as last week. Details about these internal White House battles are contained in a 24-page report released Tuesday morning by House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). It said the unnamed whistle-blowers inside the White House came forward because they were distressed at the continued effort to sell the power plants. Advertisement Committee Republicans said Tuesday they were not included in the drafting of the detailed report and had not received a copy until Monday night. They said they had not had a chance to fully assess it. This is a delicate and nuanced issue that Chairman Cummings is approaching without bipartisan input and with far flung requests for information, Charli Huddleston, a spokeswoman for Republicans on the committee, said in a statement. The report includes a wide range of allegations and suggests the involvement of a long list of high-profile people in Trumps orbit. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The reports release comes as Saudi-U.S. relations reach a particularly difficult moment. Following the death of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Congress has expressed reluctance to continue with a business-as-usual relationship with Riyadh. The Trump White House has balked at endorsing intelligence reports suggesting that Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in the killing. The Cummings report notes that one of the power plant manufacturers that could benefit from a nuclear deal, Westinghouse Electric, is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management, the company that provided financial relief to the family of Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior advisor. Brookfield Asset Management took a 99-year lease on the familys deeply indebted New York City property at 666 Fifth Avenue. Multiple whistleblowers came forward to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress as required by law efforts that may be ongoing to this day, the report says. Advertisement The whistle-blowers also warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction and backbiting. They noted that White House political appointees repeatedly ignored directives from top ethics advisors who repeatedly but unsuccessfully ordered senior White House officials to halt their efforts. The Oversight Committee report, which focuses on the first three months of the Trump presidency, may have special relevance this week as Kushner prepares for a trip to the Middle East. Hamburger and Mufson write for the Washington Post. So many presidential candidates are already traipsing through this tiny New England state that Neil Levesque has to play traffic cop. As the boss of a coveted speaking venue at St. Anselm College, he recently had to maneuver to keep rivals from colliding when one candidate was speaking as the advance team for another wanted to scope out the place. The candidate-collision risk peaked this Presidents Day weekend when seven Democratic presidential candidates and one Republican showed up in New Hampshire in the space of four days. Its a buyers market for the many potential Democratic voters just beginning to size up candidates. Advertisement We could probably get Cory Booker to shovel my driveway, joked Rob Penttinen, a letter carrier at the New Jersey senators event in Nashua, as a light snow fell. When one woman taking a selfie with Booker said her cousin would be jealous of her meeting him, he obliged by shooting a video message for her cousin. And the states first-in-the-nation primary is still a year away. Wendy Thomas, a state legislator from Merrimack, planned to see four of the candidates over the weekend, including Booker, whose Sunday night event at a bar with old-school arcade games drew more than 200 people, according to campaign estimates. New Hampshire is on fire right now with politics, Thomas said. This is what we do. The Democratic presidential primary field is on track to break records for large, early numbers. Whos in, and whos still sitting on the fence? The Republicans 17-person field in 2016 holds the record for candidates, but the first major one Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas didnt get into the race until March 2015. Advertisement In the 2008 Democratic contest, lots of candidates jumped in very early Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden announced in January 2007, for example but the total never reached beyond 10. Twelve Democrats have already entered the 2020 race; Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who aligns with the Democrats in Congress, announced Tuesday morning; former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Sherrod Brown and former Rep. Beto ORourke are still weighing a bid; and more are likely on the way. The Democratic National Committee, in preparing for debates this summer, has contingency plans for handling more than 20 declared candidates. The bumper crop has emerged because Democrats see President Trump as vulnerable, and because no obvious front-runner has scared off long shots. Advertisement Many of the candidates have little or no national profile, and need to get out early to build one. Even in the middle of the long holiday weekend, turnout was so high at campaign events across the state including for lower-profile candidates like Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii that people were sometimes turned away at the door. Kathy Hoey, a retiree in Manchester, sees the big field as an expression of the energy lighting up the Democratic Party, which helped carry the party to win the House majority in the 2018 midterm election. We need as many voices as we can get right now, she said. Advertisement But her friend Trish Joy, a nurse in Manchester, said she wondered whether such a big number would create a big muddle after a while. The whole state of New Hampshire is going to have all these candidates, Joy said. How much can you listen to before the message gets lost? New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina are getting the bulk of the early campaign attention because those are the first states to hold caucuses and primaries in 2020. Candidates get a lot of bang for the buck in a tiny state like New Hampshire. More than half the population is packed into two southeastern counties, where major cities are just a half-hour drive apart. That makes the state a more accessible and affordable launching pad than California, where costly television advertising is needed for lesser-known candidates to make a name for themselves. Advertisement For a dime you might gain a mile here, versus California, where you could spend a hundred dollars and only get a few feet, said Levesque, executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, which hosts candidates in a breakfast series, Politics and Eggs. Hopping across the states southern tier over the weekend were lesser-known candidates including Gabbard, Mayor Pete Buttegieg of South Bend, Ind., and Marianne Williamson, a California spiritual teacher who held one of her campaign events at a yoga studio. Also on the ground: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who spent two days in the state, including a trip to speak at her alma mater, Dartmouth College. Sen. Kamala Harris, who spent Friday and Saturday campaigning in South Carolina, made her first visit to New Hampshire for a town hall in Portsmouth and a Politics and Eggs appearance, which was planned for Tuesday morning. Advertisement Some New Hampshire voters had wondered whether the state would be secondary to her strategy because she had not visited until now. It was the first question she was asked when she met with reporters at a Concord bookstore, and she addressed it again at the town hall. I want to get this out of the way, the elephant in the room, she said in Portsmouth. I plan on competing in New Hampshire, spending time in New Hampshire and doing very well in New Hampshire. Some 1,000 people packed into a church for her town hall event, with hundreds more left outside in the snow because the church was filled to capacity, campaign aides estimated. I think its a good sign you are here on Presidents Day, one questioner said. Advertisement Later Monday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar showed up for a CNN town hall. New Hampshire Democrats, who fiercely guard their opportunity to scrutinize presidential candidates up close, relished the chance to visit multiple campaign events a day. Thomas and her husband have, between them, already seen nine of the Democratic candidates in person. At the Booker event, she questioned the senator about something that had bothered her the first time shed seen him: his campaign theme of emphasizing the need for love and unity to heal the wounds of U.S. political culture. Its very difficult to love someone who has abdicated responsibility to the people who elected them, she told him. Maybe we should try to kick them out first and love them later. Advertisement The latest from Washington Democratic presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren brought her message of big structural change to California on Monday, including a preview of a sweeping proposal for universal childcare. The Massachusetts senator pitched government-funded childcare and early learning to a raucous crowd at the Alex Theatre in downtown Glendale that was filled to its 1,400-person capacity, with hundreds more waiting outside. The Golden State stop is unorthodox at this point in the campaign cycle; the other 10 candidates have spent most of their time in traditional early nominating states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. But Warrens travel to the West Coast could portend a new wave of attention from 2020 contenders, thanks to California moving its primary to early March of next year. The audience got a sneak peek of the early childhood plan that Warren will formally release on Tuesday. The initiative would cover childcare and early learning for American children younger than 6 and, Warren acknowledged, would carry a substantial price tag. Advertisement Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) made her first visit to California as a presidential candidate on Monday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) This will be about four times more than we have invested in our children, Warren said. But thats exactly what we need to do. We need real change. Warren said the money would come from her proposed 2% tax on the ultra-rich those with more than $50 million in assets. We can pay for universal childcare and a whole lot more if we just ask the one-tenth of 1%to pay a fair share, she said. Family was a theme right at the outset, when Warrens 13-year-old granddaughter Lavinia took the stage to introduce her Gammy. Warren who was propelled to national prominence by her rhetorical battles with Wall Street immediately targeted the culture of Washington, D.C. Our government in Washington is corrupt, she said. And every issue we care about everything intersects right through that. Many in the crowd arrived at the theater hours in advance; some said they were happy to see a presidential candidate so early in the contest, after feeling neglected in past elections. Advertisement Char Manley, a healthcare worker from Huntington Beach, said shes so far undecided on her favorite Democratic candidate. But Warren has at least one attribute that Manley says is crucial: her gender. There are so many extraordinary women in the field, Manley said. If there were no female representation on the Democratic ticket, she added, it would be a slap in the face. The controversy that has dogged Warrens nascent campaign her past claims of Native American ancestry got little mention at the event, save for a single protestor holding a mocking sign at the theaters entrance. Laura Pettit, a gun safety activist from Sherman Oaks, had a warning for any of Warrens rivals who may be tempted to echo President Trumps disparagement of her background. Advertisement Its so important that we dont turn on each other, Pettit said. Anybody that talks about Pocahontas on stage theyre off my list. melanie.mason@latimes.com Twitter: @melmason The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to decide whether the Clean Water Act can prevent sewage plants from putting waste water into the ground if it flows from there into a river, bay or the ocean. The case from Hawaii is an important test of the reach of the federal governments anti-pollution authority. Environmentalists sued alleging a sewage plant in Maui was discharging treated waste water into the ground and it was flowing underground from there into the Pacific Ocean. They won before a federal judge and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which held that the pollution was subject to federal control because it was the functional equivalent of a discharge into the navigable water. Advertisement But the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from Hawaii that was backed by the Assn. of California Water Agencies. Their lawyers called the 9th Circuits ruling a radical expansion of federal authority. If upheld, its approach would extend new federal regulation to water treatment plants across the country, they said. The Clean Water Act calls for preventing discharge of pollutants into the navigable waters of the United States. Water agencies say the law refers only to polluted water flowing directly into streams, rivers and bays, not groundwater. For more than a decade, the justices have been split over how far the federal government can go to regulate water inside the United States, whether it be wetlands, or, as in this case, groundwater. The courts conservatives have argued the federal government can only regulate polluted water that flows directly into a river, bay or the ocean. The law forbids discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. But environmentalists as well as the courts liberal justices have said this authority can extend farther inland to prevent pollution that will eventually flow into rivers and bays. The case, County of Maui vs. Hawaii Wildlife Fund, is scheduled to be heard in the fall. Meanwhile, the court took no action on closely watched appeals involving abortion and gay rights. For weeks, the justices have been weighing whether to rule on an Indiana abortion law that would make it illegal for women to terminate a pregnancy based on the sex, race or disability of the fetus, including a diagnosis of Down syndrome. The court is also considering three appeals asking whether the Civil Rights Act forbids job discrimination against gay or transgender employees. The 1964 law says employees may not be discriminated because of sex, and several appellate courts have ruled this includes bias against gay, lesbian or transgender employees. Separately on Tuesday, the high court for a second time set aside a death sentence for a Texas man who as a teenager had trouble understanding the days of the week or the months of year. Advertisement After the high court in 2002 abolished capital punishment for those with a severe intellectual disability, lawyers for Bobby James Moore sought to have him removed from death row in Texas based on evidence he had significant mental and social difficulties since he was young. In 1980, he had shot and killed a store clerk in a botched robbery. But the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected his disability claim on the grounds that Moore had fared well in prison. Two years ago, the Supreme Court heard an appeal filed on behalf of Moore and ruled that the Texas state courts ruling was mistaken. Its analysis focused on his time in prison and not his long-standing intellectual disability. After reconsidering the matter, the Texas state judges reaffirmed their earlier ruling. This time, the Supreme Court overruled the state court without bothering to hear arguments in Moore vs. Texas. In an unsigned 10-page opinion, the justices said that Moore has shown he is a person with intellectual disability, so his death sentence cannot stand. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. agreed in a separate concurring opinion, even though he had dissented two years ago. He said the Texas state judges focused once again on Moores successful adaption to prison, not his intellectual shortcomings. That did not pass muster under this courts analysis last time. It still doesnt, Roberts wrote. Advertisement Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented and was joined by Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil M. Gorsuch. The courts foray into fact-finding is an unsound departure from our usual practice, Alito wrote. The latest from Washington More stories from David G. Savage Justice Clarence Thomas filed a solo opinion Tuesday that should appeal to President Trump. He said the high court should make it easier for public figures to sue for libel. Thomas said the court made a mistake in 1964 when it set a high barrier for public officials to sue the press for defaming them with a false story. That was later expanded to include famous individuals and people who inject themselves into big news stories. In essence, public officials must show the publishers knew the report was false or otherwise displayed a reckless disregard for the truth. Thomas argued that the framers of the Constitution did not intend such protection when they adopted the 1st Amendment, which forbids abridging the freedom of speech or of the press. Advertisement We should not continue to reflexively apply this policy-driven approach to the Constitution, he wrote in McKee vs. Cosby. At some time, we should reconsider our jurisprudence in this area. Trump has repeatedly called for such a change. Our current libel laws are a sham and a disgrace and do not represent American values or American fairness, he said early last year at the start of the Cabinet meeting. He was upset then by a headline-making book by Michael Wolff called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. The president called for change in the law. We are going to take a strong look at our countrys libel laws, so that when somebody says something that is false and defamatory about someone, that person will have meaningful recourse in our courts, he said. Libel and defamation are claims that are brought under state law. But if the federal shield against such claims were relaxed, the impact could go far beyond the press. Critics have noted President Trump could be vulnerable himself due to his blunt postings on Twitter where he has called rivals crooked, dishonest and criminal. Thomas is not the first justice to question the courts 1st Amendment standard. In the past, the late Justice Antonin Scalia had called for reconsidering the landmark New York Times vs. Sullivan decision in 1964, which sharply limited defamation claims in state court. In that case, an Alabama county commissioner had sued the New York Times over an advertisement that sought funding for Dr. Martin Luther King and his civil rights campaign. L.B. Sullivan, the county official, was not mentioned in the ad, but he said he was defamed nonetheless because it referred to police abuses and an unprecedented wave of terror. The Alabama courts awarded him $500,000 in damages, but the Supreme Court unanimously reversed the judgment. Advertisement The justices then believed the national press could not cover the civil rights movement in the South if newspapers, magazines and TV networks were subject to crippling libel verdicts in state courts. And despite Scalias comments, the high court did not move to reconsider the landmark ruling in his nearly 30 years on the court. None of the other justices signed on to Thomas 14-page opinion. The latest from Washington More stories from David G. Savage The return of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to presidential politics this week will test how much the Democratic Party has truly shifted to the left as well as gauge the resilience of a self-proclaimed democratic socialist candidate whose message has changed little even as the political landscape around him has shifted. Sanders plunged into the 2020 race Tuesday with a campaign video recapping many of the promises of his 2016 effort: Medicare for all, free college tuition for all and the dismantling of what he calls the rigged economy favoring the wealthy. But he did so at a time other candidates in the race many of whom rode his coattails to progressive prominence are modulating their visions for expanding government and increasing taxes on the rich. We began the political revolution in the 2016 campaign, and now its time to move that revolution forward, Sanders said in a radio interview. Advertisement He described President Trump as a pathological liar, adding, I also think he is a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, somebody who is gaining cheap political points by trying to pick on minorities, often undocumented immigrants. The Democratic Party has clearly moved at least partway toward Sanders in the last couple of years. At the same time, however, the candidates drawing overflow crowds in New Hampshire over Presidents Day weekend were hardly rushing to follow the same path Sanders used en route to a 22-percentage-point victory in the state over Hillary Clinton. The people of New Hampshire will tell me whats required to compete in New Hampshire, but I will tell you I am not a democratic socialist, California Sen. Kamala Harris said Monday. Her comments came soon after Sen. Amy Klobuchar, answering questions during a CNN town hall, said, I am not for free four-year college for all, no. If I was a magic genie and could give that to everyone, and we could afford it, I would, she added. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the candidate who is probably closest to Sanders ideologically, has also carefully avoided his socialist label, saying she favors capitalism with serious rules. Former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas, who is weighing his own run and draws support from many young voters, much as Sanders did, has also been reaffirming that he is a capitalist. I'm running for president. I am asking you to join me today as part of an unprecedented and historic grassroots campaign that will begin with at least 1 million people from across the country. Say you're in: https://t.co/KOTx0WZqRf pic.twitter.com/T1TLH0rm26 Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 19, 2019 Advertisement Sanders is in a very different race than the one he nearly upended in 2016, when he was the only progressive in a tiny field led by Clinton. This time around, several other candidates will vie to represent the partys left, and many progressives, including some former prominent supporters of his, are skeptical that Sanders is best suited to carry their mantle. But his sustained popularity in early voting states, massive network of small donors and powerhouse digital operation, including a social media network far larger than that of any Democrat, give Sanders big advantages as the race gets underway. Hes got a very strong, loyal following, said Joe Trippi, who has advised campaigns for several major Democrats. It makes him somebody the rest of the field has to take very seriously, and who has a better shot than many of them at emerging as one of the three or four who actually competes long term for the nomination. The transformative campaign the 77-year-old ran in the last presidential cycle drew masses of disaffected voters, including many millennials, to politics. The senators plans for expanding government, especially in guaranteeing health coverage, and his excoriations of the wealth of the richest Americans are now embedded in the Democratic Partys platform. Advertisement As much as he changed the partys positions, Sanders bigger impact may have been in proving the viability of a new model for how to sustain a campaign. He unleashed a small-donor revolution that enabled him to raise unprecedented amounts without taking a dime from corporate political action committees or getting trapped in the relentless cycle of big-dollar fundraisers. Some 2.5 million Americans gave to him in the last presidential cycle. His invocation of the size of the average donation $27 became a staple of his campaign rallies, which routinely drew audiences that dwarfed those at events held by Clinton. More than 1.4 million people came out to see him. If Sanders this time around raises only half the $228 million he did in his last run, hed have a war chest most of the other candidates could only envy. Sanders is well-positioned to get there, said Nicco Mele, director of Harvards Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, who helped run the pioneering digital operation for former Vermont Gov. Howard Deans 2004 presidential bid. It is a big number, Mele said, but the easiest way to get there is through people who have already invested in you, and for them it is not that much money they are contributing. Advertisement The question hanging over Sanders now is whether his moment has passed. This is not 2016, said Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. His argument now is not the message; its, Im the best person to deliver the message. In its launch video, the Sanders campaign emphasizes how the progressive policies others tout started with him. As Sanders wins points with voters for his unyielding conviction and message clarity, pieces of his agenda could unnerve primary voters who are particularly focused on finding a winning candidate to put up against Trump. Americans like many of the ideas Sanders proposes at least in the abstract but they get skittish when presented with the costs and other fine print. The independent senators rivals appear to have taken note of that and have embraced some of his slogans while leaving themselves room to tinker with how the programs are defined. Sanders doesnt. Advertisement Sanders faces some other difficulties, as well. Some of the activists who helped propel his campaign in 2016 have expressed ambivalence this time, as have some of the influential celebrities and politicians who once rallied behind him. Many activists in a party that skews increasingly diverse and younger are wary of nominating a white man who would be 79 by the time he would take office. Last month, campaign workers from the 2016 effort spoke out about being sexually harassed and discriminated against by colleagues, and having their complaints ignored. The senator apologized in January, telling reporters he had been unaware of the allegations. But a remark to CNN that he had not been on top of the situation because I was a little bit busy running around the country trying to make the case to be elected reinforced the perception among Sanders critics that the senator was insufficiently serious about issues of harassment and discrimination. Advertisement Whos in and whos still on the fence? The first big move Sanders made after launching his campaign Tuesday was hiring a well-respected Muslim civil rights activist, Faiz Shakir, as his campaign manager. Shakir joined the campaign from the ACLU, where he was political director. Sanders is from a state that is 95% white, and connecting with black voters proved a fatal challenge in his last run. Those voters will probably hold at least as much sway in the current contest; states in which African Americans make up a large share of those voting in the Democratic primary, including South Carolina, Virginia and Louisiana, are expected to be particularly influential in choosing the nominee. Yet Sanders is adept at defying the conventional wisdom and even defying his own reputation. Hes retooled his approach to nonwhite voters, more effectively adopting the language of racial justice advocates. Advertisement The gruff septuagenarian who talks like a Luddite when he describes his own use of technology built one of the most potent online political networks in American history. Sanders digital reach eclipses that of other Democrats who are at least considering a run. He has amassed 32.3 million followers on social media, according to rankings compiled by Acronym, a progressive digital advocacy firm. The next closest Democratic hopeful, Warren, does not have even half as many. Interviews and town halls Sanders broadcasts on his Senate Facebook page routinely attract more than a million viewers. One recent example, a Solving Our Climate Crisis forum he held with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), was among the events progressives successfully leveraged to force House Democratic leaders to push climate change to a more prominent place on their agenda. Overall, clips produced by the Sanders in-house television network, on a shoestring budget with barely any staff, attracted 800 million views in 2017, according to New York magazine. It was an audience bigger than that of CNN. Advertisement That all has kept Sanders at the forefront of 2020 conversations in the diners and hardware stores of Iowa and New Hampshire, even as some Washington operatives write him off as yesterdays news. The latest look at the Trump administration and the rest of Washington More stories from Evan Halper evan.halper@latimes.com | Twitter: @evanhalper To the editor: All liberal Democrats should want the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm that President Trump can declare an emergency and fund the border wall without congressional approval. When a Democrat is elected president, on Day 1 she should declare an emergency and fund climate change measures say, for $500 billion by citing the potential ruling on the Trump emergency. Ronald Townsend, Los Angeles .. Advertisement To the editor: Once again, I find myself deeply disappointed with my fellow Republicans in the White House and Congress. When it suits their needs, they like to spout off about their support for the ideals laid out by our founders. I think we can agree that freedom and liberty were central pillars of their new republic. I also believe that underlying these principles was something much more fundamental the people who just freed themselves from an English king did not want to see an American one elected. We benefit from the framers establishment of checks and balances in government. Now we are making a conscious decision to throw those safeguards away, and the Republicans support our president taking another step toward autocracy. There is no immigration crisis; even the president admitted he declared an emergency out of expediency. Im asking my fellow Republicans in Congress to welcome the support of Democrats in resisting this move that is nothing more than an attempt to subvert the power and responsibility of Congress. Thomas Sexton, Huntington Beach .. To the editor: California already enjoys the benefits of what the president wants to provide to states that have far fewer miles of barrier on their border with Mexico. Almost all of Californias border with Mexico already has a physical barrier and other means of limiting unauthorized crossings into the Golden State, so it is understandable how Gov. Gavin Newsom or Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra could claim there is no emergency. However, as the governor left about 100 National Guard personnel on the border to help with drug interdiction, his actions contradict his words. Advertisement If the wall is un-American or immoral, then why did many Democrats vote to fund barriers under past presidents? But then the Democrats and other Never Trumpers would find something to dispute if the president said water was wet. Chris Daly, Yucaipa .. To the editor: I live in Los Angeles. The emergency I see is the homelessness problem. I dont live near the southern border, so I cannot speak to that problem. Advertisement I say, spend the billions on fixing homelessness. If we are going to be great, that is where we need to start. Sonny Wizelman, Los Angeles Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook JERUSALEMAirbnb recently announced that it is boycotting tiny Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The ostensible reason for the boycott is that these are contested territories. The Abkhazians and the South Ossetians, with Russian backing, have seceded from Georgia and declared their independence, moves rejected by the international community. But Airbnbs real motive for stigmatizing a forlorn corner of the world, with a population of under a quarter-million, is to prove that the house-sharing company has no special animus toward Israel. In November, Airbnb decided that residents in West Bank settlements could no longer list their homes on its website. It was only after the company faced strong criticism for stigmatizing the Jewish state or at the least fellow-traveling with the Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement against Israel that Airbnb added two obscure slivers of Georgia to its list of taboo territories. In fact, Airbnb began its absurd action against Abkhazians and South Ossetians just as Florida was moving toward sanctions against the company for its selective boycott of Israel. Is our flawed democracy more morally offensive than the worlds many dictatorships? Advertisement Like many Israelis, I hope for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. I oppose West Bank settlement building and am prepared, as part of a peace agreement that would ensure Israels ability to remain a Jewish and democratic state, to cede territory that is the historic heart of the Jewish homeland. Ruling over another people is, morally and politically, a disaster for my country. The Palestinian tragedy has gone on too long, with one generation after another growing up under occupation. But boycotting Israel, even selectively, wont bring an end to the conflict or the tragedy. It will have the opposite effect. Israelis have developed an extraordinary resilience under pressure: Our nation was born in a war of attempted destruction and hasnt known a day of genuine peace ever since. Terrorist enclaves allied with Iran are ensconced along our borders. And we are no stranger to boycotts: For 70 years, we have been boycotted by most of the Arab and Muslim world, along with their allies. The movement to boycott, divest and sanction fundamentally misreads the Israeli temperament. When Israelis feel unfairly judged, they dont recoil but push back. And most Israelis are convinced that the call for boycotts is profoundly unfair. Partly thats because Israelis dont believe their country deserves unique opprobrium. The U.N. denounces Israel for its human rights violations, real and imagined, more often than it denounces violations in all other countries combined. Yet rather than eliciting contrition, the resolutions convince Israelis that the international community isnt motivated by genuine concern for the Palestinians plight but by hatred for the worlds only Jewish state. Israelis shrug: The Jews have been here before, and well survive this too. They respond in a similar way to calls to boycott, divest and sanction. Is our flawed democracy more morally offensive than the worlds many dictatorships? If Airbnb were truly committed to placing principle over business, Israelis argue, it could bar listings by property owners in Tibet, brutally occupied by China; or northern Cyprus, seized by Turkey; or the Western Sahara, occupied by Morocco. But Airbnb wont jeopardize its business interests in China, Turkey or Morocco by targeting those countries. Only Israel and those bits of Georgia get that treatment. Israelis vehemently reject the notion that their country is primarily responsible for the impasse with the Palestinians. To understand that position, consider how Israelis interpret two crucial dates. The first is December 2000, when President Clinton proposed a two-state solution. According to the mainstream Israeli narrative, the Israeli government said yes and Palestinian leaders rejected the offer, opting for four years of suicide bombings known as the second intifada. The second watershed is July 2005, when Israel unilaterally uprooted its settlements and army bases in the Gaza Strip and withdrew to the international border. That withdrawal was met by years of rocket attacks launched from Gaza on Israeli communities. Advertisement Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Israelis believe that their country tried to end the occupation and the Palestinian leadership responded with terrorism. For that reason, the argument that Israel holds all the power gets nowhere here. Israelis believe the conflict isnt ultimately about occupation but the right of a Jewish-majority state to exist in any borders. Even a selective boycott reinforces the perception that Israel alone is responsible for the impasse. And such a one-sided condemnation empowers the xenophobic right in Israel, which insists that the world remains implacably hostile to the Jewish people and the only response is resistance. Rather than incite Jewish fears, the international community should hold Israeli and Palestinian leaders accountable for moves that undermine peace. Do not condemn Israel for settlement expansion without also condemning the Palestinian campaign, in media and schools, that denies Israels legitimacy and even the historical rootedness of Jews in the land we share with the Palestinians. Airbnb is embarrassing itself with its transparent boycott of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It should not engage in efforts that drive Israelis and Palestinians further apart and alienate even Israeli liberals. Advertisement Yossi Klein Halevi is a senior fellow of the Shalom Hartman Institute and author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor. He is chairman of Open House, a coexistence project that brings together Arab and Jewish Israeli citizens. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Photo taken on June 6, 2017 shows the construction site of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in the Lingdingyang waters, south China. (Xinhua/Liang Xu) BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Monday unveiled the outline development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, aiming to develop the region into "a role model of high-quality development." The plan was released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council. Promoting the development of the Greater Bay Area is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, said an official in charge of the office of the leading group for developing the area. "It is a national strategy General Secretary Xi Jinping has planned for, made decisions about and promoted in person," the official said. STRATEGIC ROLE The bay area consists of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR), as well as nine cities in Guangdong Province -- Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing. Covering a total area of 56,000 square kilometers, the bay area had a combined population of about 70 million at the end of 2017 and its gross domestic product reached around 10 trillion yuan (1.48 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2017. "As one of the most open and economically vibrant regions in China, the Greater Bay Area plays a significant strategic role in the overall development of the country," says the plan. The development of the area is hailed not only as a new attempt to break new ground in pursuing opening up on all fronts in a new era, but also a further step in taking forward the practice of "one country, two systems." The plan covers the period from now to 2022 in the immediate term and extends to 2035 in the long term. The plan has 11 chapters: the background, the overall requirements, the spatial layout, developing an international innovation and technology hub, expediting infrastructural connectivity, building a globally competitive modern industrial system, taking forward ecological conservation, developing a quality living circle for living, working and traveling, strengthening cooperation and jointly participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, jointly developing Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao cooperation platforms, and the implementation of the plan. WORLD-CLASS CITY CLUSTER The plan says the bay area will be turned into a vibrant world-class city cluster, a globally influential international innovation and technology hub, an important support pillar for the Belt and Road Initiative, a showcase for in-depth cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao, and a quality living circle for living, working and traveling. Efforts should be made to build on the four core cities of Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen as core engines for regional development, continue leveraging their comparative advantages in striving for excellence and achievements, and strengthen the radiating effect in leading the development of nearby regions. Setting development objectives, the plan says by 2022 the framework should essentially be formed for an international first-class bay area and world-class city cluster that is vibrant and highly innovative with an optimized industrial structure, a smooth flow of various factors and a pleasant ecological environment. By 2035, the bay area should have an economic system and a mode of development mainly supported by innovation, with its economic and technological strengths vastly increased and its international competitiveness and influence further strengthened, it adds. By then, the markets within the Greater Bay Area should basically be highly connected, with a very effective and efficient flow of various resources and factors of production; the coordination of regional development should remarkably improve, with the influence on neighboring regions further strengthened. The people should become wealthier; the level of social civility should reach new heights, with cultural soft power demonstrably strengthened, Chinese cultural influence broadened and deepened, and exchange and integration between different cultures further enhanced, the plan says. Meanwhile, the levels of conservation and efficient use of resources should be significantly improved, the ecological environment should be effectively protected, and an international first-class bay area for living, working and traveling should be fully developed. PLAN HAILED The People's Daily hailed the plan, saying the Greater Bay Area facilitates the enrichment of the implementation of the "one country, two systems," creates more opportunities for the socio-economic development of the two special administrative regions and for Hong Kong and Macao compatriots wishing to develop careers on the mainland. We must "free our minds, make active explorations and bold trials, and strive to play a pioneering role," the article says. Both HKSAR and Macao SAR governments issued statements welcoming the promulgation of the plan. An HKSAR government spokesperson said the Greater Bay Area will help Hong Kong find new drivers for economic growth and advance the diversified development of local economy and industries, as well as expand the living and development space of Hong Kong residents. "Bay areas play a big role in global economic powerhouses such as the United States and Japan," said Liang Haiming, head of China Silk Road iValley Research Institute. "China's bay area will become a world-leading one and demonstrate the vitality of our systems." Lin Jiang, vice dean with the Center for Studies of Hong Kong, Macao and Pearl River Delta at Sun Yat-sen University, noted the complexity of building this bay area because different social and legal systems, three separate customs territories and three currencies are involved. "Such uniqueness brings challenges," Lin said, but adding that they can be overcome by improving the unified mechanism of regional public goods. Ip Kuai Peng, pro-rector of the City University of Macau, said he is confident that the Greater Bay Area will evolve into a vibrant, innovative world-class area with high efficiency, rich resources, a strong economy, and good opportunities. "The high degree of resource flow and integration in the area will truly enhance the well-being of Macao residents," he said. "For example, the 'one-hour living circle' will greatly facilitate the life and employment of bay area residents." Fang Zhou, research director of the Hong Kong-based One-Country-Two-Systems Research Institute, said developing the bay area will provide young people with new opportunities. It will allow Hong Kong residents to further enjoy the benefits of the country's economic development and sustain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, he said. Judging from the dire warnings emanating from Republicans, the Cold War didnt end when the Berlin Wall fell. Boy, will historians be surprised. For example, witness President Trump declaring during his State of the Union address, Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country a vow that echoed the Red scares of the 1950s and 60s. Or take the reaction from Trumps campaign committee after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a self-described democratic socialist, announced Tuesday that he would run again for the White House: Bernie Sanders has already won the debate in the Democrat primary, because every candidate is embracing his brand of socialism. The rhetoric is strategic. Trump wants the public to see his opponents in Congress as well as the 2020 election not as mainstream politicians, but as un-American extremists who support a system defined by government coercion, domination and control. But it ignores history and devalues what socialism actually entails, and it discourages people from engaging in a debate we ought to have about the right role for government in American society. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Advertisement A true socialist government takes over the means of production in a country, owning all the factories, employing all the workers and dictating prices and wages. There are few purely socialist societies around the world today Venezuela and Cuba may come closest just as there are few purely capitalist ones. But far more governments favor free markets and free people because over time theyve been far more effective at generating wealth and prosperity than centrally planned economies. Which doesnt mean that free markets invariably produce the desired results. Here in the United States, the government has taken an outsize role in a smattering of services because private businesses wouldnt do them (say, providing health insurance to the poorest or oldest Americans), shouldnt do them (mobilize a military force to defend U.S. interests) or cant do them on the scale required (provide a free education to every child). In each of those cases, though, private businesses still play a crucial role in providing or enhancing those services. Doctors and hospitals in the private sector treat Medicare and Medicaid patients and even provide some of the insurance and would continue to do so under a Medicare-for-all system. Private businesses build weapons for the Defense Department. The Democratic Partys liberal wing, which has become more assertive since Sanders 2016 campaign, often argues that the government ought to do more to solve such problems as climate change, rising healthcare costs and the widening gap between the rich and the poor. Some problems, they argue, simply arent addressed by the market. Republicans are free to retort that pushing the federal government more deeply into those arenas wouldnt be helpful or cost-effective. But exploring these ideas is hardly a step down a slippery slope that leads to ruin or Venezuela. The free market still rules in this country, at least when it works. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook When members of the House of Representatives return from the February break next week, something unusual will be waiting for them: a sweeping, 662-page bipartisan package of 110 proposals the Senate approved last week by an overwhelming 92-8 vote that would protect more than 1.3 million acres of newly designated national wilderness from most development, permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, create four new national monuments, increase Death Valley National Park by 35,000 acres, and modernize wildfire fighting technologies, among other things. For all the good things contained in the Natural Resources Management Act, it is most surprising for its scope and for the stunning breadth of bipartisan support it received in a Senate that has been hopelessly divided on just about every important business that comes before it. In that regard, the acts passage feels like a flashback to the days of horse-trading, back-scratching and compromise that traditionally moved legislation forward. And so, of course, there is a little bit of something for nearly every state. Beyond the expansion of Death Valley, California would also get, among other things, a 353-acre national monument at the site of the former St. Francis Dam north of Santa Clarita (which collapsed in 1928, killing more than 500 people), and additional wilderness protections in the deserts as well as expanded recreation areas for off-road vehicles. Making the fund permanent is the right move, though the bill doesnt go quite far enough. Advertisement This is a good collection of initiatives that also has drawn widespread support from conservation groups, though it is far from perfect. No bill this sweeping could be. The measure would make permanent the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which previously had to be re-authorized every few years. The program, which lapsed due to congressional inaction last year, uses revenues from oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf to acquire and support public lands and outdoor recreation. Making the fund permanent is the right move, though the bill doesnt go quite far enough because it wouldnt require the revenues actually to be spent for the intended purpose. Only half of about $40 billion raised since 1965 has been spent on conservation efforts; Congress has redirected the rest for other uses. Thats a bad history, given the $30 billion in deferred maintenance and other needs in national parks and protected areas that advocates say have gone unaddressed. And although the measure offers a reliable revenue stream, it overlooks the point that it is in the nations and the worlds long-term interest to stop drilling and burning oil, so Congress may eventually have to find a fresh source of money as the wells go dry or offline. The larger measure also raises some lesser questions. One bill sets aside federal land in Alaska for allotment to native Alaskans who served in the Vietnam War. Without getting into whether such a policy is appropriate, why limit it to Alaska? Why not set aside land for veterans in other states? But all in all, this is a good, wide-ranging package, and the House ought to take it up quickly and send it along without controversy to the president, who should sign it. The package also is notable for whats not in it. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute In the Antiquities Act of 1906, Congress shared with the president its authority to designate federal lands for protection as national monuments. The law was intended to increase the governments flexibility in dealing with fast-moving threats from real estate developers or mining operators, who might stake their claims faster than Congress could push through a new monument designation. But President Trump last year asserted authority under the Antiquities Act to slash the amount of land covered by two established monuments in Utah, Bears Ears (originally designated by President Obama) and Grand Staircase-Escalante (by President Clinton). The presidents decision rightfully drew howls from conservationists and legal challenges on the grounds that while the act gives the president authority to designate monuments, it contains no language enabling him to undo a designation because doing so would have defeated the purpose of the law. Advertisement Other presidents have made much smaller tweaks to designated monuments, but the right to do so has, until now, never been tested in court. More than 100 lawmakers have proposed a bill (the Antiquities Act of 2019) to make it clear that only Congress has the authority to amend national monument designations, even those made by the president. The Senate could have included that language in the Natural Resources Management Act, but since it didnt, lawmakers ought to update the Antiquities Act to clarify the issue. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Give credit to political reformers: Theyre not about to let a good crisis in City Hall go to waste. With multiple investigations rattling city government including an FBI probe into possible corruption among Los Angeles officials and real estate interests, and the Los Angeles Times report on city officials shaking down developers for charitable donations to their pet projects reform-minded activists have prodded the Ethics Commission to consider major changes to the citys laws on fundraising. The proposals include barring real estate developers from contributing to local officials campaigns or to charities at the request of a local elected official. If backed by the Ethics Commission and ultimately approved by the City Council, the reforms would go a long way toward turning off the spigot of cash that flows from developers to city leaders. The point isnt to block philanthropic giving. Its to stop the transactional politics that have left a cloud of corruption hanging over City Hall. Advertisement Its way past time for the council and the mayor to end the toxic pay-to-play culture theyve allowed to fester in City Hall. Elected officials routinely seek contributions from companies and individuals with business in the city, and those donors give generously presumably because they believe the contributions will help them get their projects approved or get favorable policies adopted. Real estate interests are particularly enthusiastic donors because so many land-use and permitting decisions are controlled by City Council members or influenced by the mayors office. The money gives them, at the very least, the access they need to woo the decision makers. But it also puts a cloud of suspicion over all development in L.A. even over projects that help the city by creating housing, jobs and investment. Los Angeles already prohibits campaign contributions from lobbyists and from companies that have or are seeking contracts with the city, in an attempt to stamp out quid pro quo perceptions. This proposal would expand the current ban to cover contributions to political action and ballot measure committees. Barring developers from making such contributions is a logical and necessary next step toward restoring public trust in City Hall. But a ban on campaign contributions isnt enough. The city also needs to stop elected officials from hitting up companies to donate to their pet charitable projects. Take, for example, Councilman Jose Huizar, whose home and offices were raided by the FBI in November. The bureau wont say what it is investigating, but Times reporters dug up troubling allegations that the councilman, who represents downtown neighborhoods where development is booming, had asked companies that do business with City Hall to donate to a private school where his wife was working as a fundraiser. Or consider Mayor Eric Garcettis former deputy Raymond Chan, whose job was to cut red tape and help expedite some of the citys biggest real estate projects. Chan was apparently also hitting up some of the same developers to donate to the citys 2017 Asian American heritage celebration. Chan raised tens of thousands of dollars from developers seeking approvals or awaiting building inspections, The Times reported last month. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute The charitable donations solicited by elected officials are considered behested payments. Since 2014, nearly $50 million in behested payments have been reported a whopping sum. The vast majority of that money was solicited by the mayors office. Donations of $5,000 and up are supposed to be reported, but there are loopholes and the rules are not strictly enforced. Councilman David Ryu, who has led the push for a ban on developer campaign contributions, proposed a similar prohibition on developers behested payments. Advertisement Ethics Commission staffers have proposed several options for tightening the rules on behested payments, including mandating more disclosure. But again, a ban is the best way to put the kibosh on a practice that allows moneyed interests to spend thousands even millions of dollars to curry favor with elected officials. The staffs proposed ban would cover developers, lobbyists and companies with city contracts, and it would apply when either elected officials seek a donation or their staff members do so on behalf of his or her boss. Banning behested payments wouldnt prevent companies from donating to nonprofits or supporting community events in Los Angeles on their own initiative. Nor would it stop elected officials from asking the general public to support some general cause, like, say, cancer research. The point isnt to block philanthropic giving. Its to stop the transactional politics that have left a cloud of corruption hanging over City Hall. No, these bans wont eliminate corruption or vanquish the decades-old pay-to-play culture of L.A. politics. But these are vital steps toward a more transparent, responsible city government. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook When Ramiro Ramirez was a boy, his grandmother would bring him to visit the family cemeteries tucked amid vegetable and sugarcane fields here just north of the Rio Grande. He would carry a small bucket of water to help her plant red roses next to the wooden cross marking the grave of his great-great-grandfather, Nathaniel Jackson, who died in 1865. Growing up, he heard rumors about his fathers black roots and how they almost foiled his parents marriage. But only last year after being contacted by a historian studying the areas role in the Civil War did he learn the full truth about his ancestors and their involvement in the Underground Railroad. They kept it a secret, said Ramirez, now 70. They didnt pass it on to us. Now that history might offer the best hope for saving the family burial grounds. Advertisement Last year, the Trump administration started preparations to build a border fence through the cemeteries. Homeland Security Department officials waived laws designed to protect sacred sites, flouting the age-old prohibition against disturbing the dead. Contractors arrived this month in the nearby woods with brush-clearing equipment. 1 / 12 Sylvia Ramirez tends to the graves of her relatives in the Jackson Ranch Church Cemetery north of the Rio Grande. The Ramirez family is worried about plans for a border fence that could cut through or block access to historic cemeteries. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 12 Ramiro Ramirez of Mission, Texas, has responsibility over Jackson Ranch Church, where many of his ancestors are buried. He and his relatives are worried that a border fence will cut them off from the church and cemetery. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 12 The Jackson Ranch Church. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 12 Martin Jackson, right, the son of south Texas pioneer Nathaniel Jackson, with an unknown child. (Jackson family photograph) 5 / 12 Descendants of the Jackson/Ramirez family. (Jackson family photograph) 6 / 12 Santa Rosalia Cemetery is on the south side of the border wall near Brownsville, Texas. It may be completely off-limits if gaps in the fence are closed. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 12 Graves in the Eli Jackson Cemetery, near the Jackson Ranch Church. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 12 Saturnino Blas Cantu is buried in Eli Jackson Cemetery. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 Santa Rosalia Cemetery. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 12 Alfredo Singleterry, 59, left, Florindo Singleterry, 69, center, and Jose Singleterry, 66, visit family graves. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 12 Juan Granado, 73, and his wife, Esmeralda, 69, look at gravestones in an overgrown cemetery not far from their home in Brownsville, Texas. They hadnt been allowed to visit the cemetery, which is south of the border fence, in a decade. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 12 Protesters gather in a prayer circle at a cemetery that could be walled off if a border fence is built. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Ramirez and his family have joined forces with local activists to oppose the project, as federal officials send mixed signals about how it will proceed. The plan calls for the fence to be built along a levee that sits about a mile north of the meandering river that divides the U.S. and Mexico, cutting off parts of the cemeteries. Ramirez and his relatives are worried: How will their children visit them behind a fence? Will their forebears be exhumed? If so, where will they be moved? The family is also concerned about losing a piece of American history. The Texas Republic wasnt just shaped by Stephen Austin and Sam Houston both slave owners but by Jacksons. Nathaniel Jackson was born in 1798, the scion of an Alabama plantation family. He fell in love with a slave named Matilda Hicks; they married and started a family. But with the Civil War brewing, threats mounted against the couple and their children. New laws empowered slave catchers to round up even slaves who had been freed. So Jackson and his family abandoned the Deep South for Texas, stopping their covered wagons at the Rio Grande, where they could easily flee to Mexico, which had abolished slavery. Advertisement Martin Jackson, right, the son of south Texas pioneer Nathaniel Jackson, with an unknown child. Martin was buried in the Jackson Ranch Cemetery in 1913. (Jackson family photo) Jackson bought a ranch and turned it into a stop on the southern branch of the Underground Railroad, helping slaves on the run. He was never caught. When he died, he was buried in a family plot. His son Eli was laid to rest nearby in 1911. Two years later, Jacksons younger son Martin was buried down the road, spawning a second cemetery, Jackson Ranch. Successive generations maintained the cemeteries chicken-wire fences, trimmed encroaching briars and protected monuments to descendants who served in World War I, World War II and Korea. The South was still segregated, and some Tejano families who suspected the Jacksons black ancestry balked at allowing their daughters to marry into the family. Over time, suspicions faded. Advertisement Jacksons married and became Longorias and Ramirezes. Census rolls no longer listed them as mulatto but as white. Ramiro Ramirez and his siblings tended the Jackson Ranch cemetery over the decades, erecting a cross fashioned from mesquite, mowing the grass and restoring the one-room Methodist chapel that was built in 1874. In 2012, unaware of their kins involvement in the Underground Railroad, family members allowed the Daughters of the Confederacy to place a headstone at one of the cemeteries to honor an ancestor who fought for the South in the Civil War. Since learning about plans for the border fence, Jackson descendants have been unearthing their history, meeting to share faded black-and-white photographs and other records as they fight the government to save the cemeteries. Some even contacted a genealogy service to have their DNA tested. Ramirezs wifes results came back first. It turned out the blond, blue-eyed Dallas native who married into the family also has black ancestors. Advertisement Some of the sisters and brothers dont want to hear that part of the story, Melinda Ramirez said. Too bad. Its the truth. Most people in his family know and are fascinated by it. Another descendant came to photograph the cemeteries last week for what she feared was the last time. Middle-aged brothers, truck drivers, appeared one morning to walk with protesters past uneven rows of gravestones, pointing out photographs embossed on the stones and retracing the family tree. A retired state trooper came at dusk to smoke cigars and reminisce about the World War II veteran who was unable to marry his sweetheart because of her familys doubts and died a bachelor. Even 67-year-old Noemi Jackson, a President Trump supporter, wants the fence rerouted away from the cemeteries. I believe in the wall, she said. I just dont like it on our land. Advertisement Last fall, the family found an attorney, who sent the Border Patrol a letter insisting construction shouldnt start until experts analyze its effects on the cemeteries. Instead, Border Patrol officials waived laws designed to protect historic sites, citing the immediate need to protect the border, and moved ahead with brush clearing. Protesters gather in a prayer circle at a cemetery that could be affected by a border fence. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The attorney, Patrick Reznik, argues that any damage to the cemetery would hurt the region because of its historic value. This month, the local Carrizo Comecrudo tribe drew volunteers from across the country to occupy the cemeteries, which they say sit on sacred native lands. Ramirez and his relatives gave the group permission to stay and donated water and other supplies. Advertisement On Thursday, Ramirez and his family met with staff members of several Texas congressmen, one of whom is married to a Jackson descendant. The staffers told them that Congress hadnt yet set aside money to build the fence. Ramiro Ramirezs 67-year-old sister, Sylvia, said she left the meeting thinking, OK, we have a little breathing room. The next day, Trump signed a spending bill that includes $1.375 billion for about 55 miles of fencing in the Rio Grande Valley and declared a national emergency to fund what he has long promised will be a wall along most of the southern border. Congress included a provision in the spending bill to ensure that a border fence does not cut off parks and a historic church but not the cemeteries. Advertisement Were back to square one worrying again, Sylvia Ramirez said. (Los Angeles Times) Jason Montemayor, a supervisor on the Border Patrols wall team in the Rio Grande Valley, didnt offer the family much comfort when he told a local television station last week that no construction was planned on the border fence near the cemeteries at this time. In an interview with The Times, he said that if a fence is constructed near the cemeteries, the Border Patrol has no intention of exhuming bodies and would purposely avoid the Jackson sites. Advertisement The agency has asked a local historian to map cemeteries so fence builders can avoid them. If a fence is built north of the Jackson cemeteries, Montemayor said, the family would be given an access code to a gate. We will maintain access, he said. Thats not what happened during the last major fence-building project by the Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley. Following the Secure Fence Act of 2006, at least one family cemetery was bulldozed to make way for a fence near Brownsville, a witness said. The man, who asked not to be named because he works in the area and wasnt authorized to speak publicly, said he alerted federal contractors about the presence of grave sites only to see them plowed over in 2009. He said a contractor told him the cemetery wasnt on his map. A Border Patrol spokesman said the agency had no record of such an incident. Advertisement Today, theres no sign of the cemetery. The same border fence also cut off other local cemeteries from visitors. Fence entrances near the cemeteries are marked with yellow signs saying, U.S. government property no trespassing. Neighbors said Border Patrol agents locked gates or warned visitors not to enter. Juan Granado, 73, and his wife, Esmeralda, 69, look at gravestones in a cemetery not far from their home in Brownsville, Texas. It was the first time they were allowed to visit the cemetery in a decade. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Esmeralda Granado, 69, said for years her family used to gather at the cemetery near her home in Brownsville each Easter to picnic and clean relatives graves. After the fence went up in 2009, that changed. She and her husband said Border Patrol agents told them crossing any openings in the fence was forbidden. Advertisement Last week, after The Times asked the Border Patrol for access, the Granados were allowed to visit the cemetery for the first time in a decade. Unlike a cemetery just north of the fence, it was overgrown with brush, and they were unable to find the white wood crosses that once marked the graves of Juan Granados two older brothers. They wished it could have been preserved. They were not allowing us, his wife said. Thats why its abandoned. Sylvia Ramirez fears her familys cemeteries could meet the same fate. On Wednesday, she and relatives plan to attend a local screening of Just a Ferry Ride to Freedom, a documentary about the role of their family and others in the Underground Railroad. Already, so much of their past has been lost as memories fade. If the Jackson cemeteries and their history are to be saved from the government fence, Ramirez said, I want it in writing. And I want them to say in the future were not going to be affected. Advertisement Until I see those two things, she said, Im not going to let up. molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com @mollyhf Bowing to bipartisan concerns in Congress, President Trump retreated Tuesday from his plan to create an independent space force in the Pentagon, proposing instead to consolidate the militarys space operations and personnel in the Air Force. The scaled-down plan would still establish a new military service focused on war-fighting in outer space the first new branch since 1947 with a four-star commander who would become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to an executive order that Trump signed Tuesday. Our adversaries are training forces and developing technology to undermine our security in space, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Thats why my administration has recognized space as a war-fighting domain, and made the creation of a space force a national security priority. Keeping the new service within the Air Force much like the Marine Corps is administratively part of the Navy was a concession to key lawmakers, who are intent on protecting the Air Forces role in space and who oppose adding new layers of Pentagon bureaucracy and billions of dollars in additional costs. Advertisement But even administration officials said those concessions might not be enough to get the White House proposal through Congress, which must approve a new military service. I think it can get done this year, but Congress has a lot to do and we defer to them, said a senior administration official who discussed the proposal on the condition he not be identified. Trump began touting the space force at political rallies last summer, after he was lobbied by several members of Congress who had pushed the idea since 2016. Supporters, including some at the Pentagon, say a dedicated space force is needed to bolster U.S. security because Russia, China and other adversaries are building anti-satellite and other weapons that could threaten the U.S. militarys dominance in space. Trump called last June for creation of a space force as a sixth branch of the military, co-equal with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. We are going to have the Air Force and we are going to have the Space Force: separate but equal. It is going to be something so important, Trump said at the time. At the Pentagon, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan spearheaded development of the administrations original plan to separate the space force from the Air Force. But his involvement wasnt enough to overcome opposition from the Air Force and on Capitol Hill. We have been in a robust debate, Gen. David Goldfein, the Air Force chief of staff, said Tuesday at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. There are a thousand decisions that need to be made. Advertisement The White House declined to release a cost estimate for its new plan, saying the details were still being finalized. But Pentagon officials said the space force would start small, with only a headquarters and several existing space organizations under its purview. Putting the space force within the Air Force probably would keep the initial cost below $100 million, according to the U.S. official. That compares with an initial Air Force estimate last year that establishing a separate service would cost $13 billion over five years. That estimate equaled the existing Pentagon spending on space and was widely seen as a ploy by the Air Force to kill the space force. By keeping the organization small at first, the White House is hoping to undercut opposition in Congress. Advertisement Over time, the goal is to shift military personnel responsible for the Pentagons role in space into the new force and to transfer existing military organizations that are responsible for acquisition of satellites and other space systems into the new organization, officials said. The force would also gradually take over responsibility for training personnel from other space-related services. The force would be overseen by a civilian undersecretary of space, who would report to the secretary of the Air Force and must be confirmed by the Senate. Under the plan, the Air Forces existing Space Command will be elevated into a full-fledged combatant command that will take over responsibility for military operations in space, including war-fighting, if necessary, officials said. The National Reconnaissance Office, which builds spy satellites and is jointly run by the Pentagon and the intelligence community, would not be part of the space force. Advertisement The federal governments civilian space agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also would remain separate. Key lawmakers, including Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, have expressed concern that the space force would create an expensive new Pentagon bureaucracy and could end up harming military space operations. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) led the push last year for creation of a separate space force inside the Air Force, arguing that it would compel Air Force brass dominated by ex-fighter pilots to take the security threat in outer space more seriously. But senior Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee, including the chairman, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma, blocked the idea. Advertisement This time, Trump predicted Tuesday, I think well have great support from Congress. Under the order approved by Trump, the secretary of Defense is to periodically review whether a space force entirely separate from the Air Force is necessary. We havent abandoned that goal, and in fact were achieving, I think with this directive, the presidents No. 1 objective, which is a separate armed service, the administration official said. The order calls for splitting off the space force into a stand-alone service sometime in the future but gives no timetable for doing so. Advertisement david.cloud@latimes.com Twitter: @davidcloudLAT Chanel was a faded fashion empire when Karl Lagerfeld arrived to see if he could pump life back into the tired brand. He figured he had nothing to lose by shaking things up. So, in Lagerfelds hands, a traditional Chanel suit with cardigan jacket and straight skirt suddenly had an untraditional miniskirt, or hot pants. The long strands of pearls mixed with gold chains that were a Chanel signature grew into five times as many layers. The quilted-leather Chanel bag became a backpack. Two-tone beige and black pumps got platform heels. Evening dresses were paired with Chanel biker boots. If you want to ruin a business, be respectful, Lagerfeld told Vogue magazine in 2004. Fashion is not about respect. Its about fashion. Lagerfeld, one of the eras most respected and daring designers who transformed the French luxury brand into a world power of style, died Tuesday. He was 85. Advertisement While leading designers of his generation, notably his contemporary Yves Saint Laurent, created a fashion look that became identified with their name. Lagerfeld designed clothes as different as the companies he worked with but nowhere more successfully than at Chanel. On Tuesday, Chanel announced that Virginie Viard Lagerfelds closest collaborator for decades would be his successor. Lagerfeld was appointed chief designer of the house in 1982 and quickly worked out a blueprint for change. He kept the essential ingredients that Gabrielle Coco Chanel had put in place soon after she opened her Paris salon in the 1920s but rearranged them in startling new ways. The modern dress style that Chanel created for women had hardly changed when she died in 1971. Lagerfeld reshaped her ideas according to current fashion tastes and added details plucked from the constantly changing trends of the moment. Anna Wintour, Melania Trump and Kim Kardashian pay tribute to Karl Lagerfeld When Lagerfeld took over the Chanel collections, they had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, said former fashion editor Marian McEvoy, in a 1992 profile of Lagerfeld for Vanity Fair magazine. Admirers encouraged him. Writing in the International Herald Tribune in 1992, then-fashion editor Suzy Menkes said: Hes got to destroy Chanel in a way, otherwise he just becomes a caricature of her. Critics scoffed at such irreverent combinations as a $3,000 Chanel suit worn with sporty white socks and sneakers, a look of the moment in the early 1990s. But Lagerfelds youthful details helped attract a new clientele including Princess Diana and Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour. Advertisement What do I stand for? he asked in a 1982 interview with W magazine. The reflection of the spirit of the time. Or, more simply, fashion opportunism. Every season he translated street styles, social trends and the mood of the moment into Chanel clothes sequined wetsuit evening jackets when Body Glove surf wear was the rage, leggings to wear with Chanel jackets when women began dressing in gym clothes all day, chains as thick as snow tires after hip-hop music launched, quilted-leather clogs as environmental issues surged. The accessories were like flamboyant frosting on an otherwise classic cake. A walk through a Chanel boutique made the same point. Although Lagerfelds runway shows were made for photo opportunities, the collections themselves were filled with feminine suits, dresses and evening clothes that even a grandmother could wear. Advertisement Five years after Lagerfeld joined Chanel, his shows were the hottest ticket in Paris fashion week. His salary rose from a reported $1 million for two Chanel couture collections a year to $1 million for each collection. Rest in peace, Karl. Love forever from your TeamKarl family. pic.twitter.com/8uSidZUhJm KARL LAGERFELD (@KarlLagerfeld) February 19, 2019 His success launched a revolution as one luxury fashion company after another, from Dior and Givenchy in Paris to Gucci in Milan, hired talented younger designers to update their image. Lagerfelds position at Chanel made him one of the biggest names in fashion, but he had been known in the business for some time before that. Starting in the 1950s, he worked as a freelance designer, styling shoes for Charles Jourdan, leather goods for Mario Valentino, sportswear for Krizia, along with hair combs, pens, furniture and other items. Advertisement While others, including Sonya Rykiel and Kenzo as well as Saint Laurent, opened their own companies with their own name on the label, Lagerfeld said he didnt want the worries of owning a business. He caught his first big wave of attention as a staff designer at Chloe, a French ready-to-wear company for women, in 1963. By the early 1970s, he was the chief designer and had crafted a romantic, vintage-flavored image for Chloe by picking through flea markets, buying old couture dresses by Poiret, Madame Vionnet and other past couturiers, re-creating them his way. In 1975, he launched a sweet, light Chloe fragrance that became one of the most successful of the decade. He left the company in 1984, returned for five years in the 1990s and then left again. Lagerfeld had proved his versatility and his talent for commercial success when he received an offer from Fendi, the Italian fashion giant, to update its fur collection. I like the idea of doing things youre not supposed to do, Lagerfeld told Vanity Fair in 1992. At Fendi that involved dyeing furs green, shredding them and painting them with gold arabesques at a time when a black mink coat was considered the standard. Advertisement From his first Fendi collection in 1966, his inventions seemed boundless. Audiences squealed in delight. He had more than proved his talent by the time he went to Chanel. Still, his appointment there set tongues wagging. He was a ready-to-wear designer, but Chanel was primarily a couture house. He was German, born in Hamburg. Paris couture was created by and for French designers, in the minds of fashion purists. Few non-French managed to break into the circle. Some loyalists said the Chanel job should have gone to Saint Laurent, the established prince of French fashion, whose couture and ready-to-wear designs had a ladylike sophistication that suited the Chanel image. Lagerfeld, however, was known for adapting his skills to existing name brands. At Chloe and Fendi, and in his years of anonymous work elsewhere, he had made his reputation by showing that he could change his creative persona as others might change their suit, wrote Alicia Drake in her book about Paris fashion, The Beautiful Fall. Advertisement As if he had been expecting the call, Lagerfeld had amassed a personal archive of Chanel designs over the years that were more complete than the one the couture house owned. For Kaiser Karl, as the press sometimes referred to Lagerfeld, to be at the tip of French fashions arrow was not so surprising. He had aimed for it years earlier. Born Karl Otto Lagerfelt in Hamburg, Germany, on Sept. 10, 1933, he was the only son of a Swedish mother and German father who made a fortune in the condensed-milk business after World War I. He had two older sisters, one of them a half-sister from his fathers first marriage. As a boy he played with paper dolls and kept hundreds of magazine photographs of dresses, accessories, furniture and gadgets that appealed to him. He also read voraciously, particularly about royalty in 18th century France and Germany, which he forever more considered the most refined and sophisticated era. Advertisement After high school, he moved to Paris with plans to start a career in fashion, and he changed his name to Lagerfeld. I was born with a pencil in my hand, and I cant remember ever wanting to do something other than what I do today, he said in 1992. In 1954, when he was 21, he entered a fashion competition in Paris sponsored by the International Wool Secretariat. He won first prize in the coat category for his sketch of a yellow wool coat with a deep V at the back of the neckline. It was a prestigious award, judged by French couture designers who produced the prize-winning sketches to encourage the young talents who created them. Lagerfelds coat was produced in the workroom of Pierre Balmain. Advertisement Lagerfeld enrolled in fashion school at the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale but quit less than a year later to become an assistant at Balmain, in 1955. Four years after that, he was hired as a designer at the couture house of Jean Patou but left after three unremarkable years, by mutual agreement with the directors. At that point, he recast himself as a freelancer for hire, drawing on his passion for European social history and his near obsession with the dress styles of the wealthy from the 18th century on to inspire him that and a steady infusion of the latest fashion ideas he picked up in the streets, cafes and nightclubs of Paris. He translated this knowledge into his work, pairing historical references with contemporary trends, wrote fashion critic John Colapinto in a 2007 article for the New Yorker magazine. Hoping to understand what made Lagerfeld tick, journalists visited his 18,000-square-foot Paris house and came away with reports of a collision of time periods and tastes. Advertisement A staff of valets dressed in 18th century attire moved quietly through rooms awash in iPods, the latest magazines, CDs and books. One bedroom had a four-poster bed, the pillars covered by lightbulbs. Another contained furniture from his childhood bedroom in Germany, with Beidermeier chairs and German Romantic landscape paintings His cultivated eccentricities, and his habit of talking as fast as a speeding train and his voracious appetite for learning new things made Lagerfeld something of a loner. He never married or lived with a lover. The only name associated with his as an intimate friendship was Jacques de Bascher, a French aristocrat some 20 years younger who died of AIDS in the late 1980s. I never fall in love, Lagerfeld told Interview magazine in 1975. I think its much more important to love your work. When he did socialize, he was surrounded by an entourage that sparkled with famous faces: Paloma Picasso in the 70s, Princess Caroline of Monaco in the 80s, supermodels and indie rock musicians through the changing seasons. Advertisement Although his fashion shows mirrored the cutting-edge trends, Lagerfelds personal dress style changed slowly. Photographs of him in the 60s show a tan, muscled St. Tropez type in a tank-style swimsuit. He went through a Hamburg banker phase with dark three-piece suits in the 70s and an Edwardian dandy phase when he wore white linen suits and two-tone wingtip shoes in the 80s. He gained weight and dressed in roomy black suits by young Japanese designers. He lost the weight and changed to tight jeans, fingerless gloves and massive silver rings. By then he was in his 70s, which seemed late for a disco-biker look. A few details in his wardrobe stayed the same. He added them piece by piece after he appeared in LAmour, a 1973 movie by Andy Warhol. He began to carry a Japanese fan, a signature accessory. He wore black sunglasses, part of the Pop Glamour look, seemingly around the clock. And he kept his hair in a short, neat ponytail that he powdered as it turned gray, as Warhol had powdered his unchanging punk-country-boy do. Advertisement He also got interested in photography, and for some years he shot the Chanel press kits and catalog photographs himself. Asked to explain his ideas about fashion or anything else that probed his inner world, Lagerfeld could be sarcastic. The worst is a fashion designer who talks all the time of his or her creativity, he told Womens Wear Daily in 1978. Just do it and shut up. Other times he waxed philosophical. The purpose of life is life, he said in a 1992 interview. Advertisement The purpose of fashion is fashion. In her book, Drake referred to Lagerfeld in other terms. Beneath the ermine-edged gown, the powder and pout and the little finger that leapt into the air as he sipped Coca-Cola, there was the steel trap mind, hard work and stamina of a German industrialist with an enormous will, she wrote. After decades of crafting the most expensive clothes in the world, Lagerfeld designed a High Street collection for women and one for men sold exclusively at the discount chain store H&M in 2004. Prices ranged from around $25 to around $130. I have no idea of the future, never ever, he said in a 2004 interview with Vogue. Thats what I like about fashion. Its paradise now. Advertisement Rourke is a former Times staff writer. Three people were found shot and killed Monday afternoon inside a gated community on the border of Porter Ranch and Chatsworth, in what police are investigating as a triple homicide, authorities said. Officers responded to a call at 3:52 p.m. of shots fired in the 20300 block of Via Galileo, where homes are listed for sale for more than $1 million.The 911 call came from someone associated with the people inside the house, police said. Three men were found inside the home and pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. They all had gunshot wounds, said LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez, who said it was unclear whether the victims were residents of the home. Advertisement Homicide investigators are looking for any suspect information or motive for the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call LAPDs Robbery-Homicide division at (213) 486-6850 or the LAPD Devonshire station at (818) 832-0633. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. rosanna.xia@latimes.com Interested in coastal issues? Follow @RosannaXia on Twitter. All 16 passengers trapped on suspended gondolas at SeaWorld for several hours Monday night have been rescued, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said. The passengers waited in cars that had stopped midair after wind knocked out power to the Bayside Skyride, the department said. The rescues took place in stages. About 11 p.m, the last two passengers were rescued. The first rescue, of two children, was announced at 9:24 p.m. A statement by SeaWorld said the Bayside Skyride attraction stopped after an unusual gust of significant wind. Sixteen passengers, including an infant, were in five cars, according to official and news reports. Advertisement The National Weather Service says SeaWorld was hit by a 20-mph gust out of the north-northwest at 6:30 p.m. Rescue crews were called in shortly after 8 p.m. when power could not be restored to the ride. SeaWorlds mechanics werent able to get the gondola going, Fire-Rescue spokesman Jose Ysea said. The cold weather probably made it harder for those trapped on the gondolas. At 8 p.m., the temperature was 48 degrees and falling at SeaWorld. Fire and lifeguard crews were on site, on the gondola towers and in boats in Mission Bay, long after the park closed at 7:30 p.m. During the rescue, a team talked with trapped riders, getting information about the number of people aboard each of the stranded gondolas. They used harnesses and a pulley system to reach the riders. SeaWorld said it would carefully inspect the ride before if can be operated again. The ride opened in 1967. Bradley J. Fikes writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Staff writers Lori Weisberg and Gary Robbins contributed to this report. A former candidate for Los Angeles City Council and his campaign treasurer have been fined more than $38,000 for using laundered donations to get taxpayer money and misspending such dollars on personal expenses. The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to fine J. Roy Garcia, who ran unsuccessfully in 2013 for a council seat in the San Fernando Valley, and his campaign treasurer Hardy Henriquez. Councilwoman Nury Martinez ultimately won the seat that year. Garcia, who runs a flooring business, turned in paperwork to get matching funds from the city taxpayer funds that are supposed to help level the playing field for grassroots candidates by matching small donations from local residents. At the time, city staffers questioned the authenticity of some of the donations, but Garcia and his campaign staff assured them that the contributions were legitimate, according to a city report. Advertisement However, Garcia later admitted that he had spoken to donors who were eager to give him the maximum amount allowed, and encouraged three of them to divide up their donations and give them in the name of other people. Doing so would help him get more matching funds, since the money would appear to be coming from more donors. But disguising the true source of a campaign contribution by making it in the name of another person is a form of money laundering and violates the City Charter. Garcia received nearly $54,000 in taxpayer money while running for the seat, which was being vacated by former Councilman Tony Cardenas. Garcia, his campaign committee and his treasurer misspent more than $4,400 of that funding for purposes besides the campaign, according to city investigators. Among the improper spending was more than $1,000 for services tied to his flooring business and roughly $500 for tutoring for his son. Ethics Commission staff recommended Garcia and Henriquez face the maximum possible fine $38,371 because the violations were extremely serious and indicate an intent to conceal or deceive, according to their report. Staffers also said they should be required to repay $2,000 in public funds that Garcia received as a result of the laundered donations. Garcia and Henriquez agreed to the penalty but asked to pay the $40,000 over roughly a year, according to the staff report. Neither spoke at the meeting Tuesday. The two are jointly responsible for paying the total amount of the fine, according to commission officials. Garcia, who did not immediately respond to phone calls seeking comment Tuesday, is not the only San Fernando Valley politician to face scrutiny over matching funds. More than three years ago, federal investigators questioned donors to Martinez about small donations of $5 and $10 that helped her qualify for matching funds in the 2015 election. Some of them told The Times they had not made contributions, even though city records listed them as having done so. The Times also reported in September that at least three of Martinezs matching fund donors were summoned to a county grand jury last summer. A spokesman for Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said at the time that Laceys office was reviewing complaints about Martinez but declined to provide details. Advertisement A spokesman for the district attorney said Tuesday that the matter remained under review. Martinez had not heard from either the district attorney or the U.S. attorneys office as of last week, according to an aide. Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report. emily.alpert@latimes.com Twitter: @AlpertReyes A high-speed car crash in Chatsworth left an elderly couple dead and their 9-year-old granddaughter in critical condition Sunday afternoon, police said. Around 3:30 p.m., a 2011 Infiniti M37 was traveling south on De Soto Avenue at a high speed when it smashed into a Toyota Avalon that was turning left onto Plummer Street, according to a statement by the Los Angeles Police Department. The driver of the Avalon, identified only as a 72-year-old man, and his 73-year-old wife both died at the scene, said Capt. Andy Neiman, who oversees traffic operations at the LAPDs Valley Bureau. The couples 9-year-old granddaughter, who was riding in the backseat, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition. The victims names were being withheld pending notification of kin. Advertisement The driver of the Infiniti, a 26-year-old Granada Hills man, was also hospitalized with severe injuries, police said. Witnesses initially told police that a gray sedan was driving alongside the Infiniti on De Soto Avenue, but Neiman said that investigators do not believe street racing to be a factor in the crash. Based on the evidence and the video weve reviewed thus far, it does not appear that any other vehicle was involved, he said. No arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon. The area where the crash occurred is popular in the citys illegal street-racing scene. A nearby stretch of Plummer Street is commonly referred to as the Canoga Speedway. In 2015, a vehicle involved in a street race on Plummer near Canoga Avenue plowed into a crowd, leaving two dead. james.queally@latimes.com Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California. BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday rejected the position of the United States on Huawei, saying China hopes all countries will abide by the principle of fair competition and jointly safeguard a fair and non-discriminatory market environment. According to reports, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned its allies to take seriously "the threat" posed by Chinese enterprise Huawei as they look for partners to build 5G wireless infrastructure. He made the remarks Saturday during the Munich Security Conference. Reports also said that some U.S. officials recently argued that under China's National Intelligence Law companies such as Huawei or ZTE could be compelled to hand over data or access to Chinese intelligence. "These are mistaken and one-sided interpretations of relevant Chinese laws," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a news briefing. China's National Intelligence Law not only stipulates the obligations of organizations and citizens to support the work of national intelligence within Chinese law, but also stipulates that state intelligence should abide by laws, respect and protect human rights, and safeguard the rights and interests of individuals and organizations, said Geng. He said other Chinese laws also have many provisions to protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and organizations, including data security and privacy. These rules also apply to national intelligence work. "The U.S. side should understand this comprehensively and objectively, and not make incorrect and one-sided interpretations," Geng said. He added that it is an internationally accepted practice to use legislation to maintain national security and require organizations and individuals to cooperate with national intelligence work. Members of the "Five Eyes" alliance including the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Western countries such as France and Germany all have similar requirements, he said. The Chinese government always demands its enterprises conduct economic cooperation on a legal basis in accordance with local laws and regulations, Geng said, adding that China has always adhered to the basic principles of international law including mutual respect for sovereignty, equality and mutual benefit. China never demands any institution or individual to violate local laws or build "mandatory back doors" to collect data, information or intelligence located in foreign countries, said the spokesperson. "The United States and a few of its allies are using double standards and deliberately misleading the public on the issue. They use the issue as an excuse for suppressing the legitimate development rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, using political means to intervene in economic behaviors. It's hypocritical, immoral and unfair bullying behaviors," said Geng. Outside consultants working on a plan to restructure the Los Angeles Unified School District were asked to develop a performance-based rating system for schools and to shift hiring and purchasing of services from the central district office to local campus networks, according to confidential contracts provided to The Times. The contracts were released last week in response to repeated requests since October from Board of Education member Scott Schmerelson. The consultants work was not disclosed, but Schmerelson plans to continue to press to make it public. District officials had declined requests from the Times and others to make the contracts public as Supt. Austin Beutner developed his reform plan, which he said is meant to save money and improve student success by bringing decision-making and resources closer to the campus level. The contracts also became an issue in the weeks leading up to the January teachers strike, when union leaders and their members expressed concern about where Beutner a businessman with no background in education management would take the nations second-largest school system. Advertisement Beutner and other district officials said that their reform strategy, which must be approved by the Board of Education, is still taking shape and there will be ample and open discussion of it. In the coming weeks the superintendent and the district will be talking about their agenda to focus on student learning, spokeswoman Janelle Erickson said Monday. The contracts total $3 million so far, with the largest amounts going to Ernst & Young ($1.5 million), which specializes in business services and consulting, and the Kitamba Group ($765,000), whose focus is education. The agreements are being administered by the nonprofit California Community Foundation and paid for by private donors, including the Ballmer Group, the California Community Foundation, the California Endowment, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Weingart Foundation. According to its contract, Ernst & Youngs mission was to analyze how the district can better use resources and cut costs in purchasing, food services, technology and transportation, as well as deal with work-related injuries and adjust its general financial practices. The work was to be completed, with a full report, before the end of November. It is not clear if that timetable was met. Kitamba was to have developed a working definition of a great school and to have designed a network structure by the end of 2018. The Times reported in November that Beutner was considering assigning all schools to one of about 32 different networks. Kitambas contract also said the company would help the district develop a way for officials to discuss giving letter grades to schools, ranking them on a 100-point scale or assigning them a color to denote their status. Kitamba was also to have developed measures that could be taken when a school fell short of standards. The triggers for taking action were to be developed in draft form by last September. By December of 2018, each school was to have a performance rating along with a summary explanation. The goal by mid-February, according to Kitambas contract, was to engage on the plan with central office and school staff as well as with students and families. A media campaign also was due to roll out, with the new school networks slated to launch next September. The Kitamba contract also proposed that each school network be allowed to choose or refuse services from the central office. The proposal does not specify which services, or say where the services would come from if the networks reject the central districts offerings. Advertisement But the New York City school system tried a similar plan, starting in 2007, allowing local nonprofits to compete against the district to provide services. After about eight years, New York abandoned the plan, which cut costs but did not improve student achievement. Kitamba, in the contract documents, cited its previous work in Midland, Texas as an example of how it would carry out its duties. In Midland and some other Texas school districts, schools or networks of schools are supposed to have autonomy, but individual schools are rated every year and there can be serious consequences for those with low student achievement. The Texas plan calls for creating new schools, replicating successful ones and restarting struggling ones. A $595,000 restructuring contract was also awarded to former Newark schools Supt. Cami Anderson to make services to students with disabilities cheaper and more effective. Advertisement Andersons tenure in Newark was marked by aggressive reforms that generated strong pushback from unions and some community groups. Kitamba was a key consultant in the Newark restructuring. School board member Scott Schmerelson pressed to see consulting contracts. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Schmerelsons motion, which could be voted on Tuesday, would require Beutner to release to school board members all existing reports, analysis and associated documents and work product materials from Ernst & Young, Kitamba and Andersons firm New York-based ThirdWay Solutions. Beutner would have until Feb. 22 to comply. Separately, the firm Latham & Watkins is providing L.A. Unified with advice on certain financial restructuring issues at no charge other than up to $25,000 in expenses. That is the only description of services. The contract also notes that a separate arm of Latham has represented privately operated charter schools in actions against L.A. Unified and that it will continue to do so. Advertisement howard.blume@latimes.com Twitter: @howardblume A dense fog hung over James Rileys homestead in this apple-growing community as the platoon of buses, carrying 150 mostly Latino and black fifth-graders, pulled up. Here in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, about 80 miles from downtown L.A., the 59-year-old Riley and his employees grow fruit and vegetables through most of the year. But their main crop is living history: musical theater, educational workshops and historical reenactments of everything from the Gold Rush era to the Civil War all centered on a mock 1770s-era New England town that Riley designed. College-age actors in three-cornered hats and bonnets, nattering away in faux-British accents, teach life lessons from the Revolutionary War: how to spool thread, roll a hoop with a stick and not run afoul of the Quartering Act of 1765, the Parliament diktat that forced Americans to house and feed British soldiers. Fifth-graders are sort of the magic age, Riley said. Theyre not too cool yet, they still like to pretend. Advertisement Even so, Riley said, his liberty to pursue this unique form of happiness is under attack. Riverside Unified School District officials observe activities at Rileys Farm. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Earlier in the day, officials with the Riverside Unified School District had been poking around the farm, wanting to see for themselves if the rumors were true: that Rileys Farm was an unsafe environment for kids because of its owners alleged racism, misogyny and homophobia. Last September, someone had uncovered tweets from Riley in which he stated that black supremacy was as problematic as white racism, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warrens Native American heritage was bogus and that his generation may be the last one born with only two genders. White supremacy? he tweeted on Feb. 18 last year. If theres a problem in America today, its BLACK supremacy. Farrakhan, Obama, LeBron James, etc. Soon the backlash landed on Riley and his farm. Parents and activists called for a boycott, in Facebook and Twitter posts shared by thousands. His own brother and nephew, who run nearby apple farms, distanced themselves. Deana Olson, a mother of five whose sons had visited Rileys Farm as fifth-graders in the Menifee Union High School District, shared the tweets. You shouldnt have to think about those things when sending your children on field trips, she said. Hes like a wannabe Trump, and thats not OK. And if you think you can get away with it, then youre not a good businessman. Advertisement The Claremont Unified School District told Riley in a letter that they would no longer send students to his farm and were under no obligation to expose children to an individual who engages in these crude and tasteless comments. James Patrick Riley is owner of Rileys Farm, an orchard in Oak Glen that stages historical reenactments of Colonial times. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In response, Riley has sued Claremont Unified, its superintendent, board trustees and two district principals, alleging they had violated his 1st (free speech) and 14th (equal protection under the law) Amendment rights. He is seeking more than $10 million in damages. The controversy prompted Riverside Unified to dispatch the team of observers to Rileys Farm. Advertisement District officials, alongside legal counsel, are doing our due diligence to ensure that were doing whats best for our students, our families and the staff, a district spokesperson said in a statement. As children outside practiced how to march in formation, Riley a father of six promised to put more fear in public officials. If there is any other district that pursues defamation of me, Riley said, that has been in a long-term relationship with us and has basically made a decision based on my political expression, then we will sue them. Tall and pensive, with gray hair pulled into a ponytail so he can better impersonate Patrick Henry, Riley arrived in town in 1994, following his older brother Dennis, who bought a three-acre orchard in 1978 and revolutionized the local industry. Advertisement Under Dennis U-Pick program, customers could wander among the trees and pick the fruit themselves instead of buying from roadside stands. Soon Rileys family a sprawling clan originally from Arcadia settled in Oak Glen, taking jobs as cooks and tour guides and teaching the public how to make apple cider and other treats; James estimates about 40 relatives remain in the industry. By the late 1980s, Dennis and his other siblings persuaded their parents to buy whats now Rileys Farm. Around that time, a group of Civil War aficionados asked if they could reenact a battle in the farms upper meadows. James Riley said he was opposed at first, finding shades of stolen valor in some of that stuff. But the Stanford history major and lifelong conservative quickly realized that there are people who are good at defending their country, and there are other people who are good at talking about what [soldiers] had done. Advertisement Riley wrote scripts that relied as much as possible on primary sources such as journals and letters to ensure no historical biases seeped into his productions. Actors came from his family as well as local high school and college drama departments. He trained everyone in era-appropriate diction and dress. Michael Dougher, enacting the character of a rifleman teaching the colonists to fight for their liberties, leads a group of schoolchildren visiting Rileys Farm. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Teachers suggested Riley offer field trips. The idea proved wildly popular, with students coming from throughout Southern California. In the early 2000s, Oak Glen residents complained that the smell of black powder from fired guns and the screams of schoolchildren were ruining their idyll and their property values. Advertisement A petition presented to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in 2006 asked that Riley be forced to muffle the shots and limit the field trips. After some negotiations, Rileys Farm agreed to have actors fire only six shots per day, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Over the last decade, Oak Glen residents have grudgingly accepted that Rileys vision has boosted tourism. He diversified Rileys Farm to include overnight stays, group retreats, weddings and even quinceaneras. Jim is one of the consummate marketers up here, said Nina Foster, a former vice president of the Oak Glen Apple Growers Assn. who worked for Riley for two years as a Revolutionary War reenactor. He has a heart as big as all outdoors. Advertisement But the school field trips are vital to Rileys bottom line, making up $2.1 million out of total revenue of $4.2 million in a typical recent year, according to court filings. While not busy tending to his business, Riley has attended tea party rallies dressed as Patrick Henry to stir up crowds, as well as launched a blog and Twitter account to express his political views. Hayden Debevec, playing the character of Master Oaks, teaches etiquette to a group of schoolchildren visiting Rileys Farm. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) He said he remembers only two significant clashes with customers before the tweet backlash: He dropped a depiction of the Great Awakening, the 18th century evangelical revival that swept the American colonies, because too many teachers complained about its religious overtones. And, he said, a Muslim group walked out during a speech that concludes every field trip because of this line: There are places in the world right now where a woman cant even drive a car, much less vote. Advertisement Its been kind of a Hank Fonda-Jimmy Stewart type of relationship, Riley said of serving people who dont share his beliefs. We may agree to disagree on contemporary politics, but the binding affection that binds our guests to the farm is a common love for history. But after the spread of his tweets, Riley said, he has been turned into a conservative Christian strawman that has to be burned in public. Riley claims business has actually improved amid the controversy, as private schools and parents groups have organized trips in support. Nevertheless, he sued Claremont Unified. Government cant chill the exercise of free speech indirectly or directly, said his lawyer, Thomas Eastmond. Advertisement Claremont Unified declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation. Barry P. McDonald, a Pepperdine University law professor who teaches a course on the 1st Amendment, thinks Rileys case is interesting but probably a loser. The court would likely say the governments job is to teach kids appropriate values, he said. In [Rileys] instance, to force the school district into a business transaction where such offensive things are being tweeted, would be inimical to the schools intent to teach respect and tolerance for others. But Riley argues that his conservative beliefs have not filtered into the farms programs. Advertisement These are stories that are safely wrapped up in the events of the past, he said. If you want to come to a conclusion about them one way or another, thats up to anybody. One concerned parent, Ridgecrest resident Becky Hilliker, accompanied her daughter to the farm after learning about the controversy. What she saw made her think Rileys program should continue. Its important for the kids to see this, Hilliker said, adding that the tweets were not something he said to the kids and it would be a shame to deny [them] the educational opportunities with a boycott. If he were to lose his lawsuit, Riley said, he was willing to sell the farm or at least the part that belongs to him to fund any appeal. Advertisement Around 2 in the afternoon, the field trips grand finale the staging of the fictional Battle of St. Georges Tavern, where students split into teams of redcoats or colonists, armed with sticks bent to resemble muskets was nearing its end. One set of fifth-graders shouted Free-dom! Free-dom! as their classmates lay prone in a muddy field. Soon, everyone gathered to hear the speech that has concluded the tour for more than a decade. Riley used to give it more often, but a young African American woman had the duties this day. Students arrive in school buses at Rileys Farm in Oak Glen. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement They say that liberty is a chain, she told her rapt audience, and you are the next link in that chain. The freedom of this nation is very much in your hands. Im a crybaby every time, Riley said, as his employees handed out caramel apples to students. The script was done for the day. And the Riverside Unified School District officials who had come to make sure nothing went awry left Rileys Farm. But not before walking away with a bag of goodies from its bakery. gustavo.arellano@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @GustavoArellano Longtime KNBC-TV Channel 4 consumer reporter David Horowitz has died at age 81, his wife told the station Monday. Horowitz was best known for his appearances on KNBCs newscasts and Emmy-winning TV program Fight Back! With David Horowitz that investigated defective products, advertised claims and confronted companies with customer complaints. Born June 30, 1937, in the the Bronx borough of New York City, Horowitz received a bachelors degree from Bradley University in 1959 and a masters degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Horowitz worked at newspapers and television stations in the Midwest, including KRNT-TV (now KCCI), the CBS affiliate in Des Moines. Horowitz became a writer for NBCs Huntley-Brinkley Report and held several other positions with the network before joining KNBC in 1973 as its consumer reporter. Advertisement From the archives: Onetime TV consumer watchdogs now ply their trade elsewhere Horowitzs acclaim led to being a regular guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and appearing as himself on episodes of Silver Spoons, ALF, The Golden Girls and Saved by the Bell. I dont consider myself a consumer advocate, Horowitz told the Los Angeles Times in 1988. If youre on television you have to really be broadcasting in the public interest but you also have to be objective. Yes, you can do a commentary and advocate certain issues if you feel that way, but I do a lot of stories where the consumers wrong where theyre trying to rip off companies too. I have to really walk that fine line in terms of being fair about something. Horowitz was on KNBCs 4 p.m. newscast on Aug. 19, 1987, when a man with what appeared to be a gun took him hostage live on the air. Horowitz remained calm and read the gunmans statements on camera, but the station had cut the broadcast without the gunman becoming aware of that fact. The gun turned out to be a toy BB gun. Horowitz then joined a drive to outlaw realistic toy guns in California. Horowitz is survived by his wife, Suzanne, two daughters and two grandchildren. The black cat with the rhinestone collar. The hand-walking clown. The petunia that dances and sings. These beloved characters and 2,000 other puppets handcrafted by marionette mastermind Bob Baker are about to get a new home. After more than 55 years in a small cinder block building on the edge of downtown L.A., the historic Bob Baker Marionette Theater will move to a former movie theater turned Korean church on the corner of York Boulevard and N. Avenue 50 in Highland Park. The theaters company of eight red-clad puppeteers hopes to start staging their playful and eccentric brand of marionette shows in its new space beginning in early summer.The official grand opening is not slated to take place until Nov. 29 almost one year to the day after they performed their last public show in their historic original theater. Advertisement Boy, are we rushing to figure everything out, but opening day will happen as soon as is humanly possible, said Alex Evans, the theaters executive director and head puppeteer, in the same cheerful and English-accented voice that hes used to introduce nearly every performance over the past 10 years. I want to play with puppets again. A few days after signing a 10-year lease, Evans and Winona Bechtle, the marionette theaters director of development, were seated at a card table in a cold, messy office on the second floor of their new headquarters. They were already hard at work writing text for the marionette theaters website, putting together a press release about the move and preparing for a meeting with the architectural firm Escher GuneWardena, which will help them transform the buildings cavernous auditorium into the cozy space draped in tinsel and red velvet that Bob Baker audiences know and love. The exterior of the old Bob Baker Marionette Theater off Glendale Boulevard. (Elisa Parhad) They were tired but excited. For months, the theaters future had been in limbo as they scoured the city for a suitable place to continue Bakers unique legacy. They looked at more than 30 locations before settling on the York Boulevard building. It does not have parking, but it is conveniently located across the street from a childrens playground with a rattlesnake slide and a coffee shop with excellent lattes. This was the space where you could pretty much walk in and see it right away, Evans said. We dont have to change much to make it feel Bob Baker. The building was originally built as the York Theater, hosting movies and vaudeville performances in the 1920s. It most recently housed the Pyong Kang First Congregational Church. It has also been a barbershop and the site of an organ sales and repair store. Its very L.A., all the transitions its been through, Bechtle said. Advertisement Inside, the building still looks like it belongs to the church, with large banners written in Korean hanging on the walls, red poinsettias lined up in front of an ornate wooden pulpit and a drum set and keyboard unmoved since the congregations last service in early January. The room felt large and tall a jarring contrast to the gilded intimacy of the old Bob Baker Theater. But Bechtle and Evans pointed to its art deco touches such as the historic lettering of the Exit and Bathroom signs, and what was once an old ticket booth. Weve done [performances] in a box for 55 years, Evans said. Theres moldings on the doorways here. Thats more than we had in the other theater. The decision to move to a new location didnt entirely come by choice. Baker sold the marionette theaters original building to a developer shortly before his death in 2014. Now, the current owner is moving forward with plans to turn the site into an apartment complex. Advertisement The Bob Baker Marionette Theater was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009 and soon after the sale of the building, there was talk of keeping the local institution on the premises. However, recent renderings of the project suggested that was not likely to happen. We thought it was the plan until we saw the plans, Bechtle said. But the push to move to the new space which is 10,000 square feet, while the old building was 7,000 square feet may be a blessing for the company. It has experienced a renaissance and unprecedented growth over the last few years with gross revenues increasing from $247,687 in 2014 to $604,312 in 2018. Our revenue is up 60% this year over last year, and that allowed us to consider that the best option for Bob Baker wasnt necessarily staying in that building, Bechtle said. Advertisement For more than 50 years, generations of audiences attending performances at Bob Bakers Marionette Theater were treated to a singular experience. In a small theater adorned with velvet and gold garlands, audiences sat in the round, with (mostly) kids sitting criss-cross applesauce on the floor. Puppeteers brought the handcrafted marionettes right into the center of a carpeted area where they blinked and winked and danced to campy soundtracks that Baker spliced together. If you were lucky, a puppet might sit on your lap, knock off your hat, or wave a scarf in your face. Who knows what theyll do, Evans said before the start of the show in recent years. Theyre puppets! Nathan Palat, 5, enjoys vanilla ice cream with his sister, Ava, 4, held by mother Colleen, after a performance at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Downtown Los Angeles in 2012. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement To keep that experience intact as it changes locations, the theater company is working with architects Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena who specialize in historic preservation projects. The current open auditorium will become shorter and narrower once they create a backstage area, puppet storage and a workshop. A carpet stage will be created, and so will a sense of closeness to the performers. It really is about the audience the kids on the carpet and their parents and older kids around them, surrounding the puppets and performers, GuneWardena said. It is very much interactive, and it will continue to be interactive. To guide them on the transformation, the architects are turning to dozens of original drawings that Baker made for the theater before its creation in the 1950s and 60s. Advertisement Bob Baker had these amazing, beautiful renderings of his vision for altering the old space, so weve been collectively mining those images, GuneWardena said. The annual Christmas show, a non-traditional and completely surreal Nutcracker that opens with a shadow puppet orchestra and includes a Clara and her little brother Fred (who each sound like they are 45 years old) was staged at the Pasadena Playhouse at the end of 2018. The annual Bob Bakers Nutcracker was performed at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2018. (Bob Baker Marionette Theater) Those performances helped us see how the Bob Baker vibe works in a space that is not our original home, said Bechtle. It was a nice exercise in what makes the theater, the theater the tinsel, the coloring, the carpet. Transposing it there was like, We can do it. Advertisement Original Bob Baker Marionette Theater concept art. (Courtesy of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater) Bechtle and Evans said another priority is to create a place that will allow the marionette theater to more easily collaborate with other artists and organizations. In the last few years, the theater began hosting movie screenings, punk shows and other events that were not solely marionette-based. In the new location, they hope to do even more of that. We have a library of 6,000 LPs, so music is part of what we do; Bob worked on Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Escape from Witch Mountain, so screenings are an obvious way to illuminate our programming, Bechtle said. Advertisement The buildout will take place in two phases. The first is getting the theater ready to receive audiences. This should wrap up by the beginning of summer, Evans said. The second is developing the rest of the theater carving out room for workshops and smaller performances, a library and a Bob Baker museum. But a lot will depend on how much money they can raise over the next few years. The goal is to get them into the building and doing shows as quickly as possible, said Michael Ferguson of the theater design company Theater DNA, who is also working on the project. Bechtle said she is just relieved to finally be able to reveal where Bob Baker will be for the foreseeable future. Advertisement For the longest time, weve been answering the phones saying, Call back next month. Call back next week, she said. I cant wait to tell everyone. Roma, Alfonso Cuarons semi-autobiographical drama about growing up in the Colonia Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, is a film told largely through the perspectives of its female characters. Centered on Cleo, the live-in maid and nanny to a middle-class family (Yalitza Aparicio) and the matriarch of that family (Marina de Tavira), the film deals heavily with themes of motherhood and marriage. Which is why both actresses say they have been most surprised by the strong reactions theyve received from male viewers. Both Aparicio and De Tavira took part in an Envelope Live screening and Q&A for Roma held at the London West Hollywood Hotel and moderated by Times awards columnist Glenn Whipp. "[I] feel quite surprised sometimes about the fact its the sons that come up to us and tell us that the film has really given them a chance to think about and reflect about what their mothers and the women who took care of them did for them, Aparicio said after the screening. What I have most appreciated is that even though this is a very personal story, a very personal story for Alfonso, it has also connected with a lot of people and become a personal story that other people also can relate to. Advertisement Stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira talk about how the film has connected with audiences in a personal way, particularly with male viewers and their mothers. FULL COVERAGE: Countdown to the Oscars THEMES Looking again at the themes, both actresses discussed how women during the time period of the film the 1970s were often made to feel guilty when a marriage fails more so than the husbands involved. Aparicio says she hopes viewers take that lesson to heart after watching the film. I hope people actually think about what those themes mean, she said to applause from the crowd. De Tavira said it was this theme that helped her relate to her character on a more intimate level. With Sofia, she feels stigmatized because of divorce and that the children are going to be stigmatized also and that she is going to be blamed for the failure of the marriage as a woman, she said. Alfonso talked a lot about that, and I really could relate a lot to that because I remember my own personal experience with my mother when I was a child and what she went through. Stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira discuss the guilt women feel when a marriage ends in divorce, and how women are often blamed. REAL-LIFE INSPIRATIONS Advertisement The film is semi-autobiographical and is based heavily on Cuarons upbringing. He wrote both the parts of Cleo and Sofia based on specific women. While both actresses say they knew who their character was based on, only Aparicio was able to speak with the real woman who inspired Cleo about the events surrounding the film. I didnt have a conversation with Cristina [Orozco]. She sadly passed away before the film was finished, but she went to visit us on set one day, she said. I only got a chance to say hello. I couldnt really speak. I just said, Im so honored. Im so honored. But while Aparicio did get to speak with Cuarons real-life nanny, Liboria Libo Rodriguez, some aspects of her story were still left a mystery. She had a chance to share her experiences with me, but all the experiences that they shared with me were up until the point that the film basically begins and then from that point on, they told me youll basically find out what happens after, Aparicio said. Advertisement Stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira talk about the women who inspired Alfonso Cuarons story. 2019 Oscars: See the full nominations list FLYING BLIND While both actresses say they knew select things about the women who inspired their characters, it ended up helping that neither knew the full story when it came time to film. The nights before specific scenes, De Tavira said Cuaron would give her only select lines and some of the lines he gave her turned out to be incorrect. Advertisement Often times we did not know what the other person was going to say or how the other person was going to react and we just got to discover things as they developed on set, Aparicio said. De Tavira said that kind of spontaneity helped when it came time to film the scene where Cleo reveals to Sofia that she is pregnant. He gave me part of the lines the night before, but there in my paper it said that Cleo was going to tell me that she had broken something from the living room but when he said action for the first time and we did the scene, she said she was pregnant, she said. It also was fresh because I didnt have time to prepare that the night before or to imagine how I would solve that scene. Thats why it seems like real life. For more information on future Envelope Live screenings and events, click here. Female protagonists led a record percentage of 2018s top movies, according to a new study from San Diego State Universitys Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film. The annual report, which analyzed more than 2,500 characters appearing in the 100 top domestic-grossing films of 2018, found that the percentage of films featuring female protagonists increased to 31% in 2018 a notable jump from 24% in 2017, and a slight uptick from the previous high of 29% achieved in 2016. Frankly, 2017 was a bad year for female protagonists, Martha Lauzen, professor and executive director of SDSUs Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, told The Times on Monday. [Last years movies] were a record high since Ive been doing this research since 2002, she continued. Protagonists are tremendously important, because its from their perspective that the story is told, so its wonderful to see more women in those roles. Advertisement These female protagonists were most likely to appear in comedies (32%), followed by dramas (29%), horror films (19%), science fiction features (10%), action features (7%), and films in other genres (3%). Female protagonists arent just in romantic comedies anymore, Lauzen said with a laugh. In fact, they were fairly well-presented across genres. This is a positive because, if one genre falls out of favor temporarily as genres sometimes do, the way the romantic comedy did for a while we wont see a dramatic decline in the numbers onscreen. However, the percentages of female-speaking characters and major characters remained relatively stagnant. Females constituted 35% of speaking characters (up 1 percentage point from 34% in 2017) and 36% of major characters (down 1 percentage point from 2017). Generally speaking, major characters are categorized as those who appear in more than one scene and are instrumental to the action of the story. The study also noted that the gender representation in a movie often correlated to the genders of its creative team. For example, in films with at least one female director and/or writer, females composed 57% of protagonists (as opposed to films with exclusively male directors and/or writers, of which females accounted for 21% of protagonists). Stressed Lauzen, It really does matter who is working in those key behind-the-scenes roles. Regarding race and ethnicity, the percentage of black females in speaking roles increased five percentage points from last year to 21% in 2018, a recent historical high. The percentage of Asian females increased three percentage points to 10% in 2018, a jump largely because of one films numerous female-speaking characters: Crazy Rich Asians. (And when this film is removed from the analysis, the jump is only one percentage point.) Its a really important caveat to consider when looking at the numbers, said Lauzen. However, the percentage of Latina characters declined three points to 4% in 2018. Latinas remain the most underrepresented group, especially when considering this groups representation in the U.S. population, Lauzen lamented. That needs some work. ashley.lee@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @cashleelee As hard-luck stories go, this one was a doozy. It was a letter from a woman identifying herself as Janetta Hames, a wife, mom and grandma from Texas. She says she volunteers at her church and at her youngest daughters school. Her son is in the Coast Guard. Her older daughter is a middle-school choir director. I have several diseases, Hames says. These are: Systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, interstitial lung disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which, according to the Mayo Clinic, involves overly flexible joints and stretchy, fragile skin. My treatments for these diseases cost over $50,000 a month, Hames says in her letter, and even after insurance pays their portion, I am still left with a bill of about $5,000 EVERY MONTH. Advertisement For that reason, she says, she is reaching out to people in the United States to ask for help. A check for $50 would be great, but any amount would be appreciated. A stamped envelope is included with the letter (addressed to a mailbox-rental firm in a Fort Worth strip mall). Or you can send a payment via Venmo or PayPal. Beverly Hills resident Pat Hollander, 78, and her husband received this letter the other day. We didnt know what to make of it, she told me. Is it real? Is it a scam? And the big question: How did she get our address? We dont know who this person is. Lets take those one at a time. Is it real? At first glance, the letter is intriguing. It makes its appeal for funds without any typos, bad syntax or other red flags. Hames includes a pair of photos that, if theyre her, show shes attractive and has a nice smile. She even offers, in return for a donation of $50 or more, to paint a rock and send it to you. She says shes part of the Kindness Rocks Project, which encourages people to leave rocks painted with inspiring messages for others to find. Advertisement Is it a scam? Well, lets put it like this. I managed to reached a Janetta Hames at a cell number linked to an address in Saginaw, Texas, north of Fort Worth. Ms. Hames? I asked. Yes. Advertisement Janetta Hames? Yes. I identified myself as a reporter, said a reader had sent me a copy of the fundraising letter and said Id like to ask a few questions. She hung up. Advertisement I called back and repeated that Id like to speak with her about her situation and her fundraising campaign. Im kind of busy right now, Hames replied and hung up again. Subsequent calls went unanswered. A Google search turns up a page on a site called Begslist, which describes itself as a cyber begging and online panhandling site. Advertisement Hello! it says. Wed like to tell you about our friend. She is an amazing wife, mom and grandma. It proceeds to mirror pretty much everything in Hames fundraising letter, except its written in the third person. It has the same photos as the letter. The Begslist page seeks donations of $20 rather than $50. Last time I checked, not a single donation had been received. Is it a scam? I cant say for sure one way or another. I can say, though, that a Janetta Hames with the same Saginaw address as the woman I reached by phone filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in 2011. Thousands of dollars was owed to credit card issuers, payday lenders, debt collectors and a number of healthcare facilities. Advertisement The bankruptcy filing was in the name of Janetta Leigh Hames, also known as Janetta L. Hames, also known as Janetta L. Evans, formerly known as Janetta Leigh Bozeman, formerly known as Janetta Leigh Kisloski, formerly known as Janetta Leigh Redus. Hames is 46. How did she get Hollanders mailing address? And not just that address. Hollander said her neighbor received the same letter. The most likely answer is that Hames went to a data broker there are thousands and said she wanted to purchase lists of people in affluent neighborhoods who have contributed money to various causes. Hollander said she falls into such a category. Advertisement Is it really as easy as that to target people with direct-mail solicitations? Sure, absolutely, said Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy for San Diegos Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Data brokers have lists of everything, and they know more about us than most people realize. Mari Frank, a Laguna Niguel privacy consultant, agreed it would be a simple matter for anyone to obtain lists of potential donors in well-to-do neighborhoods nationwide. Very easy to buy, she said. Our addresses are on lists everywhere. Advertisement Such lists can cost just pennies per address and can include hundreds or thousands of households. For the sake of argument, lets give Hames the benefit of the doubt. Lets say everything she says in her letter is true and she really is facing $5,000 a month in out-of-pocket medical costs. That certainly doesnt reflect well on our healthcare system. The idea that a sick person, with insurance, has to go begging among strangers to pay for treatment is a harsh indictment of a system that conservatives say is second to none. That said, its not clear how Hames total medical bills run $50,000 a month, or $600,000 a year. For example, the average annual cost of treating lupus an autoimmune disease that can affect the kidneys and other organs is about $13,000, according to a fact sheet from the Lupus Foundation of America. Advertisement Judging from her bankruptcy filing, Hames has gone through some hard times. We all deal with hardship in different ways. My sense, however, is that anyone who would go out and purchase the names and addresses of wealthy marks is probably not someone you should be taking at face value. Past experience also tells me that if someone really had a sincere hard-luck story to tell, and a reporter from a major newspaper gave a call, that person wouldnt hesitate to seize such an opportunity. So Im comfortable saying Hollander made the right decision in not sending Hames any cash. Advertisement Ill also advise others to steer clear of such overtures from any individual or organization you dont recognize. Legitimate charities routinely buy mailing lists from data brokers, but you can check their bona fides on sites such as Charity Navigator and Charity Watch. Helping others is a good thing, make no mistake. If youre feeling generous with your time or money, dont hesitate to do whatever you can. But keep your eyes open. You dont want to trip on any rocks, painted or otherwise. David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com. Federal officials have told Southwest Airlines to fix the way it calculates the weight of luggage loaded on flights after finding frequent mistakes during a yearlong investigation. Southwest said Tuesday it had made improvements in its methods for calculating the weight and balance of loads and that it was not facing enforcement action. The airline said it voluntarily reported the issue to the Federal Aviation Administration last year. The FAA investigation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Advertisement The newspaper said internal FAA documents showed that the Dallas airline made frequent mistakes in calculations and luggage-loading practices that could cause errors when pilots calculated their planes takeoff weight. Southwest told the Associated Press that ground workers manually count and record how many bags go on each plane. The airline uses FAA-approved average weights for bags and passengers, then adds the actual weight of fuel and freight to calculate each load. Southwest said it also builds in a safety margin. The FAA found cases in which the baggage load was more than 1,000 pounds heavier than paperwork indicated, the Journal reported. Safety experts say pilots might respond incorrectly to an engine emergency if they have inaccurate information about the distribution of weight between front and rear cargo bays. It can be extremely critical, Doug Moss, a retired United Airlines pilot, told the AP. If the weight and balance is not calculated correctly, you could have a flight-control issue. Moss said pilots calculate the thrust and wing-flap settings for takeoff based on weight and other factors, and faulty data could lead pilots to put the thrust settings too low. That could be crucial if an engine fails while the plane is still climbing, he said. An FAA spokesman said the agency opened an investigation in February 2018. Since then, he said, the FAA directed the airline to develop a comprehensive fix for the methods and processes it used to determine baggage weight. Southwest asked the agency to close the investigation. The FAA said the agency would not do so until regulators were satisfied that Southwests corrections were being applied consistently. Advertisement Southwest sought to downplay the investigation, saying a so-called open letter of investigation is a common way for the FAA to discuss safety issues with an airline. Since the investigation started, the airlines publicity department said in a statement, Southwest has implemented controls and enhanced procedures to address our weight and balance program concerns, and weve shared those measures with the FAA. Southwest said it believed changes it made last year have enhanced our weight and balance program and resolved the issues that we originally reported to the FAA. The airline, which carries more passengers within the United States than any other, disputed an estimate that one-third of its flights took off after faulty calculations of the weight of checked bags, but it declined to give a figure. Advertisement Until last April, no passenger had died in an accident on Southwest. In that incident, a piece from a broken engine smashed into a window on the plane and a passenger was partially pulled through the broken window. The accident led to stepped-up inspection of fan blades on certain engines used by Southwest and other carriers. The airline, however, has been fined for safety violations. Notably, Southwest agreed in 2009 to pay $7.5 million to settle FAA allegations that it operated 46 planes without performing required inspections for possible cracks in the planes aluminum skin. Last May, officials in Midlothian, Texas, a city near Dallas, approved more than $10 million in tax breaks for a huge, mysterious new development across from a shuttered Toys R Us warehouse. That day was the first time officials had spoken publicly about an enigmatic developers plans to build a sprawling data center. The developer, which incorporated with the state four months earlier, went by the name Sharka. City officials declined at the time to say who was behind Sharka. The mystery company was Google a fact the city revealed two months later, after the project was formally approved. Larry Barnett, president of Midlothian Economic Development, one of the agencies that negotiated the data center deal, said he knew at the time the tech giant was the one seeking a decade of tax giveaways for the project, but he was prohibited from disclosing it because the company had demanded secrecy. Im confident that had the community known this project was under the direction of Google, people would have spoken out, but we were never given the chance to speak, said Travis Smith, managing editor of the Waxahachie Daily Light, the local paper. We didnt know that it was Google until after it passed. Advertisement After the deal went through, Sharka changed its main address to that of Googles headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Site work began last fall. Google which has risen to become one of the worlds most valuable companies by transforming the publics ability to access information has vastly expanded its geographic footprint over the last decade, building more than 15 data centers on three continents and 70 offices worldwide. But that development spree has often been shrouded in secrecy, making it nearly impossible for some communities to know, let alone protest or debate, who is using their land, their resources and their tax dollars until after the fact, according to Washington Post interviews and newly released public records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. With their growing reach into the U.S. economy and in the face of greater political scrutiny, tech giants including Google and Amazon are on a tear to expand but communities now see their arrival more skeptically for the disruption, environmental impact and higher cost of living they often bring, as well as the incentives they seek, despite their deep pockets. Local officials say they are pressed to maintain secrecy to lure powerful tech companies, which wish to avoid controversies and keep details about their operations under wraps. On Thursday that ability to play hardball was on full display after Amazon pulled the plug on plans to build a sprawling new campus in New York rather than endure further public criticism of the project. Amazons yearlong search for a second headquarters was criticized for its use of confidentiality agreements that were so restrictive that officials couldnt comment on their existence, and for playing cities against one another in a quest for government incentives. Some New York lawmakers were so outraged by the secrecy of Amazons process that they have introduced bills that would ban nondisclosure agreements for development projects in the city and state. (Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post.) Apple has also sought multimillion-dollar tax giveaways to build a 5,000-person campus in Austin, Texas, its largest facility by number of employees after its headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. Facebook is slated to receive $150 million in property tax incentives for building a 970,000-square-foot data center in Utah, the company and local officials announced last year. Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai. (Tobias Schwarz / AFP-Getty Images) Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai announced $13 billion in new investments in data centers and offices across the U.S., a move that would grow the companys physical footprint to 24 states and create 10,000 new construction jobs. He said that 2019 would be the second year in a row the company is growing faster outside its home in the Bay Area than in it. Advertisement Yet Google has made extensive use of nondisclosure agreements in negotiations for its planned second campus in San Jose, the largest after its headquarters in nearby Mountain View. It has plans to build a large new campus in New York as well as several other development projects, including in Virginia and Nevada, according to public announcements and company statements. We believe public dialogue is vital to the process of building new sites and offices, so we actively engage with community members and elected officials in the places we call home, Google spokeswoman Katherine Williams said in a statement. In a single year, our data centers created $1.3 billion in economic activity, $750 million in labor income, and 11,000 jobs throughout the United States. Of course, when we enter new communities we use common industry practices and work with municipalities to follow their required procedures. Amazon declined to comment. Facebook and Apple didnt respond to requests for comment. Confidentiality agreements are common in development negotiations. But the level of secrecy around data center deals is unusual, experts say. Advertisement Public transparency laws are designed to keep the public interest at the contract table, and the way you do that is with information, said Michelle Wilde Anderson, a Stanford Law School professor specializing in state and local government law. If you scrutinize the winners and losers in this bargain, you see that Google is overwhelmingly the winner. Google has a strategic interest in getting their name out of these deals so that they go down more quietly, without public debate. The Google records were obtained by the advocacy group Partnership for Working Families, which has sued the city of San Jose over its negotiations with Google, arguing that the more than a dozen nondisclosure agreements officials signed were illegal under California law. Partnership for Working Families, which lobbies against issues such as income inequality, argues that secretive arrangements keep the public in the dark about the costs and benefits of corporate projects. The records date back to 2006, when Google began its first wave of building data centers warehouses of servers that house computing infrastructure. The company was racing to fight Microsoft and Yahoo in a war over search and new applications such as Gmail. The documents continue into 2018, offering a rare glimpse into the lengths Google has gone to keep these projects and their impact on the surrounding communities under wraps for over a decade. Data centers, which can generate significant revenue for communities but use local resources such as energy and water, are sensitive sites for tech companies. If they are attacked, they could wipe out operations for the company. Everything from the technology they use to the location they are in are highly competitive. Advertisement The Partnership for Working Families sent Freedom of Information requests to local governments involved in brokering deals for Googles eight existing data centers in the U.S., plus Midlothian, and sent seven additional requests to cities where Google has offices. Officials in eight of the cities signed nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, in their real estate dealings with Google, according to the documents. The documents also show that the search giant used shell companies to negotiate to build data centers in five of the six localities with data centers that responded to the records requests, including Midlothian; Berkeley County, S.C.; Council Bluffs, Iowa; Lenoir, N.C.; and Clarksville, Tenn. Googles identity was eventually revealed, but often so late in the process that it precluded public debate. A Google data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Connie Zhou / Associated Press) Sometimes Google formed multiple subsidiaries, with distinct names, to handle different aspects of negotiations for the same site, according to the documents. When Googles representatives first approached Midlothian in 2016, they used a code name that was not the same as either of the subsidiaries, Barnett said. (He declined to say what it was.) Google also asked Midlothian officials to sign a confidentiality agreement before they knew the developers identity, Barnett said. He said Google revealed its identity a year later, as the deal approached. Advertisement Barnett said that some confidentiality is always necessary when negotiating competitive development deals. When Im trying to win a project, as all economic developers do, we abide by what the company wants. It would be detrimental to us to not follow the companys lead, he said. Ive been doing this for 20 years, and my job is to make sure that my city gets the best deal. Barnett said he did not believe that residents got the short end of the stick. Googles $500-million development would support local businesses, schools and 40 jobs that Google has promised to create over five years. The records also demonstrate how Google was able to keep publicly relevant information out of view. Lenoir, N.C., where Google announced in 2007 it would build a data center, agreed to treat as a trade secret information about energy and water use, the number of workers to be employed by the data center, and the amount of capital the company would invest, according to the documents. Advertisement The Google subsidiary, Tapaha Dynamics, then moved to exempt such trade secrets from transparency laws that allow citizens to make public information requests. At one point, according to the documents, Lenoirs city attorney instructed City Council members not to answer questions about the project during a public hearing. Williams, the Google spokeswoman, told the Washington Post that it considered information such as water and energy use to be trade secrets because competitors could use it to draw sensitive conclusions about the companys technology. Googles secret negotiations appeared to lead to favorable land prices for the company. In 2008, Google purchased 850 acres of land for a dollar from Council Bluffs Industrial Foundation, a nonprofit that works with the city of Council Bluffs, according to deeds from the sale. Smaller cities, in particular, face a sizable power imbalance when they go to negotiate with some of the wealthiest companies in the world, Wilde Anderson said. Some are so cash-strapped that they lack a single full-time lawyer, she said. Breaking the rules could mean getting into a costly lawsuit with an adversary with a seemingly endless budget. Advertisement Googles huge and well-resourced legal team pushes an NDA across the table, and its just a mismatch of resources, she said. Like many parts of life, you get what you pay for. In Midlothian, Googles subsidiary had the authority to determine which documents would be disclosed, even if the state attorney general said they were subject to transparency law, according to the records. A July article in the local newspaper, the Waxahachie Daily Light, announcing Googles role in the new data center elicited hundreds of comments and shares, with many residents complaining about the low number of jobs and the tax incentives. So Google comes in and pays no taxes for 10 years, and only brings in 40 jobs hmm sounds like a great idea, wrote one local. Smith, the managing editor of the local paper, said, Im not going to say weve been lied to, but weve been strung along. Facing a severe financial crunch back in 2013 and 2014, the then-owners of the Orange County Register cooked up a creepy plan to dig out of their hole: They bought life insurance policies on their own employees. The idea was to record the putative value of those policies upon the workers deaths as a contribution to the newspapers pension fund, which was in the red by hundreds of millions of dollars. We called this plan ghoulish when word leaked out in 2014. But the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., a federal agency that now operates the pension fund as its trustee, says it was worse than that. In a lawsuit filed on Valentines Day, the PBGC says the stunt was incompetently arranged, and a violation of the companys fiduciary duties to its own workers. Life insurance, by its very nature, was created to benefit the people we love and care about most. Aaron Kushner, 2014 Advertisement Counting the money invested and the inflated fees the company paid to the pension expert who pitched the arrangement, the government says, the company lost $9.4 million on the scheme. The PBGC wants the money back from the Registers owners at the time, Aaron Kushner and Eric Spitz, as well as Richard Covelli, the pension expert, and Covellis actuary. Thats just part of the improper actions Kushner and Spitz took with the pension fund, the PBGC asserts. They also invested pension money in the Registers parent, Freedom Communications, when they knew the company was failing; in an international hedge fund that has since failed; and in a portfolio of loans to finance life insurance policies for strangers, the agency says. The Freedom and hedge fund investments are now worthless and the pension fund incurred losses on the others. The PBGC wants Kushner, Spitz and the other defendants to make good on all the damage, which it calculates at $54.65 million. Kushner and Covelli couldnt be reached for comment. Covellis actuary, Traci M. Christian, did not respond to a call made to her Kansas office. Spitz didnt reply to messages left at his home in Newport Beach or at C4 Distro & Trading, the cannabis firm he founded in 2016 with former California Treasurer and Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer. All these schemes took place when Freedom was between bankruptcies. Kushner, a former greeting card executive, and Spitz bought Freedom in 2012, two years after it emerged from Chapter 11. They launched an ambitious program to build up the print circulation of the Register and its sister publication in Southern California, the Riverside Press-Enterprise, hiring more than 100 reporters and editors. But by January 2014 they acknowledged that the strategy had failed, and laid off staff by the dozens. They both resigned from Freedom in March 2015, and the company reentered bankruptcy later that year. The pension fund was turned over to the PBGC, which takes over deeply impaired corporate pension funds, after the bankruptcy filing. Freedom subsequently sold the Register and Press-Enterprise to Digital First Media. That chain is owned by the hedge fund Alden Global Capital, which has pursued a policy of cutting staff to the bone and pocketing revenue from the spavined remainder. A few days after the Kushner regime announced the 2014 layoffs, many of the remaining employees got emails informing them that the company wished to buy life insurance on them. Advertisement The direct beneficiaries of these million-dollar-plus policies wouldnt be the employees or their families, but the pension plan. We called this a ghoulish corporate strategy in our first report on the scheme. Kushner hadnt responded to our questions about it, but then told employees that our post was a reminder of the kind of newspaper and journalism of which we want no part. He said, Life insurance is not ghoulish, nor are the people who sell it, nor are those who buy it. Life insurance, by its very nature, was created to benefit the people we love and care about most. Well, yes and no. As I reported at the time, the insurance Kushner was proposing is not illegal. Its known formally as COLI, for company owned life insurance, and less politely as dead peasant insurance. Thats a reference to Nikolai Gogols classic comic novel Dead Souls, which is about a con man who crisscrosses czarist Russia buying up dead serfs as collateral for a business deal. Millions of employees of major firms may be covered today by dead peasant policies. The law requires companies proposing to take them out on rank-and-file employees to get the workers advance written consent, which the Register aimed to do via its email. Advertisement According to the PBGC, however, the Kushner, Spitz and Covelli scheme broke other rules. Its unclear how many policies the pension fund bought, or the timing, but the PBGC says the pension fund spent $9.4 million to buy the life insurance, paying Covelli and his associates inflated fees and commissions. The biggest problem was that they valued the policies at the net present value of the future death benefits. Thats improper, the PBGC says; accounting rules say the policies had to be valued at their cash surrender value, a much lower figure. Kushner and Spitz knew about this flaw, the PBGC alleges, because the pension funds fiduciary advisor, Aon Hewitt, and the funds accounting firm told them so. Contrary to Kushners claim to the workers that the insurance scheme was designed to benefit them and their families by strengthening the pension fund, the federal agency says the deal was designed to benefit Kushner and Spitz, by reducing the amount they had to pay into the pension fund to cover its shortfall. But according to the lawsuit, the real valuation was so low in relation to the cost of the insurance that the deal would increase the amount they owed to the fund. Once Kushner and Spitz realized that their valuation was faulty, the PBGC says, they abandoned the life insurance plan. In any case, the agency says, the insurance was not a suitable asset for the pension plan to acquire. Advertisement The PBGC isnt happier with the other investments it attributes to Kushner and Spitz. These include $7.25 million they had the fund invest in shares of 2100 Freedom, the corporate entity they had created to hold Freedom Communications, when they knew Freedom was in financial distress, the PBGC says. Those shares are now worthless. Then theres a $6-million investment in a Luxembourg hedge fund known as Topaz, an investment the PBGC says was in the red from Day 1. Topaz eventually was subjected to liquidation proceedings in Italy. The investment is now worthless, the PBGC says. Finally, there was a $32-million investment in a loan scheme to a welter of life insurance trusts. This also was a brainchild of Covelli, the PBGC says, adding that the investment cost more than the fair market value of the loans. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Advertisement Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral ties and cooperation between Malaysia and China have achieved new progress in 2018 with increasing bilateral trade and Chinese tourist arrivals, a Malaysian government envoy said Monday. The two countries mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year. The value of bilateral trade reached a record high of 108.6 billion U.S. dollars last year while the number of tourist arrivals from China to Malaysia increased by nearly 30 percent to just short of 3 million, Malaysian government's special envoy to China Tan Kok Wai said in his speech during the Malaysia-China Business Council Chinese New Year luncheon. "Chinese tourists who visited Malaysia in 2018 had increased by 29 percent, achieving a record of 2.94 million visitors, surpassing 2.28 million visitors in the entire of 2017," he said. "We shall let the numbers do the talking in proving how Malaysia-China relations are growing deeper, better and stronger," said Tan, who is also chairman of the Malaysia-China Business Council. In his speech, Malaysia's Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said China has proved that its development is peaceful, with good foreign polices that would benefit its neighbors. "The good relations between Malaysia and China will be continued and strengthened," he said, adding that his country will continue supporting the Belt and Road Initiative. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian told the event that the bilateral cooperation had produced bountiful results and set the relationship as a shining example of win-win cooperation based on mutual trust and mutual respect. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 10 consecutive years in 2018, and will most likely remain as the largest foreign investor in Malaysia's manufacturing sector for the third consecutive year, he said, adding that China was the largest source of foreign tourists outside the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) for the past seven years. Bai also pointed to investments in three Malaysian states namely XSD green paper industry park in Kedah, Maxtrek tyre manufacturing plant in Pahang and the Wen'an steel plant in Sarawak, as examples that China is still investing heavily in the country. Everyone knows that high-stakes civil litigation often boils down to a battle of experts. Each side hires a pro, and whichever pro can convince or charm the jury or judge wins. Heres a case in which an expert economist allegedly tried to play on both sides of an issue, in a way that his client says cost it a $30-million payday. As a result, hes being sued by the client for that lost judgment, plus $5.5 million in interest. The client says the expert, W. Bradford Cornell of UCLA and Caltech, only took its case to wreak revenge on a colleague who was representing the other side. But in doing so he left a paper trail showing that he really thought his own clients position was lousy, which the other side exploited in court. It is very difficult to win an appraisal case in this way. Verition hedge funds, regarding their experts alleged conflict of interest Advertisement As Matt Levine of Bloomberg put it when he noticed this lawsuit, its one thing to view the battle of experts as an entirely cynical process in which each side hires an expert who doesnt believe anything, but who says whatever they want for a fee. Its quite another when the battle involves a grudge held by one expert against the other, which is allegedly what happened here. You may need a scorecard to help keep the players straight, so here it is. The plaintiffs are two Cayman Island hedge funds that operate out of Greenwich, Conn., under the name Verition. The defendants are Cornell, a respected emeritus professor at UCLA and visiting professor at Caltech, and his consulting firm. Verition was a sizable owner of AOL stock in 2015, when that online company was acquired by Verizon for $4.4 billion, or $50 per share. As often happens in such cases, Verition questioned the price in Delaware Chancery Court, arguing that AOL had sold itself too cheaply and thus had deprived shareholders like itself of a bigger payoff. Finance experts were hired by Verizon, through its lawyers at Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, and Verition to appraise the value of AOL Verizons goal presumably being to lowball AOLs value so it would seem that the hedge funds were paid more in the takeover than they deserved. The hedge funds were hoping to place the highest possible value on AOL, so they could demand the difference from Verizon. No one should be surprised that the experts valuations met their clients expectations neatly. Verizons expert, Daniel Fischel, a former University of Chicago economist and head of the consulting firm Compass Lexecon, came up with $44.85 per share. Cornell, Veritions expert, proposed $68.98 per share. Delaware Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock III, the judge refereeing the dispute, settled last year on an intermediate value of $48.70, which he later reduced to $47.08. This was a blow to Verition, which calculated its loss at $25.2 million, which it says is the difference between Cornells estimate and Glasscocks conclusion. But as it turned out, the matter wasnt so clean. In his ruling, Glasscock stated mysteriously that for reasons not necessary to detail, Verizon questioned Dr. Cornells impartiality, and Cornells estimate was effectively tossed out. Advertisement Those reasons, as it turned out, are at the core of Veritions lawsuit against its own expert. And theyre a pip. Verition says it didnt know that before the trial, Cornell had pitched his expert opinion to Verizon. In doing so he had ridiculed Veritions position. Verition says that in emails it has in its possession, Cornell said he thought Verizon had the better side of the case and described Veritions position in terms generally frowned upon in family newspapers but often used to describe fecal matter. The emails, Verition says, demonstrate that Cornell was motivated to become its expert by spite. He was irked that Verizon had rebuffed his offer and chosen Fischel as its expert. As it happens, Cornell was himself affiliated with Fischels Compass Lexecon at the time. After Verizon hired Fischel, Verizon says, Cornell jumped to Coherent Economics, a competing firm. He sent Fischel an email in which he wrote: Like you I tend to bear grudges. When Verizon/Wachtell chose you without even talking to me further that leads to a grudge against them. Consequently, I have had some conversations with plaintiffs [i.e., Verition]. Advertisement He told Fischel, according to Verition, that given that he thought the hedge fund firm had a lousy case, he would have to be careful to avoid letting my grudge lead to a situation where I threaten my reputation. Verition says it had no inkling of Cornells overtures to Verizon when it was recruiting him as its own expert or after hed been hired, at an hourly rate of $1,050 plus expenses. Instead, Verizon detonated this time bomb by springing these communications on [Veritions] unsuspecting counsel after Cornell had issued his valuation report. Coherent says it doesnt comment on pending litigation. Cornell said via his attorneys that he vehemently denies all of Veritions allegations of wrongdoing. Many of the material allegations are inaccurate or untrue, according to his statement. The statement added that he provided exemplary expert witness services that met and surpassed the applicable standard of care, and called the result a successful outcome for Verition, given a Delaware legal environment that has become increasingly tougher on plaintiffs in appraisal cases. Verition asserts that the disclosure of Cornells talks with Verizon and Fischel wrecked the hedge funds case, since Verizon was able to make the point that Cornells unvarnished opinion, expressed in his emails, was more revealing than anything Cornell wrote in his expert reports. Advertisement In the event, Glasscock used the calculations of Verizons expert, Fischel, as the starting point for his own calculations. As the hedge funds asserted in their lawsuit against their own expert, It is very difficult to win an appraisal case in this way. Throughout early 2017, Verition dickered with Coherent over the Cornell bill. Coherent pointed out that its bill was never supposed to be contingent on the opinions offered by the expert [or] the results of the litigation. Nevertheless, perhaps sensing that it wasnt on very firm ground, it offered to discount its bill from $1.35 million to $750,000 as a gesture of goodwill and to settle any and all issues outstanding between our firms. Verition wasnt having any of that. In a letter last December ultimately replicated almost word for word in its lawsuit, the hedge fund firm says it was fraudulently induced to enter into the contract with Coherent and demanded the full $35.7 million it says it lost (including interest). Thats where things stand just now. Bloombergs Levine suggests that there are no broad lessons to be learned from this case, except for one, which we agree: If youre an expert witness and really dont believe in your clients case, thats all right just dont say so in an email. 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. Thriller author Don Winslow wants to debate Donald Trump about the presidents proposed border wall, and Stephen King is willing to pay $10,000 to make it happen. Winslow, whose new novel, The Border, is slated for release by Harper Collins imprint William Morrow next week, challenged Trump to a debate in a tweet Friday, writing: Dear @realDonaldTrump, Lets debate the Trump wall and let the people decide. Ill even do it on your own network @FoxNews. Any show. Any anchor. Any time. You debated 18 Republicans during your Presidential campaign, I am sure you can handle one writer. Let me know, he continued. Winslows tweet drew the attention of King, a master of horror who has been a longtime fan of Winslows books. Advertisement Id pay $10,000 to see that! King tweeted. A book jacket for Don Winslows The Border. (William Morrow) Winslow has had a long-standing interest in the U.S.-Mexican border, particularly as it relates to the war on drugs, which forms the basis for his Cartel series of novels. The first book in that trilogy, The Power of the Dog, was published in 2005. It follows DEA agent Art Keller as he pursues Mexican drug trafficker Adan Barrera, a character partly based on notorious kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. A sequel, The Cartel, was published in 2015. The final book in the series, The Border, will be published next Tuesday. It features a politician similar to Trump who urges building a border wall during his presidential campaign. Winslow told Rolling Stone that he wasnt hesitant about evoking Trump in his novel. Look, I think that you cant write a book, with these themes set in this time, without going there, he said. It would be dishonest in some ways. Do you know what I mean? Are you going to create George Washington or Abraham Lincoln as president? We all know who is president. We all know whats been going on. And so, no, I thought that my choice was either I had to ignore it completely, or take it on. Winslow also expressed skepticism about the argument that a border wall would do anything to stop the flow of drugs from Latin America into the U.S. Advertisement If I were Mexican, Id build the wall to keep American money from buying guns and weapons and making billionaires out of psychopaths, he said. Winslow has used Twitter to challenge Trump on the border wall many times in the past. But those hoping to see a Winslow-Trump debate might consider not holding their breath. As of Tuesday morning, Trump had yet to comment on Winslows tweet. Leonhardt calls these out, item-by-item, while Thompson used his skills to illustrate, day-by-day and month-by-month, the frequency of Donald Trumps indefensible public statements. Their research for this article was taken from Politifact, Factcheck.org, the Washington Posts Fact Checker, and the Toronto Star. For example, five times between April 21 and May 4, Trump told reporters that China had stopped manipulating its currency. Each time he cited a different reason for this, but not one of his explanations could be verified. It is not surprising, then, that fully 60 percent of the American people consider Donald Trump to be dishonest an increase of 7 percent since he entered the White House. Leonhard characterizes Trump this way: He is lying. His statements are not simply careless errors. Furthermore, he warns Trump is trying to create an atmosphere in which reality is irrelevant. Concluding that there has never been any other president in American history who has spent so much time telling untruths. She then earned second-place finishes in two other competitions, for table centerpieces and organic decor projects. In all, the former art teacher from Lake Geneva competed for about 13 hours total, inflating more than 1,000 balloons to complete her designs. Jones said she became the first designer of the year to compete solo, as opposed to being part of a team in the competition. She also the first Wisconsin balloon artist ever to earn the title. She represents an idealistic new phase of our industry, where younger people arent afraid to take chances or look at new ways to approach things. Jones said. Every industry needs new life brought into it to get a different perspective, he added, and Sara is an excellent example of that. In addition to running her own business with Wisconsin Balloon Decor, Meyer works as a promotions and events manager for Carroll University in Waukesha. Being named the industrys 2019 designer of the year has encouraged her to keep pursuing passion projects in balloon art. Its only been a couple weeks, but its opened up a lot of opportunities for me, she said. Its a boost of confidence and energy. An Iraq War veteran, Acheson said he suffered a spinal injury through his service. He said he initially was prescribed painkillers and other pills that made him a "zombie" and nearly forced him to drop out of college. Acheson said he later tried medical marijuana. It relieved his pain and enabled him to stop taking pills while living his daily life, he said but not without triggering new concerns. "It's put me in this really gray area where every day I step out of my door, I have have to worry about being convicted of a crime," Acheson said. "There's way too many of our fellow veterans dying of over-prescription and suicide. Assembly Republicans previously have signaled openness to medical marijuana. Vos reiterated in his statement today that he's "open to medical marijuana when its prescribed by a doctor, but it has to be done in a targeted way without allowing recreational use. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald previously said he opposes medical marijuana and isn't sure how many GOP senators favor it. Sen. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, tweeted shortly after Evers' press conference: "Pretty sad the former head of our K-12 schools is now pushing the legalization of pot. Who is watching out for kids?" New cars sit in a lot at the Auto Warehousing Company near the Port of Richmond in Richmond, Calif. in this May 24, 2018, file photo. AFP-Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo Hyundai, Kia and other automakers here have been on high alert over a possible move by the Trump administration to impose tariffs on car imports since the United States reportedly concluded foreign cars pose a threat to its national security. Company officials expressed grave concerns Tuesday that Korea's already weakened status as a car manufacturing nation will be further deteriorated, while consumers in the U.S. will end up facing higher prices for not only imported cars but also those manufactured in the country. The Korean government has been holding a series of meeting with core figures of the Trump administration to contain the fallout of the possible tariff, but some government officials said "everything is up to President Trump's decision" and they are preparing for the worst case scenario of a tariff of up to 25 percent. These concerns were triggered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's submission of its report to Trump Monday whether imported cars and auto parts pose a threat to the country's national security and should be affected by Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which allows tariffs up to 25 percent. Upon the delivery of the report, Trump will make a decision within 90 days. Though the content of the report was not revealed, U.S. news outlets reported that the Department of Commerce has said car imports are "a national security threat" in the report. Experts and domestic industry officials expect a 25 percent tariff on Korea-made cars will deal a serious blow to their exports to the U.S. According to a Korea International Trade Association (KITA) report, the number of Korea's U.S.-bound car exports will decline by 22.7 percent, if the U.S. imposes a 25 percent tariff. The decline was sharper than other carmaking nations such as Japan with 21.5 percent, China with 21.3 percent and Germany with 21 percent. And this will affect prices for U.S. consumers too. Under the 25 percent duty, Korea-made cars' average price will rise by 23.9 percent, higher than Mexico with 23.7 percent, Canada with 23.5 percent and Japan with 23.3 percent. The report attributed Korea's sharp price hike to the country's high manufacturing costs. "Especially, nearly half of Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors U.S. sales last year were exported from Korea, meaning the tariff will deal a heavy blow to Korea's largest automakers," an industry official said. According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA), Korea manufactured 4.03 million cars last year and 20.1 percent of them or 811,124 vehicles were shipped to the U.S. Of them, 542,228 were Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors cars, which account for nearly half of the two companies' U.S. sales of 1.27 million vehicle last year. Reflecting such a concern, Hyundai Motor's shares have been on a downturn since last week, shedding for five straight sessions on Tuesday. Kia Motors also declined for three consecutive sessions. GM Korea and Renault Samsung are also under serious concern. GM Korea exported 369,000 cars last year and shipped 160,000 of them to the U.S., accounting for nearly 45 percent of the total. Renault Samsung shipped 110,000 Nissan Rogues to the U.S., which account for 78 percent of the company's total outbound shipments. "For GM Korea, the majority of its exports are compact and mini cars of the Trax and the Spark," said a source with knowledge in GM Korea. "Since those two cars' best advantage is price competitiveness, a tariff will directly shrink their sales. GM Korea is also aware of that and preparing various scenarios such as redirecting those cars to non-U.S. markets." Industry officials said that prices of not only imported complete cars but also those assembled in the U.S. will rise, because the tariff will also affect auto parts. "The tariff will also affect the prices for Korean cars assembled on U.S. soil, because their core parts for engines and transmissions are shipped from Korean auto parts companies," another official at a domestic carmaker said. Toyota has already warned that the Camry sedans assembled in the U.S. could cost $1,800 more, if the U.S. imposes a 25 percent tax on imported parts and components. "The tariff may shift the U.S. demand to its homegrown brands in the short term, because of price hikes, but it will undermine U.S. cars' price competitiveness in the global market due to increases in costs for securing auto parts," said Mun Byung-ki, an analyst at KITA's Institute for International Trade. An 11-seat van used in Tada's ride-hailing service operated by mobility startup VCNC / Captured from VCNC website By Jun Ji-hye The head of car-sharing service SoCar has warned of strong legal action against taxi industry officials who filed a complaint with the prosecution against him and a CEO of the firm's subsidiary VCNC, which operates a ride-hailing service, called Tada. According to SoCar, Tuesday, nine former and incumbent officials from a union representing privately-owned taxis had filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against SoCar CEO Lee Jae-woong and VCNC CEO Park Jae-uk, Feb. 11, claiming the Tada service violates the Passenger Transport Service Act. SoCar CEO Lee Jae-woong By Lee Seong-hyon Through social media, a Korean friend of mine working in China in the financial sector asked me about how the second DPRK-U.S. summit and the U.S.-China trade war, respectively, will unfold and what are the likely outcomes. He added that the financial market was acting "as if both the U.S.-China trade war and the DPRK-U.S. negotiation were already resolved." The trade war between the world's two largest economies will undergo a cycle of "temporary compromise and deterioration," then compromise, and then again deterioration, while the overall Sino-U.S. relations will take a "downward trajectory," I said. In the case of the second DPRK-U.S. summit, the "lesson learned" from the criticisms spurred by the Singapore summit last year will goad the two parties to yield a "modest but tangible outcome." President Trump will use it to declare the summit as "his victory" for the domestic audience. However, the Washington elite and the U.S. think tank community will roundly view the summit as "insufficient." After articulating my predictions, I emphasized they were entirely "my personal views." I was on the up and up. My friend said "Got it!" and attached a smiling emoticon. Though the North Korean nuclear issue and the financial market seem unrelated, I have been invited several times from those in the financial sector and business organizations to come to their meetings and share my views on the current geopolitical situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula. When I show up at these places, senior business executives mostly fill up the audience seats. These business figures are busy people. And the reason they take time to attend a lecture on the international affairs lies in the fact that there are some correlations between the geopolitics of the North Korean nuclear issue and business. For example, when North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006, the first thing a Beijing-based journalist from a U.S. economic newspaper did was to call security experts to inquire about the ramifications of the nuclear test. From the foreign investors' point of view, the Korean market always runs the perennial instability risk as a geopolitical "tinderbox." The U.S. administration under Obama adopted the policy of "strategic patience" regarding North Korea; this was Washington's euphemism to indicate that it would not prioritize the North Korea issue. Related to this, a former senior U.S. official told me: "We could have been more involved in the North Korea issue if North Korea had oil reserves." (Here, I introduce the comment anonymously as this was a "small chat" several years ago.) In the end, whether it is the executives in the financial sector (a domain that seems irrelevant to the nuclear issue, but actually takes interest in the North Korean matter), or whether it is the U.S. government (that was supposed to pay attention to the North Korean issue but actually did not), all boils down to have some bearing with their economic "interests." In other words, one pays attention to the North Korean issue when it "pays off." In this regard, it is worthy to note that Trump frequently mentions North Korea's "economic potential" when he speaks of the nuclear issue, unlike previous American presidents. It reflects the "vantage point" of Trump, a former businessman. He approaches the North Korean issue from an economic perspective. North Korea's nuclear issue cannot be solved without drawing on robust U.S. interest and engagement of the U.S. government. This then also requires consideration of what concrete "benefits" the resolution of the nuclear issue would offer to the U.S. A statement such as "the North Korean nuclear issue should be resolved for the sake of peace" may not be suffice to persuade Washington. Solving the North Korean nuclear quandary is imperative for the people of the peninsula, but may not be so for a country faraway, across the Pacific Ocean. South Korea should be able to show how the U.S. policy investment in North Korea would benefit the U.S. in concrete terms. North Korea is well known for a number of natural resources. However, no systematic, reliable assessment of North Korea's natural resources has been done. North Korea also has skilled labor with low costs. It was reported that Coca-Cola once "brainstormed" an idea to build a production plant in North Korea. It implies that many multilateral corporations have their eyes on the economic potential of North Korea, as Trump does. South Korea should vigorously practice forming a partnership with U.S. entities, sharing knowledge and information, in envisioning a "post-nuclear" rebuilding of North Korean economy. Of course, all these economic inducements to North Korea should go hand in hand with the speed of North Korea's denuclearization. Seoul and Washington, in turn, should show to North Korea how it can realize its huge economic potential when it denuclearizes. Lee Seong-hyon (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), Ph.D., is director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute. Seoul, Tokyo should refrain from provoking each other Korea-Japan ties are becoming worse following National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang's controversial remarks suggesting that the emperor of Japan should apologize for the so-called comfort women issue. Moon has called for Emperor Akihito to apologize to the Korean victims of sexual slavery before and during World War II ahead of his abdication in April. The remarks seem to have been intended to highlight the need for the emperor to make a symbolic gesture of reconciliation before he steps down. The remarks were made during the speaker's interview on a recent visit to the U.S. with lawmakers. During the interview, he referred to the Japanese emperor as the "son of a war criminal." Many Koreans believe that Tokyo should own up to its misdeeds and offer a sincere apology to the victims of its colonial rule. But Moon's conduct is triggering criticism even among many Koreans. The recent death of Kim Bok-dong, a victim of wartime sexual slavery and rights activist, has renewed public attention to the comfort women issue which has seen no headway during the Moon Jae-in administration. From the perspective of many Koreans, Moon's remarks are not entirely faulty. However, it was wrong for him to make such derogatory remarks about a foreign monarch during an overseas visit. He should have conducted himself in a more prudent manner. In particular, it was wrong for him to make anti-Japanese statements when relations between the two countries have quickly deteriorated over their differences on historical conflicts. The recent cases of military tension between the two countries have made matters worse. In the last few months, Japan has taken some provocative actions, including low-level flights by a Japanese patrol aircraft over Ieodo, situated southwest of Jeju Island late last month. This took place amid a bilateral dispute over Japan's claim that a Korean warship aimed a fire-control radar at a P-1 patrol plane that was conducting a surveillance mission in December 2018. Moon's remarks have fueled an angry response from the Japanese government and public. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has slammed the remarks as extremely inappropriate and Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called on the Korean Assembly leader to apologize for the remarks and demanded a retraction. Moon has refused to do so. A recent survey in the Japanese media showed that more than 80 percent of the respondents want a retraction of Moon's remarks about the emperor. The succession of the throne to Crown Prince Naruhito is a landmark occasion that should be remembered as the opening of a new era. Korea should aim to build future-oriented relations with Japan under the new emperor, who was born well after the World War II. By Casey Lartigue Jr. As a pre-teen growing up in Missouri City, Texas, I participated in my first leadership seminar: I read all three of Frederick Douglass's autobiographies. Applying lessons learned from the 19th century slave-turned-abolitionist, I convinced my parents to drive me to Douglass's "Cedar Hill" home in Washington, D.C. (a distance of about 1,400 miles). Imagine what an honor it was in 2003, later as an education policy analyst at the Cato Institute, I gave the keynote address to and joined the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association (FDMHA) as a member of the Board of Trustees of that home and Douglass's legacy. Born a slave, Douglass wasn't sure of even the day or year he was born. He guessed Valentine's Day 1817, because his mother called him "My Little Valentine" (documents unearthed later revealed it was sometime in February 1818). He "grew too big for my chains," escaping to freedom in 1838, then lived as a fugitive for almost a decade before friends purchased his freedom in a "ransom deal" after he fled to England to escape American slave-catchers. From the humblest of origins, that former "piece of property" orphaned as a child became an internationally known abolitionist, newspaper editor, orator and best-selling author. He died on Feb. 20, 1895, hours after being applauded by a women's organization and shortly before he was scheduled to give a speech at a black church. Many books have been written about Douglass, including two I read recently: Timothy Sandefuer's book "Frederick Douglass: Self-Made Man" (sent to me by the author) and David Blight's book "Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom" (sent to me by Charles and Eben Appleton). The books reminded me of a few quotes and ideas from Douglass that inspired a passion for liberty in me decades ago. Adults around me as a youngster probably weren't surprised that the first lesson I locked onto from Douglass was about fighting back: "He was whipped oftener who was whipped easiest." Slaves, he wrote, who fought back were "neither whipped nor shot." I became a youngster who expected explanations about restrictions on his choices. Second, educational freedom. Douglas wasn't allowed to attend public schools open to white children, but he learned to read anyway as a means to escape to freedom. He even illegally taught other slaves how to read. As a fugitive slave he would even nail a newspaper to a wall to read while he did hard labor and took every opportunity to learn. "I have gathered scattered pages of the Bible from the filthy street-gutters, and washed and dried them, that in moments of leisure I might get a word or two of wisdom from them." Third, use your skills to make a difference. When I'm at forums about North Korea and hear the inevitable well-intentioned but useless question "How can we help," I count to 10, then respond with something Douglass said: "The tools to those who can use them." That is, examine, understand and use your skills, not ask others for one-size-fits-all suggestions. And when others don't like my approach, I'm reminded of Douglass dismissing critics. "They compliment me in assuming that I should perform greater deeds than themselves." Douglass the wordsmith was often quoted by others, but who did he quote? A favorite was Lord Byron: "Hereditary bondmen, know ye not; Who would be free, themselves must strike the blow?" That one gets me into trouble, because I still doubt there will be real change in North Korea until North Koreans rise up. We can help North Korean refugees adjust to living outside of North Korea, send information into North Korea, and rescue escapees, but ultimately, North Koreans must strike the real blow against the regime. And finally, two quotes about Douglass. James McCune Smith, also a former slave, said that Douglass was not fashioning "mere words of eloquence," but rather, "work-able, do-able words" that might forge a "revolution." Douglass learned to read so he would be able to forge documents to get himself to freedom. The most "effectual sort of prayer," he said, was "DOING!" and not "saying." He added: "I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs." He counseled, "Action! Action! not criticism words are now useful only as they stimulate to blows" against an injustice like slavery. In the introduction to Douglass's narrative published in 1845, abolitionist Wendell Phillips wrote: "You remember the old fable of 'The Man and the Lion,' where the lion complained that he should not be so misrepresented 'when the lions write history.' I am glad the time has come when the 'lions write history.'" In telling his story and writing his history, Douglass even inspired a youngster in Missouri City, Texas, into a career of increasing educational freedom, in both the U.S. and South Korea. Casey Lartigue Jr. (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu) is co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center (TNKR) in Seoul. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association from 2004 to 2015. * Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Monday (February 18) the country's high commissioner in India was called back and left New Delhi Monday morning. * Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on February 17 that the upcoming new round of US sanctions against Russia will be senseless like previous ones. * British Prime Minister Theresa May on February 17 urged her conservative fellow MPs to unite and back the Brexit deal she agreed with the European Union (EU) amid the current deadlock. * Libyan security on February 17 freed 14 Tunisian workers kidnapped by gunmen a few days ago in the western city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli. * The Arab Parliament said on February 17 that it would present its demands to the Arab and EU leaders during their coming summit, which will be held in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Feb. 24-25. * The Israeli cabinet said on February 17 that it was freezing the transfer of about half a billion of shekels (US$138.22 million) to the Palestinian National Authority (PA). * Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud will start on February 17 an official Asian tour, Sabq local online news reported. The visit, including Pakistan, China and India, will be the first of this year and comes after a regional tour to some Arab countries in November 2018. * Russia and Saudi Arabia are negotiating a contract to supply the S-400 air defense missile systems to the kingdom, local media reported on February 17. * Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on February 17 signed with Pakistan eight agreements worth US$20 billion, Al Arabiya TV reported. One of the agreements is about Saudi Arabia's Aramco-run refinery in the Pakistani port of Gwadar, one of the world's largest refineries, at a value of US$10 billion. * Polish officials may cancel their planned trip to Israel, the head of the prime minister's office, Michal Dworczyk, said on February 18 after media reported remarks by Israel's prime minister suggesting Polish complicity in the Holocaust. * Yemeni government and Houthi representatives have reached an agreement on the first phase of their redeployment of forces under a U.N.-sponsored deal for the warring armies to leave the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, the United Nations said on February 17. * US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Kuwait next month to hold the third round of strategic dialogue between the two countries, Kuwait's state news agency quoted the deputy foreign minister, Khaled Al-Jarallah, as saying on February 17. By Kim Ae-ran Abbot Odo Haas (O Do-whan in Korean) passed away at the age of 88 on Feb. 17. Until recently, he did not miss community prayers and liturgies at all, but a month ago because of his old age, he had to be hospitalized at Daegu Fatima Hospital. He was born in 1931 in Karlstadt in the Diocese of Wurzburg, Germany. He entered the Abbey of Munsterschwarzach, made the perpetual profession in 1957 and was ordained a priest on July 6, 1958. He was sent as a missionary to Korea in 1960 and served as an assistant parish priest at Sangju parish. He became the first abbot in Korea at the Waegwan Abbey of St. Benedict in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province, at the early age of 33 in 1964 but willingly resigned this position as abbot in 1971, thinking that Koreans should run the Korean abbey. During his terms as abbot, he placed the foundation to reconnect the Benedictine Abbey of Deogwon in North Korea and Yeongil Abbey in China. He also helped many civilians who were devoted for the democratic movement in Korea. Then, he lived in Japan from 1972 to 1982, and in the Philippines from 1982 to 2004. In 2002, he applied to go to India and China, but he had to come back to Korea in 2004 and then went to Rome to serve as a confessional priest for three years at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls where the tomb of St. Paul is placed. He gave confessions in German, English, Korean, Japanese and Cebuano. After receiving knee joint surgery in Germany, he went to Taiwan in 2008, the Golden Jubilee year of his priestly call and service, and came back to Korea again in August in 2009. He helped Filipino migrant workers in Gumi Catholic Workers' Cultural Center, and later visited India and Taiwan. Thus, resembling the missionary itinerary of St. Paul the apostle for gentiles, Fr. Odo always had a clear and innocent smile. He dedicated himself to live as a missionary who helped the mission place to grow and then left the place for another mission place. When Waegwan Abbey celebrated the 100th anniversary of its foundation in Korea in 2009, he came back to Waegwan. He used to pray the rosary for an hour-and-a-half every day. He offered each mystery of the rosaries for his country Germany, the Pope, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. He also never forgot about North Korea. His whole life was truly a mission. When he read missionary magazines during his youth, he felt the calling to live for many people on a mission. Accordingly, he always replied to that calling and was eager to be sent to other places. As a German proverb says "A drop of honey catches more flies," he always wished the religious community to be such a honey. Regarding the community as a living building where faith is alive, breathing in and out, he emphasized that "what we need is not the building but the community." In the heavens above, he will still pray that all the religious communities live lives that have the taste of the sweet honey of faith and witness such lovely taste through the living community. Here and now, I can feel that he sincerely hopes each of us will live and experience the Good News not with the head but with the body. The author is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul (Figlie di San Paolo) living and giving the Good News to the world by means of social communication. Learn more about the congregation at fsp.pauline.or.kr. By Kim Yoo-chul North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is set to fly to Hanoi, Vietnam, for his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump using his aged official jet instead of a rented Air China plane, diplomatic sources in Seoul said, Tuesday. "The more important picture is that Kim hopes to transform his regime into a normal state that no longer sees the need to pursue nuclear armament for deterrence, survival or any other means. From that perspective, Kim is most likely to fly on the state jet, codenamed Chammae-1, this time on his trip to the Vietnamese capital," one source said. Despite the claim, how the North Korean leader will travel to Hanoi for another meeting with his U.S. counterpart will likely remain a mystery until his actual arrival. But it's highly unlikely that Kim will use his signature green and yellow train through China to Hanoi given the complexity of the travel route, the source said. If Kim takes the train, then he should travel all the way to the Southeast Asian country through China, which many say is a "time-consuming process." A good reference for that is Kim Jong-un's grandfather Kim Il-sung, founder of North Korea, who traveled to Vietnam twice using his train in the 1950s and 1960s. Cheong Wa Dae said it has no information on the matter. The distance from Pyongyang to Hanoi is an estimated 2,770 kilometers, a far shorter trip than when Kim traveled to Singapore for the first U.S.-North Korea summit. The sources said the Chammae-1, manufactured in 1974, could cover the Pyongyang-Hanoi route. So far, the plane has mostly been used for travel to Beijing with no further operational experience. Lee Il-woo, a researcher at Seoul-based think tank Korea Defense Network, said the North Korean leader may rent a plane from China again due to "security-related factors." "As Kim Jong-un is expected to put safety as his priority, it's a huge challenge for him to visit Hanoi using the Chammae-1. The official state jet may be used to transport logistics and officials who will be accompanying Kim, while Kim will rent an Air China-owned Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet for his trip to the Vietnamese city," said Yang Wook, a security expert in Seoul. The Chammae-1 was used by Kim's sister Kim Yo-jong when she visited Seoul for her participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February last year. From left, North Korea's top official Kim Yong-chol, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun at a hotel in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 18. Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun Along with agreements to be reached at the summit, attention is also growing over the officials who will accompany leaders of the U.S. and North Korea to Hanoi for the summit to take place Feb. 27 and 28. Key officials expected to aide U.S. President Donald Trump are Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton and the State Department's Special Representative for North Korea Steve Biegun. Pompeo has led ministerial-level talks with North Korea, the most recent of which was held in Washington last month. As the point man of denuclearization talks with North Korea, he held multiple meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang. Biegun has engaged in working-level negotiations, the last of which took place in Pyongyang earlier this month. The second round of talks is set to begin in Hanoi soon. National Security Council Korea Specialist Allison Hooker, Deputy Assistant Secretary for North Korea Alex Wong and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Mark Lambert are set to assist the officials. Trump's senior advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner may also accompany the president to Vietnam. 'Seoul ready to resume inter-Korean cooperation to help denuclearization' Trump says he expects 'great progress' at 2nd summit with Kim 'US may offer sanctions relief to North Korea' Meanwhile, the North Korean leader is set to be assisted by Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party Kim Yong-chol, who has held ministerial-level talks with Pompeo. Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party and director of the party's International Relations Department Ri Su-yong are likely to be involved, considering that their leader may make a state visit to Vietnam. Kim Jong-un's sister, alternate member of the Politburo of the Workers' Party Kim Yo-jong, is set to support her brother as she has done in past summits. Chief Secretary of the Secretariat of the State Affairs Commission Kim Chang-son, who is known as the leader's butler, will play a leading role in logistics, security and protocol. He is currently in Hanoi to prepare for the summit. Special Representative for U.S. Affairs Kim Hyok-chol, who has been negotiating with Biegun, will continue to play his role. Kim Song-hye, head of the Secretarial Bureau of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, and Pak Chol, chair of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, are also expected to be part of the entourage. Pak traveled with Kim Yong-chol and Kim Hyok-chol to Washington for a meeting with Trump in January. He is in Hanoi with Kim Chang-son for logistics preparations. Joel Wit, center, founder of the U.S. website 38 North, speaks during a morning meeting on the prospects of the upcoming second North Korean-U.S. summit with ruling Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers at the National Assembly, Tuesday. Yonhap By Park Ji-won Denuclearizing North Korea will be a long process, even if North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agrees to give up his nuclear arsenal in his second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Joel Wit, founder of the North Korea-monitoring website 38 North, Tuesday. He stressed the world should be realistic about what will happen between the U.S. and North Korea. "I have an eye on whether their agreement will include dismantling all North Korean facilities making fissile materials. North Korea agreed to dismantle all of their fissile material production facilities, including those beyond the Yongbyon nuclear facility and more," Wit said during a breakfast meeting with lawmakers at the National Assembly. "However, those are North Korea's words, not ours." On whether he is optimistic or pessimistic about the situation, Wit said, "I don't think we should be either. I like to say we need to be realistic." An agreement to dismantle all facilities and grant access to the suspected sites not located at Yongbyon would be an enormous first step, he added. "We have to accept the reality that if denuclearization happens and if North Korea gives up its most threatening missiles, that is going to happen in phases over a long period of time." The meeting was organized by ruling Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers to ask him about the prospects for the Kim-Trump summit amid uncertainties about the details on the two countries' agreements on denuclearization of the North. Wit also stressed that the standard for the summit's success will not be immediately apparent, but there is a certain consensus in Washington that there has to be more substance than the first summit offered. The success "could mean some real action items, such as moving forward with inspections of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and complete dismantlement and inspection of the Sohae Space Launch Facility," he said. "It could also mean recording commitments made by both sides before the summit in private such as the North Korean pledge to dismantle its fissile material production facilities. Finally, it may mean the beginnings of a phased roadmap that leads to the twin objectives of denuclearization and a peace treaty or peace regime." Regarding the challenges surrounding the summit, he said, "There is the challenge of negotiating acceptable deals with North Korea. That can be hard but also can go surprisingly fast. That's my experience in negotiating the 1994 Agreed Framework that took a few weeks." "There will be the enormous challenge of implementing deals, particularly denuclearization and agreements covering North Korea's missile force. They will take years, require large numbers of people and cost billions of dollars." He also commented on the domestic challenges Trump faces. "There is going to be a strong temptation on the part of Democrats to trash whatever President Trump accomplishes, even though the North Korea policy is unlikely to be an election issue unless we return to nuclear confrontation." People walk through falling snow in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, Tuesday. Up to 10 centimeter fell in some central regions of the Korean Peninsula and heavy rain fell in southern areas. The state weather agency has declared a heavy snow advisory for Seoul and surrounding areas. Korea Times photo by Hong In-gi Probe into 'blacklist' of ministry-affiliated organizations expanding By Kang Seung-woo A former environment minister has been banned from traveling abroad amid an escalating "blacklist" allegation that the ministry pushed chiefs of its affiliated organizations appointed by previous administrations to step down. Former Environment Minister Kim Eun-kyung By Jung Hae-myoung Two people died and more than 70 were injured in a fire at a sauna in Daegu, Tuesday morning. According to Daegu Fire and Safety Department, the fire started in a sauna on the fourth floor of a seven-story building at around 7 a.m. More than 50 fire trucks with 145 firefighters were mobilized to contain the fire within 20 minutes. "We are currently investigating the exact cause of the fire, scale of the damage, and identifying the dead based on sources and witnesses," an official of the fire authority said. Two people presumably in their 60s were found dead in the men's bath in the sauna and about 70 others who were in the building also inhaled toxic chemicals from the smoke. The injured people were transferred to Kyungpook National University Hospital and Daegu Fatima Hospital for treatment, including three who sustained serious burns. The fire authorities figure the fire started at the switchboard of the sauna. "A witness said the blaze started at the shoeshine parlor in front of the men's bath entrance," the official said. The building has seven floors, and the first and second floors are used as a mall with restaurants and the fifth floor and higher are used as residential apartments. Children play in the alley of Yongsan Pochachon, a food tent village built on unused land in front of Yongsan Station, in April 13, 2013. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun By Ron Bandun The Yongsan area has been home to some large-scale changes over the years, but between the construction fences and excavation pits there have been spots where human-scale communities have taken root, at least temporarily. The area east of Yongsan Station used to house a red-light district. Around 2009, demolition started on the low-rise buildings there. The area was razed, and sat in limbo for years while the mega project for the area was stalled and eventually canceled. In 2013 when the Yongsan International Business District project on the other side of the station collapsed, so did this one, apparently. A cluster of colorful tents, old Yongsan Pochachon, occupy unused land in front of Yongsan Station, seen from above on April 13, 2013. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun As the land sat empty and unused, merchants started moving back in, setting up red-striped tents and serving a variety of foods. There were street food stalls offering fish cakes on a stick, and if you wandered further in you could find "makgeolli" bars, chicken hofs and more. I used to come here with friends to give them an authentic Korean street food experience. It was cheap and low-quality, but I don't hang out with people who look down on that. Yongsan Pochachon receives several upgrades, including a canopy and boardwalk, as seen July 18, 2015, several months prior to its closing. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun The area was called Yongsan Pochachon, and over the next few years it developed a positive reputation. It started out pretty primitive, but over time they built it up, placing a canopy overhead to protect from rain, adding Christmas lights to keep the alleyways illuminated at night, and upgrading washroom facilities from chemical toilets to actual plumbing. It was neat to see it develop, as it exemplified that improvisational genius that helped Korea's working class pull the nation out of extreme poverty last century. Then in March 2016, I got word that a construction fence was going up around Yongsan Pochachon. Worried, I stopped by to confirm it for myself. The metal gate was open and workers were inside. I crept in and disappeared from view so I could look around the food tents, now closed for business but still displaying all their garish but friendly decorations. I returned to one tent, its sides hung with empty makgeolli bottles, where I especially used to hang out. A final visit to Yongsan Pochachon on March 3, 2016. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun When I was ready to leave, I discovered the workers had left and closed the metal gate behind them, locking me in. Rather than panic, I determined that nobody would be sneaking up on me, so I walked through the area one last time, soaking it all in. Fences like this are made to keep people in, not out. I was able to rely on objects within the fence, as well as the ribbed structure of the fence interior, to climb out easily, jumping down onto a public sidewalk among unaware pedestrians. The fence displayed a big sign showing our Pochachon had moved into the basement of a highrise nearby, which if I'm reading right is called Yongsan Totu Belly (not Valley; why would that make more sense?) Officetel. I visited, finding a sterile high-rise basement with plain white walls and lit by fluorescent lighting. The basement of a nearby building is prepared for the new location of Yongsan Pochachon on March 3, 2016. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun When I returned a few months later, the new basement Pochachon was actually dressed up well and even had a few businesses we remembered from the previous location, including the chicken hof that sprinkled parmesan cheese on its fried chicken. It was like a Disneyfied version of its former self, but the permanent state of the place gave us hope this would last longer. Just like the previous place, it was always open on major holidays, and it remained my go-to food destination in the area. The underground Yongsan Pochachon, seen on Christmas Eve 2016. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun Then during Lunar New Year this year, after a long walk, we arrived at Yongsan Pochachon with our appetites in tow, only to find darkness at the bottom of the escalator. I entered and found the walls still decorated, but everything else food preparation equipment, chairs and tables, foodstuffs gone. The loss of this second Yongsan Pochachon seems permanent this time. Even if it reappears in a new location, what would be the point? The second location of Yongsan Pochachon, now closed, contains murals showing the first location, seen Feb. 3. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun South Korean companies imported US$101.2 million worth of Iranian crude last month, the first such move in five months, data showed Tuesday. The January figure represents less than one-fifth of $539 million, the average monthly Iranian crude oil imports for the first seven months of 2018, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. South Korean companies stopped importing Iranian crude oil in September last year, two months before the United States reinstated all sanctions against Tehran after lifting restrictions following the 2015 landmark nuclear deal. Still, the U.S. has allowed South Korea and seven other countries to continue to buy Iranian oil over the next six months. South Korea is the third-largest buyer of Iranian oil. South Korean refiners and chemical firms had relied heavily on Iranian condensate for production of various petrochemical products thanks to a stable supply and price competitiveness. Naphtha, a key raw material for petrochemicals, is derived from condensate. (Yonhap) Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan will visit South Korea next week for a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in that will focus on ways to improve the countries' ties, Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday. The de facto leader of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will arrive here next Tuesday on a two-day official visit. President Moon and the crown prince will hold a bilateral summit Wednesday, according to Cheong Wa Dae. "At the upcoming summit, the two leaders are set to focus on specific and practical ways to further develop the ties between the two countries into a more mutually beneficial and future-oriented relationship," it said in a press release. To this end, the leaders will discuss ways to expand the countries' bilateral cooperation to new industrial sectors, including semiconductors and 5G technology, as well as security, the defense industry and information communication technology, it added. The countries upgraded their ties to a special strategic partnership when Moon visited the Middle Eastern country in March 2018. The UAE is the only Middle Eastern country and one of only three in the world to have established such a relationship with South Korea, according to Cheong Wa Dae. As of 2018, the UAE was the world's single largest destination for South Korean construction companies and the largest importer of South Korean goods in the Middle East. The crown prince's visit to Seoul will mark the fifth of its kind. (Yonhap) The statement was made by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Quy Kien at the second annual meeting of the IOC Sub-commission for the Asia-Pacific region in Hanoi on February 18. The event was jointly held by the ministry, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, under the theme Marine spatial planning and ocean governance. In his speech, Kien highly appreciated the agenda of the conference, with the experts discussing and sharing experience on many big, complicated, new and useful issues for Vietnam in deploying its sea and island management tasks. As a coastal country with a long coastline and many islands, in recent years, Vietnam has actively implemented the management of the sea and islands by means of an integrated ecosystem-based approach. Vietnam has developed and implemented a system of policies and laws in service of the management work, notably the 2012 Vietnam Law of the Sea, the 2015 Law on Sea and Island Natural Resources and Environment, the 2014 Law on Environmental Protection, the 2017 Law on Planning, and most recently the Resolution No. 36-NQ/TW on the strategy of the sustainable development of the sea-based economy until 2030, vision to 2045, adopted by the 12th Party Central Committee at its eight plenum on October 22, 2018. Delegates pose for a photo at the conference. (Photo: baotainguyenmoitruong.vn) These are important and essential tools for integrated marine and island management in Vietnam, creating a basis for the successful implementation of Vietnams sustainable marine economic development strategy. In that context, it is extremely necessary to share and learn experience from countries around the world, especially countries in the Asia-Pacific region which share many similar sea and ocean conditions with Vietnam in marine spatial planning and ocean governance following an integrated ecosystem-based approach. At the meeting, delegates focused on discussing issues concerning the enhancement of global governance over large marine ecosystems and coastlines through the application of information and knowledge sharing tools, as well as clarifying the content connotations, methods, approaches, and specific evaluation indicators on ocean governance and sharing experiences, international lessons, and especially initiatives and successful models in creating and implementing marine spatial planning, sustainable marine economic development and green growth models. The second annual meeting of the IOC Sub-commission for the Asia-Pacific region will last until February 22. The Korean government is struggling to convince critics that it is not seeking more control over the internet. gettyimagesbank By Jung Min-ho The Korean government is under massive criticism after blocking access to hundreds of porn and gambling sites by opening up user data packets a method some people believe opened the door to China-style internet censorship. The Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), an internet censorship body, said on Feb. 11 that it had blocked access to 895 overseas-based websites with "harmful" content, including Pornhub, the world's largest porn site. While doing so, the KCSC said it used Server Name Indication (SNI), which allows one IP address to serve multiple domain names over https. The move sparked controversy among many people, including computer scientists, over how much control the government should have for the right balance between protecting victims of "revenge porn" a big factor behind the measure and internet freedom. On the Cheong Wa Dae website, a petition against the new rule has garnered nearly 250,000 signatures. "It's regrettable that Korea appears to be following in the footsteps of China to censor the internet," the petitioner said. On Saturday, about 100 people protested at Seoul Station Plaza. Simply put, if anyone tries to access a harmful website using https, the government opens up the data packets to find out the web server the person wants to access. While other information in the data packet is encrypted, the server address is not. Therefore, the government can block such access. Lee Gwan-hoo. Experts share the concern about privacy and freedom of expression. "In my opinion, the idea of opening up user data packets is not desirable and could invade privacy even though most information is encrypted," Lee Gwan-hoo, professor of information technology and analytics at the American University's Kogod School of Business, told The Korea Times. "The reason is that once the packet is open, even the encrypted information could be decrypted if the government finds out the 'private key.'" "In terms of freedom of expression on the internet, the new SNI-based blocking method does not necessarily increase the current level of limiting it because the new method just enforces the existing policy and regulation. However, in principle, the very idea of the government determining which websites are harmful and blocking them is a threat to freedom of expression." Sauvik Das. U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he expects great progress from his upcoming second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, stressing that the United States and South Korea are moving in the right direction in ridding the North of its nuclear weapons. In a telephone conversation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the U.S. leader said he will personally explain the outcome of his second meeting with the North Korean leader to Moon. Trump and Kim are set to meet in Hanoi from Feb. 27-28. "President Trump explained preparations for the Hanoi summit and negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea, and the two leaders held frank discussions on specific ways to cooperate for the success of the second North Korea-U.S. summit," Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said of the telephone conversation. "President Trump expressed high expectations for the Hanoi summit and said he will continue to closely discuss with President Moon about the outcome of the summit and follow-up measures," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a press release. By Jung Da-min North Korea is speeding up construction in the Samjiyon region, one of the main focuses of a massive nationwide construction campaign addressed in the country's leader Kim Jong-un's New Year speech, the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) organ Rodong Sinmun reported Tuesday. The party newspaper said all the commanders and soldier-builders as well as members of the shock-brigade people mobilized for the country's construction projects are maximizing construction work for houses and other facilities in the township of the Samjiyon County, Ryanggang Province despite the cold weather. "The brigade commanders are taking the lead in the aggressive warfare (of construction) while giving life to the project that aims to adopt work methods that enable construction to proceed without stopping even in cold weather conditions in the northern area," it said. "The members of the brigade are working on the interior finishing work for the service facilities." Last October, Kim Jong-un inspected construction sites in Samjiyon County, Ryanggang Province, and called for early completion by October 2020, with the original four-stage plan by 2021 cut to three stages. Meanwhile, North Korean university students from across the country, including those from Kim Il Sung University, Kim Chaek University of Technology and Hamhung University of Chemical Industry, have also been mobilized at the construction sites as they are on winter vacation, according to the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report on Jan. 14. According to South Korean media Daily NK's Feb. 7 report citing a source in Ryanggang Province, the central party asked residents in the area to provide food for university students and the residents were unhappy about it. The United States and North Korea are seriously considering an exchange of liaison officers, CNN reported Monday, as the leaders of the two nations prepare for a second summit next week in Vietnam. The first step forward in establishing new U.S.-North Korea ties could be the exchange of officers, the U.S. broadcaster said, citing two high-level diplomatic sources. Establishing new bilateral relations was one of the commitments made by U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their first summit in Singapore in June. The two are scheduled to hold their second summit on Feb. 27 and 28 in Hanoi. They are expected to focus on fleshing out Kim's commitment to complete denuclearization through corresponding measures from the U.S. If things go well, the U.S. could send several liaison officers to set up an office in North Korea, led by a senior foreign affairs officer who can speak Korean, CNN reported. But a diplomatic source told Yonhap that a liaison office alone may be insufficient to draw more concessions from the North. "North Korea doesn't regard an end-of-war declaration or the installation of a liaison office as a corresponding measure of equal worth as the dismantlement of its Yongbyon nuclear facility," the source said. An end-of-war declaration is also reportedly in the cards as North Korea seeks to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, which closed in an armistice, not a peace treaty. Lee Hae-chan, head of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, also told reporters in Washington last week that the North appears more interested in economic concessions, such as relief from international sanctions, the reopening of an inter-Korean industrial complex and the resumption of tours to its scenic Mount Kumgang. "A liaison office would go hand in hand with an end-of-war declaration, but my guess is that they come later on the list of (North Korea's) priorities," he said. Washington and Pyongyang plan to hold pre-summit talks this week in a third Asian country. CNN said that after the 1994 Agreed Framework, the two nations held extensive talks over exchanging liaison offices staffed initially with up to seven officers in each. But a year later, the North canceled the plan after tensions flared up over the shooting down of a U.S. helicopter that crossed the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea. (Yonhap) The global ranking of Incheon International Airport, the gateway to Seoul, measured in terms of international passenger traffic, jumped by two notches to fifth last year, its operator said Tuesday. Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC), citing a report from the Airports Council International (ACI), said that the number of international passengers handled by the busiest airport in South Korea rose 10 percent to 67.68 million in 2018. The ACI announces airport rankings annually based on international passenger numbers. In 2017, Incheon airport ranked seventh by handling 61.52 million international passengers. Last year, the airport overtook Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (66.38 million passengers) and Singapore Changi Airport (64.89 million passengers) to reach the fifth place for the first time since its opening in 2001. According to the ACI report, Dubai Airport ranked first with 88.89 million international passengers, followed by London Heathrow Airport (75.31 million), Hong Kong Airport (74.41 million) and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (70.96 million). The IIAC attributed Incheon airport's rapid growth to a combination of factors, including the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, expansion of air routes departing from Incheon, and increased demand for overseas travel and flights by low-cost carriers (LCC). Indeed, the number of LCC passengers at the Incheon airport topped 20 million last year for the first time since its opening, reaching 20.77 million. "The feat of the world's top-five ranking has been achieved thanks to the Korean people's attention and the government's policy support. The airport will further improve its services through various reform measures, including introducing duty-free shops at the arrival halls," Chung Il-young, president of the IIAC, said. (Yonhap) gettyimagesbank Hana, SKT and Kiwoom form consortium By Lee Kyung-min Competition for a third internet-only bank is becoming fiercer among Korea's financial groups after a consortium led by Hana Financial Group declared a bid Tuesday to seek preliminary approval from financial authorities. The shared interest among the financial groups reflects a growing need to achieve innovation as part of a broader strategy towards digital transformation. For the bidding, Hana, the nation's fourth-largest financial group by total assets, formed a consortium with SK Telecom, the country's largest mobile carrier, and Kiwoom Securities, an online brokerage services provider. "We have begun our efforts to file for a preliminary approval with the financial authorities on a shared vision that setting up an ICT-based entity will help us take the initiative in becoming a leading digital company and accelerate digital transformation," the group said in a statement. The group added the consortium will seek to build partnerships in the coming months with promising business entities including IT firms, fintechs and financial services providers. The consortium will also involve Finnq, a mobile-based financial service provider launched with a 51-49 investment from Hana Financial and SKT. Finding an ICT firm that can be the largest shareholder will be a major challenge for Hana. The relationship will focus on creating a "convergence" between traditional financial services and IT sector, thereby creating an optimal business model to best serve tech-savvy customers with high standards, the group added. Woori Financial Group Chairman Sohn Tae-seung, front row center, raises his fist with his employees at company headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday, before they depart for Myanmar. They will spend the next five days volunteering at Yankin Children Hospital in Yangon. Courtesy of Woori Financial Group Installation view of "A Hundred Years Ago in the Cultural Heritage" at the Seodaemun Prison History Hall in central Seoul / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration By Kwon Mee-yoo On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Movement, a crucial turning point in Korea's independence movement as it provided a catalyst for the resistance, an exhibition sheds light on the known and unnamed people who fought for Korea. "A Hundred Years Ago in the Cultural Heritage" is held at Seodaemun Prison History Hall, which was built originally in 1908 during the Korean Empire and was the site of imprisonment for many Korean independence fighters during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation. The exhibit, organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), features handwritings of renowned independence fighters as well as information on those imprisoned for independence activities. Cultural Heritage Administrator Chung Jae-suk recited Shim Hun's poem "When That Day Comes" and said it has been 74 years since "that day" arrived in Korea. "Many independence fighters guarded the nation with their lives and that day became an ordinary day in Korea. We want to ruminate over the history of fighting for independence from Japan through cultural heritage," Chung said during a press preview of the exhibit, Monday. Poet Shim Hun was imprisoned in Seodaemun Prison after being arrested at a rally in front of Namdaemun Gate on March 5, 1919. He wrote a letter to his mother on Aug. 29. Some writing samples by poet and Korean independence activist Hwang Hyeon (1855-1910) are on public view for the first time at this exhibition. Also known by his pen name Maecheon, Hwang grieved over Korea's loss of independence in 1910 and committed suicide by drinking poison, leaving a "Suicide Poem" behind. About three years later, Buddhist reformer and poet Han Yong-un wrote a memorial poem for the nobleman who could not endure the disgrace of his country. A handwritten copy of the memorial poem for Maecheon is on exhibit at the former prison. To preserve the fragile old papers, originals of some documents are only on view on certain dates including Feb. 19, March 1 and April 11. On other days, replicas are on exhibit instead. The prisoner registration card of Yu Gwan-sun (1902-1920) is on view at the "A Hundred Years Ago in Cultural Heritage" exhibition at the Seodaemun Prison History Hall. Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration Kokomo, IN (46901) Today Windy with thunderstorms in the afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High near 85F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 73F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. The recent signing of the cooperation minutes between Hanoi and Vientiane police, as witnessed by the Vietnamese and Lao Ministers of Public Security, will lay a legal foundation for the two sides to support each other in all fields, he said. The Hanoi official highly appreciated the comprehensive cooperation between the two capital cities forces. The police forces have made significant contributions to the expansion of bilateral collaboration in keeping order and security, he said. The sound cooperation between Hanoi and Vientiane police also affirms the long-standing friendly relations and solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, he added. Mount Sinai and UC San Diego Health announce framework to promote innovation in EMS As part of nationwide efforts to improve emergency medical care, researchers at the Mount Sinai Health System, in collaboration with UC San Diego Health, have released a national framework report titled "Promoting Innovations in Emergency Medical Services" that identifies regulatory, financial, and technological obstacles to improving local and state EMS systems. The report also provides recommendations to create a more dynamic system that is more responsive to society's needs. As EMS agencies strive to innovate within the current infrastructure, they face challenges from existing laws, regulations, and industry perceptions. Researchers identified seven major themes of these challenges--regulation, finance, education, regional EMS coordination, interdisciplinary collaboration, medical direction, and data/telecommunications--and made more than 250 recommendations for stakeholders to overcome barriers to EMS innovation. "The potential for innovation in EMS is enormous, but we need to find ways to unleash that potential, so that emergency medical services can be transformed to better meet the needs of patients and communities," said project co-director Kevin Munjal, MD, MPH, MSCR, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "Tomorrow's innovations will improve domestic preparedness, increase patient access to care, decrease health care costs, and improve community resilience," said project co-director James Dunford, MD, Professor Emeritus at UC San Diego School of Medicine and EMS Medical Director for the City of San Diego. The project's leadership was composed of a diverse group of stakeholders, including representation from state and local government, EMS agencies, health systems, health care professions, and experts in paramedicine, economics, public health, and political science. The process included a national survey, stakeholder interviews, regional conferences, national meetings, and public comment. ### The research was supported by grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Health Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The Health System includes approximately 7,480 primary and specialty care physicians; 11 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 410 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. The Icahn School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools", aligned with a U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" Hospital, No. 12 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding, and among the top 10 most innovative research institutions as ranked by the journal Nature in its Nature Innovation Index. This reflects a special level of excellence in education, clinical practice, and research. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in six other specialties in the 2018-2019 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked nationally in five out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 11th nationally for Ophthalmology and 44th for Ear, Nose, and Throat. Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's, Mount Sinai West, and South Nassau Communities Hospital are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www. mountsinai. org/ , or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. About UC San Diego Health UC San Diego Health, the region's only academic health system, is dedicated to delivering outstanding patient care through commitment to community, groundbreaking research and inspired teaching. For 2018-19, U.S. News and World Report ranked UC San Diego Health among the nation's best in six adult medical and surgical specialties, including pulmonology, geriatrics, cardiology, cancer, neurology and orthopedics. The 808-bed academic health system includes UC San Diego Medical Center in Hillcrest and Jacobs Medical Center, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, Moores Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion and Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute, all in La Jolla, as well as primary care and same-day services at clinics throughout Southern California. For more information, visit health.ucsd.edu This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. KJACK Radio is a production of students broadcasting from the Media Innovation Center at Northern Arizona Universitys School of Communication. In November 2015, the station received a license from the FCC and now broadcasts on 107.1 FM with the call sign KLJX-LP. School of Communication Less than a year after Ofc. Phillip Meacham was shot and killed, another Hopkinsville Police Department officer has been shot in the line of duty. Ofc. Jeremy Davidson was shot around 1:30 a.m. Monday during the pursuit of a robbery suspect on North Drive. He was in stable condition Monday at Skyline Medical Center, according to Hopkinsville Police Chief Clayton Sumner. Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the robbery that took place before Davidson was shot. Keith Allen Kuzyk, 28, September Neblett, 24, Autumn Neblett, 25, and Anthony Johnson, 19, were arrested and charged as a result of the robbery and officer-involved shooting. Kuzyk was arrested shortly after 9 a.m. Monday by Montgomery County sheriff's deputies after he led Hopkinsville police on a chase to Clarksville. Kuzyk is charged with felony evading and is at the Montgomery County Jail. His bond is $100,000. His charges out of Christian County are first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree wanton endangerment, first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, first-degree fleeing or evading police, receiving stolen property under $10,000, theft by unlawful taking of an auto over $10,000 and two counts of attempted murder of a police officer. Sumner explained in a 9 a.m. news conference that Davidson was shot in the head and arm shortly after spike strips were deployed to stop a robbery suspect. "The occupant in the vehicle opened fire on Officer Davidson and his cruiser, striking him once in the head region and once in the arm," the police chief said. "At that time, the officer was out of commission in the pursuit, and the pursuit ended." Davidson was taken to Jennie Stuart Medical Center by a Christian County sheriff's deputy and was then sent to Skyline Medical Center. The incident began when HPD responded to a 911 call of a robbery at Walmart Supercenter on Clinic Drive shortly after 1 a.m. Monday. The robbery was reported by a woman who told a dispatcher she was robbed by masked men, armed with a gun, in a dark-colored Dodge vehicle. The suspects reportedly took the woman's Chevrolet Tahoe and hit her friend in the face. An officer found an SUV fitting the description of the suspect vehicle and attempted a traffic stop in the area of Canton Street. The driver fled from the officer, but during the pursuit, police were able to deploy spike strips to stop the vehicle on North Drive near Freedom Elementary School. Shortly after, shots were fired at the officer from the suspect vehicle. Officers believe an assault rifle was used in the shooting, according to a HPD news release. Both the Tahoe and Dodge truck were found before the news conference, Sumner said, but no suspects had been apprehended at that time. At around 8:30 a.m., another vehicle was reported stolen from the Waffle House on Fort Campbell Boulevard in Hopkinsville. During the news conference Monday, Hopkinsville police cars sped off the lot, heading to another pursuit that ended in the arrest of Kuzyk in Clarksville. Montgomery County Sheriff's Office assisted Hopkinsville Police Department and the Christian County Sheriff's Office to locate and apprehend Kuzyk. At approximately 8:54 a.m., Christian County and Montgomery County sheriff's deputies spotted Kuzyk driving a vehicle near Zinc Plant Road in Clarksville. Deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but he failed to stop and led deputies on a pursuit through several roads. When the vehicle turned on Highway 48/13 to head back into town, Sgt. James Derico with the MCSO deployed spike strips to slow the vehicle, and a Christian County sheriff's deputy brought the vehicle to a stop. Kuzyk was taken into custody at approximately 9:08 a.m. Monday. He was transported by ambulance to a hospital to be medically cleared before being transported to the Montgomery County Jail. Officers and deputies worked throughout the day to apprehend others who were involved in the initial robbery. Around 9 p.m. Monday, Hopkinsville Police confirmed in a release that three other suspects had been arrested. September Neblett, 24, was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property under $10,000 and complicity to first-degree robbery. Autumn Neblett, 25, was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and receiving stolen property under $10,000. Anthony Johnson, 19, was also arrested and charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree fleeing or evading police and receiving stolen property under $10,000. No other details have been released at this time. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The second-in-command at the Twin Lakes Police Department is under criminal investigation for illegally removing prescription medications from the department. Capt. Dennis Linn is suspected of taking prescription medications that were turned in to the police department through a drug take-back program. According to an affidavit filed in Walworth County as part of a request for a search warrant for Linns Bloomfield home, a detective with the Twin Lakes Police became suspicious of Linn after he asked to help her package prescription drugs that had been turned in to the police department through the program. The detective was concerned about Linns actions because he had earlier mentioned that his wifes doctor had refused to continue to fill her prescriptions for painkillers, with Linn saying that his wife was in a lot of pain. Linn had also asked the detective to give him leftover prescription painkillers that the detective had not used after a surgery, according to the affidavit. She refused, telling him that would be illegal. Because of red flags raised by Linns statements and conduct, on Feb. 11 police put a camera in the evidence-processing room where the drugs were kept and boxed for disposal, according to the affidavit. According to Wisconsin State Statute 19.35, An authority may impose a fee upon the requester of a copy of a record which may not exceed the actual, necessary and direct cost of reproduction and transcription of the record, unless a fee is otherwise specifically established or authorized to be established by law. Authorities may charge a fee for four specific tasks: Reproduction and transcription; photographing and photographic processing; locating and mailing; or shipping. Additionally, an authority may not charge for the time it takes to redact records, and an authority may not make a profit on its response to a public records request. In August, the Wisconsin Department of Justice alerted state authorities involving a noticeable and concerning increase of inquiries pertaining to high fees being charged for records. The departments recommended cost for copying a paper record or printing an electronic record is .0135 cents per black-and-white page and .0632 cents per color page. Pleasant Prairie is in the process of adjusting its rates, according to Pleasant Prairie Clerk Jane Snell. This has been disseminated to our department heads, Snell said. Were fully aware of it. Cold weather and a low inventory of house listings in Kenosha County have contributed to the slowdown of January home sales. Real estate sales professionals sold only 110 houses last month, down 10.6 percent from the 123 the local industry sold in January a year ago, according to statistics released by the Wisconsin Realtors Association. While the industry attributes much of the sales decline to the severe lack of listings, the cold snap that has plummeted temperatures to below freezing and dumped heavy snow throughout the county could also affect sales for February and March, noted David Clark, an economist with ECON Analytics and the WRA. However, he suggested that lower sales should not be reason for alarm, because the first three months of the year are generally weaker sales months. He also said that it might be a bit unfair to compare the weak January sales to last January because it was the best January since 2007, when the WRA changed how they calculate sales. Mark Bourque, founder and co-owner of Berkshire Hathaway Epic Real Estate, is optimistic that February sales will be strong as inventory will loosen a bit and the price increase will slow down some. The Deputy PM said that Vietnam respects and appreciates the friendship and fruitful cooperation across fields with Russia. He affirmed the Vietnamese Government always encourages and facilitates collaboration between anti-corruption agencies of Vietnam and Russia, towards further cooperation and friendship between the two nations. He spoke highly of the outcomes of recent cooperation between the Government Inspectorate of Vietnam and the Anti-Corruption Department of the Russian President, especially in delegation exchange and information and experience sharing, while expressing his hope that the two agencies will boost their bond in the coming time. For his part, Anikin expressed his pleasure to know that Vietnam has used Russia's experience in the work, believing that the fine relationship between the two sides would lay a foundation for the two agencies to expand cooperation in anti-corruption. The last person who asked me that is still missing. If you need me, I'll be underwater. It's a dry heat. You call this hot? Bring it on. Vote View Results Home to over 199 million citizens and 250 ethnic groups, Nigeria is a country bursting with different cultures and traditions that Nigerians have integrated from various tribes into their daily lives. It's not unusual to see different cultures emerge from one individual like a Yoruba woman using phrases from the Igbo culture to accurately describe how she feels. It's even evident in our music, with different musicians incorporating different Nigerian languages in their songs. This is the Nigeria I grew up in, this Nigeria is my home. It's why selecting where I would study for the next four years was a big decision for me. +2 Venezuelan students find opportunity at KU amid crisis in their home country Venezuela natives studying at the University of Kansas discuss leaving governmental and economic crisis in their home country to find opportunity in the United States. I wanted to be close to my aunt so I had family around me and could still appreciate Nigerian culture from miles away, so I selected Kansas. After deciding the state I wanted to be in for the next few years of my life, I had to decide which university I wanted to study in, and I immediately fell in love with the University of Kansas. The pictures of the buildings and the different activities the students were taking part in were something I wanted to be a part of. So off I headed to Kansas in the summer of 2018 I was leaving my family, home and friends I had known all my life. I was excited for this new adventure. I spent my first week in Kansas with my mum and aunt, mostly shopping for school supplies and making sure all my documents were ready. Come August, it was finally time to go to school, and I was ready for the 45-minute drive from my aunts home to my new university. On our way there, I noticed the large fields of wheat and sunflowers and was immediately taken away by the beautiful scenery. I thought to myself, Kansas is beautiful." My level of excitement had increased now that I knew I was going to live in such a lovely location. +2 Office of International Programs rebrands to promote inclusivity, better reflect division The international division at the University of Kansas has changed its name and combined its services to better aid international students. When I got to campus I realized although the strangers I walked past did not say anything to me, they would always smile. I know how little a smile might be to people, but having someone smile at you at least once everyday reassures you that you are in a place where people care about you. Another reason I am in love with this beautiful state is the people. A lot of people I know and talk to are eager to learn about the different Nigerian cultures and are even open to eating the different Nigerian meals I make. In addition, the professors make it their priority that students learn the material and actually understand it, and although I am not the biggest fan of having homework after every class, I actually appreciate it because I understand the teachers really have our best interests at heart. They are always welcoming at office hours and do not mind going over material over and over again to make sure I understand it. A year ago I was very scared I might not love where I end up after secondary school, but as I look back I realize I have made one of the best decisions in my life. Rock Chalk! Aisha Mohammed is a freshman from Lagos, Nigeria, studying human biology. American novelist Walter Mosley visited the University of Kansas on Feb. 7 to deliver a talk titled Political Optimism in the Age of Trump. Despite the cancellation of classes that day, KU students, faculty and members of the Lawrence community filled the Hall Center for the Humanities to hear the award-winning author of more than 50 books speak about optimism and Trump, two words not often used in the same sentence. The moment Mosley took the stage, his baritone voice and confident demeanor captivated the audience. He explained why having The Trump in office might not be such a bad thing. Summarizing Mosleys argument would be an incomplete attempt, and capturing his words' precise spirit would be nearly impossible, so I will comment on a few of his points that stuck with me. Mosley reinforced that racism, inequality and injustice are not new in America, especially to minority groups like African Americans and Jews, two groups to which Mosley belongs. Mosley reminded his audience that Trump might embody and intensify racism and hate, but he did not create them. Novelist discusses optimism during Trump era at Humanities Lecture Series The Kansas Union hosted author Walter Mosley as part of the 2018-19 Humanities Lecture Series on Feb. 7. The novelist discussed maintaining optimism and looking forward to growth in the current political climate. So, looking at Trumps face is like looking at an embodiment of American history, such as past and present acts of violence against minority groups and women, which have been hidden, forgotten or shamefully left out of todays incomplete historical narrative. Trump, according to Mosley, makes hate visible to all. As a reaction to this hate, racism and overarching negativity, Americans have come together to fight him, which is a fight to be optimistic about. With Trump in office, political ignorance is no longer a privilege. Ignorance continues the violence toward those his election has harmed historically marginalized Americans. For the political left and liberal citizens, optimism at the national level appears near impossible. For instance, after a month-long government shutdown, Trump has declared a national emergency to build a border wall, another bullying tactic to get his way. Whats new? Mosleys argument really resonates at the state and local levels, where hope is alive. Optimism is the ability to find light in the dark and create a positive out of a negative. Looking back over the past year or so, Kansans have several reasons to be politically optimistic. In January of 2018, over 1,000 people gathered in Lawrence to walk in the Womens March, one of many marches nationwide. In early February 2018, the chant, Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here, filled Massachusetts Street as community members marched to support Syed Ahmed Jamal, a Lawrence native and KU graduate who was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. trump optimism With Trump in office, political ignorance is no longer a privilege. Ignorance continues the violence toward those his election has harmed historically marginalized Americans. In August, activists gathered again on Massachusetts Street wearing T-Shirts that read Art is the Voice of Freedom, in response to the forced removal of an art installation on campus that featured an American flag with black marks across it and a stitched-on sock. These are only three highly visible examples of activism which Lawrencians and Kansans should be proud of and build upon. The 2018 midterm election results are another reason that Kansans, or at least moderate and left-leaning Kansans, should be politically optimistic. Kansans kept right-wing radical Kris Kobach out of office, electing Laura Kelly as the state's third female governor, which is impressive, considering 20 states have not had a single female governor, according to the Rutgers Center for American Women in Politics. Kansans also elected Sharice Davids to the U.S. House of Representatives, the first openly LGBTQ Native American elected to U.S. Congress and the first openly gay representative from Kansas. Election turnout in Douglas County in 2018 almost doubled from the 2014 midterm election. In the words of Walter Mosley, Trump did that. Optimism is about moving forward in a positive direction one step at a time. Hall Center Scholar Jamie Hawley, a junior from Salina who studies English, political science and communications, expanded on political optimism. At least we can always do something tomorrow or today or right now, we can do always do something that moves something forward, that knocks a domino down...I think we have to focus on that," Hawley said. Optimism and hope at the state and local levels will seep into a broader national optimism. Change is coming, one step at a time. Alex Cateforis is a senior from Lawrence studying English, French and art history. Edited by Justin Hargraves Vietnamese Deputy PM Dung lauded the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines for their active negotiations on an agreement on the development of hydropower projects, renewable energy and mining for signing at an earliest time. He noted that Vietnam consistently opposes energy projects that harm the environment, and suggested that both countries should early build a mechanism to closely monitor the construction of irrigation and hydropower works in border areas. Inthirath said he had held working sessions with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Vietnam Electricity, the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) to realise the two governments agreements on hydropower development in Laos, and power purchase. Both sides reached consensus on several major projects to report to leaders for the early signing, he said. The Lao minister committed all possible support to Lao and Vietnamese firms to cooperate together closely and effectively, especially in the fields of energy and mining. 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. Pei Wei is a fast-casual restaurant concept that specializes in hand-crafted Asian cuisine, with 225 restaurants in 30 states and total international sales annually of $350 million. When Pei Wei Asian Diner made the decision to separate from its parent company, P.F. Changs China Bistro headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ, a move to Irving, TX was part of the plan to create its own brand identity. Pei Wei chose to relocate to the market where it has the biggest presence with 28 units, giving North Texas the highest concentration of concept units. Pei Wei currently has 6,300 employees in the U.S. in its restaurant operations and 50 in its corporate headquarters with plans to hire approximately 100 employees over the next five years for its corporate office and test kitchen. The average annual compensation for the initial jobs is $125,000. Pei Wei will invest $1.5 million in 12,000 square feet of existing building for offices, meeting space and the test kitchen over a four year period, including $1 million for buildings and other real property improvements and $500,000 in machinery and equipment. The City of Irving granted a $750 per job grant for new hires, up to 100 jobs. In addition, the Irving Economic Development Partnership is coordinating in-kind assistance from business/executive clubs and participation in the Citys Business Development Incentive Program (BizDIP). Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. 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These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 On of December 18, the Ministry of Defence hosted a meeting to review the preparation and settlement of difficulties for the standby army engineers set to participate in the UN peacekeeping activities. The Politburo has agreed to assign the Ministry of Defence to deploy an engineer troop to participate in UN peacekeeping activities. On that basis, the Minister of Defence has agreed to dispatch an engineering team to replace the UKs in 2020. Currently, Vietnams registration to the Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System (PCRS) has been completed. The UN is conducting a review on the capacity profile of the Vietnam Army Engineering Team, requiring that Vietnam improve its major equipment and self-sustainment services, serving as a basis for the UN to send a team to Vietnam for further inspection by mid-2019. Regarding the preparation of the team, Colonel Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, said that the department has organised training courses as well as English and French language courses for the engineers. Negotiations are underway with the UN and the UK for engineer replacement in February 2020 when the UK peacekeepers will complete their mission and withdraw from the South Sudan Mission. There are currently five candidates for the position, with Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam all granted level 1 readiness in the PSRS. Meanwhile, China and Croatia have the Engineering Teams, but have not registered to the system yet. The UN has voiced support for Vietnam if the Southeast Asian country can meet the UNs requirements on capacity, human resources and equipment. According to Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, there is a large workload to successfully deploy the Vietnamese Engineering Team to replace the British in South Sudan in early 2020. However, the biggest issue is to make the existing equipment and the purchase of equipment meet the requirements on quality and time set by the UN, Vinh said. Joining the UNs peacekeeping force for the 2014-2020 period, Vietnam has so far sent 29 officers and one level-2 field hospital to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic and the UN Mission in South Sudan. 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. President Muhammadu Buhari gave an order to security personnel on Monday, deal ruthlessly with anyone who steals ballot boxes. This command was made known by president at the National caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC meeting which held at the partys national Secretariat in Abuja. I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless Anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturbs the voting system, will do so at the expense of his own life, Buhari said. A lot of Nigerians have criticised the statement saying its a call to jungle justice, and shouldnt be encouraged. However, there are those who are in full support of Buharis #snatchanddie order and heres why. Why they #SnatchandDie People queue up in the sun, in the rain to cast their votes, then some thugs sent by unworthy thieving politicians will arrive with weapons to snatch it all away and even kill and injure voters and you expect a serious govt not to take action ? Are you crazy ? #SnatchAndDie Lefty Against Rogues (@kakra68) February 19, 2019 https://twitter.com/lanre_lalanajnr/status/1097752367435526145 If Buhari had said; "Don't shoot election manipulators". They still will criticize him.#SnatchAndDie sLim (@IbrahimAbduslim) February 19, 2019 There is nothing buhari does that can please these cretins, you all said he postponed the elections to rig, now he says anyone caught rigging Will be dealt with and you still complain #ThisIsGMB Golden demigod (@yomi_silva) February 19, 2019 https://twitter.com/investor_peter/status/1097623341756747776 https://twitter.com/elrazakkk/status/1097507313303343107 The Nigerian army has clarified its stance on the controversial snatch ballot boxes and get shot order by President Muhammadu Buhari. In a statement by the army on Tuesday, it said said no matter who you are, anyone found to be disrupting the electoral process under any guise will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the laws. It also revealed it uncovered an holy by some political actors to arm and sponsor thugs, disguising like military personnel, wearing army fatigue. It revealed further that they are working with sister agencies to track the source of such weapons. See full statement below Credible intelligence available to HQ 6 Div NA has uncovered an unholy plan by some political actors within its AOR to arm and sponsor miscreants in addition to using military-like fatigue dress for deception to cause pandemonium at polling stations for their political gain. While covert efforts are on-going to track the source of the weapons and the agents involved in conjunction with sister security agencies, authorities of 6 Division NA We wish to unequivocally state that anyone found to be disrupting the electoral process under any guise will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the laws no matter how highly placed he or she is. To this end, the GOC 6 Division and Land Component Commander (LCC) OPDS Maj Gen Jamil Sarham wish to reassure the good people of Niger Delta of providing adequate security in conjunction with other security agencies before, during and after the 2019 General Elections. He also thanks the good citizens of the Niger Delta for their cooperation and assistance so far rendered to the Division particularly in the area of information dissemination and urge them to do more. If there us anything Nigerians are good at, its the ability to make light even the most grievous situations. First theyll get angry, theyll rant and then theyll make jokes out of them. Being able to suffer and smile, has become one of the unwritten laws of being a Nigerian. This was exactly the case with the controversial snatch and die statement issued by President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday at the APC national caucus meeting in Abuja. The statement which has since become a very hot topic on the Nigerian social media sphere, didnt take long to be joked about while still managing to pass a serious argument. We tool a stroll on Twitter streets, and we found she very hilarious tweets, take a look Stay away from anything that looks like box.. Even akara box or any snacks box Don't come and carry box to hawk around polling units Just imagine shouting "buy akara! Buy akara! With box on your head,boom you find yourself in heaven facing God #ThisIsGMB#SnatchAtYourOwnRisk pic.twitter.com/uHmGgritAo GLOBAL (@nwanduc1) February 19, 2019 President Buhari was even so merciful & polite about ballot boxes snatchers;If I were him I will order the security agencies to open fire on all PDP members on sight because they're the only ballot box snatchers since the beginning of our democracy. #SnatchAtYourOwnRi #ThisIsGMB Maj. Gen.Tiamiyu Lawal Kano (@lawalt2010) February 19, 2019 PROMO! PROMO!! PROMO!!!, SNATCH A BALLOT BOX AND GET A FREE BULLET #ThisIsGMB Davies (@Diddyman74) February 19, 2019 https://twitter.com/miss_ayomide/status/1097833132672409600 Senator Shehu Sani has said the country is at a very tragic point, wherein violent and autocratic statement are painted in such a way that they become acceptable. The statement is apparently in relation to a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, where he said he has issued a warning to election riggers, to behave themselves or pay with their lives. I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless Anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturbs the voting system, will do so at the expense of his own life, Buhari said. The lawmaker who represents Kaduna central at the Senate, said this on Tuesday via his Twitter handle. According to him, these autocratic utterances are package in such a way that they look like Necessities and urgencies. We are at a tragic point in our national life,where violent and autocratic rhetoric and tendencies are deceptively made acceptable to the gullible,by packaging it as necessities and urgencies, Sani said. See tweet: Thisday Following stiff opposition from political parties to the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ban political campaigns before next Saturdays rescheduled poll, the commission yesterday reversed itself and allowed electioneering. Daily Times Contrary to speculations that the police arrested 400 political thugs prior to the postponed presidential election in Akwa Ibom, the state police command has dismissed such rumours admitting that only 41 persons were arrested at Angellyn hotel without linking them to any political party in the state. The Sun a former PDP presidential aspirant from Katsina State, says his partys presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is set to floor President Muhammadu Buhari in Saturdays presidential election. He also spoke on other issues of interest. Leadership As Nigerians prepare for elections, Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has called for violent-free elections, saying politicians could engage in issue-based campaigns without killing or maiming the electorates. The Nation Former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has disowned various social media accounts bearing his name, declaring that they are fake and are convener of fake news. Daily Trust The presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has asked an FCT High Court for an order stopping President Muhammadu Buhari and security agencies from alleged interferance with the general elections. Tribune The CUPP has described as the most callous public statement ever by a Nigerian President President Muhammadu Buharis statement at the APC Caucus meeting on Monday, that snatchers of ballot boxes will be ruthlessly dealt with by security agencies. Mohammed Sani Abacha, son of late military head of state, Sani Abacha, has thrown his full weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari, for Saturdays presidential election. Mohammed Abacha, who is a governorship candidate of the Advance Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), in Kano State, stated his support for Buhari, former ally of his late father, less than 4 days to the election. The All Progressives Congress, APC celebrated the news by sharing in on their handle on Tuesday evening saying 4+4 is assured. See tweet Following the now trending news that veteran actor, Babatunde Omidina, also known as Baba Suwe is battling a life threatening ailment, Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe, has reacted. Mercy who revealed through her Instagram page that she had at one point in time reached out to the comic actor, after news of his ailment broke out but had said he was fine and didnt need help. However, she said now that she is sure that he needs help, she would do all withing her power to assist. She said: https://www.instagram.com/p/BuCr2-RnVHR/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet The two-way trade revenue between the two countries was posted at nearly US$1.17 billion in 2018, up 12.9% compared to 2017. The main products exported from the Czech Republicto Vietnam include sound and image recording equipment and TV screens with a total value of over US$64.7 million. They are followed by kiln equipment, boilers, and mechanical tools with a total value of more than US$23.3 million. Other export products include optical, movie and surgery equipment, glass and crystal products, plastic products, military equipment, seedlings, pharmaceuticals, medicinal herbs, and industrial plants with a total value of US$2-8 million. Meanwhile, Vietnams major goods exported to the Czech Republic are audiovisual equipment with a turnover of over US$365.5 million and footwear and similar products worth US$229.8 million. The exports of rubber, inorganic chemical compounds, leather, garment accessories, apparel, mechanical equipment, motor vehicles, and wooden furniture also reported a total value between US$30-90 million. However, the bilateral trade turnover has yet to match the economic potential and actual demand of the markets of two countries. The regular exchanges between delegations of two countries at all levels to study the market and seek business opportunities will create a momentum to promote investment for both sides in the areas of civil and high technology, particularly the biotechnology and nano areas which are the strength of the Czech Republic. National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole alleged on Tuesday that Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is seriously working with the ICT unit of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to elections. The former Edo state governor said this at a press conference in Abuja today, in reaction to allegations by Atiku that APC imported telephone-like devices from China to tamper with card readers. The implication of this is that assuming without conceding that this allegation is true, it means Atiku is working hand-in-hand with the ICT unit in INEC to know the kind of machines that are deployed to where, Oshiomhole said. Speaking further, he notes that We recognise that INEC is independent. I am not able to determine the type of card readers that it will deploy. I am not in the position to identify where they were imported from. But If Atiku has all of these details, it shows that Atiku is working hand in glove with people within INEC as to know where machines are imported from. Oshiomhole further accused Atiku, a former vice president of Nigeria, of wanting to be president by all means and as such would implore anything. However, Atiku can continue to hope that hell one day be president, as thats the much hed ever get, Oshiomhole added. As for Buharis snatch ballot boxes and be ruthlessly dealt with statement, Oshiomhole says it just right Adding that Atiku would only object to it, because thuggery may have been their only plan to win. Yes, Moscow Boosts Western Anti-Imperialist Voices. So What? By Caitlin Johnstone February 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " -In an extremely weird article titled Russia is backing a viral video company aimed at American millennials , CNN reports that Facebook has suspended popular dissident media outlet In The Now and its allied pages for failing to publicly disclose its financial ties to a subsidiary of RT. According to CNN, such disclosures are not and have never been an actual part of Facebooks official policy, but Facebook has made the exceptional precondition of public disclosure of financial ties in order for In The Now to return to its platform. I say the article is extremely weird for a number of reasons. Firstly, according to In The Now CEO Anissa Naouai, CNN knew that Facebook was going to be suspending the pages of her company Maffick Media before she did, suggesting a creepy degree of coordination between the two massive outlets to silence an alternative media platform. Secondly, the article reports that CNN found out about Mafficks financial ties thanks to a tip-off from the German Marshall Fund, a narrative control firm which receives funding from the US government. In The Nows Rania Khalek has described this tactic as a case where the US government has found a legal loophole to suppress speech, in this case speech that is critical of destructive US government policies around the world. Thirdly, and in my opinion weirdest of all, the article goes to great lengths to make the fact that a dissident media outlet supports the same foreign policy positions as Russia look like something strange and nefarious, instead of the normal and obvious thing that it is. Unprecedented. @CNN knew @IntheNow_tweet and other Maffick pages would be blocked on @Facebook before we did https://t.co/El21SM1WJ8 Anissa Naouai (@AnissaNow) February 16, 2019 The article repeatedly mentions the fact that all the people working for In The Now claim to be editorially independent as opposed to being told what to report by Kremlin officials, a notion which Khalek says was met with extreme skepticism when she was interviewed for the piece by CNN. As though the possibility of an American opposing US warmongering and the political establishment which drives it without being ordered to by a rubles-dispensing FSB officer was a completely alien idea to them. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Check out the following excerpt, for example of this bizarre attitude: Ben Nimmo, a senior fellow for information defense at the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab, told CNN that while Russian state-backed outlets claim to be editorially independent, they routinely boost Kremlin narratives, especially those which portray the West negatively. Nimmo said the tone of Mafficks pages is broadly anti-US and anti-corporate. Thats strikingly similar to RTs output. Maffick may technically be independent, but their tone certainly matches the broader Kremlin family.' This is a truly obnoxious mind virus were seeing the imperial narrative controllers pushing more and more aggressively into mainstream consciousness today: that anyone who opposes the beltway consensus on western interventionism is not simply an individual with a conscience who is thinking critically for themselves, but is actually boosting the Kremlin narrative. If you say it in an assertive and authoritative tone like Mr Nimmo does, it can sound like a perfectly reasonable position if you dont think about it too hard. If you really look at it directly, though, what these manipulators are actually saying is Russia opposes western interventionism, therefore anyone who opposes western interventionism is basically Russian. Which is of course a total non-argument. You dont get to just say Russia bad for two years to get everyone riled up into a state of xenophobic hysteria and then say Thats Russian! at anything you dont like. Thats not a thing. More to the point, though, there is no causal relationship between the fact that Russia opposes western interventionism and the fact that many westerners do. As we discussed recently , there will necessarily be inadvertent agreement between Russia and westerners who oppose western interventionism, because Russia, like so many other sovereign nations, opposes western interventionism. If you discover that an American who opposes US warmongering and establishment politics is saying the same things as RT, that doesnt mean youve discovered a shocking conspiracy between western dissidents and the Russian government, it means people who oppose the same things oppose the same things. Something appears fishy with conservative columnist running smears on behalf of a "Russian troll hunter" about an open pro-Bernie subreddit before the man even announces he's running. Someone REALLY wants Trump to get a second term! (Thread) https://t.co/MFo6N7zuWe HootHootBerns #RunBernieRun (@HootHootBerns) February 15, 2019 Were seeing this absurd gibberish spouted over and over again by the mainstream media now. The other day the delightful pro-Sanders subreddit WayOfTheBern was smeared as a Russian operation by the Washington Times, not because the Washington Times had any evidence anywhere supporting that claim, but because the subreddits members are hostile to Democratic presidential hopefuls other than Sanders, and because its posts consistently support positions that would be amenable to the Kremlin. All this means is that the subreddit is full of people who support Bernie Sanders and oppose US government malfeasance, yet an entire article was published in a mainstream outlet treating this as something dangerous and suspicious. If you really listen to what the CNNs and Ben Nimmos and Washington Timeses are actually trying to tell you, what theyre saying is that its not okay for anyone to oppose any part of the unipolar world order or the establishment which runs it. Never ever, under any circumstances. Dont work for a media outlet thats funded by the Russian government even though no mainstream outlets will ever platform you. Dont even subscribe to an anti-establishment subreddit. Those things are all Russian. Listen to Big Brother instead. Big Brother will protect you from their filthy Russian lies. If CNN would like to hire me to present facts against destructive US wars and corporate ownership of our political system, Ill gladly accept, Khalek told me when asked for comment. But the corporate media doesnt allow antiwar voices a platform. In The Now does. Ive worked for dozens of different outlets, from Vice to Al Jazeera to RT, and my message has always been the same: leftist, antiwar and pro justice and equality. People should be asking why US mainstream media outlets that claim to be free and independent refuse to air critical and adversarial voices like mine. Why indeed? Actually, if CNN is so worried about Russian media influence in America, all theyd have to do is put on a few shows featuring leftist, antiwar and pro-justice voices and that would be the end of it. They could easily out-spend RT by a massive margin, buy up all the talent like Khalek, Lee Camp and Chris Hedges, put on a sleek, high-budget show and steal RT Americas audience, killing it dead and drawing all anti-establishment energy to their material. But they dont. They dont, and they never will. Because Russian media influence is not their actual target. Their actual target is leftist, antiwar and anti-establishment voices. Thats what theyre really trying to eliminate. I did an interview with RTs Going Underground yesterday on UK foreign policy since 1945, to broadcast Monday. Why? Ive waited since 1989 when I was at Chatham House to be interviewed by BBC; the call has never come. So I gave my first interview to RT. (PS. I dont love Putin). Mark Curtis (@markcurtis30) December 7, 2018 So yes, Moscow will of course elevate some western voices who oppose the power establishment that is trying to undermine and subvert Russia. Those voices will not require any instruction to speak out against that establishment, since thats what theyd be doing anyway and theyre just grateful to finally have a platform upon which to speak. And it is good that theyre getting a platform to speak. If western power structures have a problem with it, they should stop universally refusing to platform anyone who opposes the status quo that is destroying nations abroad and squeezing the life out of citizens at home. It doesnt take any amount of sympathy for Russia to see that the unipolar empire is toxic for humanity, and most westerners who oppose that toxicity have no particular feelings about Russia any more than they have about Turkey or the Philippines. Sometimes Russia will come in and give them a platform in the void that has been left by the mainstream outlets which are doing everything they can to silence them. So what? The alternative is all dissident voices being silenced. The fact that Russia prevents a few of them from being silenced is not the problem. The problem is that they are being silenced at all. 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 Pussy John Bolton and His Codpiece Mustache: Examining the Freak Show By Fred Reed February 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - American government has become a collection of sordid and dangerous clowns. It was not always thus. Until Bush II, those governing were never lunatics. Eisenhower, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Obama, Clinton had their defects, were sometimes corrupt, and could be disagreed with on many grounds. They werent crazy. Todays administration would seem unwholesome in a New York bus station at three in the morning. They are not normal American politicians. In particular they seem to be pushing for war with Iran, China, Russia, and Venezuela. Andthis is importanttheir behavior is not a matter of liberals catfighting with conservatives. All former presidents carefully avoided war with the Soviet Union, which carefully avoided war with America. It was Reagan, a conservative and responsible president, who negotiated the INF treaty, to eliminate short-fuse nuclear weapons from Europe. By contrast, Trump is scrapping it. Pat Buchanan, the most conservative man I have met, strongly opposes aggression against Russia. The problem with the current occupants of the White House is not that they are conservatives, if they are. It is that they are nuts. Donald the Cockatoo Start with the head cheese, Donald Trump, profoundly ignorant, narcissistic, a real-estate con man who danced just out of reach of the law. His supporters will explode in fury at this. All politics being herd politics, the population has coalesced into herds fanatically pro-Trump and fanatically anti-Trump. Yet Trumps past is not a secret. Well-documented biographies describe his behavior in detail, but his supporters dont read them. The following is a bit long, but worth reading. From The Making of Donald Trump , Johnston, David Cay. (p. 23). Melville House. Kindle Edition. I always get even, Trump writes in the opening line of that chapter. He then launches into an attack on the same woman he had denounced in Colorado. Trump recruited the unnamed woman from her government job where she was making peanuts, her career going nowhere. I decided to make her somebody. I gave her a great job at the Trump Organization, and over time she became powerful in real estate. She bought a beautiful home. When Trump was in financial trouble in the early nineties..I asked her to make a phone call to an extremely close friend of hers who held a powerful position at a big bank and would have done what she asked. She said, Donald, I cant do that. Instead of accepting that the woman felt that such a call would be inappropriate, Trump fired her. She started her own business. Trump writes that her business failed. I was really happy when I found that out, he says. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter She had turned on me after I did so much to help her. I had asked her to do me a favor in return, and she turned me down flat. She ended up losing her home. Her husband, who was only in it for the money, walked out on her and I was glad. Over the years many people have called me asking for a recommendation for her. I always gave her bad recommendation. I cant stomach disloyalty. ..and now I go out of my way to make her life miserable. All that because (if she exists) she declined to engage in corruption for the Donald. That is your President. A draft dodger, a pampered rich kid, and Ivy brat (Penn, Wharton). This increasingly is a pattern at the top: Ivy, money, no military service. A particularly loathsome sort of politician is one who dodges his countrys wars when of military age, and then wants to send others to die in later wars. This is Pussy John, arch hawk, coward, amoral, bully, willing to kill any number while he prances martially in Washington. Speaking as one who carried a rifle in Viet Nam, I would like to confine this fierce darling for life in the bottom of a public latrine in Uganda. Pussy John, an Ivy flower (Yale) wrote in a reunion books that, during the 1969 Vietnam War draft lottery, I confess I had no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy. I considered the war in Vietnam already lost. In an interview, Bolton explained that he decided to avoid service in Vietnam because by the time I was about to graduate in 1970, it was clear to me that opponents of the Vietnam War had made it certain we could not prevail, and that I had no great interest in going there to have Teddy Kennedy give it back to the people I might die to take it away from. This same Pussy John, unwilling to risk his valuable being in a war he could have attended, now wants war with Iran, Venezuela, Russia, Syria, and Afghanistan. In these wars millions would die while he waggled his silly lip broom in the West Wing. His truculence is pathological and dangerous. Here is PJ on Iran: which has not harmed and does not threaten America: We think the government is under real pressure and its our intention to squeeze them very hard, Bolton said Tuesday in Singapore. As the British say, squeeze them until the pips squeak. How very brave of him. He apparently feels sadistic delight at starving Venezuelans, inciting civil war, and ruining the lives of millions who have done nothing wrong. Whence the weird hostility of this empty jockstrap, the lack of humanity? Forgot his Midiol? Venezuela of course has done nothing to the US and couldnt if it wanted to. America under the Freak Show is destroying another country simply because it doesnt meekly obey. While PJ gloats. Bush II Another rich kid and Yalie, none too bright, amoral as the rest, another draft dodger, (he hid in the Air National Guard.) who got to the White House on daddys name recognition. Not having the balls to fight in his own war, he presided over the destruction of Iraq and the killing of hundreds of thousands, for no reason. (Except oil, Israel, and Empire. Collectively, these amount to no reason.) He then had the effrontery to pose on the deck of an aircraft carrier and say, Mission accomplished. You know, just like Alexander the Great. Amoral. No empathy. What a man. The striking pattern of the Ivy League avoiding the war confirmed then, as it does now, that our present rulers regard the rest of America as beings of a lower order. These armchair John Waynes might have called them deplorables, though Hillary, another Yalie bowwow hawk, had not yet made the contempt explicit. This was the attitude of Pussy John, Bushy-Bushy Two, and Cockatoo Don. Compare this with the Falklands War in which Prince Andrew did what a countrys leadership should do, but ours doesnt.. Wikipedia: He (Prince Andrew) holds the rank of commander and the honorary rank of Vice Admiral (as of February 2015) in the Royal Navy, in which he served as an active-duty helicopter pilot and instructor and as the captain of a warship. He saw active service during the Falklands War, flying on multiple missions including anti-surface warfare, Exocet missile decoy, and casualty evacuation The Brits still have class. Compare Andrew with the contents of the Great Double-Wide on Pennsylvania Avernus. Gina A measure of the moral degradation of America: It is the only country that openly and proudly engages in torture. Many countries do it, of course. We admit it, and maintain torture prisons around the globe. Now we have a major government official, Gina Haspel, head of the CIA, a known sadist. Bloody Gina. Is this who represents us? Would any other country in the civilized world put a sadist publicly in office? Think of Gina waterboarding some guy, or standing around and getting off on it. You dont torture people unless you like it. The guy is tied down, coughing, choking, screaming, begging, desperate, drowning, and Gina poursmore water. The poor bastard vomits, chokes. Gina adds a little more water. What kind of woman would do this? Well, Ginas kind obviously. Does she then run off to her office and lock the door for half an hour? Maybe it starts early. One imagines her as a little girl, playing with her dolls. Cheerleader Barbie, Nurse Barbie, Klaus Barbie. Michael Pompeo Another pathologically aggressive chickenhawk. In a piece in Foreign Affairs he describes Iran as a rogue state that America must eliminate for the sake of all that is good. Note that Pompeo presides over a foreign policy seeking to destroy Venezuelas economy and threatens military invasion, though Venezuela is no danger to the US and is not Americas business; embargoes Cuba, which in no danger to the US and is not Americas business; seeks to destroy Irans economy, though Iran is no danger to the US and none of Americas business; sanctions Europe and meddles in its politics; sanctions Russia, which is not a danger to the United States, in an attempt to destroy its economy, pushes NATO up to Russias borders, abandons the INF arms-control treaty and establishes a Space Command which will mean nuclear weapons on hair trigger in orbit, starts another nuclear arms race; wages a trade war against China intended to prevent its economic progress; sanctions North Korea; continues a seventeen-year policy of killing Afghans for no discernible purpose; wages a war against Syria; bombs Somalis; maintains unwanted occupation forces in Iraq; increasingly puts military forces in Africa; supports regimes with ghastly human-rights records such as Saudi Arabia and Israel; and looks for a war with China in the South China Sea, which is no more Americas business than the Gulf of Mexico is Chinas. But Pompeo is not a loon, oh no, and America is not a rogue state. Perish forfend. Nikki Haley A negligible twitI choose my vowel carefullybut characterized, like Trump, PJ, and Pompeo, by loyalty to Israel and wild combativeness. She seemed less dangerous than just embarrassing. Like the rest of this administration, she threatened war and retribution against any countries that did not obey the United Statesnot that she would put her own rounded pink sit-down ion the line n a war. That is for deplorables. After being promoted to lieutenant general, Mattis took command of Marine Corps Combat Development Command. On February 1, 2005, speaking at a forum in San Diego, he said You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didnt wear a veil. You know, guys like that aint got no manhood left anyway. So its a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them. Actually, its a lot of fun to fight. You know, its a hell of a hoot. Its fun to shoot some people. Ill be right upfront with you, I like brawling. Perhaps in air-to-air combat you want someone who regards killing as fun, or in an amphibious assault. But in a position to make policy? Can you image Dwight Eisenhower talking about the fun of squaring a mans brains across the ground? The Upshot We have until recently never had government as aggressive, reckless, or psychiatrically fascinating as now. Again, it is not a matter of Republicans and Democrats. No administration of any party, stripe, or ideology has ever pushed to aggressively toward war with so many countries. These people are not right in the head. Fred, a keyboard mercenary with a disorganized past, has worked on staff for Army Times, The Washingtonian, Soldier of Fortune, Federal Computer Week, and The Washington Times. He has been published in Playboy, Soldier of Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Harpers, National Review, Signal, Air&Space, and suchlike. He has worked as a police writer, technology editor, military specialist, and authority on mercenary soldiers. He is by all accounts as looney as a tune. https://fredoneverything.org Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Peace and joy How Much of Venezuelas Crisis is Really Maduros Fault? There are several factors for Venezuelas economic crisis, but you wouldnt know it by listening to U.S. leaders or following corporate media. By Steve Ellner February 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - T he recognition by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Vice President Joe Biden of Juan Guaido as Venezuelan president is the latest demonstration of the consensus in Washington over the nefariousness of the Nicolas Maduro government. Not since Fidel Castros early years in power has a Latin American head of state been so consistently demonized. But the 1960s was the peak of the Cold War polarization that placed Cuba plainly in the enemy camp, and unlike Venezuela today, that nation had a one-party system. The scope of that consensus was evident by the recent faceoff between two figures as far apart as President Donald Trump and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In his State of the Union address, Trump attributed Venezuelas economic crisis to the failed system of socialism. Ocasio-Cortez responded by arguing that the Venezuelan case is an issue of authoritarian regime versus democracy . Taken together, the comments by Trump and Ocasio-Cortez complement one another. According to the narrative that dominates Washington, Venezuela is a disaster from both economic and political viewpoints. The exclusive blame for the sorry state of the economy and for the countrys allegedly authoritarian rule lays with Maduro and his cohorts. Not surprisingly, the mainstream media have refrained from questioning these assumptions. Most of their reporting puts the accent mark on state incompetence and corruption, while skirting the detrimental effects of the economic sanctions implemented by the Trump administration. In addition, many on the left point to the economic sanctions as responsible, at least in part, for the nations pressing economic difficulties, but few critically examine the mainstreams characterization of the state of Venezuelan democracy. Some oppose the sanctions but join the opposition in bashing the Maduro government. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter A recent article by Gabriel Hetland, for instance, posted by Jacobin and NACLA: Report on the Americas claims that Maduro holds onto power through authoritarian means. The author then turns to the nations economic difficulties by arguing that the primary driver is the governments mismanagement of its oil revenue and corruption. During my participation in a two-month Venezuelan solidarity tour late last year in the U.S. and Canada, I often heard the statement that knowing the specifics about Venezuelas economic and political problems is not essential because the bottom line is the illegality of Trumps sanctions and threats of military intervention. But does international law end the discussion? If it could be proven that Maduro is a dictator and a totally incompetent ruler, would people enthusiastically rally behind his government in opposition to foreign intervention? I dont think so. Undoubtedly, it is necessary to take a close look at both political and economic fronts because the effectiveness of solidarity efforts hinges on the specifics. The dominant narrative about Maduro and its assumptions cannot be taken at face value, even while there are elements of truth in it. How Far Back Do the Economic Problems Go? The Venezuelan opposition frequently argues that neither the sanctions nor depressed international oil prices are to blame for the nations economic difficulties, only the mismanagement of the economy. At best, declining oil prices contributed to the problems but were not a root cause. Some opposition analysts deny or minimize the importance of oil prices as a factor by pointing out that the economies of other OPEC nations are as dependent on oil exports as that of Venezuela but have not plummeted to the same levels . The oppositions central argument here is that Venezuelas dire economic problems predate Trumps implementation of sanctions and even predate the sharp decline in international oil prices beginning mid-2014. That is, government follies with disastrous effects came first, followed by the decline in oil prices and then the sanctions. Two-time presidential candidate for the opposition Henrique Capriles claimed that the crisis began prior to the fall of oil prices but for a long time was ignored, repressed and covered up by the government. There are two fallacies in this line of thinking. In the first place, the so-called economic war against Venezuela, which eventually included the Trump-imposed sanctions, preceded everything else. Washington almost from the beginning of Hugo Chavezs presidency in 1999 did not stand by idly while he defied the neoliberal Washington consensus as well as U.S. hegemony. Washingtons hostility seriously harmed the economy in multiple ways. For instance, the George W. Bush administration banned the sale of spare parts for the Venezuelan Air Forces costly F-16 fighter jets in 2006, forcing the country to turn to Russia for the purchase of 24 Sukhoi SU-30 fighter planes. Furthermore, the international sanctions did not begin with Trump, but rather Obama in 2015 which were justified by his executive order calling Venezuela a threat to U.S. national security. That order was followed by an avalanche of pull-outs from Venezuela by multinationals including Ford, Kimberly Clark, General Motors, Kelloggs and nearly all the international airlines. In the second place, oil prices under Maduro have not only been low since 2014 but nosedived, just the opposite of what happened under Chavez. This is particularly problematic because high prices create expectations and commitments that then get transformed into frustration and anger when they precipitously drop. Prices are currently slightly over half of what they were before the decline, in spite of their modest recovery since 2017. Three factors explain Venezuelas economic woes, not one: low oil prices, the economic war against Venezuela, and mistaken policies. Prominent in the latter category is Maduros lethargic response to the problem of the widening disparity between official prices set by the government on certain items in short supply and their prices on the black market. The government has encountered major problems in distributing basic commodities forcing Venezuelans to buy those same goods on the higher-priced black market. The system is conducive to corruption and contraband as many of the products that are supposed to be retailed at reduced prices end up being sold on the black market or sent off to neighboring Colombia. The Dictatorship Label Repeated a Thousand Times The media are in desperate need of good fact-checkers in their reporting on Venezuela. Statements about Venezuelan democracy range from blatantly misleading to accurate with most lying between the two extremes. An example of the former is the Guardians claim that the Venezuelan government controls most TV and radio stations which transmit a constant stream of pro-Maduro propaganda . In fact, of those who tune into Venezuelan TV channels, 80 percent watch the three major private channels (Venevision, Televen, and Globovision) which cannot be seriously accused of being pro-government. At the other extreme is Hetlands assertion in his Jacobin-NACLA piece that the decision to strip Henrique Capriles of his right to run for office as a result of corruption charges was politically motivated. The statement is accurate. Actually, the move was worse than what Hetland discusses. For some time before that, Capriles, whose political positions have vacillated considerably, favored a less intransigent stance toward the government than those on the radical right, which has largely dominated the opposition of late. The move, in effect, played into the hands of the radicals and undermined efforts to bring about a much-needed national dialogue. Those who call Maduro a dictator make two basic assertions. In the first place, the government is alleged to have brutally repressed the four-month long peaceful demonstrations designed to bring about regime change carried out in 2014 and then 2017. In fact, the protests were hardly peaceful. Six National Guardsmen and two policemen were killed in 2014 and protestors fired into an air force base in Caracas and attacked a number of police stations in Tachira in 2017 . There are different versions of the circumstances surrounding the numerous fatalities in 2014 and 2017, thus requiring an impartial analysis, which the media has hardly attempted to present. Police repression is reprehensible and repression there was on both occasions regardless of circumstances, but the context has to be brought into the picture. In the second place, the opposition denies that Maduros re-election in May of last year was legitimate because the election was called for by the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), whose existence allegedly has no legal basis. One of the nations foremost constitutional lawyers, Hermann Escarra, has defended the ANCs legality , while others formulate plausible arguments to the contrary. Again, the mainstream media has failed to present both sides or to objectively analyze the issue. Nearly all the opposition parties that refused to participate in the presidential elections in 2018, however, did participate in the gubernatorial elections of the preceding year that were convened by the same ANC. The justification for Juan Guaidos self-proclamation as Venezuelan president on Jan. 23 was predicated on the illegitimacy of the ANC. Violation of democratic norms and cases of police repression do not in themselves demonstrate that a government is authoritarian or dictatorial. If they did, the United States would hardly be considered democratic. The real defining issue is whether electoral fraud takes place in which votes are not correctly counted. That accusation has been largely absent in the controversy over recent elections, even among leaders of the radical opposition. The mainstream media and Washington politicians freely call Maduro an autocrat a dictator and authoritarian. More than anything that is said about Venezuelas economic difficulties, the use of these terms has had a profound effect on policy making. A nations economic problems should not justify intervention of any sort. The real issue of contention, therefore, is the state of Venezuelan democracy as depicted by the dominant narrative. Amazingly enough, there is no major actor in mainstream politics and the mainstream media willing to challenge that narrative with all its questionable claims regarding the Maduro government. Steve Ellner is a retired professor from Venezuelas University of the East and is currently associate managing editor of Latin American Perspectives. Among his over a dozen books on Latin America is his edited The Pink Tide Experiences: Breakthroughs and Shortcomings in Twenty-First Century Latin America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). This article was originally published by " Consortium News " - By Francey Hakes February 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Disgraced former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe has provided clear evidence that in 2017 a small cabal of high-level officials inside the Department of Justice (DOJ) weighed whether to attempt to remove the duly-elected president of the United States. McCabe claims that he and others at the top of the FBI and DOJ held multiple discussions about invoking the Constitutions 25th Amendment to declare President Trump unfit for office and install the vice president in his place. Is this proof that a rolling bloodless coup really existed within the government? McCabe himself previously provided false information to the DOJ, for which he was unceremoniously fired, rendering any statements he now makes while promoting his book highly suspect. But, given the underpinnings of the entire Russia collusion investigation and what we know now about its early steps, McCabes statements ring disturbingly true. The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for a way to remove a president who is unable to perform the duties of the office. (This is different from impeachment, the proscribed method to remove a president for misconduct.) The vice president and a majority of cabinet officers must agree, in writing, that the president is unable to discharge the duties of the office. There is no provision for law enforcement the FBI, lawyers at DOJ, or someone such as Andy McCabe to force a president from office. Discussions on how, or whether, to attempt to exercise the 25th Amendment in this way is truly indicative of a coup mentality by career bureaucrats. It is hard to explain this kind of attitude except in the rankest of political contexts. McCabes claims that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was part of this coup attempt are shocking. The deputy AG makes innumerable decisions every day that impact a massive number of issues; practically every decision the federal government makes requires his approval if it implicates legal or constitutional issues. That any person in that position would consider wearing a wire to obtain evidence against the sitting president, based upon thin allegations contained in the dossier ex-British spy Christopher Steele produced for the Democratic Party and Hillary Clintons campaign, should frighten every American. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Though McCabes veracity is questionable, it does seem unlikely any serious deputy attorney general would joke about such matters. McCabe claims that he and others believed they were working for a president who might have conspired with Russia to betray this country. There must not be one scintilla of evidence of this; otherwise, special counsel Robert Mueller surely would have taken steps long before now to rid the nation of such a dangerous commander-in-chief. It apparently has not occurred to McCabe that he looks cowardly if he really believed the president was conspiring with a foreign government in a way that compromised his loyalty to this country. And yet, McCabe blithely went about meeting with the president, continued to do his normal work, and said nothing about it publicly. Is it reasonable to believe a career law officer wouldnt shout from the rooftops, and even risk his job, to blow the whistle on such a catastrophic potential national security risk? McCabe and his cabal knew that the entire Russia collusion narrative was bought and paid for by the Clinton campaign. We know McCabe knew this from the congressional testimony of former associate deputy attorney general Bruce Ohr, who swore under oath (and he, unlike McCabe, was not fired for lying) that he told McCabe and others at the FBI that the Steele dossier was being pushed by a Trump-hater and should be relied upon with caution. By May 2017, McCabe implies he was in a state of panic on behalf of the gullible nation led by a Russian asset but as Ohr said, McCabe and his cronies were aware that the explosive claims in the dossier were unverified. How could there be panic about unverified allegations? Also by May 2017, the FBI had months and months worth of FISA take, or data from the electronic spying on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page and all those with whom Page communicated over months, or even years, prior to October 2016 when the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant was signed. According to former FBI director James Comey, none of that data resulted in any verification of the claims in the Steele dossier. Nonetheless, to these government bureaucrats it was acceptable to lie to the FISA Court by vouching for an unverified dossier. It was acceptable to them to illegally leak to the media the existence of the Russia investigation (for example, leaking the existence of a highly-classified FISA warrant on the Russian ambassador to destroy former national security adviser Michael Flynn and cripple the young presidency). And they apparently thought it acceptable to contemplate the use of the 25th Amendment to remove a president wholly capable of performing his constitutional duties. Thats a rolling coup, indeed. Francey Hakes was a prosecutor for 16 years and now consults on national security and the protection of children. As a former assistant U.S. attorney, she appeared before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, presenting applications for counterterrorism and counterespionage warrants on a special detail to the Department of Justice Office of Intelligence Policy and Review. Follow her on Twitter @FranceyHakes. Congressman Andre Carson and Mayor Joe Hogsett joined other city leaders Feb. 19 at Central Library to encourage everyone in Indianapolis especially those who have traditionally been marginalized to participate in the coming 2020 Census, which is used to determine the number of seats states get in the U.S. House of Representatives and allocate federal money for resources such as education and health care. To help get a more complete picture of the citys population, Hogsett announced the creation of a Complete Count Committee, which is made up of community advocacy groups and will focus on getting participation in the Census from segments of the population that are often missed, including African-Americans. Tony Mason, president of Indianapolis Urban League, and Miriam Davis, president and CEO of La Plaza, will serve as co-chairs of the committee. When we dont have the numbers and an accurate count, or a near-accurate count, I think it impacts the resources we get, Carson said. Were talking about capturing over $600 billion. We deserve a piece of that pie. We must have it. In 2010, Indianapolis Census participation rate was 73 percent, slightly better than the national average of 72 percent. Census officials anticipate the 2020 count, which begins April 1, 2020, to be done mostly online for the first time. Jackie Nytes, CEO of Indianapolis Public Library, said in a press release she expects the library to be a resource for local residents when that time comes. During their remarks at a press conference, Carson and Hogsett also emphasized the importance of participation from those who are undocumented. Hogsett said the Census is not a referendum on immigration status. It was an apparent rebuke of the Trump administrations efforts to add a controversial citizenship question to the Census. The Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments in that case in April. Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick. Rep. Andre Carson joined Mayor Joe Hogsett and other city leaders at a Feb. 19 press conference to encourage everyone in Indianapolis especially those who have traditionally been marginalized to participate in the 2020 Census. (Photo/Tyler Fenwick) Chandigarh, Feb 19 (UNI) Former Punjab chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patron Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday said he was stunned by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's complete and deafening silence on the tragic terrorist attack in Pulwama and his refusal to utter even a single word against those who had openly taken responsibility for the heinous crime. Badal wanted to know if Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had heard Imran Khan and what he thought of his silence over the Pulwama outrage. "Does Mr Sidhu still believe that terrorism has no backing from the government of any hostile country." In a statement here, Badal said he found it impossible to believe that a person holding such a responsible position should refuse to condemn those who brazenly boast of having committed this crime against humanity. "In all his speech which came in the wake of Pulwama attack, Imran Khan refused even to touch the very incident which had caused the whole tragic atmosphere between India and Pakistan. Is he not aware that the responsibility for the crime had already been claimed by a group whose chief had been going around freely and openly throughout the country of whose Prime Minsiter Imran Khan is ? He says he wants proof. The proof of this roaming around in Pakistan and had been addressing rallies in Lahore and Karachi spitting venom against India, asking Pakistani citizens to destroy India and kill Indians. Is that not actionable proof for a Prime Minister to act on. Forget about acting on the evidence, he has been scared even to condemn the perpetrators of the crime," the veteran Akali Dal leader said. Badal said he was shocked that Imran did not have the basic human grace to express grief over the incident and show solidarity with the families of the brave soldiers who died in the terrorist attack. "In the same breath he claims that his country has lost 70,000 innocent Pakistanis in terrorist attacks. Then what stops him from condemning those who carrying out these gory crimes?" Badal asked. Image: UNI Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspects the State Taxation Administration in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 18, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Monday stressed the work of the country's taxation authority and called for effective implementation of policies to cut taxes and fees. During an inspection of the State Taxation Administration, Han called the taxation authority "an important junction of implementing macroeconomic policies and serving microeconomic operations." This year, the administration should effectively implement the government's policies to cut taxes and fees to strengthen the people's sense of fulfillment, he said. Following a principle that the benefits are shared by all, the taxation authority should do its research to raise more policies on tax reform and cuts of taxes and fees, Han said. The vice premier also underlined efforts to improve law enforcement, the supervision system and tax inspection to crack down on tax evasion and fraud and to optimize the taxation and business environment. 2 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Index-Journal Careers PART-TIME POSITION available in our packaging area. Job responsibilities include putting inserts into the newspaper. Must have a positive attitude and be a team player. Applicants must be able to: lift up to 20-lbs; stand for long periods of time; be available to work Sunday thru Friday, late evening to early morning hours; pass drug screen. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Because of the many threats she faces threats from all directions, including via technology Israel has focused a good portion of her military might on cyberspace. And now, our friends at Ynet News tell us, veterans of the IDFs capable computer units are now manning what is a global first an emergency response center that focuses on cyber attacks: Israel has launched a cyber hotline, staffed mostly by veterans of military computing units, to enable businesses and private individuals to report suspected hacking and receive real-time solutions. The 119 call-in number to the Computer Emergency Response Centre (CERT) is being billed by Israel and cyber experts as a world first. Our job is to mitigate the damage as quickly as possible, to learn about the threats and to spread the knowledge where relevant, CERT director Lavy Shtokhamer told Reuters at the facility in the southern high-tech hub city of Beer Sheva. A cyber-attack may not be limited only to property or financial damage. It can also threaten lives At the center, 20 responder terminals face a bank of huge screens, one of which shows a world map with cyber-attacks rendered as meteor-like strikes on Israel and the country of origin of computer servers used by the hackers. Williamstown Con Comm OKs Marijuana Farm WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Conservation Commission on Thursday approved plans for an outdoor marijuana plantation near the Green River. But one member of the panel abstained from the decision, citing a potential conflict between the production and sale of the drug and federal law. Unlike the recreational retail facility in the works on Main Street, the proposed pot plantation at 295 Blair Road is the first operation to come before the Con Comm. Member Philip McKnight, an attorney, questioned whether the town should play any role in permitting cannabis-related businesses. Even though Massachusetts voters decided in 2016 to decriminalize the drug, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 narcotic in the federal statutes, a classification that puts it on an even footing with cocaine, heroin and LSD in federal law, McKnight noted. "The concern I have is that in filing and acting upon this application, the commission and commission members us and, next week, the Zoning Board of Appeals expose ourselves to a possible conclusion by a U.S. Attorney that we are co-conspirators," McKnight said. "Under state law [applicant MassFlora] is permitted to apply. But I don't believe federal law gives him that permission." McKnight said he asked the town manager to obtain a written opinion from town counsel on the potential jeopardy to town committee members who permit the drug's production and distribution in violation of federal law. Town Manager Jason Hoch declined the request, McKnight said. "I'm not surprised, because I think it's pretty clear what that opinion would be: That it is a potential violation of federal law," McKnight said in a meeting telecast on the town's community access television station, Willinet. Williamstown Community Development Director Andrew Groff, who staffs the Con Comm in his capacity as the town's conservation agent, advised the commission that the town has been in contact with its counsel at KP Law (Kopelman and Paige) since the commonwealth's voters approved Proposition 4 in November 2016. "KP Law advises many towns in Massachusetts, and this issue has not come up," Groff said, referring to McKnight's point about a conflict with federal statutes. "They've given us guidance on how to regulate this." As with all town bylaws, Kopelman and Paige reviewed the 2017 zoning bylaw that requires all marijuana-related businesses to obtain a special permit. The retail shop under development by Silver Therapeutics in the Colonial Plaza obtained such a special permit from the ZBA. MassFlora will be before the ZBA on Thursday, Feb. 21, to seek its special permit. The Colorado-based grower will do so with Con Comm approval in hand. On a motion from Commissioner Michael Evans, the board voted a negative determination of applicability under the state's Wetlands Protection Act. That means the operation which plans to grow pot on about five acres of a 20-acre parcel can move forward without a Notice of Intent, which requires a stricter level of Con Comm scrutiny and, generally, more expensive environmental engineering work. "If this was the same size farm, and the applicant was asking to grow tomatoes or some other product we're not familiar with, like okra, we wouldn't spend an hour on it," Evans said as the hearing passed the 45-minute mark. Before the final vote, McKnight moved that the Con Comm delay action on MassFlora's request for determination of applicability until the commissioners receive the written opinion from town counsel he requested. That motion to delay was voted down, 4-1. Con Comm chair Lauren Stevens, following concerns raised by residents from the floor of Thursday's hearing, asked that the applicant provide more information to the town about potential runoff from the farm into the nearby river. The 5-acre planting itself, which will be surrounded by a security fence and will take place outside land under the jurisdiction of the Con Comm. But MassFlora attorney Donald Dubendorf said the grower would be happy to supply additional data to the town. Dubendorf and environmental engineer Charlie LaBatt of Guntlow and Associates both stressed to the commission that the applicant is committed to sustainable farming and would use "only organic modalities of pesticide and fertilization." Stevens asked that the additional documentation be included in the conditions for the Con Comm's permit. The special permit hearing before the ZBA is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at Town Hall. Visitors view lanterns at a lantern show in Zibo, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 18, 2019. Many places across the country are decorated with lanterns to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival, which falls on Feb. 19 this year. (Xinhua/Yuan Deliang) 20 1 [ Editor: zyq ] The McCann School Committee recommended a fiscal 2020 budget of $9.6 million on Thursday. McCann School Committee Endorses $9.6M Budget for Fiscal 2020 NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The McCann School Committee on Thursday approved a straightforward budget that represents a 2.36 percent increase over this year. The committee members had few questions about what Superintendent James Brosnan referred to as "vanilla" fiscal 2020 budget that will increase by $220,769. "There are not a lot of frills or add-ons here. The increases are just a lot of things we don't have control over," School Committee member Daniel J. Maloney Jr. said. "We consider this a balanced budget that just really maintains. It does not move us forward a lot and it keeps us where we are." The fiscal 2019 budget of $9,343,958 held a .04 percent increase and the fiscal 2020 budget of $9,564,727 increase is driven by the same circumstances fixed costs. "Just opening the door first day of school and keeping things the way they are is an automatic 2.5 percent increase," Maloney said. "With salary increases, insurance increases, electricity, heating, and other fixed costs." Maloney added that the projected Chapter 70 is $4,760,314 which is an increase of $71,598. He said this simply does not keep up with increasing mandated costs and more and more of the financial burden has been shifted to the member towns. He added transportation funds are projected to be $275,000, which is a slight increase of $10,000. This leaves a majority of the rest of the budget to be funded by the towns. Maloney said the vocational school district does its best to keep these cost increases at a minimum so the municipal assessments are less of a hit. "When the state does not meet the obligations that they place on us, the costs keep getting pushed to the communities," Maloney said. "We had this last year and a lot of the communities are hitting their levy limits. As much as they want to do everything they can to provide a good education, there is just not enough money." Brosnan said member town populations have really stayed constant over the years. "It is fairly consistent if you go across you can see that they are in a dead heat in most communities," he said. "Plus or minus a few students every year." North Adams and Adams still have the highest number of students in the district with 139 and 134, respectively. North Adams can expect an assessment of $927,143 and Adams, $1,010,634. Cheshire has the next highest assessment of $440,802; Clarksburg of $345,051, and Williamstown of $323,311. The remainder of the member towns will all be assessed under $216,000, which is Florida's assessment. The Member Municipality Assessments totals $3,818,351. Brosnan speedily continued through the budget, which is essentially level funded. There were some minor decreases as well as increases mostly under $10,000. Teachers, academic, and technical salaries increased from $4,103,529 to $4,178,643. These are fixed costs. There was also an increase in the paraprofessionals from $35,240 to $75,680. Brosnan noted that building maintenance was also bumped up from $86,960 to $115,850. He said these costs are increasing because the building and its utilities are just aging. "Things like our heating unit motor have to be replaced and repaired because things are almost 60 years old," he said. Brosnan said now that the School Committee has recommended the budget it can be sent out to member towns for consideration. "I am confident that this budget provides our students with the quality of education that they have come accustomed to," he said. In other business, Principal Justin Kratz said the district's new website is now live. "I am excited to share with you the website tonight we have been working on it since the beginning of the year," he said. "It is a much cleaner look than the old page ... the home page before was very cluttered." The School Committee voted last year to allocate $25,000 from the tuition account to hire Finalsite to create a new website for the school. OTTAWA Canada has passed the halfway mark in prohibiting the trade of shark fins with Member of Parliament Fin Donnelly tabling Bill S-238, the Ban on Shark Fin Trade Act, into the House of Commons today. The Bill, introduced by Senator Michael MacDonald in 2017, passed by an overwhelming margin by the Senate in late October. Conservationists, marine scientists, animal welfare advocates, and the family of filmmaker Rob Stewart are calling on the federal government to pass this bill as a matter of urgency. Julie MacInnes, wildlife campaign manager for Humane Society International/Canada, stated: Since 2011, five federal Private Members Bills have been introduced that would ban the trade in shark fins; over just these past eight years, nearly one billion sharks have been butchered and killed for their fins. The sharks and the ocean ecosystems that depend on them do not have another election to wait. We are urging MPs to support S-238 and stop this destructive practise once and for all. The bills House sponsor, MP Fin Donnelly, stated: Members of Parliament and the Canadian government must act swiftly on this urgent matter to ensure Canada plays a key role in protecting sharks globally, which are vital to sustain ocean ecosystems. Brian and Sandy Stewart, parents of the late Rob Stewart, issued the following statement: We are grateful to MP Fin Donnelly and Senator MacDonald for their leadership in sponsoring this Bill and standing up for ocean conservation. Bill S-238 is an important step towards ending Canadian trade in shark fins. We urge the federal government and Members of Parliament to listen to the overwhelming majority of Canadians who support ending the trade of shark fins in Canada. Marine scientist Dr. Dirk Steinke, added: There is scientific consensus that sharks are among the most threatened wildlife worldwide, which makes this all the more disconcerting. We are hopeful that Canada will take the necessary leadership in ending the shark fin trade. The proposed legislation was amended in the Senate so that it prohibits not only the import of shark fins into Canada, but also prohibits their export. Bill S-238 now awaits debate and a vote at Second Reading. Facts: Shark finning is the practice of cutting off a sharks fin and discarding the animal at sea to die a slow and painful death. It is an exceptionally cruel and ecologically reckless practice that puts entire ocean ecosystems at risk. HSI/Canada has campaigned to end the shark fin trade for more than a decade. Globally, HSI has been at the forefront of a powerful movement to protect sharks and stop the trade of their fins through education, outreach, and legislative efforts. Canada is the largest importer of shark fins outside of Asia. Every year, up to 100 million sharks are killed to satisfy global demand for their fins and their parts, threatening one-third of open ocean sharks with extinction. Every single hour, over 11,000 sharks are killed in the gruesome international shark fin trade. As an apex predator, sharks hold the oceans in balance and their extinction would have significant effects on all other marine species. Sharks grow slowly, mature late, and have relatively low rates of reproduction, making their populations highly vulnerable to the impacts of overfishing. Media Contact: Christopher Pare office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org 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. People read books at a Xinhua Bookstore in Jizhou District of Hengshui City, north China's Hebei Province, Aug. 3, 2018. Chinese readers, many of whom had switched to e-reading devices and online bookstores, are now flocking back to traditional stores as they are offering a wider range of new products. The Bookdao New Publishing Institute, a consultancy to the country's publishing and book selling industry, surveyed 62 chains and found that some 65 percent plan to open more than five new stores this year, and 18 percent of them will open over 100. There were 225,000 bookstores and sales outlets in the country by the end of last year, up by 4.3 percent over 2017. Total sales of publications in the domestic retail sector reached 158 billion yuan (about 23.3 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year growth of 11.3 percent, the report said. Industry insiders said the revitalization of bookstores is largely due to favorable policies that have been unveiled in recent years. The upgrading of cultural consumption has also helped the bookstore industry as consumers are now demanding more quality content and lifestyles. (Xinhua/Wang Xiao) BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese readers, many of whom had switched to e-reading devices and online bookstores, are now flocking back to traditional stores as they are offering a wider range of new products, the China Daily reported Monday. The Bookdao New Publishing Institute, a consultancy to the country's publishing and book selling industry, surveyed 62 chains and found that some 65 percent plan to open more than five new stores this year, and 18 percent of them will open over 100. There were 225,000 bookstores and sales outlets in the country by the end of last year, up by 4.3 percent over 2017. Total sales of publications in the domestic retail sector reached 158 billion yuan (about 23.3 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year growth of 11.3 percent, the report said. Dan Jie, who founded the popular Yanjiyou bookstore chain in 2013, was quoted as saying all his stores attach great importance to an elegant atmosphere and unique outlook. They also include coffee shops, art galleries, and sections selling cultural products. Some bookstores like Sisyphe have also used big data technology to ensure the books in every store match the tastes of consumers in a specific business district. Industry insiders said the revitalization of bookstores is largely due to favorable policies that have been unveiled in recent years. The upgrading of cultural consumption has also helped the bookstore industry as consumers are now demanding more quality content and lifestyles. 9 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] The lockout is set to start at the eight largest airports in Finland at 9am on Monday, 4 March, and end at 9am on Monday, 11 March. A LOCKOUT of air traffic controllers will cause delays and possibly cancellations in air traffic during what will be a spring holiday week in Eastern and Northern Finland, reports the Finnish Air Traffic Controllers Association (SLJY). Service Sector Employers (Palta), which submitted the lockout notice to the Office of the National Conciliator, has assured that the lockout will have no major impact on air traffic, as all air navigation services will be performed by managerial and other senior staff. SLJY has expressed its disapproval with the action taken by the employer organisation. We believe actions such as these are irresponsible. It would really be high time to end the long-running dispute over the terms and conditions of employment and return to the negotiating table as soon as this week, commented Roy Myrberg, the chairperson at SLJY. SLJY said Palta and ANS Finland have shown absolutely no willingness to resolve the dispute even though the bargaining negotiations have dragged on for almost 18 months. Palta, by contrast, has shifted the blame to the trade union by reminding that it has rejected two proposals to settle the protracted dispute. We are perplexed about what it is that SLJY really wants, said Tuomas Aarto, the managing director at Palta. SLJY confirmed that it has rejected two settlement proposals tabled by the National Conciliator. The first proposal, it says, was not in line with the general wage increases of 3.2 per cent, whereas the second offered no solutions to problems related to the ageing of air traffic controllers and the wage inequality at smaller airports. Also the trade union has resorted to local work stoppages in an attempt to break the gridlock in the negotiations. Air traffic controllers have timed their industrial actions in a way that they cause no harm to air traffic or air passengers. We hope the situation will be resolved through negotiations as soon as possible, so that air passengers do not have to suffer, said Katariina Syvays, a chief steward for SLJY. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi (HedgeCo.Net) The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey has entered a final judgment against defendant Brian Hirsch, who was charged by the SEC in connection with public offering allocation practices at two large brokerage firms. The SECs complaint, filed in December 2017, alleges that, while employed on the wealth syndicate desk of two different brokerage firms, Hirsch entered into undisclosed arrangements with certain customers in violation of the firms initial and other public offering allocation policies and procedures. Under the arrangements, Hirsch provided the customers with preferential access to, and larger allocations of, public offerings marketed by the firms. In return, these customers made cash payments to Hirsch of up to 25 percent of the profits made by selling the offering stock into the secondary market. Hirsch previously pled guilty to criminal charges filed in a parallel action by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey. The SEC also charged two of Hirschs customers who entered into the arrangements (see here and here), both of whom have entered into partial settlements with the SEC. Hirsch consented to the entry of the judgment, which enjoins him from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and imposes a total of $783,600 in disgorgement plus prejudgment interest. The judgment provides that the disgorgement is deemed satisfied by $800,000 in forfeiture that was ordered against Hirsch in the criminal proceeding. The SEC has also issued an administrative order barring Hirsch from any association with any broker-dealer, investment advisor, or other securities industry participants. Limited access to finance is a key barrier facing entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka, said ADB Financial Sector Specialist Mr. Takuya Hoshino. The project will not only directly fund $50 million of long-term financing to micro and small enterprises outside of Colombo, including 500 women-led businesses, but also be structured to provide the regulatory capital that would leverage up to an additional USD533 million of lending to MSMEs. MSMEs have high growth potential, create more jobs, and over time, potentially increase the tax base at a quicker pace than larger enterprises. Because of their distribution over the whole country, they also help reduce regional inequalities. However, only about 30% of Sri Lankan firms have sufficient access to bank loans and other capital. These constraints are even greater for micro and small enterprises led by women or located in rural areas. One of the means to address this challenge is through RDB, a state-owned bank whose mission is to strengthen the living standards of the rural population by providing affordable and accessible credit facilities. With its unique business model and wider branch network across rural areas, RDB can effectively cater to rural small and micro enterprises that are mostly missed out by private sector commercial banks. Despite its relatively strong operating framework and sound financials, RDB is seeking additional capital to meet higher Basel III regulatory capital requirements, which came into effect in Sri Lanka on January 1st 2019, in line with RDBs continued credit growth expansion. Given fiscal space considerations, the ADB loan to RDB is structured to be subordinated with a sovereign guarantee to qualify as tier 2 capital. As a result, RDBs lending capacity to MSMEs will be enhanced and the credibility of the Sri Lankan banking system will be ensured through its full compliance with Basel III requirements for the first time in the South Asia region. Integral to the project is a new technical assistance (TA) grant of USD1 million from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, financed by the Government of Japan, to support RDBs sustainable long-term growth. The TA will upgrade RDBs business model by supporting a deposit marketing campaign to source low-cost funding and strengthening RDBs operational capacity in client outreach, risk management, environmental and social safeguard management, and loan origination and administration. The TA will also directly promote gender mainstreaming through trainings to about 500 women entrepreneurs who are current or prospective clients on how to prepare a business plan. The project will further expand ADBs support for MSME financing in Sri Lanka with an emphasis of gender empowerment. Over these three years, ADB provided a USD100 million line of credit project in 2016, a USD75 million additional financing and a USD12.5 million grant that targeted women entrepreneurs funded by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative. The support for MSMEs will continue to be a priority under ADBs country partnership strategy, 20182022./. 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. 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. West Monroe, LA (71291) Today Scattered thunderstorms, especially in the afternoon. High around 90F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A mostly clear sky. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Romney, WV (26757) Today Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High 87F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low near 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Sport Uruguay and Paraguay reach Copa America quarter-finals An own goal in the first half and a late second from Edinson Cavani gave Uruguay a 2-0 win over Bolivia on Thursday and guaranteed their place in the last eight of the Copa America. Uruguay have won this tournament more than any other country but they have laboured Job Archive June 2021 (594) May 2021 (698) April 2021 (659) March 2021 (688) February 2021 (615) January 2021 (700) December 2020 (714) November 2020 (671) October 2020 (631) September 2020 (690) August 2020 (713) July 2020 (713) June 2020 (690) May 2020 (713) April 2020 (690) March 2020 (713) February 2020 (667) January 2020 (713) December 2019 (713) November 2019 (687) October 2019 (711) September 2019 (689) August 2019 (711) July 2019 (707) June 2019 (688) May 2019 (2002) April 2019 (1979) March 2019 (2039) February 2019 (1689) January 2019 (2259) December 2018 (2111) November 2018 (1935) October 2018 (1993) September 2018 (1918) August 2018 (39) July 2018 (72) June 2018 (44) May 2018 (76) April 2018 (65) March 2018 (16) February 2018 (32) January 2018 (201) December 2017 (352) November 2017 (381) October 2017 (600) September 2017 (1211) August 2017 (1655) July 2017 (1590) June 2017 (1506) May 2017 (1903) April 2017 (1965) March 2017 (1417) February 2017 (1808) January 2017 (1807) December 2016 (1593) November 2016 (1377) October 2016 (1408) September 2016 (1317) August 2016 (1499) July 2016 (1505) June 2016 (1421) May 2016 (1392) April 2016 (1340) March 2016 (1476) February 2016 (1396) January 2016 (1474) December 2015 (1409) November 2015 (1367) October 2015 (1478) September 2015 (1443) August 2015 (1468) July 2015 (1465) June 2015 (1410) May 2015 (1058) April 2015 (1269) March 2015 (1133) February 2015 (1155) January 2015 (1154) December 2014 (1156) November 2014 (1268) October 2014 (81) Photo: Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images Finally, you can go on that globe-trotting Tour de Neighborhood Restaurants youve been planning without leaving New York. For one night only, every month, Gabriel Stulman will turn over his Freehand Hotel restaurant Simon & the Whale to one of his favorite neighborhood spots from cities around the world. For the series, which theyre calling the Neighborhood, Stulman has partnered with Resy. (All reservations will only be available through the service; individual dinners cost $150 a pop and there are limited number of reservations for all ten plus perks for the price of $2,000.) The dinners kick off on March 14 with Seattles The Walrus and the Carpenter, and there are some genuinely exciting names on the list places you may have been hankering to go to next time you visited, say, Paris or Hong Kong. The May 6 dinner will be with Pariss mom-and-pop Mokonuts, which comes with both a charming love story and sweets that are right up there with the best in Paris, per cookbook author and Paris blogger David Lebovitz. Every night will start off with a cocktail at Studio, Stulmans other restaurant in the Freehand. Check out the full schedule, and make your reservations. March 14: The Walrus & the Carpenter (Seattle) April 25: Yakido from Yardbird (Hong Kong) May 6: Mokonuts (Paris) June 4: Marconi (Montreal) July 10: Le Pigeon (Portland, Oregon) August 6: Bywater American Bistro (New Orleans) September 10: Delfina (San Francisco) October 10: Turkey and the Wolf (New Orleans) November 6: Leons Fine Poultry & Oyster Shop (Charleston, SC) December 5: Dok (Tel Aviv) This post has been updated to indicate that there will no longer be after parties following the dinners. Over the holiday weekend, a group of New York City bodega owners held a rally in the Bronx demanding to be allowed to sell marijuana following the drugs impending legalization in New York state. Rather than drug peddling outside of these bodegas, we want to bring them inside, United Bodegas of America spokesman Fernando Mateo told attendees. Allow us to become a wholesaler. In other words, let us cut out the middle man. Mateo is absolutely right. Bring weed to the bodegas and youll bring happiness to New Yorkers everywhere. If youve been to any of the states where weed has been legal for a while (Washington, California, Colorado, Oregon, etc.), you may have been to one of the almost antiseptic weed shops there, which are usually run by well-to-do white entrepreneurs cashing in on the so-called green rush. Sure, these stores have weed in every form imaginable, but do they have a cat? Do they have bacon, egg, and cheeses on a roll, made fresh? Do they somehow have every single flavor of Ben & Jerrys except Americone Dream? Do they have personal-sized boxes of Cheez-It and Oreos? You know the answers. It would make all the sense in the world to bring legal weed to bodegas. There are 15,000 bodegas in New York City dozens in every single neighborhood. A fancy weed shops first stop wont be in, say, Jackson Heights, Queens. But that neighborhood sure has a lot of bodegas! Of course, there are reasons to be concerned. Bodegas arent the most regulated storefronts in New York City. Certain shop owners have made small fortunes illegally selling loosies, packs of cigarettes smuggled in from down south, and K2, a.k.a. synthetic marijuana. But Governor Cuomo promises that with legal weed there will also be a regulatory body known as the Office of Cannabis Management. Our guess is that itll be like the health department, but for bodegas and other weed shops: A = very dank kush; C = mostly buds and stems. All jokes aside: New York City is ready for legal weed. The NYPD isnt even arresting non-criminals for smoking in public anymore. And New York could start legalization on the right foot by giving the citys many immigrant- and minority-owned bodegas a chance to reap as much of the benefits when weed becomes legal in New York City as the Apple Store-like dispensaries that are getting ready to transition from selling strictly medical marijuana to recreational weed, as well. (The city, after all, needs coffee in Greek paper cups as much as if not more than it needs Blue Bottle and Stumptown.) The infrastructure is there, as is the enthusiasm. Plus, bodegas already have the munchies part covered. Professional exchange between the Vietnamese and French defence ministries in June 2018 (Photo: VNA) Examining Vietnams registration to the Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System (PCRS), the UN has required that Vietnam better its major equipment and self-sustainment services. It will send a team to Vietnam for further inspection by mid-2019. At a meeting in Hanoi on February 18th, Colonel Hoang Kim Phung, Director of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, said that the department has joined hands with competent agencies to organise training courses as well as English and French language courses for the engineers. Negotiation is underway with the UN and the UK for engineer replacement in February 2020 when the UK peacekeepers complete their mission and withdraw from the war-torn area. There are currently five candidates for the position with Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam all granted level 1 readiness in the PSRS, which means they are all able to provide the list of major and self-sustainment equipment as well as the certification of completion of basic training and human rights screening. Meanwhile, China and Croatia have not registered to the system yet. Phung said that the UN has voiced support for Vietnam if the Southeast Asian country can fit its capacity, human resources, and equipment requirements. According to Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department and relevant departments should coordinate in the purchase of equipment, ensuring that it meets the UNs quality standards. In addition, meticulous preparation must be made prior to the UNs evaluation in a couple of months, he said, adding that the Engineer Corps High Command is responsible for accommodation and training, while the peacekeeping department and the Department of Foreign Relations are in charge of conducting surveys in the African country. Also, he is asking the Republic of Korea, France, and the UK to provide professional training for Vietnamese troops. Joining the UNs peacekeeping force for the 2014-2020 period, Vietnam has so far sent 29 officers and one level-2 field hospital to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic and the UN Mission in South Sudan./. The Japonaise, a cocktail on the menu at Toby Cecchinis new bar the Rockwell Place. Photo: Liz Clayman By now its no secret that the cocktail boom of the last decade and a half is dying down. Instead of star bartenders unleashing cavalcades of new techniques and ingredients, drinks-world developments now tend to be quieter, with an emphasis on simpler drinks over 14-ingredient Franken-cocktails, a slow trickle of new Japanese spirits, and ever-more uses for mezcal. Whats also happened is that the trappings of high-end, serious-minded cocktail haunts have infiltrated bars that are more relaxed, and which dont push so hard to demonstrate arcane knowledge from the Secret Order of Mixologists. Think bars like Diamond Reef (where Prohibition-style cocktails get turned into frozen drinks), BlackTail (where the rum and Coke became a high-minded pursuit), or any of the approximately 500 new bars that feature purple cocktails. Add The Rockwell Place to that list. Partners Toby Cecchini and Joel Tompkins opened the discreet, downtown-Brooklyn bar in December to deliberately little fanfare, and based on having spent a few nights there over the past month and a half, its clear that theyre happy to just run the narrow, dark bar without making a big deal out of their personal drink-industry bona fides. Not that Cecchini and Tompkins fly under the radar, exactly: The duo also operates the nearby Long Island Bar, and Cecchini, of course, famously invented the Cosmopolitan, a drink that managed to survive the purge during the Serious Mixology boom of the early 00s, despite its inclusion of ingredients like Ocean Spray cranberry juice and gasp lemon-flavored vodka. In fact, during the great loosening of bar vibes that has occurred more recently, cocktail people have come to embrace the drink for its seeming lack of pretense and, more important, its unimpeachable deliciousness. The Rockwell Place on a recent Thursday night. Photo: Liz Clayman That same approach applies to all of the drinks on The Rockwell Places tight, five-drink menu (all $13), where the standout is the Japonaise, a sunny orange cocktail thats a mix of cognac, rum, orgeat, lemon, lime, and the non-carbonated Japanese soft drink Calpico. Its sort of mix between the Japanese cocktail, a Jerry Thomas drink, and the Mai Tai, Cecchini says. The result is a drink thats sweet without being cloying, refreshingly Mai Tai-esque without being tiki, and relaxed enough that its hard to imagine it getting invented in something like a basement speakeasy with etiquette rules posted on the wall. When I ordered it for the first time while at the bar with a couple of friends, both were surprised by how much they liked it. (One promptly got his own for the next round.) Its a drink that hooks you at first sip, and hits that sweet spot where pleasing familiarity meets surprise and excitement. The secret ingredient is obviously the Calpico, which tastes a bit like vanilla yogurt mixed with 7-Up, and gives the entire drink its easy-going patio energy. (It also makes the drink taste a bit like the worlds most sophisticated Creamsicle, without going too hard on that usually intense flavor.) For years and years, I used Calpico in my Mai Tai, softening out the orgeat, Cecchini explains. People were like, Oh, your Mai Tai is crazy good, what are you putting into it? I was like, Nothing, you didnt see anything! In many ways, the high-low approach to the drink sums up the energy at plenty of New Yorks new bars, where the foundation is solid while the execution remains lighthearted. It helps you relax, in other words, and isnt that why you go out for a drink in the first place? The Rockwell Place, 31 Rockwell Pl., nr. Dekalb Ave.; 917-909-1093 Ferrari could be the big beneficiary if Britain's 'no deal' exit from the European Union occurs at the end of next month. That is the warning of Toto Wolff, boss of F1's leading British-based team Mercedes. British politics is currently in disarray, with time running out for a so-called 'Brexit' deal to be put in place before the EU exit on March 29. Other F1 teams with headquarters in Britain include Red Bull, Renault, McLaren, Racing Point, Haas and Williams. "If a no-deal Brexit would happen it would have a major impact in terms of our operation in terms of going to the races and getting our car developed," Wolff said as winter testing began in Barcelona. "Any major disruption with borders or taxes would damage the F1 industry in the UK." Wolff said Mercedes is currently having to think about "contingencies" including stockpiling parts and materials. But if Brexit proceeds without a deal, he said: "Everybody at Ferrari and also Alfa Romeo in Switzerland will have a massive advantage over every UK-based team". (GMM) Valtteri Bottas says Pirelli's 2019 tyres feel similar to their predecessors. For this year, the colour identification of the tyres has changed, with only 'hard', 'medium' and 'hard' tyres to be marked at each grand prix in the interest of simplicity. Also the compounds have been tweaked. But the difference that caught the most attention as winter testing began in Barcelona was that the brand new Pirelli tyres had a very shiny appearance. "I don't know what it is, but they seem to be really shiny," Mercedes driver Bottas told Finland's MTV. Pirelli later explained that the shine is due to the use of chrome moulds. Bottas said: "They are not more slippery when you go out of the pits, they just look more shiny. "In truth they are the same as last year. There's really no great difference," the Finn added. (GMM) Cyber mercenaries Take a look inside the Abu Dhabi mansion nicknamed 'the Villa,' where American contractors worked on a secret hacking program called Project Raven, on behalf of the UAE https://t.co/ia6jope2H6 pic.twitter.com/s9Ut8VLs73 Reuters Top News (@Reuters) January 30, 2019 (Conversation) Reports of malicious and targeted cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common around the world. In early February, for example, Australias security agencies revealed there were investigating an attempted hack on the countrys parliament, and hadnt ruled out another country being behind it.As more complex and potentially damaging attacks into critical national infrastructure systems are discovered , calls are growing louder for international rules to govern this emerging battlefront.Efforts towards cyber-arms control have predominantly centred around a model where the arms relates to weaponised code specific hacking tools or the software vulnerabilities that enable them. Attempts have been made to curtail the proliferation and spread of what are called zero-day exploits the flaws in a programs code that allow malicious attackers to interfere with the systems that run them.A recent Reuters expose of the operations of a clandestine wing of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Electronic Security Authority (NESA) exposed another component of offensive cyber-attacks expertise. This issue sparked further international attention when the FBI announced charges in mid February against Monica Witt, a former US Air Force analyst, accused of espionage and defecting to Iran.The Reuters investigation detailed how some former employees of the US National Security Agency (NSA), operatives with expertise in digital penetration techniques, online intelligence gathering and offensive cyber-operations, were contracted via a Maryland-based firm to work for the UAE.The investigation makes specific mention of one of the tools Karma that these contractors employed on behalf of the UAE against specific targets. This hacking tool allowed its operators to gain uninvited and remote access to a targets Apple phone through an unspecified flaw which is now believed to have been fixed by Apple. Reuters reported that the targets of these attacks ranged from human rights activists, to American journalists.The article raised questions about whether these contractors might have provided their NESA employees with advanced cyber-capabilities developed by their former employer, the NSA. But the subtext of the Reuters investigation is that the expertise of these former intelligence officers is just as attractive to their new employers as any tools they might bring with them.In a separate article, specifically examining Karma , Reuters alleges that it was purchased by the Emirati government from a vendor outside of the country. In effect, the UAE had hired a team of out-of-work specialist engineers who couldnt bring the tools they had used in the US with them, so it then bought them the tools they needed to get the job done. This suggests that there are two components required to kit out any state or group with advanced cyber-capability: the tools and the expertise.Global efforts are underway to govern the tools used in cyber attacks, such as the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace , which introduced a series of international norms about the use of cyberspace to promote the stability of the internet and good practice of everyone involved. Other efforts have been on the the legislative level, such as specific additions to the Wassenaar Arrangement , an export control arrangement that seeks to curtail the spread of civilian technologies that can be put to militarised use. But the expertise of cyber operatives has so far seen limited attention.In the scenario described by Reuters, NESA and its Project Raven could not have operated without either the tools or the expertise. The tool itself Karma and the expertise and experience required to use it and train others to do so, both require significant investment.The dangers of state investment in the collecting of software flaws and the creation of powerful tools which then exploit these previously unknown weaknesses was painfully demonstrated through the leaking of the vulnerability stockpiled by the NSA, EternalBlue. This was the backbone of the WannaCry attack which made international headlines in 2018 through its impact on the British NHS and other international business and government services.But concerns should be growing about the capability that states invest in the skill sets of the people who discover and then weaponise flaws in the software which power our increasingly interconnected and internet-dependent lives. Governments across the world are gearing up for what they see as the next domain of warfare by trying to recruit existing talent to government projects or through training the next generation of cyber-security experts who they hope will give them an advantage.Theres a risk that in global efforts which focus on states use of cyber tools and exploitation of vulnerabilities in programming code, there is a legislative and governance gap developing. This could see states invest in training the cyber spies, saboteurs or soldiers of the future only to find those critical skills and the capability they provide being snapped up by the highest bidder. Collaboration: Strength in Numbers MITREs Knowledge Base of Cybertactics Simplifying the Cyberdefense Process Hiring the best and brightest cybersecurity talent will always be difficult for state and local governments. They have to compete with private-sector firms that can offer significantly greater compensation. Many government agencies also must meet rigorous certification standards for new hires, including exceptional requirements that make them eligible for in-depth background investigations.Making matters worse, there are not enough people in the cybertalent pipeline. Cybersecurity Ventures , a research firm, estimates there will be a global shortage of 3.5 million cybersecurity workers by 2021. Moreover, the Cisco 2018 Annual Cybersecurity Report found that these staff shortages contribute to organizations failing to design and build secure information systems as well as maintain basic security controls.Some states are tackling the problem through training programs and have built and staffed their own cybersecurity centers . Others have offered grants to establish cybersecurity courses to train new talent. The SANS Institute, an information security and cybersecurity research and training company, has started the CyberStart program , a unique and innovative suite of tools and games designed to introduce children and young adults to the field of cybersecurity by completing various challenges. At a more strategic level, many state and local governments are considering a collaborative, community approach to solving their cybersecurity challenges.Security communities are groups of cybersecurity professionals who concluded that working together to solve our countrys security challenges better serves their organization and the broader community when compared to working in a silo alone. In general, the more people there are working on a problem, collaboratively, with a broader data set and context, the better the outcome for everyone.From threat detection to incident response, the tactics that bad actors use and methods to thwart and resolve them are constantly evolving. Drawing from the lessons learned and best practices of more than just a single organization enables security professionals to be more efficient with their time, reach maturity more quickly and to identify and leverage innovation earlier.Efforts are underway. The state of Ohio, under the direction of former Gov. John Kasich, has formed a committee to foster collaborative partnerships to strengthen cyberinfrastructure and resources. InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI and members of the private sector. The program provides a vehicle for public-private collaboration that expedites the timely exchange of information and promotes mutual learning opportunities relevant to the protection of critical infrastructure. While one of the most difficult parts of communities is getting people to join, participate and ultimately share, the government sector provides the opportunity for top-down mandates around collaboration.A collaborative community project that has had a huge impact on the practical side of cybersecurity is the MITRE ATT&CK framework . Founded in 1958, MITRE is a nonprofit organization that manages federally funded research. The organization works on projects for a variety of agencies, including the IRS, Department of Defense (DOD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).Based on real-world observations, the ATT&CK (adversarial tactics and techniques and common knowledge) framework is a globally accessible knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques. It serves as a foundation for developing specific threat models and methodologies in the private sector, security vendor community and varying government organizations.The ATT&CK knowledge base has helped several projects, mappings and supplemental resources, allowing the supporting communities to continue growing. The platform and data sources sections are incredibly valuable because they tell practitioners which systems they need to be monitoring and what they need to be collecting from them to mitigate and/or detect abuse of the technique. The use of knowledge provided by the framework can almost immediately increase the maturity of a government security organization.By classifying attacks into discreet tactics, its easier for researchers to see common patterns, determine the author of different campaigns and track how a threat has evolved over the years as the author adds new features and attack methods. The framework recognizes that real-world threats are constantly advancing, and maps events to give analysts the context needed to identify advanced persistent threats (APT). The term APT is commonly thrown around, but for the federal, state, and local government as well as organizations supporting them, APT is a genuine concern.With the impending security skills shortage, government organizations will have to find new ways to make better use of the talent and resources they currently have. Security operations centers (SOCs) are overwhelmed by thousands of daily alerts, and manually responding to each one legitimate or not is a time-consuming and arduous task.By combining comprehensive data gathering; standardization; workflow analysis and analytics; and security orchestration, automation and response (SOAR), technology companies are working to provide organizations the ability to easily implement sophisticated defense-in-depth capabilities based on internal and external data sources like the ATT&CK framework. As a result, government agencies are beginning to adopt SOAR, seeking to quickly and effectively resolve a significant portion of the thousands of alerts they receive each day while also ensuring that processes and standards are enforced through automation. This will free up their security experts to spend more time on complex investigations, creating innovative processes, and proactive threat hunting.From optimal productivity and performance to the ability to respond to incidents faster, collaboration delivers invaluable benefits to security operations in the public sector. Because the private sector controls the vast majority of the worlds critical infrastructure systems, government security will depend on effective, global collaboration with industry security professionals using resources like the MITRE ATT&CK framework. (TNS) - Peggy Wood kept sitting up in bed.She snatched a legal pad and added to a scattered list of things she used to own.She imagined she was at her old desk in the Driftwood Inn, and jotted what she saw. Six glaze brushes, an embroidery machine, dressmakers scissors. A Nikon camera. Lights for that camera, and a backpack. Perfume she spritzed on before going out to shoot photos.Each item was a chain link in a new insurance filing after Hurricane Michael ruined the Inn she and her family spent four decades building.The Woods had received a little more than $2 million in insurance payments by January, mostly from flood policies. They still hoped for at least another $1 million from wind coverage but did not know how much it would cost to rebuild the sprawling motel and its outbuildings, 24 units in all.$3 million? $10 million?Would they have enough?This was the post-storm math they had to master if they wanted to own a motel again.The old Driftwood slumped across the street, a rotting husk Peggy could see from her camper. She and her husband, Tom, couldnt tear it down until they finished with the insurance and secured a city permit.But they were eager to accelerate the pace, three months since the storm, and decided to set a meeting with a builder. They hoped he would give them a solid estimate, and in doing so, an assurance they could afford to rebuild.Peggy and Tom, both 78, wanted to re-create the Driftwood. Perhaps it wasnt the shrewdest financial decision, they said, but they dreamed of leaving the Inn to their family.And just as important, they believed, Mexico Beach needed them.Tom leaned against his cane and Peggy clutched a walking stick on a cold Friday in January as they crossed the street to the ruined Inn. Her face was scabbed from a recent fall in the yard. His jeans were speckled with paint, his trademark in the style of Jackson Pollock.Look at how pretty that ocean is today, Tom said, staring out at the still blue water.Calm and beautiful, Peggy replied.He was nervous, she excited. They were just minutes from meeting the builder, Finley Cook, not the cheapest contractor, but someone they knew and trusted to tell them honestly how expensive rebuilding could be. Tom and Peggy were joined by daughters Shawna and Brandy and Brandys husband, Jack Jessen, who was helping manage the insurance money.They huddled around a folding table in the Driftwoods old tea room, underneath yellow insulation that fell like moss from the exposed ceiling. White fan blades drooped above them like wilting flowers.Outside the broken windows, the sun was dipping closer to the Gulf. Their stretch of town was quiet, with few cars and nobody relaxing in the sand.Im going to start it out, Tom said. And then you guys tell me Im full of it.After Hurricane Michael, many residents of Mexico Beach described themselves as falling into two categories: those who did not have insurance and those who did not have enough.Most didnt fully understand their coverage until after the storm destroyed homes, churches and the town grocery store, leaving neighborhoods almost entirely cut off, with roads washed out or impassible under a thatch of broken trees.The Woods carried insurance on the Driftwood, flood and wind, both important where storm surge inundated the ground floor and 150 mph squalls ripped apart the second. They had a lost wages policy, but it didnt provide enough for their three housekeepers and a couple of maintenance men, who they knew were struggling.They didnt have storm insurance on a couple of rental properties, including one building they owned downtown, which contained a few shops and businesses. And Peggy learned that her renters insurance, required to cover all the personal possessions in her sunny apartment on the Driftwoods second floor, turned out to only work for hail or snow.The worst rip-off Ive ever run into in my life, she said.She couldnt remember how much theyd paid each year in premiums on all they owned $60,000, maybe? She hoped that investment would matter now. Some of her friends had already hired lawyers to fight their insurance companies. The Woods had not. Yet.Money came quickly from the flood policy, covering wreckage that included the motels tea room, once full of old record players, sewing machine tables, a player piano. But an insurance rep told Peggy she could get even more if she included other items lost on the Driftwoods ground floor. Hence the list she sketched out whenever another memory surfaced.Peggy, Tom and the kids had talked about whether bringing back the Driftwood even made sense.To be quite honest, Id be better off taking the money and going to Tahiti, Tom said. Maybe he could build one house back in Mexico Beach and pocket the other couple of million dollars.Daughter Brandy had suggested they clear their five lots on the beach and design a nice home for her mom.Peggy cried at the thought. That sounds like a death sentence, doesnt it?The Driftwood was the Woods nerve center. It was hard to imagine the family without it.Shawna, 54, had moved back in 1999 to help run the Inn. Brandy, 52, and her brother, Bart, 55, lived in Atlanta but kept second houses in town.Brandy imagined her children and their cousins running the business together one day, telling the story of how their family rebuilt after the hurricane.Tom sometimes wondered whether he had enough years left to manage the recovery, a joke laced with genuine worry. He suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a few years before was on life support while struggling with mantle cell lymphoma. Peggy stuck to a vegan diet to help with heart problems.The family had savings, but the effort to bring back the Inn would be financed almost entirely by insurance money. Peggy said the government might lend to them at a decent rate. Tom pegged their budget at $4 million to $5 million.The worst that could happen, Brandy thought, was the family would push and push to build the Driftwood, and Peggy and Tom would never see it finished.I dont want them to regret not going where their hearts set on, she said.The Woods recovered from catastrophe once, when a fire burned most of the building in 1994, after Peggy left chicken frying while she answered a doorbell.Defying estimates, they rebuilt in a year then, but that was with a fully operational town behind them.The Woods were drawn to Mexico Beach for the same reasons as everyone else before the storm. It was small, isolated, different. Expensive to live in some spots, but paradise for those who could afford it.No chain restaurants. No big box stores. City development rules kept homes below 32 feet and commercial properties below 48 feet.Local officials were, even after the hurricane, trying to keep it that way. No taupe condominiums or high-rises blocking views of the water.Before the hurricane, the town had just 1,200 residents along three miles of shore.Mayor Al Cathey, a longtime friend of the Woods family, said leaders in Mexico Beach could not change all the rules to address flooding like they saw during Michael, a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe. Hurricane Opal in 1995 was the worst a lot of people could remember, making landfall farther west around Pensacola Beach, and according to the mayor, even that had flooded only two or three rows of houses by the water.Scientists warned of rising seas and more major storms, but Hurricane Michael, for many longtime residents of the Panhandle, was an exception, not a rule. Recovery means staying put, just a bit higher up, with an economy subsidized by public disaster funding.Money, though, is among the towns biggest obstacles, just like for the Woods.The budgets out the window, said Cathey, a 71-year-old Mexico Beach lifer. Officials had just paid a $2.8 million debris removal bill to a key contractor, he said, pooling all of their resources the canal fund, the maintenance fund, everything they could.Cathey tried to maintain optimism amid the sand-whipped trees and crumbling buildings. He expected $30 million in debris removal bills alone, with contractors trucking the mess to a dump site miles from town, and that didnt even factor in new construction. By the end of January, that estimate had risen to $50 million. Mexico Beach held just $1 million in reserve, he said, when Hurricane Michael hit Oct. 10.Cathey estimated 75 percent of buildings were already demolished or would be soon. A flood map, presented at a city council meeting, shaded almost the entire town green to mark where the storm surge hit. Researchers said water levels climbed near 20 feet in some places.(The Tampa Bay Times Douglas R. Clifford contributed to this report.)2019 Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.)Visit the Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.) at www.tampabay.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Description GIS 19 February, 2019: A joint operation of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) and the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) on 14 February 2019 at the SSR International Airport, led to the arrest of a Venezuelan with one kilogram of dangerous drugs worth Rs 15 million. The suspect, aged 35 years, was intercepted while leaving through the Green Channel of the Airport on the basis of risk indicators. He had swallowed some 100 pellets of dangerous drugs. Prior to his arrest, the suspect was subjected to intensive questioning by the officers of the CANS, to whom he gave evasive answers, thus leading to an in-depth inquiry and medical examination by the ADSU. The Venezuelan had initially departed from Brazil and transited through Ethiopia and Kenya to eventually land in Mauritius. It is recalled that the MRA is committed to the fight against drugs and illicit trade in Mauritius. Its Stop Drug Platform remains open to members of the public who may report suspected drug and illicit activities. Description GIS -21 February, 2019 : The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) wants to build partnership with Mauritius and establish a Fintech self-regulatory organisation as well as a Fintech incubator with the expertise of leaders in Europe. The objective is to bring the Fintech industry in Mauritius to the next level through the collaborative efforts of the United Nations, the government of Mauritius and the private sector. The first Fintech will be SDG-friendly (sustainable development goals) and will not cause any disruption to small and medium enterprises. The Regional Representative of the UNODC, Dr Amado Phillip de Andres, made this statement this afternoon following a courtesy call 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. Dr Amado Philip de Andres is currently in Mauritius in the context of the forthcoming 62nd Commission on Narcotic Drugs Ministerial Meeting which will be held on 14 and 15 March 2019 in Vienna. He stated that the meeting will take stock of the implementation of the commitments made by Member States to jointly address and counter the world drug problem. The ministerial segment will include a general debate as well as two interactive, multi-stakeholder round tables, to be conducted in parallel with the general debate, he added. During the meeting, the leadership role of Mauritius in its fight against drugs will be discussed as well as new challenges and new psychotropic substances. The Regional Representative of the UNODC also dwelt on the meeting with Heads of the Police Department scheduled for September this year where the financing of terrorism, drug trafficking, criminality and enhanced cooperation between different stakeholders will be discussed. Dr Amado Philip de Andres was appointed the UNODC Regional Representative for Eastern Africa and took up his new assignment in Nairobi on 18 December 2017. For female Republicans looking to become freshmen in the Texas Legislature, last year was the year of the woman or, if you want to include both of them, women.Candy Noble and Angela Paxton were the only freshman female Republicans elected to the Texas House and Senate, respectively, amid a surge of women running for office.Noble and Paxton exemplify whats widely viewed as a dearth of female GOP lawmakers in the Legislature. In the Senate, the number of Republican women serving is at an all-time high, but they make up less than a third of the chambers GOP-held seats. Across the rotunda, the gender gap is far more visible: Of the 83 Republicans serving, six are women. Democratic women, by comparison, hold 27 of the partys seats.As recently as 2012, 19 Republican women served in the House.When I first came in, we had a lot of Republican women and then [we had] more the next few election cycles, said state Rep. Geanie Morrison, of Victoria, who was first elected in 1998 and whose tenure is tied for the longest for a Republican woman in the Texas House. We need to reach out and particularly recruit the next generation of young Republican women to get involved.The lack of female GOP lawmakers isnt confined to Texas. There has been a steady decline overall in the number of Republican women elected to serve in legislatures across the country and in Congress. What stands out in the current makeup of the Texas Legislature, lawmakers and political operatives say, is that after an election year in which voters likely saw more women on the ballot than usual, only one party saw major gains in female representation.As a body, we dont go out and recruit actively, said state Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster, who chairs the House Agriculture & Livestock Committee. I think the Democrats have done a better job of looking for females to run in races, whereas Republicans just look at whoever comes through. We ought to maybe learn something from that playbook.Several political operatives and former and current lawmakers chalk up the partisan gender gap at the Capitol to a number of factors: a lack of influential conservative organizations to support would-be candidates, a greater emphasis in the Republican party on recruiting candidates based on experience over gender and intraparty politics that lead some Republicans to alienate people especially women with more moderate views.In my last session I felt like I had to make votes based on my party affiliation and not what felt right in my heart of hearts, said Patricia Harless, a Republican from Spring who stepped down from her House seat after the 2015 legislative session. At that point, if I cant be true to myself and do what I think is right, then I dont need to be there.When I left office, I thought it would be easier to help recruit women, but getting a commitment to run for the state Legislature is literally like pulling teeth. Women dont want to have to fight their party to do whats best.Despite Republican womens modest numbers, the party still holds a considerable majority in both chambers. But, as Austin-based Republican consultant Adryana Aldeen points out, the party can grow when it comes to getting more women, Hispanics and millennials to run for office.We have strong Republican women groups across the state, but yes, the party can improve, Aldeen said. Hopefully in the next election we can run behind and beside the women running. Im not disappointed with our Republican women. I just want to see more elected.Thats not to say women arent trying. During last years primaries, Emily Kebodeaux Cook, a first-time political candidate, was one of many Republican women who challenged male incumbents or ran for open seats at the Legislature.In Cooks case, she ran against incumbent Rep. Ernest Bailes of Shepherd, who won the primary with 59 percent of the vote, compared with Cooks 41 percent. Cook said she ran because she disagreed with Bailes' voting record during the past legislative session. She added, however, that the Republican Party will be stronger overall when its not just one side of the aisle that has elected officials who look like our daughters.But campaigning as a Republican woman comes with its own set of hurdles. Cook said when voters brought up her gender as she and her team went canvassing, those questions often came from other women rather than men which she found astonishing.While a man might ask me where I stood on policy matters, Cook said, the first question from another woman would be, How can you balance raising a young family with serving in elected office?The gender skew of politics extends far beyond the state Legislature. At the national level, news outlets are pouncing on the gender disparity in Congress. Earlier this year, West Virginias Carol Miller was the only Republican freshman woman to enter the 435-member House, joining an already small group of 12 female GOP lawmakers. In the U.S. Senate, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee was the only female freshman Republican to enter the 100-member body.Anne Moses, the president and founder of Ignite, a group focused on getting more women to run for office, said that after the 2016 election, there were three Democratic women in Congress for every Republican woman.After the 2018 election, the ratio jumped to 5-to-1, Moses said.Regardless of what political party you align with, that should be very disturbing, she said. If we think theres a benefit to having womens voices in Congress or in any governing body then we need it on both sides of the aisle.In the Texas Legislature, Republican men are more than aware of the need for more gender diversity in their ranks.We need female candidates in the Republican Party more than ever before, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen said during a speech Wednesday to the Texas Young Republicans that largely emphasized the need for Republicans to increase its appeal to women voters.But several current and former female lawmakers praised those in power for vaulting GOP women into chair positions. In the Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tapped each of the five returning female senators to lead committees. In the House, Bonnen appointed three of the five returning GOP women Stephanie Klick of Fort Worth, Angie Chen Button of Richardson and Morrison as committee chairs. State Rep. John Zerwas also named Sarah Davis of West University Place the chair of a House budget subcommittee.The Republican women of the Texas House are unequivocally instrumental to the success of our caucus and our chamber, state Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican who chairs the House GOP Caucus, said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. Our Republican leadership has placed their full faith in the abilities of each of these women and remains confident they will utilize their platforms to inspire the next generation of Republican Texas women.Even the two freshmen will have sway inside the Capitol: Paxton earned a coveted spot as vice chair of the Senates property tax committee, which will shepherd this sessions priority legislation. Noble, meanwhile, was selected to serve on the policy committee for the the Texas House Republican Caucus. Neither returned requests for comment.Republican Texas women are out there, Button said. I want Republican Texas women, particularly racial minorities, to see that they, too, can run for office and hold leadership positions in our government.And looking ahead to whats expected to be a blockbuster 2020 election, many Republicans see a prime opportunity to increase the clout of GOP women.We need to do a good job of recruiting for the 12 Republican seats we lost and find 12 good, strong ladies with conservative values to run in those seats, Springer said.The Texas Federation of Republican Women, a group that actively supports GOP candidates running for political office, said its already laying the foundation to help those considering political careers. Karen Newton, the groups president, said its holding a development class in March to help prepare women thinking about running in 2020 what she hopes will be the first step toward having a Legislature thats more balanced and more representative of the state.Morrison said shes been working with the group to help recruit and mentor GOP women interested in running for office so they know they have a support system in place.Republican men, too, are talking about the need to have more women serve in the Legislature.We just need to get [strong, conservative women] to run, said state Rep. James White, R-Hillister, who chairs the House Corrections Committee. Obviously, the more people you have at the table from diverse backgrounds, the most likely it is you will develop strategies and policies and solutions that can appeal to a broad majority.Even Democrats are hoping more women will be serving in the Capitol come 2020 regardless of party.Frankly, Id be happy to just have more women in the Legislature. Period, said state Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin. Im a chick who wants more chicks to work with and can see how awesome it is.Klick said that getting more conservative female voices in the room starts with Republicans simply asking well-known, respected community leaders to consider careers in politics.The Fort Worth representative added that she would like to see more women running and being successful but in our side of the aisle. But shes staying optimistic and said the low number of GOP women serving can be an opportunity for those in the Capitol to have their voices magnified.Were still here and we still matter, Klick said. Theres just fewer of us. A little less than a year since the start of West Virginia's first statewide public school workers strike, leaders of the state's three major school employee unions called Monday evening for another strike to begin, starting Tuesday, over the education overhaul bill.All but one of West Virginia's 54 countywide public school systems canceled school Tuesday. The outlier was Putnam County, which is among West Virginia's wealthier counties and is near the state Capitol."We are taking action," said Fred Albert, president of the West Virginia branch of the American Federation of Teachers union. "We are left no other choice, but, as of tomorrow, we are calling a statewide strike."He briefly referenced that he's been told there's support in the House of Delegates for a version of the bill that the unions oppose.Joe White, executive director of the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association, which represents workers like custodians and bus drivers, said his union, the AFT and the local branch of the National Education Association union are unified in the strike."Don't start those buses tomorrow," White said at a joint union news conference in front of the state Senate chamber doors.When asked how long the strike will last, the union leaders said the decision will be made "day by day."Despite earlier statements from Kanawha County Schools Superintendent Ron Duerring that he would keep schools in the county open during any strike this year, the school system changed course Monday night and announced that schools would, indeed, be closed Tuesday."Despite a desire to try to keep schools open, KCS will be closed tomorrow due to a lack of transportation and supervision," the school system said in a news release Monday night. "The status of Wednesday is unknown at this time. We will provide an update as soon as possible."Last year, workers didn't have to form picket lines around schools because the superintendents of all 55 county school systems officially closed schools before each strike day."We'll wait to see what the superintendents will do tomorrow," Dale Lee, president of the West Virginia Education Association, said Monday when asked about how protests would be handled.Putnam schools spokeswoman Micah Osborne wrote in an email Monday regarding not closing schools that "it is important that our students continue to have the opportunity to learn in a safe and secure environment. Each day our schools provide much for the students we serve such as a safe and caring environment, meals, and the opportunity to participate in various extra-curricular activities."Senate Bill 451 provisions that many public school workers oppose are bundled into one bill that also includes pay raises for them and increased funding for public schools, though a large portion of the new funding would benefit property rich counties more than property poor ones.The pay raises are those Republican leaders promised a month before the November election, without revealing that they'd be included in a much broader bill. Voters kept Republicans in power in both chambers of the Legislature.The strike announcement came moments before the state Senate reconvened to continue discussing Senate leaders' proposed newly amended version of the bill. The amended version passed Monday night on an 18-16 vote and was sent back to the House of Delegates for consideration.The Senate passed the original bill to the House earlier this legislative session.That bill angered school workers because it would've allowed unlimited charter schools to form in West Virginia, which currently has none, and would've provided public money for private-, online- and home-schooling and tutoring through vouchers, called "education savings accounts." Full-time public school students would be barred from having ESAs.That version of the bill also would've allowed county boards of education to downplay or disregard seniority in deciding which employees they lay off or transfer to other jobs when they are faced with layoff decisions.On Thursday, the House passed, 71-29, a version of the bill that greatly diminished these provisions. It restored seniority protection, erased the education savings accounts program and limited charter schools to just two, and said they could be converted only from existing public schools, and only then with the majority approval of parents and employees in those schools.But the Senate's amended version, revealed Monday, swung the pendulum back in all three of those areas. Seven charter schools would be allowed, as would education savings accounts, although only 1,000 students could have the ESAs at once, down from 2,500 in the version the Senate originally passed.Albert said Monday that he doesn't think the strike call is premature, despite the Senate having not yet sent its amended version back to the House and the House not yet having acted on it when the strike was called."They have made this bill so ugly in the Senate, and we've been told they have support in the House," Albert said. "We feel that we have no other measure but to send the message that we're following this hour by hour and, today, it changed and they moved it through rapidly today. No, we have waited as long as our members have been patient to wait."Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, questioned why employees would strike over a bill that would provide more money for nurses and counselors, plus other benefits to public schools.During last year's strike, Adam Culver, a Huntington Middle teacher, dressed up in a banana suit borrowed from a seventh-grader.When employees rejected the statewide union leaders' deal with the governor to end last year's strike, and they kept striking anyway, he donned a black suit and continued demonstrating at the Capitol, saying the "banana's turned black."On Monday evening, he got back in the yellow suit and was at the Capitol. But he said he'd been there off and on for a few weeks already, trying to keep up with the bill, and he now was concerned that the Senate's new amended version has enough votes to pass the House quickly."We've been, honestly, fighting it since before it hit the floor," Culver said. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has appointed Mr. Michael Ebye Amanya a Ugandan national, to the position of Director of UNRWA Affairs in the Syrian Arab Republic as of February 15 2019. Mr. Amanya joined UNRWA in March 2017 as Deputy Director of Programmes, Syria Field Office. In that role, he supervised the development and implementation of programmes for the 438,000 Palestine refugees in Syria. I am excited to be able to continue building on our work with and for the Palestine refugee community of Syria. After eight years of conflict, Palestine refugees continue to be one of the most vulnerable groups in Syria with immense humanitarian needs, Amanya said. I look forward to ensuring that UNRWA continues to provide quality services and emergency assistance to support Palestine refugees. Stories Continues after ad Amanya has spent more than 25 years working in the humanitarian assistance field, including with the International Rescue Committee and Action Aid. He was the first Regional Director for the Middle East for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) between 2007 and 2010. Subsequently, he became the IRCs Regional Director for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2012 and led a programme that provided assistance to 2.5 million displaced and vulnerable Congolese. Earlier deployments with IRC and Action Aid saw him develop and implement programmes in response to the Rwandan genocide, Darfur conflict, the refugee crisis in Western Tanzania and internal displacement in Northern and Western Uganda. Amanya received his Bachelor of Arts in social work and social administration and Master of Arts in social sector planning and management from Makerere University in Uganda. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs 20-million-year-old tusked sea cow is Central America's oldest marine mammal GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Steven Manchester didn't set out to discover Central America's oldest known marine mammal. He was hoping to find fossil plants. Manchester, curator of paleobotany at the Florida Museum of Natural History, had left a group of vertebrate paleontologists uphill of the Panama Canal to do his own prospecting, clambering down onto the narrow, exposed shoreline to look for fossil leaves, petrified wood and mineralized fruits and nuts. It was a dangerous place to be: The rolling wake from passing ships could sweep a person off shore and into the canal. Manchester noticed that people were occasionally shouting at him through megaphones as they cruised past, but not understanding Spanish, he continued to comb the shore when he spotted bone. "He quickly walked us over to where he'd found a skeleton sticking out of the rock exposure," said Aaron Wood, then a museum postdoctoral researcher leading fieldwork in Panama. "There were two or three vertebrae, orange-ish in color, dipping into the black rock on the side of the canal and a couple of ribs around them. We guessed that there would be more under the rock." What Wood described as an "emergency fossil excavation" due to rising water levels yielded a remarkably complete skeleton of an ancient sea cow, estimated to be about 20 million years old, the first evidence of a marine mammal from the Pacific side of the canal. The fossil skull, vertebrae, ribs and other bones belong to a new genus and species, Culebratherium alemani, a tusked seagrass-grazing relative of modern dugongs, which live in the warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific. Wood and lead author Jorge Velez-Juarbe, also a former museum postdoctoral researcher, published their findings in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. About 15 feet long, this C. alemani was not done growing, Velez-Juarbe said. Its tusks had only begun to protrude and its newest molars showed little wear, indicating it was not yet an adult. But it was a powerful eater. The researchers propose that its thick neck muscles, tusks and downward-pointing snout were adaptations for digging pits in the ocean floor to get to the underground stems of seagrass, the plants' most nutritional parts. "Finding C. alemani is pretty good evidence that there was seagrass in this region 20 million years ago," said Velez-Juarbe, now assistant curator of marine mammals at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. "This particular group of sirenians" - the order that includes dugongs and manatees - "are seagrass specialists." While only one species of dugong is alive today - a second, Steller's sea cow, was hunted to extinction within 27 years of its discovery - about 30 species have been recovered in the fossil record, Velez-Juarbe said. The group originated in the West Atlantic and Caribbean and dispersed westward through Panama, whose seaway did not close until a few million years ago, and south to Brazil. "Today, Panama is the juncture between two continents, and that's where we have a mixture of mammals between North and South America," said Wood, now director of Iowa State University's Carl F. Vondra Geology Field Station and a lecturer in the department of geological and atmospheric sciences. "In the early Miocene, when this dugong lived, it wasn't a land connection but a sea connection between the Atlantic and Pacific. We would expect to see communities of sea cows there, too." Previous research shows that multiple species of dugongs commonly lived together, each with slightly differently shaped tusks, snouts and body sizes that would have enabled them to divide up food resources, Velez-Juarbe said. "Some would eat larger species of seagrass buried deeply in the sand while others would feed on smaller grasses closer to the surface," he said. "Evidence from many other places in the world shows that multispecies communities were the norm. To only have one species of dugong now is freaky." These communities also made for healthier seagrass beds, he said. Whereas a single seagrass species, Thalassia testudinum, dominates the Caribbean and West Atlantic, grass beds in Australia have a better balance of species because modern dugongs feed on the larger grass species, keeping them in check and giving smaller grasses a shot at flourishing. The researchers named C. alemani after the Culebra Formation where it was found and Alberto Aleman Zubieta, the former chief executive officer of the Panama Canal, whose support they described as essential to the fieldwork's success. C. alemani was excavated as part of a large-scale, years-long project to salvage fossils during the expansion of the Panama Canal, which temporarily exposed fresh outcrops. Wood said that while he and the rest of the field crew understood the significance of their work, the discovery of the dugong "really brought that home." "We found the fossil dugong when water levels were at their lowest," he said. "After the first day, they steadily rose. We put sandbags on the edge of the site just to keep water out long enough for us to collect it. Within a week, the site was flooded. We couldn't go back. The idea that this was a once-in-a-century opportunity was wrapped up in this one specimen." ### The researchers began the work as postdoctoral fellows under the advisership of Jonathan Bloch and Bruce MacFadden, Florida Museum curators of vertebrate paleontology. This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Content distribution made easy The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed a software solution that enables content creators to have their own Mobile Internet broadcast platform where the content will be accessible to anyone with a smart device. The Micro-Enterprise Media Engine (MEME) technology platform is aimed at freeing independent content producers and allows them to reach their audiences at the fraction of the cost. MEME enables Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) in the media sector to own and run their own their television channels through mobile devices using the internet. We have developed this [platform] for anyone in the media industry who is looking to create their own mobile television station, CSIR Systems Integrator Siveshnee Moonsamy said in an interview with the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Monday. According to CSIR, to successfully run a TV channel, media owners must have content that draws in audiences who in turn attract advertisers who want to introduce these audiences to products. This means that channel owners must be able to commission, schedule and broadcast enticing content to their target audience. The MEME platform is integrated with CSIRs Adaptive Real-Time internet Streaming Technology, which ensures that the picture quality adapts to available bandwidth. This will result in the content being delivered without buffering. Channel owners can commission various components of their content using the MEME platform. Once the content is ready, the channel owner can schedule the content thereby enticing programming at the right time for their particular audience. Through the MEME platform scheduled programming can be broadcast to a global audience over the internet. Moonsamy said users will be able to download the mobile app onto their smart phone and they will be able to watch anywhere and anytime, no matter what their mobile internet connectivity. Unlike other platforms, with MEME you will be able to reach audiences in rural areas who have poor internet connectivity. Even if they have 2.5G or EDGE connectivity, they will still be able to stream the content to their phone without any buffering or break up in the video. This also ties in with the data costs that they will incur. They have the choice to watch the videos in different qualities which will relates to how much data they are willing to pay for, she said. Moonsamy said all programmes that have been broadcast will automatically be available for the user to download and watch at a later stage. The CSIR will on Friday exhibit their digital innovation platforms during an engagement session with the creative industry, led by Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and her Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana. The one-day engagement will specifically focus on broadcasting, audio-visual and new platforms, as well as the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). The engagement will bring together various role players, including broadcasters, over-the-Top industries, internet players such Google and Facebook; and telecommunications companies. It will focus on assessing the status of the creative industries within the broadcasting/audio-visual sector; exploring the contribution of the broadcasting/audio-visual communication sector to the creative industries; and engaging on the commercialisation of creative sector content on digital platforms. Government representatives from various departments, including Arts and Culture and Trade and Industry will also be in attendance. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-02-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.